1 SpecForce Abs Manual for Men

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SPECFOR SPE CFORCE CE

ABS AB S MANU M ANUAL AL

Tab T able le of Con Contten ents ts Disclaimer ..................................................................................................................3 Introduction ............................................................................................................... ...............................................................................................................4 4 Rationale .................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................5 5 Understanding Understanding the Plan ................................................................ ............................................................................................ ............................ 7 Phases of the Plan............................................................... ...................................................................................................... .......................................8 8 The Spec Ops Secret ................................................................................................ ................................................................................................ 11 Nutrition ........................................................ ................................................................................................................... ...........................................................1 16 Hormones................................................................................................................. 18 Exercise Descriptions .............................................................................................. 41 Additional Secrets for Staying Lean ......................................................... ..................................................................... ............ 107 Specforce Supplement Stack ................................................................................ ................................................................................10 109 9 Conclusion....................................................... .............................................................................................................. ....................................................... 115

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Disclaimer - Please Read This The informat information ion provided provided in in this this workout workout program program is for for educationa educationall purposes purposes only. only. The author author,, Todd Todd Lamb, Lamb, is not not a doctor doctor and this this inform informati ation on shouldn shouldn’t ’t be taken taken as medica medicall advice. You should get a physician’s physician’s approval before attempting any of the information in this program. This program is designed for healthy adults of 18 years and older. If you have any existing injuries, conditions or health issues, please seek se ek your physician’s physician’s approval before attempting any type of information in this program. The author author is not not liable liable or respons responsible ible for any any damage damages, s, resultin resulting g from the the use of of this this program. **The user acknowledges any risk of injury, caused or alleged, with the use of this information. If your physician advises to not use the information provided in the program, please abide by those orders.** All righ rights ts reserved reserved.. No part of this this publi publicat cation ion may may be reprod reproduce uced, d, tran transcr scribed ibed,, tran transmi smitted tted,, or translated in any language, without the written permission and signature of Todd Lamb and Rogue Syndication Inc.

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Introduction Welcome to the SpecForce Abs Program and User Manual. In this manual an explanation of the program movements along with the rationale behind why I have approached ab development from a holistic 360 degree perspective. This manual is supported by video to assist you along the way. I will also cover the nutritional information required to actually remove belly fat and give you the results you are after. My approach is a combination of the most effective exercises for building a strong lean midsection supported by nutritional principles that work. I think it is important to point out that regardless of your age or gender, proper abdominal and trunk development is very important for long term health. What I outline in this manual works for both women and men of all ages. Creating strong abdominals, obliques and posterior chain should be the foundation of any program that involves fat loss and movements movements where you are doing resistance resistance training whether it’s it ’s bodyweight or using weighted weighted movements. The problem problem with with many many approac approaches hes to to creati creating ng and displayi displaying ng abs abs is that that the the training training is linear in its methodology and doesn’t take into account the actual physiological function of the abs and trunk. By introducing a training methodology anchored in the function of the abs, we are able to create a midsection that not only looks like sculpted art, but functions to prevent injury, improve strength and supports long term health and wellness. This program program and and its ability ability to to reduce reduce belly fat fat and crea create te a slim slim strong strong midsecti midsection on works equally as well for women as it does for men. We start out with very basic movements and progress to some movements that at first glance, glance, might seem intimidating intimidating or overwhelming.

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I cover these more complex/compound movements in detail, and make no mistake about it… by the time you get to these movements you will be more than ready and I will be there to guide you.

Rationale An Operator requires the ability to function across a wide range of movement planes and the abdominals, more correctly, the trunk must be able to support these movements to ensure that injuries are avoided. Which in truth is no different than how you move every day. It is also why Special Forces Forces operators oper ators (man or woman) have lean muscular and well-toned mid-sections. Proper Ab development is what gives an Operator the ability to be agile with a 60 lb. ruck (or bergen depending where you are from), throw an injured mate over their shoulder and get to safety or stand and fight. Now you might be thinking I’m not headed into battle or don’t require a shooting stance that puts 9X the bodyweight load on your low back, but in addition to creating an attractive physical appearance, strong abs and trunk dramatically improve your performance across a broad range of areas including the bedroom! The benefits benefits move move beyond beyond external external performance performance but but also also your intern internal al systems systems which which reduces your risk of diabetes, certain types of cancer and heart disease. You may only simply want to develop your abs and reduce belly fat so your mid-section is eye popping with the added benefit of having the stability of a stone pillar. Perfect! You are in the right place. Development of the abs to the point where you can both visibly see them and enjoy proper functionality has been the subject of both popular culture and popular science. For this manual I have stuck with science, because in the Spec Ops world, exercises that work have been studied to death and I wanted you to be exposed to the best information.

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It is highly unlikely you have done a program that approaches development of your complete trunk from top to bottom and front to back. By taking the 360 degree approach to your abs and trunk you are ensuring long term health and a life filled with activity, mobility and enjoyment. I have selected a regime of exercises that are scientifically proven to recruit and develop all aspects of your abs, obliques and posterior chain. Something else you should know is that you don’t need to be able to do every exercise outlined in this manual to get the results of a flat belly with strong abs. There is is a combina combination tion of weig weight hted ed and non-we non-weigh ighted ted exerc exercises ises for for building building your your midsection. I progress you through both and you can start the program at any point based on your current level. This is is a progress progressive ive program program that that cons consiste istently ntly build buildss and you you have have the the flexibility flexibility to progress at your own rate. We all have limitations we must work around. I have certainly have injuries that I must manage just like many of you. There are are no exerc exercises ises that that are are TOO TOO hard hard for you you in this this program. program. When When you can can complet complete e one step, this means your body has developed the tissue and motor control to allow you to begin your next progression. Whether you are a 75 year old Grandmother of 6 or a 21 year old man who is ready to join the military the only thing that is likely to be different is your rate of progression. There won’t won’t be a single single person person who is is not able able to do do the program program and and get a benefit benefit from each and every phase. Some may simply decide that they have achieved the lean belly in the early stages and don’t wish to progress to the advanced moves while others may decide the later phases are an exciting challenge.

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The bottom bottom line is is this. this. Properly Properly supporting supporting your your spine spine by develo developing ping the the abs and trunk trunk is is a critical key to remaining youthful, confident and amazingly energetic. Reducing belly fat and lowering your body fat percentage will reduce your exposure to unwanted disease. This will will ultima ultimately tely impro improve ve the the quality quality of your life life moving moving forward. forward.

Understanding the Plan The most well-kno well-known wn and prominen prominentt abdomina abdominall muscle muscle is the the rectus rectus abdominis abdominis.. It is the long, flat muscle that extends vertically between the pubis and the fifth, sixth, and seventh ribs. A strong tendinous sheath called the “linea alba,” or white line, divides the rectus abdominis down the middle, and three more horizontal tendinous sheaths sheaths give the muscle its familiar “washboard” look in Operators. The rectus rectus abdomini abdominiss helps helps to flex flex the spinal spinal column column,, narrowin narrowing g the space space between between the the pelvis and the ribs. It is also active during side bending motions and helps stabilize the trunk during movements involving the extremities ex tremities and head. We are going to develop the abdominis, but also the obliques and erectors (well the entire posterior chain) in this program. Ab development program is broken down into various stages of development by classification classification of Phases and subphases. I am about to go to geek factor 9 which is similar to Defcon 5 so strap in. There are are three three phases phases;; Alpha, Alpha, Bravo Bravo and Charlie Charlie.. Depending Depending on your your current current leve levell of strength you can start at any phase. It is important you begin the Ab development program with the appropriate phase as you will not be able to progress if the exercises are too difficult.

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The Ab manual manual has has differe different nt phases phases that that build build in a level level of difficulty difficulty and stress stress placed placed on the body. This rationale is based off of a few simple but foundational strength and conditioning conditioning theories; Progressive overload principle: The principle: The principle principle is is described described as as ‘The systematic systematic increas increase e in training frequency, volume and intensity intensity in various combinations. Typically Typically as intensity intensity increases, volume decreases. (NSCA. P421)”. This princi principle ple determi determined ned the skeleta skeletall structure structure of the Alpha/B Alpha/Brav ravo/C o/Charl harlie ie phase phase progression. With each phase there is a gradual increase of stress placed upon the body. This incre increased ased stres stresss results results in a renew renewed ed demand demand for for tissue tissue adapta adaptation. tion. SAID Principle: Is Principle: Is an acronym for ‘ Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands’. Demands’. ‘The underlying principle is that the type of demand placed on the body dictates the type of adaptation that will occur (NSCA p379).” Due to the end goal of the program, which is the ability to perform some very high skilled core movements; we will need to develop strength in the positions outlined in the program. We need to stress the appropriate musculature and time domains for that particular skill.

What are the Phases? The Recon Phase is a movement preparatory phase where we address tissue quality and introduce introduce the basics of creating creating abdominal tension. Mobility is addressed in the thoracic spine, using active flexion/extension drills, rotation drills and self- mobilizing protocols. protocols. Tissues Tissues that that share share a close close relati relationsh onship ip with spinal spinal position position are are address addressed ed through through selfselfmyofacial release techniques; these tissues include the Diaphragm, Latissimus Latissimus Dorsi, Do rsi, Erectors, Psoas and Illiacus.

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The Alpha Phase is Phase is the most important of the ab/trunk development program in that it lays foundational strength. If you never do anything other than the Alpha Phase you will still develop the abdominal musculature required to display your abs. Alpha phase ensures appropriate muscle recruitment of the core; activating central to peripheral. Correct movement mechanics require the ‘core’ to be recruited first, this ensures ensures the spine maintains maintains a neutral position. The ‘Core’ ‘Core’ is is a groupin grouping g of muscles muscles whic which h includes includes the; the; TVA, TVA, Interna Internall Obliques, Obliques, Diaphra Diaphragm gm and Pelvic Floor. These tissues work in a three dimensional manner to keep the spine stable. Spinal neutral position is important in that it decreases chance of injury and increases the ability to transfer power through the extremities. Once the ‘core’ has adequate strength, peripheral tissue recruitment is introduced to the drills; this includes an increased demand for trunk musculature; musculature; rectus abdominus, the erector, scapular musculature and hip musculature. This insi inside-out de-out method method allows allows for for quick quick progress progression ion and the ability ability to to execute execute the the drills drills properly. Quality of movement is most important, in that you can’t fake strong, strong, so skipping progressions won’t get you far. During this phase we will find where spinal neutral is and create positional awareness. awareness. The Bravo Phase is Phase is an extended phase that significantly increased the stress placed on the trunk. Initial progressions of the Bravo Phase focus on positions slightly out of neutral; this includes positions that emphasize global extens ex tension ion and flexion. These positio positions ns are are safe for the spine as spine as the entire spinal structure work together to create create a slight concavity concavity (global flexion) and slight convexity (global extension). extension). The musculature working around the spine is actively co-contracting to fine tune and control these movements. Intermediate Intermediate progressions of the bravo phase increase the demand on more peripheral tissues. The shoulders and hips will be challenged in both mobility and stability. So make sure you do only what you have prepared yourself for. Your body won’t lie! The advanc advanced ed progres progression sionss of the Brav Bravo o Phase Phase are the exerc exercises ises that that must must be proficie proficiently ntly executed in order to progress to the Charlie Phase.

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The Charlie Phase is Phase is highly advanced and it may take substantial time to reach this progression depending on your level of ability. You may even choose to never complete this phase of the program which is why it was put in as an optional bonus to bonus to provide you with a challenge. You will certainly achieve results in your abs without going to this phase. This phase phase brings brings all all other other progress progressions ions to to “life” “life”, which which means means you hav have e developed developed the the tissue and your central nervous system is firing and recruiting all of the necessary motor units in proper sequence. These movements movements require substantial awareness and control of body mechanics. Simply put, once you are at this level you can do anything! Since many of these exercises work perpendicular to gravity the core must be extremely strong to maintain a neutral position. Static shoulder strength is imperative as the hands are the only point of contact to stabilize the body.

Rationale within the phases: Volume and intensity: Each phase has a number of exercises within it. The general structure of the ab manual is to have the volume increase of each exercise, once you can complete a given exercise with the full volume of the last step, it is more demanding to increase the intensity of the exercise rather than continue to stress the body b ody by increasing increasing the volume. This is is why there there are so many many phases phases and and subpha subphases. ses. The int intens ensity ity of the exerc exercise ise increases with each phase. When you begin the next phase the volume drops down to accommodate accommodate the increase in stress. Quality: Quality is probably the most important aspect of any program. These exercises done accurately and appropriately will stress the body and demand a change. Done improperly the exercises will feel easy and could lead to an injury. Only increase the volume if you can complete the given number of sets and reps with quality reps, reps, if you begin to get sloppy and loose tension, then regress to the previous step or stay at the current progression/phase.

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Depending on the phase you may progress quite quickly, other phases may take more time to complete, don’t rush your advancement through the phases as you will not be able to perform the exercises adequately and it defeats our end goal.

Planes of Motion The exerci exercise se selection selection is predom predominan inantly tly single single plana planar,r, each plane is address addressed ed in the the Charlie phase exercises. The Charlie Charlie phase phase exer exercise cisess are isomet isometric ric and and antigra antigravity vity in nature nature.. Depending Depending on the the plane which they occur this will increase the demand on the tissues who address that particular plane. The rectus rectus abdominu abdominuss and the the erectors erectors are are the main main stabiliz stabilizers ers for anti-g anti-gravity ravity in the sagittal plane.

The Spec Spec Ops Ops Secre Secrett Here is why it works. The founda foundation tion of any any Special Special Operat Operations ions train training ing is is based on on progress progression ion (often (often called called work ups) and using the most effective tactics or movements to produce a desired result, which is successful completion of the mission. As you will read throughout this manual, you can progress at your own rate depending on your strength and skill level at the time you begin training with me. The founda foundation tion of the the movemen movements ts is actually actually a lot lot less move movemen mentt to build build a lot lot more strength. We capitalize on all of the science done on Special Operators and high performance athletes, athletes, which has clearly demonstrated that isometric tension, done correctly, produces the most abdominal muscle stimulation.

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This is is especially especially int interest eresting ing for for those who have, have, or are reco recoveri vering ng from inju injuries ries that that limit limit range of motion. It also allows for rehab around damaged joints. Studies have also shown significant significant increases in strength across different different lifts. lif ts. Here is how it works. Isometric activation results in the muscle fibres being pulled from both ends of the contracting muscle at a much higher intensity intensity than traditional exercises. This causes causes your your body to to recruit recruit more muscle muscle fibres fibres per contr contraction action which which creat creates es production of additional muscle and increased efficiency. Regardless of whether you are a man or woman and you want a well-muscled midsection or that lean flat belly, this program will guide you to your goal.

Bracing, Ab Development, Core and Stability The term term core core stability stability has been been debated debated within the exercise and rehab community for years. What is my core? How can the world of Spec Ops or help me eliminate belly fat and develop a lean midsection? midsection? I’m glad you asked! There have have been many many differe different nt descrip description tionss used to describe the core but this is the one I prefer. Your core is your body minus your arms and legs. The term ‘core stability’, refers to your body’s ability to stabilize your spine using your torso muscles. In addition to stabilizing your spine, a healthy working core is a vital component of all human movement.

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If your core isn’t activated when you reach overhead, then sooner or later you will develop back pain or injure your shoulder. It may not happen the first time you move incorrectly, but one day something will have to give. Like the first time it happened to me when I was brushing my teeth… I know from experience and it has resulted in an over mobile SI joint and bulging disc in my back. I had to relearn how to properly brace, hollow and activate my trunk. As I mentioned before, there are many different descriptions used to describe core stability. There are also different theories about which muscles are important when it comes to stabilizing your spine and preventing back pain. As luck would have it, we are going to develop all of them so not only do you get true SpecForce Abs which are eye popping but the added benefit of complete functionality to protect you from injury as I mentioned earlier. The two main main theories theories cent centre re around around the the importance importance (or (or lack of of importance importance)) of a deep deep abdominal muscle called the Transverse Abdominis (referred to as the TVA). If you have spent much time in gyms or attended Pilates classes in the last 10 years you may well have heard of it. I know I keep geeking out and I apologize in advance but I think it is vital that you understand specific things in order to properly develop your abs and trunk. The human human body is is very complic complicate ated d and there there is no simple simple way way of explain explaining ing this this stuff. stuff. If this doesn’t sound like your cup of tea and you are not interested in the hows and whys then you might just want to learn the practical portion of bracing/ core activation. Remember though, the more you learn about your body, the more control your development.

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Abdominal Hollowing (TVA) In 1999 a clinical group in Australia (Richardson, Hodges, et all), discovered motor control disturbances (disturbed movement movement patterns) in the TVA and Multifidus muscles. By the way…learning how to properly activate my multifidus muscles saved my back! Anyway, these disturbances occurred, in some people following injury or the onset of back pain. They theorized theorized that that dysfunction dysfunction and and poor motor motor control control in these muscles muscles compro compromised mised core stability. Their conclusion was that delayed contraction of the TVA creates faulty motor patterns and compromises the spine. The exerci exercise se and rehabili rehabilitati tation on commun community ity went went nuts for for this. this. Particular Particularly ly the Pilat Pilates es and Personal Training crowd. Unfortunately, Unfortunately, as usually happens with these things, people pe ople misunderstand and over simplify things. What happened, was that everybody concentrated on training the TVA at the expense of everything else. Traine Trainers rs and Pilat Pilates es instructo instructors rs were were stuffing stuffing blood press pressure ure cuffs cuffs under under people’s people’s backs backs and Physical Therapists were using ultrasound and electrical stimulators to ensure that the TVA was was working working and firing firing at at the correct correct time. time. A whole industry was created selling wobble boards and inflatable gym balls. The theory theory was that that the TVA TVA should should contract/ contract/activa activate te before before any any other other muscle, muscle, during during any any movement.

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This is is supposed supposed to do two thing things. s. Firstly Firstly increa increase se ‘intra-a ‘intra-abdomi bdominal nal press pressure’ ure’ (pres (pressur sure e in your belly that helps stabilize your spine) and secondly correct the faulty motor control problem identified in the original study. The abdomen abdomen can can be though thoughtt of as a sealed sealed chamber with the diaphragm forming the lid and the pelvic floor muscles forming the base. The TVA wraps wraps around around the the abdomen abdomen like like a belt belt and attache attachess into into the thoracol thoracolumba umbarr fascia (a diamond shaped piece of connective tissue at the base of the spine). When the TVA contracts it increases the pressure inside the abdomen (intra-abdominal pressure) thus adding stability to the spine. The TVA is however, only one thin sheet of muscle and it’s not strong enough to stabilize the spine on it’s own during most human movement. Drawing in the lower abdomen (using the TVA) also slightly narrows the base of support of the torso. This narrower base of support actually decreases stability. It’s a bit like squeezing the centre of a new tube of toothpaste. Once you have squeezed it, the tube just becomes more floppy. Contracting the TVA also seems to turn off other abdominal muscles. This is particularly true with the internal oblique muscles which are very important when it comes to preventing preventing or controlling controlling rotation of the trunk. This theory theory is now over over 14 14 years years old. Some Some of the experts who were were part part of the original original study even state, that the TVA shouldn’t be worked in isolation. Despite this, a lot of trainers and therapists are still obsessed with strengthening this muscle on its own. There are are still still trainers trainers and and therapist therapistss out there there laying laying people people on their their backs backs and instructin instructing g them to suck their belly buttons towards their spine. You know what the main problems is... this isn’t realistic, our spine is supported as we stand not laying down. We need 360 degree support

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Equipment The majority majority of this this program program can be complet completed ed with just your your body weigh weight, t, howeve howeverr to complete the more advanced movements movements you should consider a small investment in either a pull up bar or a set of rings. Your total investment is probably less than a hundred bucks because you can find these things on a local used sites every day. If you intend on doing the bonus strength programs which contain some very good compound lifts, you may either need to invest in some dumbbells, kettlebells or go to a gym. You can see images of the exercise demonstrations toward the back of this manual and of course there are the videos to assist you as well. You should now possess a solid understanding of the rationale behind this program and how I intend on developing your mid-section to be strong and lean.

Nutrition I want to go through your diet and talk about how you might want to consider eating for success. By now you have probably realized that while ab development and nutrition are separate they are not mutually exclusive. exclusive. You cannot have one without the other. Yes you can create a strong trunk but even tissue development and motor function require the correct nutritional fuel to be optimized. I suspect your goal is not only to be strong but to be able to either peel of your shirt and be proud or put on a bikini and go to the beach without feel self-conscious or anxious. There is is something something important important that that you need need to understa understand nd if you want want a lean lean flat flat belly belly or chiseled six pack, and that is the importance of nutrition. I don’t say this to discourage you

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because I know you have heard it before. I do take the time to simplify it for you, however I can’t be there to put the fork in your mouth so to speak. Listen, you should know that I have made every nutritional mistake out there on my path to getting lean and it tortures me to include this image, but I do it so you understand that it is possible to change your body without pills or potions but rather through some simple balance and timing protocols which I outline for you a bit later. I thought carb loading and getting huge and ripping down was the answer but that just left me in a soft flabby mess. That’s why I focused on nutrition as the cornerstone of my transformation. Muscular development of the abs is necessary for making abs visible but the undeniable fact is that your body fat percentage will determine how visible they are. As a guideline men need to get below 10-11% body fat for abs to be displayed prominently (and your skin looks paper thin with good vascularity from 5-8%). A guideline for women is around 16-19% body fat to display abdominals. It is important for women to monitor how a reduced body fat percentage affects hormonal cycles. These are are general general guide guideline liness and each each individ individual ual person person will will look differe differently ntly at at differen differentt percentages. Once you understand the nutritional principles you can apply them almost like a switch. You can turn it on to get as lean as you want or turn it off to allow yourself to enjoy a two week holiday for example. Ultimately nutrition boils down to the manipulation of bacteria and hormonal responses to create desired effects in our bodies. Whether it is lipolysis (fat reduction) or creation of testosterone for muscle creation (more so for guys), your body is optimized through strategic nutrition to elicit the desired hormonal response. An added benefit of getting a lean flat tummy or definitively cut abs, is your overall health, well being and quality of life dramatically improve. I can’t stress this enough as it should be the goal of any program. Let’s quickly cover some essential essential information.

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Hormones Let’s first start by defining exactly what is meant by the term “hormone”. What is a Hormone? In simple terms, a hormone is a molecule released by a gland or endocrine gland in order to elicit a response or otherwise affect other tissues further away in the body. A quick example of this process is the release of the hormone insulin by the endocrine gland known as the pancreas in response to the ingestion of carbohydrates, or more precisely, glucose. Every hormone serves its own purpose within the body, and in the example insulin the purpose would be to reduce blood sugar levels. At this point it is worth mentioning that there are various classes of hormones, such as steroid hormones like testosterone which are created from the lipid cholesterol, and peptide hormones such as oxytocin which are made via a sequence of short chain amino acids. Classifying all of the different hormones is somewhat beyond the scope of this lesson, but we will look at the various glands associated with each hormone so that you can develop a clearer picture in your mind of the different functions taking place within your own body. Endocrine Glands and Their Hormones As we are about to see, there are many hormones released by glands that actually act upon other glands within the body1. This can can create create a hormonal hormonal cascade cascade,, creatin creating g an intrica intricate te network network of endocrin endocrinologic ological al processes. 1

http://www.endocrinesurgeon.co.uk/index.php/what-are-the-functions-of-the-different-types-of-hormone

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Hypothalamus The hypothal hypothalamu amuss is a small small gland gland nestled nestled below below the the thalamu thalamuss in the the brain, brain, sitting sitting slight slightly ly above the brainstem. • The Hormonal Switchboard Switchboard Acting upon the anterior pituitary gland to trigger the subsequent release of other hormones, hypothalamic hormones include Somatostatin, Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH), and Corticotrophin Releasing Hormone (CRH). These hormone hormoness are also also referred referred to as “releas “releasing ing hormones hormones”” for obvious obvious reas reasons. ons. The hypothal hypothalamu amuss is an integral integral part part of the autonomi autonomicc nervous nervous system, system, regulati regulating ng all manner of processes in the body b ody such as temperature, hunger, hunger, and even circadian rhythms. Anterior and Posterior Pituitary The anteri anterior or and posteri posterior or pituitary pituitary glands glands form a larger larger structure structure referre referred d to simply simply as as the pituitary gland2. The pituitary pituitary gland gland is situa situated ted just just below below the hypotha hypothalamu lamuss in the the brain, brain, and it releases releases hormones involved in everything from growth to the regulation of stress. As we saw above, the hypothalamus releases Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone (GHRH) which triggers the secretion of Growth Hormone in the anterior pituitary. • Tissue Growth and Repair Growth Hormone acts upon bone, muscle, and organ tissues to promote growth and repair; this should hopefully serve to illustrate the interconnectedness of the various endocrine glands and their roles.

2 http://www.hormone.org/hormones-and-health/the-endocrine-system/endocrine-glands-and-types-of-hormones

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We will touch on the adrenal hormone known as aldosterone in a moment, but it is also worth mentioning that the pituitary gland releases a hormone known as vasopressin. Vasopressin acts on the kidneys and blood vessels to regulate blood pressure by controlling the retention of salt and fluids through the constriction of said blood vessels. Thyroid If you have ever read up on weight loss and metabolic rate then you are probably familiar with the thyroid and parathyroid glands. glands. The thyroid thyroid gland gland is is seated seated in in the neck neck just just below the Adam’ Adam’s apple, apple, and is is largely largely controlled by thyroid-stimulating thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) which is produced by the anterior anterior pituitary. Interestingly Interestingly,, the release of TSH is also regulated by the hypothalamic hypothalamic hormone thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH). This is exactly the kind of hormonal cascade we discussed earlier. Thyroxine Thyroxine (T 4) 4) and tri-iodo tri-iodothyr thyronin onine e (T3) are are the two major major thyroid thyroid hormone hormoness which which are essential essential for the maintenance maintenance and regulation of metabolic rate. In addition to controlling energy balance and the use of proteins in the body, the thyroid gland is also directly involved in regulating the sensitivity of other tissues and glands to hormones. From this we can see that optimal functioning of the thyroid gland is absolutely essential for the maintenance of our health and well-being, both in the short term and the long term. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism are conditions which describe underactivity and overactivity of the thyroid gland respectively. These conditions can wreak havoc on the body’s metabolic rate and hormonal profile as a whole.

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Adrenal The adrena adrenall glands glands are are located located just just above above the kidneys, kidneys, and and are are involv involved ed in the the production production of hormones that you have probably heard of such as cortisol and adrenaline. • Cortisol - The Misunderstood Misunderstood Hormone Cortisol is a very complicated hormone that forms part of the circadian rhythm and helps to regulate a number of factors within the body, including inflammation, blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and correct functioning of the immune system. The hormone hormone cortisol cortisol is secret secreted ed acutely acutely during during the hours hours of 4-6 AM as part part of our circadian rhythm, and this is what helps us to wake up in the early morning. You may have heard me stating that cortisol is a “stress” hormone that is best minimized. While it is true, the subject of cortisol is certainly not as simple as this, and in fact the acute secretion of the hormone is essential for correct functioning of a multitude of bodily processes. It is the chronic excessive release of cortisol that can potentially lead to health issues, and this is usually the result of factors such as prolonged lifestyle stress, poor diet, and a lack of quality sleep. • Aldosterone and Diuretic Effects Another hormone produced by the adrenal glands is aldosterone, which acts upon the kidneys to help regulate correct salt and fluid balance in the body. Sudden and drastic changes to your water and or sodium intake can affect the secretion of aldosterone, leading to either an increase in water retention retention or diuretic effects; that is, the shedding of water from the body. This mecha mechanis nism m is often often exploited exploited by physiqu physique e competit competitors ors such such as bodybuilde bodybuilders rs and other types of athletes such as boxers and powerlifters who need to “make weight” for a given weight class within their sport.

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Pancreas The pancre pancreas as releas releases es three three differe different nt hormones hormones,, known as as insulin insulin,, glucagon, glucagon, and and somatostatin. Insulin acts on fat cells and muscle tissues and to lower blood sugar levels by essentially storing or transporting nutrients into these tissues. As you might already be aware, frequent exercise and intense training, especially resistance resistance training with weights, can help to improve the insulin sensitivity of muscle tissues. This helps the body preferentially store nutrients in muscles rather than depositing them as body fat. Contrary to insulin, glucagon plays the role of increasing the blood sugar levels by acting on the liver. Somatostatin acts to inhibit the actions of both insulin and glucagon. • Insulin Sensitivity and Exercise With the advent of popular low-carb diets insulin has received a pretty bad rap. Just as we mentioned with cortisol above, the demonizing of any particular hormone or bodily process typically leads to a gross oversimplification of the matter. Used intelligently intelligently,, carbohydrates and insulin can be b e incredibly useful for building and retaining lean muscle mass, and even in helping the body to mobilize its fat stores and burn them off as energy. Prolonged periods of low-carb dieting can actually lead to a state known as insulin resistance, which is somewhat similar to the type of resistance experienced by obese individuals individuals who have trouble utilizing carbohydrat carb ohydrates es effectively. At this stage the most logical approach to carbohydrate intake if you are looking to maintain a lean and muscular physique would be to eat the majority of your carbs around your workouts.

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We have gone into far greater detail on this subject in the Macro Timing section so be sure to check that out for more information. Other Endocrine Glands Before we move on to how you can optimize your hormones in the context of fat loss and ab development, there are a few other endocrine glands that are worth mentioning. We are all familiar with the ovaries and testes, which are responsible for sexual development development and reproductive health in women and men respectively. The testes testes are are respons responsible ible for for the productio production n of testost testosteron erone e in men. men. Testo Testoster sterone one is a critica critically lly important important steroi steroid d hormone hormone to keep keep in check check if you you want want to get get the most out of your training as it is responsible for regulating protein synthesis and other mechanisms mechanisms associated with recovery and muscular development. The stomach stomach and and duoden duodenum um produce produce hormone hormoness such such as gastrin gastrin and and cholecystoki cholecystokinin nin (CCK), both of which play a role in the secretion of stomach acid, bile, and digestive enzymes. The stomach stomach also also produc produces es seroto serotonin nin which which causes causes constriction constriction of the stomach stomach walls walls while at the same time acting as an important neurotransmitter responsible for regulating mood and energy levels. Moving on, the kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin which stimulates red blood cell production in bone marrow, while the heart itself produces a hormone known as atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) which helps to regulate blood pressure. pressure. Last but by no means least, the skin produces Vitamin D. Vitamin D plays an innumerable number of crucial roles within the human body, but most relevant to this discussion is its stimulation of the uptake of calcium in the small intestines. This vitam vitamin in also also aids aids in the rete retentio ntion n and relea release se of calcium calcium from from bones, bones, making making it very very important for maintaining healthy bones and joints while lifting heavy weights on a regular basis.

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Optimizing your nutrition and supplementation can help to increase your hormonal functions and turn that belly into a picture of strength and health. Dietary Supplementation Let’s look at some items you can add to your diet to balance your bacteria, crank up your hormonal output and keep your endocrine glands running at full capacity. We already discussed adding a probiotic supplement so these suggestions are to balance your other systems. Omega-3 Fatty Acids Healthy fats such as Omega-3 Fatty Acids found in oily fish like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are essential for optimal brain function and can be incredibly useful when it comes to improving the health of your hypothalamus and pituitary glands3. From combating depression depression and anxiety to increasing focus, concentration, concentration, and energy levels, the list of health benefits provided by Omega-3 Fatty Acids is seemingly endless. If you find it difficult to fit oily fish into your budget on a frequent basis then you might want to consider investing in a fish oil supplement as this can prove to be a far more costeffective solution. Other healthy fats such as those found in extra virgin olive oil, avocados, and walnuts are also incredibly useful in this context. B Vitamins Vitamin B1, B1, also known k nown as Thiamine T hiamine,, is another nutrient that offers untold brain-boosting benefits by stimulating the hypothalamus and pituitary glands 4. Thiamine Thiamine is is also used used by the the body in the the production production of adeno adenosine sine triphospha triphosphate te or ATP ATP,, which is the medium of exchange used by the cells in our body for the transfer of energy. 3 http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/omega3-fatty-acids 4 http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b1-thiamine

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Vitamin B12 plays a role in maintaining the integrity of DNA, as well as regulating various energy systems within the body. Individuals Individuals with compromised digestive digestive health often of ten have difficulty absorbing Vitamin B12, so this is well worth considering in the context of gastrin production in the stomach. To To ensure ensure you you are recei receiving ving a full full spectrum spectrum of B vitamin vitaminss we recomme recommend nd using using a B complex supplement, and if absorption is a concern then using digestive enzymes such as the plant-derived papain and bromelain would be a great idea5. Vitamin E This vitam vitamin in is a fatfat-solubl soluble e nutrient nutrient which which helps helps to protect protect cell cellss from the the oxidativ oxidative e 6 damage caused by free f ree radicals and environmental environmental toxins . A study published in the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition demonstrated that Vitamin E helps to protect the pituitary gland from oxidative damage, potentially slowing the ageing process as a result7. Dietary sources of Vitamin E include eggs, nuts, oily fish, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin A Vitamin A is essential for the health of your pitu your pituit itary ary and and thyroid glands glands8. This fatfat-soluble soluble vitamin vitamin affects affects the way way the pituitary pituitary gland gland inte interacts racts with the thyroid thyroid gland gland,, playing a crucial role in the maintenance and regulation of various metabolic processes. Earlier we discussed Thyroid Stimulating Hormone or TSH, and it is this hormone which is released by the pituitary gland to stimulate thyroid function; Vitamin A can be excellent way of facilitating this process. 5 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-B12 6 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/vitamins/vitamin-E 7

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19794930

8 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminA/

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If you do not want to invest in a Vitamin A supplement then you can increase your dietary intake by consuming more foods such as egg yolks and oily fish. Iodine When discussing the relationship relationship between bet ween the pitu the pituit itary ary and and thyroid glands glands we shouldn’t neglect to mention iodine. We mentioned that Vitamin A enhances enhances communication between these two t wo glands, but iodine also helps the thyroid gland to respond efficiently to signals sent from the pituitary gland9. You can easily add more iodine to your diet by purchasing iodised table salt. If adding extra sodium to your diet is a concern then you can also source iodine from kelp or a stand-alone iodine supplement. Liquorice Root and Phosphatidylserine Liquorice root can be used by individuals suffering from underactive adrenal glands. glands. This root root not not only helps helps to to stimulat stimulate e adrenal adrenal function function but also also plays plays a role in in regulat regulating ing levels of circulating cortisol in the body, potentially helping to alleviate acute stress and anxiety. While we’re on the subject of cortisol and the adrenal glands it is worth mentioning phosphatidylserine10. This nutrien nutrientt is most most commonly commonly used used to to reduce reduce cortisol cortisol level levelss but, inter interestin estingly gly,, it can also also be used to treat both underactive and overactive adrenals. If you found yourself feeling tired and lethargic on a regular basis - common symptoms of adrenal fatigue often caused by excessive caffeine consumption - then adding these nutrients to your diet might be just what you need. 9 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/iodine/ 10 http://www.precisionnutrition.com/what-do-the-adrenal-glands-do

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Liquorice root can be purchased in the form of a tea, which provides the added benefit of a hot caffeine-free beverage for you to enjoy in the evening. A Pantry for Your Pancreas Onions, garlic, blueberries, and broccoli11 have all been shown to provide a host of benefits to the pancreas. Generally speaking, any food that is high in fiber and contains antioxidants will help your body to regulate is production of insulin while also regulating blood sugar levels more effectively. Glucose disposal agents such as Alpha Lipoic Acid, apple cider vinegar, Chromium, and even cinnamon all help to increase the sensitivity of your body’s cells to the effects of insulin. This mean meanss that that your pancre pancreas as will will not have have to to produce produce as as much insulin insulin to effective effectively ly regulate regulate blood bloo d sugar levels. Making your body more sensitive to carbohydrates and insulin is an incredibly effective way of improving your body composition. This means not only creating a leaner physique but also making it easier for you to build muscle due to the positive influence that these foods and supplements have on nutrient partitioning. Simply put, adding some of these nutrients to your diet will make your body more likely to shuttle nutrients into your muscle tissues rather than depositing them as body fat stores. Zinc and Magnesium The last two nutrien nutrients ts we are are going going to look at are are zinc and and magnes magnesium, ium, both of which which play a crucial role in testosterone production in the testes12. (Obviously for guys) and magnesium is required for the proper growth and maintenance of bones which is vitally important more so for women than men. 11 http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/ http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/foods/cruciferous/ cruciferous/ 12 http://www.poliquingroup.c http://www.poliquingroup.com/ArticlesMultimedia/ om/ArticlesMultimedia/Articles/Article/934/Five_Simple_W Articles/Article/934/Five_Simple_Ways_to_Raise_Testoster ays_to_Raise_Testosterone_Levels_ one_Levels_ for_.aspx

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Magnesium is also required for the proper function of nerves, muscles, and many other parts of the body. In the stomach, magnesium magnesium helps neutralize stomach s tomach acid and moves stools through the intestine. Low levels of zinc can lead to increased activity of estrogen receptors while decreasing the sensitivity of androgen receptors. receptors. Androgenic hormones are naturally occurring o ccurring steroids which are produced by the adrenal cortex and are directly responsible for muscular development and male characteristics as a whole. Suffice to say, enhancing enhancing your androgen production while increasing the sensitivity of of androgen receptors is something you definitely want to do in order to develop a lean and muscular Alpha Physique. Physique. Magnesium is used to maintain cardiovascular health as well as correct functioning of the central nervous system. In addition to this, a study published in 2011 showed that older men with low levels of magnesium magnesium tended to have lower levels of both b oth free and total testosterone than those with higher levels of magnesium. magnesium. You can reap the benefits of both of these minerals by using either a multi-mineral supplement or ZMA, which combines zinc, magnesium, and Vitamin B6. By now you should have compiled a shopping list of all the different foods and supplements you need to ensure optimal hormonal function throughout your body. There is is no need to to take fistfuls of of pills pills every every day but adding adding a few select select suppleme supplements nts on top of a well-balanced diet will help to keep you on top form week after week, month after month. The importance importance of of endocrine endocrine healt health h in hard-t hard-train raining ing indivi individua duals ls such such as you cannot cannot be emphasized strongly enough, so make sure this is something you do not neglect!

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Macro Timing This section section of the the manual manual outline outliness the founda foundation tional al nutrition nutritional al principle principless of all of my my programs. I believe macro-timing, or macro flex as I call it, is the most effective method of reducing fat and properly fueling for training. The three three macronu macronutrien trients ts are prote proteins, ins, carbohydra carbohydrates tes,, and fat. fat. These big big three three nutrien nutrients ts were were not made made equal, equal, and and understan understandin ding g how best best to utiliz utilize e them according to your goals can pay dividends both in the short term and the long term. Regardless of what time of day you hit the gym there is an optimal approach for you and I am going to lay out a strategic macro timing plan suitable for morning, afternoon, and evening workouts. Program Your Metabolism Before we dive into the specifics of each macro timing plan, there is a highly effective rule of thumb that you can implement right away to transform your body into a fat-burning, muscle-building machine... machine... and you won’t believe how simple it is! Don’t eat carbs at breakfast! Now you’re probably thinking “is that it?!” To To make make sense sense of why why this this is so helpful helpful it is is important important to understa understand nd that that early early in the the morning your body is naturally a fat-burning state. This is is partly due to the the fact that that you have have been been essenti essentially ally fasting fasting throu through gh the night, night, making your body fat the only available energy substrate. Cortisol and Insulin Another interesting point is that your cortisol levels are naturally higher between around 6 AM and 8 AM; this forms part of your body’s natural circadian rhythm and is what wakes you up in the morning.

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Cortisol is typically considered to be a stress hormone and a “bad” one at that. This is largely because it is associated with the breakdown of tissues, namely lean muscle mass. Although chronically high levels of cortisol can hold you back from achieving your goals, this acute natural release of cortisol can actually be used to your advantage because of the fact that it is also associated with the breakdown of lipids (fatty tissues). Eating carbohydrates first thing in the morning will trigger a release of insulin which blunts cortisol and basically switches off this fat burning and causes your body to enter into what can most easily be described as more of a state of “storing” nutrients (carbohydrates in this case). On the other hand, avoiding carbs and relying instead on protein will help to trigger muscle protein synthesis and stimulate your metabolism. Furthermore, adding a small amount of natural fat into the mix can “program” your body to continue using fat for hours to come. A good example of a healthy protein-and-fat breakfast would be a spinach omelette cooked in organic virgin coconut oil. This strat strategic egic approac approach h to metaboli metabolicc programmin programming g will keep keep your your body body in a fat fat-bur -burnin ning g state state for many hours longer each day than it would have been otherwise, otherwise, while at the same time improving your insulin sensitivity so that when you do eat carbs later in the day your muscles will be primed to soak them up and store them as muscle glycogen. If you really want to ramp up your fat loss then you may want to consider keeping the carbs out of subsequent meals, saving them for post-workout and later in the evening. Now we are going to take a look at how you might time your macronutrients intake based on what time of day you work out. Morning Workouts If you train early in the morning then you will more than likely find yourself having to break the “no carbs in the AM” rule; however, you can still take great advantage of the

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pronounced fat-burning state that your body is in upon waking by consuming a preworkout meal devoid of carbs. Although you will want your pre-workout meal to be high in protein it will also be a good idea to include some fat in order to slow digestion a little and provide a more steady release of amino acids into your bloodstream while you train. For those of you thinking that fasted training will yield superior results, remember that research has shown the opposite to be true, true, with a 2011 study advising that “[...] when moderate endurance exercise is done to lose body fat, fasting before exercise does not enhance lipid utilization; rather, physical activity after a light meal is advisable.” The spinach spinach omelette omelette mentioned mentioned above above is a suitab suitable le choice choice,, and cooking cooking your your eggs eggs in coconut oil will also provide a great source of medium-chain triglycerides or MCT. Medium-chain triglycerides are digested very quickly, providing your body with a more immediate source of fuel in a similar manner to carbs (but of course without the insulin spike we are trying to avoid). If you find that something like the spinach omelette is a little too heavy on your stomach first thing in the morning then you could substitute this with a protein shake and tablespoon of natural peanut butter or almond butter. Your post-workout meal will include some carbs and should be kept fairly simple to allow for easy and rapid digestion. The most obviou obviouss example example would would be chicke chicken n breast breast with with jasmine jasmine rice rice as as both of these these items are very low in fat and fiber, allowing for a quick release of proteins and carbs into your system when they are needed most. The remaind remainder er of your your carbohydra carbohydrate te intake intake would be best allotted allotted to your your final final one or two evening meals, depending on how many meals you eat per day. Many people find that eating the majority of their carbs in the evening allows for a much better night’s sleep, not to mention the fact that the stored muscle glycogen will be readily available for your next workout the following morning.

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To To summariz summarize, e, your your daily daily meal meal plan would would look look something something like like this: this: • Meal 1 (Pre-Workout) Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 2 (Post-Workout) (Post-Workout) Protein Protein + Carbs • Meal 3 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 4 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 5 Protein Protein + Carbs + Veggies Veggies As mentioned above, your meal plan might look slightly different if you are eating more or less frequently, plus if you require a particularly high carb intake then you may find it preferential preferential to spread it over meals 4 and 5. Afternoon Workouts If you train in the afternoon then your daily meal plan isn’t likely to look very different, but you will have the advantage of being able to prolong the early morning fat-burning state that your body is in. If we continue to assume that you are eating around five meals per day, your plan would look something so mething like this: • Meal 1 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 2 Protein + Fat + Veggies

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• Meal 3 (Pre-Workout) Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 4 (Post-Workout) (Post-Workout) Protein Protein + Carbs • Meal 5 Protein Protein + Carbs + Veggies Veggies Of course the specific positioning of your pre- and post-workout meals may differ slightly depending on exactly what time of day you are training, so there is a little wiggle room here. Evening Workouts The vast majori majority ty of people will will find thems themselve elvess having having to to train in the even evening ing after after leaving work, and although this can be a challenge for some, it will allow you to keep your insulin levels rock bottom for longer than those who are training in the morning or afternoon. For evening workouts your meal plan will look like this: • Meal 1 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 2 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 3 Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 4 (Pre-Workout) Protein + Fat + Veggies • Meal 5 (Post-Workout) (Post-Workout) Protein + Carbs (+ Veggies - optional) optional )

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Notice that you are eating protein-and-fat meals pretty much all day before taking most or even all of your carbs at the end of the day (post-workout). Remember that there is some variation when it comes to the carbohydrate requirements of different individuals, and it is generally advisable that you don’t drop below 100 g of carbs per day. However there are specific times when I will have you go well below that or maintain a 50-100 gram carb intake cycle. With this in mind, you might find it better to include some carbs in either meal 2 or meal 3 as this will enable you to still keep breakfast and pre-workout meal carb free. Of course if you want to get really aggressive with your fat loss efforts then you will simply have to eat all of your carbs in your post-workout meal. The vegetab vegetables les in your your post-work post-workout out meal meal for this this plan plan have have been added added as an an optional optional extra. This is is because, because, althoug although h we want want rapid rapid absorptio absorption n of the prot protein einss and carbs, carbs, you you will also also want to make sure that your body remains well fed throughout the night so that you don’t wake up wanting to chew off your own arm due to hunger! If you find yourself feeling particularly hungry at the end of a long work day and a hard workout then adding a small amount of fat to this final meal will also help to slow digestion further so that you feel fuller for longer. Eat Your Greens Vegetables have been included in most of the meals in each of the three plans we have laid out. This is is because because although although we we place place a lot of empha emphasis sis on macronut macronutrien rientt timing, timing, itit is important that you do not neglect your micronutrient intake. Eating vegetables at most of your meals will not only provide you with the fiber you need for optimal digestive health; you will also be able to reap the benefits of all manner of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, antioxidants, and other phytonutrien phy tonutrients ts that you would otherwise be unable to obtain.

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Besides boosting your immune system and enhancing your overall health on a daily basis, these essential micronutrients will also help to promote a greater rate of recovery from your workouts so that you can keep coming back bigger, bigger, stronger, and leaner. It doesn’t matter whether you work a 9-5 office job or a shift pattern, there is always a way to adjust your routine and create a plan that works for you based on your goals and personal lifestyle. This princi principle ple applies applies to to both your your diet diet and traini training ng regimen regimen,, and ifif you truly truly want want to transform your body to be lean with abs, then you won’t make excuses; you will find a way to make it work so you can get your workouts in and eat in a way that is conducive to your goals. Good Nutritional Habits Whether you are a seasoned athlete or you’re embarking on your first weight loss journey, there is almost always room for improvement when it comes to diet. Developing good nutritional habits is usually a gradual process which involves implementing various strategies and approaches as you figure out what works for you based on your body and personal preferences. Although there can be some variation from person to person in terms of specific dietary recommendations, there are a number of hard and fast “rules of thumb” that you can adopt to help sculpt the physique you want in less time and with less overall effort. In today’s lesson we are going to look at some handy hints and tips that you can apply to improve your dietary habits and get you where you want to be. Make the Right Decisions at the Market One of the first hurdles that you are likely to encounter, and one that is unfortunately the downfall of so many hopeful dieters, is the grocery store. From two-for-one offers on your favorite brand of ice cream to the unspeakably tempting baked goods placed front and centre as you enter the store, it is no surprise that we find it so difficult to stay strong with faced with so many goodies!

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Fortunately there are a couple of tricks that you can use to, at the very least practice a little damage control when you next shop for groceries. Firstly, make a list, check it twice, and stick to it! If you know exactly which foods you intend to buy then you can step into the store with a sense of purpose and direction. This has has to be better better than than aimles aimlessly sly wanderin wandering g about, being drawn drawn in in by whate whatever ver junk junk food is on special offer this week. Know the Territory Secondly, if you pay attention to the layout of most supermarkets you will notice that the fresh produce and meat tend to be near the front of the store, or generally on the outermost aisles. There are are some excepti exceptions ons to to this this rule but the the innermost innermost aisles aisles are are where where you will will be far more likely to find candy, cookies, and all kinds of processed “Frankenstein “Frankenstein foods.” With your shopping list firmly in hand, or saved on your smartphone, you should find it far easier to safely circumnavigate circumnavigate this epicentre of obesity! obesit y! Replace Negative Habits With Good Ones We all start off trying to lose weight with the best of intentions, immediately eliminating all of our favorite “bad” foods, exercising excessively, and generally adopting an overly restrictive mindset. This may may sound sound like like a decent decent enoug enough h idea idea on paper paper but for the the vast majori majority ty of people this ends quickly in a burnout. Hunger levels go through the roof, energy and motivation go through the floor, and the whole thing quickly becomes unsustainable; why do you think 95% of people fail to follow through on their New Year’s resolutions? While there is always going to be some hard work involved, it is equally important to work smart.

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Identify some of your existing habits that might be holding you back from achieving your fat loss and muscle building goals. Once you have done this you will be in far better shape in terms of gradually replacing these negative habits with more positive ones. Some negative habits that you might want to consider replacing include things like: • Drinking soda • Adding sugar and creamer creamer to your your coffee • Not keeping keeping your refrigerator stocked with with plenty of healthy foods Examples of positive habits include: • Drinking at least several several glasses glasses of water water per day • Preparing extra food at dinner dinner so you have have a convenient convenient lunch lunch for the following following day • Making sure sure you get enough quality quality sleep on a consisten consistentt basis • Eating plenty of lean proteins, proteins, vegetables, vegetables, and healthy healthy fats If you often find yourself struggling with willpower when trying to lose weight, then simply start by choosing one or two habits to change. Once you feel comfortable with your new habits you can begin to make additional changes, and before you know it you will have given your lifestyle a complete overhaul. Remember Energy Balance There are are so many many differ different ent types of of weight weight loss loss diets diets these these days, days, and anyone anyone with with access access to the Internet can quickly become overwhelmed by the amount of choice there is. We have low-carb diets, low-fat diets, the Paleo diet, Intermittent Fasting, carb backloading, and everything in between; it’s enough to make your head spin! The bottom bottom line when when it comes comes to to weight weight loss loss is that that you you need to to be consum consuming ing fewer fewer calories than your body is burning on a daily basis. Now this is not to say that you should be sourcing all of your calories from Twinkies because there are a multitude of health issues beyond simple weight loss and weight gain. The general general rule rule of calories in versus calories out calories out is undeniable.

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How Many Calories Should I Eat Per Day? Calculating how many calories you should be consuming on a daily basis is very quick and easy. There are are a number number of free free online online Calorie Calorie Calculat Calculators ors that that enable enable you to to input input factors such such as your age, gender, weight, and activity level in order to obtain a fairly accurate estimation of how many calories you burn on a daily basis. Once you have this number, simply subtract 200 - 500 calories and this will usually be sufficient to allow you to lose around 1 - 2 lbs per week. It is worth noting that obese and heavily overweight individuals are likely to see some initial weight loss simply from using our previous tip of replacing negative habits with better ones. If you are already in decent shape or are only slightly overweight then you will more than likely need to become more mindful of your food intake to ensure you are truly in a calorie deficit at the end of each day. Count Your Macros (An Extension of MacroTiming) Again macro refers to proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as opposed to micronutrients which refers to things like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and so on. Keeping track of your macros is an incredibly effective way of knowing for sure that you are on the right track with your diet. It is all well and good saying that you should eat more protein, include healthy fats, and consume a reasonable amount of carbohydrates, but how are you supposed to know that you are eating right for your goals unless you keep track of your food intake? Track Track Your Your Macros Macros With With the BlackO BlackOps ps MacroF MacroFlex lex Nutrition Nutrition App App You might feel as if counting is excessive or borderline obsessive but using our Black Ops MacroFlex Nutrition app will app will make the process quicker and easier than you might have imagined.

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Within this app, you’ll be able to create your own food database tailored to your personal tastes and preferences. All you have to do is enter the type of food you are eating at each meal, and the size of your portion. This will will provide provide you with with a breakd breakdown own of your your macronu macronutrien trient, t, fiber, fiber, and total total caloric caloric intake for each meal and for the day as a whole. The beauty beauty of counti counting ng your your macros macros is that that you you are consist consistent ently ly aware aware of how how many many grams grams of each macro you have left for subsequent meals throughout the day. This allows you to fit more enjoyable meals into your plan in a flexible fashion and remember Macro Timing. Stay Flexible Between work and family obligations, not to mention trying to maintain some semblance of a social life, it can sometimes be a real challenge to stay 100% on your diet while still having an enjoyable and fulfilling life. With this in mind, it is important to adopt a flexible attitude so that you can enjoy occasional treats and not stress about being unable to prepare your own food due to an unexpected social gathering or work event. Using the Black Ops MacroFlex Nutrition app in combination with this Nutrition Guide, will give you everything you need to get the job done while still remaining flexible enough to enjoy your day-to-day life. A Drop in the Ocean It is okay to occasionally eat foods that are not part of your diet plan providing they fit into the overall scheme of your daily macronutrient allotment. Now before you take this to mean that you can subsist on nothing more than Pop Tarts and Whoppers; sorry to disappoint you but that is NOT the NOT the case! On the bright side, it does mean that if you are counting your macros then you will find it easier to stay flexible with your diet without feeling as if you have fallen off the wagon or somehow failed in your weight loss efforts.

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Ensure that at least 90% of your meals fall into your diet plan and the occasional indulgence will be like a drop in the ocean! Play the Long Game We discussed earlier that for many people weight loss is a process of gradually adopting positive habits. However, even if you are already in decent shape and are simply looking to up your game in time for summer, you must stay realistic with your expectations. If you try to rush your weight loss by adopting a crash diet or performing too much exercise too soon... well, let’s just say that is usually a recipe for disaster! How Much Weight Should I Be Losing Each Week? Unless you are heavily overweight you should be aiming for an approximate weekly weight loss of 1 - 3 lbs because this will ensure that most of the weight you are losing is body fat rather than lean muscle mass. Even if you have no muscle building aspirations it is important to understand that having more muscle on your body makes it easier to lose fat by stimulating your metabolic rate; that is, the number of calories you’re burning on a daily basis (remember what we discussed about calories in vs calories out). Ladies, I don’t want you to get worried by that statement. We are not talking about getting bulky or bulging muscles. We are talking about lean mass which is vital for your long term quality of life in addition to the benefits for converting body fat. If you want to lose 40 lbs then by giving yourself a deadline of just a couple of months you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. Focus instead on consistent consistent and sustainable weight weight loss while still being b eing able to enjoy some of the foods you love and feeling good throughout the process. This is is a balanced balanced,, realisti realistic, c, but noneth nonetheles elesss determin determined ed mindset mindset that that will ensu ensure re your your long-term weight loss success and help you to keep those excess pesky pounds off for good - all without having to resort to drastic measures!

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Exercise Descriptions Abdominal bracing I consider this to be the most important aspect to developing your abs in the correct manner. This is is the founda foundation tional al movemen movementt in this this program program and and it will will develop develop your abs abs and strengthen you at the same time allowing you to perform feats of strength you might not have thought possible. I refer to it over and over in the videos and will constantly remind you to ensure you are bracing. Here is some of the theory: Dr. Stuart McGill challenged the importance of the TVA muscle in relation to spinal stabilization and back pain. McGill’s theory is that all of the torso muscles are important when it comes to preventing back pain and stabilizing the spine. There is is no ‘wonde ‘wonderr muscle’ muscle’ that that protects the spine or stops back pain from occurring. Rather, any muscle (or group) can be the most important stabilizer of the spine at any one instance of time. The importance importance of of individu individual al muscles muscles will will subtly subtly chang change e dependen dependentt on task task required. required. Muscles work together in multiple directions to sustain posture, p osture, create create movement, prevent movement and maintain stability.

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McGill championed a technique known as abdominal bracing. bracing. As bracing activates multiple muscles, many different lines of stiffness are created. Some of these lines of stiffness can be seen in the picture above. In abdominal bracing, you are simultaneously co-activating all layers of core muscles, in addition to activating your lats, quadratus lumborum, and back extensors. This means the entire abdominal wall is activated from all angles, sides, and directions, causing the three layers of the muscles to actually physically bind together. This bindin binding g enhanc enhances es the stiffnes stiffnesss and stabili stability ty of the core core to to a much great greater er degree degree than than what would otherwise be produced by the sum of each individual part. This is is what what McGill McGill refers refers to as superstiffne superstiffness. ss. It is is this this stiffness stiffness that that provid provides es us with with 360 degrees of spinal stability, making us injury resilient and helping us achieve optimal performance. You see, stiffness is actually key for spinal stability and spine health. Having a stiff core eliminates eliminates micro-movements in the joints that lead to spine and tissue degeneration. Without stiffness, these micro-movements would gradually gnaw away on our nerves, eventually eventually causing pain and even disability. Stiffness braces these micro-movements and takes away the pain, essentially essentially building a spinal armor.

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Bracing: Knees Bracing: Knees bent with neutral spine (flat on the ground). Once in position place one hand on your sternum and one hand near your pelvis. Then activate all of your abdominals and obliques - similar to coughing.

Kendall’s muscle test: You can use these tests to determine the strength of your abdominal muscles. Rectus Abdominal Muscle Strength: Step One One - Lay flat on a firm surface, a table or the floor with your legs straight. Using an exercise mat on the floor is recommended for comfort. Place your hands behind your head. Perform a traditional sit-up in the position, lifting your shoulders and head off the floor. Lift your upper body all the way up keeping your back in a curled position. If you are able to complete this movement, movement, then you have what is considered normal strength. If you are unable to lift yourself up in this position, try the next step. Step Two Two - Follow the instructions in step one except instead of placing your hands behind your head, fold your arms across your chest. If you were unable to complete step one, but are able to successfully complete step two, then you have what is considered good strength. If you are unable to lift yourself up in this position, try the next step.

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Step Three Three - Follow the instructions in step one except instead of placing your hands behind your head, extend both of your arms forward. If you were unable to complete step two, but are able to successfully complete step three, then you have what is considered fair strength. Oblique Abdominal Muscle Strength: Lay flat on a firm surface, a table or the floor with your legs straight. Using an exercise mat on the floor is recommended for comfort. Have someone hold your legs down. Place your hands behind your head and lift your body into the position pictured here (bending your back and rotating to one side). You will grade this test as follows: Normal - The ability to hold the test position with your hands behind your head. Good - The ability to hold the test position with your hands folded across your chest. Fair+ Fair+ - The ability to hold the test position with both of your arms extended forward. Fair - The ability to hold the test position in enough bend in your back and rotation to raise both of your shoulder blades off the table. When rotating to the left side, you are testing the external oblique on the right side and the internal oblique on the left side. When rotating to the right side, you are testing the external oblique on the left side and the internal oblique on the right side. This test test is especi especially ally important important for for people who who have have scoliosi scoliosiss because because usually usually one one side side will be weaker weaker than the other. other.

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Lower Abdominal Muscle Strength: Lay flat on a firm surface, a table or the floor with your legs straight. Using an exercise mat on the floor is recommended for comfort. Fold your arms across your chest. Do not raise your head or shoulders during test. Raise your legs to a vertical position one at a time (or have someone assist you in doing this) Keep back flat on the floor by drawing in your abdominal muscles. Slowly lower your legs together to the mat. Strength is graded on your ability to keep your low back flat on the table while slowly lowering both legs. The angle angle between between your legs legs and the the floor when when your your back arches arches and you are are no longer longer able to keep it flat determines your strength as follows: Normal: 0-15 degrees Good: 30 Good: 30 degrees Fair +: +: - 60 degrees Fair: 75 degrees Lateral Trunk Flexors Abdominal Muscle Strength: Lay on your side on a firm surface, a table or the floor with your legs straight. Using an exercise mat on the floor is recommended for comfort. Place a pillow between your legs. Keep your top arm along your side and cross your other arm across your chest. You will need someone to hold your legs down. Lift your body off the floor bending your back sideways. Normal: Able Normal: Able to fully lift and bend your back sideways.

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Good: Able Good: Able to lift and bend your back sideways with your shoulder 4 inches from the floor. Fair: Able Fair: Able to lift and bend your back sideways with your shoulder 2 inches from the floor. If weakness is noted, I highly recommend you follow this plan closely! Diaphragm Release: Using a lacrosse ball, place the ball under your Xiphoid Process (the bump where your ribs join at at the bottom bottom).).

Laying on the ground with your face down and arms at your side and work the ball through the area of your diaphragm.

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T-Spine - Foam Roller: Place the foam roller on the ground and lay with your back on top of the roller.

Move in a manner that cause the roller to move along your back.

To To increase increase the press pressure ure,, bend legs legs at at 90 degrees degrees and raise hips towa toward rd the ceiling ceiling and and roll roll up and down and side to side on the roller. T-Spine T-Spine - Peanut: Lying on your back, place peanut (2 lacrosse balls in a sock or taped together so they look like a peanut - see video) along your thoracic spine at an angle no more than 30-40 degrees, with the lower ball on the side that is MOST limited with rotation.

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Perform 5-10 hip bridges with a dumbbell or plate resting on your sternum to provide extra pressure.

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Couch Stretch: Bracing the spine first allows us to bias the lower body and emphasize the hip, knee, and ankle complex without creating an upstream compensation pattern that puts slack into the system. Don’t arch your back. Get the knee joint tucked toward the wall or on the couch back if you have one. Don’t let it come away from the wall.

Now you can either bring the other leg up or if there is too much tension in the hip leave the leg back (almost like in the starter sprint stance - see video).

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Dead Bug: Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on floor. Brace your trunk, then one leg at a time bring both legs up to 90 degrees. When doing this, do not allow your back to arch or pelvis to tilt anterior. Once you brace your core, your back position is not allowed to move at all.

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Bring both arms up in 90 degrees relation to your body.

Lower the opposite arm and leg toward the floor then return to the start position.

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Alternate limbs

Although it may feel like or seem like this is an easy exercise, it isn’t. When done correctly this will activate the core muscles in a very effective way thus building your ability to appropriately press and move heavy weight. weight.

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Open Book: Lie on your side and bend your knees at 90 degrees. Place your arms out to your front with your hands together.

Rotate your arm “opening” your body maintaining stable hips. Rotation should occur in your back creating mobility in your arm. See Video Demonstration.

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Cat Cow (Also called Cat Camel): Get down on your hands and knees on the floor.

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Relax your head, and allow it to droop.

Round your back up toward the ceiling until you feel a nice stretch in your upper, middle, and lower back with good flexion through your hips. See Video Demonstration

Banded Hip Distraction: Wrap a band on something solid at hip height so you have a loop you can step into. Put one leg in the band loop and move forward to engage tension in the band ensuring it is up high close to your hip.

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Straighten your leg and hinge forward at the hips with your free leg behind you. Move your trunk down toward your knee of the banded leg and hold. See Video Demonstration

Glute bridge: Lie on your back, knees bent to 90 degrees, feet flat on floor. Brace you trunk and do not change pelvic or spinal position throughout the movement.

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Squeeze your glutes and extend your hips hold at the top position for 10 sec/rep. See Video Demonstration

Bird dog: In quadruped position (kneel on all fours) with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Start with pelvis in neutral then brace core.

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Start with a small progression of lifting opposite hand and knee 2” off the floor.

Alternate sides. Do not let pelvis or trunk rotate and overextend. If stable, move to extending the arm and leg fully for each rep.

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Plank RKC style: Recruits more than a regular plank as you’re trying to generate more muscle tension overall. In plank position; elbows under shoulders, toes together, head in neutral, the body should be in a straight line. A couple cue’s to generate more tension; 1. Squeeze your first tight 2. Generate scapular external rotation by thinking about rotating rotating first out. 3. Squeeze your quads (focus on extending your knees) 4. Squeeze your butt (push heels together) 5. Think about drawing your elbows to your heels and your toes up to your elbows.

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Side Plank: Lying on your side, support yourself on your bottom elbow. Make sure the elbow is directly under the shoulder and that your feet and hips are perfectly stacked.

Now brace your core and lift your hips up off of the ground. Keep your body in line therefore not allowing yourself to tip forward or back.

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Hollow Rock Hold: This is is the first first progress progression ion of many many.. It requires requires full full body tensi tension. on. Lie on on your back, back, your pelvis will be in slight posterior rotation while pulling your rib cage down. Your lower back will be in contact with the ground.

Squeeze your butt, legs straight and tight together with toes pointed. Push your heels together. Your arms should be straight overhead and glued to your ears. Hold this position. Remember to breath! breath!

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Easier progressions are arms at your side, single leg in the air bent at 90 degrees or double legs bent at 90 degrees.

The progress progression ion shown shown below below is an an easier easier versio version n of the hollow hollow rock rock hold. hold.

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This is is a demonstra demonstration tion of the the easier easier progre progressio ssion n with leg bent bent at 90 degree degreess (singl (single e leg). leg).

The hold demon demonstrat strated ed below below is with with both legs at at 90 degrees. degrees.

KB or DB pull over: The start position position of of this this is simila similarr to the the deadbug deadbug progr progress ession. ion. You You will will lie on your your back, both hip and knees at ninety degrees. You will hold a KB up overhead at 90degrees.

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Slowly lower your legs toward the ground while maintaining that hollow position.

Find a position with your legs where your back position just starts to extend, hold legs there for the duration of all the reps, Slowly lower the KB overhead with arms extended then return to the 90 degrees position.

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AB roll out: Done best with a proper ‘ab roller’ however a Swiss ball, foam roller or barbell may be used. Place knees on floor or mat and hands on roller. Roll out so that your hips become extended and your hands are directly underneath your shoulders. This is where the rep begins and ends. It is important to maintain a neutral position in this exercise; over extension of the spine will lead to pain.

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Slowly begin to extend arms, only lower as far as you can maintain a position. If you can roll out completely so that your shoulders are open and your torso is almost touching the floor, then return to the start position.

Always keep hips extended on this exercise, flexing the hips to return to the start position is a no rep.

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Bridge plus leg lift: Start position is the Glute bridge (Lie on your back, knees bent to 90 degrees, feet flat on floor. Brace your trunk and do not change pelvic or spinal position throughout the movement.).

This progre progressio ssion n requires requires you you to main maintain tain the the bridge bridge position position and and lift one foot foot up at at a time. Begin with lifting foot 2” off the floor. Keep hands on pelvis, do not allow hips to rotate or drop throughout the movement. movement.

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The next progress progression ion of this this exerci exercise se is to to raise the heigh heightt of your should shoulders ers to a bench then a Swiss ball. Arms across your body will increase the difficulty.

Bicycle crunch oblique: Lie on your back, maintain neutral spine and extend legs straight out and raised to a level that your spine remains neutral. Place hands at the sides of your head.

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Slowly raise one leg towards 90 degrees and slightly twist the opposite elbow toward the opposite knee. Ensure you are completely braced and do this exercise slowly while maintaining maintaining tension. See Video Demonstration.

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Hollow rocks (progressions): The next progress progression ion of the the hollow hollow rock holds holds exerc exercise ise is is dynamic. dynamic.

The first progr progressi ession on of the hollow hollow rock rock is to to tuck the the knees to 90 degrees degrees and and bring bring the shoulders down to be inline with the body, elbows extended. Maintain that slightly hollowed position with ribs down and pelvis neutral.

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Sometimes referred to a banana rock; rock back and forth from shoulders to bum.

Do not let any part of your body change positions throughout the exercise. The next progress progression ion of this this is to to let one leg leg extend extend out while while the the other other is still still tucked. tucked. Point the toe.

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Once this progression is met you can extend both legs out while still keeping arms flush to torso. The final progression is arms overhead, keeping them close to your ears.

The final final progress progression ion and and level level of difficulty difficulty is arms arms overhe overhead ad keeping keeping them them close close to to your ears.

Rock up making sure you are not hinging at the hips but maintaining bracing and stiffness.

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Arch rocks: Similar movement pattern to the hollow rock this exercise targets the posterior chain. Start position will require you to will lie on your stomach, arms extended overhead squeezing ears, toes together and pointed. Squeeze your glutes to protect your back.

Maintain this tight positioning and rock back and forth from chest to hips.

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Active shoulder push: This progre progressio ssion n is to to begin gaini gaining ng strength strength throu through gh your your pushing pushing muscu musculatu lature re while while maintaining maintaining and strong trunk. tr unk.

Here you will hold onto a pull up bar and push against the bar so that your torso begins to move horizontally beneath it.

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When gaining tension on the bar, pull scapula down and think about pulling your shoulders into its socket. While doing this maintain a braced progression and keep the spine and pelvis in neutral, don’t allow for over extension of the spine to occur.

Plank plus limb lift: This exerc exercise ise done done properly properly is very very difficult, difficult, done done improperl improperlyy is quite quite easy easy.. Easier Easier progressions are to lift one leg at a time, harder progression is to lift your leg and arm. The idea idea is to to hold a plank plank (RKC (RKC style) style) then then lift lift one limb at at a time, time, when this this occurs, occurs, there there is no movement whatsoever throughout the body. The hips do not drop, flex or rotate. Brace the body with full tension before lifting the limb.

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Note in the image below - the left arm is raised slightly while the remainder of the body stays engaged.

Side plank plus leg lift: This exerc exercise ise will will target target the the hip muscu musculatu lature re on top top of the oblique obliques. s. Begin in side plank position; is it important that you do not let the hips drop back and allow your torso to face up.

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Hips completely square, lift your top leg up and slightly posterior, return to start position.

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Handstand hold (front to wall): Walk up the wall with your stomach facing the wall. Is is important that you maintain the hollow body position in this exercise. Squeeze your butt, ribs down. Think about pushing your heels together, reaching reaching your toes to the roof and pushing your hands firm into the floor. floo r.

Hanging leg raise: Hang from the bar arms extended overhand grip, maintain an active shoulder position (see alpha phase).

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L Sit (knees tuck): This exerc exercise ise has has a few few variatio variations, ns, mainl mainlyy on grip. grip. It can eithe eitherr be a pushing pushing or pulling pulling grip, grip, for our purposes of progression a hanging grip will transfer better towards the levers. Hanging from a bar or rings maintain an active shoulder position. Keep the ribs down and spine in neutral, Bring knees up to ninety degree and hold this position for max time.

L Sit ( Single Leg) Do as above however once at 90 degrees extend one leg out straight.

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L Sit Bilateral (two legs) Hanging from the bar or rings simultaneously raise straight legs, hinging at the hips and maintaining neutral spine as in the previous images. Hollow rocks: Building upon the progression of the alpha hollow rocks progression, this exercise requires both legs to be extended and arms to be overhead. Do not allow hips to flex to allow the transfer of energy in the rock. The closer both legs are towards the floor the more difficult the exercise.

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Back extensions: Requires a machine or partner to do correctly. Lie on bench, or hyperextension bench so that your torso can completely clear the pads. Lower torso toward the floor, hinging at the hips.

Squeeze glutes, brace core and bring torso in line with hips. Do not over extend the lumbar spine in this exercise when returning to the start position.

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Knees to elbows: The next progress progression ion from a hanging hanging knee raise. raise. Hold onto onto the the pullup pullup bar with with an active active shoulder position and hollow body. This exercise demands more strength from the lats and upper body musculature. Arms should be flush against the ears.

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Push against the pull up bar to raise hips; tuck knees up to touch the elbows. Try not swinging too much, as it will take away from the trunk development. See Video Demonstration

Toes to Bar: Similar to knees to elbow with the shoulders and hollow body position.

Keep your legs straight, push against the pull up bar to raise hips and rotate toes toward the bar. Avoid swinging. See Video Demonstration

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Skin the cat (progression 1): The Skin Skin the Cat Cat is a fundam fundament ental al movemen movementt to deve develop lop shoulder shoulder streng strength th at full full range range of motion.

By hanging using the rings r ings and rotating the entire body through, this movement movement takes your through from full shoulder flexion to extension - where you can then hang out for a stretch. It is important that your shoulders and arms are warmed up well before practicing this movement as you are pushing and pulling your full bodyweight at full range of motion. Make sure your hands are in the anatomical position with facing up.

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Bring your knees down toward your chest as you start to roll through.

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Skin the cat (progression 2): Similar body position and rolling motion through the rings however one leg is tucked. Roll back to straight s traight to finish.

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When you have successfully mastered the single leg progression of skin the cat you can move to the double leg with both extended out.

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Gently lower your feet to the ground and prepare to roll back up.

Roll back down and place your feet on the floor to exit the move.

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Reverse Hyper Extension: Lay torso and waist on bench and grasp handles. Feet should be above floor with legs straight.

Raise legs by extending hips as high as possible until legs are nearly straight. Lower legs to original position. Repeat.

Handstand Single Arm: The key key is to start start with both both hands hands close close togeth together er directly directly under under the the shoulder shoulder..

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Next, lead with the feet and lean over to one side and stack your center of mass over one hand.

This should should unload unload your other other hand hand and allow allow you to to lift it up. Start by leading with the feet and allow them to angle over, followed by the hips, and stack over your shoulder. shoulder.

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Once you are stacked over the shoulder you will feel the pressure come off your other hand and you can simply bring that up to your side.

Candle Stand: Because we are not going for Olympic gold, this movement will be a bit less dynamic than on a gymnastics mat. We will start on the ground.

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The basic basic version version is is to support support the hips hips using using your your hands hands and and then then the more more advanc advanced ed progression is to keep your hands flat by your side.

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Back Lever Tuck: Start in an inverted hang, bend both your legs and bring thigh towards your chest, Keep the arms straight and the back as flat as possible.

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Allowing the body to descend backward as one piece and keeping the rings behind you Hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip.

Back Lever Single Leg: Start in an inverted hang, bend one leg and bring thigh towards your chest.

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With arms straight and upper body and extended leg in a hollow body position. Start allowing the body to descend backward and keeping the rings behind you hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip. From the position you see below, ensure your hand position is correct and leg is extended straighten your back so you achieve a straight position.

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Back Lever Banded: Put the band in between your first and second fingers leaving some slack in the band.

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Start in an inverted hang and keep both legs straight. With arms straight and upper body and extended leg in a hollow body position. Start allowing the body to descend backward and keeping the rings behind you hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip.

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Front Lever Tuck: Start in an inverted hang.

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Bend both your legs and bring your thighs towards your chest.

Keep the arms straight and the back as flat as possible allowing the body to descend forward as one piece and keeping the rings in front of you. Hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip.

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Front Lever Single Leg: Start in an inverted hang.

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Bend one leg and bring that thigh towards your chest. Keep the arms straight and the back as flat as possible allowing the body to descend forward as one piece and keeping the rings in front of you.

Hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip.

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Front Lever Banded: Put the band in between your first and second fingers leaving some slack in the band.

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Start in an inverted hang and keep both legs straight. With arms straight and upper body and extended leg in a hollow body position.

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Start allowing the body to descend down and keeping the rings in front of you hold a horizontal position for 2 seconds and raise back up by driving through the hip.

Front Lever: Find a hollow body position while in the inverted hang.

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Without breaking hollow body position allow your heels to lead the descent into a horizontal hold. Focus on pushing hands toward your hips and keeping your shoulders back and down. Initiate Initiate the ascent maintaining maintaining hollow and thinking of driving through the hips.

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Additional Secrets For Staying Lean Alcohol Consumption One thing I have noticed is the proliferation of the wine culture and a wider spread general practice of routine alcohol consumption. Listen, putting back 2-3 beers or glasses of wine a night and then having a weekend blinder is going to seriously inhibit your efforts. I am all for having a couple of drinks during the week or one evening during the weekend maybe a bit more, but anything more than that and you might as well not even get started. Study after study has shown conclusively that people who engage in excess alcohol intake compared to those who don’t use alcohol, have more belly fat. The calories are simply useless not to mention what happens to your will power after pounding back a couple of units. Next thing you know you will be chucking back an entire bag of lays chips or a bucket of ice-cream. The body, body, specifically specifically the the liver liver,, uses the the calories calories in alcoh alcohol ol rather rather than than burning burning off your your fat stores for energy Now if you are the kind of person who can keep it to just one glass per day...reasonable sized glass... then you should still be able to get lean without an issue. Something that is important for those of you who are avid beer drinkers. The hops in beer is not your friend. It contains phytoestrogens which are estrogenic plant compounds. These compoun compounds ds will will produce produce the the same same hormonal hormonal response response when when ingest ingested. ed. While pounding back a 12 pack of your favorite brew may seem like a manly thing to do, it is killing your six pack. Keep it moderate and you will be successful in your journey to your six-pack.

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Hydration Ok... all of the health gurus out there are going to tell you to drink plenty of water. I’m not going to do that. This is a controversial controversial concept concept I know. I am going to say to stay hydrated however so to be clear concept of hydrating your cells is consistent. I just can’t do it with water alone. In fact I hydrate primarily with tea. Drinking three or more cups of tea a day is as good for you as drinking plenty of water and may even have extra health benefits, say researchers. The work in the Europe European an Journal Journal of Clini Clinical cal Nutrition Nutrition dispe dispels ls the the common common belief belief that that tea tea dehydrates13. The benefit benefit of staying staying hydra hydrated ted is is basically basically your your body will will be complet completely ely optimiz optimized. ed. Maximizing your potential starts at the cellular level and having cells that are properly hydrated hydrated promotes p romotes lipolysis. No... orange juice and other sweet drinks are not the same so avoid these. My recommendation here is to stay consistent with tea or water. Sweeteners If you have a bit of a sweet tooth or you like to add sweetener to your coffee or tea I would encourage you to use honey as opposed sugar. The primary primary differenc difference e between between the two is is that that the compoun compounds ds that that are are present present in both are configured differently. differently. Fructose and Glucose are present in sugar and honey however however in sugar they are bonded together and in honey they are separate. Honey has a lower glycemic index than does sugar and is absorbed at a slower rate keeping your blood-glucose levels from rising excessively quick. Ideally, if you are able, raw honey is your best option. There are are addition additional al health health benefits benefits which which you can can realiz realize e from using using honey and and certainly certainly when compared to sugar. 13 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5281 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5281046.stm 046.stm

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Walking You will notice I don’t focus much on cardio, that is not to say that it doesn’t have its place in terms of improving the performance of an energy system, but rather I am not a proponent as a primary method for fat loss. It can play a support role, but in limited volume and duration. If you have the time, I highly recommend an early morning walk. My day typically starts with waking up, drinking a cup of tea, and taking the dog on a short brisk walk. This is is simply simply a method method for priming priming your system system to to function properly properly througho throughout ut the day day.. The specific specific method method is is to do so so on an empty empty stomach stomach,, walk for for 30 minut minutes, es, and and then then don’t eat until 30 minutes has elapsed. Remember you have slept all night and there is limited glycogen stored. Your body will quickly deplete these stores and move to burning fat as an energy source. Simple yet effective. Try Try to add a walk walk on an an empty empty stomach stomach to boost your metaboli metabolism sm and and crank crank up your your fat burning potential. potential.

The Specfor Specforce ce Sup Supple pleme ment nt Stac Stack k Now that you know what will be expected of you throughout the Anabolic Finishers Protocol, it’s time to take a look at some supplements that you will seriously want to consider consider adding to your regimen especially during this training. This supplem supplement ent stack will will help help to cove coverr the basics basics of recove recovery, ry, trainin training g performance performance,, and overall health and longevity.

Testosterone Supplement Without question when you are lifting, recovering and working to add size and strength supplementing your Testosterone levels naturally is naturally is a must.

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You will be working your body to its maximal output and you are using science to give you an advantage in your workout protocol, why not do the same with your nutrition? Using a natural testosterone supplement can supplement can be a bit confusing so I have always looked for ingredients that perform dual roles. I want ingredients that promote natural test production but that also block estrogen. A great choice is T is Test est Reload Reload.. Listen, guys can’t afford to be running a system that is missing the most critical ingredient for losing low belly fat and building muscle. Give yourself the best opportunity for success and support your system with a natural testosterone supplement. testosterone supplement.

Whey Protein The first supple supplemen mentt to think think about about is perhap perhapss the most most basic basic of them them all - whey protein. protein. A whey protein powder supplement provides you with an incredibly convenient convenient and cost-effective way of increasing your protein consumption on a daily basis. As far as I am concerned there is only 1 or 2 brands worth mentioning and I highly recommend BioTrust Low Carb protein. protein. Everyone wants to know why. I will keep this short. It has no artificial crap that can actually make you sick. It is a 4 protein blend as well as ProHydrolase ProHydrolase for for maximum absorption of the protein. It is also worth mentioning that whey protein is a very high-quality protein source, source, with a full profile of essential amino acids, a relatively low amount of fat and carbs. If you purchase a fast-digesting whey protein powder, such as whey protein protein isolate or hydrolysed whey protein, then you can also use it as an effective post-workout shake to speed up recovery and boost your gains. gains.

Creatine Monohydrate Creatine monohydrate is one of the safest and most extensively researched sports supplements ever created, and one that should be a staple in just about everyone’s supplement stack.

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To To quote quote the Int Interna ernation tional al Society Society of Sports Nutrition Nutrition:: “It is the position of the Internationa Internationall Society of Sports Nutrition Nutrition that the use of creatine creatine as a nutritional supplement within established guidelines is safe, effective, and ethical. [...] creatine monohydrate remains one of the most extensively studied, as well as effective, nutritional aids available to athletes. Hundreds of studies have shown the effectiveness of CM supplementation in improving anaerobic capacity, strength, strength, and lean body mass in conjunction with training. training. safe , as well In addition, CM has repeatedly been reported to be safe , well as poss possibly ibly benefi beneficia ciall in preven preventing ting injury. injury.” ” Creatine Creatine helps to increase intra-cellular concentrations concentrations of a substance called adenosine triphosphate or ATP. ATP acts as a medium of energy exchange between cells, which basically means that consuming more creatine will cause your body to have a greater availability of energy for high-intensity, high-intensity, short-duration activities; namely, namely, lifting! An additional benefit of creatine monohydrate is that it helps to pull fluid into the muscle cells and keep them thoroughly hydrated. This action action also also promote promotess a greate greaterr delivery delivery of nutrients nutrients into into your your muscles muscles while while enhancing enhancing pumps and creating creating a moderate strength boost.

BCAA Branched-chain amino acids or BCAA’s are essentia essentiall amino acids which acids which play a pivotal role in the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis. Because BCAA’s are free-form amino acids they are able to enter the bloodstream extremely rapidly, making them a fantastic supplement to use during your workouts. The most importan importantt BCAA BCAA is is L-Leucine because it is this amino acid, in amounts of approximately 3 g per dose, which is responsible directly for triggering muscle protein

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synthesis and essentially jumpstarting the muscle-building mechanisms within the human body. To To illustrat illustrate e this this we turn turn to a 2004 2004 study publish published ed in the the Journal Journal of Nutr Nutritio ition n which showed that supplementing with BCAA BCA A’s can help to reduce exercise-induced muscle breakdown: “[...] BCAA supplementation before and after exercise has beneficial effects for decreasing exercise-induced muscle damage and promoting muscle-protein synthesis ; this this suggests the possibility that BCAAs are a useful supplement in relation to exercise and sports.” 14 Another study which was published in the Journal Journal of Stre Strengt ngth h and Condi Condition tioning ing Resea Research rch in in 2010 had this to say about amino acid supplementation: “Athletes’ nutrient intake, which periodically increases amino acid intake to reflect the increased need for recovery during periods of overreaching, may increase subsequent competitive performa performance nce while while decr decreas easing ing the the risk risk of injury injury or illn illness. ess.” 15 This is is an important important consi considera deration tion to to make make when you are are embarking embarking upon upon an inten intense se training program. If you make sure you don’t neglect the recovery aspects of aspects of your training then you will almost definitely reap the benefits both in the gym and outside the gym.

Citrulline Malate L-Citrulline is an amino acid which essentially acts as a precursor in the production of L-Arginine. You may be familiar with nitric oxide supplements which are used to enhance pumps and vascularity during training. 14 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15173434 15 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20300014

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These products products can can be very effective effective at at improvin improving g performance performance and and enhanc enhancing ing the the delivery of nutrients to muscles; however, citrulline is arguably more effective for this purpose than arginine arginine itself. There was was a very very interesti interesting ng study study published published in in the European Journal of Applied Physiology in 2010 which showed that citrulline malate has an interesting effect on the way that the body utilizes BCAA’s, suggesting a powerful synergistic relationship between the two. The resear researchers chers found found that that citrul citrulline line mala malate te not not only incre increased ased conc concent entratio rations ns of growth growth hormone in subjects, but that it can also “[...] “[ ...] enhance the use of amino acids, especially the branched chain amino acids during exercise and exercise and also enhance the production of arginine-derived arginine-derived metabolites metabolites such such as nitrite, creatinine, ornithine and urea.” 16 Other research has shown citrulline malate to be of general benefit to athletic performance while also potentially potentially reducing muscle soreness from training.17

Omega-3 Fatty Acids - Krill Oil or Oil or Fish Oil The average average Weste Western rn diet diet tends tends to to be excessi excessively vely high high in omega-6 fatty fatty acids18, such as those found in vegetable oils such as canola oil. Ideally we should seek a ratio of around 1:1 or 2:1 in favor of omega-6, but many people eat a ratio of as much as 30:1. 40:1, or even 50:1! It is argued that this imbalance contributes contributes to a great great many ailments such as heart disease, rheumatism, rheumatism, and metabolic syndromes such as Type II diabetes. By increasing the amount of omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, you can help to reduce your risk factors for factors for hyperlipidemia19 or high levels of triglycerides in the bloodstream, while also reducing total cholesterol levels20. At the very least, omega-3 fatty acids offer powerful anti-infla anti-inflammat mmatory ory benefits benefits,, and as one study published in the Jour the Journal nal of of the Ameri American can Colle College ge of Nutri Nutrition tion states: states: 16 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20499249 17 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20386132 18 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17353582 19 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17353582 20 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21042875

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“There have been a number of clinical trials assessing the benefits of dietary supplementation with fish oils in several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in humans, including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and migraine headaches.” 21 Even if the more serious conditions amongst these are of little concern to you, you can at least rest assured that you are providing your joints and ligaments with some assistance in terms of recovering from training.

Fish Oil vs. Krill Oil The two omega-3 omega-3 fatty acids EPA EPA and DHA DHA come in the form form of triglyce triglycerides rides when when found found in fish oil. A promising alternative to fish oil is krill oil, oil, which features these two fatty acids in what is known as a double-chained phospholipid structure, mimicking the way fats are constructed in the cells of the human body. This make makess the omegaomega-3 3 fatty acids acids found found in krill krill oil far easier for the human body to body to absorb and utilize. What’s more, the EPA in krill oil contains a powerful antioxidant known as astaxanthin, as well as vitamins A, D, and E. The Oxygen Radical Radical Absorbanc Absorbance e Capacity Capacity or ORAC ORAC value of a compound compound is, is, simply simply put, a metric used to determine the degree to which something provides the cell with protection against protection against the oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Due to its far enhanced absorption rates and additional nutritional content, krill oil boasts an ORAC value that is a 48 times higher than that of fish oil.

CoQ10 Coenzyme Q10 is another interesting interesting substance, substance, particularly par ticularly for the health of men entering into their 30’s, 40’s, and beyond. 21 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12480795

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CoQ10 in its more bioavailable form called ubiquinol has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure22, and according to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Biofactors, can even help to improve glycemic control and insulin sensitivity in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes23. What’s more, another study from 2013 set out to investigate the effects of CoQ10 in trained athletes, finding a significant increase increase in physical performance as measured by maximum power output. It is also worth noting that: “While adherence to a training regimen itself resulted in an improvement in peak power output, as observed by improvement in placebo, t he t he effect of Ubiquinol supplementation significantly enhanced enhanced peak power production in comparison to placebo.” placebo.” 24

Conclusion First I want to take this chance to thank you for going through this manual. The goal is to undeniably create a strong, flat and functional mid section. In addition to making you feel good about yourself, my hope is your quality of life will improve. You have an opportunity to completely change how your body looks, feels and moves. Follow the progressions, stay focused and commit to the process. I encourage you to set very specific goals related to your program. Yes you will lose weight, yes you will develop a strong mid-section, but be even more granular like, “ I want to lose 9 lbs over the next 4 weeks, “ something like that. This will make all the difference! You’re in the driver seat, it’s time to get after it.

22 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2536 v/pubmed/25369277 9277 23 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.go http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2288 v/pubmed/2288705 7051 1 24 http://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/24

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1 SpecForce Abs Manual for Men

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