Look Great Naked Newsletter: Free Weights vs. Machines: What Actually Builds More Muscle?


Welcome to the Look Great Naked Newsletter!

In this edition, we’re diving into:

  • Free Weights vs. Machines: Which Builds More Muscle?
  • A Nutrition Mistake That Increases Overeating
  • Training Lesson: Most People Get This Wrong
  • Client Win: Busy Dad, Shredded Physique

But first, a life lesson: The Gym Saved My Life – And Then Some

I started going to the gym to get bigger, stronger, and faster for football. I loved the grind. But a few years in, I hit a wall—I was the last kid to grow. Getting steamrolled at practice hurt. Especially when you used to be good. I felt like a let down and a failure.

After one brutal practice, a coach pulled me aside and brought me back to the gym. This time, we shifted focus—Olympic lifts like cleans and snatches became my new game. Two things happened:

  1. A coach’s insight kept me from quitting—and gave me a new path.
  2. I found something I loved. The gym stopped being just a gym. It became my sanctuary—a place to be fully present, to test my limits, to put in the work others wouldn't.

Yes, I got stronger and faster my body grew. But more importantly, I learned what I was capable of. The aesthetics? Just a byproduct.

Fitness doesn’t have to be complex—it just has to be consistent. This simple truth reshaped my mindset. It bled into everything:

  • Chasing my wife for months to land our first date instead of giving up.
  • Waking up at 4 AM to build my online business before training clients all day.
  • Rebuilding after losing $100K when I bet everything on myself, and building a bigger, stronger business than I otherwise could have.

The gym taught me discipline. Pride. Passion. Perseverance. Purpose.

In a world increasingly devoid of physical labor, the gym is one of the last places you can test your will—where effort still equals reward.

Training Lesson: Most People Treat Fitness Like an All-or-Nothing Game

…Only to burn out a few weeks later.

Here’s why that mindset backfires:

  1. It’s unsustainable. If your plan isn’t built for real life, your results won’t last. Extreme diets or two-a-days lead to extreme rebounds.
  2. “All-in” only works short-term. Fasting and low-carb for 2–4 weeks? Fine. But push that longer, and your performance, energy, and consistency suffer.
  3. The mindset trap. Believing you need to be perfect is the fastest route to burnout. Progress isn’t about avoiding mistakes—it’s about learning to course-correct.

Bottom line: You don’t need to be perfect. You need to be consistent—and that takes a smarter approach.

Weights or Machines: Which Is Better?

Quick answer? Both—when used correctly. Here's how to think about it:

Free Weights

  • Build more strength and coordination
  • Better athletic carryover
  • Ideal for compound lifts and foundational movements

Machines

  • Great for isolating stubborn muscles
  • Allow you to train harder with less breakdown
  • Safer for high-rep sets and finishers
  • Help improve mind-muscle connection when targeting weak points

Use free weights for strength and performance.

Use machines to push intensity and target areas that need more attention.

Remember: your muscles only understand tension and time under it—not the tool you use.

Nutrition Tip: Want to Eat Less Without Changing What You Eat?

A recent meta-analysis found that watching TV while eating significantly increases calorie intake—both during the meal and at the next one.

When you’re distracted, you miss fullness cues and overeat. The same goes for scrolling on your phone or working while eating.

Action Step: Eliminate distractions during meals. Slow down, stay present, and let your body tell you when enough is enough.

Client Spotlight

Big shoutout to Aaron— he’s down 17 pounds during the first MONTH of the Look Great Naked Protocol.

If you’re looking to get shredded for summer…this could be you by Mid-June.

Your next step…

Apply here: https://apps.bachperformance.com/application


Stay strong, stay focused.

Talk soon,

Eric, Bach Performance

Hey, I'm Eric, the founder of Bach Performance

Join 30,000+ readers who receive highly actionable strategies to lose fat, build muscle, and optimize human performance without living in the gym. Click subscribe to join and grab free resources to look great naked without living in the gym here: bachperformance.com/guides

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