TESTOSTERONE MUSCLE | Velocity Diet 3.0 | Secrets to Velocity Training

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Maximize Fat Loss, Retain and Build Muscle
Perform Like a Well-Oiled Machine

The Velocity Diet exercise plan consists of three components:

Special weight-training program
NEPA-based walks and activities
V-Burn Challenge

Here's an overview of each:

Velocity Weight Training

Your metabolic rate is the key to maintaining good body composition — the ratio of fat to lean tissue. And muscle is the key to maintaining a good metabolic rate.

Many people using traditional diets lose weight indiscriminately, meaning they lose muscle along with fat. That's self-defeating, as the muscle they lose leads to metabolic disruptions, which in turn lead to yo-yo dieting — a dangerous cycle of weight loss followed by fat gain followed by more weight loss and then more fat gain. In the worst cases, the person ends up weighing more, but with less muscle tissue and a slower metabolism than they had before they started dieting.

Beyond the health dangers, losing muscle on a diet is disappointing. You may be smaller, but you don't necessarily look better. It's like a caterpillar coming out of its cocoon and realizing it's not a butterfly at all, but instead has become a smaller caterpillar.

The V-Diet weight-training program was designed by Chad Waterbury, a longtime contributor to Testosterone Muscle and author of Huge in a Hurry. You'll lift three times a week on nonconsecutive days (Monday-Wednesday-Friday or Tuesday-Thursday-Saturday), using Chad's uniquely challenging training system.

By the end of the 28-day diet and two-week Transition phase, you won't just be smaller; you'll be leaner, stronger, and more muscular as well.

Before you start, you'll need to choose which program is best for you.

If you're new to weight training, or have been out of the gym for a few years, use the Beginner Program. If this doesn't describe you, skip the following Beginner guidelines and read the Intermediate and Advanced descriptions that follow. Read More...

Most often a structured, weight-training program is comprised of a list of exercises, along with a mandate to perform a certain number of sets and repetitions.

For example, an absolute beginner might be told to do one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise on the list. Someone who's slightly more experienced might be told to do three sets of 10 to 12 reps of each exercise.

This type of instruction leads to some bad habits for beginners. There's a tendency to go through the motions, to focus on completing all the sets and reps rather than on working hard enough to get the intended benefits from the workout.

Of course it's understandable that a novice lifter wouldn't know how hard he's supposed to work to gain muscle and strength, because the focus is on the prescribed sets and reps instead of the weight used and the effort involved in lifting.

Chad Waterbury's Velocity Training, on the other hand, approaches the workout differently. In each workout, you'll be given a number of repetitions to complete for each exercise, as well as a guideline for how heavy the weight should be. You'll do however many sets it takes to complete all the reps. A set ends when you can no longer lift the weight at the same speed, using the same form.

In the Beginner program, you'll use weights that are either "medium" or "light." A medium weight is one you can lift eight or nine times on your first set before your speed slows down or your form deteriorates (your range of motion shortens, or you start using exaggerated body English to move the weight through the same range of motion).

A light weight is one you can lift 14 to 16 times on the first set. (In the charts, these ranges are listed as 8-9 RM, for "rep maximum," or 14-16 RM.)

Of course, if you're a beginner, you can't know how much weight you can lift for those exact repetitions. The first week's workouts will involve a lot of trial and error, which isn't a problem. You should be pretty good at it by the fourth week, which is what really matters.

It's best to start with a weight that's slightly lighter than you think you'll need. If it's truly too light, consider it a warm-up set, and then start counting your reps on the next set, using a heavier weight.

You'll do a total of 40 reps per exercise when using a medium weight, and 50 when using a light weight. As we said, the number of sets it takes to reach those numbers doesn't matter. You'll probably do more sets toward the end of the program, since the goal is to challenge yourself to use heavier weights from one week to the next.

If you've been weight training consistently for the last two or three years, the Intermediate program is for you. If you've been training longer, jump ahead to the Advanced guidelines that follow. Read More...

If you've never used Chad Waterbury's workout system before, you need to understand its unique features.

In each workout, you'll be given a number of repetitions to complete on each exercise, as well as a guideline for how heavy the weight should be. You'll do however many sets it takes to complete all the reps for each exercise. A set ends when you can no longer lift the weight at the same speed, using the same form.

In the Intermediate program, you'll use weights that are either "heavy" or "medium." A light weight is one you can lift 14 to 16 times on the first set before your speed slows down or your form deteriorates (your range of motion shortens, or you start using exaggerated body English to move the weight through the same range of motion). A medium weight is one you can lift eight or nine times on the first set. (In the charts, these ranges are listed as 14-16 RM, for "rep maximum," or 8-9 RM.)

We know, however, that few of us walk into the gym knowing exactly how many reps we can do of any given exercise with any particular weight. So even though you have some experience in the weight room, the first week's workouts will involve some trial and error as you figure out the best weights for each rep range. You should be pretty accurate with your weight selection by the second week.

If the weight's too heavy, you should know after the first few reps that you won't be able to complete the first set with that weight. Put the weight down, rest for a minute, and then start counting reps with a lighter weight. (As we all know, it's better to start with a lighter weight and move up rather than having to move down from a heavier weight.)

You'll do 20 reps per exercise when using a heavy weight, and 40 when using a medium weight. As we said, the number of sets it takes to reach those numbers doesn't matter. You'll probably do more sets toward the end of the program, since the goal is to challenge yourself to use heavier weights from one week to the next.

If you've been weight training consistently for the last three years, and you've made significant gains in strength and mass, do the Advanced program. Read More...

Each program consists of two phases:

Phase I:	These are the workouts you'll use during the 28-day Velocity Diet.
Phase II:	You'll use these workouts during the two-week Transition phase.

You want to lift and lower the weights as fast as possible with good form. If these exercises are new to you, mastering the form is more important than lifting fast. But as you get comfortable with the exercises, it's more important to lift faster than it is to use heavier weights. Once you reach what seems like your maximum speed for the designated number of repetitions, use a heavier weight.

As we said earlier, you need to stop a set once your speed slows down noticeably. But don't stop because you think you're about to slow down. Keep going until the weight actually moves slower or your form changes in an obvious way. Finish that last rep, put the weight down, rest, and then pick up again with the next set.

Select a weight that allows you to hit the target repetitions on the first set of that exercise. You'll probably do fewer reps on subsequent sets. Keep going until you hit the designated number, no matter how many sets it takes.
Perform all of the reps of an exercise before moving on to the next exercise.
Keep the weight the same for all of the sets of an exercise.
Rest the prescribed amount of time between all sets. After you finish an exercise, try to limit your transition time to the next exercise to the prescribed rest interval. So if you're supposed to rest 45 seconds between sets, try to rest just 45 seconds between exercises as well.

V-Burn Challenge

Fat loss is the ultimate performance enhancer. With the possible exception of sumo wrestling, you'll improve at virtually anything you do when you drop excess body fat while maintaining your muscle mass and strength.

Not only will fat loss make you a better athlete, it'll make you a more "functional" human being; you'll move better, feel better, have more energy, and perform better in the gym. Your body will be more efficient at just about anything you ask it to do.

Imagine doing pull-ups, dips, or push-ups with 20 fewer pounds of lard on your body. Imagine playing your sport, performing your military or your law-enforcement duties, or even playing with your kids without that anchor of useless fat.

The V-Burn Challenge is a challenging circuit of eight different exercises done in rapid succession. It requires no special equipment; you can do it anywhere.

You'll do it once a week, on Saturday or Sunday. The goal is to complete the recommended number of circuits in less time each week.

The goal from workout to workout is to reduce the amount of time it takes you to complete the V-Burn Challenge. In other words, as you get in better shape, you should be able to do the same number of circuits in less time.

Don't make the mistake of turning the V-Burn Challenge into a grueling, train-until-you-drop event. These circuits should be challenging but not so draining that they interfere with your progress in the weight workouts.

Ultimately, the overall purpose of the V-Burn Challenge is to increase your general conditioning, help you recover from the weight workouts, improve your mobility and athleticism, and, of course, burn off a bit more body fat.

Perform 10 reps of each exercise. For the single-limb exercises, do five reps on each side, for a total of 10. (The single-limb exercises are listed in yellow.)

As with the strength exercises, your goal is to perform the lifting and lowering phases as fast as possible while maintaining good form.

NON-EXERCISE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY — NEPA

The V-Diet plan has no traditional cardio or aerobics. It's not necessary, and can actually lead to muscle loss if pursued beyond your body's ability to refuel and recover. You'll get plenty of formal exercise with your three weight workouts and weekly V-Burn Challenge.

You'll add to that with Non-exercise physical activity — NEPA.

NEPA is the moving around you do outside the gym. A person with a desk job gets very little NEPA, while a guy who works construction or walks to work gets a lot. Studies show that simply walking more each day helps with long-term weight management and leads to improved health.

On the V-Diet, and during the Transition phase, you'll go for a walk every day except Challenge Day, and also seek to increase NEPA in other ways.

The goal is to burn off a few extra calories, speeding the fat-loss process without taking away energy you'll need for your weight workouts, or impairing your ability to recover from those workouts. A good walk should speed up the recovery process while improving your overall physical conditioning.

Here are the guidelines:

Make a Commitment — Walk every day except Challenge Day — rain or shine, busy or not.

Walk at the Right Pace — The average person walks between 3 and 3.5 mph. (Men walk about 0.5 miles per hour faster than women.) For your NEPA walk, shoot for around 4 mph. For most of us, that means walking faster than your normal pace. It's not "speed walking," just moving faster than normal.

Distance or Time — You can choose to walk for a certain distance or for a certain amount of time. Depending on your fitness level and the time you have, you can shoot for 30 to 60 minutes of fast walking, or two to four miles. At 4 mph, you can walk one mile in 15 minutes.

Outside or Inside Makes a Difference — Walking indoors on a treadmill burns fewer calories than walking outside at the same speed, but you can make up the difference by setting the treadmill to a slight incline.

Time of Day Makes a Difference, Too — While you can take your walk any time of the day — before work in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening — many experts believe that walking in the morning before you eat leads to faster fat loss. While I'd never suggest performing strenuous cardio in a fasted state (which could lead to muscle loss), a brisk walk is fine.

But the key is to make sure you get your walk in whenever you can. Never miss a day because you can't walk at the ideal time.

Don't Run! — You won't make the diet work better by going for long run, doing sprint intervals, or taking hour-long Spinning classes. Instead, you'll impede recovery from your weight workouts, have less energy, and possibly cause your body to lose muscle tissue.

Along with your daily NEPA walk, you need to "seek movement." In other words, try to increase your natural NEPA. How?

Park farther away from stores or your place of work. Not only will you get a little extra walking in every day, you'll free yourself from the stress of fighting for a parking space close to the front door.
Take the stairs. If you have to take an escalator, walk up instead of letting the machine do all the work.
Carry your luggage; don't roll it.

Sounds simple, but these small daily actions can lead to additional fat loss, long-term weight-loss maintenance, and improved health. Make them a lifetime habit and your lifetime will be long and lean.

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