• 💸 25% Off STNDRD+

• 🏋️ Build Size + Power

• 🥗 Easy Lunch Upgrades

• ⚡️ Make Progress Faster

👇 Dive in and Set the Standard!

Why Coaching Matters

People assume coaching is for beginners, but honestly it’s usually the opposite.

The more successful you get, the more weight you carry. Work, pressure, family, stress, it all stacks up at once. That’s why every high performer I’ve ever met has someone in their corner.

I learned that the hard way. During my last Olympia prep, I was dealing with injuries, autoimmune flare ups, business responsibilities, and trying to be a present husband and dad. I wanted that sixth title more than anything, but pushing harder wasn’t enough anymore.

That’s when I leaned on expert performance coach Justin King to rebuild my whole system. Justin saw what I couldn’t.

He looked at how I was moving, how I was recovering, where stress was affecting me, and what needed to change in my training, nutrition, and supplementation. And he built a plan that adapted around my life so I could stay consistent even when everything got chaotic.

Justin helped me understand something most guys miss. It’s not your body that fails you, it’s your system.

When your habits don’t match your actual life, you’ll feel like you’re starting over every few weeks.

That was me. And once we built a structure I could follow even on the messy weeks, everything changed.

And it’s the same structure we built inside the STNDRD App and all of our coaching programs, from STNDRD+ Group Coaching to STNDRD Peak Protocol 1:1 Coaching .

The app and our coaching products are built to give you the tools you need to succeed, and the support to keep you going strong.

This isn’t motivation. These are real frameworks that adapt with you, and they are based on the same approach I used when the stakes were highest.

If you want the kind of expert-level help top performers rely on without the hype and guesswork, click on the links above and get started today!

Set the Standard.

Chris

💪 Power Up Your Training 

This week is all about coaching and the difference between working out and training with intent. You see, most guys don’t struggle with effort, they struggle with direction.

They do the same lifts forever, never rotate angles, never adjust tempo, never fix weak links, then wonder why nothing changes.

A good coach helps:

• Sequence movements.

• Create progressions.

• Eliminate wasted reps.

• Build based on your goals.

This workout shows you exactly how Chris and Justin build sessions, including:

➡️ Power to wake up the CNS
➡️ Strength in clean, controlled reps
➡️ Hypertrophy for symmetrical growth
➡️ Structural balance to avoid injuries

🔥 Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Quick, targeted, and efficient.

• Band Pull-Aparts — 2 × 15

• Hip Hinge + Reach — 2 × 10

• Scap Push-Ups — 1 × 10

• Light DB Press or Row — 1 × 12

🏋️ A-Series: Power Primer

Explosive, low volume, perfect form.

A1. DB Speed Bench (Neutral Grip)
3 × 3 reps — pause at bottom, explode up
Rest: 45 sec
👉 Wakes up fast-twitch fibers; primes pressing.

A2. Jump Squat (Bodyweight)
3 × 3 reps — smooth landings, soft knees
Rest: 45 sec
👉 Lower-body power = better strength everywhere.

🛠️ B-Series: Strength Block

Controlled eccentrics + stable positions = real strength.

B1. DB Romanian Deadlift
4 × 6 @ 4/0/1/0
Rest: 90 sec
👉 Hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

B2. Neutral-Grip DB Bench Press
4 × 6 @ 3/0/1/0
Rest: 90 sec
👉 Neutral grip = shoulders safe, pecs loaded.

Coaching cue: Own the negative. Move the weight, don’t survive it.

🔥 C-Series: Hypertrophy Block

Intentional bodybuilding, the way Chris actually trains.

C1. Chest-Supported DB Row
3 × 10–12 @ 3/1/1/1
Rest: 60 sec
👉 Long pause at the top for scap control.

C2. Deficit Split Squat (Bodyweight or DB)
3 × 10/leg @ 3/0/1/1
Rest: 60 sec
👉 Deep stretch = massive quad + glute recruitment.

Coaching cue: Hypertrophy lives in the stretch. Feel it, don’t rush it.

🔒 D-Series: Structural Balance

Where weaknesses get fixed.

D1. Prone Y Raise
3 × 12–15 @ 3/0/2/1
👉 Upper back + rotator cuff stability.

D2. Single-Leg Calf Raise (Slow Eccentric)
3 × 12–15 @ 4/0/1/0
👉 Strong feet = strong athlete. Period.

Rest: 45 sec between exercises.

🧠 Your Goals This Month

• Train 3–4×, not 6, quality over chaos.

• Rotate pressing angles every 2–3 weeks to manage joint stress.

• Use controlled eccentrics and avoid trash reps.

• Don’t chase PRs during the holidays, chase perfect reps.

• Walk 8–10k steps daily to stay lean, no matter what you eat.

This is the approach we take in all our coaching product to give you expert training that’s sequenced, intentional, and built for progress.

📲 Ready for coaching?

Stop guessing. Start progressing. Set the Standard!

Lunch Made Easy 🍽️🔥

With one month left until 2026, the mission is simple: eat in a way that fuels strength, keeps you lean, and helps you grow.

Our approach doesn’t require complicated recipes or an all-day meal prep routine, just a smart system you can repeat.

Here’s the STNDRD lunch formula that guys can use every day to roll into January ahead of schedule.

Build-Your-Own Power Bowl 🥗

This is the lunch that checks every box: high protein, high fiber, easy to prep, and endlessly flexible.

Pick one from each category below and rotate through the week.

1. Your Protein Base (30–40g) 🍗

• Grilled chicken

• Ground turkey

• Bison

• Canned tuna or salmon

2. Clean Carbs for Fuel (1 cup cooked) 🍠

• Jasmine rice

• Quinoa

• Roast sweet potatoes

• Farro

• Lentils

3. Fiber + Micronutrients (2 cups) 🥦

• Shredded cabbage

• Spinach

• Mixed greens

• Roasted broccoli

• Brussels sprouts

4. Flavor Builders (pick 1–2) 🌶️

• Salsa

• Harissa

• Lemon + herbs

• Light vinaigrette

• Greek yogurt + spices

5. Add-Ons (optional) 🥑

• Avocado (¼)

• Pumpkin seeds

• Light feta

Example Variation (5 Minutes)

Chicken, Sweet Potato + Greens Bowl
Chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, spinach, salsa verde, pumpkin seeds.

Why it works:
Protein hits your target, sweet potatoes fuel training, greens manage hunger, and fiber keeps digestion on point.

Want to stay consistent? Track it. 📱

Inside the STNDRD App, you can log these meals, hit your protein target daily, and use your macro ranges to guide each bowl.

Macros (Typical Bowl)

~520–650 calories
35–45g protein
45–60g carbs
10–18g fat

Q: Chris, I’ve never had a personal trainer or coach. I’ve always just pieced workouts together from YouTube or Instagram. It worked for a while, but now I’m stale and not seeing much return on the work I’m putting in. How can an app or a coach actually help someone like me?
— Ryan M., Tampa, Florida

A: Hey, Ryan, a lot of people start out exactly like you, they take generic advice from social media and make good progress early on.

But every lifter eventually reaches a point where effort stops turning into results. That’s not a motivation problem; it’s a structure problem.

And honestly, that’s why we built the STNDRD app: to give you an actual training system instead of random workouts.

The biggest thing you get from a real plan is direction. When you’re following programming that’s designed to progress week after week, you stop guessing.

The exercise selection, the tempo, the volume, all of that is intentional. You train with purpose, not hope. That alone gets most lifters unstuck fast.

There’s also something to be said for having support. When you’re tracking your sessions, checking in, and seeing your work add up, your training gets consistent again.

And if you want an even higher level of guidance, you can step into our STNDRD+ Group Coaching. That’s where you get even more insights from me and Justin, plus a community to keep you accountable.

You don’t need to be a pro to benefit from coaching or a structured program. You just need a plan that matches your goals and helps you move forward instead of spinning your wheels.

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

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

— Aristotle

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