Online vs In-Person Training

READ TIME: 2 minutes, 36 seconds

Online personal training has become very popular over the past 10 years, but some people still aren’t sold on the idea.

Questions like... “How does it work?” “How much does it cost?” and most importantly, “Is it effective?” are still being asked and need clearing up.

If you're in the market for personal training, this guide will compare both online and in-person training to help you decide which one is right for you.

Online Personal Training

Pros:

1. More Affordable – Online training usually costs less because trainers don’t have to pay for a gym space or travel.

2. Flexible & Convenient – You can work out on your own schedule without worrying about gym hours or your trainer’s availability.

3. Access to Top Trainers Anywhere – You can train with experts from around the world, not just those in your local area.

4. Ongoing Support – Many online trainers offer messaging, video calls, and apps to track your progress and keep you motivated.

5. More Independence & Long-Term Learning – You’ll learn to work out on your own, helping you stay disciplined and understand training better.

6. No Location Limits – You can train at home, in a gym, or even while traveling.

Cons:

1. No Hands-On Help with Form – Your trainer can’t physically correct your posture, which could lead to mistakes.

2. Requires Self-Motivation – Without someone in person to push you, it’s easier to skip workouts or not give your best effort.

3. Limited Instant Feedback – Unless you do live video sessions, you won’t get quick corrections like you would in person.

4. May Need to Buy Equipment – If training at home, you might need to purchase weights or resistance bands.

5. Not Ideal for Beginners or Injuries – If you're new to exercise or recovering from an injury, you may need more hands-on coaching.

In-Person Personal Training

Pros:

1. Instant Feedback & Form Correction – Your trainer can make sure you’re doing exercises correctly and safely.

2. More Motivation & Accountability – Knowing someone is waiting for you makes it harder to skip workouts.

3. Stronger Connection with Your Trainer– Meeting in person can help build trust and better communication.

4. Access to Gym Equipment – You can use machines, free weights, and other tools that aren’t available at home.

5. Safer for Complex Exercises – A trainer can help spot you when lifting heavy weights or doing tricky movements.

6. Better Mind-Muscle Connection – A trainer’s cues can help you activate the right muscles for better results.

7. Fewer Distractions – Working out in a gym or studio helps you stay focused.

8. Best for Special Needs – If you have an injury, health condition, or specific fitness goal, in-person coaching is usually better.

Cons:

1. More Expensive – In-person training usually costs more because of gym fees and limited availability.

2. Less Flexible Scheduling – You need to plan around your trainer’s schedule and travel to the gym.

3. Limited to Local Trainers – You can only choose trainers in your area.

4. Possible Gym Anxiety – Some people feel nervous working out in a gym or being watched by others.

5. Dependent on Your Trainer – If your trainer is unavailable or not a good fit, you might have to start over with someone new.

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Summary: Which one is right for you?

Choose Online Personal Training if you:

✔ Prefer a flexible and affordable option.

✔ Want to train with a coach from anywhere.

✔ Are motivated to work out on your own.

Choose In-Person Personal Training if you:

✔ Need hands-on help with form.

✔ Want extra motivation and accountability.

✔ Need access to gym equipment.

In-person training is also best for beginners, people recovering from injuries, or those who do better with face-to-face coaching.

Thank you for reading!

If you want me to be your online or in-person trainer, click one of the buttons below.

How to Recover FASTER

READ TIME: 3 minutes, 41 seconds

If you're like me and you love to work, the biggest obstacle you face is just waiting for your body to recover.

What if I told you there are safe and effective steps you can take to help your body do just that?

In this blog, I'm gonna share with you my 11 practices that help me expedite my recovery so you too can get back in the gym as soon as possible.

Call it… your Recovery Checklist.

-Did you hit your protein quota?

If you don’t know your protein quota, it’s your ideal body weight x .7. Over time this number may change but stick with this as a general rule.Protein breaks down into amino acids and amino acids are the building blocks of new muscle growth. 

In the same way, you can’t build a house without sufficient concrete, you can’t grow stronger without giving your body the materials it needs to do so.

-Did you hit your carb quota?

Carbs are your best friend IF you lift weights regularly and are happy with your current body weight. Think of carbs as your rocket fuel for lifting heavy things. If you check off the two requirements, carbs will power you through your weight training and also spare your lean muscle tissue on your rest days.

For more on this, check out the Carbohydrate Mastery PDF on the FREE resources page.

-Did you hit your water quota?

Keeping hydrated daily essentially helps with moving nutrients faster and excreting toxins within the body. All leading to a faster recovery. According to Harvard Health, the water intake for men and women is as follows…

Men: 104 oz

Women: 73 oz

Your water quota might be a little more or less than this, my water number is at least 1 gallon. The key point I’m making here is that you need more water than you think.

It’s important to consider also that muscles are anywhere from 70-80 percent water and Synovial fluid, the substance in your joints consists of 95 percent water. Better-hydrated muscles and joints are better-performing muscles and joints.

-Did you get in bed by 10:00pm?

Personally, 10:00PM is the absolute latest. Getting in bed and falling asleep early is a hack to waking up early with boatloads of energy. Mark Wahlberg supposedly goes to bed at 8:00pm and wakes up at 2:00AM to start his day.

The secret, and I can attest to this…the hours before midnight are the ones that count. If you rest the best during this time, and rest is essential to your recovery, I’ll do everything in my power to get to bed as early as humanly possible.

-Did you warm up before the workout?

A quick 5-minute warm-up before training can help reduce the risk of muscle soreness afterward. Therefore leading to a faster recovery.

-Did you stretch after a workout?

Similar to the warm-up, stretching after workouts prevents injuries, improves flexibility, and reduces soreness post-work. All precursors to faster recovery.

-Did you get your walks this week?

Walking is man’s best medicine. Similar to ideal hydration, it helps with circulation and moving things around within the body. 20 minutes or more daily is recommended, preferably outside.

-Did you take your creatine every day?

I’m a big fan of creatine. But if you’ve tried it and hated it, don’t bother taking it. Creatine supplementation and water go hand in hand with one another. If you wanna try taking creatine, you must drink plenty of water to avoid unwanted side effects.

Not only is creatine linked to faster recovery from weight training, but it’s also been linked to cognitive benefits such as better memory and improved mood.

-Did you get your sixty minutes of sauna?

Sauna’s, as you learned in the last email, have lots of health benefits. 57 minutes a week appears to be the tipping point for receiving the waterfall of health benefits. 

It doesn’t have to be all at once though, you can break that hour up throughout the week. From 10 minutes/6 days a week to 30 minutes/2 days a week.

-Did you get your twelve minutes of cold plunge?

Okay, I know this is a big ask for many of you. For anyone up for the challenge, research has shown that cold plunges can help in reducing the degree of muscle damage caused by workouts. Meaning less inflammation, less soreness, and less time spent recovering.

More than 12 minutes a week seems to be the point of diminishing returns, but even a quick 2-minute plunge can be beneficial. Like the sauna, you can break up the 12 minutes into multiple sessions a week.

-Did you manage your stress well this week?

Every step you take in speeding up your recovery goes out the window when you have a high amount of stress in your life. Life is hard sometimes, I get that. That’s where daily habits such as meditation, gratitude journaling, and being generous go a long way in helping you with a different perspective.

TAKE AWAY:

Most of you are probably doing several of these already. Personally, I struggle with getting the daily walk-in, the sleep, and the cold plunge.

One final tip you can do is to take a recovery week. Where you simply rest for an entire 7 days with no exercise. This is something you do when you have Stage 1 of Overtraining Syndrome (OTS).

Hope all of this was helpful,

When you can, please share this with someone who needs it.

Talk soon, Drake

Let’s talk about Creatine…

READ TIME: 5 minutes, 42 seconds

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

• DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATINE

• CONCRETE BENEFITS OF CREATINE

• FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT CREATINE

• ”NEW” CLAIMS THAT NEED MORE RESEARCH

• FUN FACTS ABOUT CREATINE

• COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CREATINE

———

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATINE:

There are several types of creatine, with creatine monohydrate being the most common and well-researched. They are…

• Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL), which is more water-soluble

• Creatine Ethyl Ester, marketed for better absorption but less effective.

• Creatine Nitrate, known for increased water solubility.

• Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn), designed to reduce stomach discomfort.

• Liquid Creatine, which is less stable.

Creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard due to its effectiveness, affordability, and safety, with most alternatives offering no clear superiority in performance.

Going forward, anytime I reference “creatine”, just assume that I’m referring to creatine monohydrate.

———

CONCRETE BENEFIT OF CREATINE:

The keystone benefit of taking creatine…

• Helps you train harder and longer

  Creatine helps you in your weight training performance by allowing you to get an extra 1-3 extra reps in your sets.

  The next three bullets are all closely connected…

• May help you get better sleep

  My theory as to why creatine supplementation helps with sleep is because of the extra push it gives you during your weight training. It’s a given that if you train hard, you’re pushing yourself, you’re going to sleep sounder at night due to the added exhaustion.

• May help improve your exercise recovery

  Same goes for better recovery. If you’re sleeping deeper and have higher quality sleep, you’re going to recover faster as a result.

• May help improve your fat loss

  As for creatine aiding in fat lose…When you sleep well, you recover well. And when you recover well, you build muscle well. And when you build muscle well, you burn fat well because muscle is your most important asset when it comes to burning fat.

———

FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT CREATINE:

• Creatine causes hair loss

  High levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is often associated with male pattern baldness. And a 2009 study suggested that because creatine supplementation increases DHT levels, it then will cause one to lose hair.

  Fact of the matter, there’s no strong evidence that creatine causes hair loss. Just anecdotal claims. On the contrary, creatine may even help hair growth due to its ability to increase blood and nutrient flow to the body, including the scalp.

  Too high doses of creatine may cause dehydration which would indirectly effect the health of one’s hair, but the bottom line is…genetics make up 80% of male pattern baldness.

• Creatine gives you an energy boost

  Creatine does give your muscles added energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to assist in lifting things that are heavy. However, creatine is not a stimulant and does not give you a jolt of energy like caffeine or an energy drink.

• Creatine is causes liver/kidney damage

  Creatine is processed in the kidneys. If you don’t have a pre-existing liver or kidney disorder, creatine should be a safe and effective supplement for you to take.

  If you’re not 100% certain about taking creatine, please consult your health care provider.

• Creatine causes you to retain water (makes you bloat)

  When you take the right amount, the “water retention” from creatine is intracellular. Meaning the water retention is in the muscle cell and not subcutaneous (under your skin).

  If you are bloated from creatine, you’re taking too much, body already has enough and you should stop taking it for a while until your creatine stores get more depleted.

———

CLAIMS THAT NEED MORE RESEARCH

• May reduce anxiety, depression and improve overall mood

  Early clinical trials indicate that creatine may have efficacy as an antidepressant agent. Helping those who suffer from anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.

• Improves bone health

  Creatine may improve bone health making it ideal for those suffering from sarcopenia and osteoporosis.

• Helps combat inflammation and oxidation

  The data is mixed when it comes to creatine and inflammation. More research is needed to determine if creatine helps with inflammatory conditions. However in a 2022 study, researchers at the National Library of Medicine gave creatine to one group of rats with tumor cells and the other a placebo.

  The growth of the tumor was slowed in the creatine group compared to the placebo group. Providing evidence that creatine may be effective in dealing with cancer cells. But again, more research is needed.

———

FUN FACTS ABOUT CREATINE:

• Little background about creatine…

  First creatine supplement was in 1993 labeled as Phosphagen by a company named Experimental and Applied Sciences (EAS).

• You can’t get enough creatine from just food

  Even the most carnivorous diet can’t compete with supplemental creatine mono hydrate.

• Women have better performance outcomes than men

  Females naturally have 70-80% lower creatine stores than men, meaning they respond better to creatine supplementation and could experience double the performance improvement than males.

• 1 and 4 people are non-responders to creatine

  These are people who have naturally high creatine levels and won’t see a noticeable difference when supplementing.

• Does not increase testosterone?!

  Creatine is not an anabolic steroid, nor does it increase testosterone levels. However; it does help in increasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the active form of testosterone.

• Doesn’t cause dehydration

  Contrary to some critics…creatine does not cause dehydration. In fact, some studies suggest that creatine, because it pulls water into your muscles, may help prevent dehydration and muscle cramps when exercising in hot environments. This makes it a great supplement for those of us in Florida during the intense heat.
  

———

COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CREATINE:

• Is creatine safe long term?

  Creatine has a long safety record and research shows that it’s perfectly fine to take long term between 2-5 years. However, I like to take a week or two off of all supplements from time to time to break up the monotony.

• Who should avoid creatine?

  If you have kidney disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease, you should not take creatine or consult with your doctor.

• When’s the best time to take creatine?

  There’s tenuous data suggesting that it’s best to take after weight training. But just take it whenever is most convenient for you. You want to regulate it in your daily routine. I take it first thing in the morning with my collagen peptides.

• How much creatine should you take daily?

  Whether you’re a first timer or go off and on supplements like I do, 3-5 grams will get you the results you’re looking for. Some people like to do a loading phase for a week (25 grams a day for 5-7 days). This isn’t necessary and you run the risk of getting the unwanted side effects like nausea/diarrhea.

  Over doing creatine too soon is also why it gets the bad wrap for making you bloated (excess water retention). You might get the results of stronger and more powerful workouts sooner, but that’s the give and take.

  If you ask me, just st ick with 3-5 grams of creatine daily. This dose will give you creatine saturated muscles within 3-4 weeks. The only case where loading would be necessary is for competitive athletes that need to saturate their muscles with creatine on short notice. Other than that, 3-5 grams daily is plenty.

———

GENERAL GUIDELINES WHEN TAKING CREATINE:

• Kidney Health: As stated earlier, people with pre-existing kidney conditions should avoid or consult a healthcare professional before using it.

• Hydration: Creatine increases water retention in muscles, so proper hydration is imperative, especially during weight training.

• Caffeine Consumption: According to the Mayo Clinic, 300 milligrams of caffeine or 3 cups of coffee might decrease the efficacy of creatine.

  VERY IMPORTANT!!!

  Creative is converted into creatinine in the body. And high levels of creatinine are associated with kidney problems such as kidney disease, injury or failure. Yes, too much creatine can temporarily give you high levels of creatinine. However, this does necessarily mean that your kidneys or liver are being harmed.

  If you decide to take creatine, let your doctor know beforehand so that there’s an explanation as to the high levels of creatinine.

TAKE AWAY:

Creatine is an incredible supplement for those looking to step up their progress with their weight training program. As we do more and more research, we’re finding that literally anyone can benefit from taking it.

3-5 grams daily seems to be the magic number for just about everyone that has good health. Those who benefit the most from creatine seem to be adults who strength train regularly and older adults combating muscle loss.

The only group that should be more reluctant in taking creatine are those with pre-existing kidney/liver issues, the adolescent, older adults over 50 years and anyone that feels the need to ask their doctors permission.

———

SOURCES FOR RESEARCH:

• What are the pros and cons of creatine?

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/creatine-pros-and-cons#bottom-line

• Creatine by The Cleveland Clinic

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17674-creatine

• What is creatine?

What is creatine? Potential benefits and risks of this popular supplement - Harvard Health

• Creatine: A Treatment for Memory and Mental Health?

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-healthy-journey/202304/creatine-a-treatment-for-memory-and-mental-health#:~:text=Creatine%20may%20help%20our%20minds%20as%20much%20as%20our%20muscles.&text=If%20you've%20ever%20heard,has%20been%20common%20for%20decades.

• Creatine for women

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/uk/fitness/strength-training/a42178665/creatine/#what-are-the-benefits-of-creatine-for-women

• The Ergogenic Effects of Supplemental Nutritional Aids on Anaerobic Performance in Female Athletes

https://go.redirectingat.com/?id=127X1380942&url=https%3A%2F%2Fjournals.lww.com%2Fnsca-scj%2Fpages%2Farticleviewer.aspx%3Fyear%3D2016%26issue%3D04000%26article%3D00015%26type%3DFulltext%26fbclid%3DIwAR3hhAHX6GycCIbI2FSgjOVC1yEZwCdIYkXGRPftp-1s8hexKx_YdiOcoec&xs=1&xcust=

• Creatine and improved sleep in healthy active females

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/16/16/2772#:~:text=Sleep%20was%20assessed%20nightly%20using,days%20(p%20%3D%200.013).

• 10 Benefits of Creatine

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-creatine

• Creatine use in sports

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5753968/

• Mayo Clinic on Creatine

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-creatine/art-20347591#:~:text=Creatine%20supplementation%20might%20help%20counteract%20age-related%20declines%20in%20skeletal%20muscle%20and%20bone%20mineral%20density.

• Creatine on Treatment for Depression

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31450809/#:~:text=Creatine%2C%20a%20widely%20available%20nutritional%20supplement%2C%20has%20the%20potential%20to%20improve%20these%20disruptions%20in%20some%20patients%2C%20and%20early%20clinical%20trials%20indicate%20that%20it%20may%20have%20efficacy%20as%20an%20antidepressant%20agent.

• Anti-inflammatory/anti-catabolic effects of creatine supplementation

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8839648/

• Long and short term use of creatine

https://www.medicinenet.com/5_reasons_why_creatine_monohydrate_is_the_best/article.htm

• Creatine and long term use

https://www.medicinenet.com/5_reasons_why_creatine_monohydrate_is_the_best/article.htm

Better Habits mean More Happiness… 3 Steps to Creating Better Habits

How long will this take to read?

4-5 MINUTES

“Discipline equals Freedom”

— John Gretton "Jacko" Willink, US Navy Officer and former member of SEAL Team 3

Do you have the “habit” of breaking good habits? If so, this blog is for you…

When it comes to mastering a new habit, there’s a formula you can use that’ll help you in staying consistent with them. When doing research for this blog, I thought of two great books that really made a mark on me (James Clear’s Atomic Habits and Cal Newport’s Deep Work).

These books gave me a lot of inspiration and helped me tremendously in making the most out of my work day and living a more fulfilled life.

I really hope you check these books out for yourself. Or at the very least, I hope today’s post instills some motivation in you to live your best life RIGHT NOW!

So without further ado,

Here’s three practical tips that’ll not only help you in creating good habits but also lock them in for the long hall.

Lets dig into them…

1. Prepare in Advance:

Benjamin Franklin said it best…

“If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail”

You and I both know…the second you set a goal, obstacles spring out of nowhere. You must set yourself up for success by staying armed with a plan of action. Otherwise, life will always get in the way.

Here are some things I do to prepare myself for a typical work day…

• I set the coffee machine the night before so that I just click one button for coffee the following morning.

• I bring a water bottle with me everywhere I go so that I’m always hydrated and drinking enough water.

• I bring 2-3 home cooked meals with me everyday so that I’m not tempted to eat something expensive or unhealthy.

2. Perform the Bare Minimum:

You’re gonna be very happy to read this…

When it comes to performing a good habit, all you need to focus on…in the beginning…is the bare minimum (whatever that may be). If you want to start doing push-ups, start by doing just 5 or 10. The key in locking down a new habit is in standardizing before optimizing.

Read that last sentence again, very important!!!

Here are some examples of some small habits I started doing that eventually took off into daily, progressive habits on autopilot…

• Cold Showers: I first started with just the first 10 seconds of my shower with cold water, then switch to hot for the remainder. A few weeks later, I continued this same cycle but then added on by cutting to cold again for the last 10 seconds.

  After several weeks of repeating this cycle, I just decided one day to start taking all cold water showers, no hot water. From that day on I never looked back.

• Exercising: As a trainer, exercise has always been a big part of my life. But I now have a daily bare minimum habit of doing either 50 push-ups, 20 pull-ups, 30 dips or a 3 minute plank. Even on my rest days.

• Writing/Reading: In order to be classified as a professional writer, I need to write DAILY. I probably wrote most days before I had the daily habit down. But now there’s no exception. I make it a daily duty to write something every single day, no matter how little.

  I don’t care if it’s for 2 minutes. At the end of the day, 2 minutes is better than nothing.

• Meditation: Every morning I have the habit down of meditating for just five minutes. This habit keeps me centered, in control of my emotions and prepares me for whatever the day has in store.

  Sometimes, when I have less busy days, I’ll take whatever free I time I have and meditate a little more. Giving me that much more mindfulness and self-awareness.

3. Persist until Mastery:

You might be thinking…

"Drake, this all sounds great but I NEED to know the road ahead. How will I know when I’ve mastered a new habit?”

Use the following as your timeline…

• 3 weeks of daily practice will create a new habit.

• 3 month will create a nice groove with the habit.

• 6 months will lock down the habit.

• 12 months and you’ll crave the habit more than the discomfort.

• 24+ months and the habit becomes apart of your identity and who you are as a person.

Keep this in mind whenever you get bored with your target habit. And fight through these inevitable phases.

Final Thoughts:

The #1 Determining Factor in Successfully Mastering a New Habit

If there’s just one thing you can do that’ll have the most positive impact on your success in behavioral change, it’s this…your environment!

Whatever your goal is, do everything in your power to make your environment conducive to your target habit(s). Set your entire life up to where you’re constantly thinking about your goal and what it’ll be like when you achieve it.

That’s it for now…I hope this blog was helpful in teaching you some tips on daily practices for mastering new and productive habits!

Thanks for Reading!

If this blog was helpful, please feel free to leave a comment and share!

Five inexpensive items every home gym needs

Looking to start your own home gym on a budget?

Don’t have the room to store everything?

Here’s five items I use for my mobile personal training business that are inexpensive and conserve plenty of home space.

Go-Beast Mobile Pull-up/Dip Station

I wanted to start with the most essential piece to your home gym.

I’ve been using the Go-Beast for my mobile personal training business for three years now and it has helped my clients tremendously in building upper body and core strength.

It’s difficult to find exercises at home that can really hit those powerful BACK muscles. With the Go-Beast, if someone is’’t strong enough to do pull-ups, you can modify the Go-Beast so that you can perform the inverted row.

This is essentially a reverse push-up that strengthens all muscles in the back and arms.

It’s also great for those who have a hard time doing push-ups off the floor. If you flip the Go-Beast on one side, you can do push-ups at a 45 degree angle.

You can buy the Go-Beast and others like it on amazon and can look to spend $175-200.

Gymnastics Rings

These are for more advanced individuals. But you’ll improve everything from a stronger core, and overall stregnth and endurance in all other body weight exercises with gymnastics rings.

Dumbbell and barbell exercises target the stabilizer muscles better that machines can.

So think of exercises on the rings as a free weight version of body weight exercises.

You can click here to buy the same gymnastic rings I use for my business on amazon.com and can look to spend $30-50.

TRX Suspension Trainer

These suspension straps have gained a lot of popularity over the last decade and for good reason.

The TRX Suspension Trainer allows you to do traditional body weight exercises but with more core activation.

You can do other body weight exercises with the TRX Suspension Trainer that you couldn’t do otherwise like the inverted row and assisted squat.

Click here to buy your TRX Trainer and other knock off brands on amazon.com. You can look to spend $150-250.

Slam Ball

Having some heavy to moderately heavy slam balls in you home gym will give you a unique way to build functional stregnth and power.

Most everyone knows about The Big Three when it comes to weight lifting (Barbell Bench Press/Deadlift/Squat).

These exercises are known as the pillars to over-all power and stregnth.

Although I don’t disagree with that statement, you can strengthen your core and overall strength with similar exercises like The Big Three with a slam ball.

What makes a slam ball unique is its durability. You can do all medicine ball exercises along with exercises like kneeling slams and wall ball tosses that target those powerful stregnth fibers.

So you don’t need a lot of barbell weight or a squat rack if you don’t have access to them.

I currently use a 15 and 30 pound slam ball for my mobile training business and paid about $1 per pound for both. These rates have changed since but you can look to spend anywhere between $35-55 for a 10, 15 or 20 pound ball.

You can buy them on amazon.com by clicking here.

Plyometric Box

I invested in a 30/20/24 inch plyometric box for my business mainly for my senior clinets. It’s amazing to me how much this wood box has helped my clients in doing core strengthening yoga positions without getting on the floor.

If you’re someone who doesn’t have these issues, doing step-ups on a plyometric box can be a great substitute for squats by strengthening your legs and core.

For those really advanced, box jumps can be great for explosive power and high intensity aerobics.

You can look to spend anywhere from $110-150 for the box I have mentioned or $50-100 for one with smaller dimensions (12/14/16).

Click here to view options.

Thank you for reading!

Did you enjoy this blog?

Let me know down in the comments!

Weight Training for Adolescence

Do you have a young child that wants to start lifting weights? Curious as to when they can start improving their health for the future? Today’s blog will answer your questions about…

How young can your child start hitting the gym?

How often should they weight train?

And what does a child’s weight training program look like?

At what age can your kid start weight training?

Weight training, contrary to what most think, is not reserved for adults only. According to the American Council on Exercise, if your kid’s at least seven years old, weight lifting can have the same positive effect on children as adults. This age may differ though from child to child. Some kids learn to follow instructions sooner than some.

How often should they workout?

As soon as your child is ready, start including strength training one to three days a week. Start them out with a 5 minute warm-up, then about 20-30 minutes of total body weight training.

Have another activity lined up such as they’re favorite sport for another 20-30 minutes and then wrap it up with the last 5 minutes of static stretching. This will total your child’s activity session to 40-60 minutes minus the warm-up and cool-down.

Should they lift heavy, moderate or light weights?

The same principle for adults will apply for children on this one. New clients should start off with a weight they can complete for 15-20 reps and 1-2 sets. They should continue this for the first few sessions or until their trainer feels ready.

Once your kid has proven themselves that they can complete 15 reps with the same weight for two consecutive workouts, they can progress to the next resistance. Typically 5 pounds for smaller muscles and 10 pounds for larger muscles.

SUMMARY:

Adolescence can start as young as seven years old when it comes to weight training. As long as they do the following…

• Start off with light weight for 15-20 reps.

• 1-2 sets per muscle group.

• 1-3 days per week.

• 20-30 minutes per workout.

• Understand the importance of risk as well as reward when it comes to stregnth training.

Did you learn something?

Share this with someone with young kids!

Continue or Discountinue Training with an Injury

Have you ever been stuck on whether you should continue working out with an injury?

Struggling with an injury such as golfers/tennis elbow, torn bicep or strained rotator cuff? 

If so, this blog is for you!

Today you’re gonna learn about a scientifically backed method that sounds strange at first. But may help you in maintaining more muscle or even gaining new muscle while recovering from an injury.

Science Daily posted an international study from Edith Cowan University (ECU) back in October of 2020.

It’s titled…"Exercising one arm has twice the benefits" that suggests training just one arm can improve strength and decrease muscle loss in the other arm.

One of the Professor’s involved in this study is “Professor Ken Nosaka”.

This is what he has this to say about the findings…

"I think this could change the way we approach rehabilitation for people who have temporarily lost the use of one arm or one leg.”

"By starting rehab and exercise in the uninjured limb right away, we can prevent muscle damage induced by exercise in the other limb and also build strength without moving it at all.”

THE STUDY

The study involved three groups with 10 participants. All of which had one arm immobilised for a minimum of eight hours a day for four weeks.

Group 1 was instructed to do no exercise.

Group 2 was told to do a mix of both eccentric and concentric exercise.

Group 3 was only allowed to do eccentric exercise only.

I talk a little about this in my eBook TRAINER IN A BOX.

Just so you know, the eccentric part of the exercise is the lowering of the weight (i.e the descend of a bicep curl or a squat) This is also known as the negative of the rep.

The concentric (or positive) part of the rep is the exact opposite of the eccentric (the lifting of the weigh during a bicep curl or the rising up out of a squat).

This is the part of the rep most people are familiar with when they think of weight training.

The result of the study may surprise you. Nosaka notes that the group who used a heavy dumbbell to perform only eccentric exercise on their active arm showed an increase in strength and a decrease in muscle atrophy in their immobilised arm.

"Participants who did only eccentric exercise had the biggest increase in strength in both arms, so it has a very powerful cross-transfer effect.”

"This group also had just 2% muscle loss in their immobilised arm, compared with those who did no exercise who had a 28% loss of muscle. Meaning those people who do no exercise have to regain all that muscle and strength again.”

—Professor Ken Nosaka

CONCLUSION AND SUMMARY:

The future of rehab and muscle maintenance is eccentric training.

If you have an injured arm or leg, try exercising the non-injured limb with eccentric exercising with weights. According to the research done at ECU, this could help reduce muscle and strength loss during the recovery process.

As suggested by Professor Nosaka, eccentric training can be useful for athletes who can begin post-injury recovery sooner as well as stroke victims under going rehabilitation therapy.

If you wanna dig deeper into this study you can read the Science Daily article here.


Thank you for reading!

If this was helpful, please share it with someone who’ll benefit.

FOUR PILLARS TO CREATING A GOOD WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM

Are you the one who starts off strong in January about getting in shape but then loses focus in February?

If so, it’s most likely due to poor program development.

What if there were four basic steps to seeing consistent progress that can actually help you in fulfilling your New Year’s resolution?

The following four steps will give you just that. A balanced life of health and enjoyment with small but consistent progress each and every week.

I. 3-5 Exercises Per Workout

You don’t need a laundry list of exercises for every workout. When it comes down to building a sound weight training program, you’ll be surprised at how less is more.

I always like to start off with a heavy compound movement first with three sets and low reps. Then a second exercise is also a compound movement but with more reps and moderate weight. The next 1-3 exercises will most likely focus on isolation and form that will give me a good pump.

II. 1-3 Sets Per Exercise

It’s easy to believe that more is better when it comes to weight training. When in fact, the opposite is often true.

The more sets you perform in the gym will actually lessens the intensity of your workout. Making it less effective than if you were to just do less sets.

The greater the intensity, the more muscle breakdown. Which then leads to more muscle created when it’s recovered.

III. 8-12 Reps Per Set

There’s several rep ranges you can choose from, all of which are beneficial for building muscle.

With that said and depending on your goal, I would suggest 80% of your training throughout the year should be within the 8-12 range.

This is a great range for those who are looking for a hybrid of overall muscular endurance, stregnth and definition.

IV. 3-4 Days Per Week

Many people don’t realize that the time spent away from the gym is just as important as the time away from the gym. This is very important!!!

Four days per week in the gym is the absolute most I’d recommend anyone!!! Even the most athletic individuals.

The time away from the gym is the time your body will use to recover and grow stronger from the previous workout.

When you don’t give yourself the necessary time needed to recover, you’ll quickly fall into what’s called overtraining. This will require you to take time away from your program and can take days or even weeks to recover from.

Common symptoms of overtraining include…

-Your workouts feel like a chore and lack excitement.

-Your body has a flu-like soreness all over.

-You’re constantly getting mild to sever injuries all the time.

-You haven’t seen any progress in stregnth in weeks.

Here are some training splits I’ve used that keep a good balance of work and rest…

I. TRAIN: EVERY OTHER DAY / REST: EVERY OTHER DAY (good for beginners)

II. TRAIN ONE DAY / REST TWO DAYS (good for intermediates)

III. TRAIN TWO DAYS / REST ONE DAY (good for the advanced)

IV. TRAIN: MON, TUES, THURS, FRI / REST: WED, SAT & SUN (advanced)

When in Doubt, Rest it Out

If you have any thought that you might be over-trained, chances are you’re right. It never hurts to take a day or two off from your program. especially if you’ve been kickin’ ass for several months. Lack of progress is almost always a result of too much exercise, not too less.

STILL NEED HELP?

Go to the TBD Store and buy my eBook “TRAINER IN A BOX”!

This is a 120 page manuscript that includes everything you need to know about creating your own weight training and nutrition plan.

Here’s what you’ll learn…

- How to apply progressive overload to your training for consistent strength and muscle gains.

- How many, sets, reps and exercises is ideal for strength gains.

- How much weight should you use on each exercise.

- How to further breakdown the muscle with static and negative contractions for more muscle growth.

- The difference between training hard and training long.

- How much protein do you really need to maintain and grow new muscle tissue.

- How to incorporate (fun) carbs into your diet without storing fat.

- Supplements that actually work and are worth the money.

- How to fully recover from every workout for a life long, injury free weight training journey.

And much more!

Understanding Carbohydrates (PART II)

Are you weight training regularly and still having problems loosing weight?

Do you wonder how the hell some people are able to eat their favorite carbs without getting fat?

If you answered yes to either one of those questions, this blog is for you.

You’re about to learn the two best times to eat carbohydrates that will actually help you in building more muscle and burning more fat.

NOTE: This advice is for those who are already active in a routine weight training program. Do not implement this advice if you’re sedentary or non-active.

BEST TIME: BREAKFAST (OR THE FIRST MEAL OF THE DAY)

The age old expression sums it up well “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” Your metabolism is at its peak in the mornings right after waking up. And assuming you got your ideal 7 hours of sleep and a low-carbs dinner the night before, your muscles will be carb-depleted. The carbs consumed for breakfast are going to go directly to the muscles to be stored as “rocket fuel“ for your next workout. So basically, carbohydrates consumed under a near fasted state will be stored as muscle glycogen, not body fat.

SECOND BEST TIME: THE MEAL AFTER YOUR WORKOUT

We know that intense weight training uses a lot of glycogen (stored carbs within’ your muscles). When you consume carbs immediately after an intense workout, your body releases a lot of insulin. Here’s some really good news. Replenishment of glycogen and blood sugar levels from carbs must be met before any carbs go to fat storage.

Creating an insulin surge from a high-carb meal after working out will put you in an anabolic state (muscle building). This insulin surge also allows you to recover faster for the next work out.

Muscle fibers right after an intense workout also become excitable receivers for insulin. This means they’ll draw insulin towards themselves for muscle growth and repair. This also prevents insulin from increasing your fat storage.

Basically, ALL carbs (evan the higher glycemic ones) consumed after a workout are fair game, and must repair/build muscle first before going into fat storage.

The high-carb intake in the post training meal prevents protein or muscle breakdown and suppresses levels of cortisol. Cortisol is the stress hormone that’s released with intense training. Without the insulin from the high-carb meal, cortisol can cause muscle tissue to break down. Insulin from the carbs can normalize cortisol levels thereby saving your muscle.

The types of carbs you consume after your workout make a difference too. When it comes to rapidly replenishing muscle glycogen stores, choose simple/fast absorbing carbs. These carbs do a far better job than their slower digesting counterparts.

NOTE: If you’re somebody who’s always struggled with reducing your body fat, it would be wise to avoid high doses of carbs before going to bed. The only exception to this rule is if you have an intense weight training session late in the evening. Even if it’s 10:00 PM, you’ll need some high glycemic carbs with protein after working out so that you don’t impair your recovery.

Body fat will decrease and growth hormone surgs during the first 90 minutes of sleeping. When you combine this with avoiding carbohydrates late at night, you lower your blood sugar levels and encourage higher growth hormone output.

SUMMARY:
To reduce your chances of storing fat from eating carbohydrates revolves around when you eat them. The morning after a good nights sleep and after an intense weight training session are the times your muscles are most depleted of carbohydrates. When you eat carbs during these times, carbs will go to your muscles, not fat cells. You must have the muscle for the carbs though. The less muscle you have, the less carbs you can eat without going into fat storage.

Wanna get in the best shape of your life?

I’m looking for five motivated people who are willing to bust their ass for the next three months!

What comes with your 90 day program?

- Customized Weight Training
Based on your goals and the deadline to accomplish them, your program will have the most ideal exercises for you and your unique situation.
Ideally, you only want to perform 3-5 exercises per workout. You’ll have a set routine. You’ll know what type of exercises to do, how many sets and reps per exercise. And we’ll determine how much weight you should use with each exercise. Every month, the exercises will change slightly so your body can learn and adapt to the new training stress.

- Nutrition Plan

You’ll have a shopping list of all the foods you can eat. If you need a detailed nutrition plan for each meal, I’ll gladly make you one. You’ll probably be consuming more protein than what you’re used to and you’ll have a different carbohydrate protocol each month. This will help your body metabolize sugar better, burn the most body fat and at the same time building the most muscle.

- Accountability
Here are my rules for email and phone support…

• You get to send 1 email per week with questions, comments or concerns

• Your email must contain bullet points

• Bullet points must only be questions, comments about your program

• Bullets must be less than 3 sentences long

• Number of bullet points is unlimited

• I’ll answer your email within 24-48 hours

• If you need extra help, you can book a 20 minute phone call once a week

It’s normally $1,200.

But if you sign up between now and the end of the month,

I’ll reduce it down to $700.

Click here to get started!

Essential Amino Acids

What are they? Who should take them? And are they worth the money?

Are you getting enough daily protein to support your goals?

Not seeing the strength gains you thought you’d see by now?

It might be due to lack of essential amino acids.

What are Amino Acids?

Amino acids, in their essence, are the building blocks of protein that repair and build new muscle tissue. There are 20 different amino acids that can be divided into two groups… essential and non-essential.

Your body can make some of these amino acids, these are called non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids are the ones you must receive from your diet in order to stay healthy and reach your goals.

Of the essential amino acids, Isoleucine, Leucine and Valine make up the branch chain amino acids (BCAA’s). Leucine is the most researched and offers the biggest physiological benefit when it comes to building muscle, strength and size.

With that said, Leucine can’t do it’s job (i.e build/repair muscle) without the help of other amino acids, namely Glutamine. You need a healthy amount of all 20 amino acids in order to build good quality muscle.

Are they worth the money?

EAA’s are not the most expensive supplements on the market. But they’re a reoccurring expense that can add up over time. If you’re someone who wants to give EAA’s a first time go, you can look to spend anywhere from $20 for a very basic brand (Vitaminshoppe or GNC).

I do have a personal preference for Redcon1’s “GRUNT”. They have a unique amino acid profile that contains more Leucine and also have great tasting flavors like pineapple banana and cherry lime. You can look to spend $30-35 at your local health food store for this brand. You can save by ordering online at REDCON1.COM where they offer daily specials and if you want to save an extra 20%, use discount code “T20DRAKE” at checkout.

If you’re someone who wants to look and feel their best year around, in my humble opinion, EAA’s are a must.

But if you’re the average person who has the goal of achieving baseline health, the answer is Yes and No.

If you have no problem getting enough protein from natural food sources, you get a pass and shouldn’t spend your money.

With that said, here are three more reasons you might consider taking an essential amino acid supplement…

1. If you’re 65 and older

As you age, protein requirements go up. The older you get, the less hunger you have. You may also have trouble chewing and digesting protein rich foods. This makes it that much more difficult to get enough protein and the demand for a EAA supplement.

2. If you really need to restrict your calories.

For most, protein rich foods and protein powders will do fine in helping you reach your protein quota for the most muscle. With that said, EAA’s have a lot less calories than protein powders. When you’re trying to lose weight and every calorie counts, EAA’s come in really handy.

3. If you can’t stomach protein powders.

Some people can’t take protein powders due to digestive issues. If this is you, an EAA’s supplement will work best.

BLOG SUMMARY:

• There are 20 different amino acids that can be divided into two groups… essential and non-essential.

• Leucine is the most researched and offers the biggest physiological benefit when it comes to building muscle, strength and size.

• You need a healthy amount of all 20 amino acids in order to build good quality muscle.

• Look to spend anywhere from $20 for a very basic brand (Vitaminshoppe or GNC) and $30-35+ for a more unique, customized brand.

• If you’re getting enough protein from your diet, an EAA supplement isnt neccesary. If you have doubts on if you’re getting enough protein, EAA’s are a must.

• If you’re 65 and older, need to restrict calories for fat lose, or can’t stomach protein powders, EAA’s are worth a shot.

BONUS TIP:

THE ANABOLIC WINDOW, FACT OR FICTION

The age old rule of 30-60 minutes after a workout is obsolete. Yes, the anabolic window is real. And your body will pull in more amino acids into the muscles immediately after a workout. But it’s okay if you came unprepared because this window of opportunity is open for a long time. If you eat a high protein meal within 2-4 hours after your workout, you’re good for sufficient muscle recovery and growth.

Did you enjoy reading this blog? Are their other topics you'd like me to cover? Let me know in the comment section below!

How to get the most out of online training

For the summary of this article, scroll down to the second to last paragraph.

Online training requires a lot of self-motivation.

Today, you’re gonna learn eight disciplines that… build muscle, burn body fat in 30 days or less.

And help you get the most out of your training and nutrition program.

Let’s dive into them…

Discipline #1: Track Protein

Aside from building muscle…consuming enough protein also eliminates the possibility of muscle loss and keeps you full though out the day.

People who follow a strict training program should consume .8-1 gram per pound of thier “ideal” body weight.

If you’re just starting out and have a lot of weight to lose, consume a decent size (4-6 oz) of protein with each meal.

Discipline #2: Track Carbs

You need to focus on two key concepts when it comes to carbs, what kind and how many.

Stick with clean carbs that are minimally processed and have sufficient amounts of fiber.

Examples are…

• rice (any kind)

• potatoes (any kind)

• whole fruits (any kind)

• whole grains (oats)

High, Medium and Low-carb days can keep your body guessing.

It keeps your body adapting to different amounts of carbs that will insure consistent fat loss.

A general rule for this is as follows…

• Low-Carb Day = 50 grams per day

• Medium-Carb Day = 100 grams per day

• High-Carb Day = 150+ per day

I’ve included a few examples below to help you get an idea…

Discipline #3: Break 3 meals into 5-6

Every time you eat (big or small, carbs or no carbs) insulin is released.

Carbohydrates just release the most insulin out of the three macros.

Consuming five or six smaller meals every 2-3 hours will release less insulin than three large ones.

If you have a low carb tolerance or have a hard time keeping body fat low, keep this in mind.

Discipline #4: Keep Hydrated

Staying hydrated is gonna keep you feeling fuller longer just as protein.

Getting enough water will also help with better digestion, joint health and stronger muscle contractions.

Your goal for daily water consumption is 1/2 or 1 gallon a day.

Discipline #5: Weight Train 3-4 Days a Week

This is assuming you already understand the importance of good form and progressive overload.

Here are seven tips to an effective strength training program…

• Weight train 3-4 days per week

• 3-4 exercises per workout

• 2-3 sets per exercise

• 8-12 reps per set

• Using at least 60% of one rep max (See chart below)

• For weight loss, rest 45-60 seconds between sets. For weight gain, 3-5 minutes

• Don’t workout past 45 minutes

  How to Determine your One Rep Max (1RM)
  95% 1RM = 2 reps
  90% 1RM = 4 reps
  85% 1RM = 6 reps
  80% 1RM = 8 reps
  75% 1RM = 10 reps
  70% 1RM = 12 reps
  65% 1RM = 14 reps
  60% 1RM = 16 reps

Less is more when it comes to weight training.

Following this protocol creates a healthy balance of intensity and rest.

Doing more than this can put yourself at risk for over-training.

Discipline #6: Cardio

When it comes to cardio, I suggest most people do…
Low-Intensity / 30-60 minutes / 3-5 days per week

You can do this by biking or just going outside for a walk. If it’s too cold outside, use a treadmill.

If you’re more advanced, you can do…
High-Intensity / 10-20 minutes / 1-2 days per week

Some examples include:

• Punching the heavy bag

• Jumping rope

• 10 second sprints

• Box jumps

• Stadium stairs

Doing high intensity cardio more than 2 days per week can put you at risk for muscle loss.

Discipline #7: Sleep

You must prioritize sleep if you wanna get the most out of your program.

You’ll risk wasting all your time and efforts if you fail to do so.

Here’s three things you can do to improve the quality of your sleep…

1. Cut back on caffeine

   When I cut back on coffee, I notice I dream more. And when you dream, it’s proof that you’re getting the highest quality sleep possible (REM sleep). You might not realize it, but caffeine stays in your system a lot longer than you think. I suggest not drinking coffee or any caffeinated drinks after 12:00PM.

2. Supplement with Melatonin

   You can supplement with a low dose (3mg) of melatonin before you go to bed. This will help normalize your circadian rhythm causing you to fall asleep at the time you want to go to bed.

3. Limit your phone use in the evening

   The blue light from your smart phone/TV can trick your mind into thinking it’s still day light.

   You can dim the light on your phone or wear special glasses if you choose. The best way is to just not use your phone as much at night.

Discipline #8: Reward yourself

This discipline applies to everyone but mostly those who want to lose weight.

If you’ve worked hard in and out of the gym all week, you deserve a cheat meal. NOT A CHEAT DAY!!!

This will kick whatever you’ve been craving all week. And shock your body by giving it something completely different and out of routine.

It’ll also cause an increase in metabolism and will get you back to losing weight again.

Just be sure to jump right back into eating healthy right after.

One cheat meal out of 35 healthy meals in a week won’t ruin your progress.

Summary:
The 8 Disciplines to Increasing Muscle and Decreasing Body Fat

1. Consume .8-1 gram of protein per pound of body weight daily.

2. Follow a low, medium and high-carb protocol.

3. Consume 5-6 small meals per day instead of 3 large ones.

4. Drink .5-1 gallon of water per day.

5. Weight train 3-4 days per week.

6. Do low-intensity cardio (30-60 minutes) 3-5 days per week

and/or high-intensity cardio (10-20 minute) 1-2 days per week.

7. Improve your sleep by…

• Cutting back on caffeine

• Supplementing with Melatonin

• Limiting electronic use in the evening.

8. Reward yourself with 1 cheat meal per week.

What comes with Online Training?

• Customized Weight Training Program
  The only thing this article doesn’t cover is the types of exercises you should do.
  Based on your goals and the deadline to accomplish them, I’ll structure a program with the most ideal exercises for you and your unique situation.
  

• Customized Nutrition Plan
  I’ll give you a shopping list of all the foods you can eat. Depending on your goals and when you want to achieve them, you’ll follow a strict diet protocol for up to 3 months.
  

• Accountability
  To hold you accountable, you’ll have two 30 minute FaceTime sessions a month or bi-weekly with me.

  You’ll also have my email support Monday-Friday from 9AM-5:00PM EST.

Online Personal Training is $599.97 for 3 months

or $199.97 /Mo.

P.S - If you want me to write up your training and nutrition program, shoot me an email at drake@trainingbydrake.com or visit the “TBD Store” page to sign up for Online Training.

Supplements that work (and won't break the bank)

READ TIME: 3 minutes, 34 seconds

The following list of supplements are the few that I personally use or have used and can see a noticeable difference when I take them.

It’s always better to get your muscle building amino acids and micro-nutrients from food but when push comes to shove and you need the convenience to supplement, by all means, do what you gotta do.

PROTEIN POWDERS

I’m a big advocate of protein powders due to my on-the-go mobile training business and lifestyle. These powders are not only a complete protein source (meaning they have all essential and non-essential amino acids) but also vitamins and minerals as well.

For years, I would buy the 10 lb. bag of Optimum Nutrition’s Gold Standard Whey which costs anywhere from $90-100. I would have 1-2 shakes per day and the bag will last me 5-6 months so this saves a lot of money.

The best options when it comes to buying protein powder are always grass-fed whey or free-range egg-based sources.

Optimum Nutrition might not be the best quality but the brand has been trusted for more than 30 years.

When it comes to picking the right brand, there’s an abundance of options. Brands that specialize in plant-based, ketogenic, and hypoallergenic are all out there.

Do some research on which one would be best suited for you and your goals.

ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS (EAAs)

Essential Amino Acids or EAAs are compounds that the body does'nt make, you must get them from the foods you eat.

Foods rich in EAAs can be found naturally in meat and eggs and are responsible for stimulating cellular repair and boosting cell energy. All aiding in building and repairing lean muscle.

They also help to extract the nutrients from the food you eat so they can be properly absorbed by the body. Nutrients that aren’t absorbed properly can easily turn into stored energy in your fat cells (i.e. body fat).

Unlike the traditional Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)...

-EAAs sustain muscle repair growth over a longer period of time

-Are an appetite suppressant

-May have some mental health benefits as well.

The best time to take EAAs is either before, during or after a workout. On non-training days, you can take them first thing in the morning or before going to bed.

You can buy EAAs online, at your local GNC or VitaminShoppe and will cost anywhere from $25-35 for a 30 serving container. Redcon1 and Axe and Sledge Supplements are some brands I've used and work very well.

CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

Creatine was first discovered for enhanced physical performance back in the 1970s until athletes started to catch on to it in the 1990s.

Since then, it has become a popular sports supplement amount many sports like football, hockey, wrestling, and gymnastics. It can be seen in high school, college and even at professional levels.

Creatine is a substance that is found naturally in red meat and in our body’s muscle cells. It helps our muscles produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity exercise.

Athletes and bodybuilders have been known to take creatine in order to gain muscle, enhance strength and improve exercise performance.

When you supplement with creatine, you increase a form of stored energy called phosphocreatine in your cells that helps your body produce more of a high-energy molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

When you have more ATP circulating in your system, your body can perform better during exercise.

Think of ATP as your body’s energy currency for lifting things that are very heavy. Supplementing with creatine can also help in areas of recovery from exercise.

Creatine monohydrate is one of the cheapest, most effective and safest supplements you can take. There’s even some evidence showing that it can support quality of life in older adults with brain health.

If you’re a vegetarian, who may not obtain enough creatine from your diet, supplementing with creatine monohydrate might be a smart move.

IMPORTANT NOTE ON CREATINE

If you’re new to using creatine, some would suggest doing what’s called a load phase where you take 20 grams per day for 5–7 days. My suggestion...Start with just 5 grams daily for 7 days.

If you want to skip the loading phase, you can simply consume 3–5 grams per day, it will just take several weeks to maximize your creatine stores.

Creatine does pull more water into your muscle cells so it’s imperative to drink 1/2 to 1 gallon of water per day while taking it.

There are several, more expensive types of creatine claiming they are better than the monohydrate form but there’s no strong evidence to prove this.

Creatine monohydrate is very cheap and has copious amounts of studies done on it. Creatine exhibits no harmful side effects and contrary to popular belief, can actually prevent dehydration and cramps.

Personally, I take creatine after I weight training and that’s it. If I want to do a loading phase of 5 grams every day for a week, that’s what I’ll do.

You can choose to take more or do a loading phase but that’s completely up to the individual.

Thank you for reading!

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Let me know in the comments!

Understanding Carbohydrates (PART I)

READ TIME: 2 minutes, 25 seconds

This will be 1 of 2 blogs. One explaining the details of carbohydrates and how they work. The other will talk about tips on how you can enjoy more of them without storing fat.

Your Two Fuel Types

In essence, your body has two fuel sources... Carbohydrates and Fats.

Carbohydrates are the primary fuel source during weight training. Dietary fat and/or stored fat is what fuels everything else.

Think of carbohydrate as the rocket fuel for your workouts that allows you to train hard and with high intensity. When you fail to get enough carbohydrates in your diet you’re lacking the class A fuel required to stimulate and grow as much muscle as possible.

Dietary Carbohydrates and proteins are similar in that the more muscle you carry, the more you require.

This is why people with more muscle can eat more junk carbs without getting fat. When consumed, carbohydrates are broken down into sugar (glucose) and release a hormone called insulin.

Insulin has two vital roles in building muscle...

• Insulin drives excess carbohydrates into the muscles to be stored as muscle glycogen until your body needs to useit.

• Insulin also drives amino acids into the muscle so more muscle can be made from weight training.

If you eat the right amount of protein but not enough carbohydrates, amino acids from protein are burned as fuel instead of being used to repair or build muscle tissue.

The right amount of carbohydrates does the following...

• Produces enough insulin to promote muscle glycogen storage.

• Produces ideal amino acid uptake in the muscles.

• Inhibits fat storage (that's why low-carb works but not NO-carb).

• Gives you powerful and intense workouts.

• Maximum muscle growth.

• Prevents muscle breakdown for fuel.

The Bad Side of Insulin

Now, let’s get into the unfortunate side of insulin...

As you may have guessed, the hormone insulin is a double-edged sword.

While it’s imperative that you consume enough carbohydrates, consuming excess amounts (including clean carbs) can accumulate fat storage or adipose tissue.

When you have consistently high insulin levels, the body increases the uptake of dietary fatty acids by fat cells which leads to an increase in body fat and can make your fat cells stubborn in “giving up“ fatty acids to be used as fuel.

You gotta find that healthy median between anabolic muscle building and fat accumulation.

The Liver, The Muscles and The Fat Cells

Let's say you have just done a 24-hour fast and your body is completely deprived of carbohydrates. The next meal you eat that contains carbohydrates, those carbs are first going to go to the liver to be stored as liver glycogen (emergency sugar stores if you will). Depending on the person, the liver can hold anywhere from 30-60 grams of carbs.

Once the liver gets full of all the glycogen it can hold, whatever carbohydrate consumed after that will go to that persons muscles.

Here's why weight training is so important. The more muscle someone has or the more often they use thier muscles, the better. I'll explain why shortly.

And finally, when the muscles are fully taped the only place the body has to store carbohydrates is the person's fats cells. Resulting in whats called "fat spill-over".

Going back to what I said earlier...

You might not have any control over how many carbs your liver can hold. But you do have control over how much muscle mass you can have.

The more muscle you have, the more capacity your body has to store carbohydrates. And if you can store more, you can consume more without going into fat spillover.

Thank you for reading!

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If so, leave a comment.

PROTEIN; How much do you really need?

READ TIME: READ TIME:

2 minutes, 12 seconds

When it comes to building muscle, all three macronutrients—carbohydrates, proteins, and fats—play a role. But protein is the most important.

Why?

Because it’s the only macronutrient that can create new muscle tissue—or any tissue in the body, for that matter.

When you eat protein-rich foods, your body breaks them down into amino acids, the building blocks of muscle. These amino acids are then used to repair and build new muscle tissue.

The best protein sources come from animal products that are raised on their natural diets, such as grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, and free-range eggs and chicken. Animal proteins contain all eight essential amino acids, making them “complete proteins”—something our bodies can’t produce on their own.

If you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet, you can still get all essential amino acids by combining different plant-based protein sources.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO YOU NEED?

Your protein needs depend on three key factors:

• 1. Bodyweight – The more you weigh, the more protein you need.

• 2. Training Intensity – The harder you train, the more protein your body requires for muscle repair and growth.

• 3. Total Food Intake – Protein alone isn’t enough. Your body also needs the right balance of carbohydrates and fats. Without them, your body may convert protein into fuel instead of using it for muscle-building.

PROTEIN INTAKE GUIDELINES

The classic bodybuilding rule of thumb is 1–1.5g of protein per pound of lean body weight (not total weight).

Lean body mass is your body weight minus your body fat percentage. You can estimate this using calipers or a DXA scan, but if you’re not training for a competition, you can skip this step.

Instead, a simpler rule of thumb is to aim for 0.7–1g of quality, complete animal protein per pound of body weight (excluding plant-based protein sources).

To distribute this intake, divide your daily protein goal by the number of meals you eat (typically 3–6 meals per day).

Summary & Key Take Aways:

• Only count complete protein sources. You don’t need to track the protein in foods like rice, pasta, potatoes, or oats.

• If you train intensely but don’t get enough protein, you will lose muscle.

• When your body lacks dietary protein, it breaks down muscle tissue to get the amino acids it needs. This process, known as catabolism, slows your metabolism and can lead to increased body fat.

• During weight training, your body prioritizes fuel sources in this order: carbohydrates → fats → protein. If it runs out of readily available amino acids from dietary protein, it starts breaking down muscle instead.

To maintain and build muscle, you must eat enough protein to support your body’s needs. If you train hard but don’t consume enough protein, you’ll lose muscle and gain fat—simple as that.

No matter your goal, achieving a strong, lean physique comes down to maintaining a balance of low body fat and sufficient lean muscle mass.

If you want to dive deeper into the science of protein intake, I highly recommend this educational article by Precision Nutrition.

Thanks for reading!

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