LEGAL DISCLAIMER PERSONAL DISCLAIMER

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2 LEGAL DISCLAIMER Warning: All the information presented in 21-Day Extreme Shred Challenge is for educational and resource purposes only. It is not a substitute for or in addition to any advice given to you by your physician or health care provider. Consult your physician before making any changes to your lifestyle, diet, or exercise habits. You are solely responsible for the way information in 21-Day Extreme Shred Challenge is perceived and utilized and so, you do so at your own risk. In no way will Alain Gonzalez, Human Evolution Publishing, or any persons associated with 21-Day Extreme Shred Challenge be held responsible for any injuries or problems that may occur due to the use of this book or the advice contained within. PERSONAL DISCLAIMER We are not doctors, nor do we possess a degree in nutrition. The advice we give is based on years of practical application, dealing with the needs of our own health and physiques as well as the needs of others. Any recommendations we may make to you regarding diet, including supplements and herbal or nutritional treatments must be discussed between you and your doctor/s. MUSCLE-BUILDING DISCLAIMER Required Legal Disclaimer: Due to recent laws from the FTC, it is required that all companies identify what a typical result is. The truth is that most people never do anything when it comes to trying building muscle. They might buy a million products, including this one, but never do anything with the information they have in hand. The testimonials that you saw were of people who took action, followed a healthy lifestyle, exercised, and ate a balanced nutritional diet. If you want results like them, you should do this too.

3 COPYRIGHT NOTICE Published by: Human Evolution Publishing Copyright 2018 All material in this guide is, unless otherwise stated, the property of Alain Gonzalez and Human Evolution Publishing. Copyright and other intellectual property laws protect these materials. Reproduction or retransmission of the materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder, is a violation of copyright law.

4 THE "TRUTH" ABOUT FASTED CARDIO In the past, fitness experts all over the world had their clients performing bouts of cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. It was a widely accepted fact that fasted cardio was simply better for fat-loss. In theory, it made sense: by training in a fasted state, you re utilizing your body fat stores for energy rather than turning to the glucose in your system. [When we talk about burning fat, we re really just talking about lipolysis and oxidation. Lipolysis is the process by which we release fatty acids into the bloodstream, and fat oxidation is the process whereby cells burn those fatty acids.] Then a new study on the effects of fasted and non-fasted cardio for fat loss hit the scene and every expert was pointing and laughing at any coach who prescribed fasted cardio to their clients. 1 Fasted cardio went from being the magic solution to becoming the laughing stock of the fitness community. But, when we look at this widely cited study a bit deeper, we find that it hasn t actually proven that fasted cardio is inferior to non-fasted cardio. What we do see, however, is that if we have carbs 30 minutes into our workout, then fat oxidation rates aren t changed until well after our training (80-90 minutes). Researchers noted that this is probably due to the fact that the insulin response to carb intake while training at a moderate intensity is almost completely suppressed. 2 Here s the problem with that. Who the hell eats carbs 30 minutes into their workout? No one. Most people have their carbs before their workout, which reduces lipolysis and fat oxidation rates thus reducing the total amount of fat we burn during a workout. This isn t to say that there actually is something magical about performing cardio in a fasted state. In fact, whether you re eating carbs before your workout or not isn t what is going to determine how much fat you lose total energy balance will. 3 You see, when insulin is up, fat-loss is down. But whether you re eating before your workout or not, it s total energy balance that determines how much fat you ll lose that day. See the graph below for a better illustration of this point (notice how it balances our over the course of the day).

5 At this point, you re probably more confused than you were when you started reading. So is fasted cardio better for fat-loss or not? Cardio on an empty stomach will not help you lose fat faster If done correctly, however, fasted cardio will help you lose stubborn body fat in certain areas (hips and belly) faster. Allow me to explain STUBBORN BELLY FAT There are certain fat cells in your body that are resistant to being mobilized and burned and they accumulate in the regions we all consider trouble spots belly and hips. Our bodies use a chemical known as catecholamines in order to break fat cells down into energy. 4 These catecholamines travel through our blood and bind to receptors on fat cells, which then allows it to be burned off. These fat cells have two types of receptors for catecholamines: alpha-receptors and beta-receptors. 5 Beta receptors speed up fat mobilization and alpha-receptors slow it down. 6 If you ve got certain areas that get lean pretty quickly, you have a lot of fat cells with more beta-receptors than alpha. Those areas that you just can t seem to get rid of, however, are the opposite you ve got a lot of fat cells with more alpha-receptors than beta. Another big issue with stubborn hip and belly fat relates to blood flow. 7 Less blood flow in any area means fewer catecholamines reach those stubborn fat cells thus resulting in slower fat loss. So not only are there large amounts of fat cells that don t respond well to catecholamines, but the reduced blood flow is keeping those catecholamines away. Thankfully, due to some sound science, we now know exactly how to target these stubborn areas using diet, fasted cardio, and one often-ignored supplement. For starters, fasted cardio increases blood flow to the abdominal region 8, making it easier for the catecholamines to reach the stubborn belly fat, resulting in more mobilization of it.

6 This is the big benefit of fasted cardio the majority of the fat you re burning is coming from these stubborn areas that we otherwise would struggle to lose. METABOLIC BODYWEIGHT CIRCUITS Now that you understand how fasted cardio really helps to burn off stubborn abdominal fat, the question becomes, what type of cardio? If you re familiar with my work, you know I m a huge fan of High-Intensity Interval Training. The problem, however, is that when the intensity is high, glycogen becomes the main source of fuel, which means fat oxidation declines. So, in theory, doing HIIT while in a fasted state seems to be counterproductive it may even seem like a recipe for muscle loss. Here s the thing, though: research shows that as you get more accustomed to performing HIIT, your muscles learn to use less glycogen from those workouts and they get better at oxidizing fats.8 This is especially relevant for fasted cardio as HIIT increases the total amount of fatty acids your body can metabolize throughout your workouts. Not only that, but EPOC (Excess Post-Exercises Oxygen Consumption) is greater with HIIT than with traditional cardio, thus resulting in more total calories burned after your workout. If that wasn t enough to get have you skipping breakfast and jumping right into some high-intensity cardio, HIIT has also been shown to be great for getting rid of abdominal fat. 9 HOW TO PERFORM METABOLIC CIRCUITS Each Metabolic Circuit is made up of six different exercises. Perform each exercise, back to back, with little to no rest in between them. Once you ve completed all six exercises, that s 1 circuit. Your goal is to perform as many circuits as possible in a given timeframe. Progression with Metabolic Circuits is very simple. Aim to outperform your last performance on a given circuit by completing more circuits within the same timeframe. SPEEDING UP THE PROCESS There is one way to get lean and one way only staying in a negative energy balance. If we can manage to burn more calories than we consume, we ll burn body fat, period.

7 Our body burns calories in a few different ways. 1. Basal Metabolic Rate 2. The Thermic Effect of Food 3. The Thermic Effect of Activity 4. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis These 4 things determine your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). If we can manage to consume less energy than we expend, we lose weight. 10 Want to make this a bit easier? Drink some coffee! Caffeine has been shown to increase energy expenditure, making it a bit easier for you to achieve a calorie deficit. 11 Not only that, but when you re training fasted, you may find that you need an extra kick in the pants. Caffeine can certainly do that for you! You see, there are plenty of supplements out there that claim to increase strength, improve muscle endurance, or enhance anaerobic capabilities. Hell, some even claim to do them all. There is, however, one problem: no supporting evidence. Caffeine, on the other hand, has been proven to increase strength, muscle endurance, and anaerobic performance. Want to take your fasted HIIT sessions to the next level? Have a cup of coffee or pop some caffeine pills before your workout! CONCLUSION As you can see, there s nothing magical about training on an empty stomach. There are, however, some undeniable benefits to fasted cardio if the goal is to blast belly fat and finally achieve visible abs.

8 21 DAY EXTREME SHRED CHALLENGE WORKOUT PRINCIPLES My training philosophy is simplistic in theory and most importantly it works extremely well. Causing the most amount of trauma to the muscle in the shortest amount of time is the goal. You don t have to understand all the science about how building muscle works, but I want you to have a basic understanding of why you are doing what you re doing and what the purpose is. When it comes to building and shaping your muscles we are looking at 3 things: MECHANICAL TENSION The purpose of using mechanical tension is to recruit your fast twitch muscle fibers. These fibers are responsible for helping you lift heavy weight. Think explosive movements. When you recruit those fibers they cause protein synthesis which in turn causes your muscles to grow. Now keep in mind, since our rest periods are going to be short, we will not be able to use extremely heavy weight, therefore the mechanical tension will be less, however, it will still be extremely effective. MUSCLE DAMAGE Think of mechanical trauma as the process of causing as much damage to the muscle fibers as possible. This usually takes place towards the end of the set when you are getting those last few forced reps in. The reps that really hurt and burn. Those are the reps that recruit those deep muscle fibers and cause extreme cell swelling. METABOLIC STRESS You know when you get that burning feeling in the muscle after a hard set? Well that is a metabolic stress adaptation, also known as lactic acid. The burning feeling that you get in the muscles is actually what causes your muscles to grow. The best way to increase this stress is to keep your rest periods short. The more you rest between sets the less lactic acid buildup in the muscle occurs. Ok, so what do we do with all of that information and what training style is best to achieve all 3 of those things. The answer:

9 METABOLIC STRENGTH TRAINING WHAT IS METABOLIC STRENGTH TRAINING? I m glad you asked. Think of it this way; THE COMBINATION OF WEIGHT TRAINING AND CARDIO. We accomplish this by utilizing the following techniques: SUPERSETS moving between 2 exercises with no rest In his book, Arnold: The Education of a Bodybuilder, Schwarzenegger explains how many advanced bodybuilders in Germany would use supersets to save time (i.e., do the same amount of work in less time). What you ll be doing [with supersets] is building your body to its ultimate size and training it for maximum definition, says the Oak. DROPSETS - when you perform a set, drop the weight and go to failure FORCED REPS when you reach failure but continue either with a spotter or lowering the weight. The set actually begins once you hit failure. I like to call this training in failure. This is when the muscle is completely fatigued but you keep going. The way you keep going is by either having a training partner help you with the reps, or you drop the weight (drop-sets) in order to force the most amount of blood in the muscle and activate those deep muscle fibers that are responsible for making the muscle grow. Get comfortable training in failure. This is where you truly TRANSFORM your body. SLOW NEGATIVES muscle-lengthening contraction performed at the lowering phase of the movement. MINIMAL REST PERIODS - taking minimal/no rest in between exercises and sets SUPERSETS: Remember, we are doing supersets, so there is no rest between each exercise. For example, when training chest and biceps, you will complete a set of bench presses and then immediately do preacher curls. This will continue on through the workout. This will not only ACCELERATE FAT BURNING but will also force an incredible amount of blood into the muscles and increase growth!

10 HOW MUCH WEIGHT SHOULD I USE? When choosing a starting weight you will want to make sure you are being challenged each set. For example, if I am doing my first set of 15 reps and I get all 15 reps easily and barely struggle, then the weight was too light. You want to really be struggling on those last 2-3 reps of the set. This is when serious muscle growth takes place. So make sure you are challenging yourself each set with the weight. Simple enough, right? PRINCIPLES OF EXTREME SHREDDING Now that you have a better understanding of the boring sciency details, let s dive into the fun stuff. In this section, we re going to go over the principles of extreme shredding how it works so that you can focus on torching belly fat and achieving those coveted six-pack abs, fast! If you want to lose as much fat as possible in the next 21 days, then there are a few things that have to happen: 1. You must be in a caloric deficit. It doesn t matter how regimented your training program, if you re not burning more calories than you re consuming, you ll never reveal your abs. Please see the 21-Day Extreme Shred nutrition guide for a detailed explanation on how to achieve this without resorting to the chicken breast and broccoli diet. 2. Focus on fat loss, not weight loss. Anyone can lose weight just exercise more and eat less. But if you want to get lean and ripped like your favorite Superhero then it s critical that you aim for fat loss, not weight loss. This can be achieved by (1) ensuring you re distributing your macros optimally (this is laid out for you in the 21-Day Extreme Shred nutrition guide) and (2) focusing on maintaining your strength. As long as you can maintain your strength, your body will have no choice but to preserve your hard-earned muscle. The more dialed in your diet is, the easier it ll be to maintain power and energy in the gym. 3. Skip breakfast and train fasted! Want to expedite fat loss? Perform your metabolic circuits in the morning on an empty stomach. Not only will this speed up the rate at which you burn belly-fat, but it ll get the toughest part of your workout out of the way early! THE KEY TO ACCELERATED FAT-LOSS The key to torching belly-fat, aside from being in a calorie deficit, is threefold: first, we must ensure we re in calorie deficit by consuming less calories than we re burning. Next, we be in a fasted state in order to maximize fat oxidation. Finally, we must perform cardio (preferably H.I.I.T.) to burn off those fats. Simple enough, right?

11 21-DAY EXTREME SHRED SCHEDULE OVERVIEW For best results, all metabolic circuits must be performed in a fasted state. Each week we ll focus on strength training (to retain muscle mass) and metabolic circuits (to shed fat). 21-DAY EXTREME SHRED CALENDAR WEEK 1 Circuit 1 Chest/ Biceps AM: Circuit 1 PM: Legs Back/ Triceps Circuit 2 Shoulders Circuit 1 2 Circuit 2 Chest/ Biceps AM: Circuit 3 PM: Legs Back/ Triceps Circuit 4 Shoulders Circuit 3 3 Circuit 4 AM: Circuit 5 PM: Chest/ Biceps AM: Circuit 5 PM: Legs Back/ Triceps Circuit 6 AM: Circuit 5 PM: Shoulders Circuit 6 PLEASE READ: There is no physiological difference between performing your circuits on Monday and performing them on Tuesday. What matters is not what day of the week it is, but the total work done in a given period of time. On top of that, everyone s schedule is different, and since adherence is key, it s less about what you should do and more about what you can do. Besides, who I am to tell you when you should or shouldn t do your fasted workout sessions you do them when you can. Also, life happens, and Monday morning the only time you re able to make time for your session might be your daughter s ballet recital. Instead of sacrificing to win and missing out on something meaningful, do it tomorrow.

12 21-DAY EXTREME SHRED CHALLENGE DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #1 15 MINUTES High Knees x 20 Seconds Jumping Jacks x 20 Seconds Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Plank x 20 Seconds Alternate Mountain Climbers x20 Seconds DAY x Bodyweight CHEST/BICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Preacher Curl 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Incline Dumbell Flyes 4 15, 12,10, 8 Incline Dumbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Incline Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Barbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8

13 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #1 15 MINUTES High Knees x 20 Seconds Jumping Jacks x 20 Seconds Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Plank x 20 Seconds Alternate Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds LEGS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Leg Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Machine Calf Raises 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Squats 4 15, 12,10, 8 Leg Extensions 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Walking Lunges 4 15, 12,10, 8 Hamstring Curl Machine 4 15, 12,10, 8

14 DAY x Bodyweight BACK/TRICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dips 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Cable Row or Machine Row 4 15, 12,10, 8 Tricep Rope Extension 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent over Barbell Rows 4 15, 12,10, 8 Barbell Skullcrushers 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #2 15 MINUTES Burpees x 20 Seconds T-Push Ups x 20 Seconds Jumping Lunges x 20 Seconds Quick Feet x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Plank x 20 Seconds

15 DAY x Bodyweight SHOULDERS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Shoulder Press (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dumbell Lateral Raise 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Upright Row (barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Front Raises (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent Over Lateral Raise (or reverse pec dec) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Shrugs (dumbell or barbell 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #1 15 MINUTES High Knees x 20 Seconds Jumping Jacks x 20 Seconds Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Plank x 20 Seconds Alternate Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds

16 DAY 8 METABOLIC CIRCUIT #2 15 MINUTES Burpees x 20 Seconds T-Push Ups x 20 Seconds Jumping Lunges x 20 Seconds Quick Feet x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Plank x 20 Seconds DAY 9 CHEST/BICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Preacher Curl 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Incline Dumbell Flyes 4 15, 12,10, 8 Incline Dumbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Incline Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dumbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8

17 DAY 10 METABOLIC CIRCUIT #3 20 MINUTES In and Out Squat x 20 Seconds High Knees x 20 Seconds X-Body Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Push Up Plank x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Spiderman Push Ups x 20 Seconds LEGS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Leg Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Machine Calf Raises 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Squats 4 15, 12,10, 8 Leg Extensions 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Walking Lunges 4 15, 12,10, 8 Hamstring Curl Machine 4 15, 12,10, 8

18 DAY 11 BACK/TRICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dips 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Cable Row or Machine Row 4 15, 12,10, 8 Tricep Rope Extension 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent over Barbell Rows 4 15, 12,10, 8 Barbell Skullcrushers 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY 12 METABOLIC CIRCUIT #4 20 MINUTES High Knees x 20 Seconds Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Plank Walk Out x 20 Seconds Alternating Bird Dog x 20 Seconds Jumping Jacks x 20 Seconds

19 DAY 13 SHOULDERS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Shoulder Press (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dumbell Lateral Raise 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Upright Row (barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Front Raises (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent Over Lateral Raise (or reverse pec dec) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Shrugs (dumbell or barbell 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY 14 METABOLIC CIRCUIT #3 20 MINUTES In and Out Squat x 20 Seconds High Knees x 20 Seconds X-Body Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Push Up Plank x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Spiderman Push Ups x 20 Seconds

20 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #4 20 MINUTES High Knees x 20 Seconds Mountain Climbers x 20 Seconds Half Burpees x 20 Seconds Plank Walk Out x 20 Seconds Alternating Bird Dog x 20 Seconds Jumping Jacks x 20 Seconds DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #5 25 MINUTES Step Through x 20 Seconds T-Push Ups x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Standing Crunch x 20 Seconds Pop Squats x 20 Seconds High Knees x 20 Seconds CHEST/BICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Preacher Curl 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Incline Dumbell Flyes 4 15, 12,10, 8 Incline Dumbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Incline Bench Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dumbell Curls 4 15, 12,10, 8

21 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #5 25 MINUTES Step Through x 20 Seconds T-Push Ups x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Standing Crunch x 20 Seconds Pop Squats x 20 Seconds High Knees x 20 Seconds LEGS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Leg Press 4 15, 12,10, 8 Machine Calf Raises 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Squats 4 15, 12,10, 8 Leg Extensions 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Walking Lunges 4 15, 12,10, 8 Hamstring Curl Machine 4 15, 12,10, 8

22 DAY x Bodyweight BACK/TRICEPS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Pull Ups or Lat Pulldown 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dips 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Cable Row or Machine Row 4 15, 12,10, 8 Tricep Rope Extension 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent over Barbell Rows 4 15, 12,10, 8 Barbell Skullcrushers 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #6 25 MINUTES Burpees x 20 Kick-Ups x 20 Seconds Spiderman Push Ups x 20 Seconds Kick Outs x 20 Seconds Jumping Lunges x 20 Seconds Quick Feet x 20 Seconds

23 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #5 25 MINUTES Step Through x 20 Seconds T-Push Ups x 20 Seconds Jump Squats x 20 Seconds Standing Crunch x 20 Seconds Pop Squats x 20 Seconds High Knees x 20 Seconds SHOULDERS SUPERSET 1 SETS REPS Shoulder Press (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Dumbell Lateral Raise 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 2 Upright Row (barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Front Raises (dumbell or barbell) 4 15, 12,10, 8 SUPERSET 3 Bent Over Lateral Raise (or reverse pec dec) 4 15, 12,10, 8 Shrugs (dumbell or barbell 4 15, 12,10, 8 DAY x Bodyweight METABOLIC CIRCUIT #6 25 MINUTES Burpees x 20 Kick-Ups x 20 Seconds Spiderman Push Ups x 20 Seconds Kick Outs x 20 Seconds Jumping Lunges x 20 Seconds Quick Feet x 20 Seconds

24 CONGRATULATIONS! YOU VE COMPLETED THE 21-DAY EXTREME SHRED CHALLENGE