“Everything seems impossible till you do it. Nothing seems impossible now.”
Brandon – V Shred Client 

“I tried working out before I found your program. I didn’t really know what I was doing, just throwing weights around. I wasn’t seeing any progress,” remembers Brandon before discovering V Shred. 

Brandon wasn’t exactly sure what he was looking for when he stumbled across V Shred, he just knew he had gained about 80 pounds, was unhealthy, unhappy, and something had to change.

“I was sitting on the couch eating some cheetos or something and flipping through Facebook, and I saw your ad on there, and I clicked on it, watched the videos, and thought I’m gonna do it, this is it,”  he says.

Brandon’s starting point was 210 pounds and close to 28 percent body fat. He says he jiggled when he walked and got too winded to play with his young kids. 

Now? After a grueling 18 months of going back and forth between Ripped In 90 Days and Clean Bulk — Brandon is 151 pounds, 7.8% body fat, and feels the healthiest he has in his entire life!  

“That was the coolest part about the whole thing is watching my body shrink and muscles are starting to develop, and you can see them,” says Brandon

Brandon loved our programs so much he completed Ripped In 90 Days a total of 6 times and Clean Bulk twice. But says the custom diet plan was the real game-changer, especially during his clean bulk phases.  

“It was cool because it was the right kind of food. I am putting on muscle and watching myself get bigger, not fatter.”

Brandon’s results also motivated one of his sons to hit the gym and his wife to jump on board too! 

“She did at home workouts, lost 30 pounds,” he says. 

Brandon says it’s not just the aesthetic changes, inspiring others, or even the health benefits from losing weight — he says his entire life has changed for the better since finding V Shred a year and a half ago. 

“My confidence level has gone up a lot. It’s really reflected in my life. My career has taken off. Bought our first house, got both our kids cars, 3 kids, two are teens.” 

The 43-year old says the biggest advice he has for anyone thinking about purchasing one of our programs and getting started is simple — invest in yourself! 

“I feel like I can do anything. It’s not just the training, and it’s not just the food, it’s the package deal, everything has come into play where Over the past year and a half I’ve seen myself do things I didn’t know I could do!”

To hear more about Brandon’s V Shred journey and learn which supplements were his favorite to use that helped him recover faster from his workouts, amplify his results, and improve his sleep — click the video box at the top of this page! 

We would love to help you take your first step so that you will also have a V Shred testimony to share! You can reach our team by clicking HERE! 

Brandon’s Case Study is the story of Brandon’s  unique experience with V Shred and his weight loss and fitness journey.  His results are uniquely his and this Case Study is a detailed presentation of Brandon’s decision making and use of V Shred products and programs. There is no assurance that your personal experience will be similar to his.

The post V Shred Review: “I got rid of my Dad Bod and got shredded with the V Shred program!” appeared first on V Shred.

We have a full shoulder workout that is the perfect combination of compound low-rep strength exercises and some higher-rep pump movements.

The way this workout is structured… your shoulders will be ON FIRE!

Just remember: if you are looking to build your dream physique, you have pay some attention to ALL muscle groups! You can dial in your entire training week with Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest and/or steady-state cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Leg Day
Friday: Ultimate Shoulders
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

This is actually Vince’s current shoulder workout, so instead of just filming an instructional video, he let the cameras roll during his last lift and gives some technique pointers between sets!

This video would be great to check out before you attempt the workout on your own to make sure you are doing each movement with proper form and to learn a little more about why Vince includes these specific exercises for strength and hypertrophy! It’s always a good idea to know WHY you are doing what you are doing, and Vince breaks it all down for you! 

ULTIMATE BOULDER SHOULDER WORKOUT

A: Seated barbell dead-stop shoulder press 5 sets, 5 reps (2 minutes rest between sets.)
B: Standing dumbbell single-arm shoulder press 4 sets,10 reps (1 minute sets, no rest between sets.)
Superset
C1: Dumbbell front raise, 4 sets 12 reps (no rest)
C2: Barbell bent-over rear delt row 4 sets, 12 reps (1 minute rest)
D: Dumbbell lateral raise 1 set, 6-8 reps, then run the rack

Let’s get to building some BOULDER SHOULDERS!!! 

Before any lift, but especially one like this where you will be pushing some heavy weight, you need to do a proper warm-up. It doesn’t have to take long! Just 5-10 minutes of movement, walking, and some shoulder circles or other joint mobility work can be enough to gets blood flowing to the shoulder and get your heart rate up just a little bit.

Do it while you’re waiting for your pre-workout to kick in, then hit a couple of lightweight sets of your first movement in the workout, and you’re good to go!

Here are some crucial cues to keep in mind for each movement…

Seated barbell dead-stop shoulder press

We are starting off with a compound movement. The goal for this first exercise is not a lot of volume but a lot of weight.

The “deadstop” shoulder press is a little different than your standard shoulder press. If you have never done these, they are great for explosive pushing.Typically with HEAVY pressing, you need a spotter, but you don’t need a spot with this style of press because you will be set up on a  smith machine! 

If done with PROPER form, this movement will hit all heads of the delt. It also requires the support of other, smaller muscles in your shoulders and even your core (so keep that stomach tight.) 

You will do 5 sets of 5 reps, with 2 minutes of rest between sets.Go as heavy as you can while maintaining proper form. Once you get to rep 3, it should be really tough, that 4th rep should be a struggle, and rep 5 should be failure. 

The biggest thing with this first exercise is to make sure you get in ALL 25 REPS. 

This may mean that you need to lower the weight for the last set. That’s fine! Don’t decrease the number of reps; just decrease the weight.

Standing single-arm dumbbell shoulder press

For exercise two, we are doing another compound movement but with less weight and more reps. This one is going to give you an insane pump. Consider yourself warned!

You will perform 4 sets of 10 reps with no rest between sides or arms. This means you will NOT be able to go heavy. So leave your ego at the door and focus on form. We are focusing on a slow and controlled tempo, so these sets are long!

If you think the first 10 reps are easy, just wait until set 2 or 3. No rest makes this exercise VERY DIFFICULT! You will most likely have to drop the weight toward the final sets. Don’t be shocked if you are struggling with 5-10 pounds by that last set! 

That’s OK! Remember, this exercise is purely for volume and keeping tension on the muscle at all times. 

Superset: Dumbbell front raise with barbell bent-over rear delt row

The previous exercise was one “constant” set. This one is a super-set, which is just two exercises back to back with no rest in-between the exercises.  

You’ll do 4 sets of 12 reps for each exercise, resting 1 minute between super sets.

First up will be the dumbbell front raise. With these, you will be focusing on reaching out in front. Don’t shrug your shoulders up or raise the weight past shoulder height. The goal is to keep tension on that front head of the delt!

Without rest, you will jump straight into barbell bent-over rear delt rows. Focus on pulling up and at an angle for these. 

Dumbbell lateral raises, “run the rack”

We are finishing up this delt destroyer with a lateral raise that will destroy the outer or “lateral” head of your delts. This is the area of your shoulder that gives you that much-desired wider shoulder appearance.

You’re only going to do one set, but it is a long, grueling set that will keep you going until you’re at total muscle failure and can’t get your arms up an inch! 

Start with a weight where you can go as heavy as possible for about  6 to 8 reps. Then just keep dropping weight by about 5 pounds, aiming for at least 5 reps with each lower weight. Do this all the way “down the rack” of dumbbells until you don’t have one single rep left in the tank! 

Again, we are not focusing on a set number of reps. It may be 30, it may be 100. It’s however many reps it takes for YOU to go to complete failure. 

When it comes to form on these, make sure you are lifting OUT and not just UP.

You will have a slight bend in your elbow, so a cue to help you out with that would be to think of leading with your elbows out. Only go to about shoulder height. No need to go higher, or you will just lose tension on the muscle. Also, try not to bounce. You aren’t working your shoulders when you do this.

Toward the very end, you may have a slight bounce as you are trying to force those final few reps to failure. But if you start struggling too much, that’s when you know you need to stop. 

The Perfect Workout for a Pre-Workout

Diehard bodybuilders and lifters know that shoulders love the pump to grow. If you are looking for a new way to challenge your shoulder workout and want to focus on building muscle size, expect to work through the burn! 

Want to really max out the pump? Then pound a serving of a quality pre-workout about 30 minutes before you hit the weights. 

Sculpt Nation PRE is an excellent choice. Our formula goes beyond a “jolt” from caffeine! It will no doubt give you long-lasting energy, but also has ingredients that will help you focus, pump out more reps using more weight, help promote muscular endurance, rev up your metabolism and allow for better recovery between sets. 

Adding a pre-workout to your supplement stack is just a bonus. Of course, you also have to eAT and supplement for your goals! You can find out how to eat for your bulking goals using the macro calculator in the V Shred app for iOS or Android.

Or if you want an even more personalized bulking plan, let one of our expert trainers build you a personalized custom meal plan to help you grow bigger, faster!  

Chasing muscle gains? One workout won’t get you there, but a full growth plan like Vince’s Clean Bulk will! This legendary 90-day program isn’t easy, but follow it to the letter, and you will see the scale go up–and need a new wardrobe!

The post Vince’s Ultimate BOULDER SHOULDER Workout appeared first on V Shred.

How heavy you lift has a lot to do with your goals and experience level. It will vary for every person, every exercise, and every workout. 

But there are still some common sense guidelines you can follow to help you figure out how to maximize both the safety and the effectiveness of your workouts! 

The short answer is: Muscle growth does not necessarily depend on the amount of weight you lift.  As long as you lift heavy enough to challenge yourself and use proper form, you should build muscle and strength. 

And no, ladies, lifting heavy enough to feel challenging will not make you “bulky.” On the contrary, lifting too light is a surefire way to make your workouts less effective for all goals! 

Think effort and form, not numbers

Before you even think about how much weight you should lift —  you need to focus on PROPER FORM! 

Male or female, you should work hard enough to send your body a loud and clear message to change while not pushing yourself beyond where you can recover from—or hurting yourself. Not every rep should be easy. But not every rep should be hard, either! 

The key to finding this balance is slowing down, being patient, and not letting your ego decide how much weight to lift. 

Keep in mind that “heavy” is individual. Heavy for one person could be 5lbs, and for another, it could be 100lbs. Don’t focus on that. 

All you need to do is use proper form and lift heavy enough to challenge yourself on some of your reps. Then ever so often (every week or even every couple of weeks), increase the weight, number of reps, or number of sets. You could also push just a little closer to “muscle failure,” or the point where you can’t do another rep.

These are all forms of what is known as progressive overload. 

Let Your Workout Rep Range Guide You

A good rule to help you pick weights is to aim to perform all the reps and sets prescribed with proper form, but make each set progressively more challenging. 

Here is what this could look like…

Say you’re in the gym, and the workout says to do four sets of 8-12 reps, like most of the gym workouts in our program Fat Loss Extreme For Men or Fat Loss Extreme For Women. 

 Aim to make the first set kinda easy— like you feel you probably have a solid 4-5 reps left in the tank. Wait 60-90 seconds, and then add a little weight, so you have about 3 reps left in the tank. 

Now you’re warmed up and breathing a little harder. 

Rest another 60-90 seconds, and do a third set. This time, only leave a couple reps in the tank. Rest again On that final set, keep repping until you’re pretty sure you don’t have another rep in you. 

If you only managed 5, you probably went a bit too heavy. Got 12-15 or more? You went too light. No problem; just write it in your workout log and remember it for next week.

Trial and error, paying attention to your body, and keeping a workout log are the essential techniques to help you pick your ideal weight range when lifting weights. Because if you’re doing things right, that weight range will change over time!

And yes… you can build muscle using nothing like your body weight.

Thousands of V Shred customers have totally transformed their bodies by pushing the intensity of bodyweight movements like you can find in our at-home program MOVE.

Even if you never pick up a single weight, you can learn a lot about how to find that “this feels heavy, but I can handle it” sweet spot. As a bonus, each workout is 20 minutes or less!

Keep Growing and Transforming

As your fitness level progresses, so should your workouts! Remember the key to building muscle is to challenge them over and over again. Fitness results happen over the course of weeks and months, not a single workout–no matter how good that workout is! 

If you are struggling to make it to the gym, need an extra push to get in those reps you know you have in you somewhere, and lift heavier, you have options beyond simply “dig deep and tough it out.” Take a quality pre-workout like PRE by Sculpt Nation about 15-30 minutes before hitting the weight room, and don’t be surprised if “heavy” feels just a little lighter. 

If you’re someone who looks at a workout chart and sees a foreign language, please don’t give up. We have a team of certified personal trainers who can build a custom workout plan that works for your experience level and the equipment you have— even if it’s no equipment!

If you are interested in one-on-one coaching, click the link above or email coaching@vshred.com and let us know you’re interested.

Are you ready to push yourself in the weight room and build muscle? Then try Vince’s legendary Clean Bulk program! This 90-day gym-based program is engineered to add maximum lean tissue with as little fat as possible, and come with a targeted meal plan to match. Warning: You will need a new wardrobe! 

The post How Heavy Should I Lift? appeared first on V Shred.

Your leg day workout is crucial in achieving a symmetrical, good looking physique.
Ready to grow? Here’s your mass-building leg workout!

It’s all too common for people to skip a leg day. Because… well… leg workouts are hard, and then there’s the all too familiar “waddle” that comes in the days to follow. But here’s the thing… when you hit your legs hard enough to make them grow, the rest of you usually gets bigger, leaner, and more muscular, too!

This all-around muscle-building leg workout is built around the best exercises for quads, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Hit it with everything you’ve got once a week, and it will be enough! Ready to build and toughen up those chicken legs? Let’s get to work!

Just remember: if you are looking to build your dream physique, you have pay some attention to ALL muscle groups! You can dial in your entire training week with Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest and/or steady-state cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Leg Day
Friday: Ultimate Shoulders
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

Ultimate Lower Body Workout for Big Legs

Warm Up:
You should never hit the weights without a proper warm up and warm up sets – especially on leg day!

Exercises:
A. Barbell squat 4 sets, 6-10 reps (rest 2 min. between sets. Lighten the load after the first two sets)
B. Hip thrust 4 sets, 8-12 reps (rest 2 min.)
C. Weighted walking lunge 3 sets, 10-14 per side (rest 90 sec.)
D. Lying leg curl 3 sets 8-12 reps (rest 1 min.)
E. Calf raise 4 sets, 15-20 reps (rest 1 min.)

Successful leg mass building relies on a 4-point rule. First, you must start the workout with the most strenuous exercises and the heaviest weights. Second, you have to hit the thighs from different angles. Third and fourth, you need to keep every routine’s volume high and train at least some of the movements to muscle failure.

Leg Workout Exercises

1. Barbell Squat

(4 sets, 6-10 reps)

Make a hip-width stance with your toes facing slightly outward. Support the barbell on the top of your trap muscles, chest up, and head facing forward.

Bend your knees slowly, while driving them outward and keeping your back straightened. Hinge your hips and your knees will move forward. Make sure the bar moves in a straight line up and down.

Slowly keep the weight on your heels and push up to go back to your initial position.

2. Hip Thrust

(4 sets of 8-12 reps)

Lie with your upper back supported on a bench, and your feet planted firmly on the floor. Hold a barbell across your hips. Slowly lower your hips down to the floor. Only low enough that your glutes and hamstrings remain in constant tension. Power back up while pressing through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top.

3. Weighted Walking Lunge

(3 sets 10-14 reps per side)

Begin with a hip-width stance holding a dumbbell in each hand.

Put one leg forward, bending your knees to lower your hips. Dip until your back knee nearly meets the floor. Keep an upright posture, and avoid moving your front knee past your toes to avoid injury.

Put your weight on your front foot’s heel and ascend from the lunge. Switch sides and repeat.

As you exhale, extend your legs fully using your quads. Keep your back flat on the padded seat during the movement. Pause and squeeze for a moment and then slowly retreat to your original position.

Repeat until you finish the set.

4. Lying Leg Curls

(3 sets, 8-12 reps)

Lie face down on the machine and place your feet under the foot pad — a few inches below the calves. Grab the machine’s handle, keep your torso flat, and stretch your legs fully.

Keeping your upper legs on the pad, curl your legs as far as you can while you exhale. Pause for a second after fully curling your legs. Go back to the original position as you inhale.

5. Calf Raises

(4 sets, 15-20 reps)

You can do these seated or standing. Plant the balls of your feet firmly on the step with your heels extending over the edge. As you exhale, raise your heels as high as you can, feeling your calves flex. Pause for a second and lower your heels to return to your initial position.

To make the most out of this leg day workout routine — choose loads that let you hit muscle failure within the repetitions you set. If you want to cut the workout short, you can leave out the hamstrings or calves exercises (or both) and train them on another day.

Want to Grow? Eat Like You Mean It

A well-structured leg day like this one can–and will And don’t forget about NUTRITION! You can train like a beast and give your workout 110% — but if you aren’t fueling your body, you won’t see the best results from your hard work!

In addition to a nutrition plan catered to your specific body type and mass building goals, we suggest an inta-workout supplement like Sculpt Nation BCAAs and a fast acting post workout formula like Sculpt nation POST WORKOUT.

If you are serious about putting on size and are looking for a new full body program, check out Vince’s best-selling ready to download CLEAN BULK program.

Do you have any leg day tip you might want to share? We’d love to know them in the comments section below!

Up Next: How To Do Squats With More Weight | Exercises For Knee Pain

The post Ultimate Leg Day Workout | No Chicken Legs! appeared first on V Shred.

If your chest and triceps day is getting a little boring, you are struggling to grow, or you’ve just hit a muscle growth plateau, we’ve got a killer workout for you to try! It’s packed with the best chest exercises and triceps exercises, combined with a perfect balance of pump and volume to give your upper body that “shock” to kick it into growth!

Just remember: if you are looking to build your dream physique, it can’t be chest day every day! This workout may be the perfect way to start off the week, but it works even better as part of a complete, balanced training plan. Dial in your entire training week with Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest and/or steady-state cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Legs & Glutes
Friday: Ultimate Shoulders
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

ULTIMATE CHEST & TRICEPS WORKOUT FOR MUSCLE GAINS

A. Incline dumbbell bench press 4 sets, 6-8 reps (rest 90 sec. between sets, single dropset after final set)
B. Alternating single-arm dumbbell flat bench press 4 sets, 12 reps (rest 1 min. between sets)
C. Incline cable chest fly 4 sets, 12 reps (rest 60 sec. between sets)
D. Pec deck or machine fly 4 sets 12 reps (rest 60 sec. between sets)
E. Rope triceps push-down 4 sets, 12 reps (rest 60 sec. between sets)
F. Incline EZ-bar skull crusher 4 sets, 12 reps per arm (rest 60 sec. between sets)
G. Cable single-arm cross-body extension 4 sets, 12 reps (no rest between sides or sets)

Most of the exercises should be familiar to anyone who celebrates International Chest Day on a regular basis, but here are a couple of pro tips from Vince to get the most out of every set. If you’re building up your little black book of training tips, also be sure to join our Facebook men’s group, packed with V Shred personal trainers and other dudes who geek out on this stuff every day.

Incline dumbbell bench press

Don’t flare your elbows completely out to the side on this exercise. That’s a common technique mistake that puts a lot of stress on the shoulder. Go down far enough to really feel the stretch in your chest on every rep, and then push up to feel the squeeze. Nail 6-8 no-doubt reps per set, then finish the last set by immediately lightening the weight by around 20 percent for a dropset.

Alternating single-arm dumbbell flat bench press

If you haven’t done these before, prepare yourself to be humbled! Keep the rest periods to 60 seconds on the dot, and expect to have to go far lighter than you would on a “normal” dumbbell bench.

Incline cable chest fly

Keep a soft bend in your elbows through every rep, and only lower the weight until it’s around parallel to the ground. That will keep the focus on your chest, and off of your vulnerable shoulder or elbow joints! Again, keep those rest periods strict!

Pec deck

Vince’s favorite cue here is to “lead with your elbows.” He advises, “don’t even think about what your hands are doing. Think about what your elbows are doing.” Focusing on bringing them together will help place more tension on your pecs and really burn out your chest to finish this portion of the workout.

Rope triceps push-down

Getting the most out of this staple triceps exercise is all about the set-up. “I like to take a step back away from the stack,” Vince advises. “There’s not much tension at the bottom if you’re too close. Step back, lock your elbows into place, and press your chest out as you press that weight down, squeezing your triceps at the bottom and bringing them up to right around 90 degrees on every rep.”

Incline EZ-bar skull crusher

Again, this is all about the set-up. Keep your elbows at around shoulder-width and no wider, and you’ll feel this right on your triceps without making your elbows cry mercy! Vince also performs each rep with the weight slightly behind his head to keep tension on the triceps throughout the full range of motion of the exercise.

Cable single-arm cross-body extension

This finisher will truly fry your tris! It’s simple but brutal: go straight from 12 reps on one arm to 12 reps on the other… and then back. That is one set. You WILL NOT REST before starting your next set. Go straight into the next one! Do this for all 4 sets, aiming for 12 reps for EVERY set. This will get really difficult with no rest, so you will likely need to lower your weight with each set. Go as low as you need to get in 12 reps from start to finish!

LIGHTER DOESN’T MEAN EASIER!

There are 7 exercises total in this workout: 4 for the chest and 3 for the triceps. The rest periods are all pretty short, so even though it’s 7 exercises, the entire workout should take 45 minutes to an hour to complete. As fatigue builds, you might need to rest as much as 2 minutes or more between exercises, so plan for an hour!

Just don’t forget to get in a solid warmup and/or do some warmup sets for each exercise first! Never jump into any lift with stiff and cold muscles.

Another thing Vince always does before hitting the gym to ensure he is making the most out of every workout is pound some SCULPT NATION PRE about 20-30 minutes before training. The ingredients in a pre can be especially helpful on a pump-chasing workout like this one!

BUILD YOUR CHEST IN THE GYM AND THE KITCHEN

Of course, this workout isn’t everything Vince is doing to grow his chest. He has to eat and supplement for his goals! If nutrition is what’s been blocking your gains, you can find out how to eat for your bulking goals using the macro calculator in the V Shred app for iOS or Android. You can even jump fully onboard the gains train by having one of our expert trainers build you a personalized custom meal plan to help you grow bigger, faster!  

If you are serious about putting on muscle mass you have to put just as much thought into what you do AFTER your workout as you do in the gym! And no, that doesn’t just end with your traditional post-workout protein shake (although that’s a great idea, of course).

Your body needs specific nutrients to recover after working out. POST WORKOUT by Sculpt Nation has them, in science-backed doses! It is jam-packed with amino acids and the other essential nutrients your body needs for rapid recovery to keep your body primed to build muscle, burn fat, and get stronger after every single workout.

If you are serious about putting on size and are looking for a new full body program, check out Vince’s best-selling CLEAN BULK program.  

The post The Ultimate Workout for a Bigger Chest & Triceps appeared first on V Shred.

If you have always been described as lanky, skinny, petite, or you find it hard to put on muscle or gain weight, even though you feel like you’re eating a ton, then chances are you have what is known as an ectomorph body type. 

Ectomorph is one of the three common body types:

• Ectomorph
• Endomorph
• Mesomorph

It’s not uncommon for people to have characteristics of two or even all three body types, but most people generally fall into one body type more than the others. And you can definitely change some aspects of your body type!

This guide will explain traits of an ectomorph body type, the best ectomorph diet, and how this body type should train to achieve their health and fitness goals. 

WHAT IS AN ECTOMORPH BODY TYPE?

Ectomorphs are typically long, lean, and thin with small joints. They also tend to have a hard time gaining weight and putting on muscle – hence the nickname “hard-gainer.”

Many ectomorphs have low levels of body fat, but some do not. These people are often described as “skinny fat” because they appear thin but have more body fat than muscle.

Here are a few other tell-tale signs that you have an ectomorph body type:

• Slender waist
• Narrow hips and shoulders
• Small joints
• Long, thin legs and arms
• Generally not very strong 
• Fast metabolism

To give you a visual example of what this body type looks like, many fashion models, distance runners, and even some basketball players fall into this body type category. 

Being an ectomorph has more to do with your bone structures and proportions, which you can’t change. But you can still pack on muscle and change the shape of your body with a strategic diet and exercise plan that will work with your body type instead of against it!!

What type of diet is best for an ectomorph? 

Since they typically have a fast metabolism, it’s often assumed that ectomorphs can eat whatever they want and not gain weight. To an extent, this is true, but ectomorphs should still be cautious as to what and how they eat.

Ectomorphs often need a higher calorie diet and tend to respond well to carbs. Don’t skip out on them if you’re looking to gain weight! A few to keep in mind include: 

• White or sweet potatoes
• Quinoa
• White or brown rice
• Beans
• Oats
• Whole Wheat Bread
• Fruits

High-calorie nut butters can also be an easy way for ectomorphs to add calories to their diet. They also need plenty of muscle-building protein, and should almost always have a post-workout protein shake. In short, they need quality calories – and plenty of them! . 

A balanced diet, on the higher end of carbs, is probably your best dieting approach if you’re an ectomorph. You can see the best macros for an ectomorph to gain weight by using the macro calculator in the V Shred app for iOS or Android. 

But this doesn’t mean ectomorphs can get away with only eating processed, high-sugar, junk carbs! They still need to primarily choose healthy sources, such as fiber-rich fruits, veggies, and whole grains.

In addition to protein, some of tried-and-true supplements for ectomorphs include: 

• Creatine for muscle and strength gains
• A pre-workout to help bring intensity to workouts
• A test booster to help optimize your muscle building hormone testosterone 
• Digestive enzymes to help process all that food you’re cramming in

THE BEST TYPE OF EXERCISE FOR AN ECTOMORPH BODY TYPE

Ectomorphs often face a difficult time building muscle and strength. A strategic weight-training routine using heavy weights is critical for the ectomorph.

One of the best styles of training to achieve this is by doing hypertrophy training. The V Shred program Clean Bulk is a great example of this style of training. 

“Hypertrophy” is just the scientific name for muscle growth. There are numerous methods you can use to start making it happen in your body, but these are the big ones: 

• Work out with weights on a regular basis
• Take at least one set of each exercise close to the point of muscle failure
• Train each muscle group at least twice a week 
• Do the majority of your lifting in moderate rep ranges like 6-12 reps per set
• Use a mixture of compound and isolation exercises
• Focus on progressive overload: gradually increase the weight, frequency, or number of reps. 

When it comes to cardio, ectomorphs still need to include some low-intensity sessions each week for cardiovascular health. They just need to be careful to not overdo it, or they risk burning calories that could be better used to build muscle! 

Ectomorphs should perform 20-30 minute cardio sessions 2-3 times a week and try not to let their heart rate get too high — somewhere between 50 – 70% is ideal. 

ARE YOU AN ECTOMORPH, MESOMORPH, OR ENDOMORPH?

Even if you carry some excess body fat, if you have always been on the thin side and have a hard time putting on muscle — you are most likely an ectomorph.

If ectomorphs aren’t prioritizing healthy foods and staying active, many can still have excess body fat (mainly belly fat) -which can make it confusing to figure out if this is really your body type. 

That is why we created a FREE BODY TYPE QUIZ that anyone can take that will help you determine what body type you have.

It’s only a few questions; you get your results instantly and will even be given free tips for the ideal workout style and diet for your lifestyle and goals!

After taking the quiz, if you discover that you are an Endomorph or Mesomorph, check out the blogs we did on those body types.

• Mesomorph
• Endomorph

If you are still confused about what your body type may be and the best way to eat and train to see the best results, reach out to our team at coaching@vshred.com. We would be happy to help you create a custom workout and meal plan! 

The post Ectomorph Body Type: Diet and Workouts for Weight Gain appeared first on V Shred.

You Don’t Need a Gym To Grow Your Arms!
This Arm Workout Will Challenge Your Muscles With Only Dumbbells

Building bigger arms is not rocket science. You don’t even need machines and barbells! A rock-solid arm workout can be achieved with some dumbbells and the correct execution of the right exercises.

This superset arm workout for biceps and triceps handles the “what to do part.” And the tip guide below will tell you how to do it! Then it’s just up to you to put in the effort and eat for growth. (PS: the V Shred App has a customizable calorie and macronutrient calculator that you can set for muscle growth. Download it for your Apple or Android device, and the nutrition part is done, too!)

If you are looking to put on mass all over your body to achieve a balanced physique, you’ll need this arm workout and a few others! That’s why we consider it the perfect way to end a week of Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest Day or Steady State Cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Shoulders
Friday: Ultimate Legs & Glutes 
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

Biceps & Triceps Workout for Big Arms

Superset 1
A1: Dumbbell triceps press 3-4 sets, 10 reps (no rest)
A2: Seated hammer curl 3-4 sets, 10 reps (rest 90 sec.)

Superset 2
B1: Dumbbell skull-crusher 3-4 sets, 10 reps (no rest)
B2: Supinated curl 3-4 sets, 10 reps (rest 90 sec.)

Superset 3
C1:Dumbbell Overhead Extensions 3-4 sets, 10 reps (no rest)
C2: Concentration Curls (3-4 sets, 10 reps (rest 90 sec.)

All you will need for this workout is some dumbbells, so you can do it almost any gym or even at home.

Before you get started, you may want to consider taking a quality pre-workout! Our go-to is to slam some Sculpt Nation PRE about 15-20 minutes before training. The ingredients in this one-of-a-kind pre are engineered with the best workouts in mind–that means long-lasting energy with zero crash, a crazy pump, and increased endurance so you can grind out more reps!

Bigger Arms Workout Exercises

Dumbbell Tricep Press Superset with Seated Hammer Curls

Starting laying back on a bench,  hold the dumbbells with your arms straight up and palms facing together. From there, bring the dumbbells down until your elbows are at 90 degrees. Make sure you are squeezing your elbows inside to protect your elbows target your triceps more. Do 10 reps.

Then sit up and do seated hammer curls. This means you’ll keep your palms facing in as you curl the weight up. You may do these alternating or both arms at the same time. Focus on the squeeze of the biceps rather than just lifting the weights up. Do 10 reps each arm.

Dumbbell Skull-crushers Superset with Supinated Curls

First, lay back on the bench with the dumbbells out above your head. From there, keep your elbows elevated while you bend them and lower the weight behind your head. Then, using your triceps, extend your arm back up and squeeze at the top. Repeat for 10 reps.

After that, you will go straight into supinated curls sitting on the bench, just like the seated hammer curls. But instead of having your wrists facing in, turn them forward. From there, continue to keep your wrists turned forward as you curl up. Do this for 10 reps on each arm.

Dumbbell Overhead Extensions Superset with Concentration Curls

Start by grabbing just one dumbbell. This dumbbell is going to probably be heavier than the rest because you are going to use both arms with it. From there, raise the dumbbell above your head, then lower it back behind your head while keeping your elbows elevated. Do this for 10 reps.

After that, remain seated on the bench. Grab a dumbbell with one hand and lean over your legs. Placing the back of your upper arm against the inside of your thigh, hang your arm with the dumbbell down between your legs. From here, = use your leg as a “wall” and curl the weight up. Squeeze the weight to the top and return back in a controlled manner. Repeat for 10 reps on each side.

Don’t forget proper post-workout nutrition!

What you eat after a tough workout is crucial, no matter your goal. But this is especially important if you are looking to grow! Your body needs specific nutrients to recover after working out. If not, you could experience muscle loss, fat gain, sore joints, and loss of strength.

POST WORKOUT by Sculpt Nation takes out all the guesswork. It is jam-packed with amino acids and the other essential nutrients your body needs for rapid recovery to keep your body primed to build muscle, burn fat, and get stronger after every single workout.

But you can’t only rely on supplements. If you want to grow, you have to have a nutrition plan that matches your goals!

To figure out your own unique calorie and macro needs – check out the calorie and macronutrient calculator in our V Shred App. Download it for your Apple or Android device to ensure you are eating enough to reach your muscle-building goals!

The goal is to eat enough to support your gains without gaining excess body fat. This can be tricky. To help take out all the guesswork, consider hiring a V Shred custom coach. Our team of certified nutrition and fitness coaches can create a personalized muscle-building meal plan to fit your budget that will help you reach your goals even faster!

If you are looking to add muscle mass you can also check out our BIG ARMS or CLEAN BULK programs. They are ready to download workouts that are designed to help you pack on muscle in no time.

If you enjoyed this workout make sure and send it to a friend and let us know in the comments what you want to see next! 

The post Best Arm Workouts with Dumbbells for Bigger Arms appeared first on V Shred.

Back and biceps go together like steak and potatoes, or a summer day  a stringer tank. This is a day of your training week worth looking forward to… and it’s worth doing right! But the best back workouts for mass aren’t just about heavy lifting, and the best biceps workouts for mass aren’t just about chasing the pump (although that’s definitely part of the fun). You need to do the best exercises, and do them right! Vince will show you how in this in-depth video guide. Find out which exercises you need to add to your next pull day workout and how to execute them properly!

If you are looking to pack on mass, don’t just focus back and biceps! Dial in your entire training week with Vince’s other Ultimate workouts:

Monday: Ultimate Chest & Triceps
Tuesday: Ultimate Back & Biceps
Wednesday: Rest and/or steady-state cardio
Thursday: Ultimate Legs & Glutes
Friday: Ultimate Shoulders
Saturday: Ultimate Arms
Sunday: Rest, play, and meal prep

For a demonstration on the proper form of each of the exercises in this back and biceps workout, watch this video from the V Shred YouTube channel!

Ultimate Back and Biceps Workout for Muscle Gains

A. Pull-up 3 sets, 8-10 reps (do machine-assisted pull-ups if necessary, rest 90 sec.)
B. Bent-over barbell row 4 sets, 12, 10, 8, 6 reps (rest 90 sec.)
C. Straight-arm pull-down 4 sets, 15, 12, 10, 8 reps (rest 60 sec.)
D. Seated cable row, neutral grip 4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec.)
E. Preacher curl 4 sets, 10-12 reps (rest 60 sec.)
F. Alternating dumbbell curl 4 sets, 10 reps per arm (rest 60 sec.)

Back Workout Exercises

1. Pull-up

Pull-ups are one of the best back exercises, and it’s a great way to warm up all of the muscles on your back. To do this correctly, make sure to lead with your shoulders and squeeze your elbows into your side. Avoid swinging and kicking your legs to keep the focus on your back muscles. Do 3 sets of 10 reps.

2. Bent-Over Barbell Row

Bent-over barbell rows are popular in a lot of back workout routines, especially for bulking up. This compound exercise works multiple muscles on your back simultaneously. Do 4 sets, decreasing your reps with each set.

There are 3 big mistakes we see most people make when performing this exercise. Check out this video to ensure you are using proper form.

3. Straight Arm Lat Pull-Down

This exercise is great for your lat muscles. Try to keep weight at a minimum to keep the focus on the lat muscle instead of the triceps. Make sure to keep elbows slight bent and keep your chest out. Do 4 sets with decreasing reps with each set.

4. Seated Cable Row, Neutral Grip

For this back exercise, make sure to keep your chest pushed out while pulling back on the cable. Pull back with your elbows by your side instead of flaring them up and out. Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.

Intra-Workout Supplements

One tip you may not hear often is the importance of taking am intra-workout supplement. Halfway through your back and biceps workout, it could be beneficial to take some quality BCAAs. These are building blocks of protein and will instantly help with muscle recovery, fuel your energy, and hydrate you with a boost of electrolytes. For BCAA supplements, we recommend Sculpt Nation BCAAs. They are digest quickly and can help keep you going for the rest of your workout.

Biceps Workout Exercises

1. Preacher Curl

Preacher curls are a great exercise for working out both heads of the biceps, but it does put more emphasis on the short head of the biceps and improve the thickness of your biceps. Remember to squeeze your biceps when you’ve pulled the bar to the top. Do 4 sets of 10-12 reps.

2. Alternating Dumbbell Curl

Alternating dumbbell curl is a great arm exercise which also targets both heads of the biceps. With this exercise, don’t lift dumbbells beyond your capacity. You will have a harder time maintaining proper form. Do 4 sets of 10 reps for this exercise.

Your biceps are the secondary movers in your back exercises, which makes it easy to target both back muscles and biceps for this workout. In every workout, you need to be mindful of the muscle groups you’re targeting to achieve your muscle mass goals. Most importantly, don’t forget that the best way to see results from these exercises is by practicing good form.

Don’t forget to eat for gains!

Want to grow? Then you need to eat like you mean it. The best way to do that is to use a calorie and macronutrient calculator that can be customized for muscle growth! This is exactly why we built one right into the V Shred App. Download it for your Apple or Android device and start eating for pure gains!

If you just asked “what’s a macro,” hey, we’ve been there. The answer: Hire a V Shred custom coach to make you a personalized muscle-building meal plan to fit your budget, and fill your sleeves even faster!

A great way to kill your gains is to not give your body what it needs after a tough lift. Your body needs specific  nutrients to recover after working out. If not, you could experience muscle loss, fat gain, sore joints, and loss of strength. POST WORKOUT by Sculpt Nation takes out all the guesswork. It is jam-packed with amino acids and the other essential nutrients your body needs for rapid recovery to keep your body primed to build muscle, burn fat, and get stronger after every single workout.

Want to really dial in your arms? Your journey starts with Vince’s legendary Big Arms program. This is a six-week arms specialization that will add size to your biceps and triceps. It will hurt, but it will be worth it! 

The post Ultimate Back and Biceps Workout for Muscle Gains appeared first on V Shred.

We noticed that we seem to do a lot more articles and videos for the upper body, so we are switching gears today and giving you a FULL LEG WORKOUT.

It is made up of six different exercises and puts a lot of emphasis on QUADS. 

We also hit the glutes and hamstrings and give you some form tips if you want to place more emphasis on other parts of your legs instead.

Before giving you the workout, we’ve found that most people need a little more strength, energy, and focus on leg day. 

If this is you, you may want to try taking a scoop of a quality pre-workout on the way to the gym! Just make sure that caffeine isn’t the ONLY ingredient!

This seems to be the case with most pre-workouts on the market, but a quality pre-workout will have more important ingredients than just those that help keep you awake!

Vince’s favorite pre-workout is THIS ONE by Sculpt Nation. It has ingredients that give you a natural energy boost without any jitters or post-workout crash, tons of focus, better recovery between sets, and an insane pump!

Pre-Workout is always optional before a lift. But one thing you should never skip out on before a workout (especially for a large muscle group like legs) is a quick warm-up. 

You need to spend at least 5-10 minutes doing an ACTIVE warm-up that mimics the movements you are about to perform (not static stretching) to get the blood flowing and your muscles warm! 

In addition, it’s always a good idea to do one or two warm-up sets for each exercise below before you actually get into your “working” sets. 

If you need further assistance on how to do any of these exercises, don’t forget to check out this video before you get started! 

FULL LEG WORKOUT FOR MASSIVE QUADS

Exercise 1 – NARROW STANCE LEG PRESS
Sets/Reps: 4x 12, 10, 8, 6
Rest: 90 seconds rest between sets. 

Form Tips: Avoid leaning forward – Don’t let your butt come up off the seat – Keep your back pressed into padding – Do not lock your knees – Do not rush the movement. 

How To:  With leg press, where you place your feet will determine which lower body muscle you are biasing. For quads, keep your feet around shoulder-width apart (maybe slightly wider) and feet slightly lower on the platform. 

Unlock the safety pins and press up until your legs are fully extended. Squeeze your quads but DO NOT lock out your knees (for a visual of this, click here.) 

Slowly lower the weight until your legs are at about a 90-degree angle. Repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions. Rest and repeat. 

With each set, your goal is to increase weight as you lower the reps. The 4th set, you should be at a weight where you reach complete failure by that 6th rep.

Exercise 2 – HEEL ELEVATED SQUATS
Sets/Reps: 4x 12, 10, 8, 6
Rest: 90 seconds rest between sets. 

Form Tips: If you don’t have incline blocks you can put weight plates under your heels – You will likely need to go with lower weight than you are used to with a traditional squat – Make sure you have a slightly more narrow stance – Keep your feet firmly planted throughout the entire movement. 

How To: With a barbell on your shoulders, walk back and place your heels on the blocks (or plates) to elevate your heels. Feet will be slightly more narrow, around shoulder-width apart. Drive your knees forward while keeping your body upright and your core tight! 

With each set, your goal is to increase weight as you lower the reps. The 4th set, you should be at a weight where you reach complete failure by that 6th rep.

** These are great if you are trying to target your quads a little more or if you have any lower back tightness. A regular squat can put pressure on your lower back. With this squat variation, you stay a little more upright, allowing you to go full range of motion a little easier!

Exercise 3 & 4 – WALKING DB LUNGES (superset) LYING LEG CURLS
Sets/Reps: 4x 12, 10, 8, 6 (per leg on lunges)
Rest: 90 seconds rest between sets – NO REST between exercises!

** The goal is usually to increase weight as you lower the reps with each set. However, because this is a superset, you may find that more difficult to do. It is okay if you need to keep the weight the same to get all of the prescribed reps and use proper form! 

WALKING DB LUNGES
Form Tips: Keep time under tension by using a nice fluid motion – Control your tempo on the way down and up – Do not lean forward too much – Keep torso upright – Avoid fully touching your knee to the ground (resting.)

How To: With a DB in each hand, take a big step forward and bend both knees until they form 90 degree angles. Press back up and continue stepping forward (“walking”) with each lunge. 

LYING LEG CURLS
Form Tips: Keep time under tension by using a nice fluid motion – Control your tempo on the way down and up – Do not let your hips come up off the pad if you are doing these lying.

How To: Head to a lying leg curl machine. Set up the machine so that the pad is resting just under your calves. Slowly curl your feet toward your glutes. Pause at the top and squeeze your hamstrings. Slowly lower back to the starting position. 

Exercise 5 & 6 – LEG EXTENSION (superet) SEATED CALF RAISE
Sets/Reps: 4x 12 for leg extensions –  4×15 for seated calf raises 

Rest: 60 seconds rest between sets – NO REST between exercises.

LEG EXTENSION
Form Tips: Go super controlled – Do not jerk – Keep back flat against the pad. 

How To: Set up the leg extension machine so the pad is just above your ankles and you are able to achieve full range of motion without your back coming up off of the pad. Lift the weight without locking your knees. Squeeze your quads hard at the top of the motion and then SLOWLY lower to the starting position. Do not pause and go straight into your next rep. 

SEATED CALF RAISE
Form Tips: Do not try to use too much weight – Focus on a slow and controlled full range of motion – Big squeeze at the top. ** Your calves will respond much better to good form over using heavy weight! If you want your calves to grow, lower the weight so that you are not jerking or going too fast and can get a full range of motion.

How To: Sit on the calf raise machine with the balls of your feet on the platform and your knees under the pad. Press down with your toes in an explosive motion to get the weight to the starting position. Slowly lower your heels until your calves are fully stretched. Push (explode) the weight up. Pause to squeeze at the top. Repeat. 

THIS WORKOUT WILL TAKE YOU LESS THAN AN HOUR!
YOU DO NOT NEED TO SPEND HOURS IN THE GYM TO GET A SOLID LIFT!!

You never need to spend hours in the gym on leg day — or for any muscle group!

If you know how to properly utilize rest periods, super-sets, and the correct exercise sequence —  your lifts should never exceed 60-75 minutes!

If you like short but really effective workouts, we have tons to choose from FOR FREE on our YouTube Channel!

Check them out and subscribe for new videos weekly HERE! 

The post Vince’s Massive Quad Leg Workout  appeared first on V Shred.

If back width is your goal, you are going to love what we have for you today!

Your back is a huge muscle group that is made up of a bunch of different muscles.

Because of this, you can’t go in on back day and only do some regular pull-ups, one style of pull-down, and some rows, and expect to have a muscular and balanced back.

The way you “set up” an exercise, the way you perform it, even the hand position you use can totally change which muscle in your back you bias.

Today, we will focus on the muscle that can help you have a wider back, and that is your lats — specifically UPPER LATS.

Your lats are a “two-part-muscle” (upper and lower.) For width, it is ideal to try to hit your upper lats a little bit harder. 

The exercise we are showing you today is actually our FAVORITE exercise to throw in a client’s plan if they come to us wanting to focus on back width.

And that exercise is… The Wide-Grip Pulldown 1.5

Basically, it’s a super wide-grip pulldown with the addition of a partial rep at the bottom of the movement. 

That extra ½ rep may not seem like much, but it specifically focuses on the part of the lift that favors the upper lats quite a bit more. 

That little bit of extra love can work wonders for anyone wanting to focus on back width. 

This style of pulldown is not a “staple” back exercise.

It does not replace all of the basics you should still be doing, such as pull-ups, regular pull-downs, rows, deadlifts, etc.

Throw it in when you want to change things up and/or shock your muscle to promote some more upper lat growth. 

There are some setup and technique cues you need to focus on if you are trying to hit your upper lats instead of your lower lats or the middle of your back.

Even if you think you know how to do this exercise with proper form, take a few seconds and watch THIS VIDEO we filmed beforehand.

Set-up and technique matter when it comes to what part of the back you are biasing! 

WIDE-GRIP LAT PULLDOWN 1.5

HOW TO:

• Use a seated cable pulldown machine.
• Grab a standard wide pulldown bar.
• Use a super wide-grip (well beyond shoulder width.)
• Sit with your body directly under the bar, but slightly leaned back, so your arm path allows you to favor your lats instead of your mid or upper back.
• Pull down just as you would with a typical wide-grip lat pulldown (see technique tips.)
• Squeeze at the bottom.
• Only raise the bar ½ way (around  forehead height) and then go back down.
• Squeeze again.
• Slowly go back to the starting position.
  

That is one rep. Repeat for the desired number of reps or until failure. 

REPS/SETS/WEIGHT:
Reps and sets will vary depending on your workout program, etc. We aren’t looking to go low and super heavy with this.

We suggest 3-4 sets of 10-12 reps. 

You will want to use a challenging weight, but due to that extra “½ rep” at the bottom, you will likely need to use a slightly lower weight than you would use with a standard lat pulldown. 

TECHNIQUE TIPS:

• Retract your scapula and press your shoulders down. 
• Squeeze your elbows into your sides both times you pull down.
• Use a controlled motion from beginning to end.
• Focus on your form, especially the eccentric portions of the movement.
  IE: don’t let the weight just “jerk” back to the starting position. Go slow! 

If your lats seem “locked” and unable to grow….

This might be the “shock” your back needs to bust past a plateau! When performed correctly, it is crazy what that little ½ rep can do to bias your upper lats and help you grow a wider back!

Give it a try for at least 6-8 weeks on at least one of your back days each week! As long as you are doing the exercise consistently and correctly — we know you will see a significant improvement in back width!

If you are trying to get results FASTER & EASIER ….

Just like there are specific exercises you want to do based on your goals, there are certain approaches you should take with your diet and training plan.

What you eat, how often you lift (and what style), how much cardio you do, etc.,  — should all be dependent on where you are right now, your long-term goals, and your body type.

If you don’t know your body type and want help with that, we have a 6 question BODY TYPE QUIZ that anyone can take FOR FREE!

You will get your results in just minutes and be given some suggestions as to what you should be doing if you want the best results possible! 

TAKE IT HERE

The post Want a Wider Back? Give your upper lats a little extra love with this ONE exercise! appeared first on V Shred.