Vital Stats

Name: CT Fletcher
Born: June 8, 1960
Location: Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Trainer, MetroFlex Long Beach
Website: www.ctfletcher.com

Long before CT Fletcher was the louder-than-life “Superman of Compton,” he was just your average, everyday behemoth—maybe one of a handful of the strongest men on earth on any given day during the 1990s and 2000s. Look around online and you can still find him, surprisingly calm and soft-spoken as he asks if his belly is hanging out before banging out rep after plate-rattling rep. “The hardest part is the sit-up afterward,” he jokes.

Of course, the “CT motherfuckin’ Fletcher” you know and love was in there as well, raging and roaring backstage before doing battle with the great pressers of his day. The records that resulted have become an inextricable part of his persona: a precise blend of “drill sergeant, preacher, and raving lunatic,” capable of commanding any weight to move and muscle to grow.

In part one of an exclusive interview, Fletcher gives us the inside scoop on his heaviest lifts, his legendary diet, and the first time he felt like he was “king of the jungle.”

Q You’ve trained for just raw strength, reps, and “sidewalk-cracking” size, and been successful at all three. What accomplishments are you proudest of?

One of the things I’m proudest of is a failed attempt with 705 pounds in my last competition. It was raw and drug-free, and I’m proud of that because it was the biggest stage with the best bench pressers in the world, all gathered together for an invitation-only contest. I showed up, and instead of going for a safe amount that I know I could do, I called for what then was the world record.

Advice for Powerlifters and Heavy Weightlifting
Watch The Trailer – 03:07

For the biggest crowd I had ever bench-pressed in front of, I gave it my all. I didn’t fuckin’ half-step. I went balls out and pushed as fuckin’ hard as I could. I was unsuccessful in my attempt, but I gave it one hell of a run. To me, that is my best lift.

And did you just go back to work at the post office the next day like nothing happened?

Well, sort of. I first started having heart problems when I was training for that contest— that the doctors told me about anyway. They told me that my heart was enlarged—they actually told me the day before that competition. I told them what I was going to try to do, and they said the strain of that much weight could cause my aortic valve to rupture. They said: “No repairing it. If it ruptures, you are going to die. And are you still planning on competing?”

They thought I was crazy, but I thought that was a crazy question for them to ask me. They were looking at me like, “Do you understand what we’re telling you, Mr. Fletcher? You can die!” And I’m like, “Fuck yeah, I understand, but what better way to die than to fuckin’ be on the bench press in the biggest contest of my life, going for the most weight I ever went for? Am I going to compete? Are you out of your fuckin’ mind? Of course I’m gonna compete!”

“Am I going to compete? Are you out of your fuckin’ mind? Of course
I’m gonna compete!”

After the lift, did you feel incredible relief simply for not dying?

Oh no, no, no. I didn’t give a fuck. I really, sincerely did not give a fuck whether I died or not, making that attempt. What I felt relief in was that I didn’t shirk from the pressure of the moment. It was a tremendous amount of pressure being on that stage against the best in the world. I could have cowered, I could have backed down, but what I felt good about was that I did not. I faced the moment, I stared it down and I gave it my fuckin’ all, so I felt great.

Another of your most famous lifts is a 225-pound strict curl that, as far as I can tell, is still a record by a fair margin.

Yeah, you know things have changed, because in strict curl competitions these days there is no wall involved in the competition. In my day, a strict curl, you had to have your head, back, and butt up against a wall in order to make the curl. It’s a lot harder to curl 225 pounds standing up against a wall than it is just to curl 225 pounds. I can fuckin’ curl 225 pounds without a wall now, and I’m an old washed-up has-been motherfucker.

CT Fletcher on Biceps Curls
Watch The Trailer – 00:45

So are you going to show everybody how it’s done and defend your record?

I’m gonna god-damn sure try. Just like the 705, I’ll be giving it my fuckin’ best, that’s for sure.

You often refer to a moment when you were in the hospital after your surgery, and a doctor who knew who you were said, “What happened to you?” How did you find your way out of the pit?

I knew where I came from, and I knew the feeling of being king of the beasts. I knew the feeling of being the baddest man, when I felt that nobody on the planet was stronger than me. I just had to go in search of that feeling. I knew what it felt like, so I just had to try to turn back the hands of time and show him that I’m still CT motherfuckin’ Fletcher. I may look fucked-up now, but I’ll be back!

My Magnificent Obsession Lives
Watch The Trailer – 04:44

Do you remember the first time you felt that nobody on the planet was stronger than you?

Oh, yes. I remember the workout. I was training for a bench-press competition and I was doing board presses. I started out with 600 pounds and did that easily. Put a 650 next, did that easily, and put a 705-pound board press and did that pretty easily. I knew I had room left, and my training partner was saying, “Hey man, let’s just see how far you can go!”

I said, “I really don’t want to know how much I can do, because right now I’m feeling like my limit is limitless. I don’t have a motherfuckin’ limit. And I like the way this feels, so I’m just gonna walk the fuck out the gym right now and go get me a couple double cheeseburgers.”

Speaking of food, your old diet is legendary. Hundreds of desiccated liver tablets, raw eggs, cheeseburgers every day. How is it different now?

Oh yeah, it’s totally different but all of that stuff is very, very true. I would get a dozen raw eggs and a hundred, two hundred desiccated liver pills because that’s what they told you in the fuckin’ books. I always believed excess was better, so I always overdid it. If this guy was eating 10 raw eggs then I had to eat 12 or 15. This motherfucker was not going to out-eat me! So I would eat all that semi-healthy shit, and then I would go to McDonalds and eat all the fucked-up shit too.

So are you a three-squares-a-day, steamed vegetables kind of guy now?

Yes, very much so. When I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, I’m on a good diet. Spinach is my favorite green, and sweet potato is my favorite carb, and some type of fish. I eat fish three times a day with spinach and sweet potatoes. I don’t mind eating the same fuckin’ thing every day; it don’t bother me at all.

Stay tuned for the second half of this interview, where CT talks about his storied competitive history. If you just came here because you want to train some MF arms with CT as your guide, check out CT Fletcher’s Armed Warfare Workout.

Recommended For You

Armed Warfare: CT Fletcher’s Arms Workout

CT Fletcher knows a thing or fifty about building monstrous biceps and triceps. Think you can hang? Get ready to command your muscles to grow!

Workout Music Vol. X: CT Fletcher’s Training Tunes

CT Fletcher is one of the biggest, baddest trainers in America. We caught up with this beast to hear the sweet sounds he listens to when he lifts.

Arms Exercises: 8 Amazing Triceps Moves

If your triceps aren’t growing like you want them to, it’s time to throw in some new moves. Here are eight of my favorite triceps exercises. Add them to your workout and watch your horseshoes grow!

Jay Cutler is one of the most popular bodybuilders of all time because he’s one of—if not the—most approachable. He’s not content to watch his fans from a virtual distance; he wants to meet them. And he spends upwards of 30 weeks each year on the road doing just that.

“I like the personal contact,” he explains. “I get to actually shake their hands and look them in the eye. That’s always much better than communicating with someone via email or text. I never thought I’d be shaking this many hands.”

Bodybuilding.com caught up with Jay just after he finished a three-week tour of Spain, United Kingdom, Denmark, Holland, Germany, Austria, and Poland, promoting his line of supplements. The question we had was particularly relevant: How do you maintain a pro-caliber physique when you’re on the road? The answer was this five-point plan that takes the guesswork out of travel.

Step 1

In Jay’s prime, he often had to call hotels to ensure he could get a room with a small kitchen and have the right kinds of foods available at any hour. Sometimes those conversations took place overseas, and misunderstandings were par for the course. But today, much of this advanced planning can be done through the Internet.

“You can do so much more online than we could a decade ago,” says Jay. “Book a room with a microwave at the very least, or get one with a kitchenette with a small fridge. Spend some time emailing to find out what they have for room service. Find out if there’s a supermarket nearby. Who wants to pay $4 for a bottle of water when you can get a case at the corner store for that same amount? And if you want to work out, even if it’s just cardio, check whether the hotel has a fitness center.”

“You can do so much more online than we could a decade ago. Book a room with a microwave, kitchenette, or small fridge; learn about the hotel’s room service; find nearby supermarkets; and check whether the hotel has a fitness center.”

Step 2

If you’re traveling, you might bring along your swimsuit, T-shirts, sandals, and suntan lotion. If you’re Jay Cutler, chances are you’ll instead find a George Foreman grill, plastic utensils, and a maybe even a single-serving blender inside a checked bag.

What Jay puts into his bags when he’s traveling may seem like overkill to you, but it’s the necessary equipment that helped build a four-time Mr. Olympia physique. Depending on the length of the trip, he’ll even prepare and pack many of his meals.

“If you prepare food ahead of time, you’ll want to freeze it,” he advises. “That’s because airlines won’t let you bring ice. When you get to your hotel, immediately put it in ice. Every hotel has an ice machine along with a microwave downstairs to heat up your food, even if your room doesn’t have one.”

Bars and supplements can also be a godsend when your diet is tight and options are few. “I’ll drink more protein shakes and bars when I’m out of town,” Jay says. “Even when everything is going right, it’s harder to get the right macronutrients on the road.”

Step 3

Your biggest fear when flying might be that you could be stuck sitting next to a guy as big as Jay. (Yes, he does travel coach, but only on fairly short trips, he says.) But his concerns are more about the inflight meal. It’s usually small, loaded with sugar and fat, and devoid of any substantive nutrition.

He says you’re much better off bringing your own fare: “The food airlines serve is never good. I always bring enough food to get me through a flight—always. Yes, I’m eating cold food. No, it doesn’t taste good. In the end, what’s the alternative?”

A photo posted by Jay Cutler (@mrojaycutlerofficial) on Oct 10, 2014 at 9:34am PDT

If you’ve ever had a water bottle or other item confiscated and tossed at the gate, it may come as a surprise that you can take packaged food through security. You can! Depending on the length of your trip, a small sack of jerky, trail mix, protein bars, or sealed pouches of tuna might be sufficient. Jay’s trips are often longer, and his meals are immense. (No surprise if you’ve watched Living Large)

“If I pack food, I’ll always have Ziploc bags,” he explains. “It’s easier to pack many more meals than when using Tupperware. Write on each meal what it is, and eat with a plastic fork right out of the baggie. If you don’t want to bring food, bring some nuts and protein shakes.”

Step 4

You’ve touched down in a new town. Now what? Find your gym and get a sweat on.

“I always tell people, especially coming off of flights, that one of the best things you can do is to go to a gym and work out,” Jay says. “It really gets a lot of water out and just helps you feel better.”

Nearly all hotel gyms are, of course, insufficient to meeting a bodybuilder’s elite training needs. But don’t let that excuse keep you from doing anything. Even a brisk walk around the hotel is better than nothing, and Jay has done plenty of them.

“Your schedule may not be what you’re used to at home. You may not have the same equipment, but guess what? You don’t have to have Olympia-level workouts every time you train,” he insists. “Just get in there and do something.” Use supersets or other intensity boosters; do what you can, and make the most of what you’ve got.

Step 5

There’s not much that’s more terrifying for a clean-eating traveler than going to a strange restaurant. Mysterious sauces and chefs who prep for taste rather than health can send calorie counts into the stratosphere. You may not want to be that guy—the one who makes special off-menu requests—but don’t be afraid. Jay says that in his experience, most restaurants and hotels want your business enough that they will do their best to accommodate your particular dietary needs.

“I’ve walked into the back of kitchens to explain how to cook food,” he recalls. “Any place that makes chicken sandwiches has chicken breasts, which is fine as long as it’s not fried or cooked in a ton of butter.” Language a barrier? “There’s always someone who speaks English no matter where you are,” he says. “And nowadays you have Google Translate to help make sense of it, too.”

Be prepared, be confident, and you’ll get what you need. And once you do, order plenty of it. “I’ll bring some extra baggies,” Jay says. “If I order extra food from a restaurant, I don’t want to have to carry around a big Styrofoam container.”

Is this extra work? Definitely. But ultimately, Jay says, you’ll do the advance preparation if you’re truly hungry. Hungry, that is, to be your best.

Recommended For You

Jay Cutler: How I Survived My Toughest-Ever Workout

When you’re on top, everyone is gunning for you. How did Jay Cutler dominate competitive bodybuilding for five years? He trained harder than his rivals and won four Mr. Olympia titles.

Jay Cutler: Big Lessons

In his long and illustrious bodybuilding career Jay Cutler has seen and done it all. The four-time Mr. Olympia gives us a frank assessment of what got him here and what lies ahead.

Overcome 9 Training Mistakes Everybody Makes

Every phase of training comes with its own unique challenges and temptations, and none of us are immune to error. The sooner you recognize these classic training blunders, the sooner you can correct them and get back to growing!

Vital Stats

Name: Keith Hodge
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 203 pounds

Name: Kevin Hodge
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 206 pounds

Website: officialhodgetwi…

Keith and Kevin Hodge, better known as “the Hodgetwins” on their YouTube channel TwinMuscleWorkout, specialize in a unique brand of fitness advice that’s quickly turning the duo’s videos into cult classics, but not because they have big production values of fitness systems like P90X, or huge special effects budgets.

Think of them as the “Blair Witch Project” of the fitness world—original, street, and no-holds-barred. If you want someone to weigh in on just about any topic with unabashed honesty peppered with boundless profanity, then theirs is the most honest channel on the internet. It’s no-bullshit fitness advice that’s entertaining and rock-solid, but also includes more comments and stories about life in general.

The twins begin each broadcast by taking extreme pauses and making faces at the screen, which sets the mood for the antics that follow. Their charisma and wit is infectious, but the underpinning theme is an ambition to help people and promote the healthy lifestyle they so obviously live and breathe. But this path to success wasn’t the way people traditionally achieve it.

“We always say we took the long route into our careers in fitness and entertainment,” they explain. “In 2008, we uploaded our first video with absolutely no idea it would become the start of new careers for us. We had this dream of making people laugh while inspiring them to live healthier lives, but didn’t quite know how to achieve that and earn a living. One day at work, Keith had this idea that we should quit our jobs to do YouTube videos full time, and so we did.

“We had this dream of making people laugh while inspiring them to live healthier lives.”

“Our first channel was just a comedic commentary channel where we gave our views of current events, and it did well. Next came advice channels, at the urging of our new fans, but our fitness channel is really where it all took off for us. We were very interested in health, but we first had to answer our harshest critic, which at the time was the mirror.

“Neither of us liked how we looked or felt, and we knew we weren’t at our optimum health. We started working out to improve our own fitness levels, and took our viewers along for the ride. If someone had told us back then that we’d be doing this, we wouldn’t have believed them.”

It’s abundantly clear that the twins are now doing their dream job, with explosive career prospects on the horizon. They’re currently developing their own TV show, which has afforded them the opportunity to work with several comedians they’ve always admired.

They’ve also launched a clothing brand (officialhodgetwins.com), but their main ambition is to meet their fans in person—a testament to their charismatic personalities. But before you head to YouTube to get your fix of their videos, here is a behind-the-scenes look at their training, motivations and eating philosophies.

Routine Results

When it comes to building muscle, change gets gains. In fact, trying a new workout every 4-8 weeks and taking rest weeks is a time-honored practice among lifters. This periodized approach is the key to long-term exercise success and avoiding overtraining.

No matter how much you switch up your training, there’s often a program that works best for your particular body type. The Hodges’ physiques are no exception.

“No matter how much you switch up your training, there’s often a program that works best for your particular body type.”

“Working each body part twice per week using a rep range of 5-8 reps for compound movements, such as squats, deadlift and bench presses, and 8-12 reps for isolation exercises, such as concentration curls and triceps pushdowns, seems to be the formula we’ve had the most success with,” they explain. “Plus, we don’t train to failure.”

This notion might go against the mantra of yesteryear’s bodybuilders, but research is lending plenty of credence to it. A study in the “Journal of Applied Physiology” had one group of athletes train to failure and the other train to nonfailure. At the end of six weeks, there was no significant difference between the gains made by either group. Yep, that’s right: all that extra effort for no additional reward, so save your breath and listen to the Hodge wisdom.

This was actually echoed by further research at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, where it was discovered that lifting less weight more times is just as effective for building muscle as lifting with heavy weights. Plus you’re probably less likely to get injured.

Eating Smart

The Hodge twins often run cooking segments—diet has always formed a huge part of their broadcasts—answering questions from viewers and showcasing the best foods for building muscle. That said, some of the broadcasts have explained how to eat a post-workout meal at McDonalds—yep, we’ve all been there.

But despite the odd indulgence, their strategy is quite traditional while being unique. “We eat 120-140 grams of protein a day,” says Kevin. “I don’t get a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight because I weigh 206 pounds. That’s way too much protein because your colon and kidneys are getting a pounding. I eat 2,500 calories a day to get both stronger and bigger, because I know how my body runs.

“We eat 120-140 grams of protein a day. I don’t get a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight because I weigh 206 pounds. That’s way too much protein because your colon and kidneys are getting a pounding.”

“Find the calories you need to maintain growth, and then make sure you have enough protein. Some days it’s real easy to get carbs because they’re in everything, and in one meal you can consume all your fats for the day.

“There ain’t nothing wrong with tracking your nutrients, but we ain’t be doing all that. I eat what the fuck I want to eat wherever I want to eat: Taco Bell, KFC, Chilis—whatever.

“We eat well, as long as we’re getting all the calories. If you find your own way of eating that fits your lifestyle, you’ll make all kinds of gains. I count my calories and make sure I get my protein. You can’t do a bulking routine for the rest of your life or you’ll get heart disease—you need to find how much food you need to maintain.”

Though it might seem a little unconventional, their results do speak for themselves and they do offer a few golden rules for eating to look good.

Opinions That Matter

The fitness industry can be a fickle workplace and not without elements that can kick your blood pressure up a notch. “One of the things we don’t like about the fitness business is dealing with some of the egos where people think they are better than others because their fitness level may be better at the moment,” the twins explain. “It’s discouraging to people still trying to obtain their best personal fitness level.”

Getting started on your journey is far more important than posturing about how good you can or should be. In fact, research at Michigan State University found that athletes report more life-skill and character development when coaches place greater emphasis on self-improvement rather than winning alone.

“Getting started on your journey is far more important than posturing about how good you can or should be.”

So even though the Hodge twins have a tough-as-nails veneer, on the inside it’s clear they genuinely care about their supporters, and try to tailor things to each individual as much as possible.

“The one-size-fits-all mentality is another one of our pet hates,” they explain. “We are all different, and everyone’s body reacts differently to different exercises and nutrition, volume, and rep ranges. What may work for you may not work for someone else. We are very clear about that in our advice to people.

“Sometimes you have to try a number of different approaches or a combination of routines to reach your fitness goals.”

Though genetics is a fledgling science, it is beginning to answer why this phenomenon stops some people from maxing out their T-shirt sleeves no matter how many curls they do.

Some people respond very well to weight training, some respond a little, and others don’t respond at all, found research in “Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.” Using the same training program, the worst responders lost 2 percent of their muscle mass and didn’t gain any strength, while the best responders gained 59 percent more muscle and increased their strength by 250 percent. Those staggering differences beg the question: How likely are you to draw the genetic short straw?

Well, research in the “Journal of Applied Physiology” found 26 percent of people gained no brawn at all after a month-long weight-training program. However, that does not mean that a quarter of all lifters are destined to a lifetime of spaghetti arms. The nonresponders simply didn’t react to that kind of weight-training protocol, so take the twins’ advice, mix it up, and see what works best for you.

“The nonresponders simply didn’t react to that kind of weight-training protocol, so take the twins’ advice, mix it up, and see what works best for you.”

Living The Dream

Though the Hodges often project an air of anger, this is usually applied for comedic effect, because it’s abundantly clear they love what they do.

“Our fans not only inspire us, but they are also the real source of our credibility,” they explain. “We constantly receive before and after photos from our fans that show us exactly what impact we’ve had on helping them reach their fitness goals and optimum health.

“Behind the personas are two guys with some serious fitness chops.”

“It is life-changing for them, so it’s personal for us. It’s why we do what we do, the way we do it. We don’t sugarcoat anything, and give them the same advice we follow on our own fitness journeys.”

This is what separates the twins from other fitness channels—the personal touch and willingness to poke fun at themselves—but it’s not all jokes. Behind the personas are two guys with some serious fitness chops.

“We are both International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) certified personal trainers,” the twins say. “It was important to us both to become certified because we do take fitness seriously. We wanted to have access to the best information, and so we’re constantly doing research and updating our knowledge on what’s new in fitness and nutrition.”

While the twins don’t deliver information in textbook-boring drone fashion, you can still take their knowledge and advice very seriously.

Hodge Twins’ Exercise Routine

Recommended For You

Back To Basics: Your Blueprint For Building A Bigger Back!

A strong back can have a have a tremendous impact on your performance and the rest of your physique. Learn how to bring your back training to the forefront!

Blueprint Your Gains For Long-Term Growth

Apply a little planning to your workouts to get bigger, stronger, and fitter, forever. Check out this one-year training plan!

Upgrade Your Nutrition

Refresh your dietary software. Get full access to the data you need to optimize muscle.

Vital Stats

Name: Jimmy McKeown
Email: osmckeown@yahoo.com
Location: North Las Vegas, NV

Why I decided to transform

I enjoy hobbies most don’t.

One of those hobbies is skydiving, but in 2009 I had a skydiving accident. My main parachute didn’t open, but I managed to pull my reserve seconds before hitting the ground. I broke both legs and couldn’t walk without assistance for eight months. I went to work with casts, crutches, ankle braces, and more. That was my “second chance” in life.

Instead of just being another couch potato, I wanted to do something different, something extreme. I had a lot of time to myself during my recent deployment (March 2013-March 2014) to think and reflect upon my life. I contacted a good friend of mine, Joe Davis, who was also an NPC Physique competitor.

I told Joe I’d lost motivation in the gym because I wasn’t seeing results no matter how hard I worked for it. I asked Joe for workout and diet advice, and boy, did he deliver! He convinced me to compete in the NPC Patriots Challenge on July 5, 2014. It was perfect; it gave me a deadline and a goal. Every time I was in the gym or thought about eating a “bad meal,” I remembered why I was doing it and re-focused.

My friends, family and co-workers all told me things like: “You’re obsessed,” “I don’t really see the point. You’re not getting great results.” “Why are you always eating?” “You need to eat this or that to get ripped, you’re doing it wrong,” and “What’s the point?”

Post To Fitboard

There was friction. Why I was doing this? What happens when it’s over? I never posted a single update to my transformation or showed anyone my progress photos until 14 weeks passed. The responses and positive feedback was absolutely phenomenal. Never had I felt better. I received text messages, emails, and Facebook messages, filled with questions like, “What’s your cardio routine?” “What are you taking?” “What kinda of workout split are you on?” and “What’s your secret?”

I looked to science for my transformation and used solid numbers to accomplish my goals. I wake up every day and smile when I see my 6-pack in the mirror. I surpassed my goals and I have the results to remind myself daily to keep pushing forward.

How I accomplished my goals

A majority of my training was spent during odd hours between 2 a.m.-4 a.m. Every time I felt fatigued or felt like quitting I would push harder and tell myself to push. I would close my eyes, sing along to my music, and “remove myself” from where I was. I would imagine myself on a tropical beach listening to music.

I imagined the sun on my face, the cool ocean breeze, and the smell of salt in the air. I’ve never meditated, but this to me was my form of meditating, focusing my inner Chi. My energy came from sheer willpower. Get your head right and the body will respond to your mind’s every command.

I also stuck to the basics and had protein shakes, multivitamins, and caffeine with my workouts.

Apply Here To Be A Transformation
Of The Week!

Bodybuilding.com honors people across all transformation categories for their hard work and dedication. Learn how our featured transformers overcame obstacles and hit their goals!

Supplements that helped me through the journey

Diet plan that guided my transformation

My general rule was to eat 30 grams of protein at each meal, plus carbs as needed. The more green leafy vegetables, the better.

Training regimen that kept me on track

What aspect challenged me the most

“Once I found my focus, I was able to push myself beyond what I perceived as a limitation.”

Time management. With my work schedule, my weekends change literally every week. Circadian rhythms are constantly out of whack so finding the correct time to eat, exercise, and sleep was a constant battle. Here in Vegas temperatures reach well over 110 Fahrenheit daily in the summer.

Needless to say, sleeping in the middle of the day is miserable. It’s beyond hot and you simply can’t sleep unless you cool yourself down. I ended up getting a little swamp cooler from Home Depot and made sure that bad boy was blowing directly on me. This allowed me to sleep.

The diet portion was hard at first, but if you prepare your foods you’re setting yourself up for success. The lack of energy on a low/no carb day was hard.

Once I found my focus, I was able to push myself beyond what I perceived as a limitation. I have truly learned what “muscle-mind connection” means.

Also, using shirataki noodles in place of pasta is amazing! I felt full and felt like I was eating noodles. With only 2 net carbs, who wouldn’t use them? Sugar-free popsicles were a treat to myself as well.

My future fitness plans

I just entered my first competition July 5th here in Las Vegas at the NPC Patriots Challenge. It was an experience, that’s for sure. But I don’t think it’s the next chapter in my life. Rather than focus on myself, it’s time to focus on others. Most people are too afraid to ask for help.

Every time you go to the gym you’re always checking out someone else’s form and exercise routine. It’s human nature to want to learn more, to be better, but most people are too afraid to ask for the help and guidance you may possess.

Since I revealed my transformation to my friends and family, I have written several workout regimens and nutritional plans specific to them with great results! I plan on continuing this process as I would love to see how others can transform themselves.

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

Never quit. You’re going to feel like you can’t go on. Every part of your body will ache and the only thing that will keep you moving forward will be your attitude. If you want it bad enough, you’ll figure it out.

“Those who are currently transforming themselves, I’ve been there. You’ll feel like you’re just spinning your wheels, but you’re not. You’re not in this alone.”

Those who are currently transforming themselves, I’ve been there. You’ll feel like you’re just spinning your wheels, but you’re not. You’re not in this alone. No matter how much negative feedback you receive you can do this. Use that negativity to your advantage and use it to push yourself further than you thought possible.

Keeping a strict workout routine and diet plan will not work. Making it part of your lifestyle will allow you to succeed.

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

At Bodybuilding.com I was constantly reviewing different meal preparation techniques and different exercise routines, as well as nutritional advice (specifically Build muscle and lose fat by Kelly Baggett).

That article really helped me get my diet on-point and allowed me to expand my meal choices. I wasn’t limiting myself to only a certain type of protein. Rather I could eat the things I wanted as long as I didn’t go over or under my macros for the meal.

Jimmy’s Top Gym Tracks

Skrillex

Nonpoint

Three Days Grace

Stone Sour

Recommended For You

How To Lose 100+ Pounds In 1 Year!

If Steve had downtime, he was either training or preparing meals. That dedicated plan of attack drove him to lose 102 pounds and 30 percent body fat in one year!

Body Transformation: Eric Hicks Torched 131 Pounds To Reveal Ripped Muscle!

Eric refused to follow his dad’s diabetic fate and committed to change his lifestyle. See how he lost 131 pounds with a healthy mix of training and nutrition!

Body Transformation: Micah Van Yperen Went From Pudgy To Pumped Up!

Micah completely changed his body composition as a teen and turned fat to muscle after years of hard work in the gym and kitchen. See how you can too!

Vital Stats

TRAIN MAGAZINE
The Official Print Partner of Bodybuilding.com

Website: https://train.magcs.com/
Facebook: TRAINmagazine
Twitter: TRAINmag

Fillets. Loins. Chops. They’re the high-end contributions to modern man’s stomach. And who could argue? Whether you’re trying to cut 5 percent of your body fat or plug an inch on your guns, you need plenty of the protein found in meat.

Our appetite for animal proteins is stronger than ever. Research at Public Health Nutrition found that red meat consumption has continued to rise throughout the United States, Europe, and the rest of the developed world. Despite the health benefits of poultry being common knowledge since 2011 and in spite of the expense relative to other protein foods, Americans were still eating more red meat (58% of total consumption) than any other kind.

However, that is slowly changing because of market prices. In 2013, the average price per pound of beef was $5.36, up from $3.32 per pound in 2002. This forced people to eat more chicken than ever before, so much so that it surpassed beef in terms of total consumption. In fact, beef has become so pricy that red meat now holds the honor of being the second most shoplifted item in the world.

But there is a way to get more meat for less cash without having to eat chicken for breakfast, lunch, and dinner: buy the meat nobody seems to want. It’s sometimes called offal, and when cooked with a dash of skill it’s incredibly tasty and tremendously good for you.

“Bodybuilders and strongmen have been eating liver, heart, and tongue since the 1900s,” explains Adam Farrah, a nutritionist and author of “The Paleo Dieter’s Missing Link.” “Relatively speaking, chicken breasts and egg whites are very new bodybuilding staples, and diets heavy in fats and organ meats from healthy animals have been the norm much longer than the fat-phobic ideals that are more or less pervasive in the current mainstream fitness community.”

You Look At Me Like I’m Just A Piece Of Meat

Less than 50 years ago, the hard-working individuals who built this country weren’t dining on the typical feather-light taste sensations you see on today’s plates. Instead, our fathers and grandfathers loaded up on hearty protein-rich dishes made from the stuff that some of today’s butchers foolishly classify as “dog meat.” And in most instances, it is less calorific and more nutritious than the average T-bone.

“It’s only in the modern, pre-packaged, processed, marketing-driven and sterile world that we avoid the more intense flavor and texture of proteins that were once considered the most nutritious parts of the animal,” says Farrah.

“Just like we’re returning to our training roots with barbells, kettlebells, and functional bodyweight movements in warehouse gyms, we’re also returning to our dietary roots with Paleo and Ancestral ideas becoming more and more prevalent in even conservative training and nutrition resources.”

So if you want to feed your muscles more but spend less, then here’s how to become a very smart meathead.

1 Lamb

Lamb might be one of the tastiest meat options, but it can make light work of your funds. There is an easy solution: make like “True Blood” with a bite to the lambs’ neck.

Why is it so good?

The neck might have 6 grams more fat than the choice cuts, but it’ll take you all of two ticks to trim off the excess wobble.

“And often the fat difference is due to the weight of the bones in the cutlets,” says sports nutritionist Gavin Allinson. When it comes down to the meat, the neck is richer in energy-yielding B vitamins, iron, zinc, and magnesium. “All of these boost your athletic performance by improving endurance, boosting testosterone, and helping you recover faster,” he adds.

The fancier lamb cut does fight back with more selenium—a trace element with antioxidant properties—and slightly more calcium. But overall you’d be hard-pressed to separate these protein-rich slabs, except in price. So the thinking man’s choice should be with the neck.

Comfort stew

This recipe from “Palm Sized Plan,” by Matt Lovell (Buckingham Book Publishing, 2011), is a hearty meal that’ll serve a handful of your friends for less than the cost of buying them each a round.

• 400 g lamb neck fillets, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 onions, diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 440-g can cherry tomatoes
• 500 ml stock
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 400-g can cooked green lentils
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 whole lemon, juice and rind

1. Trim any skin or excess fat from your meat.
2. Cube the meat, put a pan on the stove, and place coconut oil in the pan over a medium heat.
3. Add the garlic, onions, and spice, and stir until the onions soften.
4. Stir in the tomatoes, stock, carrots, lentils, and bay leaves.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the lamb is cooked.
6. Drizzle lemon juice and zest just before serving.

Comfort Stew PDF

2 Beef

Your average supermarket sells only 6-8 of the most popular cuts of beef, and the cow is a big animal. Here’s what you’re missing out on.

Why is it so good?

When beef roast joints and cheeks lock horns, the winner stands strong: the cheek. They’re higher in protein and lower in both fats and calories, making them the ideal choice for those looking to get lean while adding muscle.

The cheeks also have more immune-supporting vitamin C and vitamin B, and 210 percent more iron. “They’re a very nutrient-dense food that will support any sportsman’s muscles far better than the traditional cuts of beef,” says Amy Kubal, a registered dietician who works with athletes.

So if you’re after a solid nutritional ally that’ll keep your performance jacked and your wallet slim, this is how you take the bull by the horns.

Braised beef cheeks

Enjoy this recipe from Allinson that’ll turn cheap ingredients into an expensive-tasting feast.

• 3-4 beef cheeks
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, diced
• 4 celery stalks, chopped
• 4 turnips, chopped
• 1 glass of red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1tsp rosemary
• 6 thyme sprigs

1. Strip the tough membrane from the cheeks.
2. Chewing cud makes the cheeks tougher than Chuck Norris’s bodyguard, so they need to be braised in the oven or in a pan for 5-10 minutes.
3. Slap half the ingredients into a large pot and splash in enough water to cover the meat.
4. Pour a glass of wine, drink it, then pour one for the pot.
5. Cook for two hours, then throw in the rest of the veggies and continue cooking until they’re to your liking.
6. The result? Beef so tender it chews like a mouthful of merlot, with enough extras for freezing.

Braised Beef Cheeks PDF

3 Pork

You might chew through rolls of sausages at just about every barbecue, but you’re paying through the nose for this privilege. Here’s how to pig out on this at a far healthier price.

Why it’s so good?

These two cuts level-up against one another near perfectly, leaving their fat and protein content as the decider. So while pork is touted as the “other white meat” because it’s so lean, there are occasions when a little fat is just what the doctor ordered, especially if you’re trying to add muscle.

Weightlifters with the highest fat intakes also had the highest testosterone levels, according to a study in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.” “For muscle gain, two principles are key: maximizing your testosterone output and calorie intake, something animal fat does with its high calorie and saturated fat content,” says performance nutritionist Ben Coomber.

And with the cheek far outweighing the skinny chop in the fat stakes, you’d be a Muppet if you didn’t use a slab of Miss Piggy’s undercarriage to add inches to your chest.

Crispy pork belly

All that fat is a waste unless it’s turned to crunchy crackling, so we turned to the king of crisp, celebrity chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver, for his take on getting your pork up to scratch.

• 1-1/2 lbs pork belly
• 2 red onions, halved
• 2 carrots, halved
• 2 sticks of celery, chopped in half
• 1 bulb garlic, broken into cloves with skin on
• 1 fresh bunch of thyme
• 600 ml water or stock

1. Flip your cooker to the hotter-than-hell setting (its maximum) to preheat it.
2. Slice a few knife wounds into the belly’s fat and rub with salt, then stack it skin side up in a roasting tray.
3. Place it in the oven for an hour until the crackling starts to pop, then chuck in the veggies to keep it company.
4. Flick down the heat to 180º C and let it sit there for another hour.
5. Serve with roasted spuds for a cheap dish you’ll wish you had in your trough every night.

Crispy Pork Belly PDF

4 Chicken

The average American eats 60 pounds of chicken each year, largely because it’s so versatile and half the price of beef, pork, or lamb. But there is a way you can knock down your white-meat bill without resorting to snacking on chicken feet.

Why it’s so good?

You may not be used to thinking of the liver as chow, but it’s a nutritional juggernaut that has almost three times the vitamins and minerals of the breasts.

“The liver offers more protein for less calories and has a staggering 272 percent more vitamin B than the breast,” says Coomber. “So if you’re after an energy boost then the liver is going to serve up a noticeably bigger oomph than any breast could hope to deliver.”

In short, liver delivers a thorough knockout in nutrition and price, so the only belt left to win is in taste with the recipe below.

Piri Piri Chicken Livers

Use this recipe from sports nutritionist Matt Lovell after a training session or anytime you want a new take on that tired old chicken.

• 1 lb chicken livers, washed and cubed
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 handfuls baby spinach
• 1/2 tsp piri piri spice
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• 1 cup cooked rice

1. Put oil in a pan and put it on medium heat.
2. Once it’s good and warm, chuck in the onion, peppers, and garlic, and saute until they brown. Smells good, doesn’t it?
3. Now lob in the chicken livers and all the spices.
4. Let it simmer for 5-7 minutes. Then scrunch up the spinach and add it in so it can wilt.
5. Lather it over your rice. Top with a few sprinkles of parsley for a dish that’s tasty yet so affordable that you’ll have enough to spring for a decent bottle of red.

Piri Piri Chicken Livers PDF

Recommended For You

Back To Basics: Your Blueprint For Building A Bigger Back!

A strong back can have a have a tremendous impact on your performance and the rest of your physique. Learn how to bring your back training to the forefront!

Blueprint Your Gains For Long-Term Growth

Apply a little planning to your workouts to get bigger, stronger, and fitter, forever. Check out this one-year training plan!

Upgrade Your Nutrition

Refresh your dietary software. Get full access to the data you need to optimize muscle.

Vital Stats

Name: Kelly Rennie
Occupation: Transformation specialist, author of the Fit Mummy Manual, Optimum Nutrition athlete.
Website: kellyrennie.com

Having two kids in two years definitely put a strain on my body. Like a lot of moms, I wanted to start working toward my pre-baby shape as soon as I could. The trouble is, there’s a lot of misinformation out there about how long a woman has to wait before she can start being active again. Some people say six weeks; others say three months.

I get asked all the time if there’s anything a woman can do to start regaining her figure in the first few weeks after giving birth. The real answer is yes. For most women, it is safe and healthy to do some gentle exercise a few weeks after giving birth.*

However, the type of exercises you do in the first few weeks after your baby is born should be focused on your pelvic floor and transverse abdominus (TVA). Your pelvic floor is made of muscles and tissue under the pelvis. It’s the part of your body that helped your baby rotate and come through the birth canal. The TVA is your innermost abdominal muscle. It’s one of the muscles that helped you give birth.

The basics of pelvic-floor exercises and TVA breathing are a must. These techniques are a bridge to your normal exercise regimen. These exercises will also help you heal from the inside out, repairing those inner abdominal walls that are crucial to regaining your figure.

Aside from giving you a running start toward your pre-baby figure, exercising soon after giving birth offers other benefits. Exercise can boost your mood, help you feel more energized, increase your stamina and strength, and make you feel healthier and happier.

SAFE POST-BABY ABDOMINAL WORKOUTS

These exercises focus on restoring the timing and sequencing of your deep muscles, which include TVA, multifidus (small, thin muscles deep in your sacrum), the pelvic floor, and the diaphragm to flatten the tummy faster.

For first few days or weeks post-birth, you may not feel your pelvic floor muscles working, but keep going. The feeling will return after a few days.

For first few days or weeks post-birth, you may not feel your pelvic floor muscles working, but keep going. The feeling will return after a few days. Trust me, those muscles are working, even if you can’t feel them.

BEFORE STARTING

These exercises can be started straight away after a normal vaginal birth. Before starting, however, do a self-test for rectus diastasis to establish the extent of the abdominal separation. If you have a separation of more than 2.5 fingers, see a physiotherapist or your doctor before beginning any exercise regimen.

C­section mothers can start TVA activation, abdominal breathing, and pelvic-floor exercises straight away, but will need to wait until they have gained approval from their doctor at their checkup approximately eight weeks postnatal before performing the other exercises.

*Always consult your physician before beginning a new exercise regimen.

Recommended For You

Postnatal Ab Training: Fit Mommy Core Circuit

Every new mom wants to get her pre-baby body back. But a lot of women make the mistake of training improperly. Here’s the info and workout you need!

Fit Mommy Manual: Post-Natal Transformation Tips

As a new mother, your first priority is your baby. However, you can’t forget to also take good care of yourself. Here are eight tips to help you become a fitter, healthier mommy.

Fit Mommy Manual: 13 Post-Natal Nutrition Rules

Bad information has a way of seeping into the mainstream. It’s far too easy to get caught reading and implementing nutrition ‘facts’ that turn out to be wrong! Get the right information so your health is never at risk.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Vital Stats

Name: Zuzka Light
Occupation: Fitness model, online personal trainer
Website: zuzkalight.com

One of my secrets to a lean and fit body is daily exercise. I believe that consistency is the key when it comes to fitness, health, or any goal you want to achieve. If you can do something that will get you a little bit further every single day, changes will become inevitable and visible in no time.

The biggest challenge for most people is their busy lifestyle and lack of time. Most of my clients and followers have spouses, children, full-time jobs and a host of other commitments that keep their daily calendar overloaded. I never accuse people of making excuses for not having the time to exercise, because I get it. I don’t have time to work out either, and that’s why I have to be creative to find a solution for this common problem.

What I realized was that most busy people barely have 20 minutes to spare for their workout. It’s sad, but unfortunately it’s a reality. From stay-at-home moms to CEOs of big companies, you’ll find people who work really hard and barely have any time for themselves. Some days are better than others, but the question is, do you have to skip your training altogether? Is life just a constant struggle of taking one step forward and two steps back?

My Z-Blasts are simple, high in intensity and awesome energy boosters.

Those are the questions I asked myself a couple months ago when I came up with my 5-minute workout series, which I call Z-Blasts. These workouts are perfect for maintenance and to keep you on the right track. Your body gets the healthy amount of daily exercise no matter what’s going on in your life. My Z-Blasts are simple, high in intensity and awesome energy boosters. You’ll be amazed by what a Z-Blast can do for your mood!

The workout I have for you today is bodyweight-only, and you can do it anywhere, even when traveling and staying in a small hotel room. Another great thing about my Z-Blasts is that you can combine them together into a 15-minute workout, or you can do one 5-minute workout in the morning and a different one in the evening.

I have a lot of moms doing just that, because they can’t take more than 5 minutes at a time for themselves when they’re taking care of their little ones. Others like to do a quick 5-minute workout before they go to work and then again as soon as they come home in the evening.

I hope you’ll enjoy this workout! If you want to exercise with me daily, join me at www.zuzkalight.com and check out my ZGYM.

Six Pack Abs Secret
Watch The Trailer – 09:06

The Exercises

Pushup

• To start, your body should form a straight line. Don’t drop or raise your hips.
• Bend your elbows to lower your torso to the ground. Push yourself up to return to the starting position. That’s one of your five reps.
• Focus on keeping your midsection tight throughout. Imagine somebody is going to punch you in the stomach. What do you do? You tense your muscles. That’s what you want to do here.
• Stare at the floor to align your head with your spine throughout. Don’t look up.

Plank jump

• Start in a push-up position.
• Jump forward without changing your arm or hand position.
• Jump back to the starting position to complete one of your five reps.

Jump tuck

• Stand up with your arms at your sides. This is the starting position.
• Jump up, bringing your knees as high as you can, and slap your hands on your knees at the top.
• When you land, you have completed one of your five reps.

V-up

• Lie flat on your back with you arms at your sides.
• Raise your legs while reaching for your toes with your hands at the same time.
• At the top, your torso and legs will form a V—hence the name!
• Return to the starting position to complete one of your five reps.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Recommended For You

Zuzka Light’s Six-Pack Ab Secrets, Part 1

Zuzka Light has some of the best abs on the internet. Build your own killer six with this intense, fat-burning workout and her excellent nutrition advice!

Zuzka Light’s Six-Pack Ab Secrets, Part 2

Travel can throw off even the most well-planned six-pack goals. Not anymore! Use Zuzka Light’s hotel workout and these travel tips to stay on track wherever you are!

Zuzka Light’s 5 Rules For Successful New Year’s Resolutions

It’s resolution time! This is your year. Follow this simple, 5-step approach to setting goals from Zuzka Light and set yourself up for resolution success!

Part 1 | Part 2

Vital Stats

Name: CT Fletcher
Born: June 8, 1960
Location: Long Beach, CA
Occupation: Trainer
Website: www.ctfletcher.com

Whether you love him, hate him, or hate how much you love him, CT Fletcher isn’t going anywhere.

In just under two years, the 54-year-old former world bench-press champion has become the fitness world’s premier guilty pleasure, an obscene eruption whose videos simply demand to be watched, shared, imitated, and quoted.

His training partners, family members, and his YouTube channel, have all become icons of a training style that has no patience for limits or categories.

Strength or size? Yes, please. How many reps? Don’t ask. You go until you can’t do any more. Until then, ISYMFS.

Given the immense confidence he projects, it can feel like CT has always been a success. In actuality, his path to celebrity was as long and circuitous as that vein on his biceps in the video “I Command You to Grow.”

From the comfort of a parked car in his hometown of Los Angeles, CT recently talked with Bodybuilding.com about his rise to fame, his mission, and why you need to sign up for basic training if you want to develop his gift of gab.

Q Less than two years ago, you were “The Strongest Man You’ve Never Heard Of.” What has your rise to fame taught you about yourself?

It’s been unbelievable, because there was no YouTube in my day. I pinch my motherfuckin’ self every day, and I still can’t believe it.

I used to tell my son, when I was broke and didn’t have a dime, “Look, I don’t know how we’re going to do it, I don’t know how it’s going to happen, but we’ll be back.

CT Fletcher: The Strongest Man You’ve Never Heard Of
Watch The Trailer – 09:28

When I had open-heart surgery (in 2005), I lost my job at the post office, where I worked for almost 30 years. I lost my job, I lost my home—I lost everything. And at first I was walking around like a bum, jobless and homeless.

But I just had faith in God that it was going to happen. I didn’t know how, but I just had a lot of faith, man.

When did you finally look at yourself and say, “Alright, I’m back now”?

I still don’t think I’m really back. I have a whole lot of things that I still want to accomplish. I still have a mission; I still have a “magnificent obsession.” It just changed a little bit from what it used to be when I was younger.

My magnificent obsession when I was younger was to be the strongest man on the planet and to have the biggest arms on the planet. Now I just want to reach as many people as possible and let them know that there is hope.

To people who have been abused, people who are going through some kind of real bad illness—there is hope. There is hope, and never fuckin’ give up.

“My magnificent obsession when I was younger was to be the strongest man on the planet and to have the biggest arms on the planet. Now I just want to reach as many people as possible and let them know that there is hope.”

You’re doing more videos these days where athletes train with you— Dana Linn Bailey, Kai Green, and Frank Medrano, for instance. What does it mean for someone to train with CT Fletcher?

I want them to know that whether it’s Kai Greene or Joe Schmo who nobody knows, I’m going to train you the same fuckin’ way. Women, men, male, female, a donkey, a monkey, or whatever the fuck you are, if you train with CT Fletcher, I’m not going to have mercy on you.

CT Fletcher Trains Kai Greene and Dana Linn Bailey
Watch The Trailer – 12:37

As long as we’re in the gym, I have a job, and that is to kick your ass—and I’m good at my job. Once we get outside the gym, man, we can be buddy-buddy and slap each other on the back and tell each other how fuckin’ great we are. But when you sign up for a session with me, expect to get your ass kicked.

Talking about your style, I’ve seen you say that you “talk shit for a living.” Where did you learn the skill of talking shit?

Yeah, I consider it a skill. Everybody knows I’m a veteran of the United States Army, and some of the best shit-talkers on the planet are drill sergeants in the U.S. Army. I learned a lot of shit-talking skills from them, and from my family members.

I had a cousin everybody knows about named Junior Miles who was an excellent shit-talker, and his mother was an excellent shit-talker. I come from a long line of shit-talkers, but the U.S. Army is responsible for a lot of that shit-talking you hear.

Talkin’ shit with CT Fletcher: The 1000 Watt Workout
Watch The Trailer – 06:47

So Junior Miles said more than, “Everybody shut the fuck up?”

Oh yes, he said a lot more than that. I really wish I could get him on tape and interview him so everybody could hear the guy’s story. He’s got one hell of a story, but he wants to stay low-profile.

People seeing your videos for the first time are always surprised to learn that you’re over 50 years old. When was the last time you really surprised yourself in the gym?

I’m glad you asked that. I get challenged all the time—all the time. People challenge me over social media and youngsters actually challenge me in the gym. I’m never surprised at what the old man can still do, because I pride myself not just on my physical strength or my physical capabilities.

Sometimes I’m tired or I don’t feel good, and if I just went when I felt like it, then I would make very few trips to the gym. But like I tell the kids, there’s so much more to it than just the physical being in here. It’s a mindset—my mentality.

When the kids challenge me, my will kicks in and I’m able to perform in ways that I couldn’t do it just on the physical. I have to kick in to the will. Once I tap into my will, then I’m ready to go. “Come on youngster, let’s go. Let the old man teach you a motherfuckin’ lesson about respect!”

The 400-rep bench challenge
Watch The Trailer – 12:26

I know one day it’s possible, maybe when I’m 83 or 84, that one of these young punks will be able to take the old man on. I can’t bench press 600-700 pounds anymore, but I changed my training to repetitions, and man, I’ll rep with anybody.

Part 1 | Part 2

Recommended For You

Bigger, Badder Than The Rest

Somewhere out there, CT Fletcher is disappointed in you for not doing more, being more, and especially lifting more. Learn the way to Mt. Bicepius from the man who made a 225-pound strict curl look easy!

Armed Warfare: CT Fletcher’s Arms Workout

CT Fletcher knows a thing or fifty about building monstrous biceps and triceps. Think you can hang? Get ready to command your muscles to grow!

Workout Music Vol. X: CT Fletcher’s Training Tunes

CT Fletcher is one of the biggest, baddest trainers in America. We caught up with this beast to hear the sweet sounds he listens to when he lifts.

Vital Stats

Name: Jim Stoppani, PhD Occupation: Creator of JYM Supplement Science, fitness coach and consultant
Website: www.jimstoppani.com/

To be honest, I have yet to find a quality mass gainer on the market. The problem with most mass gainers is that they are loaded with cheap sugars as a carb source. Not only can this lead to greater fat gain, it can make drinking them several times a day unhealthy.

Of course, many supplement companies try to trick the consumer by using ingredients like maltodextrin instead. While maltodextrin is technically a complex carb, it breaks apart very rapidly in the body and spikes blood sugar and insulin levels even faster and higher than sugar does. This allows manufacturers to list less sugar—or even no sugar—on the product label. The unsuspecting consumer has no idea that the carbs in that product are sugar in disguise.

A mass gainer is not some magical formula that will build muscle better than a regular protein blend. A mass gainer is designed for people who cannot eat enough calories, protein, carbs, and fat to build adequate muscle. This is typically teenage males and males in their early 20s. Instead of buying jugs of product that promise to free you from your ectomorphic ways, I recommend that you make your own with the recipe below.

For those of you who are truly hardgainers, and can’t gain an ounce no matter how much you eat, this homemade mass gainer is just for you. Drink this mass gainer with breakfast, around workouts (consider making it before workouts and sipping on it before, during and after workouts like I do in this video), and before bed. Having three of these shakes per day will add more than 2,800 calories, 225 grams of protein, 270 grams of carbs, and 90 grams of fat to your daily totals. That should be enough to put some size on the hardest of hardgainers!

HOMEMADE MASS GAINER

Simply combine all ingredients in a blender.

• 2 scoops Pro JYM protein powder blend (or any flavor Pro JYM you prefer)
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup dry oats
• 1 medium banana
• 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (or any nut butter)
• 2-3 cups ice

Homemade Mass Gainer PDF

Recommended For You

Ask The Supp Guru: ‘What Is The Best Ratio Of BCAAs?’

You know that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are important for muscular energy and growth, but you might not know the best ratio of BCAAs. The Supp Guru has you covered!

The Benefits Of Post-Workout Carbohydrates

For many people, post-workout recovery includes a dose of fast-acting carbohydrates. But do you really need carbs as part of your post-workout meal for optimal gains?

Your Expert Guide To Carnipure L-Carnitine

Carnipure is the most popular, highest-quality L-carnitine on the market. It’s a popular ingredient in energy drinks, post-workout supplements, and on its own. Here’s what you need to know to get the most out of it!

There’s nothing quite like enjoying a great meal with friends and family. Good food and good conversation are part of what makes the holidays so special, and why we look forward to them each year. Because family and food go so well together, it can be devastating to miss out and exchange stuffing and pumpkin pie for a plate of broccoli and chicken breast.

That’s why the pros at MET-Rx go into the holidays with a plan. They use those extra calories to make huge gains and come into the New Year even better. Here’s how IFBB Figure champ Nicole Wilkins, men’s physique pro Jason Poston, and NPC bikini starlet Justine Moore work out to make those extra calories count!

Follow their hardcore workouts so you can enjoy the holidays with the satisfaction of knowing that you’re making progress toward your goals!

NICOLE WILKINS

Favorite Indulgences: Cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.

Nicole Wilkins loves to relax during the holidays and spend Thanksgiving and Christmas with her family, but she doesn’t rest long. “I take those days off to spend with family and friends,” she says, “but the next day I do my best to get to the gym because I feel I get the most benefits from those cheat calories that day. I use that extra energy to fuel my training and build my body!”

A video posted by Nicole Wilkins (@nicolemwilkins) on Jul 7, 2014 at 9:05am PDT

To get the most from those extra calories, Nicole chooses a body part she wants to improve, and then she hits it hard. “I like to train in the morning,” she adds, “so I can get it done and have the rest of the day to enjoy myself. I’ll also do some HIIT cardio after my strength training, but I really want those calories to go into building my muscles.”

Nicole’s “Make Your Cheat-Meal Matter” Workouts

JASON POSTON

Favorite Indulgences: Pancakes, turkey with stuffing and gravy, and grandma’s cranberry salad.

“During the holidays I do enjoy myself, but I consequently work even harder in the gym to use all that food,” says Poston. “Every morning I get up and do at least 30-45 minutes of cardio on an empty stomach. I like to take a long walk or run outside with my grandparents’ dogs.”

Because he’s constantly eating, Jason likes to hit the gym two or even three times each day to burn off what he eats. “Don’t get me wrong,” he says, “I love the extra work! I’ll take any chance to get more fuel in the off-season, then put it toward building size.”

Because Poston is diabetic and insulin-dependent, his constant gym visits are necessary to burn calories and keep his blood sugar under control.

A photo posted by Jason Poston (@jasonpostonpro) on Jul 7, 2014 at 1:19pm PDT

“For each workout, I train a different body part to isolate, so I don’t overtrain anything. After five minutes of mobility and flexibility work, I train a single part with super-intense, heavy, explosive movements. My workouts are 100 percent velocity weightlifting,” says Poston.

“At the end of each session, I do 10-15 minutes of HIIT. I like to punch a heavy bag as hard and fast as I can for 15 seconds, then walk and rest for 45 seconds. I always follow up my intense workouts with lots of stretching and mobility.”

Jason’s “Turn Evil Into Good” Workouts

JUSTINE MOORE

Favorite Indulgences: Hot cocoa, Christmas cookies, eggnog, and all kinds of carbs!

“Holidays are a vacation,” says Justine Moore. “You’re supposed to enjoy life. Food is a big part of that. I like to have holiday treats and cocktails, but there is a way to do it so I don’t totally wreak havoc on the work I’ve put in all year. So if I know I’m going to indulge, I have to earn it in the gym beforehand.”

A photo posted by Justine Moore (@justinefit) on Oct 10, 2014 at 5:47am PDT

Moore is a big fan of combining strength moves and cardio to fire up her metabolism and burn a ton of calories. “I’ll choose a cardio interval, a lower-body move, an upper-body move, and a core move, and then arrange them in a circuit. I do all four exercises back-to-back and then rest one minute. I repeat that circuit three or four times,” says Justine.

“If you do three or four circuits like that, you’ve done a 45-minute, total-body [workout] and cardio workout in one! You’re in and out of the gym in an hour and you can enjoy the rest of your day with family and friends.”

Justine’s “Earn It” Holiday Workouts

Recommended For You

Figure Dynasty: How Nicole Wilkins Won Her Fourth Olympia

You’ve seen her dominate the Figure category on stage. Now get an exclusive look what it’s like to compete as four-time Olympia winner Nicole Wilkins.

Personal Trainer Of The Month: Justine Moore

She keeps her clients busy with a steady diet of supersets, intervals, and circuits. She also keeps herself busy with a bourgeoning side career in modeling.

18 Quick Ways To Improve Your Workouts

Sometimes wholesale program changes can do more harm than good. Instead, insert these 18 tip and twists to improve your current program and continue your physical progress.

When I was in the military, I didn’t have a lot of time to work out during my long days on duty. To combat the time crunch, I made a full-body circuit workout to take advantage of every second in my workout. If you like to train fast and hard, this workout is for you.

My circuit is a high-intensity rush. You can finish the workout in about 40 minutes. In a few spots throughout the session, you can choose to rest completely or perform “active rest” exercises like jumping jacks, push-ups, burpees, or mountain climbers. Whether you rest or stay active, you will get the best possible workout you can do in this window.

This workout includes two exercises per large muscle group—legs and back—and one exercise per small muscle group. Most people don’t like doing legs, so I put them first in this session. Exhaust your legs right from the start to fire up your metabolic furnace and make your entire workout harder.

Right after you work on your legs, you’ve got a superset for back, and then you’ll finish with a series of exercises for the smaller muscle groups. At that point, there is no rest between exercises or supersets!

Check out the workout below, follow the tips for each exercise, and get the job done. Let us know what you think of the workout in the comments at the bottom of the page!

Recommended For You

Get Ripped Like Trey Songz: Music Video Workout

Trey Songz is already a pro in the recording studio, but he’s also out to prove he’s got some skills in the gym. Check out how he trained for his ”Na Na” music video and implement some of his moves into your regimen!

Fight Like A Beast: Joseph Valtellini’s Workout And Fitness Tips

Professional Muay Thai kickboxer Joseph Valtellini will kick your body into fighting shape before you can scream ”KO.”

Eat Like A Beast! Brandan Fokken’s Bulking Meal Plan

Here’s what Brandan Fokken eats during his off-season. It’s enough food to help him grow muscle, but not so much that he can’t be photo-ready in 60 days!

Vital Stats

Name: Bry Jensen
Age: 25
From: Vancouver, BC
Occupation: Magnum Athlete, fitness model, writer and personal trainer
Website: bryjensen.com
Contest History: Western Canadians 2012: 6th place; Sandra Wickham Fall Classic 2012: 3rd place; BC Provincial Championships 2013: 9th place

The fit life moves fast when you are Bry Jensen. A quarter-century in, this Canadian model has flipped through gymnastics and dance studios, figure-skating rinks, and martial arts dojos.

At age 19 she began weight training. By 22, she was a kickboxing instructor, and a personal trainer at 23.

Bry is a sponsored athlete with Magnum Nutraceuticals and an impactful motivator to thousands of exercise enthusiasts.

She knows who she is and why she lifts. She can do it all, and she promises that she will!

Q What is the bigger challenge, being a fitness model or a personal trainer?

Being a fitness model requires more work. I say that because I am so passionate about training others that it never feels like work to me! I love watching people grow and progress and transform into happy, healthy people with great senses of self-worth.

By comparison, my own cardio seems a lot more grueling! Knowledge-wise they are the same, because you have to know what you are doing to train yourself or anyone else.

You were pretty skinny in 2009 when you started training, but were you out of shape?

I was insanely out of shape; there is no way to sugarcoat that. Walking up a flight of stairs winded me. Running was a no-go. I honestly thought I didn’t know how to flex, but the reality was I had nothing to flex! Most importantly, I was exhausted all the time. And at 19, I felt that was a sad way to be.

How do you feel about your physique now?

I feel amazing in ways I never thought I could. My energy levels soar. My strength is tremendous, and it often shocks people that this tiny girl could lift so much. I’m no longer hindered or restricted from living whatever sort of life I want. My body doesn’t hold me back now; it propels me forward!

Is music important to you, in and out of the gym?

It’s kind of funny because I don’t listen to a ton of music outside the gym—I’m a talk radio kind of girl. In the gym, though, music keeps me motivated. It distracts me from the inevitable slowdown of cardio, and also maintains my focus on what I am doing.

The change from chorus to verse is a great way to have a good feeling of how long your breaks are. Music can really help push me through a tough interval.

Fall Out Boy

Ramin Djawadi

Aloe Blacc

Meghan Trainor

What makes you a “fiery redhead?”

I definitely live up to the stereotype! I’m the perky redhead with all the sass! More than that though, fire has always been my signifier. I light candles to relax, can’t live without a good fireplace, and get really excited when there is a large fire around. I’ve taken up fire dancing too, and this feels so good to me! So, the fire in my hair must be the fire in my blood.

My mantra is “embrace fire.” I feel like I run on fire, and embracing that is all about allowing my inner drive to fuel me for success. Fire is a strong representation of power in the world, and embracing it is equivalent to embracing who you are at your core, and allowing your power to speak through you.

It’s also a nice metaphor for working out. The burn is so good, and you have to love it to ignite the superhuman you want to be!

Your interests are all over the place, from fitness to mythology and parkour. Can you do it all?

“I feel as if my passions for history, fitness, and travel are all governing forces in my life, but they complement each other nicely.”

Can do it all, and will do it all! It’s hard to say which interest is most important to me, because I feel like you can’t be a whole person if you are defined by only one thing. I feel as if my passions for history, fitness, and travel are all governing forces in my life, but they complement each other nicely.

History shapes the way I view and understand my world, but it also fundamentally influences my emphasis on context, and what it means to be a part of something larger. Fitness shapes the way I care for myself and how I structure my day and my lifestyle.

Travel shows me more of the world and inspires me to use my former passions to understand new places and cultures. They’re all so intertwined. Mythology is definitely a part of historical understanding. And, well, parkour is just awesome!

How did your life change when you signed with Magnum?

Magnum opened so many doors for me—not only in terms of exposure and my place in the fitness world, but also to a group of amazing people who touch my life every day, products that have truly helped me succeed, and lessons on what it means to thrive in fitness.

I am so grateful to be a part of this team whose members all conduct themselves with such integrity, who care for one another, and who go out of their way to open doors for their teammates. Signing with Magnum changed my life, in that it gave me a new family I now can’t imagine my life without!

You’re a modern, fit woman who is intelligent, empowered, strong, and feminine. What are we missing?

Humility and sincerity. All the qualities listed are great fundamental ones, but they lack a reflection of personal conduct that I really feel is the key in this industry. The most inspiring women I have met in the fitness world have been the ones I have walked away from, saying, “Wow! She is just the most genuine sweetheart!”

A complete modern woman is someone who cares about the people she interacts with. With empowerment comes feeling amazing about ourselves, but it must go one step further: to celebrating that with others and having them share that feeling. It makes you feel so good to be around someone who lifts you up and shares the positivity of her life!

“With empowerment comes feeling amazing about ourselves, but it must go one step further: to celebrating that with others and having them share that feeling.”

In turn, it makes me feel so good to be able to put a smile on someone’s face, and have them end our conversation knowing I really heard them.

What are some common lessons you share with people on BodySpace? How often do your “friends” approach you?

I get approached on BodySpace all the time, and I think that’s fantastic. People often want to know what sort of workouts I do or what I eat, so it’s a great opportunity for me to share the importance of personalized eating.

Many people want to know what it takes to be a fitness model or a sponsored athlete. The best answer to that is the simplest one: Know who you are, know your brand, and live it genuinely!

Can you reach everyone? Do you have to send thousands of personal messages?

No, and I don’t, because it’s more about just being there and sharing myself as openly and genuinely as I’m capable of doing. Sure, my inbox is always open, my personal messages are always turned on, and I do my best to respond to everyone, because those are the people who feel compelled to speak to me. However, they are not the only people who will ever cross my page, see my tweet or post, or see me bouncing around an expo.

If I can just get them to smile or think about something in a new way, then I have done the job I need to do for that person. I put myself out there and invite response.

How does BodySpace help you with social exposure? How does it stack up against other social networks?

“BodySpace has not only been fundamental in my establishment as an identity in the fitness community, it has helped me forge strong friendships and bonds.”

BodySpace has not only been fundamental in my establishment as an identity in the fitness community, it has helped me forge strong friendships and bonds—including with my hero, Jamie Eason. It also helped me establish my personal training clientele. Many of my long-term clients initially found me on BodySpace.

BodySpace differs from other networks in a lot of ways, since it has a specific function. This allows someone like me to share more than just thoughts or messages. It allows me to post every detail, from my weight to lifting stats and supplement stacks, and glean huge amounts of information from other people I idolize and respect. It’s one of the most complete social networks out there, for sure.

You’ve done a bunch of photo shoots over the years. Any tips for someone getting prepared for their first one?

Find someone you are comfortable shooting with, and who understands your experience level.

Prepare your looks beforehand, and make sure you feel amazing in them. Don’t hesitate to use a professional for hair and makeup—it can make a huge difference! Once you’re in front of the camera, make sure to not worry about what looks good—you can read the “does this look good?” face from a mile away.

Just loosen up, move around, and enjoy yourself!

Nutritional Regimen

A video posted by Bry Jensen (@bryjensen) on Apr 4, 2014 at 2:32pm PDT

Training Regimen

Supplementation Regimen

Recommended For You

BodySpace Member Of The Month: Nikki Walter, A Year Of Leading By Example

Nikki Walter is intent on changing the fitness culture in South Dakota. She hosts clean-eating parties, competes in the NPC and helps people on BodySpace!

BODYSPACE MEMBER OF THE MONTH: JORDAN METCALFE

BodySpace gave Jordan a safe haven to study, share, and progress among like-minded people. He’s made the most of it!

BODYSPACE MEMBER OF THE MONTH: ALLISON MOYER

Allison takes an open-minded approach to fitness and nutrition in order achieve a figure that can thrive in any athletic setting.

Recently, I had the pleasure of appearing on the cover of the December 2014 issue of “Oxygen” magazine. I have a long history with this magazine, and I feel like it was largely responsible for my initial success in the fitness industry way back when. So, needless to say, this was an awesome experience that meant a lot to me, especially because I also contributed a workout to the issue.

The workout I created was something I would do—and have done—myself. It’s a high-intensity, full-body program inspired by my experience in collegiate athletics. I wanted to convey an important point: If you move your body in an athletic way, your results and physique will come. You don’t need to tailor every workout to how you want to look; do the workout first, and let the body come naturally. Not only will you look great, you’ll also be a better athlete.

But there’s another ingredient to this performance pastry: nutrition! And I’m not just talking about your overall nutritional strategy, or your—sigh—”diet.” If you’ve ever made the mistake of eating like a bodybuilder on the same day you do a sprint or agility workout, you know that eating for performance can make the difference between feeling great and feeling beyond awful.

Here’s the new way to fuel up for high-intensity training.

A photo posted by Amber Elizabeth Dodzweit (@amberdodzweit) on May 5, 2014 at 9:21pm PDT

A Day at the Races

High-intensity workouts require you to eat in a certain way. First and foremost, carbs are non-negotiable. They are the fuel for movement and speed, and you absolutely need them to perform at your peak. In fact, I didn’t deplete or deny myself carbs at all for my cover or workout photo shoot.

I do recommend timing your carbs, however. Ingest only complex, slow-digesting carbs in your morning and early afternoon meals, and taper them off around 3 or 4 p.m. After that, replace them with non-starchy vegetables. This will give you plenty of energy to play with, which is the real key to getting lean.

For breakfast I recommend slow-burning carbs like oatmeal paired with egg whites, or protein pancakes made with a scoop of Baking Mix from Clutch Bodyshop, an egg white, almond milk, and oatmeal.

Baking Mix Pancakes

PDF (113 KB)

Consume that first meal at least an hour and a half before your workout so it has time to be digested—and so it doesn’t come back up. This is a lesson some people need to learn the hard way, but they usually only have to learn it once!

After your workout, proper nutrition is very important. Your body considers exercise a stressor, and you need to eat and drink back what you’ve just depleted from your system in order to kick-start your repair and recovery processes. Remember that strength and progress are not built during your workouts; they’re built during your recovery.

This is the perfect time to take in fast-digesting carbs, but that doesn’t have to mean junk food. I like to have 8 ounces of coconut water, straight up, at this time. At least a few times a week, I’ll toss my coconut water into the blender and make a homemade green juice.

As the burning in your thighs after a few sets of sprints indicates, intense exercise creates an acidic environment in your body. This promotes inflammation, and green juice helps your body return to an alkaline state, which is better for repairing and rebuilding, and ultimately getting you results.

Finally, I recommend a protein shake that is 100-percent whey isolate protein, mixed with water or almond milk. All of these things should be taken in immediately post-workout. It sounds like a lot of liquid, but you need those nutrients and water to initiate proper recovery.

About an hour after training, have an actual meal. I personally love the Bodybuilding.com B-Elite meals for this particular meal. I’m very busy, so they are the perfect choice for me. I just pop one in the microwave and in five minutes or so I have clean chicken, brown rice, and broccoli in the perfect portions.

For dinner I recommend sticking to protein and veggies. This is when I like to have something I invented called “bread-free French toast.” Basically, it’s egg whites beaten with a little almond milk, some stevia, cinnamon and flax seed meal. Cook it up like you would an omelet with a side of veggies and it’s like having French toast for dinner. Who could say no to that?

Supps To Support Your Speedy Results

My high-intensity workouts are inspired by competitive athletics, but I know that many people aren’t performing them with the stadium in mind. No, they’re thinking about the mirror, the bikini—in other words, dialing in their body composition. Strategic supplementation can definitely help you get maximum results out oft this type of training, while also helping you recover adequately between workouts.

A video posted by Amber Elizabeth Dodzweit (@amberdodzweit) on Feb 2, 2014 at 12:43pm PST

I recommend taking a stimulant-free pre-workout mixed with water right before you train. If you didn’t know that such a thing existed, then you should definitely consider one. Here’s the thing: Over time, the combination of stimulants and hard training exhausts your adrenal glands. This can lead to fat gain and leave you dragging through life. Good luck making it through my workouts then!

Instead, I prefer caffeine-free pre-workouts that provide energy on a cellular level, such as the forthcoming Clutch Workout Powder, which will come out this December. I also recommend taking 1,000mg of BCAAs pre-workout to provide your body with immediate access to amino acids during training. Post-workout, I recommend 2,000 mg of glutamine with your protein shake, as well as another 1,000mg of BCAAs to saturate your system with the building blocks necessary to facilitate recovery and build muscle.

If you’re training with high intensity because you’re aiming for a specific deadline, like I was for the “Oxygen” cover shoot, then consider adding in a fat-burner for a month, or if the deadline is shorter, a 21-day Clutch Cut. You may be surprised to hear me recommend a fat-burner, since they are often the primary suspects in adrenal fatigue. However, this is because people use them as an artificial source of energy. I only recommend stimulant-free fat-burners, like the Clutch Fat Burner, which promotes fat being burned as energy rather than just ramping up your heart rate.

There’s your plan. Now work hard, sprint fast, and watch everyone else try to keep up!

Recommended For You

6 Delicious Protein Shake Recipes!

Say goodbye to the days of chugging lumpy protein shakes with minimal flavor. Take your gains to the next level with these Clutch shake recipes!

Ashley Conrad’s 25-Minute Time-Saving Workout

Think strength and speed don’t belong in the same workout? Not if Ashley Conrad has anything to say about it! Turn up the pressure and leave it all out on the floor in this brutal 25-minute burner!

Ashley Conrad’s 21-Day Clutch Cut

I’ve trained celebrities like Bradley Cooper, Kate Hudson, and P. Diddy. My plan will help you get lean, mean, and cut beyond belief in only three weeks. Now that’s clutch.

We all have body parts and specific muscle groups we want to improve, but complaining about them doesn’t solve the problem. If you really want to transform a weakness into a strength, you need a smart strategy that effectively targets the muscle you want to mold. This is especially true for your biceps peak.

To build a towering biceps peak, you need to divide and conquer: “divide” in the sense that your biceps have two heads, and the long (outer) head is the one you see knotted up when you flex your arm, forming the peak; and “conquer,” as in finding ways to directly target that particular head with exercises, subtle changes in hand position, and post-failure intensity boosters that initiate growth processes.

It’s worth noting that, anatomically, the long head is emphasized over the short head when you take a closer grip on a barbell, and when it gets a better stretch, as when doing incline-bench dumbbell curls. On the incline bench, your upper arms are behind the plane of your body, enabling the long head to be fully stretched. (A muscle is capable of a stronger contraction when it’s completely stretched first.)

If, like me, you weren’t in the front of the genetic line for big, peaked arms, it’s time for you to give these seven peak-building strategies a try. Incorporate as many of them as you can into your current routine. If you have other ideas, please include them in the comments section at the conclusion of the article.

Standing Barbell Curl

1 Train Your Biceps After A Rest Day

What’s the best way to ensure you have a great workout? By making sure you’re well-rested beforehand, have plenty of fuel in your tank, and are mentally fresh to push yourself. More often than not, that’s after a day away from the gym—at least one in which you took the day to actually recover instead of spending the wee hours in some club.

If your biceps are your top priority, do them first after a rest day. Because it’s a short workout—usually 30 minutes, tops—it isn’t too difficult to maintain high-octane intensity over the course of your workout. And if you train biceps with triceps, consider even hitting your biceps first since they’re your main target.

Rest also means giving your arm flexors at least 48 hours between workouts. Follow a training split in which you space your back workout either two days before or two days after your arm day. Working your biceps on Mondays and back on Tuesdays provides inadequate recovery time and can hinder overall arm gains. Whatever split you follow, just use rest days judiciously and be cautious when planning your back attack.

2 Train Your Biceps Twice Over The Course Of Your Split

While you don’t want to train your biceps on consecutive days, there’s no reason you can’t do them twice over the course of your training split. This strategy works especially well if you follow a longer split, say 5-6 days.

Given that the biceps are a relatively small muscle group that recovers faster than larger body parts like legs or back, you can train them more frequently, at least in the short-term. Every third or fourth day works fine, so long as you don’t train them immediately before or after a back day.

When following this approach, consider using biceps workouts that are very different from each other, rather than repeating the same workout on both days. In this case, you might make one session a general mass-building workout that includes exercises for both the long and short heads, as well as the brachialis, and focus the other workout specifically on the long head with a variety of moves, grips, and rep ranges.

You can even change up the advanced techniques you use, using forced reps during one workout and negatives in the other. The idea here is to work the biceps in very different ways for optimal results.

3 Do Biceps After A Back Workout

If you’re following a shorter training split or trying to get in two biceps workouts per week, it might make sense to train them after back. Since both are pulling muscles—the biceps are engaged during most multijoint back movements—it makes sense to do them together. You don’t, however, want to train you biceps before your back.

The biceps get a good workout already in back training, so most people reason that they might as well finish them off. What you want to avoid is training biceps the day before or after back so that you’re not working this muscle group on consecutive days, as stated above. Even a smaller body part like the biceps requires a minimum of two days’ rest between workouts.

“The biceps get a good workout already in back training, so most people reason that they might as well finish them off.”

4 Choose a Superior Mass-Builder And Use Challenging Weights

There’s no shabbier way to start your workout than with the wrong choice of exercises. What makes a given exercise right or wrong? The amount of weight you can lift. Multijoint exercises are the clear winner when it comes to larger muscle groups, but with biceps, you’re left with a battery of single-joint movements.

So let’s go back to the original question: What exercise can you move the most weight with? Let me give you two sample choices here: concentration curl or standing barbell curl. This should be easy to pick—standing barbell curl is the clear winner—but many guys still start their arm workouts with light exercises. It’s like putting reverse-grip press-downs early in your triceps routine, or doing leg extensions first on leg day. Sure, it can work in a pre-exhaust (in which you intentionally order the exercises with single-joint movements first), but not as part of your staple mass-building routine.

Another reason the standing curl is such a good choice is that you can generate a bit of momentum through your hips once you approach muscle failure. This doesn’t mean you should use a ridiculously heavy weight and start rocking back and forth on your very first rep, but after you’ve done 6-8 reps with clean form, a bit of body English can help you get past a sticking point for another rep or two. Use just enough momentum to get past that sticking point. If you have to throw your back into the movement, you’ll end up with a lower-back strain.

As far as challenging weights go, there’s no reason not to push yourself early in your routine when your energy levels are high. Rather than doing 3 sets of 10, go a little heavier and choose a weight in which you might be able to do only 6-8 reps.

Concentration Curl

5 Find Ways To Emphasize The Long (Outer) Head

One of the reasons you’re so strong in the standing barbell curl mentioned above is because you’re using both biceps heads as you complete it. You can put more emphasis on the long head by shifting your grip inward, internally rotating the shoulders.

Use a grip an inch or two inside shoulder width, so you can better focus on the long head. If you’ve always done your barbell curls with the same grip, try a couple of closer-grip sets and a few wider-grip sets that—you guessed it—better emphasize the short head. While you can’t isolate one particular area of the arms, you can shift the emphasis, which is what we’re doing here.

Incline-Bench Dumbbell Curl

6 Boost Your Intensity With Advanced Techniques

Choosing the right variations of exercises and using the right weights is a good start, but you still have to lift it. When it comes to initiating growth processes at the cellular level, you won’t get away with stopping your sets short of muscle failure. In fact, taking 1-2 sets of each exercise past failure is your recipe for growth. Here are a few advanced training techniques that work especially well with biceps:

• Forced reps: A good training partner is worth his weight in gold; even if you don’t have one, try to get a spot on your heaviest set of curls. With a couple of forced reps, your partner provides just enough help to get you past the sticking point, enabling you to do a few extra reps past failure. This is best done on barbell curls. You can also do it with dumbbells, but your spotter will have to work back and forth if you alternate sides as you curl.
• Dropsets: This technique is best done with cables or dumbbells, as long as you have the lighter pair of weights on hand. Once you reach muscle failure, quickly reduce the weight by 20-30 percent and immediately resume your set, working to a second point of muscle failure.
• Rep-and-a-halves: This technique works especially well with biceps, but probably toward the end of your workout so you don’t compromise your strength right off the bat. Do a full contraction, then release the weight just a few inches and strongly contract the biceps again. Then lower to full arm extension. That’s one rep.

Standing Cable Hammer Curl

7 Go For Broke At The Finish Line

Combining a good last exercise and an advanced technique is a great way to complete your workout with a monster pump. You know, the one in which you suddenly drop the weight because your arms are on fire! That’s the one you’re looking for.

On your last exercise, your biceps are already highly fatigued, so don’t even think about doing low-rep sets with heavy weights. Now’s the time to pump your arms, driving fluids in there to make them swell.

Here’s a long-head-targeting move that combines elements of rest-pause and dropsets. First, attach a bar to the lower cable on a cable stack. Use a grip just inside shoulder width to better emphasize the long head, and start with a weight you can lift for 10-12 reps. You’re going to rest just 20 seconds between sets, so each set is going to become progressively harder.

Once you can’t do 8 reps, reduce the weight by one plate. Keep up the pace, resting just 20 seconds and doing as many reps as you can, dropping the weight when you can’t complete 8 reps. Do this for five minutes straight rather than a predetermined number of sets.

You may not have the best DNA for peaked arms, but sure as hell, you can make the best of what you’ve got!

Recommended For You

The ABCs Of A Muscle-Building Diet

Want know where to start when it comes to mass-building nutrition? Start here! These three tried-and-true benchmarks will help you transform your physique, body composition, and workout quality.

The No. 1 Reason You’re Not Growing

Just showing up and lifting isn’t going to maximize your muscle and strength gains. Here’s how to implement the most critical principle of bodybuilding: progressive overload.

6 Mistakes That Are Killing Your Gains

Taking the next step in muscular development is partially about training better, but it’s just as much about removing the roadblocks to anabolism that hold you back. Are you committing any of these crimes?

Vital Stats

Name: Lee Boyce
Occupation: Owner of Boyce Training Systems.
Website: leeboycetraining.com

“How much ya strict press?”

That question may sound funny today. Most of us would far prefer to test ourselves in something—anything—other than an overhead lift. Bench? Let’s go. Squat? Great. Even how much you curl has a place on your resume. But shoulders? Man, that’s for pumps. Who wants to risk an injury?

It wasn’t always like this, though. Once upon a time, the amount you could put over your head was the question—and especially how much you could strict press. I’m talking no crazy over-arch, no leg drive, and a full range of motion from collarbone to lockout.

In my experience, this is one of the hardest things you can do in the gym, and I take great pride in the fact that, over time, I’ve been able to work my way up to a 225-pound max effort for the strict press. With my 6-foot-8 wingspan, that’s no small feat!

Here I am, recently pushing 210 for a smooth triple.

Lee Boyce Strict Press 210 x 3
Watch The Video – 00:38

Let me be clear: Training to reach 200 wasn’t as simple as just getting under the bar and doing it. It took a lot of planning, a focus on shoulder health as well as shoulder strength, and the willingness to put my ego aside. But if you’ve been in the iron game for a while, you know that that type of approach can feed positively into just about any other strength, physique, or athletic goal.

If you’re still reading, then maybe you’re starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, a big overhead press is more of a possibility than you’d previously thought. I’m here to say it is!

Here’s what you’ll need to get it:

Ingredient 1

When it comes to the overhead barbell press, strength is only one ingredient. If your shoulder isn’t stable, the lift isn’t stable—and it won’t be going up. You may be able to get away with some lighter loads, but you can say goodbye to going heavy without paying a visit to snap city.

Your shoulder stability is going to be determined by how strong your upper back is.

Your shoulder stability is going to be determined by how strong your upper back is. All four of your rotator cuff muscles attach on the scapulae, so pulling exercises with proper technique are going to be a major element in pain-free pressing. This is especially important if you’re a tall or long-armed lifter like I am, since stress forces will be higher due to your lever arm length and increased time under tension.

I’d recommend sticking to a 2:1 ratio of pulling exercises to pushing exercises in your routine, and be sure to work in both a horizontal and vertical plane of motion when pulling. Here are exercises I personally like to use to improve scapular stability:

Ingredient 2

So your shoulders feel nice and stable. That’s great, but it’s not going to be enough to get a heavy barbell overhead. Having the ability to mobilize the scapulae is also extremely important to being able to push a load along the safest, strongest trajectory. As the humerus (upper arm) moves, there should be a lesser but corresponding degree of movement at the shoulder blade.

That means it’s wrong to keep your shoulder blades “pinned” when pushing a weight overhead. Your scapulae should actually migrate upward and outward as your arms raise. A downside of bench pressing is that it reinforces the “stay locked down all the time” feeling. Of course it’s necessary during that lift for your safety and performance, but it becomes a problem when you keep your scapulae similarly locked down during push-ups and rowing movements, too.

This video goes into greater detail:

Lee Boyce on Scapular Mobility
Watch The Video – 03:37

The solution: Get those scapulae moving, and strengthen the muscles that help them move, like the serratus. Here’s how:

Lee Boyce Serratus Front Raise
Watch The Video – 00:17

Ingredient 3

You may have noticed that we haven’t talked much about your actual shoulder joint so far. Naturally, the ball-and-socket joint of the shoulder needs to be strong through a full range of motion to do a true strict press. Otherwise, you’ll end up doing the classic “standing lean-back incline press” I show in this video, which is guaranteed to be bad news for your back.

Lee Boyce on Shoulder Press Mistakes
Watch The Video – 05:04

If you just shouted “Amen!” at your screen (I thought I heard something), then the time has come for you to work on the tissue quality—not just the tissue size—of your beach muscles. Having restrictions in movement because of tight muscles of the chest, front deltoids, and even hips can create a tidal wave of negative effects on your standing strict barbell press. The most common compensation is an overarch in the low back to make up for a poor bar position overhead.

Luckily for you, I’ve already written an entire article about back hyperextension and how to prevent it. The upshot is that you need to get reacquainted with one of the great movements everybody knows they should do, but no one does: the shoulder dislocate.

Doing this regularly, along with practicing the press with proper form using light loads, can help ingrain the correct patterns and angles into your muscle memory.

Standing Barbell Shoulder Press

Ingredient 4

So we’ve laid the groundwork that will allow you to do the lift. What comes next, as I said in the previous section, is practice. That’s where your ego can be your worst enemy. You need to use light loads until you master the geometry of the strict press. Here’s what that geometry consists of:

Recommended For You

4 Great Back Exercises You’ve Never Tried

You’ve got a laundry list of tricks to add an inch to your arms. Why not do the same for your upper and middle back? Think outside the pull-down and make a bigger shadow walking down the street!

Beat Butt Wink: Squat Big Without Hurting Your Back

Something strange is happening at the bottom of many lifters’ squats. It goes by the name of butt wink, and if it’s severe, it puts their back health and lift numbers at risk. Here’s what you need to know!

Power Panel: 4 Deadlifting Cues From Pro Coaches!

Strength coaches Tony Gentilcore, Dean Somerset, Lee Boyce, and Todd Bumgardner offer their best deadlifting cues. Rip the barbell from the ground!

Vital Stats

Name: Jennifer Dawn
Occupation: IFBB Bikini pro and Dymatize athlete
Website: jenniferdawnfitness.com

If you want to have a career in fitness, you have to train your mind and body to overcome the unexpected. You have to work hard consistently, even when you may not want to. In short, you have to live by a personal set of laws that help you surmount any obstacle and stay on track toward your fitness goals.

When you take up fitness as your career or lifestyle, you have to continually set, meet, and exceed new physical standards every year. In 2010, I started training for the NPC, at which point my physical goals switched from athletics to aesthetics. I combined my love for fitness with the newfound allure of center stage. I didn’t expect that change, but I adjusted.

So how do I train for the unexpected, meet new goals every year, and continue pushing my body to the limits?

I abide by my 7 Laws of the Fit Life, and so should you!

1 Wake up naturally

Alas, I rarely get eight solid hours of sleep. My mind doesn’t let me fall asleep easily, so instead of cutting my sleep short with early alarms, I’m learning to let my subconscious work for me. I try not to worry about waking up in time, and instead just trust that I will.

A photo posted by Jennifer Dawn IFBB Pro (@jenniferdawn_ifbbpro) on May 5, 2014 at 7:46am PDT

Sure, I still set 2-3 alarms on really important days, but I do my best to wake up naturally. This has helped the quality and quantity of my sleep immensely!

2 Wake up and drink water

I drink at least two cups of plain water immediately after I wake up. I then drink a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 8 ounces of water. I then mix 20 ounces of Dymatize Amino Pro to take with me to work or—if I got up early enough—to drink during my fasted morning cardio.

3 Bring your lunch

Shift work can be unpredictable, and the chances of missing a lunch break are high in a busy world. Bring something you can eat cold, and only fast when you are in a pinch.

Hot food is overrated! Cook your chicken, steak, or salmon, and then slip it into the fridge. These are terrific protein sources you can eat straight out of the refrigerator. Sweet potato, green beans, or broccoli are often better cold than hot, as well.

If you are on the run and feel like you really need to heat your lunch, pack a meal that you can heat up at the gas station microwave or in your break room.

If I’m really in a rush, I always carry a small container full of Dymatize ISO-100 whey protein. A quick protein shake or some fast aminos can satiate hunger and power you through rough spots.

4 Train to give chase

Training has a bit of a predator vs. prey dynamic. You are the predator and your workout is the prey. You need to get out there and kill it! You need endurance, of course, but you also need short bursts of physical activity to feast on those goals. Most foot pursuits are over in less than a mile. Learn to sprint like a predator!

5 Get up and over

You are going to face obstacles in life and in the gym. Prepare yourself by voluntarily going over the top and up the rope. Obstacle and endurance races ask you to go through some serious challenges. Be ready. Know in your mind that you can lift your body.

Here’s a quick workout I love to use to prepare my body for any obstacle:

6 Get functional

I want to be prepared for any physical situation, so I like to learn how to use my strength in a practical way. If you see a car stranded in the roadway, hop out and help. Think of it as a chance to practice for the day when you are stranded and no one is there to help you. In that moment, when you’re all alone, you must be strong enough to care for yourself.

You don’t just develop toughness overnight. It is forged through the heat of trial and error.

7 Train your mind

The most important aspect of living fit is fostering mental strength. You don’t just develop toughness overnight. It is forged through the heat of trial and error. As a peace officer, a pro athlete, and even as a private citizen, I sometimes encounter dangerous situations. It is a violent and unpredictable world, so I train my mind to be ready for anything. I like to repeat, “I will survive. I will relentlessly fight for the innocent. I will never give up.”

What mantra motivates you?

Recommended For You

9 Ways To Make Fitness Fun For Your Whole Family

Fitness doesn’t have to be a solo journey. Introduce your whole family to a healthier lifestyle with these 9 tips!

Gym Motivation: 8 Surefire Tips For A Great Workout

Walking out of the gym feeling anything but triumphant? The solution could be as simple as switching up a few minor details in how you prepare for and plan your workout. Don’t dump your program until you try these tips first!

44 Ways To Transform Your Health

Small, sustainable changes can help you lead a fitter, better life. Use these tips to help guide you.

Is staying lean this holiday season at the top of your Christmas wish list? If you’d rather not look like a schlubby, post-cookie-binge Santa, you’ll want to put the following holiday fitness tips into action.

It takes a good dose of motivation, determination, and persistence to get through the next few months without overindulging, especially if many of the people close to you aren’t leading the same lifestyle. While everyone else is slamming back eggnog and chocolates, you’re more focused on egg whites and chicken. At times, you might feel like you’re going through the battle alone.

Well, you’re not. Use these strategies to stay on track. Come New Year’s, you’ll be thanking yourself.

1 Prioritize Your Time

Since it’s the season of giving and socializing, you’ll have event invites coming at you from all directions. Stop feeling bad about saying no. “You can start to feel guilty if you don’t RSVP “yes” to all the invites, but at what cost?” asks fitness pro Jen Jewell.

Jen stresses the importance of carving out some “you” time as well. If you’re constantly doing things to please others, you’ll put your needs on the back burner. Training is usually the first thing to fall to the wayside.

It’s understandable that something’s got to give, but when your plate starts to fill up, make modifications instead of cutting things out completely. “If you can’t manage to sneak away for your normal workouts, at least aim to do 30 minutes of activity first thing in the morning,” Jen recommends. “That way, if the day gets hectic, at least you know you’ve already done something positive for yourself.”

“If you can’t manage to sneak away for your normal workouts, at least aim to do 30 minutes of activity first thing in the morning.” – Jen Jewell

Ideally, carve out enough time to hit the gym 3-5 days a week to maintain your fitness and overall mental health.

2 Pick Your Indulgences Wisely

This holiday season, don’t feel like you’ll get coal in your stocking unless you avoid every trace of fat or added sugar. Doing so might only backfire on you, leading to a full-on binge of anything in sight.

Permission granted to indulge wisely and in moderation. Jen tells her clients to ask themselves one simple question: Is the goodie in question one you can eat year-round, or is it a seasonal special? There’s no point blowing your diet on a cookie that comes from a box purchased from the supermarket. You can throw those in your cart at any time. But your grandma’s top secret cookie recipe that only comes out once a year? That’s worth the indulgence.

3 Assess Your Goals Regularly

Another important thing to do this holiday season is to keep current with your goals. “Check in with yourself often and ask why it is that you want to reach these particular goals,” recommends WBFF Pro bodybuilder Calum Von Moger. “What are you trying to achieve and how badly do you want it? Reminding yourself of what you’re striving for will help keep your mind focused on the end result,” he explains.

Try writing a list of your goals for the holiday season and hanging it in a spot that you can reference daily. Doing so will help you keep striving onward.

4 Buddy Up

You’ve already heard about how beneficial having a workout buddy can be, but having that extra support is especially crucial during the holidays.

“Find someone with similar goals, and work together to accomplish them,” recommends Calum. “This will motivate you to stay on track. You’ll be able to lean on each other for support, which will help you both stay focused.”

A photo posted by Çalum vøn Møger™ (@calumvonmoger) on Sep 9, 2014 at 1:07pm PDT

People are often thrown off their diet and workout schedule when they feel like an outsider. While everyone else is off partying, they’re left counting macros and tracking workouts. If you have that workout buddy, you won’t feel alone any longer.

5 Get Wise With Your Macros

Another way to indulge in seasonal goodies is to calculate them into your daily macros. Instead of depriving yourself, follow the IIFYM plan, meaning, if it fits your macros, go for it. “The holidays are filled with amazing foods like cookies, pies, and pastries, so instead of turning down these foods and waiting for your cheat day to eat 75 servings in one sitting, fit them into your daily allowance,” recommends Cellucor athlete Karina Baymiller.

The more restricted you feel during the holidays, the more problematic your cravings can be. “Eating the foods you love during the holiday season is easy when you actually allow yourself to eat them in moderation,” Karina adds. Bye-bye deprivation.

6 Schedule Training Wisely

In addition to being smart with how you indulge, you should also be smart with when you train. Workout timing is important to be aware of, especially when you factor in big holiday meals. Put that turkey and stuffing to good use. Time your meals so you can use them as fuel or to replenish nutrients.

“I like getting a solid training session in before or after my feast to put the extra carbs and fats to good use,” Karina explains. Using this logic might also remove some of the psychological guilt associated with indulging. Remember, food equals fuel and power.

If you slip, remember to maintain perspective. “Keep consistency in mind over perfection,” Karina stresses. “If you eat a little too much stuffing or have an extra cinnamon roll on Christmas morning, oh well. A few days of letting your guard down and enjoying time with friends and family is what we call life.”

7 Prep And Plan Ahead

“If you know you are going to be in the car for a long time traveling, pack healthy snacks.”

Nutrition is the foundation of fitness. The holidays might mean baking treats and whipping up sauces, but that doesn’t mean you should stop cooking. Use the weekend to plan and prepare your meals ahead of time as you normally would.

“If you get lazy on your meal prep, you are surely going to fall off your diet,” says Cellucor athlete and strongman competitor Colton Leonard. “If you know you are going to be in the car traveling for a long time, for instance, pack healthy snacks.”

The hustle and bustle of the holidays might make planning more difficult, but just know that it’s not an optional task if you want to succeed in staying on track. With cookies, cake, and decadent dishes everywhere, temptation is likely to lead you astray now more than ever.

Avoid holiday diet “don’ts” by coming up with a sound meal and workout plan in advance. “Regardless of the goal and the direction you are trying to take with your physique, you have to have a plan and be devoted to following it,” says Colton. List out your menu for each day of the week on Sunday, and then do your best to follow through. Treat your workouts in a similar manner.

8 Start Your Plan Early

Along with getting a plan in place, one quick tip that IFBB Pro Physique competitor Craig Capurso of Cellucor recommends is starting your plan early. By doing this, you’ll allow yourself time to get into the groove so you won’t have to deal with an “adjustment period” once the holidays roll around. This way you don’t risk looking like the Grinch around family and friends.

“Decide if you’d like to diet or ramp up your calorie burn before going into the feast. Maybe try a little bit of both.” – Craig Capurso

Think about how you want to tackle the holidays. “Decide if you’d like to diet or ramp up your calorie burn before going into the feast,” says Craig. “Maybe try a little bit of both.” By creating a slight deficit leading into the holiday week, you’ll allow yourself a bit of a cushion. That way, if you do indulge, it won’t impact you as much, and you’ll likely break even.

Recommended For You

6 Ways To Maximize Your Gains

Train, eat, sleep, repeat. With that philosophy and these 6 pro tips, you’ll be well on your way toward astronomical muscle growth!

Supercharge Your Breakfast: 4 Healthy Breakfast Recipes

Make your first meal of the day count with these four healthy breakfast recipes from the shredded athletes of Cellucor!

28 Laws Of Lifting For Muscle

If building muscle is in your gain plan, start here with these helpful tips!

A lot of women make the mistake of thinking the path to a better body is paved with long cardio workouts on the elliptical, treadmill, or stair-stepper. Women tend to forget that increasing the amount of muscle on their bodies will actually boost their metabolism and help them stay leaner.

Neon athlete Ashley Hoffmann wants to remind you that building muscle mass is a necessary process in the quest for an improved physique! She has the plan and the tips to help you step off the treadmill and pick up some heavy dumbbells.

Even if you’re already in the habit of lifting iron and are well aware of the metabolism-boosting effects strength training can have, you may need a program overhaul. Many women approach muscle building incorrectly and thus don’t make progress as quickly as they can.

So, no matter your ability level, here are some of Ashley’s effective tips for increasing your strength and muscle mass for a great-looking body. Forget the treadmill; it’s time to train for more strength and bigger muscles!

Hoff Tip 1

One of the worst mistakes you can make during a workout is picking up a really heavy dumbbell or pulling on a heavy cable without first doing sets of lighter weight.

A photo posted by Ashley Hoffmann WBFF Pro (@missashleysarina) on Jun 6, 2014 at 4:07pm PDT

“Do a few warm-up sets before working your way to your heavier lifts,” advises Ashley. “Although you shouldn’t do too many warm-up sets because you don’t want to fatigue yourself before the working sets, it’s important to do at least two to ensure that your body is warm and your muscles are ready.”

Lifting heavy weight while you’re cold can increase your risk for injury and may even hamper your performance, so be sure to get your muscles and joints prepared before really attacking the iron.

Hoff Tip 2

If you’ve been on a fat-burning program for as long as you can remember, you’ve probably been keeping your rest periods really short.

When you’re building muscle and training for strength, your rest periods need to get a bit longer. “Since the weight is heavier, you need to take enough time to rest between each set to fully recover,” Ashley advises.

When the goal of your workouts is increased strength, make sure you give your body everything it needs to build it. A rest range of 60-120 seconds is appropriate for people who want to increase strength and muscle. If you cut your rest periods short, you’re not going to have the energy to do multiple heavy sets.

Hoff Tip 3

Yes, you’re trying to build muscle and strength, but that doesn’t mean you should be trying to do sets of your one-rep max. “You will not see much muscle-building improvement if you are hitting your max all the time,” says Ashley. “Testing your one-rep max is great for finding out where to start, but you don’t need to lift as heavy as possible every single day.”

“Testing your one-rep max is great for finding out where to start, but you don’t need to lift as heavy as possible every single day.”

Ashley recommends using weight that is 70-85 percent of your max. You should be able to hit every rep, but those reps should be challenging. “Increase the working weight each week, even if it’s only a few pounds. If you’re flying through your sets without much effort, it’s time to increase the weight.”

Hoff Tip 4

Depending on your lifts, your target rep range will change. “When I do big, compound lifts, I use sets of 1-5 reps. I think it’s the safest way to lift heavy,” explains Ashley. “During high-rep sets, stabilizing muscles often get tired before the prime movers. When that happens, you’re more likely to do a lift improperly and injure yourself.”

In the workouts below, you’ll notice that some lifts have higher set and rep ranges than others. For big lifts like the back squat, Ashley lifts more weight and fewer reps. For accessory lifts like leg extensions and curls, she does less weight and more reps.

Ashley makes these changes because she wants to use big lifts to increase her strength and accessory movements to increase the size of her muscles.

At no point should you sacrifice good form for weight.

Hoff Tip 5

At no point should you sacrifice good form for weight. No PR is worth putting yourself at risk for injury. “Having a spotter or workout partner can help detect when you’re in a bad position and keep you safe,” Ashley says.

If you’re not sure what a lift is supposed to look or feel like, check out the Bodybuilding.com Exercise Database, which includes step-by-step instructions for hundreds of lifts.

Hoff Tip 6

Take your recovery sessions seriously. When you work hard and lift heavy, your body needs time to repair the damage you inflict and recover for your next gym session.

Remember, you don’t grow when you lift, you grow when you rest. So, stay out of the gym at least two days per week.

Hoff Tip 7

If you want to build muscle and strength, forget any of your preconceived notions about what weight training does to women. “It’s impossible for women to build muscle to the same degree that men do because our bodies produce one tenth the testosterone of an average man,” Ashley explains.

Most women will be lucky to gain around 1/2-1 pound of muscle per month. You can probably expect less. So, keep in mind that building muscle isn’t an overnight process. You will not wake up one morning looking like a slab of beef.

The changes you make will be slow, and you’ll be able to maintain control of how much muscle you’d like to gain. Once you feel like you’ve put on enough muscle, you can then transition into a maintenance or cutting phase.

If you want to build muscle and strength, forget any of your preconceived notions about what weight training does to women.

ASHLEY HOFFMAN’S STRENGTH WORKOUTS

These tips aren’t nearly as helpful without a concrete plan to apply them. Here are two of Ashley’s strength workouts that you can put in your regimen today!

Recommended For You

Ashley Hoffmann’s Abs Workout: 6 Tips For Awesome Abs!

Ashley Hoffmann is the proud owner of great-looking six-pack. Here are six of her training and nutrition tips to help you carve your own awesome abdominals!

Build Legs You’ll Love: Ashley Hoffmann’s Leg Workout

There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get after a super tough leg workout. If you haven’t felt it in a while, then you need to try Ashley Hoffmann’s leg smash. It’s brutal, but it’s exactly what you need for strong, statuesque legs!

5 Super Shoulder-Training Techniques

If you’re in the market for round, shapely shoulders, let Ashley Hoffmann show you how to build them. Here are five of her favorite shoulder-building techniques.

Vital Stats

Name: Josh Bryant, CSCS, PES
Education: MS, Exercise science
Occupation: Author, coach, athlete
Website: www.joshstrength.com

When I was in eighth grade, my first powerlifting mentor, Steve Holl, took a hasty glance around the Santa Barbara Gym and Fitness Center. “Look around this gym,” he said. “It’s filled with the same people lifting the same weights, doing the same exercises, and looking the same for the past 15 years.”

After shaking his head in disgust, he added, “If you take one thing away from today, remember, you gotta put more weight on the bar. No matter what you do, you have to put more weight on the bar.”

Steve gave me my first lesson in overload.

Milo of Croton was a wrestler with several ancient Olympic titles under his belt. He’s considered to be the greatest wrestler of antiquity by most history buffs.

Despite the fact that his championship reign dates back more than 2,500 years to 6th Century BC, his name still holds weight in contemporary weightlifting circles, and he is still the quintessential example of progressively overloading for strength training.

According to the story, Milo owned a calf. Milo lifted that calf every single day and, as the calf grew bigger, Milo became stronger. Milo did this every day until the calf was a full-grown bull and Milo was the strongest man in the world. In due time, Milo carried the adult bull on his shoulders around the Colosseum.

Milo started small and used incremental microprogression to become the strongest man on the face of the earth.

Is Progressive Overload Necessary?

The law of overload is one of the first principles in exercise physiology, and no resistance program is successful without it. Basically it means Mother Nature overcompensates for training stress by giving you bigger and stronger muscles.

A couple years ago, I was reading a 1980s bodybuilding magazine, and a quote by Lee Haney jumped out. He said, “The key to building massive, powerful muscles is to doggedly increase the training weights you use.”

“Luckily, when adding pounds hits a plateau, there are other variables you can manipulate to effectively overload your training.”

Basically, it’s what my mentor Steve Holl taught me when I was 14 years old. This tenet is undisputable. But there is a problem: the buck eventually stops.

With the logic of overload training, if someone just benches the bar and adds five pounds each week for three years, they’ll break the 722-pound bench world record by 103 pounds in that short time span. Not very realistic! While piling the weight on the bar is the most effective overload technique, it only works to a point. Luckily, when adding pounds hits a plateau, there are other variables you can manipulate to effectively overload your training.

Overload Misapplied

Many fitness professionals who are more concerned with entertaining clients than getting results dismiss progressive overload with randomization. Their train of thought usually goes something like this: Why deadlift when you can do one-legged kettlebell deadlifts on a BOSU ball?

“Doing squats on an unstable surface may make sense for an advanced alpine skier, but it’s downright debauchery for anyone hoping to make serious gains in size and strength.”

My question is, how can you continually overload training if it is totally randomized? Put simply, you can’t. The idea of overload is to make training harder but keep the same end game in mind. Doing squats on an unstable surface may make sense for an advanced alpine skier, but it’s downright debauchery for anyone hoping to make serious gains in size and strength.

Why? Simply, balance is the limiting factor; you cannot produce enough mechanical tension—the primary mechanism to spark hypertrophy—when balance is the primary concern. High amounts of tension are produced by lifting heavy weights.

Be smart with your technique, and put strength training first. Trying to build huge traps with shrugs? It would not make sense to overload your training by taking off your hand straps; the goal is to build the traps, not the grip.

Overload must be approached using sound scientific training and common sense. Sure, you can do dumbbell curls while you lunge, but don’t con yourself into believing you are providing any sort of serious overload to your legs. Want real overload? Hit the squat rack.

Let’s look at seven ways to continually overload training for continuous gains. While bodybuilders may need more frequent exercise rotation, they often make the mistake of not overloading when cycling between exercises. It’s important to bump up the weight that was last used. Keeping a training journal makes that simple.

My advice is to load linearly as long as possible. As plateaus hit, start pulling these tricks out of the bag as you journey from beginner to intermediate to advanced.

1 Increase Resistance

This is the most obvious way, by adding weight. Newbie trainees should milk this method for as long as possible. Each session, incrementally lift more.

Some bodybuilders with low IQs and large egos only add weight to a barbell in terms of 45-pound and 25-pound plates. A 25-pound plate on each side is an additional 50 pounds on the barbell; in many core lifts, for an advanced trainee, this would require fighting tooth and nail for years to make this kind of increase. Don’t let your pride make judgment calls when it comes to loading the bar. Remember, your gym has 10-pound plates, 5-pound plates and even 2.5-pound plates; plates lighter than 1 pound can be purchased very inexpensively on the Internet.

Half-pound plates added to a bench press weekly over the course of a year would equal a 52-pound gain; 1-pound plates would equal a 104-pound gain. Think microprogression for long-term success.

“Ultimately, with proper planning, you can continually get stronger for years using periods of increased loading.”

Some Internet strength coaches point out that this pace is impossible to maintain forever, which is undoubtedly true. The late, former Soviet sports mastermind, Yuri Verkhoshansky, offered a solution called “periods of increased loading.” This means cycle training.

At the start of a new training cycle, use more weight than at the start of the previous training cycle. This means that at the midrange point, you should be ahead of your previous cycle’s midrange point. Ultimately, with proper planning, you can continually get stronger for years using periods of increased loading.

This was exactly how the greatest powerlifter of all time, Eddy Coan, did it.

2 Increase Volume

Just do more; volume is increased by performing more sets and lifting more weight. Volume = sets × reps × weight lifted.

Keep in mind that, except for the rank beginner, volume with weight under 65 percent of a one-rep max (i.e. light weight) is not heavy enough to have a real training effect. And don’t go by total volume. Squatting 100 pounds for 10 sets of 10 provides a different training effect than squatting 500 for 10 sets of 2 reps, although both are 10,000 pounds of volume.

There are a number of ways to add volume to your routine. Try adding an extra set to your workout. If you benched 4 sets of 5 with 200 pounds last time, you performed 4000 pounds of volume; if you do 5 sets next week, that becomes 5000 pounds of volume. One extra set has a profound effect on total volume; imagine doing that for multiple exercises.

As long as you don’t sacrifice intensity in the process, you’ll find that higher volume is superior for increasing strength and hypertrophy.

3 Increase Range of Motion

Range of motion can have a huge impact on a movement. Doing a deficit deadlift (a deadlift done while standing on a plate a couple of inches off the ground to increase the range of motion) with 80 percent of a one-rep max is much more difficult than a regular deadlift at the same weight. Similarly, doing deep, Olympic pause squats instead of power squats can add an extra level of difficulty.

“Another alternative is to take a full range-of-motion exercise like a deadlift and turn it into an extended range-of-motion exercise like a deficit deadlift or a snatch-grip deadlift.”

The key is to increase your range of motion gradually over a series of workouts. A popular method used over a half-century ago by immortal strength legends Paul Anderson and Bob Peoples was progressive distance training. These lifters would start with a partial range-of-motion exercise lift like a rack pull (partial deadlift) and eventually work to a full range of motion over the course of weeks and months with the same weight.

Another alternative is to take a full range-of-motion exercise like a deadlift and turn it into an extended range-of-motion exercise like a deficit deadlift or a snatch-grip deadlift. Just a slight increase of one-quarter of an inch overloads the movement.

4 Vary Repetition Speed

One of the fabled Weider Principles is the retro-gravity principle. This essentially says to prolong the negative portion of a rep, which increases muscular tension and prolongs time under tension—two major players in catalyzing hypertrophy.

Lifting weights faster gets you stronger. Remember when your geeky high school physics teacher taught you that Force = Mass × Acceleration? Were you even listening? Well, without adding any weight to the bar, you could produce higher amounts of force simply by lifting the weight faster. Laboratory study after laboratory study confirms superior strength gains when athletes purposefully lift a weight as explosively as possible instead of with a slow or traditional cadence. Don’t forget the acceleration component of the force equation. Lifting a weight with greater force overloads training. This method is most effectively used by controlling the negative portion of a lift and exploding the positive.

5 Rest Less Between Sets

Doing the same amount of work in less time or doing more work in the same amount of time is accomplished with decreased rest intervals. This is called “density” training because you are packing more volume into less time, making the workout denser.

Performing 10,000 pounds of volume in 90 minutes will yield less hypertrophic and strength gains as lifting the same amount in 60 minutes or, better yet, in less than 45 minutes. The key to effective implementation is not sacrificing bar weight. Remember, shortened rest intervals are no excuse for lifting pygmy weights.

6 Changing Movements

For powerlifters, Olympic lifters, and anyone else that competes in specified lifts, the core lifts have to remain at the nucleus of the program. But, for most bodybuilders, doing a core lift—and not a specific lift—is key.

So for legs, squats don’t necessarily have to be performed week in and week out. For bodybuilders, variations like Olympic pause squats, safety squats, squats with accommodating resistance, and front squats can be used.

Front Squat

More frequent changes in exercises are needed when hypertrophy is the objective. Changing exercises helps the bodybuilder not succumb to repeated bout effect (RBE). Changing exercises causes overload.

7 Increase Frequency

Increasing frequency simply means train more often. Squatting twice a week, for example, overloads your system more than squatting once a week. For the bodybuilder, this might mean training five days per week instead of four, or giving a double split a shot.

For the strength athlete, it could mean performing one particular exercise more frequently. For a strongman, an increase in frequency could come in the form of an extra events practice session, and for the general fitness enthusiast it could mean an extra training day dedicated to focusing on a particular weakness. The possibilities are endless, and the fact remains that training more often is an overload.

Recommended For You

5 Big Bench Strategies Excerpted From ‘Bench Press: The Science’

At age 22, strength coach Josh Bryant was the youngest person to ever bench press 600 pounds raw. Learn 5 key strategies he uses to turn regular guys into Herculean freaks!

Your Perfect Body: Visualize, Then Actualize!

You shouldn’t be able to lift heavy weights, and yet you do it again and again. Experienced strength athletes know that the secret to making big numbers move is the mindset of the lifter, not the size of his muscles!

Countdown To Bigger Pecs: Craig Capurso Super 30 Chest Workout

Spend an hour with Craig Capurso as he shows you how to get the most out of 60 minutes in the gym. His Super 30 chest workout is one you and your pecs will never forget!