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pre-sleep workout supplement

No matter how many workout videos I put out, the requests always seem to pile up for one certain topic more than others….SUPPLEMENTS! Not just any supplements though. Everyone always wants to know exactly WHAT I TAKE.

Well…you know I always want to deliver the information you’re seeking so not only did I put together a “video answer” to this but I worked overtime to produce not one but THREE videos to address each specific supplement need individually and with the attention to detail that you’ve come to expect from me.

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CHEST WORKOUT ESSENTIALS – 3 KEYS TO UNLOCKING THE "TREASURE" CHEST!

Of all the muscle groups in the body, none command the respect of a powerful, fully developed, defined chest. Besides the fact that it lies directly next to perhaps the most visible muscle group in the body (the abs!), the pecs are what catches most peoples attention and enables someone to instantly determine whether you work out or not.  That said, what do people think of you when they see you without your shirt on?   Can they tell you spend time in the gym or do they instantly know you work behind a desk for a living, have never had a gym membership, and hate the feeling you get in your arms when you do pushups?!?  If so…then let me help you.

I put together what I consider my “3 Keys” for unlocking a “Treasure” Chest.  Whether your chest is already big but lacking the definition that actually makes it look much bigger (the inner chest separation, the rounded lower pecs, the “shelf” at the top of the chest) or you’re dealing with nothing but a flat terrain above your stomach that looks like it did in your baby pictures…these keys will help you to change all this…and quickly.  So without further ado, let’s “dig” up this treasure chest and see how you can achieve the powerful pecs despite all previous failed attempts.

1.  Trade Minutes for Intensity!

When you’re looking to develop the chest (or any muscle for that matter) you’ve got to understand that the only way you’re going to be able to make a stubborn muscle grow is to FORCE IT TO GROW! You have to give it a reason to respond.  The way to do this is to actually make your workout experience a little uncomfortable.  I’m not talking about painful (as in joint pain or muscle pain beyond just a normal lactic acid burn).  I’m talking about making the workout a true challenge and a test of your will.  To do this….set out to achieve in 30 minutes what you normally would do in 60! I know…it seems impossible but it really isn’t.  Amp up the intensity, stop the socialization and dig deep and you will find that your workouts won’t be the only thing that becomes shorter…so will be your wait to getting that chest you’ve always wanted.

2.  Attack From All Angles!

If you want to develop a chest that looks like one you’d see on the cover of a muscle magazine, you’ve got to be sure that your workout includes exercises that attack the chest from multiple angles while still keeping the workouts brief enough to adhere to principle number one!  This can be quite the challenge.  However, not really when you do it right.  The angles you want to address are an exercise for the upper chest, one for the lower pecs, one for the inner chest and finally…the one that most people ignore…one for the outer pecs!  If you ignore any one of these your chest is never going to look fully developed, or worse, it’s going to look droopy or lopsided even when it’s muscular.  You don’t want this and it can be easily avoided with a proper plan of action.

3.  Standard Reps Are Not Enough!

To get a stubborn muscle to grow you’ve got to first “expand” your repertoire of techniques for accomplishing it.  My favorite tactic is by varying rep speed and cadence.  Things like 1 1/2 reps and time under tension are incredible ways to increase the workload being required by the targeted muscle.  The higher the workload, the shorter the time within which you execute this load (as pointed out in number 1) the more that is demanded of the muscle.  Finally, that stubborn muscle is going to have to wave the white flag and submit!  Growth will follow!  Remember, as the old saying goes “if you keep doing what you’ve been doing you’re going to keep getting what you’ve been getting!” Change it up and watch the changes occur almost before your eyes as that chest bulks up, cuts up and stand out!

So remember…your chest is like your fitness calling card.  People don’t even have to say a word to you and they can determine whether you workout just by the way your chest looks as you pass by shirtless on the beach or even how it looks under your dress shirt.  It’s unmistakeable.  That said, don’t make the mistakes that will prevent you from getting your own impressive pecs! Focus on adhering to these three principles above and implement them into your own targeted chest workout and you’ll be unearthing that “Treasure Chest” that has been buried for far too long!

Stay Strong,

Jeff

 

Some of you may have thought that the explosions ended with the fireworks just 3 weeks ago…think again!  Things are just getting started.  That rumble you hear in the background is the dawning of one of the most explosive workout series ever to hit the market…and it’s growing louder each day!  Pretty soon….the TNT Series will be upon us.  The question is, will you be prepared?  Get ready to usher in the next generation of muscle building…AthLEAN-X TNT Training Series!  It’s the ULTIMATE  AthLEAN-X Accelerator (get even more results from your AthLEAN-X system!)…and it’s coming…very soon!  In just a couple days I’ll be back and will be answering ALL of the questions you’ve been asking about TNT.  In the meantime, I thought you guys would like a sneak preview!  The dawning of TNT is coming….

 

 

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Don’t be confused by the title of this article.  No undercover espionage going on here.  No, you’re not going to get in trouble with the law if you incorporate these “tricks” into your next week of workouts.  You WILL get better results though.  And most importantly….we’re not talking about temporary results, but rather REAL, LONG-TERM, muscle growth and size by making just 5 instant alterations to your workout routine.

Sound good?  Sound too good to be true?  Perfect.  Time to back up what I’m saying.

The first sneaky trick relates to your bench press and it is…..

1.  Raise your head and upper back off the bench slightly as you lower the bar to your chest!

This pseudo-sit up position has the effect of loading your upper body like a spring so you can push with more force.  As soon as the bar touches your chest, forcefully and simultaneously push the bar away from you and your upper back and shoulders down into the bench.  Don’t be surprised if you can add 10 pounds to your bench instantly with this one tip alone.

The second relates to helping you crank out more crunches without fatiguing…

2.  Press your tongue against the roof of your mouth behind your teeth while you crunch!

By placing the tongue in this position you are actually stabilizing the neck and creating a better lever arm with the head and upper torso working against the abs.  This improved leverage allows you to crank out the crunches much easier on your way to your killer six pack!

The third relates to setting the stage for a better workout long before the workout….

3.  Starting 4 hours before your workout, make sure you drink 0.1 ounce of water for every pound of bodyweight!

If you’re a 200lb guy this would equate to 20 ounces of water.  Repeat this every hour leading up to your workout.  The theory behind this is that a dehydrated muscle (even the slightest bit) will not contract like a hydrated muscle (compromising the amount of weight you can lift) and will not release testosterone in the same way (limiting your post workout growth).  Plain and simple….drink well and grow well!

The fourth involves making your pullups not only easier…but more effective!

4.  When doing your pullups, make sure you look up towards the ceiling the entire time!

When you look either straight ahead or down when doing pullups your body tends to be in the wrong position and you engage the wrong muscles…most often just the arms.  Many guys can’t seem to get the infamous “V” shape to their lats because they’re simply not training them the right way.  Start looking up and you’ll notice that you’ll be pulling your chest to the bar instead of your head.  This will instantly activate the lats more and finally let you get more from these “what you thought were” stubborn muscles!

Finally, the fifth tip has to do with the time of the day you work out for better results!

5.  The results are in…if you can, the best time to workout for maximum muscle growth is IN THE MORNING!

Here’s why.  In the morning your body’s core temperature is slightly lower than in the evening.  As soon as your core temperature rises too high, your body kicks in its natural regulator that makes exercising much more difficult so that you can begin to cool down and prevent overheating.  If you’re attempting a high intensity muscle building workout at a time when you’re already a bit warm on the body temp scale…chances are you are going to take yourself over the limit fairly quickly and will see your intensity drop off quickly and just when you need it the most.  Take advantage of that extra leeway you have in the morning to really be able to push yourself to all new gains!

So there you have it.  The top 5 instant fixes that you can start incorporating into your workout routines to start getting more out of them in just days from now.  Nothing complicated or impossible….just practical, doable and resultsable (you know what I mean!).

Stay strong,

Jeff

Have you ever wished you could find an entire program filled with these instant weight training tips already “Built-In”?!?  You can.  Pick up your copy of the AthLEAN-X Training System and see how when you’re working out the right way….results almost become automatic.  Train like the top professional athletes do and put your physique on the fast track to rivaling theirs in just 90 days!  CLICK HERE for more details.

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I know there is always a lot of confusion out there when it comes to what new supplements are not only safe, but worth your hard earned money.  The problem is….more often than not, you’d be better off saving those bucks to spend them on some real food instead of an overhyped fad.

Well, in the case of ANY of the Nitrous Oxide supplements, I’m begging that you respect my professional opinion on these things and do just one thing for me the next time you see an ad that makes you ever so close to ordering one……and that is…..RUN THE OTHER WAY!

Nitrous oxide supplements are currently the hottest supplement in the industry. What is it about them that has everyone talking?  Is it the vascularity that it promises to deliver?  I highly doubt it, considering you have to be significantly on the lean side already in order for this to be a possible result.  Is it because it helps you to build big muscles?  Again, doubt it.  The products are almost exclusively made up of mega-dosages of arginine (an amino acid), and the last time I checked mega dosages of aminos in abundance won’t do anything to add muscle size (see glutamine) but they may help with recovery.

So what’s going on?

Well, arginine is a known vasodilator.  This means that when you take the 3000 mg of arginine that is in both of these products you will get a massive opening or dilating effect of all the blood vessels in the body.  Did you hear that?  Not just the blood vessels traveling to the muscles that you’re working but ALL muscles AND organs.  So, even though you might wish you could isolate this effect in say…the biceps…your heart (the most important muscle in the body) and the brain (arguably the most important organ in the body) will not be able to selectively exclude themselves from this flow.  Start flooding your brain with blood and funny things start to happen.  Concentration is impaired, headaches can occur, dizziness can persist, etc.   Think the supplement is trying to tell you that it might not be what you thought it was cracked up to be?

Want to make this even scarier and more disturbing?  The other most active ingredient in these two products is caffeine.  Sure, maybe not the actual caffeine, but the herbal derivatives that are acually more unregulated than caffeine itself and yet to be determined how much more dangerous they can be long term to your body.  But wait…it gets worse.  Caffeine (or it’s derivatives) are vasoconstrictors.  They constrict the blood vessels and limit blood flow.  This is in direct opposite action to the nitrous oxide.  Start playing these games of tug of war with the super important muscles in the heart and the next thing you know you’ll be the one losing (your mind that is) when you experience palpitations, flutters and even spasms.

What’s that you say?  You can’t find how much caffeine is on the label?  I’m not surprised.  There is no need for the companies who manufacture these products to report this information.  It’s viewed as a byproduct or “add-on” ingredient and therefore doesn’t have to be regulated by the FDA!  I told you this got scary didn’t I?

No wonder guys were flocking to this  pre-workout  concoction?!?  They probably weren’t even actively choosing what to take and were more likely brainwashed in what needs to be taken instead.   Regardless HOW it became the people’s choice the important thing is that it quickly becomes the people’s CHUMP!  Start skipping this supplement alltogether the next time you find yourself in GNC and ready to be lured into the hype and you, your heart and your wallet will be glad you did!

Best in health,

Jeff

The AthLEAN “X” Training System Creator

Jeff Cavaliere is the founder and creator of the AthLEAN-X Training System.  The only system available today that will give you that lean, ripped and athletic physique that is commonly seen on today’s top professional athletes.  Start following the program today and quickly discover how this “look” is not unrealistic or unattainable when you start becoming AthLEAN within days of just beginning this solid program.

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LET ME ASK YOU A QUESTION…I PROMISE IT WILL BE A SIMPLE ONE.

OK…here it goes.  Who would YOU rather look like?  The guy on the left or the guy on the right?

No trick question here at all.  Just simply, if you could have the physique of anyone in the world RIGHT NOW what would you want it to look like?  The ripped, muscular but not overly done body of the guy on the left or the bulky, higher body fat percentage more massive look of the guy on the right?

I think I know the answer.

For most of you, you’ll choose the guy on the left.  How do I know?  Because in numerous recent surveys, guys have almost unanimously answered (88% of them in fact) that they would much rather look like our “AthLEAN” guy on the left (that’s athletic AND lean in case you are new to this site!).  And really…who could blame them?

Not only is this look far more attainable for most guys (since it doesn’t require you having to spend 4 hours a day in the gym, living on 6,000 calories a day, and walking like you are always carrying your luggage…even though you’re not planning a trip any time soon!) but it’s been also proven to be the look that most women crave in the men that they choose! So even more reason to want to look this way.

BUT….there is a big misconception out there that says that in order to build lean muscle you actually have to bulk up first and then cut down and lose the fat!

DON’T BELIEVE IT FOR ONE SECOND!!

All you accomplish by building bulk is that you confuse your body as to what your primary goal is and make it more difficult to lean up later on.  Building muscle and staying lean with low overall body fat ARE NOT two separate goals.  They are the same.  The result is a body that looks incredible and makes people take notice…for all the right reasons.  Adding pounds of pure bulk (getting fat and building muscle) for the sake of just getting bigger ARE entirely separate goals metabolically.  Think about it.  The lazy guy who does nothing will get fat while the active guy who trains will build muscle.   By adding shear mass you’re doing a little of each.  Stop confusing your body.

Do what it physiologically prefers and that is….getting more muscular WHILE remaining lean!

Why don’t guys do this?  Because usually it’s too difficult to do.  In order to add lean muscle and burn fat /remain lean you MUST have three things in place.  These are a sound workout program that trains your body the right way (athletically, quickly, and intensely), a diet or nutrition plan that allows you to eat lots of food as long as you’re eating the right kinds of it (trust me…it’s not as hard as some would make it sound) and finally…adequate amounts of recovery.  As a drug free weight trainer you can’t underestimate the value of rest and recovery when you’re trying to build muscle.  It’s just as critical as your workout if not more!

But with all of these in place the goal of building lean muscle is not only readily attainable but almost easy.

Every day you spend wasting trying to get rid of the lard you laid around your waist during your “bulking” phase, could be spent fine tuning your continually growing ripped physique.  Which do you prefer?  What makes this worse is that often times, when guys get completely frustrated because they can’t see the fat burning results they were hoping for after adding 30 pounds of fat and muscle (when they only really wanted the 1o pounds of muscle in the first place) they wind up giving in and have now turned themselves into just another overweight guy who’s lost his passion for working out and going to the gym.  Not good.  Looks more like a lifetime of weight problems ahead as far as I can see.

So don’t let the “big” guys lie to you.  It is NOT NECESSARY to “bulk up first to cut down later”.  Total garbage.

If you want to stay lean, keep your six pack (or etch it in even deeper as you build lean muscle) and look like you’re actually in shape all while you’re steadily adding pounds of lean muscle month by month…then all you need to do is stick to your guns and follow the plan you know will work to take you there.

Yours in health,

Jeff

Still not sure if what you’re doing at the gym is the right plan?  Stop guessing.  Start following the AthLEAN-X Training System – the only 90 day strength and conditioning system that is endorsed by professional athletes and created by former MLB Physical therapist / Strength Coach and Men’s Fitness writer Jeff Cavaliere that can fast track your way to what Jeff calls the “AthLEAN” body.  No need to put on pounds of fat first just to ultimately look the way you want to all along…like the guy on the left.  Lean, Ripped, Athletic, Strong and Muscular….AthLEAN!  CLICK HERE to get started today.