Ep 16: Joe Delaney - 5 key principles for a building a top 1% NATTY physique.
And my minimalist gym routine
5 key principles for a building a top 1% NATTY physique.
Have great genetics
Okay so this is a bonus. Not part of the main points, but there is nothing much we can do about this. Joe believes that everyone, even with bad genetics, can achieve a body that looks great at the beach.
Focus on quality of workout.
Not quantity. The quality is not determined by how much you sweat, how much you ache or how loud you scream. It is solely measured by the progress it enables you to make. How many times a week you should train, how many sets, how many reps shouldn’t be the first thing you think about. Think about what is working, what gets you progress, and if you are improving the ROI of your workout. Your focus should not be time spent in the gym, but quality time in the gym.
Focussing on recovery.
For natural gym goers, this is vital. Though steroids may be termed as performance enhancing drugs, they can as accurately be called recovery enhancement drugs. Enhanced athletes generally get away with lesser rest, recovery times, which lets them work a lot more than the natural athlete. We have to practise more caution with our training load, get enough sleep, eat nutrient dense foods, manage outside stress factors, include some mobility. Do my workouts feel good, am I ready to train when I train?
80-20 Game Shred.
Focussing on gaining muscle for 80% of the time, and focus on cutting fat not more than 20% of the time. Bulk slowly, practice a bit of restraint.
Holistic gains.
A great natural physique takes a long time to build. Consistency - requires you to be inclined to stick to your routines. Strike a balance between optimal and enjoyable. Whatever keeps you going to the gym.
What 7 years of gymming has taught me.
Personally, I really relate to everything Joe has to say. I think that 7 years of consistent work is not a short time and I am proud to say that I’ve not spent more than a month away from the gym. I think the most important thing like what Joe said is finding the balance between optimal and enjoyable. For the past 6 months, I have been training 3 times a week, 1 hour each time. A simple push, pull, legs/run split. To someone who doesn’t work out it may sound like a lot but it really isn’t. Any intermediate to advanced gym goer can tell you that. Gymming to me is a keystone habit but not a priority. What I mean by that is that it sets the tone for how I do everything else in life. It lets me feel good, look good, eat good, sleep good and work good. Yet, I don’t prioritise it. How then do I progress?
I think focussing on quality is really the secret many people miss out on. People are too often harped on their sets, reps or rest times. To me, it’s not that complicated. Train close to failure, train consistently, train with focus (stop using your phone and taking 10 minute breaks), train with progressive overload, and train with an end goal in your mind. I don’t have any goals in the gym anymore, as long as I am healthy and happy in my body I’m good but my goals are not yours, find yours!!
Do follow on my rather inactive gym account: @bicepsculptortriceratophunter
Feel free to DM me for any gym, calisthenics or lifestyle advice!!
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