Muscle & Fitness: You’re building a brand called Human Fit Project. How did that start?
Mike Simone: I used to work in ad sales for The New York Times. I was grinding out 50 phone calls a day and hating it. I asked myself, “Why am I not doing anything with something I truly love, which is fitness?” So I decided to start a website dedicated to it.
So what is the goal with your brand?
As positive and inspiring as fitness is, I noticed that many experts online were harsh toward one another. Everyone thought that he alone had the ultimate system and that entitled him to bash another guy’s ideas. I knew that the real power is in working together, so I created Human Fit Project to be a network of fitness experts and enthusiasts all inspiring one another and exchanging ideas. I want to bring together bodybuilders, powerlifters, CrossFitters, triathletes—anyone. It’s a place for good human beings sharing good ideas with good intentions.
GETTING BIG
“I’d do a routine with 30-plus sets of 8–12 reps to failure while implementing supersets and dropsets. I’d then taper off the volume over two to three weeks, switch the split, and repeat the cycle.”
GETTING LEAN
“I was very successful with getting leaner by gradually reducing my starchy carbs throughout the day, replacing them with fats and fibrous carbs.”
CARVING ABS
“The best thing for cutting up the abdominals is resistance work, like heavy cable crunches. Your abs are just like any other muscle; to get them to grow, resistance is a must.”
RECOVERY
“For recovery purposes and maximizing muscle gains, my postworkout shake and post-workout meals were most important—always loaded with carbs, protein, and minimal fat.”
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
“I travel for bodyboarding twice a year to locations like Hawaii, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and the Canary Islands.”
