Adonis Index Systems

Muscle building is probably one of the most misunderstood things in fitness. This lack of understanding is partly why we can fall for scam products and false claims. As I've said before muscles are much more like water balloons than bricks, and the way we build them is much more like inflating a balloon than laying bricks. Water accounts for over 80% of your muscle volume, and the amount of water you can fit/force into your muscles plays a major role in determining how big you can make them. The actual protein 'scaffolding' of your muscle fibers/cells are what make up the rest. Weight Training for Muscle Building: 1) It builds more protein so the scaffolding of your muscles cells is larger 2) It forces more water, glycogen and protein into your cells hydrating and filling them with more fluid (pumping them up) The Slow Leak Theory of Muscle Growth Your muscles are in a dynamic state of synthesis and degradation. If you don't workout your muscles will eventually shrink back to their genetically predetermined original size. In fact, if you don't move or use your muscles at all (ie: immobilization in a cast or 100% bed rest) they will shrivel away to almost nothing. The point is that your muscles function on a 'use it or lose it' basis. They will always revert back to a smaller size if you don't force them to get bigger by lifting weights. As soon as you stop lifting weights they will start shrinking again. Imagine that your muscles are constantly slowly leaking back to their original smaller size, and constant weight training is the only way to keep them pumped up. How To Measure Muscle Growth Most supplement ads and fitness sites will talk about gaining 'pounds' of muscle. This however is not an accurate way of measuring true changes in muscle mass. You and I could gain 5-8lbs of lean mass in one day simply from eating more food and drinking water. Our lean body mass would increase, our percentage of fat mass would decrease, but our muscle mass would not have changed. True changes in muscle mass are harder to detect in experienced lifters and therefore there must be a more precise way to measure these changes. I have come up with a new way to measure changes in muscle mass that account for bodyweight and fat mass. This new measurement is called The Muscle Index. Toxic Calorie Level We'll also talk about the Toxic Calorie level and how eating at this level is what causes fat gain, heart disease, diabetes, and other inflammatory disorders. Eating 'big' every once in a while isn't so bad, but eating at your toxic calorie level on a regular basis will overwhelm your body and cause major problems. In todays audio lesson we'll talk about the Muscle Index and how to accurately measure changes in muscle mass. We will also talk about the slow leak theory of muscle and why you must continue to lift weights in order to keep your muscles growing and even to maintain the size you've already built. John

We're about 4 weeks into the second Adonis Index Transformation contest. Today we'll cover some questions and issues that have come from the contestants including: Interval Training for weight loss Taking shoulder and waist measurements The difference between the Ideal Adonis Index Ratio vs a 1-1.6 shoulder to waist ratio Gym etiquette ...and staying on track by managing expectations. John

Health and fitness marketing is designed around a set of implied goals such as: muscle building, weight loss, enhanced performance, a heightened feeling of well being. These are the generic goals that most marketers assume you're interested in but nobody can choose your goals for you. Your goals have to be a personal choice. Once you've stated your personal goals clearly it becomes much easier to take action on them and avoid distractions that don't bring you closer to your goal. If you don't state a clear goal you can end up with dozens of unfinished projects, lots of money wasted on programs, supplements, food and books. And worst of all you can end up discouraged and thinking that your a failure. In this podcast we will discuss the following: 1. The implied goals of health and fitness marketing 2. Why it is important not to compare yourself to others 3. Accepting your genetic strengths and limits 4. Setting your own goals vs accepting an implied goal 5. Understand where you are right now and what to do to change it 6. Realistic vs unrealistic expectations John

We're starting week 3 of the third Adonis Index transformation contest. By now you should be into a routine with your workouts and getting a good handle on your diet. If your goal is building muscle you should be focusing on your intensity in the gym. That means eating enough calories to keep your strength up for heavy workouts (but not so much that you gain fat). If you're goal is burning fat you should be cutting enough calories to create a deficit every day while keeping your intensity as high as possible for effective workouts. Both goals require discipline and effort. In todays podcast we'll talk about what to expect at this point of the contest, we'll review the different workouts in the Adonis 3.0 system and what has changed. We'll also give a few tips to staying on track and having success. John

In order to build the maximum amount of muscles and get the most out of your weight lifting workout you have to avoid injuries. You could have the best work ethic, the smartest workout plan (ie: The Adonis Index Workout!) and the best gym in the world, but if you get injured none of it will matter. Most of us will get some sort of injury from either playing sports, pushing too hard one day in the gym, or overuse. Minimizing these injuries and keeping your muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and bones as healthy as possible is the key to staying consistent with a good training program. It's this consistency with your training that will produce big time changes in your physique. So you're job is to train hard, and train smart and stay injury free. In todays audio lesson I interview a good friend of mine Dr. Geoff Dover who does his research in athletic therapy. We discuss: How we get injuries from weight training How to tell the difference between serious pain and delayed onset muscles soreness How to decide if a pain is ok to work through or needs medical attention What the mechanism of most injuries are How to avoid common mistakes in the gym that cause injuries Stretching The importance of warming up Geoff gives us some great insights into the science of injury prevention and what we can do to help avoid them. John

The 3rd Adonis Index transformation contest starts Wed Sept 1st and finishes on Nov 24th. Cash prizes go to the top 6 contestants (top prize is $750) as well as other bonus prizes to be named later. Contestants are judged on overall transformation and the change in their Adonis Index Ratio. Starting ratio is considered as well as age and training experience. You'll have equal chance to win regardless if your goal is burning fat or building muscle (or a mix of the two) I've revamped the workout flow of the main Adonis Index workout program for this contest and laid out how to follow the program and where to put the first 'rage' workout in. I've also released the new muscle building foundation 12 week workout (which is the new workout component of adonis 3.0) Depending on where you're at in your training this new foundation workout might be the one for you to follow during this contest. Here are my recommendations: Novice: If you're a novice to weight training (less than 1 year experience) and you're primary goal is building muscle (and you have minimal fat to lose) then you might want to use the 12 week muscle building foundation workout. Advanced: If you've already been through the main Adonis Index program you will likely benefit from moving to our Advanced 12 week ATS workout - This is the workout Rich Sigona used to take second place overall in the last contest. To see Rich's results CLICK HERE. For most other experience levels the main Adonis Index Workout system will be the one to use. If you're already using the main system and you're planning on continuing for the contest, I suggest following the new flow that I have put together for the contest. You can also add a 'booster' workout to assist any muscle group that you feel needs extra workout. Keep in mind that the booster workouts are only meant to be added one at a time for each 4 week cycle. In other words, you'll likely end up overtraining if you add more than 1 booster workout in any given 4 week cycle. How To Enter The Contest: Before pictures: Front back and side shots, waist up shirt off...include a picture with the current days newspaper in plain view. Measurements: Height Weight Waist circumference shoulder circumference These pictures and measurements are the first part. After pictures and measurements: On Nov 24th take the same 3 pictures (with the newspaper in plain view in one extra pic) Same measurements and a 250 word essay about your experience throughout the transformation Once you submit your before and after pictures, measurements and essay you're officially in the contest. ... So between now and Nov all you need to do is take your before pictures and measurements and get to the gym! Throughout the next 12 weeks we will be doing coaching calls to help you make the best possible transformation. In the final week we will also coach you on taking an effective 'after' picture so everyone is on a level playing field. In today's podcast we'll cover all of the contest info as well as some information about Adonis 3.0 and the Venus Index program. John

Most of us who workout are trying to build muscle, and along with that we'd all like to get rid of some fat too. One of the first and most common questions that comes up next is this: "Is it possible to build muscle and lose fat at the same time" The answer depends on what your definition of 'building muscle' is. The look and size of your muscles is a transient state based on how many calories you're eating, the type of food you eat, the supplements you do or don't take, the drugs you do or don't take, and the volume, frequency and intensity of your workouts. If you change any one of these factors you're likely going to have some change in the look and size of your muscles. When it comes to fat loss you must eat less calories than you burn, this might also cause your muscles to be less hydrated (less full looking) than when you're eating as much as you like. This doesn't mean you're losing muscle, it just means that they'll be more full looking when you go back to eating maintenance. Keep in mind that a muscle is over 80% water and the hydration status of your muscles plays a big part in how they look on a day to day basis. You can get refresher on what muscle growth is here: WHAT IS MUSCLE GROWTH The question shouldn't be: 'can I build muscle and lose fat at the same time' but rather 'what will my muscles look like once I've lost the fat' In todays audio lesson we'll talk about the factors that go into muscle building and fat loss and why this muscle building vs fat loss question isn't easy to answer. We'll also talk about government regulations on fat loss claims and why you might see and hear different claims online vs on television or in print magazines. For a refresher on the calories required for weight loss go here: HOW MANY CALORIES TO LOSE WEIGHT John

Many muscle building supplements market the concept of increasing 'protein synthesis'. The assumption is that protein synthesis = muscle growth. This is half right. For a muscle to grow larger two things have to happen 1) An increase in protein synthesis (anabolism) 2) A decrease in protein breakdown (catabolism) Regular weight training workouts can stimulate and net increase in protein synthesis and some research labs are measuring exactly what happens in your muscles after a workout. In todays  audio lesson I interview a friend of mine Dave Gunderman who is doing his research on the protein synthetic effect of working out. Dave will walk you through what it's like to be in one of these studies, the basics of muscle protein synthesis and the type of workouts  that he suggests are best for maximizing protein synthesis. John

If you've been listening to or reading our stuff for any length of time you're likely aware of the concept of "The Adonis Effect" which is the reason we're all working out and trying to take care of our bodies in the first place. This effect is both external and internal, is psychological, physical, and psychosocial. It affects you and everyone around you. The way you look and feel will change the way you see yourself and others, and the way others see you and how they act around you...and its ALL GOOD. In todays audio lesson we'll talk to our second place overall winner of the latest Adonis Effect transformation contest, Rich Sigona. One look at Rich's before and after pictures is worth a lot more than 1000 words! We'll talk to Rich about what it took to get to his new golden form, what it's taking to stay in this shape since the contest ended and the profound changes it's had on his life. Some changes are subtle, some are more dramatic, but it's all part of the reason we're working towards our best bodies and it can happen to you too. This is what it's all about. John p.s. Make sure to click the "like" button. Thanks!

Lately we've been getting a few more pointed questions and discussions about advanced nutrition and exercise techniques. Two that have come up are: 1) What is the optimal level of glycogen for muscle growth 2) How do eccentrics affect muscle growth Glycogen is the storage form of glucose and your muscles can store more glycogen after exhaustive exercise. In fact some muscles can store up to 3 times as much glycogen if an exhaustive exercise session is done followed by a surplus of glucose rich liquid is consumed. This however is typically only done for endurance athletes competing in multiple events over multiple days. The research isn't so clear on muscle growth and in fact it seems that glycogen levels don't really have much to do with muscle growth. If your goal is fat loss, then may notice that your muscles feel a bit less 'full'. This isn't anything to be concerned with as it's normal to feel a bit weaker and a bit 'flatter' while you're reducing calories in an effort to reduce bodyfat. This is a transient state that will return to normal when you go back to eating maintenance calories. Eccentric exercise is another issue that comes up with regard to muscle building. Every time you lift a weight you will be doing at least some eccentric work, but some believe that there is merit to focusing on the exact timing of eccentrics. There is some merit to do focused eccentrics, however there isn't much evidence to support overly deliberate eccentrics as a mainstay to a muscle building routine. In both cases it seems that fancy lifting techniques are hypothesized and maybe even romanticized to be able to produce steroid like gains without using steroids. The truth is the 2 main things that will produce the most muscle gains from a natural body are: 1) Consistency 2) Maximum Effort Once you have these two factors mastered you can start experimenting with other concepts and theories to accelerate your gains. In todays audio lesson we'll go into detail about glycogen, eccentrics and muscle gaining and what the real drivers of muscle gaining are and how our focus and goals can end up in the wrong place. John Download Transcription: Can Glycogen Loading and Eccentric Reps Replace Steroids?

This is the second part of our interview with Jason Haynes. We were covering a lot of interesting points about changing your body and perception so we just keep the original interview going. The interview ended up being far too long to fit into one podcast so here is the second half. I figured I'd put another pic of Jason up for you to see his phenomenal progress. If you need a comparison just go back to http://www.adonisindex.com/interview-with-jason-haynes-overall-winner/. Going through a transformation like Jason's is rare. Many people will wish and dream it can happen to them but few people will actually take action and go for it. Not all transformations will be as dramatic as Jason's but the effect it will have on your mind/body/spirit will be just as potent. Anyone who has taken action and gone through a transformation contest (ours or someone else's) or simply set a goal and went after it knows exactly what I'm talking about. Going through transformation like this is always a body and mind experience, the world will never look quite the same, you'll never feel quite the same, and people will see you different afterwards...and it's all good! It's literally a new life.

This is the first part of a two part interview with Jason Haynes the overall contest winner of the second Adonis Effect transformation contest. In this interview we'll discuss how Jason completed his transformation journey through the second contest and arrived in the best shape of his life. Check out is overall transformation over the past 9 months. The end of this audio cuts off abruptly because we were having some connection problems. Here's the 2nd half of the interview on this post. Enjoy. John

Ketogenic diets were studied in the 1920's as a treatment for epilepsy. Somehow the concept resurfaced in the 90's as a supposed way to lose weight. The most popular incarnation of this diet philosophy was the Atkins diet. The theory is intriguing an goes against what most people were being told at the time. Basically you get to eat all the fat and protein you want as long as you stay away from carbohydrates. The initial thought of steak, cheese, bacon, eggs, chicken, and more steak sounded tasty. But after even a few days on this style of diet most people want to eat some carbohydrate based food very badly. In short, this diet is unsustainable and not a long term weight loss solution. In this audio lesson we'll go over the basics of what a ketogenic diet is and what it can and can't be used for. John (Download Transcription: Ketogenic Diets: The Truth About Extreme Low Carb Diets For Fat Loss)

Yesterday, I did an interview that was extremely eye opening. (It's not work safe, so either put on some headphones or turn the volume down.) I've been getting emails from you guys about this "rogue" sex expert by the name of David Shade, so naturally, I tracked him down and got him to spill some of his philosophies on both women and life. Now, David and I have never met personally, however I do know one of the guys in his camp quite well and we talk on the regular, so if you're wondering if what you're about to listen to is scammy or not, based on my friend Craig, I can vouch for the authenticity of what you're about to hear. But be warned, some of it is intense and may not be very comfortable to ponder. Give this a listen, it's quite eye opening... and if this sounds like something you may need to get handled, you can't go wrong with his "Wild Screaming..." course (which includes "Cure Nice Guy") Here's the interview:

There are multiple levels of knowledge when it comes to any area of study. The major divide being the difference between understanding a theory and applied knowledge. In the first case you could be well read and studied in a given field but without experience. In this case you may not have the full confidence in what you know to be true. In the second case (applied knowledge) you both understand the theory and have applied it in a real life setting...this is the formula for building life long confidence and true wisdom. In todays audio lesson we'll be talking to the winner of the second Adonis Transformation contest Build category winner Deiderik Masure (aka DD). DD will be sharing his experiences of the 12 week transformation and how he managed to win his category and what it takes to make a real change in your body. DD relates how your diet and exercise routines are two separate things and will have their own ups and downs. Having a lousy day on one of them doesn't mean it must also ruin the other. One of the major lessons DD learned was that sometimes life is going to throw you a curve ball, but you just gotta go with it and the results will still come. John