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Our writers are constantly coming up with great articles on hot topics that you need to know; so that you'll get the most from your daily workout, sporting activities or so that you can make an informed decision on what supplements to buy! Check back often as we update these pages weekly with new feature articles.

Egg Whites International Recipes

1 PUMP = 1 ounce /1 whole egg (1.25 Egg Whites or 3.25 grams of pure protein)

For Maximum Available Protein Consumption, our egg whites are best used as a drink. Great for mixing fast and easily into all your favorite Juices, Shakes, and Protein Drinks!


Our Egg Whites are also great for cooking and work perfectly for Frying or Baking Cakes, Cookies, Meatloaf, Quiche, Pancakes, French Toast, Frostings, and to use in any Batters same as any other egg white.

Note: Due to the heat pasteurization process, normal liquid Egg Whites are not recommended for Meringues or Angel food Cakes. However, due to our double filtering process, we have had no complaints that they did not work just fine for these items as of yet.



QUICK PROTEIN DRINK IDEAS

Here are some quick and easy high protein drinks with items you may already have in your refrigerator at home. Ideas from our customers to share with you...

Take one 8-ounce cup of our 100% Pure Liquid Egg Whites (26g Protein) and mix with any of the following liquids for a fast meal replacement. No blender, just a shaker cup or stir well.

Fat Free or Sugar Free "Liquid" Coffee Creamers make great drinks. Coffee Mate and International Delight have lots of great flavors. These are concentrated, so a 2oz serving is plenty with 8oz of Liquid Egg Whites. You can also add 2oz of milk for a 12oz drink.

Suggested coffee creamers to use with 8oz of Liquid Egg Whites:

2oz Southern Butter Pecan. Great at bedtime.
2oz Pumpkin Pie Spice (Seasonal item, Very Good)
2oz French Vanilla or Hazelnut
2oz Chocolate Carmel (this is hard to find but very good)


Other items you might find at home...

- 2 tspn Hershey’s Sugar Free Chocolate Syrup

- 4oz of V-8 Splash Pina Colata. Great for breakfast. Any V-8 drink goes good with our Egg Whites.

- 4oz Sunny-D Smooth. This is more concentrated than Orange Juice. If you want to use Orange Juice, use a 50/50 split of Egg Whites and OJ. Otherwise, it taste like watered down Orange Juice.

- Starbucks single serving bottles make great high protein cold coffee drinks. Use 4oz to 6oz of any flavor coffee, with 8oz Egg Whites, shake well.

- You can take any coffee you like, add ice cubes for cold coffee, and add egg whites for a high protein breakfast and coffee combo (Not hot coffee unless you want poached egg coffee)

You are limited by your own imagination. Send us your ideas to share with our customers. Click contact below to send us your ideas!



GOT KIDS WITH BAD EATING HABITS?

Can't get them to eat enough protein? Here's a Quick trick for picky eaters (adults included!)

- 1/2 Cup Egg Whites International
- 1/2 Cup Milk (1% 2% or whole)
- 1 Bowl Cereal of your choice

1. Mix together in seconds and enjoy!

Your picky eater won't have a clue they just had 13 grams of pure egg white protein plus the added benefits of the milk and cereal nutrition!

You can also take the same mix of Egg Whites and Milk and just add chocolate syrup for a glass of chocolate "milk" containing 13 grams of pure egg white protein. Adults can use 8 ounces of Liquid Egg Whites for 26 grams of protein!



FRUIT SMOOTHIE

- 1/2 Banana
- 3 to 4 Strawberries or use 1 cup Strawberry/Banana Nectar
- 1/2 Cup Egg Whites
- 1 Cup Pineapple or apple Juice
- 1 Cup ice cubes

1. Place fruit and ice in blender first, mix 60 to 90 seconds.
2. Add Egg Whites, mix another 10 to 15 seconds.

For thicker smoothie, just add more ice. For your personal favorite smoothie, just use juice or fruits desired.



YOGURT SMOOTHIE

- 1/3 cup of low or nonfat plain or flavored yogurt.
- 1/4 cup of fresh or cannedpineapple or peaches.
- 1/2 cup Egg Whites

1. Place in blender and mix 10 to 15 seconds.



TEXAS WHITE OMELET

- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive or corn oil
- 1 cup Egg Whites
- 2 Tbsp chopped green/red peppers.
- 1 Tbsp chopped onion
- 1 Tbsp diced ham
- 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 9-inch nonstick frying pan.
2. Lightly sauté onions, peppers and ham. Set aside.
3. Place 1/2 Tbsp of oil in pan at medium high heat.
4. Pour in Egg Whites.

As eggs begin to cook, lift sides to allow Egg Whites to set. While top of omelet is still moist, place the sautéed mixture on the omelet. Add Cheese if desired.

Using spatula, fold omelet in half. Be sure to not over cook. Season with salt and pepper as desired.



TEXAS SCRAMBLED EGGS

Follow the same instructions as "Texas White" but don't let the eggs set up as they would for the omelet.

After sautéing the peppers, onions and ham, scramble everything together. Cheese is optional.



CALIFORNIA WHITE OMELET

- 1 1/2 Tbsp olive or corn oil
- 1 cup Egg Whites
- 1 large mushroom (sliced up)
- 1 1/2 cup fresh spinach
- 1 Tbsp crumbled feta or goatcheese

1. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a 9-inch frying pan.
2. Sauté spinach and mushrooms and then set aside.
3. Place 1/2 Tbsp oil into pan at medium high heat.
4. Pour in 1 cup Egg Whites.
5. As Egg begins to cook, lift sides to allow Egg Whites to set.
6. While omelet is still moist, place spinach and mushrooms on top.
7. Sprinkle on cheese, fold omelet and finish cooking.



EGG WHITE POPPERS

- 1 Plastic ice cube tray
- Enough Egg Whites to fill tray
- Non stick cooking spray

1. Coat ice cube tray with cooking spray
2. Pour in egg whites and microwave on high for 4 minutes
3. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

You can experiment by mixing a small amount of Sugar Free powdered Cool Aid Mix for flavor.

These are very popular with Body Builders who will take these to the Gym in a plastic ziplock bag and pop them in their mouth while working out. This gives them that extra protein boost during their workout.



JELLO POPPERS

- 1 Plastic ice cube tray
- Jell-O Mix (flavor of your choice!)
- Enough Egg Whites to fill tray
- Non stick cooking spray

1. Coat ice cube tray with cooking spray.
2. Stir egg whites and powdered Jell-O Mix together and pour into tray.
3. Refrigerate until jello poppers have set.

Like Egg White Poppers, these are very popular with Body Builders who will take these to the Gym in a plastic ziplock bag and pop them in their mouth while working out. This gives them that extra protein boost during their workout. Also great for sports activities like snowboarding and skiing!



BAJA BREAKFAST BURRITO

- Four 8-inch fat free flour tortillas
- 3 Tbsp chopped greenpeppers
- 1/8 Tbsp salt, touch ofpepper and cummin
- 1 cup Egg Whites
- 3 Tbsp diced tomato
- 1/4 cup shredded jalapenocheese or cheddar
- 1 Tbsp olive or corn oil
- 1/2 cup of chorizo or diced meat of your choice

1. Place 1 Tbsp oil in nonstick frying pan.
2. Season and cook green peppers for 2 min. (add meat if desired)
3. Add Egg Whites and scramble until fully cooked.
4. Stir in tomato.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheese.
6. Spoon and roll in a tortilla.

Ah, the multi-vitamin… not exactly what most people thing of when they think “Cutting Edge” nutrition however at NRG-X Labs we don’t know why more people don't see the truth. That without a proper nutrition you’ll never… NEVER get that body you are dreaming of and working hard for in the gym. Ask anyone that’s in the know, any of those monsters you see in the gym or the guys and girls on stage or even that tri-athlete lurking beneath that button down oxford at work… they’ll all say the same thing; without proper diet and nutrition you’ll just never get to where you want to go in the gym!

Many people wonder why the supplements they buy don’t work – or why they see someone else get great results from something that just doesn’t do anything for them. The answer is simply put… your nutrition isn’t on track, if it were you too would be seeing amazing results from most of the supplements you are taking. Look at it this way, say you have a car with an amazing engine, all tricked out for racing and you have the best oil in it and the best racing fuel – you are ready to go, you hit the ignition and fire it up…. and it runs like an old farm truck!! Why?? Oh yeah, you put in 30 year old spark plugs that were all gunked up and only work about 50% of the time.

That’s what it’s like trying to run your body on all this fancy supplement technology that’s on the market right now if your nutrition isn’t on track. If your diet and nutrition isn’t working then there is no spark to ignite the fuel that your body is running on, that new pro-hormone isn’t going to do jack; neither is that new nitric oxide supplement you just got in the mail or anything else for that matter!

Vital Core was designed from the ground up by people who know what your body needs to run at peak performance; with all the time tested key vitamins, minerals, greens blends, liver support and free radical scavengers for supporting optimal enzymatic functions, immune system, detoxification, pH balance and digestive health that have stood the test of time PLUS new supplements that can make a big difference in your training, something that you can actually feel working and see results from!

Click here to learn more about Vital Core -

Yes, The Best, Just Got Better!

Never a company to rest on its laurels and always pushing the boundaries of human performance enhancement through sports supplementation to the absolute limit, BSN has remained committed to innovation, and to producing the best products in the world for the last 7 years. Over the course of those 7 years, BSN has carved out its own unique position as the sports nutrition industry’s ultra-premium brand with products relied on by a who’s who of the bodybuilding, fitness and sports world. The likes of 8-Time Mr. Olympia and the world’s greatest bodybuilder Ronnie Coleman, cover model and TV personality Alicia Marie, the “PHENOM” and future of bodybuilding Trey Brewer, genetic wonder Brandon the “PRODIGY” Curry, pro martial artist/actor Julien Greaux, U.S. Masters National Champion cyclist Antony Galvan and professional beach volleyball player Ty Loomis all rely on BSN products to do what they do best – Finish First™! BSN’s place atop the sports nutrition mountain is further exemplified by BSN’s recognition as the 27th fastest growing private company in America and showcased by the fact that the BSN brand, labels, advertising and most notably, its products have won numerous consumer-voted sports nutrition industry awards over the course of the last three years, including an unprecedented, and industry high 7 awards in 2007. This was all made possible because of BSN’s position at the forefront of industry development and a relentless commitment towards producing the most novel physique and performance enhancing supplements for athletes. It’s this same position on the cutting-edge and adherence to the same never-ending commitment to push the envelope of human performance to its absolute human limit that has led to the development of BSN’s newest breakthrough milestone innovation, the AVPT Multi-Action Matrix.

AVPT is an acronym that stands for Advanced Volumizing & Performance Technology. This multi-action matrix is made up of a unique combination of amino acids, cooperative creatine analogs and critical muscle growth mediating bio-factors, all designed to support and enhance:

• Increased energy production
• Superior nutrient transport and saturation into muscle tissue
• Improved nutrient absorption and assimilation
• Accelerated blood flow
• Increased strength levels
• Enhanced muscle growth
• Heightened cell volumization and vascularity
• Better muscle pumps
• Improved workout performance
• Increased peak torque performance
• Greater muscle recovery

This amazing AVPT Multi-Action Matrix has now been built and electro-charged into BSN’s flagship Core Series products; N.O.-XPLODE™, CELLMASS® and NITRIX®, thereby making these industry leading products even better by dramatically heightening their ergogenic effectiveness. Once again, BSN has stepped up to the plate, delivering the most up to date envelope-pushing human performance enhancement for 2008! Check your local retailers for the new and improved AVPT Multi-Action Matrix containing N.O.-XPLODE™, CELLMASS® and NITRIX®!!

BSN products N.O.-XPLODE™, CELLMASS® and NITRIX® have now been electro-charged with AVPT Multi Action Matrix, making them new and improved – thereby dramatically heightening their already amazing effectiveness!

• #1. Tren 13-Ethyl (Stronger than 1-AD or Halodrol-50) - http://mysupplementstore.com/m125byxsla.html
  
• #2. D-Drol by 4Ever Fit - http://mysupplementstore.com/dby4efit.html
  
• #3. T-BOL by ThermoLife - http://mysupplementstore.com/tbyth.html
  
• #4. T-Bomb II by MHP - http://mysupplementstore.com/tbombiibymhp.html
  
• #5. SUS 500 or Tren 250 or Phera 50 from Genetic Edge Technologies - http://mysupplementstore.com/geedte.html
  
• #6. 1-Andro by AMS - http://mysupplementstore.com/ams001.html
  

I'll keep you posted if anything changes or once we hear the final ruling from the FDA! Stock up while you can!

Click the following link to see all the pro-hormone and test boosting/ andro supplements that we still have in stock! Order today, cause once they're gone, THEY ARE GONE! - http://mysupplementstore.com/antesboos.html

Joshua b Smith
CEO

A good example is the Tren 13-Eythl - it won't be banned BUT with all the pressure from the FDA and the China Games in 2008 going on; the US boarders are on lock-down and getting raws into the country is next to impossible. It's a sneaky way to get rid of a lot of things that the FDA knows they can't out right ban... many other compounds are going to be that way for the next 1-2 years so stock up while you can, we still have lots in stock but it'll go quick!

We'll keep you posted Tuesday when we know what's going on!!!

June 9, 2008------------- Guess what, well it’s that time again… yes time to play… what will the FDA ban today! That’s right Johnny… it’s prohormone banning time again, what’s that you say? You thought prohormones were already banned, well they are but our cleaver manufactures have found other ways to label the ingredients to get around the original ban from January 2005- but you know those guys at the FDA weren’t going to be fooled forever! They have caught on and prohormones are back on the chopping block come June 24th, 2008!

Here is the proposal from the FDA about the new prohormone that will be banned on or around June 24th, 2008. Just click on this link to the FDA’s site. http://store.yahoo.com/lib/mysupplement-store/FDAPHBANN.pdf

However, while that might be interesting here is what you need to pay attention to… not so much that the FDA is banning these ingredients or the many supplements that that’ll effect but the fact that they (the FDA) are catching on and looking into getting all these new and creative labeling tactics removed and banned as well.

Our good friend Ephedra is in that same case… yes banned but relabeled and reworked so it’s legal again… how long till the FDA says, you know what… we banned Ephedra and it’s still out there, time to get’er done again!

I have just updated the site again with what we have in stock and have good supply in with the prohormone, many are already gone and with the China Olympics in full swing and the boarders getting locked down many smaller prohormone companies haven’t been able to keep up and their items may not be banned but they are still off the market!

Here is the short list of what we recommend and what we can get good stock on without a worry of being backordered, there are many many great prohormones that are still in good stock so no need to worry, this is just our list of best selling and good prohormones from companies that you can trust:

• #1. Tren 13-Ethyl (Stronger than 1-AD or Halodrol-50) - http://mysupplementstore.com/m125byxsla.html
  
• Spawn (Stonger than Havoc or Epistane)Already GONE! - http://mysupplementstore.com/spbymysthhao.html
  
• #2. T-BOL by ThermoLife - http://mysupplementstore.com/tbyth.html
  
• #3. T-Bomb II by MHP - http://mysupplementstore.com/tbombiibymhp.html
  
• #4. SUS 500 or Tren 250 or Phera 50 from Genetic Edge Technologies - http://mysupplementstore.com/geedte.html
  
• #5. 1-Andro by AMS - http://mysupplementstore.com/ams001.html
  
• #6. 14-HD by Vyo-Tech - http://mysupplementstore.com/17hdbyvyotech.html

That’s all the info I have for right now, it’s nothing new and many of you might have already heard about it… we just wanted to let you know what’s going on and what we still have in stock in case you wanted to grab some before it gets harder to get!

Have a great day and please let me know if you need anything, we are here to help!!!

Joshua b Smith
CEO

So the question for the general public still remains,"Is ephedra legal?" For now, the future availability of ephedra in the U.S.A. is up in the air. The FDA recently made a statement saying that, for the time being, they would be allowing the sale of capsules containing Ephedra that did not exceed 10mg per capsule. Currently, this is only a recommendation since the FDA doesn't have legal control over the herb. For the moment, you can still buy pills with ephedra in the United States, however, that could change at any time.

In December of 2000, the Cantox Report researched 9 controlled studies on ephedra. Each study observed was a minimum of 8 weeks long. These studies looked at heart rate, blood pressure, adverse side effects, and other related indicators. One study revealed that cardiac arrhythmia episodes didn't occur in subjects given 90mg of ephedra per day vs. a placebo. The Cantox Report concluded that 150mg of ephedrine alkaloids per day was the "lowest observed adverse effect level". According to their conclusion, the lowest observed adverse effect level is a full 50% higher than the recommended maximum daily dose of 100mg per day of ephedrine alkaloids you will see on ephedra containing diet supplements.

This study also examined the long-term safety and effectiveness for weight loss of an herbal supplement containing Ma Huang and Kola Nut. The results of this six month randomized, double-blind placebo controlled trial were published in the International Journal of Obesity for May of 2002. After a 6 month study, the conclusion was that, "the tested product produces no adverse events and minimal side effects. This is consistent with the known mechanism and action of Ephedrine and Caffeine".

An estimated 61% of the U.S. adults are over-weight or obese and obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Obesity continues to be the second leading cause of preventable death. By current estimations, there are 300,000 obesity related deaths per year. Given the current obesity problems in America, the FDA not allowing U.S. citizens to buy pills with ephedra, a diet pill that actually works, seems pretty silly.

Right now, you can still buy pills with ephedra. How long that will last is anyone's guess. Take advantage of the opportunity while it still exists!

Article Source: R_Welch

Over the past nine years, I have worked with the top researchers, pharmacologists, and physicians from Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals to develop the perfect diet pill. Hi-Tech has put out several blockbuster weight loss aids such as Lipodrene®, Stimerex-ES®, and Lipodrene Xtreme®, to name a few. One thing most people do not know about Hi-Tech is its direct response business. Over the past ten years, Hi-Tech has had three weight loss sister companies that formulate, market, and sale diet aids direct to the public. “So what?” you may ask. Well, Hi-Tech offers a 100% money-back guarantee to anyone not satisfied. Hi-Tech marketed over 20 diet aids with different ratios of ingredients until it hit pay dirt. Hi-Tech sold direct to over 500,000 consumers and was able to track refund rates and compare them versus re-order rates. Lipodrene® and Stimerex-ES® were launched by Hi-Tech to retailers as they were the two best products Hi-Tech developed out of the 20 test marketed. No other company has the data, feedback, or technology to create such products. With the evolution of Hi-Tech’s pharmacological research into weight loss compounds, I believe we have created our finest masterpiece!

As a bariatric (weight loss) physician, I prescribed Fastin™ for decades as a prescription drug to my patients with overwhelming success. When SmithKline Beecham (now known as GlaxoSmithKline) withdrew Fastin™ from the market, it sent shockwaves through the weight loss industry. Since its exit from the market, Hi-Tech has been doing some exhaustive research and development on a new formula with pharmaceutical fat mobilization and apoptosis agents to create the new and improved Fastin™. Fastin’s effectiveness produced an almost cult following, Fastin™ was unmatched in its efficacy until it was taken off the market by GlaxoSmithKline. Unwilling to attach the name “Fastin” to just any ole fat burning fat burning formula, Hi-Tech has spent a countless amount of time and resources to find a formula equal to or superior to the original Fastin, in terms of feeling and effect. Finally, after several years of research on this project, Hi-Tech developed a formula that is every bit as good (if not better) than the original Fastin formula. Hi-Tech is so confident in Fastin that they are staking their name on it in many ways as the leaders in the weight loss industry…as the shoes Hi-Tech had to fill were very large.

Although the feeling and effect of Hi-Tech’s Fastin™ is at least as good as the original, the formula has changed in significant ways. The old Fastin formula was formulated around Phentermine HCL, while the new Fastin is formulated around phenylethylamine HCL and derivatives of this molecule. Phenylethylamine is an amazing compound that is naturally present in human fluids and tissue. This compound is probably the cleanest stimulant ever researched, which has the remarkable ability to stimulate the central nervous system, without causing nervousness or the jittery feeling. Phenylethylamine is found in chocolate and is responsible for its effects on mood, appetite, and sense of well-being.

Fat mobilization is a new breakthrough in the field of weight loss. As a bariatric physician (weight-loss physician), I try to stay at the forefront of the diet industry. The newest thermogenic breakthrough introduced into the market is called Lipid Mobilization, which helps you burn body fat without exercise. In vitro research shows that lipid mobilization is one of the processes that releases fat into the bloodstream to be burned as energy. On the fat cell’s surface are receptors that signal the cell to hold stored fat. Natural Alpha-2 antagonists have been shown to switch off these receptors. Freed fatty acids can then move out of the cell and into the bloodstream. These released fats are shuttled away from fat and prevented from simply being re-deposited. This is especially effective in the stubborn abdominal and hip areas of both men and women. Best of all, when taken before exercise, fat mobilizers are shown to boost lipolysis (the process of mobilizing fats from cells) and increase blood serum free fatty acid levels both during and after exercise.

The extent of which exercise burns body fat is totally dependent upon the rate of lipolysis. Lipolysis is the rate at which fat is mobilized from fat cells and enters the bloodstream as free fatty acids (FFAs). Exercise triggers lipolysis, and highly trained individuals possess a greater lipolytic rate, an ability to “burn” more fat during exercise, than untrained people. If you want the greatest possible fat-burning effect from exercise, then increasing your rate of lipolysis is the way to do it. A high rate of lipolysis ensures greater fat mobilization by the liver and mitochondria in muscle cells during exercise. In turn, this process ensures that a greater concentration of body fat is burnt during exercise. The impact of fat mobilizers on post-exercise fat metabolism is particularly evident 30 minutes after cardio exercise. One study showed that FFA levels in the bloodstream doubled in those that took a fat mobilizer prior to exercise compared to a placebo.

Many physiological factors stimulate and inhibit the breakdown of adipose tissue into free fatty acids and glycerol and their mobilization into the bloodstream to be used as fuel by other cells and tissues. Fasting, feeding, exercise, and stress have pronounced and rapid effects on lipolysis via hormones and other endogenous substances. As well, clinical conditions such as diabetes and obesity are associated with alterations in lipolysis. Age and gender are also of importance.

Insulin and catecholamines are the main regulatory hormones of lipid mobilization. Insulin is the major antilipolytic hormone because of its effects on enzymes within the adipocyte. Insulin also enables the entry of glucose into the cells by inducing glucose transporter activity. Glucose serves as the backbone for the glycerol molecule to which fatty acids attach and form triacylglycerols. The catecholamines serve a dual function. You must first become acquainted with fat cell biology to comprehend the regulation of fat loss. Lipogenesis and lipolysis can be considered the Yin and Yang of adipose tissue metabolism. Lipogenesis is the process of fat accumulation and lipolysis is that of fat breakdown and release into the bloodstream.

There are physiological differences in fat cells, depending upon where they are located in the body. Fat cells located in the gut (visceral adipocytes) differ from fat cells located in the lower regions of the body (hips, thighs, lovehandles). Fat cells within the stomach contain a lot of beta-receptors. These cells respond to release fat when stimulated by the classic “fat-burners,” such as caffeine, ephedrine, and synephrine. These compounds stimulate lipolysis specifically by increasing norepinephrine delivery to the visceral fat cells and catecholamine secretion that activates the beta-receptors and increases CAMP within cells. However, fat cells located around the hips, and lovehandles characteristically contain very few beta-receptors and respond poorly to catecholamine release that is induced by exercise and beta-stimulants. However, these lower body fat cells contain a lot of alpha adrenoreceptors. Alpha-receptors are tricky and obstinate if you want them to release their fat stores. When stimulated, these receptors activate other proteins that inhibit adenylcyclase, thus antagonizing the ability of beta-adrenoreceptors to boost CAMP generation, and therefore, shut down the usual fat mobilization process. Basically, when taking caffeine, ephedrine, and synephrine supplements in an effort to stimulate fat loss, the alpha-receptors on lower-body fat cells say “No! No fat mobilization for you!” Fat cells within the lower half of the body contain a higher concentration of alpha-receptors and lower concentration of beta-receptors. Therefore, they are quite resistant to lipolysis. Women characteristically carry more fat on their hips and thighs than men do, and this difference in fat cell structure is one reason why most women have a tougher battle with fat loss…Until Now!

Hi-Tech has recognized for years that the active components in Hi-Tech’s fat loss products exerted their influence on fat loss through mechanisms of action attributable to increased lipolysis, decreased Lipogenesis, and more metabolically desirable fat mobilization. However, over the past five years of Research and Development, Hi-Tech began testing a theory that some of the beneficial effects of Lipodrene® and Stimerex-ES® were also actually due to their effect on elimination of entire fat cells, or apoptosis. Apoptosis is a form of cell suicide that plays a vital role in the maintenance of cellular homeostasis, but for weigh loss it causes cell death (specifically, fat cell death). It was once believed that the total number of adipocytes (fat cells) remained fairly constant over one’s lifetime; however studies over the last ten years have shown that adipocytes can be both lost and gained, and it is becoming increasingly recognized that fat cells have a finite life cycle and can be eliminated by apoptosis.

Apoptosis is a novel approach to help people lose fat. Since research began several years ago on this activity of the compounds in Lipodrene®, Hi-Tech has been investigating many plant extracts and other natural substances for their ability to reduce adipose tissue mass by reducing the number of adipocytes through the mechanism of apoptosis. We have identified a number of agents that may induce apoptosis of adipose tissue, and found that some catecholamines and beta-adrenergic receptor agonists are prone to induce adipose tissue apoptosis when administered orally. These compounds include: clenbuterol, ractopamine, phenylethylamine, and alkaloids from acacia rigidula extract, including b-phenylethylamine, N-Methyl-b-phenylethylamine, and R-beta-methylphenylethylamine. These compounds appear to have the ability to increase the rate of apoptosis in adipose tissue cells, specifically white adipose tissue cells. It is suggested that Fastin’s active components demonstrate a wide array of action on adipocytes, including increased lipolysis, decreased Lipogenesis, decreased cell proliferation, and increased adipogenesis (blocking immature fat cells from maturing and storing lipids). In addition, Fastin assists in more effective lipid mobilization.

Fastin brings forth a trifecta of advancements in the fat loss arena: 1) a sophisticated manufacturing process that utilizes a dual delivery system technology for specific control of rapid and sustained release of its active compounds, 2) a proprietary active compound formulation that trumps the existing field of fat loss compounds and puts even ephedra in the back seat, 3) a novel approach to fat loss through triggering fat cell death (apoptosis).

Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals recently launched Fastin™ into the weight loss arena. In recent months, Hi-Tech acquired rights to Fastin from King Pharmaceuticals. King Pharmaceuticals manufactured the brand name product Fastin (phentermine HCL) for Smith Kline Beecham. In December 1998, SK-Beecham withdrew Fastin from the market. Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals has reformulated Fastin and expects it to be their top weight loss aid. Fastin is a pharmaceutical-grade dietary supplement indicated for weight loss in extremely overweight individuals. Fastin has booth immediate and delayed release profiles for appetite suppression, energy, and weight loss. Fastin is comprised of nine pharmaceutical-grade fat loss catalysts at precise ratios in order to achieve its extraordinary results. Fastin’s proprietary formula includes the following

R-Beta-methylphenylethylamine HCL – this amazing compound is the active isomer of MPEA much like 1R, 25 Norephedrine was of PPA years ago. This compound stimulates norepinephrine unlike any other and leads to appetite suppression, energy, and ultimate fat loss.

Methylphenylethylamine tartrate – this is the racemic version of MPEA bound to tartaric acid, which keeps the molecule stable. This compound is found in Hi-Tech’s line and is a rising star of the fat loss industry.

N-methyl-phenylethylamine – is another isolated amine from acacia rigidula that is both for stimulating fat burning and energizing effects. This is the N-methyl derivative of the compound B-Phenylethylamine. This is a very potent compound for all who lack a chemistry degree

Methylsynephrine – is phenolic B-Phenylethylamine found in Acacia Rigidula and some cacti, which produces considerable nervous system stimulation (CNS). With Hi-Tech’s research over the past five years on Acacia Rigidula (as Thermo-Rx®), we have identified and isolated several key phenylethylamine alkaloids. The newest of which is methylsynephrine. The alkaloids from the acacia rigidula are biologically and physiologically similar to those found in ephedra, and possess properties that are shared with ephedra alkaloids. Scientifically, this is in part due to the similarities in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The most obvious similarity is that acacia alkaloids, like the ephedra alkaloids, readily pass into the brain. The main factor governing the transfer of small molecules into the central nervous system is lipophilicity. The distribution of drugs and/or compounds into the CNS from the blood is unique, because functional barriers are present that restrict entry of drugs into this critical site. One reason for this is that the brain capillary endothelial cells have continuous tight junctions; therefore, drug penetration into the brain depends on transcellular rather than paracellular transport between cells. The unique characteristics of percipaillary gilial cells also contribute to the blood-brain barrier. At the choroids plexus, a similar blood-cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) barrier is present, except that it is epithelila cells that are joined by tight junctions rather than endothelial cells. As a result, the lipid solubility of the nonionized and unbound species of the drug is an important determinant of its uptake by the brain; the more lipophilic it is, the more likely it is to cross the blood-brain barrier. This situation is used in drugs design to alter the brain distribution, which is the case with drugs like amphetamine, phentermine, and benzphetamine. As you can see from the comparison of the structures of ephedrine, norephedrine, and methylsynephrine they all possess the b-methyl substituent of the aliphatic sidechain, which is characteristic of ephedrine and its congeners, as well as methylsynephrine, thus further increasing lipophilicity.

What is a suitable substitute for ephedra? How about another beta agonist? Methylsynephrine is just the answer that the industry has been waiting on for years! The sympathetic nervous system is involved in the regulation of energy. Therefore, pharmacological manipulation of the system offers a mechanism of targeting a reduction in excess body fat stores. Many beta-adrenergic agonists are known to increase muscle mass while concurrently decreasing fat mass. Prolonged treatment with sympathomimetic compounds reduces energy intake and increases energy expenditure. The beta 2&3 receptors appear to be responsible for the lipolytic and thermogenic effects of adrenergic agents, while interaction with beta-1 and to a much lesser extent, beta-2 control cardiac effects. Accordingly, the ideal fat loss compound would be one identical to acacia rigidula and especially methylsynephrine. Until now, there has never been a beta-adrenergic compound like methylsynephrine that can stimulate lipolysis and increase resting metabolic rate like ephedra.

Theobromine – is the primary methylxanthine found in products of the cocoa tree, Theobroma cocao. As a member of the methylxanthine family, it is thought to elevate levels of serotonin, the same action as the popular anti-depressants. Theobromine has a lot of research that shows its extraordinary effects on fat loss, appetite suppression, and mobilization of fatty deposits. Theobromine acts as a mild diuretic and stimulant, which creates a synergistic effect with caffeine.

Phenylethylamine HCL – this amazing compound is probably the cleanest stimulant ever researched, and it is naturally present in human fluids and tissues. Although categorized as a stimulant, it has the remarkable ability to simulate the central nervous system without causing nervousness or the jittery feeling. Phenylethylamine is found in chocolate and is responsible for its effects on mood, appetite, and sense of well-being. Until recent discoveries, PEA, or phenylethylamine, was rapidly destroyed within the body. If included with novel delivery systems, phenylethylamine HCL is provided “safe transport” and this metabolic fate is avoided and pharmacological activity becomes extremely apparent. This catecholamine precursor is responsible for elevating the metabolic rate and promoting a sense of satiety. Phenylethylamine acts on alpha-receptors in the brain, as do norepinephrine and certain prescription anti-obesity drugs. It is also believed to cause the release of dopamine in the pleasure sensing areas of the brain. Phenylethylamine HCL has a close chemical relationship to pharmaceutical stimulants, because it is the “backbone” of many pharmaceutical compounds.

Yohimbine HCL – has been shown in many clinical trials to effectively block alpha 2 adrenoreceptors. These studies have found that yohimbine increases the amount of non-esterfied fatty acids (NEFA’s) a product of lipolysis (the breakdown of fat), in the blood-stream for both lean and overweight subjects. There are a number of feedback mechanisms that prevent the release of norepinephrine (NE), one of the body’s primary lipolytic hormones. When NE is released, such as when taking methylsynephrine and acacia rigidula, it stimulates both the alpha and beta adrenoreceptors. Stimulation of the beta adrenoreceptors has the opposite effect, preventing the release of NE and lipolysis. Yohimbine prevents this negative feedback mechanism, and works in a synergistic fashion with the other components to increase NE and lipolysis. There are a number of reasons why alpha-2 inhibition is specifically useful. First, while the beta-adrenergic system primarily controls lipolysis during periods of intense activity, during rest, which makes up most of our day, the alpha-adrenergic system is in control. Also, “stubborn fat” areas – usually the abdominal area in men and the glutofemoral area in women – contain a higher ratio of alpha-2 receptors, making yohimbine particularly effective in these areas (whereas other drugs that increase NE may be somewhat counterproductive). Finally, alpha-2 blockade increases blood flow in adipose tissue, which prevents fat from being retained in the area.

Synephrine HCL – is a drug used primarily in fat loss, although the effectiveness is minimal in Fastin. It is very popular and has been used as an alternative to ephedrine (a substance with a history of controversy). Synephrine is derived primarily form the fruit of a small citrus tree.

Caffeine Anhydrous USP – acts as a stimulant and thermogenic in humans, and is commonly taken to boost energy or mental concentration. It will stimulate the central nervous system and the metabolism. Once metabolized, caffeine can increase lipolysis in the body. Caffeine may also increase the effectiveness of other substances such as ephedrine or yohimbe, and was incredibly popular in the commonly used ECA stack (ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin).

In Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, the character, Juliet says, “What is in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Hi-Tech has attached the name, Fastin, to the most effective diet aid of the 21st century. Hi-Tech expects to revive the cult following that Fastin previously enjoyed. Hi-Tech also enjoys the challenge of living up to a legend. In baseball, Ken Griffey, Jr. came into the league with big shoes to fill in his hall of fame father’s Cincinnati Red eyes. Today, 593 home runs later, “the natural,” as many call him, feels he achieved quite a bit more than his father ever did in baseball, and did more than just fill his father’s shoes. In NASCAR racing, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has fans worldwide expecting him to continue winning and live up to his father’s reputation – which is that he was the best driver to ever get behind the wheel of a car. Fastin by Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals not only welcomes the challenge of living up to a legend, but chose the name in order to have a tell set of shoes to fill. Fastin is a world class fat burner that will help anyone needing to lose weight. Whether you need to lose a little or a lot of weight – Fastin is just what the doctor ordered!

Zeolite Natural Cellular Defense

Natural Cellular Defense
Product Review by Rebbe Gabriel Cousens M.D.M.D.(H)

• * Builds Immune System
  
• * Pulls Out Heavy Metals
  
• * Pulls Out Pesticides/Herbicides
  
• * Preventative / Potential Treatment for Cancer (as suggested by one study)
  
• * Effective Detox for Prospective Mothers
  
• * Destroys Cancer Cells (100%) In Vitro Within 72 Hours

As a holistic physician, Gabriel Cousens, M.D., who is the author of this letter, has consistently been looking for herbs or natural substances that can help prevent and ameliorate the causes of chronic dis�€�ease which surrounds us in an increasingly serious way. It is amazing that every year 10.9 million people across the globe are diagnosed with cancer and 6.7 million people die because of cancer. This is about 12% of all global deaths. The U.S. ranks in the top three countries with the highest rate of cancer in both men and women. This is not an accident. 70,000 chemicals, according to the E.P.A., are used commercially. 65,000 of those 70,000 are potentially hazardous to our health. According to the Environmental Defense Group, more than 4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals are released into the environment each year, of which 72 million pounds are known carcinogens.

These cancer-causing agents end up in our air, our water, and our food. In other words, we, like everybody else in the world, are surrounded by carcinogens, and we have to use what we as human beings have used all along for survival: a certain amount of cleverness and thoughtfulness in our lives to counteract the lack of consciousness that the corporations and ourselves are living with. Different tests on the blood and urine of adult Americans have found a total of 167 compounds, with an average of 91 compounds in each person. Of these 167 compounds, 76 are known to cause cancer, and 94 are toxic to the nervous system. 82 effect the lungs, 86 effect hormones, and 79 cause birth defects. In unborn babies, the Red Cross has found a total of 287 chemicals in the baby's blood; 180 are known to cause cancer, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208 cause birth defects in animals. Our future generations are explicitly at risk. Gabriel is working to develop a detoxification system for pre-pregnant mothers. Wouldn�€™t it be nice to find a simple, natural remedy that can act as a practical antidote for this situation?

Some estimates show as much 25% of Americans suffer from some degree of heavy metal poisoning, the biggest ones being mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic. We are exposed to radioactivity as well in a major way. The Chernobyl disaster is just one example of this. Immune systems are compromised by lifestyle and toxic exposure. People are exposed to increasing viral attacks; free-radical buildup from radiation and other toxic chemicals has been seen as one of the causes or contributors to increased aging and cancer. People are living in an acid environment, having acid thoughts, acid foods, and an acid lifestyle; people are becoming, obviously, more acid.

In Gabriel�€™s search for a simple approach to this, he has come across a natural compound called zeolite. Zeolite, in general, has been used for hundreds of years as a traditional remedy throughout Asia to promote overall health and well-being. Zeolite is an alchemical combining of the four elements �€“ air, earth, water, and fire �€“ as the lava earth and fire energy of volcanoes erupted and the lava and ash poured into the sea. The combination of the ash and the salt from the sea, as well as the lava, caused a chemical reaction, and over thousands of years certain precious minerals like zeolites began to be formed.

A chemist from a small pharmaceutical company in Ohio was intrigued by the power of zeolites. He researched it and purified it, and found some amazingly powerful effects from it. He was given a patent # 6,288,045 by the U.S. government. Gabriel has read the scientific research, the patent papers, and the research monographed by Rik J. Deitsch, a nutritional and research biochemist, who is president of NDA Consulting, Inc., a biotechnology research group. He is also Chairman of the Waiora Scientific Advisory Board, and he is in charge of all the research concerning this natural healing substance. After talking with him and reading the literature, it is clear that they may have discovered what seems to be one of the most potent natural preventatives, and perhaps even treatments, for cancer. In a recently completed preliminary 14-month open label study by Life Link Pharmaceuticals with 65 Level Four, terminal-stage cancer patients, sent home to die, 51 of the patients (or 78%) experienced complete remissions (which means complete disappearance of the cancer). It appears to be effective for all forms of cancer, leukemia, and lymphoma.

The mechanism of action is quite interesting for cancer. Theoretically, the zeolites in Natural Cellular Defense, which are in a certain structure that is negatively charged, take in a tremendous amount of positively charged heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides. Therefore, these zeolites indirectly neutralize their effect in causing cancer. Then, because of this interaction, the zeolites become slightly positively charged and are attracted to the negatively charged membrane of the cancer cell, and are pulled right into the cancer cells. When the Zeolite moves inside the cell, the P21 gene is activated. P21 acts as a tumor suppressor through its ability to control cell cycle progression. The activation of P21 appears to halt the growth of tumors by directly suppressing growth signals.

In in-vitro studies, all cancer cells tested were destroyed in 72 hours, which is a claim no other substance has been able to make. The beauty of it, of course, is that there are no side effects because it specifically targets cancer cells. Gabriel�€™s primary interest is in cancer prevention and preparing mothers for a healthy pregnancy. We want to note the significance of the preliminary study that shows approximately 78% of the people diagnosed with terminal cancer are now in remission. Even so, Natural Cellular Defense is still in preliminary research phase as a cancer treatment and it is too soon to claim that this is a cure for cancer.

In terms of the heavy metals, which are a major, major problem, as well as pesticides and herbicides, furans and dioxins, etc., we can say that Natural Cellular Defense acts in a chelation-like effect to remove heavy metals, pesticides, herbicides, and other toxins from the system. It seems to do this in a hierarchical manner. It first acts strongly to remove lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic. Once it has removed those from the system, which may take at least one month, it then acts in the second level priority. This is a chelation-like effect that removes the pesticides, herbicides, plastics, and so forth.

The third priority in zeolite�€™s mechanism is to act as a natural trap of viruses, preventing the production of viruses. The way it takes out the heavy metals as well as the pesticides and herbicides in a chelation-like effect is that within the structure of the zeolite, there are certain �€�cages,�€� inside of which are positive ions. The positive ions switch places with the heavy metals, pesticides, or herbicides, which are also positive ions, and tightly bind them. One of the qualities of this way of binding of toxins is that the toxins are 100% excreted. These pesticides, herbicides, and heavy metals leave the system through excretion; they do not get deposited in other places. 40% of it binds the heavy metals in the gastrointestinal tract, and 60% of it binds toxins in the bloodstream and at the cellular level. An additional part of zeolite�€™s binding power was also proven at the Chernobyl disaster, where it removed radioactive cesium and strontium-90 from the system, acting primarily as a chelator. It allowed those radioactive minerals to be trapped in the crystalline cage structure of the Zeolite.

Zeolite also acts as a unique antioxidant in that it does not work like the traditional antioxidants, which, in essence, act as a way to take up the excess free radicals. What Natural Cellular Defense does is simply traps the free radicals in its complex structure. It inactivates the free radicals and, again, eliminates them from the system. In this way it acts complimentarily to the traditional antioxidants that absorb the free radicals into their system because they have an unpaired electron.

In addition, zeolite acts as what we would call a local buffer. Wherever it is, it buffers the system towards slightly alkaline (pH 7.35 to 7.45), which is a perfect buffer for the optimum pH for the human body that we want. Research has also shown that, in a way that is not entirely clear, zeolite acts to regulate the immune system, either up-regulating it or down-regulating it according to the situation. This is very important in a world in which most people¹s immune systems are seriously and continually being compromised.

The final role that zeolite plays is as a broad-spectrum anti-viral. What it does in this function is block virus production. It does this because viruses produce everything in parts in a production line, and at the end they put it all together. What zeolite does is literally absorb the viral parts into the �€�pores�€� �€“ not the cages (the chelating like parts) �€“ but literally into the pores of the mirconized zeolite aggregates. It seems to be effective for herpes virus 1, cosachie virus B-5, ecco-virus 7, and also adeno virus 5. Gabriel wants to be clear that its effect as an anti-viral is not immediate, but only seems to happen after you have been on it for about four to six weeks, and the heavy metals, pesticides, and herbicides have been mostly pulled out. Natural Cellular Defense�€™s anti-viral role behavior is part of zeolite�€™s the third level down in its hierarchy of priorities. Again, this is a preventative measure that builds up over time.

One unique thing about zeolite is that it is considered by the FDA as �€�completely safe.�€� It is listed on the GRAS list (generally recognized as safe). There do not seem to be any side effects. However, there is a contraindication of which to be aware. Because of its natural action to absorb water, it can cause dehydration. Whenever you are taking Natural Cellular Defense, it is important to drink a lot of water. It is also important to drink plenty of water before you start taking it to hydrate yourself for several days. Zeolite is also contraindicated when taking any medications with heavy metals, such as lithium, or with the use of medications containing platinum.

Dosage The general treatment for everyone is 10 drops of Natural Cellular Defense three times a day, with or without meals. As support as part of cancer prevention, or as an addition to a cancer program, 15 drops 3-4 times per day is recommended. Zeolite remains active in the body for a period of six hours, and then needs to be replenished.

Once you have taken 10 drops three times per day for four to six weeks, then you can drop down to 3-5 drops three times a day on an ongoing basis, and increasing the dosage when there is a viral attack, chemical exposure, chemtrail exposure, or other exposure. Zeolite is a gift from God to antidote our very difficult environmental conditions, which keep us from being our fullest, healthiest, clearest, joyful, God-merged beings that we are meant to be.

Gabriel and Shanti are taking Natural Cellular Defense; Gabriel feels that it is obvious that everyone who is living in the industrial world should be taking it on a regular basis. What Gabriel believes we have here is a most unique, natural substance that is formed alchemically by nature, as a gift from God to help us face our present-day health challenges due to with ecological ignorance. In Ayurveda, we call it prajna prathara: crimes against nature.

Click here to order Zeolite!

Do your forearms tend to get more pumped than your biceps while doing curls? If so, you are robbing your biceps of the intense stimulation they need to grow! Why does this occur? Because many trainees get into the bad habit of initiating the biceps curling movement with a wrist curling movement. This is great for hitting the forearm flexors hard, but not very beneficial for blasting the biceps!

So what’s the solution? Try doing some of your curling exercises with your wrists bent back (so that your forearm flexors are in a stretch position). This will effectively take the forearms out of the movement, and force the biceps to take on all of the work!

Expect to reduce your curling poundage somewhat in the beginning, but over time it will return to normal…however, during that time your biceps will look anything but normal with the added size they will pack on!

Q. Eric, I am looking for a good OTC fat burning stack, as I want to be shredded for summer. I saw your pics on the PRRS website and would die to look like that. I am nowhere near as big as you, but I just want to get that rock hard look you have. If money were not an object, what would you recommend to me? Thanks!

A. First let me start by saying thank you. I sincerely appreciate your kind words about my physique. Obviously you know that the main keys to obtaining the muscular look you are after lie in your training, cardio program, and especially your diet. You did not mention anything about these things, so I will assume you have it all under control. The reason I mention this is because so many people think that magical pills and powders hold the secret to getting huge and/or ripped, but truth be told, they are only one piece of the bodybuilding puzzle. However, if you are doing the right things in the gym and at the table, then the sports supplements available today can absolutely hasten your progress, and help you reach a level of development somewhat beyond what you could without them. Consider supplements as “the icing on the cake!”

Now, to answer your question more directly, here is the stack I recommend for not only burning a ton of body fat, but also retaining lean muscle tissue as you diet. This is pretty much exactly what I utilized when preparing for the photos you were referring to.

• *Thermogenic Fat Burner-I recommend SAN Tight Hardcore, Nx Care Methyl Ripped, or Nutrex Lipo 6
  
• *Thyroidal Support-I recommend Thermolife International Dicana or ALRI Thyro-X
  
• *Night Time Fat Burner-I recommend ALRI Lean Dreams or Nutralogix Labs Dream Tone
  
• *Insulin Potentiator-I recommend USP Labs Anabolic Pump
  
• *L-Glutamine-I recommend VPX Ultra Pure Glutamine
  
• *BCAA’s-I recommend Scivation X-tend or VPX BCAAEX

If you decide to use any of these products, please read each bottle thoroughly and follow the instructions carefully. Good luck!!

Q. Bro, I know you have written about this before, but I can’t find anywhere. I am having a problem developing the “tear drop” of my thighs and wanted to know what you recommend to bring these muscles up. Thanks!

A. Ahhh yes, the famous “teardrop” issue! I find it rather amazing how some people do nothing special for their thighs and yet have extremely well developed vastus medialis (teardrop) muscles, while others do everything short of kneeling down before a picture of Tom Platz and praying to the thigh Gods, and still can’t get these muscles to “pop!” First you need to understand that a lot of this is genetic. If you look at IFBB pro Art Atwood or Paco Bautista, both known for their massive thigh development, you will notice that their VM’s are not all that big compared to the overall volume of their quads…and I am sure they have done every leg exercise in existence at every conceivable angle! Thus, you can still have enormous and outstanding legs without having monstrous teardrops.

However, while genetics play the largest role in the equation of muscle shape, there are still some techniques available that will better activate the VM while training legs, which should help you get some extra development out of them.

The first and best technique for making the teardrops cry (pun intended) is 1 and ½ rep squats and leg presses. If you have never done these before, let me warn you that they HURT! During a normal set of squats or presses, you would slowly lower into the bottom position and then explode back to the top. With 1 and ½ reps you will lower to the bottom position and press slowly only ½ way. You will then slowly lower to the bottom position again before exploding to the top. That entire sequence counts as one repetition. The reason this works so well is because in the bottom position the VM’s have to work the hardest to get you moving on the concentric rep. Thus, with 1 and ½ reps, you will spend more time in the ROM where the most VM activation takes place.

The second technique for blasting the old teardrops is to utilize a “duck stance” during squats and leg presses. By duck stance I mean that you should perform your sets with your feet pointed outward at about a 45-degree angle. Not only will this strongly stimulate the inner thigh muscles, such as the sartorius and gracilis, but it will also help you feel the VM’s working more intensely during those movements (especially if you focus on pushing with those muscles specifically).

Finally, you can also work the teardrops harder during leg extensions by turning your feet outward at the top of the movement. EMG studies show that using this technique shifts some of the emphasis from the vastus lateralis (outer thigh) and rectus femoris (middle thigh) to the VM’s.

Now that I have described a few teardrop-crushing techniques, here is a program that puts them into effect:

• -1 and ½ rep Squats…1 x 13-15, 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9
  
• -Superset: Leg Extensions (turning feet out at the top) and Duck Stance Leg Press…2 x 8-10 each
  
• -Smith Lunge…2 x 8-10 per leg
• Try that for the next 8 weeks and I bet you will be crying a bit less about your teardrops!

VISUALIZE FOR SIZE!

Very few people consider the role of the mind when it comes to training effectively. Most trainees are very careful to make sure they get in their pre-workout meal at a specific time, as well as their glutamine, creatine, BCAA’s, NO2, and stimulants. Some go so far as to make time for a nap before they train so they can wake up refreshed and ready to hit the weights. And don’t get me wrong…all of those things are critical to optimizing your time in the gym. However, if you truly wish to realize your “intensity potential,” then its time you start using visualization. This is a tried and true technique that is used by many top athletes to bring about their best performance on game day. You too can use it to bring about your best performance in the gym. It is easy to do, and only takes a few minutes. I believe that the best time to use visualization is before you go to sleep at night (to optimize the following day’s workout), and/or right before you take a pre-workout nap. Visualization can also be used while at the gym, right before performing a lift that you particularly want to improve upon. Ok, so now that you think you might want to try and VISUALIZE for SIZE, you are probably saying, “So what do I have to do?” Below is how I like to approach visualization, but with practice you might find other unique ways to enhance the experience.

• 1. Relax. Lie down. Close your eyes. Breathe deeply. Clear your mind and calm your body.
  
• 2. Picture yourself in the gym. See the weights, the machines and the people. Hear the music, sense the intensity and even smell the perspiration in the air.
  
• 3. See yourself how you wish to be. Bigger…harder…stronger…more vascular
  
• 4. Think about each lift you will be performing and picture the perfect set. See a record weight on the bar and feel the iron in your hands. Imagine yourself lifting it with ease, as if it were no heavier than a feather.
  
• 5. Experience the burn and incredible pump the workout will give you, and the tremendous satisfaction it will bring about.
  
  
  

Pre-program your mind for success and your body will follow.

Well, yet another ASC weekend is complete, and as usual, bodybuilding’s premiere competition/Expo was a huge success! This year I worked at the Epic Nutrition booth (makers of 5-Tetra, 8-Beta Anabol, and 4-Nitrotropic) where I met a lot of great people and also got to see some old friends, colleagues and many of my clients. I love nothing better than talking to fans, bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, athletes, and just regular folk about anything and everything having to do with health, nutrition, supplementation, and training.

As usual, the Arnold Expo was literally jam packed with people frantically walking the aisles from the moment the doors opened to the second that the lights were being shut off! Watching the crowds go by is truly a surreal experience, as you see people from all walks of life…and in all shapes, sizes and colors! The pace at the Expo is off the charts, which certainly kept me on my toes throughout the weekend! Forget about just attending the Expo…if you are someone that is working at it, you better make sure you bring your “A-game!” I think I sat down all of 10 minutes during Expo hours the entire weekend.

Of all the booths at the Expo, the one’s getting the most attention had to be Optimum Nutrition, BSN, Muscle Tech, Muscular Development, and VPX. But in truth, all the booths were busy. There were beautiful models everywhere, as well as a plethora of ripped up bodybuilders. There was music blaring and lights flashing from all directions, as every company tried to set themselves apart from the others. Attendees walked away with bags full of free products, t-shirts, calendars, pictures, and more. In fact, you had to be big and strong just to carry all of this stuff for hours on end!

The ASC Expo is something that has to be experienced first hand to be believed! At least once in your life you should try to get there if you are a true fan of the health, fitness, bodybuilding, and athletic industry.

As you know, the Arnold Classic is the second most prestigious and coveted title in men’s pro bodybuilding… only bowing to the Mr. Olympia. No matter how much prize money is offered at the Arnold, the Mr. O is still the quintessential title in the sport. However, everyone knows that the winner of the ASC becomes an instant front-runner for a Mr. O top spot. And this is not something that only goes for the men, but the ladies of the iron sport as well.

Below you will find the results of the pro Figure, Fitness, and Ms. International competitions held in conjunction with the Arnold Classic

******************

Figure International

• 15) Zena Collins
  
• 14) Corry Matthews
  
• 13) Briana Tindall
  
• 12) Deborah Leung
  
• 11) Jane Awad
  
• 10) Inga Neverauskaite
  
• 9) Christine Wan
  
• 8) Julie Wallis
  
• 7) Chastity Slone
  
• 6) Gina Aliotti, $1,000
  
• 5) Valerie Waugaman, $2,000
  
• 4) Latisha Wilder, $3,000
  
• 3) Sonia Adcock, $6,000
  
• 2) Amanda Savell, $8,000
  
• 1) Mary Elizabeth Lado, $12,000

Fitness International

• 15) Heidi Fletcher (did not finish)
  
• 14) Amy Haddad
  
• 13) Bethany Gainey
  
• 12) Mindi O'Brien
  
• 11) Amy Villa Nelson
  
• 10) Angela Monteleone Semsch
  
• 9) Hollie Stewart
  
• 8) Deborah Czempinski
  
• 7) Julie Shipley Childs
  
• 6) Tracey Greenwood, $2,000
  
• 5) Julie Palmer, $3,000
  
• 4) Tanji Johnson, $5,000
  
• 3) Adela Garcia, $8,000
  
• 2) Jen Hendershott, $10,000
  
• 1) Kim Klein, $25,000
  
  
  

Ms. International

• 16) Suzanne Neiderhauser
  
• 15) Rosemary Jennings
  
• 14) Colette Nelson
  
• 13) Kim Perez
  
• 12) Denise Masino
  
• 11) Lora Ottenad
  
• 10) Cathy Lefrancois
  
• 9) Antoinette Norman
  
• 8) Bonnie Priest
  
• 7) Annie Riveccio
  
• 6) Dayana Cadeau, $2,000
  
• 5) Betty Pariso, $3,000
  
• 4) Lisa Aukland, $5,000
  
• 3) Heather Policky, $8,000
  
• 2) Yaxeni Oriquen-Garcia, $12,500
  
• 1) Iris Kyle, $25,000
  
  
  

******************

The 2007 ASC men’s pro competition was definitely one of the most exciting in years! So many talented athletes were invited to this contest it was almost impossible to predict the top 5. So many questions were flying through the bodybuilding community leading up to the show… Would Dexter be able to repeat? Can Victor come in hard enough to unseat Dex? Would Toney Freeman be able to keep his momentum after two pro wins? Could Phil Heath hang with the big boys? Is it possible for 50-year-old Vince Taylor to hold his own with this group, some more than 20 years his junior?

Well, the questions have been answered and the ASC did not disappoint! Here is the way it went down, with a little commentary from yours truly…

16) Luke Wood: Unfortunately, big Luke was just out of his league here. He has the size, but is not as detailed as he needs to be, especially because he does not have very good lines or a flowing physique. He does, however, have the potential to get better.

15) Sergey Shelestov: His first problem was his color, as he was not dark enough. He has pretty good size and decent symmetry, but will need even more muscle and better conditioning to move up in a show of this caliber.

14) David Henry: Not sure what is happening with David this year. So far he has competed in nowhere near the condition we are used to seeing him in. Normally, he is one of the hardest and driest men onstage, with shredded glutes and the most detailed back on the circuit! However, in 2007 these attributes are not to be found on his physique. That said, I am betting he gets it together and earns an Olympia qualifying spot sometime this year.

13) Hidetada Yamagishi: This little giant is packed with quality muscle and has pretty good overall conditioning. With more years in the gym I could see him breaking into the top 10 in the future.

12) Marcus Haley: Marcus has an excellent physique, with nice lines, a fair amount of size, and good overall proportion and symmetry. He certainly can call his showing at the ASC a success, as he took home 10 grand for winning the best poser award!

11) Mark Dugdale: Ok…were the judges at the same show I was? How did Mark not make the top 10 is beyond me. With one of the most polished physiques, and a near flawless presentation, I definitely believed he deserved some better call-outs. In my eyes he should have been battling it out with Branch Warren and Ronny Rockel for the 7th or 8th spot. Mark was hard, proportionate, symmetrical, dry, and striated. Somehow, this was lost on the judges.

10) Vince Taylor: You gotta love this guy! 50 years old and still a warrior! You can tell that Vince is just happy to be up there, but in truth, he is still one of the best….and still defeating some guys that are 20+ years younger than him! I don’t know how much longer he intends to compete, but if he could just bring up his leg size a bit and drop a tad of water from under his skin, he can still threaten the top 5 at the bigger shows.

9) Markus Ruhl: Markus is a freak, no doubt. He is like some muscle-building scientific experiment that went awry. With pecs, delts and biceps that are just ridiculously huge, Markus makes a big impact when he first hits the stage. However, when you see him a bit longer, it becomes easier to see his flaws, and how he lacks in certain areas. To me, his biggest problems lie in his triceps, which are kind of flat, and his back, which is not as tight as his front (kind of like Nasser once was). Still, what amazes me about him is how tight his midsection is considering his contest weight of 280+. I am sure we have not seen the last of this giant.

8) Ronny Rockel: I truly love this guy’s physique. He is very evenly developed, and just looks healthy onstage. Nothing really stands out on Ronny, which is a testament to his excellent proportions. Years ago this was a guy that most fans had hardly heard of, now he is in the top 10 at the second biggest bodybuilding show in the world. And with a little more density and a little less water under the skin, he has the potential to rise higher than 8th.

7) Branch Warren: Branch is without a doubt packed with some of the most striated, dense, and vascular muscle in the sport…from head to toe! In 2006 he appeared to be transitioning from a 2nd tier pro, into a true top tier pro, but it seems he is stumbling along the way. The question is, is it because he does not look as good, or is it because his “freakiness” is no longer freaking the judges out? When he walked out onstage he looked to me to be as good as the Branch that took second in this show last year, but for some reason, he just did not make the same impact. It is true that he still needs some more arm size, and that his back, while carrying tremendous amounts of muscle, does not have the paper thin skin seen on the rest of his body. Perhaps this is something the judges are no longer overlooking, and something Branch needs to address further to reach his former glory. But if anyone can do it, it is Branch Warren!

6) Silvio Samuel: A relative unknown until this year, Silvio is now making a fast rise to the top of the sport in 2007! With a top 5 placing at the first two pro shows of the year, many were wondering if Silvio could do the same at the ASC. Well, he almost did! In fact, I feel that if he knew how to present himself a bit better, he may have moved Phil Heath out of the 5th spot! Silvio has some of the roundest muscle bellies in pro bodybuilding, and sports a thick chest, full shoulders, sweeping thighs, and deep abs. His main weaknesses, as I see them, are that he needs a bit more back depth and more cuts through his quads. I also feel he needs to learn to pose a bit better. If he can take care of these things, he will be one to watch come Olympia time.

5) Phil Heath: Similar to the way Flex Wheeler did in 1993, Phil Heath has literally stormed onto the pro bodybuilding scene, winning his first two shows in the process. The question this year was, is Phil the real deal or just a fluke? Well, that query was answered at the very first call-out during prejudging as Phil found himself standing next to veterans Toney Freeman, Dexter Jackson and Victor Martinez! With his beautiful lines, tight waist, awesome separation, and crisp-as-can-be conditioning, Phil certainly held his own up there with the big boys. However, I think that he needs about another 10-15 lbs on his frame, with no loss in hardness, before he could threaten for the title at this show. That said, Phil is definitely a force to be reckoned with and the brightest new star in the sport. He is going to have quite a trophy case before he decides to hang his trunks up…and more than likely, an ASC title.

4) Gustavo Badell: In my opinion, this is the best Gustavo has looked in over 2 years. He was big, thick, hard, separated, and his waist was back under control. At the beginning of prejudging it appeared to me that the judges did not notice just how good Gustavo looked! I was sure he would be in the first callout, but that was not the case. However, slowly but surely, this stage warrior, who literally yells with every pose, got himself into the mix, and started to knock at the top 5 door. It appeared to me that Gustavo was cramping a bit onstage, as he kept bending over and had a look of pain on his face. However, I spoke with him after the show and he assured me he was just posing as hard as he could. Eventually, Gustavo received 4th place but I had him 3rd. If he can get even dryer for the Olympia, he is capable of a top 5 spot.

3) Toney Freeman: The “X” man has without a doubt arrived in 2007! After starting the year with victories at both the Iron Man and Sacramento Pro, big Toney was ready for battle at the ASC! Toney brings a unique look to the stage, with his giant 6’2” frame, 30-inch waist, sweeping quads, and wide-as-can-be back. His only weaknesses are that he still needs about 15 lbs more muscle across his upper body, and that he can be somewhat more conditioned from the back. But seriously, that is just nitpicking as this man has one of the best, and most pleasing physiques in the IFBB today. One other thing I would like to see from Toney is a bit more aggression onstage, particularly during prejudging. This is where he can take a lesson from Gustavo. It seems that when Toney is not doing as well as he might like, he not only stops smiling, but also stops posing with much passion. It was only when he made the first and final callout that he really came alive. If he would simply be ferocious throughout, he may actually “steal” a higher placing in some shows.

2) Dexter Jackson: Last year’s ASC winner had to know he was going to have his hands full in 07 with the addition of Victor, Phil, and Toney to the lineup. In order to hold these guys off Dexter needed to bring something new and special to the plate. Did he? Not really. To me, he was the same old Dexter. Now, that is not necessarily a bad thing, because Dex is simply amazing, with incredible muscularity, full muscle bellies, striated glutes, abs from hell, and one of the best backs in the game. However, his eventual 2nd place showing to a less than 100% (in my opinion) Victor Martinez is saying just one thing: time to take it to the next level Dexter! Can he do it? I think he can…he may just have to work a little harder. As ripped as he is, I think he was a bit dryer in 2003 and 2004. So, if he can hold his present size, and get back the mind-blowing dryness he once displayed, he is certainly capable of beating everyone in the sport with the exception of Ronnie and Jay.

1) Victor Martinez: Let me start by saying that I do not think that Victor was at his best at this show. That said, he is just so darn good that even at 85% he is better than just about everyone else! Victor has size, shape, fullness, density, symmetry, proportion, and a small waist. Where he sometimes misses the mark is in his conditioning, which was also the case here at the ASC. Although you could clearly see his amazing cuts and striations, there was a film of water over his muscles that made his physique look less “dramatic” when he posed. If he were crisper, more along the lines of Phil Heath, Victor would be unstoppable. And, he has achieved this type of rock hardness before, with his best shape being at the 2003 Night of Champions. So, if Victor can combine the size he has now, with the condition he displayed a few years ago, we could very well see yet a new Mr. Olympia within the next couple of years. But for now, Victor should feel great about holding the second biggest bodybuilding title on the planet…and the check it put in his pocket!

See you all at the 2008 ASC!

Are your workouts getting a bit stale? Are you having trouble feeling a pump? Have you stopped growing? Has your strength gains simply stalled out? While there are many reasons why you may find yourself in this distressing situation, much of the time it is the result of the ineffectiveness of your current training program. While at one time you may have thrived on exactly what you are doing now, you may have reached a point where a change is necessary in order to continue progressing. The body is an incredibly adaptive machine and if you continually provide the same, or too similar, types of stimulation, i.e., exercises, sets, and reps, your body will quickly adapt and fail to respond to your workouts. You must continually find ways to provide a novel “stress” to your body and muscles in order to force “overcompensation” in the form of increased growth and strength.

There are many ways to go about revamping and revitalizing your workout routine, but one of the best ways I’ve found to wake up muscles that are napping on the job is by taking things “one at a time.” Unilateral training, or training one limb/side of the body at a time, is one of the most effective methods available for stepping up the intensity of your workouts and helping to push past plateaus in both size and strength. Unilateral exercises have several advantages over standard training that can catapult you to new levels: (1) You will be able to concentrate and focus more intensely on the target muscle, which in and of itself can lead to better gains, (2) You will recruit more muscle fibers and fatigue more motor unit pools with each rep than with standard two-armed training, and (3) You will take steps toward overcoming strength imbalances between your right and left sides. For example, if your right biceps is stronger than your left, whenever you do a standard barbell, cable, or preacher curl, your right arm will dominate the movement, especially as you fatigue, effectively reducing the stimulation that the left biceps receives. This only serves to enhance your strength imbalance as well as cheat your left arm out of growth. However, by utilizing unilateral exercises, you will be forcing the weaker side to do all of the work on its own, rather than constantly relying on the dominant side to assist in lifting and lowering the weight. Additionally, when you begin to even out the level of strength between corresponding muscles on both sides of your body you will become stronger in all of your standard two-arm/leg exercises. In my years as a personal trainer I have witnessed clients add as much as 100 lbs. to their two-leg leg press after doing the single-leg version for just four weeks. Similarly, another one of my former clients improved his two-arm military press by 25 lbs. after utilizing single arm dumbbell presses for only three weeks!

Now, I am not saying that you should entirely abandon standard training for a completely unilateral approach; however, I do believe that everyone should incorporate at least one single-limb exercise at each bodypart workout. I generally recommend that you perform unilateral exercises toward the end of your routine for a particular bodypart. Now, I am sure that most of you are familiar with such unilateral exercises as concentration curls, one arm rows, and kickbacks, but you are truly missing out if you have not tried such muscle killers as single-legged leg presses or squats, single arm dumbbell shoulder presses, single arm crossovers, single arm lat pulldowns, single arm dumbbell upright rows, etc. These exercises will stress your muscles in a new and different way, forcing your body to “overcompensate” and grow larger and stronger. Additionally, you will effectively exercise many of the stabilizing and balancing muscles by training one side at a time which will only serve to provide you with a more “complete” looking physique as well as more total body strength and coordination. Here is a list of unilateral exercises that you may wish to experiment with and incorporate into your workouts:

• Chest: single arm machine chest press, single arm cable flye, single arm cable crossover, single arm pec deck flye
  
• Lats: single arm dumbbell row, single arm seated cable row, single arm pulldown
  
• Delts: single arm dumbbell press, single arm machine press, single arm dumbbell/cable lateral, single arm dumbbell upright row
  
• Biceps: single arm cable curl, single arm preacher curl, single arm dumbbell curl
  
• Triceps: kickbacks, single arm lying/seated extensions, single arm pushdowns
  
• Legs: single leg squats, single legged leg press, single leg extensions, step-ups, single leg lying/seated/standing leg curls, single leg stiff deadlifts
  
• Calves: single leg seated raise, single leg standing raise, single leg calf press
  
• Traps: single arm dumbbell/machine shrugs, dumbbell cleans
  
• Low back: dumbbell deadlifts
  
• Forearms: single arm dumbbell wrist and reverse wrist curl
  
  
  

I’m sure if you think about it you can come up with dozens more unique unilateral exercises of your own. Start by adding one unilateral exercise to each bodypart workout and if you are finding that you are getting excellent results, perhaps add a second one. Actually, I have had some of my very best and most intense workouts by training exclusively unilaterally. Just remember that some unilateral exercises can be difficult to perform at first and until you have it mastered, you might not get the full benefit from it. It certainly takes a few workouts to get used to single leg squats and deadlifts, but once you do, you can rest assured that you will see new gains in muscle and strength rather rapidly. Stick to each new unilateral exercise for about 6-8 weeks before you switch to another, but don’t be afraid to “play with” and tweak your form a bit each workout until you find what feels best to you.

Now get in the gym and get a little “one-sided” about your training!

BSN established the Supplement Pyramid in order to simplify your achievement of a better looking and performing physique.

The Supplement Pyramid is built upon the concept of stacking. Stacking involves strategically combining dietary supplements in an effort to gain muscle, lose fat, or improve performance.

The potential benefits of stacking include:

• Reduced risk of metabolic “saturation” or “de-sensitization”:
  
  • The more pathways you target at once, the less likely it is that any given pathway will become “saturated or “de-sensitized”. This reduces your chances of experiencing a plateau.

• Faster progress:
  
  • The more pathways you target at once, the faster you can achieve your physique and performance goals. It’s a case of launching a quiver full of arrows in a single shot.

What is the “best” supplement stacking strategy?

Scientists have charted out hundreds of metabolic pathways that operate inside the human body. Many of them might be harnessed to help you gain muscle, lose fat, or improve your performance. Thousands of compounds exist in nature that might used to accomplish this.

BSN is in the business of making your life less complicated. We have invested nearly half a million dollars in clinical chemistry equipment. We run it all day long in an effort to determine the safety and efficacy of various combinations of compounds derived from nature. The fruits of our labors include the ultra-premium BSN products that you see on store shelves in nearly fifty countries around the world.

How the Supplement Pyramid works

Another fruit of our labors is the Supplement Pyramid. No matter what your physique or performance goals are, or how long you’ve been striving to achieve them, the Supplement Pyramid can make your life easier.

If you’re just starting out, you may only want to focus on the most important segment, Nutrition Support. This is the foundation of the pyramid. As you gain experience, you can stack additional supplements in order to address more pyramid segments. Nitrix, for instance, addresses Muscle Support and Performance Support (see illustrations). Cellmass addresses Recovery Support, Muscle Support and Performance Support.

Experienced individuals may stack enough supplements to “light up” the entire Supplement Pyramid in red (see illustration). This is easily accomplished by using the Mass Stack, Fit Stack, or Total Stack.

The more segments of the Supplement Pyramid you “light up”, the more you will harness the power of supplement stacking.

Putting the Supplement Pyramid into practice

Follow these simply steps to put the Supplement Pyramid into practice:

1. Establish your needs:
   1. Nutrition
   2. Weight Management
   3. Muscle
   4. Performance
   5. Recovery
   6. Hormones

1. Look for dietary supplements that satisfy the corresponding segments of the Supplement Pyramid. This will be indicated on the label.

The segment of the Supplement Pyramid:

	Nutrition Support (N): Dietary supplements that provide your body with tissue “building blocks” and associated vitamins and minerals address the Nutrition Support segment of the Supplement Pyramid. Tissue building blocks include protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Your body uses vitamins and minerals to put them to use. Syntha-6 by BSN True Mass by BSN Lean Dessert w/ FREE Shaker by BSN
	Muscle Support (M): Dietary supplements that support the development (building or “toning”) of skeletal muscle tissue fall into this segment. Syntha-6 by BSN True Mass by BSN Lean Dessert w/ FREE Shaker by BSN Nitrix CEM3 by BSN Axis HT by BSN No-Xplode by BSN Cellmass by BSN
	Weight Management (W): Products that assist in the reduction or control of body fat and body weight and/or the maintenance of lean (e.g. muscle and bone) mass. Atro-Phex 80ct by BSN Lean Dessert w/ FREE Shaker by BSN Syntha-6 by BSN True Mass by BSN Thermonex EF by BSN Cheaters Relief by BSN
	Performance Support (P): Dietary supplements that support physical or mental performance fall into this segment. If you want to improve your strength, speed, or focus, for instance, then find supplements that address Performance Support. Thermonex EF by BSN Atro-Phex 80ct by BSN EndoRush RTD by BSN No-Xplode by BSN Cellmass by BSN Nitrix CEM3 by BSN
	Recovery Support (R): Dietary supplements that help you recover from training, sports, or other stressors fall into this segment. Cellmass by BSN Syntha-6 by BSN True Mass by BSN Lean Dessert w/ FREE Shaker by BSN
	Hormone Support (H): This segment includes dietary supplements that support your hormones. Axis HT by BSN

by Rob Thoburn, Senior Marketing Executive & Scientific

Q. I need more depth to my arms. What do you consider the best exercise for building the brachialis muscle?

A. If I were forced to pick just one movement to hypertrophy the brachialis it would definitely be the incline hammer DB curl. However, there are several exercises that are very effective for building this muscle, and they should all be utilized from time to time. Some of my other favorites include single arm preacher hammer curls, BB reverse curls, cable reverse curls, seated/lying overhead cable curls, and vertical preacher curls. The following is a specialization program for the brachialis. Try using it every other workout in place of your regular biceps routine.

• -Vertical CG EZ –bar Curl…2 x 6-8
  
• -Incline DB Hammer Curl…2 x 8-10
  
• -Cable Reverse Curl…2 x 10-12

Q. What do you consider optimal pre and post workout nutrition and supplementation?

A. This is an excellent question because few things are as important than the nutrients that you ingest before, during, and after your workouts. It is during this time that you can literally set up your “anabolic (growth-producing) machinery” to fire on all cylinders exactly when you most need it to be! Without proper nutrition and supplementation taking place around your training you will merely take one step forward and one step back, which by my calculations = zero new muscle! Here is my current strategy:

• -1 hour before pre-workout meal: 5 grams L-glutamine; 5 grams BCAA’s; 2.5 grams CEE
  
• -30 min before pre-workout meal: ALRI Primed or VPX NO Shotgun
  
• -Pre-workout meal (30 min before training): Whey isolate; 7-15 grams healthy fats from natural peanut butter, walnuts, or flax oil.
• -During workout: Sip on EAA (essential amino acid)/Beta-Alanine drink (currently using Epic’s 8-Beta-Anabol).
  
• -Immediately post-workout: ALRI Regeneration-X mixed in water.
  
• -15 minutes post-workout: Whey isolate + Waxy Maize Starch

Q. What is the best time of day to train?

A. I do not believe there is a best time for everyone, only a best time for you! I am sure that you either have a full-time job or go to school (or both), and thus need to schedule your training around these things. For most, this means training one of three times: early in the morning before work or school; on a lunch break in the afternoon; or in the evening after work or school. When choosing a time to train you should base it on when you can be the most consistent, and when you naturally have the most energy. Personally, I train best in the afternoon. At this time I am naturally most alert and feel the strongest and most energetic. Others I know like to train first thing in the morning, or at night after packing away more meals. You have to experiment and see what works best for you. That said; once you have chosen a time, try your best to be consistent with it day to day. By doing this, your body will fall into a natural “rhythm,” and will learn to “get up” at this time of day in anticipation of your training.

Pro Q & A

Q. I hear mixed things about glutamine. Some say it works and others say it is a scientifically non-proven supplement. I trust your opinion Eric. What do you say?

A. I just want you to know that I truly appreciate that you trust me, and the info I put forth. Thank you.

• Now…on to the question at hand. There are only a few supplements that I use 365 days per year. Those include a multivitamin/mineral, BCAA’s, and yes, glutamine! Glutamine has proven itself to me over and over again, with myself, and my personal training clients. Very often there is far more reliable evidence in the “real world” than what is seen in a laboratory. The reason that some people fail with glutamine is because they either expect to achieve immediate gains (yes, prohormones spoiled everyone while they were available), or they simply do not use it consistently enough, or in high enough amounts to get the desired effect. Another problem is that many trainees take L-glutamine along with protein, which pretty much assures that it will not be absorbed efficiently. L-glutamine needs to be taken on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before each meal to be utilized properly. Now, it is true that the gastrointestinal tract is a “glutamine hog,” and will horde much of what you take for itself, which is why I said that you need to take a fairly large amount to reap the benefits. For most, this means 25-50 g per day. I strongly believe in glutamine’s immune system enhancing effects (can’t train when your sick, right?); its positive effects on protein synthesis; its ability to help with glycogen storage; it’s anti-catabolic effects; and it’s GH inducing abilities as well.
• I take glutamine along with BCAA’s at least four times per day, and when dieting, up to 6-7 times per day. Each dose is no less than 5-10 grams.
• Remember, just because you do not gain 10 lbs of muscle in two weeks does not mean glutamine is not working. Glutamine is what I call a “long haul” supplement. This simply means that over the long haul, it will certainly help hasten your progress. So be patient, and let glutamine work it’s magic a little at a time.

Q. I am at the gym six days per week on a 3 on, 1 off program. I train very intensely and take in at least one gram per lb of bodyweight each day of protein. So why am I not growing?

A. This is a complex question, and one that is difficult to answer completely without knowing more details about you, your training, and your overall diet/supplementation program. However, there are two things you mentioned that literally jump right out at me! The first is that you say you train 6 days per week! For all but a very small percentage of the population, this is far too much training and not enough rest. While in the gym we are literally “injuring” our muscles (or more specifically, our muscle fibers), and if we do not give the body enough time to “make repairs,” no growth will be seen! My immediate recommendation to you is to cut back your training to just 4 days per week on a 2 on/1 off, 2 on/2 off schedule. That will be a big help, and will probably allow you to see a lot more gains, even if nothing else about your program changes. Here is one of my favorite 4-day splits:

• Monday: Chest/Biceps
• Tuesday: Quads/Hamstrings/Calves
• Wednesday: Off
• Thursday: Lats/Lower Back/Abs
• Friday: Shoulders/Traps/Triceps
• Sat and Sun: Off

The second change you might want to make is to up your protein consumption. I find that most natural trainees grow optimally on about 1.5 grams of protein per lb of bodyweight per day. So, if you weigh 200 lbs, this would mean going from 200 grams per day to 300 grams. If you have trouble eating this much, this is when protein powders really come in handy! Good luck.

Q. I have read that you feel that pre and post workout nutrition/supplementation is of the utmost importance to those seeking to reach the highest levels of muscularity. Could you give me a rundown of how you do this for yourself? And would you recommend your approach to others?

A. Yes, I have publicly stated many times on various message boards just how important pre, during, and post workout nutrition are to the aspiring bodybuilder (and serious athlete). It is the act of tearing down muscle tissue in the gym that sets in motion a cascade of physiological events that can either result in hypertrophy and strength gains, or a regression of each. What you accomplish depends largely upon the nutrition and supplementation that you build around your workouts (along of course with rest, sleep, and your overall dietary strategy). Here is my exact approach to this extremely important facet of the “growth equation:”

• -One hour before workout: Whey protein isolate (either VPX Zero Carb or Syntrax Nectar) and 1-2 ALRI Venom Hyperdrive Caps.
• -Thirty minutes before workout: ALRI Primed or VPX NO Shotgun and Epic 5-Tetra.
• -During workout: Sip on Epic 8-Beta Anabol.
• -Immediately after workout: ALRI Regeneration-X
• -20 minutes post workout: Whey protein isolate and Pure Vitargo

I have found this strategy to be amazingly effective, and anyone that wants to push their body to the limits can adapt the same program.

Tip of the Month

Want bigger, freakier, and more vascular forearms? Try this tri-set twice per week for 6 weeks and watch it happen!

-BB Reverse Wrist Curl…3 x 12-15
-BB Wrist Curl…3 x 12-15
-Alternating DB Hammer Curl…3 x 6-8

One of my favorite things about bodybuilding is that it is purely an individual endeavor. Your degree of success or failure is contingent upon your own efforts, and not those of your teammates or friends. When it comes to bodybuilding, you cannot pass the ball or call in a relief pitcher, but must fight to the finish line completely under your own power. When things are not going your way, you can’t argue with an umpire, check the replay or yell at a referee. You have to sit down and figure out exactly why you are not getting to where you want to be, and precisely how you can get back on track. And since there is no official rulebook involved in bodybuilding, it is up to you to write your own “set of rules.” You must decide when to train, how to train, what foods to eat, how much to eat, which supplements to take, and most importantly, just how consistent and dedicated you will be to all of these factors.

Now, just because it is totally up to you to make all of the final decisions regarding your approach to bodybuilding, this does not mean you cannot seek out as much information as possible from more experienced and/or educated sources than yourself. There are people out there that have made it their life’s work to fully understand, coordinate, properly apply, and teach the basic principals behind achieving optimal muscle mass and strength gains. Every trainee should take full advantage of what these people have to offer, as it will minimize guesswork, and put them on a much clearer and hastened path toward their goals.

In my 20 years of bodybuilding and my 15 + years of personal training/coaching, I have managed to put together not so much a “rulebook,” but a basic set of guidelines that seem to work for, and apply to, just about everyone. Of course there is some variation from individual to individual in terms of genetics, fiber types, metabolism, somatotype, recovery ability, etc., and these differences will certainly affect how well and how efficiently each of us can develop our physique. However, I still feel there are several “universal truths” that can help everyone reach their physique goals in a reasonable period of time. I like to call them the “Growth Guidelines.”

Guideline # 1: Base the majority of your training on compound movements. While I have nothing against machines and cables, there is no doubt that the greatest muscle builders are free-weight compound exercises. Huge physique were built in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s with little more than barbells and dumbbells. Fancy machinery was just not around back then, but regardless, many Herculean physiques were! The balance and concentration is takes to lift free weights activates more muscles (including the target, synergists, and stabilizers), more muscle fibers, and “excites” the nervous system more than machines or cables do (which can enhance the adaptive response). In addition, heavy compound movements also induce a greater release of the muscle building hormones, testosterone and GH. If you talk to most of the biggest guys around, all of them will more than likely tell you that they built most of their mass with basic exercises like bench presses, deadlifts, squats, military presses, bent rows, barbell curls, and lying triceps extensions. There is nothing wrong with using machines or cables, but if you want to get huge, make free-weights the cornerstone of your program.

Guideline # 2: Strict form must be used: Using strict form on all of your exercises will assure that you are stimulating the muscle that you wish to target. Those that “throw” the weights up when doing side laterals or barbell curls, for example, are only cheating themselves out of growth. The primary reason that people do this is to create the illusion that they are stronger than they really are. Yes, “moving” more weight might look impressive to the uneducated in the gym, but the end result will be less than optimal progress, and eventually, injury. Take anyone that can “cheat curl” 150 lbs and make them do the movement strictly and you will find that they might barely be able to curl 110 lbs in good form. Interestingly, if someone were to strictly curl 110 lbs for 6 reps vs. swinging up 150 lbs for 6 reps, they would receive much more biceps growth with proper form and the lesser weight. Once you reach failure using strict form, THEN it is ok to use momentum (to a reasonable degree) to try and extend your set a bit further.

Guideline # 3: Do not overdo it. Our bodies have limited amounts of recovery ability, as well as a limited amount of “energy” to put toward building new muscle tissue. In fact, our physiology dictates a preference for homeostasis, and cares little about getting huge! The best stimulus for building muscle is intense weight training in which each set is taken near to, or fully to, absolute “failure,” or the point in which another strict repetition cannot be performed. However, while intense training is exactly what sets in motion the adaptations necessary for gaining size and strength, it is also precisely what taps deep into our system’s ability to recover. And this does not only go for our muscles, but our CNS (central nervous system) as well. Not only does the body need to repair the microtrauma that occurs to our muscle fibers during training, but it must also restore hormonal and neurotransmitter balance, reboot the immune system, and clear free radicals from the system. And the body must accomplish all of this before even having the chance to build new muscle tissue. Think of a workout as digging a large hole in the ground…complete recovery as filling the hole…and muscle growth as creating a mound of dirt on top of the filled up hole. When you overtrain (train too long and/or too often) you will be digging a hole that is too large for your body to fill, which means you will never have the opportunity to pile dirt on top! No extra dirt means no extra muscle! Here a few sub-guidelines to follow to keep you from overdoing it…

• - Train no more than 4 days per week: There is simply no need to train more than 4 days per week. Some people with poor recovery ability might actually be better off with only three training days per week. Remember, we “stimulate” muscle growth in the gym, but we do our actual growing while at rest.
• - Do not train more than 2 days in a row without taking a full day off from the gym: In my many years of training I have tried every training program imaginable. Three on one off, five on two off, four on one off, etc. Although I did make very nice progress using these different regimens, my best bodybuilding gains came from either every- other-day training, or the program I currently utilize…2 on 1 off, 2 on 2 off. As a natural bodybuilder I have found that after 2 days of intense training my mind and body are always ready for a day or two off. Whenever certain “life commitments” force me to train three days in a row, I find myself to be sluggish and unmotivated on that 3rd workout day. I have seen the same with most of my clients as well. Additionally, I have observed that when the average person trains 3 or 4 straight days, that the immune system becomes compromised, making one more susceptible to illness or injury
• - Workouts should last no more than 75-90 minutes: There is scientific evidence that after this period of time, that testosterone levels begin to drop and cortisol begins to rise dramatically. This will drag your body down by making it more difficult to achieve an anabolic (growth-inducing) state once the workout has ended. Besides, there is no reason a workout should take longer than this. If it is, chances are you are doing to many sets and/or exercises, or, you are being far too social in the gym. If you are serious about getting big, get in the gym, do what you have to, and get out.

Guideline # 4: Eat your protein! This is perhaps the most important of all the advice I can offer. Muscle is protein. Protein is required to build and repair muscle tissue. Not eating enough can hinder your gains no matter how well thought out your training and supplementation programs are. How much protein is enough? For most trainees, at least 1 gram of protein per lb. of bodyweight should be consumed daily. This is a minimum, however. It is my experience that faster gains in size and strength are achieved when protein intake is closer to 1.5-2.0 grams per lb. of bodyweight. It is also important that you consume your protein over 6-8 daily meals rather than 2 or 3. This way your body will have amino acids readily available throughout the day for growth and repair. Also, you can more efficiently digest smaller, more frequent protein feedings than overly large portions. Remember, you want your protein to go to your muscle cells, not to your toilet bowl! The sources of protein you choose to consume will depend on individual taste, your budget, and what is readily available to you. Some of the best protein sources include chicken, turkey, red meat, cottage cheese, eggs, fish, buffalo, venison, ostrich, milk, and cottage cheese. To make it easier for you to consume all of this protein, you may wish to purchase one of the many high quality MRP’s or protein powders that are now available. Two or three meals per day can come from these powders, as at certain times (like pre and post workout) they are even more advantageous than whole proteins.

Guideline # 5: Take advantage of the post workout “anabolic window!” In the 60-minute period immediately following a workout there is such an important opportunity available to aid in the plight for maximum hypertrophy, that I don’t know why anyone would not take full advantage of it! In fact, next to breakfast, the post workout meal is without a doubt the most essential feeding of the day for any bodybuilder or athlete. Right after you train your muscles are not only literally starving for protein and carbohydrates, but your entire metabolic machinery is in a state where a tremendous amount of nutrients can be preferentially shuttled directly toward muscle cells, and away from adipocytes. The best thing you can do at this time is to whip up and consume a shake containing 30-60 grams of fast acting protein and 60-120 grams of high glycemic carbs (exact amounts depending on bodyweight and goals). Since whey (especially hydrolysate) is absorbed more quickly than any other protein, this would be the optimal source at this time. The carbs should also be fast acting in order to effectively create an insulin spike. High insulin levels are important post-workout as insulin is responsible for transporting carbohydrates, amino acids and creatine directly into muscle cells. A perfect post-workout carb source would be dextrose or maltodextrin powder mixed together with the whey. And if you are truly serious about getting huge, you will drink another whey/dextrose or maltodextrin mixture approximately one hour later. Studies, and tons of anecdotal evidence, have shown that this approach to post-workout nutrition is optimal for gains in size and strength.

Guideline # 6: Use the right supplements. While it is not 100% necessary to use supplements in order to make progress, they certainly can hasten results. The world of supplementation can be quite confusing for sure. Sifting through the fantastic claims made by manufacturers can be very exciting, but you need to know what is for real and what is just marketing hype. There are a plethora of excellent products out there that can certainly help you to add muscle and lose fat, but for every efficacious supplement on the store shelves there are probably two or three whose only effect is thinning out your wallet. To make things easier for you I will mention several items that I feel should be on everyone’s “must use” list. These are supplements that are “time-tested,” and that have proved their worth over and over again to thousands and thousands of users.

The first is a quality protein powder. As I mentioned, whey is essential at the post-workout meal, as a quick acting protein source, but it is also quite valuable pre-training as well. Having a whey shake about 30-45 minutes before training will assure that amino acids are coursing through your veins as you train, which will help prevent muscle tissue from being broken down as an energy source during the latter portion of your workout. However, a protein blend of casein, whey, and egg albumin is best before bed and at any other time of day that you can’t eat a whole food meal. While whey is absorbed very rapidly, protein blends containing casein and egg have a sort of “timed release” affect. This is beneficial in the hours between meals and especially before retiring for the night, when we are basically fasting for 6-8 hours. The “trickle-feed” effect of casein and egg will keep your body from falling into a catabolic state, and allow the repair process to take place at full force while you snooze.

Next is creatine. This is perhaps the most well researched and studied of all supplements currently on the market. It has proven itself time and again in both the lab and the gym. Among creatine’s benefits are increased strength, enhanced nitrogen retention, cell voluminization, and lactic acid buffering. It has proven itself to be safe and effective for almost everyone that uses it. Some people have complained that it causes them stomach upset, but there are now many different forms of creatine available, and I am sure that one of them will agree with you. One other comment that I often hear about creatine is that all of the weight gained is simply water weight. However, what people do not realize is that creatine draws water directly into muscle cells, and the more hydrated a muscle cell is, the more “anabolic” it is. Having well volumized muscle cells is a very powerful trigger for growth!

BCAA’s or branched chain amino acids are another powerhouse supplement that should be in every serious bodybuilder’s cupboard. BCAA’s enhance nitrogen retention and protein synthesis and also reduce muscle breakdown. This makes them both anabolic and anticatabolic (something they share with illegal steroids). Taken between meals, BCAA’s can help reduce appetite, which is of tremendous use during a calorie-restricted diet. Some studies have also shown that BCAA’s can also aid in fat burning, and keep focus, energy, and stamina elevated during intense training when taken immediately before a workout.

Finally, there is my personal favorite…glutamine. I use large amounts of glutamine year around, and recommend it to anyone that is training regularly. Among it’s myriad of benefits are enhanced immune function (I never get sick anymore!), increased glycogen storage, increased production of glutathione (one of our bodies’ most powerful antioxidants), enhanced gut health, cell voluminization, and natural growth hormone release. It is rare to find a supplement with so many positive effects! The key with glutamine supplementation is to take enough of it and take it at the right times. Significant effects are seen when users consistently take between 15 and 30 grams per day, the best times being 30 minutes before breakfast, your pre-training meal, your post-training meal, and you final meal of the day.

Guideline # 7: Get your sleep. Going to the gym and putting in intense workouts day after day is what acts as the stimulus for gains in muscle size and strength. Proper nutritional intake will give you the building blocks necessary to actually build new lean tissue onto your frame. However, all of this will be meaningless if you do not allow your body the time and opportunity to “work” this magical process. When does your body do 99% of its building and repair work? WHEN YOU SLEEP! During sleep all other body processes slow down and an intense recovery period takes place. The conscious mind is allowed to “chill” and the subconscious keeps us entertained. The CNS is allowed to slow down, along with the heart, digestive system, and your injured muscles and joints. Think of sleep as your body’s 8-hour muscle building work shift, and if you can put in a little overtime, expect some extra compensation in the form of more muscle. One of the biggest reasons that trainees fail to make the progress they desire is because they simply neglect their sleep. I understand the desire to have fun, party a little, and occasionally enjoy life into the wee hours. However, if you make this a regular habit you can kiss serious gains in muscle size goodbye! Try to sleep at least 7-9 hours per night and if you have time for a short midday nap, than take one! Dream big to get big (literally).

So there you have it. Seven growth guidelines that can lead to more size, strength, and less body fat. Serious bodybuilding is hard work, and you deserve to get the most out of the time you spend in the gym. If you are already making great progress, than more power to you! However, if you feel that your gains are slow coming, than put these hints to work for you. They helped me go from a rail thin 125 lbs. to my current offseason weight of 255 lbs. They have helped all of my clients. There is no reason why they can’t help you! So what are you waiting for? See you at the gym!

Eric Broser is available for online personal training, dietary consultations, and contest prep coaching. Please email him at theone@buildingmass.com for more information.

Ah, the air is cold (or is it?), houses decorated, merriment and joy is in the air, and you're scurrying around trying to find the perfect gift for your friends, family, and loved ones...That's right it's CHRISTMAS TIME AGAIN!

This is probably my favorite week of the year. I'm a sap for the music, movies, little kids, and gift giving (hey, I don't remind receiving either ). It’s also the time for our little friend FAT to accumulate. Yep, here in northwest it seems that we'll be having more fat accumulation than snow accumulation this year .

With all the Christmas parties, dinners, gatherings, get together’, New Years parties cookies, deserts, it's no wonder our abs go into hibernation during November, December, and January (as well as the months that follow). Many of us associate joy, good times, holidays, and family with food. This leads to even more gluttony. Why is that? It only leads to health problems and unsightly fat gains.

Well, basically we have reprogrammed our body's (as a society) to associate food with pleasure, instead of food as FUEL. Food releases many hormones including dopamine, leptin, and many others classified as endorphins. Dopamine is the same hormone the body releases when a drug addict gets their fix. It makes them feel good again. Eating food, especially high fat foods, releases dopamine. Endorphins are pleasure-creating hormones and also pain relieving hormones. The release of endorphins makes us feel GOOD! When we overeat we get a nice surge of dopamine, leptin (the obese gene), and other endorphins. All of these make us feel GOOOOOOD.

Then to boot...we have always associated a good time with bad foods since we were children. Think about it.

1. Many of us spent time with family and friends during dinner (creating a safe and comfortable environment).

2. As children we loved our birthdays. What did we eat? Cake, ice cream, cookies.

3. Holidays are always centered around bad foods (New Years, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas). These holidays are spent with people we love creating joy and a comfortable environment.

These things help us revert back to a time when life was easier, more manageable, and for some more enjoyable – our childhood!

Add the above three factors up and you've got a nice little cocktail for CLASSICAL CONDITIONING people (that's right I said it! Pavlov was right all along!

So...how do we avoid the weight gain during the holidays? Easy, and just to let you know, I'm not advocating shunning all good foods during the holidays. That's a recipe for failure and misery, even for the most seasoned and disciplined bodybuilders! The answer is in moderation and preparation! Follow the following advice to assist you in limiting fat accumulation during the holiday and winter months!

If you are like me you have 5 parties over the holiday. Choose 2, maybe 3, that you want to really enjoy and let yourself eat foods that you enjoy on those days or at those parties. Obviously, you won’t be able to go completely overboard, but you’ll be able to enjoy family, friends, good times, and GOOD FOODS! Here's the kicker...a little trick us bodybuilders call CARB DEPLETION! That's right, follow this simple little steps to avoid gaining 2-10 pounds of body fat!

• 1) 2-3 days before your Christmas party (or New Years party/office gathering) begin a carb deplete. Eat 0-50 carbs during these 2-3 days. The carbs should either be eaten w/ meals 1 & 2 or post workout. For your meals, you will need to keep your carbohydrates from clean sources such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and oatmeal. Post workout can be taken from the same sources, or you can use faster digesting carbohydrates found in white rice, white bread, or rice cakes.
• 2) Perform 30-60 minutes of cardio first thing in the morning for these 2-3 days.
• 3) Perform a deplete workout each of the 2-3 days: To do this, split the body into 2 large groups (Chest/Shoulders/Triceps & Legs/Back/Biceps) and perform 1-2 exercises at 2 sets for 12-15 reps over a 2 day period!
• 4) The morning of your event, perform 30 minutes of High Intensity Cardio
• 5) Enjoy and let the nasty foods of the holiday season replenish glycogen, release dopamine, endorphins and replenish leptin levels. If you can, try to limit HIGH FAT FOODS! Foods high in sugar and lower in fat will replenish glycogen better. Also, try to have 20-30 grams of lean protein ever 3.5-4 hours throughout the day.
• 6) The day(s) after you Christmas party, begin your normal training and training split w/ 20-min cardio post workout (for a week) & keep your carbs to .5 grams per pound of body weight (1/2 of those coming post workout - 1/4 with meals 1 & 2). Be sure to utilize the same low glycemic, complex carbs listed above.
• 7) After 3-7 days (depending on whether your an ecto, meso, or endo) return to your normal diet/training protocol!

The last step in keeping fat loss to a minimum is utilizing the right supplements to aid in proper digestion, carbohydrate storage, and to decrease fat storage. There is a plethora of supplements and strategies you can use to assist you throughout the holiday season.

Appetite Suppressants

One way to avoid the fat gain is to not eat the bad foods. FAT CHANCE you might say (no pun intended)! Well the following are a list of supplements that may assist you in curbing your appetite:

1. Dietex by VPX (contains Hoodia – an herbal, and proven appetite suppressor)

2. Torcht by Nutraligix Laboratories (fat burner containing appetite suppressants and metabolic stimulators)

3. Lipodrene (Fat burner/appetite suppressant)

Nutrient Partitioning

Another way to decrease fat storage is to insure proper shuttling and storage of nutrients. The following supplements will aid your body in using insulin properly and storing carbohydrates as muscle glycogen instead of fat!

1. Alpha Lipoic Acid (ALA, Loaded, Glucophase)

2. L-Tyrosine

Mood Enhancers

Lastly, by enhancing our overall mood, we can control the levels of leptin, dopamine, and other endorphins making it easier to enjoy ourselves, relax, feel good, and avoid eating for the sole purpose of “pleasure.” The following supplements can help with mood.

1. GABA

2. Psychotropin (ErgoPharm)

3. Yellow nEuphoria (Controlled Labs)

Protein, workouts and sleep are the top three things that make muscles grow. You will not be able to grow if you do not properly work out, and if you do not properly rest. (Side note: muscles do not grow when you are banging iron; that’s when muscle is torn down. Muscles grow as they repair, while you sleep). But you can still tear yourself up, sleep like Rip Van Winkle, and not grow, because your body may not have enough protein to process.

If you have been looking into bodybuilding as a newbie, or even if you have been around for a long time, there will always be talk about protein. Occasionally you may run into those in our industry, who have a “yeah, yeah, whatever” attitude toward protein, saying that they are looking for the newest and best of this thing or that. They may claim that their supplement glows in the dark, or turns you into King Kong after just six easy workouts, and on and on.

Anyone who is going to ignore the effects of proper protein ingestion on muscle growth is just flash in the pan. When they talk, run away. Those kinds of guys are not serious.

Serious people subject themselves to serious workouts, and serious protein ingestion. What is serious, you may ask? 300 is the number. Six meals a day, with 50 grams of protein per meal, will help fuel the growth you want. I have heard all kinds of guidelines concerning protein. Some people say that 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight is sufficient, others say 1.5 grams and some claim that 2 grams per pound is the way to go. No matter your size, 300 should be the goal.

Every single person has a different body chemistry, and responds differently to nutrition, exercise and rest. Even two brothers from the exact same parents will metabolize protein in different ways. So instead of trying to bang your head on a brick wall, and figure out of you are an ectomorph, an endomorph, or a mesomorph who needs 1 gram, 1.5 grams or 2 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, eat 300 grams a day and let your body sort out the rest.

300- It’s only 1200 calories, it fuels muscles, it keeps you feeling full longer than carbs, and it tastes really good! Side note: 300 is only the place to start, if you weigh 225 and are seriously trying to pack on muscle, 300 may not be enough. Your body will tell you. Listen to it. If you are reasonable lean, and not growing at 300, eat 350 or 400. Now let’s go to school.

What is protein? Don’t ask this question in a web search because you’ll get answers like the following:

Any of a group of complex organic compounds which contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and usually sulphur, the characteristic element being nitrogen and which are widely distributed in plants and animals. Or, A molecule composed of amino acids linked together in a particular order specified by a gene's DNA sequence. Proteins perform a wide variety of functions in the cell; these include serving as enzymes, structural components, or signaling molecules. Or, A biological molecule consisting of many amino acids chained together by peptide bonds. The sequence of amino acids in a protein is determined by the sequence of nucleotides in a DNA molecule.

That kind of response could make a person feel like they fell out of a stupid tree and hit every branch on the way down. This one isn’t too bad: Protein is a large molecule composed of one or more chains of amino acids in a specific order; Proteins are required for the structure, function, and regulation of the body's cells, tissues, and organs. Hmmm, that’s actually interesting. Proteins are the ‘building blocks’ of the human body. So who’s now going to say “I am interested in building, so you have my attention.” Protein builds.

So what do I do, eat 15 steaks a day? Hardly. Aside from being a very expensive strategy, that idea could lead to fat gain and cholesterol problems. As I said earlier, everyone’s body is different. You have to try a bit of this or that and see how your body responds. It works that way with eating programs, and with protein choices. I prefer a low carb / high protein cut cycle. Because this is a primer, I want to make sure I am taking the time to explain terms, so that we can all be on the same page.

Bodybuilders typically cycle their nutrition depending on the result they want. Bulk cycles are for packing on muscle and weight, while cut cycles are for fat reduction. Clean bulk cycles (no junk food) will result in less fat gain than dirty bulk cycles (eat as much as you want of everything). Of course there is great controversy over what works better. I will not address that here. Cut cycles are primarily for fat loss, but there has been concern that muscle is also lost during a cut. Protein can help that greatly. That is why I prefer a low carb (under 30 grams a day), high protein (300+) cut. Other people hate low carb programs. I have tried both conventional programs and low carb and my body likes low carb. I have a protein burning furnace for a metabolism. But let me say that while I was on a conventional program of 55/25/20 (55% protein, 25 % carbs, 20% fat for less than 2000 calories a day) I was still able to eat 300 grams of protein and lose weight.

OK, what kind of protein? Glad you asked. Food proteins are primarily meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, beans, nuts, and tofu. They are all good, but you would have a hard time eating 300 grams a day, and they all have their limitations and drawbacks. Meat can be fatty and raise cholesterol, fish and nuts can be expensive, some people are lactose intolerant, beans have a lower bio-availability than other protein sources because they also have carbs, and some people hate tofu. Chicken seems to be that way to go, but you don’t want to have to eat two pounds of it a day to grow (chicken breast has about 9 grams of protein per ounce). It would get old really fast. Pick a few that work into your program and mix up the food proteins to prevent boredom. But for proper growth while bodybuilding, protein supplementation is in order.

While there are many varied sources of protein supplements, the top three are basically egg, whey, and soy.

I spoke a bit earlier of bio-availability or BV. Simply put, it is a rating of how well the body can utilize the protein it has ingested. The scale gives athletes a way to measure the effectiveness of their protein choice against other choices.

Egg white protein was the standard that the BV scale was based on, with a rating of 100. Food sources of protein, as well as soy, were all below egg white BV standard, and for decades it was considered the perfect protein source. Only the yolk of the egg contains the fat, cholesterol, carbs and salmonella bacteria (if present). The white was, and is, pure protein goodness. Most every bodybuilder before the early 90s used it. It is still available, but in much more limited production, having been replaced by whey. I use egg whites every day. It gives me a cholesterol-free way to boost my intake. I would strongly suggest that egg white protein be in anyone’s program, simply because it is all protein without the cholesterol. The only other cholesterol-free choice is soy, and as we will see in a bit, there is great controversy surrounding soy protein. The only choice you have to make is one of time versus money (just like everything else). Do you want to spend time separating 15-20 eggs a day (like I do) or spend the money and buy the egg white protein powder? Both choices are good ones. Just don’t skip the egg protein.

Whey protein replaced egg protein in the early 90s as king of the bodybuilding protein world. It tasted good and had a BV of 104. It’s made by taking whey (a diary side product) and processing it, separating the protein from the fat and carbohydrates. Remember Little Miss Muffet who sat on her tuffet? She ate curds and whey (cottage cheese). The liquid portion of the cottage cheese is one form of whey. Whey, once separated from the fat and carbs, can be further cross-filtered and made into 100% whey protein. Whey protein is a relatively inexpensive option for bodybuilders since there are many companies producing it. Just check the list this site has! The two drawbacks are that it probably does contain cholesterol (although there are a few that do not), and it can bother people who are lactose intolerant. The bottom line is, if you tell me you are serious about bodybuilding, and you ever invite me over to your house and I don’t see at least one 6 lb. jug of protein sitting on top of your refrigerator, I going to have a hard time believing you. Drink whey.

Soy Protein isolate is the final protein option I want to address (I know there are others, but after reading this hopefully you can sort out the ins and outs of those choices on your own). Let me say, soy is great. But it has gotten a bad rap in some circles. It started off as baby formula base, and I don’t know of one mom who has bottle fed their baby who has not had to clean up a nasty mess after the baby cacked it back up. Today’s soy is not baby formula. In my humble opinion, Soy Protein Isolate unfairly gets labeled as inferior to whey. True, it doesn’t rank as high on the BV scale, somewhere around 80-85 depending on who you ask, but it does have qualities that make it desirable: extremely high amounts of the BCAA's L-Glutamine & L-Arginine, and it is a protein without the risk of raising cholesterol. (Side note: I keep talking about cholesterol in a protein article. If you are not eating enough protein to be concerned about what to do to keep your cholesterol normal, you are probably not eating enough protein.) A big dig has been that soy contains phytoestrogens, substances that can act as estrogen in the human body.

Time for chemistry class, boys and girls.

Every person has testosterone and estrogen in their bodies, guys and girls. Guys just have a lot more test than girls and girls have a lot more estro than boys. Each body has a T/E balance (in girls its actually a estrogen, progesterone, testosterone balance, but who’s keeping track). When this balance goes off balance, the body tries to compensate. That is the reason that some bodybuilders using artificial testosterone (steroids) have ended up with man breasts. They elevated their test artificially, and as long as they were on the drug, the T/E balance was suppressed. Once they went “off cycle” their own natural test production plummeted while their body scrambled to produce enough estrogen to compensate for the artificial test. At that time if they failed to suppress their own body’s estrogen while waiting for their test production to kick back in, they could have developed some female characteristics. This is important because this is what has fueled the controversy: if soy contains phytoestrogens, will it cause men trouble? The researchers are still far away from a conclusion. You can find all sorts of reports on the web that soy is bad for men, and it should only be considered a girl protein. You can also find conclusions that since the male body produces some estrogen anyway, that phytoestrogens just take the place of the estrogen in the male body, and that men end up producing less of their own estrogen, which would be beneficial.

Read, study and try to come to some conclusion. I have used soy, I like it, and I have never had any kind of girl symptoms from it.

In conclusion, protein is a MUST EAT food. You can cut fat and build muscle and lose weight. Or you can cut carbs (like me) and build muscle and lose weight. But you absolutely cannot skip protein and build muscle. It won’t happen.

THANKS!

Deen Gill
rhino@cfaith.com

There are three things you should know about creatine:

• 1) IT IS NOT A STEROID
• 2) IT WORKS
• 3) IT CAN CAUSE YOU SEVERE PROBLEMS IF YOU DON’T DRINK ENOUGH WATER

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound produced by the body, which combines with phosphate to form creatine phosphate. The combination of creatine and phosphate stores energy that can then be used for muscle contraction. Muscles burn ATP in the body during intense use and creatine monohydrate works by increasing the muscles’ store of creatine phosphate, which is used to recharge the ATP in muscles during intense use. The body will actually restore ATP during rest, but Creatine actually offers an additional store of energy during the time of usage. Many people have thought Creatine to be a steroid because it can quickly and dramatically affect muscle size.

Muscles actually can initially gain size from excess water retention, and this can be the source of the misconception. Creatine is actually derived from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. You actually get creatine from your food, about one gram for every pound of meat you eat, but who could stomach five pounds f meat a day to get the benefits of it?

Creatine works for a number of reasons. As mentioned, it increases the available recharge pool for ATP allowing muscles to work longer and more intensely. By itself, creatine can increase muscle size by water retention, but for true size and strength gains, creatine must be accompanied by intense workouts. In fact, the size gains from excess water storage will disappear after the user “cycles off” of the creatine, but the strength and size gains from the workouts should remain. In addition, the muscles seem to be able to work longer because of the increased water retention keeping the muscles cool.

For creatine to be properly utilized, it must be dosed in two phases: a loading phase and a maintenance phase. In the loading phase, the athlete takes 20 grams of Creatine for 4-5 days in order to supersaturate his muscles with the substance. After the loading phase, the user, only needs to dose 5 grams (1 heaping teaspoon) a day for no more than 5-6 weeks, after which he should take 3 weeks off. Then the cycle can start all over again.

Water is an essential component in the effectiveness of creatine. As mentioned, Creatine leads water into the muscles, keeping them cooler, longer. But water is critical for another issue. Severe cramping and severe headaches have been associated with the use of creatine where the user has not hydrated properly. What is a proper amount of water?

If you plan to use creatine, plan on a MINIMUM of 1 gallon of water a day. I try to drink at least one and a half gallons of water a day regardless if I am on creatine or not. A gallon of water is a place to start. I cannot emphasize this enough. You have to have water in your system to avoid cramping and headaches. Even so, some people (a very small percentage) have problems with creatine and seem to not be able to avoid the cramps or headache. Bur remember, the number is a very small percentage. Most headache problems can be cured with additional water.

Supplement companies have recently come up with newer delivery systems for creatine, and I suggest that you research those out for yourself. Your own body’s response is going to be the key here. For some, yes, the new delivery systems have had a dramatic effect. For other athletes, the added cost of the new formulations of creatine does not seem to be justified. I’m not going to say they work and I’m not going to say they don’t. I’m just going to say that you have to try them and decide if the give you a better pump than good old creatine monohydrate. And give them some time to work and see if your body adjusts well.

Kre-Alkalyn, creatine with glutamine, with arginine, and with alpha lipoic acid, effervescent creatine, and Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) are some of the formulations you’ll have to sort through. We don’t have the space here to define the intricacies of each formulation. If you are reading this, then do yourself a favor and read. Don’t get bogged down in the advertising of it. Do hard research on it. Ask some of the other athletes you know and trust. Do not trust a pro-bodybuilder who says he uses it just because he says he uses it. It’s your money. Be careful with it.

People have asked if they can use creatine during a cut cycle (fat loss cycle). You can. I don’t. I don’t want the water gain when I am trying to cut, but if you don’t mind, it can help preserve extra muscle mass.

But bottom line (and I don’t get paid by the creatine industry) is, buy creatine, use it and drink enough water. It’s one of the best non-steroidal weapons in our arsenal.

Deen Gill
rhino@cfaith.com

Knowledge is a great thing. I like learning as much as I can about all of the important things I can, and quite honestly, some of the not so important things.

For example, in chimpanzees forced to sit still for 30 minutes, testosterone begins to decrease and cortisol rises. Conclusion: let your monkey jump around as much as possible. Now some smart guys is going to email me and let me know that a monkey is not a chimp, and vice versa, and that they have been incorrectly identified as such in the past, and that if I were the research hound I claim to be, that I would know that.

So what does this have to do with supplements? Everything. So much of what we get about supplementation is based on research of how they have performed for others. So the Deen says read, read, read. But in the final analysis, reading will only take you so far. You can check reports, surf the web, ask the biggest dude in the gym, but eventually you have to try them. You will probably get results similar to the ones you have read about, but “similar results” or “maybe expectations” may not be enough to coax you out of $40, $50 or even $60.

The tremendous diversity of supplements available is a blessing and a problem. What’s a guy to try? Never fear, the Deen is here. I’ve done all the work for you. Following is a list of excellent supplements and ALL UNDER $10. You heard me right. You can try any item on this list for under ten bucks! Now some of the entries may have only one choice under $10, and others may have multiple choices. The point is, I looked them all up, and you can get them for $10 or less. Maybe with all the money you saved, you could say “Thank you” and send me a Ruth Chris’s Gift Certificate. No, just kidding, save the money for more of those LIVER TABS that Deen loves (tasty like pastry)!

GUARANA- if you have read anything by me, you had to know that this was going to be on the list. Guarana is at the top of any of my lists. It gives you energy with natural caffeine, cuts fat with its thermogenic properties, and it won’t raise your chimp’s cortisol (or yours either). Seriously, chemical caffeine can spike your cortisol after long term use. No one talks about cycling caffeine, because doing so can give you nasty headaches, but it should be done. Or you can buy this bargain basement barnburner and avoid the issue. If you haven’t tried guarana, get some. Your chimp will thank you.

LIVER TABS- I covered this, along with guarana, in my other column “The three best supps so one talks about.” I am not going to tell you the third one, so you just have to go read it. That’s why I get to be the author. If you are looking for a muscle building blast, you can try a number of anabolic concoctions. Some are great, like Legal Gear’s Product X Transform (but not for $10), and others I honestly cannot say. I write about what I know and if I haven’t tried something, I won’t say. I do know liver tabs- they are an amino acid explosion for the serious bodybuilder. They are inexpensive and have massive B vitamins. Get past the fact that each tab is the size of a fun-size Snickers bar, and pop 10-20 of these a day. At 10 a day, they will last you almost a whole month.

CHROMIUM PICOLINATE- this is another supplement that has fallen out of hype with the exercise world, which means it doesn’t have bazillions of dollars being spent on it each year, which means the price has fallen and you can pick it up for cheap. Get it, it works. It helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and helps metabolize carbohydrates.

CREATINE- you mean you haven’t tried it? Don’t you know it can fuel muscles for longer, more intense workouts? Don’t you know it helps muscles run cooler, longer? Yeah, yeah Deen, I know, but on my budget, I just haven’t been able to pick some up. It’s more of a financial investment than I’m willing to make, especially since I don’t know what kind of result I am going to get, and I’m in school, and money’s tight, and things like food have kind of taken a top priority. Enough said. It is possible to get a jug for under $10. Start with 20 grams for five days (4 tsp), and take 5 grams each day after. Better yet, read my column on creatine, then pick some up. Email me when you are ready to let me know how it worked out.

LIQUID FLAX OIL - despite alleged claims by Barry Bonds (alas my poor SF Giants), flax seed oil will not give you the ability to hit 700 home runs, or make 60 million dollars. But here’s what it will do. Some of you have read how I used to weigh 335 lbs for no other reason than emptiness and gluttony. Needless to say, the body doesn’t take well to carrying around an extra half a person every single day, and it starts to rebel. Along with my body not breathing well, and being extremely susceptible to infection (I remember being on antibiotics for almost a solid year for constant respiratory infections), my knees started to mutiny. I hurt… I mean bad. I lost a lot of weight and started to take some of the joint/cartilage supplements available. This is where experience comes in. Many people had testified how these supps were nearly Heavenly answers for joint pain and I believe for many they have worked well. For me, they did not do squat. I was taking triple doses a day, along with generous amounts of ibuprofen, and using tube after tube of Ben Gay. I still hurt. And knew that if I stayed on the IB for a long time, that my kidneys would begin to let me know that wasn’t a good idea. I dove into research, and discovered flax seeds and oil. I wasn’t an instant result but after a few weeks I noticed big relief. Within months, the pain completely disappeared. Flax seeds and oil work, and they are inexpensive. They also balance hormone levels, and are an amazing source of omega 3 and 9 EFAs. NOTE: you can take caps, but since 1cc is one gram is one ml (remember metrics class), the daily dose is 1-3 tablespoonfuls, or 14-42 of the 1000 mg (1 gram) caps. The Deen says avoid caps and take GROUND seeds or liquid oil.

YOHIMBE- the energizer that the bunny wishes he had discovered; maybe he could get those batteries out of his back. Many have talked about Yohimbe for its help as the (ahem) “natural Viagra”. Since this is a family website, we won’t go into that aspect of it, but here’s the scoop on it: it increases blood flow to all parts of the body as a vasodilator, which means better pump during workouts. It is also a great thermogenic (I have heard claims that it is the ONLY thermo that will help remove fat from women’s hips and thighs), and it is a great energizer. If you stack this with guarana you had better watch out. This is my favorite homemade combo since the ban of ephedra. Watch the dosage late in the day, as it will keep you awake. It may give you shivers if you take too much at once (some supplement companies have capitalized on this very aspect), so dose it low and slow. You can always take an extra dose if you aren’t getting the pump, but having to increase is better than going too much at once and laying wake at 1:30am wondering how you are going to go to sleep so you can get up at 6am to go to work (a real story).

DHEA- just like I didn’t get the help from the joint/cartilage formula that I expected, some have called DHEA worthless. That is not true. What is true is that if you are 22 years old and raging with T, you probably won’t notice any benefit from it. But older guys, say 35 and older, have noticed benefits with long term use. CAUTION: if you are susceptible to male pattern baldness this may increase the problem (because of added DHT in the body). DHEA is one of the substances that escaped the pro-hormone ban. I suspect it may be because older guys use it and the Feds didn’t want any trouble from the AARP. It’s a precursor to androstenedione, which in turn converts to Test. DHEA is naturally produced in the body by the adrenal glands, but that production peaks around 20-25 years old in males, which may explain why DHEA has varied results. I use it and I like it. But I’m also 35 or older (no guessing now). If you are under 30, you probably won’t get much from it. But, hey 35 and older guys, pick up this potent hormone booster and keep it as a part of your regular arsenal.

HAWTHORNE BERRY- so many of the supplements we take can affect blood pressure, mostly by raising it. I ran into this early on in my supplement research, not realizing that M1T could so dramatically alter my BP. So I foolishly took it while on a cut to preserve muscle mass- a great idea as long as a person isn’t takin ephedra at the same time. Can you see the coming train wreck? My BP went ballistic and I ended up in bed with nose bleeds and bleeding gums. My sweet wife nursed me back to health and didn’t even tell me what a dummy I was. First lesson: read about supplement interactions. Just because they are more natural than pharmaceuticals doesn’t mean they are less potent. Next lesson: if you find yourself in a bind through foolish error like I did and are experiencing temporary BP problems (by that I mean not having been diagnosed with high BP as a disease and needing to be treated under a doctor’s care), try Hawthorne Berry. It’s great for helping control BP and as a side benefit helps lower cholesterol. It’s a big deal in Asia for cardiovascular health. We can get it for a great price right here in the states. If you use a lot of herbal stimulants or some of the remaining pro-hormones, or any substance that says it can affect BP, pick up Hawthorne. From experience, it really works.

Thanks for visiting with me once more. Til next time...(where did I put that monkey cage?)

Deen Gill
rhino@cfaith.com

ever notice how today’s super-zowie-whiz-bang supplement is tomorrows old-school, nowhere supp? it happens often in our industry. with the race to be better, faster, stronger (where is that bionic man sound effect?), supplement companies are leaving behind some tried and true compounds that have been trusted for decades.

the best news for you, the consumer, is that these “yesterday” supps are some of today’s best bargains. and they work as well as they always have. i’ve done all the work and hunted them up for you. so let’s get started!

i hope by now you have all read my protein article. if you are going to grow, you have to eat enough protein. and if you are eating enough protein, you have to be concerned about cholesterol maintenance. this brings us to our first supplement- garlic tabs. i remember when the data first came out that garlic was proven to lower cholesterol in the blood. people went absolutely bananas! finally! they could eat all the fat and hydrogenated stuff they wanted and not have to worry. wrong! garlic, while amazing, is not a silver bullet to defeat the cholesterol giant. it helps. if you are eating smart, eating clean protein (lower on animal fats), doing your cardio, eating six times a day, mixing in soy and egg white protein, garlic helps. let me even say that garlic is essential. other substances help also, but not to the degree that garlic does, for the little it costs- i found it for about $7. so eat protein, and garlic tabs. i know garlic makes you smell. so what do you want: to pack on the muscle or smell minty-fresh? choose garlic. you’ll grow, feel better, and maybe even email me and thank me (oh, and buy some mouthwash).

let’s see if we remember these names from the 60’s and 70’s… frank zane, arnold schwarzenegger, dave draper. anybody? oh yeah, those old school guys. well those guys knew something we used to know but, in the search for the bionic mass builder, we forgot. they knew liver tabs. let me go on record, i hate liver. i won’t eat it, i don’t care how its fixed, i don’t care what animal it came from (cow, calf chicken, goose, deer or bull elk)! it stinks, it tastes bad and i would rather get amino acids and proteins some other way. but… liver tabs, now that is a different story. liver tabs have been used by the hardcore core of mass builders for decades. zane, schwartz, draper, all ate them by the jug full, along with many other champions, and big-enough-to-be champions. it is one of, if not the most powerful (legal) mass builder we have available. and if you haven’t read my profile, i only endorse legal mass builders. so what’s in it? amino acids, vitamins, minerals, nucleic acids, lipotropics, antioxidants, cytochrome p450 (an enzyme involved in steroid production and detoxification (thank you, universal)). amino acids build what? come on, pay attention! proteins and muscle. what is a nucleic acid? well, nucleic acids are either dna or rna, present in the nucleus and in some cases the cytoplasm of all living cells. their main functions are in heredity and protein synthesis (read that mass builder). lipotropic are compounds are those which help break down fat during metabolism. bingo! it just keeps getting better. and you can get all this, if the price is right. so how much should i charge you for an amino acid charged compound, which builds serious mass while cutting fat? if this was an infomercial i’d say thirty-nine-ninety-five-ninety-nine. but wait there’s more! it’s available for only about 6 bucks; no i am not kidding. buy it, use 5-20 tabs (caps) a day. i have four jugs myself. btw- it’s free protein in your diet. it can only help.

we haven’t even gotten to the best part of our little discussion, until now. the absolute best, number one supplement that no one talks about has to be guarana. i love this stuff. it was all the buzz (it contains natural caffeine, but no pun intended) when it first came out. i used to stack it with beloved ephedra for the best thermogenic combo ever invented. i still use it alone, and with yohimbe. here’s why. guarana is the extract of a south american plant used in making soda pop. in fact, if you travel south out of the us you can find a drink called guarana in 2-liter bottles. the folks south of the boarder drink it like we drink coke or pepsi. but the powdered herb is a time-release stimulant, an appetite suppressant, a thermogenic and mood enhancer. as mentioned, guarana contains caffeine, but the powder is oily, making it somewhat time released in its effect. it does not give the quick kick of chemical caffeine tabs, but a slower, longer lift. this is good because those of us who are concerned about losing or keeping off fat want to avoid spiking cortisol in the blood. long term use of standard caffeine can do this, because the body thinks it is under stress, and thus the cortisol rise. guarana has no such risk. as a thermogenic and appetite suppressant, guarana is safe and effective thanks to its stimulant properties. but this substance has an added bonus that is not often talked about: theobromine. if you have heard about theobromine at all, it is likely in connection with chocolate. women with pms run for the chocolate because the theobromine can give them relief. theobromine can help in the overall mood of the athlete. theobromine has also been used as a vasodilator, a substance that causes blood vessels in the body to become wider by relaxing the smooth muscle in the vessel wall (hmmm lower blood pressure?). guarana is an excellent deal for the money- the best for your supplement dollars that i have found. i will talk about it forever. buy it, and try it in place of your caffeine for a while, and check out the difference.

deen gill
rhino@cfaith.com

With the government ban on pro-hormones, the availability of legal and potent muscle-building compounds has shrunken dramatically. Supplement companies have responded in various ways to the new restrictions. Some companies, to our benefit, have responded with innovation and creativity flooding the market with new and exciting products. We have waded into these waters and are reporting with our finds.

Product X Transform Legal Gear

I (Deen) was fortunate enough to have been selected to test Product X Transform by Legal Gear when it was still known as “Product Y” (Dermasize was Product X). Sweet and simple: it works. What the guys at LG have done is isolated a specific bile acid in the liver which does what people said could not be done- it allows the athlete to cut fat while building muscle mass at the same time. The stuff is known as 3,7-D5-BCA (for you techies out there) and it acts as an emulsifier on fat, and a blood cortisol inhibitor which is very anti-catabolic. I tested it for three weeks and went from 230 lbs / 28% body fat to 230 lbs 24% body fat, while gaining in weights and reps the whole time. The liver bile acid in combo with a polyphenol (read that estrogen receptor antagonist), guadinidopropionic acid and three herbs makes for a powerful fat-cutting mass-builder.

I highly recommend this stuff if you are wanting a non-steroidal boost to your regimen, are concerned about the effects of designer hormones, are under 21, or just wanting to buy a product that is not a rip off. There’s no PCT (post cycle therapy, like we remember with M1T) that is necessary. Let’s see, how many thumbs do I have? Well they are all up for LG’s Product X Transform!

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)

Creatine has been a supplement standard for over the last ten years (see my previous article). It is one of the most studied supplements in existence. It has been found to be exceedingly safe and very effective, a rare combination in the supplement world. Creatine can have downsides, though. Enter creatine ethyl ester or CEE for short. Developed by researchers at the University of Nebraska by binding creatine with an ethyl ester, CEE was touted as the next generation of creatine. The benefits of CEE over regular creatine are dramatically increased absorption to the point where loading and insulin-spiking sugar are unnecessary. Also, only about 3 gm of CEE is needed for results. It is also speculated that CEE may even super-saturate muscle-cells with more creatine than regular creatine monohydrate, which would lead to increased results. When using CEE, Andy found some real nice bonuses over regular creatine: no water retention, no gastric distress, and increased muscular endurance over regular creatine. Some of the downsides were an increased frequency of urination and (Andy comments) a rather horrible bitter taste. Overall, Andy rates CEE as a dramatic improvement over regular creatine. It is available from a wide-range of companies for a good price. A must for people lifting on a budget.

AE2 by Nutrabolics (Arginine Ethyl Ester)

Shortly following the ester-ized form of creatine came Nutrabolics with AE2. Touted as consisting of an advanced form of the amino acid L-arginine, AE2 introduced arginine ethyl ester to the supplement world. Arginine Alpha-Ketoglutarate(or AAKG) became a much hyped supplement when NO2 was released in 2002. AAKG was purported to cause blood vessels to expand leading to greater and longer lasting “pumps” when lifting and more nutrient-rich blood entering the muscle. Nutrabolics claims that arginine ethyl ester(or AEE) is a more advanced and bioavailable arginine which would lead to better results, better pumps, less soreness, and bigger muscles. Andy tried AE2 without his hopes being too high. He says “I had tried AAKG before and had gotten better pumps when lifting, but with little actual increases in muscle size or fat loss. I was happy to say that AE2 did appear to be more effective than AAKG for me. I noticed great muscle pumps, better endurance, and less soreness while using AE2.”

X-Factor by Molecular Nutrition

Andy was fortunate enough to be selected for another test, a large Molecular Nutrition X-Factor trial. William Llewellyn the owner of Molecular Nutrition provided him with two bottles of X-Factor, enough to run a full 50-day cycle. Arachidonic Acid, the muscle-building ingredient in X-Factor, is possibly the most intriguing natural compound to hit bodybuilding since the introduction of Creatine over a decade ago. Arachidonic Acid is a naturally occurring omega-6 fatty acid found in red meat, eggs, and even baby formulas. When you lift weights, your muscles release Arachidonic Acid, this signals your body to respond with several anabolic hormones. Supplementing with Arachidonic Acid heightens your body’s anabolic response to weightlifting leading to increased protein synthesis (more muscle). When using this product over a 50 day period, Andy reports a loss of 4lbs of fat while simultaneously gaining nearly 9 lbs of lean muscle. In addition to the enhanced fat-burning and muscle building, he told me he noticed a more focused feeling when in the gym. Without a doubt, he says this is his new favorite supplement.

If you do decide to use X-Factor, Andy provided tips for maximum results. It is necessary to cycle X-Factor by taking it for no more than 50 days without taking a 50 day break in between. Arachidonic Acid is actually pro-inflammatory and will increase the soreness you feel in your muscles. This inflammation is actually necessary for building muscle, and as such while taking X-Factor you should do your best to avoid anti-inflammatories like fish oil, NSAIDS, and CLA. A full 50-day cycle will require 2 bottles which some people feel can be pricy, but Andy says it has delivered results like no other supplement.

Special thanks to Andy Parys for many of the details of this report!

Deen Gill
rhino@cfaith.com

Being a college athlete for over 5 years now, I have come across many athletes who believe using supplements and or illegal drugs is the only answer to success. This is sadly the case in almost every NCAA sport in the country. This is now why the NCAA is conducting "Year Around" drug testing to all NCAA participating Colleges and Universities. The list of banned substances is updated every year, and testing is now getting stronger.

Many athletes are sometimes caught off guard by this testing when they are not familiar with the banned substance list. I believe that is it the job of the Head Trainer to educate each and every possible athlete, each year, on the list of substances and the effects of being tested positive. There is no reason for any athlete to be caught off guard or unaware of the substances that he or she was using and be banned from the season. There are numerous products out there used by many athletes for "fat loss" or "energy" purposes and also "mental clarity" that contain elements that are on the banned substance list. One would think that a normal fat loss product would not get them disqualified from contest, but it is most likely loaded with banned substances. NOTE: This happens all the time.

Keep in mind that street drugs are also illegal and on the banned list. What are the 2 most known substances to be most likely used by a college student? Alcohol and pot! 2 substances of which I believe do not help an "athlete" at all. As an athlete myself, I personally do not see any benefit or desire to put something in my body to possibly hinder my performance in any way. Even the so called effects of these drugs that seem to be "helpful", truly do not. Now don't get me wrong, yes there are plenty of times to enjoy yourself. I too was a college athlete who went out and drank with my teammates after a big win. Yes, it is college. And yes, it is the time where everyone experiments with new things. But ask yourself this... Is it worth your "1" time career in college? Is it possibly worth effecting your life in a negative manner? When its time to get serious, why chance it? Play it smart!

It is not just the typical "steroid" type substances that hurt athletes during their season either. Many athletes are effected by Fat loss, Mental clarity, Beta blockers, and even Diuretic type substances. But now with year round testing, the chances of testing positive are now greater for these athletes if these substances are being used. I would like to take some time now and talk about the benefits of supplementation using products that are not on the banned substance list

I believe that everyone has heard of the supplement called Creatine at one time or another. Who hasn't right? The truth is, there are so many fancy names for this supp that it can be sometimes confusing. Creatine happens to be a very hot product because of its ability to help an athlete gain strength and muscle without any side effects, much like the other substances such as "anabolic" compounds. The basic job of creatine is to "increase the retention and synthesis of the two markers that produce explosive muscle growth within muscle tissue. This being creatine and nitrogen." When taking Creatine, "athletes can experience increased muscle size, lean mass and strength, better pumps in the gym and better vascularity, greater endurance, enhanced recovery, and little if not, no water retention." I believe that all athletes should use Creatine to better their performance. One product that stands out completely from the rest in my mind is VPX's CEX. Great overall product with incredible absorption, very potent, and very noticeable effects. Another great product in my mind to use is N'Gorge by ALRI. This product gives you "dramatic pumps, better recovery rate after exercise and no stomach bloating." Like I mentioned above, there are many forms of Creatine out there. Here is a quick link to some other creatine products worth checking out: http://www.mysupplementstore.net/creatines.html

The next supplement I would like to talk about I believe is probably the most important one of all. PROTEIN! Proteins are building blocks of all the muscles in your body. Without proper amounts of protein, your body can perform at a lower level then what is optimal. I am a firm believer that this should be supplemented in EVERY athletes nutritional program for every sport! With more and more sports having year 'round training, and not just "in season," your body needs all the protein it can get its hands on all year long! I believe that everyone at one time or another has heard that the best time to take protein is within the first hour after strenuous exercise. This, being sports or weight training. I would like to take this time to point out some supps that I think are top of the line proteins. NitronX by VPX I believe is the top supplement on the market today. With its creatine, insulin, carbs, glutamine and protein all wrapped up into one, its no wonder this product is at the top of my list! Not to mention the flavors are incredible! Next is Zero Carb Protein also by VPX. If you are looking for a fast acting whey protein drink, then you found the best one! I drink this at least twice a day and the flavors, even in water, taste good. Not bad for having NOTHING but protein in it! Ok, please do not think I am only promoting VPX here, but the next one is Micellean by VPX. Sorry, but when a company puts out such great products, why stray from the best? This protein is a "7-Hour Sustained Dispersion Anti-Catabolic Protein" It is constantly feeding your body protein for seven hours!!! You can't tell me that is a bad thing. This is especially good for a night time protein if you supplement yourself before bed. Ok, a different company now! ;) This protein supp is by Optimum Nutrition. Its called 100% Whey Protein. Basic name huh?! But the best part is, you get ten pounds of it!!! Read that again, "10 lbs!" Who says buying in bulk is a bad thing? This protein is "Rich in Branched Chain Amino Acids and Glutamine Peptides" which are essential for building new muscle. Muscle Milk by CytoSport is the next one on the list. Many great things can be said about this supplement. Everything from its ingredients to its great flavors! Believe me, some flavors are GOOD! The last protein supp on my list would be Isopure by Nature's Best. I like their convenient individual packs which are easy to mix with water and taste pretty good too. If that's not enough to get you started on some possible proteins, here's a link to ALL of the different types of protein out there: http://mysupplementstore.net/protein.html.

Not only is protein needed to help build muscle and let the body recover, the body also needs an amino acid that aids in the recovery of the muscle tissue as well. This being Glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the human body! "For the serious athlete, supplementing with L-Glutamine may: Aid in muscle tissue repair, Enhance immune system function, and Volumize muscle cells." This is exactly what athletes need prior to, and immediately following competition and also while practicing. The last two years of playing college ball, I used to take glutamine before and after each day of practice as well as games. I felt a complete difference than when I was off of it. I had some fellow teammates do it as well and they too noticed a considerable difference in the way their bodies felt using this supp. Glutamine AKG 1000 soft gels by SciFit is a very good pill form of glutamine. I currently take this prior to and right after my workouts. Ultra Pure Glutamine by VPX is also a product I use in EVERY shake that I make throughout the day. This supp I believe has the best absorption rate of any of the glutamine supps out there. There is also Glutamine Select by Beverly International. This is a very good supp because it combines glutamine with BCAA's in each serving. I believe its 5 grams of glut and 3 grams of BCAA's. This is very handy when mixing multiple supps together to make a "cocktail." Here is a link that shows all brands and names of all the Glutamine products: http://mysupplementstore.net/gll.html

BCAA's and ZMA supps.... When talking about BCAA's, the most specific description for them are that "Amino acids are the building blocks of protein, and Amino acids are essential to the human body." With this being said, it is plain to see that with any stress put on the body, such as weight training or competition, one would need to replenish their amino acids. You do the math here. Protein helps build muscle which makes athletes stronger, and BCAA's are the building blocks of those proteins. I believe that it would be a great benefit for ANY athlete to incorporate this type of supp in his or her arsenal. Some supps that I would recommend for this type of supp would definitely be BCAA AKG 1000 by SciFit. I am currently taking this, and the pills, I find are very easy to swallow. If you do not like pills, try this one... Amino Infusion 5000 by SciFit. This liquid supp allows great absorption and works very well. Personally, I like taking my BCAA's right before bed. I like how they help my body recover better while I sleep and for this I take VPX's CMZ. "CMZ contains Albion amino acid chelated minerals" which allow for "complete absorption and utilization. Albion amino acid chelates have been proven the most bioavailable, easy to tolerate, safe, and non-interactive minerals in the industry. They are far superior to all other forms of minerals in their physiological activity." With facts like that, I definitely want that for my night time pill!

Another great product I believe is the ZMA supp. "ZMA is a powerful non-steroidal, all natural dietary supplement clinically proven to increase free testosterone, total testosterone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) levels and enhance muscle strength." Combined with a proper training program and diet, this supp will greatly increase your gains! Some good products worth looking at are ZMA by Beverly International, ZMA Fuel from Twin Lab and ZMA by SciFit. Just as if those supps were not enough, here is the link to many more BCAA's and ZMA's: http://mysupplementstore.net/aminoacids.html and http://mysupplementstore.net/zma.html

Of course these supps will help you get closer to achieving your goals, but you must remember that a sound diet and proper training program is the only true way to reach your greatest potential. These supps only "help" you. There is no magic pill out there. You yourself as an athlete, owe it to yourself to put forth 110% every day you step foot onto the battleground, whether this be at practice or at a game. I hope that some of the above information has helped you in some way. These supps are here to aid in your progress to becoming a better athlete. Use these, and not the banned ones. You'll be thankful in the long run! I've written out the banned substance list below and I hope you can find it useful. To see the actual list, please go to: www.ncaa.org/health-safety.

This is the most up to date list found on the NCAA website for banned substances. I would like to help my fellow athletes stay on top of the game and not get "caught off guard" with any substance that may be in question. College sports are probably going to be the best times of your lives, so don't make any mistakes by using something that would ruin that experience for you! Stay educated and keep in contact with your Head Trainer! Like I mentioned above, it is his or her JOB to make sure all of their athletes are well educated with this list of substances. Here is the up to date list as of 8-1-05:

***NCAA Banned-Drug Classes

2005-2006

The NCAA list of banned-drug classes is subject to change by the NCAA Executive Committee. Contact NCAA education services or www.ncaa.org/health-safety for the current list. The term “related compounds” comprises substances that are included in the class by

their pharmacological action and/or chemical structure. No substance belonging to the prohibited class may be used, regardless of whether it is specifically listed as an example.

Many nutritional/dietary supplements contain NCAA banned substances. In addition, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not strictly regulate the supplement industry; therefore purity and safety of nutritional dietary supplements cannot be guaranteed. Impure supplements may lead to a positive NCAA drug test. The use of supplements is at the student-athlete’s own risk. Student-athletes should contact their institution's team physician or athletic trainer for further information.

Bylaw 31.2.3. Banned Drugs

The following is a list of banned-drug classes, with examples of substances under each class:

(a) Stimulants:

• amiphenazole methylenedioxymethamphetamine
• amphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy)
• bemigride methylphenidate
• benzphetamine nikethamide
• bromantan pemoline
• caffeine1 (guarana) pentetrazol
• chlorphentermine phendimetrazine
• cocaine phenmetrazine
• cropropamide phentermine
• crothetamide phenylephrin
• diethylpropion phenylpropanolamine (ppa)
• dimethylamphetamine picrotoxine
• doxapram pipradol
• ephedrine prolintane
• (ephedra, ma huang) strychnine
• ethamivan synephrine
• ethylamphetamine (citrus aurantium, zhi shi, bitter fencamfamine orange)
• meclofenoxate and related compounds
• methamphetamine

(b) Anabolic Agents:

• anabolic steroids
• androstenediol methyltestosterone
• androstenedione nandrolone
• boldenone norandrostenediol
• clostebol norandrostenedione
• dehydrochlormethyl- norethandrolone
• testosterone oxandrolone
• dehydroepiandro- oxymesterone
• sterone (DHEA) oxymetholone
• dihydrotestosterone stanozolol
• (DHT) testosterone2
• dromostanolone tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)
• epitrenbolone trenbolone
• fluoxymesterone and related compounds
• gestrinon
• mesterolone
• methandienone and other anabolic agents
• methenolone clenbuterol

(c) Substances Banned for Specific Sports:

Rifle:

• alcohol pindolol
• atenolol propranolol
• metoprolol timolol
• nadolol and related compounds

(d) Diuretics:

• acetazolamide hydrochlorothiazide
• bendroflumethiazide hydroflumethiazide
• benzhiazide methyclothiazide
• bumetanide metolazone
• chlorothiazide polythiazide
• chlorthalidone quinethazone
• ethacrynic acid spironolactone
• flumethiazide triamterene
• furosemide trichlormethiazide and related compounds

(e) Street Drugs:

• heroin tetrahydrocannabinol
• marijuana3 (THC)3

(f) Peptide Hormones and Analogues:

• corticotrophin (ACTH)
• human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG)
• leutenizing hormone (LH)
• growth hormone(HGH, somatotrophin)
• insulin like growth hormone (IGF-1)

All the respective releasing factors of the above-mentioned substances also are banned:

• erythropoietin (EPO) sermorelin
• darbypoetin

(g) Definitions of positive depends on the following:

• 1for caffeine—if the concentration in urine exceeds 15 micrograms/ml.
• 2for testosterone—if the administration of testosterone or use of any other manipulation has the result of increasing the ratio of the total concentration of testosterone to that of epitestosterone in the urine to greater than 6:1, unless there is evidence that this ratio is due to a physiological or pathological condition.
• 3for marijuana and THC—if the concentration in the urine of THC metabolite exceeds 15 nanograms/ml.***

I've included links to other helpful sites as well as references to all the above information found, below this article. Please read and educate yourself to the max. This goes out to all my fellow athletes... Remember to train hard and always strive to be better each and every day! You only have 1 chance at college sports in your life, so don't waste it. Take care and best of luck to all of you in your lives and your up and coming seasons!!!

Tim Thompson

References:

***http://www.mysupplementstore.net/creatines.html

***http://www.mysupplementstore.net/ngorgebyalri.html

***http://www.mysupplementstore.net/cexbyvpxsports.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/whprbyopgi10.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/miprpobyvpx.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/gll.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/aminoacids.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/cmzbyvpx.html

***http://mysupplementstore.net/zmabyscifit.html

***http://www.drugfreesport.com/choices/drugs/index.html

***http://www2.ncaa.org/legislation_and_governance/eligibility_and_conduct/drug_testing.html

*** www.ncaa.org/health-safety

Have you ever wanted to know what supplements to take? Have you ever heard other guys talking in the gym about supps and you find yourself asking what were they talking about later on? Or how about later on you wanting to try some supps and not even knowing where to start? Well, hopefully I can help you out here! Below I will try and address all age groups to help point you in the right direction for starting off in the wide world of supplements.

Everyone is different. Let us remember that. With that in mind, everyone will be at a "different place" when it comes to their fitness level and needs for supplementation. Now, to start this article off right, let me make something completely clear to EVERYONE... BEFORE taking ANYTHING at all, you should go see a doctor and get checked out COMPLETELY! This is like a disclaimer here. There is no reason to take something that could potentially harm you right? Don't be stubborn or think that nothing could possibly harm you... just do it and get it over with so you know where you stand. ESPECIALLY when dealing with FAT BURNING supplements! Now with that out of the way, lets see what there is in store for you!

Youngsters: You know who you are! You probably live in the gym everyday trying to get big, soaking up all there is to learn in the gym like a sponge. Yet, there is not a real noticeable difference in your body yet. Fear not, as this is natural and can be easily remedied. First off, you need to ask yourself how you are eating. I know this article is about "supplements," but this is key for your group! I would suggest consuming 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight. So if you weigh lets say 145lbs, then that is 145 grams of protein a day. You can find out how many grams of protein each meal will need to consist of by dividing 145 gram by the number of meals you eat in a day. Lets take 6 meals a day. That would mean that each meal would have to have around 24 gram of protein.

Now, with knowing this we can now help you find some things that will help you put on that well deserved muscle you are aiming for! If you find that your metabolism is eating everything you put in your mouth faster than you can feed it, you might need to add a weight gainer supp. to your daily meal plan. Now I'm also sure that you know that you need to increase your daily caloric intake as well. This is the only true way to help build muscle. This weight gainer will help you add those extra calories for helping you build that new muscle.

A couple suggestions for a weight gainer supp would be: Nitronx by VPX. Now I do not consider this a true WG, but it does help a lot! And trust me on this, you'll love the flavors so much, you'll probly gain weight because you wont be able to stop drinking the shakes they're so good! Some other good WG's are Massive Muscle Gainer by MRM and also Serious Mass by Optimum Nutrition. I believe that each of these will truly help pack on some solid pounds for ya. But make no mistake, you should also do some cardio as well, as you will most likely add FAT to your body along with your muscle. Not to worry though because if you have that fast metabolism... you'll probably burn it off without having to try! And that makes us "older" guys extremely jealous! If those supps don't tickle your fancy, here is some other WG's that you might like to try: http://www.mysupplementstore.com/weightgainers1.html

If you are in no need of a WG, then just Protein supp would benefit you greatly. There are TONS of GOOD protein products out there. I will list a few of my favorites for you here but the only true way to learn your own favorite... is to try them. Read which ones have the best ingredients and go from there. Also, while at the gym, ask around and find out what others take. Don't be shy either when in the gym and see someone that looks like a monster... Ask him, (or her) ;) what they take for a protein supp. because obviously they had to have taken some protein to get that way! Here are some of my favorites: 100% Whey Protein by Optimum Nutrition as well as Muscle Milk by Cytosport and lastly Micellean by VPX. I believe that these 3 will help you a lot.

To be perfectly honest with you youngsters... I believe that you only need this right now. Protein and hard work. Try letting your body adapt naturally to the stimulus you're putting it under and allow the protein to help you grow. There is ALWAYS room for improvement, in the gym and in your supplement usage.

Gym Rats: All you guys from 18 to 26... You've tried every Protein known to man and chances are you've also tried every creatine out there. I bet you've even heard of or tried some PH's as well. Well, lets see if I can help give you some pointers on which ones to continue to use and which ones to "try."

Lets start off nice and slow first. You've most likely got your favorite Protein, or one that you remembered using and you are using it again. Good. Now what about your Creatine? Is it out of date? Do you have the best possible Creatine working for you? These top 3 of mine will definitely help you out! CEX by VPX - Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL by Axis Labs and N’Gorge by ALRI. Now with the newest advances in Creatine, it is even easier to gain muscle now. These 3 I believe will dramatically help put on some solid muscle.

Creatine is just not used anymore by itself. Now the big thing is NO2 products! Studies have shown that the combination of NO2 products with Creatine have far better results than either one alone. With that in mind, lets look at some good NO2 supps! For starters, there's Muscle Nitrous w/ AEX by VPX, 1-NO by ErgoPharm, and like I stated above N’Gorge by ALRI. The combination of these 2 supps will give you unbelievable pumps in the gym! If you train hard enough, these 2 will give you great results.

Ok ok... I'll get to the good stuff now. ProHormones are banned now, but there are still products out there that give you almost same exact results, if not the same! These supps however should be taken with extreme care and not by ANYONE "under" the age of 21 years old! There is a reason for this guys, so please abide by it! "Google" all the reasons why 18 and younger should not take supps like these if you don't know. With all the products out there, it can be hard to choose sometimes. I find that these 4 supps from ALRI are your best bet for Andro like gains. There are however many other supps like these out there, I just prefer this company due to their proven results and great products. ErgoMAX LMG by ALRI, MAX LMG by ALRI, Prostanazol by ALRI, and Ultra H.O.T. (Hormone Optimization Trimatrix) by ALRI. You should also have an anti-estrogen supp like 6-OXO by ErgoPharm. This will allow your natural hormone levels to come back to normal after a cycle of use. ***IMPORTANT*** All usage of these types of supplements need to be cycled on and off for a period no longer than 4 weeks at a time of continual use!!!! You must take a minimum cycle off at least as long as the cycle you were on. 4 weeks on means 4 weeks off, at least, before doing another cycle. With a proper diet and a good workout routine, your gains will definitely be noticeable!

Lets not forget about our recovery now. When thinking about your recovery, you need to hit it from every angle. A lot of body builders and athletes think that its what you do in the gym and not what happens outside the gym. The number one form of recovery is FREE! You'll love this one. Its called sleep! Sorry, I had to throw that in there. Sleep is your number one form of recovery for your body. So rest up and grow!

As for supps to use, I would recommend a glutamine product of your choice, (I would recommend Ultra Pure L-Glutamine by VPX), a BCAA supp, and a good ZMA or Mineral supp as well. For a mineral supp, I would recommend CMZ by VPX. I think that this is by far the best night time mineral supp on the market. As far as your BCAA's go, I would get pills or a mix in that usually includes Glutamine in it. If you choose pills, I would go with BCAA AKG 1000 by Scifit but if you go with a mix in... I would suggest either BCAA+G by MRM, ICE by Xtreme Formulations, or Glutamine Select Plus - 552 grams by Beverly International. This way you can combine your supps all in one serving instead of taking pills all day long.

You also need to make sure that you have a good protein supp for immediate consumption after a hard workout. I believe without a doubt that VPX's NitronX is the best product for this... PERIOD! It has everything you need after a hard workout and has every possible recovery item in it. Perfect for when you body needs it most! If you choose not to use such a great product, I would recommend also getting a creatine to take post workout as well. One supp that is good for this is Vitargo CGL by Nutrex. Another good supp would be CEX from VPX and Kre-Alkalyn Soft Gel by Scifit. With these supps used on a continual basis, your body will thank you afterwards! All of these supps make up a great combination of recovery products.

This also is around the time that all of you want to start "losing weight." There is now a huge fad with using fat burners to get lean. Although Ephedra was banned, came back, and will probably be banned again, it is time to find an alternative. One that will not be outlawed in the future. That alternative is called cardio! Good ol' fashioned cardio for you my friend. Alright, I'll be realistic here. Not everyone is going to do that, but know this... There is NO MAGIC PILL to make all the fat go away. They may be strong products but you still have to put forth all the effort in order to see results. Again, I do not promote the use of fat burners until a full cardiovascular check up is done with one's doctor. There are too many issues laying around this not be extra careful. If you would like a full list of every possible kind of fat burner, click the link below. http://mysupplementstore.net/thermogenics.html

Geezers: For all you old guys from 27yrs old onward! HAHA I'm just playing with ya. Since you guys have been around the gym most likely before, you know what works and what doesn't with your body. Maybe its been awhile since you last stepped foot in a gym and you don't want to be feeling inadequate when lifting next th the younger guys. Understandable, but not practical! The first thing you need to come to terms with is that you have most likely been away from the game for a while now and need to start fresh. If you've been keeping up with some exercises over the years, then great! That will help you get started a lot easier. But if not, then we need to take it slow and swallow our pride here guys. You'll be pushing the weight again once more. Since your bodies are more mature, they are more susceptible and prone to injury. This is why you need to take it slow.

Now earlier I discussed some options for the gym rats. I would like to use that exactly for you guys as well... with a few new supps thrown in. First off, your protein, glutamine, BCAA's, creatine, and vitamin/mineral supps are key to any success you may want to achieve. So stick with those basic building blocks for your foundational work. Next comes the questions about the pain in the body. "What do I take for it?" Here are some pain relievers for your joints just in case: Glucosa Cream by VPX, Joint Enhance Plus MSM by SciFit, and ProFlex 750 by AST. Each one of these supps will help tremendously in combating the pain you might experience getting back into the gym. It is also good to have these supps instead of using something like Aspirin or Aleve for muscle and joint aches.

Another very important aspect of training for you older guys is staying hydrated. I know it sounds like the least of your worries, but having enough fluids is crucial for your body to function at its best. A product that I believe works very well is this case happens to be VPX's HydroForce. This supp has everything you need to stay hydrated and give you the extra energy needed to have strong workouts, just like when you were younger.

Now that you've had a good solid base of lifting for a couple of months, you want to start pushing some weight! Well, just like what I said above, some Andro like supps are just what the doctor ordered!ErgoMAX LMG by ALRI, MAX LMG by ALRI, Prostanazol by ALRI, and Ultra H.O.T. (Hormone Optimization Trimatrix) by ALRI. These are your "fountains of youth" for the gym! Don't forget to include your anti-estrogen supp like 6-OXO by ErgoPharm. Keep in mind that your body is slowly not producing the amount of hormones it used to so using these supps will greatly change the way you guys feel again. Make sure you read the labels and know what to expect in terms of gains, etc. And as always, check with your DOCTOR FIRST before taking anything!

Without going into complete detail here, I would like to address fat burners. Keep in mind guys that the older you get, the more "taxing" things are on the body. This goes especially true for your heart! When using a fat burner, keep an extra close watch on the functions and actions of your heart. Like stated above, ***SEE A DOCTOR BEFORE STARTING ANY SUPP SUCH AS A FAT BURNER OR ANDRO LIKE SUPPLEMENT.*** Make sure you keep a good solid diet and do plenty of cardiovascular exercise! Here is a link to all the fat burners with descriptions of each: http://mysupplementstore.net/thermogenics.html

Of course there are guys out there that already have the upper hand in the gym. These guys are already insane and still dedicated to becoming better in the gym. However, these guys sometimes don't have the kick start they used to have when going to the gym. A way to bypass that feeling is by taking something like ErgoLean AMP by ErgoPharm. This is sure to give you that extra edge you need to have a great workout! Be careful though not to be too "Amp'ed" or you'll have a hard time sleeping. And we all know sleep is our best friend when it comes to building muscle. A way to help get a more restful sleep and helping the metabolism stay working strong, is by taking a product like Sleep N Tight by Scifit.

The last and final aspect for this group would be the topic of Growth Hormone release. Our bodies release this hormone naturally and this helps our body grow muscle. As we get older, the production of this hormone decreases. This is why we need to have a GH supp to aid our bodies in producing more so we can once again build more muscle. A product that has far beyond topped the charts in my mind has got to be Hemogex by VPX Sports! This product is unsurpassed in its ability to produce results! It is a great product and I promote it entirely to anyone still looking to better themselves. Although it is a bit pricey, the results are well worth it!!! If you do not have that kind of money or don't see a reason to spend it like that, I would then recommend GHT Stack by SciFit. This product I believe gives the user a good quality amount of GH to help build more muscle. With proper diet and continual use of a product like this or Hemogex, the growth of new muscle is almost for certain!

I hope this information will help someone to some extent, and if there are any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me as stated in my Bio. Wishing ALL of you the very best in your training!

Tim Thompson

Ok, we've all been there! Doing so good in all our exercises and then BAM! We hit a plateau and are stuck with the same weight week after week. But what if I were to tell you that there was a program out there that would eliminate any plateau's that you might face? Would you be interested in reading about that program? Yes? Well good, because I am going to share that program with you now!

The title of my article is the same as the program I am about to tell you about. Why, because I could not have said it better any other way! I want to introduce you to the best workout you'll ever find... EVER! It is called the POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK Program! It was designed and written by Eric Broser. I have personally used this program for nearly 2 years now and have had massive gains in my lifts, and dramatic improvements on all my personal bests in the gym. It is something I recommend 100% to anyone and everyone looking for either something new to try, to increase their size, or even just add muscle. And trust me on this... You WILL add muscle!!!

With the many people I have told this program about, they have ALL come up to me and have thanked me for such an amazing program! But I cannot take credit for this, because it was Eric's program that changed my gym experience for the better and I just wanted to share my success with others so that they too can have the same successes as I. They have ALL made some form of improvement in their gym quests. Some of these improvements happened over time for some and others almost immediately but there were always positive results! The reason why I've made the word "ALL" bold is because I wanted to make certain that ALL who use this will see results! This program works! It worked for them and it can work for you too!

Below I would like to submit to you the "entire" program that helped start some of the best changes in the gym for me. After reading this article 3 or 4 times all the way through myself, I came to the conclusion that there is no way that I could write something any better than how Eric words the entire article! To try and summarize his article, simply would not do it justice... at all. So I give it to you in full. Please read everything carefully and don't be surprised if you have this sudden urge to go to the gym right away! Prepare to be amazed at the new you!

For those of you out there that have been training for more than a couple of years, I’d like you to take a little trip down memory lane with me...Remember back in the beginning, when you first started training, when new muscle and more power came almost every week? When the main goal at every training session was simply to add more weight to the bar and get it from point A to B in any way possible. When every night you would hop on the scale after the last meal of the night (of course when you would be at your heaviest for the day) and be thrilled to see that you weighed ½ a lb more than the night before. When all you had to do to gain muscle was to eat more, train more, sleep more, and abracadabra, alacazam, presto...there was more, of YOU!!

Ahhh, those were good times, weren’t they? But as all intermediate to advanced bodybuilders know...all good things come to an end. After about the first year of training, gains begin to slow down, weights don’t climb quite as easily, and the scale doesn’t budge like it once did. Despite your best efforts in the gym, pounding away on the same exercises for the same range of reps on the same days, nothing seems to be happening anymore. What’s the deal?

The fist thing you must understand is that muscles are not just a lumps of tissue. Muscles are extremely complex structures, that like onions, have many layers that need to be peeled before reaching the core. So, without turning this into a class in anatomy and physiology, let’s just take a quick and basic look inside these molehills we all wish to turn into mountains...our muscles.

Muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers also known as myofibers. Each fiber contains myofibrils, which themselves are composed of small bundles of myofilaments. The myofilaments are made up of two proteins, known as actin and myosin, and are the elements of muscle that actually shorten upon contraction.. The actin and myosin function within the sarcomere to produce these contractions. The sarcomere is the smallest functional unit within muscle.

In general there are three distinct fiber types found in skeletal muscle. These three include: Type I, also known as slow-twitch or red fibers; Type IIA, and IIB, also known collectively as fast-twitch or white fibers. Type I are the slowest, smallest, and have the highest level of endurance of all the fibers. They are most active in slow movements and long-term aerobic activities, and take a long time to fatigue. Next come the Type IIA and the Type IIB fibers, which are the fastest, largest, and least endurance oriented in the group. They are most active in short-term quick-burst or power activities. They are powered entirely through the anaerobic (without oxygen) system, and contract nearly twice as fast as slow twitch fibers, but fatigue much more rapidly. It is important to remember, however, that within our muscles there also lies “intermediate” fiber types that show both high oxidative and fast-twitch characteristics.

As you contract a muscle, each fiber type is recruited in a specific order. The smallest (lowest threshold) fibers, the Type I, are recruited first. As the speed or force of contraction is increased, you will sequentially recruit the intermediate fibers, and then the Type IIA and IIB muscle fibers. However, to recruit the Type IIB fibers it may take over 90% of a maximal contraction!

All people are born with these muscle fiber types. Most muscles contain almost an even split of these basic slow (Type I) and fast (Type II) fibers, with of course intermediate fibers that lie along the continuum between them. There is of course some genetic variation between different muscles, and from individual to individual. Some people are “born” to run marathons (slow-twitch dominant), while others are born to run sprints (fast-twitch dominant...and very lucky if they want to be a bodybuilder).

Although it is the Type II fibers that have the greatest potential for hypertrophy, in order to obtain maximal muscle size, it is imperative that we regularly train ALL of our muscle fibers. Why limit ourselves to only maximizing the potential of a portion of our fibers? Doesn’t it make sense that in order to come as close as possible to our genetic limits that we strive to “get at” every last fiber in each of our muscles? Of course! In addition, muscles also become larger due to other adaptations to training aside from actual fiber hypertrophy. Enhanced muscle size also occurs by way of increases in mitochondrial enzymes, increases in stored ATP and phosphocreatine, increases in stored glycogen and triglyceride, and also from the laying down of additional capillary beds.

So now the question is... “How do we go about successfully working all of our muscle fibers as well as stimulating all of the other pathways associated with maximum muscle hypertrophy?” The answer can be summed up in one simple word...VARIATION! After you have laid a foundation in your first couple of years of lifting weights, it is time to start to vary your training. Too many misguided trainees use the same exercises, in the same order, with the same rep tempo, rest between sets, training techniques, and rep ranges...day after day...week after week...and month after month! You must understand that the human body is an incredibly adaptable machine and thus will quickly cease to respond to stimuli that it is exposed to time and again. Do you know what one of the biggest roadblocks to progress, in anything that we do, is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result! That’s just plain craziness!

Now that I (hopefully) have you convinced that variation is your friend, your question to me probably is, “Ok hotshot...sounds good, but how do I go about this?” The answer lies in something called P/RR/S, which is short for POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK. “Cool name...but what the heck is it?” Another fine question! It is a method of cycling workouts that I developed after lifting weights for more than a dozen years, utilizing every training technique and program I had ever seen, or read about, along the way. In those 12 + years of training I had gone from a 125 lb weakling, who could barely bench press the 45 lb bar, to a 225 lb title winning bodybuilder that could bench press 400 + lbs...all without the aid of drugs. However, although I had done nicely, adding about 100 lbs to my frame, I still wanted more, but was not getting it. I had hit a wall and could not climb over it, or go around it. This forced me to examine everything I was doing in order to come up with a new plan of attack. I felt my diet and supplementation were solid, so I began focusing more on my training. Over the course of several months I slowly developed a program that had me gaining again, and before I knew it, I was up to 250 lbs, and feeling stronger than ever! The reason I named this program POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK will be apparent in just a moment, but I must tell you that I can honestly say that I have seen more consistent progress using this system than on another other I have ever tried. I have used P/RR/S for four straight years now and I am continually getting bigger and better. Of course, the system has continued to metamorphosize along the way as I continually tweak it in order to make it even more efficient at stimulating hypertrophy. In fact, I have developed several “hybrid” P/RR/S programs to fit the unique needs of different trainees, based on goals and level of experience. But I am getting ahead of myself. What I would like to present to you at this time is the basic P/RR/S plan, so that you can get an idea what this is all about

So, ready to grow? Read on...

Week 1: POWER

The goal during POWER week is to make a direct attack on the Type II A and II B muscle fibers, with an emphasis on the II B’s. These are the higher threshold fibers and the way we get at them is with heavy weights. The goal for this week is to utilize weights that allow for 4-6 reps to failure. The way in which you perform your reps is of great importance during POWER week. I have found that an eccentric (negative) contraction of about 4 seconds followed immediately by an explosive concentric (positive) contraction works best at nailing those fast-twitch fibers. Remember...even though you will be attempting to explode with the weight during the positive portion of the rep, it will not move very quickly at all due to the heavy load you are lifting. Rest between sets is also very important. Since you want to be able to lift as heavy as possible during POWER week, you will be resting about 4-5 minutes between sets in order to fully regenerate ATP and creatine phosphate stores in the muscle cells. As far as the exercises go, choose those that are basic or compound in nature. These include movements like bench presses, squats, deadlifts, military presses and bent rows. POWER week workouts will not impart a tremendous pump, but rather will make your muscles feel as if they’ve been smashed with a wrecking ball.

Rep Goal: 4-6

Rest Between Sets: 4-5 minutes

Lifting Tempo: 4/0/X

Exercises: Mostly compound

Here is an example of a typical POWER workout for chest:

• 1-Bench Press: 4 x 4-6
• 2-Incline Dumbell Press: 3 x 4-6
• 3-Weighted Dips: 2-3 x 4-6

Week 2: REP RANGE

As I mentioned earlier there are several fiber types that lie along the continuum between Type I and Type II muscle fibers. The goal of REP RANGE week is to show these “intermediary” fibers no mercy! We will accomplish this by using three distinct rep ranges (hence the name of this week) for three separate exercises for each body part. The first exercise will be to failure in the 7-9 rep range. The second will be to failure in the 10-12 rep range. The final exercise will be to failure in the 13-15 rep range.

In order to make the stimulus this week even more unique from the POWER week, you will also change your rep tempo. Both the eccentric and concentric portion of each rep should take 2 seconds to complete, while the mid-point of the movement (isometric contraction) should be held for one full second. Additionally, if you happen to be using a movement that contains a strong “peak contraction effect,” such as leg extensions, you are also encouraged to hold this portion of the rep for one full second before you begin the eccentric portion of the rep. The exercises used this week should be both compound and isolation in nature, with free weights, machines and cables all being fair game. One particularly effective approach is to choose a free weight compound movement for the 7-9 rep range; a free weight isolation movement for the 10-12 rep range; and a machine or cable movement for the 13-15 rep range. Of course, you are encouraged to experiment a bit to get an idea of what feels most effective to you. Rest between sets during REP RANGE week will be 2-3 minutes. You can expect a tremendous pump from REP RANGE week workouts, and some deep muscle soreness in the days that follow...but we love that kind of pain, don’t we!

Rep Goal: 7-9, 10-12, 13-15

Rest Between Sets: 2-3 minutes

Lifting Tempo: 2/1/2/1***

Exercises: Compound, Isolation, Machine or Cable

***1 second hold at peak for certain exercises

Here is an example for a typical REP RANGE workout for shoulders:

• 1-Military Press: 4 x 7-9
• 2-Seated Side Lateral: 3 x 10-12
• 3-Reverse Pec Deck Flye: 2 x 13-15

Week 3: SHOCK

In my opinion, SHOCK week is the most intense and excruciating portion of this routine. It will without a doubt test your ability to withstand pain, fend off nausea, and fight back the tears! SHOCK week separates the men from the boys, the freaks from the fakes! The goal during this week is complete and utter annihilation of every fiber, from slow-twitch, right on down to the fast-twitch Type II A’s; to force your body to release natural GH like water from a collapsed damn; and to literally “force” your muscles to grow in a “do or die” like fashion! Each grueling session during shock week contains 2 different types of supersets and a punishing dropset for each major bodypart. The first superset will be performed in what is known as “pre-exhaust” fashion. This means that an isolation movement will be performed first, with a compound movement immediately after. The second superset will be what as known as “post activation,” made famous by Ironman contributing author Michael Gundill. In post activation supersets, it is the compound movement that proceeds the isolation movement. Each of these supersets provides a unique stimulus for both your muscles and nervous system. Once you have completed your supersets it is time for a dropset, which will complete the torture that you will impart on your muscles during SHOCK week. Reps for each exercise will be in the range of 8-10, and the tempo will become more rhythmic in nature. An eccentric contraction of just one second will be followed immediately by a concentric contraction of the same speed. There will be no resting (as long as you can handle it) at the top or bottom, as each rep should be performed in a “piston-like” fashion. Rest between sets should be long enough to allow you to catch your breath fully, as well as to prepare your mind for the next onslaught. Your individual level of cardiovascular conditioning, as well as your constitution, will determine the length of your rest. Free weights, cables, and machines are all utilized during SHOCK week. My warning to you is that you better be prepared when you enter the gym on SHOCK week, because every workout will leave you breathing with the intensity of a steam engine and a burn that will reach your very core! Fun!

Rep Goal: 8-10 (dropset is 8-10, drop, 6-8)

Rest Between Sets: cardiovascular and mental recovery

Lifting Tempo: 1/0/1

Exercises: Compound, Isolation, Machine or Cable

Here is a typical SHOCK workout for triceps:

• 1-Superset: Rope Pressdown/Lying Extension: 2 x 8-10 each
• 2-Superset: CG Bench Press/Underhand Grip Pressdown: 2 x 8-10 each
• 3-Dropset: Single Arm Overhead Dumbell Extension: 1 x 8-10, drop, 6-8

After you have completed the 3 week POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK cycle, return to the beginning and repeat. With each cycle do your best to increase the weights you lift and/or the reps you achieve. After three full cycles I recommend that you take off one full week from the gym before returning to the program. After your break, you might want to switch up some or all of the exercises that you used in the cycle proceeding.

I would like to mention that the P/RR/S program that I presented in this article is not meant for beginners (although in a future article I will explain how those with less experience can begin to employ my system, as well as how more advanced lifters can work with an even more intense version). You can begin to use the program as presented here, after about two solid years in the gym.

So, if you have been training for some time, are stuck in a rut, or are looking to take your physique to the next level, POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK training may just be your first class ticket to “FREAKVILLE!” Enjoy the ride my friends.

***For individualized P/RR/S programs or for online personal training, nutritional guidance, or contest prep coaching, Eric Broser can be contacted at bodyfx2@aol.com.

***This article appeared in the May 2005 Ironman

I hope that this article has stimulated the desire in all of you to take this challenge and try this program out! I cant tell you enough how happy you will be by doing so! If for any reason you need more info or maybe even a personalized routine, please don't hesitate to contact Eric for any help you might need! He is one of the best and I am proud, and honored, to be able to spread this information to you all! Eric has helped me so much and he can help you too! Best of luck to all of you and please... please do not yell at me if you need to start shopping for a bigger wardrobe soon!

I would like to take some time and address an issue that many people tend to overlook in their training. DIET! Most people forget about it, some run from it, and other's abuse it. The truth is, this is probably the biggest and most important aspect of training there is! What you put in your body determines if you grow muscle, or put on fat. The question then becomes, am I eating the right foods?

I would like to address the issue of weight reduction while still maintaining all your muscle and even gaining some in the process. With proper training, you can add muscle while dieting properly. Everything is a matter of timing, amounts, and proper ratio's. Now I know that you do not want to read a mathematical based article here so I will keep this really basic. No need to worry about too many numbers here. In fact, I'm guessing there will be around 6 numbers for you to remember.

Now when trying to lose weight, most people have no correct concept of how to eat right. Some people still believe in not eating at all to lose weight. This is the WORST THING you can do! Your body needs food to function, operate, and survive. So why are you not supplying it with food?! When there is no food to get energy from, guess where your body goes first? Your muscles! And we want to keep our muscle now don't we? This is something we want to try and avoid completely, so let's start out by taking a look at the correct way to diet.

Remember when I said that you need to remember only 6 numbers? Well, that is because, that is how many meals you need to eat throughout the day. Now don't get all ahead of me and say "NO WAY!" or "IS HE CRAZY?"... Allow me to explain first. Try and imagine yourself sitting in front of a fire. Its burning good for a few hrs but then starts to die down. What do you usually do when this happens? You throw in another log right? You can keep doing this until you no longer want the fire burning and this is EXACTLY the same as how your metabolism works. Your metabolism is the fire, and the logs represent the food you eat during the day. If you have your metabolism running but then starts to slow down, you need to feed it some food to get it back going again. Same principle as the fire. In order to accomplish this task, you need to eat roughly every 3 hrs or so. This will allow your body to have a continual helping to all the energy it needs to keep that metabolism burning strong. And we all know what happens with a good, strong burning metabolism. It BURN'S MORE FAT!

A simple time line to use as an "example" would look something like this:

8 am - Breakfast 11 am - Snack 1 pm - Lunch 4 pm - Snack 6 pm - Dinner 8 pm - Snack All of these times represent when you should eat a "mini" meal. No big portions here, just enough to satisfy your hunger and keep going. After all, you'll be eating AGAIN in a few short hours. The object of this diet plan is not eat a lot, but to eat more often. Even though the portions are smaller, you will not go hungry due to the constant consumption of food throughout the day. Now, not everyone can use this exact model, but I'm sure that you could make some slight adjustments to fit your individual schedules and needs. I told you it was only 6 numbers didn't I? Just arrange any 6 numbers for your eating times like the example above, and you're set!

Now that you have the timing down, it is time to know the foods that will also aid you in your diet plan. A little tip before we get started is that you want to have a little protein in each mini meal. This will help keep your body in a positive nitrogen balance and anabolic (muscle building) state. I will start by talking about your main meal foods first and then move on to snack foods.

For your main 3 meals, which should be your classic breakfast, lunch and dinner... They should include, but not be limited to: Eggs, Chicken, Fish, Lean Steaks and other lean meats such as Lean "Red" Meats, Turkey and Whey Protein. You can make many versions of meals using these foods. Granted, the only true breakfast type foods listed here is eggs and whey, but there are also a few snack foods that you could combine with these two foods for breakfast purposes as you'll see in a second.

For your snack foods, which should be in between each one of your 3 main meals, you can enjoy: berries, green veggies, beans and legumes, almonds and other unsalted nuts, unsweetened and unflavored instant oatmeal (I know, I'm horrible), dairy such as yogurts and cottage cheese, whole grain breads, all natural peanut butter, and even olive oil. Olive oil will be amazingly helpful when cooking and seasoning up your foods. (Cottage cheese happens to be my fav. one on this list!)

As you can see there are plenty more snack foods than major meal foods. These foods act like "additions" to already made meals. Or, the extra seasoning to a meal... Or even the phrase, "The icing on the cake" would be more appropriate. It is because of these snack foods that you can create tons of variations and combinations to satisfy whatever food craving you might have. Being that you eat every few hours, these foods will help your body increase its metabolism even faster. It doesn't get much better than that!

A few things I should also bring up, is to be creative when making your food selections and combinations. You also want to stay in check, and don't get carried away with "portion" sizes. Remember, these are "mini meals," not full size ones. (Your protein source should be around the size of the palm of your hand for example.) Another key thing to really pay attention to is to NOT add SALT! Sodium is not your friend here and will hinder your results if you do in fact use it. Try avoiding this as well as butter. This is why I said the olive oil will work nicely for you. If you stick to this and play it smart, you will completely see a difference in your weight, just by changing your diet alone! You must give it time though.

If you happen to be already physically active, I applaud you because you are that much further ahead of the game! Keep up your cardio and weight training and watch the lbs. melt off! If you are not physically active, no need to worry. You don't need to rush into the gym immediately. Go ahead and take your time getting into it. Go a few days out of the week and slowly build up to 5 days a week. This will allow your body to adjust to the difference in diet, as well as training stimuli that you will be putting it under in the weeks to follow.

As for training itself, I will keep this short. (This is a nutrition article after all.) I would say try and do resistance training 3 days a week and cardio 2-3 days a week. You want to alternate between weights and cardio each day to allow proper recovery time and also allow your body to adapt. You don't want to overload your body with too much too soon. Stick with a whole body workout 3 days a week and some form of cardio for 2 or 3 days as well and you will be amazed on how well you look in a very short time! Stay motivated and watch ALL your hard work pay off! Best of luck to all of you!

The chest is probably the most worked out body part in any gym. I know in all four gyms I have trained in the chest area, along with chest exercises in the dumbbell area, are always being done more so than other exercises. A chest is a sense of pride for an individual, whether you are male or female. A well defined and strong chest commands immediate attention. The goal with this routine is to allow you to experience first hand how it feels to have a chest like this.

It took me many years to find a chest routine that packed on size and definition like this one has. Hopefully it does the same for you. I cannot guarantee results because everyone’s chest is different. I learned that through the years of having different training partners. But at the same time I also learned each of these exercises combined can produce some fantastic results.

EXERCISE ONE – INCLINE BENCH BARBELL PRESS

Nothing and I repeat nothing builds mass like incline presses. Granted, you can alternate between dumbbell and barbell here. However, I feel for overall thickness and density that barbell is more potent than dumbbell. Dumbbell to me is great if you want extra definition, and in this case I am focusing more on mass and definition. I have definition exercises covered already so I will take the incline barbell press for mass.

With this exercise, the important thing to realize is to let the bar come down right above your chest and for the bench to be at a 45 degree angle. I see too many people cheat and not bring the bar all the way down or have the bench be too high where they hit their shoulders more or too low where they hit the middle of their chest more. The only way to spread that chest so it will grow is to get that barbell all the way down, slow enough so that you can feel the fibers just tear as you come down (not literally of course). That is why I love this exercise – the fact you can feel the chest spread as you go down and then pop back up as the weight is pushed up is amazing. I believe the rep range to be effective here is 12-15 reps. When the bar comes down to the point I mentioned, make the mind-muscle connection and feel that upper portion of the chest be flexed from the weight.

You need the chest to be pumped with blood in order for it to grow. The upper part of the chest is the biggest part and usually the most neglected. Hit this exercise first in your routine, doing good weight for 4 sets of 12 reps, and watch your chest swell up before your next exercise. Having a big upper chest makes the whole chest look bigger as well as it helps a sagging chest look more solid.

EXERCISE TWO – FLAT BENCH DUMBBELL FLIES

I think some of you might be shocked I didn’t put good old flat barbell press as a top two exercise. Quite simply, as much as I like flat benching, it doesn’t do a whole lot for the chest individually. You have a lot of secondary muscle groups hit when you flat bench. Without strong shoulders or triceps, your bench press won’t be high. However, I would rather be doing a motion where I feel the chest flex each rep rather than feeling my triceps tire and my lats squeeze together. If you couldn’t tell, the latter to me is flat barbell pressing and the former is incline press.

Anyway, let me get onto these flies. I do believe that dumbbell flies when done on a flat bench can be very effective. You take out the tricep factor right away as you are doing a fly movement. That being said, your shoulder only needs to stabilize the weight somewhat here, not as much as if you were pressing. And because you are doing flies, you are using your chest here fully though you are in a flat position. You have the opportunity here to hit all three parts of the chest (upper, middle, and lower).

When you are taking the dumbbell to do these flies, make sure it does not cause your bicep to flex, otherwise it becomes a more shoulder/bicep pull than a fly for the chest. When you grab the weight, make sure your arms are as straight as can be and then come up as if you are hugging someone. Do your best not to bend your arms. When lowering the weight, do not let your tricep take the brunt of the weight coming down. Your arms still stay straight and your chest is being spread again. The negative with chest, just like back, is crucial. You should feel as you bring the weight up your chest come out and each side should almost touch the other from the pump you are getting. If this isn’t happening, odds are you are going to heavy and you are pressing the weight a little with your tricep.

Do 3 sets here of a good 15 reps, weight can be as low as you want, assuming you still get a good pump. This should really engorge the chest, especially after pressing the biggest part in the first exercise.

EXERCISE THREE – DECLINE BENCH DUMBBELL PRESS

Notice how each exercise has differed. First you did a barbell press, then a dumbbell fly, now a dumbbell press. This way your body won’t get burned out from doing any one thing too much. Many people under-estimate the importance of working out the lower part of their chest. You will hear it is for purely cosmetic reasons or you will hear it doesn’t do anything for chest except boost your ego. I agree somewhat with the first claim. The second claim I do not agree with.

Being bodybuilders, we workout for cosmetic reasons. We might like the feeling of power, but we also work out to develop muscle and to see the development. In my opinion, nothing brings out striations in the chest more than this exercise. The decline bench should be at a negative 45 degree angle. 45 degrees is the key number either way when pressing on an angle to hit the chest effectively. When you press the dumbbells up, try to come in towards you’re the middle. This way your chest will be squeezed at the top, causing those fibers to pop out and to also allow the lower chest to rise up. When you come down, you are relaxing the chest and coming down wide, so as to spread the chest besides un-flexing the muscle

This exercise is very effective at making a sloppy chest look presentable. If your chest is saggy, try incorporating this exercise into your routine. It will take your lower chest which is probably underdeveloped and raise it, which actually makes the whole chest look bigger. Once I incorporated this exercise into my routine, my chest stood out more and I had veins coming out from the bottom of my chest. I also even noticed my lats got wider. Your lats are hit with this exercise with the negative and in turn your V-taper will be further developed. Do this exercise for 3 sets of 12 solid reps.

EXERCISE FOUR – Cable Cross-Overs (top)

This exercise is meant to give you more definition. This is not a mass movement. You might feel like it makes your chest bigger, but in reality it is making it more defined. It is my favorite exercise to give definition to the chest.

Take the cables and put them so they are higher than your body on each side. The level you put them at will determine the stretch and I know some gyms have cables with different settings. As long as the cables are positioned above the body that is fine. You want to use light to moderate weight here. Going heavy does not serve a purpose as this is not a mass movement.

Stand in the middle of the “machine”, taking about 1 ½ to 2 steps forward, depending on height of cable, how tall you are, etc. Stand with your knees slightly bent and bring the cables from the side to the front, keeping your arms straight. It is almost as if you are doing a fly movement with the cables. Do not bend your arms and if you notice the weight is heavy and your biceps or triceps are helping, lower the weight. Pretend there is someone in front of you that you are hugging. This is very effective for bringing out the separation in the chest and the shoulder as well as the middle of the chest between the left half and right. I personally do 3 sets of this, doing 15 reps, 12 reps, and then 10 reps. It is my last exercise so I burn it out at the end.

I hope these 4 basic movements work for me as they work for you. I tried thinking of exercises that every gym should have available to its customers. Remember to concentrate on squeezing the chest as you push and expanding the chest as you relax the weight and force the negative. One last thing, enjoy the new growth ;).

Ok, we've all been there! Doing so good in all our exercises and then BAM! We hit a plateau and are stuck with the same weight week after week. But what if I were to tell you that there was a program out there that would eliminate any plateau's that you might face? Would you be interested in reading about that program? Yes? Well good, because I am going to share that program with you now!

The title of my article is the same as the program I am about to tell you about. Why, because I could not have said it better any other way! I want to introduce you to the best workout you'll ever find... EVER! It is called the POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK Program! It was designed and written by Eric Broser. I have personally used this program for nearly 2 years now and have had massive gains in my lifts, and dramatic improvements on all my personal bests in the gym. It is something I recommend 100% to anyone and everyone looking for either something new to try, to increase their size, or even just add muscle. And trust me on this... You WILL add muscle!!!

With the many people I have told this program about, they have ALL come up to me and have thanked me for such an amazing program! But I cannot take credit for this, because it was Eric's program that changed my gym experience for the better and I just wanted to share my success with others so that they too can have the same successes as I. They have ALL made some form of improvement in their gym quests. Some of these improvements happened over time for some and others almost immediately but there were always positive results! The reason why I've made the word "ALL" bold is because I wanted to make certain that ALL who use this will see results! This program works! It worked for them and it can work for you too!

Below I would like to submit to you the "entire" program that helped start some of the best changes in the gym for me. After reading this article 3 or 4 times all the way through myself, I came to the conclusion that there is no way that I could write something any better than how Eric words the entire article! To try and summarize his article, simply would not do it justice... at all. So I give it to you in full. Please read everything carefully and don't be surprised if you have this sudden urge to go to the gym right away! Prepare to be amazed at the new you!

For those of you out there that have been training for more than a couple of years, I’d like you to take a little trip down memory lane with me...Remember back in the beginning, when you first started training, when new muscle and more power came almost every week? When the main goal at every training session was simply to add more weight to the bar and get it from point A to B in any way possible. When every night you would hop on the scale after the last meal of the night (of course when you would be at your heaviest for the day) and be thrilled to see that you weighed ½ a lb more than the night before. When all you had to do to gain muscle was to eat more, train more, sleep more, and abracadabra, alacazam, presto...there was more, of YOU!!

Ahhh, those were good times, weren’t they? But as all intermediate to advanced bodybuilders know...all good things come to an end. After about the first year of training, gains begin to slow down, weights don’t climb quite as easily, and the scale doesn’t budge like it once did. Despite your best efforts in the gym, pounding away on the same exercises for the same range of reps on the same days, nothing seems to be happening anymore. What’s the deal?

The fist thing you must understand is that muscles are not just a lumps of tissue. Muscles are extremely complex structures, that like onions, have many layers that need to be peeled before reaching the core. So, without turning this into a class in anatomy and physiology, let’s just take a quick and basic look inside these molehills we all wish to turn into mountains...our muscles.

Muscle is composed of bundles of muscle fibers also known as myofibers. Each fiber contains myofibrils, which themselves are composed of small bundles of myofilaments. The myofilaments are made up of two proteins, known as actin and myosin, and are the elements of muscle that actually shorten upon contraction.. The actin and myosin function within the sarcomere to produce these contractions. The sarcomere is the smallest functional unit within muscle.

In general there are three distinct fiber types found in skeletal muscle. These three include: Type I, also known as slow-twitch or red fibers; Type IIA, and IIB, also known collectively as fast-twitch or white fibers. Type I are the slowest, smallest, and have the highest level of endurance of all the fibers. They are most active in slow movements and long-term aerobic activities, and take a long time to fatigue. Next come the Type IIA and the Type IIB fibers, which are the fastest, largest, and least endurance oriented in the group. They are most active in short-term quick-burst or power activities. They are powered entirely through the anaerobic (without oxygen) system, and contract nearly twice as fast as slow twitch fibers, but fatigue much more rapidly. It is important to remember, however, that within our muscles there also lies “intermediate” fiber types that show both high oxidative and fast-twitch characteristics.

As you contract a muscle, each fiber type is recruited in a specific order. The smallest (lowest threshold) fibers, the Type I, are recruited first. As the speed or force of contraction is increased, you will sequentially recruit the intermediate fibers, and then the Type IIA and IIB muscle fibers. However, to recruit the Type IIB fibers it may take over 90% of a maximal contraction!

All people are born with these muscle fiber types. Most muscles contain almost an even split of these basic slow (Type I) and fast (Type II) fibers, with of course intermediate fibers that lie along the continuum between them. There is of course some genetic variation between different muscles, and from individual to individual. Some people are “born” to run marathons (slow-twitch dominant), while others are born to run sprints (fast-twitch dominant...and very lucky if they want to be a bodybuilder).

Although it is the Type II fibers that have the greatest potential for hypertrophy, in order to obtain maximal muscle size, it is imperative that we regularly train ALL of our muscle fibers. Why limit ourselves to only maximizing the potential of a portion of our fibers? Doesn’t it make sense that in order to come as close as possible to our genetic limits that we strive to “get at” every last fiber in each of our muscles? Of course! In addition, muscles also become larger due to other adaptations to training aside from actual fiber hypertrophy. Enhanced muscle size also occurs by way of increases in mitochondrial enzymes, increases in stored ATP and phosphocreatine, increases in stored glycogen and triglyceride, and also from the laying down of additional capillary beds.

So now the question is... “How do we go about successfully working all of our muscle fibers as well as stimulating all of the other pathways associated with maximum muscle hypertrophy?” The answer can be summed up in one simple word...VARIATION! After you have laid a foundation in your first couple of years of lifting weights, it is time to start to vary your training. Too many misguided trainees use the same exercises, in the same order, with the same rep tempo, rest between sets, training techniques, and rep ranges...day after day...week after week...and month after month! You must understand that the human body is an incredibly adaptable machine and thus will quickly cease to respond to stimuli that it is exposed to time and again. Do you know what one of the biggest roadblocks to progress, in anything that we do, is? Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result! That’s just plain craziness!

Now that I (hopefully) have you convinced that variation is your friend, your question to me probably is, “Ok hotshot...sounds good, but how do I go about this?” The answer lies in something called P/RR/S, which is short for POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK. “Cool name...but what the heck is it?” Another fine question! It is a method of cycling workouts that I developed after lifting weights for more than a dozen years, utilizing every training technique and program I had ever seen, or read about, along the way. In those 12 + years of training I had gone from a 125 lb weakling, who could barely bench press the 45 lb bar, to a 225 lb title winning bodybuilder that could bench press 400 + lbs...all without the aid of drugs. However, although I had done nicely, adding about 100 lbs to my frame, I still wanted more, but was not getting it. I had hit a wall and could not climb over it, or go around it. This forced me to examine everything I was doing in order to come up with a new plan of attack. I felt my diet and supplementation were solid, so I began focusing more on my training. Over the course of several months I slowly developed a program that had me gaining again, and before I knew it, I was up to 250 lbs, and feeling stronger than ever! The reason I named this program POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK will be apparent in just a moment, but I must tell you that I can honestly say that I have seen more consistent progress using this system than on another other I have ever tried. I have used P/RR/S for four straight years now and I am continually getting bigger and better. Of course, the system has continued to metamorphosize along the way as I continually tweak it in order to make it even more efficient at stimulating hypertrophy. In fact, I have developed several “hybrid” P/RR/S programs to fit the unique needs of different trainees, based on goals and level of experience. But I am getting ahead of myself. What I would like to present to you at this time is the basic P/RR/S plan, so that you can get an idea what this is all about

So, ready to grow? Read on...

Week 1: POWER

The goal during POWER week is to make a direct attack on the Type II A and II B muscle fibers, with an emphasis on the II B’s. These are the higher threshold fibers and the way we get at them is with heavy weights. The goal for this week is to utilize weights that allow for 4-6 reps to failure. The way in which you perform your reps is of great importance during POWER week. I have found that an eccentric (negative) contraction of about 4 seconds followed immediately by an explosive concentric (positive) contraction works best at nailing those fast-twitch fibers. Remember...even though you will be attempting to explode with the weight during the positive portion of the rep, it will not move very quickly at all due to the heavy load you are lifting. Rest between sets is also very important. Since you want to be able to lift as heavy as possible during POWER week, you will be resting about 4-5 minutes between sets in order to fully regenerate ATP and creatine phosphate stores in the muscle cells. As far as the exercises go, choose those that are basic or compound in nature. These include movements like bench presses, squats, deadlifts, military presses and bent rows. POWER week workouts will not impart a tremendous pump, but rather will make your muscles feel as if they’ve been smashed with a wrecking ball.

Rep Goal: 4-6

Rest Between Sets: 4-5 minutes

Lifting Tempo: 4/0/X

Exercises: Mostly compound

Here is an example of a typical POWER workout for chest:

• 1-Bench Press: 4 x 4-6
• 2-Incline Dumbell Press: 3 x 4-6
• 3-Weighted Dips: 2-3 x 4-6

Week 2: REP RANGE

As I mentioned earlier there are several fiber types that lie along the continuum between Type I and Type II muscle fibers. The goal of REP RANGE week is to show these “intermediary” fibers no mercy! We will accomplish this by using three distinct rep ranges (hence the name of this week) for three separate exercises for each body part. The first exercise will be to failure in the 7-9 rep range. The second will be to failure in the 10-12 rep range. The final exercise will be to failure in the 13-15 rep range.

In order to make the stimulus this week even more unique from the POWER week, you will also change your rep tempo. Both the eccentric and concentric portion of each rep should take 2 seconds to complete, while the mid-point of the movement (isometric contraction) should be held for one full second. Additionally, if you happen to be using a movement that contains a strong “peak contraction effect,” such as leg extensions, you are also encouraged to hold this portion of the rep for one full second before you begin the eccentric portion of the rep. The exercises used this week should be both compound and isolation in nature, with free weights, machines and cables all being fair game. One particularly effective approach is to choose a free weight compound movement for the 7-9 rep range; a free weight isolation movement for the 10-12 rep range; and a machine or cable movement for the 13-15 rep range. Of course, you are encouraged to experiment a bit to get an idea of what feels most effective to you. Rest between sets during REP RANGE week will be 2-3 minutes. You can expect a tremendous pump from REP RANGE week workouts, and some deep muscle soreness in the days that follow...but we love that kind of pain, don’t we!

Rep Goal: 7-9, 10-12, 13-15

Rest Between Sets: 2-3 minutes

Lifting Tempo: 2/1/2/1***

Exercises: Compound, Isolation, Machine or Cable

***1 second hold at peak for certain exercises

Here is an example for a typical REP RANGE workout for shoulders:

• 1-Military Press: 4 x 7-9
• 2-Seated Side Lateral: 3 x 10-12
• 3-Reverse Pec Deck Flye: 2 x 13-15

Week 3: SHOCK

In my opinion, SHOCK week is the most intense and excruciating portion of this routine. It will without a doubt test your ability to withstand pain, fend off nausea, and fight back the tears! SHOCK week separates the men from the boys, the freaks from the fakes! The goal during this week is complete and utter annihilation of every fiber, from slow-twitch, right on down to the fast-twitch Type II A’s; to force your body to release natural GH like water from a collapsed damn; and to literally “force” your muscles to grow in a “do or die” like fashion! Each grueling session during shock week contains 2 different types of supersets and a punishing dropset for each major bodypart. The first superset will be performed in what is known as “pre-exhaust” fashion. This means that an isolation movement will be performed first, with a compound movement immediately after. The second superset will be what as known as “post activation,” made famous by Ironman contributing author Michael Gundill. In post activation supersets, it is the compound movement that proceeds the isolation movement. Each of these supersets provides a unique stimulus for both your muscles and nervous system. Once you have completed your supersets it is time for a dropset, which will complete the torture that you will impart on your muscles during SHOCK week. Reps for each exercise will be in the range of 8-10, and the tempo will become more rhythmic in nature. An eccentric contraction of just one second will be followed immediately by a concentric contraction of the same speed. There will be no resting (as long as you can handle it) at the top or bottom, as each rep should be performed in a “piston-like” fashion. Rest between sets should be long enough to allow you to catch your breath fully, as well as to prepare your mind for the next onslaught. Your individual level of cardiovascular conditioning, as well as your constitution, will determine the length of your rest. Free weights, cables, and machines are all utilized during SHOCK week. My warning to you is that you better be prepared when you enter the gym on SHOCK week, because every workout will leave you breathing with the intensity of a steam engine and a burn that will reach your very core! Fun!

Rep Goal: 8-10 (dropset is 8-10, drop, 6-8)

Rest Between Sets: cardiovascular and mental recovery

Lifting Tempo: 1/0/1

Exercises: Compound, Isolation, Machine or Cable

Here is a typical SHOCK workout for triceps:

• 1-Superset: Rope Pressdown/Lying Extension: 2 x 8-10 each
• 2-Superset: CG Bench Press/Underhand Grip Pressdown: 2 x 8-10 each
• 3-Dropset: Single Arm Overhead Dumbell Extension: 1 x 8-10, drop, 6-8

After you have completed the 3 week POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK cycle, return to the beginning and repeat. With each cycle do your best to increase the weights you lift and/or the reps you achieve. After three full cycles I recommend that you take off one full week from the gym before returning to the program. After your break, you might want to switch up some or all of the exercises that you used in the cycle proceeding.

I would like to mention that the P/RR/S program that I presented in this article is not meant for beginners (although in a future article I will explain how those with less experience can begin to employ my system, as well as how more advanced lifters can work with an even more intense version). You can begin to use the program as presented here, after about two solid years in the gym.

So, if you have been training for some time, are stuck in a rut, or are looking to take your physique to the next level, POWER, REP RANGE, SHOCK training may just be your first class ticket to “FREAKVILLE!” Enjoy the ride my friends.

***For individualized P/RR/S programs or for online personal training, nutritional guidance, or contest prep coaching, Eric Broser can be contacted at bodyfx2@aol.com.

***This article appeared in the May 2005 Ironman

I hope that this article has stimulated the desire in all of you to take this challenge and try this program out! I cant tell you enough how happy you will be by doing so! If for any reason you need more info or maybe even a personalized routine, please don't hesitate to contact Eric for any help you might need! He is one of the best and I am proud, and honored, to be able to spread this information to you all! Eric has helped me so much and he can help you too! Best of luck to all of you and please... please do not yell at me if you need to start shopping for a bigger wardrobe soon!

As someone who has trained for over a decade, you start to learn how your body reacts to certain stimuli. When I am really thirsty, I go for water, not the sugary drinks which leave you even more thirsty. When I am hungry, you go for the nice lean piece of steak, not the piece of pizza that will bloat my stomach for the next week. And when I spend too much time working out, I know the signs that tell me to slow down. I bring to you my top signs for noticing when your body needs a break from the weights.

1)Irregular Sleep

When I overtrain, I first notice that my sleeping patterns become all messed up. I come at night after the gym, have my post workout meal, and don’t fall asleep till 12am. I’ll be laying in bed and the only thing I am thinking about is how good this girl from my college looked on the stair master. That is not too late except I am getting home at 9pm and usually fall asleep around 10:30. As you can imagine, this wrecks havoc on trying to get up in the morning at 6:30. To go along with this, I will also be falling asleep while at my desk. Literally, my eyes will shut and I can fall asleep for like a second. I will be doing some analysis and then all of a sudden I feel myself nod off. It is as if my body is telling me it needs rest and no matter what I am doing that rest needs to happen right away. You can best believe that night I am hitting the pillow when I get home at 6pm.

2)No Energy

There will be times I walk into the gym and feel strong. Maybe I am on a good cycle of supplements and/or my diet was really on point that day. I will start my workout and load the bar for my first working set. Right away, no matter how indestructible I feel, I cannot get nearly as many reps as I normally would have. My muscles are fatigued and I can sense it. The power isn’t there or it doesn’t last longer than the first two reps. Even with the lightest weight I am still struggling. Along with no energy, I have no pumps. My veins are still hidden like the gym is 20 degrees. I then know the muscle fibers are probably still so torn and not healed that I am beating them into oblivion. Time to go home and not lift anything over a pound.

3)Constant Soreness

I think this is kind of self explanatory. Your muscles feel like they have been hit with falling bricks all day and you haven’t even touched a weight yet. Your chest is sore yet you trained it 6 days a go. Even your legs from cardio get sore quicker or are too sore to even run or walk. The key here is to realize the difference between good soreness and bad soreness. Good soreness you still feel like you can do normal functions on a daily basis. Bad soreness and you can’t even keep your shoulders in the air more than 10 seconds without fatiguing. Time to go home, lay down, and pop in Pumping Iron.

4)Depressed State of Mind/Anxiety at a High Level

If you are feeling sadder than normal, and aren’t clinically depressed, as well as noticing that you feel anxious and your overall awareness is too high for your liking, you are probably overtraining. I definitely feel more down when I have beaten my body up. I even then don’t feel like hitting the gym. Your body is so weak that you do not feel like doing anything. However, because you have worked out so hard, your central nervous system is all crazy now, causing this energy to be flowing. This isn’t a good energy though. Its like that panic energy. I myself get this more so because I am prone to panic attacks. It isn’t fun and I suggest getting to a comfortable place and just relaxing if this ever occurs. If it continues, and or the feelings of depression don’t disappear, see a doctor.

5)No Changes in Body Composition

You might be doing every single thing correctly. Your training is top notch, protein is perfect, your carbs are in the perfect range for your body, your healthy fats are high, your bad fats are low, you are taking every supplement you are supposed to (and even some extra goodies), sleeping at least 8 hours, and drinking plenty of water. However, you have gained zero muscle in the past 2 weeks and your bodyfat has stayed the same, maybe even increased. Your body does not have the time recuperate. You are not giving the supplements and food you eat a chance to help your body grow. In turn, cortisol is very high now because of the stress you are putting on your body, resulting in fat storage. Take some time off as you are only doing more harm than good at this point. At one point I was doing a major prohormone stack and not seeing any results the first four weeks. I took three weeks off, still took my supplements and ate well, and gained six pounds of muscle and lost three pounds of fat.

There you have it. They are my top 5 signs of overtraining. There are others but to me they all tie back to these five. If you have any of these signs for more than a couple of days, suspend training immediately. Nothing good will come out of experiencing what I have mentioned. It is not a “rut” your body will come out of. If you don’t give your body time to rest, you will not grow, it is that simple. The old adage, “The more you train, the more you grow” does not mean exactly what it sounds like. Trust me, you will be bigger and stronger when you start up again in a week or two.

I have noticed one of the hardest things for people to get right in their bodybuilding lifestyle is the training split. Many people are sacrificing gains and wasting their nutrition and supplementation when their training split is not set up for optimal recovery. Below I will list various training splits for different levels of bodybuilding. Whether you are a weekend warrior or a gym rat like me, you will find a split that can suit your needs. Please keep in mind that training of abs and doing cardio will not be noted in these splits. You do those according to how you deem necessary.

3-Day Split

In my opinion, and some will argue this point with me, is that 3 days is too little to train and see effective results. The keyword there is effective. Simply put, the body is too big in my opinion to work it out in only 3 days and hit every muscle the way it needs to be hit in order to induce growth. I started out training 3 days a week in high school, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I was doing shot put and discus and my coach at the time put us on this split of doing 3 basic compound movements each of these three days: flat barbell press, barbell squats, and barbell curls. Granted, I did learn how to workout and did develop some muscle, but my growth was very limited. Not only was I training less than half the days in a week, but I was only doing 3 exercises for my whole entire body and doing these exercises every workout. Looking back now using what I have learned, if I had to do a three day split it would look like this:

• Day 1: Chest, Triceps, and Shoulders
• Day 2: Back, Traps, and Biceps
• Day 3, Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves

As you can see, you are hitting the major body parts once. If this is all your schedule allows, then this is a great routine. To spend the time to workout all these body parts like this on the given days is killer on the central nervous system. You do have 4 days off, and I recommend you do an on/off split with this routine, such as Mon-Wed-Fri, taking off the weekend and starting again Monday. It depends on your schedule. 3-day splits are worse in my eyes if 2 workouts are done on consecutive days. That would mean you are only training once in the next 5 days which isn’t enough in my opinion. Your body needs stimulus to grow and this split just does not provide enough. You do not have the time or the capability for your body to do all the exercises it needs to do in order to grow. On Day 1 alone I could spend 3 hours in the gym and my cortisol would be so high that I am killing any potential gains. I know guys that train Mon-Tues-Wed and then don’t workout till the following Monday and you know what? Their growth has reached a stand still and they look the same as they did 2 years ago.

4-Day Split

This split is much more effective. I believe you can get very good growth working out 4 days. The time spent workout out lessens now as well and you can actually hit all body parts the way they need to be worked. Also, you still have 3 days off to recuperate and grow. The split is as follows:

• Day 1: Chest and Triceps
• Day 2: Back and Biceps
• Day 3: Shoulders and Traps
• Day 4: Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves

As you can see, the split is a little more even. Shoulders that would be burnt from working chest out on day one of a three-day split now have their own day. Shoulder growth is key to the V-taper look as well as pushing when you do chest presses. Your workout times should be more cost effective now as well. I believe with a 4 day split the advantage would be to not do any workouts back to back. You would train Mon-Wed-Fri-Sun and then start the training again on Tues, going Tues-Thurs-Sat-Mon, etc. You have that full day in between to rest and grow and not burn out. Overtraining should not result with this split.

5-Day Split

In my opinion, this is the most effective way to train. However, that does not mean you have to train this way. Training 5 days a week takes a lot of discipline and hard work. There is a fine line between training smart on a 5 day split and overtraining. It also is very time consuming. Being almost 25 and single, I do not have the family to go home to every night, so I can afford to hit the gym 5 days a week. It might sound like a lot, but let me break it down and you will see the positives outweigh the negatives.

• Day 1: Chest
• Day 2: Back
• Day 3: Quads, Hamstrings, and Calves
• Day 4: Shoulders and Traps
• Day 5: Biceps and Triceps

The first thing you should notice is arms have their own day. They no longer come secondary on chest day and back day. When you put a muscle secondary you run the risk of getting secondary results. You should also see that the leg workout is now in the middle. I put it here as I believe you should never workout the upper body three workouts in a row. Being that this is a 5 day split, there is a chance days 1-3 can be on consecutive days. This way, day 3 gives a chance for your upper body to rest. There is no way you can push for shoulders two days after pushing for chest. You are overworking the shoulders as well as your upper chest. With this split, your workouts should definitely be more time efficient. No need to train longer than 45-60 minutes here. Your workouts are for less as you need to keep your central nervous system from burning out.

Well there you have my suggested splits for effective bodybuilding training. Training less than three times a week is not effective to me and training more than five times a week is too much. Granted, you may be able to train 6 times a week and get great results, or train twice and look like Jay Cutler, but this article is written with the majority of people in mind who have normal genetics. I hope this split helps anyone who is confused on what body parts to hit in a given workout.

Please remember that you should never do more than three consecutive days of working out unless you HAVE to. Your body cannot handle such heavy strain for 4 or more days. Plus, this doesn’t give your body time to use the nutrients you take in. Everything is being used as energy and not in the recuperation and growth of the muscle. Unless you are using advanced pharmaceuticals, your body will counteract overtraining with very negative side effects. Please read my article on overtraining to go along with this article to judge an effective split for you.

There are always those times when you look back at a certain point in your training and think to yourself, “Why isn’t my training like that anymore?” Very simply put, I had reached a big plateau in my training. I wasn’t over trained but I wasn’t gaining any muscle or making any changes in my body either. I felt alright, my sleep was sound, diet was in check, I had just started a new job and was happy, and my energy levels were right on point. This was when I discovered the best supplement of my life.

Before I go on, I want to stress that I have no affiliations with any company. The products that I feel work are products that have worked for me. I am going to give you real world results here. I am not basing anything on chemistry or studies that were done. In fact, this supplement was brand new at the time pretty much and I took a chance because it sounded so promising and I trusted the company that put it out. That being said let me introduce you to this incredible supplement, which is known as…

HEMOGEX

This my website friends is the holy grail of supplements. Nothing compares to how much this product changed my body and my life. Hemogex is a growth hormone inducer. It promotes your body to produce optimal levels of growth hormone. In case you didn’t know, growth hormone is the king when it comes to hormones. Testosterone is the prince to me. Nothing compares to growth hormone and the changes it can cause in lean muscle increasing and body fat decreasing. Like I said, I am not going to get into fancy scientific terms here. I just know that this stuff works.

I started taking Hemogex on October 24, 2004. I had ordered some because: 1) It was made by VPX and I loved their prohormones and 2) I trusted the research I had heard about that went into this product. I was taking one vial every night for five straight nights and taking two nights off. One kit would last me 4 weeks this way which I figured wasn’t too bad because at the time this product was even more expensive than it is now. I knew the results to start looking for the first month – increased energy, better sleep, and more mental clarity – all the things that real growth hormone injections cause. I figured if this product was the real deal it would work the same way.

Now, guys who take real growth hormone told me the results don’t kick in until the 4th week really in terms of physical changes. I have seen this firsthand and can attest to the waiting period with real injections. I had also heard that one growth hormone kit was a waste of money and you better do at least two. I figured this would be the same for Hemogex so I was saving for my second kit. I didn’t want to order though b/c I was still skeptical. These were 100 dollar kits and I wasn’t made of money.

However, all that doubt was erased the 10th day. I woke up and I saw two veins I never saw before in my chest and calves. I was ecstatic. Now, my diet didn’t change when I started this product and neither did my training. I was still taking in roughly 400 grams of protein per day and training according to my 5 day split (mentioned in another article). Carbs were frequent but nothing extra was being consumed. Later that morning, I put my jeans on and they were a little looser. I was thrilled. I had been maintaining some stomach softness since my cousin’s wedding from overeating and now two weeks later, without dieting, my stomach was smaller. In just 10 days I was leaner already. I really didn’t notice energy increases or better sleep, but like I said they were not a problem in the first place so it didn’t surprise me not to. However, I was pleasantly surprised at now being so much leaner.

After this, the results were flowing everyday. I was stronger in all my lifts by the end of 35 days to the point where I was doing 1 rep maxes for easy sets of 10. By week 4, I had dropped 2 inches on my waist. I needed to buy new pants. Everything on me had just exploded though into new levels of muscle growth. I couldn’t wear anything and not look muscular. By the middle of kit number two, I needed to buy new shirts. I had to go up to XXL in some brands. My chest had expanded 1 and ¼ inches. My back was wider by 2 and ½ inches. My arms had gained a little over 1 inch. My legs were tight and toned. I never had tight legs before and I was in awe of myself.

By the time I finished kit number 3, I was a new person. Guys had been coming up to me in my gym from the start of about the third week to ask what I was taking. I had gone from looking like an avid gym person to now looking like someone who could compete within 8 weeks. I never was lean before really. I wasn’t fat, but I wasn’t hard. I thought I was hard until I compare my body now to my body a year ago. The vascular changes in my forearms and legs were just unreal. My parents were telling me I looked huge. I noticed how wide I had gotten because fitting through doorways involved me walking sideways sometimes.

I felt different as well. My confidence was sky high. Throughout kit number 3 my mental focus and well being were amazing. I even noticed I was calmer. My skin was better. I had no bloat in my stomach anymore, in fact I had abs now for the first time in my life. One important note I need to mention. By kit number 2, probably around Thanksgiving, I noticed I was starving. My regular calories were not enough for me. It got to the point where I would eat anything I could get my hands on and it didn’t turn to fat. In fact, I still got leaner. My muscles just craved calories and nutrients it seemed. This was awesome because with the holidays I was able to eat anything I wanted. It literally got to a point where I would wake up sometimes so hungry that I would have some cookies and milk and go right back to sleep and still be lean.

To sum this up, this product works. I cannot believe how good it was for me. Because of my new look, I am now a trainer. People at my gym came up to me and wanted me to train them as they were amazed at how natural I looked while looking so muscular. That is the important note here everyone. I am sure you know guys on growth hormone. Take a look at their stomachs. See how freakishly big everything looks, kind of inhuman right? I still look natural. I don’t have an extended jaw or bigger organs. I got my blood work down and everything was normal, in fact my cholesterol dropped, and I was eating more and more crappy foods at times. I can’t stress this product enough as a new staple item in your supplement regiment. Of course, you should be over 21 in my opinion to use this. This still raises hormonal levels and needs to be cycled, hence why I did 5 on and 2 off. I have done another cycle of this and plan to do another shortly. Every cycle I just notice more and more results. The REAL best part – no gains are lost. Everything now stays with me, no matter how I am dieting. How can you beat this product? For the money, besides staple items, it’s basically all you ever need, excluding little goodies here and there (more on those in another article). Take heed my friends, Hemogex has leveled the playing field in a safe manner when it comes to growth hormone.

Click here to give Hemogex a try!

Being a gym rat, I have been to numerous gyms in my lifetime. Through all my trials of different workout places, I have heard tons of “bodybuilding myths” that are just pure ridiculous. My goal here is to alert all of you to these myths so you do not fall into certain traps like many do when they hear these.

MYTH #1 – Working out more often for long periods is how you get real muscle growth.

I personally hate this myth. It causes so many new people to waste countless hours in the gym. Odds are the person telling you this is on so many steroids that it doesn’t matter how long they train or is someone who has bought into this myth and is happy having only gained 10 lbs of muscle since starting training 10 years ago. When starting out, you will build muscle. However, once your body has done the initial growth stage, your gains will come but definitely not as fast. When you are training like this myth suggests, you will become over trained (I have a great article on here about the signs of over training if you are interested). Gains will stop, cortisol will sky rocket, and people then get discouraged. It is at this point where many people stop lifting the iron and deem it too much work. Also at this point many people turn to illegal steroids to get over their current supposed plateaus. They are not plateaus though; the people are just over training. I suggest you read my article on training splits to avoid this happening to you as well. The key with working out is to do enough to stimulate growth but not too much where you have exhausted your body. You will learn this as you progress through training.

MYTH #2 - Eating everything in site is how one gets big.

Eating everything in site will make you fat, no matter how many small meals you eat. The key is to make those small meals have a good source of protein, a complex carbohydrate, and some healthy fats. Eating two pop-tarts and a quart of chocolate milk will in all likelihood cause you to retain fat unless you are a serious hard gainer. Bulking cycles are still meant to be with good calories. I see too many guys trying to pack on mass not eating quality calories and they end up looking worse than before they bulked.

MYTH #3 – Anabolic Supplements make up for deficient diets.

Supplements are meant to supplement the diet. That is why they are called supplements. They are meant to be added to a diet that is already primed for building muscle. Just because you are taking Ergomax doesn’t mean you can only have 1,000 calories a day. Without your diet being in check, nothing will work. I don’t care if you are taking 6 of the most potent steroids together in one cycle. Think of things this way – your calories are your building blocks of muscle and your supplements are the machines that take these blocks and place them correctly. Without any blocks to place, how can your supplements work? This myth and myth number 2 go hand in hand.

MYTH #4 – Using machines will not build muscle.

Who came up with this one? Anytime you put a weighted stimulus on your body and your body tears fibers when pushing/pulling that stimulus, it will result in your body needing to recuperate and then promote growth. Maybe this myth got changed around over the years. I think it should read: “Using machines will not build muscle as effective as free weights”. Yes, machines can be effective. But in comparison to free weights, the stabilizing muscles used in lifting a weight not fixed into place can be a major factor in growth. I use machines more so now then earlier in my training as I feel machines are great for shaping and detail. Granted, there are some very effective hammer-strength plate loaded machines that simulate free weights, but I notice these only will build upon muscle that is already there, not really build new “people staring in awe” muscle, and the only way to get dense muscle onto your frame when you are starting out is to hit the free weights, period. I know this is debatable and I respect those who feel machines are effective, but for me and what I have noticed free weights just work better.

MYTH # 5 – Too much water will bloat you out.

I hear this a lot from females who want to stay lean and guys worried about hitting the beach in the summer. Too much water will not bloat you out. Too little water will bloat you out. Confused? Let me explain.

This works just like eating 6 small meals a day instead of 3 large ones, so I guess I can add this to the myth as well. If you do not give your body something in divided doses, it thinks that whatever you are taking in at the time of the larger doses is something that is scarce. This means your body is assuming that water is not readily available and food is not available when eating and drinking too infrequent throughout the day. Because of this, it stores the food and water and doesn’t use it like you want it to be used.

Let’s say you have your 64 ounces of water a day but now its summertime and you probably need a lot more. Because your body is not getting what it needs, it will store the water, thinking it might not see water for awhile so it wants to keep a reserve. The same holds true for meals. The body is meant to have small meals throughout the day. I myself eat every 2 hours or so, whether it be an actual meal or a meal replacement powder or a protein drink with a banana. I am to the point now where every two hours I actually feel hungry and I listen to my body. It’s funny because I never thought this was true until my muscle mass increased and I was hungry more often. I started eating more often and then noticed my body fat dropping and feeling less bloated. When your body doesn’t get food constantly, it stores your meals as fat, no matter how healthy the meal you ate was. Surprising right? In this case, too much is not necessarily a bad thing.

Chances are you have heard one of these myths before. I hope now though you don’t make the same mistakes I did and listen to them. I myself abused myths 1 and 2 when I started training and I was actually gaining fat at the time and convincing myself more muscle was underneath – looking back is funny at times.

Nothing makes you look bigger than a wide and dense back. No matter what kind of shirt you have on, if your back has some decent size, your whole frame will still look muscular even if the shirt you are wearing is a size too big. My back has always been my biggest muscle and my strongest. I think part of that stems from genetics, as my father has a very wide natural back, and also because I love the pulling motion and feeling the back squeeze with every rep. Below I will list my sample back routine. This is the routine I follow the majority of time that I train back.

EXERCISE ONE – One Arm Dumbbell Rows

This is one-half of the best mass building exercises you can do for back. There is no better feeling than when you have a heavy dumbbell in your hand and you are leaned over the bench, sweat dripping down, and you are cranking out reps. The most important aspect of this exercise is to be sure your bicep does not do most of the pulling. I see many guys who do this exercise and their arm is doing all the work. You can tell if your arm responsible for the movement of the weight using two factors: 1) your bicep is sore after your set and; 2) your back does not feel like it was squeezed with each rep.

When doing this exercise, get a flat bench. Take the dumbbell and put it to one side. Whatever side you are doing is the leg that will be placed on the bench in a bent position so that your knee and the rest of your leg below your knee are on the bench. Now take that dumbbell in your hand and make sure it is parallel to the upper portion of your back. Slowly pull the weight up to the point where you feel your back muscles on that side squeeze into the middle of your back. Once you hit this point, slowly drop the weight down. Never let your arm lockout fully when coming back down or you can risk serious injury. At the same time, do not cut the negative portion short. The key is to keep the arm from becoming perfectly straight and right before it does go straight start pulling the weight back up.

I do 4 sets of this exercise. You might choose to do 3 depending on your level of training and time availability. This exercise takes awhile as it involves a great deal of energy and your sets need adequate rest time. Plus, you need to save energy for exercise two, which is just as important.

EXERCISE TWO – BARBELL ROWS

One-arm dumbbell rows hit my inner upper back. Barbell rows hit my outer upper back. The upper back is the biggest muscle group and is where the width stems from. This 1-2 punch is amazing for back growth.

Take a barbell place it at your feet (or in a low position resting on something). Stand leaning over at a 45 degree angle. Bend your knees and squat slightly so your quads are locked and tight, you will need this to stabilize you. Take the barbell and grip it so your hands are about 12- 15 inches apart (depending on back width you might need more or less). I usually judge this by the rough edges in the bar that tell me where my grip should be. I grip the bar and, without flexing my bicep, slowly pull the weight toward my body to the point where each side of my upper back is squeezing into the other. I slowly let the weight go down and repeat. Like with one-arm dumbbell rows, my arms never are perfectly straight. The tension is kept constant on my back in the negative motion as well. A lot of people don’t realize the negative portion is where a lot of growth takes place.

Again, I do 4 sets of this exercise. You might elect to do 3 depending on how tired you become and/or your energy levels. For this exercise even more so than the previous one, weight is not as important. The motion is key here and because you are using a barbell it can be very easy to lose form with heavy weight.

EXERCISE THREE – Wide Grip Lat Pull downs

Now it is time to work on the V-taper on your back. The more of a V-taper you have, the smaller your waist will look as your upper back will look wider. A V-taper also brings out your chest and shoulders and makes you look leaner than you really are.

When doing exercise, it is important to get a good length bar, but not a “too-long” bar. Meaning, there are certain gyms that have bars for pull downs that are too wide and doing this can cause more injury than result. It is bad enough that the normal length bars you see have the extra bar after the bend in the bar as people feel you need to go as wide as possible with the bar you are using. That is not the case. When griping the bar here go as wide as your back. Your hands should be directly above the farthest portion of the sides of your back. Any wider and undue stress is placed on your shoulder and elbows.

When sitting down, make sure your legs are secure under the padding. Sit perfectly upright. Do not lean back. Now, you might need to reach up and grab the weight for the first rep depending on the height of the pull down, but once that is done set yourself up as mentioned. Grip the bar as discussed in the earlier paragraph. Slowly pull the weight down to the point where it touches the top of your chest. Keep in mind you are sitting straight here and not moving your body. That is crucial. How many guys you see do lat pull downs where they are leaning back and/or swinging the weight down each set? That defeats the purpose of the exercise. When you swing and lean back you are not hitting the V-taper portion (the side back muscles). You are hitting your upper back as well as pulling with your arms and shoulders more so than your back. Your back will never get the squeeze if you do this exercise incorrectly.

I used to lean back and think I was Superman because I was doing high weight. I also noticed that my side lats, which come out under your chest from the back, were non-existent. Once I started doing this exercise correctly my side lats grew like weeds. If you are sitting straight and slowly bringing the bar down to your chest, your side lats should get a really good burn. Again, when letting the weight go up go slowly and do not let your arms straighten. Keep the tension on your back. I can’t stress that enough. I would do 4 sets here regardless of training level. This exercise is using a machine and is very important as an “illusion” muscle builder as mentioned. You will learn that muscle building is all about illusion. The key is to look as big and muscular as you can. Look like you dead lift 1000 pounds. Not necessarily do you have to though. Think about that.

EXERCISE FOUR – Close Grip Cable Row

This exercise is meant to develop the spread in the back. You packed on the mass from the first three and now you want to take that mass and detail it. I prefer using a close grip curved apparatus here. I used apparatus because I realize the grip I used has no name. You should use a grip that allows your hands to be vertical with your palms inward.

When doing this exercise, again keep yourself straight. Sit on the bench and your body should be 90 degrees upright, just like the previous exercise. Lean forward to grab the grip and set yourself as mentioned. Bring the weight to you. Notice how your back squeezes. The grip should come to your lower middle chest (might vary on machine you are using). Let the weight go forward slowly to keep negative tension. Your arms should do very little here because of the close grip. When bringing the weight forward, try to feel your back expand when the weight comes forward without moving your back forward if that makes sense. The mind-muscle connection here is key.

Do 3 sets of a good number of reps. I would do 15 reps here. I don’t mention reps in other exercises as to me that varies on your training style. But here this is more for shaping and to me you need these reps to burn out the back.

Well, there you have it. Notice I only recommend 4 exercises to train the back. Anymore to me is overkill. If you use good intensity and good weights, you should never need 4 exercises for any major body part. These 4 exercises will bring growth to your whole back, not just certain areas. Of course, workouts need to be rotated but this should be your main-stay workout for back for all your years of training.

***I did not include pull-ups. I feel these place too much emphasis on the bicep and shoulder and not everyone can do these. I know big guys at my gym that are in great shape, no bloat, low body fat, and can’t do pull-ups. I wanted to give exercises everyone can do. Pull-ups are effective though and shouldn’t be forgotten. If you can do them, they would take the place of lat pull downs in terms of what they are hitting.

CONCENTRIC CURLS: Sitting on a bench, grasp a dumbbell with one arm. With your back straight but leaning slightly forward, lock your elbow into the inside of your thigh. With your free hand, hold on to your knee for balance. Slowly begin curling the weight upward, toward your chest. Be sure to stabilize the rest of your body so that only your upper arm is moving. Slightly twist the hand holding the weight as you squeeze during the contraction. Hold for a two-count. Slowly bring the weight back toward the floor until your arm is straight and repeat the motion. After 10-12 reps, switch to the opposite hand and repeat the exercise. Try three sets on each arm. For a killer burn, do not take any rest period between arm rotation.

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"The marathon is probably 5 percent physical and 95 percent psychological. If you think you can, you can."

~Runner's World

The traditional origin of the marathon dates as far back as the 5th century B.C. It is told that a Greek herald named Phidippides ran from Marathon, a small town about 26 miles from Athens, to Athens in order to announce a Greek victory on the battlefield. He died on the spot. Now that's commitment! The outcome of that first "marathon," however, need not be discouraging to the rest of us actual and potential marathoners.

Today, marathons are held all over the world--from Alabama to China, Alaska to Chile. And no matter what the personal goal is, whether it's to "finish" or to win the gold, whether running in the pouring rain, in 100 degree heat or on a crisp autumn afternoon, it is a 26.2 mile accomplishment for all. The mental as well as physical challenges pay off in reaping the personal rewards of accomplishment. Being a marathon "jogger" myself--I say that in regards to the 4 hourish marathons I've run--I've mustered up a few helpful hints for the upcoming fall marathon season:

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