Max-OT


Max-OT stands for Maximum Overload Training and is based on the physiological principle that overloading a muscle with heavy resistance creates the best stimulus for growth. The Max-OT principles were created by Paul Delia, CEO of AST Sports Science and are the principles I’ve followed exclusively since 1998. Paul was a very valuable mentor and I model a lot of my teaching after things I learned from him.

Max-OT is a low volume, high intensity approach to weight training that will maximize muscle and strength gains. Remember, this is very important to anyone interested in fat loss because every ounce of muscle you can build you are going to raise your resting metabolic rate and make fat loss easier. Plus, if you can build muscle you will achieve a more shapely/toned body when all is said and done.
When I speak about volume I am talking about the total number of sets and reps you are going to perform in any given workout. Most programs advise way too many sets and reps in my opinion, particularly those programs that are supposed to be designed specifically for “toning”.

I often hear people say they don’t want to lift heavy because they don’t want to get too bulky or they will point to one of my contest photos and say “I don’t want to get that big”; they just want to tone up. They make it sound as if the moment they start lifting any weights they’ll add gobs of muscle over night. Before I yell at them, I remind myself it is not their fault they have this fear of lifting heavy. It’s because that is what has been ingrained in their heads. We all hear it all the time….light weight and high reps for muscle tone and heavy weight with low reps for bulk (BTW – I hate the term bulk. To me that is another way of saying fat because adding quality muscle will never make anyone look “bulky”. A so called “bulky” look comes from too much body fat). Every time I hear the talk about light weights for muscle tone I want to scream because that is just not accurate and leads people to mediocre results.



Fat Loss Cardio Tips…


1. DO NOT perform cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach! This is a great way to encourage muscle wasting. As soon as you wake up you should have whey protein isolate and a carbohydrate source.

2. Keep cardio short and intense. 16 to 20 minutes of high intensity cardio will have a greater effect on elevating your metabolism and will keep your metabolism elevated longer after exercise than long duration moderate intensity cardio.

3. Work out of your comfort zone the entire session. You should be “huffing and puffing” throughout.

4. Set distance goals and try to beat them every session. Working to beat your distance goals will give you a tangible marker of intensity to strive for rather than simply putting in your time.

5. Frequency. If fat loss is a high priority I recommend cardio 5-7 days a week. Remember every cardio session you do will give your metabolism a jolt and fire up the fat burning process!

Does Soreness Matter?
The answer to this common question is no.
Muscle soreness or lack there of is not an indicator of the success of your workout. Remember the goal of each weight training workout is to overload the muscle with a heavy weight (Max-OT style) and therefore initiate the best muscle growth response.

You have probably found there are certain muscle groups that always get a little sore and some muscle groups that never do. I think this is normal based on my own experience and the feedback from many others. I wouldn’t put much stock into it one way or the other.

As you go forward with your workouts I would suggest not placing emphasis on your degree of muscle soreness and certainly don’t use it to gauge the success of your workout.

Believe. Achieve


Body Transformation Tip!

To truly transform your body you need to have a strong muscle building component to your plan.

This is true for men and women.
Remember that every ounce of muscle you build you will increase your resting metabolic rate and thus greatly aid the fat loss process.

Weight training is the catalyst for the muscle building component of your plan and there is no better weight training approach for encouraging muscle building than Max-OT.

Don’t have the mindset that you have to lose weight before you focus on building muscle. It is best for your plan to have an emphasis on muscle building right out of the gate!


Max-OT Warm-up Protocol


The goal of the Max-OT warm-up protocol is to gradually introduce heavier weights without approaching the point of muscle fatigue.
Below are the main points to consider when you are doing your warm-up sets. These points are taken from a passage contained in my book “Inside the Mind of a Champion.” The complete passage explains each of these points in detail and gives some specific examples.

* Warm-up on the first exercise for a body part only.

*Progressively introduce a heavier weight each warm-up set.

*As you add weight each warm-up set, decrease reps.

*Do not approach the point of fatigue.

*Your last warm-up set (also called weight acclimation) should be close to your muscle-building set weight.

*4-5 warm-up sets should do the job.