• How to Live Like a Champion

• The Secret to Bigger Arms

• Easy High-Protein Pancakes

• The Power of ‘Why’

If you’re serious about your training, you’ve probably felt it -- that hunger to push past limits, to build something more than just muscle.

Whether you’re stepping on stage, playing a sport, or just training for yourself, one thing separates the best from the rest: how you approach the process.

I’m retired from competing, but my mindset hasn’t changed.

I still train with a purpose, fuel my body with intention, and recover like my day-to-day experience – in the gym, at work, and with my family -- depends on it. Because it does.

You don’t need to compete for a trophy to train like a champion. You just need the right approach.

Train Like You Have Something to Prove

Too many guys hit the gym without a real plan. They show up, lift heavy, chase a pump, and call it a day. But if you want to build real strength, size, and durability, you need a system, not just effort.

• Every Session Needs a Goal: Strength Day? Volume day? Power and explosiveness? Walk in knowing what you’re there to accomplish.

• Master the Basics First: If you can’t squat to depth, deadlift with control, or press without pain, fix it now. Strong foundations make strong lifters.

• Train for Performance, Not Just Looks: Bodybuilding will make you look good, but training like an athlete (sprints, sled work, explosive lifts) will make you perform well, too.

Eat for Fuel, Not Just Size

If you want to look and feel like an athlete, you have to eat like one. That means more than just hitting macros, it means timing your food to fuel performance, recovery, and growth.

• Pre-Workout: Carbs + Protein = Energy — 30–60 minutes before, get fast-digesting carbs (fruit, rice cakes) and a lean protein source. Your body needs fuel to push hard.

• Post-Workout: The Recovery Window Is Real — You don’t have to chug a shake the second you rack your last rep, but within an hour, get in 30g+ of protein and some carbs to kickstart recovery.

• Hydration Is a Game-Changer — If you feel sluggish or flat, you’re probably dehydrated. Electrolytes (sodium, potassium, magnesium) help muscle function and endurance.

Recover Like an Athlete, Not a Casual Lifter

Training is the easy part. What separates the guys who grow from the ones who stall is how well they recover.

• 8 Hours of Sleep Isn’t Optional — I used to think I could get by on less. The truth? Sleep is when you build muscle. If you’re not getting enough, you’re slowing your progress.

• Active Recovery Speeds Up Gains — Walking, stretching, sauna, and even light cardio aren’t “extra,” they keep your body primed to hit it hard again the next day.

• Your Body Will Tell You What It Needs — Training through pain doesn’t make you hardcore. Fix small issues before they turn into injuries.

The Takeaway

Champions don’t train, eat, and recover just when they feel like it. They do it because it’s part of who they are.

You don’t need a competition date on the calendar to approach your fitness this way. Train with intent. Fuel with purpose. Recover with discipline.

That’s how you build a body that performs as good as it looks.

Set the Standard!

Chris

Chris grew big arms because he trained smarter, not harder.

Instead of just hammering curls and press downs like most bodybuilders, he focused on all the muscles that control elbow flexion and extension, training them based on their fiber makeup for faster, more complete growth.

Take the lateral head of the triceps, for example. It’s often called the “lazy head” because it only fully activates under heavy loads. If you want it to grow, you need explosive, high-load movements.

Two of the best options:

• Decline skull crushers (4 to 8 reps with a slow eccentric) to keep tension high.

• Pin presses from the mid-range to overload the triceps where they work the hardest.

On the flexor side, imbalances between the biceps, brachialis, and brachioradialis can limit arm size and strength.

The brachialis, sitting under the biceps, pushes them outward for a fuller look, while the brachioradialis adds thickness to the forearms.

Most lifters stick to supinated curls, but switching grip angles unlocks better development. Try a 4- to 6-week phase where you mix in:

• Incline curls for a deep biceps stretch.

• Preacher curls to overload the short head.

• Neutral and semi-pronated curls to build forearm and overall arm size.

Then there’s the pronator teres, a small but crucial muscle near the elbow. If it’s weak or tight, it can lead to pain and stalled progress. Training at multiple angles keeps it strong and prevents issues before they start.

The bottom line: If you want bigger arms, don’t just train harder, train everything.

Strengthen the supporting muscles, switch up your angles, and don’t rely on high-rep pump work alone.

Real growth comes from getting stronger where it matters.

Reminder: If you don’t already subscribe to the STNDRD app, do it today! You can reach all of your goals and we can help!

--Justin King

These fluffy, nutrient-dense pancakes pack a serious protein punch while balancing the flavor of chocolate and peanut butter with the natural sweetness of banana and pumpkin.

Ingredients (Makes 3-4 pancakes)

• 4 large egg whites (~14g protein)

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats (~5g protein)

• ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (~1g protein)

• 1 medium banana 1 whole egg (~6g protein)

• 1 scoop Raw Nutrition Chocolate Peanut Butter Itholate Protein (~25g protein)

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional, for extra flavor)

• Pinch of salt

• 2-3 tablespoons water or milk (as needed for consistency)

• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

• Light cooking spray to coat the pan

Step 1: Blend the Batter

• Add the oats to a blender and pulse until they form a fine flour-like consistency.

• Add the egg whites, whole egg, pumpkin puree, banana, protein powder, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract to the blender.

• Blend until smooth. If the batter is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk to reach a pourable consistency.

• Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat.

• Lightly grease the pan with cooking spray.

Step 2: Cook the Pancakes

Pour the batter into the pan, forming pancakes about 4 inches in diameter. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look set.

Flip carefully and cook for another 1-2 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.

Step 3. Serve and Enjoy

Stack your pancakes and top with sugar-free syrup, Greek yogurt, a drizzle of peanut butter, or additional banana slices for extra flavor.

Macros (Approximate Total for the Batch)

• Calories: 480

• Protein: 50g

• Carbs: 50g

• Fat: 10g

A perfect post-workout meal or a high-protein breakfast to fuel your day! 🚀💪

Go to RAW Nutrition and use discount code CBUM for the best deal on all of our supplements!

Q: Hi Chris, I saw you at LIFT: Miami sponsored by Gymshark. It was wild! How does an introvert like you manage social events like this?

— Manny D., Miami, Florida

A: Hey, Manny, Yeah, that event was insane, 40,000 people, nonstop energy, just pure chaos in the best way.

And you’re right, I’m naturally more introverted, so big social events like that used to drain me. Early on, meet-and-greets were actually tough for me. I’d get anxious about having to interact with hundreds of people back-to-back.

But over time, I figured out a few things that helped. First, repetition makes a huge difference. The more I put myself in those situations, the more comfortable I got. It’s just like training, if you don’t practice, you lose that skill.

Second, I changed how I saw these events. Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the crowd, I started focusing on the individual moments. The conversations where someone shares their story or tells me how something I’ve said or done helped them. That’s what makes it meaningful for me.

And honestly, I’ve learned to manage my energy better. I pace myself, I take little mental resets when I can, and I remind myself that I don’t have to be "on" all the time, I just have to be me.

Now, I actually enjoy it. Seeing that many people come out, chanting my name, and waiting hours to meet me, is humbling. It reminds me why I do what I do.

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

Champion Mentality

“If you don’t have a strong ‘why,’ it’s easy to burn out or lose motivation. But when you know why you’re doing something, you push through the hard days because it actually means something."

Introducing: The New STNDRD in Fitness!

I’m stoked to launch my new app, STNDRD. Get my daily workouts, track your nutrition, connect with our community, get discounts on merch, and more.

Download it on Apple or Google Play today!

Did a friend forward this to you? You can subscribe here to raise your standard for mental and physical strength.

What Do You Think of The Standard?