• 🏋️ Build a Broader Chest

• 🥣 Make Hearty Beef Stew

• ⏱ Can You Train Thru Pain?

• ⚡My Olympia Journey

👇 Dive in and Set the Standard!

Passing the Torch

I never would’ve guessed that after retiring, the best part of this year’s Olympia would be watching someone else get their flowers.

But seeing Ramon Dino drop to his knees when they called his name hit me hard. Not because I was sad, but because I felt every second of that moment from the inside.

Ramon earned that spotlight, and I know the price he paid: The years of grinding in the gym and dieting, the missed moments with friends and family, and the pain that tries to break you.

We’ve been side by side on that stage for years, pushing each other to level up. Because no one becomes a champion alone.

So watching him absorb the applause reminded me of everything I went through, everything I risked, everything I sacrificed in winning my six titles. It gave me a sense of peace. Closure I didn’t know I needed.

For years, everything I did was aimed at performing on stage under those Olympia lights. Those moments defined me more than I ever realized.

Then I stepped away. But even though it can feel like it, leaving the stage doesn’t mean disappearing. It means shifting your purpose, learning to build quietly, without applause, where success isn’t about what you collect for yourself, but about what you create for others.

I’m proud of what I achieved as a bodybuilder. But now I’m writing a new chapter. One about family, health, scaling businesses, training like an athlete, and inspiring others to achieve their own goals.

Seeing Ramon on that stage didn’t make me miss competing; it made me grateful I got to live it. A new champion rises, the torch passes, and life moves forward.

You’ll be a great champion, Ramon.

Set the Standard.

Chris

🧱 Fall Growth Series Finale: Chest Day

Legs lit the fuse. Back built the base. Arms added detail. Now we press.

This isn’t “bench till your shoulders bark.” It’s angles, controlled eccentrics, and smart supersets that pack size and make you stronger. 🔥

📍 Goal: Upper- and mid-chest mass, strength, and density
⏱ Rest: 2–3 min on compounds; 60–90 sec on accessories/supersets
🎯 Tempo Key: e.g., 4010 = 4-sec controlled eccentric, smooth drive up

🔥 WARM-UP (5 MINUTES)

✅ Banded external rotations x 12/side
✅ Scapular push-ups x 12
✅ Cable face pulls (light) x 15
✅ Incline push-ups x 12 (easy pace, full ROM)

🏋️ CHEST GROWTH TRAINING

A. Incline Barbell Press • 4 × 6–8 @ 4010
👉 Big upper-chest driver. Clean reps, controlled eccentric, steady bar path.

B1. Flat Dumbbell Press • 3 × 8–10 @ 3010
B2. Low-to-High Cable Fly • 3 × 10–12 @ 2011
⚡ Load with B1, carve lines with B2. Minimal rest between; 90 sec after each superset.

C1. Weighted Dips (lean forward) • 3 × 8–12 @ 3010
C2. Push-Ups (to 1–2 reps shy of failure) • 3 sets, bodyweight
🔥 Stretch + pump pairing. Keep shoulders packed; full ROM.

D. Machine Incline Press (one-arm alternating) • 3 × 10–12/side @ 2111
🎯 Stabilizes scapulae, extends time under tension, evens imbalances.

Finisher: Dumbbell Pullover • 2 × 12–15 @ 3010
💥 Deep stretch across ribcage, finish with clean reps and full control.

📌 TRAINING NOTES

• Form > load: Clean reps and controlled eccentrics on every set.

• Range beats ego: Touch the chest (or near) on presses without bouncing; full fly stretch.

• Frequency: Chest 1×/week in this phase (upper bias).

• Pressing angles: Keep the same pressing angles for 2–3 weeks to allow adaptation, then adjust slightly (≈10–15° incline or decline) to refresh the stimulus without overhauling the movement.

💡 PROGRAMMING TIPS

• Wave-load your main press across 3 weeks: Week 1: 8 reps → Week 2: 6 reps → Week 3: 10 reps (back-off volume).
  Then restart slightly heavier. This structure builds strength and volume progressively without adding complexity.

• Press variation: Rotate your A-lift every few weeks (Incline BB ↔ Incline DB ↔ Slight-Decline BB) to manage joint stress and sustain progress.

• If shoulders are cranky, shift volume to machine presses and cables, keeping eccentrics strict.

🔑 GROWTH KEYS

• Angle priority: Keep incline first to build upper chest; 2/3 of pressing from incline/flat, 1/3 from dips/decline.

• Eccentric control: 3–4-sec lowers = more tension, better growth, fewer shoulder issues.

• Peak contraction: Hard squeeze on flies/press lockouts — don’t coast through the top.

• Set-up wins: Scaps down and back, elbows ~45°, feet planted for drive.

• Fuel the session: Carbs pre/intra, protein high; recover so you can press heavy again next week.

⚡ MOVEMENT AS MEDICINE

Movement isn’t just how we train, it’s how we live. Chris and Justin break down why exercise alone isn’t enough, and how restoring real-world movement changes everything.

👉 Read We Only Exercise Because We No Longer Move to learn how movement became medicine.

🥣 Muscle-Building Beef Stew

(High-Protein, Anti-Inflammatory, Fall Comfort Food)

This hearty stew is built for lifters who want performance nutrition without a ton of prep.

It’s packed with lean protein, complex carbs, and anti-inflammatory vegetables, the kind of meal you can make once and eat for days.

Serve it hot as a post-workout recovery dinner.

Ingredients (Makes 4–6 servings)

Protein + Base

• 1½ lb lean beef stew meat (or chicken thighs if preferred)

• 1 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil

• 1 large yellow onion, diced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

Vegetables + Carbs

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 2 large carrots, sliced

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 1 cup butternut squash, cubed

• 1 cup baby spinach or kale, added at the end

Liquids + Seasoning

• 4 cups low-sodium beef or chicken broth

• 1 cup water

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ tsp black pepper

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric (anti-inflammatory)

• 1 tsp thyme

• Optional: pinch cayenne or red pepper flakes

Directions

1. Sear the meat:
   Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add beef and sear until browned on all sides (5–6 minutes). Remove and set aside.

2. Build the base:
   Add onion, garlic, and tomato paste to the pot. Sauté 2–3 minutes until fragrant.

3. Add everything else:
   Add back the beef, then stir in all veggies (except spinach), broth, and seasonings.

4. Simmer:
   Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer 45–60 minutes until the beef is tender and vegetables are soft.

5. Finish:
   Stir in spinach while hot. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Macros (per serving, based on 6 servings)

• Calories: ~420

• Protein: 45g

• Carbs: 30g

• Fat: 12g

(Varies slightly by cut of meat and add-ins)

Why It Works

This stew hits everything your body needs after hard training:
✅ Slow-digesting carbs to replenish glycogen
✅ Lean protein and collagen for repair
✅ Anti-inflammatory spices and veggies to speed recovery
✅ Easy to batch prep, keeps for 4 days in the fridge or 2 months frozen

🔥 Set the Standard — Fuel for Growth, Flavor for Fall.

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

Q: Hi Chris, how do you know when it’s okay to train through pain and when you should back off? I feel like every lifter has some aches, but it’s hard to tell when it’s just soreness or when I’m making something worse.

Eddie V., Seattle, Washington

A: Hey Eddie, man, that’s one of the toughest things to figure out.

I’ve learned the hard way that there’s a big difference between being uncomfortable and being injured.

Some pain is just your body adapting, causing tight muscles, joint pressure, and a little tendon irritation. That kind of thing usually eases up once you’re warmed up and moving.

But real injury pain is different; it changes how you move. If you’re compensating, limping, or avoiding a range of motion, that’s your body telling you to stop.

Training through that kind of pain doesn’t make you tougher; it usually just sets you back longer.

These days, I listen more. I still push myself, but I don’t ignore warning signs. I’ll swap an exercise, drop load, or focus on stability and control instead of chasing numbers.

The goal isn’t to prove you can push through; it’s to stay in the game long enough to keep improving.

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

“Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.”

—Jim Rohn

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