Trying to be the big man on your college campus?

Every student in college, that is attempting to be a bodybuilder, wants to be the biggest and strongest person in the gym in college. Well a great man named Steve Cook has the answer. You may have seen him on Bodybuilding.com once or twice. Cook is a Bodybuilding.com spokes model, Optimum Nutrition athlete and IFBB Pro Men's Physique Competitor.  Cook took time out of his busy life to compose this great training program.

































(The man himself (Steve Cook), just chillin')

I have seen outstanding results in just 6 weeks of the 12 week trainer. I have also seen other people in my gym doing the same routine and have heard nothing but great things.

Being a college graduate Cook understands this is an exciting and new area to explore in a young adult's life. Naturally this program is called Big Man on Campus, because it is directed toward a college students, and has so much insight to offer. First of all there is five sections: nutrition, supplementation, goal setting, time management and life style.  The five sections are meant to break down the complicated life of a college student. Cook discusses in short videos (6-10 minutes) what you can expect being a college student and building muscle.

As I am currently enrolled in college, I thought to myself, "eh...I am on campus, why not try and be the big man?" 




The first week I was sore, very sore. I introduced my body to something I have done before but haven't done in a while, dropsets.  A drop set is, using heavier weight to get to a point of failure, then picking up a lighter weight, and doing the same exercise to failure. For example, you are doing an incline dumbell press with 70 pound dumbells, you get to 10 reps and you can't do any more.  Here is where the fun starts, pick up a weight that is 30-50 percent lighter, so lets say 45 pound dumbells and try to match that rep range immediately after you put down the 70's. Sound easy right?

The idea is simple, just keep going. One thing I want to stress is form.  You can do dropsets till your arms fall off, but if your not hitting the muscles the right way you won't see a change or feel the pump where you want.  Remember from before, the strech, then a contraction? Keep that in mind and have that mind muscle connection on the specific muscle group.

There is more to this program and all you need to do it take the time and watch the videos it's a lot to write out and explain.  Cook does a great job of stressing the importance that this is a lifestyle change and everything needs to be in check.  From your nutrition, training, supplementation, time management and life choices, Cook understands the college life and makes it all clear and easy to follow.

I have taken tips from this that I will alway remember as a progress further not only into the sport of bodybuilding, but in life.

Swoldier Starter Steps: What you need to know about getting started and motivated!

This article needed clipart in the beginning
so here's Godzilla v.s. King Kong.

One of the biggest questions I am asked surrounding fitness is "wtf how do I get started?"  For anyone who is athletically inexperienced it sucks, it's overwhelming and incredibly intimidating given the general nature of a gym.  It's full of heavy things, sweaty men, people grunting/screaming and it hurts like hell. 

Fortunately we're here to help take some time and extinguish any of the anxieties associated with this task and give a strong foundation to help get started ,practically, with your goals. 

YOU GUYS LOVE GODZILLA SO HERE HE IS AGAIN

MAKE SOME GODDAMN GOALS
Well in case you might not have guessed it it's pretty important but is the most crucial and demands caps lock and big bold foul language.  This means to take a look at where you are currently and decide where you want to be in the future.  Deciding to lose fat versus gain muscle will determine your workout routines and diets so this is important to figure out which path you will take before starting off on it.  

  
START MEASURING STUFF
Regardless of where you want to go you need to figure out where you are.  Establishing a baseline of your current body stats will help you determine where you are going and if your current plan is productive enough.  Start with the basics like a scale, body measuring tape and a body fat caliper.  This way you will know how much you weigh, how big certain body parts are (I lol'd too) and how much body fat is on your frame.

This is a scale..... just in case.

One handed
body measuring tape

Body fat caliper.

This is something you should also be checking up on periodically to see how your progress is and what changes you should be making.  Personally a month is how often I check up on things in order to make adjustments and to compensate for the more immediate causes of body composition change (like a big poop or something.) 

The cool part about these things?  You can typically get the body tape and a caliper as a FREE gift from bodybuilding.com with certain orders over a certain amount.





TAKE NOTE AND KEEP TRACK

Plus Steve Cook is there; What a hunk.

Keeping track of your statistics is the most important thing you can do as well.  While many of you might think this a plug for bodybuilding.com (maybe.....) I have to note that their Body Space is a great resource for getting your goals straight.  It's like Facebook but it allows you to update your body composition, lifting benchmarks as well as setting a goal.  There is also a mobile app as version as well that also includes workouts and videos (god this is so easy.)

Taking pictures is also a great way to keep progress in check as well and see how far you've come.  These don't have to be plastered all over the internet but use them as a tool of progress and motivation.




GETTING PUMPED TO PUMP
You know this is something you want to do but just need a bit of a push.  I say watch a few movies!  Sit on the couch after reading this and curl up with something you know gets your blood flowing.  A good action movie, maybe a romance movie with that "hot" guy you would want to impress or even some sports to keep inspired of what you would like to be like.  

Personally a favorite of mine, and many others, is the 1977 documentary classic Pumping Iron .  This is the movie that not only make names like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferigno a household name but it's the movie that put weight training and bodybuilding onto the center stage and out of the side-shows.  While the focus is on the creating of a body into a work of art this film is loaded with heartfelt moments and is often quite humorous. 


For some people the hardest part is getting into the gym.  The new year is coming up and it's prime time to make a resolution for change.  You can say that a gym discount will get you in there or "going with a friend" will help you out a bit more to be motivated but the real motivation comes from within.  If you aren't ready to take yourself there and get the job done, there is no true motivation.

Start with these simple building blocks and get going!  This is a long journey for someone trying to just get in shape or perfect and sculpt with plenty of time to changes along the way.  Just remember to not lose true sight of what you came here for.

-Pq