The Beauty of Bodybuilding

“Bodybuilding is creating a living masterpiece.” Anonymous

What is the first thing to come to mind when you hear the word bodybuilding? Is it huge, sweaty, and vain men toiling away in gyms? Or perhaps it’s the Mr. Olympia contest.

One thing is for sure. Few things are as misunderstood as bodybuilding. So just what is bodybuilding? Some would say it’s building big muscles. Some would say it’s stepping on stage and competing in a bodybuilding contest.

Some would say it’s building the most aesthetically perfect body possible. Some would say it’s meal prep, hours at the gym, the list goes on. All of those answers are correct to some degree, but there is much more to bodybuilding than just those things and that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about.

Bodybuilding is the reconstruction of cells and tissue through specific exercise and nutrition, however there is much more to it than that. Bodybuilding is creating a living sculpture, a masterpiece that is never complete.

This notion is welcome because once you truly fall in love with bodybuilding you never want to be finished. It goes beyond that though. Bodybuilding is knowledge, skill, will power, effort, and discipline.

It is literally putting yourself up against resistance and then using that resistance to make yourself stronger. Done right, bodybuilding builds a strong character. One of confidence, of integrity, and of excellence. Bodybuilding is life!

What does this mean? In life when we want to do a thing we often come up against resistance. We persist for a time but often, after a while, we give up. This is due to many reasons, we lack confidence, discipline, focus, will power, and most importantly grit.

It is grit, the ability to stay the course when facing challenging obstacles, that is the strongest determining factor of not only success, but inner peace, happiness.

You may have heard that happiness is a choice, and to choose happiness every day despite circumstances that would typically leave you feeling the opposite, takes tremendous inner strength.

Bodybuilding builds that inner strength. It strengthens one mentally as well as physically. The idea of bodybuilding as a sport is laughable. Bodybuilding is an art.

There is an aspect to training that is almost spiritual. You get into the flow state, transcending pain. Time seems to stand still, and it’s just you and the weights. You feel your body so deeply.

You can hear it talking to you, telling you how to best perform a movement to bring out a specific area of the body. It tells you when to keep going, and when it is done.

This dialogue between the mind and body grows over time, and is present even when you’re outside the gym. There is an aspect of bodybuilding that is a competitive sport, but that is not what it’s about.

In a sport the results are cut and dry. If I score more points than you I win. Judging bodybuilders is like judging paintings. Sure you would have your own personal favorite, but it is all subjective.

A great bodybuilder builds his or her body to his or her own ideal. This is then shown in an artistic way. It inspires and motivates onlookers, which is one of the most amazing benefits of bodybuilding.

However, to say one persons ideal is better than another, is where the art can get lost. This is why bodybuilding is in the state it is in today, with the top competitors looking grotesque and unhealthy.

Drug abuse is accepted, as the idea is to build a body that will win, rather than to sculpt a masterpiece. An artistically developed physique inspires awe not from sheer size, but because it is reminiscent of the divine.

When displayed artistically, a physique such as this opens the heart, pierces the depths of the soul, and can bring a tear to one’s eye. Building a physique such as this requires every fiber of ones being.

Love, total dedication, and passion bordering on obsession are all mandatory. The ideal physique that you wish to create must become your sole focus. No drugs, no synthetic hormones or supplements should be used as artificial products being put into the body tend to result in an artificial looking body.

The hallmark of a great bodybuilder is his physique. You can see his or her character, strength, and personality through his or her physique. The problem though, is that many people that call themselves bodybuilders are using performance enhancing drugs.

These drugs work tremendously, but create an unnatural look to the body. This takes away from the natural beauty of the physique. Drug use is so rampant currently that people have been brainwashed into thinking that a chemically altered physique is a natural one.

Also, the lay person can’t tell the difference between a natural physique and a chemically altered one and often speculates that anyone with a well developed body is using drugs. This is a consequence of such widespread use of drugs.

These drugs offer a shortcut to developing a physique and so, are very tempting to the youth. However, as with any shortcut, they come with many unwanted side effects ranging from physical, to mental, and emotional.

Performance enhancing drugs or PED’s shortchange the mental development that comes with fully developing the physique. It takes patience, tremendous inner strength, discipline, focus, consistency, imagination, and a strong connection between the mind and body.

This connection is what allows one to develop the physique, including weak points to their will, and is only strengthened by years upon years of proper training. To master displaying that physique takes years of posing practice as well.

Why would anyone put in so much effort? There’s really only one reason to take up a bodybuilding lifestyle, and it’s love. Train only because you love it. There are many other ways of getting and staying fit, and bodybuilding goes far beyond that.

You may enjoy a bodybuilding workout only one or two days a week, or on a daily basis. Regardless though, to whatever extent you incorporate it you will experience the benefits attained by your own will power, and that my friend, is what it’s all about.

Adonis

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Why Bulking and Cutting are Overrated

“Balance is the key to everything.” Koi Fresco

Once upon a time bulking and cutting were terms exclusively used by bodybuilders depending on if they were in season or off season. Nowadays though, things have changed, and even the average gym goers are incorporating bulking and cutting phases.

This is due to many factors, but one of the main reasons is that the average Joe tends to think that you bulk to maximize muscle growth, and cut to show it off.

This makes sense on the surface Right? Build as much muscle as possible, then get as lean as possible and show it off. The problem though, is that these often lead people to extremes, and produce results that are not sustainable.

Think about it, as a bodybuilder or workout enthusiast of any kind, we want to look and feel great all year, not just when we’re cutting. There’s this beautiful middle ground where we’re not shredded, but we are lean and building muscle. I call this the “sweet spot.”

It takes experience to learn where this sweet spot is for you, but once you find it it’s a great place to be. You look great while building muscle, and don’t have to restrict calories, only to eat a sensible and balanced diet.

In my opinion, this is the perfect place to be, and I’ve compiled a list of reasons explaining why and how to achieve this. So, grab a snack, kick back and enjoy. There are some golden nuggets here and you’re going to enjoy.

Without further ado, let’s get to the list of reasons why bulking and cutting is overrated.

Reason 1: Most people overdue it. When bulking only a small caloric surplus is necessary. This will lead a person to put on a trivial amount of fat at most and perhaps retain a little extra water.

Most people over shoot the amount of calories they need which leads them to putting on an excessive amount of bodyfat. This unwanted excess fat not only takes longer to get rid of, but also alters hormone levels in an unfavorable way.

Also, when our bodyfat gets to high, we produce new fat cells, which makes it harder to get lean in the future. Additionally, when we get accustomed to eating a certain way, it becomes a habit, and is hard to break.

This makes it harder when we switch to a more restrictive diet in the name of getting lean, is a problem noone wants to have, and it is easily avoidable by following a sensible yet flexible diet year round.

This means not denying yourself a cheat meal once or twice a week. There is no need to be extreme, eat healthy the majority of the time, and eat for enjoyment often enough that you don’t feel deprived. This takes significantly less willpower and therefore is sustainable.

Reason 2: When bulking and cutting people generally tend to pay more attention to the scale. There is nothing inherently wrong with using a scale as a rule of thumb.

For example, if your goal is to build muscle your weight probably shouldn’t be going down and vice versa. This can be helpful, however, the mirror is a much better gauge of the changes happening in your body.

Full body pictures are even better. Save them and compare them side by side every two weeks. If you aren’t seeing the changes you desire, alter your diet and exercise program accordingly.

Reason 3: When cutting the goal becomes to get shredded above all else. This can lead to taking drastic measures like cutting calories significantly or consuming low to no carbs.

This is only temporarily sustainable, and before long it leaves you feeling pretty crappy. The biggest reason cutting sucks, is losing muscle. When in a caloric deficit, unless you are on steroids, you are almost guaranteed to lose muscle.

Reason 4: It is unhealthy to overeat, or under eat on a consistent basis. Bulking is overeating. Cutting is under eating. Extremes such as these simply don’t last. Remember, balance is the key to long term success.

Reason 5: You just look better year round when you’re building muscle while staying lean. When bulking, your muscles smooth out and your face gets fuller hiding your bone structure.

When cutting, your muscles flatten out and you look smaller. There are instances where cutting is a good idea, such as physique contests, or photo shoots, but in general, finding that middle ground is where you’ll look and feel your best.

In Conclusion:

So how do you find that middle ground? That sweet spot where you can see your abs well, but you’re not shredded to the bone. You use the mirror and pictures as your guide.

Start with your current diet, and make minor tweaks from there. If you’re carrying more weight than you need to be, cut calories in the most convenient ways possible.

Do you eat junk food? Start start by cutting down there. From here keep making minor tweaks until you find that perfect balance where you’re lean but still building muscle.

Use the same technique if you’re very lean, but on the thin side, add in a bit more calories in the most convenient way possible. Add oatmeal to your smoothie. Add in a snack during the day.

If you’re still not gaining any weight add another snack, add avocado to a meal. The options are limitless, and don’t have to be complicated at all. Some people call this lean bulking.

I personally don’t like the term bulking at all as I feel it doesn’t accurately describe the goal. The goal is to become more muscular, not more bulky. We do not want to simply add size, but sculpt our bodies into a masterpiece.

If we are too bulky we won’t be able to see the details in our muscles enough to know exactly what to work on. If we are too lean, we won’t be able to put on any muscle.

Remember though, that extremes are fleeting and balance is key to longevity. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we all want to be fit throughout our lives so let the extremes fall by the way side.

Bodybuilding is not an extreme sport, it is an art, an act of self love. I will be discussing this more in my next article. Until then, remember that bodybuilding is life and vice versa. Much love.

Adonis

My Best Tips and Tricks for Building Muscle on a Plant Based Diet

“It is health that is real wealth, and not pieces of gold and silver” Ghandi

There are many misconceptions about being vegan, not the least of which being that it’s hard to build muscle. This notion probably comes from the fact that there is a learning curve, meaning when you go vegan, you don’t usually know much about what you’re doing.

You will know why you made the switch, and maybe have an idea about what to eat, but as far as knowing how to eat to consistently build muscle on a plant based diet, it’s a specialized knowledge that eludes many of us.

For me, it has been a process of trial and error figuring out exactly what to eat, and sometimes a pain in the ass. I’m now at a point where I’m cruising. I know how to eat to build muscle, lose fat, or maintain easily.

That being said the hardest part of it all is getting past that learning curve. After that, it’s smooth sailing. That’s why I decided to write this article, to give you some tips and tricks that will help you navigate your way to success on the plant based diet alot more quickly and effortlessly than i was able to.

If you apply what you will learn in this article, I guarantee that not only will you maintain every ounce of your hard earned muscle, you’ll build more. If you’re tracking macros every day, you know how many calories you need daily, and roughly how to break them evenly into several smaller meals.

This leads me to my first point, don’t start eating less calories. Some people think it’s hard to get alot of calories on a plant based diet, but this could not be further from the truth.

There are many plant based foods that are high in calories including: avocado, nuts, seeds, high quality oils such as grapeseed oil, dark chocolate, and many plant based junk foods to name a few.

Most of these are delicious and nutritious, so getting adequate calories should never be a problem. Keep in mind that junk food is not meant to be staples in your diet, but may be used in moderation to keep things fun and your calories high.

Now let’s get down to the nitty gritty. There are three main macronutrients. They are carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Most carb sources are vegan friendly, as well as most fat sources.

Where it typically gets tricky is the protein as plant based protein sources typically differ from omnivorous ones. Whereas an omnivorous eater typically gets their protein from meat, eggs, and dairy, as plant based eaters we typically get our protein from, beans, nuts, seeds, plant based protein powders, tempeh, vegan meat substitutes, and more.

These are all great options, however my favorite is red lentils. They are high in protein, quick and simple to make, and best of all they’re super versatile. You can make taco meat from them, burgers, soups, you can put them on salads, or eat them with rice , potatoes, and quinoa.

You can season them however you want, they never have to taste the exact same way. My second favorite protein source would have to be chickpeas. Of all the legumes, chickpeas are probably the healthiest.

They are loaded with a variety of micro-nutrients such as fiber, iron, zinc, phosphorus, B-vitamins and many more. They are also packed with protein which makes them the perfect protein source for plant based eaters.

Add all of this to the fact that they’re versatile, and you can see why they are the second most widely consumed bean worldwide after soybeans.

Those are my personal favorites, however all legumes are great plant based sources of protein, while simultaneously offering numerous health benefits.

Though I don’t recommend it as a staple, many of those following a plant based diet include mock meats as a regular part of their diet. Many plant based meats are high in protein, taste delicious, and are very simple to prepare, which is why they are so popular.

I personally don’t eat mock meats, except on rare occasions. This is because they were my main protein source when I first went plant based, and One winter I got four colds. This was a record for me and I was frustrated, so I decided to adopt a healthier diet.

My first move was cutting out mock meats. Since doing this, I have not had so much as a cold in nearly two years. That being said, it’s okay to indulge once in a while, but as I said before, don’t make them a dietary staple.

Next, let’s move on to soy. Soy is a bit controversial due to the fact that some believe it raises the levels of estrogen in our bodies. Soy does contain a form of estrogen called phytoestrogens.

In reasonable amounts, they have not been shown to increase estrogen in humans when ingested. There are various studies out there, and at the end of the day you’ll have to draw your own conclusions.

I’ll just say that many men include soy as a regular part of their diets and are very healthy. I personally limit it just as a personal preference. Also, keep in mind that things like tofu and mock meats made from soy are highly processed, and are not the healthiest form.

Therefore, I would suggest consuming them in moderation. For those who decide to make soy a regular part of their diets, I recommend a less processed form such as edamame or tempeh.

When it comes to carb and fat sources, they don’t usually differ much when switching to a plant based diet. Basic carb sources would still be rice, potatoes, and sweet potatoes.

Basic fat sources would still be avocado, various nuts, and seeds. For meal prep, pair carbs and protein or fat and protein, don’t mix carbs and fat often unless you are in the off-season or being lean just isn’t a priority for you.

Fruits and vegetables can be consumed freely, due to the fact that they are low in calories and high in micro-nutrients. Don’t be concerned about the sugar in fruit, it is not the same as table sugar and does not affect your body the same way.

The only things you need to be concerned with are getting enough calories as plant based foods tend to be lower in calories than meats and other animal products, and getting a wide variety of whole foods.

This will ensure that you get a variety of nutrients so that your body can stay healthy and function at it’s highest capacity. It’s easy to overlook how important it is to get a wide variety of nutrients from whole foods, as many of us are mainly focused on getting gains.

Think about it like this though, a healthier diet means a stronger immune system and less inflammation in the body, which not only means rarely getting sick, but also recovering more quickly from training.

This means you can train more frequently and have fewer layoffs due to things like colds and the flu. In other words, eating healthier does help you to make more progress over time, more so than just hitting macros every day.

My next tip is regarding supplements, and while there are many that may be beneficial, I’ll focus here on the supplements that I feel will assist you in building muscle. Basically every bodybuilder takes some form of protein powder, so let’s start there.

I have tried many plant based protein powders and trust me I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. Many have given me gas and bloating, which means they aren’t easily digestable.

Not to mention the embarrassment of letting a fart rip at the worst possible moment. Also, when something isn’t easily digestable you don’t absorb many of the nutrients in it.

This is why the best plant based proteins are fermented in my opinion. I’ve found them to be the most effective, and some even have probiotics in them. This allows you to digest them efficiently and absorb that all important protein.

My next tip, and this is my biggest secret when it comes to supplementing, is amino acid tablets. Don’t forget to make sure whichever brand you go with is derived from vegan sources, and is highly digestable.

This may require a bit of research, but is well worth it in the end. I take a highly digestable amino acid tablets several times a day, and I credit them with allowing me to build muscle consistently, even when my calories are on the lower end.

There are many other supplements that can be beneficial, such as creatine and glutamine. Even things like beet juice for enhancing the pump. The list goes on, but for me personally, I keep it basic. Protein and amino acid tablets are my staples.

The logic behind this is that assuming we are creating a stimulus for muscle growth via weight training, if we keep the body anabolic (in a muscle building state) at all times then we will ideally maximize muscle growth throughout the day.

This works like magic for me, I consistently build muscle which is what we’re all looking for! My next tip and this applies to everyone regardless of if you’re plant based or not is to always keep your training brief and intense.

This means training for no longer than 45-50 minutes of nonstop getting after it with absolute laser focus. Look around your local gym. You will see many people there training for an hour and a half to two hours, or even longer.

This would be fine if they looked great, but more often than not, most of these people barely even look like they train. This is because it’s not how long you’re in the gym that gives you results, but how intense your workouts are.

Another common mistake I see is people training like power-lifters. Lifting weights that are too heavy to optimally stimulate muscle growth. This leads to rest periods that are too long, sets that don’t last long enough, a lack of intensity, and being in the gym for too damn long!

The result is and always will be lackluster results. If you want results than you must forget about socializing until after your workout. Use the restroom before your workout.

Make sure that once you start your workout it will be your only focus until you are finished. Keep rest periods brief, in the 30-60 second range unless you want to be a power-lifter.

If you were to follow this principle and nothing else, I guarantee you would double your results. Now for my last tip, and this one is often overlooked, which is unfortunate since it plays a huge part in the success or failure of your training program.

Visualize, visualize, visualize! Visualize what you would like your body to look like. Do it daily, especially while you train. When you train a body part, imagine it as you would like it to be.

This is so beneficial for motivation, and when you visualize yourself with a certain body consistently, for some reason your body seems to develop into that image.

I know this ones kind of strange, but if you’re willing to give it an honest try, I think you’ll find it to be tremendously helpful. Well, there you have it, my best tips for building muscle on a plant based diet.

Apply them, I know they’ll serve you well. Lastly, remember that you never have to sacrifice health to build muscle or get shredded. Now go make some gains. All the best.

Advanced Bodybuilding Techniques for Taking Your Physique to the Next Level

“For me, life is continuously being hungry. The meaning of life is not simply to exist to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.” Arnold Schwarzenegger

I’d like to begin this article by giving you a little background about me. I am a natural bodybuilder with 16 years of training experience and a great physique to boot.

I also have 9 years of personal training experience and am certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. I am also plant based and I have experience bodybuilding on an omnivorous diet as well as a plant based one.

The reason I tell you all of this is because, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. I never take advice about training from someone that doesn’t have the physique to back it up.

For this reason I am including recent candid shots of my physique as proof that I know what I’m doing and it has worked very well for me. If you’ve been training for three or more years and are looking to take your physique to the next level naturally, this article is for you.

If you’re a beginner, perhaps you could pick up a few tips as well, but this article is geared mostly towards the advanced lifter as for the sake of saving time, I won’t be covering the basics here.

There are many aspects of training, including frequency, intensity, sets, reps, splits, and mind muscle connection. We’ll be delving into each aspect and lightly touching on the science of things.

However, you can easily read scientific articles on each aspect of training, I’d like to focus more on what has actually yielded real life results for myself and my clients. Without further ado, let’s get right into it.

Training frequency

Let’s discuss training frequency first. There are many different schools of thought regarding frequency, ranging from high frequency high volume, to low frequency low volume, to everything in between.

I have tried them all, beginning with a standard three working sets of three exercises as a beginner, and gradually increasing volume, eventually adopting a high volume style.

After training this way for years, out of curiosity I switched over to high intensity training, trying it with a very low frequency due to extreme soreness, and gradually increasing frequency.

Through all of these training protocols my physique looked great, so there’s no doubt that they all work if you do, but by far, my physique has always looked the most muscular when training with a high volume, high frequency routine.

There are many things I attribute to this, but I believe the main factor is that with a high volume routine, you’re able to hit each muscle from so many angles, and get more contractions.

You are also able to master movements more quickly, since you get so much practice performing them. There are some drawbacks though, as high volume is more time consuming and you have to eat more food to grow due to increased caloric expenditure.

That being said though, in my experience, nothing is going to give your physique a more polished and 3D look than high volume training, performed properly, along with adequate rest and sound nutrition.

However, keep in mind that muscle protein synthesis is elevated for only 48 to 72 hours after training, so be sure to train any lagging body parts twice a week, once with a full workout, and once with a feeder workout.

Perform the feeder workout 48 to 72 hours after your main workout. Ideally, this will keep muscle protein synthesis elevated at all times in those lagging muscles.

A feeder workout is just a shortened workout with a focus on getting a good pump, as opposed to lifting heavy weight, or training to failure. Keep this in mind and never train to failure in a feeder workout. In general I’d say high volume workouts are only for the truly dedicated, since they take a greater time commitment.

Training Splits

The next thing we’ll discuss is training splits. There are quite a few different training splits, the basic full body training three days a week, upper, lower split where upper body is trained one day, lower the next, usually followed by a rest day, and repeated.

Push, pull, legs, where you perform all push movements on one day, pull the next, then legs, usually followed by a rest day, and what is now called bro splits, where you train less of the body on a given day but with more volume, such as back and biceps.

When performing a split such as this, each muscle gets trained less frequently, sometimes only once a week, and for this reason bro splits have been deemed ineffective, unless you are on steroids.

This is simply not true, as myself and many of the people I know have used this kind of split and gotten great results.

For those who just want to stay fit or are limited on time, high intensity training performed once or twice per week, with a full body or upper lower split, would give you the most bang for your buck.

However, for those of us who want to actualize our full potential in the gym, more effort is required. But just what split is most effective? A split that allows you to hit each muscle group with high volume on a frequent basis.

Remember that high volume is crucial if you want to bring out those subtle nuances in the muscles that bodybuilders possess.

Sets

The amount of sets of a given exercise can vary greatly from one, to as many as ten. However, most of us fall somewhere in the middle of this range and do around three to four sets per exercise.

I have gone as low as one set a la Mike Mentzer, and as high as eight a la Vince Gironda. Both have worked to an extent, but I’ve found that generally three to four sets works best for me.

This is because it allows me to do a wide variety of exercises and get a good amount of work from each of them. I also do 1 to 3 warm up sets of each exercise, usually the 3 warm up sets are done on the compound movements, with 1 to 2 being done on isolation movements.

I’ll do anywhere from 10 to 20 reps on these sets and never take them to failure. That is why I consider them warm up sets, they are not intense enough to count as working sets.

This equates to a very high amount of volume being done for each muscle group, which creates a bodybuilder look to the physique. What do I mean by a bodybuilder look?

Do you know how some guys are big and muscular, but other guys are not only big and muscular, it also looks like someone blew air into their muscles? That roundness is attained by, among other things, a very high amount of volume.

In conclusion, a high amount of concentrated work equates to a high amount of muscle. This obviously isn’t for beginners and it isn’t totally black and white, but generally speaking, may be used as a rule of thumb.

Now as for the high intensity philosophy, one set is all that is required. Basically, after warming up, you would do one all out set, the repetitions would be slowed down to about 2 to 4 seconds on the concentric and eccentric portions in order to achieve greater time under tension, aiming for about a minute or slightly longer.

Each consecutive workout you have to beat your previous workout by increasing the weight or reps, however you should always strive to beat your previous best with any training style.

Two of my favorite techniques are drop sets and super sets. They are a great way to take your workout to the next level and are easily applied. For drop sets, simply pick a weight you can do a certain number of reps with, then perform those reps and immediately drop the weight by around thirty percent or more.

You can also do a double drop set, which is the same, but you drop the weight a second time. Sometimes I’ll even do triple drop sets. What a pump! My favorite thing about drop sets is that you can use heavy, moderate, and light weights, all in the same set.

This effectively hits the type 1 and type 2 muscle fibers and also pushes the body to the limit, forcing it to adapt as long as adequate calories and protein are being consumed.

Supersets are performing two exercises back to back with little to no rest in between. This can be done for opposing bodyparts like chest and back, or for the same bodypart. Supersets are a great way to save time, and amp up your workouts as well.

As I said before though, all training styles that I’ve utilized have worked to some extent, but the best results have always come from high volume training. So, the take away here is, generally speaking, high volume works best for building muscle, however, there are exceptions to this.

Like for me my calves respond best to high intensity lower volume workouts. My forearms respond best when taken beyond failure, so remember to pay attention to your body.

Most muscles have a preference, but some grow no matter what. Those are your strong points. Your weak points are muscles that don’t grow unless you figure out specifically what they respond to, which can be an arduous process.

Keep in mind that genetics do play a large part here, but combined with passion, a great work ethic, and patient consistency, incredible things can be achieved. I didn’t do high volume training for at least my first 3 years of lifting.

I stuck to 3 sets of 3 to 4 exercises on each body part, always aiming to beat my previous workouts in weight or reps. In conclusion, get to know your body. What are your strong and weak points?

What does it take for your weak points to grow? It may take years to figure this out, so fall in love with the process. Also, generally speaking, more work is more effective for building muscle if your body can handle it and it must be high quality work.

Rep Ranges

When it comes to reps, there are two main variables to consider. The amount of reps, and the quality of reps or the way in which reps are performed. First, let’s discuss the amount of reps.

There are many different rep ranges for bodybuilding, but most fall somewhere in the 6 to 12 rep range. This is due to the fact that when you go below 6 reps time under tension usually isn’t sufficient for muscle growth, and when you go above 12 reps, the stimulus is usually so light that you don’t hit the deeper thicker type 2 muscle fibers.

Your body also calls on your aerobic systems when performing very high reps, as opposed to your anaerobic systems which are responsible for muscle growth. Generally it is believed that lower reps, 4 to 6 or even 1 to 3 are predominantly for building strength, while reps in the 6 to 10 or 8 to 12 range are best for muscle size.

Having utilized almost every rep scheme out there I’ve learned a few things. One, they all work to some extent to increase muscle size and strength, and two, a wide variety of rep ranges is most effective when it comes to building size and strength.

Pyramid sets are a very effective way to achieve this, since you start off lighter and gradually go up in weight. I find it most effective to start with 12 to 20 reps for one or two sets.

Then increase the weight so I can barely complete 10 reps, increasing it again on each successive set so that I can only get 8, 6, and sometimes only 5 reps.

The last set is usually a drop set, meaning I do a heavy weight for as many reps as I can, let’s say 5 reps. Then I’ll do around 30 to 50 percent less weight and complete as many reps as I can with no rest.

This gives me a ridiculous pump which stimulates sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (basically a size increase in the muscles caused by increased glycogen storage), however, I’m also using very heavy weight, which causes myofibrillar hypertrophy (a size increase in the muscles caused by increasing the size of myofibrils).

This gives me the best of both worlds, and keeps the muscles guessing which means they will continue to respond. It also keeps things fresh mentally, which keeps me from burning out due to only doing one type of training.

Another effective technique for utilizing both sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar hypertrophy is to do one heavy, lower (4-6) rep day based around compound movements and a separate, lighter, higher (8-12) rep day based around isolation movements.

In order for this to be effective though, you need to be training that body part twice a week. In conclusion, a variety of rep ranges is most effective for building muscle as it allows you to take advantage of all avenues of growth.

How Reps Are Performed

The other major factor concerning reps is how they are performed. There are many different ways to perform reps, however there is one major difference between how a bodybuilder performs a rep and how a weightlifter performs a rep.

When a weightlifter performs an exercise, their primary goal is to lift and lower the weight, whereas when a bodybuilder performs a rep, the primary goal is to contract the muscle.

It is for this reason that I believe as bodybuilders we should squeeze the muscle being worked as hard as we can on every rep. This will recruit more muscle fibers and result in increased separation between the muscles which will make them pop more.

We should also perform burns, partials, rest-pause reps, and isometric contractions. The reason being is that these techniques will not only keep training exciting, they are also crucial to achieving maximum muscularity due to the fact that they increase intensity.

Another variable is the speed in which the reps are performed. There is the standard half to one second concentric and eccentric, speed reps which are reps performed quickly in a rhythmic fashion, explosive concentric and slower eccentric, negatives which generally are done with a heavier weight and a 7 second eccentric, and then generally slower reps.

I have experimented with reps as slow as a true 4 second concentric and 4 second eccentric. If you’re in tune with your body, you will feel how each exercise feels best, and that could change from day to day.

For instance, one day you may feel pullups best in a quick rhythmic fashion, and the next you may want to do them slowly. Always rememver that variety will keep the body guessing, and there are certain advantages and disadvantages to each style and they will all stimulate growth in their own unique ways.

Rest Periods

Now let’s talk about rest periods. Almost everyone I’ve ever witnessed training, has rested for too long between sets. This is detrimental to the success of a training program, because it lowers intensity, and allows some blood to escape the muscles being worked.

In other words, you lose some of your pump. To maximize sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, we want to create and maintain a maximum pump throughout the course of our workouts.

Most people don’t do this intentionally, they talk, or look at their phones, or stare off into space and don’t realize that two or sometimes even five or more minutes have passed.

In order to prevent this, it is best to watch a clock or timer between sets. Having a workout partner can also help with this, since their sets will usually take thirty to sixty seconds to complete, giving us just enough time to rest, get set, and begin our next set.

There are different rest period recommendations for different goals, but the general rule for building muscle is to rest for one to three minutes. I believe three minutes is too long.

Don’t get me wrong, there are times when it can be useful, such as when one is going heavy on compound lifts. Keep in mind though, that this type of training is mainly for increasing strength and not as effective at increasing muscle mass.

So, just how long should a bodybuilder rest? I believe thirty to ninety seconds is perfect, and I would never recommend resting longer than two minutes. Unless your primary goal is strength.

Keep in mind that that two minute rest would be on a very select few heavy compound movements, such as squats and deadlifts.

Intensity

One of the most crucial factors determining the success or failure of a lifting program is intensity. I’d even go as far as to say that the reason most people don’t achieve or maintain the results they desire from an exercise program is due to a lack of intensity, or a lack of sustained intensity.

You see, if you really want to create mindblowing changes to your body, you must reach and sustain a certain level of intensity throughout the course of your workouts.

This means don’t go hard and focus for twenty minutes, only to get distracted and rest for three minutes straight. Intensity can be increased and maintained via incorporating the methods that I’ve already discussed in this article.

Brief, consistent rest periods are one of the best ways to achieve this. One thing is for sure though, if your workouts are lacking in intensity, you will be lacking in results.

Mind Muscle Connection

Although it is an intangible, the mind muscle connection is one of the most important tools for the advanced bodybuilder. But what exactly is a mind muscle connection?

It’s as simple as it sounds really, the connection between the mind and the muscles. A great mind musle connection will allow an experience bodybuiler to exhaust and even cramp a muscle even without using weight!

If you can’t do this with a certain muscle, you should work on strengthening your mind muscle connection there. Like with most things, there are many different ways to achieve this, but there are a few that aren’t talked about often enough.

One way is by performing isometrics, simply flex a muscle as hard as you can, and hold it for a predetermined amount of time, let’s say ten seconds, then relax. Repeat again for a total of three to four sets.

Also using light weight and concentrating fully, focusing on the contraction, and using isolation movements are good ways to strengthen that all important mind muscle connection.

Once you develop a strong enough mind muscle connection you’ll be able to sculpt a muscle more or less to your will. You’ll be able to focus your mind on a specific part of a muscle, and contract it harder, which will take your physique to the next level.

Conclusion

Bodybuilding at it’s core is truly an art form. Our bodies are the canvas, the weights are our paint brushes. We are all unique and different things will work for each of us, which is why it is important to always keep an open mind.

There are literally infinite aspects to training. It is simple, yet complex. It is art, yet it is also hard work. I encourage you to always learn, expand, and evolve, and your physique will always do the same. I hope this article has served you well. Now go make some gains:) With all my love,

Adonis

Laugh and Play Your Way To Better Health and Fitness

 

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you change and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus Christ

 

Remember when you were a child? How often you laughed? How you would play for hours on end without getting tired?

All you wanted to do was play, and you had seemingly limitless energy. Then, somewhere along the way, likely around adolescence, you became aware of your reputation, the opposite sex, how you looked, your grades, college, etc.

You began to play less and less. The older you got, the more responsibilities you had. By the time you entered into adulthood, you rarely played at all, and no longer had that seemingly infinite fountain of energy that you possessed as a child.

You sometimes looked back and thought about how much fun it was to be child, but never could quite figure out what it was that made you more joyful as a youth.

You chalked it up to things like, I had so much fun as a kid because I didn’t have any responsibilities, and accepted that those days were over.

But did you want them to be? Were you really done playing or did it slowly get lost in the shuffle? As you prioritized things like college, work, cleaning the house, and so on, you were unintentionally left with no time to play.

Most adults’ idea of play is drinking alcohol and partying. I’m in no way criticizing that, however, that isn’t the healthy form of play we’re discussing here.

Most adults have forgotten how to enjoy simply playing. Things like a game of kickball or climbing a tree no longer seem to hold the same excitement they once did, but what are we missing out on by playing less, or not at all?

As usual, I’m glad you asked. We are missing out on unique exercises, which allow us to burn calories, and move our bodies in ways that we typically don’t.

This encourages flexibility in areas that we may otherwise become rigid in. It also brings one into the present moment, and stimulates the mental faculties.

It brings one back to the simple joys in life, absent of electronics, etc. It encourages bonding with other people since usually (though not always) more than one person are required to play.

Another benefit, and I believe this is the greatest, is that it encourages inner peace, and a light heartedness. We have been taught that play is for children, and that it’s not as important as work, but on the contrary, it’s vital for our overall sense of well-being.

Not only that, once we rewire our brains to enjoy it, it becomes fun. The interesting thing is that there is technically no specific activity that constitutes play. Playing is a state of mind. Y

ou can do anything playfully. You can have an uncomfortable conversation playfully, you can work playfully. Some people do this naturally, and some have to make a conscious effort.

It is a vital skill that facilitates an enjoyment of life. When someone is playful and lighthearted they are a pleasure to be around, because they are happy and free from anxiety.

This is because their energy is expressed, rather than repressed. On the other hand, when we lack this basic skill we can become rigid and uptight.

It’s a trip right? We have been taught that playing is a waste of time, and a luxury only afforded to children. So where do we start?

It’s as simple as it sounds, but if you haven’t done much playing in several months or years and are unsure of what you’d enjoy, I recommend giving yourself a sampler platter.

Pick a day and time, maybe on the weekend, that works for you and start trying activities that seem like fun. Also, think back to when you were a child. What did you like to do?

Where did you like to go? What made you happy? You can start there. Also, and this may be even more beneficial, inject some fun into your daily activities.

Again, play is a mental attitude, so approach things like work or cleaning with a playful attitude.

Have some fun with your coworkers in a way that’s appropriate for your work environment, turn on your favorite playlist while you clean the house, smile for no reason while driving, make silly faces at yourself in the bathroom mirror.

All of these things will help to lighten and loosen you up, and over time they will affect all areas of your life in a wonderful way.

This may all sound like common sense but remember, the most profound things are often the simplest things. I find that in today’s fast paced world where the average person has so much, often we forget to do the simple things, and those are often the things that bring us the most joy and peace.

So the next time someone tells you to grow up or stop acting childish, say thanks but no thanks. With all my love,

 

 

Adonis

How Low Self-Esteem Keeps YOU From Achieving Your Fitness (and other) Goals.

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” Lucille Ball

Is There A Low Self-Esteem Epidemic?

There are a lot of injustices in the world today, and there always have been. However, one of the biggest injustices is that we as people constantly underachieve compared to our potential.

In other words, most of us are not living our highest vision for ourselves. There are many reasons for this, but I believe that at the core of this is low self-esteem.

To better understand what I mean by this, let’s define self-esteem. The oxford dictionary defines self-esteem as confidence in one’s own worth or abilities; self-respect.

So to have low self-esteem then is to have a lack of confidence in one’s own worth or abilities. It isn’t hard to see that there is a deliberate effort in media and pop culture in general to cause low self-esteem among people.

Why would anyone do this? There are so many reasons, but here are a few:

People with low self-esteem don’t trust themselves, they think other people know better than they do, therefore they are more easily manipulated, they can be made to think things, buy things, and feel certain things. They are willing to work for someone else, and accept pay that is lower than what they could be making, they take less chances, don’t try to change systems, etc.

Even on a surface level, it’s pretty obvious how low self-esteem could affect one’s thoughts, attitude, and actions. Thoughts, attitude, and actions come together to form a personality.

Our thoughts determine our attitudes, and our attitudes determine our actions. You’ve probably heard the saying it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.

When you have a positive vibrant personality, you develop great connections. This opens up opportunities that would not be available if you didn’t have positive thoughts, attitude, and actions.

Thoughts become beliefs over time. Have you ever heard of a governor? I know you’re thinking what do politics have to do with this?

You’re absolutely right the answer is nothing lol! However, I’m not talking about that kind of governor. I’m talking about a governor in a car.

Let’s say a car is capable of going 200 miles per hour, but there is a governor on it. The governor will keep the car from going over a set speed, let’s say 80 miles per hour. Now, think of your beliefs the same way.

They act as a governor in our lives. If we have a belief that we’re good but not great at something we will never achieve greatness in that area.

Your beliefs dictate what you do and what you don’t and how you do it. Quantum physics, particularly the “double slit experiment” has shown that what we believe affects matter at the subatomic level.

Michio Kaku’s water experiments showed that our intent affects water tremendously, keep in mind that our bodies are mostly water.

These experiments show us just how powerful our intent is, and the tangible affect it has on the physical world.

This is why it is imperative for us to develop a healthy self-image and general relationship with ourselves.

It’s certainly not your fault if you have low self-esteem, but it’s most certainly your responsibility to do something about it. So what’s the big deal you say?

Why should I do anything about my self-esteem? I’ve gotten by just fine and in fact no one even knows I have low self-esteem.

My friend, I’m glad you asked. Let’s discuss just a few of the effects of low self-esteem. Not fulfilling one’s purpose, not taking necessary risks, not connecting with certain would be friends, lovers, business partners, even would be mentors.

Also, a weakened immune system, lessened motivation, depression, anxiety, and many more. You see? This is why it is SO important for us to develop a healthy relationship with ourselves, but why stop there?

We should develop amazing relationships with ourselves, the quality of our lives depends on it. I know it sounds a little cheesy, but roll with me here.

 

A Simple Approach to Building Self-Esteem.

So, now that we’ve discussed what low self-esteem is, and why we should do something about it, let’s discuss some of the ways we can develop a healthy self-esteem.

One of the simplest and most powerful ways we can increase self-esteem is by setting and achieving goals that are just slightly outside of our comfort levels.

We should also clearly define the date we plan to achieve them by. For example, if we know we can run a mile, but aren’t so sure we can run a mile and a half, we would set a goal to run a mile and a half by a certain date.

We would then create a step by step plan to consistently work towards that goal. We are then almost certain to achieve it, and when we do, we will notice that we feel a little more confident in ourselves.

As we keep setting goals and then accomplishing them, our belief in ourselves will grow, and that will spread into every area of our lives.

As we achieve more and more, our goals will grow, and so will our self-image. We will begin to feel that we have something to offer to people, to the world.

It sounds simple and it is, but it’s not always easy. See, there’s a reason that you haven’t felt as good about yourself as you’d like to.

To put it simply, your beliefs aren’t conducive to having the level of self-esteem you would like to have. So, why not just start thinking different thoughts?

Wouldn’t that work? Well, what I’ve found is that while it is helpful, if it’s not backed with new actions reflecting confidence, and a knowledge of the mind and how it works that only comes from consistent study, it just isn’t effective enough when it comes to changing your beliefs at a subconscious level.

It’s too challenging to consciously make effort to think healthier thoughts, when your actions reflect low self-esteem.

So, in conclusion, it is crucial for our happiness, success, and full expression of who we are to have high self–esteem.

I would even go as far as to say, unless we develop high self-esteem, we can never fulfill our highest callings in our lives. In case you were wondering, YES that includes our health. With all of my love,

 

Adonis

A Wake Up Call

“Determination is the wake up call to the human will.”  Anthony Robbins

 

 

Hey you. I see YOU. I know you’ve been hurt. I know you weren’t given all the love you deserve. I know you’ve been told it’s too late, or it’s impossible, or that you’re not talented, pretty, smart, strong, or lucky enough. I know it wasn’t your fault.

You were but a victim of circumstance, forced to bear the weight of an imperfect world. You didn’t ask them to put their fearful ideas into you. I get it. You’ve been let down by everyone around you.

Everyone that’s gotten close to you has hurt you in some way, and it’s got you afraid to love, to live, to express yourself, to give the world all that you have to give, but I have news for you.

If you take all those gifts that you have inside with you to the grave, no one will ever know about them. The world will go on yes, but without the unique piece you were supposed to add to the puzzle nothing will change.

Your children will grow up like you did, inheriting fear, low self-esteem, and unworthiness. So how many more dreams have to go to the grave unfulfilled? How many more days will you coast through? How many times will you shove that small voice inside you down?

That voice that’s telling you to get up, get out, to change your path. Your body’s growing older by the day, and time can never be replaced, so what’s it gonna take for you to realize that truthfully there’s NO such thing as playing it safe?

You’re not helping the world by playing small, please understand that we are counting on you to shine bright. We were all born with a purpose, and it’s ALL of our time! Squandering your gifts is a curse, and it’s time to break the chains of self-doubt, pity, and apathy.

You’ve been misinformed. Conditioned to believe that you’re just another person, insignificant and unworthy of greatness. You are a child of the most high, with a body literally made of stardust and that’s fact!

You have the highest gift of any being on earth, intellect and imagination. They are meant to be used to their fullest capacity. Make a vow to yourself RIGHT NOW to never be hushed or pushed aside, to never dull your shine again even if it makes people uncomfortable.

Beloved, you were meant to thrive, not struggle to survive. Breathe deep and feel alive. Relax and let go. I love you and I am with you always.

Adonis

Why Being Well Rounded Is Crucial For Achieving Your Health And Fitness Goals

“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” John F. Kennedy

 

We all want to be as healthy and fit as possible, and it’s no secret that to do that we should have a well-balanced diet and exercise program.

While I agree that’s a wonderful start, there’s a lot more to it than that. Let me ask you a question.

If someone were to eat sensibly and exercise regularly but be in an abusive relationship, would they be healthy?

What if their eating and exercise were in check but they were lazy, or talked negatively to themselves, or smoked cigarettes, didn’t treat others well, or were greedy?

The list goes on, however the point is that being healthy in one or two areas does not guarantee health.

A healthy body and an unhealthy mind do not mix! Take a traditional martial artist for example.

They  not only practice martial arts, but physical fitness, meditation, non-violence, and an overall balanced life.

If they were to only become proficient in the physical aspect of martial arts without acquiring the mental and emotional discipline acquired by living the proper lifestyle, it could backfire. T

hey could be depressed, fly off the handle and hurt people, or become a bully. That is the exact opposite of what martial arts are intended to do for a person.

I would like to draw a parallel between this and adopting a healthier lifestyle. It’s great to begin making healthier eating choices.

It’s great to dedicate yourself to being active several times a week, but it’s just the beginning.

Your goal should be to become healthier and balanced overall. Your diet consists of not only what you eat, but also who you spend time around, what you read, listen to, and watch.

If you eat healthy food and watch toxic television, or listen to toxic music, or read gossip columns, then you are not healthy.

Think about negativity like a virus. It must be contained or it will spread. The only cure for negativity is positivity.

Feed your mind and body with enough positivity and you not only stop, but transform negative energy into positive.

Take your time with this, and increase positivity in small doses however, if you try to go from 0 to 100 too quickly you will likely burn out.

How you do this is to slowly and consistently replace these toxic anchors that are weighing you down with healthy habits that enlighten you.

Just like medicine you will build up a tolerance over time, meaning you can tolerate more positivity without mentally burning out, so increase the dose as needed.

I have put together a list of negative habits and corresponding positive remedies to assist you, feel free to use these, or make up your own but remember, start in small doses, and increase in small increments. This is a marathon, not a sprint.

The list goes as follows:

 

Unhealthy Habits:                                    

1: Watching television

2: Listening to music that is violent, apathetic, perverse, promoting drug use, etc.

3: Reading, listening to, or watching the news (I know this one is controversial. If you feel you must follow the news then skip this one, but I would strongly advise against it.)

4: Watching movies that glorify violence, or promote people as sex objects(I know a lot of people watch pornography, I wouldn’t advise quitting cold turkey, just start by watching porn that isn’t so dark, like real couples that seem to love each other, etc.)

5: Hanging around negative people. Everyone feels down sometimes, then there are the people that always have something negative to say. I’m talking about the gossipers, the ones that shoot you down when you have a new idea, the ones that impose on your time and leave you feeling drained. If you are in a relationship with a person like this I would recommend getting out as soon as possible, but if you are unable to for whatever reason, flood yourself with as much positive truth as possible. Get headphones. This is a topic for another article.

6: Having a job that brings you down.

 

Healthy Habits:

1: Watching positive videos on Youtube. (This is great because you can handpick each video that you watch.) If you are unsure about what videos are positive think about the message. Is it inspiring? Does it make you feel good inside? Is it funny? Does it make you smile? Does it leave you feeling empowered? If the answer to any of these is yes it’s most likely a positive video.

2: Listening to uplifting music. This could be music without words, or it could be any music with a positive message. Keep in mind though, that you likely won’t find much of it on the top 40 station.  You could also listen to lectures and seminars that will teach, uplift, and inspire you.

3: Read books, or listen to audiobooks that teach you something and inspire you, whether fictional or nonfiction. Books that empower you to achieve your goals and think highly of yourself.

4: Work on bringing your ideas to life. Let’s say you want to write a book. Give yourself a timeline that clarifies when you plan to have it finished, and then break it down into small daily steps such as, write five pages a day, or write for thirty minutes every day before bed. No matter how small the steps you take, if you keep moving forward, eventually you will arrive at your destination. Draw, paint, play music, sing, dance, learn a new skill. Give your brain the stimulation it craves instead of sedating it with violent and oversexed images.

5: Hang around positive people. This is very straightforward, however, I realize that it is not always possible. In those cases where it isn’t I recommend dropping negative people from your life gradually. Hang out with them less, answer their calls less, respond to their texts and DMs less, slowly wean yourself off of them, and them off of you. If this isn’t possible, for example if it’s a coworker or family member you have to see daily, then tune them out with positive messages as often, and I emphasize often, as you can.

6: Start looking for a job in an atmosphere that you like. Maybe it’s not an ideal position, but if it’s in an environment that you like, it could do wonders for elevating you mentally. In the meantime you’ll be working on bringing your visions to life, and perhaps one day they will grow into a stable income source for you.

7: Go outside! This one is simple. Spend time in nature. It has a way of calming our minds and putting things in perspective. If you can get to an area with grass or sand, take off your shoes. It’s called grounding and it has been proven to have many health benefits from reducing inflammation to improving heart rate variability. (Lowering resting heart rate.) 20 minutes a day is recommended, but any amount of time is beneficial.

8: Develop a spiritual practice. This can look like whatever is right for you. It could be church, yoga, meditation, silent time, prayer, or anything that fulfills your soul and leaves your heart feeling full.

 

Keep in mind these are only some examples and the sky is the limit as far as options, just try to make sure that any changes you make are positive.

It won’t always be easy, and I encourage you to come back to this article from time to time to reinvigorate yourself.

Remember, consistency is key. I hope this serves you well, and feel free to reach out to me with any questions you may have. Much love!

Adonis

Is Bodybuilding Just For Vanity?

“The man who says he can and the man who says he can’t are both correct.”

Confucius

          

To answer this question we have to identify what bodybuilding is. The definition of bodybuilding is: a sport involving strenuous physical exercise in order to strengthen and enlarge the muscles of the body.

But is that really all there is to it? There are so many misconceptions surrounding bodybuilding and its practitioners.

So, in order to further understand what it is and its’ purpose, let’s talk about what it is not.

Bodybuilding is not a cover for insecurity, it is not using steroids. It is not getting on stage in underwear to be judged by strangers.

It is not an excuse to be arrogant It is not the ideal of what everyone should look like. It is not depriving yourself of valuable life experiences.

It is not being as shredded as possible, and lastly. It is not being as huge as possible. So then what the hell is it?

What is at the core of it, and why has it become so popular all around the world? I’m glad you asked, but to understand the true core of bodybuilding you’re going to have to come on a little journey with me.

Ready? Let’s go!

                          

My Introduction to Bodybuilding

I’ll never forget my first time stepping into a gym. I was 15 going on 16 years old.

It was the summer before freshman year and it was required that all the football players start working out.

I embraced it though, and was really excited to build a little muscle. I was naturally very tall and slim, basically I had the same build as slenderman lol.

If I had to guess I was around 6’3” 175 pounds when I started training. That first day in the gym was rough, and I fell in love with it instantly.

Lifting weights, sweating, pushing myself, and getting that endorphin rush hooked me.

The next day I was so sore I could barely lift the remote control for the TV, and I even loved that.

It made me feel like a warrior, fresh off the battlefield. I worked out almost every day that summer, and was thrilled with every ounce of muscle and strength I gained, although it wasn’t anything to write home about.  

 

               Getting Serious

Once the football season had started, it became clear that I had gotten stronger and faster, and I earned myself a starting position, even though I had missed the previous three seasons due to an allergic reaction.

The girls also took notice, and started giving me compliments on my body. Keep in mind that I already loved exercise for its own sake, but now I had more motivation than ever!

I trained even harder, but after a few months I realized I wasn’t progressing as quickly as I wanted, so I started researching how to get bigger.

After what seemed like a few hundred hours of reading, I had come to the conclusion that I needed to eat more.

Up until then I ate a standard two to three meals a day, so the following summer I decided to train my butt on, not off since I wanted to gain weight.

See what I did there? Anyway I gave myself a mantra, though I didn’t think of it like that at the time. It was this, extreme results call for extreme measures.

Though I didn’t realize it at the time, this helped me change my mindset. I started eating six meals a day, and taking weight gainer.

That summer I gained 25 pounds of muscle. It was like a miracle, I couldn’t believe it!  

Before I continue, I’d like to stress that I did this completely naturally, and that it was only possible because I was a beginner, and up until that point I had been undereating.  

 

                I’m The Man!

My confidence shot through the roof, and although I didn’t realize it at the time, I became arrogant.

I was getting attention from all the girls, guys were treating me differently, and I had done it all on my own, at least that’s how I saw it at the time.

I felt invincible, and with the constant instability in my life, bouncing around from state to state, and home to home, bodybuilding became my rock.

It became the source of my confidence, the place I belonged in the world. Even more than that, it became my identity.

Now keep in mind that I started training in 2002, before the Hollywood super-hero movies were coming out every year.

So I didn’t know that girls liked guys with muscles until after I started training and getting extra attention.

With my father being absent, my mother having passed on, and me bouncing from home to home you can imagine that I wasn’t used to receiving positive attention, so once I made the connection that being muscular would get me attention there was no stopping me!

It’s mind blowing when I think about all the adulation I received just because of my physique.

Not that there’s anything wrong with it, I just didn’t personally know how to handle it. I had struggled with a lack of self-confidence for years, and bodybuilding allowed me to step into my power.

If you’ve ever felt disempowered and then found something that made you feel completely powerful, you know what I’m talking about.

                                     

                   Evolution                                               

So that was the positive side of things, however there are two sides to everything. All the attention I received, solely predicated on my physical appearance, started to affect me after a while.

I became entitled, and there were times when I treated people differently because of it. People saw me as this big strong person that had it all together, which was so far from the truth, but the problem was that I eventually began to believe them.

I started believing my own hype so to speak. In truth, I was just a scared kid who had no family, and wanted desperately to belong.

This went on from about 2005-2010 which is when I had for lack of a better term, my “spiritual awakening.”

From 2010-2012 bodybuilding and my physical appearance in general took a back seat to things like meditation, learning about the mind, and different spiritual leaders throughout time.

I became much more interested in the mind than the body, and so I didn’t have the desire to eat in a strict way, or train hard, or often.

In 2013, I began to fall in love with bodybuilding again, once I realized I could attain a meditative focus while training.

I began training harder, and more frequently, and once again, built myself up to be very muscular.

As you can imagine, the compliments started rolling in again, only now it was different. When someone would give me a compliment I would be grateful, but I wouldn’t take it personally. I wouldn’t identify with it.

So to go back to the title of this article. Is bodybuilding just for vanity? The answer is a resounding no!

Bodybuilding is an art form. It is a process of self-discovery. It is an intimate relationship between the mind and the body.

It builds mental strength. It gives many who are lost a place to belong. I had started weight training for football and vanity, I ended up with so much more.

Bodybuilding taught me self-discipline, and gave me a place to belong. Throughout the years, I’ve seen many people train for a few weeks, months or even years, and then quit or be inconsistent.

Many of them were training for vanity reasons only, whether it is to be more appealing to the opposite sex, to stop getting picked on, or anything in between, these external motivators tend to fade out.

If you’re in it for the long haul, make your primary goals things like having more energy, being strong, healthy, and having great balance and flexibility, and eventually even deeper goals, like cultivating self-love, and improving your mind-body connection.

I know personally, if I hadn’t fallen in love with weight training in the beginning, and if I hadn’t learned how to eat healthy, but in a balanced manner that allows me to indulge if and when I choose to, I wouldn’t have been able to stay consistent throughout the past 16 years, and even I lost sight of that internal motivation for a while.

This is the power of having internal motivation. There is nothing wrong with being motivated by something external in the beginning, most of us are.

However, if you want to be healthy and fit 20 or even 40 years down the line you will have to have the deeper motivation that only comes from within.

What I would suggest to you, is that you grab a pen and paper, and figure out why you’re working out and eating healthy.

Don’t feel bad if you’re initially motivated by vanity or reputation, it’s okay. Simply try to find a few deeper reasons why you could be motivated.

For example: self-love, more confidence, more energy, less likelihood of injury, etc. Next, explore all the different avenues of exercise and diet.

Try biking, swimming, dancing, aerobics classes, lifting weights, jogging, kickboxing, etc. Try different healthy foods.

Figure out how you can make living a healthy lifestyle palatable for you. Make the process enjoyable so that you can fall in love with it.

When you find exercising and healthy eating enjoyable, it’s no longer a chore, which makes it seem effortless.

Well my friend, we’ve come to the end of our journey. To wrap things up I’ll leave you with this. Bodybuilding at its core, is self-love, it is creative self-expression of the highest degree. Much love!

               You Can Fly!

Adonis