Ironman Magazine 2006-07 by Iron Man

JULY 2006 / IRON MAN MAGAZINE—WE KNOW TRAINING™

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www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

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150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

July 2006

Vol. 65, No. 7

Dante’s Inferno, page 120

We Know Training™ FEATURES

76 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 81 New split, more X-hybrid techniques and ripping it up.

108 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 12 A valuable lesson from Ron Harris: You can’t flex fat.

120 DANTE’S INFERNO An interview with the creator of DC, or Doggcrapp, training. No, it’s not a joke; it’s just the most sought-after mass-building technique on the Internet. Ask David Henry.

144 TAN BAN Jerry Brainum looks at the positives and negatives of bronzing your bod in the hot summer rays.

170 19-INCH GUNS X-caliber triceps training to put some new freak on your physique—as in arms like 20-pound hams.

210 CATEGORY 5 TRAINING INTENSITY Peter Siegel tells you how to channel your mental power into a force of mass construction.

Binais Begovic and Katie Lohmann appear on this month’s cover. Hair and makeup Kat Connelly. Photo by Michael Neveux.

226 HEAVY DUTY John Little delves into the Mentzer philosophy on one set to failure, recovery and advanced mass methods, like omni-contraction.

234 10 STUPID THINGS BODYBUILDERS DO TO MESS UP THEIR WINNING MINDSET, PART 2 Skip La Cour goes mental—his second big five and a wrap-up for insane gains!

19-Inch Guns, page 170

Tan Ban, page 144

256 ZAC AND LANA David Young interviews team Titus, the pair who won the Fittest Couple competition at IM’s FitExpo.

278 BOB GARDNER PICTORIAL A classic-photo tribute to the winner of the ’06 Art Zeller Award for Artistic Excellence.

Ms., Fitness and Figure International, page 296

296 IFBB MS., FITNESS AND FIGURE INTERNATIONAL COMPETITIONS Page after page of in-your-face shots of hot female bodies—direct from the Arnold Classic. Wow!

314 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Bill Starr gives you the squat-option lowdown. Sure, it’s the king of the mass movements, but there are alternatives.

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DEPARTMENTS

36 TRAIN TO GAIN Time off to pack it on, abdominal overkill and Joe Horrigan’s Sportsmedicine.

54 SMART TRAINING Top strength coach Charles Poliquin looks at chinups vs. pulldowns and double-split training.

62 EAT TO GROW Aspartame gets the blame, mind your minerals and sizebuilding essentials.

94 CRITICAL MASS Steve Holman discusses king TUT—time under tension.

100 NATURALLY HUGE Bob Gardner Pictorial, page 278

John Hansen goes blubber blasting.

Train to Gain, page 36

266 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY Jerry Brainum says, “Block that estrogen kick!”

270 MUSCLE “IN” SITES Eric Broser surfs the tangled Web for cool stuff you can use—fitness dating and supplement blogs.

272 NEWS & VIEWS Lonnie Teper gives you the goings-on in the world of bodybuilding.

290 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE Ruth Silverman snaps up all the beautiful-body news from the ladies’ side!

324 MIND/BODY CONNECTION Randall Strossen, Ph.D., discusses private parts, and Dave Draper’s bomb squad confirms earthshaking discoveries—plus, loads of hot shots in Graphic Muscle Stars and Serious Training.

News & Views, page 272

Pump & Circumstance, page 290

WEB ALERT!

336 READERS WRITE Arnold is still awesome, bigger is not better and grow with DXO.

In the next IRON MAN Next month we’ve got a very cool issue for you. It’s our Arnold-birthday celebration special. We’ll have page after full page of classic Arnold photos, straight from the archives of John Balik. Talk about a collector’s issue! Then we’ll have Jerry Brainum’s look at what’s known as the metabolic syndrome. It may be the reason you’re not gaining muscle or losing fat as fast as you should, and Brainum has some answers. Plus, you can check out five training secrets the so-called experts don’t want you to know, and a sleeve-busting biceps program that’ll give your guns firepower. Watch for the Arnold-esque August IRON MAN on newsstands the first week of July.

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John Balik’s

Founders 1936-1986: Peary & Mabel Rader

Publisher’s Letter

We Know Training— We Are Training Last month’s h’ editorial di i l was a short h course in IRON MAN’s history and its philosophy of training since 1936—an approach that’s still strong today. As I read the articles that make up this issue, I was stuck by the story of Zac and Lana Titus. Some of my editorials have discussed what has gone wrong with our sport in the past 30 years, but the Tituses’ story, which begins on page 256, reaffirms what’s wonderful about a true bodybuilding lifestyle. Zac and Lana won our Fittest Couple contest at the ’06 IM FitExpo, and as a result they were given the opportunity to share their story in IRON MAN. Here is a family that walks the walk. From working out together to honing their nutrition and supplementation, they do it right. The bodybuilding lifestyle can enhance a relationship, strengthening the bond, and lead to wonderful health benefits. Bodybuilding, practiced in a holistic way (historically, IRON MAN’s way), is as close as we can get to the fountain of youth. While holistic is a buzz word, you can see in this issue how IRON MAN feeds every aspect of training. Many of the features address the workout itself and/or individual exercises and techniques. You’ll see that in the Train to Gain section (page 36), Train, Eat, Grow (page 76), “Dante’s Inferno” (page 120), “19-Inch Guns” (page 170), Heavy Duty (page 226), Only the Strong Shall Survive (page 314), Smart Training (page 54) and Critical Mass (page 94). In the nutrition and supplementation area we have the Eat to Grow section (page 62), Naturally Huge (page 100), Bodybuilding Pharmacology (page 266) and “A Bodybuilder Is Born” (page 108). The psychology of successful bodybuilding is discussed in “Category 5 Training Intensity” (page 210), “10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do to Mess Up Their Winning Mind-set” (page 234) and, of course, the Mind/Body section (page 324). The inspiration comes from the wonderful photos of legendary photographer Bob Gardner (page 278) as well as the Zac and Lana Titus story. In addition, no issue is complete without News & Views (page 272) and Pump & Circumstance (page 290), which highlight the personalities and happenings in competitive bodybuilding and the fitness industry. While we are not a competition-geared magazine per se, we still add a little to spice up the mix. This month’s entry is the women’s coverage from the Arnold Classic, full-page-photo essays on the Ms., Fitness and Figure International events that begins on page 296. (For thousands of contest photos visit IRON MAN’s GraphicMuscle.com.) We strive to balance the contents of every issue for our readers’ needs. When you see the mix of articles each month, it reflects not only what the individual authors want to write about but also what we have found— after analyzing thousands of reader surveys—that you want to read. I read every letter and e-mail message; your input is always acknowledged and appreciated. All in all, I think we’ve covered bodybuilding as a lifestyle and fulfilled our mission this month. What do you think? Send e-mail to me at Ironleader@aol.com, and let me know. IM

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: Aldrich Bonifacio Designer: Emerson Miranda IRON MAN Staff: Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba, David Solorzano, R. Anthony Toscano 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 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 Jonathan Lawson, Ad Coordinator: ironjdl@aol.com Sonia Melendez, Subscriptions: soniazm@aol.com

30 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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SEXY ROCK-HARD ABS FAST The Secret to Etching your Granite-Carved Abs in 10 Short Minutes Picture this... you with tight, shredded abs, serratus and intercostals all sharp, sliced and visible from across the room or on the sun-glared beach! And from the rear, lower lumbars that look like two thick steel girders supporting your muscle-studded back. Imagine looking like a Greek god... in street clothes... in the gym... or anywhere. The incredible breakthrough design of the pad on the Ab Bench pre-stretches the targeted muscles prior to contraction, giving you a full-range movement, making each exercise up to 200% more effective. The Ab Bench takes the physiology of your spine into consideration with its design like nothing else on the market. The contraction takes place all the way into the pelvis where the abdominals actually rotate the spine, forcing the abdominals to completely contract... from the upper abs to the lower abs. Using the Ab Bench is the “sure-ﬁre” guarantee for you to get those attention-grabbing washboard abs. From full stretch to complete contraction—in total comfort. The Ab Bench is the most complete midsection exercise in existence. You’ll feel the incredible difference from your very ﬁrst rep.

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Ronnie Coleman takes three months off after the Mr. Olympia.

36 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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L AYO F F S

Should you take regularly scheduled layoffs from couple of weeks. If you’re feeling fantastic, with productraining? That’s a question many bodybuilders ponder. tive workouts that you highly anticipate, you’re probably On one hand, taking breaks of a week or more can be fine continuing with your workouts as they are. Just be just what you need to recharge and prepare to get back aware of what’s going on, and don’t be afraid to take in the battle. Team Universe Champion and regular IRON time off if the signals your body is sending you point to MAN contributor Skip La Cour swears by a very systemthat as a smart decision. atic layoff schedule—six weeks of hard training followed —Ron Harris by one week off, all year long. www.RonHarrisMuscle.com Gustavo I’ve often recommended taking a week off two Badell can’t or three times a year, preferably to coincide with stand missing fitting times like a vacation, particularly demandmore than a ing seasons at work (Christmas for those in retail, few days of April for accountants, etc.) or following a competraining, even tition, for those who compete. The top physique after a show. competitor in the world, Ronnie Coleman, actually takes a full three months off from the gym afterr each st of his Mr. Olympia contest so that he can train at the best ability for the next nine months. So far, his strategyy has mpia worked like a charm, as he currently has eight Olympia titles and is looking to make it nine this year. me of off But like anything else in bodybuilding, taking time e those from training is a highly individual matter. There are g, such who can’t stay away from the weights for very long, Gus as IRON MAN Pro and San Francisco Pro champ Guspeaking tavo “the Freakin’ Rican” Badell. While we were speaking d about Ronnie’s seasonal layoff, Gustavo expressed aid. disbelief. “I don’t know how Ronnie does it,” he said. “For me, after two or three days without training, at the most, I start going crazy. I need to feel that heavy weight and my muscles working. I don’t feell ng right when I don’t train, period.” In fact, the morning after he won the ’05 IRONMAN Pro, Badell was in the gym training legs. We’re all unique, of course. Gustavo’s mind and body may be far more conditioned to consistent training than yours, and he may be one of the handful of athletes with almost superhuman recovery abilities, since going for years without ever taking so much as a week off would have just about anyone else overtrained and burned-out. My best advice is to listen to your body and pay attention to how you feel not only in the gym while you train but also in your everyday life. If you ng find yourself getting fatigued, having trouble sleeping and generally dreading the gym, it’s probably time for you to take a break for anywhere from a couple of dayss to a

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MIDSECTION PERFECTION

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FREAK PHYSIQUE

Let Your Freak Flag Fly? Most of us have at least one bodypart that grows easily. Maybe it’s your chest, your arms, or, if you’re a really rare specimen, your calves. Bodybuilders have debated for years what should be done with the gifted muscles. Should you run with the opportunity to build them to their fullest, freakiest potential? Or would you be better off keeping them in proportion with the rest of your physique so that they don’t detract from your overall symmetry? That’s the question IFBB pro Mustafa Mohammad was forced to answer years ago, when it became clear that his quads could take on unbelievable dimensions if he so desired. One look at them today, and it’s quite clear those quads almost have a life of their own—certainly each takes up as much mass as a small child. But since the Jordan native decided 20 years ago that he wanted to be one of the world’s best bodybuilders, building his quadriceps to their full potential was not an option. “Believe me, if I wanted to make my legs much bigger, I could do it, no problem,” he told me. “I can squat 600 pounds for 10 reps without even pushing too hard. But my goal is not to have the biggest legs and just be known for that, the way Tom Platz and the late Paul ‘Quadzilla’ DeMayo were. If I did let my legs grow that large, it would make my shoulders look narrow and small and give me a pear shape instead of the X shape that a bodybuilder should have.” Mustafa chose to rein in the growth of his quads. What will you do about your best bodypart? I guess it all depends on whether you want to be recognized as a freak, that guy with the huge arms or chest, or rather have a well-balanced physique with all the muscle groups in proportion, from head to toe and front to back. You may get more attention going the freak route, but I guarantee you it won’t be the same type of attention you get from having a proportionate muscular body. When a physique is developed properly and truly flows, with no overwhelming strong or weak points, it inspires admiration. But I can’t decide for you. Only you can do that. In the end, it’s all a matter of personal preference. —Ron Harris www.RonHarrisMuscle.com

How much training do the abs really need? Old-time bodybuilders used to train them every day for hundreds, even thousands, of repetitions. And since the average person still subscribes to the myth of spot reduction, a question typically posed to anyone sporting a killer six-pack is, How many crunches do you do a day? Some pro bodybuilders train abs every day, while a handful of men with incredible midsections don’t do a thing for them— notably Dexter “the Blade” Jackson. Perhaps the happy medium comes from another man who has an amazing set of abs, Chris “the Real Deal” Cormier. Chris trains his abs every other day but doesn’t make a marathon session out of it. “What I do is pick two exercises: one type of crunch and either a leg raise or a frog kick,” he explains. “At the end of training a bodypart like chest or legs, I’ll do three sets each of those two exercises, and that’s it. There’s no need to train abs for hours on end unless you really enjoy it and have nothing better to do with your time.” Following Chris’s example would have you working the abs with roughly 18 to 24 sets a week, which he believes is more than adequate.

Since most bodybuilders enjoy training abs about as much as going on zero carbs, I think it’s a frequency and volume we can all live with. —Ron Harris www.RonHarrisMuscle.com

38 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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YOU CAN BENCH BIG Add 20 Pounds to Your Bench Press Almost Overnight! How would you like a surge in upper-body power and a bigger bench press—say, 20 extra pounds on the bar—after only a couple of workouts? Sure, adding 20 pounds to your bench in two or three training sessions may sound crazy, especially if your bench press poundage has been stuck in neutral for a while. But nine times out of 10 this stall is due to an easily correctible muscle weakness—not in the pecs, delts or triceps but in a group of muscles known as the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the shoulder joint. During the bench press and almost all other upperbody movements these muscles protect the shoulder joint and prevent ball-and-socket slippage. If these muscles are underdeveloped, they become the weak link in the action and your pressing strength suffers, or worse, you injure your shoulder. One of the best ways to strengthen this area and create an upper-body power surge is with direct rotator cuff exercise. Once you start using the ShoulderHorn for two or three sets twice a week, your pressing poundages will skyrocket. This device allows you to train your rotator cuff muscles in complete comfort and with precise strengthening action. After a few weeks you’ll be amazed at your new benching power. There have been reports of 20-to-30-pound increases in a matter of days. A big, impressive bench press can be yours. Get the ShoulderHorn, start working your rotator cuff muscles, and feel the power as you start piling on plates and driving up heavy iron.

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GH Surge or Purge? The two greatest promoters of growth hormone release are sleep and exercise. The primary exercise stimuli are the level of intensity and the duration. The higher the intensity, the greater the release of GH. Training too long, however, blunts GH release, as the catabolic hormone cortisol becomes dominant. Training larger muscle areas, such as thighs and back, usually involves a higher level of intensity, so it promotes a greater release of GH than training smaller muscles, such as the upper arms. Age also plays a role, with younger people producing more GH than older people. Growth hormone is related to the release of other substances, such as catecholamines and lactate. Catacholamines, mainly epinephrine and norepinephrine, are produced by the adrenal glands during exercise and help release energy from fat and glycogen. Lactate is a result of carbohydrate metabolism during training and is thought to send a signal that results in GH release. Even increased body temperature promotes GH release. Some scientists think that GH may help promote protein synthesis and prevent excessive muscle protein breakdown. Others note that a single pulse (release) of GH leads to a 60 to 250 percent rise in lipids, or fat, that provide fuel for long-term exercise. The problem with the single-pulse idea is that the fat-mobilizing effect of GH usually doesn’t occur until two to three hours later. With that in mind, a recent study examined how GH affects various measures of fat release after exercise.1 Researchers had one group of subjects undergo a one-hour infusion of GH and compared that to the level of GH release following exercise in another group. The subjects were seven moderately trained young men, average age 21, and seven older moderately trained men, average age 56. The older men were included so the researchers could determine whether the exercise-induced effects varied with age. The exercise group rode on stationary cycles at an intensity amounting to 70 percent of maximum oxygen intake for

Do the benefits of growth hormone occur after exercise?

20 minutes. Both groups experienced a similar rise in fat breakdown, or lipolysis, with levels peaking nearly three hours after the exercise ended. Interestingly, GH release wasn’t different in the young or older subjects in this study. The researchers noted that GH promotes fat release through several mechanisms. One is by stimulating the activity of hormone-sensitive lipase, the main enzyme involved in fat release. That hormone, in turn, is stimulated directly by exercise-induced rises in catecholamine levels. GH increases the sensitivity of lipolysis to catecholamines. The question is why GH peaks after exercise. The recovery process that must occur after exercise is energy intensive and powered mainly by fat. The delayed response of GH provides the fat required to power all exercise recovery processes, including the replacement of depleted muscle glycogen stores as well as muscle triglyceride—that is, fat—stores. The similar fat-releasing responses of the direct GH infusion and the exerciseinduced GH was a surprise but seems to have occurred because the higher levels of catecholamines released during exercise increased the sensitivity of the primary fat-releasing enzyme in fat cells, hormone-sensitive lipase, to GH. Downing a protein-and-carb recovery drink following exercise will blunt the release of both testosterone and GH because of the higher insulin levels the drink stimulates. That means that the elevated fat levels after exercise will be blunted as well. On the other hand, since the fat-releasing effect of GH doesn’t occur until about three hours after exercise, it shouldn’t interfere with the benefits provided by a protein-andcarb recovery drink, which is best taken immediately following a workout. —Jerry Brainum Model: Jorge Betancourt

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1 Wee, J., et al. (2005). GH secretion in acute exercise may result in postexercise lipolysis. Growth Hormone and IGF Research. 15:397-404.

40 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Knee Bands, Squats and Extensions Whenever leg training is discussed, inevitably the topic of knee pain from squats comes up. Unfortunately, many physicians in the 1960s and ’70s claimed that squats would ruin the knees, a claim made from personal bias and not from scientific data. Leg extensions were promoted as good for the knees. Then biomechanists learned that the cartilage lining the back of the patella (kneecap) is not uniform in thickness. When we squat, the thickest part of the cartilage lines up with the groove for the kneecap on the femur (thigh bone) at the point of the greatest stress on the knee. In other words, we were designed to perform squats. When we do leg extensions, the thinnest part of the kneecap cartilage receives the greatest stress and can be damaged or even sheared. That applies to normal knees; variations in anatomy can make squats painful. As with any exercise, however, sometimes we perform too many reps, too many sets, with too much weight, and we often perform an exercise to exhaustion too often or too many times each week. That can lead to inflamed tendons, sore joint surfaces and pain along the tendon-muscle interface. Also, various knee injuries from other sports can make training difficult. If you’re experiencing knee pain or discomfort when you squat, you may wish to try using a set of neoprene sleeves, or bands, for your knees. I first became acquainted with those knee bands 30 years ago. My then training partner and I tried them. We ordered them from a long-gone magazine known as Strength & Health. Our knees felt great during heavy squats with the bands. The bands didn’t seem to be available after the magazine disappeared. For decades the medical community didn’t believe the bands offered any help for knee pain. Yet those who used

them swore they worked. Finally, the medical community realized that some people need a mild level of support and, when they get it, function very well. I ran into a vendor at the IRON MAN FitExpo recently. His name is Leo Flasco, and he was promoting Power Hooks for heavy dumbbell bench press training—and the neoprene knee bands. I was surprised to learn the neoprene sleeves were now called TK bands. The “TK” stands for Tommy Kono, a legend in the iron game. Kono won the gold medal in his weight class in weightlifting in the 1952 and ’56 Olympics and a silver medal in the ’60 Olympics. He also won the Mr. Universe in ’55, ’57 and ’61. Kono’s legacy doesn’t stop there. He set 26 world records, seven Olympic records and eight Pan Am Games records. He also served as the head coach for weightlifting teams for the United States, Mexico and the former West Germany. Tommy Kono still serves as an international weightlifting referee. Kono injured his knee in ’59, and he suffered from knee pain for years. By ’64 he created the neoprene knee bands, and his knees felt much better. Kono let fellow lifter Bob Bednarski use the bands, and he loved them too. Bob Hoffman, the publisher of Strength & Health, took over the marketing of the bands and changed their name from TK to BH knee bands. When I spoke with Kono recently, I told him I’d used his bands and was glad to see they’re back on the market. Kono said, “My name is on the bands. My reputation is at stake.” He made sure the bands were made to his specifications. “Everybody who tries the knee bands likes them. When they take them off, their knees feel like new.” Kono added, “The thickness of the neoprene is just right, and as you use it, the band forms to your knee.” When I asked Tommy if anyone has complained about kneecap pain, he replied, “No. People usually tell me how much better they feel.” The logo on the front of the band should be over the patella; it is not centered on the band. Most of band is to be placed over the thigh. The bands come in sizes: small, 130 pounds (can also be used for the elbows); medium, 130 pounds to 250 pounds; and large for those who weigh more than 250 pounds. The sleeve should be snug. You can order the knee sleeves through Home Gym Ware house, (800) 447-0008 or www.Home-Gym.com. —Joseph M. Horrigan Editor’s note: Visit www.softtissuecenter.com for reprints of Horrigan’s past Sportsmedicine columns that have appeared in IRON MAN. You can order the books, Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention 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.

Could bands save your knees? Many lifters swear by them. 42 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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EXERCISE SCIENCE

Cardio vs. Weights for Fat Burning Researchers had 10 trained men do either 30 minutes of free-weight squats using 70 percent of maximum weight (moderate training) or cycle at an intensity level of 70 percent of maximum oxygen intake (also moderate exercise level).1 The results: Aerobics, even when done for the same amount of time and intensity, exceeded the energy cost of weight training. Specifically, the subjects burned 441 calories during the aerobic session compared to 269 calories during the squat workout. On the other hand, the authors also noted that if done several days a week, with a minimum of four to five training sessions, weight training could meet the energy expenditure criteria established by the American College of Sports Medicine for health maintenance and control of body composition. Weight training is comparable and even superior in some respects to aerobics when it comes to body composition changes. Weight training results in an increased postexercise energy expenditure that is higher than what occurs with aerobics. Your resting metabolic rate remains elevated longer after a weight workout than after a typical aerobics session. Much of that effect is due to replenishment of depleted energy stores in muscle. Muscle itself is the primary determinant of resting metabolism. Recent studies also show that weight training promotes muscle glucose uptake and increased insulin sensitivity, both of which favorably affect body composition—as in more muscle and less bodyfat. So can weight training serve as a reasonable substitute for aerobics? If, as this study shows, you still get a greater calorie expenditure from aerobics in the same amount of time, and that aerobics fosters the greatest oxygen uptake, it’s clear that the answer is no. Fat can be burned only in the presence of oxygen, and that’s the advantage of aerobics. To attempt to take in a similar level of oxygen with weight work alone would negate most the primary strengthand muscle-building effects of weights. —Jerry Brainum Neveux \ Model: Tamer Elshahat

Several writers have urged bodybuilders to avoid doing any type of aerobic exercise. The suggestion is based on studies showing that incorporating weight training and aerobics in one workout interferes with strength gains. The studies show that weight training and aerobics affect different elements in muscle. Weight training fosters increased muscle protein synthesis conducive to promoting gains in muscular size and strength; aerobics promotes increased oxygen uptake in muscle, resulting in such effects as increased numbers of muscle cell mitochondria and increased blood vessel formation for delivering oxygen to working muscles. The problem with aerobics is that the upgraded processes also blunt muscle protein synthesis. The implication is that doing an aerobics workout following a weight session may inhibit gains produced from the weight workout. On the other hand, some research suggests that moderate levels of aerobics, not exceeding 45 minutes in one session, have little or no effect on muscle size and strength gains. Another school of thought suggests that aerobics isn’t even necessary and that the benefits attributed to aerobics, such as bodyfat loss and improved cardiovascular conditioning, can be easily achieved through weight work alone. That’s based on studies in which a particular form of weight training, known as circuit training, appeared to increase heart rate comparably to aerobic exercise. With circuit training you do a series of exercises nonstop, resting only after completing one to six exercises. While the increased breathing and heart rates that result seem to emulate typical aerobics sessions, aerobic exercise still produces a far higher heart rate, along with a much greater oxygen intake. In addition, the lack of rest typical of circuit training exacts a toll in the amount of weight lifted and subsequent gains in muscle size and strength. The underlying factor here seems to be the rule of specificity of exercise—if you want to develop cardiovascular fitness, do aerobics. If muscle size and strength is your goal, lift weights. But what if you matched aerobic and weight training for total time and intensity—would weight training compare favorably with aerobics for calorie burning and oxygen intake?

1 Bloomer, R.J. (2005). Energy cost of moderate-duration resistance and aerobic exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 19:878-82.

44 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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REVIEW

Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great IM readers know Stuart McRobert from his decades of contributions to the magazine. He’s also the author of a number of popular bodybuilding books, including Brawn and The Insider’s Tell-All Handbook on Weight-Training Technique. His latest tome is, in my opinion, his best work yet. Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great is packed with info for weight-training enthusiasts no matter what their level of experience or gender. Its 600-plus pages contain almost 400 photographs and so much good advice that you’ll go back to it again and again throughout your training career. It’s really four books in one. First, you get a step-by-step 12-month training program that you can modify to your particular level of training. McRobert covers all the details, including genetics, muscle building vs. fitness, goals and exercise descriptions and photos. Book two is a more in-depth look at exercise technique so that you can achieve total mastery of every movement—without fear of injury or cumulative joint damage. Book three contains McRobert’s prescription for cardio that’s invaluable for fast fat loss and cardiovascular health. He also discusses the truth about age and exercise, how to optimize your recuperative powers, rep speed and control, the science and lexicon of muscle building and how to get started if you’re a beginner. Book four is McRobert’s personal account of his astonishing recovery from some debilitating injuries. He says he now has ranges of movement in his neck, back and knees that he hasn’t had in more than 15 years. He provides critical lessons for all of us who train with weights and also describes the

corrective therapy that made him a new man. McRobert has more than 30 years of personal experience in physical training and through his previous publication, Hardgainer magazine, corresponded, interviewed and learned from countless coaches, chiropractors and researchers. He’s a walking treasure trove of muscle-building information. This book will be your go-to guide for bigger, safer results from your workouts. —Steve Holman Editor’s note: Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great is available for $39.95 plus shipping from Home Gym Warehouse. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com.

GUN SHOW

Though Gustavo Badell has never had a problem getting his arms to grow, he knows a thing or two about how to get biceps and triceps sprouting, based on his years of experience as a personal trainer in Puerto Rico. Those seeking more arm mass typically make several fundamental errors that thwart their progress. In addition to using too much weight and poor exercise form, the arm-challenged often rely far too much on machines and cables to train their would-be guns, forsaking the decidedly low-tech yet more effective barbells and dumbbells. “Free weights are much harder to use because they require more skill to master and you have to balance them,” Gustavo acknowledges. “But they make you grow so much better than machines do. If you have great genetics for arms, you can get away with using machines and cables, but everybody else needs to use free weights. Even I make sure that most of what I do for biceps and triceps is done with free weights.” So if your arms aren’t where you want them to be and you’ve been pumping away with machines and cables, maybe it’s time you went low-tech and started budging that tape measure again. —Ron Harris www.RonHarrisMuscle.com 48 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Smart Training

Chin Up or Pull Down? Q: What one upper-body exercise not commonly performed would you like to see added to a bodybuilder’s program? A: I’m a firm believer in chinups and pullups for upperbody mass. If you believe that the squat is the king of leg exercises, then you probably wouldn’t waste your time doing endless sets of abductor-machine work, leg extensions or (gasp!) the near-useless Smith machine, right? Well, the chinup and its variations are the squat’s equivalent in mass-building qualities and the ability to quickly improve functional strength. In fact, most bodybuilders would be jealous of the back development

of top-level gymnasts and kayakers. Their conditioning programs center on—you guessed it—chinups. Many elite organizations like Special Forces units and SWAT teams require candidates to be able to perform a certain number of chins before they can get into their programs. That’s because, unlike the geeky machine pulldowns, chins are a true test of real-world strength. Why are pulldowns a dork exercise? To put it simply, for pulldowns you move a free-moving object (the bar), so it’s easier to use your lower back and momentum to move the weight. Easier is never the best way to build strength and muscle. With chins you have to move your body around a fixed object, the chinup bar, ensuring an overload on your back and upper arms. That movement has a much better transference to sports performance. As a bonus, all forms of pullups and chinups, aside from helping you broaden and thicken your back, help put some serious size on your elbow flexors. Q: I just got an Internet-based job. I have all the time in the world to train now, as my hours are very flexible. I have access to great weight rooms and a supplementbuyers’ club. What do you think about training twice a day? Should I do it, or will I overtrain? A: I do think a trainee can grow more if he or she can afford the luxury of training twice a day; however, most of us have career and family commitments that prevent us from pursuing such an extensive training schedule. Working out twice a day can be very effective, providing that you respect the following principles: 1) Keep the workouts short. Excluding warmup time, your workouts should initially be no more than 40 minutes. Training longer than that is counterproductive. Eventually you can increase that to 60 minutes, but no more. 2) Sequence the training properly. In my opinion, you should train a bodypart twice on the same day. There are a variety of options:

Neveux \ Model: Idrise Ward-El

Any type of chinup is much better at building your back than dorky pulldowns. Bonus: You get more arm development too.

Option A: Morning, heavy; evening, light From experience I’ve found that training heavy in the morning and with higher reps at night works quite well—for example, sets of four to six reps in the morning and 12 to 15 at night. If you’re more interested in strength development, your morning workouts could be more in the one-to-three-rep range, with your evening workouts in the eight-rep range. Option B Morning, low reps, fast tempo; evening, low reps, slow tempo Here you can use the same reps during both workouts but at different

54 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Smart Training If you can afford the luxury of training twice a day, it can help you get bigger and stronger faster. Train the same bodyparts at both sessions, and for the best growth response use different exercises at each workout.

Morning.

lean body mass. So if your weight is 90 kilograms with 10 percent bodyfat, you need 50 grams of protein. My carbohydrate intake recommendation used to be two grams per kilogram of bodyweight. Over the years, after being exposed to more research and discussing it with my colleagues, I have come to the conclusion that it should be a reflection of the training volume for the session. The greater the number of reps per training unit, the greater the carbohydrate intake. Of course, squatting or deadlifting is more demanding than a curl or a triceps extension. By the same token, performing three reps using a slow tempo on squats makes a different calorie demand from three reps of the power clean. Nevertheless, as a general rule, I recommend the following carbohydrate intake for a given workout: Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

12-72 reps per workout: 73-200 reps per workout: 200-360 reps per workout: 360-450 reps per workout:

Obviously, simple math will enable you to figure out how many reps you did and what your total training volume was for that day. When training twice a day, I suggest you take a very

tempos. For example, stick with four to six reps, but use a 2/0/X/0 tempo in the morning and a 4/2/1/0 tempo at night. The explosive work in the morning tends to facilitate the evening workout. That means you can use greater loads than normal in the evening. The nature of the exercise can take care of that. For example, do power cleans in the morning and deadlifts with chains at night.

3) Pay attention to postworkout nutrition. Liquid nutrition is best. Here are some recommendations on what should be in your postworkout shake: Protein intake should be 0.6 grams per kilogram of

Neveux \ Model: Bob Donnelly

Option C Morning, heavy; evening, eccentric-only training Another one I like is training heavy in the morning and doing negative-only work at night. For example, heavy front squats, 6x2-3 with a 5/0/1/0 tempo in the morning; eccentric back squats of 7x1 with a 1/0/0/1 tempo at night. I recommend using the eccentric hooks known as Power Recruit. For more info on that contact Bob Kowalski at (814) 378-7108. Regarding exercise selection for both workouts, you may want to do the same ones if strength is your main concern or change them completely if hypertrophy is your main concern. For example, weightlifters will do back squats twice a day, while a bodybuilder may do bench presses in the morning and incline dumbbell presses in the afternoon. Or you could do just a slight variation. For example, back squats with your heels flat in the morning, back squats with heels elevated at night.

0.6 g/kg/LBM 0.8 g/kg/LBM 1.0 g/kg/LBM 1.2 g/kg/LBM

Evening.

56 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Smart Training periods may temporarily depresss testosterone; however, it will shoot back up if you cut back to once-a-day training for a week. Also, increase your training volume gradually—you may want to start with two 20-minute workouts a day and very gradually increase the training volume. Q: Is it true that bodybuilders should never swim because it makes their muscles soft and ruins definition by adding an extra layer of fat underneath the skin? Inquiring minds want to know!

Have you ever seen a really cut swimmer? Probably not, and there’s a good reason—subcutaneous fat accrual for thermoregulation. good antioxidant formula and an extra 10 grams of vitamin C a day. If you can afford it, take a phosphatidylserine supplement (800 milligrams) after the second workout of the day, which can give you a greater testosterone-to-cortisol ratio. I also find that taking a blend of the R-form of alphalipoic acid and taurine with your shake helps reload the energy substrates quicker. You need between 300 and 600 milligrams of the R-form alpha-lipoic acid and three to six grams of the taurine. Those two key nutrients help build insulin sensitivity. Another very important nutrient is magnesium, a mineral that tends to drop dramatically in multiple-trainingsession patterns. If you’re deficient in magnesium, your insulin sensitivity suffers, and your nervous system can go into sympathetic overdrive. When your nervous system is too jacked up, it’s hard to get restful sleep, and you spin quickly into overtraining, just because you lack a single mineral.

A: I wouldn’t agree that extensive swimming makes your muscles soft, but it sure gives you a soft look. Have you ever seen a really cut swimmer? Not even at the Olympics. I’ve seen lots of skinny ones, but they’re never really lean in the way gymnasts or track sprinters are. Why? One of the mechanisms of subcutaneous fat found in swimmers is the fact that the body loses heat six times faster in water than in the air. Because the body is trying to preserve heat, swimming may in fact be a catalyst for increasing the fat deposit between the skin and the muscles. So big-time swimmers tend to have a high sum of skinfolds. It’s a physiological adaptation by the adipose tissue to enhance thermoregulation.

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 track-and-field team for the 2000 Olympics. He’s 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 261. IM

5) For every two weeks of twice-a-day training, do a week of once-a-day training. That will ensure that you don’t overtrain. Studies done on American and Finnish weightlifters have shown that training twice a day for short

Bradford

4) You must leave four to six hours between workouts. That time spread is critical. If you use a shorter one, you’ll be too fatigued, and with a longer one you’ll affect nervous system activation in your morning workout.

Charles Poliquin w w w. C h a r l e s P o l i q u i n . n e t

58 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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\ JULY 2006 181

EAT TO NUTRITION SCIENCE

Aspartame Gets the Blame Methanol, on the other hand, converts into formaldehyde, then formic acid. That’s where the primary controversy about aspartame arises, since formaldehyde is toxic and a potential carcinogen, or cancercausing substance. Various reports over the years, many of which circulate over the Internet, implicate aspartame in several health problems—hair loss, depression, dizziness, dementia, behavioral disturbances, adverse mood changes, impaired vision and headaches. Aspartame is also allegedly involved in the onset of several types of cancer, notably brain tumors. Government commissions in the United States, Europe and Japan have examined the many claims of harmful health effects made about aspartame and dismissed them. That hasn’t silenced the critics, however, who dismiss the government findings as another example of government and industry collusion. The implication is that human health and wellbeing are sacrificed in the name of corporate profit. The newest report on the safety of aspartame initially

appears to confirm the dangers of ingesting this sweetener.1 Published by a group of Italian researchers, it showed that when aspartame was given to rats in doses equal to less than half of the currently acceptable daily intake, the rats showed increased incidence of malignant tumors, lymphomas and leukemia. The authors began studying the rats at eight weeks old and continued to follow them until they died, giving them various doses of aspartame as part of their feed. Unlike earlier

Studies show an increased cancer risk from aspartame, but it appears to take excessive amounts to cause problems.

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Keith Berson

Aspartame is an artificial sweetener sold under the brand name Nutrasweet and various other generic names. It was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1974 and has been in widespread use ever since. In fact, it’s the second most widely used artificial sweetener in the world, just behind saccharin. More than 6,000 products contain aspartame, including many food supplements popular with bodybuilders and other athletes. Aspartame is 180 to 200 times sweeter than sucrose, or table sugar. Aspartame is composed of three different ingredients: the amino acid phenylalanine, aspartic acid and methanol. Methanol is considered by many to be the most problematic ingredient, since its other name is wood alcohol. It can be toxic at certain levels. Aspartame is rapidly absorbed, and its constituent ingredients go through specific breakdown pathways. Aspartic acid is converted first to another amino acid, alanine, and to oxaloacetate, a component of the citric acid cycle, which results in the production of cellular energy. Phenylalanine is enzymatically converted into the amino acid tyrosine, which is itself the precursor of a number of vital body substances, such as melanin, the primary skin-coloring pigment, and the brain chemicals epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine, collectively known as catecholamines. Along with the trace mineral iodine, tyrosine is a component of thyroid hormones.

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GROW Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission studies about aspartame safety, this one followed the rats for a longer time and examined them after death for microscopic changes that may have occurred. Both male and female rats experienced increased incidence of various types of cancer. The authors speculate that the immediate cause was likely the methanol content of aspartame, since methanol degrades into known carcinogenic compounds. Does that mean that aspartame is dangerous after all? No concrete evidence shows that it causes any type of cancer in humans. Rats are far more prone to cancer than humans, and doses of chemicals that cause cancer in rats have no effect in humans whatsoever. Another problem is the suggestion that methanol is the probable smoking gun. Aspartame contains 10 percent methanol by weight, and a liter of a beverage containing aspartame would have 50 milligrams of methanol, far less than is found in an average serving of most fruit juices. If methanol is the problem, fruit juice should also be carcinogenic, which it’s not. A study in which human subjects got 75 milligrams of aspartame per kilogram of bodyweight—25 milligrams over the acceptable safe intake—for six months failed to show any detectable increases in blood levels of methanol or its breakdown product, formic acid. Still, the science of toxicology decrees that all compounds can be potentially toxic, including salt, water and sugar. That’s illustrated by another recent study that linked aspartame to various neurological side effects, such as headache, seizures and panic attacks.2 The

prevailing theory is that aspartame may interfere with the sodium pump enzyme system in cells. That’s significant if true, because the sodium pump regulates the entry of electrolytes in nerve cells and is vital to normal nerve function. The study had an isolated-cell design, in which cells were exposed to varying levels of aspartame. At low exposure levels aspartame had no effect on the sodium pump mechanism. At high concentrations, though, it indeed inhibited the activity of the sodium pump, which could lead to many symptoms of electrolyte imbalance. The effect was due to increased oxidation incurred by high levels of aspartame exposure. On the other hand, the amino acid L-cysteine and glutathione completely blocked the negative effects of aspartame on the sodium pump mechanism. L-cysteine is the nutritional precursor of glutathione, which itself consists of three amino acids and is one of the body’s most vital antioxidant compounds. That may explain why you don’t see more aspartame-produced side effects. First, few people ingest enough to cause toxic effects. Second, if you use such supplements as whey protein, N-acetylcysteine or lipoic acid, you’re producing optimal levels of glutathione in the body. There is little to fear from aspartame, unless you’re taking in huge amounts of the sweetener. Adults would need to drink 10 cans a day of an aspartamesweetened beverage just to get to the acceptable intake of

40 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight per day. Most people get an average of 10 milligrams per kilogram a day. Because of its phenylalanine content, aspartame may produce problems in those born with a genetic lack of enzymes needed to process the amino acid PKU, or phenylketonuria. For them, aspartame may indeed turn bitter. —Jerry Brainum

References 1 Soffritti, M., et al. (2006). First experimental demonstration of the multipotential carcinogenic effects of aspartame administered in the feed to Sprague-Dawley rats. Environ Health Perspect 114:379-385. 2 Schulpis, K., et al. (2005). The effect of L-cysteine and glutathione on inhibition of NA+, K+ ATPase activity by aspartame metabolites in human erythrocyte membrane. Eur J Clin Nutr. [Epub ahead of print].

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 63

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LIFT BIG TO GET BIG Build Incredible Pressing Power and Bulletproof Shoulders Unfortunately, shoulder injury is one of the major reasons trainees have to sacrifice gains on many of the most important strength- and mass-building exercises— from bench presses to chins to pulldowns. You’ll be amazed at how much better your shoulders feel and how much more weight you can hoist once you start training your rotator cuff muscles regularly and properly with the powerful info in The 7Minute Rotator Cuff Solution. You’ll learn: •How the rotator cuff muscles work. •Specific rotator cuff exercises. •The best and safest stretching exercises. •Exercises you should avoid. •Specific training programs. •Rehab routines for sportsspecific injuries. •Bodybuilder’s injuryprevention routine. •Detailed biomechanics to pathology.

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Eat to Grow NUTRITION NOTES A zinc deficiency can affect your testosterone levels, energy and sex drive.

Food Facts

Neveux \ Model: Tito Raymond

That can affect your workouts, weight and wellness

WARRIOR NUTRITION AND EXERCISE

Mind Your Minerals

Getting enough and the right balance is important

The most important supplements are minerals, especially if you exercise during the day or are under stress. During controlled-fasting time, especially when the body is burning fat, toxins are released into the blood. Essential minerals transport a lot of the toxins out of your body and keep your hormone levels intact. Potent minerals are also the first defense against radiation. Unfortunately, mineral supplements don’t seem to be a priority for most people. Research indicates that many athletes and bodybuilders are deficient in several essential minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, calcium and zinc. Sometimes a deficiency occurs due to a mineral imbalance in the body. For example, if you take too much calcium, you may actually deplete your body of magnesium and zinc, and vice versa. Each mineral is essential for different bodily functions, and a deficiency in even one of them might lead to unpleasant symptoms and metabolic problems. Magnesium deficiency is one of the main causes of tension headaches and nervousness. Zinc deficiency can cause chronic food cravings; copper deficiency might rob you of your sex drive. Chromium deficiency could cause insulin insensitivity that might lead to hyperglycemia and possibly even diabetes. —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 at ori@warriordiet.com, www.warriordiet.com or by phone at (866) WAR-DIET.

Water appears to be a potent weapon for dieters. A University of Washington study found that one glass of water halted nightime hunger pangs for almost 100 percent of subjects. Probiotics are healthful bacteria that seem to boost immunity. A recent Swedish study of factory workers found that those given a probiotic supplement had far fewer sick days. Some yogurts with live cultures are good probiotic sources, but supplements may be better. Wine in moderation can be good for you, but it’s not the alcohol that provides the cardiovascular benefits. A new study showed that subjects’ arteries relaxed after one glass of alcoholfree red wine. Polyphenols in Concord grapes, not alcohol, appear to be the health hero. If you’re into wine, though, pinot noir is tops in antioxidants. Tea that is brewed can have as much as 100 times the antioxidant levels as bottled tea. If you can brew it, do it: Go for the bags, not the bottles. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER The Best of Bodybuilding in the 20th Century Here in one deﬁnitive, information-packed volume, you have the best that IRON MAN has to offer. The articles and photos reprinted in IRON MAN’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Encyclopedia are of enormous and enduring value to beginners and experts alike. A tour de force of bodybuilding information with stunning photos of unrivaled quality, this massive volume covers every aspect of bodybuilding with authority and depth. Included is complete information on: •Getting started •Bodybuilding physiology •Shoulder training •Chest training •Back training •Arm training •Abdominal training •Leg training •Training for mass •Training for power •Mental aspects of training •Bodybuilding nutrition With IRON MAN’s Ultimate Bodybuilding Encyclopedia, you will learn Arnold Schwarzenegger’s insights on developing shoulder and back muscles, along with many other champions’ routines. This massive volume contains 440 pages and over 350 photographs.

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Eat to Grow ENERGY

Turn It Up, Burn It Up

Key nutrients can have multiple beneficial effects

Neveux \ Models: Adrian Janicke and Amy Lynn

You may have read that acetyl-L-carnitine has fat-burning potenial. It’s an amino acid that is responsible for transporting long-chain triglycerides, or fat, into cells for energy production. It’s also been linked to muscle recovery (see the X-treme Lean e-book at www.X-tremeLean.com for more on that). Now it’s been shown to be an anti-aging supplement because it lowers oxidant levels and can improve mental performance. Advice: Take one to four grams of acetyl L-carnitine every day, if you can afford it (it’s not cheap). It may help you get leaner and stronger—maybe even smarter too. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com MIGHTY MINERALS

HIGH-DEF DIETS

Cal-Mag Red Flag

Macrobiotic Mayhem

Most bodybuilders don’t realize that calcium is a big player in muscular contraction. And if they’re dieting, a deficiency is very possible. In fact, more than half of all Americans don’t get enough calcium or magnesium. Advice: Even if you take a multivitamin-and-mineral supplement, you may want to add a calcium-andmagnesium supplement as well, especially if you’re dieting and want to continue to build muscle with intense muscular contractions in the gym. Look for products that have a 2-to1 ratio of calcium to magnesium. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

If you’re on a macrobiotic diet, you eat zero junk food and no processed food, according to Andrew Weil, M.D. You also don’t eat eggs or most meats, and you don’t drink coffee or alcohol. What do you eat? Locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh fish, nuts, seeds and soy. Yes, you’ll lose weight because the diet is low in fat and sugar and you eat lots of fiber. But getting enough protein may be a problem. It’s a very healthful way to eat, but if you’re a bodybuilder who’s going macrobiotic, you’d better love fish and nuts. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Eat to Grow ANABOLIC DRIVE

Size-Building Essentials The key to size? Essential amino acids—especially leucine—some carbs and creatine. Those building blocks are the foundation for size, strength and the pursuit of happiness. Okay, at least for size and strength. Two recent studies have further confirmed the value of essential amino acids. One study evaluated the effects of enriching an essential amino acid (EAA) mixture with leucine on muscle protein metabolism in elderly and young individuals. Four groups—two elderly and two young—were studied before and after being dosed with 6.7 grams of EAAs. The scientists found that increasing the proportion of leucine helps the elderly but doesn’t result in further stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in young subjects.1 From a practical standpoint, that shows that young fitness and figure competitors and bodybuilders do fine with the essential amino acids. If you’re older, however, add more leucine to the mix. Another experiment went a step further and measured actual changes in muscle fiber size. Scientists had 32 untrained young men perform 12 weeks of resistance training twice a week, consuming 675 milliliters of either a 6 percent carbohy-

Key amino acids are in the mix

drate solution, six grams of essential amino acids mixture, a combined carb and amino acid supplement or a placebo. The group on the carb and amino mixture displayed the greatest gains in muscle fiber size. The researchers concluded that the combination enhances muscle anabolism following resistance training to a greater extent than either substance taken independently. The synergistic effect of the combination maximizes the anabolic response—presumably by lessening the postexercise rise in protein breakdown.2 You might be wondering, what the essential amino acids are. It’s simple: Remember PVT TIM haLL (say it as “Private Tim Hall”). The capitalized letters represent the essential amino acids. In order, they are phenylalanine, valine, tryptophan, threonine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine and leucine. The take-home message: Take three to six grams (one tablespoon) of the EAAs 30 minutes before and immediately after your workout if you’re a physique athlete. If you’re a performance athlete, add a touch of sugar to the EAA mix. In either case, add creatine to the formula. —Jose Antonio, Ph.D.

FOOD STUFF

Nutrient Negligence According to a report from P.R. Web Newswire, taking a multivitamin-andmineral complex may be more important than ever because of our soil. According to Institute of Nutrition president Jules G. Bitbol, recent studies of more than a dozen fruits and vegetables have shown that there has been a decrease in their nutrient value, which in some cases is drastic. For instance, the vitamin A content in apples has dropped from 90 milligrams to 53 milligrams. In a January ’06 Newsweek article University of California, Berkeley, professor Bruce Ames weighs in as well: “If you want to age faster, a good way to do it is to be short of some vitamin or mineral. I think everyone in the world should take a multivitamin as insurance.” —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Editor’s note: You can listen to Jose Antonio and Carla Sanchez on their Performance Nutrition radio show Web and podcast at this site: www.performance nutritionshow.com.

References 1

Katsanos, C.S., et al. (2006). A high proportion of leucine is required for optimal stimulation of the rate of muscle protein synthesis by essential amino acids in the elderly. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. [Epub ahead of print]. 2 Bird, S.P., Tarpenning, K.M. and Marino, F.E. (2006). Independent and combined effects of liquid carbohydrate/ essential amino acid ingestion on hormonal and muscular adaptations following resistance training in untrained men. Eur J Appl Physiol. [Epub ahead of print].

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Eat to Grow FAT BURN

One of the axioms in dieting is that you should never eat food past a certain time of day. For some, that means not eating anything past dinnertime, or about 6 p.m., although the time varies with individuals. The basic rule, however, is that you should eat the majority of your calories while you’re most active—for most people during the day. That way you’re more likely to burn off excess calories. Various popular diets continue to promulgate this dictum, including the Atkins and South Beach diets. Many bodybuilders adhere to the no-late-night-eating rule, mainly because metabolism drops during sleep, making it easier to retain calories and either stay or get fat. On the surface the advice makes sense. After all, when you’re inactive, where do the calories go? Research confirms that the metabolic rate drops during sleep in both humans and various animal species, but studies examining the effects of late-night or evening eating provide conflicting results. One study of women, for example, showed that those who ate at night gained weight over two weeks. People who work the night shift are often heavier and gain more weight than their daytime peers. That’s curious since the night shift workers are ostensibly awake and active. Those who get more than half their total calorie intake at night gain weight faster than those who eat mostly during the day. Other research, however, shows little or no effect of night eating. A 10-year study of more than 7,000 people showed no connection between night eating and weight gain. Some studies do show that those who are obese tend to eat more at night than slimmer types, while another study found that those who tended to eat late were slimmer than usual. Confusion abounds. The most recent study to examine the late-night-eating controversy featured rhesus monkeys as subjects.1 They could be closely monitored, with every morsel of food and

Does late-night eating make you fat?

Model: Sebastion Siegel

Eat Late, Add Weight?

activity accounted for. All of the monkeys were female, and their ovaries were removed—a known cause of weight gain. The monkeys were also put on high-fat diets, another established mechanism of weight gain. No monkeying around in this study. The number of calories the monkeys consumed at night made little or no difference in their tendency to gain weight. Despite a diet that contained 368 percent more calories than their usual intake, most of the monkeys didn’t gain much. The authors suggest that the monkeys’ bodies successfully disposed of the excess calories through a thermogenic mechanism; that is, the excess calories were converted into

heat, not stored. When you overeat, your metabolism temporarily increases as a way of compensating for the extra calories. In addition, increasing fat stores aren’t related to a particular eating time but to a continued surfeit of calories over the course of several days. In short, people get fat because they overeat in relation to their physical activity level day after day. Contrary to popular belief, although your metabolism does drop when you sleep, that doesn’t automatically translate into weight gain. In fact, one eating plan frequently discussed in IRON MAN, the Warrior Diet espoused by Ori Hofmekler, suggests that you should get a large percentage of your calories at night. Hofmekler claims that such eating promotes a more efficient use of nutrients. One thing is certain, however: If you want to eat at night, go ahead. What’s important is not when you eat, but how much. —Jerry Brainum 1 Sullivan, E.L., et al. (2005). Evidence in female rhesus monkeys that nighttime caloric intake is not associated with weight gain. Obesity Res. 13:2072-2080.

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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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76 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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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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Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

, Eat, GROW Train Muscle-Training Program 81 From the IRON MAN Training & Research Center

Models: Lee Apperson and Lee Apperson Jr.

by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux e’re feeling rather proud of ourselves, not because o we w both set bodyweight records d over the winter—without too much fat accrual—but because we’ve incorporated some innovations that we think will make our ripping phase much more effective this year, getting us leaner while acccelerating the muscle-building process. No, we’re not taking steroids—or hallucinogenic drugs. We’ve just been meticulous with our winter training experiments, research and observations. Let’s start with rest/pause, but we’re not talking about the classic version we’re all used to. The subject at hand is the DoggCrapp method. Put away your pooper scooper; it’s got nothing to do with canine cannoli. Unless you’ve been to certain bodybuilding forums or chat rooms on the Internet, you may not be familiar with Dante’s DoggCrapp, or DC, training. You don’t need to wade through the tangled Web on your browser to step in it, however. An interview with Dante appears on page 120 of this issue—info straight from the guru’s mouth. Naturally, we’ve got our own take on Dante’s effective mass-building method. Interested? We thought so. Rest/pause revisited. In a nutshell, Dante’s DC technique is to perform a compound exercise using a weight with which you hit exhaustion at around eight to 10 reps. Then you rest 20 seconds; hit it again with the same weight, failing at rep five or six; rest 20 seconds,

and then hit that same weight one last time for around three reps. So it’s three sets with the same weight, 20 seconds of rest after each. Intense? You bet, but is it better than a couple of straight sets? Remember, we’ve said that on our first big midrange, or multijoint, exercise we want to produce the maximum force possible. After that we go for more endurance-facet training and stretch overload, the other key mass-building triggers. On that first big midrange move we usually do one straight set, rest 2 1/2 to three minutes and then hit another set with the same weight, adding X-Rep power partials at the max-force point to extend the set and activate more fibers. With DC training you rest 20 seconds between sets, so you only get maximum-force production on the very first set—there’s too much fatigue on the second and third phases. Does that mean two straight sets are better that three DC rest/pause sets? If you’re strictly after force production, the answer is probably yes, although you are doing an extra set with the DC method. The DC method appears to have some forceproduction activation intertwined with some endurance-component work. That may very well be why Dante recommends using three different compound exercises in his rest/pause style—so that trainees get enough anaerobic force production and endurance work to maximally develop the fast-twitch 2As, the key bodybuilding fibers. As we’ve said, we usually use

our first big exercise for maxforce production and anaerobic stimulation, with only minor endurance stimulation. Then we shift to more of an endurance attack by integrating supersets, drop sets, double drops and Double-X Overload on the more-isolated exercises. Here’s a specific example of our standard midrange-exercise sequence: For upper chest we do two sets of incline presses. The first set is for 10 reps; the second is for eight or nine reps with X Reps tacked on to extend the set for more fiber activation and tension time (the best hypertrophic results occur with about 30 seconds of tension time). After that max-force work we move to high incline cable flyes for endurance-oriented work with a double drop—three sets in rapid succession, decreasing the weight on each. Or we do incline flyes for stretch-position work and superset those with a drop set on high cable flyes. Either way, our second mode of attack is three sets back to back with very little rest, which better blasts the endurance components— building the mitochondria and capillary beds. There is still anaerobic stress, especially on the first phase of the double drop; however, the endurance facets take over during the second and third phases. DC training gives you endurance work thanks to the short rest periods between most of the nine sets of compound exercises—but you don’t get many sets with extended tension www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 77

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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 / Program 81

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 81 Workout 1A: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Rack pulls or dumbbell upright rows (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(6) Seated forward-lean laterals (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Standing dumbbell presses (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Superset Dumbbell shrugs (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Cable upright rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Nautilus rows (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Superset Nautilus rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Cable rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Superset Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 6(4) Cable curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Superset Preacher curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Cable curls 1 x 8-10 Concentration curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(5)(4) Incline hammer curls (double drop; X Reps)1 x 8(5)(4) Dumbbell reverse wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(7)(6) Dumbbell wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(7)(6) Workout 3A: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (second set is drop; X Reps)2 x 10, 8(6) High cable flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 7(5)(4) Bench presses (X Reps) 1 x 10 Wide-grip dips (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(7) Low/middle cable flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 7(5)(4) Pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 10 Superset Chins (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Undergrip pulldowns 1 x 6-8 Superset Machine pullovers (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Rope rows (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 6(4) Elbows-flared pushdowns (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(5) Tri-set Decline lying extensions 1 x 8-10 Decline close-grip bench presses (X Reps) 1x6 Decline lying dumbbell extensions 1x5 Superset Kickbacks 1 x 8-10 Bench dips (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset Incline kneeups (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 12(4) Flat-bench leg raises (X Reps) 1x7 Tri-set Ab Bench crunches (X Reps) 1x9 Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1x8 Bench V-ups 1x8

Workout 1B: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Rack pulls or dumbbell upright rows (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(6) Superset Cable laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) 1x7 Standing dumbbell presses (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Dumbbell shrugs (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Nautilus rows (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Superset Nautilus rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Cable rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 One-arm dumbbell rows (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Superset Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 6(4) Cable curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Superset Preacher curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Cable curls 1 x 8-10 Incline curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(5)(4) Incline hammer curls (double drop; X Reps)1 x 8(5)(4) Dumbbell reverse wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(7)(6) Dumbbell wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(7)(6) Workout 3B: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (second set is drop; X Reps)2 x 10, 8(6) Superset Incline flyes (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) High cable flyes (X Reps) 1x6 Wide-grip dips (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Bench presses (X Reps) 1 x 10 Superset Flat-bench flyes (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Low cable flyes (X Reps) 1x6 Pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 10 Superset Chins (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Undergrip pulldowns 1 x 6-8 Superset Dumbbell pullovers (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Rope rows (X Reps) 1x6 Elbows-flared pushdowns (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(5) Tri-set Decline lying extensions 1 x 8-10 Decline close-grip bench presses (X Reps) 1x6 Decline lying dumbbell extensions 1x5 Superset Overhead dumbbell extensions (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Bench dips (X Reps) 1x6 Superset Incline kneeups (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(5) Flat-bench leg raises (X Reps) 1x8 Tri-set Ab Bench crunches (X Reps) 1x9 Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1x8 Bench V-ups 1x8

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 81

ITRC Program 81 (continued) Workout 2 (Always on Wednesday): Quads, Hams (isolation), Calves, Low Back Smith-machine squats (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Squats 1 x 15-20 Superset Leg extensions (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Low, partial dumbbell squats (X Reps) 1 x 6-8 Superset Leg extensions (X Reps) 1x8 Sissy squats (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Leg curls (drop set, X Reps) 1 x 10(5) Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 10 Leg press calf raises (X Reps) 3 x 15-20 Tri-set Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 10 Standing calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 6-8 Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 6-8 Superset Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1x8 Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 15-20 Low-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 10 Friday: We train our hamstrings all out, from all positions, first with the following: Superset Leg curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset Lunges (alternating legs) 1x9 Low-partial dumbbell squats (X Reps) 1 x 6-8 Superset Stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials) 1 x 8-10 Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials) 1 x 6-8 After that we train quads, calves and the upper-body muscles that we worked on Tuesday, except back, but we only do isolation work—contracted- and/or stretch-position exercises. See the X-Blog at www .X-Rep.com for detailed workouts. Note: Where X-Reps are designated, usually only one set or phase of a drop set is performed with X Reps or an X-Rep hybrid technique from the Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book.

times; you don’t get isolation work, which is much better for occlusion training (continuous tension to block blood flow); and, most important, you don’t get stretchposition overload. Do you make up for some of those with all the heavy compound sets? Possibly, to a degree—but performing that many sets of compound exercises may drain your recovery ability. Nevertheless, we think DC training has a lot of

potential—if you use it sparingly. Lately we’ve been incorporating it on one set of our midrange exercise before moving on to contractedand/or stretchposition exercises. We’ve got a few variations. DC variation 1: We do the standard DC three-phase rest/ pause set, rest for three minutes, then do a second set—a straight set, not rest/pause style—of the same exercise, with X Reps. The second set is like maxforce insurance; however, there’s a lot of residual fatigue from the first DC attack, so we’re not sure if we’re getting enough force production on the second set. Once again, we only do one compound exercise for each muscle group, not three, so we need to max out force production in those two rounds.

DC variation 2: We do the standard threephase DC technique but on the third do only X Reps—no full-range reps—and we do them at the max-force point to increase max-force production. Once again, residual fatigue from the muscles’ getting only 20 seconds of rest is a problem and can diminish force production.

DC variation 3: We use only one rest/pause interval—two phases— and immediately after the second phase move to another exercise and

rep out, shooting for about eight repetitions. After a three-minute rest we’ll go back to the first exercise and do another straight set, with X Reps. For instance, on machine rows we’ll take a poundage with which we can get 10 reps and do those, rest for 20 seconds, plus hit it again, shooting for about six, with X Reps. At failure we immediately move to the seated cable row machine and blast out about seven reps on straight-bar shoulder-width rows. So that’s two sets with a 20second rest/pause, the second phase supersetted with another compound move. Then we rest about three minutes, jump on the row machine again and crank out seven or eight reps, with X Reps. Talk about a killer pump! But the question remains: Does that variation accomplish the max-force production we want on our one midrange movement? Fatigueproduct accumulation may still be a problem. As we said, Dante usually recommends three different compound moves, each done with his three-phase multirep rest/pause technique. Even if you only do one exercise in that style, you’ll notice something: Because of the short rests, the weight feels very heavy on each successive set; that produces a bit more heaving at the max-force point, a.k.a. the semistretched position—or the X spot. The same thing happens when you increase the weight using the classic pyramid technique. The muscle is fatiguing, but you add weight, so more cheating occurs. We’ve discussed in our e-zine and in this magazine how even slight heaves and jerks at, say, the bottom of a chinup can activate more muscle fibers. It’s the reason a lot of those big-weight heavers in the gym often build lots of mass—but it can be dangerous (big-weight heavers usually have lots of injuries too). Our solution is end-of-set X Reps, stressing the max-force point at the end of a set of strict reps. The greatest potential danger occurs on the last phase of a DCtraining sequence. That’s when the muscle is most fatigued, gasping and sputtering, and the

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 81

ITRC Program 81, Abbreviated Home-Gym Routine Workout 1A: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Dumbbell upright rows or rack pulls (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(5) Seated forward-lean laterals (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(5)(3) Standing dumbbell presses (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Barbell shrugs (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(7) Bent-over barbell rows 2 x 10 Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) Bent-over laterals (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Barbell curls 2 x 10 Concentration curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Incline hammer curls (double drop; X Reps)1 x 8(6)(4) Reverse wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(8)(6) Wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(8)(6)

Workout 3A: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (X Reps; second set is drop) 2 x 10, 8(5) Incline flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Bench presses (X Reps; second set is drop) 2 x 8-10 Decline flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Chins (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 Undergrip rows (X Reps; second set is drop) 2 x 8-10 Decline extensions (X Reps) 2 x 10 Kickbacks (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Tri-set Incline kneeups 1 x 10 Bench V-ups 1x8 Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1 x 10-12

Workout 2 (Always on Wednesday): Quads, Hams (isolation), Calves, Low Back Squats 2 x 10-15 Squats 1 x 15-20 Superset Leg extensions or hack squats (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Low, partial dumbbell squats (X Reps) 1 x 5-8 Superset Leg extensions or hack squats (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Sissy squats (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Leg curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 10 One-leg calf raises (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 15(8) Donkey calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 15-20 Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 15-20

Workout 1B: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Dumbbell upright rows or rack pulls (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(5) Incline one-arm laterals (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Standing dumbbell presses (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Barbell shrugs (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(7) Bent-over barbell rows 2 x 10

One-arm dumbbell rows (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Bent-over laterals (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Preacher curls (X Reps) 2 x 10 Incline curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Incline hammer curls (double drop; X Reps)1 x 8(6)(4) Reverse wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(8)(6) Wrist curls (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(8)(6)

Workout 3B: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (X Reps; second set is drop) 2 x 10, 8(5) Incline flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Wide-grip dips (X Reps; second set is drop) 2 x 9, 7(4) Flat-bench flyes (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Parallel-grip chins (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Dumbbell pullovers (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Decline extensions (X Reps) 2 x 10 Overhead extensions (double drop; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4) Tri-set Incline kneeups 1 x 10 Bench V-ups 1x8 Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Friday: Train the hamstrings all out, from all positions, first with the following: Superset Leg curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset Lunges (alternating legs) 1x9 Low, partial dumbbell squats (X Reps) 1 x 6-8 Superset Stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials) 1 x 8-10 Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials) 1 x 6-8 After the full hamstring workout train quads, calves and the upper-body muscles that you worked on Tuesday, except back, but only do isolation workâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; contracted- and/or stretch-position exercises. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep.com for detailed workouts. Note: Where X-Reps are designated, usually only one set or phase of a drop set is performed with X Reps or an X-Rep hybrid technique from the Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book.

Note: Train Monday through Friday, following the sequence of workouts as listed but with workout 2, legs, always on Wednesday only. Also, for drop sets 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, nonlock style. Use partner resistance, towel around the ankles, if you don t have a leg curl machine.

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 81

and favorite DC variation: We do one straight set first, adding X Reps. That ramps up force production and primes the central nervous system. We rest for about three minutes— studies say that amount of time is best for max force production on a second set. On the second set we use standard DC-training rest/ pause, with the first phase hitting max-force redline and the second and third phases transitioning us into endurance-component work, which we’ll do on the following contracted-position exercise. To vary the variation, we may do only two phases on the second set, with 20 seconds between them, and superset the second phase with another exercise. On incline presses, for example, we’ll do our usual two warmup sets, then move to our first work set. We use a weight that allows nine or 10 reps, and then we add X Reps. We rest for about three minutes and hit it again. This time we do a set, rest 20 seconds, do another set and then immediately move to dumbbell inclines for six to eight reps, with X Reps. That sequence appears to trigger more force production, allows the size principle of fiber recruitment to fully engage on most of the sets and is the perfect transition to endurance-component work on the next exercise, usually a double-drop set on high cable flyes, a contracted-position exercise for upper chest. We feel as if this new variation is a breakthrough in merging our theories with Dante’s rest/pause technique. Try it. We’ve already noticed new mass increases. Keep in mind that more isolated work, via stretch and/or contractedposition exercises done with drop sets for endurance-component development, begins with an anaerobic kicker: The first set of Model: Ronnie Coleman “Cost of Redemption” ©2004 Mitsuru Okabe Co.

Stretch overload Ronnie Coleman style.

weight, which is the same load you use on all three sets, feels very heavy—almost like a one-repmax poundage. On most exercises trainees will jerk the weight in order to get a few reps. That’s not to put down Dante’s DC method; we’re only analyzing it and trying to make it work for us. If you have the time and recovery capacity to use three different compound moves for each bodypart in his modified rest/pause style—and you keep your reps fairly strict—you can no doubt make some great gains without too much joint trauma. We prefer to go for maxforce production on our compound exercise, then transition into training the endurance components as well as shocking the muscle with stretch overload. That said, our fourth variation of the DC method has become our favorite because of its forcegeneration capacity. Remember, we usually only do one big, compound exercise per muscle—and our objective is to get maximum-force production. DC variation 4: In The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book we said that the first heavy set is usually less effective at force production because it’s an extension of the warmup—a heavier nervoussystem primer for the second set, which is the money set. Fatigue accumulation on the second and third phases of DC rest/ pause appear to derail max force somewhat. So here’s our fourth

a drop set, double-drop set or superset should be heavy enough to let you get only about seven reps. As we explained last month, that first phase is more anaerobic, but you follow immediately with additional low-rep sets, which trigger key endurance-facet development as well as providing a bit more anaerobic work. Whew! That’s a lot to digest, and we’ll talk more about DC training at our Web site, X-Rep.com, and in our weekly e-zine (you can subscribe at IronManMagazine.com). Now let’s talk about our latest division revision—a slight change to our weekly workout order. Split revision. We outlined our new ripping-phase split last month: Week 1 Monday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Tuesday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Wednesday: Legs, lower back Thursday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Friday: Delts, biceps, forearms, legs—stretch- and/or contracted-position exercises only; no compound movements Week 2 Monday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Tuesday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Wednesday: Legs, lower back Thursday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Friday: Chest, triceps, abs, legs— stretch- and/or contractedposition exercises only; no compound movements Week 3: Repeat week 1 Week 4: Repeat week 2 We’re back to training five days in a row, but the last workout of the week is a freaky Friday isolation day—to lessen the stress on our recovery systems. And the upperbody muscles that get the isolation

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 81

muscles that we trained Tuesday (except no back work, as we explained last month). We’re very excited about this tweak, and so far we’re already seeing more hamstring sweep—and a shorter workout on Wednesday. Supplement updates. During our ripping phase we rotate in a lot of different supplements— everything from GH Stak to fat burners to L-carnitine to Larginine. We’ve experimented over many years and discovered what works—for us. In case you want to try some or all of the things we’re using to speed up results, or you’re just curious, we’ve decided to post an X-Supplement blog at www.X-Rep.com. Look for it in the menu on the homepage—and then prepare to get bigger and leaner than ever before! It’s going to be a rip-roaring summer! (Shredded abs with vascularity coming up!) Editor’s note: For the latest

Model: Berry Kabov

treatment on Friday get hit again on the following Monday—after two days of complete rest. Also notice that the upper-body muscles that we train on Thursday get hit again on the following Tuesday, after five days of recovery. It’s a pretty sound strategy, with built-in frequency variation, but now we’ve made a minor change that makes it even better. We’ve switched the full hamstring workout to Friday, giving it priority. That means on Wednesday we train hamstrings with isolation work only after quads (ah, much better!). Before we had to gear up for an all-out hamstring assault after a full quad blitz, and, needless to say, our hamstrings weren’t getting the heavy-hit focus they needed. We were just too fatigued from all the quad work. Now our heavy hamstring hit occurs first thing on Friday, before we move into isolation work for quads, calves and the upper-body

Multijoint moves are best for maxforce production.

on the X-Rep muscle-building method, including X Q&As, X Files (past e-zines), our before and after photos and the X-Blog training journal, visit www.X-Rep.com. For more information on Positions-ofFlexion training videos and Size Surge programs, see the ad section that begins on page 193 or visit www.Home-Gym.com. To order the Positions-of-Flexion training manual Train, Eat, Grow, call (800) 447-0008, visit www.Home-Gym. com, or see the ad below. IM

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Steve Holman’s

Critical Mass

King TUT—Time Under Tension

Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

Q: Ever since I applied the 30-second rule to my sets, my calves and quads have exploded. All other muscle groups seem to have stayed about the same. I remember Charles Poliquin stating in an interview that certain muscles fall into the fast-twitch category (requiring low reps) and others into the slow-twitch (requiring moderate reps). If I remember right, he explained that the triceps and hamstrings tend to respond best to lower reps. Have you noticed growth in specific muscles since employing longer tension times? I guess what I’m asking is, Do you believe the half-minute rule applies to all groups? Or have you discovered a new time limit for certain muscles? A: One thing to keep in mind is that scientists used to believe that the type 2B fibers were the ones with the most growth potential, the ones activated during lower-rep sets. Now muscle biopsy results suggest that type 2Bs (power fibers) transform into type 2As (fast twitch with an endurance component). The 2As are dominant in bodybuilders, and it appears that their style of training—higher reps/

more sets/more time under tension—makes the transformation happen more readily, giving the majority of their muscle fibers a doublegrowth effect via anaerobic facets as well as endurance components. Lower reps tend to train only the anaerobic facets, which means you develop more strength than size because the endurance components are ignored and the tendons and ligaments get more stress. That would explain why the majority of sets that Coleman, Cutler and most other big bodybuilders do have longer tension times. They rarely do low reps because they want both anaerobic and endurance stress for that double-whammy size effect. As for your question, it may be that bodyparts that have been used for endurance—like quads and calves—throughout your life have many more fibers that have already morphed into 2As, which means they respond more readily to the half-minute-plus tension times. Other bodyparts may require more workouts with that type of training to force the transformation and/or develop both aspects of the 2As. In other words, it may be that you need to stick with extended tension times for a while before you start to see results when it comes to bodyparts like triceps. Some of that is extrapolated from research, and some is conjecture on my part, so I encourage you to experiment. If you want to play it safe, so to speak, you may want to use lower reps for triceps and other muscles you believe to be low-rep responders, but incorporate drop sets on the last few sets so you still tap into the endurance components. A drop set is basically lower-rep sets done back to back. With it you stress the muscle fibers from both directions, anaerobically and with some endurance work to build capillaries, mitochondria and so forth. I often do double-drop sets with lower reps; for example, six reps, reduce the weight, five reps, reduce the weight, four reps, with X Reps. It’s painful and will make you scream profanities, but it works because you develop the anaerobic and endurance capacities

Muscles that we use a lot every day, like calves, respond better to longer tension times because of excess fiber transformation more endurance oriented fibers. Nevertheless, you should attack all muscles with some longer tension times so you develop both the anaerobic and endurance components of the fast twitch type 2As. If you neglect either, you shortchange your size potential.

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Steve Holman’s

Critical Mass Doing cardio after a weight workout can help you tap into fat stores faster due to fewer circulating energy substrates. Q: I’m planning to start running after my workout. When should I drink the postworkout shake? Is it after the workout or after my run? A: If you’re trying to lean out, you should have your recovery drink after you run; otherwise, circulating carbs can derail fat burning during your run. Your bloodstream will be very low in circulating energy substrates after your weight training, so you’ll be able to tap into fat stores faster. You may want to take a few branched-chain amino acid capsules between your workout and your run so your muscles can start the recovery process and also to “trick” your body into not burning muscle tissue for energy during your run. Q: I just subscribed to the IM e-zine [at www.Iron ManMagazine.com] that you and Jonathan write every week. It rocks! It’s the best info of any e-zine, but it says issue 110 on my latest one. Is there any way to get the ones I missed? A: We have some of them posted at www.X-Rep.com. Click on X-Files. Also, we’ve published a number of them in IRON MAN as features, and many of those are reproduced as they appeared in the magazine, in full color and with all the photos, in PDF format so you can download them to your computer. Go to IronManMagazine.com and navigate to the PDF downloads section. There are lots of other features from the magazine there as well.

A: The so-called micro cycle is based on many years of observation and feedback. We’re just now starting to experiment with it, so I can’t say I recommend it, but I do suggest you try various versions of it. I’m sure its effectiveness has a lot to do with how much volume and intensity you’re using as well as days per week you’re training and your individual recovery ability. If you’re using X Reps and other brutal intensity techniques, the micro cycle is probably the best way of avoiding the scourge of overtraining. I think it’s best to gauge intensity by time under tension to exhaustion. As we saw in the previous answer, for most sets you should use a weight that enables you to keep repping for about 30 seconds. That will increase adaptation in both the aerobic and anaerobic components of the fast-twitch type 2A fibers, the ones most responsible for extreme hypertrophy.

The sharp black POF T shirt with the original classic logo emblazoned in gold can give you that muscular look you re after (sorry, large size only). See page 251 for details. Editor s note: Steve Holman is the author many bodybuilding best sellers, including Train, Eat, Grow: The Positions of-Flexion Muscle Training Manual (see page 86). For information on the POF videos and Size Surge programs, see the ad section beginning on page 193. Also visit www.X Rep .com. IM

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Neveux

Q: I recently read that you recommend no more than three weeks of high-intensity training followed by one week of low-intensity workouts to encourage full recovery between HIT phases. That ratio makes sense to me. It seems as if traditional intensity cycling is on more of a “macro” scale, such as six to eight weeks of high intensity followed by three to five weeks of lower intensity. My question is this: Do you recommend your miniature, or micro, cycles over the more tradional version? Another question: Do you think it’s better to gauge intensity by weight—percentage of one-rep max—or by feel and instinct?

Neveux \ Model: Tamer Elshahat

of the fast-twitch 2As.

Steve Holman ironchief@aol.com

Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s

Naturally Huge

Blubber Blasters Q: I own a gym, and I help many of my clients get in shape and lose bodyfat. One seems to be at a sticking point. Although it’s only been three weeks, she’s still at 25 percent bodyfat, yet she’s lost 6.5 pounds in that time. Her waist measurement hasn’t changed much. Is she losing muscle? If so, why? Do you think she’s expecting results too quickly? Yes, we’re increasing the weights she’s using in the gym and trying to go heavier every week as much as possible. She believes, as I think most people do, that fat isn’t dropping fast enough due to her cutting back on the cardio. I’m trying to get her past that. A: I agree with you that cardio is not as important as diet for losing bodyfat. I think a good nutrition program designed to maintain muscle mass while decreasing bodyfat, combined with an effective weight-training regimen, is probably the best way to lose bodyfat. Adding cardio to the formula, will help lower fat levels even more, provided it’s incorporated correctly. Many people overdo cardio in the hope that they’ll burn

If you’re looking to get leaner as you maintain or build muscle, you have to be careful about how you do cardio.

off fat more quickly. But what often happens is that they end up burning more calories than stored bodyfat. Using up more calories doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be leaner. Even though cardio is aerobic exercise (using oxygen, not sugar, for energy), performing cardiovascular activities at a higher intensity level (running instead of walking, for example) will burn more calories. It will also, however, use sugar for energy, since sugar’s a more immediate source of fuel. When the intensity level goes up, the body relies on fast-acting sugar for energy and not stored bodyfat. If there’s little sugar available in the bloodstream (due to a low-carbohydrate diet), the body will use up the glycogen stored in the muscles as a source of energy. That’s why a person looking to get leaner by maintaining muscle and decreasing bodyfat has to be careful about cardio. Someone who’s dieting and restricting carbohydrates runs the risk of sacrificing muscle tissue with too much cardio or cardio performed at too high an intensity level. Your client has lost weight but not inches since you started working with her three weeks ago. That’s not highly unusual because sometimes it takes a while for the body to adjust to the regimen. Many people who begin a bodybuilding-type diet to lose fat and gain or maintain muscle are not used to eating more than two to three times a day. Eating six or more small meals per day helps to decrease bodyfat by stimulating the metabolism and feeding the muscles more effectively. She’s probably just starting to stimulate her metabolism. I’m guessing that the initial six-pound loss was mostly water. She might have been eating foods that were high in sodium and, when those foods were eliminated, she quickly lost six pounds of water. I’d keep track of her diet and workouts along with daily recordings of her measurements and bodyweight and note the results. If she doesn’t lose bodyfat, go over her diet and drop her calories some more. Decreasing her carb intake by 30 grams would cut her daily calories by 120. The slight decrease might be all she needs to start making progress. Determining exactly how many calories a person needs each day to lose bodyfat requires some experimentation. If the number of calories you told your client to eat is too high, then you should drop them slightly and watch for the results. Make sure you keep the changes slight to avoid shutting down her metabolism and preventing any fat loss. You can’t rush the process if your goal is to maintain muscle while losing bodyfat.

Neveux \ Model: Eric Domer

Q: I’m trying to build up my shoulders to match my chest and arms. Here’s my split: day 1, chest and delts; day 2, back and triceps; day 3, legs and biceps; day 4, rest. For my shoulders, I do the following routine:

Behind-the-neck presses Seated dumbbell presses Front raises Facedown lateral raises Dumbbell shrugs

4 x 10 4 x 10 4 x 10 4 x 10 4 x 10

Can you give me some tips for making my shoulders grow? A: The deltoid consists of three separate heads: the

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Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s

Naturally Huge

Neveux

Neveux \ Model: John Cowgill

any deltoid workout. Many bodybuilders prefer to train the side heads first in their delt routine in order to give that area of the muscle priority. I do four sets of lateral raises, starting off with 12 reps on the first set, 10 reps on the second and six to eight reps on the last two sets. You can train the rear heads with any rear-lateral exercise. The one that you include in your training routine, facedown lateral raises, is a good one. In order to make it even more effective, increase the resistance on each successive set. Perform three sets of 12, 10 and eight reps. You’ve also included dumbbell shrugs for traps in your deltoid workout. Most bodybuilders train traps with shoulders because overhead pressing and lateral raises also hit the trapezius muscles. The shrug, performed with either a barbell or dumbbells, is the most basic exercise for the traps. Three to four sets of six to 12 reps is ideal. I also recommend that you change the order of the bodyparts you train. Training chest and delts in the same workout puts a lot of stress on the shoulders. I think it’s much more effective to train those two muscle groups on different days. I like to separate my chest and deltoid workouts by at least two days. If you want to stick with the same three-days-on/oneday-off split, you could train chest and arms on day one, legs by themselves on day two and deltoids and back on day three. That gives your delts greater recuperation and growth potential—you’ll probably notice an increase in strength and development. Change the exercises you’re using to train your deltoids, increase the weight on each set so you’re Overtraining your front using more resistance and pushing the deltoids with too many muscles harder to perform approximately six pressing exercises is a to 10 reps, and train your delts with your back common mistake. instead of your chest so the muscles have a better chance of recuperating. If you make those adjustments, I’m positive you’ll have delts that will anterior, or front; the medial, or side; and the posterior, or match up to the rest of your upper-body development. rear. You should pay equal attention to all three sections in order to fully develop them. Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Natural Mr. Right now, however, you’re doing too many exercises Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner. for your front delts. All pressing exercises focus primarily Visit his Web site at www.natural on the front heads. Pressing exercises also use the triceps, olympia.com. and that’s why they’re great basic exercises for developing You can write to mass. Nevertheless, you really need to do only one basic him at P.O. Box pressing exercise each time you train your delts. 3003, Darien, You’re doing behind-the-neck presses and seated dumbIL 60561, or bell presses. I recommend dropping one of them. Do four call toll-free sets of only one pressing movement, and use progressively (800) 900-UNIV heavier weights on each set so your reps go something like (8648). His new 12, 10, eight and six over the four sets. book, Natural You can also eliminate front raises, as that’s a frontBodybuilddeltoid exercise. I think a pressing movement is a beting, is now ter option than front raises anyway. The front raise with available from dumbbells is more of an isolation exercise for the front Home Gym delts. If you’re looking to add mass, stick with a heavy basic Warehouse, movement like seated presses with either dumbbells or a (800) 447-0008 barbell. or www.HomeIn place of front raises you can add a lateral-raise exerGym.com. IM cise to focus on the medial-delt heads. Lateral raises are the primary exercise for isolating and developing the medial heads, which adds width to the upper body by creating the so-called deltoid caps. You can do lateral raises either John Hansen sitting or standing, and you should always include them in John@NaturalOlympia.com 102 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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A Bodybuilder

ABS

Is Born Episode 12:

You Canʼt Flex Fat

by Ron Harris Photography by Michael Neveux

andy strolled over from the locker room, a huge grin on his face. Either he had scored with Japanese twins last night, or he had some other smashing success to report. “Two hundred pounds! I’m 200 pounds on the dime! Soon I’ll be 220, like you, Ron!” This charade had gone on long enough. I hated to be the one to burst my young charge’s bubble, but I had to put an end to it before it got out of hand. As I’ve mentioned before, Randy has a high metabolism and is naturally very lean. When I met him, he was 170 pounds with a clear six-pack and good separation in most of his muscle groups. He had maintained that low level of bodyfat until he reached 188 or so, right after he hurt his back three months before. Since then his definition had progressively faded away, to the point where he no longer looked like the lean and mean stud-boy he had been. I’d started to notice it about three weeks before. It was now time for me to intervene, as brutal as it was going to be. “Randy, you’re getting fat.” Immediately I saw the shock turn to defensiveness on his face, which was no longer as chiseled as it used to be. In fact, I thought I saw the beginnings of a double chin.

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A Bodybuilder Is Born

“Let me explain something about the pros: They are not regular human beings.”

Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can force-feed muscle by chowing down on pizza, ice cream and potato chips.

“No, I’m not! Why would you even say that?” He was clearly hurt. “I say it because I care, ya big dope,” I replied. “My main mission with you is to keep you from making most of the mistakes I have made, and this is one of the worst ones. Many times I got caught up with the weight on the scale and ignored the fact that I was gaining more fat than muscle.” “Well, I might have gained a little fat, but—” “Zip it. Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt. When I was 21 years old, I bulked up to 230 pounds by slugging down four 5,000-calorie weight-gain shakes a day on top of enough food to keep a Somali village well fed. I had dimples on my thighs and more chins than a Chinese phone book.” “Hey, you stole that from Fat Bastard in the Austin Powers movies!” “That’s okay. I used to be Fat Bastard. I was convinced I wasn’t fat, even when everyone around me was dropping subtle hints, like mooing when I walked by and hiding the food. Has anyone said anything to you yet?” “Ah, my girlfriend rubbed my belly the other night and said something about Buddha and good luck, but she was drunk anyway.” “I brought something for you.” It had been a while since I had used my fat calipers, and I had to consult the manual to get all the right places to measure. Randy was reluctant to let me do it, but at the same time he had to know for sure what was going on with his body. When I had crunched all the numbers, it was time to drop the bad news. “Your bodyfat is 17 percent, junior.” “What? No, it’s not. It can’t be that high! Do it again.” Sighing, I repeated the whole process and came up with the same result. “Two hundred pounds and 17 percent bodyfat. That means you have 166.5 pounds of lean mass.” “Yeah,” huffed Randy, “but that’s more than before.” “Not really,” I replied. “I would say that at the most your bodyfat before was about 10 percent. If you were 10 percent at 185, that meant you had 18.5 pounds of fat, and your lean mass was,…” I had to use the calculator again, as I am mathematically

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A Bodybuilder Is Born

Model: Daniel Decker

Always include some cardio even if you don’t need it to stay lean. It’s great for your heart.

Eat plenty of food, but make sure it’s clean and nutritious, not worthless calories.

challenged, “166 pounds. You have gained a half pound of muscle and almost 15 pounds of fat.” Randy was not a happy camper. Rather than let him slide into selfpity, I fired off some questions to get to the bottom of this newfound flab. “What have you been doing differently? Have you been eating a lot of junk food or something?” “Yeah,” Randy admitted. “I was looking in the bodybuilding magazines, and I saw how the pros get so huge in the off-season. I thought I would try bulking up. So I quit playing hoops and started eating crap. I think I used every Domino’s coupon I got in the mail for the past six weeks.” Having the vertical leap of a hippo and the hand-eye coordination of a slug, I had never understood the whole fascination with basketball. Sometimes I felt guilty wearing the latest Air Jordans, knowing I was living a lie. But Randy had actually played for his high school team, despite not being the tallest guy, and still went to a local park for pickup games with his friends two or three times a week. He never needed to do much in the way of cardio at the gym because of that, but now that source of calorie burning was out of the picture. “Let me explain something about the pros I think you already understand,” I told him. “They are not regular human beings. They are genetic freaks who are programmed to be able to build muscle without ever getting fat. Even when those guys get up to 300 pounds or more, they can still see some kind of lines in their physiques. The rest of us are not like that. We get fat when we eat too much and reduce our activity levels. We may not want to admit it, but we do. You simply can’t rush muscle gains, and all that fat isn’t helping you. “There’s a saying from many years ago: You can’t flex fat. It’s so true. Arthur Jones had another good one. He used to say that a car would still run with a couple hundred pounds of sand in the trunk, but it would probably run better without it.” Randy was bummed, inspecting himself in the mirror and not liking what he was seeing one bit. For a kid whose vanity I often had to keep in check, this was fairly painful—and it was painful to watch.

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A Bodybuilder Is Born Unless you can objectively look in the mirror and assess whether you’re gaining adipose tissue rather than muscle, I suggest measuring your bodyfat on a regular basis. (To find fat calipers, visit www .Home-Gym.com.)

Just stop worrying so much about what the number on the scale says, and think about adding quality muscle.

Arthur Jones used to say that a car would still run with a couple hundred pounds in the trunk, but it would run better without it.

“Relax, Randy, this is not a big deal. You haven’t gone too far into tubby territory yet, so stop crying. All you have to do is start eating normally again and rejoin your buddies on the blacktop.” I didn’t mention that Boston had somehow turned into Seattle, and rain had become almost a permanent weather forecast. “Just stop worrying so much about what the number on the scale says and think about adding quality muscle. A little bit of fat along with that is okay, but you have to watch it. From now on we’re going to start measuring your bodyfat once a month.” Randy had no problems reversing the trend, as I had predicted. By the next week the cheekbones that made the young ladies swoon had already returned to his face. The incident had also forced me to admit that I had let myself go a bit, and I, too, tightened up my diet and started getting a little leaner. Fat has a way of creeping up on you. It’s why so many folks get married looking all trim and fit, and then five years later the guy has a potbelly and the wife has a dump-truck butt and elephant thighs. Unless you can objectively look into the mirror and assess whether you’re gaining adipose tissue rather than muscle, I suggest measuring your bodyfat on a regular basis. I know I can easily start slipping back toward my chubby look if I’m not careful. And if a kid like Randy can start chunking up, anyone can. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can force-feed muscle by chowing down on pizza, ice cream and potato chips. Eat plenty of food, but make sure it’s clean and nutritious, not worthless calories. And always include cardio even if you don’t need it to stay lean. It’s great for your heart, the most important muscle there is. Regular cardio also builds capillary density and allows you to train longer and harder. Always remember that weight on the scale never tells the whole story. Although it’s nice to be able to say you weigh a certain amount if gains have always been a struggle, you can’t flex fat! IM

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S ’ E T N A

DINFERNO

Who Is He, and Why Is Doggcrapp Training Building So Much Muscle Mass?

Neveux \ Model: Ray Campisi

by Ron Harris •

Photography by Michael Neveux

nyone who frequents bodybuilding message boards on the Internet has at least heard of DC, or Doggcrapp, training. Not since the late Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty appeared in the 1980s has an abbreviated style of training generated so much interest. Part of the reason is DC training’s most visible success story, IFBB pro Dave Henry, who grew from a 170-pound middleweight to a 205-pounder in a mere two years, and who credits his new mass to DC training and the man behind it, Dante. Thousands of bodybuilders have used DC training with great success,

and to say it is building a cult following wouldn’t be inaccurate. Being intrigued and a bit confused myself as to what DC training is all about, I went straight to the source so that IRON MAN readers can get an idea of what it’s all about, why it works so well, and how willing you need to be to throw convention to the wind to follow it to the letter. Just as the literary classic The Inferno takes readers into a bizarre and frightening realm, so this Dante offers to take you to a new level of muscle size and power. If you’re ready to make your descent into the pit, let the journey begin.

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DANTE’S INFERNO

RH: Would you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Let’s start with Dante: Is that your actual name or an alias? D: That is my actual name. It’s my middle name, but it’s what I go by. RH: Do you have a background in sports, and how did you get involved in bodybuilding? D:I have always been a good athlete in every sport, but back in junior high school something strange happened. I stopped growing. I was the third-shortest person out of about 1,000 people in my high school, and I was a complete stick to boot. My freshman year I was 92 pounds, and I ended up graduating at 5’7” and a strapping, robust 122 pounds. [Laughs] I had always excelled at basketball and baseball but found it very tough going, being so small. I grew 5.5 inches after high school and wound up weighing 137 pounds at 6’ tall when I was 19 years old. While driving my car in my hometown of Gardner, Massachusetts, one day, I saw two-

time AAU Mr. Massachusetts (and AAU America and NABBA Universe competitor) Donnie Lemiuex. The man was monstrous at 5’7” and a lean 240 pounds, and I was shocked to see someone look like that. I was determined right then and there to put my nose to the grindstone, and I researched and studied every single facet of bodybuilding I could find, from the basics to the molecular level. Donnie Lemiuex actually became my training partner later on, and to this day we remain great friends. RH: Did you publish your own newsletter at one point? D: Yes. I published Hardcore Muscle from 1993 to 1995, and that’s when I started to first put my thoughts on multirep rest/pause and other theories out to the public. It was a very cutting-edge newsletter, and I was very proud to say that my readership was like a who’s who in bodybuilding at that time. I had a whole slew of pros, top amateurs, doctors and researchers on the subscriber list. I was on

the phone with Phil Hernon, Tom Prince, Curtis Leffler and many other competing bodybuilders, gathering information for each issue. RH: Have you competed in powerlifting or bodybuilding? If not, do you have any desire to? D: Three times in the past few years I have dieted down for shows, and every time I pulled out for the same reasons. I’ve had two jobs for a long time now, usually working seven days a week, and I just get absolutely burned out with the hour of training and up to two hours of cardio I need daily to come into shows absolutely shredded to the bone. I admire anyone who can compete in today’s society, working 40 to 60 hours a week, because I know I sure as heck can’t do it. This last time, in early 2005, I was determined to follow through, and I went from 292 pounds to 258 in 15 weeks, but at five weeks out my father was diagnosed with a tumor on his liver, and my wife, who was competing in figure,

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Balik

DC training’s most visible success story is IFBB pro David Henry, who grew from a 170-pound middleweight to a 205-pounder in a mere two years.

and I both pulled out of the show. Bodybuilding shows come and go, but family is forever. That was an easy decision to make, and, luckily, my father was operated on and is in good health now. RH: How and why did you come up with DC training? Had you grown frustrated with other styles of training? Did DC training evolve over time? D: I started out with the old volume-training concepts just like everyone else does who reads what Arnold and the boys did and what the magazines put out there as the golden rules. But, eventually, I got to a point where I started thinking, “There is no rhyme or reason to this.” It all seemed based on obsessive-compulsiveness instead of deductive reasoning. I think a lot of modern-day bodybuilding routines are built on the must

“People are doing every foo-foo exercise under the sun thinking it bombs muscles from all angles, and all they’re doing most of the time is wasting energy.” cable crossovers and flat bench and pec deck and flyes for chest this workout, or I won’t have all the

bases covered and I won’t grow.” I think that’s flat-out wrong. DC training did evolve over time as I trained more and more bodybuilders and noted their results. Back in the early ’90s it was based on the same concepts as it is today but used slightly more volume. Through trial and error over the past 13 years or so I’ve honed it to what you see today. RH: Why the Doggcrapp? I mean, from a marketing point of view, people will remember it, but didn’t you have second thoughts that the name would be mocked? Model: Robert Hatch

principle, which is basically fanatical bodybuilders thinking, “I must do inclines and declines and

DC training is a multirep rest/pause system using mostly compound movements. 124 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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DANTE’S INFERNO

Comstock

Henry’s recent physique improvements can at least partially be attributed to DC training techniques.

D: Yeah, that was a real ingenious move on my part, wasn’t it? I definitely should be nominated Idiot of the Year for that one. [Laughs] What happened was, six years ago I was a member of a small but elite bodybuilding board on the Net that had about 50 members. I never posted; I just read the posts. I had viewed some posts by advanced bodybuilders on that board that I felt were very detrimental toward their health. I decided to respond and posted with the anonymous screen name of Doggcrapp. I thought it would be one post and kaput, done and over with. Man,

was I ever wrong! People were intrigued with what I had to say and kept asking questions. I kept answering, and it became a virtual encyclopedia. That post became 118 pages long and had over a quarter of a million views. My posts back then were cut and pasted onto bodybuilding sites all over the net, people started using my methods and gaining rapidly, telling friends, and it carried on through word of mouth like a wildfire. Sad to say, I’m stuck with the name Doggcrapp now. If I could do it all over again—trust me—I would have given myself a much classier name.

RH: I’m sure. What are the basic principles of DC training? D: Heavy, progressive weights; lower volume but higher frequency of bodypart hits; multirep rest/ pause training; extreme stretching; carb cutoffs; cardio; high-protein intake and blasting and cruising phases—periodization. RH: Can you give me an example of how the bodyparts might be arranged in a typical training week? D: For the majority of bodybuilders who are in need of size, the following works the best:

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DC Training, Bodypart by Bodypart Chest Smith-machine incline presses, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Hammer Strength presses, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Decline barbell presses, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Back width Rack chins, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Close-undergrip pulldowns, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Front pulldowns, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Back thickness* Deadlifts, straight sets: 6-9 reps, 9-12 reps T-bar rows straight set: 10-12 reps Rack deadlifts, straight sets: 6-9 reps, 9-12 reps *Back thickness exercises aren t rest/paused for safety reasons—fatigue and loss of form. Shoulders Military presses, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Hammer Strength presses, 11 to 15 rest/pause reps Upright rows, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Quads* Free-bar squats, straight set: 6-10; rest 3-5 minutes; 20-rep widow maker Hack squats (same as described for squats) Leg presses (same as described for squats) *Quad exercises aren t rest/paused for safety reasons—fatigue and loss of form—but after progressive warmups you do a heavy set and then what I call a 20-rep widow maker” set with a moderately heavy weight. Hamstrings Lying leg curls, 15 to 30 rest/pause reps Seated leg curls, 15 to 30 rest/pause reps Sumo leg presses (pressing with heels only), straight set: 15-25 reps Biceps Preacher curls, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Barbell drag curls, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Dumbbell curls, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Forearms Pinwheel curls, straight set: 10-20 reps Hammer curls, straight set: 10-20 reps Reverse-grip one-arm cable curls, straight set: 10-20 reps Triceps Reverse-grip bench presses, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps Close-grip bench presses, 11 to 20 rest/pause reps EZ-curl bar triceps extensions, 15 to 30 rest/pause reps (higher reps for elbow safety) Calves* Leg press toe presses, 10-12 reps Hack squat toe presses, 10-12 reps Seated calf raises, 10-12 reps *All calf exercises are done with an enhanced negative, meaning up on big toe, five seconds lowering to full stretch followed by a brutal 10 to 15 seconds in the stretched position and then back up on the big toe again. It really separates the mice from the men!

Monday: Chest, shoulders, triceps, back width, back thickness Wednesday: Biceps, forearms, calves, hamstrings, quads Friday: Repeat Monday’s workout Monday: Repeat Wednesday’s workout That way, you hit bodyparts twice every eight days or so. For advanced bodybuilders—and by that I mean very elite bodybuilders and extremely strong people—I sometimes go with the following: Monday: Chest, shoulders, triceps Tuesday: Biceps, forearms, back width, back thickness Thursday: Calves, hams, quads Friday: Repeat Monday’s workout Monday: Repeat Tuesday’s workout Tuesday: Repeat Thursday’s workout That way, you hit bodyparts twice every nine days or so. I can work on advanced bodybuilders’ lagging bodyparts somewhat better with that split. RH: One very radical aspect of DC training is that there are no isolation movements. How do you answer those who believe muscles need to be worked from several angles at each workout for complete development? D: Let me clarify that. My trainees have kind of put the notion out there that no isolation exercises are ever being used. I honestly don’t care what exercise someone uses as long as he can be progressive on it over time. If someone really believes in an exercise, then he can use it. Obviously, a dumbbell kickback, on which you can hypothetically go from 15 to 45 pounds, is going to be a lot less effective than a close-grip bench press, where you can start at 200 pounds and end up at 405 in my scheme of doing things. It all comes

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“My choice would always be a free-weight exercise over a machine if it can be done safely.” down to the Must Principle and obsessive-compulsiveness. When Ronnie Coleman came into this sport from powerlifting, did anyone see big gaps of muscle missing from his physique? Is Johnnie Jackson playing catchup with certain bodyparts from powerlifting all those years? I don’t

Model: Tito Raymond

burns up glycogen—and, God forbid, muscle mass. A few decades ago Steve Michalik and his gang were doing up to 100 sets per bodypart—and with elite genetics to boot—yet saw absolutely no difference in size or advanced development from what the people doing 20, 15, 10, five or even one set per bodypart, like Mentzer, got.

see distinct weaknesses in their physiques. They were just somewhat smaller versions of what you see today. People are doing every foo-foo exercise under the sun thinking it bombs muscles from all angles, and in my opinion all they’re doing most of the time is wasting energy resources. Once you reach a growth response in a workout, then pretty much everything you do after that just cuts into recovery time and

RH: Could you walk us through a set, DC style? Let’s assume trainees are properly warmed up and ready to do a set on, say, close-grip lat pulldowns. D: They would explosively pull the bar down to their chest, and then on the negative return they would resist, or control, on the way up. I don’t want specific seconds or a certain time range; I just want control on the negative to the point that if they had to, they could easily reverse direction. They would keep going to the point in the set where they would reach failure, hopefully between reps seven and 10. At that point they would take 10 to 15 deep breaths— usually 22 seconds or somewhere in that area—and then resume the exercise and go to failure once again. Then another 10 to 15 deep breaths, and then once again to failure. During the rest/pauses you do not stay strapped to the bar or anything. You take your 10 to 15 deep breaths and then get back in there. Oxygen is the key here. What I’m looking for in a rest/pause set usually is a total of 11 to 15 rest/pause reps, with three failure points in the set. That usually comes out to something like eight reps to failure, then 10 to 15 breaths, four more reps to failure, then 10 to 15 breaths, and a final two reps to failure for a total of 14 reps—which comes into the category of 11 to 15 rest/pause reps. RH: Because of the rest/pause nature of DC training, there tends to be a good mix of machines in your programs. Do you believe that machines like those made by Hammer Strength can stimulate muscle growth as effectively as barbells and dumbbells? D: I would like to see everyone build a base and use free weights whenever possible. If someone

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Model: Mike Dragna

“Repeating something you’ve already done will not force your body to grow further.”

has a training partner, there’s no worry at all using free weights with my methods. But sometimes my trainees don’t have a spotter, and in those cases I try to set them up on machines that they can “save” themselves on while going to the three failure points during a rest/ pause set. For example, it’s very easy to save yourself on a Smith-machine incline press at a failure point. You just turn the bar and latch the weight. I would hate to see one of my trainees doing free-weight barbell incline presses with a guillotine bar on his neck at failure, having no way to get out of it and not being able to scream for help. Regardless, a lot of people misconstrue this as a love for machines, when in actuality I’m trying to keep safety in mind

for someone who does not have a spotter. It’s as simple as that. My choice would always be a freeweight exercise over a machine if it can be done safely. That’s why I tend to use power racks and Smith machines a lot.

ended up eating gross amounts of the wrong types of food thinking that’s the secret. They became fat piles of lard and blamed it on the training routine instead of the real reasons—lack of cardio and an idiotic diet.

RH: Here’s a direct quote from an Internet hater regarding DC training: “It’s a lazy man’s training program guaranteed to turn you into a fat tub of lard.” How do you respond to a statement like that? D: Well, with any training routine, regardless if it’s mine or someone else’s, if you throw cardio to the wayside and eat like a glutton, you’re going to end up with an accumulation of adipose tissue, or bodyfat. I’ve seen many people use different training methods who

RH: How is DC training fundamentally different from other abbreviated-training systems like Heavy Duty? D: To be honest, that question always rankles me. The HIT advocates love to shove anything that’s a lower-volume-training routine under their gigantic HIT umbrella. I don’t believe in Mentzer’s theories. I think he went off the deep end later in his life, getting fanatical about overtraining, and in no way do I want to be

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changed. Repeating something you’ve already done will not force your body to grow further. That’s a waste of time, in my opinion. With my methods you are held accountable for today’s workouts vs. the last time you did this workout. Trust me, when you have that kind of imperative and your logbook is your archenemy, you are in for the fight of your life! You have the man in the mirror to answer to. Do you want to drive home knowing the logbook kicked your ass or knowing you destroyed the logbook and showed it who the

damn boss is? My trainees look back sometimes on their logbooks and find out that they are 50 to 200 pounds higher on those exercises than they were months earlier. What does that equal out to? Adaptation and rapid muscle mass accumulation. RH: Very nice. Do you think a person would get better results with DC training than with standard volume training if he were using steroids or not using steroids? Or would it have no impact either way? D: To be totally honest, anyone

RH: From talking with Dave Henry, I understand that record keeping and beating the numbers from the previous week are critical components of DC training. Can you explain why? D: Progression, simply progression. Some people go into the gym with no plan at all and just absolutely wing it. I’ve never understood that. I bet any money that if I logged their workouts, two weeks later, or six weeks later, or even 12 weeks later, when they do those same exercises again, they are probably using the same 120 pounds or 225 pounds or 315 pounds they used previously. That’s not progression! Nothing has

“You pretty much get to a point where you’re tricking your body into becoming muscularly larger.”

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Models: Hubert Morandell and Markus Reinhardt

DANTE’S INFERNO

associated with HIT protocols. My methods are lower volume but extremely heavy. My whole mentality is based around progression over time. The normal bodybuilder trains a bodypart 52 times a year, or once a week. My clients train bodyparts 75 to 92 times a year; hence, each bodypart gets growth stimulation 75 to 92 times a year instead of 52. That’s how I’m getting these guys up in muscle size so fast. I can’t have them doing 15 to 20 sets per bodypart, or I won’t be able to get them recovered, which defeats the purpose of all this. So it’s heavy, progressive, lower-volume training planned with recovery in mind in order to get the guys training each bodypart frequently. People have such a hard time grabbing this low-volume-perworkout concept, but in actuality, I’m doing the same things that most volume trainers out there are doing, if they would only look at the big picture. They might be doing four different exercises for their back in today’s workout, hitting back once a week. I’m doing those same four exercises in a week’s time, but in two separate workouts while training back twice in a week.

Model: Yohnnie Shambourger

with me for a whole year and has gained less than 15 pounds of lean tissue. I did have a trainee who came to me after an injury, so he had obviously lost some muscle mass, but I saw the before and after pictures with bodyfat percentage measured, and eight months later he had gained 67 pounds. And he was completely natural. To this day that shocks me. Those are elite genetics, though, and for anybody reading this article, I’m telling you straight out: There ain’t a chance in hell I can repeat that with everyone. In my mind that was and is still virtually impossible. I have made many, many, people 30 to 50 pounds heavier in a year’s time, but for that to happen, you have to be absolutely meticulous and follow exactly what I want you to do—which is pretty much to eat like a 300-pounder but do cardio like a guy who is 8 to 9 percent bodyfat and turn your body into a musclebuilding, fat-burning blast furnace. You pretty much get to a point where you’re tricking your body into becoming muscularly larger. RH: Obviously you don’t have to name names if you

DANTE’S INFERNO

“My whole concept is based on blasting and cruising—a maintenance phase of 10 to 14 days.” using steroids on any training routine is going to advance faster than if he did it au naturel. End of story. RH: Obviously, Dave Henry is the most visible example of what can be done with DC training. Can you list other specific examples of the gains your clients have made? D: I have seen some pretty amazing things I don’t even have an answer for. [Laughs]. I’ve seen a person have his bodyfat measured

before and after a year, when it was a little over 1 percent higher, and in that time he had gained 52 pounds. I’ve made numerous light heavies into superheavies. I’ve made numerous middleweights into heavyweights. I think a lot of people are coming to realize that with all the posts and photos online involving my methods, the old notion that you can only gain eight to 10 pounds of lean mass a year is complete and utter bunk. I can’t remember a trainee who has been

aren’t comfortable doing it, but are there any other pros or top amateurs you’re working with or have worked with as a trainer? D: There’s another pro besides Dave Henry, but due to his sponsor’s contract rulings, I don’t mention him publicly. I’ve also trained PNBA Natural pro Travis MacDuff. As far as top amateurs, how much space do we have? Junior Nationals champ Ralph Garcia, top NPC USA competitor Rob Lopez, Junior USA champion Jason Wojciechowski,

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plus Tom Whorley, Josh Barnett, Joey Mobareki, Jason Hamner, Chris Genkinger, Scott Stevenson, Robert Hopper, Joey Bonacia, Stone Laszly, Ramey Benfield, Mike Piacentino, Jason Torres, and a whole slew of others, including Canadian and European champions like two-time Swiss champion Ivan Gasser. RH: Do you train anyone in person? Are you available as such, or do you prefer to do everything online and on the phone? D: I used to train people in person, but this is just a side job for me, and I usually reject 70 percent of the people who contact me regarding training them. I’m very particular as to who I work with. They have to have the right mind-set—very determined to succeed—and it’s my way or no way. This is my reputation on the line, and I’m not going to screw with it by taking on someone who isn’t going to listen to me. I’ll train a genetically gifted pro or I’ll train someone with genetics like Woody Allen’s—it does not matter to me. I just need to feel that we will work well together, so I have an extensive questionnaire everyone must fill out before I make my decision.

as hungry as a bull during the rest of the day and would eat so much that they’d finally gain muscular weight. Prior to that they couldn’t gain weight when they weren’t doing cardio because their appetite was lacking. RH: I also understand that you don’t believe in the concept of bulking up, correct? D: I am trying to get people to put on as much muscle mass in the shortest amount of time possible. I don’t believe anyone should become a fat pile of crap in that quest. I have people eating gross amounts of food up to a new level in size,

but I limit bodyfat gain by limiting carbs at times during the day, food combining, cardio, carb cutoffs and using certain fat-burning supplements like green tea. My trainees most likely eat more food than people who are bulking up, per se, but I am adamant about not letting them use the bulking-up excuse to become sumo wrestlers in the off-season. RH: Do you believe in taking scheduled layoffs from training? D: Yes, my whole concept is based on blasting and cruising. I have every trainee blast for six to 12 weeks, all (continued on page 140)

RH: Where do you stand on cardio? Do you believe everyone should do it year-round, that those trying to gain mass shouldn’t do it at all, or that bodybuilders should never do it? D: I believe highly in cardio, almost universally. The problem with most bodybuilders is that it’s the first thing they skip. The only people I believe should not be doing cardio are some severely ectomorphic types with fast metabolisms. Almost everyone else should do it—to varying degrees, depending on the individual. It’s very hard to give blanket recommendations without knowing anything about an individual, of course. One of the staples I’ve found through training people who had a difficult time gaining weight is to do your cardio first thing in the morning. When I had trainees do cardio, walking on a treadmill or around the neighborhood the first thing upon arising, they would be www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 137

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Model: Todd Smith

“To follow DC training, you have to be a bulldog, no doubt about it. And above all else you need to de-brainwash yourself.” (continued from page 137) out, and

then do a cruising phase of maintenance training for 10 to 14 days, sometimes 21, depending on how long their blast was. It has to be done. The people who try to go all out all year-round are the ones who go into overtraining mode and eventually lose their gains.

DANTE’S INFERNO

RH: Should bodybuilders stay on the DC style of training yearround, or do you recommend phases where they do something different, like higher-volume work or a routine that features more isolation exercises? D: I think as long as they blast and cruise correctly—some obsessive-compulsive bodybuilders refuse to do so—they can do DCstyle training year-round. RH: As Dave Henry put it, DC training isn’t for everybody. What type of traits would you say an individual needs to successfully follow it? D: You have to be a bulldog, no doubt about it. And above all else you need to de-brainwash yourself of the notions that everyone in this sport has, notions that come from being taught from an obsessivecompulsive viewpoint. And I think you have to be a little bit crazy. If you’re two bolts short of a car wreck, DC training is for you, Jack!

RH: I doubt it’s possible to put a number on how many bodybuilders are using DC training or have used it, but it does seem to be gaining momentum. Could you see a day when it will becomes as widespread as standard volume training? D: God, I hope not! I’m already overwhelmed and have too much on my plate. I had absolutely no idea of Dave Henry’s following and fan base until I started training him two years ago. Every time he does really well in shows, my e-mails go thru the roof. He just got second at the IRON MAN Pro, and I’m getting e-mail from Africa, Europe, all over the place, about DC training. RH: Do you have any books or videos available on your program, or are any in the works? D: I believe Dave Henry is doing a DC-training video pretty soon, so that will be available in the future. I really should put a book out there for people to read, but right now I have a rare disease that is keeping me from doing so. It’s called “being a slacker.” In all seriousness, my articles online are in the process of being copyrighted, so I’ll get some of the literature into book form as soon as I can free up some time.

Protein.com). I hear that it’s a little different from the average supplement company in a few ways, right? D: We are very different. We will give buyers the highestquality supplements for the best prices they will find. We are able to do this by buying the highesttesting products in large amounts to get the price we want and then packaging them in food-grade jugs or storage bags. The buyer wins because he isn’t paying for the $5,000-per-page advertising campaign, the fancy jug label or the fancy packaging. People walk into nutrition centers now and plop down 30 dollars for two pounds of whey protein concentrate. Compare that with two pounds of a top-tested whey protein concentrate from True Protein, which is going to cost you about $8. RH: I hope this interview will solve the mystery of the mysterious Dante and give people a clear overview of what DC training is all about. I thank you very much for speaking with me. D: We Massachusetts guys have to stick together, Ron! Thanks for the interview. Note: For the IRON MAN Training and Research Center’s take on DC training and related massbuilding techniques, see page 76. Editor’s note: The official DC training Web site is www .intensemuscle.com. Send online training inquiries to DC @cyber-rights.net. IM

RH: You are also the owner of a supplement company, True Protein (www.True

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Beware the Kiss of the Sun Eugen Sandow was the archetypal modern bodybuilder, and he performed strength acts as part of his stage show. Although many bodybuilders may not recognize his name today, his physique is familiar, as it is represented in the small statuette presented to each year始s Mr. Olympia winner. Sandow, reportedly, was proud of his pale skin, which he emphasized in his act. He would pose in a boxlike contraption with a style reminiscent of classical sculpture. In effect, he became a living statue. As part of that effect Sandow would cover himself in white makeup, thus appearing even paler than he actually was.

Neveux \ Model: Lena Johannesen

by Jerry Brainum

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The bright lights of bodybuilding stages are notorious for flattening out even the most muscular physique. A competitor’s only defense is to appear onstage with a dark body coloring. In maintaining pale skin, Sandow was following 1890s fashion. A pallid complexion was a sign of high status. Only the poor, who had to work outdoors and thus were exposed to the sun, had tans. People went out of their way to avoid acquiring any kind of tan. Parasols were popular with women, and bathing suits featured head-to-toe coverage. One ad touting Pond’s vanishing cream in 1912 warned consumers to “beware of the kiss of the sun!” Times have changed. A bodybuilder attempting to compete today without body color is as a rare as a tiger in a tuxedo. A tan— whether real or artificial—is thought to highlight muscular definition and create subtle shadows that can make competitors appear more defined than they actually are. Feeding the need for a tan are the bright lights typical of bodybuilding

stages, which are notorious for flattening out even the most muscular physique. A competitor’s only defense is to appear onstage with a deep, dark body coloring. The only debate is how to obtain it. Bodybuilders have several options for acquiring their deep competition tans. The first is simply to lie in the sun—the most natural technique, but one loaded with formidable drawbacks, including premature aging of the skin and promotion of various skin lesions and cancers related to ultravioletlight exposure. Not to mention sunburn. A sunburn is precisely what it appears to be—an acute inflammation of the skin, often accompanied by a localized stress response that results in water retention. In the case of a sunburn, the water retention appears just below the skin, effectively blurring hard-earned muscular definition.

It’s a little like acquiring a sudden deposition of fat just under the skin. Those who don’t have the time or inclination or who live where temperatures prevent sunbathing, such as in northern climes in the winter, may resort to using tanning booths and beds. Said to provide many of the same effects as natural sun exposure, they’re also concentrated sources of the negative effects of ultraviolet light. We’ll get to that in a moment. Still other options involve applying tanning makeup preparations or popping tanning pills. Those, too, have their advantages and g problems. Tanning makeup, which is often applied two to or three times daily for oa three days prior to he contest, can give the skin a strange tint.. The ced skin colors produced ave by some brands have o an been compared to ty oil rig worker’s dirty se, a face, or, even worse walking carrot. To get

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Carotenoids give the skin an orangeyellow appearance because they dye the fat lying just under the skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uppermost layers.

carotenoids actually provide a small amount of UV protection (SPF 2), and exposure to UV light dissipates stores of carotenoid in the skin, an oxidation effect. Tanning-pill coloration, besides being deposited in skin, also appears in various body waste substances, including feces, urine, sweat and even tears. Most tanning pills that have recently entered the market contain the amino acid tyrosine, a precursor of the production of melanin, the

skin pigment that provides a tan. The notion that taking tyrosine in any quantity will somehow increase melanin production, however, is wishful thinking. The other class of tanning pills are actual drugs called psoralens. Representative drugs in that category include Trisoralen and Oxsoralen. They were introduced in the 1950s, when it was noted that popping them promoted darkened skin pigmentation. In

coloring that looks real, competitors are usually advised to get a light natural base tan before applying makeup. The great bodybuilding trainer Vince Gironda advised against using any type of tanning makeup. He noted that such preparations tended to absorb light, which would obscure muscular definition. A genuine tan, according to Vince, reflected light and heightened the appearance of muscular definition.

The Supplement Choice Another option for those who eschew UV exposure is to take tanning pills. There are two kinds. The commercial brands are often based on various types of food coloring, a common one being canthaxanthin, a carotenoid similar to vitamin A but having no nutritional properties. Canthaxanthin is considered harmless, though it can occasionally build up in the eyes. It gives the skin an orange-yellow appearance because it dyes the fat lying just under the skinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s uppermost layers. Other OTC tanning pills contain other carotenoids that work in a similar fashion, such as betacarotene and lycopene, which do have nutritional value. Since the carotenoids concentrate in thicker parts of the skin, those who take high doses of betacarotene often experience orange coloration of the elbows, hands, knees and other areasâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;harmless, though not aesthetically pleasing. An interesting side note is that

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BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

1959 an investigative reporter named John Howard Griffin opted to go undercover to see how black people were treated in the Deep South. Since he was a white man, Griffin chose to experience firsthand the racial disparity of the time by ingesting Trisoralen and using a medical-grade ultraviolet lamp. That effectively darkened his skin to the extent that he passed for a black man. His resulting experiences were chronicled in his book Black Like Me, which was made into a movie starring James Whitmore. A key point about psoralens is that you still need to expose yourself to ultraviolet light because they make the skin hypersensitive to UV exposure and cause the body to produce extra amounts of melanin. Medically, psoralens are used to treat a disease called vitiligo, characterized by patches of skin that lack melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin. That disease became more well-known when singer Michael Jackson claimed it was the cause of his pale skin. A combination of psoralens and UV light is also used to treat psoriasis, another skin disease. Psoralen drugs not only provide no sun protection but also make the skin more sensitive to the effects of UV radiation. So using them calls for caution. You must begin exposure gradually, only about five to 10 minutes on the first day. Also, the drugs should never be used for more than 14 days. Taking them for that length of time provides a tanning effect equal to two to three months of normal sun exposure. You must also not use any drugs or topical agents that have photosensitizing effectsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;diuretics, for exampleâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;as they can increase the chances of a severe burn. Certain foods, such a limes, celery as and lemons, can also aggravate photosensitivity. So can some cosmetics, even deodorant soaps. One reason for limiting the use of drugs such as Trisoralen is that they are hard on the liver. You can only imagine

the effect of combining a psoralen with large doses of oral anabolic steroids, many of which also stress the liver. The usual method of using Trisoralen is to take two fivemilligram tablets two hours before sun exposure. The dosage should never be exceeded, regardless of body size. Doing so can result in immediate and severe side effects, such as burns and blistering. Remember, using these drugs is like placing a magnifying glass on your skin. Trisoralen (continued on page 154)

The most naturallooking tan is one acquired from exposure to the sun, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hardly a benign process.

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BEWARE the KISS of the SUN (continued from page 148) sales have been halted in the United States, so the only legal option is to use the similar drug, Oxsoralen. Its dosage is based on bodyweight, and it’s expensive. Meanwhile, tanning drugs have been proven to promote skin cancer in humans. While that’s not likely to occur with short-term use, regular use will increase the odds of developing skin cancer.

Going the Natural Route The most natural-looking tan is one acquired from exposure to the sun. It’s hardly a benign process; a tan is nothing more than the body’s protective compensation against

further damage. So just getting a tan means you’ve already damaged your skin. To dermatologists, the phrase “healthy tan” is an oxymoron. Sunlight is the primary cause of skin aging, wrinkles, blotchy pigmentation and skin cancer. The damage induced by sun exposure is cumulative with time and magnitude of exposure. That deep, dark tan you have today is tomorrow’s wrinkled, sagging, aged skin. There is no getting around it. The ultraviolet rays leading to the damage come in two varieties, UVA and UVB. A third type, UVC, is absorbed in the atmosphere and is never a factor in skin damage. UVA, or black light, is the dominant form of UV radiation, accounting

Just getting a tan means you’ve already damaged your skin. To dermatologists, the phrase “healthy tan” is an oxymoron.

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for 95 percent of the UV energy striking the earth. UVA is also the major wavelength produced in

tanning beds and for a long time was thought to represent the benign form of UV exposure. But UVA

Neveux \ Models: Hubert Morandell & Markus Reinhardt

The ability to tan is related to genetic factors. Those who have type-2 skin burn easily but can eventually acquire a tan, while type-3 people tan easily and rarely burn. Most whites fall into those types.

BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

Wear sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV.

penetrates the deeper layers of the skin more effectively than UVB and can amplify UVBâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carcinogenic effects. UVA is now considered the main source of skin aging because it damages skin support proteins, such as collagen and elastin. UVB, though representing only 5 percent of the UV rays reaching Earth, is the major cause of skin cancer, including the deadliest form, melanoma. Melanoma itself is related to pigmented moles called nevi. Having excessive numbers of such moles increases the chances of acquiring melanoma with UV exposure. Other types of skin cancer, such as basal and squamous cell cancers, are both the result of long-term UV exposure. Skin cancer is related to damage to DNA caused by UVA exposure. The DNA damage occurs before the onset of a tan, and a tan is the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s reaction to this initial damage. The ability to tan is related to genetic factors, and various skin

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Neveux \ Models: Lee Apperson

BEWARE the KISS of the SUN People with type1 skin never tan and usually burn with unprotected exposure. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re often redheads or blondes.

types have been established based on the ability to tan. Those with type-1 skin never tan and usually burn with unprotected exposure. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re often redheads or blondes. Type-2 people can also burn easily but can eventually acquire a tan with continued exposure. Type-3 people tan easily and rarely burn. Most whites fall into the types 2 and 3. Type-4 people are naturally darker-skinned people, such as

Latinos, Native Americans, people from the Mediterranean area and Asians, who rarely burn and who tan easily. Type-5 people, represented by light-complexioned blacks and East Indians, become noticeably darker with sun exposure. Type-6 are dark-skinned black people. Protecting the skin against the hazardous effects of UV rays involves both physical and chemical responses. For physical protection

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BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

No sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays. An SPF 15 product will block 92 percent of UVB radiation; SPF 40 will block 97.5 percent.

wear long pants or skirts and hats, long-sleeved shirts and sunglasses that provide 100 percent UV protection. Chemical protections are the various sunscreen products. There are two varieties: barrier protection, in compounds of titanium oxide or zinc oxide, which block all UV radiation, and broadspectrum sunscreens.

A sunscreen’s effectiveness is based on its SPF, or sun protection factor rating. SPFs range from three to 70 or more. If a person exposed to sun normally begins to burn after 20 minutes of exposure, using a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 would let him or her stay in the sun for 20 times 15 minutes, or five hours, before beginning to show signs of

burning. An important point to note is that no sunscreen blocks 100 percent of UV rays. An SPF 15 product will block 92 percent of UVB radiation; SPF 30, 96.7 percent; SPF 40, 97.5 percent.1 The problem with the SPF ratings is that they’re based on using copious amounts. Studies show that most people don’t apply

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Another consideration is that you must reapply the sunscreen after excessive sweating or after swimming. A major UVA blocker in many broad-spectrum sunscreens, Parsol 1789, or avobenzone, begins to degrade after about an hour of UV exposure, meaning that you lose full-spectrum protection after that length of continuous exposure. Sunscreen companies donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like to publicize that, for obvious reasons.

Studies show that most people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t apply enough sunscreen to get its SPF benefits.

Neveux \ Model: Sherry Goggin-Giardina

BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

enough sunscreen to get its SPF benefit.2 Proper application means that you must put them on at least 30 minutes prior to exposure, preferably using a formula that is waterproof. You need to apply one ounce of the product for complete protection. That amounts to half a teaspoon to the face, neck, arms, shoulders, chest and back. You should apply about one teaspoon to each leg and foot.

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BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

Don’t forget to reapply the sunscreen after excessive sweating or after swimming. A major UV blocker used in many products begins to degrade after about an hour of UV exposure.

unnatural orange-yellow hue. One study showed that better tanning results can be obtained with DHA if the skin is hydrated, and certain amino acids (lysine, glycine, and histidine) are present.4

Indoor Methods— Madness? Tanning beds aren’t a safe alterative to sun exposure. According to a report issued by the

Centers for Disease Control, using tanning beds led to 700 emergency room visits because of such injuries as sunburns, infections and eye damage. Some think that a light tan from a tanning bed will provide advanced protection from actual sun exposure, but that’s just not so.5 Indoor tanning is also linked to skin cancer development. While proponents of tanning beds point to the necessity of exposing the skin to UV-ray light for vitamin D synthesis, that vitamin is readily available as a

Parsol 1789, however, can be made more stable with certain UVB filtering substances, giving you more bang for your buck. Future sunscreens on the horizon include Mexoryl Sx, which, like Parsol 1789, provides UVA protection. Another option is to combine sunscreens with topical forms of antioxidants. UV radiation causes most of its skin damage through oxidative effects, and antioxidants can block much of them.3 Several studies show that various nutrients provided in topical form can block UV side effects, such as vitamins C and E, omega-3 fats, green tea and a fern called Polypodium leucotomos. Sunless tanning products have been around for years. The active ingredient in them is dihydroxyacetone, a 3-carbon sugar. DHA reacts with amino acids in the upper layer of the skin, producing a browning reaction known to chemists as the Maillard reaction. The process is mediated by free radicals, or oxidants, but unlike UV exposure, they don’t alter skin cells or DNA. A DHA-induced tan can provide protection against UVA, but not against UVB exposure. It’s also often an 162 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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BEWARE the KISS of the SUN

Tanning beds led to 700 emergency room visits because of such injuries as sunburns, infections and eye damage.

supplement. Since the UV intensity of tanning beds is two to six times greater than that of the sun, you can get the same negative effects of sun exposure in less time. Knowing about the damage caused by sun exposure and regular use of tanning beds and booths doesn’t stop many from continuing to expose themselves to such UVbased hazards. The motivation may stem from more than just vanity, according to a study published in the April 2006 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.6 It showed that when habitual users of tanning booths were given a drug that blocks endorphins, which are natural feelgood, druglike chemicals produced

in the body, they felt uncomfortable using the booths. Without the drug, lying in a tanning bed produced feelings of euphoria and relaxation, which are consistent with the effects of increased endorphin release. The fact that the tanning fanatics felt bad when a drug blocked their endorphin release points to frequent tanning as a form of addiction. Potential sources of sunless tanning in the future include injection of the melaninstimulating hormone melanotan, which has the side effect of producing spontaneous erections— that may be one you’ll want to avoid at a nude—or for that matter public—beach! Another substance, thymidine dinucleotide, or pTpT, also increases skin pigmentation minus UV exposure, repairs and prevents UV-induced DNA damage and can be applied topically. A 9-base oligonucleotide still in experimental stages promotes a deeper tan than pTpT. When they’re available, the days of worrying about skin damage from UV exposure may be over. If you care how your skin looks after your competition days are over, you’d be well advised to minimize UV exposure from any source. Acquiring one tan won’t do much harm, but you can count on cumulative damage from

regular exposure to UV radiation. Those who espouse deep, yearround, UV-based tans today will, to paraphrase an old prune commercial, “be rather badly wrinkled tomorrow.” For now, from a health standpoint, it’s best to stick with the tan-in-a-bottle method.

References 1 Farmer, K.C, et al. (1996). Sun exposure, sunscreens, and skin cancer prevention: a year-round concern. Ann Pharmacother. 30:662-73. 2 Bech-Thomsen, N., et al. (1993). Sunbathers application of sunscreen is probably inadaquate to obtain the sun protection factor assigned to the preparation. Photodermatol Photoimmunol Photomed. 9:242-4. 3 Pinnell, S.R. (2003). Cutaneous photodamage, oxidative stress, and topical antioxidant protection. J Am Acad Dermatol. 48:1-19. 4 Nguyen, B., et al. (2003). Factors influencing sunless tanning with dihydroxyacetone. Br J Derm. 149:332-40. 5 Levine, J.A., et al. (2005). The indoor UV tanning industry: a review of skin cancer risk, health benefit claims, and regulation. J Am Acad Dermatol. 53:1038-44. IM

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19-Inch

Guns! X-Caliber Triceps Training to Put Some New Freak on Your Physique by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Luke Wood

fte you’ve been training for a while— fter w we’ve got 40 years between us—adding m more and more mass can be an uphill b battle, especially when you’re drug-free. Every once in a while, however, you some run across something that triggers a sudden burst of muscle size that sends your measurements into eyepopping territory. In this case what we found turned our uphill battle into a successful mountain climb: A few key exercise tweaks and a handful of quick, intense workouts led to a 19 1/4-inch arm measurement. Let’s start with triceps, the meat of the upper arm. One thing we want to get across right up-front is that no matter who you are, you can always learn new things. Sometimes what you learn, or relearn, can trigger immediate size increases. For example, we’d been doing decline extensions—skull crushers performed on a decline bench—as our initial triceps exercise for a while, but our results had slowed. Obviously, we needed a change. We thought that to save time, and add mass, we’d use dumbbells and switch to a compound movement, close-grip dumbbell bench presses. No need to load a bar; this would be much more efficient. We just knew an immediate mass increase was only a few workouts away. Wrong! New mass didn’t happen. In fact, our triceps started flattening out. That’s the equivalent of a sixgame losing streak in a team sport—depressing and deflating. We refused to believe it at first and kept plugging away. After all, so many experienced bodybuilders

say that the close-grip bench press is a big-time triceps developer. Finally we snapped out of our trance. We started analyzing our workout. Maybe we need to use a bar. Nah, that wasn’t it. That torqued our shoulders and added even more setup time. (Now for a “D’oh!” moment.) In our own e-book The Ultimate Mass Workout, we classify close-grip bench presses as the Ultimate Exercise for triceps but—here’s the key—done on a decline! We were doing them flat (you should now picture our palms smacking our foreheads—D’oh!). We were neglecting that critical tweak. Then we recalled that on Jay Cutler’s DVD “Ripped to Shreds,” one of his favorite triceps moves is elbows-flared pushdowns, which is the cable version of close-grip decline—don’t forget the decline!— bench presses. We decided to follow Jay’s lead and adopt the elbows-flared pushdowns as our initial triceps move (no setup necessary). Results: New triceps sweep immediately; shirtsleeves got tighter, with apparent mass increases after every workout. In fact, after only a few weeks Jonathan’s arms taped 19 1/4 inches—bigger than they’d ever been (and if you look at the photo on page 172, you can see that we missed the apex of his triceps, so they actually were even larger)! That’s with only four to five sets for biceps and triceps. The switch to a decline triceps movement in our program was key, but there were other reasons, too, as we’ll explain. First, here’s the triceps program we used: www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 171

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19-Inch Guns!

X-Caliber Triceps Programs Workout A (midrange and contracted positions) Elbows-flared pushdowns (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) Superset Kickbacks 1 x 10 Bench dips (X Reps) 1x8 One-arm pushdowns (X Reps) 1 x 10 Workout B (midrange and stretch positions) Elbows-flared pushdowns (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) Cable pushouts (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Overhead dumbbell extensions (X Reps) 2 x 10 Drop set: Do one set to exhaustion, reduce the weight and immediately do a second set to exhaustion. X Reps: Do a set to exhaustion, move the resistance to the semistretched position, to where the target muscle is somewhat elongated, such as near the bottom of an overhead extension, and do pistonlike partial-rep pulses up and down through an eight-inch range. Lawsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 19 1/4-inch arm measurement.

Editor s note: For more on X Reps, occlusion, stretch overload and Positions of Flexion, visit www. X-Rep.com. 172 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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1) Elbows-Flared Pushdowns (Mimics CloseGrip Decline-Bench Presses), 2 x 10(6)

We did a set to exhaustion —around 10 reps—with some X-Rep par tials near the top, semistretched position, then immediately reduced the weight and cranked out another set to exhaustion, with more X Reps or an X Spot static hold. We rested about three minutes and did a second round, or we did a drop set (continued on page 178)of decline lying extensions instead of a second round of pushdowns.

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19-Inch Guns!

(continued from page 173)

Model: Joesph Gloor

We did kickbacks with chest support, firing both arms simultaneously—a dumbbell in each hand. We kept tension on the triceps throughout the set by lowering the dumbbells only about two-thirds of the way on each rep, and at exhaustion we launched into a few straight-arm kickbacks to force the lats into the action to fry the tri’s. Then we rushed over to two flat benches set up parallel to each other and did bench dips—but we used a partial X-Rep at the bottom, after each full rep, and ended the set with X Reps near the bottom. (By the way, that betweenreps-partial technique is one Cutler uses a lot; see his DVD.)

Model: John Hansen

2) Kickbacks, 1 x 10, Supersetted with Bench Dips, 1 x 8

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19-Inch Guns!

3) One-Arm PushDowns, 1 x 10

Model: Daryl Gee

We did these at one side of the cable crossover machine, turned sideways with our nonworking arm facing the weight stack. Sometimes we used a palm-up grip; other times it was standard palm-down. When full reps were impossible, we fired out X Reps near the top, semistretched point, of the stroke. Remember those other details we mentioned? Here s the first: Our initial exercise, elbows-flared pushdowns, remained constant at every workout, but the rest of the triceps routine changed at every other session, as follows:

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2) Cable Pushouts, 1 x 10(6)

Model: George Farah

We did these using a rope attachment on a high cableâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;we faced away from the weight stack, lunged forward and did extensions behind our heads, extending our arms on each rep till they were parallel to the ground. We did X Reps or X holds at the semistretched point (hands behind the head), reduced the poundage and fired out about six more reps, with X Reps at the end or an X hold. (That dropset technique is a key mass builder, as we ll explain in a moment.)

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19-Inch Guns!

3) Overhead Dumbbell Extensions, 2 x 10 We did these with a dumbbell in each hand, simultaneously extending them. We did two sets, each ending with X Reps near the stretched position (close to the bottom of the stroke). Why did we switch the last part of the routine, the more isolated exercises, at every other workout? So that one workout stressed armdown contracted-position work (kickbacks, bench dips), and then at the next workout we did arm-up stretched-position work (overhead extensions, cable pushouts). Both of those positions have special mass-building qualities, and by alternating them, we kept the stress on the triceps fresh and trained the muscle s full arc of flexion. We won t go into Positions-ofFlexion mass-training protocol, as we ve had lots of articles on it in past issues (it s also explained in the book Train, Eat, Grow; see page 86). We will say that the stretch-position overload has been shown to increase anabolic-hormone production in muscle and to activate more muscle fibers via the myotatic reflex. And it has been linked to hyperplasia, or fiber splittingâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one animal study achieved a 300 percent increase in muscle mass in 30 days. Very powerful stuff. Contracted-position exercises are best for occlusion, or blockage of blood flow to the muscle. There have been some amazing recent studies on the impact of that phenomenon on muscle size and strength (see the Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book, available at www.BeyondX-Rep.com, for more on occlusion and stretch-overload studies and analysis). With either routine that s only about five sets, but aside from our using a decline exercise at every workout and then alternating between contracted- and stretchposition exercises, we think there are some other reasons our quick triceps mass blast is so effective. 182 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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X Reps

Model: Marvin Montoya

The end-of-set X-Rep partials at the semistretched spot on the stroke help activate an enormous number of fibers. That s verified by the size principle of fiber recruitment: In any set you activate the low-threshold motor units first, the mediums second and the highthreshold motor units last, during the most difficult reps. The highthreshold motor units are key because that s when you re blasting the fast-twitch fibers with the most growth potential. If you extend a set with X Reps right at the max-force point on the stroke, you stimulate many more fibers.

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19-Inch Guns!

Drop Sets Doing two or three sets back to back helps develop the endurance components of the 2A fast-twitch fibers (like the mitochondria and capillary beds), which can add considerable size to a muscle. Research indicates that the 2As are key for bodybuilders because they have both anaerobic and endurance capabilities. That means you can get a double-layered size effect in them—if you use the right training to beef up both components. The right training includes tension times that are long enough, usually around 30 seconds per set (10-rep sets done with X Reps and/or drop sets or supersets, with each phase being five to eight reps, fill the bill). Longer tension times force the fast-twitch 2As to develop both anaerobic and endurance characteristics, which results in a much bigger muscle cell. That s the reason low-rep sets are considered better for strength—they stress only one aspect of the 2As, the anaerobic component, leaving the endurance capability relatively untapped. If you re a bodybuilder looking to max out muscle size, you want to hit the anaerobic and endurance components of the fast-twitch fibers. So while the decline angle on the initial movement was the primary new-size-on-the-tri’s catalyst, the secondary details were very important in amplifying the growth effect. As far as the decline goes, it s interesting to note that in MRI studies decline extensions light up much more triceps mass than the flat version. Interesting! That s a clue that the decline version of the close-grip bench press is a better choice than the flat-bench ver sion for building arm mass. (It certainly is in our cases!) We think it s due to ergonomics and the leverage factors we discuss in The Ultimate Mass Workout e-book. (We apparently need to reread our own stuff more often; it s available at www.X-Rep.com.) We ll show you how we applied many of the same growth tactics to our biceps training in a future feature in IRON MAN. Till then, pack some new size on your tri’s with this quick-hit multi-angled attack—and don t forget the decline. Editor s note: For more on X-Rep mass-building concepts, visit www.X-Rep.com. IM 184 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Category 5

t u o k r o W Intensity Channel Your Mental Power Into a Force of Mass Construction by Peter C. Siegel, R.H. Photography by Michael Neveux

ave you ever had a workout where you were so feverishly driven that you felt you could, metaphorically speaking, d burn a hole through steel? Where the weights you used b ffelt light in your hands—as if the force flowing through you outmatched the ironʼs attempt to overcome and exhaust you? ttotally to tally ou Remember? It was as if your muscles were an extension of your will; they performed and contracted at a level seemingly beyond where they ever had before—you could actually f-e-e-l the deepest underlying fibers firing in a way you never had before. Rep after rep, set after set, you were a dominating machine. Your heart felt like an invincible steel pump; your nostrils and lungs remained on supercharged intake levels, feeding the machine the oxygen it needed for sustained conquest. Your heart and breathing rate have likely elevated somewhat while you were just reading what Iʼve described so far. Why? Because youʼre emotionally identifying with an inner workout performance state I call Category 5 intensity. Itʼs a degree of inner force and power so compelling and conquest driven, it blasts you into sustained muscular exertion levels that can develop mega-size and -strength increases!

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Model: Will Harris

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Category 5

The United States Meteorological Service categorizes hurricanes based on the volume, power and wind speed that their force generates and sustains. Category 5 monsters carry torrential rains, winds in excess of 150 miles per hour and an energy surge that cannot be stopped or impeded by any man-made thing. It will tear through any environment it hits and unleash its fury in a terrain-altering assault (seemingly a merciless assault from hell). Whoa! Just take a moment to catch your breath and think—really think: How would your workout performance and contraction levels change if you began generating intensity at the Category 5 level? What kind and degree of energy would you generate and sustain? What kind of muscular exertion would you induce and sustain? What kind of maximum contractions would you incite—through the positive and negative aspects of each rep? And what degree of muscular growth do you think you’d stimulate? I’ll bet your heart rate, body temperature and breathing rate just elevated somewhat again as you considered the impact you’d produce by generating Category 5 intensity. Imagine now what will happen when you actually start doing it.

Model: Markus Reindhart

Category 5: An UltraSuccess-Producing Workout Force

Your workout performance governs your degree of muscle growth.

Build, Surge, Magnify, Amplify: Moving Yourself to Generate Category 5 Intensity

Model: Ron Harris

Imagine being able to instantly trigger hurricaneforce intensity in the gym.

I’m assuming you’re interested in how you can begin strengthening your inner training force to reach more extreme and commanding levels, right? So let’s go through a very detailed, advanced process that will enable you to do just that. Recall, for a moment, the TV images you saw this past year of Katrina’s Category 5 intensity bending huge palm trees over to where they looked like little twigs ready to be snapped in half. That’s the power it wields. What would it look like if that force were your personal workout fuel? Here’s how to harness it. Read through the following process in its entirety first. Then apply it exactly as outlined.

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Category 5

Model: Peter Putman

Search your memory banks for your perfect, intensity driven workout.

Step 1: Mentally and physically relax to gain subconscious access

Step 2: Access a magnitude-intensity workout memory

(perform this step in your home only).

In an area where you’re sure you won’t be disturbed, lie comfortably on your back on your bed, on the floor or stretched out completely in a reclining chair. Let your arms rest at your sides, palms facing downward, fingers loosely apart. Remaining as still as possible, let your eyelids gently close, and take three l-o-n-g, d-e-e-p breaths, inhaling through your nostrils and easily exhaling through your mouth. With each exhalation, mentally repeat the word r-e-l-e-a-s-e. Next, envision yourself slowly descending a staircase of seven steps. As you descend each step, mentally repeat the word d-o-w-n to yourself, allowing every muscle and fiber within you to let loose, and progressively relax with each successive step. When you’ve reached the bottom step and feel the sensation of deep and soothing comfort, shift your awareness to…

Now that you’re mentally and physically relaxed, recall a workout where your performance and effort could only be labeled “conquest driven.” Recall the very last time you embodied feverish, driving power and truly fierce intensity during a workout. •Perhaps it was during an arm session where you were blasting your biceps on barbell preacher curls—to the most extreme pump you’ve ever experienced. You didn’t just do 10 reps; you did 12. And it felt as if your skin would rip. But you maintained the mental fury—the fierce, unwavering mental toughness that overrode any attempt of your body to stop you. •Perhaps it was a leg workout where you cinched your belt one notch tighter than you normally do—and piled more weight on the bar than you usually do. Then you blasted out set after set of squats that left your legs feeling like en-

gorged tree trunks—and it was a chore for you to walk out of the gym to your car after your workout. Allow yourself to search your memory, and you’ll locate a target workout such as this from your past. Once you’ve mentally isolated it: •Imagine the picture of this scenario becoming brighter, more vivid and more distinct. •Then experience it as if it were playing out on a large white movie screen, and bring it closer and closer to you. •As you bring it closer, imagine it becoming even brighter, more detailed and more three-dimensional. •Imagine it coming even closer to you—so close, it’s as if it’s right in front of your face. As if you can reach out and touch it. At this moment you should see, feel, sense and experience all the factors of this scenario—as if it were your life in the current moment.

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(continued on page 218)

Category 5

Model: Mike Dragna

Imagine yourself stepping into the picture, feeling extraordinary power and energy streaming through you.

Step 3: Anchor the extreme sensory power of your magnitude-intensity workout (perform this step in your home only). Now, instead of just “watching” this scenario of your magnitudeintensity workout, imagine yourself stepping into the picture, into your body, and feel your extraordinary power and energy streaming through you. •See exactly what you see as this mega-intensity workout force—becoming aware of how all things you see around you look to you. •Then thoroughly f-e-e-l exactly what you feel as this mega-intensity workout force engulfs you. •Project the exact facial expression you project when you are in this mega-intensity workout force— from the slant of your eyes, to the flare of your nostrils, to the curl and purse of your lips. •Mentally say to yourself—using the exact words and tone you use—

what you say to yourself when you inwardly communicate to yourself as the embodiment of this mega-intensity workout force. •Then purposefully b-r-e-a-t-h-e exactly the way you breathe when you’re in this state. Next, as you’re inwardly replicating all of this, clench your right fist hard, continuing to breathe exactly as the mega-intensity you does. Hold your fist firmly clenched, choose a word that to you singularly represents you as this mega-intensity workout force. For example, you might choose a word such as power, force, dominate or zone. Whatever word you choose, holding your right fist firmly clenched (and continuing to breathe as mega-intensity you breathes), mentally exclaim your chosen key word five times with passion. Hold this clenched-fist, megaintensity breathing state for a full 20 seconds. Then s-l-o-w-l-y unclench your right fist and allow yourself to grow mentally and physically relaxed and at ease. You’ve now established a magnitude-intensity-fueling anchor, whereby the act of clenching your

right fist hard, breathing as you do when you are in mega-intensity mode and mentally exclaiming your key word will trigger the specific energy connected to your generating Category 5 intensity during a workout. This entire three-step anchoring process should take 10 to 15 minutes to perform. I suggest performing it—in your home only—for five consecutive days. That will ensure that you establish the connection between clenching your right fist hard, breathing as you do when you are in the mega-intensity zone and mentally exclaiming your key word, which will activate your nuclearemotional force. Each time you perform this process, it will become easier, and the results it produces will become more decisive. Note: After five consecutive days, once you’ve established the stimulus/response anchor between clenching your right fist hard, breathing and exclaiming your key word and activating your Category 5 peak performance power, you do not have to go through steps 1 through 3 again. Go right to…

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Category 5

Step 4: Turn on the power that primes you with the affinity for superhuman workout performance! (I suggest you perform this step in your car after you’ve arrived at your gym, parked and turned the engine off. This is your preworkout priming stage.) Sit comfortably, letting your hands rest on your thighs, palms downward. Let your eyelids gently close, and allow your chin to comfortably rest on your chest. Next, take three long, deep breaths—inhaling through your nostrils and exhaling easily through your mouth. As you exhale your third breath, fire your mega-intensity workout anchor: Clench your right fist hard, b-r-e-a-t-h-e, and mentally exclaim your key word three times. Next, continuing to hold your right fist firmly clenched, breathing

In your mind hear the sound of an eight-cylinder supercharged, 1,000horsepower race car engine shifting through its gears.

Model: Jose Raymond

Hear the raw, rumbling, fever-pitched force of the engine as it shifts from first to second, to third, to fourth and then into fifth gear. Let the upwardwinding fury of fifth gear fill you with its power.

as you do when you are in the megaintensity zone, you perform the final prepriming stage: ramping up to Category 5 intensity. And so, with your right fist firmly clenched, breathing as the embodiment of mega-intensity, imagine clearly you hear the sound of an eightcylinder supercharged, 1,000-horsepower race car engine shifting through its gears. H-e-a-r the raw, rumbling, feverpitched force of the engine as it shifts from first to second, to third, to fourth and then into fifth gear. Let the upwardwinding fury of the engine’s fifth gear fill you with its power. When you experience this (and you will), silently exclaim your key word three times at peak-exhortation levels. With the force surging within, you should now feel like you can tear an oak tree— barehanded—right out of the ground! Now, continuing to hold your right fist firmly clenched, go ahead and imagine yourself performing a full set of one of the exercises you’ll be doing in your workout. This set is you with mega-intense fierceness. Clearly experience and f-e-e-l yourself performing each rep so forcefully, purposefully and with such concentrated power that you sense even the deepest underlying fibers of the muscle being forced to exert and con(continued on page 225) tract to the max.

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Category 5

No more inconsistent workout levels. Now you can turn on the power and prime yourself for growth-promoting effort every time you train!

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Category 5 (continued from page 220)

Feel your heart pumping, your power surging and total conquest fueling every single rep. And be sure you imagine yourself finishing every rep you intended to, sustaining perfect form. Next, continuing to keep your fist firmly clenched, imagining that your heart is now pounding and your breathing pronounced, look at the bodypart you just trained in one of the gym mirrors. See—and f-e-e-l—it, completely worked and fully engorged. Then, still holding your right fist firmly clenched and breathing as you do when you have mega-intensity workout power, say to yourself, and mean it, “This is what I do; this is how I do it. I begin this way—and I stay this way—every rep. Starting now!” Then, very slowly unclench your fist, let your eyelids easily open, inhale deeply and grab your gym bag!

Step 5: Preset peak performance emotional reinforcement

The Closing Key That Helps You Keep the Door to Category 5 Intensity Wide Open Consistency is important here. Be sure you perform steps 1 through 5 exactly as I’ve outlined, and make

The more you apply this process, the more incredibly powerful your results will be.

Model: Ken Yasuda

In the gym, after you’re totally sure you’ve fully and appropriately warmed up, perform one set for the muscle you’ll be training as you normally would, being sure to f-e-e-l the target muscle working during the positive and negative phases of each rep. Then do the following before you engage each successive set: Clench your right first hard, and purposefully mentally exclaim your key word once. Unclench your fist, and proceed. This preset practice will reinforce and sensitize your nervous system with the emotional fuel directly linked to your generating Category 5 intensity. Doing it before each set will take you all of three to four seconds, hardly a high price to pay for keeping yourself predisposed toward training at growth-compelling, mega-intensity levels!

your preworkout and preset priming actions (steps 4 and 5) as much a part of your workout as you do creatine, aminos and postworkout protein shakes. The more you apply this process, the more incredibly powerful your results will be. I know you’ll come to experience inner power realms you never even knew you possessed. The more power you exert, the higher the mountain you can climb. No more inconsistent workout levels. Now you can

turn on the power—and prime yourself for feverish, growthpromoting effort every time you train! Editor’s note: Pete Siegel is the country’s foremost sports and peak performance hypnotherapist. Be sure to check out his acclaimed “Think & Grow BIG” and “Steppin’ Up to Mega-Muscle and Power!” total-bodybuilding-success programs at www .IncredibleChange.com. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 225

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Heavy : I’m still uncertain about Mike’s position that ““only one set per exercise is all that is required” ffor someone to get bigger and stronger. I’ve sseen some studies that suggest that it takes more th than one set. Is Mike’s position still tenable in light of the new research? A: Your question is long on supposition and short on evidence. Indeed, the preponderance of scientific literature clearly supports Mike’s position. You mention studies you’ve seen but you haven’t furnished any data from these studies, nor have you provided references, presumably wanting me to take what you say on faith—which I’m not prepared to do. I would ask you to consider the following: A recent study out of Adelphi University (Carpinelli, R.N., and Otto, R.M. Strength Training: single versus multiple sets. Sports Medicine. 26[2]:73-84;1998) surveyed all of the known literature that compared single set to multiple-set resistance training. Fortyfive studies showed that multiple sets resulted in no increase in results compared to single-set training, while only two studies showed a marginal improvement with multiple sets. Bottom line: performing two or three more sets—resulting in an increase of 200 to 300 percent more work—produced nothing but more time

spent in the gym. At Nautilus North Strength & Fitness Centre, which I own with my wife, Terri, and brother-in-law Cary Howe, we have supervised more than 41,000 workouts—all of which followed Mike’s principles of intensity, duration and frequency using one set per exercise done but once a week (or even less frequently). As a result, we have a very broad database to examine and have been able to observe progress patterns in clients. In no instance has training in that manner failed to produce an increase in strength. As Mike once pointed out: “I cite my own long-range success and that of innumerable others with high-intensity training—all of which is easily verifiable and makes the question [of whether one set to failure is sufficient] untenable. My God, how much more evidence proving that training to failure briefly and infrequently produces long-range results do you require? The high-intensity, train-tofailure system works all the time and for the following reason: Executing that last, almost impossible, rep causes the body to dip into its reserves. Since it only has a small amount of reserve to draw on before depletion occurs, the body protects itself from future assaults on its reserves. It enlarges its existing ability through the

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Balik \ Model: Mike Mentzer

HIGH-INTENSITY Q & A

• by John Little •

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2006 227

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Heavy Duty

HIGH-INTENSITY Q&A

Recovery Ability Q: Why is recovery ability an important factor in high-intensity training? A: Whenever you train, you’re expending energy—energy that the body must recoup at some point or become completely exhausted, whereupon all movement (along with your life) would cease. Even so, the energy is not instantaneously replaced; if it were, you’d never grow fatigued. Moreover, the greater your efforts in the gym—that is, the heavier the weights you move, the greater the intensity of your muscular contractions—the greater the energy debt that needs to be serviced. As high-intensity effort is an absolute requirement for stimulating a compensatory buildup of new muscle tissue, it follows that the rest period (including time for full recovery as well as growth production) takes longer than it would if, say, you were going for a walk or engaging in other less demanding activities. If you don’t take sufficient time in between workouts to allow for full recovery and growth to take place, all progress will stop dead in its tracks. I recently came across a succinct summary of this topic that Mike wrote only a month or

two prior to his passing. In it he said that nothing in the universe is infinite, including recovery ability. As he explained it, “The concept of infinity is not a metaphysical term; it’s a mathematical device indicating a very large number, larger than anyone would care to count.” Mike found it curious that many (but by no means all) exercise scientists were guilty of ignoring, evading and/or suppressing the important issue of taking sufficient time for fuel recovery and growth. According to Mike, “If they were to be cognizant of it, whatever intellectual edifice they possess would be razed to the ground. Their

entire approach—more is better—is predicated on the erroneous notion of an unlimited recovery ability.” A few have tried to dismiss the issue of limited recovery ability, complaining that it’s not quantifiable. Again, as nothing in the universe is really infinite, everything that exists is, therefore, quantifiable. In cases where there are no scientific instruments to precisely measure certain physiological phenomena, such as recovery ability, it’s justifiable to provide an objective, standardized notation of 100 units. And, as Mike often quoted, “It is only rational to use that which exists in limited

“Only high-intensity training can force the body to tap into its reserves sufficiently to stimulate an adaptive response.”

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Neveux \ Model: Danny Hester

compensatory buildup of more muscle mass. “Only high-intensity training can force the body to tap into its reserves sufficiently to stimulate an adaptive response. Repeating tasks that are well within your capacity— as is the case with higher volume, not-to-failure training—will do little or nothing to spur growth. Ending a set before failure, just because you’ve completed an arbitrary number of reps that falls within a range that’s well within your existing capacity, will not stimulate growth. There’s no need for the body to grow because you’re just endlessly repeating what the body has already adapted itself to and are not stressing your existing capacity. Unless you do that—by attempting that last impossible rep—your body has no reason to adapt and grow.”

Neveux \ Model: Jamo Nezzar

HIGH-INTENSITY Q&A

“Exercise, in addition to having a localized effect on the muscle you’re working, also has a systemic effect.” supply as economically as possible.” The following discussion from Mike reveals why it’s rational to use no more recovery ability than is minimally required: “The issue of volume, meaning the number of sets, is a negative factor in bodybuilding science. Whether you perform one set per workout or 100 sets, volume represents a negative influence, for any number of sets performed makes an inroad into the body’s limited recovery ability. Inroad is a key word. Think of it as a hole being dug in a road. When you perform a set, a small hole is dug into your recovery ability; you do a second set, and the hole gets deeper; a

third set makes it deeper still, and so forth. The greater the inroad, the deeper the hole and the more the body’s limited resources are used up, leaving a bigger hole to fill and much less available for building the mountain on top, the muscle. (Anyone who trains hard should be able to understand the concept of inroad. After a hard workout you actually feel as if you’re in a hole of sorts, as you’re exhausted.) “Of course, you have to perform at least one set to have a workout. Ideally, we could find a way to stimulate growth with zero sets, so none of the limited reserve of resources would be wasted on recovery; they’d all be used for building the muscle, and you’d grow so fast, it would stagger the imagination. “In avoiding the issue of a limited recovery ability, exercise science misses a crucial distinction: local vs. systemic recovery. The recovery of any given muscle takes place

relatively quickly, while systemic recovery may take several days to three weeks, depending on the individual’s recovery ability and exercise stress tolerance level. “You’ve undoubtedly had the experience of performing a great leg workout on, for instance, a Friday. You went into the gym after work full of motivation and energy, knowing you were going to transcend your usual performance, and you did even better than expected. All of your weights were 10 to 15 percent above your previous best, and you did more reps too. You left the gym feeling triumphant but exhausted. Then you went home and intentionally rested all weekend, thinking you’d wake up Monday feeling fully recovered. But, while your legs were recovered, you felt generally, or systemically, fatigued. “Exercise, you see, in addition to having a localized effect on the muscle you’re working, also has a systemic effect. The issue of limited recovery ability, especially systemic recovery, must figure centrally in any theory of productive bodybuilding exercise, yet many exercise scientists still advocate high-volume, everyday training—in essence, denying the issue of recovery ability.”

The Best Advanced Method Q: I’ve read all your articles in IRON MAN and recently purchased your books (including the one you wrote with Mike), which I found very informative. But since Mike’s high-intensity methods included so many techniques, such as training to failure, static holds, preexhaustion, negatives, rest/pause and omnicontraction, I wonder which one is the best? A: None of the techniques you mention is the best: They are all of a high-intensity nature, and each has its proper place in Heavy Duty training. Simply defined, intensity refers to the percentage of possible momentary muscular effort that is generated during an

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exercise. According to Mike, it is an undebatable fact of exercise physiology that the higher the intensity, or the closer an individual approaches 100 percent of his or her muscular effort potential at any given moment, the greater the stimulation of muscle growth. For example, a momentary effort of 100 percent would be generated when someone carries a set to a point of momentary muscular failure—that is, the point at which it’s impossible to perform one more rep despite the trainee’s greatest effort. Mike’s counsel on advanced techniques and when to apply them holds relevance here: “Since intensity is such an important factor for anyone whose goal is to induce the most rapid possible increases in size and strength, training to failure is

important for everyone. For beginners, however, I suggest that they merely carry each set of an exercise to positive failure, or to the point when the weight can no longer be raised. During the first six months to a year of training, exercising only to positive failure will be enough to stimulate new growth. Generally, it takes beginners that amount of time to learn how to properly exert themselves under such intensity, since they must first overcome certain inhibitions that prevent them from really carrying a set to total failure. “As beginners continue to train hard over a period of a year or so, they enter the second stage of adaptation. This is the intermediate phase, where more training intensity is required to induce further growth. At

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“Whether you perform one set per workout or 100 sets, volume represents a negative influence.”

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Heavy Duty uninterrupted until they reach the upper limits dictated by their genetic potential. As you can see, each of the techniques has its place in a Heavy Duty workout regimen, but what that is will be determined by the trainee’s stage of development— they should not be used for socalled variety or on a whim but should only be used by those trainees who have adapted to positive-failure training and are looking to bump a little extra size and strength out of their genetic potential.

this point the overload must be continuing to use such ultragreater than previously, since the intense methods longer than six body has adapted to a certain weeks, but he also believed that if level of intensity. This is when trainees balanced the ultra-intense training sessions preexhaustion, forced-rep training with adequate and negatives might be applied. recovery periods “If bodybuilders continue to train between workouts at this increased level of intensity (in some instances for another year or so, they’ll arrive advanced trainees at the third stage of adaptation, or will require seven, the advanced stage. If they hope to 10 or more days off keep increasing size and strength, between workouts another step up the ladder of in order to intensity is required. At this point produce progress), the mega-intensity methods such their results as rest/pause and omni-contraction should continue should be used for intervals of four to six weeks during the following year. Due to the “Systemic recovery may take tremendous demands they place on the body’s reserves, several days to three weeks, the mega-intensity methods are highly effective, but they depending on individual can easily lead to overtraining.” recovery ability and exercise Mike found it difficult to sustain the high-intensity stress tolerance level.” motivation necessary for

Editor’s note: For a complete presentation of Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system, consult his books Heavy Duty II, High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way and the newest book, The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of which are available from 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 on the opposite page. Article copyright © 2006, John Little. All rights reserved. Mike Mentzer quotations provided courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and used with permission. IM

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HIGH-INTENSITY Q&A

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“The recovery of any given muscle takes place relatively quickly.”

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Stupid Things

Bodybuilders Do to Mess Up Their Winning

Mind-set

by Skip La Cour Five-Time NPC Team Universe Champion Photography by Michael Neveux

odybuilders make some stupid mistakes when it comes to the mental aspect of training. As I admitted last month, stupid might be a little too harsh a word to describe some of the most common mental challenges bodybuilders face—but it made you sit up and take notice. Let’s get to the second five (an overview of all 10 is on page 238).

Model: Skip La Cour

6) They Don’t Concentrate While They’re in the Gym Many bodybuilders don’t understand how important it is to concentrate on the workout. They visit with other people between sets and often postpone doing their next set because of lingering conversations.

Yet they believe those conversations have absolutely no negative effects on their results. If you had an important presentation at work or a test in school, how well would you do if you stopped every five minutes to talk about another subject? Do you think you’d deliver that presentation as well as if you gave it uninterrupted attention? Or that you’d do just as well on your test as you would if you just put your head down and focused until you were finished? Of course you wouldn’t. One hour is all you need to invest in your workouts. One hour of concentration is all you need to ask of yourself. One hour in which you’re focused on your workout, five days a week at the most, is all you need to get closer to your bodybuilding goals. Concentrate during that one hour. Make each of your training sessions a productive “hour of power.”

Don’t use the time between sets to let your mind wander or engage in conversations that will distract you. Use the time to refocus yourself so you can lift the most weight with the best execution possible on your next set. Conversations with friends that can easily wait until after your workout will become few and far between. You are in control of the quality of your training sessions. Seize the opportunity to create your own destiny. Great workouts don’t just happen. They are achieved through careful planning and the commitment to follow through on those ambitious plans. One workout at a time, one week of training at a time and one month of high-quality workouts at a time will lead to more success in your training efforts. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 235

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Model: Lee Haney

10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

7) Their Intensity Plummets Because Their Workouts Are Too Long Many bodybuilders mistakenly believe that doing more exercises and sets makes them better. They misguidedly see themselves as training warriors who go above and beyond the call of duty in order to achieve their goals. They think they’re working much harder than the average person because they’re willing to in put more time at the gym. More isn’t better—not when it comes to training. Don’t confuse time spent in the gym or volume of work with progress. That’s one of the toughest things for many people to understand. You’ll move from exercise to exercise smoothly and efficiently when you establish a time frame for your

To borrow a phrase from former Mr. Olympia Lee Haney, you want to stimulate the muscles when you’re in the gym, not annihilate them. And you can stimulate them quite effectively in an hour or less.

work. It will be easier to focus when you have only so much time. Make a game out of meeting the time goal. That’s another simple way to set the stage for a more productive training session. As I suggested in item 6, your weight workouts should last no longer than one hour—and I’m being liberal with that time frame. I believe you can be extremely effective in far less time, but, because I know it’s such a challenge for most of us to shorten our workouts and still feel confident that we’re doing enough to meet our goals, I’ll make the cutoff point one hour. Regardless of how you try to rationalize it, longer training sessions are not more productive. You must force

yourself to become more efficient. To borrow a phrase from former Mr. Olympia Lee Haney, you want to stimulate the muscles when you’re in the gym, not annihilate them. And you can stimulate them quite effectively in an hour or less. In fact, the more time you spend in the gym, the more your concentration wanes—and the less effective you become physically. Let me explain why it’s not efficient to do four sets of every exercise. Let’s say you plan on doing four sets of a particular exercise and get in at least eight repetitions per set. On the first set you get eight reps—exactly as you planned. On the second set you usually get all eight reps, and

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

Skip’s Mental-Mind-set Musts 1) Strive to be the very best version of you possible—regardless of your genetic limitations. We have what we have. Our job is to make the most out of what we ve been given. Appreciate what you do have and don t get overly concerned with what you don t. 2) Always expect the best from your efforts—but don t get discouraged if you don t see the results you want as soon as you want. Be patient. Be persistent. 3) Open your mind to new and different strategies. If you do what you ve always done in the past, you ll produce the same results as you re currently getting. 4) If you choose to train without steroids or other drugs, that s awesome. Focus on how you can be the most productive with your efforts while taking that route. Don t waste your time thinking about how much easier people who use drugs have it than you do. You don t need that distraction. 5) Spend your time talking with people who have built good physiques, demonstrate admirable work ethics and exude a positive attitude. Do everything you can to avoid people who have a negative attitude. 6) Focus on your training while you re in the gym. Don t use the time between sets to let your mind wander or engage in conversations that will distract you. 7) Set a time limit for your workout. Your weight-training sessions should last no longer than one hour. More isn t better—not when it comes to training. 8) Create a series of actions that you can do every day to get you closer to the body you want. Allow yourself to enjoy every step of your journey rather than waiting until you achieve your ultimate goal to feel happy about it. 9) Appreciate the progress you re making. Taking the time to assess your training and eating habits on a weekly basis can help you maintain the right perspective. 10) Give yourself enough time to evaluate the effectiveness of your workout and nutritional programs. Let the power of momentum work for you. Don t keep stopping and starting or switching from one plan to another without giving each one the time and effort it takes to produce results.

on the third you tend to squeak out all eight as well. Getting all of those reps during the third set may be a bit more challenging than the first two sets, but, despite the difficulty, you’re mentally tough and manage to meet your rep-range goal. If you do happen to get any more than eight reps during any of those first three sets, you probably won’t get many more than one or two. That’s how I would describe my training performance in the past. No matter what exercise I was doing or which bodypart I was training, it always seemed to work out that way. Hasn’t that been true in your case

as well? Isn’t it strange, though, that, when you know you only have one set of an exercise remaining, your mind-set changes, and you can mysteriously muster up incredible strength to produce three, four or even five reps more than your goal for an amazing total of 13! All of a sudden you become a training warrior. You’re transformed into a determined, machinelike madman! If you think about it, shouldn’t your performance work out just the opposite? If you were really giving your all the way you thought you were during the first three sets, you wouldn’t

have nearly enough energy left to meet—much less exceed—eight reps during the last set. You simply wouldn’t have that much physical strength left. If you were truly training with the utmost intensity, you would have gotten about 12 repetitions on the first set, around 10 reps on the second, eight or nine on the third and maybe only about six on the fourth. I urge you to eliminate lessthan-intense sets—and start training like a warrior on every set—during your entire workout. To do that, you must ignite a sense of urgency. Planning to do only one, two or sometimes three sets creates that sense of urgency you need. Using fewer sets, aiming for fewer reps during those sets, training only one bodypart per training session and training each bodypart less frequently will cause you to spend less time in the gym. It will be much easier to keep your focus and intensity high when you’re required to do it for shorter periods of time. The cornerstone of any effective training strategy is the amount of intensity that’s put into it. Whatever training routine or philosophy you decide to follow, you must train with intensity, or your efforts will produce results that are mediocre at best. Training with high intensity can be described as giving 100 percent of your mind, body and soul to every repetition of every set of every exercise during every workout. It means pounding the weights so hard that every set ends in absolute failure. In other words, you have absolutely nothing in reserve when the set is completed. Training with intensity is just as much a mental feat as it is a physical one. When you train with this type of passion and enthusiasm, constant improvement in your physique is inevitable—and there’s no question that you’ll be more productive in your bodybuilding efforts than those who do not. The higher your intensity level becomes, the better you’ll be at initiating the muscle-building process.

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

8) They Are Consumed With Their Desired Outcome Rather Than With the Individual Actions That Will Produce the Outcome Some trainees don’t allow themselves to be happy or even satisfied until they achieve their ultimate goal. Unless they’ve packed on all 20 pounds of muscle they set out to gain or dumped all 10 pounds of fat they planned to lose, they aren’t happy. That often ruins their bodybuilding journeys. Instead of being results oriented, you need to become action oriented. You need to create a series of actions that you can do every day to get you closer to the body you want. Then, you must get yourself to follow through with those actions consistently. Know exactly what you want to gain from your training efforts.

Small improvements—done consistently over time—will produce massive results. If you adopt this way of thinking, it will empower you through the more challenging times of your bodybuilding journey.

Make sure that you create a longterm vision of exactly what you want to accomplish. Also determine the time frame in which you expect to do it. With a clearly defined objective and deadline in mind, you can then determine the specific actions you’ll need to execute every day to get you to your ultimate goal. When you follow through with your plan on a consistent basis, these tasks will become habits. You won’t even need to think about doing them. What’s more, after executing these daily actions, you’ll be able to put your head on your pillow at night with a feeling of victory. You can experience that feeling of victory every single day—not only when

you finally achieve the big, ultimate goal. Small improvements—done consistently over time—will produce massive results. If you adopt this way of thinking, it will empower you through the more challenging times of your bodybuilding journey.

9) They Don’t Appreciate the Progress They’re Making Hitting a plateau—that is, having your training progress come to a screeching halt—is one of the most frustrating events a person can experience. No (continued on page 246)

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

If you’re training with regularity and intensity and supporting that training with sound nutritional practices, you can rest assured that your gains aren’t really stagnant. (continued from page 240) one on this

planet wants to work extremely hard at something and not show signs of improvement. That’s especially true when it comes to adhering to a demanding bodybuilding lifestyle. The mounting frustration will eventually overwhelm you. That’s the primary reason people stop training altogether. Unfortunately, too many people quit due to the frustration caused by a merely perceived lack of progress. Thanks to that disempowering perception, they can only muster a halfhearted effort at best—as a way of protecting themselves from experiencing the pain. The situation occurs even if they don’t realize what’s happening. Think about your situation for a

moment. If you are consistently putting forth your best effort, can your progress ever really stop? If you’re training with regularity and intensity and supporting that training with sound nutritional practices, you can rest assured that your gains aren’t really stagnant—regardless of what you think. Often, you’re improving even when you don’t think you are. One of my favorite illustrations of that phenomenon comes from motivational speaker Zig Ziglar. In his story “Primin’ the Pump,” Ziglar talks about a man who goes to an old-fashioned well to pump some drinking water. The man pumps the lever over and over again and seemingly makes no progress whatsoever. The fact is, the man is indeed

making progress; it just isn’t visible to him at the time. Deep underground, his pumping is creating suction, which is slowly siphoning the water to the surface. If he gets discouraged and stops pumping, the water will fall again—and he’ll have to start all over. If he’s persistent, however, the man will eventually see results from his efforts and enjoy a surging flow. At that point he won’t need to pump as hard because the pump only needs a little force to keep the water coming. Sometimes it feels as though you’re putting 10 times more effort into your training than you seem to be getting back in improvements. But, if you are persistent, you will enjoy the benefits of the bodybuilding lifestyle that could be 10 times greater than the effort you invest— just like the man who was primin’ the pump. You just never know for

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

sure—so be persistent. Appreciate what you’ve already accomplished. Look back for a moment. Haven’t you really accomplished a lot more than you thought? Aren’t you a lot farther along than you were a year ago today? Wouldn’t it be great to look back in another year and see the continual progress you have made? What if you wasted an entire year simply because you lost your motivation and strayed away from your plan? Wouldn’t that wasted time feel much worse than if you simply remained committed and worked through the times of low motivation? The chances are pretty good that you’ve worked through times like that before. There’s no reason why you won’t successfully pull through them again. It’s a real tragedy when someone who’s winning at his or her training efforts mistakenly believes he or she is losing. A way to prevent that from happening is to find effective ways to track and monitor your efforts. Assessing your training and eating habits every week can help you maintain the right perspective. More often than not, you’ll realize that you’re doing much better than you thought you were.

Appreciate what you’ve already accomplished. Look back for a moment. Haven’t you really accomplished a lot more than you thought? Aren’t you a lot farther along than you were a year ago? bodybuilding goals, such as having a good day of training and eating properly. Those victories give us great feelings, don’t they? No matter how great that single event or day may be, however, one training session or one day of outstanding habits alone won’t create an out-

standing physique. When you can turn that one great day into a great week, that great week into a great month and string together a series of great months, you’ll begin to create the powerful force known as momentum. When you can do that, you’ll find that the

TAP INTO YOUR BODY’S POTENTIAL Demand Real Science. Get Real Results.™

10) They Constantly Stop and Start—or Switch From One Plan to Another Momentum is a powerful force you can use when striving for your bodybuilding goals. Most people never have the chance to experience its tremendous benefits. Unfortunately, they give up hope, focus and discipline by starting and stopping, starting and stopping and starting and stopping again. Sure, they’ll eventually regenerate their enthusiasm and optimism and start again—only to stop when they perceive their challenges as being too difficult to overcome. They’re doing a lot of work—without seeing the results they mistakenly believe should match their efforts. At one time or another we’ve all accomplished our short-term

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10 Stupid Things Bodybuilders Do

Another way people stop and start in their training is by switching routines too frequently. You must stick with a workout plan long enough to see results. task of constructing an admirable body will suddenly seem easier, and the tasks that once seemed difficult to get yourself to do will become amazingly easy. Another way people stop and start in their training is by switching routines too frequently. You must stick with a workout plan long enough to see results. Often, results don’t come as quickly as we’d like, so it’s important to be patient. Don’t make the mistake of bouncing from one program to another without giving any of them a concerted effort first. Generally, three months is long enough to properly evaluate a program’s effectiveness. If you come across an interesting routine before

you’ve completed three months on your current program, do yourself a favor and save it until later. Likewise, give your nutritional program enough time to properly determine its effectiveness. The way you eat will have a tremendous effect on your results, but it will take time for that nutritional plan to produce results. A couple of months of dedicated adherence should be long enough to assess the effectiveness of an eating plan. Editor’s note: Visit Skip La Cour’s Web site at www.SkipLaCour .com. Take your physique to the next level by ordering his new DVD “Packing On Muscle! Max-OT Style.”

The two-disc four-hour training, instructional and motivational DVD includes a complete week of training (explained in great detail and jam-packed with perceptive insights), exercises not included in the training week, instruction and video footage of cardiovascular training, inspirational training segments, unique tips for taking your physique to the next level, contest footage and a one-hour nutrition seminar. If you want to pack on slabs of muscle in the shortest time, this DVD is for you. It’s only $49.99 (plus $8.50 for shipping and handling—total $58.49; international orders add $17.50 for shipping and handling— total $67.49). Order online at www .SkipLaCour.com. For credit card orders call (800) 655-0986. Or send check or money order to Skip La Cour, 712 Bancroft Road #259, Walnut Creek, CA 94598. IM

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& Team Titus Takes the ʼ06 FitExpoʼs Fittest Couple Competition by David Young • Photography by Michael Neveux Around November of last year Zac and Lana Titus picked up a flyer about the ’06 FitExpo, which was being held in mid-February in Pasadena, California. They put it aside but came across it a few months later and decided to check out the Web site. They noticed the fittest couple contest and thought, We would get to be onstage together. Wed been training together for months, Zac said, and to be onstage together and show what we ve worked so hard for seemed only natural. We were excited, to say the least. So we made arrangements to attend and compete. Winning, however, seemed only like a dream,” Lana recalled. A dream that came true!” We re getting ahead of ourselves, so let s rewind.

DY: Let’s start with your basic stats. How old are you, and what’s your height and weight? ZT: I’m 27 years old, 5’11” and 178. LT: I’m 24 years old, 5’4” and 123. DY: How long have you been training? ZT: I have been training seriously for about six years. LT: I have always tried to stay in shape, but eight months ago I became really serious about getting in competition condition. DY: Were you involved in athletics growing up? LT: We have both been very athletic since an early age. ZT: I was active in about every sport I could find. I began gymnastics at four years old. After that I went

on to wrestling, baseball and soccer, climbing and in-line skating. After high school I took my soccer skills to college football and became a kicker for four years. We won two national titles with the NAIA division at Carroll College. LT: I started gymnastics at three years old, stayed with it and became competitive until the age of nine and then went on to figure skating. I loved the freedom of the ice as well as the competition. DY: What got you interested in bodybuilding and fitness competition? ZT: I wanted to better myself both inside and out. Six years ago I saw a sign at my gym, and some of the trainers encouraged me to enter a body building competition. I did, and I have been hooked ever since. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 257

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Zac & “We just keep it healthy yearround. Itʼs a lifestyle for us.”

After a few shows I noticed fitness modeling, which was just getting started. I decided that my physique might be a better fit for that type of competition and decided to enter a show. I ended up getting second at my first show, so I went on to compete further. LT: I was just watching Zac on the sidelines. I was intrigued but not sure I had the discipline required— especially with the diet—to compete. In March of 2004 we became pregnant, and I said, After the baby comes, I will compete. Zac held me to my word. When our daughter was six months old, I began training seriously for my first show. In October 2005 we both competed at the California Championships, our daughter was 10 months old, and I ended up placing in first! After that we went on to Hollywood for Musclemanias Model America. Zac placed third out of 55 guys, and I made top 10 out of 45 women. DY: What do you do for a living? ZT: We manage a bed-and-breakfast in Helena, Montana. DY: Do you have any other hobbies? ZT: I love outdoor activities, like hiking, biking, snowboarding, rock climbing. LT: I love the outdoors as well, and I like most of the same sports as Zac—but on a much less extreme level. DY: What keeps you motivated to train and diet? LT: I love how it feels and looks, bettering ourselves and inspiring others to do so as well. That s motivating! DY: What’s your diet strategy— on-season and off? ZT: We just keep it healthy year round. It s a lifestyle for us. We get more strict with our diets when we re competing, but we always eat well. DY: Do you have a cheat day? ZT: Well, after a show you can be sure to see us scarfing down some pizza and ice cream! DY: Can you give me a sample of

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your eating for a day? LT: Sure! Meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, fruit, 4 egg whites Meal 2: 1 cup oatmeal, fruit, 4 egg whites Meal 3: Protein shake Meal 4: 2 skinless chicken breasts, 1 cup broccoli Meal 5: Turkey burger, bell pepper, 1/2 cup blueberries Meal 6: 1/4 cup almonds, buffalo steak, 1 cup carrots

more info. We are also both working as fitness models and getting work in L.A. and Miami. DY: What are your favorite supplements?

“I love how [being in shape] feels and looks, bettering ourselves and inspiring others to do so as well.”

ZT: Mine is: Meal 1: 1 cup oatmeal, fruit, 6 egg whites Meal 2: Whole-wheat toast with almond butter, protein shake Meal 3: Chicken breast, broccoli, brown rice Meal 4: Elk burger, veggies Meal 5: Protein shake, fruit, flaxseed oil Meal 6: Buffalo steak, salad, sweet potato LT: We put some variations in our meals, but this is pretty standard. Zac tends to eat more just because he is bigger. DY: It looks like it’s working! Tell me your proudest achievement. LT: I think our daughter is the biggest one. She is our pride and joy; she makes our lives worth living. If you need a smile, you just have to look at her. She is such a fun-loving individual who loves life and every one in it, and she is only 15 months old. The fact that we created her is an amazing achievement. DY: Are there any other exciting things you re working on? ZT: We are working on creating some fitness retreats to go along with our bed-and-breakfast. We want to specialize in helping people, not only with exercise but also with the diet to go along with it, which is so important. We want to have people stay with us for at least three days and help them learn how to live healthier lives and show them things they can do at their own homes. Check out our Web site www.ZacAndLanaTitus.com for

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ZT: Whey protein for sure. I use L-glutamine, creatine, whey protein, acetyl-L-carnitine and alpha lipoic acid. I also use flaxseed oil. LT: I use Lean System 7 when I’m getting ready for a show to help me cut down.

Fittest Couple Training Monday: Legs Superset Squats 4 x 6-10 Leg extensions 4 x 10-15 Superset Stiff-legged deadlifts 4 x 6-10 Wide leg presses or leg curls 4 x 10-15 Calf raises 4-6 x 8-12

“If you want DY: How do you something overcome training badly plateaus? ZT: We try to con- enough, you stantly switch things can and will up. We do outdoor succeed.” activities as well as weights at the gym. We are always try ing to learn more from books and magazines and expos. You can never know it all. We mix up our muscle pairings as well as rep schemes, and we use supersets and drop sets to add variation. DY: How did you find what works for you? ZT: Trial and error. You have to figure out what works for your body type and what you are trying to achieve. We set forth our individual goals and set out to find a routine that built full muscles while maintaining flexibility and definition. DY: What techniques do you use to keep motivated? LT: Training together is a big part of it. If Zac is slacking on a rep or set, I will give him good verbal inspiration. DY: You mean like, You wuss!”? I imagine the whip and paddle in your gym bag come in handy at this point too, right? LT: Absolutely! But sometimes we switch and he gets to do the whipping! [All laugh] Seriously, having a partner can be a really important part of working out because you don t want to let the other one down. DY: What are your goals regarding competition? LT: We just want to keep bettering ourselves and others.

ZT: I hope to maintain a healthy, fit lifestyle so that I can lead by example and help motivate others to take care of themselves. As for fitness modeling, we hope that our selfdiscipline and family support will help us continue to compete and get work in this field. DY: What mental or visual principles to you use? ZT: The mind/body connection is really important for me, and I believe in it very strongly. By visualizing the rep and the completed set, I prepare my mind and body for the rep at hand. DY: What is your life philosophy? LT: We both learned at an early age that life is short. We have both lost people very close to us, so we re ally value life and the loved ones that we share it with. ZT: We just try to live life to the fullest each day. DY: What strategies did you learn for bodybuilding and fitness success that you re able to carry into your life and career? ZT: Hard work and dedication. If you want something badly enough, you can and will succeed. LT: I usually go into everything full throttle, no holding back. This carries over from work to fitness. DY: I like the full-throttle anal-

Tuesday: Chest Superset Cable flyes 4 x 8-10 Bench presses 4 x 6-10 Superset Incline dumbbell flyes 3 x10-15 Decline dumbbell presses 3 x 10-15 Cable flyes or crossovers 3 x failure Wednesday: Cardio, abs and obliques Thursday: Shoulders Superset Cable laterals 4 x 6-10 Dumbbell presses 4 x 6-10 Bent-over lateral raises 3 x 10-15 Superset Cable raises 3 x 10-15 Reverse pec deck 3 x 10-15 Iron crosses 2 x 30 seconds Friday: Back Bent-over barbell rows 4 x 6-10 Superset Dumbbell rows 3 x 10-15 Pullups 3 x 10-15 Superset Pulldowns 3 x 10-15 Cable rows 3 x 10-15 Saturday: Cardio, abs and obliques Sunday: Arms Superset Dumbbell curls 3 x 8-10 Overhead triceps extensions 3 x 10 Superset EZ-curl bar curls 3 x 6-10 Skull crushers 3 x 6-10 Superset Cable pressdowns 3 x 10-15 Cable curls 3 x 10-15

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“Training together is a big part of how we stay motivated.”

cardio at the gym. I do snowboarding in the winter and mountain biking in the summer. If I do cardio at the gym, it s interval training; for example, run two laps, sprint two, walk one. LT: I do three to five days of car dio, depending on how busy we are at the lodge. I will cycle at 6 a.m. and then go back in the evening and do a class. I do 45 minutes to an hour a session. DY: When you re hitting the weights, what cadence, or speed of movement, do you use? LT: On the negative we use a three count, and on the contraction we use a two count—until we get to a burn-out set. Then it s more like one and one. We focus on the slow stretch of the muscle, and when we warm up, the reps may be as slow as four down and two up. DY: What about rest periods? ZT: We take one to 1 1/2 minutes after sets of six to 10 reps and only 30 seconds for sets of 10 to 15 reps. Once the heart rate increases, we even like to jump rope or do jumping jacks between sets. Fun stuff!

ogy. I use that myself all the time. You have to walk out of the gym knowing that you left it all out on the table. What’s your training philosophy? ZT: We train hard every time we go to the gym, but it s also important to us that we have fun with it. That s why we started doing the competitions—so the workouts would be fun and serve another purpose. DY: What do you do when you switch to contest mode? ZT: The biggest change is that we tighten our diets, but we also add more cardio. LT: I try to get up and cycle at 6 a.m. three days a week in addition to my normal routine. Zac thinks this is crazy! DY: He gets no argument from me! That’s an ungodly hour. ZT: I add interval training into my routine, no more than 20 minutes a session. Then the day of the show

we wake up, and it s all focus. DY: How many weeks out do you start your preparation? LT: For my first show I had to diet for 16 weeks because I had a lot of baby weight to get rid of. But now that I am maintaining my weight, I only need about four weeks of hard dieting. ZT: I only need about three weeks because I eat well year-round. DY: I hate you! Three whole weeks. And your training gets more intense? ZT: When we know that we have to get ready for a show or a shoot, we add more supersets and drop sets. We try to maintain strict form so when it comes to forced reps, we only add a few partner-assisted ones. DY: What’s your cardio program? ZT: I really don t do that much

DY: What do think are the key elements of training, nutrition, supplementation and cardio that lead to building a great body? ZT: Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. So many times people will tell us stuff like, we can work out for hours, but we can t change our eating habits. You have to; there s no way around it. There are very few people who can eat pizza and ice cream every day and go to the gym and lose weight; it just doesn t work. You have to have a good balance. Being educated on food is the biggest problem for people. There are a lot of misconceptions out there. When we work out, we really work out—none of this sitting around and B.S. with your friends. This is one of my complaints: When you see that I’m sweating and pushing myself, why the hell would you start asking me questions about training? Let me finish my routine and then ask me. I go to the gym to kick my own ass. Oh, and please don t bring your cell phone to the gym. Respect your selves and those around you. You cannot expect to make any gains if

262 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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The Second Annual Subway Fittest Couple Competition

The contest was held at IRON MAN s FitExpo in Pasadena, California, on February 18, 2006. It was open to amateur contestants 18 years of age or older who were not professional models, bodybuilders or figure competitors. The couples were evaluated for stage presence, fit-andtoned physiques and overall couple chemistry. The distinguished panel of judges included last year s winners, Mike and Holly Semanoff; IM art director Terry Bratcher; and fitness-industry star— and IM cover model—Brenda Kelly. The top-10 finalists were judged on the main stage in front of more than 700 enthusiastic FitExpo attendees. There s something pure and wonderful about this competition, Bratcher said. It showcases the many positive aspects of a fitness lifestyle, and it s not just for genetically gifted athletes. Anyone who trains can enter and do well. When all of the posing and comparing was done, one couple stood out from the rest. Zac and Lana Titus of Helena, Montana, were crowned the Fittest Couple and received a $2,500 cash prize as well as a photo shoot with famed physique photographer Michael Neveux, which led to this feature. As an added bonus, Zac also re ceived a modeling contract with the Silver Agency in New York after IRON MAN photographer Bill Comstock sent the agency’s owner pictures from the contest. At press time IM was in discussion with Subway’s Southern California Marketing Co-op to expand the scope of the Fittest Couple competition for 2007. For more infor mation, go to www.FittestCouple.com or www.IronManMagazine.com.

“Our daughter is our pride and joy. She makes life worth living.” you re not putting forth the effort. DY: How does bodybuilding affect your relationship? ZT: It has really brought us together; it s something that we do together every day. When we are working out together, we are pushing each other to our limits and building more trust as we do so. LT: It has really helped us connect on another level. Now that I am competing too, I can really appreciate what Zac was going through before. I feel bad for eating some of the things I did in front of him when he was dieting, and I respect what he went through on a whole other level now. DY: Do you have any role models? LT: Our parents have always been very active in leading a healthy lifestyle, so they became our role models at an early age.

LT: The continual dieting for shows and shoots. Some friends of mine only do one or two shows a year, and then they get fat in the offseason. We are lean year-round. DY: What’s the best thing about being a bodybuilder? ZT: The confidence in your body and the satisfaction of knowing that you pushed yourself harder today than yesterday. Editor s note: Zac and Lana Titus Web site is www .ZacAndLanaTitus.com. They are also sponsored by www .MontanaBuffalo.com. IM

DY: What’s the toughest thing about bodybuilding? www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 263

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Jerry Brainum’s

Bodybuilding Pharmacology more stable, but even then, any free testosterone derived from such supplements had to deal with aromatase. Estrogen in men is considered a problem for bodybuilding purposes because when the hormone rises to above normal levels, it produces a number of undesirable effects, including water retention and an increase in subcutaneous fat, a combination that effectively obscures muscular definition. Even worse, excess estrogen in men interacts with estrogen receptors in the chest area to produce gySeveral types of anabolic steroid drugs, including testosnecomastia, or male breast-tissue formation. Nodules just terone, can convert into estrogen. That occurs whenever a under the nipple are particularly evident when the arms steroid encounters the enzyme aromatase, which converts are raised. Gyno, or the more sexist term “bitch tits,” is androgens into estrogens. Aromatase exists all over the considered a certain sign of anabolic steroid usage. The body—in muscles, brain and bodyfat. When free, or uncure is to either get off the steroids that caused it or use bound, testosterone meets aromatase, the test is rapidly drugs that block or inhibit estrogen function. converted into estradiol, the most potent form of estrogen. In years past a popular drug for that purpose was Aromatase converts weaker androgens, usually secreted tamoxifen citrate, better known by its trade name Nolvafrom the adrenal gland, such as androstenedione, into dex. Nolvadex is structurally similar to estrogen and can weaker forms of estrogen, such as estrone. block estrogen receptors, thereby preventing estrogenic That, in fact, was a major problem with the initial generactivity. It wasn’t designed for bodybuilding use but for ations of pro-hormone supplements. They were supposed treating estrogen-sensitive breast cancer, particularly in to convert directly into testosterone, making them superiolder women. or to the old standby, DHEA. In reality, most of them conWhat many bodybuilders didn’t realize—and still verted more reliably into estrogen. Later versions proved don’t—is that Nolvadex is both an antagonist and agonist of estrogen. That means it can have a paradoxical effect, acting more like an active estrogen than an estrogen Elevated estrogen levels blocker, especially when it’s taken in smother testosterone, either too large a dose or for too long leading to muscle a time. In addition, Nolvadex blocks at building difficulties. least two enzymes that testes require for testosterone synthesis. Clearly, it wasn’t ideal for dealing with excess estrogen in men. Enter the aromatase-inhibiting drugs. They deal with estrogen in a different way. They don’t just block estrogen receptors; they knock out the aromatase enzyme that produces estrogen from androgens. The effect results in a dramatically reduced level of estrogen in the body. Since 0.8 percent of testosterone is converted daily into estrogen in any man, just using an aromatase-inhibiting drug alone will lead to elevated T levels. In fact, various aromatase inhibitors, such as anastrozole, letrozole and examestane, are being evaluated for use in treating hypogonadism, or low testosterone levels, in men. Initial studies show that these drugs can elevate testosterone to a normal range without the possible side effects linked to using actual testosterone. The body may, however, require some estrogen for sperm production and cardiovascular protection, since estrogen boosts nitric acid production in blood vessels and helps maintain vital high-density-lipoprotein levels. With the advent of potent aromatase-inhibiting drugs, it seemed that Neveux

Block That Estrogen Kick

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Neveux

the estrogen problem had finally been effectively solved in men who chose to use certain types of anabolic steroids. Or had it? According to a recent study, even if you effectively inhibit estrogen synthesis through aromatase-inhibiting drugs, you can still get estrogenic effects from other sources.1 Anything that can positively interact with estrogen cell receptors can produce estrogenic side effects, even if the substance in question isn’t a direct estrogen. The study examined two types of isolated cells, one from breast cancer cells, the other from noncancerous cells. According to the authors, the estrogen cell receptor can be activated by certain androgens. One is androstane-3-beta, 17-beta diol (3BD), a nonaromatizable steroid derived from dihydrotestosterone. DHT itself is converted from testosterone by way of the 5-alpha reductase enzyme, which, like aromatase, is present throughout the body in such tissues as skin, liver, brain and prostate. DHT is often considered to be testosterone’s evil twin. It earned its notorious reputation because it’s linked to the onset of such steroid side effects as male-pattern baldness, acne and prostate gland enlargement. The interesting aspect of this is that DHT is testosterone’s evil anabolic steroids that are based on the DHT structwin. It’s linked to baldness, ture are immune to the effects of aromatase and acne and prostate gland thus cannot be converted into estrogen. Yet the new study shows that at least one DHTderived androgen can interact with estrogen recepmetabolites of DHT that can interact with the estrogen tors to produce effects similar to those linked with receptors. Drugs in this class, or 5-alpha reductase inhibian excessive level of estrogen itself. The information, howtors, include finasteride, sold as Proscar and Propecia, and ever, is still theoretical because it’s unknown whether the dutasteride, sold as Avodart. They treat prostate problems, concentration of 3BD used in the isolated-cell study can and Propecia is marketed to treat male-pattern baldness. be produced in an intact human body. On the other hand, Many bodybuilders and other athletes are already using the authors note that the level of the estrogen-mimicking them to prevent problems associated with high DHT levsteroids depends on the level of testosterone in the body, els, such as baldness, acne and prostate problems. They may also be useful for preventing estrogenic effects.

At least one DHT-derived androgen can interact with estrogen receptors to produce effects similar to those linked with an excessive level of estrogen itself.

the activity of 5-alpha reductase and the metabolic level of the steroids. All of those factors are high in athletes who use anabolic steroids. The solution to this problem is clear. Using a drug that inhibits the 5-alpha reductase enzyme would prevent the synthesis of DHT from testosterone and the downstream

Did Clenbuterol Cause This Heart Attack? Clenbuterol remains a popular drug with many athletes, who believe that it provides both anabolic and fat-burning effects. Clenbuterol is a beta-2 agonist mainly used to treat asthma. It was never approved for human use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration but is available under various brand names in several countries, including Mexico. Drug companies have no interest in marketing clenbuterol in the USA because it lasts far longer in the body than other beta-2 agonist drugs, and its extended half-life, as it’s called, increases the chances of side effects. Since clenbuterol is based on epinephrine, it has side effects similar to those of epinephrine, including rapid heartbeat, nervousness, tremors, headache, muscle pain and gastrointestinal problems. In animals it provides a repartitioning effect, in that lean muscle mass increases while bodyfat is substantially lowered. That occurs in many www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 267

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Jerry Brainum’s

Bodybuilding Pharmacology

Some animal studies show that clenbuterol can destroy muscle and the heart is your most important one, despite what some bodybuilders believe. animal species and explains why the drug proved attractive for athletic purposes. Some cases of clenbuteroltainted meat have led to side-effect outbreaks in Europe, leading in turn to a European ban on clenbuterol for livestock purposes. What many athletes didn’t consider, however, was that the doses of clenbuterol used in animal studies were far higher than could be tolerated by any human. The drug does provide potent—though fleeting—thermogenic effects, which is why it’s considered a “cutting” drug in bodybuilding. The adrenergic cell receptors that clenbuterol interacts with, however, are exquisitely sensitive and tend to close down within a short time, often with as little as two weeks of continuous use. Athletes work around the considerable downregulation by taking it on a two-days-on/two-days-off pattern, which extends the usage time. Another technique involves using ketotifen (Zaditen), an antihistamine that can maintain the potency of adrenergic cell receptors, thereby extending the usefulness of clenbuterol. Another thing to consider about

clenbuterol is that several recent studies have confirmed that it produces severe toxic effects in muscle. In fact, some animal studies show that the drug appears to destroy muscle. The toxic effects are especially apparent in heart muscle. According to a recent case study, in some people the effect may be potent enough to lead to a heart attack in an otherwise healthy person.2 Published reports have linked a combination of clenbuterol and anabolic steroids to a bodybuilder’s heart attack. The 26-year-old man in that case had switched to using clenbuterol after getting off a steroid cycle. His heart attack was attributed to a spasm of his coronary arteries. In the newly reported case, the subject was a 17-year-old bodybuilder who claimed that he used no anabolic steroids or other drugs with the exception of 20 milligrams a day of clenbuterol, which he took on a two-days-on/two-days-off protocol. That’s not considered a high dose or frequency. Despite that, he turned up at a clinic complaining of acute chest pains. Examination showed that he had a fast heart rate and an elevated

level of homocysteine, an amino acid by-product linked to cardiovascular disease. Most of his other tests were normal, although certain elevated enzyme levels pointed to heart damage. His diagnosis was that of a clenbuterol-induced coronary artery spasm, with possible blood clot in the left anterior descending coronary artery, the most common area of blood clots leading to heart attacks. The case was complicated, however, because the subject had two risk factors linked to the onset of coronary artery spasms—elevated homocysteine levels and increased clotting elements in the blood. Homocysteine is easily controlled in most cases by taking three nutrients: folic acid, and vitamins B6 and B12. The clotting can be controlled by small daily doses of aspirin, which he was given. The question, then, is whether the heart attack was caused by clenbuterol or his other risk factors. Most likely it was a combination. The adrenergic effect of clenbuterol may have pushed him over the edge. One thing is certain, however: Clenbuterol, even in small amounts, exerts toxic effects on heart muscle tissue. It could cause serious heart problems in anyone. Combining clenbuterol with other thermogenic drugs, such as thyroid hormone, compounds the effect because TH in large doses also stresses the heart. The combination of the two could prove deadly. In fact, clenbuterol and TH use are likely suspects in the death of a professional bodybuilder several years ago. This man was using large doses of TH and an injectable form of clenbuterol. He was also dehydrated and probably suffering an electrolyte, or mineral, imbalance. With that many things against him, it wasn’t surprising that he succumbed to a heart attack.

References 1 Ishikawa, T., et al. (2006). Aromatase-independent testosterone conversion into estrogenic steroids is inhibited by 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. J Steroid Biochem Molecul Biol. 98:133-138. 2 Kierzkowska, B., et al. (2005). Myocardial infarction in a 17-year-old bodybuilder using clenbuterol. Circulation Journal. 69:1144-1146. IM

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Eric Broser’s

If you ﬁnd something on the Web that IM readers should know about, send the URL to Eric at bodyfx2@aol.com.

>SandowMuseum.com Many of you probably have no clue who Eugene Sandow was, but if you’ve ever heard a modernday bodybuilder speak of hoping to “one day win a Sandow,” you already have an idea of how much the man affected the sport of bodybuilding. You see, the Sandow trophy is handed only to the man who has won the most coveted title in bodybuilding—Mr. Olympia. Born in 1867, Eugene Sandow was perhaps the world’s first true bodybuilder, and at www .SandowMuseum.com you can learn all about this pioneer of our sport. Dozens of fascinating articles describe his colorful life, mysterious death, unique training methods and how it came about that a statue created in his image now represents bodybuilding’s ultimate reward. Perhaps the most interesting—and eye-opening—section of the site is the picture gallery of “Muscle Champions” from 1880 to 1930. I was truly blown away by the muscularity and definition that many of those gentlemen displayed. Some of them showed development that would not be out of place in top drug-tested events of today. If you venture to this site and view these incredible men, remember, they were not only presteroids but preequipment as well. Visit www.SandowMuseum.com, and come away with a greater knowledge of the history of bodybuilding as well as a greater appreciation of the tools we have today with which to pursue it. 270 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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>Muscletime.com

>Fitness-Dating.com

If you’re into hardcore bodybuilding and follow the competitive side of the sport, then this site is for you. Muscletime.com is right on top of the contest scene, with show results, tons of onstage and backstage pictures, news, gossip and previews of upcoming competitions. The site even has downloadable videos of the sport’s elite in action, both training and posing. You say you like watching bodybuilding DVDs to get you fired up for your workouts? Well, Muscletime.com has a wide range available for purchase, many featuring the top champs. Also have a look at the site’s training routines and valuable tips from top guys. I clicked on “Dexter-Chest” and was hit in the face with a killer in-the-gym photo of Dexter Jackson looking like a modern-day Sergio Oliva—huge, broad shoulders, tiny waist and gargantuan guns! If you have a training or diet tip for Muscletime.com readers, shoot it to the site via e-mail, and if it’s published there, you win a free DVD of your choice. Very cool! For those who appreciate the beautiful ladies of our industry, the special section called Modeltime has plenty of what you’re looking for.

I have a few questions for you: Do you love to work out and take care of your body? Do you appreciate others who enjoy doing the same? Is your idea of an awesome Saturday night catching up on the “American Idol” you missed during the week and giving your George Foreman grill a really good scrubbing? If your answers to these questions are yes, then Fitness-Dating.com might be just what the love doctor ordered. Becoming a basic member is easy, quick and, best of all, free (although there is a charge to upgrade to a “Premiere” membership). Before you do anything, however, take a moment to click on the link called “Worth Reading.” It will explain what sets this site apart from many other similar sites. Just to check it out, I joined up and did a search for women in my area and was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few cuties appear on my screen. I was particularly enamored of a gal who called herself doubleDdiva. Not sure what attracted me to her, but I suspect it was her exceptional, um, educational background. So, if you’re a fitness-minded individual who’s been sitting home alone one too many Saturday nights, I suggest you give www .Fitness-Dating.com a shot. It’s time to stop picking up only barbells and time to start picking up some dates. You never know—your lifetime training partner could be just a few clicks away. IM

>X-Rep.com Most IRON MAN readers have already visited this site, as it’s the home of Steve Holman (IM’s editor in chief, below), Jonathan Lawson and the innovative mass-building concept X Reps. You’ll find some interesting e-books for sale—The Ultimate Mass Workout is the original X-Rep manual—but you can also find lots of other cool stuff at the site. For the past year Lawson and Holman have been doing a training blog every day they hit the iron, reporting on the new things they discover and passing along tips for various exercises. They have an extensive Q&A section on X Reps, many of their past weekly e-zines, champtraining-analysis features (Coleman and Cutler are there), and now they’ve taken another giant step, creating a supplement blog. It documents how they adjust their daily supplement schedule as they move through their ripping phase, including what they’re taking and when and explanations of what the supplement does—or doesn’t—do. If you’re looking to speed up your fat-burning and muscle-building results, check it out.

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Lonnie Teper’s

NEWS &ViEWS v

’06 San Francisco Pro

Okabe

Badell’s Back

Branch Warren.

With a Vengeance After a Disappointing Finish at the Arnold Classic

Big, bad

Okabe

It was so nice to hear. Gustavo Badell actually admitted that he’d been off at the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio, on March 4. Accepted his fourth-place finish behind Dexter Jackson, Branch Warren and Victor Martinez. But the Freakin’ Rican wasn’t about to roll over and play dead. One week later at the San Francisco Pro, which was held at Chabot Community College in Hayward, California, Badell showed up much sharper than he’d been in Columbus and got revenge on Warren, who, as he had in Ohio, earned a runner-up finish. Branch thought he’d won the show. Voters at Bodybuilding.com’s People’s Choice site agreed with him, and for that Bob Cicherillo, representing Bodybuilding.com, presented him with a $1,000 check to pad his growing bank account. I had no problem with the decision. Shoot, Badell was coming off a spectacular 2005 season, with wins at the Europa Pro and Charlotte Pro before he finished third at the Mr. Olympia. Oh, and don’t forget the 25K he picked up for besting King Coleman and Beef Cutler in the now-banished challenge round. For the rest of the 2006 season, Badell is setting his sights on the Olympia, which will be held once again at the Orleans Arena in his current hometown, Las Vegas, on the last weekend in September. Gustavo feels he can win it all—yes, despite the fact that Coleman will be gunning for a record ninth victory and that Cutler promises to be at his all-time best. Cocky? I say confident, which every top pro should be. Badell’s come a long way in a short time—we’ll know just how far in four months. Melvin Anthony dedicated his posing routine to “all the wives in the audience” (you know, ’cause they don’t get much attention from their hubbies, who compete) and duplicated his third-place finish of the ’05 S.F. Pro. Mustafa Mohammad was not a happy camper after he finished out of the top five at the IRON MAN and the Arnold but was in a much better mood in Northern Cal, where he got fourth. Because the three gents who finished in front of him had already earned their Mr. O qualifications Mighty Mustafa was able to get the invite he felt he deserved at the previous two shows. Told you 272 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Mar velous Melvin.

Mustafa Mohammad.

SWORDPLAY— Who was the most sliced in S.F.? Page 272

BODYPARTS— Hot party in Boise. Pages 275–6

POSEDOWN— Has Jay met his match? Pages 275–6

Ahmad’s abs.

Okabe

you’d qualify this year, guy. When I (as the emcee) introduced Toney Freeman at the finals, I called him the most underrated bodybuilder on the pro circuit. What are your feelings about that title? I also thought Ahmad Haidar looked light-years better than he did at the IM and the Arnold. The man with the steel-plated abs finished sixth at the Jon Lindsay and Steve O’Brien– produced event, but there were plenty of folks besides me who felt Haidar was top-five material. Haidar was nearly arrested for theft prior to the finals. Judge Albert Beckles offered to buy me lunch but thought his credit card had been stolen, and I had to pick up the tab. Albert wasn’t pulling a Shawn Ray, however. I later found the card embedded in Ahmad’s etched serratus. You’re off the hook this time, Ageless Albert. Other athletes who caught my eye at the show: Japan’s Hidetada Yamagishi, who is the most improved bodybuilder to date this year, and England’s Ricky Welling, a thick cat who didn’t let a little hindrance like blindness prevent him from fulfilling his goal of reaching a pro stage.

Ricky Welling.

Photography by Lonnie Teper \ Contest photography by Bill Comstock

Covergirl Pauline.

ADD S.F. PRO—I finally got to meet Pauline Nordin, who finished 10th at the San Francisco Pro Figure competition in her pose-for-pay debut. Devotees of this mag will remember the wonderful Bill Dobbins shot of her that ran on the June ’05 cover. Pauline, 23, a former Swedish bodybuilding champion, informed me she was moving to Marina del Rey in April (with her man, guys!), which should make a lot of Southern California photographers mighty happy. Prior to the move, the talented Nordin cohosted the Scandinavian version of “The Biggest Loser,” on which her protégé was the big winner. Pauline says she wants to qualify for the Figure Olympia and plans on competing at the Pittsburgh, Colorado and California pro shows in hopes of doing just that. Check out this rising star if you get the chance. She’s certainly easy on the eyes.

ADD PRO SHOWS: RONNY’S A ROCK DOWN UNDER—A week after the San Francisco event, Ronny Rockel upset show fave and homeland icon Lee Priest at the Australian Pro, with Vince Taylor placing third. Mus-

Toney Freeman.

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tafa Mohammad duplicated his fourthplace landing of a week earlier, but the big surprise was Branch Warren, who dropped all the way to fifth. Hey, the guy was right on at both the Arnold and the San Fran; I wouldn’t have expected him to duplicate that conditioning in Australia. I’m sure Branch didn’t even want to compete at that point, but the man honored his contract. I also hear he used the time Down Under to celebrate his recent marriage to pro figure athlete Trish Mayberry, who is now, natch, Trish Warren. Not even Branch Warren should stick with his diet on his honeymoon! Francis Benfatto, who was unable to make his return to the stage after 14 years at the IRON MAN due to visa problems, made it here. He landed in sixth and looked very good, from reports I’ve gotten. Let’s see, there’s Vince looking swell at 49; Francis doing likewise at 48. Gee, maybe Ronnie Coleman can keep going for a few years. Let’s ask Jay Cutler about that.

Ronny Rockel.

Vince Taylor.

Francis Benfatto.

NPC Shows: Natural Ohio

Kegler, Lockett and Flowers. Ohio suits (below): Liberman and Pember

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Scott Fanti.

Manion

After I emceed the Arnold Classic in Columbus (and then the San Francisco Pro), it was back to Ohio the first weekend in April, this time to host the Natural Ohio, the Dave Liberman and Todd Pember production that has to rank as one of the premier drugtested contests in the country. This is the third year in a row I’ve been at the podium for the event, and I get more impressed with each outing. Keep an eye—a real close eye—on Michael Lockett, who made a strong impression on me last year when he won the junior men’s division at 193 pounds. The 5’9” 23-year-old from Cleveland came back bigger—way bigger—and better in ’06, dominating the field with 228 pounds of sculpted beef. This guy is one of the best drug-free competitors I’ve seen in years—nice lines, huge wheels, unbelievable calves, great guns, shredded glutes…. Hell, the whole physique is sublime enough for me to predict he will take his class, if not the whole show, at the Team Universe in July. By the way, for those who will jump to the “no way he’s clean” refrain, Lockett did pass the show’s stringent IOC–approved drug-testing protocol, which is good enough for me. Kara Flowers, from Columbus, blossomed at the judging and ended up winning the figure division, which is always strong at Dave and Todd’s events (they also put on the Natural Northern USA in October). In fact, their shows have produced such quality IFBB pros as Tammy Pies, Summer Montebone, Mari Kudla, April Carpenter, Valerie Waugaman, Jen Hartley, Jaime Franklin and Alison Bookless. Another Columbus gem, Angela Kegler, was the top female bodybuilder of the night, taking both the open and master’s divisions. The mother of two little ones, Angela ain’t the biggest woman in the house at 105 pounds, but she proved it’s not always about size but quality. The event, held as usual at the Lakewood Civic Auditorium, attracted 136 contestants (not counting crossovers), with the largest crowds I’ve seen yet. Also as usual, the promoters donated a good portion of the proceeds to the American Cancer Society ($2,200 to be exact). Monte-

Jesse Marunde.

Cutler and Cicherillo.

Becky Moore (in blue), the before shot.

bone donated her services as guest poser in honor of her mother, who had died of cancer but two weeks earlier. Additionally, Dr. Debbie Freeman donated $1,000 to the American Diabetes Association. Debbie lost 85 pounds and competed in the masters figure contest. Way to go, girl! Last year’s Natural Ohio champ, Orlando Smith, who went on to win his class at the Team Universe and the NAC in ’05, guest posed as well. I also want to mention superchauffeur Scott “Banty” Fanti, who has been kind enough to shuffle me around town the past two years. Sliced Scott couldn’t perform those duties in 2004, however; he was too busy winning the bantamweight class. LiberBrad man, who set a new NPC record by giving out 13 speCraig. cial awards at the show, should save one for Scott. This guy is on time, every time, and has to put up with the torture of my complaints about the horrible Cleveland weather. Which, by the way, was better than the climate back home in Pasadena, California, on the same weekend. Karma’s a bitch, right, Scott?

L.T. and Russ DeLuca.

Becky’s after shot.

MOORE IS BETTER—Becky Moore fell ill on August 22, 2005, while on duty as a registered nurse at Kindred Hospital in Cleveland. She felt dizzy, her blood pressure skyrocketed, and when her eyesight disappeared, it was time to give the problem a closer look. The 45-year-old Moore, a mother of two (Tiffany, 24, and David, 21), underwent a CAT scan, which showed a “bleed in head.” She was sent down the street to University Hospital, where tests revealed two aneurysms. Doctors performed emergency brain surgery. “The doctors told me before they put me to sleep that I had a 5 percent chance of survival,” recalls Moore. “And, if I did live past the surgery, I would be in a vegetative state.” Some vegetable. Not only did Moore beat the odds, but she was also back at work in six weeks after her nine-day stay in the hospital, joined a gym for the first time at the end of January and competed in her first contest, the Natural Ohio, on April 1, finishing fifth out of nine in the masters figure class. That sounds like a story right out of the “Twilight Zone,” but there’s no Rod Serling behind this one. Becky, who lives in Akron, Ohio, heard from her cousin about Dave Liberman’s training prowess and joined Titan’s Gym in Mentor to work with Dave, who ...and the hairy “taught me how to lift weights and about proper nusmooth guy. trition,” she says. After she revealed that she’d made the hour-and-10-minutes-each-way drive almost daily to work with Liberman, on top of her full-time job at the hospital, I thought she’d suffered a third aneurysm. Eventually, she was talked into competing at the Natural Ohio. Gee, I wonder whose salesmanship made that happen. “I wanted to take control of my life and prove you don’t have to sit on the couch the rest of your life after major surgery,” says Moore. “I wanted to set an example—but I had to get letters from my doctor and the brain surgeon giving me permission to compete.” Moore, who carried 180 pounds on her 5’ frame years ago, was 108 when she began working with Liberman. She was 106 on the day of the contest but points out, “My body looked way different—much more conditioned.” That’s for sure. The lady had abs, folks! And she now has the competition bug. “You can bet your ass I will be onstage again,” Moore says with a laugh. “It was awesome. I was back to lifting weights three days a week after the show and am planning on competing on October 8 at the Natuwww.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 275

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ral Northern USA. My goal is to win.” Got news for ya, Becky. You’ve already won.

Kenollio, Slatt and Christoph.

Russ ’n’ Bridget.

Catherine Zidell.

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George Legeros

BOISE BASH—Following my trip to Cleveland, I was back on the plane the next weekend, this time for my first venture to Boise, Idaho, the home base of Russ “I’m Not Related to Richard Gere” DeLuca and the gang at Bodybuilding.com. After Richard, er, Russ gave me an in-depth tour of the warehouse, I walked over to the Big Easy nightclub, where the latest edition of DeLuca’s Boise Fitness Expo took place. The spot was mobbed, to put it mildly. Now in its fifth year, the annual free event was started because DeLuca wanted to give back to the community and his staff. It also presents an opportunity to bring to his hometown the athletes and vendors the company works with all year—more than 3,000 people sampled products from 20 vendors. The expo certainly lived up to its billing as the fittest show on earth, with a collection of belly dancers, fire dancers, strongmen, female powerlifters and a magician. Bob Cicherillo, only a week out from competing at the Masters Pro World Championship, somehow found the energy to play host for the four-hour event. Chick’s sexy sidekick was Nancy DiNino, a top figure competitor out of Toronto, Canada, and the best salsa dancer in the industry. Nancy, a former dance partner of mine, and Kenny Jones will soon be working on bodybuilding’s version of “Dancing With the Stars.” Before the night was over, Jay Cutler was onstage, posing down Cicherillo and some hairy smooth guy from the audience (no, not me). Monica Brant was there for BSN; Tanji Johnson and Laura Mak did their awesome fitness routines (Laura and her Groove Attack got down at the expo; Tanji did her routine at the bodybuilding contest on Saturday), and powerlifting superstar Jesse Marunde hoisted a 400pound log. Cathy LeFrancois Priest, looking real good, repped Gaspari NutriSkip La Cour. tion, as she has been doing since last year, and Seattle-based promoters Brad and Elaine Craig, who served on the judging panel, were also on hand to encourage the competitors to keep it going at their annual Emerald Cup mega-event, which was scheduled for two weeks later. The energy-filled evening was capped when CEO Russ presented Gary David with the Employee of the Year award. On Saturday night I hosted the NPC Treasure Valley Gold’s Gym Bodybuilding and Figure Championships at Capital High School (Boise is the capital of Idaho, for those deficient in geography). The first NPC contest to be held in the area in six years, the national qualifier was promoted by Alaska resident Derek Snelson. The turnout wasn’t extensive, but the show had plenty of quality, not to mention movie stars. Buck Rogers, the masters overall champ, was almost in tears when he said he couldn’t have done it without his training partner, Flash Gordon. Marc Kenollio, the current Mr. Alaska, took the men’s overall and also picked up the Best Poser award. Kristen Christoph won the women’s bodybuilding competition, while Rebecca Lynn Slatt edged a very impressive figure lineup to win that overall. The fun escalated when veteran NPC competitor Brad Hallibaugh suddenly appeared onstage, complete with tight shirt and 22-inch guns.

Dave Palumbo.

Desmond Miller.

Michael Ergas.

TEPER’S TALES: Skip La Cour inked a new five-year deal with AST Sports Science in March and says his role in the company will be growing in the coming years. La Cour has been with AST for 10 years—since 1994 (from 1996 to’98 he was with Twinlab). You can follow Skip’s online daily training journal at www.ast-ss.com and visit his Web site at www.SkipLaCour.com.… First there was Robin Tesvich, the lovely 50-year-old figure competitor from Louisiana who I featured in this space a few issues back. Now let me introduce you to Catherine Zidell, another beautiful 50-year-old—this one from Texas—who copped the over-35 division at the Masters Nationals in 2004 and duplicated that feat in the over-45 class last season. She Leo Ingram. also took second in the over-35s at the ’05 North American Championships. Zidell says she’s going to compete in both age categories this year. To find out more about her, including some really neat photos starting from her teen years, log on to www.nshapeonline.com.… Desmond Miller, the fourth-placer in the superheavyweight class at the Nationals last year, will be putting all of his efforts into that contest again this year. The show is scheduled for Miami Beach in November.… Michael Ergas, who finished a very disputed second in the heavyweights at the Nationals, will be going for his pro card at the USA.… Ditto for Leo Ingram, runner-up to Bill Wilmore at the Nationals.… Stan McQuay says he’s moving up to the light-heavyweight class this year, probably at the USA, in his own quest for that long-awaited pro card.… Quincy Taylor’s first contest in 2006 most likely will be at the Europa Supershow in Arlington, Texas, where he qualified for his first Olympia with a third-place finish last year.… Marvelous Melvin Anthony is considering a move from his Riverside, California, residence to Arlington, Texas. And don’t be surprised if the next time you see Shawn Ray, he’s the owner of a six-bedroom, five-bath home in Surprise, Arizona, near Phoenix.… Dave Palumbo has taken the negative experience of having gone to prison and spun it into a positively hardcore handbook, Perfect Prison To contact Lonnie Physique, that covers the gamut of training, nutriTeper about material tion and supplementation. Employing motivational possibly pertinent to quotes and carefully selected words of wisdom, News & Views, write Dave dispels common training and dieting myths to 1613 Chelsea while, simultaneously, offering a blueprint for Road, #266, San success. You can order the book online at www. Marino, CA 91108; DavePalumbo.com. IM fax to (626) 289-7949;

Neveux

Stan McQuay.

He went into the audience, only to look up at the stage and see LeFrancois Priest ready to do battle in a posedown. I let the audience decide who the champ was. It went to Cathy—by a landslide. On Sunday, Russ and his new bride, Bridget (they got hitched in March and just returned from a Mexican honeymoon), took me to brunch, and then Russ gave me a tour of the city. I saw the small building where he started Bodybuilding.com just six years ago and visited a couple of the city’s five Golds Gyms. I also spent a few minutes at Russ and Bridget’s pad as well as Ryan DeLuca’s digs, and we went past Boise State and its blue football turf. By the way, Ryan, congrats to you and your wife on the birth of your second child. Nice city. Nice people. Nice weekend. Thanks to all.

Quincy Taylor.

or send e-mail to tepernews@aol.com.

Shawn Ray.

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’06 Art Zeller Award

Bob Gardner Winner of the ’06 Art Zeller Award for Artistic Achievement

Neveux

As a magazine led Newly married and by photographers, ready for a change, IRON MAN creBob relocated his ated the Art Zeller studio to the Weider Award for Artistic building in sunny Achievement— Southern California. given every year It was there that he at the IRON MAN honed his physiquePro bodybuilding photography talents competition—to with models that inBob Gardner receives the award from IRON honor our colcluded Arnold, FranMAN publisher John Balik at the IM Pro on leagues behind co Columbu, Mike February 17 in Pasadena, California. the lens who bring Mentzer, Frank Zane the visual experience of bodybuildand other legends of bodybuilding. ing to readers. This year’s recipient, With the help of Joe and Arnold, in Bob Gardner, specializes in capturing particular, he perfected his ability to the art of the physique. If you’ve been light the physique in a style that was around the sport of bodybuilding for all his own. any length of time, you’ve no doubt Bob’s career seen his work; however, he didn’t start of photoout in the bodybuilding world. He graphing the began his successful career in New greatest male York City in the 1960s, specializing in and female fashion and beauty and shooting for athletes of Gale and Bob Gardner with Arnold such clients as Revlon, Clairol, Chaour sport nel, Avon and Neutrogena. It was duraround the ing those years that, through a mutual globe has spanned three decades— friend and photographer, he met and IRON MAN is proud to feature Joe Weider. When Weider decided to his work on the following pages to move his headquarters from the East celebrate his acceptance of this presCoast to California in the early ’70s, tigious award. he invited Gardner to come with him. —the Editors Except for presentation photo, all photography ©2006 by Bob Gardner. All Rights Reserved

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Ed Corney, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu (1973)

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â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06 Art Zeller Award

Ronnie Coleman at the Roman Aqueducts

Franco Columbu (movie poster)

Brooke Burke and Tom Platz

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Milos Sarcev and Ronnie Coleman Paul Dillett

Shawn Ray, Nasser El Sonbaty and Flex Wheeler

Anja Langer

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Mike Mentzer 282 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06 Art Zeller Award

Jack Lemmon

Dudley Moore

Dolly Parton

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â&#x20AC;&#x2122;06 Art Zeller Award

Ronnie Coleman

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Ruth Silverman’s

PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE ARNOLD FITNESS WEEKEND, PART 2: FIGURE INTERNATIONAL

Dead Heat

On two-piece go-round

Dobbins \ www.BillDobbins.com

As always the AFW at the Figure was so big—and its International, events so numerous—it held March 3 couldn’t be contained in Columbus, in a single installment of Ohio, centhis column. Part 2 picks tered around up with the Figure InterJenny Lynn’s national commentary.… last-minute But first a few pullout due to words from the austomach flu. thor. I’m going to have Would Brant, to start issuing stronger the three-time sarcasm warnings. How runner-up to else could one respond Jenny, be the to the very sweet reader one to get a who interpreted a caphot minute tion in the “’05 Year-End in the spotRoundup” in the April light with the ’06 Pump & Circumweekend’s stance as being written namesake— by someone who “has California some type of problem governor Arwith Monica Brant”? nold SchwarThe caption points out zenegger—or Curvier or lankier? The judges Lado’d it on. Find complete results and photos that the lady hasn’t would the judgfrom the Figure International at www.GraphicMuscle.com. won a contest since es again find 1998 and ends, “Oh, someone they well,” which I guess was the sarcasm warning. Regular readliked just a little bit better? Mary Elizabeth Lado, who was ers would know that I disagreed with more than a few of those fifth at the Olympia but third here last year, perhaps? Or the judging panels and see the caption for what it was—a thinly fast-rising Valerie Waugaman, who beat Brant out for second veiled excuse to run a hot candid photo of Monica in a spaat the post-O Sacramento show last fall? Or Amanda Savell, ghetti-strap Fit Wings tee. who won the ’05 Europa Pro? To the reader in Long Island who was confused by my When the 19 highly toned—and heeled—contestants strode humor, let me reassure you: Mo Brant is one of the most suconstage in their one-piece suits for round 1, it was apparcessful fitness athletes and models since fitness athletes and ent that most had done their homework. The panel quickly models were invented. I do not think she is a loser. To readers centered its attention on Monica and M.E., along with (in aleverywhere: A heavy sarcasm alert is in effect for this entire phabetical order) Jane Awad, Christine Pomponio-Pate, column. Consider yourselves warned. Savalle and Chastity Sloan. Lado’s win was determined in Back to the contest at hand. The big story that first set of comparisons. The judges preferred her hands

BACKSTAGE BABES “Want me to pu ll the string?” pu rrs Elaine. Not me pe sonally, but ma ryb some of the re e aders….

Sexy beast. Latisha flashes her cheekbones in response to a photographer’s mock-serious request.

Amanda was involved in a three-way with Mary and Mo. Kind of sounds like the Pep Boys.

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RISING STARS

What a Difference

Dobbins \ www.BillDobbins.com

A week makes

Photography by Ruth Silverman

Looking for Arnold? From left: Awad, Pomponio-Pate, Brant, Lado, Savell and Sloan. As it turned out, no one got the moment in the spotlight with the gov, who remained on the West Coast attending to business until the last moment and arrived at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Columbus at the very end of the evening. IM’s close-up photo coverage of the Figure, Fitness and Ms. International competitions begins on page 296.

down in the one-piece suits and gave her a perfect score, with Brant eight points behind in second and Savell a scant two points behind Brant. In the two-piece comparisons the panel liked the ladies all the same—a three-way tie for first—so the round-1 results represented the point spread at evening’s end. Was it a righteous call? At the time I was pretty disappointed (yes, Clint, that was me among the booing masses after you announced Brant in second yet again). We don’t see the score sheets until later, however, and upon reflection I would say that I would have had Brant winning the two-piece round. How that might have shaken up the totals I can only speculate. No disrespect to Mary Elizabeth. She looked really, really good, much tighter than at the Olympia, but Brant was at her best—not too ripped, not too soft. With two very different physique types in fine condition, however, the panel preferred Lado’s lankier body to Brant’s curvier presentation. After the third-placed Amanda, the judges liked Sloan in fourth, with Awad in fifth and Pomponio-Pate a single point behind her in sixth. Latisha Wilder dropped to seventh from fifth last year; Waugaman’s condition was off, and she had to settle for eighth; Monica Guerra landed in ninth; and Elaine Goodlad nabbed the last of the top-10 placings. Next month in this space I’ll have news and photos from the Pittsburgh Pro Figure, where, I’m willing to bet my salary from this column, the returning Jenny Lynn will do very well.

More curls. Valerie tosses hers in a devilmay-care manner.

Twenty-two hundred miles—and nine placings—between Columbus and San Francisco for Debbie Leung. Maybe it’s the curls. They seem to be working for Jane Awad as well (see photo at left).

It’s important to remember that no contestant who makes it to the Veterans Memorial Auditorium stage is ever to be counted out, no matter where she places. Witness the four competitors who finished out of the top 10 there but made the top six a week later at the San Francisco Pro: Gina Comacho, 12th at the Figure International was second in San Francisco (behind Chas Sloan); Zhanna Rotar, 18th, moved up to fourth; Debbie Leung, 14th, moved up to fifth; and Anna Larsson, also 18th in Ohio, rose to sixth.

Look for photos from the San Franciso Pro Figure at www .GraphicMuscle.com. Sleek-looking Michelle. Another one who’s holding out on the P&C camera.

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PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE COUPLES

MUSINGS

No Names Mentioned Speaking of opinions that can get you in trouble What’s up with all the married female competitors who are suddenly appending their husband’s last name to their autograph? I’m not talking about the newlyweds, either. I mean big stars who’ve been married awhile. I used to think it was a good thing that women got hyphenated when they got married, but now it often seems as if they’re just on step one of a transition to the new moniker, which is fine for the old private life but seems kind of counterproductive for persons seeking physique stardom. I mean, why would you work so hard to make a name for yourself and then change it? A few ladies have successfully made the switch—one in particular who got married around the time she switched organizations and Christine’s timing is always perfect. She changed another who wasn’t well known her name and got her pro card in the same seawhen she was an amateur and son—and onstage in Columbus she dialed it in to single come to mind. A third athlete I earn a top-six finish. can think of was so successful in establishing her married identity, she’s now in the position of having to reestablish her old self in the public eye. In the interest of fairness, I didn’t hyphenate anyone’s name in this month’s or last month’s columns (well, one, but you’ve got to admit: Christine Pomponio-Pate really rolls off the tongue). You may think you know whom I’m referring to, but then, again, you might be surprised. If you’re curious, the truth is to be found somewhere in this issue.

Gymboree Name game 2 Todd and Cyn.

All previously stated rules re garding hyphenates and name changes (see the item at left) go out the window when your husband builds you a gym. Fitness pro Cynthia Satalovitch (formerly Bridges) opened Flex Appeal, her new personal-training studio, in Simi Valley, California, with more than a little help from Todd, who, according to the couple, built the place from the bare walls up. Now, that’s love. Cyn offers a variety of training packages at the 1,000-squarefoot facility, including “competition training, dietary consultation, and I even provide customized weekly meal plans,” she said. Flex Appeal is located at 595 E. Los Angeles Avenue. Call (805) 520-1061 to see about getting Cyn to pump—and shape—you up.

ARNOLD EXPO AWARDS Best hat: Ali Metkovitch.

Best makes-you-want-to-try-the-stuff attitude: Chastity Sloan hawks Gaspari Nutrition’s wares.

A few notable sights stood out in the crowds.

Best real-sex y pose. Abby Du plans to flash this one for hu ncan had captain in th e National Gu bby Joe, a ar serving in Cu d, who was ba.

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NEW YORK PRO FITNESS

Child’s Play

Julie’s recipe for success Internet chatter about it. Fletcher made a swell impression on me in Columbus, despite her placing, so I had a few choice words to say about that (find them online in my April report at GraphicMuscle.com). An even wider margin separated second and third, 56 points, but the next three placings were very close. Amy Haddad, another good per former who’s been knocking around the pros for a couple of years, rode some excellent physique scores to edge out Semsch, who was fourth,

Comstock

Julie Childs spends a lot of time flying through the air—or maybe it just seems that way because the fitness photographers’ cameras catch her in midair so often. The West Coast–based Childs took a cross-country flight to Manhattan for the New York Pro Fitness competition on April 15 and landed in the winner’s circle for the first time since she earned her pro card at the ’02 USA. It was a big win too—by a 31-point margin—in a 17-woman lineup that featured a lot of potential but not many well-known names. Childs, who was coming off a fifth-place finish at the International, was the clear-cut champ, according to reports, looking sweet in the swimsuit rounds and pulling out all the stops in the routines. By the score sheet, she won all four rounds (sharing the two-pieceswimsuit honors with Angela Semsch). Also making an impression in every round was last year’s NPC National champ, Heidi Fletcher, who advanced from tied for last at the International to runner-up in New York and was subjected to some pretty nasty

Tough trick. Childs (above left) and Fletcher made it

and Mindi O’Brien, fifth, to take the third spot—and the third Olympia qualification. With three shows to go before the O—and two after ward, according to the schedule posted at IFBB.com— don’t count out Angie or Mindi for 2006.

N E W S H O WS Support your local athleteturned-promomter

Four-time Ms. Olympia Kim Chizevsky and husband Chad Nicholls have become the latest bodybuilding-industry couple to take on pro-show promoting. Their new All Star Pro Fitness Championship, a late-but-welcome addition to the IFBB schedule, will take place in Little Rock on July 8 in conjunction with the couples’ NPC Arkansas Championships. Kim and Chad chose fitness for their first venture into the pros because the stage at the venue, the Robinson Center Music Hall, has a regulation dance and aerobics floor, a rare situation in fitness. In a memo to potential competitors Chizevsky described the show as “a chance for Chad and I to give back to the sport and the federation that have given us so much. “We are planning on eventually adding all IFBB events and turning it into a complete health-and-fitness weekend but wanted to begin with fitness due to the incredible facility we have access to, said Kim, who, after retiring from bodybuilding, competed in the ’01 Fitness I and took sixth. Ladies who have expressed interest in checking out that fine dance floor include Tanji Johnson, Angie Semsch, Mindi O’Brien, Katie Szep and Little Rock homegal Lorie Kimes. For complete info on the show go to www.MuscleMayhem.com. Starting with fitness is a gutsy, trend-bucking move, guys. Good for you. Here’s wishing you a lineup of showstoppers—and many fans in the seats.

Comstock \ Model: Allison Daughtry

Arkansas All Stars

Fitness folk will be kicking up a fuss on July 8.

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PUMP & CiRCUMSTANCE MORE MUSINGS

Upside-Down Thinking

Speaking of things you can find out about on the Internet

Comstock

There is a in working for story happening changes—comin the physique ing to meetings world this spring or even submitthat will turn out ting ideas—and to be either the that should most dramatic have been the development ah-ha moment. since the WWF Instead, she tried to take over suggests that bodybuilding a “photo-op” or the fastest of Chick on his disappearing knees in front act since Craig of women’s Titus and Kelly rep Betty Ryan’s WomPariso that en’s Physique subsequently International. We appeared in haven’t written the same pubabout this story lication doesn’t in IM—and I’m “erase the vernot going to bal abuse that write about it was spoken now. Except in internationto point out an ally sold magaunintended irony zines.” Maybe in regards to the not, but that sub-subculture was a photoof the women’s op for Betty physique sports: too—Betty, It is so not about who as a prothe women. moter puts her Why is that money on the ironic? In a publine to include licly published women’s bodyletter of retirebuilding in her ment from comIFBB Europa petition, veteran Supershow. flexer Nancy RegardLewis stated, ing the irony in essence, that mentioned she was calling at the beginit quits because ning of this the IFBB didn’t item, very few Head games. IM art director Terry Bratcher mistook this photo of Ms. International 10th-placer formally punish people, men or Tonie Norman for that of a fitness competitor. It just goes to show—in the women’s physique Bob Cicherillo, sports you really can’t tell the players without a scorecard. women, make the men’s a living from athlete’s rep, for snotty remarks he made about the women competing in bodybuilding. So the question just pops out: bodybuilders in a major muscle magazine last year. Why hang up the bikini when you can support people who I’m not meaning to make light of Lewis—she’s a fine body- support women’s builder and has some thoughtful things to say (you’ll find the bodybuilding by, say, You can contact letter in the Grrlz Stuff forum at www.MuscleMayhem entering your lovely Ruth Silverman, .com). The Cicherillo incident was really the straw that broke physique in Betty’s fitness reporter the camel’s back for her rather than the sole reason for her show? Whatever the and Pump & Cir decision, but come on. In a year when only three promoters buzz is out there in are willing to invest in women’s pro bodybuilding and officials cyberbodybuildingcumstance scribe, clearly have other things on their plates besides “fixing” WPB land, nobody new, in care of to everyone’s satisfaction, why would you marginalize your organizationwise, is IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., issues further by continuing to whine about stuff like that? offering women the Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at Lewis regrets that her fellow pros haven’t been more active opportunity to flex ironwman@aol.com.

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Arnold Photography ExpobyHot Shots Mervin

It’s the bodybuilder’s fun thrill ride. “I wish I could pin yew!” The wrestling had plenty of action—and tender moments too.

Speaking of thrills: strongmen in plaid skirts.

Mervin found someone he could look up to.

Everywhere you looked there were beautiful women displaying chiseled abs and other toned bodyparts Um, okay. We agree.

Babes and bodybuilding pulled in big crowds. Oh, plenty of free stuff helped too.

More thrills— and spills.

Legendary giant killer Danny Padilla lobbied for an IM cover.

“Quick, get over here. It’s the Naturally Huge guy, standing right next to me.” John Hansen visited the IRON MAN booth. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 295

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. International

1) Iris Kyle

Ms. Intern Iris Is in Bloom Again Photography by Bill Comstock

296 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Cadeau and Kyle

2) Dayana Cadeau

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5) Betty Pariso

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. Fitness International

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2) Kim Klein

1) Adela Garcia

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. Fitness International 6) Tanji Johnson

5) Julie Child

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3) Jen Hendershott

2) Kim Klein

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 303

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. Figure International

1) Mary Elizabeth Lado

Figure Inte Lado Leaps Into the Lead

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2) Monica Brant-Peckham

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. Figure International

3) Amanda Savell

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Arnold Classic 2006 Ms. Figure International

5) Jane Awad

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Only the Strong Shall Survive

SquatOption Lowdown What to Do in Lieu of Squatting

by Bill Starr

Photography by Michael Neveux

hile I firmly believe that the full squat is the very best exercise for developing the hips and legs, the power base of the body, I’m also aware that many strength athletes cannot do squats. I know it because of the people I’ve met in gyms over the years and from the many letters I’ve received from men asking for alternative lower-body exercises. Those who cannot squat generally fall into two categories: athletes with knee, hip or ankle problems, and those who are unable to fix a bar behind their necks because of an injury or some infirmity such as rheumatoid arthritis. Of course, there are other reasons that people can’t do squats as well as a group who choose not to do them. The exercises recommended here will be useful to them as well. First, I’ll deal with athletes who find it impossible, or extremely painful, to position a bar across their shoulders, behind their backs. Squat with dumbbells. Obviously, you can’t use nearly as much weight even if you strap on to heavy dumbbells, but if you run the reps up, you can

Model: Mike Ashley

increase your hip and leg strength. Dumbbells afford many advantages over a barbell. You don’t need a rack or spotters, and there’s no danger of getting stuck at the bottom. Should you run out of gas, just set them down. You’ll also discover that you can go lower using dumbbells, which works the adductors and hamstrings more thoroughly. And you can do dumbbell squats in limited space with very little in the way of equipment. Squatting with a bar in a high-rise apartment might pose a problem, but doing it with dumbbells doesn’t. They’re also easy to store and take along on road trips. Another excellent alternative is lunges done with or without weight. If you haven’t been doing anything for your lower body for a while, start with walking lunges, a simple but extremely effective hip and leg exercise. If you doubt that, just check out the amazing lower-body development of female gymnasts, who do countless lunges in their training. While lunges appear tame, they aren’t. I’ve had athletes who were squatting 500 pounds give out after lunging the hallway back and forth, a distance of about 150 feet. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 315

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left-handed. Unconsciously, we give priority to one leg. I notice that when I walk up stairs or step up on a curb, I always lead with my right foot. As a result, my right leg is stronger and more flexible. That’s exactly why I include some form of lunges in all of my programs. They help bring the weaker leg into proportion with

Lunges hit the lower body hard. Eventually, your back leg should be extended, but start with this version to hone your ability to balance.

Model: King Kamali

the stronger one. Once you’ve stretched out into a deep split, push off with your lead foot and step forward with your other leg into another lunge. That has to be done in a fluid motion, and here’s the key to being able to do it: When you rise out of a deep split, extend high on your toes before stepping forward. That makes it easier to flow from one rep to the next than if you did the movement flat-footed. Another important form point is to maintain an erect torso. If you start leaning forward or to either side, you’re not going to get the desired results. When your form breaks down, stop, take a break, and start in again. Lunging short distances with perfect technique is much more productive than going longer using sloppy form. Once you determine how far you can go and still maintain flawless style, lunge to your goal, pause, then go back. That’s one set. How many sets you do depends entirely on your physical condition, but as in every exercise it doesn’t matter where you start, only where you end up. Should you be confined to a rather small space, you don’t have to stop at the end of a hallway or room. Just turn quickly and continue the set. One of the nice things about walking lunges is that you can do them almost anywhere—on a lawn,

There’s a difference between stationary and walking lunges. The walking form requires more balance, and there’s a rhythm to performing them correctly. In the walking lunge, you never come to a complete stop, so you must learn to flow from one leg to the other, which requires a bit of practice. Stand very erect with your feet at shoulder width, toes pointed forward and your hands on your hips. Step straight ahead with either foot. That’s a key point. If you step

inward or outward, it will adversely affect your balance. Step far enough so that you’re lunging into a very deep split. At the bottom-most position your lead knee should be out over your toes and your back leg should be straight and almost touching the floor. That’s much more effective than merely bending your trailing leg downward, and I might add, a lot harder. You’ll quickly learn that one leg is more flexible than the other. That’s only natural, like being right- or

316 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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on the beach, in the hallway of a hotel—and I’ve even lunged around a motel pool. I did, however, do those at night, when the pool area was empty, so the residents wouldn’t be alarmed that a nut case was loose. After you feel comfortable doing walking lunges, try adding resistance. Dumbbells are best, although milk jugs filled with water or sand

work well too. Most people find that holding a weight makes the exercise easier to do since it helps with balance. Make sure that you don’t allow the weights to swing too much, which will adversely affect the rhythm of the exercise

Model: Luke Wood

The Powertec squat machine is an excellent alternative to free-bar squats. (For more info visit www.Home-Gym.com.)

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you are sure you have the correct grip, lower your hips as far as you can and push your feet down into the floor while keeping the rest of your body tight. The bar will come up between your legs and touch your crotch. Pause, make sure your back is flat, and lower the bar in a controlled manner. Stop at the bottom and make certain your body mechanics are right before doing the next rep. Don’t get in the habit of rebounding the plates off the floor, because

the deep-bottom position is the most valuable in building hip and leg strength. Knowing that, once athletes learn the technique, I have them do hack lifts using 25-pound plates. That forces them to go even lower, which is a good thing. The deep position makes the adductors and leg biceps work much harder. Also, if you start

If you use leg presses as your squat alternative, be careful not to let your hips roll off the back pad as you lower the foot plate.

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Model: Steven Segers

Only the Strong Shall Survive

and, therefore, the results. In the event that you can’t find a place to do walking lunges, just do lunges in place. They’re not quite as productive as the walking variety, but they’re still very beneficial. Another useful hip and leg exercise that used to be a part of every bodybuilder’s and strength athlete’s routine but is now rarely done is the hack lift. It’s also referred to as the straddle lift, since you are, in fact, straddling the barbell. This excellent exercise was named for George Hackenschmidt, a professional strongman of the early 20th century. Born in Estonia, he was known as the “Russian Lion.” He invented and popularized the hack lift and claimed that this single exercise was responsible for his powerful lower body and massive leg development. In 1902 he reportedly did 50 reps with 110 pounds, which may not sound like much—until you try matching it. You can use the hack lift as a substitute for squats or lunges or to add some variety to your lower-body routine on occasion. Since it’s different from any other hip and leg exercises, it will hit some new muscles, and that’s always a good thing in strength training. The hack lift is a simple movement, yet you’ll still need to practice it for a time before you get the feel of it. Straddle a bar, facing one of the plates. Your feet will be at shoulder width or a bit closer. Most people use the same foot placement as they do when they squat. One hand will grip the bar in front of your body and the other behind. You can use straps on these if you want. As with a deadlift, you start this lift from the bottom position. You’ll have to do some experimenting with your grip to find the place where the bar is in balance before you begin. For most trainees a grip that is a hand length from the smooth part in the center of an Olympic bar works well. You must keep your back extremely tight and your torso upright throughout the execution of this lift. Leaning forward diminishes the benefits. After

really duplicate the hack lift, but they go by that name in most gyms anyway. I like the ones that glide up and down smoothly at a 45 degree angle and the ones that allow you lie horizontally without gripping anything with your hands. You can place your hands on your thighs, avoiding any strain to your shoulders. Leg presses are useful, but only if you achieve a full range of motion. Your knees must go lower than your hips in order for your adductors and hamstrings to be fully activated. For most people that means using a moderate amount of weight. When the leg press machine is loaded with

massive poundages, you’re forced to short-stroke, and the partial movement only works the quads and abductors. Now, for trainees who cannot squat because of problems, new or old, in their knees, hips or ankles due to injuries, arthritis or other ailments: My advice may seem foolish, but I’ve seen some very positive things happen when it’s followed. Experiment. If squats hurt, try lunges, hack lifts, deadlifts or the leg press and hack machine. Try squatting with dumbbells. You may be surprised. Many are. I trained with an older man in a facility that had minimal equipment, and for a

The greatest advantage of the deadlift is that you can hammer your hip and leg muscles and handle a lot of weight. Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: David Yeung

Only the Strong Shall Survive

with your left hand in front, switch and do the next set with your right hand in the lead position. Try to keep most of your weight on your heels. That will help you stay more upright. While you’re learning the form, do eight to 12 reps. Then you can lower them to fives if you like. Three sets of the higher reps are enough in the beginning, and five to six sets will suffice with the fives. The greatest advantage of the deadift is that you can work the hip and leg muscles and handle a lot of weight, which is what it takes to activate those large muscles. If you’re doing deadlifts as a replacement exercise for full squats, you’ll want to set your hips really low. Again, I have athletes use 25pound plates to force their hips and legs to squeeze the bar off the floor. As in the hack lift, keep your torso upright and your back rigidly tight. The bar has to stay close to your body from start to finish. As I also mentioned regarding the hack lift, you want to lower the bar in a slow rather than a fast fashion and avoid rebounding the plates off the floor. If you’re doing deadlifts as a hipand-leg exercise and aren’t planning on entering a contest, go ahead and use straps. Each time you deadlift, change the set-and-rep formula. The rotation of rep schemes I use is: five sets of eight, five sets of five, then three sets of five followed by three sets of three. The eights and fives increase the workload, while the threes hit the attachments more. Each workout is different, which helps you get geared up for each deadlift session. Machines can help in building a stronger lower body, although they may not be available. Plus, some are poorly designed and do little to improve strength. For those who cannot rack a bar on their shoulders, the hack squat machine can be useful. The machines don’t

Model: David Dorsey

Leg extensions are a good adjunct to squats or squat alternatives. To preserve your knees, don’t lower your legs beyond a 45 degree angle.

long time all he worked was his back and upper body because he couldn’t squat without experiencing severe pain in his knees. One day he asked me if there was something he could do for his lower body. I suggested that he try squatting with light dumbbells and that he should go extremely low. He was quite doubtful yet gave it a try. I told him, “If it hurts, you can always stop.” To his surprise, dumbbell squats didn’t hurt his knees. There was some stress during the first few reps due to the fact that he hadn’t

placed them in that position for a long time, but not the sharp pain he experienced when he squatted with a bar. The reason the dumbbell squats didn’t aggravate his arthritic knees was because when he went extra low, the pressure was taken off the knee joints and transferred to the hips, leg biceps and adductors. Plus the weight was light and wasn’t being pushed down on his knees. The man also found that he could deadlift, again using light weights. Over the following two months he slowly added to his workload on

those lifts and found that he was once again able to take long hikes, something he hadn’t been able to do for a long time. He told me that the higher reps seemed to alleviate the knee pain he used to have when he did simple everyday functions, such as climbing stairs. I told him the higher reps flushed blood to his knees and fed the attachments and all-important cartilage without stressing them. I’ve know a few people who couldn’t squat with a bar or dumbbells but were able to lunge. I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t matter. A friend of mine found that when he did wide-stance deadlifts, he didn’t feel any pain in his hips. With conventional deadlifts, he did. Yet another was sure he would never find a lowerbody exercise he could do until he stumbled across hack lifts. That one exercise was all he needed to rebuild his lower-body strength. My message is: Just because you’re unable to do a certain exercise for your lower body—or any bodypart for that matter— don’t assume that you can’t find some other exercise to do. Try lunges, squatting with dumbbells and all the others I mentioned, and if they don’t work, try something else—like isometrics or isotonic-isometrics. It may seem impossible that a person who cannot squat could do isometrics or isotonic-isometrics in more than one squat position, but it isn’t. I’ve seen it happen. The pain in the knees comes when the joint is in motion. When it’s locked in an isometric hold, it’s okay. Granted, not everyone with bad knees, hips or ankles can benefit from using isometrics, but you might be one who can. Finally, I want to address those who are at the extreme end of the spectrum and positively cannot

322 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Walking lunges are grueling, but they’re a killer hip-and-lowerbody blaster.

Model: Derik Farnsworth

the cables to your ankles and work your adductors and abductors while seated or standing. These are very effective movememts. Remember, adductors pull your legs inward; abductors move them outward. If there isn’t a hyper or reverse hyper machine, you can always do good mornings or almost straight-legged deadlifts with a light bar or broomstick. Ankle weights are useful, although I’m not sure they’re still on the market. In the event there isn’t a gym in your area, or you just don’t care to join one, you can still work the various muscles that make up your lower body without using any resistance. Do the same movements as if you were in the various machines. Obviously, you’ll have to do a high number of reps, such as in the 200 range, but it’s time well spent. And while you may not be able to boast of a big squat or deadlift, you will be able to enjoy a more active lifestyle if you keep your lower body strong. As the saying goes, Where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you really want to improve hip and leg strength, you’ll figure out how to do it.

perform any of the exercises that I’ve recommended, even with light weights. If there is a fitness facility in your area that has a wide selection of machines for the lower body, it would be worthwhile for you to join. Be sure to check it out to make certain that they have what you need. This isn’t difficult. You need a leg extension machine for your quads; a leg curl for your leg biceps, or hamstrings; specific machines for abductors and adductors, and something for your lower back, either a hyperextension or reverse hyper. Leg extensions and leg curl machines are standard at every gym, but there may not be any apparatuses for working your adductors and abductors. The club may, however, have some sort of cable setup, either attached to a wall or as part of a Universal-type machine. Secure

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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Jonathan Fernandez of Venezuela, (pictured above with Gustavo Badell) correctly placed 8 of the top 10 finishers of the IRON MAN PRO. For his prolific prognostications, Jonathan received a $500 gift certificate from Bodybuilding. com and 2 Gold VIP tickets to next year’s Iron Man Pro TheFitExpo ($598 value). For more information about the “You Be The Judge” contest or to see Jonathan’s picks and explanations, visit www.ironmanmagazine.com or www.bodybuilding.com.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JULY 2006 323

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What are your reasons for training?

Private Parts W

hen your training gives you results like bulging muscles and the strength to move mountains, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that lifting weights is a public activity. And, to a point, it is, but to get the most from your training, you have to understand that it’s intensely personal. Let’s see how this process works and what the implications are for you in the gym. We’ll use the information to develop a game plan to help you stride toward your goals. Consider Dave Duped, a nice guy who, being smarter than average, decides that it’s a good thing to be big and strong. Dave immerses himself in the activity—reading this, eating that, training this way, dressing that way. Things seem to be going

pretty well. Dave is definitely making progress, but because he’s hitched his wagon to the way other people have told him to act, he goes into a tailspin when he runs into two authorities who disagree, and when his social support system flags, Dave’s training slides into neutral. Thus, when he reads one article that tells him he should avoid power cleans like the plague and another that says the power clean is one of the greatest lifts going, Dave is paralyzed, without a clue about what to do next. And when the guys at the gym skip a workout to catch a ball game, Dave heads home to the couch. The problem is that he’s made his training too much of a public activity, and by tying his training to things outside himself, he ensures that his progress will suffer. What’s called for here is a little independence, a Think like a shift in perspective to one that views training as an champion, intensely personal activity. and you can Taking that approach are all those people who, become better whether in a crowded gym or alone in their garage, today than seem lost in their training. It’s not that they don’t you were know a Zottman curl from a Zercher lift, but they’re so immersed in what they’re doing, they’re unaware of what’s going on around them. For such people, going to the gym is like going to church. They’re in a special place, dedicated to a higher purpose, and the experience doesn’t just change them, it leaves them better. These people might have their lucky sweats, but they’re not worried about dressing to please everyone waiting in line for the pec deck. Similarly, they are immune to the social pressure that drives their compadres from this week’s wonder routine to next week’s. In fact, the people who really get plugged into the private approach seem to have some type of pipeline to training wisdom— they develop a sense that tells them how to tweak their training for continued progress. They aren’t tied to a rigid training cycle, for example, but know how to bob and weave along the way, holding back when they have to and bursting over the top when the opportunity arises. They’re also great innovators when it comes to training; they come up with new exercises, new programs, new concepts. As a result, they also end up defining new standards— whether for themselves or the rest of the world. Instead of looking outward for the reasons they train in the first place, they look inward. Instead Neveux \ Model: Gus Malliarodakis

IRONMIND

Mind

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Body into the trap of giving your private parts a little too much public exposure. —Randall Strossen, Ph.D.

Neveux \ Model: Tommi Thorvildsen

of just training to win this contest or to receive that reward, they train because they enjoy training. Why shouldn’t they? For them, training represents a series of personal challenges that they meet, which gives them a history of success. When they reflect on their training, they know they’ve been somewhere, and their progress gives them a sense of satisfaction. In fact, their training doesn’t just make them feel good; it makes them feel terrific. Ask any reasonably alert person if you can boost performance by rewarding it—with money, for example—and he or she will waste no time in answering, “Of course.” The truth, however, is that research psychologists have amply demonstrated that rewards don’t always boost performance. In fact, paying someone to do something he or she previously did for free can lead to decreased performance. Conversely, our best efforts, particularly if we value creativity, seem to arise in situations where the process is internal and we’re fueled by a passion for the activity. When the process, not the result, is what’s dear, we’re likely not only to hit our peak but also to enjoy ourselves the most. Maybe there’s something to the starving artist concept after all. So, as much as you want to, for example, squat 400 for 10 reps, you should focus on enjoying each workout, taking satisfaction in setting a goal for that day and reaching it. Learn to revel in not just each workout but, ideally, each set you do. Instead of thinking of your workouts as something you have to endure to reach some goal, think of them as something that makes you feel good. If your training isn’t going according to plan, whether you’re stuck at a plateau or using any excuse to skip a workout, analyze whether you’ve fallen

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) 447-0008, ext. 1. Visit the IronMind Web site at www.ironmind.com.

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MIND/BODY

Bomb Squad Confirms Earthshaking Discovery

Neveux \ Model: Steven Segers

Life is not perfect. Ever get a slump in your pump or suffer depressing bench pressing? Are you slipping in your dipping? Is your chinning less than winning, and do you hurl when you curl? When you squat, would you rather not; that is to say, your squattin’ is rotten? Is your deadlift adrift? Your bent-over row, has it lost its flow? Remarkably, when these things happen in the gym, their equivalent happens on the street, at the job and in the home. The gym is a barometer of life, a measuring device, a gauge. Things are good at the gym, things are good everywhere. Order in sets and reps, a tight pump, fine form, heavy weights, abundant energy, sharp focus, training finesse and enthusiasm correspond with high spirits, a robust attitude, clear thinking and smart decisions beyond the gym walls. Low barometric readings and life is a bummer. High digits and life is a dream. Simple. But I don’t know which comes first. In other words, do bad workouts beget bad days or do bad days beget bad workouts? Which is responsible for which? Some afternoons you can catch me sitting in a corner staring at the wall in search of the answer. Such answers unlock the secrets of the universe and solve problems like where we come from and what we’re doing here...how do we build mondo arms? Life outside the gym more or less happens. Oops, here comes a Greyhound bus heading my way in the fast lane. We have limited control, we exert our influence, we express our preferences, we try hard, but there are too many variables, and life takes over. I mostly sit and wait for things to occur, random forces pushing and pulling as I lean to and fro. But in the gym, a contained universe, we have our hands directly on the immediate tasks and the implements and forces that affect them: squats, supersets, barbells. That’s not exactly control,

but it is straightforward exertion. I can start when I please, select the bar, choose the weight, determine the exercise, affect the groove, arrange the pace, decide the intensity and stop anytime I want or need. Always seeking control, I take this awareness and ability and apply my personal training formula: Maximum exertion per set multiplied by total sets and reps performed per exercise plus time on the gym floor equals maximum goal achievable minus injury, disappointment or loss of blood. I’m out of control when trying to make things happen that cannot. It’s good to be positive—I can if I think I can and all that stuff—but the dogface of reality must be recognized sooner or later. Bad days in the gym visit us when we insist on lifting more than we can lift and exceeding our limits: too many exercises, sets and reps. If reps are missed or the weights are too heavy or our groove resembles the cart missing a wheel on a dilapidated roller-coaster, the gauges pop their springs. Lost control—bad day at the gym. Oops! Shoulda used lighter weights and sought fewer reps, which would have assured righteous form and delivered a satisfying workout. Control is the key. Take control. Top Secret: There is more than one key, Bomb Squad. Among them: maturity, commitment, purpose, consistency, knowledge and understanding, confidence, determination, persistence, commonsense, intuition, Bomber Blend, courage, desire, hope, Super Spectrim vitamins, encouragement.… Now, to define control as it applies to the mastery of our workouts. It is the aptitude to determine our daily training capability and wisely regulate and apply it to serve our needs and reach our objectives. I should be able to juggle those balls after all the years I’ve spent doodling in a gym. I know my parameters: Do the best I can to develop and preserve muscle and might with what resources I have at this stage of my life (just made that up). Within a set or two of any particular exercise I can determine my blasting power for the day—firecrackers and sparklers, snap crackle pop. Taking control: This is where the rational mind comes into play. (Good luck.) A bad day is registered only if a crappy barometric reading—a less than terrific workout—is not accepted. It must be accepted because it’s real—it is what it is. If it is not accepted, the lousy workout exits the gym with you, a miserable companion, and you have a bad day in life as well. It’s often worse for others than it is for you. You’re on the verge of being a jerk. Read meter, move on. Accept, go and grow. Accepting low readings is not submitting to defeat. Where absolute weight training is concerned, there’s no defeat. There’s just another hard workout, another tough day, another plodding step in the march toward inevitable achievement. Any number of causative effects contribute to less-than-superior workouts on any given day: overtraining, low fuel, too little sleep, general fatigue, nagging pain, injury, malaise, apathy, distractions, stress, haste, weather and people. These are real and need reckoning. Note: I refuse to explain or rationalize, excuse or apologize for any contradictions you detect in my random postulations. Back to the chicken and the egg. So, which came first, the bad day or the bad workout? Some will swear it’s the bad

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day that follows them into the gym. I disagree. A bad day can be leveraged to effect a superior workout. Like a spark to gasoline, loathsome daily experiences can ignite and burst into flames. Stress from almost any source is like fuel for the exercise engine. Iron moves, muscles grow. Tempers are smoothed; headaches are mitigated; aches in muscles and joints disperse; depression vanishes; distractions take flight, and broken hearts mend. You can count on it. The workout swallows them up and spits them out. Real training doth fix what’s broken, heal what’s ailing and soothe what’s aching. Do you realize that with an authentic gym in every neighborhood, Western medicine would go belly-up, hospitals would vacate, and doctors would once again make house calls? Health insurance conglomerates would go broke, small-business owners would have a chance at making a living, and the world economies would soar like eagles. Grandparents would live in their own homes for a long, long time, without crutches to hold them up or their kids to hold them down. And their grandchildren would amount to something. Less crime, less violence, fewer wiseguys—if only everybody worked out, ate right and weren’t so selfish. Self-centered training develops selfless souls. Basic Bomber Precept. Expect too much from your training, and you’re expecting too much from yourself. Those high standards we set—or someone sets for us—are as good as the target on a dartboard. Aim carefully. Just don’t hang the darn thing on your backside. Hitting the bull’s eye can be very painful. Rookie Bombers. Lofty goals cause disappointment and apprehension for ordinary, less driven and immature seekers, and they eventually dread their workouts. Anticipation is exhausting. They quit before they achieve. Bomber wanna-bes (Bummers). Seeking serious goals excites motivated muscle and strength builders. Pushing to the edge works best for this rare breed. Bombers. People with realistic fitness goals have the best chance of survival. They strive in stride with healthy pride. The Bomb squad. Well, I’ll be. That sliver down below looks like the ole airstrip. My gauges haven’t properly functioned for ages, and I depend mostly on guesswork, instincts, common sense, luck and a prayer to find my way around the skies. Now to guide this thing in the general direction of the runway and hope for the best. Putt...sputter...putt....The Captain. —Dave Draper Editor’s note: For more from Dave Draper, visit www.davedraper.com and sign up for his free newsletter. You can also check out his amazing Top Squat training tool, new book, classic photos, workout Q&A and forum.

Fit Facts

Cancer Cause and Effect

id you know that at least 25 percent of malignancies are caused by infection from viruses, bacteria and parasites? According to Julie Parsonnet, M.D., in Bottom Line Health, “Millions of Americans are infected with cancer-causing organisms at some time during their lives; most of these people don’t develop cancer as a result. Additional risk factors work in tandem with infectious microbes to trigger the biological changes that lead to cancer.” What that tells us is that you want to keep your immune system in primetime condition—take antioxidants, eat right and exercise. Oh, and don’t smoke or gorge on bacon—too many nitrates. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Gallery of Ironmen

MIND/BODY

J.P. Müller Photo courtesy of the David Chapman collection

eople have long sought health, strength and beauty from physical culture, but it was only recently that they have had a wide array of choices to experiment with. A century ago many individuals suffered from weakness and ill health and desperately needed advice on how to build up their strength and physiques. In 1904 a book by an obscure Danish author seemed to provide all the answers. His name was J.P. Müller, and the book that he wrote, titled simply My System, was destined to become one of the most famous and popular of its time. Müller was born in 1866 in Denmark and studied theology at the University of Copenhagen, but it was soon clear that his real talent was in sports and athletics. He claimed to have won 132 prizes in his lifetime for such activities as running, gymnastics, rowing, skating, shot put, weightlifting and wrestling. After a stint in the Danish army in the corps of engineers, Müller became the director of a sanatorium for tuberculosis patients. There he learned to treat patients who were debilitated by the then incurable disease. It was from his experience as an athlete and medical administrator that he drew the information that went into his book. When My System first appeared in Denmark, it was a runaway best-seller, with more than 30,000 copies sold in the first few

J.P. Müller, the author of My System, poses in his business suit in this frontispiece portrait from his 1904 book. years of its appearance. It was all the more remarkable because at the time there were only about 2 million people in the entire nation. Editions in every major European language quickly followed, and in just a few years 200,000 copies were circulating around the world. What made Müller’s book so popular? First of all, the author promised his readers that they could get all the exercise they needed in 15 minutes per day, and the exercises consisted mainly of bends and calisthenics. The book was written in plain language comprehensible to any reader, but perhaps Müller’s greatest innovation was telling people that they needed to take daily baths. Even if you don’t show any sign of dirtiness, he said, if you don’t bathe, “the fact is patent to one’s sense of smell.” He gave readers detailed information about how to wash and dry off properly. Aside from the small, shallow tub that he recommended, no special equipment was necessary, and the brief exercise routine he recommended was certainly better than nothing. J.P. Müller later wrote several other slim volumes on exercise, but they never reached the heights of popularity of My System. The author had a thick, natural physique for his entire life, and he died in 1938 at the end of a long and successful life as an early exercise guru. —David Chapman

Müller, probably contemplating a bath, poses for this physique photo, circa 1904.

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New Stuff

MIND/BODY

BSN’s Syntha-6

Neveux

“Yeah, buddy. I need three Syntha-6 in strawberry flavor.” That’s what eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman said when he placed his most recent order for BSN’s new ultrapremium sustained-release protein powder. Ronnie absolutely loves the taste of Syntha-6, as does everyone else who’s tried it. BSN worked on the Syntha-6 flavor system endlessly before the company finally felt it was good enough to release to the world. Now you can experience the Syntha-6 sensation for yourself in vanilla, chocolate and strawberry milk shake flavors.

Syntha-6 is formulated with fast-, medium- and slow-digesting proteins to sustain amino acid nitrogen levels for up to seven hours. It’s low in sugar and fat and contains zero aspartame. For more information visit BSN on the Internet at www.BSNonline.net or call toll-free (877) 6733727. When you call, ask about the free five-day N.O.-XPLODE trial (pay only shipping and handling).

www.Home-Gym.com Best Sellers Books:

Spectacular #9”

1) The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and Jerry Robinson

3) “Ronnie Coleman—The Cost of Redemption”

2) Train, Eat, Grow—The Positions-of-Flexion Muscle-Training Manual by Steve Holman 3) The Precontest Bible by Larry Pepe 4) Hardcore—Ronnie Coleman’s Complete Guide to Weight Training 5) 10-Week Size Surge by IRON MAN Publishing DVDs/Videos: 1) “2005 Mr. Olympia” 2) “IRON MAN’s Swimsuit

4) “Gustavo Badell—Common Sense” 5) “Critical Mass POF” Top E-book: The Ultimate Mass Workout— Featuring the X-Rep Muscle-Building Method by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson (available at www .X-Rep.com)

The original X-Rep manual is getting rave reviews. See “Satisfied XReppers” at X-Rep .com.

330 JULY 2006 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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IRON MAN MAGAZINE PROUDLY PRESENTS:

The Bodybuilding Stars of Tomorrow Here Today!

Chris Jalali’s Stats Weight: 198 Height: 5’7” Age: 23 Occupation: Loan officer Residence: Grapevine, Texas Factoid: An artist, Chris has been painting with oils since he was 13 years old. 332

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Photography by Bill Comstock To see more great photos of upcoming physique stars, visit

www.GraphicMuscle.com

Mark Erpelding’s Stats Weight: 198 Height: 5’ 7 1/2” Age: 30 Residence: St. Louis, Missouri Factoid: Mark started lifting when he was 12 and dreamed of being a pro bodybuilder.

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Serious Training

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

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Serious Stats Weight: 215 Height: 6’ Bodypart split: Monday: chest, biceps; Wednesday: quads, hamstrings, quads; Friday: back, triceps; Monday: calves, shoulders; repeat Factoid: Only adds about five pounds in the off-season. Took first at the ’05 Superbody World, Miami Beach (Musclemania circuit).

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Readers Write

Arnold Still Awesome!

to my workouts and, in so doing, started picking up the magazines again. I was and remain shocked—and not in a complimentary way—at the behemoth size of today’s champions. I realize that a return to the golden era may be unrealistic, but clearly we will never return the sport to sanity until the magazine editors make a concerted effort to help. Pick up any bodybuilding magazine today, and I’m sure you’ll agree that half of it is filled with propaganda for a mind-numbing list of “muscle-enhancing” products. So aren’t the magazine editors essentially part of the problem? Frank Hrdina Union, NJ

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E dit orsnot e We agree on most points, but in order for change to occur in the healthier, more sane direction, there must be effort by all the magazines, all the major sports supplement manufacturers and the political bodies in the sport of bodybuilding. It’s a complex and difficult task. Unfortunately, we as a single publication can’t unilaterally change things.

I finally got around to writing to let you know that I thor oughly enjoyed John Balik’s “I Watched Arnold Train” in the November ’04 issue. I’ve probably read it close to 100 times. It was such a rare treat to take this type of journey into Arnold’s training during his prime from such a trustworthy source, especially learning that occasionally he used so few exercises in his workouts. I am one of Arnold’s legion of fans and respect him so much for his ability to surge to the top of every field he steps into. I am a 33-year-old musician who bodybuilds as a serious hobby, and articles on Arnold keep me motivated. Having been born in 1972, I missed out on magazines in Arnold’s heyday. Do you have any other Arnold articles coming up? Lewis Phillips Lincolnton, GA E dit orsnot e What a coincidence. Our next issue, Au gust, will be an Arnold birthday-celebration issue with page after page of Balik photos of the Austrian Oak at his best. By the way, Arnold’s birthday is July 30. Party on!

Bigger Not Better I read with great enthusiasm—and chagrin—John Balik’s Publisher’s Letter “Do We Do It Because We Can?” in the April ’06 issue. Balik argues, and rightfully so, that we are seeing an unchecked “size at all costs” explosion within this generation of bodybuilders (elite and otherwise). He also asks readers whether it makes sense to introduce height and weight requirements to level the field. I disagree and would offer that we are witnessing a change in the sport that, at its genesis, was supposed to be about health. Your question concedes that there’s a problem but suggests that we should address the effect and not the cause. I celebrated my 50th birthday a few months ago and have enjoyed noncompetitive bodybuilding for three decades. A few years ago I was able to devote more time

Grow With DXO Due to recent articles in IRON MAN as well as informa tion in the IM e-zine, I’ve shifted a lot of my training to Double-X Overload style. Doing an X Rep after each full rep is incredible! I must say that DXO triumphantly and thun derously clarifies what X-Rep training aims at. Despite ex pert opinion that muscle growth is all but impossible after age 60, here I am at 62, and my calves have grown nearly an inch in one month. My arms are bigger too! Ken ONeill via Internet E dit orsnot e DXO and other X-Rep hybrid techniques are explained and discussed in Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building, available at BeyondX-Rep.com. To subscribe to the weekly IM e-zine go to the IronManMagazine.com home page. Vol. 65, No. 7: 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 © 2006. All rights re served. 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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