Building a Powerful Back

A lot of people love to work chest and arms.

Some people love to work shoulders.

A coupla people love to work legs – like me.

But very few people love to work their back.

And , why is that, you may ask?

I guess, because of all the
groups you could be working
today- the one you need to be
the most careful in form and
execution- is back.

You can tear that sucker
up so bad, you’ll never chase
another redhead again.

(ok, well, you
won’t catch one…. )

I’ve seen it done.

And, when you run into
the guy at the supermarket
or pizza place who wants to
tell you all about the competing
and working out he USED to do,
but now only lifts boxes of pizza
and Krispy Kremes, invariably,
he says he can’t workout out
anymore – because he ruined
his back.

Now, I’m not sayin all
them guys are tellin
the absolute skinny…..

But, it does demonstrate
how a back injury can
take you outta the game-
– maybe permanently.

So- you wanna
‘watch your back’.
( Ok, bad pun, but what
do you want for nuthin’? )

One thing you learn quick –
just about every pulling
movement, like rows,
pull ups, pull downs, etc.
are good for building
the back.

Most of the work for
middle back is folcrumed
through the Latissimus
Dorsi for the upper back,
and the Trapezius, and
Erector Spinae muscles
in the lower back.

Remember this –
never arch your back
forward – with your
head and shoulders
glooping forward..

Always lift with an
natural arch – head
and shoulder slightly back.

When working with
heavier weights, practice
and use a technique
called “blocking” –
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”)

Now, let’s talk about those
movements and implements
you should use to design a
back workout for building
strength and maybe even
showin off on the beach.

( I’ve been to Venice Beach –
it ain’t all that, believe me… )

Recommended Exercises:

Back Hyperextensions
Use a Roman Bench to
control your form and
just how much you
want to hurt the next day.
Lock your calves in behind
support bar, place hands
on head , then bend your
body on the bench in an
up and down movement.
Be sure to adjust the pad
to hit your belt line below
the abdominals.

.

Good Mornings
While standing, place a
barbell across the back
of your shoulders as
you would for squats.
Keeping your legs rigid,
bend forward at the waist,
with head up, until your
shoulders are parallel
with your knees. You
don’t need a lot of weight
on the bar here–
and do not do these
while incarcerated,
or on the beach in
Provincetown.

.

Lying Leg Raises
Start by lying on a mat
face up with your legs
straight out. Lift your
legs straight up using
only your abdominals
and hip flexors. Lower
your legs down without
them touching the
ground and repeat .
Yawn.

.

Trap Squeaks or Shrugs
Standing, take
a dumb bell
(not your next neighbor )
in each hand, and with
your arms at your side,
raise your shoulders as
high as you can go,
then return to the
starting position.
( You can use a
Hammer Strength
machine for this
as well. )

.

Lat Pull Down (Machine)
Using a wide bar, hold it
with a wide comfortable
grip, while putting your
knees underneath the
pad. Pull the bar down
smoothly until it touches
the top of your chest.
Keep the natural arch
in your back – and no
cheatie da weightie.

.

Bent over Barbell
(or Dumbell) Row
Stand with feet shoulder
width apart and a bend
in the knees. Bend at the
waist with your head up
and grasp a bar with an
wide overhand grip.
Raise and lower in slow
deliberate motion,
keeping elbows out.
Again, the weight is
not as important as
your form. But, those
100 pound dumb bells
are on the rack for a
reason.
.

Long Pull (Machine)
(Low Row/Seated Row )
Sit on machine with
back in natural arch,
pull bar forward toward
chest. works upper and
mid back. I love these…
you can vary it up with
the different handles
and angles available on
most machines..
but again —
don’t round your back–
or something could go
SPpppRrrrOING!!!.

.

Deadlifts
Bend over with your
knees slightly bent
and your arms locked
out, putting the power
emphasis on your
quadraceps, hamstrings,
glutes, and support with
your lower back. Raise
in a powerful quick motion,
lower and repeat. This is
my absolutely favorite
movement – but don’t
forget the rules here…
1- HEAD UP, BUTT DOWN…
2- remember your BLOCKING,
3- and once you’re ready,
COMMIT TO THE LIFT.

Alrighty…
that’ll certainly get
your back day into
motion…

— you can learn to
love working back!!

—- Now, go get you some.

!!! HOY !!!

 

 

Building W I D E Powerful Shoulders

Building wide shoulders can be difficult without the understanding of certain fundamentals.

Today, we’ll talk about these and how to build shoulders big, strong, and wide.

Building W I D E and Powerful Shoulders

Of all the muscle groups, the shoulders constitute the most complicated, and with the possible exception of the back, requiring the most careful attention to form.

Rotator cuff and other shoulder injuries will put more guys out of the gym this year than any other injury except Lumbar.

But, if you like working upper body, you simply cannot get around working your shoulders.

Most kinds of presses put tremendous reliance on the shoulders for stability and balance – and a hurt shoulder means you can’t do these.

So you’ve got to take care of them…

…….. and if you want to build them, you’ve got to understand a little about how they work, first.

I said earlier that shoulders were complicated.

Just think about it….

your spine passes within a half inch of the bar you’re using to back press or squat with,

—– right there at the point of your shoulders where your clavicle, traps, back and neck meet….

In this area, there are muscles rotating, moving side to side, up and down, laterally, and even diagonally…

If this was a machine,
Detroit couldn’t make it right,
’cause there’s too many moving parts.

You’d have to call the Germans.
(and then, it’d be too damn expensive,
………. and you couldn’t read the manual.)

When you talk about working shoulders,
the major groups you’re dealing with will be:

First, come the Deltoids – anterior, posterior, and medial ……

Then, the Trapezius, the Sternohyoideus, the Omohyodeus, the Scalenus , the Infraspinatus…. the….. oh hell.

Let’s just narrow it down to the Traps, Delts, Upper Chest and the Upper Back-us. I mean… Back.

(Hey- don’t blame me– all these muscles got named by a bunch of Roman guys……. )

Some general rules to remember when working shoulders

1: One thing you gotta watch out for right away is the potential for hyperextension of the spine….
— use a bench when doing dumbbell or bar presses when possible.

2: If a certain movement gives you sudden pain, STOP immediately.

(Here’s where the ‘see your doctor’ stuff usually comes in – and if he’s on the bench next to ya, why not?
Otherwise , you aint gonna do it, so I aint gonna waste my breath. )

Once you’ve convinced yourself that you are not hurt, then ask yourself –
— was there something off about the way you were doing it (FORM) ??

Lighten up the weight, and try it again nice and slow,
—— making sure you are doing it according to Hoyle.

If the pain returns, go pay that MD some of yer hard earned cash –
— cause it’s still better than losing the hard earned muscle you’ll lose if you tear somethin…..

3: Your shoulders contain a good deal of pennate muscle- that means, they can lift more, but with a shorter range.

Don’t expect your shoulders to rotate more, or raise higher, than they do naturally.

Maybe a yoga expert can learn to extend his shoulder range,
——- but as far as weightlifting is concerned, what you got is what you got.

Start your presses at a comfortable position, and stop before you go beyond your comfort range. Don’t push it.

Your rotator cuff muscles are particularly vulnerable to the results of such ego-lifting….
—and there’s all kinds of activities you won’t be able to do with your hands if you screw THEM up.

(Oh well, you can always give her MY number…)

4: Don’t go ape-shit on the weight if you want to target your shoulders.
A lot of the extra weight, sloppy form and all, will be taken by the supporting groups like Teres major and minor, Rhomboids, Pecs, etc…

—- and you won’t get the results you want… not to mention you could do some damage.
(ok, I did mention it… )

5: Stop looking in the mirror every once in a while while you’re working, close your eyes, and feel the rep…
—— go for the burn, and once you get it, you’ve hit on your rep point.

6: How narrow or wide you grip the bar on bar-based movements will tend to have a bearing on which groups the movement ends up targeting- for instance, on the front press, a wider grip will hit the upper pecs higher – while a narrower one will focus on the delts.

Movements and Implements for the Shoulder

Upright Rows –
Hits the traps, delts, and biceps. Spread your feet to shoulder width, keep your back naturally arched. With an overhand grip lift the bar from thigh level to chin level in a smooth motion. Slow on each eccentric.

Single Dumbbell Front Raises –
Hits the pecs, traps, delts, and biceps. Suck in your abs, spread your feet slightly, and holding one dumbbell with both hands in front of your beltline, arms straight out, slowly raise and lower the dumbbell to shoulder level and back. This movement is very effective at building strength throughout the shoulder structure.

Reverse Pec Deck Laterals –
Hits the traps, delts and teres minor, and the rhomboids. Mount the deck facing the back pad.
Bring your elbows back, and bring your shoulder blades as close together as comfortable.
Great for back detail, and lateral power.

Bent over Low Pulley Crossover Laterals –
Hits the delts hard – also the traps, teres, and rhomboids. Spread your feet about shoulder width,
— knees bent, back straight and bent over to 45 degrees, hold a handle in each hand with cables crossing in front of you, —- and raise to a comfortable point above the level of your shoulders.

Low Pulley Raises –
Can you say DELTOID power? Position yourself perpendicular to the low pulley machine, keep your back straight, grasp the handle, and pull up and out diagonally to a comfortable position above shoulder height.

Back Press –
This is another one that works your delts, but also hits the traps, triceps, and serratus…. keep careful watch on your form. I like to do these seated on a Smith Machine- as you can really wrench your back if you hyperextend. Pick a comfortable starting point behind your head that’s not too low that it’s gonna hurt. Keep your natural arch, but no more. Push up to a comfortable point above your head, but don’t lock out.

Hammer Strength Shoulder Press –
A great machine that will force form if you adjust the seat properly. Works the same groups as Back Press, except more of the upper pecs, and not so much the serratus. You can go ape shit on the weight if you’re careful.

Dumbbell Press –
Works the delts, traps, serratus, and triceps. Again, seated is safest. I know that hottie on the otherside of the gym might not be able to see ya that way, but your spine is more important. (Ok… it’s a close one, but spine wins.)

I like to press them both at the same time to keep my form and balance better, but you can do these one arm at a time. Grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip, starting at the elbows parallel to the floor position, and pushing up to extension. Don’t lock out, and don’t shove… slow and easy will get ya more results. And don’t drop the damned weights on the floor when you’re finished, pleeeeeeze. ———-> If you can’t put em down , don’t pick em up.

Nautilus Laterals –
I love this machine. You can work the full range, and it doesn’t stress the tendons… works the delts, traps, and supraspinatus. You can go abover horizontal to hit the traps harder…

Shrugs –
Nothing complicated here.. works the traps, delts, supraspinatus, serratus, but mostly the traps.
Be sure you’re maintaining your natural arch, and don’t spin your shoulder when loaded.

Double Front Raises –
Here’s an all around exercise for the shoulders and upper chest and back. Grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip, starting at your thighs and raising them to shoulder height. Feel da burn.

Alrighty…. have a fun time working your shoulders, and I’ll see ya in a coupla days.

And don’t forget what yer ole Uncle Nuts says:

STAY AWAY FROM THE SNACK BAR !!!!

Zen and the Art of Powerlifting

Weight trainers, and particularly power lifters,
combine the concentration and cooperation
of all three kinds of being-
mental, physical and spiritual,
to achieve something approaching
‘mind over matter’.

Being a big fan of Eastern philosophy
has it’s advantages…. because, in
weight lifting, you often find yourself
faced with questions that could easily
qualify as Koans….

…………… and like everything in life,
powerlifting is all in the way you look at it….

First, here’s a classic Koan:

A monk was asked to discard everything. “But I have nothing,” he exclaimed. “Discard that too!” ordered his master.

Now, the powerlifter’s Koan:

A powerlifter complained that he was working too hard. “Add more weight”, demanded his trainer.

A very helpful concept in Eastern Philosophy is the concept of mind over matter…..

Let’s say you got 500 pounds loaded up on a machine or implement, pick any one you like…..

You can look at that 500 pounds and run each one of those pounds over in your mind…..
and equate them to “real world” weight – 500 bags of sugar for instance….

Now, if you piled 500 one pound bags of sugar up in front of someone and said “Lift that” ,
they’d tell you to take a long flying jump off a short dry dock….

….. because part of the function of the conscious mind is to KEEP YOU FROM DOING SUCH STUPID STUFF.

The trick to powerlifting is not to think of the weight as work – as real weight – as 500 units of anything – but as weightless – meaningless– resistanceless.

You pick it up because you know you can – because you’ve already visualized yourself doing it – because your mind has told your body you can do it…. and so, your body complies.

Sure, you can over do it – and you’ve got to build up to it –
after all, your mind ain’t STOOOPID, and your body isn’t made of steel….
– the mental conditioning is a PART of the package – not the package itself –
without physical training, your body’s not gonna cash those checks your mind is writing……

When faced with a particularly heavy weight, I like to imagine big helium balloons attached to them….. I know that probably sounds crazy, but it really does work – your subconscious mind can be a help or a hindrance – I like to have it working for me and not against me – so I use any tool I can to keep the edge.

The same goes for visualization – if you imagine yourself being successful doing a task ahead of time, you will be invariably more successful performing that task. It works for baseball, it works for football, it works for bowling, it works for lifting, it works for sex, it works for ANYTHING.

Commitment to a task – what Zen calls acceptance – is nothing more than putting your whole essence into it – anybody who has ever deadlifted at max weight will tell you what this is about – you have to have complete focus, and be willing to use everything at your disposal to get it done.

Once it’s done, you look back and see why it worked – because you were totally IN the moment.

And the techniques of mediation are also extremely helpful – especially during that rest phase between sets …. controlled breathing, set focus, clear mind – these are essential for rapid recovery and repair … and for pain management during and after.

So, what can someone who is not well versed in Eastern Philosophy take away from all this?

Why not try these simple ideas for yourself, in whatever activity YOU like…

1: Adjustment of mental values – It’s not how heavy it is, but how LIGHT. Not how hard, but how EASY.

2: Set your mind on your goal – See your goal as already accomplished in all but the final act.

3: Visualize doing it as well as it’s ever been done before. Or better.

4: Acceptance – it IS, what it IS – the only variable you can change is yourself.

5: Commitment – In the gym, you will hear me say this over and over and over —-
YOU MUST COMMIT TO THE LIFT – before, during and after.
Give it everything you got – don’t hold back – this is the one that counts.

6: Use what God gave you to the best advantage – relax, breathe, concentrate, live in the moment.

Let me know how they work for you. OK?

OK.

Training Heavy and DOMS

Training for Strength does not just involve weight training…

Although it certainly would be simpler that way, and there’d be an awful lot more strong people out there….

But since it involves three distinct systemic requirements, most people don’t really see a large up-swing in strength even they might work out very hard in the gym for years.

Those three requirements are:

Progressively increasing resistance.

Proper diet and supplementation.

Sufficient recovery and a strategy to deal with DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.)

(Although this blog will deal primarily with the third requirement, it might be best to touch upon the first two in brief.)

Progressively increasing resistance means doing a couple of things…
1) using enough weight to work a particular muscle to failure, but not too much as to fail to get a full series of sets.
( example: 3×10, at 70% 1RM)

2) slowly increasing the amount of weight used on a particular movement, during the course of time.
( example: adding 5 pounds every couple of weeks, while keeping the same number of reps)

Proper diet and supplementation refers to keeping those things your body needs to grow and get stronger bio-available during the most-essential times… especially within 1 hour of starting and ending a workout, and first thing in the morning.

Of all the possible scenarios, the minimum rules are these:
a) Never skip breakfast
b) Eat small meals throughout the day
c) Use the 40/30/30 plan
d) Get at least 50g Whey Protein before and after your workout!
before- add 5g BCAA, 5g Glutamine, 5g Creatine, 5g Beta-Alanine.
after- add Carbs, 5g BCAA, 5g Glutamine, 5g Cissus, 3 g Gluco-Chond-MSM.

Recovery and DOMS

If you’re as stubborn and bullheaded as me, you want to workout hard every day.

Of course, you shouldn’t, because growth in muscle and strength is dependent on REST between workouts.

But, if one can squeeze in more intense workouts, by ‘compressing’ the amount of recovery time, well… that’s a different deal altogether.

There have been a number of studies – and a few interesting facts have come to light along the way; these ideas may help you find more time for workouts, while giving your body ample time to recover.

For instance, Glycogen is an essential muscle fuel source for moderate- to high-intensity exercise.

Once depleted, the capacity to perform at these exercise intensities is lost or severely limited.

Therefore, the faster the muscle glycogen stores can be replenished after exercise the faster the recovery process and theoretically the greater the return of performance capacity.

But, interestingly enough, there are studies that indicate that the faster the glycogen stores are replenished, the less muscle fiber damage; indicating the possibility that this is not the best environment for muscle growth… however, this possibility is outweighed by the fact that the faster recovery time means a potentially quicker cycletime for exercise.

“For rapid recovery from exercise, immediately after a workout (strength or endurance), we must:

1. Rapidly replenish the low glycogen stores in our muscles.

2. Rapidly decrease the muscle protein breakdown that occurs with exercise.

3. Rapidly force further increases in muscle protein synthesis.

Failure to accomplish any one of these objectives will lead to a lowered rate of recovery from your workout. And the slower the recovery process is, the less growth you can stimulate!

Studies have found that delaying nutrient (protein and carbohydrate) consumption after a workout can greatly reduce the rate of glycogen restoration and protein synthesis. In fact, the rate of glycogen synthesis is reduced by 50% if nutrients aren’t consumed immediately after a workout.

Furthermore, it’s important to understand that post-workout protein synthesis increases (what will lead to increased muscle mass) are in part due to the rate of glycogen synthesis, increased insulin levels, and increased insulin sensitivity from the workout. As we just saw, delaying post-workout nutrients absorption will drastically decrease the rate of glycogen synthesis, which will negatively affect protein synthesis.

Plus, a few hours after a workout, the insulin sensitisation stimulated by the bout of training will be much lower: there’s a two to threefold increase in insulin sensitivity immediately post-workout. After two or three hours, it’s down to only 44% above baseline. So basically, if you wait too long after your workout to consume a mix of fast absorbing proteins and high glycemic carbohydrates, the amount of muscle you’ll build in response to your session will be significantly decreased.

Another interesting point is brought up by a study by Tipton et al. (2001) which has demonstrated that pre-workout supplementation with proteins and carbohydrates leads to a greater rate of protein synthesis following a workout than simply consuming the same drink immediately after the session.

An ideal post-workout formula would include fast-absorbing proteins, high glycemic carbs, and some additional BCAAs (which have been shown to drastically increase protein synthesis and decrease protein breakdown on their own).

I find that 30 minutes of cardio after a heavy weight session dramatically improves my rate of recovery. A recent study looked at two post-workout recovery strategies; Active Recovery (AR)- performing sub maximal exercise, cardio, or posing, to promote recovery from hard-core training sessions, versus Passive Recovery (PR)- collapsing on a recliner from complete exhaustion, in an attempt to catch one’s breath and relax their muscles for the next workout or set in the iron jungle. The study looked at three aspects of recovery: Blood Flow, Lactic Acid clearance, and Post-workout Pain.

This pain was caused by an accumulation of hydrogen ions that stimulate pain nerves located in the muscle. Performance decline is induced by both metabolic and muscular fatigue.

Metabolically, a decreased pH causes the inactivation of several enzymes, membrane nutrient transport mechanism inefficiencies, and energy decreased accessibility. All of these factors ultimately lead to reduction in the production of ATP. Thus, decreased performance. Concerning muscular exhaustion, lactic acid promotes the restrain of the actomyosin ATPase, which breaks down ATP so it can provide energy for your body. In addition, H+ interferes with calcium uptake that is essential for muscular contractions. Increased lactate may also interfere with cross bridging. These factors lead to a decline in both the force and velocity of muscular contractions.

Lactic acid can severely inhibit your athletic performance if not cleared out of your system. So finally, how do you help your body clear LA? By far, the most proficient mechanism is oxidation both during, and after exercise. Subsequently, we discuss how to accomplish this via active recovery.

First, Lactic acid is best cleared through oxidation. So any movement that supplied your body with oxygen, would be of great assistance. The optimal procedure for this is low intensity aerobic (with oxygen) movements. Did you notice I said low intensity? Though high intensity aerobics would supply ample amounts of oxygen to your body, it would also induce higher levels of lactic acid, which is counter productive.

Here is an extremely fascinating study. The effects of different recovery regimens on white blood cell count (WBCC) and muscle enzyme activities following strenuous, sub maximal, steady state workouts on a treadmill was examined. 14 athletes participated in an intense run (70-80% of their VO2 max) followed by either 15 minutes of passive recovery (complete rest), or 15 minutes of active recovery (running at 50% of their VO2 max). The results showed that PR was associated with a 35% reduction in WBCC, compared to only a 6% decrease when using AR! They concluded that AR clearly prevents the initial drop in WBCC following strenuous training sessions.

They also performed a study on which type of active recovery was most beneficial for LA clearance. Subjects performed 4 separate cool downs for 40 minutes; passive recovery, active recovery (cycling at 35% VO2 max, or at 65% VO2 max), and interval training consisting of cycling at 65% for 7 min followed by cycling at 35% for 33 minutes. The rate of blood LA disappearance was significantly greater in continuous AR at 35% VO2 max, compared with other intensity levels. They concluded that low intensity; continuous active recovery is most beneficial for LA clearance.

Athletic performance is regularly impaired by soreness. Thus, any application that limits the extent of damage or hastens recovery would be of interest and practical value to soldiers of the iron jungle. Muscular aches often occur after a hard-core training bout. These pains typically peak 24–48 hours after exercise, and are known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). DOMS is the bane of strength trainers; it keeps one from working a muscle as hard as one might otherwise, it might even keep one out of the gym altogther.

Countless hours of scientific research have been dedicated to optimal recovery from DOMS. Active recovery, once again, shows great promise to the elite athlete. Consider the following studies:

It has been established that a highly effective mean for reducing DOMS is through active resisted exercise of the affected muscle groups. Hasson et al. investigated the use of light exercise in the treatment of DOMS 24 hour’s post-eccentric quadriceps training. A significant reduction in symptoms was demonstrated.

Tiidus et al. is a major advocate of AR for DOMS. Through several experiments he has shown that for elevated muscle blood flow through low intensity exercise would be of great benefit, and would “thereby enhance healing and temporarily reduce delayed onset muscle soreness.”

“Sayers et. al compared a lighter training session (active recovery) compared to pure rest. Eight subjects rested after a taxing elbow flexor workout, while nine performed a lighter training session to aid recovery. The results showed that strength recovery was better after light exercise when compared with just rest. This study confirms, that even if you do not perform split volume training, that a light training session while the muscle is recovering can be very beneficial.”

The results are clear: performing Active Recovery exercise during recovering periods is of great assistance for alleviating DOMS, expediting recovery, and improving athletic performance, as will pre and post-workout supplementation, with protein, carbs, BCAA’s, and glutamine.

Hey- See You in the GYM!

(Note: the following 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 fuckin advice for that matter…………
see your doctor before entertaining any ideas of using any of this entertainment for your own entertainment. Get it? Good.)

Today’s Cartoon : Need Strength

You Got Mail

Ho Hum….
Yawn Yawn.

I never seem to get any interesting email anymore.

Oh wait….

The AOL ‘you’ve got mail’ guy tells me I got mail.

Lessee……….

(sounds of tearing envelopes.
Hey- Use yer imagination!! )

Oh goodie. Just in time for my blog. What a coincidence, huh?

Here’s an interesting email I just got.

“Any suggestions on getting going for the gym when youre not feeling like it?”

Well, thanks for the interesting email !! Absolutely!!!

The one very important aspect of strength training that is often overlooked is the psychological one…

(and while my background is in strength training, you can apply this perspective to any kind of training.)

—– motivation,

and more particularly – the phenomena of perceived weight load/overload.

I’ve often been in the gym on a day when I just didn’t feel like working out.

I’ll drag my ass in there anyway, because I know – that if I didn’t,
I’d feel even worse (and lazier) the NEXT day.

But, once there, I’d have to “get my mind right” – that is, psych myself up.

The right music helps, but in the end, its just ‘YOU’ versus ‘LAZY YOU’,
or ‘IT HURTS, YOU’
or ‘IT’S TOO HEAVY YOU’
or ‘I’D RATHER BE WATCHIN OPRAH YOU’
(no, no… NOT THAT! Say it ain’t SO!)
Well, you know what I mean.

I like to run a kinda game on myself.

Before starting a heavy set, say- deadlifts, I’ll repeat 5 or 6 times:
(under my breath , usually…
though, maybe people CAN hear me, because I do get a LOT of funny looks in the gym……
—- but maybe it’s just ’cause I’m funny lookin’….. who knows – )

“NO WEIGHT” , “NO WEIGHT”
“NO WEIGHT”
“NO WEIGHT” “NO WEIGHT”

Now- of course, consciously, I know that 630 pounds weighs 630 pounds.
………….But exactly what does 630 pounds FEEL LIKE?

Well, that’s where this little ritual comes in…. it’s still 630 pounds,
but it feels much lighter than what I would expect 630 pounds to weigh if I hadn’t run thru my lil ritual.

Get it? SURE- It’s all in your mind…. and- that’s the point.

Your are using your MIND as a muscle to help you lift the weight.

Hey, before you scoff yerself off, TRY IT.

A lot of people use it, and it works.

When I was coaching youth baseball, I used to preach to the kids that they
should VISUALIZE themselves making a play or hitting the ball before they actually stepped in to play;

the parents seemed to think I was crazy, but the kids that tried it found that it actually improved their game.

This is the phenomena of the ‘self fulfilling prophecy’ or ‘Pygmalion effect’; and I used it often when I was teaching motivational sales techniques back in my rat-race days as well.

In Sociologist Robert Merton’s ground breaking book “Social Theory and Social Structure”,

he described this effect , and wrote it occured when “a false definition of the situation evokes  a new behavior which makes the original false conception come true”.

If you like to read, I highly recommend “Iron Mind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies”  by R. Strossen;

it was a great primer on “getting yer mind right” for a session of lifting heavy weights, broken down into small ‘digestible’ pieces.

Just remember – your motivation must be mental.

Your body is never gonna say “let’s workout!”.

Mind First – Body Follows.

Choose to do it – then DO it.

HOY!!

What’s the story on Creatine ??

Creatine isn’t a steroid, or a dangerous chemical —

it’s as natural as your body,

and can ramp up your muscle and strength BIG TIME.

Creatine Monohydrate

Since this supplement was popularized in the early 90’s,
Creatine is often the first thing guys try when they want to bulk up with lean muscle

— and it definitely has its value when taken properly.

It helps hydrate and ‘bulk up’ muscle fibers,

making longer and heavier workouts possible,

— thereby (indirectly) helping to build permanent lean muscle.

The strength and weight trained athlete has the most to gain here.

Those involved in high cardio , endurance activities will not see nearly as much benefit.

Five grams per day is more than sufficient;
–any more than that and the body converts the excess into creatinine
(a semi-toxic by-product made in the gastroentestinal system)
— thus creating nothing but expensive urine.

Some users suggest cycling 90 days on/ 90 days off
and using ‘loading’ doses at the start of each cycle;
— but loading seems unnecessary according to recent studies.

As for cycling itself, well, I think that makes some sense.

After using it for a while, you’ll probably start noticing some bloating and water weight…

– and the edge will start to wane as well..

….. so a rest period might be called for.

Like many sports supplements,
you will have to use your own judgement about what works best for you.

Be sure to use the powder though; never the liquid.

Creatine loses its effectiveness very quickly after it is diluted,
— so mix it and drink it within 15 minutes.

Most guys I know take it right after a workout.

A lot of gyms will sell it by the scoop at (what is euphemistically called) the ‘juice bar’, and even mix it for ya.

“Barkeep.. another sasparilla with a creatine chaser, and make it strong this time.”

As for specific brands, well, as long as you’re buying it from a trusty source like Vitamin Shoppe, SupplementWarehouse, ProSource, National Discount Nutrition, etc.,
— you’ll find very little real difference in effectiveness of the brands they carry.

I like 1 scoop of MuscleTech ‘Cell-Tech’ orange flavor,
because it mixes well with orange juice…. it’s relatively expensive, though.

Feel free to ignore the loading and 2 scoop directions..
— as I said previously, 5 grams is plenty.
(I bet they sell a hell of a lot more that way….. )

I also like to use EAS Phosphagen HP when I’m on a budget.
For about 20 bucks, you’ll get about a 45 day supply, and it goes to work right away.

Creatine works best when taken with a 10:1 ratio of simple carbohydrates…
so some guys mix it with grape juice for this reason.

Hell buddy, if it works, why not champagne?

That’s just fancy grape juice ain’t it?

Make that stuff taste a whole lot better and go down a whole lot easier, too.
(Pay me no mind)

OK, maybe not.

I just throw the Creatine Mix in the blender with 5g of pharmaceutical glutamine, 5g BCAA and 1 scoop of ‘Glycerlean’ slow absorb protein mix and I’ve got me the worst tasting Creamsicle shake you’ve ever tasted.

Yum.

(Take a deep breath,
then drink it all down in one gulp and you’ll barely even want to throw up.
Enjoy.)

So why bother, you may ask?

Man, I didn’t put it first on my supp list ’cause I like spellin’ it…

It really does seem to help me work out harder and longer.

And I am definitely STRONGER – maybe 10% stronger.

Yep- it does make a huge difference in my bench press.

I have done the cycle thing enough times to know.

Now, I just stay on it.

I can’t afford to give an inch (or a pound) to the competition.

But, if you don’t want to work out hard, you don’t need it…
… it won’t do a blessed thing for you except give you cramps and water bloating.

OH… did I mention very minor but noticable side effects?

Well, them’s iz it…
-abdominal cramps,
-water bloat,
-and gas like a methane plant only with no blue flame on top of the tower to burn it off with.

(It’s ‘hey, kid.. pull my finger’ on your dad’s worse day… kid you not!)

Used in moderation, there are no serious side effects I am aware of.

… And, if you’re using one of the newer formulas,
you might see a reduction in these,
however, the Ethyl Ester form is less effective than monohydrate,
so it kinda washes out.

One thing, though…
creatine usage absolutely requires one to insure proper hydration at all times:

DRINK PLENTY OF WATER! (At least 8 glasses a day.)

As previously mentioned, there are several varieties of creatine supplements available.

Creatine AKG- (Creatine Alpha-Ketoglutarate) is one of the newest varieties.

Those who use it claim it reduces the GI side effects, while increasing absorbtion.

I take Glutamine along with my Creatine mono, so I’m not sure the additional cost is worth it, but if you’re not using Glutamine, it might be a good choice.

Creatine Ethyl Ester is an invention of pro-hormone chemists who thought the ester form would be easier to absorb… but it’s probably just a waste of money.

Oh… and did I mention the results of the latest study on Creatine?

It can make you healthier and live longer.

Yep.

It serves as a potent anti-oxidant, preserving the integrity of cells that would otherwise be damaged by normal aging, stress, and especially, intense workouts.

To sum it all up into language even I can understand,
—Creatine gets a 9 on my ’10 is impossible scale’.

It works when you work.

Your mileage may vary.
But probably won’t.

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!!!

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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Baby Steps, Man

” I’m not there yet, but I’m getting there. Baby steps, man, baby steps. “