Carbohydrates are the double edged sword of performance nutrition. On the one hand, they give you great workouts and make any muscle building diet more effective.  On the other hand, too much of them will slap saggy belly fat on you. Especially if you haven’t gotten lean enough to handle a higher carb diet. Now, throughout my years of obsessing over how to gain muscle as fast as humanly possible, I’ve tried every diet under the sun. Ketogenic diets, cyclic ketogenic diets, vegetarian, paleo, and high protein diets. And to this day, I’m always tweaking things to get better performance, more muscle, and fast… continue reading.

If there’s one thing that curses genetically average, skinny-fat guys, it’s the constant cycle of yo-yoing up and down between fat loss and size gain. The vicious cycle that transforms you from a doughy ball of pudding into an emaciated bean pole with a pot belly. Over and over again. I see it all the time. A guy realizes he needs to get lean because his stomach ripples and shakes like a bowl of jello with every step. But, he has tube steaks arms and zero muscle. So when he gets lean, he freaks out at the sight of his hideous physique. This… continue reading.

Why do you train? Is it to look a certain way, or does your motivation go past the superficial rewards? It better. As a man, you have an obligation to build the physical and mental strength to protect yourself and those you love. It’s easy to think that as long as you’re big, strong, and jacked, you’re prepared to defend yourself in most situations. Toss some martial arts training and you’re going above and beyond what’s necessary. I used to think that way, too. But after speaking with today’s guest, Tim Larkin, I realize it’s not enough. Tim is the world’s… continue reading.

We all have dreams of finding the perfect job. Of creating a life where we set our own schedule, do only the things we love, and say, “No” to anything else. Oh right, we gotta make a living too. If so many people want to move towards an unconventional career, why don’t most do it? For one, it’s hard. Creating your dream job can mean opening yourself up to criticism from those scared to rock the boat and defy the status quo. It’s also flat out confusing. There are so many ways to transform an unfulfilling life into one of financial freedom and complete satisfaction. Should… continue reading.

Guest Post by Eric Bach, CSCS Being yoked and strong is great. But, to be the total package you need power — the ability to generate strength fast. The result is improved athleticism. Problem is, once most guys hit 25 they stop playing sports. Their athleticism and power evaporate quicker than a raindrop in Death Valley. Most guys take one of two roads. Half ditch the gym altogether, they occasionally waste away on the treadmill, before rushing to yet another “urgent” work meeting. They come to accept a mediocre body as the cost of doing business. The other… continue reading.

When it comes to getting jacked, focusing on the basics will get you 90% of the way there. That means doing the following: Staying consistent with 3 hard strength training workouts per week  Dialing in your nutrition plan  Adding in 1-3 high intensity conditioning sessions each week to stay lean. But, to take your physique to the next level, there are some advanced strategies that you can use in the gym and the kitchen. From body part specific workouts and training templates to small tweaks to your daily diet.  These adjustments will separate you from the masses. continue reading.

Three of the most common topics of confusion for guys who wanna get jacked are: Getting better at bodyweight exercises like chin-ups Advanced training techniques to increase muscle and strength gains  Stress management and avoiding adrenal burnout When it comes to getting better at pull-ups, there are hundreds of ways you can go about it, but only a few are smart and effective enough to give you results without beating up your shoulders, elbows, and wrists. The same goes for the advanced training techniques like rest-pause, forced reps, and drop sets. Many work, but you have to use them in ways that… continue reading.

While fitness has changed a lot the past few years, the path to getting strong and ripped never will. We’ve known for over a century now the few key principles of training and nutrition that will let any guy build muscle or lose fat. And no matter how many people I coach, or how many research articles come out, those truths remain the same. What does change, however, is the best way to go about achieving those goals. And throughout my 20+ years of getting guys jacked, I’ve uncovered the techniques that deliver optimal results. In this episode, I go into detail on those exact… continue reading.

A few years ago I had to stop taking on new training clients. I simply didn’t have any time left and if I kept saying “yes” my life would start to really suffer. So, even though it pained me to do so, I said “no” to a well-known UFC fighter. And I said “no” to Hollywood entertainers. Time after time I continued to say “no,” no matter who asked. But there was a method to my madness. I did it, so that in the long term, I’d be able to say, “yes” to you. By freeing up some time I… continue reading.

Question: Are there any natural testosterone boosters that could raise my levels without having to resort to drugs? What about lifestyle choices? Answer: Low testosterone is no fun. It leads to less muscle, more body-fat, depression and, of course, the inability to get it up. This is a recipe for a disastrous, unhealthy, lonely life. The problem, though, is what happens when you look for ways to boost testosterone. You get bombarded with supplement scams that claim 697% increases in testosterone. If only that were true. continue reading.

They want to give you a trophy when you’re a young athlete whether you’re victorious or not. It’s a better representation of the world you’ll grow up in. One with no competition. No winners. No losers. Everyone just claps for you and wishes you the best in life. Always. They want you to go to college because that’s what you’re supposed to do. Don’t worry about if it will actually prepare you for life in the real world. Never mind the fact that those four years might actually be better spent getting invaluable experiences and a head start on your… continue reading.

You wanna build muscle? You wanna get strong? You wanna get ripped? You wanna do it with short muscle building workouts you can do at home? In a sweet, minimalist garage or basement gym? Where you can avoid the expensive public gym memberships and the nonsense that goes along with those hell holes? I feel you. I hate most public chain gyms. Walking into that type of place usually sickens me and makes me question humanity as a whole. The sight of guys loading on weight plates and doing a two inch range of motion. The smell of fake tanner… continue reading.

There are 5 components of a great pre-workout meal: 1. Protein You want just enough protein to get some amino acids in your system. That’s about 30 grams. If you are trying to gain a lot of weight, you may end up having more, but that’s just because all your meals have to be bigger. Not because more protein is better. 2. Carbohydrates Don’t get suckered into low carb hype and wonder, “Shouldn’t I avoid carbs in my pre-workout meal? The thinking is that if you avoid carbs before you train, you will burn… continue reading.

Yes, you can. Absolutely. What you shove down your pie hole is the single most important factor relating to fat loss. Diet, diet, diet. That should be your focus. You could do nothing but get up and go to work each morning, come home, sit on the couch and repeat. And still lose a significant amount of bodyfat if you’re eating properly. But that is the worst message in the world to be promoting. I hate it more than people texting at the dinner table. I loathe it. It’s that oafish, unathletic, unfit 80’s bodybuilder type of mindset. The… continue reading.

Guest post by Coach Robert Dos Remedios One of the often overlooked aspects of training is the warm-up, or  what I  like to call “Activation and movement preparation”. For many years we have used a simple yet effective and efficient pre-workout routine to get folks primed for a great training session. This is our 5-step sequence 1. Soft Tissue drills (2-3 minutes) Foam rolling has become mainstream and anyone who has ever got on a roller will attest that it can be quite addictive. We keep it direct… continue reading.