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In my experience, these are 3 common struggles that people experience at the start of their fitness journeys and this is MY advice.

1) “I don’t have the time.”
✅Most of us believe we don’t have time. But if we are real with ourselves, we ALL make time for what we want. Carve out 45mins to an hour of workout time and plan it into your daily routine. Rather than spending 3 hours binging a show, re-invest that time into yourself and your goals. Your body will thank you.

2) “I struggle with staying consistent.”
✅Consistency is the result of our habits. Set clear and attainable goals and expectations of yourself for each day/week. If you set aside a few hours to map out what your days and weeks will look like, you will be surprised how simple it is to stay consistent.

3) “I struggle with sticking to a diet.”
✅I like to think of healthy eating or a “diet” as a lifestyle. Determine what your goals are for yourself and what it will take to get there. Are you someone that will benefit from a structured meal plan? Do you prefer eating later in the day vs. mornings? Whatever it is, you need something that you’re able to stick with. If it feels like a “diet,” you’ll want to quit.

AND PLEASEEEE for the love of God, don’t be that person that eliminates food groups out of your diet. I promise you will be doing more harm than good. Just make sure most of your meals are balanced with complex carbs, protein, healthy fats and micronutrients (veggies/fruits).

What advice would you give someone struggling with their goals? 

yield: 2 servings  prep time: 5 MINUTES  total time: 5 MINUTES

This low carb chocolate soft serve ice cream only needs 3 ingredients and 5 minutes to make a creamy, sugar free keto friendly dessert.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup Fage Greek Yogurt (5%)
• 2 tablespoons Divine Cocoa powder
• 3 tablespoons Torani sugar free S’mores syrup
• Optional – MTS Whey Protein (see notes for recommendations)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix all ingredients together well. Then spoon into two small bowls.
2. I used an icing bag to make it look like soft serve but you can just spoon it into the bowls.
3. Eat right away or store in the refrigerator.
4. If you want it colder, you can freeze for 30 minutes but make sure to mix halfway through.
5. See recipe notes for more ways to change up this recipe.

NOTES

The nutritional information for 1 serving is:

169 cals / 8.5g fat / 9.5g carbs / 5.5g fiber / 13g protein = 4g net carbs

****** with protein powder 38g of protein *******

RECIPE TIPS & NOTES

• Its best to use 5% Fage Yogurt as it’s the thickest yogurt I’ve found with the lowest carbs. Other recommendations; Okinos Pro or Chobani.
• The basic recipe requires thick yogurt, some sort of powder flavoring to make it thicker and then a sweetener. Protein powder is your best bet. Other recommendations; MTS Whey Red Velvet, Chocolate Chip, or GAF Chocolate Peanut Butter

• Top with Sugar Free Whip Cream
• You don’t need to freeze this but can eat it right away. If freezing to make it colder, just put in the freezer for 30 minutes, mixing halfway through. If you can it in more than that it will get very hard.
• You can also just store in the refrigerator.
• This recipe makes 2 – ½ cup servings. Meal Prep rules; add it into your daily calorie break down and store containers in the fridge to cure that sweet tooth when it occurs.
• An icing bag was used to make it look like soft serve but you can just mix and eat.

Most of my friends in the gym will completely disagree with what I am about to say, but it has to be said. So let the controversy begin!!

The reason people are not making improvements in their physiques and/or in strength, is because they are doing too much unnecessary work in the gym! (DIETS are the number 1 reason but for the purposes of this post, lets go with the first one)

Gym Junkiez, people that love to hit the weights, love the feeling of training and will workout until they cannot complete another set… or another rep.

Those same gym junkiez likely had a good workout 5-6 sets before the actually finished their training but will keep going anyway. They will leave the gym exhausted but will say they are “feeling good”.

That “Good” feeling is a combination of a good muscle pump and blood flowing. Now here is where it gets interesting. They will keep training, chasing the pump, even after the target muscle group stops firing. Chasing that feeling leads to fatigue. And that feeling of fatigue is what most believe means that something was accomplished .

I call them “Cortisol Junkiez”. They are addicted to the stress of working out. But who can blame them, It feels like a dopamine release. 8 Time Mr. Olympia, Arnold Schwarzenegger compared “the pump” from weight training to having sex, the greatest dopamine release of all.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with chasing that feeling. The problem is most people don’t know or wont admit that they know when to cut it off… and not ending the workout when you should can inversely impact sound nutrition habits and have long lasting negative effects on your body!

I have had some of my friends wonder why they cannot make changes to their physique or cant get stronger. And when I tell them they are doing too much (along with the dietary habits), they just laugh and gloss over the statement as if it was a joke.

But i can understand their sentiment completely, as i took a long time to accept this to be true.

But as soon as I did, my body felt better, looked better, and my strength starting to go through the roof!

At some point, the truth hits us all!!!!! Especially as we get older…

…..And the truth is to really maximize your physique and/or strength gains, you may want to do less work in the gym (and fix your diets, but thats another post for another time)….

And less work doesn’t mean you decrease intensity.

Lifting Heavy but leaving too many reps in the tank

One of the most common mistakes is lifting heavy but doing “easy sets” that end before you’ve challenged your muscles enough to grow.

If you are completing sets that are with heavier weight but you finish the set with 4+ reps left in the tank, you just wasted a set! These types of sets should strictly be dedicated to warmup sets. Anything other than that, you can consider it a junk set or junk volume.

“Junk volume” refers to exercise that doesn’t improve strength or build muscle due to not lifting heavy enough, thus wasting your time, effort, and energy.

Junk volume can include working out for too long, or doing large sets with light weights. It can be a problem for both newbies and elite athletes, stalling progress and increasing injury risk.

To avoid muscle-building plateaus and to get the most out of your routine, plan your workouts to make every rep count. Experts and evidence suggest that doing too many reps or sets can backfire.

A 2017 study referenced that “about six sets per session per muscle group is a good baseline for maxing out on benefits. After six sets, the benefits of weight training then appear to plateau, and working more will eventually lead to smaller and smaller additional gains, although muscle response can vary in different people.”

So, while you might be trying to boost your progress with more work, the additional benefit of the last few sets is small enough to be insignificant, and unlikely to be worth the time and effort.

With that being said, focus your efforts on lifting heavy enough to stress the muscle where you finish with the ability to possibly push out one or two more reps (safer for those that do not have a training partner). Now if you have a training partner. Failure should be the goal more often.

Lifting too light for high reps can waste your time, too
Another pitfall is lifting very light weight for high reps (20 or more), based on the myth that it can help “tone” a muscle without making you bulky.

While light weight or bodyweight exercise can build muscle, lifting less than 20% of your maximum effort can stall gains, research shows, even if you’re sore after.

“It can get you super sore and impair your performance for future workouts, but end up compromising your result despite actually working harder.”

So unless you are competing at the NFL combine, doing more than 30 reps for a set has no benefit. You’d be better off lowering the number and increasing the weight.

So what does right look like……

There are so many studies and perspectives on this subject that I can honestly say there is no one specific answer to consider the “right” answer. As I mentioned before it changes depending on the person.

But, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 1−3 sets per exercise of 8−12 repetitions with 70−85% of one repetition maximum (1RM) for novice and 3−6 sets of 10−12 repetitions with 70−100% 1RM for advanced individuals. For strength training you would change the number of reps to anywhere from 3-10 reps.

Now thats number of sets per exercise. The number of sets per muscle group can vary from person to person but a good rule of thumb to start with is 6-10 work sets per muscle group. Notice i said work sets not total number of sets. Thats where the problem kicks in for most. Most do not have a definition for the sets and reps completed. And training without a plan of action does not yield tangible results (except for the ego).

I have always found great success in training myself and clients (when i trained in the past) with using the following.

Number of Exercises Per Muscle Group

• One strength (compound) movement – focused on strength/hypertrophy
• One stretch movement – focused on lengthening and stretching the target muscle
• One pump movement – after stretching the target muscle, fill it with as much blood as possible

Number of Sets Per Muscle Group

• One warm up set (compound movement) – to warm up the target and stabilizer muscles for that exercise.
• One load set – still a warm up set but load is to ensure target muscle is firing correctly with no tweaks or pain
• Work sets – 2 to 3 sets that are dedicated to pushing to failure (with a training partner) or close to failure (without training partner) leaving 1-3 reps in the tank to ensure safety.

The one rule i used for working sets was that if the target muscle stopped firing during the work set, the set and exercise was over.

Anything more than this and you are working to your detriment.

If you are new to weight training, or have some experience and just want to know how to follow an effective weight training program, hire a coach! There are a number of great coaches in the community. Post what you are looking for and i am sure someone will be happy to help you reach your goals!

Also, I know there are going to be some differences of opinion but as much as it pains me to say this… the facts are the facts. Training effectively to progress in strength/ body composition and longevity are the ultimate goals. Ill take all smoke…. drop your thoughts in the comments and lets talk about it!

Eat Smart! Train Hard!

References

Psychol Res Behav Manag. 2017; 10: 85–95.Published online 2017 Mar 30. doi: 10.2147/PRBM.S113093

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec; 16(24): 4897.Published online 2019 Dec 4. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897

My peers at work ask all the time how I have time to workout the way I do. My usual response is you make time for what’s important to you (yes, i am a bit of a smart ass). But the truth of the matter is, many people do struggle with managing time due to life’s responsibilities.

Everyone does not want to workout or even look like a bodybuilder, but Everyone SHOULD want to be the healthiest version of themselves possible.

With that said, a workout can be 20 mins or it can be 2 hours. As long as you get moving!

For those that are pressed for time then 20-30 minutes it is!

I am posting a few HIIT style workout routines that will be the most effective for the least amount of time.

Fair warning…… you will need a bottle of water and a pillow.

HIIT = High Intensity Interval Training

Benefits of HIIT

• EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) – HIIT increases EPOC resulting in an elevated fat loss state for up to 24 hours after the workout… you cant get that from walking or jogging for cardio.
• Burn more calories in less time – HIIT has been proven to burn up to 30% more calories than other forms of fitness like weightlifting, jogging, or aerobics classes.
• Saves Time – most HIIT sessions last between 15-30 minutes, which gives you enough time to get a quick shower and grab a meal before you have to return from lunch.

3 HIIT Style Workouts

The next time you have a 45 minute window in your calendar or need to get a quick workout in during your lunch break, try any one of these HIIT workout routines.

Bottom to Top Barbell Blast (Hell on Earth)

Total time – 15-20 minutes

Work:Rest – 1:1

I got this one from my boy Dion “Rheu” Rheubottom of Rheufit Personal Training. A whole body workout is perfect when you are pressed for time. That means targeting everything from the bottom to the top, in one single blast. Unfortunately, that blast will have you feeling the burn in every muscle in your body. Hence the name, appropriately coined by Rheu, “Hell on Earth”!!!

All you’re gonna need is a set of moderately heavy dumbbells or an Olympic barbell loaded up with bumper plates. Aim for a weight you can rep out with continually for 30 seconds and achieve a little bit of a burn. If you are the type that has an ego and need to feel like you are moving heavy weight; if you can pick up your version of heavy weight after 3 rounds of this… let us know!

How to do it:

The workout:

Complete three to four rounds of:

1. Deadlift
2. Bent over Row
3. Power clean
4. Front Press
5. Back Squat

One round = 5 minutes

a. Perform each exercise for 30 seconds straight. Keep the weight moving constantly and maintain an intensity over 8 RPE.

Once you’ve hit the 30-second mark, drop the weight and rest for 30 seconds, before continuing onto the next exercise. Try to move around when resting to prevent blood pooling.

This specific workout calls for three or six rounds of action. So, if you’re a beginner, shoot for the three rounds and work your way up to four over time. One round equals a complete cycle of the entire exercise list.

b. (Same list of exercises above) Perform each exercise listed for 10 reps. Once you have completed each exercise, rest 30 seconds and start again. Next round complete every exercise for 9 reps.

Continue the same process until you get down to 1 rep for each exercise.

Good luck!

Complete Conditioning Kettlebell Circuit

Total time – 20 minutes

Work:Rest – 2:1

To crush this circuit, you’re gonna grab one of the gyms most versatile tools – the kettlebell. You only need to grab on, which is easier to do during a busy lunch hour.

Using only a single kettlebell you’re gonna work your entire body. Just find enough space to allow you the freedom to swing it and the dinner break gainz will all be yours.

For this HIIT session, we’re changing up the ratio. You’ll be working for twice the amount of time as you rest, meaning it’ll be easy to maintain a high intensity. Bros familiar with interval training will recognize this 2:1 protocol as the Tabata ratio.

How to do it:

Nail each exercise for 20 seconds at above 85% intensity or 8/9 RPE. Then, rest for 10 seconds, before smashing it again.

Once you’ve run through each movement that’s one round in the bag. For this workout, you’re looking to complete eight rounds back to back with no un-prescribed breaks.

Because you’re only using one kettlebell it’s important to use alternate reps. Whenever you’ve hit the move with one arm, switch to the other as soon as possible.

Not only will this help keep the intensity high, but it’ll create an equal balance of work on the body. After all, it’s better to prevent muscular imbalances and injuries than try to fix them. Not to mention nobody wants an out-of-whack physique…

The Workout

Complete eight rounds of:

1. Swings
2. Cleans
3. Snatches
4. Pushup + deadlifts
5. Thrusters

One round = 2.5 mins

Fight Ready in 15

As you’ve already guessed this workout will have you fight ready in no time. Designed originally for elite level MMA athletes, this HIIT session will kick your *ss in the best way possible.

Fight Ready in 15 covers the entire span of a professional bout. However, if you’re feeling seriously tough, battle it out into the championship rounds. Go for 25 minutes in total just like a real MMA champ.

What’s awesome about this workout it that the 2:1 Tabata ratio perfectly mimics the pace of a contest. So, even if you’re not an MMA athlete, you can get a feel for a real fight!

All without taking a shot we might add. Even better.

Just grab a bag, medicine ball, and a set of battle ropes, then get ready for action. We’d also suggest a pair of boxing/MMA gloves for hitting the bag.

How to do it:

Go as hard as you can for 10 seconds before resting for 20. Keep your hands up between exercises and imagine an opponent moving around in front of you.

Also, when hitting the bag, land every punch with the first two knuckles. This is the hardest and most durable part of your fist, which is something fighters learn from day one.

The Workout

Complete six to ten rounds of:

• Punches
• Kicks
• Burpees
• Battle rope waves
• Medicine ball slams

One complete round = 2.5 mins

20-30 minutes can be completed first thing in the morning, during lunch, or while you are watching TV in the evening.

SO now that the excuses of time has been eliminated, you have no reason to not get in shape and be healthier!!
Drop a comment… let us know what you think. Eat Smart Train Hard!!

Everyday I go to the gym, I walk past the bench press area and I see people either lifting too much weight , using horrible form, or using horrible form while lifting too much weight. I personally do not want to ever see someone get injured to the point where they are in pain and/or can stall their progress in whatever fitness journey they are on. So I am sharing a quick list of do’s and dont’s for anyone wanting to develop a solid bench press.

Do keep a slight arch in your lower back, with your feet planted firmly on the floor and your chest high.

Do take a slightly wider-than-shoulder-width grip on the bar.

Do have a spotter standing by.

Do touch the bar to just below the lower-pec line.

Do push the bar up and slightly back towards the rack follow your natural strength curve.

Do inhale as you lower the bar and exhale as you drive the bar back to the start position.

Do use a two-seconds-up/two-seconds-down cadence.

Do keep the bar moving! No rest at the top or bottom unless you’re powerlifting.

Do use exercises like the ones shown below to properly warm up strengthen those small muscles in the shoulders (rotator cuffs) and back so you can move more freely and lift heavier with decreased chance of injury.

Don’t let your feet move during the lift. Maintain a permanent foot position to create a solid base of strength.

^{Pro Tip: Focus on pushing your feet through the floor to create a tight base from you feet through your torso}

Don’t take a narrow grip unless you’re training triceps instead of chest.

Don’t take a grip that’s much wider than shoulder width or you could damage your rotator cuff muscles.

Don’t drop the bar through space to bounce it off your chest. Maintain control at all times.

Don’t rest at the top’keep the bar moving.

There they are ..this is a quick post but the info provided can be very helpful for getting that 315 pound bench press you are trying to achieve! (Why does everyone set 315 to be a milestone for bench press? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) If you want to see anymore tips or tricks for building a strong bench press, drop a comment and let me know.

I normally end with Eat Smart Train Hard. Today will simply be ending with Train Smart!!

NOW that Valentines Day is over. Its time to get down to business. There are no other holidays between now and when it will be warm. It’s time to put in 100% focus on getting in the best shape of your life!! That summer body!

I mean the goal is to Look Great and Feel Great… right?!

If so, this 12 week program is perfect for any woman who is looking to transform her body through a good weight lifting program.

The goal is to help you develop lean and functional muscle tone through foundational lifts. The workout itself targets your lower body three times a week with a strong focus on your glutes, and your upper body twice a week with a focus on sculpting the muscles of the arms.

To increase the total number of calories burned each day, there are some recommended cardio sessions that you can do either in the morning or after that day’s workout. However, if you are limited on time, they are not required to see progress with this workout.

Rest periods for this program should be kept to 30-90 seconds in between sets and exercises.

Workout Schedule

• Monday – Legs & Glutes, Cardio (optional)
• Tuesday – Back & Arms, Cardio (optional)
• Wednesday – Legs & Glutes, Cardio (optional)
• Thursday – Chest & Shoulders, Cardio (optional)
• Friday – Legs & Arms, Cardio (optional)
• Saturday – Abs/Active Rest
• Sunday – Abs/Active Rest
  

Monday – Legs & Glutes

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Squat	3-4	6-12
2. Dumbbell Lunge	2-3	12-15
3. Dumbbell Step Up	2-3	12-15
4. Barbell Hip Thrust	3	6-12
5. Glute Cable Kickback	2-3	12-15

Cardio – 15 min of HIIT on Stationary Bike

Tuesday – Back & Arms

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Pull Downs	3-4	6-12
2. One Arm Dumbbell Row	2-3	12-15
3. Seated Cable Row	2-3	12-15
4a. Dumbbell Curl	3	12
4b. Tricep Overhead Extension	3	12
5a. Cable Curl	3	15
5b. Cable Pressdown	3	15

Cardio – 30 mins of moderate intensity on Stairmill

Wednesday – Legs & Glutes

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Goblet Squat	3-4	6-12
2. Romanian Deadlift	2-3	12-15
3. Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift	2-3	12-15
4. Smith Machine Sumo Squats (Glute Focus)	3	6-12
5. Glute Kick Back	3	15

Cardio – 30 min low intensity on treadmill at a 10-15% incline

Thursday – Chest & Shoulders

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Dumbbell Bench Press	3-4	6-12
2. Incline Dumbbell Press	2-3	12-15
3. Machine Chest Fly	2-3	12-15
4. Seated Dumbbell Press	3-4	6-12
5. Lateral Raise	2-3	12-15

Cardio – 15 min of HIIT on rower or stationary bike

Friday – Legs & Arms

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Deadlifts	3-4	6-12
2. Good Mornings	2-3	12-15
3. Leg Extensions	2-3	12-15
4. Incline Dumbbell Curl	3	12
5. Incline Skullcrusher	3	12

Cardio – 30 min of moderate intensity on a Stairmill

Weekends:

Light activity – recovery walks and optional ab workout

Ab Workout (Optional)

Exercise	Sets	Reps
1. Plank	3	20 sec holds
2. Lying Floor Leg Raise	3	10
3. Crunches	3	20
4. Side Crunches	2	15 each side

**Printable download of the program below

Nutrition

It is important to note that your success with any workout program depends greatly on your nutrition and sleep/recovery habits. Make sure you get 7-9 hours of sleep each night and eat enough calories to help you get the results you desire.

A BMR calculator will help you know how many calories you need to maintain your current body weight.

If your goal is to lose weight, subtract ~250 calories from this number. If you are underweight, try to add ~250 calories to this number. And if you are already at your ideal weight, make sure to eat the proper amount of calories to maintain.

Tracking Progress

It is important to track your results to show you’ve made progress with this program. At the beginning of the 12 weeks you should plan to take your preferred form of measurements.

These measurements can include progress pictures, scale weighing, tape measurements, and skinfold caliper measurements. I recommend starting with what you are most comfortable with first and adding more as you feel comfortable.

The more data you have on yourself, the better you can tinker with variables such as increasing reps, sets, or weight used during your workouts, increasing the hours you sleep each night, increasing the amount of cardio you do each week, and/or increasing or decreasing the amount of calories you eat each day.

How frequently you measure your progress is completely up to you, but I’d recommend doing so once a month or 6 weeks to make sure you are progressing towards your goals.

Progressing with This Workout

You should strive to increase some variable within your workout each week. Whether that means increasing the weight you use or the amount of rep and sets you perform is going to be based on your individual preference.

One way you could go about it is to start off with the low end on all of the set and rep counts. Then each week add a single set on one exercise each day of each week. Once you’re doing all the maximum amount of recommended sets for each exercise, you could then add in 1-2 reps to each set of each exercise for the remaining weeks.

Another way you could progress is to keep your reps and sets the same throughout the whole 12 weeks. But each week you should aim to slightly increase the weight you use for each exercise.

Either way works and will help you see great results.

What Should I Do After the 12 weeks?

After you’ve completed the 12 weeks of this program, you should take a week to deload.

Celebrate the journey you have just taken and decide if you wish to continue to make improvements.

If after you deload, you decide you’d like to try another 12 weeks of this program, then you should come back refreshed and ready to make more progress.

If you have any questions or would like to leave a review for this program, please feel free to leave a comment in the comments section below!

Also, feel free to join the community. Post your progress photos, workouts, etc. and engage with fellow gym junkiez!

First time I met Tim was during a local competition 15 years ago. I was competing as a light heavy weight. Had just come off of winning multiple OCB competitions and was getting my first taste of competition in the NPC.

It was the evening time and finals were just about to begin. I knew I had the light heavy weight class in the bag and was focused on getting that overall win!

Fast forward to the finals…

We are lining up to walk on stage and battle it out. In front of me stands Tim in a windbreaker. I had not seen him before that moment but also didn’t care because I just KNEW i was going to win!

Tim looks back, says good luck and takes off the jacket.

DAMN!

Suffice to say I did not win the overall, LOL!

That was the very moment I learned to be humble and the moment that I also learned I had A LOT of work to do in order to get my back to his level of development and conditioning!

That was the day I became obsessed with the gym and bodybuilding in general!

Meet IFBB Pro, Tim Fernandez!

How did you get your start in Bodybuilding?

I’ve always been very competitive. I wrestled in middle school and in high school.  One day I was with my mom at the grocery store and saw a flex magazine with Lee Priest on the cover. I read an article about him and I knew right then and there I wanted to be a body builder. I told my mom about it and my 15th birthday was pretty close at that time. She actually bought me a weider weight set with all the cool attachments. Needless to say I was hooked and bodybuilding was all I thought about. I wore that weight set out! Here we are twenty five years later and still blessed to still be doing what I love!

Where does your motivation come from?

This is a great question. Over the years my motivation has changed. When I was young I was picked on because I never really fit in. I never wanted to hang out and do pointless shit. Needless to say I was motivated by anger and felt I had something to prove. I was able to flip a switch on in the gym and take all that anger and put it into something positive. I could go to a very dark place and it seriously made me so much stronger. It was definitely an edge I had on most. 
    These days are different though. Don’t get me wrong, I can still tap into that dark place but I choose not to. Now I am motivated by my beautiful family. I want my kids to know that with hard work and dedication they can achieve anything. I truly believe in leading by example. At the end of the day I just want to make my family proud. 

What workout routine has worked best for you? (Maybe a sample routine you have used)

 My favorite routine has always been each body part once a week. I believe if you train hard enough that’s really all you need and you allow ample time for recovery. Leg day I always allowed two days of recovery after training. Then I would simply train each body part and allow a day of rest in between each one. I was never one to over think or over complicate things. I like keeping it simple. Work your ass off, eat, rest, grow and repeat. 

If you had to pick only 3 exercises, what would they be and why?

The top three for me would without a doubt would be squats, deadlifts, and dumbbell bench press. I chose these because these are the big muscle builders they really lay a strong foundation for getting strong and building muscle. 

What’s a normal day of eating for you like?

These days I honestly am an intuitive eater. I pay attention to the mirror, not the scale. Bodybuilding judges don’t ask you your weight when you’re up there. When I go into prep mode I do get very serious as far as weighing out food and getting meals in every few hours. The goal is to keep as much lean mass while dieting. Again, I keep it simple though and eat pretty clean all year round. I’m in it for the long haul now, as I get older and now that I’m a father and a husband I need to stay healthy.

So, as far as the foods I eat in a typical day. For breakfast I eat eggs and oatmeal along with my water and coffee. Next two meals are chicken, rice, and avocados. Then I do a shake and some natty PB. Post workout consists of another shake. Before bed I like to eat my egg whites and oats. If I wake up in the middle of the night I slam down another shake. Again, I like to keep things simple!!

What’s the best advice you can give someone looking to get started in the bodybuilding/fitness lifestyle?

99 percent of getting good at something is being consistent. It’s not going to happen over night and remember this is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. Train smart and leave your ego at the door. Every and any injury is a set back in the wrong direction. Train hard, get your nutrition in and rest up. The most important thing is to have fun doing it. It truly is rewarding and the discipline you learn from bodybuilding will take you far in life.

Favorite Quote?

“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”– Mahatma Gandhi

Tim is one of the most authentic, hardworking, consistent guys you will ever come across. His passion for the sport and knowledge of nutrition and training is top notch!
Although newly inducted as an IFBB Pro Bodybuilder, Tim is first and foremost a family man, and business owner. Tim and his wife own the businesses linked below! Check them out!!! Support our fellow Gym Junkiez!
Tim appreciate you taking the time and letting everyone get to know a little about you bro!! Thank you!
As for everyone else. Eat Smart! Train Hard!!!

Gary Scruggs, CPT; NPC Mens Physique Competitor uses this exercise to strengthen his core, as well as his clients.

The Challenge – Complete 4 rounds for 30-45 seconds each round (demonstration video below).

As Gary says, its Around the World, Not Around Portsmouth!! LOL

This is a great exercise to add to your regimen. Give it a try, post it, and tag us in those clips!!

Train Hard!!!!

The fitness world’s version of Martin and Gina!! (inside joke!)

This is a small world! I have had the pleasure to know both of them individually, as well as witness them come together and build an awesome relationship and partnership. Their personalities compliment each other and the way they support one another is something to aspire to.

Both of them have done extremely well as physique competitors, as they have either won the overall or placed in the top of their perspective classes in all past competitions.

Mike has developed a wealth of knowledge in training, nutrition, contest prep, etc.. He is a training and nutrition coach. Mike also co-hosts a podcast called the “Free Game Social Club”.

Na’Dean has been a fitness enthusiasts for a few years. I can honestly say I have NEVER seen her not smiling, even when in the midst of training! You can absolutely tell, Na’Dean loves the fitness lifestyle.

Although she is still relatively new to the competing, Na’Dean is quickly making a name for herself in the Wellness division!

What’s up guys!! Can you tell the community a little about yourselves?

Mike: hi, I’m Mike.. I’m 35 years old, from Houston, Texas; now in Va. I love working out, Movies, drug documentaries, hanging around my best friend and fiancé Na’Dean, bodybuilding and helping others in any way.. whether that be advice for life, nutrition, business, exercising, etc.

Na’Dean: I am Na’Dean, Mike’s Fiancée. I am a child of the most high God.  I am a fitness enthusiast who just so happens to compete as a hobby, and I love connecting with people.

Mike, I hear you are an all-star in the insurance game too?!

After experiencing my tragic loss of my son and late wife to a car accident it made me want to help others be properly prepared in that time of need when the Lord calls. But yea I’m getting my feet wet as I’ve been a licensed insurance agent for roughly 11 months now. I love it a lot and gives me the opportunity to help families make sure they have the proper protection in place. Shoutout to Family First Life!!!

How long have you guys been in the fitness/ competitive physique world?

Mike:  I have been in the fitness and competitive world consistently for the last 6 years.

Na’Dean: I’ve been in the fitness world, I want to say since about 2009. That’s when I started hitting the gym, learning the ins and outs and being consistent with it. I’ve been competing since 2019.

What’s it like training with each other?

Mike: It’s awesome!! Having someone that understands your love and passion for the sport as well as lifting and also displays that same passion. It is so amazing!! It helps us to push each other while also bringing us closer as a couple.

Na’Dean:  I absolutely love training with Mike. It’s amazing because he pushes me and teaches me different training methods that I’ve either never done before, or haven’t done in a while. Honestly, it is one of my favorite things to do. He’s always in his element when he is training, so I love being able to be a part of what makes him happy!!

Can you give a quick breakdown of your training regimen?

Mike: For me training is therapy so I take it super serious! Not much of a talker when training but I will give my occasional head nod/ fist bump to remain cordial. I’m constantly moving to keep my HR and intensity where it needs to be. But I’ve always stuck to the good ol’ PUSH PULL LEGS training split. That’s always worked best for me. Training 6 days a week allows to hit each muscle group twice a week. When I am taxed, i train legs once. Rest day is always Sunday aka refeed and relax day lol.

Na’Dean: With me being a wellness competitor, the focus is on growing and building the legs and glutes with less emphasis on upper body. 

Favorite trait/ bodypart about him/her?

 Mike: Man!! My favorite trait about Na’Dean…..man there are so many to be honest but she is dedicated, hard working, kind, selfless and has just an all around great spirit about her that is very contagious and beautiful( Lawd Jesus). BUT my favorite body part….DAT ASS aka da cakes and that lil waist lol

Na’Dean:  This is tough because I just love his entire physique!! I’m torn between his arms and his legs. As far as traits, I love that he’s such a selfless individual. I’ve never met anyone with a heart as open and kind as his.

Both of you have an impressive set of wheels… whose leg training days are worse?

Na’Dean: Thank you! Gotta go with Mike’s leg training day’s. They’re brutal. 

Mike: Yea, I will have to say my leg day is the worse. but Na’Dean actually does a great job keeping up and not complaining one bit. She does better than most men that have trained legs with me and that’s being 100!

Since both of you are competitors, describe what your experience has been with each other during competition prep? Good bad or indifferent…

Mike: Prep with Na’Dean was really great to be honest! I think we completely had a great understanding of what we both signed up for so there were never any moments of anger, being hangry at one another, or taking out our frustrations on each other when food got low etc. It was a cool experience because we really worked together as a team to help solve issues such as, helping each other prep and cook specific foods, weighing it out, etc. Thankfully and in all honesty I can say that the experience helped make us better as a couple and reminded me that if we work as a team we can achieve anything, and even when calories were low and cardio was doubled we still made time to kill it in the bedroom too so win win for me lol..

Na’Dean: In my opinion, it has been amazing! I honestly cannot picture us not prepping together. It just works. We are able to go through the experience together. The highs, the lows, the low moods (we don’t do mood swings in our crib).

Who is the better cook? “Normal” food and comp prep (yea there is a difference!)

Mike: Both of us! LOL

Na’Dean: Mmmm…. Good one. Well since you asked who is “better” at it, Mike is the better cook for sure when it comes to prep food. He’s also very good at regular food but I like to think I’m better at it lol. 

Any plans for competing in 2022? If so what show(s)

  Mike: Yes, our wedding! THE biggest competition of them all lol

Na’Dean:  Sadly, no shows for 2022. We are only prepping for our wedding in August of 2022.  Maybe you’ll catch us in a stage in 2023… who knows. 

What about the other motivates you?

 Mike: Just her as an individual, I always prayed that God blessed me with a woman that doesn’t need me but wants me if that makes sense. but together we are better!  So her independence, her dedication and willingness not to give up when times get hard and seeing her have the drive to want to be a better version of herself in and out the gym is what makes me want to step it up on another level!

Na’Dean: His selflessness motivates me to be more selfless. He is also very determined and goal oriented which pushes me to be the same. 

Best piece of advice you can give to couples that either want to begin the fitness lifestyle together.. or already living it and how to navigate it together…

Mike: Best advice is to support, Support, SUPPORT your significant other/spouse!!!

Work together as a team and consistently communicate about goals so you both can understand each others why. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses, so you have to work to compliment one another and push each other to be better! To my men that complain about their lady not being into the gym…. help them, invite them to workout with you. if they don’t come with you… then start small, ask them to go on walks with you then work your way up. Change the scenery in the kitchen also! Start providing healthier options to cook, or better yet, YOU cook healthier meals for the both of you!

As men, we have to lead by example! If she sees you making positive changes, she will likely join and if not.. remain focused on her while you continue to make those healthier choices. Trust me  it will improve the relationship, etc. 

Na’Dean: Write your goals down collectively, and make sure that every day each of you are doing what it takes to accomplish it. A goal without a plan and a call to action is just a thought. Stick by each other and understand that the other is your equal. You are in it together. Hold each other accountable and always encourage one another to be, and do better than yesterday. 

Thank you to Mike and Na’Dean for taking the time to share about their love for the sport, the fitness culture, and each other. You can follow them on their journey in the Gym Junkiez community, or you can follow their IG Pages… Mike0225 and MsNadean

For the Gym Junkiez that love to train legs, or are training legs with the purpose of growing an impressive set of wheels…. this challenge is for you!!!

The ladies can do this just as well as the guys! And to be perfectly honest, the ladies may like it more!!!!!

This workout consists of 1 Giant Set; 2 rounds x 7 Exercises; 12-25 rep MAX Effort!! (explanation to follow)

Before we get to the workout, lets cover the basics of Blood Flow Restriction….

What is Blood Flow Restriction?

Blood flow restriction (BFR) is a training method partially restricting arterial inflow and fully restricting venous outflow in working musculature by wrapping a pressure apparatus around the limb during exercise (Scott et al., 2015). This arrangement allows for a swelling effect of the muscle, which is the first mechanism of muscle growth. Blood flow restriction also causes a buildup of metabolites, such as lactic acid, that have been shown to directly stimulate muscle growth. And the direct fatigue caused to the muscle forces the nervous system to recruit the largest fast-twitch muscle fibers, which have the greatest capacity for growth.

This style of training can be used on recovery days, or as a finisher to the workout. These short intense sessions tax your body a great deal, but at the same time you are removing a great deal of stress and strain off of your joints and ligaments.

This is one of those rare occasions where you get MORE for Less!

How does BFR work?

Wrap the limb (see diagram below) with some type of pressure cuff (BFR Bands, pressure cuff, or even knee wraps). On a scale of 1-10 for tightness of the wrap, you should aim for 6-7 out of 10. Use a weight that would equal anywhere from 40%-50% of your 1 rep max. Aim to complete anywhere from 15-30 reps per set.

Now, lets get to the finishing set!

LEG DAY FINISHER

One Giant Set Consisting of Full Range of Motion; SQUEEZE every rep!!!

Once you wrap up; complete the following:

• Leg Extensions – 25 reps
• Lying Hamstring Curls – 25 reps
• Leg Press – 20 reps
• Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift – 15 reps
• Dumbbell Goblet Squat – 20 reps
• Glute/Ham Raises on Lat Pull Down Machine** – 12 reps
• Walking Barbell/Dumbbell Lunges – 15 reps each leg

*ADVANCED – 2 Rounds – After each round take 2 – 3 Full Minutes of Rest. You will absolutely need every second of it.

For those that did the 2 rounds … If you did this correctly you will need to find a nice corner in the gym to lay down in. And just to be on the safe side…. take a trash can with you!

I will tell you, I completed 2 sets of this on my last leg day! In 12 minutes I had a MASSIVE pump compared to the first 45 minutes of my workout! I laid under the steps with a towel on my face 😂😂😂. DONT JUDGE ME!

Seriously, give this a try. You will definitely get a great workout and some great leg development.

If you record it! Post the videos and/or pictures in the activity feed! Or tag us on IG @Gym_junkiez17

Train Hard!!!

References

Scott, B. R., Loenneke, J. P., Slattery, K. M., and Dascombe, B. J. (2015). Exercise with blood flow restriction: an updated evidence-based approach for enhanced muscular development. Sports Med. 45, 313–325. doi: 10.1007/s40279-014-0288-1

Picture this….

You are grinding it out in the gym, day in and day out.

You are getting stronger.

You are getting more muscular and everything with the world is right!

After a while, you notice that you stopped making strength gains, and your arms and shoulders look smaller. So you start training harder thinking that you need to do more to make up for what seems lost.

Muscle soreness and joint pain set in. You try to work through or work around the pain and it slowly gets worse.

Now your motivation to go to the gym starts to dwindle, but you go anyway because mentally you know that missing the gym is going to cause setbacks.

What’s really happening is your body is telling you that you need a break! Rest is just as important to strength and muscle growth as training. But again mentally you do not want to stop going to the gym because you are afraid of “falling off” so to speak.

At this moment, you should consider adding a deload to your regimen. It will work wonders for both your physical and mental health.

What’s a deload week?

A deload week, as the name implies, is a scheduled week for reduction in the total intensity and/or volume of your workouts. In laymen’s terms, you workout with enough resistance to get a light pump and still have reps in the tank!

Why do you need a deload week?

To avoid overtraining and/or to recover from a period of strength/performance plateaus, as well as decreased energy levels.  A properly planned/executed deload week allows your connective tissue time to repair (since muscle recovers more quickly than your joints and ligaments), restores testosterone, and decreases cortisol levels. Moreover, a deload week gives your mind the chance to relax and get away from the intensity that consistently hard/heavy workouts can provide. After a deload week you should be stronger mentally and physically, and ready to start the next phase of your strength/performance training!

When do you need a deload week?

Most strength training programs schedule a deload week at the 4-week mark. If you are not following any form of a strength training program, there are some telltale signs that give you an indication of when to throw in a deload week. These include…

• feeling weak; unable to consistently lift heavy weight (which is a sign that your CNS has tapped out)
• overly sore muscles from everyday functional use
• sore joints; ligaments
• lack of motivation; desire to work out

How do you complete a deload week?
   There are a couple of options that will help you successfully navigate a deload phase. Choose which works best for you

•  Do your normal routine and normal volume (sets & reps) but reduce the weight you use to about 50-60% of what you normally work out with for each exercise.
• Use the same weight as you normally would but drop your total number of sets x reps to 50-60% of your normal volume. (Note that you should stick to an 8+ rep scheme here.)
• Use lighter weight and focus on refining your form and technique
• Focus on mobility by doing dynamic and static stretching (when applicable)

A “week” was referenced several times in correlation to deloading as its the most common timeframe to use. Typically, a week is all you need, but please know you can complete a deload phase in as little as 3 days or as many as 10 days. It is totally up to you but believe me your body will tell you exactly how long you need. And truth be told after 3-4 days most get the itch to start moving weight again!

It is important to note that a deload phase will cause little to no delay in long-term strength training progress. It’s equally important to note that the chances of losing muscle size during a deload phase is slim to none. Therefore, if you feel like you would psychologically benefit from a deload week, then there is absolutely no reason to avoid taking one, and it may well help you return to training with renewed enthusiasm. Ideally, the decision about whether to take a deload would be made at the point when you are ready for one, rather than in advance.

Now, if you are experiencing large reductions in strength (or even size) during your strength training program, or if feel like your muscles, or even your joints and ligaments, might be suffering fatigue damage such that they cannot recover in time for the next workout, then the real solution to your problem is most likely not a deload phase, but a more permanent change to your strength training frequency or volume. A change that will allow you to recover properly from one workout to the next.

Hope this helps. Till the next time Train Smart!!!!!

It’s simple! Better Sleep, Better Health, Better Gains….. Period!

One of the most overlooked, yet most important factors for improving health, performance, and in getting the physique you want is Sleep.

NOT rest; SLEEP.

Your workout performance gets compromised due to poor sleep habits. Various studies have linked high quality sleep to faster reaction times, faster sprints, better skill acquisition, greater endurance, and stronger lifts.

Below are 8 Tips for Improving your Sleep Hygiene…

• Avoid caffeine at least 6-7 hours before bed. “As we get older, our ability to metabolize caffeine and get it out of our system slows down,” says Dr. Ronit Levy, a psychologist and clinical director at Bucks County Anxiety Center. “If it’s still in your system at bedtime, you’ll be exhausted but have a hard time falling asleep.”
• Consider supplementing with Zinc (9.5 mg for men; 7mg for women), Magnesium (300mg for men; 270mg for women), and/or Melatonin (5mg) up to one hour before bed. These have proven to be very effective for increasing the quality of sleep.
• Dim the lights in your house or apartment an hour before bed. Bright lights may interfere with the secretion of hormones that help you sleep.
• Only use your bed for sleep or sex. Don’t spend time scrolling on your phone. With a large percentage of the population working form home its important to note that you absolutely should not work in bed. Maintaining these habits helps your mind to associate getting into bed with sleep and relaxation.
• Consider spending five or ten minutes stretching before bed.
• Consider reading before bed. According to Dr. David Rabin, a psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and co-founder of Apollo Neuroscience. “Read something enjoyable like fiction or something interesting and educational before bed. It can be great for helping the mind to wind down.”
• Dr. Rabin also believes that focusing on your breath can help sleep to come when you’re lying in bed. “Engaging in the breath pattern of a person who is asleep — roughly two to four breaths per minute, so one breath in and out every fifteen seconds — will put you to sleep in five to ten minutes almost every time,” he says. “It’s a technique to help control anxiety and get you into a more deescalated state, and it can radically improve your sleep.”
• Go to sleep the same time every night and stick to the same routine as your day comes to a close. This helps to ingrain sleep as a habit.

One last thing. I strongly encourage you to work towards getting a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night! It will be a small sacrifice to your night life but in the long run you will be thankful you made that decision.

I will end this like it started. Improve your sleep, improve your physique, improve your health!

“If you wake up at 4am to do cardio after only getting 5 hours of sleep, you are stepping over $100 bills to pick up nickels…” Stan Effering

With all of the new years resolution-ers invading the gyms and resolving to be in the “best shape of their lives”, its important to have a plan of action. If you are a newbie and have no idea what you are doing in the gym, please find a good trainer that will teach you and hold you accountable. If you have some experience, this is for you! I am giving you some free game… . The only ask in return is that you stick to using moderate to heavy weight that allows you to complete each rep and each set with good form; and to failure or close to failure. Also stick to the structure of the training sessions for optimal results. Lets get this work!!!!!

Workout Notes

Before we get to the workout though, here’s some important points to keep in mind:

Lift Heavy

The days of going super high reps for ultra-light weight (i.e. pink dumbbells) are gone. Ladies; training heavy (moderately heavy) and looking like a man is A MYTH. Its almost impossible for you all to gain rock hard muscle and be as lean as men become. So leave that excuse at the door of the gym. You’re shedding fat here, not muscle. To keep your muscle while eating at a deficit. So ladies train with, at minimum, some moderately heavy weight. Guys, you will need to lift heavy f#%king weights.

Diet Clean Up

I’m not talking about washing your fruits and vegetables before eating them (i.e. “clean” eating). By “cleaning up” your diet, we’re talking about focusing on whole foods – lean meats, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. Use junk food/cheat meals as a reward for a weeks (5+ Days of Hard work!).

A lean -sculpted physique is the goal, so that means curbing the daily cheats to get rid of the excess calories. We’re in deficit mode now, which means each and every calorie needs to count — there’s no room to waste on bon bons and Butterfingers.

Track Everything

Reiterating the two points above, you have to track everything — weights used on working sets, number of reps accomplished each set, how much you’re eating each day, and what you’re eating each day.

If you’re not monitoring what you’re doing in the gym and in the kitchen, you have no idea if you’re progressing with your training, stalling, under/overeating, or anything else. To truly succeed and make the most of these next 8 weeks, you must buckle down and track everything. Your end results are riding on this!

Commit

Cutting fat isn’t rocket science, you need to tightly monitor your diet and train your ass off. We’re burning off the goo here through a combo of high volume/intensity and heavy weight.

This isn’t easy by any means, and that’s where the last point comes in –COMMITMENT.

There’s going to be times when you want a drink with the gang after work or some cake with your co-workers during an office party. If this the reward meal for the week, then by all means; if not I strongly urge you not to! I mean, i cant tell you what to do and sure you can do that, but then again you can kiss your dream body goodbye. That drinking and bullshit doesn’t sound as “necessary” anymore does it?

Commit to your goal and pursue it with relentless, reckless abandon and you’ll be astonished at the end results!!!

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Now… It’s time to TRAIN!

5 Day Workout Program Outline

• Day 1 – Lower Body A
• Day 2 – Upper Body A
• Day 3 – Lower Body B
• Day 4 – Upper Body B
• Day 5 – Body weight conditioning**

Each workout for Days 1-4 will consist primarily of supersets – that is performing two exercises back to back with as little rest as possible between the two, then resting for 60 to 90 seconds. This accomplishes two things: you’ll get a tremendous amount of work accomplished in less time and your heart rate will stay elevated, helping increase the number of calories burned and burning more fat while still maintaining muscle.

**Day 5 is a high intensity day. Explosive movements with little to no rest between exercises for 25-30 minutes. You will have a choice between a body weight plan and a HIIT session called “Hell on Earth” created by Rheufit trainer Dion Rheubottom. My advice, for better results, try Hell on Earth!!

Ripped Body Workout Plan

Your training needs to burn excess calories and we’re going to do that through a variety of techniques and methods (high volume, supersets, short rest periods, etc.). Choose one compound movement and one isolation movement for the supersets you do until you make it through your entire workout. This is precisely what you need to get the results you’re after – a body no beach freak can resist!

Get ready, because it’s nothing but a grind from here on out. Do you have the heart and determination to get the results you want!!??!

** superset the first two exercises listed.. then the next two..

Monday
Lower Body A
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Barbell Back Squat – Drop set last set	3	8-12	60
Leg Press – Drop set last set	3	8-12	60
Barbell Romanian Deadlift	3	10-15	60
Dumbbell Reverse Lunge – Reps are per leg	3	10-15	60
Standing Calf Raises	3	20-25	60
Seated Calf Raises	3	20-25	60-90
Ab Wheel Roll outs	3	10-15	0
Hyperextension	3	12-15	60

Tuesday
Upper Body A
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Wide Grip Pull Ups	3	6-12	0
Incline Dumbbell Press	3	6-12	60-90
Bent Over Barbell Row	3	6-12	0
Flat Barbell Bench Press	3	6-12	60-90
Incline 2-Arm Dumbbell Row	3	10-12	0
Standing Overhead Dumbbell Press	3	10-12	60-90
Standing Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	10-12	0
Seated Dumbbell Rear Delt Flies	3	12-15	60-90

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Thursday
Lower Body B
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Lying Hamstring Curl	3	10-12	0
Front Squat	3	8-12	60-90
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts	3	10-12	0
Bulgarian Split Squat – Per leg	3	10-12	60-90
Walking Dumbbell Lunges – Per leg	3	10-15	0
Swiss Ball Leg Curls	3	AMRAP	60-90
Hanging Leg Raises	3	8-12	0
Cable Chops	3	12-15	60-90

Friday
Upper Body B
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Neutral Grip Pull Up	3	10-15	0
Standing Military Press	3	8-12	60-90
Hammer Strength Row Machine	3	10-12	0
Low Incline Dumbbell Squeeze Press	3	8-12	60-90
Dumbbell Upright Row	3	8-12	0
Single Arm Cable Lateral Raise	3	10-15	60-90
EZ Bar Curls	3	8-12	0
Lying Triceps Extensions	3	12-15	60-90

Saturday
Bodyweight Conditioning (HIIT)
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Bodyweight Squats	1	30	0
Push Ups	1	20	0
Chin Ups	1	10	0
Jumping Lunges	1	20	0
Bear Crawls –	1	25 yards	60-90
Rest 60-90 seconds after each round. Complete between 5-7 rounds

Hell on Earth (HIIT)
Men – barbell with 95lbs or 145lbs Women – barbell with 65lbs or 85lbs
Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Barbell Curl	1	10-1*	0
Deadlift	1	10-1*	0
Barbell Clean	1	10-1*	0
Standing Military Press	1	10-1*	0
Back Squat	1	10-1*	0
* 1 round is each exercise for 10 reps. Rest 15 seconds. Complete next round with 9 reps of each exercise… Each round subtract 1 rep until you get down to 1…..see the video below
Good Luck!

Note: Perform the bodyweight circuit going from one exercise to the next with as brief a rest as possible (5-10 seconds between the moves). Perform all reps for a given exercise before proceeding to the next one. Each week aim to reduce the number of breaks needed each week to perform all reps for each exercise, as well as trim the rest periods between circuits by a few seconds.

You won’t need to be slogging away on the treadmill anymore with this conditioning circuit to end each week!

Time to Shine!

Gym Junkiez do not want to be like everyone else in the gym. We do not want to train for months and stay the same . The time to start getting in shape is now! Whether you plan to hit the beach while its still hot, prepare for a shoot, or just become the best version of yourself, bear down for the next few weeks and really commit to your diet and training. When it’s time to remove your clothes, the new you that will stun everyone.
Let me know how this plan works out for you…. Till the next time gym junkiez, Train Hard!!!!!

It’s the beginning of a new year. With that comes a large group of people, called resolution-ers, that want to get in “The Best Shape of their Life”!

There is also a group of athletes that are beginning their preparations for the upcoming competition season! This means its time to get Lean!!

Men and women both desire to have the perfectly proportioned physique from top to bottom. For those that compete, that illusion of a tiny waists, broad shoulders, and sweeping quads/calves; the X-frame; is what wins shows!

For average gym junkiez, the only goal is to be in whatever shape that will produce the look of a small waist, and defined abs. The other body parts are gender specific goals (Men- big shoulders, big chest, arms, etc. / Women- flat stomach, small waist, big hips/glutes, etc.).

Regardless of the goal you are chasing, always be mindful of your waist. Keep a tight waist and make the most aesthetic physique possible. I am going to give you 5 principles to adhere to while working to accomplish your physique goals!

1. DO YOUR CARDIO! Small waist and abs will not be obtained without burning the fat around your midsection. While you cannot spot reduce, focus on losing as much bodyfat as possible. While strict dieting will allow people to acheive the goal of a small waist and visible abs, the reality is most people do not have iron clad discipline. So develop a habit of doing your cardio consistently. It doesnt matter if its low intensity or high intensity… pick a plan and follow it!
2. Don’t stop squatting and deadlifts: Squats and deadlifts do activate the rectus abdominis and obliques, but they DO NOT cause the waist to get thicker/wider. Electromyography studies have shown that the abdominal wall and surrounding muscles are activated while completing those lifts but actually do it to a smaller degree than direct abdominal work itself. If you need these lifts from a development aspect, stick to them. Squats are the king of leg development, and deadlifts… well I will talk about deads in a later post. Way too much to talk about when it comes to what deadlifts are actually for! But for now I will just say, most associate deadlifts with thick-wide back musculature. Be sure to keep that goal in mind when choosing exercises for your training program.
3. How to train abs!
   1. Do direct ab work for the rectus abdominis, both crunches and leg raises, even incorporating twisting movements in both of those exercises. You do not have to do a thousand reps either. Anywhere from 12-20 reps are more than enough if you focus on the squeeze of each rep!
   2. AVOID weighted oblique work all together to limit waist widening. Think about it, using weight builds muscle.. heavy weight; thick muscle! You do not want thick obliques! You will get more than enough activation in the obliques from the exercises mentioned next!
   3. MOST HELPFUL – Do daily abdominal vacuums to train the internal corset (transverse abdominis aka TVA). The best way to stay consistent at them is to do them as soon as you wake up; before you get out of bed (best to do them on an empty stomach). 5-6 sets for 15-30 seconds is all you need. If you do not know how to do vacuums properly, see the video of explaining how to do them at the bottom of this post.
   4. Train the functional bracing component of the core with isometric planks, side planks and bird dogs.
4. Don’t Rush Progress: Growing fast makes everything grow fast including your waist. Increased fat gain only leads to more inflammation, insulin resistance, and increased fat around the organs; meaning larger waist. It takes an extremely long time to correct issues with inflammation and insulin resistance so practice sound nutrition habits! Great segway to the next principle
5. Keep Digestion in Check:  The transverse abdominis works like an internal weight belt, supporting all the organs in place. Now, if we walk around all day long pushing out our gut and let that continue to happen year after year it could potentially stretch out the abdomen and leave you with a gut you can push way out in front of you. So, make food choices that keep food volume within a reasonable amount and limit gas and bloating. 

Stick to these principles and you will get that waistline that people will be envious of! Just be prepared to answer a lot of questions about how you did it! LOL!! Eat Smart, Train Hard!!

Stomach Vacuums

This exercise comes from IFBB Pro Branden Ray. He has developed some insanely dense back musculature, with a crazy V-taper! I added this exercise to my back regimen this week and the mind muscle connection was intense! As Branden describes below, it doesn’t require a lot of weight and you will get more out of this variation than with a conventional deadlift. Check out how he describes the exercise!

The whole purpose of doing rack pulls for back instead of full range deadlifts from the floor is to keep the lower body out of the movement. However, I can instantly tell when a rack pull is more legs than back, the hips come forward during the pull, the body becomes fully erect standing straight up, and then that extra little lean back at then end thing which mostly just squeezes the booty more so than the back. The loud plates rattle, the bar bends, the video gets double tapped, the chest gets pounded 🦍, everything going on but the back.

With my version of deadlifts targeting the back, my hips stay back because I’m leaning back on the rack. I’m stabilized so I don’t need any help from my lower body to overcompensate during the left.

I allow the bar roll forward under control which full stretches my back, especially my lats. I always believe that the deeper the stretch, the deeper the contraction.

Now, because my lower body and lower back are stabilized, I can focus on the stretch and contraction of the back without my erectors in flight or fight mode, meaning, trying to protect my discs from slipping and spine from snapping.

As I pull, I drive my elbows back and chest up, something that I learned from @thecharlesglass years ago to contract every muscle of the back. Pulling at the angle of my legs opposed to just vertically allows me to hit more muscles of the back. I only use 135lbs so don’t expect to go heavy because of the isolation. It’s all about the results, the end game. CHESS NOT CHECKERS

Gym Junkiez!!! I am a 270 pound bodybuilder. a Man’s man; and yoga was not something i considered “manly”. The sad truth is i knew the benefits of yoga would far outweigh my chauvinistic thoughts. I have to admit, when I first tried yoga, I loved the fact that pain i would feel in my muscles and joints has pretty much disappeared. I have come to realize that weightlifting and yoga are the Yin and Yang!

Many bodybuilders/ weightlifters lack flexibility and frequently complain of overall tightness in the body, especially upon waking in the mornings. I’ve trained in a lot of gyms and competed in over a dozen different bodybuilding shows. I know weightlifters and bodybuilders with a lot of muscle mass and look like the Hulk when they flex, but can’t touch their toes or scratch their own backs. Hell I was the brunt of those jokes for a very long time. When you have that kind of mass and potentially associated strength, but lack flexibility, you are setting yourself up for injuries.

I’ve seen it happen. Without stretching and elongating muscles, muscles and ligaments can be torn.

Why Yoga is Good for Weight Training

Lifting Weights without yoga doesn’t make sense. Have you noticed the increase massage parlors that offer stretching as a service? Or how NFL teams are looking into yoga as part of their weekly routine?

There are several reasons why yoga and bodybuilding complement each other. Here are the best three:

1. Yoga helps to lower stress. It not only helps the body, yoga also brings peace and relief to the mind. Lowering stress lowers cortisol, which aids in faster recovery time. Recovery is a very important factor in weight training for muscle growth. The more you can train a muscle the faster it will grow.

2. Yoga gives your muscles the ability to fire more efficiently without shutting down in response to stretched tendons. Mind – Muscle Connection

3. No more use for a weight belt.  The increase in core strength will teach you how to to use your abs — your natural stabilizers.

Different Kinds of Yoga to Try

Power Vinyasa yoga would be great if you are looking to strengthen your body and build muscle. This is the yoga for bodybuilders that they’d want to do on a non-weight lifting day. It’s gentle on the body and allows deep stretching while strengthening sans weights.

If you’re a bodybuilder experiencing chronic pain, you might want to look into Yin yoga. Yin lengthens connective tissue through relaxation and encourages joints to reach full flexion and extension. This type of yoga will alleviate muscular tightness and joint pain.

The third type of yoga great for aches and pains is Restorative yoga. This style of yoga emphasizes healing and realignment through supportive postures and sequences, and is awesome for people recovering from an injury.

A few poses to get you started on your weightlifting/ yoga venture are:

1. Legs up the Wall Pose

One of the best Restorative yoga poses, this pose will get blood flowing in the opposite direction and is great for people who travel, are on their feet a lot, or have desk jobs where their feet are always toward the ground. For those gym junkiez who squat and deadlift very heavy weight, this pose takes all of the pressure off of the spine and posterior chain.

To do the pose, find the nearest empty wall. Come to lie on your back, with your knees bent. Scoot your bum as close to the wall as you can, while you walk your feet up the wall. Eventually, your bum will be directly against the wall, with your legs resting along it above you.

You can either rest your hands on your belly, or spread your arms out on either side, with palms up, like a big “T.”

Stay here for as long as comfortable, and relax.

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2. Frog Pose

My personal favorite and the best hip opener stretch around. If you spend at least 20 seconds in this pose, your body will thank you.

To get into Frog Pose, start from Downward Facing Dog. Your knees should be slightly wider than hip-width apart. Keep your knees in line with your hips and slide them outward, sinking your hips down to form a 90-degree angle with your hips and knees. Your ankles should be aligned with your knees. Your shins should be parallel to each other. Point your toes towards your shins. Come down to your forearms.

To simplify Frog, stay on the hands, or decrease the width of your hips.

To advance Frog, get down on your elbows. Sink your hips down and back, decreasing the space between your hips and the ground. To advance even more, come down to your forearms by flattening and bending your elbows. Rest your chin or cheek on your hands.

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3. Half Moon Pose

Weightlifters often complain about digestion issues and tight lower backs. The half moon pose is a great way to get your digestion moving and releases tightness in the spine and posterior chain.

Standing with feet together, raise arms straight up and clasp hands with index fingers pointing up. Push hips left and bend to right, extending left side from hip to armpit. Hold for five counts. Return to center and repeat, bending to left. Return to center, drop head back, arms behind you, hands still clasped and bend backward as far as you can.

Breathe here for 5 to 10 breaths, and gently release on an exhale. Repeat!

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Are you one of those gym junkiez that trains hard in the gym and uses yoga to recover and relax. Share some of your favorite poses with us. Tag us @gymjunkiez17 on Instagram. Train Hard!!!!