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The High Performance Journal - June 18th, 2024

I've been working out for the past 20 years and have been in the fitness industry for 18 of them.

I've trained thousands of clients, built a gym, sold that gym, and am now helping entrepreneurs transform their bodies with ease and minimal stress.

Along the way, I've collected some cheat codes for working out and in today's article, I'm going to share them with you.

Starting with...

Workout Cheat Codes I Know At 44 I Wish I Knew At 24

1. When lifting a weight count backward from your desired rep target. This simple trick trains your mind into finishing the reps.
   
   
2. Creatine is the most researched supplement with literally zero side effects. Take 5 grams daily to help build muscle & improve brain health. Make sure to take one without any fillers or additives. ​Here's the one I take​.
   
   
3. Eat at least .8 to 1g of ​protein​ per pound of ideal bodyweight. This amount is scientifically proven to help you build & maintain muscle. This is especially helpful when dieting because you need to keep muscle.
   
   
4. When lifting a weight spend more time (3-4 seconds) on the eccentric (aka. lowering) portion of the lift. The lowering portion of a lift is more important than the lifting portion because it's that part that helps you build the most muscle.
   
   
5. Do plyometrics before a lower-body workout and med ball throws before an upper-body workout. This trains your nervous system to use power when lifting weights or performing explosive exercises.
   
   
6. Do your weakest muscles at the beginning of the workout. Example: If your hamstrings are weak start with them at the top of the workout. If your left is weaker than your right start with that side first when doing single joint movements (ie. lunges). Do the weakest part first because that's when you have the most energy.
   
   
7. Stop changing your workouts each time you hit the gym. You build muscle and make gains by getting better at doing the same exercises at similar rep ranges using ​progressive overload​.
   
   
8. Use the mind-to-muscle connection when lifting. This means using your mind to contract the muscles you're using to lift, which will lead to more activation.
   
   
9. Recovery is just as important as your workout because that's where your body repairs and builds muscle. Want to recover faster? Focus on your sleep. Sleep is the best legal performance-enhancing drug on the planet. Click t​his link​ for a pdf on the protocol we use to help our clients get the best sleep of their lives.
   
   
10. Keep your eyes fixed. When lifting keep your head & eyes fixed on a point where you'll be able to focus and contract the muscle the most.
    
    
11. Allow yourself to take an exercise to failure 10% of the time. The rest of the time leave 1-2 reps in the tank to maintain form and save the joints.
    
    
12. Get the same gains in a workout in a fraction of the time by using supersets. This puts 2 non-competing exercises together without rest.
    
    Example: 10 reps of squats followed by 10 reps of a bench press followed by a 2-minute rest.
    
    Studies show you can make the same amount of gains in 36% less time. This is the reason why I used supersets as the primary method of lifting for the ​Lean Body 90.
    
    
13. The best way to warm up before a workout is doing short dynamic stretches. They increase your range of motion and prep your body for the exercises ahead while ​only taking 6 minutes to complete​.
    
    
14. The best way to cool down from a workout is 5 minutes of box breathing. Lay on your back and follow these steps: 
    
    Step 1: Breathe in, counting to four slowly. Feel the air enter your lungs.
    Step 2: Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Try to avoid inhaling or exhaling for 4 seconds.
    Step 3: Slowly exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
    Step 4: Repeat steps 1 to 3 until you feel re-centered.
    
    This helps put your body in a parasympathetic state, which helps speed up recovery.
     
15. If you sit at a desk do more bar hangs. They condition the rear delts, rhomboids & external rotators while improving posture to reverse the effects of sitting. Here's a ​video I did on how to do them​.
    
    
16. A great workout is one that incorporates both machines and free weights. Machines allow you to do an exercise in a safe way while focusing on the muscles you're targeting. Use them.
    
    
17. Getting a spotter adds around 10% more strength to your workouts. Want to get the most out of an exercise? Get someone to spot you. This helps you feel more safe and the added motivation gives a boost to your workout.
    
    
18. Visualize your lifts before they happen. The act of seeing yourself doing a lift successfully makes you more likely to crush your lift.
    
    
19. Use neural connections when lifting. When doing pressing exercises activate your muscles from your thumb and index finger. When doing pulling exercises activate from your pinkie. This creates a neural connection to activate the muscle more.
    
    
20. The best preworkout meal: Eat a meal of fast-burning carbs like fruits (ie. kiwis) before a workout to get some energy before a workout.
    
    
21. Train like an athlete for the best results. Doing cardio helps you lift better through improving lung capacity and blood flow. Lifting helps you become better at cardio by strengthening your muscles and making them resilient to injury. Do both to become the best athlete you can be. Bonus points: They also help you increase both lifespan and health span and can delay the aging process.
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22. When doing deadlifts or back exercises use straps. By reducing the load on your forearms and hands, you can focus more on the muscles you want to train, such as your back.
    
    
23. Wear barefoot shoes when working out. This improves your foot strength and allows for proper toe spread, which can lead to better foot health. Here are ​ones that I use​.
    
    
24. When the set is on turn the music up. When it’s time to rest put the music down. When you’re done with a workout, put on some chill tunes. Attune your music to your activity level.
    
    
25. When you’re beginning (or trying to get back into it) choose a type of exercise that’s enjoyable first. Your goal is to develop a liking for exercise and to stick to it. You can always optimize later.
    
    
26. Leave your ego at the door. Unless you're a world-class bodybuilder or powerlifter, no one is watching you at the gym or caring about how much weight you're using. Run your own race and never workout to impress others.
    
    
27. Once a set is done go for a quick walk. This will improve your recovery between sets while helping you get some extra steps in.
    
    
28. Find a group of friends where being fit is the standard. This will influence you by changing your environment. You eventually become who you hang around.
    
    
29. If you sit at a desk a lot get a standing desk and an under the desk treadmill. Yes, they require a bit of an upfront cost but they have been the best investments I've made in my health in the past year. You feel way better when you spend your days walking at your desk than sitting.
    
    
30. To get results faster hire a coach. A coach helps you get from where you are to your goal in the fastest time because they combine expert advice with massive accountability. If you're serious about changing your body​ apply here​.
    
    

If The Gym Is A Video Game These Are Your Cheat Codes

You have now learned in 3 minutes what it's taken me 20 years to figure out.

The way to attack this list is to choose 1-2 and try them out in the gym.

Each tip is a form of compounding interest in the gym.

Even if you make a 1% improvement that will add up over the course of years working out.

But do not take my word that these work. Try them out for yourself and see.

If they end up working, they may have unlocked the next level of performance for you.

Onwards and upwards 🚀

- Dan

When you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. The Lean Body 90 System: When you’re ready to get in great shape, Lean Body 90 is the obvious choice. You can get in great shape and reach your fitness goals in just 90 minutes a week. Lose weight and build muscle even without hours in the gym or highly restrictive diets. Join 1000+ students here.

2. Are you an entrepreneur who wants to get lean, boost energy, and get in your best shape? Apply for private one-on-one coaching here.

3. Promote yourself to 285,000+ subscribers​ by sponsoring this newsletter.

References:

1. Edith Shalev, Vicki G. Morwitz,Does time fly when you're counting down? The effect of counting direction on subjective time judgment,Journal of Consumer Psychology,Volume 23, Issue 2,2013,Pages 220-227,ISSN 1057-7408.
2.  ​https://sportrxiv.org/index.php/server/preprint/view/419/877​ 
3. Burke R, Piñero A, Coleman M, Mohan A, Sapuppo M, Augustin F, Aragon AA, Candow DG, Forbes SC, Swinton P, Schoenfeld BJ. The Effects of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Regional Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2023 Apr 28;15(9):2116. doi: 10.3390/nu15092116. PMID: 37432300; PMCID: PMC10180745.
4. Avgerinos KI, Spyrou N, Bougioukas KI, Kapogiannis D. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Exp Gerontol. 2018 Jul 15;108:166-173. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.013. Epub 2018 Apr 25. PMID: 29704637; PMCID: PMC6093191.
5. Morton RW, Murphy KT, McKellar SR, Schoenfeld BJ, Henselmans M, Helms E, Aragon AA, Devries MC, Banfield L, Krieger JW, Phillips SM. A systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression of the effect of protein supplementation on resistance training-induced gains in muscle mass and strength in healthy adults. Br J Sports Med. 2018 Mar;52(6):376-384. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608. Epub 2017 Jul 11. Erratum in: Br J Sports Med. 2020 Oct;54(19):e7. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608corr1. PMID: 28698222; PMCID: PMC5867436.