Common Sense…Ain’t (Enough-Said): Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than AGR Pioneer,  Jason Haynes.

 

HOW DO YOU CROSS A MINEFIELD? WALK CAREFULLY BEHIND YOUR COACH!

HOW DO YOU CROSS A MINEFIELD? WALK CAREFULLY BEHIND YOUR COACH!

Common Sense…Ain’t (Enough-Said)

Now, I know I am not the most brilliant person in the world, but even I can tell when some things are simply not right.  Before you get concerned, let me say that this blog is not a commentary on society, morality, or religion….

No, what I am talking about is training.

I don’t know who took the “sense” out of common sense, but as the saying goes:  “common sense, ain’t.”

Common, that is.

While I personally blame Microsoft for the illogical way people think (I still use a PC, though), I suppose blame does not matter.  Facts are facts.

Take what I saw today, outside our window:

Two extremely overweight people jogging.

Taking potential knee damage from the repeated impacts of all that weight out of the issue, the speed they were “jogging” at was just about the same speed as a brisk walk.  Walking for the same distance as they jogged would have produced the same results in just a few more minutes of time.

It must have been absolutely miserable for them…physically AND mentally.  I can’t help what their attitude of exercise (in the generic sense) was at the end.  I bet it was “UGH..that sucked…I HATE exercising.”

No, you hated JOGGING.  You might actually LIKE training if you did a form of it you were more capable of.

And, of course, I wonder if they “treated themselves” to ice cream or something because they “earned it.”

I don’t know…but the “logic” of decisions made just flabbergast me.  In the case of those two “joggers,”  the thought process might have been (and probably was) :

“Those joggers we see on tv and in magazines are thin, so if we jog we will be thin too.”

No accounting for calories, bad gut bacteria, or possibility of injury.

Same is true for most guys who go to the gym to either lose fat or build muscle…or both.  Most guys initially either take a program out of some magazine ( “designed” by a pro bodybuilder…yeah right, like they actually designed or used it…Nevermind the chemical assistance of the pro, either) or just go in and wing it because they don’t want to ask for help.

But then…some…a very small percentage, it seems, seeks help from someone more knowledgeable and has experiential knowledge.  They actually listen, learn, and do as their “teacher” tells them.  A person who guides them and helps them over the humps.  Someone who kicks them in the butt when necessary and “gets it,” (and offers some ideas to deal with the problem) when it’s a legitimate issue.

And guess what?  These humble guys…willing to admit they need a roadmap or even a coach/mentor…get BETTER results.

The Adonis Golden Ratio program, and it’s related/supplemental material, are designed by John Barban, who has over 20 years in the training field (both in education and “in the trenches.”). Likewise, he has trained up some others who lead the Premiere Coaching program to personally coach you through your problems and humps that come up individually.

We truly enjoy helping others to achieve their goals.  Not only that, we have each walked the walk and have coaches and mentors as well.  John Barban being one of them, of course.

If you need help…it not a shame or disgrace.  Heck, you can even keep it covert if you want.  But if you need help, don’t wast years like so many of us did…myself included.

Train hard, train smart,

Jason

P.S:  short blog today.  Been busy with our son who was born 2 days ago.  Writing this blog in an odd moment at the hospital when both our newborn and his toddler big sister are sleeping at the same time!

P.P.S:  congratulations to Ream Kidane, who placed in the top 10 in the last Adonis Transformation competition.  You worked hard and it was a privilege to have worked with you around the challenges you faced.

 

Ream Kidane 8th Place - Front Before/After Photos

Ream Kidane: AT-14 Contestant — 8th Place Winner – Front Before/After Photos — AGR Coach: Jason Haynes

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes | June 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes | June 2014

 

The Hormetic Effect Of Exercise; Uncensored Podcast

What is the correct balance or "sweet spot" for exercise? What is too much, and what is too little?

What is the correct balance or “sweet spot” for exercise?
What is too much, and what is too little?

The Hormetic Effect Of Exercise

What is “sweet spot” for the amount of stress or dosing workouts?

What are the various effects of exercise?

What about too little or two much exercise?

What happens when you do the right amount of exercise?

What about exercise performance?

What are the side effects?

What about health ramefications of exercise?

What is the concept of working out for being healthy and look good?

What is the right balance for exercise and nutrition?

How does exercise effect your digestion?

 

Listen to what John and Brad have to say about The Hormetic Effect of Exercise:

 

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No Training = No Muscle: Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than Adonis Legend and AGR Pioneer, Jason Haynes.

No Training = No Muscle

No Train No Gain!

No Train No Gain!

 

Bodybuilding legend Vince Gironda used to advocate that bodybuilding was 80% nutrition and 20% training.

Granted, I am not a bodybuilder nor do I want to be one, but stay with me here.

This belief of “the Iron Guru” naturally leads to reason that without that 20% training you are not going to build any appreciative muscle.

Sorry, but that’s the way it is.  You can eat all the raw fertilized eggs and Rocky Mountain oysters all you want…you can mix the eggs into as much heavy whipping cream as you want (which is what Gironda advocated for muscle gaining diets), but you are still not going to gain any muscle without training.

Fact is that muscle is not going to mystically pop up on your body without putting in time and effort in the gym.

Now here is where the “nutrition only” people will want to skin me alive:  at the same time, guess what?  If you don’t watch your nutrition…if you eat like crap in more amounts than you need, but you still consistently train intensely…you’re going to gain muscle.

Now sure, chances are you’re going to get fat in the process if you don’t monitor your caloric intake…but the basic fact is that we can eat whatever we want in whatever amounts and gain muscle IF WE TRAIN CONSISTENTLY!

Conversely, if you eat 99.9999% perfectly and you don’t train, you’re STILL GOING TO BE SKINNY AND WEAK!  If your goal is to have an outstanding physique, you’re not going to even be remotely close to the physique that you desire if you’re not training consistently and with intensity.

On the contrary, I don’t care how perfect your diet is, without a properly designed training regimen that you follow consistently you will NOT…repeat:  NOT…achieve an outstanding physique.

PERIOD.

We at Adonis Golden Ratio Systems do NOT encourage nor endorse “bulking up” (i.e. eating massive amounts of calories which only end up making one fat), but the simple fact is that fat can be dieted away.  The muscle gained stays in a caloric deficit.  Therefore, as I said, if one is training consistently but eating like crap, muscle is still gained.

However, focusing purely on nutrition without proper, consistent training will make you “healthier” (what is the exact definition of that anyway?), but will get you NO WHERE on your journey to a golden physique.  I don’t care if you eat the most healthy (whatever that means) diet of perfectly measured protein, macro-and-micronutrients, and fruits and vegetables,  but if you don’t train you’re still not going to gain one single gram of muscle whatsoever.

REMEMBER: Muscles are torn in the gym, fed in the kitchen and built in bed.

REMEMBER: Muscles are TORN in the gym, FED in the kitchen and BUILT in bed.

 

Look, I am all for eating healthy, clean, unprocessed, natural foods with no chemicals.  I am still on the fence about GM (genetically modified) foods, although I am definitely more on the “No Way” side of that one.  Yet, when it comes down to it, there are two parts of the equation:  training for muscle mass and nutrition/diet for losing or controlling fat gain.

Takeaway:  without worrying about nutrition, as long as you are training and challenging yourself, you’re still gaining muscle mass.  You may look like crap shirtless…fat, bloated, whatever, but you’re still building up your muscles.

(Side note: strangely enough you don’t have to eat well to lose fat.  Look at the “Convenience Store Diet”/”Twinkie Diet” experiment by Professor Mark Haub of Kansas State University as an example.)

Anyway, back on topic, about it:  how many fat, bloated guys do you see in the gym?  Now, taking “gear” (steroids) out of the equation because they just “change the rules of the game,” how many fat but strong guys with appreciative muscle mass (but with no “cuts”) do you see in the gym?  They have muscle because they train for it.  They have strength because they train for it. But they look like crap because they are paying no attention to calories in vs. calories expended.

However, if these same guys paid attention to just nutrition but didn’t go to the gym…at best they would just be skinny…or worse:  skinny-fat…or just plain old fat.

Look, people say “well nutrition is 80% of the overall bodybuilding equation.”   Yes, I’ll agree with that.  But, that is:  if you want to be a bodybuilder.    And being a bodybuilder, by basic definition, means that you “build your body,” and that is done through using weights.

(Side note again:  are you truly wanting to be a “bodybuilder?”  Do you want to be on stage all oiled up and flexing?  If not, then you might want to consider what you are doing NOW to get to your goals instead of using the methods for those who are not after the same goals as you.)

Fact is:  Take away the work out…take away exercise…you can have the most perfect dialed in diet down to the .0001% of everything being perfect and correct…and you are STILL going to look like skinny, fat,  or skinny- fat.

Build muscle at the gym.  Lose or control fat gain through nutrition.  Period.

End of story.

If you’re looking for something to help you get that golden physique, then check out the AGR systems, which has helped hundreds of men of different ages and sizes to achieve outstanding results…numerous of them jaw-dropping and awe-inspiring.

Finally, if you need some extra accountability or any extra help with your transformation, sign up for our premier coaching system.  Each of our coaches (including myself) underwent their own personal transformations and have maintained their physiques for years.  Frankly, even professional athletes have a coach to tell them what to do.  Even the best of the best professional athletes don’t need to do it for themselves, and neither do you.

As always I welcome your comments via the AGR community forum.

Train hard.  Train smart.

Jason

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

 

Victory or Regret?

Victory or Regret?

Victory or Regret?

Sweat drips down me as if I had just come out of a rainstorm.   I write the last little tick mark on my workout sheet but the sweat blurs the ink into a blob.   I look down at all the ink that is just this gelatinous-looking mess and I start to try to correct all the other marks that got smeared but they get even worse.   I muse to myself how I’m going to have to let the sheet dry out due to the “sweat effect.”

Here I am trying to catch my breath while I dictate this post via a dictation app, as I feel inspired right and it seems easiest.   I try to search for the words of accomplishment that are really coursing through my body and my mind right now.

I came to the gym not really wanting to be here, but I forced the body to move.

I arrived relatively uninspired.

I leave…well…I’m going to leave fully satisfied with the effort I gave today.

When I train…I just get better and better the warmer I get.  The more sweat pours, the more satisfied I am and thus the harder I push beyond what I thought I could do.

What can I say?   I am truly and thoroughly enjoying these new immersion tricep and chest Advanced Growth Series  workouts.   The density blocks that I have undergone and conquered are exactly right up my alley and what I truly enjoy doing.

You know, you really got to find a way to enjoy your workout.  There are plenty of days when you don’t want to go to the gym.   It’s easier to make an excuse:

“Oh it’s raining”

“ Oh it’s snowing”

“I just feel lazy”

“…but a re-run of <insert name of TV show here> is on…”

But, I’m going to tell ya:  you don’t regret the work out that you accomplish.  You don’t regret that workout that you forced yourself to go to and you actually do it.

You regret the workout that you skipped because you were lazy.  That’s the one that we beat ourselves over.

(Side note:  if this isn’t your way of thinking, then may I suggest that you might well not be as dedicated into your training as you think you are, especially if your physique isn’t at least showing some of the changes you want.  You might willfully be deceiving yourself.

It might be time to have a reality check…are you dedicated to your training or are you ho-hum about it?)

LOL...if you think I need to prove what I've written in the blog...this was from my thursday workout.

LOL…If you think I need to prove what I’ve written in the blog…this was from my thursday workout.

Inspiration comes from within and I find it in the gym when I’m sitting here doing my stuff with no one else around to get in my way.  After all these years it just comes naturally.  It’s like a motor reflex.   Many days I force myself against the inertia of laziness and procrastination and train.  As the workout goes on I get more into it and work harder.  As I then work harder, I push it more.  The harder and harder and harder I work out the more sweat I work up, the more I push it and the more satisfaction comes.

Now, we’re not always inspired.   We’re not always gung-ho to go to the gym and train, but like I said, we don’t regret the workout that we accomplished even if it was not the best effort ever.   Even if it was not the most intense workout that we’ve ever accomplished we still went there we did it we did the best we could considering the situation on that particular day in that particular season of life.

The workout we do regret, however…the workout that makes us just beat ourselves up is the workout where we wussed out and didn’t even make the attempt.   We let that old mindset…our old mindset rooted in failure, no ambition, and no desire to really push ourselves.   We let that rule us and that hurts afterward.

And it should!

That’s what we regret.

That’s what we beat ourselves up over.

(Again, if you skip workouts for no good, real, legitimate reason and don’t feel the way I’m describing (even slightly), then it might be time to re-assess yourself.  How dedicated are you to training? How badly do you want that golden physique?)

However, when we overcome that lazy flesh and we’re sitting in the gym after the work out like a victorious warrior…yeah the iron beat us again…yeah it will always beat us, and we’re ok with that.

Yet we report for duty each and every time.

Every time we come into the gym we report for battle and we’re bigger and stronger mentally and physically every single time that we don’t skip this battle.

Gentlemen, do not neglect the battle.   Do not shy away and do not wuss out from the challenge of improving yourself mentally and physically.  Your body will reap the rewards, and your mind will become stronger…just as your body does.

NO REGRETS! Sweat is my fat crying.

NO REGRETS! Sweat is my fat crying.

We don’t regret the work out that we forced ourselves to go to.  We don’t regret that we conquered our flesh and got it done.

But, we do regret the one that we wussed out on.

If you are looking for an outstanding battle plan for attacking your physique goals, check out the AGR Systems that has helped hundreds of men to conquer themselves and achieve their best physiques.

If you are looking for brother-in-arms who have fought the battle, achieved the golden physique, and have maintained it for years, check out our Premiere Coaching Program, where experienced coaches who have successfully underwent their own transformations will help you through the minefields that come up with training and nutrition.

Train Hard, Train Smart,

Jason

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

 Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.
ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

Can You Be Addicted to Food? Uncensored Podcast

How can we overcome being addicted to food?

How can we overcome being addicted to food?

 

Can you be addicted to food?

What about marketing and engineered foods?

How can we overcome being addicted to food?

How can we diet while addicted to food?

What part of the brain is effected?

Can you quit cold turkey?

What about sensationalized foods?

How can we avoid this problem when we need to diet?

Are certain food toxic?

Is there a toxic calorie level?

How do you make a diet fit for you?

How stressful is the style of eating to you?

What about “junk food”?

What is the best diet for you?

Can you pick and choose from various diets?

How can you pick a style of eating for yourself?

Can someone do a free for all diet?

What about diet when you are traveling?

How do we fit in intermittent fasting or Eat Stop Eat?

How do we make a diet fit for ourselves?

Can we eat without a plan?

 

Listen to what John and Brad have to say about food addictions and finding the right diet for you:

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Not an Adonis Index IMMERSION client? Click here to find out more… and hear a weird story too

Actions Speak Louder Than Words: Coaches’ Corner w/ Jason Haynes

Today’s post is our latest installment of a new series called the “Coaches Corner.”  Our Adonis Transformation Coaches will share their knowledge, experience, and best practices to help ensure your successful transformation.  To continue the series, our topic  comes from none other than Adonis Legend and AGR Pioneer, Jason Haynes.

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

 

It never fails to happen at least once a week at work.  I thank God nowadays for my attitude when it happens, as I am a LOT better now than I used to be.  The scenario varies slightly from week to week, but it goes something like this (and this is a specific example that really happened) :

Co-worker walks up to me to show me something on his cell phone…it’s a comic strip of two guys.  One is buff and ripped and busting tail doing a workout.  He is shown in obvious exertion and strain.  The other guy is fat and eating a box of some kind of donuts (I would guess jelly filled) and he is wearing a totally satisfied and tranquil expression.  The “punchline” to this comic, as shown in the last panel of the strip, is the donut-eating character looking smug saying “who looks happier?”

Now, the man who showed me this cartoon is overweight and obviously out of shape.  He’s a great guy and I consider him a good friend, but facts are facts.  I look over to him after reading the comic and he has this kind of smug look (strangely the same look as the comic character), and I reply:  “the guy lifting weights is way happier.”

I hand his phone back to him and my friend nods and wordlessly walks away.  Guess I didn’t play into his game, so I suppose that I was no fun.

This was the best answer I could have given, in my opinion.  Sure, my ego kicks in after some retrospective time and I think better retorts that “should” have followed my initial one.  Thing like:  “And who do you think is happier when he looks into a mirror while shirtless?  And which one avoids the mirror like the plague?  Or pool parties or beaches, for that matter?”

Perhaps that would have been taken personally, so like I said, I am thankful to God that I handle things differently nowadays.

Anyway, this week I had a pair of happenings, this time both with women I work with.  I’ve had several instances like this with both of them in the past, but again with slightly different topics although they all revolve around my lifestyle of training at the gym during my lunch break.   Yes, it’s true that I <gasp!!> don’t go to lunch with any of my co-workers because I choose to train during lunch break and then scarf down a quick egg and cheese sandwich before getting back to work.

It is, of course, nothing personal against them but personally I like having full run of the gym (no one but me is there during lunchtime), and I would prefer to go home to my beautiful wife and daughter after work instead of going to the gym at its busiest hours.

Anyway, so I’m walking down the stairs and another co-worker sees me on the first floor as I approach the bottom.  She stops and takes a long pause as I finish descending.  When I am at the bottom of the stairs, this simple scene unfolds:

“Oh, off to exercise again?”

“Yup.”

We head out the double doors at my work and just before we go separate ways, she adds:

“Well, you go exercise, and I am doing my exercise of walking to lunch.  See, I exercise too.”

(Which, in my opinion, is akin to telling a holocaust survivor that you understand the depths of horrors of what he has been through because you know a person of Israeli descent…as if that is common ground and puts you on equal footing with them.)

"People notice the fruit of our actions more-so than our words." - Jason Haynes

“People notice the fruit of our actions more-so than our words.” – Jason Haynes

 

The other one from this week was with a different woman.  I had a run in with her previously when she told me that I don’t need to exercise because I “am in good shape,” to which I said “how do you think I stay this way?”

Anyway, I was walking to the parking lot and we were going the same direction so she started talking about how she knows she should exercise but she is lazy.  Yes, she said that word, which kind of surprised me.  At least she is honest about it.

I simply told her “That’s ok, there is nothing morally wrong with that…you just don’t want it badly enough to take action.  There is nothing inherently wrong with that.”  (Yes, my blog about “Wishing vs. Wanting” was ringing in my ears at this point.  Ha!)

Now, if you have read to this point you may well be wondering:  “What in the world is Jason rambling about?  Is there a point to this?”

And rightly so, I must say, so let me get to the point:

See, simply having a lifestyle of training says a lot to people even without us saying a word to them about it.  We don’t have to stand on a soapbox and preach to the masses about their need to embrace the concepts of responsible nutrition and consistent exercise.  We don’t have to quote studies and journals or anything.

People notice the fruit of our actions more-so than our words.  As with many things in life, our actions and our lives speak louder than any words we may have to say…ESPECIALLY if our lives (and thus, in the context of this post,  physiques) are a physical representation of what we preach!

If you have the lifestyle of training and nutrition, but WITHOUT the physique to back it up (or at least an appreciative amount of work showing in your physique), you are simply pretending to be something that you are not.

Sorry, but it’s true.

Sure, you may have the head knowledge, but you lack the experiential knowledge and understanding that only comes with having done (or in the process of doing) it!

Preaching one thing but not doing it is hypocrisy, whether from a spiritual standpoint or a physical one.

Practice what you preach, fellas…and preach only what you practice, if it is beneficial and works.

And if you would like a road map to achieving the goal of an outstanding physique, check out the Adonis Golden Ratio System.  It’s worked for hundreds of men of all ages and physical conditions.

If you are looking for additional accountability, assistance, and coaching from guys who actually have been in your shoes (undergoing their own transformations and maintaining their results over the course of several years), then check out our Premiere Coaching Program.

Lots of guys still talk about “living the lifestyle,” but in fact are only deceiving themselves and others.  Don’t be one of them.

 Train Hard, Train Smart.

Jason

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

ADONIS ORIGINS: Jason Haynes | Circa 2009-2010

Jason Haynes is one of the oldest members of the AGR community and has been around since he participated in the first and second AGR Transformation Competitions, of which he placed second and first, respectively.  Having found a system that he is confident in and that works, he has faithfully stuck by it ever since.  Now in his 40’s, Jason enjoys living the life of maintaining his physique easily and with little effort, thanks to the AGR system and tools provided.  He is also a coach in the Adonis Premiere Coaching program and desires to help anyone to achieve their fitness goals.

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

ADONIS LEGEND: Jason Haynes: May 2014

 

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