Brother Gym's How to Guide... Packing on the Muscle

So, the summer which never truly began has now truly vanished into the future, only to not return again next year, one assumes. But, it's not all downward turning lips and soggy eyes, because at least the kids are back at school and we don't have to put up with them littering out pavements, tubes and buses with their bodies during the day. So what is the attraction of winter? Well, for one you probably aren't going to be stripping down into your trunks or bikinis for some while yet, which means one thing - time to pack on some muscle!
See, your year can be cunningly used as a way to structure your workout goals and programmes.

September - November - build up muscular endurance and strength.
December to March - Work on the muscle size.
April to June - Strip off some fat
July to August - Enjoy the fruits of your labour!

Now this doesn't mean you have to spend half of the year fat and wearing big sweats to cover yourself up. It is just a little tweak in mindset that allows you to optimise your schedule based on necessity. A little bit of fat in the winter will keep you warm and allow you sufficient calories to build muscle whilst going lean in summer makes you look and feel great for the beach and stay cool!

So, how extreme am i talking? Let me use an example!

Ryan Reynolds - September to November - lean but not as muscley after a summer on the beach, hypothetically

 

Mid - Winter. Big on muscle, still defined but less so.

Summer - perfect mix. Big on muscle, short on fat! (roughly 3% body fat)

This can also happen. 

So let's start with September... what should you be doing?

After a summer of relaxation and perhaps a little deconditioning, it is important to start as if you are a beginner. For the next two weeks, concentrate on technique, core muscle activation and low-medium intensity weight training in the 12 rep range for 3-4 sets per exercise.

Example Total Body Workout

Push Ups - 3x12
Pull Ups (assisted or unassisted) - 3x12
Plank - 2x1 minute
Squats - 3 x 20
Dips - 3x12

Bench Press - 3x12
Lat Pull Down - 3x12
Leg Raises - 5x10
Lunges - 3x10 (per leg)
Barbell Curl - 3x12

Doing this simple workout 6 times over the next 2 weeks will really help to raise your muscular endurance, increase tone and build a base for more intense training to come!

Give it a go and good luck!