My Workout Playlist

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We all love music for working out right? Since I workout at home, I use a Chromecast Audio to stream my music to speakers on the other side of my basement. While the Chromecast can get uppity with me at times, it works really well for the most part. 

I also use Spotify for my music, because I love their collaborative playlists but I believe that Amazon music will work with a Chromecast and I know, Google Music will. 

My playlist is all over the place, I'm sure it drives my wife nuts. I've got Nerdcore, Classic Rock, Synth Pop, Old School Christian, Metal and everything else. Feel free to check out my playlist here 

-Jacob
@jacobingalls

Should I be using supplements?

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We have all seen workout supplements and most of us have probably tried them, but if you haven't and are considering trying them here's some pros and cons.

Things You Should be Taking Anyway
I don't consider protein a supplement, most people who are working out don't get enough protein in their diet and it is an absolute must for building your body up in a healthy way. Even if your mainly doing a cardio workout, protein is a must. 

I currently drink a muscle milk for breakfast, because of the convenience of the premade bottles that I can buy at Wal-Mart. If you're going for bulk powder, my personal favorite is Dymatize  but Syntha-6 from BSN is also very good and is a lot cheaper.

On to the Cons
Lets start with the cons of supplements. First, they are pricey, a full regiment of supplements will easily run $100 a month or more depending on what you are doing and how often you are taking them. 

A full regiment generally includes
Creatine
Protein
Aminos
Pre Workout
Post Workout

Along with the monetary price, supplements can have a negative impact on your body, and aren't always up to FDA standards for purity and other things. 


Pros
Especially when first starting to workout, supplements can work wonders, you can progress a lot faster than you would other wise and they can greatly reduce the soreness that you feel. Longer term they can help you progress and get definition or bulk or cut, depending on what you want them to do and what you buy.

I am currently supplement free but if you are interesting in seeing what my old routine was, here is what I did 

Creatine
Aminos
Pre Workout
Post Workout - I rarely did a post workout

The Superhero Fallacy and Optimal Conditions

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We have all seen Chris Pratt, Chris Evans or Chris Hemsworth in a Marvel movies and have lusted, been jealous or both when we seem their superhuman physique. As someone who works out, and has worked out fairly consistently for most of my adult life, I have never been able to look anywhere near that and at times, it has discouraged me greatly.

Yes, ladies, we dudes do feel insecure when you start drooling over dudes, just like you do, when we do it to the ladies. 

The thing I want to get across to everyone out there, is yes you could look like those guys, if you had the conditions they have, but that is the thing, we don't. Most if not all of those actors are well off, they can afford nutritionists and personal chefs to make optimal diets, not just for working out, but the stage of the workout they are in. Just take a look at what Chris Pratt had and did.

In addition to being able to have perfect nutrition, they have the time and are paid to be in this kind of shape. Most of us, might have an extra hour per day to work out, instead of 3 or 4 per day. We also don't have former navy seals designing our workouts.  

This post is not to discourage, but to uplift. Do the best you can and be the best you, while knowing that if you had the optimal conditions you could be Thor, Cap or Star Lord

-Jacob

Jacob Recommends: Focus T25

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Beachbody Inc.,
Buy on Amazon

Starting to workout, or getting back into it can be a hard thing to do, so I am here to give you my recommendation on how to get that going, and that is T25 from Shaun T and Beachbody. It is a great cardio workout that is only 25 minutes long and will shred your abs if that's what you're looking for (and who isn't?). I personally no longer do T25, but I still mix in a lot of the exercises into my punching bag routine.

The thing I really love about all Shaun T workouts is the modifier aspect of it, which is a lower impact/easier to do version of the move, which lets people slowly work into the program without killing themselves. 

The other great aspect about T25 is the fact that all you need is resistance bands and floor space to do it, which keeps the cost down a lot. 

If you're thinking about doing it and want a highly in-depth review check out Dumbbells and Diapers' 

#GastonChallenge 1 Recap

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Yesterday I posted the first #GastonChallenge video of me doing push-ups, for those not familiar with the youtube i'm talking about, I have linked it below.

My initial pace is 13 push-ups in 9 seconds, which is 1 second off Gaston's pace, which is pretty good I think, and my total count is 31 push-ups in 30 seconds which is a solid pace and a solid number. My overall goal is to get to 75 in 60 seconds. I know that is a very torrid pace, but here's hoping

-Jacob

Jacob's Gym

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I live in the Northeast and I am lucky enough to have a basement that can be used to workout in. Right now the gym area consists of a Punching bag, gym flooring, kettle bells and resistance bands. There isn't a lot of space, so I have had to become very economical with it and the workout I do. 

I do a mix of Mauy Thai, High Intensity Interval Training and Weights, all of which are confined inside the 5' by 8' space that I have. As you can see with the pictures below, just a little effort can go a long way in transforming a space into a highly usable workout area. If you want to build your gym like mine, below will be some links

I know that not everyone has the ability to have a space like that and that's something I'll talk about next time.

-Jacob 

Gym Link Below:

Jacob's First Post

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Me and my Piggie

Me and my Piggie

What's up everyone, this is Jacob from Hi Fantasy and Great Scott, to talk to you about my #fitnessjourney. It is funny how that became to dominate workout blogs, YouTubes and other things, I work out for 2 simple reasons, 1) to not get fatter and 2) so my wife will still want to have sex with me. 

If you listen to my podcasts, you know that I'm a giant nerd, but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't be fit and hot giant nerds, and I hope this blog will help you want to get into better shape and give you some ideas on how to do it