1. Get leaner. Fuck bulking up. Yes! I said it. This is old school. You’ll lose most of your gains when you will try to lean down after. Most love to say that they are bulking just to get a free pass for the all you can eat buffet….everyday…

This approach makes you more prone to inflammation which is the opposite that you want when training heavier and harder for those gains. Get a nutrient dense caloric surplus. Yes, it’s a lot of food, but it’s doable. You don’t need 2000cals more, just above what you need to maintain, 500cals or so. It’s slower this way, but at least you’ll keep most of it.

2. Sleep! Prioritize sleep because it is a necessity, not a luxury. Gains ain’t going to happen if thy body can’t repair thyself.

Disturbed sleep comes in many ways. Hard time falling asleep, can’t stay asleep, can’t get up in the morning (although this is not a bad thing, it a sign that something is off).

3. Increase protein intake. Proteins are the main building blocks of your body, used to make muscles, tendons, organs and skin, as well as enzymes, hormones and neurotransmitters.

4. Alternate phases of strength and hypertrophy…They feed themselves from each other. If you get stronger on your 3-5 RM, you’ll get stronger on those 8-10RM, which is how you get the ‘’Musclebarn’’ nickname and the road to hypertrophy. Textbook says that hypertrophy gains come in the 8-12 range, latest research shows gains in the 5 to 12 reps range.

5. The BCAA leucine activates a certain pathway in the body that stimulates muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of making muscle. People who consumed a drink with 5.6 grams of BCAAs after their workout had a 22% greater increase in muscle protein synthesis compared to those who consumed a placebo drink.

6. More carbs! Your body stores carbs as glycogen. The idea is to saturate glycogen levels so that the body does not use its own protein to produce energy.

7. Post workout nutrition. Fast and easily digested carbs with protein should be a priority immediately after your workout for faster recovery and to replenish those glycogen stores

8. Water, Water, Water. This is a no brainer since the body is made up of 70% water. A little bit of dehydration can make you lose more than 10% strength in a matter of a few minutes into your workout.

9. Rest as hard as you train. You don’t grow in the gym. You grow when the body is starting to recover from your workouts when you apply all the points above.

10. Supplements. Use them, it won’t make you a bad person. And yes, you’ll still be natural. You need to maximize recovery and workout performance with what the body needs, like fish oils, amino acids, protein, carbs, vitamins and minerals, etc.

Coach Eric