Have you ever been told that it is impossible to be lean, strong and natural at the same time? In other words, you can be two of these things but you can’t be all three. In this video, I’m going to show you whether it is achievable. Whether you can have ripped, low levels of body fat while still being very very strong and natural the entire time.
This starts with a common misconception out there that states that being lean and being strong don’t go well together. I just don’t agree. Look no further than Jesse. This is a young man who has perpetually carried low levels of body fat, has maximized his deadlift to more than 3 times his own bodyweight and has never taken a PED his entire life.
Now, there are some benefits to increasing your levels of body fat when you want to achieve your strength gains faster. This is because along with the body fat often comes more lean muscle tissue. The simple act of consuming calories in a surplus gives our body enough energy substrate to be able to more easily build muscle. That said, if the desire is ultimately to cut down to a level of body fat that is capable of revealing abs or simply to be more ripped, then the strength increases are almost always sacrificed on the way back down.
Wouldn’t it be better if you could achieve both high levels of strength and not have to lose your leanness in the process?
You can, you just have to be willing to put in a little more time to do so.
In the case of Jesse, he has been on this journey for 5 years. To some this may seem like a long amount of time. When you look at it in the scope of a lifetime of lifting, this is actually very very short. To be able to not only achieve the strength levels that he has achieved (in some circles – elite level powerlifting strength) and not have to sacrifice the leanness that he himself values and in his words “makes him feel much healthier and better about himself”, seems like the better way to go.
This is all individual however.
Any time we discuss aesthetic goals or preferences it truly is in the eye of the beholder. Maybe having Arnold level body fat isn’t something that you ever aspired to and in fact prefer the look of a much higher teen or low 20’s body fat percentage. If the fact that Arnold isn’t natural blocks you from even assessing his physique fairly, take any natural lean person that is well muscled but not maximally muscled and ask yourself whether you prefer that type of body or one that is much less lean.
Again, there is no right answer here.
It is truly determined by both what you aesthetically prefer your body look like and also, most importantly, whether you value the discipline of what is required to get yourself there enough to want to achieve it. This is a big issue for many that often times is the stumbling block to leanness and the factor that drives them to being “ok” with higher levels of body fat.
They will often argue that it is the healthier way to be and that it is much better for those that lift weights to do so in a much fluffier state. Maybe it is, for them. Maybe it’s just a way to feel better about an inability to achieve both at the same time again, with a little extra time investment along the way.
The key is finding out what means the most to you. If the answer is, you value your abs above everything else – you may never even want to pursue impressive strength gains since they likely won’t serve you unless you are a competitive powerlifter or a professional athlete. If your strength is the only thing that matters to you, attempting to maintain abs is just going to leave you frustrated when you can’t max out and be the strongest in your class.
If you want to have not just a little of everything, but a lot of both, then it absolutely is possible as long as you are willing to put in the time.
When you’re ready to follow a plan that will help you to not only build an impressively ripped and strong athletic body but be able to do so in a systematic step by step way, you can find the plan for you at athleanx.com via the link below.
If you’re looking for a no B.S. way to get lean, be sure to click on the video at the end of this one and remember to subscribe to our youtube channel via the link below and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it’s published.
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I love to see how Jeff''s "tough love" (bordering mocking) towards Jesse slowly turned into respect, as he grew stronger. Kudos to both of you, guys.
Go Jessie, impressive lift!
💪🏼 JEFF – Can you update your old YouTube videos from 10-11 years ago? ⏳⏳⏳
🎖️It's good content, but your video editing is better now and it would be interesting to hear about any extra tips you have now that your more experienced with YouTube coaching.
I can't be any of the 3 descriptors because i keep eating shit and the only thing keeping me fit is my youth and sport i do :].
Ronaldo…
Health , then looks an try to do it with the least amount of time an effort. I don’t want to be working 3x the time I’m enjoying myself. Most of the stuff I do is outdoors an active activities so that plays into not having to be in the gym as much to maintain my fitness levels. Good content thanks y’all!
I'm all three. So screw what the haters say.
Jeff explains impossible triade in finances 10 min long
We can dude.. like Goku, Vegeta, Picolo, Gohon, Saitama….
I don't even take supplements and I got the body everyone would die for. It's about #1 sacrifice #2 hard work #3 dedication. The way the world is everyone wants the quick fix and whine when they see me but I been building my body for 3 years now. There is no quick fix and like it or not, your protein powder ain't ever going to be as good as meat guys no matter what.
Jesse be looking like he's auditioning for a gritty Santa Clause origin story
Age matter so much, esp after fkign 40s :))
I heard when Jeff has a baby it’ll be on muscle milk and shaking protein shakes as rattles
Famine is coming. So get real Lean. You'll last about 2 weeks !
And if you're not at least 200 lbs you'll be easy work for when the bad men come to call !
If Jesse likes looking good he should drop the beard.
Hey Jeff, I would love to see a video on your thoughts about using TRX straps and what exercises you recommend with those if any. Thanks again for all the great videos!
4:45 nipple ring?
If Jesse’s not natural, he clearly didn’t get the good stuff.
I really like this sort of no nonsense video. I’m 57 and am slowly working my way toward the body I’ve always wanted. And it’s going slow. My testosterone has dropped so I don’t recover or build as fast as I used to, in the other hand I can afford the time and money to go to a beautiful gym and work out. I’ll take the time to get there. Besides, I’m certain that “ripped” or not, NOT working out will be detrimental to me living my best life.
So thanks J & J. I’ll
Continue to watch!
copium
Jeff – 👨
Jessie – 👁👃👁
Im 58kg and can deadlift 155kg only sups i take is turkesterone, creatine, pre workout, and vitamin d and b and also calcium
its not strong, lean and natural that is impossible rather it is lean, big and natural which is impossible.
When Jesse slowly surpasses you in all lifts : [
Jesses genetics are really showing in all his gains, or am I wrong? way to go brother.
Holy shit Jesse is only 155?
I think we all know Jessie would be at 4x if he shaved the beard.
excellent video Jeff, keep'em coming
Jesse looks fantastic and I can see the efforts he puts in consistently in the past few years. Well done @Jesse, you have a great & valuable trainer. @Jeff, thanks for sharing your thoughts and wisdom. Always, very helpful video.
👍 For Tron Lighting
"A high single digit body fat percentage"
nice beard but please give it a shape
Damn, to do a 3.3 bodyweight deadlift, i would have to lift about 750-800 pounds
Imposibble then not believe bad dream and your dream be down because lean on something definition world in Body. Like the world? Cmon I am not like thor then Marvel behavior do you feel something to the System World..
Monks laughing in the corner
I used to be all three when I first started playing rugby. Then I discovered Guinness.
True that about time. I've gone from 115 to 135lbs in the last 2 years while maintaining -15 percent body fat (I'm 5'7"). My powerlifting total has jumped by over 300lbs (I just started about that time so I got the newbie gains). Currently totaling about 685lbs. Only started taking protein powder last month. Been using bodyweight mainly and then testing my 1 rep maxes at the gym.
If you can move 2 houses in a Day, you are lean,strong and natural. I have met guys who do just that(moved my 3 BHK villa and 2 BHK apartment in a day)
What would be "not natural"?
This absolutely nails it! These are my goals as well; I've dropped off the idea of top strength, and often lowered the weights in the pursuit of lean strength.
Sorry Jeff, but now Jesse is my hero and I need to know what he eats to keep making gains but keeping his body fat at about 10%.
I stopped listening to your contradicting evidence and advice a looooong time ago.
Are you natural when you use creatin?
What program did Jesse follow to get his deadlift that high?
Jesse is very inspirational