Some Training Info

Question: Hi Jason!

I read with great interest the MF Arm Workout Article you wrote -
great stuff!!

I wanted to ask what a person should follow after the 2 month workout
is completed. I'm trying it and really enjoying
it, now on my 3rd week.

Best regards,

Frank Marini (Canada)

Answer: Frank, glad you liked the article and the workout. After the arm specialization program is finished I would switch back to a regular upper/lower or half and half split and back off on the arm training volume for a while. Probably just two or three sets each for bi's and tri's for at least the next month.
Jason
**********

Question: I know you say to "control the eccentric and explode up" but after I complete my first hang clean and press...and the weight is back above my knees -- is a quick pause ok or should i simply explode into the next hang clean and press as soon as i'm at the end of my previous press. A long way to ask a simple question.

Also, I just lost 20lbs using Craig B's Turbulence Training and now am trying to put on some mass in the form of muscle (I'm 22yrs 5'6 140lbs 13% bfat) In this "skinny fat" range, how do I adjust my nutrition vs. the scrawny ectomorph (or do i count as one?) I've always been scrawny all my life (5'6" 113lbs before college) but college helped me pack on some muscle freshman year --> then alcohol and laziness packed on the fat the final 3 years (5'6" 160 lbs 20% bfat at end)

From what I've read in your book, it seems like just eating more, but keeping it clean seems the best route for me. Just lookin for some reinforcement or guidance.

Thanks for an awesome product at an unbelievable price. People will spend hundreds of dollars on random "abs products", fast food, video games, etc. and are wary of investing a little money in a real program because they aren't willing to invest themselves into making real change. Glad guys like you, craig, alwyn, etc. are callin people out on it and motivating us to make the true investment.

- Eric L

Answer: Eric, a pause is completely ok on the hang cleans, in fact it is recommended. I would still train and eat for size but just be sure to make clean food choices, time your carbs right and do some cardio to keep fat gain at bay. Eat more on training days and less on off days, which should also be your cardio days. Keep me posted.
Jason
**********

Question: Hi Jason

Nice work. Had a look at most of your e-books today, been training
now for 12 years. Given me some interesting food for thought. Been
doing something similar for a while now 3-4 years, benching around 360 pound, currently recovering from a knee replacement, 5 weeks in. Have put a fair bit of fat on the frame in the couple months leading up to and after surgery. Ashamed to to say
most likely between 25-20% body fat. Mind you my strength keeps on increasing.

Normally I'd do high intensity cardio to strip the fat back to a
respectable percentage, but I also tend to burn muscle, any training
strategy you could suggest that would avoid this? (I'd like to have
my cake and eat it).

Diet will not be a problem to solve I know what to do in that
area...(besides I now have your e-book on it)

Thanks for the help

yours sincerely

James

Answer: James, since maintaining size and strength, or hopefully increasing them, is your main priority and you had the knee replacement, I would only recommend low intensity cardio for you. This would be walking, either with nothing or while dragging a sled. In fact, mix it up; walk some days without the sled and some days with it. Start with three thirty minute sessions per week and gradually increase this to four 45-60 minute sessions. This should not cut into your strength or size gains at all. In a month assess your progress; if you want more fat loss add in another day of walking or two.

Also be sure to keep the diet as clean as possible.
Jason
**********

Get jacked for the beach, by clicking HERE now.

Front Squats?

Question: Coach, how come you don't use front squats in any of your workouts?

Answer: Because they suck. They are uncomfortable, people despise doing them with a passion, you can't use nearly as much weight as you can on a back squat and they offer no significant benefits over back squats; they are just way worse. On occasion, front squats may be of limited value but if you are looking at bang for your buck (sorry to use that lame cliche) stick with back squats, they offer far more benefits.

Some people say that they use front squats for more quad development. To them I say do some leg extensions instead.

Others say that they use front squats because they put less stress on the spine. To them I say grow a pair.

And yet others say that they use front squats because they are more functional. To them I say please stop training right now and leave us all alone.

Click HERE to get huge without doing front squats.

Chest Training Alternatives

Before I get into the question of the day I have to ask a question of my own. Whatever happened to your hearing getting worse with age? Isn't that how it's supposed to go; you lose your hearing as you get older? Apparently this is no longer the case, though. As evidence I point out car rides with my mom. On occasion, when we are going to a family function or out to eat together I will find my mom in the passenger seat of my car. And no matter what music is playing on my stereo, she will somehow find it deafening. It doesn't have to be Slayer or Run DMC either, I can specifically put on the Rolling Stones or Bob Dylan just for her and yet when I can barely make out the lyrics her eardrums are nearly exploding.

"Jason! Turn the music down, I can hardly hear myself think!"

"How's that possible? I can barely hear what Bob's even saying. Is that Tangled Up In Blue or The Hurricane?"

I thought that maybe my mom just had dog ears but apparently this phenomenon is not limited to her. I have had the same experience with several people over the age of 60. The funny thing is once you get used to this and come to expect it, music you usually love suddenly becomes deafeningly loud and offensive to you in the presence of those with super hearing.

Just another mystery I'll never figure out. Or for those who remember the Arsenio Hall Show, another one of those things that make you go "hmmmm..."
**************

Question: Hey tough guy, whattaya say there jerky? Listen to me, I got a chest like a shit house. What can I do about this? My chest is like a wet blanket. Can ya help out or what there, bottlenose?
Frank Rizzo
New York

Answer: Frank, try using dumbbells instead of barbells for all of your pressing exercises. Also, and I never thought I would say this, but if you really can't get your chest to grow after pressing heavy weights for a few years, try to really focus on squeezing the muscle and contract your pecs as hard as possible on every rep. Don't just push the weights up, really focus on using your pecs and squeezing/pulling them together as you come up.

Another great exercise is the Blast Strap or hanging rings flye. Attach Blast Straps to the top of a power rack and get on them in pushup position. Allow your hands to flye out to the sides as you lower yourself slowly and under control. Pull your arms back together to return to the starting position while keeping your torso straight and abs tight.

And for God's sake, please release another Jerky Boys album... or I'll rap ya head in with a ratchet, sizzle chest!

Leg Presses

A few people have been shocked to find leg presses in a few of the Muscle Gaining Secrets workouts. Some have asked if leg presses are dangerous and others thought I was 100% anti machine. So let me explain...

Leg presses are a great size building exercise that allow you to use a lot of muscle mass and a lot of weight. Sure, it's a machine and has all the negatives associated with it that many machines do but as machines go it's one of the best.

In most situations I would choose a belt squat over a leg press but most people do not have access to a belt squat. If you do, by all means sub it in for the leg presses.

As far as leg presses being dangerous, this is only true if you do them improperly. In many bodybuilding videos you will see the guys lower the weight so far that their knees are in their armpits. This is very dangerous and puts incredible amounts of pressure on the lower back. If you do them properly you shouldn't have a problem. Proper form involves lowering the weight until your knees are at about a 90 degree angle or as far as you can go without your butt coming up off the pad. Once your but lifts up off the pad and your lower back rounds you are in trouble and at high risk for a lower back injury.

When done correctly, leg presses are great for overloading the legs without loading the spine excessively.

Click HERE to start building massive legs right now.

The Problem with Bottled Water

It's been brought up by several fitness experts over the years that we should all avoid plastics as much as possible. This means avoid drinking out of plastic bottles and avoid eating out of Tupperware containers. The health implications of using plastic bottles have been discussed in great detail so I will not rehash that here. There is a new problem, however, associated with drinking bottled water that I think we all need to know about.

Click HERE to find out why I will be severely limiting my consumption of bottled water from now on.

Cardio While Bulking- Part 3

Intervals
The good- intervals allow you to burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time and keep your metabolism elevated long after you finish doing them.

The bad- if you are training legs two or even three times per week, you can not do intervals more than once a week without overtraining. Let me rephrase that; you can but eventually it will lead to overtraining or at the very least slow down your strength gains. You can negate this slightly by keeping your leg training volume extremely low and doing your intervals on the same day as your weight training. You can't do five to eight sets of legs two or three days a week and 30 minutes of intervals on top of it. That's a dead end road.

You also have to remember to do your intervals on your training days and not on off days like you might do with other forms of cardio because that will lead to overtraining much quicker.

The ugly- if you choose sprinting as your form of interval training you could get hurt; it's an ugly truth that has to be faced. The thing that will lead to even more injuries is following faulty interval protocol advice. Normally it is recommended to do 30-60 second intervals when they are being performed on a stationary bike. A lot of people take these recommendations and apply them to sprinting. This is a huge mistage! Nobody can sprint for 30-60 seconds. Ok, not nobody; but most average people can't do it. World class athletes can sprint for that long, but not everyone else.

Don't believe me?

Go try it. Warm up thoroughly and try to sprint for 60 seconds straight. Let me know what happens. We have all seen the Olympics and how winded guys are after sprinting the 100 which happens to last all of ten seconds. Most of us have seen guys run the 40 and not be able to catch their breath for at least a few minutes afterwards. And that takes five seconds or less. Not only is sprinting for 30-60 seconds impossible for most people but it also greatly increases the risk of injury.

When you keep your sprint distances and times very short, you decrease the risk for injury because you never hit top speed and instead spend most of your time in the acceleration phase. This phase has the least potential for injury. For that reason, most people should be running 20-50 yard sprints. This keeps you at top speed for a very short period of time; usually little enough time to maintain form and not suffer an injury. When you run at top speed for too long the chance for a break down in form and thus an injury is greatly increased.

I would never recommend that a non athlete ever try to sprint for 30-60 seconds straight and you should never take that advice from anyone. It is faulty and dangerous. To further reduce your injury while sprinting, use adequate rest periods between sets. Also, running with a sled slows you down enough to avoid top speeds and makes sprinting much safer.

Bottom Line- Intervals are a great tool for getting ripped, however when your main goal is to get big and strong and just keep fat gain to a minimum, they should be used sparingly if at all. I would recommend sprints above intervals on a bike and even then I wouldn't do them in true interval fashion but more of a traditional speed workout with short sprints and adequate rest periods. This will still elevate your metabolism greatly and keep you lean. Just look at the physiques of Olympic sprinters for proof of this; that his how they train. Sprint, rest... no intervals.

To get your swole on before summer's over click here now.

Song of the Day- Bleed it Out by Linkin Park

Cardio While Bulking- Part 2

The purpose of doing cardio when trying to get bigger and stronger is to keep you lean, improve your insulin sensitivity and allow you to eat more calories. What kind of cardio will have the least negative effect on your size and strength gains? That's a no brainer; walking. The great thing about walking is it will not impede your progress in the least, the bad thing is that you have to walk for a bare minimum of 45 minutes to really burn a decent amount of calories and you will not elevate your metabolism much after walking. That is the great thing about interval training; it elevates your metabolism dramatically for long after you have finished your workout.

With that being said, I would still choose a good fast paced hour long walk on the beach over sitting on a stationary bike inside while pounding away on some brutal intervals. I despise intervals on a bike with a passion. My ass goes numb, my balls go numb and I get a splitting headache. Not to mention that I am bored to tears within three minutes. Plus, I think we all do more than enough sitting and the last thing I want to do is sit some more while I'm supposedly "working out;" my hip flexors are tight enough already, thanks.

If you love to ride a bike then that is fine and you should do what you love. But for God's sake, go outside and do it. People will actually get in their cars and drive ten minutes across town to walk inside a gym and sit on a stationary bike and ride it for twenty minutes and then drive home. Why not just ride your bike across town? I don't get it.

So we have established that low intensity, long duration cardio (walking) is the best option for those who are concerned with any losses in size and strength whatsoever. This method was a favorite of many great bodybuilders such as Dorian Yates. Another option here, is to just go for a long slow/low intensity bike ride. Either one works great; but again I warn you to protect your nuts, aka get a good seat.

Next on the list is medium/moderate/high intensity steady state cardio. This kind of cardio is a little tricky because it can elevate cortisol and lead to losses in size and strength. To prevent this you need to be sure to limit the time spent doing this to 30 minutes, max. Two days a week should be safe and three days would probably be ok for most people as well. It's when you get into the 4-7 day per week, 45-60 minute marathon sessions that you see people at the gym doing (whose bodies never change in the least from one year to the next)all the time, that you get into trouble. If you limit your use of this method you should be ok.

Lastly, we have intervals which we will cover tomorrow or Monday.

Until then train hard and have fun,
Jay

Song of the Day- Sick, Sick, Sick by Queens of the Stone Age

Cardio While Bulking?

I have gotten several questions lately about doing cardio while trying to get bigger and stronger. Should it be done at all? What kind? How much? How often? What are the negatives? And what are the positives?

Hopefully I can answer everyone's questions at once with this post. Here's the real deal on doing cardio while trying to gain size and strength...

If you are a beginner who also happens to be a ripped ectomorph who has to fight for every ounce he gains (e.g. a classic hardgainer), I suggest that you lay off cardio almost entirely for at least 8-12 weeks. Get your training and diet down and pack on some size. In that time you should be able to gain at least 15lbs of muscle if not 20+. After you have done that you can add in some cardio. I would start with three weekly sessions of twenty minutes of moderate intensity cardio; no intervals. Use a bike to limit the amount of eccentric stress or pounding on the joints. And remember there are actually things known as real bikes that go outside, not just stationary bikes that people park themselves on to watch Oprah. Although, if you choose that route, get one with a well padded seat that will not lead to the death of your sex life.

If you are beyond the beginner level you should always be doing some kind of cardio on a regular basis, be it intervals, moderate intensity steady state, or low intensity, long duration steady state. Again, don't limit yourself to machines indoors; get outside and drag a sled, run sprints, jump rope or play a sport. That's a lot more fun anyway. I think everyone should be doing something like this at least three days per week for at least 30 minutes. It's healthy and prevents a host of health problems, not to mention that it keeps you in shape and looking good.

Contrary to what many people believe, cardio can actually be of great benefit to those looking to get bigger and stronger. Not only does it improve the cardiovascular system and thus improve the quality of your weight training workouts but it allows you to eat more muscle building calories while staying lean. To pack on 20-30 pounds of muscle you have to eat an inordinate amount of food. Doing some cardio will help ensure that you don't get fat from all the excessive eating.

The bottom line is that everyone but absolute beginners should be doing some kind of cardio type activity at least three times per week for thirty minutes. This will not inhibit size or strength gains in the least but may actually enhance them. You should vary your activities and intensities as much as possible. You can do cardio immediately after you train, although I prefer to do it on non weight training days or later in the day after training because I am usually too spent after lifting to give it my all on the cardio. Doing it on off days is usually a better option anyway because it serves as an active recovery activity and also gets you burning some calories on those days.

There is a lot more to cover on this subject and we will get to that tomorrow.

In the meantime, download the new White Stripes album, if you haven't already.
Jay

Your Questions, My Answers

Jason,

Received your muscle gaining secrets book along with all the bonuses
yesterday and have pretty much devoured all of them.
I have a few questions that I hope you can answer for me.

1. What kind of gains can I expect with the Home Gym Warrior book?

In 16 weeks you should be able to gain at least 12-15lbs bare minimum.

2. Is there a certain % of weight for each phase or just what I can do
for the recommended reps with maybe one in the tank?

As much as you can handle for the prescribed rep range with 1 in the tank.

3. Can I substitute say bench press for the weighted push ups?

Yes.

I will probably have more questions but this is it for now as I would
like to switch to this and hopefully prove your workouts and theories to
be true. I have tried to gain weight since high school, weighing 113,
(1995 graduate) and am currently at my heaviest being 150lbs, 5lbs of
which I have gained this month. I believe most of my problem was the
diet but I always used the hardgainer excuse.

I have now increased my diet up to 2500 calories+ and about 160 to 200+
grams of protien but I want to increase my size as fast as I can and am
tired of wasting money on books that aren't worth using as toilet paper.
I can honestly say your books and advice are my last hope at getting
bigger.

You probably need at least 3000 calories.

As I stated I am currently 150 but want to get to about 165-70 and I
feel at that weight I could be very happy with myself.
If it helps I have enclosed a sample week of my workout.
Monday- 12:00pm
Warmup
Clean and press w/2 1/2" fat bar 3setsX4-6
Deadlifts same bar same sets and reps

Ditch the fat bar here. It is severely limiting the amount of weight you can handle on two of the best mass building exercises there are. Your grip will be a limiting factor and you will end up using far less weight than you should.

Wednesday- 12:00pm
Warmup
Barbell curls same bar same sets and reps
Dips
chinups
Bench press same bar same sets and reps

I wouldn't do curls and dips before chin ups and bench presses. That is pre exhausting the wrong muscles. Unless you are doing some sort of arm specialization, this is a bad idea.


Friday- 12:00pm
Warmup
Squats same bar same sets and reps
Wide grip pull ups
Step ups same bar same sets and reps

The rest of the days are rest with maybe some light bodyweight exercises
mainly handstand push ups or plain hand balancing courtesy of John Woods
Handbalancing book.

All that is left to say is HELP I am tired of my friends getting bigger
just by looking at the weights

Jeremy

Follow the advice laid out in the book and you will grow.

*******************

i just purchased your new program. i am excited about the info.
question. i am a 47 year old woman who has been lifting weights all her life. i
have done every program from basic, body building, navy seal training to
bodyweight programs. my bodyfat percentage is fairly normal to lower than
average (although i have not had it measured for a while). i have
followed both cb "turbulance training" and a cosgrove "after burn program" so
you can see where i found you. what i want to know, in your opinion, where
should i start off with the programs i have just received. i am not one for the
gym and i do own some weights which mostly consist of db's. but i am
willing to go further and do what it takes to further transform my body. just
thought i'd ask. thanks for the new program very excited about it.
bella biagio

Bella,
I would start with The Home Gym Warrior. Do that for 16 weeks and keep me posted. Take before and after pics and a training journal so you can share your progress with everyone. Thanks and good luck.
******************

Hi Jason,

I ordered “Muscle Gaining Secrets“ last week and since then
couldn’t lay down the book and its bonus material.
It’s great; highly motivating but nevertheless down to earth and
doable. One can really feel your passion for this game and it makes me
raring to go and lift heavy.

The only bad thing about your book is that it caused a bit of a mental
logjam with me:
A few months ago I bought “Tap Out”. And as a former competitive
martial artist who still sees himself as an athlete much like you
describe in your article I thought “Redemption” is the perfect
program for me after I finish my summer fat loss phase in July.
But now you wrote “Muscle Gaining Secrets” which is over 30 weeks
of exciting routines, perfect for my available time and home gym set
up. So I am really tempted to give it a try even if my main goal is
not gaining huge amounts of mass (a few kilograms wouldn’t hurt!)
but to be able to really perform (still train in Judo and Karate).
I like the programs a lot as they are but do they fit enough my goal
of increasing strength and performance for my sports? Should I
incorporate some weeks of max strength focus similar to the loading
parameters of Redemption Phase 3 every 8 weeks?

Thanks in advance for any tips or hints!


Best regards,

Thomas

Thomas,
The workouts will improve your performance. There are no fluff exercises and we do have max strength phases or days incorporated in the program. The only thing we don't do is much dynamic effort/speed work which is probably not going to hurt you. If you wanted you could add in a few sets of box jumps on some of the heavy squat or dead lift days before you begin your workout. Three sets of three to five reps would be plenty. The workouts in Muscle Gaining Secrets will build functional size and strength that will carry over to everything you do. Thanks for the support and keep me posted on how your training is going.
**************

Jason,
I have no traps at all. My shoulders are completely square and look like someone stuck a hanger inside and placed my head and neck atop it. Please advise me on what to do.
Mike

Mike,
Having no traps is one of mans greatest fears in life, so believe me, I feel for you. This is a very, very desperate situation that needs to be fixed immediately. You need have to live on deadlifts, Olympic lifts like the clean, high pull and snatch, shrugs and upright rows. Deadlift at least once per week for the next 8 weeks and do an Olympic lift and shrug on two other days. A good plan would be hang cleans on Monday, shrugs on Wednesday and deadlifts on Friday. We need to hit the traps hard, three days per week with three to five sets to put an end to this problem. Let me know how it goes.

Band of the Week

"Dude, you just got that chicks number?!"

"Yeah. Why are you saying it like that?"

"Cuz she's not even 21 you moron!"

"WHAT?! How do you figure? She looks at least 25. You checked her ID and determined that it was fake?"

"No wristband, Einstein!"

"Aaaaooooo...That can't be good. Well, why are their underage girls in here? Isn't this a bar?"

"Dude, what time did you start drinking? It's The Stone Pony, it's a concert venue, first and foremost, you know that. They let anyone in."

"Well I don't think Bruce should be letting underage girls in here. Doesn't he own this place now? I mean talk about Badlands, that's nothing but trouble right there. She was just Dancing In The Dark so it was kinda hard to tell. Then she whispered that she wanted to take me to her Secret Garden and show me her Tunnel of Love. She invited me back to her place and-"

"Yeah, I know, she lives on Thunder Road and you were gonna show her The Rising, right? Cuz, what, you're On Fire? I'm from Jersey too, you retard, I know all of Bruce's songs too. And by the way, it's not remotely funny. Go get us another drink."

"Well, actually I was gonna go with I'm Going Down."

"Shut up!"

"Ok..."

With that I sifted through a sea of hot young females en route to the bar. Since I was too drunk to try to spot the wristbands or lack thereof on their wrists, I kept my head down and thought about Rosie O'Donnell naked. Luckily, when I returned to my friends, one of my favorite bands had finally taken the stage.

State Radio is fronted by Chad Stokes, one of the two lead singers from Dispatch, who broke up five years ago. As many people know, music is one of my biggest obsessions in life and I can't exist in silence without music for more than a few minutes at a time. As such, I like to share some good recommendations with you guys from time to time.

Since I have the pleasure of knowing everyone who's anyone in the fitness/ strength & conditioning industry and many of them are my close friends, I can't say that I know more about training than anyone I know. But I can say I know more about music than anyone I know.

Although many people think I listen to nothing but Slayer and NWA the fact of the matter is that when I am not training and have an incredibly wide variety of musical tastes.

State Radio is socially conscious jam rock which the band describes as Bob Marley meets Rage Against The Machine. They had rapidly been becoming one of my favorite bands but after the incredible performance I witnessed this Sunday, they have moved up the ranks even higher. Chad sounded exactly like he does on his records and the guitar was on point and powerful.

If you get a chance to see them live, I highly recommend it. If not, check them out on iTunes or at http://www.stateradio.com/.

I recommend Mr. Larkin, Right Me Up, Camilo, State I and I, and People To People as a good starting point of songs to download.

Shoot me and email and let me know what you think. I'll be back with some training info tomorrow.

Jay

CNS Intensive?

CNS intensive training is hot topic these days. Everybody always wants to talk about the CNS and the role it plays in your training. I have done so myself on several occasions but today I want to talk about the role that overthinking about CNS intensive training may be playing in your long term results.

For those that don't know, it is widely recommended that you do not do two CNS intensive workouts on back to back days. For example, you do not perform two max effort workouts on consecutive days or if you are training for speed, you do not do all out sprints on consecutive days. If you sprint hard on Monday, then you should back off and do lower intensity tempo runs on Tuesday. This is great advice and I will continue to stand by it as I always have.

But...

What about all the days of old when we didn't know about CNS intensive training and concepts like this? What about when we were kids and ran hard everyday only to get faster? What about the 100 daily attempts you used to take at touching the rim for the first time only to get higher each and every week? Jumping like that can be considered CNS intensive. Those are max effort jumps. I know; I used to do it every single day all throughout high school. So what happened back then? Why is everything so different now?

What would have happened if Walter Payton took a day off after every one of his legendary hill sprint workouts? Would he have been even better than he was?

While I agree with the concept and the rule of separating CNS intensive days, you need to remember that it is only a guideline. People who don't know about this rule have ignored it for years without any problems.

If you really followed this rule you would not be able to do a max effort upper body workout the day after you played a recreational game of touch football on the beach because you sprinted on a few fly patterns and thus fried your CNS. Baseball players play several back to back games throughout the season in which they do multiple CNS activities yet they still manage to pull themselves through the next game.

Like I said, it's a great concept and should be used as a guideline to plan your workouts. But if you can't schedule your workouts and your sprinting and recreational activities optimally, don't worry about it. As long as you are training hard and eating right you will get results.

Worrying way too much about it and thinking that you are compromising your results and are overtraining will lead to all of that becoming true. Remember, nobody knew about this concept years ago and somehow we all survived as a species.

The Final Hour

There is only one hour left to take advantage of the special introductory sale and pick up nearly $200.00 in additional free bonuses that will not be available after 12pm today.

I was just rereading The Secrets of Super Strength by my good friend Jim Wendler and have to admit that just that one bonus is worth the price of admission on it's own. In fact, it got me so fired up that I am going to move my scheduled workout for the day up a few hours because I can't wait to go move some heavy iron.

Jim's in depth, expert advice on squatting, benching and deadlifting will literally add weight to all of your lifts instantaneously. The technique tips that he shares are incredible and will benefit anybody and everybody. I have a squat workout scheduled for today and can't wait to get under the bar after rereading Jim's advice.

Now that Muscle Gaining Secrets is finally launched and I can take a bit of a break, it's time to stop being a pussy and start moving some heavy weights again. I ate more yesterday than I have in the previous week (800+ grams of carbs) and washed down every meal with some high sodium chicken broth. I should be ready to go today. I can't wait...


*************
"Jason Ferrugia is from Jersey. So am I, originally. So when he puts out a no bullshit book on becoming a bad ass I know it's for real. If you're a no-nonsense guy looking for information that really works, then you've come to the right place. If you're a candy ass looking for short cuts from somebody who wants to give you a hug, well, go buy another book and grow some balls because you're in the wrong place."

Jim Labadie
Achieve Total Fitness, Inc.


Click HERE to take advantage of the Muscle Gaining Secrets sale before it's over at noon (EST) today.

Jay

The More Muscle Interview

Don't forget that there's only 15 hours left to claim all of your very special, limited time only bonuses in the Muscle Gaining Secrets package. The sale ends at noon tomorrow. If you haven't done so already, head over to http://www.musclegainingsecrets.com/ and pick up your copy today.
***********************

Nutrition expert, Mike Roussell and I sat down for an interview recently and discussed the topic of building muscle.

Check it out:

MR: Jason, your transformation was pretty incredible going from 147lbs to 231lbs. How much trial and error did you think you went through training wise until you found what really worked?

JF: Oh man, Mike, I can’t even begin to tell you. I tried so many different methods and systems it was unbelievable. I actually started out as a beginner on a six day a week high volume body part split. This was back in the 80’s so I think I was just looking in the magazines at whatever Sean Ray or Aaron Baker or Gary Strydom were doing and just copy it exactly. Obviously that didn’t work out too well.

I entered high school weighing less than 100 pounds and after four years of training my ass off and growing almost a foot taller, I only weighed 147 pounds at graduation. So obviously, all my experimentation during high school didn’t work out to well either.

During those four years I was still doing whatever I could find in the magazines and even ordered some courses like Cybergenics and some other stuff that was popular at the time. I think the first training books I had were the Arnold Encyclopedia and one of Dr. Hatfields. I tried everything I read in both of those.

My experimentation during college was quite extensive and quite varied. I finally stumbled upon the HIT movement and Mike Mentzer and Arthur Jones. It was like a beacon of light and I adopted that training philosophy immediately. And for the first time I started to really grow, which isn’t shocking since I was so grossly overtrained. But as anyone who has had a similar experience can tell you, those gains don’t last too long either.

I could be here all day telling you about all the crazy stuff I did but I think it’s pretty safe to say that I was in the game and wasted an inordinate amount of time and money for a good ten years before I really figured out what really worked.

MR: It is one thing to find something that works for you personally but you routinely pack 20lbs of muscle on the frames of your clients in spans of only 3 months. How do you get results like when other people seemingly struggle endlessly to get bigger?

JF: At this point I have been training people for 14 years. During ten of those years I worked with clients for an average of ten hours per day; and twelve hours per day every summer. Now since I was always a C math student I can’t tell you how many hours that is right off the top of my head but, take it from me, it’s a friggin lot.

When you have that much experience doing anything you are bound to become somewhat proficient at it and just develop a knack for it and for reading people and recognizing commonalities.

Most people are making the same mistakes in their training and nutrition and some even have a faulty belief system that is holding them back. I address each of these issues and we’re off and running.

Training is not rocket science not matter how many people try to turn it into that. But figuring it all out isn’t simple either.

MR: Everyone nowadays is always worried about getting fat when “bulking up” what are some strategies that you use to ensure that you put on more muscle than fat? Or do you even care?

JF: Well, first of all, a lot of people that worry about that have a fear that is completely unfounded. If you are an athlete, under twenty years old or both, this is not that great of a concern unless you are eating deep fried chocolate donuts and dipping them in butter six times a day.

I have worked with plenty of guys who could eat whatever they wanted to and could still stay lean. In that case you have no excuse for not being able to pack on twenty pounds in a couple months.

If you have trouble staying lean there are a few adjustments you need to make. First off, you need to make smarter food choices. Eat lean proteins like chicken, fish, eggs, lean red meat and cottage cheese instead of burgers, hot dogs and pork chops. Next, be sure to keep your carb sources clean as well. This means fruits and veggies are at the top of the list followed by oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, and sweet potatoes. By now everyone knows the benefits of eating good fats like fish oil so I won’t bore people to death with that.

If just eating clean is not enough then we move onto more advanced strategies like carb cycling and calorie cycling. This takes some time to explain but to make it really simple for everyone, you should eat more calories and carbs on training days than you do on non training days. Bottom line. Training days are higher calorie days, off days are lower calorie days; pretty simple. Of course it’s more complicated than that but that’s the gist of it.

MR: What are the biggest mistakes you see people make when trying to pack on muscle? Is it usually related to nutrition or training?

JF: It’s hard to say if it’s one or the other because they do go hand in hand. But if I had to pick I would say it’s gotta be training. It doesn’t matter how great your diet is, if your training sucks, you’re not gonna make progress.

But, you know what, Mike? I’m not even going to cover the training mistakes that people make because looking at that is missing the bigger picture. You know what the biggest mistake people make really is? The one thing that everyone seems to do these days, especially with all of the conflicting information that is out there?
It is a lack of consistency and a lack of belief in what you are doing. There is so much information out there these days that people don’t know who or what to believe. And because of this they are confused. They are constantly reading something different and always in search of the next best thing. They do a workout for a week or two and then read so and so’s new article about changing your tempo every rep or some brand new way to fire up the CNS or some nonsense and they try that system. A week or two later they decide that is not working so they switch to something else. And so on and so on.

If you are always changing programs and training philosophies how can you ever make progress? You can’t; it’s that simple. If you don’t believe in what you are doing you will never, ever be successful. That is a universal principle that applies to everything in life. It has to apply to your training if you ever want to make real progress. You can use the crappiest training program in the world but if you are consistent, have the balls to train the way you really should and really and truly believe in what you are doing, you will get results.

Pick a training program, system or philosophy and stick with it; believe in what you are doing and train your ass off. You can’t fail if you do that.

MR: Okay so tell us a little about your new course on muscle building. What makes this stand out from other products?

JF: Well, first of all I tried to make it more of an entertaining read than a lot of the stuff out there so I included a lot of stories and personal anecdotes that people could relate to. The topics of sets and reps and proteins and carbs can be kind of boring so I try to spice it up a little bit.

Aside from that, I have tried to make it as simple to understand as possible while still including information that will help anyone from a raw beginner to an advanced lifter. I have had guys who have trained for over twenty years tell me that they learned quite a bit from reading Muscle Gaining Secrets, which makes me very happy to hear. If I can do that while not alienating beginners, then I know I achieved the goal I set out to accomplish.

I have included some unique methods of periodization which have rarely been covered. I detail every single mistake that people make in their training and show how these can be avoided. And of course, a book from me wouldn’t be complete without getting politically incorrect and calling bullshit where I see it. I definitely expose a lot of the gimmicks and nonsense that is out there and do my best to help people save time and money and avoid making all the same mistakes that I did.

MR: Jason, thanks for talking the time to sit down and talk with us. The information you gave out in this interview alone is enough to put 5-10lbs on somebody’s frame.

Click HERE now to start building muscle faster than you ever thought possible.

The Failure Mindset

I would like to thank everyone for all of the emails that have been flooding in during the last 48 hours and apologize for not being able to get back to everyone personally. I promise my staff and I are doing our best to get back to everyone and will be working around the clock today to handle all of your questions and concerns.

I woke up this morning to find an email in my inbox that I wanted to share with everyone because it demonstrates one of the biggest mistakes people could ever make and essentially guarantees failure in all that you do.

"Jay, your new product looks great. Here's my one and only problem with it though. You're lying to the world. Nobody could ever gain 80lbs of muscle without tons of steroids and you know it. It's impossible and it's complete bullshit. I used to respect you but now that is all gone. I can't believe you would do something like this. You should be ashamed of yourself."
Chris

Before I share my reply I should tell you that I know this guy. We have met three or four times and I even had lunch with him once. He's about 132lbs and 25% bodyfat. Which I am not knocking; we all have to start somewhere. Back in the days he used to ask my advice on certain subjects and I always did my best to help him. When he decided to try the most asinine diet around in effort to get in better shape I warned him not to. He was determined to prove me wrong so he went on it for 16 weeks, taking before and after pics, only to finish a pound or two lighter at the same bodyfat percentage. He has been quite angry at the world ever since for some reason.

My reply...

"Chris, always a pleasure to hear from you. Sounds like training still isn't going too well for you. I'm sorry to hear that. Anyway, where did you ever come up with the idea that gaining 80lbs of muscle is impossible? I never heard such a ridiculous statement in my entire life. I have actually known or known of several people who have achieved such a goal. If you know how to train and eat properly and have a set of balls on you and the desire to pursue and achieve goals this really isn't that far out of the realms of reality.

One of my closest friends in the world is a guy named Mike Schwalb. Mike was the first athlete I ever trained. He came to me in 8th grade weighing 120 pounds. I trained him all through high school and college football and he became like a little brother to me. During that time, while mainly focusing on speed, strength and agility, Mike also gained 110 pounds of muscle and played his senior year at Gettysburg weighing 220 pounds. Not once did Mike touch a steroid. I know this for a fact. All he did was bust his ass in the gym and eat like a machine.

I have had several experiences like this in my gym. My close friend and long time training partner Todd Coker had a starting weight at my gym of 150 pounds and finished ten years later at 252 pounds. Now granted that's a long time, but it shows what hard work and perseverance can lead to.

So as you can see from just those two examples, my gains weren't even the most impressive in MY OWN GYM, let alone the world!

But I understand your plight. I really do, and I know what you're thinking...

'If only I had those kinds of genetics, I could out squat Jim Wendler.'

'If only I took that many steroids, I could be as big as Jay Cutler.'

'If only I had great genetics AND took a boatload of steroids, I could be the biggest and strongest guy in the world.'

Yeah, you could. The only thing you are missing is the attitude. Winners never make excuses.

You could have been something, Chris.

If only..."

Don't let a negative belief system bring you down or hold you back from achieving your goals. If you want to gain 70- 100lbs of muscle don't let anyone tell you it's impossible. Believe me, it's not.

To find out how, click here now.

Questions & Answers

I have been getting tons of questions in the last 24 hours about Muscle Gaining Secrets. It is impossible for me to get back to everyone personally but I am pleased to announce that I will stopping by the Turbulence Training Members Site tonight at 9pm (EST) to answer questions. Everyone that purchases Muscle Gaining Secrets during our 72 hour special launch sale also gets 3 FREE months membership at Craig Ballantyne's kick ass Turbulence Training Members Site. I owe Craig and everyone who has purchased so far a huge debt of gratitude so to show my appreciation I will be answering questions live tonight.

Until then I am in the Big Apple on "business."

Craig and I have a little tradition we call Tattoo Wednesdays wherein I go for some new ink every other Wednesday or so and Craig...well, does nothing really. But he does email me throughout my hours in the chair to keep me entertained. The strangest part is he doesn't even ask what I am getting done or to see pictures. Bizaree...

But he enjoys the small part he plays in Tattoo Wednesdays and that's all that matters, really.

As you can see I am severely sleep deprived from preparing for this launch and am now rambling. Anyway, hope to chat with you all tonight. I will take some caffeine and be ready to go. And lots of branched chains and glutamine and NO2. Cuz that stuff really works...
*******************

"Finally an information source that covers everything and in my mind will become the bottom line for most people when it comes to gaining muscle and strength. My good friend Jason Ferruggia has released what I think is the BEST source out there on the subject. While Jay is a friend of mine and I would do anything for him, I have to be honest…after reading this book, I was hesitant to help him by advertising it and giving it a testimonial. You see, the book is so good, I am seriously nervous about losing clients. While I am no where in the same league with Jay when it comes to adding insane strength and size to people, or preparing athletes for battle, among other things….I still work with the same population as Jay does and once this book hits the hands of my readers, clients, and future clients, I may lose a few customers (as well as many other strength and physique coaches out there.) Yes, it is that good! No Bull. I have read just about every book on the market when it comes to strength training, and this book trumps them all by a mile. Jay makes it very easy to read, he takes out all of the BS and replaces it with tons of usable information. He then adds so many bonuses to the package, that I really think he is insane for not charging more. If you are wanting to look better, put on huge slabs of muscle in little time, gain insane amounts of strength, or if you just want to understand all of this stuff much better…you cannot afford NOT to get this book. Don’t hesitate…order this NOW. Click here to order now.
Keith Scott
KeithScottTraining.com

Finally...

Muscle Gaining Secrets has officially been launched. After much delay and great anticipation the day has finally come. Muscle Gaining Secrets is the culmination of my 20 years in weight training. I lay it all on the line and give you everything I have ever learned along the way.

Early reviews are in and I am happy to say that they have been incredible. Check out what people are saying:
*****************

"Between playing college football and lifting for both size and strength in my post-football life, I've been training hard for over twenty years, and I've picked up a few things along the way. In all my years, however, I've never seen anything like what Jay Feruggia has put together with his Muscle Building Secrets line of products. They're a complete compendium of everything you need to know about training. I think the best way to describe Jay is that he's like an anchor in the training business. You veer off course and try to experiment with all kinds of BS programs and diets, but Jay and his work are always there to bring you back to the most efficient, time-tested ways to build muscle and gain strength known to mankind. Sometimes Jay seems to me like a lone voice in the wilderness, but every time I waste several months spending hundreds of dollars on useless supplements that don't do a damned thing for me, I go back to Jay's advice and get myself back on track. Save yourself the time, money and disappointment and go straight to the best: Jay Feruggia."
-The Doorman, author of HarperCollins memoir Clublife: Thugs, Drugs and Chaos at New York's Premier Nightclubs


***********
"Many claim to be NO B.S in the fitness training business, but you've consistently proven yourself to be as NO B.S. as they come through your personal results and the successes of your clients. With Muscle Gaining Secrets you've stripped away the excess, answered all the tough questions, and made it as simple as 'Do THIS because it works.'"
Bill Hartman
www.billhartman.net
***********

“As an up and coming fitness professional, I am well aware of the gimmicks and false promises of supplements and fitness gadgets that instill in people the idea that there are short cuts and easy ways to get fit. Society promises us rewards without effort and the path of least resistance is the road most often traveled. Hard work and commitment are foreign terms that are ancient and outdated. In Muscle Gaining Secrets, author Jason Ferruggia offers an honest approach to achieving life-changing results in obtaining the physique you desire. Finally, a book of truth!”
Jonathan Cancro, NSCA-CPT
***********

If you are sick and tired of wasting all your time on muscle building routines, gimmicks and supplements that get you nowhere then it's time for you to finally be exposed to the no BS truth.

For more about Muscle Building Secrets and to take advantage of the very special introductory sale which only lasts until Friday at noon, click HERE now.

Only Four Days Left...

Until you learn the bottom line truth about building massive muscle without steroids. Next Tuesday, the wait is over and the much anticipated Muscle Gaining Secrets will finally be launched.

The early reviews are in and they are outstanding...

“Jason Ferruggia is the master muscle builder in the fitness industry. When I was searching for a training advisor for Men’s Fitness, I knew I needed a partner I could trust to help me distill all the training knowledge out there into what REALLY works, and better yet, what works FAST. There was no one better to fill that role than Jason, who has elevated Men’s Fitness’ training advice so far above the mainstream magazine norm that even I can’t wait to read it every month! With Muscle Gaining Secrets and its companion e-books, Jason offers the same super-high quality information in a fast-moving, easy-to-read format. You can’t fail when he’s in your corner.”
— Sean Hyson, C.S.C.S., fitness editor for Men’s Fitness magazine

"Raw and uncut. That is how Jay Ferruggia brings it. If you're looking for another '3 sets of 10, eat chicken breasts and yams, how-to-be-a-fitness-model' program, then forget about getting it from Jay. From his politically-incorrect no-BS eating program, to his workout routines that he's used with hundreds of athletes, powerlifters, and strongmen, Ferruggia truly is relentless when it comes to putting together the ultimate muscle building program. And I'm no armchair quarterback when it comes to Jay's workout advice. Jay is the coach that finally got me to smarten up and train right. As a result, I'm stronger, less tired, less beat up between workouts, and my workouts are of the highest quality. This is the only muscle-building program out there that will give you the results you've been after forever, while making you laugh, and firing you up like never before, all at once. Get it, or get left behind again, just like you were last summer."
-Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Strength Coach, Toronto, Canada

I apologize for my lack of posting recently but I think it will be worth it when you get your hands on the new book.

New Website

I just wanted to take a second to let everyone know that the new home base site is finally done and is up and running.

Many of you know that the name of my company for the last 12 years has been Renegade Strength & Conditioning. When I first got on the internet, years back, there was someone else using the Renegade name for his company also. After getting several emails asking if we were affiliated I decided to keep the website for the gym but to change my personal website name.

I quickly came up with J1Strength and threw together an admittedly hideous looking website in a rush. Unfortunately I have been too busy to dedicate any time to changing it over the last few years.

Finally, we got around to it and I am pleased to announce the long overdue launch of Relentless-Athletics.com

Check it out and let me know what you think.
------------
Jason

The Best Fat Loss Package Ever?

Do you want to have a great body to show off at the beach or at a wedding this summer? Do you want to achieve your goals in less workout time than ever before? And do you want to exercise at home with as little equipment as possible?

If you are interested in losing fat as quickly, using simple workouts that can easily be done first thing in the morning or at night in the comfort of your own home, without endless hours of
cardio, fancy equipment or nasty, expensive supplements, then this will be the most important letter you ever read in your entire life. Here's why...

My friend Craig Ballantyne, fat-loss expert, and monthly contributor to the most popular fitness magazines such as Men's Health and Oxygen, is celebrating the 1-year "birthday" of his website TurbuelnceTraining.com, and he wants to help you get in shape for summer and "Save Your Swimsuit Season", because you deserve better results!

In it's first year, TurbulenceTraining.com has helped thousands of men and women escape the prison of long workouts, crowded gyms, and more importantly, the shackles of unwanted ugly body fat.

For years, Craig worked off-line with men and women at their wit's end, who had tried everything, including 90-minute workouts every day and in some cases up to 7 hours of cardio per week, only to be left in frustration and near tears becuase these high-rep, long cardio sessions just weren't working to burn fat - despite the promises of the so-called "experts".

But Craig knew there was a better way. So he packaged his years of research and over a decade of hands-on training experience into Turbulence Training, a routine that you can do at home, in only 45 minutes per workout, 3 times per week, allowing you more time to live life and love your body.

So to celebrate the "birthday" of TurbulenceTraining.com and to help you finally lose the fat once and for all this summer, Craig's put together 7 limited-time bonuses just for you. These bonuses will ONLY be offered for the next 3 days. After Wednesday at midnight, you'll never again have a chance to get all 7 of these bonuses together again.

And you know what? After painstakingly reviewing the Turbulence Training workouts and fat loss philosophy, comparing them to the common long, slow cardio workouts that so many people are doing (unsuccessfully, I might add), I've found that Turbulence Training IS the most efficient and effective fat loss program available.

With all of the "lose fat fast" programs and snake-oil supplements out there, I have a strict criteria that a program has to meet before I even consider recommending it to my friends.

But Turbulence Training is the real deal - after all, if these workouts weren't, would the biggest fitness magazine in the world, Men's Health, feature Turbulence Training workouts? Of course
not, they have too much to lose. It's no surprise to me that Craig's workout advice was featured not once, but TWICE in the June 2007 issue of Men's Health magazine.

And he is on Oxygen magazine's Training Advisory Board, where he answers female fat loss using the Turbulence Training principles. Believe me, Turbulence Training is the real deal for fast fat loss.

With Turbulence Training, you have nothing to lose (except for fat!) and everything to gain (including more time to live life, rather than spending your time indoors in your home gym in the basement or at a crowded, stinky, overpriced commercial gym).

Because not only are his workouts proven by both research and experience, but you also have a hundred percent satisfaction guarantee that you'll love his workouts. Or just return it for your
money back.

Now let me tell you more about the Turbulence Training workouts.

First of all, they can all be done at home with dumbbells, a bench, and an exercise ball (a chin-up bar is also helpful for those that are strong enough).

Second, thousands of both men AND women (yes, women too!) have used these Turbulence Training workouts successfully to lose fat in a very short amount of time and without long, slow boring cardio. Craig's proven that you don't need to be at the gym everyday for an hour or more.

"After 3wks of that program, I could already see results and I liked how the workouts were fun, intense, and efficient. At 34, I'm leaner and stronger than I've ever been. Thanks Craig!"
Christine Johnston, Little Rock, AK

In fact, the Turbulence Training workouts will only take 45 minutes, three days per week, and you can do everything at home. No need for fancy, expensive gym memberships, or long commutes to an annoying "mega-club" where you have to compete for equipment (or worse, wait for a machine covered in the nasty sweat of the hairy powerlifter that used it just before you).

Turbulence Training is as straight-forward as any fat loss program could be. You'll get the workouts done fast, avoiding useless exercises or any waiting around twiddling your thumbs. Craig has cut the fluff you find in so many other programs so that you are using ONLY the best exercises that give the most results in the least amount of time.

If you've ever struggled to figure out what to do for your fat loss program, then worry no more. Turbulence Training spells it out, workout by workout, exercise by exercise, set by set, and rep
by rep, for a full 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts.

Turbulence Training also includes workouts for the absolute beginner to help any newcomer, no matter what your situation, get started on their fat loss plan. Craig's program also gives you
dozens of weeks of bonus workouts that help you take your lean body to the next level of definition.

How badly do you finally want to succeed this summer? Maybe you got off to a great start earlier this year, only to have your momentum fizzle out because you lacked the time to follow that 6 hour per week program you got from the magazines. Or maybe you just got tired of doing the same workout week-in, week-out, because your old program didn't have any variety.

All of those problems are fixed by the Turbulence Training program. And you owe it to yourself to get Turbulence Training because you deserve a program that gets you results fast, not a program that makes you spend an hour on the treadmill each day while summer passes you by...You don't need to live in the gym to look great!

With all of the beginner workouts, regular TT bonuses, 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts, AND these 7 limited-time bonuses, you will have all the info you need to burn fat fast. PLUS, you'll have step-by-step instructions for everything from how to measure your body fat, to what to eat at each meal, and exactly how many repetitions you should do for each exercise.

The body you've wanted for too long can be yours, and in less time than you've always thought necessary. Get ready to experience a new body thanks to all the inches you'll lose, the pounds you'll shed, and the energy you'll gain in the next few days, weeks, and months ahead with the Turbulence Training fat loss program you can do at home.

With Turbulence Training's use of time-saving, metabolism-boosting exercises, you'll get all of your workouts done in 45 minutes, three times per week. In less time than it takes to watch the nightly news, an episode of Oprah, or one of those horrible talk shows on CNN, you can make rapid improvements in your body each day.

So here's why I'm writing to you today:

Craig is quickly becoming an international fitness and fat loss expert. His on-line clients now span the entire globe, and he no longer has space for new clients. And those that are lucky
enough to work with him one-on-one pay up to $300 per session for his guidance through their personal Turbulence Training workouts (he's Toronto's most expensive trainer!).

But now the good news. Craig's put together the ultimate Turbulence Training package that contains not only 16-weeks of advanced fat loss workouts and 10 weeks of beginner programs and tons of regular bonuses, but he's also added 7 NEW bonuses that are available only for the next three days, including:

1) Meal Plans for Men & Women by Dr. Chris Mohr (Value $99)

If you're fed up trying to design a diet plan on your own, and not knowing how to eat within your "calorie recommendations", Dr. Chris Mohr's meal plans will show you EXACTLY what to eat at every meal. This "done for you" process will help you burn body fat with easy, delicious, healthy meal plans.

2) How to Measure Your Body Fat by Dr. John Berardi (Value $29.97)

World-famous nutritionist Dr. John Berardi gives you a complete system for measuring your body fat levels at home without expensive equipment. If you want to know how to accurately track your progress, then follow Dr. Berardi's step-by-step plan (PLUS, you'll learn the shocking truth about handheld body fat machines).

3) High-Octane, Fat Burning Recipes by Mike Roussell (Value $19.99)

Is chicken getting boring? Are you sick of oatmeal? Mike Roussell will change all of that with 10 high-octane, fat-burning recipes to help you remove boredom from eating for fat loss. It is easy to eat right when you're using these delicious recipes.

4) How Hormones Affect Your Fat Loss: A Special Report from Dr. Holly Lucille & Jon Benson (Value $19.99)

Imagine your hormones restored naturally, living 100% free from menopause or andropause symptoms, and living life with your energy and your teenage-years love life renewed!" In this report, you'll learn how to avoid "hormone hell" with Dr. Lucille's natural hormone solutions and supplement recommendations.

5) A 1-Month Bonus Trial at Global-Fitness (Value $9.95)

Achieve the best possible results with your diet and exercise routine using this 30-day trial membership to Global-Fitness.com, giving you access to expert-designed workout plans, healthy recipes, fitness e-books, exercise instructions, and their new Motivational Success System!

6) The Turbulence Training Hardcore Fat Loss 4-Week Program by Craig Ballantyne (Value $19.99)

Vaporize stubborn lower-ab fat with this 4-week Advanced Fat Loss program. This might be the most effective, hardcore Turbulence Training fat burning program ever, and will help even the leanest men and women break through annoying fat loss plateaus.

7) A 3-Month Basic Level Membership to the Turbulence Training Discussion Forums & Other Exclusive Fat Loss Info (Value $59.85)

Have your #1 fat loss questions answered by Men's Health and Oxygen magazine expert, Craig Ballantyne. You'll also read Craig's interrogations of other fat loss experts, download Craig's
teleseminars to listen to anytime and anywhere, learn insider secrets from other Turbulence Training success stories, and benefit from the #1 factor overlooked in fat loss programs today, "the power of Social Support" - it really is the secret to your success.

But this entire package is only available for the next 72 hours. On Wednesday, June 6th, at midnight, the 7 new bonuses will disappear from the offer, quite possibly never to be given away again.

If you don't pick-up this incredible collection of fat loss bonuses today, you might kick yourself for missing out. This is the kind of information that can take you from a fat loss plateau to a brand new body practically overnight.

"I lost 14 pounds this month and the weight is just falling off me. My wife says I now look like when we first met and I still have more to go. I can fit into my old jeans again which is a big deal
for me. I just cut back on starches and bread and do your routine 2-3 times a week. I never thought in a million years that just 10-20 minutes of weight training followed by some cardio would get me such steady results. I even cheat a bit on the weekends."
Billy Williams

Success breeds success. If you start now, you'll be burning fat and changing your body almost immediately, and that will give you the complete motivation and inspiration you need to keep at it week after week. After all, you have no time to waste to get your body ready in time for swimsuit season.

If you are sick and tired of spending hours upon hours in the gym doing ineffective workouts and getting next to no results, then use Turbulence Training to cut back on your workout time, boost your metabolism (allowing you to burn calories and fat ALL day and night), and help you lose inches and fit back into your old summer clothes and swimsuits.

"I used to think you needed to spend hours in the gym everyday in order to see results. With the help of CB and Turbulence Training, I have reduced my workouts from 2 hours per day, everyday, to 50 minutes every other day. All the while I have trimmed over 60 lbs. of body fat off my now lean and muscular body.!"
Rob Vickers

This is the year you are going to "take back the beach"! No more hiding behind oversized t-shirts, no more sitting in the shade wearing extra clothes. And no more spending all the nice weather inside on a treadmill. Use the Turbulence Training workouts and the fantastic nutrition bonuses to change your body once and for all.

Remember, like Men's Health magazine, I only recommend the absolute best fat loss resources that come across my desk. And today, that is the Turbulence Training bonus package.

Simply go right here to get started:

TurbulenceTraining.com



P.S. Hurry, you only have until Wednesday, June 6th, at 11:59pm to claim your SEVEN limited-time bonuses. And remember, you get everything in the Turbulence Training package (including a 60-minute audio interview, 4-week Basic Bodyweight Workout, the Turbulence Training Nutrition Guidelines, the Turbulence Training Fusion Fat Loss Workout, and all the regular bonuses), PLUS the 7 additional bonus reports mentioned above.

P.P.S. Try Turbulence Training for 8 weeks. If you aren't thrilled with the decreased workout time, increased fat loss, and enhanced energy from the Turbulence Training system, just let Craig know. Turbulence Training has already been trusted by the biggest fitness magazines in the world (Men's Health & Shape), and I guarantee it will work for you too!

"Turbulence Training is a proven way to melt fat fast, while protecting your hard-earned muscle. I'm so confident in its effectiveness that, over the years, I've recommended it to
literally millions of readers. And the fantastic feedback I've received from readers all over the world as a result ensures you'll be seeing a lot more of CB's programs in the magazine."
Adam Campbell, Sports & Nutrition Editor, Men's Health

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

Skippy vs. Natural Peanut Butter

It was suggested somewhere recently that you should try to eat natural peanut butter but if you really can't stomach the taste of it you can opt for Skippy instead. The inference was that fake peanut butter is not that much worse than natural peanut butter. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Skippy, Peter Pan and all that other crap is simply a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup without the chocolate. Yes, it's that bad. It has sugar, trans fats, hydrogenated oil and quite a bit of other crap.

It's your choice to eat that way, but don't ever be tricked into thinking it's healthy; it's dessert.

Natural protein powders

I have been getting a lot of questions about how to avoid aspartame and what kind of protein powder I recommend to those that still like to drink shakes. First of all, let me point out that there are several studies which show numerous detrimental effects from artificial sweeteners, such as memory loss, birth defects, links to cancer and erectile problems in males (if all the other ones don't scare you, I'm guessing the last one might cause you to raise an eyebrow). Mysteriously, none of these studies are conducted in the United States. I'm sure everyone can figure out the reasons why.

If you drink protein shakes, I recommend an all natural shake mix, something that is not made with bodybuilders in mind and does not contain all kinds of ridiculous "mass building" ingredients. One that comes to mind is Whey to Go by Solgar. This contains nothing but whey protein and and natural vanilla bean flavoring. The taste is very minimal but it's probably better than ten packs of Nutra Sweet.

Jay Robb also makes a protein shake in which the protein comes from cows who have not been exposed to steroids and other chemicals. This contains no artificial ingredients either.

You may find that you do not fill up or bloat as easily with these natural shakes as they contain no fillers and are fairly easy to digest.

Whatever Makes You Happy

Someone brought up a very good point recently and I wanted to share it with you. While people are always searching for the perfect training system they seem to miss one very important point; what makes them happy. If you do something that you like and something that makes you happy, you are more likely to put greater effort into it and thus get better results.

For example, I like to train heavy on big exercises. If someone said I should train lighter on isolation exercises because I would get way better results, I would ignore the advice because I would hate doing it. If I am unhappy when I train, my results will suffer. I would rather quit training than start doing leg extensions for 20 reps.

Some people like body building splits better than any other split. If I trained someone like this and tried to force them to do full body workouts, which they hated, their results would suffer. We would both be miserable and they would get nowhere.

If you love doing body part splits and hate all other options, stick with body part splits; it will probably yield you the greatest results.

Some people like extremely overcomplicated, planned out, scientific training programs. Others like the most basic, simple plan they can find. The science guys hate simple programs because they over think everything and believe that if they are not counting rep speed and measuring angles with a protractor during their training, they are not achieving optimal results.

The "keep it simple" guys hate overcomplicated programs and don't like thinking that much during training. Training is a hobby that they love and a release from the stress of every day life. If they have to think everything out and break out the Pythagorean Theorem to plan every set of their workouts, they will be miserable. These kind of guys like to go in and lift; that's it.

There is nothing wrong with any of these approaches. While I prefer full body workouts or upper/lower splits to body part splits, and simple workouts to complex science projects, it doesn't mean that this is the optimal approach for you.

Being happy in what you are doing is a very important factor that can not be overlooked.

There have been times in the past where I have designed a program for a client and after seeing their dissatisfaction with it after the first day, have completely scrapped it and started over with something completely different.

It's a universal law in life; do what you love and the results and success will follow.

So what's the best way to train?

Whatever makes you happy...

Speaking Out

Jason,
Thanks for finally speaking out! I wish more people would realize the points you made in the e-mail. I had a couple of quick questions:

1. I drink chocolate milk PWO (use low-fat milk then add in Hershey's syrup). Is it OK to add in a scoop of unflavored whey to the drink?

2. I recently ordered your Tap Out e-book set (LOVE IT!). I'm strapped for cash at the moment due to having my wisdom teeth removed...do you have any cost-effective ways of making blast straps to use for the scarecrow and blast strap push-ups?

Thanks and looking forward to the new book.
-Dan Johnson

Dan,
Glad you liked it. Yes, you can add some unflavored whey to the drink.

You can do some of the blast strap exercises just by getting two long pieces of chain and looping them around a bar. Fasten the ends with some kind of clip or karabiner and then just put a small hand towel around the chain and grab it. This will work for inverted rows, pushups and scarecrows.


Jason,
I believe what you say in this E-mail. When I was in U.S. Marine Corps boot camp, I put on 12 pounds and was more "ripped" than ever. No supplements, and with a hell of a lot of "road work". Just three meals per day. I appreciate your truth, thanks.
sincerely,
Dale Allen

Dale,
It’s all about hard work. Thanks for the email.


Good man....no bs and I love it. That's how I base my clients’ workouts as well. Keep it up.
Jason VanHeulen CSCS
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach

Aria Spa & Club

Jason,
Then I would have to imagine you’re doing a damn good job ;)


Jason:

I wanted to let you know how much I've enjoyed your recent blog entries; glad you are back.

Martin

Martin,
Thanks a lot for the comments, I really appreciate it.


Can't wait dude I'll definitely grab a copy. I am living proof that doing things you don't recommend really do hinder training results; and, following your routines really do produce fast positive results. I bought your book quite a while back and have periodically deviated from your routines and rules due to lack of commitment. In the short times that I did follow the routine loosely and it has given me about 15 lbs. of muscle.

To back up this newer point about protein supplements, I stopped drinking protein after I got this stomach virus a couple weeks ago. I couldn't stomach the fuckin thickness of the shake so I had to pass on them. Anyway, since then I've just been stickin to lots of beef, chicken, pork, and tuna, plus the multi-vitamin in the morning and fruit throughout the day. First of all I just felt healthier; I felt like a human instead of a science project. Besides improved overall body function, I experienced higher gains in lean muscle instead of the bloated looking bulky muscle.

Anyway, looking forward to the book,
Matt

Matt,
Awesome to hear about your great results. Keep it up.


Hi great to see someone has finally got it right, you are spot on. I was pi**ed around for over 15 years by all these full of sh*t no it alls, until I finally realised that it was all bull sh*t I now train heavy and hard but always add weight weekly or as often as poss, my diet is now 'normal ' but enough to grow weekly and hey presto 46lbs of new muscle in 10 months with no fat increases and twice as strong as before, piece of p**s when you know how! Let me know when your book is out as it sounds like the kind of stuff I now like to read! Put a stop to all the lies and tell everyone how it really works, there must be millions of confused and frustrated lifters out there, its sickening, everyone could easily succeed with the truth.
Good luck with your book
Mark


Mark,
Thanks for sharing your success story. I love to hear them. The truth is what I am going to deliver.


Thank you for dispelling the myths in your latest blog. Damn, it's about time. Yeah, it's probably going to ruffle some feathers, but who cares? You're probably going to confuse the hell out of a lot of people, but it's up to them to make the right choice. What you write is SO true. Ok, maybe, just MAYBE if you've hit a plateau that supplements or a little extra jolt may assist in breaking through it, but it's nothing you should use on a regular basis.

Cheers. Thanks for all the info.
Bobby Thompson


Bobby,
Every time I open my mouth I ruffle some feathers. It won’t stop me from speaking the truth, however. Keep on the right track.


Great article! i've thought the same about protein and post-workout drinks because i
consumed them methodically and never noticed an ounce more of weight gain nor increase in
strength.

thanks again.
Tom G.

Tom,
I was discussing this with a colleague of mine last night and he was mentioning how all of the studies on post workout nutrition are completely flawed and really don’t prove anything. When will the lies ever stop?

The Supplement Scam

Thanks so much to everyone for all the positive responses to yesterdays post. I will try to share more of them this week but here is one that I thought you might find interesting:


Jason- so you think all the research about post-workout nutrition is fabricated. Awful lot of evidence out there for over twenty years. Not sure where this idea is leading.

Do you think most people get enough essential fat? The fish oil thing is fabricated
also? Lots of studies.

How about glucosamine, again a lot of evidence. It seems to have stood the test of
time.

Is there an underlying thought process here?

Thanks

Michael



Mike,
It's all BS. I am lucky enough to know tons of the biggest and strongest guys in the
world. I have trained tons of athletes who were inhumanly big and strong and fast. Not to sound cocky, but I, myself am fairly strong and fast and routinely outlift people who outweigh me by 50lbs or more. No one believes in that crap. And if they did use all that garbage do you think that they would actually be bigger or stronger? Of course not. Post workout nutrition is the biggest scam of all time. Yes, you replenish glycogen faster, blunt cortisol levels, blah, blah, blah. Who cares? It doesn't matter nor does it make the least bit difference in the REAL WORLD. If you read the studies you can force a placebo effect on yourself and think it all works and matters. It doesn't. If I have a Gatorade and pizza and my twin brother drinks some pre-made fancy post workout shake for 16 wks straight it will make absolutely no difference at all. It doesn't matter because unless you are training three times per day you don't need to worry about the fastest acting shake under the sun.

See some people believe everything they read. I believe nothing I read. I only want to hear from people who have tons of real world evidence that they have actually seen
supplements do anything with themselves or their hundreds of clients. You can set up
studies to prove anything. Studies are usually worth the paper they are printed on.

Another reason I hate post workout drinks is because I hate ingesting unhealthy processed chemical crap like that. I keep my unhealthy intake to beer, weed and fried food. I don't need to throw in 60 packs of aspartame and all kinds of other crap on top of it on a regular basis. Food always was, still is and always will be better than supplements.

Fish oil is great. Do people get enough EFA's? No. Should they eat more salmon? Yes. If they don't, I have no problem with fish oil. In fact I like it. I was just trying to make a point and as you know I always do so in an in your face fashion.

With glucosamine you kind of missed the point of the article. I was talking about performance enhancement, thus I will not even discuss glucosamine as it doesn't enter into the equation here at all.

I just prefer to get everything I need through a good, well rounded organic diet. Nobody can argue that that isn't better than whacking down buckets of pills and chemicals all day. In fact, as a health and fitness professional I think its negligent for me to recommend aspartame and all kinds of other fake shit to people. I would rather tell them to eat fruits and veggies and lean protein and nuts and drink beer on the weekends if they like. They will be much better off.

Like I said, supplements suck.

Dont Believe Everything You Read

You have all read it and heard it before:

You need two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight a day.

You need a super fast acting post workout shake.

You need to take supplements to get big and strong.

You can't get stronger while dieting.

You need to do a dynamic warm up before lifting heavy.

You can't do conditioning or cardio if you want to get bigger and stronger.

These are all nonsensical myths that people want you to believe. If you do believe this stuff, it will actually be true. That's how the mind works. What you believe becomes your reality. I don't believe any of that stuff and thus it doesn't affect me or the hundreds of people I have trained over the last 13 years.

You don't need super high protein diets. It is a waste of your time and money to try to consume anything more than one gram per pound of bodyweight a day. The only time you would even need that much is if your carbs are extremely low. If you don't believe me, try it for yourself. Cut out all your protein shakes and just eat food. Your protein will drop by at least 25% but I would be willing to bet it has no negative effect on your size or strength. This myth is spewed by those who sell protein; don't buy it.

It doesn't matter how fast you replenish glycogen after a workout unless you are training three times per day. Fat free chocolate milk is the best tasting post workout drink going and works as well as any high priced crap on the market today. There is one real benefit to a post workout drink and one benefit only; it helps you get in more calories. By the time you finish training you probably haven't eaten in at least two hours, maybe more. After you clean up, shower, drive home or to a restaurant, another hour could pass. But if you slug down some kind of shake immediately after your last set it gives you a quick few hundred calories, and then you can eat your meal in an hour when you get home. That's it. Plus, most people don't feel like eating solid food after a hard workout which leaves them choking back their own vomit for 30 minutes.

You don't need ANY SUPPLEMENTS AT ALL! ZERO. That's right, I said and I stand by it. Supplements suck. They are a waste of time. All of them. Period. The end. Get your vitamins and minerals from eating lots of fruits and vegetables and don't worry about creatine, glutamine or branched chains. Drink coffee if you need a pre workout boost.

If strength gains are made by improving your neural drive how come you can't get stronger while dieting? You can. If you believe you can't, you won't. If you don't buy into this, you will get stronger. Now some lifts, like squats and deadlifts, are easier when you weigh more and have a bigger waist because of the wider base of support. Many other lifts will be harder because your leverages will change as your measurements decrease. Who cares? Just keep training to get stronger and you will be fine. If you believe you can do it, you will. If you don't, you will be weak and small like an internet guru in no time.

The dynamic warm up is starting to get really played out. Yesterday I started my workout with high pulls. I walked into the gym and did the following dynamic warm up to prepare for this workout...High pulls. It was a great workout and I am still alive to tell the tale.

I have trained countless athletes over the years and all of them spent a great deal of time running, jumping and playing their sport on top of the time they spent in the gym with me. They all got bigger and stronger. Forget you ever heard the myth that too much conditioning kills your size and strength gains and do what you want. Run sprints, play hoops, whatever; you will be fine.

In the last few days I have done the following while dieting strictly(down 15lbs in the last month):
1 Arm DB Rows- 35 reps with the 100's
Touch football for two hours Saturday with no warm up
Sled dragging Sunday for an hour
Deadlifts, yesterday- 500x5 from pin 2
Sprints today- 30 minutes intervals

While there is nothing overly impressive about any of that I should point out that I have had less than a gram of protein per lb of bodyweight, 500-1000 calories below maintenance, zero supplements and zero protein shakes. If I believed every myth listed above I should be weak and hospitalized right now. For those that don't know, without eating right and training hard I have the genetics of Pee Wee Herman. So I am not a freak case. I also try all of this on many, many test subjects. The results are all the same.

Very soon I will be releasing my new training manual which will destroy every myth there is and explain everything you need to know about training, in full detail; uncensored and no BS. No editors, no nothing, just me dishing the straight truth that nobody wants to tell you.

Get ready...

Things That Suck

First of all I have to apologize for my lack of posting lately. I have been incredibly busy with several things, including trying to finish a new project which will be launching in the next few weeks.

I promise I will get back to posting on a more frequent basis very soon.

Anyway, here's a list of things that suck (in no particular order):

1) Articles about the leg extension or smith machine being bad- OK, we fucking get it! EVERYBODY gets it. And I may be going out on a limb here but I don't think it's really cutting edge information anymore.

2) Dynamic warm ups- to quote my friend and world famous fitness expert who shall remain nameless, "fuck dynamic warmups (gayest term ever - even jogging is a fucking dynamic warmup - the only thing thats not a fucking dynamic warmup is standing motionless - idiots).

3) The anti static stretching movement- Static stretching is fine. Get over it.

4) Arguing full body workouts vs. splits- They both work in different situations. There is no right or wrong. Accept the fact.

5) Trying to constantly find the fastest acting post workout combo to put in a shake- Who gives a rat's ass? If I am able to replenish glycogen in two minutes or two hours, what difference does it really make? I'm not training again until TOMORROW!!! I'm sure I'll be fine and that the super lightning fast reverse osmosis hydrolyzed krprtonized, micronized, sanitized, desensitized, over analyzed, hypnotized, mesmerized whey wont work that much better than skim milk.

6) Articles about how steady state aerobic exercise sucks- The point has been made a million times. It's no longer cutting edge information. And it's still not 100% right. Like my good friend Jim Wendler said to me on the phone yesterday, "the last thing we need to do is being telling all the overweight people in this country that jogging is no good. Everyone should run a mile a day and maybe we'd all be a little healthier."

7) Lifting forums- Arguing training with someone on an internet training forum is about as whey(thanks to Jim for this term) as you can get.

8) Writing about how great you are in every article you write.

9) Strength coaches or trainers who can't squat at least 405. Are you kidding me?

10) Getting your bicep and ditch of your elbow tattooed. Call me a bitch, but that hurts.

11) Lists that end with 10.

The Speed Training Report Launches Today!

It's finally here! My friend Patrick Beith and his partner Latif Thomas, both world renowned speed experts, have just launched the Speed Report and I don't think you will want to miss out on the limited time introductory offer. For the best in speed training information click HERE now.

Lift Strong

This morning, while in the midst of my "upper body dynamic warm up" (three, cross chest arm swings; think Hulk Hogan on his way to the ring to wrestle the Iron Shiek in '84)I remembered that I had forgotten to notify everyone of the launch of a very exciting new project.

My good friend and two time cancer survivor, Alwyn Cosgrove, recruited a number of the top experts in the fitness industry for a huge compilation of incredible information. It is a total of over 800 pages of kick ass training info for only $24.99!!! All of the proceeds go to cancer research.

Please visit http://www.liftstrong.com/ to pick up your copy today.