BUILDING A V-TAPER

Beverly International Nutrition
No Nonsense Newsletter Volume 10 issue #1
By Andy Fausz

Andy Fausz V shape body

Age: 37 Height: 5’9

Weight (off-season): 195-200 (contest): 173

Occupation: Computer Programming Analyst
Family: Wife (Janie) and three children; Jacob (10), Sean (8) and Natalie (5).

Background: Andy has been training seriously since 1988. He was originally a runner and started lifting when injuries made running impossible. Since he had always enjoyed lifting, bodybuilding seemed like a natural change.

Contest History: Andy’s first contest was the Northern Kentucky in 1990, in which he placed fourth in the lightweight class. That’s where I first met Roger, Andy recalls. Also that year, he got second in the Kentucky and won an AAU contest that he thinks was named the Mountain Heritage (or something like that). He took off competing until the year 2000 where he won his class in the Novice and second in the overall at the Northern Kentucky, third in the Kentucky Novice and second in the Monster Mash. In 2004 he has won a third in the Natural Northern and open and novice class wins at the Northern Kentucky.

  Step into any menswear shop and you will find racks of expensive suits which can be custom-tailored to give professionals that extra edge in their battle for personal success. These expensive tapered power suits, are designed to give business associates the impression that you exemplify the zenith of the modern civilized man a polished man of influence, power and ability.

  But, if your V-taper is gone once your sports coat is draped over a chair, whatever dominance you once held quickly evaporates. A muscular physique, emphasizing upper body width, gives an advantage that will not disappear once your clothes get dropped off at the dry cleaner.

  Developing an impressive taper is all a matter of knowing which areas of your body to emphasize and the exercises needed to make it happen. Since Andy Fausz has a truly exceptional V-taper, I followed him to the gym to learn exactly how he trains to emphasize his shoulder-to-waist differential. Andy feels that to maximize your V-taper you must: 1) Fully develop ALL THREE heads of the deltoid muscle group. 2) Build a Daily Supplement Routine back, particularly the outer latissimus muscles but don’t neglect the muscles of the mid-back. 3) Keep a small, tight midsection. (Love handles destroy tapers).

DELTUS MAXIMUS

  Traditional thought dictates that one must merely perform multiple sets of Lateral Raises to build wide shoulders. To really build big, wide cappy deltoids, one should work all three deltoid heads hard. While it is important to prioritize the medial head, posterior (rear) delt development is also vital. According to Andy, well-developed rear delts create a look of width from behind and push the medial delts further out. Without good development in all three delt heads, one can never achieve maximum width.

In all of his workouts, Andy works at a fast pace, warming-up thoroughly, then performing usually four heavy work sets. With Seated Dumbbell Presses, he pyramids up in weight while decreasing his reps. He lowers the weight all the way until the inside of the ‘bells touch his lower delt /upper arm.

  As in most exercises, he goes by feel. After three progressively heavier work sets, he will either go for a heavy set (up to 100-pound dumbbells for 4-6 reps on Seated Presses) or drop back to his starting weight for a fi nal exhaustion of the targeted muscle fi bers.

  Lateral Raises are a classic delt-widener. Andy advises strict form and a fast pace. A slight pause at the top of each rep ensures a growthpromoting burn that will make you feel as if molten lava is pumping through your delts!

  Upright rows are another effective delt-widening movement when done correctly. Andy uses a straight bar and makes sure that his elbows are lifted high at the top of the movement. He feels that too narrow of a grip hurts the wrists and elbows, so his grip is kept at about shoulder-width. While most lifters pull just to chest height, Andy tries to pull a bit higher, feeling it gives him some trapezius stimulation.

  Andy’s final delt movement is one passed on to him by Roger Riedinger. It is a modifi ed Rear Delt Row. By positioning yourself sideways on an angled bench, you perform a blend of Bent Lateral Raises and a rowing movement. Allow the weight to go low in front of you at the beginning, with your working shoulder coming forward. Andy likens the movement to starting a lawn mower. He acknowledges the exercise is awkward but fi nd a groove and keep it strict. Andy likes to go as heavy on these as he possibly can while maintaining strict form.

BACK ATTACK

Andy definitely feels a well-developed back is the keystone of an exaggerated V-taper. The key here is to perform back exercises to improve both width AND thickness. Chins are the main exercise I use to get my lats to pop-out, Andy says. I may vary the grip, but some type of Chin (mostly wide-grip) is part of every back workout. Always going on feel, Andy either adds weight (as listed below) or simply does his sets for higher reps with bodyweight. Nothing packs meat on the back like Bent over Rows. Andy feels the heavier you can go on these, the better. He quickly adds, ...heavy but with good form. This exercise caused my first training injury. I quickly learned not to bounce on these and to keep a tight arch in my lower back. Good advice to follow. His back workout will also include other exercises, but these two are always at the core of his program.

**B A C K**
Wide Front Chin	Bent over Row
BWT+25 X 12	185 X 12
BWT+35 X 10	225 X 10
BWT+45 X 8	245 X 8-10
BWT+25 X 10	185 X 12

Hard, consistent training and a nutrient-rich Beverly diet keep Andy Fausz lean and building new muscle tissue. Try some of his training and supplement secrets and see if you are able to maximize your V-taper so that you have the same look of athletic power!

Andy’s Daily Supplement Routine
Breakfast: Shake: (1/2 cup oatmeal, 2 scoops Muscle Provider, 1 scoop Ultra Size), and 1 Super-Pak.
Six times daily: (At each meal, beginning with breakfast, six times a day Andy will have:) 6 Ultra 40, 5 Mass Aminos, 3 Joint Care and 1 Lean Out.
Three times daily: 8 Muscle Synergy on an empty stomach. First, upon rising, before breakfast; the second time, mid-day; and the last before bed with three Bev-ZMA.
Twice Daily Shake: (1 1/2 scoops Ultra Size, 1 1/2 scoops Muscle Provider)
Before and During training: 4 scoops Glutamine

Andy’s Weekly Training Split
Monday - Chest
Tuesday - Back
Wednesday - Legs
Thursday - Shoulders
Friday - Arms
Sat/Sun off
While a five days on, two days off routine might look rigorous, Andy points out that each of his workouts are only 40-45 minutes in length at a fast-pace. Since his family is a high priority, training does not interfere with his involvement with his kids’ events.

**D E L T S**
Seated DB Press	Lateral Raise	Upright Row	Rear Delt Row
2 warm-up sets	25s X 10	95 X 10	20 X 12 (warm-up)
80 X 10	30s X 10	115 X 10	30 X 10
90 X 8	30s X 10	135 X 8-10	35 X 10
100 X 6	25s X 10	95 X 10	40 X 10
80 X 10

Heavy Dumbbell Presses	Modified Rear Delt Pull
Upright Rows	Bent over Barbell Rows

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