What Supplements I Invest in 5/84

Welcome back everyone!

I wanted to take this post to talk about supplements. We've already gotten into nutrition, losing fat, and building muscle, so this seems like the logical next step. I've decided to make my first post about supplements one that highlights the different products that I take and why I take them so you guys can get an idea of where to start. We'll start with the basics here...

1. Whey protein powder

When most people think about supplements this is usually a go to. I use whey protein for the convenience of not have to eat a chicken breast during my workout as well as to get the fast digesting benefits that are specific to whey once I'm done lifting. Compared to other types of protein, whey digests very quickly, making it beneficially for an intraworkout or postworkout option. It can even be used as a meal replacement when mixed into a smoothie or blended with peanut butter.  Personally, I take Building Blocks Protein by Supplement RX mostly because that's the brand that we sell at Xperience Fitness. I've been taking it for just over a year now and it works great for me so I don't want you to think that the only reason I take it is because I also sell it. It has definitely been an important part of me getting to wear I am physically. Especially when I got all the way up to 257 pounds while maintaining around 10% body fat (drug free of course). Long story short, whey should be a go-to when starting to build your supplement stack.

2. Gatorade powder

Tasty, tasty sugar. I know what some of you are thinking and yes, the sugar content in Gatorade is super high, especially in the concentrated powder form. But guess what; that's the point! I don't want to get to sciencey but here's the basics, Your body runs on sugar (specifically glucose) and it is the power for most movements you do on a daily basis. Glucose is actually the #2 most preferred fuel source for the human body right behind (interestingly) lactate. Anyway, when you consume sugar your body releases the hormone insulin. This insulin takes the sugar from where it is being digested and it pulls it into the muscle cells so it can refill the energy stores you used when working out. But here's the kicker. It also takes with it any other substance that is present, in this case protein. Insulin will grab the sugar and protein and take it directly to the muscle cells way, way faster than relying solely on digestion. This means faster and better recovery for you so you can get those gains ever quicker.
Bottom line, carbs + protein > just carbs or just protein.

3. Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine is the single most studied and tested supplement ever. It got a really bad reputation years ago when two high school wrestlers who also happened to be taking it (correlation is not causation right?). It has now been proven to be extremely safe and extremely effective. Again, I don't want to get too deep into the science in this post but creatine is an amazing supplement in my opinion. Essentially, what it does is it helps keep muscle cells hydrated and allows them to contract more efficiently. It also help your body produce quick busts of energy a little bit better. It is extremely beneficial to any person or athlete who wants to become stronger and more powerful. Also, even though is typically thought of as a supplement used to gain weight, I would still recommend it to people trying to cut as well. There will be a small increase in body weight in the beginning but that is a result of the hydration of the muscle cells. Obviously your body fat has not increased. You don't need to take anything super fancy. Basic monohydrate is perfectly fine. I use Optimum Nutrition's Micronized Unflavored Monohydrate myself.

4. Fish Oil

I'm going to be honest here; I basically live off of this stuff. If you follow me on Instagram  you may have seen stories of me taking literal shots of fish oil regularly. Compared to most people, I'm a relatively big guy at 6'3" 250lbs and after 12 years of volleyball and 3 years of competing in CrossFit and Weightlifting my joins have definitely felt better. And I can definitely tell when I have been slacking on taking my fish oil. My left knee is usually the first place that starts to swell up but sometimes I start to feel it in my fingers too. As far as anti-inflammatories go, fish oil is one of the tops. It doesn't take long of me being consistent with it for my body to start to feel a lot better. It also has powerful brain benefits and can be good for skin. I recommend fish oil to pretty much everyone but just eating a lot of fatty fish can get the job done as well. Right now I take Carson Lemon Flavored Liquid Fish Oil that I found at GNC. Most fish oil will comes in pill form but I got so sick of having to take them so I switched just to liquid. Surprisingly, it tastes great!

5. Greens Drink

This is one that has been rising in popularity as the popularity of multivitamins have dropped off a bit. Greens drinks are basically powdered fruits and vegetables that are loaded with a lot of good stuff. The basic ones are anti-inflamatories and antioxidants like you get with normal fruits and veggies as well as most of what you'll find in a basic multivitamin. Now , some of the more potent ones add probiotics, prebiotics, EPA and DHA (the compounds in fish oil), a full multivitamin, multi-mineral, and all kinds of good stuff. I typically take RX Greens from Supplement RX but they are in the process of changing their formula so in the mean time in considering trying something else like Athletic Greens or My Body Blend to see how those work. Again, this is a supplement that you can mostly replicate just with your diet (you should be eating a lot of fruits and vegetables already) but it is convenient and you can get some extra benefit form some of the top brands.

Bonus: Pre-workout

I needed to give a quick shout out to my good friend pre-workout since we really have spent a lot of time together in the past few years. Some people love it and some people hate it but there's nothing quite like the feeling of when your pre-workout kicks in and you feel like you can take over the world.  I have taken a few different ones in the past but I usually cycle through a few. C4, Thermo Ignite by SRX, and Ion by Performix are usually in the mix but recently I've tried a few heavy hitters to see what goes on. Mr. Hyde and Mesomorph are two of the most potent pre-workouts out there right now and they definitely live up to the reputation. I get an absolute killer workout every time I take one of those (which is not often).

So there you have it, my top 5 go-to supplements plus one close friend as a bonus. It may seem like a lot to some people but to others 5-6 different products is next to nothing. I definitely like to stick as close to the basics as I can and try my best to spend my time around the things that are actually proven to work. Going overboard on supps can get expensive very quickly and chances are it's probably not worth your money to get that cleanse or testosterone booster. Don't forget, if you want to be the first to hear about new posts, new programs, and get discounts on paid services, make sure to leave your email in the space above and join my Newsletter list! The list is growing rapidly so don't miss out!

See you tomorrow!

My Top 3 Favorite Cardio Workouts 4/84

Welcome back everyone!

Now that we have gone over the very basics of nutrition and building muscle I want to dedicate a post to cardio, well actually conditioning. Being a lifelong athlete, I much prefer the word "conditioning" to the word "cardio". Why? Because athletes do conditioning, and conditioning sounds way more bad ass than cardio does, but this topic is already set aside for another post. What I wanted to give you today are my Top 3 cardio/conditioning workouts so you can get an idea of what I really believe will help with any weight loss of body composition goals.

1. Interval Training

If you come to me and tell me you want to lose body fat, I'm probably going to tell you to do interval training. Of course I mean HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training and it usually involves a bike or rower (if you have one). Here is a basic workout that I would start someone on for a stationary bike...

15 seconds HARD
45 seconds easy

Repeat 20 times

Obviously the 15s and 45s make 1 minute intervals so this workout will take 20 minutes. The hard portion should be as hard as you can. Everything you've got. The easy portion is still pedaling but at whatever pace you need to do to recover for your next sprint. This would progress by adding work time and reducing rest time each week. For example, week 2 could be 20 hard, 40 easy instead.

If you're doing this on a rower, I would switch to "On" and "Off" where you pull as hard as you can on the On portion and rest completely on the Off. Also, if you're running there are a couple options as well. Running outside would be recommended and in that case I would sprint and walk, but if you need to use a treadmill I would sprint and rest, leaving the treadmill running at sprint speed while you step off on the sides (Note: Be very careful with that last one, if you've never tried to get up to speed on a moving treadmill it takes some practice and is not for beginners, you don't want to end up on the internet).Another great option for running is 1 min sprint and 2 minutes jog or walk. Fits with a great 2:1 work to rest ratio and can be more fun and effective than just a long run.

2. Hill Sprints

This is an all time favorite of strength coach and personal trainer Jason Ferruggia. Jason has been one of my biggest inspirations in the fitness coaching world as far back as my Sophomore year of college and his views on hill sprints have never wavered. It's really easy too; find a hill, run up it as fast as you can, rest and walk back down, repeat. Do this anywhere from 6-10 times or even more if you like (probably more if the hill is small) and make sure you get enough rest. The run should be an all out sprint so you need to make sure your rest time allows for that. If you don't know of a good hill then you can push or pull a loaded sled, but since it's practically Summer maybe it would be better to get out a find a hill.

3. 2 Mile Treadmill Incline Walk

This one is obviously much closer to the side of "cardio" in the traditional sense, but it's still something I recommend often. It's low intensity, low impact, and will definitely still burn some calories. One of the biggest reasons I use this over moderate intensity cardio is because of the muscle sparring benefits. It's no secret that "regular cardio" can have some muscle burning effects due to cortisol production (among other things) and while they may be minimal for most people, I would rather just avoid it. More detail on that later. This muscle loss is not something you need to worry about with walking, though, because the intensity is too low.

2 miles is my normal recommendation and will take somewhere around 45 minutes for most people. If you want to up the difficulty try adding a weighted vest for some extra core and upper back work. If you're a real sadistic bastard try carrying a 20lb medicine ball while you do it also. This one seriously caught me by surprise with how difficult it was, You're upper back, arm, and lungs will be screaming quick.

So there you have it, 3 of my most recommended conditioning sessions that are primed and ready to help you shred some fat. Don't forget, if you want to be the first to hear about new posts, new programs, and get discounts on paid services, make sure to leave you email in the space above and join my Newsletter list! The list is growing rapidly so don't miss out!

See you tomorrow! 

Basics of Building Muscle 3/84

Welcome back, let's talk about getting jacked. From my poll, muscle building received the 2nd highest number of votes and, surprisingly, most votes were from women (which is awesome). This post is about the basics of muscle building and the foundation of what I build my programs on. No earth-shattering secrets here (hopefully), just the most important, basic things that you can do to add muscle to your body; guy or girl.

I'll start off by saying that adding muscle to your body is absolutely one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself. Gone now are the days of "muscles are manly", "muscle is just for show", "muscles make you slow and un-athletic" and many other muscle myths. Everyone should have more muscle if they want to live a longer, healthier, and happier life. Here's the basics on how to do it...

1. Start with big, compound movements

The focus of your program should be on exercises that use a lot of muscle groups and multiple joints (what we call compound movements). These are exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses, pulling, loaded carries. These exercises should usually be towards the start of your workout and should be given the most effort and energy. The reason these are so important is because they give you the most bang for your buck compared to exercises that attempt to isolate one single muscle group. They build a ton of muscle, burn a ton of calories, and make your whole body stronger. This leads me to my next point...

2. Focus on getting strong

There is overwhelming scientific evidence that strength (particularly leg strength) is the SINGLE best determinant of how long you're going to live. No, seriously. You need to be strong to live a long healthy life and the sooner you get strong the better your life is going to be. So how do you get strong? You spend most of your time on the compound exercises discussed in point 1 and you use those exercises to move heavy weight. Research tells us that you will get the most strength gains using heavy weight for sets of about 3-6 reps, but higher and lower than that will still produce results, perpendicularly in people who are just starting out. This is why programs like 5,3,1 and 5x5 have been able to get people strong for decades now. Load some weight on the bar, do some squats, and live a long time.

3. Ditch bodybuilding splits

If you have known me for a while then you know I talk about this a lot. I am not a fan of typical bodybuilding splits i.e. chest and tris, back and bis, shoulder and arms, leg day, etc. Although workouts like this can work, I believe that there are better and more efficient ways for the average person to the bigger, stronger, and leaner. I much prefer full body workouts or upper/lower splits that will be more balanced and allow more focus on the basics. Not only can you see much better results if you focus more on training like an athlete and less like a bodybuilder, but those results will transfer to your daily activities better.

4. Don't overdo it, you grow when you rest

Contrary to what most people think, you don't grow (or shrink even) when you're in the gym. Lifting just create the damage and the stimulus that your body needs to produce growth. You really grow when you rest, giving your body the time it needs to repair the damage you have done to your muscle or adjust to whatever stimulus you gave it. (Side note, tissue damage is NOT the only way to make a muscle bigger. But I'll save that for another post). This is why it is important to take days off from intense exercise if your goal is really to get gains. Spend your time in the gym telling your body it needs to grow, then give it the food and rest it needs to make those changes happen. You may think that working out 6-7 times per week will make you grow the fastest but you're totally just wasting your time. 3-4 days of good quality lifting and 1-2 days of conditioning is all you need to get jacked.

5. Eat more calories than you burn.

In order to grow, your body needs a stimulus (see above points) which is usually going to be lifting weights. It also needs the materials to make the growth happen. This is where protein comes in. You need to eat protein if you want to make your muscles bigger (duh). I typically recommend a protein intake of about .8g per pound of body weight up to 1,0g per pound of body weight. This is what Dr. Mike Israetel and his team at Renaissance Periodization teach and why I use it. This means that a 200 pound guy should be eating somewhere between 160g and 200g of protein per day, This actually doesn't change (in my opinion) for weight loss either (also something for another post).

Also, and more to the point, the best way to ensure that you're getting enough calories to not LOSE your hard earned muscle, is to eat a caloric surplus. That means eating more calories than you body burns each day and will result in your body weight increasing. Obviously we want to keep as much of that increase as possible to increase in muscle, but it is completely Ok for you to add on a little extra body fat to make sure that you are getting the gains you want. That fat gain needs to be minimal and that is why strategies like Carb Cycling and high intensity conditioning can be beneficial during a massing period.

Hopefully you found some of this information beneficial. Again, this is only the biggest basics since I still have 14 more posts to make about Muscle Building. But also remember that the basics are the most important, and these 5 points should be mastered before too many details are added.

Finally, if you want to be the first to hear about new posts, new programs, and get discounts on paid services, make sure to leave you email in the space above and join my Newsletter list!

See you tomorrow! 

My Top 3 Tips for Fat Loss 2/84

Hey all, I wanted to continue this marathon with my Top 3 fat loss tips. I know nutrition was the top voted category from my poll but I need to get these big ideas out there before we can start on specifics. These are all geared towards nutrition but encompass a little bit more.

Let's be real here; weight loss is tough, it is by no means and easy process for most people and I'm sure 90% of people reading this have tried to lose weight at one point and given up. In fact, I've heard some crazy statistic like 90% of people will never even reach their fitness goal. I think that is absolutely crazy and I want to help as many of those people as possible. Everyone deserves to have the health and body that they really want. That being said, here are some of my top fat loss tips.

NOTE: I am not a Doctor of Nutrition, Registered Dietitian, or certified Nutritionist and none of my post will try to diagnose or treat any disease or illnesses. But, nutrition is a huge part of any fitness journey and I have spent a TON of my own free time learning from the smartest people I can to be able to bring quality information to my clients. I spend almost all the time I can learning from people like Dr. Mike Israetel, Nick Shaw, Danny Lennon, Dr. John Berardi, Jason Ferruggia, Dr. Andy Galpin, Kenny Kane, Brian Mackenzie, Chris Dufey, and tons more via, books, postcast, articles, and videos. I do this so that I cant help you sort through the BS and figure out what both science and experience are saying. I may not have the piece of paper that says I'm qualified, but I promise this information will help if you trust me.

Anywaaaaay, now that that's is out of the way I want to start with this tip...

1. Losing weight is going to be uncomfortable, at least a little bit.

Yes, you're going to be hungry and that's Ok. But I want you to realize that the feeling of hunger, although it may be intense at times, really does not last that long. It's usually about 30-60 minutes and it's gone, and gone for a while. Once you understand that mental struggle and realize that there is a light at the end of the hunger tunnel, it'll make it 100% easier to not eat that unhealthy snack you're craving. Also in the realm of being uncomfortable, you're going to have to make some sacrifices if you really want to make a change. I'll get into that more in a later post.

2. Learn to properly track food to build lifelong habits

One of the worst things you can do when starting a weight loss journey is to immediately cut out a ton of calories. What I recommend is that you figure out how many calories you're already eating first by tracking the food you eat on a normal day. From that point, you only need to cut out a few hundred calories a day to make a difference. If you're currently eating 2,000 calories a day then immediately cut to 1,200, you're going to have a bad time. Not only will you be super hungry and uncomfortable all of the time, you're also more likely too fall off the wagon. Especially after the initial progress comes to a halt. The other problem with this is that now there is nowhere left to go. If you go too low right off the bat then there is no way to continue cutting calories out as you plateau, your progress will stall, and you will quit. A better way to go is to use something like the strategy that I picked up from Dr. John Berardi, founder of the massive company Precision Nutrition. That strategy looks like this...

Step 1: Track food as you eat currently
Step 2; Focus on only hitting desired calories, don't worry about macros
Step 3: Focus on hitting calories and protein.
Step 4: Hit goals for calories, protein, and carbs
Step : Hit goals for calories and all macros.

Each step can take from a couple days to a week and the goal is to slowly work in and build good habits instead of jumping in full bore and getting overwhelmed. Also, the end goal is to not NEED to track food, but to understand macros and portion size so that you can have a healthy relationship with food forever.

3. Maintenance phases are a MUST!

This is all of my clients least favorite part of weight loss. The maintenance phase is an absolutely integral part of any weight loss that I learned about from Dr. Mike Israetel and his also massive company Renaissance Periodization. This phase consists of around 3 months of maintaining the same body weight after a period of weight loss. Typically, after you have been losing for 3 months or lost 10% of your body weight you need to do a maintenance phase to be able to continue weight loss in the future. The basic rational is this: you're body currently has a set weight that it wants to be at, and when you try to change that weight it tries really hard to bring you back. The more weight you lose, the harder your body tries to prevent further loss. This is why some people lose a lot of weight initially but cant seem to get those last few pounds off. This is also, I assume, part of the reason why you hear about people losing 100 pounds then gaining it all back.

Here's what the maintenance phase does; it resets your body's weight set point. It gives your body time to catch up and realize that your new weight is where it wants to be. Once that new set point is set, you can begin losing weight at full effect once again. I get it, it's hard to see all the progress just to be told that you have to stop losing weight for a while. but the end result will absolutely be worth it. Plus, you're building healthy habits that will lead to long term, sustainable weight loss so that you can be healthy forever without worrying about gaining it all back. Short term sacrifice for long term success.

So in recap.

1. Losing weight is going to be uncomfortable, at least a little bit.

2. Learn to properly track food to build lifelong habits.

3. Maintenance phases are a MUST!

If you take these tips to heart and really spend time on them, I know that you're weight loss journey is going to be that much more successful. Also, remember that this is just the beginning and that I have 21 more posts about nutrition on the way. If you have ideas about what nutrition posts I should make then leave them in the comments. I know I'm going to need help with ideas. 

Finally, if you want to be the first to hear about new posts, new programs, and get discounts on paid services, make sure to leave you email in the space above and join my Newsletter list!

See you tomorrow! 

Free Starter Fat Loss Workout Program for Women 1/84

Ok, so here's one for the ladies. This program is designed to be both a simple starting program for someone new to lifting or a good change of pace for someone more advanced. In reality, the workouts to lose weight for a man or a women aren't entirely different, but there are some things I added to this program that women tend to want more work for i.e. glutes, shoulders, adductors. Also, physiologically, women do recover faster and are able to withstand more volume than men, so doing a 6 day-a-week program (really 5 1/2) is totally ok. The 6 days of this program are split into 2 lifting days (1 upper body, 1 lower body), 2 full-body conditioning days, and 2 cardio/core days (1 low intensity, 1 high intensity). But note, starting from working out zero days a week and jumping right into six days a week is definitely not recommended. Start with the 2 lifting days plus 1 or 2 other days and then add in slowly from there as you get used to the workload. If you're starting from scratch then you will be sore at the beginning but please don't let that discourage you from continuing. I promise it won't be that bad every week. You can use this program for about 4-6 weeks before it'll be time to make some adjustments or start a new program entirely.

Let's take a look at the program...

Day 1
Lower Body
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1a		Lateral Monster Walk	3	10e
1b	15s	Plank	3	20s
2	90s	Goblet Squat	4	10
3	60s	RDL	4	10
4	60s	Lunge/Side Lunge/ Reverse Lunge	3	5e
5	30s	Single-Leg Lying Leg Curl	3	12e
6	45s	Weighted Glute Bridge on Bench	3	12
7	as needed	Calf Raises		60
8a		Standing Band Adduction	3	15e
8b	15s	Standing Band Abduction	3	15e
Day 2
Conditioning 1
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1	60s	Dumbbell Overhead Press	5	8
2	60s	Single Arm Dumbbell Row	5	8e
		Circuit! 20 minutes
3a		Step Ups		10e
3b		Barbell Push Press		20
3c		Jumping Jacks		30
		Repeat as many rounds as you can
Day 3
Cardio 1
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1		2 Mile Incline Walk or Stair Stepper
		Core
2a		Side Plank	5	20s
2b		Leg Lifts	5	15
2c	45s	Palloff Press	5	12
Day 4
Upper Body
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1a		Dumbbell Front Raise	3	10
1b	30s	Dumbbell Reverse Flye	3	10
2	90s	Incline Bench	4	10
3	60s	Barbell Row	4	10
4	60s	Dumbbell Push Press	4	8
5	45s	Lat Pulldown	4	12
6a		Tricep Press-Down	3	12
6b	30s	Facepulls	3	12
7	30s	Dumbbell Bicep Curls	3	10
8a/b	30s	Front/ Lateral Dumbbell Raise	3	12e
Day 5
Conditioning 2
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1	60s	Sumo Deadlift	5	8
2	60s	Split Squat	5	8e
		Dumbbell Circuit: 20 minutes
3a		RDL		10
3b		Bent Over Rows		10
3c		Squats		10
3d		Presses		10
Day 6
Cardio 2
Order	Rest	Exercise	Work	Rest
1		Bike Sprints	20s	40s
		25 minutes
			Sets	Reps
		Core
2a		Sit-ups	5	15
2b		Suitcase Carry	5	40' e.
2c	45s	Cable Chops	5	10e

So there is a lot here, but like I said there are 3 different types of workouts; Lifting, Lifting + Conditioning, and Cardio + Core. For the lifting days pay attention to the Exercise Order, and Rest Periods as they will be very important. Exercises with "a" and "b" are meant to be done as supersets, meaning they are done back-to-back before resting. Also, you'll see some reps with "e" after meaning "each side" and "s" after meaning "seconds".

On conditioning days you'll start with 2 heavier exercises followed by a high intensity weight circuit. Total circuit time and reps per exercise are listed and use a weight that is challenging. Each week, try to add a little more in the circuits by either adding weight or doing more work in the same amount of time. Do as much work as you can in each circuit while maintaining good technique.

On cardio days, begin with the cardio then do the core work after. The core work is 3 exercises meant to be done back-to-back like the supersets. Don't rest until you complete all the reps of each exercise then repeat for the prescribed number of sets.

 I know there's a lot going on here but you'll also notice there are some things that this program doesn't have; bodybuilding splits, running, moderate-intensity moderate-duration cardio (what you see most people doing at the gym), and a lot of fluff and excessive extra exercises. It pretty well follows suit with a recent post on my Facebook page about how to get a more effective workout in less time.

I feel that typical bodybuilding-style splits are really only useful if you're training to be a bodybuilder or taking steroids, as those are the people that that type of workout is meant for. Most people will benefit more from upper/lower splits and full body workouts. Next, if you like to run then that's totally cool, but I just don't believe it to be the mecca of weight loss like so many people think it is. But again, if you like it feel free to do it. Moderate-intensity, moderate duration cardio is basically the bane of my professional existence. People flock to treadmills and ellipticals in the hopes that slugging away for an hour will somehow make them lose weight. Personally, I feel that it's pretty much a big waste of time that could be spent in many other places. 

I understand that you may not know all of the listed exercises or that you may not have some of the equipment you need. But do what you can and absolutely feel free to reach out to me on my Facebook Page Greg Herceg - Personal Trainer  with questions and to see all of my other great content.

Also, just using a program like this isn't going to be enough for most people to lose weight or build muscle all by itself. You're going to need to make adjustments to your nutrition to get any real results. I will have a ton of blog posts on this in the coming days and weeks but just know that you are going to have to change something if you really want to make progress. 

Finally, if you want to stay up to date on all of my posts as well as be the first to receive info on my future programs then do me a huge favor and leave your email in the space provided at the top. People on the email list will be the first to hear about upcoming post and programs as well as receiving special discounts on future paid programs. 

Thanks for taking the time to read and good luck!

My Weekend Hotel Workout

I'm currently in the middle of a much needed 4-day weekend in Atlanta celebrating my friends Chris and Nicole getting married. Obviously, travel can put a huge damper on your normal workout routine but it's no excuse not the hit the gym. These days, most hotels will have a fitness center that is typically equiped with the basics; some treadmills, elipticals, bikes, a few machines, and some dumbbells. Not exactly what you get at most normal gyms but definitely enough to get a decent workout. Today I hit a quick, full body workout using basically only the dumbbells up to 55lbs and the cable crossover machine (one of my favorite prices of equipment that I think any gym should include, even CrossFit and weightlifting gyms). Here's what I did

-5 minute bike warmup

-Dynamic warmup of lunges, squats, RDLs, and rows

- Goblet Squat 4x10 @ 50#
SS
- Single Arm Cable Row 4x10 e.

- Staggered Step RDL 4x10 e. @ 50#
SS
- Single Arm Cable Chest Press 4x10 e.

- Straight Bar Cable Shrugs 3x15
SS
- Forward Lean Single Arm DB Concentration Curl 3x10 e. @ 25#

- Leaning Single Arm Lateral Raise 3x12 e. @ 15#
SS
- Single Arm Overhead Tricep Extension 3x12 e. @ 20#

-Side Plank 3x25 sec e.
SS
- Farward Neck Bridges 3x18

- Single Leg Seated Calf Rasie x60 e. @ 50#
SS
- Dumbbell Bicep Curl Drop-set to failure @ 25 and 20#

Everything I did was supersets (SS) for time sake as well as to bump up my heart rate a bit. I also tried to hit each major muscle group at least once and opted for a lot of unilateral variations. To be honest, a single leg squat probably would have been a better option than a Goblet Squat but the way my knees have been feeling I didn't want to mess with it. Single arm and single leg variations can be great options for small gyms like that that don't offer a lot of heavy weight. I promise 50lb dumbbells in each hand for sets of split squats can be plenty tough. Same goes for staggered step, rear foot elevated, or single leg RDLs. Deadlifts aren't the only way to work your posterior chain.

I didn't do any conditioning today but there are plenty of options at gyms like this like...

- Treadmill incline walking
- Bike or treadmill sprint intervals
- Bodyweight and Dumbbell Metcon circuits

Just to name a few. Some exercises to include in a circuit could be...

- Dumbbell clean and jerks
- Dumbbell snatches
- Burpees
- Man Makers*
- Various squats, lunges, and presses
- Sit-ups, leg lifts, or rotational exercises

* Start with a dumbbell in each hand in a push-up position and do the following...
      1. Push-up, row (R)
      2. Push-up, row (L)
      3. Burpees with dumbbells in hand
      4. Clean and press
      That's one rep

Feel free to give this workout a try and let me know what you think. Summer is coming quick but it's never too late to decide to make a change. If you feel like you need additional help please feel free to contact me!

FREE Muscle Building Workout for Busy Guys!

If you're reading this then you're probably clicked on it because you're busy and don't have all day to read a blog post about working out. So I'm going to keep this quick and let you get right to the workout. After that, I'll go a little more in depth about why I wrote it the way I did the best way to run it so that you get the results you want. Just know ahead of time, this is a no BS workout. Get in and get out with basic, compound exercises that will be the most effective for most people.

So here you go!

Day 1
Heavy Upper Body
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1	90s	Bench Press	5	5
2a		Barbell Row	4	8
2b	60s	Push Press	4	8
3a		Cable Face Pull	3	10
3b	45s	Cable Tricep Pressdowns	3	10
4a		Alternating Dumbbell Curl	3	10e
4b	30s	Dumbbell Lateral Raise	3	12
Day 2
Heavy Lower Body
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1	90s	Back Squat	5	5
2a		RDL	4	10
2b	60s	Split Squat	4	8e
3a		Leg Curl	3	12
3b	45s	Calf Raise	3	15
4a		Ab Wheel Rollout	3	10
4b	30s	Side Plank	3	20s e.
Day 3 Option 1
Full Body
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1a		Deadlift	4	10
1b		Pushups (Weighted if necessary)	4	10+
2a		Goblet Squat	3	12
2b		Pull-ups or Lat Pulldown	3	12
3a		EZ Bar Curl	3	15
3b		Dips	3	submax
4a		Shrugs	3	15
4b		Seated Calf Raise	3	20
Day 3 Option 2.1
High Volume Upper
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1a		Single Arm Dumbbell Row	4	12
1b	60s	Standing Dumbbell Overhead Press	4	12
2a		Lat Pulldown (Supinated Grip)	4	12
2b	45s	Pushup (weighted if necessary)	4	12+
3a		EZ Bar Curl	3	15
3b	45s	Dips	3	submax
4a		Shrugs	3	15
4b	30s	Dumbbell Reverse Flye	3	15
Day 3 Option 2.2
High Volume Lower
Order	Rest	Exercise	Sets	Reps
1a		Deadlift	5	10
1b	90s	Lateral Step-up	5	10
2a		Goblet Squat	4	12
2b	90s	Exercise Ball Leg Curl	4	15
3a		Side Lunge	3	12e
3b	45s	Seated Calf Raise	3	20

This program is designed to be a quick, simple and effective muscle building workout. like I said, in and out, no fluff, no BS, just get it done. Most exercises are big, compound movements but there some isolation movements in there as well. There is basically one exercise for each body part each day and one extra heavy lift on the heavy days. This might not be the absolute ideal for some people but if you want to build some solid muscle and only have 30 minutes to crush a workout this can work wonders for you.

This program was written for either a 3 or 4 days a week. The first two days are the same either way and then you have the choice of Option 1, which is a full body workout, or Option 2.1 and 2.2 which are split into upper and lower body like Days 1 and 2. Days 1 and 2 are designed to be heavier days so try to move some good weight. Start with something relatively easy then try to increase a little each week. Day 3's are meant to be a higher rep, slightly lower weight days to get a good pump and recover to lift heavy again.

Order and rest times are listed for each exercise so pay attention to those. If you' really are busy you'll want to take advantage of the super-sets and short rest so you can get in and out of the gym as fast as possible. The super-sets are listed by "a" and "b" along with the exercise number (example: 2a, 2b are to be done back to back).

I also tried to keep the exercises basic so that most people will already know them and most gyms will have the equipment available. No need for a GHD or power rig with band attachments for this one. Like I said earlier, this is a no fluff, no BS workout. It's not watered down with fancy exercise variations and ridiculous rep schemes. Just good old fashion hard work. If you don't know an exercise ask but everything is probably as basic as it seems (basic is usually the best for most people).

This program can get you through about 4-6 weeks of solid muscle building but after that you'll want to switch it up to keep progressing. That would be a great time to contact me to get yourself set up with a personalized program.

Finally, yes, this workout is designed for men, but if you're a women and you would like to use it then absolutely feel free! Just know that I have more of these planned for the near future with workouts more geared towards women and well as workouts geared more towards fat loss. Stayed tuned and make sure to follow Greg Herceg - Personal Trainer on Facebook  as well as leaving your email address above for all of the updates!