When it comes to building a lean physique worthy of admiration from your peers or developing the power and strength to maximize your game, you’ll need to put in some quality time at the gym. That’s a given.
But, all that hard work will be for nothing if you don’t fuel your muscles with the right building blocks to help them recover. That’s where a high-quality protein supplement can come in as a crucial ally in your sports nutrition stash.
How Much Protein Do We Need?
If you’re serious about your training goals, you’ll need to supply your muscles with key amino acids after each workout and throughout the day to drive the muscle recovery process.1 As for how much protein you need on a daily basis, the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommends an overall daily intake of 1.4 to 2g of protein per kilogram of body weight for most exercising individuals wishing to support lean muscle gains.2 For practical purposes, this works out to about 1g of protein per pound of body weight per day for athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. So, if you weigh 150 lbs., you should be taking in about 150g of protein daily at a minimum, spread throughout the day.
Unlike the early days of sports nutrition, today there’s a plethora of protein options being marketed as new and innovative offerings. These run the gamut from seemingly unfathomable and unpalatable insect protein powders to lab-grown meat and plant proteins. While there may be some merit to them – since all proteins provide amino acids – there’s currently no definitive body of research to show that any of these esoteric protein sources supersede the raw musclebuilding and recovery power of whey. This dairy-derived protein is a classic staple for many people because it features a complete source of all the essential, dispensable and conditionally essential amino acids that your body can use to maximize recovery and build serious lean muscle gains.2,3 In fact, whey protein is sought after by various athletes, fitness enthusiasts and active lifestyle protein pundits who want the highest caliber amino acid source with the maximum biological value (BV) – a measure of how well a protein is absorbed and assimilated into the body. Indeed, whey protein tips the BV scale with an outstanding score of 104.3
Protein Purity
To make things a little more complex, just as when you go to the gas station to refill your car, you can also find various “octanes” of whey protein on the market today. These are generally categorized by their degree of purity, owing to the amount of processing and refinement applied to the powder to enhance the percentage of the protein content. This is accomplished by reducing the amount of undesirable compounds such as lactose and fat via special membrane filtration systems or ion exchange methods. Whey protein concentrate generally supplies up to 80% protein on a gram-for-gram basis of the crude raw protein powder before inclusion of the flavoring systems. For those looking for a concentration of at least 90% protein before the addition of flavoring systems, a whey isolate product is an attractive proposition. An isolate offers the benefits of whey protein while minimizing carbs, fats, lactose and cholesterol. It’s like buying the highest octane fuel for your luxury car, only this time, you’re the one-of-a-kind exotic sedan that demands the best musclebuilding and recovery fuel!
Isolate Formulas
Admittedly, whey isolate formulas have been on the market for a long time, usually in typical thick milkshake flavors like chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. While these are steadfast favorites for many, perhaps you’re looking for a change – a new “whey” to support your active lifestyle goals. That’s where the MuscleTech research and product development team has you covered. They’ve developed new Iso Whey Clear, a refreshing spin on the mundane whey isolate formula. It’s engineered to be a premium isolate, delivering a light and crisp, flavorful experience. Iso Whey Clear has 22g of protein per serving from an ultra-pure whey isolate that’s chock full of all 9 essential amino acids, including the BCAAs (L-leucine, L-isoleucine and L-valine) needed to support effective recovery from your workouts. And if that’s not enough, the formula also delivers a special enzymatic complex called ProHydrolase® to help break down protein. In a human clinical study, it was shown to improve protein absorption by 20% compared to taking regular whey protein alone. Most experts would think that whey is already so effective that it’s hard to squeeze any more efficiencies from it. But, adding ProHydrolase® is like adding an afterburner to your turbojet engine to maximize thrust and horsepower!
Iso Whey Clear puts a new twist on humdrum whey isolates with its refreshing, light and crisp fruit flavors, as well as its easy mixability. Enhanced with the enzymatic matrix ProHydrolase®, this formula represents a new and innovative class of premium isolate – engineered for the fastest and most efficient delivery of amino acids. It’s easy to see why Iso Whey Clear is by far one of the best ultra-pure protein formulas that you can get today, hands down – and it’s from MuscleTech.
A typical glass of milk is about 88% water, 5% carbohydrates, 4% fat and 3% protein. Slow digesting casein makes up around 80% of the protein with fast digesting whey providing the other 20%. A serving of powdered casein provides half the Daily Value for calcium compared to less than 10% in a scoop of whey.
Both casein and whey are complete proteins, providing all the Essential Amino Acids (EAAs) including the three Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) Leucine, Isoleucine, and Valine. EAAs play important roles in muscle building and recovery. Your body can’t make them, so EAAs must be taken in through food.
History of Casein
In ancient Egypt, casein was used as a binder for pigments. In the 1900s, it was used as a plastic to make buttons, knitting pins and other items.
We mostly know casein for food sources like cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, and supplements. Optimum Nutrition was first to market a micellar casein powder in 2005. Micellar is considered the natural form of casein.
Supplementing With Casein Protein
Casein is a good choice for times when nutrients won’t be available for a while. Usage occasions include between meals and before bed. Its slow digestion delivers amino acids to recovering muscles for longer than fast-digesting whey protein.
As a powdered mix, a 34 gram serving of micellar casein provides 24 grams of protein containing nearly 5 grams of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and nearly 5 grams of glutamine – the most abundant amino acid in muscle. This nutrient profile can help active adults build muscle size and strength.
Building a bigger chest ranks near the top of every guy’s list of training goals. So much so we’ll oftentimes go the extra mile in our eagerness to push past ordinary limits. So which of these approaches have you tried on chest day?
Added in extra sets of a given movement
Threw in additional chest exercises
Spent a disproportionate amount of time training pecs
Trained chest more frequently
If you’re like me, you’ve tried an all-of-the-above approach … with little to show for the effort.
But maybe you’ve simply been looking in the wrong places. Today I’m going to show you outside-the-box techniques that can resuscitate long-stalled gains in pec strength and development. It all starts with an examination of guys who make it their business to push past plateaus in chest strength: world-class benchers and powerlifters.
STRENGTH CURVES AND STICKING POINTS
Have you ever noticed the lower portion of the bench press is the hardest? Toward the end of your set, a spotter will give you a little help with the bar just off the chest, and from there you press to full arm extension. The so-called sticking point at the lower end of the range of motion (ROM) is a result of biomechanics, and it’s where you’re typically weakest.
The barbell bench press and squat are good examples of exercises that follow ascending strength curves – that is, you have less-favorable leverage at the bottom and it becomes more favorable toward the top. Every exercise has a strength curve, which depicts how much force (strength) you can produce at various joint angles throughout the movement’s ROM. For simplicity, think top, middle and bottom of each movement.
Movements with ascending strength curves feel easier as you near full extension (lockout). The muscle tension required decreases over the course of the movement arc. Conversely, exercises such as rows and leg curls with a descending strength curve feel more difficult as you near the fully flexed position. And movements like the biceps curl have a unique bell-shaped strength curve, which feels easiest at the endpoints and toughest in the middle.
Knowing the strength curve of the bench press allows you to selectively overload the movement along various parts of the ROM and apply techniques that challenge you at those sticking points. Get stronger at your weakest spots and improve strength where you’re already strongest – that’s the ticket to skyrocket your bench press.
1. USE CHAINS AND BANDS TO OVERLOAD THE TOP
Because the upper end of the range of motion is easier on the bench press, you’re not working that area as hard as you could be, which means you’re not realizing your full potential of muscle growth. The strategy here, then, is to increase the overload on the upper end of the ROM without significantly affecting the lower end. While you could do that with partial-rep training in a power rack (see tip 3), you can also try chains and bands in your chest workouts.
Bands are the more versatile choice because they can be used with almost any piece of equipment, but both training aids allow you to increase the overload the farther the bar is from the floor. Some hardcore gyms have chains, but bands are more practical for carrying around and come in various lengths and thicknesses, which can add up to 150 pounds of added resistance at the top of a movement.
Make sure you have a pair of bands to allow for symmetrical placement (important so the load is evenly placed on the bar) and ensure there’s a minimum level of tension when the bar is in the bottom position. You’ll also increase your negative-rep strength using these tools.
2. COME TO A FULL STOP AT THE BOTTOM OF EACH REP
You might not be the guy who bounces the barbell off his chest when benching, but that doesn’t mean you’re not otherwise getting a big assist out of the hole. To better understand the mechanism, let’s first have a quick physics discussion on the role of elastic energy.
Here’s how it works: When you lower a weighted barbell (without the bar touching your chest, of course), elastic energy builds up in the muscle, which assists in the initial stages of the lift when reversing direction. This process is known as the stretch reflex. If, instead, you stop the movement at the bottom of the rep for about two seconds (or, conversely, momentarily allow it to settle on the safety bars set to the bottom of your ROM just off your chest in a power rack), that aforementioned built-up energy dissipates. It can no longer help you out of the hole, which means you have to work harder to get the bar moving. That’s where a short-term dedicated training strategy can really help build up your strength out of the hole by making you work harder at your weakest point in the ROM.
3. PUSH HEAVY PARTIALS
There’s another way to overload the top portion of the rep where you’re strongest and that’s with partial reps. This can be done in a power rack in which you set the safeties so you’re only over a limited portion of the ROM, say the top third. This allows you to train with heavier loads than you could handle with full-range reps.
The idea behind doing heavy partials is that as you gain strength, you drop the safeties one or two positions in the power rack, so that you’re elongating the ROM. Over time, this allows you to push more weight over the entire strength curve of the bench press.
Board presses are another way to do partials, and they work in a similar fashion. While all heavy-weight movements should have a spotter, this one in particular requires your partner to hold one of two boards above just off your chest, again limiting the ROM to the top third or so. As you progress over time to using fewer boards, your range of motion increases until you approach doing full-range reps.
4. FOCUS ON BUILDING TRICEPS STRENGTH
No doubt the triceps play a key role in heavy bench pressing, especially toward the lockout position. While your current arm workouts may be focused on generating a deep muscle pump, let’s put that training aside for a while and instead concentrate on building triceps strength. You don’t do that with high-rep, muscle-pump training.
Put a greater emphasis in your arm routine on multi-joint triceps exercises including close-grip bench presses, weighted bench dips, weighted parallel bar dips (for triceps, remember to keep your body in a more vertical position and don’t allow your elbows to flare out), as well as the triceps dip machine.
But don’t stop there. Choose challenging weights, doing as few as 4 to 6 reps per set, early in your arm training before fatigue sets in. With single-joint triceps exercises like skull-crushers and overhead extensions, let the rep target drift a bit higher, but you’ll still build strength better with sets of 8 reps than with sets of 15.
5. FOLLOW A STRENGTH PROTOCOL
While bodybuilders and powerlifters use the same tools in the gym, their training methods are vastly different. To maximize strength as in the bench press, a number of training variables are altered from traditional bodybuilding protocol, including volume (the number of sets you do for a body part multiplied by the load), rest periods, training intensity (as defined by the loads you use in relation to your single-rep max, expressed as a percentage), and the concept of training to failure. Here’s a quick explanation:
>> To focus on gaining strength you typically use loads corresponding to, for example, your 5RM (that is, a weight you can do for five reps), 3RM and 2RM on your main (first) exercise, which for chest is the bench press. Such very heavy sets aren’t as effective at building muscle, but are requisite when focusing on strength.
>> When you increase intensity, you do not also want to increase volume. In fact, strength training involves far fewer total reps (usually about 10 to 20 total for all your working sets of bench presses) as well as fewer total sets in your workout. That is, after warm-ups, you may do four sets of benches, but the aggregate number of reps for all sets shouldn’t exceed 20 (four sets of five reps equals 20). When you get to even heavier weights, limit total reps to 10. That is, three sets of three, or four to five sets of two.
>> Workouts are arranged around building strength on a particular lift rather than building up a body part. Hence, the secondary exercises you choose after the bench should be ones that aid you in increasing your bench, not fully developing the muscle. Smart choices include dumbbell bench presses, incline presses, one of the techniques above that addresses a sticking point, and a multi-joint triceps exercise. These assistance exercises should be done for three to five sets, starting at the lower end and increasing volume over time, for four to six reps.
>> Between-sets recovery is usually about 60 to 90 seconds, bet when training for hypertrophy, but when following a strength-training protocol you don’t want any carryover fatigue from your previous set, which allows the nervous system to better recover. Hence, on your main exercise, take three to five minutes between sets.
>> Training to failure, the point at which you can’t do any more reps on your own with good form, is a bodybuilding technique that’s not used in strength training. In the latter, it’s counterproductive because of the cumulative stress it places on the nervous system. Always keep one to two reps left in the tank for each set. Have a spotter on hand but avoid forced reps.
6. MAXIMIZE YOUR NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
All the above approaches can help you make incremental gains in chest strength in the gym that, over time, lead to significant changes in strength. But why limit your efforts to just training when science has shown eating right and smart supplementation can further boost strength gains? Here are the key supplements to consider to complement your training efforts.
>> Creatine Monohydrate. This musclebuilding, power-enhancing supplement has plenty of research to support its ergogenic role as a strength and size builder. Creatine works by increasing the availability of creatine and phosphocreatine (PCr) within the muscle, which helps you maintain energy during high-intensity activities like weightlifting. Research shows that creatine supplementation can lead to at least 5% to 15% greater gains in strength and performance.[1] Make use of these MuscleTech® products that include creatine: Cell-Tech™, Cell-Tech™ Hyper-Build™ and Essential Series Platinum 100% Creatine.
>> Whey Protein. Because it’s fast digesting, whey is optimal post-workout as it stimulates muscle protein synthesis rapidly compared to other types of protein such as casein.[2] A review article published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that supplementing with protein for longer than six weeks when combined with resistance training led to significantly greater increases in muscle mass and strength, when compared to resistance training without a dietary protein supplement.[3] What’s more, in a six-week clinical trial, subjects taking whey protein along with their training regimen gained 5.1 lbs. of lean muscle and added 14 lbs. to their bench press.[4] You can’t beat the Nitro-Tech® family when it comes to scientifically advanced whey proteins – and no matter what your goal, there’s a Nitro-Tech formula to help you get the results you’re after.
Some whey formulas also contain carbohydrates that are collectively known as mass gainers, ideal for a bulking phase. For those, you’ll want to consider Mass-Tech® Extreme 2000.
> > Caffeine. As a stimulant, caffeine aids in both endurance activities as well as highly intense exercise. Caffeine is among the most studied ingredients in sports nutrition and can support increases in mental focus, intensity, energy and even thermogenesis.[5] Muscle-Tech features a wide range of cutting-edge pre-workouts that utilize this powerful ingredient. Pre-Workout Collection
>> Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). BCAAs, especially leucine, stimulate muscle protein synthesis, suppress protein degradation and may help speed workout recovery. In a 2011 study, a 4 gram daily dose of L-leucine taken over 12 weeks, along with a training program, was shown to help subjects increase their 5-rep max lifts by over 40%.[6] Check out Amino Build Next Gen (with betaine and electrolytes) and Amino Build® Next Gen Energized (with added caffeine).
PROTEIN33G CARBS32G CALORIES270 FAT2GSERVINGS Makes 1 Serving
This easy recipe delivers vitamins A, C, D, and zinc into one, convenient snack! Blueberries and strawberries (fresh or frozen) are good sources of vitamins A and C which provide antioxidant and immune support, while milk serves as good source of vitamin D – important for bone, muscle, and immune health.
Ingredients:
½ cup strawberries
½ cup blueberries
1 cup skim milk
1 scoop of ON Gold Standard 100% Whey vanilla protein powder
Dash of cinnamon
Ice to achieve desired thickness (optional)
Directions:
Place all of the above ingredients into a blender.
Blend until a desired thickness/smoothness is achieved.
After months of living room lunges, backyard burpees, and milk jug curls in the kitchen, the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here.
GYMS ARE REOPENING!
And while we can’t tell you which ones are back up and running, we can help make sure your reunion runs as smoothly as possible. A lot has changed since your last visit to the gym and there are a few things you need to know before you go. Lucky for you, we did all the legwork and compiled a comprehensive guide to help you prepare for post-quarantine gym life.
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU GO
Call ahead to make sure you understand your gym’s new policies and procedures as well as what precautions they’re taking to keep you safe. Here are some important questions to ask before you go:
Are you offering/requiring online reservations and check-in systems?
How are you spacing out people and equipment?
Are you limiting how many people can be in the gym at once?
Is access to locker rooms limited?
Are your employees wearing masks?
Do you have disposable masks if I want one?
What’s the ventilation like?
How often are you disinfecting the equipment, and do you have disinfectant available for members to use?
WHAT TO DO WHILE YOU’RE THERE
Regardless of your gym’s rules, it’s always a good idea to use extra precaution when breaking a sweat in a public area. During your workout, use the following guidelines to keep you, and those around you, safe.
USE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND LIMIT PHYSICAL CONTACT
Wear a cloth face covering at all times.
Stay at least six feet away from other gym goers.
Limit attendance at indoor group training sessions.
Don’t shake hands, give high-fives, do elbow bumps, or touch others.
TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS WITH SHARED EQUIPMENT
Wipe down machines and equipment with disinfecting wipes.
Use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol before using machines.
Do not share items that cannot be cleaned, sanitized, or disinfected between use, such as resistance bands and weightlifting belts.
WHAT TO DO ONCE YOU’RE HOME
Make sure what happens at the gym, stays at the gym. Use these guidelines to keep you and your loved ones safe once you’re home.
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer after you’ve finished your workout.
Wash your clothes and face mask once you’re home.
Disinfect your gym bag, shoes or any equipment you brought with you.
This is Roelly Winklaar — a bodybuilding boss who’s no stranger to championship titles. In fact, he’s brought home so many wins that fans worldwide have adorned him with the nickname, “The Beast.” And with The Olympia in his sights, he’ll be spending this year bringing that nickname to life in the gym. Because in his mind, winning isn’t an option — it’s the only option.
But that’s not all there is to Roelly. During his most recent visit to BPI Sports headquarters, we sat down and got a little more personal with the world-renowned bodybuilder to bring you the inside scoop.
He’s a natural and he’s got the win to show it. He won his first competition without any supplements, nutrition plans, or much background on the sport at all. We guess you could say he was built for bodybuilding.
When he’s off-the-clock he’s on island time, visiting his family on his native island, Curaçao.
Before he hit the stage he played the field, living out his dream of being a fútbol player with professional clubs.
That M&M’s rumor you’ve been hearing about may not be all it’s cracked up to be. The real story? A famous German photographer captured him behind the scenes eating some M&M’s during a competition. The next day the same photographer gifted him with a duffel bag full of them. Now whenever Roelly goes to Germany, people bring him bundles of M&M’s. But if you ask him, he could, “take ‘em or leave ‘em, it’s not really a thing.”
He’s got moves on and off the stage. Not only can he backflip, he’s known to cut a rug to his favorite R&B classics — his go-to music in the gym.
His favorite food could just be his secret weapon. Yambo, or what he describes as a “slimy seafood soup” made with okra, is a national dish from Curaçao and is believed among islanders to bring power to those who eat it.
Bodybuilding runs in the family. His younger brother Quincy “The Q” Winklaar is also a pro competitor. Roelly inspired him and helped mold his training routine, which led to Quincy receiving his pro card back in 2011.
When it comes to pets, he prefers a slither to a snuggle. Avoiding the pet hair drama that comes with most furry friends, Roelly used to spend his days with his favorite snake instead.
He’s known to hit the snooze button — but for good reason. During training season, Roelly recovers with 12 to 13 hours of sleep a night.
Even he can’t resist a good cheat day. While he was here, we had him take on a chicken sandwich taste test challenge between Popeye’s and Chick-Fil-A. In the end, his favorite came out on top – Chick-Fil-A all the way.
Kick off your morning keto-style and whip up a batch of these cabbage hash browns. Serve them up with a side of eggs cooked just the way you like them for a fresh take on the morning munchies.
KETO CABBAGE HASH BROWNS
Total Prep Time: 25 mins Serving Size: 2
INGREDIENTS
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 c. shredded cabbage
1/4 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, garlic powder, and salt. Season with black pepper.
Add cabbage and onion to egg mixture and toss to combine.
In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil.
Divide mixture into 4 patties in the pan and press with spatula to flatten.
Cook until golden and tender, about 3 minutes per side.
Looking for an extra boost with your breakfast? Add a scoop of Keto Bomb to your morning coffee — loaded with essential fats like MCTs, electrolytes and zero sugar, this ketogenic creamer promotes energy, hydration and fat loss. Not a coffee drinker? Try Keto Tea instead. It promotes energy and fat loss and supports detox programs, energy and focus.*
How do you serve up your cabbage hash browns? Tell us all about it on social media.
Combine oats, Combat 100% Whey, flaxseed, and cinnamon in a bowl
Heat almond butter, coconut oil, and honey in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir until the almond butter has melted and combined with oil and honey. Then stir in the vanilla extract
Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in dry mixture.
Spread the granola on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and stir, then place back in the oven to bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Top the granola mixture with chocolate chips and protein bar chunks. Stir mixture and let it cool for 15 minutes!
Ingredients: – 1 cup unsweetened almond milk – 1 scoop MusclePharm Combat 100% Whey (You can also use Combat Protein Powder Vanilla or Organic Plant-Based Protein Vanilla) – 1 scoop MusclePharm Superfoods – 1 tsp spirulina – 1 banana – 1-2 tbs nut butter – Handful of spinach – Ice
Benefits of this St. Patrick’s Day Shake: It’s FULL of nutrients!
Superfood – Increases immunity, improves mood, increases energy
Spirulina – Full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and has anti-cancer properties
Spinach – Full of iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Folic Acid, and Calcium
Banana – Tons of fiber and potassium, betters your heart health, and helps with digestion
Peanut butter – Healthy fats, keeps you fuller longer, high in folates essential for brain development and Vitamin E, helps fight depression and reduce the risk of heart disease
Combat Sport – Helps support the growth of lean muscle tissue, aids in recovery and supports satiety
WELCOME BACK TO WEEK TWO OF DROPPING THE QUARANTINE 15!
This week, we’re busting some of the most common 6-pack myths with Steven Cao. Then, we’ll show you some of his favorite exercises for toning and strengthening your core.
Before you jump into your washboard ab journey, it’s important to understand what will and won’t work. Join Steven Cao below as he answers some of the most asked questions and debunks the most common myths about achieving the perfect 6-pack.
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER ONE: YOU CAN’T HAVE ABS WITHOUT STRONG AB MUSCLES.
FALSE. According to Steven, with the right diet you won’t have to train as hard as you think to get a toned core.
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER TWO: CARDIO IS REQUIRED TO GET ABS.
TRUE. Steven highly recommends cardio because it will put you in a calorie deficit, which will help you lose fat and look more toned.
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER THREE: YOU CAN GET ABS OVERNIGHT.
FALSE. In Steven’s words, “it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER FOUR: THE BEST WAY TO GET A 6-PACK IS BY DOING CRUNCHES.
FALSE. He’s said it before and he’ll say it again. Diet is the most important factor in getting a 6-pack. In other words, the less munching you do, the less crunching you’ll do.
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER FIVE: MEN CAN GET ABS EASIER THAN WOMEN.
TRUE(ish). Steven says that while he thinks the average man would have an easier time getting abs than the average woman, he’s seen some female competitors that are “sharper than some of the guys.” For him, this one’s debatable.
6-PACK MYTH NUMBER SIX: “MAGAZINE COVER” ABS ARE ACHIEVABLE.
TRUE(ish). While Steven says this one is debatable, it is possible with the right genetics and a strong work ethic.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge of Steven Cao under your belt, let’s get to work toning up the muscles under there too. Watch below and follow along as Steven Cao takes us through some of his favorite ab workouts.
