fit.trik

7 years of hard work in one picture.

A Poor diet with supplements is not a good diet! It's just a bad diet with supplements. 🤔

It's true that some supplements may help you both in your fat loss and muscle gain goals, but a common mistake I see is that people rely too much on them and forget about the most important things like stress managment, sleep and consistency in training.

So, I'll go through some of the things you should do before incorporating supplemets 👇

1️⃣ Supplements never replaces real food:

Supplements aren't intended to replace food beacause they can't replicate all of the nutrients and benefits of whole foods. Such as, vegetables, which, are rich in fibers, they are essential to manage constipation and, can help prevent certain diseases.

2️⃣ Learn to be consistent and love what you are doing:

Many trainees buy supplements and are very motivated at the beginning, but a lot of them give up quickly. That is the same as throwing money out of the window. Therefore, learn first to love training and be consistent then, begin to incorporate supplementation.

3️⃣ Have a training plan:

If you step in the gym without already knowing which exercises, how many reps and sets you are going to perform you are waisting both time and money. So make sure to have a training plan and you will benefit from the help of the supplementation.

4️⃣ Not all supplements are created equal:

The effect of supplements on the body differs from product to product and from a brand to another. So, before bying any of them make sure to do a lot of research and don't believe everything you see in the internet.

How did I gain muscle and lose weight at the same time?

If you ask experts, years ago, they will tell you that to lose weight you need to be in a caloric deficit (Caloric expenditure > Caloric intake) which, not only makes gaining muscle impossible, but also preserving it very difficult. Thanks to new studies and researches it has been proven that with following some strategies you can make the impossible possible. I'm going to tell you about those strategies but without going too deep, to keep it short and simple:

1️⃣ and MOST IMPORTANT: The quality and quantity of the daily protein intake:
You can go up from 2 to 3 gr of protein per bodyweight. Try to have 20-25 gr of protein at every meal at least 3 or 4 times a day.

2️⃣ keep your carbohydrate intake around training time.

3️⃣ Strength training several Times a week:
A lot of people who try to lose weight rump their cardiovascular activity (cardio). This can be beneficial but never replaces weight training.

4️⃣ Train as hard as you can Rest: Your muscle needs rest to grow so when it comes to building muscle, more isn't always better.

5️⃣ Lose weight slowly and be patient:
It may be tempting to try to lose wheight as quickly as possible. Drastic drops in weight tend to be the result of losing not just fat, but also muscle mass.
When my clients go in a fat loss phase I still give them at least 4 meals a day and they are still able to achieve their goals without starving themselves and at the same time gaining muscle mass.

Top 3 Triceps Exercises with Dumbells 🔥

1️⃣Lying tricep extensions
2️⃣Lying one arm DB extension
3️⃣Overhead DB tricep extension

@ Hanover, Germany

These are my best dumbells variations for the biceps:

A tip for all standing exercises: keep your elbow close to your body and don't let them go forward, especially, in the first part of the movement.

Ex 1️⃣: Hammer curls:
I like going a little heavy on this one. It's also a great exercise to target the long head (Pic of the biceps) and the brachialis.

Ex 2️⃣: Dumbell curls:
Control the weight all the way up and all the way down and try to get a good stretch at the bottom and squeeze at the top.

Ex 3️⃣: Dumbell waiter curls:
keep your wrist bent toward the back of the forearm and raise the Dumbell by pressing through the inner palm.

Ex 4️⃣: zottman curls:
One of my all-time favorites because it targets every Single muscle of the biceps.

Ex 5️⃣: Concentration curls:
What's cool about this exercise is that it takes a lot of moving parts out of the equation and great to isolate the biceps.

Ex 6️⃣: Spider curls:
What you need to focus on here is to get that squeeze at the top of the movement.

Ex 7️⃣ and 8️⃣ are some curl variations that you can do as finishers at the end of the workout.

These are my best dumbells variations for the biceps: A tip for all standing exercices: keep your elbow close to your body and don't let them go forward, especially, in the first part of the mouvement. Ex 1️⃣: Hammer curls: I like going a little heavy on this one. It's also a great exercice to target the long head (Pic of the biceps) and the brachialis. Ex 2️⃣: Dumbell curls: Control the weight all the way up and all the way down and try to get a good stretch at the bottom and squeeze at the top. Ex 3️⃣: Dumbell waiter curls: keep your wrist bent toward the back of the forearm and raise the Dumbell by pressing through the inner palm. Ex 4️⃣: zottman curls: One of my all time favourites because it targets every Single muscle of the biceps. Ex 5️⃣: Concentration curls: What's cool about this exercice is that it takes a lot of moving parts out of the equation and great to isolate the biceps. Ex 6️⃣: Spider curls: What you need to focus on here is to get that squeeze at the top of the mouvement. Ex 7️⃣ and 8️⃣ are some curl variations that you can do as finishers at the end of the workout. #fittrik

Late Night Topic: Dumbell Rows

Dumbell row is a key back building exercise. It targets the mid+Upper back, and it is great to develop strength and hypertrophy in the back with additional benefits of increased grip and biceps Development.

To start the movement your stance should be similar to a deadlift by pushing the hips back and loading the hamstrings and glutes. Start the row by pulling with your elbows and contract your back at every rep then, lower the weight, get a Good Stretch, and repeat.

Common mistakes❗

1️⃣ Arching the back: keep your back as straight as possible during the whole set.

2️⃣ Going too light or too heavy: I like going a little bit heavy in this exercise but not too heavy that I need to drop the weight at every rep.

3️⃣ Pulling with the biceps and not with the back:
If you focus on pulling with your biceps, you take a lot of work out the back. So pull with the elbow then, contract your back.

4️⃣ keep your neck and back aligned:
Watch closely how, in the second slide, I'm making that mistake while watching myself in the mirror. A little tip to avoid any neck injury is to keep your head and neck aligned. To Activate the lats more, pull the Dumbell to your pocket. You will feel that more in the Lats. And as always, Variation is very important! So try different positions and handgrips to get the most out of the exercise.

Late Night Topic: Dumbell Rows Dumbell row is a key back building exercise. It targets the mid+Upper back, and it is great to develop strength and hypertrophy in the back with additional benefits of increased grip and biceps Development. To start the movement your stance should be similar to a deadlift by pushing the hips back and loading the hamstrings and glutes. Start the row by pulling with your elbows and contract your back at every rep then, lower the weight, get a Good Stretch, and repeat. Common mistakes❗ 1️⃣ Arching the back: keep your back as straight as possible during the whole set. 2️⃣ Going too light or too heavy: I like going a little bit heavy in this exercise but not too heavy that I need to drop the weight at every rep. 3️⃣ Pulling with the biceps and not with the back: If you focus on pulling with your biceps, you take a lot of work out the back. So pull with the elbow then, contract your back. 4️⃣ keep your neck and back aligned: Watch closely how, in the second slide, I'm making that mistake while watching myself in the mirror. A little tip to avoid any neck injury is to keep your head and neck aligned. To Activate the lats more, pull the Dumbell to your pocket. You will feel that more in the Lats. And as always, Variation is very important! So try different positions and handgrips to get the most out of the exercise. #fittrik

Frequency: How many times should I train?

To achieve the maximum physical potential, you need to provide the optimal stimulus to the muscles. But if you spend too much time in the gym, you risk injury and overtraining (I prefer using the term under resting). Also if your workouts are too brief or too infrequent, your muscles will grow slowly or not at all. Frequency is defined by the number of training sessions performed per week.

So what is frequency dependent on?

1️⃣ Frequency is muscle group dependent:
Large muscle groups like quads recover slower than smaller muscle groups like the biceps.

2️⃣ Frequency is exercise dependent:
Exercises that involve a small number of muscle fibers, Such as calf raises or wrist curls can be performed more frequently than exercises involving a large number of muscle fibers, such as squats or deadlifts because they make greater demands on the central nervous system. Therefore, it requires longer recovery periods.

3️⃣ Frequency is nutrition dependent:
Numerous studies have established that one of the keys to optimal recovery is post-workout nutrition, which requires carbohydrates to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increase muscle glycogen (Main energy substrate during exercise). If nutrition is good, then a higher frequency of training can be tolerated.

4️⃣ Frequency is recovery dependent:
A misconception around strength training circles is that one needs to train the same muscle every 48 hours or, progress will be less than optimal. The opposite is true. As evidenced by many athletes and my personal experience that training body parts once or max twice a week will get you great results. Optimal recovery requires good nutrition and sleep. Failure to respect this rule could cause you to lose strength and muscle mass.

5️⃣ Frequency is individualized:
It is dependent on work capacity. Some individuals can handle prodigious training volumes, while others can only handle minimal volumes.

❗So, how to find the right frequency?

Just ask yourself: Am I improving? If the answer is no, then frequency has to go either up or down. But, give yourself time before you decide. Don't change your training strategy every 3 days.

Frequency: How many times should I train? To achieve the maximum physical potential, you need to provide the optimal stimulus to the muscles. But if you spend too much time in the gym, you risk injury and overtraining (I prefer using the term under resting). Also if your workouts are too brief or too infrequent, your muscles will grow slowly or not at all. Frequency is defined by the number of training sessions performed per week. So what is frequency dependent on? 1️⃣ Frequency is muscle group dependent: Large muscle groups like quads recover slower than smaller muscle groups like the biceps. 2️⃣ Frequency is exercise dependent: Exercises that involve a small number of muscle fibers, Such as calf raises or wrist curls can be performed more frequently than exercises involving a large number of muscle fibers, such as squats or deadlifts because they make greater demands on the central nervous system. Therefore, it requires longer recovery periods. 3️⃣ Frequency is nutrition dependent: Numerous studies have established that one of the keys to optimal recovery is post-workout nutrition, which requires carbohydrates to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels and increase muscle glycogen (Main energy substrate during exercise). If nutrition is good, then a higher frequency of training can be tolerated. 4️⃣ Frequency is recovery dependent: A misconception around strength training circles is that one needs to train the same muscle every 48 hours or, progress will be less than optimal. The opposite is true. As evidenced by many athletes and my personal experience that training body parts once or max twice a week will get you great results. Optimal recovery requires good nutrition and sleep. Failure to respect this rule could cause you to lose strength and muscle mass. 5️⃣ Frequency is individualized: It is dependent on work capacity. Some individuals can handle prodigious training volumes, while others can only handle minimal volumes. ❗So, how to find the right frequency? Just ask yourself: Am I improving? If the answer is no, then frequency has to go either up or down. But, give yourself time before you decide. Don't change your training strategy every 3 days.

GO FOR IT❗

As human beings, we are capable of great things but are we ready for the sacrifices that come with them?

☑️ Begin with the end in mind!

More times than I can remember, I have seen people starting. And then, just stopping. How do you expect to keep on the right track if you don’t even know your final destination? Get a piece of paper and write down your goals!

☑️ The more precise your goal will be, the more likely you are going to reach it!

Make it easier on yourself by making your goal-setting a roadmap to greatness. If you want to lose 50KG in 2 years, divide that number on a weekly schedule. Your goal will seem more attainable if you put the milestones that will guide you to your destination. Formulate it in a way that motivates you daily. It will keep you from forgetting what you are, really, after!

☑️ Focus your attention on what you love and stop listening to other people!

People will tell you what THEY think will make THEM happy based on what THEY know. What about YOU?
Focus on yourself. Keep your goals discrete if you can’t stop listening to others. Instead, listen to yourself and figure out what you want out of life because only YOU know.

☑️ Don’t let the fear of failure cripple you!

When I decided to focus solely on what I love, I have made sacrifices. How? I have lost friends that I shouldn’t have been around in the first place. I have missed parties that I don’t think would have changed my life. I woke up early because sleeping all day is when I didn’t have goals yet. But you know what? These sacrifices are short term fake "losses" for long term gains!

Squats Last Part: My Top 3 Alternatives

Although squats are a great exercise for improving knee stability, for some individuals, the compressive forces that the squat places on the lower back make it uncomfortable to perform the exercise for prolonged periods. For these individuals, some devices may provide variety to keep the legs growing big and strong with minimal stress on the lower back.

1️⃣ My all-time favorite is the Hack squat:

🎥 N°1 is the hack squat demonstration.

The angeled machine has you in a standing position, safely supporting the weight while you rely on your legs to do the movement. The key with hack squats is to get as low as possible. With too much load on the machine, you will have a hard time reaching that depth. Focus on correcting your form first, then add some weight.
A little tip: to put more emphasis on the quads bring your feet together in a narrow position and always keep your back tight to the machine.

🎥 N°2 shows you how to apply the tip above.

3️⃣ Another alternative is the split squat:

There are many variations of the split squat. The most famous ones are barbell split squats and Bulgarian split squats

🎥 N°3 is the demonstration.

I chose the Bulgarian version because it allows you to reach greater depth. When properly performed, it should make you sore not only in the glutes but also in the hamstrings, quadriceps, and adductors.

3️⃣ Last but not least, Lunges:

🎥 N°4 is the demonstration.

It is a great alternative that you should incorporate in your leg sessions. They target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. You will put most of your weight on your front leg and use your back leg to balance, stabilize, and support your entire body. Make sure that you keep your back straight for the whole set. They are also a better choice than bilateral exercises (exercises that works two sides simultaneously) for rehabilitation since they correct imbalances and misalignments in your body to make it more symmetrical.

Squats Last Part: My Top 3 Alternatives Although squats are a great exercise for improving knee stability, for some individuals, the compressive forces that the squat places on the lower back make it uncomfortable to perform the exercise for prolonged periods. For these individuals, some devices may provide variety to keep the legs growing big and strong with minimal stress on the lower back. 1️⃣ My all-time favorite is the Hack squat: 🎥 N°1 is the hack squat demonstration. The angeled machine has you in a standing position, safely supporting the weight while you rely on your legs to do the movement. The key with hack squats is to get as low as possible. With too much load on the machine, you will have a hard time reaching that depth. Focus on correcting your form first, then add some weight. A little tip: to put more emphasis on the quads bring your feet together in a narrow position and always keep your back tight to the machine. 🎥 N°2 shows you how to apply the tip above. 3️⃣ Another alternative is the split squat: There are many variations of the split squat. The most famous ones are barbell split squats and Bulgarian split squats 🎥 N°3 is the demonstration. I chose the Bulgarian version because it allows you to reach greater depth. When properly performed, it should make you sore not only in the glutes but also in the hamstrings, quadriceps, and adductors. 3️⃣ Last but not least, Lunges: 🎥 N°4 is the demonstration. It is a great alternative that you should incorporate in your leg sessions. They target your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. You will put most of your weight on your front leg and use your back leg to balance, stabilize, and support your entire body. Make sure that you keep your back straight for the whole set. They are also a better choice than bilateral exercises (exercises that works two sides simultaneously) for rehabilitation since they correct imbalances and misalignments in your body to make it more symmetrical. #fittrik