Hey fitness nerds!

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I used to go to the gym for years and would barely see any results.

I thought I was doing everything right and could not be asked to research what I was doing wrong to not see any results.

I focused on dieting and blamed caloric deficit for not putting on muscles (which makes sense - but I should have put on muscle still).

The gym is confusing at the start. There are so many different fitness plans and workouts. On top of that, there is so much conflicting information on the internet (like this blog LOL). It is hard to know who to trust and what plan to follow.

The important thing is that you HAVE to have a plan. Going to the gym blind is the worst.

There is a method/plan that is the best for you.

Read 🔽 below to see what to do in that case. 

😃 

IN LESS THAN 10 MINUTES WE WILL COVER:

Weekly Insights:

• What to do in the gym to maximize muscle gain

• Article Explained Simple: Optimal weekly volume for muscle gain

• Tips of the Day

• High-Protein Healthy Sandwich Recipe

The best method to maximize muscle gains in the gym

Firstly, why would you want to maximize muscle gain in the gym?

It improves your metabolism, you burn more fat, you naturally sculpt your body so you look more symmetrical, and you are healthier with more muscle mass (the biggest cause of falls in the elderly is atrophy of muscles and therefore loss of coordination, strength, and agility).

Is muscle gain only for guys?

No, no, no, no, no and again no.

Ladies want muscle gain as well. You won’t look manly I’ll promise you that.

Different sexes have different steroid hormones our bodies respond to. The lack of testosterone in women gives you the hourglass figure, and if you do not take androgens (steroids) you will not develop that manly physique.

In general, to maximise strength and muscle development you should follow the progressive overload workout concept.

When you are in the gym doing biceps curls you cause micro tears to your muscle fibres. And then while recovering and eating enough protein your body repairs these tears (with protein) and that’s how you get hypertrophy. Staying at the same weight level in the gym means your muscles get used to the weight and therefore they don’t stretch (and tear) as much. What you want is always pushing that kg/lb. number on the weights up. That creates a constant stress on your muscles. On top of that, when you exercise and your muscle is growing you are also remodelling your bones (making them stronger).

To put this concept into practice.

I do Push | Pull | Legs routine 5 times a week (I do legs only once because i hate it).

I’ll take deadlifts on a pull day as an example.

First, I do a warm-up set without a belt 12 reps.

Then I take my first set weight from the last pull session = 120 kg and add 10 kg this session and do the same amount of reps = 120 kg x 6

My second set last session was 160 kg x 6 so this time I will do 170 kg x 6.

My last set last session was 200 kg x 3 so this time I will do 210 kg x 3 and also attempt a 220 kg x 1.

If I can’t complete a set or it is too heavy I will increase reps from the last deadlift session. Instead of 6 reps, I might do 8 or 10 reps.

I hope this makes sense.

The benefits are that you are progressively getting stronger and you are not stagnating in the gym. When I think I am hitting my ceiling I swap exercises which usually does the trick.

If I forgot anything or if you have any other questions DM me on Twitter and I will gladly answer. Twitter

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Article of the Week

3 Tips on how to improve your form when working out

Form is one of the most important elements of working out.

Not only it is not good for your strength and muscle growth. It is also very dangerous.

Poor form on a compound movement like a deadlift or squat and you can permanently damage your lower back. There is a reason why gym goers have a higher incidence of lower back pain.

I put together 3 tips so you can drastically improve your form.

1. Start with light weights and youtube videos and a mirror
   
   Begin with lighter weights to master the movement without the strain.
   
   This allows you to focus on the form before adding heavier loads.
   

   Watching YT videos by experts can help you understand the details of each exercise.
   

   Perform exercises in front of a mirror to observe and correct your posture and alignment.
   

2. Focus on stabilization and breath work
   
   Engage your core during all exercises.
   
   a strong and stable core reduces the risk of injury and increases the effectiveness of each movement.
   

   Exhale during the most challenging part of the movement and inhale during the less intense phase.
   

3. Keep your spine neutral

   
   Avoid rounding or excessively arching your back.
   
   Maintaining a neutral spine protects your back and allows your muscles to engage correctly.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to master a form before adding heavy weights. Heavy weights also alter form so if it was and before it will be even worse with weights.

This Week’s Recipe

Vote below to choose the diet for next week’s recipe

High-Protein Healthy Sandwich Recipe (makes 2 servings)

Sandwich is the best food when I don’t know what I want to make for dinner or have a bunch of stuff left over.

This is my favourite sandwich recipe when I want to be healthy.

It is high in protein and low in calories for a sandwich.

This recipe was created in 2 minutes with the BusyBody App. Click the button for free access to the app.

Macros per serving

• Total Calories: 400 kcal

• Protein: 30 g

• Carbohydrates: 35 g

• Sugars: 5 g

• Fat: 15 g

The Ingredients

• 4 slices of whole grain bread (or 2 whole grain rolls)

• 200g chicken breast, grilled and sliced (about 7 ounces)

• 1 medium avocado, sliced

• 1/2 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and mashed (about 120g) - trust me on this one it tastes like hummus

• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

• 2 lettuce leaves (such as romaine or butter lettuce)

• 1 tomato, sliced

• 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: sprouts or cucumber slices for extra crunch and nutrition

The Instructions

1. Prepare the Spreads:

   • In a small bowl, mix the mashed chickpeas with Greek yogurt and Dijon mustard. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This mixture will add creaminess and protein to the sandwich.

2. Grill the Chicken:

   • Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper, and grill until fully cooked and slightly charred. Let it cool for a few minutes before slicing.

3. Assemble the Sandwich:

   • Toast the whole grain bread slices if desired.

   • Spread each piece of bread with the chickpea and yogurt mixture.

   • On two slices of bread, layer the grilled chicken slices, avocado slices, red onion, tomato slices, and lettuce.

   • If using, add sprouts or cucumber slices for additional texture and nutrients.

4. Complete the Sandwich:

   • Top each sandwich with the remaining slices of bread.

   • Cut each sandwich in half if preferred.

5. Serve:

   • Serve immediately, or wrap for a high-protein meal on the go.

Delicious and healthy.

PS: You can make it on the fly in less than 10 min

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