Build more Muscle! |
|
|
I've used a combination of weight lifting and stretching with weights for several years, and I have a hunch that hard weighted stretching has built me much of the muscle I have today. I could be wrong, but there's no way I'm stopping the weighted stretching!
Let's just say that I really started building muscle when I started including forceful stretching in my workouts. I want you to be able to increase your muscle mass and workout recovery the same way that I have.
When I'm doing the stretches after each exercise, I visualize my muscles stretching and making more room for new muscle to grow! Some of the stretches will make you shake and will burn pretty badly, but visualizing new muscle can help you get past the pain barrier that comes with these weighted stretches.
Stretching with weights is not for the people who don't want to work hard to build muscle. If you're looking for something to build muscle that requires no effort, you've got a long road ahead of you! Get ready to put forth your full effort each workout and reap the rewards.
I always seemed to get good results from exercises
that have a good stretch position that I could focus on and get a
little extra stretch from. For example, I always liked to feel the
stretch in seated cable rows. I could get in a good stretch position
and just feel like I was doing something right.
Stiff Legged Deadlifts
are the best hamstring exercise because of that great stretch they
give on every rep. Exercises that allow heavy weights with good stretch
positions were always the ones that worked best for me!
Then I read the study
concerning a bird with
weights strapped to its wings for extended periods of time.
At that
moment, I knew I was onto something with these exercises. I decided to
start adding weighted stretches by themselves for longer periods of
time.
I tried to find the best stretches for each major muscle group I
worked. I still continue to try to think of stretches every time I
workout. You have to get pretty creative to develop some of these
stretches. You can find some examples of stretching at each of the
links below.
I like stretches that I can add weight to as I progress. I seem to get the most out of the stretches in which weight can be added.
|
|
I've always tried to find ways to add weight so that I can progress throughout the WLC Program. Progression should always be a focus. Focus on getting better each time you stretch, and you'll build more muscle. Period.
Always work to improve as you go through your weight lifting program. Set you a time period and stick to it throughout your program. I like to take 40 deep breaths for my stretching duration. Try to increase the weight or force as you go and leave the time period constant.
If you want to increase time that is fine, but remember that you may be increasing the length of your workout. I love to increase time periods as I go throughout my WLC cycles. I can do so without increasing my total workout time because the total number of reps decrease throughout a weight lifting cycle.
Major Muscle Group
On the WLC Program you will be doing your quad exercise first, which will most likely be some variation of squats, and then you will stretching with weights immediately after your quad exercise. The Link above takes you to more information and even a how to on weighted stretching for your quads!
Stretching with weights for your hamstrings is fully discussed in the Link above. I will show you how to perform weighted stretches for your hamstrings and discuss my experiences over the past several years. Increased flexibility in your hamstrings sure does help to prevent injury.
If you really want to build those calves, you need to be starting the WLC program today. I have everything you need to build some great calves. Stretching with weights is going to be one of those magical tricks to help get those calves growing! Read all about how to stretch your calves in the link above.
Imagine stretching with weights for your chest directly after a tough set of incline barbell bench press. Your chest is pumped up to gigantic proportions and then you hit it with a hard stretch for around a minute or so. Your chest will be screaming at you, but you'll be rewarded with muscle growth! The link to weighted chest stretching shows you how to really stretch that chest.
If you want a great back that will keep you injury free and pain free for the rest of your life, you need to build a strong back. A strong back will never let you down. Start stretching your back today with WLC and you'll be rewarded with a string back that remains injury and pain free for the rest of your life. Take care of your back. Start stretching it out today. Go to the link above.
Many people have shoulder problems. If you don't, consider yourself lucky. One thing we don't recommend here at Weight Lifting Complete is a flat barbell bench press. We like our shoulders here! Start stretching your shoulders after your WLC sets of shoulder exercises. Stretching with weights will help you build muscle and prevent injury in the future. See the link to shoulder stretching for how to and more info.
Building those biceps have never been easier! Add weighted stretching for your biceps and you'll be amazed. What? You don't know how to stretch your biceps with weight. See the link above to take you to all the info you'll need to get started stretching with weights.
Don't forget about those triceps! If you want a big bench press or big arms, you better start paying them a little more attention. Stretch those triceps out WLC style and get that bench press to sky rocket and watch those arms explode with muscle growth. If you need to know how to stretch your triceps, see the link above on weighted stretching for your triceps.
Forearms are the muscle seen the most by the general population. Get those forearms stretched out and growing. WLC focuses on forearms because we know how important they are! See the link to learn how to stretch those forearms.
What I suggest you do is experiment with all the
different stretches until you find the one that feels the best to you.
Heck, even try finding some on your own if you're up to it! Please send
me an email if you find a good one. I'm always looking to learn.
You are different than I am, so you might be built
better for a different stretch than I am. Be creative, but do not put
too much weight on any stretch without trying it without weight first.
Be careful not to stretch too hard.
For the WLC program, I want you to do a stretch
after you are finished with the last exercise for each muscle group.
Here is a SAMPLE
LAYOUT of what I am looking for you to implement into
your WLC Program.
1. Squats
2. Quads Stretch
3. Stiff Legged Deadlift
4. Hamstrings Stretch
5. Barbell Row
6. Cable Row Back Stretch
7. Bench Press
8. Dumbell Bench Chest Stretch
9. Pull Ups
10. Hanging Back Stretch
11. Dips
12. Triceps Stretch
13. Alternate Dumbell Curls
14. Biceps Stretch
15. Overhead Press
16. Shoulders Stretch
17. Standing Calf Raises
18. Calf Stretch
19. Hammer Curls
20. Forearms Stretch
Do you see how I want you to do a stretch directly
after you finish working a particular muscle group? Follow this outline
no matter what your order of exercises is or how many sets you do for
that exercise. Always do a stretch as soon as you are finished with the
last set for that exercise.
If you're on Abbreviated
WLC, then you
should be doing multiple stretches after you finish an exercise. You
will stretch every major muscle group each and every time that you
workout.
Stretching with Weights is Worth the Time!!!
You will be thanking me when you see the results
in a few months. The time spent with forceful stretching is the time
you would have
spent resting between your sets anyway. So, really, you are
losing
no time and only gaining recovery time and building more muscle!
Stretching with Weights
Stretching with Lee Hayward:
Lee discusses using exercises in your program that include good stretch
positions like preacher curls and stiff legged deadlifts. He also talks
about static stretching, which is more in line with what Weight Lifting
Complete suggests. Definitely check out his site!
The Stretching Roundtable:
I don't necessarily agree with everything in this article, but it does
provide some good information. Give it a read if you have time. Here at
WLC, we lift weights and stretch with weights. You will build more
muscle with weighted stretching than with weight lifting alone. And you
will get stronger.
