PROGRAM INTRODUCTION

The achievement of a superb, lean physique is, obviously the main goal of anyone interested in fitness and bodybuilding. Any successful training program certainly requires commitment and determination and must always start with an understanding of the basics - muscular size and strength. Simply put, to increase lean muscle, it must be increased in strength. The well known saying: "The strength of a muscle is in direct proportion to its size." could not more true.

Their comes a point where muscles can be exercised without changing their form. Going beyond this point will have a direct and marked effect on lean muscular growth. However, it should be remembered that it's the quality and intensity of an exercise that matters - not how much is done. If any particular exercise falls below a certain level of intensity, the muscle will simply not increase in size. The higher intensity, the faster the muscular size and strength increase.

EXERCISE INTENSITY

The understanding of 'intensity' often poses problems for trainees. Intensity is not related either to the amount of work you are doing or to the production of power. In basic terms it is a reflection of the percentage of momentary ability actually being used. Maximum intensity means you are using as much muscular force to perform an exercise as possible at any given moment. 

During exercise, levels of intensity constantly fluctuate. It's not always possible to perform an exercise to maximum intensity due to the fatigue your muscles have experienced on a previous exercise. Experts believe that intensity levels of 100% are the fastest way to build muscle size and strength. But how do you know if you are producing this level of intensity?

The only was to ensure you are reaching full intensity is to reach the point of MMF (Momentary Muscular Failure)

Momentary Muscular Failure:  The point of an exercise at which you have so fully fatigued the working muscles that they can no longer complete an additional repetition of a movement with strict form.

Basically if you have performed as many repetitions for any given exercise and find that lifting one more repetition is impossible, then you have reached 100% level of intensity. This also means that the muscles involved in the exercise have been worked to Momentary Muscular Failure and have been stimulated to optimum levels. Should you stop short by a few repetitions of intensity then you will not reach MMF and you will have stopped short of the threshold leading to lean muscular growth. In a nutshell, intensity is the key to success here, reach it and you'll force those muscles to grow, fall short of it and the muscles will have no stimulus to grow on.

This High-Intensity exercise is what will place the necessary demands on your muscles to increase in muscular size and strength. This exercise program will also increase strength and overall ability in other physical activities, and generally creates a feeling of well-being. Unfortunately the reverse effect can often happen and the trainee can be left feeling tired, drained and without energy. Obviously you will feel tired at the end of your first few workouts if you are new to exercise and weight lifting, but if the feeling persists it is a clear indication that you are over training. Workouts should never exceed the recovery ability of the body.

High-intensity exercise places enormous demands on the body that are not easily met. A muscle being worked very hard requires vast quantities of oxygen and nutrition and the quality training program will not have the full effect without proper diet and lifestyle. When exercise is completed it is vitally important the muscles are given sufficient time to return to normal. It is actually during rest periods that your muscles will grow. Failure to rest your muscles and continuing with high-intensity work to soon after your previous workout will result in muscle deterioration and loss in both muscle strength and size.

QUALITY - NOT QUANTITY           

This is a very common misconception that an increase in the amount of exercise done will automatically lead to an increase in the intensity of the exercise. Not only is this completely wrong but it will drastically impede your progress. The minimum amount of exercise that causes the greatest amount of growth stimulation will always produce the very best results. If the program is going to work for you then the load must be heavy enough to force muscles to work. Before a muscle is capable of its maximum effort it must first be warmed up through the repetition several times by a movement lighter than it is capable of handling. Cold muscles fail at a level far below their actual strength. Isometric exercises (Stretching exercises) simply don't provide sufficient stimulation to force muscles to work inside their existing levels of strength reserve. This is not to say that isometrics have no place in a bodybuilding program. Far from it! Isometric contractions (Stretches) should terminate every set of almost every exercise - after the maximum number of full movements has been performed. At this stage - say in the eleventh or twelfth repetition, the muscles will fail completely and although they may be contracting as hard as possible against a heavy resistance no movement will occur. This indicates that an exercise has been properly terminated and maximum growth stimulation reached.

FORM

To witness the maximum benefits of the 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan, performance style is of crucial importance. Proper form includes the following:

ISOLATION MOVEMENT

This is an exercise involving only one muscle group or part of the body; it involves a single joint rotary movement. The trainee should, regardless of the particular exercise or equipment being used, concentrate on isolating only the muscles used in a specific movement, doing as many repetitions as possible in perfect form. Cheating - bringing surrounding muscles into action should be avoided. Only in compound exercises, when no other perfect repetitions can be performed, is cheating permissible - but even then it should be kept at an absolute minimum.

RELAXATION OF UNINVOLVED MUSCLES

The isolation of a particular muscle is directly related to the ability to relax the uninvolved muscles. Dangerous levels of stress may be reached if the trainee places too much stress on too many muscles simultaneously. A warning sign of this is the development of headaches during exercise. Greater energy, and therefore more efficient growth stimulation, can be released to the isolated muscle if you learn to effectively relax your other body parts.

SPEED OF MOVEMENT

Research conducted over some years has indicated that slow repetitions are far more productive than faster ones.

RANGE OF MOVEMENT

A fully contracting muscle produces a full range of movement. If a particular movement is less than full range, the entire length of the muscle will not be involved in the work. In order to achieve the desired effect of increased lean muscular shape and size, the range of movement of each repetition should be as great as possible.

SUPERVISION

High-intensity exercise, properly performed, is very demanding and few people find it possible to workout effectively with out the use of a training partner or spotter. The presence of a supervisor acts as encouragement and inspiration.

WORKOUTS - How many, How Often?                               

This a question which could be disputed forever. Unfortunately this confusion is still fairly widespread and results in many people spending as many as 20 hours a week training, in an attempt to accelerate progress, when in fact better results would be produced if they limited their training to not more than three hours of correct exercise per week. The actual time needed to develop lean muscle size is not that great, and this is a vital fact that all trainees must understand. It should also be pointed out that once any high intensity workout has been completed, the body needs approximately 48 hours to renew itself. Therefore beginners should not train on consecutive days. Our plan recommends a three day training routine every other day. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and an optional workout on Saturday or Sunday.

PERFORMING EXERCISES

The range of movement and control of each exercise is very important. Jerking the weight or using other muscle groups should be avoided. A simple guideline is the following: it should take two seconds to lift the weight and four to lower it, or in other words, two seconds positive and four seconds negative. Not only does doing exercises in this way decrease the amount of weight used, but it vastly increases results, as well as almost totally eliminating the chance of injury. Exercise concentrated on one particular muscle will also have an effect, albeit to a lesser degree on other muscles of the body, even those not being exercises at all. An unbalanced exercise program will, to a certain extent, develop certain muscles disproportionately, but the body seems to impose its own limits on this unbalanced development.

EXERCISE SEQUENCE

A number of important conclusions can be drawn from the effect concept.

-  Best results will be achieved only if the training program is properly balanced and includes exercises for each of the major muscle groups.

- Greater emphasis should be placed on working the largest muscle groups of the body. The 12 Week Lean Muscle plan will involve a split routine, training two body parts on each workout, i.e, chest and biceps on a Monday. Each body part will be trained once weekly.

THE DIET

Correct nutrition accounts for at least 80% of lean muscle building success! You are what you eat - and this was never more true that it is for those wishing to change their physique. By carefully monitoring what you eat you can:

- Gain or lose weight according to your goals                           - increase lean muscle size
- improve muscular structure and definition                               - maintain and increase energy
- increase strength and stamina                                                  - keep your body cleansed, invigorated and stimulated
- improve overall health                                                                 - develop greater resistance to disease and sickness
- avoid the 'food traps' laid by processed and junks foods       - gain an unbeatable edge on your friends
- develop a superb physique!

LAYING THE FOUNDATIONS           

                                      
How often do you eat? How much? What foods make up your usual meals? What do you eat for snacks? Which protein, mineral or vitamin supplements do you use? How much sleep do you get? How much alcohol do you drink? Do you smoke? Do you take drugs? Once you have worked out the answers to all of the above, you need to take an honest look at yourself, your body and your mind and study the replies to these more searching questions. Your response will give you a comprehensive picture of where you are at now - physically, mentally and psychologically. Once you have this solid, overall understanding you will already be more than halfway to a new program that will give you infinitely more than just an improved diet.

Eating correctly and exercising well are just the building blocks of a lifestyle that can upgrade your whole quality of life. You will find the added mental, emotional and psychological benefits tremendously uplifting.

Be honest with yourself

- Do you often get depressed and irritable during the day or after workouts?

- Do you lack self-discipline or mental control?

- Do your workouts drain you so that it takes a sizeable amount of time to recover?

- Do you have difficulty maintaining enthusiasm for training?

- Do you suffer a great deal of muscular pain and burning?

- Do you suffer from constipation?

- Do you struggle to keep up energy levels during the day?

- Does your energy suddenly drain form you during workouts?

- Do you find no matter how much you eat and exercise you make little progress?

- Do you experience a lot of tiredness and fatigue?

- Do you find that when you put on weight it is fat and not muscle?

If your answer is 'YES' to more than four of these questions then it is quite possible that your problems stem from incorrect nutrition.

This section will provide you with the essential facts on the nutrients that are vital for the 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan.

Start Today!

Don't put off applying the principles you find here. The sooner you start, the sooner you will see results. And those results will introduce encouragement and enthusiasm that will add a powerful impetus to your training. 

Rest

Rest is just as important as exercise and eating properly. Muscular growth and recuperation occur during periods of rest. Pushing your body to extremes will actually cause muscle shrinkage.

THE MAIN NUTRIENTS                                                         
There are five main nutrients: Protein, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. None of these can function without water.

PROTEIN 

What is protein? Protein is the building block for muscle, imagine a brick house, you can't build that house without the bricks, right? Well the same goes for your body, you can't build lean muscles without protein in sufficient quantities. Every single meal you consume from now on will contain some form of quality protein. Generally the best sources come from, chicken, turkey, fish, beef, egg whites, soy beans and whey protein shakes and bars. Protein also contains essential amino acids, which work together to help you build leaner, stronger muscles.

Your body can only absorb protein in limited quantities, therefore a consumption of protein should be included in every meal of the day (5-6 smaller sized meals). Not all protein is good protein for building muscle. Protein found in Meat, fish and eggs is preferred as opposed to Soya protein found in cereals, vegetables and processed foods. It is also very important to possibly add a Whey Protein supplement which will provide not only good serving of protein, but all essential amino acids.

Carbohydrates - Energy provider

Your body must have carbohydrates in sufficient quantities to be able to assimilate the protein. If your diet does not contain carbohydrates, your body will start using proteins for the purpose to provide energy - which means that protein will not be used to build muscle and tissue. Using protein for energy is also a slower process than using carbohydrates and you will be left feeling drained and often depressed and irritable. A low Carb/High Protein Diet is not the key here, but a carb rotation method will stimulate the very best results. More will be explained a little later in this chapter.

Amino Acids

Proteins are made up of 22 amino acids which have to be present in certain combinations for the protein to function properly. If protein is to build and repair, it must have the right amino acids in proper quantities. Without the right amino acids in the correct proportions, almost every physical process in your body will grind to a halt. In some cases, the amino acids need to combine with certain vitamins and minerals and if these are lacking, that particular body process will be impaired.

Also a lack of amino acids to provide the right protein structure will make your body burn muscle for energy and store fat. If you find that you are eating and exercising a great deal and making no apparent progress your problem may lie here. This is why we strongly recommend a Whey Protein Supplement to use in conjunction with the program. Without such a supplement your results will be limited. You can order a Whey Protein Supplement from our carefully selected range here.

CARBOHYDRATES Continued.

Carbohydrates supply energy. They are broken down to produce glucose (blood sugar) and stored in the muscle and liver as glycogen. 

Simple and Complex Carbs

Carbohydrates are divided into two main categories: simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates. Basically, the simple carbs provide quick energy and the complex carbs sustained energy. This type of Carbohydrate is generally found in processed foods like breads, pasta, pizza, bagels, candies and all snack foods.

Note: A predominance of simple carbohydrates in your diet will cause sharp fluctuations in blood glucose levels -  and when that level suddenly drops - your energy levels take a dramatic dive. Recovery time after a workout will be longer and you will feel edgy and worn out. To make it simple avoid simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs add body fat!!

Complex Carbs - The preferred Choice
The best sources of carbohydrates are 'Complex Carbs' and come from whole wheat and grain products, brown rice, fruit, potatoes, vegetables, legumes and beans. Complex Carbs provide long lasting fuel for work and exercise, they will give you constant energy throughout the day. 

Your pre workout meals should all supply a serving of complex carbohydrates. Your last meal including carbs should be no later than 8.30 pm, all meals after this time should be protein only. The very best complex carbs sources are: Whole wheat breads and products, Brown Rice, Whole wheat pasta,  Shredded Wheat, Grapes, Berries, Carrots, Potatoes, Vegetables and Lentils. 

Carb Rotation Explained

It's a fact that an intake of too many carbs will make you add body fat and too few will make you tired. So what is the answer? How can I lose body fat effectively while holding on to muscle? 

Answer: Carb Rotation

Many people tend to go on low-carb diets in an effort to reduce body fat levels, often
ending up burning all the muscle mass they've spent so hard gaining. More often than not they also tend to balloon when they revert back to their old eating habits. The key to shrinking your 'gut' successfully and bringing your body fat percentage down to single digits for men or the early teens for women is to to use the Carb rotation method. Carb Rotation, to make it simple, requires you to eat different amount of carbs on certain training/non training days. Diet is just like working out, if you workout the same day in, day out, you'll plateau and this is exactly the same with your diet. To eliminate body fat and build lean muscle size you must keep confusing your metabolism and this is exactly what carb rotation will do. By changing the amount of carbs you consume on a day to day basis, you are in effect creating an uncertainty that boosts your metabolic rate.

You should be aware that the main purpose of carbohydrates is to provide energy and when performing exercise your body begins by burning these carbs, not fat, not protein,  it always turns to carbs first. So effectively, the more carbs you eat, the less fat you'll burn. That doesn't mean to say you should completely eliminate carbs, on the contrary, a lack of carbs will leave you feeling very sluggish, especially when working out and you will find it hard to maintain a level of deprivation. It's very much a double edged sword, if you eat lots of carbs you'll keep your muscle size and strength, but won't lose body fat. On the other hand, if you drastically reduce carb intake you'll deplete hard earned muscle, so the answer is to rotate your carb intake, by eating a higher amount of carbs on training days and a lower intake on cardio days or non training days. The benefits of cycling carbs allows you to burn body fat whilst also maintaining and increasing muscle size, so you can have the best of both worlds.

On the days you eat a lower amount of carbs your body will tap into your fat stores for energy and on days you intake more carbs you will be refueling your muscles and increasing energy stores for your weights sessions. On low carb days it is essential to increase protein intake by a good 30-50g for the day, but at the same time keeping calorie intake low. Remember you should not intake more calories than you are burning on low carb days. To eliminate body fat effectively you should aim to burn off more from your cardio sessions than you will be consuming in the day.

For the Carb Rotation method to be successful you need to be strict, this doesn't mean you need to count carbs, gram for gram, definately not. The idea is to just keep your intake low on non weight training/cardio days and increase consumption on weights days. So how many carbs should I eat?

Low Carb Days - as low as 0.5g - 0.8g per pound of bodyweight 
(4 calories in 1g of carbs)
High Carb Days - approx 1-2g per pound of bodyweight 

and how much protein do I require?

Between 0.8-1.2g per pounds of bodyweight. Those looking to add good lean muscle size should go for 1-1.2g. Women should stick at 0.8g per pound of bodyweight.

and fat?

You should aim not to consume more than 7g of fat per serving.

Let's take a 150 pound individual. This is how your daily protein/carb/fat requirements should be split up:

150 x 1g of protein = 150g of protein required per day divided between 5 meals = 30g of protein in each meal.

150 x 0.7g of carbs on low carb days(non training days) = 125g divided between 4 meals = 30g per meal

150 x 1.5g of carbs on training days = 200g divided between 4 meals = 50g per meal or 40g in five meals

5 meals x 7g of fat = 30g of fat

Note:

You should try to avoid all foods with artificial bleaching, coloring and preserving agents. Make sure you always read the wrapper or packaging of any foods before you consume them. You must go easy on 'fast foods' and 'junk foods'. The fat and simple carbohydrates contained in them will have a devastating effect on your progress. Allow yourself one treat day a week.

FATS

Fats are a source of long term energy and since they contain vitamins A, D, E and K are vital for building lean muscle tissue. Fat provides more than twice as much potential energy as protein and carbohydrates, but if your intake is high, it will be stored as body fat and not used as energy since the body will first use carbs and protein to produce energy first. The body can store as much as 100,000 calories of energy in the form of fat, compared to 2,000 in the form of carbohydrates. The fat content of your diet must not exceed 10%

Fats are divided into two categories - saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fats, in practical terms are fats that will solidify at room or body temperature. They are present in animal products like lard, non-skimmed milk products, meat and egg yolks. Fats are dangerous when they solidify in the blood. This causes cholesterol build-up which the body cannot properly metabolise and can lead to heart disease later on on life. These fats are also found in pizzas, hamburgers, snacks, candies and all other processed foods.

Unsaturated fats are rapidly consumed and are found in fish, vegetable fats, skimmed milk products like edam cheese, low fat cheese. These fats are preferred.

Don't be fooled into purchasing products advertised as low fat without checking the calorie content. To be effective, low fat products should have a low calorie content.

Regular training on a diet moderate in carbohydrates, about 45%, with 45% Protein and 10% fats will give your body a lean, hard appearance with good muscle separation and definition. Remember your carb intake must be reduced on non weight training days. Ensure you are not consuming more than 5-8 grams of fat per meal.

* We strongly encourage supplementation of Omega 3 oils with this plan. These can be purchased from all good health stores.

MINERALS

Almost every chemical and physical process in the body requires one or more of a
combination of minerals. They are vital components of the muscles, blood cells and soft tissues. They are essential in the production of digestive gastric juices and improve muscle elasticity. The better known minerals are, calcium, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium and iodine.

5-6 SMALLER SIZED MEALS/NOT THREE LARGE ONES
If you want to perform at the top, get strong, get lean, and look and feel great, then eating five to six small meals is a nutrition strategy that you must not overlook. This strategy has been used by athletes for many years and it's really caught on among active lifestyles over the past decade, especially so among people who simply want to improve their health. So what are the benefits of this?

Eating 5-6 small meals a day boosts your body's basal metabolic rate (BMR). A higher basal metabolic rate means that your body's resting metabolism allows you to burn more fat, even while you are not exercising. By boosting your metabolism (BMR), you can be burning fat while driving your car and even while sleeping!

Eating 5-6 small meals a day improves protein utilization and muscle growth.

Eating 5-6 small meals a day reduces insulin levels. Insulin plays a very important role in fat metabolism by increasing the uptake of fat from the bloodstream and into body cells. When insulin levels are low, your body is less likely to convert calories into body fat.

Surely I will be eating more?   Not necessarily, because you are basically dividing your traditional three large meals by half; thus, the 5-6 meals contain the same total amount of food. However you can actually eat more and still lose body fat, as the increase in your metabolic rate from eating these smaller meals will still occur.

Whey Protein Shakes - The perfect meal Replacement.

Eating these smaller more frequent meals may not be possible for everyone so those who may have restraints should supplement with a meal replacement or Whey Protein shake, these will provide you with a small sized meal in just one shake and are essential if unable to eat whole foods. We recommend supplementing with a Whey Protein shake mid morning and mid afternoon, therefore you only need to account for three other meals.

Out with the old, in with new

I'm sure you are now fully aware that to get in the best shape possible you cannot afford to sit back and dig in to McDonalds, pizzas, ice cream, popcorn, candy, cakes and the like. You know that to be successful with the program things must change and this requires a little effort and dedication on your part. To make the changes you have to stand up to your cravings and say 'no'. Once you've turned the corner and waved goodbye to the bad foods mentioned above you're well on your way to success. Once results are witnessed you'll know exactly why the right foods are the core factor of the 12 Week Lean Muscle Plan. To begin with you should allow yourself a four hour window once a week where you can indulge in a little cheating and enjoy some of the foods you love, but be careful and don't over do it!

MotivEight

Some days it's almost impossible to find enough energy to climb out of bed, let alone get to the gym. One of the biggest reasons most people never see a fitness program right through to the end is just a lack of motivation and discipline. So what can I do to motivate myself you may ask?

Here are eight great reasons to help you stick things out.

1. Get a training partner. Someone who can push you that little bit further can make all the difference.
2. Focus on your goal in hand and keep focused until you achieve it.
3. Take photos to monitor your progress or keep a training diary/ The results will spur you on.
4. Measure your body fat levels with a Fat Caliper or similar every two weeks. The gradual depreciation of your fat will encourage you even more.
5. Mix things up. Change your diet, exercises and workout regimes every four weeks.
6. Keep things fresh, the new stimulus will trigger new results!
7. Challenge yourself. And set yourself targets. Make yourself work harder, the results will be fantastic.
8. Think of the end product, it will be so worth the effort.

It's going to be tough the first few weeks of the program, some things will be so new, you'll have to workout out even if you don't feel like doing so. You've got to push the
barriers and keep thinking of the change you're about to make.

You can do it

So there are the key principles of the Lean Muscle Plan. Each element we've mentioned above is a piece that makes up the jigsaw puzzle. If you leave one piece out, the puzzle will not be completed. It's the same for the program. You should by now be ready to make some important new changes in your life. The weeks ahead require real dedication on your part. If you really want to see the changes, then you must lay down the law - on yourself, be strict and smart. The road to a better body now begins, we are providing the road map, now you need to follow it, every step of the way, until your reach your final destination.

Good Luck