Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 11

Equipment Used: Timer (watch/phone/etc) Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) A heavy and light pair of dumbbells Highly Recommended: Resistance Band (medium and/or adjustable recommended)

Tip: This could also be modified for indoor use however, just get creative!

Circuit #11

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Shoulders: Shoulder Press / Front Raises Back: Rows / Reverse Fly Plyo: Burpees Chest: Push Ups / Chest Press Arms: Tricep Kickbacks / Bicep Curls Plyo: Squat Jumps Core: Crunches / Plank Legs: Static Lunges / Wall Sit Legs: Stiff-Legged Deadlifts / Calf Raises Plyo: Box Jumps (Step-ups) Bar Work

Circuit #11 - Snider Superset

This circuit encompasses the entire body. It starts with the upper body and works its way down to your legs. This circuit is designed to move quickly and you should limit rest between sets. Since each superset hits the same body part twice, you should feel a good burn. Perform 3-5 sets per superset. Due to the fact that this circuit will move fast, try to have a variety of different sized dumbbells available. You could also alternately have a light or medium strength resistance band handy to really burn out those last couple reps. Start heavy and when fatigued, drop to a lower weight. Focus on continuous reps and movement to maximize the burn during the entire set. You can use up to 30 seconds of rest in between sets but we have been running continuous sets lately. Basically perform your first exercise then move into the second exercise to complete the superset. After that is complete, we move immediately back to the first exercise to start a second set. Once three sets are complete, we rest for about a minute. For plyo movements, we rest for 30 seconds in between sets however. Many of these exercises are explained in greater detail in previous posts so browse those for additional tips and tricks. Video examples are linked below to refresh your memory on each exercise.

Examples

Shoulder Dumbbell Front Raise: Click For Video Example Shoulder Press: Click For Video Example Back Bent Over Dumbbell Row: Click For Video Example Seated Dumbbell Reverse Flys: Click For Video Example Plyo Burpees: Click For Video Example Box Jumps: Click For Video Example Squat Jumps: Click For Video Example Chest Lying Dumbbell Chest Press: Click For Video Example Push-Up: Click For Video Example Arms Dumbbell Curl: Click For Video Example Tricep Kickbacks: Click For Video Example Core Lying Reverse Crunches: Click For Video Example Plank: Click For Video Example Legs Squat Jumps: Click For Video Example Wall Sit: Click For Video Example Romanian/Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Click For Video Example Calf Raises: Click For Video Example

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Nutrition: Testosterone Booster

Testosterone (test) is the male sex hormone in the body which gradually builds as you age. It seems to peak around the age of 30 however and then start to decline. For some people, their levels may just naturally be low before the age of 30 or be in decline. Declining or low testosterone levels can negatively impact your ability to build muscle and maintain strength. It may affect your bone density, propensity for heart disease, sleep cycle and emotional well-being too. Since it is a sex hormone, it also can be detrimental to your libido as well. There are several different methods you can use to combat this. Some are medical and require consulting a physician for testosterone replacement therapy or possibly steroids. Others are natural and available over the counter as supplements. I turned 34 this year so one could say that I am on the "wrong" side of the hill when it comes to testosterone. I saw a couple positive reviews from a few YouTubers about supplemental testosterone boosters. Due to their testimony, I figured I would explore this option to see if it is something viable that I could add to my supplement stack. There are numerous brands out there and these supps are not cheap so I unfortunately couldn't test several of them. They also each have their own "cycle" in which I need 3-4 weeks off the supplement before trying another one. I will probably review a couple more at a later date. I chose two boosters that have different main ingredients on purpose. After reading tons of reviews, I noticed a recurring theme that different people react (or do not react) to certain main ingredients. This likely caused some reviews to be very negative about certain supplements. The two boosters I purchased both were popular sellers on Bodybuilding.com and had a majority of positive reviews (8+ out of 10). They both had a cycle that made the supplement lapse after a month but advised that the cycle could be stacked into another month. But after two months of use, you have to take a month off. I bought one bottle of each and took one month off in between uses. The left side photo is my general shape at the end of last year (September 2012). Definitely softer but I started to be more serious about meal prep and switched up my workouts. The right side picture is my current shape (March 2013) and a lot sharper. I am not attesting the change seen here to the test booster but I do feel in the case of one of them, that it did help me shred. I testing both of these test boosters during this year when I was well into my current workout split and diet. I did take the recommended one month break between the supplements but I did not change anything workout/diet wise. This was on purpose to give both of them a fair test and try to keep the variables to a minimum. I'll elaborate in the individual reviews below.

---

Beast Sports Nutrition Super Test

Main Ingredient: Tribulus Tribulus is an extract obtained from a vine (Tribulus Terrestris) and it has been used across cultures for many years with a long history of uses. Support energy levels Promote hormonal balance Support testosterone release Promote recovery time Enhanced muscle mass and definition

This supplement has a 8.1 rating on Bodybuilding.com and was recommended by a popular YouTuber in his late 30s. The label reads: "Super Test is designed to help you build muscle mass, improve strength, support sex health, help clean your system, and maintain your body so you can be to be fit and healthy". The serving size is 3 capsules which you have to take twice a day. The bottle contains 180 capsules for about $50 that should last you an entire month if taken as directed. Not to say that it may not work for others but this product did nothing for me. I felt no boost in strength or libido. I also didn't like having to take so many pills all the time. Tribulus products may not be very effective for me however. At a later date, I would like to try a different booster with tribulus to try and confirm this. As for this supplement, I will not be buying it again. More detail and purchase info here: Super Test on Bodybuilding.com

---

Athletic Edge Nutrition: APE

Main Ingredient: Fenugreek Fenugreek is an herb native to southern Europe and Asia. Fenugreek has been used for thousands of years by native populations for a wide variety of uses. Support normal body response to glucose Promote healthy cholesterol levels already within a normal range May support healthy male hormone levels

This supplement has a 9.1 rating on Bodybuilding.com and was recommended to me by an AE sponsored athlete on Instagram. I was more wary of this supplement due to the source but it actually pleasantly surprised me. APE claims to: "support testosterone production, refine your physique, defy genetic limitations, promote “Alpha-Maleness” beyond normal capacity & intensity and enhance vascularity & athletic performance". The serving size for this supplement is 2 capsules which you only take once a day, 5 days out of the week. The smallest bottle comes with 40 capsules, which will also last you a month when taken as directed. The serving size & directions were much easier to follow and a big positive to me. I simply took it Mon-Fri and could forget about it during the weekend. Initially, I thought this supplement was ineffective as well but around the middle of the 3rd week of taking it, I started to feel it. I had more energy in general and my workouts were more intense. My appetite also majorly picked up. My maintenance calories were leaving me starving. It's almost as if my metabolism picked back up to what it was in my mid-20s. The only thing that was not as advertised is that I felt no increase in sex drive. I was bummed out when I ran out of this supplement. Currently I have an order shipping me a two month supply which I plan on using immediately. I highly recommend this supplement! ***I am not sponsored by AE (or anyone else but I'm open!) More detail and purchase info here: APE on Bodybuilding.com

---

Conclusion

I feel the APE is definitely worth the money. It was recommended by an athlete I respect and had an entire point additional satisfaction on Bodybuilding.com. I don't believe that the Beast Super Test is total garbage because there are a lot of people out there that use it. It's just not for me. Like with any supplement, find what works best for your body composition and diet. I would say with these supplements to give them the entire months run before discarding them. The APE took until week 3 to kick in so if I had given up on it week 2, I would have really missed out. The highest rated test boosters on their site are ZMA (zinc) based so I need to try those out too. If you are younger than 30, your levels might be OK based on your age. I think that some people could use the help regardless of age however. Its all based on your individual body. As always, feedback is appreciated, so let us know your thoughts about any test boosters you have tried. Train Hard!

---

Submitted by Bars

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 10

Equipment Used: Five colored die (or dice marked with different colors/markings) Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) Optional: Resistance Band or Dumbbells to perform weighted/advanced versions of exercises

Circuit #10

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup Black (cardio): Burpees Blue (cardio/lower): Box Jumps Red (upper): Push-Ups Yellow (lower): Squats Green (abs): Lying Crunches Snake Eyes (all): Box Jumps, Pull-Ups, Walking Lunges, Rest Dice total indicates number of reps The highest numbered die indicates the exercise (color) If multiple colors share highest number (tie), perform reps for each exercise color

Circuit #10 - Crap Shoot Workout

This circuit is designed to be ran quickly. The point is to keeps moving and attempt to get through multiple rounds as quickly as possible. Since we are moving quickly, we chose to use calisthenic exercises that require no equipment. This type of workout is extremely flexible due to the fact that you can switch up the assigned exercises to suit your needs. The snake eyes rule is optional but we wanted to make them a big deal like they are in shooting craps. In the event of a tie, perform reps for each exercise that shares the highest number. We chose the above exercises to try and hit each body group and include some cardio. Again, you can change these exercises to suit your own individual needs or to not let the circuit get stale. If in a group, you could also have each member pick their own exercise assignments for each color. Take breaks in between each members custom set. Many of the exercises we chose to use are explained in greater detail in previous posts so browse those for additional tips and tricks. Video examples are linked below to refresh your memory on each exercise. If you cannot perform the original exercise or become tired, please move to an easier version of the exercise or replace it. For burpees, we use mountain climbers as an alternate exercise. With push-ups, move to using your knees. Replace box jumps with step-ups if needed.

Examples

Burpees: Click For Video Example Squat Presses: Click For Video Example Push-Up: Click For Video Example Lying Reverse Crunches: Click For Video Example Box Jumps: Click For Video Example Pull-Ups: Video Example (Assisted) Walking Lunges: Click For Video Example

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Workout: Mueller Lake Park Circuit 9

Equipment Used: Timer Soft ground area to lie down (carpet/grass/etc) A raised, solid surface which will support your weight (park bench, steps, sturdy chair) Pull-up bar or similar raised grip point Optional: Heavy gauge resistance band for static holds

Circuit #9

SUMMARY ***Stretch/Warmup High Knees Static Hold Pull-Up Burpees Wall Sit Mountain Climbers Plank Iso Hold Half Push-Up Box Jumps

Circuit #9 - Plyo-Iso Intervals

This circuit alternates between high intensity and static exercises. It is suppose to be executed continuously in "rounds" that include every exercise for a period of time. We initially start out with 30 second intervals but you can increase or decrease this to fit your fitness level. Between rounds take an extended break for at least a minute or two to get your composure back. If you become tired or cannot perform the exercises as listed, there are several ways to make the exercise easier. Tips are listed in the "Examples" section below. Plyometric exercises (plyo) help develop explosive muscle power. This can benefit your run times, punching speed or almost any activity that requires acceleration. It also helps increase endurance due to the fact that your heart rate is raised. The cardio and burst aspect of the plyo routine burns a lot of calories. Isometric exercises (iso) strengthen muscle groups at a specific point in your range of motion. It creates maximum tension over a long period of time. Since iso exercises do not have any movement, it is not cardio intensive and thus does not require long rest periods. Iso routines are generally easy on the joints and somewhat safer than complicated plyo movements. By alternating between Plyo and Iso exercises in the routine, you eliminate the need to take long rests between exercises. You essentially are "resting" during your iso exercise. This type of break is more challenging since you are still performing an exercise while waiting for the next plyo round. Test yourself and see how many rounds you can complete before calling it quits.

Examples

PLYO Mountain Climbers: Click For Video Example    Modified version: Place your hands on a raised surface instead of the ground. Burpees: Click For Video Example    Modified version:Eliminate the push-up step in the sequence. Box Jumps: Click For Video Example    Modified version: Step-up onto the surface instead of jumping. High Knees: Click For Video Example ISO Plank: Click For Video Example Wall Sit: Click For Video Example Push-Up (Iso Hold): Click For Video Example    Modified version: Place your hands on a raised surface instead of the ground. Pull-Ups (Static Hold): Click For Video Example    Modified version 1: Place your feet on the ground or similar solid surface. Pull yourself toward the bar. Hold.    Modified version 2: Wrap a resistance band around a high bar or tall pole. Cross the band in an "X" and wrap the slack with your hands. Pull yourself toward the mount point. Hold.

Hydrate, Rest and Recover. Good luck!!!

Nutrition: Meal Prep 2

This is a continuation of the previous meal preparation blog and mixes in a little bit of calorie and macro management. Here we will talk about meal timing and quantity.

Calculating Number of Meals Conventional wisdom suggests to eat 5-6 small meals a day. I generally agree with this but do also recognize that there are various types of dieting and caloric intake methods. Whether it is intermittent fasting, carb cycling, Atkins or Shakeology; as long as you are accountable to some sort of system, I believe you will have results. Beware of gimmicks or "fad dieting". Try to find something that is maintainable for you and make a lifestyle change. I dropped about 10lbs since that post last year and am going to stay lean since summer is approaching (between 180-185lbs). It's purely a personal decision on how to split your calorie count up. Everyone has different daily schedules so certain methods may or may not apply well to your lifestyle. I work a desk job with access to a refrigerator and microwave. I can also choose to workout at lunch or after work if I get busy. Due to my work situation, I can be pretty flexible with my meal count and timing. My method of calculating meal count is based on my protein macro (instead of fats or carbs). Since I'm focused on bodybuilding/aesthetics, it's one of my most important macros to hit. It also is a macro that is hard to exceed. I often find myself trying to limit fats and carbs, looking for foods that are low in these categories. For protein, if I'm being strict and counting every gram, I often have to try to make up protein at the end of the night. So I like to figure out how much protein I need daily and try to split that between 5-6 meals. For those of you trying to drop weight, your total caloric intake is likely the most important macro. Track that and split it in between your chosen number of meals.

Meal Timing Below is the timeline of a typical day of eating and a brief look into the activities between those meals.   Meal #1 8:00am *** Woke up, walked dogs. 1 pinch of Almonds (1/4 cup) 5oz Salmon fillet 2 cups steamed veggies   Meal #2 11:17am *** At work, just out of meeting. 5-6oz Ground Turkey 1-2 cups black beans   Snack #1 2:00pm *** Finished workout during lunch. Protein Shake (Whey mixed with water)     Meal #3 3:16pm *** Still at work. 5oz Salmon fillet 1-2 cups black beans Additional: Nuun tab in water   Meal #4 4:45pm *** Wrapping up at work. 5-6oz Ground Turkey 2 cups steamed veggies Additional: Green Tea in water   Meal #5 8:15pm *** At home or out and about. Bowl of Ramen w/ an egg and a can of tuna added. Example Alternate Dinners/Lunches Repeat Meal #1 or #4 (low carb meal) Meal from my girlfriends prep. Generally some type of tofu dish w/ veggies. Large Texas Tuna Sandwich Lean Lemon Turkey Chicken bowl, stock velvet w/ double veggies instead of rice   Snack #2 10:30pm *** Optional meal, before bed. Boiled Egg Pinch of almonds If short on Protein that day: Protein shake w/ Almond Milk

Considerations This style of eating is not for everybody. Depending on your fitness goals, it may not be ideal for you to use this meal timing. This is just an example of what works for me and my specific goals. I encourage people to research various styles of eating habits and explore what works best for them. Whether it is counting all macros or just carbs or "points". Once you become familiar with your chosen diet system, I believe that you can transition to "free eating" and become less strict with your bean counting. That may not be ideal for those trying to lose lots of weight however. The more you eat your meal prep, the better your results will be. Not everyone can eat steamed veggies and fish all the time so I do like having "cheat" meals. Just don't turn a cheat meal into a cheat day. On weekends if I have some drinks or dinner out, I still will have eaten at least two meals from my meal prep. It's all bout finding a sustainable balance between living life and being healthy. As long as you are eating healthy and exercising more often than you are not, you should still be moving toward a fit physique. Of course the higher percentage of meals you prepare and control yourself, the better your results will be. If you are just starting out with eating healthy, do not try to drastically change your eating habits immediately. Maybe just switch out your lunch for a healthy option initially and slowly expand from there. Read more about that in our Getting Started Blog.

Check back for additional advice and browse our posts regularly for ideas on workouts and nutrition. Good luck!

Workout: Chest 1

Below is a chest routine that I've found to be good for gains. I'm an ectomorph and my chest doesn't grow easily. I still have a ways to go before I can get it to round out above my collarbone but I feel I'm on my way. The addition of more flys and incline exercises have seemed to help greatly. I really don't like Flat Bench too much and after talking to others I plan to reduce or replace that exercise. In the meanwhile, I try to keep a slightly wider grip during flat bench to hit my pecs more. I have long arms so this may just be a specific issue for me. If you need a chest workout, try this one and leave us feedback. Links to video examples of each exercise are provided at the very bottom of this page too. Good luck!

Tip: Be sure to stretch adequately, especially your rotator cuff. Warm up your chest and arms muscles by lifting light weights (i.e. pressing the barbell only, rotating a 5-10lb plate on each hand, knocking out some push-ups).

Chest #1

SUMMARY Stretch/Warmup Incline Dumbbell Press (5 sets) Standing Cable Fly: Upper & Lower (3 sets each) Flat Bench Press (4 sets) Incline Dumbbell Fly (5 sets) Decline Bench Press (5 sets) Dips into Push-Ups Superset (Failure)

Examples Incline Dumbbell Press: Click For Video Example Standing Cable Fly (Lower): Click For Video Example Standing Cable Fly (Upper): Click For Video Example Flat Bench Press: Click For Video Example Incline Dumbbell Fly: Click For Video Example Decline Bench Press: Click For Video Example Dips: Click For Video Example Push-Ups: Click For Video Example

Enjoy!!!

Nutrition: Popcorn

Nutrition: Popcorn

Popcorn A quick, healthy snack is popcorn. Of course not the movie theatre, butter-laden kind but plain kernels. The ideal method is to use an air popper ($20 at Target) but if you don't have one, microwave popcorn will work too. Be aware that most microwave popcorn includes some salt & oil (which contains more calories). An average bag is around 100 calories w/ 20g carbs. The popcorn is good on its own but if you want a little more zing, try some fun add-ins.

:

SALTY I prefer to avoid table salt and use these alternatives to satisfy my salt craving. My favorite is to sprinkle on Mrs Dash "Garlic & Herb" flavor. Mrs Dash contains no salt, so it helps keep your sodium content low. Sometimes I use paprika or some Lawrys (Garlic Powder) too. Paprika is abnormally high in vitamin C & garlic powder contains vitamin A, vitamin C and selenium, all great antioxidants. Ensure you're using Garlic Powder and not Garlic Salt lol. Sea Salt is another good option to avoid using table salt too.

:

CHEESY If you have some grated parmesan, sprinkle some on while the popcorn is hot. Avoid the cheap, canned parmesan. Freshly grate it yourself if possible. One ounce of parmesan has 11g of protein with just 1g of carbs. It's also very high in calcium and phosphorus. You can also use Braggs Premium Nutritional Yeast to mimic a cheesy flavor.

:

SWEET You can make a type of trail mix by adding in dark chocolate chips and unsalted peanuts (or your favorite nut). The nuts contain healthy fats as well as protein & fiber to help keep you full. Dark chocolate has lots of good antioxidants, vitamins & minerals. It's good for your heart and brain as well. Another option is to sprinkle in cinnamon.

:

Like with anything, portions should be monitored to prevent yourself from gorging. Bag these up & carry them with you for a quick snack that doesn't need refrigeration or re-heating. Great "on-the-go".

:

Optional Tip: If you don't have an air popper, you still can make your own popcorn using a microwave. Just put kernels in a brown paper bag, fold the top over (making sure there's enough room in the bag for the popped corn) and staple it closed. Microwave until the popping sound stops. Be careful taking the bag out that you don't touch the staples, they will be hot!