Alpha Asian

Happy Father's day guys!

Q:  I read your article on Bodybuilding.com about building big arms, but I was wondering what kind of training routine accompanies that arm routine? I can't figure out a workout program that incorporates that routine without over training. Thanks!  B.A. My Answer: Just follow an abbreviated routine (3-4 sets per body part) for the rest of your body, and you'll be fine. You won't overtrain on this workout. This concept of overtraining is just making you fearful and limiting your progress in the gym. If anything, you can use short term overtraining to achieve long term progress in size and strength. As long as you vary your program from workout to workout, you can accomplish this. You cannot change workouts without a rhyme or reason, however. I go over how to plan acute phases of overtraining in my book Strength and Physique: The Articles . Q:  I like your arms workout article a lot on the Bodybuilding.com site. I want to give it a try for a change in ...

So I've been watching this TV series on National Geographic called Kung Fu Quest .  It's a fascinating show where a couple of martial artists go train in different systems of kung fu.  In this particular episode they trace the origin of karate to white crane boxing: At the 48 minute mark , they go over traditional karate strength training exercises: stone hammers , sanchin steps, stone locks and dynamic tension . I've always found traditional martial arts strength exercises to be fascinating, because martial artists use a lot of strength exercises that predate the advent of dumbbells and barbells.  Martial artists practice a wide variety of body weight exercises and partner-assisted exercises meant to build strength, mobility and flexibility.  Different disciplines, for example, have their own push-up variations: The original purpose of exercise was martial.  Exercise originated from the martial arts and from warrior cultures.  Prior to in...

Because lolz.

Q: Hey how can I get rid of my love handles? I do hundreds of crunches, but they won't go away. My Answer: Boy there is so much misinformation out there. People think that if you perform crunches or situps you'll burn the fat around abs. That is a bunch of B.S. and yet keep buying into this garbage. When you're body is in fat burning mode, it will burn the fat from the limbs first, from the torso second, and (if you're a guy or a woman with a hormonal imbalance) from the waist LAST. The amount of calories you burn with crunches is so low, that if you did a 100 crunches a day and nothing else, you'd end up with a distended gut: toned six pack underneath a layer of fat. You can't burn fat off your loves handles with just ab work. You have to diet, do cardio intervals, and do whole body strength training. That will burn off fat from your entire body and eventually your love handles. There is no such thing as spot reduction. OR IS THERE? Although I ...