The Upgrade w/ Ben Craughwell

In this episode, Ben will explain why your ability to recover quickly from mistakes is one of the biggest predictors of long-term success, and how to stop a small setback becoming another month of starting over.

Most men overcomplicate getting into shape. They obsess over the tiny details - the perfect exercise, the best supplement, the exact meal timing, the most optimal split - while ignoring the basics that actually move the needle. In this episode, Ben will break down the 10% of actions that produce 90% of your results.

In this episode, Ben will break down what alcohol actually does to your fat loss, muscle growth, recovery, sleep, hormones, cravings, and training performance. We also cover why alcohol can quietly ruin your progress even when your calories look “fine,” how to drink without completely derailing your week, and the simple rules he gives clients who want to enjoy a social life while still getting in...

In this episode, Ben breaks down one of the uncomfortable truths most men avoid: getting the body you want is going to require pain.

In this episode, Ben is breaking down why trying to “tone up” is usually the exact mindset keeping you stuck. Because toning up is not a real training goal. It’s usually just code for wanting to lose fat, build muscle, look leaner, feel tighter, and finally have your body reflect the work you’re putting in. The problem is most men approach it completely backwards. They slash calories, do more card...

In this episode, Ben delves into the two biggest reasons men stay out of shape and stuck, year after year.

Most men train chest with random presses, sloppy form, and no real progression.. then wonder why their pecs never look full, thick, or powerful. In this episode, Ben will break down how to build a chest like Hercules: the key exercises that actually grow your pecs, how to structure your training for size and strength, the biggest mistakes holding most men back, and why chasing a bigger bench isn’t...

Your morning routine can either set you up for a productive day of fat loss and muscle gain or make the rest of the day an uphill battle. In this episode, Ben walks you through the exact morning routine he uses to improve energy, control hunger, increase productivity and create the best possible environment for building muscle while staying lean.

So many men jump from program to program, chase supplements, and look for shortcuts instead of mastering the fundamentals that actually create an impressive physique. In this episode, Ben breaks down exactly how to build so much muscle that people start asking if you're taking steroids.

In this episode, Ben will break down the 10 most common reasons men struggle to lose body fat, even when they feel like they're doing everything right.

Most men wait far too long to hire a coach. They spend years jumping from program to program, watching YouTube videos, trying new diets, buying supplements, and convincing themselves they can figure it out alone. The problem isn't a lack of information, it's execution. In this episode, Ben breaks down exactly when hiring a coach makes sense, when it doesn't, and the warning signs that you're wasti...

Most men approach muscle gain the wrong way. They spend months bulking, gain 20 pounds, and end up looking softer than when they started. Then they spend months dieting just to get back to where they were. In this episode, Ben breaks down how to build muscle without losing your abs in the process.

Most men think they need more discipline. More motivation. More willpower. More grit. But if you've been trying to get lean for years and still aren't where you want to be, the problem probably isn't your effort. It's that you're relying on willpower to do a job that should be handled by systems. In this episode, Ben breaks down why willpower is one of the biggest reasons high-performing men stay...

After spending months focused on getting lean, there comes a point where the goal shifts: building muscle properly without losing control of your physique. In this episode, Ben will break down exactly how he is approaching my current muscle-building phase, including the biggest mistakes most people make when trying to “bulk” and how to add size without just getting unnecessarily fat.

Most men think the scale tells the full story. It doesn’t. In this episode, Ben discusses why so many people are losing weight but still don’t look lean, defined, or athletic and the biggest mistakes keeping them stuck in the “skinny fat” stage.

In this episode, Ben will break down the testosterone crisis that’s quietly affecting millions of men. Low energy. Brain fog. Poor sleep. Low motivation. Increased body fat. Weak training performance. Declining sex drive. Most men think it’s just stress, getting older, or “part of being busy” - but in many cases, testosterone levels are far below where they should be. He discusses why testosterone...

Retatrutide is one of the newest weight loss drugs getting a lot of attention right now. Appetite suppression. Reduced food noise. Rapid fat loss. But just because something works does not mean it makes sense for you. In this episode, Ben breaks down what Retatrutide actually is, how it works, and where it fits into the bigger picture of getting lean and staying lean. Medical disclaimer: This epis...

Most men Ben speaks to aren’t lacking effort at all, it's structure that's the problem. They train hard, try different diets, stay “kind of consistent”… and still look the same year after year. In this episode, Ben breaks down the exact 11 steps required to build a jacked, lean physique without guesswork or extremes. This is the system used inside the program with high-performing men who want resu...

Peptides are everywhere right now. From fat loss and muscle growth to recovery, sleep, and anti-aging, they’re being sold as the shortcut most men think they’ve been missing. But do they actually deliver… or are they just another expensive distraction? In this episode, Ben breaks down what peptides are, how they work, and whether they’re worth your time, money, and attention if your goal is to get...

Whether you’re just starting in the gym or you’ve been training for years, muscle growth comes down to the same core principles, but most men either overcomplicate it or completely miss the fundamentals. In this episode, Ben delves into exactly how to train for muscle growth from beginner to advanced, and how your training needs to evolve as you get stronger, more experienced, and harder to grow.

Most men say they want to lose weight. But if your goal is to get jacked, losing weight isn’t the goal, losing fat is. In this episode, Ben will break down the difference between losing weight vs losing fat.

Most men over 35 aren’t failing because they’re not working hard enough. They’re failing because they’re doing the wrong things consistently. In this episode, Ben breaks down the 11 biggest muscle-building mistakes that keep high-performing men stuck looking the same year after year, despite training regularly and eating “pretty well.”

In this episode, Ben dissects exactly how he approaches testosterone replacement based on real-world experience, not theory. What actually works, what causes problems, and how to get the benefits without wrecking your health, physique, or long-term hormones.

In this episode, Ben discusses the number one thing that sets men in phenomenal shape apart from those that stay looking the exact same year after year. 

In this episode, Ben breaks down the 5 Levels of Nutrition you need to master if your goal is to get lean, defined, and truly shredded over 35 without wasting years in the gym with no result.