• How Effort Makes You Stronger

• Power Up Your Overhead Press

• A Premium Pre-Workout Coffee

• The Hard Thing About ‘Easy’

Work out long enough and you understand there’s a difference between training with purpose and going through the motions. 

Each time you walk into the gym, you have a choice. You can show up, hit your sets, and check the box that you’re done. Or you can show up, put your body and mind into the work, and walk out a changed athlete.

I was reminded of this the other day when I trained with my buddy Iain Valliere and new RAW nutrition teammate Sara Saffari. We were messing around, lifting heavy, pushing limits, and (of course) talking a little trash.

But at one point, the energy shifted. The challenge became real. We did a rowing machine sprint — 10 calories as fast as possible. Simple. Brutal. What looked easy on paper had us all gasping.

It made me think: how often do we underestimate what’s hard? How often do we assume we’re giving maximum effort until someone pushes us to find that edge?

Why You Might Not Be Training Hard Enough

Most people never push their true limits in the gym. They stop at the number they set in their head instead of chasing what they’re capable of. They settle into a routine, never realizing that effort — not just reps — is what builds strength.

That’s why training partners matter. Even if you train alone, having someone push you every once in a while can reset your standards. It’s the same reason pro athletes test themselves against the best: Because competition forces growth.

Want to see how hard you’re training? Try this:

• Instead of stopping at 10 reps, ask yourself: Do I really have nothing left? If you could have done 12, you weren’t at failure.

• Throw in an intensity challenge — a sprint row, a drop set, a timed challenge — and see how you react.

• Train with someone stronger than you. Nothing humbles you faster.

The Work You Avoid Is the Work You Need

This applies outside the gym too. The hardest conversations, biggest risks, and most uncomfortable moments are the ones that move you forward. Just like lifting the same weights won’t make you stronger, staying comfortable in life won’t make you better.

Think about an area where you’re just checking the box. Maybe it’s your work. Maybe it’s your relationships. Maybe it’s the way you spend your time. Where are you stopping short of your full effort?

Training isn’t just about looking good. It’s about who you become under pressure. The gym is just practice for real life, the moments when you have to dig deep, when you realize you have more to give, and when you push past what you thought was your limit.

That’s where growth happens.

Set the Standard!

Chris

This isn’t your typical overhead press. The Jefferson Press is a floor-seated, semi-pronated overhead press that forces strict form and activates stabilizers you didn’t even know were weak.

Here’s why it works, according to Justin King:

✅ Torso Stability – Sitting on the floor removes momentum and forces an upright position.
✅ Core Engagement – You need more trunk control since your lower body can’t compensate.
✅ Hamstring Lengthening – Holding a tight bottom position helps improve mobility.
✅ Joint Health & Strength – Strengthening muscles in an extreme range of motion reduces injury risk.

I’m not using this to max out my overhead press — it’s a foundational movement in my current training phase, helping me build a solid base before going heavier later in the year.

Give it a shot with light weights, focus on control, and don’t cheat the movement.

Find tips like this and much more on the STNDRD app. Remember, we can’t help you if you don’t subscribe!

If you train fasted, but want to avoid feeling weak or losing muscle, here’s what I make every morning before hitting the gym. In a mug, combine:

☕ Coffee or Espresso – Caffeine is life. It wakes me up and gets my system rolling.
💊 EAAs (Essential Amino Acids) – Two scoops (about 6g leucine) to prevent muscle breakdown and kickstart protein synthesis.
🧂 Electrolytes + Vitamin C – Hydration is key. I add minerals and vitamin C to keep my body functioning and my immune system strong.
🥛 Replenish Chocolate Protein Powder (½ Scoop) – Gives the coffee a mocha flavor while supporting recovery.
🥥 MCT Oil (1 Tablespoon) – Helps with energy, focus, and keeps me from feeling completely depleted.

I mix it all together, froth some milk (because we’re fancy in this house), and drink it down. It tastes like chocolate milk and gives me just enough fuel to hit the gym hard while staying in a fasted state.

Try it out and see how it works for you.

For a great deal on protein and other supplements, go to RAW Nutrition. Use the code CBUM to get our best deal

Q: Hi Chris, As a bodybuilder, what’s the hardest part about training?

— Joseph V., Colorado Springs, Colorado

A: Hey, Joseph, You’d think it would be the grueling workouts, the dieting, or the personal sacrifices. But honestly? The hardest part is doing the easiest things for an insanely long time.

The best athletes aren’t just the ones who train the hardest — they’re the ones who show up every single day and do the small, simple things better than everyone else.

Michael Jordan warmed up before every game with simple chest passes. One of the best basketball players of all time, starting with the basics every day.

It’s the same in bodybuilding. Training, eating, recovering — it’s all simple. But doing it consistently for a decade or more is what separates the great from the good.

No shortcuts. No magic formula. Just show up, execute, and keep stacking small wins. That’s the real challenge.

 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

“Work so hard you want to quit every day. Be so hard you never quit.”

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