7 Day Muscle Building Guide
We’re totally switching it up this week and covering how to build muscle at home while giving you a raw-vegan chocolate treat recipe. But of course, we also have fat burning tips as well.
Click here to listen to the TT fat loss podcast
Monday – May 18th Transformation Tip
One of the most common questions I get from guys is…”how do I lose the last bit of fat so I can see my abs?”
But the answer I give always shocks them…Most guys who want to get six pack abs need to gain muscle rather than focusing on fat loss. It’s surprising, but true.
In fact, I have a rule…if a guy is 5 foot 8 inches tall and under 160 pounds, I truly believe he should focus on building muscle if he wants to look good on the beach. Any smaller, and he’ll just look bony and skinny, not lean and muscular. 
There’s no point in having abs if folks can see your ribs!
For every inch shorter, subtract 5 pounds. For every inch taller, add 5 pounds.
So if you are 6 feet tall, you should weigh 180 pounds, otherwise, you might just be too skinny to look great on the beach. And that’s why I’m covering muscle building this week.
And LADIES, if you want to put curves in all the right spots, there are a lot of great exercises in this program to help you build a better butt. Don’t skip lunges, they make your butts look great (without getting “butt implants – like the woman in this photo – true story, I found this on a blog article about”butt implants”).
Now let’s take a look at how to build muscle in the comfort of your own home gym…
Workout A – TT DB Mass at Home
1A) DB Chest Press
1B) Pullups
2A) DB Incline Press (8 reps)
2B) DB Chest Supported Row on Incline Bench (8 reps)
After you complete the 3rd round of this superset, decrease the weight by 10% and try to get 8 more reps.
3A) DB Chest Fly (12 reps)
3B) DB Lateral Raise with Slight Forward Lean (10 reps)
Tuesday
Do 30 minutes of activity today, but if you want to gain maximum muscle, just say NO to cardio and even intervals. These are not needed on a maximum muscle building program.
You might find that controversial, but we have a lot of controversy on this blog, including the Skinny Bitch Diet debate here. 
Let us know your thoughts about vegetarian diets for fat loss.
Wednesday – Workout B – DB Mass at Home
1A) DB Split Squat (8 reps per side) 2-0-1 .
1B) Plank with Arms on Ball (45 second hold)
2A) DB RDL (6 reps) 5-0-1
2B) DB Bulgarian Split Squat (8 reps per side)
3A) DB Reverse Lunge (8 reps per side) 2-0-1
3B) Stability Ball Ab Crunch with Medicine Ball (15 reps) 4-0-1
4) DB Single-leg Calf Raise (8 reps per side) 2-0-1
Thursday
30 minutes of fun activity, and then enjoy your “mass eating diet” by making this raw-vegan Chocolate Truffle recipe from vegetarian nutrition expert, Kardena Pauza. 
Chocolate Truffles
- 1 cup Raw Walnuts/Almonds
- 3-4 Tbl. Raw Cacao/Cocoa powder (will say on the package it’s raw)
- ½ cup Dates or 4 Tbl. raw honey or raw Agave nectar to taste
- 1 Tsp. Cinnamon or a dash to taste
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Dash of salt
- 1 Tbl. Raw Coconut Oil
Blend all ingredients in food processor until almost smooth.
You may need to modify ingredients a bit to get the taste you like.
You can roll into balls and have as treats or crumble over fresh cut fruit.
Friday– Workout C – TT Mass at home
Fun workout Friday…I always encourage you to throw in your favorite exercises into a superset and have a little fun in your Friday workout. You’ll love this muscle building program. Classic Meathead at Home.
1A) DB Seated Shoulder Press (8 reps) 2-0-1
1B) DB Deep Step-ups (8 reps per side) 2-0-1
2A) Biceps Chinups (Max reps) 4-0-1
2B) DB Close-grip Floor Press (8 reps) 2-0-1
“Biceps Chinups” are regular chin-ups, but I want you to focus on using your biceps more than your lats.
It will change the way you pull yourself up to the bar. If you don’t have equipment for Chin-ups, do DB Incline Curls, 8 reps per set.
If you can’t do full Chin-ups, do the 4-second lowering only for 6-8 reps.
3A) DB Standing 1-Arm Curl (6 reps per arm) 2-0-1
3B) DB Overhead 1-Arm Extension (6 reps per arm) 2-0-1
After you complete the 3rd round of this superset, decrease the weight by 10% and try to get 8 more reps.
4A) DB Hammer Curls (10 reps) 1-0-1
4B) DB Lying Triceps Extension (8 reps) 3-0-1
Social Support Saturday!
Studies show that if you spend more time on forum; get professional help; and have a workout buddy who is succeeding, you will succeed as well.
Sunday – Plan, Shop & Prepare
30 minutes activity and then plan, shop, & prepare for the week ahead.
Try your best to get better produce; go to a Farmer’s markets or plan to grow your own produce this summer.
Eat healthy even when you are building muscle,
Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS