In this video, Aaron Singerman, CEO of Redcon1 talks about his personal experiences with establishing credit. He went from having a 498 credit score to well over 750 in just 5 years. He tells all the tips and secrets he’s learned along the way to build EXCELLENT credit!

Since the world’s largest bodybuilding show was recently, this conversation has come up a lot.  “He had him everywhere but the back.”  “His arms need to grow to match his chest.”  “His quads dominate his upper body.” 

Lagging body parts are frustrating, especially when it seems like you are doing everything to improve them.  When we begin training everything seems to grow at such a high clip that it takes a while before you even begin to realize that certain body parts are not growing at the same rate as others.  Larger muscle groups take longer to develop than the smaller muscle groups.  Genetics also play a critical role in where you can pack on muscle mass.  Some people just aren’t meant to have 21 inch arms.  While that is a hard reality to accept; you can still progress to where you have a muscle bound and symmetrical physique.  You must learn to train smarter, not just harder.  Let’s look at some different methods to bring up lagging body parts.

Increase Frequency

If you have been hitting the same weekly split for years and nothing is happening, why not change it up?  Increase the workload from once a week to two or three times a week.  The increased frequency and volume will elicit more muscular damage, which will hopefully in turn mean more muscle hypertrophy.  Frank Zane was a big proponent of overtraining lagging body parts to bring them up.    

By increasing frequency, overall volume within the training session may need to be taken back to ensure recovery is still optimal.  I would try to limit the overall work sets to under 10.  That means if you do three different exercises, only do three sets of those exercises.  It’s also a good idea to mix up the exercises during each session.  For example, if you do flat barbell bench press on Monday, don’t do barbell bench press on Wednesday.  Choose a different compound chest exercise such as incline dumbbell press. 

If increasing frequency is the route you take to try and bring up lagging body parts, skip the advanced training techniques such as drop sets and supersets.  The nervous system can only handle so much, and by increasing frequency it will already be taking more of a hit than normal. 

By increasing frequency, your overall recovery ability will be compromised to a certain degree.  It’s important to remember this when constructing your training program, as other areas of training need to reflect this change in frequency.  Also focus on bringing up only one lagging body part if it is a large muscle group.  You will run your body into the ground if trying to bring up both legs and back simultaneously. 

Decrease Frequency

How can decreasing frequency be a benefit, when we just talked about increasing frequency?  You could actually be training too much; not allowing your body to fully recover between training sessions.  It typically takes 72 hours after a muscle is worked before it is fully recovered, and protein synthesis starts to dissipate.  A lot of times we use muscle indirectly when targeting other muscle groups, like triceps during a chest session for example.

Typically this is much less likely of a scenario than needing to train more frequently, but nevertheless it is still a possibility.

Using Proper Form

This probably seems like a no brainer, but not using proper form to target a muscle is a surefire way to miss out on some growth.  It’s important to consciously visualize the muscle being worked.  You may need to lower the weight and focus on the contraction of the muscle. 

Working the muscle in a full range of motion will also give the greatest return when it comes to muscle hypertrophy.  Remember, we are trying to build muscle here not just move weight.  The weight is secondary to form when hypertrophy is the main goal.

Pre Exhaust

This technique could be the most important to bringing up a lagging body part, especially for those who have trouble “feeling” the muscle being worked.  Pre exhausting a muscle is the idea of pre fatiguing the muscle by isolation before any compound exercises.  This is typically done with an isolation movement like pec deck for chest or straight arm pulldowns for back.  Choose an exercise that will not exhaust any other muscle than the one you want to target. 

This will force blood into the target muscle, making it easier to feel the movement.  When setting up a program with pre exhausting incorporated, it’s crucial that the muscle being pre exhausted is not too much of a secondary muscle.  For example, do not pre exhaust the biceps before a back session.  If you do set up your training with two muscle groups being worked, always pre exhaust the larger muscle group first.

Unilateral Work

Unilateral movement is working one side of the body, and then the other.  So alternating dumbbell curls, one arm pulldowns, and one leg extensions are all examples of unilateral movement.  This is a great way to bring up a lagging body part, and bring more balance to your physique. 

Unilateral movements actually recruit more muscle fiber activation than bilateral work.  Typically if you were to add up the weight between the two sides of the body, you are stronger on unilateral work than bilateral.  Heavier weight means a heavier and bigger physique.  Unilateral training is great for repairing muscular imbalances, such as one bicep being slightly larger than the other. 

Increase Overall Volume

I am strictly talking about within the session here.  We already touched on increasing frequency, which will in turn increase volume over time.  By increasing volume within each session the muscle is being taxed further.  Recovery will be compromised to a certain degree, so nutrition and supplementation should reflect this. 

Volume does not just refer to the amount of sets and reps completed in a workout, but could also mean different advanced training techniques.  These could be drop sets, supersets, negatives, and time under tension.  Anything that puts the muscle under more stress during a session could be considered as increased work volume.  Negatives are a great way to increase volume, because the increased time under tension will recruit more motor units than a traditional rep tempo.  Pump sets are another great way to increase total volume.  Pump sets keep the muscle under tension the whole set, while not completing an entire range of motion.  Think of the difference between how a bodybuilder does the bench press compared to a powerlifter.  Now take that concept and exaggerate it even more.  This is a fantastic way to burn out the muscle at the end of a session.

Increase Carbs around Workout

Nutrition obviously plays a key role in growing any muscle group.  When a muscle group is lagging, this is especially crucial.  You will need every edge you can get to increase glycogen uptake into the target muscle group.

Start by consuming slightly higher carbs before the workout.  Make sure the meal isn’t too large, as you want blood going to the muscle and not just to the gastrointestinal tract.  Choose a carb source such as white rice or oatmeal. 

During the workout consume an intra workout carb source like Redcon1 Cluster Bomb.  This product has 25 grams of Cluster Dextrin per serving.  Cluster Dextrin is an easily digestible form of carbs with rapid gastric emptying properties.  This means that it will not weigh too heavily on the stomach, but will replenish glycogen to the target muscle group.  To bring up a lagging body part, try by increasing peri workout nutrition only on the days this muscle is being trained. 

Isolate

We all know that compound exercises are king when it comes to getting bigger, but isolation movements have their place.  This is especially true for muscles that need to be brought up. 

Complete your normal workout, but throw in some specialized isolation movements to really burn out the muscle.  This concept is like pre exhausting, but backwards.  Instead of exhausting the muscle before compounds, you will really burn it out after the heavy lifting is completed.  This is a great technique for those not wanting to lose strength before major compound lifts. 

Turn Weaknesses into Strengths

Give some of these ideas a go.  Remember that your physique was not built over night, and neither will lagging body parts.  You cannot just throw the whole kitchen sink at it and hope that it all sticks.  Try by implementing one or two of these at a time, and then move on to the next.  Give these some time and you will see your physique grow into the symmetrical statue you had always hoped.   

-Daniel Henigsmith

Who should take Boom Stick? Studies have shown most men start to decline in natural testosterone production between their late 20s and early 30s. This slow decent continues until your early 40s. This is when many start to see a decrease in muscle tone, increased body fat, fatigue, and lower sex drive. Sound like fun? I thought not. This can be prevented by adding a natural testosterone booster to your daily routine. A product like Boom Stick is the perfect answer. Let me clarify, this is a natural test booster, so for anyone worried about steroid use or bodily harm from synthetic chemicals, you need not worry. Because it is natural, Boom Stick will not convert to estrogen, nor is it liver toxic. This also makes it an ideal product to use between cycles if you are a user of anabolics. Let’s get down to ingredients and how this amazing product works.

Featuring a heavy dose of D-Aspartic acid, this ingredient is sure to ramp up your natural testosterone production. Studies have shown that taking D-Aspartic Acid, also known as DAA, can cause a significant increase in the output of testosterone via the testes.

Boom Stick also includes an awesome ingredient known as Ashwagandha. This herb is phenomenal, as it help reduce stress by minimizing the stress hormone, Cortisol.  It has also shown to have a positive effect on testosterone levels, while also increasing sperm levels in men. This, coupled with an increase in testosterone levels provided by the DAA will help maximize your exercising capabilities and your results.

Fenugreek is another cool ingredient used in this product. While studies show Fenugreek does not affect testosterone output on a significant scale, it does in fact help prevent the breakdown of testosterone, thus helping you maintain healthy hormone levels.

This next ingredient is really special, as it covers a problem not many seem to think about when it comes to boosting testosterone. Diindolylmethane, or an easier way to say it, DIM, helps to balance hormone levels by acting as an aromatase inhibitor. What does this mean? Well, aromatase is an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. This can be a big problem when elevating testosterone levels. By having an aromatase inhibitor, you are allowing yourself to reap the benefits of higher levels of test, without the side effects of increased estrogen.

Nettle Extract is used in Boom Stick. This is significant as this herb has been shown to inhibit SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin). This results in higher levels of total testosterone in the body, as SHBG no longer binds with the testosterone. Once again, more test = better for you.

The last and ingredient I want to touch on is DHEA. DHEA is a precursor to testosterone, and is thus converted in the body to testosterone. This ingredient is normally produced by the adrenal glands, but has shown to decrease with aging. Having DHEA in a test boosting product is great, especially for men who may be experiencing a decline in natural testosterone production.

Add all of these ingredients up, and you are left with one hell of a natural testosterone boosting product. You see, it important to boost your testosterone, but it is even more vital to ensure you are covering all other aspects of hormone balancing. Boom Stick not only enhances your natural testosterone levels, but it also minimizes estrogen levels and frees up your natural test. Using these ingredients, and at the proper dosages, you are sure to experience elevated test levels.

The product speaks for itself. I encourage you to have blood work done and get your levels checked. After one month of taking Boom Stick, have your testosterone checked again and see the results first hand. You will not be disappointed!

You do not have to except the inevitability of declining test levels. With Boom Stick, you can get back to feeling like a young man and experience the lean muscle, metabolism, and sex drive you once did! Lift on my friends!

Garrett Skurnit

Instagram: @fit_garrett_skur

In this video, Aaron Singerman, CEO of Redcon1 talks about his personal experiences with establishing credit. He went from having a 498 credit score to well over 750 in just 5 years. He tells all the tips and secrets he’s learned along the way to build EXCELLENT credit!

THEY LOOK HOW YOU WANT TO LOOK

It’s a very simple concept that could not be truer.  How best to obtain a physique you want, then taking advice from someone who already has it?  There are all different body types in the world, which needs to be understood – it should not be a goal to obtain a physique that is a completely different body type.  But, when someone has achieved a certain level of fitness, muscle conditioning and athleticism, it really is a thing of beauty along with the physique that compliments it.  I was once told that in order to achieve success, you should find someone who already has accomplished what you want and copy what they have done.  What better way to achieve a goal than to get a road map directly from the horse’s mouth? 

However, just because the trainer has an aesthetically pleasing physique, does not always translate into them knowing how to train someone else to do what they can do.  There’s also the possibility of wanting to train with a man as a woman.  Pay close attention to how their clients look.  Being a quality trainer means that they produce results CONSISTENTLY with multiple clients.  The trainer I want will have a lot of clients in my demographic and in the physical condition that I want to be in.  On the path to success, it is essential to immerse yourself amongst the best and to train with those in the physical condition you are aspiring to have.

OMG…DID HE REALLY?!

Reputation really is important in every industry.  Part of a trainer’s job is service with a smile!  Spending an hour with a person that you basically know nothing about can be really dry and boring if they’ve got the personality of a wet mop.  Or, it could be incredibly uncomfortable because he’s constantly hitting on you as you’re between sets of squats.  Whatever the cause for the really awkward interaction during training sessions, this could have been avoided.  Ask questions about the prospective trainer!  Speak to other staff, SPEAK TO THEM and speak with his/her clients. Investigate what kind of reputation the prospective trainer has.  Learn from others what to expect when you train with that person and speak with them directly to see if there are any personality conflicts.

This investigation is warranted because going to the gym does not need to be miserable or something that is to be dreaded.  It might help inspire some motivation to have a smiling face to greet and good times to be had while lifting.  Point being, make sure that the trainer you are interested in working with will not only give you a way to achieve goals, but have fun throughout the process.  Feeling comfortable with a trainer with allow for open communication, which will help to tweak training plans, achieve goals and hopefully surpass what the client ever thought was possible.

WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT MOVE?

My favorite cardio is the stair mill, the revolving staircase, because it is one of the tallest machines in the gym and I sweat so much I look like I jumped in a pool when done.  This gigantic torture device makes me perched up on a throne to view all the peasants below still lifting.  During my forty-five-minute climb to no-where, every trainer in the gym gives me a presentation of what they’ve got.  I STRONGLY suggest this tactic because watching those while they don’t know they are being watched is true show of character.  While ‘people-watching’ the trainers and clients, there are several questions to mull over:

• Are they training hard or talking more?
• Is there a set training plan for the session or does the trainer look like he/she is winging it?
• Are they having a good time together?
• Why is the trainer trying to reinvent the wheel with that move? (small joke…)
• Is there a healthy ratio of machine work as well as free weights?
• Can the trainer teach me new workouts and skills?
• Does the client seem motivated and challenged by the workout?
• Could you see yourself doing the same workout?
• Is the trainer paying more attention to his phone than his client?
• Has the trainer designed a specific workout for each client or are they running each client through the same circuit?

Essentially, hiring a trainer is completely subjective.  Hire someone you like as a person because being at the gym and the fitness journey should be an enjoyable experience.  Be sure they have a track record clients getting the results that you want.  And, at the end of the day, this isn’t an irreversible decision.  Do the homework, investigate and try some training sessions.  The only way to know you have chemistry with a trainer is to actually start sweating and lifting heavy things together – happy hunting!

By: Samantha DiSabello

Ever heard that one?  I know I have countless times on various podcasts, forums, and articles.  But, why?  Why does this question come up so often? 

I think that it’s poor phrasing for a different question that wants to be asked: “what is the singular greatest exercise that exists?”  Could a more subjective question be asked?  Ask 10 different people this same question and you are bound to get answer variance within each person.  What exactly constitutes the best exercise anyways?  Is it the exercise that recruits the most amount of muscle fibers, makes you strongest, makes you the most fit, or most functional?

For the purposes of this article let’s find out the best exercise for bodybuilding (because well… muscle bro).

Squats

By default it seems fitting to open up this discussion by talking about the squat.  If you polled a group of fitness enthusiasts, the majority will more than likely agree that the squat is the king of all exercises.  Start typing in “squat” into a search engine and a few slots down it will begin to auto populate with “squats the best exercise.”  Understandable, so let’s look at why this may or may not be the greatest exercise of them all. 

First off, the squat does work the largest muscle group in the body.  This alone gives the squat some merit as the best exercise out there.  They also provide a systematic metabolic stimulation, which means they even can cause hypertrophy in the upper body as well as other muscle groups not being worked directly.  This is actually pretty cool.  Squats are also probably the most functional bodybuilding movement, as they strengthen not just muscles, but ligaments, bones, and increase flexibility. 

Squats are also one of the most difficult exercises to complete, and they tax not only the muscles, but also the central nervous system and cardiovascular system.  This can aid those looking to burn extra calories, especially in a caloric deficit. 

Because squats are so difficult to complete, they are thought more of as a skill, comparable to other sports type movements.  For this reason, squats are not for everyone, as this movement is difficult for some to learn.  Movement patterns are also person dependent with people with longer limbs having a difficult time squatting, especially squatting for muscular hypertrophy.

For those with knee issues, the squat may also pose some issues.  This is especially the case as the load grows heavier.        

Squats also play a key role in building core strength.  Many people who squat regularly claim they do not need to do any direct core work.  While yes, squats do a great job in engaging the core, direct core work is still important.  This is especially true for competitors, as they diet down you want to ensure the core is worked from multiple angles, as with any muscle group. 

Deadlift

Deadlifts: probably second on the list if you were to poll a group of people on the best exercise.  The deadlift is a tremendous full body exercise, mainly targeting the largest muscle groups in the body; the legs and back.  When it comes to working the most amount of muscle groups in the body, the deadlift is second to none.  Although the deadlift is inferior to the squat as far as overall metabolic systemic effects, it directly targets more muscle than the squat.  The deadlift is also probably the greatest mass gainer of all the exercises. 

As far as heavy compound exercises go, the deadlift is the safest.  For one, there is no risk of being pinned under a large load of weight.  Another reason is that the deadlift uses the least amount of joint flexion, much less in the knee over the squat.  This is obviously very dependent on proper form being utilized and performed. 

An often overlooked benefit of the deadlift is grip strength.  There is a very strong relationship between grip strength and forearm and bicep mass.  Even if wrist straps are used, there is still some muscle engagement and activation in the forearms and biceps. 

Deadlifts are also great for cardiovascular endurance and metabolic stress, but not quite to the same degree as squats.  For some, it may actually become difficult to breathe from the diaphragm while performing deadlifts. 

While yes, the deadlift is probably the safest compound exercise, it can still be bothersome to those with low back issues.  Deadlifts are the most common exercise to cause low back injuries in the gym.  For those able to handle the lower back stress, the deadlift is the greatest exercise for aiding in spinal stabilization and spinal posterior chain musculature.  So, just like with the squat, not everyone is suited to perform this movement.

Barbell Bench Press

Every gym bro’s favorite exercise could make a case for the king of all exercises.  While you might not think of it as a full body exercise, it can be.  If performed properly the shoulders, chest, core, legs, and back are all used to a certain degree.  Obviously the chest is the main muscle being targeted, but the other secondary muscle groups are also taking some of the load.  The bench press typically aids in the performance of other exercises, although I guess that isn’t the point of this discussion.

Interestingly, compared to the deadlift and squats, limb length and body structure do not have as much bearing on the bench press.  “But short arms and a stocky frame are best for benching.”  This is true, if you are talking about who is suited to lift the most amount of weight for the most amount of reps.  Truthfully even those with long limbs can still bench correctly, they just may need to switch up their technique slightly.  With a squat you are somewhat stuck with what you have: you can either do the movement or you cannot. 

Now, just like with the squat and deadlift there are certain factors that may limit the effectiveness and safety of this movement; the main one here being shoulder joint pain or impingement.  Take myself for example; I cannot do barbell bench press.  I can however safely and effectively do dumbbell bench press. 

The major downfall to the bench press when discussing the king of all exercises is the lack of overall stimulus to different muscle groups.  While yes, you are engaging your core and back in the movement, there is not a huge catalyst of force being placed on these muscle groups.

The barbell bench press is excellent for building tremendous upper body mass……and ego!

Pull Ups

The forgotten exercise when it comes to discussing the greatest exercises.  Dave Palumbo once chose the pull up as the one exercise he would choose if he could not do anything else.  Pull ups take a fairly good amount of upper body strength to perform, making this an excellent exercise choice for moderate to advanced lifters. 

While yes, the back is mainly being targeted during pull ups, so are the arms, core, traps, and forearms.  You will notice I left off legs, making this a very difficult argument to be the king of all exercises. 

Push Press

Another exercise that is not typically thought of when you discuss the best exercises out there.  The push press is an exercise that looks like a standing version of the military press.  It is, however, much more than that.

One unique aspect of the push press is that initiation begins from the floor and ends overhead.  This allows muscle activation through the entire body from the legs, to the core and back, and then through the arms and shoulders. 

Just like the squat is a skill, so is the push press to a certain degree.  This movement is more for strength than it is muscular hypertrophy, although it will elicit some.  Once again, shoulder joint issues will become a concern with push presses.

Verdict

So we have looked at five different exercises.  Each exercise has its own unique advantages and disadvantages.  Once again, the goal here is to find the king of all exercises, the one that is second to none.

If you could only perform one exercise for the rest of your life and you still wanted to grow muscle, what would you choose?  After everything is weighed out and analyzed, where do we stand?

…..Drum roll please…..

Whatever works for you and your individual body.  Anticlimactic isn’t it?  I agree, however it’s dangerous to give blanket statements like the squat is the best exercise when someone has had two knee replacements.  Or the deadlift is the best exercise to someone with a bulging disk in their lower back. 

As much as a letdown as this is to the two people still left reading this article, I assure you that if you were to incorporate all of these compound movements into your routine you will undoubtedly see positive results in your physique.

The king of all exercises is what you want it to be.     

-Daniel Henigsmith

GET EDUCATED

I remember the first time I stepped into a gym after college when the sports, classes, coaches, boyfriends and all other structure I otherwise had in the gym was gone.  I had just broken up with my college boyfriend, my job went out of business and I was newly healed from my wisdom teeth being pulled.  Seeing as I was single, swollen and had nothing better to do, I went to the gym.  Walking in I smelled the sweat, heard the familiar sounds of weights being dropped, saw the elliptical and took off in a damn near sprint for it!  This is because I realized I had no clue what I was doing.  Not to say I was completely inept in the gym – I knew how to squat, bench and most fundamentals from being involved in sports and enjoying being active – but, I had no idea how to put a workout together. 

I always had coaches telling me what they wanted or boyfriends making me train whatever they were doing.  I had never gone to the gym by myself and said, “I’m going to lift today!”  Well today was that day and I had a true rude awakening.  Why hadn’t I taken notice of what my coaches asked of me?  You know, really looked at the entirety of the workout and tried to appreciate what they were designing for me to achieve a certain goal.  I should have asked more questions about methodology, rational and learned why I was training in the manner I was.  Same concept applies, showing up to the gym is not enough when random exercises are performed in hopes the goal will be achieved.  A goal without a plan is called a dream. 

Ladies, let’s try to be less dreamers and more achievers.  Pick a goal – Big Booty Gains in 2017 – and know exactly how you want to get there.  Speak with as many people as possible, ask professionals questions, hire a quality trainer, look on YouTube, read articles, blogs and books.  LEARN! Learn which methods give the best results you want, try different methods, walk into a gym with confidence knowing exactly what you will be doing and how hard you are willing to work to get there. 

BE AN ATHLETE

I was never allowed to walk away from practice without having been physically exhausted – regardless of the sport.  Subpar effort was unacceptable.  May I ask, why is it deemed ok to walk out of the gym without sweating?  The workout at the gym should be treated like the practice we used to have for athletics.  Maximum effort possible should be exerted every day.  That’s not to say that some days will be better than others; and, you might be really feeling it one day and not so much another.  What shall remain consistent is the effort expenditure should be in line with the attitude of ‘all in, all the time,’ regardless of how much there is to give. 

Women should demand excellence from themselves and require progress.  One key attribute that has helped me to achieve fitness goals was keeping a log book of my workouts. When I rolled up to the gym with my log book, I didn’t run for the cardio machines any longer.  I calmly walked over to the squat rack.  Ahead of time, I would write in the book what to train, how many reps, the weights and number of sets…I’d even write down what kind and how long to do cardio for!  This book I began to refer to as my bible.  Although slightly compulsive, the book gave me a very clear picture of exactly what I had been doing, what I will be doing, what has worked for me and what I was going to try next.  Progress in the gym take time and it’s easy to get lost in the thick of it.  To avoid feeling like progress is too slow and painstaking, I’d review my book.  Believe it or not, the book helps remind where you came from and how far you have gotten.  When using the log book, it is easy to pinpoint what is yielding results and what isn’t.  And, it helps inspire new workouts when I have writers block!  What was done before helps inspire new challenges and workouts for myself. 

BUT, WHAT SHOULD I DO?

When scanning the horizon around a random corporate run gym, the group fitness classes are mainly filled with women; and, there are the few brave men, very secure with their sexuality, in the back row of the salsa aerobics class.  It is time to expand horizons.  To achieve goals faster, it is essential to do workouts and training be specifically designed to achieve your individual goals.  Ask other women questions, talk and have fun while at the gym.  I can almost guarantee another lady there is trying to achieve a Brazilian booty too!  Inspire and motivate each other, don’t be in competition. However, if you are on the shyer side, then hire a trainer to only train you.  One-on-one workouts with a quality trainer will teach a huge amount to a woman trying to achieve fitness goals and possibly help her push herself past what she thought possible.  Similarly, smaller groups, such as one or two women training together, can make workouts more fun and still have the training achieve the specific goals you all seek.  HIIT cardio and super sets can easily be done with two, three or even four women together.  Alternate planning the workouts amongst the training partners and be sure to train all muscle groups.  The point of ‘small group fitness’ is to make the process of starting to train alone easier with the ideas of multiple people and feel less overwhelming.

Ultimately, it should be a goal to feel confident as you walk into a gym.  It should be refreshing to feel the sweat dripping down your cheeks and the physical exhaustion of a completed workout. However, a sense of accomplishment and determination should never be fully satisfied.  Constantly strive for greatness, if for no other reason, then to challenge yourself. Be in the know constantly, ask professionals for advice, work with experienced trainers and take yourself out of your comfort zone (aka out of group fitness).  Keep track of what you have been doing with a log book, make adjustments when needed and never stop because bodybuilding is not a sport to be conquered.

By: Samantha DiSabello

I am just as guilty as the next person.  After competing I could not wait to enter a true offseason and put on as much tissue as humanly possible.  In my mind it did not matter as much if I were to gain some extra body fat, because I was ready to get big!  Here I am now five months post contest, ready to get lean again.

It seems that social media has had a negative impact on the idea of growing.  It’s not fun to post a selfie when you are 12 percent body fat looking a little softer than you did a few months back.  Everyone on Instagram is seemingly lean 365 days a year, making it less enticing to gain a little extra body fat.

There is actually science behind the idea that humans want what they can’t have or don’t have.  One of these being insecurity, not being satisfied or feeling self-conscious of the present.  When we are lean we actually think we are not lean enough, making us want to do a 180 and start chasing size.  The same can be said for being heavier with a little extra softness; we are not satisfied with the current look and want something better. 

We also picture in our minds that being lean is actually more satisfying that what it truly is.  When I look back at progress pictures when I was single digit body fat I cannot believe I was that lean, but at the time I did not think I really was.  We romanticize things that are not readily available, so we deviate from the plan.  We do “mini cuts” and short bursts of calorie cutting to hopefully not get too fat. 

Truthfully, all this does is hinder the end game results.  Now, there is some benefit to mini cuts such as increasing insulin sensitivity if the body becomes resistant.  As far as the prevention of body fat accumulation, the best way to avoid this is to slowly progress calories.

So let’s break away from the notion that we want what we don’t currently have, and put on considerable muscle mass.  The key to any mass building program is to progressively increase calories until that caloric intake is higher than what it was before a caloric deficit program, while also being leaner at a higher body weight.  If fat gain is a concern, then be even more deliberate about small increases in overall calories. 

Macros

Macronutrients are what are going to make up your total caloric intake, and they should be the main goal when building a nutrition program.  100 grams of carbs is completely different than 50 grams of carbs and 50 grams of protein.  Typically in a mass gaining phase you want carbohydrates to be the highest macronutrient consumed, with protein being a close second.  As anyone wanting to have considerable muscle mass it’s important to consume a fairly large amount of protein.  It’s important to remember that one gram of protein and carbs is four calories, and one gram of fat is nine calories. 

It’s necessary to slowly increase macronutrients over time to ensure the most amount of muscle is being built.  There is an idea that the body will do whatever it can to remain at homeostasis body weight; through different mechanisms in the body this makes it very difficult to vary body weight and composition.  Set point theory assumes that the body will do anything it can to remain at a certain body weight set point.

So if this is the case, how do people lose weight or gain weight?  They create new set points.  By increasing calories and macros to a point that the body has no choice but to move in body weight.  At this point it’s important to remain at this specific set point for a short period of time before attempting to make another big jump.  This idea is multi beneficial in that you can gain muscle, but also limit the amount of body fat accumulation.  The goal is that we can break away from the yo-yo effect of going back and forth between wanting to get bigger and wanting to be lean.

Training

Just as it’s important to slowly progress upwards in calories, so should training.  Every week and every phase should see an increase in weight, reps, overall volume, or total workload.  To gain considerable amount of muscle mass, training intensity should never falter.  Even at the beginning of a bulking phase intensity should be high.  Where the changes occur will be in the aforementioned weights and volume. 

Progress your lifts (as long as proper nutrition is in place) and you will see your body follow suit and get bigger.  The body really has no choice but to adapt if lifts are increasing.  In a bulking phase a program like the popular powerbuilding program might be beneficial.  In a program such as this frequency is high and lifts progression is important.  Obviously this goes without saying, but proper form and safety is the most important thing when talking about any training program.

Supplementation

Nutrition is number one when it comes to any program, but supplements truly compliment a proper nutrition protocol.  As calories climb to their peak, it’s difficult to get all calories from solid food choices.  A product I really like for a big boost in calories is Redcon1 MRE.  Each serving contains 525 calories, 4 grams of fat, 75 grams of carbs, and 47 grams of protein.  Not only is this a great alternative to solid food, but it actually contains real food ingredients like rolled oats, beef protein, salmon protein, chicken protein, yams, sweet potatoes, and real fruit.  I could argue this is the single greatest supplement ever created!

Another product to help gain some size is Redcon1 Tango.  Creatine has been widely recognized as a mass gaining aid longer than any other category of sports supplement on the market.  Tango contains 5 grams of creatine monohydrate, 1 gram of creatine hydrochloride, 1 gram of creatine magnapower.  These various forms of creatine will help ensure that there is a high bioavailability and assuring the most is absorbed into the body. Creatine helps with ATP production, recovery, endurance, and muscular strength. 

Redcon1 Total War will help you push through the most grueling and intense weight training sessions.  While calories are high it’s best to take advantage of your time in the gym to put on the most amount of muscle mass.  This is not just another high stimulant product, but also contains ingredients like citrulline malate, beta alanine, and agmatine sulfate to give you skin splitting pumps.  While a pump feels good in the gym, it can also help elicit muscular hypertrophy as well.           

Make a Plan

The lesson to be told here: stop yo-yoing, make a plan, and get it done.  It’s not going to happen overnight, and it’s not going to happen without fat gain.  It’s easy to become complacent and say “that’s good enough.”  Come up with some goals and follow through with the plan.  We all want what we don’t have, but do you have what it takes to get to the next level with your physique?  Do you have the willpower to get as big as you can?

-Daniel Henigsmith    

Yup. I’m that mom. Just deal with it. Ask me for help. Don’t glare at me. Don’t wish I gave my kid Benadryl that won’t put them to sleep, but only wakes them up more. Don’t judge me with your stares and eye rolling. Yeah, I see you. Between my kids flailing arms and wails of over tiredness, I see you. Well guess what. I DONT FEEL BAD. Nope. And let me tell you why….

While I’m busy reeling in my kid, you travel by yourself. Or maybe with your spouse. Maybe you have kids and are secretly thanking God you don’t have them with you or your single saying to yourself you will never be me… well, I can tell ya, you will be. I don’t feel bad, because I’m too tired and weighed down with stuff to feel bad. Your eye rolling is a stress I just don’t have the time or care to take on. Traveling with a kid is hard. Let alone more than one. To the parents that do it with more than one, I praise you. Hell, I’d hug you and tell you how amazing you are if you were in front of me. Between my backpack and diaper bag and cooler and Minnie Mouse doll and stroller, blanket, travel ‘boppy’ and sweatshirt, I don’t know how much more I can hold. Did I mention I am BY MYSELF? Oh, and let’s not forget meal prep… nice portioned little meals stuffed into baggies in my over flowing cooler, with bottles and snacks for baby (enough to last a day if a flight gets cancelled or whatever). Then, on top of those nice baggies I have to remember to eat them every few hours while trying to hold an almost two-year-old on my lap on a puddle jumper airplane and everything under the seat or above. 

Let’s talk about dieting while traveling as well…. yes, as we walk through the airport by at least 10 different Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee and Dunkin Donuts in every terminal. Ignore those fresh holiday pumpkin flavors calling your name and that caffeine fix you needed since 4am since you have been up. Let’s not forget the 4 hour layover, as well. You have all of your food with you and all you want is that damn cookie the size of your hand that will cost you $4.50 to buy. Don’t do it. Just don’t. Because not only will the fact that paying $4.50 be absolutely ridiculous, but the guilt of eating it AFTER the fact will just make you more irritated than you already are. Not while eating it, because let’s be honest, it will be delicious, but after, when you realize you didn’t pack your food for nothing and eating a cookie won’t justify or make your day any better. Trust me on that. It will only make you feel worse. It’s also one more thing you do NOT need to carry because let’s be real, one more item and they will consider your cookie an extra item that needs to be checked. Don’t weigh yourself down with the guilt. At least if you’re going to get a cookie or have that indulgence, wait till your with people you want to be with or save that cookie for when you get where you are going, draw a hot bath when the kids are asleep and then go to town. Pick and choose when you want to indulge. It really makes all the difference in the world to how you enjoy it. 

When you pack for a trip, whether it be car or train or bus or whatever, always plan ahead. I personally cannot for the life of me pack last minute. It stresses me out to no end, I ALWAYS forget something and I ALWAYS over-pack. I over-pack regardless, but at least when I start ahead of time I go through my things at least two times and remove stuff I realize I really don’t need. Lists are my best friend. For this last trip I planned for the plane as if it was a whole trip in itself. I had a total of 6 flights to prepare for. Three different days of travel, all with layovers from one hour to four hours. I knew my daughter wouldn’t nap for these so I had to prepare. Here’s my list of necessities ….

-Mini DVD player with at least 3 dvds.
-Coloring book she has never seen before
-One toy aka doll she has never seen before
-Snacks for baby: pretzels, crackers, blueberries, cheese, puffs, milk, and 2 lollipops for emergency melt downs. Yes, yes I prepare for that.
-My meals: which for travel I do hard boiled eggs. They travel best for long travel days, rice cakes, blueberries, kale chips I make myself. (Baked Kale with a little sea salt.)
-I always keep at least one extra set of clothes for baby and me on me in case a flight gets cancelled and we are stuck overnight. I prep as if I may not get to where we are going for at least one day. I’ve had things happen too many times that flights get cancelled or delayed and I’ve been stuck overnight in airports more than I like to admit. I’d rather be safe than sorry. 

Traveling in itself is stressful. Then add kids to the equation. It doesn’t have to be terrible. But at times things are beyond our control. So again, please excuse me if my kid kicks you by accident or starts to wail. She is only expressing how I truly feel. Parenting is hard. Disciplining is hard. Then combine the two in public and its double as hard as well as you know your being judged. So, I say this to you, to the moms who travel with kids, take a breath, hold your head up, and know you got this. If I see you in the airport or wherever and your kid cries, I always have extra puffs and lollipops with me. And if I really see you struggling, I’ll buy you that cookie. 

xoxo
Wendy Lee Govoni Capurso