As I put this plan into action, I quickly realized that some workouts stretched beyond 90 minutes, with one even hitting the 2-hour mark. To prevent excessive muscle breakdown, I supplemented with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and glutamine, which significantly reduced post-workout soreness.
To support recovery and muscle growth, I increased my calories, mainly through higher carb intake—but I kept it clean. Instead of white rice, I opted for wild rice; instead of regular potatoes, I chose yams; and instead of instant oatmeal, I went with steel-cut oats. I also made sure to include a variety of fruits and vegetables from all colors of the rainbow.
Post-workout, I spiked insulin levels with high-glycemic carbs like bananas and pineapple to optimize muscle recovery.
Shock the System
Since this program broke many so-called sacred rules, I braced myself for a potential negative outcome. Instead, the results were overwhelmingly positive—I built muscle, felt strong, and had plenty of energy.
To put things into perspective:
- Normally, my rep count per set was low—I could count them on one hand.
- My reps were slow, often so controlled that I could say my full name twice before completing one repetition.
- This fast-tempo, high-rep approach was a complete shock to my system—and my body responded favorably!
And what grew? Everything!
- Arms
- Shoulders
- Chest
- Back
- Thighs
- Abs
- Calves
- Forearms
But my chest and arms stood out the most, drawing plenty of compliments.
The bottom line? The plan worked!
Today’s Lesson
If your training has hit a plateau, you need to change things up. Sometimes, small adjustments are enough to get progress rolling again. Other times, a complete overhaul—even one that breaks a few “rules”—is necessary.
If you’ve been focused on the myofibrillar side of hypertrophy (low reps, heavy weight), try shifting toward sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (higher reps, faster tempo) as I did. It could be the stimulus your muscles need to grow.
Oh, and by the way—I ran into G the other day. It’s been five years since the Speedo incident, and guess what? He’s still jacked, happily married, and rocking that same confident smile!
