Gordon Greenhorn: Expert Coach

Spoiler alert, there aren't any.
The best exercise for you to gain muscle mass will be based on many different things. Preference, safety, execution and goals.
In this episode, we'll go over my thoughts on what you should think about when thinking about your exercise selection.
... Oh, and there might just be a wee mince pie review.......
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A recognisable feeling of worth with many who attend the gym is how much sweat and pain we have put ourselves through.
This is of course (generally speaking), is a subjective measure of how well we think the training session has gone.
I've been there.
... Looking for that feeling, the pain, the sweat and not really focusing on what important.
Short but, hopefully, a helpful episode discussing what training hard actually means and what it should actually look like.
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First, there is a major fail in this vlog.
Not a happy Scotsman.
Beyond that, I cover four essential tips to help you gain more muscle mass.
... Sorry, but no fancy hacks or secret potions. Just really easy and productive things to include in your pursuit of muscle mass.
I hope you enjoy it.
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To begin with, supplements are to supplement your already varied diet.
1. Whey Protein
More of a 'functional food' than a supplement. Fantastic to add to nearly anything. Low in calories, high in protein with a long shelf life. I prefer a higher whey protein isolate where I can get it.
... 2. Creatine Monohydrate
Nothing with some weird fancy name. Just the above. 5g a day, with food, every day. This will help support your weight training.
3. Multivitamin
To 'cover the bases'. Even a very varied diet may lack some vitamins or minerals. Once a day, with food will help ensure you are, as I said, covering the bases.
4. Fish Oil
3g a day. That's all. Too much good to say about fish oil if you don't regularly eat wild, oily fish.
5. Vitamin D3
This 5000iU is probably a little high for me. However, aiming for around 1000-2000iU for the vast majority of you. 10000iU seems to be a safe upper limit.
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Should you do cardio during a Massing Programme?
It may help with two main 'thing's:
1. Staying active during your 'offseason' will probably help with a fat loss phase that you might consider later down the line. Hitting/monitoring how many steps you are doing a day might help habit building.
... 2. Cardio might help when volume starts to creep up during the latter stages of an accumulation phase. Maybe a HIIT workout on an assault or spin bike could help and benefit over a long'ish run.
As always, I hope you enjoy episode 007. If you do hit that like button and fire any questions in the comments section.
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Training your Biceps is simple and I hope to help you structure your training to get the most out of it.
1. Consider a bilateral movement such as this barbell curl (obviously in the squat rack for added gains. The straight bar* will supinate your wrist more helping your target your biceps.
2. Technically also bilateral, however, incorporate unilateral movements, such as a bicep curl shown here. Use this to help asymmetry issues and add volume to the first exercise.
... *Think about pulling with your pinky when performing this movement. This will help supinate that wrist further which basically equals bigger biceps.
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Should you include cardio as part of a muscle building goal?
In short, yes.
Tomorrow Massing Season I go through what's probably best, how much and how it might benefit your 'gainz'.
... See you tomorrow at 1730.
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As it's international chest day I thought I'd help add some value.
These principles play a large role in helping clients with their overall chest development. There simple but effective.
1. Find a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
... The flat barbell bench can be one of those. Use this to access progress in your current training programme. It about moving the weight from A to B. No feeling, no squeezing, no mind muscle contraction crap!
2. Add Volume
Upper chest is often an area I get asked about and to help develop. Incline pressing and the use of a unilateral exercise should help any asymmetry issues. Opt for a mix of 'moving the weight' and 'perfect execution'.
3. Fluff Work
Now pick a simple movement to go for that glorious pump. I use cable flys* hear, although you can opt for deficit press ups or other fly variations.
*bonus tip on the last exercise. Concentrate on your shoulder blades during this exercise. Tight pecs are all too common. Use this as a stretching movement as well as the pump generator.
Happy chest day everyone.
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Here is a good strategy to adopt if you are looking to really develop your triceps.
1. Train the long head with movements like dips*, overhead extensions, skull crushers. If you have already trained some chest or overhead pressing movements in your session this may not be necessary so skip to option 2.
2. Train the short head by performing push down variations. These can include rope pushdowns**, straight bar pushdowns etc.
... *Bonus tip on dips to target the triceps. Try to stay upright to focus more on the long head. Chin off chest and toes up.
**Kneeling can help keep you upright. Hunching forward will place too much focus on delts and momentum.
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Since the start of the year, I have been using this method to help me go from 82kg to now topping the scales at 88kg.
No special potions, magic pills or fancy dieting strategies.
That being said, I hope a lot of what I go through in this episode will help you understand what is required to help you grow muscle mass in this Massing Series.
... Don't forget to join the Massing Season Facebook group if you'd like more info, interaction with me and check-ins every Monday.
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Tomorrow's Massing Season episode will over all things nutrition.
Sadly I'm not eating as much as I'd like but still making strong progress.
We'll cover macros, supplements, meal frequency and flexibility during thus massing season.
... Tune in tomorrow at 1730.
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Just to clarify, this is not a definitive guide to back training, however, I hope to give you some quick guidance on how to set up your back training.
1. Vertical Pull - for overall back width. 2. Horizontal Pull - for back thickness in various areas. 3. Fluff Work - to add volume to possible weak areas of your back.
... 1 and 2, I will use in every upper body session. With 3, I might add this every so often or during a specific Bodybuilding Phase of training.
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The first day of the new programme.
I've been itching to get back into the gym since my deload week started. It's not to say that I didn't train, it was just nowhere near the level I would normally.
That being said this week is Intro week.
... I go over everything in this video. Covering why you should intro, how you should intro and hint at overall accumulation during a massing programme.
As always, any questions, queries, thoughts are welcome.
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Deload week so I take you through a workout in a slightly different way than I have before.
I also head to Aldi where you get SO much for your money. Some of it might be a bit funky but I found these Soreen loaves for 49p each. Perfect.
Are you on Team Aldi?

Relatively new to exercise? (>1yr)
Please reconsider any kind of plyometric exercise.
Basically, don't follow an idiot who is suggesting you jump up and down on a Reebok step to 'booty build' or burn fat with a HIIT workout.

A little bit of a rushed film and edit vlog today.
Weekend away with the family up in Scotland. This made vlogging tough but none-the-less I go over this weeks deload before the start of my final massing phase of the year.
Some good news.
... Since the New Year I have managed to gain 1.25inches on my biceps, 2inches across my back and chest and kept my waist the same.
Safe to say the Wedding Kilt tailor was impressed lol.
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Episode two of the Massing Season.
In this episode, I run through this year's training to this point. What I've found hard and how things will be structured for the last few weeks of the year.
You'll find out how to download the free programme and how to join the Facebook group to help you along the way in the comments section below.

Just for clarity.
Your 'big booty' is like abs on a skinny dude.
It's all genetics and fat distribution* not your woeful attempt at understanding mechanical tension, volume and exercise selection.
... *calorie consumption is important here as well butt that's boring.
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In 2016 I created the first series of videos capturing my natural bodybuilding prep.
Ever since then I've been trying to come up with something that is not only entertaining but also helpful.
Watch episode one of the massing season to find out more*
... *Mailing list to receive the free Workout PDF and the Facebook group will be live on Thursday so be sure to watch episode two.
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Trained with him when he was starting out! Knew his stuff then - and definitely knows more now.

Very much the man to speak to!

Top coach. Helped me get in great shape. Highly recommended.

Responsive, encouraging, motivated, knowledgable, inspiring, great communication (speedy and clear), always sees a positive to your negative and is prepared to push you as far as you are willing to go. Will be working with Gordon again later 2015/early 2016!

Hands down: Best coach I've ever had so far! Very responsive, encouraging and full of ace advice.

Great guy, provides solid training and nutrition programmes, if you need results, you need Gordon.

Gordon is a great health coach! I couldn’t recommend him more. His plans are evidence based and backed by credible research and he adapts programs to suit your lifestyle as much as possible. He responds to queries in a timely manner and makes great videos and tips for each program he creates for you. With his help I achieved my wedding bod and I couldn’t be happier!!

Gordon has an amazing attitude that motivates me to be stronger and reach my personal goals. He has completely changed my way of thinking when it comes to training and the results are amazing.

Excellent, no nonsense coach. Able to work with an experienced and headstrong athlete due to being direct and no nonsense, and was instrumental in helping win my WBFF pro card. Provided a much needed objective viewpoint throughout prep and delivered prompt and relevant advice. I highly recommend.

Big man of Gordon's work, his regular post's are always very interesting, evidence based and well written making them easy to understand for everyone. Certainly a guy you should be following the work of.

Trained with him when he was starting out! Knew his stuff then - and definitely knows more now.

Very much the man to speak to!

Top coach. Helped me get in great shape. Highly recommended.

Responsive, encouraging, motivated, knowledgable, inspiring, great communication (speedy and clear), always sees a positive to your negative and is prepared to push you as far as you are willing to go. Will be working with Gordon again later 2015/early 2016!

Hands down: Best coach I've ever had so far! Very responsive, encouraging and full of ace advice.

Great guy, provides solid training and nutrition programmes, if you need results, you need Gordon.

Gordon is a great health coach! I couldn’t recommend him more. His plans are evidence based and backed by credible research and he adapts programs to suit your lifestyle as much as possible. He responds to queries in a timely manner and makes great videos and tips for each program he creates for you. With his help I achieved my wedding bod and I couldn’t be happier!!

Gordon has an amazing attitude that motivates me to be stronger and reach my personal goals. He has completely changed my way of thinking when it comes to training and the results are amazing.

Excellent, no nonsense coach. Able to work with an experienced and headstrong athlete due to being direct and no nonsense, and was instrumental in helping win my WBFF pro card. Provided a much needed objective viewpoint throughout prep and delivered prompt and relevant advice. I highly recommend.

Big man of Gordon's work, his regular post's are always very interesting, evidence based and well written making them easy to understand for everyone. Certainly a guy you should be following the work of.

Trained with him when he was starting out! Knew his stuff then - and definitely knows more now.

Very much the man to speak to!

Top coach. Helped me get in great shape. Highly recommended.

Responsive, encouraging, motivated, knowledgable, inspiring, great communication (speedy and clear), always sees a positive to your negative and is prepared to push you as far as you are willing to go. Will be working with Gordon again later 2015/early 2016!

Hands down: Best coach I've ever had so far! Very responsive, encouraging and full of ace advice.

Great guy, provides solid training and nutrition programmes, if you need results, you need Gordon.

Gordon is a great health coach! I couldn’t recommend him more. His plans are evidence based and backed by credible research and he adapts programs to suit your lifestyle as much as possible. He responds to queries in a timely manner and makes great videos and tips for each program he creates for you. With his help I achieved my wedding bod and I couldn’t be happier!!

Gordon has an amazing attitude that motivates me to be stronger and reach my personal goals. He has completely changed my way of thinking when it comes to training and the results are amazing.

Excellent, no nonsense coach. Able to work with an experienced and headstrong athlete due to being direct and no nonsense, and was instrumental in helping win my WBFF pro card. Provided a much needed objective viewpoint throughout prep and delivered prompt and relevant advice. I highly recommend.

Big man of Gordon's work, his regular post's are always very interesting, evidence based and well written making them easy to understand for everyone. Certainly a guy you should be following the work of.