Fitness Goals: In My Gym Bag With Personal Trainer

Ever wondered how a certified personal trainer, bestselling author, and fitness guru prep for the gym? Today, we’re peeling back the curtain for an exclusive look into the essentials that fuel Mike Matthews‘ workouts. As the founder of Legion Athletics and a leading voice in the fitness community, Mike’s insights are pure gold for any fitness enthusiast. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting your wellness journey, you’ll find plenty of inspiration and tips to elevate your game. Ready to discover the must-have items that help Mike stay at the top of his fitness game? Let’s dive in.

At The Gym With Mike Matthews

WHAT’S YOUR CURRENT WORKOUT REGIMEN:

I do three weightlifting workouts per week, each lasting around 60 minutes, usually on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

As for my programming, I’m following the 3-day “push pull legs” split almost exactly as it’s laid out in my fitness book for men, Bigger Leaner Stronger. The only difference is that I’ve temporarily stopped deadlifting because my sacroiliac (SI) joint is giving me grief and the only way to get rid of repetitive stress injuries is to, first and foremost, stop whatever is aggravating the affected areas until they’re better.

In addition to weightlifting, I do four 30-minute sessions of zone 2 cardio each week on a stationary bike (because. These cardio workouts are about 30 minutes each, and I do them on the days when I don’t lift weights (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays).

TOP 3 FAVORITE EXERCISES AT THE GYM:

Currently, my favorite exercises are the incline dumbbell bench press, chest-supported dumbbell row, and Bulgarian split squat.

I like the incline dumbbell bench press because it emphasizes the “upper chest,” which is key for well-rounded pecs development; it allows you to rotate my wrists inward as you lower the weights, which is gentler on the shoulders than the fixed position of barbell pressing; and it keeps your dominant side from “taking over,” which helps prevent muscle imbalances.

I like the chest-supported row because it keeps your upper-body perfectly stable, which allows you to focus all of your energy and effort on the pulling; it puts no strain on the hips and lower back, which helps prevent SI joint aggravation; and it ensures both limbs work equally hard, which helps you gain symmetrical size and strength.

The Bulgarian split squat is a favorite because it keeps you more upright than other squat variations, which is more back- and knee-friendly; it’s challenging with lighter weights, which is also easier on the joints; and, again, it trains each side of your body independently, helping you avoid muscle and strength imbalances.

BEFORE EVERY WORKOUT I…

Eat a banana for a little boost of energy.
Take a few supplements: Legion’s Pulse, Performance Surge, and Pump Surge.
MAKE LOUD NOISES AHHHHHHHHHHH.

5 THINGS ALWAYS IN MY GYM BAG:

First, training shoes. When I squat, I wear Adidas Adipower weightlifting shoes because they provide a solid, stable base that helps with balance and force transfer. For everything else, I like Xero’s HFS II because it’s comfortable, durable, and light.

Second, knee sleeves. When I train my lower body, I always slip on my Rehband knee sleeves because the support, stretch, and warmth they provide helps me perform better.

And it’s not just in my head—research shows that knee sleeves can increase squat 1RM strength, improve muscle coordination, and increase muscle and joint temperatures (which in turn can enhance performance).

Third, the workout playlist. Because you may think you need more motivation to work out when all you really need is a better playlist. As well as high-quality earbuds, which for me, are Bose’s Sport Earbuds.

BEST AT-HOME RECOVERY TOOLS / TECH:

I do about 15 minutes of stretching every day on a yoga mat, particularly to improve my pancake stretch, which is a great “compound stretch” that requires hip mobility (a focus of my stretching routine) and hamstring flexibility.

I also do ~40 minutes of red light therapy every day with my MitoPRO 1500 for its benefits related to blood flow, inflammation, and possibly recovery.

ON MY WORKOUT PLAYLIST:

It runs the gamut from “Long Hard Road Out of Hell” by Marilyn Manson to “Go Get It” by T.I. to “These Words” by Natasha Bedingfield to “Smack My Bitch Up” by The Prodigy to “Everything Is Illuminated” by Logistics.

Some people say my playlist is schizophrenic, but I prefer “eclectic.”

WHAT SUPPLEMENTS DO YOU TAKE:

I’m an avid abuser of my own products, so:

Whey+ mixed with Plant+ (one scoop of each after training). My favorite flavors currently are cinnamon cereal and salted caramel.
Recharge (two scoops for 10 g of creatine after training). My go-to flavor currently is strawberry lemonade
Pulse. My current flavors of choice are sour candy and strawberry kiwi
Performance Surge
Pump Surge
Triumph
Triton
Fortify
Biome
Sucrosomial magnesium
Ascend
Balance
Liposomal vitamin C

Chalkboard Mag readers can use code TCM for 20% off your first order at Legion

BEST TIME TO WORKOUT? MORNING, AFTERNOON, OR NIGHT:

Above all: When you don’t want to. Those are the workouts that matter the most.

Otherwise, while training later in the day appears to be physiologically advantageous, if that doesn’t work for you (or you simply don’t enjoy it as much as training earlier in the day), don’t agonize over it. When you work out is far less important than how and how often you work out.

I STAY INSPIRED BY:

A largely under-appreciated aspect of fitness: mitigating or even avoiding many of the penalties of aging and poor health that compound as we get older, often exponentially during our middle years.