You know, going to the gym and working out isn’t the only way to get strong. There’s actually a huge difference between being gym strong versus real-life strong.

It’s completely possible to be in good shape and strong (I mean really strong) without ever having stepped inside a gym.

How is this possible? Are these guys just genetic freaks? Let me tell you that it is possible and no, you do not have to be a genetic anomaly to be in great shape and what I like to call “real-life strong.”

My own dad is a great example of a guy who is really strong and yet he’s never worked out a day in his life. He has however, done a lot of manual labor.

He was always working on things outside in the yard, building stuff, working with wood or any number of other things. Then on the flip side… there’s me! I have been working out since I was in high school in Connecticut.

When I really started to get serious about training, I finally started growing and getting stronger. By the time I hit my senior year and was playing football I was able to bench 275 pounds and was really proud of myself.

It was all put into perspective one day when my dad needed my help to get rid of some large rocks and boulders sticking out of the grass. (more…)

Regardless of your body type or the type of training that your body responds to best, hybrid muscle training is all around, the most effective way to build muscle and get lean.

Often times, guys ask me how hybrid training carries over into sports.

Well, regardless of the sport, hybrid muscle training can help you be at the top of your game.

But did you know that there are also sports that by their very nature help you develop hybrid muscle?

Actually, any sport that simultaneously incorporates resistance and cardio can be considered a hybrid activity. There are a number of sports that do this-let’s talk about some of them now. (more…)

Nature is amazing. Plants, animals, humans, insects and ecosystems, left on their own, over time adapt to their environment to not just exist, but to thrive. Each species is designed to do whatever it does best. For example, carnivores like wolves, lions and tigers are built to hunt and kill.

By Brandon Cook

“We are all brainwashed to believe that you can get bigger and stronger and leaner in a very short time, with very little effort and even less dedication. But nothing could be further from the truth, my friends.” – Jason Ferruggia

If you want to gain weight fast and have made up your mind to transform your body once and for all, then you’re in luck.

Today, I’m going over the top 10 tips that I’m personally using to gain another twenty-thirty pounds of muscle. These tips may seem simple and that’s because they are. However, applying them to your life is definitely not easy.

If you want to gain muscle fast, then you need to make this your primary mission (at least for a little while.)

I used to weigh 130lbs at 5’11” tall and through training, persistence and hard work I’ve gotten my weight up to 165lbs. However, adding another 20-30 pounds of muscle would be pretty awesome. That’s why I’ve made that one of my prime missions in life.

This blog exists to keep me focused and accountable to that mission and so that I can share with you what I’m learning along the way.

So, if you’re ready to learn how to gain weight fast, then let’s do this! (more…)

By Brandon Cook

“We all have great inner power. The power is self-faith. There’s really an attitude to winning. You have to see yourself winning before you win.”
-Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential.”
-Bruce Lee

The New Year is RISING and my plan for how to gain muscle mass in 2010 underway…. I’ve made up my mind to DO THIS and to increase accountability I’m documenting the whole thing on my body transformation page. Stop by and leave me a few words of encouragement and support.

The pressure’s on and I can already tell a BIG difference in my dedication to making a transformation this year just knowing that I’ve announced this to the world. I’m fully committed.  (more…)

“If you focus on being successful you will be and you are already one step closer to becoming the person you really want to be.” –Vince Delmonte

“Tomorrow does not exist. It is not promised and it is not guaranteed. Tomorrow only exists in the minds of dreamers and procrastinators.” –Vince Delmonte

That’s right, Vince Delmonte just turned “The Dirty Thirty” as he likes to call it. To celebrate it he’s “getting wild and crazy” and having a  Four Day Blow Out sale on his 9 disc DVD series. Although, I’m a little late getting this posted, so it’s more like a Three Day Blow Out Sale!

I’m not here to try to sell you on it, this deal sells itself. I’m only a messenger and a satisfied customer who owns and uses Vince’s products. I’m also here to motivate you to get off the fence and take charge of your life once and for all. (more…)

By Brandon Cook

“In every adversity there lies the seed of an equivalent advantage. In every defeat is a lesson showing you how to win the victory next time.”
-Robert Collier

“The only use of an obstacle is to be overcome. All that an obstacle does with brave men is, not frighten them, but to challenge them.”
-Woodrow Wilson
In Body Transformation Part I, we peered through a window into my past to get a better understanding of the challenges and adversity I experienced early on. It was these trials that eventually led me to training, and the desire to transform my body and my life.

We will all face the heaviness of life at some point or another. The question is will we learn to grow, adapt, and overcome it or collapse under its pressure? (more…)

By Brandon Cook

(The devolution of modern man thanks to Mickey D’s)

Now I know what I’m about to say in this blog post is somewhat debatable, at least according to those people who believe the Earth is flat, only 2,000 years old, and is still the center of the universe! However, I’m going to say it anyway. (more…)