When I was invited to the Hypertrophy Bootcamp, I didn’t actually think it was a a REAL bootcamp! I thought it was primarily lecture. Nope!  Fifteen “balls to the wall” workouts in five days! Three chest and back workouts Monday; three quad workouts Tuesday; three arm workouts Wednesday; three hip workouts Thursday and three shoulder workouts Friday. Afterwards the reoccurring comment was, “I have not been training hard enough.”  It was a raw reminder of the importance of INTENSITY.

We asked Charles, “What has been the greatest and worst thing you’ve seen in the fitness industry since you started 32 years ago?”  His reply was, “The Internet.”  It’s great because of all the free information but horrible because more than 95% of the information in completely wrong.  This got me reflecting….

My personal journey has cycled through three phases of focus – Body, Business and Brain.  From 1998-2006 I was all about the Brain (University, certifications, courses etc), then from 2006-2010 I really dedicated myself to learning the business side of the industry, then in 2011 I was all about the Body and competed four times. Now in 2012 I’m back to the Brain and spending a fortune on new courses and getting around the smartest people I can find.  In my experience, it’s hard to focus on Business, Body, Brain all at once because you spread yourself thin.  I prefer to put all my eggs in one basket, via cycles, and get the most out of each one.  Focusing on one speciality at a time has proven successful for me.   I share this because Charles superiority of knowledge exposed how little I know (in the big picture) and although I know more than 97% of the population that’s not good enough for my standards. If you’re growing, you’re dying.

I’m so grateful for people like Charles who have dedicated their life to being extraordinary and after spending five days, I can’t image where I’ll be (and where you’ll be if you stick along for the ride) after an entire year of more courses and classes.

Alright, here are the takeaways from the last day! And here’s a pic of the amazing new friends I met from Canada, United Statues, Finland, Italy and Australia:

1. Jumping your meals from five to six a day makes a big improvement in hypertrophy. Jumping your meals from six to seven meals a day makes a HUGE improvement.  Seven is your magic number skinny guys!  There’s your next experiment!

2. A quote from Henry Ford, “Everyone who works for me is smarter than me.” How does this apply to your life?

3. Consistency in eating patterns is another MEGA limiting factor in muscle growth and lack of fat loss.

4. The two sports that abuse steroids the most? Tennis and cycling.  I’ll give you a simple way to spot steroids in sports.  If there is money there is juice. Hockey has the least amount of juice of any sport. The Kenyan runners are legit. It’s hard to detect steroids in other sports because the athletes don’t lift weights. If bodybuilders didn’t lift weights you would never know they are on steroids.

5. Carnitine is the number one under utilized supplement in bodybuilding.

6. Charles fertility boosting stack for men: 10g of carnitine (various types), 6 caps of Uber C (his specific Vitamin C product) and 180mg of zinc.  Carnitine will increase your sperm volume and the Vitamin C will make them swim!

7. If you struggle to make the right diet decision ask yourself, “Would a caveman eat it?”  Another way to look at this is, “If it doesn’t fly, swim, or walk or it isn’t green, don’t eat it.” This rule helps many people learn basic nutrition principles instead of following a rigid diet.

8. The most UNDER UTILIZED tool in athletics?  A professional stretcher.  His tip for guys who can’t find the motivation to stretch? Hire a really attractive girl to come stretch you and you’ll become compliant to the program no problem! Or join a stretching class with all females (for you single guys).

9. Infra red saunas are good for muscle growth because they boost growth hormone.

10. On a scale of 1 to 10, Charles rates a foam roller a minus 27 for being effective!  In his opinion, it’s a complete waste of time because most foam rollers are not hard enough to be effective.  Spending $100-200 on a ART therapist is the equivalent of 200 foam roller sessions. To understand his perspective, Charles is all about EFFICIENCY.  So, you’re not a bad person if you use a foam roller, he just feels it’s low on the chain for effectiveness.

11. Stretching 20 minutes a day for five times a week is useless and leads to no gains. For those who stretch 20 minutes a day. Has your flexibility REALLY improved?

12. To see a significant improvement in your flexibility: 6 hours a week for 3 months. Then 1 hour a week for maintenance. This is not research based this is the protocol he’s found effective with his athletes.

13. If you stretch between sets, be sure to contract the muscle for 2 seconds before starting your next set.

14. If you’re a trainer or coach: never overwhelm the client. People retain 10 seconds of info and the less info you provide the more they will retain. For example, when teaching technique, Charles uses three words or less per set.  One tip per set.  So if I’m doing horrible looking lateral raises his first cue might be, “Sit up tall.”  Next set, “Straighten your arms.” Next set, “Slower on decent.”

15. Rotate your personal trainers!  Every personal trainer favours certain techniques.  One train might be a stickler for tempo but not full range of motion.  Another trainer might be the opposite.  By working with different trainers you get exposure to each of their specialities. For those without trainers, rotating your training styles is critical.

16. YOU are your own worst coach.  We tend to favour the things we already do or are good at or like doing.

17. Dark haired and dark eye males need a higher dose of stimulants for a response. Blonde hair and blue eyes need a lower dose of stimulants for a response.

18. The BIGGEST mistake fitness professionals make is when they STOP LEARNING.  This was powerful to hear from a man who has 32 years experience and apart of hundreds of Olympic medals.

And I think that’s a great place to wrap up because, as you know, I’m a huge believer in the motto ALWAYS BE LEARNING!

Again, I know they’re many sound bites in my report and not many were in context so if you need clarification then ask.  I’m flying home from Rhode Island now and can’t wait to put my new info into action (after I take the next five days off to grow!). We were told we would all gain 5-7 lbs of lean body mass in the next five days so I’m going to bed with anticipation like it’s Christmas Eve!

Thanks for following the week with me and maybe one day you can join me at a Hypertrophy Bootcamp!

Vince Del Monte

Wow… 12 workouts done and 3 to go!

Today can be defined in two words: Hurt Box

DOMS from the triple day quad workout Tuesday kicked in this morning.  Literally, my knees buckled with every step … so did the 16 other students as we wobbled to the gym for triple day ham/glute/lower back work focusing on relative strength, functional hypertrophy and finishing with a Japanese Drop Set (which MURDERED me)… you can see the road kill pictures below…

The highlight of the day was having Charles discussing program design and organizing 15 different aspects for hypertrophy in a continuum from “intensification” to “accumulation”.  Absolutely brilliant info that helps athletes recover, grow and progress.

Ready for the takeaways?!

1. Virtually EVERYTHING can be explained (and make more sense) along a continuum.

2. Most people have difficulty interpreting info because they see the world through a straw.

3. The fastest way to make muscle gains is using a 2x a day training split.

4. When training 2x a day, your cycles should not exceed 10 days before unloading volume for days. Then you can repeat.

5. If doing double day workouts, keep the evening workout shorter than the morning workout.

NOTE: I know this double day muscle work is going to sound counter intuitive and I have pages of notes and protocols to do my best to answer questions. I’ll be testing these methods out on myself shortly and reporting results… Charles has more than a decade testing this protocol and convinced us it’s superiority.  YEAH!!!!!  Just when you think you’ve tried it all… Nope!  More to come…

6. With training twice a day you would do a CNS style workout in the morning (will potentiate more fibers for the evening) and a METABOLIC style workout in the evening.  For instance, your am workout would be something like 12 sets of 1-3 RM (100-175% effort via eccentrics) and the evening session would be something like giant sets.

7. Any type of multi session training needs at least 4 hours between workouts.

8.  68% of the population make progress on splits that look like A + A + A etc  (basically doing the same workout all the time). The majority of people reading my blog are probably no longer in that 68%.  The next best split is a A + B + A + B so you would hit each muscle group every 5 days. We’re talking about hypertrophy here.  No Nonsense Muscle Building users will know this is how the first 6 months is designed and how it works so well.

9.  High variation workouts only work for 1 out of 11 people and that 1 person is a “gifted freak of nature”.  In short, too much variation often backfires unless you’re that gifted freak.  When I say “gifted freak”, think Michael Jordan.

10. Determining how long to do a hypertrophy based program is EASY to figure out: Don’t stop doing it until you stop growing.  For some that may be 2 weeks and for others than could be 12 months.

11. If you don’t feel like having sex with your wife then you’re adrenal glands are fried.  For non married guys, if a Victoria Secret commercial does not catch your attention, your adrenal levels could be in the toilet. Adrenal supplements can fix this.

12. Everybody responds to over training different.  Some people’s immune systems get shut down (signs of this are getting emotional i.e. you start to cry when you watch a Bounce commercial), some peoples joints get really sore, some people lose their sex drive (adrenal shut down).  Each type of overtraining can be fixed, usually with supplements.

13. Tonight I did a Japanese Drop Set… MURDER.  ABSOLUTE MURDER! And I did it on the Pendulum Leg Press that forces your heels to touch your ass…. at the END of the day.  You pick your 5 RM and take it to 25 sets in sets of 5.  So basically 5 drop sets of 5 with your 5 rep max on EACH mini set!  If done properly, you’ll puke and crawl into the fetal position sucking your thumb.  I was so sick afterwards I could not eat anything for 2 hours.  Can anyone tell me why this would have happened to me?  Here’s what the Japanese Drop Set  did to most of us…

14. “If you don’t dread going to the gym, you’re NOT training hard enough.”  I know you don’t want to believe it but it’s true.

15. If you’re overtrained with VOLUME, you take naps while driving!

16. If you’re overtrained with INTENSITY, you can’t sleep at night.

17. Plantar flexion (pointing your toes) will “disengage” your calf from assisting and isolate your hamstrings more.  Next time you do any variation of a leg curl, point your toe and you’ll see it’s harder.  I’ll explain the anatomy in another video.  Pointing your toes will bring your calf into assist so you’ll be able to lift heavier (but less isolation on hamstring).

18. Pointing your toes outwards puts more emphasis on the biceps femoris. Pointing your toes inwards puts more emphasis on the semibraneous and pointing your toes outward puts more emphasis on the semitendinous.  You can NEVER isolate one of the hamstring muscles, just shift the emphasis.  In application, to get strong hamstrings, vary your toe position. I just gave you SIX (6) different options to your hamstrings training with one exercise (leg curls).

Glad you’re enjoying these updates!  It’s my goal to run my own Muscle Camps in the future so you can have a similar experience I’m having.  I’m so so blessed and appreciative to be around people like Charles Poliquin, Ben Pakulski, and his amazing instructors Derek and Ryan.

Let me know if you need any clarification or have further comments or questions below!

Vince Del Monte

After yesterdays three quad workouts, getting out of bed this morning fight like an Olympic event. After todays three arm workouts, I will be shocked if I have the ability to style my hair tomorrow morning!

We covered three different hypertrophy protocols for arm training while emphasizing multiple angles on the strength curve to reach the end results of bigger arms.  I am absolutely grateful for the opportunity to be around individuals who have made this line of work their life calling so they can make my life better and I can hopefully do the same for you,

Okay, here are today’s take aways…

1. Every arm exercise moves through a force curve – the stretch (fully extended) position, mid range (where you are strongest) and the shortened (fully contracted) position.  Isolating different points of the strength curve makes a huge difference in hypertrophy.

2. Arnold (probably intuitively) got this correct. If you study his workouts you’ll notice he uses many exercises to stretch the length, overload the mid range and strengthen the contraction.  Maximize Your Muscle members know this style of training as Positions of Flexion (as coined by Steve Holman of IronMag)

3. It’s “Tricep(s)!” not Tricep….”

4. Slight cervical extension is needed for max strength while training because when you flex your neck forward you won’t get max activation of all the muscles innervated by C1-c7.  In short, when you train, keep your neck neutral or very slightly extended back.  Once you look down or flex your neck forward, you’ll lose a good percentage of strength immediately.

5. The lateral head of the triceps is the lazy ass of the three. It requires loads of greater than 85% to be activated.

6. The long head head and medial head of the triceps are the work horses.

7. The more your elbows are away from the mid line of your body, the more lateral head.

8. For the majority of the population the typical individual has fast twitch triceps. (The greatest hockey players will typically have slow twitch muscle fibers as it contributes to accuracy.  Hockey goons have fast twitch biceps (yank the guy in) and fast twitch triceps (to pummel the guy in the face).

9. The best tricep extension of all time is a decline tricep extension with chains. (I’ll show you why in a video some time).

10. Heavier weight (reps of 2-3) on chin ups, before your bicep work, will potentiate (activate) more work in the elbow flexors (biceps).  Before you train biceps next, do 5 sets of 2 (heavy weight on chin ups) and then go train your lifts. Get ready to set some PBs!

11. Biceps are climbing muscles. Start climbing trees

12. Trying to learn anatomy through text books is like training to learn how to fight by watching Bruce Lee videos.  At some point, you need to get in a real fight!

13. The best way to learn anatomy is through dissection courses. Google search “anatomy with cadavers for strength coaches” and start learning about the human body with a 3-D view.

14. Charles talked about his breakthrough with knee rehab.  His secret? Squatting balls to the hells = bulletproof knees.  I’ll be taking future courses to understand this better in the future. Note: this does not apply IF you’re currently injured.

15. The BIGGEST limiting factor for skinny guys who want to build muscle: APPETITE.  Your appetite will dictate how big you get.  Ben reminded us that three of the guys who have the biggest appetite he knows also happen to be the biggest bodybuilders – Kai Greene, Victor Martinez and Ronnie Coleman.  In short, the guys who build muscle the FASTEST have huge appetites.

16. Certain volume training (think high rep leg workout) can lead to a high level of acidity.  Balance your pH levels with a greens drink.

17. The sports that deplete glycogen the fastest are judo, speed skating and wresting.

18. The average weight training workout burns 350 calories.

19. Want to get the best carb sources for your carb powder?  Find out what the guys in the Tour De France use.  We’ll be using what they use right now in about 15 years from now!

20. Look at supplements like this.  The supplements you take pre workout will determine how strong you are. The ones you take while you train will determine your work capacity and the ones you take after your workout will dictate your recovery.

21. You probably know this but Red Bull is the biggest scam of all time. I believe at least two of the ingredients are stimulants but those sneaky bastards put in another ingredient called taurine – a supplement that is a “downer”. In short, it can put you to sleep.  Taurine kicks in after the stimulants have got you wired taking you down and causing you to want to drink another one!  Stop drinking Red Bull!  Don’t ever buy a pre workout supplement with taurine in it.  You’ll fall asleep in the locker room.

I know there were a lot of sound bites and some of the points are not put in context so if you need any clarifications about anything, let me know below.  Your comments, feedback and questions are always welcome.

ALWAYS be learning!

Vince

Day 2 Report from Charles Poliquin’s 5-Day Hypertrophy Bootcamp in Rhode Island

The nickname for Day 2 was Dropping The Hammer of Doom on the Lower Body!

When it was announced my team of three would be doing three quad dominant workouts in one day I thought, “How is that even possible?”  Especially when you’re training the same muscle group each session.  And especially since I never considered myself a masochist.

Completing three workouts a day on the same body part (I’m predicting) is going to be the “a-ha” moment of the week and I don’t think any of us thought we could make it through. So far we have… but we still have another leg day on Thursday so maybe I should shut up. If you’re thinking…

Are we sore? Oh my gawd yeah.

Did I want to crawl into the fetal position, suck my thumb and call my Mommy?  By the 25th set of the first workout, yup!

Isn’t this over training? Absolutely. But it’s strategic and brief.

Will I recover?  Of course!

We’re all listening to the wisdom and experience of Charles and sticking to his precise peri nutrition protocols and increase bumped up nutrient intakes by 50% overall normal requirements.

Plus, we’re in groups of three so the moral support is awesome. I’m in a group with two Alpha Males and we’re having a blast pushing each other to the brink of death.

Here are some of my take aways from our in-class sessions and nazi-style workouts…

1.   Pre Workout Stack: 40grams of BCAA, 5grams of Carnitine (l-carnitine and acetyl-l-carnitine from tartrate), 1 electrolyte pack, beta-alanine.  I had this stack three times today!

2. BCAA increase blood sugar while we train, are strongly anti-catabolic, require no energy to digest (maintaining growth hormone levels), increase cortisol (cortisol provides energy) insulin and growth at the same time, increase insulin sensitivity, and increase androgen receptivity.  Best way to take BCAA caps is to put them in a cup and carry your cup around with you. If you can only afford one supplement, BCAA is your best pick.  Plus, if you have a sensitivity to dairy, throw away your protein powder (unless it’s lactose free) and just use BCAA.

3. When hamstrings act as a knee flexor, you utilize more slow fast twitch muscle fibers. When hamstrings act as a hip extensor, you utilize more fast twitch muscle fibers. Therefore, your knee flexor exercises should be more explosive, lower reps and heavier. And your hip extensor exercises should be more controlled, higher reps and moderate weight.

4. Quads have mixed fibers for the average individual. In short, the average individual has a various distribution of muscle fibers so to get your quads to grow you need to use a wide variety of rep ranges.

5. The fastest way to break a muscle growth pleateau is with Eccentric training.Notice the hanging clamps with weights on them? Once you hit the floor, those clamps fall off so you can travel down with more weight than you come up with. Incredible!

6. Research almost never tells the whole story. For example, we know that having sugars during a workout is excellent to replenish your muscle glycogen but the insulin spike blunts growth hormone production.  So here’s the lesson: If you really want to become a student of exercise you need to read further into the research and science to be able to see the entire story.

7. The best exercise science research comes from Findland, Germans, Andrew Fry, William Kraemer and Lawerence Weiss.

8. When doing eccentric training the rule is that you prescribe a tempo and the tempo DICTATES the load. You know you’re doing eccentric training properly if you’re shaking uncontrollably at the end.  If you did a 10 second eccentric on squats, you’re still in control on the last second of the last rep.

9. Bodybuilding is the easiest concept in the world. Essentially, the goal is expose your body to a stimulus it has not figured out how to handle yet.  Do you think I’m going to make gains of of 3 a days?  Yup!

10. Critical Drop Off Index: During hypertrophy work (your goal is to gain size), when your strength drops off by 20% in a workout, that means it’s time to stop the workout. During CNS work (your goal is to gain strength), when your strength drops off by 7% it’s time to stop the workout.

11. An indication of a REALLY flipping amazing coach is if he can help you gain strength without your body weight going up weight classes!  Perhaps, the biggest challenge of a strength coach.

BONUS TIP: When you squat boys you squat “Balls to the heels” as one of the instructors yelled. Yes, your balls should touch your heels. Slightly bigger balls is an not cheating.

12. Specialized eccentric training should not make up more than 20% of your yearly volume and should not be introduced until after 2 years of base.

13. Too much eccentric training makes you stronger but also slower.

14. Good coaches will always change their philosophies as they evolve.

15. If you’re not experiencing severe mental anxiety and depression after two weeks then you’re not training hard enough! This was a huge “a-ha” moment.  A typical bench after a set…

16. Soccer players have the fewest “athletes” in professional sports… One of the worlds highest paid soccer players can not do 4 chin ups. Another onne of the worlds highest paid soccer players has the record on his team for clean and jerk. 72kg.  That’s good if you’re 15 years old … and a girl.

17. In a locker room of 63 professional baseball players, Charles was reminded that 5 of them looked relatively fit.

18. The majority of professional athletes are not as fit as you think. Many are simply genetic freaks.

19. Here’s what one of our instructors, Derek, yelled out to one of the groups on leg press when the intensity dropped, “50kg on the leg press has never been a heavy weight in the history of weight lifting. We’re not making history today. Get your “blank” act together.”

20. Muscle modelling occurs from eccentric training, not concentric training.  If you’re failing to control the weights on the negative portion then you’re wasting your flipping time. Go home and take up chess.

21. Don’t train with Charles Poliquin. You’ll want to commit suicide.

22. Big Ben Pakulski is sitting at 130kg and 5.1% bodyfat!  Charles did his BioSig and he’s a beast!  Ben pushing on on the fifth exercise of a 5 exercise giant set. 20 reps with no pause at the bottom or top is a recipe for setting your quads on fire.

23. I bailed three times while doing 10 second eccentric squats because my hips are too tight.

Six workouts down and nine to go. Keep praying for me. Comments and questions below!

Day 1 of the 5 Day Hypertrophy Bootcamp, East Greenwich, Rhode Island!

Instructors:
Charles Poliquin
Ben Pakulski
Derek Woodske
Ryan Fanley

Welcome to my daily report of the 2012 Hypertrophy Bootcamp!  Here’s how we were greeted:

“Over the next five days you’re going to learn FIFTEEN (15) hypertrophy methods.  Each day we’ll train three times and each time we train you’ll learn one new method. After the next five days you need to take five complete days off.  No deload day or “active recovery”. Nothing. The next five days you’ll each gain 5-7 pounds of muscle. Any questions so far?”

The 17 students from Australia, Finland, Canada and the U.S. drooled with anticipation…  Where have you been all my life Charles?!

Today we went through three workouts for chest and back starting off with a Modified Hepburn method in the morning and then ending with giant sets in the evening.  Here are some sound bites from the notes. Feel free to test my new knowledge behind the WHY of each of these methods:

1.  During CNS (central nervous system) training forced reps are used for one thing and one thing only…. To save your friends life. Otherwise, forced reps are not permitted during CNS training. Why? Because forced reps increase acidity which decrease force production. Plus forced reps lead to bad form and bad form with heavy loads can lead to injuries.

2. There are three categories of people in the gym:

- Those who know a lot of theory but don’t have a flipping clue of what they are doing.

- Those that have a lot of experience but are misguided by horrible theory and concepts.

- Those that have theory AND enough experience to created desired changes and responses.

3. Training makes you weaker and smaller. At the end of this 5 days I’m going to be skinnier.  The goal of your training is to train so hard you make yourself “skinny” so when you recover you “supercompensate” and become bigger.  Why does that make sense? The more stress = the more growth… IF you recover and if you recover then you’ve experienced the “training effect.”

4. CNS workouts in the morning (the one we did this morning consisted of 13 sets of 3 reps) potentiate (excite) the CNS, which in turn helps you recruit 5-7% more muscle fibers in the afternoon.  This ONE tip got me my moneys worth.  Heavy training in the morning. Volume training in the evening.  5 days on. 5 days off.  You can only do these double or triple day sessions for 1-2 cycles max. Drug assisted individuals might be able to handle three of these cycles if their sleep and nutrition is perfect.

5. Our Pre Workout Supplement Protocol: BCAA  + Carnitine + Beta Alaninine + 1 electrolyte pack.  I’ll talk about WHY this stack is so powerful in the future.

6. Best way to train CNS system is EXPLOSIVE REPS (as fast as you can) with 4 second negative.  Why is explosiveness necessary? Because we are trying to recruit the fast-twitch muscle fibers that have the greatest potential for growth.

7. If you’re on a tight budget the only supplement you need is BCAA (for muscle growth).  BCAA increase blood sugar while you train, increase insulin, cortisol and growth hormone at the same time, increase insulin sensitivity and androgen receptor receptivity (your ability to uptake testosterone and utilize it).

17 students from around the world!

Lunch was sponsored by Whole Foods – My body was so fried after the FIRST workout I had no appetite and had to wait to eat my chicken, veggies and salad. I couldn’t even eat the yams.

What we did after the first workout. Slept on the floor!

One cool thing: Unlimited access to supplements pre, during and post workout.

Dumbbells with spinning handles! Everything in 1 kg to 160kg in 1 kg increments!

Tomorrow I’ll get you more action shots!  My back and chest are still shaking and I have virtually no appetitive tonight which is a sign of being overstressed and overtrained (today). No doubt!  Looking forward to sharing this amazing experience with you.

Don’t get fooled and fall for the hype. Getting a midsection that sets you apart from the pack requires the traits of practicality and patience.   Ripped six-pack abs – the ones that cause jealousy – are unquestionably the most desired visual benefit of hard-training fitness enthusiasts.  Sure, it’s impressive to have bigger pecs, arms, or legs, but most practical gym-goers are seeking out visual impact from head to toe.  A big, bulky physique doesn’t look right when it’s intersected with a big, bulging stomach.   Got abs? Now you own the trophy of all trophies!

Rule #1: Cut Your Calories By 20%

On average, most individuals consume about 17 calories per pound of bodyweight each day.  It’s important to cut back the amount of food you’re eating to create a slight caloric deficit, encouraging your body to tap into body fat for energy to make up the difference.  Most individuals should reduce their overall calorie consumption about 20% during the first two weeks, taking in about 14 calories per pound of body weight each day. For example, if you weigh 200 lbs., you should be eating around 2,800 calories a day (200 x 14 = 2,800). You can reduce your calories another 20% if you’re not losing at least 1% of your body weight per week.

Rule #2: Eat Five Solid Meals & One Shake

Establishing a regular meal cadence of five solid meals a day, rather than 3 meals a day, helps your body experience a slight increase in calorie-burning because every time you eat, your body uses energy (calories) to break down, digest, and absorb the food you eat. Consuming multiple meals helps lower cortisol levels (a catabolic hormone), which results in slightly elevated testosterone levels (a muscle-building hormone).  The higher your testosterone levels, the greater your muscle growth and more muscle leads to more calorie burning. My mantra: “Eat solid food if you want to look solid.” Immediately after an intense workout consume a liquid meal consisting of fast-acting proteins and carbs in the form of whey-isolate and carb powder such at Karbolyn, Vtargo, maltodextrin, dextrose, or Gatorade. We consume fluids after our workout because the nutrients are delivered faster than whole food.

Rule #3: It’s Paramount You Eat “Clean” Carbohydrates

Not all carbs are created equal (too bad)! In fact, many “natural” carbs are fast-digesting (glucose/sugar-based). When you consume this type of carb, they trigger an insulin spike that encourages bodyfat storage. Instead, slow-digesting carbs are better because they reduce your insulin response – they will also stay with you longer, preventing hunger pains, controlling appetite, and preventing crashing during your workouts. Carbs will also give your physique a full, strong, and healthy appearance – not a weak and soft look. Consume in the form of a slow-digesting, long-lasting carb like oatmeal, brown rice, Ezekiel cereal, quinoa, whole-wheat breads or pastas, whole fruits, yams, sweet-potatoes, and whole vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, asparagus, and squash. In addition to recommendations above, include high-fiber foods such as beans and lentils, as well as low-fructose fruits. Your carb intake should be approximately 40% of your daily intake starting out, and can be adjusted up or down slightly, based on the speed of your metabolism.

Rule #4: Be Deserving Of Your Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are not the enemy when it comes to burning fat: too many calories and low- quality food is the enemy.  Time your carbohydrates around the times of the day you deserve them – 1 to 1.5 hours before you workout, immediately after your workout, one hour after you workout, and four hours after you workout. This carbohydrate timing strategy will ensure you refuel your muscle glycogen stores and have plenty in reserve for your daily tasks.  

Rule #5: Bump Up Your Protein Intake

Consuming 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight every day, spread out through the day, is your goal.  This works out to approximately 40% of your daily caloric intake.  Ensure your protein comes in a variety of sources to optimize digestion and absorption.  By providing a steady stream of amino acids, you’re supplying your muscles with a buffer to prevent breakdown.  These aminos will be used for physiological processes, and your body is much less likely to break down muscle tissue for use of energy, which can occur as you get ultra lean. Maintaining a high protein diet helps increase your metabolic rate, meaning your body needs more calories just to maintain its bodyweight. The best news is that this also makes it easier for your body to burn fat.  For optimal results, avoid eating the same protein source more than once a day. Strive to eat at least six different sources of protein each day. You can include different types of white fish such as cod, haddock, sea bass, halibut, flounder, tilapia, sole, and turbot. When it comes to meat, try to rotate bison, buffalo patties, chicken, lean beef, elk, ostrich, venison, wild boar, turkey, kangaroo, and even antelope (many of these meats can be found in exotic meat stores).  Finally, including egg whites, cottage cheese, whole eggs, and whey-isolate protein will ensure you never experience diet boredom!

Rule #6: Eat More Fat To Burn Fat

A huge mistake is going too low with your fat intake. You need to consume a certain amount of dietary fat for satiety (making you feel full), hormone production, and general sense of well-being. Strive to get at least 20% of your daily calories from fat. Consider fat your “happy” food – cut your fat and you’ll feel like a truck ran over you. When it comes to fat selection, the rule is the same as proteins and fats: variety is key. Find a balance between a few great oils to receive the benefits of each. Macadamia oil, olive oil, and coconut oil are excellent.  Include whole food sources such as walnuts, cashews, almonds, pecans, and avocados. To optimize hormones, it’s best to never consume fats with carbohydrates in the same meal.

Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet and contains one more dietary ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids botanicals and other substances.  When combined with proper diet and training, supplements can catalyze your progress.

Unfortunately, supplements are a tricky business. With thousands of products on the market, it feels like a lost cause to discover the truth unless you have private access to confidential information that exposes the facts, prevents confusion and a dent in your wallet. Supplements are still puzzling for many fitness enthusiasts, and supplement myths continue to advance. Fortunately, I am privileged to be connected with a handful of supplement insiders to know the truth so let’s review the facts to prevent you from becoming overwhelmed or broke.

Myth #1
You’re Missing Out If You’re Not Taking Supplement X

If you’re like many people, you don’t want to be left out in the dark if there is a hot new product available and it’s got all the claims of being the “next big thing.”  Supplement companies use this technique to get you to spend lots of money with over-hyped claims before the supplement has been on the market long enough to stand the test of time. I like seeing a supplement on the market for at least four years before giving it personal attention.

Myth #2
If The Packaging Is Sexy, Then It Must Work

Some supplement companies spend more time researching techniques for packaging, and drawing your eyes to the labels instead of the actual ingredients and doses in the product. Do your research on the company before you take a trip to your local nutrition store.

Myth #3
The New Version Is Always Better Than The Old Version

How do supplement companies stay in business?  By making money — lots of it.  They don’t become profitable stating their old line or Version 1.0, was inferior. Although there are some new innovations and formulas available, the old products don’t lose their effectiveness just because Version 2.0 has arrived.

Myth #4
The Science Backs It Up So It Must Work

Yes, a good handful of companies can back their formulas and products with clinical studies (done on humans, not rats), but not all companies back up their claims with reliable research. Be aware of the use of “scientific slant” – when companies put scientific references on ad materials or product packaging. Many supplement companies don’t reveal the entire truth of the science — just what you want to hear.

Myth #5
What It Says On The Bottle Is In The Bottle

What you see is not always what you get. For almost all supplement companies, there is a 10% variance, which means you could be getting 10% less or 10% more.  Upstart companies are found more guilty of “pixy dusting” their products compared to a long-standing company.  Always look for the FDA approved or CGMP certified classifications on the products to increase the chances of getting what the label says you’re getting.

Myth #6
Cheap Prices Mean a Better Deal

Like anything in life, there is no such thing as a “free lunch” and if it looks too good to be true, most likely it is. Just like you won’t ever find a diamond on sale, don’t expect to find a high quality product on sale. If it’s super cheap, then it’s cheap for a reason.  If you’re serious about your health, don’t penny-pinch your supplement arsenal.

Myth #7
Higher Prices Means Higher Quality

For the most part, I live by the belief, “you get what you pay for,” and supplement marketers know that many of us hold this belief, so they intentionally jack up the price to create a higher perceived value.  Oftentimes, the extra cost is going towards inflated advertising costs.

Myth #8
The Owner Of The Store Knows Best

How many times have you been in a supplement store and asked the owner or store clerk, “Which one is the best?”  Even if there is a better quality product on their shelf, sometimes they will recommend the product that the store gets the highest profit margins on — which, in most cases, is not the best quality product.  Store clerks are trained to say, “Go with this one. It tastes great, it’s great quality and a decent price.”  How can you say ‘no’ to that if you don’t know any better? I strongly recommend doing meticulous research on the variety of supplements available, before, you walk into the store so you don’t get suckered for the next ‘shiny object.’

Myth #9
Supplements Are Safe Because They Are Natural

Just because you can buy them at a local health food store does not mean they are not filled with synthetics, fillers, artificial sweeteners and low quality ingredients.  Some fat burners will not faze certain people, while other people can develop heart and blood pressure problems, so beware and consult with your doctor before taking any new supplement. The supplement store owner is rarely a registered dietician or medical doctor.

Myth #10
Supplements Are Safe Because You Can Buy Them Over The Counter

The government does not regulate supplements so it’s up to you to do your research and determine which products have long-term scientific evidence to support their claims. The only way an unsafe supplement will leave the market is if the free market — you and I — regulate it out of existence.

Your general goal should be to gain a half-pound to two pounds of muscle each week. To accomplish this weight increase, you will need to gradually consume an extra 500-1000 quality calories a day above your basal metabolic rate and exercise exertion requirements.  These additional calories will promote faster muscle growth.

The average hard-training individual will need to consume at least 10 calories per pound of body weight just to meet their daily basal metabolic requirements.  These same individuals need to take in an additional 7 calories per pound of body weight to meet any daily activity need that requires movement and focused exercise such as weight training and cardio.  For example, an individual who weighs 180 pounds, who is moderately active throughout his regular life, and who weight trains intensely and consistently, will need to consume approximately 3,600 calories to add quality muscle to his body (180lbs x 17 = 3,060).

Many bodybuilders will do well with a macronutrient calorie breakdown of 40 percent complete complex carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fats. Keep in mind, this example is intended to be a guideline because your body has a unique set of dietary responses.  Others may find a different ratio works better for them.  It’s strongly suggested that you use your body and the mirror as your main guidelines – if you’re not pleased with how you feel or what you see in the mirror each week, minor adjustments to your nutrient ratio and serving size are acceptable until you find what works best for your body.

To encourage muscle growth, strength gains, and recovery, you need to ingest sufficient amounts of high-quality protein along with enough complex carbs to fuel heavy, and intense, training sessions. Strive to consume at least 1.0 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight and 1.5 to 2.0 grams of carbs per pound of body weight for a baseline.  Pay attention to how your body responds to the ratio of protein and carbs you are eating – depending on your body’s insulin sensitivity, metabolism, and body fat levels, your needs will vary but start with at least 1 gram of protein and 1.5 grams of carbs per pound of body weight, and add 25% each week if you’re not growing.  Your dietary fat intake should account for 0.5 grams of fat per pound of body weight.

There are 4 calories in every gram of carbs and protein, and 9 calories in every gram of fat, so an individual who weighs 180 pounds will consume 180 grams of protein per day (180 x 4 = 720 calories), 270 grams of carbs per day (270 x 4 = 1,080 calories) and 90 grams of fat per day (90 x 9 = 810 calories).  In total, that’s 2,610 calories to gain quality muscle mass without unwanted body fat. So, how do we make up the missing 400 calories? (Remember, our daily calorie guideline is body weight multiplied by 17).

The answer:  One “Freebie Meal” a day, which I’ll explain in a moment.

Advanced Rules To Maximize The Muscle-to-Fat Ratio

1. Establish a regular meal cadence by consuming at least five calorie-dense whole-food meals and one muscle shake each day. At first, this might seem like a lot of surplus calories, but this amount is necessary to facilitate muscle growth.
2. Earn your carbs by timing them as follows:  one meal before you train, during your workout, one hour after you train, and four hours after you train.  Only give your body carbs when they are required for intense exercise.
3. Rotate your protein sources at each meal to optimize digestion and absorption.  The best sources of protein are bison, buffalo, sirloin, venison, turkey, chicken, white fish, salmon, and whole eggs.  Hydrolyzed protein is your best protein powder supplement.
4. Rotate your carb sources at each meal to prevent allergies. The best sources are potatoes (all colors), yams, white and brown rice, Ezekiel cereal, Ezekiel bread, oatmeal, beans, and small amounts of fruit.  A carb powder like Vitargo or Karbolyn are your best carb powder supplements.  Gatorade is sufficient if the first two options are beyond your budget.
5. Eat at least 1 cup of veggies with every meal to optimize digestion and absorption and to control blood sugar levels.
6. Rotate your fat sources each day to get a variety of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats into your diet — walnuts, pecans, cashews, almonds, all nut butters, coconut oil, olive oil, avocados, and a variety of seeds.
7. Sip on 30-50 grams of carb powder, 5-10 grams of glutamine, 5-10 grams of branch chain amino acids, and 3-5 grams of creatine starting 30 minutes into your workout in order to blunt cortisol (a catabolic hormone released in response to stress), and to initiate muscle growth.
8. Drink a top-quality organic greens supplement when you wake up. This will infuse your body with easily-absorbed vitamins, minerals, amino acids, chlorophyll, enzymes, phytonutrients, and alkaline salts that help neutralize acids and ensure your cells are living in an environment in which they can thrive and grow.

Here’s a sample diet for a 200-pound individual who wants to gain quality muscle, and is based on the rules above:

Meal 1 –
3 whole eggs
8 oz of extra lean beef
1 cup of veggies (spinach)
2 ounces of mixed nuts

Meal 2 – Pre Workout
2 cups of whole wheat pasta
1 cup of tomato sauce
8 oz of white fish
1 cup of veggies

Meal 3 – Workout Shake – Begin Sipping During Workout
80 grams of carb powder + Glutamine, Creatine, BCAA
15 minutes later – 40 grams of isolate protein

Meal 4 – 1 Hour Post Workout
12 oz of sweet potato
12 oz of chicken
2 cups of veggies

Meal 5 – 4 Hours Post Workout
1 cup of egg whites
8 oz of turkey
1 slice of low-fat cheese
2 cups of broccoli
2 cups of brown rice

1 cup of veggies

Meal 6:
10 oz steak or salmon
2 oz avocado
1 cup of veggies

Note:  This is a very similar meal plan to the one I followed to bulk up from 214 pounds to 227 pounds (after eight years of training), and on days I could not adhere to the diet plan above, I would substitute one of the meals with a “freebie meal” which is basically anything you wish…even if it’s a ham- burger and fries.  A “freebie meal” will make it easier to comply with the rest of the diet, and make it more likely that you will hit your goal calories each day.

Lastly, always keep a daily food log to track the calories you consume in the form of proteins, carbs, and fats. By logging your food intake, you provide yourself an accurate snapshot and ongoing reference guide for your nutrition.  Think of it as a map.  This map will become invaluable when analyzing your trek towards your end destination.  Since you can see everything laid out before you, you can easily see where you made a wrong turn if you’re not on track or, where you made a right turn if you’re right on pace for your goal.  As the famous business quote goes, “What gets measured, gets managed.”  Attempting to build muscle without a “roadmap” is like trying to save a thousand dollars without looking at your bank statements!

This picture was taken 24 hours after competing in a fitness show in 2011.  The actual TRUTH about how I achieved this condition is not so glamorous and, instead of offering you false hope by promoting my products and services as THE answers to a ripped and muscular physique, let’s make sure you’re ready to handle this question:  Can you handle the TRUTH?  Well, here it is.

To get into this extreme shape, I began weight training at the age of 22 years and have continued to lift consistently for the past nine years, and I was able to take my scrawny 149-pound body to a muscular 227 pounds, but that did not go without gaining fat through the ‘bulking up’ process.  Understand, it’s impossible to gain muscle without fat unless you’re taking performance-enhancing drugs.

For the four months leading up to this picture, my diet was very strict.  I ate every three hours.  I ate six different protein sources a day (sirloin, whole eggs, white fish, turkey, chicken, protein powder); four different carb sources a day (brown rice, Ezekiel cereal, quinoa, yams); two different fat sources a day (avocados, mixed nuts); consumed vegetables with every meal; trained from 1.5 to 3 hours a day (six days a week); eliminated all alcohol and sweets.  I went to bed at 10:30 p.m. and rose at 6:00 a.m. every day.  My weekly grocery and supplement bill was around $300 a week.  I invested $4,000 to hire one of the top bodybuilding coaches in the world.  I have a very supportive wife who lives and breathes the same lifestyle, making this lifestyle easier.  I train at one of the best gyms in the country, and am surrounded by celebrities and professional athletes to keep me motivated.  I grew up in an extremely goal-oriented home so I have my own natural drive to be successful.  I was competing for my Pro Card (which I won), giving me huge motivation.  Did I mention I was filming my entire transformation to create a brand new product called Stage Shredded Status, so I was financially motivated, too.  I also invested in a professional photographer who shot over 800 images to capture this one, and I wouldn’t doubt that some digital retouching was applied to fix any of my cosmetic flaws…and that was after my body was already water-depleted and carb- loaded (sneaky tricks we fitness models know)!

In fact, what most people don’t know about the fitness models and bodybuilders portrayed in the magazines who are promoting the next pill, powder, or potion, is that these models are scheduled for photo shoots immediately after competitions to ensure the model is in extreme shape after months of dieting, intense training (often times with the use of steroids and growth hormone), diuretics, tanning, posing practice, and other photo-enhancing products.  Although this type of extreme shape is temporary, many magazines and advertising campaigns hope their prospects buy into the belief that this condition is the standard look, rather than the exception, and never do they explain that this look is temporary and that these models do not look like this all the time. This may inspire millions, but it also misleads millions and encourages individuals to emulate their idols, not knowing how they really got there.

It takes a tremendous amount of energy and discipline to get into this kind of shape, but most supplement and infomercial companies want you to believe that you can get into this kind of shape by simply taking a pill, working out on their ‘revolutionary’ exercise equipment, drinking their ‘magical’ shakes, or eating their ‘superhuman’ bars.  Anyone who has ever gotten into this kind of extreme shape knows the truth:  it takes a lot more than that!  Another misconception about many fitness models (including myself) is that we stay in this kind of shape all the time; it’s not true.  In fact, I wouldn’t consider it healthy for anyone to stay in this kind of shape all the time.  Stop believing the lies:  it takes hard work, discipline, knowledge, genetics, and time…end of story.

The truth no one wants to tell you is that you will probably never look anything like the fitness models, bodybuilders, or celebrities who grace the covers of magazines, star in infomercials, or who represent many of the supplement and equipment companies.  I am sorry, but most of us do not have the genetics to look that way, nor do we have the right education, or the time to transform our bodies into this kind of ‘perfection’.  Furthermore, we don’t utilize performance-enhancing drugs to completely redesign our bodies.  There is a lot of deception in the ‘health and fitness’ industry, including how the fitness model achieved his muscular and ripped look.

Are you wondering why I’m telling you all of this?  Are you finding this info a bitter pill to swallow?  Don’t worry, the reason I’m baring this God’s honest truth is because you should be both empowered and encouraged by what I just shared.  Once you accept the reality of what it really takes, you can be freed from chasing the false sense of reality often portrayed in the media…an unattainable fantasy provided by people who do not have your best interests at heart.  As a result, you are now free to focus on achieving YOUR own potential, and the peace of mind that goes with it.  Once you shift YOUR focus from trying to be like someone else to, instead, becoming the best YOU can be, I know you will find tremendous pride, satisfaction, and fulfillment in who YOU are.  I urge you to stop trying to emulate your favorite YouTube hero, or the latest cover model, and focus on YOUR energy by making realistic, attainable goals that YOU can be proud of.  You may reach your dream body with far less effort, investment, and motivation, or it might require more.  The take-home lesson is to not compare yourself with how someone else looks…never!  Let their physique motivate you, but focus on one workout and one meal at a time, to make today your best day ever, and you’ll achieve your dream body, too.

Comments or questions? Leave them below!