fbpx
BOOM BOOM-Fall2018_0109

The Mind Muscle Connection: The Key To Better Awareness, Injury Prevention, and Progress

March 3, 2020
Written by Lisa Franz

18 minute read

Key takeaways

1

The mind muscle connection has not only been proven effective, but experience as trainers shows us people FEEL better and more engaged when it's a priority.

2

A good mind muscle connection may help improve imbalances and avoid injuries when training.

3

Whether your goal is strength, fat loss or hypertrophy - having a good mind muscle connection will be helpful in your pursuit.

When it comes to increasing muscle mass and getting stronger, there are a number of strategies. Most focus on training and nutrition.

Undoubtedly the most important factors.

But particularly when you want to build up strength, many overlook an important component.

The Mind Muscle Connection – an invisible connection between body and mind that you can train very consciously if you want to become stronger.

→ But what actually is the Mind Muscle Connection?

→ Why should you train your Mind Muscle Connection?

→ How you can maximize your training success with just minimal adjustments.

→ Why a good Mind Muscle Connection results in more fun and enjoyment in training.

→ How to train and improve the Mind Muscle Connection in a targeted manner.

So let’s begin…

What is the Mind Muscle Connection?

If you focus on lifting heavy in order to build up muscle strength and you are eating at maintenance or in a surplus with sufficient amounts of protein, you are already doing some things right.

However, many people forget what muscle power actually is. 

The theory is: More muscle mass = more strength

This equation is not entirely wrong. If you build muscle mass, you increase the strength potential of your body.

Nonetheless, another important question is: how do we use this potential or how does that strength get activated? The answer is simple: through will power (i.e. mind muscle connection).

It is you/your mind, who coordinates the muscle fibers, who regulates the build-up of tension and therefore decides on the development and output of strength.

That means, putting out muscle strength is primarily a skill.

It is the ability of your mind to use the already existing potential and to give the relevant structures the appropriate instructions.

The Mind Muscle Connection is the link between mind and muscle. 

It is one of the main differences between beginners and advanced athletes.

Why you should train your Mind Muscle Connection?

If you train and consciously promote the connection between mind and muscles, you will benefit from a whole range of advantages. Some of them may surprise you.

Here are the 5 essential advantages of a good mind muscle connection at a glance (explanations follow):

  1. Improved muscle coordination
  2. Improved self-awareness and control
  3. Compensation for asymmetries
  4. Better hyper- irradiation
  5. More fun, joy and motivation in your training

Let us now take a closer look at the individual advantages.

1. Better Muscle Coordination

Every movement of the body follows the instructions of your mind.

The control center, the brain, sends the instructions to the muscles via the central nervous system (CNS). This connection between mind and body, like all other structures in our body, is strengthened through use and weakened through neglect.

A poorly trained Mind Muscle Connection means that individual muscles cannot be coordinated properly, which leads to sloppy movement and wastes of strength. In addition to that, muscles that are ‘poorly tied in’ often “refuse” to grow.

An average person only uses 20-25% of the strength of their muscles because the muscles involved in the respective movement cannot be properly coordinated. (1)

There are basically two different types of muscle coordination:

→ Intramuscular coordination: The cooperation of the muscle fibers within a muscle.

→ Intermuscular coordination: the cooperation of the muscles with each other.

Both types of coordination are important in order to be able to carry out a movement well on the one hand and to develop as much power as possible on the other.

Poor coordination is often seen in squats, for example, when the knees of a beginner begin to slide inwards or the upper body is unstable.

Incorrect movement patterns like this, are a sign that the individual muscle fibers and muscle groups are not pulling together and therefore are not coordinated properly.

As a result, both strength and growth potential are lost.

Essentially, you getting stronger depends on two things:

  1. An increase in muscle mass
  2. An improvement in coordination.

Building muscle mass is energetically a very costly process for your body. From an evolutionary perspective, your body prefers to store energy rather than use it unnecessarily, because for our ancestors that was crucial for survival.

Your body therefore technically always prefers to improve coordination first. 

Of course, the more frequently we perform a movement, the better the muscles involved are coordinated, which results in a more powerful and also ‘healthier’ movement.

In the case of an improperly coordinated movement, support or stabilization muscles partially take over the part of the main muscles, which can lead to overloads much faster.

That means, always work on technique first before adding too much load to a lift.

2. Better Self-Awareness and Control

The more the body and mind work together, the better the self-perception develops.

Arnold Schwarzenegger once said: “You need to put your mind in the muscle.”

Particularly people new to resistance training often have problems feeling the target muscle of a movement. They may perform a lat pulldown and may feel the biceps at most, but not the back muscles or lats in particular.

But the basic rule is:

If you don’t feel a muscle working, it probably won’t be stimulated to the full extent. (3)

This rule becomes more important, the more the training experience increases.

At the beginning, the muscles will still grow due to the large unused potential even if you don’t feel that connection. But unless you train the Mind Muscle Connection and learn to “feel” into your muscles this progress slowly rather quickly. An improved Mind Muscle Connection means that you target individual muscles more directly and thus can train more intensively.

3. More Muscle Symmetry

Almost everyone has to deal with asymmetries. Usually one side is stronger and more muscular than the other.

This is because we usually favor one side of our body for our day to day activities and this side usually automatically has a better mind muscle connection.

How to compensate for asymmetries:

→ Incorporate unilateral exercises, train with free weights, such as dumbbells or kettlebells instead of only using barbells or machines. This way you can avoid that the stronger side supports the weaker side. When doing such exercises, always make sure that you only do as many repetitions with the stronger side as you do on the weaker side and that the stronger side “waits” for the weaker side and does not rush. If you do one side after the other, do the weaker side before the stronger side when your CNS is still ‘fresh’.

→ Deliberately use the weaker side more frequently in everyday life. For example try to use your weaker arm in everyday activities like lifting a box, opening a door, eating or brushing your teeth . This will help improve the Mind Muscle Connection on this side and therefore help assimilate both sides.

Overall: An improved mind muscle connection helps to compensate for asymmetries.

4. Better Hyper-Irradiation

What the heck is hyper-irradiation (2)? It sounds like rocket science, but it’s basically a fancy word for “full body tension”.

The premise is that the more muscles are involved in a movement, the more power you can develop. 

You can test the hyper-irradiation effect very nicely at home. Let’s do an experiment:

Step 1:

→ Grab a sturdy bar with one hand and tension your grip as hard as possible.

→ Just consciously concentrate on tensing the forearm muscles and deliberately remove any tension from all other muscles. Try to keep your legs, stomach, back, shoulders and upper arms as relaxed as possible and only press them down with the strength of your forearms.

Step 2:

→ Do the same experiment again, but this time take an upright position.

→ Consciously contract as many muscles as possible. (“maximum body tension”)

→ Tense your legs, buttocks and stomach to have a stable, strong position and consciously use your back muscles, shoulders and upper arm muscles when pushing.

→ Direct the energy from the entire body into your hands via the forearms and grip as firmly as you can.

You will immediately feel that you can develop much more power. This effect is called hyper-irradiation.

The force (i.e. the tension) is transferred from other muscles to the actual main “moving” muscles. This means that all muscles that are consciously activated support each other.

The better the Mind Muscle Connection is developed, the more muscles you can be included in a movement and the greater the tension built up. More tension means more strength.

At the same time, the additional tense muscles improve stability during movement, which means that you protect yourself more from injuries.

An improved mind muscle connection leads to a greater use of the hyper-irritation effect and thus to more strength and stability.

5. More Fun, Enjoyment and Motivation For Your Training

We have already covered quite a few benefits of an improved Mind Muscle Connection for the development of strength and muscle mass. This one however, is the most important point in my opinion:

By training the connection between mind and muscles, you inevitably focus completely on your workout or at least a lot more than you would otherwise. 

It is impossible to think of what you might buy at the grocery store while paying attention to the movement and contraction of individual muscles.

When you are fully committed to trying to contract as many muscles as possible, to feel the movement, your thoughts are completely in the here and now. The only thing you think about is coping with the challenges you set yourself in training.

That is the moment when you are in the flow and forget all worries and problems of your everyday life.

With this, training becomes even more fulfilling and an opportunity where you can zone out and just have some “you time”..

I believe that anyone who finds their “zone” in training will be much more motivated to stick with their training long term, because it becomes a “necessity”, “happy place” or at least “safe zone” for them.

Some days it’s harder to “stay in the zone” than others (especially because we all have a million things going on”), but in order to make your training a fulfilling part of your life and to get the most out of it, try to be present as much as you can.

 If you want to learn more about schemes that can help you end training boredom check out this blog HERE.

Key facts – Why you should train your Mind Muscle Connection:

→ To be able to coordinate your muscles better and therefore be able to generate more strength.

→ To target individual muscles and therefore be able to train more intensely in your compound lifts later on.

→ To work on asymmetries.

→ To improve the hyper-irradiation and therefore generate more strength and stability.

→ To get into ‘the zone’ in your training and increase motivation and enjoyment in your training.

Now that you know the main benefits of a well-developed mind muscle connection, it’s time to take action.

How to Train the Mind Muscle Connection

Lisa grabbing DB's
Building muscle and having this awareness doesn’t change (with importance) between male and female lifters!

I have already touched on the most important thing that can improve your mind-muscle connection: Being completely ‘in the zone’ and consciously feeling the movement and contraction of the individual muscles.

Consciously tightening both, the target muscle and the support muscles.

This is primarily a question of practice.

The more often you concentrate, consciously contract individual muscles and include as many muscles as possible in an exercise, the more efficient your Mind Muscle Connection will become.

I already mentioned it at the beginning: it is a skill. Practice the skill and you will improve automatically.

To expand on that though, I will now show you four training tools with which you can train the Mind Muscle Connection even more targeted:

  1. Peak contraction
  2. Static exercises exercises
  3. Isolation
  4. Posing

Let’s go through them one by one.

1. Peak Contraction

Peak contraction helps you to improve the interaction of the individual muscles.

Briefly stop a movement at the top point, then tense all muscles as tight as possible.

In a Pull up for example, it would look like this: You stop the movement shortly after your chin has passed the bar and then consciously tense all muscles. When deadlifting and squatting, this point corresponds to the upright position.

By consciously contracting all muscles, you improve your ability to include as many muscles as possible in one movement. So you are training to make better use of the hyper-irradiation effect described above.

Using the peak contraction method costs more energy than performing the exercise ‘normally’. Because of that you might be able to do fewer repetitions overall. Use this technique targeted and not arbitrary.

For example limit yourself to two sets per session and use them specifically with compound lifts and at the end of your training.

2. Static Exercises

Static exercises, such as the plank, can have a similar effect to the peak contraction method, if executed properly.

During static exercises, you also focus on getting all muscles to work together at the same time, which obviously improves inter-muscular coordination.

However, many people try to do the exercise as effortlessly as possible in order to be able to hold the position longer. This makes a static exercise lose its actual function.

Let’s take a look at the correct version using the example of the plank:

Static exercises – technical example: Plank

Notes:

→ Your back should be in a stable, neutral position. That means you neither round it nor hold it in an arched position.

→ Your head is in a neutral position.

→ Your legs and butt are tightly squeezed.

→ Tip: try to move your toes and elbows towards each other (but without actually moving them) – this will increase your overall tension.

That means: Efficiency is not the focus here! Static exercise are not done to save as much energy as possible – on the contrary – with as much body tension as possible. (5)

Only that way will they help you improve Mind Muscle Connection (especially the interaction of the muscle groups) and the entire stabilization muscles of your body.

Static Exercises – How to Choose and Use the Right Exercise

Aside form the plank, there are many other effective static bodyweight exercises that can help you improve Mind-Muscle Connection

For example:

→ Side planks

→ Reverse Planks 

→ Superman holds

→ L-Sit

→ Squat Hold 

→ Frontlever

→ Backlever

→ Handstand hold

How to implement them:

→ Perform one of these exercises or a variation of it at the end of your workout for a total of 3 sets.

→ Hold for as long as possible with maximal body tension.

→ Write down the length of time that you were able to perform the exercise well to see progress over time.

→ If you can hold an exercise for longer than 30 seconds, you could switch to a more difficult variation for example by lifting an arm or a leg when you are in plank position.

3. Isolation Exercises

Now it gets a bit confusing, because the techniques mentioned so far aim to promote the interaction of the muscles and to better utilize the hyper-irradiation effect. They are anti-isolation techniques, so to speak.

Then why can isolation exercises help you strengthen the Mind Muscle Connection?

Simply put: Everyone has muscular imbalances or weaknesses. Isolation exercises are one way of dealing with your weak points.

Isolation exercises works in two ways:

→ They train the targeted muscle directly

→ They train the Mind Muscle Connection of the isolated muscle, so that you can include it more easily in compound lifts.

Here is an example:

Suppose you had problems increasing your back musculature.

One of the best exercises for a strong back is the pull-up.

Many people, especially beginners, say that they can’t feel their back properly during the exercise and therefore pull more with their arms. By the way, the same problem often occurs with the lat pulldown.

At this point I would like to remind you of the basic rule from above: If you do not feel a muscle, it is likely not sufficiently stimulated.

In order to solve the problem, you can train your back in isolation, for example with the exercise “lat pulldown with straight arms”. Concentrating consciously on the contraction of your lats. Perform the exercise slowly and see where you can feel the contraction. You can also get a trainer or friend to ‘touch’ the lats so that you know where you are supposed to feel the exercise.

The Mind Muscle Connection in the back musculature will gradually improve, so that you can engage it properly in a pull up as well.

When performing an isolation exercise, a very high focus is the key to success.

Isolation exercises – How to use them correctly:

→ Add isolation exercises at the end of your workout to enhance mind muscle connection or at the beginning of your workout to stimulate and “feel” the targeted muscle better.

→ Concentrate on the contraction of the trained muscles – load is less important here (if at all)

→ Often times higher reps can help you ‘feel the muscle” better, as it might take a while for you to form that connection.

If you want to learn more about how to create the perfect training program for yourself check out this blog HERE.

4. Posing

Conscious posing is totally underestimated, because it is an excellent way to train your Mind Muscle Connection. You may laugh at people that check their biceps in the mirror, but if you do it right, you can learn to contract certain muscles through posing. This also makes it easier for you to contract these muscles during training.

This can be done in two ways:

→ You activate individual muscles and achieve a similar effect as with an isolation exercise

→ You activate multiple muscles in combination and improve intra-muscular coordination that way.

In any case, posing is a worthwhile technique with which you learn to control your body better.

The advantage is that with the exception of a mirror, you don’t need any other aids. Therefore, you can even practice at home, within your own four walls.

You don’t need any specific instructions for this. You can simply try to use either technique whenever you please. Concentrate on the contraction and feel how it feels. This is what will train the Mind Muscle Connection the most. (4)

If you are considering doing a bodybuilding competition check out this blog HERE on what to expect.

Key facts –  This is how you can train the Mind Muscle Connection:

→ Peak contraction – Stop the movement at the highest point, then tighten all muscles as much as possible.

→ Static exercises – Instead of performing the exercise as effortlessly as possible, focus on maximum body tension.

→ Isolation Exercises – incorporate in higher reps with light loads before your workout as an activation or after your workout to really ‘feel’ the connection

→ Posing – When you pose, you learn to specifically activate certain muscles. This makes it easier for you to contract these muscles even more during training.


Summary

The Mind Muscle Connection is one of the most important skills for building strength and muscle mass and for creating and keeping a training routine which is fun and keeps you motivated. It is one of the crucial differences between beginners and advanced athletes.

If your training progress has stalled or you have lost your motivation for training, focusing more on Mind Muscle Connection could be the missing piece of the puzzle for you. Ultimately, every athlete, probably actually every person, benefits from a better working mind muscle connection, because basically all it means is ‘good body control’.

A well-trained Mind Muscle Connection gives you control and a deep connection to the only “thing” that accompanies you all your physical life.

I think it deserves your attention! 🙂

If you need a little extra help with a training program check out our membership site, The Tailored Trainer.


Resources:
  1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14998709
  2. https://sunwarrior.com/blogs/health-hub/hyper-irradiation-instantly-increase-strength-mobility
  3. https://bretcontreras.com/wp-content/uploads/Attentional-Focus-for-Maximizing-Muscle-Development-The-Mind-Muscle-Connection.pdf
  4. https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/4-tips-to-help-train-your-brain-massive-gains-mind-muscle-connection.html
  5. https://www.marathonfitness.de/mind-muscle-connection/
Links to Our Website Sources:

The Tailored Trainer (Membership)

https://tailoredcoachingmethod.com/21-rep-schemes/

https://tailoredcoachingmethod.com/guide-full-body-training/

https://tailoredcoachingmethod.com/bikini-competition-crash-course/

Everything You Need to Finally Hit Your Goals:

→ Customized Nutrition Plan
→ Tailored Workout Programs
→ Unlimited Access & Support

Untitled_design__4_-removebg-preview

Our clients are 95% more likely to reach their goals than people attempting to do so on their own!

Loved it?

Send it to a friend

Written by
Lisa Franz

Read it next

Research Round Up (Refeeds, BCAA’s, and Energy Expenditure)
Nutrition
Research Round Up (Refeeds, BCAA’s, and Energy Expenditure)

Each month I will cover a few of the top research articles on nutrition, training,…

Nutrition
10 Ways To Kill Cravings
Nutrition
10 Ways To Kill Cravings

When you’re on a diet, one of the most annoying things you’re going to come…

Nutrition
11 Things to Step Up Your Diet Game
Nutrition
11 Things to Step Up Your Diet Game

1.)  Water.  I put this as number one because it is obvious but not done…

Nutrition
[PODCAST INTERVIEW] OPEX Fitness: Cody "Boom Boom" McBroom
Coaching
[PODCAST INTERVIEW] OPEX Fitness: Cody "Boom Boom" McBroom

I was recently interviewed on The OPEX Fitness Podcast [OPEX: Fitness Explained] and it was…

Coaching
"Active Recovery" – Burn More Calories & Build More Muscle on Your Rest Days.
Training
"Active Recovery" – Burn More Calories & Build More Muscle on Your Rest Days.

As a reader of my blog, I can assume your goal is to look, perform,…

Training
[Daily Dose] Habits and Addictions Are The Same
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Habits and Addictions Are The Same

Habits and Addictions Are The Same This is crazy, but did you know that less…

Daily Dose
LEAVE A LEGACY, LIVE FOREVER.
Coaching
LEAVE A LEGACY, LIVE FOREVER.

It’s tough for us to say, but we will all someday be dead. Finished. Non-existent….

Coaching
How Hormones Influence Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Fat Loss
How Hormones Influence Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

Achieving your fitness goals, whether it’s shedding unwanted fat or gaining lean muscle, goes beyond…

Fat Loss
37 Power Foods For Men
Nutrition
37 Power Foods For Men

THIS IS NOT CLICKBATE! These are REAL foods that men THRIVE off of. I had…

Nutrition
Old Geezer Metabolic Syndrome
Nutrition
Old Geezer Metabolic Syndrome

“So, it’s happening to you too? Your metabolism keeps slowing down each and every birthday?” …

Nutrition
Does Periodization Matter For Hypertrophy Training?
Science
Does Periodization Matter For Hypertrophy Training?

What is Training Periodization? Periodization is the manipulation of training variables over time to reach…

Science
3 Steps To Building A Better Butt
Training
3 Steps To Building A Better Butt

When I decided to write this article, my first thought was actually just being surprised…

Training
2014, Your Year For Growth
Lifestyle
2014, Your Year For Growth

The New Year is upon us, which means its resolutions time. Many people think it’s…

Lifestyle
Almonds Nutrition Facts: Everything You Want To Know
Micronutrient Index
Almonds Nutrition Facts: Everything You Want To Know

Almonds: A Healthy On-The-Go Snack Almonds have been cherished throughout history, from ancient civilizations to…

Micronutrient Index
5 Tips For More Consistency
Training
5 Tips For More Consistency

  So many times we, yes I’m including myself, want to add all the little…

Training
Top 3 Micronutrients You Are Missing, Yet Desperately Need
Nutrition
Top 3 Micronutrients You Are Missing, Yet Desperately Need

At some point in time, micronutrients became really uncool to consider as an important part…

Nutrition
Fish Oil Supplementation 101
guides
Fish Oil Supplementation 101

Fish oil supplements are widely used for their health and wellness benefits. Fish oil is…

guides
How Your Intensity Determines Your Results
Training
How Your Intensity Determines Your Results

Intensity… It’s a sexy word in the fitness world. It makes us feel like we’re…

Training
"Selfish" or "Self-Interested"
Nutrition
"Selfish" or "Self-Interested"

Are you Selfish? Or Self-Interested…? Have you ever felt selfish for trying to start something…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Your efforts need to match your goals.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your efforts need to match your goals.

Your efforts need to match your goals. I attended a webinar recently and the speaker…

Daily Dose
Research Roundup (Do Weight Vest Help Fat Loss and is Betaine Worth The Hype?)
Nutrition
Research Roundup (Do Weight Vest Help Fat Loss and is Betaine Worth The Hype?)

Each month I will cover a few of the top research articles on nutrition, training,…

Nutrition
Understanding Your Neurotype (Personality Testing For Individualized Results)
Coaching
Understanding Your Neurotype (Personality Testing For Individualized Results)

  Understanding Your Neurotype Table of Contents What is Neurotype Training? Who Should Use Neurotype…

Coaching
A Simple Guide To Women’s Health (FAQ)
Nutrition
A Simple Guide To Women’s Health (FAQ)

When it comes to writing nutrition plans, we at TCM believe that everyone deserves an…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] They’re Tools, Not Time Machines!
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] They’re Tools, Not Time Machines!

They’re Tools, Not Time Machines! “Tools and time machines…? What the hell are you talking…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Nobody is Self-Made.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Nobody is Self-Made.

Nobody is Self-Made. We’re here out in Arizona for a team retreat and wow… my…

Daily Dose
Fast & Efficient Recovery
Training
Fast & Efficient Recovery

When it comes to training there are always some aspects that people leave out or…

Training
Cardio vs. Lifting… What’s Better For Fat Loss?
Training
Cardio vs. Lifting… What’s Better For Fat Loss?

Cardio vs. Lifting.  Which is better for fat loss or improved body composition?  As with…

Training
How To Get 6-Pack Abs (3-Step Guide To A Shredded Core)
guides
How To Get 6-Pack Abs (3-Step Guide To A Shredded Core)

  How To Get 6-Pack Abs Table of Contents How To Get 6-Pack Abs 1….

guides
Sleep = Results Part 2
Lifestyle
Sleep = Results Part 2

 So we talked about sleep and why it directly links to your results in the…

Lifestyle
Biofeedback (The Most Important Metrics You’re Not Tracking)
Nutrition
Biofeedback (The Most Important Metrics You’re Not Tracking)

“Biofeedback…? What exactly is that and why should I care about it?” Biofeedback – a…

Nutrition
The Ultimate Evidence Based Supplement Guide
guides
The Ultimate Evidence Based Supplement Guide

The supplement industry is MASSIVE. In fact, it’s currently a 36.6 Billion Dollar Industry. Crazy,…

guides
8 Ways To Instantly Sleep Better
Lifestyle
8 Ways To Instantly Sleep Better

Sleep… None of us “get enough” and we all want “more hours in the day”……

Lifestyle
How Much Protein Can You Absorb In One Meal?
Nutrition
How Much Protein Can You Absorb In One Meal?

What Does “Protein Absorption” Mean…? From a nutritional view, absorption describes the passage of nutrients…

Nutrition
‘Cheat Meals’, Refeeds & Diet-Breaks – What Actually Works
Nutrition
‘Cheat Meals’, Refeeds & Diet-Breaks – What Actually Works

“Cheat Meal”… The two most holy words in the diet vocabulary that every single client…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Winners Arent Afraid To Lose
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Winners Arent Afraid To Lose

Winner’s Aren’t Afraid To Lose. This actually comes straight out of a Chris Stapleton song,…

Daily Dose
EPISODE 9: Associate Pain vs Pleasure to Commit to Success
Nutrition
EPISODE 9: Associate Pain vs Pleasure to Commit to Success

Week 9 people! I got to be honest… I’m addicted to this lifestyle. In other…

Nutrition
Nutrition

10 Ways To Boost Metabolism & Burn MORE Fat 1.) Drink More Water. – A…

Nutrition
Get Shredded for Summer! [Free Diet Plan]
Nutrition
Get Shredded for Summer! [Free Diet Plan]

  What is the best fat loss diet plan? I always get that question and…

Nutrition
Death To The Meal Plan [5 Reasons Why Your Meal Plan Failed & Will Keep Failing]
Nutrition
Death To The Meal Plan [5 Reasons Why Your Meal Plan Failed & Will Keep Failing]

I’m going to try and keep this one short and too the point – notice…

Nutrition
Blue Light Blockers (Benefit or BS?) and Trainings Effect on Sleep: Research Roundup w/ Dr. Brandon Roberts
Science
Blue Light Blockers (Benefit or BS?) and Trainings Effect on Sleep: Research Roundup w/ Dr. Brandon Roberts

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Science
7 Most Frequently Asked Nutrition Questions
Nutrition
7 Most Frequently Asked Nutrition Questions

# 1 – I’m Ready To Get Fit! But Where Do I Start…? Most people…

Nutrition
A Crash Course On Your Hormones (What You Need To Know)
guides
A Crash Course On Your Hormones (What You Need To Know)

You scroll through your Instagram and you read a post which says “Could your hormones…

guides
[Daily Dose] 6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] 6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday

6 Quotes + 3 Steps To Supercharge Your Monday Today, I need to bring some…

Daily Dose
The Athlete’s Guide To Weight Cutting
Coaching
The Athlete’s Guide To Weight Cutting

This is not a guide for how to quickly lose 10 pounds of fat, so…

Coaching
Opening My Eyes To REAL Life & The REAL Me. [Resurrection Week: Day 1]
Coaching
Opening My Eyes To REAL Life & The REAL Me. [Resurrection Week: Day 1]

  Last week I was Resurrected, which technically means being raised up from the dead……

Coaching
"Post College Party Pouch"- Losing Weight After College
Nutrition
"Post College Party Pouch"- Losing Weight After College

College is full of beer, parties and cheap microwave dinners and although that may sound…

Nutrition
Heat/Cold Therapy To Reduce DOMS and Improve Recovery + Health Benefits Of Fasting – March Research Review
Nutrition
Heat/Cold Therapy To Reduce DOMS and Improve Recovery + Health Benefits Of Fasting – March Research Review

*Note from Brandon: if you want to learn how to interpret research go read each…

Nutrition
Can You Drink Alcohol and Lose Fat?
guides
Can You Drink Alcohol and Lose Fat?

Alcohol… Whether it’s Monday Night Football, summertime BBQ’s, date night with your wife, or just…

guides
Resistance. The #1 Thing Holding Us Back.
Coaching
Resistance. The #1 Thing Holding Us Back.

Overcoming resistance is success, period. To achieve a result, we need to overcome resistance. And…

Coaching
The "Handful" Diet
Nutrition
The "Handful" Diet

What you will find here today is, in my opinion, the easiest possible diet to…

Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] The Smartest Approach To Program Design
Training
[VIDEO BLOG] The Smartest Approach To Program Design

Training program design, is a pretty big deal. I mean… it’s LITERALLY the thing that…

Training
How to Create A Fat Loss Meal Plan
Nutrition
How to Create A Fat Loss Meal Plan

First we need to define and differentiate the different kinds of diets you can follow…

Nutrition
3-Phase Fat Loss Diet System
Nutrition
3-Phase Fat Loss Diet System

People often look at training program design and immediately consider periodization – because how can…

Nutrition
The Decline Of Male Testosterone (Why It’s At An All Time Low)
Nutrition
The Decline Of Male Testosterone (Why It’s At An All Time Low)

Testosterone is perhaps the most well known and most sought after hormone in the male…

Nutrition
The Hypertrophy Guide
Science
The Hypertrophy Guide

First, let’s define hypertrophy and why you may want to strive for it: hy·per·tro·phy /hīˈpərtrəfē/…

Science
"The Perfect Diet: Paleo + IIFYM + Intermittent Fasting" Ft. on DrJohnRusin.com
Nutrition
"The Perfect Diet: Paleo + IIFYM + Intermittent Fasting" Ft. on DrJohnRusin.com

Getting stuck into a dogmatic approach or claiming a “camp” with your nutrition, is dumb….

Nutrition
The Ultimate Hardgainer Guide to Getting Jacked
Training
The Ultimate Hardgainer Guide to Getting Jacked

You’re reading this because you feel skinny, unathletic, weaker than you should be, or as…

Training
5 Laws of Conditioning
Training
5 Laws of Conditioning

A lot of people get confused about or over think their cardio/conditioning. This could be…

Training
Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Feeding [Magic or Myth?]
Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting and Time Restricted Feeding [Magic or Myth?]

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had someone tell you how amazing Intermittent Fasting is? …

Nutrition
How Low Can You Take Your Calories?
Nutrition
How Low Can You Take Your Calories?

People want to lose weight as fast as possible, but at some point it becomes…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] If people hate, it means you’re winning.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] If people hate, it means you’re winning.

If people hate, it means you’re winning. When I say hate, I don’t just mean…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] “WHY NOT YOU….?”
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] “WHY NOT YOU….?”

“WHY NOT YOU….?” There’s something about being a human that innately slows you down or…

Daily Dose
Functional Upper Body Training Session [Full Workout Explained]
Training
Functional Upper Body Training Session [Full Workout Explained]

Watch the video below to get access to an exclusive functional hypertrophy training program [for…

Training
Your “Part by Part” Guide To More Muscle, Less Fat.
Training
Your “Part by Part” Guide To More Muscle, Less Fat.

First and foremost, let’s talk about whom this article is for. Plain and simple, this…

Training
What Happens If You Eat Too Much Protein? (More Protein = More Fat Loss…)
Nutrition
What Happens If You Eat Too Much Protein? (More Protein = More Fat Loss…)

What is Protein Overfeeding? Protein overfeeding, commonly known as over-eating protein to the everyday individual,…

Nutrition
Does Cortisol Affect Fat Loss?
Hormones
Does Cortisol Affect Fat Loss?

Do High Cortisol Levels Prevent Fat Loss From Occurring? [Research Review] Cortisol is a glucocorticoid…

Hormones
11 Reasons You Need Fish Oil
Nutrition
11 Reasons You Need Fish Oil

Inflammation is the leading cause of chronic disease in today’s society. Thankfully, there are various…

Nutrition
What To Do After The CrossFit Open
Coaching
What To Do After The CrossFit Open

We’ve talked about periodization a few times prior to this post on the BBP blog,…

Coaching
[VIDEO BLOG] Losing Stubborn Body Fat
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] Losing Stubborn Body Fat

Stubborn Body Fat – AKA Our Biggest Enemy. You know… Spare tire, love handles, hips,…

Nutrition
The Volume Battle (How Training Progression Works)
guides
The Volume Battle (How Training Progression Works)

This article is a dive into the science of volume for optimizing hypertrophy. I encourage…

guides
The Complete Guide To Using Cluster Sets (What? Why? How?)
guides
The Complete Guide To Using Cluster Sets (What? Why? How?)

Cluster Sets are a training method that has been around for a VERY long period…

guides
Are You Progressing? [FREE GUIDE: Key Strategies To Progressing Your Training For Results]
Training
Are You Progressing? [FREE GUIDE: Key Strategies To Progressing Your Training For Results]

Anyone who is into bodybuilding, or even just training for specific goals and results, knows…

Training
10 Things People Who Stay Lean Year Around Do. (#7 Will Surprise You)
Coaching
10 Things People Who Stay Lean Year Around Do. (#7 Will Surprise You)

When it comes to creating the lean body we all want, the ultimate goal is…

Coaching
Two-A-Day Training: Is More Better? Or Destructive?
Training
Two-A-Day Training: Is More Better? Or Destructive?

Training twice per day, also known as two-a-days, stems from the idea that more is…

Training
Navigating Through The Holidays (Realistic Holiday Health Outcomes)
Lifestyle
Navigating Through The Holidays (Realistic Holiday Health Outcomes)

This isn’t your typical “Thanksgiving Survival Guide” nutrition blog that’s going to save you from…

Lifestyle
Your Nutrition Strategy Heading Into The Open
Nutrition
Your Nutrition Strategy Heading Into The Open

Do you workout fasted or are you one of those people who absolutely has to…

Nutrition
High Carb Diets Work Better For Fat Loss Than Low Carb Diets
Nutrition
High Carb Diets Work Better For Fat Loss Than Low Carb Diets

What if I Told You That Science Says Low Carb Diets Suck…? ….for fat loss…

Nutrition
Is Your Metabolism Damaged?
Nutrition
Is Your Metabolism Damaged?

Metabolic Damage [Refeeds, Cheat Meals, Reverse Dieting & How To Utilize Them For Results] So…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Growth must be forced.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Growth must be forced.

Growth must be forced. This is going to be short, to the point, and powerful…

Daily Dose
[VIDEO BLOG] The Purpose of Reverse Dieting
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] The Purpose of Reverse Dieting

Reverse Dieting… This is a really hot topic right now, but why? What’s the ACTUAL purpose…

Nutrition
Research Roundup (Exercise Order and Fast vs. Slow Weight Loss)
Nutrition
Research Roundup (Exercise Order and Fast vs. Slow Weight Loss)

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
6 Reasons You’re Not Getting Results
Nutrition
6 Reasons You’re Not Getting Results

Most of us are doing many little things throughout the day and week that are…

Nutrition
Overtraining or Under-Recovering? (Killing Yourself in The Gym is Killing Your Progress and Hormones)
Nutrition
Overtraining or Under-Recovering? (Killing Yourself in The Gym is Killing Your Progress and Hormones)

Why Killing Yourself In The Gym Might Be Killing Your Progress (and Wrecking Your Hormones)…

Nutrition
5 Travel Strategies To Avoid Falling Off The Wagon
Lifestyle
5 Travel Strategies To Avoid Falling Off The Wagon

Travel is a part of life no matter if it’s for work or pleasure, with…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] TRY HARDER.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] TRY HARDER.

TRY HARDER. Try harder. Period. And I should just end it here. Because honestly… why…

Daily Dose
Top Strategies For Mastering Your Meal Prep
Nutrition
Top Strategies For Mastering Your Meal Prep

When counting macros, consistency is the name of the game! I’m sure you’ve heard nutrition…

Nutrition
The Hero’s Journey To Total Transformation
Nutrition
The Hero’s Journey To Total Transformation

If you’re a movie geek like me, you know exactly what the hero’s journey truly is….

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide.

Use Doubt As Fuel, Not Hydroxide. Do you know what hydroxide can do to your…

Daily Dose
The Liver Detox Diet (Not Your Average ‘Quick Fix’Detox)
Lifestyle
The Liver Detox Diet (Not Your Average ‘Quick Fix’Detox)

The liver is the main organ in charge of detoxification. It constantly “clears out” toxins…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] But what if you gain the weight back…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] But what if you gain the weight back…?

But what if you gain the weight back…? This is a VERY common question we…

Daily Dose
Practical Experiences and Applications Of Intermittent Fasting
Nutrition
Practical Experiences and Applications Of Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting, time restricted eating, carb fasts, water fasts, 24 hour fasts, multi-day fasts… There…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] 9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] 9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success

9 Habits That Increase Dietary Success When it comes to ACTUALLY seeing success from your…

Daily Dose
7 Steps to a Stress Free Life
Lifestyle
7 Steps to a Stress Free Life

Stress is everywhere and within every person out there. Very few people are completely stress…

Lifestyle
The Simplicity Of Success
Nutrition
The Simplicity Of Success

I’m a trainer at a gym (the best gym in state… just sayin’), I am…

Nutrition
The Essential Guide to Salmon Nutrition and Its Health Advantages
Micronutrient Index
The Essential Guide to Salmon Nutrition and Its Health Advantages

Salmon, known for its rich flavor and nutritional value, holds a significant place in various…

Micronutrient Index
How to Build Lasting Habits, While Breaking The Ones Holding You Back
Lifestyle
How to Build Lasting Habits, While Breaking The Ones Holding You Back

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to effortlessly follow through with their workout…

Lifestyle
What Does Your Body Store As Fat Easiest? Carbs vs. Fats
Nutrition
What Does Your Body Store As Fat Easiest? Carbs vs. Fats

Is it harder for the body to store carbs as fat, than it is to…

Nutrition
Food Wars!
Nutrition
Food Wars!

Today I am going to start a battle of food! Hopefully I can answer many…

Nutrition
What’s The Best Workout Split For You?
Training
What’s The Best Workout Split For You?

This is a VERY common question we get at TCM (what’s the best workout split?),…

Training
Designing The Perfect Workout Finisher
Training
Designing The Perfect Workout Finisher

Let’s talk about finishers. First – what exactly IS a finisher? You can’t beat the…

Training
Cortisol – The Double Edged Sword of Fat Loss and Muscle Growth
Physiology
Cortisol – The Double Edged Sword of Fat Loss and Muscle Growth

Cortisol… one of the most feared hormones, also one of the most misunderstood. It’s also…

Physiology
Stretching For Hypertrophy {Muscle Growth}: Does it work?
Training
Stretching For Hypertrophy {Muscle Growth}: Does it work?

Training Intensification Tip Part 2: Inter-set Stretching & Stretch Mediated Hypertrophy Intensification techniques, also known…

Training
Cardio… what’s right, what sucks, and implementing it yourself.
Training
Cardio… what’s right, what sucks, and implementing it yourself.

Cardio… Man, it sucks. Plain and simple. None of us like it, yet all of…

Training
How To Properly Warm Up, For Strength Training
Training
How To Properly Warm Up, For Strength Training

Warming up for a strength training session is often a boring, yet unbelievably critical, task…

Training
Boom-Boom’s Protein Balls [Recipe + Macros]
Nutrition
Boom-Boom’s Protein Balls [Recipe + Macros]

What could be a better snack then something high in protein, low in calories, easy…

Nutrition
Nutrition For Pregnancy [Fueling Your Body Pre, During, & Post Pregnancy]
Nutrition
Nutrition For Pregnancy [Fueling Your Body Pre, During, & Post Pregnancy]

So you’re growing a human (or maybe thinking about growing a human) and therefore, you’re…

Nutrition
"Fat-Burning Foods" [ Truth or Myth? ]
Nutrition
"Fat-Burning Foods" [ Truth or Myth? ]

Do you ever read media titles that say things like, “Eat Salmon to burn MORE…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] The Pursuit of Fulfillment
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Pursuit of Fulfillment

The Pursuit of Fulfillment Someone asked me on my IG story Q&A the other day,…

Daily Dose
25 Reasons Low Carb Diets Suck
Nutrition
25 Reasons Low Carb Diets Suck

Low Carb Diets… I’m not a fan. Just being honest. Why? Well, let me give…

Nutrition
How To Use Supersets In Your Training
Training
How To Use Supersets In Your Training

Training Intensification Tip Part 1: Supersets Intensification techniques, also known as advanced techniques, are a…

Training
[Daily Dose] The Gardener.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Gardener.

The Gardener. What does a gardener and a champion have in common? A Prolific Sense…

Daily Dose
Resistance Training vs. Cardio PT.2 [Ending The Debate]
Training
Resistance Training vs. Cardio PT.2 [Ending The Debate]

What’s better – Resistance Training or Cardio, ending the debate once and for all The…

Training
The 5 Metrics You MUST Be Measuring
Coaching
The 5 Metrics You MUST Be Measuring

Have you ever heard the saying, “what gets measured gets improved?” Progress can be measured…

Coaching
Train Like an Athlete
Training
Train Like an Athlete

For many reasons, everybody should aim to train like an athlete. First of all would…

Training
7 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight
Nutrition
7 Reasons You’re Not Losing Weight

I wrote an email for my subscribers the other day called “White Noise”. It went…

Nutrition
Become Lean AND Healthy, Long-Term
Lifestyle
Become Lean AND Healthy, Long-Term

  When I reflect back on all that I’ve been through in this lifestyle of…

Lifestyle
Why Losing Weight Gets Harder and Harder… [& How To STOP It!]
Lifestyle
Why Losing Weight Gets Harder and Harder… [& How To STOP It!]

The majority of the people I work with, including myself, want to lose body fat….

Lifestyle
The Definitive Guide To Creatine Monohydrate
guides
The Definitive Guide To Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate… might just be our favorite supplement.  Why? Well, because we can recommend it…

guides
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life Pt.2
Hormones
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life Pt.2

There are 4 key parts of health and longevity promotion and today we are discussing…

Hormones
Training Under The Influence
Training
Training Under The Influence

After reading the title I’m sure your all a bit confused, why would you train…

Training
Why YOU Are Not Getting Results.
Nutrition
Why YOU Are Not Getting Results.

I think everyone, at least once within his or her training history, has been stuck….

Nutrition
5 Ways To Burn MORE Fat Daily
Nutrition
5 Ways To Burn MORE Fat Daily

Today, you will learn 5 ways you can burn more fat on a daily basis……

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Be A Leader, Not A Follower.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Be A Leader, Not A Follower.

Be A Leader, Not A Follower. If you’re reading this, it means you want to…

Daily Dose
How To Change Your Behaviors and Lose More Weight
Nutrition
How To Change Your Behaviors and Lose More Weight

We appear to be going about health and weight loss all wrong. As nutrition coaches,…

Nutrition
Entrepreneur’s NEED To Take Their Health Seriously, More Than Most.
Lifestyle
Entrepreneur’s NEED To Take Their Health Seriously, More Than Most.

If you’re a business owner, entrepreneur of any kind, intrepreneur on a serious grind for…

Lifestyle
The 10 Rituals For Better Living
Lifestyle
The 10 Rituals For Better Living

If you follow my blog pretty consistently, you’ve probably been noticing that I have been…

Lifestyle
Probiotics and Fermented Foods (Worth The Hype?)
Nutrition
Probiotics and Fermented Foods (Worth The Hype?)

Your gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex organ system that digests food from your mouth…

Nutrition
The Elimination Diet
Nutrition
The Elimination Diet

“Why on earth would I want to completely remove all that stuff, which I enjoy…

Nutrition
Nutritional Periodization For Fat Loss
Nutrition
Nutritional Periodization For Fat Loss

This is my second time writing this article, to be honest. The first go around…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This.

Win The Rest of 2022, By Doing This. I think most people fail to reach…

Daily Dose
4 Ways To Increase Productivity Towards YOUR Goals
Lifestyle
4 Ways To Increase Productivity Towards YOUR Goals

“Productivity is never an accident. It is always the commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] What is Body Positivity, Really…?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] What is Body Positivity, Really…?

What is Body Positivity, Really…? Body positivity… This is an interesting topic. It’s actually a…

Daily Dose
Discovering True Human Optimization [Harsh Reality]
Nutrition
Discovering True Human Optimization [Harsh Reality]

Human Optimization is a word that’s thrown around a lot today. Some say it’s being…

Nutrition
Fit over 40
Lifestyle
Fit over 40

One thing I always hear in the gym that irritates the hell out of me…

Lifestyle
Finding Your Protein Flavor
Nutrition
Finding Your Protein Flavor

What is Protein Powder Good For? Intense workouts cause damage to our muscles and we…

Nutrition
6 Easy Changes To Kick Start Your Fitness Journey
Lifestyle
6 Easy Changes To Kick Start Your Fitness Journey

So you want to start exercising and eating “clean,” but where do you start? There…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU.

The Only Person in Your Way, is YOU. There’s so many of us who want…

Daily Dose
What’s Your "WHY"?
Lifestyle
What’s Your "WHY"?

Todays post is all about the most important question we need to ask ourselves on…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] YOLO…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] YOLO…

YOLO… There’s something about being a human that innately slows you down or tries to…

Daily Dose
The G-Flux Theory: Eat More, Move More, Burn More…?
Nutrition
The G-Flux Theory: Eat More, Move More, Burn More…?

Our bodies are remarkable at adapting to different stimuli that we can then manipulate to…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Why I’m not losing any weight…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Why I’m not losing any weight…

Why I’m not losing any weight… This is me being totally transparent… And my nutrition…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Cultivate Your Power Tribe.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Cultivate Your Power Tribe.

Cultivate Your Power Tribe. I’m really struggling to find the words for this daily dose……

Daily Dose
Top 10 Principles For Results Based Nutrition [Printable Infographic]
Nutrition
Top 10 Principles For Results Based Nutrition [Printable Infographic]

For a printable version of this, for you to keep, click here .

Nutrition
7 Healthy Christmas Recipes – To Keep You On Track This Holiday!
Nutrition
7 Healthy Christmas Recipes – To Keep You On Track This Holiday!

It’s that time of year again, the Christmas spirit and cheer is here and along…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Why you hate Monday.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Why you hate Monday.

Why you hate Monday. Hating Monday is a sign that you have a lack of…

Daily Dose
Top 3 Most Under-Rated Supplements
Nutrition
Top 3 Most Under-Rated Supplements

Whenever I get questions about supplements it always makes me laugh because it leads to…

Nutrition
3 Reasons You NEED Mobility To Lose More Fat
Training
3 Reasons You NEED Mobility To Lose More Fat

What is Mobility?   If your goal is fat loss, you NEED to incorporate mobility…

Training
[Daily Dose] ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION

ACTION → RESULTS → MOTIVATION Want to know how to unlock unlimited motivation…? Take action…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ACTION > motivation
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] ACTION > motivation

ACTION > motivation Pablo Picasso has by far one of the best quotes of all…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] They Thought They Took Steroids…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] They Thought They Took Steroids…

They Thought They Took Steroids… This is probably the most remarkable study ever done inside…

Daily Dose
How To Make Your Own Pre-Workout (Science-Based Formula)
Science
How To Make Your Own Pre-Workout (Science-Based Formula)

Pre-workouts are a dime a dozen. If you use your favorite search engine you’ll soon…

Science
Periodizing Your Nutrition (The Key To Results That Last)
Nutrition
Periodizing Your Nutrition (The Key To Results That Last)

Ok, first of all… “What the hell is periodization?” – Glad you asked: Periodization –…

Nutrition
Should YOU Be Eating Dairy? Does It Ruin Your Progress?
Nutrition
Should YOU Be Eating Dairy? Does It Ruin Your Progress?

Dairy, Dairy, Dairy…. I always hear so damn much talk and questions about it and…

Nutrition
Diet Breaks: Defined and Applied
Hormones
Diet Breaks: Defined and Applied

Today we are going to talk about how you can maximize the effectiveness of your…

Hormones
Diet Hopping (How "Chasing The Shiny Red Ball" Is Holding You Back….)
Nutrition
Diet Hopping (How "Chasing The Shiny Red Ball" Is Holding You Back….)

Quit Chasing The Shiny Red Ball Do you bounce from diet to diet? Or try…

Nutrition
Muscle Growth For The Female Lifter
Nutrition
Muscle Growth For The Female Lifter

Gaining – a scary word for most women to hear or even think about, especially…

Nutrition
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT)
Science
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT)

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) vs. Percentage Based Training (PBT) Training intensity is more than…

Science
How To Lean Bulk Properly (Build Muscle, Without Gaining Fat)
Nutrition
How To Lean Bulk Properly (Build Muscle, Without Gaining Fat)

Table of Contents What Is A Lean Bulk? What Is Dirty Bulking? Who Should Lean…

Nutrition
Fat-Loss’s Worse Enemy… Stress.
Nutrition
Fat-Loss’s Worse Enemy… Stress.

Plateaus suck. Plain and simple, they suck. You’re losing weight, getting results, and out of…

Nutrition
Contagious Inspiration
Coaching
Contagious Inspiration

Have you ever been inspired by someone? I mean like, truly moved and motivated to…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Maktub – “It Was Written”.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Maktub – “It Was Written”.

Maktub – “It Was Written”. This is an Arabic phrase that’s used throughout the book,…

Daily Dose
Cardio 101 (8 Proven Methods To Upgrade Your Conditioning)
Training
Cardio 101 (8 Proven Methods To Upgrade Your Conditioning)

Cardio is something that most of us avoid, some of us hate, and very few…

Training
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Dieting Slows Down Your Metabolism & How To Fix It
guides
Metabolic Adaptation: Why Dieting Slows Down Your Metabolism & How To Fix It

Metabolic adaptation has many names. It is referred to as “starvation mode” or “metabolic damage”…

guides
Never Give Up
Lifestyle
Never Give Up

Sometimes waiting to reach our goal can feel like an eternity, especially when that goal…

Lifestyle
Client Case Study: 8 Months To Get Shredded
Coaching
Client Case Study: 8 Months To Get Shredded

I’m going to dive into the exact process of getting my man shown below, Jeremiah,…

Coaching
The Secret To Success
Coaching
The Secret To Success

  This weekend, I learned the secret to success. Not how the most rapid fat…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat.

Ready, Aim, FIRE. Repeat. I’m going to keep this short and sweet today. There is…

Daily Dose
Achieving Results As A Shift Worker [Circadian Rhythm, Hormones, Obesity…]
Lifestyle
Achieving Results As A Shift Worker [Circadian Rhythm, Hormones, Obesity…]

Almost 20% of people in Europe and the US work in scheduled shifts (shift work).1…

Lifestyle
The Most Avoided, Neglected, and NEEDED Concept of Training & Nutrition
Nutrition
The Most Avoided, Neglected, and NEEDED Concept of Training & Nutrition

Recovery… The least sexy topic in the industry? The most misunderstood topic in the industry?…

Nutrition
Rules Of Flexible Dieting: While Traveling
Nutrition
Rules Of Flexible Dieting: While Traveling

So here it is, one of the biggest struggles for anyone attempting to lose weight,…

Nutrition
Training Volume: How Many Sets Per Week is Enough?
Training
Training Volume: How Many Sets Per Week is Enough?

The Volume Landmarks The optimal amount of volume is going to be somewhere between the…

Training
[Daily Dose] No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution.

No Fluff, Just Planning + Execution. I’m going to keep this short and sweet today….

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Don’t Avoid Difficulty, Accept It.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Don’t Avoid Difficulty, Accept It.

Don’t avoid difficulty, accept it. I just started my diet a couple days ago, to…

Daily Dose
Emotional Intelligence, Positivity, Being Present… Happiness.
Lifestyle
Emotional Intelligence, Positivity, Being Present… Happiness.

    I’ve had many people tell me that I never get mad, I’m always…

Lifestyle
One Rep Max Calculator (Tool + Supporting Research)
Training
One Rep Max Calculator (Tool + Supporting Research)

The 1RM (One Rep Max) Calculator An Introduction To The 1RM Calculator (One Rep Max) …

Training
How Your Testosterone Levels Impact Muscle Growth
Hormones
How Your Testosterone Levels Impact Muscle Growth

Table of Contents Introduction: Understanding the role of testosterone in muscle growth The science of…

Hormones
The Definitive Guide to Getting Lean After Your Freshman 15
Nutrition
The Definitive Guide to Getting Lean After Your Freshman 15

As many of you probably know, the “Freshman 15” is very real. In fact, the…

Nutrition
The Busy Man’s Fit Guide
Nutrition
The Busy Man’s Fit Guide

“You practically live in the gym, Cody. And even when you’re not literally there, you’re…

Nutrition
The "Body Fat Set Point"…. Myth or Truth?
Nutrition
The "Body Fat Set Point"…. Myth or Truth?

The body fat set point… Myth or Truth? Such a great topic, also a really controversial…

Nutrition
The Repeated Bout Effect (Is Muscle Damage A Good Thing…?)
Science
The Repeated Bout Effect (Is Muscle Damage A Good Thing…?)

What is the repeated bout effect? The repeated bout effect (RBE) occurs when a single…

Science
[VIDEO BLOG] What is a refeed day? (NOT a cheat day!)
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] What is a refeed day? (NOT a cheat day!)

Coach: “Alright! Day 1 starts tomorrow! I got your nutrition prescription as well as a guide…

Nutrition
CASE STUDY CLIENT [Breaking The Diet-Rebound Cycle]
Coaching
CASE STUDY CLIENT [Breaking The Diet-Rebound Cycle]

Goodbye All-or-nothing Mindset, Hello sustainable Weight Loss! Maybe you can relate – You are great…

Coaching
September Research Roundup (Alcohol & Fat Loss/Performance, Intermittent Fasting)
Nutrition
September Research Roundup (Alcohol & Fat Loss/Performance, Intermittent Fasting)

Each month I will cover two research articles on nutrition, training, sleep, supplements, or anything…

Nutrition
EPISODE 3: The Successful Mindset & Attitude
Lifestyle
EPISODE 3: The Successful Mindset & Attitude

Two weeks down…. Only ten more to go. Damn… TEN?! I think time has slowed…

Lifestyle
The Pursuit Of Happiness: 5 Steps to a Happier Lifestyle
Lifestyle
The Pursuit Of Happiness: 5 Steps to a Happier Lifestyle

Sometimes the most important thing in life is to simply just be a good person……

Lifestyle
Are you eating enough?
Nutrition
Are you eating enough?

This is a question that I personally have had to ask many clients, even myself…

Nutrition
Top 7 Nutrition Mistakes CrossFit Athletes Make
Nutrition
Top 7 Nutrition Mistakes CrossFit Athletes Make

CrossFit is an incredibly demanding sport and taxing on the body. A combination of pure…

Nutrition
The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout Guide
guides
The Ultimate Kettlebell Workout Guide

Kettlebell workouts are one of the most diverse training modalities out there. Depending on the…

guides
How Much Protein Is Too Much? [What The Research Says]
Nutrition
How Much Protein Is Too Much? [What The Research Says]

I have heard countless times, whether in magazines, from YouTubers, vegans and even health professionals…

Nutrition
A Day in The ‘Not So Average’ Life of Boom-Boom : Vlog Ep.1
Lifestyle
A Day in The ‘Not So Average’ Life of Boom-Boom : Vlog Ep.1

Tune in to what a Day in My Life looks like… We go from my…

Lifestyle
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life
Lifestyle
50 Science-Backed Anti-Aging Strategies For Life

Aging healthy, happy and with grace. Isn’t that what everybody wants? Many people think that…

Lifestyle
Yoga For Meatheads (Should Weightlifters Do Yoga?)
Training
Yoga For Meatheads (Should Weightlifters Do Yoga?)

Many guys (and even gals) who are into strength training switch off when they hear…

Training
3 Key Things That GUARANTEE Results.
Nutrition
3 Key Things That GUARANTEE Results.

Access, Association, and Accountability. Within the first line of this article, I’ve given you the…

Nutrition
7 Things Killing Your Testosterone [AND The Solutions]
Physiology
7 Things Killing Your Testosterone [AND The Solutions]

Fill In Your Email Address Below To Receive Your FREE Downloadable Copy Of This Infographic…

Physiology
EPISODE 2: Determination Leads to Success
Lifestyle
EPISODE 2: Determination Leads to Success

Week 1 is complete! And DAMN…. That was a long week! But the best feeling…

Lifestyle
EPISODE 6: 5 Steps To Habitual Lifestyle Changes
Lifestyle
EPISODE 6: 5 Steps To Habitual Lifestyle Changes

I am officially six days away from the half way marker of this 12-week journey……

Lifestyle
[VIDEO BLOG] Training To Prevent Injuries
Training
[VIDEO BLOG] Training To Prevent Injuries

One of the biggest mistakes I see in the training world with clients… is training,…

Training
Quinoa: The Ancient Super Grain Reborn in Modern Cuisine
Micronutrient Index
Quinoa: The Ancient Super Grain Reborn in Modern Cuisine

Quinoa, an ancient grain originating from the Andean region of South America, has a rich…

Micronutrient Index
[Daily Dose] Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining.

Watering Your Lawn While It’s Raining. Have you ever heard this analogy? Or even worse,…

Daily Dose
11 Life Changing Facts About Intermittent Fasting
Nutrition
11 Life Changing Facts About Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting is a pretty popular, yet controversial, topic that’s been floating around in the…

Nutrition
5 Recipes That’ll Make You Want To ‘Eat Yo Greens!’
Nutrition
5 Recipes That’ll Make You Want To ‘Eat Yo Greens!’

One of the biggest struggles for me when I started “Dieting”, I hate that word…

Nutrition
What Motivates You?
Lifestyle
What Motivates You?

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] Have you quit yet?
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Have you quit yet?

Have you quit yet? It’s February 1st today… So that means you need to audit…

Daily Dose
Nutrition Periodization (The Revised and Simplified Guide)
Nutrition
Nutrition Periodization (The Revised and Simplified Guide)

Nutrition periodization is something that I’ve been passionate about teaching for a long time now….

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] You deserve MORE.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You deserve MORE.

You deserve MORE. I’m going to keep this short and to the point. Whatever you’re…

Daily Dose
The Ultimate Fat Loss Plan (The Final 5%)
Nutrition
The Ultimate Fat Loss Plan (The Final 5%)

I received a question on instagram the other day that said, “What would be your…

Nutrition
Should You Do A Bikini Competition?
Coaching
Should You Do A Bikini Competition?

I honestly can’t believe that just over a year ago I was going hard in…

Coaching
Top 4 Nutritional Questions, Answered
Nutrition
Top 4 Nutritional Questions, Answered

Being in the fitness industry I get a TON of questions about just about everything,…

Nutrition
Before and After, The Reverse Diet...
Client Case Study: Successful Reverse Diet (15 Month Process)
Coaching
Client Case Study: Successful Reverse Diet (15 Month Process)

A “Reverse Diet” is a HOT TOPIC in the nutrition space… and after the article…

Coaching
Mini Cuts… Secret To Fast Tracking Your Results? Or All Hype?
Nutrition
Mini Cuts… Secret To Fast Tracking Your Results? Or All Hype?

Can you seriously lose 8-10lbs in 6-8 weeks, without destroying your hormones and binge eating…

Nutrition
5 Reasons Meal Timing Matters
Nutrition
5 Reasons Meal Timing Matters

Meal timing was a HUGE thing in the fitness, health and nutrition industry for a…

Nutrition
Body Recomposition (Learn To Burn Fat and Build Muscle, Simultaneously)
guides
Body Recomposition (Learn To Burn Fat and Build Muscle, Simultaneously)

Depending on what studies you read, you might find that, technically, building muscle while burning…

guides
The TRUTH About Meal Timing
Nutrition
The TRUTH About Meal Timing

The great debate of fitness nutrition has always been Nutrient/Meal Timing. I get so many…

Nutrition
The 10 Training Commandments
Training
The 10 Training Commandments

  After the popularity of my article, “The 10 Diet Commandments”, I decided to bring…

Training
The Best Diet Plan… [Ketogenic? Intermittent Fasting? Carb Cycling?]
Nutrition
The Best Diet Plan… [Ketogenic? Intermittent Fasting? Carb Cycling?]

“So what is the best diet?” A question I’ve heard many times and if you…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Stop living with “what if’s….
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Stop living with “what if’s….

Stop living with “what if’s…. If you ask any person who is over the age…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Patience, Persistence, & Positive People.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Patience, Persistence, & Positive People.

Patience, Persistence, & Positive People. If there was ever a formula for success… this is…

Daily Dose
Your Gut (The 2nd Brain) Determines Body Fat, Health, Disease and More…
Nutrition
Your Gut (The 2nd Brain) Determines Body Fat, Health, Disease and More…

The human gut, or “The Second Brain” as most are calling it – which makes…

Nutrition
EPISODE 8: Trust The Process
Nutrition
EPISODE 8: Trust The Process

Week 7 is complete, week 8 is here and my physique show feels like it…

Nutrition
The Training Solution For Those Who "Don’t Have The Time"
Lifestyle
The Training Solution For Those Who "Don’t Have The Time"

Making enough time for fitness seems to be a pretty common roadblock amongst people. In…

Lifestyle
How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants
guides
How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants

  How To Track Macros When Eating At Restaurants Table of Contents How To Track…

guides
The Complete Guide To Dietary Fats
guides
The Complete Guide To Dietary Fats

Dietary fats are essential to give your body energy and to support cell growth, they…

guides
The Funeral Question
Lifestyle
The Funeral Question

So…. It’s Monday…. Another week, but unlike the mass majority of the population… this gets…

Lifestyle
Eliminating Your Cravings, For Good (5 Simple Strategies)
Coaching
Eliminating Your Cravings, For Good (5 Simple Strategies)

When fat loss is the goal, cravings can be your worst nightmare… and even when…

Coaching
Hip Mobility – Remove Low Back Pain & Improve Results in 5 Minutes or Less!
Training
Hip Mobility – Remove Low Back Pain & Improve Results in 5 Minutes or Less!

I’ve witnessed hip mobility literally save some of my client’s abilities to lift, play sports,…

Training
EPISODE 12: Pancakes, Abs & Chasing Unicorns
Nutrition
EPISODE 12: Pancakes, Abs & Chasing Unicorns

LESS THAN 2 WEEKS OUT!!!! Wow…. I think it finally hit me that I will…

Nutrition
"The Begging Bowl"
Lifestyle
"The Begging Bowl"

  Today I read a story, the kind of story that makes you stop, shut…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] The Intention-Behavior Gap.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The Intention-Behavior Gap.

The Intention-Behavior Gap. This is crazy, but did you know that less than 50% of…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The gift is WITHIN the process…
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The gift is WITHIN the process…

The gift is WITHIN the process… This week we’re hosting a coaching mastermind at the…

Daily Dose
Your Diets Effect on Hormones & How To Benefit From Them
Nutrition
Your Diets Effect on Hormones & How To Benefit From Them

One of the most underestimated factors in achieving fitness results, which can actually be the…

Nutrition
Relationship Status : "Dieting"
Nutrition
Relationship Status : "Dieting"

Today is not about a strategy to lose more weight, a new theory on building…

Nutrition
How To Count Your Steps For Weight Loss
Science
How To Count Your Steps For Weight Loss

Does Your Body Adapt To NEAT Or Walking, Making Your Step Count Less Effective At…

Science
Shut Up and Listen!
Lifestyle
Shut Up and Listen!

After reading the title your problem wondering, “What in the hell will Boom Boom be…

Lifestyle
Is Flexible Dieting Good For Weight Loss? IIFYM vs. Meal Plans
Nutrition
Is Flexible Dieting Good For Weight Loss? IIFYM vs. Meal Plans

Is Flexible or Rigid Dieting Better For Weight Loss? People who use a flexible diet…

Nutrition
Is It Healthy To Be A Vegetarian? (Putting Ethics Aside)
Lifestyle
Is It Healthy To Be A Vegetarian? (Putting Ethics Aside)

What is the healthiest way to eat? What is the best way to eat to…

Lifestyle
Lower Body Training Session Vlog (Working Around Low-Back Issues)
Training
Lower Body Training Session Vlog (Working Around Low-Back Issues)

  Today I’ll be doing something a bit different than usual, going to do a…

Training
The 10 Diet Commandments
Nutrition
The 10 Diet Commandments

  In honor of the one of the greatest hip-hop artists to ever touch the…

Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] In Defense Of Rigid Meal Plans…
Nutrition
[VIDEO BLOG] In Defense Of Rigid Meal Plans…

Rigid Meal Plans… you know, eating 6 meal s a day out of plastic containers…

Nutrition
What SHOULD & SHOULDN’T Run Through Your Mind, On Your Death Bed
Lifestyle
What SHOULD & SHOULDN’T Run Through Your Mind, On Your Death Bed

I get asked the questions, “If I could recommend one book, what would it be?”…

Lifestyle
Does Caffeine HELP or STOP Fat Loss?
Nutrition
Does Caffeine HELP or STOP Fat Loss?

Caffeine can help you burn fat… But wait it can mess with your adrenal glands……

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] How To Turn A Bad Day Around
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] How To Turn A Bad Day Around

How To Turn A Bad Day Around I had a pretty shitty day today. Yesterday,…

Daily Dose
13 Things That Make A Perfect Diet
Nutrition
13 Things That Make A Perfect Diet

There is no such thing as a “perfect diet”… Even though I did record a…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Your Time is Worth More Than Money.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Your Time is Worth More Than Money.

Your Time is Worth More Than Money. I’m the type of person who values his…

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Become Your Own Stoic.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Become Your Own Stoic.

Become Your Own Stoic. You ever wonder how stoics and the old famous philosophers became…

Daily Dose
How To Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels
Hormones
How To Naturally Boost Your Testosterone Levels

Introduction Testosterone is a critical hormone that plays a key role in muscle growth, fat…

Hormones
The Ultimate Guide To Cardio For Fat Loss
Fat Loss
The Ultimate Guide To Cardio For Fat Loss

Cardio For Fat Loss This article is more than likely the most in-depth AND practically…

Fat Loss
Nutrient Timing (What The Science Actually Tells Us)
Nutrition
Nutrient Timing (What The Science Actually Tells Us)

Nutrient Timing – Here’s what you need to know: • Calories in vs. calories out…

Nutrition
Boom Boom’s Fat Loss Secrets
Lifestyle
Boom Boom’s Fat Loss Secrets

As a fitness and health professional, it is a crucial must to know everything there…

Lifestyle
5 Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Weightloss Journey
Lifestyle
5 Things I Wish I Knew When Starting My Weightloss Journey

Many people don’t know this, but I was once a fat kid, or as my…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You.

MJ, Kobe, Tom Brady… You. Full context here – I don’t like watching sports, AT…

Daily Dose
Nutrition For Endurance Athletes (An Evidence Based Approach)
Nutrition
Nutrition For Endurance Athletes (An Evidence Based Approach)

“Some races are lost with a 0.05% difference, sometimes less. In a lot of sports,…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel.

It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel. Maya Angelou has a famous quote,…

Daily Dose
[VIDEO] Individualizing Your Calorie Intake
Nutrition
[VIDEO] Individualizing Your Calorie Intake

The key to actually seeing success from a nutrition plan or diet protocol, is individualizing…

Nutrition
The Beginner’s Guide Series [ALL VIDEOS]
Nutrition
The Beginner’s Guide Series [ALL VIDEOS]

My goal with this blog, is to bring all of “The Beginner’s Guide” videos to…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] SIMPLICITY > complexity.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] SIMPLICITY > complexity.

SIMPLICITY > complexity. Have you ever noticed that successful people are always telling you to…

Daily Dose
How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques
Training
How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques

How to Intensify Your Workout: 7 Proven Training Techniques What happens when you feel your…

Training
[Daily Dose] Progress is made at the speed of trust.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Progress is made at the speed of trust.

Progress is made at the speed of trust. This one BLEW OUR MINDS this week….

Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Self-Made is Made Up.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Self-Made is Made Up.

Self-Made is Made Up. If you’re a hip-hop head (i.e. someone who loves rap music),…

Daily Dose
Take Advantage of Our Personal Trainer App with These 13 Tips
Training
Take Advantage of Our Personal Trainer App with These 13 Tips

When someone, i.e. you, wants to decrease their body fat, increase their strength or muscle…

Training
How To Avoid Injury
Training
How To Avoid Injury

Injury prevention is something I’ve had many people ask me to write about, and I’ve…

Training
7 Reasons Your Diet Is Failing
Nutrition
7 Reasons Your Diet Is Failing

I got some unfortunate news for you today…. Every single diet you’ve ever tried, thought…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose.

You can’t win, if you’re afraid to lose. This actually comes straight out of a…

Daily Dose
The Stress ≤ Recovery Paradigm
Lifestyle
The Stress ≤ Recovery Paradigm

The Recovery Paradigm, something not many talk about – yet 100% of people are affected…

Lifestyle
How To Create The Best Training Atmosphere
Training
How To Create The Best Training Atmosphere

When it comes to training there are so many aspects to think about, especially if…

Training
The Final 10lbs…
Nutrition
The Final 10lbs…

The last 10lbs… It’s like the final put in a golf game. Precision comes into…

Nutrition
38 Tips To Burn MORE Fat
Nutrition
38 Tips To Burn MORE Fat

The second I finished my “46 Tips to Build More Muscle” blog, I knew I…

Nutrition
How To Get Jacked As A Vegan [The Detailed Nutrition Plan For Vegan Lifters]
Nutrition
How To Get Jacked As A Vegan [The Detailed Nutrition Plan For Vegan Lifters]

Many people think being vegan and gaining muscle are oxymorons, they are opposites, you can’t…

Nutrition
Intuitive Eating Sounds Great, But What If I Still Want To Lose Weight?
Coaching
Intuitive Eating Sounds Great, But What If I Still Want To Lose Weight?

“Can’t I just eat ‘intuitively’ and lose weight?” I have been asked this too many…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results

Eliminate These 2 Things In Order To Get Better Results There are TWO very specific…

Daily Dose
Stay Fit While Traveling
Lifestyle
Stay Fit While Traveling

Traveling while in the middle of working towards your fitness goals can be stressful for…

Lifestyle
[Daily Dose] The 80/10/10 Rule.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] The 80/10/10 Rule.

The 80/10/10 Rule. This is a training principle that I teach many of my clients,…

Daily Dose
Finding Clarity & Presence [Day 2 Resurrection Week]
Lifestyle
Finding Clarity & Presence [Day 2 Resurrection Week]

The second day of the most eye opening week of my life has arrived and…

Lifestyle
The Thanksgiving Blueprint: [ How To Avoid Ruining YOUR Results ]
Nutrition
The Thanksgiving Blueprint: [ How To Avoid Ruining YOUR Results ]

Turkey Day is upon us and if you’re as excited as I am, then you’re…

Nutrition
EPISODE 11: Surviving The Struggle
Nutrition
EPISODE 11: Surviving The Struggle

I’m just over 2 weeks away from my first physique competition and the closer I…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] You should love how you look!

You should love how you look! I saw a picture that was taken of me…

Daily Dose
15 Challenging Workout Finishers You Need To Try
Training
15 Challenging Workout Finishers You Need To Try

You just finished your workout—you’re semi-gassed out, sweating from head to toe, each of your…

Training
[Daily Dose] People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action

People Who Take Offense, Don’t Take Action Nothing is going to slow you down more…

Daily Dose
Does Training To Failure Maximize Strength and Hypertrophy? [Research Review]
Training
Does Training To Failure Maximize Strength and Hypertrophy? [Research Review]

Research Review #10 Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., CSCS*D Chief Science Officer *Note from Brandon: if you…

Training
Your Bikini Competition Crash Course (What-To-Know Before Competing)
Coaching
Your Bikini Competition Crash Course (What-To-Know Before Competing)

Heading into my first bikini competition I had at least one hundred random questions.  Even…

Coaching
2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful
Nutrition
2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful

2 Ways to Make Your Diet Easier & More Successful 1.) TRACK WHAT YOU EAT!…

Nutrition
The Definitive Guide To Thyroid Health
guides
The Definitive Guide To Thyroid Health

With the increasing popularity of the topic ‘hormones’ the thyroid gland has also received more…

guides
The 8 Biggest Diet Mistakes
Nutrition
The 8 Biggest Diet Mistakes

What else goes into weight loss besides eating well and exercising? In reality, there are…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Master The Basics.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Master The Basics.

Master The Basics. One of the biggest mistakes people make in the gym is overcomplicating…

Daily Dose
FAQ: Tracking Macros (What You Need To Know, Before Tracking Macros)
Nutrition
FAQ: Tracking Macros (What You Need To Know, Before Tracking Macros)

For years you have been calling people who track their macros, record their food, and…

Nutrition
Sleep = Results
Lifestyle
Sleep = Results

For as long as man has been around people have always said how important sleep…

Lifestyle
21 Rep Schemes To End Training Boredom (And Shock New Muscle Growth)
Training
21 Rep Schemes To End Training Boredom (And Shock New Muscle Growth)

At some point in your training, the basics just get boring. Let’s face it. 5×5,…

Training
Dad Bod Epidemic (10 Steps To Avoiding The Dad Bod)
Nutrition
Dad Bod Epidemic (10 Steps To Avoiding The Dad Bod)

Fatherhood…. WOW IT’S APPROACHING FAST!! Within a week, I will be having my baby. Which…

Nutrition
Kale: The Nutrient-Packed Green
Micronutrient Index
Kale: The Nutrient-Packed Green

Kale, scientifically known as Brassica oleracea var. acephala,  is a leafy green vegetable that has…

Micronutrient Index
Why You Can’t Keep The Weight Off
Nutrition
Why You Can’t Keep The Weight Off

“Weight regain is generally the rule, with long-term follow up studies indicating that one-third to…

Nutrition
A man going trough his rever dieting documents on an iMac
Reverse Dieting 101 [Your Guide and Explanation To All Things Reverse Dieting]
guides
Reverse Dieting 101 [Your Guide and Explanation To All Things Reverse Dieting]

Reverse Dieting is a subject that gets talked about A LOT… and for good reason….

guides
How and Why To Use Diet Breaks [Research Review: The ICECAP Trial]
Nutrition
How and Why To Use Diet Breaks [Research Review: The ICECAP Trial]

Research Review #10 Brandon Roberts, Ph.D., CSCS*D Chief Science Officer *Note from Brandon: if you…

Nutrition
[Daily Dose] Power List.
Daily Dose
[Daily Dose] Power List.

Power List. One of the most SIMPLE things you can do to get more shit…

Daily Dose
Low FODMAP Diet Guide For Beginners
guides
Low FODMAP Diet Guide For Beginners

Low FODMAP Diet? What is that and could it help you get to the bottom…

guides
Being Real About CrossFit – The Good and The Bad
Nutrition
Being Real About CrossFit – The Good and The Bad

For the past 6 months, I’ve been infatuated with CrossFit. And when I say CrossFit,…

Nutrition
Better Gut, Better Abs.
Nutrition
Better Gut, Better Abs.

  Do the things I’m going to share with you in this article today, and…

Nutrition
CLAIMING MY POWER. [Day 3 & 4, Resurrection Week]
Lifestyle
CLAIMING MY POWER. [Day 3 & 4, Resurrection Week]

  “Wow, its day 3 already… In the weirdest way, it feels like its been…

Lifestyle
13 Bulletproof (Yet Simple) Strategies To Maintain Progress During Vacation
Nutrition
13 Bulletproof (Yet Simple) Strategies To Maintain Progress During Vacation

Swimsuit. Sun Glasses. Print Airline Tickets. Pack Car. As you go through your vacation to-do…

Nutrition
Why YOU Should Add Super-Shakes To Your Diet [PLUS 4 Recipes!]
Nutrition
Why YOU Should Add Super-Shakes To Your Diet [PLUS 4 Recipes!]

Super-shakes are an awesome addition to almost anyone’s diet and so many people are failing…

Nutrition
7 Not-So-Obvious Ways To Break Plateaus
Nutrition
7 Not-So-Obvious Ways To Break Plateaus

Plateaus suck. We’ve all been through them, some of us break through and others don’t….

Nutrition
Why Fad Diet’s Work… At First.
Nutrition
Why Fad Diet’s Work… At First.

Fad diets do work, at first. And then the results slowly taper off until they…

Nutrition
Boom Boom’s Excellent Adventure: Episode 1
Coaching
Boom Boom’s Excellent Adventure: Episode 1

Wow… I have a lot of respect for bodybuilders, bikini and physique competitors. Well, I…

Coaching
[Daily Dose] Repeat After Me…
Dail