SUPERSET Upper Body Day

What is up YouTube? I've been doing this newsletter recently and I I already did a little thing on Instagram about why I think it was important to like actually be writing a newsletter rather than

using CHP and II for it. But one of the things I said in it and it felt really true and it's something I've been thinking a lot about lately cuz this guy like came up out of nowhere and he was talking to me at a gas station and he

asked me how I stay motivated all the time or how I stay like driven to push forward and to do things X Y and Z. And

it was funny because it was like 6:00 a.m. and I just finished a workout. I

a.m. and I just finished a workout. I

probably looked like I was grinding, but I just couldn't sleep any later. I had

nothing else to do. I went to the gym early. And the truth is, I feel like I

early. And the truth is, I feel like I go through these phases in life where I have so much drive, so much going forward and I often end up overextending myself and then these seasons of life where I'm don't really have a lot of drive and I don't really know where I'm

going or what to do and all the things.

And that's kind of where I'm at right now. And it's been a a year of

now. And it's been a a year of retirement and letting kind of like life open and opening doors for things to happen. And then having Blake, our our

happen. And then having Blake, our our new baby, and then being home for a long period of time and being pulled away from everything else has been incredible. I love the extra time with

incredible. I love the extra time with my family. But the truth is, I know that

my family. But the truth is, I know that like I want to pursue more. I want to like I want to be pulled towards a big mission where I have my family, which is my post most important thing, but I

still want to be pulled towards another mission, another purpose to have like contribution. And I feel like it's

contribution. And I feel like it's really hard to to find that drive cuz I truly believe that like every I don't even need to say the motivation is kind of It's not in the last everyone knows that you need to find

what truly like pulls you and what drives you. You need to find what you're

drives you. You need to find what you're like emotionally connected to which is such a challenging thing right now cuz there's so many opinions on like follow your passion. You need to do this. You

your passion. You need to do this. You

should be doing this way. You shouldn't

be doing things out of insecurity. You

shouldn't be trying to seek your self-worth in success and all these things. And I totally agree you

things. And I totally agree you shouldn't be. But if it's where you're

shouldn't be. But if it's where you're at and it's driving you and it's creating energy to fuel you, to propel you in a direction towards something, then at least that's momentum. At least

it's direction. At least you're going somewhere rather than sitting and doing nothing. I'm definitely driven by very

nothing. I'm definitely driven by very different things in my life now than I was in the past. But like I never really was driven by money cuz I wasn't around it and I just wanted enough to feel safe. So when I got that, it didn't feel

safe. So when I got that, it didn't feel pulled to me. But I was being driven a lot by like significance, by feeling like I was seen and I was significant and I had purpose. And a lot of my Olympia and social media and stuff was

really driven and pulled by that. And

honestly, at times my identity was so attached to it that when I got injured or I got a setback or all these things, I was so overwhelmed. And on the outside, someone might be like, "Who cares? Like, you hurt yourself. What

cares? Like, you hurt yourself. What

does it mean?" But I felt like I was losing myself if I couldn't get on stage or I was going to lose my Olympia because I attached so much to that. And

is that healthy long term? Absolutely

not. But does it create a lot of energy and a really strong pull to drive you towards working towards something that is really hard so you can accomplish something amazing? 100%. And

along that journey, I was able to discover that the health wasn't really it wasn't really healthy to be doing that. So I think when you're young, what

that. So I think when you're young, what I'm trying to get at is sometimes it isn't about finding your passion or finding a healthy way to do things. It's

kind of finding maybe there's two paths.

There's probably more, but it's what's top of mind right now. One, just what you're good at. If you're good at something, start it. The momentum and success that will create passion. I

promise you, being good at something creates passion. It's not always like,

creates passion. It's not always like, oh, I really like dogs, so I'm going to become a vet. It's like, no, I'm really good at understanding complex problem this way or communicating about this thing or doing this whatever. Well, I'm

going to try and find a career to pursue that and then I'm going to be really even better at it and I'll become successful and then I will love being good at that. But also, like, if you want to make a ton of money because you, I don't know, were picked

on for being poor and now you want to drive around in a Porsche, is that going to make you happy long term and leave you fulfilled? No. But is it going to drive you forward for a moment to create a life where you become the person, have the confidence, and have

the abundance to take a step back and look at what really will make you happy?

100%. So, I think in one season of your life, it's very important just to find what you're good at and what's going to pull you. What do you really care about?

pull you. What do you really care about?

Like if you're young and you're 20 years old and like I don't care about money and fame and success, but really deep down you're like, I really envy these people who have all this Well, you're just lying to yourself and you're going to put yourself in this box

of lack of drive. And then as you grow out of that, which is the season I'm in now where you have enough, you have all the things, you've experienced the things and you've experience that they don't fulfill you, you need to find what's next. And I really think there's

what's next. And I really think there's like a level of contribution in my life where I want to take a lot of the things I've learned and abundance I've received like mentally and physically and be able to give that back. And I don't know

where that is. And I really want to start having a creative outlet which I've spoken about before. And there's a few things and a few projects I have coming up that will really help that.

But the truth is I don't have a big answer in this right now of what's pulling me. But I just know it's

pulling me. But I just know it's different things. And there's this

different things. And there's this ability to understand your brain and your own thoughts and to feel things and like be aware of your thoughts when you're in a season of transition that I

think creates proper self- understanding to create a life that you actually want which is what I'm in and just trying to understand myself and what the point of my newsletter was was that understanding that having anchors in those in between

seasons or in when you're overwhelmed and overextended and really stressed out having an anchor or when you're don't know what's going on and you feel lost and you have no moment momentum then you have an anchor of at least you have that and for me that was always the gym and

that's why the gym was so important to me you can always build momentum I can always step in the gym create some confidence some consistency and move forward with something and beyond that if I start talking about like the values

of which you live your life I'll go on forever but finding what values are most important to you and making sure that your actions are aligning with that anchor number two anchor number three is relationships you know having Courtney

where like when I was losing when I felt like I was going to lose an Olympia or if I felt like I was had to retire or was pulling away or I was losing part of myself, but I always had her in that same constant that loved me whether or

not I was Mr. Olympia or was winning or losing or had money or didn't or whatever, that makes you feel so safe.

It's such an anchor to security. And

having that person to be able to communicate with in those hard times is so important. And I'm just in

so important. And I'm just in this like wrap up of season where like what used to drive me was I found something I was good at which was bodybuilding and fitness and sharing my

story and my life and sharing my thoughts on things which led to money which also drove me at one point because we all want to have enough money to feel safe and successful and have enough things. We live in America like we're

things. We live in America like we're all a little bit conditioned to that at a young age and if you're not probably lying yourself. And then when I grew out

lying yourself. And then when I grew out of that it's like okay well at least I still have my anchors. I know what's important, most important to me. My

character, my family, how I show up as a man, honesty, all these things. I'm

still being that person. So, at least I'm good. I have my relationships. I

I'm good. I have my relationships. I

have my wife. I have my family. So, I'm

good. I'm focusing all that. I have

that. I have the gym where I can go and I can work hard at something. I can push myself. So, I have that. So at least I

myself. So, I have that. So at least I feel safe in this interim where I don't exactly know what the specific thing is that will be pulling me and motivating and c bringing purpose in my life

outside of those three things that I mentioned. So there's no answer here.

mentioned. So there's no answer here.

It's just kind of a random thought and I don't think I know I'm not the only one who often gets in these moments of feeling lost. So I just truly think

feeling lost. So I just truly think having your anchors that keep you important and understanding that you evolve. If I kept searching after

evolve. If I kept searching after significance and more followers and more Olympia titles and more money and I was like, well, that made me happy then, so maybe if I get more of it now, I'll get more happy. That's where the problem

more happy. That's where the problem lies. You need to understand that that's

lies. You need to understand that that's a season and it doesn't leave you fulfilled when it's coming from an unhealthy place. It gets you to a place

unhealthy place. It gets you to a place where you can look at things differently, to look at yourself differently, to really figure out what will fulfill you. So being in that season, that's where those anchors are

super important. So this is like a

super important. So this is like a really unorganized framework of which I like think about life all the time that keeps me from losing my mind sometimes to be completely honest. So right now

that's what I'm seeking. Somewhere I can give back and feel like I'm contributing in a positive manner out of a place of gratitude for seeing how much amazing things I've been given in my life and

also touching into some more creative aspects of life of wanting to do things out of pure creation of what my mind thinks of them rather than seeing and copying and just trying to receive. So I

think those two things are creative and contribution are like a next thing that's like going to be where I find a lot of drive and purpose in my life. So,

I want to a lot of things in social media are weird because like you don't want to share something too early and there's like secrets and stuff and whatever. But I really want to take you

whatever. But I really want to take you guys along that journey this year. So, I

will be doing that. But until then, I hope at least if you're going through a moment right now where you feel kind of lost, this helps you. And I hope you're focusing on relationships, I hope you take a dive and look at what values are most important to you so you can align

your life to it. And I hope you work out hard as every day because that is so good for your mental health and it's such a good anchor to have. The more you good you get at working out, the more

enjoyable it is. And then when you have a really shitty time and you go to the gym and you're strong as so you can deadlift 500 lb, it makes you feel better than going to the gym and deadlift 135 lbs. It just does. You're

good at stuff. It's more fun. That's

reality. So get good at working out. Get

strong as Use that. Become

consistent and it will be there for you forever. And understand that these

forever. And understand that these seasons come and go. If you do it right and you look inside yourself, you will find what drives you to find real fulfillment in life. I'm not there yet, but I I still have a lot of fulfillment,

but I'm still searching for something a little else right now. So, take you guys on that journey, but for now, it's upper body damage training, some chest and back today, and I'm going to

get a beautiful pump. So, stay tuned.

All right, so I don't even know what to call today. It's similar to the past

call today. It's similar to the past workout I did with a little bit of isometric holds, isamic into full range of motion reps. going to do a little bit of like a shoulder warm-up I've been doing that's helping me warm up but also

stabilize my shoulders a little bit more. So, I'll run you guys through

more. So, I'll run you guys through that. But that's pretty much what's

that. But that's pretty much what's going on today. It's a nice little upper body day. First proprioception shoulder

body day. First proprioception shoulder warm-up thing. I kind of suck at these,

warm-up thing. I kind of suck at these, so don't judge me, but like you get better. That's life. Is I'm just driving

better. That's life. Is I'm just driving my shoulder into the ball and I'm trying to like push off of it, opening my legs, and then I'm opening my shoulder up and down while balancing it on the ball. So,

just that like stabilization helps warm up and stabilize everything in your shoulder. So, I'm trying to like push

shoulder. So, I'm trying to like push through, reach to the sky, and then collapse the shoulder touching the ground.

Our second little thing, it's called like shoulder cars. You guys have probably seen me do these a lot. Trying

to pull the shoulder out of the socket as much as you can without pulling it with something else, but just stretching. And then you're twisting

stretching. And then you're twisting your hand and then reaching out across this way as far as you can top of the head. And the whole time you're trying

head. And the whole time you're trying to reach out out. Get to the top. Get a

little extra reach. Rotate. And then

same thing. Reach as far back as you can pushing away from you. Go back and forth three times. And it looks like not much

three times. And it looks like not much is happening, but your shoulders, you can just feel them like opening back up and lengthening. It feels really good

and lengthening. It feels really good every time I do this. And I try and hold myself close to a bar so I'm not like cheating with my body too much.

All right, last technical warm-up. Just

a basic shoulder rotator on a bench.

Super easy to do. I went through a phase where I was doing this like an exercise where I was doing multiple sets, increasing load, and now I just do try and do them at the beginning of some upper body workouts just to like

maintain the strength I had built. But

you guys have seen these. Nothing new.

But doing these consistently, even just one set being able workouts can help your shoulders a lot.

All right. So, first technical superset of this workout. It's supposed to be like rings, like gymnastic rings, but I don't have that. So, TRX machine push-ups. I'm going to put my feet up

push-ups. I'm going to put my feet up here. Hang on there. Helps with

here. Hang on there. Helps with

stability. I can get a really deep stretch that way by using my body weight from it. Trying to keep my whole body

from it. Trying to keep my whole body straight like I was doing on that leg workout. Keeping my core engaged, pelvic

workout. Keeping my core engaged, pelvic engaged. And then I'm going to super set

engaged. And then I'm going to super set that with supernated pull-ups.

They're deceivingly more difficult for me. But when I first, this is my third

me. But when I first, this is my third week doing this movement. I think first week my shoulders like hurt, especially my left one was like in pain and clicking and didn't want to go that far

back in the stretch position. And then

there first set and I felt no pain. So

it's nice to put yourself into new movements where you actually adapt to it rather than feeling worse. So body's

moving in the right direction. But yeah,

the goal is just like 10 to 12 reps if I can get that far and then holding in that stretch. And I'm not trying to like

that stretch. And I'm not trying to like do an isometric contraction necessarily with my pec. I'm actually trying to squeeze my back together. So I'm like getting my traps used to being locked

into the ultimate chest stretch position and really just stretching my pecs out.

Man, I suck at those. Trying to do a at least a two second pause. stop my

momentum at the bottom there and then pull all the way up. Chin genuinely like much above. Try to pull my what am I

much above. Try to pull my what am I trying to say? Whatever these are, my hands to touch my chest up here. Cuz

that position being strong here is so good for posture. I feel like I'm not the only one who has horrible posture, neck pain, and wants to be able to stand like this naturally. That's why I obsess

over talking it with all my movements because a better standing body is also a healthier body which less likely to get injured.

Ow.

Feels so empty in here without the car.

>> I know, right?

>> Yeah.

>> So funny. People are always like, "Do you miss this? Do you regret that? Did

you wish you didn't get rid of that?"

I'm always like, "No, >> I feel like I should say yes cuz I loved it."

it." >> And it looked cool as there, but like it's just a car, you know?

>> Yeah.

>> I had some good memories and then life goes on. It was my Olympia prep car. Now

goes on. It was my Olympia prep car. Now

that season is gone. Now I have more room in my gym. I like minimal free space >> and my gym is a little bit crowded. So I

got to get rid of some equipment probably or shuffle things around, make it more space or just buy another old car and put it in the spot.

All right, next little superset. Nothing

very innovating. Doing a wide grip T- bar row. The pull down was definitely a

bar row. The pull down was definitely a little bit more lat. So, I'm trying to stay a little bit wide. Get my rhomboids in. Get a nice contraction. And then

in. Get a nice contraction. And then

chest supported cable fly cuz I haven't done this in a while. And they feel damn good on the chest.

feel pretty good.

>> Yeah, >> nice doing some simpler bodybuilding movements. I still have like a pinch in

movements. I still have like a pinch in my shoulder all the time. And in that photo shoot I have upcoming, one of the things I have to do is bench. And I

haven't benched in forever because of my shoulder. So figured instead of never

shoulder. So figured instead of never benching until I can bench 405, might as well bench 135 when I'm fatigued at the end of a workout. See how it feels. Get

my body used to the movement. And then

at least when that shoot comes, whatever I have to do in the shoot, I don't just hurt myself more than I need to.

Holy Yeah, I'm we get benching now. I was like, I can do 20 reps no

now. I was like, I can do 20 reps no problem. And that wasn't as easy I

problem. And that wasn't as easy I thought it would be. I spilled a 225 for like 30 reps, but it didn't hurt that bad. Barely hurt at all, honestly.

bad. Barely hurt at all, honestly.

That's good progress.

This is another really good movement.

for posture, of course, but also for genuine like upper back development. If

you set your ribs right on the top of the bench, so you're like midspine can kind of bend over it without leaning your full body over. It really stretches

your scapula like all the way and then you can like tuck it all the way back.

And I'm holding the rope with my thumb close to the plastic so I'm getting that rotation at the back. You can really feel like right into that mid thromboid just like tucking under, which is really

hard movement to get like that tight contraction like in a row or something.

You're not getting that full rotation from your elbows.

That's why you bench with one plate, guys. Oh, man. Many heart attacks.

guys. Oh, man. Many heart attacks.

Jesus.

>> This is why you walk before you can run when you haven't benched in forever. All

right, it's a good workout.

I'm dropping everything.

All right, with that near-death experience, that is the end of this workout. I'm

going to go home and get some carbs cuz I got to rebuild my skinny ass.

So, I'll see you guys there.

This is >> the official update of the family of four.

>> Are we on?

>> Yeah, you're on.

>> Family of four.

>> I feel like that's the craziest thing because I have a family of four. You're

a family of four. It's like we're already there.

>> This is wild. I know.

>> It's so cute.

>> Significantly too young to have two children.

>> Yeah, I know. What do you think? Did you

just wake up from a nap? You have your little bear.

Oh, you don't know what to think. Want

to smile or no?

>> After week one with the baby, we're all like, you hold the baby, then you go to Bradley and Bradley feels like a giant.

>> Like >> like when I see Courtney when she was asleep in your arms the other night in the middle of the night.

>> Yeah.

>> Like I it felt looked so weird.

>> Yeah, I know.

>> Cuz you hold the baby like that and then Bradley's like hanging out of your arms. >> I know. He's a big girl now.

>> So yeah, this is it guys. Family of

four. Kind of crazy. Been in the trenches a little bit. Can't lie, right?

Just a little. See, I just got over being sick. You got your sister sick,

being sick. You got your sister sick, but that's okay. And mommy

>> and daddy. And it's not your fault. We

took you out for once and she got sick.

I know. And I was trying to avoid at all cost her getting sick.

>> We went to one small cafe where two people in the restaurant. We got sick.

>> Yeah. That's all right, though. But

we're out here surviving and thriving.

We have this little one. She's five

weeks old now. Her name's Blake. So, we

have Bradley and Blake. Is

>> it >> easier or harder than you thought to have two kids?

>> Okay, so here's my here's my take.

>> When you become a first time parent, you just don't really know what you're doing. Well, I'll speak for myself. I

doing. Well, I'll speak for myself. I

didn't really know what I was doing. So,

it was very overwhelming like trying to keep a little human alive and be like, "Okay, how do I figure out this and this and this or this go around?" I'm like, "Oh, I know how to swaddle." Like I didn't I remember with remember in the

hospital we didn't even know how to like wrap her in a blanket.

>> Didn't know how to change a diaper. Like

all the things. Hi baby.

>> We also just thought she was going to die in her sleep. I

>> Yeah. Like the breathing like everything was just like so like oh my gosh is she okay? Oh yeah. She's g it's okay. Um but

okay? Oh yeah. She's g it's okay. Um but

this go around it doesn't like that doesn't feel as overwhelming like oh I know how to change a diaper. I know how to pump. I know how to do all these

to pump. I know how to do all these things. But it's just trying to manage

things. But it's just trying to manage time.

with two. God bless my mother. She lives

with us because she helps a lot with this little one so I can like play with her if Chris is gone or you know because she's I mean Bradley is still in my eyes

you okay baby like a baby kind of you know she's not even two yet. She's 21

months old. So she doesn't really understand would you think she doesn't like get that this is like sister this is baby. So there's been moments of It's

is baby. So there's been moments of It's okay. Of like jealousy, you know. But

okay. Of like jealousy, you know. But

>> probably better, though, cuz if she's old enough to get it, she'd be more jealous.

>> Yeah.

>> Okay. You going to go? You want to be You can get out of the video. You don't

need to be in this anymore. You never

even had to.

>> White bear.

>> You want your bear?

>> Is this a baby? Watch. Do here. Do you

want to give baby a kiss? Oh, maybe not.

>> That's not She's coughing though. Do you

want to cough on the baby?

>> She She does give baby sister a kiss on the forehead. Oh, so you know, she wants

the forehead. Oh, so you know, she wants to play. She's trying to pull

to play. She's trying to pull Christopher off the couch. She's like,

"Summoned.

We're all being summoned."

>> Oh, you're little. You're a little shy.

Girly girly.

>> That's crazy hair. She just woke up from a nap. She gets it from making sick. Oh,

a nap. She gets it from making sick. Oh,

it's okay. Yeah. So, um, this is it, guys. This is it. All right. I'm going

guys. This is it. All right. I'm going

to turn this way. We're already kind of sick. She has it the worst.

sick. She has it the worst.

>> I used to make fun of everyone I knew like at work who had kids cuz they were sick all the time. Like, what's wrong with you? You immune system, that

with you? You immune system, that And they're like, "Wait till you have kids." They say a toddler is like a

kids." They say a toddler is like a walking like petri dish of just like illness, you know? They just pick things up. But yeah, so this is it. We're

up. But yeah, so this is it. We're

surviving and thriving to the best of our abilities.

And yeah, >> bum said family is now a family of four.

>> Four. That's it, right?

>> We'll see.

>> He's like, "No, >> you never know."

>> Or done. It's done. It's God's plan. I

would fix that.

>> I'm super grateful. We have two >> children, healthy children. We're good.

And yeah, that's uh that's it. You like

being a toddler dad better than a newborn dad?

>> I say as a man, it's much easier to be a dad to a toddler who can play and interact a little more, take her to the park, push it down the slide, all the things.

>> Like, do you still feel weird holding a newborn?

>> No, >> but I'm I just it's it's you feel more useless as a man. I don't have breast milk coming out of me and stuff, you know.

>> I don't think we're evolved the same to deal with that as much.

>> Yeah.

>> All right. So, that's a wrap.

>> Can you say bye?

>> Thank you guys for watching.

>> Say bye-bye.

>> Say bye, Bradley.

>> Say bye.

>> Byebye.

>> No. Okay. You want to just go play with some of your toys? Play-Doh.

>> We'll figure it out. Okay. Bye, guys.

says here.