The Taylor Lautner 30 Pounds of Muscle Phenomenon!

Gaining 30 Pounds of Muscle Like a Taylor Lautner!

Ok.  There is obviously major hype right now about the ‘Twilight’ Movies.  Honestly, its not my thing.  BUT I know many family and friends who love it.  And importantly the look of a man who has added 30 pounds of muscle…no matter his age.

For today’s post I thought we’d discuss how a 17 yr old gains around 30 pounds of lean muscle.  I smile as I started my lifting at the age of 17 – a few years ago now!

Obviously its fair to say that amounts of muscle gained will vary.  A guy in his 30′s and 40′s will gain differently to a younger guy like Taylor.  But the interesting thing to point out is the change in training stimulus that allowed – or assisted- in this impressive gain.

Typically us guys will preach all day long about the need for consistent resistance training – our ‘mantra’, with variables changed up like weight, reps, speed and volume.  Fair enough, it does not change.

But what is important to address here is the change of training ‘type’ incorporated to stimulate muscle growth.

In looking at the training regime Taylor Lautner did, and researching this discussion on the web, we can see a selection of specifics his trainer incorporated.

Obviously the first – Lift heavy weights. This is one we all know and use.  With progressive changes in variables.  To stimulate consistent response and growth.

How about this – Extended Time Under Tension. This is a great one.  We will all benefit from changes in our routine or workout that force us to not just stick to the typical speed of a rep, but increase our muscles’ time under tension from the usual 3 seconds exertion – 2 seconds eccentric etc – to a varied approach – try a session of less reps but TUT (time under tension) of 20-80 seconds.  Now that right there is challenging the muscles.  I recommend and use this approach once every couple of weeks.  Nice way to break up the workout variables.

Workout Change. Now this is a point I really take note on.  When I first started training I followed a workout program for 12 weeks (mail order special!) and saw great gains, but during times when I’ve got stuck (And I have) doing too much of the same stimulating training I can tell I’m not moving forward with muscle gain

I listen to my body and when I feel a need to change I do, but on a more consistent basis I change up the TYPE of workouts.

For example – after this is posted I’m off to do a full-on Intensity Circuit with a mix of body weight and resistance metabolic exercises in circuit fashion.  Honestly, I never used to consider this worthwhile when I was younger but in my first meetings with serious trainers in the gyms I trained at as a 17 year old I always recall the time I stepped away from the heavy weights and added a little workout spice to my program.  It absolutely affected my gains – In a major positive way.  My body and the bodies of my clients over the years have reacted superbly from complete workout change up – particularly the guys (and girls) wanting increased muscle.  So definitely do not neglect slamming your body through a HIIT or Metabolic resistance circuit to ‘shake things up’ – muscle growth will follow.

Stop that Bloody Cardio! – You know I ‘m not a fan of long form cardio.  I even have days where my HIIT pisses me off.  So here’s another option.  Grab a weight you can lift relatively easily – choose 3-6 ‘compound’ exercises (i.e. DB thrusters, Renegade Rows, DB lunges, DB Push Press etc) and perform 20 seconds of one – 15 seconds rest – 20 secs of the next… and so on.  DO 2-3 circuits of this with 2 mins rest between circuits.  That right there is your new cardio!  Nice.  No more long boring sessions.  You’ll hear me go on and on about this…

When all is said and done we can see that Taylor Lautner and his trainer did an amazing job.  Its not a bad thing to give credit where credit is due and 30 pounds gained is a great achievement.

I can tell all of you reading that these sort of gains are not exclusive to millionaire hollywood actors, they are a reality for anyone who wants them.

Simply:

Change up your workout!  Yeah – really!

Change up your variables – set count, rep count, time under tension TUT, grip position, compound and isolation…etc

Add new and challenging circuit  sessions

Stop long form cardio

Eat more protein than you are currently and add a protein supplement also!

Use creatine (no loading phases please!)

Rest more than usual

Take a week off every 8 weeks

There’s more but these fundamentals will have you breaking plateaus and transforming your gains like a Taylor Lautner’.  But only even bigger!

*Changing up your workouts is now going to be the consistent variable of your fitness and muscle gaining future.  This factor will NOT change, stagnation is over for you and your routines.

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*Try this workout for bigger arms – the ultimate tricep and bicep mass workout here….

*Try this elite conditioning circuit workout to enhance lean muscle stimulation – and burn stubborn belly fat….

*The NEw 300 workout for six pack abs and lean mass stimulation….PART 2 here also…