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Four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler is the everyman of the bodybuilding elite. Approachable, humble, and honest, he’s kind of like the guy next door… who just happens to weigh 280 pounds with near-zilch body fat.

True to form, if you meet Jay, he’s not going to blow your mind with round-the-campfire tales of epic workouts or cutting-edge tactics. In fact, his training routines are almost legendary for their extraordinary lack of novelty. He does more than lift things up and put them down, but not much.

On the other hand, this means that nary a second of Jay’s time in the gym over the years has been wasted. Few if any of us can say the same thing. So while fans may be hungry for his training and nutrition “secrets,” Jay is quick to point out it’s no secret at all.

Here are 10 of his most fundamental rules for maximizing your own physical potential while preserving your sanity.

Rule 1

You’re not likely to find Jay doing exotic exercises or using gimmicky equipment. In a montage of his workouts of the last 20 years, the haircuts would change more than the movements. You’d see him doing a lot of bench presses, squats, rows, pullovers, press-downs, and preacher curls. Why? They work.

You’re not likely to find Jay doing exotic exercises or using gimmicky equipment.

These six movements are almost foolproof mass-gain tools for even the most desperate of hard-gainers, as well as for someone with Jay’s peerless genetic makeup. That’s why you’ll find all of them throughout his Living Large 8-Week Mass-Building trainer. Rep ranges? The usual prescription of 8-12 for size is where the magic happens, in his opinion.

Rule 2

Conventional wisdom is that larger body parts need 12-16 sets of work in order to grow. But conventional wisdom doesn’t win four Olympias.

It’s not uncommon for Jay to perform 3-4 times that number of sets for a given body part—while never reaching failure, as he told us in the article “Lifelong Lessons on Building Mass.” He doesn’t do this as a shock tool; it’s a normal part of his routine. Where many other bodybuilders add reps and cut down on sets, Cutler says he prefers to go heavy for fewer reps, and add more sets. “You can’t do as many reps, or you’ll burn yourself out,” he says. This contributes greatly to the dense muscularity he has come to be known for.

Rule 3

“I need to make sure I get enough sleep,” (Jay) says. “That’s the most important thing.”

Beginners can get great results from full-body routines, but for advanced lifters there’s no substitute for a well-designed split. Longtime lifters know the quickest way to plateau is to fall in love with a single workout, bang it out, and then head back to the gym to do the same thing before you’ve had a chance to fully recover.

Jay insists on getting enough rest between sessions for the same body part, but grants that this is different for most people. What doesn’t vary between people is the importance of horizontal rest.

“I need to make sure I get enough sleep,” he says. “That’s the most important thing.”

Rule 4

The “rest as long as you need between sets” crowd may seem to make a compelling case. But their message falls on deaf ears when it comes to Jay. He rarely rests longer than a minute, even on his heaviest sets. It allows him to do more, live more, grow more, and eat more, staying both huge and ripped year-round.

He’s onto something. A study from the College of New Jersey reported that when men bench pressed with just 30 seconds of rest between sets, they burned over 50 percent more calories during the workout than when they rested 3 minutes.

Another from the University of Southern California, recently published in the “European Journal of Applied Physiology,” found that men who rested a minute between sets built more strength and size than men who rested four minutes.

Bigger, leaner, stronger—what are you waiting for? Get back to work.

Rule 5

Jay has never been shy about hitting a body part twice in a week if he feels the need. He has famously committed to twice-per-week back sessions, but with different focuses. One focuses on vertical pulls and deadlifts, and the other is heavy on horizontal pulls. This has helped him build a three-dimensional set of lats with show-stopping east-west development.

Rule 6

Competitive bodybuilders have to ruthlessly critique their physiques, because if there’s one thing they can be sure of, it’s that judges will do the same thing. Remember, Jay competed in six Mr. Olympia competitions before finally winning. And as he told us in “Big Lessons,” what he learned from these losses was what finally allowed him to win.

Years ago, realizing that his back and legs needed more fine-tuning in order to for him to stay competitive, he adjusted his training, going harder, heavier, and more often for these now lights-out muscle groups. The lesson for you: Physique athletes can’t afford to be sensitive. They need to attack weakness head-on.

Rule 7

The amount of bodybuilding information out there is growing exponentially. You can find more than you can read—and definitely more than you can use—about weight loads, volume, frequency, advanced techniques, and even training times.

Physique athletes can’t afford to be sensitive. They need to attack weakness head-on.

You might think that a world-class competitor like Jay stays up on all of this, and is always looking for tiny tricks to help maximize his performance. On the contrary, his primary guide is purely subjective—how he feels.

“I train whenever my body feels ready to train,” he says, ignoring the science that says late-day training yields better results. Jay adds that what works for you today may not work tomorrow.

Rule 8

Six sets of squats are scheduled, but your pins are toast after four. You’ve got meal number three in hand, but no microwave to cook it in. What to do? You do what you have to, no matter what you’re “supposed” to do.

While Jay feels it’s important to have a plan, he says you should never be so consumed with the routine that you can’t improvise. Though some might think this type of approach is a recipe for distraction, they don’t have Jay’s overall level of commitment. He says his approach helps him keep things fun and interesting in the gym, and that’s what has ultimately kept him coming back to the gym for decades.

Rule 9

Even if you don’t have any aspirations to be Mr. Olympia, you can still elicit tremendous changes in your body, health, and athletic performance by taking a winning approach to your food at home, at work, and even on the road.

“I tell people to put as much effort into their diet as they do into their weight training,” says Jay.

“I tell people to put as much effort into their diet as they do into their weight training,” says Jay. This type of mentality, he says, will yield new and drastic change for anyone—almost regardless of your goal.

Rule 10

In the last decade or so, bodybuilding judges have become consumed with identifying the best glute-ham tie-in on stage, making hamstring training more of a priority for competitors. But Jay and his peers are mostly seen—especially offstage—from the front. So train for balance, sure, but don’t forget that there’s no substitute for a monster set of quads.

Going through the motions with a few sets of squats, then skipping over to the leg extension machine isn’t going to cut it if your goal is to get ‘mired. Jay’s quad routine includes those staples, but incorporates the leg press, hack squat, front squat and walking lunges as well. Hit it from all angles, like in Jay’s toughest workout ever, and the results will be visible from all angles.

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Strength waits for no man. As the days grow shorter and the creatures of the wild seek refuge for a winter’s slumber, true iron animals dig deeper and get ready to drop bunker-busting efforts in the gym. What do you want to be: a hibernating bear cub or a top-of-the-food-chain weight smasher?

If you need to think it over, don’t bother. Just click over to TMZ, grab a 48-ounce soda, and nestle into that same old butt-groove on the couch. But if you’re ready to blow up like Krakatoa, then the Muscle Militia Generals have got just what you need to make it happen. Powerlifting freak Jason Wheat, bodybuilding Adonis Ronnie Milo, and shredded executive Chris Thompson have dug deep into their bags of tricks to deliver the most intense, badass workouts they’ve hit all year long.

The only common denominator: Each workout started off with a cruel idea and a scoop of Twinlab Pro-Series MVP fuel. Ready to get after it? Then set your dial to rage, drain a glass of MVP, load up Pantera on your playlist, and drop a text to your training partner to make a bro date. Just be sure to bring a towel, because you’re going to need it.

Meet the Muscle Militia

1 Ronnie Milo’s Weapon of Mass Construction

“Go a little lighter than your ego might want you to go,” (Milo) advises. “Listen to your body and err on the side of safety.”

For the majority of the year, Milo stays dialed in for competition and photo shoots, finely polishing the physique he works so hard to construct. When fall and winter come around, he can finally cut loose. We’re not talking mowing down bags of king-size Snickers bars here, though. For Milo, cutting loose means adding more clean calories to his normal macros and using that extra energy to really destroy himself. Fall is the time when he leans forward into big gains with this monstrous workout.

Like many experienced lifters, Milo doesn’t work off of percentage of max to calculate what to lift. Instead, he goes by feel. “When I get in for the first warm-up set, I know what I can get away with or can’t get away with,” he says. “I don’t like to tell people what to do at what weight. You need to listen to your body and find what’s safe and appropriate for you. Everyone is different, and people have variances in their body on where they’re strong and weak.”

That said, if you think you can tough-guy your way through this routine with a weight selected by your ego, Milo says to think again. “Go a little lighter than your ego might want you to go,” he advises. “Listen to your body and err on the side of safety.”

2 Jason Wheat’s Leg Quake Workout

The most epic workout Wheat threw down this year hit him so hard, he could literally barely walk for days afterward. “If you try this, just know that the volume is totally insane,” he warns. “Like ‘get out a straightjacket and call the funny farm’-type insane.”

So where did this sadistic vision come from? Wheat pulled this one out of the bag when a buddy challenged him to a day of total leg annihilation. “We were at Gold’s Gym in Orlando at a time when we were really getting into powerlifting,” he recalls. “We decided to switch it up for a day and really destroy it. We each had a packet of MVP beforehand, and boy did we ever need it.”

“If you try this, just know that the volume is totally insane,” (Wheat) warns. “Like ‘get out a straightjacket and call the funny farm’-type insane.”

Wheat recommends you use about 50 percent of your personal best for each lift. If you can breeze through this workout at that intensity, then call up an agent, because you’re ready to go pro.

3 Chris Thompson’s Perfect Half-Hour Full-Body Circuit

Work starts early for busy executive Chris Thompson, but his workouts start even earlier. How early? On the day he had his toughest workout of the year, Thompson had a 6 a.m. flight to catch, so he got up, had two scoops of MVP, and dove straight into this circuit workout at 3 a.m. And he crushed it.

Unlike Milo’s and Wheat’s, Chris Thompson’s workout didn’t end up being a one-off or special occasion. It’s a workout so simple and awesome, he kept doing it all year long—and as a result, got leaner and more muscular than he’s ever been. Best part: it only takes 30 minutes.

Total-Body Muscle Militia Training
Watch The Video – 11:11

“I do this workout almost exclusively. It is what I consistently do, whether I’m at home, in a hotel gym, or anywhere,” he says. “You can find a way to modify this workout to work no matter what equipment you have. The true key is achieving physical failure with every exercise.”

On a day when he had to drag himself out of bed at a time many dudes are just getting home from a bar, Thomspon showed up, made it happen, and got the results he wanted—all before the sun crept up. Want to feel unstoppable for the whole day? Start with the hardest challenge, and watch as everything else in your life falls into line.

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The methodology for this program is based on linear periodization but with a key alteration. Instead of just a steady progression in the amount of weight used, there is a wave system built into the program. The reason for this waving, or undulation, in intensity is twofold. It prevents overtraining by providing periodic deloads at key intervals, and it also allows for greater length of time of progression in the amount of weight lifted. If you were to just steadily increase the amount of weight used from week to week, it wouldn’t be long before your progress stalled. The wave technique provides us with the ability to continually progress for a much longer period of time before we reach a plateau.

There is an additional unusual element to this program. The main exercises (squats, benches, and deadlifts) are performed by inverting the relationship between set and intensity progression. Stated plainly: as the sets progress, there is a small decrease in the amount of weight used, instead of the usual increase. The purpose of this is to allow the lifter to perform every set in good form and to ensure that the lifter never misses a rep in training, even as the amount of weight increases from week to week. Contrary to popular belief, training to failure and beyond is not always desirable when trying to build strength. When programmed properly, not missing reps in training can be a key ingredient to building strength—and as we know, gaining strength is a vital component to gaining size.

“The exercise selection is based largely on multijoint compound movements.”

The exercise selection is based largely on multijoint compound movements. As many of you probably already know, these types of exercises allow us to use more weight, which in turn yields greater muscle-fiber recruitment, which ultimately leads to a greater degree of muscular hypertrophy. Another key element to gaining mass is ensuring a large volume of blood is being forced into the muscle while training. More commonly known as the “pump” because of the way your muscles swell while lifting, the pump is often synonymous with an increase in muscle size. A good pump stretches the connective tissue that surrounds the muscle fibers, allowing room for new growth. Arnold was often quoted as saying that a good pump means you’re growing, and he was right. This program achieves a massive pump both through overall training volume (a relatively high number of sets and/or reps) and through specific exercises done for higher rep ranges with shorter rest periods. For example, dumbbell rows, front squats, and barbell shrugs are all performed for sets of twenty reps but are still performed with relatively heavy weights, which, when combined with minimal rest periods, provides us with a high volume of blood being forced into the muscle. There are other methods used to achieve this, like the shoulder complex, which is a triset of three different exercises, all performed back-to-back without rest. By the end of your third triset, your shoulders will be blown up like balloons.

You will be training five days a week, and Thursday and Sunday will be the off days. Splitting things up into five days allows us to hit the individual muscles with sufficient volume during the training session without doing marathon workouts. The order of the individual training sessions ensures that there will be sufficient recovery time before the same muscles are trained again. It breaks down like this:

After warming up, deadlifts, bench presses, and squats are performed for five sets of five reps with the weight selection in accordance with the weight progression percentages listed at the end of this chapter. You will be required to find your maxes on these exercises before beginning this program so you can plug the correct numbers into the formula. One word of caution here: do not guess your maxes. Overestimating them will lead to an inability to achieve the desired number of reps and to overtraining, ultimately resulting in a failure of the entire program.

A photo posted by Matthew Kroczaleski (@mattkroc) on Sep 9, 2014 at 9:12am PDT

The wave technique comes into play with the main exercises (squats, bench presses, and deadlifts). The amount of weight used will increase over each three-week wave. The fourth week will consist of a deload week, during which the amount of weight used will be substantially decreased to facilitate recovery and prevent overtraining. Then, the next wave begins. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the deload weeks will be easy. While the amount of weight used decreases, the amount of reps performed doubles, ensuring that you will still be working hard and stimulating growth even while preventing overtraining. The overall program length is written for sixteen weeks, which is comprised of four waves. At the end of the sixteen weeks, you will then find your new maxes, and, if you desire, you can plug them back into the table and begin the program again.

Rest periods should be kept to no more than five minutes maximum on the large compound movements like squats, bench presses, and deadlifts and at no more than two to three minutes for more isolation-type exercises like spider curls and pushdowns. This will ensure adequate recovery between sets but still provide you with the huge pump that you are looking for. If you are able to achieve all of the desired reps in good form for the assistance movements (everything besides squats, bench presses, and deadlifts), increase the weight by a small amount for the following week. On these exercises, we are not as concerned about missing an occasional rep because of achieving muscular failure as we are for squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.

TRAINING PROGRAM

Kroc Row

From Insane Training: Garage Training, Powerlifting, Bodybuilding, and All-Out Bad-Ass Workouts. Copyright © 2014 by Matt Kroczaleski, reprinted with permission of St. Martin’s Press, LLC.

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The phrase “Starting Strength” (SS) has two distinct meanings:

• The first is the title of the best-selling book, “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training,” 3rd edition, by Mark Rippetoe.

• The second is the Starting Strength Novice Program (aka the “Starting Strength Linear Progression”).

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

While the program appears in the book, the book itself is much more than simply a description of the Starting Strength program. “Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training” provides an in-depth, thorough analysis of the five primary barbell lifts: squat, deadlift, press, bench press, and power clean/power snatch.

Correct form is derived through analysis and application of functional anatomy, biomechanics, and physics. How to utilize this correct form is then distilled into easy-to-follow instructions that make the complexities of the lifts as easy to execute as possible.

Correct form is derived through analysis and application of functional anatomy, biomechanics, and physics.

This guide focuses more on the program aspect of Starting Strength. There is no substitute or shorthand method to convey the analysis, model, and method found in the book. “Starting Strength” is the only work of its kind. No other resource delves as seriously and deeply into the background and application of technique for the primary barbell lifts and how to correct deviations from proper technique.

Doing the Starting Strength Program without using the Starting Strength Lifting Model and Method will work, but not nearly as well as using both together. It is therefore highly recommended that you purchase and read the book before beginning the Starting Strength Program.

WHY DO STARTING STRENGTH?

The Starting Strength Program is the best program for a novice to develop the strength that will serve as the basis for all future training, as well as increase performance in life and sports. Developed by Mark Rippetoe and refined over decades of experience coaching thousands of trainees, the Starting Strength Program allows trainees to make faster strength gains during their first serious period of training than any other program.

The Starting Strength Program allows trainees to make faster strength gains during their first serious period of training than any other program.

The Starting Strength Program is an appropriate place to start for nearly all trainees new to serious strength training. Whether the long-term goal is powerlifting, general health and fitness, or training for sport, the program will provide the training base necessary to succeed and excel at any and all of those endeavors.

The Starting Strength Program’s beauty is its simplicity. You need only perform and master five basic barbell exercises, plus chin-ups, to complete this program. It is cost-effective for those who prefer to purchase their own equipment and work out at home. It is also time-efficient, since you don’t need to perform a lot of isolation or assistance work.

With that introduction, let’s get to the actual program.

STARTING STRENGTH

The Starting Strength Program can be broken down into two workout days: Day A and Day B.

The entire body is worked each session. As the trainee progresses through the program, Days A and B are slightly modified to take into account the adaptations in the body of the lifter.

The goal of this program is to add weight each and every time you lift, taking advantage of The Novice Effect that allows you to do so. Perform the program 3 days per week, on non-consecutive days (e.g., Monday/Wednesday/Friday, Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday).

Most healthy men between the ages of 18 and 35 can add 10 pounds to the squat the first 2-3 times it’s performed, 15-20 pounds to the deadlift the first couple times, and 10 pounds the next several times it’s performed. After that, jumps become 5 pounds per workout. For the press, bench press, and power clean, you may get one 10-pound jump, but you may need to start with 5-pound jumps. Later on, you’ll move to 2.5 pound jumps or smaller for these lifts when 5 pounds becomes too much to add every workout.

Barbell Squat

Most women (and men over 35) will begin with smaller jumps—perhaps a single 10-pound jump in the squat, two or three 10-pound jumps in the deadlift, and immediate 5-pound jumps in the other exercises—then proceed to 2.5 pounds or smaller incremental increases in some movements sooner.

Once you’re into Phase 3 and doing chin-ups as part of the program, some of you will progress to weighted chin-ups. If you can perform 3 sets of 10 reps at bodyweight, then you can do every other chin-up workout as a 3 sets of 5 weighted, while continuing to do 3 sets of bodyweight chins to fatigue on your alternate chin-up days.

Now let’s get to the program itself.

Phase 1

(Usually 1-3 weeks)

Phase 1 Notes

In this initial phase, workouts A and B are the same, except that the press and bench press alternate. So if you began the program on Monday and pressed, you’ll bench press Wednesday and press again Friday. The second week, you’ll bench press Monday and Friday and press on Wednesday.

At the end of this phase, if you’re in that 18-35 healthy male demographic, your squat should have increased by 40-50 pounds, your deadlift by 50-70 pounds, and your press and bench press by 15-20 pounds.

There is no single prescription for everyone, so common sense and paying attention to how your body responds to the increased weight are your best guides.

Bench Press

Phase 2

Phase 2 Notes

In this phase, we introduce the power clean. Your deadlift is now heavy enough that doing it 3 days per week is difficult to recover from. You’ll do deadlifts on Day A as before, and do 5 sets of 3 reps in the power clean on Day B. The explosive nature of the power clean will continue to help drive up your deadlift, without the excessive fatigue associated with high-frequency deadlifting.

The length of Phase 2 can be varied from several weeks to several months, depending on the individual trainee.

Phase 3

Phase 3 Notes

At this point you’ve become strong enough to pull enough weight that we limit deadlift and cleaning frequency. Each is alternated on Day A, while chin-ups are performed on Day B. So if you deadlift on Monday, you’ll do chins on Wednesday, power cleans Friday, chins (or weighted chins, see General Notes above) on Monday, and deadlift again Wednesday. This allows adequate recovery.

Phase 3 is also often where people often need to begin micro-load their pressing movements and cleans, adding weight in 2.5 pounds or smaller increments to continue linear progress.

Finally, Phase 3 is also often where people reach the “Advanced Novice” stage, and add weight to their squats only twice per week (e.g. Monday and Friday), while using Wednesday as a lighter recovery day for squats.

Chin-up

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Warm-up Sets

People get confused here, but it’s not rocket science. Take the difference between the empty bar and your working weight, and make four relatively even jumps between the two.

For example, if your work sets will be at 275 pounds:

If your working weight will be 95 pounds:

And so on.

If you’d rather just not think about it, you can get the Starting Strength Warm-up App for iPhone or Android.

Stalling

When you don’t make the prescribed sets and reps in a given exercise, try again the next time that exercise comes up. If you make the lift, continue progressing. If you miss again, deload your weight in that lift by 8-10 percent, and work your way back up from there, using small jumps.

If you do two or three deloads, work back up, and stall again, you’re probably done with your linear progression for that particular exercise, assuming that your sleep and nutrition have been in order.

Recovery

Sleeping less than 7-8 hours per night will negatively affect your recovery. If you are short on sleep on a regular basis, the length of time during which you can add weight to the bar as a novice will be artificially stunted.

If you are short on sleep on a regular basis, the length of time during which you can add weight to the bar as a novice will be artificially stunted.

Much has been written regarding the optimal nutritional intake to take advantage of the Starting Strength Program. Rip’s article, “A Clarification,” should be read before beginning the program.

In short, you need to eat enough to recover. Ample protein, carbohydrates, and fat are required. Trying to do this program while on any type of restricted diet is not optimal: intermittent fasting, paleo, and The Zone are examples of three currently popular styles of eating that will stunt your Starting Strength Novice gains.

We don’t recommend getting fat while doing the program, but to optimize your gains, you’ll probably have to eat a lot more than you’re used to. Many underweight young men have supplemented their eating with a gallon of milk a day, the famous GOMAD protocol, to aid in their quest for strength.

If you’re already obese, then don’t drink the milk, and watch your carbs more carefully, especially if you don’t see some weight loss and fat loss over the first few weeks.

Exercises in the Program

A few sets of arm work on Friday is probably OK, and you’re probably going to do it anyway, but beyond that, just do the program.

No, you didn’t miss anything. There are only six exercises in the program. Adding weight to the bar and progressing on these six exercises will do more for your training than anything else, during your first months. Don’t spoil the recipe by adding extra ingredients. A few sets of arm work on Friday is probably OK, and you’re probably going to do it anyway, but beyond that, just do the program.

When you have accumulated enough strength and lifting experience to be an intermediate lifter, you’ll know enough to decide whether or not to work your reverse leaping axe choppers into the program and if so, how. Until then, just do the program.

One last note: There is much confusion about barbell rows. The program includes power cleans. Substituting barbell rows for power cleans, or power snatches if you can’t rack the clean, is not doing the program. There is a very small percentage of people for whom this may be a good idea, but you’re almost certainly not one of them.

Do the cleans. If you really think you may be one of those few people, seek out a Starting Strength Coach in your area for a session.

Other Questions

We’ve tried to be thorough in this guide, but doubtless many of you have more questions. The source texts, “Starting Strength” and “Practical Programming” will answer the vast majority of these questions. The “Starting Strength” DVD provides 2-1/2 hours of examples of practical instruction and form corrections on the basic barbell lifts that are part of this program. It is a useful learning tool for all, especially visual learners.

Attending a Starting Strength Seminar is also highly recommended for those who want to truly master the material. Mean Old Mr. Gravity discusses many of the questions you probably have, organized by topic from previous forum Q&As.

We are also active on Facebook and Twitter. Additionally, Rip provides articles and interviews on Strength & Conditioning on the Starting Strength website and answers questions daily (yes, for free!) on his Mark Rippetoe Q&A.

This article originally appeared on Fitocracy and has been reposted here with permission. It was written by Michael Wolf, a NSCA and USAW-certified strength coach with a deep knowledge of Rippetoe’s Starting Strength program.

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Vital Stats

Name: Kellie Davis
Height: 5’6″
Weight: 132 lbs
Occupation: Fitness writer and personal trainer
Website: www.motherfitness.com

Gorgeous gams and a bodacious booty aren’t the only prizes you can win with a great workout program. Michelle Obama, Cameron Diaz, and Jessica Biel are a few public figures who have impressed us with their enviable biceps and rockin’ delts.

It’s no joke, ladies. To build a better-looking, stronger, healthier body, you need to lift for your upper body!

Beauty vs. The Bulk

It is a common misconception that upper-body resistance exercise will cause women to pump up Arnold-style. Fear not, ladies! Women’s hormones and physiology such as size and shape determine our strength and muscular development. You’re not a professional bodybuilder. You don’t have to worry about looking like one.

In fact, women only have on average roughly one-tenth the testosterone that men do. Women with higher testosterone levels relative to other women may tend to develop more muscle at a faster rate, but all women can train their upper body without turning into Hulk-ettes.

To enhance your physique and create that athletic shape many women crave, you need to build your back, biceps, triceps, and delts! Size aside, the benefits to upper-body resistance training are numerous. Here are just a few reasons you should add it to your training regimen!

1 Bone modeling

Bone modeling and remodeling is the process by which bone adapts to load by changing size and shape and removing weak or damaged bone tissue. When muscles contract against bone, it creates stress that causes bones to strengthen against the contractions.¹ The stronger your muscles get, the stronger your bones must become to handle muscle contractions. Bone modeling helps prevent fractures and insures against osteoporosis.

2 Connective tissue

Ligaments, tendons, and cartilage are what hold your bones together. These joints are at risk of injury when they become unstable.² Upper-body resistance training strengthens connective tissue in the elbows, shoulders, neck, spine, wrists, and hands, improving joint integrity, stability, and injury prevention.

Upper-body resistance training strengthens connective tissue in the elbows, shoulders, neck, spine, wrists, and hands, improving joint integrity, stability, and injury prevention.

3 Muscle growth and fat loss

Strength exercises increase lean body mass while decreasing fat stores. The greater your proportion of lean mass to fat mass, the more metabolically active your body becomes. A metabolically active body will have increased metabolic rate, fat oxidation, and energy consumption in the form of calories.³ In other words, you burn more calories and fat simply by carrying more muscle!

4 More moxie

All things considered, having a strong, shapely upper body improves self-esteem and puts you in the ultimate badass category. In a study published in “American Journal of Health Promotion,” researchers found that women who participated in resistance training three days per week improved their body image more than women who walked three days per week (although walking is still much better than sitting on your butt all day).⁴ Being strong empowers both your mind and your body.

5 The ability to kick ass every day

Though we like to associate strength with killing it in the gym, a powerful upper body makes everyday tasks much simpler. You can rearrange your living room furniture without help, carry all your grocery bags in one trip, move boxes without getting a backache, and so much more! Being strong not only feels great, it grants you independence so you can take on bigger daily challenges with ease.

The Get-More-Awesome Plan

These workouts are split so that you train both the upper-body push and pull muscles equally during the week.

These workouts are broken down into push/pull sequences. These workouts are split so that you train both the upper-body push and pull muscles equally during the week.

• During Workout A, you’ll concentrate on pushing, which uses the pectoral muscles as primary movers. You’ll also rely on your shoulders, trapezius muscles, and triceps for assistance.

• During Workout B, you’ll do pulling exercises. These moves involve a large network of muscles that cover your back including the trapezius and rhomboids at the top of the back, the latissimus dorsi in the center of the back, and the erector spinae that run down to the bottom of the back.

  Other small muscles work during these exercises, along with the biceps muscles in the arms.

I recommend performing each workout once per week, three days apart, for 4-6 weeks. You can work in lower-body days between these workouts.

References

1. Seeman, E. (2009). Bone Modeling and Remodeling. Critical Reviews in Eukaryotic Gene Expression, 19(3), 219-233.
2. Stone, M. (1988). Implications for connective tissue and bone alterations resulting from resistance exercise training. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 20(5 Suppl), S162-S168.
3. Heijden, G., Wang, Z., Chu, Z., Toffolo, G., Manesso, E., Sauer, P., & Sunehag, A. (2010). Strength Exercise Improves Muscle Mass and Hepatic Insulin Sensitivity in Obese Youth. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 42(11), 1973-1980.
4. Tucker, L., & Mortell, R. (1993). Comparison of the Effects of Walking and Weight Training Programs on Body Image in Middle-Aged Women: An Experimental Study. American Journal of Health Promotion, 8(1), 34-42.

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Egg whites are often referred to as the perfect protein, due to their amino-acid makeup and the body’s ability to utilize them properly.

The average large, whole egg contains about 72 calories, 6 g of protein, 5 g of fat, about 200 mg of cholesterol, and nearly no carbs. The average large egg white contains only 17 calories, 4 g of protein, and no carbs, fat, or cholesterol.

Egg whites contain as many as 40 different proteins. Of these, ovalbumin constitutes the majority, making up about 55 percent of the protein in egg white. Ovotransferrin is an iron-binding protein in egg whites that provides antimicrobial properties and makes up over 10 percent of the protein content. Ovomucin is another type of protein that makes up less than 5 percent of egg-white protein and provides the jellying property of egg white, as well as antimicrobial properties.

Egg-white protein is rich in BCAAs and arginine, as well as the sulfur-containing amino acids cysteine and methionine. These amino acids are critical for maintaining the structure of many proteins such as collagen, which is critical for maintaining joint health and levels of certain hormones.

Get Yolked

Although bodybuilders used to focus on just the egg white for protein, and avoided the yolk because of the fat and cholesterol— it’s now known that it’s more beneficial to consume both the egg white and the yolk together. That’s because that golden center contains the majority of the micronutrients in eggs, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.

“That golden center contains the majority of the micronutrients in eggs, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin K, B vitamins, selenium, iron, zinc, and phosphorus.”

The yolk also contains all of the egg’s fat and cholesterol, but don’t let that scare you off. Blood cholesterol levels don’t seem to be negatively affected by whole eggs. In fact, one study from the University of Connecticut tested the cholesterol response of 25 males and 27 females to an egg diet (640 mg per day of additional cholesterol) and a non-egg diet (no additional cholesterol). They found the cholesterol in egg yolks does not raise the LDL cholesterol particles that are particularly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease.

We now know that fat is important in a diet. The saturated fat in egg yolks is less than half of the total fat. But saturated and monounsaturated fat, also in egg yolks, are important for maintaining higher testosterone levels. The fat and cholesterol from yolks, which was once thought of as harmful, appears to provide benefits for those who do strength training.

In fact, in a head-to-head egg comparison, consuming more whole eggs was shown to help with muscle gain and strength. The magic number? Three. One study from Texas A&M found that subjects consuming three whole eggs a day while following a weight-lifting program for 12 weeks gained twice as much muscle mass and twice as much strength as subjects eating either just one egg per day or no eggs. Those kinds of benefits may be due to the cholesterol content. After all, cholesterol is converted to testosterone in the body.

Cholesterol also helps maintain the integrity of muscle cell membranes, which helps them function properly and avoid breakdown. Scientists from Kent State University put 47 older adults (ages 60-69) on a 12-week weight-lifting program, and tested them before and after for changes in muscle mass and strength. They placed all subjects on a moderate protein diet, and divided them into two groups. One group followed a lower-cholesterol diet (1.6 mg per pound of body weight or approximately 150-250 mg per day), while the other half consumed a higher cholesterol diet (2.6 mg per pound of body weight or about 250-450 mg per day). After 12 weeks the group that consumed the lower-cholesterol diet did not increase muscle mass, and only increased their strength by about 35 percent. The higher-cholesterol group, on the other hand, had an increase in muscle mass of about 5 pounds, and upped their strength by about 90 percent.

Drop The Fat

Eggs can also help you get leaner. Research from Saint Louis University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast consumed fewer calories throughout the day than those who had a breakfast with the same amount of calories from a carb-heavy bagel. A follow-up study by the same team found that when women consumed two eggs for breakfast at least five times per week over a 12-week period, they lost 65 percent more weight and had a 34-percent larger reduction in waist size compared to those who skipped the eggs. The study also found that adding two whole eggs to breakfast resulted in no changes in cholesterol levels.

“Research from Saint Louis University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast consumed fewer calories throughout the day than those who had a breakfast with the same amount of calories from a carb-heavy bagel.”

Consider eating two or three whole eggs each day to take advantage of all the benefits eggs have to offer in regard to performance and body composition. You can bump up the protein intake by adding an extra white or two for each yolk.

While eggs are typically thought of as a breakfast food, you can enjoy them anytime throughout the day. Hardboiled eggs work great in salads or as a stand-alone snack. If you really want to kick your eggs up a notch, try my Egg and Ham Cups; they’re delicious and easy to make.

Jim’s Egg And Ham Cups

• 1 slice low-fat deli ham
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
• 1 slice tomato (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F
2. Spray the cups of a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Press the sliced ham into the muffin tin cup, forming a ham cup.
4. Place the tomato slice in the cup.
5. Crack the egg and drop it in on top of the tomato.
6. Repeat this process for as many cups as desired.
7. Place the muffin tin in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the egg is almost cooked.
8. Top with cheese and bake for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.
9. Let cool for a few minutes. Once the cup has cooled, use a spatula to carefully transfer it to a plate.
10. Eat with your choice of carbs, such as a piece of fruit, oats, or whole-wheat bread.

Jim’s Egg And Ham Cups PDF (106 KB)

References

1. Yamamoto, T., et al (eds.) Hen Eggs. Their Basic and Applied Science. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. 1997.
2. Herron, K. L. and Fernandez, M. L. Are the current dietary guidelines regarding egg consumption appropriate? J Nutrition 134:187-190. 2004.
3. Herron, K. L. High intake of cholesterol results in less atherogenic low-density lipoprotein particles in men and women independent of response classification Metabolism. 53(6): 823-830, 2004.
4. Layman, D.K., et al. Egg Protein as a Source of Power, Strength, and Energy. Nutrition Today 44(1) 2009, 43-48.
5. Riechman, S. E., et al. Dietary and Blood Cholesterol and Statins Increase Hypertrophy with Resistance Training. Experimental Biology, San Diego, 2005.
6. Dhurandhar, N. V., et al. Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Experimental Biology Conference, Washington D.C., 2007.
7. Vander Wal, J. S., et al. Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects. J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):510-5.
8. Vander Wal, J. S., et al. Short-term effect of eggs on satiety in overweight and obese subjects. J Am Coll Nutr. 2005 Dec;24(6):510-5.

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When pressed for simple solutions to drastic, lasting body transformations, most experts will tell you there are none—that no single workout, diet, or supplement will help you pack on heaps of lean, clean muscle. They’d be right. There isn’t one route to a new physique. There are many.

Once you accept this concept, it’s time to start narrowing your focus. One approach is to scour journals for methods that are known to work in the sterile construct of the lab. The other, better solution would be to take cues from methodologies that have been tested—and decisively proven—in the testing grounds of the kitchen and the gym.

No offense to the experts in lab coats, but the best solutions are always evident in the physiques they produce. Here are some of the transformative lessons learned from people who have gone through dramatic before-and-afters.

1 Recognize The Importance Of Hydration

In a world gone mad with chicken breast, protein powder, and super supps, the importance of water often gets overlooked. Adequate hydration is crucial for maximizing performance, not to mention the regulation of countless bodily systems, brain functions, and general health. Trying to exact measurable change in your body without first addressing fluids is a big mistake. The usual prescription for hard-training athletes is to consume half your body weight in ounces per day.

“Nick Wright, a powerlifter and bodybuilder who started competing when he was 15, recommends putting a system in place that leaves little doubt as to how well your hydration plan is playing out.”

Nick Wright, a powerlifter and bodybuilder who started competing when he was 15, recommends putting a system in place that leaves little doubt as to how well your hydration plan is playing out. “The very first thing I’d recommend for every strength-training enthusiast is to drink close to half a gallon of water as soon as you wake up in the morning, especially if you have heavy lifts coming up,” he says. “Then remain hydrated all throughout the day. Drink an 8-ounce glass of water with every meal and one between every meal. The more hydrated you are, the stronger you will be in the gym, and the safer your joints and tendons will stay.”

2 Go Heavy

Often when someone commits to a new training program, they’re so desperate for change that they cling to higher-rep schemes and longer-than-usual cardio sessions. But the burn-calories-at-all-costs mindset can be disastrous for those who are desperate to become bigger and leaner. Women in particular are sometimes reluctant to handle heavier weight for fear of gaining too much size when this practice is, in fact, a shorter route to a streamlined physique.

“Research shows that heavier lifts more favorably impact testosterone and growth hormone, which have a positive impact on body composition.”

“My favorite tried-and-true tool for building muscle and strength is to put plenty of weight on the bar,” says Jason “Big J” English of Big J’s Extreme Fitness in Red Oak, Texas. “I have been extremely successful with 1-3 working sets of 6-8 repetitions for my primary movements. Just make sure you find your proper weight that is light enough to get to at least six, but is too heavy for 9 or 10 reps.”

Research also shows that heavier lifts more favorably impact hormones such as testosterone and growth hormone, which have a positive impact on body composition.

3 Sleep For a Full Night Every Night

“If you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re just not growing or getting leaner. Period.”

When transformation is your goal, you know you must focus on your training and meals. But it’s important to remember that you don’t grow when you train—you grow when you sleep. That’s when your body takes to the business of putting itself back together; if you’re not getting enough sleep, you’re just not growing or getting leaner. Period. And those who have managed to snap fantastic “after” photos have all come to this realization sooner rather than later.

“When transforming your body, sleep is one of the most important elements in your plan,” says Craig Stevenson, a 20-year veteran of the health-and-fitness industry and vice president of marketing for iSatori. “With the stresses of training, restricted calories, and, in many cases, high levels of stimulants like caffeine, sleep becomes even more important. Reaching delta sleep is vital since that’s when your body releases high levels of hormones like growth hormone. These hormones are critical factors in not only recovery from training, but also in allowing your muscles to grow and fat to be utilized for energy. Having regular habits of when you go to sleep, when you stop consuming caffeine, and when you relax before bed are all key factors in maximizing your sleep and transformation efforts.”

If you train in the evening, make a concerted effort to avoid pre-workout formulas with stimulants within 4-6 hours of bedtime, and try a gradual wind-down routine that provides for 7-9 hours of uninterrupted snoozing each night.

4 Sidestep The Scale

If you set out on a physique revamp, you’re going to want to measure your results and gauge your progress. So should you get on the scale? If so, how often? The science is all over the map on this matter, and anecdotal reports differ greatly from person to person. This is another case where successful individuals may have the most reliable approach.

“Wes Bouillion, iSatori’s most recent Hyper Growth Challenge champion, gained 15 pounds, three inches on his chest, and an inch on his arms in only eight weeks.”

Wes Bouillion, iSatori’s most recent Hyper Growth Challenge champion, gained 15 pounds, three inches on his chest, and an inch on his arms in only eight weeks. No matter which way you’re hoping for the needle to move, he thinks that the scale can be more of a hindrance than a help. “I’m against using a scale to gauge progress unless you have to make weight for a competition,” he says. “Personally, I judge myself on body composition. Remember, body weight can fluctuate daily from bodily fluid alone, and it isn’t the best way to track your results.”

5 Integrate Cross-Training With Your Other Training

Many awesome transformations have been forged without venturing outside the weight room. But sometimes it’s easy to lose motivation if that’s your only environment. Even if your goal is simply to look better in the mirror, the occasional departure from barbells and squat racks can provide welcome mental and physical breaks that can actually speed progress.

“Many awesome transformations have been forged without venturing outside the weight room.”

“I find cross-training motivational because it keeps things fresh and interesting,” says Andrew Balliet, a Colorado-based software engineer who dropped 96 inches in iSatori’s Iron Warrior Challenge. “It makes my body keep guessing at what it needs to handle next, so it’s prepared for the different forms of training and exercises I throw at it. Specifically, I notice cross-training improves sports-performance, from hockey to softball. Cross-training helps keep my core strong for the activities I enjoy outside of the gym.”

6 Supplement Your Meals

Can you get great results by just eating right and training hard? Sure. But training hard taxes your body and, for most people looking to drastically transform, the early phases can leave you wiped. Worse yet, it can leave you beaten down, tired, and sore before building you up to be energized and strong. This can derail you.

Proper, disciplined nutrition goes a long way toward reducing those effects, but supps like protein, bioactive peptides, glutamine, and certain pre-workouts can actually leave you more likely to push through and stick to your routine.

“Supplementation can be a huge benefit, but only after you have nailed down how to eat for your goals,” says Bouillion, who also holds a certification in holistic nutrition from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. “Supps have helped me tremendously in reaching my goals. It’s like they do double duty because they help me stay lean while I also gain mass. In addition to aiding my recovery, Bio-Gro builds lean mass, while restricting calories. I also use a pre-workout, which gives me more focus and a great pump, and a high-protein meal replacement product. I love the taste, and use it between meals.”

7 Prep Food In Advance

How many “diets” have gone to the graveyard with one too many helpings of chicken and broccoli? How many have failed because of unreasonable deprivation? Meal timing, frequency, and variety all have a tremendous impact in how much progress you’re able to make and how successfully you’re able to stick to your program. It helps to map out a thoughtful strategy ahead of time, according to iSatori CEO Stephen Adele. “Most people spend a considerable amount of time and energy on countless attempts at eating smarter and following weight-loss strategies that inevitably fail,” he says. “They try crazy fad diets, frozen pre-portioned foods, weight-loss clinics, or other quick-fix gimmicks. This is unnecessary and not a practical long-term approach. What is smart, however, is practicing a small set of proven principles over a long period of time.”

“Meal timing, frequency, and variety all have a tremendous impact in how much progress you’re able to make and how successfully you’re able to stick to your program.”

Adele’s simplest advice? “For me, I don’t like to leave anything to chance, and planning out and preparing my next day’s (and sometimes even week’s) meals is the best way to stay right on course each and every day of your transformation.”

YOUR NEW AFTER

There’s no better time than today to start your physical transformation. Whether you’re a gym novice who wants to lose 10 pounds of body fat, or an expert who wants to gain 10 pounds of muscle, these proven, time-tested principles will guide you through a successful transformation, if you commit to making the change.

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When I first arrived in India, I had to adapt to a culture that is considerably different than what I was used to, but I’ve wrapped my mind around how life flows here. I’ve settled down and am excited to be part of the country’s growing interest in health and fitness. My hope is to expand the nation’s fitness culture and inspire people to build healthier bodies.

In my mind, there’s no better way to inspire people to train harder and live healthier than to lead by example. Come with me as I smash my shoulders at I Think Fitness in Mumbai. This is one of my favorite shoulder workouts to do. It’s quick, but it’s dirty, and it pumps my delts like nothing else.

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10

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Hummus: the hero of the veggie tray. This ancient, traditional Middle Eastern spread is delicious, and pairs well with just about everything. Although its yummy taste makes it a popular snack choice, hummus is also a wise option because of its nutritional value.

Hummus is made primarily of chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans. And chickpeas are just awesome. They provide a hefty dose of protein—one cup of garbanzo beans contains 15 grams! They’re also a good source of dietary fiber and micronutrients such as copper, manganese, and folate.

By blending chickpeas with other ingredients such as garlic and olive oil, you get the wonderful combination of flavor and health called hummus.

If hummus is a regular in your fridge or it’s your trademark party dish, why not try making your own? You could save some money and get creative. Here are five super-simple, healthy hummus recipes!

1 TRADITIONAL HUMMUS

You can’t go wrong with this traditional hummus recipe. With simple ingredients that produce a fresh, light flavor, this recipe is sure to be a crowd favorite.

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 large lemon
• 1 garlic clove

1. Blend ingredients.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, or snack of your choice.

Traditional Hummus PDF

2 PEANUT BUTTER HUMMUS

Now, we know what you’re thinking: Peanut butter hummus? Gross. It may seem strange, but it’s actually a tasty treat! Give it a try and you’ll be surprised.

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Juice from 1/2 large lemon
• 1 garlic clove

1. Blend ingredients.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, or snack of your choice.

Peanut Butter Hummus PDF

3 GUACAMOLE HUMMUS

Guacamole is tasty, and so is hummus. Combine the two and you have an epic flavor party! Pair this awesome dip with gluten-free black bean chips and salsa, and you could open up your own restaurant.

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1 avocado
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Juice from 1 lime

1. Blend ingredients.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, or snack of your choice.

Guacamole Hummus PDF

4 PESTO HUMMUS

This Italian/Middle Eastern fusion will knock your socks off. The excellent flavor combination is unique, and so wonderfully palatable that even kids will like it!

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/3 cup tahini
• 2 tbsp pesto
• Juice from 1/2 large lemon
• 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

1. Blend ingredients.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, or snack of your choice.

Pesto Hummus PDF

5 RANCH-STYLE HUMMUS

Add some parsley, dill, and garlic salt to chickpeas and you have yourself an American taste twist. This recipe has almost no fat and fewer calories than the others recipes, so you can even enjoy it if you’re on a diet.

• 1 can chickpeas
• 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp dried dill

1. Blend ingredients.
2. Serve with vegetables, pita chips, or snack of your choice.

Ranch-Style Hummus PDF

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Vital Stats

Name: Tony Gentilcore, CSCS
Occupation: Co-founder of Cressey Performance.
Website: tonygentilcore.com

Corrective exercise is a double-edged sword. On one hand, we all have weaknesses that could benefit from attention. Muscular imbalances, postural issues, and aberrant movement patterns can—and often do—lead to discomfort, pain, and in the worst-case scenarios, injury.

On the other hand, once a trainer sniffs the phrase “corrective exercise,” athletes almost inevitably get this look in their eyes that says, “How about I do Tabata sprints all the way out to my car instead?”

I can’t say I blame them. No one wants to spend 30 minutes activating their glutes—no one. And while having someone stand on a BOSU ball while shaking a body-blade in one hand and juggling oranges in the other may be some people’s definition of corrective or, (excuse me while I throw up in my mouth) “functional,” I’m pretty sure it’s actually a waste of valuable training time.

Athletes don’t want to feel like patients when working out. They want to train! And yet far too often, I’ve seen coaches and personal trainers take an overly cautious approach with clients, thereby failing to elicit the one thing that’s most important: a training effect.

It’s time for a new strategy, where you waste minimal time and get maximum transfer to your performance. Spread the word: Corrective exercise as you know it is dead!

WHAT CORRECTIVE EXERCISE SHOULDN’T BE

This is why, if you research “corrective exercise,” you’re bound to get a kazillion pictures of BOSU balls, stability balls, wobble boards, and other balance-training tools.

Sometimes, our role as a coach or trainer is to pull the reins a bit and help people get out of their own way. But this doesn’t mean we need to begin acting like physical therapists—because we’re not, and very few of us are qualified to pretend we are.

About 10-15 years ago, many coaches and trainers decided to take unstable surface training —a modality popularized in the physical therapy realm for injured people— and apply it toward healthy clients and athletes in a training setting. This is why, if you research “corrective exercise,” you’re bound to get a kazillion pictures of BOSU balls, stability balls, wobble boards, and other balance-training tools.

I don’t want to turn this into a diatribe against training on an unstable surface, because there is a time and place for it. But when applied to—or inflicted upon—healthy individuals in the middle of a workout, all it does is decrease power output, promote faulty movement patterns, and suck energy away from more deserving activities.

So let’s make this absolutely clear: Unless you have a very good reason to do unstable surface training, avoid it. It’s not corrective, and it’s not correct. If necessary, tell your trainer that Uncle Tony gave you a free pass.

GOOD TECHNIQUE

If I had to summarize my point of view in five words, it would be this: Correct movement is corrective exercise!

If coaches and trainers took the time to properly coach their clients and athletes, rather than trying to impress them or make them feel “worked”—i.e., weak—I’m positive they’d see better results.

Likewise, if you take the time to learn how to perform certain movements correctly—which often involves regressing exercises to your current ability—you’ll not only see marked improvements in your overall performance, but also how you look and feel.

Let’s use the squat as an example. My first priority is cleaning up a person’s technique and getting them doing things like:

Barbell Squat

When you can follow those cues, or by fixing the problems I outlined in my article on common squat mistakes, the squat itself can have profound corrective effects. Yes, we may need to address things like limited ankle dorsiflexion or limited hip mobility, but more often than not, the biggest hurdles can be overcome by simply grooving proper technique. The same goes for rows, chins, deadlifts, Pallof presses, and pretty much all of the other movements I included in my 8-Week beginner plan for Bodybuilding.com.

WHERE THE BORING STUFF FITS

Yeah, about those ankles and hips… I do feel it’s still important to sneak in some traditional corrective exercise, both to address universally problematic areas and for preventative maintenance.

Pretty much everyone has issues with poor glute activation, poor T-spine mobility, limited ankle dorsiflexion, short and tight hip flexors, and poor anterior core engagement. These are just part of living in a civilization that doesn’t do as much as it used to. And yes, this applies to gym rats too.

For this reason, it’s important to include a brief dynamic warm-up prior to each training session, which serves a few purposes:

We’re only talking 5-10 minutes of your time here, and yet it can have a profound effect on your performance in the gym and how you feel overall. Here’s one of my favorite one-size-fits-all “corrective” warm-ups.

Squat to Stand with Reach
Watch The Video – 00:07

If you’re too stubborn to even do that, you can use what I like to call “fillers.”

These are mobility drills, activation drills, and stretches that you strategically pair with certain exercises during rest periods. So rather than staring at the television or being Creepy McCreepypants and gazing at your secret crush across the gym floor, you can actually do something productive with your time.

Here are some examples:

Yoga Plex
Watch The Video – 00:13

The key is to use fillers that target areas you know need work, but which won’t interfere with the main movement or inhibit performance in the subsequent sets. Remember, we’re here to get strong, not feel weak!

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Vital Stats

Name: Twinlab
CEO: Tom Tolworthy
In Operation Since: 1968
Facility Location: American Fork, UT
Website: twinlabfuel.com
Prizes/Awards: Fat Burner of the Year Nominee (Bodybuilding.com for ProSeries Ripped Fuel), Nexty Award 2013 (CleanSeries), Better Nutrition (CleanSeries), Vity Award (Amino Fuel)

The history of health and performance supplements couldn’t be written without a big chapter devoted to Twinlab. The company was born in 1968, at the dawn of bodybuilding’s golden age, and it has been setting the benchmark of quality and consistency ever since.

Everyone you know, from your grandma on down the line, has probably taken a Twinlab vitamin or supplement at some point. Check their medicine cabinet, and that telltale amber bottle with the white duotone label will be there.

But now, nearly 50 years into the story, the brand is getting redefined through fresh efforts by Chris Thompson, the company’s VP of Sports Nutrition, and the founder of the company’s powerhouse ProSeries line.

You may know Thompson already if you’ve met him in the Bodybuilding.com forums or watched his Fit 360 profile.

This company has seen it all, and now it wants to see a new generation of athletes and bodybuilders shatter their ideas of what is possible.

Thompson himself, one of the three heads of the popular Twinlab Muscle Militia, gave us the lowdown.

Q Twinlab is a company with a long, storied history. Can you give our readers some insight into your origins?

Chris Thompson: VP of Sports Nutrition, Twinlab

It’s true, Twinlab was there at the very beginning, and we’ve helped shape what became a multibillion-dollar industry. The company was started by the Blechman family in 1968, and named after the fact that they had two sets of twins.

Initially, Twinlab marketed a liquid protein supplement called LPP. After the formula was adopted by bodybuilders as the protein supplement of choice, the company expanded quickly into a large variety of sports nutrition and wellness supplements, and has become one of the largest global players in the industry.

We’ve never strayed from our values of producing top-quality, no-shortcut formulas that deliver results. It’s why we’re still thriving today when many others have burned out and left the market.

This company produces so many different products! How do you keep coming up with new ideas?

The ideas are easy! It’s what makes being part of this industry so interesting. There are always new ingredients, new ideas out there, and ways to improve.

Frankly, the much harder part comes when we have to pick and choose what to launch, but that process helps hone only the best ideas.

Do you have a favorite Twinlab product?

My personal favorite is MVP Fuel. It is without a doubt the best pre-workout available. When other brands were launching “concentrates,” we flipped it and went for full-dosing with ingredients that work, instead of delivering less product to put more money in our wallets.

It’s a source of great pride for me that we didn’t take the bait and shortchange our customers. And sure enough, the market is starting to recognize that you really need full dosing to get the performance you need.

For many of our readers, you are synonymous with the Muscle Militia and Twinlab’s Pro-Series line. What does Pro-Series mean?

We have this saying where, if we’re evaluating something or someone and call it Pro-Series, that’s the ultimate compliment. It means it’s deeply authentic, true, and pure—no show, all go. That’s how we view ourselves, and that’s the standard we hold ourselves to every day.

TWINLAB MUSCLE MILITIA
Watch The Video – 03:12

As for the Militia and our other brand reps, there’s nothing casual about it. Not only do we believe in what we do, it also drives how we eat, how we think, and how we live. It’s a passion and a lifestyle. Many of our sports-dedicated Twinlab reps run their own bodybuilding shows.

They compete themselves, and have clientele they train. I personally respond to thousands of inquiries on the forums and through social media, helping people around the world reach their goals.

Why do so many of your products include the term “fuel?”

We focus on “fuel” for a couple of reasons. First, that’s how we view our products: They are simply tools used to fuel better performance. While many other brands have tried to co-opt the name by using “fuel” in advertising or even their product names, there’s still only one original.

Secondly, it is pure branding. It binds our products together and signals to our customers that they are getting a true Twinlab quality-tested formula.

What new products of yours have been getting the biggest response?

The pipeline is jammed full, so I’ll keep it to two items—even though it kills me to limit myself!

First, Twinlab Pro-Series Vita Fuel. This is an incredible advance in multivitamin and multimineral technology. It’s a bilayer tablet, so the vitamins and minerals are released at different rates. Since water-soluble vitamins simply pass through the body if they’re not needed, to us it only seemed logical that you’d want to release the vitamins over time.

We’ve grown into a real expert in making dual tabs in our own facility. Most others can’t or don’t do it because the equipment is expensive, and it is as much an art as a science.

My second choice would be our all-new MCT Fuel. I just love this product because it’s one of those “secret ingredients” out there that deserves so much more attention than it gets. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are healthy fats, primarily from coconut oil. They have the inherent energy of a fat, but burn more like a carb, and if the body doesn’t need the energy, it passes through versus being stored.

I love it because it’s old-school and so basic, yet incredibly effective for energy and stamina. Sales of MCT Fuel haves grown steadily for years, and I think our new packaging will help people start to see the importance of adding this into their routine.

Where do you think this company will be in 10 years?

Ahead of the curve, as always. In the past three years we have created new, authentic brands targeting growing niches in the sports nutrition space. Sports nutrition is getting big, and expanding to new audiences.

We want to make sure we don’t abandon our customers for supposedly greener pastures. For example, we launched Pro-Series just this year as a rededication to the elite bodybuilding athlete.

On the other side of the spectrum, we launched CleanSeries for customers who do not want to sacrifice performance for peace of mind. The CleanSeries line has more third-party performance and safety certifications than any other supplement on the market, in any category. We will lead, not follow.

People are becoming less intimidated and more aware of what the products do, and if they stick to reputable brands like Twinlab, they don’t have to be concerned about contamination or adulteration, which are two major obstacles for our industry continuing to expand.

The Internet makes your products available at the push of a button! But, how else do you reach customers? Are there any old-school methods that still work?

Simply put, you need to be where your customers are. That means online, but also in stores, doing demos, at gyms and events, doing interviews and road shows, and certainly making your brand available through social media.

There’s nothing more invigorating to me that talking directly to our consumers. They keep my eye directly on why we’re doing what we’re doing.

Ethics are important to supplements buyers. What does your company do to ensure ethical and quality standards?

This is so simple to answer. It’s doing the right thing. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

First, it means that we invest in our own manufacturing plant so we can be the control freaks we want to be. It means we test inbound materials and outbound finished goods to high standards, and unquestioningly reject items that don’t meet those standards, even though we know other companies don’t.

You know, sometimes there’s a reason why some products are priced as low as they are! That’s not good for our customers. That’s not good for Twinlab. That’s not long-term thinking.

What we do only works because we have the best team in the business. That makes the seemingly impossible not only possible, but consistently achieved.

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Vital Stats

Name: Nick Trebesch
Email: NicholasT1994@hotmail.com
Location: Missoula, MT

Why I decided to transform

I had always had a very lean physique, and was blessed with a high metabolism, so it never took much effort to get those “skinny guy abs.” It wasn’t until my high school career ended that I became inspired to make a change in my physique for the better.

I started with a spark of interest to put a little muscle on my skinny frame. I had always been moderately athletic, and had a physique that I thought was fairly average.

How I accomplished my goals

I went to Bodybuilding.com and found so many workout plans, nutrition plans, and so on that I felt overwhelmed with all of the new information I available to me.

I decided to do a trainer, and opted for Steve Cook’s Big Man on Campus trainer. I went at it 100 percent, and left no stone unturned. I really wanted to do it correctly. I followed the trainer religiously: workouts, supplements, and nutrition. It was a big change from my usual habits: just winging it, going to the gym, and paying no mind to my nutrition at all.

Post To Fitboard

I finished the entire trainer and saw incredible results. These results inspired me further, and within the month I became completely hooked on bodybuilding. That first spark of interest has since turned into a full-on inferno of passion for bodybuilding.

I find inspiration daily in the results I have worked for, and am usually very motivated to go to the gym. However, when I am not, I rely on my gym partner to push me to go and get a good workout in. A good gym partner is one of the best motivational methods for me.

When I didn’t have a gym buddy to help me out, I watched motivational videos. Steve Cook is one of my biggest inspirational figures, and I watched a lot of his videos to help get me in the mindset to go lift.

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Supplements that helped me through the journey

Diet plan that guided my transformation

My diet has been a big key to my success. I prep meals every Sunday, so all my food is ready to be heated and eaten at the appropriate time of day.

I always have this many meals, but the types of food I prepare vary.

Training regimen that kept me on track

The following is my go-to routine. I like to mix things up constantly, however. You will never see me doing the same workout more than two weeks in a row.

What aspect challenged me the most

“I have found success by always keeping my goals in mind, and always putting in that little bit of extra effort.”

Honestly, I embraced the whole challenge very well, and continue to do so. I rarely have days where I am not motivated, or feel like I want to cheat on my diet. It generally works very smoothly.

My biggest obstacle, however, has definitely been defending this lifestyle to my friends and family. I lived on campus for the bulk of my transformation, so there was constant peer pressure to have food that doesn’t fit in my diet, stay up too late, or to drink.

My future fitness plans

I am pursuing a degree in exercise science, and someday aspire to be a personal trainer. I am currently working toward a bodybuilding physique competition one year from now.

Suggestions for aspiring transformers

I find the greatest success in bodybuilding is in embracing the lifestyle. You can go through the grind of “Eat, Sleep, Train, Repeat,” but what good is it doing you if you don’t know where the grind is taking you? I have found success by always keeping my goals in mind, and always putting in that little bit of extra effort, whether it’s putting spinach in your omelet because I know it’s a good antioxidant, or turning my elbows up just the slightest bit on the last rep of my lateral raises.

My favorite quote by Steve Cook speaks a bit to this point: “It has been said, that it’s not where you start, but where you finish. I say, there is no finish line. So learn to enjoy the journey. Endure the sweat, the struggle, the soreness. Embrace the daily grind and give it your all.”

How Bodybuilding.com helped me reach my goals

Bodybuilding.com was a great source of inspiration for me. I got started with the “Big Man on Campus” trainer, and received support from like-minded people on BodySpace. The site is full of articles that almost always pertain to me, and I’ve gained a tremendous amount of fitness knowledge here.

Nick’s Top Gym Tracks

KDrew

Krewella

Aloe Blacc

30 Seconds to Mars

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