victorvdm

When in doubt, focus on the fundamentals.

by

A friend came to me the other day with the following question:

“Victor, I need your expertise with growing my shoulders. Yours have grown so much but mine are still small, what should I do?”

On first sight this looks like a normal question.

But after I did some digging I discovered that my friend was in fact training his shoulders, but he was doing some weird exercises that he saw on YouTube somewhere.

Now, there’s nothing inherently wrong with that…

But when I asked him:

“Are you doing any shoulder presses or lateral raises?”

The answer was:

“No, I’m not.”

🤦‍♂️

And this is exactly the problem with all of you beginner (and even intermediate) lifters.

You’re trying to do exercises that are designed for people who have been lifting 10+ years, are professional bodybuilders, and are trying to squeeze the last bit of gains out of their muscles.

These exercises are NOT for YOU.

You have a f*ck tonne of gains left with the normal ‘boring’ basic exercises like shoulder presses and lateral raises.

So start with that.

And if you still aren’t making progress, the answer for 99% of you is not a different exercises, it’s the same exercise, but more of it.

Add an extra set, add an extra training day.

Just do more.

And that’s exactly what I’m going to be teaching in my book. The basics, the fundamentals. The boring stuff nobody wants to do for some reason. The 20% that get’s 80 % of the results.

(More than enough to hit your goals as a non-competitive bodybuilder)

You can get on the waitlist here: victorvandermoere.com/book

Victor Vandermoere

Don’t be an idiot.

by

Does this sound familiar to you?

You’re unhappy where you are and decide to make a big change. So you make a list of everything you have to do the next day in order to have a ‘perfect’ day. But then, when that next day comes…

You don’t do any of it.

Or worse,

You actually DO what you planned to do, and you’re very proud of yourself. You even stay consistent for a few days, life is great. Until you have a random bad day.

Then the self sabotage starts.

You think to yourself:

“Oh, I f*cked up my streak anyway, might as well f*ck it up even more. There’s no point doing this anyway. Why do I even make my own life so hard?”

I used to be like this too.

But honestly, it’s just stupid.

I mean, you wouldn’t tell a fat guy who’s trying to lose weight: “Hey man, make sure to stick to your diet every day, if you skip one day you’ll be fat again!” Even though he already lost 5 kgs’s in 4 weeks. You’d be a real asshole if you said that, right?

It doesn’t make any sense.

So, here’s what you do instead:

When you f*ck up (as is very likely to happen anyway-so it will serve you better to just expect to f*ck up at some point, so you’re not surprised when it happens.) Just say to yourself: “Oh, it’s fine, one bad day won’t kill me, let’s just keep going tomorrow. And then proceed to have the perfect day the next day.

Wouldn’t that be a way smarter approach?

Try that next time you f*ck things up.

Instead of being a moron and ruining all your progress because of one bad day. Or worse, quitting all together. You’ll never achieve anything with that mindset.

Don’t be an idiot.

Victor Vandermoere

10 habits that will improve your mental health

by

When I was 19 years old I was depressed.

I had no money, no discipline, no motivation to do any work or study, no attraction of girls, I was skinny, physically and mentally weak, my grades sucked…

All I did was watch p*rn, Netflix, play video games, and masturbate all day.

My diet was sh*t. My sleep was f*cked.

Feeling miserable was my baseline.

Until one night, lying in my bed, tears rolling down my cheeks… I decided to make a change. A big one.

14 days later, I felt happier than I ever felt before.

What changed?

I started doing these 10 habits every day:

  1. Daily exercise
  2. 10 min. Meditation
  3. Journalling
  4. Walking/going outside & getting sunlight
  5. Social Interactions with strangers (or friends)
  6. Sleep 8 hours, sleep early & wake up early
  7. Started eating less junk.
  8. Did a Dopamine detox: stopped watching the news, quit social media & video games & stopped watching p*rn.
  9. Started reading
  10. Set myself some new ambitious goals.

I did these every day for 14 days straight. My life has never been the same ever since.

So, If you too are struggling right now… I encourage you to do these things for 14 days and see how much your life will change.

It’s worth it, I promise.

Victor Vandermoere

Why I quit being a fitness coach.

by

I’ve done a lot of thinking the past few days.

In fact, yesterday I went on a 2+ hour walk with just me and my thoughts. It started off as more of a ‘mental health’ walk, to get my mind back together and deal with some worries and anxieties. But it turned into a business reflection as well. And I’ve realized something.

I’ve realized that…

I want to become a writer.

And I plan on writing my first book in the next month. I just decided on the topic of mental health as it’s something that’s very close to my heart and I know it’ll have an impact on the right people.

So, what does this mean for you?

These emails will still keep going, although maybe not as much as writing and publishing my first book is my priority. (When it’s finished you’ll be the first to know and be able buy it if you’re interested.)

Also, I will start writing more about general self-improvement, mental health etc. Not just about fitness and bodybuilding. If that bothers you, you’re welcome to leave anytime. I completely understand.

The unsubscribe button is at the bottom of every email.

That’s all for now.

I just wanted to give you a little behind the scene view of my business.

Enjoy the rest of your day,

Victor Vandermoere

How I track my workouts.

by

I’m not a naturally consistent person.

Meaning:

I’m not the guy who starts something and immediately is ‘on it’ since day 1, not skipping any tasks, getting in the reps every single day no matter what, etc. I’m more like the 80% consistency type of guy. Consistent enough to see results, but definitely not perfect.

One of the things that helps is having something, a tool of some sort that helps me to track my progress.

And for my weightlifting, that is the Strong App.

It’s stoopid simple, and that’s one of the reasons I like it so much. It’s not overly complicated like a lot of other fitness apps. It has everything you need, and nothing you don’t.

However,

There were some things that could use a little makeover…

And lo and behold, when I logged into the app yesterday: “Strong v6.0 is released”. And I love it. I’m not going to go into detail as to what’s new etc. That’s something for you to discover if you try it out. But the UI and the overall experience are a lot nicer, smoother, and better.

Anyway, if you’re looking for a great tool to track your progress in and want to give Strong a try: victorvandermoere.com/strong

Victor Vandermoere

How I got rid of self-doubt and overthinking.

by

I used to be very insecure about how skinny I was.

So I started lifting weights, going to the gym religiously and eating everything I could find (‘it’s bulking season’ I kept repeating) just to try and put on some size.

I’ve made plenty of mistakes -still do.

But through trial and error, and some consistency, I got there. In about 2 and a half years I put on more than 10 kg’s, mostly lean muscle mass. I look better than I ever was before, and I’m more confident than ever.

I’ve achieved a level of fitness I never dreamt possible.

But I’ve had my fair share of doubts and fears along the way, of course.

Everybody does.

I thought big, sexy muscles were a thing for pro athletes, bodybuilders, models, lucky guys with great genetics. Not for ‘normal dudes’ like me.

Maybe you think the same thing. Maybe you don’t.

Either way, here’s how I personally beat those fears and anxieties, got rid of my self-doubts, stopped overthinking and achieved my goals in just a few years:

Focusing on the work NOT the outcome/result.

Eat right, sleep right, go gym, drink enough water, take creatine, drink protein shake – the things you have complete control over instead of the things you cannot change like what you see in the mirror or what your scale says.

Focus on the things you can control and STOP worrying about the things you can’t.

And then? Patience.

Focus on the work and the results will come in time.

Suddenly you’ll wake up one day, look in the mirror, and realize you’ve got that sixpack you always dreamt off.

That day is coming, if you’re willing to wait and do the work.

So that’s it. That’s the only cure to overthinking and self doubt I have ever been able to find. I know it’s nothing special, I know it’s boring and slow. But so is it in life.

Slow and boring gets results.

I don’t know who needed to hear this, but I hope it helped.

Victor Vandermoere

Read this if you want to get a girlfriend in 2025.

by

I’ve been reading a book called: Atomic Attraction by Christopher Canwell.

Chapter 1 talks about your SMV or your ‘Sexual Market Value’ and how increasing it will improve your attractiveness to women.

There’s things like scent, fashion, voice, facial hair…

All are important.

But the one thing he talks about, that’s the most obvious, and easy win for 99% of men. (and in my opinion most important to focus on -at least in the beginning)

Is the attractiveness of your physique.

Canwell calls it ‘Building a strong body’.

But what he focuses on, is not only the looks itself. It’s what those looks say about you as a person.

He starts the chapter as follows:

“You’ve just been introduced to a man whose body is muscular and athletic. You look at this man and you’re immediately impressed by his physique. His body looks primed as though ready to explode. When the man speaks, he has your immediate respect, not because he’s dangerous, but because his presence sends a clear message: I’m worthy of respect. Simply by looking at this man you get a clear sense of his personality and character.”

He goes on to say a man like this is hard-working, focused, and persistent. After all, you don’t build a strong body by being lazy, lying around on the couch eating pizza all day.

Even more…

“You also know for a fact that this man is mentally strong and doesn’t shy away from hardship or pain. A strong body is, after all, a reflection of a strong mind. A man must be willing to sacrifice a degree of comfort for pain if he’s to carve out a muscular physique. Most men prefer to take the easy route in life, not this man. “

Remember these words: ‘Not This Man.’ Make it a mantra for your life.

Then he goes on and makes the comparison:

“Now imagine you’ve just been introduced to a man who’s overweight and out of shape. He cares little for his appearance and has a protruding belly and weak posture. He’s also a heavy smoker and drinks a lot, which does nothing to endear him to women. As you look at the weak, overweight man in front of you, you instantly- and without even being aware of it- lose a measure of respect. The man’s poor physique and excess body fat tell you all you need to know about his character.”

He then explains that the fat man is lazy, gluttonous, has poor self-control.

I think you get the point.

If you want to leave a good impression on people (and especially women), build a strong, muscular, and attractive physique.

Now, little disclaimer, building an attractive physique isn’t going to guarantee you women. (Im still single after all) But it’s the first thing you should take care off if you want to have any success at all.

It’s the foundation for everything else.

Talking about foundations…

If you want my personal help laying the foundations of your aesthetic physique and start building your strong body in the next 30 days, then my coaching program might be for you.

It’s expensive, and I only work with guys who are ready to work hard, and do exactly as I say for 30 days. (Because that’s the only way to ‘guarantee’ any results)

Reply to this email with ‘not this man’ if you think you’re up for the task and I’ll shoot you the details.

Victor Vandermoere

My biggest regret about my fitness journey.

by

I started lifting when I was 19.

It took me just 3 months before I could see progress in the mirror. 3 months longer before other people started to notice. 1 year before I became ‘the jacked guy’.

And now? 2 years later?

People come to me for advice.

That’s all it took. Just 2 short years. If I had know that in the beginning, my god I would’ve started sooner.

Honestly. That’s my only regret.

Not starting sooner.

Because if I look back at my life before I was jacked. And when I look at my life right now. I would pick my current life every damn time.

Despite all the sacrifices I had to make along the way, and still am making today…

It was (and is) worth it.

I’m happy I started as early as I did. When I was still young, when I still had a lot of time because I didn’t have a job or any responsibilities.

For a year straight, fitness was my only priority.

Looking back I realize how much of a luxury it was having that much time. And I know for a fact I wouldn’t have made as much progress, as fast as I did, if not for the time I had to spend learning, training, reading, living and breathing fitness.

I also know, when I look back on this day in 2 years time, when I’m gonna have even more responsibilities, I’m gonna think the same thing.

I’m gonna think:

“wow, I can’t believe I had so much time back then, I wish I had so much time today.”

Because here’s the thing.

We always think today is not the right time. We always think in the future we’ll have more time to do X,Y, or Z.

But that’s a lie.

You’ll never have as much time as you have today, and there will never be a better time to start than today.

So, start.

Stop procrastinating.

And put yourself on the waitlist for my coaching program that’s opening on the 1st of February.

Because the earlier you start, the earlier you’ll see results.

First come, first serve.

Send me a reply if you want on.

Victor Vandermoere

Why you shouldn’t eat whatever you want.

by

Question comes in from a reader after my email about Roger Federer’s diet yesterday:

“If Roger Federer is doing this diet, how can it be bad? He’s been at the top of his game for decades, so clearly it’s not a problem.”

You are absolutely right.

He has been at the top of his game for decades, and his diet is clearly working…

But here’s what you have to understand.

Roger Federer is a top level athlete. When he eats ‘whatever he wants’ that is still healthier than 99% of people. He’s basically eating clean 95% of the time because he WANTS to. Because that’s the food he enjoys. (Probably because it makes him feel good.)

You and Roger Federer are not the same.

You are probably more like me. A normal average dude who wants to get a sixpack and some big biceps. And if you’re like me, when you ‘eat whatever you want’ you eat pizza, chocolate, and ice cream all day.

So ‘eat whatever you want‘ AKA ‘If It Fits Your Macro’s‘ is TERRIBLE advice for you.

Because it’s going to make you fat.

And that’s why I would 1 never follow this approach myself, and 2 never teach it to any of my clients. Because I care about your health more than your looks. (Even if you don’t.)

Like I said yesterday,

My program will make you a lot sexier, and that’s still the main goal, but I couldn’t live with myself if you had to get there while ruining your health in the process.

If you don’t care about your health, my program is not for you.

Frankly, my emails are not for you. So you should probably unsubscribe right now.

If you do, however…

And you want to not only be healthier, but also become sexier while doing so?

Then my program is for you.

Spots are opening up on the 1st of Februari. So get on the waitlist while you still can.

Send me a reply if you want on.

Victor Vandermoere

Roger Federer’s Secret to longevity.

by

On this day in 2018, Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic in the Australian Open finals to win his 20th Grand Slam Title.

He went on to win 103 single titles and 8 doubles before retiring on September 15th 2022.

Impressive to say the least.

According to ‘manofmany.com’, this is what his diet looks like:

“Put simply, the dude kind of eats whatever he wants. Yes, that entails plenty of healthy foods such as whole grains, fruits, lean meats, and veggies, but it also makes room for waffles, pasta, cheese, chocolate, ice cream, and decadent dishes from around the world. Pretty much the opposite of vegan, Federer’s diet thrives on variety.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but that reminds me of the popular bodybuilding ‘diet’ where you also eat pretty much whatever you want.

It’s called ‘If It Fits Your Macro’s’. Ever heard of it?

yeah…

I hate it.

Listen, if your sole purpose is to lose or gain weight. And you don’t care about anything else except your looks. Fine. Do it.

But stop reading these emails.

Because you’re not going to like what I have to say.

If you care about your health, at all. Even if just a little bit. And you have some common sense inside your big brainy head… You would know that a ‘diet’ where you eat junk food just because it ‘fits in your calories’ is not good for your health.

Sure,

You might lose or gain weight while eating it. You might even lose or gain a lot.

But weight is not everything.

You could have 2 men, same height, same age, same everything. Both weigh 85 Kg. Except one has abs of steel, the other has lot’s of visceral fat.

Now which one is healthier?

The one with the abs of steel of course.

Now, IIFYM-bro’s would say both are equally healthy?

I call BS.

And that’s exactly what I teach my students inside my training program.

Inside, I teach them that it’s very possible to start a diet, burn fat, but gain muscle at the same time, so your weight stays the same.

That’s why I make them do something I call ‘the mirror test’.

(I basically hold a gun to their head to force them to take a daily progress picture to track their progress.)

Okay, the gun part is not true.

But it’s very effective.

Because after all that’s what truly matters. How you look in the mirror. That’s what you see every day.

Your weight is going to fluctuate throughout the day. How you look isn’t.

So don’t get attached to your weight.

Use your eyes.

I don’t know how I got here after talking about Roger Federer. but here we are.

So, if you’re interested in my program.

Send me a reply and I’ll put you on the waitlist.

Victor Vandermoere

PS. Spots open once every month, so now is the time to join. New intake happens on February 1st.