The past 3 weeks, my motivation has been at an all-time low. My usual 7–8/10 excitement for training has dropped to a 1–3/10.
There are a lot of factors could be influencing it: 👉🏻 finishing a long productive training block = high fatigue build up 👉🏻 cloudy weather 👉🏻 being deeper in the offseason with no short-term goals.
But here’s the truth: in 14 years of training, I’ve been here many times. And every single time, the slump ended.Motivation always came back.
Training has its natural ebbs and flows. The key is not to quit when it feels tough, just ride it out.
For now, I'm scaling back to four training days a week and using intensity techniques to keep my sessions shorter but still effective, until the drive returns, as it always does.
I wanted a self-made physique. I wanted to figure it out alone. I wanted all the credit.
And it worked… for a couple years. I made progress, but then I hit a wall. Stuck. Frustrated. Going nowhere.
After months of spinning my wheels, I gave in. I bought my favourite influencer’s program (Matt Ogus) and followed it to the T. The gains came back, like newbie gains all over again.
That’s when it clicked: Self-made wasn’t going to be my best physique. To reach my potential, I needed outside help.
I started reading books from guys like Eric Helms and Layne Norton, went to school for kinesiology, got coached into bodybuilding shows, and kept levelling up.
And even now, I still seek help. Because mastery doesn’t come from doing it alone.
Don’t let your ego hold you back. It’s okay to ask for help; that’s how you actually get better.
Just over 11 weeks post-show now, sitting about 10 lbs up from stage weight.
Switched things up from a 4-day to a 5-day split to get a bit more volume into quads, lats, and chest. I can break down what that looks like in a future post if you guys want to see it.
Goal right now is to slowly push up to 190 lbs by the end of the year, aiming for around 1–2 lbs per month (so about 0.25–0.5 lbs per week).
Once I get there, I’ll hold steady for a couple of months , reassess how things are looking, and figure out when I want to compete again.
Leaning toward 2027 or 2028 to make sure there’s enough time to grow, but still playing it by ear.
Brandon Emslie
How do you know if natural bodybuilding is for you?
2 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Brandon Emslie
3 Things Every Natural Bodybuilder Needs For An Easier Prep
#naturalbodybuilding #prepcoach #edmontonbodybuilding
3 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Brandon Emslie
Been in a workout slump.
The past 3 weeks, my motivation has been at an all-time low.
My usual 7–8/10 excitement for training has dropped to a 1–3/10.
There are a lot of factors could be influencing it:
👉🏻 finishing a long productive training block = high fatigue build up
👉🏻 cloudy weather
👉🏻 being deeper in the offseason with no short-term goals.
But here’s the truth: in 14 years of training, I’ve been here many times.
And every single time, the slump ended.Motivation always came back.
Training has its natural ebbs and flows.
The key is not to quit when it feels tough, just ride it out.
For now, I'm scaling back to four training days a week and using intensity techniques to keep my sessions shorter but still effective, until the drive returns, as it always does.
4 months ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Brandon Emslie
Things I wish I knew before my first show 👇🏻
4 months ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Brandon Emslie
5 Brutal Truths Keeping You Out Of Bodybuilding
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Brandon Emslie
12 Best Walmart Desserts Under 150 Calories
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Brandon Emslie
3 Tips Every Bodybuilder Needs For Lagging Body Parts
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Brandon Emslie
I wanted a self-made physique.
I wanted to figure it out alone.
I wanted all the credit.
And it worked… for a couple years.
I made progress, but then I hit a wall.
Stuck. Frustrated. Going nowhere.
After months of spinning my wheels, I gave in.
I bought my favourite influencer’s program (Matt Ogus) and followed it to the T.
The gains came back, like newbie gains all over again.
That’s when it clicked:
Self-made wasn’t going to be my best physique.
To reach my potential, I needed outside help.
I started reading books from guys like Eric Helms and Layne Norton, went to school for kinesiology, got coached into bodybuilding shows, and kept levelling up.
And even now, I still seek help.
Because mastery doesn’t come from doing it alone.
Don’t let your ego hold you back.
It’s okay to ask for help; that’s how you actually get better.
#naturalbodybuilding #mensphysique #wnbf #cpa
5 months ago | [YT] | 0
View 0 replies
Brandon Emslie
5 factors that decide how lean you can get on stage
5 months ago | [YT] | 0
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Brandon Emslie
Progress Pics From This Morning 📸
Just over 11 weeks post-show now, sitting about 10 lbs up from stage weight.
Switched things up from a 4-day to a 5-day split to get a bit more volume into quads, lats, and chest. I can break down what that looks like in a future post if you guys want to see it.
Goal right now is to slowly push up to 190 lbs by the end of the year, aiming for around 1–2 lbs per month (so about 0.25–0.5 lbs per week).
Once I get there, I’ll hold steady for a couple of months , reassess how things are looking, and figure out when I want to compete again.
Leaning toward 2027 or 2028 to make sure there’s enough time to grow, but still playing it by ear.
6 months ago | [YT] | 2
View 0 replies
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