May 06, 2021

HOW TO TRAIN LIKE A MUTHA!

Have we got your attention? Good; because we're not playing - this isn't golf or tennis. This is the iron we're talking about! We know that you stand up and answer that bell every day. Because yours is not the path of least resistance. You don't take the easy way out. You don't cut corners. You don't believe in "average" and the phrase '"good enough" doesn't register. You're not part of the flock; you're not like the others; you're the wolf!

And as the wolf you embrace the grind - the relentless pursuit of excellence. What drives you is the fact that you possess the ability to forge a muscular physique with your very own hands. With every workout you lay a brick in that foundation, and there is no room for error.

A Flood of Misinformation in the Information Age

That's why we're so angry; incensed at much of the information currently being spewed on social media and on the bro science circuit. Because it's this information that's getting in your head, clouding your judgment and leading to confusion. This will seriously impact your gains and we have no time for that! You don't deserve this training deficit and anything less than factual, research based information is unacceptable! One of the consequences of living in the information age though is, ironically enough, a ton of misinformation.

Case in point; 'experts' advocating low volume approaches, short rest intervals between sets and isolation work at the expense of compound movements. All of which has no place in the program of someone like you looking to maximize muscle growth. If you've made the mistake of following these sorts of recommendations, only to be left wondering why the scale isn't moving North and the tape measure isn't stretching, you're not alone. We know what works and that's why we created the MUTANT Academy.

The MUTANT Academy

Born and bred for muscle building performance, the MUTANT brand has more than 20 years of iron know-how. We've built our legacy on helping gym goers just like you get the most out of every workout, en route to building muscular physiques. We have a Nation of athletes like Ron Partlow and Parker Egerton that are walking billboards for what we do. And we feature these athletes in our MUTANT Academy, which is home to content that will help you achieve the physique and performance goals you're after. The hype, the misinformation, the empty promises, the excuses; we put that all to bed here and now in the Academy!

Your Training Guide

The first thing to do is stop stressing over your training split. Push/pull/legs ... upper body/lower body ... full body ... single body part training; whatever it is. It doesn't matter! Stop thinking the grass is greener on the other side. It isn't! Your training split is likely NOT your problem. What you're doing within that split and how long you follow it, is really what we have to examine; especially with respect to volume, rest intervals, time under tension and exercise selection.

Training Volume

Training volume refers to your sets, reps and poundage. 2019 research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise that examined the difference between low, moderate and high volume resistance training protocols found that "muscle hypertrophy follows a dose-response relationship, with increasingly greater gains achieved with higher training volumes."1 For muscle building purposes, five (5) sets per exercise was better that one (1) set per exercise or even three (3) sets per exercise in the context of this study. So much for the old three (3) sets of ten (10) rule.

Rest Intervals

That said, let's move to rest intervals, a.k.a. how much time between sets is optimal for muscle building? For this we go to 2016 research published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. In this study, 21 trained men were randomly assigned to a group that trained with one (1) minute rest intervals between sets, or a group that trained with three (3) minute rest intervals between sets. While both groups saw "significant" increases in upper body muscular endurance, "longer rest periods promote greater increases in muscle strength and hypertrophy."2 Surprised? Understandably, as that's not what many 'experts' preach.

Time Under Tension

Knowing that, it's time to examine how long each set should be. A 2012 study published in the Journal of Physiology found that more time under tension increased protein synthesis.3 You can manipulate time under tension by not only doing more reps, but also by altering rep speed. Information out of the New Zealand Institute of Health and Fitness points to the hormonal response stemming from working muscles longer as the catalyst that will increase muscle size, and recommends 30-60 seconds per set for hypertrophy at a reasonably high intensity.4 If you've blowing through sets lately, this is something to work towards.

Exercise Selection

With volume, rest intervals and time under tension now under control, let's look at exercise selection. And with that, the questions begs; when was the last time you saw one of these social media influencers deep in the hole doing a heavy squat, or loading up a bar on a dead lift platform? Probably never. Know why? Because these exercises aren't sexy and they don't make for good photo ops. The truth though is that compound, multi-joint lifts build serious muscle. A 2017 study published in Frontiers in Physiology found resistance training programs involving multi-joint exercises to be "more efficient for improving muscle strength and maximal oxygen consumption" as compared to programs that make use of single joint exercises.5 This is not to say that some isolation exercises shouldn't find their way into your program, but NEVER at the expense of the dead lift, bench or squat. These are not only lifts - they're rites of passage!

The Mutha of all Stacks

Now that you're armed with the facts, it's time we level up with specific nutritional supplements that work in tandem with your program to help accelerate muscle growth.

Pre-Workout

To kick things off you want a pre-workout supp that delivers some serious energy and focus. Here's where you unleash the MADNESS! Ron Partlow's top pick for when it's go-time, MADNESS delivers 350 mg of caffeine for explosive energy. MADNESS also includes key vitamins and amino acids that act as co-factors in energy production and also support pumps and muscular endurance. Rounding out the formula is Lion's Mane; a mushroom extract shown in research to enhance cognitive function and have fatigue reduction capabilities.6,7 Slam down a scoop before you train to experience the MADNESS. Click here to order.

Intra-Workout

Intra-workout nutrition is important for not only optimizing hydration, but to also set up protein synthesis. 2011 research in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that subjects consuming a Leucine "loaded" Essential Amino Acid (EAA) supplement during exercise experienced 33% greater muscle protein synthesis and lower whole body protein breakdown, as compared to subjects who supplemented with EAA's enriched with a lower dose of Leucine.8 Enter GEAAR, our go-big or go-home EAA supp with seven (7) grams of Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAA's), which includes the clinical four (4) gram Leucine dose. GEAAR also includes a complex of nine (9) different electrolytes. Sipping on GEAAR while training keeps you hydrated, while enhancing recovery and muscle growth. To get on GEAAR, click here.

Post-Workout

When it comes to post-workout, the wolf needs protein and carbohydrates as soon as possible to further stimulate recovery and growth. The easiest way to that is with a shake, but not any old shake. For this one, we look to Parker Egerton. Parker's post-workout shake includes a scoop ISO SURGE and a scoop of MUTANT MASS. ISO SURGE delivers 25 grams of bio-active and digestive enzyme boosted whey protein isolate per scoop. MUTANT MASS comes heavy with 48 grams of carbs from sources like sweet potato and rolled oat, plus 14 grams of protein. Combined, this shake delivers 39 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbs, which is an amazing macronutrient ratio post exercise. "I don't buy into the whole MUTANT MASS being only for bulking. It has an amazing carbohydrate profile that's perfect post-workout. Spiking it with ISO SURGE bumps up the protein content, making it that much better. I've made some amazing gains lately with this shake." To try Parker's shake for yourself, click here for MUTANT MASS and here for ISO SURGE.

You Now Have The Means

Continue to answer that bell everyday because it's in the grind that you find your salvation. Don't ever let anybody get in your head though. Use social media for what it is; entertainment. Take bro science with a grain of salt.

Make use the facts outlined here to build your program. Pick a split that suits you and stick to it for at least 16 weeks. Increase your training volume, rest more between sets and make those damn sets count by doing compound movements!

This is how to get the most out of every workout; this is how to train like a Mutha!

When you stretch those shirt sleeves and cut a wider silhouette imagine how you'll feel when it's YOU that people look to for bro science tips because of the amazing gains you're making; only you won't have tips, you'll have answers!

References

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