Protein Supplements for Muscle and Strength

What can the right kind of protein do for you?

It can help you build muscle and strength, that’s what.

Here’s a blog on the ins and outs of protein supplementation.

Ever read a muscle magazine?

It’s bizarre…

There’s usually about 20 pages of articles of how to build muscle

—- and about 174 pages of ads… mostly for supplements.

One of the most commonly over-advertised item is Whey Protein.

I say over-advertised not because it isn’t important.. it is….

… but because there are so many companies selling the same product claiming that theirs somehow magically works better than everybody else’s.

Man, take it from your ole Uncle Nuts…
— if you buy pure 100% Whey Protein Isolate- (compare and get your best price!!)
— you’ll get 100% of what you need, and 0% of what crap somebody wants to put it in it to make it more profitable.

Let me tell you why supplementation with Whey Protein is important in the first place.

There’s no doubt the average shmoe gets more than his daily requirement of protein, -along with way too much fat – consuming products like Big Mac’s, Hot Dogs, BBQ, fried cheese sticks, shakes, ice cream, etc.

He doesn’t work out, so he doesn’t build muscle- he wastes it. His body doesn’t need supplemental protein. One morning dose of a BK fastfood breakfast sandwich, and Mr. Average Softbody’s got a high fat-carb artery hardon, for Chrissake!

But if you’re working out pretty hard, you’re probably not eating that crap anyway, and your body needs GOOD QUALITY protein for muscle synthesis (new muscle fibers)– as much as 2 grams per pound of body weight. (1-1.5 g should be ok unless you work out like the Governator, or want to bulk up real quick.)

It’s important to remember that while Carbohydrates are necessary for the proper operation of the Central Nervous System and for energy to workout—
———— Protein is the stuff that makes muscle.

Whey Protein provides plenty of BCAA’s – Branched Chain Amino Acids – nutrients that are essential for all sorts of functions in the mind and body… one of them, leucine, a key agent in strength and recovery.

It provides glutamine- used throughout the gastrointestinal system to insure healthy digestion and waste disposal – as well as being another key agent in exercise recovery.

Supplemental protein also enhances glutathione production – an antioxidant which slows the aging/mutation of cells. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and boosts the strength of your immune system. And it’s another extremely important element in post-exercise recovery.

There are no side-effects that have been documented with moderate use of supplemental protein, either.

Why wouldn’t every hard-working gym rat want to supplement with it? I got no idea.

Ok, now- here’s the curve: not all proteins are created equal.

Yeah, I know what I said earlier about competing products… but that’s not what I’m talking about.

There are several forms of protein available in supplement form… milk proteins
(like Whey, Cassein), egg proteins, and soy proteins.

While all three of these types are considered high quality bio-available proteins,
Whey is considered by most body builders as the most readily synthesized..
— although if you’re one of those alternative veggie types, Soy should work almost as well until you (hopefully) evolve into a carnivore like nature intended.
(Good luck with that… in the meantime, might I you take a Savate course, instead?… Oh, and keep those soy farts outta MY gym. Thanks.)

Seriously, Soy Proteins are high in certain phyto-estrogens, so it’s not a great first choice,
—- unless you’re trying to look good in tube top, pumps, garter belt, and a micro skirt.

To make it more difficult, many protein supplements aren’t 100% protein.

Remember- buy 100% protein isolate- no fillers, no junk.

I know the price has skyrocketed recently, but repeat – Don’t buy CHEAP CRAPPY PROTEIN!

You want the “isolates” instead of concentrate, if only to avoid extra lactose and fats… the cost difference is nominal.

“Hydrolysates” are fancier and much more expensive than either concentrates or isolates… but their easier digestibility doesn’t really make up for the cost difference.

Watch the ingredient list on the brand you’re looking at… a few carbs in the mix might serve to help get muscle synthesis going.. but more than a few grams will just add unwanted calories to the equation.

If I’m gonna intake carbs, I want to taste them…..

….. not gulp em down like you’ll end up doing with every protein shake you’ll ever take regularly.

YUK.. why can’t these companies make a protein supplement that doesn’t smell or taste like the inside of a bovine intestine??? Jeezzz.

In all fairness, the protein companies have ramped up the tastiness of their products in the last coupla years…

Back in the bad old days, all we had wuz smelly, gloppy egg protein powder…. and that -wuz indescribably horrific- in comparison. I personally find Optimum Nutrition’s (ON) French Vanilla flavor not too terrible at all .. and it mixes well with all the other crap I throw in with it. “Designer Whey” tastes pretty damn good, too.. but it’s not all isolates.

There are ‘pre-mixed’ bottles of protein drinks – you’ve probably seen these in the cooler at the gym. Again, look for a lot of added stuff… and since these are ‘pasteurized’, much of the protein has been denatured- so less of the protein is really bio-available. And considering the taste of these products…. I think Elmer’s glue tastes better – it’s not worth the price to me.

There are protein products made for hard-gainers… these contain mucho additives, mostly in the form of carbs and fats… sure, they’ll put weight on ya, but eating two of mom’s lemon meringue pies a day will too.

I’m not saying these are worthless.

I’m just saying I’d rather have pie.

Here’s another curve:

There are sometimes when you might want a slow absorbing protein like cassein, instead of a quicker absorbing protein like Whey; for instance, at night before bed.

All nite long while you are sleeping ( theoretically sleeping… you might be doing all kinds of stuff other than sleeping… how the hell should I know… but if it involves more than 3 redheads, and you need help, call me )…. your body is rebuilding your muscles and creating new muscle fibers. It uses protein to do that.

But, if you took Whey at 10:30pm, by 2 am it’s all absorbed – and your protein gauge is on E.

However, Cassein takes about 4-6 hours to absorb, it’s kind of like a time release deal…

So, you got protein to burn until it’s time to tell all them girls to go the hell home.
(why the hell didn’t you call me???)

Some guys try to get around using whey protein powder by taking AMINO tabs, BCAA’s, and Glutamine.

While I readily admit that I use these supplements myself, I use them to kick up the value of the protein powder which I also use.

They’re not a substitute for whole protein strands… which is what your body looks for to build muscle.

Interestingly enough, though…

BCAA’s are being studied because of their ability to be burned directly as fuel for a workout, when carbs are depleted. I swear by em…. but, again they’re not a substitute- they’re a add-on.

The bottom line of Protein is this:
you gotta have it if you’re gonna build muscle.
Too much is too much, but enough is just right.
But prepare yourself; it’s not gonna smell or taste like the girl next door.

Tough it out, buddy.

oh…., and STAY AWAY FROM THE SNACK BAR!!!

Today’s Cartoon — Snacking

Mens Health and Soy Products

I’m really tired of watching lie after lie being told in pursuit of the Almighty Buck;

—- and, this lie –
well, it really gets my goat,
not just because it’s SO BLATANT,
but because it reinforces and speeds up the trend toward the demasculinization of American men.

You’ve seen the commercial; a smartly dressed cow in a business suit reaches for his breakfast, when he realizes that his 2% has been replaced with something called ‘Soy Milk’. He protests- meekly, and is told- by his also smartly dressed, but much more intelligent and well-informed (not to mention dominant) cowess (is that a word?) of a wife- that Soy ‘Milk’ is delicious and nutritious and healthy and HE’S FREAKIN’ DRINKIN IT.

Oh what a happy domestic scene.

Notwithstanding, that is,
NONE OF IT IS EVEN REMOTELY TRUE.
(…… Except for the talking bovine in a business suit part….)

First of all, you can’t MILK a soybean;
it’s no more MILK than Rosie O’Whatsername is a Certified Etiquette Instructor.

It’s obtained by soaking and mashing soybeans up and packaging the watery residue as something a lot fancier than watery residue of what in many other countries is used for nothing but FERTILIZER.

And just to keep our facts straight, it will, from hereon be referred to in this blog as what it is: “SOY RESIDUE”.

But PROFITABLE?? Oh man, just imagine how much overhead you WOULDN’T have, and profit you would, if you could just soak your old gym socks, squeeze em out, and sell the watery residue as a HEALTHY alternative to milk.

Whoo Boy! And it’d probably TASTE a whole lot better than Soy Residue.

Which reminds me; Soy Rez doesn’t taste GOOD; it tastes just like you’d imagine a watery residue of a plant used as fertilizer would taste like. AWFUL. And it doesn’t make a good replacement for milk, it’s too runny and biley.

So, let’s see now… it ain’t MILK, it doesn’t taste good, it’s NOT nutritious… soy intake blocks calcium and causes a deficiency of vitamin D, both of which are needed for strong bones.

…… what’s left? Oh yeah…. and this is the one that REALLY GETS ME; it’s the complete opposite of HEALTHY.

Here’s just a few of the “HEALTHY” aspects of Soy Residue:

Soy products contain dangerous levels of various toxins ranging from phytates, (which block the body’s uptake of minerals) ; isoflavones (phytoestrogens) like genistein and daidzein, which ape, block and replace the hormone estrogen; enzyme inhibitors, which slow down protein breakdown; and hemagluttin, which encourages the clumping of red blood cells, and suppressing oxygen uptake.

Dependence in vegetarians on soy products puts them at serious risk of dietary deficiencies, including calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and especially zinc– because of its levels of phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of essential minerals in the digestive tract. To reduce these effects of a high-phytate diet, one would have to do as the Japanese, and consume lots of meat or fish with tiny bits of soy.

It’s not widely known but soy is actually the second most common allergen, while only less than 2 percent of the population is allergic to cows’ milk. ( of those, two-thirds will also be intolerant to soymilk) .

Soy protein isolate is made by acid-washing in aluminum tanks, so it is also high in aluminum.

No wonder it tastes bad.

More? Soy depresses thyroid function- a Japanese study in 1991 found that only about 30g of soy a day can trigger an astronomical increase in thyroid-stimulating hormone, thus, increased chance of goiter, hypothyroidism, and auto-immune thyroid disease.

A study of babies born to high soy consuming mothers showed that infant boys had a five times greater risk of hypospadia, a birth defect of the penis. Phytoestrogen rich-foods, especially soy, during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy can also cause damage to the fetus’s developing brain,

“Soy-fed babies are taking part in ‘a large, uncontrolled and basically unmonitored human infant experiment”, said Daniel Sheehan, director of the FDA’s National Center for Toxicological Research, in 1998.

A newborn baby’s sole food is the milk it drinks: a soy-fed baby receives the equivalent of five birth control pills’ worth of estrogen every day, according to Mike Fitzpatrick. These babies’ isoflavone levels were found to be from 13,000 to 22,000 times higher than in non-soy fed infants. and —- Why would you give this stuff to a BABY BOY???

Hey, guys… imagine what this stuff does to your T-Levels… I guess maybe that explains the dominant cowess in the commercial, huh?

The phytoestrogen overload in soy-fed male babies cause double the risk of thyroid abnormalities and retarded physical development, while girls risk early puberty (1 per cent of girls now show signs of puberty, such as breast development or pubic hair, before the age of three) and infertility.

Diabetes, changes in the central nervous system, infantile leukemia, extreme emotional behavior, asthma, immune system problems, and pituitary insufficiency have also been linked to the early consumption of these isoflavones and other toxins in soy. .

A 2005 study on Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii showed that men who had ate tofu twice or more a week had ‘accelerated brain ageing’, and more than twice the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia… and they looked five years older than those men who didn’t.

In 1996, a cancer study showed women eating soy had an increased risk of epithelial hyperplasia, and in 1997, genistein (a toxin in soy) was also found to stimulate human breast cells to enter the cell cycle.

Now, the even BADDER news: you can hardly avoid being exposed to this crap, even if you can ignore the cute TV cows….

Sure, you can stop eating the obvious candidates such as soy milk and tofu…………………………………………………………… ,

— but soy is also found in breakfast cereals, ice cream, convenience foods such as hamburgers, fish fingers, hot dogs and lasagna, as well as all types of baked goods from cakes and biscuits to tortillas and bread.

You’ll have to read labels carefully, and eat organic processed foods wherever possible.

Of course, if you’re with the pro-soy lobby, you might respond: ” in the US, a quarter of the population has been fed infant soy formula for 30 to 40 years, with no adverse health problems. So why should I worry?”

NO ADVERSE HEALTH PROBLEMS? Look around, bub.

Scientists are only just beginning to research and understand the harmful long-term effects that eating large quantities of soy can have on the human body. As researchers Fallon and Enig wrote: ‘The industry has known for years that soy contains many toxins. At first they told the public that the toxins were removed by processing. Then they claimed that these substances were beneficial.’

Sounds like the BIG MONEY will be getting out THEIR BIG SPIN-GUNS.

GEEZ.. can’t somebody stand up for the truth once in a while?

Building Legs of Steel

Lemme tell ya…

Of all the muscle groups in the body, legs are the group that a lot of guys just downright refuse to work.

Most guys just love to work upper body, particularly arms…

But so many neglect legs- maybe ’cause working legs HURTS.

(Damned if my knees aren’t burning and screamin most of the time…… )

That’s why you see so many unbalanced physiques….
………….. mooks with big upper bodies and lil bird legs.

Guys struttin around the gym looking like Purdue chickens, all breast meat.

Ok… well, that may not be the ONLY reason…..

Genetics plays a part, but genetics can be partially overcome with the proper work, diet, supplementation, and rest.

In the end, one must apply heavy force, while protecting the joints, if you want to strengthen and grow your legs and calves.

Form is vital –
’cause your joints take all the weight that isn’t properly balanced and folcumed.

But take heart.

You can love working legs. I promise.

I do – even though my knees hate me most of the week because of it.

Working legs separates the men from the boys…

And working heavy separates the strong from the wanna-look-strong.

‘Cause there’s no faking legs.

I always say – “If you’re scared- say you’re scared.”

The truth is, a lot of guys are scared of working legs heavy…

But, actually, your legs and calves are the strongest groups in your body-
they’re meant to take heavier weight than the rest of your body.

Of course, when you work legs, you’re working several other groups usually, too…

But the ones we’ll concern ourselves with in this discussion will be CALVES (soleus, etc), THIGHS (quads, etc), and BUTTS (gluteus, etc.)

No guy wants to admit to working his butt, but your butt (…Wait, am I stuttering?) is part of the whole leg package –

……. and strength here will help drive heavier deadlifts and other lifts, too.

Baby may got back, but you – – well, you want POWAH.

And you ain’t strong- unless your legs, butt, and calves are strong……

You gotta be able to put the power to the ground.

Before we discuss implements and movements, lemme tell you a couple things that you might want to consider.

Number One is the use of knee wraps.

I use them every time I work legs.

They are NOT a crutch.
They are NOT weight bearing.
They do NOT ‘cheat the weight’ (like a bench suit, etc.).

They simply provide support for the patella (knee cap) and the surrounding ligaments and tendons.

You don’t need to stress those bad boys to build powerful legs – if you do, you won’t be able to put the power to the ground when you need to.

And, no power to the ground means you might as well have them bird legs we were talking about.

Number Two is about how much weight you should use when working legs.

Remembering that I don’t want any of you burning out your wheels or blowing out your knees, and reminding you of my disclaimer at the bottom of this here post, I can tell you that the harder you work em, the bigger and stronger they’ll get.

Growth is nature’s way of coping with a recurring stressor of muscle fiber – especially those fast twitch fibers — and fast twitch fibers respond particularly well to short duration, high intensity work.

The wrong way to grow legs is to do high reps and low weight…. and that’s how most guys work em.

No wonder they won’t grow.

You’ll end with legs that look long and lean in running shorts, but them dogs won’t hunt.

So, how much weight?

Depending on the implement or movement, around 75% of 1RM for 3 sets of 8-10 reps.

Number Three is knowing the difference between good pain and bad pain.

Good pain feels like pain, but you’ve gotten to know it as temporary , as a result of the pump, and the build up of lactic acid and ammonia from the application of force.

You should feel THIS pain every time you work out.

If you don’t , get the hell back in there and work some more.

Bad pain feels like pain, too… but it also feels like you’re tearing something up…. you know- like the difference between the usual grunt and growl of your V-Twin and the noise it makes when the damn thing is about to throw a rod.

You gotta learn the difference.

You do that the same way you learn to lift heavier weights.

You start slow, you pay attention to what it’s supposed to feel like, and then you build up… all the time asking yourself if you’re doing it right and everything’s still OK.

Again, high resistance , low reps…. rest about 3 minutes between sets.

You should need the rest – and you shouldn’t have much left after your 8 or 10- if you do, throw some more weight on that thing.

Slow and easy on the reps…. don’t ‘lock out’, and never go in the well unless you know how you’re getting out again… better yet, stay outta there.

It’s too rough on your joints for so little return.

Number Four: Blocking is an important technique especially when squatting.

Basically, this means sucking in some air, pushing your chest out, your shoulder in, and flexing your abdominals.

This supports your internal structure, and gives you more stability and concentration of power.

Here’s how Delavier describes it:

” The chest expands with compressed air, which supports the rib cage and prevents the chest from collapsing forward.

Contracting the abdominal muscles during compression supports the core and increases the intra-abdominal pressure, which prevents the torso from collapsing forward.

Arching the lower back by contracting the lumbar muscles positions the spinal column in a strong and proper alignment during extension. “

——————————————(Frederic Delavier, “Strength Training Anatomy”)

and Number Five:

I’m not gonna go back over all the stuff you need to know about how important your hormone levels and proper supplementation is to your gains… see my posts on supplementation for more info….

just remember—-
—- the proper diet, supplements, and rest —
are just as important as working hard!!

Now…. on to brass tacks.

Movements and Implements

SQUATS
Works all parts of the quadriceps and gluteus. I like to use the Smith Machine, and position the bar between the traps and the posterior delt – you may be more comfortable with the bar resting on the traps. Stay outta the well. When your quads are parallel to the ground, that’s plenty good. Don’t flex your spine during your squat, and remember your natural arch and blocking. Breathe in before going down, breathe out coming up.

GOOD MORNINGS
Works most of your thigh muscles and your erectors in your back, as well as your gluteus. You can target your hammies by keeping your legs straight. Don’t do these while incarcerated or at the beach in Key West.

LEG PRESS
Works all parts of the quadriceps and gluteus. Make sure you keep your back flat to the pad, and your butt on the seat. You can change up where you place your feet, and how far apart they are, to target more specific groups… for instance, high and wide hits the glutes and hammies harder… low and close hits the quads harder. Vary it up and see which spots are the sweet ones fer you.

CABLE KICKBACKS
Works the glutes and the bicep femoris. Don’t extend any further back than is comfortable. Slow movement back and forward is the key here.

LEG EXTENSIONS
Works all parts of the quads. Decline the seat more to work the outside quad (the rectus femoris).

LEG CURLS
Works the hammies, biceps femoris (no- not the biceps in your arm…) and the gastrocnemius (back of your calves). Go to 12 oclock and stop- don’t bounce – and then back down.

CABLE ABDUCTIONS
Works the hammies, abductors, and your G-Spot if you got one. I hate these, and I don’t do em. If you want to, be sure to keep your natural arch and don’t go too heavy. They’re great for building inner thigh strength- just in case you’re a female assasin and meet James Bond in the shower.

CALF RAISES
Works the gastrocnemius and the soleus in your calves. I love these, and do them on a Smith Machine so I can get more range of motion. Don’t be afraid to go heavier!!

SOLEUS RAISES
Works the soleus… keep your patella at the end of the pad, and don’t go ape shit on the weight here… that’s a small group.

LUNGES
Works the quads, hams and glutes. Ok… I hate these too,,,, and I’ll usually do more squats and skip these for the sake of my knees. However, Ronnie Coleman loves them, he used to go very heavy on em… and he’s not exactly a small guy, legs or anything else. He used to do these in the parking lot of the Metroflex Gym in Dallas, rain or shine, hot, hotter, or hottest- with 400 pounds of chains around his neck. Step longer to get the hammies, shorter to hit the quads.

Alright.

Well, there you have it.

This leg split you can do once or twice a week, and you’ll start seeing results in 6 to 8 weeks.

Don’t be tempted to break these up into separate days, cause that’ll cut into your rest and recovery, and these groups need it.

Just pick the ones you like the best (spread the groups around, though, and stick with your push-pull rotation when possible) and do them first, then pickup the rest as your endurance allows.

And, Hey — lemme know how you’re doing !!!

HOY !

Disclaimer: any and all commentary contain herein is for entertainment only, and does not constitute advice- which can only be given under the up-close and personal supervision of a personal trainer who can watch you closely to make sure you’re doing the stuff right and not hurting yourself. see your medical professional before entertaining any ideas of using the entertainment contained within this entertainment for your own entertainment. Yeah, and tell him I said ‘hey’. 

Curls for the Girls

Fitness Confusion

Fitness confusion?

I’m not surprised.

There is an awful lot of ‘he-said this’, ‘she said that’ kinda stuff in the fitness world.

By that I mean, that no matter what kind of question you may have about the subject,

… you’ll end up hearing very differing answers, depending on whom you ask.

So, lets say ‘newbie A’ wants to know about weight training…

She’ll ask trainer #1 a question like: “Can you burn more fat with weights than with cardio” – and voila!

The answer given is very simple, very cut and dried: NO, “cardio burns more fat“.

For some reason, now, she gets around to asking Trainer #2 the same question …
and voila!

The answer given is very simple, very cut and dried: YES, “weight training burns more fat”.

Now, ‘newbie A’ is very confused.

Who/what to believe?

Hmmmmm…… that’s a tricky one.

I’ll explain it the way I see it…
…………………… and then you can take it or leave it.

‘Cause basically…, that’s how it works.

You see,

there’s always a cutting edge study being done at some University somewhere,

studying everything from what amino acid gives rats the biggest boost on the treadmill,

to whether bananas are good for erectile deficiency.. ( or just erectile replacement )

And it never fails,
.. the results conflict with a least one of the previous studies on the same subject,
done at some other University. ( sometimes – the same one! )

Anyone who has any experience with the ‘scientific method’ understands something about why that is….

… any kind of variation in the test conditions can mean completely different results.

And these variations can be minute –

— testing muscles from a rat’s leg instead of body,

— testing well-trained athletes instead of newbies,

— or whether an amino acid being tested is administered with, or without, a particular enzyme.

But, that’s only the beginning –

— you can’t really say that your average trainer is a voracious reader, exactly.

When they do read, most read very short blurbs or extracts of studies…

— and these, they may interpret differently– or miss the point of the study results entirely.

Many trainers havent picked up a book or read a study since their certification.

So, a lot of times, they’re operating on outdated information.

Stretching, for instance.

If you were certified (like me) in the late 80’s or early 90’s,
you might still think that 30 to 45 minutes of stretching is a good thing before heavy lifting, even though more recent studies have shown it reduces power and strength, and increases susceptibility to certain types of injuries.

And it’s like that across the board.

so, again… what can you do to insure you’re getting good info?

I think the answer is to read everything you can get your hands on,
— try out different ways of doing things,
— and then adding the ones that you like and you feel are working into your regimen.

Because every body is different , and what works for subject 28,737 might not work for you.

No matter what the study says.

What suits ya better?

Building and Keeping Muscle Over 40

Over 40?

I know you’re feeling it —

Man, Mother Nature is working hard on tearing you down, buddy.

I see guys my age in the gym every day, just dragging through their routine workout and looking forward to a long winter’s nap…. no energy, no muscle, no strength.

Their ‘get up and go’ has got up and went.

Seems like time and nature has conspired against them–

And yep…..

It’s hard to hold on to the muscle mass you’ve already got,
………….  never mind build new muscle.

So- how’s it done?

In this exciting episode, we’ll discuss that very subject.

I was talking to a guy who happens to be a Doctor as well as a bodybuilder —

(who’d a’ thunk, huh?) —

—- the other week at the gym,

(I DO talk to people sometimes…. I just try not to make it a habit’s all…..
…. ‘specially when they’ve got a fancy Mercedes Benz and all, but, oh well.. )

He had this very tight spin on building and keeping muscle that I thought was very well put together and worth sharing with all y’all (all two of you…).

Despite the fact that he spends most of his gym-time trying to do that whole bodybuilder 4% body-fat thing,

…. and I don’t care about anything that doesn’t make you stronger,

we often swap notes about supplements, techniques…

I guess it helps we were both Navy men, even though he was in the Officer class,
…. and I was in the other one… ( the one that did all the work ) .

But I digress.

From his perspective (and MINE),

building muscle is directly dependent on all of the following factors being in place:

the intensity AND duration of muscle tension (pushing heavy weights -80% 1RM- reps to failure),

the quality and availability of the right nutrients (we’re fixin to talk more about this….),

an anabolic hormonal environment (free testosterone, Hgh, Insulin, cortisol levels),

rest,

and, in a slightly different context, gender and age.

It’s interesting how some people don’t realize how difficult it is to keep these things in balance…

… but it’s essential if one is GAIN muscle after a workout instead of just breaking it down for fuel.

(that is: being Anabolic instead of Catabolic.)

Sure, there’s nothing complicated at all about lifting weights….

although I bet a lot of folks think that doing a lot of reps at a light weight is the same as less reps with more…. (NOPE),

or that 1 rep at maximum is better (EVEN MORE NOPE)

or that lifting weights ain’t even necessary if you take certain Anabolic chemicals (THAT’S JUST BEING A DOPE)………………….

………… so. let’s deal with these ideas first.

High reps with low weights is almost exactly the same as only doing cardio…

which is great if you’re looking for a slim, streamlined physique…

(You’ve come to the wrong place there, Mary….)

but is absolutely worthless in adding pounds of good, strong, Alpha-Male muscle.

And while doing 1 rep Maximums will certainly make you stronger (FOR 1 REP),

it is also likely to tear, break, strain, detach, bruise, sprain, contuse, traumatize, or otherwise mess up some or all of the one precious corporial body you’ve got –

—- while still ending up looking like the guy who gets thrown out of Cici’s Pizza for eating too much of their really crappy cardboard ‘pizza’. (Ewwww.)

Now, about Anabolic substances: their action can be explained best in this way:

they do not so much BUILD muscle, as PREVENT muscle from being catabolized during and after a workout.

The end result is MORE MUSCLE…

but, only if there’s a reason for the muscle to grow… and that’s WHY YOU WORK OUT..

…. you tear the muscle fibers down, and the body uses proteins, carbs and stored fats to rebuild them – instead of the ready fuel of catabolization: existing muscle.

In other words, you can take as much Winstrol, Superdrol, Masteron, Trenbolone, Halotestin, Anadrol, Halotosis, Spongebobalone, or Bigusol as you want –

—- you won’t get much bigger or stronger if you don’t work out hard.

Here’s where it gets interesting for you guys over 40.

As you progress through your 30’s and 40’s, your serum levels of testosterone – (THE hormone necessary for building muscle ), starts to decline.

This decline is gradual, but it soons become noticable in several ways – a loss of libido, a paunch around your mid section, a decline in energy and brain function.

Sure, you can say.. “oh well… that’s life“; and let nature take away any studliness you may or may not have possessed in the past….

…… or you can take matters in your own and your Doctor’s hands.

The first step is to go to your local sports medicine Doctor and have your T-Levels checked.

These levels should somewhere between 300 and 600…

….. any lower, and your chances of buildling new muscle is very slim, and you’re gonna start losing the muscle you got already.

If the levels are indeed low, the Doc may want to give you a shot to see if he can boost them, or he may give you a scrip for synthetic T to get back to normal.

Or he may tell ya not to worry about it, “it’s a natural part of aging”.

If so, get another Doctor.

‘Cause whether it is, or whether it ain’t, we aint ready for the geezer house yet.

If you don’t like Doctors (and who does) there are several over the counter products that can boost T-levels, if you suspect yours are lacking..

….. but get the test done, even if you got to send away for it.

It’s worth knowing where you’re at on this.

Availability of the right nutrients refers to the idea that your body requires different kinds of fuel for different activities.

I believe strongly in supplementing before, during, and after intense workouts- as well as first thing in the morning and before bed.

I can work out harder and longer, my recovery time is considerably shortened, thus, I can hit the gym hard four or five times a week.

Every body is a little different…
…… so you may have to tweak this in order to get it right for your own.

In the morning shake, 4 grams BCAA, 5 grams Glutamine, 3 grams HMB, 35 grams Whey Protein, 3 grams Creatine Monohydrate, plus 2 grams Glucosamine/Chondroitin/MSM for your joints, all mixed in fruit juice, plus an morning only group consisting of an ECA Stack, Yohimbe, Saw Palmetto, and a very hard-to-swallow Animal Pack (Vitamins).

45 minutes pre-workout, the same minus the simple Creatine, plus 3 grams Creatine Phosphate, 5 grams Arginine-AlphaKetaGlutarate, (or Arginine); or a pre-workout supplement like SMASH, FIERCE, NanoVapor or NOX-CG3 (I love all of these, especially NOX-CG3- but it’s SO freakin expensive, and it tastes like a cross between ink and brussels sprouts.) (Fierce is excellent and very cost-effective.)

Add some coffee and some ECA about 30 minutes before….

I like to have a handful of mixed nuts and raisins as a snack then too.

During workout, 64 oz Carb drink plus 5-10 grams BCAA’s, 5-10 grams chewable Glutamine.

Post workout, the same as morning shake minus any Creatine, minus ArginineAlphaKetaGlutarate, plus 3 grams Cissus Quadreangularus, 3 grams Vitamin C, 3 grams Vitamin E, and some simple carbs for recovery.

Before bed, the same as morning except 35 grams of slow-digesting Protein instead of Whey, and no ECA stack.

Don’t miss your Glutamine here- it’ll work all nite long to boost your Hgh levels… which means faster growth and recovery!

Meals: now, I know what the experts say, and I agree, I guess….

But I don’t know how ANYBODY has the time to eat 6 or 7 times a day, or how they don’t go to flab eating all that food… I couldn’t, can’t, and don’t.

I stay under 2500-3000 calories a day; I eat five times a day (not including my daily shakes)

Breakfast: mostly protein (eggs), some carbs (biscuit), no fats that I can help.

Lunch: fruit or a muffin… maybe some fast-carbs like Raisin Bran, Rice Crispies, (dry) etc.

Dinner: preferably salmon, tuna, chicken, turkey or lean beef – plus rice, noodles or pasta – mostly protein, moderate slow carbs, some healthy fats.

The other meals are fruit or salad.

No butter- no hydrogenated or solid fats at all if they can be avoided.

Olive oil in everything that needs added fat- even cake! (use 2/3 of the amount called for and EVOO works great!)

But, my metabolism is admitedly very slow… you’ll probably need much more food than this. (If I ate 6000 calories a day, I’D be the guy at Cici’s).

I think the essential idea of meals for me is to have enough carbs in my system to fuel about 2/3 of my workout, and then run on burning fat to finish the weight training and then thru 30-45 minutes cardio.

That’s why the BCAA’s and Glutamine are added to the workout carb drink – to give me additional support… and it is VERY effective.

Finally, REST.

Again, I know I’m a jerk, but I don’t get guys who think that one or two workouts a week will cut it.

One guy who does that was telling me one day that he was worried about “overtraining”…. I had a hell of a time keepin my big trap shut, I can tell ya.

You can overtrain, sure.

But not by lifting 35% 1RM for 20-30 reps twice a week…..
……. and you sure as hell aren’t serious about building any muscle.

If you DO work hard and often, then REST/RECOVERY becomes very important; so important that the fact is that your muscles do not grow when you’re working out: they only grow when you are at rest, as a result of you working out.

It’s like planting a garden…

You plant a tomato plant, you give it water, and plant food, and good dirt, and sunshine, and if all that shit comes together right, all you got to do is sit back and watch it grow, and pretty soon, you got so many friggin tomatoes that you’re tryin to give em away to anybody who’ll take em off yer hands. (They ARE very good for you, you know…)

I mentioned gender and age; these ARE considerations.

For instance, did you know that 75% of people over the age of 68 cannot lift 10 pounds over their heads? 10 pounds???

That shows you how much muscle is lost after the age of 40…

Doesn’t seem fair somehow, does it?

Just when you’re startin’ to figure out how everything works, you don’t have the strength left to throw the switch, or you’ve shrunk so much you can’t reach the damned switch. And there’s only one thing that will slow that down: weight training.

Of course, the over-40 strength trainer is at a disadvantage, but with hard work and dedication, he can overcome nature’s cruel little shrinking joke…. and Little Elvis will work MUCH better, too! (The above mentioned arginine won’t hurt in that respect, either!. You don’t have to take my word for weight training improving the over 40’s quality of life (and sex), there are plenty of studies out there.

As far as gender goes, that is also a factor to consider…

Obviously women (or maybe, HOPEFULLY would be a better word) have less testosterone (and other anabolic natural substances) to help them avoid catabolic states, but it’s been proven that a diet low in high glycemic index carbs, high in protein, combined with medium intensity cardio and 50-65% 1RM weight training will induce good increases in overall strength and endurance.

That means a firm, well rounded beautiful bod that will look great anywhere you go, and hell… what’s wrong with that, girls?

Huge muscles on girls look like hub caps on a Bentley anyway.

( This is where some of you girls send me an email calling me a misogynist, sexist jerk…. well, consider it sent. Thanks anyway. I’ll have to be frank, though… you being mad at me is the least of my present concerns …. I’m not any of those things, (ok- maybe a jerk..) but you can think what you want……….. I don’t train women anymore, anyway. )

Well, that’s it fer now.

I hope you got something out of it.

Drop me a line and lemme know how you’re doing.

HOY!

(Note: this post and any other posts of mine are strictly for entertainment purposes only, and are not to be taken as medical advice or any other kind of advice for that matter… see your own doctor before entertaining any ideas of using any of this entertainment for your own entertainment. If you’re a minor, supplements aren’t for you.. you’ve still got growth issues and bone development things, and this stuff could interfere with all that and mess you up good….. , and you shouldn’t be reading this blog anyway, so don’t read another word…… just go get some exercise – play some ‘find the weasel’ with Sara Jane, play football or baseball – or if all else fails, Nintendo- but get off the Internet. Get it? Good.)

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Weightlifting Made Easy

Power Strokes: Deadlifts

I’m not sure I really want to talk about deadlifting today…..

I got my self all hot and bothered thinking about the possible permutations of my chosen sub-title: Power Strokes.

If I wander off topic, well, just blame it on mean ole Mister Testosterone.

So, brace yourself, baby.

ummm
………oops… sorry.

Deadlifting.

Ahem.

Many guys don’t think twice about throwing a bunch of plates on a bar and pushing out a gazillion reps of bench presses….

But they won’t touch the bar to deadlift even light weight.

I hear a lot of different reasons from people why they won’t deadlift.

The bad back is always a popular one….

…… and I might buy it if they werent comin from the same guys who were benchin mobile homes.

I think it really comes down to pain.

Deadlifting involves all the muscle groups...
…. not just chest, not just back, not just arms, not just legs.

So the pain is all over too.

Well, ok…..
wrists, elbows, arms, back, legs, knees, shoulders all hurt.

Maybe not yer hair.

There is some risk involved…. and no spotter can rescue ya on a deadlift.

You lift it, or you don’t.

And no half reps, either… lock it out , or it don’t count.

Ask yourself why guys will do shrugs with heavy weight on a bar, but not dead lifts.

You figure they had to do at least one, each set….
………….. why not do em for reps?

Ok. We’ve established the relative unpopularity of the movement.

What we haven’t done is talk about why you should do them, and the right way to do them.

Speaking as a powerlifter,
….. there’s no movement that shows the all around strength of a lifter like deadlifts.

Because, as I said, it involves all the muscle groups.

If you have a weak grip, it’ll show up in your deadlift.

If you have weak legs, it’ll show up in your deadlift.

Any weak body part will be a liability to your deadlift.

Even a weak mind will hurt ya…. you must be able to concentrate!!

Working deadlifts into your routine will make you stronger, no doubt about it.

You can build excellent muscle mass in your hips, back, and traps.

They work smaller muscle groups you might otherwise be overlooking for heavy training.

They teach muscle discipline, focus and pain management.

And most importantly, they teach a concept I like to call “commitment”………..

It’s something I express all the time in the gym, when I tell someone to ‘commit to the lift’.

Lets just say you’re all ready to lift.

Your body is positioned correctly.

You’ve taken your breath, blocked your chest and abdomen, and you’ve come down for the bar.

It’s that second and a half between the time the bar leaves the floor,
— and the time your back and quads can fully kick in,
that calls for commitment.

Your shoulders, arms and glutes are taking much of the stress here.

It’s at that point that most deadlifts close to max fail….
……your mind convinces your muscles that the weight is too heavy.

This is where your concentration is key – you must override your ‘common sense’… and commit fully to the lift.

Drive through the pain, the doubt, the logic — commit to the lift.

I always like to remind people of the old adage about horse-jumping:
Most steeplechase inuries occur from people pulling up short on the reins before a jump.

Once you’ve started, you gotta go through with it…
………. so you might as well get it right.

Lets’ talk about the proper form for deadlifting.

Your back should be slightly arched ( natural arch with head and shoulders back – never bent forward!)

Your knees should be almost parallel with the floor.

Your feet should be spread a little less than shoulder width, and toes pointed straight ahead. Too wide a stance, and your arms will bump your knees… too narrow, and your power can’t come fully into play.

Your hands should overhand grip the bar about shoulder width or more…
….. you can use an over-under grip for heavy weight.

Lock out your elbows by tightening your triceps.

Inhale, contracting your back and abs, and straighten your legs.

As the bar reaches your knees, move your torso back and up to vertical, exhaling as you do.

Drive through your heels, bringing your hips forward as your lift, so it feels more like a pushing movement than a pull.

Keep your back straight and slightly arched through the movement.

Never roll your shoulders when you top out.

Set the weight down on the floor before lifting it again. Don’t bounce it, or cheat the floor.

Blocking is an essential skill when deadlifting ….
………. and you’ll find a good block will allow your to lift heavier weights.

To review, blocking means sucking in some air, pushing your chest out, your shoulder in, and flexing your abdominals.

This supports your internal structure, and gives you more stability and concentration of power.

Some guys don’t use the inhale/exhale rule above- try it that way first, and them modify it if you want… just be sure you’re breathing!!!!!

I don’t recommend a weight belt- if it in any way impedes your breathing- but it will make you feel a little more confident about preserving the twins in proper order… although whether it really will or not, I have never actually had to find out (… thank heaven!!! ).

I do like wrist straps…. for a coupla reasons….
they keep your wrists in the proper position,
they hold my gloves on tight to my hand,
(some guys whine that gloves add lifting distance, well waaaaaah.)
they give you support of the bar or implement,
and they transfer some stress from your grip to your forearm.

If you keep working with these lifts, you soon might find deadlifts becoming your favorite movement.

That’s cause you’ll be making almost constant improvement and strength gains that will transfer into other movements as well.

Just remember my number one deadlifting rule:
Ass UP, Head Down (level with your shoulders) .

Now, go enjoy yerself.

HOY !!!!