Critique of a singer's diet and exercise plan

Candidate: XXXXX late 20s, singer & songwriter

Background:

Played volleyball and reactive sports during school days. Does little for arm strength (no biceps and triceps) as these are not a priority in her training, but she welcomes exercises for them. She does some yoga, which helps open up her chest. She has an artistic personality, not athletic. She doesn’t do DVD work outs, yet likes listening to instruction. Health affects her creativity.

My goal:

“To improve my cardio for singing and trumpet playing without losing weight, and to gain five pounds of muscle mass to bounce quarters off my butt.”

My workout:

“Healthy Habits [a boutique fitness studio] in Toronto designed my workout. I like free weights and body-weight workouts. Once a week, we’re strengthening the upper back and shoulders so that it pulls me back because everything I do is leaning forward. When I write I’m hunched over keyboard, the computer.

As well we’re doing very deep abdominals and obliques exercises with weighted long-arm crunches. My small, flat stomach runs in my family, and I play trumpet, which keeps a strength people can’t see, so I’m internally strong. But it’s not the kind of strength that holds my core up, my supporting muscles.

My trainer changes the routine every week, but I do three sets of 15 repetitions of these exercises: medicine ball squat and press, side shoulder cable raises, standing abduction, cross step-ups and side walking with bands for glutes. Yoga once a week stretches me backward.”

My lifestyle:

“There are weeks I don't see daylight when I'm in studio for 3 days straight working from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. There are days where I'm in meetings, doing interviews, at the keyboard or computer, writing. Travel, gigging and rehearsals don't happen predictably, so many aspects are sedentary, then rush, rush, rush.”

My motivation:

“My grandfather passed away several years ago and I put some of the money he left me into my health. Since then, if I’m not physically healthy, it affects my mood and my ability to write with a clear head.
Gwen Stefani is very strong on stage. Her fitness seems to give her boundless energy, not just an aesthetic [look], it’s about being healthy.”

My anthem:

“If I had anthem I’d choose White Snake’s “Here I Go Again.”

My challenge:

“Discipline. Establishing consistency within an inconsistent schedule.”


The Critique by Mike Heatlie MSc CSCS

When designing exercise and diets programs a trainer focuses solely on one thing: the client’s goal. If XXXXX’s goal is to gain 5lbs of muscle mass without gaining body fat, in addition to maintaining or improving cardiovascular fitness, then certain changes in her workouts and diet need to be implemented.

Exercise

For muscle to increase in size, a process known as hypertrophy, then it needs a degree of stimulus that exceeds squats with a medicine ball and bodyweight exercises. To target the buttocks and legs I would recommend XXXXX be coached to perform deep squats, deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, sumo squats, and Romanian deadlifts. You have to love these eastern European exercise names! ☺ These exercises, performed correctly, stimulate the metabolic and endocrine systems far greater than most other forms of exercise. There is no real need t perform direct abdominal training if a client is performing squats, deadlifts, chin-ups etc. as the recruit of the “core” muscles from these exercises is far greater than popular “functional” exercises.
These exercise will stimulate far more muscle motor units and will stress the tissues significantly, which, when combined with a higher protein intake, will results in hypertrophy. It would be wise for Ivana to have her body fat percentage taken prior and then if she gains 3-5 lbs she will know if those extra pounds are body fat or muscle tissue by having the measurements taken after the intervention.

Some other great exercises for Ivana would be assisted chin-ups, pull-ups and dips, as well as bench press, dumbbell flys, cable bent-over lateral raises, and hyperextensions. As Ivana is predominantly in a forward flexed position with rounded shoulders, she should perform pulling exercises more often than pressing exercises, perhaps a 2:1 ratio. She should also focus on quality stretching of the chest and neck after each workout.

In order to boost cardiovascular function, Ivana could superset her exercises or even perform tri-sets so 2-3 exercises in a row without rest. An example would be, keeping in mind the pulling/pressing ratio:

A1) Chin-ups 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A2) Dumbbell chest press 8 reps 75-80% 1RM
A3) Bent over rowing 8 reps 75-80% 1RM

XXXXX would need a frequency of 3-4 times per week, no more than 50 mins per workout. Her repetition range should drop in order to promote hypertrophy so more weight can used to increase the intensity. Yes she’s going to have to work hard!

Diet

I would recommend Ivana consume close to 100 grams of protein per day and cycle her carb and calorie intake. On days she does not train she should consume more carbs and calories, depending on the results she was receiving from the diet and training program. A breakdown of her daily intake would be:

1464kcals per day

Nutrient ratio: 35% Protein, 55% Carbs, 20%, Fat
366 kcal. protein per day (91.5 grams)
805 kcal. carbs per day (201 grams)
293 kcal. fat per day (33 grams)

Lifestyle
Having trained the singer Gwen Stefani and the band No Doubt I fully appreciate how difficult it can be to organise any type of schedule at times but I would encourage XXXXX to avoid working through the night as I imagine this will upset her sleep, exercise and eating pattern. Even if the working schedule could be compromised to 8pm – 4am if she feels more artistic and productive later in the evening as opposed to daytime.

Meals could be prepared prior to the Studio work and she would be wise to keep well hydrated at all times. Protein shakes are excellent for consuming quality proteins without having to prepare meals and these could be implemented also. It is difficult but quality sleep and rest and vitally important for hypertrophy so XXXXX would have make sure she gets enough rest when she has the time to do so.