Body Beast is coming very soon, and here is the first video trailer of the program!  I told you that you would be the first to hear all the latest news, so I wanted to post this asap for the Get Ripped At Home Crew community.  The video features Sagi Kalev and  his ultra huge ripped crew doing some of the routines that you will be doing with Body Beast.

As you will see from the Body Beast video trailer, this is a MASS gaining program.  This program won’t be for everyone, but for those of you skinny dudes looking to gain some serious muscle mass then this program will be exactly what you are looking for.  Now that we have seen the trailer you can see that you will need weights/resistance bands, an EZ curl bar, a pull up bar and the Chin Up Assist.  I have a feeling that some of these will be included with some sort of program kit, but we will have to wait for more details.

Check out the Body Beast workout trailer and let us know what you think!

Body Beast is right around the corner so keep an eye out and check back here daily for the latest news! What do you think? Are you going to try it?

What is Body Beast?

Currently still in development, BODY BEAST is the first Beachbody program dedicated to maximum muscle gains and fat loss. Created by champion bodybuilder, Sagi Kalev, it uses a combination of old- and new-school bodybuilding techniques to build muscle without using expensive gym equipment or harmful steroids  BODY BEAST workout is an extreme program, specifically developed to bulk up your body AND your confidence. Check back here for more details and the upcoming BODY BEAST release date.  Soon you can start building your body with the BODY BEAST workout, right at home.

BODY BEAST workout is one of the only all-encompassing body-building, nutrition and supplement systems on the market.

What is Body Beast designed to do?

Get big, increase your confidence level and just plain get healthy With BODY BEAST.

Beachbody’s new BODY BEAST workout is designed to give you results. You don’t have to be an athlete. Even if you’ve never worked out, we can help you get the body you want by using this systematic workout schedule together with a growth-inducing nutrition plan and specially formulated supplements.

Is BODY BEAST for you?

• Are you ready to improve your health and muscle strength?
• Get big using one of the most natural systems possible.
• Are you looking for a complete body-building system that teaches you how to use a healthy eating plan and supplements, the way pros do?

If you answered YES to any of these questions then BODY BEAST is what you have been looking for.

Who is Sagi Kalev?

Sagi Kalev, creator of BODY BEAST, has been a bodybuilder since the age of 16. He credits a four-year tour of duty in the Israeli army with teaching him the discipline, focus, determination, and respect he brings to his bodybuilding training.

Drawing on his education (a degree in physical education from the University of Central Florida with a minor in nutrition), Sagi has written a nutrition plan specifically for the BODY BEAST workout. And his many years of experience in training bodybuilding competitors serve as the foundation for the program itself.

After graduating from college, Sagi pursued a fitness modeling and acting career. He has competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions and has won two “Mr. Israel” titles along with a number of others. He’s also appeared on the cover of Men’s Workout, Iron Man, and Muscle & Fitness magazines, and several other publications.

After many years of modeling and entering shows, in 2003 Sagi decided to change his focus to personal training and working with people of all age levels, to help them get healthy and in excellent physical condition.

Sagi Kalev maintains the same philosophy he’s carried through his fitness career: To not just be the biggest, but to be the best at what he does.

With BODY BEAST, it’s about technique and building a strong foundation—not just lifting the heaviest weights you can. It’s about changing how you feel about yourself by improving your self image. Let Sagi Kalev show you the way.

BE THE FIRST TO KNOW WHEN BODY BEAST IS AVAILABLE BY SIGNING UP FOR THE MY TEAM FOR FREE BY CLICKING HERE!

This is why I would recommend everyone to monitor their body fat while they are going through a program like P90X, Insanity or TurboFire.  It might even be easier than you think, and it will give you a much better idea how well you are doing with your fitness.

There are several ways you can measure body fat so I will try to touch on all of them so you can determine which is best for you.  The first, is through scaless that do Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis… or BIA for short.  These work by sending a harmless electrical signal through your body and measure the resistance.  It’s basically a way to measure body density.  The only problem with this form is it can be thrown off very easily.  Too much water, too much muscle mass, different temperatures can all throw off the number and make it less accurate.  If you are consistent, scales can be a better way to monitor your body fat but not the initial measurement.  When I have used the scale version it has registered me at 10% body fat…I am down in the 4-6% rage so it can be off if you are muscular.  But there are better ways….

One of the more accurate ways to measure body fat is by using a Body Fat Caliper.  They are fairly inexpensive but a great tool that you can find on here or on amazon.  The only downside can be human error, so I recommend you have someone help you with your measurements, but it is a quick and easy way to determine your body fat more accurately.  I really like a website called www.liner-software.com that has a great place to put your measurements and have it calculate it for you.  They also provide multiple methods so I would try a few and determine which you like and which seem the most accurate.  It won’t give the exact number but you can definitely find within + or – 1% where you are at.  For example if you measure out at 12% body fat you can assume that your probably around 11-13%.  As you start using this method as your body fat decreases you can definitely monitor your decrease correctly.  If you go from 12% to 11% you can definitely assume you have lost 1% body fat.

The other form of measuring body fat is Hydrostatic body fat Testing (Getting Dunked) and Air Displacement Plethysmography or the “Bod Pod” (As seen on The Biggest Loser).  Both of these types of measurements take machines/facilities and trained staff in order to do them.  Both of these methods are quick, easy and usually cost around $50 per session.  If your looking to get a super accurate look at your full body composition then this is the way to go.  The only problem is that they are usually hard to find and cost a lot for what you can figure out using a body fat caliper basically.  Regardless, I decided to try the Hydrostatic testing and found out that I was at 4.5% body fat when I was determining how to get ready for the P90X2 Filming.  So it can definitely be worth looking into if your interested in getting another perspective.

Often we place to much emphasis on body weight.  When the scale doesn’t move we feel like we aren’t accomplishing our goals.  This isn’t necessarily the case.  What you should care more about is how well your clothes are fitting, and what is happening with your body fat %.  So instead of weighing yourself all the time, try using a body fat caliper and determining where you are at every 2-3 weeks.  Write it down, take your pics and monitor your progress.  I started at 16% body fat when I started P90X and finished at 8% on day 90.  I also went from 150lbs to 160lbs…if I wasn’t monitoring my body fat I might of thought I was doing something wrong.  I hope this gives you a better idea of how you can measure your body fat.

If you have any questions please feel free to comment!

1.  Whey Protein: As you workout, you break down muscle.  In order for your muscle to grow in size and strength you need to feed it with the proper amount of protein and amino acids.  Whey protein is perfect for this.  Whey is a fast digesting protein that is great for both pre and post workout.  Whey is derived from Milk and has a high level of Branch Chain Amino Acids.  Since Whey digests so quickly, it is utilized because it get’s into your muscles fast to start repairing and building new muscle.

How to Use: I recommend using whey protein pre and post workout.  I usually take 1 scoop of whey protein 45-60 mins pre workout.  Post workout I take another scoop of whey protein in my recovery drink.  You can take 1-3 scoops daily depending on your protein goals.  Whey protein Isolate is the higher quality form that you should look for.

2.  Casein Protein: The other protein that is derived from milk, Casein Protein differs from Whey in that it is slow digesting.  Slow digesting protein, like Casein is great for mid day snacks and right before bed.  Because it digests slowly your body will be able to utilize the amino acids for a long period of time, helping to feed your muscles while you sleep and recover.  Some studies have even shown that Whey+Casein protein together can be beneficial over straight whey alone, post workout!  Protein powder blends can be a great way to get both Whey and Casein together.

How to Use:  Take 1 scoop of Casein protein before bed or add it to your post workout shake.  Look for micellar casein, the slowest digesting form of casein you can find.

3.  Creatine: Creatine is most responsible for increasing ATP, the major source of energy for cellular reactions in your muscles.  Increasing this makes it so you can perform more sets and lift heavier weights to gain muscle mass. Creatine usually comes in powder form but is also found in pill form as well.  Creatine Monohydrate is the most typical and well researched of all the different forms of creatine.  Other forms include, Kre-Alkalyn, Creatine ethyl ester, and Con-Crete.  Most of these forms were made to limit bloating, the need to cycle and the need to do a loading phase which can come from Creatine Monohydrate.

How to Use: On training days take 2-5 grams of creatine pre workout, and take another 2-5 grams post workout.  On Non-Training Days take 2-5 grams with breakfast.  This can be taken with your pre and post workout shakes.  Be sure to drink plenty of water while taking creatine.

4.  Recovery Drink: Recovery is an essential part of gaining new muscle.  The only way we can grow is to help our muscles recover as quickly as possible.  This is why I love the P90X Recovery Drink.  As we workout we lose muscle glycogen which is basically energy stores that our muscles need to function.  Ever seen the video of the Iron Man runners that can go another step…that is called glycogen depletion.  In order to recovery quickly our bodies needs a simple carb to help restore glycogen as quickly as possible.  That is exactly what the p90X recovery drink does.  By taking this our bodies can also shuttle in the whey protein that is paired with it in order to get protein to the muscle for protein synthesis as quickly as possible.  For more info on Post-Workout Nutrition check out my post all about it HERE.

How to Use: Take 1 scoop with your protein powder post workout, on regular workout days and 2 scoops on intense workout days.

5.  BCAA’s + Glutamine: Branched-chain amino acids refers to leucine, isoleucine and valine, the most important amino acids for repairing and building muscle tissue. Leucine is the most critical of the three, as research shows that it can stimulate muscle protein synthesis on its own. Yet it’s still best to take all three together, since they work in synergy.  Glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in our muscles and is used while we workout.  It helps our immune system and helps us recover more quickly.  A product like Xtend by Scivation is one of my favorites because it contains the 2:1:1 ratio needed.

How to Use: Though it can be sipped throughout the day, I like to take my BCAAs during my workout.  You can also take them pre and post workout if you would like

6.  Fish Oil: Omega 3s are an essential part of our everyday health.  Omega 3s are now being researched more than any other vitamin/mineral and there are new benefits coming out every month about it.  Not only does it help our bodies function correctly, reduce inflammation, help with heart health, but it has also how been talked about as a factor to protein synthesis.  I take Core Omegas everyday to help with all around health.  If your looking to add more healthy fats into your diet then look at Omega 3s.

How to Use: Take 2-5 grams daily with breakfast.

8.  Multivitamin: One of the most overlooked supplements in training is a multivitamin.  In order for your body to function at it’s highest level you need to have all the proper vitamins and minerals that your body needs.  Nutrition is key to this but for most of us we don’t eat properly enough to get all that we need.  This is why a multivitamin is essential for this.  We need these to survive, so how could your body possibly build muscle at its best without them?  I like the P90X Multivitamin.  I have also taken Shakeology as a multivitamin as well.

How to Use: Take 1 severing per day, in the morning with breakfast

9.  Weight Gainer or Meal Replacement: The number one people have with gaining mass is not getting enough calories.  I know that for some of of you skinny guys out there it is hard to eat enough calories to gain weight.  This is why there are weight gainers.  Weight gainers are basically an easier way to get high amounts of calories.  It is much easier to drink calories than it is to eat them so people tend to spend lots of money on these types of supplements.  The one problem I have with them is that most are just crazy amounts of sugar with very poor quality protein and fats.  If your going to invest the money in a weight gainer than make sure your getting a clean product.  Complex carbs, good fats, and high quality protein are key.  The weight gainer should also include a good amount of fiber.  Isogainer is one that I like, even though I haven’t taken it myself.  I prefer a meal replacement drink like Shakeology.  Shakeology is great because it is chalk full of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, pre and pro biotics, and fruits and veggies.  I also like it because I can add my own foods into it to make it have more calories.  Adding a scoop of Whey, a scoop of peanut butter and a banana is a great way to add high quality food to your diet.

How to Use: Take 1 serving during the day as a meal or snack.

9.  Pre-Workouts: Lastly we get to Pre-workout/N.O. products.  These are probably the most popular and the most controversial of all the supplements on the list.  On one hand, lots of pre-workouts contain all a lot of the products people associate with gaining muscle (creatine, beta alanine, BCAAs, Argenine, caffeine) but on the other hand, most don’t contain enough of these products to make a difference.  The thing I like about pre-workouts is that they do provide a boost of energy on those days where you just don’t feel up to having an intense workout.  The thing I don’t like about them is that the new trend of “concentrated” scoops is basically a way to add a ton of stimulants without adding enough of the other ingredients that matter in gaining muscle.  There is no way you can get enough creatine, beta alanine, argenine in a 5-8 gram scoop.  So don’t be fooled.  If your willing to spend $30+ on an energy boost then by all means it will definitely help you.  My absolute favorite right now is E&E (Energy & Endurance) by Beachbody that you can find by clicking here.

How to Use: Each pre-workout is different so please read the label and warnings first.  Take pre-workout

In order to gain mass with P90X you need to workout correctly, have the proper nutrition and then add any supplements to fill in the gaps that you are missing through your diet.  These supplements will help you reach your goals.  Please take use them responsibly.  The more consistent you are with these three parts the better your results will be and the more mass you will gain with P90X.

Please feel free to comment, ask questions or add any other supplements that you think I left out.  If you would like to add me as your coach then please do so HERE

Coach Sean

If you want to a customized plan with recipes, tips and videos then you might want to checkout the Club Membership from Beachbody.  This membership showed me which types of foods I should eat and how I can use them in recipes that tasted great.  Since I wanted to use the Fat Shredder ratios I used a web based food log to input my foods to make sure I was eating the right amount of protein/fat/carbs.  Other Benefits include 10% all beachbody products, trainer tips, and weekly chats with trainers like Tony Horton, and Shaun T.

Who Should Use a Mass Gain Meal Plan with P90X?

• Those under 10% body fat
• Those who are “Hard Gainers”, Skinny and have a hard time Gaining Muscle Mass

*Warning:  This is a Mass gain meal plan, if you are looking to lose body fat then this might not be for you, please adjust calories and ratios to those suggested in the P90X guide

Breakfast 1 (Upon Waking)

• 1 Scoop whey protein
• 1 scoop shakeology
• 1-2 tspn peanut butter
• 1/2-1 Banana
• 8-12 oz skim milk

Breakfast 2

• 2 egg, 4 egg whites
• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup green tea or coffee

Morning Snack

• Plain Greek Yogurt (Low Fat)
• 1/2 cup blueberries

Lunch

• 2 slices sprouted bread
• 1 can wild salmon or 6oz Turkey + Avocado
• 2 cups spinach
• 1 cup red bell pepper
• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• Green Tea

Preworkout

• 1 scoop whey protein
• 1 apple
• and/or 1 scoop Xpand Xtreme Pump or E&E or Assault

Postworkout

• P90X recovery drink
• 1 cup skim Milk
• 1 scoop Whey protein

Dinner

• 6-8 oz Chicken Breast
• 1-2 cup Quinoa or 1 cup Black Beans
• 1 cup broccoli
• 1 tbsn Olive Oil

Bedtime Snack

• Low fat Cottage Cheese
• 1 oz walnuts
• 1 scoop Casein Protein

Total:

3,500 Calories, 290g protein, 350 g carbs, 95 g fat

Feel free to post a comment or contact me with any questions!

Looking to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle?  Sign up for ME as your Free Fitness Coach Today!

With more and more X’ers looking for supplements to help them achieve their goals with P90X, I have gotten a lot of questions about Pre-Workout supplements.  For those who have been following me for a while, you know that I wasn’t a big fan of pre-workout supplements because of my sensitivity to caffeine.  Most that I tried left me feeling gittery and nervous…I hated that feeling.  Xpand Xtreme Pump is the only pre-workout supplement that I have tried that kept me feeling energized, focused, and pumped.  I still need to try Jack3d and NO-Shotgun but so far this has been the best I have tried.

First time I took Xpand Xtreme Pump, I took 1 scoop and waited 30 mins before I started my workout, Chest/Back.  After the first round I was still energized and my pump was incredible.  I was able to improve my reps/weight on almost every exercise.  After I was done I blew though my ab workout and still had energy to spare.  The great part was that it didn’t keep me up at night.  I was a little bit “edgy” for a couple hours but nothing that lasted into my night.  I took it around 5:30 pm and went to bed at 11:30pm.  Other products have given me terrible nights sleep, Xpand left me without the crash and didn’t keep me up. I have now gone through my first tub and I have been very pleased with the results.

Xpand Xtreme Pump has everything I was after in a pre-workout supplement:  Energy, Focus, Aginine (for Pump),  Creatine (Strength), Beta-Alanine (stamina), and high grade BCAAs.  When I first took it I almost immediately felt the energy and focus.  If you have ever taken Beta-Alanine you will recognize the “tingly” feeling you get from it as well.  Beta-Alanine has been called “the new creatine” so this product is on the forefront of the latest in supplements.

It also tastes very good.  On a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 9.  I have tried both Orange and Fruit Punch.  Both have a settle taste but very appealing.  The product mixes very well.  A 5-10 sec stir does the trick.  The thing I like about this product is that you feel the effects within 10 mins. Others have taken up to 45 mins for me to feel a change.

Dymatize (the company that makes it) has obviously put a lot of thought into this product.  It comes with a free shaker cup which is actually very good.  I have been using it everyday for the past month with out any problems, which has been a nice little bonus.  It is also packaged in a really high quality box.  There is some major marketing going on and they seem to be catering the product to MMA fans since Brock Lesnar is the spokesperson.

Conclusion

Xpand Xtreme Pump by Dymatize is a very good pre-workout supplement.  For me it has lived up to the marketing hype without delivering any of the sleeplessness, digestive problems, or jitteriness that others brands have given me.  1 scoop seems to be enough with this product.  I would suggest finding a sample and trying it out for yourself.  It also comes Caffeine-Free

9.5/10

Want to try P90X?  Click here to learn More!

The quick and easy answer is Yes, but we all know gaining mass is neither quick nor easy.  I am sure you have heard me say before that P90X was not designed as a mass gaining program.  It is a fitness program designed to get you in the best overall shape.  Which means getting the most gains in specific areas like speed, strength, flexibility, and muscle growth.  I still feel that doing the classic program this is the best way to get in the overall best shape of your life but If you are looking for mass gain only then keep reading.

Gaining mass with P90X involves tailoring the program and nutrition to fit those goals.  This is one of the things that make P90X such a great program…the fact that you CAN tailor it.  A big misconception from non-believers is that P90X can only make you lose weight…that is just not true.  I started at 150lbs and at 17% body fat.  After my 90 days were done I had dropped to 8% body fat and gained around 10lbs.  Was this huge mass gain?  No, it wasn’t “bodybuilder” huge, but it was significant.  And I wasn’t even trying to gain mass.  The point is that it can work for whatever your fitness goal happens to be.

Who should try tailoring P90X for mass?

• Those who consider themselves “hard-gainers”.
• Those who are already low body fat % (under 10%) and want to put on weight

• Those who have already gone through the classic P90X and are looking to increase gains

Keys to gaining Mass with P90X

1. Nutrition: More than half the people I talk to want to gain mass.  Those that do aren’t gaining it currently because they aren’t eating enough.  Nutrition can be the key to gaining that extra muscle that you are looking for.  If you don’t know if you are eating enough calories then refer to page 5 of the P90X nutrition guide.  If you still aren’t gaining then increase those calories by 200-400 per day until you start to see results.  Keeping a higher ratio of carbs is key to gaining mass.  Shoot for 40/30/30 or 30/50/20 Protein/Carbs/Fat ratios.
2. Resistance:If mass is your goal then you need to use the proper resistance equipment.  You aren’t going to gain mass with 10lb dumbbells.  The easiest way is to buy free weights or adjustable dumbbells.  Resistance Bands also can create the proper tension.  To make mass gains you need to find ways to make your muscles fail at the proper number of reps.  You will want a variety of weights like a weighted vest, ankle or wrist weights to add resistance to all the moves you are doing.

The Schedule:

Before you start, make sure you recognize the proper reps in each phase.  Also you will see a lack of the highly intense Cardio routines.  This schedule won’t burn as many calories as classic P90X.  If you are looking to burn body fat while gaining mass, then this might not be for you.  What you can do is use the Sprint 8 HIIT technique a couple times a week if you want to add more cardio.  This schedule focuses on resistance and recovery.  You break down your muscles working out but you need recovery in order to let them grow.

You will not have to keep pace with the videos.  You should pause for a brief time when necessary.  Do not, however, use the pause button simply to increase the time between exercises.  Do each set to failure (if you can add enough resistance; if not, get as close as you can), and don’t exceed your targeted number of reps.  Make sure you use good form and control each movement.  Speed is for pure power, not size.  So here is the Mass X schedule, courtesy of Steve Edwards:

Block 1, phase 1
Weeks 1 through 3

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
• Day 2: Cardio X, Ab Ripper X
• Day 3: Legs & Back
• Day 4: X Stretch; Ab Ripper X or Abs/Core Plus (from P90X Plus)
• Day 5: Back & Biceps
• Day 6: Yoga X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 8 to 12 (focus on 10 to 12)

Block 1, phase 2
Weeks 4 through 6

• Day 1: Chest & Back
• Day 2: Cardio X, Ab Ripper X
• Day 3: Shoulders & Arms
• Day 4: X Stretch; Ab Ripper X or Abs/Core Plus
• Day 5: Legs & Back
• Day 6: Yoga X
• Day 7: Off

Targeted number of reps: 8 to 12 (focus on 8 to 10)

Recovery Block
Week 7

• Day 1: X Stretch
• Day 2: Yoga X
• Day 3: Core Synergistics
• Day 4: Kenpo X
• Day 5: Yoga X
• Day 6: X Stretch
• Day 7: Off

Block 2, phase 1
Weeks 8 and 9

• Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, & Triceps
• Day 2: Cardio X, Ab Ripper X
• Day 3: Legs & Back
• Day 4: X Stretch; Ab Ripper X or Abs/Core Plus
• Day 5: Back & Biceps
• Day 6: Yoga X
• Day 7: Off
• Day 8: Chest & Back
• Day 9: Cardio X, Ab Riper X
• Day 10: Shoulders & Arms
• Day 11: X Stretch; Ab Ripper X or Abs/Core Plus
• Day 12: Legs & Back
• Day 13: Yoga X
• Day 14: Off

Targeted number of reps: 6 to 10

Block 2, phase 2
Weeks 10 and 11

Same schedule as weeks 8 and 9
Targeted number of reps: 4 to 8

Block 2, phase 3
Week 12

Same schedule as weeks 8 and 9
Targeted number of reps: 4 to 6

Gaining mass with P90X is completely possible if you pay close attention to your nutrition, supplements and use the proper weight.  If you follow the schedule listed above, apply a clean, high calorie eating plan and take the proper supplements than you will gains mass with P90X.  Please feel free to comment or visit me on Facebook with any questions.  You can also email me at scal11083@beachbodycoach.com

Looking to Lose Fat and Gain Muscle?  Sign up for ME as your Free Fitness Coach Today!