Congratulations on completing Riding the Redline! You’ve completed every last exercise on my program. Now I want you to assess all the progress you’ve made and figure out how you’re going to move forward.
Here’s what I want you to do at the completion of Riding the Redline:
* Take photos of yourself
Remember to take these photos at the same time of day while wearing the same clothes as you did before you began this program and on Days 8, 16 and 24. Also use the same photographer, location and lighting that you did previously. These photos will not only demonstrate all that you accomplished, but they’ll also provide guidance when you follow another program similar to Riding the Redline.
* Weigh yourself
You already know that I’ve de-emphasized body weight as an essential part of this program. You’re not strictly trying to lose weight—your body composition goal is to reduce body fat while increasing muscle tissue. As I mentioned throughout my program adding lean mass will increase weight, and losing body fat will decrease it. That means your bodyweight is a less valuable tool than other metrics. Still, total bodyweight taken in conjunction with these other measures does provide valuable information. Take it in stride and don’t overemphasize your body weight.
* Record your body measurements
Again, you’ll take these measurements using a tape measure: Mid-thigh—both sides; hips; waist; chest/bust; arms—both sides. Also shoulders—with arms relaxed at your sides.
Don’t forget that you’ll need someone to take some of these measurements for you. The tension on the tape should be moderate for every measurement. It’s important that you use the same amount of tension, and level of flex or relaxation for subsequent measurements so you’re comparing apples to apples. I also recommend that you have the same person take your measurements to remove yet another variable.
After completing Riding the Redline, you should see impressive shifts. For instance your hips and waist should have reduced, especially if you were carrying more bodyfat than you wanted before beginning this program. Remember that an increase in the size of your thighs indicates an improvement in terms of overall lean mass gain, as well as helping your waistline appear narrower. At this point, all of your measurements should be moving in the direction you desire. You can continue this forward progress by adding a few more cycles of Riding the Redline, or transitioning to another workout program.
* Get a body composition test
One of the most important measurements of your success on a program like Riding the Redline is how much body fat you’ve lost while adding muscle. Getting a body composition test is the most accurate way to do this. You should use the same type of body composition test you used at the beginning of the program. If you used a callipers test, then I recommend having the same person perform that test for a more accurate reading. If you’re using a more expensive version such as immersion, I still recommend using the same clinic or administrator—just for consistency.
* Celebrate
While you didn’t cheat during the 28 days when you were following Riding the Redline, I want you to consume a food that you’ve really missed. But don’t go overboard—and don’t do this if you want to continue to take pictures over the next couple days. That’s especially true with sodium, which can add several pounds of bloat very quickly. Professional bodybuilders often add as much as 10 pounds when they eat a sodium load after a contest! Enjoy your success, but go slow with re-integrating salt back into your diet.
Also, it’s not a necessity that your “celebration” needs to be food oriented. You can also splurge on a spa day or go to Disneyland. Choose the celebration that’s right for you.
CONSIDER WHAT’S NEXT
As I mentioned several times throughout Riding the Redline, you can repeat any of the mini-cycles or individual workouts at any time you want. Heck, you can just start over and repeat the full program if you want
Remember that my goal with creating Riding the Redline was to help you re-program the way you think about performance, strength and body composition. I want you to learn how to integrate the discipline of my training, nutrition and supplement regimens into your daily life.
Don’t forget to send me your pictures and comments about Riding the Redline. I’m so eager to hear about you successes, and I also want to hear what you found most challenging about this program.
KASEIN
This product delivers casein, the slow-digesting fraction of milk protein. I like to get in a serving as my final nutrition before bed. You can consume Kasein as a shake or mix it as a pudding, which I prefer because it tastes like a treat. Kasein provides a sustained-release of amino acids, helping to prevent your muscle mass from being catabolized (broken down) while you’re sleeping. Our bodies naturally go into a period of muscle breakdown when we go several hours without eating, and getting in Kasein before bedtime helps combat catabolism.
YOUR TICKET TO RIDING THE REDLINE: Get in 1 serving before bedtime to stave off catabolism while you’re sleeping.
TIP: After you’ve taken your pictures, competed, or reached your personal goal on Riding the Redline, I recommend that you re-integrate dietary shifts very slowly. The point of my program wasn’t just to get you to today—it’s to get you to forever. For instance, if you’ve cut sodium you can easily add 10 pounds of water bloat if you just go on a huge binge and take in a huge amount of salt. You can reward yourself with a moderate cheat meal or food, but don’t go over the cliff, plunging below the redline. You’ve worked too hard, and you’ve learned too much to do that.
