• Go Hard First
  Win your morning and crush excuses with discipline.

• Bench Better
  Push heavier weight, protect your shoulders, and keep growing.

• Pre-Workout That Works
  A go-to drink for clean energy, focus, and pump.

• Leg Press vs. Squat
  Which delivers more gains, and how to program both.

👇 Dive in and Set the Standard!

Not long ago in Arizona, I rolled into Justin’s private gym early. We were running through GHRs, flywheel squats, and a bunch of high-speed eccentric work I hadn’t tried before.

My Achilles was a little tweaked, my legs were sore, and I could’ve easily pushed off the work.

But we got after it anyway.

Not only that, but in between sets, we acted like kids, trying to touch a 10-foot ceiling beam.

I hit it first, but Justin wasn’t about to let it slide. Pretty soon, it turned into full-on competition with me, him, and a couple of other guys going jump-for-jump. We were talking smack, laughing, and pushing each other higher every round.

That’s the thing about training with the right people: competition flips a switch. You push harder without even realizing it. You stop thinking about how tired you are or how heavy the weight feels. And if you’ve got even a little competitive streak (I do), you’re not leaving until you win something.

But none of that happens if you miss the window.

Your best shot at hitting the hard stuff with full focus is early. Before your phone blows up. Before work and life stack up decisions that drain you. Before your brain starts negotiating with your body to skip.

That’s why I train in the morning. Not because I’m a morning person but because discipline is sharpest when the day’s fresh, and I want to use that before it slips away.

We built the STNDRD app for exactly that. You wake up, open it, and your plan is there with no guessing, no scrolling.

And now, with STNDRD+, you’ve got coaching, accountability, and a crew in your corner. Guys are checking in early, logging lifts, asking questions, getting feedback, and stacking wins before the world wakes up.

Competition. Accountability. Structure. That’s how you turn a workout into momentum.

So what’s the thing you’ve been putting off? The lift? The prep? The check-in? Do it first. Do it before the excuses start talking.

If you win that window, you win the day.

Set the Standard.

Chris

Most challenges are about a “before” and “after.” STNDRD6 is about who you become in between.

For six weeks, you’ll keep six promises. Non-negotiable habits built on training with intent, fueling with discipline, and sharpening your mindset. Every rep, every meal, every choice is a test of one thing: can you follow through?

This isn’t a shortcut. It’s a deal with discipline. You’ll get coaching calls with Chris and Justin, the STNDRD6: SHIFT program, a cutting guide, and a community holding you to the standard you set.

You don’t join STNDRD6 to “try it.” You join to prove to yourself you can keep your word, no matter what.

6 habits. 6 weeks. No excuses.

Join the Challenge →

💪 Get More from Your Bench Press

You can bench a lot and still not grow. That’s the truth, and most lifters miss it.

The barbell bench press is a classic. It’s also one of the most misunderstood lifts in bodybuilding.

People chase numbers, but forget: muscle-building isn’t about moving weight from point A to point B, it’s about applying force through the target muscle.

So if you’re strong on the bench but your chest isn’t growing, it’s time to rethink your approach.

Here’s how to get more from your bench, no matter where you’re starting:

🧠 1. Set Your Scapula First

A floating scapula kills chest activation. Before you even touch the bar, lock your shoulder blades down and together. You want to create a stable base so the pecs can work freely without the front delts and traps taking over.

✅ Cue: “Pull your shoulder blades into your back pockets.”
🛑 Don’t let your shoulders roll forward at the bottom, that’s a red flag for long-term shoulder issues.

💥 2. Tuck Your Elbows, But Not Too Much

Flared elbows put stress on your shoulders. But tuck them too far, and now it’s a triceps-dominant press.

The sweet spot? About a 45-degree angle between your torso and upper arms. That’s the strongest and safest position for your pecs to take the load.

✅ Cue: “Bend the bar in half.” This external rotation naturally puts you in the right groove.

⏱ 3. Control the Negative, Explode the Press

Chris and Justin talk about this all the time: tempo matters.

If you’re bouncing the bar off your chest, you’re losing the hardest part of the lift (and the most important for growth). You want a controlled descent, a slight pause just above the chest, and then an explosive press through the sticking point.

🎯 Try this tempo: 3110

• 3 seconds down

• 1 sec pause at the bottom

• 1 second up

• 0 pause at the top

That’ll light up your chest fast and make less weight feel heavy.

🧱 4. Push Heavy. Push Hard. Period.

At a certain point, you’ve just got to move heavy weight with intention. Technical precision, yes, but also full commitment.

There’s no chest without pressure. When your setup is locked in and your cues are sharp, you can push the kind of loads that force growth.

💥 Add a top set at RPE 9, then drop 10–15% and do a back-off set with slower tempo and more control. That’s how you build mass and master bench press technique.

💡 Programming Tip:

Bench press can be trained 1–2x per week, depending on recovery. To prioritize growth, pair it with incline dumbbell pressing, machine flyes, and tempo push-ups, hitting the chest from multiple angles and with different contraction types.

📲 Tap into the STNDRD app for more insights into effective training.

🧃 Drink This, Train Harder

This isn’t just a pre-workout. It’s a performance-priming, muscle-preserving, inflammation-fighting drink that starts your recovery before your workout even begins.

This drink is designed to:

• Boost focus and energy

• Fuel muscle with fast-digesting nutrients

• Kickstart hydration and blood flow

• Reduce muscle breakdown and improve recovery window

🔍 Why It Works

✅ Caffeine + L-theanine → clean, focused energy without the jitters
✅ Creatine + electrolytes → strength, hydration, cellular fuel
✅ EAAs or Whey isolate → preserves muscle during training when fasted
✅ Tart cherry + salt → antioxidant + blood flow + inflammation support
✅ Fast carbs → fuel working muscles, support pump + performance

🛒 Ingredients (1 serving)

• 6–8 oz cold-brewed coffee or 1 shot espresso

• 1 scoop Raw Nutrition Whey Isolate or EAAs (if fasted or lower cals)

• 10g creatine monohydrate

• ½ banana (or 15–20g dextrose powder for a faster hit)

• ¼ cup tart cherry juice (unsweetened)

• ¼ tsp sea salt or pink salt

• 8–10 oz cold water or unsweetened almond milk

• Ice

• Optional: 200mg L-theanine (for smoother energy), dash of cinnamon

🥤 Prep

1. Add all ingredients to a blender.

2. Blend on high for 15–20 seconds until smooth.

3. Drink 30–45 minutes before your session.

If you don’t want the shake texture, skip the banana and use dextrose powder, just shake it up in a bottle.

📊 Macros (approx)

Calories: ~180–220
Protein: 20–25g
Carbs: 20–25g
Fat: 1–2g

⚡ Timing Insight

If you’re training early and can’t stomach food, this drink gives you what matters: aminos, fast carbs, and hydration. If you’ve eaten 2+ hours prior, this can still top off your fuel and kickstart focus.

🔥 Set the Standard. Prep like a pro. Recover like one, too.

🎆Need supplements? Go to RAW Nutrition and use the code CBUM for our best deals.

Q: Hi Chris, squats or leg press, which is better (and do I really need both?).

Caleb W., Naperville, Ill.

A: Hey Caleb, short answer: They’re not rivals. They’re teammates. And if you want complete leg development, you probably need both.

🏋️‍♂️ Squats: The Foundation Builder

• Total-body movement

• Lights up your quads, glutes, core, and stabilizers

• Demands mobility, coordination, and focus

• Builds real-world strength and athletic carryover

🔩 Leg Press: The Volume Weapon

• Locks you in so you can hammer the quads

• Less CNS fatigue, more muscle isolation

• Lets you go heavy or chase high-rep burnouts

• Great for hypertrophy, especially later in a workout

✅ Use Both Strategically

• Start with squats while you're fresh

• Follow with leg press to drive volume and quad fatigue

• Customize based on goals:

  • Beginners → focus on squat pattern first

  • Bodybuilders → chase the combo: tension + volume

  • Injured or limited? Leg press can be a smart substitute

Bottom line: Don’t treat it like an either-or. Squats build the base. Leg press adds detail. The smartest lifters use both.

Question for Chris? Hit reply or email [email protected] and we’ll consider your question for inclusion in a future issue of The Standard.

Champion Mentality

“Motivation gets you going, but discipline keeps you growing.”

— John C. Maxwell

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