Important Message: Although this site has received 25+ million visitors, I am starting from scratch and abandoning it. This site is dated and old school looking, terrible to read on mobile, etc.
It’s like a Ford Pinto compared to my new site…which is like a Ferrari.
I’ve moved my About Me page over there as well.
Click here to see my About page and new site.
Thanks for reading all these years!
Even though the modern gyms are full of fancy and shiny machines, they will not help you build a solid foundation of muscle mass. Dumbbells and barbells are the best when it comes to building muscle and especially for a beginner.
Nice to see people succeed and actually want to help others do likewise. You’ve found your passion it seems.
Hey, Rusty- Hoping you’ll see this, as I’ve set up a plan for an upcoming vacation- which I may or may not be able to go on, but I need to get lean anyway. I was hoping you could take a look at it, and let me know what you think. Essentially, early in the morning I have a little Mio Energy, then do my cardio from your Intermediate Cycle. I fast from waking until around 4 p.m., whereupon I have 10g BCAA (Leangains style), and perform VIMB phase 3 style lifting for an hour, and then eat dinner, following a low-ish fat version of Carb Nite Solution diet for my nutrition, and make certain I get to bed around on time to get at least 8 hours sleep. Any suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d without a doubt donate to this brilliant blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking
and adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
I look forward to brand new updates and will share this
site with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
Hey Rusty,
In your research, have you come across anything about fixing PCOS or insulin resistance? I have heard some ripples that a ketogenic diet may improve those conditions, and I don’t believe I’ve seen your review that method. I like the way you present information. Keep it up!
Thanks,
Heather
You give a lot of controversial advice on this site. My question to you is this:
If you can get the same or better results from XFit and undoubtedly a hell of a lot more gains in terms of performance, then why should anyone follow the advice on this blog when you can do it better with CF?
Hi Rusty,
I have been visiting your site and have seen that you cover fitness news in a humorous and real way. I am not sure if you are aware, but YouTube just launched it’s first ever fitness channels, which allows users to access workouts for an affordable price. With over 1 billion unique users visitingYouTube each month, it is an opportunity to introduce fitness to more people than ever.
For the beginner, those with a limited budget, or no time to get to the gym, the iAmplify Yoga Studio and iAmplify Fitness Studio allows you to access the best yogis at anytime. For $4.99 per month, with no long-term commitment, you can access unlimited classes and will receive one new digital workout each week. Classes are taught by leading yogis and expert celebrity trainers (I can send you the list of the well-known teachers) and because YouTube can be accessed via the web on your PC, laptop, or smartphone, workouts are available at your own convenience.
Unlike fitness DVDs which can get boring because they are repetitive or gym subscriptions which are typically very expensive, you can add on yoga or fitness classes to your workouts and enhance your results. We would love for you to check out the iAmplify Fitness Studio’s and if of interest, to share your thoughts on the content with your readers. Is it challenging enough? Does it give you a full workout? Is it worth the subscription fee? etc.
Please let me know if this is something you think your readers would be interested in hearing about.
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Thank you!
~ Jenelle
Rusty,
Firstly, great website! like the articles. I picked up the visual impact muscle building guide and have read it! Its sounds great and well researched. Now to put it to use! but before i do i have a question. I’m at about 130 pounds and 12.9% body fat. I can see some definition around the abs but i still have a bit of fat around the lower stomach. So should i cut first or move to phase 1 and then cut in phase 2 and 3?
I saw some comments earlier about people not being able to get in shape or feel that they were still flabby even with working out and dieting. It is possible that we are all made different and that there are some weight loss programs that can suit us better than others. We should explore the different types of weight loss programs, look at what they comprise of and their requirements, to see if they fit our needs and preferences and lifestyles before embarking on them. Ultimately, the crucial first step is to get your mindset right or get yourself into the right frame of mind, and understand your motivations of why you’d want to lose weight. That gives you a better shot at staying in your chosen weight loss programs and achieving the results that you want.
Rusty,
You’re site is really eye opening. I have struggled withhigh body fat for most of my life. In 2011 I decided to really focus on trimming down, since then I have went from 268 lbs to 166 lbs. I am now in the process of trying to get stronger. I have started following your guides to lifts and already experienced a noticeable increase in muscle tone. I wanted to suggest something that may be useful to people who want stronger legs without adding mass. I am a black belt in shotokan karate and I remember how great a workout simple floor exercises were. Holding horse stance (stand with feet wider than shoulder width andknees bent with your back straight and your butt pushed back, basically sit back like you’re riding a horse in a western saddle) if you hold this position for a a few minutes you will begin to feel it work your quads, hamstrings, glutes, abductors, and adductors. (I know there are more technical names for the muscles of the inner and outer thigh but hell if I can spell themoff the top of my head) just thought I would offer this technique. Most of the principle exercises in shotokan require keeping your abs tensed and using a fast twitch of your hips to throw punches and kicks, basically your fist or foot is the tip of a whip and your body is the whip itself with your hips generating the kinetic energy. From shotokan alone at 16 I could leg press over 400 lbs, ive never tried to squat anything that heavy.
How long do you rest between sets? And are the workouts done circuit style, or do you do your 5 sets of one before moving on to the next.
Hi Rusty,
My question is:
How often should you do bodyweight training (calisthenics)?
Everyday? Every other day?
Also, can you recommend a good bodyweight training program or circuit training course?
Thank you in advance.
Hey Rusty,
quick question. I’m currently in phase 2 of your muscle building course. right now, my pecs are still a little rounded. I’ve been doing lots of incline work and looking to incorporate more cardio to try to achieve that full, slab-like look. Should I emphasize more incline work or more cardio? I have some extra body fat that I need to lose, but I’m more concerned about the shape of pecs and how to get that flatter, slab-like look
Thanks,
Kevin
Hi Rusty
I am 5’9″, 177 pounds (increased from 165 pounds before phase I), 27 year old male.
I bought this program during the second half of last year. I went with phase I for around 3 months. And I am currently in the first month of phase II but I don’t feel like giving up Creatine lest my fuller muscles disappear for the next 4 or so months! Does skin really take so long to stick to your muscles? Can’t I just take some diuretic like coffee etc. to do it faster?
Also, is it ok to take some Nitric Oxide during the bonus phase to ‘wrap’ my skin around the muscles?
Thanks in advance
Regards
Sachin
Stumbled upon this blog when I typed “Why do I look flabier even after diet and workout” and all I can say here is Thank You! I will not loose hope and continue 🙂 Trying to stay in shape in the 40s is tough but I am optimistic. I’m a new fan and will definitely bookmark this website!
Hello!
I recently purchased your black book for women. I started this morning with HIIT cardio. However, I currently don’t belong to a gym and was curious if you have suggestions for bodyweight exercises to replace the different weight routines?
Thanks!