TableofContentsIntroduction:Who’sGottheBigger…?AnatomyofaKillerChest

SweattheSmallStuffThePectoralisMajor:theBigBadWolfThe Pectoralis Minor: Small, Discreet butEssentialToBeattheBeast,AttackAllItsHeads

AQuestionofShapeManBoobs:HowtoReallyLose’em?

Weightlifting,BodyweightTraining:WhatMethodtoPlaceOurBetOn?Barbells,Machines&MiseryTheSelf-MadeMan:AllYouNeedIsYOURBody

CommonTrainingMistakes:WhyPeopleFailatGrowingTheirChest?BenchPressManiaNoLovefortheMinorLazy,SloppyorJustPlainSillyRepsOverkillChampionsNeverSleep

TheTrainingProgramtoaMassive&PowerfulChestTheSecrettoFoolproofPecsTripleThreat:3MovestoGofromZerotoHeroPecBlaster#01:theRoadtotheUltimatePush-Up

Progression#1.01:Wall/InclinePUProgression#1.02:KneePUProgression#1.03:RegularPUProgression#1.04:SpidermanPUProgression#1.05:KnucklePUProgression#1.06:WidePUProgression#1.07:DiamondPUProgression#1.08:DeclinePUProgression#1.09:DeepPUProgression#1.10:UnevenPUProgression#1.11:ArcherPUProgression#1.12:TypewriterPUProgression#1.13:1-ArmPU

Progression#1.14:1-ArmDeclinePUPecBlaster #01b:AdvancedPush-Ups toTakeYourUpperBody toItsLimits

Progression#1b.01:PPP–Pseudo-PlanchePUProgression#1b.02:SphinxPUProgression#1b.03:RussianPUProgression#1b.04:HinduPUProgression#1b.05:PikePUProgression#1b.06:ElevatedPikePUProgression#1b.07:HandstandPUProgression#1b.08:DeepHandstandPUProgression#1b.09:LalannePU

PecBlaster#02:NearaDozenDifferentDipsforStrength&WidthProgression#2.01:NegativesProgression#2.02:BenchDipsProgression#2.03:RegularDipsProgression#2.04:Side-to-SideDipsProgression#2.05:SingleBarDipsProgression#2.06:L-DipsProgression#2.07:KoreanDipsProgression#2.08:RussianDipsProgression#2.09:RussianL-Dips

PecBlaster#03:TurnStrengthintoPowerwithPlyoPush-UpsProgression#3.01:StaggeredPUProgression#3.02:ClapPUProgression#3.03:ThighClapProgression#3.04:DropPUProgression#3.05:MuayThaiPUProgression#3.06:TornadoPUProgression#3.07:FlyingPUProgression#3.08:AsianCarpPUProgression#3.09:FlyingSupermanPUProgression#3.10:Ride-the-BikePUProgression#3.11:AztecPUProgression#3.12:KukiPU

PuttingItAllTogetherConclusion:YourArmorPlatedChest,OnlyaFewWeeksAway?WanttoReachYourFullPotential?Let’sKeepInTouch

AbouttheAuthor

Copyright©2016MarkusA.Kassel

Allrightsreserved.Thisbookoranyportionthereofmaynotbereproducedorused in anymannerwhatsoeverwithout the expresswritten permission of theauthor,exceptfortheuseofbriefquotationsinareview.

Disclaimer: this book ismeant for information and educational purposes only.Consultwithyourphysicianbeforeattemptinganyoftheexercisesdescribedinthisbookormakinganydrasticchangestoyourdiet.Theauthorwillnotbeheldaccountable foranydamagecausedby the implementationof theadvicegiventhroughoutthisguide.Thoughtheauthorfoundsuccesswiththismethod,resultsmayvary.

FirstEdition.

Visittheauthor’swebsite:http://RealLifeSuperman.com

Introduction:Who’sGottheBigger…?HaveyoueverwonderedwhatwentthroughKingKong’sheadwhen,standingatop skyscrapers and dominating the world, he decided to beat his chest? Hecouldhaveaseasilydecidedtohammerhisbellyorkickwithhisfeet...But itwouldn’thavelookednearlyasbadassordramaticnow,wouldit?

There’s something primal about the chest.No other muscle group screamsmalenessandtestosteronelikehuge,pumpeduppecs!Evenwe,smaller-timeprimates, puff it up to look tougher and more imposing when in presence offemalesorrivals.

Nodoubt,awidechestisthesignofthealpha,theattributethatwillputthefinaltouchonaphysiqueandinstantlyupyourconfidenceandcharisma.

Andwhenyouthinkaboutit,it’sanabsoluteMUSTforanywannabesuperhero.If yourwidthwas in fact so narrowpeoplewould need amagnifyingglass toreadthesignonthefrontofyourcostume,how“super”wouldyoureallylook?

Jokes aside, youbrowsing thisbook tellsmeyou’vemadeupyourmind;youknowyouneedtoexpandyourchestandyou’redeterminedtosucceedbyanymeans necessary. Congrats on your resolve, buddy. I couldn’t encourage youenough,asgrowingthatpartofyouranatomywillbringyourbodytoawholenewlevel.

Whileotherparts like theabs lookgoodwhen tonedup,unfortunately they’reinvisible most of the time – unless you walk around, Naked Cowboy style.Biggerpecs,ontheotherhand,willgreatlyimproveyourappearance,whateverthe circumstances... Itwill fill out your shirt to the seams, give you a thicker,moremasculinelook,nomatterifyou’rekickingitinasweaterordonningyourmoststylishtuxedo.Ontopofit,developingyourupperbodywillalsoincreaseyourpushingpowertothemaxandmakeyouonedarnstrongimposingfella.

But let’sgetbackdown toearth fora sechere, shallwe? Ifwewant tomakethose dreams of power and self-assurance a reality, we need to take action.Wishful thinkingwon’tgetusvery far.To tellyou the truth, itwill takeevenmorethanyouraveragetrainingmethods.Whenyoulookatpeopleinthegym,there’s no shortage of poor devils training their pecs, pushing weights likethey’retryingtoriptheirarmsofftheirsocket.

If there’sonemusclegrouppeoplewillnever“forget”to train, ithastobethepectorals.Theback?Itcanwait.Thelegs?Don’tfeellikeittoday!Butthepecs?Evenontheirdeathbed,they’daskthepriestforapairofdumbbellstogettheirsetsofflysin!

Sometimes,itgetssoridiculous,youalmostgottofillinyournameonawaitinglistatthegymtogetaccesstothebenchpress.Yet,howmanytrulyimpressivechestsdoyouget toseeonaregularbasis?Tellme.Howcome,despitetheir

efforts,mostpeoplenevermanagetosecureanelitechest that’saswideasit’sthickandfull?

That’sbecause there’smore tobuildingarmor-platedpecs thanbenchpressingorevendoingpush-upsforthatmatter.

A lot ofmisconceptions surround thismystical bodypart, and folks– inmostcases – just have no clue. They stick to and persist with a routine that’s notbringing themanywhere. I feel for them. I trulydo.Youneed tohaveenoughexperience and self-criticism to be able to step back, pause for a second, andassess the situation– rather thanpushingon like a stubbornkiddowhowon’tstopsulkingbecausehisparentsrefusedtobuyhimthatneattalkingrobotatthesupermarket.

That’swhatwe’re going to do here...No, not get you that silly robot (drop italready!), but analyze your current program, pinpoint its different faults, andensureeveryrepofeveryexerciseinyourplanbringsyouclosertoamuscularandchiseledupperbody.

We’lldebunkthosemythswhicharehurtingyouand learntheREALsecretstogrowthandpower.

Ialwaysjokethat,hadIbeenawoman,I’dcertainlyhavebeenwellendowed,judgingbythesizeofmypecs.Butitdidn’tallfall intomylaplikesomegiftfromthegods.Ididn’twakeuponemorningwithatornofft-shirtbecauseIhadgone all Hulk during the night and gained 3 dress sizes. Every last inch ofmusclefiberIgrew,Ihadtoearnit!

Ihadtotryeverydangprogramunderthesuntogetanykindofresults,andittookmeyearstofindtheperfectmixthatwillleavenochoicetoyourchestbuttoswellupandgetstronger.

I’llshowyouhowIdiditandthesimplestepsyoucantaketodaytogetonyourwaytoasetofpecsworthyofan80’sAhnuldmovie.

Imagine how good you’ll look and feel once you’ll have reached that goal.Imaginehowpowerfulyou’llhavebecomewhenyou’llbepumpingthem1armpush-upsandflyingthroughtheairwithallkindsofcrazyplyometrics.

YourroadtoaSuperheroarmor-platedchestbeginsrightnow.Allyouhaveleft todo isbreathe in, turn thepageand letmeguideyou through thismaze.Let’sgo!

AnatomyofaKillerChestUsually,I’mnotabigfanofsayingsbecause,let’sbehonest,there’salwaysonetocontradicttheother.Isit“oppositesattract”or“birdsofthesamefeatherflocktogether”? Huh? No real insights to be gained from those lame attempts atwisdom.

Butifthere’soneproverbtowhichIsubscribe100%,itisthat:“knowledgeispower.”Timeandagain, I’ve found that themore I learnedabouta topic, thebetterequippedIgot,andthegreatermychancesofsuccesswhendealingwithitsvariouschallenges.

Now, there’s always a risk of going overboard and wanting so much to geteverythingrightdowntothelastlittledetailthatyouendupgettingthedreadedparalysis by analysis. But if you can start applying what you’ve learned, andcontinue to educate yourself and take action at the same time, then you’regolden.

Whichmeansthat,ifwewanttogrowourchesttothebestofourability,we’llfirstneedtogetintimatewithit.Likewedidin“SuperheroSix-Pack”withtheabs,we’llstartwithmakingthepresentationstoensurewegetaclearpictureofwhatwe’redealingwithhereandhowtobestapproachourworkouts.

SweattheSmallStuffWhenpeopletalkabouttrainingthepecs,theyoftenrefertotheupper,innerandlowerportionsof themas if theywerecomprisedof3separategroupslike thedeltsthatwecaneasilyisolate.

Butinreality,nosuchdistinctionexists.Whilethepecsdohave2partstothem,whenyou lookat the chest, there’sonly1bigmuscleyou see.And that’s thepectoralismajor.

ThePectoralisMajor:theBigBadWolfYup, that’s the one; the bad boy we want to focusmost of our efforts on tobecomethatimageofmanhoodandpowerwelongfor.

Asidefrompreventingourarmsfromfallingoff,bykeepingthemgluedtoourtrunk(thankgodforthem!),thepecsmajorservetomoveourhumerusaround–together with our shoulder joints. They’re responsible for bringing our armstowardsthemidline,likewhenyou’reslappingsomefoolfortalkingcraptothemissus.Orwhentheshoulderneedstorotateinternallytowardsthecenter,think

armwrestlingcontest.

ThePectoralisMinor:Small,DiscreetbutEssentialLikeIsaid,thepecmajoristhevisiblepartofthepectorals,abitlikeaniceberg.Andinthesamemanner,thethingrunsdeeperthanjustthetip.

Hiddenunderthemass,you’llfindasmallsegmentcalledthepectoralisminorwhichwon’tbeofmuchhelpingettingyouthatthickandwidesuperherochest.In fact, itsmechanical rolewillnot seemlikemucheitheras it’sonlygood topull the scapula in direction of the thorax... but it’s an important piece of thepuzzlenonethelessthatwehadbetternotneglect.

We’llhavetotraintheminoraswelltoavoidmuscularimbalanceswhichcouldleadtoinjuryandputthehealthofourshouldergirdleinjeopardy.OK?

Iseeyounoddingbut,ifthat’sallthereistoourchest,whatdifferencedoesitmakeifwedoinclinesordeclineslikewe’vealwaysbeentoldto?Canwejustgoforanytypeofflatexerciseandexpecttodevelopuniformpecsthatwillbeequallyfullandround?

ToBeattheBeast,AttackAllItsHeadsAnatomicallyspeaking,we’veseenthatwehavethepecmajorononehandandtheminorontheother.Butthat’sstillnottellingthewholetruth…

Ifwewanttobecompletelythorough,wemustalsonotethattheformerisnotthehomogeneousentityweassumeditwas;no,therearereally2distinctareastothesucker,eventhoughtheybothmakethepecmajor.

Thedifferencebetweenthem?Theirhomeport.

While they both end up attached to the humerus on the arm side, they havedifferentstartingpoints…Andthat’swhereyoushouldpauseforasecondandtake note. Because, you see, the sternocostal head which originates from thesternumandtheribswillnotworkexactlythesamewayastheclavicularheadwhich–asthenameimplies–isrootedinthecollarbone.

Ontopofthetwofunctionswe’vealreadycovered(andwhichweretomovetheshouldereithertowardsthemidlineorinternally),there’sinfactathirdandfinalmotorroletothepecmajor:allowingtheflexionandextensionoftheshoulder.

And,asyouprobablyguessed,that’swherethetwoheadscomeintoplay.

Theclavicularportionwilltakecareofshoulderflexions,asinwhenyourarm

goesuptotakethefloorandaskaquestion,whilethesternalareawillperformextensions, like when you’re bringing your fist down on the table to make apoint.

So, to return to our first inquiry about inclines and declines: no, not allmovements will target all the parts simultaneously… which can lead todisproportions(especiallysincetheclavicularheadissosmallandnecessitatesmoreworktogrowandgetstrong.)

Likethemythologicalhydra,youwillthusneedtoattackalltheheadswithfurytovanquishandcomeoutvictorious!Dosweatthesmallstuff!

AQuestionofShapeNowthatwe’vedetailedthemainfunctionsandthevariouspartsofthepecs,aquestion that might arise would be: even though the rough shape of thepectoralismajor is thatofa fanwhile theminor’sa triangle,whydon’tweallendupwithsimilar-lookingchests?

Whydosomepeoplehavepecswhichtoucheachotherfromtoptobottomwhileothers seem tohave spacesbetween them?Whydo somechests go extremelylow, almost invading the abdominal area, while others are really short likethey’reafraidtodisturb?

Eventhoughwecangreatlyimprovethelooksofourpectoralsbyaddingmuchsizetoandwideningthem,they’renoballofplasticinewecanmodelanywaywelike.Westillgottocomposewithourpersonalgenetics,thesamewayyou’llnevergetan8-pack–nomatterhowmuchyoutrainyourcore–ifthedifferent“pieces”didn’tcomewiththekittobeginwith.

Maybeyourclavicularpart isbigger than theaverageoryouhave lessmusclefibersattachingtothesternum…Whateveryourphysicalheritage,don’tletyourpresentstatediscourageyou.You’llseethosediscrepanciesreallyarenobiggiein the endbecause,whenyou’ll have fullydevelopedyourupperbody, you’lllookperfectnonetheless.Icanguaranteeyouthat!

Ifyoudohavesomeweakerpartsorapecthat’smaybesmallerthantheother,now thatyouhaveabetterunderstandingofhowyourpectoralmuscleswork,you’llbeabletotweakyourexercisestoputmoreemphasisononeheadortheother.

You see, knowledge truly is powerwhen it allows you to take action for the

better.

ManBoobs:HowtoReallyLose’em?Addingsomemeattoyourchestwillonlygetyousofar.Whatif,aftermonthsoftraining,you’vedoubleditsvolume,yetitdoesn’tlooklikemuchbecausethemusclesarestillhiddenbehindlayersoffat?

Ifyou’recarryingsomuchflabaroundthenipples thatwhenyoutapthetip itwigglesandjiggles,youstillgotsomeworktodo.

Toreallyupyourconfidenceandsecurethatarmor-platedlook,yourpecsneedto be hard and smooth – on top of big and voluminous. In other words, yououghttogetridofthemoobs!

Buthowtodoit?

Somewouldhaveyouturntohighrepetitionsets,claimingthatyouneedtofeeltheburninthemuscletogetthefattomelt,butthat’sjustbollocks.

It’s always that same myth we’ve already covered in previous books: themisconception thatwecanchoose theareawe’d like to lose frombyhitting itwithlongandintensesessionsasiftopounditintosubmission.

Unfortunately,wecan’t.Youmayworkyourbuttoff toburncaloriesbutyoucan’ttargettheregionthefatwillcomefrom.

Companiesandcrooksshowtremendousamountsofcreativity,comingupwithallkindsofcrazyprogramsandsupplementstogetyoutocoughupthedoughandemptyyourpocketsintotheirs.

Don’twasteyour timeorhard-earnedcash.Themagicpill thatwillhaveyourchestfatvanishintothinairdoesn’texist,andyoushouldn’thavetogetundertheknifetofinallygettopartwayswiththeunwelcomeguesteither.

“All”yougottodoisbeagoodboy,eatyourveggiesanddosomecardio.Thekeytoeliminatingthemoobsissimplytoloseweightoverallandgetdowntoalower(healthier)bodyfatpercentage.

Butthat’snotthepurposeofthisbook.

Ifyou’restillstrugglingwiththatpartoftheequation,grabacopyof“SuperheroSix-Pack”or“RealLifeSuperman”whereIdetailthestep-by-steptolosingtheflab,orevencontactmeonmyemailaddressforadvice(whichyou’llfindatthe

end).

Here,we’reallaboutbuildingsizeandstrength.Anditcontinueswithchoosingtherighttrainingmethodthatwillbringusthere.

Weightlifting,BodyweightTraining:WhatMethodtoPlaceOurBetOn?

Subscribe toanyfitnessmagazineforayearandIcanassureyou,bythe timeyou’redone readingeverysinglemonthly issue,you’llbeevenmore lost thanyouaretoday!

Inthislineofbusiness,itseemslikethat’sjustthewayitgoes;everynewweek,you’llhearaboutsomerevolutionarytrainingmethodtogetyourpecstoinflateand reach the next level. But what’s really preoccupying is that the newprograms advertised often go against everything that’s been said before, as ifeach issue reset the clock: “forgetwhat you thinkyouknow,THIS is the realtruetruthnow!”

Yeah,right!

Unfortunately,beingthegood-hearted,trustingkindweare,wefollowthemlikesheep,jumpingfromonemethodtotheother,convincedthattheyhaveourbestinterestsatheart.

ButI’mdigressing...

Mypointisthatdozensofwaysexisttotrainthepecs:withorwithoutweights,withhighorlowreps,usingsupersets,dropsets,giantorevenpyramidsets.Inotherwords,enoughvariationstogiveyouaheadache!

Eventheproscompetingonstagecan’tseemtofindanagreement(judgingbytheir articles in the said magazines.) So how are we, at our humble level, todeterminetheoptimalprogramtoimplement?

Well,itwilldependontheobjectivesweexpecttoreach.Andthefirststepwearetotakeinthatsenseisdecidingifwe’llgowithagymortrainathome.

Barbells,Machines&MiseryWhenpeoplewanttoimprovetheirphysique,getthechestofarealmanandbedonelookinglikeakid,theirfirstreflexisoftentoturntobodybuilding.

Goingto thegymis thedefaultmodeformillionsofpeople theworldaround,but is it necessarily the most effective? Weight training does have its pros,otherwise how would Ronnie Coleman and Dorian Yates – steroid usenotwithstanding–havegrowntobecomesuchmonsters?

Butwhenitcomestobringingyourpecgametothetop,itendsupcausingmoreproblemsthanitprovidessolutions.Forone,itfocusesononegoalandonegoalonly:sizeaboveall.

So,ifmassisallyoucareabout,morepowertoyou,trainwithweights!Butifyouwantmorethanthat;ifyouwantnotonlytolookrippedandmuscularbutalsobeagile,explosiveandpowerful,you’llhavetolookelsewhere.

AnotherissueIhavewithusingmachinesandbarbellsforgrowingthechestisthat thoseexercisesdon’toffermanyprogressions.OK,youcanvary the loadandtherepsbut,intheend,declinesandinclinesareabouttheonlychangesyoucanbringtoyourbenchpressandothersimilarmoves.Exceptforafewdetails,the execution remains identical. Andwe’ll see in a fewmomentswhy that issuchabigissue.

Also, themovementsyou’llbeperformingarenotveryfunctional; theydonottranspose very well to other areas of your daily life (like sports and variousactivities.)You’llbebuildingsomesizeandthat’sabouttheonlybenefityou’llgain!

Now,you’restillfreetodoasyoupleasebut,ifyouwanttouseweightsinyourtraining, I couldn’t encourage you enough to at least add some bodyweightmovementstothemix.

Asexplainedinthenextsection,they’lloffersomemuchneededvarietytoyoursessions and help break through any plateau you might be experiencing byhittingyourmusclesinanentirelydifferentmanner.Then,onlyuseweights topush reallyheavyandmaximize testosteroneproduction, andkeep it to1or2exercisesatmost.

Butifyou’reopen-mindedenoughtotrysomethingnew,whynotgoalloutandgivebodyweighttrainingatryforafewweeks?Ipromise,it’llchangeyourlife.

TheSelf-MadeMan:AllYouNeedIsYOURBodyIwasbashingbodybuildingafewlinesabove,notbecauseIholdsomegrudgeagainstitlikesomefrustratedandresentfulguywhocouldn’tgetittoworkforhim,butIMHOitdoesn’toffermuchbenefitsbesidesincreasingmass.

Isbodyweighttraininganybetter?

Callmebiased(becauseImaybe)but,aftertestingbothmethodsextensively,Imust admit that usingyourownweight as yourmain training tool just hasnoequal.

On top of the usual pros that go along with using gravity as the obstacle toovercome–prossuchasfreedomoftime,locationandcost,nottomentionthechallengeitrepresentsandallthefunitprovides–,whenitcomestotrainingthepecs,bodyweightexercisesaretheperfectchoicebecause:

Theywillboostyourexplosiveness.Don’tbelieveme?Waituntilyou’veworkedyourplyopush-upstotheflyingprogressionsandyou’llseewhatImean!Themovements you’ll learn arehighly functional. You’ll not only gainstrengthandsize;you’llbecomemorepowerfulallaround;Yourjointswillhardenandyourcorewilltighten;You will increase your flexibility which will go a long way towardspreventinginjuries;As you’ll be moving your full body around, these drills will kick yourmetabolismintohighgear,getyoutoburnmorefatandhelpyouachievethatmeanandleanlook.

Pretty cool, right?And that’snot all, folks!Thedifferentvariantsofpush-upsthatwillmake the bulk of our programwill bring yet other advantages to thetable.

Forone,asyourtrunkisfreeandnotrestrainedinthebackbysomebench,yourshoulderbladesshouldfinallygettomoveproperlybothatthetopandbottomofthemovement. Andwhen you combine that greater range ofmotionwith thedifferent angles at which you’ll attack the pectorals, you’ll ensure completemuscleactivation;you’llberecruitingmorefiberstodotheworkandeliminateanyriskofdevelopingimbalances.

The progressions we’ll go through will take care not only of the minor andmajor, they’ll hit themajor in its entirety by giving their rightful due to bothclavicularandsternocostalheads.

As if thatwasn’t enoughalready,ourpush-upswill also turnour shoulders tosteel. By allowing our back to go all the way up and protract, they willstrengthenourserratusanteriorandrotatorcuffs.Andthelistgoeson...butyougotthepicturebynow:bodyweighttrainingoffersallweneedtomakeourchest

atruemasterpiece,andmore.

Stillwithme?OK,let’sfurtherrefineourprogrambycheckingouthowNOTtotrain. Learn from other people’smistakes so you don’t have to waste YOURtimeandmoneyfindingouthowtodoit.

CommonTrainingMistakes:WhyPeopleFailatGrowingTheirChest?

Wantmetotellyouonceagainhowbadlypeopletrain?Ithinkitonlytakessomanyrepetitionstodriveapointhome.Besides,ifyouchosetoreadmybooks,ittellsmeyourintelligenceisalreadywayaboveaverage(*insertevillaughterthatlastsforabout10seconds*),so...

Whatwecando, though, isanalyze the reasonsbehind those failures.Why, ifmostguysaregivingittheirall,theystillcan’tseemtopullitoff?

BenchPressManiaThe first culprit on the list, which turns more dreams into nightmares thanfreakin’FreddyKrueger,isourdearbelovedbenchpress.

Following the previous chapter, we’ve decided against using weights in thisprogramifnotforconveniencesakebecausetheycanbeproblematic...AndoneofthemainissuesIseewiththemistheoverrelianceonthebenchpress.

Don’taskmehowitgotsoludicrousbut,nowadays,itseemslikealmosteverymaleisobsessedwiththisexercise.Liketheygottunnelvisionandthebenchistheonlyobjecttheyseewhentheyenterthegym.It’sbecometheultimateegolift,theoneexercisetogaugeyourvalorandmeasureyourpecker.

Because it’sheld in suchhigh regards, theego is seldomcheckedat thedoor.Peopleput toomuchweight on thebarbell... andyou seewhere this is going,right?Injuryisneververyfar.

IstoppedcountingthenumberofpeopleIknowwhogothurtbecauseall theycaredaboutwashowmuchtheybenched.Thetruthisthat,contrarytopush-ups,thebenchpressisNOTshoulderfriendly!

It puts tremendous amounts of pressure on your joints and that’s why,eventually,almosteveryoneendsupmessinguptheirrotatorcuffs(ifit’snotthewriststhatgiveinfirst.)

Youknow,thebenchpressmaysolicitthepecsandrequiretheirassistance,butit’smoreofadeltoidsexercisethananythingelse.

Relatively speaking, the shoulders aremuch smaller than the chest. Theywillthus (especially the anterior deltoid) tiremuchquickerwhen you perform this

exercise, well before your pecs could get a proper workout. With no deepstimulation,howcanyouexpecttogrowapairthesizeofmelons?

Meanwhile,asyoupersistandcontinuetobench,yourcuffswillgettighterandtighter, to the point you lose flexibility and expose your shoulders to an evenhigherriskofinjury.

Thelessontobelearnedistoneverbaseyourentirestrategyaroundbenching.Betteryet,scrapitaltogether.

NoLovefortheMinorAnothercommonmistakewebrieflytouchedupon,andwhichisoftenlinkedtotheprevious,consistsofneglectingtheclavicularheadofthepectoralmajor.

While thismay not directly get you in a hospital per se, although it could byweakeningyourupperpecs,thisissuewillimpactyourlooksmorethananythingelse.Ifyouwanttogrowafull,roundedchestthat’spleasingtotheeye,yougotto give love to the minor! You need to include specific variations where theshouldermuscleswillbeflexedoverheadatjusttherightangletohaveitworkanddevelop.

Easiersaidthandone,right?

Don’tworry,buddy,Markushasalreadythoughtitallthroughforyou!Noneedto rack your brains to find out the right mix of exercises, with the Lalanne,declineandHindupush-ups–amongothers–you’llbetrainingasyougo,theclavicularwillgetmorethanitsfairshareofwork!

Allyougottodoisfollowmyleadandsufferinsilence.Alright,soldier?

Lazy,SloppyorJustPlainSillyThisthirditemcanbetheproductofplainignorancebutalsoresultfromsomepeople’s “I-don’t-care” attitude. Some folks, no matter how many times weshowthemtherightway toperformamovement, justcan’tbebothered.Theyuse sloppy form, either because the exerciseswouldbe toohard for themandthey’dhavetounloadtheweights(onceagain,hurtingtheirego)orbecausetheythinktheyknowbetter.

Intheend,theresultisthesame:lessthanstellarresults.

Ipromise,it’sthelasttimeItalkaboutbenchpressingbut,whenyouseeguys

bouncingthebarbellofftheirchestandonlygoinghalfwayup,yougotaprettygoodexampleofwhatNOTtodo!

Whentheytrainthebicepsandstarteachcurlwithahugeswingfromthehips,theyreally think they’regoing towork theirarms to the full?Especiallywhentheydon’tevencaretogoallthewaydownandonlypumphalf-reps?

Notgoing through the full rangeofmotionofanexercise,whether it’s for thepecsoranyothermusclegroup,hastobeoneoftheprimecausesoffailure.Notonlydoesitpreventyoufromfocusingallyourenergyontherightmuscles, itdoesn’tstrengthenthestabilizersandjointsasitshould…leavingyouwithbigholesinyourdevelopment.

Definitelynotcool!

RepsOverkillThemoreyoudo,thebiggeryou’llget,right?

Wrong.

Crankingouthundredsof repswon’tdoanygood toyourchestexceptmaybeboost itsstamina,butyouain’tgettingready to runamarathononyourhandsnow,areyou?

To buildmass and strength, the best range is to keep between 5 and 12 reps.Period.Onceyougohigher,yourmuscleswon’tgetenoughstimulationtoforcegrowth.

So, ifwe’llbeusingourbodyweightas trainingtool,howarewetosolvethatproblem,seeingthatwecan’taddanymoreweightifbyeatinglikepigstogetheavier?

Asalways,we’llbeputtinga systemofprogressions intoplace.Whenyou’vebeenworkingatanexerciseforsometimeanditgetstooeasy,you’llswitchtoavariation where your body position will place you at a greater mechanicaldisadvantage.You’ll thus have amuchharder time performing your reps, andthatwillallowyoutoremaininthatrangeconducivetogains.

Inotherwords,shortandintense,that’showwe’llbeplaying.

ChampionsNeverSleepForyourchest to thickenandexpand,everythinghas tobeonpoint. Ifyou’re

tootiredorunderfedtotrainatyourbest,youwon’tbeabletoreapthefruitsofyourlabor.

Youneedbothsleepandproteininsufficientnumberstoachieveyourgoal,somakesureyou’vegotthosetwoboxeschecked.It’stemptingtostayuplateandpostponeyourdatewithMorpheus,asitcanbetheonlytimeofthedaywhichisjust for you. The only moment where you can get some “me time”, to thinkaboutyourprojects,planforthefutureorsimplyunwindandrelax.

That time canbe dear to your heart, believeme I know…but you can’t haveyour cake and eat it too. You can’t spend the whole night playingWorld ofWarcraft orwatchingyour favoritemovie trilogyandbe ready tokick ass thenextmorning.That’sjustnotgoingtohappen!

If you don’t get your 8 hours of sleep, your progress will slow down andeventuallycometoahalt.Youneedtomakeconcessions.

You’ve probably heard the saying but it’s when your body is resting that itgrows, not when it’s training! Give it sufficient time to repair that muscledamage you caused andmake thosemuscle fibers bigger and stronger. If youdon’t,itwon’tgetthejobdone.

In the same manner, you have to provide enough building material. If thebricklayergetsupinthemorningtogotoworkbut,whenhegetsthere,hegotno bricks to lay, he might as well have stayed in the sack! Both factors areequallyimportant!

Inotherwords,toguaranteeoptimalresults:

Aimfor8hoursofuninterruptedsleepanight;Eat enough protein to cover your needs (roughly 1g per pound ofbodyweight).Here,contrarytowhatyoumaythink,goingabitoverboardmay actually have positive effects. Proteins are known tomake you feelreplete.Butmorethanbringingsatiety,theywillboostyourmetabolismupandhelpyouburnmorefatoverall.

Ifyoustudythesepitfallsandkeeptheir lessonsatmindwhenyou’llbegoingthroughtheprogram,you’llfindyourselfaheadof90%ofthepopulation.

TheTrainingProgramtoaMassive&PowerfulChest“Enoughwiththetalking,Markus!Giveustheprogramalready!”

Ihearyou,yeoflittlepatience.You’vebornewithmesofar,soyou’reabouttoberewarded.Thisisthechapteryou’vebeenwaitingfor;thepartwherewelaydownourplanofattackthatwillmakeyourupperbodyexplodeandpeopletakenotice.

Butbeforewegettotheactualexercisesyouwillbeimplementing,let’stieupthefewlooseendsleft.

TheSecrettoFoolproofPecsObviously,thekeytomakingyourpecsinflatelikeballoonswillbetoavoidthedifferenttrainingmistakeswe’vejustcovered…But,morethanthat,weneedtotake the complete opposite stand and strive for perfection in every set andrepetitionwedo.

Whichmeans that,when you set out to train, youmean business!No playingaroundwiththephoneorjokingwiththefriends.TherewillbeplentyoftimeforthatAFTERyou’vebustedyourbuttoff.Whenyouworkout,yourentirefocusshouldbeon themovementyou’reperformingandnothingelse.WWIIIcouldbreakoutoutsideyourwindowandbombsdropallaround,youshouldn’tevennotice!

LikeIsaid,we’llonlygoforexerciseswhichallowafullrangeofmotion.So,make it a point to always go all the way up and down.When you’re at thebottom,pauseforasplitsecondtoreallyfeelthestretchinthemuscle.Thatwillemphasizeyourwidthandgetthepecstoexpandoutwards.

In thesamemanner,at the top, feel thecontractionanddoyourbest torecruiteverydarnfibertothelastone.Don’tbelikethosefoolswhosacrificeformforreps.Youmightstruggleatthebeginningandhavetoacceptgoingdownafewlevels but you’ll progress faster,more safely and– in the end–build amuchbetterphysique ifyougoby thebookanddon’t try tobitemore thanyoucanchew.

It’salsoimportanttostartwiththeeasierprogressionsastheywillensureyourjointsgetenoughpreparationforthehardervariations.You’llnoticethat,whenyou alter the angle of your limbs in regards to the floor and deviate from thevertical, it not only gets tougher to hold the position but it puts much more

pressureonyourwristsandshouldersaswell.

Moveslikethe1-armdeclineorthepseudo-planchepush-upwillkillyourjointsifyouhaven’tproperlypreparedthem.Bethoroughand,bythetimeyougettothosevariations,yourbodywillbereadyforthem.

However,aswe’veseen,nomatterhowgoodanexerciseis,wecan’texpecttorealizeourfullpectoralpotentialbyfocusingonjustonetypeofmove.Orwe’dbeasguiltyaschargedasthosepoorsoulswhobetalltheirchipsonthebench.

Fulldevelopmentrequiresvariety.That’swhyourprogramwillbebasedaround3distinctexercises(+1bonus.)Throughmytrialanderror,I’vefoundthattheyprovidedthebeststimulationandthatpecsreactedextremelywelltothem.

We’llbedoing3setsofeach,whichamountstoaroundadozensets.Morethanenough to ensure progress but also not so much you’d have to spend hoursperformingthem.

Alright, but what are those 3 exercises we’ll be dealing with in the comingweeks?

Triple Threat: 3Moves to Go from Zero toHeroThe best training programs are synergistic, much like good cooking recipes.Whenyouassociategarlicwithtomatosauceandbasil,eachingredienttakesonanentirenewdepth that transcends itsnormalexpression.Thewholebecomesgreaterthanthesumofitsparts.

The same can be said about workouts where the exercises complement eachothersowellthatprogressturnsouttobeinevitable.

That’swhatour“triple threat”planoffers;arecipeforgrowthandpower.Thefirstingredientinourpotwillbetheregularpush-up,fromitseasiestvariationtothemostcomplicated.

Thoseprogressionswillservetoincreaseourstrength(aswestrugglewiththemandonlymanagea few reps)andour size (aswegetbetterandclimbup toadozen reps.)That first groupwillmake the basis of our formula.But like oursauce,weneedtospiceituptorevealallitsflavor.

We’lldothatbyaddingmorepush-upvariationswhich,thistime,willnotonly

target thepecsbut thecore, theshouldersand the tricepsaswell.Thiswillbeessentialforupperbodybalance.

Then,we’llincorporateoursecondmagicingredient:dips.

Onceagain,we’lltakeitslowlybydrillingtheeasiervariationsbeforewemoveon to the real killers. Those moves will target the lower portion of the pecs,hittingthemunderatotallynewangle,toneglectnoareaandfurtherstrengthenthe triceps. Together with the push-up progressions, the dips will guaranteeyou’vegoteverythingcovered.

Lastbutnotleast,oncewe’llhavebuiltsizeandstrength,it’llbetimetoturnitallintopower.Thethirdandfinalingredientwillbetheinclusionofplyometricmovesthatwilldramaticallyimproveourspeedandexplosiveness.

But we’re getting ahead of ourselves... Let’s stay focused and start at thebeginning.

Pec Blaster #01: the Road to the UltimatePush-UpEvenifyoursportingbackgroundboilsdowntoafewPEclassesyouhadtotakeinhighschool,you’vegottobefamiliarwiththepush-up.

Iftherewasa“HallofFame”forbodyexercises,itwouldsitatthetopwithoutadoubt. It’soneof themostfamousmovements,andforgoodreasons.Like thesquatforthelegs,itmightverywellbethebestexercisefortheupperbody.

Notonlyisitconsideredcompleteandcomprehensive,asitworksalmosteverygroup muscle, it is available in enough variations to keep you busy andchallengedfortheyearstocome.

Yeah, if you thought push-ups were too easy to build any kind of muscle orstrength, that’s because you’ve probably never really gone beyond their mostsimplisticexpression.

Onceyoustart tacklingthemoreadvancedprogressions, likethearcher,you’llseethatthey’renolaughingmatter!

Like I said, we’ll start at the very beginning. Don’t assume you can do avariation and just skip it until you’ve PROVEN you can actually do it byperformingthenumberofrequiredrepsandsets.Inotherwords,beforeyoustart

theprogram,testyourskillstoseewhereyoustand.

Justonemorething:astheydon’talltargetthechestthesameway,youmightfindsomeprogressionseasierthanothers,eventhoughtheyrankhigheronthedifficultyscale.Weallstartwithourpersonalstrengthsandweaknesses,andthatcan explain why we won’t all begin at the same point. But that’s alright; ifyou’rethoroughandconsistentwithyourtraining,eventually,yourweakerpartswillcatchupandyou’llbecomestrongallaround.

Progression#1.01:Wall/InclinePUIf themostchallengingpositionyou’ve foundyourself in thesepast fewyearswasbendingatthewaisttograbthepeanutbutterjaronthebottomshelfatthestore,youwillprobablyneedtostartattheverybeginning.

The wall or incline push-up will prepare your upper body smoothly bystrengtheningyourmusclesandyourjoints,andhelpingshakeoffthatrust.

Toperforminclinepush-ups:

Placeyourhandsagainst thewall(oranyelevatedobject)withyourbodystraightandyourlegsafewfeetbehind,sothatyourbodydrawsatriangletogetherwiththewallandthefloor;Slowlybringyourtorsoallthewaydownuntilyoumakecontact;Push with your hands and contract the pecs to go back to your startingposition.

Youmustbe able to achieveat least3 setsof15 reps tomoveon to thenextprogression. As this movement becomes easier, you’ll want to lean againstsupportswhicharecloserandclosertotheground,toincreasethedifficulty.

Progression#1.02:KneePUWhenyou’regettingcloseenoughtothehorizontalwithyourinclines,itmightbeinterestingtodrillthislastvariationbeforetherealdeal:

Facingthefloor,yourweightrestingonyourhandsandkneecaps;Performthepush-upmotionbycontrollingyourfalluntilyourchesthitstheground;Anduseyourpecsandtricepstocompletetherep.

Remember to always go through the full rangeofmotion andkeepyour backstraight.This,ofcourse,goesforeveryprogressioninthissection.

Onceyoucanmanageyour3setsof15reps,youshouldbegoodtogo.

Progression#1.03:RegularPUSamepositionasthelastbutyou’llbesupportingyourweightonyourhandsandfeetnow.

Byincreasingthedistancebetweenthe2pointsofcontactontheground,you’llmakethemovemuchharder.IfthetransitionbetweenthekneeandtheregularPUproves too hard, you can stillwork the push-ups on their eccentric phase,meaningyoucanfocusonslowingdownyourfall,thenuseyourlegstogetbackinthepositionatthetop.

And drill that part until you’re strong enough for completing the entiremovement.

3setsof15repsarerequiredtopass.

Progression#1.04:SpidermanPUWe’lltakethedifficultylevelupanothernotchwiththeSpidermanpush-upbyaddinganewmoveatthebottomthat’llmakeyoulooklike,well,Spidey,man!

Startinginapush-upposition,loweryourselfasifdoingaregularPU;Then,bringoneofyourkneestotheelbowonthesameside;Pushbackwithyourarmsandreturntoyourinitialpositionwithyourlegsstraightbehindyou;Switchsides.

You’llnoticethatthissimplechangewillnotonlymakeyourcoreworkharder,itwillalsoputanextraloadonyourchest.Thisisacoolvariationwhichisnotonlyfunbutveryeffective.

Aimfor3setsof12reps.

Progression#1.05:KnucklePUFor people who train in combat sports or martial arts, knuckle push-ups areessentialtotoughenupyourfistsandmakethemharderthanbricks.

Butwhatifyoudon’tcareaboutbuildinghandsofstone?Whatifyou’realover,notafighter?Isitstillstilluseful?Youbet!

Knucklepush-ups,ontopofchangingtheangleofyourarmsandthushittingthepecsdifferently,willhelpinstrengtheningthewrists.AndifyourememberwhatIsaid,wewillreallyneedthatforlater!

Justdon’tletyourenthusiasmgetthebetterofyouandstartpumpingthemrepson gravel like you’re going to teach them a lesson.You’ll be the one crying,withyourhandstorntoshredsandyourskinhanging.

Gogradually.Startonasoftsurfacelikeacarpetoratowel,andmovetohardermaterialsonlywhenyourknuckleshavethickened.

3setsof12repswillusuallysuffice.

Progression#1.06:WidePUSo far, every progression we’ve gone through was performed with the handsshoulder-widthapart.

For this variation, we’ll open up a bit more and spread our hands to reallyemphasizethestretchinthepecsandworkthewidth.

Don’t be afraid to go wide and use twice the regular distance between yourhands.Thatwill taketheloadoffthetricepsandmakethemoveharderonthechest.

Same reps scheme as above: to graduate to thenext progression, youmust beabletoperform3setsof12reps.

Progression#1.07:DiamondPUWe’vegonewide;now,we’llclosethedistanceentirelyandbringonehandnexttotheothersothatthethumbsandindexfingersaretouching(you’llseethey’llbedrawingtheshapeofaninversediamondonthefloor,hencethename.)

Byshiftingthepositionofyourarmstotheinside,you’llnotonlydecreaseyourleverage – thus making the move harder to complete –, you’ll also put thepectoralsalreadyundertension.Whenyou’llbecomingupafteryou’vetouchedthe floor with your chest, you’ll feel themuscle contract to themax. A veryvaluableexercisetoworkthethicknessofyourpecs.

Goal:3setsof12reps.

Progression#1.08:DeclinePUBynow,ifyou’vebeentrainingdiligently,youshouldstartfeelingstrongerandseeingyourhardworkpayoffinroundnessandbulkiness.

It’s time to turn the tablesaroundandget thosefeetup in theair! In thesamemanner thatwe startedwith our hands up tomake it easier on ourselveswithinclinepush-ups,we’llreversethemoveandgetthefeethightoaddtensiontoourchestandincreasetheweight.

Even though youmight be tempted to arch the back, pay attention to remainstraightthewholetime.

Workyourwayupto3setsof12reps.

Progression#1.09:DeepPURememberall that talkabout respecting the full rangeofmotion?Well,here’soneprogressiontotrulyembracetheconcept.

Byusingbooks,parallettesoranyothersuchitemsassupporttogetourhandsafewinchesoffthefloor,we’llcreateagapatchestlevelthatwillallowustogodeeperthanthehorizontal.

Youknowthedrillbynow:3setsof12repstogetapasstothenextvariation.

Progression#1.10:UnevenPUNow,almost10progressions in,yourupperbodyshouldhavegrownby leapsand bounds. Performing any kind of push-up with both hands, whatever theposition,shouldhavebecomearealpieceofcake.

Enjoy the feeling while you can, because I won’t let you bathe in that self-satisfactionforlong.

Assoonasyouhavemasteredpush-upprogressionsusingyourtwohands,we’llbeginworkingtowardsusingonlyone.

Gottokeepthechallengealivetoforceourchesttoexpand,right?

Thefirstprogressiontosteerusintherightdirectionwillbetheunevenpush-up.Toperformthatmove,youwill:

Elevateonehand,aboutadozen inches fromthe floor,byusingapileof

books,abench,achair;Anddoyourrepsbyfocusingonthearmontheotherside.

Thehigheryou’llplacethatsupportinghand,thelessyou’llbeabletouseittopushyourselfbackuponceyoutouchtheground.

Don’tforgettotrainbothsidesequally.3setsof6repsoneachside.

Progression#1.11:ArcherPUStartingtogetthehangoftheunevenpush-upandwanttotestyourselfalittlemore?

Theroad to the1-armpush-upcontinueswith thearcher,wherewe’ll increasetheweightsupportedononeside.

Toperformarcherpush-ups:

Spreadyourhandsapartevenmore thanforwidepush-ups(at least twiceyourshoulder-width);Instead of lowering your chest straight down, like you would for theaforementionedprogression,youwillbringyourtorsotoonesideandcomeplaceyourribcagenexttoyourhand;

Gobackup,pushingwiththathand(that’lldomostofthework);Switchsidestoworkbothpecsequally.

Tominimizethehelpyougetfromthehandinsupport,tryandkeepyourarmonthatsidestraightthewholetime.

Themoveswillnowgethardertocomplete;that’swhywe’lllowertherequiredrepsto10perset.

Progression#1.12:TypewriterPUBasically,you’llstillhaveyourarmsspreadandgodownononehandlikethearcher…Thedifferenceisthattherewillbenomorerestingatthetop.

Onceyougotyourribsagainstyourhandononeside,you’llsimplyswitch totheotherwithoutgoingbackupandpausing.Yeah,justlikeatypewriter.Left,right,left,right,left,right.

Thisisanintenseexercisethatwillbroadenyourchestlikenoother.

Sameasbefore,3setsof10repsareneededtograduate.

Progression#1.13:1-ArmPUThisisthemovewe’vebeenworkingtowardsforthesepastfewweeks/months:the1-armpush-up.

The name says it all.We’ll be doing our push-upswith just our one hand incontactwith the ground. It’s an achievement in itself, so you canbe proudofyourselfwhenyoumanageyourfirstrep.Howmanypeopledoyouknowwhocanclaimtobeabletodothesame?Ittakesalotofstrengthtopulloff.

Withthatbeingsaid,watchoutforyourform.Asyoutakeahandoffthefloor,youmight have a tendency to arch the back or twist the torso to the side tocompensateorkeepyourbalance.

Tohelpyouinthisregardandbemore“grounded”,youcanstartwithyourfeetapart.Simplybringthemcloserasyougetbetter.

If that progression reveals to be too difficult yet, proceed like we did at thebeginningwiththeregularpush-up;workitwithinclinesuntilyou’rereadyfortherealthing.

Goaltoreachtobeabletocallyourselfatruebadass:3setsof5repsperhand.

Progression#1.14:1-ArmDeclinePUYou can keep with the regular 1-arm push-ups until you’re strong enough toperform10repsoneachsideoryoucangetyourfeetelevatedtospicethingsup.

Onceagain, it’sbasicphysicsatworkhere;asyour feetgainaltitudeandyouplacethemhigherandhigher,themoreweightwillberestingonyourhandsandtheharderyou’llhavetopushtocompleteyourreps.

Pec Blaster #01b: Advanced Push-Ups toTakeYourUpperBodytoItsLimitsIn this part,which is a complement to “pec blaster 01”, I’ve regrouped a fewhardprogressionswhich focusmoreonothermusclesofyourupperbody likethetriceps,theshouldersandthecore.

Itisimportanttoaddthemtoyourtrainingroutinetoensureyouleavenoholesinyourgameandbuildasolid,bulletproofupperbody.

Wait until you’re about to tackle the archer PU to start playing around withthese,aseventheeasiestprogressionisstillnowalkinthepark.

Progression#1b.01:PPP–Pseudo-PlanchePUI promisedwewould target the entire pecs and leavenopart feelingunloved.

Withthepseudo-planchePU,wewillcajoletheclavicularpartandworkitlikenoother.

Thiswilladdmeattoyourupperpecsandgetthemtofillup,givingyouthatfullandroundedlookyou’reafter.

Toperformpseudo-planchepush-ups:

GetinaregularPUposition;Butbeforeyougodown,tipforwardsothatyou’renowrestingontheedgeofyourtoesandyourshouldersarenolongeraboveyourhandsbutagoodfootinfrontofthem;Keeping thatangle, loweryourself to theground,makecontactwithyourchestandreturntoyourstartingposition.

Themost important point to observewith pseudo-planche push-ups is to keepthe angle stable the whole time. As you push yourself up, don’t bring yourshouldersbackinlinewithyourhands.

That45°anglewillbelockeduntilyou’vefinishedyourset.You’llseethatthishorizontal translationwillputextreme torqueonyourshouldersand reallykillthatareacomprisingtheanteriordeltandtheclavicularhead.

PS: you may want to experiment with your hands placement to find acomfortableposition.Keepingthefingersfacingforwardmayhurt toomuchifyou’relackingflexibility.Personally,Ilikedoingthatexercisewiththefingersfacingsideways.

Progression#1b.02:SphinxPUOnecouldarguethataSphinxPUisnothingmorethanapush-upandanelbowplank…butthatwouldbeminimizingtheeffectsofthatgreatexercisewhich,ontopofworkingthecore,isalsoatricepskiller.

Thenameofthisvariationcomesfromthepositionyou’llbeassuminghalf-way,withyourforearmsontheground,notunlikethemysticalEgyptianfigure.

Tocompleteonerep,youwillsimply:

Placeyourhandsafewinchesinfrontofyourshoulders;Bringyourelbowsslowlydownuntilyou’rerestingonyourforearms;Pause for a second and push down with your palms until your arms

straightenoutentirelyandyoufindyourselfbackinyourstartingposition.

Progression#1b.03:RussianPUOne level above the Sphinx, the Russian push-up makes a great dynamicvariationthatwilladd2otherstepstothemix.

Insteadofbringingyourelbowsupanddownrightaway,youwillfirstperformaregularpush-up.

It’sonlywhenyou’llbeatthebottomofthemovethatyou’llpullbackwiththeelbows toplace the forearmson the floor.Andbeforeyoupressyourselfbackup,you’llreturntothatregularPUbottomposition.

Thus, you’ll accomplish 4 moves in 1: lower your chest with a push-up, tiltbackwardtobalanceonyourforearms,tiltforwardtoreturntoyourhands,andpushyourselfbackup.

Progression#1b.04:HinduPUIfthere’soneprogressionthattrulydeservesthe“comprehensive”moniker,it’stheHinduPU.Thisexercisewillnotonlyworkyourchest,deltoids,tricepsandcore like the others, itwill also involve the back and the legs, andmake youmoreflexible!Here’sonetoughmovetogiveyourbodyarunforitsmoney.Buttomakethemostofit,youstillgottodoitproperly.

TocompleteoneHindupush-up,youwill:

InaregularPUposition,raiseyourbuttupintheair;MoveyourheadbackbetweenyourshoulderssothatyourhandsarenowoverheadandyourbodytakesonaV-shapewhenlookedfromtheside;Bringyourheadstraightdownuntilyou’reaninchfromtouchingthefloor;Keeping the distance between your nose and the ground constant, extendtherestofyourbodyforwardsothatyouendupinapositionsimilartothebottomofaregularPU;Push your shoulders up while keeping your thighs low, much like whenstretchingtheabs;

Returntoyourstartingposition.

Progression#1b.05:PikePUAlright, time to target those shoulders now!With thepike and the subsequentprogressions, you will not only develop your clavicular head, you’ll alsograduallybuildstrengthinyourdeltsanddeveloparoundnessinthemthatwillperfectlymatchyourthickeningpecs.

The pike push-up is somewhat reminiscent of that first part of theHindu PUwhereyoubroughtyourheaddowntowardsthefloor.Thebigdifferenceliesinthe fact that, here, youwill press yourself backuponceyou’re at the bottom.Youwillnotextendyourbody.

As the move gets easier, you can increase the difficulty by closing the gapbetweenyourfeetandyourhands.

Progression#1b.06:ElevatedPikePUSame deal, butwith the feet elevated this time (as for a decline.) Seeing thatyourbodywill stillbeholding thatV-shape,bymovingyour legsupyouwillshiftyourtorsoforwardandputalmostyourentireweightonyourshoulders.

Comedown,touchyourforeheadtothegroundandgobackup.

This progression, together with the previous one, are part of the preparatoryexercisesforthehandstandpush-up.

Progression#1b.07:HandstandPUWhenyou’vebuiltenoughshoulderandtricepsstrength,andcanmanageagooddozenpikereps,stopbeingshyandgofortherealthing.

Kickyourselfupinahandstandpositionagainstthewall.Then,simplydoyourthing;godownuntilyourheadtouchesthegroundandpressyourselfbackup.

You’llnowbecarryingyourentireweightonyourhands,so itwon’tbeeasy.But even a few reps here and there will eventually add up and solidify yourgains.

Progression#1b.08:DeepHandstandPUBynow,youshouldknowthatoneofthebestwaystomakeanexerciseharderis to increase its rangeofmotion.We’lldoexactly thatbyusingparallettesorany such item which will allow our head to go deeper than the level of ourhands.

Progression#1b.09:LalannePUA true core destroyer, the Jack Lalanne PU is as impressive as it’s hard toperform.Unlessyou’vebeenusingthetrainingmethodavailableinmypreviousbook“SuperheroSix-Pack”, Idoubtyou’llhaveenoughcorestrengthrightoffthebattoachieveasinglerep(infact,it’sstillaworkinprogressforme.)

Butdon’tdespair;everygoalthat’sworthwhiletakessometimeanddedication.Keeppracticing theLalannePUas itwillgiveyourwholebodyagoodboostandhelpbringoutthesternalpartofyourpecs.

Todothismove:

Liedownonyourstomachwithyourarmscompletelyextended;Contracting your core to remain as straight as possible, push down withyourhandstoraiseyourbodyofftheground;Keepthepositionintheairforasecondortwo;Gobackdownuntilyou’regoingtomakecontactwiththefloor,andrepeatthesequence.

PecBlaster#02:NearaDozenDifferentDipsforStrength&WidthIwon’t lie; you couldbuild agood chest usingonly thepush-upprogressionswe’vecoveredsofar…Butarewegoingtosettleforjust“good”?Heckno!Wewantpecsofepicproportions!Thekindpeoplewritestoriesabout!

OK, I may be exaggerating a bit here but remember that the best trainingprogramsaresynergistic.Togetthebestresults,youneedALLtheingredientsin the formula. So, even though it’ll take you a while to see the end of theprogressionsin#01,you’llstillneedtoincludedipsinyourprogram.

Notonlywillthefollowingexercisesemphasizethelowerportionofyourpecs,they will further grow your triceps, increase shoulder flexibility and developfunctionalstrengthinallyourupperbody.

Tosomepeople,dipsarethetruechestkingandanevensuperioroptiontopush-ups.And I canunderstandwhere they’recoming from;after all, thereare few

exercises which can isolate your pectorals like the dips. With the downwardmotionyourarmswillbefollowing,theshoulderswon’tbeassolicited,andit’syourpecsandtricepswhichwillhavetodoallthework.

Butwe’renothere todecidewhich isbest.Wedon’thave to choosebetweendipsandpush-ups.Let’sjustdobothandletourresultsshootthroughtheroof!

Progression#2.01:NegativesTostarttheseprogressionsontherightfoot,wewillfirstfocusontheeccentricpartofthemove:

Holding yourself to parallel bars (chairs or whatever), with your armsstraightandyourhandsrightunderyourshoulders,youwillslowly loweryourbodybybendingyourelbows;Onceyourtricepsareparalleltothefloor,useyourfeettojumpbackuptoyourstartingposition.

LikeIsaid,wewillworkoncontrollingthedescenthere.

Youwillneed3setsof15repstomoveon.

Progression#2.02:BenchDipsNext,youwillbedoingdipswithyourfeetrestingoneitheranelevatedsurface(harder)ortheground(easier.)

Thistime,onceyou’veloweredyourbody,youwillpushdownwithyourhandsandsqueezeyourpecstogobackup.

Buildsomestrengthbeforeattemptingregulardipswith3setsof15reps.

Progression#2.03:RegularDipsSame starting position as for negatives but you’ll do both the down and upmovements.

Toavoidtouchingthegroundatthebottom,youwillprobablyhavetobendtheknees and keep your feet crossed. Also, experiment with having your chestslightlyleaningforwardtoensuregoodbalanceandbetterisolationofthepecs.

Target:3setsof15reps.

Progression#2.04:Side-to-SideDipsRememberwhat we didwith our push-ups to increase the load on our arms?Yep,wespreadthem“archerstyle”andfocusedononearmatatime!

Thisiswhatwe’lldohere.Withside-to-sidedips,wewillstartinaregulardipspositionbut,aswelowerourbody,wewillgotoonesidesoastohavethatpartsupportmost of ourweight.Then,we’ll go backup and switch sides toworkbothequally.

Youmaywanttouseaslightlywiderthanshouldergripthistimetoreallyfeelthemovement.Obviously,thewideryou’llgo,theharderit’llbe.

Onceyou’reabletocompleteyour3setsof12reps,youcanmovetothesinglebar.

Progression#2.05:SingleBarDipsAsthenamesuggests,singlebardipswillhavebothyourhandsholdingontothesame bar.What this will cause is disrupting your balance and forcing you toworkhardertocompletethemove.

Indeed,asyou loweryourselfandyourcenterofgravityhas tomovebackforyourbelly to clear thebar, youwill have to tenseyour entirebodynot to fallbackward.Yourchestshouldbeleaningoverthebarandyourlegskeptpointingslightly forward, a bit like theV-shapewe used in pike push-ups (but not aspronounced.)

At thebottomof themove, touchyoursternumto thebarbeforemovingbackup.

Ifyoudon’thaveabartopractice,youcanperformthisexerciseonatableoranywhereyoucanhaveyourhandsonenexttotheother.

Workyourwayupto3setsof10reps.

Progression#2.06:L-DipsThis is where you should start experiencing some serious difficulties. If youhaveanyweaknessinyourcore,thisprogressionwillexposeitwithoutbeatingaroundthebush.

However,theL-Dipismorethanjustacoreblaster;byliftingyourfeetupandkeepingthematanangle,youwilldecreaseyourleverageandputmoretorqueonyour shoulders. In otherwords, you’ll have a harder timepushingyourselfbackupfromthebottom.

TodoanL-Dip,youwillsimplyhavetobringyourfeetupsothatyourlegsareparalleltothefloor(inanL-Sitposition)and,withthoselegsstraight,doadip.

If you can manage 3 sets of 10 reps, you can start working on the nextprogression.

Progression#2.07:KoreanDipsInalotofways,Koreandipscanbeconsideredsinglebardipsinreverse.Onceagain,you’llbegrabbingthesamebarwithbothhandsbut,thistime,you’llbeholdingitbehindyourback.

Keepingyourbalanceandclearingthebarasyougodownwillstillprobablybeachallenge,andyou’llmostcertainlyhavetopracticethemovementafewtimestogetaproperfeel.

Personally, I find that thekey togoodKoreandips is tokeep the legs straightandcontracted thewhole time.Let themgobehindyounaturallyasyouloweryourbodyintothedip.

For the grip, the under grip is the harder variation, so start trainingwith yourpalms facing backwards and change the position of your hands when it getseasier.

Howmanysetsandreps?3x10

Progression#2.08:RussianDipsRussiandipsfollowthesameprotocolasRussianpush-ups(otherwise,thenamewouldn’tmakemuchsensenow,wouldit?)

Youwillthustransitiontoyourforearmsandbacktoyourregularpositiononceyou’reatthebottomofyourdip.

As you bring your elbows down to the bar, you will feel your body goingbackwards.Use your legs as counterweight and contract the abs to keep yourbodyinline.

Andwatchout for thoseelbows!Besmoothandcontrol themovement.Don’tsmashyourforearmsintothebarslikeyou’retryingsomemartialartsbreakingtechnique.

Thiswillbehardbutreaching3setsof8repsisagoodgoaltosetforyourself.

Progression#2.09:RussianL-DipsLastexercisetocompleteourlist,theRussianL-DipcombinesthechallengeofkeepinganL-Sitthroughouttherepetitionwithtransitioningfromyourhandstoyourforearms.Doubletheconstraints,fourtimesthedifficulty!

Remembertokeepyourlegsstraightandcontrolthemovement.

Onceyoumasterthatprogression,youcanstartworkingtowardsachievingthe1-armdip...butthat’sanentirestoryaltogether.Withthissweetselectionwe’vedetailed, you should already have more than enough to keep you busy for awhile.

Pec Blaster #03: Turn Strength into PowerwithPlyoPush-UpsThis is where the transformation will occur. As if we had found thephilosopher’s stone and all the leadwehad accumulated training the first twogroupswasabouttobechangedtogold.

Yes,thisiswherestrengthwillturntorealPOWERandyou’lllearntoperformcrazylookingmovesthat’llhaveyouappearsuperhuman!

But likeIsaid,beforeyoucanreapthoserewards,youneedtopayyourdues.Youcan’texpecttolaunchyourselfintotheairifyoucanbarelydo1push-up.Whichmeansthatplyopush-upswillcomelater,onlywhenyou’llhavebuilta

solidenoughbase.

Wheredipsandregularpush-upshelpedyougainsizeandstrength,plyopush-ups will be all about speed, agility and body control.Whichmakes them theperfectfinalingredienttorealizeour“fullpackage”recipe.

If you’re amartial artist or practice any kind of sportswhere you need to beexplosive, you’ll find that these exerciseswill improve your performance andmakeyoumuchmorecompetitive.

Contrary to regular push-up progressions where themovement is smooth andconsistent(thetimeontheascent=thetimeonthedescent),forplyopush-upsyou’llwanttothinkofyourmusclesaselasticbands.You’llwanttoloadthemto the max by controlling the descent, then going with a bang when you’llreleasethepowerupwards.

Load,load,load...Release!

This principle will hold true for every progression below. But before we cantacklethemoreadvancedones(wherewe’llbetravelingthroughtheairlikereallifesuperheroes),we’llhavetostartatthebottomandgogradually.

First, we’ll want to focus on getting the hands off the floor. Rushing thingswouldonlygetusinjuredintheend.

Progression#3.01:StaggeredPUInclines have led to knee and regular push-ups.You’re now strong enough tocompleteyour15regularpush-upswithouttoomuchhassle.

Great!We’recleartoaddplyostoourprogram...andthebestwaytogetstartediswithstaggeredpush-ups.

Iknow,theymightnotlookveryflashybutweoughttostartsomewhere,don’twe? Even One-PunchMan had to start with that lousy Crab thing before hecouldslaymonstersandgiantswithhismightyfist!

ToperformastaggeredPU,youwill:

Assume a normal push-up position, with one hand in front of the other(aboutafootapart);Loweryourselfslowly(“chargingtheelasticband”);Andpushdownhardwithyourhandssothattheycomeofftheflooratthe

topforasplitsecond;While they’re in theair, switchhands tohave theonewhichwas in frontnowlandbehindtheother.

Thisbackandforthmotionwillmakeitlookasifyouwerewalkingonthespotwithyourhands.

Practiceuntilyoucanmanage3setsof15reps.

PS: ifyoudon’t feel ready for staggeredyet,youcanaddanextra stepwhereyouwillsimplydrillgettingyourhandsoffthefloorforabriefsecond.

Progression#3.02:ClapPUThisiswherethefunbeginsaswe’restartingtogetsomeheight.

Withclappush-ups,you’llhave topushwithenoughoomphtogetenoughairtimetoclapyourhandsandgetthembackinpositionbeforeyouslammedintothefloor.

When you land, absorb the shock with your arms and pecs, “reloading” themusclefibersforthenextrep.

Giveyourselfapatinthebackwhenyoucanmanage3x12reps.Betteryet,addanextraclaptoyourreps!

Progression#3.03:ThighClapAsyourhandswillneedtocoveralongerdistanceheretoreachfromthefloortoyourlegs(VSclappinginfrontofyou),you’llneedtobeairborneforanevenlongerperiod.

Pushthegroundashardasyoucan;Clapyourhandstoyourthighs;Returntoyourstartingposition,handstothefloor.

You’ll see this progression is quite demanding. Therefore, I’ll let you off thehookifyoucangiveme3setsof10.AmInotthenicestguy,huh?

Progression#3.04:DropPUForthisexercise,youwillneedtwopilesofbooksthatyou’lluseassupportforyourhands.

Placethosebookswithasomewhatlargerthanshoulder-width,asyouwillneedsomespacein-betweenwheretostartthemovement.

Thus,yourhandsonthefloor,youwillexplodeup,slightlymoveyourhandstothe sides to land on the books, explode another time up, land back in yourstartingpositionontheground.Voilà!

Youneed3setsof10reps.

Progression#3.05:MuayThaiPUOK,I’lladmitit;theMuayThaiPUisjustafancynameforbackclappush-ups.Ifyouexpectedsomethingmoreexotic,don’thateme,Ididn’tcomeupwiththename.

Anyway, as you can probably imagine if you’ve beenworking your plyos foranylengthof time,managingtopushyourselfhighenoughtobeable tobringyourhandsbehindyou,clapthem,andreturntheminfrontofyouinoneswiftuninterruptedmovementain’tgoingtobeabreeze.

Hatsofftoyouifyoucando10repsfor3sets.

Progression#3.06:TornadoPUWanttolookcoolandwowpeopleatthesametime?Thisisthemoveforyou!It’s notmuchof a strength builder but it’ll take your speed, body control andstaminatothenextlevel.AnddidImentionitlooksbadass?

ThetornadoPU,alsoknownasa360,willhaveyoupushyourselfoffthefloorandspinaroundawholeturn.

Thekey to this exercise is to lead the takeoffwithyour elbowsoas tobuildenoughmomentumtoturnonyourself.

Inotherwords,pushhardtoleavethefloor,shoveyourelbowbackasifhittingsomeimaginaryopponentinthegut,spinaroundandlandbackonyourhands.

To increaseyour rotational speedandensureyoucando thewhole360,bringyourarmstoyourchestrightafteryou’velaunchedtheelbow.

Also, keep your legs as straight as possible to make the move smooth and

beautiful.

Do6repsononesidebeforeswitchingtotheother.Asalways,aimfor3sets.

Progression#3.07:FlyingPUBy now, you should feel comfortable getting those hands up in the air. Let’skeepthepressureonandyourbodyguessingbyintroducingourlaststepintheprocess:thelegs.

Nothingfancyhere;justdrillgettingbothhandsandfeetoffthefloor.

For this progression and all the others that follow, there’s a trick to gettingenough height.You see, you can’t expect to go very far up if you keep yourbody straight like a post. Itwould be like trying to jumpwithout bending theknees.Notgonnahappen!

Togenerateenoughimpetus,youwillneedtopushyourchestandshouldersupfirst (leaving your back and legs lag behind), then –with your knees slightlybent–springwithyourfeetandthrowthatbuttup.

We’re startingoffwith thiseasyvariation to reallybuild thehabit andmotionintoyourlimbs.

Achievingtherequired12repsfor3setsshouldn’ttakeyoutoolong.

Progression#3.08:AsianCarpPUEverseenthoseflyingfishontheDiscoverychannel,jumpingoutofthewaterandstandingthereproudly, likesuspendedin theair,beforedisappearingbackintotheblueoftheocean?

Let’stakeapageoutoftheirbookanddothesame.

StartinginyourregularPUposition,youwillneedtoproduceenoughpowertotake off and bring your hands to your thighs (which iswhatwill give us that“fishlook”.)Watchoutforthelanding,alright?Don’twantthefishtogodead.

Staywithituntilyoucancrankout3setsof10reps.

Progression#3.09:FlyingSupermanPUEnoughwiththefishandtheotherflyingcrap;westartedonthisquesttolooklikesuperheroesandnothingless,right?

GetyourtasteofwhatitfeelsliketobeSupermanforasecondasyoubusthissignaturemoveandstraightenyourarmsout.

Whatelse is there tosay?PracticeyourflyingSupermananddevelopphysicalskillsthatwillrivalhis!

This exercise is in fact so great you could maybe keep on aligning therepetitions,addingmoreandmoreofthemwithtime.Butifyoucangoover10repsfor3sets,Iwouldfindanewchallengetokeepyougrowing.NEVERrestonyourlaurels.

Progression#3.10:Ride-the-BikePUYoumaynothave towearahelmet toperform thisvariationbut the ride-the-bikePU(whereyouwilltakeapositionreminiscentofaguyonaracebike)willsurelymakeyourheartbeatfasterasifyouweretrulydashingthroughthecitystreetsonyourfaithfulmetalsteed.

Whenyouleavethefloorwithyourpush-up,youwilltuckyourkneesandbringyourhandstothembeforereturningtoyourinitialposition.

This isapreparatorystep to thenextprogression.Makesureyounailed itandcanmanage10repsx3beforeattemptingtheAztec.

Progression#3.11:AztecPUTheAztecisnotonlyoneofthehardestprogressionsinthisbook;it’soneofthemostdemandingbodyweightmovementsyoucouldfind!

Wheresomeexerciseslikeleversrequirestrength,orflexibilityforbackbridges,hereyouwillneeditall:speed,power,agilityandmotorcontrol!

In a nutshell, youwill have to come and touch your hands to your shins/feetwhileintheair.Iknow,crazy!

8repspersetshouldsuffice.

Progression#3.12:KukiPUNodoubtaboutit,theKukiisthebestofthebestwhenitcomestoplyopush-ups.It’saflyingPUwhereyou’llneedtobringyourhandsall thewaybehindyoutoclaptheminyourback.

Imustconfess,Idon’tquitehaveityet…but,hey,I’mlikeyoubuddy,I’vegottoworktooifIwanttoowntheseexercises!Nothingcomeseasytoanyone!

Hopefully,itshouldn’tbetoolongbeforeIaddittomylistofaccomplishments.

Intheend,nomatteratwhichprogressionyoufindyourself,thekeywillalwaysbehardwork.Keeppracticingandnevergiveup,andsuccessisinevitable!

NOTE:afterawhile,ifyouwanttomixthingsupalittlebit,youcantranslatesomeoftheseplyoprinciplestoyourdips.Addingjumpsandclapswillalwaysdowonderstodevelopyourpower.Justsomethingtokeepatthebackofyourmind.

PuttingItAllTogetherYoureaditallandfeelliketakingonthechallenge?Perfect!Here’sarecapofhowyou’llneedtoproceedtosecurethatdreamchest.

First things first, before we even embark on our first session, you’ll need tochooseadaytotestyourskillstoknowEXACTLYwhereyoustand.Don’ttakeawildguessortellyourselfthisorthatprogressionseemstooeasytoevenbotherwith.YouneedtoactuallyPROVEyoucanskipavariationbydoingtherequirednumberofrepsandsets.Thisisnon-negotiable!OK?

Once you know which progressions you ought to drill (because you’ll have

failed at them), we’ll begin our first workout with a slight warm-up. It’s animportant step that too many people neglect… until they get hurt and earnthemselvesweeksofforcedrest.

Get the habit early on so that, eventually, you’ll do it without even thinking.Whenyou’llbeworkingthoseadvancedprogressionswhereyourwristswillbeputunderalotofpressure,you’llbegladyoudid.

First step in the warm-up process: prepare your body by running for a fewminutes,doingsomejumpingropeoranyotherlightactivitythatwillhaveyourheartbeatgoup.

Then, loosen up your joints and muscles by swinging your arms both ways,doingwristandhipsrotations,turningyourheadaroundincircles.

And finally, do a few sets of an easy enough PU variation. Let’s say you’reworkingonyourwidepush-upsfornow,youcoulddosomekneepush-ups togetyourupperbodyready,forexample.

Now,ontotheprogramperse.Forthefirstfewweeks,we’llbefocusingon2exercisesonly:ourdipsandthepush-upsfromtheveryfirstcategory(leadinguptothe1-armdecline.)

Wewon’tyettackleplyosoranyadvancedpush-upsfromthe01bgroupasweneed to lay the foundation first.Weneed to become stronger, toughen up ourjoints and build somemass beforewe take on the bigmoves.Got to learn tocatchsmallfishbeforeyoujumpinwiththesharks,right?

You’llthusbedoing3setsofmaximumrepsforbothdipsandregularpush-upprogressions.Don’tforgettonotedownyournumbersfortheday.Keepingalogis extremely important to achieving success as this gives you a clear view ofyourprogressovertime.Numbersdon’tlie.

When you’ll have become strong enough for tackling the archer PU, this iswhere you’ll start including 1 exercise from the 01b category (that you’ll beswitching around from session to session) and going through the plyoprogressions.

You’llwant to leaveenough rest toyourmuscles to recover andgrow.That’swhy we’ll keep our sessions to 2-3 times a week maximum. Speaking ofgrowth, also make sure you got your nutrition and sleep under control. Likewe’veseen,buildingmusclerequiresprotein,butyoualsoneedyour8hoursof

sleepanighttobefreshenoughtogiveityourall.

Whenallissaidanddone,wedon’tneedtomakeitharderthanitreallyis.Onceyouknowwhattodo(thatisfollowtheprogressionslaidoutinthisbook),it’sonlyamatterofputtingintheworkandnotgivingup.

Conclusion:YourArmorPlatedChest,OnlyaFewWeeksAway?

Thinkabout it:youcouldbeonlya fewweeks/monthsaway fromgetting thatthickandmanlychestyou’vebeencravingforsolong.

Nomoremanboobs to have you feel insecure.Nomore flat chest tomake itlooklikeyou’redressingtwosizesaboveyours.

Don’t you find that prospect just exhilarating? To know that a new life is atyour fingertips, that you’re in total control and theonlyobstacle still inyourwayisyourmeremotivation?

YouWILLbuildapowerfulsetofpecsthatwillbetheenvyofallIFyousticktothisprogram.I’veshownyoueverythingyouneededtoknowtogofromzerotosuperhero!

But at somepoint, I’vegot to stepback to let youmanup and showyoucanwalkthetalk.You’retheonlypersonwhocandictatewhatyourfuturewillhold.Notme.Notanyoneelse.You’rethetruemasterofyourdestiny!

So,you’vegot tomakeachoicenow.You’vegotall thekeys inyourhandtounlockthedoortothatidealimageofyou.Willyoumakethatvisionarealityorwillyoustallandfindexcuses?It’salluptoyou,buddy!

WanttoReachYourFullPotential?If you feel like getting serious and investing in yourself, check out the “RealLifeSuperman”series;myprogressivemethodtobecometheverybestversionof yourself you can be:

Volume I: the Strength & Conditioning Edition – Build Muscle, IncreaseYour Stamina and Become a True War Machine; Volume II: the FightingEdition–LearnHowtoBecomeTougher,DeadlierandMoreFearless;VolumeIII: the Invincible Mind Edition – Free Your Mind from Its Shackles andUnleashYourFullPotential;VolumeIV:theAction&AdventureEdition–SeizeEveryOpportunityandMakeanAdventureofYourLife.

Let’sKeepInTouchNowthatthisbookcomestoanend,I’dliketoextendahandtoyou.Ifeellikewe’resomehowconnectednow.Ihopethat thecontentof thisguideresonatedwithyouandyourpastexperiences,thatyoucouldidentifywithmyjourney,myambitionsandsetbacks.Ifthat’sthecase,nomatterwhereyouareinlifetoday,we’rekindredspiritswithyetalottoshare!

That’swhy I’d like tokeep in touch; sowecancontinue toprogress together.We’vebothembarkedonaroadthatknowsnoend,aroadtoperfectionthatcansometimesgetverylonelywhennooneelsearoundyoucanrelate.Wecanoffereachotherthatsupport.Wecanhelpeachotherbecomebetter!

Whether you have a question to ask, a comment or suggestion you’d like tomake,orifyousimplywanttotellmeaboutyourgoalsandtheprogressyou’vealreadymade,youcanreachme:

Viamysite:http://reallifesuperman.com

Ormyemailaddress:markus@reallifesuperman.com

It’llbemypleasuretohelp!

Speakingofhelp,ifyouhave2minutestospare,I’dliketoaskforyours.Ineedyourfeedbacktofindout if I’montheright track.IfyoucoulddomeafavoranddropawordortwoaboutthisbookonAmazon,itwouldmeantheworldtome!

IthankyouinadvanceandI’llseeyousoon,myfriend.

AbouttheAuthor

AblackbeltinKarate,ring-testedkickboxerwhoalsoholdsauniversitydegreein Psychology, I have to admit I know a thing or two about kicking butt andimposingmywill onmy foes. However, the real adversary I’ve always beenlookingtovanquish–whetherinCrossFitcompetitions,inaraceorafight–hasneverbeenanyoneelsebutme.

I believe in theLatin phrasemens sana in corpore sano and try to honor thatspirit every chance I get by looking for new,more efficientways to improvemyselfandreachthenextlevel.Throughmytrialsanderrors,I’veaccumulateda vastwealth of knowledge.Not only on thequickestmeans to attain one’sphysicalpeakbutalsoonwhatittakestotoughenupmentallyanddevelopasharp,indestructiblemind.

Inthisseriesofbooks,IintendtosharewithyoueverythingI’velearnedincloseto20yearsofstudyingandperfectingmytraining.Itisthenextnaturalstepforme: to put intowords all that baggagemade of sensations, hard-earned habitsandunspokentruths;toextractitsveryessencewithoutholdinganythingback.Andbysodoing,notonlywillIgetbetter,youwillaswell!

SomeofthefactsI’lllayoutwillsurpriseyou,othersmaycomeasashock,butrest assured that they represent the fastest shortcut to success. So, if you’reready for thechangeofa lifetime, let’sget startedanddiscover theSuperherowhohadbeenhidinginsideyouallalong!

Sincerely,