Genesis

2nd edition

Body Spartan | 1
 This book and program is dedicated to my baby brother, Christopher.
I know you would have been proud of me. You are loved and missed.

IMPORTANT WARNING:
Always consult your doctor prior to beginning any workout or nutrition plan.

Copyright © 2017 by Body Spartan, Inc.

All rights reserved

Update: U.2.4.4

Body Spartan | 2
 Table of Contents
Part I: Motivation....................................4
Chapter 1: Lost And Found.........................4
Chapter 2: Find Your Motivation................6
Chapter 3: Myths And Mumbo Jumbo.......9
Chapter 4: Supplements.......................... 14
Chapter 5: Cardio................................... 20
It Takes More Energy To Maintain Muscle Than
It Does Body Fat............................................21
What Is Hiit?................................................. 22
Chapter 6: Nutrition Guidelines...............24
Forbidden Foods.......................................... 24
White Vs Wheat............................................ 26
Post Workout Nutrition................................. 27
The Fat Loss Anabolic Diet.......................... 28
Phase 1....................................... 29
Phase 2....................................... 30
Nutrition Calculaton............................... 30
Helpful Videos For The Nutrition Plan.....31
Part II: Workouts...................................32
General Guidelines...................................... 32
Repetitions................................................... 32
Journaling.................................................... 32
Printable Training Journal............................ 32
Iphone Training Journal Application............ 32
Tempo........................................................... 33
Failure Vs Fatigue........................................ 33
Hydration..................................................... 33
Rest Days..................................................... 33
Training Regimens........................................ 33
Strength Training: 5 X 5s.............................. 33
Mass Building............................................... 34
Endurance Training...................................... 34
Final Training Notes..................................... 35
Part III: Recipes.....................................36
Cooking Necessities..................................... 36
High-Speed Blender..................................... 36
Cooking Spray.............................................. 36
Food Scale................................................... 36
Additional Notes.......................................... 37
Help! I’m Running Out Of Carbs!.................. 37
To Go Meals.................................................. 37

BodyBody
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Spartan
Part I: Motivation
Chapter 1: Lost and found

We’ve all heard that old spiel about how it takes hard work, dedication,
and motivation to make a dream become reality. Well, it’s absolutely true
– especially when it comes to fitness.
I spent four and a half years in an industry where my ability
to be on television was dependent on my physique. That
industry was professional wrestling. I was lucky enough to
be a part of the largest professional wrestling company in
the world, which is WWE, Inc. (formerly known as WWF or
the World Wrestling Federation).
Trust me, when you’re in your underwear and boots in front
of 10,000 people at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for
Monday Night Raw, you better hope that you’ve worked
hard enough and had the dedication it takes to make those
people say, “Damn, that guy is big, ripped, and scary.”
My job security literally depended on people thinking that.
This was my motivation for my entire stint at WWE. I may not
have been a top-ranked guy, but I was 242 lbs at 6’-3”, had
one of the best physiques, and looked scary as hell when
the dreadlocks were down in my face. My stage name was
Tyler Reks, aka “T-Reks.”
Now, you’re obviously reading this book because either
(1) you’ve seen me on TV and want to know all my fitness
secrets or (2) you stumbled upon the website and noticed
I was big, ripped, and was (at one point) an international
TV star. No matter which reason, you have most likely
accepted the fact that I wouldn’t look the way I do if I didn’t
know a thing or two about fitness.
According to careerbuilder.com:
“Studies show attractive students get more attention and
higher evaluations from their teachers, good-looking
patients get more personalized care from their doctors, and
handsome criminals receive lighter sentences than less
attractive convicts. But how much do looks matter at work?
The ugly truth, according to economics professors Daniel
Hamermesh of the University of Texas and Jeff Biddle of
Michigan State University, is that plain people earn 5 to 10
percent less than people of average looks, who in turn earn
3 to 8 percent less than those deemed good-looking.”
Although you can’t change your height or your facial
features (without surgery that is), you can change your
physique, which has also been shown to improve the
attractiveness of facial features to the opposite sex.
Take for example Charlize Theron when she put on 30
pounds for her role in the movie “Monster.” She was hardly
what the general male population would consider attractive.
However, at her normal weight, her neck and jaw line are
much more defined, and the overall difference is night and
day. The same principal applies to guys.

Don’t confuse confidence for arrogance in the previous

statement, because in reality, most people who want to
be in top physical shape but aren’t simply lack confidence.
Research has shown that confidence levels in those persons
with “rockin’ bods” are much higher than those persons
who do not have attractive bodies.

Think I’m making this up?

“Do Pretty People Earn More?” http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-312-The-Workplace-Do-Pretty-People-Earn-More/

Body Spartan | 4
Motivation Chapter 1: Lost and found

So why am I telling you all of this? It’s not to make you feel
bad if you are currently in less-than-optimal shape. Instead,
it’s to create motivation. So far I’ve shown that hard work,
dedication, and motivation in my fitness regimen were a
good portion of the reason I was on international TV. I’ve
also illustrated that people who are in good physical shape
are more confident, more attractive, earn more, and are
generally happier. Don’t you want to have and experience
superficial envy of the viewers and fans though – but a
hero that was still larger than life. They needed a hero that
would protect them, that would make them feel safe, and
that was right here in their home. That was and still is my
current motivation - to be a hero for my family.

?
all of these things? They’re absolutely attainable and within

s
your grasp. You just have to find your specific motivation.

ur
My retirement from professional wrestling was in August

Yo
2012. Immediately following my retirement, I went through
eight months of lackadaisical workouts and struggling
with repetition. I hated being in the gym, I hated the way I

’s
looked, and I just wanted to go home, play X-Box, and hide.

at
I didn’t have to be “TV-ready” anymore, my wife loved me
for who I was and not what I looked like, and I was spending
12 hours a day at my desk working to build a new internet
marketing company. I felt incredibly mediocre everywhere
I went – especially at the gym. There were guys in their
Wh
early 20s in better shape than I was, and it killed me inside.
In the worst way I just wanted to take one of those little five
pound weights and Frisbee it at the next kid that walked
by that was in better shape than me. With the exception of
my dreadlocks, I was blending in with the world, and it was
eating me up inside. Then, I had an epiphany. One day in
April 2013, I realized I literally had zero motivation to lift,
and I tweeted the following:

“Being in the gym without motivation is like being a soldier

on the battlefield without a gun.”

That was the moment I decided to change. I’d been a

superstar before, I knew what it took, and I knew I could set
myself apart again. I had to find motivation though. A flurry
of thoughts ran through my head right then. “Should I go
back to wrestling?”, “Should I go train for MMA?”, “Should I
go audition for a movie?”

Surprisingly, even to me, the answer was none of the above.

I found my motivation that very same night when I came
home and my wife and I put my 16-month old daughter
to sleep in her crib. Watching her sleep and seeing my
wife with loving eyes looking over her, I knew that they
both needed a hero. Not one that was on TV and was the

Body Spartan | 5
Chapter 2: Find Your Motivation
Part I: Motivation
Not everyone will have the same experience I did when
searching for true motivation to achieve their fitness goals.
It struck me like lightning and was almost a surreal and
spiritual experience. Luckily, though, this ain’t my first
rodeo, and I have a plan to help you get motivated.
So what is motivation? It’s the driving force behind what
you are currently doing, the reason for pushing yourself
to the limit. Motivation is being 12 minutes into a wrestling
match against a 285-pound opponent named Mason Ryan
and knowing that no matter how tired and beat up I was, I
would have to pick him up on my shoulders and give him
my finishing move, “The Burning Hammer.” This is no small
feat, mind you.
The man is literally a rock and the maneuver is extremely
complicated. The motivation, though, was to impress Vince
McMahon and show him that I could cross the finish line and
win the match. That’s just one example of how motivation
will help you reach down and pull energy and power from
the depths of your soul that you never knew you had.
If you can’t relate to being in a professional wrestling match,
then perhaps this anecdote will help you find your motivation.
When I was 18 years old I weighed 178 pounds, stood at 6’-
3”, and had 8% body fat. The infamous dreadlocks did not
adorn my head at that time in my life, either. No sir, I had
the Alex Riley all-American clean cut. What I’m getting at,
Body Spartan | 6
is that I was a lanky little tyrannosaur and really had an
itch to get bigger. As part of my feeble attempts to put on
size at the gym, I found myself subscribing to Muscle Media
Magazine and spent countless hours reading workouts and
gawking at Monica Brant. No, I don’t remember any of the
dudes’ names in the workout magazine, but I did remember
Monica. She was the pinnacle of women’s fitness at that
time. Now let me be clear, this was fitness, not bodybuilding.
The latter involves females injecting themselves with all
sorts of anabolic steroids and undergoing the unfortunate
side effects, which includes virilization – when a female
develops male sex characteristics such as masculine facial
features and unnatural amounts of muscle mass. This was
not Monica, she was a fitness competitor and was very
lady-like.
After spending countless dollars on my subscription to
Muscle Media and hours pondering what it would take for
a girl like Monica Brant to notice a skinny little guy like me,
the answer fell right into my lap – kind of. Actually, I turned
the page in the latest issue and saw that the owner of the
magazine, Bill Phillips, had decided to hold a contest. It
was the first ever body transformation challenge, and the
grand prize was Bill’s red Lamborghini Diablo. I’m not sure
if you heard me, but that was Bill’s red (insert expletive)
Lambo. Somewhere in the silly mind of that 18-year-old
boy, I actually thought I had a chance of winning that chick
magnet and taking Monica Brant for a spin…in the car, of
Motivation
course.
That was all the motivation I needed. I began to freak out
wondering how I would actually achieve this goal of winning
the contest. Luckily, though, Bill had written me a road map,
right there in the magazine. Step one was to go buy a bunch
of his company’s supplements and use them throughout the
12-week contest. He even admitted this whole thing was
about making money for him, but in the process I would
be handsomely rewarded with a sweet body and a bitchin’
ride. So I bit – hook, line, and protein powder. I bought
every supplement that my student Visa card would allow
me to and stacked the supplements in the corner of my
room. According to Bill, now that I was motivated, the next
step was to stay that way. He recommended taking the
fold-out of his red Lambo and stapling it to the wall in my
closet so that every time I opened it I would remember my
goal. He also recommended tearing out pages with photos
of the greats like Arnold, Nasser El Sonbaty, and Flex
Wheeler and stapling those to my closet, too. Now normally
I wouldn’t put a bunch of photos on my wall of ripped, half
-naked dudes, but this was all in the name of Monica Brant.
Done deal. Dudes on wall – check.
The last step was to use Bill’s recommended workouts,
which he would be supplying in the upcoming issues of
Muscle Media. He was even kind enough to give me one
in the issue that described the contest, and it’s actually
one I still use today from time to time, which I will pass
along to you. The only other advice Bill gave was to be
religious about the contest. I was not to miss a single dose
of supplements, not to miss a meal, a training session, or a
cardio session. For 12 weeks I was to be a machine. I was to
Body Spartan | 7
Chapter 2: Find Your Motivation
eat, sleep, and breathe nothing but training, supplements,
and nutrition.
Every morning I opened my closet and saw that red
Lamborghini and the photos of the bodybuilders I idolized
during that contest. Bill couldn’t have been more correct!
I stayed motivated even when I was exhausted. At the end
of the 12 weeks I had gained 14 lbs of lean muscle and cut
my body fat from 8% to 6.2%. I didn’t win the contest, but
I was in the 92nd percentile and even got a cool certificate
that I hung on my wall. Bill couldn’t decide on a single
winner so he picked a few, sold the Lamborghini, and with
the proceeds he bought a few Corvettes to give to them. I
never did get to take Monica for a spin in my dream car, but
I did walk away with more confidence than I’d ever had in
my entire life. I also walked away with a pretty sweet new
physique that I was happy to show off at pool parties and
the beach. I would even go so far as to say it helped me
attain the confidence I needed to ask a certain young lady
on a date. This young lady eventually became my wife, to
whom I am still happily married.
The moral of this anecdote is that this formula works. As
boyish and as stupid as these tactics may seem, they
work – and they work well. So here’s your roadmap:
1. Find your motivation
Know what it is you’re striving for, and go find photos of
your goal. For your physical goal, go buy a Muscle &
Fitness magazine or Flex magazine and rip out a bunch
of photos of people you want to look like and staple
them to your wall in your closet. You could print out
photos off the Internet, but by the time you’re done the
cost of ink will cost you the same price as a magazine.
Plus the magazine will have more photos and probably
some decent workout and nutritional advice.
2. Buy supplements
Chapter 4 discusses which supplements I used, which
ones I suggest, and which ones are garbage. With
that in mind, when you determine which supplements
are right for you, go buy enough of them to get you
through 12 weeks of training.
Motivation Chapter 2: Find Your Motivation

workouts is included in the training section of this book.

3. Use the supplements religiously
DO NOT miss a single dose of your supplements. It
doesn’t matter if it’s a protein shake or a fat burner,
you absolutely must take your supplements on a
regular basis without missing a dose. This may seem
like overkill, but if you’re going to go all out for 12
weeks, then you can’t half-ass anything, especially
your supplement regimen. Think of your body as an
exotic car that’s been running on Rotten Robbie crap
gasoline and dirty oil for the last 10 years all while
idling in the garage for hours on end. You need a full
tune-up that’s complete with fuel injector cleaner and
high-octane fuel, and you need to drive on the freakin’
Autobahn. The analogy here is that you’ve been eating
crap food for years while not pushing your body to
meet its potential. Start eating right (see Chapter 6 for
nutrition), add some supplements (high-octane fuel),
and hit the gym religiously (the Autobahn).
Males and females can use these exact workouts and
see maximum results. I’ve sculpted my body through
my own personal trial and error, research, and gym
time. The workouts I’m giving you will help you build
a similar physique.
So there’s your roadmap to success. I want you to look
back at the steps and say them out loud one at a time.
Now do it again
We humans don’t have a GPS system built into our
brains. Instead, we have a biological supercomputer
that has the ability to recall enormous amounts of data,
if we tell it to. That’s your task right now. Tell your
brain to remember the 5 steps to success and not to
forget them and not to stray from the path.

Plus, if you end up skipping doses of your supplements,

you might as well have just put the money you spent
on them in a blender, drank it, and then peed it out
later. Yes, you’re just flushing your money down the
toilet if you aren’t consistent.

4. Stick to your nutrition plan

As I mentioned in the previous step, there’s an entire
chapter on nutrition. Read it and live by it for 12 weeks.
I’ve included all of my favorite recipes for anabolic
eating to help maximize your muscle growth while
reducing body fat. Do not stray from your nutritional
guidelines. If you do, all of your hard work and time
spent in the gym will be for nothing. You cannot reduce
body fat with a poor diet. Likewise, you cannot gain
You will succeed if you tell
muscle mass with a poor diet. More than 50% of your
success will be derived from your ability to eat right
yourself you are going to
and follow the nutrition guidelines in this book. A great
physique is built in the gym and in the kitchen.

5. Use the workouts included in this book

Everything you ever wanted to know about my

Body Spartan | 8
Chapter 3: Myths and Mumbo Jumbo
Part I: Motivation
Before I can provide you with the secrets that helped me
attain my fitness goals and obtain the incredible physique
most of you saw while I was on TV, I first need to dispel some
of the most common myths that surround fitness. These
are all based on statements I’ve heard over the years from
people at the gym, Twitter, Facebook, and even friends.
THE magic pill
There is no magic pill, so get over it. No single supplement
on the market is the end-all to obtaining the physique you
always hoped and dreamed of. In fact, from my personal
experience, most of the supplements on the market right
now are either garbage or they simply produce such micro
results that unless you’re a professional bodybuilder, you
won’t notice them. There are, however, a limited number of
supplements I’ve found to be useful that actually produce
results. I will discuss those later.
For now, you need to realize and accept that there is
absolutely no substitution for old-fashioned hard work in
the gym. This entire section of the book is dedicated to
creating motivation for obtaining your fitness and physique
goals. With that in mind, if you’re looking for a quick fix,
leave now. If you’re ready to dedicate 12 weeks so that you
can change your life forever, keep reading.
If girls lift heavy they will
1 “Men’s Fitness Guide To Supplements: Part 2 - Fat Burners” http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mens-fitness-guide-to-
supplements-fat-burners.html
Body Spartan | 9
look like female bodybuilders
This couldn’t be further from the truth. The truth is that
the female body, by the flawless design of our maker, will
not look like a female bodybuilder without the help of
exogenous hormones (AKA: drugs). Females obviously have
a larger amount of estrogen in their body than men do. Not
only does this give them all of the features that men love
(breasts, hips, smooth skin, delicate facial features, etc.),
but it also limits muscle growth. If there was a magic pill
for building muscle, it’s the male hormone testosterone.
Without it, muscle growth will not occur at rapid rates.
Without going into a lot of unnecessary detail, this is why
men can naturally increase their muscle mass exponentially
faster and in larger quantities than females can. Yes, as a
female, you can naturally develop enough muscle mass to
look like a hard-body, but not like a bodybuilder.
In short, don’t be afraid to lift hard and heavy.
Drugs are the only way to look
good
Wrong, wrong, and wrong. Busting your ass in the gym,
nutrition, and supplements are the only way to look good –
if you’re not using drugs. Yes, anabolic steroids and other
illegal substances will add muscle mass and shred your
body quickly. However, a jaw-dropping physique can still
 Motivation
be achieved with good nutrition, a solid workout plan, and
some serious dedication. Supplements are paramount to
success though. They provide the nutrients that our bodies
need to in order to optimize our workouts and recovery.
Look at it this way, the rule of thumb is that you need
approximately one gram of protein per lean pound (2.24
kg) of body mass in order to gain muscle. So if I weigh
250 pounds and have 5% body fat, that means I have
approximately 12.5 pounds of body fat (250 lbs X 5% = 12.5
lbs). So that means I have about 237.5 pounds of lean
muscle (not accounting for skeletal mass and organs). So
for someone my size to grow, I need 237.5 grams of protein
per day. If I eat 5 meals a day, that’s 47.5 grams of protein
per meal. Either I need to eat 1.5 pounds of chicken with
each meal, which (unless your name is Rob Terry) is not
going to happen, or start looking into a protein supplement.
A side note on Rob Terry. This guy is an amazing specimen
of a bodybuilder turned wrestler. I trained with him at the
official WWE training center in Tampa, Florida. It was called
Florida Championship Wrestling. Rob ate a very similar diet
to what’s provided here, except he weighed around 280
to 290 pounds and had about 5% body fat at any given
time. The guy would literally show up to practice with an
enormous Tupperware™ container full of boneless, skinless
chicken breasts. There had to be 10 of them in there and
he’d eat them all – without seasonings or salt. The guy
was and still is a freakin’ machine. That, my friends, is
dedication.
Ok, back to supplements versus food. Another example
of supplementation is creatine monohydrate. The
recommended dosage to see noticeable effects is 20 grams
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Body Spartan | 10
Chapter 3: Myths and Mumbo Jumbo
per day during the loading phase, which is the first 5-7 days.
Research has shown that beef (steak) is the food with the
highest amount of creatine occurring naturally in it. A 12
ounce steak has approximately 1.5 grams of protein in it. So
to get through your loading phase, you would need more
than 13 steaks that weigh 12 ounces each. Or, you could just
add a scoop of creatine to your shakes three times a day.
Which sounds easier? Personally, I’m not a fan of being
constipated, and only God knows what 13 steaks a day
for five days will do to the G.I. tract and colon of a human
being. That being said, I’d recommend supplementing your
creatine.
That’s it people. It simply boils down to the science of
building muscle and burning fat. You don’t need drugs, but
you do need supplements.
If I take fat burners I will get lean
This is only a half myth – or a half truth, depending on how
you look at it. Most of the so-called fat burners available
on the market today are really just stimulant mixtures that
are loaded with large amounts of caffeine. Most of them
will have some combination of caffeine, yohimbine, and/or
forskolin. These are lipolytic agents. Lipolysis is the process
of releasing fat from your fat cells. So, as you can imagine,
lipolytic agents are good things to have on your side when
you’re looking to lose weight. When fat is removed from
cells and burned for fuel, those cells shrink and you get
leaner. Lipolytic agents such as the ones mentioned above
have been shown to promote lipolysis, but from my own
personal experience, fat simply does not “melt” off of the
body. 1
The truth is that to get lean, you must have a strict nutrition
plan, and you absolutely must do cardio. Adding a fat
burner with one or more of the ingredients above will help
the process but only if you are already following a strict
training program.
Keep in mind that the truly effective fat burners are no
longer available as they are banned by the FDA. Ephedra,
for example, was one of the most popular and effective
fat burners and was available in any GNC up until 2006
when it was banned. Ephedra is a true thermogenic in that
it literally raises your body temperature, which promotes
rapid fat loss. The downside was that it has some major
side effects, including sudden cardiac death.2
The truth here is that taking fat burners and then continuing
to eat fast food, drink soda or beer, and skip cardio is once
again flushing your money down the toilet. If you’re not
going to train or you’re going to half-ass it and think that
Motivation
a fat burner alone will give you a six pack, expect to have
plenty of sleepless nights from the caffeine and stimulants
to ponder why you’re still not in the shape you want to be.
Avoiding eating to be lean
Starving yourself is the absolute worst way to lean up. I’ve
seen plenty of guys as well as girls try this. They always
see results for a day or two and then reality sets in. If you
avoid eating to be lean, you are actually slowing down your
metabolism. The simplified explanation is that your body
assumes you are starving yourself, so after a short duration
of decreased food intake, it will start to hang on to fat the
way John Cena hangs on to that title belt. In other words, it
just won’t let go. In addition to a slowed metabolic rate, your
body will begin to catabolize muscle. This is the breakdown
of muscle fibers for energy. Yes, you will lose that precious
muscle you worked so hard to gain if you avoid eating.
So how do you lean up? This will be explained in detail in
the nutrition section, but one way is to increase your meal
frequency and decrease your portion sizes. You can also
play with your carbohydrate intake to really lean up as
you get closer to your final weeks of the program. However,
my philosophy has always been that I shouldn’t have to
adjust my diet and suffer the symptoms of carbohydrate
depletion to look good. I’ve always lived by the
understanding that if I make
my nutrition a
Body Spartan | 11
Chapter 3: Myths and Mumbo Jumbo
lifestyle and not a “diet” that the long term result will be
a chiseled body year round with the ability to basically eat
carbs whenever the heck I feel like it. My metabolism is so
high that I literally eat a bowl of Pumpkin Flax Cereal before
bed a few times a week, and my body fat is still below 8%.
Yes, this works for me, and its worked for several people
that I’ve trained. The issue now, though, is that as I am
getting older and I’m not wrestling four or more days a
week, the body fat has begun to creep up on me. That’s
when I had to turn to the nutrition plan included in this book.
It works and it works well.
TV workouts are the answer to
fitness
Sorry folks, this is a bust. Some of my best friends in the
business were TV and DVD workout guys and thought that
spending money on these things was going to give them the
edge they needed to get noticed by the brass at WWE. It
pains me to say it, but they were dead wrong. TV workouts
can be good cardio, but in my opinion, that’s it. They will not
build the bodies you see working out with the instructors on
your TV or iPad. Not unless it’s accompanied by a serious
weight lifting program and one hell of a nutrition plan.
The guys I knew swapped out most of their weight training
for workouts like these that used all body weight exercises,
and they paid the price. They saw virtually no results
for increased muscle mass after four weeks of training.
Perhaps a little bit of fat loss, but definitely
no noticeable muscle growth. In order to put
on noticeable muscle mass, from my own
personal experience, you absolutely have to
have resistance training with weights in your
workout.
Now, all this isn’t to fault the TV workouts,
because I do believe that they have helped
many people. However, I’ve found from
my years of being in the fitness industry
that the average person simply isn’t
motivated enough to use these workouts
to their full capacity. The problem with
being at home for your workouts is just
that – you’re at home. Every distraction
is available, and Murphy’s Law will
eventually win the battle. Distractions
1 “Men’s Fitness Guide To Supplements: Part 2 - Fat
Burners” http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mens-
Body Spartan | 11
Motivation Chapter 3: Myths and Mumbo Jumbo

such as kids, phone calls, computers, and the couch all even better way to burn calories. 4 More on this later.
are there, and they tend to take precedence over working
out to your 110% potential. Joining a gym or a health club
and dedicating that single hour a day is probably one of I can have any of the
the most important moves you will make towards attaining
your goals.
supplements at the gym
Dear God, no. Most of the supplements you will see at
You can spot-reduce fat your gym or health club will be crap – plain and simple.
They are the fast food of supplements, but they sell really
I can’t tell you how many guys have asked me, “Hey Reks, well. Why? Simply because they taste good and they are
how do I get rid of these love handles?” I’m also sure that convenient. Are they going to help you reach your fitness
we’ve all heard females complain about how they just goals? More than likely the answer is no. Let’s dive into this.
want to lose body fat in their butt and upper thighs, but
can’t. Spot-reduction is simply a myth. Sure you can Here’s a few of the protein bars I see people at my gym
spread Preparation H on your stomach and wrap yourself grabbing off the shelves on a daily basis:
in cellophane for the night for some temporary water
reduction. It does not spot-reduce fat though. detour bar label
Trouble areas have been shown to be the result of genetics.
If you know me, you’ll know I’m adamantly against the
theory that genetics prevent people from being in shape.
It may sound ignorant to you, but I’ve trained enough
people and watched enough people be trained to see that
obtaining fitness goals is completely a mind over matter
situation. My wife and I owned a personal training center
in San Clemente, CA before I was signed to WWE, and we
literally watched lives change as our clients got into better
and better shape. This was especially true for the ones
that thought their genetics wouldn’t allow them to be in
phenomenal shape. With that in mind, the only genetic
fitness theory I buy into is this one: “The last place you lose
body fat is based on your genetics.” For most females it’s
their butt and upper thighs. For most males it’s our bellies
and then our love handles. Notice there’s no footnote here?
I could find a reference, but everyone reading this knows
it’s true. So we’ll leave it at that.

So how do you get rid of those trouble spots? When you

do reach this point in your program and you have trouble
seeing those last areas of body fat decrease, that’s when
it’s time to shock your body again. Fine tuning your nutrition
and increasing the intensity of your cardio routine will help
shed the fat off those trouble areas. Specifically, I’m a fan
of High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T.). I’ll explain this in
detail later, but basically you will be switching from aerobic
cardiovascular exercise to anaerobic cardiovascular
exercise. Anaerobic workouts create a longer post-workout
calorie burn than other types of workouts, making them an

4 “AEROBIC VS. ANAEROBIC FAT BURNING “ http://www.livestrong.com/article/431402-aerobic-vs-anaerobic-fat-

burning/#ixzz2a1woKD1u

Body Spartan | 12
 Motivation Chapter 3: Myths and Mumbo Jumbo

The Pure Protein Bar has 6 grams of fat, which isn’t

terrible, but it also has 200mg of sodium hiding in it. Lean Body RTD
If you want water retention, you’ve come to the right
place. There’s also 16 grams of carbs in this bar and
20 grams of protein. For females, this is a “no-no” for
pre-workout or even post workout.

The Detour Bar is also heavily loaded with some bad

stuff. At 460 calories, it’s literally a meal, so keep that
in mind. Next, there’s 12 grams of fat and 320mg of
sodium. Finally, there’s 58 carbohydrates in it as well.
This bar would be perfect for someone like me when
I’m in a bulking phase. Although, I wouldn’t even eat
one of these regularly. I don’t know where the fat is
coming from, but I can guarantee it’s not a healthy fat
from an avocado or olive oil. Ergo, it’s not the kind of
fat I would want in my system. Again, for most females,
this is a terrible choice. For most guys, this isn’t the
optimal choice, either. This is especially true if you are
going to devour the bar right before you workout. For
most females the goal is to reduce body fat. Chowing
a bunch of carbs and fat right before a workout will If you absolutely must get a meal replacement at the gym,
cause your body to use that energy source before it try to aim for the shakes. They tend to be on the better side
gets to your body fat. In short, your entire workout will of nutritional value. For females, I’d recommend something
be a wash, and you won’t have shed a single ounce of along the lines of a Lean Body by LaBrada. They have 260
body fat. calories, 9 grams of fat, 9 grams of carbs, and 40 grams of
protein! For females, this is a perfect post-workout shake. In
Pure protein bar label fact, only having half the serving worked well for my wife
and former professional fitness model, Priscilla Tuft. For the
guys, drink the whole thing post-workout. ‘Nuff said.

Another option that I would recommend for both guys

and ladies are the BSN Syntha-6 pre-made shakes. Most
gyms tend to have them, they’re packed with good protein
and low carbs, and they taste phenomenal – at least the
chocolate does.

BSN Syntha-6

BodyBody
Spartan
Spartan
| 13 | 13
Chapter 4: Supplements
Part I: Motivation
There are so many supplements on the market today that
anyone could spend a small fortune attempting to look like
the athletes that endorse said products. The supplement
industry is a trillion dollar industry for a reason. That reason
is that people spend money on what advertising tells them
will work. With professional bodybuilders and athletes
donning the advertising of every major dietary supplement
on the market, it’s hard NOT to jump on the bandwagon.
Luckily for you, I’ve tried just about every supplement on
the market and can tell you exactly which ones you need
to use and which ones are garbage. In my 20 years of
weightlifting and fitness training, I’ve personally found
that most supplements provide results on an ultra-micro
scale. That is to say, in a laboratory a bunch a scientists
that were paid by the supplement company found a way
to show that supplement X actually increased muscle mass
or accelerated fat loss. When you read the fine print, you’ll
find one of two things:
1. The result of the laboratory tests were so minute
that when actually used, you won’t notice a
difference.
2. You have to use the supplement in such a large
dosage that the cost of the supplement outweighs
the result.
A perfect example of media hype, is Kre-Alkalyn® by EFX.
This is a supplement that I swear by, but I’ve always taken
Body Spartan | 14
far above the recommended dosing guidelines. Their
advertisements boast a 28% strength increase, leading one
to believe that by using their product in the recommended
dosage, one would achieve a 28% strength increase over a
reasonable amount of time.
When you look deeper, though, the test that they are referring
to is this one: Stroychev K. and Terziiski N.: Comparison of
Kre-Alkalyn® to creatine on body composition, muscular
performance, & safety and can be found here.
The test involved giving power lifters 10 capsules a day
for 60 days. The recommended dose on the bottle is two
capsules before your workout and one capsule after. So
the test method uses 333.33% more Kre-Alkalyn® than the
company recommends on their bottle. In addition, the 28%
(actually 28.25%) strength increase was the cumulative
average of several different lifts combined. The actual
average amount of strength increase per lift was listed
at 10.76%. So if you bought a bottle of 240 capsules of
Kre-Alkalyn® on Amazon.com for the going rate of about
$24, you would think that would last you 80 days at three
capsules per day. In reality, if you wanted to achieve the
same results that EFX advertises, you would need to take 10
capsules per day and your bottle would be gone in 24 days.
I actually think that spending $24 for 24 days of a supplement
regimen is totally worthwhile, if the supplement works.
Which in the case of Kre-Alkalyn®, it does. This leads me
right into the supplements that I’ve found to be worth your
 Motivation
money. Note, these are the ONLY supplements that I use.
NOTE: I’ve provided links to these products on Amazon.com
to make purchasing easy for you. I’ve found Amazon.com
has the lowest prices on almost all supplements.
Kre-Alkalyn® by EFX
All American EFX Kre-Alkalyn EFX, 240
Capsules  building, I'm not big on whey protein or protein powder, in
All American EFX Kre-Alkalyn EFX, 120
Capsules  ample studies that have been performed to back this up, so
EFX is the original patent holder of Kre-Alkalyn so I trust
them enough that I’ve bought only their brand for years
now. Kre-Alkalyn is PH buffered creatine monohydrate.
They boast that it’s the only creatine monohydrate that
doesn’t lose its potency prior to being absorbed. I’ve tried
creatine monohydrate in the past and it worked but I also
got the unwanted side effects of water bloat. See, creatine
is supposed to force extra water inside the muscle cells to
provide an optimal muscle growth environment. The result
is a fuller, leaner look, along with increased strength and
delayed muscle fatigue – so you can knock out those last
few reps and tear down some extra muscle fiber. With old
school creatine, I found that water would end up between
the muscle and skin. EFX nailed it though, as I get none of
that with their product. I also can feel noticeable strength
increases when I use Kre-Alkalyn along with that fuller,
hard muscle look.
I should note that I’ve always taken six capsules per day,
spread out between breakfast, pre-workout (mid-day), and
right before bed time. Had I known I should have been
taking four more capsules daily, I can only imagine the
strength increases I would have experienced.
It should also be noted that consuming sufficient amounts
of water daily are needed to get the full effects of this
product. I shoot for a gallon of water each day, spread out
over the course of the day. For some that may simply be
too much. However, try to drink as much water as you can
handle. Typically I go until my urine is clear and then slow
down the rest of the day.
Recommended for both males and females.
BodyBody Spartan
Spartan | 15 | 15
Chapter 4: Supplements
Protein Powder
Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold
Standard, Extreme Milk Chocolate, 5 Pound 
Optimum Nutrition 100% Whey Gold
Standard, Extreme Milk Chocolate, 2 Pound 
Use sparingly. While protein is the building block for muscle
general. That being said, without sufficient protein, one
simply cannot increase muscle mass. There are more than
I won’t waste any time diving into the details. Long story
short, you typically need about one gram of protein per lean
pound of body mass. So for example, if you weight 200 lbs
and you have 10% body fat, that means you have (200 lb) X
(10% body fat) = 20 lbs of body fat. So to find lean muscle
mass, you now subtract that from your original weight. So
(200 lbs) – (20 lbs of body fat) = 180 lbs of lean body mass.
Keep in mind this number is a little bit high since we haven’t
accounted for bone structure, organs, fluids, etc. However,
this method has shown to be accurate enough and produce
results.
The question that I always get is, "Gabe what protein
powder do you use?" I’ve tried most of the protein powders
out there, and honestly, none of them taste fantastic and
even more so, I never seem to get the results I want with
protein powder. Here's my theory. When was the last time
you saw a pro bodybuilder drinking a protein shake that
wasn’t an advertisement? If you want any bodybuilding
documentary, you’ll notice the pros eat food. They eat real
food - mounds and mounds of real food. Not shakes upon
shakes of protein powder. Now, the FDA doesn’t regulate
protein powder, or any dietary supplement for that matter.
Motivation
That means that no one from a government agency goes
into the protein powder company’s manufacturing facility
and verifies that what they are advertising, is what’s in the
bottle. Who knows if you are really getting 24 grams of high
quality whey protein in each scoop? You put real food side
by side with a protein shake, and I’ll take the real food any
day. This is simply because I know that the nutrients in the
real food are fully accounted for. However, I do still use
protein powder, but it’s only once a day and post workout.
I load up a shake with almond milk, carbohydrate powder,
about 3 scoops of protein (about 70 grams), glutamine, and
creatine. The protein powder is a crap shoot, in my opinion,
and it’s really there just for the taste. I’m hoping that by
shucking 70 grams of protein in my shake, I’ll actually get a
decent percentage of actual, quality protein.
My current choice for protein is the Optimum Nutrition Gold
Standard Extreme Milk Chocolate. Each scoop has 24
grams of protein and only 3 grams of carbs. This is perfect
for the nutrition plan in this program since it has virtually
no carbs. It’s also great for post workouts when I want to
add carbs and sugars. It blends up smooth in a blender and
also mixes fairly well in a standard shaker cup. Remember
though, I only have one shake a day.
Recommended for both males and females.
Xiphos
XIPHOS, 60 CAPS, BY BODY SPARTAN
II’ve been using NO2 products for years, and I believe this
is one of those supplements that is worth the money when
used in conjunction with others such as Kre-Alkalyn and a
good, natural testosterone booster. NO2 products typically
consist of L-Arginine, which is an amino acid. It acts as a
vasodilator and expands the blood vessels to allow more
blood to flow through them. The result is a better “pump”,
Body Spartan | 16
Chapter 4: Supplements
which provides a better delivery of nutrients and oxygen
to the muscles. Similar to Kre-Alkalyn, I’ve found myself
capable of blasting out an extra rep or two where I couldn’t
previously.
We created and formulated Xiphos because I was tired of
paying for NO2 products that cost an arm and a leg and
required me to take 5 horse pills, multiple times a day. We
took three different types of L-argenine, added citrulline,
and dipotassium phosphate for a simple, 100% natural
formula that delivers one hell of a pump. If you’re over
200lbs, you may want to combine your dose to all four soft
gels in one serving. Taken about 30 minutes prior to your
workout, your pump should be extremely noticeable. As
always though, start off with the basic dose and work your
way up. Too much of anything taken too quickly has the
ability to cause some nasty side effects.
I would also call this an “advanced” supplement. By this
I mean that if you are just starting your fitness routine or
if you are moderately or severely overweight, I wouldn’t
bother with this product yet. This is one of those products
that gives you a little extra boost. If you are on a budget and
trying to decide how to spend your money, I’d recommend
the Kre-Alkalyn first, and if you’re a male – the all natural
testosterone booster.
Recommended for both males and females.
Pre-Workout products
I’m a fan of these as I find that just like the rest of the world,
I’m human, and I get tired. If I were to say that I was always
motivated to lift, I’d be lying. I’m not, and that’s why pre-
workout drinks were made. I’ve made my way through
several different pre-workout drinks over the years, and
I’ve landed on two that I consistently rotate with. I’ve listed
these below.
Mr. Hyde Pre-workout
MR. HYDE PRE-WORKOUT, AMAZON SEARCH
Made by Pro-Supps, this has got to be my favorite pre-
workout powder, hands down. It’s loaded with caffeine
anhydrous, which is the purest form of caffeine available
(300mg per scoop), so one scoop is really all I can handle
without getting nauseous. However, one scoop is all I ever
need. The beta alanine and niacin in the formula will literally
make your skin tingle and you’ll feel like you’re on fire. It’s
basically a, “Holy crap, I need to lift or throw something
Motivation
right now!” moment when it hits.
My personal ritual is to toss a scoop in a glass and add just
enough water to it mixes up entirely. I’d guess I add about
3 oz of water, maybe 4 at the most. I use a knife to mix it up
since a spoon can’t really get into the side of the glass very
well. Once it’s mixed I pound it like a shot, grab my gym bag,
and head right to the gym. By the time I’m done parking, the
tingles have already kicked in and I’m ready to go.
Recommended for both males and females.
Redline VPX
VPX REDLINE Xtreme Energy RTD Beverage,
Grape, 8-Ounce Bottles, 24-Count  Take for example the big BALCO scandal with Barry Bonds.
VPX REDLINE Xtreme Energy RTD Beverage,
Triple Berry, 8-Ounce Bottles, 24-Count  including GNC. Yeah, GNC has a reputation for carrying
Not much to say here except that this drink will actually
make me shaky if I haven’t eaten enough. I can’t take
Body Spartan | 17
Chapter 4: Supplements
Redlines continuously the way I can with Mr. Hyde, and I'm
not quite sure why. Rather, I use them on the off days when
I'm in a jam and forgot to take my pre-workout at home.
There’s some interesting ingredients in these as well. For
example, Vinpocetine is supposed to be a vasodilator but
also has been shown to increase cognitive ability as well.
In simpler terms, it give you a pump and clears your head
all while providing faster reaction times.
Recommended for both males and females.
Pro-Hormones
This could be an entire book in itself. Have I used pro-
hormones? Absolutely. Do they build muscle? Yes they
do, and fast. Pro-hormones are the supplement industry’s
closest products to anabolic steroids. It is my understanding
that they share similar chemical properties and structures
to well-known anabolic steroids. The difference, however,
is that chemists are getting smarter and creating designer
chemicals that are different enough in chemical structure
that they cannot be considered one of the substances on
the Schedule III list (banned substances). Some produce
different metabolites in your urine and some produce what
the manufacturers call “false positives.” It’s hard for me
to believe that if you test positive for Winstrol that the pro-
hormone you are taking isn’t actually a derivative of it.
However, that’s what the manufacturers are saying, and the
FDA hasn’t really paid much attention to it – sort of.
Before this, androstenedione was a popular supplement
that anyone could purchase at any supplement store –
only products that are 100% “not questionable.” Even they
carried andro at one point. When I was in college and
andro was the newest thing since creatine, my buddies and
I would take “poppers” as they were called. I think Pinnacle
Labs made them, and you’d chew up a few tabs, put them
under your tongue for 30 seconds, and go have one heck of
a workout. Little did we realize that the chemical converted
to testosterone once it passed through our livers, which is
why our workouts were nothing short of amazing.
So what’s the skinny? In short, there are a few pro-hormones
that I would have been able to recommend to you a few
years back. The problem is that the FDA catches up to these
supplement companies. When they do, these companies
shut down shop and have their chemists reformulate their
product. The company name will usually change too,
Motivation
so there is no way to really keep up with the changing
landscape of pro-hormones without being a chemist.
I can tell you that the most sought-after products currently
are Superdrol clones. Superdrol was a pro-hormone that
was banned a few years back and due to its incredible
potency and high demand, several clones were created.
One of them was called M-Drol by CEL. This was extremely
powerful, and users could gain as much as 10 lbs over
a 12-week period. Needless to say, this product was
eventually banned by the FDA and placed on the Schedule
III substances list.
What appears to be happening nowadays, is the creation of
pro-hormones that have similar characteristics to the ones
on the banned substance list, but are molecularly different
enough to not be considered the same thing.
With that in mind, Blackstone Labs is a fairly popular
carrier of pro-hormones. Please be advised that we do not
recommend pro-hormones as part of this specific program.
This information is here for your knowledge and the choices
you make as to use them or not, is 100% up to you. We do
not offer support for this product, or any supplement that
we did not formulate ourselves.
BLACKSTONE LABS HARDCORE MUSCLE
PRODUCTS
Are pro-hormones steroids? Not according to the FDA. Will
they increase your testosterone levels above baseline
and cause both androgenic and anabolic affects that are
noticeable? Yes. I learned this first hand when I was looking
to lean up and put on a few extra pounds during my NXT run
with my tag team partner Curt Hawkins. We really wanted
to get noticed by the boss, and being in superb shape and
having great matches usually did the trick. Before the ban
on M-Drol happened, I popped two of them with breakfast
like I usually did and went on to have a killer workout. When
I arrived at the RAW TV taping that day, there was a random
drug test. Not thinking anything of it, since the product was
legal and on shelves everywhere, I peed in a cup and went
on my way. A week later I got a call from Aegis Labs, the
company that does all of the drug testing for WWE, Inc. One
of Dr. Black’s assistants told me that my tests had produced
questionable results and wanted to know what I was using.
My testosterone levels were in what they considered to
be “the gray area.” I was within normal male testosterone
levels, but it was on the high end. He was really phishing
to see if I was taking testosterone of some sort. Of course I
freaked out and told him I was using something else called
Body Spartan | 18
Chapter 4: Supplements
Pink Magic, which was an herb that boosts testosterone
naturally and was absolutely NOT a pro-hormone. The
assistant said I would be tested continuously for a while to
watch my levels and not to take the Pink Magic anymore.
Needless to say, I didn’t get suspended and stopped taking
M-Drol. So yes, pro-hormones can and will raise your
testosterone levels.
The other issue I’ve found with pro-hormones is that they
are typically c-17-alpha alkylated compounds. This is the
same chemical process used on oral steroids to help the
compound pass through the liver without losing its potency.
The downfall to this is that it damages the liver, especially
when extended periods of use and/or higher doses are
involved. You must use a liver support supplement
when using any c-17-alpha-alkalated (sometimes called
“methylated”) product. You also must drink lots of water
and stay away from alcohol while using these products as
it further taxes the liver. Here’s a link to one that works well:
Cycle Support: On Cycle Protection & Liver
Assist (120 Capsules) 
Call it what you want, I’ll leave that up to you. My goal
here, is to simply be honest and educate you on what’s out
there. Currently, I am not using any pro-hormones, as they
simply are too dangerous and too hard on the liver, in my
own personal opinion.
Use with caution. For advanced bodybuilders and males
that have plateaued using all other supplements and fitness
routines.
Not recommended for females due to the high likelihood of
virilization.
T-VOLVE - ALL NATURAL
TESTOSTERONE BOOSTER
T-VOLVE, ALL NATURAL TESTOSTERONE
BOOSTER, 60 CAPS, BY BODY SPARTAN 
Motivation
Created specifically for guys that DON'T want to go
the route of pro-hormones. This product is the next
best thing. It's scientifically formulated and engineered
to deliver some of the most powerful testosterone
boosting ingredients available today. This incredible
formula works directly with the body to increase natural
testosterone levels while staying within the normal,
healthy range. Here's the breakdown of what's in
it. Tribulus Terrestris has been shown to increase the
production of luteinizing hormone (LH), which in turn
can stimulate the testes to produce more testosterone.
This is the same ingredient in other formulas that I have
used that caused me to read “extremely high but in the
normal healthy range” on my drug tests in WWE. *
Diindolylmethane is formed in the body from plant
substances contained in “cruciferous” vegetables such
as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and broccoli.
Scientists think these vegetables may help to protect
the body against cancer because they contain
diindolylmethane and a related chemical
called indole-3-carbinol. It can both inhibit
the aromatase enzyme (and prevent
conversion of testosterone into
estrogen) and it can act
on more potent forms
of estrogen and
Body Spartan | 19
Chapter 4: Supplements
Body Spartan | 19
convert them into less potent forms; this conversion reduces
the overall effects of estrogen in the body.
Eurycoma Longifolia Jack is another all natural herb that
has been shown to increase total testosterone levels in
men suffering from low testosterone. In a recent study, it
helped to increase total testosterone by 10.36%.
Gamma Oryzanol works on the hypothalamus in the brain
which, through its control of the pituitary gland governs
a number of the body’s automatic functions, including
temperature control, water balance and hormonal
regulation. The hormones include the sex hormones –
testosterone in the male and estrogen in the female.
Chrysin has been shown to potentially reduce aromatase
activity. Whenever testosterone production is increased, it’s
important to combat the accompanying rise of estrogen
to maximize the benefits of the testosterone increase and
minimize any potential side effects from increased
estrogen production.
In summary, this is my supplement of
choice right now. I've seen better
results with T-Volve, than any
other natural supplement
I've used, and I'm
damn proud of
it.
Chapter 5: Cardio
Part i: Motivation
Gym’s and health clubs nowadays are retrofitted with TONS
of cardiovascular machines so you can, “get your sweat
on.” I hate cardio the way I hated doing a job for some
rookie that just got called up to TV and had no idea what he
was doing. For those of you that don’t follow pro-wrestling,
“doing a job” means losing – on purpose. Yes, the matches
are predetermined (did I burst your bubble?). The perfect
example was when Percy Watson got called up to TV from
training.
Now, I love Percy like a brother, and he and I are actually
good buddies, but when he was fresh out of the box from
training, they picked me to work with him and “put him
over”. In other words, it was my job to give him a good
match, make him look good, and let him win.
I remember Arn Anderson saying, “The boss wants to see
what this kid can do. Give him a good match, make the kid
look good, and then put him over, Tyler.” When Arn told me
this I thought, “Crap.” That’s it. Just, “Crap.”
This was a confidence builder for the other guy and a
confidence crusher for the guy doing the job (me). Towards
the end of the match, I remember eating bump after bump
for him and then laying on the ground for what seemed like
an eternity while I waited for him to do a little dance, strike
a pose, and then jump in the air and crush me for the win
while thousands of people watched. I felt and looked like a
tool and just remember thinking, “I don’t think I could hate
anything more than this moment, right now.” I was wrong. I
Body Spartan | 20
hate every minute of cardio in the gym more.
Most of my life I used to chuckle when I walked into the gym
and saw all the out of shape people on the treadmills and
elliptical trainers. Mostly I’d chuckle because I never did
cardio in the gym. A lot of times, though, it was because of
the outrageous things people would do on these machines.
Some people would walk backwards up the stair climber,
and others would bound like gazelles on the treadmills. I
know everyone reading this book has either seen what I’m
referring to or has been the guilty party.
The reason I didn’t do cardio in the gym is because I have
always been extremely active outside the gym. Before I
was in the ring four to five days a week wrestling, I surfed on
a daily basis for hours on end. Before that, I snowboarded
at least two or three times a week and water-skied in the
summer times multiple times per week. Couple that with my
high metabolism, and I never needed to run on a treadmill.
Times have changed.
Since my retirement from pro-wrestling, I’ve noticed my
body’s inability to incinerate body fat on its own. So now, I
have joined the ranks of the treadmill troops and elliptical
infantry. I hate it, but cardio training is a necessary evil.
This is especially true for any of you that aren’t currently
260 lbs with less than 10% body fat.
Motivation Chapter 5: cardio

It takes more energy to maintain muscle

than it does body fat
Let’s use my own weight as an example. I’m 260 lbs on
the dot. My body fat percentage is around 8%. So then we
can assume I have around 260 lbs X 8% body fat = 20.8 lbs
of body fat leaving me with about 240 lbs of muscle. This
obviously does not including bone structure and organs, but
for the sake of this discussion, this number is acceptable.
Now, let’s say I’m instead 260 lbs and 20% body fat. Using
the same math as above that puts me at 52 lbs of fat and
about 208 lbs of muscle.

Now, factor in that for every pound of muscle you burn

approximately eight calories per day on average, at a
resting metabolic rate. So:
• 208 lbs of muscle burns 1,664 calories per day by
doing nothing.
• 240 lbs of muscle burns 1,920 calories per day by
doing nothing.
The Mayo Clinic even states that “The bodies of people who
are larger or have more muscle burn more calories, even
at rest.”1 Keep in mind this is only looking at the resting
metabolic rate and doesn’t take into account the amount of
calories and fat burned during intense exercise.
Where I’m going is simply to show that the more
muscle you have on your body, the more calories and
fat you burn while resting and even more so when
working out. The question now is how do we optimally
burn fat while maintaining muscle mass? Read on
Anaerobic HIIT Exercises
How many out-of-shape people do you see on treadmills
trotting the time away? I don’t say this to be condescending;
I say it as an observation. Most of these people spend 20,
30, 40 or more minutes jogging, cycling, rowing, etc. Why
is it that I can spend less than 20 minutes a few times a
week on an elliptical trainer and look 10 times better than
any of them? Let’s look at the marathon runners versus the
sprinters below. Which one do you want to look like?
Have you ever seen a fat sprinter or one that looks depleted
and lanky? I haven’t, and that’s why I’m a huge fan of
anaerobic exercise for keeping that beach and poolside-
ready physique. One of the reasons my body fat percentage
stays so low year-round is because pro wrestling is an
anaerobic sport. Next time you watch a match on Raw or
Smackdown, take note of what happens. There’s a little
bit of walking around and playing with the crowd, then a
quick sprint where they hit the ropes, duck a clothesline,
and take a few bumps (or something similar). Repeat this

1 Metabolism and weight loss: How you burn calories http://www.mayoclinic.org/metabolism/art-20046508

Body Spartan | 21
Motivation
about 10 more times and you’ve got yourself a match. Low
intensity movements followed by high intensity sprint-style
movements over and over again – that’s a wrestling match.
However, if you’re not on the WWE roster, then you have
to look elsewhere to get your cardio. That’s where High
Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) comes in. Let’s look at some
of the negative effects of traditional, steady-state cardio
first, though.
Numerous scientific studies have shown that “steady-state”
cardio exercise simply isn’t optimal for fat-burning. Steady-
state cardio is a long cardio session where your heart
rate is held at the same rate, and you are in an aerobic
state. The studies mentioned above have also shown that
doing hours of this type of cardio results in muscle tissue
deterioration and even decreased testosterone levels. A
study from The American Journal of Physiology also found
that when performing steady-state cardio exercise, there is
a decrease in the ability of muscles to absorb glucose after
training.2 Here’s the science behind this:
“This happens because cardio immobilizes the GLUT4
transport system, which is responsible for the insulin-
regulated translocation of glucose into cells. Cardio
further limits hypertrophy by shutting down the mTOR
pathway, which is one of the primary regulators of muscle
growth. When this happens, you burn the same amount of
muscle as you do fat.”
In layman’s terms, this simply means that long, steady-
state cardio sessions burn fat AND muscle simultaneously.
This is absolutely counterproductive to your goals as you
read this book.
What Is HIIT?
HIIT is simple, really. You alternate low to moderate cardio
intensity intervals with high intensity cardio intervals.
• The low intensity cardio should be about 65%-75% of
your Maximum Heart Rate.
• The high intensity cardio should be 90%-95% of your
Maximum Heart Rate.
To find your maximum heart rate, you can use any one of
the online heart rate calculators. Active.com has a great
one:
2 HIIT Can Get You Huge, Especially If You Are A Meathead In Need Of Cardio
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/hiit-can-get-you-huge-especially-if-you-are-
Body Spartan | 22
Chapter 5: cardio
http://www.active.com/fitness/calculators/heartrate
This theory can be applied to almost any type of cardio
training. Whether you use an Elliptical Training Machine
like I do, a treadmill, recumbent bike, etc., you can apply
HIIT. Check out this amazing statistic from a Muscle Media
article:
“In research, HIIT has been shown to burn adipose tissue
more effectively than low-intensity exercise - up to 50%
more efficiently.” It has also been shown to speed up your
metabolism which helps you burn more calories through
out the day.”3
During the short bursts of high intensity exercise, your body
will enter the anaerobic state. The definition of anaerobic
is, “without oxygen.” When you are performing bursts of
anaerobic training in excess of 10-15 seconds, a large
amount of lactic acid is produced by the body. This is
extremely taxing on the body and central nervous system.
The results, though, are phenomenal.
The bursts of low to moderate exercise will allow your body
to enter the aerobic state, which means “with oxygen.” So
long as there is sufficient oxygen to provide energy, your
body’s level of fatigue will remain low.
For the best results, all cardio exercise should be done in
the morning, immediately after waking, and on an empty
stomach. The reason for this is that while sleeping, your
3 What is the Best HIIT Workout? http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw40.
htm
Motivation Chapter 5: cardio

body is fasting and not receiving any additional nutrients. If
you follow the nutrition guidelines in the next chapter, you
shouldn’t be ingesting any carbohydrates or sugars in the
evenings either. While you sleep your body will deplete
itself of these outside energy sources. As long as you don’t
eat or drink anything but water upon waking, your body
will be forced to use its long-term energy source (body fat)
during your AM cardio session.
to stagger your days off so that you aren’t doing your HIIT
sessions back to back. Your HIIT sessions should all be in
the AM, upon waking, and on an empty stomach. The only
acceptable thing to ingest prior to your HIIT session in the
AM is water. An example would be:
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday: HIIT
• Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday: No cardio

Here’s the recommended HIIT sessions schedules are included on your "My Progress"
page of the Genesis dashboard.
HIIT training regimen for my
readers:
Start each HIIT session with a two-minute warm up. Be sure
to choose a resistance that doesn’t put a lot of stress on
your muscles when warming up. This is preferably about
50% of your maximum heart rate. Schedule at least three
HIIT sessions each week at a minimum and a maximum of
five sessions. If you are doing only three sessions, be sure

"time is the one thing we can never get

back. there is no reset button, no rewind,
and there are no do-overs"

BodySpartan
Body Spartan| 23
| 23
chapter 6: Nutrition Guidelines
Part I: Motivation
Everyone, at one point or another, has heard the old saying
that “a successful fitness program is 90% mental.” That’s
only partially true. Yes, it takes an incredible amount of
mental effort, but the main element is nutrition. Like we
talked about in Chapter 2, if you’re putting crap gasoline
into an exotic sports car, you’re not going to get the
performance you want, and you’re probably going to
destroy the engine. The same goes for your body. If you’re
not eating properly, you might as well kiss all that hard
work in the gym goodbye.
One thing the guys on the roster would say to me consistently
is, “Gabe, how do you stay so lean?” I would tell them it’s
all in what I eat. I’d been eating clean since I was 18 or 20
years old and up until this year at 35, my metabolism was
still screaming, and I literally had the ability to incinerate fat.
No seriously, when I looked at a Snickers bar, it imploded
into its own personal black hole and was transported to
another dimension as it was simultaneously vaporized.
That’s how crazy my metabolism was.
Maybe this is because when I was a baby, instead of
feeding me canned baby food, my parents bought all
organic vegetables, stuck them in a blender, and fed them
to me. I think that helped me through my teenage years as
I actually ate a truck load of fast food, daily allotments of
Twinkies, candy bars, etc., and I couldn’t gain a pound. I
was 6’-3” at 16 years old and weighed 172 lbs. Skinny as
a rail. Although I should have already weighed much more
than that and been another statistic in the ever-growing
Infographic by Bill Marsh/The New York Times http://thedetoxdiva.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/No-More-
Excuses-e1347106155698.jpg
Body Spartan | 24
obesity epidemic, I didn’t. If I had continued with that same
style of eating into my 20s, I’m absolutely positive that my
body would have taken a turn for the worst.
So with that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of foods that I stay
away from and have stayed away from ever since I made
the nutritional lifestyle change years ago. You should
abide by this list religiously if you want to succeed at your
fitness goals.
Forbidden Foods
Fast Food
None, zero, zilch. There is absolutely no benefit to eating
fast food. Typically, the meat is microwaved, which
denaturizes the proteins, has a TON of hormones in it, and
is loaded with grease. The bread is made with white flour,
fries are cooked in oil, and the beverages are all soda.
The nutritional value of a fast food meal for anyone who
is serious about bodybuilding or bettering their physique
is absolutely zero. You are eating carbs and bad fats and
ingesting huge amounts of useless calories.
Additionally, you can usually tell when a person eats large
amounts of fast food. They tend to develop cellulite around
their thighs and upper triceps areas, and their skin takes on a
pasty look. Additionally, fatty deposits tend to accumulate
Motivation
under the neck for some reason. There is no official study
that I know of to back this statement up, as it is only from
my own observation and that of my peers. If you’re not sold
on this theory, let me put it another way. You are what you
eat. Your body is a machine that processes the nutrients
and substances given to it. If you put abusive substances
in your body, the results can be devastating. People that
ingest large amounts of fat will remain overweight. People
that put drugs such as meth and heroine in their bodies
develop a stereotypical look with sunken-in-cheekbones,
scars from picking, rotting teeth, and so on.
In short, if you want to change your physique, then cut out
the fast food. End of story.
Plus, there’s the cost that’s involved as well. Have a look at
the infographic from The New York Time, below. The cost of
eating fast food is far more expensive than buying groceries
and cooking food at home.
Body Spartan | 25
Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines
candy
Candy is pure sugar and has no place in a balanced
nutrition plan. Not only does it tamper with your mood due
to the quick bursts of energy it provides, followed by the
crash, but it also fills you up temporarily with a nutrient that
cannot be converted to muscle mass and does not assist in
the fat burning process.
Candy Bars
The checkout lane is your worst enemy at any store. Don’t
grab anything except for gum when you approach the
register, and make sure it’s sugar free. Candy bars are
sugars, fats, and carbs, with very little protein. The result is
instant conversion to body fat. These are useless products
and should never be ingested by anyone who is seeking a
good physique.
Dessert
OK, I’ve been known to power down a plate full of brownies
from time to time. However, keep in mind that I only do
that about once a month, and it’s my designated cheat
Motivation
day. Having dessert on a nightly, semi-daily, or weekly
basis will sabotage your nutrition plan and ultimately your
fitness goals. Dessert is typically had later in the evening
or usually is the last meal right before bed. If you ingest
a bunch of sugar and fat right before bed time, your body
won’t have time to burn it off. Sugars are the body’s short
-term energy source, and when they aren’t used they are
converted to the body’s long-term energy source, which is
fat.
The best substitute for dessert is a low carb or zero carb and
low/zero sugar protein shake. You will get your sweet tooth
fix since most protein powders have sweeteners in them,
and you’ll also ingest a good amount of protein right before
bed. Remember, muscle is built while you sleep and rest,
not while you are in the gym. The muscle fibers that you’ve
torn apart while lifting weights during the day are repaired
beyond their previous strength levels while you sleep IF
you have enough protein in your system to do so. So kill
the dessert and embrace the pre-bedtime protein shake.
Soda
Soda or “pop” has become the number one source of caloric
intake in the American diet. The New York Times recently
posted this:
“Sugared beverages are the No. 1 source of calories in
Soda: A Sin We Sip Instead of Smoke? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/weekinreview/14bittman.html?_r=0
Body Spartan | 26
Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines
the American diet, representing 7 percent of the average
person’s caloric intake, according to government surveys,
and up to 10 percent for children and teenagers. These
calories, they point out, are worse than useless — they’re
empty, and contribute to a daily total that is already too
high.”
Simply put, soda will severely restrict your ability to achieve
your fitness goals. I NEVER drink the stuff. Additionally, the
phosphoric acid in most sodas has the power to disintegrate
a penny in 24 hours. There’s no way that can be good for
your body.
White VS Wheat
One critical tip I learned years ago is to stay away from
grains and starches that are white. This would be white
bread, white flour, white pasta, white rice, etc. These are
all simple carbohydrates, and your body uses the energy
sources contained within the actual food to break them
down. If you substitute in brown rice, brown rice pasta
noodles, wheat bread, or gluten-free bread from sprouts,
brown rice flour or wheat flour, you will see amazing results
very quickly. The brown grains and starches are complex
carbohydrates and require your body to use its own energy
to break down the food.
Making this switch is one of the reasons I’ve been able to
 Motivation
consistently eat carbohydrates throughout my adult life.
The other reason is that I stay away from the garbage foods
and drinks I mentioned previously.
Post-Workout Nutrition
Getting a healthy and optimized post-workout meal
within 40-60 minutes after your workout is absolutely
crucial to meeting your fitness goals. After that time
frame, if you haven’t eaten properly or at all, your body
will enter a catabolic state and begin eating away at your
precious muscle mass to provide itself with the nutrients
it desperately needs. Moreover, weight training triggers
signaling pathways within muscle cells that allows for
greatly enhanced muscle protein synthesis rates.
Protein
Your body must have protein directly after a workout to
maximize protein synthesis. Keep in mind that hydrolyzed
whey protein takes about 20 minutes to be absorbed,
whereas whole foods may take hours to digest.
Carbohydrates
Haycock, Bryan. “Insulin: To Spike or Not to Spike?” http://www.flexonline.com/nutrition/eating-right/
insulin-spike-or-not-spike
Body Spartan | 27
Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines
Yes, yes, yes! Post workout carbohydrates will spike your
insulin and do all sorts of good things that help get you
shredded. There’s a lot of recent information floating around
on the net about not needing a carbohydrate induced insulin
spike after a workout. I disagree, and here’s why. During
intense exercise, the body could care less about insulin,
which is the hormone that tells our body to take sugar from
the blood stream and use it as an energy source. In fact,
during intense exercise, even with the tremendous increase
in the body’s need for energy, specifically glucose, insulin
decreases – surprisingly.
During intense exercise, I’m talking about a level 8 out of
10 here, the body dumps catecholamines into your systems.
These are hormones produced by the adrenal glands. The
most famous and commonly known catecholamines are
noradrenaline, dopamine, and of course adrenaline, which
is epinephrine. Most often, catecholamines are released
during our instinctual “fight of flight” responses. Intense
exercise on a level of 8 or higher simulates this instinctual
response and WHOALA! Catecholamines are released into
the bloodstream, and their affects trump the body’s insulin
command.
What’s more is that while these intense hormones are being
released, Lipoprotein Lipoase (LPL) begins to shift from
placing fat into fat cells to placing fat into muscle cells. The
result is that the fat in the muscle cells is turned into energy
and ultimately burned off. So at this point in the training
session, muscles are now primed to burn fat.
Now, once intense exercise is stopped, the catecholamines
are removed from the blood stream. They only have a half
life of a few minutes. Once they are gone, insulin again
becomes the main factor in the body’s energy regulation.
Post-workout, the muscles are depleted and hungry and
want to be fed whatever they can. Essentially, fat storage
is turned off to get nutrients to the muscles. So feed them
carbs!
Post-workout is the perfect time to ingest carbs without
having them turned into body fat. Eating carbs directly
after a workout will spike your insulin levels. This will in
turn drive glycogen into your muscle cells which will in turn
prepare you for your next intense workout.
Additionally, this insulin spike caused by ingesting carbs
will help with returning your hormones to their pre-workout
state. The catecholamines are high-stress hormones, which
are great for intense workouts, but you don’t want them
Motivation
hanging around in your blood stream all day.
Now, which carbohydrates are acceptable post-workout?
I’m a fan of natural carbohydrates and stay away from
refined sugars. My favorite post workout meal is my Rekt
Power Shake. The only sugars are unrefined coconut
sugar and frozen berries. You can see how to make this
shake in the recipe section. However, if you are following
the 12-week shredding diet and nutrition plan in this book,
post-workout shakes with carbs are not an option. Don’t
worry though, after the 12-weeks, you can ease up and
slowly start bringing complex carbs back into your diet plan
without negative side effects.
The Fat Loss Anabolic Diet
This section was co-authored by Priscilla Tuft, Licensed
Master Sports Nutritionist.
This 12-week fat shredding, anabolic diet cuts body fat while
maintaining the muscle you worked so hard for. This is the
secret technique of the top bodybuilding professionals, and
of course, me. It’s important to note that this nutrition plan
works well for both males and females.
This is not a lifestyle diet. It’s literally a diet to get lean and
shredded. I recommend 12 weeks on it and then slowly
begin adding back in additional carbohydrates and healthy
fats.
Phase 1 of this diet programs your system to burn fat as
fuel as opposed to burning primarily sugar/carbohydrates.
During this time glucose/insulin levels drop and the rate
of fat metabolizing is drastically increased. Glycogen
depletion reduces intracellular water, so increasing water
consumption is critical in reducing risk of dehydration.
Keep in mind that as your body tries to adjust to surviving
on a low carbohydrate diet you may experience dizziness,
headaches, and weakness, but this will definitely pass
once your body learns to utilize fat for fuel instead of
carbohydrates. Phase 2 begins once the body reaches a
ketogenic state. This is where your body is now burning fat
instead of carbs as its main energy source. Ketosis can be
detected using tests strips which can be found online or in
most pharmacies. They’re pee strips, so have fun with that.
Here’s a link to where they can be purchased:
Ketostix Reagent Strips for Urinalysis,
Body Spartan | 28
Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines
Ketone Test - 50 ea 
You will need to remain on Phase 1 for as long as it takes to
for your body to reach ketosis. Some of the signs that you
are entering ketosis are:
• Strong smelling urine, similar to that which you
would smell after eating asparagus
• Slight metallic taste in your mouth
If you notice any of these signs prior to the one week
mark in your diet, grab a keytone strip and start peeing.
If you’re in ketosis early, then you can start having your
carb-up day at the end of the week, which is Phase II.
The typical time to reach ketosis is about one to two weeks.
So around the one week mark, if you haven’t noticed any
of the signs mentioned above, start using the keytone
strips once a day. Once your body has entered ketosis, the
nutrition plan then begins incorporating 1-2 days of high
carbohydrate intake each week. During this carbohydrate
re-feed the body will continue to burn fat as fuel, while the
carbohydrates ingested restore the supply of glycogen
to the muscles which was depleted during Phase 1. This
is completely opposite of how the body usually operates.
Normally, it burns carbohydrates for fuel. With this diet,
we’re using your body fat as an energy source.
At least one consistent month is recommended to see
results with this fat burning anabolic diet and the included
workout. Again, I recommend a full 12 weeks for optimal
results. Also, with any keto diet, you may experience
some lethargy while your body adjusts to the low carbs.
You'll get into ketosis faster if you begin working out right
away BUT if you think it's simply too difficult for you, I
recommend waiting to start the included 12-week workout
plan in this book until you’ve entered ketosis. You simply
may not want to start an intense program like the one I
have until your body has adjusted to burning fat for fuel
Motivation Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines

instead of carbs. Just remember, if I can do it so can you.

Here’s the nutrition plan:

Supplement intake:

6 grams Omega-3 per day

NOW Foods Omega-3, 500 Softgels 

Water Intake:
Psyllium husk , as recommended by manufacturer
- Drink 1-2 gallons per day
NOW Foods Psyllium Husk 500mg, 500
Capsules 

Phase 1
Days: Workout Days 1-5 (repeats after your rest day)

The Genesis Dashboard will automatically display and calculate your macros for
you on the "My Progress" page.
Ensure that you are taking in enough daily maintenance calories during this phase to avoid muscle loss. The goal is to
take in at least 1 gram of protein per pound of goal body weight. Examples:
• If you want to be 200 lbs, then consume 200 grams of protein per day.
• If you want to be 120 lbs, then consume 120 grams of protein per day.

Eat less than 30 grams of carbohydrates per day and the additional calories should come from healthy fat sources (listed
below). These macros are show on the "My Progress" page in the Genesis dashboard.

Phase 1 Foods Include:

PROTEINS:
• Protein Shakes
• Meat of any kind (beef, pork, red meats, venison, fish, lamb, seafood, chicken, turkey, etc)
• Eggs

Body
Body Spartan
Spartan || 29
29
Motivation Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines

Carbohydrates:
• High fiber vegetables such as asparagus, mushrooms, cabbage, peppers, zucchini, lettuce, broccoli, etc.
• Oats, oat flour, almond flour (low carb and also a good fat source)

Fats:
• Nuts, seeds, and natural nut butters that are derived from them (limit  due to carbohydrates)
• Olive, grape seed, and coconut oils
• Avocados

Carbohydrate-free (or very low carb) condiments, herbs, and spices:

• Sriracha
• Salsa
• Dijon mustard
• Balsamic vinegar
• Other carb-free condiments

Phase 2
Day 6 in the workout program (repeats each rest day)
The Genesis Dashboard will automatically display and calculate your macros for
you on the "My Progress" page.
No food is off limits (simply keep in mind that the more sugar you consume, the more likely you are to experience insulin
and blood sugar swings).

Eat what you want, but make sure you don't exceed your macros.

• Do not work out or do cardio.

• Carbohydrates should comprise 45-60% of your daily Phase 2 intake.

Your doctor or nutritionist may choose to modify this program based on your specific needs. 

NUTRITION CALCULATor
To help simplify all the calculations involved, we've removed our previous nutrition calculator and have auto-
calculated your macros for you, based on the information you provided in the profile section of your Genesis
account. The "My Progress" page of the Genesis Dashboard will show you your daily macros for Phase I and Phase
II nutrition.

Please be sure to read and UNDERSTAND how the nutrition plan works (previous section) before you dive into your
meal prep!

Body Spartan | 30
 Motivation Chapter 6: nutrition guidelines

helpful videos for the nutrition plan

more nutrition Plan FAQ's
This video was created to help answer some of the most frequently asked questions about the nutrition
plan. Please be sure to watch it, in it's entirety. To access this video, please go to the "Workouts" section of the
dashboard and click on Day 3.

Week 1 frequently asked questions

This video answers some of the most frequently asked questions regarding the Genesis Program. The
majority of the video discusses the nutrition plan, how to meal prep, and even gives a sample meal plan
for a day, based on what I would do. To access this video, please go to the "Workouts" section of the dashboard and
click on Day 2.

Body Spartan | 31
Body Spartan | 31
Part II: Workouts
general guidelines
This section contains all of the guidelines for the
workouts I have successfully used to gain size and
strength and stay lean. I’ve used these workouts
while traveling on the road with WWE and while
being home during my retirement from professional
wrestling. Each workout routine is laid out in the
Genesis dashboard under "Workouts".

Repetitions
Rep schemes are provided in various formats. Here are a
few examples:

• 12, 10, 8, 6 means do 12 repetitions on the first set, 10
on the second set, 8 on the next, and 6 on the final set.
• DS means Drop Set. This is when, on the last set, you
set down the weights; take approximately 30% or
more of the weight off the bar, and without any rest
resume the exercise. Usually this is done with higher
repetitions on the Drop Set.
Printable Training Journal
Below is a link to a great training log that is printable. If
you are a traditional “paper and pen” person, get yourself
a small binder, print out a bunch of these, and start tracking
your progress!
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/printworklog.htm

• 8-12 means that your goal for each set should be

between 8 and 12 repetitions. Remember, the goal is to
change your physique and achieve something you’ve
never done before. So shoot for the highest number on
each set, not the lowest.
Journaling
It sucks and you feel like a moron carrying around your
notebook and pen in the gym. Guess what though? If it can’t
be measured, it can’t be managed. Sure your memory is
good, but I promise unless you’re name is Stephan Hawking
you’re not going to remember every weight and rep you’ve
done on every workout the week before. Write down what
you do and track your progress. You won’t optimize your
physique unless you do.
Here’s a few links to assist you with this.
iPhone Training Journal Application
If you’re a smart phone person, below is a link to a
phenomenal iPhone app for journaling your progress. I
used it myself and love it. It has a progress tracker where
you can set your personal goal weight, body fat percentage,
a workout timer, and a very streamlined user interface. You
can also backup and export your workout database. I’ve
plugged in the entire Body Spartan workout program and
made the backup file available for download. All you have
to do is follow the link below. Instructions for uploading the
database to the Gym Genius app are included on the page:
Gym Genius Body Spartan Workout Plan
iPhone App: Gym Genius (must have this installed on
your phone to use the above database)

Body Spartan | 32
Workouts
Tempo
Tempo is the amount of time it takes to complete each
portion of a lift. For example, on the barbell bench press, the
negative portion of the lift is lowering the bar. The positive
part of the lift is when you push it off of your chest. On a
lat pull down exercise, the positive part would be initially
pulling the cable to your chest and the negative part would
be returning the cable to its starting position.
A generally accepted, standard tempo to use when lifting is
two seconds on the negative and one second on the positive.
This, of course, can be altered, depending on what training
regimen you are following. For 5x5s, the standard tempo
is acceptable. For mass training, I like to use two seconds
on the negative, hold at the bottom for a half or full second,
and then explode in the positive with a maximum of one
second for that portion of the lift. This forces more blood
into the muscles and allows for a more intense pump. It
also helps to tear down more muscle fiber, which will be
rebuilt later on while you rest and recover.
Failure VS Fatigue
Fatigue means that the inability to do one more rep is more
psychological than anything. The buildup of lactic acid in
the muscles creates such an intense burning sensation in
the muscle group you are working that you tell yourself you
just can’t do anymore. Several other factors come into play
here, but you get the idea.
Failure, on the other hand, has more to do with outside
forces. For example, the weight is simply too heavy to push
out one more repetition, and your muscles simple aren’t
strong enough…yet. Performing an exercise to failure does
not mean that you have completely fatigued the muscle by
any means.
Both of these elements are critical to anyone who wants to
change their physique. Your muscles must experience both
to grow.
Hydration
Stay hydrated. I drink a gallon of water throughout
the day. A good portion of it happens during my actual
workouts though. I usually bring a one-liter bottle of water
(disposable) and refill it at least once during my workout. I
sip the water between sets and keep hydrated the entire
time. Running to the water fountain in between each set
Body Spartan | 33
to slurp up whatever liquid you can is a distraction, and it’s
inefficient. Get a water bottle and fill the thing up.
Rest days
All of my programs allow for a single rest day. It’s up to
you whether or not you choose to do cardio on your day off.
Personally, I don’t. I work as hard as I can for five days in
the gym, get cardio in each day, and I don’t do a thing on my
day off. It’s my body’s chance to fully recover. I go to bed
a little earlier the night before, sleep in a tiny bit the day of,
and get plenty of protein and nutrition throughout the day.
Your body is recovering and rebuilding the muscle fibers
you spent all week tearing down. Help it out by sleeping,
resting, and feeding yourself properly.
Training regimens
My secret that has worked so well for me over the
past 15 years is rotating my workout regimens
and routines between the following three styles:
1. Strength training
2. Mass training
3. Endurance training
Strength Training: 5 x 5s
If you’ve never lifted before or if you are a novice in the gym,
this workout may be difficult for you, specifically because
it begins with a regimen of strength training. This is a low
repetition and heavy weight workout. If you’ve never lifted,
you’ll need to spend a few weeks, even a month, in the gym
learning the basics and getting your body accustomed to
lifting. I’d really recommend doing a mass building regimen
to start with.
For this specific workout style, you will start with two solid
warm up sets of at least 12 repetitions. Even before I pick up
weights to warm up with, I always begin with some simple
movements. For example, if I’m doing legs I will squat in
place without the bar for a set of 15, nice and slow to get
the blood going. Then I’ll do some arm circles to get the
shoulders warm since I’ll be holding the bar on my back.
Next, on your first work set, pick a weight that is about 50%
of your one rep max and do a set of five to eight reps. Now
that your muscles are warm you will select a weight that
is about 80% of your one rep max and do five sets of five
repetitions, taking a two-minute rest in between. You’ll need
workouts

to journal your progress and add at least five pounds on

each side each week to the bar. With a spotter, this should
Mass Building
be a no brainer. We’re targeting the 8-12 rep range, or more, for mass
building. This regimen will consist of slightly higher rep
If you are unable to add five pounds to the bar each week,
schemes than the 5x5 regimen with many exercises,
drop the weight back down. If you are unable to complete
including super sets. That old phrase “getting a pump” is
five sets of five at the same weight, drop it down a few
extremely important here. You want to force as much blood
pounds until you find that sweet spot. Then start climbing
into the muscle as possible. By keeping the rep scheme in
up the ladder again.
the 8-12 rep range, you will be hitting failure on the lower
The goal is to do as many compound exercises as possible end of the rep range. By super setting, you will be reaching
to begin the workout with. This would usually be barbell fatigue on that muscle group AND getting a massive pump.
movements. Then, continue with the rep scheme on the
INTRO TO MASS TRAINING VIDEO
non-compound exercises. Stay away from machines
on this program, unless specified in the workout plan.
Machines have their place, and some of it is here in this
program. Most of it, however, is with the other programs in
the workouts. If you want to build serious muscle, then it’s
time to use some freakin’ free weights.

With this regimen, you are training to failure, not fatigue. In

other words, the weight is simply too darn heavy for you to
push on that last rep. Remember, it’s not this type of pain,
“Oh it burns, and I can’t take the pain.” It’s the, “Oh crap
that’s way heavier than I thought it was, and I can’t move the
weight” kind of pain. The strain you feel on your muscles
will be completely different than what you are used to. You
shouldn't actually get "a pump". Your muscles will feel
Endurance Training
stretched and strained when you are finished, rather than For this type of training, the rep range is between 18-24
burning with lactic acid. reps, with weight that is just heavy enough to complete
the set. It’s important to remember that you are training
Keep in mind that there are many different types of strength to fatigue here, not failure. Again, this means that the
training regimens, including ones that take you to your one inability to do one more rep is more psychological than
rep max. Yes, I partake in these, and eventually so will you. anything. You should feel an intense burning sensation in
However, for the purpose of this book and unless otherwise the muscle you are working. When the burning sensation
noted in the actual routines, stick to the 5x5s. gets to be too much to bear, suck it up and do three more
reps. That’s how you grow. No pain, no gain. It’s cliché,
INTRO TO STRENGTH TRAINING VIDEO
but it’s true.
This video is VERY important, as I discuss the strength train-
INTRO TO ENDURANCE TRAINING VIDEO
ing phase in extensive detail. I talk about how to choose a
weight, how to know if you're training to failure, warm ups,
safety, and a whole lot more.

n d e r
u n d u
Fo e g s
y 1 : L
D a
Body Spartan | 34
workouts
Final Training Notes
The workout programs contained in the Genesis dashboard
are grouped into four week sections. Depending on where
you want to begin, you can pick any one of the programs
to start with. For example, I have the workout program laid
out starting with strength training, then mass training, and
then endurance training. If you’re a novice and you want
to start with endurance training, that’s absolutely fine. You
can perform these programs in any order you like, so long
as you do four weeks of that program and then move on
to one of the other two. Just note that the days and weeks
can't be adjusted in the dashboard if you decide to start out
of order. You will have to make a mental note that you are,
for example, starting on week four in the dashboard and
check the workouts accordingly.

"Pain is
temporary.
Glory is
forever"

Body Spartan | 35
Part III: recipes
Cooking necessities
Most of my favorite recipes can be made with your
standard household appliances and supplies. However,
below are a few items that have drastically changed the
way I prepare and process food. I’ll leave it up to you
whether or not you want to obtain these items.
High-Speed Blender
Cooking Spray
Instead of using standard cooking spray, recipes should be
used with an olive oil spray. The fat composition is vastly
different, and your body will respond much better to light
amounts of olive oil. You can purchase an olive oil sprayer
here.

A Vitamix Blender or comparable high-speed blender Misto Brushed Aluminum Olive Oil Sprayer 
should be used for the recipes that call for a high-speed
blender. Its ability to puree vegetables and other
ingredients is an important part of these successful recipes.
This is a worthwhile investment, as you will use it for years
to come. It has literally changed the way I prepare food. A
Vitamix Blender may be purchased from the links below. I
have the variable speed blender, but you may not need
that function.

Vitamix 5200s Black : Featuring Variable

Speed Control and Large Capacity 64oz Container - Also
includes Getting Started Plus Recipe Book, Instructional
DVD, and 7 Year Warranty! 
Food Scale
It is highly recommended that you buy a food scale so
that you can portion out your ingredients. It may sound
like a hassle, but when you are trying to get just the
right amount of carbs, protein, and fat in your diet, it’s an
excellent way to ensure success!

Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen

and Food Scale, Elegant Black

To fully understand the power of the Vitamix, you should

watch this short video. It should blow your mind:

Vitamix Demo

Body Spartan | 36
recipes

Additional Notes • If you’re shooting for 50 grams of protein with

each meal, this is actually a lot of food. Six to
Phase 1 of this incredible shredding diet will be the hardest eight slices of turkey meat and six hard boiled
for you to master. The recipes contained in this section eggs is deceivingly filling.
have very minimal carbohydrates. However, limiting
Spicy Keto Turkey
yourself to 30 grams of carbs a day is not just as simple as
picking Phase 1 recipes. • Cook the burgers ahead of time and put them
in one to-go container. Add and mix in the
Help! I’m running out of carbs! Sriracha, salsa, and veggies.

As you start approaching your 30 gram limit of • Put the spinach in a separate container and
carbohydrates per day on Phase 1, you may start running combine when ready to eat. This will keep the
out of options in the recipes. Here are some helpful tricks spinach from getting soggy.
to stay within your carb limit and not suffer eating bland
Bedtime Shake
foods:
Pre-measure your protein and place it in small
Take any Phase 1 protein source such as chicken, red meat,
ZipLoc™ bags. Put a week’s worth in your desk
or fish and serve it over a plate of spinach.
drawer at work and mix them into a shaker cup
Favorite seasonings to use on meats: when ready. This will keep the protein from caking
in the shaker cup due to moisture. Trust me; I’m a
• Garlic salt
pro at this. There’s nothing more disgusting than old
• Chili powder protein or caked protein in your shaker cup.
• Salt
• Pepper Chicken Teriyaki and Fit Fish Salmon Fillets
• Lemon pepper Use the same method as with the Spicy Keto Turkey
• Allspice (above) to separate the spinach and the meat.
• Teriyaki sauce
• Soy sauce Turkey Rolls

Favorite seasonings to add to entire meal over spinach: • I didn’t include this in the recipes but it’s
amazingly simple. You just take a deli sliced
• Sriracha hot sauce piece of turkey, spread some mustard and
• Spicy brown mustard Sriracha on it, or balsamic vinegar, and then
• Olive oil and vinegar line it with your favorite veggies. I like diced
• Soy sauce green onions, red onions, asparagus, tomatoes,
• Balsamic vinegar and spinach.

• Lay out a bunch, drop the stuff on top, roll ‘em

To Go Meals up, and stick a toothpick in them.

Here’s a few, quick “to go” meals that are quick and • They’re 10 grams of protein per two slices and
virtually carb-less: have zero carbs.

• Hard boiled eggs (whites) and deli sliced turkey • Calories will vary depending on the deli meat.
with a side of spicy brown mustard.

U D E D I N
CL
• I like to roll the turkey slices so it looks like
there is a lot of food on my plate.
S A R E I N
R E C I P E OA R D
ALL S I S DA S H B
E
THE GEN
Body Spartan | 37
closing

You now have everything you need to set and obtain your fitness goals.
These have been my secrets to success and now they are yours. I wish you
the best of luck and am here to support you should you need it.

Email: info@bodyspartan.com
Twitter: @bodyspartan
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For more information, training advice, and nutritional advice visit:

www.bodyspartan.com

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