Bulk up for Winter

Dave Draper and Arnold Schwarzenegger, circa 1970

Winter is a different animal and without a game plan that beast will wear you down. Here are two strategies to outfox the old bear.

1) Are you a bodybuilder? Winter's a perfect time to bulk up. Get out the DoubleX sweatshirt and hide under it until April. Smile. Get huge. Smooth is cool.

Eat your standard five meals a day, only make them bigger... with a major accent on PROTEIN. Lotsa water. Thick protein shakes blended with my Bomber Blend protein, banana and peanut butter are a must for breakfast, pre-workout and post-workout meals.

A three day on, one day off routine works very well here. Three exercises per muscle group, 4 to 5 sets per exercise with a 12, 10, 8, 6 repetition range. Squats and deadlifts are mandatory. Superset wherever possible. Be consistent, train hard, maintain 20 minutes of medium intensity aerobics four times weekly and you'll retain hardness.

If you stick, here's what you can expect - muscle pump improves, energy and endurance soar, strength skyrockets, attitude reaches new heights, muscle mass and density grow beyond imagination. It's magic.

2) Are you a normal human being? The revolutionary CardioTheater is perfect for your winter months. Plug your earphones into the console on your favorite aerobic piece and listen to your favorite CD, cassette or radio station, or watch one of three big TV's mounted before your eyes. Time flies, you're on a journey and fitness is the destination.

Keep your eye on your weight training, though. It's easy to run through an intense 45 minute cardio workout and skip the weights. Don't let that happen to you!

And now where may I drop you?

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