I want to ask about ripped condition. I don’t know if you have seen the movie “300,” but I really admire the look the entire cast of the movie had. For that matter, I really admire Spartan training. I hope to embark on a training program like that. The guys did kettlebell exercises, bodyweight exercises, hard cardio and a lot of things to get to that shape in only four months. They were like the real Spartans! I can never be like them. I am still 17. I can’t grow big muscles like King Leonidas, but would like to try getting in ripped condition. I am already a big man…so getting in ripped condition is all I ever needed. But I have always loved to make my workouts challenging. Like those guys in “300,” each day of training was a different day and no one could expect the same routine. They were challenged every day. No offense— I am a fan of progression training in both weights and cardio, but variety seems to be more of a thrill. Their diet was also Spartan-like. It looked like they just ate to refuel themselves. There was enough food to aid recovery, barely. So I was wondering, can a bodybuilder’s technique in training achieve the same results as the Spartan training? The bodybuilding mantra is to devote time to mass and then definition, at different times of the year. But those guys worked on both at the same time and they looked awesome! So my main question is— can I as a 17-year-old get in ripped condition like the Spartans? If so, how? Can you suggest a training program or a technique?

“House Calls”

Q: House, I am 16 years old and stand 6’1” at 175 pounds. I have been bodybuilding for two years and I am in need of your help. I have an extremely well built upper body, but I am sad to say that does not go for my legs. I have always had trouble with the development of my thighs; with 16-inch calves and 19-inch thighs it looks pretty idiotic, to say the least. I have tried many routines and different exercises, but nothing seems to work. I train heavy, light and I have even tried doing cardio to build up my legs…as a young bodybuilder making a name for himself, you are an idol of mine and any advice would be helpful.

A: Not too many people can say their calves are almost as big as their quads. That could be a good thing if you’ve got some jacked-up wheels, but at 19 inches, you do need to hammer those bad boys so they catch up with the rest of your body. I am glad you realize that you need to bring up your quads to be a better bodybuilder. So many young bodybuilders walk around on toothpicks and are blind to the fact that they are out of proportion. You are still very young, so you’ve got time on your side…so let’s get them growing. I would never recommend doing cardio to build your legs. You can use cardio to bring out separation and detail in your legs, but don’t do cardio to build your legs. If anything, doing tons of cardio will make it very difficult to grow. By seeing your stats, I don’t picture you as carrying a high body fat percentage. If you don’t have a high body fat percentage, I would not do cardio if you are trying to gain mass on your legs. Now when you are dieting down for your shows, you must do cardio, but when cutting, you are not trying to gain. Bro, I have found that sticking to the basic leg movements are the way to go. I have three different leg workouts that I do. I always try to change my workout up every week; I do this for each body part so the body never knows what’s coming. This is what I do when I am trying to put some size on:

Week 1 (Pyramid Workout)         Week 2 (Heavy Workout)
Squats            15, 12, 10, 8 reps     Leg Presses        4x8
Leg Curls          15, 12, 10, 8 reps     Front Bar Lunges  4x8
Dumbbell Lunges       15, 12, 10, 8 reps     Leg Curls          4x8
Straight-Leg Deads  15, 12, 10, 8 reps    Leg Extensions    4x8
Leg Extensions    15, 12, 10, 8 reps     Smith Squats      4x8

Week 3 (Combo Workout)
Smith Squats With DB Lunges     3x 10-15
Leg Extensions With Leg Curls     3x 10-15
Leg Presses With Straight-Leg Deads  3x 10-15

Q: House, I saw a video of you doing side raises on the Internet. You were doing them very different than I have ever done them. Is there a reason you do them differently or is this just the way you always do them? I know you are an exercise physiologist, so let me in on your knowledge.

A: Bro, I do my side raises many different ways. I try to hit my delts from all angles and with different hand positions. If you change your grip or the angle you are doing the exercise, it can make a big difference. I have three basic ways I do my side raises. My favorite way is palms facing forward, with a slight bend in the elbow. I do my side raises this way because it puts less stress on my elbows and I can use heavy weight with this grip. The second way I do this exercise is with my palms facing my quads and more of a bend in my elbow on this movement. This movement is more like an upright row/side raise; at the end of the movement, the elbow is bent at a right angle and the forearm is perpendicular to the ground. The third way I perform this exercise is palms facing the body and arms straight. When you try this exercise, make sure you use a light weight, because it is very difficult. The key is to keep your arms straight. I also do the same movements seated to make them even harder.

Q: House, I am a very organized person and like to keep track of all my workouts by writing them down. Do you write all your workouts down in a training journal, or write down your workout before you get to the gym so you know what you are going to do?

A: I don’t keep a training journal and I don’t write down premeditated workouts. I always go into the gym with a plan, but my plan could change. I train with what feels good. I go into the gym knowing what body part I am going to train and how I want to train it, but I don’t write down exercises and say, “I have to do this today.” Sometimes I go in the gym and someone is using something I want. I am not going to wait around for the person to finish; I just do something different. I feel that it is a good thing, because I don’t like to get into a routine where I do the same things all the time. I have had some of my best workouts this way. For example, when I do legs I like to get my squats or presses out of the way, but if all the racks and sleds are taken, then it forces me to do them at the end of the workout. Burning them out first, then squatting, makes a big difference.

“House Builders”
This exercise is a “House Special.” I don’t even know if it is an exercise, but I like it so here it is. I call them “around the worlds.” This exercise is used to finish off your shoulders at the end of a good shoulder workout. This is a simple exercise, but it burns the hell out of my shoulders and jams a ton of blood in them. Here is how it goes. Select a light dumbbell, 20 or 30 pounds, and stand just like you would for some raises. When you do this exercise, it should all be done in one continuous motion; don’t stop after each portion.

1. Curl both dumbbells.
2. Press the dumbbells.
3. Lower the dumbbells (like the negative of a side raise)
4. Curl the dumbbells again.
5. Press the dumbbells again.
6. Lower the dumbbells (like the negative of a front raise).
That is 1 rep. I do 12-15 reps for 2 sets to burn my shoulders out after my workout. All I can say is I get a massive pump after this exercise!