Did you know the human body has over 600 muscles? Your skeletal muscle is categorized into three different fiber types. Each type has a different contraction speed and not surprisingly, each has a special function within your body.

Slow twitch muscle fibers are called type I and they are recruited first for any type of activity you do, whether it be strenuous or mild.  Slow twitch fibers are your body’s aerobic specialists. They are fueled by blood fats called triglycerides and the aerobic energy system (the oxygen you breathe). They help you go for long periods of time at a light or moderate pace. Distance runners have a lot of slow twitch fibers and they train them to be resistant to fatigue for as long as possible.

Fast twitch, or type II muscle fibers are recruited for strenuous activities requiring power, speed or strength such as heavy resistance training (weight lifting,  power training, etc.) and interval training. They are fueled by your anaerobic energy system (glycogen, ATP, creatine phosphate in muscle cells) and help you go fast and hard. The downside is these fibers fatigue quickly.

Fast twitch fibers come in two sub types: type IIa and type IIb. Fast twitch type IIa fibers are basically  a hybrid of the slow twitch type I fiber and the super fast type IIb fiber, utilizing both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems equally. They have attributes of both power and endurance and are used for extended periods of relatively heavy activity, like carrying heavy grocery bags up a flight of stairs.

The type IIb fibers are the ones responsible, along with adrenaline, for helping you work at the highest intensities, for only brief periods of time. These muscle fibers fatigue very quickly, usually in less than 30 seconds. They are reserved for only the most difficult of tasks and unfortunately most trainees never recruit them during exercise.  If you are not training these fibers, you are missing out on some important components of fitness, namely, explosive power, speed and strength. You are also missing out on hypertrophy, i.e. an increase in muscle mass.

How Muscle Fibers Are Recruited

When your body moves, it recruits muscle fibers to perform the work. Individual fibers are not called into action however. They band together in bundles called motor units, which  are controlled by individual motor neurons.

Slow twitch muscle fibers are grouped into small motor units which have a low “firing threshold”. So when you perform any activity, whether lifting your arm or doing a sprint, you recruit slow twitch muscle fibers first. Activities requiring increasing amounts of strength and speed are met by increasingly larger motor units containing the fast twitch type II fibers needed to do the job.

By the way, motor units always contain the same type of muscle fibers. In other words you can’t have slow twitch and fast twitch fibers in the same motor unit. If that were possible, you would have some fibers lying dormant while others were being recruited. The dormant fibers would not perform any work and would be “carried along” for the ride in the motor unit by the activated fibers.  Fortunately for us, Mother nature is smarter than that!

In part 2, I’ll explain the differences among individuals with respect to muscle fiber types and some ways to train different fiber types for both sports fitness performance and for building big muscles – without complicating your training program or your life.

It’s called the Triple Threat Muscle system or 3XM, and it’s being described as the new “Bible of strength and mass building” for average guys like myself.

What exactly is Triple Threat Muscle system? It’s the fastest way to gain muscle and get ripped with the least amount of time and effort.

It’s based on years of trial and error experience and the latest muscle building research for 2010. It only takes 45 min, 3 times per week to trigger serious anabolism in both skinny and fat guys with average genetics. Once and for all, you’re going to gain the muscle you want.

Remember, no program can change your genetic makeup and your God-given ability (or lack thereof)  to gain mass… But 3XM comes as close as you can to changing your skinny or fat guy genetic code to a muscle building, fat torching genetic code.

My own experience…

I have personally used these same techniques to make dramatic strength and size gains. I added nearly 100 lbs to my 1 repetition maximum for the deadlift.

I can do 8 pull ups with a 100 lb plate strapped to my waist. You should see the heads turn in my gym when I do this. Everybody stops what they’re doing to check me out. It’s an incredible confidence and yes, ego booster. You can’t help but feel a little arrogant with your new found muscle and strength.

One of these days I’m going to do a short video of me doing this if my gym will allow it .

So, are you ready for this breakthrough program? Are you ready for a system that actually delivers on the promise of building ripped, incredibly strong muscles?

Are you ready to get the stares of envy from men?… and stares of intrigue and attraction from women? It can all happen to you in the next 90 days!

But you need to take action now…

Muscle Building DVD

Important Note: The normal price of Triple Threat Muscle will be $77 but during the launch (for the next 72 hours ONLY) it is going to sell for just$47.

Do yourself a favor and save the 30… only a few good muscle building programs come out each year and you’ll probably end up getting Triple Threat Muscle anyway.

P.S. The video in the main page is not working yet for some reason.

Posted by:  Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer

Welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre put his title at stake against top ranked challenger Dan Hardy of the U.K., while Frank Mir and undefeated Shane Carwin squared off for the interim heavyweight title. The heavyweight title was vacated earlier this year by Brock Lesnar after he was diagnosed with a life threatening hole in his stomach in November of 2009.

To my surprise, Dan Hardy didn’t win a single round and was dominated the entire fight by St-Pierre, who pressured him every round with take downs, superior grappling ability and blurring speed. St-Pierre handily earned a 5 round decision victory. The final scorecard was 50-43, 50-44, 50-45.

As a UFC fight fan, I had hoped Hardy would keep it competitive but it was clear he was outclassed by a superior tactician.

In the other main event, Shane Carwin knocked out (TKO) top ranked contender and former 2 time Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir at 3:48 of the first round.

After all the hype leading up to the fight and factoring in Carwin’s undefeated status in the UFC with Mir’s impressive recent track record, I thought it  would be a war. Quick KO’s are exciting for the moment but you soon feel deflated. Maybe UFC 112 will have some real wars. We will just have to see. ~

Want the body of a professional UFC fighter? Stay Tuned for tomorrow’s launch of 3XM Triple Threat Muscle -- a brand new muscle building and cardio conditioning program based on the latest human performance research and over 20 years of lifting experience by the creator. It was developed by Jason Ferruggia, a world-renowned resistance training guru and sought-after writer for top mens muscle and fitness magazines like Men’s Health® and Muscle & Fitness®. Jason knows what he’s talking about when it comes building muscle because he actually walks his talk. This dude is big and functionally fit. And ironically, he’s a vegetarian! Stay Tuned for program launch details tonight and tomorrow. Til then…

UFC is a registered trademark of Zuffa, LLC.

Posted by:  Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer

Jason Ferruggia of Renegade Strength Systems has been working on a brand new muscle building and conditioning program that’s going to take the market by storm this Sunday night at 12:00 am.

This program is hot! It’s specifically designed to give you, the skinny guy, the body of a professional athlete and modern day gladiator.

Want the body of an NFL running back or UFC fighter? Of course you do.  If you had the body of a George St. Pierre or Randy Couture imagine the looks you’re going to get.

What do women want in 2010 and beyond? A well-built, muscular and functionally fit athletic body is what women really want! Not some over-the-top, muscle bound, juicer looking freak.

Trust me… I have spoken to hundreds of women about this exact topic, and almost without fail, they all prefer the ripped, muscular look of an athlete – NOT a bodybuilder!

This is the look that turns heads and earns respect from everyone. Guys crave it and women can’t help but be attracted to it.

But the look itself is only the beginning… You will soon be able to walk your talk. You’ll create a buffed, athletic body that’s also incredibly strong, explosive and with killer endurance.

Important Note: using muscle building and conditioning techniques like the ones in 3XM, I have upped my 1 -RM deadlift to nearly 500 lbs! That’s a strength gain nearly 100 lbs for me! And I only weigh 180 lbs. I look jacked. I get stares from everyone, wherever I go. Even the steroid-taking muscle heads in my gym can’t help but envy my look and my strength.

This  is what impresses people the most, the ever-elusive combination of athleticism and ripped, jacked muscularity.

If you are interested in this program, bookmark my home page and come back Monday morning after the product launch  for a special discount offer.

The banner below is NOT LIVE YET… I’m posting it just to give you a taste of what’s coming in 2 days. As soon as the program is launched, I’ll make the link live.

2010 New Research On How To Grow 357% More Muscle

Posted by Bob Thomson, BSc, CPT

Still, I get a ton of emails and information requests about “getting huge” or “monster cuts” like a bodybuilder.  If you’re dead set on getting really big muscles – that are also functional for sports and activities of daily living- then I recommend a hybrid workout program:

Use a total body OR lower body / upper body split training routine using power & performance based conditioning exercises like squats, deadlifts, standing presses, Olympic style lifts, bench presses, pullups/chinups, core twists and all varieties of core stabilization exercises like planks. 

These exercises build power, strength and muscle size, especially when you adjust the volume of work performed upward. If all you did was focus on these exercises and their variants, you will get big. Couple it with clean eating, and you’ll get ripped.  

For those of you who don’t trust chinups and pullups to build big biceps (and by the way, they do, just look at mine in this blog’s header image), then by all means throw in some bicep curls both with a straight bar and dumbbells once in a while. Just don’t over do it. If you do, you will be wasting your time.  

Total Bodybuilding / Performance Conditioning Hybrid Workout: 

The following exercises call for high repetition volumes per workout, more so than regular fitness training or strength training. You’ll be completing between 32 and 48 repetitions per exercise. Do this total body workout 3 times per week. You will use supersets with rest in between each exercise (exercise pairs that work opposing muscles in a superset). You can also split this routine into upper and lower body splits and train 3 -4 days per week). For example, train lower body on Monday, Upper body on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, lower body on Thursday and upper body on Friday.

Perform 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise and rest 60 seconds between each set in each pair. For example, perform a set of the first exercise – rest 60 seconds – then perform the second exercise in the pair. Rinse and repeat until you’ve completed all sets and reps for each exercise pair. Then move on to Pair 2, and so on.

Pair 1: Traditional Back Squat followed by Romanian Deadlift 

Pair 2: Traditional Bench Press followed by Barbell Rows  

Pair 3:  Standing Front Barbell Press followed by Weighted Chinups 

Pair 4:  Standing, Bentover Torso Twists w/Olympic Plate followed by The Plank 

So that’s 8 exercises for a total of 32 to 48 reps per exercise. This workout is fast compared to a traditional bodybuilding workout which usually take 2-3 hours each. I think you’ll find the shorter training duration refreshing and motivating, especially when you realize you can achieve nearly the same mass as a traditional bodybuilding program with much less time-investment. 

Give this sample workout a try for the next 2-3 weeks. After that, lower your reps for each exercise to 3-6 reps and rest 90 – 120 seconds instead of 60 seconds. This is your strength cycle. After another 2-3 weeks it’s time to go back to 8-12 reps, 60 secs rest and use different versions of the compound exercises above (example: substitute the Front Squat for the traditional Back Squat, Traditional Deadlift for Romanian Deadlift, etc.). 

Lastly, please let me know how you’re doing. I’d love to hear from you!

Posted by: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer & Natural Bodybuilder

Performance conditioning routines which work several muscles and joints at the same time are called compound exercises. And if you’re looking to get huge, you need to focus on these movements.Still, I get a ton of emails and information requests about “getting huge” or “monster cuts” like a bodybuilder.

If you’re dead set on getting really big muscles – that are also functional for sports and activities of daily living- then I recommend a hybrid workout program:

lower body & upper body split training routines using power & performance based conditioning exercises like squats, deadlifts, standing presses, Olympic style lifts, bench presses, pullups/chinups, russian twists and all varieties of planks.

These exercises build power, strength and muscle size, especially when you adjust the volume of work performed upward. If all you did was focus on these exercises and their variants, you will get big.

Couple it with clean eating, and you’ll get ripped. For those of you who don’t trust chinups and pullups to build big biceps (and by the way, they do, just look at mine in this blog’s header image), then by all means throw in some bicep curls both with a straight bar and dumbbells once in a while. Just don’t over do it. If you do, you will be wasting your time. 

Sample Bodybuilding / Performance Conditioning Hybrid Workout: 

The following exercises call for high repetition volumes per workout, more so than regular fitness training or strength training. You’ll be completing between 32 and 48 repetitions per exercise.

You will also use supersets with rest in between each exercise (exercise pairs that workopposing muscles in a superset). Perform 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise and rest 60 seconds between each set in each pair.

For example, perform a set of the first exercise – rest 60 seconds – then perform the second exercise in the pair. Rinse and repeat until you’ve completed all sets and reps for each exercise pair. 

Pair 1: Traditional Back Squat followed by Romanian Deadlift

Pair 2: Traditional Bench Press followed by Barbell Rows

Pair 3:  Standing Front Barbell Press followed by Wide Grip Lat Pulldown

Pair 4:  Standing, Bentover Torso Twists w/Olympic Plate followed by The Plank

So that’s 8 exercises for a total of 32 to 48 reps per exercise. This workout is fast compared to a traditional bodybuilding workout which usually take 2-3 hours each. I think you’ll find the shorter training duration refreshing and motivating, especially when you realize you can achieve nearly the same mass as a traditional bodybuilding program.

Give this sample workout a try for the next 2-3 weeks. After that, lower your reps for each exercise to 3-6 reps and rest 90 seconds instead of 60 secs. After another 2-3 weeks it’s time to use different versions of the core compound exercises above ( example: substitute the front squat for the traditional back squat).

Also, please let me know how you’re doing!

Posted by: Bob Thomson, Certified Personal Trainer

Tymor Bootcamp – Lose weight, build & tone muscle with my new bootcamp fitness program. This is a local area group personal training program. Coverage area: Dutchess County New York.

Straight Line Fitness – “The shortest distance between you and your dream body!” Get into and stay in great shape with my new personal training programs. Includes both on site and distance training programs i.e. Online personal training.

Posted by: Bob

“Hi Bob, I’m 14 and i really want to get my arms and abs ripped is there a way to get this quickly?”

My Answer:

Hi Volim23,

Thank you for your kind comments. I appreciate your interest. Since you are 14 years old you still have a lot of growing to do! I didn’t start weight training until about 15 or 16 years old. Someone your age should NOT push too hard or be too concerned with getting big or ultra ripped for example. Are you involved with school sports? If so, using basic weight training to help you perform better during sports will help you get thicker and defined.

Unless your metabolism is unusually low for a 14 year old, the cuts and definition should come from your increased exercise activity.

Whatever your activity level, if you are not well defined at this point don’t worry! At 14, you’re body is approaching the heights of its development. Hormones are coursing through your body like a runaway freight train. Pushing too hard as a teenager could be counter-productive at this point.

For anyone, the quickest way to get ripped is to do INTERVAL Training combined with good eating. Wind sprints are a great example — I used to do them each season when getting ready for wrestling, track and baseball.

Do interval training 2-3 times per week max for 20 minutes each session. Why? Because sprinting burns fat better and longer than moderate or low intensity traditional cardio like jogging.

Regarding my abs training I spend about 30-45 minutes per week on them. I like to do superset circuits with rest for abs. For example:

Example Circuit:

Lying Bent Knee Leg Lifts – Lying on back, hands and arms out resting on floor, raise your knees & thighs perpendicular to the floor with calfs/shins parallel . Do a set of 15-20 reps of lowering your legs and raising them slowly (count of 3 up and count of 3 down). Rest 45-60 seconds…. and then immediately do…

Reaching Situps – Lay on your back with feet planted firmly in front of you and knees bent pointing up toward the ceiling. That’s the starting position. Next do a slow, deliberate situp with your arms and hands reaching 45 degrees towards the ceiling. Sit up so your torso is perpendicular to floor. Then immediately go back down to starting position. 3 count on the way up. 3 count on the way down. The reaching part of this exercise places extra resistance on your upper abs. Rest for 45-60 seconds. Then do…

Bicycle Kick Situps – Lay on your back, body flat on the ground. Tuck your hands just behind your ears. Pull your knees and legs up so your thighs are perpendicular and lower legs are parallel to the floor. Raise your shoulder blades off the floor a little and begin by touching your right elbow to your left knee while extending your right leg out, followed by touching your left elbow to your right knee while extending your left leg out.
When doing this exercise correctly, you will look like you are riding a bike flat on the floor and at the same time twisting your torso up to touch your opposite elbow to your knee. do 15 Reps and Rest 1 Minute before doing a second and final circuit.

Do this circuit TWICE each session, 2-3 times per week and your abs will “pop” I assure you!

Posted by: Bob Thomson

To be honest I didn’t expect such a great response. I am thrilled to say the least.

More muscle building and fat loss videos to come…

- Bob Thomson

I’ve been doing an interesting split routine I came up with to better fit my schedule and to push through a plateau I was experiencing:

Monday Morning: 30 Minutes Total (time goes by surprisingly quickly!)

15 Minutes Legs & 15 Minutes Abs:

For legs, use the same weight (dumbbells) for all exercises. The heaviest dumbbells you can handle while maintaining good form. Perform 2 sets of 8-10 Reps of each exercise with 60 seconds rest between sets. For calf raise farmers walk, stand and walk about on your tiptoes with heavy dumbbells for 60-90 seconds.

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift, 2 Sets, 60 seconds rest followed by…
45 Degree Lunge 2 Sets, 60 seconds rest followed by…
Single Leg Split Squat 2 Sets,  60 seconds rest followed by…
Calf Raise Farmer’s Walk (great calf exercise!!) 2 Sets

Next…

Abs/Core Training – 15 Minutes

Do each set in a circuit (one exercise after the other) with 30 seconds rest after each exercise. Do two circuits total.

Reverse Crunch – Lay on back, pull your knees & thighs up perpendicular to floor, lower legs up and parallel to floor. Do 15 reps slowly, both up and down.

Reaching Situps – Lay on your back with your elbows out to your sides and palms down. Do a slow and deliberate situp and as you rise up, reach for the ceiling. Squeeze your abs at the top position. Do 15 reps slowly both up and down.

Bicycle Kick Crunches - Lay on your back with your hands at your ears, elbows forward. Raise your knees perpendicular to the floor. Slowly kick your legs like your pedaling a bicycle and crunch up at the same time. For example, when you kick your right leg, raise your shoulders off the mat and move your your right elbow and shoulder towards your left knee. Do a total of 30 kick-crunches, 15 on each side.

Monday Night: 60 – 75 Minutes

Full Body Routine – This routine is performed by doing exercise “pairings” i.e. one exercise followed by 60-90 seconds rest than performing the next exercise in the pair. Repeat each pair of exercises for a total of 3 times. Do 10 reps for each exercise.

(3 “pair sets”) Barbell Hang Clean (95-115 lbs) – 90 seconds rest- followed by - Dumbbell Bench Presses. Rest 60 seconds. Repeat this pairing two more times.

(3 “pair sets”) Barbell Squats (145 lbs) – 90 seconds rest- followed by – Close Grip Pull Ups – Rest 60 seconds. Repeat this pairing two more times.

(3 “pair sets”) Standing Dumbbell “Arnold Presses” (45 lb dumbbells) – 90 seconds rest- followed by – “Simulated Hay Bail Toss” – Rest 60 seconds. Repeat this pairing two more times.

Note: Barbell Hang Clean is performed by pulling a barbell up quickly and “cleanoing” it to just below your chin. (Click for a picture of this exercise)

*Note: Standing Arnold Dumbbell Press is performed by curling dumbbells simultaneously and then pressing them over head to work your shoulders. Return to starting position by lowering the weights slowly. Repeat.

**Note: To do the Simulated Hay Bail Toss, use a 35 lb or 45 lb plate. Grab the plate like a steering wheel and bend forward at the waist until your upper body is 45 degrees to the floor. This is the start position. Then, lift the weight up to your left side “as if” you are going to throw the plate on a platform which is at shoulder level. Bring the plate slowly back to start position and then repeat to your right side. Do a total of 10 simulated “tosses” on each side. Be sure to hold the plate tightly. This exercise simulates throwing a heavy hay bails onto a wagon.

Tuesday: OFF

Wednesday: Repeat same routines from Monday

Thursday: OFF

Friday: Repeat same routines from Monday