Leg Day - PULSED REPS and Super-Sets for Lower Body Gains

I've started using pulsed reps in some of my workouts (particularly leg day as well as chest and shoulder exercises), and so far I'm loving it... in a sort of masochistic, pain-loving way. This is what my leg workout looked like this week:

A) 5 supersets of 10 to 12 repetitions:
Leg Press (or Squats) supersetted with Leg Curls

B) 4 supersets of 8 to 10 repetitions:
Lunge Variation (or Split Squat) supersetted with Stiff Leg Deadlifts

C) 3 supersets of 12 to 15 repetitions:
Straight Leg Calf Raise supersetted with Bent Knee Calf Raise

Man In a Box DIY Illusion Costume - How to Make it (Halloween)

This year I decided to make my own Halloween costume, just for something fun to do with my kid, which actually ended up winning me the "Best Costume" prize at our neighbor's Halloween Party!



It was a toss-up between the PiggyBack illusion costume or this Man In a Box "carry" costume... I decided this one was easier to create on my own. In this video I show you everything I used to build it and take you through the full process, as well as the finished product. I had some fun with this on the weekend!

Refeed Days, HIIT, Core Training

It's time for another episode in my Road to Ripped series, which follows my journey to the stage for my first Men's Physique competition. 


In this video I discuss the importance of "Refeed Days" and demonstrate the HIIT and Core training I'm doing during my prep.

You can check out my complete HIIT and abs training program here:

http://yourgymtrainer.com/3d-abs/ 

Full Day of Eating

This VLOG follows me through a full day of eating (and training) and I show you all of my meals with all calories / macros listed, so you can see exactly how I plan my meals on an average day leading up to the comp.



I also discuss my macros goals and what I'll be adjusting moving forward. Hopefully this gives you some ideas and insight for managing your own nutrition plan if you're training for aesthetics. Nutrition is key if you want to gain muscle and especially related to fat loss!

Post Workout Protein Shake Recipe - Sweet Liquid Gains!

In this video I show you what I'm using in my post-workout protein shake right now. I used to add almond butter but now I'm trying to keep the fats lower post workout (and up the carbs/protein) for faster absorption.



Here's my shake recipe:



Whey or Vegan Protein powder (1.5 scoops)

Greens Freak (or other greens powder)

Benefibre -1 spoonful

Cinnamon

Banana - 1 or 2

Milk (dairy, almond, rice)

Instant Oatmeal (optional... I just like the taste, texture, and helps me hit my carbs).

Frozen berries - 1 cup

Greek Yogurt (low fat) - 1/2 cup... although some dairy products bother my gut, yogurt seems fine. Also high in protein and gut-healthy pro-biotics.



Try this out and let me know what you think. Also comment below to share your own protein shake recipe. Thanks for watching!

Quiz the Coach - What Supplements Should I Take?

I received a question from a subscriber asking about what supplements to take (specifically for strength). I decided that because supplementation is a common topic of discussion, I would answer this question on video and feature it as another Quiz the Coach episode.



But I want to address this topic in a broader sense, first looking at what basic supplements I recommend, then share a couple of supplements related to increasing strength, and finally providing a few excellent resources for doing your own research into supplementation. Here are the websites I suggest you check out:



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/



http://www.ergo-log.com/



http://examine.com/