Quite a few of my followers have requested that I must clarify some of the basic training terms I refer too in my videos. I can fully understand their confusion. Some of them has never seen the inside of the gym. After watching some of my videos they are so inspired and then want to embark on this new adventure but alas everything is soooo confusing! It is similar when a nuclear physicist is trying to explain cold fusion in the most basic terms, but you still have no clue as to what he/she is talking about because you do not grasp the meaning of the most basic terms.
So although many of you will find this boring, let me lay the ground work and give some clarification for those newbies to the basic training terms I refer to in my videos.
Ok, let start at the big term: “training program”. This refers to the training aspect and does not include nutrition or supplements. It refers to everything where muscles are involved while you exercise.
By the way, I support a 4 or 5 day workout schedule.
Workout is the specific routine you will be following on a specific day.
There are total body workouts, which refers to a workout where all muscles groups are trained/exercised during a single session.
Then there are more goal orientated split routine workouts where one only focusses on 2-3 muscle groups per training session/day – this is the kind of training I support.
You will hear I talk a lot about sets and reps.
Reps are the time it takes to lift a weight to the maximum position and dropping it back to the original starting position. This will be a single rep. If you lift and drop the weight 8 times, that will be 8 reps performed.
Sets are slightly more complicated. This is a method of grouping the reps together for a specific goal. For example if one wants to build muscle you will typically group the reps in sets of 8 (and reach muscle failure on the last rep). When you want to lose body fat one typically group the reps together with more reps, about 15 in a set (and just stop short of complete muscle failure).
Muscle failure is the point where one cannot perform another rep with the weight, meaning the muscle is literally failing.
Between sets one typically rest long enough to allow the muscles to recover enough to be able to do the next set effectively. This is usually 2-3 min but when one really training very heavy this might be slightly longer.
A muscle group refers to a single muscle like biceps for example. For effectivity one strings 2-3 logical muscle groups together in a training session. (For example: Pecs, Biceps and abs)
Warm ups is the process by which one perform light exercises before the training session to get the blood flowing and make sure the target muscles are sufficiently warmed up before you start training intensely.
Stretching is the process after each set which you use to lightly stretch the muscle which was just trained.
You will hear I will also refer to training concepts and things like supersets.
Training concepts is any activity that you add to your training session to perform your normal reps and sets in a different fashion to stimulate the muscle for growth.
The way the body works is that anything that become repetitive over time stop stimulating the muscles for a response. The muscles learn to handle that type of training/attack without further increasing in shape or size.
So training need always be fresh and changing to allow for effective muscle stimulation.
A training concept I regularly refer to is supersets. That is where you string two different muscle group’s sets together without resting in between. You only do this for 2 sets at a time. It is good tool to help burn more body fat and stimulate muscles for growth.
Dumbbells refers to the weights showing on the screen now.
This is how a EZ barbell look.
Then one also get barbells with straight bars.
This is a flat bench.
This is an incline bench.
This is a seated bench.
This is an exercise ball.
When I talk about technique, I refer to the specific way and form in which one performs an exercise or lift a weight.
I also regularly refer to Cutting Phase and Building Phase. Cutting phase is the process by which one train and diet with the focus on preserving muscles mass while losing body fat. Building Phase is the process and diet which focus on building muscles with adding a little more body fat to allow the body to build muscles effectively.
Lastly, you will hear I refer to health supplements and bodybuilding supplements.
Health supplements is anything (like a multi vit) you take to ensure optimal health. Bodybuilding supplements is something one takes in a specific way and timeframe to assist the body with certain aspects of the bodybuilding process (could be fat loss, muscle building, tissue repair, etc…)
Hope this give some better understanding for those newbie’s that want to start the great adventure.
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Neither your age, nor your health should ever (!) stand in your way.
Now, most of you know by now that 12 years ago I nearly died and doctors did not give me any good news. But with faith I moved forward and apply healthy living on all levels and also did some house cleaning and moving closer to God ( I am a follower of Jesus Christ).
Obviously it was a long and hard road and the body took long to respond to this healthy living but the wheel did turn and it is keeping on turning as a result.
Now, I am not naïve in thinking everyone with serious health issues can and will turn around like I did, but what I do believe is that with faith in God and by living very healthy, one CAN make a huge difference. Obviously you need your doctor’s approval to embark on such a journey.
But, let me share with you the core of my healthy living
My training program is as follows:
Mondays – Chest, Biceps and abs
Tuesdays – Shoulders, Traps and calves
Wednesdays – rest
Thursdays – Back, triceps and abs
Fridays – Legs, upper pecs and calves
Saturdays & Sundays – rest
My supplement regime
Health supplements:
ALA (Alpha Lipoic Acid)
CQ10 (Co Enzyme Q10)
Omega 3+6
Strong Multi Vitamin
Slow release Vit C
Muscle building supplements:
Whey protein powder
L-Glutamine
BCAA
How do I structure my training?
I do a 3-months Cutting phase with a very specific cutting phase diet and training with lighter weights at a higher rep range followed by 1 week rest and then a 3-month building phase with a very specific building phase diet and training with heavier weights to absolute muscle failure at lower reps (about 8 reps per set) followed by 1 week rest and the repeat.
This allow me to build muscle but also to recover the strained tendons and joints.
About my diets
I make use of one of the top fitness nutritionists in the field (BERNADETTE BEYER) to work out my diets for each phase according to my bodytype and goals. This is the crucial part of your success and without a very focussed diet there will be no success.
My blog contains a LOT of info for free that can help you through all these processes.
But for those interested, I also offer my exact training/supplem and diet system via the ADVANCED SYSTEM II (option E). The same nutritionist I use will also work out your diet solution and I myself attend to working out your training and supplement attack based. If you want to signup, just choose option E via the following link: https://gertlouw.com/contact-me
Now this is probably what everyone wants to hear – lol! BUT, the truth is, there are methods to cheat and still get to the top!
Life is not meant to be without a dessert once on a while…and I am talking Baked Chocolate Fondant with oozing real sweet chocolate out if it’s center with ice cream (real ! ice cream) liberally used. The same goes for the odd glass of wine/whiskey or beer or whatever blows your skirt up, even a chocolate!
A certain balance needs to be applied to stay sane with anything in life. I’ve just done a 3 weeks severe cutting diet, sticking 100% to it…and, it’s was hell! The more you are going to disallow yourself a treat once in a while, the bigger the chance that your diet will fail completely in the end. You would just say…”I had enough”. And you know what? I have big compassion for that…so let’s have a look here how (!) you can cheat regularly without crashing your diet and keep yourself sane and focused to stick 98% to your diet.
Sundays to Fridays – sorry that (!) is where you stick 100% to your diet.
Get yourself some sugarless, carb less, fat free sweets. Do some searching and buy those that have as little calories as possible…like below 10! Then during the Sunday to Friday period…pop a few (3-4) of those during the day when you feel the urge to treat yourself a bit. Apart from that – nothing else.
The key is always to eat all your regular meals and drink all your water (2L-4L)…THAT is what keeps you full and keep the urges to eat wrong away.
Obviously, if you are at your target body fat then some different rules apply. Then you are allowed 2 -3 cheats evenly spaced out during the week. But for this documents purpose, let’s assume we are dealing with all those that are still far from the target body fat levels.
Your cheat should be left for a weekend day…when you are less stressed, more relaxed and doing something you like. This cheat will go to great lengths to make you not feeling deprived of some great things and food in life. Even if you don’t feel like a cheat, maybe it is a good idea…simply to help you stay balanced and not feeling deprived later on in the week.
Now, “HOW?” should you cheat?
There can only be one cheat and that cheat can only be once per day per week on just 1 day of the week!
First you eat the diet as normal for that day as specified.
Let’s look at the next cheat scenario’s:
1. Ice Cream cheat / Soft drink / dessert cheat / potato crisps – once anytime during day. Then for 2 of your meals for the day cut out carbs completely. One small meals carbs and one larger meals carbs.
2. Chocolate cheat 150g – anytime during day. The same as above: For 2 of your meals for the day cut out carbs completely. One small meals carbs and one larger meals carbs.
3. Alcohol cheat (500ml equivalent wine) – anytime during day. Usually late afternoon or evening you will use this cheat. So for the evening meal cut out carbs completely and ONLY clean fatless meat and salad…no sauces, no carbs, nothing else! And definitely no dessert. If you want dessert, then no wine! One or the other… [Note: be very careful with alcohol. It is the key reason why men, especially older men, struggle to loose fat around the tummy and have a bloated look to the tummy. Best is to cut alcohol COMPLETELY out and have other types of cheats.]
Remember that with any of the above cheats it will set you back 24 to 48 hours before your body reverted to the level before you cheated and only then will it be able to start losing fat again. So even though you have cheated it is STILL very much possible to loose fat for the week, but only within above rules.
I strongly believe that the only winning approach is a balanced approach. That keeps you focused and you feel like “life” is not deprived of you. Part of this balance is to cheat on a weekly basis with your diet by applying above wisdom!
Wish you all happy dieting and a great training week!
Gert Louw
In all my coaching systems and many articles on my site, I regularly refer to the process of transforming into a wow physique by “climbing a ladder step by step”.
Here I want to explain as to WHAT exactly I mean by that.
Now, many people think they are starting to climb the ladder and start transforming, and they actually start doing rather great, but then stuff starts happening…things like: getting sick regularly, tendon/joint injury or other serious injury or they lose hope because they just cannot put on muscle no matter how hard they train and some just cannot lose fat no matter how hard they diet.
This is when the train stops and they get off the ladder.
Not because it was not possible but because they LACK knowledge.
KNOWLEDGE in terms off:
You CANNOT lose fat if the calories are too low…then your body enters famine mode and you WILL lose all your hard earned muscle first before it uses the fat – no matter how HARD you train! There is a sweet spot with calories where the body use fat for energy and keep muscles safe. You need to find it. (In my SYSTEMS I and II this is covered).
You CANNOT build muscle if: caloric intake too low, body fat too low or you do too much cardio!
You WILL get sick regularly if you continue pounding your body week after week, month after month, in the wrong fashion and you do not use certain basic health supporting supplements.
You WILL run into serious tendon and joint issues if you do not alternate every 3 months between BUILDING and CUTTING phases to allow healing and strengthening.
All of these are covered in detail in my COACHING SYSTEMS (https://gertlouw.com/contact-me), but the bottom line which brings all these together are a continuous alternating between a 3 month CUTTING PHASE and a 3 monthly BUILDING phase.
Each Phase has its own specific training methodology and specific type diet.
The two phases are vastly different and by continuously alternating between them, you allow your body every 3 months to go through a process off:
Loosing max fat while protecting muscles in Cutting Phase.
Building max muscle at slightly higher body fat levels in the Building Phase.
Allowing your body to be fed correctly for your exact goal and training methodology for each phase.
Allowing tendons and joints to strengthen and recover regularly in Cutting Phase.
Allowing the body a balanced and healthy approach preventing sickness and injury by not overtraining and stressing the body and immune system.
These 2 phases hold the KEY to climbing the ladder. One step on the ladder = 1 BP (Building phase) + 1 CP (Cutting Phase). After each step you will be able to see a significant difference in shape and size. THIS is how you climb up the ladder.
Look at the following graph showing the BODY FAT variation during the phases
This is what your body fat will do when sticking to my SYSTEM I or II training that incorporates these principles (BP = Building Phase, CP = Cutting Phase):
Every BP1 + CP1 covers a 6 month period. At the end of each of the cutting phases your body fat is lower and lower till typically after a 3 year period you reach crazy levels like 5% body fat.
Let’s look what your muscle size will do when alternating between the phases:
At the end of each of the cutting phases your body weight is higher than after the previous cutting phase. That COUPLED with the fact that the body fat is lower after each Cutting Phase compared to the previous cutting phase makes a HUGE difference on how the body looks and the amount of lean mass you are carrying.
THIS (!) is how you climb the ladder…not after one cutting phase or one building phase but after various of these phases. Stopping with the process simply mean you stop climbing the ladder.
Simply put – After each Building Phase your muscle weight is higher at lower body fat levels, and during the Cutting Phase you show your results, keeping that muscles safe and dropping the body fat on each Cutting Phase lower and lower than in the previous Cutting Phases until after a few years you look back and say…”WOW!”
This is where a LOT of dedicated people get derailed completely! They get sick or injured and well, that is where their road to transforming the body stops…dead in it’s tracks. Until that point they are so motivated and charged up and then that happens…and the de-motivation is just too much. They just never get it off the ground again afterwards.
Right now, I am down from gym with kidney infection and this will keep me out of gym for close to 7 days. But after the 7 days off, I’ll be back doing one week light work and then all back to normal.
Not ONE of us are spared sickness or injuries. Now, injuries we can manage better especially with applying more wisdom as we get older (warming-up, stretching and simply avoiding high risk exercises for injury). But sickness is difficult to prevent. Sure we can apply the basics (anti-oxidants, multi-vit, CQ10 and ALA) and wash our hands regularly with anti-bacterial soap/spray, but even with that, chances are we will still get flu in the winter and still get the odd infection.
It is not a matter of preventing sickness and injuries but a matter of accepting that they form part of the training/body transformation environment as a given. You WILL get sick and you WILL get injured. But that must never (!) derail your efforts. Accept that it will push you back one to two weeks. Do not allow yourself to get negative about it, it is PART of the whole process and those with a winning mindset accepts that!
Now, what is even more important is that after a week of sickness, be careful to go in full force back to gym. Your body is still weak and in a process of recovery. Your immune system not nearly back to normal. Pushing yourself to the limits the first week back can and most probably will result in a recurrence of the sickness even to a worse degree putting you out gym for 3 weeks or more. That first week back after being sick make sure you do not do more than 50% your normal capacity. Go through all the motions and exercises but keep the exertion levels low.
Then the 2nd week back in training you will find you feel yourself again. That is where you start pushing the limits again.
A KEY ingredient of the winning mindset is to force yourself to stick 100% to your diet while sick or injured. Doing this will go great lengths to keep the motivation levels high! This is NOT the time to binge or eat what you want. This is the CRITICAL time to feed the body correctly. Sometimes I experienced when going back after a week sick I actually am in better shape than before, simply because of the control I had with my diet and my body that actually had a well deserved break!
Now, my timing for my kidney infection is real bad because 21st May I got a photoshoot coming up. But that is where all your hard work you have put in over the previous months and years will show the dividends…
Wish you all good health and injury free training!
I had a 10 day rest with wife and kid. Few months then I am hitting 52.
So while rested and relaxed I just always seems to have the urge to flex the hard earned muscles a bit!
We (me, wife and kid) visited all the local quaint little towns and wine farms – Hermanus, Struisbaai, Agulhas, Napier, Standford, Bredasdorp, Arniston, etc…
On my last day I did a short flexing video while we were eating out at one of the restaurants on a wine farm – dicy move, because I took it in the public restroom of the restaurant (thus while I kept my sunglasses on!).
During the holiday after 1o days of no training, binging and eating just what I wanted. Picked up about 2kg body fat.
In fear of being busted while doing the video in the restroom (which would not have been nice, actually real bad!), I finished up as quickly as possible – so it is a short vid!
Now for the next 3 weeks I am preparing for photoshoot and get body fat levels down with at least 1.5% – 2%. No wine, no binging…sticking perfectly to diet!
Nearly all of us have this dream to be the best we can be. Too have a great, ripped, muscled physique that impresses and exudes health, wealth and happiness. We seemed to have been programmed with this urge and I believe that to be true…we are created in the image of God.
But back to reality, life is difficult. Work, school, studying, marriage, family, kids, meetings and a rat race trying to stay ahead and on top.
I have a blueprint transformation system developed to create the environment for growth and fat loss…have a look here: https://gertlouw.com/my-transformation-secrets/
We easily make decisions at the beginning of a new year or after being inspired by someone to reach for that dream body we so much want.
And sure, that is the first and most important step each of us have to take on the road to success BUT, and this is a very big BUT, 99% of those taking this first step have not acquired and mastered the mindset that needs to be in place to push through to reach goal and beyond.
Let’s look at important aspects of this mindset that must be in place before the journey starts:
IT WILL HURT
Do not think for one moment reaching a dream body is without pain. LIFE IS PAIN! You will never ever be in a situation where you will not experience some form of physical or emotional/other pain. Being alive, means that you WILL experience pain. The whole idea is to minimize, control and use this pain to your advantage. To reach your dream physique you will be working out intensely. This will cause muscle pain and resultant muscle growth. Learn to LOVE this pain…this is a signal that you are stimulating your body for growth. There might be injury on your path. This is part of any sport environment. Learn to work around it and do NOT let it derail your efforts. For example: When you have a knee injury, nothing stops you from concentrating on the upper body workouts until it is healed. Even with back injuries under guidance you can still workout safely.
IT WILL TAKE TIME
The Hollywood and Western Culture has programmed us to want immediate results and satisfaction. Get that out of your mind very quickly. That is the single biggest reason why people do not push through. We want it and we want it now and if it does not happen within a month or two then why bother. I got one thing to tell you – “NOTHING, BUT NOTHING IN LIFE THAT IS REALLY WORTH IT COMES EASY.” Accept that. A dream body is not designed in months , not even in years for some. It took me 11 years to get to the best shape of my life. Month after month there are small differences and they add up to significant differences on yearly basis and wow differences every few years. You cannot get to the top of a ladder without climbing the steps…only by going up step by step do you get to the top. Sure there are shortcuts people try to take but nothing this side of anabolic steroids can and ever will produce magic results (even with anabolics it takes time and a very focused approach and is NOT an overnight process!). Do NOT believe marketing advertising of supplements. 99% of what is printed and claimed is complete and utter lies.
IT WILL REQUIRE DEDICATION
There is no easy way to say this…You will need to be at gym 4-5 days a week, you will need to motivate yourself for intense workouts (and learn to love it!), you will need to make extreme effort with your diet preparing the food the day before, you will need to have 100% dedication to your supplement regime. This is what it will take.
YOU WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFESTYLE
Right now you are probably hanging out with your mates every evening. In future you will have to cut social time to the bare minimum. Your time and focus will now be in a new environment. You need to brace yourself for a total lifestyle change – friends, socializing, eating habits, time spend and more.
Having family requirements make it more challenging but not impossible. In fact your life partner and kids will see the changes and your dedication and that will instill in them even greater respect for you. You will lead now by example and what you are showing them is the best possible example a father can show to his children…that if you want something badly in life, you have to put in the effort and dedication to get there, you will show them everything worth something in life comes with great effort and dedication.
Many people also ask me how I bring my faith in Jesus and my fitness lifestyle together. They see a good looking shredded, muscled guy and struggle to bring faith and this lifestyle in the same environment. I find it very easy and actually find that my dedication to the fitness lifestyle brings me closer to God because it teaches me dedication and discipline. For me Jesus Christ is in the center of everything I do. I never cut Him out of anything and I am not shy to give Him the credit for what I’ve reached. Even before I sometimes do a heavy set…I will quickly close my eyes for strength from my Lord. I don’t care what people say or think around me…I am not doing this for them…I am doing this for me.
THERE WILL BE TEMPTATION
Be under no misconception…there will be many reasons for giving up. This is the exact reason why so few reach success. You will be hungry, you will miss out on drink dates with friends, you might even have to change friends, your body will ache and pain and there will be days that you feel drained and without focus. Those are the days that you just have to PUSH THROUGH and JUST DO IT. Just get yourself to gym and just do what you need to do. Steer clear from foods that tempt you. Do NOT keep those foods in your house. Temptation is what will separate the men from the boys.
Never use work-pressure or deadlines as an excuse. You HAVE to find your solutions around that. If it means early morning or late evening training, so be it. NEVER use the excuse “but I cannot stick to the meals because I do not have time at work to eat.” It takes you 2 min to pour water in a shaker, put in the protein powder and shake and drink it…2 minutes, nothing more!
This especially is one of the key areas where I found my faith helps me a lot to stay focused.
The above is just some of the key areas for the right mindset, but I believe these are the most important.
Master them and you WILL reach success.
Success is within each of us but so is failure as well.
You have been given the ability to reach to the stars and be everything God ever meant you to be…DO NOT LET THIS WONDERFULL GIFT PASS YOU BY.
Later on in life, many of us have so much regrets…about what we did not do, about what we wished we did, about what we did wrong, about the hurt we caused people close to us, about many things…
But this is the road we have walked and chosen. It was not laid out for us…no one forced us to walk the path, we made the choices and took the steps.
But why are there so many exceptions? Why are there so many people out there that go against all the odds and reach exceptional heights, living life to the fullest. People that had everything counting against them, sickness, disability, or whatever other aspect that could have hold them back in life. Why do they reach a point, where, no matter their disability, they choose to stand up, start walking the right tracks in life and live their life with integrity and passion. Why can they do it?
The fact is, they are NO different than any of us. Through their struggle (disability, sickness) the sunglasses that covered their eyes have been removed, they can now clearly see how precious and vulnerable life really is. They appreciate life soooo much more. This clear vision make them stand up and choose to walk the right paths in life, to make right with God, to reach for their dreams with passion and to life live…the right way. And they rose to such heights that they completely overshadow the rest of us who have everything going for us.
LEARN FROM THESE PEOPLE…
You, me and everyone have the power to change the road you are walking into a new direction. A direction where you live life right and with integrity…and be ALL you can be.
But, it most certainly will take you out of your comfort zone, it will be inconvenient and it will mean you will have to change from the inside as well as the outside, it might even be painful.
But only YOU can make this happen, no-one else is going to force you. So keep sitting on the couch, sipping the beer and live a “wild uncontrolled life” or reach for the stars and live life to the fullest – be all you can be – have no regrets at the end of your life – live a life of integrity and live with PASSION.
Although even some young bodybuilders struggle with weak wrists it is most frequently the domain of the over 40 lifter.
The wrist simply do not have the power and ability to support the weight being lifted anymore. This could become a huge problem for a person in quest for size, because the key ingredient for growth is through intense, heavy weight lifting regularly to the point of failure.
I am one such person that struggles with weak wrists. I simply cannot hold the size weight required to stimulate enough growth. But I am definitely not going to call it game over…I made plans. And it is MUCH easier than most people think.
The following video is rather crucial to watch to fully understand exactly what and how I am doing it.
You must get a wrist supporting rubber grabbing “glove”, like the one showed in the video.
To make sure that the part that folds over the wrist is secure and do not come loose while engaged in heavy lifting, duck tape must be used as per instruction in the video. (Tape it on both wrists securing the part that folds over.)
With every (!) weight you lift (dumbbells & barbels, pullups, seated rows for back and especially shrugs) the rubber part of the glove must be wrapped around the weight where your hand would go and then your hand must go over the rubber part in the reverse position (see video for exact method).
This would alleviate the pressure on the wrist easily by up to 80%.
When performing bench presses use the overhand position with the thumb in the same direction as all the other fingers. Let the weight of the bar rests on the lower part of just the palm of your hand so that no pressure is applied on the wrist. Do not clasp the thumb the other way around the bar. This put undue pressure on the wrist.
The above sounds simple, but I guarantee you that it will enhance your ability GREATLY to lift serious weights again without hurting the wrists and put you straight back into growth territory.
This is the way I’ve been lifting for the last 5 years and now at close to 52 I am in the best shape of my life.
Hope this help guys…be wise and GROW!
Those interested in the online transformation coaching I provide – check here: https://gertlouw.com/contact-me/
Walking by faith – Everyone knows by now there are a deeper side to me and a life altering back story.
But I have never really told my story about my walk in faith.
I am opening my heart here and I know there are risks…because the world is not always a good place to lay your heart bare. But this is the time to do it…my walk in faith has brought me to this point where I feel compelled to share.
So those that want to know about a story of pain, hope, miracles and LIFE, read on.
As many of you know, 11 years ago (at age 40) I was lying on my “deathbed” in hospital. At one point no blood pressure and heartbeat and ready to die. A brutal attack and mutilation left me with a broken soul and the will to live has left me, my heart was filled with darkness and pain which I could not carry anymore.
Me 2 months after hospital:
Then the unexpected happened. While I was lying in my hospital bed, weak and not expecting anything but death, I heard a voice, God’s voice. The voice was clear…”Gert, I am offering you life…I have a plan for you. You must choose…”
I cannot put in words that moment…I experienced an incredible beauty, softness, kindness, pureness, holiness, love and I saw LIFE…and in that moment my life changed. I was heartbroken, I was weak and I spend a lot of time in conversation with God over the next few days lying in my bed. I was soooo close to choosing death…but this unexpected experience showed me LIFE and I made my choice.
Sure, before this I knew about God and I knew the Bible. But this changed my world. Suddenly God was not just in a book anymore but He was more real to me than this world around me. And for just that brief moment I felt the touch of God…and I was utterly overwhelmed and unprepared.
Two weeks in hospital and I was strong enough to leave. Prognosis not good…some doctors gave me a couple of years. But it was not in their hands, I chose life and God was in control.
I was a changed man…but, the pain and darkness in my heart of what happened was not over. The weakness I have, is that I put a lid on things and push it deep down, trying to bury it…never really dealing with it.
My walk in faith deepened over the next years.
Now at 51 I am a living miracle of God. The body is still broken. Kidneys functioning at 50%, struggling with my liver, and that is just the tip of the iceberg with my serious health problems. But that is insignificant for God…look at me…with my severe health issues and being expected to be long dead by now, God has turned this around to the extend that I am looking the healthiest and fittest I ever did in my life. For Him, NOTHING is impossible. He is in control, not the doctors, not me, not medical science.
Me, today…4 months away from 52:
Now this all sound incredible and it is, but my world was about to be rocked again. God knew that the pain and darkness that I am trying to bury needs to be addressed. Every now and then an event triggers the lid from coming off slightly and the pain and darkness boils over. And recently the Holy Spirit kicked off that lid for good. All that pain and darkness surfaced and there was no way I could put back the lid on again. The Holy Spirit do not mess around…that lid was gone!
I struggled to breath, it felt like my heart was tearing in two…I pleaded with the Holy Spirit to please ask God to come and take my life…I could not bear the pain, it was overwhelming. My power to push it down was gone.
But let me give you a glimpse into how incredible God works.
The Holy Spirit literally forced me to walk into a church I do not know the next day, and walk up to the first friendly face I see and tell him I need someone to pray with me, now (!) and intercede on my behalf before God. Now anyone that knows me, will realize this is the worst thing anybody can ask me to do. I am a total introvert, sitting always quietly in the corner doing my own thing and NEVER EVER just walk up to people I don’t know, let alone in an environment total foreign to me. This was going against everything I am.
But instead of doing this, I wanted to die, because this darkness and pain was so intense and overwhelming that again I was at this crossroad point in my life where I had to choose between life and death. I had a young son who I adore and a beautiful loving wife and if it was not for them chances was I was going to choose the easy road out. I was breaking down in tears continuously…and I am NOT an emotional person!
So I DID IT! I just did it in total obedience. I went to the church the Holy Spirit indicated to me, my wife and son by my side. I walked up to the first friendly face I saw and I told him what the Holy Spirit instructed me to do. He smiled and said I must go and sit, someone will come to me. A few moments later a guy, my age, walked up to me and touch my shoulder and smile. We went to a quiet corner outside and I told him my story, laying my heart bare, told him of my pain and the way the Holy Spirit is working with me now. We bend down and started praying, he laid me before God…during this moment the Holy Spirit told me that because of my obedience, He will now plea my case before God and lay my pain of the darkest corners of my heart before God. I could hear it, I could literally hear the murmurings, not words, but I could hear everything. I felt the touch of God as I did in my hospital bed and broke down in tears by grace I do not deserve. God once again began the 2nd miracle in my life, healing my pain in my heart.
The following week was extremely emotional for me as the Holy Spirit carried me through this process of cutting the pain in my heart out, piece by piece.
I thought my walk was close with God previously, but had no idea how intense it was about to become.
This God I bow down too, has become more real than anything else in this world. I am totally unprepared for how amazing and incredible His love, His holiness, His power and His kindness is.
So many people I talk to over the internet ask me “Why do God, if He is a good God, allow this pain and suffering in this world to continue?”
The world is a broken place. We have made our choices to abandon God and with it comes pain and suffering. God is the ultimate gentleman…He NEVER force His will on anyone. Bad things happen to even good people everyday…and you know what, it strengthens you to become a stronger person reaching greater heights. Look what happened to me…through it God strengthened me to reach heights I thought never possible in my life and I am touching many lives out there and helping people. I am a hard nut to crack and God knows it. He had plans for me…but left to my own devices that plan would never come into play. He allowed things to happened to me and come over my path. Bad things…like Job, but like God is, He turned everything around into blessings beyond believe. I still had to make the choices myself…but God gentlemanly lead me in the direction…
God wants so much the best for us, but when we abandon Him we are left alone in this broken world. The heart of God is such that He allowed that, which was most precious to Him, to be put through pain and mutilation and to die on a cross for us, just so that me and you would have direct access to God and the Holy Spirit.
My sins in this broken world prevents me from having a direct link with God, because before God nothing that has any sin or darkness can stand and live, nothing. God is pure and holy. Only through the sacrifice of Jesus, who was blameless, could He die in my place and through that allow me to talk to God and be saved. It had to be someone blameless, he had to had no sin because that is the only way He could die for ours.
God could have sent armies of angels to rescue Jesus, but this shows God’s heart…unmeasurable kindness and compassion. He did not have to do this for us…He is the Almighty God, rescuing us just by grace…which we do not deserve.
Now, many devoted believers don’t like it when they hear of someone like me who had such incredible experiences with God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ (I had Christ holding His hand on my shoulder at one of my toughest moments in prayer and more…)
Why me, what makes me special?
Remember Maria?…remember that between all the disciples of Jesus, SHE was the one that quietly bent down with her tears falling on Jesus feet and rubbed very expensive oil/perfume over His feet, no words, just an act of utter compassion. His disciples were not impressed about the logic that such expensive perfume was wasted. But she had a relationship with God on another level, why?…because of the AMOUNT of grace she required to be saved. Be happy and joyful if you required little grace to follow God, then you are blessed indeed. People like me (and Maria) carried so much pain and darkness in our hearts that the grace we require, is massive. This amount of grace changes you on every level and your relationship with God, is extremely intense.
Last week on one of the biggest radio stations in Cape Town, they aired this young woman who had a vision where Jesus Christ appeared to her and told her: “Go and tell the world, I have finished preparing all your places in heaven. I am coming to fetch you. The time is up.”
The Holy Spirit confirmed this in my heart…
Now, I know God said, no one knows the date and time, but I am making sure me and my family is ready…I cannot wait to join my Lord and Saviour!
I pray this article means something to you…it comes from deep within my soul.
Men aiming at maximum muscle size usually steer clear from any form of cardio. The bottom line is that all cardio, even moderate cardio, WILL decrease muscle size and make it more difficult to add muscle. It is the normal reaction the body has to cardio. It can be most clearly seen in marathon runners who have these thin sinewy physiques with almost no muscle size.
Body fat should be managed by a very focussed diet and NEVER via cardio. Cardio primarily “eats” into muscle and actually help surprisingly little to bring the fat levels down. It is much easier for the body to use the muscles for energy during cardio than to tap into fat storage and thus why cardio nearly always has the opposite effect.
Now, for one who refuse to give up his resistance training and has no other choice but to drop muscle weight due to health reasons (such as kidney problems), cardio presents a great and healthy opportunity to simply add it to the training regimen. The response the body will have when cardio is added, even by sticking to the same diet and resistance training, is to decrease muscle size.
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The general thought process out there is, that if you want to lose fat you must do cardio. It is unfortunately far from the truth. If you want to lose MUSCLE (!) you do cardio.
This video goes a long way as to give some proof about the matter although, admittedly, this is not an actual scientific experiment.
All factors like diet, resistance training frequency and intensity remained the same throughout the study with the only real added change being cardio that was added 5 days per week.
Supplements and all other forms of health support stayed exactly the same during the process.
The project spanned over a 6 month period.
Before the 6 months only resistance training (4 days a week) with no cardio.
During the 6 months significant cardio was added 5 days a week (speed swimming – 20 to 30 laps).
The following very noticeable results after the 6 months:
Bodyweight down by 7kg’s (mostly muscle with a smaller fat component as well).
Body shape has become more pronounced and defined.
Visible body fat decrease on upper body and lower body for a more shredded look.
Continuing with the cardio indefinitely will further decrease muscle size but at the same time enhances shape and shredded look thus providing a healthy fit looking body.
But alas, those in search of size should never follow this route!
For some or other reason the banting crowd is the most aggressive crowd I have ever come across. The steroid junkie bodybuilding crowd does not even come close to them in terms of aggression!
From my experience, less than 1 in every 100 banters seems to have the ability to disagree with me in a decent way. I am sorry to say this, but I have never come across so many plain nasty people in my life. I suspect it has something to do with the high fat consumption that makes them jittery…any case, I don’t know but in all honestly they need to learn to communicate in a decent way. They stand out like a sore thumb between all the people I have ever met on forums and the likes…and there’s been some bad ones. And off course they will mark this article and video down as far as they can because ANYTHING opposing their viewpoint is just not tolerated!
To clear up any “misunderstanding”…my gripe ( and the gripe 99% of doctors and nutritionists have) with banting is the fact that the amount of carbs (simple and complex) you consume on banting is too low to stimulate a healthy insulin response from the body. Doing this over time will harm the insulin sensitivity response the body has to carb consumption, you cannot get away from it. It could theoretically even result in permanent metabolic damage. That’s why if you do banting, you don’t do it long-term. And banting for anyone trying to build a muscled physique, is a very bad (!) idea. A very healthy insulin response is required to effectively build muscles. Insulin is the most potent muscle-building hormone in the human body.
But you do NOT have to agree with me or the billions of other people out there. You are entitled to your own opinion. In any case if you believe in what you are doing why do you care what I or other people say?
And if you do care, all I ask is that you do it in a decent way like a normal human being.
Any person leaving a nasty comment on any of my videos, blog posts and websites will be deleted and blocked immediately. If you cannot communicate with me in a decent way, I do NOT talk to you, full stop. And unfortunately it seems that more than 9 out of 10 of those people are banters.
This is probably the most frequent question I get ask.” I want to start with my body transformation now, but which phase must I do first?”
Cutting and Building phases play a very important role in allowing the body to cope with the strain of training. Every 3 months during the Cutting Phase the weights are lighter with higher reps per set, allowing the tendons and joints a rest and time to recover and strengthen for the next attack with the Building Phase. It also has many other positive effects on health and the body in general.
The phase by which you drop body fat while attempting to hang on to the muscle size.
Lighter training (more reps per set), generally not to the point of failure.
Fewer calories consumed.
Usually 3 months in length.
Can go as low as 4-5% body fat where competing athletes push the limits to 2-3% body fat levels for very short durations.
Building Phase
The phase by which you slightly increase body fat to enable you to build bigger muscles.
Train to muscle failure at low reps on EACH set to ignite growth.
Slightly higher calories consumed (approximately 10% more than cutting phase – ALWAYS stick to 40/30/30 split – protein/carbs/fat).
Usually 3 months in length.
Should not go lower than 8% body fat otherwise you will struggle to add decent muscle size.
The answer is not a simple one and some factors needs to be considered. I think it will be best explained by going through a couple of scenarios.
Training status: beginner to moderate / Body fat levels: Above 10% / Goal: Shredded, muscled body.
ANSWER: Considering your goal of a shredded physique and the fact that you are not an advanced athlete and body fat levels are above 10% it is a clear sign that you should start with the Cutting Phase. In fact I would say that if your body fat levels are over 15% or 20% you should strongly consider an extended Cutting Phase until such time that it drops below a 10% level before you start alternating between the Phases.
Training Status: beginner to moderate / Body fat levels: 8% – 10% / Goal: Shredded, muscled body
ANSWER: For this scenario the freedom of choice is yours. Depending on how much you want that shredded look, I would suggest you decide. If it is all important, then start off with a 3 month Cutting Phase and then alternate with a 3 month Building Phase and repeat. If it is not all out important then nothing stops you from starting with the Building Phase in this scenario. The fact that you are a beginner to moderate athlete however would suggest the Cutting Phase could be a better option to start with since you might still not have all the techniques of the exercises fully under control and heavy intense training might put you in risk of injury.
Training Status: advanced / Body fat levels: between 8% – 10% / Goal: Shredded, muscled body
ANSWER: The exact same as above scenario with the difference that this is an advanced athlete. Due to this fact he/she will have strengthened tendons and joints and exercise technique should already been well under control. These facts lend to the suggest that such an athlete might rather want to start with the Building Phase (although he/she have complete freedom to decide).
Training Status: advanced / Body fat levels: below 8% / Goal: Shredded, muscled body
ANSWER: In this scenario the athlete is already in shredded territory (below 8% body fat). Unless it is a hardcore athlete that want to go down to like 5% body fat levels, the better choice here would be to do a Building Phase.
Training Status: advanced / Body fat levels: above 10% / Goal: muscled body
ANSWER: In this scenario the aim is just to get a muscled body (call it a Rugby player look). Body fat levels are not such a great concern to this person plus he is a rather advanced athlete that knows his technique. There is no reason why such a person should start with the Cutting Phase. He can start off with the Building Phase and from there onwards alternate every 3 months between Cutting and Building Phases.
This is probably the single most confusing area for anyone want to venture the road of fitness/bodybuilding or just to transform their body for a “wow” look.
The first question is, “Do I need to take supplements at all”?
Now those of you that have followed me for a while know that I am very (!) outspoken against supplements. My photos have been stolen and abused with fake stories by supplement companies more than 80 times now (those are the one’s I actually busted, let alone the one’s I don’t know about).
So the bottom line is EVERY advert you read about how great this or that product is, is hugely inflated and chances are very high the photos produced as proof are stolen and the stories as proof are fake. There is NO (!) magic pill out there. Not even anabolic steroids can do what some of these supplement companies claim, ie: “complete body transformations in 14 days or 3 weeks”!
So lesson one – NEVER read supplements advertisements. It has 90% lies and 10% truth. Very few real advances have been made in the last decade or so about supplements for bodybuilding. I am not talking about hollow claims, but I am talking about real scientific independent studies and proof.
Those that is going to believe me and listen to what I say will save THOUSANDS of dollars!
Bodybuilding and fat loss supplements contribute a miniscule 2.5% to your overall results. Thus, you CANNOT waste your money on any supplement that is not highly effective and focused.
Now all that being said, truth is, there are a core group of supplements for both your general health (very important for those putting their body under strain due to heavy training and dieting) and for creating and environment for muscle-building and fatloss and increase your repair ability of your body.
Anything outside these groups of supplements you need to question and REALLY do your homework before parting with your hard-earned money.
Now generally anyone knowing me, knows that I am steering clear here because I do not like promoting brands and shooting others down. BUT, I had so many people ask me about safer brand options. So here is my opinion:
Experience and knowledge leads here. Let me explain. NO supplement out there, with little to no scientific studies to back it up, can make any significant difference no matter what the marketing or claims are.
The are MANY, MANY scam supplements out there that are totally worthless and it cost and arm and leg.
So the first rule is, it MUST be backed up by various independent scientific studies and control groups. This immediately cancel 95% of supplements!
The rest well, there are various degrees of success. Even if it is backed up by solid studies, if the effect is minimal, one is wasting your time and money.
The supplement must have a significant effect to be even considered.
Now, filtering through everything with the above rules and the supps I suggest are the ones that can and will make an ever so slight but important difference (see section below). The only one outside of this group is creatine…for about 90% of people it can have solid advantages (even to the degree of the most potent supp this side of anabolic steroids)…but that should only be used while on a building phase and not cutting phases. Just a note on creatine – anyone with kidney issues should steer clear…creatine is placing some strain (albeit moderate) on the kidneys. So drink LOTS of water while on it.
When buying the “approved” supplements…stick only to highly reputable BIG brands, EAS, On Nutrition, Animal and Muscletech.
That does not mean all the supplements these companies sell, is working…they sell whatever the public has been brainwashed to buy! So tread carefully!
Which brand I use? A local, South African brand – HMT, but you will only have access to it if you are in South Africa and the range is designed specifically for competing athletes.
First, let’s look at GENERAL HEALTH supplements (supported by science and real world trials)
CQ10 (Co-Enzyme Q10) – the number ONE potent health supplement out there. [150mg – 300mg daily]
“Coenzymes are substances that help the activities of enzymes. Evidence shows that Coenzyme Q10 plays a very important role in the production of energy throughout the body. It also has been found to have powerful antioxidant effects, destroying free radicals in the body.
Improved energy production is of particular importance to athletes and bodybuilders.
Coenzyme Q10 helps the body convert food into energy in the form of ATP. Nearly every cell in the body contains at least some Coenzyme Q10, with mitochondria, the energy powerhouses of cells, containing the most. The heart and liver, due to their high content of mitochondria, contain the most Coenzyme Q10 out of any organs in the body.
In a placebo-controlled study, Coenzyme Q10 supplementation was shown to help people with congestive heart failure. People with congestive heart failure may not see any results for a few months, but should not quit taking it immediately without consulting a doctor. People with angina have been able to exercise for longer periods of time and with more energy when supplementing with Coenzyme Q10. It has also been shown to lower blood pressure and improve the pumping function of the heart.
Coenzyme Q10 may even help facilitate weight loss due to its stimulating effects on the body’s metabolism. Evidence suggests that Coenzyme Q10 can help in a number of ailments and diseases including: diabetes, angina, give support with chemotherapy, male infertility, mitral valve prolapse, give support with HIV, gingivitis, and congestive heart failure. The assimilation of Coenzyme Q10 may be better if taken with a fatty substance such as oil, peanut butter, olive oil, etc.”
CQ10 has also shown to have highly effective pain treatment properties, especially for migraine sufferers.
ALA(Alpha lipoic Acid) [200mg – 400mg daily]
“In addition to the anti-oxidant effects that ALA produces the list below shows why it is such an important supplement. The list of benefits includes:
Improving of physique
Combats free radicals
Protects our genetic material
Slows aging
Protects against heart disease
Protects against cancer
Improves skin and helps erase wrinkles
Regulates blood sugar in diabetics
Protects the liver
May be used as a treatment for Stroke
If Alpha-Lipoic Acid were just another antioxidant, then its value would be far less. After all, there are dozens of ingredients on the market that have powerful antioxidant functions. However, the unique qualities possessed by Alpha-Lipoic Acid, functioning as both a water- and fat-soluble antioxidant make it an intriguing ingredient and a supplement worthy of serious consideration.”
Omega 3+6 [2g to 6g per day]
“Omega-3 fats are essential fats your body needs for brain development that may also help limit your risk for heart disease. Good sources include flaxseeds, walnuts, salmon, herring, tuna, mackerel, sardines and other fatty fish. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics recommends getting at least 500 milligrams per day of EPA and DHA, the main omega-3 fats found in seafood.
Getting plenty of omega-3 fats in your diet may help increase your feelings of fullness, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off, according to a study published in Appetite in November 2008. A review article published in Nutrients in 2010 noted that omega-3 fats may help with weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing fat burning, especially when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise.
Omega-6 fats are essential as well, but most people get more of these than they need in their diets. A high ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, such as that found in the typical American diet, may increase inflammation and your risk of cancer, heart disease and arthritis. If you’re trying to lose weight, it may be best to limit your omega-6 consumption, which can cause you to retain water. Aim for a 3-1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fats, recommends Unity Health System. These fats should make up between 5 and 10 percent of your total calories for the day. Some of the main sources of omega-6 fats include soybean oil, safflower oil and corn oil.”
Consumption of Omega 3 + 6 will actually help you to lose fat!
Potent Multi Vitamin [as directed on container]
When the body is under strain due to serious training and dieting, then you need larger amounts of trace minerals/vitamins to ensure that the body stays healthy. Some doctors lately actually support the notion that one does not need a multi-vitamin at all. However, I oppose this notion, especially when it comes to a body under strain. Potent type multivitamins contains higher dosages of all vit/min combinations than those used by non-active people. Just a note here: Never use anti-oxidants or Multi Vit in near to the time you train. It has been shown by recent science studies that this limits your body’s ability to lose fat. Use it as far removed from your training session. Good examples: Optimen, Optiwomen, Animal Pak, Nano Pack by Nuskin, etc…
Now, about supplements that can make a real difference in the bodybuilding/fat-loss environment:
BCAA – branched chained amino acids [use as directed on container – buy shake and not pill form]
BCAA shake while training has been proven scientifically to “force” your body’s energy requirements to come from the fat reserves and not the muscles. You NEVER want energy to come from the muscles, when that happens, you enter a catabolic state = smaller muscles! BCAA goes a long way to help stop this process and encourage energy to come from fat reserves. It is a critical component when you train heavy and intense and is best use while training in shake form.
L-Glutamine [5g before and 5g after training]
L-Glutamine has been proven through various science studies to be a miracle bodybuilding supplement.
Glutamine has been linked to protein synthesis. It prevents your muscle from being catabolic (eaten up) in order to provide Glutamine for other cells in the body.
Glutamine helps maintain cell volume and hydration, speeding up wound and burn healing and recovery.
Glutamine benefits you by replenishing declining Glutamine levels during intense workouts.
Research has shown Glutamine can help you produce growth hormone levels. A study has shown 2 grams of L-Glutamine increased growth hormones by over 400%.
Glutamine may serve to boost your immune system. For bodybuilders, this is important since heavy workouts tend to greatly deplete Glutamine levels. (Glutamine is a primary energy source for your immune system.)
Glutamine is one of the most important nutrients for your intestines. It has the ability to ‘repair a leaky gut’ by maintaining the structural integrity of the bowels.
Bet you didn’t know this: It can even cure ulcers! Studies have found that 1.6 grams of Glutamine a day had a 92% cure rate in 4 weeks.
Researchers are suggesting that Glutamine is the most important amino acid to the bodybuilder. It provides a component in muscle metabolism and cellular support not shared by any other single amino acid, making the benefits of L-Glutamine supplementation a realistic venture.
Glutamine has also various benefits for hiv+ people.
Whey protein [40g immediately after training]
Immediately after training you need to spike the insulin. This is to create a potent environment for growth. Insulin is the most powerful muscle-building hormone in the body. To do this, one consume 40g of whey protein (without added carbs or fats) and eat a banana or apple. This is a key aspect for anyone serious about building muscle and loosing fat. This will also feed the muscles very much-needed nutrients.
Creatine – optional [use as directed on container and pre load if necessary]
Creatine will work for some and for some not. For those that it does work, it can be the most potent muscle-building supplement this side of anabolic steroids. So it might be worthwhile to test out. Just be carefull, creatine places strain on kidneys and only use if you have healthy kidneys. Creatine must always be use together with grape juice or Vitargo for best absorption.
Ok, now you have some guidance about what to choose between all these 1000’s of supplements.
But just some food for thought about your plans to transform that body this year…
Everyone experience failure along the adventure of transforming their body, but those that get to the goal post are those that got up EVERY time after they failed on diet or training for a day or a week and kept going…THAT is the single biggest and most important ingredient for EVERYONE who reach the goal post of a “wow” transformation. Like a well-known slogan says: “JUST DO IT.” Don’t think about it…DO IT! The more you think about it, the more reasons you will find not too. Because it is an effort. It is not easy and it will take a lot of sweat and pain. But the adventure is incredible and will change your life forever. The return on your investment will be unbelievable! Reach for the stars, nothing less…
But to make it worthwhile, change everything…inside and out. become the best person you can be, with integrity, kindness and compassion, otherwise it is a hollow aim that will let you just become a more well-known jerk instead of a guy people look up to and admire for more than just their body. A role model that can change the world!
Here are 3 incredible transformation photos – look at them and burn them in your mind…GET TO THAT GOAL POST!
It can be done…but YOU will have to do it and MAKE IT HAPPEN.
For those that want complete customised transformation systems and diets to get you to the goal post, follow this link for some of the most comprehensive systems in the business: https://gertlouw.com/contact-me/
And lastly, here is my transformation pic (age 50 on the right):
Make 2016 the year you become the best you can be…from the inside and outside!
A BIG THANK YOU to all of you who shared my life in 2015 – leaving comments on my blog, for reading my blog, for sending me emails, watching my videos.
It is MUCH appreciated and together we enrich each others life’s!
Every little secret, every hard-earned practical fact, every scientific study that actually support the (very) few supplements between all the thousand ridiculous advertisement claims have been filtered en incorporated into one system that MAKES A DIFFERENCE click here: 
