Rucking is a simple form of fitness. It's where you walk with an external load or more weight on your body. You can use a bag, rucksack, weighted vest, or a tactical plate carrier. It's my favourite way to do low-intensity cardio without bashing up my body or damaging my joints. You should do it, so you can improve your body composition, fitness, and strength all at once!
The most proven method to build strength and muscle is by using progressive overload. Meaning, your strength training routine or gym program must get harder and more challenging. You need to increase the demands you place on yourself - plain and simple. Otherwise, your body won't change! In this episode, I provide you with 14 different strategies on how to do that.
Don't drink your calories! Unless you want slower (or no) fat loss, that is. Reducing, or eliminating, liquid calories is the simple solution for getting leaner faster. If you choose to do this, you will have three beverages to choose from, and a leaner body as a result.
Losing fat and gaining strength have one key element in common. They both require you to use the highest amount of energy. While they 'cost' the most upfront - energy, brain power, and effort - they give you the most on the backend. Think about it like this, the more you spend (energy), the better the outcome (results).
Do you know what maximum effort means, entails, looks, and feels like? Most gymgoers don't! Doing a set of 5 repetitions is different to doing 10 reps, 15 reps, or heaven-forbid 20+ reps. You need to adjust the weight up/down or alter the intensity by making it easier/harder. BUT...it always demands your 100% effort, regardless of the exercise or how many reps you are performing.
When you do different exercises every week, you feel like you're getting a "good workout" in. Because it's hard, your muscles are working, it's novel, new, exciting, and different to last time. But you lose all that progress the minute you swap those old exercises out for new ones. That's why it's so dangerous, and why I caution against it.
The chin-up is a very popular strength exercise - and for good reason. It showcases immense strength and physical prowess like few others. Want to discover the secrets behind being able to do strict chin-ups? Follow my proven progression system so you can finally achieve your very first rep. (And avoid this all-too-common error, in the process!)
"Go hard or go home" makes for a good gym t-shirt - but it isn't accurate. You can only train as hard, and often, as your body's ability to recover from that stress. Sometimes, OVER-training is actually a case of UNDER-recovering. Learn what auto-regulation means, and how to apply it. So you can train harder and longer, without breaking your body down or overdoing it.
To become the "best version of yourself possible", you must live to your highest standards. Not your lowest, and not only some of the time - but all the time. Stop rewarding bad behaviour and telling yourself it's ok. It's not acceptable! I tackle this issue head-on so you can live to the standards you are capable of.
How many times have you let your emotions (or feelings) tell you when you do, or don't, work out? How often do you talk yourself out of exercising by saying the phrase "I don't feel like it"? It's time you figure out how to make that a thing of the past. Use this tactic to fix it forever!
Taking videos of your strength training in the gym might seem strange - or like a waste of time, to some. But after you get over the initial "I look like THIS" factor, what you'll find is this. It helps you improve and get better. You can use it to your advantage to get stronger, build more muscle, and maximise your workouts.
Social media gives a misguided representation of what is high-quality, proper strength & conditioning. It's all posed. From the camera angles, speed, lighting, and filters. It's a form of entertainment. Which brings me to this question. Is your current training routine for entertainment (show) or results (substance)?
Impingement is where you get a grabbing, irritation or 'pinching' sensation at a joint. Two of the most common sites are the shoulders and hips. Often resulting in pain at the front of that joint and restricted motion. Learning to "centre" the bones in those joints will free you from impingement and help you fix it.
The phrase "Use It Or Lose It" is 100% accurate when it comes to forging more self-discipline. Discover why it is a perishable trait and how neglecting it can lead to its deterioration. Learn actionable tips on how to maintain and strengthen your discipline over time.
Uncover the hidden key to reaching peak performance. Relative strength and the strength-to-weight ratio. Learn how to optimize your body composition for incredible results in strength & leanness. Don't miss this game-changing episode that will revolutionize your fitness journey!
To change your physical or mental state, you must know where you are right now. It starts with awareness. This is the first step in my AAA system to create lasting and reproducible results. Discover the rest of the framework and put it to use today.
Burst through a plateau in your strength training by using a not-very-well-known lifting principle. It's called 'Step-Loading', and it could be just what you need to solidify your gains and get stronger. WARNING: "Step loading is an adult training progression. It weeds out impatient juveniles unable to stay on task."
Fitness professionals harp on and on about this all the time, but is "meal prep" all that it's cracked up to be? This episode dives deep into the pros and cons, and whether it's worth your time, effort, and money. Uncover the scary truth about meal prep and making large batches of food once and for all.
What do you do when the going gets tough? Do you dig in, grit your teeth, and keep going? Or do you let your negative self-talk take over and say "I CAN'T"? Is it that you 'can't' continue - or rather - a choice that you 'won't' continue? Discover why these two words are so different, and why that matters.
Every muscle has a strength threshold and fatigue capacity. It's for this reason, you need to get as strong as you can and raise your strength levels as high as possible. So that everything becomes easier and requires less effort compared to your ceiling.
There are more ways to get stronger than just lifting heavier (load) or doing more repetitions (volume). Did you know you can make almost any exercise more challenging simply by doing it faster or slower? It's true! And it's what I discuss at length in this episode.
RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion. This is a number (from 0 to 10) you give to something to describe its level of effort or difficulty. Most people have no idea of their true capability - and this is partly due to a misperception of your RPE. Learn how to dial it in and assess it accurately so you can do more, and reach your full potential.
Making your health & fitness a high priority is easy when you know the true meaning of the word. "Priority" = highest or higher in importance, rank, privilege, etc. This means it needs to go first, NOT last on your calendar, schedule, or list of action items for the day.
The more dirt you shift, the more progress you make. The less dirt you shift, the less progress you will make. You get to pick which tool you use. Here are your options: a spoon, or a shovel.
Discover why it's so important to avoid emotional decision-making. And why focusing on logical thinking is a must when it comes to achieving your fitness goals. Tune in to learn how to gain control of your mind and make better progress towards your specific targets.
When it comes to stretching, the question of when to stretch is never-ending. Is there one "best time" to do it? We go into detail about the pros and cons of these timings - as well as an often overlooked alternative. It could be the answer you've been looking for all along!
We explore the key differences between a standard Olympic Barbell and the newer, trap bar. The changes in design, height, and grip impact lifting technique and muscle activation. Join us as we discuss considerations for choosing the right bar for you.
The bench press is the perfect exercise to display one's upper body strength. Next, comes the conundrum of how to maximise it, by arching...or not? That's the question! Tune in to get the answer.
Want to lose weight but not sure if you should do cardio or weights first? Tune in for simple explanations and expert tips on how to get the best fat-loss results for your body.
Pre and post-workout nutrition for optimal performance and quick recovery from training. I discuss the best foods, timing and portions for maximum results. A must-listen for all fitness levels.
