Arnie deadlifted over 600 pounds.

The deadlift can be a great mass-building exercise… or it can be a crippler. It all depends on your form.

In this article, I’m going to give you 4 quick and easy tips you can use to instantly improve your form.

Ok, load up the bar with 225lbs or 315lbs. I want you to use a weight that’s challenging, but not impossible so pick whatever works for you.

Do one rep with your normal form.

Walk away, grab a drink of water and then approach the bar again. This time, I want you to make these 4 simple changes.

#1) Stand a little closer to the bar than you think you should.
#2) Place your heels a little closer together than you think you should.
#3) Point your toes out a little more than you think you should.
#4) Finally, leave your butt a little higher in the air than you think you should.

Now do another rep. In my experience, there’s about an 85% chance your second deadlift will feel much lighter than your first one.
Try these tips out and see what happens. Obviously, since I’m giving general advice this won’t work for every single person. But in my experience, approximately 8 out 10 people will see improvement with these four tips.

For more shockingly simple (but amazingly effective) tips that will make you big and strong, grab this free report.

Bigger Arms In One Week?

See the guy in that pic?  That’s Jerry Daniels, winner of the 1965 Mr. America contest.

And as you can see, his arms were huge.  More specifically, his triceps were huge.

Here’s the little known exercise Jerry used to build up the size of his triceps.

It’s been said this exercise can actually pack a solid inch on your arms in just one week.

Hype?

Maybe.

But try it for yourself and see what happens.

The exercise is called the pullover and press.

To perform this exercise, grab an EZ curl bar and lie down on a bench.   Press the bar up like a bench press until your arms are locked.  Then slowly lowly the bar behind your head like the negative portion of a barbell pullover.  Then pull the bar back to your chest and begin again.

Confused?

I found this photo.

Pullover and Press

But the exercise will still seem strange until you actually try it.  Start light and do 5 sets of 10 to help you get familiar with the exercise.  Then don’t be afraid to go heavy.  5 heavy sets of 5 reps will do wonders for your arm size.

For more tips to help you build bigger arms WITHOUT steroids, grab this free report.

The 500 Hour Method For Quitting.

This might just be the most important blog post I’ve ever written. Because this blog post has the potential to save thousands of lives.

I’m going to show you a foolproof method for quitting smoking.

You don’t need patches.

You don’t need pills.

You don’t need special gum.

All you need is a pen and a piece of paper.

Here’s how it works:

You’ve probably heard the old adage that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. And as it just so happens, 21 days is roughly 500 hours. (It’s actually 504, but we’ll round it off for simplicity.)

So to quit smoking you need to kick the habit for 500 hours. After 500 hours without a cigarette, your lungs and sinuses will feel better. You’ll have more energy and best of all you’ll no longer have the intense craving for a cigarette. If you can last 500 hours without a cigarette, you’re home free.

Here’s my proven method for going 500 hours smoke-free.

Step #1) Get a piece of paper and draw out 500 boxes. Yes, this will suck and yes this will take a few minutes of your time. But this is very important, so just sit down and do it, ok?

Step 1: Draw 500 boxes.

In the photo, I made my large boxes consisting of 5 rows and 5 columns. That’s 25 squares per box and 20 large boxes total. So that’s 500 little boxes. So far so good.

Step 2.

Step #2)Decide what time you will have your last cigarette of the day before going to bed. Add 1 hour to that time and start filling in the boxes with the hours of the day.

For example: If you’ve decided that you will have your last cigarette of the day at 10pm and then go to bed, write “11″ in the first box, 12 in the next box, 1 in the next box, 2 in the next box and continue in order until all 500 boxes are full. (We start with “11″ because when the clock strikes 11 you’ll have been smoke free for one hour.)

Fill in all 500 boxes.

Step #3) When you wake up the next morning, start filling in the hours that you’ve been smoke free. For example, if you wake up at 8am fill in all the boxes up to that point. When another hour passes, fill in the box with the 9. Continue in this fashion for the next 500 hours, keeping this piece of paper near you at all times. Every hour that passes, you fill in another box.

Off to a good start...

Why This Method Works:

First, you get “a running start.” You wake up in the morning and depending on how long you’ve slept you get to fill in a bunch of boxes right off the bat. This is important because it gives you an immediate sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

Next, filling in the boxes every hour gives constant feedback. Even when you find yourself craving a cigarette, when you realize you only have to hold out for a few more minutes to fill in another box, you’ll find it easy to abstain. And if you can battle the craving for just a few minutes, it usually passes. At first, it’s common to be counting down the minutes until you can fill in another box. But as time passes, you’ll find yourself looking up at the clock and realizing you get to fill in 6 boxes because it’s been 6 hours since you filled in a box and you haven’t even thought about a cigarette.

Keep it up!

Finally, as you fill in more and more boxes, the momentum starts to build. Sure, the cravings can be severe after 4 or 5 days without a cigarette. But at that point you’ll already have over 100 boxes filled in! Funny as it sounds, you’ll actually grow to love the feeling of filling in a box and you won’t want to ruin the momentum you’ve got going.

Here’s The Most Important Part…

If you fall off the wagon and have a cigarette, you MUST draw up a new sheet of boxes and start again the next day. This is very important. You must COMMIT that you will keep drawing these silly little boxes no matter how many times you fall off the wagon.

Here’s why:

Eventually, you will get so sick of re-drawing these “stupid boxes” that you will actually find it easier just to quit smoking so you can reach your goal of 500 hours smoke free. Even if you successfully complete all 500 hours… and then weeks later you decide to have “just one cigarette” you must again draw up a new sheet and again go 500 hours. With that thought in mind, you’ll probably think twice about having “just one.”

Success! 500 Hours Smoke Free!

While it may seem overly simple, my 500 hour method for quitting smoking flat out works. If you’re having trouble kicking the habit, give my method a shot.

Questions? Feedback? Drop a note in the comments section and I’ll respond.

Don’t forget: For more “real-world” ways to improve your health and fitness, sign up for my free report.

PLEASE DO ME A FAVOR: Odds are somebody on your Facebook page is a smoker struggling to quit. So please take 2 seconds and “like” this post. Just by giving this post a thumbs-up you could end up saving a life.

Mr. America, 1950

But they’re lying.

Here’s a simple test you can use to determine if someone is secretly using steroids.

In David Willoughby’s classic text, “The Super Athletes” he lists the height and weight of all Mr. America title holders from 1939 to 1969.

Clearly those at the beginning of the time frame are most likely drug-free while after 1960 may have started experimenting with steroids and other unnatural substances.

But no matter. Because when we take the average height of all Mr. America winners over that 32 year period, we get an average height of 70 inches (5’10) and an average weight of 200 pounds. Remember, these are Mr. America champions, not your average gym rats.

So if someone is SIGNIFICANTLY bigger than these Mr. America champions of yesterday, they are probably using steroids.

Let me give you an example. The average weight divided by height of all the past Mr. America champions over this 32 year stretch is 2.875. (200lbs divided by 70 inches.)

I’m not going to name names here, but a recent bodybuilding champion stands 5’9 inches tall and weighs in at 275 pounds on contest day. If you divide 275 lbs by 69 inches, that’s almost 4.0 pounds per inch of height. Compared to the average of 2.875 from all bodybuilders of yesteryear.

Clearly, the modern-day bodybuilder in question is on drugs.

But let’s try another one. A reader recently asked me what I thought about a very famous online guru’s muscle-building program. This particular guru claims to be “completely drug-free” weighs 225 pounds at 6% body fat standing 6’0 tall.

Let’s run the numbers: 225 divided by 72 = 3.125

Hmmm… the average of all Mr. America champions from 1939 to 1969 was 2.857 pounds per inch of height but this “all-natural” guru clocks in at 3.125? Suspicious.

So what’s the cut-off?

In my personal opinion, I’d be skeptical of anyone who with weight/height ration of 3.0 or higher assuming they are lean (8% body fat or less.)

There might be a few genetic freaks out there who can break through this barrier naturally but most of the guys clocking in at 3.0 or above will most likely have used steroids at some point in the past.

So there you have it. Want to know if someone is using steroids? Take their weight in pounds divided by their height in inches. If it comes out to 3.0 or above…. be skeptical.

If you want the cold-hard truth about building muscle and getting lean without drugs, then check out this free report.

Jay Cutler posing behind a statue of Eugene Sandow.

Is it just me or is a bit ironic that the winner of the Mr. Olympia contest gets a statue modeled after Eugene Sandow — a drug-free, classic bodybuilder?

Think about it: Don’t you think the N.F.L would be concerned if the majority of it’s fans thought more of Johnny Unitas than Tom Brady? They’d have a big problem on their hands because the sport would be moving backwards. And that’s exactly what’s wrong with modern bodybuilding today. The classical bodybuilders of yesteryear look better than today’s modern champions.

Of course, that’s just my opinion.  There are certainly plenty of bodybuilding fans who feels the current crop of mass monsters look great.

But in the eyes of the general public, the sport is moving backwards.  What started out as a noble pursuit of health and fitness and building “the body beautiful” has morphed into something else completely.

Today, modern bodybuilding has NOTHING to do with health.  NOTHING to do with fitness.

That’s why I prefer to look to the old-timers for information on training, diet and optimal health.

Do you agree?  Disagree?  Leave your thoughts in the comments.

This weird exercise can give you ripped abs.

Here’s a long-lost exercise for getting a tighter waistline:

It’s called the stomach vacuum.  Here’s how to perform it, how it works, and what you can expect.

To perform the stomach vacuum, simply exhale all the air out of your belly and lungs.  Doing this creates a vacuum inside your body which allows you to then suck in your stomach as far as you can.

If that explanation doesn’t make sense, just pretend you are at the beach and pretty blonde is walking over.  In other words, suck in your gut and hold it.

Hold it for 10 seconds.  Repeat twice more and you’re done for the day.  Pretty simple, right?

Now here’s what this does:

The stomach vacuum strengthens the “traversus abdominus” which essentially acts as a girdle for your waist.  If your traversus abdominus is weak, your body fat and internal organs press against your waistline and can make your belly appear larger than it really is.

But by strengthening your traversus abdominus you will “cinch up” this internal girdle and shrink your waist.

Results?

So what kind of results can you expect from the stomach vacuum?  Well some old-school bodybuilders claimed they could actually shrink their waists by 3 inches in as little as 3 weeks simply by practicing the stomach vacuum multiple times per day.

While that might be a little over the top, I would expect anyone who diligently practices this movement can easily shrink their waist by at least one inch in the next 10 days.  Give it a shot and leave me a comment with your results.

FIRST TIME HERE?  Be sure to sign up for my 17-page free report.  This report SHATTERS the 7 myths of modern fitness and reveals why using “old school” tactics (like the stomach vacuum) can give you a lean and muscular physique.  Download the report now.

Sandow. Again.

Back in the early 1900′s, a man by the name of Alan Calvert published a series of measurement guidelines. He believed anyone who achieved these guidelines would end up with a nearly perfect physique. As it just so happens, Sandow’s measurements were within a 1/2 inch of Calvert’s ideals.

Here are Alan Calvert’s ideal measurements for a perfectly-developed physique.

Chest (relaxed): 63% of height.
Waist: 8 or 9 inches smaller than chest.
Forearm: Wrist measurement x 1.875
Biceps (flexed): Forearm plus 20%.
Thigh: 35% of height.
Calf: 7 or 8 inches less than thigh.

Maybe I’m a nerd but I love these measurement games. Ok, so let’s run through an example.

Say you’re 6 feet tall with a 7 inch wrist. Here’s what your ideal measurements would be according to Calvert:

Chest: 63% of 72 inches: 45.36 inches.
Waist: 8 or 9 inches less than chest. 36.36-37.36 inches.
Forearm: 7 inches x 1.875: 13.125.
Biceps (flexed): 20% larger than forearm: 15.75 inches.
Thigh: 35% of height: 25.2 inches.
Calf: 7 or 8 inches less than thigh: 17.2-18.2 inches.

Personally, that’s not my ideal. I’d prefer a leaner waist even if it means a smaller chest and smaller biceps.

For an ideal physique, I’d say shoot for these ideals instead.

And if you haven’t done so already, download this free report before it’s gone.

Vince Gironda

The year is 1961. You are a big shot Hollywood movie producer. You’re scheduled to start filming your next blockbuster in less than 30 days but you’ve got a big problem on your hands.

Your main actor — the star of the film — is a mess. He’s been boozing it up every night and chasing anything in a skirt at all hours of the night for the past 6 months. As a result, he looks like hell. 20 pounds overweight, no muscle and dark circles under his eyes.

You need to get him in silver screen shape — and fast. What do you do?

Well in 1961 the obvious move would be to pick up the phone and call Vince Gironda. He was a cranky guy and you didn’t relish the thought of making that call. But you knew Gironda would have your leading man in rock-solid condition before the month was up.

How did Vince manage to transform flabby, out-of-shape actors into buff movie stars in as little as 30 days?

Here’s his 3-part strategy. You can use this yourself if you want to pack on slabs of muscle and get lean fast.

Rule #1) Eat a high fat diet.

Vince was one of the first to recommend eating high amounts of fat while dramatically slashing carbohydrate intake. This causes dramatic weight loss for most people when used as a short-term approach. Vince advised to eat unlimited amounts of meat and eggs with no carbohydrates for 4 days.

Rule #2) Eat a low-fat, high carbohydrate meal every 4th day.

To maintain the levels of glycogen in your muscles, Vince recommended a high carbohydrate meal every 4th day.

Rule #3) Perform the 8×8 workout.

This workout is brutal, but the results are nothing short of incredible. For this workout, you’re going to select an exercise and bang out 8 sets of 8 reps. Here’s the real kicker: You only rest 15-30 seconds between sets. As you can imagine, your muscles will be screaming after just a few minutes.

Insider’s tip: Vince actually advised trainees to take TWO breaths in between each rep in order to prolong the set and help keep the intensity high.

Choose 2-4 exercises per bodypart and shoot to finish your workout in less than 45 minutes. You’ll train 4 days per week.

Consider the following split:

Monday:
Chest (3 -4 exercises done for 8×8.)
Biceps (3 exercises done for 8×8)
Forearms (2-3 exercises done for 8×8)

Tuesday:
Triceps (3-4 exercises done for 8×8.)
Shoulders (3 exercises done for 8×8)

Wed: Off

Thursday:
Back (4-5 exercises done for 8×8)
Abs (2-3 exercises)

Friday:
Quads: (3 exercises done for 8×8)
Hamstrings: (3 exercises done for 8×8)
Calves: (5 exercises, each done for one set of 20 reps.)

Sat: Off
Sun: Off

Repeat for 4 weeks.

If you’re looking to make a dramatic physique transformation in the next 4 weeks, the Gironda 8×8 workout paired with a high-fat/low-carb diet can certainly get the job done. For more old-school bodybuilding tips, grab this free report before it’s yanked forever.

For the uninitiated, this comes as quite a shock. After all, mainstream wisdom dictates you should try to eat “lean protein.”

But here’s the problem with lean protein: It doesn’t fill you up.

Consider this quote from an Artic researcher nearly 100 years ago…

“The groups that depend on the blubber animals are the most fortunate in the hunting way of life, for they never suffer from fat-hunger.

Some think a man will die sooner if he eats continually of fat-free meat than if he eats nothing, but this is a belief on which sufficient evidence for a decision has not been gathered in the North. Deaths from rabbit-starvation, or from the eating of other skinny meat, are rare; for everyone understands the principle, and any possible preventive steps are naturally taken.”

Did you catch the all important line in the above quote? “No matter how much they eat, they feel unsatisfied.”

I don’t know about you, but after a meal with nothing but lean protein like a boneless, skinless chicken breast and brown rice I used to feel very unsatisfied. No matter how much you eat, you find yourself hungry an hour later. But a T-bone steak, with vegetables tossed in butter will keep you full and happy for hours.

That’s the power of dietary fat. And that’s why I do NOT recommend lean protein.

For more controversial tips, check out this free report.

Mcfadden hoists a 100 pound dumbbell after 7 days of "hunger games."

But over a hundred years ago, one man played a very different type of hunger game. And this hunger game can make you lean, muscular and healthy.

Around the year 1900, one man decided to do something most people thought crazy. Go 7 full days without food of any kind.

Bernarr Mcfadden, controversial health writer and life-long proponent of fasting, had previously fasted for 3 or 4 days at a time. But he’d never gone a full week.

At the time, most doctors believed seven days without food could kill a man. Sadly, over a hundred years later I feel most doctors today would still be just as skeptical about a week without food.

For 7 full days, Mcfadden consumed zero calories and drank only water. He lost 5 pounds on the first day and 15 pounds in total over the course of the week.
But Mcfadden didn’t just lounge around during his fast. He walked 10 miles a day! And on the 7th day of his fast, he still had the strength necessary to hoist a 100-pound dumbbell over his head with one hand. Most bodybuilders — even the ones who eat 6 times per day — could not duplicate that move.

Mcfadden reports that the first 4 days were the toughest. And by the 7th day, he felt he could have continued for another month without food. He reported an increased sense of mental clarity. And after his week was up, he did indeed break the fast and eat again. But the week long fast left a lasting impression and he later stated:

“The American people are actually eating themselves into their graves. Ninety-nine out of every hundred take from five to fifty years from the length of their lives by stuffing their stomachs. They eat, not to nourish the body, but merely for the pleasure of gourmandizing [over-eating]. The result is that from two to five times as much food passes through the alimentary canal than is necessary to maintain weight and strength, and mind and body are actually weakened by the strenuous efforts made by the system in endeavoring to rid itself of this excessive amount of food.” Bernarr Mcfadden, Fasting, Hydropathy & Exercise. Published 1900.

Should you try fasting?

If you want to lose weight and improve your health, a short term fast of 24-72 hours will be an eye-opener. Not only will you lose weight and feel better, you’ll be amazed at how often you eat out of boredom rather than actual hunger.

If you want to gain weight, you can still benefit from fasting. A partial-day fast lasting roughly 12-18 hours once per week can give your digestive system a break and help your body better process protein during the other six days of the week.

Fasting is one of the “miracle cures” used by the ancients to build muscle, burn fat and achieve optimal health. Six more long lost tips can be found inside this free downloadable report.