I started working out back when I was about 16 and have kept at it the past 10 years.

I’ve made a ton of mistakes.

But I’ve also been fortunate enough to learn from them and developed my own ways for staying in shape without driving myself insane.

Here are 40 random thoughts I’ve had about fitness after 10 years of actually doing it.

1) Learning how to count calories and macros is an invaluable skill.

Being able to estimate the calories/macros in what you eat is one of the most useful skills you can learn.

Which is why I recommend everyone to spend at least a few weeks hardcore tracking everything they eat.

You don’t need to do it your whole life, but tracking everything you eat for a while gives you a sense of awareness that you can’t get anywhere else.

2) But getting to the point where you can comfortably not obsess about macros takes months (probably years)

Every fit person I know that doesn’t obsess about macros anymore has obsessed about it in the past.

And it’s that “trial by fire” that a lot of people go through before they can truly be relaxed about their eating.

Same goes for everything else:

• “Oh I used to be a workaholic, but now I only work 30 hours per week max.” 
• “Oh when I was in my 20s I used to care so much about the way I looked, but now that I’m 30, I don’t care as much.”
• “Oh I used sleep with Asian hookers every week and had a nasty coke habit, but now I’m happily married, have twin boys, and am head of the PTA.” 

My point – old habits die hard.

3) You will get injured

No matter how careful you’re being, no matter how good you think your form is, time will inevitably catch up with you.

It might be a minor injury, but there will be injuries.

4) Weight loss is never linear

I literally just scribbled a blue line, but hopefully you get what I mean.

It zigs and it zags.

It’s a roller coaster that shows no mercy. But if you stay the course, you’ll make it your bitch.

5) You will never have enough

If your goal is to be the most muscular guy in the room, you will never reach that goal.

Saying you’ll be happy when you’re 180 pounds/10% body fat is self-defeating in so many ways.

Once you reach that goal, then it becomes 185 pounds/10% body fat.

And it never ends.

Be proud of where you are now, but don’t your tie self-worth to how lean or muscular you are.

6) You can get away with eating A LOT less protein than you think

Getting the standard 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is not the easiest thing in the world.

It’s definitely doable, but isn’t the most practical thing to do.

Try cutting it down to 0.6-0.7 grams. You’ll be surprised with how little things change.

7) Strength does not equal size and vice versa

There are plenty of “small” guys who can out lift bigger guys.

If you train mainly for strength, you likely won’t get huge like a bodybuilder.

If you train to get big like a bodybuilder, then you’ll get bigger. You’ll definitely gain strength too but it won’t be as much as someone who trains purely for strength.

8) You do not need to squat and deadlift to build strong muscular legs

It’s not the end of the world if you can’t or don’t want to do traditional squats and deadlifts (i.e. barbell back squat, barbell deadlift off the floor).

There are plenty of alternatives.

9) Fast for 24 hours once a month

Don’t do it for fat loss, but do it because it’s one of the simplest ways to build your mental toughness.

10) Motivation is mostly useless

A Youtube video of hacked together Elon Musk clips just gets your fired up. But unless you do something with that fire, it’s useless.

Action fuels motivation. It’s never the other way around.

11) Nothing is ever as bad as it seems

Binging on a dozen doughnuts might feel like the end of the world, but I assure you it’s not.

There is rarely a single event that can destroy progress.

The problems come when you turn single events into a spiraling dark hole of self-destruction.

12) If you can’t lose weight, 99% of the time it’s because you’re eating too much

Stop with the excuses and track what you eat.

You’re eating more than you think.

I promise.

13) “One but never two.”

You can recover from one diet slip up or one missed workout.

But it becomes harder to recover once you miss two.

Negative momentum is a real thing.

Don’t let two happen.

14) Abs are not made in the kitchen

They are made in the gym and revealed in the kitchen.

15) People don’t eat because they are hungry. They eat out of habit and emotion.

People in 3rd world countries eat because they are hungry and to stay alive.

And if you’re reading this, you’re probably not starving in a 3rd world country.

Instead most people eat when they’re bored, emotional, or out of habit.

But true hunger is always last on the list.

16) Anyone who mentions “metabolism” probably has no idea what they’re talking about

Saying something increases your metabolism by 30% sounds sexy.

Problem is, it doesn’t translate to anything in the real world.

Therefore it’s a term heavily manipulated by marketers.

17) Not a single motherfucker on this planet has ever gotten fat from eating too much fruit.

Just stop with the anti-fruit talk.

It’s embarrassing and sounds like something Rob Schneider’s dad would say.

I don’t even know what that means.

18) Never blindly follow advice. Take from multiple sources and think for yourself.

Don’t just listen to me.

Don’t just listen to that one ripped guy on Instagram.

Don’t just listen to someone just because they’re a doctor.

Question everything and everyone.

If you don’t learn to think for yourself and form your own opinions, you’re just a slave.

19) Most people don’t want to get lean and muscular. They just want to be happy

In the end, everyone is just trying to fill a gap in their lives. Any many guys use the gym to fill that gap.

20) If you want to get better at anything, track and document your diet and training

Unlike that stripper who said you’re the cutest guy she’s seen all night, numbers never lie.

Want to increase your bench?

Then you need to track every workout you do – reps, sets, rest time, and even your mood.

Documenting what you do let’s you look back and analyze what went right and wrong.

21) 99% of guys have absolutely no reason to train in the 1-3 rep range

I don’t see the point, even to test your 1 rep max.

Injury risk skyrockets in this rep range.

Train in the 4-6 or 6-8 rep range. You’ll still get strong and minimize injury.

22) Intermittent fasting isn’t magic

When I first started intermittent fasting 9 years ago, I thought it was magic.

Like it had some magic fat burning advantage over every other diet.

But then I realized that was stupid.

The only “magic” was that it made it easier to stay in a calorie deficit.

To some it may seem like magic, but I assure you, it’s not.

23) The keto diet is the most impractical diet in the world

You’re pretty much saying you’re gonna go the rest of your life without carbs.

Sit down and ask yourself – can you do that?

24) All detox diets are a scam

Just don’t.

25) Free weights aren’t better or worse than machines

Use both.

26) To build more muscle, slow down your reps

Increases in strength don’t always equal more muscle.

You need to really squeeze and contract the muscles you’re targeting.

27) Ignore statements like “Your body stores carbs as body fat.”

This statement never made sense to me.

Your body stores extra calories as body fat.

But just because you ate some carbs (or fat or protein or alcohol), doesn’t mean it’s getting stored as body fat.

Only way that happens is unless you eat too much it.

28) Have micro goals but a macro game plan

People love to bash on 4 week workout plans because they’re “short term,” but that’s only if you stop doing shit after 4 weeks.

A better approach would be define your goals in 4 week blocks of time and to put all your focus into those 4 weeks.

Then you can focus on the next 4 weeks, and so on.

This way, you’re not overwhelmed with trying to do everything at once. You just need to focus on the getting through the next 4 weeks.

29) Unless it’s your job, arguing about fitness is the most pointless, soul sucking shit ever

Get a hobby, guys.

Learn to paint, take up archery, or shoot amateur porn.

Nothing will crush a person’s soul faster than arguing about why their workout or die is superior.

It’s your life, but c’mon dawg.

30) Consistency > intensity

It doesn’t matter if you workout 2 hours per day if it just leads to your burning out in a week.

You’ll see much better results if you workout 30 min per day if you can stay consistent.

31) If you had to choose between weights and cardio, choose weights

Structure your weight lifting program correctly, and it can double as a cardio routine but not the other way around.

32) Average choices = average life

Next time, you’re about to make a questionable decision, ask yourself “would an average person do this.”

Average people eat junk food all day.

Average people don’t go to the gym consistently.

Average people don’t track their workouts and diets.

Look at what average people do. Don’t do that.

33) Your “lack of time” excuse is embarrassing

It’s cool if you admit you’re lazy. I respect that.

But someone who complains about not having time and spends 4 hours per day on their phone? How can anyone respect that?

You have the time, you just don’t want to make it (or you suck at time management).

34) Don’t put yourself in a box

Don’t just train with barbells

Don’t just run on the treadmill.

Don’t just eat the same foods every day.

If you do, you’re putting yourself in a “box” and limiting yourself from growing and having new experiences.

The last 10 years, lifting weights has been my main workout. But recently I started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and I love it.

To me, going to one BJJ class was 10x more rewarding than my last 5 years of lifting. But this would have never happened if I didn’t take the leap and try it out.

35) Once you blast through your newbie phase, muscle growth is painfully slow

If you’ve been training 3 years and wondering why you’re not building muscle, it’s because it’s just a slow ass process.

And the sucky part is that you can’t train more or eat more to speed up the process. It just takes time.

Here’s the timeline most guys who train consistently follow:

• Year 1: Gain 20 pounds muscle
• Year 2: Gain 10 pounds muscle
• Year 3: Gain 5 pounds muscle
• Year 4,5,6, till you die: Whatever you can get (not worth calculating)

I’m not saying you won’t gain muscle after year 3, I’m just saying the actual pounds of muscle you gain become much harder to track compared to Year 1.

36) The solution to your problem is usually the simplest

In fact, it’s probably so simple and obvious that you’re going to ignore it completely and go search for something that sounds more complicated.

Even if it costs you more time and more money, you’ll follow it (the more complex solution) because it’s a fancy sounding plan that tells you nothing is your fault.

Plot twist (bet you didn’t see this coming): It’s almost always your fault.

37) Eat 80% of your carbs at night

Nothing slows me down faster than a carb heavy meal for breakfast or lunch.

If you ever feel tired or fatigued after eating a ton of carbs during the day, try offloading them till dinner time.

You’ll feel a massive difference in the way you feel.

38) You can lose weight with zero exercise…but you probably shouldn’t

Technically, all you need is a calorie deficit to lose weight, but the people who lose the most weight and keep it off are those who have a healthy exercise regime as well.

If you exercise consistently, you’ll be more inclined to eat healthy and vice versa.

39) Feel free to experiment with supplements but don’t be stupid about it

There’s a fine line between testing out a supplement to see if it works for you and just buying every pill pimped by a big titty IG model.

If you need a good resource on what supplements have potential, I’d recommend checking out Examine.com.

40) Mindset is everything

Time and time again, I’ve found that the way you think impacts everything else.

What you think leads to how you act.

How you act leads to what you get.

The post 40 Random Thoughts After 10 Years Of Fitness appeared first on FitMole.

My body has been pushed past its limits.

I only had the energy to put one foot in front of the other, keep my weapon on my shoulder, and lift my feet to avoid stepping on pressure plates.

My team and I were in the green zone of the Helmand province (an area in Afghanistan where all the Taliban strongholds are).

Our TCP (temporary checkpoint – usually an old mud wall compound) was set up on the high ground, to look across the Taliban’s playing fields – huge flat plains of greenery and dirt, a perfect place to hide the placement of an I.E.D. (improvised explosive device).

We were on our way back after an unsuccessful op.

Our goal was to find a group of local insurgents and engage them.

On our way back, all I can remember was the intense agony my body was in.

I knew I wasn’t going to stop moving, but I couldn’t imagine taking another step.

Then it happened…

The sound of a bullet hissing past me was as familiar as my morning alarm.

I hit the ground.

We were just 1k from our TCP when we came under enemy fire.

Leaves around me split, torn apart by bullets.

It was at that moment my entire body sprung back to life.

No more fatigue. No more low energy. No more tired feet.

Taking cover and fighting for my life completely transformed me.

Not just in the heat of battle, but in life as well.

Humans are masters at adapting to external stress and pressure.

I have learned a lot from my time on the front line, but these 6 lessons changed my body, mindset and life.

And if you implement the lessons below, they will change yours too.

1. Your body always quits before your mind
2. Discipline is everything
3. You don’t need as much as you think
4. Live how you were designed to live and your body will thank you
5. Everything is sweeter when it is earned.
6. Life needs to be simple

1. Your body always quits before your mind

Have you ever dropped the weight before your last rep, completely convinced you couldn’t do one more?

This isn’t your mind telling you you’re lazy.

This is just your brain telling you to keep something in the reserve tank, in case of an emergency.

As an ex 22 Special Air Service RSM (highest rank of a soldier) once told me:

“Your body is just an empty carcass, it will do what you tell it to do. Don’t let your mind put limits on it.”

In Afghanistan, there were times I didn’t know how my body was going to move, but it never failed.

I needed to move, so I did.

Failure to do so meant death.

This was when I realized what my body was truly capable of.

Break past this mental barrier, the part of your mind that is telling you you’re done, and there’s nothing you can’t do.

2. Discipline is everything

You can be the smartest, most skilled person in the world, but without discipline, none of that matters.

I define discipline as performing an action without emotion,

It means doing something without being affected by your energy levels, mood or mental state.

On the battlefield, you must watch your surroundings no matter how much the sun stings your eyes. You must keep a look out for ground signs (evidence that an I.E.D. has been buried nearby) no matter how much you want to go home and see your family.

A shit bloke from my unit was posted with another unit and was caught playing video games while on stag (i.e. guard duty).

And in Afghanistan, this is not something you screw around with.

He was sent home and sent to Colchester prison (the British Army Military Prison).

A few weeks later, a Taliban insurgent tried to sneak into another TCP.

The insurgent engaged the guardsman on stag. Unfortunately the soldier died from his wounds, but it was his discipline that kept the men inside alive.

3. You don’t need as much as you think

Before going out on an op, I would spend hours deciding what to bring with me.

On one mission, I knew the chinook (military helicopter) was picking us up, and dropping us 5k from the TCP.

I had to pack light since we would still be on foot for 5k where anything could happen.

If we came under enemy fire or set off an I.E.D, we had to move fast.

When packing, I asked myself a simple question, “Is this going to help keep me or the blokes alive?”

If the answer was yes it would go in one pile. If the answer was no it would go into another pile.

After doing this with every single item, I would have a small pile of essential life saving stuff – rifle cleaning kit, ammo, essential medkit, water, and rations.

I would then pack in whatever else I could while still maintaining order. Did I need a sleeping bag? It was pretty warm that month, so no.

Did I need this towel? Well… maybe, but I’ll cut it in half just to save a bit of room.

When you’re carrying your kit, you appreciate every gram you take off your back.

I hate clutter.

Everything in my life must have purpose.

People have a hard time letting go, thinking they must keep this or that “just in case.”

But cleaning out your stuff and realizing what little you need to be happy is refreshing.

4. Live how you were designed to live and your body will thank you

I remember coming home in October and looking in the mirror.

The same mirror I looked in every morning before I went away.

I had never seen my body so lean yet muscular.

I always had abs, but nothing like this.

Being in the military put my body in perfect hormonal balance.

My testosterone levels were through the roof due to a steady stream of dangerous and violent encounters.

I would constantly walk around with weight on my back doing short bursts of intense activity, combined with long drawn out stints of low intensity movement.

Call these “desert intervals.”

Humans were designed to endure extreme physical endurance.

We were made to walk hundreds of miles every week, hunt our own food and fight neighboring tribes to protect our loves ones.

It is no wonder, that when you live like this, your body and mind find balance.

5. Everything is sweeter when it is earned

3 men and I sat with our backs against a compound wall.

We were talking about what we missed the most about home.

When I used to go home on leave, I would sleep at my dad’s house on a little blue sofa.

When I was home, that little blue sofa didn’t seem like much.

But when I was away it seemed like paradise.

In Afghanistan, all I thought about was sitting back on the sofa and watching tv.

All the men in my unit would talk about partying, women, and holidays.

But all I was thinking about was that little blue sofa, spending one day doing absolutely nothing.

There is no true value in relaxing when you haven’t put the work in.

Someone who spends every day in front of the tv hasn’t earned the rest they are getting.

That is laziness and those people will never be happy.

But when you push past your limits, fight through the pain and show true discipline…

That’s when sitting down to relax feels 10x sweeter.

You know you earned it, and you’ll lay down on your couch with a big smile on your face.

6. Life needs to be simple

In today’s western world, distractions are everywhere.

People have lost their ability to focus on a single task without checking their phones every 5 minutes.

We put all this pressure on ourselves to make the most money, have the nicest body, and impress everyone we meet.

But in the end, we end up biting off more than we can chew.

People do best on a simple routine, and that’s what the military gave me.

Every day I would:

• Sleep
• Fight
• Regroup
• Eat

Rinse and repeat.

Of course nothing was perfect.

We had an old saying in the military, “No plan survives a contact.”

Which basically means, you can have a perfect plan but once bullets start flying, everything goes to shit.

Things change.

Life throws curveballs at us.

You don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, one week from now, or one year from now.

All you can do is focus on the present and adapt to whatever life throws at you.

And when you simplify your life and cut out all the meaningless shit, you develop an amazing sense of clarity and purpose.

These 6 lessons will change your life

Serving in the military has changed me forever and these 6 lessons form the foundation of my life.

I’m 10x more productive.

My training and nutrition has improved.

And I realize I don’t need nearly as much “stuff” to be happy and fulfilled.

Decide what you want in fitness and life, and make a simple plan to get there.

Stay disciplined in your pursuit.

And enjoy your rest (but only when it’s earned).

==================================

Follow Jonny Collins:

• www.JonnyCollinsUK.com
• Facebook –  @JonnyCollinsUK

The post Fighting on the Front Line: 6 Lessons War Taught Me About Fitness, Habits, And Discipline appeared first on FitMole.

If you’re a hardcore paleo guy, then you probably think that eating paleo is the only way to lose weight.

But if you went 30 days and ate a fuck ton of rice, while keeping calories the same as your paleo diet, you’ll likely find that you didn’t gain any weight.

What happened? Did the paleo gods just shit themselves?

Not necessarily.

This just shows there’s more than one way to skin a platypus (or was it cat)?

Anyways….

I want to open your mind to the possibility that maybe your approach fitness isn’t the only way to get results.

And that maybe there’s a more enjoyable way to get the same results.

Below I’ve listed 7 different fitness experiments for you to try for 30 days.

These experiments are designed to open your mind – to show you that maybe the way you’ve been doing things isn’t 100% necessary.

You don’t need to buy anything to do these experiments. In fact, some of these experiments might save you money in the long run.

And as you’ll see below, a lot of these experiments are just about “letting go” of existing beliefs and relaxing on a lot of the hardcore fitness “rules” that people think are stuck in stone.

I don’t recommend doing more than one experiment at once.

Focus on one for 30 days, see how you feel, then try another experiment if you’re up for it.

Experiment #1: Stop barbell squatting

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Yup that’s right.

I’m telling you to cut out the one exercise that defines your level of manliness.

Now why the fuck would you do this?

Maybe you want to minimize injury. Maybe your mobility to properly barbell squat ain’t that great. Maybe you just want to do something different.

Whatever the reason….I really don’t care.

Believe it or not, it is possible build a pair strong and great looking legs without loading 400 pounds on your back.

If you want to squat heavy, fine.

I’m not bashing squatting.

Just saying there are many alternatives to it.

So what do you do instead of traditional barbell squatting?

Here are some substitutions you could try next time:

• Dumbbell Bulgarian split squats
• Lunge variations (walking lunges, split stance lunges)
• Step-ups
• Leg presses

There’s no fucking law that says you must barbell squat to build big legs.

Experiment #2: Eat 0.6 grams of protein per day

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If you’re the type of person who eats 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, then this is really going to change your life.

6 months ago I started eating 115-120 grams of protein per day, sitting at 195 pounds.

This put me around 0.6 grams per pound of bodyweight.

And till this day, I’m still doing it.

Yes, I lost a tiny bit of muscle, but I don’t feel any different.

So I don’t see the point in significantly ramping protein back up just to look a tiny bit more muscular.

And hey, I’m saving money on protein powder, which means more money for lap dances.

I will say that guys who tie their self-esteem to how muscular they are, are going to have hardest time with this.

But words can’t even explain the immense freedom you get from not having to obsess about hitting your “protein numbers” every meal.

Just give it a shot.

30 days. Drastically cut protein back to 0.6 grams. See how you feel. That’s it.

Experiment #3: Don’t do any cardio when trying to lose weight

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The first things people do when they try to lose weight is increase the amount of cardio they do.

And hey, sometimes it works.

But a lot of the time, it doesn’t.

I see guys all the time – they decide to ramp up cardio to 5 miles per day in hopes to burn 500 calories per day or whatever…

Logically that sounds fine.

But the problem is these motherfuckers were never even able to run 1 mile per week in the past, and all of a sudden they think they can run 5 miles per day.

Makes no damn sense.

So try this experiment the next time you’re dieting: Do zero cardio.

Yup, zero.

Cut it out completely.

Don’t even step foot on the treadmill.

You know what? Don’t even look at a treadmill.

Instead put all your energy and focus into lifting and dieting.

I highly recommend lifting heavy weights if possible (like I outline in SX12), but if you can’t do that then any form of resistance training is fine.

Use your workouts to build and maintain muscle mass and your diet will handle all the fat loss for you.

You can lose 99.99% of the weight you want without doing any cardio.

The problem is most people can’t kill the belief that you must do cardio if you want to lose weight.

Experiment #4: Stop tracking calories and macros

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This flies directly in the face of most dieting advice I give.

Typically I tell clients to track their macros or at least track overall calories and protein intake (i.e. Macro FLEX Tracking).

If you’ve been tracking for a while, then there will always be a part of you that will try to count the grams of protein were that dish you ordered last night.

And that’s fine, but the goal here is to minimize the massive amounts of analyzing people do just before they eat a fucking sandwich.

So for 30 days, stop tracking everything.

Yup, that means no tracking carbs, fats, proteins, and calories.

Instead, I need you to follow a radical concept called COMMON SENSE for 30 days.

This is how common sense works:

• Eat as many raw fruits and veggies as your heart desires
• Eat plenty of lean protein.
• Limit your starchy carb intake (e.g. pasta and rice) to no more than a 2-3 fistfuls (i.e. the portion size equals the size of your fist) per day.
• Try to limit your fat intake to natural fat sources like avocado and small servings of nuts. Not that fat is bad for you, but it is super calorie dense.
• Don’t drink your calories, aka. no soda.
• Drink a ton of water.
• Eat only when you’re legitimately hungry. In other words, don’t just eat when you’re stressed or out of habit.
• Don’t eat processed foods like chips and candy.
• On a scale of 1-10, 10 meaning you’re insanely stuffed, eat until you’re about a 7.

If you can follow this, I’d be dumbfounded if you didn’t lose weight.

Then again, most people just suck at managing their own portion sizes and make absolute retarded rationalizations….so I make no promises.

Experiment #5: Train your forearms every single day

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Not sure why I included this, but big forearms look cool.

And because they’re such a small muscle, they can be attacked every single day with reasonable amounts of volume.

Every day, do the following:

• Barbell wrist curls: 3-4 sets x 15-20 reps
• Reverse curls: 3-4 sets x 15-20 reps

Do this, and your forearms will look big, veiny, and cool.

Yeah, that’s pretty much it.

Experiment #6: Workout at 6am

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Get your ass up early and go to the gym.

Crush your workout and start the day off right.

If your schedule really can’t allow you to train at 6am, fine.

But if you have the option, try it for 30 days.

It might just be the physical and mental boost you’ve been looking for and you’ll never be able to look back.

Experiment #7: Replace any pre-workout supplement with just a caffeine pill

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Take your $40 pre-workout and replace it with a caffeine pill. 

Caffeine is already the leading ingredient in most pre-workout so why not cut out 80% of the other ingredients and take caffeine only?

Sure, your skin might not tingle since there’s no beta alanine, but who cares?

Maybe a little caffeine is all you needed this whole time.

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Fitness is about experimenting and finding what works for you.

I can’t promise that doing any of the 7 experiments about for 30 days is going to do jack shit for you.

But you really have nothing to lose.

Most people go through their whole lives doing the same thing over and over.

I want to encourage you to break your habits and patterns in hopes of finding something better.

Which experiment are you going to try for the next 30 days? 

Let me know in the comments below.

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Get access to over 10 different workout routines, step-by-step meal plans, and everything you need to build your best body ever.

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The post 7 Unconventional Fitness Experiments You Should Try For 30 Days appeared first on FitMole.

Stumble upon a motivational Youtube video. At 5:04 in the video, a clip of Legolas from The Two Towers plays while a Will Smith audio clip from The Pursuit Of Happiness plays in background.

Go to gym again. Tell yourself that THIS is it.

Blame your lack of results on genetics. Not because you actually have bad genetics. But because genetics are vague and mysterious enough that no one understands them. Everyone  will just nod in agreement when you explain how genetics are the reason you’re out of shape.

——————————

So yeah…

Just 50 short steps to building the body you’ve always dreamed of

Am I missing any steps? Let me know in the comments.

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Hopefully you realized that these 50 steps aren’t 100% serious.

Although a lot of it is scarily close to what I see a lot of people go through, including myself.

Next Tuesday (April 11th), I’m releasing my new course Superhero X12, which will give you the exact steps to build a lean and muscular superhero body in as little as 12 weeks. 

UPDATE: It’s Live

It’s a complete overhaul of my current SS 2.0 program (which will be discontinued next week) and has 10 times the amount of content.

I’m also launching it with a special 50% discount that will only be available next week. So make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that.

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The post The Short, 50-Step Guide To Building The Body You’ve Always Wanted appeared first on FitMole.

I’m not talking about truths like:

• “Carbs are not the devil.” 
• “Cardio will make you fat.”
• “You need to change your lifestyle, not your diet.” 

If you want feel good truths that make your pants wet, go to Instagram or read a magazine.

Otherwise here are the real “ugly” fitness truth you need to know.

Ugly Truth #1 – Changing your body won’t change who you are

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This took me a while to understand.

I started working out when I was 14.

Back then it was because I beat this guy in middle school in arm wrestling which made me feel obligated to get stronger and stay the strongest.

When I was 14, I was shy, introverted, and awkward.

Over the next few years I put on a substantial amount of muscle, and got strong (at least for my age).

I wish I could say my confidence skyrocketed, I hooked up with a different girl every week, and the shyness disappeared overnight once I improved my body.

Today at 25, I’m still introverted but I at least I can say I’m less shy and awkward.

Just because you start training, eating right, and improving your body, doesn’t mean all other aspects of your life will change.

And building a great body is definitely not the “switch” for changing your underlying personality.

If you’re getting into this whole fitness thing thinking that it’s going to change who you are as a person, you’ll be sorely disappointed.

Of course that’s not to discourage you from improving your physique.

Workout and eat healthy for yourself.

Don’t attach the end result (e.g. having a six pack will make me happy) to your self-worth.

That’s how you end up ruining your life.

“Enjoy the process.”

As overused as that phrase is today, it’s true.

Because in the end, the process is all we have.

Ugly Truth #2 – Fitness can ruin your life

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Everyone has a deep desire to be a part of something greater than themselves.

It’s why people call themselves bodybuilders, crossfitters, or powerlifters.

It’s why people will proudly put on their Instagram profile that they are a #flexibledieter.

This type of labeling gives people a sense of purpose.

And you know what, that’s cool.

It’s great that people have an interest in something that positively impacts their body and mind.

So what’s the problem?

The problem is when all this fitness shit starts taking over your life.

• It’s when you make training legs more important than visiting your grandma that you haven’t seen in 6 months.
• It’s when you refuse to eat a slice of birthday cake because it’s too high in fat.
• It’s when you start getting anxiety because you missed 1 out of 5 workouts you had planned for the week.

If you’ve ever experienced any of this, then you need to tone it down 100 notches.

Unless of course, you’re a competitive fitness model or athlete (but chances are, if you’re reading this, you’re not).

Right now there’s a 4 year old girl in Ethiopia dying because she doesn’t have clean water to drink, and you’re bitching because you ate too many carbs yesterday.

Relax and shut up.

Ugly Truth #3 – Fitness hasn’t really changed in the last 100 years

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1. Eat less to lose weight.
2. Eat (slightly) more and get stronger to build muscle.

ANY, and I mean any diet/workout plan that’s been called new or revolutionary are variations off the two points above.

Let’s look at some of the popular “game changers” in fitness over the last few years:

• P90x and the game changing “muscle confusion” is just periodization put in fancy words because most people don’t know what periodization is.
• Intermittent fasting is just varying meal frequency so it better fits your lifestyle and sometimes increases dieting adherence. But calories stay the same. You don’t lose any more weight eating 2000 calories in 2 big meals vs. 6 small meals.
• IIFYM is just calorie counting done one layer deeper. Instead of tracking calories alone, you’re tracking three separate variables: protein, carbs, fats. This helps people become aware of the actual foods they’re eating, which leads to better body composition.
• Detox or juicing diets work, not because of magical “detox” effects but because you’re not eating fast food 3x per week like a fat ass. Plus detoxes are dangerously low in calories. That’s why you’re losing weight.

Ugly Truth #4 – No one wants to build a great body

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A Ferrari is a sexy car.

Few people would disagree with that.

But no one wants a Ferrari.

They want the power, prestige, and increase in self-worth that comes from owning one.

Very few guys give two craps about the car itself.

The same goes for getting a ripped six-pack.

I’m willing to bet that you don’t care much for getting a six pack as much as you care about it (potentially) giving a better life, more confidence, and chance with bagging hotter girls.

Right now there’s a little 4 year old girl in Ethiopia dying because she doesn’t have clean water to drink, and you’re bitching because you ate too many carbs yesterday.

So stop saying you want to get lean and muscular like Ryan Reynolds or Chris Evans.

You don’t want a body like Ryan Reynolds.

You want the imaginary benefits you believe having a body like Ryan Reynolds will provide: confidence, funny personality, smoking hot wife (Blake Lively), and money.

Ugly Truth #5 – Everything is your fault

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Don’t have time to workout?

Don’t have money to eat healthy?

Have shit genetics?

Guess what?

It’s your fault, your fault, and your fault.

First off, I refuse to believe that anyone is so busy that they can’t workout at least 3 hours per week.

If you’re reading this, you’re likely spending 3 hours per week on Facebook and Instagram.

Cut that out, and boom, there’s your 3 hours.

Don’t have money to eat healthy?

Oh but you have money to eat like shit which will lead to health problems in the future costing you thousands?

Crappy fast food like McDonalds isn’t even cheap.

If money is really tight, mow some damn lawns or go sell anything you don’t need on ebay.

You’re doing nobody a favor by ruining your health.

The worst thing you can do is just let your life continue without even attempting to change it.

But now you’re probably saying, “But Keith, I can’t control my genetics.”

You’re right, you can’t.

Life will always throw something your way and you can’t control those things.

But you have 100% control over how you react.

Shitty genetics suck, yes.

But you know what’s worse?

Accepting your fate and not doing shit.

Conclusion

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Fitness is one of the hardest things in life to master.

Unlike something like getting a PHD in neuroscience, it’s a life long journey.

There is not off switch.

There is no “easy” path.

Which is why I wrote this post in first place.

These 5 “ugly” truths are topics few people talk about.

It’s not sexy but it’s the stuff that will determine your success.

I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

What are some “ugly truths” you discovered as you got into fitness? Let me know in the comments below.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=”Still struggling to build the body you want?”]

I used to workout 6+ hours per week, ran on the treadmill like it was my second home, and ate enough brown rice and chicken per day to feed a small village.

But today I workout less, don’t spend even step foot on the treadmill, and eat the foods I love every single day.

Let me show you my exact blueprint for doing it.

[/thrive_text_block]

The post 5 Ugly Truths About Fitness Nobody Talks About appeared first on FitMole.

Note: The following is a guest post from Tyler Watkins.

Do you have good posture, stand tall, and look confident?

Or is it something you’ve been struggling with?

If you’re like me, sitting at a desk all day, using your iPhone 24/7, your posture probably sucks.

I spent years sitting at a desk, hunched over the keyboard and working for far longer than I care to admit.

Our bodies are smart.

They shape themselves to what we regularly do.

So even when not at my desk, my shoulders would round forward like I’m typing, and my head would bend forward like I was looking down at a my phone.

And these slight changes aren’t easy to notice.

We get so used to sitting and standing in certain ways, starts to feel natural over time.

But if you already know you have poor posture, then congrats, you’re ahead of 99% of people out there.

To get a better sense of your posture, look in the mirror.

Don’t look from the front, but from the side.

What do you see?

If you have bad posture:

• Your shoulders slope forward.
• Your chest and head lowers at the same time
• Your belly sticks out.

Shitty posture can make an otherwise fit person look 10 pounds heavier than they actually are.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=”2 (other) reasons your posture sucks balls”]

Besides sitting at a desk all day, there are 2 other big causes of bad posture:

Reason #1: Too much pushing, not enough pulling

Guys spend too much time in the gym doing pushing exercises (e.g. bench press and shoulder press) while ignoring pulling exercises (e.g. pull ups and rows).

If this is you, your body has probably adapted a forward posture as you built a disproportionate amount of strength on the front of your body.

There’s nothing wrong with benching, but to fix your posture, you need to do more pulling.

This  hepls prevents the “rounded shoulder” look so many guys suffer from.

Reason #2: Childhood beatdown

“Sit down and be quiet!”

As children we believed everything we’re told.

If you grew up with parents in an environment that taught you to not think too highly of yourself, to blend in, and not cause a lot of trouble…

If you were taught to be quiet, keep your head down, and do as you’re told…that shit sticks with you for the rest of your life.

You unconsciously developed poor posture that was a direct reflection to how you were raised.

I thought this was stupid at first. But the more I researched and thought about my childhood, the more it made sense.

Maybe it applies to you, maybe it doesn’t.

But being raised a certain way as a child can definitely have a negative impact on your posture when you get older.

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How I finally improved my posture and regained my confidence

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I started researching the causes of poor posture and how to correct them about a year ago.

I watched videos, read articles, and tried endless techniques (some that worked, some didn’t). I changed my workout routines, did static stretching, and strengthened weak muscle groups. I even went to a physiotherapist, got fully assessed and did several treatment sessions.

Basically, I did everything.

And what was the result?

After 8 months…

• My clothes fit better.
• I look leaner and more muscular.
• My lower back pain dramatically improved.
• And at 30 years old, my energy levels are higher than I can ever remember.

Check out the before/after pics below:

Below I describe the top 3 techniques that helped me the most.

The 3 techniques I used to fix my bad posture

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[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=”SIDE NOTE”]I am not a physiotherapist or a doctor. I’m just a guy who’s trained for years, got sick of having shitty posture and needed to do something about it. These are the best techniques that worked for me. [/thrive_text_block]

We start with the easiest exercise you can use right now to get immediate results.

Technique #1: The “Head on String” Trick (5 seconds)

This technique can be done anywhere, anytime, and you’ll immediately feel the results.

The best part is that it only takes 5 seconds to do.

Think of it as your posture “reset” button to use whenever you notice yourself slouching a bit.

Video demo:

I want you to imagine that someone has attached a long string to the top of your head.

Now imagine that someone creates tension in the string by pulling it up towards the ceiling. Got it? Feel that pull on the top of your head.

Great, now hold it there. How does it feel? Do you immediately perk up? Lift your chest? Did you feel your abdominals engage?

To increase the effect, imagine that a second string is attached to a point in the middle of your chest right between your nipples. Create tension in that string and pull it up as well.

At this point stop and be careful – there is a slight danger to looking like you’re “trying too hard.”

If you look like you’re just puffing up your chest, then it just looks silly.

The key to looking natural while maintaining this posture is to :

1. Relax your shoulders (you don’t need to pull them back unnaturally like chicken wings).
2. Tighten your abs.

By tightening/sucking in your stomach you’ll feel a downward pull on your chest and ribcage. When you do this you might actually start to feel a slight burn in your middle back between your shoulder blades as well.

This means you’re doing it right.

In summary: Head up, chest up, shoulders relaxed, abs tight, slight burn in the middle back.

That’s it.

As you do this exercise more often you’ll become more aware of your posture on a day to day basis.

Recognize when you’re slouching and do this exercise for a quick fix.

[thrive_text_block color=”note” headline=”Your posture and social situations”]

Become aware of how your posture changes when you are around different people in your life.

Does your posture slouch more as you “lean in” to listen carefully to your boss at work?

Do you unconsciously adapt a weak posture, or overcompensate by puffing up your chest around people who make you nervous (like that hot co-worker?)

Pay attention to your body’s unconcious positions in context to who you’re next to. It can tell you a lot about how you view yourself against other people.

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[easy-tweet tweet=”Posture suck balls? Instantly fix it with these 3 techniques:”]

Exercise 2: The “Bathroom Stall” Technique (2 minutes)

This technique is great to use and reset your body after sitting for hours.

Use this when you need to do something to recharge your energy and get out of your computer posture.

To do this you need to be near a wall.

You can use any wall you want, but the technique looks kind of funny so you should probably do it somewhere alone.

Honestly, my favorite place to do it is in the bathroom stall.

Get up from your desk, go take a leak and before leaving the stall you can do this exercise and return feeling great.

There are 2 parts to this technique as demonstrated in the video below.

The first part is a well-known physiotherapy exercise called wall slides.

Start by standing with your back to a wall. Place the back of your head, the back of your shoulders, upper back, lower back, and butt all up against the wall. Place your feet about 2 inches away from the wall.

This may be uncomfortable.

If you can’t get into this position, then get as close as you can.

Now lift your arms up and to the side and place the back of your hands, back of your forearms and arms in contact with the wall as well. Now begin by sliding your arms and the back of your hands up and down the wall.

Visualize it like doing shoulder presses while always keeping contact with the wall.

The whole time, keep all of the body parts I mentioned above in contact with the wall. Slide your arms up and down the wall to do 10 full repetitions.

You will feel a slight burn in your middle back between the shoulder blades.

This is good. This muscle is probably weak and needs to be strengthened to support good posture.

After you finished, it should feel like your chest has opened up tremendously.

Part 2 is meant to elongate the back of your neck and spine. You will feel as if your head is lifting up to the sky while your body stays on the ground.

1. Stand with your back against the wall (Same as wall slides – back of your head, shoulders, upper and lower back and butt touching the wall, and feet 2 inches away.)
2. Elongate the back of your neck by trying to press your entire back of your neck against the wall while maintaining the other contacts. You should be tucking in your chin and moving the top of your head up along the wall.
3. Don’t force this too hard as you can strain the muscles in your neck. Do it just hard enough to get a good stretch at the base of your skull. Now hold it there.
4. Breathe in, breathe out and maintain the position. Notice as you breathe out the stretch increases when your chest is lowered due to the exhaling.
5. Hold this position and continue to breathe in and out slowly and calmly for at least 1 minute. Personally I like to hold it for 2 minutes but it depends how much time you want to spend in the bathroom or wherever you are doing it.

Your neck, spine, and shoulders should all feel fantastic now.

You’re tall, confident, looking good and ready for another 4 hours at the desk ;).

Exercise 3: The 10 Minute Morning Ritual (10 minutes, duh)

This is by far the most involved of the 3 exercises. But it’s also the most valuable.

Doing this morning ritual has made some serious improvements in my posture.

I do this routine every day for two reasons.

1. It just feels good to get up and do these exercises first thing in the morning.
2. When you do something every day (on a set routine), you are subconsciously telling yourself it is important and something that matters.

I noticed after starting this morning routine, I was far more aware of when my posture started to slack off during the day.

And if it did slack off, I would simply use techniques 1 or 2 to fix it.

The 10-minute morning ritual is composed of the following 8 exercises.

1. The Wall Stand
2. Chin Tuck
3. Thoracic spine mobilization (middle back movement)
4. Chin nod
5. Stretches
6. Yoga Cobras
7. Planks
8. Wall slides

I will describe the exercises in detail below  (as well as demo them in the video below).

The wall stand is exactly what it sounds like.

Stand up against a wall with the back of your head, back of your shoulders, upper back, lower back and butt touching the wall.

Stand as tall as you can, while keeping your abdominals engaged and pressing your body up and into the wall. Breathe in and out slowly and calmly and try to keep your mind clear.

Hold this position for 2 minutes and you will already start feeling better.

2) Chin Tuck – 5 x 5 seconds each

Stand up against a wall with the back of your head, back of your shoulders, upper back, lower back and butt touching the wall. Stand as tall as you can, while keeping your abdominals engaged.

Now tuck your chin into the back of your neck.

Think of it as the opposite of what a chicken does.

Tuck in and hold for 5 seconds then release. Do this 5 times.

3) Thoracic spine mobilization – 5x backwards, 5x to each side, 5x twist each side

Stand freely away from the wall and engage your abs.

You will be moving the thoracic spine (the middle-upper section of the back), not the lower lumbar spine.

You want to keep the lower back and abs as stable as possible during the movement. Place your hands at the sides of your head and tuck your chin.

Now you will do 3 movements.

1. Lean backwards – 5 times each
2. Lean sideways – 5 times to each side
3. Torso Twists – 5 times to each side

Do the movements as far as you comfortably can. Remember you are moving and twisting through the upper/middle back while keeping the lower back and abs solid and stationary.

This may feel strange and you may have far less mobility than you thought. A lot of us are used to twisting and bending our lower backs which is terrible for back health and pain.

This exercise will begin to help correct that poor movement pattern.

4) Chin nod – 5 x 5 seconds each

Stand up against a wall with the back of your head, back of your shoulders, upper back, lower back and butt touching the wall. Stand as tall as you can, while keeping your abdominals engaged.

Try to touch your chin to your chest without the back of your head losing contact with the wall.

Hold for 5 seconds. Relax. Repeat 5 times.

5) Stretches – 2 x 20 seconds per side

Stand freely away from the wall with your abs engaged.

Now lean your head to the left while keeping your body straight stretching the right side of your neck. Breathe deeply. Hold for 20 seconds.

Then lean your head to the right stretching the left side of your neck. Breathe deeply and hold for 20 seconds. Repeat each side twice.

6) Yoga Cobras – 5 x 5 seconds each

Lay belly down flat on the floor with your hands by your sides and legs straight back behind you. Lift your head, chest and arms off the floor.

Engage your abs and feel the contraction in your upper back and the back of your shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. Lower and repeat 5 times.

7) Planks – 5 x 5 seconds each

While still lying face down on the floor.

Bring yourself up into a front plank position. Put your weight on your toes and your forearms flat on the floor.

Lift the entire rest of your body off the floor and maintain a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.

Feel your abs contracting and remain stable.

Hold for 5 seconds. Lower yourself. Repeat 5 times.

8) Wall slides – 10 each

Just like we mentioned earlier in the article.

Start by standing with your back to a wall. Place the back of your head, the back of your shoulders, upper back, lower back, and butt all up against the wall. Place your feet about 2 inches away from the wall.

This may already be uncomfortable.

If it is not possible to get into this position for you, then get as close as you can. But that is an indication you really need to be working on your posture.

Now lift your arms up and to the side and place the back of your hands, back of your forearms and arms in contact with the wall as well. You will now begin by sliding your arms and the back of your hands up and down the wall.

Think of it like doing shoulder presses while keeping totally in contact with the wall. The whole time keeping contact with the wall with all the body parts I mentioned above. Slide your arms up and down the wall to do 10 full repetitions.

Final Thoughts

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If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend doing technique #1 (“Head on String” Trick) and seeing how that works for you.

Over time, work your way up to technique #3 and do the complete morning ritual.

Fixing my posture has been a long journey for me. Don’t expect to have perfect posture over night but if you work on it everyday, it will improve.

If you have any questions, contact me any time or ask in the comments below.

I’m glad to help.

You can follow me on my blog here.

The post How To Fix Your Posture: 3 Simple Techniques Guaranteed To Work appeared first on FitMole.

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Side Note: Obviously the random white dude in the pic is not me. The following is a guest article from my friend and personal trainer Thomas Rhomer who runs Rohmer Fitness. Thomas took some of tips and advice from FitMole and worked his way up to a monster 120 pound weighted chin up. He outlines his process for pulling it off below.

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Let’s face it…

You care more about getting aesthetic and attracting women than you do building strength.

I know that I sure did.

I mean when a woman first sees you, she doesn’t think, “Oh wow I wonder how much he squats?”

However, I now know the truth:

1. Your body won’t have you dating models overnight.
2. You must get stronger to achieve your ultimate body.

I struggled with the 2nd truth for a long time.

In fact, it wasn’t until I read this FitMole post that a light bulb turned on:

The reason why I wasn’t getting any bigger was because I wasn’t getting stronger…

[thrive_text_block color=”note”]Get the exact workout that I used to reach 120-pound weighted chin-ups (and what I would have done differently).[/thrive_text_block]

My Road to 120-Pound Weighted Chin-Ups

I’ve been lifting weights for over a decade now. Granted, a lot of those years were spent just spinning my wheels, but I had still made some progress.

So when I started implementing Keith’s advice on October 22, 2015, I could do weighted pull-ups with 60 pounds for 5 reps.

Then on January 10, 2016, I hit 85 pounds for 5 reps.

A week later, I was curious to see how good I could do with the chin-up variation and I got 120 pounds for 2 reps (super close to a full 3).

Now:

Is gaining 25 pounds on your pull-ups in 2 ½ months super sexy like most other fitness headlines you see?

“Wear this belt for 10 minutes a day and get abs.”

“Trainer uses this 1 weird trick to get his clients jacked.”

“Juice made with ingredients from the Amazon rain forest will have you lose 7 pounds overnight.”

No, it’s not.

But it’s real, actionable, and achievable.

That’s why I’m excited to share with you the 5 strategies that I used to achieve these results.

Let’s dive right in.

Strategy #1: Do the Heaviest Set First with Reverse Pyramid Training

Standard pyramid training sucks.

You do the lightest set first and then work your way up to the heavy weight.

The problem is that you’re super fatigued by the time you get to the heavy stuff and your strength is compromised.

With reverse pyramid training, you take the exact opposite approach and do the heaviest weight when you’re fresh.

From there you decrease the weight and do more reps as you fatigue, which makes way more sense.

[easy-tweet tweet=”(CASE STUDY) 5 Strategies I Used To Reach A 120-Pound Weighted Chin Up:” via=”no” usehashtags=”no”]

Here’s an example with weighted chin-ups:

• Set 1: 100 pounds for 5 reps
• Set 2: 90 pounds for 6 reps
• Set 3: 80 pounds for 8 reps

Note: A good way to do it is to decrease the weight by 10% and do an extra rep or 2.

If you’re stubborn like me, then you probably train with heavy weights like this:

• Set 1: 100 pounds for 5 reps
• Set 2: 100 pounds for 3 reps
• Set 3: (after an extra long rest) 100 pounds for 2 reps

Look, I get it.

You don’t want to feel like a wimp and decrease the weight.

You’d rather just power through it and tell yourself that you’ll get all the reps next time.

That’s how I trained up until recently.

Now I see the true value in doing 1 heavy set:

• You feel accomplished instead of defeated.
• Less neuromuscular fatigue.
• You won’t use a lighter weight just to get all of your reps.
• Easier to maintain proper form.

Reverse pyramid training works like gangbusters.

End of story.

Strategy #2: Narrow Your Focus to 1 Exercise

Bodybuilders are big.

I want to get big.

Bodybuilders use a variety of exercises, hitting the muscle from every angle.

Therefore, I must use a bunch of different exercises to get big.

Unfortunately, this is the kind of logic people use when they train in the gym.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret:

Most pro bodybuilders (if any) aren’t natural.

Their enhanced recovery plus freaky good genetics allow them to train differently and still achieve amazing results.

Don’t worry I’ll give you a second to pick your jaw up off the ground…

We good?

So with this being the case, you have to train smarter.

Getting strong with 5 different exercises per body part isn’t going to happen.

You have to hone in on 1 exercise per muscle group.

Oh yeah, and the exercise can’t be some silly isolation movement like the pec deck.

Here’s a list of my favorites:

• Back: Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups (duh), Bent Over Rows
• Chest: Incline Bench Press, Dips, Flat Bench Press
• Shoulders: Military Press (any variation)
• Legs: Bulgarian Split Squats
• Biceps: Barbell Curls, Incline DB Curls
• Triceps: French Press, Skull Crushers

Now…

This isn’t to say that you can only ever do 1 back exercise or chest exercise at a time.

It just means that when your focus is the bench press for chest; you prioritize gaining strength in the bench press.

What you do after that is secondary.

Strategy #3: Rest at Least 3 Minutes in Between Sets

I first started lifting weights when I was in high school for athletics.

During these workouts, there wasn’t really much time to rest.

You did a set, then your partner did a set, and when he was done you went again.

When the 4-minute timer went off, you immediately moved on to the next station.

At most, you would get about 45 seconds of rest in between sets.

This non-stop mentality definitely came with me to college.

I felt awkward sitting around for anything longer than 90 seconds.

I had to be moving and break a sweat for the workout to be good.

However, when you’re training for strength, you need to recover sufficiently to allow for maximum output during the next set.

Not only does this make sense intuitively, research has provided strong evidence of this as well.

Scientists at Eastern Illinois University found that resting 3 minutes in between sets of bench press resulted in more total repetitions compared to only resting for 2 minutes or 1.

So needless to say, if you want to lift more, rest more.

Strategy #4: Hit it Twice Per Week

I have to admit I was wrong…

I only did pull-ups 1 time per week.

I could’ve made progress faster if I had done them twice per week.

So then why didn’t I?

I was afraid of plateauing.

Here’s the deal:

People avoid hitting a plateau like it’s the plague.

However, you shouldn’t be afraid like I was.

Think about it.

If you do hit a wall, then at least you were making progress and getting stronger up until that point.

That’s far better than constantly changing up exercises and rep schemes workout after workout just to avoid a non-existent plateau.

Most weeks, I added 2.5 pounds to my weighted pull-ups.

If I had been doing pull-ups twice per week, I could’ve reached 50 pounds in those 2 ½ months instead of 25.

Heck, even if I did hit a plateau after adding 35 pounds, I still would’ve been better off.

If someone held a gun to my head and said, “Increase your weighted chin-ups by 20 pounds in a month…”

…you better believe that I’m going to be doing weighted chin-ups more than once per week.

Strategy #5 Find Your Sweet Spot for When to Train

I’m a big believer that the best time to workout is whenever you can workout.

However, research does show that you’ll be stronger working out later in the day.

I found this to be true with myself.

Personally, I was strongest training in the early afternoon around 1:00 p.m. after I had eaten a meal.

I just don’t do too well waking up at the crack of dawn and immediately exercising like the Rock does.

Here’s the kicker:

What if your schedule doesn’t allow for you to train in the afternoon or evenings?

Drum roll please…

Then train when you can and don’t worry about it.

You have to understand that no study is perfect and that it doesn’t apply to everyone.

You might be someone who performs better earlier in the day as opposed to later, and you might not be.

In the end, you have to find your own sweet spot for the best time to workout.

Don’t overthink it though; consistency matters way more than going out of your way to lift a little bit more weight.

Final Thoughts

If you implement these ideas and tactics into your routine, I’m confident that you’ll reach insane levels of strength super fast.

When you train smarter, gaining strength becomes easy.

It doesn’t have to be some struggle or grind.

Not only that, but the added strength will help you feel manly in the gym and gain more muscle!

[thrive_text_block color=”note”]Get the exact workout that I used to reach 120-pound weighted chin-ups (and what I would have done differently).[/thrive_text_block]

About the Author: Thomas is a personal trainer and the creator of RohmerFitness.com. He loves simplifying fitness and teaching people how to get in shape without become a slave to the gym or kitchen. He also enjoys eating mint chocolate chip ice cream way more than he should.

The post [CASE STUDY] 5 Strategies I Used To Reach A 120-Pound Weighted Chin Up appeared first on FitMole.

Every industry has it’s own lingo and terminology.

If you’ve spent a decent amount of time doing this whole fitness thing, you’ve probably picked up on a few new words.

For most guys who regularly lift, they speak fitness.

And it can get pretty complex. Luckily I broke a lot of it down for you.

So here’s the (very politically incorrect) guide on how to speak fitness which includes 55 common words and phrases.

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1. “On that grind” – Basically, you workout. But you like to think working out is the equivalent of running a billion dollar business.

2. Before/after pics – Hey looks like you conveniently got some new bathroom lighting and an amazing tan. Cool…

3. Bowflex – Wait, Bowflex still exists?

4. Metabolism – The word you can’t define but use to describe everything.

5. “I lost 10 pounds in my first 2 weeks” – You lost 2 pounds of fat and 8 pounds of water.

6. Peer reviewed study – Something written by some smart science dudes that you don’t understand jack shit about but use it to back your beliefs up.

7. Glycemic index – What is this, 2007?

8. Mirin – I can only assume you’re 15 years old.

9. Bodybuilding.com – That website you used to visit every day in 2008.

10. Superfood – This fruit has a little more Vitamin C.

11. Minimalist workout – I only train 2x per week for 20 minutes and I’m better than you in every possible way. Oh and my dick is 3 inches bigger than yours too.

12. An “eat clean train dirty” shirt – You go to the gym and eat healthy in case no one could tell from you being in the gym already.

13. Green coffee bean extract – You’re a 47 year old housewife who watches Dr. Oz.

14. I’m “bout dat life” – You enjoy all aspects of fitness, working out, and dieting. And when I say “fitness” I mean lifting weights, exclusively. If you enjoy doing bodyweight exercises or yoga, you’re automatically disqualified from being “bout dat life.”

15. Sleeveless hoodies – You now own the most illogical piece of clothing ever invented.

16. Detox diet – Congrats, you just got scammed.

17. Chipotle – The unofficial restaurant for all guys who lift

18. Bulking – You gained a crap ton of weight and hope 10% of it is actual muscle.

19. Lean Bulking – You’re trying to only gain lean muscle but it takes too long and you end up just bulking instead.

20. Dieting – A 16-50 year old female who is trying to lose weight

21. Cutting – A 16-35 year old male who is trying to lose body fat

22. Planet Fitness – A gym that hardcore that every hardcore lifter love to shame even though it does help and encourage a small subset of the population get in shape.

23. Fitbit – A $70+ gadget that tracks how many steps you take. If only we had a cheaper alternative that did this. I’m going to invent one and call it a pedometer. #dontstealmyidea

24. Hardcore rap and heavy metal music – What you tell everyone you listen to while you workout but secretly listen to Katy Perry.

25. “I don’t do cardio” – Looking lean and muscular is all I care about but I can’t run a mile if my life depended on it.

26. The Big 3 – What you must do to be considered as someone who works out.

27. Bench Press – That exercise you do to impress a bunch of other guys you don’t know, who really don’t give a crap, and secretly fear will kill you

28.  Deadlift – What no one knows how to do with perfect form.

29. Squat – It’s the ONLY way to grow your legs. “But what about…” Shut the fuck up, it’s the only way to get big legs. Don’t be a pussy and squat.

30. Shredz – We literally hired every single model, soft core porn star, and pretty much any girl with implants on Instagram to pose with our incredibly overpriced, sub-par supplements.

31. “She squats” – There’s a 99% chance I touched myself thinking about you.

32. Testosterone – That hormone in your body that apparently makes you more of a man but you have no idea what your levels are and you’re probably never going to get it measured.

33. Steroids – What some people choose to take to gain more muscle and what way too many people give a shit about.

34. Natty – Because arguing about whether someone takes steroids is what life is all about.

35. Half natty – A term used to describe someone who if 10x more ripped and muscular than you so you claim he’s on steroids but in reality you’re just a jealous little bitch.

36. Foam rolling -That thing you do but you’re not really sure if it’s even working.

37. Youtube fitness community – Where you go to argue with 12-50 year olds about whether someone is on steroids or not.

38. “I’m a certified personal trainer” – I paid $300 to pass a multiple choice test filled with misinformation and subjective views and now I’m qualified to teach anyone how to get a six pack.

39. Dad bod – That thing everyone talked about in mid-2015 but no one talks about anymore.

40. Alpha – What you’re automatically NOT if you use this word.

41. Beta – What you automatically are if you use this word.

42. Gainz -A term used to describe how much muscle you’ve gained (pun intended). Why people don’t just say “I gained muscle” is one of life’s greatest questions.

43. Gains – A spelling mistake

44. P90x – What you tried to do but couldn’t finish, but when you do somehow finish, you must tell every single person you know how it’s the best thing in the world.

45. “This could be us but…” – We’re a couple who likes to look at pictures of incredibly attractive couples in great shape and mull over why we’re such lazy bastards.

46. “What are you training today?” – The next thing you say after you see someone you know at the gym.

47. Clean eating – You eat healthy, nutritious, minimally processed foods. Totally cool, I respect that. But then you need to stick a label on it and turn it into a cult.

48. Cheat day – You binge eat to the point where you feel sick and want to throw up but it’s the healthy thing to do, because balance.

49. Cheat meal – You eat a sensibly sized meal of foods you enjoy and don’t stuff yourself till you’re sick. This guy…crazy mofo.

50. Multivitamin – Something you take that probably doesn’t do shit but you take it anyways because it makes you feel better about yourself.

51. “I’m going to bulk a little bit more” – Staying lean is too hard and my self-worth is tied to how much muscle mass I have.

52. Maintenance – What no one ever fucking does.

53. Big forearms – LOL you jerk off a lot

54. “I bench 225 for 5 reps” – I bench 225 for 5 quarter reps OR I bench 205-220 but tell people I bench 225

55. Intermittent fasting – I sometimes eat less meals during the day but call it intermittent fasting since it makes me feel cooler.

So yeah…hope this helps

I really hope this guide helps you guys navigate all this crazy fitness talk.

What words should be added to this guide? Let me know down in the comments.

And if you enjoyed this article, please share it with your friends on da social webz.

The post How To Speak Fitness: 55 Words And Phrases You Must Know appeared first on FitMole.