• Learn from Losing

• The Perfect Squat

• Fuel Up On the Go

• Come Back Better

I was at the Pittsburgh Pro last weekend, watching Derek Lunsford and Nick Walker battle it out in the Men’s Open.

It was one of those shows where it could’ve gone either way. Back and forth. Every pose, every callout, you didn’t know who had the edge.

When they finally called out Derek as the winner, what hit me wasn’t the excitement for Derek, though I was happy for him, it was what I saw in Nick.

His disappointment was so powerful, you could feel it across the room.
And as strange as it sounds, that’s what inspired me most.

In that moment, you could see how much the event meant to him. How much he’d sacrificed. How deeply he believed in himself.

It reminded me why I still love this sport. Why competition still fires me up, even though I’ve stepped away.

Most people will never understand the vulnerability you experience as an athlete.

They’ll never feel what Nick felt. Because they’ll never work hard enough, risk enough, or put themselves out there enough to feel it.

That level of heartbreak? It’s earned. You only get there by giving everything and still falling short.

And that’s what most people miss:

Losing isn’t punishment. It’s preparation.

Turning Pain into Power

Watching Nick react to his loss, I could see the energy building inside him, raw and unfiltered.

Winning gives you the moment, the high. But it fades fast.

Losing like that? It sticks with you. It burns deep. But if you know how to handle it, you can turn it into something powerful.

That’s why true competition isn’t supposed to be balanced or healthy. It’s supposed to push you to extremes.

That’s what makes it beautiful.

Sitting there in the crowd watching Nick, I had goosebumps. Because most people will never experience that kind of emotion in their entire lives.

The Greatest Comeback Starts Now

For Nick, it probably felt like shit in that moment. But I truly believe it’s setting him up for the biggest progression of his career.

If he sits with his emotions, feels them fully, and then processes them, this will be where his comeback begins.

When you lose, you should feel pissed. You should feel crushed if you love what you do and you’ve given it your all. If I’d ever lost an Olympia, I know I’d have felt exactly the same way.

But once you move through the anger and the heartbreak, you can put it behind you. You can let it fuel you. You use it to drive you to something better.

That’s always been me. My emotions have driven me more than anything.
And honestly, this was one of the first moments since retiring that lit that fire in me again.

It was fun to watch Derek and Nick battle. But what happened after? That’s the real story.

Because the truth is you can only feel that low if you’ve worked hard enough to earn it. And if you’ve earned it, you’ve also earned the right to use it.

That’s where growth happens. That’s where comebacks are born.

Set the Standard!

Chris

🏋️‍♂️ How to Squat for Max Strength, Size + Respect

If you want legs that command respect — not just in the gym, but everywhere you go — you can’t skip squats.

More than any other lift, the squat is the foundation. Studies even show it’s not just about leg strength — when done right, squats are a catalyst for upper body development too.

And let’s be real: Big glutes and legs says something a big chest never will. They signal total-body power, discipline, and grit.

But here’s the thing, most lifters miss out on the real gains. They rush the setup, pick the wrong stance, or chase numbers instead of actually building muscle.

Here’s how to fix that 👇

🔬 Our Science-Backed Squat Technique

Find a Powerful Stance

Here’s how to determine your stance so you can move the most weight safely with depth:

Jump as high as you can. Where your feet land is your most powerful position. Now, compare that to a stance that helps you reach depth without pain or restriction. Adjust your width or toe angle as needed.

💡 Pro Tip:

If depth is a struggle, elevate your heels using plates or wedges. This instantly improves your range of motion, helps recruit more muscle fibers, and takes stress off your knees and lower back.

Use a High Bar Squat for Growth

The high bar position keeps your torso more upright, puts more emphasis on your quads, and lets you squat deeper — hitting more muscle fibers for growth.

Low bar squats are great for moving big weight, but they shift the load to your hips and glutes, and limit depth for most lifters.

If your goal is leg size, not just numbers, go high bar. Here’s how:

• Bar Placement: Upper traps

• Hands: As close as you can comfortably grip

• Torso: Upright, elbows tucked under bar

• Eyes: Just above eye level

• Movement: Knees forward first, not hips back. Keep the torso as vertical as possible

FYI: Justin and Chris both squat slightly wider than hip-width with toes out ~15°

👉 But the key? Squat to your anatomy and mobility.

🚀 Mechanical Advantage Drop Set Squat

Want to take your squat, and your quads, to the next level? Use this brutal mechanical advantage drop set to extend time under tension, recruit more fibers, and force growth.

1. Front Squat (heels elevated)

   • 6 reps to technical fatigue

2. Back Squat (heels elevated)

   • Same load, immediately after front squat

   • 4 reps to technical fatigue

3. Back Squat (flat feet)

   • Same load, no heel elevation

   • 2-3 reps to finish the set

💥 Do 3-5 rounds. Your legs will be cooked.

🎯 Rules of Thumb:

Use the same load during the set, but expect to drop weight 2.5-7.5% between rounds.

Critical fatigue happens when you lose 20% from your starting load.
If you drop past that, stop — you’re in garbage volume land. Come back stronger next time.

Want to follow Chris’s actual routines? Find all of his full programs inside the STNDRD app.

🚀 Time to push past your limits!

— Justin King

Fuel Up On The Go

There’s nothing more frustrating than crushing your training, then blowing it because you’re stuck eating at an airport, a random gas station, or a hotel lobby.

But the truth is, you can still eat well even when you’re surrounded by sugary snacks and junk food. You just need a plan.

If I had to build the perfect convenience store bodybuilding meal, here’s what I’d grab every time:

• One pack of beef jerky (low sugar, high protein)
  ✅ 20–30g protein
  ✅ Chewy, satisfying, and keeps you full

• One plain Greek yogurt cup (or two if they have the smaller ones)
  ✅ 15–20g protein
  ✅ Some carbs, gut-friendly, and helps digestion stay on track

• One banana or apple
  ✅ Quick carbs for energy
  ✅ Keeps cravings in check

• One pack of roasted almonds or mixed nuts (plain, not candied)
  ✅ Fats to keep you satisfied
  ✅ Helps balance the meal

That right there gives you roughly:

• 40–50g protein

• 20–30g carbs

• 15–20g healthy fats

Is it a perfectly clean, kitchen-prepped meal? No.

But it hits your macros, keeps you fueled, and, most importantly, helps you get where you’re going.

Remember: It’s not about perfection, it’s about momentum.

🔥 Set the Standard — Eat Clean, Train Hard, Get Bigger.

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

Q: Hi Chris, I had to take a couple of months off training because of an injury, and now that I’m back, I feel like I've lost everything. You’ve been through this. How do you handle it physically and mentally without getting frustrated?

— Jamie B., Nashua, New Hampshire

A: Hey, Jamie, I know that feeling better than I’d like to.

After injuries, surgeries, or even just time off, I’ve looked in the mirror and felt the same — smaller, weaker, wondering if everything I built was gone.

But what I’ve learned from going through this over and over is:
You never lose it all.

Yeah, you lose some size. You lose the rhythm. But the work you put in doesn’t just disappear.

Your Body Remembers

And that’s not just a motivational line, it’s a real thing.

When you train for years, your muscles add these control centers called myonuclei, and what’s wild is they stick around even when the muscle shrinks.

That’s why when you come back you need to remember:

➡️ Your body isn’t starting over, it’s just waking up.
➡️ Strength rebounds in a few weeks.
➡️ Size comes back, but not as fast.

Good news: You’re rebuilding on a foundation that never really left.

The Hardest Part Is Mental

Honestly, the hardest part isn’t physical, it’s mental.

The trap I’ve fallen into — and I see a lot of people fall into — is trying to pick up exactly where they left off. That’s when you get hurt again.

The key is meeting your body where it is now, not where it was.
✅ Keep the weights lighter.
✅ Focus on clean execution.
✅ Give your body a chance to catch up.

If you do that, you’ll be shocked how fast things come back.

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

“Peace isn’t the reward for healing, it’s the condition that allows healing to occur.”

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?