Muscular System. Muscle Tissues Skeletal Muscle Smooth Muscle Cardiac Muscle.
The 21-Day Big Muscle Plan: The No-BS Training and Nutrition Program for Rapid Muscle Growth!
Transcript of The 21-Day Big Muscle Plan: The No-BS Training and Nutrition Program for Rapid Muscle Growth!
Thisbookisintendedasareferencevolumeonly,notasamedicalmanual.Theinformationgivenhereisdesignedtohelpyoumakeinformeddecisionsaboutyourhealth.Itisnotintendedasasubstituteforanytreatmentthatmayhavebeenprescribedbyyourdoctor.Ifyoususpectthatyouhaveamedicalproblem,weurgeyoutoseekcompetentmedicalhelp.
Mentionofspecificcompanies,organizations,orauthoritiesinthisbookdoesnotimplyendorsementbytheauthororpublisher,nordoesmentionofspecificcompanies,organizations,orauthoritiesimplythattheyendorsethisbook,itsauthor,orthepublisher.
Copyright2014byZinczenko/AMIVentures,LLC.Allrightsreserved.
PublishedintheUnitedStatesbyGalvanizedBooks,adivisionofGalvanizedBrands,LLC,NewYork.
GalvanizedBooksisatrademarkofGalvanizedBrands,LLC.
Men’sFitnessandMuscle&FitnessaretrademarksofAmericanMedia,Inc.
eBookISBN:978-0-8041-8102-0
v3.1
CONTENTS
CoverCopyright
IntroductionBuildtheBodyofaGod
Chapter1TheHigh-TestosteroneLifestyle
Chapter2FoodsThatGrowMuscle
Chapter3Ultimate21-DayMuscle-BuildingWorkout
Chapter4SupplementsforMass
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations.Yourbody—andyourlife—isabouttochange.AndIshouldknow.I’mtheTraining
DirectorforMen’sFitnessandMuscle&Fitnessmagazines,andtheauthorof101BestWorkoutsofAllTime.I’malsoaCertifiedStrengthandConditioningSpecialist,andI’vetriedjustabouteverymuscle-buildingprogramknowntoman.I’vespokentoeverymajortrainerandnutritionistinthefitnessindustry,andtestedtheirtheoriesonbothmyself,andtensofthousandsofreaders.Myjobforthepastdecadehasbeen—quitesimplyandinnouncertainterms—tohelpmenlikeyoupackonmuscle.Ifyou’veeverwonderedwhyyoucouldn’t
growmuscleasquicklyandeffectivelyassomeotherguys,wondernomore.Withthisbook,youhavetheanswerstoallthequestionsthathaveheldyoubackfromyourgoalsinthepast.Theultimateanswerstotraining,dieting,supplementing,andorganizingyourlifeoutsidethegymliewithinthesepages.We’vesuppliedtheplan,butit’suptoyoutoputitintoaction.The21-DayBigMusclePlanisn’tcomplex,butitisn’teasy.Tosee
impressivegrowthin21days,you’dbetterbepreparedtoworkforit.By
embarkingonthisplan,you’regoingtobetestingyourbodyinnewways,demandingthatitrespondwithnewmuscleandahard,chiseledcore.Youwillseeresults—dramaticresults—veryquickly.Butyou’llhavetofollowittotheletter.
BUILDTHEBODYOFAGOD
Youknowwhat’sgreatabouttheGreekgods?Theydidn’ttakeanycrap.Youmessedwiththem,youweresmited,err,smote.Endofstory.Youknowwhat’salotlikeaGreekgod?Yourbody.Youfeeditcrap,
treatitwithzerorespect,letitliearoundonthecouchwatchingFamilyGuyreruns,anditwillrespondbysmitingyouwithwitheredbiceps,jigglinglovehandlesandapotbelly.Buthere’ssomethingelsetheancientGreeksknew:Buildingmuscleis
actuallyprettyeasy.Thatmaysoundliketherantingsofalunatic,especiallyifyou’vetried
foryearstogetbigandtobuildthebodyyouwantwithoutsuccess.ButI’mlivingproofofhoweasyitistobuildmuscle—ifyouhaveaccesstotherightfitness,nutritionandlifestylestrategy.Thetruthis,themalebodyisprogrammedtobuildandretainmuscle,
naturally.Whenyoulosemuscle,orwhenyouexerciselikehellandstilldon’tseeresults,orwhenyougiveupandcollapseonthecouchforayear?That’sNOTnatural.Sostopworkingsohardtomakemuscle.I’mgoingtoshowyouhow
togetit,easily.Infact,ifyou’reundertheageof40andnotalreadyjacked,youcan
expecttoseeupto4poundsofleanmusclegrowthinthenext21days.Doesn’tsoundlikemuch?Flexyourbicep.That’saboutapoundofmusclerightthere.How’dyouliketopackonfourtimesthatmuch,injust21days?
TRIGGERYOURBODY’SNATURALGROWTH
MECHANISM
TheancientGreeksdidn’thavesupplements,theydidn’thavebarbells,andtheydidn’thavepersonaltrainersscreamingatthemto“Feeleththyburn!”Buttheysculptedperfectphysiques,bothintheirartworkandintheiractualphysicalbeings.Therippedmusculatureoftheirstatuesreflectedwhattheysawaroundthem—menwithmuscles.(Andyes,curlybeardsandbowlhaircuts.Butthat’snotimportant.)Sohowdidourforefathersgetsopowerfulwithoutanyofthemodern
sciencewehaveatourdisposaltoday?ItgoesbacktowhatIsaidabove:Buildingmuscleiseasy.Wejusthavetogetoutoftheway.Herearesomethingsancientathletesdidn’tdo:•Sitinfrontofcomputersfor8,10,14,18hoursaday•StayupafternightfallplayingGrandTheftAuto•Digestfrozenpizza•Stressovermeetingcarpayments•Juggleahecticsociallife•Gotothegymeveryfreakin’dayYetthesearethemistakeswemakewhenwe’retryingtobuild
muscle.Yourbodyonlyhasacertainamountofresourcestoapplytoitsdaily
tasks—glycogentofuelyourmetabolism,hormonestodrivegrowth.Ifyouburnthoseresourcesontryingtomanageabusycareeronfivehours’sleep,orongoingto“workoffstress”everydayinthegym,ordigestingthingslikeazodicarbonamide—atypeofplasticfoundinprocessedfoods—thenthoseresourcesaren’tgoingtobuildingmuscle.Gettingbiggeris,morethananythingelse,amatterofgettingoutof
yourownway.Thisbookisgoingtoshowyouhow.
THESLOWPATHTOFASTMUSCLE
Whenyourfocusisbulkingupmuscle,youneedtoslowdowntogofaster.You’regoingtobeliftingweights,butyou’renotgoingtoberunning
aroundlikeawhirlingdervishinthegym.You’llbeliftingslow,liftingheavy,andtakingverylongrestperiodsaftereachset.Thiswillallowforampleamountofrecovery.It’saboutlifting,recoveringandgrowing;lifting,recoveringandgrowing.Andrecoverygoesdeeperthanrestperiods.Greekgodssleptvery
well.Wellenoughtonaturallyboostormaintaintestosterone.Ifpossible,you’regoingtogetdeeptissuemassages,hotrocktreatments,whateverittakestokeepthemindcalmandthebodyinastateofrelaxationformoregrowth.Remember,yourbrainworksonglycogen,thesamestuffthatfuelsyourmuscles.Andyoudon’twanttobepumpingoutstresshormones;youwanttobepumpingoutgrowthhormones.Eachdayoftrainingwillbefocusedononesinglebodypart,ortwo
smallerbodyparts.Arms,forexample,wouldbebicepsandtricepsandworkedtogether.Legs,chest,orback,ontheotherhand,willhavetheirownindividualdays.Thepurposeofthisistohyperfocusononeareawithbigcomplexmovementstoensureeverysinglemusclefiberisactivatedandforcedtogrow.Ourliftswillprimarilyconsistof“big,”“multi-joint,”“compound”movementstoactivatemoreofthebody,boosttestosterone,andaccelerategrowth.
PUREFOODFORPUREMUSCLE
Oneofthebigmistakesmenmakewhentheytryto“bulkup”isthinkingthattheyjustneedlotsofcalories,andlotsofprotein.Sotheyhitthegymhard,thenpullupachairatthelocalburgerjointanddoubledownonthecheeseburgers,allthebettertomaximizeenergyintakeand“fuel”growth.That’samistake.Yourbodywillgrowwhenyougiveitmorecalories,
that’sforsure.Thequestionis,Growwhat?Whenyourbodyisworkingtodigestheavilyprocessedfoods,it’snot
workingtobuildmuscle.Whenit’sworkingtoturnunhealthyfatsandrefinedcarbohydratesintohealthybodytissue,it’sbeingchargedwithamuchheaviertaskthanwhenit’sfocusedonleanmeat,high-nutrientcarbsandtherightbalanceoffats.Itwouldratherjustsaythehellwithit,shuttlethatjunkintoyourlovehandles,andwaitforsomethingbettertocomealong.That’swhybuildingmuscleisn’tjustaboutwhocanliftthemostin
thegym.Therightnutritionplancanandwillmakethedifferencebetweenwhetheryourworkinthegymbuildsmoremuscle,orjustmakesmoredirtylaundry.
SeanHyson,C.S.C.SGroupTrainingDirector,
Men’sFitnessandMuscle&Fitness
P.S.: If you like this program, you’ll find more perfectly calibratedworkouts in 101 Best Workouts of All Time. Check it out at101bestworkouts.com.
CHAPTER1
TheHigh-TestosteroneLifestyle
Growingmoremusclestartswithgeneratingmoretestosterone.Testosteronecirculatesnaturallyinyourbody.It’sananabolicsteroid
—ahormonethatcontributestomalecharacteristics,includingincreasedmusclemass.Uppingyourlevelsoftestosteronecanhavebenefitsthatrangefromincreasedenergyandlibidotogreatermusclemassandathletic(andsexual)performance.Researchhasshownthattestosteronelevelsstarttodropatage40,
with10to25percentofmenoverage50showinglowtestosterone.Soitstandstoreasonthataroundmiddleage,youshouldprobablyjustquitthegym,curlupunderaSnuggie,andstartresearchingyourhipreplacementsurgeon.Oh,wait.Turnsout,that’sactuallywrong.A2014study,presentedatTheEndocrineSociety’s94thAnnual
MeetinginHouston,suggeststhatthiswell-documenteddeclineintestosteronelevelsmaybetheresultofhealthandbehaviormorethanaging.“Testosteronechangesarelargelyexplainedbysmokingbehaviorand
changesinhealthstatus,particularlyobesityanddepression,”studyco-authorGaryWittert,MD,said.Researchersfollowedover1,300menforfiveyears,measuringtheir
testosteronelevelsattwodifferenttimes.Aswithotherresearch,themenshowedadeclineintestosteroneofaroundonepercentayear.This,however,washigherforcertaingroupsofmen—thosewhobecameobeseorhadahistoryofsmoking,andthosewhoweredepressedateithervisit.Inaddition,testosteronelevelsdeclinedmoreslowlyinmarriedmen,
possiblyduetothembeinghealthierandhappier,alongwiththefactthattheyweremorelikelytoreporthavingfrequentsex.Thisstudyhasnotyetbeenpublishedinapeer-reviewedjournal,sotheresultsshouldbeconsideredpreliminary.Otherstudies,however,havelinkedlowtestosteronewithobesity,diabetes,andhighbloodpressure.Inaddition,poorsleepandhighlevelsofstressdecreasetestosterone,andincreaseanotherhormone,cortisol,whichtriggersfatstorageandactuallyerodesmusclequality.Soahigh-testosteronelifestylemeansabig-musclelifestyle.Noamountofweighttrainingorhealthyeatingisgoingtogiveyouthebodyyouwantifyoudon’tfollowafewsimplesteps.Forthenext21days,you’regoingtodothefollowing:
•Sleepatleast7hoursaday.Atleast.Muscledoesn’tgrowinthegym,itgrowsinthebedroom,duringtherecoveryphase,whenbroken-downmusclefiberisregenerating.Theextraenergyyouexpendstayinguplate,orpoweringthroughyourdayonashortageofsleep,isenergythatisn’tgoingintobuildingmuscle.
•Meditate.Orpray.Orjustsitquietlyandthinkabouttheawesomenessoftheuniverse.There’sareasonMatthewMcConaugheylooksthewayhedoesatage45andit’snotbecausehe’sallstressedout.Chillmindequalsmuscularbody.
•Getlucky.Regularsexbegetsabetterbody,whichbegetsmoreregularsex.Whenitcomestotestosterone,useit…orloseit.
•Liftheavy.You’llfollowtheprotocolinthetrainingchapter,whichwillgiveyouallthepoweryouneedtobuildmaximummuscleoverthenext21days.Butherearefourrulesyoushouldkeepinmindwheneveryou’relookingtoboostyourtestosteronelevels,courtesyoftheNationalStrengthandConditioningAssociation(NSCA).
1.Trainusinglarge-muscle-groupexercisessuchasthesquat,deadlift,andpowerclean.(Interestingly,despitemakingmostguysfeelmoremanly,bench-pressingdoesnotsignificantlyincreasetestosteroneproduction.)2.Useheavyweights—atleast85%ofthegreatestloadyoucanliftforonerepetition.
3.Performmultiplesets(threetosix,forexample)perexercise,ormultipleexercises.4.Keeprestperiodsshort.Levelsofbothtestosteroneandgrowthhormoneelevatewith30-to60-secondrests.
CHAPTER2Nutrition
Forgetthemyths.Here’sthetruthaboutwhen,what,andhowmuchtoeattobuildmuscle.Hint:It’slessthanyouthink.Bulking,ascommonlyunderstood,isB.S.Isaidit,andit’stimeyou
acceptedit,too.Tellingyourselfyoucaneatanythingyouwantbecauseyou’reskinnyandtryingtoputonmuscleisjustanexcusetoeatlikeapig,andyou’llpayforit.Yes,you’llgainsomemuscle,butyou’llalsogainfat,andthatfatwillobscureyourmusclesuntilyoudecideyoudesperatelyneedtoloseit—andthenyou’llhaveahellofatimedietingitoff.I’mtellingyounow:Stopbulkingbeforeit’stoolate.Thesolutiontoyourskinninessmightactuallyrequirelessfoodthan
youthink,andnouncomfortableforcefeedings.(Onthedownside,itdoesn’twarrantpizzasorBigMacs,either.)Discovertherealscienceofgainingweight,andnevergetfatintheprocessagain.
THEHARDTRUTH
Yourbodycanonlygainsomuchmuscleinagivenperiodoftime;it’sdependentonyourgenetics,age,andtrainingage(howlongyou’vebeenlifting).Arelativebeginnerinhisteensupthroughhis30scanexpecttoputonuptofourpoundsofleanmusclein21days,andrepeatthatperformanceforthefirstfewmonthsofhistraining.Anolder,moreexperiencedliftermightsee1–1.5poundspermonth.Thismeansthatwhenyouhearaboutsomebodywho“gained20
poundsinamonth,”hereallyputonclosertotwopoundsofmuscleand18poundsofwaterandfat.Trainers,equipmentmanufacturers,andsomemuscle“gurus”liketoexaggerateresults,butifyoumeasuredthebodyfatoftheirsubjects,you’dseeonlyamodestincreaseinleanmass.Andthat’sfine.Gopickupatwo-poundtop-roundsteakandenvisionwhat10of
thosewouldlooklikeonyourbody.Veryfewguysonthisplanethavethepotentialtogain20poundsofrock-hardmuscleinamonth.Thatis,notsanstheaidofcertainmuscle-buildingdrugs.
HOWTOBULKRIGHT
Becauseofthebody’slimitedmuscle-buildingpotential,itmakesnosensetobombarditwithagreatexcessofcalories.Asmallsurplusisenough.“Eating200–300caloriesabovemaintenancelevelwilldothetrick,”saysJohnAlvino,anutritionexpertandstrengthcoachinMorristown,NJ.Startbyeating14–18caloriesperpoundofyourbodyweight,and
adjustfromthere.Consumeonegramofproteinperpoundofyourbodyweightdaily,twogramsofcarbs,and0.4gramsoffat.Inotherwords,a180-poundmanlookingtogainweightwouldeatbetween2,500and3,200caloriesdaily,consistingofapproximately180gramsofprotein,360gramsofcarbs,and70gramsoffat.Tomakeadjustments,tweakyourcarbsandfat,butkeepyourproteinintakeconstant.Thefatalmistakebulkersmakeiseatingtoomuchtoosoon.Theymay
startoutfollowinganintelligentdiet,butwhenthescaledoesn’tjumpfivepoundsinaweek,theyassumetheprogramisn’tworkingandstartswallowingeverythinginsighttoseegains—andthentheygetfat.Ofcourse,it’struethatmorecaloriesprovidemorerawmaterialformuscle,butthebodyisstillcapableofbuildingmusclewithoutthem.Infact,it’sbeenshownthatmusclegrowthcanoccurevenwhileinacaloricdeficit.AnAmericanJournalofClinicalNutritionstudyfoundthatsubjectswho
dietedandweight-trainedfor90dayslostanaverageof35poundswhilegainingsignificantmusclemass.Don’tgettooexcited,asthesubjectswereobesewomen,butitprovesthatmusclegainisn’tdependentonbigeatingalone.“Hypertrophy[musclegrowth]isaboutthetrainingstimulusandthen
adequateamountsofprotein”saysauthorandcompetitivebodybuilderNateMiyake.“Caloriesandcarbsareforprovidingproperfuelfortrainingandpreventingthebodyfrombreakingdownprotein,yourmuscletissue,asareservefuel.IfIhadtoranktheminorderofimportance,I’dsayhardtrainingcomesfirst,thenprotein,calories,carbs,andfats.”Alvinosecondsthenotionoftrainingoverfeasting.“Thekeyelement
tofocusonisincreasingstrength,”hesays.Strongermusclesinevitablybecomebiggermuscles,sowhileyoucan’tquicklyeatyourwayto10extramusclepoundswithoutstoringalotoffat,youcan—eventually—trainyourwaythere.Stickwithyoureatingplanforatleasttwoweeksbeforemakingadjustments,andtakephotoseverycoupleofdaystoassessyourprogress.“Oneofthesimplestwaystotellifyou’regainingmuscleinsteadoffatistomeasureyourwaistcircumference,”saysMiyaki.Ifyourbellyisgettingbigger,it’sthewrongkindofweight.
TIMINGISNOTHING
Forthepastdecade,bodybuildinghypehasstressedtheimportanceoftheso-called“pre-andpost-workoutwindows.”Theideahereisthatingestingproteinandcarbsuptoanhourbeforeweighttrainingandwithinanhouraftertrainingwillresultinbetterabsorptionofthesenutrientsforsuperiormusclegrowth.Butthesciencetobackthisnotiondoesn’texist.A2013meta-analysis
publishedintheJournaloftheInternationalSocietyofSportsNutritionfoundnosignificantbenefittorushingproteinintakewithinonehourbeforeoraftertraining.Inotherwords,aslongasyoueatthefoodyouneedoverthecourseofaday,you’llhavenotroublegrowingmuscle.Thatsaid,it’sstillagoodideatohaveaprotein-richshakeafter
training.Itmaynotofferanyextramuscle-buildingbenefitbeyondthatofeatinglater,butitwillprovideaconvenientandeasilydigestiblemealtotideyouoveruntilyoudoeatagain.
TheBestBulkingFoods
Makethislistyourgo-tomenutogainmusclewithoutfat.
Protein is the main ingredient of muscle tissue, carbs power yourworkoutsandpreventmusclebreakdown,andfatsupportshormoneslike testosterone that help muscles grow. The following are thehealthiestsourcesofeachnutrient.
PROTEINS: Leanmeat (any kind), including chicken, beef, and turkey,Fishandseafood,Eggs,Proteinpowder
CARBS:Potatoes,Sweetpotatoes,Rice,FruitWe’veexcludedmostgrainsandvegetablesfromthislist.Grainssuch
asoatsandwheatcontaincompoundsthatmakethemdifficulttodigestformanypeopleandcancausestomachupsetandbloating.However,ifyoufeelyoudofineonthesefoods,you’rewelcometoconsumetheminsmalldoses,butmakestarchessuchaspotatoesandriceyourmaincarbsources.Greenvegetables,ontheotherhand,shouldbeconsumedliberally,
butbecauseoftheirverylowcaloricvalue,aren’ttobecountedtowardyourdailycalorieandmacronutrienttotals.
FATS:Avocado,Nuts (all kinds),Seeds (all kinds),Oils (includingoliveandcoconut)Mostofyourfatintakeshouldcomeasaby-productofyourprotein
foods.Forinstance,eggyolkscontainproteinandfat,asdoeventheleanestcutsofbeef.However,ifyouneedextrafattohityourallotment
fortheday,youcanpickfromthislistoffoods.
SampleBulkingDiet
MealPlanMacros
CHAPTER3Exercise
Everytypeoffitnessgoalhasanidealtrainingplan.Buildstrengthlikeapowerlifter?Lowreps,monsterweight,
compoundmusclegroups,restforseveralminutes,wearuglyT-shirts,repeat.Shreddingfat?High-volumeexercise,lotsofsweating,cutdownoncaloriesandgo-go-go.Trainingformaximummusclegrowth,however,isadifferentanimal
thanyourtypicaltrainingprogram.Insteadofcompoundexercisesdesignedtohitasmuchmuscleaspossibleallatonce,you’llinsteadfocusonbodyparts,breakingeachweekdownintolegdays,armdays,chestdays,etc.Theideaistohiteachbodypartwithasmuchdirectloadaspossibletobreakdownmuscletissue,thengiveitseveraldaysofrestandrecoverytomaximizegrowth.AsIsaidthatthebeginningofthisplan,growingmuscleisn’tthathard.Youjustneedtodoitright.Thisplanwillhaveyouexercisingsixdaysaweek,withoneday—inthiscase,Thursday—asarestday.
MondayLegs
■Ifyou’rewonderingwhyyourlegshaven’tgrown,askyourselfanotherquestion:“HowmuchdoIsquat?”Iftheanswerisn’tatleastoneandahalftimesyourbodyweight,youbetterstepunderthebarandgetafterit.Improvingyoursquatwillgofurthertowardbuildingbig,stronglegsthananyotherexercise,andtheworkoutatrightdoesitwithonlythreeexercises.
HOWITWORKSMostpeoplegetstuckcoming“outofthehole”onasquat—risingupfromthebottomposition.Theystarttopitchforwardandtheirhipsrisetoofast,resultinginbadformthatcancauseinjuryorevenamissedlift.Pausingatthebottomwillgetyoucomfortablewiththetoughestpointintherangeofmotion.Twootherexercisesalsohelpwiththisproblem—thelungeandsingle-legbackextension.Workingyourquadsandhamstringsunilaterallyenhancesstabilityandstrengthensyourcore,soyoucansquatbigweightssolidly.
DIRECTIONSCompleteallsetsforoneexercisebeforegoingontothenext.
1PAUSESQUAT
SETS:4REPS:12,10,8,6REST:120SEC.
Setupinasquatrackorcage.Graspthebarasfarapartasiscomfortableandstepunderit.Squeezeyourshoulderbladestogetherandnudgethebaroutoftherack.Stepbackandstandwithyourfeetshoulderwidthandyourtoesturnedoutslightly.Takeadeepbreathandbendyourhipsback,thenbendyourkneestoloweryourbodyasfarasyoucanwithoutlosingthearchinyourlowerback.Pushyourkneesoutasyoudescend.Holdthebottompositionfortwoseconds,thenextendyourhipstocomebackup,continuingtopushyourkneesoutward.
2WALKINGLUNGE
SETS:3REPS:16–20REST:60SEC.
Standwithyourfeethipwidth,holdingadumbbellineachhand.Stepforwardwithonelegandloweryourbodyuntilyourrearkneenearlytouchesthefloorandyourfrontthighisparalleltothefloor.Stepforwardwithyourrearlegtoperformthenextrep.
3SINGLE-LEGBACKEXTENSION
SETS:2REPS:12–15(EACHLEG)REST:60SEC.
Lockonelegintoabackextensionbenchandcrossyourhandsinfrontofyourchest,orifpossible,holdaweightplateagainstthebackofyourhead.Allowyourtorsotobendforwardsothatyourhipsarebentalmost90degrees,butdonotlosethearchinyourlowerback.Extendyourhipssothatyourbodyformsastraightline.
TuesdayChest
■Ifyou’vebeenworkingoutforawhile,thisroutinewillprobablyremindyouofsomeofthechestsessionsyoudidintheearlydays.It’sgood,old-fashionedhardworkandprovidesalotofisolationofthepecs.Ifyou’vegottenmorescientificwithyourtrainingsinceandnoticedfewergains,thissimpleanddirectapproachmaybewhatyouneedtogetgrowingagain.
HOWITWORKSWhenamusclecontracts,thewholethingcontracts.Sowhenyouheartrainerstalkingaboutexercisesforthe“upper”pecsand“inner”pecs,thisisn’tentirelyaccurate.However,whilethewholepectoralismajormuscleisinvolvedinanykindofpress,dip,orflymotion,differentpartsofitareindeedemphasizeddependingontheangleofresistance.Sowhileaninclinedumbbellpresswillworkthewholechest,it’smakingthefibersthatattachtoyourclavicleworkharderthantheonesthatattachtoyourribs.We’vegivenyouexercisesthatworkeverypartofthechestand
withvaryingdegreesofisolation.Ifyoudon’tnormallyfeelyourpecsworkingonbarbellpresses,you’lllovewhatdumbbellandmachineworkdoesforyou.
DIRECTIONSStopeachsetareportwoshortoffailure.FeelfreetocombinetheworkoutwithOptionA,shownpreviously.
Thetworoutinesfitwelltogetherbutshouldbespacedthreedaysapart.
1INCLINEDUMBBELLPRESS
SETS:4REPS:8REST:60–90SEC.
Setanadjustablebenchtoa30-to45-degreeangleandliebackonitwithadumbbellineachhandatshoulderlevel.Presstheweightsoveryourchest.
2HAMMERSTRENGTHCHESTPRESS
SETS:4REPS:8REST:60–90SEC.
UseaHammerStrengthflat-pressmachineifyoucanandadjusttheseatsothatbothofyourfeetareflatonthefloor.Graspthehandlesandpresstoafulllockout.
3DUMBBELLFLY
SETS:3REPS:8REST:60–90SEC.
Liebackonaflatbenchwithadumbbellineachhand.Keepaslightbendinyourelbowsandspreadyourarmswide,loweringtheweightsuntilthey’reevenwithyourchest.Flexyourpecsandlifttheweightsbacktothestartingposition.
4LOW-CABLECROSSOVER
SETS:3REPS:8REST:60–90SEC.
StandbetweentwofacingcablestationsandattachaD-handletothelowpulleysoneach.Withahandleineachhandandelbowsslightlybent,raiseyourarmsfromwaistheighttooutinfrontofyourchest,flexingyourpecsasyoubringthemtogether.
5DIP
SETS:4REPS:8REST:60–90SEC.
Suspendyourselfoverthebarsofadipstationandloweryourbodyuntilyourupperarmsareparalleltothefloor.Ifeightrepsistooeasy,addweightusingaweightedbeltorbyholdingadumbbellbetweenyourfeet.
WednesdayBack
■DeadliftsareoneofourfavoriteexercisesatMen’sFitness.Theyraisetestosterone,jackupyourmetabolism,andaddslabsofmusclealloveryourbody—andtoyourbackinparticular.Deadliftsarethecenterpieceofthisroutine,andjustwhenthey’vewornyouout,theworkreallybegins.
HOWITWORKSThedeadliftisastrenuousexerciseandusuallyrequiresplentyofrestbetweensets.Nosuchluckhere.You’llkeepyourrestperiodsshortandsqueakoutasmanyrepsasyoucantoexhaustyourbackcompletely.Thenyou’llgoontochinups—theultimatelatbuilder—lyinglateralraises,rows,andbackextensions.Totellyouthetruth,thedeadliftalonewillleaveyourbacksorethenextmorning.Therestoftheexercisesjustkeepitthatwaylonger.
DIRECTIONSPerformthepairedexercises(marked“A”and“B”)assupersets.Soyou’lldoonesetofAandthenBbeforeresting.Completealltheprescribedsetsforthepairbeforemovingon.Thefirstexerciseisdoneasconventionalstraightsets.
1DEADLIFT
SETS:4REPS:5,ASMANYASPOSSIBLEREST:15SEC.
Standwithfeethipwidthandbendyourhipsbacktograspthebarjustoutsideyourknees.Keepingyourbackflat,extendyourhipstostandup,pullingthebarupalongyourlegstolockout.Performthreewarmupsetsoffiverepsusing20%,40%,and60%ofyourdeadliftmax,respectively.(Ifyoudon’tknowhowmuchyoucanliftforonereponthedeadlift,estimateitconservatively.)Rest90secondsbetweenthesewarmups.Whenyou’redone,performonesetwith70–75%ofyourmaxforfiverepsandthenrest15seconds.Performthreemoresetsofasmanyrepsaspossible,resting15secondsbetweensets.Youmaygetonlyoneortworepsontheselastthreesets,andthat’sOK.Endasetifyoususpectyourformmightbecompromised.
2ACHINUP
SETS:4REPS:6–8REST:0SEC.
Hangfromachinupbarwithhandsshoulderwidth.Pullyourselfupuntilyourchinisoverthebar.
2BLYINGLATERALRAISE
SETS:4REPS:20REST:60–90SEC.
Setanadjustablebenchtoa30-degreeinclineandlieonitchest-downwithadumbbellineachhand.Squeezeyourshoulderbladestogetherandraiseyourarmsout90degreestoyoursidessoyourpalmsfacedowninthetopposition.
3ASEATEDCABLEROW
SETS:3REPS:10–12REST:0SEC.
Attachastraightorlat-pulldownbartothepulleyofaseatedrowstation.Sitonthebench(orfloor)withyourfeetagainstthefootplateandkneesslightlybent.Keepingyourlowerbackflat,bendforwardatthehipstograspthebarandrowittoyoursternum,squeezingyourshoulderbladestogetherintheendposition.Extendyourarmsandfeelthestretchinyourbackbeforebeginningthenextrep.
3BBACKEXTENSION
SETS:3REPS:10–12REST:60SEC.
Lockyourlegsintoabackextensionbenchandallowyourtorsotobendforwardsothatyourhipsarebentalmost90degrees.Extendyourhipssothatyourbodyformsastraightline.
ThursdayOff!
FridayShoulders
■Withaccesstoallthatagymhastooffer,youcanworkyourshouldersfromavarietyofanglesand,whileyou’reatit,repschemes.Lowerreps(sixandunder)withheavyweightsresultinthebeststrengthgains.Mediumreps(8–12)withmoderateloadsexhaustthemuscles,sparkinggainsinsheersize.Highreps(15ormore)trainendurance,butinsodoinghitadifferentsetofmusclefibersthataren’ttappedbytheotherrepranges.Theshoulderroutineheretakesadvantageofallthreerangestoleavenostoneunturnedinyourjourneyforbiggerdelts.
HOWITWORKSTheexercisesareorganizedintotrisets—threemovesdonebacktoback.Thefirstliftineachtrisetisdoneheavy,thesecondismedium,andthethirdislightbutforhighreps.Combinethevarietyoftheexercises,therepranges,andthefastpaceandthere’slittlemoreyoucandotoshockyourdeltsintonewgrowth.
DIRECTIONSPerformthefirsttriset(markedas“A,”“B,”and“C”)insequencewithoutrestinbetween.Afterward,resttwotothreeminutes,andrepeatforfourtotaltrisets.Thengoontothesecondtrisetandcompleteitinthesamefashion.
1AOVERHEADPRESS
SETS:4REPS:6REST:0SEC.
Setthebarupinasquatrackorcage,andgraspitjustoutsideshoulderwidth.Takethebarofftherackandholditatshoulderlevelwithyourforearmsperpendiculartothefloor.Squeezethebarandbraceyourabs.Pressthebaroverhead,pushingyourheadforwardandshruggingyourtrapsasthebarpassesyourface.
1BSTANDINGDUMBBELLFLY
SETS:4REPS:12REST:0SEC.
Holdadumbbellineachhandbyyoursides.Withoutshrugging,useyourupperbodytoswingtheweightsupafewinches.YourarmsandtorsowillformanupsidedownVshape.Thinkofitasalateralraisewithmomentumbutwithoutfullrangeofmotion.
1CFACEPULL
SETS:4REPS:25REST:120–180SEC.
Attacharopehandletothetoppulleyofacablestation.Graspanendineachhandwithpalmsfacingeachother.Stepbacktoplacetensiononthecable.Pullthehandlestoyourforeheadsoyourpalmsfaceyourearsandyourupperbackisfullycontracted.
2AHIGHPULL
SETS:4REPS:6REST:0SEC.
Graspthebarwithhandsaboutdoubleshoulderwidthandholditinfrontofyourthighs.Bendyourkneesandhipssothebarhangsjustaboveyourknees.Explosivelyextendyourhipsasifjumpingandpullthebaruptoshoulderlevelwithelbowswideapart,asinanuprightrow.
2BSEATEDDUMBBELLCLEAN
SETS:4REPS:12REST:0SEC.
Holdadumbbellineachhandandsitontheedgeofabench.Keepingyourlowerbackflat,leanforward.Explosivelystraightenyourbodyandshrugtheweightssoyourarmsrise.Allowthemomentumtoflipyourwristssoyoucatchtheweightsatshoulderlevel.
2CTRAPRAISE
SETS:4REPS:25REST:120–180SEC.
Setabenchtoalowinclineandliechest-downwithadumbbellineachhandandyourpalmsfacing.Retractyourshoulderblades,thenraisetheweightsstraightoutsoyourarmsareparalleltothefloor.
SaturdayCore
■U.S.troopskeepupwiththeirtrainingevenwhenthey’redeployedtoareaswheretheyhavenothingtoworkoutwithbutthegroundbeneaththem.Ifthelackofagymmembershipandequipmentistheexcuseyou’vebeenusingforavoidingworkouts,letthisplan—designedbya20-yearMarine—setyoustraight.
HOWITWORKSBasicexerciseslikethelegraiseandflutterkickwillneverdie.Partlybecausetheycanbedoneanywhere,butmostlybecausetheywork.Unfortunately,theyalsoburn.Workingwithhigherrepsandholdinguncomfortablepositionsfortimewillconditionyourabsalongwithyourheartandmaytoughenyouupmentally,too.
DIRECTIONSPerformtheexercisesasacircuit,completingonesetofeachinsequencewithoutrest.Afterward,rest60seconds,andthenrepeatthecircuitoncemore.
1LEGRAISE
SETS:2REPS:10REST:0SEC.
Lieonthefloorandholdontoabenchorthelegsofaheavychairforsupport.Keepyourlegsstraightandraisethemupuntilthey’revertical.Lowerbackdown,butstopjustshortofthefloortokeeptensiononyourabsbeforethenextrep.
2ARMS-HIGHPARTIALSITUP
SETS:2REPS:20REST:0SEC.
Lieonyourback,kneesbent90degrees,andraiseyourarmsstraightoverhead,keepingthempointingupwardthroughouttheexercise.Situphalfwayandthenreturntothefloor.
3FLUTTERKICK
SETS:2REPS:20(EACHLEG)REST:0SEC.
Lieonyourbackwithlegsstraightandextendyourarmsbyyoursides.Liftyourheelsaboutsixinchesandrapidlykickyourfeetupanddowninaquick,scissor-likemotion.
4STARPLANK
SETS:2REPS:HOLDFOR30SECREST:60SEC.
Getintopushupposition.Moveyourarmsandfeetapartaswideaspossible—yourbodywillmakeastarshape.Holdthepositionwithyourtorsostraightandabsbracedfor30seconds.
SundayArms
■Youcan’tgowrongwithapairofdumbbells.Arguablythemostversatileequipmentinatrainer’sarsenal,dumbbellsareafavoriteamongcompetitivebodybuilders,whohappentoknowathingortwoaboutstackingimpressivearms.Whetherornotyouwantbodybuilderesquearms,dumbbellscanproveinvaluableinyourquesttoimprovethem.
HOWITWORKSYou’llmakeuseofpeakcontractions(holdingthetop,flexed,positionofarepforasecondortwo),slownegatives(loweringtheweightwithcontrol),andstretchingbetweensets.Allofthesestrategiesincreasebloodflowtothearmsandencouragegrowth.
DIRECTIONSPerform1Aand1Bassupersets.Soyou’llcompleteonesetofAandthengoontoBbeforeresting.Repeatfortheprescribedsets.Exercises2A,2B,and2Careatriset—completeonesetofeachwithoutrestandthenrepeatforalltheprescribedsets.
1ASEATEDCURL
SETS:3REPS:12REST:0SEC.
Sitonaninclinebenchorseatwithabackrestholdingadumbbellineachhand.Keepingyourupperarmsagainstyoursides,curltheweightssimultaneously,rotatingyourwristsoutwardsothatyourpalmsfaceyouinthetopposition.Holdthetoppositionfortwoseconds,squeezingyourbiceps,andtakethreetofivesecondstolowertheweightsoneachrep.
1BDIAMONDPUSHUP
SETS:3REPS:20REST:60SEC.
Getintopushuppositionbutplaceyourhandsclosetogethersoyourthumbsandindexfingerstouch.Keepingyourbodyinastraightlinewithabsbraced,loweryourtorsountilyourchestisjustabovethefloorandthenpressbackup.
2AHAMMERCURL
SETS:4REPS:8REST:0SEC.
Holdadumbbellineachhandwithpalmsfacingyoursides.Keepingyourupperarmsagainstyoursides,curltheweightsatthesametime.
2BNEUTRAL-GRIPTRICEPSEXTENSION
SETS:4REPS:12REST:0SEC.
Liebackonabenchorthefloorholdingadumbbellineachhandwithpalmsfacingeachother.Presstheweightsoveryourchestandthenbendyourelbowstolowertheweightstowardyourfaceuntilyoufeelastretchinyourtriceps.Extendyourelbows.Keepyourelbowsfacingtheceilingtheentireset.
2CBICEPS/TRICEPSSTRETCH
SETS:4REPS:HOLDFOR30SEC.(EACHSIDE)
Placethepalmofonehandonabench,box,orotherlow,flatsurfacewithyourfingerspointingtowardyou.Leanawaytoapplyastretchandholditfor30seconds.Nowreachyourarmoverheadandbendtheelbow.Gentlypullyourarmbehindyourheadtostretchyourtricepsfor30seconds.
CHAPTER4Supplements
NobodyknowsmoreaboutthefinepointsofnutritionthantheteamatMuscle&FitnessandMen’sFitness.Aspartoftheireditorialteam,I’vespentyearsporingovernutritional
studies,andI’veseenandtestedhundredsofsupplements.Andtimeandtimeagain,I’veseenthatforpuremusclegrowth,
supplementscanmakeadifference.Herearesuppsyoushouldconsideraspartofyourown21-DayBigMusclePlan.
1WheyProteinIsolate
Thesupplementofallsupplements.Therearealmosttoomanypotentialhealthbenefitstocountwhenit
comestoconsumingwheyprotein—butwheyproteinisolate,inparticular,ishigherinproteinandlowerinlactosethanwheyconcentrate.Herearethetopfourreasonsitshouldbepartofyourpersonalmuscleplan.
LOSEFATANDPRESERVEMUSCLE
ResearchersinMinnesotaconducteda12-weekstudywheresubjects’dailycaloricintakewasreducedby500calories.Thensomeparticipantsweregivenwheyandtherestweregivenanisocaloricmixbeverage.Thoseconsumingwheylostsignificantlymorebodyfat(6.1%total)andbetterpreservedtheirmuscles.Ifyouhaveanurgetosnackonsomething,tryawheyproteinshake.
INCREASESIZEANDSTRENGTH
ResearchersatBaylorUniversityinWaco,TX,took19menperformingresistancetrainingovera10-weekperiodandgavesomeofthem14gramsofwheyandcaseinproteinalongwith6gramsoffreeaminoacids,whilegivingtheresta20-gramplacebo.Thosewhoconsumedthewheycombohadgreaterincreasesinfat-freemassandmusclestrength.
REDUCEHUNGER
Australianresearchershad28obesemenconsumefourdifferentdrinks.Thosewhoconsumedthebeveragecontaining50gramsofwhey
hadsignificantlyreducedlevelsofghrelin(ahormonethattellsyourbrainyou’rehungry)uptofourhourslater.Soinsteadofmunchingonunhealthypartysnacks,drinkaproteinshakebeforehand.
BOOSTIMMUNITY
UniversityofAlbertaresearchersfoundthatmalesubjectsinvolvedinstrenuousaerobicactivitysufferedfromsignificantlyreducedglutathionelevelsthatcouldimpactsuchthingsasthenervous,gastrointestinal,andimmunesystems.However,theyalsodiscoveredthatbysupplementingwithwheyprotein,thesubjectsexperiencedsignificantlylessreductioninglutathionelevels.Ifyoulikeextendedcardiosessions,butdon’twanttoriskcompromisingyourbody’simmuneresponseandmore,combatthoseeffectswithwhey.
HOWMUCHDOINEED?Ipersonallyrecommendlookingforwheyproteinisolatewithnolessthan24gramsofproteinperserving,andnomorethan5gramsofcarbohydrates.GowithwheyproteinintheAMandpostworkout.
2FishOil
Allgain,nopainFishoilcontainsomega-3fattyacidsandisderivedfromthetissuesof
fatty,cold-wateroceanfishsuchastuna,codliverandsalmon.Itwasfirstusedduringthelate1700sinfishingcommunitiessurroundingtheNorthernAtlanticOceantotreatinfectionsandsickness.Inthosetimes,patientswouldsimplyeatcodliversoakedbetweentwopiecesofbread.Disgusting.Today,theoilismanufacturedintopillform,offeringamuchmorepleasantwaytoingestadosage.
PROMOTEHEARTHEALTH
ResearchersattheHarvardSchoolofPublicHealthcalculatedthateatingabouttwogramsperweekofomega-3fattyacids(equaltooneortwoservingsoffattyfish)reducesthechancesofdyingfromheartdiseasebymorethanone-third.Omega-3fatsprotecttheheartagainstthedevelopmentoferraticcardiacrhythmdisturbances,helpbreakupbloodclotsandlowercholesterol,triglycerides,LDLsandbloodpressure.ThefatsalsoincreasegoodHDLcholesterol.(Iknow,you’reheretobuildmuscle,nottolivelonger.Butgreaterbloodflowmeansmorenutrientstoyourmuscles,whichmeansfastergrowth.Livinglongerisjustasideeffectoflookinggreat.)
IMPROVEMENTALCONDITIONINGAND
MOTIVATION
ResearchersattheUniversityofSheffieldhavefoundthatfishoilsupplementscanalleviatethesymptomsofdepression.Otherstudiesreportthatdepressedpatientswhotakeomega-3fattyacidsinaddition
toprescriptionantidepressantshadagreaterimprovementinsymptomsthanthosewhotookantidepressantsalone.It’stheultimateget-out-of-your-own-waysupplement.
RELIEVEPAINANDMUSCLESORENESS
Therehavebeenmanystudiesreportingimprovementsinmorningstiffnessandjointtendernesswiththeregularintakeoffishoilsupplementsforuptothreemonths.
HOWMUCHDOINEED?Consumethreegramsoffishoilperday.Newresearchshowsthatincludingsomeinyourpost-workoutshakecanbespecificallybeneficialforimprovingrecoveryandgainingmuscle.
3Branched-ChainAminoAcids
Energy,enduranceandafasterrecoveryBackbeforecreatine,arginineandbeta-alanineruledthesupplement
world,BCAAs(theaminoacidsleucine,isoleucineandvaline)toppedthelistofmust-havesupplementsforbodybuilders.Today,they’reregainingtheirpopularitybecausethey’vebeendiscoveredtoboostmusclegrowth,increaseenergyforworkouts,lowercortisollevelspostworkoutandaidmusclerecovery.RecentstudieshaveshownthatthosewhosupplementwithBCAAsbeforeandafterexercisehadasignificantreductioninmusclesorenessaswellasenhancedfat-burning.ResearchhasshownBCAAscanimproveworkoutperformanceandmusclegainsatthefollowingtimes.•BeforeBreakfast.Thefirstcriticalwindowoccursuponwaking,
afteryourbodyhasexperiencedanall-nightfast.Whenyouwakeyourbodybreaksdownmuscleproteinforfuel,buttakingBCAAsatthistimecanstopthecataboliconslaughtbyprovidingadifferentformoffuelforyourbodytouse.•Pre-Workout.Thesecondvitaldosingwindowisrightbefore
training.ThisprovidesyourmuscleswithpreworkoutenergyandpreventsthemfromusingtheirownstoresofBCAAsasfuel.•PostWorkout.Thisisthemostimportantintakeevent.Byadding
BCAAstoyourpostworkoutproteinshake,you’llenhanceproteinsynthesis,themolecularprocessinmusclesthatleadstogrowth.You’llalsodepresscortisoloutput,whichrisesaftertrainingandisknowntoenhancemusclebreakdownandlimittestosterone’seffectonmusclegrowth.BCAAshavealsobeenfoundtodecreasemusclesoreness.•AtDinner.Thefinalwindowislaterintheday,withsupperoryour
lastmeal.Simplyput,takingfrequentdosesofBCAAsthroughoutthedayhelpsmaximizeyourbody’sabilitytogrowmuscle.TIP:Selectaproductinwhichtheleucinecontentisabout2:1tothat
ofisoleucineandvaline.Forexample,ifyoutakea5-gramdoseof
BCAAs,2.5gramsshouldcomefromleucine,withisoleucineandvalineprovidingabout1.25gramseach.Allthreeaminoacidsarevitaltotheoveralleffectsonyourbody,butleucineistheMVP.Researchshowsitliterallyactsasakeythatturnsonproteinsynthesisinmusclecells.
HOWMUCHDOINEED?Researchfromthe2006annualmeetingoftheInternationalSocietyofSportsNutritionshowsthataslittleas750mgofBCAAstakenfourtimesadaycanreducecortisollevelsfollowingexercisebymorethan40%.However,tokeepthingssimple,wesuggestyouaimtotakein5gramspost-workout.Ifyouwanttotakemorethroughouttheday,that’suptoyou,butstartwith1-2gramsperdosetoallowyourstomachtoadjust,andthenslowlyworkyourwayupto5gramsperdose,tops.
4ZMA—Zinc,MagnesiumandB6
NaturalstrengthbuildersZMAisacombinationofzincandmagnesiumasparate—plusabitof
vitaminB6.It’sanall-naturalproductthathasbeenclinicallyproventosignificantlyincreasemusclestrengthintrainedathletes.
IMPROVEMUSCLEFUNCTION
Magnesiumisinvolvedinmorethan300metabolicreactions.Itisessentialforbonestrength,astrongimmunesystem,musclecontractionsandahealthynervoussystem.Magnesiumdeficiencyisakeycauseofpoorsleepandcanalsoleadtoinsulininsensitivity.ThestudymostoftenusedtosupportthehormoneeffectsofZMAisonedoneatWesternWashingtonUniversity.Dr.LorrieBrilla(aZMAsupplementmanufacturer)studied12NCAAdivisionIIfootballplayerswhotookZMAnightlyduringaneight-weekspringtrainingprogramandaseparategroupassignedaplacebopill.TheathletestakingtheZMAhad2.5timesgreatermusclestrengthgainsthantheplacebogroup;theZMAgroupincreasedby11.6percentcomparedtoonly4.6percentintheplacebogroup.
BOOSTTESTOSTERONE
TheZMAgroupalsohad30percentincreasesintestosteronelevels(comparedto10percentintheplacebogroup),primarilyduetothezinc.Zincisinvolvedinmanymetabolicreactions.“Athleteshavebeenreportedtohavelowerlevelsofzincandmagnesiumpossiblyduetoincreasedsweatingorinadequateintakeindiet,”explainsBroschart.“Butzincdeficienciesmayimpairimmunefunctionanddecrease
performance.”Zincalsoplaysacrucialroleinproteinsynthesisandcellgrowth.Testosteronelevelsfallwithoutadequatezinc;themineralalsohasacorrelationwithliverfunction.
IMPROVEPROTEINSYNTHESIS
VitaminB6helpsthebodyconvertproteinintoenergy.SomeresearchhasshownthatitworkswithfolicacidandB12toreducelevelsofcertainaminoacidsintheblood,whichhelpstoreducetheriskofheartattack.
HOWMUCHDOINEED?Zinc,magnesiumandvitaminB6arefoundnaturallyinmanyfoods.Redmeatandseafood,nutsandseedsareallhighinzinc;wholegrainsandleafygreenscontainmagnesium,andbananas,salmon,turkeyandchickenprovideB6.However,evenifyou’reeatingwell,toppingoffyourstores,especiallyduringthiscritical21-dayperiod,canonlyhelp.Lookforatleast11mgofvitaminB6,450mgofmagnesiumand30mgofzinc.Ifyouaretakingmedicationforyourheartortotreatosteoporosis,youshouldconsultyourphysicianbeforesupplementingwithmagnesiumastheremaybeadrug/nutrientinteraction.
Day22ONWARD
BythetimeyoushelvethisbookonDay22,youwilllook—andfeel—likeanewman.Yourshoulderswillbebroader;yourarms,largerandmorevascular;
andyourchest,legsandbackmorepowerful.Moreimportant,youwillhavetrainedyourbodyandmindtoliveastronger,moremuscularlife:toeatclean,liftstrong,andavoidstressatallcosts.You’lltaketimeformoresleepandformorefun,becauseyou’llseehowthesesimplelifestylechangescanmakeallthedifference.Andbestofall,you’llalwayshaveThe21DayBigMusclePlanonhandasyourgo-toplanwhenyouneedtolookyourbestforthatcriticalmoment,orasa“getstrong”go-toforwhenyoufeelaneedforaboostofself-confidence.
CREDITS:
Thecreationofthisprogramwouldn’thavebeenpossiblewithoutthehelpofMen’sFitnessandMuscle&Fitnesseditors,contributors,andpartners.ThankyoutotrainingdirectorSeanHysonforthedietplancontribution.
ThankyoutoJasonFerruggia,JimSmith,CJMurphy,HarryClay,JeffDecker,andCraigRasmussenfortheirworkoutcontributionsfromourbook,101BestWorkoutsofAllTime.ThankyoutoteamHUMANFITPROJECT,RonParham,andRyanHarmonforsupplementalworkoutsandprogramtest-runs.AndthankyoutoBrianGood,CatPerry,TiffanyGagnon,MarkBarroso,RyanCasey,andNikkiDonnelly.
ExercisephotographsbyBethBischoff.DesignbyGeorgeKarabotsosandJorgeOlivares