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Your Questions Answered Plus The WINNER Announced
So my Inbox has been getting rained on with about 350 unique emails and between my 2 email assistants and I - we can’t keep up! Thanks for being patient and I hope you find your question or a version of your question posted below.
I’ll begin doing this on a more regular basis because I understand how helpful it is to have your individual questions answered with a personal response.
Enjoy…
Question: Who was the winner of the No-Nonsense DVD Series?
Answer: Answer: Congratulations to Marios Prodromou of Larnaca Cyprus who won a copy of my No-Nonsense Muscle Building & Six Pack DVD Series for submitting my favorite entry to the question of “If you were going to recommend my system to a friend, what would you say to them?”
I first have to say, I don’t know what in the world I was thinking of doing this contest. As I was reading through the responses, I felt so guilty awarding only 1 free No-Nonsense DVD Series. If you have not read the responses yet, get ready to be inspired beyond belief.
–> http://vincedelmontefitness.com/blog/2009/03/win-a-free-no-nonsense-dvd-series/
Now here is Marios winning submission (and before and after pictures that were submitted after I announced him the winner):
“I purchased the EODD from Jon Benson and received free access to your fitness Exercise Generator. I was very impressed and thought LOL, Vince really knows his stuff. I immediately forked out $100 and bought the complete No-Nonsense Muscle Building Program.
My years of frustration on trying to bulk without packing on fat were finally over. I was amazed by the amount of information that I was able to download. I had all the information that I needed to succeed at my fingertips. I couldn’t stop downloading, reading and listening until I finally downloaded it all. I loved your audio reports and interviews with some of the top fitness specialists in the business.
If this is not enough, you do all the hard work for your clients and also provide tools such as a metabolic calculator and mass meal plans for both men and women. I love the way that you bust the top muscle building myths. This information alone is worth the whole price of the program.
Before the start of your program, I was 200lbs at 17% bodyfat. After 12 weeks on your program, I became 210lbs at under 10% bodyfat. Don’t take my word for it. My picture is on my website and on Twitter.
I finally learned what to eat in order to gain lean mass without the fat and how many calories to consume each day. I learned which exercises build muscle, what tempo to use, and which exercises to avoid. What type of cardio to do, and most importantly that you don’t need to spend hours in the gym in order to build your dream physique. I was once a supplement junkie but not anymore thanks to your no bull guide on supplements. This info alone has already saved my hundreds of dollars. My friends ask me what steroids am I on when they see me each day getting better and better. I laugh and tell them that I am hooked on Vince Delmonte.
For the lousy $100 that I gave you in exchange for your program, I have received so much! I will even compete in the Cypriot Fitness Nationals at the end of this year. I also have the guts to offer my own fitness advice to all my friends and even on Twitter since I finally have the body to back it all up. I am now the man at the gym and I am being chased by all the gals. Your program will change the life of everyone that purchases it. All that I can say is:
“Get the Vince Delmonte program now!” “It will be the best decision that you will ever make in your life.”
Cheers,
Marios Prodromou
Larnaca Cyprus
WOW! I want to congratulate each one of you who submitted a success story and have experienced life-changing results. Each one of your results motivated and encouraged me to keep raising the bar higher for all of us. Keep going for it.
Question: I’m not your typical client - I’m 18 years old, almost all solid muscle, but no matter who’s program I try, I can’t seem to grow anymore. You’re my last resort and I’m off to college next year so I need some advice.
Click here to continue reading
The Biggest Gainer Transformation Challenge
Attention: Skinny Guys & Gals
It’s time to kick-off the new year with The Biggest Gainer Transformation Challenge. But this is not like any transformation contest you’ve ever heard of before… If you’re sick and tired of being scrawny and weak and ready to transform your life and be featured in my hard copy book and upcoming movie then this may be the most important letter you ever read from me.
What is The Biggest Gainer: Skinny To Muscular Transformation Challenge?
Unlike my fat loss transformation challenge, this contest will run for 3-6 months. You will be able to submit your after photos and video testimonial (I’ll explain that in a moment). The deadline will be April 1st, May 1st, June 1st or July 1st. I am giving you the freedom to set your own deadline.
Why A Variety Of Deadlines Instead Of The Standard 12-Weeks?
It took me 6-months to transformation my own body from 149 pounds to 190 pounds and I don’t believe 12-weeks is long enough, for everyone, to significantly bulk up and then factor in 1-2 months in for cutting. If six-months sounds like “too long” too commit to then set your deadline at the 12-week or 16-week or 20-week mark. If you need an extra month, you can take it. I’m seeking out the cream of the crop. I’m looking for skinny guys who truly want to change their physiques and change their lives in the next three-to-six-months. Do I still have your attention?
Why Are You Running A Transformation Challenge?
Let me share three of my personal dreams with you and how you can be apart of my vision and in the process, become the person you’ve always dreamed of becoming.
1. This year I am in the process of publishing The Biggest Gainer: From Skinny-To-Muscular hard copy book for book stores (I am currently seeking out an agent). It will be a revised and condensed version of No Nonsense Muscle Building. I am looking for a small handful of success stories to be featured in my book! That’s right, if you’re one of the top transformations, you’re story could be featured in my book that will be sold in book stores. Imagine being on the cover of a book with me and having your own success story shared with the world? Visualize the Body-For-Life book but exclusively for skinny guys.
2. My ultimate goal is to create a reality based T.V. show called The Biggest Gainer (yes, based on the same concept as The Biggest Loser but for skinny guys and gals). However, to pitch to different T.V. networks, I am going to start on a smaller scale. I would like to create a documentary, loaded with video testimonials, of a small handful (5-10 max) of skinny guys who transformation their body over the next six months.
Each contestant will be required to submit a series of video testimonials and video footage of their transformation (I’ll explain that in a second), over the course the three-to-six-months. At your deadline, you’ll send me your video testimonials and video footage and and I’ll edit it into a documentary called The Biggest Gainer: Skinny-To-Muscular movie. I will use this footage to pitch to the T.V. networks to share my vision. Can you see yourself being apart?
How Many Winners Are You Choosing?
It could be 2 guys or it could be 12 or 22 guys. I am looking for “world-class” transformations that will cause people’s jaws to drop and that will be “book cover” ready. Gaining 15-30 pounds of muscle in the six months will make you a serious contender. Use my transformation pictures as a bench mark to shoot for.
What Do The Biggest Gainers Win?
Here is my vision for the biggest gainers. Imagine right now, waking up one morning just six months from today. You walk into the bathroom to brush your teeth. And you get a glimpse of yourself in the mirror. It didn’t sink in till just this very moment.
You’re actually RIPPED and MUSCULAR! I mean solid muscle cut to perfection. Your 6 pack is finally showing. Your shoulders are popping and your arms are so tight it looks like you’re flexing when you’re not.
You grab your suitcase filled with swim shorts and tank tops and you grab your passport and plane ticket for Cancun, Mexico. You’re about to jump on the plane for an all-inclusive vacation with your muscle building coach, yours truly. You and another 10 guys are going to celebrate a week of fun in the sun with your new bodies.
The best part, Vince is paying for your entire trip because you were one of the dedicated and committed winners of the contest. The voting will take place by a select panel of judges (TBD) and all my customers and subscribers.
When you hit the beach and the pool…. you realize that women are starting at you. It’s like they’re looking at you with that desire you’ve always had for them.
Imagine feeling, for the first time… like the person you always dreamed of becoming. And imagine celebrating your transformation with your coach and the other winners.
That dream is not far off. You can officially start TODAY and take your before photos and email them to vincedelmontefitness@yahoo.ca Read below to be eligible for the all-inclusive vacation
How Many Gainers Win The FREE trip to Mexico?
I am prepared to take a maximum of ten guys. I plan on filming (certain parts 
) of our trip in Cancun and using the footage for marketing purposes to assist in promoting the next contest and the The Biggest Gainer T.V. show so I’ll be awarding the best physical transformations - if you have a “t.v. show” personality then you might have an edge :) Consider your video footage and transformation like an audition for Hollywood!
How Do I Win An All-Inclusive Vacation To Cancun Mexico?
1. You must submit your before photos to vincedelmontefitness@yahoo.ca You must include a casual before picture and a before picture holding a newspaper to verify the date.
2. You must send in your before measurements, weight and body fat percentage. Send in measurements of your neck, shoulders, chest, waist (around belly button), thighs (8 inches up from knee cap) and calves.
3. You must film your transformation and include the following clips:
a) A 60-second interview of why you are entering the contest. Tell us why you hate being skinny and your biggest frustration.
b) A 60-second interview with your best friend, brother, sister, family member, girl friend, teacher or colleague and have them describe your confidence, personality and their opinion of your physique.
c) One clip (1-5 minutes) each month that features a day in the life for yourself. Over the course of the six months you should have a variety of footage that includes shopping at the grocery story; training in the gym; cooking a meal; flexing or showing your progress; comments on your progress; hanging out with a new girlfriend or your friends; interview with a friend and their comments on your progress etc. The more video footage you can use to track your transformation the better. The video footage should be emphasizing your behavior change. I’ll be providing more details on how to do each video at the start of each month.
Can I Enter If I’ve Already Started My Transformation?
Yes, 100%. As long as your pictures are submitted by July 1st, 2009, you are eligible. If you don’t have any video footage, don’t worry, just begin filming now.
Can I Submit Just My Photos Without The Video Testimonial and Video Footage?
Yes, but you will not be eligible for the all-inclusive vacation to Cancun Mexico. I will have separate cash prizes for the top contestants who prefer to just submit before and after photos.
Do I Need To Be Using Your Program?
Of course. You can use any of my muscle building building, six-pack, you tube or article programs. As long as the program was authored by me, you are eligible.
How Much Does It Cost To Enter The Transformation?
The cost will be the price of any of my programs if you do not own any. If you already own a copy of one of my programs, then it’s F R E E to enter. But not free to win - the six months will challenge you physically and especially mentally and the cost will be hard work, discipline and consistency.
This is your year to go from skinny-to-muscular and achieve the body you’ve always dreamed of.
Grab your video camera and grab your camera and get started NOW.
Any questions and comments, please post below. This is the first time I am running a contest like this so if you would like to offer any input or suggestions, please do so below.
Vince
The Skinny Cure
The Cure for Skinny
A Roundtable, featuring Joe DeFranco, Vince DelMonte, and Craig Weller
by Nate Green
Are you afraid of blowing away in a strong gust of wind? Tired of looking in the mirror and seeing vermicelli arms and Tinker Toy legs? Does your little sister ask to borrow your clothes… and threaten to beat you up if you refuse? Do you ever look at the 45-pound plates in the gym and wonder when you’ll be able to use them? Sick of answering questions that remind you of the one subject you try to avoid?
You aren’t alone: Lots of guys share your hypertrophy-averse physiology. Many of them manage to work their way into more mirror-friendly proportions. I’m one of them, and I report to two former skinny bastards who grew up to be Testosterone Muscle editors.
A select few end up as coaches who help guys like us get bigger, stronger, and more athletic. I talked to three of them: Joe DeFranco, a strength coach based in New Jersey who works with elite high school, college, and pro athletes; Vince DelMonte, author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building; and Craig Weller, a trainer based in San Diego and popular Testosterone contributor who’s a former member of the Navy’s elite special-ops forces.
I locked the three of them in a room and wouldn’t let them leave until they filled my tape recorder with nutrition tips, training strategies, and lifestyle adjustments that they’ve used to help themselves and their clients work up to larger shirt sizes.
Testosterone Muscle: Let’s go back to high school. How would I have picked you out of a crowd? What about now?
Craig Weller: I was a 98-pound weakling. I remember being on the eighth grade football team and looking at the roster to find out I weighed less than everyone on the seventh grade team. My dad actually listed my weight on the roster as 105 pounds because I was so damn embarrassed that I wasn’t in the triple digits.
But then I bought a Joe Weider program out of the back of a magazine and started lifting weights. I found better and better sources over time, and when I was a junior in high school I weighed 175 pounds and was deadlifting 405 pounds fairly easily.
I now weigh about 185 pounds, although I’m still recovering from my last trip to Nepal, where I lost about 20 pounds.
Vince DelMonte: I was a lot like Craig, but I actually grew up as a long-distance runner. I ran for the University of Western Ontario for four years, and even represented Canada at the National Triathlon Championship. So if I had any chance of building muscle, I probably made it worse with all that endurance training. At the time, I weighed between 135 and 149 pounds.
During my second year of University, I lived in a house with eight guys. They called me “Skinny Vinnie,” and it stuck. All the girls thought it was cute, which as we all know is the worst possible thing for a girl to call you. So I decided to make a change.
Luckily, one of my professors was none other than John Berardi. My friends and I used to follow him around the gym and copy what he did. We called him “The Bible of Bodybuilding.”
John invited me to a SWIS [Society of Weight-Training Injury Specialists] symposium. I met guys like Charles Poliquin and Ian King, and I decided to be a personal trainer.
Only catch was, I didn’t look like one. I went from 149 to 190 in six months. I now weigh 210.
Joe DeFranco: I was definitely a skinny bastard. I grew tall way too fast. I was 5′11″ and weighed 125 in the eighth grade. My dad used to take me to his hardcore gym with a bunch of ex-cops and military guys and I’d just do what he did. Right now I’m about 225.
But what’s more important is that I’ve helped a ton of high school and college athletes gain huge amounts of muscle too.
TM: Philosophers have been debating this question since the advent of written language, so I’ll put it to you: What’s more important for the naturally skinny kid — training or nutrition?
JD: Nutrition, hands down. Listen, as soon as I get a real skinny high school kid, the first thing I have him do is just start eating a shit-ton of food. That’s obvious, right? But here’s the kicker: We’re not going to be too strict or pissed off if he eats McDonald’s a few times per week.
The overriding factor is that they have to put more calories in their body than they burn off. And for a hard gainer whose genetics are working against him, you can’t just have a caloric surplus of 100 or 200 calories a day. If you’re going to gain some size, you’ll need a lot more.
TM: But McDonald’s?
JD: Only at first. We tell them they can’t eat too much or have too many meals in a day, and eating McDonald’s or whatever will help them get used to eating big every few hours. Is it the best? Not really. But it does teach them to eat big and pack the calories in.
Once they reach a base point, then we put them on a balanced plan where they’ll get 40 percent of their calories from carbs, 30 percent from protein, and 30 percent from fats. Hell, for some of the really skinny guys, we’ll go with a 50-30-20 ratio. And these are all from higher-quality sources.
One of the biggest problems with these skinny guys is they avoid carbs like they’re scared of them. Carbs have gotten such a bad rap over the past few years that it’s absolutely ridiculous. If I take a look at a skinny guy’s food log, I’ll see an omelet for breakfast, a burger for lunch, and three pieces of chicken for dinner. Where the hell are the carbs? All that protein needs to repair the muscle, not supply energy in place of carbs.
In fact one of the biggest things that has led to the most dramatic changes is simply focusing on peri-and post-workout nutrition, and making sure they’re getting some carbs along with some high-quality protein.
TM: Interesting stuff. What do you think, Craig?
CW: I agree about timing. If I have a rough workout, I’ll usually have a full serving of Surge during the workout and another full serving directly after. I’ll then wait 30 minutes and have a high-carb meal, like chicken with a huge pile of brown rice.
TM: What about the idea that skinny guys can get away with eating more junk food, at least for a while?
CW: Maybe Joe’s guys are different. Most skinny guys I know are eating junk food for the hell of it, and aren’t even achieving a caloric surplus. They think they’re eating a lot because they’re chowing down on a lot of high-calorie junk food, but they’re not using these foods as part of an overall system to get bigger. They’re really just damaging their long-term health and their progress in the gym.
TM: So are carbs and protein the only thing we’re concerned about?
CW: I think a lot of guys are skimping on their fats, too. If your fat consumption drops below 80 grams or so a day, then your endocrine system isn’t going to function as well and your testosterone production may drop off significantly.
Personally, I go for about a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight, but after I reach that I bulk things up with some healthy fats. It’s always something that’s worked for clients and me. I’ll eat eight whole eggs at a time and take in a lot of avocadoes, cheese, and Flameout.
Another good way of adding in healthy fats and sneaking in more calories is adding coconut milk to shakes. A can of it costs a little over a dollar and usually contains something like 75 grams of fat. I use about one-fourth of a can at a time. And it tastes good. I also eat almond butter with a spoon.
VD: I agree with both of you guys, but I think people should realize that eating a ton of calories without getting the proper vitamins, minerals, and fiber is kind of shooting yourself in the foot. Your body won’t be able to assimilate all that much if you’re not focused on the quality of the food.
So before anyone increases the calories, I think they should look at exactly where all those calories are coming from.
Let’s say a client of mine is eating 3,000 calories a day, and we want him to get up to 3,600. I’m going to have him go back and examine every single meal before we do anything else. I’ll have him look at the little details, like if he could be getting omega-3 eggs instead of normal ones, or if he could eat organic vegetables instead of the ones with all the pesticides. And I think once you make all those changes, then you can increase the actual calories.
TM: That’s an excellent point and one most guys wouldn’t even consider. Let’s talk training for the skinny guys. Kick us off, Vince.
VD: The first thing I want say is that “do what works for you” is some bullshit advice for beginners. It’s like Michael Phelps telling an eight-year-old that if you feel like doing backstrokes today, then do some backstrokes. Guys need a plan. They need a program and guidelines, and they need to know the principles that are going to contribute to the majority of their results. They have to know when to work on technique, strength, endurance, or hypertrophy.
So it’s a bit of a cliché, but I think guys need to find a great program, trust it, and stick to it for at least 12 weeks. Don’t jump around too much. See what you learn about your body during that time and gain some leverage. When you figure out what works for your body, then you can easily tweak the next program you do. A lot of guys are jumping from one program to the next with no new knowledge about how their bodies respond to each stimulus.
JD: I agree completely. Too many guys try so many fucking programs at once, it’s like they have ADD. Most of the programs out there work if you train hard enough. If you’re eating enough and busting your ass, then you’re going to get bigger and stronger if you’ve got a decent plan in place.
But I get a ton of emails where guys tell me they’re doing my “Westside for Skinny Bastards” program but throw in Jim Wendler’s 5-3-1 template and Charles Staley’s EDT combined with some of Thibaudeau’s techniques. I write back and say, “You’re fucked.”
If you combine 20 different great programs, and do them all at once, you’re going to get shitty results. You have to stick to one thing for a while. Give it a solid eight to 12 weeks and I guarantee you’ll get results. In fact, if you were to use the “Skinny Bastards” template and constantly tweak the exercises and set and rep scheme, you could stay on that program the rest of your life.
Vince DelMonte: Right on! But here’s something else to consider: After the guys have followed great programs for a couple of years or so, I think they should have the courage to make their own decisions. A guy should know what applies to his body and what doesn’t, and should have the ability to tweak the program to his needs.
For example, if your back is your weakest muscle group and you know you should be prioritizing it, and you’re following an awesome program from Thibaudeau that says to do chest at the beginning of the week and back on the last day of the week, you should know to change the days around. You don’t need to email or call him and ask if it’s okay. You should know your body better than he does.
TM: Good point. Joe, you’ve written three different versions of “Westside for Skinny Bastards.” Do you still train athletes with that basic template?
JD: It’s evolved over time, but the bulk of the workout is the same. Max-effort training is still the best way to get stronger and look better. I really believe that maximal strength builds the foundation for all the other goals guys have.
But don’t get me wrong — I do high-rep stuff with the skinny guys.
If you take a genetic-freak athlete who’s absolutely jacked and did a muscle biopsy, you’d see a predominance of type IIB muscle fibers. These guys respond very well to max-effort movements. But skinny guys are usually more slow-twitch. Because they’re not as neurologically efficient, they’ll respond better to higher reps — six to 12.
In terms of frequency, three or four times a week is all they need in the gym. If you feel like you could train every day, you’re probably not training correctly. My facility attracts really motivated guys, and I actually have to convince them not to come to the gym on their off days.
CW: I agree with what Joe’s talking about, for sure. I also want to point out that I don’t think a guy’s results are necessarily from a specific method, but rather an internalization and adherence to a few basic principles. Maximal strength, as Joe points out, is huge.
I also don’t think that a skinny guy should worry about single-joint or isolation movements if he only weighs 160 pounds. Your rhomboids or your medial deltoids just don’t merit that much attention when you’re that skinny.
I also think guys need to spend more time on their lower body. Not equal time. More time. With my clients, loading the spine and doing heavy squats and deadlift variations has really caused a tremendous anabolic response.
That’s another reason why my conditioning stuff is usually posterior-chain and lower-body dominant. Even if our equipment is nothing more than a rock on a beach, we’re going to use it to stimulate as much of our bodies as we can. We’re going to move heavy, fast, and frequently. We’re not going to do curls with the rock. We’re going to push-press it, front squat, and throw it overhead as far as we can and then sprint to it.
TM: Wouldn’t conditioning be the last thing on a skinny guy’s mind? Wouldn’t that burn too many calories?
CW: The type of conditioning I do is so dependent on strength that I haven’t seen any muscle loss from it at all. We’re not swimming or jogging here. We’re moving heavy things for a repeated effort and more reps, or we’re doing some intervals. You’re getting a great anabolic response because you’re moving something heavy, loading the spine, and not encouraging your body to become smaller or more efficient.
TM: Joe, I know you’ve got some interesting thoughts on lower-body training. Care to share?
JD: Allow me to steal a line from Alwyn Cosgrove when I say people either overreact or underreact to everything in the fitness industry. The answer is really right in the middle.
It’s definitely true most guys don’t train their legs, and if they do, it’s the shit they see in the mirror. So I give a lot of credit to Louie Simmons, who really popularized hamstring training through box squats, reverse hypers, and everything else. It was like a light bulb went off in the heads of thousands of guys.
But then guys stopped training quads altogether for fear of being “unbalanced.”
For an athlete, or a guy who’s trying to look good, the quads are just as important as the hamstrings. A lot of kids will gain 15 to 20 pounds within a two-month period by just focusing more on their legs, especially the quads. Hell, if you want three muscle groups that will put some size on your body, it’s gotta be your ass, hamstrings, and quads.
I’m a huge fan of single-leg movements like Bulgarian split squats and barbell reverse lunges. If you walk into my gym at any hour I guarantee you’re going to see someone with their back leg on a bench, holding dumbbells to their sides or a barbell on their back. It sucks and it’s hard as hell, but the weight just pours on.
TM: Vince, anything to add here?
VD: I think it’s really important to alternate a strength phase with a volume phase every three to six weeks, and to focus on biofeedback cues.
It may sound simple, but in a strength phase your primary focus should be lifting as much weight as possible. You’ve got to focus on how strong you’re feeling and not worry about how much of a “pump” you’re getting.
But when you switch to the volume phase, you need to focus more on what you experience during those reps, and on accomplishing more total work. You shouldn’t really care about how heavy it is, but how heavy it feels. Really try to establish that mind-muscle connection.
I think one of the most important things to realize is that you’re going to have to work your ass off to get where you want to be. But it’s kind of like saving up a million bucks. Are you going to go into debt again after you’ve worked so hard to get to that point?
Gaining appreciable amounts of muscle requires doing things that may be considered obsessive by your friends. It may cause you to re-examine your social life and your daily habits. But it’s only temporary. When you get where you want to be, you’ll have a completely different mindset. It’s definitely easier to maintain and keep growing once you’ve achieved your base, but it’s an all-out war in the gym and the kitchen until then.
TM: All right, last question. Give my your biggest, baddest tip for skinny guys looking to shed their medium-size T-shirts for good.
CW: Something that I’ve done before with my guys is to give them a cheap watch with a countdown timer that goes off every two hours. Wherever they’re at, they have to drop down and do 20 push-ups and polish it off with a Metabolic Drive protein bar. Sure, you’ll look stupid doing pushups in the middle of Sears, but who cares? Carry a protein bar with you wherever you go and I guarantee you’ll never be hungry.
TM: Damn, Craig, that’s messed up. What about you Vince?
Vince DelMonte: If I could make a blanket rule, I’d have all skinny guys stop counting reps and stop following a tempo. Your greatest enemy is thinking too much. Let’s eliminate that altogether and focus on training intensely to stimulate growth. I want my guy completely out of his comfort zone. Take whatever program you’re following, start with weights that are five pounds heavier than you did last week, and do as many reps as possible for each set.
The only thing I want you to track is your rest period. Use a stopwatch and keep it honest. It’s okay if you don’t finish the workout and end up vomiting in the washroom after 10 minutes.
TM: Wrap us up, Joe.
JD: Two meals per week, I want my skinny guys to do what I call Hour of Power. This means for the duration of one hour they have to shove as much food as they can into their body without puking. I don’t care what they eat — anything goes.
I’ve found this caloric influx two times per week actually helps skinny guys shock their muscles into growing. It also helps with their recovery. I recommend doing the Hour of Power on Wednesday and Sunday, or any other day you have off from lifting and can afford to be a bit sluggish for a few hours.
But no puking! You’ll lose precious calories.
TM: Awesome tips. Thanks for participating, guys.
Are You Living In Your Comfort Zone?
So at 11:16am on November 26th, I turn 29 years old! By the age of 1, my Dad dropped me down the stairs and I broke my leg and I was dropped to the pavement by my Aunt after I peed on her. Maybe that’s why I’m a little slow but I think I’ve figured out one thing I want to share today…
I was going to say, “Wow, where has the time gone?” but I don’t really like that saying (even though I’m guilty of saying it sometimes), because of what I believe it represents.
I have concluded that people who state, “Where has the time gone?” repeatedly might not have figured out what life is all about. Yesterday, while I was sitting in Central Park in New York City I started doing some reflecting on where I am at in life.
What is one of the best pieces of advice I could give you from being on this earth for 29 years? Here it is…
Life is not about being comfortable.
Ask yourself, “Does pursuing comfort and security and trying to minimize problems and stress and maximize safety and security make your hear beat faster?”
Does seeking a life of comfort motivate you to get out of bed each morning? I think this life can be associated with the most dangerous object in your house. It’s a back-reclining, deeply cushioned, foot-resting death trap called the easy chair (usually spelled EZ because using only 2 letters takes less effort).
You don’t buy these chairs because of their beauty. And they are not called “challenge chairs” or “adventure chairs.” They’re called EZ, and you buy them for one reason: comfort.
I hope my life never represents a EZ chair.
What’s so dangerous about this EZ chair is not the things you do while you are in it but the things you don’t do. The relationships you never deepen, the risks you never take, the adventures you never go on, the races you never run, the battles you never fight, the laughs you don’t laugh and the tears you don’t cry. The best present I ever received that I want to share with you is this:
“You were made for something more than life in a chair!”
So let me ask you…
What challenges, risk and adventures are you taking today?
I’m not talking about going over Niagara Falls in a barrel or betting your life saving on the Toronto Maple Leafs but I’m saying that if you really want to grow up and experience life, you need to leave your comfort zone.
I don’t believe anybody who lives a comfortable life is truly living and I believe that only people who say yes to challenge, demand and risk are ever fully alive.
Even from my own experience, every time I decide to stay in my comfort zone, I change a little and so do you. Your heart and spirit starts to die and your addiction to comfort gets a little stronger.
In my 29 years, all positive change in my life has happened outside of my comfort zone. The next level for you, whether it is physically, intellectually or spiritually, will be outside of your comfort zone.
A good sign that you’re out side of your comfort zone is when you ask, “Am I going to be able to finish this?” Yes, it’s going to hurt a bit.
This email was not written to be forwarded to your friends. It was written just for you. I actually wrote this for myself as a little birthday present. I need to be reminded of this message equally so.
Have a great day jumping in the fire!
Vince DelMonte
Hardgainer Secret Weapon: Strength Training
Yesterday we discussed how volume training plays a role in building muscle mass and today you’ll learn how strength training is just as important to build muscle mass fast.
Without a strength training phase, muscle would grow but never as a result of actual muscle fiber growth - only as a result of intracellular fluids such as creatine phosphate (CP), glycogen, water, etc.
In addition, your muscles would never be as strong as they look due to the fact that strength training phases are designed to teach the nervous system to recruit your fast twitch (white) muscle fibers which are in charge of massive strength.
Therefore, if you’re a struggling hardgainer, I trust you see the importance of incorporating strength training cycles into your muscle mass program for optimal muscle growth.
What are the characteristics of a common strength training workout?
- Rep ranges would be lower and consist of 1-6 reps
- Rest ranges would be longer and consist of 2-10 minutes
- Weight selection would be 80-100% of your 1 rep max
- Volume would be lowered to typically 8-10 total sets
- Lifting speed is far more explosive
- Compound movements are first and only option
- A strength phase could last for 3-12 weeks
Spoken simply, this is the phase you’ll be lifting your heaviest weights ever and you will be getting stronger each and every week. The total focus of a strength training phase is the amount of weight lifted.
In my Skinny Guy Secrets To Insane Muscle Gain book, I teach you a unique, and never before seen way, of doing strength training that is completely designed for the struggling hardgainer.
I have you cycle my strength training phase every 3 weeks with my volume training phase for 3 weeks. Here is how your body increases muscle mass in response to a strength training phase:
- Testosterone, one of the most anabolic hormones in your body, levels increase from the longer rest periods and heavier weights.
- Muscle growth accelerates when the actual protein content of the cell increases, as does the thickness of the muscle filaments. As discussed a few posts ago, strength gains come first and muscle growth occurs second.
- From your abilities increased recovery ability from the volume training phase, you are able to increase strength and build muscle mass quicker and will more efficient at repairing it self and getting you ready for another high intensity workout.
Train hard and train even smarter,
Vince
How To Gain Weight And Muscle
I just got back from Chapters book store and was flipping through MuscleMag International and Muscular Development, two hardcore bodybuilding magazines and thought, “The drug use among these guys is horrendous - they look like freaks. What have they done to their bodies?”
Maybe you agree, maybe not.
In my opinion, they’ve gotten grotesquely big in their arms and legs, and their waistlines, swollen with massive does of steroids and growth hormone, resulting in 40 inch waists!
Then I went on to read about these bodybuilders double-day split routines, extended sets, and hour after hour of training.
Flipping through those magazines reminds me when I was 22, just after I packed on 41 pounds of drug free lean muscle training the complete opposite way.
I told a buddy of mine, “I’m going to write a book on how I transformed my body because i think it’s a shame that very few people understand how to build muscle naturally.”
My buddy said, “You should get busy and start writing.”
So that’s what I did and the rest is history. In the past 2 years I’ve helped over 20,000 skinny guys (and gals) gain slabs or rock-hard muscle doing it the natural way.
I know my website is quite long, so I did a quick video of my transformation - the music is dramatic because this WAS one of the most dramatic events in my life - no longer being skinny.
I truly believe that if you’re training drug free, you need to take advice from someone who is doing the same.
You wouldn’t take money advice from a friend born into wealth, would you?
So why take bodybuilding advice from a source who was given muscle friendly genetics at birth?
I put together a 21-day $19.95 trial offer of my program - I know there a lot of scams and sheisters on the Internet and I am not one of them. Here’s how I can prove it to you…
http://www.vincedelmontefitness.com/trial_offer.html
Look forward to hearing about your transformation,
Vince DelMonte
Male Fitness Model Pics - 4 Days Out
With 4 days out, I’m feeling very tight but still full. My calories could be lower but I don’t want to lose any size. Three more workouts with 25-50 grams of carbs a day till Wednesday night and then I’ll start carb loading Thursday AM and I’ll cut my water on Friday at noon to really dry up - I can’t wait to hit the stage Friday night.
Here are a few pictures I took this afternoon after my 3rd last cardio workout and a tan:
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Feel free to post more comments and feedback!
Vince
Guess who’s competing in 25 days?
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Guess what? I’ve just made a big decision and finally pulled the trigger!
I’ve been debating for the last few weeks if I’m going to compete at the World Fitness Model Championships in Toronto Saturday June 14 - which is 25 days away.
It’s been 3 years since I’ve competed on stage and I’ve always said, ‘What’s the point of competing if I’m not going to look different?’
Last time I competed I went down to 170-ish pounds and 6% fat. This time I plan to be around the same body fat but at 200 pounds!
I was going to compete in South Beach Miami at the Universe Model Championships (you’ve probably seen this advertised in every fitness magazine) but that’s the day of my little cousin’s wedding.
The Miami show would be perfect because I figure I need to lose 6-7 pounds of fat to be 6% fat, and the Toronto show is cutting it close, but I said, ‘What the heck… let’s do it!’
I’ve also decided to compete in the Mr. Chin (swimsuit competition) two weeks after that, so I’m going to ‘milk’ these two shows and get LOTS of new photos, interviews with other competitors, and video footage to share with you over the next six weeks.
I’ve got a mini photo shoot this Wednesday night and will probably post the pictures for you to see. I’m training twice a day and dialed right into my diet (which I’ll post soon too).
With all this ’social’ stuff going on I figured I would create a ‘Vince DelMonte Fan Group’ on Facebook, so I wanted to invite you to join my group.
Click here to join (it’s free):
– Vince DelMonte Fan Group
I will be posting articles, videos, fresh content, events and product launches on a regular basis.
If you don’t have a ‘facebook profile’ it only takes a few minutes to set up and it’s currently the world’s biggest social network site, so you’ll be able to meet all of my other customers and clients and start ‘mingling’ and making new friends (I have over 30,000 customers from more than 100 different countries).
I want to invite you to start posting your own videos and pictures, and start discussions on any topic you wish.
Make sure you join my Facebook FAN GROUP to get in on the action - NOT my personal facebook account (I don’t mind if you do add me but you’ll miss out on all the training info).
Lastly, the long weekend here in Canada just passed and I realize the official start to summer is next weekend in the U.S.
Hopefully your goal of getting ripped and muscular has stayed at the top of your ‘goals list’ this year, but if not, don’t panic.
If I can make tremendous progress in four weeks then so can you. All is not lost and NOW is the best time to get your body prepared for all your summer socializing.
The best thing about being lean and muscular is that you don’t have to worry about what clothes to wear. Seriously! I’ve found that as long as you look fit then any shirt, tank top, jean, short, or bathing suit will look good on you.
It’s funny that way - get the body you want, and shopping for the ‘right clothes’ will go to the bottom of your ‘to do’ list - you’ll see how you make the clothes and the clothes don’t make you.
If you need a plan to get started with, your best bet is to start with my low volume and high intensity muscle-building workouts (start with the Beginner 29-week program) and pick one of the 84-day meal plans (depending on whether you need to gain mass or lean down) - and go to work.
It’s important that you start lifting some heavy weights relative to where you are if you want to accelerate your results. And that’s what Arnold would tell you too. Here’s a funny story I just ready about Arnold (cut from a magazine):
A wannabe fan strolled up to Arnold and complained that he couldn’t get his calves to grow. ‘I don’t use heavy weights because I want to get a really high intensity burn,’ said the fan.
‘Listen,’ Arnold replied back, straight faced, ‘if I got a match and lit it under your ass, you’d get a fantastic burn,but it wouldn’t help your muscle size. You have to use heavy weights!’
Not too subtle, but the point was made.
I love that story! Before you do anything else today, order yourself my complete No-Nonsense Muscle-Building package at http://www.VinceDelMonteFitness.com and get ready for summer!
Train hard and expect success,
Vince DelMonte
How To Lose Belly Fat Part 1
I think I mentioned that I’m currently dieting and training hardcore in preparation for 5 days of filming my brand new (six-pack) DVD series. The only thing holding me back from filming today is that last bit of ugly belly fat around my lower abdomen…
I friggin hate it…
If you can’t stand your ugly belly fat and trouble spots and just realized that winter has flown by - I’ll admit - you might not have enough time to get ripped for summer…
… I just had a pro bodybuilder look at my physique this weekend (and I’m11% right now) and he said, ‘You definitely are not ready to compete in 5 weeks - maybe 7 weeks - IF YOU SMARTEN UP!’
This email is to help anybody who’s ready to SMARTEN UP and:
1) Burn that last 10 lbs of fat
2) Burn the first 100 lbs of fat
3) Sculpt your body so it turns heads this summer
Especially if you are looking for a TIME EFFICIENT workout and can’t afford double day workouts that include five 45-minute morning cardio workouts plus 5 weight training workouts in the evening (which is another option but not for busy people).
Back in January I introduced you to my friend Craig Ballantyne, creator of the fastest fat burning workouts I’ve seen. He’s been recommended by Men’s Health magazine, Oxygen magazine, and even by Jillian Michaels, the Personal Trainer from the Biggest Loser TV Show…
Before I saw the before and after pictures on Craig’s at his site a site, http://www.NoNonsenseFatLoss.com, I was skeptical because he recommends less supplements then I do, minimal cardio and you don’t even need to be a member of a gym.
Here is a little interview I did with him recently (Part 2 is coming on Wednesday).
After the interview, I’m going to tell you about some outrageous fat burning workouts and meal plans he’s giving away to help you lose your belly fat and fit into smaller clothes before swimsuit season.
This is all in light of his (33rd) Birthday Celebration going on today and until Wednesday…
How To Lose Belly Fat Interview with
Craig Ballantyne and Vince DelMonte Part 1
Vince: How do you personally maintain your ‘Mens Health’ physique?
Craig: I train very similar to my Fusion Fat Loss and Hard-core TT programs, using a lot of classic barbell exercises, some olympic lifts, and then single-leg exercises and bodyweight exercises to finish it off.
I train 3 days per week, but sometimes I go in for a 4th day just because, hey, I find training to be fine. But I have to hold back otherwise my joints get overworked from lifting and some other sports combined.
Nutrition wise, I don’t think I eat anything from a bag or a box, with the exception of the chocolate milk I drink after training. I eat a lot of fruits, vegetables, dry roasted almonds, pecans, walnuts, eggs, steak, chicken, sweet potatoes, and cheese. Even a couple of beers per week. But I try to eliminate all sugar - again, with the exception of the chocolate milk after training.
Not only do I stay magazine-lean with this approach, but I don’t get tired or mentally fatigued during my day of work. If I eat a lot of carbohydrates, such as pasta or oatmeal, I find I get sleepy.
Vince: Tell me about your own personal weight training program?
Craig: This is my 3-day routine right now. Total body workouts, with a different main exercise each day, and then the rest of the exercises are superset’s.
Workout A
Squat (3×3, 1×15)
BB Incline (3×5)
Lunge (2×8)
Snatch-grip BB Row (2×12)
Cable Rot’l Ch Press (2×12
Workout B
GM (3×6)
Deadlift (3×6)
DB Shoulder Press (2×8)
Pullup (2×8)
OH Squat (1×5)
Ab Work
Workout C
Bench (3×5)
Row (3×5)
Leg Press (3×12)
1-Arm DB Press (3×8)
EZ-Bar Tri Extension (1×8)
Chinup (2×15)
This is working out well. It changes every 4 weeks. My deadlift is about as strong as ever, but squat and bench are a little low…focus is on boosting my squat for the next 8 weeks.
Vince: Do you have any ‘little known’ diet tips to get ‘men’s health’ abs?
Craig: Personally, I find that eliminating grain-carbohydrates from my diet is an ultra-fast way to help me go from 10% to 8% body fat. Probably takes 3 weeks or less. And I can even do this while consuming some dairy, which a lot of people think holds them back from getting really lean.
So I just eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, and my post-workout chocolate milk to get carbohydrates. And that is the nutrition key.
With that approach, I don’t even have to do any interval training. Just weight training. I do a little unstructured interval training when I walk my dog (I just do a few sprints whenever I feel like getting my dog to chase me), but I don’t have to do intervals to get really lean.
For ab exercises, I really like cable ab exercises, and hanging leg raises and pullups combined with a knee up. Plus, I’ll mix in a bunch of bodyweight ab exercises into my warm-ups.
Vince: Why you don’t use supplements?
Craig: For me, the only supplements that work for building mass are creatine and meal-replacement drinks. But the latter is just another source of convenient calories, so I sub in chocolate milk.
I have used creatine in the past, but right now I just want to see how I can do without it.
For fat loss, I call B.S. on any supplement that claims to help someone lose fat fast. I don’t believe anything works.
For health, I do use supplements. I consume several tablespoons of Omega 3-6-9 blend oils per day, fish oil, Green Tea (I guess this doesn’t count as a supplement), and Greens-Plus (which I’m not even sure if I need because I eat a ridiculous amount of vegetables everyday).
END
You see why Craig’s TT workouts have helped tens of thousands of men and women escape the prison of long workouts, crowded gyms, and more importantly, the shackles of unwanted, ugly belly fat?
He really knows his stuff!
And as I mentioned, Craig turned 33 yesterday, but he’s the one giving away the gifts. In fact, he’s giving us over $537 of fat burning workout bonuses and meal plans to help every busy man and woman lose belly fat fast.
But these 10 bonuses will only be available for the next TWO days at http://www.NoNonsenseFatLoss.com
After Wednesday, May 7th, at 11:59pm, you won’t be able to get all of these bonuses together again.
Craig’s put together the ultimate Turbulence Training package that contains not only the regular beginner and advanced workouts (and regular bonuses), but also an extra 10 new ‘Birthday Celebration’ bonuses that are available only for the next TWO days, including:
1) Meal Plans for Men Women by Dr. Chris Mohr and Jayson Hunter (Value $97
2) Bikini Ready Abs by Holly Rigsby (Value $29.95)
3) 10-Minute Trouble Spot Workout for Women by Joey Atlas (Value = $27)
4) The Abdominal Exercise Index (Value = $77
5) Kettlebell Fat Burning Workout Unleashed by Troy Anderson(Value = $47)
6) Home Gym Muscle Building Workout by Jay Ferruggia(Value = $79.95)
7) The Big 5 Fat Loss Turbulence Training Circuit Workout by Craig Ballantyne (Value $19.95)
8] TT for Amazing Lower Abs by Craig Ballantyne (Value = $19.95)
9) The Turbulence Training Hard-core Fat Loss 4-Week Program by Craig Ballantyne (Value $19.99)
10) A 6-Month Basic Level Membership to the Turbulence Training Discussion Forums Other Exclusive Fat Loss Info (Value $119.70)
Again, this entire package is only available for less than 72 hours. On Wednesday, May 7th, at 11:59pm, the 10 new bonuses will disappear from the offer, quite possibly never to be given away again.
Just a few days ago Craig awarded the winner of his transformation contest $2000 - you have to check out this girl’s physique.
Click here to see the collection of ‘before’ and ‘after’ pics:
–http://www.NoNonsenseFatLoss.com
You really do only have 5-7 weeks to SMARTEN UP and maybe this summer you weren’t meant to take back the beach; maybe you are fine wearing over sized clothes this summer; maybe you have learned how to deal with your health problems; maybe you could care less about turning heads…
…maybe you should just wait until New Years again to set the same goals?
Or maybe you should ‘man up’ and grab the information that can take you from a fat loss plateau to a brand new body just in time for summer!
After you check out Craig’s website, if you are truly serious about burning off your belly fat then I have no problem recommending the Turbulence Training fat burning workouts and the fantastic nutrition bonuses to change your body once and for all.
Let’s SMARTEN UP these next 5-7 weeks and get started:
–http://www.NoNonsenseFatLoss.com
Vince DelMonte
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A world famous fitness coach and author, Vince DelMonte is known as the top "Skinny Guy" expert and has helped more skinny guys and girls defeat their muscle unfriendly genes without drugs and supplements.
