#GROWvember, Part 1

The dark, cold months approach on the Beast Coast. Where nighttime comes early, the weights get heavy, hoodies, skullies and boots become standard-issue apparel… And in the shadows, outside of the spotlight’s glow, the most committed make progress in the direction of their dreams.

The frigid temperatures and icy wind tend to separate the real from the fake… Testing the authenticity of your desire. Necessitating there be some extra grit in your grind.

It is also the perfect time of year to get big and strong. As such, in keeping with our commitment to content and “edutainment”, we have undertaken the task of delivering daily doses of knowledge and inspiration to help you maximize your gains in raw size and strength, dominating the gym. These are not magic bullets or hidden secrets, but instead working class, real life tips, thoughts and tricks proven in the trenches and delivered to you, with one intention—to turn an ordinary November into an epic #GROWvember.

In that spirit, here’s some jewels directly from The GCode family…

Build a Mass Stash: Never go without nutrition, by keeping a stash of goodies loaded in your trunk at all times.

The concept of #GROWvember exists to provide practical tricks, tips and ideas on a regular basis for an entire month, that you can apply to your regimen, to help you make progress and to change the way to view your goals. A “mass stash” is little more than a box of non-perishables you can easily keep in your trunk, so as to never find yourself without fuel, either pre- or post-workout or when facing a prolonged period without a meal. What is contained in your box, should be easily prepared, consumed and digested. This box, found in the trunk of @therealgdiesel includes the following: salmon, tuna, hot sauce, oatmeal packets, granola bars, unsweetened apple sauce, rice cakes, natural peanut butter, whey and VICE. Easy, tasty and inexpensive.

Eat More Red Meat: One of the world’s perfect muscle-building foods, regular red meat consumption is a bulking must.

Eat More Red Meat. Among the most anabolic substances known to man, red meat is loaded with protein, minerals and hormone-production-inducing saturated fats. The T-bone steak and lb of grass fed ground beef burgers was purchased for only $12, covering 3-5 meals over the course of 3 or so days. Get your weight up, by including red meat in your diet regularly.

Respect the 2.5 lb Plate: A metaphor for life, and proof that the little things add up in big ways over time.

One of the almost “religious” precepts of #TheGCode is the idea that small daily investments in our dreams, seem like very little from day to day, but that over time, they add up to something MASSIVE. Today’s #GROWvember tip, is to respect the 2.5 lb plate. These often-overlooked weights allow for incremental progress of the sort that is nearly imperceptible from day to day. But in the course of a year, adding a lowly 2.5 lb plate to each side of the bar every week, would add a whopping 260 lb to a lift… Practically from average joe to world class in a year. The small, steady progress you are shrugging off due to impatience or indifference, could literally be enough to make your dream real. This is life.

Have a Deadlift Day: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Get really strong on the compound, multi-joint lifts and watch your gains explode.

Stick to the BASICS. Today’s #GROWvember training word straight from @antoinev87 “For #growvember you should try out switching some of your days off for DEADLIFT DAY. Just show up to the gym powerlifting style and set up camp beside a loaded bar and drop triples and singles with some Heavy weights. You will rest enough when you will be in the grave, you are alive, go celebrate by lifting some dead steel off the ground.”

Run the Rack: Employ simple, brutal intensity techniques to throw a splash of hot sauce on bland training. Never let your workouts become stale and flavorless.

Learning from the OGs who paved the way, our brother @dirtmaloneshares a brilliant #GROWvember tip for maximum muscle stimulation in minimal time… #RunningTheRack aka multiple descending dropsets, perfect for exercises like lateral raises or dumbbell curls. Try six straight sets of 10, 8 or 6 reps going from 45-20 lbs or 40-15 lbs and experience glorious agony like never before. Techniques to up the intensity and your training efficiency are another proven and painful way to stimulate new growth.