MET Triceps Level Two

Only the complete beginner will stay at Level One. Now it is time to move onto Level Two for triceps. We keep it simple and add two more sets of the lying triceps extensions, except this time we add more weight and perform ten reps followed by even more weight and a set of eight reps. Remember to only allow for one minute between sets to keep those triceps pumped and to force your body to add more muscle fibre in the triceps. After performing four complete and strict sets of lying triceps extensions, you should have a pretty good burn going. However, you demand more out of your workouts, just like you demand more out of everything in your life. Four sets just will not do, it’s time to move up another level ande? have some fun.

MET Triceps Level Three

Now that you have completed the basic mass builder for triceps, it is time to blow the muscle up with some super-sets. As you recall from your MET System overview article, super-sets are when you select two different movements for the same muscle group and perform a set of each back-to-back without resting. It is a great way to not only push the muscle to add more fibres (thus adding mass) but it will also help condition the muscle and burn intramuscular fat. We will perform ten reps of the first exercise, followed by eight reps of the second movement for a total of two super-sets. You should select a weight for the first movement that you can only get ten reps out of no matter how hard you push yourself. Level Three is where the real fun begins.

The movements you will perform in this series are standing cable pushdowns and dumbbell triceps kickbacks. Standing cable pushdowns will require you to use an overhead cable. Stand facing the cable with a straight-bar attached to it. With the cable at about a 30-degree angle towards you, grip the bar with an overhand grip with your thumbs facing each other about ten inches (25cm) apart. While keeping your elbows next to your sides, slowly push the weight down until your arms are FULLY extended. Just like the lying tricep extensions, only let the part of your arm from your elbows to your wrists move. Your upper arms should stay “glued” to your sides! Squeeze your triceps at the bottom as hard as you can for a second, then allow the bar to rise back up slowly. Stop the bar from ascending when your forearms are parallel to the floor.

Always control the weight; do not use momentum or your shoulders during this movement. You will only be cheating yourself and wasting your time if you do not perform your exercises with proper form.

Next, you will do triceps kickbe?acks. This is an exercise that I have rarely observed performed with proper form. With your torso and legs at almost a 90-degree angle to each other, grip a dumbbell and extend your arm along your side (like you had it when you were performing a tricep pushdown). Allowing your arm to bend at the elbow only, lower the dumbbell until it is perpendicular to your torso. Then, thrust it back upwards until your arm is completely extended. Once it is in this position, raise your entire arm slightly in order to squeeze the upper triceps a little bit more. Control the dumbbell at all times, do not let it swing like a pendulum ­ you are a mass monster, not a clock imitator. After super-setting standing cable pushdowns and kickbacks with intensity your triceps should be pumped up and burning. They hurt good, but that just lets you know that you are doing the MET workout correctly.

MET Triceps Level Four

Level Four takes a special kind of creature. This level is definitely for experienced lifters that are serious about their training. Level Three leaves your triceps feeling pumped to the max and spent, and Level Four would be tough on its own, let alone starting off already fatigued. As outlined on your MET Tracker Sheets, Level Four begins with a MET strip-set, which is then super-set with another movement. The strip-set consists of performing an exercise with a weight that you can only handle for about six to eight reps. Then you lighten up the weight by about 25% and perform another set of six reps with no rest. Then, you strip more weight so that you are at around 50% of the original weight and do yet another six reps. But you are not done there yet. You immediately drop the weight one last time and perform an all-out final assault with a weight that you can handle for as close to six reps as you can get. That completes the first set in Level Four.

Now, beforee? I explain what exercises you are going to do I would like you to keep one thing in mind: anyone can do all four levels of the MET weight training system, however, not everyone can perform them correctly. If you give 100% maximum effort on each rep, and rest only for the allotted times, this workout should be enough for even the seasoned lifter. If you simply go through the motions, cheat on the form and don’t put all you have into each rep, then you won’t realize the full potential of growth that the MET System was developed to produce. What I am getting at is… don’t move up in levels just to say that you are at Level Four, or “save” some energy so that you can continue the workout. Perform every rep like it might be your last chance ever to train. If you give it all in the gym, then by the time you are done with Level Four, you should absolutely “know” that you didn’t cut corners in the work out and that you truly gave it your all! Success in any endeavour requires that you play “full on”. You don’t have to live in the gym to radically transform your physique, but when you are there for your brief MET Sessions ­ it’s no holding back! Your body will be left with no choice but to add more muscle to handle the intensity.

The two exercises that you do will be the same as in Level Three. However, as I described, the first half of the super-set will be a strip-set. If you perform a strip-set correctly, by the end of the strip-set your triceps will feel a deep burn. Then the super-set will totally finish them off. The intense burning you feel will be a welcome sign of growth. You will know that you did all you could to improve yourself that day.

SPECIAL NOTE: Now if in your training you’re feeling good but at some point your mind starts chatting up the idea that you should cut it short or take a longer break between sets, then follow MET Mental Toughness Rule #1: watch the idea come up e?and, just like water passing under a bridge, let it go by. Know that this is just old mind conditioning. With MET it’s all about reconditioning ­ inside and out. Don’t let this small mind stop you from moving to you higher “true” potential. Your very success in this and all that you do hangs in the balance. Stop yourself from stopping your self. Don’t ever let your mind get in the way of your success inside or outside the gym! Now I’m not talking about if you injure yourself or something like that, but if you watch your mind more and more you will start to see that 90% of what comes up to hold you back has nothing to do with a potential physical tragedy. It’s more just mental chatter or unsupported fear trying to keep you in “its” comfort zone ­ don’t buy into it! Use this technique to transform your body and your life and watch what happens. Your “comfort zone” for challenges will open up in every direction and your life will start to take on a whole new texture. This is but one of the Top Trainers Network Lessons that trainers teach their clients. Keep reading my columns and I will give you the whole package in steps. For now, just watch the mind and challenge yourself to succeed in spite of adversity both in- and outside the gym. Watch counter productive thoughts and fear based sentences come up and let them go. The best example I can give is it’s kind of like if you don’t like cats but there are a lot of cats in the neighbourhood. If you keep putting out milk each day they are just going to keep coming around. If you keep feeding fear or negative based thoughts after the first surfaces, they are just going to keep visiting. When it’s for your best interest, take action in spite of what the mind chatter is. Don’t get comfortable with average. Mentally, most people don’t like what is not familiar and comfortable and they cave in. Never let it take you out. ‘Nuff Said!

“The geme? cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials.”
Chinese proverb

MET Bicep Training

You didn’t think you were done, did you? Now that your triceps are completely worked and finished for the week, it is time to move onto your biceps. We are going to turn those bad-boys into softball-sized slabs with mountainous peaks.

The set and rep scheme will be identical to that of the triceps workout. Therefore, I will only need to explain the exercises you are going to do and how to perform them correctly. As mentioned in past lessons, be sure to take your MET Tracker Sheets into the gym with you when training. Much of this information is included on the MET Sheets so all you have to do is fill in the exercises and follow the system week by week. As a subscriber of this magazine you can print out as many MET Tracker Sheets as you need for free by going to www.bodyfitness-uk.com and go to the MET icon.

MET Biceps Level One

As always, Level One will consist of the general mass builder. For biceps, this will be standing barbell curls. This has to be one of the most abused exercises in the workout repertoire. It’s not very often that I see someone performing this movement correctly. Standing straight, grip the barbell with your hands just barely wider than your shoulders. As for your triceps, your arms should stay locked to your sides. The only part of your arms that should move is the area from your elbows down to your hands. Your upper arms should stay next to you, do not allow your elbows to rise forward during the movement. Pull the barbell upwards until your biceps reach full contraction, and then lower the weight under control until your arms reach a position just before locking. Do not swing the weight up, or use momentum! You should not look as if you’re having cone?vulsions when doing this! Your upper body should be rigid. Besides risking injury to your lower back and elbows you will not be working the targeted muscle group efficiently. The whole purpose of the MET System is to teach you how to promote maximum gains in the minimum amount of time, and do it safely. Perform one set of 15 reps, then add more weight and do a set of 12 reps after one minute of rest.

MET Biceps Level Two

Level Two will also consist of standing barbell curls; the sets will be done as in Level One. You will add more each set, and allow one minute of rest in between sets. The first set in Level Two (this will be your third set from when you began) will include ten reps, and the second will be eight reps. Be sure to keep your form strict and after each set record the “Maximum # of Reps Performed” in your Met Tracker. Levels One and Two offer the best opportunities to add good, solid mass so do not squander them. Train as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form. Really squeeze the biceps at the top of each movement.

MET Biceps Level Three

Since we have concentrated mainly on mass so far, let’s work on that peak. There is nothing better than hitting a double-biceps pose and seeing the biceps split and look like replicas of Mount Fuji. Level Three will help you develop that peak with preacher curls and concentration curls. When doing preacher curls, be certain that the entire triceps area is on the preacher bench. Do not merely place your elbows on it, so that you can use leverage and momentum to lift the weight instead of brute force. Also, remain seated, do not lift your body off the seat as you lower the weight in order to get momentum going when you decide to bring the weight back up. When doing concentration curls, stand with your torso at a 90-degree angle to your legs. With your arms directly perpendicular te?o the floor, curl the dumbbell towards your opposite shoulder. Bend your arm at the elbow and do not allow any other part of the arm to move. You should concentrate (hence “concentration curls”) on feeling the bicep “ball up” as you pull the weight upwards. Flex the bicep at the top of the movement, this will help shape and harden the bicep. These two movements will be done in the super-setting fashion described earlier. Just as your triceps were after Level Three, your biceps should be on fire and feeling twice their usual size.

MET Biceps Level Four

Level Four will also be preacher curls and concentration curls super-set together. Remember though, you will perform a MET Strip-Set while doing the preacher curls. By the end of Level Four for biceps, your arms should feel like they have been through a war. If you feel like you can easily lift you hands up to wipe the sweat off your face directly after the last set, then you didn’t train hard enough.

“You cannot have what you want if you are content to remain what you are.”
Robin S. Sharma

Well, that was one seriously intense arm workout! You just showed them that they better start adding muscle, because the future is going to bring a lot more training sessions like that one ­ brief, intense and powerfully productive! Now that the workout is done, it is time to take a couple of ADL3 capsules with water before leaving the gym, to blunt the cortisol levels that rise following an intense workout. You will also need a few targeted supplements to put your system in its optimal anabolic environment, in order to aid in the recuperation and production of muscle. A perfect way to do this is to use Venice Beach Nutrition’s Primestrin+ for boosting HGH and testosterone levels, and UDA+ Protein.

The Core Essentials - Primestrin+

Howe? does Primestrin+ help speed up the muscle building process? The supplement Primestrin+ by Venice Beach falls in the category of supplements known as anabolic activators. It starts with agents like tribulus terrestris (only the potent Bulgarian form containing 45% saponins) that have been clinically proven to improve blood flow to the testes as well as increase testosterone production. This means that it will help add a lot of muscle as well as enhance libido. As seen in one recently published study, tribulus increased luteinizing hormone (LH) levels on average by 55.6% and testosterone levels by 94.6%. Venice Beach includes the patented absorption enhancer Absorbal with the tribulus so that Primestrin+ gives an even greater bioavailability, which means that your body will use far more of the tribulus than it would if you used one of the other products that do not have absorption enhancers. Venice Beach’s Primestrin+ contains one of the best sources of tribulus available on the supplement market. It uses only the top rated “Bulgarian Plant 45% saponins”, so if you do not see that on the label, the form of tribulus you are buying is lacking in quality. Just like the MET System, stick with supplements that are the most efficient and concentrated, like Venice Beach Products. A private lab in California professionally designed these products for Venice Beach trainers and their clients. They are scientifically developed to bring you the highest quality results without any waste of time or money.

In addition to tribulus terrestris and Absorbal, Primestrin+ contains acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC). This, like tribulus, will enhance the secretion of LH (luteinizing hormone) in your system. Increased LH will create a state of increased testosterone secretion. In addition to raising testosterone levels, ALC has been shown to reduce cortisol concentration in the blood. This makes ALC an “anti-catabolic” agent, because it prevents cortisol (a highly catabolic hormone known to cause muscle tissue breakdown) from saturating the receptors. ALC will also free up testosterone from proteins that bind to it, which means that more testosterone will be available for your body to use in the muscle building functions. Clinical studies have provided evidence that ALC can prevent falls in testosterone normally associated with exercise. As mentioned earlier, ALC will cause an increase in LH production, which promotes the conversion of cholesterol to pregnenolone, the first step in the biosynthesis of testosterone. Finally, ALC has been shown to increase insulin-like growth factor-l (IGF-l) in humans, and of course IGF-1 itself is highly anabolic.

Time Saving Efficiency

The advanced formulation of Primestrin+ also contains a powerful ingredient called Prostat HGH, which will safely cause your body to SUBSTANTIALLY increase the amount of growth hormone that it releases daily. Venice Beach also includes key B vitamins in order to aid in the increase of growth hormone that gets released by your body. This helps to rapidly accelerate fat loss, increase muscle mass and build stronger tendons and ligaments for prolonged, injury-free bodybuilding. Remember, Primestrin+ contains Absorbal, which will allow you to absorb greater amounts of these key nutrients (up to 300% more) over any other first-generation supplement on the market. Think faster results gram for gram, naturally and safely ­ Effie?ciency, Efficiency, Efficiency! You can follow the MET Program without second-generation supplements and make great gains or add them to your daily routine and speed up the process. It’s a choice, but if you choose to use supplements, make sure they are targeted to align with your specific goals.

“Either you set your goals and, in doing so, have your life governed by choice, or you do nothing and have your life governed by chance.”
Robin S. Sharma

ADL3 is a potent anti-catabolic agent that contains several key ingredients that maximize nitrogen retention. Venice Beach uses only the highest quality medical grade phosphatidylserine and methoxy-PS in its ALD3 formula. Both of these ingredients have been clinically proven to decrease cortisol release. In addition, a study on 5-methyl-7-methoxyisoflavone showed that it increases fat loss by itself. This makes Primestrin+ and ADL3 the most powerful one-two combination in the testosterone and GH boosting supplement family, which means superior muscle growth and fat loss.

Conclusion

The MET System is a comprehensive program of not just weight lifting and aerobics, it also has nutritional and supplementation programs that are scientifically designed to work together to bring you the greatest gains in the shortest amount of time. Train hard, eat correctly and take the highest quality supplements available for muscle gains and fat loss like Primestrn+ and ADL3. One more thing, you better start clearing room for all of those trophies, a new level of muscle size and shape is on its way. Just follow the system, step by step, and reap the rewards!

The Power Of Now

You’ve been reading about how the MET System blows the doors off traditional, old school lifting methods, so the next step if you haven’t adopted MET as your daily training systee?m yet, is to take action. If you are new to MET or if you have been sitting on the fence for a while then now is the time to adopt a professional approach. Under this system everything is methodically laid out for you, and this column along with upcoming articles will give you the best ongoing support you could ever ask for. Now is the best time to take the program (and ultimately your physique) to the next level. I’m here each month to act as your MET training support coach with this results-oriented and yet easy-to-follow physique transformation system. The complete MET System and all MET Tracker Sheets for your training journal can now be retrieved at the website mentioned earlier. Once you get started, myself and other MET trainers will be here to provide you ongoing MET insights, strategies and support so that you get the most out of each and every 30-minute workout. There are already thousands following the program and seeing results they never dreamed of. Our goal is to have 100,000 people following the program and changing their lives in a positive way. We have lots more time saving strategies to cover, so don’t get left behind. This is the ideal time to move into the best shape of your life!

“The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.”
Tommy Lasorda, Professional Baseball Manager

Editor’s Note: For more information on the second-generation products highlighted in this column, including ADL3, AGF MAX, Primestrin+, UDA Protein and others, readers can call OSN Tech Support at 0845 6066 126.