Ironman Magazine 2006-01 by Iron Man

JANUARY 2006 / IRON MAN—REAL BODYBUILDING TRAINING, NUTRITION & SUPPLEMENTATION

17 INCREDIBLE MR. OLYMPIA MINI-POSTERS INSIDE

MUSCLE SCIENCE ROUNDUP

The Real Mass-Building Supplements

Research Reports That Can Build Your Body Fast!

BIG-BACK BLAST GO FROM XL TO XXXL

Spot Reduction Is Possible

MUSCLE-SCIENCE ROUNDUP

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www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

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150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Mr. Olympia,

January 2006

Vol. 65, No. 1 ™

page 200

Real Bodybuilding Training, Nutrition & Supplementation

FEATURES

78 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 75 The TEG men talk results—how theirs, and yours, can be better—and they dissect X Fade, the contracted-position X-hybrid technique that can ignite a mass X-plosion.

96 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 6 Ron Harris attempts to rescue his young bodybuilding protégé from the dark side—steroid use. Fulfill your natural potential first, or ’roids could ruin you.

108 BODY GOT BACK Eric Broser gives you the Rx to go from XL to XXXL—with a wicked V-taper and a back filled with rugged terrain. Four complete big-back-building routines included.

126 MUSCLE-SCIENCE ROUNDUP An introspective look at 12 research reports that can jump-start your muscle growth and fat loss—from nutrient nitro to de-catabolizing your cardio to spot reduction to speed moves for fast mass. Whew! Lots of good stuff here, gang.

162 HEAVY DUTY Muscle-Science Roundup, page 126

Heavy Duty, page 162

John Little reveals Mike Mentzer’s more-size-on-the-thighs program. Prepare for blast-furnace intensity!

174 NO-BULL AMINO Taurine is a nonessential amino acid that’s supercharged with bodybuilding benefits. Jerry Brainum’s got all the research—and none of the B.S.

Tamer Elshahat appears on this month’s cover. Insets, Dan Decker, abs and Gus Malliarodakis, rows. Photo by Michael Neveux.

188 X FILES Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson explain the big mistake too many bodybuilders make—it’s the numberone reason for lack of gains—and tell how you can set the stage for more growth.

200 IFBB MR. OLYMPIA Hardbody, page 228

It’s the greatest muscle show on earth, and it deserves our blockbuster mini-poster treatment. Check out pic after full-page pic of the most incredible physiques on the planet. Jaw-dropping, eye-popping mass at its best.

228 HARDBODY Karen McDougal has graced the pages of Playboy, and now she honors IM with her killer curvitude. Hot-photo alert!

244 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Part 7 of Bill Starr’s back-to-the-rack odyssey, with complete ISO workouts for strength athletes and those who are looking for more rock-hardness on their physiques.

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DEPARTMENTS

32 TRAIN TO GAIN Build killer quads without heavy squats, plus the straightforward power cycle for bench press prowess. Joe Horrigan’s Sportsmedicine is here too.

50 CRITICAL MASS Steve Holman discusses partial power, X Reps, Gakic, home training and more.

Body Got Back, page 108

54 NATURALLY HUGE John Hansen’s first installment on the world of hurt— injuries and how to avoid and train around them.

64 EAT TO GROW Mind/Body Connection, page 256

Train to Gain, page 32

The mystery of milk solved—does it really smooth you out? Plus, food for sex and muscles.

88 SMART TRAINING Charles Poliquin’s supplement salvo for explosive results, a chinup program to repair strength imbalance and his views on how and when to stretch for strength.

222 NEWS & VIEWS Lonnie Teper’s got the buzz from the Mr. Olympia, the perfect complement to our big-picture production elsewhere in this issue. L.T.’s got some surprises here, too.

238 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE Ruth Silverman, live from Vegas—well, almost—with the scoop on all the gorgeous gals, muscle babes and hot happenings from Big O weekend.

256 MIND/BODY CONNECTION Randall Strossen, Ph.D., explains how to get in the mood for muscle, and Grover Porter has accolades for a classic physique.

268 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY News & Views, page 222

Pump & Circumstance, page 238

Jerry Brainum’s look at thyroid hormone. Is it a quicker cutter-upper?

272 READERS WRITE Adela Garcia writes—and we get to run yet another picture of this Olympia beauty. O, yeah!

WEB ALERT!

from the world of For the latest happenings set your browser , ess bodybuilding and fitn zine.com and aga nM ma ron w.I for ww e.com. scl Mu www.Graphic

In the next IRON MAN Next month we revisit the Power/Rep Range/Shock muscle-building tactic that’s putting mass on trainees like crazy. Creator Eric Broser has the full report and plenty of tips to get you bigger with his revolutionary regimen. Then Christopher Pennington gives you the blueprint for proper program design. There’s more to it than just copying a routine from a magazine; you gotta customize it for Y.O.U. Plus, we have another episode of “A Bodybuilder Is Born” from Ron Harris—muscle-building infotainment—and the Ms., Fitness and Figure Olympia contests get our eye-popping miniposter treatment. Wow! Watch for the fem-tastic February IRON MAN on newsstands the first week of January.

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Publisher’s Letter

Unintended Consequences, Part 2 We often talk about bodybuilding’s evolution, but in some ways it’s been more like de-evolution. Fast rewind to the early ’60s. The first time I heard about anabolic steroids was what I read in the pages of Iron Man. Peary Rader, the founder and editor, viewed writing about steroids as a two-edged sword. He believed that the use of any drug was simply not ethical and potentially harmful to an athlete’s health. On one hand, he wanted to warn the world about these drugs. However, he knew that doing so would, by definition, spread awareness of them. In those days steroids meant Dianabol, which was a prescription drug that any doctor could provide, not the Schedule 3 drug it is today. There was no drug underground; your family doctor was the source. Peary felt that the use of Dianabol should not be a part of physical culture, which, as he saw it, embodied health as much as strength and development. But as we the athletes focused on our quest for more strength and development, we denied the need for health. Up until the late ’60s, bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting and powerlifting were all organized by the AAU and run by the same committee. I was a part of that in what was then called the Southern California Weightlifting Committee. Between the three sports I worked a lot of meets, and it was all volunteer work— you did it because you loved it. Due to my suggestion, however, the sports were separated and each formed its own committee. I thought I had done a good thing, but now I wonder: Did that simple “advancement” contribute to the evolution of the nonfunctional physiques we see in bodybuilding today? I say nonfunctional not in an absolute sense, but in the sense that the heightto-weight envelope, as it has been pushed, is the antithesis of health and athleticism. Before the sports became specialized, many people competed in two or more of them, but once they were split, you had to make a choice—lift or build. The groups became even more isolated from each other. Before, bodybuilding contests had often been held with Olympic weightlifting meets and sometimes with powerlifting meets. In fact, the scoring of the AAU Mr. America competition included “athletic points,” which you got by competing in the other sports, and you could not win unless you got the maximum number of athletic points. IFBB events, both professional and amateur, were strictly bodybuilding, as they are today; however, the dominant force in amateur bodybuilding was the AAU. The Mr. Olympia, which was first held in 1965, was and is the ultimate professional title. Most serious gyms of that era had lifting platforms, power racks and tons of weight. The term free weight did not exist. Try to find a gym that accommodates all three disciplines today. The magazines changed to fit the new reality. Strength & Health (now, there’s a quaint combination) focused more on Olympic weightlifting, a sport that was in decline. Iron Man continued to cover all three sports and emphasized complete development (the mind/muscle/health connection). Muscle Builder/Power evolved into a bodybuilding-only publication. And Muscular Development covered powerlifting and bodybuilding. Next month I’ll discuss the ’70s, years in which even more changes took place. Editor’s note: Send comments via e-mail to Ironleader@aol.com. IM 28 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Publisher/Editorial Director: John Balik Associate Publisher: Warren Wanderer Design Director: Michael Neveux Editor in Chief: Stephen Holman Art Director: T. S. Bratcher Senior Editor: Ruth Silverman Editor at Large: Lonnie Teper Articles Editors: L.A. Perry, Caryne Brown Assistant Art Director: Christian Martinez Designer: Emerson Miranda IRON MAN Staff: Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba, David Solorzano Contributing Authors: Jerry Brainum, Eric Broser, David Chapman, Teagan Clive, Lorenzo Cornacchia, Daniel Curtis, Dave Draper, Michael Gündill, Rosemary Hallum, Ph.D., John Hansen, Ron Harris, Ori Hofmekler, Rod Labbe, Skip La Cour, Jack LaLanne, Butch Lebowitz, Stuart McRobert, Gene Mozée, Charles Poliquin, Larry Scott, Jim Shiebler, Roger Schwab, C.S. Sloan, Bill Starr, Bradley Steiner, Eric Sternlicht, Ph.D., Randall Strossen, Ph.D., Richard Winett, Ph.D., and David Young Contributing Artists: Steve Cepello, Larry Eklund, Ron Dunn, Jake Jones Contributing Photographers: Jim Amentler, Reg Bradford, Jimmy Caruso, Bill Comstock, Bill Dobbins, Jerry Fredrick, Irvin Gelb, J.M. Manion, Gene Mozée, Mitsuru Okabe, Rob Sims, Leo Stern, Russ Warner

Director of Marketing: Helen Yu, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1 Accounting: Dolores Waterman Director of Operations: Dean Reyes Subscriptions Manager: Sonia Melendez, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 2 E-mail: soniazm@aol.com Advertising Director: Warren Wanderer 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1 (518) 743-1696; FAX: (518) 743-1697 Advertising Coordinator: Jonathan Lawson, (805) 385-3500, ext. 320 Newsstand Consultant: Angelo Gandino, (516) 796-9848 We reserve the right to reject any advertising at our discretion without explanation. All manuscripts, art or other submissions must be accompanied by a selfaddressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033. We are not responsible for unsolicited material. Writers and photographers should send for our Guidelines outlining speciﬁcations for submissions. IRON MAN is an open forum. We also reserve the right to edit any letter or manuscript as we see ﬁt, and photos submitted have an implied waiver of copyright. Please consult a physician before beginning any diet or exercise program. Use the information published in IRON MAN at your own risk.

IRON MAN Internet Addresses: Web Site: www.ironmanmagazine.com John Balik, Publisher: ironleader@aol.com Steve Holman, Editor in Chief: ironchief@aol.com Ruth Silverman, Senior Editor: ironwman@aol.com T.S. Bratcher, Art Director: ironartz@aol.com Helen Yu, Director of Marketing: irongrrrl@aol.com Dean Reyes, Dir. of Operations: ironreyes@aol.com Jonathan Lawson, Ad Coordinator: ironjdl@aol.com Sonia Melendez, Subscriptions: soniazm@aol.com

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32 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MASS MOVES

We all know that heavy barbell squats are the fastest ticket to huge thighs. Be that as it may, not all of us can do them safely. For those of us with lower back problems (and this encompasses a very large group), deep squats done with a heavy bar on your back can be akin to playing Russian roulette. You never know when you’ll go down for another rep and blow out your back coming back up. It would seem that your choices are to either persist in tempting fate with heavy squats or abandon all hopes of ever building thighs with enough meat on them to hang off the bone. Luckily, when it comes to bodybuilding training, there’s always more than one way to do it. I’ve come across several methods for keeping the quad gains coming without putting my lower back at risk. Preexhaust with leg extensions. Leg extensions are commonly regarded as a means of warming up the knees before you do heavy pressing movements, so they’re often performed with light weight and high reps. But you can also use leg extensions to preexhaust the quadriceps so that you need less weight on the pressing movements to follow, and you achieve the same growth-stimulating effects. Start with a couple of light warmup sets, but then go ahead and do three or four tough work sets to failure, using more weight and fewer reps on each consecutive set. An example might be 200 pounds for 20 reps, 250 for 15 and a third set with 300 pounds for 10 reps. That will ensure that your quads fatigue before your hamstrings and glutes when you follow up with squats or leg presses, and you should require only about 60 to 80 percent of the usual weight to hit failure within your desired rep ranges. A press is a press. Don’t fall for the myth that barbell squats are the only pressing movement that can pack size onto your thighs; it’s just not true. Hard work on leg presses, hack squats or Smith-machine squats can certainly build muscle too. Having to balance a bar on your traps as you do knee bends means that squats are the hardest in terms of the weights you can handle. So it may take 800 pounds on a leg press to work the legs as hard as 300 pounds on squats,

but the result should be the same. Plenty of great legs have been built using pressing movements other than the barbell squat; don’t think it can’t be done. Squat later in the workout. Of course, it would be wise to keep squats in your leg program for best results. The smart way to do that is to do them at the end of your workout so that you need far less weight. I like to do leg extensions, heavy leg presses or hacks, then walking dumbbell lunges and, only after all of those, barbell squats. All it takes at that point is a couple of very strict sets of 15 deep reps with a mere 225 on the bar to put the final blowtorch to my quads. And honestly, my legs look much better now than they did a few years ago, when I was squatting 500 pounds and injuring my lower back on a regular basis. —Ron Harris Editor’s note: Check out Ron Harris’ Web site, www.RonHarrisMuscle.com.

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Killer Quads Without Heavy Squats

HE WANTED TO FIGHTUntil I Crushed His Hand! He was big. He was pissed. And he wanted to kick my butt. There was no way out, so I extended my arm for the opening hand shake— and then I crushed his hand like a Dorito. Fight over thanks to the Super Gripper. If you’re after huge forearms with the crushing power of an industrial vise, get the Super Gripper. It’s the ultimate forearmand grip-building tool on the market because it provides your muscles with the two essential requirements they demand for awesome size and strength: speciﬁcity (mimics gripping action) and progressive resistance. You’ll develop a bone-crushing grip fast by adding one or a number of power coils for that critical progressive-resistance effect. Remember, when you wear short sleeves, it’s the lower arms that are exposed for all to see. You’ll want your forearms to be huge and vascular to match your thick, beefy upper arms—and now they will.

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TRAIN TO GAIN EXPERT ADVICE

Success Modeling I wasn’t the best athlete in the world or the sharpest guy on Madison Avenue, but I knew how to find them. Whether they were athletes or businesspeople, I’d seek out the best and find out what made them tick. Outstanding people will show you what they did to be successful. It’s very simple. 1) Find someone who’s already getting the results that you want. 2) Find out what that person is doing. 3) Do the same things, and you’ll get the same results, genetics willing. In my business life and my bodybuilding life I’ve always tried to surround myself with the most successful people I could find. Success leaves clues, and I am a success detective. A by-product of seeking out success models is that you end up with lifelong friends who have the same passions that you have, and you end up helping each other over the years. It’s a two-way street, and you should always give more than you receive. Finding people to model is just a matter of looking for people who are successful in the area you are focusing on. It’s pretty easy. I’ve been doing it my whole life. I find that if I ask people if I can sit with them and find out what makes them successful, they’re usually flattered. In fact, in more than 25 years of approaching high achievers, I’ve never been turned down. People who are in great shape or successful in other areas of their life love it when someone notices, and they love to share the secrets of their success. The truth is that most people don’t ask and aren’t interested. Get curious and find people to model. Then become a person worth modeling. Everyone wins. —John M. Rowley

New Grip, Different Fibers Should you use a different grip on each set to change the attack on the target muscle? Absolutely. While you’re at it, you should alter foot position on leg exercises as well. If you’re doing two sets of leg presses, why not do one with a wide stance and the other with a narrower one? If you’re doing three sets of leg extensions, do one with your toes pointing out slightly, one with your toes straight ahead and one with your toes pointing slightly in. In the book Muscle Meets Magnet, author Per A. Tesch, Ph.D., shows with MRI analysis that altering the foot position during leg extensions hits different areas of the front thighs—toes in targets the outer quads, and toes out focuses more on the inner quads. As for upper-body exercises, vary your grip slightly on bench presses, pulldowns, rows, curls, overhead presses and any other exercise to change the angle of pull. In most cases you’ll put a few different actinmyosin pairings into optimal register and trigger more overall growth in the target muscle. [Note: If you feel injurytype pain with any grip or foot position, discontinue it immediately.] Steve Holman Train, Eat, Grow Editor’s note: The above is an excerpt from the best-selling bodybuilding book Train, Eat, Grow The Positions-of-Flexion Muscle-Training Manual. It’s available from Home Gym Warehouse for $19.95 plus shipping and handling. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com.

Editor’s note: John Rowley owned the gym where the movie “Pumping Iron” was filmed, and he was one of the youngest senior vice presidents of any major real estate company in Manhattan. John’s passion is teaching people—and companies—about goal setting, staying motivated and adding a fitness lifestyle to their already busy lives so they’ll have the energy to pursue their dreams. You can contact him at Jrowley@nc.rr.com. 34 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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SIZE SURGE

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Straight-Up Power Top powerlifters display their max strength not more than a couple of times a year. The rest of the time they cycle, or back off, into easier training and then build up to a new personal record. Apply that form of periodization to your workouts, and you’re guaranteed to break your personal records—at least if you have the willpower to say good-bye to pump and burn and reduce your reps to the one-to-five range. Let’s use your bench press as an example. Say your one-rep max is 225 pounds and your best set of 10 reps is 185. On Monday perform 185x5, 190x4, 195x3, 200x2 and 205x1. Rest for three to five minutes between sets—power needs rest. Note that none of the sets comes close to failure. That’s intentional, a part of the periodization strategy. It may be hard psychologically to stop before you reach complete muscle failure, but that’s between you and your therapist. On Wednesday add five pounds to all your sets: 190x5, 195x4, 200x3, 205x2, 210x1. You’ll notice that not all of the sets are equally hard. That is intentional—scaled down cycling within a workout. On Friday add another fiver: 195x5, 200x4, 205x3, 210x2, 215x1. On this and any other of your bench days you may do a couple of your favorite muscle-building exercises or, better yet, powerlifting assistance drills like the board press after your power sets.

Using the straightforward power cycle on bench presses

Come the following Monday, go to your numbers from the previous Wednesday and work back up. Every week you add 15 pounds to your sets and then take 10 pounds off and build up again. It’s called wave cycling. If you look at your singles, your week will stack up like this: 205, 210, 215; 210, 215, 220; 215, 220, 225, etc. By the end of the third week you will have worked up to your previous best and will top off the month with a P.R. of 230. If it goes up easily—and it should—you may want to try for 235 or wait for Monday and test yourself without tiring preliminary sets. Try this: 135x5, 185x2, 205x1, 225x1, 235x1, and, if the going is good, 240x1 and even 245x1. Spend the fifth week repping out with your pet bodybuilding moves, and on Monday start another power cycle with slightly heavier weights—say, 195x5, etc. A cycle doesn’t have to last four weeks. If your gains keep on coming, there’s no reason not to take advantage of it for another week or two.—Pavel Beyond Bodybuilding Editor’s note: The above is an excerpt from Pavel’s new book Beyond Bodybuilding. It’s available from Home Gym Warehouse for $49.95 plus shipping and handling. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com.

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Most people recognize and appreciate somebody who has proper posture. People who have proper posture not only look better but usually feel and function better as well. Imbalanced training can contribute to poor posture and the problems that come with it, but it’s not difficult to reduce upper-back, neck and shoulder pain and improve your appearance. You pick up training habits from friends, amateur and professional bodybuilders and some personal trainers. Bench presses, incline presses, flyes, decline presses, cable crossovers and pec deck flyes are all very popular and are included in some combination in chest workouts. The bench press is without doubt the most popular lift in North America. The pressing movements listed above target the pectoralis major, deltoid serratus anterior and triceps. Flyes primarily target the pecs and delts. The pectoralis major pulls the arm across the chest and down to your side and internally rotates the upper arm. More important, the pecs pull the shoulders forward, giving a rounded-shoulders appearance. The structures that are actually pulled forward are the clavicle and scapula. The scapula, or shoulder blade, is the more mobile of the two structures. Training can increase the strength and tone of the muscle, in this case the pecs. Adaptive shortening of the muscle can take place if the rounded-shoulders posture is maintained for extended periods of time. That keeps the shoulders pulled forward. It’s further complicated if the muscles that pull the shoulders back are weak. Bottom line: Muscle imbalance can lead to poor posture. The first problem is obvious: poor appearance. The other problems may not be so obvious. The shoulder blades weren’t designed to be pulled forward. When they are, there’s tremendous stress on the neck and upper-back muscles. That can lead to chronic upper-back and neck pain. The shoulder-joint socket is on the outer edge of the shoulder blade. Its resting position is known as the plane of the scapula, which is approximately 30 degrees forward from the plane across the back. As the scapula moves farther forward, so does the socket. If the socket is too far forward, the upper arm must rotate too much to achieve normal ranges of motion

during a bench press, flye or throwing motion. That causes too much stress on the ligaments and cartilage ring around the socket, which can produce an injury to those structures and cause shoulder pain. Lastly, the forwardshoulder position re duces the available space between the collarbone, or clavicle, and the first rib for the bundle of nerves traveling down the arms. That can cause compression of the nerves, as well as tingling, numbness, weakness and pain in the arm, forearm, hand and fingers. The solution for all of this is to reduce the amount of pec training you do so you reduce the forward pull on the shoulders. You don’t have to stop training your chest, but you should reduce the number of sets. The pecs must also be stretched. You can do that by standing in a doorway with your upper arm parallel to the floor and the entire length of your forearm against the doorjamb. Do it with one arm at a time. While maintaining the position, let your body rotate slightly away from the arm on the doorway. The next part of the solution is to increase your training of the upper and middle back. Your back work should include dumbbell rows, barbell rows, seated cable rows, seated machine rows (with a chest pad), seated reverse flyes, pulldowns, traditional rear-delt raises, shrugs and rotator cuff training. Obviously you won’t perform all of those movements in one workout, but you can add an extra movement for the back as well as rotator cuff training. If you’re training your back twice per week, you can select different but similar exercises in each workout. Joseph M. Horrigan

You have to balance chest and back development. Too much pec work can make your shoulders slump.

Editor’s note: Visit www.softtissuecenter.com for reprints of Horrigan’s past IRON MAN Sportsmedicine columns. You can order the books, Strength, Conditioning and Injury Preven tion for Hockey by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and E.J. “Doc” Kreis, D.A., and the 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Horrigan and Jerry Robinson from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008 or at www.home-gym.com.

38 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Does it take balls to work out effectively?

Many gyms now feature a new piece of equipment: a Swiss ball. It looks like a giant beach ball, and when you look at it, the thought occurs—just what is it good for? The large globe seems to bump into you at the most inopportune times, such as in the midst of a searing set of biceps curls. What sets the ball in motion is often a mystery. Its apparent self-propulsion, however, harkens back to the menacing Rover, the giant globe that trapped a former British secret agent known only as “Number 6” in the surreal prison known as the Village in the 1967 television show “The Prisoner.” Proponents of Swiss balls say that exercising on their unstable surface promotes the training of trunk-stabilizing muscles. That, in turn, would serve to train spinal stabilizers, which might lead to fewer spinal injuries. The results of studies done so far to confirm such claims have been equivocal. One study showed that doing crunches over a Swiss ball was supe-

rior to doing them flat on the floor. The effect was attributed to a greater range of motion in the Swiss ball crunches, along with more involvement of the trunk stabilizers, such as the oblique and spinal muscles. Another study found that doing chest presses on the Swiss ball resulted in much the same muscle activation as doing them on a flat bench, but the force generated was less when doing the exercise on the ball. The unstable nature of Swiss balls could prove injurious to trainees with poor balance. The most recent study examined several excises: supine abdominal curls, chest presses, seated shoulder presses, seated laterals, seated biceps curls and seated double-arm overhead triceps presses.1 Not all subjects showed increased trunk-muscle activation when training on the Swiss ball, as compared to using a conventional bench for the same exercise. The authors suggest that anyone who contemplates training on a Swiss ball should first master the exercise on a more stable surface, such as a BEGINNINGS bench. Think about it pragmatically, though: It doesn’t make much sense to do chest presses or shoulder presses on a Swiss ball, since, as the Many people begin training with the expectation of sprouting an impressive set of muscles. If study shows, there’s no you have unrealistic expectations, such as looking like a professional bodybuilder after 30 days guarantee you’re getting of training, discouragement often sets in. But the truth is that muscles respond far faster than any additional benefit over you might think. doing the same exercise That was the conclusion of a study published several years ago in the European Journal of on a conventional bench. Applied Physiology by researchers from Ohio State and Pennsylvania State universities. They In addition, the injury risk is found that molecular changes in muscle—which cannot be readily observed—begin within two greater with the Swiss ball, to four weeks of starting a weight-training program. The study focused on only one muscle especially if heavier group, the front thighs, yet found changes in the trained muscles after only four workouts. weights are involved. The unseen changes involved an upregulation of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone The one type of exerand growth hormone, and an increase in the cise that may benefit from activity of contractile muscle proteins, such the Swiss ball is the as myosin, which govern the acquisition of crunch. The greater range muscular strength. Indeed, it’s common for of motion you get actistrength gains to precede muscle gains, an vates more abdominal effect traced to better coordination between muscles than doing the the central nervous system and the muscles. same exercise on the The early phases of training involve adaptafloor. Since most ab exertions in the muscle that set the stage for cises don’t involve the use intense training and muscular recovery. of heavy weights, the In the study, 33 untrained college students injury risk is also lower exercised their quadriceps for eight weeks. than for other exercises Regular testing done before, during and after done on the ball. the training period showed rapid changes in —Jerry Brainum the levels of anabolic hormones and contractile muscle proteins in the students. Both 1 Lehman, G.J., et al. male and female students showed a signifi(2005). Replacing a Swiss cant rise in testosterone levels after the workball for an exercise bench outs, with the women showing a doubling of causes variable changes testosterone levels. The authors think that the in trunk muscle activity upgraded anabolic hormone activity following during the performance of training promotes rapid muscle healing and upper limb strength exerrecovery and thus prepares the muscles for cises. Dynamic Med. 4:6. harder training to come. Jerry Brainum

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42 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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It Hurts So Good “No pain, no gain.” The simple meaning of that adage is that unless you train with a certain level of intensity, gains in muscular strength will occur either slowly or not at all. In fact, according to the overload principle, to promote muscular growth and strength gains, you must apply some form of overload to any trained muscle. The overload could be added weight, added reps (up to a point), less rest between sets and so on. You need to lift enough weight to impose a metabolic stress on the trained muscle. That’s usually at least 65 percent of your one-rep maximum, the weight you can lift for one repetition. Using lighter weights is akin to calisthenics, where you can tone a muscle but get no growth. Training may promote muscular growth by promoting the release of anabolic hormones, such as growth hormone, insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and testosterone. For a long time scientists have been looking for the best type of training for eliciting increases in anabolic hormones. Some studies show that using a weight you can lift for 10 reps, then resting no longer than one minute between sets leads to the greatest rise in both growth hormone and testosterone. In contrast, using a weight that you can lift for only five reps and resting three minutes or more between sets results in no change in anabolic hormone release. That partially explains why many powerlifters and Olympic lifters are strong but often don’t have dramatic muscle size. Scientists have found that the primary impetus for promoting the release of anabolic hormones is stress induced by the accumulation of metabolic waste produced in the muscle during exercise. Such waste products include lactate and hydrogen ions, which are the elements that produce the familiar burning sensation in a muscle during an intense set. Studies also show that occlusion of blood vessels during training results in greater gains in muscle size and strength, and the reason for that is also the buildup of waste products in the muscle that sends a signal to release anabolic hormones. If substances that neutralize such metabolic acids are provided during exercise, the release of anabolic hormones tapers off gradually, showing a direct relationship between the level of metabolic stress and hormone release. Thus an exercise regimen that provides a sufficient level of metabolic stress should also maximize anabolic hormone release. A recent study examined the effects of induced metabolic stress in relation to promoting gains in muscular size and strength.1 Twenty-six healthy young men, average age 22, all of whom had training experience, were divided into three groups: 1) no rest, 2) with rest and 3) control. The control group didn’t exercise, but the no-rest and rest groups trained with the same exercises, using the same level of intensity. Both groups did the same routine: three sets of 10 reps of lat pulldowns, three sets of 10 reps of shoulder presses and five sets of 10 reps of leg extensions. The no-rest group, despite the name, rested one minute between sets. While the rest group used the same routine, participants rested between the fifth and sixth rep of each set. That protocol was designed to reduce the level of metabolic waste products that would otherwise have accumulated in muscle during a set. The no-rest group showed elevations of lactic acid, growth hormone and norepinephrine, while the rest group did not. Further, muscle growth occurred only in the no-rest group, with an average 13 percent increase in the muscle cross section. Neither group, however, had any testosterone response.

Photo Illustration by Christian Martinez

TRAIN TO GAIN

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

Testosterone secretion is suppressed for several hours after an exercise session, perhaps because of the increase in cortisol that occurs during intense training. Cortisol interferes with the activity of testosterone and vice versa. Strength gains were also far greater in the no-rest group. That led the researchers to note, “The current results clearly indicate that continuous repetition without pause is an important factor for strength gains following resistance training.” The increased acidity in muscle during intense training not only promotes anabolic hormone release but also appears to increase the level of muscle fiber recruitment. The brain apparently senses the heightened metabolic stress and compensates for it by recruiting additional fibers. More fiber recruitment translates into more muscle used, and that in turn leads to greater gains in muscular size and strength. Some argue that the increase in growth hormone doesn’t contribute much to gains in size and strength because GH is relatively short-lived, being degraded in the liver after about an hour. But that criticism betrays a lack of knowledge about exercise endocrinology. When GH is released, so is IGF-1. While GH release favors IGF-1 synthesis in the liver for systemic circulation, IGF-1, because it binds to blood transport proteins, lasts far longer than GH. In addition, IGF-1 produced locally in a trained muscle promotes the activity of muscle satellite cells, which are involved in muscle repair and growth. So what’s the take-home message from this study? First, never pause for any length of time during a set. Many bodybuilders pause for a few seconds between reps, and that may dampen the accumulation of the metabolic waste products that relay the anabolic signal for muscular growth via hormone release. Another factor to consider is reducing the rest time between sets. The famed bodybuilding trainer Vince Gironda once wrote that to induce gains in muscle size, you must increase the amount of work done within a given time. That means that the less you rest between sets, the greater the accumulation of metabolic waste products. While it’s true that those same waste products may decrease the efficiency of strength production, the payoff is muscle size and strength.—Jerry Brainum 1 Goto, K., et al. (2005). The impact of metabolic stress on hormonal responses and muscular adaptations. Med Sci Sports Exer. 37:955-63.

44 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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TRAIN TO GAIN

EXERCISE SCIENCE

Neveux \ Model: Sebastian Siegel

You see it all the time: Two people begin training at the same time, yet one of them seems to make gains in size and strength far more rapidly than the other. There are various explanations for the differences between hard and easy gainers. Men make faster initial muscle gains than women because men are usually larger and stronger than women. In addition, men secrete more of the anabolic hormones known to favor gains in muscular size and strength, such as testosterone. Age plays a role in how rapidly gains occur. Younger people make faster gains than older people for various reasons, especially a higher anabolic hormone level and greater recovery ability. Back in 1954 physiologist Herbert Sheldon attempted to document the various human body-type variations. He came up with three basic types: 1) ectomorph, or thin; 2) endomorph, or fat; and 3) mesomorph, or muscular. Sheldon pointed out that humans are rarely any one exclusive type but usually are mixed, such as endo-mesomorph, or fat-muscular. The majority of bodybuilding champions are ecto-meso, or thin-muscular. Such people often start out thin, then gain muscle with training experience. When they stop training for an extended time, they revert to their dominant form. With age and metabolism changes, however, many formerly thin athletes get fat if they don’t maintain a strict diet and training schedule. A recent study examined whether variations in gains occur in a large sample.1 The subjects included 585 people, 243 men and 342 women, ages 18 to 40. The cutoff age of 40 was set because the researchers felt that after that age the anabolic hormones needed to support muscular gains drop precipitously. In addition, none of the subjects took any drugs that might influence gains in size and strength, such as corticosteroids, which are catabolic and tend to produce losses in muscle size and strength. The subjects weren’t allowed any type of food supplement touted to boost gains, such as protein powders, creatine or prohormones. The exercise consisted of onearm preacher curls, done with the nondominant arm, for 12 weeks. Muscle gains were determined by magnetic resonance imaging, an expensive but accurate method. Strength gains were determined by baseline tests that used both isometric and dynamic exercise. After 12 weeks individual variations in gains in muscular size and strength proved significant.

Of the 585 subjects, 232 showed a 15-to-25-percent increase in crosssectional area of muscle. Another 10 showed a gain of 40 percent, while 36 subjects gained only 5 percent muscle size. While the expected finding was that men would make greater size gains than women because of higher levels of testosterone, when relative size differences were taken into account, the women proved just as liable to gain muscle size as the men. Nor did age affect the rate of muscle gains, since the older subjects made gains similar to those of their younger counterparts. The authors attributed that to a fairly stable level of testosterone secretion in the older subjects, noting that the hormone doesn’t drop enough to blunt muscle gains until about age 60; some would disagree. As for strength, 232 subjects increased their one-rep maximum by 40 to 60 percent. That means their ability to lift a weight for one rep improved by 40 to 60 percent. Another 36 subjects made gains of 100 percent in one-rep max, while 12 subjects gained less than 5 percent. Similar figures held for gains in isometric strength, although one subject made gains of 150 percent in that area. Women showed greater variability in dynamic strength, or the type of lifting most often done in bodybuilding workouts— eccentric and concentric muscle contractions. The greater variability could be explained by women’s naturally greater joint flexibility. In addition, the women were less skilled on average than the men in performing preacher curls at the start of the study, and with continued skill acquisition some might have made better gains than others. In total, the women made better strength gains than the men. Thus, the men made better gains in muscle size, while the women proved superior in strength gains, likely because they were much weaker at the start of the study. The study shows that most people make significant gains in muscle size and strength when they begin regular training. Men show faster muscle size gains on average, while women may get stronger faster than men. The unanswered question of the study is why the variations in the gains occurred. Why did one trainee show a 40 percent muscle-size gain after 12 weeks of training, while another had only a 5 percent gain? Factors not discussed in the study could explain the wide variations: diet, how intensely you train, how much rest you get, and so on. Also, genetic factors certainly play a dominant role in who makes the fastest gains. Perhaps some people have genes that favor muscle gains that are activated when they begin training. Somebody else may not produce as much myostatin, a protein that inhibits muscular growth, or may produce other proteins that block the activity of myostatin, which would favor rapid gains in size and strength. Although the study suggested that testosterone didn’t play a major role in the gains made by the male subjects, other studies show that higher initial levels of testosterone and other anabolic hormones favor more rapid muscle gains. —Jerry Brainum 1 Hubal, M.J., et al. (2005). Variability in muscle size and strength gain after unilateral resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exer. 37:964-72.

46 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Brenda Kelly

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COST OF REDEMPTION Mr. Olympia’s Mind-Numbing Training DVD This 3-plus-hour DVD is a masters class on what it’s like to train without limits. Sit back and be amazed and inspired by a man who walks the walk. Mitsuru Okabe spent 4 days with Ronnie in 2003 just prior to his sixth win in a row of the Mr. Olympia. This DVD is shot in an absolute “you are there” style. There are no set ups, no retakes, nothing but the real Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie is absolutely focused on his goal and he lives his life to make it happen. You will see him do 800-pound squats, 75-pound dumbbell curls and an astounding 2250-pound leg press—almost every 45-pound plate in the gym! It’s the stuff of legends. But more than just the sets, reps and the nutrition, you get an insider’s view of the personality that always lights up any room he enters. It hits all the right notes: instructional, inspirational and a pleasure to watch a man at the top of his game. Four Stars.

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Partial Power Q: I was reading your Beyond X-Rep MuscleBuilding e-book and your discussion of Ronnie Coleman’s training. I was thinking of trying a workout constructed primarily of short-range partials. Wouldn’t that enable me to go heavier and really blast the sweet spot on each exercise? Would it be feasible to try something like that every few weeks or so as a change of pace? Wouldn’t that technique let me hit the sweet spot and keep continuous tension on the muscle throughout the set? Also, in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book you mentioned that the sweet spot on an exercise may vary slightly from person to person due to different body types, muscle attachments and so on. I’ve noticed that my sweet spots are normally my sticking points—where I can’t do another positive rep. Would it be accurate to say the X spot is really the sticking point?

A: Doing only heavy short-range-partials—but not too short—may do some good things for your muscle mass. That’s similar to what we call stage sets, where you do the sweet-spot range first—the bottom two-thirds of the stroke on an incline press, for example—then finish with the top one-third of the movement. However, keep in mind the size principle of muscle fiber recruitment. Full-range reps, or close to full range, may make that fiber-activation domino effect happen more effectively. Also keep in mind that fibers fire throughout the stroke. In other words, as you push the bar up, different fibers are firing along the way. So while you may get at a lot of fibers by doing heavy partials, you could conceivably miss a few that fire closer to the top of the stroke if your partials are too abrupt. Experiment and see what happens. To play it safe, you may want to do a full-range set, or at least close to it, before your heavy partial set. In fact, that will help prime your nervous system to fire more fibers on that second set. As for the sweet spot being the sticking point, it’s probably right below that, as the sweet spot is the strongest point on the stroke—the max-force-generation point. It should be a point at which you can get some movement. Q: I train by myself, so I have to tweak my X-Rep sets a little for compound movements like squats. After my heavier sets to failure, I do an X set in which I use a lighter weight with slow negatives and then explode on the positive and do X Reps at the end of that set. With squats it gives me a great pump and burn. I recently tried incline one-arm lateral raises on an incline bench with a seat. I’ve never done those before. They felt great, but at what angle do you recommend I set the incline? Also, I’ve always wondered what angle is best for incline curls. One more thing: I have a weight-assisted chin/dip machine at my fitness center. If I do X Reps on wide-grip chins, should I be a little less than halfway up, as with undergrip chins for biceps?

Okabe \ Model: Ronnie Coleman

A: That’s a great solution for squats. Nice work figuring that out. Explosive movements have been shown to enhance fiber recruitment and develop neuromuscular efficiency—and you’re adding X Reps to that lighter explosive set. Nice. Just be careful not to bounce. Stay in control For incline laterals the bench should be halfway between 45 and 90 degrees. Try to go a little lower than that for incline curls, but be careful. Too much stretch on that exercise can cause shoulder problems. You may have to gradually work down to about 60 degrees. On chins start X Reps just out of full stretch and come up to the midpoint, or just short of it. You should feel your lats screaming as you pulse. Q: I was wondering if you’ve tried GAKIC. There’s a lot of fuss being made about how it’s supposed to work better than creatine. A: GAKIC works on a pathway different from that of creatine. GAKIC blocks fatigue products, like ammonia, so the muscle can go longer (more reps/ strength). Creatine actually bolsters the energy

50 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Critical Mass the dumbbells closer together. That will put a bit more stress on your triceps but provide your pecs with something different. You can also try supersetting either style with pushups on the floor—do the pushups immediately after your set of bench presses. Seated shoulder presses. You can do these alternating style or W style (pushing out instead of up, so your arms look like the sides of a W at the top). You may also want to try alternating them with dumbbell upright rows from workout to workout. Biceps curls. You can do these in alternating style or do one-arm bent-over concentration curls at every other workout. You can also do hammer curls (thumbs up), which will hit the brachialis and the outer heads of the biceps. Triceps extensions. You can do these lying on the ground, lying back on your Swiss ball or seated, one arm at a time behind your head. Or try them seated with a dumbbell in each hand, driving them up at the same time behind your head. Dumbbell rows. Try two-arm rows, onearm dumbbell rows (you may also want to add dumbbell pullovers performed on your Swiss ball to hit the lats’ stretch position). Dumbbell squats. Try these one leg at a time when you get strong enough. Also try sissy, or limbo, squats—hold onto something stationary and go up on your toe as you squat, but without bending at the waist. Keep your torso and thighs on the same plane. When your hamstrings meet your calves, drive back up, but only two-thirds of the way, to keep tension on your thighs. Dumbbell lunges. Alternate these from workout to workout with dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts—keep a slight bend at your knees, keep your back flat, keep the dumbbells close to your legs as you lower to midshin; then pull them up, but only two-thirds of the way, to keep tension on your hamstrings. You may want to take the next step up in home training and get a PowerBlock selectorized dumbbell set and an adjustable bench. You can do an almost endless number of exercises, and that equipment takes up very little space. Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

You can get great workouts at home with limited equipment. Selectorized dumbbells can make home training even more effective.

Q: I work out at home and only have a Swiss ball and dumbbells. I’ve been doing a full-body workout three times a week. I do two sets of 12 on each exercise. My workout is Swiss ball bench presses, seated shoulder presses, biceps curls, triceps extensions, dumbbell rows, dumbbell squats and dumbbell lunges. I also add ab work. I plan to buy a bench and barbells later on. Could you give me a few ideas to keep me progressing? I also do cardio on off days. A: You can get great workouts with limited equipment— even no equipment at all. In my first book, Home Gym Handbook, I outlined a weight-free workout that’s perfect for vacations or a maintenance workout trainees can use if they don’t have time to hit the gym. Here are a few suggestions for mixing things up with the equipment you have: Swiss ball bench presses. Try them at every other workout with your elbows tucked in close to your torso and

New! The sharp black POF T shirt with the original classic logo emblazoned in gold can give you that mus cular look you re after. See page 219 for details. Editor’s note: Steve Holman is the author of a number of bodybuilding best sellers, including Train, Eat, Grow: The Positionsof-Flexion Muscle Training Manual. For information on the POF videos and Size Surge programs, see page 69. For information on Train, Eat, Grow, see page 86. Also visit www.X Rep.com. IM

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Neveux

system (ATP) in the muscle and can make the muscles larger through fluid retention and, perhaps, better protein synthesis. Those two supplements should work well together, if you can afford them. We’ve gotten great strength surges with GAKIC here at the IRON MAN Training & Research Center. Our report on it was in the November issue’s Research Team feature. When we were taking GAKIC, we were cranking out three to five extra reps on our work sets at the beginning of our workouts. We’re just starting back on it for our winter Mega-Mass Program, as outlined in Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, our new e-book (available at www .BeyondX-Rep.com).

Steve Holman ironchief@aol.com

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\ JULY 2006 181

Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s

Naturally Huge

Neveux \ Model: Mike Morris

Anyone who’s trained heavy and hard in the gym for a number of years understands what it is to be injured. You don’t have to carelessly swing the weights around or perform exercises haphazardly to eventually end up with an injury. When you begin pushing your muscles further than they’re accustomed to (the overload principle), sooner or later you’ll end up with some type of muscle or tendon pull, strain or tear. Injuries from weight training can occur at any age. Even teenage bodybuilders, with all their youthful energy and resilience, can injure themselves if they don’t take the proper precautions and train correctly. The older bodybuilder, however, must be even more careful. Older bodybuilders who’ve been training for 20 years or more have most likely accumulated a collection of injuries that make their presence known each time they add more weight to the bar or attempt to push themselves harder in their workouts. The joints are the main culprit when it comes to pain in training. Muscle and tendon strains usually heal themselves with enough rest. Joints—the elbows, knees, lower back and shoulders—however, are not so forgiving. They tend to “wear out” after decades of heavy training, and they require you to train intelligently if you want to keep train-

Starting your triceps workout with an extension movement could mean trouble for your elbow joints. A pressing exercise is a better choice. 54 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Tito Raymond

The World of Hurt, Part 1

ing heavy. With almost 30 years of nonstop training behind me, I’ve had to learn how to dodge joint pain while still using the productive basic exercises with heavy weights. The following section lists which exercises usually aggravate sensitive areas of the body and how you can overcome the joint pain by using different exercises or different training methods. Elbows. The elbows take a beating from years of heavy pressing movements during chest and shoulder training. Bench presses, incline presses, military presses, overhead dumbbell presses and all other pressing movements put stress on the elbows. Extension movements, often used in training the triceps, also put a strain directly on the elbow joints. Lying triceps extensions—a.k.a. skull crushers—seated triceps extensions and pushdowns can all cause strain on the elbow joint. I’ve found that the best way to avoid elbow pain is to thoroughly warm up and get lots of blood in the area before attempting any direct extension movements. If I went into the gym and started training triceps with an exercise like lying or seated triceps extensions, my elbows would be screaming with pain, and I wouldn’t be able to use any substantial poundage at all. I prefer to train my triceps after my chest. That lets my elbows warm up during exercises like barbell and dumbbell bench presses and incline presses. I use the pyramid system, beginning the first set with light weight and gradually increasing the resistance with each succeeding set. Training in that manner enables me to warm up the joints slowly, with no pain in the elbows. One exercise that I like to use to finish off my chest routine is dumbbell pullovers. Although they target the upper pecs and the lats, they also seem to pump up the triceps really well. With a slight

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Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s

Naturally Huge

Workout 1 Dumbbell pullovers (at the end of the chest workout) 2-3 x 10-12 Pushdowns 3 x 12, 10, 8 Decline extensions 3 x 10, 8, 6 Bench dips 3 x 10-12 Workout 2 Close-grip bench presses Overhead extensions Dips

3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6

Next month I’ll cover knees and lower back injuries. Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Natural Mr. Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner. Visit his Web site at www .naturalolympia .com. You can write to him at P.O. Box 3003, Darien, IL 60561, or call toll-free (800) 900-UNIV (8648). His new book, Natural Bodybuilding, is now available from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008 or www.Home-Gym.com. IM Neveux

pump in the triceps, I begin my triceps workout and feel no pain in my elbows. Even though the triceps are pumped, I still don’t dare start off with an extension movement. Instead, I commence with pushdowns, which are not as hard on the elbow joints as an extension movement would be. I begin with a light weight and pump out 12 to 15 reps for the first set. I increase the weight over the next three sets and finish off with six to eight reps on my last heavy set. It’s only now that I move onto an extension exercise like lying triceps extensions or seated triceps extensions. The elbows and triceps have plenty of blood in them at this point, but I still begin with a moderately heavy weight and slowly increase the poundage on each new set so I don’t cause injury to the joints. I also make sure that I lower the resistance very slowly on each rep, as that seems to decrease the amount of stress on the elbow joints. Another great exercise for adding mass to the triceps without stressing out the elbows is the close-grip bench press. In addition to using your triceps, you’re also calling on the pecs and delts. Because of the involvement of those two other large muscle groups, the elbows aren’t directly stressed, as they would be with an extension movement. That lets me use heavier poundages, which is great for adding more mass to the triceps while simultaneously bringing blood into the elbow joints. It would be safe to move on to a triceps extension after performing several sets of close-grip bench presses. Here are two sample triceps workouts for those suffering from painful elbows:

Neveux

One of the best exercises to start your triceps work with is close-grip bench presses.

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John Hansen John@NaturalOlympia.com

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EAT TO NUTRITION SCIENCE

The Mystery of Milk Solved Proteins derived from milk, mainly whey and casein, are recognized as the best sources of supplemental protein for bodybuilders and other athletes, as well as for anyone else seeking a quality protein source. Milk itself, however, is an entirely different matter. From a health perspective, nothing beats mother’s milk as a primary source of nutrition for humans and other animals. Few would argue that point. The necessity of drinking milk after infancy, however, is controversial. Entire Web sites are devoted to the alleged health dangers of drink-

Milk: Does it do a bodybuilder’s cuts good?

ing milk for anyone over age one. Many problems associated with milk, say these groups, relate to the hormones in milk, such as insulinlike growth factor 1. IGF-1 is an anabolic hormone in muscle, but it can also act as a growth factor for cancer spread. IGF-1 is a peptide hormone, meaning that it’s nothing more than a long string of amino acids held together by bonds in a specific sequence. Any protein you take in orally is degraded by gastric acid and then further degraded by the liver. The odds of a hormone the size of IGF-1 surviving that formidable digestive barrier and entering the blood are remote at best, though that happens sometimes in infants. Some scientists, however, suggest that milk contains other proteins that shield IGF-1 in the digestive process, allowing some active hormone to reach the blood. The proof of that contention is skimpy at best. From a bodybuilding standpoint, milk is considered good and bad. For those seeking to gain weight and add muscle mass, milk is a nearly ideal

Can it really blur your hard-earned muscularity?

nutrient source. Some bodybuilders avoid milk at all times but often cannot explain why. Those training for contests say that the sodium content of milk leads to water retention, even though milk isn’t particularly rich in sodium. Still, there must be something about milk that makes it taboo for so many bodybuilders. Even if we discard obvious factors, such as lactose intolerance—the inability to fully digest the lactose, or milk sugar, due to a lack of the enzyme lactase—or an allergy to milk proteins themselves, which is rare, something in milk appears to obscure bodybuilders’ muscular definition. Bodybuilders often think that whole milk is loaded with fat. The truth is that it contains a mere 3.5 percent fat. The alternative to whole milk is nonfat milk, containing less than 1 percent fat. There is nothing about nonfat milk that should promote either water retention or fat accretion. Or is there? The glycemic index is a measure of how rapidly carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood. Though originally developed for diabetics in 1981, the G.I. also provides useful and interesting data for people interested in the fate of the carbs they eat. The G.I. exposed the fact that some venerated “complex carbs” actually act more like simple sugar when eaten alone. Examples include baked potatoes and carrots. Using the G.I., however, mandates some common sense, since many high-carb foods also contain fat, which slows the entry of carbs into

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GROW Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission the blood. An example of that is ice cream, which has a low G.I. but which is not a diet food. Some foods provoke considerable release of insulin, which is measured on its own index. Milk is an unusual food because while it has a moderate G.I. number of 41, it also has a high insulin index number. Something in milk promotes a huge release of insulin in the body, which was originally demonstrated with whole milk and has more recently been demonstrated with nonfat milk too.1 What causes it? Certain amino acids in milk promote insulin release, including two of the three branchedchain amino acids, leucine and isoleucine, and tryptophan. Beef contains the same amino acids yet has low G.I. and insulin index numbers. Another possibility is that lactose has an additive effect when it’s taken in with the amino acids in milk. That makes sense when you consider that adding protein to carbs increases insulin output by about 37 percent. Other factors in milk may also be responsible for the insulin effect. Besides the primary milk proteins, whey and casein, milk contains a number of smaller proteins known as peptides, which many scientists think may exert physiological effects in humans. Most of the effects are beneficial, but some may heighten insulin response to where it’s out of proportion with the calorie and nutrient content of milk. Milk contains small amounts of hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone. Again, the likelihood that those hormones survive the gamut of digestive barriers and liver degradation is remote. Studies show that the only dairy

product that doesn’t promote a large insulin response is cheese. All other dairy foods—including whole and nonfat milk, yogurt, ice cream and cottage cheese—promote a larger than expected insulin release in the body. In sensitive people those dairy foods may produce an insulin release large enough to produce reactive hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar. The effect is so potent that even adding milk to a meal containing a mixture of highand low-G.I. foods can result in increased insulin release. The paradoxical insulin release has implications for both health and bodybuilding and may help explain the frequently observed water retention that happens after somebody drinks milk. High-level insulin release promotes the release of another hormone, aldosterone, from the adrenal glands. Aldosterone promotes sodium and water retention, while also promoting potassium excretion. (Aldosterone has a number of other bad effects; look for that information in an upcoming Bodybuilding Pharmacology column.) While a potent anabolic hormone in muscle, insulin is also the most potent promoter of fat accretion in the body. Whenever insulin is secreted, all mechanisms that affect fat oxidation are blunted, while all mechanisms that promote fat gain are increased. Insulin itself will not make anyone fat, but when combined with sugar, its fat-promoting effects are magnified. The bright side of this otherwise grim information about milk is that its

insulin-promoting effects can be used to advantage following a workout; that’s when you want an increased insulin release. Following training, insulin promotes the activity of the enzyme that dictates glycogen synthesis in muscle. The increased glycogen synthesis results in faster recovery. Insulin also promotes the entry of amino acids into muscle, which increases muscle protein synthesis for added size and strength. That’s why experts often recommend having a drink containing both fast-acting protein—such as whey—and simple sugars as soon as possible after a workout. —Jerry Brainum 1 Hoyt, G., et al. (2005). Dissociation of the glycemic and insulinemic responses to whole and skimmed milk. Brit J Nutr. 93:175-77.

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Eat to Grow NUTRITION NOTES

Food Facts

Neveux \ Model: Steve Kummer

That can affect your workouts and health

PROTEIN

Up Your Aminos?

Do protein supplements increase strength and muscle mass?

In a study presented at the 2005 meeting of the American College of Sports Medicine, researchers examined the effects of a protein supplement on experienced weight-training men.1 They noted that previous studies had not found any advantage to taking in more than 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight for strength athletes. But those studies lasted an average of only two weeks, and most used untrained college students as subjects. More experienced trainees may require more protein simply because they train harder and longer. In the study, which lasted 12 weeks, 21 experienced strength athletes were randomly assigned to either a placebo or a protein-supplement group. Those in the protein group got two grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight, while those in the placebo group got 1.24 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. All subjects were tested on the one-rep squat and bench press, as well as the Wingate anaerobic power test. Body composition was also tested. The results: Both groups showed significant improvement in the strength tests, but there were no differences in bench press, anaerobic power or body composition. Those getting the protein supplement, however, experienced a significant strength gain on the one-rep squat. Why the protein group gained strength only in the lower body isn’t clear. Perhaps it had something to do with the size of the legs, which have the largest muscles in the body. Nor is it clear what type of protein supplement was used. That could make a difference, since a higher-quality protein, such as a whey-and-casein mixture, would produce better results than an inferior protein source. —Jerry Brainum 1Falvo, M., et al. (2005). Effect of protein supplementation on strength, power and body composition changes for experienced resistance-trained men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 37(5):S45.

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Eat to Grow GOOD FATS

The Zone and Omega-3s The Zone diet, as promoted by biochemist Barry Sears, recommends nutrient percentages of 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat. According to Sears, that combination of nutrients aids fat loss and health by favorably affecting the synthesis of fat-based compounds in the body called eicosanoids. Sears believes that the precise nutrient content of the Zone diet works by moderating the release of insulin. The control of insulin, in turn, influences the production of beneficial rather than excessive and so potentially harmful eicosanoids. Sears has written a number of books detailing the benefits and correct use of the Zone diet. Among his claims are that his diet not only increases bodyfat loss but also extends longevity. The latter is due to an antioxidant feature of the Zone program coupled with a decrease in inflammatory states that are known to be the primary cause of many degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Lately, Sears has also been promoting the addition of fish oil supplements, which he says are the key to controlling inflammation in the body. In fact, he sells a “pharmaceuticalgrade” fish oil that retails for $85 a bottle. Sears says the high price is related to the purity of the product. While extensive scientific evidence confirms the many health benefits of omega-3 fats, as found in fish oil, the proof behind the effectiveness of the Zone diet itself is a subject of debate. Several scientists have noted that the Zone diet is a low-calorie program when followed as suggested. The lowered calorie intake itself can lead to fat loss and decreased oxidation, as well as lowered inflammation. Bodyfat isn’t the inactive energy storage site that it was thought to be in the past. In reality, fat produces a number of substances that can promote inflammation throughout the body. Losing fat leads to less inflammatory activity. The idea that diet alone can control the synthesis of eicosanoids is also open to question. What is not debated is that eicosanoids are made from dietary fat, and the type of fat you eat does influence the ratio of eicosanoids produced in your body. Insulin comes into play because it promotes the activity of enzymes that provoke a greater synthesis of inflammatory eicosanoids made from the parent fatty acid, arachidonic acid, or AA. In contrast, omega-3 fats oppose the activity of the enzymes that promote inflammatory eicosanoids. A recent study looked at what happens when healthy, active people take omega-3 supplements.1 It compared two types of diets: a Zone diet and one containing 55 percent carbs, 15 percent protein and 30 percent fat. The latter diet is similar to the one endorsed by organizations such as the American Heart Association as being optimal for disease prevention.

A healthy combination?

Thirteen men and 20 women, age range 21 to 51, followed one or the other diet for 35 days, then switched over to the other diet for another 35 days. The subjects also got either eight capsules, or four grams, a day of fish oil supplement (not Sears’ brand) or olive oil. The calories and nutrient ratios depended on the subjects’ size and metabolism. Taking the omega-3 supplement led to a reduction of the ratio of AA to EPA (omega-3 fat), and the ratio was particularly apparent with the Zone diet. That appears to confirm Sears’ contention that his Zone diet offers synergistic effects when supplemented with omega-3 oils. The lower AA-to-EPA ratio also decreased levels of insulin and homocysteine—the latter is a byproduct of the metabolism of methionine, an essential amino acid, that, when elevated, is linked to a number of degenerative diseases. Combining the Zone diet with fish oil also led to a greater bodyfat loss than the conventional diet did, as well as greater antioxidant effects and a better mood, characterized by less depression, anger and anxiety. The favorable ratio of AA to EPA would point to a decrease in inflammatory eicosanoids, precisely as Sears predicts. While fish oil alone can do that, the researchers suggest that the specific percentages of nutrients in the Zone program appear to make fish oil even more potent. This may relate to the lower insulin release, as shown in this study. So should you consider following a Zone diet supplemented with fish oil? Since the Zone diet demands precise percentages of nutrients, you must be willing to regiment yourself. The lower calorie intake of the Zone will reliably lead to a loss of fat, which will lower insulin levels. Even if the Zone program isn’t suitable, adding fish oil supplements is doubtless beneficial for everyone because of the extensive health benefits linked to them. —Jerry Brainum 1 Fontani, G., et al. (2005). Blood profiles, bodyfat and mood state in healthy subjects supplemented with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Eur J Clin Invest. 35:499-507.

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PERFECT POSTWORKOUT MEAL

To Kick-Start Immediate Muscle Growth After You Train Breakthrough research in exercise metabolism now reveals this fact: What you consume (or don’t consume) immediately after training plays a critical role in determining your success or failure! That time period is known as the “anabolic window” of growth. The biggest mistake many bodybuilders make is eating a meal of chicken breasts, baked potato or rice and vegetables after a workout. This is an approach doomed to fail because by the time this meal digests, the anabolic window has slammed shut. The best way to produce this potent anabolic effect is simply by drinking an amino acidand-carbohydrate supplement within 15 minutes after training! RecoverX™ offers the ideal combination and provides the perfect blend of nutrients for postworkout anabolic acceleration. RecoverX™ contains 40 grams of the quickest-acting bio-available protein from hydrolyzed whey—extremely fast protein for immediate delivery—whey protein concentrate, glutamine peptides, arginine and 60 grams of carbohydrate to give you the necessary insulin spike.

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Eat to Grow WARRIOR NUTRITION AND EXERCISE

Food for Sex and Muscles Although nowadays meat and cheese are often regarded as the most fattening and dangerous foods, those same foods were once regarded as great strength builders. Ancient Greeks considered meat the food of warriors. Some anthropologists have suggested that the human body hasn’t changed much since the Stone Age. If that’s true, then modern human beings are still biologically designed to benefit from a hunter-gatherer diet that includes meat and fat. Meat, eggs and dairy foods can indeed help enhance vigor and potency. On the other hand, the meatless vegetarian diet—and in particular, the vegan diet—may help protect against cardiovascular disease. Nevertheless, a vegetarian diet may also adversely affect libido and virility and may even compromise athletic and sexual

performance. Meat, eggs and dairy foods contain something that affects sexual potency. That certain something also plays a critical role in numerous biological functions, including muscle gain and fat loss. That something is the socalled bad fat. —Ori Hofmekler Editor’s note: Ori Hofmekler is the author of the books The Warrior Diet and Maximum Muscle & Minimum Fat, published by Dragon Door Publications (www.dragondoor.com). For more information or for a consultation, contact him via e-mail at ori@warriordiet.com, www.warriordiet.com or by phone at (866) WAR-DIET.

ANABOLIC DRIVE

Sesamin Is Sizzlin’ It’s one hot antioxidant—and it helps nitric oxide production too Sesamin. If you haven’t yet heard of it, you will. If you think it comes from sesame seeds, you’re right. It’s actually the most abundant lignan in sesame seeds and oil. Lignans are antioxidants and phytoestrogens found in a variety of plants—flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, rye, soybeans, broccoli and some berries. Sesamin is one of those plants too, and to say it has many many different functions is a slight understatement. Sesamin products already on the market claim to help maximize fat loss, support liver and kidney health and maintain healthy lipid profiles. Let’s get a scientific preview of some of the current information on sesamin. For example, one study looked at the effect of sesamin on gene expression in the liver; researchers found that sesamin regulates the metabolism of lipids, xenobiotics and alcohol at the mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) level. You’ve heard of all the nitric oxide hoopla. Well, sesamin plays a role there too. In fact, research suggests that sesamin may improve hypertension, or high blood pressure, because it can induce production of nitric oxide. Sesamin is also a very strong antioxidant. For example, in one study mice were given varying amounts of sesamin, vitamin E or vitamin C. They were subjected to 30 minutes of swimming exercise two hours after receiving samples. The scientists found that sesamin had a protective effect via its antioxidant capacity (whereas vitamins C and E were ineffective). Sesamin has been shown to have lipid-lowering effects, antioxidant effects and immunoregulatory functions. So if you’re hypertensive, sesamin may be one of the ingredients on the horizon that may help you. Alternatively, its role in protecting you during exercise is worth further exploration. And to top it off, the effect of sesamin in nitric oxide metabolism (which affects myriad physiological processes) makes it potentially one of the most exciting new dietary supplements around. —Jose Antonio, Ph.D. Editor’s note: Jose Antonio, Ph.D., is the chief science officer of Javalution (www.javafit.com) and the president of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (www.sportsnutritionsociety.org).

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GRIND OUT THE GROWTH REPS™ Beta-Alanine Gives Your Muscles More Grow Power™ The biggest bodybuilders know that the last few grueling reps of a set are the key growth reps. It’s why they fight through the pain of muscle burn on every work set-—so they trigger the mass-building machinery. But sometimes it’s not enough; the burn is too fierce. Fortunately, there’s now a potent new weapon in this massive firefight to help you get bigger and stronger faster. Red Dragon is a new beta-alanine supplement that packs your muscles with carnosine—up to 60 percent more. Muscle biopsies show that the largest bodybuilders have significantly more carnosine in their fast-twitch muscle fibers than sedentary individuals for good reason: Carnosine buffers the burn to give muscles more “grow power” on every set. The bigger and stronger a muscle gets, the more carnosine it needs to perform at higher intensity levels. You must keep your muscles loaded with carnosine to grow larger and stronger. It all boils down to intensity and the ability to buffer waste products—hydrogen ions and lactic acid—so the muscle doesn’t shut down before growth activation. Straight carnosine supplements degrade too rapidly to reach the muscles; however, more than 20 new studies document that beta-alanine is converted to carnosine very efficiently. All it takes is 1 1/2 grams twice a day, and you’ll see new size in your muscles and feel the difference in the gym—you can double or triple your growth-rep numbers! Imagine how fast your size and strength will increase when you ride the Dragon! Note: Red Dragon™ is the first pure carnosine synthesizer—so powerful it’s patented. It contains beta-alanine, the amino acid that supercharges muscle cells with carnosine.

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Eat to Grow BIG MEALS Yates’ diet details helped him earn six Mr. Olympia crowns.

Staggering Yates Dorian believes in staggering his calories to keep his metabolism from stagnating and to match his energy expenditure on any particular day. “Let’s say I am eating 4,500 calories per day getting ready for the show. I may eat 4,500 one day, 4,800 the next and 4,200 the third day. It averages out to 4,500, but it varies depending on my energy output. I don’t think you have to eat as much on an off day as you do on a day that you’re busting your ass training legs for an hour.” Dorian eats every 2 1/2 to three hours. —Larry Pepe The Precontest Bible Editor’s note: The Precontest Bible by Larry Pepe

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Breaking the Rules According to the Bottom Line Health newsletter, “Only 3 percent of Americans follow all four of the main health rules—don’t smoke, get regular exercise, eat fruits and vegetables and maintain a normal weight. Most chronic diseases would be drastically reduced if more people adhered to these basic lifestyle recommendations.” Most bodybuilders adhere to three out of the four. With the recent low-carb-diet craze, many are shunning fruits and veggies. If you’re interested in health, fruits and veggies are good; it’s only the processed, high-glycemic carbs you should be shunning. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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(You can check out those past editions free at www.XRep.com in the X Files section.) It’s exciting stuff! You’ve gotta subscribe Learn how to make curls three times more effecitve at building eye-popping bi’s. See issue 03/04/05. today so you can start building the muscle size you deserve for your sweat and effort in the gym. You’ve got nothing to lose and plenty of raw muscle to gain! Here’s what to do...

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w w w. I ro n M a n M a g a z i n e . c o m

It’s a big blast of workout information, motivation and muscle-building science in your e-mail box every week—and it’s all free! Tons of practical training tips, analysis and size tactics are jam-packed into this e-zine from the IRON MAN Training & Research Center, where there’s more than 50 years of training experience to get you growing fast! Here are a few of the latest editions’ titles (online now):

Train, Eat,GROW Muscle-Training Program 75 From the IRON MAN Training & Research Center

Model: Jonathan Lawson

by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson â&#x20AC;˘ Photography by Michael Neveux

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It’s been more than a year now since we started emphasizing Xtended-set training techniques— and our gains have been nothing short of outstanding. After a few years in which we got erratic results, we attained our best, most muscular conditions ever in ’04, our first foray into X-Rep training. And those gains came faster than we thought possible—in about 35 days. Then in ’05 we got into even better shape. Who would’ve thought that was possible?—especially considering the fact that we have more than four decades of training experience between us (and Steve is in his mid-40s). Steve, the self-proclaimed hardgainer’s hardgainer, packed on almost 10 pounds of muscle for our ’05 photo shoot, his aging body responding better than it did even during his testosterone-fueled 20s. Jonathan was bigger and better than ever too, and we owe it all to cranking up the intensity quotient, with plenty of science thrown in for good measure—and bigger measurements. Mike Mentzer was right when he said that intensity is a critical factor in stimulating muscle growth; however, intensity training, defined as pushing to failure and beyond, isn’t the only way to get big. While Mentzer often said that you can’t make up for haphazard, less-intense sets with more volume, we respectfully disagree. Bill Pearl’s physique, in his prime, was living proof that you can build plenty of muscle by doing lots of less-intense sets (not that that’s the best way to do it, mind you). It all revolves around the size principle of muscle fiber recruitment. To reiterate that important concept: On the first few reps of a set you engage the low-threshold motor units, gradually activating the mediums and then the highs toward the end of the set. Obviously, if you stop short of pushing to the brink, you don’t get at as many fast-twitch fibers as you could have. When you do more subfailure sets, the same thing happens, but— and this point is key—you bring in a few different fast-twitch fibers at the end of each set due to a slightly altered recruitment pattern. So

more sets can stimulate more growth—it’s just not very efficient, especially for hardgainers. If hardgainers tried the subfailure-training route, they’d have to endure much longer workouts with many more sets. (Pearl used to average 20 sets per bodypart.) That would quickly take a toll on their already limited recovery ability— not to mention their attention span. Doing all those lower-intensity sets just to get at a few more fasttwitch fibers doesn’t make much sense for hardgainers. Could hardgainers gain muscle on that type of routine? Possibly, with the right split and more moderate set totals; however, the better route is to hit a muscle hard and fast by leapfrogging nervous system failure and activating as many muscle fibers as possible in any one set. Then we can significantly reduce volume, preserving precious recovery ability for growth—oh, and you don’t have to train most of the day. We demonstrated that during our ’04 and ’05 ripping phases. Our bodypart set totals were low— usually around six—but we took sets beyond failure with X Reps in ’04, and then in ’05 we cranked up the intensity with X-hybrid techniques, such as X/Pause, Double-X Overload and X Fade. Result: More muscle and just as shredded—if not more so. Nevertheless, we think our gains could’ve been better in ’05 because we made a slight miscalculation: While we increased our intensity, we also trained our bodyparts more often than in ’04—at least our upper-body muscles. That happened as a result of a study that said thigh muscles need more recovery time than upper-body muscles. [For more on that study and our interpretations see the Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book.] Armed with that study, we retooled our training split. We decided to train thighs once a week, on Wednesday, and split the upper body over two days, Monday and Tuesday, and then repeat that split on Thursday and Friday. In ’04 there was a second leg workout in the mix, so upper-body days were more spaced out. We know what you’re thinking: If

we were better in ’05 with more frequent upper-body workouts, maybe it wasn’t a mistake but an improvement. We’d disagree because if you’ve seen our before and after photos from ’04, you can tell that we gained at least five pounds of muscle each in the last month with X Reps. In ’05 we gained more but over a longer period. We now think that to get the best gains possible at a higher intensity, we should’ve worked out less frequently, but we actually went in the opposite direction for upper-body muscles. You could argue that it took us a little longer to build muscle in 2005 because we were more advanced. But we were more advanced in ’04 too, and our gains suddenly went through the roof. Hey, we’re bodybuilders, so we’re never satisfied. We’re convinced that we can do better—that while X Reps and our new X-hybrid techniques packed on muscle for us in ’05, we could’ve added even more if our split had been more recovery oriented. And that brings us to the changes we’re making now to get bigger. We discussed our new split in detail last month, but let’s review it. We think it’s going to make a significant difference in our results if we can keep our intensity turned up to 11 (10 just isn’t high enough!). Here it is again: tÉÉâ=N Monday: Workout 1A (delts, etc.) Tuesday: Workout 2 (legs) Wednesday: Workout 3A (chest, etc.) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 1B (delts, etc.) Weekend: Off (with cardio) tÉÉâ=O Monday: Workout 3B (chest, etc.) Tuesday: Workout 2 (legs) Wednesday: Workout 1A (delts, etc.) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 3A (chest, etc.) Weekend: Off (with cardio) tÉÉâ=P Monday: Workout 1B (delts, etc.) Tuesday: Workout 2 (legs) Wednesday: Workout 3B (chest, etc.) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 1A (delts, etc.)

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 79

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Train, Eat, Grow /Program 75 Weekend: Off (with cardio) tÉÉâ=Q Monday: Workout 3A (chest, etc.) Tuesday: Workout 2 (legs) Wednesday: Workout 1B (delts, etc.) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 3B (chest, etc.) Weekend: Off (with cardio) `óÅäÉ=ÄÉÖáåë=~Ö~áå We are still hitting thighs once a week, on Tuesday, which breaks up the two upper-body sessions. Before, during our ’05 ripping phase, we had

upper-body sessions on consecutive days: Monday and Tuesday and then Thursday and Friday. Now we put legs between them on Tuesday. Then on Thursday we take a day off (ah, sweet recovery). Friday is a repeat of Monday’s workout but with different positions. The following Monday we pick up with the previous Wednesday’s workout but with different positions. That we train the muscles in different positions explains the A and B designations. Upper-body workouts are categorized as either

A or B. In the A workouts we do a big, midrange exercise and a contracted-position movement for each bodypart. In the B workouts we do the same midrange exercise, but we follow with a stretch-position movement. So we cover all the positions of flexion for each muscle over two workouts, with emphasis on the big, midrange moves, a.k.a. the mass exercises. At least that’s how we’re doing it at the moment. We may decide to do all three positions for a weak bodypart if we notice stagnation creeping

folk=j^k qê~áåáåÖ=C=oÉëÉ~êÅÜ=`ÉåíÉê=jìëÅäÉJqê~áåáåÖ=mêçÖê~ã=TR tçêâçìí=N^W=aÉäíëI=jáÇÄ~ÅâI=_áÅÉéëI=cçêÉ~êãë Dumbbell upright rows (X Reps) Seated forward-lean laterals (X Reps) Dumbbell presses (X Reps) Barbell shrugs (X Reps) Cable upright rows (X Reps) Nautilus rows (X Reps) Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) Bent-over laterals Cable curls (X Reps) Concentration curls (X Reps) Rope hammer curls (X Reps) Barbell reverse wrist curls Barbell wrist curls Rockers

2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 2-3 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 8-10 2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 15 2 x 15 1 x 15

tçêâçìí=OW=nì~ÇëI=e~ãëI=d~ëíêçÅëI=içï=_~Åâ Smith-machine squats (X Reps) Leg extensions (X Reps) Sissy squats (drop set; X Reps) Leg presses Hack squats Leg curls (X Reps) Stiff-legged deadlifts (partials) Hyperextensions (X Reps) Reverse hyperextensions Leg press calf raises (X Reps) Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) Standing calf raises (X Reps) Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) Seated calf raises Low-back machine

2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x 10(8) 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x max 1 x 10 3 x 15-20 2 x 12-15 2 x 8-10 1 x 12 2 x 15-20 1 x 8-12

tçêâçìí=P^W=`ÜÉëíI=i~íëI=qêáÅÉéëI=^Äë Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps) High cable flyes (X Reps) Dumbbell bench presses (X Reps) Low cable flyes (X Reps) Middle cable flyes (X Reps) Parallel-grip pulldowns (X Reps) Chins (X Reps) Machine pullovers (X Reps) Close-grip bench presses Pushdowns Superset

2-3 2 2 1 1 2 1-2 2 2 2

x x x x x x x x x x

8-10 8-12 8-10 8-12 8-12 8-10 8-12 8-10 8-10 8-10

Incline kneeups Bench V-ups Twisting crunches

2 x 10 2x8 2 x 10-12

tçêâçìí=N_W=aÉäíëI=jáÇÄ~ÅâI=_áÅÉéëI=cçêÉ~êãë Rack pulls (X Reps) Dumbbell upright rows (X Reps) Cable laterals (X Reps) Dumbbell presses (X Reps) Dumbbell shrugs (X Reps) Rack pulls (X Reps) Nautilus rows (X Reps) One-arm dumbbell rows (X Reps) Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) Uncrossovers (X Reps) Preacher curls (X Reps or staged) Incline curls (X Reps) Incline hammer curls Dumbbell reverse wrist curls Dumbbell wrist curls Rockers

2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 2-3 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 8-10 2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 15 2 x 15 1 x 15

tçêâçìí=P_W=`ÜÉëíI=i~íëI=qêáÅÉéëI=^Äë Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps) Incline flyes (X Reps) Wide-grip dips (X Reps) Decline flyes (X Reps) Flat-bench flyes Parallel-grip pulldowns (X Reps) Chins (X Reps) Dumbbell pullovers Decline extensions (X Reps or staged) Cable pushouts Dumbbell overhead extensions (X Reps) Superset Incline kneeups Bench V-ups Ab Bench crunches

2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-12 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-12 1 x 8-12 2 x 8-10 1-2 x 8-12 2 x 8-10 2-3 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 10 2x8 2 x 10-12

Add to Friday’s workout Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Standing calf raises or machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 20-25 •Where X-Reps are designated, only one set is performed with X Reps or an X-Rep hybrid technique from the e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building.

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Train, Eat, Grow /Program 75

in. (You can keep up with our routine changes on a workout-by-workout basis in the X-Blog section at www.X-Rep.com.) We never stop experimenting because, as we said, we’re bodybuilders: We’re never satisfied with our results. That’s precisely the reason that we were able to get into better condition in ’05 than in ’04—we experimented and came up with a number of X-hybrid techniques that took our intensity to the next level. One of

those was the X Fade for contractedposition exercises, and it made a considerable difference in our results. It started out as a three-position X-hybrid technique. For example, on leg extensions we would do reps till exhaustion, then our partner would help us to the top, contracted position, where we performed X Reps. Then the foot pad was lowered to the middle position, and we performed X Reps there; then, finally,

the foot pad was lowered to the semistretched point near the bottom of the stroke, and we performed X Reps at the key X spot. Sounds painful and productive, right? The problem was that by the time we got to that critically important semistretched point, we were too spent to do it justice. In other words, we were cheating ourselves out of an intense X-spot blast, in(continued on page 86)

fqo`=mêçÖê~ã=TRI=^ÄÄêÉîá~íÉÇ=eçãÉJdóã=oçìíáåÉW=jçåÇ~ó=qÜêçìÖÜ=cêáÇ~ó tçêâçìí=N^W=aÉäíëI=jáÇÄ~ÅâI=_áÅÉéëI=cçêÉ~êãë Dumbbell upright rows, seated laterals or rack pulls (X Reps) Seated forward-lean laterals (X Reps) Dumbbell presses (X Reps) Barbell shrugs (X Reps) Bent-over barbell rows Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) Bent-over laterals (X Reps) Dumbbell curls Concentration curls (X Reps) Hammer curls Barbell reverse wrist curls (X Reps) Barbell wrist curls (X Reps) Rockers

2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 15 2 x 15 1 x 15

tçêâçìí=OW=nì~ÇëI=e~ãëI=d~ëíêçÅëI=içï=_~Åâ Squats (last set staged) 3 x 8-10 Leg extensions or hack squats (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Sissy squats (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Hack squats (nonlock) 1 x 8-10 Leg curls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Stiff-legged deadlifts (bottom-range partials) 2 x 8-10 Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x max Donkey calf raises, standing calf raises or one-leg calf raises (X Reps) 4 x 15-20 Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 15-20

tçêâçìí=P^W=`ÜÉëíI=i~íëI=qêáÅÉéëI=^Äë Incline presses (X Reps) 2-3 x 8-10 Incline flyes (squeeze at the top of each rep) 2 x 8-12 Dumbbell bench presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Decline flyes (squeeze at the top of each rep) 1 x 8-12 Flat-bench flyes (squeeze at the top of each rep) 1 x 8-12 Parallel-grip chins (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Chins (X Reps) 1 x 8-12 Undergrip rows 2 x 8-10 Decline extensions (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Kickbacks 2 x 8-10 Superset Incline kneeups 2 x 10 Bench V-ups 2x8 Twisting crunches 2 x 10-12

tçêâçìí=N_W=aÉäíëI=jáÇÄ~ÅâI=_áÅÉéëI=cçêÉ~êãë

Dumbbell upright rows, seated laterals or rack pulls (X Reps) Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) Dumbbell presses (X Reps) Rack pulls (X Reps) Bent-over barbell rows One-arm dumbbell rows (X Reps) Bent-over laterals (X Reps) Preacher curls (X Reps) Incline curls (X Reps) Incline hammer curls Dumbbell reverse wrist curls Dumbbell wrist curls Rockers

2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 2 x 8-10 2 x 10-12 2 x 8-10 2-3 x 8-10 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 2 x 15 2 x 15 1 x 15

tçêâçìí=P_W=`ÜÉëíI=i~íëI=qêáÅÉéëI=^Äë Incline presses (X Reps) Incline flyes (X Reps) Wide-grip dips (X Reps) Decline flyes (X Reps) Flat-bench flyes (X Reps) Parallel-grip chins (X Reps) Chins (X Reps) Dumbbell pullovers Decline extensions (X Reps) Overhead extensions (X Reps) Superset Incline kneeups Bench V-ups Ab Bench crunches

2 2 2 1 1 2 1 2 2 2

x x x x x x x x x x

8-10 8-12 8-10 8-12 8-12 8-10 8-12 8-10 8-10 8-10

2 x 10 2x8 2 x 10-12

Add to Friday’s workout Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Standing calf raises 1 x 20-25 •When X Reps are designated, only one set is performed with X Reps or an X-Rep hybrid technique from the e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building. kçíÉW=Train Monday through Friday, following the sequence of workouts as listed. Also, it s best to have a selectorized dumbbell set, such as the PowerBlock, if you don t have a rack of fixed dumbbells of various weights. If you don t have a leg extension machine, do old-style hacks with a twosecond contraction at the top of each rep instead. Use partner resistance, towel around the ankles, if you don t have a leg curl machine.

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Train, Eat, Grow /Program 75

(continued from page 82)

stead giving priority to the lessimportant points on the stroke. So we made two changes: NF Because we usually did two sets on contracted-position exercises, we did the first with end-of-set X Reps at the semistretched point. So, when we reached nervous system exhaustion, we moved to the semistretched point and fired out X-Rep partials. That gave the max-force point priority. OF On the second set we used the X Fade but not the three-positions variety described above. Instead, we cut it to a two-spot technique. We did the top, contracted position first, then lowered the foot pad to the semistretched point and did partials there to finish. We saw gains immediately after we made those adjustments, no doubt due to our having given the max-force point priority on the first set. As we’ve said, the contracted-

position isn’t unimportant, just less crucial than the semistretched point. Our revised X Fade—and the results we got from it—made that even more apparent to us. We believe the real mass-kicker occurred on stretch-position exercises, however. We’ve described how stretch overload is tied to hyperplasia, or fiber splitting—at least in animals (one study showed a 300 percent mass increase after only 30 days of stretch overload). It’s also believed to ramp up anabolic hormone production. By devising an Xhybrid technique that stresses muscle elongation, similar to a technique Jay Cutler uses, we added to our explosive mass gains. (Was it hyperplasia? Who knows; we were just glad to see impressive new size.) We believe that was the primary reason we were able to make such great gains while overtraining—our muscles just couldn’t help but grow when we used such ideal stressors as

the X-hybrid techniques on key exercises. We’ll have more on all of those techniques and in a future TEG. There’s also info at www.Beyond X-Rep.com, including pictures of our ’05 results right next to our ’04 shots so you can compare. We hope they help motivate you to hit the gym—with X Reps and X-hybrid moves on the key exercises. bÇáíçêÛë=åçíÉW For the latest on the X-Rep muscle-building method, including X Q&As, X Files (past enewsletters), our before and after photos and the new X-Blog training journal, visit ïïïKuJoÉéKÅçã. For more information on Positions-ofFlexion training videos and Size Surge programs, see page 69. To order the Positions-of-Flexion training manual Train, Eat, Grow, call (800) 447-0008, visit www.homegym.com, or see the ad below. IM

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Charles Poliquin’s

Smart Training

Supplement Salvo

Q: I’ve been told not to take a postworkout shake immediately after I train, that I should wait an hour and then take a carbohydrate drink. Is that the new approach to building muscle?

Neveux \ Model: Bob Donelly

A: No, it’s not the latest; nor is it the best approach. Dr. Mauro DiPasquale and I share the belief that what you take before, during and after the workout influences your training gains most.The best approach is outlined below. Of course, personal budget will affect how many of the steps you can follow to maximize workout intensity and enhance recovery. Depending on your finances, you can choose to do any of the steps, but keep in mind that steps 5 and 6 (minus the

capsules) consist of the best bang for your buck. The following recommendation is for a 200-pound man at about 8 percent bodyfat. Step 1 (45 minutes before the workout). Take 1,200 milligrams of alpha-glycerophosphocholine in gel form. That will significantly increase your training intensity. In my 26 years as a strength coach I’ve seen no equivalent as a nonaddictive preworkout stimulant. It boosts GH and raises the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is known as the motivation neurotransmitter. Step 2 (beginning of workout). Take five grams of branched-chain amino acids to increase mental acuity during the workout. That will prevent the conversion of tryptophan to 5-HTP, which is the chemical tied to the mental dwindling that occurs late in a workout. Step 3 (during the workout). Take nine grams of carnosine spread evenly throughout the session. That will increase your work capacity tremendously. It also increases maximal strength through a mechanism that is not yet all that well explained by the medical community. At the Arizona PPC, the medical staff injects 500 milligrams into each bilateral bodypart to be trained. That works even better, but for those who don’t have access to the injectable form, the higher oral dose will work well. Step 4 (right after the workout). Take 18 grams of essential amino acids. That’s been shown to increase protein synthesis immediately. Step 5 (15 minutes after the workout). Drink a postworkout shake with about 50 grams of whey protein isolate and 100 grams of a 50-50 mix of dextrose and maltodextrin. Take it with three grams of taurine and 600 milligrams of R-form alpha-lipoic acid. Step 6 (45 minutes after the workout). Drink another postworkout shake with 30 grams of whey protein isolate and 100 grams of a 50-50 mix of dextrose and maltodextrin. Take with three caps of gymnema sylvestre, banana fruit extract and fenugreek. Those act as glucose disposal agents. I used to advocate a single-dose postworkout shake, but after reading more recent literature and experimenting on myself and my clients, I think the above is best.

Various compounds can enhance your gains if you take them at the appropriate times. For example, taking branched chain amino acids

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Regarding postworkout carb intake, stay away from high-fructose-corn-syrup powders or drinks, which promote rapid aging because the fructose binds to proteins in a process called glycation. The worst glycation agent is in fact fructose. Why? Because it does not raise insulin. In other words, the insulin does not get into muscle cells. Therefore, it lingers and wreaks metabolic havoc. As nutrition expert Robert Crayhon says, “Fructose is like the guest who won’t go home once the party is over.” Crayhon recommends that the average American should eat no more than five to 10 grams of fructose a day. For very active individuals, 20 grams of fructose should be the maximum intake. Glycation is particularly harmful to the eyes. Granted, the step approach described above is not for the welfare recipient, but just doing steps 5 and 6 will take your muscle growth to a new level.

A: The first thing you want to do is to put your chest training on maintenance mode with two sets of two different exercises once every five days. Don’t worry, your hard-earned pecs won’t flatten out like pancakes. You should do your chest at the end of the back workout that follows: Omni-grip pullups, 60 reps total. You do a total of 60 reps using three different grips on your pullups. Cycle from a wide, pronated grip to supinated-grip chinups to narrow, neutral-grip pullups. Rest 45 seconds between sets until you get to 60 reps total. A sample workout might look like this: One set of wide pronated-grip pullups, 8 reps rest 45 seconds One set of supinated chinups, 6 reps rest 45 seconds One set of narrow, neutral-grip pullups, 5 reps rest 45 seconds One set of wide pronated-grip pullups, 6 reps rest 45 seconds One set of supinated chinups, 4 reps rest 45 seconds One set of narrow neutral-grip pullups, 3 reps rest 45 seconds One set of wide pronated-grip pullups, 5 reps rest 45 seconds One set of supinated chinups, 4 reps rest 45 seconds One set of narrow neutral-grip pullups, 3 reps rest 45 seconds One set of wide pronated-grip pullups, 3 reps rest 45 seconds One set of supinated chinups, 3 reps rest 45 seconds One set of narrow neutral-grip pullups, 2 reps rest 45 seconds Total reps: 60

Neveux

Q: After years of chest training I’ve created a massive imbalance—my upperback muscles are much weaker. What would you advise to correct this problem?

Do a total of 60 reps on pullups. Cycle from a wide, pronated grip to supinated-grip chinups to narrow, neutral-grip pullups. Rest 45 seconds between sets until you get to 60 reps total. At the next workout, instead of doing 60 reps in 12 sets, try to get there in 11 sets. The tempo should be 3/0/X/0. The final part of the workout is to superset one-arm dumbbell rows with one-arm cable rows. Start with your nondominant arm and do six to eight reps on the one-arm dumbbell row, using a 3/0/1/0 tempo; rest 10 seconds as you move on to the next exercise, one-arm cable rows. Do 12 to 15 reps on that exercise with a 2/0/1/0 tempo, rest 15 seconds, and then repeat the process for your dominant arm. Rest two minutes after you’ve worked both arms. Do www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 89

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Charles Poliquin’s

Smart Training Warning: Static stretching right before you work out can make you weaker and may even predispose you to injury.

two more of those supersets. That routine should spur some new growth in your upper back in no time. Q: My college strength coach always had us stretch immediately before lifting weights. Do you think that’s a good practice? A: A plethora of recent studies have shown that static stretching actually weakens muscles before strength training, thus exposing you to a greater risk of injury. In fact, it was shown that static stretching also increases your risk of muscle tears before soccer and rugby matches. Plus, static stretching makes you feel as if you’re about as dynamic as boiled fettuccine. Doing a static stretch before a power clean is as helpful as smoking a reefer the size of a Louisville Slugger. Static stretching should instead be performed four to six hours postworkout, as it involves the parasympathetic nervous system. That permits the body to relax following an intense workout. If you need flexibility to do a certain lift like the squat, do PNF, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, stretching. Certain lifts, such as full squats, require higher levels of flexibility to perform, which means some individuals need mobilization before loading. The method has been used for years by physical therapists and athletic trainers in rehab. To quote my colleagues Anne Fredericks and the late Mel Siff, PNF, not static stretching, is the best type of stretching to perform before lifting weights.

Bradford

Neveux \ Model: Michael Ryan

They believe it’s superior to static stretching before a workout because it helps to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system (responsible for the fight-or-flight response). Describing all the possible PNF methods goes beyond the scope of this article. Please refer to Michael J. Alter’s book The Science of Stretching (Human Kinetics) for more information. Keep in mind that the effects of PNF stretching will last four to six hours. Twenty years ago we were told by our university teachers to exert maximal force during the PNF isometric contraction. That advice has unfortunately led to many muscle tears. In the mid-’80s researchers found that it takes only 25 percent of maximal strength to positively affect the inhibitory mechanism. That offers a few advantages: 1) It decreases the likelihood of getting injured by building strength at the extremes of the range of motion. 2) It doesn’t reduce the blood supply to the muscles the way lengthy static stretching methods do. Hypoxia has been shown to increase connective tissue buildup, thus creating losses of strength and flexibility that can be alleviated only by soft tissue work. 3) Gains of flexibility are amazingly rapid. Within three or four PNF contractions one unflexible subject can easily gain four to six inches of range of motion. If you keep those principles about stretching before lifting in mind, you can enjoy far more productive workouts. Editor’s note: Charles Poliquin is recognized as one of the world’s most successful strength coaches, having coached Olympic medalists in 12 different sports, including the U.S. women’s trackand-field team for the 2000 Olympics. He has spent years researching European journals (he’s fluent in English, French and German) and speaking with other coaches and scientists in his quest to optimize training methods. For more on his books, seminars and methods, visit www.CharlesPoliquin .net. Also, see his ad on page 129. IM Charles Poliquin

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A r e d l i u b y d Bo Is

Born Episode 6: The Dark Side Beckons by Ron Harris

t had been five full months since Randy had first approached me and begun his education, and the kid had come a long way in a short time. His bodyweight had climbed from a little more than 172 to nearly 185, and without any discernible increase in bodyfat. More important, he was training with precision form and eating all the right foods right on schedule. I had recently persuaded him to break up with his girlfriend Tracy, who’ d been no good for his bodybuilding goals. The young buck was now dating one of the front desk girls at the gym, as well as one of his younger sister’ s best friends, who’ d been the prom queen at his high school just two years before. 96 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Photo Illustration by Chrisitan Martinez

Photography by Michael Neveux ux

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A Bodybuilder y Is Born gonna do yet, I just wanted to ask what you thought.” “What do I think about steroids, what do I think you should use, do I think you should use them? I’m a little confused here. Be a bit more specific,” I told him. “Uh, pretty much all of that,” he replied. “All right, well, first of all, steroids definitely work, no doubt about that. And to become Mr. Olympia, you would have to use them. Anyone who tries to tell you different is either a liar, an idiot or both. Look, I’m not necessarily for or against steroids. They’re a part of almost every professional sport today. But they’re not very important in the big picture compared to other fac-

Drugs don’t make great bodybuilders. Genetics and hard work play bigger roles.

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Model: Tamer Elshahat

Yes, everything was looking up for my protégé, who’d been saving considerable time skipping past many of the mistakes I had made in my early years. We were training shoulders and arms when I picked up on a weird vibe. Randy seemed preoccupied and nervous and was barely talking. Not that I encouraged a gabfest in the gym, but he was being unusually silent as he ground out his sets and reps. I waited until we were done and in the locker room before demanding an explanation. “Okay, what happened? Did you get some girl pregnant? Is your pet iguana sick? What?” Randy didn’t answer right away. He reached into his gym bag and produced a couple of pages of paper, stapled and folded, glancing around to be sure nobody was watching us. As soon as he handed it over and I had a look, I decided to take the conversation outside, even though it was 20 degrees out. What he’d shown me was a list of steroids complete with prices that he had printed off the Internet. “Look,” he said, “I haven’t decided what I’m

tors.” “They’re not? So why do so many guys use them?” “You’re trying to be a great bodybuilder. Drugs don’t make a great bodybuilder. Without the right genetics and plenty of hardcore training, eating and supplements, even a million dollars’ worth of steroids and growth hormone won’t matter. I assume that you’re thinking about experimenting yourself now?” He didn’t want to commit to an answer, so he just shrugged. “I don’t know.” “You don’t have to bullshit me. We’ve been over this before. I am not here to make a moral judgement against you. You can do that for yourself. I’ll guide you to make the right decisions as far as your physique goes, though. Answer this: Do you honestly believe this is the best you can be without steroids?” “No, I guess not.” “Of course not. You’re 22 years old, and your natural hormones are raging like a wildfire right now. You’ve made better gains just since I met you than most guys do in a year or more. I truly think you have a lot more growing to do before you even think about steroids. And you may build such an amazing natural physique that you can be all over the magazines like Skip La Cour and Tito Raymond.” “I’ve been on these message boards where a lot of guys my age talk about gaining 20 to 30 pounds in just a couple months, that’s all. It sounds pretty incredible.” “First of all, some of these people are flat-out lying. Anyone can say anything in a chat room under some fake name. Secondly, a lot of them are just getting bloated and fat. Some of these Web sites let these guys post their pictures with the face blocked out, and believe me, Ronnie Coleman and Gunter Schlierkamp have nothing to worry about.” He had a chuckle at that. “It’s one of those tortoise and hare scenarios,” I explained. “A lot of these young guys get big really fast without even knowing how to train and eat right, then when they get off the steroids, they lose almost everything they gained. They have

Model: Skip La Cour

A Bodybuilder y Is Born

Skip La Cour built plenty of aweinspiring mass without taking steroids. to stay on drugs forever because they don’t know how to make gains without them. A lot of them end up quitting bodybuilding altogether. They might be racing ahead of you

now, but you can be sure that you’ll pass many of them by eventually. I’ve seen it a thousand times.” Randy was looking at the list again and seemed a little sad. I

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A Bodybuilder y Is Born any place in your program. The day will come when you will face that crossroads, but it’s still far away.” Randy tore the list up, crumpled it into a ball and tossed it into a Dumpster a few feet away. He sighed. I knew what he was feeling. The kid had been consumed with dreams of popping a few pills, doing a few shots in the glutes and turning into a 250-pound freak within a few months. Many a time I’d envisioned the same thing for myself. Patience is the hardest part of bodybuilding. We bust our asses training like maniacs, we force down enough food to feed a Somali village every day, and we spend thousands of dollars on protein powders, supplement bars, creatine and more. Even then, muscle gains usually crawl along at a snail’s pace. The human body simply does not synthesize muscle tissue very (continued on page 107) fast despite

knew he really wanted to get his hands on some of the items listed and start sprouting muscle at an alarming rate. “So you’re saying I should never use steroids?” “No, that’s your decision. All I’m trying to say is that you should fulfill your body’s natural potential before you consider them. You thought you were training and eating perfectly before you met me, didn’t you?” “Sort of.” “Who are you kidding? You thought you almost knew it all. Just a few months later you see how much room for improvement there actually was, right?” “Definitely.” “Randy, I’m not going to try and scare you with some speech about side effects and committing a crime, because those ridiculous tactics never work on anyone with half a brain anyway. You asked me for my opinion, and I say you aren’t yet at a stage where steroids have

Model: Robert Hatch

Model: David Dorsey

Fulfill your body’s natural potential before you even consider using anabolic drugs.

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A Bodybuilder y Is Born

Model: Luke Wood

Young bodies have loads of anabolic hormones that should be capitalized on before steroids are even considered.

(continued from page 102) our best efforts. But the great thing is that all the little gains add up over months and years. Steroids can certainly speed up the process, but they can also prevent a trainee from ever truly learning how his or her body best responds to various training and nutrition techniques. Randy had been tempted by the promise of a shortcut, but the truth is there is no shortcut. One way or another, you have to put the work in all by yourself. I was sure that he’d have to make the decision sooner or later, but I hoped I’d persuaded him to at least take advantage of his young body’s own abundant natural hormones before they started to diminish in his late 20s. I knew this kid could get a hell of a lot bigger and stronger without any pharmaceutical help. And then, if he chose to go that route, he’d still be much better off for having waited until his natural potential panned out. Randy was getting into his car. “Thanks, Ron, you gave me some things to think about.” “That’s what I’m here for, grasshopper,” I replied. He looked quizzical. Clearly I was showing my age in referencing a show as old as “Kung Fu.” “Never mind. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He backed up and drove off. Randy thought he had been ready to try anabolics after only three years of training and at a point where he was just beginning to learn how to train and eat the right way. I had helped him to see otherwise, at least for the time being. Unfortunately, there are thousands of other teenagers and young men in the same position who don’t have a voice of reason to make them pause and really think about their decision. I wish them all the best of luck, because they’re all going to need it. Using steroids before you really know your body is a lot like marrying someone you don’t know very well. You might luck out and do okay, or you might end up deeply regretting your rash choice.

bÇáíçêÛë=åçíÉW To contact Ron Harris, write to him at www .RonHarrisMuscle.com. IM

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Body Got

Back? Your Rx for Going From XL to XXL by Eric Broser mÜçíçÖê~éÜó=Äó=jáÅÜ~Éä=kÉîÉìñ

hen was the last time you got stuck in a doorway? Not because you were carrying too much payload but because you were just too darn wide? So wide, in fact, that your arms and shoulders were being forced way out to the sides by your cartoonlike lats; so wide that you had to be doused with butter and pushed through the door by 10 concerned family members? Never, right? Okay, so it’s never happened to me, either, but wouldn’t it be kind of cool if it did? It’s probably not such a far-off scenario for back freaks like Ronnie Coleman, Dorian Yates or Lee Haney. Those guys were so wide that each lat resided in a different ZIP code! Their backs were also so thick and gnarly that the

makers of Jeep wanted to use them as offroad test tracks. All right, maybe I’m exaggerating just a tad, but you get the point. Backs that are wide and thick are few and far between. The back is probably the most difficult area of the physique to fully develop, and when someone can actually turn around and display a complete back—upper, lower, middle and outer—it can be an incredible sight to behold. Some of the biggest cheers you’ll ever hear at a bodybuilding contest occur when certain competitors turn their backs to the audience and slowly spread their lats wider, and wider, and wider. Retired champion Tony Pearson used to be a master at that.

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Body Got Back!

açêá~å v~íÉë=ï~ë âåçïå=Ñçê Üáë=íÜáÅâI Ñä~êáåÖ=ä~íëK

He’d spread his lats impossibly wide, and just when you thought they couldn’t get any wider— Boom!—he’d add an extra half-foot to his expanse! The crowd would gasp and then roar in approval and in pure amazement. Modern-day freak Kevin Levrone would spread one lat at a time, hitting the right side first, then turning his head around to the audience as if to say, “You wanna see just how wide I am?” Then— Bam!—he’d pull out the left lat and blow the spectators away with a V from outer space! And then you have the backs of multi-Mr. Olympia winners Ronnie Coleman and Dorian Yates. They’re not only as wide as the state of Texas but as bumpy and detailed as the Rocky Mountains. When Dorian hit a back double-biceps shot onstage, the folks in the front row would jump back a foot or two for fear of getting hit in the face with a trap, rhomboid, teres or lumbar muscle. The same with Coleman. Now, you may not be interested in standing onstage in your underwear, but if you’re serious about building an awesome physique, you want a wide and thick back. Are you satisfied with your current back development? Is it on par with the rest of your physique? Ask trainees that question, and nine out of 10 times the answer will be no. Many people will say that they’re happy with their back width but not thickness or vice versa. So why is it so hard to effectively develop a complete back, from right to left, top to bottom, inside and out? Genetics aside, there are four main reasons why bodybuilders fail to build a jaw-dropping back:

Model: Ken Yasuda

1) You can’t see it working when you train it. qÜÉ=ÄÉëí Ä~Åâ ÉñÉêÅáëÉë ~êÉ=Äêìí~ä íç=éÉêÑçêãK

By nature we’re visual creatures, and because your back is, well, behind you, you can’t watch it stretch and contract as you work it. Without a doubt it’s fun to roll up your sleeves when doing barbell curls and watch as buckets of blood fill your veins and the muscle expands on every rep. But is watching the muscle work actually essential for growth? Some of the biggest bodybuilders I know re-

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Body Got Back!

main almost completely covered up when they train so they can’t watch their muscles. Why? Because the most intense and productive form of concentration is focused inward, on what you can feel, rather than outward, on what you can see. In order to develop the deepest mind/muscle connection, you need to focus on what your muscle is doing and feeling, not on what it looks like at the moment. In other words, you do not need to see your back as you train it.

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2) Inefficient lifting technique. Go into any gym in the world, and you’ll see more butchered back workouts taking place than for any other bodypart. With some exercises you can almost get away with simply lifting the weight from point A to point B, but not with back movements. Back training takes a bit of finesse along with pure brutality, as there are several form points that must be adhered to if you’re

vçì=ãìëí äÉ~êå=íç=ëÉí óçìê=ÄçÇó áå=íÜÉ éêçéÉê éçëáíáçå=íç ~íí~Åâ=óçìê Ä~ÅâK www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 111

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Body Got Back!

Model: Todd Smith

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going to unlock your true potential. Few people understand that, and so they focus on lifting enormous poundages, paying little attention to what their body is doing. Jerking or swinging a weight is only going to work the biceps, brachialis and lower back, providing little stimulation for the major back muscles. In order to work the width and thickness of the back correctly, you must learn to set your body in position before you even begin a movement. Chest out, shoulders back and a slight arch in the lower back will set the stage for optimal recruitment of your back musculature. Then, once you’re in that position, stay there for the duration of the set. Start your pull by immediately tightening your lats, and then follow through to full contraction by squeezing your shoulder blades together forcefully—like you

mean it. Sure, you can load on the plates and get crazy, but keep your form and technique fairly sane, and you have a match made in heaven.

3) Back training is hard! A good back workout can be just as vicious as a good leg workout. Done right, it can be exhausting, nauseating and emotionally draining. Let’s face it: The true back builders like pullups, deadlifts, bent rows, T-bar rows, seated rows and one-arm rows are brutal to perform, and lazy trainees tend to turn their backs on them in favor of fancy machines that have a pretty face but not much in the way of guts. You like machines that much, take up sewing. You want a freaky back, be prepared to fight for every inch.

4) Failure to prioritize. As I mentioned above, many bodybuilders have either a wide back that lacks thickness or a thick back that lacks width. That often occurs because they’re using the wrong exercises in their back workouts. While no back movement builds width or thickness exclusively, certain exercises do one or the other a bit more efficiently. For instance, deadlifts tend to build more thickness and depth into the back, while lat pulldowns tend to improve V-taper. Taking it a step further, wide-grip bent-over rows favor middle-back thickness, and underhand-grip bent-over rows build slabs of mass on the lats. Because the back musculature is so complex, you should make a concerted effort to learn exactly which part of the back each exercise hits

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Body Got Back!

Model: Ken Yasuda

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Body Got Back! qÜÉ éìääçîÉê=áë ~å=ÉñÅÉäJ äÉåí=ÉñÉêJ ÅáëÉ=Ñçê ÑáåáëÜáåÖ çÑÑ=íÜÉ=ä~íë ïáíÜ ëíêÉíÅÜK

^=ÖççÇ Ä~Åâ ïçêâçìí Å~å=ÄÉ=àìëí ~ë=îáÅáçìë ~ë=~=ÖççÇ äÉÖ ïçêâçìíK so you know precisely how to direct your attack. Back training is a war, and you want to make sure you bring your finest weapons into battle. Now that I’ve give your brain some things to think about, here are a few workouts to put those thoughts into action. Each focuses on a different area of the back. So examine your own back to determine your weak points, and determine which workout best addresses them. True, you may never get stuck in a doorway, but it’s always fun to take up a bit more space.

Got Back Specialization Programs Wide-grip pullups (pull to lower pecs) Undergrip pulldowns (pull to lower pecs) Close-grip seated cable rows Stiff-arm pulldowns

3 x 6-8 3 x 8-10 3 x10-12 3 x 12-15

(continued on page 118) 114 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Model: John Hansen

Width

Body Got Back! Thickness Rack deadlifts (pull begins just below the knees) 3 x 4-6 Undergrip bent-over barbell rows 3 x 6-8 Wide-grip T-bar rows 3 x 8-10 One-arm dumbbell rows 3 x 10-12

Midback Seated cable rows with rope (elbows held high) 3 x 6-8 Wide-grip behind-the-neck pulldowns 3 x 8-10 Close-grip barbell upright rows (lean torso slightly forward) 3 x 10-12 Bent-over dumbbell laterals 3 x 12-15

Deadlifts 3 x 4-6 Wide-grip bent-over rows 2 x 6-8 Undergrip seated cable rows 2 x 8-10 Close-grip pulldowns 2 x 10-12 Dumbbell pullovers 2 x 12-15 IM

Model: Steve Kummer \ Equipment: PowerBlock selectorized dumbbells, 1-800-447-0008 or www.Home-Gym.com

Model: D.J. Green

Overall Back

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Model: Berry Kabov

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MuscleScience p u d n u Ro 12 Recent Research Reports That Can Jump-Start Your Muscle Growth and Fat Loss Compiled by Steve Holman mÜçíçÖê~éÜó=Äó=jáÅÜ~Éä=kÉîÉìñ

nother year’s gone by, which means it’s time for another blast of the hottest research that can help you get bigger and leaner. It’s January 2006, the perfect time to look back at some of the key findings that we reported over the past year—stuff you may have missed. Most of the studies discussed here were reported by Jerry Brainum, IRON MAN’s most dedicated and reliable researcher. Good stuff to get you buff. Let’s get to the info.

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1) L-Carnitine Turns You Into a Mass Machine

Model: George Farah

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Whether supplemental carnitine actually helps increase fat oxidation is a matter of debate, but the nutrient has other, lesser known features that can improve training efficiency. Carnitine helps decrease lactate levels during intense exercise, which may lead to less fatigue and greater endurance. Several studies have shown that it promotes recovery after intense training. Subjects who took three grams of it daily for three weeks had less muscle soreness and lower levels of a muscle enzyme associated with muscle damage after their workouts. Scientists believe the effect occurs because carnitine promotes increased cellular membrane stabilization. It also helps lessen the effects of free radicals, by-products of oxygen metabolism that induce muscle inflammation and delay full muscular recovery. Hard training tends to temporarily depress the immune system, so you are more vulnerable to infection. Carnitine appears to help stabilize and promote immunesystem competence after training. It also helps promote the development of new red blood cells, which increases oxygen delivery to muscles. Karlic, H., et al. (2004). Supplementation of L-carnitine in athletes: does it make sense? Nutrition. 20:709-15.

Conclusion: Take two grams of L-carnitine after a workout, and you should get better recovery and less muscle soreness.

Carnitine helps decrease lactate levels during intense exercise, which may lead to less fatigue and greater endurance.

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Model: Joe DeAngelis

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Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

2) Snooze or Lose Your Anabolic Edge While exercise is the primary catalyst for muscle growth, the growth occurs when you re at rest. That s why adequate recovery is so vital to making muscular gains. The body secretes maximum levels of growth hormone during sleep, and studies also show that if you don t get enough sleep, your testosterone levels may plummet as much as 40 percent. A new study using lab rats as subjects tested the hormonal effects of sleep deprivation. In previous studies animals deprived of sleep showed lower levels of thyroid hormones and a blunted immune response. Since the low thyroid output occurred in the hypothalamus, the researchers wanted to see how other hormones secreted in the same area of the brain were

Sleep deprivation can result in the supression of a number of hormones, including anabolic ones. affected by sleep. They found that sleep deprivation resulted in a suppression of other hormones in the rats, including growth hormone, insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1), prolactin and leptin, while corticosterone, the rodent version of cortisol, was unaffected. That hormonal milieu tends to depress anabolic reactions in the body, boosting catabolic effects, including possible muscle loss. If your goal is to make any type of muscular progress, don t take sleep for granted.

On that note, wearing socks to bed may help. According to podiatrist Nicholas Romansky, as repor ted in Bottom Line/Health, wearing a clean pair of socks to bed can help you fall asleep faster because it stabilizes your core body temperature. Sock it to catabolism! Also, research at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta found that sleep-deprived people may eat more, increasing their daily calorie intake up to 15 percent. So socking your feet at night may help your fat-loss efforts as well. Everson, C.A., et al. (2004). Re ductions in circulating anabolic hormones induced by sustained sleep deprivation in rats. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 286:E1060E1070.

Conclusion: Get restful, uninterrupted sleep to amplify anabolism and curtail catabolism. Wearing socks to bed may help.

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Muscle-Science Roundup Doing higher reps, in the range of 15 and up, on lower-body training may increase blood flow, giving you greater mobilization of lowerbody fat.

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Model: Federica Belli

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3) Burn Blubber Down Below With Blood Flow A new study pinpoints the differences in fat mobilization between upper- and lower-body fat. British and French scientists teamed to come up with a technique for measuring direct fat use, and they applied the new technique to upper and lower-body fat release in six lean male subjects aged 22 to 43. They found that gluteal fat tissue shows a 67 percent lower level of blood flow than upper-body fat. It also has an 87 percent lower rate of activity of hormone-sensitive lipase,

an enzyme that catalyzes fat release from fat cells, than abdominal-fat cells. One theory is that the body stores fat in the lower body to protect against high levels of free fatty acids in the blood, a condition that interferes with glucose uptake in cells. That, in turn, leads to insulin resistance and the diseases linked to it, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The body shuttles excess fatty acids directly to lower body fat stores, where they’re “locked in,” which buffers the effect of high levels of fat in the blood. The fact that lower-body fat may protect against potentially deadly

diseases offers little solace to defi nition-minded bodybuilders. The body won t use lower-body fat until nearly all its upper-body fat is oxidized through exercise and diet. So the ultimate answer to eliminating lower-body fat involves persistence and patience. Continuing to exercise and diet will eventually enable you to make progress in getting rid of it. For those in a hurry, some evidence shows that using an alpha-2 adrenergic blocker can also help bodybuilders tap into lower-body fat stores. The fat cells in the lower body, unlike those in the upper body, have a preponderance of alpha-2 adrenergic cell receptors. (Upper-body fat cells have a preponderance of beta-adrenergic cell receptors, which permit more rapid release of fat.) One natural alpha-adrenergic blocker is yohimbe at a dose of 0.2 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight. It must be taken on an empty stomach, however, since any release of insulin totally negates yohimbe s fat-mobilizing effects. From a training standpoint, if your goal is increased definition, it may be a good idea to use higher reps, in the range of 15 and up, for lower-body training. That may increase blood flow, giving you greater mobilization of lower-body fat. Tan, G.D., et al. (2004). Upper and lower-body adipose tissue function: A direct comparison of fat mobilization in humans. Obesity Res. 12:114-118.

Conclusion: Doing higher reps on leg exercises can help you burn lower-body fat faster. A yohimbe supplement may accelerate the process, but be sure to take it on an empty stomach.

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How does exercise affect the 24hour secretion of testosterone? To find out, researchers followed eight men who completed three training sessions separated by at least a month. The subjects were assigned to a nonexercising control group, a moderate-volume group that did 25 sets total and a high-volume group that did 50 sets per workout. The actual workouts consisted of squats, bench presses, leg presses and lat pulldowns done for five to 10 reps per set, with the subjects getting 90 to 120 seconds’ rest between sets. The researchers measured the mens testosterone levels every hour for 24 hours after each session. The high-volume group trained for an average of two hours per session and showed a marked suppression of testosterone over 24 hours.

The moderate-volume group trained for one hour and showed no adverse effects on testosterone. Apparently, there s a threshold of training beyond which testosterone levels drop precipitously. In practical terms, that means that those who advocate marathon workouts are probably wasting their time. Alemany, J.A., et al. (2004). 24hour serum testosterone concentrations following acute moderate and high-volume resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 36:S238.

Conclusion: Limit your workouts to no more than about 25 work sets, to be completed in around an hour. [Note: Most of the training programs in IRON MAN s publications, including 10-Week Size Surge and Train, Eat, Grow, adhere to that rule.]

Model: Lee Priest

4) Volume Down to T Up

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5) Time Your Creatine for Big-Time Mass

Conclusion: You may want to take half your creatine before—or during—your

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Many bodybuilders wonder about the best time to take creatine. Taking it before a workout may increase the muscles’ energetic efficiency and act as a buffer that limits the accumulation of metabolic waste products. That would lead to increased energy and less fatigue during intense training. The greater blood flow resulting from exercise, however, also causes greater uptake of creatine into muscle. The scientists who con-

ducted a recent study aren t sure whether the gains in muscle thickness that their subjects experienced while taking creatine after exercise came from water retention in the muscle or actual protein synthesis. If the latter proves true, the best time to take creatine would be, obviously, following a workout. Chilbeck, P.D., et al. (2004). Effect of creatine ingestion after exercise on muscle thickness in males and females. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 36:1781-88.

The greater blood flow resulting from exercise causes greater uptake of creatine into muscle, but taking it after training may beef up muscle fibers. workout and the other half after. That way you get the buffering as well as the muscle-thickness effects.

`êÉ~íáåÉ=ã~ó=~Åí=~ë=~=ÄìÑÑÉê ÇìêáåÖ=íê~áåáåÖI=Éå~ÄäáåÖ=óçì íç=ÖÉí=ãçêÉ=êÉéëK 134 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Model: King Kamali

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6) More Pain, Better Gain A study presented at the NSCA conference by researchers from the University of Connecticut examined whether taking short rests between sets influences the release of growth hormone during exercise. The subjects included 10 bodybuilders with at least four years of training experience and 10 untrained but physically active men. The bodybuilders had previously trained on programs that featured short rests between sets.

For the study both groups did six sets of 10 reps on the squat, resting two minutes between sets. Both the trained and untrained men had similar resting GH levels,

The ability to train at a higher level of lactic acid release appears to enable moreexperienced bodybuilders to produce a superior GH response to exercise.

and both groups showed a significant rise in the hormone after the workout. The trained men, however, produced more lactic acid, which stimulates GH release during exercise. The ability to train at a higher level of lactic acid release appears to enable more-experienced bodybuilders to produce a superior GH response to exercise.

Conclusion: Rep through the burn to up your growth hormone levels. Set-extending techniques like X Reps can help. Remember, growth hormone amplifies other anabolic hormones, like testosterone.

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Muscle-Science Roundup

It stands to reason that if branched-chain amino acids have anabolic properties, they’re an effective supplement for those engaged in weight training. A study presented at the National Strength and Conditioning Associations annual conference examined the relationship of BCAA intake to muscle gains. Six healthy, untrained men took either BCAA supplements or a placebo. Both groups took the supplements for three weeks, followed by another week of supplement use combined with intense weight-training sessions. The men using BCAAs had lower levels of the enzyme creatine kinase, which is associated with muscle damage during exercise, and lower levels of cortisol, the body’s primary catabolic hormone. They also had consistently higher testosterone levels than the subjects in the placebo group. BCAA oxidation in muscle is activated by fatty acid oxidation. So when you do exercise that uses fat as an energy source, the fat released promotes the burning of BCAAs. That implies that BCAAs taken before you do aerobics will exert a sparing action on muscle protein, something that would be particularly helpful during periods of calorie restriction. The precise dosage of BCAAs for that purpose isn t established, but good results have been obtained with five grams taken prior to exercise. One thing to keep in mind when supplementing is that you must maintain a certain ratio of the three BCAAs. Research shows that it s best to replicate the ratio of leucine, isoleucine and valine found natu-

The men using BCAAs had lower levels of cortisol, the body’s primary catabolic hormone, and higher testosterone levels.

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Model: Dan Decker

7) De-Catabolize Your Cardio

rally in animal protein sources: 2to-1-to-1. Taking excessive amounts of a single BCAA, such as leucine, activates enzymes that degrade the other BCAAs, leading to a possible amino acid imbalance.

Conclusion: Use branched-chain amino acids before you do cardio and even before your weight-training workouts to derail catabolic effects.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 137

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Elevated free-fattyacid levels induced by cardio work promote the release of somatostatin, a protein that opposes GH release.

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Goto, K., et al. (2005). Prior endurance exercise attenuates growth hormone response to subsequent resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 94:333-338.

Model: Tamer Elshahat

Conclusion:

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

8) Cardio Time: Before or After? A recent study turned up another reason not to do aerobics before a weight workout. Ten men did lowintensity cycling for an hour, then a weight workout. On another day the same men did only a fiveminute-warmup cycling session before their workout. When they did an hour of aerobics first, their growth hormone response to the weight session was nil. Other hormones, such as cortisol and testosterone, weren t affected by the aerobics, however. That s the good news, since it shows that moderate aerobic work doesn t negatively affect hormones related to muscle growth. Still, doing the aerobics first did

If you re after more muscle, it s just plain dumb to do an extended aerobics session before an intense weight workout. Not only do you deplete limited energy stores (glycogen), but you also block GH release during the workout. Save the aerobics for afterward.

blunt growth hor mone release. What is it about aerobics that would do that? Aerobic exercise uses greater amounts of fat as fuel, especially as the exercise continues beyond 30 minutes. That elevates levels of free fatty acids in the blood, which, like elevated blood glucose levels, blunts the release of GH. Elevated free-fatty-acid levels also promote the release of somatostatin, a protein produced in the brains hypothalamus that opposes GH release.

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fÑ=óçì=Çç=óçìê ~ÉêçÄáÅë=ÑáêëíI óçì=ã~ó=Ääìåí ÖêçïíÜ=ÜçêãçåÉ êÉäÉ~ëÉK

Muscle-Science Roundup

Model: Jorge Betancourt

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

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Muscle-Science Roundup

9) Fat-Burning Firepower Without Ephedrine Forskolin differs from ephedrine in that it doesn t interact with beta-receptors in fat cells, so it has none of the stimulation effect associated with ephedrine. In effect, forskolin is a biochemical shortcut as far as fat release is concerned. Several studies have shown significant fat-loss effects with human subjects who took a forskolin-based supplement. Unfortunately, they were sponsored by the company that holds the forskolin use patent, Sabina Corporation. While such sponsorship may not negate the results of the studies, it does engender a degree of skepticism, since Sabina has much to gain financially from them. Some critics have noted that the mechanism through which forskolin works, activating cyclic AMP, can have far-reaching effects throughout the body. But toxicity studies have shown no serious side effects or any adverse changes in cardiovascular function. If anything, forskolin appears to lower blood pressure and increase beneficial highdensity lipoprotein, or HDL. The most recent study found an additional bonus. Thirty subjects were divided into a forskolin group and a placebo group for a 12-week experiment. Those in the first group took a supplement containing 250 milligrams of 10 percent forskolin extract twice daily. Forskolin produced a significant improvement in fat loss compared to what subjects experienced with the placebo, but those in the forskolin group also showed a significant increase in free testosterone, the active form of the hormone. Total T levels remained unchanged, but the elevated free-testosterone levels may be a bonus from using forskolin. Godard, M.P., et al. (2005). Body composition and hormon-

al adaptations associated with forskolin consumption in overweight and obese males. Med Sci Sports Exer. 37:S39.

Conclusion: Taking 250 milligrams of 10 percent forskolin extract twice daily may supercharge your fat-burning efforts—and your muscle-building results—thanks to elevated freetestosterone levels.

Forskolin differs from ephedrine in that it doesn’t interact with beta-receptors in fat, so it has none of ephedrine’s stimulation effects.

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Model: Lee Apperson

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Muscle-Science Roundup

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Muscle-Science Roundup The scientists who found this elemental cause of muscle aging suggest that the process begins at age 30. The same is true of such other conditions as osteoporosis, a bone-wasting disease more common in women than in men, which begins at about age 30 but doesn t usually become apparent until after age 60. By then, however, the damage is extensive, resulting in fragile bones and hip fractures. Can exercise block the loss of mitochondrial DNA in muscle? The Mayo researchers didn t get to that question, but common sense and observation of people who stay active and continue to exercise as they age indicate that it probably helps. Also, taking in nutrients that protect the vulnerable mitochondrial DNA from oxidation, such as coenzyme Q10, lipoic acid and acetyl L-carnitine, can help. Re search conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, showed that intake of those nutrients led to complete regeneration of muscle mitochondria and protected

10) Anti-Aging Ammo

against further damage. Typical doses would be 30 to 60 milligrams a day of CoQ10, 200 milligrams of lipoic acid and 1,000 milligrams of acetyl L-carnitine. Short, K.R., et al. (2005). Decline in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function with aging in humans. Proced Nat Acd Sci. 102(15):5618-23.

Conclusion: Keep exercising as you age to curtail cell degeneration. Also take antioxidants every day; for example, 30 to 60 milligrams a day of CoQ10, 200 milligrams of lipoic acid and 1,000 milligrams of acetyl L-carnitine. (continued on page 150)

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Model: John Hansen

A new study by a group of re searchers from the Mayo Clinic examined the effects of aging on muscle in 146 healthy men and women, aged 18 to 89. The primary finding was that muscle aging is caused by cumulative damage to muscle DNA, which is required to replicate muscle cells. When DNA is damaged, the cells don t repair themselves correctly and eventually die. On a grand scale, that means a gradual loss of muscle with each passing year. The researchers also found that the DNA in muscle mitochondria, where energy is produced in cells, reduces with age. Having fewer mitochondria means less production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the source of cellular energy. Without adequate ATP the cell s “housekeeping” functions shut down, and the cell dies. The loss of muscle mitochondrial DNA leads to such symptoms as age-related weakness, loss of muscle mass and related diseases, such as insulin resistance, diabetes and heart disease. Thanks to this study, scientists now know exactly how the process of muscle aging begins and can design therapies to block it. What causes the loss of muscle and mitochondrial DNA is long-term, outof-control oxidation. Mitochondria are highly prone to oxidation because ATP production releases a lot of oxygen in the cell. That promotes the activity of free radicals, by products of oxygen metabolism that are the destructive elements in oxidative reactions. As people age, the built-in antioxidant systems of the body, such as the superoxide dismutase system of enzymes, begin to falter. That sets the stage for the degenerative aspects of oxidation in cells. In fact, how those effects work is a major theory of the aging process. It s especially troublesome in people who don t exercise, as exercise promotes the body’s built-in antioxidation system. Some scientists think that may be the main value of exercise in helping to forestall the aging process and the degeneration of brain and body.

Scientists who discovered the cause of muscle aging suggest that the process begins at age 30.

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Muscle-Science Roundup (continued from page 143)

Muscle Growth and Fat Loss

Model: Peter Putman

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11) Torrential T Time If you look at the advertisements for estrogen suppressors, or aromatase inhibitors, you ll note that the main benefit touted for them is their ability to increase natural testosterone levels. The health benefits of controlling estrogen are rarely mentioned. The question is, Do those supplements work? The initial answer comes from two recently published studies. The first examined the effects of two unnamed but naturally occurring aromatase inhibitors in 15 men, aged 21 to 71, over a 28-day period. The subjects’ average age was 39,

and none of them had taken any type of testosterone-boosting supplements or medications in the three months prior to the study. The aromatase inhibitors were combined in one capsule, taken as three single caps once daily.

Total testosterone increased 145 percent, 183 percent, 232 percent and 240 percent over the first four weeks of the study.

After 10 days total and free testosterone increased by 244 percent and 358 percent from baseline levels. At the 28-day mark total testosterone had jumped to 314 percent above baseline, while free levels increased to 492 percent. Estrogen, meanwhile, was undetectable in 10 out of 15 subjects by the 10th day. By the 28th day it was undetectable in 13 out of 15 subjects. No significant alterations in lipid, liver or other blood chemistry values occurred in the men while they were using the supplement. The second study was sponsored by a company that advertises and sells products in this magazine. Normally, that sponsorship would

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Muscle-Science Roundup raise some degree of skepticism, since the company has something to gain from favorable study results. The scientific protocols used were up to par, however, and there s no reason to suspect any rigging. Be sides, someone has to pay for such studies, and no drug company would, since it s a natural product; it does have a use patent. The study featured five men, average age 31, who took four capsules of the aromatase-inhibiting supplement before bed for 28 days. As in the first study, using the supplement significantly increased both total and free testosterone. Total test increased 145 percent, 183 percent, 232 percent and 240 percent over the first four weeks of the study. Free test likewise increased from baseline levels—300 percent, 402 percent, 511 percent and 528 percent—during that time. Even so, no significant conversion to estrogen occurred. Blood chemistry tests showed no adverse changes, nor

were any other side effects observed. Some might complain that the small experimental sample—only five subjects—calls the study’s validity into question. On the other hand, it was just a look-see trial to determine whether OTC estrogen inhibitors might be effective. The dramatic results would tempt many to use the supplement year round, but even the manufacturer advises using it for no longer than eight weeks, then stopping use altogether. Advice like that makes sense from a health-and-performance perspective because estrogen may have cardiovascular benefits for men, such as helping maintain vital HDL levels. It may also help maintain the androgen receptors without which testosterone is worthless. Plus it has a relationship with growth hormone and insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1); women release greater levels of

growth hormone during exercise because of their higher estrogen counts. Indeed, some studies suggest that estrogen protects against excessive muscle breakdown during exercise. Trimmer, R. et al. (2005). Effects of two naturally occurring aromatase inhibitors on male hormonal and blood chemistry profiles. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2:14. Ziegenfuss, T., et al. (2005). Safety and efficacy of a commercially available, naturally occurring aromatase inhibitor in healthy men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2:28.

Conclusion: If you re looking for optimal testosterone production, which is especially important for over-40 bodybuilders, you may want to try cycling some of the new aromatase inhibitors. One study shows free testosterone increases of more than 300 percent in four weeks. Very impressive!

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max-force overload right at the semistretched position, the socalled turnaround point? Realize that when you move fast, it takes more effort to stop the resistance and/or reverse it. In fact,

Model: Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman

A recent study verifies the importance of turnaround, the point in an exercise at which you reverse the direction of the weight, such as at the bottom of an incline press— although the researchers seem to miss that result. Jose Antonio, Ph.D., discussed it in his Anabolic Drive column in the October ’05 IRON MAN: Twelve 24-year-old subjects performed maximal resistive lengthening isokinetic exercise with m~êíá~äë=ÇçåÉ both arms for ~í=íÜÉ=ã~ñJ ÑçêÅÉ=éçáåí eight weeks, three days per Å~å=éêçÇìÅÉ ÄáÖÖÉê=Ö~áåëK week, during which they trained one arm at a fast velocity and the other at a slow velocity. Type 1 muscle fiber size increased in both cases. Type 2a and 2x muscle fiber increased in both arms, but the increases were greater in the fasttrained arm. The re searchers concluded that training using fast (3.66 radians per second) lengthening contractions leads to greater hypertrophy (growth) and strength gains than slow (0.35 radians per second) lengthening contractions. The greater hypertrophy seen in the fast-trained arm may be related to a greater amount of protein remodeling. Why is the conclusion somewhat off the mark? Well, from the results it appears that training faster stimulated more muscle. But was the speed of movement really what triggered the extra growth or was it

cle growth? Excessive overload at the key hypertrophic point, the spot near the turnaround on the stroke—a.k.a. the semistretched point—where maximum force generation can occur. When you move fast through the negative phase of the stroke, as in the study, it takes more effort to reverse or stop the poundage at that max-force point, so you achieve more target-muscle overload right at the muscle s sweet spot. (Imagine dropping a heavy weight through the eccentric phase of a leg curl and then stopping it right before your legs are straight— as opposed to lowering it slowly under control.) Obviously, training fast is much more dangerous than using a slower, controlled cadence. Fast ballistic movements aren t recommended; instead, try power partials at the turnaround spot after you reach exhaustion on full-range reps. Those X Reps, as they are called, will extend your set, activate more muscle fibers and enhance GH release (as indicated in item 6 above). Performing X Reps and XRep hybrid techniques, like Double-X Overload, on stretch-position exercises may also trigger hyperplasia, or fiber splitting. [For more on that research and those techniques, visit www.BeyondX-Rep.com.]

research indicates that when a trainee standing on force plates moves fast and uses momentum, the actual weight he has to reverse at the turnaround of a rep can be double or triple the poundage he s lifting. The reason? Gravity dÉííáåÖ=~í=ãçêÉ=ãìëÅäÉ=ÑáÄÉêë=ïáää plus momentum. As the weight ÄìáäÇ=ãçêÉ=ã~ëë=Ñ~ëíK is quickly lowered and then heaved Conclusion: at the turnaround to reverse its Overload the turnaround point of direction, the force is multiplied your exercises to get a bigger mass two- to threefold. X-plosion. IM How does that cause more mus-

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12) Turnaround TNT to Turn Up Muscle Gains

The key fiberactivation point on the stroke is near the turnaround—the semistretched point.

Heavy Duty hile Mike Mentzer was renowned for his spectacular arm development, his thighs may have been his most striking bodypart. Indeed, they were huge and shapely, with each muscle group well chiseled. And when he struck a thigh pose, it looked for all the world like rolling waves of muscle that would crash and explode into splinters of fibrous activity upon the bone and tendinous shores to which they were attached. As much as Mike was taken by big arms (Bill Pearl had been his hero), he never once lost sight of the beauty and impressiveness of a well-developed pair of legs. As he once recalled: “When I got into bodybuilding, it became obvious that no matter how tremendously developed your upper body might be, if the legs didn’t match, forget it!”

by John Little

And while proper training is crucial for optimal leg development, Mike also recognized the importance of genetics in this area. He once pointed out to me two classic examples in which a genetic deficiency hindered the professional careers of otherwise phenomenally gifted bodybuilders: Freddy Ortiz and Dave Draper. In both cases, Mike indicated, the problem wasn’t ignorance or an unwillingness on their part to bust ass in the gym. As Mike explained it: “Though I don’t know this for a fact, I’m guessing that in most cases where a bodypart is lagging way behind the rest of the body, there is less fiber density in that area. This means that even if the individual were to double or even triple the size of the existing fibers, there just aren’t enough total fibers to amount to much in the way of mass.”

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Heavy Duty

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On the topic of genetics and leg training, Mike once made the following observation: “I have been more fortunate than many in that I inherited a pleasing shape in my leg muscles, as well as the potential for developing a lot of mass. My dad never even knew what a toe raise or leg curl was, and yet his calves measured about 17 inches. I well recall as a youth marveling at his thighs when he mowed the lawn in his shorts. However, my thigh development is not merely the result of having ‘chosen the right parents.’ In spite of my favorable genetic predisposition for developing massive, shapely legs, I’ve always trained them hard.” Mike’s leg strength was almost legendary even when he was a teenager, for he began working his legs very heavy when he was only 14, at which time he could quartersquat with more than 700 pounds. At age 16 he was full-squatting 500 pounds. He once confided to me that he believed that the foundation he laid with those early squat workouts contributed to his ability to

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High-Intensity Thigh Training

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develop muscle at a rapid rate later. Too many young bodybuilders, blinded by their quest for big arms, neglect leg work. The imbalance in development that results from such neglect, unfortunately, typically proves ruinous to their bodybuilding aspirations. The workout below is relatively brief compared to those followed by most of the other top champions. However, brevity is vital if your concern is power and lasting mass. If you’re training with maximal intensity, carrying each set to failure while using maximum weights and strict form, your workouts will be brief of necessity. The moment you begin adding sets to the number recommended, intensity must diminish, and there will be inroads into your ability to recover, both of which add up to little or no progress. The following leg workout is one that Mike used to prescribe for his Heavy Duty clients and, with only minor variations, essentially the one he employed in training for competition. Mike recommended training legs in a separate workout (unless a client was on his consolidation routine), which meant working legs, at most, once every 12 days and often but once every 21 days. The muscles that form the leg are large—the largest muscle group in the body—and as a result, exercises that work them are especially taxing. Compare how you feel after a set of barbell curls to failure to how you feel after a set of heavy squats to failure. See what I mean? The strain that hard leg work places on the body’s reserves is so great that we must be especially cautious. According to Mike: “The possibility of overtraining looms ever present when we do leg work, so we must perform the absolute minimum amount that will stimulate growth. Doing more sets than necessary to induce growth will only hinder the recuperative process and possibly even prevent growth. Remember that following a workout the body must first recover and replenish what was used up during the workout. It is only after full recovery has taken place that growth can occur. So to stimulate growth, train intensely; and to allow for such growth, train briefly and

not too frequently.” Here, then, is the leg routine that Mike Mentzer employed and recommended to his clients:

1) Leg Extensions Supersetted with Leg Presses The leg extension exercise is valuable in that it focuses the stress almost entirely on the front thigh muscles, the quadriceps. Here is what Mike had to say about the performance of these two exercises: “The isolation of these muscles is important because the strength of the adjacent muscles such as the adductors and the buttocks is preserved for the second exercise to follow—either squats or leg presses. When you perform exercises such as squats or leg presses, it’s usually the smaller and weaker adjacent muscle groups such as the hips and lower back or buttocks that fatigue

first, thus preventing the front thighs from carrying on to the point of failure. By first carrying a set of leg extensions to failure, we preexhaust the quadriceps. This means that in the second exercise, squats or leg presses, the adjacent muscles are temporarily stronger than the quads, and we’re able to work the quads to a point of failure without the surrounding muscles giving out first. “The second exercise of the preexhaustion must be done immediately, with zero rest, while the front thighs are still exhausted. If you rest and saunter around between the two exercises, the front thighs will regain most of their strength and the effectiveness of preexhaustion is nullified. Use enough weight on the leg extension to allow for the strict performance of eight to 15 reps, with a distinct pause in the locked, or contracted, top position, where the movement arm of the apparatus is (continued on page 168)

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(continued from page 165) parallel to

the floor. Then lower slowly to the starting, or stretched, position. “If you cannot pause and hold the weight momentarily in the top, contracted position without having the weight fall out of control, it means that you used excessive body leverage and momentum in lifting the weight. Since your static strength is considerably greater than your ability to raise a weight, you should be able to hold the weight at the top for about two seconds. After you’ve completed the last possible positive rep, have a partner help you force out two more reps. His assistance must be minimal, just enough to help you barely make it.” Immediately after leg extensions, move to leg presses. This exercise is so productive because you can use extremely heavy weights. According to Mike, heavy weights can make a world of difference: “At one time I had trouble

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putting muscle on my inner and outer vastus. Then I started doing leg presses. I eventually got to a point where I was doing eight reps with 1,200 pounds, and that solved the vastus problem. If you have access to the Nautilus Compound

Leg machine, the one with the leg extension and leg press contained in one unit, fine. That machine is perfect for preexhausting the thighs, since you can move directly from the leg extension to the leg press without having to get up and

run across the gym to another machine, during which time the front thighs would recover. “The first time I used this machine, I simply could not believe it; it can only be described as an other-worldly experience. If you don’t have the compound machine, try to set up your leg press as close as possible to the leg extension machine so you can jump right off the one and onto the other with as little rest as possible. Remember that your quads will be fatigued at this point, so you may require less weight than normal. For forced reps, push with your hands on your knees, providing yourself with just enough assistance so each remaining rep is extremely difficult, requiring all-out effort. Keep in mind that intensity refers to the force exerted through muscular contraction. Too much assistance on the forced reps lowers intensity. Negatives on leg presses are difficult for obvious reasons, so emphasize the lowering

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of the weight during the two forced reps.”

High-Intensity Thigh Training

2) Full Squats

If you don’t have access to a leg press, substitute squats as the compound movement of a preexhaustion superset. That is, do your leg extensions and immediately go right into squats. Don’t worry about forced and negative reps on squats, however, because of the obvious safety considerations. Merely go to positive failure if you have spotters or squat in a power rack. If you don’t have spotters or a rack to catch the weight in case of failure, terminate your set at least one rep short of failure. Always remember, safety first. Be very careful to keep your spine straight during the lift. And slowly lower the weight back to the starting position, a little shy of 90 degrees. Do one set of squats to failure, again for one set of eight to 15 repetitions. [Note: Mentzer’s quad routine was short and sweet: one preexhaustion superset of leg extensions and leg presses or

squats, rest, and then one final set of squats to finish off the muscles.]

3) Leg Curls This is an exercise that Mike eventually dropped from the workouts of his Heavy Duty clients, as he believed that the hamstrings received ample stimulation from the leg presses or squats and that performing another direct set for them simply used up more recovery ability, which delayed the production of new muscle mass. Nevertheless, Mike did do leg curls during his competitive days, and he had a unique way of performing them: “I use enough weight to allow for the usual number of Heavy Duty strict positive reps, with a momentary pause in the contracted position of each rep. As I continue with the forced reps, my brother Ray helps me into the fully contracted position and holds the weight there for me until I can mentally and physically lock and pull the weight into the buttocks for a severalsecond count and peak-contract

the leg biceps as hard as I can against the resistance of the weight. Working the leg curl in the fully contracted position not only works the total hamstring muscle but activates many of the muscles on the upper inner thighs. I saw muscles I never knew I had come out in my thighs when I employed this technique. And I know that fully contracted leg curls done in the aforementioned manner were responsible.” Again, Mike would recommend no more than one set for eight to 15 repetitions. Many advanced-level trainees have inquired how Mike advised people to perform advanced Heavy Duty techniques, such as negatives and forced reps, in leg training. Here is what Mike advocated: “More advanced men should continue beyond the positive reps and one or two forced reps with the addition of two or three more negative-only movements. Have your partner or partners lift the weight all the way to the top, fully contract-

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Heavy Duty ed position and hold it there momentarily so you can lock into the contraction and hold the weight there before lowering slowly. And make sure the downward progression of the weight on these negative reps is continuous. Don’t ever try to stop the weight on negative-only leg extensions or leg curls until the movement is completed. Lower slowly and under control to the starting position. Do not try to stop and hold the weight.” So there you have it—a truly Heavy Duty leg workout that helped Mike’s already well-developed legs become even better. And if you follow his outline, even the most stubborn underpinnings will respond. Yes, leg training is tough if progress is your goal. But then, as Mike said: “Need I remind you that growth never comes easy? It must literally be forced.” And now you have the perfect routine for doing just that.

bÇáíçêÛë=åçíÉW For a complete presentation of Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system, consult his books Heavy Duty II and High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way and the newest book, The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of which are available through the ad on page 217 of this issue or by visiting Mentzer’s official Web site, www.mikementzer.com. John Little is available for phone consultation on Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system. For rates and information, contact Joanne Sharkey at (310) 316-4519 or at www .mikementzer.com, or see the ad mentioned above. Article copyright © 2005, John Little. All rights reserved. Mike Mentzer quotations provided courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and used with permission. IM

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Amino A Nonessential Amino That’s Supercharged With Bodybuilding Benefits by Jerry Brainum

roteins are composed of various combinations of amino acids, and all dietary proteins are eventually converted into amino acids. The amino acids, which number about 22, are classified as either essential or nonessential. Essential amino acids are so-named because your body can’t synthesize them and so it’s essential that you get them in your diet. The balance of essential amino acids in any particular protein determines its biological value. Since animal protein sources are higher in essential amino acids and more closely duplicate the amino acid pattern found in the human body, they’re considered superior to plant-derived proteins, which often have either low or no amounts of essential aminos. Recent research proves that from the

perspective of muscle protein synthesis, essential aminos are extremely important. In fact, some studies show that getting as little as six grams a day of an essential amino acid mixture promotes muscle protein synthesis following resistance exercise, such as weight training. But watch out: Information on the importance of essential amino acids may lead you to conclude that the so-called nonessential amino acids are not very important. That would be incorrect. Some nonessential amino acids have been reclassified as “conditionally” essential because under certain circumstances, such as high-stress conditions, the body cannot sufficiently synthesize them and their status changes from unessential to essential.

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Bodybuilding Benefits

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Examples of conditionally essential amino acids include glutamine and arginine. Normally, the body can synthesize them if you’ve taken in a sufficient supply of essential aminos. Sometimes, however, that synthesis can’t take place rapidly enough. Glutamine and arginine are among the most popular amino acid

supplements with athletes and bodybuilders today. Research on glutamine was originally derived from hospitalized patients, especially burn patients, who lose vast amounts of protein as a result of their injuries. Giving them glutamine reversed or halted the cascading catabolic effects on muscle that can result in death. Thanks to the anticatabolic effect,

glutamine earned a place in the supplement regimen of intensely training athletes. Later studies showed that it also appeared to prevent the immune-suppression effects of extended exercise—endurance events, for instance. Arginine was initially promoted as a growth hormone releaser because doctors gave it intravenously to pa-

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tients to treat growth hormone deficiency. Forms of arginine used for other purposes have also turned up in various food supplements, notably those that increase nitric oxide. Many of the food supplements that contain glutamine and/or arginine also contain another amino acid, taurine—particularly creatine supplements. That’s because crea-

tine is thought to encourage the cellular hydration that signals increased muscle protein synthesis. Glutamine and taurine also appear to promote cellular hydration, which makes them synergistic with creatine. If taurine did nothing more than promote cellular hydration, it would likely still be considered a useful

supplement. But taurine—conditionally essential like glutamine and arginine—is far more essential to those engaged in exercise.

What Is Taurine? Taurine was discovered in 1827 as a component of ox bile, which explains its name; taurus is Latin for bull.

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No-Bull Amino Taurine is not incorporated into muscle and other tissues of the body like other amino acids but instead is found as a free, or unbound, amino acid or as part of short chains of aminos known as peptides. The significance of taurine wasn’t recognized until studies in the 1970s found that it was an essential nutrient for cats. Without it, cats develop retinal degeneration leading to blindness and serious heart problems, which explains why cat food labels prominently display the taurine content. Research on cats led some scientists to investigate whether taurine had any use for human nutrition. Initial studies found that babies fed on formula instead of mother’s milk often developed taurine deficiency, since their bodies lacked the enzymes needed to synthesize it. Normally, taurine is synthesized from two other amino acids—the essential methionine and the

Bodybuilding Benefits

Forms of arginine have turned up in supplements that increase nitric oxide.

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Bodybuilding Benefits

Taurine is found in large quantities in the body, in brain, skeletal and heart muscle tissue.

not without the presence of the activated form of vitamin B6, or pyridoxine. So a lack of B6 in the diet can impair taurine synthesis. Controversy exists about just how well the body is able to make taurine. The main enzyme involved is not that active in either humans or cats. That’s why some theories

suggest that many people can benefit from taking supplemental taurine. The most recognized function of taurine is its role in the production of bile salts. Bile, composed mainly of cholesterol, is a substance manufactured in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. In fact, the primary

nonessential cysteine—both of which contain sulfur. In fact, some scientists suggest that taurine isn’t a true amino acid, since it contains a sulfonic acid group; other aminos contain a carboxylic acid group. Taurine is found abundantly in the body, in brain, skeletal and heart muscle tissue. In muscle, it’s the second most abundant free amino acid, behind glutamine. Taurine’s presence in muscle suggests that it must be there for a reason. The body can synthesize taurine from methionine and cysteine but

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No-Bull Amino way the body rids itself of excess cholesterol is by shunting it into bile production. Bile itself promotes the digestion of fat by reducing its surface area, which makes it more digestible by lipases, or fat-digesting enzymes. Even so, bile isn’t soluble enough to work unless it’s conjugated, or combined with other substances. When that happens, bile becomes bile salts, and the two main conjugating agents are the amino acids

glycine and taurine. So taurine helps create bile salts and lower blood cholesterol, keeping it from floating through the bloodstream as low-density lipoprotein (the bad kind of cholesterol). High levels of LDL are a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, especially oxidized LDL. The less LDL in the blood, the less chance of cardiovascular disease. Taurine accelerates bile salt synthesis by boosting the genes

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Those in the taurine group had lower triglyceride levels. responsible for making an enzyme called 7-alpha hydroxylase. The increased use of cholesterol for bile synthesis lowers blood levels of cholesterol, which in turn opens up LDL receptors on cells, also lowering cholesterol levels. One study examined the effects of providing either three grams a day of taurine or a placebo to 30 overweight college students for seven weeks.1 Those in the taurine group had lower triglyceride levels in the blood, along with a reduced atherogenic index, a measure of the ratio of HDL cholesterol (the good kind) to triglycerides in the blood. Taurine increases HDL production by boosting the activity of the protein carrier of HDL, apolipoprotein A-1. A beneficial side effect also occurred in the students who took the taurine supplements: They all lost bodyfat. Studies done with diabetic rats show that taurine prevents buildup of abdominal fat, which is considered the most dangerous to health, being linked to insulin resistance, heart disease and diabetes. Taurine also functions as an antioxidant, which protects against such diseases as cardiovascular disease and cancer. When certain immune cells destroy invading organisms, they release a stream of free radicals, which are unstable oxygen by-products that destroy the invading organism’s cellular membrane, killing it. Free radicals can also damage normal tissue. When the body has sufficient taurine, however, the taurine soaks up the excess free radicals, rendering them neutral. Smoking damages artery linings and leads to cardiovascular disease. A 2003 study, however, found

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No-Bull Amino that in smokers who took taurine, the function of the lining, or endothelium, rapidly improved to the point where it worked similarly to that of nonsmokers. That occurred after only five days on a 1.5-gram dose of taurine, about the same amount found in a 100-gram serving of fish. Although omega-3 fats are considered the health-promoting component in fish, its high taurine content also offers protective benefits that are frequently overlooked. Some studies show that the taurine content of fish helps lower blood pressure and reduce the negative effects of a high salt intake.2 Stress also increases blood pressure by increasing the release of such hormones as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which constrict blood vessels. Taurine counteracts that effect, leading to lower blood pressure. Interestingly, the populations with the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease in the world, those of Japan and the Mediterranean countries, also get the greatest amounts of taurine in their diets. Still another way that taurine protects the heart is by modulating electrolyte function. Excess calcium can rapidly lead to cellular death, but taurine prevents that. It also favorably affects the balance of sodium and potassium in heart tissue, thus maintaining proper heart function. As I’ve noted previously in IRON MAN, highly refined sugars, such as in high-fructose corn syrup, are thought to be responsible for the rising epidemic of obesity, especially in younger people. Eating excess fructose causes sugar to be deposited into protein tissues, an effect called glycation that’s considered a major cause of aging and the major cause of the stiffness and lack of mobility many people experience as they get older. In a recent experiment rats were put on a 60 percent fructose diet but also got a 2 percent taurine solution for 30 days. That prevented the formation of glycation end products while also enhancing the use of glucose.3 Taurine worked with insulin to affect glucose, al-

levels of taurine than fast-twitch muscles. That’s likely because slowtwitch fibers have a greater oxidative capacity, and taurine has antioxidative properties. Studies show that the body loses the greatest amount of its taurine after intense anaerobic exercise, such as weight training. Experiments done with rats demonstrate that taurine increases exercise capacity, especially in older animals.4 Another study found that

though it worked independently of insulin in promoting glucose use. Some studies show that taurine may help prevent some serious diabetic complications, including neuropathy (nerve degeneration) and retinopathy (blindness).

Can Taurine Help Your Workouts? Slow-twitch muscles have higher

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Bodybuilding Benefits

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taking taurine may help protect against exercise-induced muscle injuries.5 The authors of that study observed that taurine supplementation reversed “certain types of functional deficits in skeletal muscle. Our results suggest that taurine supplementation may facilitate exercise performance and reduce some limited aspects of muscle injury caused by exercise.” A later study that used human subjects confirmed the protective effects of taurine during exercise.6 Because of the increased oxygen

intake that occurs, exercise also ups the production of dangerous free radicals, and rampant free-radical release can damage DNA in cells, leading to mutations that may cause cancer and other diseases. In this study, however, giving men supplemental taurine before exer-

cise significantly prevented DNA strand breakage, an effect attributed to taurine’s antioxidative properties. In addition, the subjects who took taurine also showed increased VO2max, an indicator of increased endurance, increased time to exercise exhaustion and increased maximal workload. That effect could come from taurine’s role in increasing the pumping power of the heart and improving the electrical and contractile properties of skeletal muscle. In muscle, taurine stabilizes cell membranes, including the sarcolemma, the membrane that surrounds muscle fibers. By controlling calcium entry into muscle, it promotes muscle contraction as well. Taurine’s effect on electrolyte functions in muscle may also explain why it helps prevent severe muscle cramps. One theory suggests that exercise-induced loss of sodium and calcium may precipitate such cramps. By stabilizing those minerals during exercise, taurine may help prevent postworkout muscle cramps. The transport of taurine into muscle is promoted by sodium and chloride and decreased by lactate and beta-alanine. A recent study found that taurine content in fast-twitch muscle significantly decreased during extended exercise sessions and noted that it enhances the enzymes in muscle that regulate energy production and fat oxidation.7 Taurine also stimulates cyclic AMP, which leads to a greater release of catecholamines, such as epinephrine and

Taurine can improve the electrical and contractile properties of skeletal muscle.

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No-Bull Amino

Bodybuilding Benefits

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No-Bull Amino

q~ìêáåÉ=ã~ó çÑÑÉê=~=ÄáÖ ÜÉ~äíÜ=ÄÉåÉÑáí íç=ëãçâÉêëK norepinephrine. The latter two substances activate the enzyme hormone-sensitive lipase in fat cells, which leads to the release of fat for use as energy during exercise.

Words of Caution For those considering supplementing taurine, several caveats are in order. The precise optimal dose of taurine for increasing exercise performance has been calculated— in rats.8 It’s between 100 and 500 milligrams per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight. The dose depends on body size and would be considerably lower in a human. Good food sources of taurine include most animal protein foods, particularly fish. Oysters are a superior source. Those who use the drug clenbuterol should be aware that it causes a rapid and severe depletion of taurine from muscle and heart tissue. That could explain the heart damage and muscle cramps that can occur with its use.9 Ephedrine and mahuang supplements also reduce taurine muscle content. The amino acid beta-alanine is now being added to various food supplements because it’s the precursor of L-carnosine synthesis in the body. Beta-alanine and taurine compete for the same uptake carrier into the body, and beta-alanine can block taurine uptake by 50 percent or more. Best to use the two amino acids at different times. Finally, be aware that taurine functions in the brain as an inhibitory neurotransmitter— meaning that it has a depressant action on brain function. So taking too much taurine in a single dose

can lead to feelings of fatigue and lack of energy. Smaller doses of taurine, less than a gram, have a reverse effect: providing energy. That’s ostensibly why taurine is a major ingredient of a popular energy drink that includes the word bull in its name. But since the drink also contains caffeine, the taurine addition could indeed represent a lot of bull.

References 1 Zhang,

M., et al. (2004). Beneficial effects of taurine on serum lipids in overweight or obese nondiabetic subjects. Amino Acids. 26:267-71. 2 Nara, Y., et al. (1978). Effects of dietary taurine on blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Biochem Pharmacol. 27:2689-92. 3 Nandhini, A.T., et al. (2004). Stimulation of glucose utilization and inhibition of protein glycation and AGE products by taurine. Acta Physiol Scand. 181:297-303. 4 Pierno, S., et al. (1998). Chronic administration of taurine to aged rats improves the electrical and contractile properties of skeletal muscle. J Pharmacol Exp Therap. 286:1183-90. 5 Dawson R, et al. (2002). The cytoprotective role of taurine in exercise-induced muscle injury. Amino Acids. 22:309-24. 6 Zhang, M. et al. (2004). Role of

Smoking damages artery linings and leads to cardiovascular disease. A 2003 study found that in smokers who took supplemental taurine, the function of the linings improved rapidly. taurine supplementation to prevent exercise-induced oxidative stress in healthy young men. Amino Acids. 26:203-7. 7 Matsuzaki, Y., et al. (2002). Decreased taurine concentration in skeletal muscles after exercise for various durations. Med Sci Sports Exer. 34:793-97. 8 Miyazaki, T., et al. (2004). Optimal and effective oral dose of taurine to prolong exercise performance in rat. Amino Acids. 27:291-98. 9 Doheny, M.H., et al. (1998). The effects of the beta-2 agonist drug clenbuterol on taurine in heart and other tissues in the rat. Amino Acids. 15:13-25. IM

o~íJÄ~ëÉÇ ëíìÇáÉë ëÜçï=íÜ~í í~ìêáåÉ áåÅêÉ~ëÉë ÉñÉêÅáëÉ Å~é~ÅáíóI ÉëéÉÅá~ääó áå=çäÇÉê ~åáã~äëK

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 187

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S E L I F The

BIG

Mistake n our online e-zine we ve discussed many of the small details that can add up to big mass gains fast. For example, we mentioned that your work sets are probably the most important mass trigger, which is why we outlined a perfect anabolic set. You may have missed the most important detail of all, however— the big mistake almost every bodybuilder makes that slows muscle gains to a crawl.

What mistake are we talking about? It has to do with the ideal tension time during which a muscle will get the best growth stimulation. Research shows that time under tension should be 35 to 40 seconds to trigger maximum mass increases. Watch most trainees in the gym, and you’ ll notice that they rarely reach that optimal range— in fact, a lot of them don’ t even get halfway there. That results in slow to no growth. Keep in mind that 35 to 40 sec-

Photography by Michael Neveux

onds is ideal for an exercise in which you maintain good form. That’ s the growth zone for any fairly strict set. As we ve said in the past, though, heaving and exploding through the max-force point of an exercise’ s stroke (as a lot of the champs do) can overload the target muscle at the key fiber-activation point more readily, which may reduce the necessary time under tension for hy pertrophic stimulation.

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Model: Skip La Cour

by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

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-Files

Model: Tamer Elshahat

You should be doing fairly strict reps and enough of them to hit the 35-to-40-second mark. (and neither is your nervous system). So for most people using the cheat/explosive style on every rep is out. You should be doing fairly strict reps and enough of them to hit the 35-to-40-second mark. Here’s how to make it happen. We’ve said that lowering the weight should take about two seconds and raising it should take about 1 1/2 seconds. That’s 3 1/2 seconds per rep. If you get eight reps, your time under tension is 8 reps x 3 1/2 seconds, or 28 seconds. Uh-oh. That time under tension is more effective for building strength than for building muscle. That’s the big mistake—most trainees stop their sets too early. On the perfect set, however, you should get one forced rep, which would be rep number nine. Add in another 3 1/2 seconds. You’re up to 31 1/2 seconds now. Then you lower the weight to the max-force point (the semistretched position) and fire out X Reps. Even if you get only four of them, at a second apiece you’ve broken into the growth zone with a

For example, if you were doing a set of cheat curls, where most of the resistance occurs at the sweet spot between the arms-straight position and the point where the elbows are bent at 90 degrees, your muscles might need fewer than 35 seconds for growth stimulation due to the severity of the overload at the key max-force point. A superior nervous system can also help by activating more fibers more quickly. But cheating and heaving are damn dangerous. If you’re a hardgainer, it’s even more so because your tendons and ligaments aren’t in the superhuman category

Model: Peter Putman

Many bodybuilders use a time under tension that’s more effective for building strength than for building muscle.

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-Files

Models: Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

pÉí=íÜÉ=pí~ÖÉ=Ñçê=dêçïíÜ Keeping tension on the target muscle for at least 35 seconds during a set is very important. If you can overload the max-force-generation point on the stroke within those 35 seconds, you ve really got a killer mass builder. It s the reason X Reps work so well, but we ve found some other techniques that work just as well—and some that work better, depending on the exercise. We call them Xhybrids, and they helped us produce our best conditions ever in ’05. (See our latest photos at www.BeyondX-Rep.com.) One of those techniques is stage sets. It s not one of the newer ones, as we ve used it in various incarnations in the past. And it never failed. When we introduced them, we immediately noticed that stage sets produced muscularity and vascularity increases, and now we know why: They’re essentially a unique type of X overload—if you do them with the first stage encompassing the X spot. That creates an out-of-the-blocks blast right at the max-force point. Adding the second stage increases the tension on the target muscle. Here s how a stage set works on Smith-machine squats. Position yourself in the machine, bar across your shoulders, and lower into the squat position—where your quads are below parallel to the floor. From there drive back up, but only to just above the midpoint of the stroke. From there lower back to the full-squat position, and so on, doing low-range partials till you can t stand the burn. You do piston-like exaggerated X Reps right off the bat through the max-force point and feel sweet relief when you can finally drive back to lockout, usually with help, after about nine of those lowdown partials—but you re not finished. Now you do the top stage of the stroke to extend the tension time. Start by squeezing your quads hard, contracting them in the lockout position. Lower through about the top one-third of the movement. Blast back to the top and squeeze your quads again. Flex at lockout on every one of those top-end reps. Are they better than standard X Reps—power partials done at the end of a positive-failure set? Not necessarily. As we ve said, full reps can prime the muscle for optimal fast-twitch-fiber recruitment at the end of a set. So it appears that those first full reps make your end-of-set X Reps a more powerful fast-twitch switch due to the size principle of recruitment, which we covered in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book (X-Rep.com). It s a motor unit cascade that makes X Reps even more power packed. Nevertheless, stage, or X-first, sets have their place and can help you get bigger amd better mass gains if you use them after a standard X-Rep set. After is the key word because that means you ve already primed the muscle and created the motor unit cascade with your regular X-Rep set. This type of stage technique works only on exercises that feature bonesupported lockout, like squats and various presses. If you try it on a continuous-tension exercise like chins, for example, you won t have enough strength at the top, the weakest part of the stroke. We have other X-hybrid techniques for those movements, including one we believe may be a powerful trigger for fiber splitting, or at least fiber morphing, when it s used on stretch exercises like stiff-legged deadlifts and incline curls. (It s based on how big Jay Cutler trains, and it may explain why he s so damn huge.) We ll have more on our X-hybrid techniques in future issues of IRON MAN and at www.BeyondX-Rep.com. They helped us get bigger and better, along with standard X Reps. —Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson www.X-Rep.com and www.BeyondX-Rep.com

total of 35 1/2 seconds—and you did it right at the key fiber-activation point. (Most trainees will get more than four X Reps, which will push their tension time closer to 40 seconds.) If you do only six reps per set, you’re more in the strength-building zone—6 x 3 1/2 = 21 seconds. Not that you won’t build some muscle with that range, but it’s not the best tension time for optimal mass stimulation. In fact, short sets may be a big reason so many bodybuilders have to do set after set after set to get any growth at all. It takes a lot more work to stress enough of the key fibers to trigger an anabolic effect. It’s just inefficient because they miss the target zone every time. What if you go in the other direction and shoot for 12 full reps? That can work for some people, but most trainees don’t have the fatigueresistance capacity to keep their force production up toward the end of a higher-rep set like that. After about rep 10, fatigue can shortcircuit the target muscle. So at 12 reps, even though you’re over 40 seconds of tension time, you may not produce enough force in the target muscle toward the end of the set, when your important highthreshold motor units kick in. Fatigue is the enemy, at least on the big, or ultimate, exercises. Even with X Reps at the end of a higher-rep set, you may not get optimal growth stimulation. So if you’re after the most grow power possible from every set, we suggest doing 10 reps on sets that don’t include X Reps—10 reps x 3 1/2 seconds per rep = 35 seconds of tension time. On your X-Rep set, shoot for at least eight with as many X-Rep partials as you can fire out. If you hit the 35-to-40-second growthzone target, you’ll get bigger and harder faster—and with a lot less time in the gym! bÇáíçêÛë=åçíÉW The above is adapted from material published in the IM e-zine. You can get an issue delivered to your e-mail box every week free: Visit www.X-Rep.com and click on X-Files. Go to any of the past installments, and click on the subscription link at the bottom. IM

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â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05 IFBB Mr. Olympia

A Dramatic Look at the Greatest Pro Show on Earth Photography by Bill Comstock and John Balik

Location: Las Vegas Date: October 15 Winner: Ronnie Coleman (8th consecutive Olympia win)

For more on the contest, see News & Views on page 222. For thousands of photos, visit www.GraphicMuscle.com 200 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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1) Ronnie Coleman

â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05 IFBB Mr. Olympia Results 1) Ronnie Coleman, $150,000 2) Jay Cutler, $85,000 3) Gustavo Badell. $55,000 4) Gunter Schlierkamp, $45,000 5) Victor Martinez, $35,000 6) Dennis James, $27,000 7) Melvin Anthony, $16,000 8) Branch Warren, $15,000 9) Darrem Charles, $14,000 10) Mustafa Mohammad, $12,000 11) Johnnie Jackson, $2,000 12) George Farah, $2,000 13) Chris Cormier, $2,000 14) David Henry, $2,000 15) Markus Ruhl, $2,000 16) Kris Dim, $2,000 17) Craig Richardson (tie), $2,000 17) Ronnie Rockel (tie), $2,000 19) Quincy Taylor, $2,000 19) Alexander Federov, $2,000 19) Mike Sheridan, $2,000

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1) Ronnie Coleman

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2) Jay Cutler

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3) Gustavo Badell

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4) Gunter Schlierkamp

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5) Victor Martinez

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6) Dennis James

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7) Melvin Anthony

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8) Branch Warren

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9) Darrem Charles

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10) Mustafa Mohammad

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Martinez, Schlierkamp and Badell

James, Anthony and Warren

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11) Johnnie Jackson

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12) George Farah

13) Chris Cormier

14) David Henry

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Lonnie Teper’s

’05 Mr. Olympia

Aging Gracefully Coleman, 41, has plenty left

En route to record-tying eighth win At the ’03 Olympia Weekend press conference, a fan asked Ronnie Coleman if he planned on doing the Masters Olympia in the near future, since he’d be turning 40 the following year. “The Masters?” said a flabbergasted Coleman. “Why would I do that—if I continue to compete, it will be in the Mr. Olympia!” After the Big Nasty’s record-tying eighth Mr. O victory on October 15 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, the admirer who submitted the pitiable query must be hiding underneath a couch somewhere. So, how did the latest battle go? Well, to compare it to a 400-meter dash, you might say the 41-year-old Coleman shot out of the blocks, held off a brief challenge by Jay Cutler at the halfway mark and then sprinted way ahead of the field on the way to his eighth Sandow, passing Arnold Schwarzenegger and joining Lee Haney in the record books along the way. Coleman, who tipped the scales at more than 290 pounds to earn his 2004 victory, was around 275 to 280 here. The drop did make a difference; his waist was the smallest I’ve seen it in some time, and his often-criticized distended tummy was vastly improved. Guess he paid attention— mucho attention—to Ben Weider’s memorandum of a few months back decrying, among other things, overstuffed bellies. Whooh! Whooh! Whooh! As always, Coleman displayed his gnarly guns, hams and glutes (although his back detail The was not as significant as in years past); best and his side-chest shot, with those huge rear hamstrings hanging down, was, as doublealways, a sight to see. biceps Cutler dieted 17 weeks for this one, of his showed up with torn-up quads and illustrihams and had the best back doubleous biceps pose of his illustrious career— career. and still had to settle for yet another runner-up slot. Though he was obviously terribly disappointed, Jay did win a title during the evening—the Vyo-Tech–sponsored Best Wheels competition—adding another 10 grand to his wallet. Win or lose, Gustavo this guy’s still a champion. paid posing Sure, there were some who felt Jay should homage to have won the $150,000 first-place check; others all said Gustavo Badell, who finished in third for the secthe Mr. JAY CUTLER ond year in a row and actually beat both Coleman and Olympia

Balik

Gun Shot

winners.

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Contest photography by Bill Comstock

ADD O TALK Cutler in the challenge round, should have been the runnerup. (Such is the subjectiveness of bodybuilding.) The Freakin’ Rican, who now resides in Vegas, did show up in tremendous shape, and his posing routine, which included the signature poses of all 10 Mr. Olympias, was creative and fun. I had Badell in third from the getgo at the 10 a.m. prejudging. Gunter Schlierkamp promised that “Guntermania” would be back, and he kept his word. Schlierkamp was huge and was in the best shape I’ve seen since 2002; he held a one-point lead Guntermania was in the house. over Badell after three rounds but slipped behind in the posedown to finish a close fourth. Needless to say, this could have gone either way—especially if Gunter had used more color on his physique. I’ve been waiting for Victor Martinez to get back to the shape he showed off a couple of years ago, when he gave promise of being a Mr. O in the making. This time at the Big Dance the symmetrical New Yorker proved that he does have the stuff. Martinez in fifth was another call I agreed with early on in the show. The battle for sixth between Dennis James and Melvin Anthony brought back memories of their classic duel at the ’98 USA, where Dennis edged Melvin in a tie-breaker to move on to the pros. This was an apples-andoranges encounter, with James being about 30 pounds heavier—and much thicker—and Anthony displaying perhaps the most aesthetic physique in bodybuilding. As it was in ’98, James barely slipped passed Anthony, this time by two points. Branch Warren, coming off back-to-back wins at the Europa Supershow and the Charlotte Pro, made an auspicious Olympia debut, finishing in eighth and besting Darrem Charles, in ninth, and Mustafa Mohammad, 10th. The two biggest disappointments in the contest were top-six contenders Chris Cormier and Markus Ruhl. Both gents came in way smooth and landed in the very unfamiliar territory of 13th and 15th, respectively. Look for a more-detailed examination of the Big O Weekend—the good, the bad and the ugly—next month. As was the promise of Victor Martinez, fulfilled at last.

CHALLENGE ROUND

Badell’s

Ball Game

Does Gustavo agree with L.T. that the challenge should be chucked?

I didn’t like the challenge round last year but said I’d wait and see before making any judgments this time. Okay, I waited. And, with no disrespect for Gustavo Badell, who must love the segment after moving past Dexter Jackson into third place in ’04 and besting Coleman and Cutler this season, I still don’t like it. What’s the point, other than taking up way too much time, slowing things down—almost to a standstill—and inviting more fan criticism of the judges? A panel of former Mr. Olympias—Sergio Oliva, Frank Zane, Larry Scott, Samir Bannout and Dorian Yates—were brought in to judge and voted for Badell as the best in the lineup after each top-five finisher had challenged each of his opponents to a pose. As Badell is a great bodybuilder, I don’t have a problem with the results (for the record, I had Coleman winning it), and everyone has his or her opinion. Because of the time it took up, six men who qualified for the O fair and square (Kris Dim, Ronny Rockell, Quincy Taylor, Craig Richardson, Alexander Federov and Mike Sheridan) weren’t allowed to pose at the finals. That sucks, big time. Sorry, Gustavo, I know this has been your baby, but I say chuck it. So far the only challenge has been to sit through it.

Don’t miss IRON MAN’s poster pictorial of the ’05 Mr. Olympia, beginning on page 200. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 223

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TEXAS TALES

MORE MR. O

Priest Oh, Henry! AConfesses Wild time at the Wildcard

David Henry finally got some time to shine when he destroyed the field at the Wildcard Challenge.

Lee says the Olympia is a sin

At the Europa Supershow (see story at right), I saw Lee Priest, who had a few things to say about why he’d probably be passing on the Olympia, even though he had inked the contract to be onstage. “I just don’t like that contest,” he said. “This is supposed to be the biggest show in the world, but the athletes aren’t treated that Lee Priest and his humongous forearms did not appear on way. The promoter’s requirethe Olympia stage in 2005, but we’re hoping he doesn’t skip ments prior to the event are the ’06 IRON MAN Pro, which is set for February 18. ridiculous and show no compassion for the athletes.” As for the challenge round, he said, “We already have a challenge round, and it’s called prejudging. Why didn’t they take that money [$50,000] and spread it down to the other competitors who won’t be making much, if anything, instead of giving more to the top five?” One thing you can say about this Priest: He’s always open for confession.

EUROPA-EAN SCENES I didn’t think I’d like this new addition to Big O weekend—and I didn’t. It was great to see David Henry, who has replaced Branch Warren as the most underrated bodybuilder in the game, shine onstage and pick up the $10,000 grand prize. With the exception of Henry, however, the nine-man lineup was made up of lower-echelon guys who didn’t come close to qualifying for the O during the year. And Henry should have earned his invite at earlier contests anyway—especially at the Europa Supershow. As it turned out, the lineup was the featured act at the Friday-night Fitness and Figure Olympia finals, with all getting compared, all getting to pose, etc., unlike what happened to the the six Olympia-qualified athletes mentioned in the item on page 223, who did not have that opportunity on Saturday night. Absurd. I’m sure the Wildcard contest was added with the hope that it would pump up ticket sales for the women’s show, but as many predicted, it didn’t. Additionally, it ended up being the main event on a night that should have belonged to the women. Chuck this, too, and replace it with the Ms. Olympia finals so all three women’s divisions have their time in the spotlight on the main stage.

Kim Harris, who took third in the heavy weight division, and husband Terry Hairston at the MetRx booth.

Amy Peters (left) and June Munroe with Katy “the Dog” Munroe, who was once again the best-dressed gal in the place.

Mary Ellen Jerumbo makes sure Jimmy Canyon’s Pro Tan covers the top of his head.

The boys of Europa (from left): Ruben Martinez, David Plitt, Dax Joiner and James Ruffini. On three, say, “Cheese.”

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Big Art Atwood, now living in Dallas, was on hand to show what a can of Pure Vitargo, the “ultimate carb loader” can do for you.

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Branching Out Warren leads Texas sweep

Add Europa

At the Europa Supershow

It was no surprise to those who had

Two seen Branch Warren pull off his shirt at Two thumbs-up the Texas Championships in July to Ed and (okay, so he was coaxed into it by Betty Pariso for the pushy emcee) when the 5’6”, producing a 240-pound physique freak domihelluva weekend. It included pro nated the field a couple of contests in men’s months later at the Europa Suand women’s pershow. bodybuilding, At the Arlington, Texas, event, fitness and figure; an NPC national I got my first glance at him in the Promoters three: Eric, Betty and Eddie. qualifier; a stronghotel eatery on the day before man competition; a the show and this time coaxed powerlifting event; a model search and more. Two blind athletes him into showing off the wheels. competed (former Team Universe champ Greg Rando was in the pro bodybuilding lineup), and one amateur fitness athlete, the amazing Oh, my, how does that happen? Barbie Guerra from Mesa, Arizona, had no arms—yes, you read that Thanks to his victory at the Charright. lotte Pro two weeks later Branch is Oh, and if I had a third thumb, it would go up for Europa no longer the most underappreciated owner Eric Hillman, who joined forces with the Parisos to help ensure the show’s success. How Betty was able to do her bodybuilder in the game, a label he usual premier job on the promotion end while dieting got from yours truly after he didn’t qualifor the Charlotte Pro is beyond me.

Branch Warren had some thighs for breakfast on the day before his victory at the Europa Supershow.

fy for the Olympia in 2004. Warren’s sometime training partner, Johnnie Jackson, and Quincy “Be Cool” Taylor, who moved from California to Mansfield, Texas, last year, finished second and third, respectively, making it one truly Texas-flavored event. Like Warren, Taylor qualified for his first Olympia; I was amazed that Q.T. could look as good as he did, considering how good he didn’t look when he guest posed at the Texas Championships in July. At 6’4” and more than 300 pounds, with a good shape, the ’01 USA Overall champ still could prove to be a top-tier pro. As it turned out, that won’t be going down in 2005 (see the Olympia scorecard). The odd man out at this show was David Henry, who looked even more sublime than in past performances but could only muster a fourth-place finish, narrowly missing an Olympia qualifying berth. The 5’5”, 190-pounder wasn’t too disappointed, since he knew he’d be hitting the new Wildcard Showdown on the night before the O, where, in fact, he did earn his place in the Olympia lineup.

This Priest Loves to Compete

Cathy reps Ripped Richie. Try saying that 10 times quickly.

Ironically, while I was chatting with Lee Priest, his soon to-be-exwife (I think) Cathy Priest was onstage in the figure competition. Although she has not done as well as she’d hoped in the switch from body building, she loves competing and is happy she made the change. I also saw Cathy, a.k.a. Pretty Blue Eyes, holding court at the Gaspari Nutrition booth. She said she’s been working for Gaspari and is close, she hopes, to signing a contract with the company. Great news for both of us, Cathy! You get the work, and Rich Gaspari gets a Southern Cal rep who could work his table at my Junior Cal Championships this year. In case you need the info, it’s set for June 3 at Pasadena City College. Dinner’s on me, Ripped Richie.

ADD GRRRLZ

Sometimes she just borrows Betty Pariso’s.

Barbie Guerra doesn’t let small things—like having no arms— keep her from competing in fitness.

Photos courtesy of Barbara Guerra

Photography by Lonnie Teper

WOMEN

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 225

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Add Pro Shows: Charlotte Ruse

Add

Warren-ty Upset victory

Makes Branch a major player

Promoter

I ve Dennis told Shawn Ray on James was numerous occasions that on my he should put his money flight to where his mouth is. “Promote your own contest, and Charyou can raise the prize money lotte, as much as you want, I advised and Sugar Shawn after he took to the when Internet message boards, blasting I saw IM publisher John Balik about the lack of increases in the purse at him the IRON MAN Pro (a situation that at Shawn Ray (right) wasted no should change in 2006). time signing up Troy Alves for LAX, I He has. Thanks to Shawn’s sponhis Colorado show. didn’t sor, Vyo-Tec, the Colorado Pro-Am George Farah (far right) takes a break in the poseClassic, complete with two-day think down while (from left) Mustafa Mohammed, Branch expo, will make its debut on May 12 and 13 in Denver. The proanyone Warren, Quincy Taylor and Dennis James mix it up. physique segment will feature men’s bodybuilding and women’s could figure, with $25,000 landing in the hands of the men’s champ. touch him. The $72,000 total prize money makes it the third-most-lucraHe was carrying 270 pounds on his 5’8” frame and looked to be tive physique event in the land, behind the Olympia and the Arnold Classic. For more info on the happening, log in great condition. on to www.coloradoproshow.com. Now, When he hit the stage on October 1, James was several pounds of Shawn, aren’t you glad you listened to water off of that on-the-spot conditioning and was bested by the deserving me, for once?

ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

Branch Warren. Don’t let that defeat fool you. James has been as high as fourth in the Olympia and is still a major player in this game. George Farah was the biggest surprise of the show, finishing third and getting an Olympia qualification. Bulletproof certainly ain’t ever the biggest dude onstage, but he was in great shape for this one. Sure, the rumor floating around was that, since Mustafa Mohammad and Quincy Taylor were already qualified, Farah was given the spot so he could join the Vegas party, and the others took fourth and fifth, respectively. Say what? What exactly would the judges gain by doing that? Like, they care who’s in, who’s out? Let’s give Farah the credit for showing up in his all-time-best shape. You deserved it, by George!

CHARLOTTE SCENES

Pete Ciccone, flanked by Lauren Jantz and Gabriela Rodriguez at the Instone booth. Where’s Sly, guy?

lend Always willing to stic a hand, the altrui e to L.T. took the tim the see if the gals at edHooters booth ne ere’s ed any help. Wh per? your tank top, Te

Lightweight champ Tonie Norman was a happy camper all weekend. And we know why Johnny Stewart has a million-dollar smile on his face.

Shop at BulkNutrition .com, and you’ll look as huge as this guy.

Vickie Nixon and hubby Brian pose “cute” Shannon Meteraud was a after the star backstage, instead of show. onstage, in North Carolina.

226 JANUARY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MORE WINNERS

Man at the Mike

Europa Supershow • September 16–17 Clockwise from upper left: Bonny Priest, heavyweight and overall; Tonia Williams, lightweight; Amanda Savell, figure; and Tracey Greenwood, fitness.

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Young promoter grows up quickly

Two week after the Europa Supershow Bulk Nutrition owner Mike McCandless, admittedly, “lost my ass” on the first ever Bulk Nutrition Charlotte Pro weekend, but he wasn’t going to let a little thing like a $250,000 hit slow him down. “This is my first time putting on an event, and I learned a lot from it,” said the 26-year-old former track ace from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. “Things really got bad when we told the Convention Center to cancel the Friday-night dodgeball event; they took it to mean that we were canceling the entire night show, including bodybuilding. “Forty-eight hours before our women’s show you couldn’t buy tickets through Ticketmaster. It said the event had been cancelled. The same thing happened for the men’s event on Saturday, and it killed our show. I believe in this sport, and I’m going to prove there is a demand for it. I’ll be back.” Where’d you get that line, Mike? Kudos for your honesty, your effort and your resolve, kid. A lot of good things happened in Charlotte over the weekend. Your production was outstanding, with the ’60s set and enough audio and video effects for a rock concert. Giving each competitor an individual dressing room, with a mirror and power outlet, was a classy move.The free live Webcast was neat, and as the emcee, I appreciated the hard work of Tres Bennett, Shannon Meteraud and the rest of the backstage team, who worked their bootys off all weekend. “I plan on a totally unique experience next year,” said McCandless. “I began designing a new stage after the men’s finals. I will never have a fan come to an event I put on and leave disappointed. Check CharlottePro.com for details on next year’s event; I promise it will be the best show you ever will go to.” Talk about getting knocked down to the ground, wiping off the blood and charging back into the ring. Keep punching, Big Mac.

www.billdobbins.com

Mike McCandless presents the BulkNutrition .com Ultimate Man Award to James Grage.

Charlotte Pro • September 30–October 1 Clockwise from upper left: Jitka Harazimova, heavyweight and overall; Tonie Norman, lightweight; Davana Medina, figure; and Julie Palmer, fitness.

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ADD CHARLOTTE

IRON MAN Hardbody

Playmate

Power! Karen McDougal, ’98 Playmate of the Year, Hits the Weights for a Hard Body mÜçíçÖê~éÜó=Äó=jáÅÜ~Éä=kÉîÉìñ

Height: 5’8 1/2”

Age: 34

Weight: 124

Hometown: Sawyer, Michigan

For good foods it’s chicken and steak. I love to eat!”

Factoids: “I taught prekindergarten before I

got into the entertainment business. At a swimwear contest I met a Playboy photographer, and I tested for Playboy. I was Miss Occupation: Model, host and actor December 1997 and then was honored as Workout schedule: I train four to five days a Playmate of the Year in 1998. Later, I was picked to be the Readers’ Choice #2 week, usually working tri’s and bi’s on one Playmate of the ’90s (behind only Pam Anday, legs on one day, shoulders and back with a little chest on one day and then cardio derson). I’ve worked as a TV host and been in a few movies. I’ve modeled in national on all the other days. I just recently started and international ad campaigns and contindoing ab training.” ue to model.”

Current residence: Los Angeles and Arizona

Sample bodypart workout (legs): Single-leg

squats, 3-4 x 10-15; squats, 3 x 10-15; walking Future plans: “I would love to host a TV show lunges, 3 sets; hamstring curls or stiff-legged of my own while continuing to model. I also want to have children. I have a great love of deadlifts, 3 sets children, and in the distant future I’d like to open a learning center for kids.” Favorite foods: “My favorite bad foods are pizza and donuts—and a lot of chocolate.

Contact info: www.karenmcdougal.com

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IRON MAN Hardbody

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Ruth Silverman’s

PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE O LY M P I A B L O W O U T

Hollerback, Girl

This s**t is B-A-N-A-N-A-S

www.BillDobbins.com

At some point when she was combing the Internet for costume ideas for her Olympia fitness routine, something to go with Gwen Stefani s popular ditty, Jen Hendershott was struck by a stroke of genius. “Why not just come out dressed as a giant banana?” Worked for this reporter. And for the hundreds (if not thousands) of fans in the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas on October 14 who witnessed her ascension to the top of the fitness heap: ’05 Fitness Olympia champion. If 2004 was the year of Adela Garcia, surprise winner at the Fitness International—and the Olympia—then ’05 belonged to JenHen the minute she unseated Adela at the International last March. At that show Hendershott prevailed in the final tally even though Kelly Ryan beat her in the routine rounds. In Vegas, with Flyin’ Ryan missing in action from the IFBB’s premier pro fitness event, the judges were forced to give Hip-Hoppin’ Hendershott’s routines the attention they deserved. In the past year her themes had covered the gamut from spirituality to blingalocity. Center stage at the Orleans, with all eyes entranced and waiting for what she’d do next, Jenny peeled off the fruit suit and went bananas—upstage, downstage and everywhere in between. Total energy; total fun. Perfect fives in the performance rounds plus a top-three landing in the onepiece-suit comparisons produced a four-point victory over Kim Klein, with Garcia slipping to third. Lots of stuff that makes you go hmmm there, eh? Keep reading, and perhaps those hmmms will be answered. It’s hard not to be happy for Jen Hendershott, who’s been delighting fitness audiences since 1997 with her routines. In case you didn’t make it to Vegas, it’s not too late to check out IRON MAN’s photo galleries and unique audio coverage of the ’05 Olympia weekend, including reports on all the contests and my interview with the ecstatic new Fitness O champion, at www .GraphicMuscle.com.

HAPPY CAMPERS

The Spirit of Team Yaxeni Speaking of hollering

Her husband’s encouragement came in many forms. Garcia’s original artwork—Yaxeni as superheroine—appears on the back of the Team Yaxeni T-shirts the new champ was selling at the expo. They’re available at her Web site, www.yaxeni.com.

Tomas Garcia, husband of Yaxeni Oriquen, gets the P&C award for most enthusiastic spouse for his performance at the finals of the Ms. Olympia, which were held, famously, at the expo. Not being fluent in Spanish, I didn’t understand a word (except something that sounded like glute), but it wouldn’t surprise me if, “It’s all you, baby!” was part of the patter. After 12 years as a pro, 38 competitions, with three Ms. International victories—and three third-place finishes behind Iris Kyle and/or eight-time Ms. O Lenda Murray—to her credit, Yaxeni is now the best female bodybuilder in the world. No wonder the guy was so excited.

MORE FITNESS And the Rest of the Top Five Are…

From left: Julie Palmer, fifth; Tracey Greenwood, fourth; Kim Klein, second; and Adela Garcia, third.

Rumors. Those who might suggest that Adela Garcia s more-than-just friendship with a certain politically incorrect (and not in a good way) bodybuilder was the real reason for her fall to third at the O may want to take note: A week later she struck gold with a win at the Sacramento Pro Fitness, where Julie Childs and Tanji Johnson took second and third, respectively, locking up their invites to the 2006 Olympia.

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M S. O

Size Matters

MORE HAPPY CAMPERS When it looks like this

Jenny Lynn, se cond at the Fig ure O for the second ye ar in a row, cu t a luscious figure in this dr ess. She had a luscious guy on her arm as well, and a week later she won the Sacramen to Pro Figure. Some pe ople have all th e lush.

Comstock

Being relegated to competing in an expo sideshow didn’t stop the ladies of the ’05 Ms. Olympia from pulling out all the stops in their routines. Graceful, open-handed muscle shots abounded. If there was a theme, it was, “Muscle is sexy and feminine, bub! Get used to it”— perhaps directed at AMI/Weider honcho David Pecker and others who made the decision to banish the women bodybuilders from the Friday-night program. “Don’t you wish your girlfriend was hot like me? was the big question of the afternoon, with a parade of female flexers, starting with Dayana Cadeau, who did it with a silk scarf, undulating their abs and glutes to the Pussycat Dolls’ sultry query, while Yaxeni Oriquen commanded attention with Christina Aguilera’s “I am beautiful no matter what they say…I am beautiful in every single way.” Perhaps that’s why she won. Oriquen’s 5’7” of long, sculpted bodyparts and enviable symmetry earned the 38-year-old trainer from Venezuela by way of south Florida an almost-perfect score of 21, with defending Ms. O overall winner Iris Kyle knocked back to second place again and defending Ms. O lightweight winner Cadeau landing solidly 5’7” and counting. It’s all in in third. what you do with it. Confusion reigned regarding the judges’ decisions made in the 20-percent-less-muscle era. Since every single one of the 15 women who made it to the Olympia stage thinks she is a) sexy, b) feminine and c) smaller than last year, that’s understandable. It was easy for this observer to understand Yaxeni’s appeal: She was not too hard and not too soft, and she moved like a queen. Anyone who thought the panel would do something really radical—like choose a symmetrical-but-smaller entry like Jitka Harazimova—just doesn’t know these cowhands (see the item below).

finals (from e the Fitness O All smiles befor , Stacy rds ha Ric a , Div left): Angel Tracy rcia and Ga ela Ad , ch ms Simons, Angie Se pinski’s em Cz e se To i. sk Debbie Czempin . ge pa after shot turn the

COMEBACKS

Comstock

Photography by Ruth Silverman

Re Harazimova

Now, that’s a V-taper!

What did I mean by that?

A highlight of the Ms. O for those who care about these things was the return after a six-year absence of ’90s Czech sensation Jitka Harazimova, who left the scene after the ’99 Ms International, had two children, now three and four, and watched while women’s pro bodybuilding went this way and that. Taking to heart the IFBB Pro Division’s renewed commitment to more aesthetically developed female physiques, she got the itch to compete, reportedly entering the Charlotte Pro after only a couple of months of serious preparation. She took the overall there, and though she was not quite put together smoothly enough to score an upset at the big show, she was good enough to land in fourth. Imagine what she could do if she really put her mind to it.

Friday night at Big Al’s Oyster Bar (from left): Christine Newsome, Chandra Stammen, Chast ity Sloan, Latisha Wilder and Robin Ch annell celebrate Chas’ and Latisha’s Olympia debuts in the figure show. Phy sique athletes are always more jov ial when the postcontest meal is at hand.

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PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE MORE SMILES

FLEXERS

Gospel Truth So much for the rumor mill Jen Hendershott s early-season victory at the Fitness International notwithstanding, it was difficult to ignore all the precontest hype surrounding coming-on-strong Jersey jewel Kim Klein, who bore the tag of “next Fitness Olympia champ” through much of the year. Bird-dog sleuthing reveals that the story may be related to remarks Kelly Ryan made when she let folks know that she wouldn’t be competing at the O—mainly that there was no point, as it had already been determined that Klein would be the winner. It’s not hard to see how Ryan, who was likely still smarting from Klein’s having knocked her out of the top three at the International, might have gotten that impression. That the thing developed a life of its own is an interesting study in the nature of gossip. By August the message boards had it as a done deal, and people were sending me photos of Klein laThough the rumor that she’d inheriting the fitness throne beled, “the next Ms. Fitness O.” proved to be exaggerated, Apparently, the judges didn’t get the memo. Kim Klein was thrilled to In fact, they loved Klein’s physique—to within move into the runner-up spot. a point of the way they loved Adela Garcia s—but the intense competition in the two-minute routines, where the nimble Kimberly landed in fourth behind Jen Hendershott, Mindi O’Brien and Debbie Czempinski—probably kept the rumor from becoming fact.

PUMP SHOTS

Casandra and Denise undress to impress. Wow! (We decided not to go with the obvious pet-my-kitty commentary.) How many bodybuilders can you get in a limo? Depends on the level of pump— and whether anyone s her down. brought a finally take e bl et ta di a 's f ie Debb umbs of full-length ks bread cr t. Here she lic mirror. rb allotmen ca ily da r for he

Whoa! Julie and Michelle sure know how to improve on the old side-chest comparison. We can't wait to see their back double-bi'.

Overlooked (IMHO) Smaller matters. MahAnn Mendoza.

The naysayers who predicted that the smaller woman would have a harder time now that the IFBB has done away with weight classes in pro-women’s bodybuilding got plenty of ammo when the results were posted. Did her being only 5’2” keep Mah-Ann Mendoza out of the top 10 in Las Vegas, or was it the fact that she was pound-for-pound hardly the most muscular woman onstage? The jury is still out as to whether that’s an advantage these days. Also worthy of the P&C Ignored Award was San Angelo, Texas, star Bonny Priest, whose 5’5 1/2” of packed, well-conditioned muscle could have finished higher than sixth. Under wraps at the Meet the Athletes event, Bonny hit the stage in beautiful condition.

Did these dames get dissed? Check them out in the Olympia gallery at IM’s www.GraphicMuscle.com.

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Dis the Girls

Ruthless reviews the O

If I must, I must. Fact is, I always have a good time at these shindigs, and this was no exception. I enjoyed the Orleans Hotel very much, and it was great to see everyone. The expo was fine too, although the hotel’s isolation from both the Las Vegas Strip and the Convention Center was a greater problem than I’d anticipated—particularly the logistics of getting from the hotel to the expo and back, which would still have been a 20-minute ride even if the shuttles and taxis had been plentiful, which they weren’t. Not all the Cinderellas at this ball found prince charmings with limos two days in a row to rescue them. (Thanks, guys, and save me a seat next year.) Fixing the transportation snag will no doubt be high on the promoters’ to-do list for 2006. Even the glitches (of which there were many) were fodder for amusement. Since my beat focuses more Enough with the nitpicking; bring on the on the women, I’ll leave it to others to girls. Davana Medina was positively critique the 40th-anniversary presenblooming after she won the Figure O for the third year in a row. tation of the Mr. Olympia competition, a.k.a. the Saturday-night show. Let’s just say that jokes made at the expense of male genitalia were flying among the more smart-mouth observers in the seats. As for the women’s competitions, my comments about the decision to banish the bodybuilders from the Friday-night “women’s show” to make way for a Mr. Olympia Wildcard qualifier appeared in the September installment of this column, and nothing that occurred during Big O Weekend changed that opinion. If anything, I felt badly for the fitness and figure competitors, busting their asses to be the opening act for a bush-league boys’ show. N O TA B L E S The 2,000-seat difference in the houses made it difficult to make an eyeball comI almost Naked parison of the Friday-night numbers for didn’t recwith2004 and ’05. Wonder what the actual ognize out a Cynthia pin in take was this time—vs. last year and vs. James her 2000, the year the women’s show actuwithout her mouth. ally made money at the Mandalay Bay. sewing Bill Dobbins posted a lengthy analy- machines, although sis of all this in the free pages at the periBillDobbins.com. I agree with a lot of it, patetic particularly his point about the lack of Florida backstage access for media members fitter insists she hasn’t who don’t happen to work for the protraveled moter. Since the promoters’ magazines with them don’t give much coverage to the since after women’s competitions, why not give 9/11, when they inaccess to those who do cover—and, by curred the suspicion of a zealous airport extension, promote—them? I don’t security guard. Celebrating her birthday usually complain about this stuff in at the Olympia dressed as a wild cat, print—it’s not the readers’ problem, and the owner of C.J.’s Elite Competition Wear, often a busy figure backstage at you find another place to take a picthese events, got a rare opportunity to ture—but Dobbins’ may be on to someview her handiwork from the audience. thing. Ah, for the old days, when a girl Among the athletes hitting the boards in could get backstage by disguising herself C.J.’s suits: Olympia winners Jen Hendershott and Yaxeni Oriquen. as Mitsuru Okabe.

COUPLES

Mushy Stuff Don’tcha just love this story? Figure O fourthplacer Amber Littlejohn met her honey Jeff McCarrell because he saw her photo IM breaks the ice. in IRON MAN. It was a Hardbody layout by Bill Dobbins, a shoot Littlejohn earned after winning the ’03 Figure Nationals. McCarrell, who owns Nutrex Research, was so impressed, he wrote to her and asked her out. Amber agreed but brought her mom along on the date—in case he turned out to be a nut. Somehow true love prevailed, and the pair recently announced their engagement.

MORE FIGURE And the

Real Winner Is… For the She’ll be IM’s corps of Hardphotograbody phers snapnext month. ping from various press pits during the weekend, the true Figure Olympia champion wasn’t Davana Medina, Jenny Lynn or Monica Brant. Veterans and newbies alike, the guys with the view through a lens went for newcomer Valerie Waugaman. Don’t let her seventh-place finish in Vegas fool ya, fellas. The statuesque and charismatic Waugaman hit the fast track at the Sacramento Pro Figure, where she slid into second ahead of Monica Brant. Now, that’s a placing to start a rumor about.

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Comstock

OPINIONS

PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE Orleans Scenes A slimmeddown Valentina Chepiga says she’s waiting to see where women’s bodybuilding is heading.

Iris’ thigh. Defendin g Ms. O Iris Kyle dropped a few pou nds in response to the 20-percent-le ss-muscle edict, but her granite gam s are very much in the house at Me et the Olympians.

Mary Elizabeth Lado’s dry. At least in terms of the Louisiana figure belle’s being safe from the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. Another competitor whom the oddsmakers tabbed for an upset victory, Lado, “didn’t do things right and was holding water,” she said. Still, she managed a top-five finish at her first Olympia.

Jenny’s guy. Lifelong Ohioans Jen Hendershott and hubby Brian “I swear I can’t eat Kinn are moving another bite,” says Abby to Charlotte, North Duncan. Ah, c’mon, Carolina, where Abby, it’s cheesecake. Brian’s taking the job of CEO of Bulk Nutrition. “For 10 years he’s focused on me,” admitted the new Fitness O champ. “Now it’s his turn.”

On the other ha nd, maybe Dennis James will finish it for you.

Neveux

-placer y. Ms. O third Dayana’s cr year’s st la , au de Dayana Ca a loss to winner, is at ally lightweight metric m sy r he hy explain w come Ms. lf did not be inine, muscular se tier, fem et pr ’m “I Olympia. ea ok exactly lik .” sexy and lo should look er ild bu dy woman bo Dayana. , re he t en No argum

The award for most interesting job goes to Michael Zeltzer. (No, really, he’s an algebra teacher.)

ka! It’s “Vodka, schmod rs ea sw e,” rit Diet Sp m. “I’m Sandra Wickha amento doing the Sacr next week.”

Tonie Norman looks hot. (Are firefighte rs allowed to be hot?)

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Neveux

Amanda Savell breaks her yearlong contest diet.

To contact Lonnie Teper about material possibly pertinent to News & Views, write to 1613 Chelsea Road, #266, San Marino, CA 91108; fax to (626) 289-7949; or send e-mail to tepernews@aol.com.

You can contact Ruth Silverman, fitness reporter and Pump & Circumstance scribe, in care of IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at ironwman@aol.com.

You can contact Jerry Fredrick, ace photographer for Hot Shots and Hardcore Training, in care of IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at jerryfredrick@aol.com.

Model: Steven Segers

Only the Strong Shall Survive

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Back to the

Rack

Iso Programs for All Part 7 by Bill Starr â&#x20AC;˘ Photography by Michael Neveux

ast month I presented two sample programs that gave priority to isotonic-isometric exercises and used free-weight move ments as adjuncts to the rack work. There was a routine for Olympic weightlifters and another for competitive powerlifters. Those programs are most effectively used off-season, during breaks from important competitions, although several York lifters used them in-season and tested out at the meets. Typically, you do them for six to eight weeks, then shift the emphasis back to more free-weight work, putting isos in a supplemental role. The two programs I outline this month are for athletes whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; re

involved in a competitive sport and are somewhat advanced in strength training and for those who train primarily for strength fitness. The former group includes athletes who participate in foot ball, wrestling, rugby, lacrosse and the throwing events in track plus all those strongman and woman events that have become so popular. Of course, any athlete can benefit from an iso program. Swimmers at Indiana University, runners from Villanova and rowers from the Vesper Boat Club in Philadelphia were among the first to show significant strength improvement while using the new system of strength training in the early â&#x20AC;&#x2122; 60s.

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On non-iso day do two sets of five on front squats followed by three sets of three.

The latter group consists of younger and older weight trainers who want to maintain a high level of strength or improve some particular lift but have no intention of entering any competition. They just like the idea of being strong.

Model: Ken Yasuda \ Equipment: Powertec power rack, 1-800-447-0008 or www.Home-Gym.com

Isotonic-Isometric Program for Strength Athletes This is a five-days-a-week routine, but you can modify it to fit your schedule. You do the iso work in the rack on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and use the free weights on Tuesday and Thursday.

Monday Three incline-press positions, the steeper the better: start, eye level and finish. If you don’t have an incline bench, substitute overhead presses for the same three positions. Three pulling positions using a clean grip: start, just below the knees and high top pull. The final position is where you finish your pull for a power clean, right at the bottom of your breastbone, and climb high on your toes before locking into the top pins. Three back-squat positions: deep bottom (try to set yourself lower than you go when you squat), midpoint and threequarters of the way up.

bottom and middle. If you can’t do front squats, substitute those same two positions for back squats. Calf raises.

Calf raises.

Thursday

Tuesday

Iso Programs for All Part 7

Power cleans: five sets of five. Back squats: five sets of five. Good mornings: four sets of 10. Bench presses: five sets of five.

Wednesday Three bench press positions: start, middle and finish.

High pulls, alternating clean and snatch grips every other week: five sets of five. Inclines: five sets of five Front squats: two sets of five followed by three sets of three. Again, if you don’t do front squats, do back squats: five sets of five.

Friday

Three pulling positions using a snatch or wider grip: slightly below the starting point, just above the knees and at the bellybutton.

Three pulling positions using a clean grip: midshin, right at the knees and a shrug, staying flatfooted.

Two front-squat positions: deep

Three press positions: start,

level and four inches under lockout. If you did inclines on Monday, do standing presses. If you substituted overheads for inclines on Monday, you can do either benches or overheads at this workout. Three back-squat positions: ultradeep, midpoint and threequarters of the way up. Calf raises. Since you’re building pure strength with the iso workouts, your objective on the free-weight days is to hone your form on the selected exercises. The only one you need to push to limit is the good mornings—and that’s to ensure that your lower back stays proportionately as strong as the other parts of your back. Whenever I did several weeks of concentrated isos, I felt my lumbars were lagging behind a bit, so I always did good mornings and worked them hard. Should you

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Back to the Rack

Iso Programs for All Part 7

Incline presses are more beneficial to athletes than flat benches. have an aversion to good mornings, you can do almost-straight-legged deadlifts-a.k.a. stiff-legged deadlifts-instead, but you have to do them with intensity. On all the other exercises use moderate poundages. Lifting slightly lighter weights will enable you to pay closer attention to your technique, which should be your main purpose. It’s easy to lose concentration and hurry through your routine because you know you can handle the weights easily enough, but that won’t aid your cause. Attempt to perform each rep perfectly, and make sure that your final sets aren’t so light that you can use sloppy form and still make all the reps. Which brings up the question: How heavy is moderate? Some people use percentages, but I prefer just taking a bit off the top end. Let’s say you’re able to handle 325 for five on the bench press. While giving the isos precedence, work up to 300 or 305 at most. My rule of thumb is to select a weight for my final set that I could use for one or two more reps if I wanted to. You’ll still have to put in plenty of effort, but the lighter weight will make it much easier to concentrate on the small form points.

Every three or four weeks skip the Friday iso session and test out on the big three on Saturday: power clean, squat and bench press. Some trainees like to do inclines rather than flat-bench presses, and that works just as well. In fact, I believe inclines are more beneficial for athletes than flat-bench presses. The test day is helpful in that it lets you handle some heavier weights, which means you can check out whether your form is improving and you have gained strength on the various movements. Isos always seem to boost one or two lifts more than others. When you resume your isos the following week, you must give preference to the lifts that made the least improvement. Remember that the goal is always to find your weak points and make them stronger. Now, I don’t mean that you should do more positions for the weakest bodyparts. Three is sufficient, but you can give them priority by moving them to the front of the workout and making sure that you’re working to absolute max on your isometric holds. In some cases the weight you use at the various positions may not be as much as it could be. In that case you lock the bar into the top pins and hold it for

a 12-count without an all-out effort. For those to be effective, that hold has to make your body shudder. Also, sometimes you don’t make progress on a particular exercise simply because you’re not working it frequently enough. For example, you find on your test day that your bench press hasn’t gone up at all. So instead of doing inclines and overhead presses in the rack that next week, do three bench press positions at every iso session and see if that makes a difference. It should. I’ll comment more on weight selection for the isos later on, but now I want to outline a program for those who are primarily interested in strength fitness.

Isotonic-Isometric Program for General Strength Fitness This one is set up the same way as the previous routine: five days a week, three days doing isos, two doing free-weight exercises. I’m using a few different exercises in this program. You can delete some and add others to suit your individual interests. Keep in mind that almost any exercise that can be done with free weights can be duplicated in the power rack. It may

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Back to the Rack eye level and just short of lockout.

take some imagination, but I’ve seen athletes do good mornings and even leg curls using isometrics.

Two squat positions: ultradeep bottom and a tad above parallel.

Monday

Three curl positions: start, middle and finish.

Three pulling positions using a clean grip: start, just below the knees and top high pull. Three positions on the bench press: start, middle and just below lockout. Two back-squat positions: deep bottom and just below parallel. Two curl positions: middle and finish. Calf raises.

Calf raises. As with the other program, skip the Friday workout every so often, come in on Saturday and go to limit on the primary exercises. You might also see if your curling strength has improved. Note your weaker lifts and lean on them hard when you go back to the isos. I’ve mentioned this before, but I’ll state it again: These programs are models. They’re not cast in

Tuesday Back squats: five sets of five Good mornings or almoststraight-legged deadlifts: four sets of 10.

If you have an aversion to good mornings, you can do almost-straightlegged deadlifts instead.

Bench presses: five sets of five.

stone. I know it s a cliché, and I try to avoid using them, but in this case it gets the point across. Use the routines as listed or modify them to fit what you’re trying to accomplish. For example, you may want to stick with isos throughout the week and go heavy on all the lifts on Satuarday. That’s how the original program was designed and how Louis Riecke and Bill March trained with great success in the early ’60s. They did overhead presses, squats and pulls in the rack during the week, then totaled out on the three Olympic lifts—press, snatch and clean and jerk—on Saturday. Perhaps you’d rather use free weights three times a week and work in the rack only twice. Whatever floats your boat. As for whether you should do isos often or seldom, there are some rules that should be adhered to if you want to make progress. Only do three positions for the major muscle groups: shoulder

Wednesday Three bent-over-row positions: start, middle and finish. Three incline-press position: start, eye level and just short of lockout. Three back-squat positions: deep bottom, right at parallel and three-quarters of the way up. Three pushdown positions: start, middle and finish. Calf raises.

Alternate incline presses with overhead presses: two sets of five and then three sets of three. If you can do front squats, do five sets of three. For back squats stay with five sets of five. Shrugs: five sets of five

Friday Three pulling positions: below starting position, midthigh and finish, high on your toes. Three pressing positions: start, 250 JANUARY 2006 www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Model: John Hansen

Iso Programs for All Part 7

Thursday

Back to the Rack

Iso Programs for All Part 7

Model: Eric Domer

Be sure to warm up well before heading to the rack. Get your core body temperature up. girdle, back, and hips and legs. If you work those three positions diligently, doing additional positions won’t make them stronger. In fact, it’s counterproductive to do extra work for any bodypart. Advanced strength athletes can get away with working three or four more positions for the smaller groups, such as calves, biceps and triceps, but the majority of trainees are better off sticking with nine positions total—and never more than 12. Be sure to warm up well before going to the rack. Get your core body temperature up by doing calisthenics or riding an exercise bike for five to 10 minutes. Next, do something for your abs and lumbars. Do situps, crunches or leg raises for the abs. Do hyperextensions, which flush blood into your lower back in a hurry. Finally, grab a light weight and work the muscles

of the first group you plan to hit in the rack, such as a set of power cleans before you pull, free-hand squats before you squat or dumbbell front and lateral raises before you do benches, inclines or overhead presses. Along the same line of common sense, before you move on to the second and third series of positions, make sure those bodyparts are adequately prepared for the stress ahead. When you thoroughly warm up muscle groups, they respond much more favorably to any form of exercise, and that’s even more the case with isotonic-isometrics because the sets are so concentrated and short in duration. Warm muscles are also less prone to injury. Here’s a variation that I’ve found helps athletes learn how to put forth greater effort on the money reps. On the first position of a series

at the start of the workout they do three sets rather than just one: the first with a light weight, the second with a moderate poundage and the third as a heavy work set. They do three reps on the first and second sets, tapping the top pins each time but not holding the bar against them for a count. On the work set they can go right to the iso hold on the first rep or tap the pins once or twice before locking it into an isometric contraction for a count of eight to 12. The preparatory tap or taps give lifters a feel for the work weight and make sure their mechanics are correct. If everything isn’t right, they can stop and make the necessary adjustments before locking into the isometric hold. At the second position for that bodypart they can either follow the same procedure and do two warmup sets or, if they’re confident that they know what they’re trying to accomplish, they can go directly to the work set. There they can tap the top pins once or twice prior to the isometric contraction or lock in on the first rep. Obviously, the more you practice the system, the more proficient you’ll become. Doing extra sets at each position does make the workout longer, but when you’re in the learning stage, it’s well worth it. On the subject of workout time, move through the iso workout with purpose. After you finish warming up, set up for your first position, do the iso, unload, move the bar to the next position, reload and quickly perform the isotonic-isometric exercise—and on to the next until you’ve completed your session. No breaks at all. You’ll discover that you don’t need them and that you achieve greater results when you move through the positions quickly. In that regard, it really helps to have a training partner when you do isos. Two training mates are even better to help you with unloading and reloading and moving the pins and bar to the next position. A little trick to aid in that process is to place a bench or chair next to the ends of the bar and stack the weights on it. That saves time and energy and will enable you to complete the workout much faster.

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Back to the Rack Weighty Matters

Iso Programs for All Part 7

Whether you decide to use just a few isotonic-isometric positions as supplements to your regular routine or want to give the rack work priority for six to eight weeks, you ll find this unique system of strength work to be extremely productive. In the beginning you ll work through lots of trial and error until you learn your strong and weak positions. Keep in mind that hold time is more important than the amount of weight used in the isotonic-isometric system. So if you re unable to hold the iso contraction for a minimum of eight seconds, use less weight, and if you can easily handle a certain poundage for 12 seconds and you know you could hold it even longer, you need to increase the resistance. Should you barely hold a contraction for eight seconds, stay with that same weight until you can hold it for 12, and then add weight. Let s say you start into a work set and instantly realize that the weight is too heavy for you to hold for the minimum count. Stop, take off some plates, and do it again. Likewise, when the weight you select is clearly too light, replace the bar on the lower pins and add weight. You also want to remember to write down what you do at each iso session. Record the hole positions, the amount of weight handled and how long you held the contraction. If you use warmup sets, note them as well. This data will be extremely valuable in the long run. Years later you can look at your training journal and use the information again—maybe not for yourself but for someone you re coaching. After an iso session find a way to decompress your back. Overhead work, squats and pulls all put a tremendous amount of stress on your spine, and it s very beneficial to your health and long-term progress to relieve at least some of that strain. Inversion boots are great and available again, as are inversion beds, which tilt upward and save you the trouble of finding a high chinning bar. At the York Barbell Club the lifters decompressed their backs by hanging upside down from a chinning bar with their feet fastened to the bar with straps. It wasn t comfortable by any means, but it got the job done. When I first dangled upside down, my fingers would be six inches from the floor. Five minutes later I could touch the concrete. Most of us decompressed in that manner after every heavy workout, and it really helped prepare us for our next session. In the event that it s not possible for you to hang upside down, strap onto a chinning bar and coax your back muscles to relax as you hang. That will be better than not doing anything at all to decompress your spine. —B.S.

You don’t have to follow the exact order of the positions as I listed them in the sample routines. You may want to give your weakest position priority and move it up front, with your second weakest second and strongest third. While that seems logical, some trainees find that they can exert the most effort at the third position for a certain bodypart. That’s partly because they’re more warmed up and partly because they’re getting in the groove after the two previous sets. In that case do the weakest position last. If all the positions are about equal, it’s still a good idea to switch the order around regularly. A common error many beginners make is to use the railings of the rack to help control and balance

the bar when they lock into the isometric hold. When they do that, their mechanics are not correct— usually they’re leaning too far backward or forward. Keep in mind that if you’re not positioning your body exactly as you do when you perform an exercise with free weights, you’re not going to gain any strength from doing isos on it. So learn to fix the bar in the middle of the pins, away from the railings, and make sure your body mechanics are correct before commencing the isometric hold. Speaking of pins, the closer you can set them to one another, the easier the isotonic portion of the movement will be. Not all power racks have holes closer together,

however. I’ve trained on some on which the holes were set six inches apart. Certainly not ideal, but by standing on boards or plates, I was still able to lean into the isometric contractions for the required count. When moving the bar isotonically upward, don’t jam it against the top pins. Think in terms of how you’d go about pushing a car. You’d never get it to move by jamming against it. Rather, you’d set it in motion by applying pressure and increasing it steadily until the car began to move. The same idea applies to the isotonic-isometric contraction. Fix the bar against the top pins deliberately, make sure your body position is correct, and then start applying tension to the bar. Over the course of four or five seconds you should increase the tension until you’re pushing or pulling to the absolute max. Now lock into that extreme contraction for a count of eight to 12. While you’re in the middle of that surreal experience, focus on the muscle groups you’re working and visualize them growing stronger as the count progresses. The Zen of strength training. I can’t overstress that point: The only way to contract your muscles maximally and hold them in that state of extreme tension for the desired count is to keep your body rigid throughout the iso hold. And the best way to achieve that is to start from a solid base. Push your feet down into the floor, consciously contract your legs, hips, glutes, back, shoulders and arms almost to the point of cramping, and stay in that state of tightness until you reach your goal of eight to 12 seconds. Some trainees believe that a fiveto-six-second contraction is sufficient to build strength, and I agree if the athlete is experienced in this system of training. I’ve found that those in the process of learn isotonic-isometric technique benefit more by doing the longer count. Editor s note: Bill Starr was a strength and conditioning coach at Johns Hopkins University from 1989 to 2000. He’s the author of The Strongest Shall Survive and Defying Gravity. IM

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Mind IRONMIND

In the Mood for Muscle

Are you a worrier or a warrior?

ood, bad, happy, sad, positive, negative—the range of moods is almost endless. Is one mood best for building muscle? “Of course not,” you say. “Muscle isn’t a mental thing. Muscle is about as real as it gets, and moods are some fuzzy idea psychologists dreamed up.” Moods, in fact, influence muscles. More to the point, your moods will be a major determinant of how much

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muscle you build, how fast you build it and whether you like the process or not. Add to this the fact that your moods are far more under your control than you might imagine, and you have a powerful training tool. Let’s lay out the program. For starters, your mood influences whether you even make it into the gym. For example, if you’re feeling sluggish, you’ll probably be “too tired” to train; or if you’re feeling discouraged, you’ll probably feel that training isn’t likely to be productive anyway, so why bother trying? If, however, you’re brimming with enthusiasm, you’ll probably have energy to burn and a sense of being able to accomplish pretty much whatever you like. If you want proof of that process, think about a time when, out of the blue, you got some great news and your overall enthusiasm and energy levels soared as a result. On the other hand, you know what a damper bad news can be—it just takes the wind out of your sails. Your moods have a strong physiological component. These events that you think of as existing only between your ears are tied to myriad biochemical processes in your body. You know the line about how stress kills? That means a host of internal changes are triggered by a reaction to stress. Those physiological processes are most closely tied to negative emotions such as anger and anxiety. Training in and of itself is a stressor, and, in fact, it has to be if you’re going to gain in size and strength. Too much stress, howevThink of yourself as having a er, especially unproductive stress, stress budget. Whatever you triggers all the negative emotions, spend on worrying will not

be available for building muscle.

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which will only impede your training progress because they squander resources that you could use for muscle-building purposes. Think of yourself as having a stress budget: Whatever you spend on worrying won’t be available for building muscle. On the other side of the equation, certain positive emotions can not only help you get to the gym and give each workout your best shot but also help you recover from your training. That’s why some of the fabled Eastern European training systems specifically cultivate a tranquil, relaxed state of mind as a restorative post-training tool. In other words, if you focus on being calm and relaxed after your training, it will help you recover. Is that a deal or what? Relaxing and feeling good will help you grow. While some researchers might argue that the physiological reactions are nearly automatic, we can learn to control such things as the intensity and duration of our emotional reactions. The process begins when we understand that we don’t have to be slaves to our emotions. Put two people on a freeway, for instance, have them both get cut off by another driver and, while one explodes with a string of vile epithets, the other might calmly say, “I guess he didn’t see me.” The first driver goes over the edge emotionally, while the second keeps his reserves for a more productive purpose. Try to moderate your reactions to unexpected situations, realizing that 1) you can influence your response, 2) you’ll benefit from staying in charge emotionally, and 3) giving in to the full force of your moods is a childish indulgence. Interestingly, researchers have found evidence that we begin to learn some of our most basic lessons about emotional management when we’re mere infants, and one of the striking findings is that even when we’re only a few months old, we can catch the emotions of the people around us. Infants can become more passive, depressed and a variety of other negative things when they’re around mothers who are so inclined themselves. The flip side of that finding is the suggestion that we can learn to seize control of and manage our moods. First, remember that you’re in charge, so if you’re tempted to just blow up, give up or in some other way throw in the emotional towel, remind yourself that you’re in control. Talk to yourself and come to grips with the upsetting event in a levelheaded manner. If you don’t succeed immediately, try again. Second, use some specific mood-management tools in your training. For example, if you tend to have trouble with the idea of going through your whole workout, coax yourself into the gym by saying that you’re only going to do the first part. Similarly, try to structure your workout to best complement your emotional makeup. Some people like to build up momentum by doing all their favorite exercises first and then hitting

the dreadedbut-effective ones. Other people prosper by getting the tough stuff out of the way first and glide through the remainder. Don’t be afraid to experiment and see what works best for you. Third, remember that good old behavioral psychology Get-big attitude in action. principles apply here: Act angry and you’ll feel angry. Act calm and you’ll feel calm. That’s why—even though it sounds dopey to tell people to try smiling if they want to feel better—it really works. Talk about a free and easy mood elevator. Fourth, bad-hair days will come around, but don’t let them ruin things for you. When you’re not on track for a peak performance, rather than caving in and quitting, cut the weights, shorten your routine or follow some other plan that enables you to train productively. Doing a new personal best each day isn’t a realistic goal, but doing the best you’re capable of that day is. Fifth, remember that your moods are contagious, so if you want to be bummed out or unproductive, hang out with negative people. On the other hand, if you want to get somewhere, spend your time with a positive, productive crowd—you’ll be swept forward on the wave of collective optimism. Enthusiasm, optimism, purpose, determination, focus, control—the moods for muscle are many. Put them to use for yourself. —Randall Strossen, Ph.D.

Neveux \ Model: Jay Cutler

BODY Editor’s note: Randall Strossen, Ph.D., edits the quarterly magazine MILO. He’s also the author of IronMind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies; Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks and Paul Anderson: The Mightiest Minister. For more information call IronMind Enterprises Inc. at (530) 265-6725 or Home Gym Warehouse at (800) 4470008, ext. 1. Visit the IronMind Web site at www .ironmind.com.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 257

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Perspective

MIND/BODY

Accolades for the Classic Physique recent survey by IRON MAN uncovered the fact that the majority of bodybuilders would prefer having a classic physique. The natural classic physique of the late Steve Reeves received 25 percent of the votes in the survey and exceeded the percentage of votes received by anyone with a so-called freaky physique. Steve was also the most admired bodybuilder during the 1950s and ’60s. He won all the major physique contests, including Mr. America, Mr. World and Mr. Universe. Then he went on to star in Hercules and several other classic hero movies. He inspired millions of young men, including me, to become bodybuilders. Steve’s philosophy of life was “one of adaptation and to lead a balanced life.” He also said, “I honestly believe that any boy or man who wants to can build his body to very good proportions. It is a matter of sticking to it.” Steve developed his classic physique by following a physical culture lifestyle that included weight training, power walking, power biking, good nutrition and natural supplements. He never used steroids or any other illegal performance-enhancing drugs. As noted in the August ’05 issue of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen Journal, “It seems that anyone with any significant muscle and/or strength is immediately presumed to be a juicer today.” It’s time for our favorite sport—bodybuilding— to return to the physical culture lifestyle that existed before steroids invaded America in 1960. As Steve said, “Let’s give future bodybuilders a sport that has integrity and honor—and a method of training that will not only give them wonderful physiques but also provide them with a lifetime of health, vitality and peace of mind.” —Grover L. Porter, Ph.D.

Editor’s note: The quotations attributed to Steve were excerpted from Dynamic Muscle Building, by Steve Reeves with John Little and George Helmer (Malibu, CA: Classic Image Productions, 2003).

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www.Home-Gym.com Best Sellers Books:

4) “Ronnie Coleman’s The Cost of Redemption”

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5) “Dorian Yates’ Blood and Guts” Top E-books: X-Rep combo package. The Ultimate Mass Workout—Featuring the X-Rep Muscle-Building Method and Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, both by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson (available at www.X-Rep.com)

2) Fat to Muscle 2 by IRON MAN Publishing 3) Train, Eat, Grow—The Positionsof-Flexion Muscle-Training Manual by Steve Holman

The new e-book on X-hybrid techiques.

4) 10-Week Size Surge by IRON MAN Publishing 5) The Precontest Bible by Larry Pepe DVDs/Videos: 1) “Sizzlefest: IM’s Hottest of the Hottest” 2) “IRON MAN’s Bodybuilding Beauties” 3) “IRON MAN’s Swimsuit Spectacular #9”

The original XRep manual. Get both ebooks at a special price at X-Rep.com.

New Stuff

Bodybuilding’s Strongest Fat Burner It’s almost ready! t’s another first from the researchers at NxCare. They’re gearing up to introduce in early 2006 the most powerful fat burner bodybuilding has ever seen. It gets even more interesting, as reports indicate it will also be the world’s first anticatabolic fat burner. That means it burns fat—and spares hard-earned muscle. Gone are the days of mandatory muscle loss in the quest for a dialed-in physique. Like every product developed by NxCare, this new and innovative offering is designed to get bodybuilders shredded beyond belief, which explains why it’s been specially developed to be the most powerful fat burner ever. The product will be available at GNC, Vitamin World and Vitamin Shoppe. To learn more about it, keep visiting www.NxCare.com.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 259

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Adornments

Body Art

MIND/BODY Tats ain’t temporary, ya know

hen I was a little kid back in the groovy ’70s, having tattoos on your body meant you belonged to some special group of people apart from mainstream society. Essentially, they signified you’d been in the military, in prison, in a biker gang or possibly all three. Most likely, you were some kind of bad-ass with whom nobody wanted to trifle—if they knew what was good for them. A couple of decades later, though, a curious thing happened. Tattoos very rapidly went mainstream and became trendy, not only for men but also for women. Nowadays it’s almost hard to find someone between the ages of 18 and 35 who doesn’t have a tattoo, and they have lost all meaning in terms of identifying you as part of a particular group. If you’re wondering what that all has to do with bodybuilding, it’s this: A very large percentage of bodybuilders are among those getting inked. The question is, Do tattoos distract from or even ruin an otherwise exceptional body? I believe they certainly can. That’s something to consider seriously before getting a tattoo. Tattoos are forever. Yes, you can get them removed using lasers, but the procedure is quite expensive and exceedingly painful, and it leaves you with an ugly scar that’s often more unsightly than the original tattoo. If you have the goal of sculpting a living work of art out of your body via weight training, there are specific locations you should avoid having body art applied to. First of all, two very popular areas, the shoulders and upper arms, are a bad idea. Yes, that Superman logo on your side delt and a tribal band or barbed wire around your biceps and triceps might seem like a pretty cool idea right now, but think about how either would interrupt the visual flow of the muscle groups. Other areas I happen to think should be avoided include the chest, the sides of the upper back, the thighs and calves and the abs. Tattos on those bodyparts are distract-

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ing and break up the otherwise pleasing lines of a well-built body. If you must get tattoos, some spots that would be less intrusive would be between the shoulder blades, the lower back, the undersides of the forearms, and the ankles. Once in a while someone writes to me and wants to know if tattoos count against you in bodybuilding competition. I say, it depends on how many you have, how large and prominent they are, and where they’re located. Some like to point out that six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates had tattoos, and they certainly never held him back from winning the biggest title in the sport. They forget that Dorian’s two tattoos were located on his forearms and that you barely noticed them once he put on his Pro Tan. I’ve been to amateur events where guys had “full sleeves,” or tattoos that covered every square inch of their arms from the shoulder joint to the wrist. I don’t care how great your arms are built: They aren’t going to look as impressive when they’re marked up to that extent. So while this is not a tirade against tattoos (I currently have three and my wife has four), I do implore all of you who put a high priority on your physiques to give careful thought before getting any. Unlike a bad hairstyle or ill-fitting clothing, body art becomes a permanent part of you once the ink has punctured your skin. —Ron Harris www.RonHarrisMuscle.com

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Sitings

MIND/BODY

Internet Trolls f you’ve spent any time on some of the more popular bodybuilding message boards on the Internet, you’ve no doubt come across the poisonous postings of various “trolls.” Like the trolls of European mythology, these creatures are also vile, spiteful and wretched souls. Only they don’t hide under bridges; they lurk behind silly and usually totally misleading anonymous screen names like 2HUGE4U. They delight in negative comments and strive to make everyone else as miserable as they are. If you dare to post a physique photo, they will instantly chime in to list your faults as well as assure you that they look a hundred times bigger and better—though they won’t post a photo to prove their flimsy point. They may even send you a PM, or private message, full of insults and taunts. The world, unfortunately, is full of jealous, unhappy people who don’t want anyone else to be happy or have the things they don’t. And sadly, some of them have gravitated toward the Internet, where they’re free to spew their bile until board moderators ban them. My advice, as someone who has had to deal with more than a few of these trolls in recent years, is not to

Don’t let them under your bridges

engage them in argument or trade insults but rather to ignore them. Nothing will frustrate them more than getting absolutely no response to their attempt to upset you. And maybe if we’re all lucky, someday they will all disappear from the face of the earth, just as fairies, gnomes, trolls and leprechauns did centuries ago. —Ron Harris

Warning Signs

Abhor the

Snore

eople who have sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing stops every so often during sleep, can snore furiously. The condition can increase the risk for high blood pressure and heart disease. If you or someone you know snores so loudly that it disturbs another person sleeping in the same room, the snorer should see an ear, nose and throat specialist— especially if that person frequently wakes up in the morning with headaches and/or is tired during the day. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Serious Training

MIND/BODY

Jennifer DeJoya Photography by Jerry Fredrick Location: Goldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gym, Venice, California

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Serious Stats

Weight: 112 Height: 5’2” Age: 36 Age began training: 15 Bodypart split: Monday: back; Tuesday: shoulders; Wednesday: cardio; Thursday: legs; Friday: chest; Saturday: arms; Sunday: cardio or off Sample workout (legs): Lunges 4 x 15 Deadlifts 3 x 12 Leg curls 3 x 15 Leg extensions 3 x 15 Calf raises 1 x 100 Factoids: In order to compete, I’ve lost 50 pounds over the past two years. I work as a technical re cruiter for a major movie studio in Los Angeles.

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Jerry Brainum’s

Bodybuilding Pharmacology

Take T and See

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In the early 1970s I was living next door to a prominent professional bodybuilder. One day I mentioned that I was having trouble losing bodyfat, despite following a low-carbohydrate and low-calorie diet. His response was to open a closet in his apartment and remove some pills that he poured into an envelope for me. “Take four of these each day, and your fat-loss problems will be over,” he told me. The mysterious pills turned out to be a natural form of thyroid drug called Armour Thyroid, which was and still is derived from pig sources. He warned me not to use more than the suggested dosage, since that would lead to loss of lean mass. I don’t recall whether it actually helped in my quest for increased muscularity, especially since I had only a onemonth supply. In retrospect, however, I realize that my failure to lose fat did have a lot to do with thyroid function. My efforts to get as cut as possible resulted in overdieting to the extent that my body interpreted it as starvation. The body’s fail-safe response was to convert active thyroid hormone into an inactive form called reverse T3. The two known cures for a dieting plateau are to either increase calorie intake or do something to promote thyroid activity. Bodybuilders have been aware of thyroid effects for years, and thyroid drugs remain a common weapon in the quest to increase muscularity. The thyroid gland, located in the neck, produces several hormones, the two most active being triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Of the two, T3 is considered the metabolically active form, being about four to five times more active than T4. T4 is nothing more than a pro-hormone. The body converts T4 to T3 though the activity of enzymes called diiodinases, which remove an iodine molecule from T4 to produce T3. Most of that activity occurs in the liver, powered by energy (as

Having either too little or too much thyroid hormone causes muscle weakness because it adversely affects the level of L-carnitine in muscle.

ATP) and minerals, such as zinc and selenium. Besides controlling the rate of cellular metabolism, thyroid hormones work synergistically with several anabolic hormones, including growth hormone, testosterone and insulin. The interactions between various anabolic hormones is apparent when you consider that a primary anabolic hormone, IGF-1, simply won’t function unless adequate thyroid hormone is available. During the first two weeks of growth hormone suplementation, the increased levels of growth hormone suppress thyroidstimulating hormone (TSH), a hormone released by the pituitary gland in the brain that controls thyroid hormone synthesis. After two weeks the effect dissipates, but various studies show that growth hormone appears to work better when thyroid output is optimal. That’s why many athletes supplement growth hormone use with thyroid drugs. At present, two major types of thyroid drugs are available. The first is marketed under the trade name Synthroid and is T4-based. If you had a low thyroid level (as judged by an elevated TSH level and low thyroid hormone in the blood), most doctors would prescribe Synthroid, which the body slowly converts (over about seven days) into T3 as needed. The idea is that you avoid some of the possible side effects linked to excess thyroid intake, such as heart problems, shakiness, insomnia and lean tissue loss. Those problems may result because T3 has a much shorter halflife, or time before it’s metabolized in the body, than T4. So T3 can cause a rapid rise in thyroid activity followed by a rapid decline; the rapid rise is linked to side effects. The human thyroid secretes T4 to T3 in a ratio of 9-to-1. Endocrinologists, or hormone specialists, are currently debating whether it’s better to prescribe both T3 and T4 or just T4, based on several studies showing that many people are unable to efficiently convert T4 into T3 and still suffer the effects of low thyroid function when given only Synthroid. The more active thyroid hormone is represented by the drug Cytomel. That’s the form preferred by athletes and bodybuilders, since there’s no lag time for conversion of inactive into active hormone. But while it works far faster than T4, the chances of side effects are much greater. Taking either Synthroid or Cytomel relays a feedback mechanism to the hypothalamus, which responds by halting the release of thyroid-hormone-releasing hormone (THRH). When that happens, the pituitary gland gets no signal to release TSH. No TSH equals no instruction to the thyroid gland to produce hormones. The scenario described above is irrelevant to those who have hypothyroidism, or low thyroid output, but could adversely affect anyone else who uses thyroid drugs, such as bodybuilders. Taking too high a dose for too long may suppress the thyroid gland to the extent that your metabolism drops, leading to fat gain. That’s occurred in several athletes who overused thyroid hormone. On the other hand, using thyroid drugs short-term, for several weeks, can result in a rebound, where you get an increased thyroid hormone effect after stopping the drugs. It’s likely related to a rebound stimulation of TSH, which is suppressed while you’re taking the drugs. The greatest problem with overdoing thyroid drugs is the loss of lean tissue. A little-known fact about thyroid drugs is that they give you a hypermetabolic effect only

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When too much thyroid hormone is present, the body rapidly excretes carnitine. When not enough is available, the enzymes in the liver and kidneys that synthesize carnitine from other amino acids are severely depressed. when you exceed the amount of thyroid hormone that your body makes naturally. For example, if you take one tablet of Cytomel, or 25 micrograms, your body will notice and reduce production of thyroid hormone by that exact amount. You won’t get a hypermetabolic effect unless you take at least four tablets, or 100 micrograms, which exceeds the amount of T3 the body makes. During a hypermetabolic state induced by thyroid activity, the body doesn’t discriminate in the tissues affected. The net effect is that you burn about equal parts of fat and muscle. An interesting and not often discussed side issue is that after two weeks the body somehow prevents the loss of excess muscle and focuses on fat, but you could sacrifice a lot of muscle during those first two weeks. Several popular drug manuals have suggested that a stack of thyroid drugs, especially Cytomel and clenbuterol, is a “powerful fat-burning combination.” What the books don’t point out is that it’s also a bad combination because clenbuterol mimics the effects of natural adrenal hormones called catecholamines, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which increase blood pressure and speed up the heart. High doses of thyroid drugs do the same thing, and taking them with clenbuterol can magnify their adverse effects on cardiovascular function. Clenbuterol also destroys muscle cells in the heart, an effect than can easily be increased by also using Cytomel in doses that result in hypermetabolism (100 micrograms or over). For what’s called thyroid storm, a condition characterized by an excess level of thyroid hormones in the blood, the first medical treatment is beta-blocker drugs. Beta blockers work by blocking the receptors for catecholamine-induced heart complications. A common feature of both elevated (hyperthyroid) and lowered (hypothyroid) conditions is muscle weakness. Until recently, the source of the weakness remained a mystery. Now, however, we know that having too little or too much thyroid hormone causes weakness because it adversely affects the level of L-carnitine in muscle. Most bodybuilders know that L-carnitine, an amino acid derivative, shuttles fatty acids into the portion of cells known as mitochondria, where fat is oxidized. Skeletal muscle depends on fat as a source of energy, especially during rest, and without sufficient carnitine it can weaken. Under normal conditions the supply of L-carnitine in the muscle isn’t a problem, but it rapidly diminishes when

there’s too much or too little thyroid hormone in the body. When too much thyroid hormone is present, the body rapidly excretes carnitine. When not enough is available, the enzymes in the liver and kidneys that synthesize carnitine from other amino acids (such as lysine) are severely depressed, again leading to a lower carnitine content in muscle. Taking the usual forms of supplemental L-carThe greatest problem nitine probably won’t with overdoing thyroid help, since studies show drugs from a bodybuilding that while supplemenperspective involves tal carnitine increases losing lean tissue. blood levels of carnitine, it has little or no effect on the muscle levels. In addition, less than 10 percent of any oral dose of carnitine is absorbed anyway, and of that amount, 4 percent is immediately excreted unless you take it with choline. In the recent past bodybuilders and others interested in manipulating thyroid function have had options besides the usual T3 and T4 drugs. An example is triacana, a.k.a. tiratricol, or triac. Triacana is an intermediate substance in the pathway that produces T3 in the thyroid. Back in the 1970s a famous European bodybuilder introduced triacana to his American counterparts, telling them that it was the secret to his considerable muscularity. Most bodybuilders who used the drug according the European champ’s dosage suggestions, however, either got fat or lost muscle. In fact, many medical studies use triacana to purposely suppress TSH, since it’s more effective in that role than even T3 drugs. Even so, triacana has a reputation as a “mild” thyroid drug far less likely to produce adverse effects than straight thyroid drugs like Cytomel. A few years ago triacana became available as an overthe-counter supplement because it’s found naturally in certain foods. Since it has a short half-life, you had to take it several times a day. Then several adverse reports to the FDA led to its removal from OTC sales. Most problems involved thyroid suppression lasting six months or more or heart problems indicative of hyperthyroidism. Interestingly, the theory behind using triacana was that its potent suppression of TSH would result in a considerable thyroid rebound. The theory may have worked for some but not for everybody. A far better OTC form of thyroid hormone, labeled a “pro-hormone,” was diiodothyronione (T2). For years scientists knew that several intermediate hormones, T2 and triacana among them, were produced in the pathway between T4 and T3, but they were thought to exert little or no biological activity. Later research showed that both T2 and triacana are considerably active in the body. T2 is in some ways superior to T3. While T3 produces a systemic hypermetabolism, most of T2’s effects were www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2006 269

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Many doctors frown on the use of Armour Thyroid, noting that since it’s a naturally derived product, its potency may vary from batch to batch. Well, that’s a myth propagated by large pharmaceutical companies to promote sales of their own thyroid drugs. Half-page ad moved to page 171 (this ad moved from there)

limited to fat and muscle—exactly where you want them to be. A recent animal-based study involving two groups of rats on a high-fat diet showed just what T2 is capable of. The rats that got a dose of T2 equal to 25 micrograms per 100 grams of bodyweight experienced a 13 percent lower bodyweight; 42 percent higher liver fatty acid oxidation; 50 percent less total fat mass; a complete disappearance of fat in the liver; 52 percent lower triglyceride, or fat, in the blood; and 18 percent lower total cholesterol than the rats that were not given supplemental T2. The T2 rats showed no effects on other thyroid hormones, such as T3 and T4, nor did they show any adverse effects on TSH. The effects of T2 were traced to upgraded activity of the enzyme system that works with L-carnitine to transport fats for oxidation, lowering the substance that inhibits the enzyme and increasing mitochondrial uncoupling. That reflects a greater use of ATP for energy. The net effect is an increase in thermogenesis, or use of fat as an energy source. It all occurs less than 30 minutes after intake of T2. What’s more, no loss of muscle occurs with T2, either. The authors of the study suggest that while those are impressive results, there’s no evidence that similar results will occur in humans. They also note that a major problem with obesity is fatty liver, which is quite common in people who have excess fat and can lead to liver failure. The effect of T2 in completely clearing liver fat could be a boon to such people if it turns out that T2 works in humans as it does in rats. Sadly, T2 is no longer available as an OTC supplement. A few thyroid drugs, however, still contain the full spectrum of thyroid hormones, particularly the drug given to me so

many years ago. Armour Thyroid contains T4, T3 and T2, as well as triacana. In fact, it contains 80 percent T4 and 20 percent T3—the latter being twice as much as human thyroid glands secrete. The higher T3 is not as potent as a straight T3 drug like Cytomel but definitely promotes a boost in metabolism. Many doctors frown on the use of Armour Thyroid, noting that since it’s a naturally derived product, its potency may vary from batch to batch. Well, that’s a myth propagated by large pharmaceutical companies to promote sales of their own thyroid drugs. The level of active thyroid hormones contained in Armour Thyroid is standardized, and one study showed that it retained potency two years past its expiration date. The other alleged drawback of Armour Thyroid relates to its higher T3 content, which some doctors believe leads to wildly fluctuating blood thyroid levels. Again, that just doesn’t occur in reality. In truth, however, while Armour Thyroid is safer and far gentler than other thyroid drugs, it contains only trace amounts of T2. While no thyroid drug should be casually used, especially if prior medical conditions are present, those who espouse a natural form of thyroid treatment should ask their doctor about Armour Thyroid, if other natural treatments, such as gugglesterone and olive leaf, fail to help.

References 1 Sinclair, C., et al. (2005). Muscle carnitine in hypo- and hyperthyroidism. Muscle and Nerve. 32:357-359. 2 Lanni, A., et al. (2005). 3,5 diiodo-L-thyronine powerfully reduces adiposity in rats by increasing the burning of fats. FASEB J. 19:1552-1554.

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Readers Write O, Yeah!

months and then quit training or start using drugs when it doesn't happen. I know you can’t caption every picture “drug user” or “natural,” but at least mention the difference in your articles and be up-front about it. Keep up the photos and articles of presteroid guys and current natural bodybuilders. I, for one, am disgusted by the drug use in bodybuilding. Bill Stinson Jacksonville, FL Editor’s note: You’re right. Sometimes we take it for granted that everyone reading IM understands which bodybuilders have had pharmaceutical help. It would make it so much easier if the ones who use drugs had signs of that use other than big muscles—like long, pointy noses.

Adela Garcia

Fitness Olympia Champion

Neveux

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I just want to thank IRON MAN for the wonderful opportunity to be in the November issue [Hardbody]. It has been a dream of mine to shoot with Michael Neveux and to be in IM. I was treated very professionally, and I felt very comfortable shooting with him. It was a great experience. Thanks for making a dream come true. Adela Garcia via Internet Editor’s note: And thank you for gracing our pages with your beauty and fabulous physique.

Read It and Reap I’ve been reading IRON MAN since I was a kid in the ’70s. Your magazine is still the best, and I still love to train. I want to look good and stay strong for my athletic endeavors—mainly league softball. I have just introduced my eight-year-old son to lifting, and he’s hooked. He loves to work out with me. Steve Holman is probably my favorite author. His stuff just makes sense. And his X-Rep concepts have really helped me cut down my workout time while increasing the intensity, pump and burn. They have spurred me to new gains even at 46. My main reason for writing is to encourage the magazine to go down the natural road as much as possible. I understand the freaks on drugs sell magazines and products. I must admit I do like looking at them just for the pure freakiness of muscle; however, I think we owe it to our youth to inform them of how physiques get that way. Too many will want to look like Mr. Olympia in six

I’ve been lifting weights for four years now. I started out lifting with the football team when I played. I found out fast that what they were doing wasn’t for me; it just made me lose weight. I quit football because baseball was my better sport. Then I got on your 10-Week Size Surge program. In no time girls were commenting on how much bigger I was getting. I started out at 5’9”, 169 pounds. I’m now at 190 pounds. My bench went from 250 to 350 and my squat from 405 to 500. Thanks for showing me how to do it right. Trevor Willis via Internet Editor’s note: 10-Week Size Surge has built a lot of mass for a lot of bodybuilders. If trainees are looking for an updated version, with changes we’ve made as a result of our findings at the IRON MAN Training & Research Center over the years, see the Basic Ultimate Mass Workouts in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book, available at www.X-Rep.com. We constructed those programs with the very best exercises for each bodypart and infused them with X Reps for more muscle-building firepower.

More Legends IRON MAN is the best magazine out there. I really like the Legends series of posters. I hope you can keep it going for as long as possible. I’m hoping the standards of the older physiques will come back. Dan Johnson via Internet Editor’s note: So far we’ve done three Legends posters: Arnold, Cory Everson and Dave Draper. We plan to do more down the road. Stay tuned, er um, subscribed. Vol. 65, No. 1: IRON MAN (ISSN #0047-1496) is published monthly by IRON MAN Publishing, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Periodical Mail is paid at Oxnard, CA, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Please allow six to eight weeks for change to take effect. Subscription rates—U.S. and its possessions: new 12-issue subscription, $29.97. Canada, Mexico and other foreign subscriptions: 12 issues, $49.97 sent Second Class. Foreign orders must be in U.S. dollars. Send subscriptions to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Or call 1-800-570-4766. Copyright © 2005. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.

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