I often say it’s better to train 3x per week consistently than dream of training 5x per week and fall short feeling like a failure.

In the spirit of taking my own advice, I switched to a 3x/week full-body hypertrophy split plus one cardio day with a Norwegian 4x4 to push my VO₂ max.

Find a pace you can be consistent with. That way you rack up wins, reshape your identity, and treat anything extra as bonus.

I’ve even thought about applying that to this newsletter and cutting it down to just one topic each week.

What do you think: one deep dive vs. four quick-hitting pillars?

For now, I’ve managed to keep up the 4-pillar pace pretty well. So…

This week we’ve got:

• 💪 A hack to make your bicep peaks as big as the Austrian Alps.
• 🍫 The great protein bar cover-up (and why Lane’s stool isn’t science)
• ❄️ Why doing hard things (like cold plunges) reshapes who you are.
• 🛌 A PSA about hair serums, recovery, and… almost getting divorced.

Let’s dive in. 🚀

💪 Pillar #1: Training — Seated Bicep Curls on Tonal

Most people are doing Seated Bicep Curls on Tonal completely wrong. 🤦🏼‍♂️

When you face the machine, the cable fully retracts at the bottom. Worse...

If you’ve got long arms like me, Tonal even yells at you to stop resting. That’s because there’s zero tension where you actually want it most.

(This is bad enough to piss off the Lifting Gods and make even Arnold cry like a baby. 😭)

On top of that, the cable angle loads the top of the curl when your biceps are already shortened and weaker.

Translation: you’re training your arms where they’re weakest, not where they are strongest and actually grow.

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👉 The fix? Flip around and face away from the Tonal.

• Scooch forward on the bench (Tony Horton's favorite word)
• Hinge slightly at your hips
• Keep your elbows back

Now the cable is perpendicular to your arms at the bottom = max tension in the lengthened position (a.k.a. where the gains live).

And if you want to take it to the Action Jackson advanced level grab an adjustable bench, set it at 45°, and curl with your arms parallel to the floor.

That’s how you build peaks that rival the Austrian Alps.

🎥 I broke it all down for you in this quick video (with some laughs along the way):

👉 Watch it here on YouTube​

Smarter curls = bigger arms. Don’t let “Taylor & Swift” down.

🍫 Pillar #2: Nutrition — The David Bar Dilemma

A few months back I recommended David Protein Bars mainly because on paper the macros looked insane:

👉🏻 150 calories, 28g protein, 2g fat

But then ConsumerLab came out with a report that raised some red flags.

They found ~9.7g of fat per bar (not 2g), and protein a bit lower than claimed (23.6g vs. 28g).

While the protein miss was within the legal margin for error, the fat was not. Instead of 150 calories per bar, it has 229 calories per bar. 🤯

Houston, we have a problem.

The problem is the bars use something called EPG.

Think of it like a magic trick or sleight of hand. 🎩✨ On the label, David lists EPG as almost no calories (0.7 per gram instead of the usual 9). But when labs test it, it still shows up as fat.

Here’s where things get tricky:

• Research on EPG is still limited.
• High intakes may interfere with fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K).
• Some people report GI issues at larger doses.

Lane Norton (who I often respect for his “science-first PubMed receipts” approach) is also an investor in David Protein.

I want to be clear: I like Lane, I respect his work, and he’s usually one of the few people in the industry holding everyone else accountable with actual science. But in this case, I think his financial ties make him too biased to be objective.

In defending the bars, he leaned less on science and citations and more on personal anecdotes:

That might be fine as a personal n=1 story, but it’s a very different standard than the one he holds others to when making his famous What The Fitness content.

So, where does that leave us?

👉 My take:

As I’ve always said:

1. Whole food protein first.
2. Protein powders second.
3. Bars only as a backup when you’re traveling or on-the-go.

If you really like the taste of David Bars, eat them occasionally. But don’t eat them just because they look like the lowest-calorie, highest-protein bar on the market.

Right now, we don’t actually know if that claim is true. We need more research and testing on EPG before anyone can say that with confidence.

There’s already enough “trust me bro” marketing on social media. The last thing we need is more of it, especially from someone as credible (and usually evidence-based) as Lane Norton.

Until then, I’ll be sticking with my Legion Clear Whey protein powder first, and Legion Protein Bars second.

You could say I’m also biased, and you’d be right.

But Legion products are tested and verified by Labdoor in an ISO 17025-accredited third-party lab for both purity and potency.

If I want a whole-food style bar, I’ll grab an RX Bar (ConsumerLab’s #1 rated), though personally I find the protein a little too low for my taste.

❄️ Pillar #3: Mindset — Becoming the Person Who Does Hard Things

Doing a cold plunge will get you better at… cold plunging.

(Shocker, I know. Specificity matters in training and in ice baths.🥶)

But here’s what surprised me after 30 straight days of plunging in my backyard tub at 42° every morning:

😁 Mood reset: When my son wakes me up at 4 AM after 5 hours of sleep, dragging myself to the tub feels miserable.

But as soon as I get out? My mood spikes. Energy kicks in. I feel like I just downed a Legion Energy Drink but without any caffeine.

🚀 Momentum builder: After two weeks, I noticed myself leaning into more hard things: longer hours, fewer breaks, tougher workouts.

I even started pushing VO₂ max protocols like the Norwegian 4x4. Something I hadn’t touched in 12+ months.

🧠 Identity shift: The cold plunge doesn’t give me magical powers. What it does is make me identify as a guy who does hard things.

It reinforces that I take action even when it’s uncomfortable. It helps me live up to my own tagline: Action is the difference.

🔬 Backed by Science

There’s real research behind this.

• Stress inoculation training shows that small, controlled stressors build resilience and performance under pressure (Saunders et al. 1996).
• Just 5 minutes of cold-water immersion boosted mood and alertness in participants (van Hoorn et al. 2023).
• Cold plunges trigger spikes in dopamine and norepinephrine and one trial saw noradrenaline jump 530% and dopamine 250% (Janský et al., 2000; Knechtle et al., 2024)

The research is still emerging, but the signals are promising. And for me, after 30 days… the feeling is very real.

🚫 No $5K Cold Plunge Required

Not ready to buy a backyard ice bath? You don’t have to. The principle is the same: find something hard and do it daily.

• 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your shower
• 50 push-ups as soon as you wake up
• A one mile run every day

The consistency matters more than the method.

Although let’s be honest, the running one might be guaranteed to ruin my day.

I’ve often thought an early morning run is the only way to make sure the rest of your day can’t possibly get any worse. 🏃‍♂️😅

Every time you choose the hard thing, you’re casting a vote for the identity of someone who takes action.

And it’s that repetition (not the tub, not the temperature) that reshapes who you believe you are.

🛌 Pillar #4 – Recovery: Great Hair, Terrible Recovery (PSA)

A while back, I shared how a topical hair serum (loaded with minoxidil, finasteride, caffeine, melatonin, etc.) gave me great hair… but wrecked my recovery.

Well, that’s the nice way of putting it. It also almost led to a divorce because it gave me ED.

(Just kidding. We’ve got a newborn and my in-laws are living with us temporarily… so I’m basically on a celibacy journey either way.)

Actually, maybe I should go back on it. 😜

👉 Here’s the original newsletter article and my recent IG post if you missed it.

Update: after posting on Instagram, my DMs lit up. Dozens of people told me the exact same story of HRV tanking, energy crashing, palpitations, and recovery in the gutter. A few also experienced ED.

This isn’t just me. It’s a pattern.

So consider this your PSA:

• ⚠️ Minoxidil may not just stay “topical.” For some, it impacts energy, libido, HRV, and heart health.
• ⚠️ These side effects aren’t always flagged clearly on the label or by your doctor.
• ⚠️ Track your recovery. If things tank after starting something new, don’t just assume it’s “in your head.”

Bottom line? If you’re considering minoxidil or already using it, be cautious. Some trade-offs aren’t worth it.

For me, I’d rather lose a little hair than lose my recovery. I'd also rather die 10+ years early than go a lifetime without sex.

And judging by all your feedback, I’m not alone.

👥 Client of the Week — Jeff a UPS Driver, Husband, Dad of Two

Jeff’s story started years ago at 305 lbs.

He made some big changes on his own, dropped a significant amount of weight, and even bought a Tonal to help with training.

But like so many, he hit a wall. His strength stalled, his health markers still weren’t where he wanted them, and he knew he was capable of more.

Sure, he knew how to lose weight but he didn't know how to build strength, muscle, and improve his body composition to look like an athlete.

​

Since joining the program Jeff:

🔥 Lost an additional 24 lbs on the scale
💪 Dropped 40+ lbs of fat while gaining 10+ lbs of lean muscle
📏 Reduced visceral fat by 3 lbs (dangerous kind around your organs)
✅ All confirmed by DEXA

What made the difference?

Instead of endlessly “dieting down,” Jeff learned how to fuel for muscle growth, train with a clear plan, and hold himself accountable week after week.

The result? Not just more weight loss but a stronger, leaner body with better health markers, more energy for work, and confidence that this isn’t temporary.

Here’s what Jeff had to say:

Now, Jeff’s setting the tone for his family, dominating long UPS shifts with more energy, and proving that no matter how far you’ve already come the right plan can take you even further.

📽️ Watch my full interview with Jeff here​

References:

1. Saunders T, Driskell JE, Johnston JH, Salas E. The effect of stress inoculation training on anxiety and performance. J Occup Health Psychol. 1996 Apr;1(2):170-86. doi: 10.1037//1076-8998.1.2.170. PMID: 9547044.
2. Yankouskaya A, Williamson R, Stacey C, Totman JJ, Massey H. Short-Term Head-Out Whole-Body Cold-Water Immersion Facilitates Positive Affect and Increases Interaction between Large-Scale Brain Networks. Biology (Basel). 2023 Jan 29;12(2):211. doi: 10.3390/biology12020211. PMID: 36829490; PMCID: PMC9953392.
3. Knechtle B, Rosemann T, Nikolaidis PT. Cold water immersion: neurobiological mechanisms and therapeutic applications. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2024;49(6):1030-1042. doi:10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20240053.
4. Srámek P, Simecková M, Janský L, Savlíková J, Vybíral S. Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2000 Mar;81(5):436-42. doi: 10.1007/s004210050065. PMID: 10751106.