The 100% Challenge

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Today’s Health Upgrade

• Monday motivation

• How to unlock a little extra fat loss and muscle gain

• Is this the simplest way to add years to your life?

• Workout of the week

Arnold’s Corner
Monday Motivation 

This week, the discussion inside the Pump Club app was all about finding your 100 percent.

It was one of my favorite topics ever because I believe most people go through life without ever finding out what they’re really capable of. And I don’t just mean in the gym. I mean everywhere.

When I was on FaceTime with Ketch after the app’s Zoom meeting, I could see how fired up he was. That’s what happens when you start talking about going all out. You feel alive.

Because somewhere deep inside, we all know we have more in the tank.

I think every single person is capable of greatness at something. It could be teaching, building a business, training, parenting, writing, anything.

But too many people realize that giving less than 100% is comfortable, and they settle there.

They never find out what it feels like to give everything.

When I say “wenn schon, denn schon,” or “leave no stone unturned,” it all means the same thing: if you’re going to do something, give it your whole heart. There are no half-measures.

So many people divide themselves up into percentages.

I see it everywhere.

At breakfast, someone gives 40% of their attention to the person across the table and 60% to their phone.

At the gym, they give 50% to the set and 50% to checking email.

In life, it seems like most people are giving 20% of themselves to some social media app or another on a daily basis.

They think they’re being efficient, but really, they’re just getting C’s and D’s in a lot of things instead of an A in one thing at a time.

Forget the percentage. The only percentage I ever want to think about is 100 percent. This doesn’t mean you can’t lead a balanced life. You can. The balance is that whatever you are doing, you are doing 100 percent.

When you train, train.

When you work, work.

When you’re with your family, be with your family.

It’s not about doing just one thing. It’s about doing what you’re doing with your full effort.

I’ve learned this my whole life, from bodybuilding to acting to politics. You can’t fake 100 percent. People can feel it.

And I saw it again last week, watching the Dodgers and Blue Jays.

Those teams went all out. Every pitch, every at-bat, every inning.

They made a fan out of an Austrian who didn’t grow up with baseball — who had to continue to learn the rules because I just couldn’t stop watching. That’s how much effort pulls you in. I had no choice, even during the game that went 18 innings. When people are going all out, you can’t take your eyes away because you know it is special.

Anyone could have won at any time, and they filled all of us with stress because they were literally leaving everything they had on the field. Both of those teams should be incredibly proud of themselves for their effort and for inspiring all of us. And a big, big congratulations to the Dodgers.

When you see someone give everything, you can’t help but be inspired. You feel it. It’s magnetic.

That’s what I want for all of you this week.

Pick one thing in your life that you know you haven’t given 100% to — your training, your relationships, your work, your recovery — and go all out for one week.

Your brain will try to pull you back. It will tell you to check your phone. It will whisper that multitasking is fantastic.

Bring it back.

Give your full attention to the moment you’re in.

See how it changes how you think about yourself.

When you stop holding back, you’ll finally learn what you’re capable of. And that feeling is better than any quick dopamine hit from your notifications.

So this week, the challenge is simple: One week. One thing. One hundred percent.

Let’s see what happens when you leave no stone unturned.

Together With Momentous 
Does Creatine Improve Muscle Gain And Fat Loss?

Some claims about creatine are overblown. But in the right scenario, research continues to suggest it’s a low-risk, high-reward supplement.

A recent review found that creatine increases lean muscle mass and decreases body fat when combined with resistance training.

Researchers reviewed 12 randomized controlled trials to determine whether creatine enhances the benefits of weight training. The scientists compared people who lifted weights with and without creatine supplementation, tracking changes in fat-free mass (muscle), fat mass, and total body weight.

They found that participants who used creatine and hit the weights gained an average of 2.5 pounds (1.14 kg) more lean mass than those doing the same workouts with a placebo. That might not sound like much, but in the world of legitimate muscle gain, it’s a substantial difference.

But that wasn’t all. Fat mass also decreased by an average of 1 pound (.5 kg) in the creatine groups. These results were consistent across age, training status, and study length (though longer trials showed greater changes).

The researchers suggest creatine’s effectiveness is likely due to its role in rapidly regenerating ATP (your body’s primary energy currency), which allows you to train harder and recover faster. That extra edge translates into higher training volume and greater adaptation, meaning more muscle and less fat over time.

Momentous is the most trusted creatine in the industry, backed by its use of Creapure® creatine monohydrate (the most researched form of creatine) and its extensive testing standards, which guarantee quality and purity. 

As an APC reader, use the code PUMPCLUB for up to 35% OFF your first order (14% off one-timer purchases and 35% off subscription). The discount applies to their powdered creatine monohydrate, new creatine chews, flavored creatine, and any other products they offer. 

If you want to take advantage of the benefits, the sweet spot for performance is 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day. If you’re more interested in the cognitive benefits (which we’ve discussed before), you might need to take 10 grams per day. 

Start Your Week Right
How 15 Minutes of Walking Could Add Years to Your Life

You don’t need a cold plunge, an IV drip, or a $400 biohacking gadget to live longer. The real secret might be something you can do today (right after reading this email, if you want).

Just 15 minutes of walking a day could help extend your life by more than two years, and the benefits grow the more you move.

In a 22-year study of more than 73,000 adults, researchers found that even small amounts of movement added meaningful years to life. Those who met the World Health Organization's minimum guideline of 150 minutes of moderate activity per week lived 3 to 4 years longer than inactive people. 

But even about 15 minutes of walking a day added roughly 2.5 extra years of life. The most significant longevity gains occurred around 500 minutes per week (about 70 minutes a day), and after that, the benefits began to level off.

Men saw an additional edge from higher-intensity activity, while women achieved similar results through moderate movement alone. Researchers believe the longevity boost comes from improved heart health, better blood sugar control, and lower inflammation, all of which slow the biological clock.

If you’re focused on living longer, press pause on the expensive, complicated solutions, and start with actions that have far more evidence. They won’t sound sexy, but they will be effective.

You can start by taking a brisk 15- to 20-minute walk today. Once that becomes routine, aim to bump that up to 30 to 45 minutes. And it doesn’t have to be all at once. You can break them up into shorter walks and still experience similar benefits.

Fitness 
Workout Of The Week 

Some exercises flow so well from one movement into another that, if you know how to program them well, you can create a full-body workout with just one set of weights. 

That’s the idea of a complex, a series of exercises that can make you stronger, leaner, and more conditioned. 

This time-friendly complex is efficient and brutally effective. Your lungs will burn, your muscles will pump, and your brain will thank you for keeping it simple.

How To Do It

Perform this complex like a circuit. You’ll do the first exercise, then, without putting the weights down, the second, and finally the third. That’s one set of the complex. Once you’re done, rest for three minutes, and repeat for a total of three to six sets, depending on your level of expertise (beginners do three sets, advanced do six sets). You’ll need two dumbbells and or kettlebells, and you’ll use the same weight on each movement. The weight should be based on what you can do for five reps on the third exercise (push press).

The Workout

Grab a pair of dumbbells or kettlebells and perform the following:

1. Double clean x 5 reps

2. Front squat x 4 reps

3. Push press x 3 reps

Rest for 3 minutes and repeat.

Give it a try, and start your week strong!

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Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell