Why you Should Bulk First

A lot of beginners when they first start training or bodybuilding have no clue where to start.  This is not surprising.  The issue that they have is that they spend their time in the gym on foolish nonsensical exercises and machines.  This will keep anyone small and lead to no gains.  What beginners need to do is focus their energy and the bulk of their training on the heavy big lifts.

Now, lucky for you, in the era of the internet there are plenty of free programs out there that can help you make consistent gains.  What you need to do is pick one program and do that for 6 months straight without stopping.  With that being said, you need to focus on bulking when you first start training.

Assuming you're not 30 lbs overweight you need to bulk.  This is because your first year of training is when you can make the most gains.  People in the fitness industry call these noob gains.  This means you need to consume 1.5 to 2 grams of protein per day and consume at least 250 grams of carbs per day as well.  Unless you want to become a lard ass, you need to watch how many carbs you eat.  Because over-consumption of carbs can turn into body fat fast.


Now lets's get back to the gym.  For your first year of training here are some recommended programs.

Workout A:  

 Low bar Squats:  4 x 6, 1 x 20

Bench press: 3 x 6

Power clean: 3 x 5

Dead-lift: 5 x 5

Workout B:

Low Bar squat: 1 x 20

Standing overhead press: 5 x 5 reps

Dead-lifts: 1 x 5

Weighted dips: 3 x 8 reps

Weighted chin ups: 3 x failure

This workout is to be done exactly as written.  Perform this 3-4 times per week every other day.  Some weeks you'll do Workout A twice and others you'll do Workout B twice.  If you eat enough food you will make progress.  I suggest that you eat a minimum of 4,000 calories per day.  If you do this every day and stick to it you will make impressive gains.  

The weighted chin ups and weighted dips are more than enough arm training.  This will build thickness in the arms.  If you skip out, you will miss out on major strength gains.  The power cleans in workout A are done 3rd on purpose.  Make sure you never miss a rep on power cleans.  Don't take power cleans to failure ever.  Every body part is trained in this program.  Except calves.  

It's up to you whether or not you want to train calves.  If you want to be a bodybuilder, train them, if not, don't.  I train calves, it's up to you if you want to train them.  

Now, if you want a program that is purely for adding mass here it is.

Barbarian mass program

Workout A

Low bar squat: 3 x 20 reps

Weighted dips: 4 x 8 reps

Weighted chin ups: 4 x 8 reps

Dead-lift: 2 sets 6, 12 reps

Dumbbell pullover:  3 x 20 reps

Weighted cable crunches: 4 x 15-20 reps

Workout B:

Low bar squat: 3 x 20 reps

Incline bench press: 4 x 6 reps

Bent over barbell rows: 5 x 5 reps

Barbell curls: 5 x 12 reps

Dumbbell pullovers: 3 x 20 reps

Workout C: 

Low bar squat: 1 x 20

Flat bench press: 5 x 5

Barbell overhead press: 4 x 8 reps

Dead-lifts: 2 x 10 reps

The mass gain program is superior to the other if you're talking about pure muscle gains.  20 rep squats add crazy mass all over your entire body.  Weighted dips and weighted chin ups are functional exercises that everyone needs to do.  If you can't do them with weight just start off with body weight until you can.  Progression on all of these exercises will lead to size gains.  

How to Build Cannonball Shoulders that Turn Heads

Have you ever been to the gym and seen someone with massive shoulders?  If the answer is yes, then you know what I'm talking about.  Just massive cannonballs, people with these kind of shoulder can't be missed or looked over.  They turn heads in every gym they go to.  Think about what it would feel like to have those round dense, sculpted shoulders.  Behind every set of shoulders like that is years of hardcore training.

Why your shoulders are small?  Most people have small shoulders because they train them incorrectly.  This is because, they follow outdated routines that are for guys with elite genetics.  What you need to do if you want to grow your shoulders is make them a priority.  Train them your first and last workout of the week.  In this article I will guide you down the right path.

Do you have a poverty overhead press?  Here's mine.  Overhead press

If you do that's a big reason why your shoulders are small and weak.  Here's what you need to do grow your shoulders.

1. Overhead press with a barbell 2 x per week

I can tell you from experience of going to the gym consistently for 5 straight years, most people don't do the standing overhead press.  In fact, if you don't call it the standing overhead press, they'll think you mean seated.  Look there's nothing wrong with the seated overhead press, it just doesn't build the same amount of muscle as the standing overhead press.

What you need to do is have one shoulder focused pressing workout, and the second overhead press day, would come during your push workout after bench press, as an accessory.

Shoulder workout A:

Standing overhead press:  3 x 6, 4, 3 reps

Seated smith machine behind the neck press: 3 x 8, 8, 6 reps

Seated dumbbell shoulder press:  3 x 6, 6, 4

Rear delt machine:  3 x 20-25 reps

This workout needs to be done early in the week since it will lay the foundation and set the tone for the rest of the week.  On workout A you will do the Standing overhead press power-lifting style.  I want you to lift as heavy as possible for the first exercise.  I want you guys to focus on moving weight here.  If you have to push press the last 1-2 reps that's okay with me.  After that the smith behind the neck is excellent at strengthening the standing overhead press.  I find that to be an effective accessory.  On the dumbbell presses I also want you to focus on moving as much weight as possible.  I have done these with 100 lbs in each hand.

On the rear delt machine, this is where you will do some"bodybuilding."

Go slow, take 3 seconds on the way down the eccentric and 1 on the way up.  Get 20-25 reps I don't care how much weight you guys use on this exercise.  The objective with this one is to get a great pump and feel your rear delts doing the work.  Lean back in order to minimize back involvement too.

This is where a lot of people make mistakes, they lean forward and take their rear delts out of the movement.  

The next workout will be workout B

Workout B:

Flat bench press: 3 x 6, 4, 2 reps

Incline bench press: 4 x 8 reps

Standing overhead press: 4 x 8 reps

Push press: 5 x 3 reps

Dip machine: 4 x 20 reps

Workout B is supposed to be your heavy bench press day.  Remember that bench presses also work your shoulders, so don't neglect the bench press during delt training.  It is important to remember that the bench press carries over to the overhead press and vice versa.  People think they have to dump one to get better at the other and that's not true.  I put the standing overhead press as the 3rd exercise here.  

During this workout I want you guys to go for volume, so pick a weight that you can get 10 reps with and do 4 x 8.  The push presses after that I want you to go for strength and power.  Push press allows you to use your hips and legs to get momentum on the lift.  Normally I despise momentum, in this case though the push press is a great exercise that also develops athleticism.  Which is something most people lack in today's gyms.

Most people in gyms are also incapable of doing a push press that's more than 135 lbs.  Then they wonder why their shoulders are so small.  Remember that you need to be able to overhead press your own body-weight, if you do that your shoulders will be better.

You might be wondering how come I didn't program lateral raises and front raises into this program.  The reason is because if your overhead press is less than 200 lbs, it sucks and it needs to be improved.  Too many people watch juice pumping bodybuilders do lateral raise after lateral raise and build big shoulders.  Of course it works for them.  Everything works for them.  Stop working out the way a pro bodybuilder does.

If you do this program as written and eat like a maniac for the next 60 days, you'll have a better pair of shoulders and a stronger overhead press.  Not to mention, you'll be turning heads and getting looks from women you never got before.  Keep training hard and heavy and don't let up on your goals. 

Action Steps:

How much do you want to bench?

How much do you want to overhead press?

What do you want your body to look like? 

Answer these and figure out what you want to look like.  It's important that you answer these because this is what will give you a purpose.  If you're directionless in the gym you will fail and you will be frustrated with your progress. 

  

Why training heavy is key

Every time I go to the gym I see nice people who are clueless when it comes to training.  They think that they can get big and strong on Joe Blow routines.  They are sorely mistaken.  All it takes is the right program and diet and you can get big and strong.  You need the right combination of strength and form to build a great body.  Meaning you have to lift heavy with good form.  If you're not willing to do this it will make the whole process longer.

You need to master the 4 basic compound lifts.

1: The squat

2: Overhead press

3: Bench press

4: Dead-lift

Once you develop proficiency at these, you'll begin to see muscle gains and dense hard muscle.  The kind of muscle that can't be built through pump sets.  Pump sets are good for pretty boys and girls.  But if you're trying to build solid mass and thickness good luck with those pump sets.

There are a few exceptions though.

20 rep squats are some of the best leg builders I've ever seen as well as 20 reps on the leg press.  Basically for the thighs, high reps are king.  Now, I realize I said that, that doesn't mean you can neglect the heavy lifting.  For the high rep squats to work you need to be lifting at least 275 lbs on the barbell.  This is what will build leg size.  Unfortunately, this is hard work and brutal, most people don't have what it takes to get that done.  However, if you're willing to learn and get under a barbell you can make consistent progress and gains.

Here's a sample power bodybuilding workout

Chest:

Flat bench press: 4 sets 4-6 reps

Incline bench press: 3 x 8 reps

Dumbbell pullovers: 3 x 12 reps

Over head press: 3 x 6-8 reps

Rear delt machine: 3 x 12 reps

Close grip bench press: 3 x 8 reps

Skull crushers: 3 x 15 reps

Dip machine: 3 x 15 reps

You see, the beginning of the workout is dedicated to power lifting style training.  As in as heavy as possible for the given rep range.  

The most important part of this workout is the first part as well as getting stronger on that primary exercise.  When you take that into account and focus your effort and energy on improving your strength on that lift you will make the most gains.  This is what will help people the most.  To build strength and muscle you have to focus on your form and the weights you're using.   

You'll see the gains continue to come as you get bigger and stronger.  Don't try this program during a cut.  You will need to be in a calorie surplus to see the muscle gains.  Remember that heavy training is what will allow you to pack on muscle in the fastest amount of time.  I don't peg my audience as a bunch of IFBB pro bodybuilders.  Don't do what these guys do.  These guys spend more money on drugs than you do on rent.

Keep in mind that some people will grow faster than others on this program.  Also, some people will use this program and they will use steroids.  That's fine with me, I'll never judge what someone else does with their body.  Their body belongs to them.

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How to Build a Massive Back

Lately people have been asking me what it takes to build a large back.  I thought about it a bit, and now, I've constructed this article with a free back workout at the bottom.  The main issue I see with people's back training nowadays, is the lack of heavy rows and dead-lifts.  When you dead-lift heavy your body just starts to look different.  This is even more true when you add heavy barbell rows.  These two exercises are my go to for back training. 

Now, since both take a lot of energy to get done, you can do what I do and dead-lift on your first leg day, or dead-lift on back day.  For me, back day is always the most brutal.  I do bent-over barbell rows, weighted chin ups and chest supported hammer strength rows.  On other back days I'll add dead-lifts.  

There are several ways you can program back days.  You can do back and biceps, back and chest, back and rear delts.  The point is, pick a style you like and start training back hard.  Here's what back and biceps should look like.

Back and Biceps:

Dead-lifts: 3 x 4-6 reps

Weighted chin ups: 2 x 6-8 reps

Barbell rows: 3 x 12 reps

Barbell curls: 4 x 8 reps

Preacher curl machine:  3 x 12 reps

Reverse ez curls: 3 x 20 reps

Back and chest:

Dead-lift: 3 x 6 reps

Incline bench press super set with chin ups: 4 x 8 reps

Flat bench press super set with bent over rows: 4 x 10 reps

Dumbbell pull overs: 2 x 15 reps

Back and rear delts

Bent over barbell rows: 4 x 8 reps

Chest supported hammer strength rows: 4 x 12 reps

Dumbbell pullovers: 3 x 12 reps

Rack dead-lifts: 3 x 12 reps

Rear delt rows: 2 x 20 reps

There are several different ways to train back right there that I just outlined for you.  What I would recommend is picking one of those workouts and doing them once or twice per week to train your back.  This doesn't mean you have to do it this way, it's just a thought.  Here's how I program dead-lifts, and my own back workout.

Snow's Leg Day:

Squats: 3 x 6-8 reps, 1 x 20 reps

Dead-lifts: 2 x 6-8 reps

Lunges: 2 x 20 per leg

Romanian dead-lifts: 3 x 12-15 reps

Vertical leg press: 3 x 20 reps

Snow's Back Day:

Barbell bent over rows: 3 x 10-12 reps

Weighted chin ups: 2 x 6-8 reps

Snatch high pull: 2 x 6 reps

Chest supported hammer strength row: 3 x 10 reps

Barbell curls: 3 x 12 reps

Preacher curl machine: 3 x 12 reps

As you can see, I sometimes like to throw in dead-lifts on leg day.  If I do that, I don't have to worry about them on back day, and I can focus on rows and chin ups.  Ultimately, it's up to you.  You don't have to do it my way.  My way is a simple idea.  As long as you're dead-lifting at least once per week, you should be able to make gains.

Dorian Yates back training

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How to Build a Massive Chest

It seems that people have forgotten what to do to grow their chest.  The pecs are an easy muscle to train and grow for me.  While I always had a naturally big chest, I have consistently flat bench pressed and incline bench pressed over 350 lbs on both lifts.  I understand that your chest can grow from heavy training.  I train like a power lifter and bodybuilder.  By using both in my approach, I am able to grow my chest.

I always go with the incline press for 6-8 reps.  I use more of a guillotine style.  This is where you lower the barbell to your throat, just lower it right below your chin.  The movement is to be done slow and under control.  Use a pinky just inside the rings grip.  Then you lower the barbell the way I described. https://goo.gl/images/NWfDSQ

The reason to do this is because it will recruit more muscles in the upper chest area.  This is what will allow you to recruit the most chest muscles.  Stick with 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps for the incline bench press, this will produce the most gains. 

Afterwards, go to the flat bench press.  This is also a great chest builder.  The form on bench press is less complicated than the incline bench press.  Stick with 3 sets 6-8 reps here going slow and under control.  The flat bench press allows you to contract the whole entire chest.

The next chest exercise I recommend is the dumbbell pull over.  This exercise will build a thick chest that expands as well as your serratus and the lower lats.  The pull over is a complete exercise and has been used by many classic bodybuilders.  https://goo.gl/images/eYKEpR

This exercise is to be utilized more for bodybuilding purposes, that means to do 8-12 reps at a slow tempo, controlling the eccentric and exploding on the way up.  This should be the 3rd exercise in your arsenal.  You need to actively let the dumbbell pull you back and let it stretch you completely, this will build the most muscle and will produce the best gains.  By adding this in, your chest training will be complete.

Recap:

• Bench press heavy early in the workout
• That means incline barbell or flat bench should be your first exercise
• Then focus on lifting the weights under control and focusing on a slow eccentric
• Make sure you're lifting heavy enough
• Add dumbbell pullovers towards the end of the training to make more gains

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Leg And Glute Training

When you step into the gym, I guarantee you'll see guys who are completely lacking in lower body development.  This is due to the fact that guys are way too obsessed with upper body training.  Usually what happens when you do this is that you lose all proportions with your body.  Without further ado, this article will cover how to grow your legs and glutes.

Legs:

When you're training legs, the most important exercise will be the squat.  The squat is the best exercise for leg development if done correctly.  Most guys avoid squats like the plague, this is because you suck at them.  Once I started squatting properly my leg development became much better.  You need to do enough to tear down those muscle fibers.  Forget about the pump and focus on tearing down muscle fibers.

Squats:

I recommend low bar back squats for most people to start out with.  The low bar squat will add mass to your whole leg, and your glutes.  To properly execute the low bar squat, you need to put the barbell on your rear delt muscles.  Then you will have a slight forward lean.   Afterwards, you will breathe out and down and squeeze your core as tight as possible, this is what will protect your spine.  Then push your butt slightly back and down as you spread your knees out and let them travel forward, then you pop back up, and stand up explosively.

Squat recommendations

2 x 4-6 reps

1-2 sets of 20-25 reps

Front squats:

Once people have properly mastered the low bar squat, I show them how to front squat.  The front squat places more emphasis on the core and on quad strength.  This is good because it'll help you add muscle in the teardrop area, which is also called the vastus medialis.  For front squats I'd keep the reps between 8-12 basic rep ranges work best here.

Hack squats:

For my own leg workouts I always do hack squats after low bar squats.  I keep a close stance with the toes pointed slightly out, this allows the lifter to target the outer quad sweep.  The quad sweep is also called the vastus lateralis.  Doing these correctly will allow you to have proportional quad development.  On hack squats, you need to go down slowly 2-3 seconds down, and 1-2 seconds up.  This controlled tempo will take the momentum out of the movement and help you grow your legs faster.  Momentum kills muscle gains.  For hack squats I generally keep the reps between 8-20.  Depending on the weight, make sure you're doing heavy sets on these as well.

Low foot leg press:


The low foot leg press is great for targeting the quads.  Now, this exercise has a more limited range of motion then a hack squat or low bar squat.  To execute this place your feet at the bottom of the sled, or leg press machine.  Then use a close stance, again to target those outer quads.  Go down slow and controlled and perform 20-30 reps on these.  For leg press, higher reps work best.  Do 2-3 sets of 20-30 reps.

Now that completely covers quad training.

The next part of the article will go over hamstring and glute training.

Hamstring training

The most effective mass builder for hamstring is the Romanian dead-lift.

This is different from the stiff leg dead-lift.  A Romanian Dead-lift starts from the top, and ends around the mid shin, and sometimes slightly higher.  Start from the top and push your butt back and lower the bar slowly to mid shin.  Keep your back arched and use a controlled pace, keep your attention on feeling the stress in the hamstring.  This is what will help you make the most gains.

For this exercise keep the reps between 8-15, and go slow.  Control the movement for the entire set.  2-3 sets done correctly is more than enough for this exercise.

The next great hamstring and glute builder is the reverse hack squat.

To do this movement, go to the hack squat machine and put your forehead against the machine, then get a slightly wider than shoulder width stance.  Squat down as low as possible under control and then explode up after a slight pause.  Reps of 10-12 here with a heavy weight are most effective.  This exercise changed the game for my own hamstring training.  Not to mention the glute gains you'll get from this are great.

For glutes I recommend doing Romanian Dead-lifts with a slow eccentric.

Eccentric is the when you lower the weight.

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Comfort Is Your Enemy

When you want to build muscle, or do anything in life, you have to kill your desire for comfort.  Comfort is the enemy of muscle growth, and overall growth in life.  You have to do what's necessary in order to accomplish something.  That means you will be uncomfortable sometimes.

Get comfortable with discomfort.  It's easy to say, and yet, so few people actually do it.  Change is violent and uncomfortable.  In order to become the person you want to be, or have the body you want, you will have to be comfortable with discomfort.  This is a must, if you can't accept this, you won't achieve anything you want.

You need to learn to put yourself through the fire.  That's the fastest way to change and make gains.  If you do this consistently you will make progress and advance through life faster.  The more comfortable you are the softer you will become.  To continually progress and move forward you will need to be willing to sacrifice comfort.

Consistently keep yourself uncomfortable, or at least become comfortable with discomfort.  That's the easiest.  You have to convince yourself that you're an unstoppable force that can annihalte anything in your way.  This is the mindset and focus that you need to have.  If you're focused on winning, and positive forward momentum, you will crush life and the odds.

The universe, or nature, has no mercy for anyone.  You need to remove mercy from your mind, remove it from your actions.  You are where you're destined to be.  The stoics call this amor fati, that's latin for a love of fate.

This principle is useful.  If you fight where you are, you'll have no acceptance and can become a delusional jackass.  That will turn you into a failure, you definitely need to learn to love where you are and to not fight fate.  Being comfortable all of the time destroys your desire to conquer and crush whatever is ahead of you.  Any badass MMA fighter will tell you that a comfortable fighter is weak.

Comfort makes you weak.  Always keep that in mind.  Now, this doesn't give you a reason to be an angry jackass and never relax.  I want you to be calm during discomfort.  When I squatted 500 lbs I was surprisingly calm.
https://www.facebook.com/duke.snow.1/videos/vb.1129171193/10212176744550369/?type=2&video_source=user_video_tab

I was grunting sure and giving all of my effort, yet there was no nerves.  If I would have stayed comfortable I would have never made the lift or even attempted it. 

I make this point about discomfort because there are too many people who want to live life or go to the gym on cruise control.  If you cruise through every workout and don't push yourself, you'll never grow or make any real gains.

Comfort always has and always will be your enemy.

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10 Reasons Why Your Diet Isn't Working

If you are like most people you have started a diet for the summer.  Every year, people start and quit their diet before seeing their desired results.  This article is going to help you understand why your diet's not working and you're not losing fat.

As someone who has lost weight and gained weight consistently, through trial and error, and through reading different materials on diet and nutrition, I have been able to learn how to lose fat.  These are the 10 reasons why your diet isn't working.

1: You're diet has no structure

When you start a diet you need to have a plan.  Once you pick a plan, you need to make sure you are executing it to the best of your ability.  This means, if the diet says 6 oz of chicken breasts, that's what you need to eat not 10 oz.  You need to learn what proper portion control and food measurements are.  After that you need to understand calories.  If you're on a keto low carb diet, you need to stick to high protein and moderate fat.  If you're on low fat, high protein, moderate carb, you need to stick with that.  The whole point is to execute the diet.

You need to stick to it and see it through the end.  If you're diet's not working it's because you have no structure.

2: You're starving yourself

While it's true that you need to be in a caloric deficit to lose body fat.  That doesn't mean that you need to starve.  When you're in a deficit, I recommend keeping it at 300 calories under maintenance.  You might be wondering, well how do I do that?  Multiply bodyweight x 15.  After that you subtract 300.  That's a proven way to lose body fat.  I would recommend eating as much protein and good fats as possible.  Fats are great for hormone production.  They also promote satiety, which means you'll feel full while dieting.  Remember, this doesn't mean eat 1,000 calories per day.  Eating 1,000 calories means you will start to tap into to your hard earned muscle.  During a diet you want to keep every ounce of muscle on your body.  Or at least as much as possible.

3: You yo-yo diet


These people are the best.  That's sarcasm, they are the people that bulk one week, and cut the next.  When you start to diet you need to stick to it for 90 days.  I recommend dieting for a full 90 days.  That's the most effective way to go.  You can try longer if you have to, but you won't know if a diet is working or not if you don't stick to it.  Eating correctly for two weeks, won't change 10 years of bad eating.  This means you need to be consistent.  Stay on your diet, meaning in a calorie deficit, for a minimum of 90 days.  Program your cheat meals, and don't eat them when they're not on the schedule.

4:  You pick diets you can't stick to

When you start dieting you need to be 100% confident in the diet you picked.  You need to believe that you can stick to the diet.  If you believe it you will achieve it.  It's cliche, it's corny, and it's true.  When you believe you can stick to the diet you will.  Unfortunately, most people overestimate the amount of discipline and will power they have.  If you love eating red meat and eggs, why would you start eating tilapia and egg whites?  Sounds silly right?  Yet, I see way too many people doing this.  This is a foolish mistake.  Pick the diet you will stick to, that's the best one.

5: You're over training

Yes guys, contrary to popular belief, it's very possible to over train.  Most overly ambitious people will try to work out every single day when they are dieting.  This is simply unnecessary.  You need to use the minimum effective dose here.  What do I mean by that?  I mean that you need to work out as little as possible to create the desired result.  This means that you need to be efficient and train hard.  You won't have as much time for talking and shooting the shit with your buddies.  You need to be on a mission and get out of the gym in less than 1 hour.

If you keep your workouts shorter than 1 hour while you're dieting it'll be easier to not over train.  Also, your workouts are longer than 1 hour it can have a negative effect on testosterone production.

6: You're eating too much

Just like starving yourself, eating too much is also hurting you.  You need to change your mindset, food is not a reward, food is just fuel.  You need to feed the machine that is your body.  Don't feed that weak inner child inside.  That weak inner child is holding you back.  The simple way to know if you're eating too much is if you're feeling hungry.  If you don't feel hungry during a diet, you're eating too much.  That's a simple way to see if you're eating too much.  You should be losing 1-2 lbs per week.  Any more than that will mean you're losing water and muscle too.

7: You have no discipline


If you lack discipline and mental fortitude, you'll never be in shape.  That's a sad reality.  Luckily discipline can be developed.  It will suck and you will suffer but you will get the prize of a new attractive physique.  You need to remember that you won't be motivated every day.  Any one can do something when they feel like doing it.  You need to learn to diet whether you feel like it or not.  That's what discipline is.

8: You make excuses

When you start a diet, you can have results, or you can have excuses, but you can't have both.  You're going to have to suffer and just barrel through the diet.

9: You are too restrictive

If you stop eating certain foods that you like cold turkey, you will fail at dieting.  Now, this is within reason.  I assume you're not counting ice cream and cookies as foods you like.  I'm talking about, cutting out red meat when you love beef.  If you love beef, keep it in your diet.  Very simple and to the point.

10: You think it'll happen overnight

No diet will work over night, I would say that you need a minimum of 60 days to see real changes.  If you diet and train correctly, you will be able to see results in that time period.  That's how long it will take to make lasting changes.

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How to Stop Being Skinny and Weak

When you started training in the gym, I'm sure your goal wasn't to be 165 lbs and ripped.  If it was, my god you're a loser.  The whole purpose of training in the gym, at least for me was to be huge and freakishly strong.  You see if you're a 135 lb weakling, you'll never develop the strength necessary to build muscle.  To build muscle you need to lift heavy weights for a good amount of reps.  This means when you can squat 315 for 20-25 reps, you'll have some big quads and a nice ass.

Truth be told, my favorite body part to train is my ass.  Fellas, every girl I have been with has liked the way my ass looks.  This website isn't about seduction, but girls love a thick masculine ass.  Coming in close second are my legs.  I always new from playing football and baseball that these muscle groups were the foundation.  When you decide you want to get bigger and stronger, you will do squats, dead-lifts, bent over rows, and maybe power cleans, all of these muscles either recruit the glutes directly or act as stabilizers.

If you have the courage and the commitment to learn how to power clean, you can make big changes in your strength and size.  Keep your mind on the barbell exercises that give you the greatest return on investment.  You see, I see way too many skinny guys in the gym, that are worried about drop sets, mind muscle connection, and other bs.

This is what keeps the skinny guys skinny.  Those big bodybuilders who are incorporating this training, are on massive amounts of drugs, another crucial detail is that these bodybuilders got big through lifting heavy weights and eating as much protein as they can handle.  Yes, there are genetic elites out there, Paul Dillet for example can grow from mowing lawns.

None of you skinny guys out there have Paul Dillet's genetics he did play in the NFL.  Now, you may not be in the NFL, but if you follow this guide and do exactly what I say, I guarantee results.  Luckily for the skinny scrawny punks out there, I can guide and steer you in the right direction.

Do 3 barbell exercises for every 1 isolation exercise.

If these skinny clowns would actually focus on improving their barbell lifts, they'd be able to actually grow and get stronger.  The solution is to do 3 barbell exercises for every 1 isolation exercise.

Here's an example

Legs:

Low bar squat: 1 x 8, 1 x 20

Romanian dead-lift: 2 x 20

Barbell lunges: 2 x 20 reps per leg

Lying hamstring curls: 2 x 20 reps

If you train that way as a skinny guy you will grow at a faster pace.  That heavy set of 8 on the squat, will help you grow faster, than skipping it.  Don't skip the 20 rep set either.  20 rep squats are proven mass builders.  The only thing I left out was calves.  If your calves are lagging do a few sets of seated calf raises, again I recommend 20 reps, going slow, and using zero momentum.

I see skinny guys constantly using momentum to get the weight up.  This is fine on the last 2-3 reps, but it can lead to disaster if you do it, every rep, every set.  Control the weight as much as possible, muscle and strength respond to controlling the weight.  That is if you want to build muscle.  If you just want to lift as much weight as possible just start power lifting.  Power lifting is fun, and I used to power lift.

Some skinny guys would benefit immensely from power lifting training.  That doesn't mean all skinny guys will benefit from it.  I find the sweet spot for growth to be in the 6-8 rep range.  For legs I'd say it's between 15-25.  Quads have a lot of slow twitch muscle fibers, which is why they react well to higher rep training.

Next, what you skinny guys need to do is get your diet in check.  Learn to eat.  It sounds simplistic, and yet, I see guys who go from 150 lbs to 140 just because they suck at eating.  Eating food isn't hard, I promise guys.   I was 160 at one point.  I ate everything in sight and got up to 185 lbs.

That's not because I'm better than anyone either.  I just wanted to be bigger, and I made myself bigger, nothing out of the ordinary here.  The problem is that most people want me to tell them that pre-workout of what the perfect steroid cycle is.  None of that stuff matters if you can't execute the x's and o's of bodybuilding.  This is what people fail to realize.  I can't make your body grow.  I can make you stronger, and I can help with diet, it's ultimately up to the individual to see his results to the end.  If you're less than 200 lbs, bulk.  Absolutely, bulk and eat to grow. 

That was one of my biggest mistakes, I should have consistently bulked, for 2 years.  People seem to think that they can bulk for 6 weeks and cut for 3.  That doesn't work, that's called yo-yo dieting.  Yo-yo dieters never make gains.  Bulk for a long time and then slowly take the fat off with diet.  If your diet is trash you will be too.  You need to take your nutrition seriously and don't let anything get in your way.  When you start eating properly and training with enough intensity, you'll see changes in your physique, I promise.  The problem is when people look for the shortcuts or miracle drugs.

This website doesn't promote that and it never will.  I want guys and girls to master diet and training.  You should want to eat properly.  If you're in a bulking/lean mass phase, sure, it's okay to eat a snickers here and there.  Just keep junk food to a minimum, and stay focused on the body you want in the future.  This is something everyone seems to struggle with.  When I tell people that they need to eat big, they think I mean taco bell xxl everything.  While you might gain weight, trust me you will, the excess fat accumulation isn't worth it.

How bad do you want to change your physique?  Most of the time it's will, and it's mental.  I can't teach you the will to win, and the will to power.  Read Nieztche if you don't know what I'm talking about.  I can teach you x's and o's, I can't teach will.  Your will must come from within.  The will to power is everything.  Seriously, read Nieztche.

You need to learn to associate pleasure with success, and massive amounts of pain with failure.  Unfortunately, skinny guys do this is reverse.  They associate massive amounts of pain with eating to grow, and therefore they stay skinny.  Most of the time they get in their own way.  Just remove the mental door and succeed.  Don't focus on the struggle, focus on the success.  This is what will help you improve your physique.  Bodybuilding, and strength building is much more mental than it is physical.

Now, if you're a scrawny 135 don't expect to squat 600+ because you believe in yourself.  You still need to stay in touch with reality.  When you're training, there shouldn't be any doubt that you're going to lift the target number of reps, or weight.  I don't program 1 rep maxes.  If you want to know your 1 rm so bad, go do a power lifting meet.  Seriously, if you're that obsessed with it, go do a power lifting meet.

I'm here to teach you to build strength, not test it.  Even elite power lifters rarely if ever max out.  They know the difference between building and testing your strength.  You too, need to learn the difference.  They've gotten to their level for a reason.  Ed Coan, the greatest power lifter of all time even said that he never missed a lift in training.  There is no reason you should ever miss a lift.  Too many people fall into the trap of showing people in the gym what they can do.

https://youtu.be/ktDvrxWJzi0

Do the opposite

Focus on yourself, and the lifts you want to improve.  Don't worry about lifter a or lifter b.  Lift with control and focus on technical cues.  On squats, think knees out, butt back and down, core tight.  On dead-lifts, think chest up, press floor away from you.  These simple cues will keep you focused and will help you lift safer.

A safe lifter, will be training for a long time.  I hate using the word safety, because usually the people who are obsessed with safety are pussies.  However, to make gains, you need to train as safe as possible in order to keep increasing total weekly, and monthly training volume.  Be as safe as possible, while being as intense as possible, if that makes any sense.

Also skinny guys need to focus the bulk of their energy on training their legs and back.  Most people just want to train the show muscles.  This is okay, the problem is that it can lead to long term injury, since you will develop muscle imbalances.  You could however choose not to listen to me, that is also an option.  If you want the physique to show for it, you will need to develop the back and legs to round out your whole body.

Another reason, is because that will help you add raw weight and size.  Your legs and back muscles weigh a lot more than chest, shoulders, and arms.

Get good at these 6 exercises and watch your physique transform.

Flat bench

Low bar squat

Bent over row

Dead-lift

Weighted chin up

Power clean

If you master these 6 exercises and consistently get stronger in the 6-20 rep range you'll be a god in the gym.  You'll be a beastly badass that makes panties wet and makes other men envy you.  Maybe not, but I have seen it happen before.

Share this article with every one.

Thank you for reading.

Stop being a skinny weakling and apply what I wrote in the article.

Why Having a Chip on Your Shoulder is Ruining Your Life

My whole life growing up, I would watch sports games and listen to the commentators talk about, how this player x had a huge chip on his shoulder coming out of college.  I would always wonder why, then they would go on to describe what the athlete went through, or how far he dropped in the draft.  The biggest mistake was thinking that this would somehow make me better by having a chip on my shoulder.

I then researched the term, and looked up the athletes, who claimed that they had a massive chip on their shoulder.  What I discovered next was laughable.  These athletes let someone else's opinion, affect their whole personality and character.  This chip on their shoulder did nothing but give the other person power over them.

When you have a chip on your shoulder, it doesn't make you tough, or edgy.  It makes you an insecure punk, who cares way too much what other people think about them.  I even remember a lot of the quotes.  "I'm gonna show them, I should have been drafted in the first round."

"I'll show them they never should have traded me."

When you think this way, you are living your life for other people.  That's the first mistake of having a chip on your shoulder.  You're living your life for other people, and you're making yourself weaker and more insecure by the day.  This is what people fail to realize.

The I'll show you mindset

People that embody and carry out this mindset are deeply insecure.  They are so desperate for approval and recognition that they'll go through anything to prove it to you.  The problem with this is the payoff.  What do you get out of showing someone else?  They don't care!!  Most of the time, they say things like you can't do it to tease you.  They don't care if you actually do.

I remember one time, I told a guy he couldn't squat 225, when he actually did, he asked me if I saw it.  Obviously I didn't see it, you see I didn't care about the other guys workout at all.  In fact, his workout meant nothing to me.  When he offered to show me his 225 squat, I told him that I wasn't interested and didn't care.

He spent his whole workout thinking about me telling him he couldn't squat 225.  He was demoralized when I told him I didn't care.  He squatted 225 just to prove it to me.  Why not prove it to himself?

He was more concerned with my comment, than his own workout.
That says a lot about his lack of drive and character.  He was more driven to prove me wrong, than he was to make progress.  That's the issue with trying to prove people wrong.  What if they don't care?

There lies the problem, he busted his ass to squat 225 all for someone, in this case me, who doesn't care about him at all.  When you focus on what you're doing, that's when you'll make the most gains.  Focusing on other people, will keep you weak mentally, and physically.  You can only be the best you.

It doesn't matter if someone thinks you can't do something, all that matters is what you think.  Stay focused on what you want to do and do it.  Don't let any distracting thoughts get in the way.

When you carry a chip on your shoulder, your purpose is to prove people wrong, that means you are living for other people instead of living for yourself.  If you wish to live that way fine, what I'll never understand is why people think it is helping them.  Learn to live for yourself, I'll admit that I've been called names I didn't agree with, cocky, egotistical, self-serving, prima donna, especially when I was an athlete growing up.

Now, I never went out of my way to prove those people wrong.  I allowed them to have their own opinion.  If you're an American, you understand that we have free speech and so do other people.  They have a right to think you suck, and you have a right to not care what they have to say.

IDGAF

Honestly, if you want to be a success you need to learn to let go of other people.  That means, that you need to stop caring about what they're doing and about what your opinion of them is.  Stay 100% focused on yourself.  If your girlfriend dumps you, get a new one.  If you hate your training partner get a new one.  Yes, this is definitely common sense, which unfortunately isn't so common anymore. 

It's simple advice, yet most people would rather wallow in self-pity, or show their girlfriend or boyfriend that they made a mistake.  My question, is why do you want them to admit that?  It's because you still care about them.  The new approach is to train yourself not to care.  I've been dumped before, I accepted reality, I never tried to show my ex, or any other woman that they made a big mistake.

I just moved on, I focused forward.  I put my attention on the present day and how I can live it to the best of my ability.  Focus on today, that's all you can do.  Sure you can daydream about the future, yet, that doesn't mean you can forget about today.  A lot of people struggle with this.  Stop caring, who cares about tomorrow.  Don't check what your ex or current girlfriend or significant other is doing on social media, live your life.

The key to not caring is to just live your life.  Again, it sounds overly simplistic, sometimes that's what you and I need.  Keep your life simple.  If you want to build muscle mass, focus on big barbell lifts, eat 2 grams per pound of bodyweight in protein and stay in a calorie surplus.  Nothing revolutionary.  You don't have to reinvent the wheel to be a success.

Thank you for reading.

Share this article with everyone, you might know someone that needs it.

Why Program Hopping is Killing Your Gains

There's a lot of foolishness going on in the fitness industry.  One of the biggest myths is the principle of shocking the body, and changing up your routine.  This is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard of.  Changing up your routine and keeping the body guessing is foolish and it will keep you small and weak.

The bodybuilders who are telling you to do this, are on grams and grams of testosterone, deca, growth hormone, you name it and they're on it.  Every program they do will work, because of the drugs they use and their genetics.  But, for the average joe who can't afford all of the supplements, program hopping is a terrible idea.

What you need to do is pick a program and do it for 6 months at the minimum.  Your body composition, is ultimately determined by what you eat.  If you eat like a fat power lifter, that's how you're going to look.  You need to learn to separate diet, and training.

The purpose of training in the gym is progressive overload.  That means you either do more reps with the same weight, or more weight.  The whole purpose is to get stronger.  Yeah, Kai Greene might say that weight doesn't matter, but he can incline press 500 lbs.  Obviously, lifting heavy helped him build his body.

You guys need to stop being so gullible, and foolishly believing everything people tell you.  These pro bodybuilders have years and years of training experience.  They have forgotten more about the gym than you even know about.  I promise you that the gains they made were from a massive amount of food, and heavy weight training.

The people that skip the heavy lifting and get huge are the genetic elite that have access to exogenous hormones.  When you pick a program and stick to the same exercises, you will get better at them.  The only way to progress on an exercise is to keep doing it.  The more you squat, either low bar or front squat, the more gains you will make on squats. 

Say you can bench 225 for 8 reps, when you can flat bench the same weight for 20 reps you will have much more muscle mass.  When you do foolish things like training for the pump, or putting excessive focus on mind muscle connection, you are holding yourself back.

I see way too many 180 lbs weaklings in every gym.  These guys are actually using 35 lb dumbbells for stiff leg dead-lifts instead of a barbell which they'd be able to use for heavier weight.

If they could only see the foolishness, and the mistakes they are making. 

How to Stop Program Hopping and Start Making Gains.

3 Programs to Choose from

Program 1: Full Body: 3 x per week

Workout A: Monday, Friday

Low Bar Squats: 3 x 6-8 reps, 1 x 20

Dead-lifts: 1 x 6 reps

Flat bench press: 3 x 6-8 reps

Calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

Weighted chin ups: 1 x 6 reps, after warm up sets

Workout B: Wed

Low bar squats: 1 x 20 reps

Power cleans or bent over barbell rows: 3 x 6 reps

Incline bench press or standing overhead press: 3 x 8 reps

Barbell curls: 2 x 8 reps

Calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

That full body program can be used and it has worked for my clients.  Now here is an upper lower program you can use if you'd rather split up body parts.

Upper lower:

Upper Body A: Monday

Flat barbell bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Standing Barbell overhead press: 2 x 6 reps

Bent over barbell rows: 2 x 8 reps

Close grip bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Barbell curls: 2 x 12-15 reps

Lower Body A:  Tues

Low bar squats: 3 x 6-8 reps, 1 x 20

Dead-lifts: 1 x 6, 1 x 12 reps

Barbell lunges: 2 x 12-15 reps per leg

Romanian dead-lifts: 1 x 15 reps

Standing calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

Upper Body B: Thursday

Incline barbell bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Seated Dumbbell Shoulder press: 2 x 12 reps

Weighted chin ups: 2 x 6-8 reps

Weighted dips: 2 x 6-8 reps

Lower Body B: Fri

Low bar squats: 2 x 20 reps

Hack squats: 2 x 20-25 reps

Romanian dead-lifts: 2 x 20 reps

Hamstring curls: 2 x 15 reps

Standing calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

These workouts you can do Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

Or you could do a push pull legs split.

Push Workout Monday:

Flat bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Standing overhead press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Close grip bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Weighted dips: 2 x 6-8 reps

Pull Workout Tuesday:

Dead-lifts: 1 x 6-8 reps, 1 x 12 reps

Weighted chin ups: 1 x 6-8 reps, 1 x 12 reps

Barbell curls: 2 x 8 reps

Legs: Thursday

Low bar squats: 2 x 4-6 reps, 1 x 20 reps

Barbell walking lunges: 2 x 12-15 reps

Romanian dead-lifts: 2 x 15 reps

Lying hamstring curls: 2 x 20 reps

Seated calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

Friday: Push Workout

Flat bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Incline dumbbell press: 2 x 8-10 reps

Seated behind the neck press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Side lateral raises: 2 x 15 reps

Tricep press downs with cables: 2 x 20 reps

Every single one of these workouts will work.  Once you pick a program stick to it for a minimum of 6 months.  This program hopping is doing nothing but killing your gains.  Pick a program and stick to it. 


Thank you for reading.

Share this article with everyone and stop program hopping.

How to Stop Being Soft and Weak and Actually Build Muscle

This post is for the people who need a kick in the butt.  They need a harsh older brother that will show them no mercy.  Lucky for my readers I am that guy.  You won't get any articles like this in muscular development.com, t-nation.com.  You'll just read a watered down version that's pc.

If you want a pc blog, this isn't for you.  Without further ado, here we go.

Are you struggling to make gains?

Are you still weak?

Are you worried because you're steroid cycle is almost over?

This is why we have so much filth and disgust in gyms every where.  It's because people won't tell you the truth!

The truth is that you can't build muscle because you're weak and you're soft.  Most people will never have the courage to tell you that.  They want to be your friend, I don't.  It makes no difference whether you like me or not.  I'm here to tell you how it is.

You need to nut up, and start training hard and heavy.  But That's hard! (My whiniest girl voice), you low t soy boys can't make gains because you're soft.  You're scared to squat 315!!

If you can't squat 315 how the hell do you expect to squat 405?  You never will.  You guys and especially girls out there just aren't cut out for this.  Just stay in your house and watch the Khardashians or get a sex change, because if you don't change your ways you'll never make the gains.

Here's how to make the switch.

1: Build discipline

A lot of these young men have become weak because they lack discipline.  If you can't discipline yourself, life will do it for you.  Read 1 article about how to get stronger every day.  Trust me, you won't build muscle benching 135.  You need to get that up to 275 if you expect to build any real muscle.  Learn to eat whole foods, and over consume protein.

Society will tell you this is wrong because the consequences of that will be more testosterone, more courage, harder to control.  You won't be a sissy low t soy boy any more, and they hate that.  When you over consume protein instead of carbs you make it much harder to get fat.

Protein also enhances muscle recovery.  Now, that doesn't mean avoid carbs.  My mission, is to get you to make protein your top priority.

You need to get your protein from whole food sources.  Beef, eggs, fish, steak, chicken.  Over eat those foods.  A basic white rice, and dry steel cut plain oatmeal are your best carb sources.  If you're making big money, switch the carb source to baked sweet potatoes.

If you can't build the discipline to eat enough protein, you'll never be able to transfer it to the gym.

2: Do the exercise correctly

This is another one that should be basic.  Most people butcher the exercise they are doing.  If you're squatting, go down to parallel.  If you can't squat to depth, the weight is too heavy.  I'm a huge advocate of heavy training.  What I don't advocate is cheating the depth.  I demand that you squat to depth.  Now, if you ever train with me in person, I won't call out your depth unless you ask.  I'm personally too worried about my own squats to give a damn about you.  But this blog is my way of giving back to the young lifters out there who want to get better.

When you dead-lift, don't hitch.  Again, this is basic, but people hitch their dead-lifts all the time in the gym.

3: Never and I mean ever use 10 lb plates on bent over barbell rows

Unless you're a woman, or a 16 yr old, I never want to see anyone using 10 lb plates on bent over barbell rows.  Unfortunately, I have seen this atrocity at the gym I train at.  Trust me, there are plenty of schmucks out there.  Always put at least 135 on the barbell for bent over rows, if you can't do that, please don't tell me you're cutting.  Because you won't be the only one doing any cutting.

4: Do weighted chin ups, every back day, or dead-lift day

One of the biggest mistakes I've made in my own training is not doing enough weighted chin ups.  This is hands down one of the best lat and bicep builders.  Now, if you can't do weighted chin ups yet, don't worry, start with body weight, until you can do 10, then slowly add weight.  Trust me, I used to suck at these and now I can hang a 70 lbs dumbbell around my waist for a set of 6.

Make sure you do these every week if you care at all about building strength and muscle.  These also have a great carryover to the dead-lift.

5: Follow my minimalist bulking program

Workout A:

Low bar squats: 2 x 6, 1 x 20

Dead-lifts: 1 x 6

Flat bench press: 2 x 6-8

Weighted chin ups: 1 x 6-8 reps

Calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

Workout B:

Low bar squats: 1 x 20 reps

Bent over barbell rows: 2 x 12-15 reps

Romanian Dead-lift: 2 x 15 reps

Incline bench press: 2 x 8-10 reps

Barbell bicep curls: 1 x 8 reps

Calf raises: 2 x 20 reps

Do this workout 3 times per week.  Take one day off in between workouts.  Do it exactly as written, these are the exercises that will allow you to use the most weight, which will allow you to build the most muscle.  I recommend sticking with this routine for a minimum of 1-2 years, and do it during a bulk.  Don't cut during this program, it's a strength and muscle building program.  The volume is low because I want you to lift as heavy as you can each workout.  I also want you to sleep a minimum of 7-8 hours per night and to eat 4-5 solid food meals daily.

On Mon you will lift heavy on squats, since you will be fresh.  Make sure you go all the way down to parallel.  Never do half or quarter squats.  Squat all the way down to parallel.  After your heavy sets of 6 on squat, you will do a brutal set of 20 reps.  The rule is that you have to get 20 reps.  If you want to take 3 deep breaths after rep 10 and 15, you're welcome to do that.   Then I want you to do 1 heavy set of 6 on dead-lifts.  The volume is low on dead-lifts because you will be dead-lifting twice per week.  I need you to be fresh for the last workout of the week which will be workout A every other week.

After squats and dead-lifts you will move on to flat bench press.  This exercise will put the most mass on your chest, shoulders, and triceps.  You are to touch the bar on your chest and complete full range of motion reps.  I want 2 hard sets of 6-8 reps, if you get more than 8 reps on the first working set add weight.  If you do one set of 8 and then one set of 6 that is okay.  If you do two sets of 7 it's okay.  I want you to reach technical failure around rep 6-8.

Last you will do weighted chin ups.  I program these last because you won't be able to cheat as much due to fatigue.  1 all out set of 6-8 reps is fine on weighted chin ups.

On workout b, you will low bar squat, 1 hard set of 20 reps.  Now, again, it needs to be hard, I want the 20th rep to hurt.  Your legs should be shaking and full of blood after the set is over.  The last 2-3 reps should be hell.  Again, squat all the way down to parallel and back up.

Then I want you to do bent over rows with a barbell, you're allowed to use straps for this exercise.  I want you again to pick the heaviest weight that will allow you to get no less than 12 reps, and no more than 15.  Do 2 sets, I will accept it, if you want to substitute power cleans.  For those that don't know, power cleans are harder.

The next exercise is a Romanian dead-lift.  These are your hamstring builders here, and yes girls your glutes will grow from this as well.  The difference here is that you will start the exercise at the top.  Push your butt back as far as possible and lower the barbell slightly below your knees.  The purpose of this exercise is to get the hamstring stretch.  Don't focus on heavy weight here, focus on pushing the glutes back and stretching the hamstrings.

Next we have incline bench press.  Again, if you want to do standing overhead press, instead of this, I will allow it.  Just remember inclines are easier.  Do 2 hard sets of 6-8 reps, if you can do more than 8 it's too light.  If you can't do 6, it's too heavy.

Then you'll move on to barbell bicep curls.  Warm up and then do 1 hard set of 8 reps.  I want clean form, and full range of motion.  That means curl the barbell to your chest.

Last, we have calf raises.  These will be the most boring, suffer through it and build your calves.  Pick the standing calf raise and do 2 sets of 20 reps, the 20th rep needs to be really difficult.

Nutrition tips for the program

You need to eat as much as you can on this program.  Shoot for 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight, if you miss and get 1.5 that's better than 1 gram.

Don't be afraid to eat a little dirty.  I'm fine with college kids eating sandwiches and a pack or two of oreos in between meals.  The purpose of this program is to bulk and make strength gains.  This program will help you build size.

Drink whole milk 2-3 times per day with a couple meals.  Add olive oil to each meal for extra calories.  Olive oil is very healthy and is great for joint health.  If you want to snack on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches go ahead.  I want you to grow on this program.  Growth requires calories and food.

Bulking diet for this program

Meal 1: 5 whole eggs, 3 pieces of bacon, 1 cup of plain oatmeal, with a banana or fruit of choice, 1 8 oz glass of whole milk

Snack 1: 1 8 oz glass of whole milk, 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches

Meal 2: 12 oz of ground beef with green veggies

Snack 2: 2 cans of tuna on sourdough bread

Meal 3 Pre workout:  2 cans of tuna with white rice, covered in olive oil

Meal 4 post workout: 12 oz ground beef, 2 cups of white rice, 1 cup of red beans, covered in olive oil.

Bed time snack: 1 8 oz glass of whole milk

If you stick with that diet exactly the way it is written, it's guaranteed that you will gain weight, and muscle mass.  I kept chicken out of the diet for a reason.  Chicken has less calories than beef.  Every client that's done this diet has gained muscle and weight. 

This diet works and everyone that's done the diet as written has built size and strength.  Now, if you're 300 lbs and fat, don't do this diet.  This diet is for people who are looking to grow and build size and strength. 

Recommended Reading:

https://www.t-nation.com/training/mass-made-simple

https://leangains.com/fuckarounditis/

http://www.fitnessandpower.com/nutrition/eating-for-size-dante-trudel

5 ways to Improve Your Bodybuilding Mindset

I see a lot of guys and girls in the gym who want to build muscle, but they go about it completely wrong.  This is a mistake, when you're training in the gym you need the right amount of ferocity and intensity when you're getting under heavy weights.

If you can't do this find something else to do with your free time.  You need to go in the gym and convince yourself that you'll go through hell and back to build a great body.

Here's what you need to do to create an effective bodybuilding mindset.

1: Focus all of your personal energy on your workout

If you can only take one message from the whole article, I would recommend that you take this one home.  Put all of your energy into your training.  Don't worry at all about what other people are doing.  Focus on the exercise you're doing and on the muscle you want to grow.

If you're doing squats, focus on spreading out your knees and bracing your core hard.  Think about sitting straight down, in between your legs.  Most people have no plan when they're in the gym.  If you fail to plan, then you're planning to fail.

Don't worry about that bigger guy squatting 5 plates, he used to squat two or 3 plates just like you.  Keep your attention on your workout, be as focused as possible during the session.  There are plenty of things in the gym that will attempt to steal your attention.  Your job is to put everything that's not your workout to the side.

Forget about what everyone else is doing and get your workout done.

2: Bring a workout journal to the gym

A big mistake most people make is not writing down their progress when they're in the gym.  Always right down your top sets when you're in the gym.  Write down the heaviest weights you use every workout.  When you do this it will keep your mind in check.  You will take all the guesswork out, and you'll know whether or not you're making gains.

Most people just wing it and coast.  Your goal needs to be to add weight or do more reps with the same weight every workout.

Getting stronger is very important if you want to be a complete bodybuilder and grow.  Strength is what will determine how big you can get.  I have yet to see someone who is small that can bench press 405 for reps.

If you bring a workout journal, or download one on your phone, you'll know if you're making gains or not.

3: Keep your end goal in mind

No that you're focused on your workout, and you're bringing your journal with you to every workout, it's time to set a goal.

Now, I can't set a goal for you.  It's important that you pick the goal.

If you want to squat 405 for 10 reps, make that your goal.

If you want to add 10 lbs of lean mass this year, go for it.

Same if it's fat loss.  You need to set this goal and keep your mind dead set on it.

People instinctively struggle with this at the gym.  They're more concerned with what other people are doing and how hot the girlies look today.

This is the opposite of what you should be doing.  Trust me, if you want to bang one of those fitness chicks, you better have tight game, or the physique to warrant it.  Usually these girls are with bigger freakier bodybuilders.

4: Take your diet seriously

Again, this is a mistake I used to consistently make.  You need to make sure that your diet and nutrition are on point.  Make sure that you are consistent with your calorie intake and keep your meals clean.  Macro dieting is a stupid concept that leads to mediocre results at best.  Stick to eating clean foods, and learn the difference between 6 oz and 8 oz of beef.  This will save you a lot of time and headaches.

If your social circle or peer group doesn't support your diet or bodybuilding goals, get a new set of friends.  This is going to sound cold, but friends and girlfriends can be replaced.  If you want to be a bodybuilder I recommend staying single.  However, if you have to commit to a girl, pick one that won't get in the way of your goals.  Unfortunately, most women will get in the way.

5: Control your emotions

The last way to improve your bodybuilding mindset is to control your emotions.  This is a mistake I see most people make.  If I ever see you jumping up and down before a set or getting fired up, I'll never workout with you again.  What's the key lesson here?  Save all of your energy for the barbell and your sets.  You want to be as cold as possible when you're training.  Think of water and waves, they just flow.  That's just like emotions.  When you're emotional, you become weak.  This is why Arnold Schwarzanegger was able to dominate bodybuilding, he understood the psychology and mindset required to win.  You need to be intense and you need to be aggressive but you need to be cold and focused as well. 

If you want a great bodybuilding mindset, the last thing you'll need to master is your emotions.  This will be the hardest part.


Thank you for reading.

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8 ways to Make Faster Gains in the Gym

Like everything in life, there is always a better way.  This article will show you a better more effective way to build muscle mass, or lose body fat.  This article will teach you 8 ways to make faster gains in the gym.  That is if you have the courage and the cojones to follow through on the tips I give you here.  Most people won't follow, however, the ones that put this into action will be rewarded handsomely with a better physique, more strength and less body fat.

Without further ado, Here are 8 ways to Make Faster Gains in the Gym.

1: Avoid Cardio Unless you're over 200 lbs

When you're training in the gym, you need to maximize your efficiency.  That means that you need to do what it takes to build muscle and leave the gym as fast as possible.

Yes, it is possible to over train.  Most people don't realize that you don't need to do too much to grow.

Growing, or getting bigger has a lot more to do with nutrition, sleep, and recovery.  Now, if you're under 200 lbs, you absolutely need to bulk.

Bulking means that you need to be in a caloric surplus.  Building muscle requires a lot of food and adequate recovery. 

Keep in mind, that you won't get bigger, unless you get stronger.  Doing cardio when you're less than 200 lbs, will keep you puny and weak. 

The only cardio I wouldn't mind seeing people do is weighted trap bar carries.  It's fine to carry the trap bar with as much weight as you can handle and walk 20 yards 4-8 times.

That is called anabolic cardio.  The difference is that cardio on the treadmill is easier, which is why those skinny punks enjoy it so much.

Recap: If you're less than 200 lbs don't do cardio!

2: Keep your program as basic as possible

The key to making faster gains in the gym is to get stronger on basic barbell exercises.  If you get stronger in the 6-8 rep range, you will grow and become bigger. 

This basic fact is something that people ignore.  If you do the basics and get stronger, you won't need any special supplements. 

Show me one guy who can squat 405 for 15 reps that has small quads and glutes.  I have squatted 405 for 15 reps this year.  Squats, especially low bar, are more efficient for growing your quads, abductors and glutes. 

For back development, weighted chin ups, dead-lifts and bent over barbell rows are your best exercises.  Show me one guy with small arms, and a small back that can do weighted chin ups with 45-100 lbs of extra resistance, in addition to his own body weight.

Also, I've yet to see anyone who can dead-lift 500+ with a small back.  This is because these are the best exercises you can do.  You don't need 5 different back exercises to grow.

I would also recommend learning to power clean, if possible.  If your form sucks on cleans, stick to bent rows and dead-lifts.

Here's a simple 3 day program you can follow

Workout A:

Low bar squats: 2 x 6 reps, 1 x 20

Front squat: 1 x 12 reps

Romanian dead-lift: 2 x 15 reps

Calf press: 1 x 20 reps 5 second negative

Workout B:

Weighted chin ups: Heavy as possible 6 reps, 1 x 12 reps

Dead-lift: 1 heavy set 6 reps, 1 medium set 12 reps

Dumbbell curls: 2 x 12 reps

Workout C:

Flat bench press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Standing overhead press: 2 x 6-8 reps

Close grip bench press: 1 x 15 reps

Do those workouts every other day and watch your physique and strength skyrocket.  There's nothing fancy about those workouts, keep the weight heavy, and control the weight.

3: Stick to heavy weight

Heavy weight is what will produce the fastest gains.  If your bench press goes from 185 to 350 lbs your chest will be much bigger.  Your focus needs to be on the program I wrote above and on getting stronger on each of those exercises.

3 workouts per week is plenty of frequency for muscle growth.  Do as little as possible to create muscle damage.  Again, this is less than you think.

Then after lifting heavy you need to eat as much protein and real food as possible.

I would recommend this diet for people who want to gain weight.

Meal 1:

4 whole eggs, 3 pieces of bacon, 1 cup of oatmeal with a fruit of choice inside the oats

Meal 2: 2 cups of white rice, 8 oz of beef

Meal 3: Same as meal 2

Meal 4: 2 cans of tuna with 1 12 oz glass of chocolate milk

Meal 5: 2 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, 1 12 oz glass of chocolate milk, and 2 cans of tuna.

That diet right there is affordable, and I have used that on clients who want to bulk up and get stronger.  Nothing on that diet is expensive.

You don't need any protein powder, milk and eggs are better and more effective for adding lean mass.  Stick with that diet if you want to get stronger and bulk up.

4: If your goal is fat loss do wind sprints outside 3 times per week

Again, like always diet will be number 1.  If your diet is in order, then you need to get outside and sprint, meaning run as fast as possible safely, 3 times per week. 

Stadium sprints or stair sprints are acceptable alternatives.  Do 10-12 sprints each session before increasing after 3 weeks.

Add one extra sprint every 3 weeks.

5: Sleep as much as possible, and try to nap if you can

To make faster gains in the gym you'll need to make sleep a top priority.  If you can't sleep 8 hours at night, take naps. 

Sleep is number one for recovery.  For your 3 heavy workouts you will need to be refreshed and recovered.  That is absolutely essential.  Make sure you sleep as much as you can. 

Invest in a comfortable mattress that makes sleep easier.  Avoid caffeine after 12 p.m. for better sleep.

6: Keep training volume as low as possible


This is one of the biggest mistakes I used to make for years.  You don't need 5 sets per exercise, 1-2 sets with proper intensity and technique is enough.

In fact, my strength improved once I reduced training volume, and my muscles got bigger.  It's ironic that you don't need to do that much to grow. 

A lot of people forget this fact and screw up their gains.  Stick with the program I wrote earlier in the article and watch how quickly you'll gain strength and muscle.

If you don't like weighted chin ups, do bent over rows instead, each exercise is extremely effective.

7: Stop worrying about mind muscle connection


I see far too many skinny noobs who are worried about feeling the muscle and developing a mind muscle connection.  This mistake is what keeps them small and doesn't allow them to reach their full muscle building potential.  If you do each exercise correctly and go heavy enough, you will feel it, I promise.

Lifting light and trying to feel each muscle will keep you small and weak.  The pro bodybuilders who are talking about mind muscle connection, are already 275-300 lbs.  They're 50-100 lbs bigger than you are.  Most of the huge pros built their size through hardcore heavy training. 

Don't worry about mind muscle connection until you're 220 lbs or more.

8: Don't yo yo diet

This is another common mistake I see most guys make.  They wanna bulk and cut every 3-4 weeks.
This is a big mistake, if you want to lose body fat, focus on it for 3-4 months at a time.  If you're bulking bulk for at least 4-5 months.  I recommend lean bulking for at least your first 3 years of training.  You can't build muscle if you're in a calorie deficit.

Choose to bulk or cut, not both.

Thank you for reading.

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How To Start Bodybuilding

A lot of people are aspiring bodybuilders out there.

This article is basically written to a younger me.  That doesn't mean it's not useful for others either.  In fact, anyone can use this information to start their bodybuilding journey.

No one wants to start, everyone wants to be 250 lbs and ripped to shreds.  Unfortunately, it takes years of training, recovery and proper diet to reach that.

Here's what you need to do to start bodybuilding.

1) Pick a diet you can stick to

I don't care how hard you workout, if you're in the military, or used to play college football.  If your diet sucks you will look like shit.  If you can't handle that then find something else to do.  You won't look the way you want to through consuming junk food.  The guys that tell you they eat whatever they want are rarely jacked and ripped.

Now, you need to pick foods you will consume.  If you like steak, and beef, don't follow a fish and rice diet.  Follow a diet that you can stick to.

If you're broke buy hamburger patties, eggs, cans of tuna, and oatmeal for carbs.  Lack of funds is no excuse to not get started.  Eat hamburger and white rice if you want to bulk.  Eat at least 4 meals per day and then gradually increase to 5.

2) Find a gym with a squat rack

If your gym doesn't have a squat rack it's not a real gym.  Pick a gym that has a squat rack, because squats are the best exercise for building your physique.  If you're too lazy to squat, get your balls cut off and get a sex change.  Yes I really just said that.

3) Don't train more than 3 days per week

The main issue most people have when they first start training is that they try to do too much.
I demand that you train no more than 3 days per week when you first start training.  For your first year don't touch anything that's not a barbell.  The one exception I will tolerate is working your calves on a calf machine.  If you try to train more than three days per week you will fall on your face and want to quit.

You need to build the habit of training.

Now that I covered the fundamentals, I will tell you exactly what steps you need to follow.

Now, you need to analyze where you are right now.  If you're a 250 lbs lard ass, you will need to diet.  The fastest way to lose body fat is to eat a low carb diet, if you're too much of a pussy to do keto, have 1 carb meal of oatmeal, nothing else.

If you're less than 200 lbs and you're not fat, I recommend slowly bulking for at least your first 3 years.  I made the silly mistake of yo-yo dieting.  Don't do what I did, bulk until you're at least 200-220 lbs.

This can be done.  To bulk multiply your body-weight x 20, if you're getting too fat with those calories reduce it to body-weight x 18.

Here's a sample meal by meal bulk diet.

Meal 1: 4 whole eggs cooked with olive oil, 2 slices of bacon, and 1 cup of plain steel cut oatmeal

Meal 2: 2 handfuls of cashews and 2 chicken thighs and green vegetables

Meal 3: 8 oz of beef with 2 cups of white rice

Meal 4: 8 oz of beef with 2 cups of white rice

Meal 5 Shake: 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 cup of whole milk, 2 whole eggs, egg whites, fruit of choice, banana, strawberry, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter: Drink this shake either meal 5 or 2.  Drink this shake exactly as written once per day.

Meal 6: Can of tuna with green vegetables

If you can't build muscle on that diet, you didn't do it right.  I gained 35 lbs following this exact diet.

Now, if you're looking to lose body fat this is what you'd need to eat every day.

Meal 1: 3 whole eggs, cooked in olive oil

Meal 2: Snack: 2 handfuls of cashews

Meal 3: 6 oz chicken breast with green veggies

Meal 4: 6 oz of beef 80/20 is fine, with green veggies

Meal 5: same as meal 4

Now, that we covered the diet it's time for you to follow exactly what I write in the gym.

Workout A:

Low bar squats: 2 x 5 reps, 1 x8

Flat bench press: 2 x 5 reps

Power cleans: 5 x 5 reps

Barbell curls: 2 x 12 reps

Tricep extensions: 2 x 15 reps

Workout B

Low bar squats: 1 x 5 (warm up sets don't count, 1 good set of 5)

Incline bench press: 1 x 12 reps

Dead-lifts: 1 x 6-8 reps (no warm ups, 1 hard set of dead-lifts)

Dumbbell curls 1 x 15 reps (make the set count)

Close grip bench press: 3 x 8 reps

Workout C: 

Low bar squats: 3 x 5 reps, 1 x 20

Flat bench press: 3 x 5 reps

Barbell bent over rows: 3 x 5 reps

Calf raises on a machine: 3 x 15-20 reps

Follow this workout exactly as written and take at least one off day in between.

It's perfectly fine if you take two straight off days.  You want to master these exercises.  If you don't like bent over rows, use chin ups instead.  I'm fine with seeing people do chin ups.

The volume is low like this on purpose.  I want people to be able to continue to show up each week.  Try to add weight each week on every exercise, if you can't it's okay.

These are the best bang for your buck exercises, get good at these exercises and you'll see the progress in your physique.

You must squat, low bar squats will allow you to lift the most weight and target the most muscle fibers.

Power cleans and dead-lifts will build your entire posterior chain.  Flat bench and incline bench press will build your upper body.

Since everyone loves curls and training arms, you'll be training them twice per week which is more than enough.

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If you do the program exactly as written you will make gains.

This is the program I wish I had followed for my first two years of training.

10 Reasons You're Not Making Gains in the Gym

When you aspire to build your body and become a classic barbaric man, you need to start simplifying things.  This means that you need to sacrifice the need to know more than everyone, and start implementing what already works.

Here are 10 ways to not make gains.

1) Talk about how hard it is to build muscle

This one is my favorite.  Every year people tell me how hard it is to build their body and build muscle. 

The issue with this is that if you repeat it enough times your brain will start to believe it.

Then you will convince yourself that you are a "hardgainer" these people are the worst.

You're not a hard gainer, you are an ignoramus that thinks it happens overnight.  Keep telling yourself how hard it is and you'll see how you end up becoming a hard gainer.

Bodybuilding requires a strong disciplined mind.

The more you talk about how hard it is, the harder it will be.

Where the mind goes the body will follow.

2) Train for 2 hours per day 6 days per week

When you train this way you will tax your nervous system and ruin your ability to recover and build more muscle.  Sure training every day works for Olympic lifters, and power lifters who don't want to add size.  If you're goal is to add lean muscle mass you need off days to let your body heal.

You need to be focused on getting out of the gym in less than 1 hour.

If you can't get it done in an hour, you wasted an hour.

3) Avoid basic barbell exercises

This is the number one way to keep yourself from making gains.  Basic barbell exercises are as brutal and barbaric as they come, and this is why they work the best.  Barbells allow you to lift the heaviest, enabling you to recruit more muscle fibers than dumbbells or cable machines.  Avoiding the barbell will keep the gains away from you. 

4)  You're concerned with getting a pump

This mistake is usually made by moronic beginners who want to fit in and look smart.  They talk about how great their pump is, when they weigh 160 lbs soaking wet.   The best pump I've ever had was when I squatted 405 x 15 reps.  My legs were on fire and my entire lower body was "pumped."
Focus on getting stronger on the big compound movements in the 6-8 rep range.  This will give you the best gains.

5) Your training intensity sucks

Most people say they went to failure when they could have done 5 more.  When you train in a barbaric way, you grow from the intensity and exercise selection.   You don't need to do 5 sets per exercise.  2-3 sets done to failure is just as good if not better.  This is a mistake that most people make since they want to train like Arnold.

6) You coddle yourself

I see a ton of men and women who take it easy on themselves during each workout.  This leads to a complete lack of progress.  You need to push yourself to your limits and beyond your limits.  This is why you don't make gains.  You think you're pushing yourself when you're really not.

7) You're too concerned with the opposite sex

As men and women we will be attracted to each other.  But gym time, is gym time.  When I'm training in the gym the last thing I care about is women.  I've seen guys who put a lot of energy and effort into actively staring and looking to get girls.  If that's your thing fine, but if you're serious about making gains in the gym, get their number before or after your workout.

8) You stay away from fats

This is the number one nutritional mistake I see people make.  You need to make sure you're consuming enough healthy fats.  Avocados, almonds, cashews, olive oil.  People don't eat enough of these calories.  These calories will help you add lean muscle mass on your body.  If you want to make more gains in the gym, you need to eat more healthy fats.

9) You eat too many carbs

You will never need to consume too many carbs.  If your goal is fat loss I would keep them at no more than 100 grams.  If you're trying to gain weight/size 350 grams of carbs is plenty.  Depend more on protein and fat to add the size.  Carbs will give you a lot of bloat and water retention if you over consume them.

10) You have no structure

To make gains in the gym you need to make it a priority.  This means that you will need structure.  Most people have no clue how many meals they consistently eat, and they don't know how much progress they've made on key lifts.  Set a bench press, and a squat goal and reach it.  If you want to squat 315 for 12 reps you need to make it a priority and do every thing you can to reach that goal.

Thank you for reading.

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