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Ain’t nothin’ but a gym thang baby,
2 gym bros going crazy…
– Snoop Dogg (probably)
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Happy Friday, Coach J here from Anyman Fitness – and welcome to the latest edition of The N.W.A. Newsletter.
Each week with the N.W.A. Newsletter, I give you the best Nutrition, Weightlifting, and/or Attitude advice for you to start to use in your life today.
Tens of thousands of people have used this exact newsletter to gain muscle, lose fat, and become a better version of themselves…
Without any further ado, let’s get started..
N.W.A. Tip Of The Week
With the Olympics finishing up, I’ve seen an uptick of people interested in gymnastics-only workout routines.
I’ve had more than one inquiry from someone wanting ring workouts, calisthenic based workouts, or other weight-less bodyweight routines.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to train without equipment.
But when I hear “Those gymnasts are JACKED – I want to look like that – can you create workouts like they use?”… that’s a red flag…
There’s a few issues of trying to accomplish this feat.
I’m not dogging on bodyweight exercises… many training programs I write include pull ups, dips, push-ups, lunges, etc.
But if your #1 goal is to get jacked and build a lot of muscle, you will have a much easier time doing it with weights than with bodyweight exercises.
Let me break this down for you…
#1 – The gymnasts in the Olympics are the 0.0000000000001% of elite gymnasts on the planet.
You want to get a physique like the most finely-tuned, genetically gifted, elite gymnasts on earth?
Cool, me, too, lol…
Genetics are such a massive component here.
The gymnasts you see on TV are naturally built like tanks.
They have wide shoulders, a V-taper, they tend to be short (which makes it easier to pack on visible muscle) – it’s like they’ve been created to perform gymnastics routines.
#2 – The gymnasts in the Olympics train non-stop (and have cooks and dietitians creating all their meals for them).
Do you have 8 hours per day to commit to training?
Do you have the ability to grind it out day after day for years?
Do you have a personal chef to create meals that hit your exact nutritional requirements to accomplish your goals?
Of course not.
You’re busy, you have a life, a family, a career, and responsibilities.
You’re trying to balance everything, while being healthy and lifting a few times per week.
You’re also trying to say no to delivery pizza and beer – you don’t have a personal chef to ensure your diet is perfect.
#3 – It’s significantly more difficult to progressively overload a bodyweight routine than a weights-based routine (and there’s a bigger barrier to entry, too).
If you can’t already do 10 consecutive pull ups, and 40 consecutive push ups, you’re going to struggle big time with a bodyweight routine.
But I’m pretty sure you can do some chest presses or leg presses…
You also run into the issue of making progress.
Once you ARE able to knock out 40 push ups in a row… what do you do?
Do you just keep banging them out?
That’s going to really put some wear and tear on your body…
With weights, it’s much simpler.
Add 5 pounds, and keep going – and you get the proper muscle building stimulus.
While you *can* get crafty to make bodyweight routines harder (adding weighted vests, for example), weights are simply and easier and a more efficient way of doing the same thing.
#4 – The gymnasts in the Olympics chose gymnastics because they were built for it… their physical build wasn’t created because they chose gymnastics…
Consider this statement:
“I want to be taller. Basketball players are tall. Therefore, I will play basketball.”
Sounds silly, doesn’t it?
Yes, the workouts these guys and gals do improve their physiques.
But they were already genetically gifted – and built that way.
That ain’t you, my friend…
If you want to build muscle in the most efficient way possible, here’s what you do:
- Strength train 3-4 times per week
- Perform pushes, pulls, squats, and hip hinges/deadlifts
- Eat plenty of protein
- Track your workouts and push yourself to get stronger
- Get plenty of rest and recover well
It would be nice if there was some super-secret workout program you could do to look like a jacked gymnast.
Hell, I would do it myself.
But there are some glaring differences between the athletes you see on TV, and what you’re capable of accomplishing.
Work smarter, not harder.
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Hey this is Captain Buzzkill reminding you that weekend calories count.
Don’t burn down the house you spent all week building up.
I hope you enjoyed this edition of the Anyman Fitness N.W.A. Newsletter.
I’ll be back next week.
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Best, Coach J Anyman Fitness
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