This time of the year is a very busy time for anyone in the training business as so many new clients are trying to get in shape for the year. I am contacted frequently from people who are trying to develop a new training plan as their previous ones did not work very well. Most training programs fail because they lack good exercise selection, proper training frequency, and focus on improvement. Many people have trouble building their programs because they do not set a good foundation to their training around. Here is my system of building a training program.

Core exercises- a good way to figure out the main lifts or movements to base your training around is to ask yourself one simple question, "If you could pick ONLY ONE lift to perform each day, what would it be?" If you say dumbbell chest press, bicep curls, crunches or anything like that, then you can fully expect to achieve nothing. These are usually the people who contact me about fat burners and testosterone boosters because they are getting neither from their exercise program. Some good exercises to base your training around could include the following: squats, dead-lift, Turkish get ups, overhead pressing, cleans and snatches, carries, and possibly advanced bodyweight training(pistol squats, front levers, planches, etc). This will vary slightly with most people, but, regardless if you are a man or woman, you should be focusing on your major muscle groups. This will help build a solid foundation of muscle which will increase your resting metabolic rate and boost healthy hormone production. Be sure to pick the ones you are experienced with or ones that someone can help you with. 

Time- I have been in the business long enough to know that everyone has different schedules and can only commit certain time to the gym. This will greatly affect your schedule because if you only have 2 days to get to the gym, you better not be spending your time on the treadmill and doing "abs". If your time is limited then be sure to focus all your time on complex, multi-joint movements. If you have 7 days a week to workout then you can manipulate some days to work on feats of strength or some aesthetic work like your precious arms. Here are some examples of what I have going for some of my clients:
2 days- dead-lift/squat, Turkish get up and clean and press
3 days- dead-lift and snatches, squat and overhead press, Turkish get up and carries
4 days- dead-lift and rows, overhead and horizontal pressing, snatch/clean and carries, TGU
5 days- dead-lift, pressing, squats and core, snatch/clean and pulls, core and carries
This does not have to be exact, but the focus on full body strength has been working great with all of my clients. The repetitions will vary for each person depending on their goals. Most of my beginning clients will use a higher rep range to help build endurance and work on technique. My advanced clients work in lower repetitions with heavier weight.

Find your range- I am not one to write out one template for everyone to use because everyone has different goals. This does not mean you should skip dead-lift day and go for a run because you are trying to lean out more. This means the repetitions and style of lifting should be different. For example someone who is trying to build muscular size should focus more on building their 10 rep max and work in some high repetition training. Someone trying to be leaner and more athletic should work on heavier, lower rep training and focus on explosive lifting. This may sound backwards to most people, but heavy and explosive lifting burns more calories due to the recruitment of fast twitch muscle fibers which will result in burning excess fat. The group trying to bulk will work with higher repetitions because they want to focus on muscle breakdown and blood flow to the muscles. There is a reason most bodybuilders work in the 10 rep range. Figure out your rep ranges and apply them to the core lifts you have chosen and watch the results pour in. 

I would also recommend tracking your results in the form of a training book or with quality body fat testing. You have to be conscious if your program is workout after a few months so you can make changes if needed. The rest of your training session after your main lifts should be mostly filled with accessory movements to improve your core lifts, not with pointless exercises. Your core lifts will give you the results so stay focused on improving them. 

If you are having trouble figuring out your training schedule then feel free to reach out to one of us to help build your program. 

Flavors: Peanut Butter Cookie, Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Cake, Strawberry, Banana

Protizyme is a great protein and meal replacement supplement that is made of whey protein concentrate and isolates. Whey protein is great for building lean muscle and helping to speed up the metabolism because it is very fast digesting and is high in amino acids that boost muscle building. Whey protein is one of two proteins derived from milk- casein being the other. Whey typically is high in cholesterol and lactose so most companies will isolate it and remove them; however, when this is done the healthy bacteria that are found in raw milk are removed also.

Protizyme is superior to other brands because it has a mix of whey isolate and whey concentrate. This is done to preserve the lacto-immunoglobulins, the good bacteria, and the enzymes that are naturally found in whey. This helps the body digest the protein better than other types of protein which will lead to better results and less digestive problems like gas, bloating, constipation, and indigestion. 

(Most users will experience some weird stomach feelings the first time they take this product. This is just the enzymes and lacto-immunoglobulins going to work on your digestive tract. This almost always is followed by a very healthy, and fulfilling bowel movement. This usually does not keep happening to those people who eat fairly healthy.)

Protizyme is also our favorite protein because it is by far the best tasting protein on the market. The product is most famous at our gym because of the outstanding taste of the peanut butter cookie. Ask for a sample and you will be sure to agree. This protein typically is price marked and sells for much more online, but we bring it to you at the best price we can.

Price: 2lbs-$34.99, 5lbs-$74.99 @Solid Training

When I think about competition, I take a look at what Henry J. Kaiser says about competition. A great quote to keep you in the right mindset.

Everyone needs competition, especially to push ourselves to a new level in our lives. I love it when I put a challenge in front of me. Whether it is to Deadlift 500 pounds, finish another article, learn a new recipe, etc. Competitions and challenges are great for anyone who feel they can do more or have to do more to get where they want to be. So if you are feeling you are in a funk or rut, find a competition that will get a fire under your ass! 
In my previous article I wrote how I was in a terrible rut, and since November I decided to get into training for a physique show in 2014. Since I have done that, my training has intensified, my eating has been "cleaner", and my focus is on point. 

But...
I still have yet to say what competitions I will be doing. This is really nothing to make a huge announcement about but its going to put myself on the spot and keep me going towards the goals that I wrote down. So if I bail, everyone is allowed to post online that I am a cottonheadedninnymuggins to go on stage, to flex in a banana hammock , with 5 layers of fake tanner on (yes that is a true amount, #whiteguyproblems).

I have looked at a few and I will be doing shows within 8 months from now.
1st show to get me in the groove of things, I am looking at the Kentucky State Open. 
2nd show will be in October, still to be determined.
3rd and final show will be in November, at the Kentucky Muscle. 
 
Choosing to get ready 8 months out should allow me to be ready and still have my health and sanity while looking like Brad Pitt in Fight Club only bigger (every guy wants to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club) . 
This is  going to be my greatest athletic challenge in 2014 and I plan on making it my best!

 This is going to be so awesome, but I will probably go nuts when the clients bring in apple bread, or whatever Larry from Sunnyside brings in. 

I'm not looking for fame, just going for something that is inside me to complete. I will complete this, along with teaching along the way of sane eating for a show. Hopefully someone will read what I say and learn something from me. That is really all I care about, because I have done it wrong and hate to see someone go through what I have. 

So if you have a competition in mind, Do IT! Pick yourself off the couch and write out what you want to do. Once you do that it will become real. If you just sit on it, then you will just keep the circle of mediocrity going. And that is the worst thing anyone can do.