The record previously stood at 8,940, held by Kenta Adachi of Japan. Before this, Australian-born Jaxon Italiano had performed 8,008 pull-ups in 24 hours, which included breaking the 12-hour record with 5,900 reps in that timeframe. Italiano had been assisting Martin with his training in the run-up to the record-breaking attempt.

Martin attempted his first pull-up challenge back in July 2023, live streaming his efforts. Posting to X, he told his followers that despite approaching the attempt ‘without any fear’, he began to have doubts around the three-hour mark. ‘I started to develop a level of physical, mental, and emotional pain that never did I ever imagine feeling. My hands were bleeding from everywhere, my legs were sore from simply jumping slightly, and my right shoulder was tearing every minute I jumped to do a pull-up.’

From this point onward, Martin documented his training process, sharing the highs and lows, as well as the physical transformation of his body as he racked up tens of thousands of pull-ups in the process.

 

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A post shared by Doug Censor Martin (@censor)

The official world record attempt, which took place on September 7th, was monitored by invigilators from Guinness to ensure that each rep met the mandated standards – beginning from a dead hang position with arms at full stretch and ending once Martin’s chin had passed above the bar.

Raising thousands of dollars for Project Purple, a charity dedicated to pancreatic cancer, Martin successfully beat the previous record around the 19-hour mark, with five hours still remaining on the clock. He went on to perform hundreds of additional reps in the following hours but ultimately stopped with almost three hours left to spare, citing injury fears. In a post to X shortly after the feat, Martin shared images of his heavily calloused hands.

Instagram I @censor

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The post A gamer has shattered the pull-up world record by performing 9250 reps in 24 hours appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

IF YOU WANT bigger biceps, you’ve clicked on the right article. We’re not here to waste any time, either. If you want to know the true benefits of bigger, stronger arms, you can click here.

But for now, let’s get straight to it. You want bigger biceps, let’s go.

Here’s how it works: this high-frequency bicep training approach is designed for short-term use (3-5 weeks) to deliver an intense new stimulus. The protocol is deceptively simple, yet highly effective, targeting your biceps with a substantial workload every single day

You’ll perform this protocol on top of your regular training. If you follow a full-body training plan, you’ll perform this work at the beginning of each session following the priority principle. If you use any sort of split regiment, on days that are heavily leg focussed, perform the bicep work at the beginning of your session. On upper body days, where you may be performing other pulling movements (think chin-ups and rows) perform your bicep work at the end.

The bigger biceps protocol

This couldn’t be simpler. Each day you’re going to perform 100 bicep curls, using a weight you could curl for around 20 reps before you hit failure. Your goal is to perform all 100-rep – with impeccable form and controlled tempo  – in as few sets as possible, resting for no longer than 5-10 deep breaths between each set.

If you reach the point where you can perform all 100 reps in 5 or less sets, up the weight.

If you can’t make it into the gym each day, even for a quick 100-rep visit to curls-ville, invest in a resistance band that you can step inside of and curl at home, at work, or anywhere else you find yourself. The key here is consistency and frequency. If you have dumbbells at home, follow the same protocol and use the same weight dumbbells when you’re in the gym in order to properly chart your progress. Curl both dumbbells at the same time, aiming for a big squeeze at the top of each rep and a big stretch at the bottom.

Movement options

Standing Dumbbell Curl

Stand tall holding a pair of dumbbells at your sides (A). With minimal momentum and keeping your upper arms tight to your body, curl both dumbbells upwards, turning your palms inwards until your pinky fingers are near your shoulders (B). Squeeze here and reverse the movement under control.

Standing Barbell Curl

If you have access to an ‘EZ bar’ use this. The design of the bar makes it much more friendly for your wrist and shoulders over this high-frequency period.

Stand tall with your bar, your palms facing towards you, shoulder-width apart (A). With minimal momentum, curl the bar upwards towards your chin (B). Squeeze here and lower the weights under control. Repeat.

Resistance Band Curl

Stand in the centre of a resistance band and hold both ends at waist height (A). Keeping your upper arms still slowly curl your hands up towards your chest, squeezing your biceps hard at the top of each rep (B) before slowly lowering your arms back to a dead hang and repeating.

If you notice any signs of overuse such as sore elbows or wrists, beyond simple (and expected) DOMs during this period, cease the protocol immediately.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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The post Want bigger biceps? Do this every day appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

FOR AS LONG as men have clanked platters of iron onto barbells, the bench press has been a strength benchmark. Some guys swear that you’re nothing unless you can push two plates, minimum. Others insist you should be able to press your bodyweight – or even double that.

The reality? “There’s nothing magic about the bench. We use it as a marker of upper body strength, but your back can be pretty damn strong, too,” says Shawn Arent, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., chair of the Department of Exercise Science at the University of South Carolina. “In some ways, we might be able to make a better case for how many push-ups you should be able to do [as a gauge of strength].”

That’s because, unlike the bench press, pushups express relative strength since you’re working with your own bodyweight. There are factors that make barbell bench pressing less easy to gauge across different bodies, which we’ll cover momentarily.

But even if this classic exercise isn’t the most logical to use as a universal measuring stick, it’s still got a hold on many a gym-going guy for one simple reason: you’ll more than likely be able to work with more weight with the barbell bench press than any other upper body exercise. If that appeals to you and makes you show up in the weight room, that’s magic enough.

How much weight men should be able to bench press?

There is no right answer to the question of how much weight you should be able to barbell bench press, for a wide variety of reasons. Your ability here has more to do with individual factors like your goals, fitness level, training age (how long you’ve been consistently working out), and your particular anatomical makeup than any universal standard. Yes, there will be milestones you can hit, like repping out 100 kg like you’re at the AFL Combine, pressing your bodyweight, or stacking extra plates but those are all dependent on you.

Still, it’s a question that just about any guy who enters a weight room has asked himself. Here’s how much Arent and Kurt Ellis, C.S.C.S., owner of Beyond Numbers Performance, think you should set as your bench standard, along with some tips to build towards those numbers. And if you’re not into – or able to – bench, they’ve got some muscle and strength-building tips for you, too.

Bench press standards you can use

You’ll find innumerable calculators and charts online telling you how much weight you should be aim to barbell bench press. These can be helpful in some ways, especially if they’re tied to a specific program you’re following – but if you’re not doing that, they’re only useful up to a point. They’re also not exact, spitting out weights that you can’t even load onto your gym’s barbell, like 88 kg.

Arent suggests keeping your expectations simpler: “If you can bench press your body weight, you’re doing pretty good,” he says. “If you’re a powerlifter, you’ll be able to do much more than that. But for most people, that’s a pretty impressive thing to do.”

If you’re new to the iron game, though, you shouldn’t expect to be able to roll up on day one and press a bar that weighs as much as you. And you shouldn’t expect to lift that much within the first year, according to Ellis. “Generally speaking, if we’re looking at a beginner with between zero months of training and a year, being able to bench at least half your body weight is a good goal,” he says.

Ellis suggests using a tiered goal system based on your training age:

• Beginners (0 to 12 months of experience): Half your bodyweight
• Lifters with 1 to 3 years of experience: 1 to 1.25 times your bodyweight
• Lifters with 3-plus years of experience: 1.5 times to double your bodyweight

There’s nothing inherently special about these specific numbers, Ellis says, but they will help trainees who are striving to bench press more for two reasons: They’re concrete goals, so you’ll have something to strive for. And they’re realistic, so you won’t get discouraged as you build up your base of strength.

How to increase your bench press

If getting to the above standards is your goal, there’s one thing you’ve got to focus on above all others, Ellis says. And it’s the same thing that will help you improve any lift: progressive overload.

The idea is simple: To lift more weight, you need to increase your stimulus. Building muscle and strength are all about doing more over time – increasing the total amount of weight you lift each week, month, and beyond. When you increase the total volume that you lift in this way, that’s called progressive overload.

The key is to find the ways that you can tweak your training volume in ways that keep your gains steadily moving upward. You can do this by following a pre-made training plan with progressive overload built in. We’ve got plenty available in the MVP Training Lab. Just use our Workout Finder below to get your best match based on your fitness level and goals.

If you prefer following your own routine, here are four other tips that can help you increase your volume over time, work through common pitfalls, and stay focused on your goal of a gargantuan bench press.

Bench more than once per week

If you’ve been putting all your bench press efforts on Monday (a.k.a. International Bench Press Day), you’re likely not training enough to see your bench numbers balloon, Ellis says.

“If the bench is a lift you’re looking to improve, then you should be intentional about it,” he says, making the move a priority. A beginner might be able to improve with four sets per week. But for advanced trainees, “you’ve got to probably hit 12-plus sets.”

Those 12-plus sets may include other variations of bench press variations, like incline, decline, and dumbbell presses. But you’ll want to practice the move you want to improve, and you’ll want to do it often. Instead of doing body part splits with a single chest day per week, plan to program bench two to three times per week.

Bust through sticking points

Sometimes you’re pushing through a rep, and the bar just gets… stuck. You can’t press through the rest of the rep. You’ve reached a sticking point in the lift, and it’s one of the most common struggles guys face as they progress on the bench, Ellis says.

You can work on pushing through this sticking point with sets of pin presses, Ellis says. In addition to full range of motion sets, set the bench up in a power rack, and place the bar on the pins just beneath your sticking point to shorten the range of motion. Press the bar from this point to the end of the rep, then slowly return it to the pins and repeat.

“You’re focusing on being able to drive out of that amortization phase and focusing on the concentric push,” he says, strengthening the area where you’re usually feeling weaker.

Don’t stick with one rep scheme

To build strength, conventional knowledge holds that you should perform a low-rep, high weight rep scheme – usually three to five sets of two to six reps, with two to five minutes rest between sets. This isn’t the only way you should train, however – sticking with the same workout structure is just asking for a plateau.

So instead of doing that or the more typical three sets of 10 reps at the same weight for months on end, you’ll need to lift more total weight – through more sets, reps, or sessions – to increase your total bench press volume. Flip your approach and do a different rep scheme for a while. When you do this, your max bench will go up, Ellis says.

The “a while” part is key: Don’t make this change for just one bench press session. Test your max bench, then make a change like this for four to eight weeks, Ellis says. At the end of the cycle, test your max again. Reprogram as necessary.

Be patient with progress

There’s a reason Ellis’ standards are broken out by years of experience, not weeks or months. Getting stronger – especially after your phase as a newcomer to the gym is over – doesn’t come fast.

“Train, and train consistently,” Arent says. “If you do those two things, you’re going to get where you want to go.”

Warm up before you max out

If you’re just walking up to the bench cold and immediately jump into your working sets, you’re putting yourself in a bad position if you’re looking to make progress (and avoid injury, for that matter. Use this warmup routine from Bespoke Treatments physical therapist Cameron Yuen, DPT, PT, C.S.C.S., on the days you bench press to make your sessions even stronger.

Bench press warm-up

The protocol uses the RAMP principle: Raise your body temperature; Activate the key muscles and movement patterns. Mobilize those joints; and Potentiate the nervous system.

• Air Bike

5 to 10 minutes

Focus on the pushing and the pulling when you’re on the bike. If you don’t have an air bike, Yuen suggests jumping jacks or jogging in place.

• Elevated Scapula Pushup

2 to 3 sets of 5 to 10 reps

Activate the key muscles you’ll be using on the bench. Move slowly and focus on your mind-muscle connection.

• Feet Assisted Dip

2 to 3 sets of 5 reps

Mobilize your shoulders through extension and internal rotation, two key movement patterns for the bench press. Focus on the stretch, not your strength.

• Medicine Ball Chest Pass

2 to 3 sets of 3 to 5 hard reps

Potentiate your nervous system by going hard with this exercise. Power is the goal here.

• Easy Reps

Start with a few sets that work your way up to your actual reps. You should take 2 to 3 sets using just the bar and lower weight increments before moving up to working sets.

Bench press mistakes to avoid

For more immediate urgent tips to address issues that might be holding you back from workout to workout, make sure you’re not making common bench press form mistakes.

You skip the warm-up

Make sure you take some time to check in with your body before the lift. Check out the routine above for a more detailed plan.

You raise your feet on the floor

A good bench comes with a good base. Driving your heels into the floor will allow you to ground your feet and maintain full-body tension.

You don’t squeeze your glutes

Losing tension is the problem here, too. You’ll be able to transfer force from your lower body up to eke out tough reps.

You don’t squeeze your shoulder blades

Squeezing your shoulder blades will help to protect your shoulders, which are important for pressing movements. Drive your shoulders into the bench for better chest day gains, keeping your chest the main mover of the lift.

You don’t break the bar

“Breaking the bar” is important for many barbell exercises. You do this by rotating your hands to turn the pits of your elbows downward toward your feet. This will help to turn on your lats, which will help to protect your shoulders.

Add accessory exercises

If you’re really serious about building your bench press, you should do more than just that exercise. Along with your chest, your shoulders, triceps, and even your lats are essential, especially when you’re aiming to be as strong as possible.

Try these accessory exercises in your workouts to build up the base of strength that will pay off once you hit the bench.

Bench press alternatives

Maybe the barbell bench press doesn’t call to you. Or worse, maybe it’s painful once you begin working at it consistently. Due to the fixed hand position on the bar and the shoulder angle used to press, the exercise just doesn’t always work with everyone’s anatomy and mobility and can cause shoulder injuries, according to Arent.

Some lifters, including former Olympia champions Jay Cutler and Phil Heath (and US MH‘s own fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.), don’t use the barbell for their presses. They prefer the larger chest stretch they can get from a dumbbell bench press. Dumbbells also let you change the angle of your wrist and shoulder to what’s optimal for your body’s movement, Arent says, pressing in the way that’s most comfortable for your body and provides the best squeeze in your chest.

Other options like the machine chest press (which is another favourite of Heath) can also help to develop the chest without putting yourself in a shoulder compromised position.

And if you can’t make it the gym? Stick to the basics: The tried and true pushup is the king of upper body bodyweight exercises for a reason. Make them your strength standard, pushing towards 30, 40, or 50 or more – all with perfect form.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health US.

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The post How much weight should I be able to bench press, really? appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

TO GET STRONGER – and generally, to get better at whatever you’re doing in life – you need to subject yourself to greater challenges. In the gym, that’s called progressive overload, and it’s one of the key principles to muscle growth.

“By gradually, and progressively, overloading your muscles to work harder and harder in your workouts overtime, you’ll subject them to the stimulus they need to grow and get stronger,” says MH fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S.

How do you make your workouts harder? The simplest method is to work with heavier weights, which is typically the first thought guys have when they plot out their training. But progressive overload isn’t only determined by the weights you can lift. There are a few crafty tactics to increase the challenge without stacking on more plates of working down the dumbbell rack. Here, Samuel explains what progressive overload is, and four ways to implement it in your workouts.

How does progressive overload work?

Progressive overload is the systematic increase in challenge in your workouts over time to continue to provide the stimulus your muscles need to grow. The biggest misconception around progressive overload is that it only works when you add weight, Samuel says. If that were the case, everyone with a few years of training experience would have an unobstructed path to huge PRs.

There’s a glaring problem with that approach: at some point in your training journey, you’ll hit a point where you can no longer increase your weight every single time you step into the gym. When you stuck, that’s a training plateau. If you’ve been training for a long time, you’ve probably experienced this multiple times across several different exercises.

Exercises have different rates of progression. Big compound lifts, like bench presses and squats, will progress a little faster than smaller isolation exercises, like bicep curls and tricep extensions. This is because multi-joint movements recruit several muscle groups at one time.

More isolated exercises are harder to progress, because they single out muscle groups. And, when it comes to adding weight to these movements, you’re more than likely going to start breaking form and end up using muscles that are not the ones you are looking to target. That’s why you need to look at other ways of increasing challenge than simply increasing load.

There are other variables in your training you can adjust in order to present new challenges to your muscles.

4 methods of progressive overload

Time Under Tension

Emphasising time under tension is an underrated way of overloading your muscles, Samuel says. Every time you do a rep of anything, your muscles are placed under tension to control the weight through the rep. Tension ultimately promotes growth.

Depending on the exercise, you’re likely taking one to two seconds on the lowering (generally, eccentric) portion of the movement, and one to two seconds on the upward (concentric) portion of each of your reps. Change up your pace, and you’ll increase the challenge to your muscles by forcing them under tension, longer. There are a few ways to do this:

Change the tempo of your reps

Focus on adjusting the amount of time you spend on the different parts of your reps. For example, if you’re doing a bench press, try taking three to four seconds to lower the weight to your chest. That will result in four to five seconds of tension per rep, rather than two to three seconds.

Forced reps with a partner

After you’ve completed your set, have a partner spot you while you aim for super long lowering – think at least five seconds. Once you hit the bottom of your rep, have your partner help you back to the starting position. Complete two to three reps like that, and you’ll have added an extra 10 to 15 seconds of tension on your set.

Cut rest times

You’re likely going to rest anywhere from 90 seconds to two minutes on a normal set. But, if you’re struggling to add weight, try cutting that all the way down to 60 to 75 seconds. “By moving more quickly between sets, you’re subtly training your body to battle through lifts with increasingly limited recovery time,” Samuel says. “That will gradually increase your body’s ability to squeeze out an extra rep at the end of your regular set.”

Be careful when taking this approach, though. Don’t take more than 20 seconds off your rest in any given workout.

Increase entire load per workout

Normally, you’ll track weight and reps throughout workouts. To add another element of progression, you can think about how much you’re lifting in a different way. Multiply your reps and sets by the weight you’re lifting to get your total training volume.

To increase this number, you can add in another working set to your target exercise. Know that one set of a few extra reps is enough, though. If you’re not training to the point that you’re near failure just to tack on an additional set, you won’t get the most out of your workout. And you don’t need to waste your whole day doing a ton of extra sets to see improvement.

Change execution

Another way you can adapt is by adjusting your exercises, or the tools you use. Instead of a flat bench press, try it with a slightly inclined bench to increase the range of motion you work through. Or, switch up your exercises by using a set of dumbbells instead of a barbell to challenge your stability and, in certain cases, range of motion.

However you choose to progress your workouts, pick a method and stick with it. Progress won’t come overnight. Give it three to four weeks to really see results.

“Do not expect instant results in one session with a new approach,” Samuel says. “In the long term, you’ll continue to build muscle and strength.”

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health US.

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The post 4 progressive overload methods you can use to build muscle without adding weight appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

During a recent sit-down with Men’s Health, Chalmers broke down his full routine, step by step. Fair warning, it’s not for the faint of heart. We wouldn’t recommend such an arduous undertaking to anyone who doesn’t have the time, motivation or resolve to train like an Olympian. Despite the hefty commitment, Chalmers doesn’t resent the effort. Instead, he revels in the grind, and looks forward to every session, “I love the endorphin hit of coming home after a really hard, taxing day of training and sitting on the couch, knowing I’ve given everything to the session.”

“I’m at the pool nine times a week,” Chalmers says. “That’s nine two-hour long swim sessions a week.” When I express surprise at his considerable workload, Chalmers simply shrugs his shoulders, apparently surprised that anyone striving for greatness would even contemplate doing less. In case it hasn’t clicked, the guy is a hard worker to a fault. Going all-out isn’t an occasional approach to his training, it’s the only way he knows how.

It’s a wonder that Chalmers finds the time to do anything but swim. Three days a week, he has two separate sessions in the water and will spend close to six hours a day at the pool. On another three days, he starts the morning with a swim session before hitting the gym for an hour and a half doing weights training. A reminder: Chalmers works as a tradie for two days a week on top of his training schedule. Needless to say, it’s an exhausting routine. “By the time Sunday rolls around, I pretty much don’t get off the couch for the rest of the weekend until I do it all again on Monday morning.”

On top of work and training, Chalmers also squeezes in weekly allotments for recovery, which usually entails a few hours in physiotherapy, getting a massage, or treating himself to even more time in water with an ice bath. “It’s almost like racing from a heat to a final,” he explains. “I’ve got to be good on Monday morning, but I’ve also got to still be good on Saturday morning. It’s not about having one good session a week; it’s about having nine very consistent sessions each week.”

Chalmers’ diet has changed drastically over the years, as he will begrudgingly admit. “I remember when I was heading into Rio, I’d probably go to Maccas a couple of times a week for breakfast, I’d go out for a schnitty on a Friday night, and I’d snack on lollies and bad food quite regularly,” he says. “Now my metabolism has definitely slowed down and I have to be a whole lot smarter.”

For breakfast, Chalmers will throw together yoghurt, muesli and berries. With that light start to the day accompanied by a one-litre smoothie comprised of equal parts broccoli, spinach, kale, brussels sprouts, raw egg and turmeric, with a dash of black pepper. “I hate the taste of it, but I feel like I’m on top of the world after it,” he admits. Lunch typically consists of something simple, like a ham, tomato and cheese toasted sandwich. Dinner varies, but Chalmers will assure you it’s always nutrient rich.

If you’ve followed Chalmers’ journey from his breakthrough to now, in addition to the plethora of tattoos that have sprung up over the years, you’re sure to have also noticed a cluster of dark, circular blotches adorning his upper body, the tell-tale mark of a wellness practice known as cupping therapy. While the scientific community is split on its effectiveness, Chalmers is a firm disciple. “I’m a strong believer in cupping,” he says. “I can see that it’s done something. You can get a massage for an hour and not see any difference. Whereas with cupping, I can see the bruises and I’m like ‘yeah, I’ve done my recovery’.”

That mindset sums up Chalmers’ approach to his fitness perfectly. If there’s anything he can do to make himself perform better, he’ll do it, and he doesn’t hide the fact. “If something’s going to help me improve by even 0.5% or 0.1%, or make me swim 0.01% faster, I’m willing to try it.”

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The post How Kyle Chalmers eats and trains to stay in Olympic shape appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Winter might be the most tempting time of the year to slack off. With motivation plummeting and nights spent cosied up in bed looking more appealing than ever, it’s unlikely you’ve stayed 100 per cent committed to your usual routine throughout the season – but it would be unreasonable to expect yourself to do so. Different seasons require different routines, and if you’re going to stay on track, an adjustment of your existing one – rather than a wholesale abandonment – might be necessary.

To assist in this adjustment, we’ve tapped Luke Zocchi – Centr trainer and personal fitness coach to none other than Chris Hemsworth – to provide some tips on how you can get the most out of your winter workouts, whether you’re struggling to find motivation or settling in for a prolonged bulking phase.

Zocchi is no amateur. He’s spent years training everyone from A-listers to everyday athletes, building a wealth of knowledge along the way while keeping himself in prime physical shape. According to Zocchi, the key to staying on top of your winter workouts is to “train as efficiently as possible”. He also stresses that it’s alright to relax your standards at this time of year, so long as you’re not giving up entirely. “Even 5-7 minutes a day is better than nothing,” he says.

Here, Zocchi takes us through his tips for mastering your workouts at a tricky time of the year.

Men’s Health: How do fitness habits change around winter time?

Luke Zocchi: You might find yourself going in one of these two different directions: either 1. feeling a bit of mid-winter meh, or 2. making the most of the winter-time to take on a bulk phase.

For some people, those new year fitness resolutions or summer goals can feel like a lifetime ago and you might find yourself in a mid-winter slump where you exercise less. Starting something new, finding what works for you (like choosing indoor and at-home workouts) or committing to a challenge are good ways to keep your fitness habits going.

On the other hand there’s what’s called a bulk phase. It isn’t uncommon for people to go through a bulk phase during winter, where they focus on putting on muscle and a little body fat by being in a calorie surplus.

MH: How can people adapt their workouts to suit the winter season?

LZ: You could adapt by trying something different – variety keeps it interesting if you find yourself in a mid-year or winter slump. Try a new program like Centr’s 28 Days Strong, where five different Centr trainers, including me, lead the workout and give you different variety and styles.

Remember that it doesn’t have to be overly complicated either. Even 5-7 minutes a day is better than nothing, and you can workout at home if you’re not game to brave the trip to the gym in the cold or dark.

And then, if you were following a bulk phase, you could focus on longer rest periods and lifting heavier weights, which you can also find in Centr Power.

MH: How can people make sure they’re still getting the most out of their workouts, even if they’re not working out for as long or as often?

LZ: If you are focusing on getting the most out of your workouts while training for a shorter amount of time, it’s crucial to train as efficiently as possible. This includes having a structure for each workout, being smart with exercise selection, and sticking to compound lifts to train multiple muscles in one lift. This is a philosophy I believe in when it comes to designing workouts.

Luke Zocchi’s 5-minute winter biceps workout

Like Zocchi says, staying on top of your fitness in winter can require as little a commitment of just five minutes per day. If you’re looking to add some size to your arms this winter, check out this workout designed by Zocchi for Centr’s new 28 Days Strong program.

1. Biceps curls, 30 seconds
2. 20 seconds rest
3. Alternating single-arm biceps curls, 30 seconds
4. 20 seconds rest
5. Combination of biceps curls and alternating curls in single:single:double pattern, 40 seconds
6. 30 seconds rest
7. Hammer curls, 30 seconds
8. 20 seconds rest
9. Alternating single-arm hammer curls, 30 seconds
10. 20 seconds rest
11. Combination of hammer curls and alternating hammer curls in single:single: double pattern, 40 seconds

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The post Struggling to adapt to winter workouts? Try these tips from Luke Zocchi appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

Earlier this year, Stanaway found himself at his heaviest. With a trip to Paris to cover the Olympics – where he’ll be side by side with the world’s fittest athletes – on the horizon, he decided it was time to make a change. He’s spent the last 12 weeks pushing himself to the limit with a gruelling workout routine and ruthlessly strict diet plan. The result? Stanaway has shed nine kilograms, built a mountain of muscle and is in the best shape of his life at 41 years of age. Now he has every intention of staying that way.

Here, Stanaway takes us through his transformation experience, in his own words.

IMAGE I @cartel_curious

“I’ve always been an active person and I’ve never been shy about going to the gym, but over the last few years, I was shirking the hard work that was needed to get the results I wanted. For years I’ve wondered what it would be like to actually go all in, to stick to a consistent training regime and see what I was really capable of. I finally decided to give it my best shot.

I had a pretty busy summer this year and started the new year with a really hectic schedule working seven mornings a week. I lost track of my personal time and found it difficult to manage my fitness. From there, I started to put on weight and before I knew it, I was the heaviest I’ve ever been at 92.5kg.

My lifestyle didn’t help. Seven mornings a week of radio and TV while eating on the run and not sleeping in meant that my mental health was suffering too. But really, I just hated seeing myself in the mirror. There are some things I’ve struggled to stick with in the past like a regular gym routine or consistent diet, but something clicked when I saw myself in the mirror and thought I’ve got to find the time. That was the catalyst for change. All of a sudden I found the motivation I needed.

I didn’t really have any specific goals in mind when I started. I wasn’t aiming to get down to a certain weight or build a certain amount of muscle. First and foremost, I wanted to make genuine change and I wanted to look good and feel good. With the Paris Olympics coming up, I was approaching what would be one of the biggest professional moments in my life. I put those dates in my diary because I decided that, when I’m over there, I want to be feeling my best.

The timeframe I was working with was 12 weeks. My typical routine involved training in the gym four days a week, then on weekends I’d fly to Sydney and try to do some sort of cardio. Usually that meant going for a run, as horrendous as it was. The bunny hopping between Melbourne and Sydney was probably what made it the hardest, but ultimately staying consistent helped me get to where I am now, which is nine kilograms lighter at 83.5kg.”

IMAGE I @cartel_curious

The training routine Clint Stanaway used to drop 9kg:

Trainer Matt Boland had Stanaway on a four workout per week routine, with push, pull, upper body and lower body days. Each workout targeted multiple muscle groups to maximise all-around strength gains.

Day 1 // PUSH

1. Flat dumbbell press 4×6
2. Cable crunch 4×8 (2211 tempo)
3. Incline dumbbell bench press 3 x 8 (2211 tempo)
4. Push ups 3×8 (1 & 1/4)
5. Cable flyes 3×15
6. Lateral raise 3×8
7. Dumbbell overhead tricep extension 2×12
8. Tricep push down 2×12

Plus three rounds of:

1. Ski erg x 150m
2. Seated Russian twist x 6 each side

Day 2 // PULL

1. Pull ups 4×6
2. Russian twist 4×6 each side
3. Seated row 3×8 (2211 tempo)
4. Underhand lat pull down 3×12 with partials
5. Incline dumbbell curls 3×8
6. Hammer curls 3×8

Plus three rounds of:

1. Ski erg x 8 cal
2. Renegade row x 6 each side

Day 3 // LOWER BODY + CONDITIONING

1. Hameer curl 4×8 (2211 tempo)
2. Leg extension 4×8 (2011 tempo)
3. Romanian deadlift 3×8
4. Bulgarian split squat 3×8 (2011 tempo)
5. Smith machine reverse lunges 3×8 each side

For conditioning, three rounds of:

1. Ski AFAP x 200m
2. 1min rest
3. Farmers carry x 30 seconds
4. 1min rest

Day 4 // UPPER BODY

1. Incline barbell bench press x8
2. Dragon flyes x8
3. Seated row x8
4. Dumbbell shrugs x12
5. Incline bench press x 1 & ¼
6. Lateral raise x8
7. Tricep extension x12
8. Air bike
9. 3×10 cal efforts

IMAGE I @cartel_curious

“Finding a training partner was instrumental. Having someone there to hold you accountable is so valuable. For me, that was Matt Boland, who was my trainer but also a mate. Matt was really invested in me. I mean, most personal trainers are invested in their clients, but he was especially invested in me given our friendship.

Matt was willing to bend over backwards for me to work around my schedule. There were some days where we had to train at 4:30 in the morning – which was horrendous, but we made it work. That wasn’t the norm, but there were some crazy days where I had radio and TV doubling up and no time during the day, so we just had to bite the bullet and find the time wherever we could.

Most people would say that leg day is the hardest part of going through a process like this. I wouldn’t disagree with them, but I think the 4:15 alarm was the toughest part for me. I had to really push and grind to get through that, but thankfully I had my trainer there to greet me and help me get used to it.

Matt made sure that we got that stuff done and he held me accountable if there was an opportunity for me to find an excuse. In a really gentle and supportive way, of course. The social aspect of it was really powerful as well. Whether it was just getting into the gym with other people or being with a run club, I’ve met a lot of really fun, likeminded people in those environments that have been intrigued by my progress and helped me stay on track.

I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but breakfast working hours can break you, especially when you haven’t had enough sleep. I’ve never been very good with time management, which is ironic given the hours I work. That was probably the hardest part of this experience for me. When it came to time management and squeezing things in and dedicating enough time to the right things, that was something I struggled with.

Committing to this routine has changed me though. With dieting and meal prep, I had to get into the habit of prepping the night before, which is something that I haven’t been big on in the past. I’m probably more of a pick up the phone and order Uber Eats kind of guy.

Breakfast radio also has a few other unique challenges. You should see the food deliveries we get into our studio. Some mornings I come in and there’s just boxes of doughnuts laying around and people saying “hey our friends from down the road sent these in, why don’t you try some?” So the temptations were always there, it was constant. Also, giving up chocolate was rough. I’m a sweet tooth from way back and I’m actually staggered that I was able to limit it.

Giving up alcohol was another one of the most challenging things. I gave up the grog for 12 weeks, which, given my lifestyle where I’m regularly at events and functions where trays of beer and champagne are being passed around, was difficult. But I got through it.”

IMAGE I @cartel_curious

The diet plan Clint Stanaway followed to build lean muscle

Stanaway’s trainer had him on a lean, green and protein-heavy diet to build muscle while shedding weight. In addition to his regular diet plan, Stanaway was allowed pasta or another of his favourite meals 1-2 times per week. The only caveat? He could never over eat.

Breakfast:

• Omelette – 3 eggs + 2 handfuls of veggies on a bagel

OR

• Greek/protein yogurt
• 2 handfuls of fruit
• 1 handful of nuts
• Relatively generous serve of honey
• Protein shake

Lunch:

• Chicken/white fish/red meat: 150-200 grams
• Large serve of greens/veggies
• Half an avocado
• Small amount seasoning/sauces

Dinner:

• Chicken/white fish/red meat: 150-200 grams
• Large serve of greens/veggies
• Half an avocado
• 150 grams of sweet potato or pumpkin.
• Small amount seasoning/sauces

Snacks:

• Protein shake
• Mixed berries/fruit
• Mixed nuts

“A lot of guys in their 40s probably question how much they can still achieve physically and start waving the white flag. I know I did. I’ve never been able to do chin ups, for instance. I never had a flat stomach. Now I can and I do. It sounds a bit wanky, but I’m now really keen to tell my mates that even in your 40s, it is possible.

The improvements haven’t just been physical. Be it confidence, mental health, sleep, all of the above, I’ve found benefits in areas I didn’t expect to. I feel a level of confidence I never have before. I’ve never been one to strip down into anything less than a T-shirt at the gym and that doesn’t really bother me now. It probably sounds really vain, but I just feel a lot more comfortable in my skin. I’m sleeping much better, which I’d probably put down to shutting off the alcohol. I’ve also become a better time manager, which is helping me in so many ways.

When I set out to do this transformation, I wanted to prove to myself that I could be the fittest I’ve ever been – and I’ve done it. At least in terms of strength. I’m still a shit runner, but I feel stronger and fitter than ever before. I’m going to stay this way.”

IMAGE I @cartel_curious

Related:

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The post How Clint Stanaway became stronger than ever in just 12 weeks appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.

A RECENT EXTENSIVE multi-year study involving nearly 15,000 participants has found that an extreme, ‘minimalist’ approach to strength training could yield promising results.

The approach, which consisted of just one 20-minute workout session per week, has proven to be highly effective. However, its effectiveness decreased over time (in this case, years). Researchers note that these diminishing returns in strength may apply to all long-term strength training programs lacking sufficient variation, regardless of whether they involve one day in the gym or more.

The study

The study, published via SportRxiv, analysed data from Dutch personal training company Fit20 who specialise in short 20-minute workouts that are repeated just once per week. The results were taken from 14,690 clients who trained for almost seven years.

Participant’s typical weekly workout involved six machine based exercises, performing movements designed to target their entire body, which included chest presses, leg presses and pulldowns. Each movement was performed for just one set to muscular failure, at an extremely slow tempo, with reps lasting up to 20 seconds each. Load was adjusted incrementally for each movement to ensure that failure was reached at around 4-6 reps – even as participant’s strength increased – and rest was kept extremely brief at around 20 seconds.

The results

The most interesting outcome of the study was the strength improvements participants saw over time. Analysing results for the leg press, chest press, and pulldown exercises, the data consistently showed rapid gains within the first year, followed by more gradual improvements. Strength gains in the chest press typically reached about 30% after one year and approximately 50% after seven years. Similar patterns were observed across the other exercises, albeit to varying degrees. For instance, over the seven year period, leg press strength increased by almost 70%.

What do the results mean?

For the majority of us, the study underscores that a ‘minimal effective dose’ approach to resistance training can be effective for gaining strength and muscle.

While not as effective as more frequent, higher-volume training, building strength and muscle mass remains crucial for counteracting ageing and reducing mortality risks. Research indicates that higher strength levels are linked to a 14% lower risk of death. Consistently gaining strength over time is a significant win for long-term health, even if it doesn’t make you a champion bodybuilder or powerlifter.

It’s also pertinent to add that while the diminishing returns on strength gains may sound like a dramatic drop-off, it’s worth pointing out that even consistent trainees will sometimes fail to make much more progress than this over a similar timeline, even if they’re training for three to four days per week. Ask yourself, how much strength have you gained on the leg press over the last seven years? It might be more than 70%, but if you’re training for even three hours a week, that’s 900% more than the participants in this study. Have you gained that much more strength?

The important take away from this study is that even if you can only manage a 20-minute workout, it’s always worth it. The science says so.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health UK.

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The post Can you really get stronger training just once per week? New research reckons you can appeared first on Men's Health Magazine Australia.