I started lifting weights in 1991. But in 2000 I decided to step up the intensity. You have to know what you want and stick to it!

In the gym I see men that are faithful to their workouts. But, year after year they do not look any different. Why is that? If they just want to maintain their health that is fine, but I have more intense goals than that. I want to see change!  I love the EAS motto which is "Change your mind, change your body."  I decided I was going to learn what it takes to become a natural bodybuilder. To do this began to seek out men on the Internet and in person who had the body that I wanted and I grilled them about their diet, supplements and workouts. Through researching books, magazines, the Internet, and impromptu interviews, I became focused in my diet and workouts. I am still like a thirsty sponge always looking for ways to refine my diet and workouts.

My recommended supplements on my nutrition page are great for giving an edge, but if you do not have the basics down, forget it! What are the basics? Eight hours of sleep, eating at least 6 healthy meals per day (a shake or protein bar can be a meal), and working out three to six days per week with good form and mental focus.

Mental focus is worth more than any supplement or drug. Looking at Arnold Schwarzenegger in peak condition—22 ½” arms, 57” chest, legs like oaks—most would say, “I could never do that.” Arnold would nod and give you that crocodile grin. “You’re right, Girly Man,” he’d say. “Not with that attitude.” Schwarzenegger said, “The secret is to make your mind work for you, not against you. Having that ability is half the battle…. Whether it’s building a Mr. Olympia physique or succeeding in business, you have to want to do it first in your mind and believe you can do it in your heart.”

Keep your workouts fresh by changing up your routines every once in a while. Your body gets use to a routine if you stick to it long enough. If you are not seeing gains anymore, your body is not being challenged so it has stopped responding. Keep your body guessing. For example, when I work out the chest on the bench, I alternate between using the dumbbells and the barbells. Occasionally I use a machine instead of the dumbbell/barbell bench. Once in a while I pull out some spreadsheets of a favorite routine (from Size Surge) on a clip board and I will use this ten week program. But even this routine changes after 5 weeks to “Phase Two”.

Avoid over-training. I am not by any means implying to go light on the workouts. I believe in intense workouts, but after nine weeks I give myself a week long break. This keeps the body from being over trained and it resets the nervous system so that when I go back I can push past my plateaus.

This break could mean a couple of different things depending on what my body is telling me. Sometimes I choose to do only cardiovascular exercise. Or if I am feeling a cold or flu bug coming on, I take a complete forced break from the gym to rest and recover.

I’m a big believer in warming up the muscles. I recommend doing about 10 reps of 50% of the weight that you intend to max out.  Do a second and final warm-up of 4 reps with 75% of your max. After the workout honestly give yourself a grade for effort.  I almost never give myself an "A".  I only get an "A–" if I’ve given it my absolute best!  This means I'm nauseous and/or about to pass out!

Two highly recommended workouts:

	While researching the Internet how to build lean muscle mass, I read a comment that intrigued me. This guy said, “To say that Size Surge works is an understatement!” So I gave this ten week program a try in October 2000, and I have never been the same! I gained a lean 15 lbs of mass. There is a sequel that I also recommend, although it did not nearly have the effect that the first book had on me. Halfway through this program everyone my co-workers thought I was on roids when I hadn't touched the stuff! The problem with Size Surge for me is that it is so short term. Your body needs new challenges.
"GOPRO" POWER/REP RANGE/SHOCK	That's why for the last 6 years or so I've been hooked on another workout that has change built into the program. It's called "Gopro". I discovered this from ironmagazineforums.com. On this forum there is a guy who competes with a screen name "Gopro". It's also known as the Power/Rep Range/Shock workout. The link to this workout are Microsoft Word documents complete with hyperlinks for most of the exercises that have an online demo and instructions. I recommend that you print out and take with you to the gym. If you've seen me at the gym, most likely you see me with these sheets on my clipboard. This Gopro workout can be used long term since it keeps your body guessing and so it's always being challenged. It is a three week plan that I repeat over and over. After nine weeks I give myself a week off. Sometimes a flu or cold bug will force time off.
All of the above, or any of the advice I give on RodStephens.com is my opinion. I advise you to do your own research and check with your doctor to make sure you have no conditions, which may be adversely affected by anything recommend here. If you have questions or comments, I'd love to hear your feedback! See books on bodybuilding that I recommend.