Muscle Cheat Codes for High School Athletes

April 15, 2022

If you’re a high school athlete looking to add muscle, here are 3 cheat codes that will optimize your efforts to add muscle.

Cheat code #1: Trap bar deadlifts

Adding weightlifting to an already grueling schedule can be difficult, so it’s essential we make it simple and effective.
If you’re a busy student athlete looking to get the most effective workout for your time - I suggest the trap bar deadlift.

Performing the trap bar (also known as the hex bar) deadlift may increase your muscle mass and strength, because it’s a lift that works multiple muscle groups (a “compound exercise”).

The set-up involved in a trap bar places your spine in a neutral position. It also mimics the bottom portion of a vertical jump position.
This exercise is going to help you produce more force when you’re playing your sport.

Find out how much the trap bar weighs. This may vary. The trap bar at my gym weighs 75 lbs, for example. Others tend to weigh around 44 - 60 lbs.

Video yourself from the side angle to see if your spine is rounding. We want to keep that spine relatively neutral while lifting the weight.
The trap bar deadlift involves “hip hinging” into position. Ensure you are comfortable with this movement.
Proper form is more important than ripping as much weight as possible off the ground with a rounded spine.
Mastering the trap bar deadlift will teach your body how to properly brace your core and produce full body tension.

For however many pounds you weigh, aim to eat 0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight (per day).

What’s important is how many grams of protein you eat within a 24 hour period — There is no need to eat 20 grams of protein every 83 minutes.
It can be tricky (at first) to know exactly how many grams of protein you’re actually eating. You’ll need to track the food you eat using the MyFitnessPal app on your phone (here’s a tutorial).

Using a food scale to know exactly how much food you’re eating is an often overlooked aspect of this process. If you’re looking to be better than 99% of your competition, this might be a missing piece.
MyFitnessPal will urge you to worry about other things like giving you the total number of calories, carbs, fats, etc.

I’d suggest you only focus on hitting your protein target each day. It’s simple and will give you the biggest bang for your buck.

Protein shakes are a cheat code. You can add 50 grams of protein to your daily target with 2 scoops from most protein shakes.

Bonus cheat code: Add a packet of YOLKED to your shake to improve muscle protein synthesis.
Also be on the lookout for YOLKED PRO, coming out this May. Whey protein infused with Fortetropin. A revolutionary protein powder!

Whole eggs, egg whites (straight protein in a carton), turkey bacon, Greek yogurt, chicken sausage, protein pancakes, etc.

Convenience is key: Air fryers are a cheat code to quickly prep your protein sources.
High-protein ranch dip:

Mix in a ranch packet, and you’ve got a high-protein dipping sauce - Perfect for dipping carrots, bell peppers, broccoli, etc.
Buffalo ranch is also available. Coat your air-fried chicken with this to transform them into an even higher protein buffalo chicken.

Certain foods contain “healthy fats”. These fats support the hormones that are responsible for muscle building, improving cholesterol, lowering blood pressure, absorbing vitamins and minerals, etc. The benefits of eating healthy fats for athletic performance are super underrated.
Healthy high-fat foods:

Nuts contain many calories, which is helpful for adding muscle mass. Nuts are also convenient to bring on the go, and tend to not be too heavy on the stomach to eat before competition.

Control your controllables, prioritize these cheat codes, sleep 8 hours minimum per night, and most importantly, have fun out there! #getYOLKED