Question: Do you have to squat, bench press and deadlift to become a better athlete? Answer: Absolutely not. Athletes need to get stronger and more explosive. They also need to improve mobility, dynamic flexibility and agility. Speed position players and weight class athletes need to minimize bodyfat. Many athletes need to improve conditioning, and often times they need to build muscle. You can accomplish all of those tasks without any of the lifts you mentioned. Athletes are not powerlifters so why would we assume that the three powerlifts are the best exercises for them? Many times strength coaches… continue reading.

There’s a simple formula for size and strength gains. Supply the signal to force adaptation to occur without doing too much damage in the process. In other words, you do the work necessary to force the muscle to grow bigger and stronger but consciously take steps to minimize three things: Spinal compression Joint degradation CNS (central nervous system) fatigue Like Lee Haney said, “Stimulate, don’t annihilate.” Today we’re going to focus on CNS fatigue. If the CNS is not recovered or ready to perform at max capacity your training and thus, your results will suffer. Here are seven ways to… continue reading.

There are at least an equal amount of people who ruin their athleticism through their strength training efforts, as there are people who improve it. The majority of guys who have been training for more than a decade have worse athletic ability than they did ten years earlier. It’s sad but true. Many typical training protocols will slowly but surely ruin your athleticism. The overemphasis on maximal strength, the shortened ranges of motion, the imbalances created, the injuries accumulated… It all adds up and one day before you know it you tear a hamstring playing a leisurely game… continue reading.

Guest Post by Renegade Inner Circle Member, Mark Lockwood I was stuck.  I mean really stuck. One day’s gains were next week’s losses and, by the end of the year, I was usually right back where I started. Six years of hard training had given me good relative strength in the big lifts, but very little had changed in recent years. I was starting to wonder if at age 39 it was even possible for me to make substantial gains. Then I stumbled onto Jay’s website and I was hooked.  The guy had some different thoughts on training and tons… continue reading.

Recipe courtesy of Metabolic Cooking Makes 2 Servings Ingredients • 2 medium (5oz) sweet potatoes • 1 teaspoon paprika • ¼ teaspoon onion powder • ¼ teaspoon thyme • ¼ teaspoon rosemary • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder • Pinch of cayenne pepper • 1 teaspoon olive oil Directions 1. Preheat oven to 375oF. In a small bowl, stir together paprika, onion powder, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. 2. Slice the sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. 3. Brush each… continue reading.

Most direct triceps exercises place too much stress on the elbows. That’s why compound pressing movements are your first line of defense in the war against tiny arms. At the top of the list is dips, preferably done on rings. Close grip pushup variations, both handstand and regular are also highly effective. Next up is any type of close grip pressing movement which can be done full range, on the floor or off of two or three boards. If you want to do an isolation exercise be sure to do one of these first. That will warm up your elbows… continue reading.

1)  Like Jack LaLanne said, “If man made it don’t eat it.” In other words, if it comes in a box or a bag your best bet is to skip it. Eddie Vedder also recommended that during YellowLedbetter, “Don’t eat it if comes in a box ooorrr aaaa bag… oh, no, no.” Go take a listen. 2)  Buy locally at farmers markets as much as possible. Stick it to the man. 3)  Focus on pesticide free produce and hormone/antibiotic-free animal protein. 4)  Make sure your fish is wild caught and not farm raised. 5)  Avoid drinking… continue reading.

After countless roadblocks and delays I can proudly say that I beat Dre. The Renegade Diet is no longer the Detox Album. It’s actually here. The most effective recomposition plan ever developed, that makes gaining muscle and losing fat simultaneously a reality is live right now! And during the special launch sale you also get a FREE copy of my brand new 16 week strength and conditioning program, Bad Intentions. So get on over to RenegadeDietBook.com right now and order your copy today!… continue reading.

Firstly, I want to thank all 98 people who shared their amazing stories. I know I said we were giving away five free copies of The Renegade Diet but it was too tough of a decision… So, after a group of us voted on the top stories we decided that instead of giving away five copies we’re giving away TEN printed copies. These will ship out next week as soon as we get your address. We have most of your email addresses but just to confirm if you have been listed below please email us at info [at] JasonFerruggia.com with… continue reading.

Question: Jay, wrestling season is almost over and I have a few guys lined up to come in after the season. I have a general idea of what I want to do with them, but just wanted to see if you have any special considerations for these guys. Right now, my plan of attack is: 3-4 week recovery period with lots of SMR, stretching, rehabbing nagging injuries and imbalances, and bodyweight work Off-season training- work a lot of strength work with submaximal weights, explosiveness with jumps, med ball work, and Olympic lifts (dumbbell only). Also work on muscular… continue reading.

The NFL season has come and gone. Here in America we are entering that great sports void that happens every year between the end of football season and the beginning of baseball season. It’s the dead of winter, there’s very little to do and neither of the two most popular sports is on TV for your viewing pleasure. A difficult time for fans, to be sure. The good news is that gives you more time to dedicate to your training. There’s only about 16 weeks until Memorial Day weekend so there’s no time for slacking off. (***Shameless Plug Alert- 16… continue reading.

Recipe courtesy of Metabolic Cooking Makes 1 Serving Perfect for a snack, spread or sandwich Ingredients • 1 whole hard-boiled egg • 3 hard boiled eggs, whites only • 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt • Pinch of chilli powder • Pinch of garlic powder • Pinch of onion powder • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar Directions 1. Peel the eggs and slice the eggs in half. 2. Carefully remove 3 yolks (leaving 1 yolk) into a mixing bowl. 3. Mash the eggs with… continue reading.

Recipe courtesy of Metabolic Cooking Makes 1 Serving Ingredients • 1 scoop Vanilla Protein • 1 shot of espresso • ¼ cup of greek yogurt • Pinch of stevia • Pinch of cinnamon • 5 ice cubes Directions Blend and Enjoy! Nutritional Facts (Per Serving)   Calories: 169 Protein: 35g Carbohydrates: 3g Fat: 1g   Click HERE for more recipes from Metabolic Cooking  … continue reading.

I’ve been on a kick with this dessert as of late and figured I’d share it with The Renegade Nation. Blend 1 cup mixed frozen berries and cherries with 1 scoop vanilla protein powder and somewhere between 2/3 and 3/4 cup of full fat coconut milk. It depends how thick you want it and the power of your blender, the protein powder you use, etc. But I like it to be really thick like pudding so you can eat it with a spoon. So you may need more or less coconut milk. In accordance with The Renegade Diet rules fruit/fructose… continue reading.

I’ve covered this topic before but judging by some of the questions I receive I may not have been clear enough. So I’m gonna try it again… Fuck bulking and cutting. Clearer? The concept of bulking and cutting is old school bullshit that went out with fanny packs and jean shorts. For the initiated it means that you eat like crap for several months while training hard and heavy. The theory behind it is that it’s impossible to gain large amounts of muscle mass without getting fat in the process. So you accept a bunch of fat gain along with… continue reading.