Back to Basics Tricep Routine

I’m going back to basics today. I hope you are all working out and preparing those muscle for summer. Increase the intensity now! It will be too late to start looking your best once the summer months kick in. Any how, here is a triceps routine that I have on my draft planner. My planner won’t mean much to you as you’ll have your own goals. But this an advanced workout that you can throw into your routine when it’s time to hit the triceps or when you want to switch things up.

Seated Bent Over One Arm Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minute rest between each set

Standing Dumbbell Triceps Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minute rest between each set

Cable One Arm Tricep Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minute rest between each set

BUGS BEST OF: February 2010

It’s been a while since I’ve done a bugs best of. The time where I rap up the most popular posts for the month. Well… like this classic song from Moloko I’m bringing it back, sing it back to me….

BUGS BEST OF: February 2010

Shock Body Exercise Variations

Shock Bodybuilding Preparation

The Most Important Bodybuilding Supplement… EVER!

The Only Exercise That Will Truly Test Your Strength

Why You Should Get Your Girl To Be A ‘Sexy’ Bodybuilder

15 Things Successful Bodybuilders And Successful Entrepreneurs Have In Common

Until next month… Bugs out!

Why You Need To Workout Like A Gymnast

If I ever want to aspire to be like any Olympian, then it would have to be a gymnast. Both male and female (Both are a delight to watch). Not only do these gals and guys look great, they also wield superior strength.

But guess what?

What Shaun?

These guys and gals only use bodyweight exercises to build strength… and mass!

Nah… I don’t believe you, why don’t I look like they do then?

Well, let me explain

They Add Resistance

Adding resistance is the only way that you can increase your strength when you workout. Your muscles will naturally contract against resistance, but with time they will get used to it and become stronger. At this point, you will need to increase the level of resistance. That is one reason why most people who train for muscle mass give bodyweight exercises the cold shoulder, because we are not robots, or super human and there is no way to increase resistance with our own body weight.

However, gymnasts use creativity to increase resistance when performing bodyweight exercises and being creative with bodyweight exercises is something that I have been doing for years.

One example of a creative resistance would be when they perform the leg lift exercise.

Instead of performing the exercise with your legs tucked in, perform the exercise with your legs ‘dead straight’. This will double the difficulty of performing a leg lift with just your bodyweight. All you had to do was use some leverage.

However, an optimum workout routine will utilize weightlifting exercises and creative bodyweight exercises. (Sometimes with assisted weights)

One key point about performing advanced bodyweight exercises is that performing these harder exercises will give you better results. This is because you will be aiming for maximum contraction rather than exercising until failure, and for most of the advanced exercises, it will be all the muscles of your whole body that will contract. As long as you keep maxing out the contractions, you will build superior strength, and size too.

You still haven’t told me why I don’t look like a gymnast?

Well… have you looked at a gymnast recently? Of course you have. They look great and possess raw strength. They have learned how to perfect ways to keep on increasing their strength using advanced exercises. And on Friday, you’ll get a full taster of some these in the ebook. These unique exercises are designed to challenge you beyond the conventional pull up or dip exercise, which will allow you to push your strength to the max.

Some Advanced Exercises To Look Forward To

1. Mixed Grip Chin Up
2. Straddle Planche

It’s not very likely that you will build a body like a gymnast just using creative bodyweight exercises with assisted weights (although possible). As gymnasts dedicate their whole time to their career, using many other techniques then just bodyweight exercises to build their bodies and are required to tick all of these boxes as a requirement.

• Passive flexibility
• Active flexibility
• Joint preparation
• Static strength
• Dynamic strength

And others.

This is why you will probably never look like a gymnast!

But the aim of this post is to show you that by incorporated the mindset and strength training progression of a gymnast, you too can take your strength training to the next level and show all of the overly bulky muscle heads in the gym what true strength is all about.

Remember, this is all about higher-level strength progression and building defined muscle mass.

In addition to all of this you will also improve your level of balance, coordination and agility and you may even turn into a mini version of these guys.

Tony Jaa

Jackie chan (Maybe older now, but I bet he still out performs those who are the same age as he was when he was in his prime)

If you really want to show off and look good while performing some of these exercises then take up some dance classes (read this post for some ideas).

Getting good at these dances will provide you with grace and flair, which will make you, stand out from the crowd when you move.

Grow Like A Plant

In order to even get to a level where you can perform the above exercises effectively, you will need to grow like a plant.

You will need to allow your body to go through the phase of steady growth, and once matured, go for the advanced bodyweight exercises. Once you do finally adopt superior strength and athletic ability, start to practice your one rep max on certain exercises. You will find that the level in which you have now increased your strength may have far surpassed the level of strength gains you was achieving in your weightlifting workouts. If that is the case, then lifting weights will now become a novelty for you. But both are just as important as the other, because you still probably won’t achieve the strength gains and mass of a gymnast, because you aren’t a gymnast. Incorporate both weightlifting and body-weight exercises into your routine, adopt the patience of a tortoise, the speed of a hare and like the plant in the video…. GROW!

For more detail on how to build up to the level to which you can perform these exercises, make sure you grab the e-book on Friday 12th March 2010

Here >>>

Or simply sign up now to automatically receive it via email.

See you in the comments.

The Bodybuilding ‘Pencil-neck’ Eraser Exercise

If you are anything like me ‘A natural hard gainer’ or 6ft plus in height, It might just be that you suffer from having a long giraffe pencil-neck. If so then, and if you have decided to take up bodybuilding to help bulk it up a bit, then I know you have done or still are struggling to develop the ‘Bull-neck’ look.

Why Do You Want A Strong Neck?

Your neck is always on display

Like I stated in the tailor-made wardrobe post, your neck is one of the first things people will see when they meet you, and they will judge you by it. Your neck will alsobe visible in almost anything you wear, so it’s always going to be on show. Since that is the case, you will want to have a strong and powerful neck to show to the world, as a strong neck signals strength, power and determination to those you meet. (First impressions are everything!)

Withstand a blow

Having a strong neck will enable you to withstand a fatal blow, whether that be from a fight or when taking up a particular sport. It really is that serious. Having a strong neck will be the difference of whether you spend a few days resting or recovering, or whether you end up in hospital for treatment of a spinal injury when faced with a fatal blow to the head. From my own personal experience, building a stronger neck was the difference between me falling flat on my face or withstanding the weight and walking away when I helped lift a friend into my attic. It was actually quite frightnening. This guy was 14 stone of pure muscle, he accidently slipped while balancing on my shoulders and I lost my balance a little. But because I had been training at the gym (2 years at this point in my life), my neck had the advantage of bulking up from it’s previous pencil-neck form, and I was able to push back and withstand the force of his weight.

Protects your spine

If you want to avoid back problems in the future then start focusing on building up the muscles in your neck. I’ve seen grown men reduce to tears because of back problems they’ve faced, and I can tell you, it really isn’t a pretty sight. So do yourself a favour and take action.

Another issue which I know affects every single one of you is bad posture when sitting at the computer. This will put strain on your neck muscles and spine. But build a strong neck and you can beat the odds of back pain in the future.

The ‘Pencil-neck’ Eraser Exercise

Now, I’ve already shown you a few ways that you can build up your neck muscles here, even when you are at work. But here is one effective technique that you probably haven’t tried which you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Nash rubber like a canine

1. Go to your nearest bike store and buy a new bike tyre inner-tube
2. As you get ready for your workout, stand on the floor on all fours (Like a dog)
3. Place and hold one end of the inner-tube in one hand (or both)
4. Place the other end in your mouth and grip it with your teeth
5. Make sure you have a firm grip on both ends and make sure you have a good range of motion for the movement
6. All you do now push your head back in a upwards/ backwards motion. Back down again and repeat.

You can workout the number of sets you wish to do by gauging your own strength levels. But perform this exercise once or twice a week for a few months and you will feel the difference in the look and feel of your neck.

Note: If you suffer from a history of neck injuries, I would highly advise that you visit a physician before performing any kind of neck exercise or training. The above information will without a doubt help you build a powerful neck, but if you don’t have the right foundation for doing so you could well be setting yourself up for injury, failure and set backs (Which I do not want. I can’t have my stayfitbuggers out of action now… can I? )

See you in the comments

Advanced Bodybuilding Butt Workout

Although I usually feed you hardcore and often intense methods to take yor muscles to the next level, I thought I’d just share with you a butt routine that I have been currently focusing on. After all, It’s still ok to do the basic exercises throughout your weightlifting routines, as they will be a crucial link in the chain when you need to mix things up in your workouts. However, you will still have to up the ante while performing this routine, as it involves increasing the weight throughout each exercise.

Glute Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minutes between each set

Cable Hip Extensions

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minutes between each set

Smith Machine Squats

• Sets: 3
• Reps: 8-12 (Increase the weight after each set)
• Rest: 3 minutes between each set

See you in the comments.

The Most Innovative And Dangerous Bodybuilding Exercise… Ever

When I wrote ‘this post‘, I stated that running up hills is one of the best high intensity training techniques that you can do for your cardio workouts, which is true. But I’ve found something better. This technique really will separate the men from the boys in more ways than one. It is something that I used to do back my college days, and I can vouch for it’s effectiveness. I call it…

RUNNING UP ‘DOWN’ ESCALATORS!

Now, I know you have all used an escalator before, and I know you have all tried to run up the ‘down’ escalator at least once in your life, so you know how much of a challenge that can be. But this is a whole different ball game. You will use these escalators to perform high intensity training at least once a week.

Now let me be your introductory guide for this unique exercise

#1 Finding An Escalator

The first thing you will need to do is find an escalator in an isolated location. You will want to avoid injuring members of the public. That could lead to all kinds of complications. The best place that I know of is underground railway stations. They always open very early and close very late, so there will be plenty of time to choose your run time. Another idea would be to choose the station at the end of the line. Those will always be empty.

#2 Reps And Sets

Before you begin to understand how many reps and sets you will do, you will first have to nail the process for progression.

- Start small by running down the escalator by 5-6 steps
- Turn around and run back to the top

Then all you do is increase the number of steps you run down as you begin to progress. After that it’s entirely up to you how you wish to break up your sets.

#3 You Could Get Into Trouble

This will happen, more likely then not. That’s where we will find out if you are a man, or just a boy. Will you take that risk? Will you reap the rewards of this exercise? That’s down to you. But if you really are a man, then no one will get in your way. Developing and using some charm, charisma and schickt will get you a long way.

#4 It Will Be Fun And Liberating

If your workouts (or life in general) are lacking some excitement in them, then you can guarantee that this will put the fun back into it. Performing this exercise in these locations will make you feel like a big bad kid again and liberated is how you will feel. If you are lucky you may even find yourself on youtube.com. However, if you become an internet superstar from the whole escalator ordeal, just make sure you link back to stayfitbug.com and give me credit for it.

Nevertheless, if you do grow some balls and attempt this exercise, you can be sure that it will test you to the max. And again, in more ways then one.

See you in the comments.

Why Playing Video Games Will Make You A Better Bodybuilder

If you are alive right now and reading this, it is very likely that you play video games in some way or another on one of these formats:

• PS3
• Xbox360
• Wii
• Nintendo DS
• PSP
• iphone
• Online web games
• MMORPGs

All of which cover a huge demographic in today’s world.

Games in general do get a lot of flack for apparently wasting our time. I don’t agree with that. I actually think you are living an experience when playing games, and any good experience you go through in life certainly won’t have a price on it (Priceless). But that’s another argument. One good thing that I see games doing is that they may start developing better mindsets for the masses. The mindset to succeed more often in other real world activities, and how this could help you be a better bodybuilder?

How?

Because games teach you how to fail a lot before you finally succeed.

Now, you may have not looked at things this way before and you have probably separated your gaming life from your real life. And what ever has happened in the gaming world has stayed in the gaming world. But open your mind a little. The next time you play that challenging game, try and stick it out to the end to earn that trophy or beat that boss or score that goal against that super good online nerd. I’m guessing that you probably give up and turn the console off when you begin to lose and decide to go back to it another time. It’s OK to do this if you are restricted by time, but if you simply give up because you cannot stand the heat of getting beaten, then you are probably the cowardly type. If this is you then I can bet money on it that you act the same way in other challenges that you face in life. Such as bodybuilding. In fact, if you want to see if you are cut out to build a great ’stand out from the crowd’  body, then start playing games more. This will be a true test of your character.

Play Hard Games

You will fail a lot. You will get fed up from endless failure. And it is at this time which will determine wether you succeed or not. And as usual, it is a very thin line between the two. But do yourself a favour and leave the console on. See the battle through until you succeed. Learn how to beat that boss properly, and when you finally do, the enjoyment and fulfillment you get afterwards is second to none. There aren’t too many great feelings like that in life. Quite like scoring a goal in soccer/football.

Some Games

Guitar Hero and Rock Band

(Nailing that 5 star difficulty track on Expert mode)

Viewtiful Joe

(Beating Fire Leo -- See the video and comments to understand how hard a task this was… and still is)

Comments such as -- ‘I traded in this game because of this guy i could never defeat him i think i should go and get it again’ thorgrim103

Devil May Cry 3

(Still probably one of the hardest games around)

Midnight Club 3/ Los Angeles

(The original was released back on the PS2. The cars you would race against were simply unforgiving. You crash, you lose… it was as simple as that)

Demon Souls

(A PS3 game that I’ve yet to play, but going by the reviews, It’s bitch hard)

Sorry folks, I’m a hardcore gamer. I don’t know many challenging casual games. Perhaps some of you could recommend such games that would fit the above criteria.

I personally love it when games are ultra hard and unforgiving. It keeps my mindset in ‘challenged’ mode. In fact, I often complain when things become too easy, because I know that I cannot progress with anything in life unless I face defeat every now and again. And whenever I hit the gym and face a challenge, I now will have more experiences under my belt of times when I overcame a challenge, regardless of the scenario.

The point is…

The point is… the more you begin to develop this mind set, the more likely it will be that you will succeed in your quest to build that body you deserve. You will begin to learn how and why failure is important at break neck speed, with your only cost being time, electricity and maybe an extra games controller or two. And guess what. The more you learn to adopt this mind set the faster you will begin to succeed too. I call this the ‘Reverting back to childhood mindset’, because as a child, you will fail more times than ever then as you do as an adult.. it’s just part of the process of growing up.

• Walking
• Talking
• Reading
• Writing
• Bike riding

To name a few.

But when the failure happens at this age, it is never questioned by anyone.

(Ahh, look at little Shauny trying to ride his bike. He’ll get there soon enough)

But as you migrate into adulthood, failure starts to feel like you are breaking the law, which is wrong. This is something that is wrong with the worlds mentality at present, and I’m not quite sure how it can be fixed. But all YOU need to know is that you will adopt the video games mindset, and fail in your workouts as much as you need to until you succeed. Because that is the proper way to build a near perfect body.

Fix the mind and you can fix the body

See you in the comments.

Elite Exercise Execution (Part 2)

The Calf Raise

This is one exercise that I had no choice but to get good at. Being 6ft 2″ and 2/3’s of my body being all legs (probably not 2/3’s, but it certainly feels that way) it is a no brainer that I would struggle to build muscle mass on my lower legs. Nevertheless, I have been progressing and the changes in growth have been noticable. But this has only begun to happen from using the following techniques.

Performing The Exercise Properly

• Find a standing calf raise machine
• Get into position by holding the bar and placing the pads on your shoulders
• When positioning your feet, make sure there is a good separation between your feet and your toes
• Make sure your toes are pointing forward
• Start with your heels low and as far down as you can get them
• Keep your knees straight but not locked
• Lift

The Mistake That You Will Not Make

Now, you want to avoid lowering your heels all the way down. By doing this you are stretching your calf muscles before they get a chance to contract, which will affect your ability to effectively build muscles on your calves. You will want to imagine that there is only flat ground below the area of your heel and lower your heel to flat ground level only.

You will want to keep your knees straight also, as mentioned above. If you start bending your knees then you will introduce your quads and butt muscles into the movement. This too will reduce the tension that you are building up in your calves.

Another thing to avoid is turning your toes in or out. This will only put unnecessary stress on your knees.

Tips, Tricks and Tweaks

And now for my favorite part. Taking exercise to the next level.

Contract Your Butt

This will allow you to get a 1-2 inch raise above what you normally do, thus giving you a better and more effective calf workout.

Isolation

I’ve mentioned this technique in a few exercises, such a the leg press. The idea here is isolate one leg and press it behind the remaining leg. Then carry on performing the calf raise. This will make the exercise that much harder to perform and in the long run will give you better results. This is especially good for hard-gainers, those with chicken leg syndrome or for those who are over 6ft in height, as all of those body types will have a hard time building muscles in their calves.

Work The Inside Of Your Calves

Set your feet wider apart and start rising up from the balls of your feet.

Workout The Outside Of Your Calves

Bring your feet in closer and rise up on the outer balls of your feet.

This has been working well for me so far, but if I do find any other tweaks that produce results, you will be the first to know.

See you in the comments.

How To Find Your Own Bodybuilding ‘Map’ And ‘Route’

Most people that are already into bodybuilding are probably already fighting fit. But depending on your age, previous/current injuries and other things, you may want to ensure that you are ready to take up a weightlifting program, let alone taking things to the next level the stayfitbug.com way. You can do this by,

1.  Taking a PARQ (Pre Activity Readiness Questionnaire) – These questionnaires are designed to understand if there is any risk involved for the individual in question to take up an intense fitness program. Here’s an example of one PARQ

2. A lifestyle questionnaire – These can help determine what level of workout you should go for.

3. Determining your goals

The easiest way to write your goals down is by asking yourself 4 questions in this order.

1. Overall Goal(s)
2. Break down these goals into shorter achievable goals. Say 1-3 months.
3. The purpose of each goal
4. Look deeper into it… do these goals you now have seem impractical in anyway. If so how can you make them more practical?

Find Your Routine And Then Follow ‘These’ Articles

It’s simple… follow the rules of bodybuilding and you will get to where you need to be. Eat well, supplement well, workout with intensity and results will come. You will feel the burn, the pain, and the agony. If you keep at it, you will prevail.

However, there will likely come a day when you simply wont be happy with how your body looks. In fact you probably never will be. You will always look at someone else’s body and want what they have.

Yes, I have taught you to know better than to compare with others, but lets face it… It’s going to happen anyway. Especially when you catch your girlfriend eyeing up some muscle bound model type on a hot summers day. But hey, at least the jealousy will push you to work harder. Never the less, it is at this point when Shaun of stayfitbug.com will come to the rescue and show you ways to keep those muscles active. It is these exercises that you will use to find your own map. What tweaks work and which don’t? Here you will pick those posts that either unveil an innovative exercise or workout routine such as,

Hard Gainer Weightlifting Workout Routine

Shock Body Exercise Variations

Unique bodyweight exercises

How To Build A Sandbag For Your Weightlifting Routine

And use them to take your muscles to the next level… in your own way.

Understand Your Genetics

Unfortunately you cannot change the genes that you have been blessed or cursed with. Whether you have a big butt, high calves with skinny ankles, a long neck, small wrists or whatever… you are lumped with it for life. But the quicker you understand that, the quicker you can figure out what you can do in your workouts so that everything you do works to your advantage.

If you have small wrists like I do, then you will have focus on grip work and building your forearm muscles more (compound exercises can fix this too). If you have a long neck, then focus on neck exercises and building up your traps. Then make sure to build yourself a tailor made wardrobe so that your hard work is always on display when you are in public. You might not be a show off all of the time. But I bet you would like to show off that one part of your body that you have always been insecure about… right?

Once you have understood this, then it is up to you put more focus on the areas of your body where your genetics have decided to curse you.

Watch How Your Body Responds To Certain Scenarios

This is a key thing that you need to do. You can read everything that I tell you here and a lot of it may work. There will be times when you do something ‘right’ in your workout, different to what you have done previously, and that is when you will have found out what works for you! When that does happen, make sure you write it down. If it begins to work again then you know you can use that method over and over again. You will now have learned how to ride your own bodybuilding bike… just know that you will have to change the gears every now and again so that your muscles always have something new to talk about.

Now, this probably won’t happen often… well, it just might. But when it doesn’t, you will be faced with bodybuilding failure. You will either face a plateau or worse… lose muscle mass. I have personally experienced the pain of losing muscle mass, at a time when I was working out the hardest. I just couldn’t figure it out. Looking back now, it was probably a combination of things.

• Not having enough rest days
• Working the same muscle group to much
• Not taking my glutamine supplement
• Or just not eating the right food before my workout

Since then I haven’t really faced any traumas as I did then. I’ve managed to find ways to prevent that from happening. I guess you could say that I have begun to find my own map. But it’s not to say that the same thing can’t happen again.

The devil really is in the detail here. Just make sure you keep your eye on the ball. Watch how your body responds to everything you do. And when the good things happen, write it down… and celebrate a little.

Create And Follow Your Own Trial And Error

In the last couple of posts, you will have learned the about the importance of

• Writing things down

(If you don’t yet use a journal, here is a simple one that you can use)

And here’s another simple one, which you can just download.

However, I personally think I can design a better one. If I do, you will know about it.

• Following up what you did with what you had planned

• Understanding why you didn’t follow through with the whole plan

• Drafting a new plan to fix and improve

• Keeping a journal of that

• Tracking and analyze the results

• Using that data that as a base of progression

This is a much better way than following the leader for a few reasons

• You have different genetics – Your bodies will respond different to different things
• You may have slightly different goals
• You don’t know their ‘real’ lifestyle (What they eat, how they eat, how much they sleep etc.)

There are many factors in ones lifestyle that could affect the way one looks and performs in the gym.

But something that is beneficial is if you find a leader in the gym that openly states what works for them, but also recognizes what may work for you, using the same info. I might even be a contender to be your virtual gym partner. Time will be the decider of what happens with that.

The last thing you want to make sure you do is HAVE FUN!

I’ve already covered a few ways in which you can do this, both when working out and not.

Forget About The Gym! Play Rockband and Guitar Hero For Fitness

Help! I Can Barely Lift My Own Body Weight, How Do I Start?

Working Out is Boring! Lets Just Dance (part 1)

But there’s no point doing any of this if you aren’t going to have some fun along the way. (Don’t worry; I will always be on the quest to find new ways to have fun with bodybuilding)

Once you follow this map in this order, you’ll be able to see where all of the loopholes exist in your workout routine.

See you in the comments.

15 Things Successful Bodybuilders And Successful Entrepreneurs Have In Common

Which You Should Adapt Too!

(I’m changing my routine again stayfitbuggers (Just for one day )

I’m not a big fan of ‘labels’ when it comes to certain job roles, as being labeled something is usually just a glorified word to make an unglamorous role sound sexy. But if I look at the things I have been doing with my life, then I have been or still am both of these. A body builder and entrepreneur. And when talking about unglamorous yet sexy named roles, this would definitely be the case with the word ‘entrepreneur’. Look how sexy that word sounds. Throw in a French accent and I’d love to be called that everyday. But most entrepreneurial experiences are far from glamorous. They are often gritty, gut wrenching painful experiences. But on the other side of it however, is pure glamour. It just takes a lot of swimming through shit to get there. But over time, I have come to realize the many similarities that bodybuilders and entrepreneurs have in common. Having stepped in the shoes of both ‘roles’, I’d say I’m pretty qualified to compile such a list. Here goes.

#1 They Have Uber Schtick

What this means is that these guys will find creative ways to get the attention of the masses. In often wild and sometimes risky and humorous ways. But when it does work, the masses will often show love back. Both bodybuilders and entrepreneurs do this. While bodybuilders tend to get people watching them in awe while they pump weights, entrepreneurs will be out making noise and attracting all types of media coverage.

#2 They Are All Crazy

It has been noted quite a few times that Shaun Sinclair is officially ‘nuts’ but hey, I’ve been that way since birth, and I’m not faking sanity for anyone anytime soon. Learn to like and deal with it… or take the road to the high way, just not ‘my’ way. That’s me. But one thing I have noticed with both of these types of people is that they are all loopy, they have lost the plot. In fact, that is with anyone that has been uber successful. Michael Jackson is the best example of that. (R.I.P)

My loopy examples are…

Bodybuilder – Arnold Schwarzenegger (The Terminator for governor)

Entrepreneur – I’d probably say Steve Jobs

#3 They Don’t Understand The Phrase ‘Give Up’

While everyone else worries, focusing on what everyone else thinks about him or her. These guys are busy pushing forward and innovating. Now they probably have had the ‘give up’ mentality at some point. But then this magical thought enters their brain and says to them ‘give up and do what?’ It is at this point they just continue to push forward, which leads to some super eccentric thinking, and like magic, they create something that becomes fantastic. For entrepreneurs it’s a business and for bodybuilders – a body that you will probably never develop.

The bottom line is this: Surround yourself with the best. Only the ‘best’ think this way, regardless if they have become uber successful or not, because they will become uber in some way or another. It’s just a matter of time. Those who don’t think like this tend to adapt the give up mentality, and it is that energy which they naturally decide to force on to others. When you see this happening, take your wings out like the bug, buzz off and fly away.

Oh, and they don’t give a shit about what these folks have to say, unless it’s in the form of some praise or feedback of course.

#4 They Could Probably Steal Your Girl Off Of You, And There Will Be Nothing You Can Do About It.

Unless your lady is really special and really loves you dearly, then these guys could probably sweep your girl right off of her feet.

Why?

1. Women are attracted to men that are dynamic, courageous, passionate, spontaneous and adventurous. Bodybuilders and entrepreneurs rank high in all of these personal traits. Quite simply, women don’t want wimps. They want a man that can stand his ground and be ‘the man’ in a relationship. Are you a wimp? If so then you better stay on stayfitbug.com… if you don’t, it might just be me that takes your girl.
2. Every woman loves a man that looks good. Yea, she might not always get that, but you can be damn sure that it’s something she thinks about on a regular basis. Bodybuilders look good! And yes, your lady will stare and make him aware of it. If he’s a good guy, he’ll just laugh it off. But if he’s a bad guy (Like most with the above traits are) then he’ll take her number right in front of you, and there will be nothing you can do about it.

#5 They Naturally Think Like 5%ers

Apparently that figure has dropped to 2%. I guess the world has become a scarier place overtime… who knows? But both of these types of individuals tend to adopt the mindset of a 5%er. Naturally, most entrepreneurs would think this way, but not everyone will have the balls to ‘go at it’ quit there jobs and be a ‘true’ 5%er. But hey, I am only talking about uber successful ones here.

Maybe their similar way of thinking comes from encouraging super productivity. Or maybe just the fact that they know in order to be their best, they have to give it their best shot, and let nothing else get in there way. If that is the case, then they probably were never taught to be a 5%er. They just happen to think this way due to circumstance.

#6 They Plan Everything

Sometimes you can get away without having a plan, but if you look deep into whatever situation you are currently in, you probably ended up there because it was some part of your original plan.

But planning everything is something both uber successful entrepreneurs and bodybuilders do. Sure, plans can change, and in the famous words of the Joker from the movie The Dark Knight…

‘You know what I’ve noticed? Nobody panics when things go “according to plan.” Even if the plan is horrifying! If, tomorrow, I tell the press that, like, a gang banger will get shot, or a truckload of soldiers will be blown up, nobody panics, because it’s all “part of the plan.” But when I say that one little old mayor will die, well then everyone loses their minds!’

Source: www.imdb.com

Planning is key. Luck can play its part too… sure. But no bodybuilder developed near perfect looking muscles by relying on luck.

#7 They Love What They Do And Do What They Love

You could also call it, sticking to what they know. They just became so good that they simply could not be ignored by the masses. Both bodybuilding and entrepreneurship can have their dull moments, and since starting stayfitbug.com I have always tried to enlighten you all. But more importantly, I just love this bodybuilding game… I just make it fun, and I hope you read and perceived it that way too. Bodybuilders and Entrepreneurs (especially technology and internet ones) both tend to become.

1) Obsessed with tweaking and testing

2) May often put their love for ‘the role’ before anyone else, including loved ones.

3) Could probably admit that they’ve stepped into the shoes of a manic depressive (from the brutal ups and downs that they face)

But hey, it’s all in the name of love. After all, love really does conquer all.

#8 They Take Their Selves Seriously

Not too seriously though. You will become a person that just plain SUCKS if you are serious 24/7. It’s just not human. Nevertheless both Bodybuilders and entrepreneurs take what they do seriously and believe fully in what they are doing.

Some common crowd responses to this.

1) The Bodybuilder – ‘Oh, you doing the whole bodybuilding ‘thing’ again today? Ah it’s all baloney, stop being so tense and ease up. You’re probably only doing it to attract the ladies anyway’

2) The Entrepreneur – ‘ Hey, long time no see. You still doing the whole Internet business thing?

… Thing?

That is almost an insult to ones being. These types of questions can come from all types of people, depending on your relationship with them. But uber successful people pretty much tend to block these reactions out and follow through with the plan. They just are that serious. But by the time they become uber successful, they are on a speed train that is going too fast for anyone to slow down.

#9 They Present Themselves ‘Oh… So Positively’

And it doesn’t seem to be taught either, it just comes with the territory of the personality (Talking from experience here ). And they both tend to have a positive presence and image when meeting those they wish to do business with, or with those they wish to accept into their network. Now one may argue that this could be seen as being fake, being positive ALL of the time. But I don’t think it is. I just think that,

• They know that most people may generally have negative mindsets
• They know ups and downs happen (For some it’s a public affair)

If so, why would you keep looking ‘down’? With bodybuilding or entrepreneurial hurdles, you rise by pushing forward by being positive. Besides, who wants to meet and aspire to be like a bodybuilder who looks and sounds like he’s in the dumps when you meet him?

#10 They Both Know What It Means To ‘Take A Break’

The rewards at the end of the tunnel for both bodybuilding and entrepreneurship can be great. I’ve had relatively good times wearing both of those shoes. But if there is one thing I have learned, which I know without a doubt that uber successful bodybuilders and entrepreneurs know, it is the importance of taking a break. Of course, when the times demand it, you will have to give it your all. But this is usually just a moment in time.

Success is never overnight, and is quite often thrust upon the individual in a surprising manor, and more often then not; it won’t be a never-ending success story. It will most probably be like a milestone accomplishment, and for many, may cause even more problems in life and introduce a whole new batch of responsibilities. Because of that, these guys know that they need to pace their selves, not take themselves too seriously and live a little. It is within that time of taking a break where they can recharge their batteries.

1) Bodybuilders – Give there bodies a break. Draft and plan the future action. Then execute.

2) Entrepreneurs – Let the mind relax. Take up activities such as yoga (or even bodybuilding). Reanalyze and confirm their current direction. It is at this time where the best decisions start to get made.

#11 They Design Their Workspace For Success

I can bet money that if you were to walk into the room where an uber successful bodybuilder or entrepreneur spends most of their time, that it won’t be the norm.

For the Bodybuilder, you will see…

• Workout routine journals and drafts
• Daily plans
• Posters of Famous Bodybuilding moguls
• Maybe some home gym equipment
• Space (Let the mind and body breathe)
• A door that locks (For ‘me’ time)
• A decent bed to sleep on (They need proper rest)

For the Entrepreneur

• A Whiteboard with monthly/ yearly plans
• Extra notes stuck on the wall surrounding the whiteboard
• Daily plan
• Entrepreneurial gadgets – Digi cam, lap top, dual monitor display, business cards, iphone
• Specifically well-lit room
• A door that locks
• Space

There probably are a whole lot more. But these are the ones I know these guys will have placed in their personal structure in some way or another. All of this will happen regardless if these folks plan it this way or not. Because you will attract and become what you think about the most.

#12 They Always Look For Ways To Improve

If you speak to the biggest guy in the room, Entrepreneur or Bodybuilder, you may find that they are also the most humble people in the room. I think it’s a case of the big guy not needing to prove that he has power, but if the little guy does cross the line, he will beat him down and remind him who the daddy is. Think about it…. think of one of the biggest companies out there ‘Google’. And take your pick from any monster-sized bodybuilder you have met. Ok Google might not be exactly humble, but when your hear the CEO speak, it is never in a perfectionist tone.

But it’s probably the fact that they know how many mistakes it took to get to where they are and the improvements that they had to make along the way. So always looking for ways to improve has become a default characteristic of their being.

This is the exact same mind frame that I know you too are adapting to your weightlifting routine. You wouldn’t have ended up reading this post if you hadn’t been.

#13 They Think Big

Now I could turn around and tell you that thinking big is the wrong thing to do. That thinking big will probably make you fall down and fail. Which is true. But if you want major change and major results, then you will have to think big. All you have to do is break down the plan into smaller steps. Just know that with each step you will have to learn to break out of your comfort zone and step your game up a notch. This surely is easier said than done. But the more you do this, the more natural it will seem when you do it. This applies to bodybuilding and entrepreneurship, and it’s what the uber guys have applied to their strategy in some way or another.

#14 They Are Always Open To Try New Things

I will start this with a famous quote

“The way to succeed is to double your failure rate. Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.”

- Henry Ford

Uber successful bodybuilders and entrepreneurs know this all too well. Which is why they aren’t scared to try new things. The word ‘new’ is what has allowed the world to be how you see it today, and you can be sure that the aftermath is a result of that quote above. Sure, the way in which bodybuilders and entrepreneurs execute this may be slightly different. But the underlying rule is still the same.

Hail to new and innovative bodybuilding products and equipment!

Hail to even more technological breakthroughs!

#15 They Ooze Confidence

Earlier I mentioned that these folks may come across very humble regarding their knew renowned status. But just know that behind that humble being is a very confident person. They have to have been, otherwise no one out there would have believed in them if they didn’t believe in themselves.

Maybe they might have started out as a wimp. It is possible. But the process of building a great body and the process of reaching success in business is a painful one. Enduring pain at any high level is sure to turn the wimpiest of beings into untamed confident beasts.

Before I end this, I’ll leave you with 10 traits of a confident bodybuilder. But quite frankly, like the rest of this article, I think the similarities are present once again when comparing a bodybuilder to an entrepreneur.

1) Walks in a slow and controlled rhythm

2) Always operates on his OWN timetable when walking

3) Walking strides are long—not short and choppy

4) Torso is always straight up

5) Shoulders are upright, back, and relaxed

6) Neck is strong and powerful—yet loose—and is stretched as high as possible

7) Head is always held high

8)  Head will always following the eyes. Eyes are level or higher (never looking down)

9) Head points straight ahead—and is never swiveling around

10) Eyes are looking forward and are focused on the destination (and are never darting around) and chin is always ‘up’.

See you in the comments.

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