"Do my arms look gross to you?"

A few days ago I completed one of the best arm workouts I had ever done. I guess the stars were aligned perfectly that night, or maybe there was just something in the air going around, but everything worked out as ideal as possible. 

Two scoops of pre-workout and my favorite tank top had me feeling myself a little bit as I walked to the free weight section. As I saw Somerville walking over to meet me by the dumbells, I knew it was go time. 

Superset 5 x 8

Skull Crushers x Straight Bar Curls

Superset 5 x 10

Heavy Straight Bar Push downs x Standing Dumbell Curls

Superset 5 x 20

Bench Dips x Straight Bar Push Downs (half reps, bottom to middle)

Superset 5 x 20

Preacher Curls x Reverse Curls

Superset 5 sets

28 method Straight Bar Curls x Body Weight Tricep Extensions (20 reps)

After this lift, Michael walked up to me and quietly asked "Do my arms look gross to you?" Yeah, the pump is that real. 

Have a hell of a workout, and have an even better day... GetFit

Power Stance

Currently, I am reading a book called Total Recall and it is on the life of Arnold Schwarzenegger. Within its 1200+ pages, there has been one message in particular that I have noticed. Train hard, train often, and damnit train your legs! Power resignates from the ground up which means those legs are your building blocks. He gives some specifics to leg training so you guys are in for an exceptional workout.

Back Squat: Warm up + 4 sets

- Reps are 15, 12, 10, 6

- Make sure your toes are < 8 deg. angled outwards otherwise you are missing out on some inner thigh muscle growth

Deadlift (Conventional, Sumo, or Stiff Leg): 4 sets

- Reps are 10, 10, 8, 8

Superset: Leg Extensions X Leg Curls

- 5 X 12

Calf Raises: 10 X 15

- Arnold was crazy about developing his calves!

This workout may take a little longer than you are used to but always remember that Rome wasn't built in a day. 

Ladies

Your workout will also be for the lower body, but will focus more on bodyweight movements and various jumps. 

Jump Squats: 5 X 15

Lunges: 4 X 20 (10 each leg)

Single Leg Good Mornings: 4 X 10

- Stand on one leg (completely straight) and bend out under parallel with the ground then return to upright position. You should feel it in your hamstring/glutes.

Calf Raises: 4 X 20

- Vary the angle of your feet

Build your backside

Back day. A day that lifters everywhere seem to neglect for some crazy reason. But why is this? Back day should be a staple in every week that you look forward to starting Sunday night.

Mr. Olympia, the most competitive body building competition in the entire world seems to be a close call every year. When it comes down to it though, the judges typically end up making decisions based on who looks good ALL AROUND. I have heard of so many body builders losing simply due to the fact that they look "soft" from the backside.

The last thing you want is to look weak from behind. Listen to that, it just sounds awful. Build your back with this hell of a workout that includes both compound and isolation exercises.

Close Grip Pulldowns (Rep Hold Method)- 4 x 15, 12, 10, 8 (increase weight each set)

Dead Lifts- 5 x 12, 10, 8, 8, 15

Superset
Wide Grip Pull Ups- 4 x 12
Dumbell Pullovers- 4 x 15, 12, 10, 8

Superset
Sitting Rows- 4 x 8
One Arm Dumbell Rows- 4 x 8

Close Grip Chin Ups (assisted if necessary)- 4 x Until Failure

Have a great day!

Upper Body Blast

With summer coming up, the pressure to develop and chisel your body is rising as the days go by and Muscle Insider has got your back. Here's the ultimate upper body blast that will start your week off with a bang:

4 X 10 for each movement 

Shoulder Press

Incline Arnold Press

Bent over Barbell row

BB Curls

Close grip Bench Press 

No cables or machines today, ALL IRON!

Ladies,

Grab a pair of DBs - between 5 and 15 lbs and get a treadmill. Here's a circuit that I've hit before and felt lean/shredded afterwards. 

1 min @ 6 MPH

15 DB Squats

1 min @ 7 MPH

15 DB Curls

1 min @ 8 MPH

10 Lateral Raises

1 min @ 7 MPH

15 DB Rows

1 min @ 6 MPH 

15 Shoulder Presses

10 min @ 5 MPH

You don't have to use my speeds obviously, but I provided them simply to give a starting point. I hope everybody rocks their workout and #GetFit. 

Why be good when you could be great?

Standing military press- 30, 15, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8

Shrugs (heavy)- 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Superset 4 sets

Hammer strength machine- 8 reps

Upright rows- 10 reps

Superset 4 sets

Face pulls- 10 reps 

Rear delt flyes- 12 reps

The workout itself is short, therefore there are no excuses for low intensity. Keep the intensity high and you'll be feeling this one tomorrow. On shrugs, go heavy. Going heavy will help put some size on those beloved traps. Personally, I use wrist straps to maintain a solid grip on the bar while still adding weight every time. For the upright rows, grab a plate. On the way down, count to eight for each rep. 

"Remember everything is reps, reps, reps."

Have a good weekend. 

Back - Bodyweight Edition

As of late I've been obsessing over bodyweight movements. They are an exceptional way to improve vascularity and burn fat (two things that don't sound too shabby to me). So today's workout won't consist of lots of different movements, but instead different rep/grip/speed variations. 

Pull Ups: 4 X 10

- Wide Grip

- Regular Speed

Rows: 4 X 12-15

- Shoulder Width

- Overhand 

- Regular Speed

Pull Ups (Use assistance machine if necessary) 3 X 10

- Regular Grip

- 3 sec hold at top

Rows: 3 X 10

- Underhand Grip

- 5 Sec hold

Pull Ups: 1 X AMAP

- 5 sec negatives

Rows: 1 X AMAP

- 5 sec negative 

Ladies, this workout applies to you as well but do one less set than listed above except for the single set of negatives. P.S AMAP stands for as many as possible. #GetFit and enjoy today's variation.

Destroy your arms

Arm day. Let's get it. 

Superset

Close grip chin ups- 4 x 10-12

Rope push downs- 12, 6, 12, 6

Superset

Straight bar curls- 12, 6, 12, 6

Tricep extensions- 12, 6, 12, 6

Triset- 12, 6, 12, 6

Reverse grip curls

Incline dumbell curls

Cable curls

Triset- 12, 6, 12, 6

Nose breakers

Close grip bench 

Bench dips (burnout)

Standing preacher curls- 6, 12, 6, 12

Kickbacks (don't swing your body)- 6, 12, 6, 12

Any curl of choice- 3 x 28 method

Triangle push ups- 3 x burnout 

Sick workout. Remember, it's not overtraining it's over gaining. To build those muscles and shock the body, you have to push yourself. The supersets should keep high intensity, but still try to limit breaks. 

I incorporated chin ups instead of dumbell bicep curls because chin ups are a compound exercise. Since pull ups work more of the body than simply the bicep, it triggers the brain and forces a "shock" causing your muscles to grow. 

As always, feedback is appreciated. Have a good day and Get Fit!

Beast Mode

I'll keep it short and sweet for y'all today. Last night I hit a beast of a leg workout, and I hobbled out of the gym feeling like Kai Green. Here's the workout with the reps and weight I did:

Back Squat: 2 warm up sets + 6 working sets 

225- 3 X 10

255- X 8

275- X 6

290- X 3

Hammer Strength Alt. Lunge

4 X 8 : 105, 115, 135, 135

Leg Press: 3 Sets

6 plates X 10

8 plates X 8

10 plates X 6

Hamstring Curl: 4 sets X 10 slow reps

105 for each set 

I'm not trying to pawn myself off as having massive legs but in the past 6-8 weeks I've definitely noticed great progress. Nothing is more addictive than strength and visual gains.

Ladies, I encourage you to grab a friend or two and hit this same workout. Don't be scared of getting big and bulky. That's a myth- those legs and butt will look the best they ever have. Enjoy this beautiful day and #GetFit 

Tuesday is the new Chest Day

Start the week off right.

Now I apologize for the no post yesterday, and I am hoping that you guys were still motivated enough to make it to the gym. The more research I have been conducting, the more I I realize how important it is to start the week off with the larger muscle groups. This being because, the bigger muscle groups overlap with other muscle groups as well. This helps "shock" your muscles, which is what makes your muscles grow.

Remember, there are no substitutes for BIG LIFTS. Examples of these being, bench press, squats, dead lifts, etc. Since theses lifts get most of your body while you're doing them, they tend to send a message to the brain, almost like a panic, which is (once again) what shocks your muscles.

I hate doing chest on Mondays, personally. Everyone and their mother is in the gym on Monday trying to hit chest, and I simply cannot deal with it. Just like Arnold said "The worst thing I can be is the same as everybody else." This being said, today is chest day! Yeah, you should be excited, because the lift I am about to post will change your life forever (or just give you a killer pump, causing you to feel massive).

Incline Bench (Barbell)
30 15, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 6

Flat Bench (Dumbell)
12, 12, 10, 10, 8, 8, 20

Decline Bench
8, 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Cable Cross Chest Flyes
10, 10, 10, 10, 10, 10

Hammer Strength Chest Machine (Regular, not incline or decline)
8, 10, 12, 15, 12, 10, 8

Burnout
Push ups until failure, after failure wait 30 seconds and do them again until failure

This lift should get the blood flowing for sure, and move you from a B cup to DD's just from the pump alone. A few keys:
-Breathe.
-Form/Reps (As always).
-Get all the reps and DO NOT go down in weight unless it is an absolute necessity. Lift with a spotter. They will help you push through the last reps when it feels nearly impossible. Those last reps are what give you the results you've been wanting, versus not doing them and leaving gains sitting in the gym.
-Dumbells are good because they incorporate all the smaller muscles you use to stabilize them.
-It's a tough lift but keep at least a somewhat high intensity. Focus mainly on getting all the reps though, with the absolute heaviest weight you can do.

Ladies
Bench press 4 x 12

Circuit: 3 times
50 jumping jacks 
10 push ups
50 mountain climbs
10 wide grip push ups
50 russian twists
10 burpees

Have a good day!

Upper/Lower Dual Threat

It's Saturday morning, you've slept in and had a healthy, fullsome breakfast- so, what's next? That's a no brainer if you've been a devout follower of #GetFit. It's time to get that heart rate up, muscles pumping, and get some sweat going. Here's what today's workout is looking like for both bros and chicks

5-10 min. of compound stretching/low intensity cardio 

- Get those muscles loose and ready 

Superset: 4 Sets

-Bench Press X 10

-Bench Dips X 20

Superset: 3 Sets 

-DB Lunges X 20

-DB Curls X 8-10

Cable Shoulder Press 3 X 12

Pull Ups 4 X 8-10

-Add weight if needed

Superset: 5 Sets

-Bicycle Crunches X 40

-Leg + Hip Raises X 20

Enjoy the rest of the weekend. If you're on Instagram- take videos/pics of your workout, use #GetFit and tag us @muscle_insider 

Working out is like anything else in life; if you surround yourself with the right people, you'll get to where you want to be sooner or later. This being said, having the right workout partner is crucial. Somerville and I are a good match because we push each other each and every time we workout, but also aren't too stubborn to take constructive criticism from each other.

Sometimes, it is good to switch up partners though. The reasons for this being:

-New people can mean new exercises that you weren't even aware of before. 

-Different people can give you different feedback on things they've been doing, things that have or haven't worked for them. 

-Working out with somebody significantly bigger than you will motivate you to workout harder. 

Earlier this week I was privileged enough to get a great lift in with one of my coworkers at LA Fitness, Tommy Smith. Tommy played middle linebacker for Boise State for five years, and was even lucky enough to get picked up by the Cleveland Browns for a short period of time. Tommy went to college weighing 185 (what I weigh currently), and came out of there 60 pounds heavier, nearly all muscle. It's safe to say this man had a lot to offer for me information wise on how he got so big. 

The Boise Lift: Shoulders and Back. 

Superset: 3 sets

Lateral raises 15 x Frontal raises 15 

Military press 3 sets x 8-12 reps 

Hammer strength Back machine 3 sets x 30 reps each arm

Shrugs (Heavy) 4 sets x 10 reps

Superset: 3 sets

Hammer strength Shoulder machine 10 x Upright Rows 10

Pull ups 3 sets (burnout)

Have a great day and stay safe. 

Snowpacolypse 2

As we endure this terrible weather, it's important to remember that just because it's cold outside doesn't mean you can lay inside and stuff your face. With Monday having been leg day and yesterday's workout blasting your upper body, it is tough to make a workout without having access to the gym. So to the people who are cooped up inside here is a solid ab routine that you have no choice but to do it. 

Traditional Crunches X 25

Leg Raises X 20

Cross Body Crunches X 20

1 min. plank 

Repeat 4 times- 30 sec. rest between each movement

For our non-Georgia readers and those of you who can make it to a gym safely: 1) I'm extremely jealous and 2) here's your workout-

Alt. DB Curls: 4 X 10

Rope Tricep Pushdowns: 4 X 15

BB Curls: 3 X 28 method

Incline Skull Crushers: 4 X 17

- yes, I said 17.

Incline DB Curls: 3 X 8

Dips: 3 X Burnout

Cable Straight Bar Curls: 2 X 30

Close Grip Push-ups: 2 X 30

Push up or shut up

So if you live in Georgia and you're a student, good news. No school today! At the same time, there's some bad news as well; your local gym is probably closed, making it difficult to get your workout in today. 

If I've learned one thing over the past few years from working out, it would be that excuses are useless. Whether you can get to the gym or not, there's always something you can do on your own to better yourself. 

Guys: 300 push ups of your choice (incline, decline, regular, wide grip, triangle, clapping, etc.). Also, between each set hit at least 20-25 dips. 

-Try to get sets of 25-35, but most importantly keep perfect form. 

-Personally, my favorite push ups are ones with my feet up (incline). This works the upper chest a bit more, extending your chest all the way from your clavicle to your rib cage. 

-One thing many people may overlook when doing chest is the upper chest. The issue here is that incline push ups are, in my opinion, THE BEST exercise to do for your chest. The reason for this being: incline hits 90% of your chest, versus regular bench, which only does so much. 

-On the last 5 push ups of each set, go slow. This will ensure that you maintain good form and aren't just speeding through the set, trying to get it over with. 

-Go low on dips, having a wide range of motion is crucial. 

Now go and build that Arnold looking chest. Push yourself. Remember: reps, reps, reps. 

Ladies: Mini Circuit (repeat 5 times)

-12 push ups (regular)

-30 bicycle crunches

-12 push ups (wide grip)

-50 Russian twists 

-push up burnout 

Hope everyone has a wonderful day. 

High Rep Legs

Today's workout is a leg workout intertwined with ab movements for both ladies and dudes. Spring Break is 6 weeks out and it's time to start turning up the intensity to shed those last few pounds and look lean.

Leg Press (5-5-5 method) X 5 sets

Superset: 4 sets

-Leg Extensions X 20

-Crunches X 25

Superset: 4 sets

-Lying Hamstring Curls X 20

-Slow Motion Bicycle Crunches X 50

DB Step Ups X 20 (10 each leg)

-see Instagram vid for proper form

Superset: 3 sets

Bodyweight Jump Squats X 15

Double Crunches X 20

Wide base

Shoulder day

Men:

Military press: 10, 15, 20, 25, 20, 15, 10

Superset 4 sets

Lateral raises 12 x Upright rows 12

Superset 4 sets

Face pulls 10 x Frontal raises 10

Superset 4 sets

Hammer strength shoulder press 8 x Shrugs 15

Ladies:

Dumbell shoulder press- 4 x 10

Superset 4 sets of 12

Lateral raises x frontal raises

Shrugs- 4 x 20

Run 30 minutes

Cobra Back

T-Bar Row: 5 X 12

Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: 4 X 10

1 Arm Cable Row: 4 X 15

Pull Ups: 4 X Burnout

Back machine of your choice: 

 3 X 12 

If you're not completely blasted by this workout than odds are you didn't challenge yourself enough on weight. Don't fear failure! 

Ladies

You get to decide how today's workout goes. Pick 2 machines that require a row motion, and 2 machines that require a pull down motion. On all 4 machines perform 10 reps for 4 sets. Try to increase the weight as often as possible as long as you are maintaining form. Take today off from abs, but perform 10 minutes on the cardio machine of your choice.

twitter: @muscle_insider_

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Follow, double tap, #GetFit

Build your lower body

Squats: 10, 8, 6, 4, 4

Lunges: 10, 8, 6, 4, 4

Leg Curls: 10, 8, 6, 4, 4

Calf raises: 50, 50, 50, 50, 50

Leg press: 10, 8, 6, 4, 4

Killer workout, loved it.
-Push yourself to the limit this workout
-Increase weight each set
-Get a spot for the squats. This will enable you to go as heavy as possible.

 Girls:
Run 30 minutes

Lunges: 20, 20, 20, 20

Kettlebell Squats: 20, 20, 20, 20

Calf Raises: 50, 50, 50, 50

Run a mile as fast as possible.

Have a good night everyone. 

Every Angle Chest

Here's a quick breakdown of the chest that can help you in development of the ultimate pecs. From top to bottom the chest can be broken into 3 sections: upper, middle, and lower. Incline presses hit the upper chest more intensely, flat bench hits the middle, and decline hits the lower chest. From outside to inside the chest can be broken into 3 sections as well: outer, middle, and inner. Generally speaking, wider grip results in more activation for your outer pec, regular grip hits middle chest, and close grip hits that inner chest more intensely. That being said here is the workout for both ladies and dudes:

Incline DB Press: 4 X 10

Flat DB Bench: 4 X 10

Decline Bench Press: 4 X 10

Incline Cable Press: 3 X 12

Flat DB Flys: 3 X 12

Dips: 3 X 10

Your whole chest should be sufficiently torched after this workout. Grab a workout partner and blast those pecs today! #GetFit everybody! 

Size

Always remember, better yourself every single day. 

Arms:
Barbell Curls
10 sets x 10 reps (rest 10 seconds in between sets)

Rope Pushdowns
10 x 10 (rest 10 seconds in between sets)

Incline Dumbell Curls
10 x 10 (rest 10 seconds in between sets)

Skull Crushers
10 x 10 (rest 10 seconds in between sets)

Superset: 3-5 sets
Preacher curls 8 x Straight bar push downs 8

Ladies:
Barbell curls- 4 sets x 12 reps

Straight bar push downs- 4 sets x 12 reps

Circuit: 3-5 times
Dumbell curls- 10 each arm
Mountain climbs- 40
Bench dips- 15
Russian twists- 50


Videos will be up later. As always, feel free to shoot Michael and I an email for customized workout/meal plans. Have a good workout. 

Barbarian Legs

Yesterday was a day off which means today you've got to get after it. Today's workout is "Barbarian Legs." No sugarcoating is necessary, fuel your body, hit the gym and bust your ass while you're there. Here it is:

• Warm up: 5-10 min. walk on incline w/ some sort of weight (DBs, Vest, etc.)
• Overhead Squats: 4 X 10
• Brace your core the whole time you're doing this to help keep balance
• Hack Squats: 4 X 10
• These can be done on a machine or hammer strength
• BB Lunges: 4 X 10
• For distance or in place
• Weighted Calf Raises: 4 X 20
• DBs or using machine

No need to add an ab portion to the end of this workout, because your core will be exhausted from these lifts alone. Pictures/Videos of me performing this same workout will be uploaded later today. Ladies, this workout applies to you all as well. It hits the leg from all angles and incorporates some glute work. Bring your A game today! #GetFit 

#GetFit Snow Day Edition

Snow day chest and triceps:

25 regular push ups

25 dips on a chair

25 wide grip push ups

25 dips on chair

25 triangle push ups 

25 dips on chair

25 incline push ups (feet up)

Complete 3-4 times

Ladies: 

10 push ups

15 body weight squats

30 mountain climbs

10 wide grip push ups 

Complete 4-5 times 

Now if you live in Georgia, I hope all is well with you and the snow. This being said though, just because there's a blanket of white outside doesn't give you an excuse to slack off. Personally, I've hated being cooped up. These circuits should not only provide you a sufficient workout, but it will help change things up for your body. The way to break a plateau is muscle confusion, and alternating between weights and body weight exercises is a great way to shock your muscles. 

Have a great day and #GetFit

Time Crunch Shoulders

With classes being in full swing and recently acquiring a second job, time management is definitely the name of the game. I am not trying to pawn off my schedule as being more hectic than anyone else's; I just wanted to give some background to my day-to-day life to give what I am about to say some validity.

Ashton used a quote in the previous post (check it out if you haven't) that I really wanted to harp on in today's post. 

"If you truly want to do something, you'll make time for it". 

How often have you avoided writing an essay so that you could watch your favorite television show? If that number isn't in the double digits then you are lying. How about skipping studying to go out with your friends? Been there done that. How about delaying homework to get in a leg workout? Yeah I didn't think so.

Too many excuses are thrown around in an attempt to justify not getting off your ass and bettering yourself. It needs to end now! We aren't providing you with workouts that take 2-3 hours out of your day to complete. We realize the hectic lives that people live nowadays and as a result we post workouts that should take a very reasonable amount of time: 40-60 minutes.

Today's Time Crunch shoulder workout should only take you 30 minutes to complete, so absolutely no excuses are possible to get out of this one. Intensity will be high with less rest than usual, but the burn will be awesome!

Tri-Set 

Incline Arnold Press: 5 X 10

Cable Rear Delt Flys (single arm):

 5 X 10 

DB Shrugs: 5 X 15

- Rest only after completing one set of all 3 movements (60 sec. rest MAX)

Tri-Set

Strict DB Lateral Raises: 5 X 10

Reverse Crunches: 5 X 30

DB Rear Delt Flys: 5 X 12

- Same rules apply for rest

- By strict I mean absolutely no swing whatsoever 

You should leave the gym with a pumped up set of rounded boulders and some extra time on your hands as well. 

Ladies:

DB Military Press 4 X 10

DB Lateral Raises 4 X 10

DB Front Raises 4 X 10

DB Rear Delt Flys 4 X 10

Crunches 3 X 30

Leg raises 3 X 20

Toe touches 3 X 25

- Complete all sets of a given exercise before moving on to the next one

#GetFit doesn't come without effort on your part. Muscles don't just pop up over night and stomachs don't flatten at the snap of your fingers. You need to be relentless in your pursuit of a better, healthier, sexier you. 

If you feel what we have been providing in our previous posts are too lengthy of a workout for your schedule then send us an email at themuscleinsider@gmail.com and we would be more than happy to set you up with a custom workout schedule.

Arms Arms Arms

Waking up this morning was a bit rough. After working 24 hours in the past two days (Saturday and Sunday), the struggle was real. Some of the biggest battles I seem to fight these days are against my alarm clock, but lucky for me I won this one.

"Beep beep beep", alarm rings and I'm up. 

My schedule today:

Surgery follow up: 8:00-9:00

Gym (legs): 9:30-10:45

Class: 12:00-5:30

Gym (arms): 7:00-whenever I feel like it

My mom always preached to me "If you truly want to do something, you'll make time for it. "

Straight bar curls- 30, 8, 8, 8, 8

Straight bar push downs- 30, 8, 8, 8, 8

Superset

Hammer curls- 12, 12, 12, 12, 12

Preacher curls- 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Superset

Nose breakers- 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Cable kickbacks- 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Concentration curls (heavy)- 6, 6, 6, 6, 6

Bench dips (5 sets)- until failure 

Ladies:

Straight bar curls- 12, 12, 12, 12

Circuit: 3 times 

Dumbell curls-15

Mountain climbs- 50

Cable kickbacks- 15

Bicicyle crunches- 50

Push ups- 10

Have a hell of a day ladies and gentleman 

A Week In Review

I hope all of #getfitfam is thoroughly enjoying their rest day on this Sunday. As we get another day closer to Spring Break, it is important to assess where you are in the process of achieving your ideal body. Honesty is key when it comes to self reflection.

Have you been strict enough with yourself when choosing meals? Have you busted your ass in the gym? Have you been getting adequate sleep and water? These are all questions you should be asking yourself. 

Motivation is a key factor to success and it can come from a number of different sources. It can come from a friend, a family member, even watching a movie or YouTube clip, but at the end of the day you have to have a drive within yourself to want to achieve your goals. Without this internal hunger, you won't be able to conquer lifes various challenges that are thrown your way. 

I know we have addressed goal setting in a previous post, but I'd like to very briefly touch on it once again. Getting fit is the overall message we are trying to promote with this blog, but that doesn't mean you can't set specific goals for yourself. Being specific and putting them on paper are two of the absolute best ways to help you reach those goals. Personally, I have written my top 3 goals on my mirror in Expo marker. It guarantees that every morning when I wake up, I see my goals and it jump starts my mind into planning my day around the idea of aiding the success of my goals. 

So today while you are watching tv or playing FIFA, pour yourself a glass of water instead of grabbing that soda- you'll thank yourself in the long run. 

Healthy bodies yield better lives. #GetFit

Saturday Switch Up

Normally, Saturday is 500 rep madness, but today will be a little different because my new motto is: train legs harder than any other body part. If you're able to walk without a waddle after your leg workout, you've made a mistake. 

Squats: 10 x 10 (adding weight)

Calf raises: 5 x 25

One legged leg press: 5 x 12 each leg (see Instagram video)

Any other calf exercise: 4 sets until failure 

Remember: the best way to get a big upper body is to destroy your lower body (due to the testosterone boost)

Ladies: 

Squats: 4 sets, 10 reps

Lunges: 4 sets, 10 reps

Calf raises: 4 sets, 25 reps

Superset 4 sets

Plank 30 seconds, Russian twists for 50 reps

Have fun crawling out of the gym today #GetFit

Boulder Shoulders

Not many things compare to the intimidation of a huge set of traps. So today's workout will have you shrugging your ass off along with hitting the rest of your shoulder. Here's what we're working with:

Superset: DB Military Press (4 X 12) X DB Shrugs (4 X 15) 

- Really focus each rep of shrugs and get a good squeeze to further target your traps 

Superset: DB Lateral Raises (4 X 8) X DB Frontal Raises (4 X 8)

- Don't swing, control the weight!

Superset: DB Rear Delt Flys (4 X 12) X Machine Shrugs (4 X 20) 

Burnout: 1 min. of nonstop DB Lateral/Frontal Raises 

LADIES: We have a shoulder workout for you as well, but don't worry this circuit won't make you big and bulky. The movements are strategically set up to tone those shoulders while increasing your endurance strength. 

Grab a 10/25/45 lb. plate 

-Depending on your individual strength level 

With that plate you have 4 rounds:

15 Overhead Presses

15 Front Raises

50 Russian Twists

15 Weighted crunches 

THEN

Grab 5/10/15 lb. set of DB's

You have 4 rounds of:

12-15 Lateral Raises

12-15 Rear Delt Flys

20-30 Shoulder Press

Believe me when I say that you will hate me tomorrow morning, but love the results. 

Everybody bust your ass today! Go out #GetFit and help motivate someone.

Back Wreckage

Today's agenda

Guys: 

1 arm dumbell rows- 20, 15, 10, 6

Wide grip pull ups- until failure

Dumbell pullovers- 20, 15, 10, 6

Wide grip pull ups- until failure 

T bar rows- 6, 6, 6, 6

Wide grip pull ups- until failure

Abs superset

Ab wheel- 15 reps x 4 sets

Jump rope- 100 jumps x 4 sets

Ladies: Circuit (do 5-6 times)

Chin ups- 10 reps (get somebody to hold your feet if necessary)

Mountain climbers- 50

BB Rows- 10 reps (pinch shoulder blades together) 

Russian twists- 50

Calf raises w/ 25 lb. plate- 30

Double crunches- 25

Nothing too cute about today's workout. Simple and to the point- every angle of the back will be hit and you'll know it come tomorrow morning. Remember to get that good squeeze every rep to maximize gains.

Ladies, this circuit should get your heart rate jumping out of the roof while also getting those back muscles involved. 

As always, enjoy and #GetFit

Pec Blast

What better way to celebrate making it to the halfway point of the week than by blasting your chest today? The answer is that there is no better way. Recently while reading up on chest growth and various exercises to boost chest growth, I came upon a statistic that said incline chest press hit 91% of the pec. So let's make those pecs go from collar bone to sternum and ravage today's chest session. Here is what we've got today:

Superset: 6 sets

Incline Bench Press X 6-8

Chest Flys X 20

Superset: 4 sets

Incline Hammer Strength Press X 10

Incline DB press X 10

Superset: 3 sets

Incline Bench Press Machine X 8

Elevated feet push ups X Burnout

Ladies, here is what you've got today.

10 push ups

20 crunches

10 dips 

20 reverse crunches

10 body squats

20 double crunches

Repeat cycle 5 times

Every cycle make sure you're within 15 seconds of however long it took you to complete your previous set. If you don't make it inside those 15 seconds then go ahead and add another set. It's amazing what you accomplish with incentives.

Highlights of today's workout will be posted on out Instagram @muscle_insider_

Bicep/Tricep Shocker

When working out the arms, people tend to overlook the fact that the arm consists of approximately: 2/3 tricep and 1/3 bicep. This is why when many body builders work their arms, they believe that working every single angle of the tricep is essential. Arms are one thing that I have noticed plateau on me more than anything else. To get consistent arm gains you must "shock" or "surprise" your arms by constantly switching things up. 

Bicep/Tricep "Shocker"

DB tricep extensions- 20, 6, 6, 6, 6 (keep elbows in)

DB bicep curls (count to six on the way down)- 8, 8, 8, 8, 8

Triset for 3 sets

Nose breakers- 10

Close grip bench- 10

Bench dips- 10

Superset for 3 sets

Straight bar curls

Reverse straight bar curls

(Get between 8-12 reps each set for this superset)

Cable kickbacks- 12, 12, 12, 12

28 method bicep curls for 3 sets (barbell, dumbell, or any machine)

Abs 3 sets

Ab wheel- 15 reps

Russian twists- 50 reps

Plank- until failure 

This should get you a nice looking pump before work, school, or wherever you happen to be going today. 

Ladies: 

For arms this week to change things up, I figured a good boxing workout could do wonders. During boxing you work your entire body, and for girls it can especially tone your shoulders up a little and get rid of any fat you have on your arms (especially the back of your arms). Both the school gym I go to and LA Fitness have about a dozen bags, and will supply you with gloves if you ask them. If you can't access any of this for some reason, go back and look up a previous arm post. 

Anyways: 

Throw punches on bag for 2 minutes straight (1-2 combos are easy if you don't know what you're doing). Keep your arms up the whole time. 

After two minutes do 50 jumping jacks. 

Repeat 4-5 times. 

If these are too easy for you, throw in a dozen push ups after each set.

As always let us know how you like it. Feel free to email us and follow us on Instagram at muscle_insider_. We will be posting workout videos throughout this week.  

Monday Madness: Leg Edition

Monday, the first day of the week, and unilaterally hated by all, but maybe not as much today. For some of you, today is a day free of classes or work courtesy of MLK Jr's birthday. If you aren't part of this group then I am very sorry and I hope you have a good day.

My mind set has always been the same on Mondays- lift anything but chest. Why? Isn't it international chest day? It is exactly for this reason that I don't lift chest on Monday. Nothing is more annoying then walking into a gym ready to demolish your pecs only to find that every single bench is taken.

With all that said, today is leg day! Now that you've been sufficiently let down, it is time to get your mind right and embrace that today you will demolish a great leg workout and reap several benefits from it. So let's get to the workout:

Heavy Back Squat: 5 X 20

• Although the reps are slightly higher, that doesn't mean you get to skimp on the weights
• You've got to lift big to get big!

BB or DB lunges: 4 X 20

• These can be done in place or covering distance
• Make sure to stay upright and activate that core

Calf Raises: 5 X 20

Hamstring Curls: 5 X 20

• Do these on a machine that isolate each leg, unless the one at your gym is unavailable

Leg Extension: 5 X 20

• Last exercise of the workout, make sure to stay heavy!

Ladies

We have an awesome workout that will give you a great start to your week. 

60 jumping jacks

50 crunches

45 squats

40 leg lifts

30 jumping jacks

30 bicycle crunches

20 squats

30 leg lifts

Run 10-15 minutes

-Repeat cycle (w/o running portion) another time if you're feeling good

This circuit is sure to help give you that flat stomach/toned legs that many of you are looking for. Keep in mind that Spring Break isn't getting any farther away so it is important to stay on track with your fitness and nutrition. If you want specific eating plans, send us an email themuscleinsider@gmail.com

500

I hope everyone had a productive week and is in good health. Whether you're bringing your kids to practice this morning, currently cooking breakfast, or watching the Arsenal game (like me) there is one thing that stands true- it is Saturday morning. 

You don't need to drop what you're doing and rush to the gym, but if you've been part of this #GetFit movement then you know what today's workout is:

The beloved 500 rep madness workout. Aim to better your time every week even if it is only by a few seconds. Tomorrow is rest day so bust your asses and then enjoy your time with your friends/family/pets. 

Do us a favor and take a few minutes and tell atleast one person about this #GetFit movement. It has clearly already benefited your life so why not better someone else's? 

Glamor Muscle Friday

There is no better way to start off the weekend than by hitting the gym and getting a sick arm pump. When it comes to blasting biceps and triceps, CT Fletcher is an icon. His unconventional method of hitting arms every single workout for a year and half has lead him to be the proud owner of some 22 inch arms. If you watch a youtube video of his, you will hear his iconic line "I Command You To Grow" along with his Compton vernacular which may contain more curse words than some people have heard their entire life. 

So if you're looking to head down the path of voluminous arms with some veins sticking out of your biceps to give them a little more authority then here is the workout that you have been looking for:

Superset: Standing BB Curls (5 X 5) X Standing DB Hammer Curls (5 X 10)

• Go Heavy on the BB Curls!
• Don't swing on the Hammer Curls, control the weight

Straight Bar Push Downs (5 X 20)

• Make sure to lock out 

Superset: DB Concentration Curls (4 X 10) X BB Reverse Curls (4 X 15)

• Do the concentration curls seated with your elbow resting on the inside of your leg

Single Arm Cable Curls 3 X 10 (Double Drop Set)

• This means pick a weight and do 10 reps, drop the weight- do 10 reps, drop it one last time and do another 10
• Repeat for the other arm and that's one set right there

You will notice that only one tricep exercise was included in this workout. The reasoning behind this is that yesterday's Arnold chest workout should have exhausted your triceps quite a bit. If for some reason your triceps aren't that bad, go ahead and hit 3 burnout sets of dips at the end of this workout. 

LADIES

After a grueling week of workouts, your body is sure to be warn down. Make sure you are properly hydrating yourself along with putting good food in your body. If you have specific questions about nutrition you can always DM us on twitter @muscle_insider_ or send us an email at themuscleinsider@gmail.com

Today's workout is going to be an interval workout on the cardio machine of your choice or even outside (weather permitting). Whether you are running, biking, on the elliptical, etc. start off with 3 minutes at a very low resistance to get a little blood flow going. The workout will on last 20 minutes. It goes like this:

4 minutes high resistance

4 minutes low resistance

5 minutes high resistance

7 minutes low resistance

Finish with a good stretch after completing the workout. You get to choose what "high" or "low" means to you as far as resistance goes so make sure to challenge yourself. If your body is completely destroyed after this week than maybe take it a little easier, but make this workout worth your while. 

Everybody have a great Friday! I hope you are starting to see and feel results. Help spread the movement and #GetFit

Arnold Chest

My apologies on the no post yesterday. 

Arnold day: if there's one thing I've learned from this beast, it's that getting better everyday is a must. Though not all of us strive to have the dominating physique of the terminator, we can all learn a lot from this guy right here. 

Chest day:

Dumbell bench

30, 6, 6, 6, 6

Incline barbell bench

First set 15 reps, add 10-15 pounds each time. 5 sets. 

Chest flyes

15, 12, 10, 10, 10

Dips

15, 15, 15, 15, 15 (add weight if necessary)

This isn't a workout full of supersets and tri-sets, it is 4 different movements that will blast every part of your chest. Make sure you focus on every rep of every set and get the most out of your pecs today.

Ladies, I have one hell of a circuit for you all today. Here it is:

When doing push ups or dips and you have rest afterwards, remember to push yourself. Don't abuse this concept of "rest" because as always, what you put in is what you get out. 

Any questions about today's workout? tweet us and expect a quick response @muscle_insider_ 

For custom workout/nutrition plans, shoot us an email at themuscleinsider@gmail.com

Jen Selter/Spud Webb "Legs"

Jen Selter: This 20 year old fitness model is known for her stunning body, especially her "tight legs" and "firm butt". This is why I felt she would be appropriate for leg day (for the girls of course). 

Ladies:

Grab a 25 pound plate with both hands and squat 

4 sets x 15 reps

Lunges (no weight)

4 sets x 15 reps

Grab some dumbells (15 pounds or so in each hand) and do step ups

4 sets x 10 reps each leg

Ab circuit: complete 2-3 times

15 crunches

10 leg raises

20 flutter kicks

20 second plank 

20 bicycle crunches

10 heel touches

Things to keep in mind:

-Today's workout is light on the weights. For that reason focus mostly on form. Get deep in your squats/lunges and "feel the burn". Remember, no pain, no gain.

-On step ups, push yourselves. Make sure you drive your knee up as far as possible. 

-Suck your stomach in during planks for maximum results 

Hope you enjoy your workout!

For the guys I have something completely different. For me, intramural basketball is coming up in a few weeks and personally, I plan on helping my team win it all this year. Today's workout will help increase your vertical, and hopefully help you get that fast break dunk you've been dreaming of getting since you were a little boy. If you want a traditional leg lift, go back to one of our previous "leg day" posts. Anyways, since today is a workout to increase your vert, I felt it would be appropriate if the one and only, Spud Webb, was the celebrity of the day. No doubt that the 5 foot 7 inch 1986 Slam Dunk Contest winner had one heck of a vertical. 

For this workout use jump soles/training shoes if you can get your hands on them. If not, it's all good. 

Today's workout:

Jump rope- 5 minutes

Squat jump (preferably with medicine ball above head)- 4 sets x 15 reps

Step ups (with weight)- 4 sets x 15 reps

Backboard touches or wall touches- 4 sets x 30 reps

Jump Rope- 5 minutes (as many jumps as you can) 

This workout should get your calves, and even your thighs feeling pretty good. Go deep on everything to feel an extra burn in your thighs. Before you know it you'll be soaring. 

I used to do this, among a few other "vertical increasing" workouts 3 days a week when I used to play ball in high school. To show you it works, I'll prove it with a few pictures below. 

YouTube: search "Ashton Kelly dunk contest"

I didn't post this to gloat or to be a show off. Trust me, I'm not quite that cool anymore, and there's about a 99% chance that I will never be able to do that type of dunk again (the one from the video). I posted these things only so you guys know that this workout truly does work. Trust me, my vert isn't 38 inches anymore like it was senior year of high school, and to be honest, my basketball skills are probably mediocre at best at this point in time. All this aside, if you wanna get some slams this year in intramurals, this workout right here would be the way to go. 

#GetFit

P.S. Can't wait to win it all this season with my Kappa Sigma brothers 

Frank Medrano Back Workout

Frank Medrano: Vegan bodybuilder (3-5% BFP)

Our first celebrity of the week is the ridiculously cut Frank Medrano. He is notoriously known for his freakish control during  bodyweight movements, so it is a safe bet to say that today's back workout will have a good deal of bodyweight movements. 

Everyone of our workouts are designed to build lean muscle and lose fat. To get a physique like Medrano though, you will need to be 100% disciplined in the kitchen. 4% body fat is very hard to come by, but this isn't to discourage you. It is certainly achievable. 

Today's lift for the guys:

Bodyweight pull-ups: 50 reps in as few sets as possible

• If you can't do pull-ups on your own, DONT just skip it. Use an assisted pull-up machine. You have to work to achieve your goals.

Bodyweight rows: 5 X 10-15

• Either put the bar low down on a squat rack or on a hammer strength machine.
• Hand placement should be just outside your shoulders.
• Full range of motion w/ a squeeze of your shoulder blades at the top

Superset: Close grip pull downs (4 X 10) X T-Bar Row (4 X 10)

• Maintain form while going a little heavier than usual.
• Growth won't occur if you aren't pushing yourself week to week.

Lower Back Extensions: 3 X 20

• If you're feeling up to it, hold a 25 lb. plate in your arms while doing them

After this workout, your whole back should be feeling pumped. Trust me, Ashton and I hit this lift early this morning and it was awesome. Tomorrow is leg day and I have a good feeling that both you guys and girls will enjoy the celebrity.

One thing I wanted to touch on- one thing I have noticed and have heard first hand from my girl is that some women may be intimidated to do some of these exercises either because of what they may look like doing them or because all the dumb bells are located where all the dudes are. I would absolutely hate for a girl to lose out on the chance to better herself because of one of these situations. Ladies, there is nothing sexier than a girl who works out. I promise everybody in that gym is focused on their workout and the fact of the matter is, if someone makes fun of you for working out that's on them! It takes a coward to take out their insecurities on someone else, so at the end of the day just do you boo boo and #GetFit. 

Another Week In the Books

As another rigorous week comes to a close, I want everybody to enjoy the highly anticipated rest day. Take time out of your day and look at yourself in the mirror. Do you look better than when you began your #GetFit journey? If there aren't visual changes don't be discouraged. Do you feel better? Stronger? More energetic? 

Self-reflection can be a powerful tool when done with complete honesty. If you have been following and completing our workouts as well as eating properly (70% of meals clean) then you should feel and/or look better. 

I know I will be spending some of my Sunday getting myself mentally prepared to begin another semester of college at Georgia State. The grind of balancing school, social life (working out), working at the gym, and everything else life throws at me is what makes life worth living. 

This upcoming week each day's workout will correlate with a celebrity. A different body type will be featured every day, because at the end of the day not everybody wants the same body. To say that what I imagine as the ideal body is what everybody else imagines would be completely false. 

So enjoy the rest of your day, if you're a football fan then I'm sure you'll be in for a great day of television. Follow us on social media: @muscle_insider_ for both twitter and Instagram! 

Help us spread this movement and make a positive change on millions of lives. #GetFit 

For custom nutrition/workout plans shoot us an email themuscleinsider@gmail.com

Shoulder Madness

I know most Saturdays we have been doing the "500 rep madness", but since yesterday was a crossfit workout, I'll post a more traditional weight lifting workout today instead. 

Military press

4 sets- 25 reps (still go heavy)

Superset 4 sets

Lateral raises- 28 method 

Upright rows- 28 method

Superset 4 sets

Arnold Press- 20 reps

Frontal raises- 15 reps

Shrugs 4 sets

Count up method- 10 reps

Keys to this lift:

-As always, stretch before you lift. This will help prevent injury, especially pertaining to your rotator cuffs. 

-Even though many of the exercises are high rep exercises, still try to go up in weight each set of possible. 

-Form is key, go slow. 

-Count up method goes like this: do one shrug, hold it at the top for one second. Do two shrugs, hold it at the top for two seconds. Do three shrugs, hold it at the top for three seconds, etc. 

-On shrugs do not roll your shoulders, this is bad for your rotator cuffs. 

Ladies

Military dumbell press

3 sets, 10 reps

Superset 3 sets

Lateral raises- 10 reps

Frontal raises- 10 reps

Shrugs

25 reps

Ab circuit 3 times

Side plank- 20 seconds 

Russian twists- 30

Side plank (other side)- 20 seconds 

Russian twists- 30

Front plank- 20 seconds 

Run 20+ minutes

Keys:

-On planks, suck your stomach in. 

-Keep breaks 45 seconds in between exercises

-Push yourself on the shrugs. I implemented this exercise to help reduce "back of neck fat" that many girls have these days 

If you all have any questions, feel free to contact myself or Michael as always. In the mean time, we'll be posting certain exercises (Arnold rotations, shrugs, etc.) on our Instagram page muscle_insider_ so be sure to follow! 

#GetFit

The Murph

For those of you who are movie watchers, today's workout correlates directly to the release of the movie, Lone Survivor. Other than being a huge Mark Wahlberg fan, this movie seems awesome because of the respect it shows to the men and women who serve this great country. Today's lift is crossfit-inspired and goes by the name "The Murph" in honor of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy. 

The Murph:

1 mile run

100 pull-ups

200 push-ups

300 squats

1 mile run

This may seem like a tall task, so here is a modified version which we're calling "The Half-Murph".

The Half Murph:

1 mile run

50 pull-ups

100 push-ups

150 squats

The idea of these workouts are to do it in as short a time as possible. Tweet us your times and let the competition begin. 

Read it, spread it, and #GetFit 

Destroy your arms

Today's lift 

Superset- 5 sets

Barbell bicep curls- 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Straight bar push downs- 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

Superset- 5 sets 

Preacher curls- 15, 15, 15, 15, 15

1 arm tricep extension (dumbell)- 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Superset- 3 sets

Incline dumbell bicep curls- 6, 6, 6

Nose breakers- 6, 6, 6

Superset- 1 set

Bicep curls (dumbell or barbell)- 28 method

Straight bar push downs- 28 method 

Remember- 28 method = 7 reps normal, 7 reps very slow, 7 reps at bottom, 7 at top

For the girls there's 2 circuits for today's workout 

Circuit #1 (biceps)- 3 times

- 10 bicep curls each arm (dumbell)

- 50 jumping jacks

-10 bicep curls (straight bar)

-50 mountain climbs 

Circuit #2 (triceps)- 3 times 

- 12 straight bar push downs 

-50 bicicyle crunches 

-12 dumbell tricep extensions

-plank 45 seconds 

After this run 30+ minutes 

#GetFit

Why #GetFit?

So why should you #GetFit? Why should you buy into this concept? To avoid rambling for pages on pages, I'll break my thoughts into:

1) Who is my target audience?

2) Benefits of getting fit

3) What will it take to #GetFit?

This #GetFit concept is truly for everyone. The workouts we provide aren't just for athletes trying to improve their strength and endurance. It isn't just for people who want to be Mr. Olympia 5 years down the road. I don't even want to be a body builder! Every workout provided will aid in the development of lean muscle along with functional strength. The goal isn't to reduce your range of motion and make it difficult to take off a jacket. #GetFit is a lifestyle for anyone and everyone who wants to look better, feel better, and ultimately live a more productive and enjoyable lifestyle. If you can genuinely say you don't want any of those things then I suppose this message isn't for you.

I could harp on how lifting weights builds confidence and how your confidence can open hundreds of doors for you, and it would all be true but that won't necessarily catch people's eye. Getting fit makes you look better naked. There I said it. Everybody wants to look good naked and that's just the truth of it. Getting fit also gives you energy like you've never had. It helps clear the mind and reduce stress. If you're at the point in your life where you have to pay for your own insurance, then being fit can actually reduce the amount you have to pay.

At this point, I'm sure the thought of "what's the catch" has crossed your mind. 

Getting fit won't cost you millions of dollars or require you to flip your whole life upside down. It will simply require a little bit of self-discipline and some athletic clothing. Getting fit doesn't mean you have to have a gym membership. Body weight workouts along with various running workouts can provide you with similar results; thus, using money as an excuse is no longer on the table. Personally, I prefer going to a gym because I love the feeling of lifting weights that I previously wouldn't have imagined of being possible for myself. Money tight? For the avg. price of a meal at a restaurant with a drink, you could afford a gym membership. The only thing stopping you from getting fit, is you. 

There is no catch to getting fit. It will only benefit you. I am so completely obsessed with the concept of #GetFit because at the age of 20, I realize that now is the best my body will ever look and that I should take complete advantage of that. Body transformations will never get easier as time progresses so #GetFit NOW! Join #GetFitFam

email themuscleinsider@gmail.com

tweet us @muscle_insider_

Instagram @muscle_insider_ 

Legs

Today's lift

Leg press- 5 sets (5-5-5 method)

Hamstring curls- 15, 12, 10, 8, 6

Barbell lunges- 20, 20, 20, 20

3 minute ab circuit

-pick 3 movements, 20 seconds each, then switch (3 sets = 3 minutes)

10 minute incline walk on medium speed 

You should obtain a nice leg pump after this monster of a workout. 

Remember:

- 5-5-5 on leg press is 5 reps with your feet together, 5 with feet shoulder width apart, and 5 as far apart as you can go. 

- Depth/Weight. This meaning make sure you go deep in your presses/lunges, even if you have to drop the weight a tad bit. 

Go hard, get the reps. You're only cheating yourself if you don't... And as always #GetFit

Christmas Tree Back

How many people can say that their back truly resembles a Christmas tree? The answer to that is not many and it isn't because this physique is unattainable; it is simply because people don't attack their back in the proper manner. 

The key to getting that "Christmas tree" look comes down to 3 things: 

(1) Creativity of workouts

(2) The Squeeze

(3) Mind-Muscle Connection

So let's breakdown these 3 concepts and figure out how to build the ultimate back. 

First, many people don't know what to do for back workouts other than the original exercise we learned in elementary school- pull-ups. Pull-ups are not bad, on the other hand they should be a staple when constructing your weekly back workout, but don't let them be the only piece of food on your plate. Incorporate rows, vary the angles, switch up DB's to BB's or BB's to cables. To help save you the energy, follow us and we will provide you with a variety of exercises to shock your back into serious growth.

Next, is the one and only squeeze. Every rep whether it is a row movement or a pull down movement should end with a solid, exaggerated squeeze of the entire back. Reasoning behind this is as such- when you get that prolonged squeeze at the end of that rep it gets the whole back involved so that you can get that full tree effect and not just half of one. Like we always say, full range of motion equals maximum results.

Lastly, is the ever so necessary mind-muscle connection. How many guys or girls do you know whose back workouts seem more like a bicep workout. This number is too damn high. The mind-muscle connection is something that simply takes focus and can sky-rocket your gains. Feel yourself pulling the weight with your lats, rear delts, etc. and not your biceps. Arms get their own day, so don't let them hog back day too! This will initially require you to suck up your pride and drop the weight a little bit in order to properly control the weight. Take home message is quit bullshitting yourself on how much weight you can "get" and actually utilize each rep. 

Now to today's workout. It is like nothing we have ever provided. It requires self-discipline, but if you push yourself it can boost gains tremendously and the metabolism boost you will receive will be well worth the extra sweat.

50 pull-ups in 5 min.

50 body weight rows in 4 min.

50 pull downs in 3.5 min.

AMRAP seated rows in 3 min.

(As Many Reps As Possible)

Keep track of your numbers, because down the road this workout will be revisited and you better believe an increase in reps or a lower time will be expected the second time around.

Let us know what you all think of the blog. Email us themuscleinsider@gmail.com 

Tweet us @muscle_insider_

and follow us on Instagram @muscle_insider_

You know what really grinds my gears?

If you have followed this blog at all, you would know that Sunday is rest day and therefore we will not be providing a workout for you today.

I know that the information and tips we post on this blog tend to all lean towards a positive standpoint, but today I am going to switch things up and just vent a little bit.

10 Types of People At The Gym that Grind My Gears (No Particular Order)

1. Cell Phone Sally- Nothing cracks me up more then when I see some random girl who clearly never hits the gym, on her phone while in the middle of doing an exercise on a machine.... Just go home.
2. Water Fountain Walter- This is the name I have given to that dude that's 4'11 and walks over to the water fountain at the same time as you. This guys more than a foot shorter than me, clearly sees me going to the water fountain at the same time as him, yet still decides to take the fountain that's a foot taller than the other one..... Like what? First off, you have to get on your tippy toes to even drink from this fountain... And yeah, let me just bend down like three feet to get a sip of water. Thanks man.
3. Misplacing Mitch- So I grab the 35 pound dumbells to hit a set of curls. About 30 seconds after I grab them, some guy comes in and puts his 45 pound dumbells where I just took my 35's from. Sweet man. First off, there's clearly a little number on the rack that says "35". Now I have nowhere to put my dumbells after I complete my set. This just sets off a chain reaction. Before you know it, the 80's are where the 20's are supposed to be, and so on. Thanks for the cluster mess.
4. Grunting Gregory- We get it. You're the biggest guy in the gym. Just because of this doesn't mean that every single rep of every single set you have to make grunting/roaring noises. Just keep to yourself like the rest of us and keep taking your roids man. You don't look unnatural at all (yes you do).
5. This next person I don't even know what to call. He's basically the owner of the gym, yet doesn't even work there. Every machine within a ten foot radius of him he goes up to you and says "Hey bro, I'm using that", and of course he says it in a completely condescending way. Like sweet. Didn't know you could claim ten things at once. Guess I'll just hit cardio today since all the machines are suddenly off limits. 
6. Sunglasses Steve- You're in the gym, sweating your butt off and you look over and some dude is on the other side of the weight room wearing his $700 Gucci sunglasses, doing 10 pound bicep curls while admiring himself in the mirror. We get it man, you're the coolest guy on earth. It's not sunny in here though. Ditch the shades and grab some 30's. 
7. Combo Cory- Between every set you notice that some random guy decides to throw dozens of combo air punches. Who are you fighting man? There's a boxing room with about a dozen heavy bags literally 50 feet from you right now. Unless you're Floyd Mayweather, keep the punches to yourself. 
8. Music Mike- You're in the sauna trying to get some of the toxins out of your body. Peacefully sitting there, drinking copious amounts of water, and talking to your workout partner. Suddenly, company arrives. You scoot over to make room for this guy and about 30 seconds later he starts blasting music from the speakers on his phone. It's called headphones man. Just because you want to listen to that new song by 3 Doors Down, doesn't mean anyone else in here does. Thanks for ruining my experience in the sauna today. 
9. Helpful Henry- So the other day I am at the gym with Somerville, hitting my fifth set of dumbell incline. Naturally, my muscles are tired and on my last set I was unable to get the last rep. Twenty minutes later some random guy walks up to me and was like "Hey man, the reason you didn't get that last rep is because you were gripping the weight wrong." Thanks man, you're the skinniest guy in the gym, you probably go maybe once a week, and now you're telling me how to lift. Five minutes later I see this guy maxing out on bench with 135 and getting it stuck on his chest. He clearly knows what he's talking about. 
10. Social Steve- You see this guy at the gym. You see him there almost every day actually, but not once have you seen him hit a rep of absolutely anything. This is the guy that walks around the gym with his girlfriend or his buddies, yet never seems to workout himself. What are you doing here man? Out of the two hours at the gym he'll probably hit 3 set of arms and 3 sets of shoulders. On machines of course. 

Remember, tomorrow is Monday and we will be back at it. In the mean time, drink lots of protein and water to help repair your muscles on this off day.

#GetFit