Starting the day off on the right foot

This morning I woke up at 5.30 am to head down to the gym for cardio and abs.

(For my full training program and cardio split, check out www.robriches.com).

Recently, I've only been getting between 5 - 6 hours sleep, mostly because I'm still up past midnight doing useless things or just watching TV. 

Around 2-3 pm I've started feeling lethargic and had to rely on things like caffeine and fat burners (often with natural stimulants), to help get me through the rest of the day, let alone my second workout of the day, which is when I lift weights. This is not the kind of cycle I want to be putting my body through each day, and is certainly not conductive towards making gains or optimally burning fat. My metabolism becomes sluggish with lack of sleep, and even with the best nutrition and training plans, without proper rest, I'm really giving up one of the best things I can do for my body to recover and come back fighting fit for the next day.

Last night, when I got back from my evening training session that I had to change from legs to arms because I didn't have enough energy to even think about working legs, I ate my evening meal (turkey, egg white omelet, and asparagus), and then took 3m of Melatonin  and 500mg GABA, which help calm my central nervous system and allows me to relax. I think I was in bed by 10.30 pm, and although I didn't fall asleep straight away (mostly because my two housemates were still running about opening and shutting every cupboard and door in the house it seemed - thanks guys!!), but I did get a much better nights sleep.

This means I'm more proactive throughout the day, and can focus on what's important and needs to get done instead of falling tired throughout the afternoon, having a less than optimal workout, and then staying up for several hours beyond when I should be allowing my body to rest and recover.

If you feel the same way, give it a try and let me know how much better you feel throughout the day. Right, speaking of being proactive - I better get to work editing some more of my videos for you all, and planning my trip to Canada next month before hitting the gym earlier today to ensure I get a good leg workout in after missing it last night..

I'll re-post later this evening..

Rob

Tuesday 18th: Shoulder Day

Just a quick entry today as I've been busy packing for my week-long trip to London tomorrow, and preparing for my seminar at the end of the week.

Although I'm 5 months out from stepping on stage at the WBFF World Fitness Championships in Toronto in, I've already started training with the final date of September 18th in mind.

Over the next 2 months or so I will be training heavy with low reps (5 - 7), focusing on negative, or eccentric lifts to really overload the muscles, forcing them to grow.

Today I trained shoulders with my friend Jeremy (who used to play the son of David Hasselhoff, Hobie, on Baywatch for 11 years), who also favors heavy training, mixed in with powerlifting and explosive exercises. It should be an interesting two months to see how my body changes, as I'm already close to my all-time strongest, and yet am still lean enough at around 9% bf with my abs showing.

We trained at the Equinox gym on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood (not my usual gym), where many celebs go to workout, or be seen. I didn't really notice any even if there were as I'm so into my workouts normally that most of the time I couldn't even describe 10 people who were in the gym at the same time as me.

It was a well-eqiuped gym, and provided everything we needed for out heavy shoulder routine.

Here is the routine that we did.

Seated Dumbbell Press:
12 x 45lbs,
10 x 55lbs,
6 x 65lbs (Used as a warm-up exercise before going heavy on the following exercises).

Seated Military Barbell Press: (Behind the neck):
8 x 135
6 x 145
5 x 155 (spotted)
4 x 185 (negatives)

Seated Military Barbell Press: (Front Chest):
9 x 135
4 x 155 (negatives)
7 x 145

Seated Rear Cable Fly:
10 x 30 (each arm)
10 x 35
8 x 35

Standing Lateral Raises:
10 x 35
10 x 35
8 x 40

Standing Bicep Curls (EZ Bar):
10 x 75 (warm up)
8 x 105
6 x 105 (slow eccentric lifts)
4 x 115 (negatives)

Standing Alt. Dumbbell Curls:
6 x 45
6 x 45

My delts were pumped after this workout, and my biceps were full and hard. Next time I'll try and take a few pics of the exercises that I do, although it's a bit difficult in a gym like Equinox to take any video or photo.

During the time that I am writing this I am uploading a heavy chest workout that I did with Tyler Sarry, a fellow fitness model and trainer from Canada. You can check it out on my YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/rjriches

I'll be flying to London tomorrow so may not get a chance to post anything, although I'll use my phone to take pictures of any of the meals that I take with me on the plane to show you what I eat (before a photoshoot) when travelling.


For workout DVD's, personalized nutrition and training programs, and the latest in workout clothing, check out my store at www.robrichesstore.com

Private Fitness Training in London [25th Feb - 2nd March]

It only seems like yesterday that I was back in London, but I'll be back there once again from Thursday 25th February until Tuesday 2nd March.

I have a scattered schedule, but for those of have contacted me about private training, I will try and accommodate you the best I can. All sessions will once again be at the new Hook's Fitness center shown in the image. Training and nutrition packages available.

The address is:

Hooks Gym

Royal Leisure Park,

Great Western Way,

Park Royal,

London W3 OPA

Each session will last 90 minutes, and includes a full training session based on your needs.

If you would prefer to join me on one of my workouts then please note this when you purchase your time slot. There will be no cost to you to enter the gym, as this will be covered within the training price.

Below are the times that I currently have available for each day. When purchasing your session, please note which time slot you would like, as I will remove this from this link straight away.

Thursday 25th February.

Time Slot 1: 9am - 10.30am

Time Slot 2: 11.30am - 1.00 pm

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Time Slot 4: 6.30 pm - 8.00pm

Friday 26th February.

Time Slot 1: 9am - 10.30am

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Saturday 27th February.

Time Slot 1: 10.00 am - 11.30am

Time Slot 2: 1.00 pm - 2.30 pm

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Sunday 29th February.

Time Slot 1: 10.00 am - 11.30am

Time Slot 2: 1.00 pm - 2.30 pm

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Monday 1st March.

Time Slot 1: 9am - 10.30am

Time Slot 2: 11.30am - 1.00 pm

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Time Slot 4: 6.30 pm - 8.00pm

Tuesday 2nd March

Time Slot 1: 9am - 10.30am

Time Slot 2: 11.30am - 1.00 pm

Time Slot 3: 4.00 pm - 5.30 pm

Time Slots must be purchased online prior to the session taking place.

To book a time slot, see the link below, and include the day and time slot that you would like.

Nutrition plans also available as an add-on package.

Book Private Session

Ab and Shoulder Routine

Not since training my last competition did I have such a structured routine, and that was by far when I was seeing the best results - when I had a consistent training schedule that was all written out ahead of me, and one that I could progressively increase my weights each workout to the point where I was able to keep my body fat level low enough and still work on strength and conditioning. This was pretty much my approach to training for and winning the WBFF World Finals last September - by having a clearly laid out plan, from which I knew exactly what I was doing on every day, and could chart my progress to ensure I was on target to get to where I wanted to be. I knew that if I could step on stage at 178lbs at around 4% body fat, I would be a force to be reckoned with.

I've started to get back into a more regular routine after having at least a month away from any structured sort of training, and have just been playing around with a few different workouts to see what type of results I get. 

My training is determined by my goal, whether that be for competing, modeling, or just for the sheer joy of training. 

My focus now is to build a balanced physique that I can only best describe as one of those old-style action man, or GI Joe dolls. In the coming months, I have several underwear shoots, as well as building on my portfolio outside of fitness, at least until the summer when I start to prep for the world finals again in September (again, I will track my progress with video's again). My training is now geared towards remaining lean and being defined without looking too muscular (not the best look for mainstream modeling), and so I'm doing higher intensity with less weights.

Here's an overview of my workout tonight.

I started with Abs so that I could work them hard at the beginning of the workout, instead of working them at the end of the workout when I'm usually too tired to put in the required effort to work them optimally.

I performed these in a circuit for a total of 3:

Decline Bench Leg Raises 20 reps (2 second pause at top)

Bosu Ball Crunches

Side Crunches on Swiss Ball

2 minutes jumping rope

I performed 3 sets of each exercise, allowing no more than 1 minute's rest between sets. My weights and reps remained pretty constant throughout. I just changed the tempo of each set so that I failed by the end of 15 reps.

Behind the neck military press on smith machine (only to the top of the ears). 

Clean and Press with Olympic Bar

Seated rear-delt cable flys.

Standing forward dumbell raise (alt. arms).

Seated (leaning forwards) side lateral raises.

Even though I was definitely lifting less weight than I was able to, I certainly felt like I put in a good effort and left feeling pretty pumped.

I'll be posting further workouts including all body parts, cardio and ab routines, plus some healthy meal ideas over the following weeks.

For further workout plans, training tips, plus video's and more photo's, join www.robrichesfitess.com for free. Also check out www.robrichesstore.com for workout DVD's, and to find out more about personalized workout and nutrition plans.

Superset Back and Bicep’s Workout.

Superset Back and Bicep’s Workout.

I’ve been following pretty much the same workout routine for the past few months now, and whilst I’ve been making some pretty good gains consistently, I’ve been finding myself in the mood for a different style of training recently. Still wanting an intense pump from lifting, and to focus on conditioning over muscle growth, I decided to put together a workout routine that worked muscle combo’s, such as the back and bicep’s, which are worked both as primary and secondary muscle groups depending on which exercise is being performed.

This workout below is intended to be performed with exercises A. and B. supersetted, with minimum time between stations, and no more than 2 minutes rest between supersets.

The exercise combo’s are listed below, but if you want the full workout plan, ready for you to follow and enter in your weights and reps per workout (a total of 6 workout slots are already designed for you), you can download it for free on my members site.

For each pyramid work set, you  should aim to increase the weight by a minimum of 5%, and drop your rep range by 2. Ideally you should select just the right weight for your rep range so that you don’t reach failure until the final set.

Only increase your weights per set if you achieve your rep-range within a 1+/- range for that weight. For example if your first work-set is 12 reps lifting a 50lb weight, and you only achieve 10 reps, then increasing your weight for fewer sets will only fatigue you further without causing further micro-tears to your fibers, equaling in muscle-repair and growth. The test for whether you should be increasing your weights per set is that you can complete the same weight for the next rep-range within 30 seconds. If you can’t, stick with the same weight even though you are reducing your reps per set until you can increase the weights and still complete the reps within a 1+/- range.

Seated Lateral Pulldown (In Front of Chest): 3 x 20/15/12

Bent Over Bar Bell Row (Overhand Wide Grip): 3 x 20/15/12

Bent Over Dumbbell Rows: 3 x 15/12/10

Reverse EZ-Bar Push Up^*: 3 x 15/12/10

Inverted Underhand Pull ups^**: 3 x As many as you can.

Seated Low-Row Cable Pull: 3 x 15/12/10

Seated Preacher Cable Curls: 3 x 15/12/10

Overhand Grip EZ Curl: 3 x 15/12/10

Alternative Dumbbell Curl: 3 x 12/10/8 (Per arm)

High Cable Pulley: 3 x 15/12/10

A quick note on nutrition:- As I trained quite late in the night on this occasion, I didn't want to consume much in the way of carbohydrates, even though I felt depleted after my intense workout, I am cutting down on body weight for an underwear shoot that I am the new face and body for that is launching throughout the USA in February (The brand is called ES Underwear). So I cooked a simple meal of white fish with greens, that is high in lean protein, virtually fat free, and contains plenty of alkaline-rich vegetables.

Steamed Talapia and Greens.

It's really simple to cook. I normally buy a bag of frozen Talapia and allow half to thaw in the fridge over night. Once thawed, I I place each fillet in a sheet of baking foil, and sprinkle generously with red fish spice, some mixed herbs, and a squirt of lemon juice. I then folded up the two shorter edges, rolling the longer ones together like you would the top of a brown paper bag. (You can also lay several stems of asparagus on the top of the fish before you roll up the foil, so as to cook the asparagus at the same time).

Place on a cooking tray and cook at 350f in the oven for 14 minutes, and serve immediately for the best taste, although if you cook several at a time, you should allow them to cool before putting them in a tupawear container or zip-lock back, and keeping in the fridge. 

For the green veg, I steamed these over a hot pan with a little salt added, until just firm to the touch, and once on the plate, topped off with diced organic tomatoes that were heated in a pan on low heat.

Supplement wise, I've really cut back on many that I was taking when I was pre-contest, if anything just to see how this affected me, and the one thing that I can say is that I do feel a difference in my ability to recover and length of time that I can go all out in the gym. One thing I have started doing more recently in drinking alkalinized water, and taking a digestive enzyme with each solid meal. For more info about these supplements, check out my recommendations on my fitness site: www.robrichesfitness.com 

For individual workout programs and nutritional plans, contact me at training@robriches.com 

Until next time, stay focused and continue to make progress in each of your workouts, no matter how small they may be! 

All then best,

Rob Riches

Private Fitness Sessions in London - Availability now limited

Due to a change in my schedule during my trip to England, my days that I am available for private training are now limited to just 5 days: January 4th - January 8th.

The gym that I will be training at is a newly remodeled, 35000 square foot, state of the art fitness centre. 

The address is:

Hooks Gym

Royal Leisure Park,

Great Western Way,

Park Royal,

London W3 OPA

Each session will last 90 minutes, and includes a full training session based on your needs.

If you would prefer to join me on one of my workouts then please note this when you purchase your time slot. There will be no cost to you to enter the gym, as this will be covered within the training price.

Below are the times that I currently have available for each day. When purchasing your session, please note which time slot you would like, as I will remove this from this link straight away.

Monday 4th January.

Time Slot 1: 8am - 9.30am

Time Slot 2: 10am - 11.30am

Time Slot 3: 11.30am - 1.00pm

Time Slot 4: 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Time Slot 5: 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Tuesday 5th January.

Time Slot 1: 8am - 9.30am

Time Slot 2: 10am - 11.30am

Time Slot 3: 12.00pm - 1.30pm

Time Slot 3: 2.00pm - 13.30pm

Time Slot 4: 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Time Slot 5: 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Wednesday 6th January.

Time Slot 1: 8am - 9.30am

Time Slot 2: 10am - 11.30am

Time Slot 3: 12.00pm - 1.30pm

Time Slot 3: 2.00pm - 13.30pm

Time Slot 4: 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Time Slot 5: 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Thursday 7th January.

Time Slot 1: 8am - 9.30am

Time Slot 2: 10am - 11.30am

Time Slot 3: 12.00pm - 1.30pm

Time Slot 3: 2.00pm - 13.30pm

Time Slot 4: 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Time Slot 5: 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Friday 8th January.

Time Slot 1: 8am - 9.30am

Time Slot 2: 10am - 11.30am

Time Slot 3: 12.00pm - 1.30pm

Time Slot 3: 2.00pm - 13.30pm

Time Slot 4: 4.00pm - 5.30pm

Time Slot 5: 6.00pm - 7.30pm

Time Slots must be purchased online prior to the session taking place.

To book a time slot, see the link below, and include the day and time slot that you would like.

Nutrition plans also available as an add-on package.

Book Private Session

First day back training hard: Rear Delts, Biceps & Forearms

Since winning the WBFF World Fitness Model Championships in canada a few months ago, I took some time away from the gym to not only give my body some time off, but to also get my motivation back. After all, during the 4 months I was training for the contest, I was in the gym pretty much every day, and when your putting your body through such an intense regime, it can start to feel less enjoyable, as it first did, and when that happens, you really have to give it everything you've got just to make it through the end of the workout! Taking some time off every now and then (just when you begin to lose that 'eye of the tiger' that we all first had when we first stepped into the gym, or started a new workout).

How do you know when it's time to get back into the gym? Well, when you find yourself getting excited again just thinking about going to the gym, then it's time. I took the best part of a month off from the gym, and because I ate fairly clean (Ok, so I had my fair share of cheat foods but that was part of my motivation when I was sweating it out in the gym for months during my pre-contest training, so I did feel like I deserved a little time off), when I did step back into the gym for a fully-focused workout (as opposed to going there because I felt as though I needed to keep some level of fitness up), my strength was still there. In many ways, I actually felt stronger because I had given my muscles adequate rest in which time they had fully recovered from all the stress they had received from months of hitting the weights hard.

I wanted to start back at the gym with a real enjoyable workout, and so decided to train rear delts (which had always given me an incredible pump in the past), Biceps (C'mon, who doesn't like working out their biceps), and Forearms (from reviewing the pictures of me on stage, I needed to work a little more on my lower legs and my forearms).

I went to my local gym in the valley close to where I live (Powerhouse). This is the workout that I did: (all weights in pounds)

SHOULDERS

Seated Military Press on Smith Machine (Behind the neck to top of ear line)

A great first exercise for warming up the shoulder complex. Good for building size too, especially if you want to work on the rear of the shoulders - which is most of us!

First two warm up sets: 15x50 / 15x70

First Workset: 8x90

Second Set: 8x100

Third Set: 7x105

Wide-Grip Cable Row (Using a Lat-Pull down bar)

Perform as you would with a seated row, except your grip is much wider, and performed with a limited range of movement. Only the 2nd half of the movement, keeping your elbows high, and pulling the bar up towards your upper chest.

First Set: 12x150

Second Set: 12x160

Third Set: 12x170

Incline-Facing Rear Flys (Dumbbells)

Set up a bench at a 35-degree incline, and keeping your knees on the lower-half of the bench with your chest on the upper part of the bench, hold a dumbbell in each hand and keeping the arms straight - raise the arms up towards the hips, rotating your knuckles outwards, pausing when the dumbbells are inline with your hips.

First Set: 12x20

Second Set: 12x20

Third Set: 12x20

Seated Rear Delt machine (Reverse Fly machine)

I only performed this exercise with a limited range of movement (the final part), thus keeping constant tension on the deltoids)

First Set: 12x120

Second Set: 10x150

Third Set: 10x165

BICEPS

Straight Bar Curl 

This is a great exercise for mass building as it places maximum stress on the muscle. If you feel a strain in the wrist, use an ez-bar, or stick with a preacher bench to isolate the bicep more. I stopped short of my thighs to keep constant train on the muscle, and squeezed hard at the top.

First Set: 12x80

Second Set: 10x90

Third Set: 10x90

Seated Preacher Curl (Alt. Arms w/Dumbbells. Single Sets)

A great exercise for peaking the bicep. I twist as I curl, rotating my thumb outwards as I curl, which places more stress on the inner part of the bicep. Great tip if your aiming to thicken out your biceps like a grapefruit!

First Set: 10x35

Second Set: 10x35

Third Set: 10x35

Seated Cable Preacher Curl (using straight bar)

Sit on a seated-row bench with your feet up on the bench, and position your elbows just below your knees. Keep this position fixed as you perform the exercise, curling the bar towards your chest.

First Set: 8x60

Second Set: 10x60

Third Set: 10x60

FOREARMS

Performed as a tri-set x3

Each exercised performed once, then moving on to the next exercise without rest. Wait two minutes before repeating the tri-set.

Reverse EZ-bar curl

Perform like a standard curl, except use an overhand grip, and keep your thumbs over as well so that its more stress on the forearms 

Set: 12x50

Dumbbell Extension

Seated on a bench with your forearms resting on your knees.

Set: 12x50

D-Grip Squeeze

This is an old-skool piece of kit that's shaped like a large 'D', and really works on your grip and forearms.

Set: 15reps

after 3 complete sets of each exercise performed as a tri-set, I finished my workout with another tri-set - one the will really show out your endurance to the test, and a great gauge for if your comparing your workout to a previous one or that of your workout partners..

Here it is:

After only allowing a few minutes to recover from your last tri-set of forearms, perform these three exercises without any rest between each one, and executing each rep with a full range of movement.

Wide-grip chin-ups: 12

Dips: 37

Push-ups: 17

Give it a go and leave a comment on how you feel after!!

Good luck!

If your interested in having a personalized workout program or nutrition plan built for you, you can contact me at training@robriches.com