Routine By Steve Shaw of Muscle and Brawn

Created By: Steve Shaw
Link: Muscle And Brawn Full Body

Monday
Squat 3 x 20 rep goal
Close Grip bench 3 x 20 rep goal
Dumbbell Row 3 x 20 rep goal
Barbell Curl 3 x 25 rep goal
Abs exercise 3 sets

Wednesday
Deadlift 3 ramping sets, 8 rep goal
Military Press Variation 3 x 20 rep goal
Pull Ups 3 x max
Dips 3 x max
Calf Exercise 3 x 25 rep goal

Friday
Squat 1 x 20 reps
Bench Press 3 x 20 rep goal
Barbell/Pendlay Row 3 x 20 rep goal
Dumbbell Curl 3 x 25 rep goal
Abs exercise 3 sets

"Rep goals" - use the same weight for these sets. Push, but stop a set when your form goes bad or you feel like you will fail on the next rep.

When you can hit the rep goal total for the 3 sets, add weight the next time you perform that lift.

For example...bench press. You use 155 pounds and your 3 sets look like:

155 x 8 reps
155 x 6 reps
155 x 5 reps

That's 19 total reps...shy of your rep goal. Next week you perform:

155 x 9 reps
155 x 7 reps
155 x 5 reps

That's 21 reps! Your rep goal was 20. Time to add weight.

Let me know if there are any exercises you can't do.

The key with this workout is to always push yourself on every set (safely with good form), and to always add weight when you hit your rep goals.

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Mori's 7 week 5x5 Program

By: Robert Mori
Released: March 6th 2013
Released at: MuscleandBrawn



In this Article of Mori's 7 week 5x5 program, I will break down the routine split and assistance work. For thsi routine we are going to start at 75% of your 1 rep max(1RM) for all 3 of the major lifts; which also inclueds shoulder press. This routine is split into 4 days during the week. you will be having to bench 2 times a week, one day is 5x5 then the other day is Rep work/Form work. Your Squat and dead lift will be split up.

Sunday: Bench 5x5
Monday: Squat 5x5
Wednesday: Shoulder Press 5x5 Bench 2nd day
Friday: Dead lift 5x5

I chose the following day's because it works with most sport athletes. Most Games athletes play are usually on the weekend. The split that I used above really helps because when game day rolled around my legs were all rested up. As I stated above we are going to start with only 75% of our 1RM.

                              Bench                     Squat               DeadLift
Week 1                 275lbs                     360lbs               375lbs                      *Note: Bench max: 365lbs
Week 2                 280lbs                     370lbs               385lbs                                  Squat max: 480lbs
Week 3                 285lbs                     380lbs               395lbs                                  Dead max: 500lbs
Week 4                 290lbs                     390lbs               405lbs
Week 5                 295lbs                     400lbs               415lbs
Week 6                 300lbs                     410lbs               425lbs
Week 7                           PR Attempt Week

As you seen above I added 5 lbs to the upper body and 10lbs to the lower body. I found this very effective when training all year around and there is nodeload beacause there is a week before you repeat the lift. Week 7 is were you will attempt a Personal Record. I usually recommend attempting +5lb PR just incase you are not at 100% but its really up to you.

I would like to say congrats on your new Personal Records across the board. When you chose to restart the program you want to add 10lbs to the upper body and 20lbs to the lower body for the week 1 weight you started with.

                Bench                      Squat              Dead Lift
Week 1   280lbs                       380lbs               395lbs      
               
ASSISTANCE WORK
There are certin lifts that are required to be done for assistance.

For Example:
Triceps                    Biceps
JM Pressing          Hammer Curls
Tate Pressing        Seated Curls
Push Downs

When we look at assistance work, I want to utilize my upper back when my Biceps are not tired. When working the Triceps and Biceps we want to use Isolation exercises. I never liked to do my Biceps and Upper back on the same day. When it came time to do pull ups my biceps were to tired, so i used the following split below to get the most out of my body.
      

Sunday: Triceps/Upper Back
Monday: Hamstring
Wednesday: Biceps/Lats
Friday:Quads/Calfs

How to Fix the Squating Woes

by: Robert Mori
Released: February 6th 2013
Released by: MuscleandBrawn

Since the early times of squatting there has been many articles on how to boost your squat. In the past two years I have serached through many articles to fix my squat and to keep me progressing but to no prevaile . In this article I will be writing how you can fix your squat form, and I will also write on how to keep progressing through the "Down" time. I will start with explaining on how you can check depth while working hard and not taking any reps off; then I will go into explaining the "Golden" Squat rule.


I am going to start on fixing the squat form. The first thing to do to fix your Squats are warm up and loosen the hips and glutes, these two areas can cost you three white lights at a meet. Here is a tip on how I was able to loosen up. I started doing swinging kicks for the hips then I would move to glute streching to loosen up the "Bum". By allowing your hips and glutes to loosen up, it will make reaching depth a lot easier later on down the strech. Now on to Squatting, what I did to check my squat depth was use a box. You want to set up a box for below parallel; so when you end up feeling the box on the hamstrings and/or glutes you will be at parallel. You do not want to sit or rest on the box, the box is just there for you to get a feel for depth.

When you feel the box on the hamstrings and glutes you can start to go back up. You tipically want to end up using the box for 3 to 5 months in training, so you will end up getting used to feeling where parallel should be. After 3 to 5 months of using the Box to squat you should then proceed to take the box away and begin squatting to the same feeling of depth. If you are second guessing your self on your depth you should video tape your squats, so then you will know if you make it past parallel.

I recommand using the camera the whole time squatting, because checking squat depth can be difficult at first. For a camera it can be as simple as an Ipod to the new IPRO they have on the market, it really does not matter unless you are releasing youtube videos. This simple tip has been under estimated by all the squat articles out there on the planet. I believe it is the key to sucesse for squat big weight. We all started by using something to check our depth, but you will never see it in any beginner articles/books on how to squat. People have asked me how can I build my squat up, I usually just tell them the Golden Rule of Squatting.

The Golden rule has being around for ever and is the answer to all your squatting problems, and the answer is MORE SQUATS. Can you believe it? all you got to do to fix the squat problem is More squats. There is no complex scheme or system that you can use or find that will build your squat woes up. There are assistance work that you can do to help maintain the progression, but not to rejump start your progression on the squat. In my next article which will be released later in the year, I will write up my Squat routine I used to restart my Squat progress.

Mori’s Monster 2 Day Per Week Squat Program

By: Robert Mori

Released: February 14th 2013

Released by: MuscleandBrawn

When you use this squat cycle, remember that the whole point is to build up your squats. I squatted heavy 2 times a week (Monday and Fridays).This routine is going to force your muscle to grow and your squat to get stronger, while also building somw cardiovascular conditioning into your workouts.

In this routine you are given leeway with the rest between sets, due to the fact that you are using a higher number of reps per set.

In this squat routine there are going to be 3 phases. You will work through each phase before testing for a new one rep max. In Phase I you will be working with 5 sets of 5 reps. Phase II you will be using 5 sets of 3, while in Phase III you will be using 5 singles.After the end of Phase III you will be taking a deload day, then going to test for a 1 rep max. Phase I you want to start with 65-75% Range for the first cycle.

If you’re a 500lb squatter you want to start with 325lbs on the bar for working sets. The first three sets may feel easy, but the last two are going to be the worst to do.

Day 1                              Day 2
Working sets
325×5                          335×5
325×5                          335×5
325×5                          335×5
325×5                          335×5
325×5                          335×5

As you seen above, I only increase the weight by 10lbs per day for Phase I. When you no longer can complete the last two sets of any of the 5 reps, this is when we will start Phase II.

Day 8                    Day 9
Working Sets
385×5                   395×3
385×5                   395×3
385×3                   395×3
385×4                   395×3
385×2                   395×3

In Phase II you will stick with 10lbs increases each day until Phase III. In Phase III you are going to increase by only 5lbs each day. This is going to help build your strength over the next couple weeks till we go test our new One Rep Max.

Day 17             Day 18          Day 22
Working sets
465×3              470×1           490×1
465×3              470×1           490×1
465×3              470×1           490×1
465×1              470×1           490×1
465×1              470×1           490×1

When you no longer can hit all the singles, you want to take a deload day before attempting a Personal Record.

Day 23(Deload day)       day 24
Working sets
225×5                      PR Attempt(10-20lbs)
315×5
405×5

Firstly Congrats on your new PR. If you choose to do a 2nd cycle of the Squat Routine, up the weight by 15-30lbs on the starting weight

IPF close to Olympics

On Monday 12. November, the IPF Secretary General Emanuel Scheiber and representatives from the IOC had a meeting in Lausanne (SUI) regarding the IPF application for IOC recognition.

The IOC representatives were very impressed about the very complete and well done application. They pointed out the improvement since the last application 2006 and the great work in Anti Doping and Media (live streaming, magazine) matters. Another very positive effect is the cooperation with the Special Olympics and the IBSA.

During the meeting the Mr. Wassmer from the IOC described Mr. Scheiber the procedure until the final announcement of the recognition. Mr. Mollard and Mrs. McConnell did ask some details regarding media work, development efforts in the regions, preparations regarding the World Games 2013,...

The conclusion of the meeting was that the IPF has to finalize some additional paperwork but the IPF is on the right way and all participants of the meeting agreed that the IPF is ready for this big step - the IOC 

http://powerlifting-ipf.com/63.html?&no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=843&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=2&cHash=ed983da4fa97797795f0167a1368a5f4%3Cbr+%2F%3E

Squatting

When we look at the squat we are going to be discussing the difference between narrow and sumo squats, and high bar vs low bar. I will use two pictures to describe what happens when you do not pass 90 degrees  It is very important to past 90 degrees

.

When going past 90 you are going to be putting full stress on the Quads, in which will build your quads up better then half squats. This will also help you to make depth for a power lifting meet. This is where most people bomb out in meets, because most people do not have a way to train to depth. I use those "boxes" to check depth,  so when it comes to meet day I will know when I pass by the feeling I get in the hips and knees.  You will find it might be harder to make depth on sumo then narrow.
When narrow squatting, you will have a lot of stress on the quads over sumo squatting. When narrow squatting you have to remember you have to go further down in your stance. For Sumo squatting you will need to be flexible at the hips and groin area, so you will need to strech a lot more. when sumo squatting there will be less presser on your knees compared to narrow. When talking about sumo, you will see a lot of people use low bar.
With low bar I found it helps to get the depth when loaded with enough weight on the bar. You will have to be carful when using low bar becuase there is a higher chance of the bar slipping off your back. With High bar squatting you need to find the sweet spot on your delt area. If the bar is to high on the neck, then watch out the next morning because you will have a very stiff neck.This is due part, because most people look up in there squat. When the bar is to high it sits on the traps, which is bad when looking up towards the sky.

View on steriods

Release Date: October 30th 2012
By: Rob Mori
Over the years people have given a bad view on Testosterone  Everyone has a different Opinion on this Subject so I will go and explain in the Article the following;my view and why I do not have a problem with it. I will also describe how it came to service for athletes.
Steroids became in the light during the late 1950's, when the Russian Coach was drunk and exposed there secret on why they were Dominating the Olympics. Since then HGH(Steroids) has been in sports, at one time it was used to make the playing field even, know its used to get ahead of everyone else. When you think about Steroids, you think you will get easy results and you do not have to work so hard; it is far from the truth.
You have to look at it like a protein, it helps with recovery and muscle building. When taking steroids  you will have to work harder and longer to get the same feeling; because it speeds up the rate of recovery and building.  I would say they have it harder in the gym, Some athletes make a living off using steroids.
If we take a look at Body builders, they have to use it to compete with everyone else. Anyone out side of sports is using it for a personal use to compensate for something.. If we were to think of sports using steroids  baseball comes to mine. Why would these guys take steroids  when they are already there and making money? This is a good question, some athletes start to use it near the end of there career to keep going a little bit longer. Are these athletes  bad examples for our kids?
To me personally, you should not judge the people who use steroids. If your a teen and/or young adults you should not use it for any reason. Why the hell are you using steroids when you are 15, you still have a long way to go till your done maturing and growing. If you are not making a living from using the steroids why take it. When people ask me about steroids I usually recommend wait till you accomplish records and titles before using the substance. This is because you have a solid base to start from.  If you are to use it when you are not done maturing you will end up lose all the gains you worked for. I will always be the most open about it, because I know when I compete in power lifting and hopefully body building; that there is always people using.