I’ve been watching a lot of “bodybuilder YouTube” of late and I’m struck how similar it is to PUA YouTube. Not completely the same, mind: the bodybuilders aren’t setting up fake modelling agencies in Ukraine in order to hire actual prostitutes onto yachting holidays to pose for the marketing photos they use in scamming chodes out of hugely over-priced immersion courses taught by incompetent chancers (not that it isn’t a very natural lifestyle choice…. ahem) [1]. They don’t have inner game coaches too scared to leave the house, nor do they go on mass-bumming holidays in the bamboo thickets of the Portuguese countryside (while telling themselves they are warriors). Probably those bodybuilders aren’t paying for sex while charging money to teach “seduction” either.
Wait. Hang on. What was I talking about?
Oh right, bodybuilding!
So, I’ve been taking my body very seriously since July 2018 and gradually becoming smarter and more disciplined at bodybuilding. As much as I respect madmen like Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman I have no desire to go that route. Rather, I’m inspired by the athletic physique sub-genre and have as my ideal standard the Hollywood Perfect look that the heart-throbs train for before a big role. That’s actually do-able on my genetics without drugs.
Mind you, I didn’t know that when I started. Which brings me to today’s rumination.
I’ve been watching those “body transformation” videos on YouTube where some guy trains up for a role, such as Christian Bale going on an Auschwitz [2] diet for The Machinist and then rebounding as a mass monster in Batman Begins, or Tom Hardy bulking up for Bronson and Warrior. It motivates me to see what’s possible but at the back of my mind were always two doubts:
1. That cunt is on drugs.
2. My age and genetics preclude me from those sorts of gains.
Well, it would appear I’d very much under-estimated what is possible when you’ve got your regime finely honed. Body transformation is all about gym, diet, and recovery [3] and for most of my life I’d been shit at all three. I was especially surprised when MorePlatesMoreDates argued that in many cases, the Hollywood body transformations were probably natural. He reckons Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Zak Efron were likely natty, whereas Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hardy, and Christian Bale were juicing.
Face is unattainable but body is not
My first nine-months were self-taught under the guidance of a bodybuilder friend, over Telegram messages. He’s gone for the absurdly-proportioned muscle-head aesthetic and likes a cocktail of drugs, brute-forcing his gainz with testosterone and trenbolone. I’m rather more health conscious and determined to remain natural, but even so, his was a vast store of bodybuilding knowledge that got me off to a good start and helped motivate me until gym and diet had become entrenched habits.
The really big jump was when I hired a personal trainer. Within one session it quickly became apparent I’d vastly underestimated just how much knowledge goes into training, and how much injury-free progress requires good decision-making. It’s not as simple as just plucking a routine from the internet and then trying it out on your ronson, with headphones on while ignoring everything around you. Much like daygame, my coach could spot all my errors as easily as I spot bad form in one of my clients. He knows how to make all the strategy decisions of when to lift what, and when to change.
Before showing up on the first session I asked myself, what attitude do I appreciate most in my own daygame clients? I resolved to take that attitude into the gym now that I was the client. I resolved to never skip a session, never show up late, never run my mouth like a chatterbox, never whine, never drag my feet to eke out extra rest periods, never bitch, never bury my head in my smartphone between sets and so on. My coach- who looks like Captain America- is the expert and he was making the decisions. My job was just to lift what he told me to, then eat what he suggested.
It’s going great. I don’t expect to be headhunted as the next Wolverine but I’m already looking far better than I thought possible in July 2018 upon beginning. The habits are deeply entrenched and I’m full-on gymcelling now. My week has only two modes of being: at the gym, and recovering from the gym. Nothing else matters and I love it. The days fly by. Here’s my typical routine for the four gym days per week:
10:30 – wake up, shuffle into bathroom to clean teeth, shower, then admire myself in the mirror
11:10 – walk to nearby “bodybuilder” restaurant that serves clean gym food. order coffee and chicken omelette, have a shit in their toilets, have another coffee, check interwebs
12:40 – walk to gym, buy 1 litre water en route, change clothes, weigh myself, full-body stretch
13:10 – begin workout
15:00 – end workout, stretch off, shower
15:20 – return to restaurant, drink protein shake, order chicken rice with salad, coffee, and read a book
17:30 – eat again, something with beef and low carbs, leave restaurant
18:00 – have a nap on my bed
19:00 – read more and fuck about until it’s time for my final evening meal
You could say these are perfect conditions for bodybuilding. I’ve got no job, no bird [4], unlimited rest time, fresh-cooked clean food, and a great personal trainer for every session. These conditions won’t last forever so I’m determined to max out my effort and discipline while I’m this fortunate and still retain a fanatical determination to push ahead.
For those of you wondering about the specifics of my routine, here’s a snapshot. Bear in mind it’s always changing and I rarely look at what weight is on the bar/machine because my coach is keeping track of all that for me.
SATURDAY – Legs/Shoulders
0 – Full body stretch for about ten minutes, based on boxing stretches
1 – Seated Leg Extensions. One warm-up set of 20 reps at low weight, then four or five work sets, the last usually being a drop set. I fucking HATE this exercise and dread it, but like that it’s the first one so it’s over almost before I realise it. I pull some right fucking retarded faces when I’m trying to squeeze the last reps out.
2 – Hack Squats. This tires me out, having all the weight pressing onto my whole body and I’m always a bit worried that when the squat gets deep that I’m not coming back up. Usually four sets of 15-20 reps, getting progressively heavier.
Me before leg press
3 – Leg Press. Again usually a warm-up set then progressively heavier on the four work sets. Rep range usually 15-20 and tapers down to 10-12. Last week I did 280kg, being 7 plates of 45lbs each side, which I was rather happy with. It felt like I was stress-testing the tensile strength of my knees. This exercise exhausts me completely, turns my head bright red, and never fails to elicits some grunts and yelps but when I finish the last set its a key moment: I’ve broken the back of the leg workout and it gets easier from here on out.
Me after leg press
4 – Deep Dumbell Squats. This is legs quite wide, facing mirror, holding a heavy dumbbell at my chest. 15-20 rep range with escalating weight until four sets done. I’m always dripping with sweat from it, but somehow it feels more comfortable than all the others. Perhaps it’s due to my wrestling exercises of years back which involved hundreds of similar unweighted squats.
5 – Abductor. This is the seated “bring your knees together” exercise all the women do. I consider it a rest period, even though the abductors themselves get trained to failure. It’s just a small body part and the rest of my body is recovering as I do it. Usually it’s midway through the third and final set that my heart rate is back to normal for first time since hack squats.
6 – Seated Hamstring Curl. I usually enjoy the 20 reps of the warm-up set, as it’s another exercises that doesn’t drain the whole body. Usually by the fourth set (usually a drop) I’m near tears because it really hurts. It’s not tiring so much as it’s just plain painful in a way nothing else is.
7 – Seated Dumbbell Flies. Onto the shoulders now and this is four sets with reps decreasing from 20 to 10 as the weights go up, ending in a long drop set on four different weights.
8 – Barbell Raise. I don’t know what this is properly called. There’s a 10kg bar with light plates on each side. I grip at shoulder width then, straight-arms, swing it up to nose height. Feels good to do. Usually four sets, 15-20 reps.
9 – Seated Overhead Press (Machine). This one is tiring again, as it transmits all the weight through my entire torso. I don’t like it much, but it feels like hard work so actually I do. Again, four sets with rep-range declining from 20.
10 – Abdominals. Weighted crunch machine, often supersetted with leg raises. Four sets of 15 or 20, depending on weight.
11 – Weighted Neck Raises. Lying flat on a Reebok aerobics step, I place a 5kg weight on my head and then do 20 raises each for front, left, right. Then repeat.
12 – Stretch off.
That’s the hardest day because it’s legs but all four days take about as long. On the other three, I do fifteen minutes cardio on the treadmill at 7.5km/h. Sometimes vary it to be longer, or faster, or interval. If readers show an interest, I can talk about my fitness regime in greater detail.
[1] And you too, Max and Kramer. You pair of scamming fag boys.
[2] Assuming such a thing really happened and it’s not all a Jew/KGB scam.
[3] Briefly, I thought bodybuilding was 5% gym and 95% eating tuna out of the can while watching YouTube.
[4] No mates, either.
Krauser PUA 
February 19, 2020 at 7:09 am
Great write up
After seeing your day game resistance video I was going to ask you about what your routine looks like, as your physique looked really lean and athletic (no homo).
I have been skinny fat my whole life (below average genetics) and am working towards a similar physique
February 21, 2020 at 6:58 pm
Elvis, check this Danish guy out Oscar Faarklog. He knows the frustrations of skinny fat trainees and how to overcome the obstacles. I have trained with him for a few personal sessions – highly recommended.
Do not under any circumstances undertake a stronglifts 5×5 type program as a skinny fat trainee.
Hope this helps.
Best,
https://skinnyfattransformation.com/
February 19, 2020 at 7:20 am
Good post. Interesting he’s got you on such a high rep range, I’ve always stayed in the 8-10 range. But if you end up looking like that boyfriend of yours then fair play.
February 21, 2020 at 6:37 pm
You’re huge Mr White, what kind of split do you do?
Best,
February 21, 2020 at 8:17 pm
Lol cheers.
-Chest/Tri
-Legs/Shoulders
-Back/Bi
-4th session is then weak point training so I hit chest again.
February 19, 2020 at 2:40 pm
What made you decide to go all in and “balls deep” on bodybuilding? I been reading your stuff for years and remember you used to think it was pointless and “gay”. Is it just something to do?
February 19, 2020 at 6:45 pm
Congrats. In the last 30 years or so I’ve found that the ROI for a moderate fitness program is one of the best (among my optional endeavors).
It’s one of the few indisputably worthwhile endeavors which is completely independent of other peoples’ opinions or responses.
Anyone seeking to maximize his health, energy, athletic condition, etc. (both for now and for long term) might profit by learning about the ketogenic diet.
The science and benefits are compelling. It pairs well with intermittent fasting.
Good luck persisting long term.
February 19, 2020 at 9:30 pm
You’re spending rather a lot of time at the restaurant. You must be in love with the waitress.
February 19, 2020 at 11:20 pm
Google “Convict Conditioning”. Read that book. It will change your life. Especially now that you’re getting older and injuries start piling up. But really. Read that book even if you don’t plan on switching to bodyweight. You will learn a tremendous amount about your body. And if you DO decide to switch, you can forget about gyms and trainers and complicated diets. That book is gold.
March 3, 2020 at 4:28 pm
Hi Nick, how do you respond to this kind of subhuman troll amusement? [I don’t. K.]
March 3, 2020 at 4:29 pm
Forget the link.. http://maleprivilege.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&p=1133&sid=9663c0ab37ba4c50c6a27b29ded820b0#p1133
February 20, 2020 at 11:46 am
That’s a very interesting post. I’m about your age and I work out too. My main problem isn’t the working out itself, but the recovery. How do you manage the energies outside of the the gym? Can you still do other physical activities (e.g. daygame)? Do you often feel fatigued and/or have immunitiariam system becoming weaker? [I don’t do anything outside the gym. K]
February 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm
Keep at it man
February 20, 2020 at 7:02 pm
Interesting routine. Would be interested hearing about what you do on the other days.
February 20, 2020 at 7:55 pm
Hey, Krauser.
IĀ“m a long time reader and have most of your books.
As a long time natural body builder (amateur, obviously), let me suggest you look up Vince GirondaĀ“s system of bodybuilding.
He was a bodybuilder and coach from the 60s-80s who was adamantly against steroid use. Many of his clients were Hollywood stars.
His nutrition/supplementation system is all natural and IĀ“ve had great results following it, as have tons of regular people who just want an atletic, natural physique, on top of perfect health. [Thanks for tips. That guy looks good. K.]
February 21, 2020 at 7:01 am
This is a long one, so bear with me. Iāve given a crash-course on evidence-based bodybuilding.āØāØ
Continuing the bodybuilding analogy, there’s the evidence-based side and the bro-science side. In the pickup world, you are of course on the evidence-based side but in the bodybuilding world, it looks like you’ve enlisted a bro-science coach.
He has you doing pyramid training with too many exercises and arbitrary numbers of reps/sets — this is the equivalent of taking a student out into the field, throwing them into set after set without a model or anything specific to practise and telling them to ‘get in the zone’ and ‘go with the flow’ and ‘be in the moment’. General theme is that if the coach can pump your emotional state, you mistake that for progress, which obviously isnāt true. Some progress is inevitable just by getting infront of sets but there are no signs of deliberate practise, an accurate model of the attraction process or a student-specific tailored approach.
What your coach should have you do is determine your training age i.e. are you beginner (max benchpress is <80kg), intermediate (max benchpress 100kg) or advance (bench 100kg for a few reps)?
Your training age then determines the volume of your training i.e. the amount of sets per muscle group per week. The more advance you are, the higher it is (from 9-12 all the way to 24 sets per muscle group per week).
Your training age also determines how many exercises you need to do for each muscle group. The more advance you are, the more exercises you do (from 1 to about 4 per muscle group).
Your training age also determines the intensity (i.e. weight lifted) of your reps. The more advance you get the higher the intensity (from 60% to 85% of 1 rep max).
And finally, your training age determines how frequently you hit each muscle group. The more advance you are, the higher your frequency (from once a week all the way to twice a day).
Putting this all together, this would give someone like you the following:
* Youāre a beginner, but not a complete beginner, so your ideal frequency is hitting each muscle group twice a week
* As a beginner 2-3 exercises for the bigger muscle groups (i.e. pecs, deltoids) and 0-1 for the smaller (i.e. biceps, triceps)
* Workout your 1 rep max for each exercise, then do 60% of that until 2 reps from failure. This now becomes your volume for that particular exercise. Notice how itās exercise (and thus muscle group) specific e.g. your deltoids may have an overabundant expression of type 2 fibres, so you may be able to go to 20 reps, rather than the arbitrarily prescribed 10 reps, maximising the hypertrophy potential of that muscle group
* As a beginner, sets per muscle group per week is between 9-12 (the higher end is if youāre stress free and can allow plenty of rest)
Given that you want an aesthetic Hollywood physique, your weekly training would look like this:
* Neck extension
* Bench press
* Neck flexion
* Chin up
* Military pressāØ
* Lay Prayer
* Reverse Fly
* Squat
* Chest fly
* Bicep Curl
* Hamstring curlāØ
* Overhead Tricep extension
* Leg raises
* Calf press
* Lateral raise
* Ab crunch
Notice how the exercises are paired in the least antagonistic way and to allow each muscle group to recover before itās hit again with a different exercise. Youād repeat the above workout twice a week, with 6 sets per exercise at 60% of 1repmax by whatever number of reps until 2 from failure. Or you could split it across 3 days a week at 4 reps per exercise. Either way, you still reach the optimal volume of 12 sets per muscle group per week.
And donāt get me started on your diet which looks like the bro-science low carb approach. The tl;dr about diet is this: donāt fear carbs and donāt overeat protein. 1.8g protein per kg of bodyweight is more than enough, fats at 10-40% of calories with the rest being carbs.
Sometimes a mediocre coach is better than no coach because at least it gets you going, which is respectable. Thereās no mistaking it however, youāve effectively employed a āNatural Lifestylesā coach for your training. [Thanks for the detailed comment, which I’ll have a good think about. I should tell you though, that my coach is a former national champ in Men’s Athletic Physique. K.]
February 21, 2020 at 7:04 am
EDIT: the above should read type 1 fibres, not type 2 fibres.
February 21, 2020 at 10:38 am
No problem. I’m happy to share evidence-based knowledge given the amount of BS in the fitness industry. If your coach used more of an evidence-based approach, he could have made national champ sooner, more easily and in a less stressed way. There’s also the issue of survivorship bias, those who make it to the top of some competition often have innate advantages that can’t be replicated: your coach might have packed on muscle just by looking at a dumbbell, no matter how inefficient his methods.
If you want to explore further, look up Menno Henselmans. His article on protein will give you a clear idea of his evidence-based approach to bodybuilding: https://mennohenselmans.com/the-myth-of-1glb-optimal-protein-intake-for-bodybuilders/
To edit for the sake of clarity and before you think it over, replace the paragraph following the list of exercises with this one:
Notice how the exercises are paired in the least antagonistic way and to allow each muscle group to recover before itās hit again with a different exercise. Youād repeat the above workout twice a week. Sets are allocated to exercises according to muscle group. e.g. Since we have 3 exercises for the muscle group shoulders (military press, lateral raise and reverse fly) weād allocate our weekly 12 set allowance across those three exercises, weighted heavily towards the more compound exercises. Weād have something like 8 sets of military press, and 2 sets each of lateral raise and reverse fly. Spread across two days youād have 4 sets of military press, 1 set of lateral raises and 1 set of reverse flys to do each day.
February 21, 2020 at 8:40 am
I am a reader showing interest in your fitness regime in greater detail.
February 21, 2020 at 12:54 pm
Try reading arther jones and mike mentzer books for training philosophy, there way of training will completely change your life
February 21, 2020 at 6:34 pm
I treated myself to this in the Christmas sales, and I’m really happy with it. Fantastic piece of kit, what used to take 2 hrs in the gym, I can easily do in 25 mins in the comfort of my home. Now I actually wake up every day itching to get a good session in. https://www.powerhouse-fitness.co.uk/taurus-ultra-force-multi-gym
February 21, 2020 at 7:04 pm
Brad Pitt physique from Troy is likely unattainable because his genetics trump yours.
Not saying you can’t get to a decent level but that is not really achievable and certainly not sustainable for a guy in his mid forties.
February 21, 2020 at 7:23 pm
Doordie I’d say it’s achievable with TRT and the only thing that puts me off it, is the infertility risk.
I’d love if they could just come up with a 99% sure way of ameliorating this risk.
Best,
February 21, 2020 at 9:01 pm
I meant the way he’s been formed. Genetics!
Pitt has always had super low body fat and naturally shredded/defined. For Troy he had to concentrate on eating to put the muscle on, funnily enough his leg genetics are trash and his weak point. Again genetics!
I saw Henry Cavill a few weeks ago in london. It’s all genetics !
Plus they’ve got the very best nutritionists, personal trainers and chefs.
February 22, 2020 at 9:02 am
Get yourself Testosterone Gel (lowtiyel is a brand name that’s easily available on the net) and take about 1-2mg per day. This will put your testosterone back in the ranges of an early 20-something without all the side effects of the ridiculous doses used by TRT and bodybiulder users.
February 22, 2020 at 7:57 pm
Doordie, doordie, youāre talking rubbish again, doordie.
February 21, 2020 at 7:43 pm
How do you manage your finances? I meant getting clean meals cooked for you 4 times a week and a personal coach must be quite a bit? Is this blog / books and the occasional coaching enough for you to sustain this? Would be great to hear your thoughts on personal finance management and if you do any investments, or how you manage this.
February 21, 2020 at 11:28 pm
Fair bit of drivel amongst the comments here. The only thing that matters in building muscle is tearing and repairing muscle fibres. You can do that across the rep range 5-25; donāt worry about outside it. Type 1, type 2a, and type 2b fibres are torn in different rep ranges appropriate to their purpose and your coach rightly has you working in different rep ranges which will build muscle across different fibre types, thereby maximising overall muscle gains. Also itās commonly accepted that legs respond with more mass to higher rep ranges and I wouldnāt be surprised if your rep ranges were different/lower for upper body.
Thereās no such thing as muscle training age, the idea is just hamster spinning. āExpertsā.
Donāt listen to anyone commenting on your age. The average guy loses about 1% testosterone from the age of 30 but that means very little considering the average guy is married, sitting around getting fat by that age. If an average guy with 600 ng/dl lost 1% a year from age 30 theyād still be at around 500 ng/dl Test by age 50. Lift weight and stay lean and the T loss wouldnāt even be that much. Being fat raises estrogen which lowers T – even without the gym you wouldnāt lose as much T per annum as the average guy just by avoiding getting fat. You can build muscle at any age unless you were a low T dweeb to begin with.
As far as the golden ratio goes nobody will build it through lateral raises and anorexia. You either have it or you donāt. Still, you can add some shoulder muscle and bisches like that. Cheekbones beat all muscle for sloots though so better to stay at under 15% body fat – unless youāre going for the Greek pederasts who came up with those ideal body ratios.
February 22, 2020 at 9:22 am
[I have no problem with spirited argument over best training/diet methods here. Have at it but stay civil. K.]
The literature disagrees with most of what you’ve written but I’m going to hone in on one specific thing you mentioned:
“There’s no such thing as muscle training age, the idea is just hamster spinning.”
My broodah, let me welcome you into the world of evidence-based bodybuilding; leave the shackles of the bro-science world behind you and you shall make progress.
Strength athletes are capable to produce greater muscle activation and neural fatigue during high-intensity resistance exercise than nonathletes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19528869
Applications of the dose-response for muscular strength development: a review of meta-analytic efficacy and reliability for designing training prescription.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16287373
The effect of training volume and intensity on improvements in muscular strength and size in resistance-trained men.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26272733
All three studies above show that the stronger we get (i.e. muscle training age), the higher the intensity we need to make continued progress. Why is that you ask? Because our body becomes more resilient to muscle breakdown, metabolic pathways optimize and so we need a correspondingly greater stressor to produce further breakdown. Don’t believe me? No problem, feel free to read the below two studies.
Resistance-Trained Individuals Are Less Susceptible to Oxidative Damage after Eccentric Exercise
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6079342/
Lactate Threshold Comparison in Anaerobic vs. Aerobic Athletes and Untrained Participants.
http://web.b.ebscohost.com/abstract?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=1939795X&AN=102065329&h=v8MPl5zYYegH8VDixIv%2bStsBZKEjGg6bSErrsr3alJkWVQllDopGkp3kRBDw%2bTeNrFBAw5H5Dmz1QSuNT4NBAw%3d%3d&crl=c&resultNs=AdminWebAuth&resultLocal=ErrCrlNotAuth&crlhashurl=login.aspx%3fdirect%3dtrue%26profile%3dehost%26scope%3dsite%26authtype%3dcrawler%26jrnl%3d1939795X%26AN%3d102065329
February 22, 2020 at 8:00 pm
I’ve been a gym rat most of my life and found that none of the stuff advocated is sustainable long term as described. Nobody I ever knew who went at it hard and heavy lasted into their 40’s without a lot of injuries and a lot of them were on the juice. I’m 65 and tried nearly all of the Bro Science stuff over the years and found it over kill. If all you want is to do is build and maintain a Greek statue ideal body into your 60’s do intermittent fasting, a full body work ( 3 sets of lighter weights with higher reps , far easier on the Joints) out twice a week with some HIIT thrown in ( cycle, row, etc…) I cycle about 20km a day on average just for the hell of it. I’m 6’1″ at 180 lbs and typically run 12-15% BF depending on the season, neck 16, arms 16, chest 44, waist 32. I’m on no medication of any sort and eat a 50/50 mix of meat and veg, going very light on white flour products and sugar.
February 23, 2020 at 12:11 pm
Agreed Mike and I don’t think Keto dieting is sustainable or healthy either, especially as you age.
April 2, 2020 at 1:33 pm
Yeah, is it true Keto can damage your inner organs?
I want be fitter but I am careful with experimenting at the gym or with food for fear of the remedy being worse than the disease.
February 22, 2020 at 10:46 pm
Pinkpantherpua
The guy that thinks his SMV is too high and intimidating to women, that’s why they don’t come out on dates or fuck.
And I’m talking rubbish š¤£
February 25, 2020 at 1:28 am
Given that the debate is already on and you were open to what other commenters offered I am taking a chance in giving my unsolicited opinion. I greatly value your contentāthis is a humble attempt to give something back.
Full disclosure: I never did bodybuilding and never cared for it. But I was an athlete, did lifting and had moderate success with it. The argument I am presenting stands on its own and does not rest on my achievements such as they were.
Axiomatic assumptions:
1) Bodybuilding success is predicated on two variables for which there are known, conventional means for manipulation in the desired direction: Muscle size (more is generally desired) and body-fat percentage (less is generally desired).
2) Body-fat percentage is most effectively impacted by nutritional intervention. Training and physical activity do have an effect but it is minor in comparison. Ergo, the training should not be primarily aimed at this variable to the detriment of the other success factor required.
3) Repeated application of physical stress is the primary impetus for muscle growth, while the presence of adequate nutrition and other recovery factors (e.g. sleep) are best thought of as required enablers in this process.
Taking these three points as a given, the question remains how to design the training in such a way that optimal muscle growth is the result.
Here are my main points:
Increase in muscle-size cannot be programmed for in training design. It is merely one of many physiological adaptations which take place in reaction to the application of and recovery from repeated and progressively more ādemandingā training events.
In order to know that one is on the right track and to be able to make informed programming decisions one therefore needs to rely on other endpoints, the improvement of which reliably predict muscle growth, can be objectively measured and can be anticipated and programmed for in training design.
The best indicator for this purpose is maximal strength. While there are other adaptations, e.g. neurological ones that can be responsible for such maximal strength increases, bigger muscles are reliably part of the equation if nutrition is on point to facilitate growth. With increases in maximal strength other important endpoints also increase by default since they are predicated on it (e.g. power, strength endurance, etc.).
The best way to increase maximal strength, which is most purely expressed in a one-repitition maximum, is to train full-body compound lifts with 5 repititions for sets across (same weight for each work set). Itās not about a magic number, something between 3 and 6 repetitions per set is very likely to work but 5s definitely do. Compound lifts (squat, deadlift, bench press, press) are required because they allow for the maximal amount of muscle to be trained in coordination and the utilization of heavy weights over a large range of motion. These factors are key because they are responsible for the huge upward potential of these exercises. Regular increases in the training weights of these lifts represent both the prove that the training works as well as the progressive increase in physical stress required to keep the adaptation process going (until it stops eventually). With a training program that focusses on these movements to the exclusion of all unrequired assistance exercises it is possible to measurably and reliably increase full body maximal strength from session to session, three times a week, for literally months on end. That is just not possible with a training program which consists of a large variety of machine-based isolation exercises and high-repitition sets.
Now, such an approach may not be the end-all-be-all of bodybuilding. But it IS the best there is for building a strength base and pack on muscle quickly for every novice trainee. After all, high-level bodybuilders are already strong (however they got there). If one is not, regardless of ones ambitions, then this should be the first step.
If you want to learn more about the underlying science and principles of this approach I recommend reading Starting Strength 3rd Edition and Practical Programming for Strength Training 2nd Edition. In my opinion those two books are the resistance training equivalent of Daygame Mastery and Daygame Infinite. They are not aimed at bodybuilders specifically, mind you. But I tried to make my case why itās really not about that.
February 25, 2020 at 8:01 am
This is going to sound controversial Nick. Extremely controversial but itās all coming to me now. I should be dating from the 8/9 pool with Game but Iām falling short thus far. Thinking back most of my lays/dating have been with this pool. Iāve copped a few IOIās off 9ās last year in London would you believe it. I truly believe looks arenāt the only segment of a mans SMV.
P.S your spending far too much time in the gym. 45 mins max. Also give us your macros. All training and no diet is like all technique and no value in the pua sense.
February 25, 2020 at 11:59 am
Please delete the first the first paragraph Nick. It was shameless deluded bragging. I just feel like Iām the only guy who canāt crack this in London ššš
Iām off to Frm Yugoslavia in a few months which is keeping me from having a mental meltdown.
February 25, 2020 at 11:55 am
I think the fitness world is more scammy than Daygame. Consider trainers bias: if he has you more times a week, you pay more. If he convinces you you need complexity and various forms of resistance like bands, machines, barbells, dumbbells, ropes…you need him.
You can use many methods to reasonably max out your natural potential. If results are similar, one should choose method that is safer and more efficient.
Personally I believe if you train whole body to failure, the most anyone needs to train is once every three to four days. The least probably about once a week. One session would be about 30 minutes. Letās say 12 exercises, one hard set (TUL 60-120 seconds). Multiple sets per muscle group with lot of overlap vis compound exercises, then some isolation work for calves, forearms, biceps, neck.
I think itās a bit ilusory to go for a certain physique. All you can do is choose a good routine(s) for hypertrophy and get to your ideal BF%. Either you can go to letās say 8%, take the picture where you look like a god (and weigh ~62 kilos) or aim for the leanest emotionally maintainable weight long term. I suspect that is about 11%-12,5%BF.Ė which is also a BF% women find most attractive in studies. (12,5%)
Sadly, even if you arrive there as an average natty, people will think you do some sport and are athletic, but they may not even think that you lift:D (āYou look fit, are you a runner?ā)
But even if you see the most talented natural bodybuilers in history in clothes, they look normal. They add, if talented, maybe 13 kilos of muscle over their optimal lifetime career.
February 25, 2020 at 11:58 am
https://skylertanner.com/2011/04/02/the-six-year-itch-or-was-it-all-a-waste-of-time/
Legendary article for perspective.
February 27, 2020 at 12:59 am
https://baye.com/muscle-atrophy/
This is literally the Nick Krauser of bodybuilding – no bullshit approach.
I know everyone is giving there 2 cents especially on this article. But can I strongly suggest you read this, it goes contrary to your entire workout completely, this guy changed my life.
February 27, 2020 at 1:01 am
Sorry hereās a better intro if you have the time.
March 1, 2020 at 8:32 pm
Can confirm Drew Baye has the best workouts on the internet. Very well thought out.
February 27, 2020 at 10:16 am
Krauser good work with mini muscles you have. But you will NEVER reach my level of physique as you have INFERIOR white genetics.
Just like I OUTGAMED you, I will also OUTLIFT you
I will be putting video on YouTube to EXPOSE your lifting gains, and show why people should listen to me instead of WHITE FRAUD like you
February 28, 2020 at 11:32 am
Rubber dinghy rapids bruv
February 29, 2020 at 12:19 am
“Tren” harder Seth, “Tren” harder…
March 23, 2020 at 10:12 pm
Evening gents. I’ve had a few beers so this might be garble, but it has been playing on my mind so here goes – to my mind we’re currently seeing at least a slight turn in the tide: resources becoming more scarce, greater value being accorded to strength and skill rather than novelty and pleasure…this feels to me like the closest we’ve been in a while to heading towards a predominantly ‘k’ selected, ‘wolfy’ society than an abundant ‘rabbity’ ‘r’ selected one… [That’s how I see it. AnonCon has been predicting this for a few years now. K.]
March 24, 2020 at 8:32 pm
Even if it is only a kneejerk response from women, we may start to see a shift in their behaviour and their own ‘game’ over the next few months. I think the first indicators of this will be a change in the kind of images and values they project on social media. The decline of the Instagram influencer as we know it starts here too I reckon. It will be interesting to see how representations of masculinity in the media change in the coming weeks too.
February 29, 2020 at 1:18 pm
3 more years and Iāll be in the top 10% of men in London š.
Hope youāre in good health Nick.
March 3, 2020 at 7:21 pm
Went out in my slacks today and accomplished in 6 sets what I failed to do in 6 months. Got a date with a bird.
All you low value PUAās are cunts! ššš
March 5, 2020 at 7:50 pm
That is it.
Iām finished with this community of clueless fuckwits. From now on my relationship is one way just like yours Nick. You can tell them youāve had a dozen Victoria Secret models with a 100% successes rate in 4 days and 99% of them will still miss something as obvious as a room having four walls and look for a compelling hypothesis as to why theyāre so great that doesnāt exist.
Im loosing the will to carry on! [How unlike you to be melodramatic. K.]
March 5, 2020 at 9:32 pm
You too would despair Nick at the level of idiocy I have on my twitter feed. 5-10 players thronging the place co-signing each otherās bullshit Jakarta-esque stats.
The number of heads full of mince meat we have within our midst is truly remarkable.
March 6, 2020 at 5:18 pm
Keep going!
By your own estimations you’re extraordinarily high SMV and regularly intimidate girls (8+) to such an extent they don’t come on dates or follow up on text.
My advice is to move to LA and start competing with guys on your level like DiCaprio, Farrell, NBA players, rappers etc etc
April 1, 2020 at 9:43 am
Yep. My calibration was correct. 26/31 Daygame flags are Asian. Just wait until the flags are provided boys. Iām not certain of his race but if he is white thatās just a disgrace.
Pulling a dumpy Filipino is not the same thing as dating a 19 year old 8 who is as graceful as a Duchess in the prime of her life Nick.
I have no problem guys pulling trash but donāt make it sound like some big achievement. Look at me 1 in 30.
Everybody is a fraudulent cunt apart from me. Excuse my bringing of dissension to the community Nick.
March 6, 2020 at 5:38 am
What type of supplementation are you using to assist with recovery, Krauser?
March 12, 2020 at 10:26 am
How great do you have to be Nick to be a PUA plod in London that a man in his late twenties canāt do it?
March 17, 2020 at 2:33 pm
Is love real guys? A sexy girl went from showing a flicker of attraction to her eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree after she found out my lucrative tech career. How sad.
Women love differently man.
March 17, 2020 at 5:56 pm
I’ve been a serious lifter for 45 years now, did steroids in my twenties but stopped 30 years ago.. I’ve seen fads come and go.What works is consistency and discipline. I incorporated bodyweight exercises along with the weights and made great improvements. Even at my age of 62 I’m trying 7 days a week twice a day, wieghts in mornings, calisthenics at night. Sounds like alot but it isn’t, also I enjoy it,so it’s not difficult for me. Check out Rich Piana YouTube videos…he’s kind of extreme looking, but he tells the truth
March 17, 2020 at 6:50 pm
The same Rich Piana that is dead?
Total Fitness Bodybuilding will suit Nick just fine.
March 17, 2020 at 10:12 pm
So check this Nick, word amongst the daygame chatterati is that Game is dead therefore everyone should go back to online dating and just invite the girl round to your place for some quarantiniās. Ala no courtship ritual.
A famous colleague of yours Troy Francis is polluting the airwaves with such bad advice.
This would ONLY work for guys who never needed Game in the first place š¤£ [I didn’t see it, but I certainly expect all the usual manosphere fags to be clickbaiting the fuck out of Corona and exposing themselves as epic faggots. K.]
March 18, 2020 at 2:53 pm
Letās hope it all clears in time for the 2020 Eurojaunt season. I intend to contend for some top shelf white women š
March 18, 2020 at 10:38 pm
Krauser any chance you could do write a book on all your opinions on politics. Your views were very valuable, but canāt see any now that twitter etc have taken you down. [There’s no money in it. My memoirs give plenty of discussion to my social views. K.]
March 19, 2020 at 7:48 pm
Just finished reading Part 1 of The Fountainhead after a heavy chest day.
One works so hard Nick. [Good book, no? K.]
March 19, 2020 at 10:50 pm
Very good although Iām more Dumas myself.
March 27, 2020 at 7:20 pm
50 pages of Ayn Rand today and my head hurts š¤
March 21, 2020 at 6:44 pm
This is torture for irremediable PUAās. I need that glowing satisfaction of YHT. 5 consecutive blowouts, something, anything…
Please bring out a new post Nick to make this disease and bounder manosphere phaggots go away? š
March 22, 2020 at 11:42 am
I woke up to some bad news Nick. An earthquake struck Croatia that was felt across Western Balkanās.
I hope youār doing just fine. I have a few friends in that part of the world. Iād be devastated if anything were to happen. You are our last vestige of hope. Our voice of reason in an otherwise unscrupulous community.
As much as we disagree with each other in the community we are all free-thinking men. Men who do not exist for others. [I’ll give you a full reply once I free my other hand from the rubble. K.]
March 22, 2020 at 3:41 pm
Pinkpantherpua
It’s time to be honest. š
It’s not women your after, it’s Nick.
You’re clearly in love with him and would like nothing more than being balls deep whilst self isolating with your idol.
š„°
“You are our last vestige of hope” š¤©š¤¢š
March 22, 2020 at 5:30 pm
Now I know you are Nicks London representative though I also know your backside is hanging out of your trousers and you donāt have two pennies to rub together.
Youāre on here over and over again as a mouthpiece for women when they wouldnāt throw numbers in your hat when you were sitting on the side of the road begging off of them.
Yet you use your own time to comment on this blog over and over again to defend Nick and Women.
And btw your argument is growing increasing threadbare because the statement you just made is patently, abundantly, wholly false.
March 22, 2020 at 9:53 pm
Ah doordie doesnāt like it up emā.
March 23, 2020 at 8:45 am
To Nick,
I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care, I do
I just called to say i love you
And i mean it from the bottom of my heart, of my heart,
Of my heart
Love
Pinkpantherpua
š
March 23, 2020 at 9:36 am
Off topic but everyone should read this. A bloody awesome and useful article on corona chan.
https://www.girlschase.com/content/can-you-still-meet-people-during-coronavirus
March 23, 2020 at 9:39 am
I should add my own theory, because immigrants canāt behave themselves and stay in doors. The virus will last much longer in Europe
March 23, 2020 at 4:18 pm
I canāt believe you just said that.
What weāre all the people thronging Richmond/Hampstead/Clapham Park? Aliens from Mars?
Canāt wait for this thing to clear so I can get off this thing.
Youāre gonna give me a heart attack Paul!
March 24, 2020 at 3:08 pm
My flight to Ustasa land is cancelled. Great.
The thought of Nick with a hot supple Slavic teenage woman while enumerating his unplugged finances sends shivers down my spine.
I assume thatās where you are. Your whereabouts are none of my business Nick š
March 24, 2020 at 6:03 pm
Ok I shouldnāt have walked away from that smoking hot French girl in January. I would have been the first to report a notch in London 2020. Now Iām just a loud mouth invading prick on the internet š.
Thereās a lot of populist trash out their catered to irremediable PUAās Nick. Like youāre the prize, no amount of waiting is worth the sex. I feel like a fool.
Emotional control is the foundation of Game. What a way to realise.
March 25, 2020 at 11:10 am
I popped out in my t shirt today for the first time in years. Iām so proud of my hard work. So many IOIās. I want to share my joy Nick. This journey is deeply personal. Iāll stop now. I treat this place like a forum. Itās so lonely at the top.
Anyone have any news on Blue Valentine? Hope your great mate. Bring us back your wisdom.
March 25, 2020 at 1:46 pm
“Its so lonely at the top”
ššš·
March 25, 2020 at 12:04 pm
Any educated post of yours Nick on the Corona virus and your theories would be hugely appreciated. Thanks!
April 2, 2020 at 6:23 pm
Nick, Iām gonna have to have an argument with Tusk. A blind man can see he hasnāt got any Game. Ripping off impossible to put right men, how can he justify that?
If your a man based in London getting girls better looking than you and happy to provide extant photos (none of this, āyouāve got to protect her identity, broā guff) and most importantly who isnāt a knave, please get in touch.
But off course, it will be statistically difficult to do so because there are so few of them. And thatās a disgrace. [Tusk is an engaging and charming fellow. I can see how girls will like his game as well as his looks. He’s not just a pretty boy. K.]
April 2, 2020 at 9:13 pm
Iām attention-seeking Nick. I have no problem with Tusk boy.
Why do you think your generation had vastly more cohorts? From SA to daygame.com to TT to Ramy and obviously RSG crew and itās freakish offshoots at SS etc
I go out sometimes and literally bump into the same 1 guy in town. Luckily heās a great chap. Is daygame getting harder as each year progresses? I know you touched on the socio/economic factor of London in your memoir YHT which was fascinating btw.
April 3, 2020 at 5:36 pm
Come on, it’s mainly his looks Nick
His latest vid in Rio showcases his game
Ask basic questions about the girl
See how old she thinks he is
WhatsApp close
I don’t deny he’s got normal personality/social skills but its not game he’s showcasing in most of his infields
April 3, 2020 at 7:11 pm
have they let you out for the weekend from ward 16 at broadmoore?
April 3, 2020 at 7:31 pm
@pinkpantherpua
You’re the guy who’s a 4 in real life but genuinely believes he intimidates 8’s/9’s and that’s why they dont come out on dates or reply to texts.
And you’re trying to make a mental joke about me ?? šš¤£š
April 3, 2020 at 6:19 am
So the 2020 Gambit in scammy pickup is…
Woo woo Deep ego cleanse online social (distancing confirmed).
Or
Join a camp to be a quinoa warrior with Marshall’s crew
ffs
https://www.travelbumcoaching.com/workshops/online-academy/#book
Seriously Nick, I’d love to hear your take (a blog post would be great) on how the pumped up catastrophe Chinese virus is going to affect Daygame and life itself from now on?
April 3, 2020 at 6:42 am
^^^ edit; “media hyped up doom porn catastrophe”
April 3, 2020 at 3:51 pm
Hey
You have being talking shit about the peaceful religion of Islam for sometime, and now the Corona virus has been sent to teach you cunts a good lesson and now the slap to your arrogant bald head will persist until you mend your ways. Enjoy! [Your prophet is a pedo. K.]
April 3, 2020 at 8:05 pm
Hahah youāre such a reactionary phaggot!
Iām just gonna let that one hang in the air.
April 3, 2020 at 8:23 pm
Ok you’re a 5 š
When this is all over there’s a free hour of coaching with your name on it son.
I will get you laid
ššš
April 4, 2020 at 7:47 am
ā When this is all over thereās a free hour of coaching with your name on it son.ā
Iām enthralled. You semi literate, illiterate eunuch crank š
April 4, 2020 at 9:24 am
Go on then, I’ll chuck in another hour.
That’s 2 hours of free training boy !!!