Stronger OR Quicker? How about BOTH???

I find that most people have phobia regarding building muscle because they think it will make them bigger and bulkier, but also slower and less athletic. The first question in their minds usually is, “Is getting bigger going to make me slow and less athletic?” Well, I don’t blame you if you have the same question in your mind. I too had such question before I started bulking up myself. I can say the answer to THE QUESTION is “YES” and “NO”

Here is my story. I play basketball and volleyball. You know how much these 2 sports require jumping ability. Also, in volleyball/ basketball court, I am not a tall guy. I am an average joe (172cm, 5 ft. 7 in.). My “disability” plus the nature of the sports require me to be quicker and be able to jump higher than those taller than me. Otherwise, I won’t be a factor at all. So, I shape my playing style according to my “disability”. I play not with power and strength. I play with speed, agility, and finesse.



BUT around 2 months ago, I reached the crossroad. At that time, I weighted 61.5 kgs with 9% body fat (See picture above). I can say I was muscular enough that I can see my six-pack abs. However, my body frame was just small, slim, and skinny that I could be easily harassed/overshadowed by stronger and bigger players. Also, my game depended too much on my quickness, which might not be there once I got tired. My game was simply limited to “small guys region”. I could not play within “big guys region”. So, in my mind, THE QUESTION came up. “I want to build muscle to be stronger, bigger, but won’t it make me slower?” I came up with this answer, “I think it is OK to be bigger and stronger but a little bit slower and jump a little bit shorter” Later you will know that my answer WAS WRONG.



So, with my mindset ready to sacrifice my speed and jumping ability (WHICH IS NOT NECESSARY), I bulked up myself (see picture above). I went from 61.5kgs to 66kgs in 4 weeks (That’s right. I did it the hard way). My body fat went up a little bit, from 9% to 11% (That is why I am in cutting process now). At the same time, I gained 3kgs of muscles (Wet muscle of course), which means I became bigger and stronger.

Then, came the time for try out. I played my first volleyball game as someone weighted 66kgs. First thing I did was jumping in front of the net to see how much my arms could go above the net. Guess what? My arms went 5 centimeters higher. Here is more, the next week, my first basketball game after bulking up. AGAIN, I did not lose my explosiveness A BIT. I was as quick as before, I did not feel slower or heavier at all. MORE IMPORTANTLY, I could compete in STRENGTH and POWER against “used-to-be stronger” guys, but I still had an edge in SPEED and ATHLETICISM against them.

Now, my game just has expanded tremendously. I can play with speed, athleticism, and finesse like I have always been. ALSO, I can play with strength and power. Now, I play “main spiker” position more often in volleyball (In the past, I was never regarded as “main spiker”). In basketball, I used to be guard, but now, I play forward and a lot of times, I am assigned to guard a center player (which is usually the biggest in any team) more often without being BULLIED or OVERPOWERED.

Here is the reason why I can keep my speed and athleticism in much heavier body frame. During my bulking up process, I did not only keep doing weight training regularly. BUT I also made sure that I TRAINED ALL THE MUSCLES in my body. This is what most people miss when they try to become stronger while maintaining their speed and athleticism. In my bulking up days, I trained my core musculature as well. I trained my lower body as much as my upper body. As a result, YES MY BODY IS HEAVIER (which means my lower body must push harder to jump as high as before), BUT NOW MY LOWER BODY IS ALSO STRONGER. This compensates my heavier body. While now my body is heavier, MY CORE MUSCULATURE strength is also higher, which enables me to move as quick as before during my “harassed-by-big-guy” days. That is why, when you are heavier, you can either maintain your speed or athleticism (by keep training your entire body musculature of course) or lose them (by being obsessed to having broader shoulders and bigger biceps).

So now, for those quick and skinny guys living in big-guys world, don’t be afraid to gain muscle and become bigger. It’s time to make those big-guys think twice before trying to overpower you.

Till next newsletter, be strong, be POWERFUL but also be QUICK and ATHLETIC.

Tobias KG
AMFPT Certified Personal Trainer
AMFPT Certified Sport Nutritionist
Creator of RoadToSixPack.blogspot.com

ATTENTION GUYS: The truth about women

Ever wondered which part of man’s body that woman think is the most attractive??

Too bad for guys who love to face the mirror for hours just to get their hair done, using tons and tons of hair gel and conditioner. Let me tell you, women DO NOT seek “pretty” guy. They seek masculine guys whom they think can protect them. So, hair is definitely not the answer.

I even have more pity for those who love to wear tight shirt or even worse, tight-sleeveless shirt just to show up their chests and biceps, but in the same time, put their stomachs in the spotlight (Those who are big and bulky).

Time for the truth.

IT IS YOUR SIX-PACK ABS

How do I know?? Well, a survey on television once revealed that 90% of women think that ripped abs (that means six pack abs) is the most attractive part of a man’s body. In fact, more than DOUBLE of the number of women voted abs as the sexiest body part on a man compared to biceps and THREE TIMES the number of women voted abs as sexier than chests (ATTENTION TO tight shirt lovers). Seriously, no way I can come up with these statements myself.

That’s it! There is nothing more attractive to women than six pack abs. Come on be honest. Do you really think Brad Pitt will be one of the sexiest men alive of this decade if he has that “beer belly” or “fat pocket” on his stomach? Do you really think Matthew McConaughey will have a huge female fan base without his “ideal beach body”?

You and I know the answer. Let’s face it.

So, I suggest you to stop wasting your time getting your hair done or picking up the right “tight” shirt to attract ladies. Instead, use that time to work on your six pack abs. That’s the way to attract ladies. Let your abs steal the show and be the “woman-magnet” and after that, YOU WILL BE THE MAN.

That’s it for now. Here is for all of us, guys. Let us BE THE LADIES’ MAN.

Tobias
AMFPT Certified Personal Trainer

Don't get lost on your quest to six pack. Stay on the REAL one

Once you have taken your first step (see the previous post), you might ask, “And then what?”. You might have looked around in the Internet, trying to find the best workout routines and diet to get the abs of your dream. Let me guess, you find that each of them saying different things. Now, you don’t know where to go, which one to believe.


You are at the intersection and don’t know which way is heading towards six-pack abs, which one is the real “road to six pack”.


It is totally common to be confused at this point of time. Let me assure you this, There is actually ONLY ONE road to six-pack. It is with PROPER NUTRITION and CORRECT WORKOUT STRUCTURE. That’s it.


But conspiracy between body-building/health magazine and drug supplement manufacturers, with their multi-million marketing campaigns, keeps you from finding the right way. Even worse, they keep creating new “road to six pack” and claim that it is the only way.


It is their intention to make you confused and frustrated so that you don’t find the abs you want and keep buying their products, thinking their products are the way to your dream abs.


Still don’t believe me? Well, let me ask you this, do you really think professional athletes and coaches read body-building/health magazines and follow the advice in the magazine? HELL NO. If they don’t even follow it, why should you? Still not convinced? I will tell you the ultimate proof personally if that’s what it takes to convince you (because this proof is quite sensitive).


The road to six pack is actually only one and it is easy. But they make it looks difficult for you, INTENTIONALLY. You do not need drug supplement such creatine, DHEA, or liver tabs like they say.


All you need is guidance, so that you won’t step into the false “road to six pack” and I AM READY TO BE YOUR GUIDANCE.


I have been to the false road before, probably just like you. But now, I have found the right one and I will make sure, you don’t take the false one.


The picture above shows you the result of the REAL road to six pack (10% body fat reduction in less than 3 months. ABSOLUTELY NO DRUGS. Now the key is, WHETHER YOU LET ME BE YOU GUIDANCE. And IF YOU DO, LET ME KNOW. If you don’t, I hope you can find other guidance yourself and stay on the true road to six pack.


Till the next newsletter, don’t get lost on your quest to six pack. Stay on the road to six pack

Tobias KG
AMFPT Certified Personal Trainer


PS: If you like this notes, you can pass this to your friends or people you think might find this useful.

Take your first step towards six pack & lean body

We live in a busy world. We all know that. All of us are extremely busy with our things. Family, school, jobs you name it. So busy until we can’t (though we do) care about our health and how our bodies look like. In other words, we give up, we sacrifice our own health just to keep in pace with the world. No wonder obesity keeps increasing as the world getting busier.

Well, I was one of those people who give up on personal health just to follow the world (see my picture above, 19% body fat). Guess what? I was no different than any other people. Eating more fast food/junk food, getting fatter, slower, lower in energy, easier to get sick, building up fat, and all that. Not that I did not care about my health, I just couldn’t because of my jobs, schools, etc. At least I thought I couldn’t. And ironically, this is the common believe people have nowadays. They just don’t have time/strength to take care of their health.

The key is not whether you can or you can’t. Everyone can care and do something about their health, given the time/energy constraints. That’s the fact. Now, it’s just the matter of effort, courage, and discipline. It took quite a while for me to have enough courage to say to myself, “Dude, you are getting fatter. It has to stop. Something’s got to change.” There you go. That is the turning point everyone needs. Courage to say to oneself, “I have to make a change”

So now, collect your courage and say to yourself, “I have to make a change. I must not give up on my health and just accept this lifestyle because this is just NOT ACCEPTABLE” Make commitment to yourself, “I am gonna make a change. No more excuse. No more I can’t do it, no more that’s the way it is, no more I have no time excuse, because I CAN do it, and I WILL” And to this I would say, “YES YOU CAN and YOU WILL. Take that first step towards the healthy lifestyle with six pack and lean body as the prize”.

Till the next post, stay on the road to six pack and lean body.


Tobias KG
AMFPT Certified Personal Trainer

PS: If you like this post, feel free to forward it to your friends or people that you think might find this useful