Our SuperHero Development Program member Deanna Perry was one of my first Birth of a Hero test subjects.

When she agreed to get on board and commit to the training, I wanted to work with her personally at first to keep her accountable.

I didn't need to.

Deanna didn't need a babysitter. She was sick and tired of being overweight and ready to do whatever it took to drop the pounds, redesign her life, and redefine herself as one super strong, super lean, and super badass woman. All Deanna needed was an effective training program, nutritional regimen, and proper guidance.

Almost two years later and 120lbs lighter, Deanna now wants to share her Birth of a Hero success story - how she did it, and what lessons were learned along the way. I emailed her a series of questions, and below are her responses. Listen up, because this girl is serious and knows what it takes to implement and sustain a drastic lifestyle augmentation.

Pat: Deanna, you have a remarkable story to say the least, but before we talk about your ultimate success, could you please tell us about one of the major struggles that you faced along the way?

Deanna: There were definitely many difficulties that I was confronted with on my journey. The biggest one right off the bat was the fact that just because I was making a lifestyle change didn't mean the rest of the world was or even my household. There were constantly temptations with unhealthy foods and a lazy lifestyle. It's so difficult to go hang out on a Friday night and watch your friends go to dinner and order a bacon burger, fries, and onion rings and you order a side salad hold the dressing. You just constantly have to remind yourself why you started the journey in the first place and that in the long run you'll be better off instead of the 10 minutes of "glory" eating a burger.

Pat: When I first met you, you were already so motivated to do whatever it took to succeed...

So, what was the major turning point for you? What made you want to turn your life around?

Deanna: I decided to turn my life around 2 months before my 21st birthday so this was April of 2010. ( 2 years and 120lbs ago) I remember just feeling bad about myself and always telling myself that if I was skinnier I would be happy and life would be great. So I decided to go for a walk and blast my iPod. I enjoyed the walk so much that I walked everyday for a week. I then ran into an old friend in the mall that told me I looked good, it was then that I figured out that people could see a difference and I felt energized and motivated .

Pat: Now that you have made such an incredible transformation, what would be three pieces of advice that you would give to anyone starting out on their own weight-loss / fitness journey?

Deanna:

1. Don't fall into or follow fad diets!

2. Don't listen to peer pressure when your friends tell you, "Come on its just one slice of pizza" or " You worked out today so you earned it." If your friends are saying this, then they don't appreciate how hard you're working to change your life. Stay strong, and always ask yourself before you eat something, "Will I feel guilty when I'm finished?"

3.Work hard!! The gym is not a place to show up for a half hour and pretend to use the elliptical. If you made the time to go - then show up, push yourself, and always make a goal! I constantly love to make small challenges for myself each time I workout to keep me focused and motivated.

Pat: You are a huge fan of the Birth of a Hero because of how grueling the metabolic conditioning routines are. At first I thought maybe you were just sick in the head like me or possibly masochistic. Why is it that you would love the days we did metabolic conditioning whereas most others dreaded it?

Deanna: Yes! I am known to love things that most people run away from when it comes to working out. My favorite complexes to perform would be the omelet complex (or "High Voltage" from the Birth of a Hero) and the "Birthday Workout" that we used to do at the gym when it was someone's birthday. (One-arm swing, one-arm high pull, snatch, rack squat, press - switch arms) ( we would start with one time through on the right, then once on the left, then twice one the right and twice on the left until we got to 5 times on each side). These two are my favorites because they get my heart pumping and give a great full body workout, working hard, and getting the results I want without having to clock miles on a treadmill.

Pat: You are one of the now many women who has followed the Birth of a Hero and made mince meat of the kettlebell snatch test (100 reps in under 5 minutes with the 16kg bell for females), which I believe to be a true testament to one's levels of strength and conditioning. I remember you first crushed it within three months of attempting your first kettlebell snatch, another remarkable feat! Are you still keeping up with your snatches?

Deanna: The kettlebell snatch is by far my all-time favorite exercise, and nothing makes me feel more accomplished then performing 100 snatches in less then 5 minutes. I try to do this once a week to stay on my game and continue to challenge myself.  Even if I only do a few snatches a day, they always make me feel stronger and I always feel the benefits.

Pat: So what are your current goals now? Are you training for anything in particular?

Deanna: My most current goal is just to lose about 10-15 more pounds before I want to just maintain and build more muscle. My aspiration is to keep this lifestyle forever and inspire others to live healthy and realize how much better off they will be. It's not all easy; it's really difficult, but dedication and motivation can push you through anything. I'm currently training for a half-marathon that I would like to run at the end of the summer and I also plan to get kettlebell certified this summer!

PS - Be sure to leave any questions you may have for Deanna in the comment section below!

Look, I'm a "shoot it straight from the hip" kind of guy...

A true SuperHero, in my honest opinion, looks good with his/her shirt on AND off, is both strong AND lean, mobile AND stable, athletic and moves gracefully, has iron lung capacity, and maintains all of these attributes year-round. This is NOT an easy task...

...but that is what the SuperHero Development Program is for - to make you into a true, real life SuperHero!

...and I want YOU to try the SuperHero Development Program out for one month for FREE and I dare you to not get tremendous results!

If you aren't a member of this already, well, you really don't know just how much you are missing out on each and every month!

CLICK HERE to learn more about all of the incredible perks that come along with being a member of the SuperHero Development Program.

I am very fortunate indeed to be able to call Dr. Charlie Weingroff a friend.

There are very few people who I trust entirely when it comes to the integrity of the information that they provide. Charlie is one of those people.

That does not mean that I am always right or that Charlie is even always right (one of the things I love about hearing Charlie speak, which I believe to be truly admirable, is how quickly he will make it known, if he believes himself not to be qualified to speak on certain matters), but what it does mean is that when you read or watch something on the Chronicles of Strength, I promise you there is no hidden agenda or ulterior motive. I put out the truth, or at least, what I know and believe to be the truth.Should that not ever be the case, I will be the first to admit that I am wrong (and if you've been with this site long enough, then you know that has happened on more than just one occasion :P ).

That is precisely why I asked Charlie to come down and run an athletic enhancement seminar at the Dragon Gym on June 3rd - because Charlie is simply the best of the best.

Furthermore, Charlie is just an all-around stand-up guy. He has gone out of his way numerous times to help me out, particularly when I jacked my shoulder up last June.

Charlie was kind enough to sit down and chat with me yet again.

In this hour long interview Charlie covers:

1. How to implement kettlebell training to fill in the blanks of certain phases of training and make you a better powerlifter and/or a stronger athlete.

2. How to use kettlebell training to develop stability and motor control and why the kettlebell is often the BEST tool to use in many circumstances.

3. Charlie's pick of the top kettlebell movements to help diagnose and improve asymmetries.

4. Why Charlie loves the bottom's-up farmers carry and how it can make your shoulders and core more resilient!

5. Charlie's thoughts on the bench press and why he believes it to NOT be a harmful movement to your shoulders and what you need to do to keep it that way!

6. How to get your heart rate into certain ranges needed to improve overall work capacity.

7. Charlie's thoughts on the front squat versus the back squat and where you should focus your time. (Note: His answer is most likely NOT what you think it will be!)

8. In what ways can kettlebells be used in a maximal effort method in place of a barbell for the develop of raw strength.

Many thanks to all who left such amazing feedback on my last post. I realize something got wacky with the comment section, making it difficult to leave a note. If that was the case with you, please tell me what you want to see more of in this posts comment section!

PS - I will announce the Swag Bag winners later this week, so it is not too late to comment for a chance to win!

That being said, there were at least two requests for progressions towards the hanging leg raise. So here you go! This is one of two progressions that I have found to be most effective for developing the strength required to do a full HLR. I will share the other progression on the next post. Enjoy!

Enticing headline, isn’t it?

Well,I got news for ya, this isn’t just for men. This is for all walks of life who are serious about doing what it takes to get chiseled abs and rock hard glutes.

And this isn’t women’s, ahem, I mean, men’s health.

And, as a matter of fact, in terms of traffic, the Chronicles of Strength is now a top 500 blog (not bad in a field of over 130 million competitors! - and to celebrate, we are giving away a free SWAG bag!) and beating the pants off both Men’s Health Australia, and Men’s Health Singapore (at least according to Experian Hitwise).

Suckers.

And to me, it’s no mystery why that is.

Because our content doesn’t suck.

The esteemed professional wrestler Sid Viscious once said that 99% of everything is, well, crap.

He used a stronger word than crap of course.I don't like to use words like that. I have a name for people that use words like that, but I won't say what it is because it isn't very nice.

Well, we are the 1%. And proud of it.

And I’m going to prove it once again by giving you seven tips that don’t suck, actually work, and that you can implement right now for some serious fat burning results. You’ll thank me later…

The thing that sucks about dieting, cutting calories, or cutting carbohydrates is that it only takes about a week for your body to adapt to the caloric and carbohydrate deficit. This is why we experience diminishing returns and ultimately hit those dreaded plateaus.

A lot, not all of it, but a lot of this has to do with our thyroid output and leptin levels. If you want to know more about the nitty gritty scientificals behind what all that is and why it matters, just read my Metabolic Reset eBook.

When we consume less, our body, of course, wants to burn less, and it only takes about a week for it to start doing that.

But we’re not going to let that happen. We’re going to hit the “reset” button.

“Wait. You’re not the boss of me. You can’t tell me what to do!”

You’re absolutely right! You can do whatever the heck you want!

But I hope you’ll choose to do what works and stop wasting your time with what doesn’t.

“But how do I know that it’s going to work?”

Please don’t give me another excuse to put another half-nude and semi-awkward picture of myself online. Because you know I will. Rather, just go read even a few of the seemingly endless success stories that we’ve had over the past year since releasing the Metabolic Reset over at the store page and see for yourself!

“Ok. So how do I hit the reset button?”                                           

You binge! Eat as much of whatever the freak you want for one day a week. This will have insulin oozing out of your eyeballs and fingernails, which typically isn’t such a desirable thing but does wonders for bringing thyroid and leptin levels back to where you want them to be for maximum body fat annihilation.

“Can I eat pizza?”

Damn right. You SHOULD eat pizza.

“Pie?”

So long as it’s coconut cream.

“Really?”

No.

Eat whatever freaking kind of pie that you want.

“Wait, won’t I get fat?”

First off, I don’t even know who you are, but I’m telling you no, you won’t get fat.

Well, actually that depends on what you mean by “fat”.

Will you gain a little bit of fat? Perhaps, depending on how you entered your binge day (more on that later).

But here’s the thing, only losers focus on the short term. Winners see the big picture. If binging once a week will allow you to burn 2lbs of fat throughout the rest of the week, then who cares if the one day of binging has you gain 0.5lb of fat. Because in the long run, you are still down 1.5lbs of fat, if my calculus is correct. Which it is.

So let loose and don’t worry about a thang.

Think about it like this:

What would happen if you lit a match, held it under your butt, and farted?

You’d laugh right? Well, assuming nothing went terribly wrong that is…

You’d laugh, I’d laugh, we’d all laugh. It’d be hilarious, and we’d have a great time. We’d tell all of our friends the next day and probably be the most popular kids in school. That is, if we were still in school, and had any friends to tell about it.

“But what does that have to do with burning fat?”

Absolutely NOTHING!

Except EVERYTHING!

When you binge you have lit the proverbial match and restored life to your once monstrous metabolism. You have reset your metabolism and things are cookin’ again. Fasting—and what will be tip #2 will be the proverbial fart – which will act to EXPLODE the fat-burning process!

You see, after you’ve binged, your body is primed and ready to start burning fat so through implementing a tactical 24-hour post-binging fast and therefore, allowing glucagon and natural growth hormone to surge over insulin (which is one of the many amazing things that happens when you actually don’t eat!), we will tap into our stored body fat and obliterate it!

“So, when can I eat again?”

I like to time it so that I finish my binge on 6pm Friday night, which in turn begins my fast at 6pm Friday night. I then time my workout to be between 3-5pm on Saturday afternoon. That way I can almost go right back to eating once I am done my workout. Notice I said almost. Don’t eat immediately post-workout, as that will halt the fat-burning process.

“What kind of workouts are we talking about? Like those cattle-ball things?”

You mean, kettlebells? Sure. That brings us to tip number 2…

I actually don’t like the saying “train like a man”. Because even though almost every man in the world likes to think they know how to train, very few actually do. I was one of those folks all throughout high school. Then, I got smart and started learning from the best. It’s also when I started getting the best results. Not a coincidence.

Don’t let your ego get in the way of what works.

And don’t believe that if you just work hard enough, then good things will come.

That is the biggest load of crap – whether that advice is directed towards fitness, schooling, business, you name it.

Hard work does not equal success.

I know many, many Americans who work their asses off every day trying to lose weight, yet never do. I know many, many Americans every day who work their asses off at their job, yet still have a rather measly salary. I could go on and on, but the evidence is quite clear that hard work alone is not what pays off.

Effective work is where you want to focus your energy. Working hard for the sake of working hard makes about as much sense as banging your head against a wall hoping to get through it (rather than using the door) and about as much fun, too.

Your first priority should always be to seek out what is effective. What will get you the closest to your goals? Then, work smart and efficiently at what is effective (how can you apply the bare minimum principle to what is effective?).

I don’t value hard work. And neither should you.

I could work my ass off running on a treadmill for two hours every day, and be nowhere near as lean as I am today by spending 40 minutes a day, 2-3 days per week working metabolic conditioning via kettlebell complex training.

Now anybody who has put themselves through the ringer that is my Birth of a Hero program knows that metabolic conditioning is far from easy. It would actually be quite safe to say that the Birth of a Hero may very well be the most painfully grueling and horribly masochistic program you ever put yourself through.

But anyone who has stuck with it undoubtedly knows that it works, and it works damn well.

Good science is repeatable my friends, and that is exactly what the Birth of a Hero is based off of.

Metabolic conditioning is the unrivaled king of rapid fat loss because it will not only help to dump the fatty acids into your blood stream (a process helped along by the adrenaline from heavy lifting), but since you are constantly switching between and utilizing multiple energy systems (phosphagenic, glycolytic, and oxidative), you will also burn those fatty acids off – which to me sounds like the most important part! Doesn’t that sound like the most important part to you as well? Well, most folks don’t take that into consideration.

I have a name for folks like that. But I’m not going to share it because it isn’t very nice.

Heavy lifting is great, but the problem with just heavy lifting for fat loss is the process of re-esterfication, which is when you dump the fatty acids into your blood stream but fail to burn them off so they simply transport back into their cozy little fat cells. The problem with just traditional cardio is that there is little long-term metabolic effect, or EPOC. The Birth of a Hero solves those problems by bringing together the best of both worlds through the pairing of moderate to heavy strength efforts and elevated cardiovascular stress.

Here is the Great Destroyer, one of our finest kettlebell complexes found in the Birth of a Hero. Now, if this doesn’t get you excited to start the Birth of a Hero program, then I don’t know what will!

If you want a cute tight butt, then you need to deadlift and squat.  Heavy.  At least 1x a week.

Or if you just want to be downright strong, then you need to deadlift and squat . Heavy. At least 1x a week.

Here's a bonus tip - If you can deadlift or squat a weight for ten times. It ain't heavy.

And if you really want a sexy, functional silverback behind, then get on our Prometheus Protocol!

So some days you will be lifting heavy, and other days you will be doing your metabolic conditioning. But please don’t bother trying to do a lousy “ab workout” at the end of your training sessions. This isn’t planet fitness or the YMCA. If you want a serious functional set of abs, then you need to get serious about training your core. You owe it to yourself to dedicate an entire session to working every facet of your core’s functionality – such as anti-flexion, anti-extension, anti-rotation, and then of course, flexion, extension, and rotation.

Here is a short compilation of my top ten favorite core training movements. Enjoy.

If you are serious about burning fat, well, then, you have to let your body burn fat, and post-workout is the absolute best opportunity for that to occur. I recommend that you spend 20-30 minutes post-workout going for a brisk walk or performing some other sort of low intensity type of activity, rather than cramming your face full of gummi bears ( you know the type of dude I’m talking about, I know you do! I know you’ve seen the dude that brings gummi bears and jelly beans into the gym! DO NOT BE THAT GUY!) and halting the fat burning process.

Also note, that contrary to popular belief, muscle insulin sensitivity is severely inhibited immediately post-workout due to the micro trauma that has occurred (your muscles actually become temporarily insulin-resistant). So while it is true that insulin is at peak sensitivity post-workout, it is your muscles receptiveness to insulin that matters. Your best bet is to wait 30 minutes post-workout and let those fatty acids continue to oxidize and then have some sort of quick-digesting protein source, such as a whey protein. After about 60 minutes post-workout you may then have your carb and protein meal to start replenishing glycogen.

A pre-workout protein shake is a good idea indeed! This makes sense since increased protein synthesis is metabolically expensive, and a handful of recent studies, LIKE THIS ONE HERE, have brought the proof of this to light!

To summarize - having protein before a high intensity training session increases resting energy expenditure. Increased resting energy expenditure (or REE, if your into whole abbreviation game) is a good thing, if you are looking to lean out. Trust me on this one.

Again, the tried-and-true winner here would be a simple whey protein powder.

In the Metabolic Reset, I give the option of a few different pre-workout drinks – some carb-based, and others protein-based. If your goal is max fat loss, stick with protein pre-workout, not carbs.

If nothing else, swing a freaking kettlebell, dewd. I mean it. If you can’t commit to the Birth of a Hero, fine, no offense taken. But at least commit to twenty minutes of two hand swings, three days a week. That’s it! As far as bang for your buck movements go, the kettlebell swing is quite possibly number one.

Also, take the time to learn how to swing properly. This movement is great proprioception and great for learning how to hinge into deep hip flexion and develop power form the hips. And does it work for stripping of body fat? Yes, it works fabulously well, indeed – so long as you follow my other tips on nutrition that is.

Everybody has to start somewhere, and if you aren’t ready for the Birth of a Hero, then this tip is for you. Just start with swings and progress from there. CLICK HERE for a tutorial I put together a while back to teach you the how to properly execute a kettlebell swing.

One note I want to make is that I have recently seen a lot of people just not give a crap about their shoulder position in the deadlift and the swing. This is unacceptable. Stop hanging off your passive structures.

I have a name for people that hang off their passive structures, but again I’m not going to say it because it’s not very nice.

Here is a clip from a seminar I put on at Millersville University where I teach the proper shoulder position for the swing. Enjoy.

There you have it. Seven quick tips you can implement now for accelerated fat loss. Please post any questions you have in the comment section, or just leave some love.

As always, thank you for your time.

And please lift responsibly.

-          Pat Flynn

I know you want the COS Swag Bag...

As of February, the Chronicles of Strength has made it into a top 500 blog, according to Experian Hitwise. This of course, is a remarkable achievement and a cause for great celebration!

None of this would have ever been possible without all of your loyal and continued support. So I thank you from the bottom of my heart for investing your time and health into the Chronicles of Strength.

I promise you I will continue to deliver nothing short of the most reliable, effective, and valuable content.

You will never get any crap from me. I know how valuable your time is, and to show how much I respect that, I will never waste it.

Furthermore, I want to give away some Swag Bags to a few of you awesome readers.

In case you missed the last post the Swag Bag contains the elusive and highly valued Chronicles of Strength T-Shirt, which can be seen in this video HERE, as well as a hard copy of our Birth of a Hero book.

If you want a Swag Bag,  just tell me what you want to see more of on the Chronicles of Strength in the comment section, and I will select two folks at random to receive some COS Swag.

I want to know what YOU want, so speak up, and win some swag!

Mobility is a two-way street in the sense that trying to perform with mobility restrictions is like trying to drive with the e-brake on. You just aren’t going to realize your full athletic/strength potential under restrictions. It ain't just ain't happen. Conversely, performing with hypermobility or being mobile in places where you need to be stable is like driving with a dysfunctional brake pedal.

Both situations are highly unfortunate and potentially dangerous.

And I want to be make it VERY clear just how important it is to have both an adequate amount of mobility and stability before you embark on an exercise program. As Gray Cook would say, never should you just pile fitness on top of dysfunction.

Remember, proper movement should absolutely be a requisite for exercise. If you can’t move properly, what on earth makes you think that you will ever be able to exercise properly? Certain joints need more stability and certain joints need more mobility.

Of course, no one is perfect, and learning to move better is an ever-ongoing process. That is exactly why we have our SuperHero Development Program, which, along with all of the other great content that we provide through that program every month, we are now offering monthly mobility routines designed to help you improve your movement, which in turn will inevitably amplify your athletic potential.

This manual is to serve as a starting point and is a reference guide of my personal seven favorite mobility drills that I use on a daily basis. This is by no means an all inclusive list, just a quick compilation of what I believe to be some of the more effective mobility assessment and improvement drills.

Please read through the manual and add your own favorite mobility drills and routines in the comments section below. We would love to hear what has worked well for you!

Also, we are giving this report away for free as a huge thank you to everyone that takes the time out of their day to visit the Chronicles of Strength. But you only got a week to access it before it disappears into the dark nebulous void of forgotten eBooks forever!

Here's a sneak peak of what's to come in the upcoming issue of our SuperHero Development Program. If you are not a member of this yet what are you waiting for? It's FREE for you to try out for an entire month - You've got nothing to lose! Except if you're not a member. Then you're losing. You can get exclusive access HERE or through our Physique Transformation Bundle Package

This complex not only looks pretty slick (You'll be the center of attention and steal the if you can pull this off at your grandmother's next birthday party. Ask me how I know!), but serves as a fancy little drill to help smooth out your kettlebell snatch. If you've been in the game for a while know then you know the kettlebell snatch involves proper power and proper timing. For a lot of folks, the timing is more of an issue than the power generation. "When do you get your hand through the bell (spear through) so it doesn't beat the piss out of your forearms?" This drill will teach you exactly when that point of "weighlessness" is. For most, it is just above eye level. Enjoy, and post any questions you have below.

BTW the dude doing this complex is clearly confused, and probably about more than just the complex...

Alternate lunges.

Chris Foehl is a strong dude, and clearly a smart dude since he is a member of our SuperHero Development Program, and a VIP at the upcoming seminar with Dr. Charlie Weingroff. 

:P

To repay him for his kind support we gave him the gift of The Great Destroyer (the gift guaranteed to keep on giving through DOMS dividends). And a Chronicles of Strength "Schwag Bag" of course.

:D

We take care of our own.

If YOU would like your very own COS Swag Bag, you can invest in one below.

Inside the Swag Bag you will find:

1. The exceptionally rare, highly coveted, and exotic Chronicles of Strength T-Shirt
                           (which can be seen in THIS VIDEO)
                            (a $20 Value)

2. A hard copy of our Birth of a Hero eBook
                          ( a $29 Value)

3. And maybe one other super secret surprise!!

But you better hurry, because our supply is extremely limited!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to tack on the absolute most amount of clean muscle mass possible over the next ninety days following the Prometheus Protocol.

Here are the rules, if you wish to compete for a shot at glory, fame, and a lifetime subscription to our SuperHero Development Program along with a host of other goodies (listed below).

1. Email me directly at HardstyleKettlebells@yahoo.com with the subject line of "Prometheus Challenge". Tell me your name and that you want to be a part of this challenge.

2. Give me yo pics and yo stats - Not just taking anyone's "word" for it. You'll need to get into your skivvies and take some before pics. One profile pic (that's from the side) and one frontal pic (thats from...well, the front). Sure, you can flex... don't be shy.... I will also need your current height and weight. If you have any questions about this, please make them known in the email.

3. You must email my by Friday, April 13th to be eligible. As the official challenge will begin on Monday, April 16th.

What the Winner Gets:

• A lifetime subscription to our SuperHero Development Program
• Our ENTIRE eBook collection
• The highly esteemed and incredibly rare Chronicles of Strength T-Shirt
• Free publicity! An entire blog post dedicated entirely to the winner and his/her success story, a link back to his/her site. Fame, glory, and life as a god-king!

Why YOU Should Take the 90-Day Prometheus Challenge:

Aside from the host of potential goodies that you can win, taking on this challenge will help you to commit towards success! Telling someone else that you are going to do something will suddenly and drastically amplify your motivation and level of commitment, do not underestimate the power of this when it comes to achieving your goals! We have put this challenge together for YOU, and to ensure that you do put on the absolute most amount of muscle mass in the least amount of time possible, so please take FULL advantage of this opportunity. Accountability is a rare thing these days, and we are offering it to you for FREE.

Let the games begin!

Please post any questions, comments, or concerns you may have in the comment section below. Or just leave some love :D

Here's a two minute mobility drill used to assess/improve T-spine mobility and stability at your t-l junction. Enjoy and post any questions below!

Yes.


You CAN put on size with kettlebells. There is no debate about that. But remember, the kettlebell is simply a tool. And in some cases, certain tools may be more effective than others. In a lot of cases, people are simply unable to realize this, which makes them a tool.

:D

So what I’m going to present to you today, is the most effective and efficient way to put on size with kettlebells,if that is what you so desire.

And yes, it is possible to be effective while being inefficient and vice versa.

Effectiveness relates to doing the things that get you closer to your goals and efficiency is about performing a given task in the most economical manner possible (or putting forth the minimum time and effort required completing a given task. Remember the bare minimum rule?)

Don’t be the loser that is incredibly efficient at being ineffective. That’s just silly.

Now realize that when it comes to putting on size, just because you feel like you can do more doesn’t mean that you should! Too often, the biggest mistake that folks make when it comes to trying to add some mass onto their frame, is that they simply do too much. Remember, it’s not about how hard or how often you train, but rather how smart you train, and how efficiently and effectively you are able to recover.

With the Prometheus Protocol, we have undoubtedly subscribed to the “less is more” philosophy.

Except when it comes to eating; where more is certainly more. :)

Here is what you will need for the Prometheus protocol:

1.       Two Relatively Heavy Kettlebells

2.       2 Days a Week to Dedicate to Training

3.       Stock Options in Chipotle

The Prometheus Protocol may very well be the simplest program you will ever follow, as it requires you to train only 2 days a week. Need I remind you however that simple rarely equals easy?

When it comes to putting on size our goal is to elicit a maximal hormonal response (particularly growth hormone, testosterone, and IGF-1).


We will utilize two of the biggest compound kettlebell movements for this:

1.       The Double Kettlebell Front Squat

2.       The Double Kettlebell Clean and Press

Between these two movements, just about every single muscle group in your body will be taxed. Both of these exercises are exceptionally high in neuromuscular activation, and when loaded with an appropriate amount of weight, will indeed elicit quite a remarkable hormonal response.

The program itself as I mentioned earlier only has you training two days a week. DO NOT TRAIN ON CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF THE WEEK! Please allow for at least two days of rest in between each training session.

I do not care whether you perform your sets of front squats or double clean and press first, only that you complete the prescribed amount of sets and reps which are as follows:

Double Clean and Press – 10 sets x 5 reps @ 60-80% of your 1 rep max
Double Kettlebell Front Squat – 10 sets of 5 reps @ 60-80% of your 1 rep max

It’s no mystery that you need to move heavy weight around to put on size. But in order to achieve the best response for muscle hypertrophy we must use a tactical mix of volume, density, and intensity.

Here are the rules:

1. Rest periods between sets should be between 60-120 seconds

2. Use a weight that is between 60-80% of your one rep max. It goes without saying (except for the fact that I’m saying it…) that you should use the heaviest weight you possibly can so long as you are still able to hit the required of reps and keep your rest periods under 120 seconds.

3. If done correctly, each training session should take NO longer than 30-40 minutes.

Now let’s talk about food,  because you are going to need a lot of it.

Now the goal of the Prometheus Protocol is to put clean size on you, not to make you an amorphous lard-ass. Follow these rules in order maximize muscle gain, and minimize fat gain.

1.      Eat only low glycemic carbohydrate sources. You do not need insulin to be oozing out of your eyeballs and fingernails for you to put on size, only an adequate caloric surplus. And yes, even post workout you do not need simple carbs, as insulin is already at peak sensitivity.  Your pancreas will thank you later. (Chipotle burrito bowls are my preferred weapon of choice - brown rice, black beans, chicken, salsa, cheese, and guacamole)

2.       Consume a quick digesting protein source (such as whey protein) 30 minutes post workout, and then eat a meal of protein and carbs 60 minutes post workout to replenish muscle glycogen.

3.       Eat often and to the point of discomfort. I’m not joking.

4.       Fast once a week for 24 hours. Nothing but water, green tea, and/or black coffee. This will not only help to minimize fat gain and allow for an increase in both growth hormone pulse frequency and amplitude, but will also ensure that protein up-take doesn’t down-regulate.

Follow all of the rules that I have presented and I DARE YOU to NOT put on size with the Prometheus Protocol.

Please post any questions you may have in the comment section.

We typically reserve the Two Minute To-Do drills for our newsletter subscribers(which if you aren't on our newsletter then you are missing out on a TON of great content - check out these seven SUPER COMPELLING reason to subscribe! - you'll even get a free ebook out of it!), but this one I feel is of such worth that I just need to share it with everyone. The goal of this weeks Two Minute To-Do is to spend two minutes in the squat position practicing hip rotations. Below is the video. Enjoy. And please post any of your favorite hip mobility drills in the comment section below.