Welcome to Sam’s Strength Sentiments,
Here you will find my take on various topics that are related to the fitness industry. Feel free to browse and find a topic that you find relevant/interesting and if you can’t then feel free to leave me with a topic that may interest you!
I am a third year undergraduate studying Fitness & Personal training, currently preparing for my disseration and additional qualifications such as cancer rehabilitation. Here, you will find my own philosophies and approaches to training that I deem optimal based on my own personal and anecdotal evidence, as well as basing my approach from current proven literature.
My training is performance based, which is why I am a huge advocate for focusing on progressive overload, utilising 5×5 or 10×3 type programs as well as manipulating resistance training variables like weekly volume, rest times and calorie/carb restriction to help chase and progress your numbers, which in turn will give you a lean, aesthetic phyisque.
Don’t get me wrong, cliché bodybuilding training certainly has its place. You know – supersets, cluster sets, minimal rest, getting the most brutal pump imaginable using “isolation” movements. However, this is largely known to induce metabolic stress and therefore I believe it should be performed towards the end of your training routine once the heavy compound work is done and you have increased your repetitions or weight that week.
If I had to give you 3 things to focus on to increase aesthetics, here is what I would tell you in order of priority.
Prioritise movements: Heavy compounds first. Want a big chest? Chase that double bodyweight bench press, THEN consider the light cable fly’s x 20 repetitions. I am willing to bet my entire student loan that if I see a 70kg guy who can bench 140kg with full ROM, his upper body will blow mine and all the readers of this post (okay so maybe that’s like 3 people) out of the water. Remember, strength is relative to your bodyweight so if you want to be aesthetic, you need to be lean – which brings me onto my next point.
Caloric deficit, higher protein: Use protein to your advantage, but don’t be the gym-bro that eats 800g of unnecessary protein. Protein has a muscle sparing effect despite it not technically being an energy source, therefore you should use this to your advantage when in a caloric deficit so that your body can burn your fat stores and maintain your strength/muscle or perhaps even gain some strength/muscle when doing so. The way to do this? Try dropping your calories by 200kcal, the smaller the deficit, the more likely you are to maintain or build muscle and gain strength assuming protein is high.
Sleep, sleep and more sleep: Numerous studies have been shown to support a link between people who sleep for 7+ hours and considerably higher muscle mass, as well as an increase in fat loss. If you’re chasing a lean, aesthetic physique whilst in a calorie deficit but you’re trying to cling on to every pound of muscle you have then you must utilise this. I’m not even going to mention the performance detriments in the gym of having a bad night sleep, as I’m sure you’re fully aware how terrible you feel when you’ve barely slept! Ditch the caffeine, clear your mind and stop stressing over everything. Enjoy your life, nobody makes it out of here alive!
I’ve just given you 3 things for free that any idiot like myself can do to get a head turning physique, don’t waste your money on supplements or useless PT’s when all the information is out there.
Enjoy looking better!
Sam's Strength Sentiments 