http://ironman.ru/mag.html by Iron Man

JUNE 2007 / IRON MAN MAGAZINE—WE KNOW TRAINING™

GIANT PHOTOS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST PHYSIQUES! PAGE 244

™

MONTHS TO PRO MUSCLE

How One Man Did It—Drug Free!

CREATINE Fact vs. Fiction Also, How to Take It for Massive Results

15 MONTHS TO PRO MUSCLE

THE D.C. TRAINING EXPERIMENT A Multi-Rep Rest/Pause MuscleBuilding Test JUNE 2007 $5.98

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LOW-CARB Full-Throttle

MUSCLE GROWTH Drive Creatine Straight Into Your Muscle Cells The LOW-CARB Way Did you know that delivery is critical when it comes to creatine… critical! Creatine can’t get into your bloodstream and muscle cells unless it is FULLY dissolved in the water that carries it into your muscle cells. And that delivery better be free of excess carbs and sugars if you want to avoid added bodyfat.

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To Order Call 1-800-667-4626 More info at www.muscle-link.com These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Send check or U.S. money order to: Muscle-Link, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Fax (805) 385-3515. All major credit cards accepted. Call for foreign prices. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Results using this product vary from individual to individual. For optimal results consult your physician and follow a balanced diet and exercise program.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

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Deckard Does Biceps,

June 2007

Vol. 66, No. 6

page 142

We Know Training ™ FEATURES FEATURES

62 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 92 The Rep Range rotation of P/RR/S training, as applied to the original X-Rep program. Plus, size-surge supplements.

92 CREATINE FACT VS. FICTION Jerry Brainum reveals things you may not know about this power-packed power supplement—and the best way to take it.

116 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 23 Ron Harris explains why all great athletes are not great role models. (No, we’re not talking about you, Mr. Tyson.)

126 D.C. TRAINING EXPERIMENT From Bodybuilding.com: Mark Subsinsky steps into Dante’s DoggCrapp workout style.

142 DECKARD DOES

GIANT PHOTOS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST PHYSIQUES! PAGE 244

BICEPS Cory Crow goes head-to-head with this new pro on building mass, peak and detail.

™

158 CNS SCIENCE Creatine Fact vs. Fiction, page 92

CNS Science, page 158

Jerry Robinson explains how your nervous system controls muscle size and strength gains.

180 MICHAEL LOCKETT The story of a boxing champ who decided to lift weights and in only 15 months won the Team Universe and got his pro card—workout included.

MONTHS TO PRO MUSCLE

How One Man Did It—Drug Free!

CREATINE Fact vs. Fiction Also, How to Take It for Massive Results

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Sebastian Siegel and Karen McDougal appear on this month’s cover. Hair and makeup Yvonne Ouellette. Photo by Michael Neveux

198 X-FILES Q&A The X-men discuss stretch overload, the ultimate exercises, abbreviated workouts, rep speed, heavy/light training and big guns. (Whew!)

222 HEAVY DUTY John Little on metabolic momentum, motivation and the psychology behind high-intensity workouts.

Arnold Classic, page 244

244 IFBB ARNOLD CLASSIC Big prizes for beastly bodies—and lots of big pics to give you even bigger inspiration. Prepare for shock and awe.

268 HARDBODY Abby Wolf will have you growling and howling your approval when you see her Texas physique.

282 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Bill Starr’s recipe for getting strong to the core—as in hip and lower-back strength. (Good morning, lumbars!)

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DEPARTMENTS

32 TRAIN TO GAIN Back to free weights, older men and andropause, odd lifts and a new study on high reps vs. low reps.

46 SMART TRAINING Charles Poliquin discusses pains, gains and deadlift range. His take on low-carb diets is here too.

52 EAT TO GROW Hardbody, page 268

The nutrition/hormone link. Plus, meal frequency and how it affects bodyfat.

82 CRITICAL MASS Steve Holman talks bodybuilding bashes and volume/intensity clashes.

88 NATURALLY HUGE

Michael Lockett, page 180

John Hansen outlines a program for best chest and a classic back-to-basics two-way-split routine.

216 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY Jerry Brainum looks at the research to determine if yohimbe is a faster fat blaster.

232 MUSCLE “IN” SITES Eric Broser’s found more cool Web sites, including one from the gym where Ronnie Coleman trains. Oh, and let’s not forget hot babe Monica Guerra and Broser’s Net Results Q&A section.

Muscle “In” Sites, page 232

238 NEWS & VIEWS Lonnie Teper, live from the Arnold Classic. Okay, he’s not quite live, but he was a lively emcee—and he’s got some interesting observations on the weekend from that killer vantage point.

262 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE News & Views, page 238

Pump & Circumstance, page 262

Ruth Silverman was all over Columbus like paparazzi on Paris Hilton. In other words, she’s got great pics of hot chicks, gang. (Thank you, Ironwoman!)

292 MIND/BODY CONNECTION Randall Strossen, Ph.D., explains how to pick your personality, and Dave Draper presents another Bomber Blast.

304 READERS WRITE Delightful Di Nino, as in Nancy; Mentis the Man, as in Jimmy; and packing on mass, as in 3D muscle building.

WEB ALERT!

In the next IRON MAN Next month we’ve got an interview with an over-40 pro bodybuilder who recently made a comeback. How did he do it? Was it worth it? Will he forge ahead or re-retire? David Young has the answers in his chat with David Fisher. Then Jerry Brainum has new research on a fruit that provides potent musclebuilding power. You’ll want to add this to your diet immediately, even if you’re low-carbing it. We’ll also have lots of hot pics from the Figure, Fitness and Ms. International contests. Watch for the July IRON MAN on newsstands the first week of June.

from the world For the latest happenings ess, set your fitn and ng ildi ybu of bod agazine.com nM Ma ron browser for www.I e.com. scl Mu hic rap w.G ww Free and download from imbodybuilding.com

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Publisher’s Letter

Designer Genes There’s no question that your genetic makeup governs your bodybuilding results. I didn’t say “success” because no matter what your genetics, once you start weight training consistently, you’ll gain some muscle size and strength and improve your health. That’s success in my book. In competitive bodybuilding, however, genetic factors rule the winner’s circle. Michael Lockett, the ’06 NPC Team Universe champion, is a prime example. Fifteen months before that competition he hadn’t performed a single weight-training rep. He was a boxer, and, thanks to his genetics, he’d added muscle to his frame merely from sparring, bag work and calisthenics. He could tell, as could others, that he had a propensity for building muscle—and in all the right places to be competitive onstage. With encouragement from his family and friends, Lockett decided to give it a shot, and after less than a year and a half of serious bodybuilding training, he’s the proud owner of an IFBB pro card. Lockett’s story is amazing, as you’ll see when you read David Young’s interview with this incredible drug-free athlete, which begins on page 180. You’ll learn a lot about the mind-set of a champion, as well as his training ideas and program—but be careful. One of the big mistakes up-and-coming bodybuilders make is copying the programs of the genetic elite. Even I’ve made that mistake, and not just as a beginner. I remember training with Arnold in his competitive days at the original Gold’s Gym. When he began a serious contest-training phase, his physique changed almost from workout to workout. I figured that he must know the secret, so I went along for the ride, every exercise and every set. I thought I’d get bigger, but all I got were lots of aches, pains and a serious case of overtraining after only a few weeks. Yes, Arnold had discovered the secret—for his body and elite genetics. We’re all individuals, and discovering what works for you is part of the bodybuilding challenge, part of the journey. It’s the reason we present different training ideas and programs in every issue of IRON MAN. Experimentation in the gym is imperative if you want to improve your bodybuilding results. You can be successful just by being persistent in your workouts—you’ll tone up and get healthier. If you want to take your muscular development to the brink of your genetic potential, however, you’ll have to train harder and smarter, discovering your individual requirements for adding size and strength. It’s not easy, but it’s highly rewarding. And like a diligent, motivating training partner, IRON MAN is here to help you every step of the way. IM 30 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Publisher/Editorial Director: John Balik Associate Publisher: Warren Wanderer Design Director: Michael Neveux Editor in Chief: Stephen Holman Art Director: T. S. Bratcher Senior Editor: Ruth Silverman Editor at Large: Lonnie Teper Articles Editors: L.A. Perry, Caryne Brown Assistant Art Director: Aldrich Bonifacio Designer: Emerson Miranda IRON MAN Staff: Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba, 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, John Little, Stuart McRobert, Gene Mozée, Charles Poliquin, Larry Scott, Jim Shiebler, Roger Schwab, Pete Siegel, 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, Ron Avidan, Reg Bradford, Jimmy Caruso, Bill Dobbins, Jerry Fredrick, Irvin Gelb, Isaac Hinds, Dave Liberman, J.M. Manion, Gene Mozée, Mitsuru Okabe, Rob Sims, Leo Stern

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

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Evan Centopani went back to oldschool free-weight movements to redefine his back.

32 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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of the men in our gym. Then it somehow withered and looked soft and untrained. When I saw what she’d been doing on back day, I understood why. Without me there to nudge her toward the free weights, Janet was doing mainly cable pulldowns and seated cable rows, with the occasional Hammer Strength–machine row thrown in for good measure. I had her switch back to dumbbell and barbell rows after chinups, and within two weeks her back was regaining its usual impressiveness. The lesson here is that cables and machines are nice and can really complement the basic free-weight exercises for back, but they should by no means replace them. —Ron Harris www.RonHarrisMuscle.com

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One of the benefits of training at a large commercial gym is the plentiful assortment of equipment you have to choose from. For many bodybuilders, though, what seems to be a blessing can in fact be a curse. That’s especially true when it comes to back training. Evan Centopani, the ’06 Junior National champion and superheavyweight runner-up at the ’06 Nationals, learned that the hard way. “I trained at home for a couple of years with just the most basic equipment,” he recalls. “Then, toward the end of high school, I joined a big gym and was blown away by all the fancy high-tech equipment.” His back suffered the most from the new environment, as chins and rows done with barbells and dumbbells were supplanted by all manner of machine simulations. Soon he noticed something was amiss: “My back didn’t have that thick, full look to it, and it was because I was using too many cables and machines.” Once Evan resumed performing rows and deadlifts with good old iron, his back took on that rugged look of power once more, and he started to grow anew. I saw a very similar thing happen to my wife, Janet, recently. We hadn’t been training together for a few months due to conflicting schedules. Normally, her back is her most impressive bodypart, more thickly Free-weight developed than the rows should be a part of every ones on 95 percent

A lack of barbell and dumbbell moves can hold back your back

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Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

TRAIN TO GAIN

ONSTAGE

MENTAL MIGHT

the mind/muscle Basic Instinct Using connection for better workouts Very little has changed about the way IFBB and PDI pro Lee Priest has trained since he first picked up a weight more than two decades ago. His winning program is based on heavy free weights and high volume—20 to 30 sets per bodypart. But as Priest has grown older, wiser and larger, he’s learned to follow his own path when it comes to his training schedule. “When I was younger, I did what everyone else does, which was train on something like a three-or-four-on/one-off routine,” he says. “I’d do chest one day; back the next; then shoulders, arms, legs and then take a day off.” Eventually, though, he began to heed his own body rather than the calendar. “If I feel great, sometimes I’ll train for 10 or 20 days straight before I take a day off. If I feel tired or just not motivated, I might take off a few days in a row or as long as a couple weeks—whatever my body needs.” Another rule Lee routinely breaks is that he doesn’t always follow a set sequence for the bodyparts he trains. “Maybe it’s supposed to be chest day, but I feel like training back instead,” he explains. “Should I just go ahead and work chest like I’m supposed to and have an average workout, or should I train back, something I’m enthused about working, and have an awesome workout?” That could be a problem if he were like a lot of novices and heavily favored certain muscle groups while neglecting others, but Lee is a professional and makes sure each muscle group gets adequate attention. How can we use that information for our own benefit? Simple: It’s okay to bend the rules. You don’t have to conform to a set training schedule. Train when you have the energy and the motivation, and rest when you feel you need it. We’re all individuals. Some of you may get the best results training just twice a week; others may thrive on hitting the gym for seven to 10 days in a row before taking a breather for a day or two. Listen to your body, and pay close attention to how you feel. It could make a big difference over the long haul when it comes to maximizing your muscular potential. —Ron Harris

We’ve all become so fixated on who has the lowest bodyfat and the most striated glutes on contest day that we mistakenly believe victory goes to the guy who diets longest and hardest. Certainly, preparation is critical for any contest, because without that extremely shredded condition, all your hard work can’t be seen. Dorian Yates, however, knew a secret; so did Ronnie Coleman, and so does Jay Cutler. Contests aren’t won the day they’re held or even in the final weeks beforehand. They’re won in the off-season, through workouts that test the boundaries of human perfor mance and pain tolerance and in meals that feed the muscles all year long. Dorian’s training intensity was the stuff of legend. His workouts were fairly brief, but he poured 100 percent into them. No set was over until he couldn’t budge the weight another centimeter. We’ve all witnessed Ronnie’s work ethic in the gym and at the dinner table in his various DVDs. Coleman pushed and pulled weights no other bodybuilder could—or dared to. The result Jay was a physique so Cutler. huge and freaky that for nearly a decade nobody could beat him. But his archrival Cutler understood the value of the offseason even better than Ronnie toward the end. While Ronnie routinely took a full three months away from training following his Olympia victories, Jay was back in the gym the very next day, hungry to fulfill his destiny and claim the Sandow trophy as his own. Jay’s discipline and drive also applied to his diet. He remained in very hard condition throughout ’06, so getting into peak shape was no struggle. Ronnie, on the other hand, came into the show too heavy, and it cost him his throne. If you have a competition in mind and it’s still six or 12 months or a year away, don’t slack off now and think you can get serious on down the line. Every workout you do and every meal you eat have an impact on the physique you’ll display on contest day. The question is, How badly do you want to win that contest? If your answer isn’t very passionate, you can bet that someone out there is putting more effort into his training now than you are, and you will probably have to watch as his hand is held up in victory, not yours. That contest won’t be won on that day. It’s being won or lost right now. —Ron Harris

34 JUNE 2007 \ 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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What Is Andropause? All men who live into middle age go through it, yet many never feel overt symptoms. Others, however, feel symptoms to such an extent that they’re often misdiagnosed with a syndrome or disease. It’s known as andropause, and it’s the male physiological and hormonal equivalent to menopause. Andropause is not as drastic a change, nor does it have as many overt symptoms as menopause; but it can affect some men very negatively and make their muscle-building goals impossible. If you’re 40 to 75 and have never taken growth hormone or steroids, the following symptoms could indeed indicate andropause: • Chronic fatigue—not due to diabetes or bacteria or virus • Loss or decreased libido • Erectile dysfunction • Frequent loss of erections • Infertility • Sleeping disorders • Elevated PSA and/or benign prostate enlargement • Low to no sperm count • A general feeling of malaise • Difficulty or intolerance to participating in exercise • Loss of muscle mass • Increased bodyfat, especially around the waist and lower back • Hot flashes • Night sweats • Muscle weakness • Thinning of bones • Depression The key to the severity of andropause in any man is based on three important factors: 1) Men who never need medical intervention for andropause usually have lifted weights and lived a fitness lifestyle—that includes eating healthfully, drinking little to no alcohol and keeping the intake of sugars and refined foods to a minimum. (Doing aerobics is not enough for two major reasons: It does not increase the output of growth hormone and testosterone the way that training with weights does; and the muscle growth created by weight training naturally increases the metabolic rate, which makes the hormonal feedback loops to the hypothalamus more efficient and effective.) 2) Some men have a genetic predisposition for producing high levels of testosterone, estradiol, growth hormone and the all-important cyclic AMP, which helps hormones go from one organ to another (directed by the hypothalamus). 3) Some men have altered the pituitary-hypothalamus-adrenal axis. That particular problem is, I believe, the cause of many chronic illnesses, and the alteration usually happens in advancedtechnology-oriented parts of the world—living in a highly stressed, highly aggressive society like the United States. How you react to stress plays into the axis dysfunction. Cell-to-cell communication and insulin penetration may also have been compromised by eating too many refined foods and not exercising. That’s compounded by too much cortisol in the bloodstream, which is the first sign that this axis is losing integrity. Cortisol is the chemical response

How do you know if you’re going through it, and what can you do about it?

to the limbic system’s fight-or-flight mechanism. Once the axis has been altered, you usually cannot sleep normally or stay awake during the day, although you feel on edge. Some have burned out their adrenal glands, which contributes to poor cellular integrity and therefore poor hormonal communication. On the opposite end of the hormonal spectrum are bodybuilders, powerlifters, strength athletes, football players, baseball players, Olympic athletes and others who have used large amounts of anabolic steroids and growth hormone. They may feel the effects of andropause earlier in their lives. When you take synthetic testosterone, the body shuts down its own production of the hormone. Because of that, one-third to one-half of all the athletes who have used steroids and/or GH chronically for many years will have some signs of andropause early and perhaps for the rest of their lives. Some will be diagnosed as having chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic fatigue immune deficiency syndrome, lupus and many other chronic diseases because their entire hormonal communication systems are dysfunctional. The “cure,” however, is the same for a man who is 65 and going through andropause. I used the word cure, but there really isn’t one—only ways to help the body better cope. Ideally, the pituitary gland—working in conjunction with the hypothalamus—should be sending the proper messages to all of the organs involved in the androgenic pathways. If you feel you’re going through andropause, your first step is to find an endocrinologist. Sometimes you can get a referral from your general practitioner; however, often you have to look for one who has a more holistic mind-set—one who doesn’t believe each symptom is the result of just one isolated area but rather a group of organs that aren’t communicating with each other, with cells and/or with the hypothalamus. Here are the tests advanced-thinking endocrinologists perform if andropause is suspected: free testosterone (blood), total testosterone (blood), growth hormone (blood), DHEA (saliva), estrodiol (saliva or blood), FSH (saliva or blood), LH (saliva or blood). As for the tests that rule out thyroid problems: TSH (blood); T-4, T-3, T-3R (blood); thyroid antibodies (blood). The main thing to remember is that if any of the levels are low, you should only take testosterone that is considered biologically correct for your age. An underperforming thyroid should be taken care of no matter your age. Usually, an endocrinologist will give you a low dose of testosterone via a patch, gel or injection—after you’ve been diagnosed with andropause or hypogonadism. It is easiest to diagnose testicular atrophy because of an obvious loss in size, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you need synthetic testosterone. Blood tests are the only definitive way of knowing. In other words, you could indeed have hypogonadism yet have a normal testosterone level. —Paul Burke Editor’s note: You can contact Paul Burke via e-mail at pbptb@aol.com. Burke has a master’s degree in integrated studies from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He’s been a champion bodybuilder and arm wrestler, and he’s considered the leader in the field of over-40 fitness training. You can purchase his book Burke’s Law—a New Fitness Paradigm for the Mature Male, from Home Gym Warehouse. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www. Home-Gym.com. His “Burke’s Law” training DVD is available at www.PaulBurkeFitness.com. For more information or for information on the private-training facility he’s building outside Tampa, Florida, see his Web site.

36 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Odd Lifts for Back-Blasting Variety The back is my favorite bodypart to train. I have dozens of reasons, but what comes to mind first is that it’s one heck of a strong group of muscles, and nothing is cooler than a thick, wide back. The variety of movements you can use means you never get bored. With so many exercises to choose from, it seems a shame to stick with only a few. Go into any gym, however, and you’ll see the same old same old: pulldowns, cable rows, barbell rows, maybe chins and deadlifts if the trainees are putting some effort into the session. Now, there’s nothing wrong with those movements. In fact, if you’re trying to add size, sticking with the basics is the best way to gain. But if you’re an intermediate to advanced lifter, don’t be afraid to spice things up now and then. Even if you’re new to lifting, remember that the chinup has many variations (wide grip; ultrawide scapula stretch; triangle bar; narrow, reverse, parallel, onearm and mixed grips), so don’t get too bogged down with only one style. Mix it up. Here are some of the lesserknown yet effective back blasters: Cable cobras. Stand in the center of a cable crossover station. Grab the upper D handles with opposite hands, palms facing each other. Pull the cable down to your sides. Pause at the peak contraction and feel the muscles cramp along the spine and midback. With slight adjustments to your stance you can hit either more midback or lats. Try stepping out from the machine a bit and/or leaning over slightly to see how it affects the line of pull. Go for higher reps. Keep this as a finishing movement. Incline-bench rope pulldowns. This is one I picked up from Monica Brant. Put an incline bench in front of an overhead cable and lie facedown on it. The bench angle should be fairly steep. Grab a rope attachment and pull it down to around eye level. Pause and squeeze the lats, then return. Again, use these as a finisher for a high-rep burn and pump. Face pulls. Stand facing an overhead cable. Attach a rope handle and step back. Pull the rope toward your forehead

with elbows flared wide—a high row. That hits the upper back and rear delts hard and is a staple of powerlifters. Cable pullovers. Not the oddest of the odd but something you don’t see every day, these are also known as stiff-arm pulldowns. Stand in front of an overhead cable stack and use either a rope or straight bar. To do the lift correctly, stand back far enough to get a prestretch in your lats; slowly bring the bar down to your upper thighs with only a slight bend at your elbows. Hold for a contraction and release back to the top. Feel the stretch and move to rep number two. I prefer pullovers done on a Nautilus machine, but many gyms don’t have one, so cable pullovers make a good alternative. 45 degree hyperextension bench barbell rows. The boys at Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio, taught me this one. It’s as odd as they come but can really work the back effectively once you get the hang of it. Warning: Start light at first. It hits the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, lats, grip, biceps and midback hard. Lock your torso in place parallel to the ground on a hyperextension bench, and then perform normal barbell rows. This variation can give your upper-back muscles a massive blast and really add some meat once you get up in weight, but, like I said, take your time. There you go—some odd lifts to give the gym rats a reason to scratch their heads and point. I bet you’ll get some confused glances, but give it time. You’ll also see others giving the lifts a try to emulate your new back mass and detail. —William Litz Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

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How to Avoid Injury Over the past three columns I’ve given you 30 techniques for avoiding injuries. That’s important information because you can’t make bodybuilding progress if you keep getting injured. Here’s the final batch of recommendations: 31) Don’t hold your breath. The common tendency, especially when training hard, is to clench your teeth and hold your breath during the hardest part of a rep. That increases blood pressure and may cause blackouts and dizziness. Even if it’s for just a split second, a loss of consciousness during training could be disastrous. Although you may not suffer blackouts or dizziness, headaches are a common, immediate result of breath holding during training. Over the long term, breath holding during training encourages varicose veins and hemorrhoids because of the damage to vein walls and valves caused by the elevated blood pressure. A general rule is to inhale during the brief pause between reps or during the negative phase of the movement, and exhale during the positive phase (especially the sticking point). For exercises where there may be a pause for a couple of seconds between reps, inhale and exhale, then inhale immediately before the start of the next rep. Here’s an alternative way to breathe while training: Never hold your breath. Focus on the exercise and muscles being trained, not on your breathing. As long as you’re not holding your breath, you’ll automatically breathe sufficiently. After some practice you’ll find the points during your reps where it’s easier to breathe in or out. If you take more than about four seconds for each positive or negative phase of a rep, you need to breathe more than once during each phase of a rep. Not holding your breath also applies out of the gym. Whenever you put forth effort, exhale to avoid elevated blood pressure. During demanding exercise you won’t be able to get enough air through your nose alone. Breathe through your mouth. That means you shouldn’t close your mouth. Keep it open—just slightly—and your teeth apart. 32) Avoid using knee or any other joint wraps. Tight bandages around joints can mask injuries that are aggravated by training. 33) Avoid painkillers. Don’t use painkillers before, during or after training, as they usually mask problems. Solve problems; don’t cover them up and incubate serious injury. 34) Don’t wear a lifting belt. Many bodybuilders wear lifting belts—especially while deadlifting and squatting—under the misconception that it will protect them from back injuries. Some wear a loose lifting belt throughout their workouts as if it’s an item of general clothing. A loose belt doesn’t provide any support. On the other hand, a tight belt is uncomfortable, can restrict exercise technique, can lead to increased blood pressure and can be tolerated only for short-duration sets. Powerlifters use lifting belts for singles and low-rep work. Wearing a lifting belt can create a false sense of security that encourages the use of incorrect exercise technique. It may let a lifter use more weight than he could otherwise handle, which will cause greater injury if exercise technique isn’t correct. Build your own natural belt by developing a strong corset of

Part 4

muscle. Not wearing a belt helps your body strengthen its core musculature. A lifting belt is a crutch—train without it. 35) Don’t be foolish. Many injuries occur because a bodybuilder has given in to bravado. Don’t try something you know you’re not ready for, and don’t try another rep when you know you can’t hold correct technique. Never go heavy in an exercise you’re not familiar with or haven’t done for a few weeks. Ignore people who encourage you to try something you know is risky. They won’t have to live with the consequences of a moment of foolishness, but you will. For exercises where the weight could pin you, especially the squat and the bench press, always use safety bars, such as those of a power rack, and, ideally, a spotter as well. Squat, bench press and inclinepress stations should incorporate safety bars that the barbell can rest on if you fail on a rep. 36) Keep your wits about you. Don’t just be concerned about what you’re doing in the gym. Be aware of what’s happening around you, and stay clear of danger. 37) Wear appropriate footwear. Shoes with thick, spongy soles and heels may be fine for some activities but not for strength training. A spongy base won’t keep your feet solidly in position. That doesn’t mean you should train barefoot. Your feet need support, but they need the right support. Function comes first in the gym. Get yourself a sturdy pair of shoes with good grip on the soles, arch support and, preferably, no height difference between the sole and heel. That’s especially important when squatting, deadlifting and leg pressing because heel elevation increases stress on the knees in those exercises. Worn shoes can lead to deviations in exercise technique. Discard shoes that have unevenly or excessively worn soles or heels. Ideally, have a pair of shoes you wear solely for gym work. Furthermore, when you train, keep your laces tied tightly. Even a small change in the height of the heel or the relative difference between the heel and sole thicknesses of your shoes can mar your training. That applies especially to the squat and the deadlift, although a change in balance can have a negative effect on some other exercises, too. 38) Concentrate! Be 100 percent focused while you train. Never be casual. Never turn your head or talk during a set or pay attention to what anyone’s saying other than your spotter, who is giving you technique reminders or encouragement. Even a slight loss of focus leads to a loss of correct technique and an increased risk of injury. —Stuart McRobert www.Hardgainer.com Neveux \ Model: John Hansen

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HARDGAINER

Editor’s note: Stuart McRobert’s first byline in IRON MAN appeared in 1981. He’s the author of the new 638-page bodybuilding opus Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great, available from Home Gym Warehouse (800) 447-0008 or www .Home-Gym.com.

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Hormones during training: young and old

One reason muscle mass declines with age is that the various anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and growth hormone, decline, while the catabolic hormones—mainly cortisol—rise. You have two options for dealing with significant body changes like that. You can supplement the missing hormones, or you can exercise. Weight training can help maintain much of your anabolic hormone output. It becomes increasingly difficult, however, to train the same way at 40 as you did at 20. Trust me: It’s the voice of experience talking. If I were to attempt to lift the kind of weight now that I did when I was in my 20s, I’d probably injure myself. Certain exercises I just don’t do anymore because they’re too risky. Years ago I interviewed Al Beckles, who was still competing successfully at the pro level in bodybuilding, defeating men half his age. At the time, Beckles claimed to be nearly 50 years old. I asked him how he dealt with injuries, and he replied that he didn’t have any. He explained that he’d developed his considerable muscle mass through years of heavy training; indeed, he’d started out as an Olympic lifter in Great Britain. When he reached 40, though, he changed his training style. Instead of constant heavy training, he used moderately heavy weights and higher reps. According to Beckles, that relieved the strain on his joints and enabled him to continue to train hard. A recent study confirms many of Beckle’s empirical observations. Two groups of men, one young (average age 23) and one older (average age 69), both with training experience, used a “strength endurance” program, lifting weights equal to 60 percent of one-rep maximum for 15 reps a set. They did six exercises for both upper and lower body, resting 90 sec-

METABOLIC MOMENTUM

Is the deadlift the king of back exercises? Mike Mentzer used to think so. Charles Poliquin has named the deadlift the most underrated bodybuilding exercise. Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman pulls more than 800 pounds. You put two and two together. The sheer intensity of the dead smokes your whole back, from top to bottom. The lats keep the bar from getting away—through a complex anatomical rig with the unpronounceable name of lumbodorsal fascia. They aid your erectors in keeping your spine straight. The muscles between your shoulder blades keep your upper back in its proper alignment. The neck doesn’t get to relax either. Few powerlifters do any direct neck work and even fewer can fit their bull necks into store-bought shirts. The traps

Neveux \ Model: Robert Hatch

Dead-On Mass

onds between sets. They also participated in a control session, in which they didn’t exercise but sat quietly while blood was drawn at the same intervals as during exercise. Measurements included hormone and blood lactate levels before, immediately after and 15 minutes folAlbert Beckles changed his heavy lowing the training style when he hit 40. workout. The lactate increased in both groups, with the highest levels in the younger men. Testosterone and cortisol were higher in both groups right after and 15 minutes after the workout compared to the inactive control measurements, showing that the exercise had a definite effect on hormone release. Growth hormone increased in both the young and old, with the younger men showing greater amounts. The study shows that you can get much of the benefit of lifting heavy weights with lighter weights. That’s particularly good news to anyone over 40. The younger men had more growth hormone because they also had more exercise lactate, which is a stimulus to GH secretion during exercise. The older men produced less lactate because they had less muscle than their younger counterparts. One message of the study is that you may want to consider Beckles’ advice as you reach middle age. Consider using moderate weights and perhaps higher reps. You will still get a definite anabolic hormone effect, and lower back—well, that’s obviwhich will help to maintain the ous. muscle you’ve developed over To get the most out of the deadlift the years. If you’re lucky, you in the meat-building department, may even be able to add some start with five sets of five three times new muscle. every two weeks; for instance, Mon—Jerry Brainum

day, Friday and Wednesday. Start light, with a weight you can pull at least 10 times, and add a couple of pounds at every workout. —Pavel Beyond Bodybuilding

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Smilois, I., et al. (2006). Hormonal responses after a strength endurance resistance exercise protocol in young and elderly males. Int J Sports Med. In press.

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Too Much Pain to Gain Q: I’ve had periodic elbow soreness over the years from training. A couple of sportsmedicine doctors said that it’s inflammation caused by years of heavy training. Can you suggest anything other than glucosamine and chondroitin, fish oil and vitamin C that I should be taking to help alleviate it? A: While nutrition may help, you have to look also at soft-tissue alignment and/or training technique. Many times nutrition won’t relieve elbow pain. That’s when you should try a qualified soft-tissue practitioner, familiar with weight training, to treat the problem. Nutritionwise, I recommend fish oils and C3-curcumin for inflammation of the elbows. Take anywhere from 15 to 45 grams a day of fish oil, in divided doses, depending how lean you are, and nine to 15 capsules a day of curcumin, depending on the degree of inflammation. That should lower the inflammation. I recommend glucosamine and chondroitin products only if the bones are affected, not for tendinitis. Long-term use of glucosamine and chondroitin use can interfere with insulin sensitivity.

If that doesn’t bring relief, you may want to look into a liver cleanse. In Chinese medicine, elbow tendinitis is linked to liver health. I’ve worked with lifters who have gotten rid of chronic elbow tendinitis by doing a good liver cleanse, alternating two Japanese herbal formulas for four to eight weeks. If you believe you need to do that, call (401) 294-2066 and order my liver cleanse. If you still have pain after a liver cleanse, consider a food allergy panel. In many individuals a food allergy manifests as tendinitis. I had elbow pain like yours for years, no matter what I did. Even the lightest weight would make me cringe. Once I figured out I was allergic to wheat and stopped eating all gluten-containing products, my elbow pain disappeared five days later and never came back. Q: Coach, there’s very little written on the best way to warm up for strength training. Any ideas on where I could get information on that topic? A: You’re right. There’s not much devoted to that topic. A few weeks ago my colleague John Paul Cantarazzo released a DVD called “Warm Up for Strength Training.” It shows a plethora of warmup tools ranging from Swiss balls to foam rollers to, of course, free weights. It addresses various methods of warming up, from the correct forms of stretching to dynamic movements using the pendulum approach. The DVD can be used by the neophyte lifter or the experienced strength coach, as it shows many techniques that I’m sure many of my colleagues are not aware of. To purchase John’s DVD, go to www.StrengthWarmup.com. Performing the techniques illustrated on the DVD will boost your chances of remaining injury free and enable you to use greater loads in training. Q: Why do you advocate so many long-range deadlifts?

Neveux \ Model: Jeff Hammond

A: I have always been a believer in long-range movements for maximum benefits in the training room. I was first exposed to that concept by Terry Hadlow, who in the ’80s was the only non–Communist bloc weightlifter ranked in the top eight in the world, which back then would have been the equivalent of Guatemala having a football team in the Super Bowl. The man was brutally strong, particularly in his lower back. He gave credit to the coach he had in his teenage years, who had him do deadlifts using only 25-pound metal plates to force a greater range than the standard 45s. Of course, a simpler solution is to use a platform, one basically the same size as a case of soda.

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Elbow pain may be the result of anything from improper nutrition to bad exercise form to food allergies.

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Smart Training Gustavo Badell credits a lot of his back size and detail to full-range regular deadlifts. He frequently does them on a platform to increase his range of motion.

Neveux

A: There are so many advantages to low-carb nutrition that I tend to use it for about 75 percent of my clients. Still, it’s not for everybody. Some genotypes do very poorly on it, and the extent of how badly they do on it is a function of how long they are on it. Before you look at the advantages and disadvantages, as Jonny Bowden would say, “You need to approach your fat-loss system the way you should approach relationships: with daily attention, nurturing, support, crisis management, intervention, focus, consciousness and mindfulness. It requires good negotiation skills. All the things we tend not to have when it comes to food.” Here are some advantages of following a low-carb diet: 1) It promotes muscle gains while reducing fat stores. I’m not a believer in the bulk-up/getlean approach in hypertrophy training. I strongly believe that if 75 percent of the population wants to gain lean body mass while losing fat, the low-carb approach will do it better than anything, especially with supplements that enhance insulin sensitivity. Because insulin sensitivity tends to improve on a low-carb diet, fat loss is more sustained. 2) It’s a very valuable in treating dyslipidemia. Low-carb diets are particularly effective at reducing triglycerides and very low-density lipoprotein, or VLDL, the very bad kind of cholesterol. They also have a significant effect on reducing LDL. Their effect on raising high-density lipoprotein, the good form of cholesterol, is not as dramatic. Overall, though, a low-carb diet improves the HDL to LDL ratio in a manner that significantly reduces cardiovascular risk. 3) It reduces inflammation. Many patients report reduced joint pain while following a low-carb diet. High insulin levels correlate with inflammation markers. As the insulin output is lower with low-carb diets, another cardiovascular risk marker, Hs-CRP, goes down faster than Paris Hilton after a few highballs. 4) Improved glycemia and insulin levels. Blood sugar management is probably the biggest benefit of lowcarb diets. Insulin is the hormone of aging and inflammation, and 68 percent of Americans are prediabetic. Managing insulin is one of the best ways of guaranteeing healthy long life. An added benefit of improving glycemia is

That way you can still use 45-pound plates, and you don’t need as many plates. One of the biggest proponents of full-range movements in the bodybuilding world is Gustavo Badell. He credits his tremendous back, glute and hamstring development to doing deadlifts on a platform. He doesn’t care that the load he uses is 150 to 200 pounds lighter than what he’d use for regular deadlifts, as he feels that the added range has contributed to his enormous posterior-chain development. In fact, newer lab research suggests that exercises that overload the stretch position contribute to hyperplasia, a splitting of muscle fiber. Another simple way to increase range is to widen your grip. Many Olympic throwers, sprinters and bobsledders have seen a dramatic improvement in their sporting results after adding wide-grip deadlifts to their preparation schemes. Whether you are interested in greater hypertrophy or functional strength for your sport, longer range deadlifts are a short-cut to your goals. Q: What are some advantages and disadvantages of a low-carb nutrition approach? 48 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Jay Cutler

Lab research suggests that stretch-position exercises may contribute to hyperplasia, a splitting of muscle fibers.

Here are some disadvantages of low-carb diets: 1) Meals tend to be bland. Even so, there are plenty of resources, such as books like Living the Low Carb Life by Jonny Bowden, that will provide you with a wealth of cooking tips (www.JonnyBowden.com). 2) Food prep time is greater. Since the meat content is greater, more time is needed to prepare the food. Cooking a steak takes more time than making a sandwich. But again, there are solutions. If you substitute lettuce for bread, you can do low-carb wraps in a flash. 3) Constipation is often an issue. That can be offset by taking in a mixture of ground flaxseed hulls and ground fenugreek seeds first thing in the morning. Besides providing the body with many forms of fibers, it detoxifies xenoestrogens and improves insulin sensitivity. 4) Possible nutrient deficiencies. I recommend that all my clients take quality multivitamin supplements. That goes along with a plan of antioxidants that changes every eight days. To make it simple, I change the antioxidant colors. For example, the first product may have five to six flavonoids like limonene, which means the base color is yellow. The next eight days we switch to purple, so we use a formula that has grapeseed extract, bilberry, and so on.

A-1 Front squats, 1-2 x 4-6 on a 4/0/X/0 tempo, rest two minutes A-2 Lying leg curls, feet inward, 1-2 x 4-6 on a 4/0/X/0 tempo, rest two minutes B-1 Sternum chinups, 1-2 x 6-8 on a 3/0/X/0 tempo, rest 100 seconds B-2 Incline dumbbell presses, 1-2 x 6-8 on a 3/0/X/0 tempo, rest 100 seconds C-1 One-arm dumbbell rows, 1 x 8-10 on a 3/0/X/0 tempo, rest 90 seconds C-2 Seated dumbbell presses, 1 x 8-10 on a 3/0/X/0 tempo, rest 90 seconds Keep the workouts short. The only goal is staying healthy. In-season is not the time to try to build strength. Wrestling is more important now; build your strength in the off-season. The main goals of in-season training are to maintain levels of muscle mass and strength and ensure balance between the muscular structures. 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 Charles Poliquin page 185. IM

50 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Bradford

reduced mood swings and less likelihood of food bingeing. 5) Lowered blood pressure. Because low-carb diets reduce inflammation, improved blood pressure is a direct benefit. 6) Greater energy. Before all the armchair experts lash out and rush to burn Canadian embassies, hear me out. Greater energy is indeed a very common report of low-carb dieters. Psychometrics tests always report greater wellbeing of the patient after this dietary approach. It probably has more to do with the better management of glycemia. As Robert Crayhon says, you want more energy, take care of your mitochondria. Lower insulin levels help with the mitochondria’s energy-producing capacities.

Q: What number of sets and reps would you recommend for in-season strength training for high school wrestlers? A typical practice is very demanding, so I was thinking low volume with high intensity. The exercises I like are chinups or pullups, single-leg squats, dumbbell chest presses or plyometric pushups and a rowing movement. A: For high school wrestlers the best approach in-season is to do one to two sets of a four-to-10 RM weight and no more than eight exercises that cover the whole body. Your main concern in-season is to maintain muscle mass. So a routine would look like this:

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\ JULY 2006 181

NUTRITION SCIENCE

The Nutrition/Hormone Link

What you eat or drink before and after a workout can change your growth hormone levels.

secretion, the extent of its release is modified by certain nutritional practices. For example, having a drink containing 25 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrate before and after weight training increases the release of GH more than exercise alone. It also produces a rise in GH levels in the blood several hours after the workout. What you want to avoid is fat. Excess fatty acids in the blood block the release of GH, and eating fat prior to training blunts GH release. So, surprisingly, does the amino acid arginine. (Arginine promotes GH release but only under resting conditions, and you have to take in quite a lot to make that happen.) The B-complex vitamin niacin blocks the use of fat during exercise. Paradoxically, that increases the GH response to exercise because of the lower fatty acid levels in blood. Some people have written that GH release during exercise doesn’t mean much because the GH is broken down in the liver after about an hour. Recent research, however, shows that there are more than 100 forms of GH in the body, and exercise interacts with the hormone to extend its anabolic effects on muscle protein synthesis. Insulinlike growth factor 1. Most of the anabolic effects of growth hormone are attributable to IGF-1, which is secreted in the liver under the influence of GH release. IGF-1 is also produced locally in muscle, where it participates in reactions related to muscle repair and growth. It lasts far lonNeveux / Model: Nezzar Jamo

Both exercise and good nutrition contribute to gains in muscle size and strength, as well as fat loss. Various scientific studies have examined how specific combinations of nutrients can influence anabolic and catabolic reactions in muscle. Nutrient and exercise interactions have also been investigated.1 The following is an overview of what the research has thus far shown: Growth hormone. While growth hormone promotes muscle growth by positively influencing muscle protein synthesis, it also may blunt protein breakdown. GH provides what scientists call a nutrient-partitioning effect that helps add muscle while also stimulating the use of fat instead of carbohydrates as fuel. While intense exercise stimulates GH

Anabolic-diet facts

ger in the blood than GH because it’s bound to proteins that prevent its premature breakdown. As with other hormones that bind to proteins in blood, only the free, or unbound, hormone is considered biologically active. Eating doesn’t affect a person’s IGF1, although levels do decline with insufficient calorie or protein intake. What feeding does affect, however, are the binding proteins associated with IGF-1, specifically insulinlike growth factorbinding protein 1. As the name implies, IGFBP-1 can have a minor insulinlike impact on blood glucose. When liver glycogen levels drop after extended exercise, IGFBP-1 increases and prevents further lowering of blood glucose. One recent study examined the hormonal effect of an ultralow level of carbohydrate (5 percent) coupled with a high protein intake (35 percent) for one week in eight healthy young subjects.2 That diet was compared to a typical Western diet of 60 percent carbs, 30 percent fat and 10 percent protein. Both diets contained the same number of total daily calories. The measurements of blood plasma showed a 50 percent drop in insulin levels; a 32 percent rise in free IGF-1; and a 14 percent decrease in IGFBP-3 (the primary protein-binder of IGF-1 in blood). There was no change in total IGF-1 or GH release, but the amount of IGF-1 messenger RNA in muscle doubled, as did the rate of muscle protein synthesis. Paradoxically, whole-body protein breakdown (other than muscle) increased 20 percent, apparently the result of depressed insulin induced by the lack of carbs. A higher protein intake with minimal carbs seems to provoke a positive anabolic response in muscle because of the upgraded activity of muscle IGF-1.

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Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission Testosterone. Testosterone is the hormone that most people think has the most potent anabolic effect in muscle. The well-known effects of anabolic steroid drugs, which are synthetic versions of testosterone designed to increase its anabolic effects, illustrate the point. You’d think that eating promotes a rise in testosterone, but the opposite is the case. Testosterone tends to drop after meals, while cortisol rises. Exactly why isn’t clear. The lowered testosterone may reflect an increase in cellular uptake. Exercise promotes an increase in androgen receptors, which interact with Big T at the cellular level and thus diminish it in the blood. Other studies show that certain types of fat can influence testosterone levels. Eating saturated fat depresses them for about two hours after the meal. Yet saturated fat maintains testosterone levels in the body. So do monounsaturated fats, such as those found in olive oil and avocados. Lowering fat intake to less than 20 percent of daily calories leads to a significant drop in blood testosterone. Omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish, nuts and other foods, lower total testosterone but don’t affect other hormones, including the active, or free, form of testosterone and estrogen. Cortisol. When cortisol levels are high, levels of anabolic hormones, such as GH and testosterone, are low and vice versa. For muscle growth it’s best to limit the release of cortisol, the body’s primary catabolic hormone. Several studies have shown that carbohydrates may blunt cortisol release during exercise. Experiments involving weight training, however, have demonstrated that having a proteinand-carb drink before and after training influences GH levels but

has no effect on cortisol. Having carbs during training, however, seems to blunt the cortisol response. One study found that taking in carbs during a weight workout led to an increase in muscle size ascribed to lowered cortisol levels. Trouble is, chowing down carbs during training blunts the use of fat as fuel. You also need to limit the carbs to prevent possible gastrointestinal problems such as nausea. That means a workout drink should contain no more than 8 percent carbs, along with some electrolytes, meaning minerals, to promote greater fluid uptake. Adding amino acids or protein to the drink is useless, since no muscle protein synthesis occurs during training and protein is used as a fuel source only after available carb sources—glycogen and blood glucose—begin to dwindle. From a supplemental standpoint, phosphatidylserine has been shown in several studies to lower exercise-induced cortisol levels by an average of 30 percent. The effect is thought to be due to PS’s blunting of ACTH, the hormone that controls cortisol release from the cortex portion of the adrenal glands. Some recent studies have found no effect of PS on cortisol but did find that it extended exercise endurance. Insulin. Although most associated with glucose uptake into cells, insulin is a potent anabolic hormone. That explains why healthy bodybuilders often use insulin in combination

with other anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and GH. All three offer synergistic effects. GH tends to raise blood glucose levels, while insulin lowers it. GH primar- PS controls cortisol. ily promotes muscle protein synthesis, while insulin prevents muscle protein breakdown and opposes the activity of cortisol. Insulin also promotes amino acid uptake into muscle, glycogen replenishment and creatine uptake. Most bodybuilders don’t realize that insulin has anabolic effects in muscle only in the presence of an abundance of amino acids. That explains the main mechanism of protein-and-carb drinks consumed before and after training. The combination boosts insulin release more than either nutrient alone. Taken before training, that type of drink interacts with exercise, since the increased blood flow also boosts amino acid entry into muscle. Adding the branched-chain amino acid leucine to the mix further boosts the way the drink affects muscle protein synthesis, leading to definite anabolic effects in muscle. —Jerry Brainum

References 1 Volek, J., et al. (2006). Diet, exercise, and hormone interactions in skeletal muscle. Hormone Res. 66(supp1):17-21. 2 Harber, M.P., et al. (2005). Effects of dietary carbohydrate restriction with high protein intake on protein metabolism and the somatotropic axis. J Clin Endocrin Metabo. 90:5175-81.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 53

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Eat to Grow NUTRITION NOTES

Food Facts That can affect your workouts, weight and wellness Orange juice should be a part of your breakfast. A study from Vanderbilt University showed that drinking three glasses of fruit or vegetable juice every week cut the risk of memory loss by 76 percent.

WARRIOR NUTRITION AND EXERCISE

Better Body With Probiotics Probiotics are the friendly (beneficial) bacteria in your digestive tract. They’re necessary for healthy digestion and may be the first line of defense in preventing disease. The main function of probiotics is to aid in the efficient absorption of food, vitamins and minerals. They secrete antibiotic substances that destroy harmful bacteria, yeast and parasites and thereby help you digest and assimilate your food (and so use protein optimally). The human gastrointestinal tract is supposed to contain 85 percent “good” bacteria and 15 percent “bad” bacteria. Unfortunately, many Westerners today have the opposite ratio. When our ancestors ate fresh plants hundreds and thousands of years ago, they unknowingly took in large amounts of the beneficial microorganisms. With the advent of modern farming techniques, which use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides, however, the essential microorganisms have been greatly depleted from our food supply. Therefore, supplementation is often needed. —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.

Trans fats are bad for your heart, and they may release more calories than other types of fat. In a new study monkeys gained three times more bodyfat on an 8 percent trans fat diet than others fed the same calories without any trans fat. Resveratrol, the compound in red wine believed to be responsible for its health benefits, appears to boost endurance. A study published in Cell found that resveratrol-supplemented mice could run double the distance of the mice not given the supplement. Vitamin D deficiency may be one of the biggest cancer triggers. More than 1,000 studies show a link between a lower risk of cancer and vitamin D. In fact, low levels of vitamin D may produce up to a 70 percent increase in the risk for prostate cancer and double the risk of colon cancer. Get some sunshine so your body can make more vitamin D—and/or use supplements.

54 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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—Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Eat to Grow MUSCLE MEALS

Meal Frequency and Bodyfat Those looking to lose bodyfat are frequentlly advised to eat smaller meals more frequently. I’ve spoken with several champion bodybuilders who eat six to 12 meals daily. Some of those meals consist of nutrient drinks rather than solid food. Eating small meals more often maintains a high level of blood nitrogen from protein. Famed trainer Vince Gironda often suggested swallowing several liver tablets every two hours for anabolic purposes. Barry Sears, a biochemist who designed the Zone eating plan, notes that your blood chemistry changes every four hours, explaining why it’s vital to get in a meal within that time. Smaller meals taken more frequently also offer a number of health benefits. The smaller the meal, the lower the release of insulin and cortisol—both of which rise after a meal while testosterone drops. Maintaining lower insulin and cortisol tends to limit bodyfat synthesis. Keeping a lid on insulin also leads to a more stable blood glucose level, which, in turn, prevents binges. Smaller but nutrient-dense meals tend to blunt the increased fat synthesis that results from larger meals. Some studies even suggest that the more often you eat, the lower your blood lipids, such as cholesterol, so there’s less risk of cardiovascular disease. Other hormones also come into play in relation to meal frequency, such as leptin, GLP-1 and cholecystokinin, among others. Does reducing your usual number of meals have any adverse effects on body composition? French researchers examined that issue in a study involving 24 young men, all of normal weight. For 28 days half of the group ate four meals a day, while the other half ate three. The meals differed only in that the four-a-day group ate an afternoon meal. Over time the subjects either added or dropped one meal from their eating plan.

ANTIOXIDANTS

No changes resulted from adding a meal, but dropping one led to increased bodyfat and late-evening measures of leptin. Some decreased activity accounted for fewer calories burned, but the subjects who deleted the meal also increased their fat intake at the other meals. That, coupled with less activity, caused them to gain fat. Other studies show that after periods of decreased eating, there is a tendency to eat more fat, as if the body were attempting to make up for the calorie deficit. Since fat has a greater concentration of calories than either carbs or protein, the reason for the weight gain is clear. The study did not distinguish between different types of fat or consider the influence of increased exercise or even combination of nutrients. For example, if the subjects had upped their activity, the added calories in the other meals would have been oxidized, and they wouldn’t have gained fat. Although proportions of nutrients weren’t discussed, fat gain would also likely have been avoided if the meal-dropping subjects had cut down on their carbs, assuming that the fat intake increased. That would have promoted a greater use of fat as a fuel source, again avoiding a fat gain. Finally, some forms of fat, such as trans fats and saturated fats, tend to stimulate insulin resistance, which fosters fat gain. Other, more benign fats, such as omega-3s, not only don’t encourage fat gain but help suppress it as well. —Jerry Brainum Chapelot, D., et al. (2006). Consequence of omitting or adding a meal in man on body composition, food intake, and metabolism. Obesity. 14:215-227.

G LY C E M I C I N D E X

Leaded or Unleaded? Coffee has recently been heralded as chock-full of antioxidants and good for most people’s health. But what about decaf? “There is no significant difference in the antioxidant levels between decaf and regular coffee,” according to Joe Vinson, Ph.D., professor of chemistry at the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania. If you have an aversion to caffeine, you can still get coffee’s health benefits. Just go decaf. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean. com

Careful With Carrots? Carrots are often said to be bad for dieters because they’re high on the glycemic index. That depends, however, on how many carrots you eat. According to Rob Thompson, M.D., author of the Glycemic-Load Diet, you’d need to eat 30 raw carrots to get the same glucose shock as you’d get from one bagel. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Eat to Grow ANABOLIC DRIVE

Brain Plasticity and Supplementation You lift weights and eat plenty of protein, and what happens? You get bigger. Isn’t it that simple? We know that muscles adapt to whatever exercise or nutrition you provide. The visual aspect is certainly clear for all to see—the marathon runner with little to no fat and not much muscle vs. the bodybuilder with a tremendous amount of muscle and a variable amount of bodyfat. But did you know that your brain also adapts to proper diet and/or supplementation? The evidence for that is fairly robust. I’d suggest you treat your brain the way you treat your muscles. If you give it the right nutrients, function is optimal. If you feed it junk, be prepared for an IQ closer to that of an avocado than an Einstein. For instance, one study looked at the effects of swimming and phytotherapeutic supplementation on oxidative damage and brain cell survival. Oxidative stress, inflammation and neurotrophic markers were measured in the brains of Wistar rats that did “forced, chronic” (as the researchers called it) swimming and that got a diet enriched with leaves of dried nettle (Urtica dioica). Nettle looks like a hairy weed with attractive little flowers. It’s been used as a medicine in Europe for more than 2,000 years. A tea made from its leaves and stems has been used to stop bleeding. The root is a known diuretic and relieves prostate problems, and dried nettle has antioxidant properties. The rats were divided into groups subjected to swimming (six weeks) or to nettle supplementation (eight weeks) or to a combination of the two. Nettle supplementation dispersed concentration of free radicals in two areas of the brain, the cerebellum and frontal lobe.1 Research done with animal subjects has looked at the effect of various nutrients on focal ischemic brain damage, or oxygen deprivation. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed equal amounts of food. One group got blueberry, spinach or spirulina, the other a control diet. Animals that ate blueberry-, spinach- or spirulina-enriched diets had a significant reduction in the amount of damage to the brain.2 Another study examined the powerful antioxidant spice curcumin, which counteracted oxidative damage in the injured brain.3 Sesame oil may also have a protective effect against brain ischemia.4 In an intriguing case study of a human patient, an essential fatty acid supplement rich in eicosapentaenoic acid was given daily to a female with a six-year history of unremitting

symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome. Cerebral magnetic resonance scanning was carried out at baseline and 16 weeks later. The EPArich essential fatty acid supplementation led to a dramatic improvement in her symptoms, starting within six to eight weeks. The brain scan revealed a change in her brain’s morphology.5 It should be as clear as the Montana sky that what you eat goes to your head as well. The best general advice your palate can take is to eat as many plants and unprocessed carbs as possible, rather than the processed crap you typically see on the grocer’s shelves. —Jose Antonio, Ph.D. Editor’s note: You can listen to Dr. Jose Antonio and Carla Sanchez on their radio show Performance Nutrition, Web and podcast at www.performancenutritionshow.com. Dr. Antonio is the CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition—www.TheISSN.org. His other Web sites include www.SupplementCoach.com, www.Javafit.com, www .PerformanceNutritionShow.com and www.JoseAntonioPhD .com.

References 1 Toldy,

A., et al. (2005). The effect of exercise and nettle supplementation on oxidative stress markers in the rat brain. Brain Res Bull. 65(6):487-93. 2 Wang, Y., et al. (2005). Dietary supplementation with blueberries, spinach, or spirulina reduces ischemic brain damage. Exp Neurol. 193(1):75-84. 3 Wu, A., Ying, Z. and Gomez-Pinilla, F. (2006). Dietary curcumin counteracts the outcome of traumatic brain injury on oxidative stress, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. Exp Neurol. 197(2):309-17. 4 Ahmad, S., et al. (2006). Effect of dietary sesame oil as antioxidant on brain hippocampus of rat in focal cerebral ischemia. Life Sci. 79(20):1921-8. 5 Puri, B.K., Holmes, J. and Hamilton, G. (2004). Eicosapentaenoic acid-rich essential fatty acid supplementation in chronic fatigue syndrome associated with symptom remission and structural brain changes. Int J Clin Pract. 58(3):297-9. 6 Scheff, S.W., and Dhillon, H.S. (2004). Creatine-enhanced diet alters levels of lactate and free fatty acids after experimental brain injury. Neurochem Res. 29(2):469-79.

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Eat to Grow AMINO AMMO

Is Your Protein Supplement Damaged? aged. One of the more reactive amino acids under those conditions is the essential amino lysine. When the Maillard reaction damages lysine, it produces a chemical called furosine, and high levels of furosine in a supplement indicate damaged protein. That can lead to reduced protein value and digestibility. A recent study looked at what happens when various commercial milk-based protein supplements commonly used by athletes are processed. Nineteen ingredients and 13 sports supplements from around the world were analyzed, and the researchers looked at the amount of furosine in each product. Soy contained the least, mainly because soy isn’t a rich source of lysine. Of the milk proteins tested, casein had the least furosine because casein is processed less than whey. That’s especially true of micellar casein, which is naturally derived and the highest quality available. Whey protein isolate (WPI), which is higher in LEAN MACHINE protein and lower in sugar than whey protein concentrate, had less furosine than WPC. That’s because WPC contains more lactose (6 to 8 percent) than WPI Most people know that to get leaner you have to (less than 1 percent). The lactose increase your meal frequency to five or six a day and content makes the protein more err on the side of more protein than carbs. But what subject to the Maillard reaction, type of protein is best when your goal is to drop fat as leading to amino acid damage. quickly as possible without losing valuable muscle? What does all of that mean Most bodybuilders have chosen whey in the past for you, the consumer? Stick few years because of its high biological value and fast with higher-quality protein that absorption; however, the tide is changing to a fast/ features whey protein isolates slow combo—a mix of whey and casein with a helpas the primary whey ingredient. ing of egg. Why? Casein is a slow-releasing protein, WPI contains an average 86.8 so it protects your muscle from being used for energy percent protein compared to the after the fast whey has rapidly moved in and out of 13.4 percent found in WPC. The your bloodstream. Casein sticks around and tricklehigher lactose content of WPC feeds your muscle tissue long after the whey has beat makes it a filler protein, which a retreat. That’s good for metabolic stimulation and saves the manufacturer money satiation. but may result in the premature Becky Holman. What about egg protein? Eggs have been champidegradation of the product. Note oned as the perfect food, so having some egg aminos that a high level of furosine rein the mix complements the other two proteins perfectly. duces the availability of the other A fast/slow combo protein, like Muscle-Link’s Pro-Fusion (a fusion of the above three proteins, leading to poorer nutriproteins), is great for quick between-meal feedings, as an amino supercharger taken tional effect. with solid-food meals and as a preworkout shake. It’s also great before bed, as the —Jerry Brainum

Most quality protein supplements on the market consist of milk-derived proteins, such as casein and whey. While some include both proteins, others contain only whey and mixtures of other proteins, such as soy. There are various grades of whey, depending on how it’s processed. Overcooking food proteins leads to denaturization—heat damages the amino acids that make up proteins. Overprocessed proteins are far less digestible and may interfere with the absorption of other food proteins. The less heat applied, the better for protein quality. Another factor is how much sugar the supplement contains. When protein and sugar are heated, the Maillard reaction occurs—a chemical version of caramelization, which breaks food down during cooking even as the cooking adds flavor—and the amino acids are dam-

Neveux

Protein to Get Lean

slow-releasing casein feeds your recovering muscle through the night. (It was my choice during my body transformation process; visit www.X-tremeLean.com for more on that.) High-protein diets stimulate the metabolism and reduce hunger on low-calorie fatloss-style diets, and an anabolic/anticatabolic mix extends both of those effects. You can thank casein’s ability to hang around for hours and hours for those lean-machine boosts. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

Henares-Rufian, J.A., et al. (2006). Assessing nutritional quality of milk-based sport supplements as determined by furosine. Food Chemistry. 101:573-78.

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PERFECT POSTWORKOUT MEAL

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Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

Muscle-Training Program 92 From the IRONMAN Training & Research Center by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux ast month we switched things up and went back to our original XRep program, which has given us incredible gains in the past. But we added a couple of twists: 1) We’re training only four days a week instead of five—Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. We always work legs on Tuesday. The other bodyparts are split over two workouts, which alternate over the other three days. Here’s a twoweek snapshot of the schedule to clarify:

Week 1 Monday: Workout 1 (chest, lats, triceps, abs) Tuesday: Legs (and lower back) Wednesday: Workout 2 (delts, midback, biceps, forearms) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 1 (chest, lats, triceps, abs + soleus) Weekend: Off (with cardio)

Week 2 Monday: Workout 2 (delts, midback, biceps, forearms) Tuesday: Legs (and lower back) Wednesday: Workout 1 (chest, lats, triceps, abs) Thursday: Off Friday: Workout 2 (delts, midback, biceps, forearms + soleus) Weekend: Off (with cardio)

Then repeat Week 1. 2) We’ve got a lot of X-hybrid techniques—everything from Double-X Overload to X Fade to Static Xes—in our mass-building arsenal, and we’re not afraid to use them. (Those techniques and many others are explained in our e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building.) 3) We’re wedging our X-Rep program into Eric Broser’s Power/Rep Range/Shock system. Most readers are familiar with P/RR/S, but for those who are new to this series and Eric’s work, here’s a breakdown. In our version we do one workout for each muscle group in the specific protocol, then move to the next protocol at the next session for those muscle groups. Power. Train every exercise with straight sets—no supersets, trisets or drop sets—and reps in the four-to-six zone. We use slightly

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

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

Model: Idrise W

Decline extensions hit all three triceps heads hard, while the flat-bench version is less efficient, giving less of a blast to two of the heads.

higher reps on endur ented muscles like calves, abs and forearms. Rep Range. For the first exercise you pick a weight that lets you get seven to nine reps. For the second exercise you do 10 to 12 reps. On the third exercise you move the rep range up to the high-end of

Shock. Here you put your muscles through the meat grinder with supersets, drop sets and so on. Reps for most muscles stay in the eight-to-10 range, but extended-set techniques are a must.

We’ve swapped Smithmachine incline presses for incline dumbbell presses.

Whew! Now that the preliminaries are out of the way, let’s get to the meat of the issue this month—our custom Rep Range workouts (we explained Power last month; Shock will be next month). We’re not quite following the above description of RR, but it’s close.

Rep Range Redux We’re starting every bodypart with a big, midrange movement, usually doing two sets of seven to nine reps, and we add X Reps and/or a Static X to the second set. Remember, midrange exercises are multijoint, or

compound, moves, so they have the most potential for force generation, a key component of hypertrophic stimulation. Then we move to a more isolated exercise, either a contracted- or etch-position movement. We do two sets separated by a 20-second est—as in Dante’s DoggCrapp method. The first set we do 10 to 12 reps. Then we reduce the weight during our 20-second rest and crank out 13 to 15 reps—usually adding an X Fade at the end. That means we do X Reps in the contracted position followed immediately by X Reps in the semistretch position. Talk about a killer burn and pump! After that we do a final set on the missing-position exercise for around eight reps, with X Reps or an X-hybrid technique. A good example is triceps. Here’s our current program (M = midrange, S = stretch, C = contracted): M: Decline extensions 2 x 7-9 S: Rope pushouts (MRR/P; drop) 2 x 10-12, 13-15 C: Dips or pushdowns 1 x 8-10 That’s not a lot of sets, but when you add X Reps and X-hybrid techniques, the ache and pump are outrageous. We smack the target muscle down with intensity and efficiency. Some bodyparts get a slightly different attack, such as supersetting two exercises for the MRR/P rep-out sets on the second exercise. A good example of that is lats: M: Pulldowns 2 x 7-9 Superset (20-second rest) S/C: Machine pullovers 1 x 10-12 C: Rope rows 1 x 13-15 C: Undergrip pulldowns 1 x 8-10 And for multiheaded bodyparts we sometimes add exercises to cover all areas. A good example is our delt workout: M: Smith-machine wide-grip upright rows 2 x 7-9 C: Seated laterals (MRR/P; drop) 2 x 10-12, 13-15 M: Smith-machine behindthe-neck presses 2 x 7-9 C: Bent-over laterals (MRR/P; drop) 2 x 10-12, 13-15 S: One-arm cable laterals 1 x 8-10

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 92 version neglects the medial and lateral heads somewhat. In other words, declines are more efficient.

Incline one-arm laterals work well as a stretch-position medial-delt-head movement.

Wide-grip upright rows are a midrange move for the medial-delt heads. We follow those with a contracted-position exercise for that head, seated laterals done with a slight forward lean. Then we go back to a midrange exercise, Smith-machine behind-the-neck presses, that focuses more on the front heads, although the medial heads are still involved. Then it’s rear-head work with a contracted-position exercise, bent-over laterals. We end with a stretch-position move for the important medial head, one-arm cable laterals. Once again, that’s not many sets, but our delts are toast by the end. It’s a very well-rounded routine—for well-rounded delts. We won’t analyze every bodypart routine. The point is that we’re flexible about the Rep Range protocol; the main thing is to hit the three rep ranges. You can see all of our Rep Range workouts on page 68.

Energize With Exercise

Model: Jonathan Lawson

Incline dumbbell presses. We’ve been using Smith-machine inclines for a long while. It’s a great exercise, but you can get burned out on any move. We’ve swapped it for incline dumbbell presses—when possible. Our DBs go up to only 120s, so on Power day (four to six reps) we may have to go back to the Smith machine. Or we could opt for a Double-X Overload set; that is, doing an X Rep after each full rep. That requires less weight while overloading the key semistretch point more than a standard set. For Rep Range day we’re doing both sets with dumbbells at the moment. Free-bar squats. We always wonder why we stopped doing this great exercise, and then—Bam!—our lower backs go out at the bottom once the weight starts getting heavy. That’s why we’ve decided to use it with lighter exercise changes and additions that weights only. To ensure that, we do have done just that. You may have our squats at the very end of our noticed one in the triceps routine. quad workout. It feels great to crank out reps and actually feel our quads Decline extensions. We were working—and we can keep our tordoing close-grip bench presses as sos upright to get better front-thigh our midrange exercise for triceps; activation. The Double-X Overload however, that worked best on our old technique is also a good option here, split, when we were training chest double dipping at the bottom of each and triceps at different workouts. rep—we just have to remember to Now we work chest and tri’s on the keep our lower backs tight and stay same day, so by the time we get to in control—no bouncing. We’re using triceps, our pressing ability is fried. the Tommy Kono waist wrap. It’s a Because of that we’ve moved to the 10-inch-wide elasticized belt and more-isolated decline extensions as wrap that has a Velcro closure—very our leadoff midrange triceps exercomfortable and pliable. New studcise. According to MRI studies, the ies show that squatting with waist decline version trains all three heads support helps you better engage the of the triceps, while the flat-bench quads. We can feel it!

Behind-the-back shrugs give us a unique angle for attacking the upper traps. They’re a Ronnie Coleman favorite.

Sometimes you get in a rut and don’t even realize it. It’s as if you wake up and say, Hey, we’ve been using this movement for almost a year; time for a change. And that one change can revitalize the entire workout. We’ve recently made some 66 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 92 One-arm leaning laterals. For these you hold a dumbbell in one hand and grab an upright with your free hand, keeping your feet next to the base. Then you extend your support arm so you’re leaning out at an angle. Now do one-arm laterals. With your torso angled, you get the upper range of medial-head contraction. We often superset these with one-arm cable laterals to end our delt workout—getting a super stretch on the cable move and a searing upper-end contraction with the leaning laterals. Behind-the-back barbell shrugs. This is a favorite of Ronnie

Coleman’s, a man whose traps are so large that they seem to insert into his eardrums. You place a loaded barbell on the long pins of a power rack set at about knee level. Stand in front of the bar facing away from it. Squat down and grab the bar so you’re holding it at your upper hamstrings. Now shrug. It’s a unique contraction angle for traps. We like to do these as part of a superset with dumbbell shrugs.

Size Surge Supplements With so many new supplements

coming on the market, many trainees are asking us what we’re taking or plan to take as we move into our ripping phase. Here’s a rundown. Protein. To build muscle you gotta have excess protein—no negative nitrogen balance. Whey and casein, which are dairy products, plus eggs, which are a superb food, work synergistically, so we use a combination powder. Muscle-Link’s ProFusion has whey, micellar casein and egg protein in abundance—and only six grams of carbs per serving. Whey gives you a fast anabolic blast, while casein’s slow release complements it with (continued on page 74)

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 92 Workout 1 (Rep Range): Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline dumbbell presses (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 High cable flyes (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Wide-grip dips 1 x 7-9 Wide-grip dips (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 7-9, 7-9 Middle cable flyes (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Pulldowns (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Superset (20-second rest) Machine pullovers (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Rope rows (X Reps) 1 x 13-15 Undergrip pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Decline extensions (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Superset (20-second rest) Cable pushouts (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Bench dips (X Reps) 1 x 13-15 Pushdowns (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Incline kneeups (MRR/P; X Reps) 2 x 7-9, 10-12 Tri-set Ab-Bench crunches (X Reps) 1 x 7-9 Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 End-of-bench kneeups (X Reps) 1 x 8-10

Legs (Rep Range): Quads, Calves, Hamstrings Machine hack squats (nonlock; X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Leg extensions (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Leg presses (nonlock; X Reps) 1 x 7-9 Squats 1 x 10-12 Lunges 1 x 7-9 Leg curls (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Leg curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset (20-second rest) Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 x 10-12 Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 13-15 Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Knee-extension leg press calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 10-15 Superset (20-second rest) Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-15 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 15-20 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 15-20 Low-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 8-10

Workout 2 (Rep Range): Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Smith-machine wide-grip upright rows (X Reps) Seated laterals (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) Seated laterals (X Reps) Behind-the-neck presses (X Reps) Dumbbell presses (X Reps) Bent-over laterals (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) One-arm cable laterals (X Reps) Nautilus rows (X Reps) Superset (20-second rest) Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) Barbell curls Concentration curls or one-arm spider curls (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) Incline hammer curls (X Reps) Superset (20-second rest) Dumbbell reverse wrist curls (X Reps) Forearm Bar reverse wrist curls (X Reps) Superset (20-second rest) Dumbbell wrist curls (X Reps) Forearm Bar wrist curls (X Reps) Rockers

2 x 7-9 2 x 10, 15 1 x 8-10 1 x 7-9 1 x 7-9 2 x 10, 15 1 x 8-10 2 x 7-9 1 x 10-12 1 x 13-15 2 x 7-9 2 x 10, 15 1 x 8-10 1 x 10-12 1 x 13-15 1 x 10-12 1 x 13-15 1 x 12-15

Add to Friday Workout (Power): Soleus Knee-extension leg press calf raises (X Reps)2 x 12, 20 Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12, 20 Note: The leg workout is always performed on Tuesday; that is, legs are worked only once a week every week—seven full days of recovery. Workouts 1 and 2 alternate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so upper-body muscles get four to five days of recovery. 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 e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep.com for more workout details.

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 92 (continued from page 68) an anticata-

bolic effect. We use a few scoops between solid-food meals, usually midmorning and midafternoon. Its fast/slow combo also makes it perfect for before bed—to feed growing muscles while you sleep. Once we start our ripping phase, however, we stop all food intake at 7 p.m., so no before-bed shake. We swallow amino capsules instead.

doing any type of cardio. Plus, we keep a big bowl of amino acid caps handy so we can grab three or four whenever we think about it to keep our nitrogen balance positive. You may recall that the amino acid leucine has been shown in recent studies to have the most anabolic effects on muscle hypertrophy, and it’s prevalent in most BCAA supplements.

Branched-chain amino acids. Studies show that taking about five grams of BCAAs before an intense workout can curb the release of cortisol, the stress hormone that eats muscle tissue. For the same reason we also like to take BCAAs before

Beta-alanine. Study after new study shows that carnosine in muscle tissue provides a buffering effect, which allows you to grind out more growth reps—and X Reps. The biggest bodybuilders have more than twice the carnosine levels of

nontraining individuals because they’ve adapted to intense training. Scientists surmise that because they do so many pain-zone sets, the biggest bodybuilders stockpile carnosine—to help them get bigger and stronger. Beta-alanine converts to carnosine, so by taking it you load your muscle tissue with carnosine, which will help you power further into the growth zone on work sets. We began taking Red Dragon in its beta-test form last year and got exceptional results. Our strength kept moving forward at almost every workout. Now that our calorie cuts are starting, it will play a big part in keeping our intensity in the growth zone. New studies have shown that

ITRC Program 92, Home-Gym Routine Workout 1 (Rep Range): Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Incline flyes (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Bench presses or decline presses (X Reps) 1 x 7-9 Bench presses or decline presses (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 7-9, 7-9 Flat-bench flyes (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Chins (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Superset (20-second rest) Undergrip chins (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Dumbbell pullovers (X Reps) 1 x 13-15 Undergrip rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Decline extensions (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Superset (20-second rest) Overhead extensions (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Bench dips (X Reps) 1 x 13-15 Incline kneeups (MRR/P; X Reps) 2 x 7-9, 10-12 Superset Weighted full-range crunches or Ab Bench crunches (drop; X Reps) 1 x 8-10(8) End-of-bench kneeups (X Reps) 1 x 8-10

Legs (Rep Range): Quads, Calves, Hamstrings Squats or front squats (nonlock; X Reps) Leg extensions or old-style hack squats (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) Leg extensions or old-style hack squats (X Reps) Squats or front squats (nonlock; X Reps) Lunges Leg curls (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) Leg curls (X Reps) Superset (20-second rest) Stiff-legged deadlifts Hyperextensions (X Reps) Hyperextensions (X Reps) Knee-extension donkey calf raises (X Reps) One-leg calf raises (MRR/P; drop; X Reps)

2 x 7-9 2 x 10, 15 1 x 8-10 1 x 7-9 1 x 7-9 1 x 10, 15 1 x 8-10 1 x 10-12 1 x 12-15 1 x 8-10 3 x 10-12 2 x 15, 20

Workout 2 (Rep Range): Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Wide-grip upright rows (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Seated laterals (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Seated laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Dumbbell presses (X Reps) 2 x 7-9 Bent-over laterals (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Bent-over barbell rows 2 x 7-9 Bent-arm bent-over laterals (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Dumbbell shrugs (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Barbell curls 2 x 7-9 Concentration curls (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Incline hammer curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Dumbbell reverse wrist curls (MRR/P; drop; X Rep) 2 x 10, 15 Dumbbell wrist curls (MRR/P; drop; X Reps) 2 x 10, 15 Rockers 1 x 12-15

Add to Friday Workout (Power): Soleus Knee-extension donkey calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12, 20 Seated calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12, 20 Note: The leg workout is always performed on Tuesday; that is, legs get worked only once a week every week—seven full days of recovery. Workouts 1 and 2 alternate on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so upper-body muscles get four to five days of recovery. 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 e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep .com for more workout details. Note: 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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One-arm leaning laterals train the medial-delt head’s upper contraction range. They work well supersetted after one-arm cable laterals, a stretch-position delt exercise.

beta-alanine synergizes with creatine, making size and strength gains even more pronounced—a muscle-building smart bomb. We take two capsules of Red Dragon upon awakening in the morning and two before we train. RecoverX and CreaSol. We believe our famous X Stack is essential to kicking off the recovery and muscle-building processes after a workout. It gives you 60 grams of fast carbs and 40 grams of fast whey protein, much of it in peptide form, the fastest whey available. The compounds are quickly digested so they get into your bloodstream almost immediately. The CreaSol provides five grams of titrated creatine, which is also a “fast” creatine that’s almost 100 percent usable by the body. We each use three scoops of RecoverX and one scoop of CreaSol mixed in water immediately after our workouts. Cort-Bloc. Any stressful situation causes your body to secrete muscle-eating cortisol, even intense workouts. If you minimize cortisol, you minimize muscle wasting

Model: Jonathan Lawson

Cort-Bloc with fat burners.

and get bigger faster. We take four capsules—about 800 milligrams—of phosphatidylserine, a soy lipid, prior to each workout to control cortisol release and minimize the body’s use of prized muscle tissue for energy. It’s a must for high-strung hardgainer types, who should also use two capsules before bed (cortisol release is very high in the later hours of sleep). It’s also a must when you start taking fat burners that contain caffeine, as caffeine raises epinephrine release, which triggers cortisol surges. That means it’s good idea to always stack

Fat burner. We’re preparing for our ripping phase and trying to decide between two elite fat burners—SAN’s Blaze Xtreme and NxLabs’ Methyl Ripped. We like them because both contain ample amounts of forskolin. What’s so great about that? Several new studies have shown significant fat-loss effects with human subjects who took a forskolin-based supplement—with no serious negative side effects. Positive side effects, other than ramping up fat loss, are lower blood pressure, more high-density lipoprotein and—get ready—more free testosterone! Yes, forskolin stimulated the production of the active form of that key anabolic hormone. The amount in the study was 250 milligrams of 10 percent forskolin twice a day. At the beginning of our ripping phase we’ll take our chosen fat burner before our workouts infrequently at first, ramping it up to before every session for four to six weeks, then go off for a week or two.

L-carnitine. This compound helps move fat into the mitochondria of the cells for energy. It helps us dial in the last bit of detail to our physiques, as it’s a fat shuttle that kicks in the adipose-burning mechanism sooner. There’s mass-building potential as well: New research says that carnitine increases anabolic receptors in muscle—something anabolic steroids do (J Steroid Biochem Mol Bio. 93(1):35-42; 2005). To make that happen, subjects took one gram in the morning and one at noon. Anabolicreceptor proliferation means much faster size gains. L-Carnitine has also been shown to boost muscle recovery, which we need while we’re taking in fewer calories, and muscular force production. In one study it improved the contractile We’re doing force in the latissimus dorsi free-bar squats of dogs by 34 percent and again, but we overall force production by put them at 31 percent (J Strength Cond the end of our Res, 17:455-462; 2003). (That quad workout means it can give your X to fry our Reps more firepower, synthighs. ergizing with creatine and

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Train, Eat, Grow / Program 92 beta-alanine!) We usually take three grams a day: one gram in the morning, one gram Beta-alanine to help prior to get more growth reps. cardio and one gram prior to bed. By the way, the killer cardio fat bomb is three to five amino tablets and 600 milligrams of phosphatidylserine (Cort-Bloc), which helps your body preserve muscle during cardio, along with one gram of L-carnitine to help you

tap into fat stores faster. (Some caffeine can help enhance that last effect.) Aminos preworkout to help minimize We catabolism. also take a multivitamin and multimineral in the morning with breakfast and a multimineral at night, as well as extra vitamin C. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll add a potent antioxidant supplement as we progress into our ripping phase and calories move lower. To follow what we add and subtract, visit www .X-Rep.com and go to our Supplement Blog.

Note: Our Rep Range week is outlined on page 68. For the original X-Rep routine that our current programs are based on, see pages 78 through 80 in the ebook The Ultimate Mass Workout, available at www.X-Rep .com. For more on Power/ Rep Range/Shock, see Chapter 15 of the e-book 3D Muscle Building, available at www.3DMuscleBuilding.com.) Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: For the latest on X Reps, including X Q&As, X Files (past e-zines), before and after photos and the X-Blog training and supplement journals, visit www.X-Rep.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

Bodybuilding Bash Q: I’ve been reading IRON MAN for more than 20 years, and I’ve enjoyed your training and nutrition insights. They’ve helped me build a stage-worthy physique, and I love how you’ve taken Postions-ofFlexion training to the next level and merged it with X Reps. One thing I’ve been curious about is that you used to do a lot of bodybuilding-contest reports. In recent years you seem to be mum about the competitive scene. Why? A: As Body for Life author Bill Phillips once said, most fans in the audience at bodybuilding contests have hopes of someday being onstage or are already involved in competing. In other words, identifying with the competitors is what makes it interesting. I found that to be true during my high school and college years in Texas. I competed, and I went to so many bodybuilding contests that it boggles my mind. No complaints. Those were the days, and my passion helped me get my dream job as editor of IRON MAN magazine (newspaper experience and a journalism degree didn’t hurt either). My passion for competitive bodybuilding flourished in my first few years with the magazine. I covered and/or attended show after show. I went to a number of Mr. Olympias and Arnold Classics and helped develop and put on our show, the IRON MAN Pro—from driving the athletes to and from the airport and the venue to taking tickets at the door to manning booths to loading and unloading trophies. But as I moved into my mid-30s and beyond, I began to see bodybuilding as more of a competition with myself—trying to improve every year—as opposed to viewing it as a competition against others. In other words, for me bodybuilding evolved into a

method of discovery and betterment of self. Don’t get me wrong; I still follow the competitive side, checking out who wins what and marveling at the incredible mass so many of today’s champs have. (I even take my daughters and their friends to the IM Pro every year.) But due to genetics—not to mention other extenuating circumstances—I don’t entertain the idea that I could ever get to that level. You could say I’m more into bodybuilding for the health of it, self-improvement and accomplishment these days, which usually happens to those of us who are still lifting in middle age. Of course, I’m still trying to build more muscle. Am I happy with the state of competitive bodybuilding? No, but that’s a subject for another time and place. (Don’t get me started!) Q: What do you think is more effective for building muscle in the Positions-of-Flexion exercise sequence after the first midrange movement? A stretch movement to activate the myotatic reflex? That would better set up the fibers for the contracted-position exercise. Or is it best to follow the midrange movement with a contracted-position movement and then finish the bodypart with a stretch movement? A: The original POF sequence was stretch after midrange, to trigger that emergency response and get more fibers to fire during the contracted-position exercise that ended the bodypart workout. For example, a POF triceps workout would be: Midrange: Close-grip bench presses Stretch: Overhead extensions Contracted: One-arm pushdowns

Fredrick

Steve, his daughters Lindsey and Chelsea and friend Haili Matsukawa at the ’07 IM Pro.

2 x 8-12 1-2 x 8-12 1-2 x 8-12

So the overhead extensions, with their extreme triceps elongation and myotatic reflex action, heighten fiber activation for the contracted-position move that follows them, one-arm pushdowns. Now, however, I’m starting to think that there may be a better growth response if you do the stretch-position exercise last, especially if you’re going to integrate static holds. The rationale is that the occlusion produced by the contracted-position exercise will make stretching after it more effective—the target muscle is more pumped, so elongating it will expand fiber encasements and may even facilitate fiber splitting due to more heat and blood flow. We’ve been experimenting with that sequence— midrange, contracted, then stretch—and getting good gains. In the triceps routine above you’d do close-grip bench presses first and one-arm pushdowns second, finishing with overhead extensions

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for stretch work—and we like to use static holds at exhaustion on stretch-position exercises, what we call a static X. We’ll see what happens as we intensify our workouts over the spring and summer. [For a workout-by-workout log of what Holman and Jonathan Lawson are doing in the gym, see their X Blog at www.X-Rep.com.]

Q: I have all of your e-books, and I’ve read all of them at least three times. Incredible information, and I learn something new every time I reread one. My question is, why do so many other bodybuilding trainers prescribe so many more sets than you and Jonathan? Even drug-free guys like John Hansen often tell intermediates to do up to 15 sets per bodypart. A: You’ve read our e-books, so you know that we’re not against volume training. It can work if it’s used correctly; however, Jonathan and I can’t use it because we have to work out on our lunch hour. That means we have to do everything we can to stimulate muscle growth quickly and efficiently. In my first book, IRON MAN’s Home Gym Handbook, I coined the phrase efficiency of effort, and that describes our workout philosophy—getting the most growth bang for our effort buck at every session. That’s why we’re constantly analyzing new research and physiology texts—in an attempt to find better ways to stimulate growth. It’s what led us to our most productive technique, X Reps. We ran across the size principle of

Should stretch position exercises come last in the bodypart workout? That may be best for possible hyperplasia activation and fascia stretching especially if you like to use static holds to end a set. fiber recruitment and how the low-threshold motor units fire first in a set, followed by the mediums and finally the high-threshold motor units, which are most conducive to growth. But we also read about how the nervous system and fatigue cause the target muscle to fizzle too early in a set to stress the majority of those key high-threshold growth fibers. The choice is to do more sets to hit more of them, or do fewer sets but extend them to get at more of those mass-making fibers. X-Rep partials, which encompass the point on the stroke where the most force occurs, the semistretch point, do that job exceptionally well. That’s why we made such spectacular gains the first month we started using them—and we were doing only about five sets per bodypart. Now we’ve discovered that forced X Reps may have even more growth-fiber-activation potential. That’s using about a 4RM poundage and doing pure X Reps with partner assistance. It produces extreme semistretch-point overload and high-threshold activation. We’ll have more on that in a future IRON MAN and at our Web site X-Rep.com. Editor s note: Steve Holman is the author of many bodybuilding best sellers, in cluding Train, Eat, Grow: The Positions of Flexion Muscle Training Manual (see page 78). For information on the POF videos and Size Surge programs, see the ad sections beginning on page 146 and 278, respectively. Also visit www.X Rep.com. IM

Neveux

Neveux \ Model: Dave Goodin

A: I consider chins better than pulldowns in most cases because it’s too easy to use your lower back to cheat the weight down on pulldowns. In fact, if you “hitch” at the bottom of a chin, you actually engage more lat fibers at the turnaround, the key fiber-activation spot on the stroke. (Note: Hitching at the bottom of chins can be dangerous; you get a better mass-building effect by staying strict and adding X-Rep partials at that important bottom area of the stroke at full-range exhaustion.) However—and this is a big however—with pulldowns you can angle your torso to hit the lats from a slightly different trajectory, which stresses different lat fibers. You can’t do that on chins. So both exercises have advantages and disadvantages, with the edge going to chins. You say you can do either, so why not do both? Do overgrip chins for your first midrange set, with X Reps, then do a set of overgrip pulldowns with your torso angled back at about 45 degrees, and add X Reps and/or a Static X. If you’re using 3D Positions-of-Flexion protocol, you can follow with a set or two of undergrip pulldowns as your contracted-position exercise and finish with pullovers for stretch overload.

Neveux \ Model: Tito Raymond

Q: I recently read in one of your articles that chins are better than pulldowns. But in your e-book 3D Muscle Building you say chins or pulldowns are both good midrange movements for lats. So are chins really more effective than machine pulldowns? I train in a commercial gym, so I can do either, but I want to do the best lat exercise.

Steve Holman ironchief@aol.com

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Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s

Naturally Huge

Best Chest

Neveux \ Model: Mike Morris

Full chest development requires a multiangular training attack.

Q: I’m 6’8” and about 200 pounds—thin and ripped—but I’m having a tough time packing on muscle and getting detail in certain areas. I’ve been working out on and off for about 1 1/2 years and have a fairly good base, but one area keeps lagging in size and definition: my chest. I noticed that you have exactly what I want—a huge, ripped chest. Yours is one of the better ones I’ve seen on anyone, including the top pros. The problem with my chest is that it’s only growing in the middle and it’s not very wide. Three things would make my chest better: 1) more delineation around the chest muscle, 2) a lot more outer-lower-pec development and 3) more upper-pec development—especially middle and inner regions. Here’s my current chest workout: Monday Flat-bench or incline barbell presses warmup 80 to 90 percent 1RM 70 to 80 percent 1RM Incline or decline dumbbell presses Flat-bench or decline flyes

2 x 12-10 3-4 x 4-6 2 x 8-10 3 x 8-10 3 x 10

I do medium to medium-heavy back work supersetted with those exercises on Monday—three sets of wide-grip pullups, three sets of barbell rows and three sets of either behind-the-neck pulldowns or seated cable rows. My back is one of my strong bodyparts. I train legs on Tuesday, shoulders on Wednesday and arms on Thursday. On Friday I do the same chest workout as on Monday, but I add a few sets of cable crossovers. A: First of all, thank you for the comments on my chest

development. To be compared to the best pro bodybuilders is quite a compliment. I can see you’ve really analyzed your chest development. That’s important, and it’s something that many bodybuilders don’t do when making up a training program. They just do exercises that they hear are good for developing a muscle group. Now let’s talk about the exercises that are best for developing the areas that you’re concerned about. Many bodybuilders develop big lower pecs just from doing bench presses, but others have to do specific lower-pec exercises like dips or decline presses to develop that area. Dips have always worked better for me than decline presses or flyes. Do them bending over at the waist with elbows flared out wide and going deep to feel the stress in your lower pecs. Also, rise only three-quarters of the way to keep tension on your pecs. When I was younger and in my bulking phase, I used to do dips with a weight belt and strap on an extra 50 to 100 pounds. Incline flyes with a good contraction at the completion of each rep will work the inner and middle part of your upper pecs. Keep the bench at a 30 degree incline to focus more on your chest. A higher incline will work your front deltoids more. I also like dumbbell pullovers for chest development. Doing them at the end of my chest workout really pumps up my inner-upper pecs. Although the stretch position of the pullover works the lats more than the chest, you’ll feel these more in your pecs at the completion, or top, of the movement. As for the line defining the pecs, that’s basically the outer portion. When the outer part of the chest is developed from the top to the bottom, a distinct line separates the pecs from the rest of the torso. I see from your training routine that you include dumbbell flyes regularly, and that’s the best exercise for building the outer pecs. Follow Arnold’s lead, as I do, and keep your feet off the floor, which helps put more stress on the pecs. Maintain a slight bend at your elbows, lower the ’bells even with the bench, and then bring them up in a wide arc, beginning another rep when there’s approximately 10 inches between the dumbbells. That keeps your pecs under constant tension and builds more mass in the outer pecs. I notice that you do a lot of sets of either incline presses or bench presses. Since the middle part of your chest is more developed than other areas, you should concentrate on other exercises. Bench presses will continue to build that part of your chest more, and it will remain out of proportion to your upper and lower pecs. I also think you’d be better off doing your chest workout by itself instead of supersetting it with back work. I used to do chest/back supersets all the time when I was younger, and it’s a great routine for getting an awesome pump throughout the whole upper body; however, when you have one strong bodypart and you superset it with a weaker bodypart, the stronger and more responsive muscle group usually gets the better pump than the struggling one. For that reason I think you should do your chest workout before your back workout to prioritize chest. Here’s the routine I recommend for your chest workouts: Monday Incline barbell presses Flat-bench flyes Dips

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

3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 2-3 x 6-8 2-3 x 8-10

Q: You must get this question all the time, but I’d like to know the best way to gain muscle mass. I only weigh 144 pounds, and I have a very fast metabolism. I’ve been trying to gain muscle and get my weight up to 180. Any advice? A: I could (and should) write a longer article on how to gain muscle mass. It’s probably the number-one question among bodybuilders because bodybuilding is all about getting big and putting on more muscle. The basic rules for building muscle are to use the best exercises for the right number of sets and reps. I gave a seminar on the subject at the ’07 FitExpo in Pasadena, California, in February because many bodybuilders are Hansen at his confused mass seminar about the at the FitExpo. best way to design a training routine that will build muscle. You need to use the basic exercises—such as bench presses, incline presses, squats, deadlifts, barbell rows, military presses, dips, barbell curls, stiff-legged deadlifts and calf raises—for six to eight reps. Lower reps will build thicker muscle fibers as well as strength. For a guy who’s thin and trying to get bigger, that’s key. It’s also important not to overtrain. Doing too many sets will prevent the body from growing to its maximum potential. As I discussed in my seminar, anyone trying to add more mass should limit the total number of sets in a workout to about 25. If you were training four days a week using a two-day split, you could do the following routine:

Workout 1: Monday and Thursday Barbell bench presses Incline barbell presses Dumbbell flyes Wide-grip chins Barbell rows Deadlifts Military presses Upright rows Incline situps Total number of sets: 25

3 sets 3 sets 2 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 2 sets

Workout 2: Tuesday and Friday Incline leg raises Squats Leg presses Leg curls Stiff-legged deadlifts Standing calf raises Close-grip bench presses Dips Barbell curls Total number of sets:

2 sets 4 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 3 sets 2 sets 3 sets 26

Nutrition is also crucial. If you have a very fast metabolism, you need more calories. Exactly how many you need is an individual matter. When I was 21 years old and trying to bulk up, I needed to eat an average of 5,000 calories a day. You want to eat plenty of protein because protein rebuilds the muscle after training. Shoot for about 1.25 to 1.5 grams of protein for each pound of bodyweight. In your case, you should try to eat 180 to 216 grams of protein each day. It would be a mistake for you to eat low-fat protein foods such as egg whites, fish and chicken. Go for more fat with your protein—eggs, milk and red meats, such as sirloin steak and lean ground beef. You need that to get more calories. In addition to the protein, you need to eat lots of complex carbs. Carbohydrate foods like oatmeal, potatoes, rice, pasta and bread are ideal for providing your muscles with the energy they need to fuel your heavy workouts. You should be eating at least two grams of carbs for each pound of bodyweight. In your situation, I would recommend nearly 300 grams of carbs per day to add more muscle mass. If you follow these basic rules, you’ll be on your way to building more muscle. You just have to train hard and eat consistently and never give up. Even if your gains are slower than you’d like, as long as you’re making progress each month, you’ll eventually get to your goal weight of 180. Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Natural Mr. Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner. Visit his Web site at www.natural olympia.com. You can write to him at P.O. Box 3003, Darien, IL 60561, or call toll-free (800) 900-UNIV (8648). His new book, Natural Bodybuilding, and new training DVD, “Real Muscle,” are now available from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008 or www .Home-Gymcom. IM John Hansen Neveux

Thursday Dumbbell bench presses Incline dumbbell bench presses Superset Decline dumbbell flyes Dips

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Things You May Not Know About the Popular Power Supplement—and How to Take It

veux \ Model: Dave Fisher

by Jerry Brainum

frequent criticism of many food supplements is that they’re marketed with little or no scientific proof to back commercial claims. You can’t say that about creatine. An estimated 70 percent of published studies about the ergogenic effect of creatine are positive. Since it came on the market in 1993, creatine has become one of the most popular— perhaps the most popular—sports supplements. And yet it’s still surrounded by misconceptions and myths.

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Neveux \ Model: Steve Namat

Many, for example, think that creatine was unknown prior to its introduction to the athletic world in the early 1990s. In fact, creatine was discovered back in 1832, although its mechanisms were not fully appreciated until a century later. The first evidence that creatine has something to do with exercise occurred in 1847, when active foxes were found to contain 10 times more creatine in their bodies than inactive animals. We may have beaten the Russians to the moon in 1969, but they were already giving creatine to their elite athletes that year. The pioneering studies about the ergogenic effects of creatine were published by a Russian scientist named Olexander Palladin in 1916.1 He showed that the amount of creatine in muscle has a direct relation to exercise. He also found that fast-twitch muscle fibers, the ones most linked to muscle growth, contain the highest amounts of creatine. In 1937 Pallidin predicted that a full understanding of creatine biochemistry would enhance athletic performance. The Soviet government sponsored research on creatine, finding that it improved the running times of sprinters and others engaged

in high-intensity exercise. Soviet athletes got small vials containing creatine phosphate, which they took prior to competition.

What Is Creatine? Creatine is a by-product of amino acid metabolism, synthesized in the liver, kidneys and pancreas from the amino acid precursors arginine, methionine and glycine. The body synthesizes about a gram a day of creatine, and most people, especially those who eat red meat, get another gram a day from food. Studies show that 95 percent of creatine in the body is stored in skeletal muscle, with the remaining 5 percent distributed in the brain, liver, kidneys and testes.The average 150-pound manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body contains 120 grams, or about a quarter pound, of creatine. Thyroid hormone, growth hormone and testosterone are among the factors that regulate creatine synthesis. Thyroid hormone produces a threefold increase in creatine content, while insulinlike growth factor 1 (produced by growth hormone stimulation in the liver) increases creatine by 40 to 60

Creatine may cause water retention; however, one solution is to avoid creatine loading.

percent.2 A study published in 2000 found that when six subjects took 20 grams of creatine, growth hormone release rose by 83 percent, mainly during the last four hours of the experiment.3 In a later study, creatine didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t add any hormonal effects to a weight-training session.4 More recent evidence, however, shows that using creatine supplements, when combined with exercise, increases the activity of IGF-1, which has anabolic effects in muscle.5

To Load or Not to Load? Studies published in the early 1990s showed that the best protocol for loading the muscles with creatine was to take five grams five times a day for five to six days in a row. Once the initial loading period ended, the suggested dose was three to five grams daily to top off creatine stores and keep the muscles loaded. A more specific loading protocol based on bodyweight suggests an intake of 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.03 grams per kilogram of bodyweight. In a 200-pound man

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that translates to a loading dose of 27 grams daily in divided doses for five days, followed by a maintenance dose of 2.7 grams a day (about half a teaspoon). Later studies suggested that taking a creatine supplement with simple sugars would lead to a higher absorption and retention rate. The theory was that insulin release triggered the activity of the creatine transporter protein, or CTP, which determined creatine uptake. Achieving that, however, required a much higher than usual secretion of insulin. You had to eat 95 grams of simple sugars with creatine at least four times daily, to the tune of at least 1,400 additional calories. Later studies found that the insulin effect on creatine uptake was short-lived, lasting only about one day. Other research showed that even the much vaunted creatine load system wasn’t all that effective. After 48 hours on a load most subjects were excreting 60 percent or more of their creatine intake. One study found that taking 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrate with creatine led to the kind of muscle-creatine increases you

get from eating 100 grams of simple carbs with the creatine. Still later studies found that taking only five grams a day, or a teaspoon, of creatine for 30 days brought about the same muscle loading as the five-day high-dose load system. The advantage of the longer and lower-dose intake was that less creatine was broken down to its immediate metabolite, creatinine, than on the high-load system. The usual recommendation now is to avoid loading creatine, unless you have an imminent competition featuring anaerobic metabolism, such as sprinting. Some research shows that caffeine interferes with the ergogenic benefits of creatine, so it may be a good idea to avoid taking creatine supplements with caffeine-containing beverages like coffee. On the other hand, creatine doesn’t block the ergogenic effects of caffeine. The early studies showing creatine effectiveness delivered creatine dissolved in hot tea, which contains caffeine, with no apparent ill effect. Other evidence shows that taking creatine with lipoic acid may increase creatine uptake.

Once the muscles are loaded with creatine, they stay loaded for a month, even without more supplementation. After that creatine levels return to baseline. So if you cycle creatine, take it for about two months, laying off for at least five weeks before beginning another cycle.

Insulin and Uptake Few realize that the creatine transport protein and not insulin is the primary impetus for creatine muscle uptake. CTP is powered by a mechanism known as the sodium pump. That doesn’t mean it’s better to take creatine with sodium than carbs, for normal food intake easily regulates the sodium balance of the pump mechanism. A more practical technique is to take creatine with a fast-acting protein, such as whey. Whey is rich in several amino acids that provoke an insulin response. That’s why a whey-and-simple-carb combination is often suggested for posttraining recuperation. The combined ef(continued on page 102) fect of whey

Studies show that 95 percent of creatine in the body is stored in skeletal muscle.

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(continued from page 96) and carbs

provides a greater insulin response than either taken alone. The increased insulin release that results leads to more muscle glycogen and protein synthesis following training. Adding creatine to a moderate intake of simple carbs, coupled with whey, stimulates CTP activity. As discussed recently in IRON MAN, research by Australian scientist Paul Cribb showed that taking in a combination of whey and creatine prior to and following training doubled the rate of muscle gains compared to a placebo. Don’t be fooled by ads implying that certain creatine supplements increase blood creatine. How much is in the blood is irrelevant. What matters is how much is absorbed into muscle, and that’s determined by CTP. Various newer forms of creatine supplements, such as creatine ethyl ester, creatine alpha-ketoglutarate, creatine gluconate, creatine methyl ester and tricreatine orotate, all claim superior absorption and uptake over creatine monohydrate. Some new version of creatine may well prove superior to creatine monohydrate, but independent

research has yet to prove that. Remember, the most trustworthy research is produced by independent researchers with no financial link to the product. Some creatine delivery systems are better than others. While gastrointestinal distress, such as bloating and gas, is rare with creatine use, some people are more sensitive than others. Using a product that contains either effervescent or micronized creatine—meaning it has smaller particles—may decrease such problems. Some liquid forms of creatine supplements claim not only fewer potential side effects but also greater absorption rates. In fact, these formulas contain mostly creatinine, the useless by-product of creatine breakdown. One product that claimed to provide 250 milligrams per dose of creatine actually contained only 27 milligrams, or about 10 percent of the stated dosage, according to an analysis published by ConsumerLab.com. ConsumerLab found that most other commercial creatine products were free of contaminants and did contain the potency stated on the label.

The body synthesizes about a gram a day of creatine. Meat eaters can get another gram a day from food.

Keep in mind that when you’re taking even one teaspoon—five grams—of creatine, you’re getting some five times more than your body normally synthesizes. The body detects the additional creatine and responds by shutting down its own production. In a study of 16 healthy young men who took a 20-gram loading dose of creatine for a week followed by a maintenance dose of five grams for 19 more weeks, the precursor substances for creatine synthesis in the body declined by 50 percent after the loading phase and 30 percent throughout the maintenance phase.6 Since the precursor substances of creatine synthesis are downgraded, there’s more arginine in the system. Arginine, the primary amino acid for creatine synthesis, is a useful factor in urea production, but it can also convert into two substances that can cause convulsions. Fortunately, that doesn’t seem to happen with creatine supplementation. The added arginine your system gets is applied to the synthesis of nitric oxide.

Creatine Controversies Several coaches have gone on record as saying that since the long-term health effects of creatine aren’t established, it’s premature for athletes to use it. They cite reports of side effects, including muscle cramps, dehydration, kidney disease—even cancer. Most side effects linked to creatine have not showed up in controlled studies that evaluated creatine safety. On the other hand, water retention is a common side effect of high-dose creatine loading. It’s usually temporary but can add four to 12 pounds in many users. That may cause some of the above-mentioned side effects. One solution is to avoid creatine loading—which isn’t effective after two days anyway. Besides the minor side effects associated with creatine—often related to something else, such as dehydration—some more serious side effects have been published in the medical literature. They include seizures and atrial fibrillation, a heart rhythm disturbance. Those

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Creatine has anti-aging effects, including protection from free radicals, which can help skin cells. cases, however, often involve just a single person and may therefore represent an idiosyncratic reaction, considering how many others take creatine supplements without incident. To be safe, it’s best to stay hydrated while you’re on creatine supplements. That means ensuring that you drink sufficient fluid during the course of a day, especially when you’re training. That should prevent muscle cramps, strain and dehydration. In 2001 France’s equivalent of the Food and Drug Administration issued a report indicating that creatine is a carcinogen, or substance capable of causing cancer. The assertion was based on two products created when creatine was heated, both of which are known carcinogens. One of the substances was activated by the presence of nitrates in the stomach. Nitrates (used as preservatives in some kinds of meat) can form mutagens when combined with creatine by-products. But the reaction is completely curtailed by the presence of vitamins C or E. Besides, few athletes eat enough nitrates to trigger that problem, and the amount produced naturally in the body is also too small to have

any significant effect.7 The other alleged dangerous substance isn’t produced in amounts that could cause health problems. Besides, the studies that identified the problem were in vitro, or test tube, studies, so the effect itself is theoretical. It appears only under conditions of high temperature in cooked meat. So if you don’t cook your creatine supplements under high temperature conditions, you have little to fear. One synthetic analog of creatine, called cyclocreatine, is known to shrink tumors by displacing creatine in tumor cells. Tumors synthesize creatine as an energy source for replication, though creatine itself is known to shrink tumors. A notable side effect of cyclocreatine is muscle weakness and mental problems, since it provides no actual creatine energetic activity.

Creatine: For the Health of It Creatine provides likely health benefits beyond normal energy production. Many diseases result from out-of-control oxidation reactions (continued on page 108) in the body,

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(continued on from page 105) including cancer and cardiovascular and brain diseases. Creatine provides some direct antioxidant activity, especially against a noxious free radical called the hydroxy radical, which is implicated in many diseases.8 Another recent study showed that by maintaining the energy production of skin cells, creatine may help prevent skin aging and help protect the skin from damaging ultraviolet rays.9 The synthetic production of creatine yields a number of byproducts, one of which is related to cyanide, a deadly poison. They include creatinine, dicyandamide, dihydrotrianzines and even arsenic, another poison. The by-products are removed during the processing of creatine supplements, though it’s hard to tell how much may remain in any particular supplement. Generally, supplements manufactured in the United States and Germany have a strong reputation—a high grade of creatine with no known impurities. One author a few years ago suggested that anyone contemplating the use of a creatine product should first contact the manufacturer to obtain a certificate of quality control.

The side effect most often linked to creatine relates to its effect on kidney function. Some isolated reports of kidney failure in creatine users have led to the notion that creatine is toxic to the kidneys. That’s been investigated and debunked by a number of researchers. It turned out that those who experienced kidney-related side effects after creatine use had prior kidney problems. Can creatine cause kidney problems? The major by-product of creatine metabolism, creatinine, is a minor irritant of the kidneys. On

In 1847, active foxes were found to contain 10 times more creatine in their bodies than inactive animals.

One study showed that growth hormone release rose by 83 percent with creatine use.

the other hand, with normal kidney function and copious fluid intake, the body has no problems handling creatinine, even the higher than usual levels that are produced by creatine supplementation. Interestingly, much renal pathology is related to oxidative reactions, and creatinine, like creatine, has some antioxidant properties, thus possibly helping protect the kidneys. Creatine has even been given to people on dialysis—who already have kidney failure.10 Creatine also may help prevent disease by lowering levels of homocysteine, a toxic metabolite of the amino acid methionine. Homocysteine is implicated in such varied diseases as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease and heart disease. Using supplemental creatine lowers blood levels of homocysteine by an average of 27 percent. Creatine has shown preliminary value in the treatment of various neuromuscular disorders, including muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease. It stabilizes mitochondria, the portion of the cell where energy is created. Mitochondrial dysfunction leads to cellular failure. One review even stated that

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;the neuroprotective role of creatine may be more relevant for mankind than the effect on muscle performances.â&#x20AC;?

Creatine on the Brain The brain loads creatine, just as muscles do, and in the brain creatine helps maintain energy reactions, as it does in muscle.12 The level of creatine in the brain is related to the protection against various brain diseases. Through maintaining the vital energy production in the brain, creatine helps protect the brain against traumatic injury.13 One study showed that giving rats and mice creatine before they were subjected to brain injury led to 50 percent and 36 percent less injury, respectively. Creatine may also help the brain work better. In one study, 45 adult vegetarians who took five grams a day experienced improved memory and decreased mental fatigue. Other studies show that creatine helps prevent the negative effects of sleep deprivation.14 Another found that creatine in the brain appears to help

regulate appetite and weight. Without creatine, appetite declines.15 Some ads say that creatine monohydrate, the most common supplemental form, is mostly degraded into creatinine in the harsh acidic conditions of the stomach. Curiously, no references are ever provided for claims like that. In fact, orally taken creatine monohydrate is 99 percent absorbed. A study with human subjects found that blood creatine peaks after 2 1/2 hours following oral intake. While some creatine is converted into creatinine, the amount is considered negligible during the first six hours.16 Common sense dictates that if the alleged

Some studies suggest that caffeine may interfere with creatine absorption.

Creatine helps protect the brain and may help it work better. creatine reaction in the stomach occurred to any significant degree, creatine would provide no benefits at all. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s belied by the vast research base confirming the effectiveness of creatine supplementation. Most important from a bodybuilding standpoint is whether the gains that accrue from creatine use are merely water or actual lean mass. While creatine is known to produce water retention, especially following a loading phase, some evidence does point to definite anabolic effects. One study, for example, showed that creatine use after training amplified the activity

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Studies show that creatine blunts the catabolic effects of cortisol, the hormone that increases due to stress.

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Stacking creatine with your postworkout shake—which should contain whey and simple carbs— is ideal, as your muscles are more receptive after a workout. of satellite cells, which are stem cells required for both muscle repair and growth.17 Other studies show that creatine blunts the catabolic effects of cortisol on muscle.18 Those two effects alone would encourage muscle growth. Other studies suggest that creatine may help increase muscle protein synthesis, possibly by promoting a cellular hydration, which signals anabolic effects in muscle; that’s a hypothesis based on

Simple sugar is believed to increase creatine absorption, but it takes 95 grams of simple sugar taken with creatine four times a day to get that effect— that’s about 1,400 additional calories.

creatine’s water-retention properties. While the primary function of creatine is to provide a backup for maintaining ATP (the immediate cellular energy source) activity in cells, it also provides many health benefits that extend beyond its usual function.

References 1 Kalinski, M.I. (2003). Statesponsored research on creatine supplements and blood doping in elite Soviet sport. Pers Biol Med. 46:445-51. 2 Persky, A., et al. (2001). Clinical pharmacology of the dietary supplement creatine monohydrate. Pharm Rev. 53:161-76. 3 Schedel, I.M., et al. (2000). Acute creatine loading enhances human growth hormone secretion. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 40:336-42. 4 Eijnde, B., et al. (2001). Shortterm creatine supplementation does not alter the hormonal response to resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exer. 33:449-53. 5 Deldicque, L., et al. (2005). Increased IGF mRNA in human skeletal muscle after creatine

supplementation. Med Sci Sports Exer. 37:731-736. 6 Derave, W., et al. (2004). Plasma guanidino compounds are altered by oral creatine supplementation in healthy humans. J App Physiol. 97:852-857. 7 Derave, W., et al. (2007). Oral creatine supplementation in humans does not elevate urinary excretion of the carcinogen Nnitrosarcosine. Nutrition. In press.

We may have beaten the Russians to the moon in 1969, but they were already giving creatine to their elite athletes that year. They found that fast-twitch muscle fibers contain the highest amounts of creatine.

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8 Sestili, P., et al. (2007). Creatine supplementation affords cytoprotection in oxidatively injured cultured mammalian cells via direct antioxidant activity. Free Rad Biol Med. In press. 9 Lenz, H., et al. (2005). The creatine kinase system in human skin: Protective effects of creatine against oxidative and UV damage in vitro and in vivo. J Invest Dermatol. 124:443-452. 10 Poortmans, J., et al. (2000). Adverse effects of creatine supplementation: Fact or fiction? Sports Med. 30:155-170. 11 Wyss, M., et al. (2002). Health implications of creatine: Can oral creatine supplementation protect against neurological and atherosclerotic disease? Neuroscience. 112:243-60. 12 Dechent, P., et al. Increase of total creatine in human brain after oral supplementation of creatine monohydrate. Am J Physiol. 277: R698-R704. 13 Sullivan, P., et al. (2000). Dietary supplement creatine protects

against traumatic brain injury. Ann Neurol. 48:723-29. 14 McMorris, T., et al. (2006). Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol. Psychopharmacology. 185:93-103. 15 Galbraith, R., et al. (2006). Possible role of creatine concentrations in the brain in regulating appetite and weight. Brain Res. 1101:85-91. 16 Schedel, J.M., et al. (1999). Acute creatine ingestion in humans: consequences on serum creatine and creatinine concentrations. Life Sciences. 65:2463-2470. 17 Olsen, S., et al. (2006). Creatine supplementation augments the increase in satellite cell and myonuclei number in human skeletal muscle induced by strength training. J Physiol. 573:525-34. 18 Menezes, L., et al. (2006). Creatine supplementation attenuates corticosteroid-induced muscle wasting and impairment of exercise performance in rats. J Appl Physiol. In press. IM

Creatine, when combined with exercise, increases the activity of insulinlike growth factor 1.

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Craig Titus is currently being held on suspicion of murder charges.

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All Great Athletes Are Not Great Role Models

Model: Craig Titus

by Ron Harris Photography by Michael Neveux

fter a fruitful off-season in which I’d built some good size and strength, it was time to lean out for the summer and, more important, for my contest in September. That meant that cardio, which had been minimal during those cold months of heavy lifting and stuffing my face with obscene amounts of food, was back as a regular part of my workout regimen. Randy, my protégé and copycat, was also doing cardio. Of course, his only motivation was to, and I quote, make all the babes drool over my six-pack at Hampton Beach this summer. I’ll be sure to bring some Kleenex along and walk 10 steps behind him, dabbing away at all the excess saliva on the chins of his female admirers. Randy preferred to walk fast on the treadmill; I like the Precor elliptical runner, as it s easier on my knees. The two are right next to each other in my gym. We re also differ ent when it comes to what we do while we perform our cardio. I put my headphones on and blast my MP3 player, with plenty of tunes from bands like Disturbed, Marilyn Manson and Godsmack. There may also be some tracks from less macho musicians, such as Avril Levigne and Britney Spears, but you don t need to know that. Randy prefers to read, and his gym bag is always full of dog-eared bodybuilding magazine he pores over as he sweats and burns fat.

Episode 23

To each his own would normally be the case, but not with Randy and his magazines. He s never content to merely read them; he also feels the need to engage me in discussions about every little thing on the pages before him. It s the same thing every time. He calls my name, and I ignore him, pretending I can t hear him over my headphones. That buys me only about two seconds of peace before he taps me on the shoulder. Sighing to show that I’d much rather be listening to good tunes than debating someone s calf routine or whether beef is a better protein source than chicken, I remove the headphones from the ear facing him and say, What?” Today he was really eager to talk, which had to mean he d been looking over the latest gossip and news items about the pro bodybuilders. “Did you hear about (blank)? He just got busted again for receiving steroids from China in the mail! And (blank) just got out of jail for steroids. He flipped a few more pages in the gossip section. “(Blank) just left his wife and kids, and now he s with this bimbo fitness pro, he continued, and online last night they were talking about how (blank) looked so bad at his last show because he s a big Nubain addict. Can you believe these frigging guys?” Clearly, he was waiting for some reaction from me and said the last with genuine disgust: “Some role models they are. Doesn t it piss you off?” “No, I honestly don t (continued on page 120)

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You need to separate the physiques of these men and the hard work that went into them from what they do in their private lives.

(continued from page 117) even care

Randy actually watched professional sports and was somewhat of a fan when it came down to playoffs. “Does what Kobe does in his personal life off the court make his Just as in any cross section of the population, achievements you will always have a few who are into criminal and skills on the court any less activity. “And why is that? It’s because it’s impressive? Was he a better player the only sport where most of the fans when you thought he was a Boy are trying to be stars themselves. Scout? How many guys watch baseball and “Let’s broaden the scope. There then spend two hours a day, six days have been plenty of brilliant people with drug problems through history. a week practicing so they can be the next Barry Bonds? Because most bodybuilding fans are trying to look No matter who the like their idols in the IFBB, they try bodybuilder is, to emulate them down to the last you can still draw detail.” Randy tossed the magazine to the inspiration from floor. He wasn’t paying attention his physique and and almost hit the leg of the woman dedication. on the treadmill next to us. Luckily she was so entranced reading the subtitles on the TV monitor showing Regis and Kelly that she didn’t notice. “Okay then, so see what I mean how these guys are letting us down getting into legal problems and everything?” “Look, you can train the way these guys train and eat the way they eat, but it has to end there. If Jay Cutler buys a lime-green Mercedes Benz and enjoys foreign films, does that mean you have to?” Model: Ron Harris

anymore.” Randy was mortified. “How can you say that? We’re supposed to look up to these guys! They’re professional athletes, aren’t they?” The kid was on a holy roll. “Yes, they are,” I said. “Which means what? That they’re exceptional at their chosen sport. Nothing more, nothing less. Charles Barkley said, ‘I’m not a role model,’ and I think that was one of the most genuine and meaningful statements to ever come out of an athlete’s mouth.” “Yeah, but...” Randy trailed off. He didn’t really have any rebuttal. “Randy, look at something like the Kobe Bryant incident.” I knew that would work because unlike me,

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Freud were both addicted to cocaine.” “Sir Arthur who? What did he do, invent the Conan the Barbarian character?” At least he knew who Sigmund Freud was—I hope. “Okay, let’s make it easier. There have been many famous rock stars and musicians who struggled with alcoholism and drug addiction. But you still love and appreciate their music. Hemingway was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century and also happened to be an incorrigible drunk and a suicide. Is anything getting through to you yet?” “Not really. Bodybuilders are supposed to be role models, at least more than those other types of famous people.”

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Not many fans watch baseball or football and then spend two hours a day, six days a week practicing so they can be the next Barry Bonds or Peyton Manning.

I train hard and eat right and do my best to show as many people as I can how they can do it too, but I’m not an angel. I’m just a human being like anyone else, with my good and bad points. If some people want to consider me a role model because I have a wife and kids, am somewhat successful in my industry and stay out of trouble, fine. I’d never stand up on a pedestal, though, and proclaim my perfection to the world. Every single one of us has faults and makes mistakes, but when you’re in the public eye as a professional athlete, the whole world knows about them.” I looked down at the display on my machine. Thirty-two minutes, and only 410 calories. If I’d been rocking out to my music, I would

“I work at a Ford dealership,” Randy reminded me. “And foreign films? They make movies in other countries or something?” “You’re missing the point. You need to separate the physiques of these men and the hard work that went into them from what they do in their private lives.” Randy snorted. “Yeah, because they’re a bunch of degenerates these days.” “That’s not true at all. I know plenty of top amateur and pro body-

You shouldn’t try to emulate your athletic heroes down to the last detail of their lives.

builders, and at least 90 percent of them are solid, upstanding men and women with integrity and character. I’m not saying they all have halos gleaming around their heads, but they are good, decent people. But bodybuilders are human beings. Just as in any cross section of the population, you will always have a few who are into drugs, criminal activities, who are violent, whatever the case may be. That doesn’t mean you can’t look at their photos in a magazine or on the Internet and draw inspiration from them. It doesn’t mean that they have nothing to offer when it comes to showing the rest of us how to train hard and eat right. I know it’s very hard to look past the lurid gossip and appreciate what those men and women have done and continue to do as athletes, but you really need to try.” Randy was pensive. He looked over cautiously. “What about you, Ron—you’re not a role model?” That’s a question I’m never comfortable answering. “You know what?” I said. “I don’t know.

Bertil Fox, convicted murderer, great physique. have kept a faster pace and would have been up over 500 by this point. I scowled, considered telling Randy, but said nothing. Randy was now watching Regis and Kelly with his mouth hanging open; the Olsen twins were the guests. “Jailbait,” I said. “Nah, they turned 18, dude.” “You doing okay at work, selling some cars?” “Yeah,” he replied, only half paying attention. Something caught my eye in the newspaper someone had left on the machine next to me. “Best Buy is having a big sale on MP3 players starting today,” I told him. “I think you should go and pick one up immediately.” IM

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Stepping Into Danteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s DoggCrapp Workouts by Mark Subsinsky - Photography by Michael Neveux 126 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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One thing I’ve noticed while surfing the Internet is a lot of bodybuilding discussion on D.C., or DoggCrapp, training. I initially tried the standard multirep rest/pause formula based on what was available in posts on message boards, but as with any training system, it needed some tinkering to fit my needs. What follows is my take on D.C. training, focusing on the things I’ve found that I liked and exploited to my advantage. What I did may differ from what others consider “pure” D.C. training.

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The Basics DoggCrapp is the brainchild of Dante Bautista, and bodybuilders appear to have a love/hate relationship with his training philosophy—people either love it or hate it. There’s very little middle ground. I’m not sure why because the training style really isn’t that radical. It’s multirep rest/pause; that is, you take a weight you can get about 10 reps with. You do a set to failure, rest 20 seconds, do a second set to failure, rest 20 seconds, and then do a third and final set to failure. Reps decrease on each succeeding set. Is D.C. training effective? Yes. I’ve made significant gains in strength, size and weight. Is D.C. training tough to follow? That depends. If you haven’t trained with much intensity in the past, then it’s a difficult system. If you’re a novice trainee, I don’t recommend it. If you’ve been training for more than a couple of years, then D.C. isn’t that difficult to follow. Is the D.C. training system the best method of training? Let’s save the answer to that one for the end.

The Program Although I’m not an authority on D.C. training, I have enough experience to provide my interpretation and my adaptation. If you really want the true training and diet program, go directly to Dante or one of his trainers. D.C. is based on the often-neglected overload principle and rest/ pause, which enables you to recruit a maximum amount of muscle

SHRUGS

Model: Nathan Detracy

PUSHDOWNS

fibers to accomplish the work. As I said, it’s three sets with the same weight separated by 20 seconds of rest. I use 12 to 15 deep breaths between sets. For the entire set, you should be performing anywhere from 10 to 25 total repetitions. The set could look something like this: nine reps, four reps, two reps. For most exercises, I preferred a higher rep total—13 to 18. Notice that you use both low and high repetitions. Combining the

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two in a workout stimulates both muscular growth and strength improvement. D.C. training also limits the number of working sets per muscle groupâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;one or two exercises in the multirep rest/pause fashion and an extreme stretch. Static holds are also an effective addition at the more advanced stages, but I used those sparingly. The low volume of work enables faster recuperation and a shorter turnaround time between workouts. You can train the whole body over two workouts, and the system is typically set up with sessions on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. So every bodypart is worked twice every eight days. Intensity must be high. D.C. training has a Mentzeresque or Yates-like training feel to itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a

limited number of sets to maximum intensity. As in other high-intensity programs, dense muscularity is a common result.

Important Aspects Three other important aspects to the program are exercise rotation, record keeping and breaks in training. None of those are all that radical. Exercise rotation. The program is set up with a three-workout rotation. Each of these three workouts has distinct exercises. The rotation would be A1, B1, A2, B2, A3, B3, A1, B1 and so on, with A being the first half of the body and B being the other half. Training journal. The idea behind keeping a journal is that more work must be performed in

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program. To start I used a three-day split because of my time constraints and recovery ability. My commitments outside the gym often take precedence over workouts. I found that the two-day split required too much time at each session. Generally, the three days I lifted were nonconsecutive and varied based on my work schedule. Another reason for splitting my bodyparts into three sessions: Although I used a limited number of working sets, I still needed adequate warmups. Coupled with some cooldown after the workout and recovery between sets, the two-day-split

MACHINE SQUATS

each successive workout, and writing down your exercises, weights and reps lets you see how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing. For example, if you did bench presses and got 12 total repetitions with 315 pounds in your first A1 workout, you should do more repetitions with the same weight or use more weight the next time you perform an A1 workout. You should make progress each time you train. The exercise rotation provides a natural break of roughly 12 days from the first performance of an exercise to its next performance. That should be ample time to recover, grow and overcompensate, thus enabling you to get more reps

or increase the weight. Training breaks. The break, or cruising, as Dante calls it, gives your joints, tendons and central nervous system time to recover. I was taking a week off from lifting roughly every 10 weeks. During the week off, I usually did one or two light weight-training sessions, no exercises to failure.

Customization As mentioned earlier, I deviated from the basic

LATERAL RAISES workouts were taking roughly 90 minutes to finishâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;too long for me. With a three-way split, I was in and out of the gym in roughly an hour. I adapted an exercise schedule and split more to my liking:

Model: Sagi Kalev

Round 1 A1: Chest, delts, triceps Incline presses, lateral raises, rear lateral raises, close-grip bench presses A2: Back, traps, biceps Rows, undergrip pulldowns, shrugs, barbell curls A3: Legs

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PRESSES Seated leg curls, seated calf raises, squats

Round 2

posterior heads, so I added some. I also included some direct trapezius work, which I did on back days when I didn’t deadlift. For most dumbbell work, namely, lateral and curl exercises, I often reduced the poundage—drop sets—instead of keeping the weight the same. The reason was to reduce the possibility of injury. I found it unwise to use exercises like lateral

B1: Chest, delts, triceps Bench presses, seated Arnold presses, rope pushdowns B2: Back, traps, biceps Pulldowns, cable rows, shrugs, preacher curls B3: Legs Standing calf raises, hack squats, adductor maSTANDING CALF RAISES chine, lying leg curls

(continued on page 134)

Round 3 C1: Chest, delts, triceps Hammer incline presses, seated overhead presses, dips C2: Back, traps, biceps EZ-curl-bar curls, Zottman curls, chins, deadlifts C3: Legs Stiff-legged deadlifts, leg press calf raises, leg presses I changed a couple of things. The program didn’t include much direct deltoid work for the medial and

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EZ-CURL-BAR CURLS

extremely low repetitions. For quads the original D.C. program calls for two sets—the first for four to eight reps followed by a second set of 20 reps. It calls for quads to be done last in the session because you should be spent after training them. For regular squats that’s true; however, I found I had enough left in the tank after hack squats, so I did them earlier in the leg routine. Additionally, I added a set of adductor exercises after hack squats. Back exercises were of two varieties, either for width or for thickness. And like quad work, back exercises should be done in a two-set manner to reduce the risk of injury. For deadlifts and rows I used two lowrep sets. For pulldowns and chins I did rest/pause sets. Calves are also unique. D.C. training calls for one set, but with a 10-to-15-second pause/stretch at the bottom of each repetition. I modified that by doing a set with the stretch between reps for roughly seven to 12 reps. I followed with a standard 12-to-20-rep set—no stretch between reps. Based on my energy levels I often added an additional pure X-Rep set to the training program. I particularly liked machines for that, usually performing one or two X-Rep sets per training session. For example, I used the seated row machine at the end of the C2 workout and focused on the bottom half of the stroke.

STRAIGHT-BAR CURLS

Stretching

Model: Binais Begovic

PREACHER CURLS

Stretching in the program is unique and needs further explanation. The stretch is used at the end of a bodypart routine to stimulate fascia expansion, to make room for additional size. The validity of the technique is questionable, but I do believe the stretch assisted my recovery. Here are the stretches for each bodypart. Hold the stretch position for 30 seconds to one minute. Chest. On a flat or incline bench, take a pair of dumbbells to the extended lockout position. Do a 10-second controlled negative rep into a deep stretch at the bottom of a press. Triceps. Perform it like an overhead dumbbell extension. From the

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extended overhead position, slowly lower the dumbbell into the stretch position and resist the weight while leaning back slightly. Shoulders. Face away from a squat rack and grab a barbell in the rack that’s set at roughly shoulder height. While maintaining a palms-up grip on the bar (hands below the bar), walk out until the stretch gets painful—then roll your shoulders downward and hold. Biceps. Work them the way you do the shoulder stretch position, but hold the barbell palms down now (hands over the bar), and sink down to stretch your biceps. Back. I prefer a weighted hang from the chin bar, lats flared out. Hamstrings. Place one leg up on a high barbell, grab either your toe or the barbell, and force your upper body toward your knee. After a minute, repeat it with the other leg. You can also use light stiff-legged deadlifts. Quads. Basically a sissy squat— quads and torso on the same plane—with the bottom position

Model: Richard Longworth

Bodybuilding.com Presents

SISSY SQUAT STRETCH held as a stretch. Stay up on your toes, upper body leaning back as far as you can go (head almost touching the floor). Calves. Stretching for the calves is done as part of the exercise routine—you hold the stretch position for 10 to 15 seconds after each rep.

Nutrition A specific aspect of D.C. training is nutrition and, in particular, protein. Excess protein is the key to repair, recovery and mass development. Most information on the D.C. diet recommends roughly two grams of protein for each pound you weigh. I was getting roughly 1.5 to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight every day. That’s a good guideline. Supplementation was basic. My supplements included various protein drinks, some thermogenics, glutamine, flaxseed oil and multivitamins and minerals. No pro-hormones or pro-steroids.

Results I trained on the program consis136 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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PULLDOWNS tently for nearly eight months. That was a more than adequate amount of time to evaluate its success. My increase in gross weight was a little more than 30 pounds. Lean muscle increase was slightly more than 14 pounds. That’s accurate, as I proceeded to diet down to a similar condition I was in eight months prior. Size increases were visible, although I didn’t measure. Strength gains were considerable. I moved up significantly in each lift I used.

Conclusion The bottom line is that I was very pleased with the results, doing everything with average supplementation and average genetics. The program was enjoyable—I liked hitting the gym to train that way. Do I think I could have made similar results with other training methods? No, not as consistently, as my past had proven. Why did I stop? I started a contest-prep diet and found my training results diminishing (weights and

reps dropping). My take is that D.C. training needs to be further modified for contest prep. Should you use D.C. training all the time? For mass-gaining cycles, it’s a great program; however, if your goals vary, you should vary your training. So, is the D.C. program the best? Simply put, there isn’t one “best” training program; however, D.C. ranks up there as one of the best methods for building mass that I’ve ever experienced. My final thought is that D.C. training principles and the various adaptations are excellent for intermediate to advanced bodybuilders. The D.C. style of training is systematic, and it works. If you have a good base coming into the program— having lifted for a few years—and good nutrition, you can make some significant gains. You can stay with a traditional D.C. program or follow what I outlined here. Or you can further tinker with the program and adapt it to fit your own needs and likes. To me, that’s essential for any successful

training program—the ability to make it your own. The other essential ingredient for a good training program is that you actually perform it. If you don’t go out and bust your butt in the gym and then provide adequate nutrition and recovery, the program will be worthless. So get to the gym and train hard! Editor’s note: Mark Subsinsky has been Mark Subsinsky lifting weights since his high school years in the ’70s. He was educated as a biochemist but currently works as a nuclear power plant operator For more of his articles visit www.Bodybuilding. com. IM

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BICEPS How New Pro Omar Deckard Blasts Bi’s for Size and Detail by Cory Crow Photography by Michael Neveux

n Saturday, February 17, the ’07 IFBB professional season officially got under way with the IRON MAN Pro. By the time you read this, we’ll know who the winners are, and we’ll also know which competitors finished in the top five, qualifying for the ’07 Mr. Olympia. As I write this, on the Tuesday before the show, all we have is excitement about the arrival of another bodybuilding season. One thing we can be sure of: The competitors will be hitting a front doublebiceps pose almost as soon as they hit the stage.

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DECKARD DOES BICEPS

It’s probably no accident that this pose comes first. No other muscle is so synonymous with strength as the biceps. From Michelangelo’s David to Superman, Western culture is full of examples of well-developed biceps. They’re the first muscle group that novice lifters focus on when they take up lifting, and the makea-muscle command never elicits a lat spread or a most muscular. The first pose we hit is the front doublebiceps. The biceps are so hardwired into our psyche as the muscle to build,

Leading Up to the Show Do you ever wonder what it’s like those last few days before a big bodybuilding contest? Here’s Omar Deckard’s routine for the three days leading up to the IRON MAN Pro: Wednesday: Posing. No workouts are planned, but there will be a lot of posing practice and physique assessments with his adviser, Hany Rambod. Today Omar will finally get to take in some carbohydrates so his physique will start to fill out. During the USA he had difficulty sleeping due to logistical issues and other problems and came in at (for him) a flat 255. He plans to be much fuller this time out with the same crisp conditioning he had at that show. Thursday: Rest, food and posing. Omar plans to do a quick full-body workout today, doing one exercise per bodypart of only about two sets each. He’ll do some calf work and forearms and use pretty light weights. The objective here is more to burn the food that he eats than to work any muscle groups Friday: Friday is typically hectic, as the expo gets under way and the press conference takes place. Omar thinks the key will be getting plenty of rest and making sure he’s on time for his tanning. He also plans to reserve time for talking business with sponsors and supplement companies. —C.C. (continued on page 148) 144 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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“I’m constantly harping on kids to look at bodybuilding from a month-to-month perspective, not day to day.”

(continued on from page 144) we often forget that the triceps makes up a large majority of the arm mass. The biceps are what we want to see— what we want to build—sometimes to the exclusion of other muscle groups. It was with that thought in mind that I contacted IFBB rookie pro Omar Deckard in the week just before he made his professional debut at the IRON MAN, in Pasadena, California. I wanted to give readers some insight into how the pros build their mammoth arms. There’s no hiding weak arms on a pro stage. If they’re out of balance with the rest of the physique, it’s obvious.

When the arms match, however, the deltoids flow into cannonball biceps set off by hanging triceps. The result is a physique that is awesome to behold. In Omar’s case that physique is big—around 6’1” big. In detailing his chest routine in the January ’07 IRON MAN, Omar explained that he took things slow and steady when building his pecs. His philosophy for biceps is much the same: Take it slow and build quality muscle. “I’m constantly harping on the kids to look at bodybuilding from a month-to-month perspective, not day by day,” Deckard said. “You’ve got plenty of time to build your physique and will stay

more motivated if you focus on making long-term improvements.” In our “fast-food” world that’s a philosophy that would benefit many areas of life, not just bodybuilding. I caught up with Omar on Tuesday, four days out from the IM Pro. His final biceps workout was scheduled for that evening, so the topic was on his mind. It was his last day of extreme carb depletion, and he had some filling out to look forward to over the next couple of days, a process that would be closely monitored by bodybuilding nutritionist Hany Rambod. One thing about Omar: He loves to talk about bodybuilding, carb depleted or not.

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Deckard’s father was a wrestler and dabbled in bodybuilding in the ’60s. Omar’s introduction to weight training came at the age of 12. As you might imagine, he grew just a little more quickly than the other kids on the block, although he didn’t realize that until people remarked on how big he was. Those old workouts consisted of grabbing a bar and curling until he couldn’t curl anymore. Workouts of eight sets per exercise for high reps were common. Of course, form and efficiency were anything but common, although Omar thinks that he could handle the stress of those workouts because he was “young and resilient.” Today his biceps workout is a shortened and modified version of the one he did as a child. Gone are the mammoth set counts and bad form, but the exercises he performs remain basically the same. “I don’t feel the need to lift ultraheavy weights for biceps anymore, since they’re a relatively small muscle,” he said. Instead he focuses on lifting a comfortable weight designed to stimulate the muscle in a variety of ways. One other thing has changed as well, he said: “When I was a kid, I thought that by working arms everything else would grow. I thought that by doing curls my legs would get bigger, etc. Of course, now my workout is more varied.” On the cusp of his professional debut and what may be the biggest bodybuilding show of his life, Omar performed the biceps routine he’s done for the past several years—the one that has made his double-biceps pose a sight to behold.

“The biceps is a relatively small muscle than can reach its capacity without extremely heavy weight.” 150 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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DECKARD DOES BICEPS Preacher curls 3 x 8-10 Standing barbell curls 135 pounds 1 x 10 185 pounds 1 x 8-10 225 pounds 1 x 5-6 185 pounds 1 x 8-10 Concentration curls 3 x 8-10 Hammer curls 3 x 10-12

Preacher Curls “I do preacher curls just to get blood into the biceps before I start working on them,” Omar said. Because of that, the weight he uses isn’t as important as is keeping a medium rep speed and ensuring that he works through a full range of motion on every rep. All too often he sees novice lifters starting off too heavy. “I try to help them, especially the new lifters. When I was younger, there wasn’t anyone around to guide me, so I learned by doing and reading.” The warmup was something Omar learned from bodybuilding books as a young man, and he believes in it firmly today. He also believes that novice lifters should read all of the bodybuilding books and publications they can. “There’s all kinds of information out there if you want to learn; you just have to be willing to go and get it.” His advice to new lifters is to use a weight on the preacher curls that just flushes the muscle; don’t worry about wearing it out—that comes next.

Standing Barbell Curls

“The focus [on concentration curls] is the rep speed and the muscle squeeze all the way up and down the rep.”

After Omar finished describing this workout to me, I was curious if he ever mixed things up by using an EZ-curl bar. “No,” he said, “but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to do curls that way.” Deckard feels that the standard Olympic bar better targets the biceps, but he’s quick to point out that it can put stress on the joints. If you have shoulder or elbow problems, it would be wise to use an EZ-curl bar in place of a standard bar. My second question was about weight—specifically, how much. He said that the weight he uses has been built up over time and again stressed his belief that lifting ultraheavy weights is counterproductive for a smaller muscle like the biceps and lends itself more to injury than it does muscle growth. “The biceps

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is a relatively small muscle that can reach its capacity without extremely heavy weight.” His weights are based largely on feel, as is the rep range. Omar tries to ensure that

the amount of weight he chooses for every set. Egos and pride often make for torn muscles caused by excess weight or bad form. A muscle that’s broken won’t grow, and a ’ ’ ’

Omar focuses on lifting a comfortable weight designed to stimulate the muscle in a variety of ways.

’ ’

“ “

’

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rest of the workout is designed to augment that and balance out the stress placed on his biceps to provide multiple stimuli for complete growth. Omar keeps the same basic lifts, oup of ounded accompaniments. eplaces ation curls with nate dumbbell curls just to attack the biceps at a ry the stimuli. On most ocever, ’ll see him in the gym, banging away using the outine that’s listed re, working to slowly add size and attain a better shape to his biceps. or all lifters d suggests cises k the best and “ oo ernight ernight. n about your eact to differks and ” ON ookies was heading to the gym to give his was ed, but feeling ’ ever felt leading up had a good support itionist ’ wife and his ew , who would be watching via

“Take your time and learn your biceps and how they react to different lifts. Then take what works, and use that to grow.”

Workout Schedule Deckard uses a threeon/one-off split: Day 1: Hamstrings and calves in the morning; shoulders in the evening Day 2: Quads in the morning; chest and biceps in the evening Day 3: Traps and triceps in the morning; back in the evening Day 4: Off* Repeat *Depending on how his body feels, Omar occasionally takes a second day off to ensure complete recovery. The second day off is always taken in conjunction with the first one and never between the three working days—barring illness.

Webcast as Omar climbed up on a pro stage for the first time. Deckard knew that he had to hit the gym and get in one last workout, because he could be the guy who would lead off the show—with his 6’1” frame and 265 pounds squeezing into a front double-biceps. Editor’s note: Omar Deckard can be reached for guest posing and sponsorships at omardeckard2@ yahoo.com. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 155

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CNS How Your Nervous System Controls Muscle Size and Strength Gains by Jerry Robinson •

Photography by Michael Neveux

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Model: Skip La Cour

he nervous system is divided into two parts: the central nervous system—the brain and spinal cord—and the peripheral nervous system, which consists of the nerves traveling to and from the spinal cord, serving the muscle, skin and all organs. Muscle contraction calls on both systems. The signal to contract begins in the central nervous system in the brain and travels to the spinal cord. From there it moves to the peripheral nervous system, where it travels along nerves to the muscles.

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CNS

Total strength is related to total muscle mass: The more muscle tissue you have available for contraction, the greater strength you can deliver. That’s only part of the story, however. (continued from page 159) When a nerve nears a muscle, the nerve splits into many tiny branches. Each branch supplies a number of muscle fibers. The nerve branch, together

with the muscle fibers it supplies, is called a motor unit. Not all motor units are activated with every contraction. If a gentle, slow contraction is needed, the

Past Nervous System Failure for Bigger Muscle Gains Your nervous system is preventing you from growing. Why? It doesn t want you to get hurt. It prevents you from overexerting, and it s also a roadblock to unnecessary muscle, which the body perceives as excess baggage. But we want more muscle, so we have to figure out ways to get past nervous system failure. Training consistently enables you to gain more neuromuscular efficiency, but scientists say that only 30 percent of the available fast-twitch fibers ever engage in any one all-out set. The nervous system fizzles way before total activation (it s that saving-you-from-yourself syndrome). Right when you re on the verge of max growth stimulation in any set, your nervous system short-circuits. The nerve of that CNS! During a set, the size principle of muscle fiber activation sets the stage for order of recruitment. On the first few easy reps, the low-threshold motor units fire. As the set gets harder, the mediums engage. Finally, near the end of the set, the high-threshold motor units kick in. Those highs are the ones with the most growth-stimulation potential, but right as they start to activate, your nervous system craps out, and you re left with the vast majority of your fast-twitch fibers unused. How do you get around that to make the set more productive in the growth-stimulation department? There are a few ways: 1) Forced reps. When you hit exhaustion, your training partner can apply just enough help to get you through a few more reps. Forced reps could be called nervous system helpers, but there s also a lot of waste and unbalanced loading and unloading throughout each forced rep— which can actually overstress the nervous and endocrine systems. 2) Drop set. When you hit exhaustion, reduce the poundage and continue with more reps immediately. That will engage a few more fibers in the second phase, as the recruitment pattern changes. 3) Rest/pause. At the end of a set, rest for 10 to 20 seconds, then continue. The break will let energy substrates recharge to a degree and regenerate nervous system activity. 4) X Reps. At exhaustion move the resistance to a point on the stroke at which the target muscle is slightly elongated, such as near the bottom of an incline press or leg extension, and continue with eight-inch partial movements. That s the max-force point for the target muscle and enables more fibers to fire. When no more partials are possible (you may need help from a partner to get more than a couple), hold the resistance in the semistretch position and force the muscle to continue to fire. That improves neuromuscular efficiency and triggers more fiber activation and mass stimulation. X Reps are much more effective than full-range forced reps because of the concentrated movement at the max-force point—there s no imprecise unloading over a long stroke, which has been shown in research studies to cause cortisol, a muscle-eating stress hormone, to skyrocket. —Steve Holman www.X-Rep.com

brain sends a weak signal down the nerve, and only a small percentage of the total motor units are activated. If a strong, fast contraction is needed, the brain sends a strong signal, activating a larger percentage of the total motor units. The brain has a great deal of control over the number of motor units it can activate, which is why the same muscles that can do a quarter-ton deadlift can also perform delicate surgery. Total strength is related to total muscle mass: The more muscle tissue you have available for contraction, the greater strength you can deliver. That’s only part of the story, however. Even with substantial muscle mass, if you can activate only a small percentage of total motor units, your strength will be limited. That’s where nervous system adaptations come in: Intense training increases how much of that muscle mass you can activate for a contraction, how frequently you can get individual motor units to fire and how long each motor unit can sustain a contraction. Those changes lay the groundwork for massbuilding, high-intensity workouts.

Increased Muscle Activation Most of the evidence for nervous system adaptations to exercise has come from electromyographic studies. EMGs measure the electrical activity of a muscle. Because muscle contraction is an electrical process, the stronger the signal from the brain to contract, the greater the electrical activity in muscle. Though not all motor units are activated with every contraction, training increases the maximum number of motor units that can be activated during a contraction. So your strength increases. How does training increase motor unit activation? Untrained people may have either some kind of motor unit inhibition or insufficient motivation that prevents full activation under normal circumstances.

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CNS Motor Unit Inhibition Contraction of the main muscle motivating a movement is often associated with simultaneous contraction of its antagonists, the muscles opposing that movement. That may seem paradoxical—like having your foot on the accelerator and the brake at the same time. Simultaneous contraction of a main muscle and its antagonist, however, does have a purpose: It increases precision. Indeed, it occurs most prominently in movements requiring precision. Contraction of the antagonist also occurs when the action of the prime mover is strong and rapid, especially in untrained subjects. Here, the “braking” action of the antagonist may have a protective function. It may limit full activation of the main muscle, preventing the beginner from lifting much more than he or she is accustomed to—thus decreasing risk of injury. With training and experience you reduce antagonist braking, and your apparent strength increases.

The second nervous system adaptation to strength training changes how frequently individual motor units fire. Motor units don’t just fire once per contraction but repeatedly. The more frequently they fire, the greater the strength, with maximum strength occurring at a firing rate of about 50 times a second. Trained bodybuilders are able to come closer to the 50-times-per-second maximum than untrained ones. In some small muscles, such as those of the hand, most, perhaps all, motor units are called upon when you contract with half of your maximum strength. To increase force to greater than half of maximum, you must increase the firing rate of the motor units already recruited. In the big “power” muscles, such as the biceps and delts, motor units are recruited throughout the range of force—and force is increased by raising both the motor unit firing rate and the number of motor units activated. Training probably improves strength in the biceps, delts

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Increased Motor Unit Firing Rate

Contraction of the main muscle motivating a movement is often associated with simultaneous contraction of its antagonists.

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CNS

Intense training increases how much muscle mass you can activate for a contraction, how frequently you can get individual motor units to fire and how long each motor unit can sustain a contraction.

and other large muscle groups by facilitating both changes.

Prolonged Motor Unit Contraction The third neurological adaptation to exercise is an increase in how long each motor unit can sustain a contraction. While a motor unit may

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start out contracting 50 or even 100 times per second, it can’t sustain those rates for long. Within a few seconds some motor units drop to a rate of 30 to 40 cycles per second. Along with the drop in firing rate comes a loss in overall muscle strength. Training, however, appears to delay the drop in firing rates for at least some individual muscle fibers. In one experiment untrained subjects could keep certain motor units active for only about three seconds. After training, the same subjects could keep those motor units active for about 20 seconds. In addition, they were able to fire the motor units more rapidly. That kind of adaptation probably prolongs time to overall muscle contraction failure.

Other Neurological Adaptations There are other neurological adaptations to training that are not as well understood. These are changes in strength that seem to be adaptations of the central nervous system. Learning. The best-known of these adaptations is learning. Everyone knows that practice makes perfect, but how that happens is not well understood at all. Feedback from repeated performance of specified movements somehow gets incorporated into the nervous system so that the movements come a little closer to ideal every time. That involves carefully balancing speed and strength of contraction in both main muscles and antagonists. Motivation. Trained bodybuild-

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CNS

ers seem to be better at focusing their attention and energies on lifting than nonweightlifers. The increased mental focus results in activating a greater number of motor units. Motivation can also be increased with hypnosis or with feedback during an event—for example, when the audience shouts encouragement at a physique contest. Cross training. Another such adaptation is cross training. Cross training is an odd phenomenon: Believe it or not, training one limb increases strength in the other. If, for example, you do biceps curls with just your right arm, strength will increase in both your right and left arms. The left arm shows increases in strength, even though it was never trained. In one study eight weeks of training one biceps resulted in a 36.4 percent increase in strength in that arm and a 24.7 percent increase in the other, untrained arm. You can’t attribute the crosstraining effect to local changes within the muscle or to changes in the peripheral nervous system. It’s probably due to changes in the central nervous system, in the crosscommunication networks between limbs. Bilateral deficit. Another central nervous system adaptation is the bilateral deficit, in which exerting one limb decreases strength in the other. Let’s say you squeeze a hand grip strength-testing device with one hand. If you retest that same hand while testing the other hand simultaneously, strength in the first hand will drop. The drop is usually about 5 percent to 25 percent of maximum strength and (continued on page 170)

Model: Allen Sarkiszadeh

In the big “power” muscles motor units are recruited throughout the range of force.

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CNS

Feedback from repeated performance of specified movements somehow gets incorporated into the nervous system so that the movements come a little closer to ideal every time.

(continued from page 166) is not at-

Model: Dave Goodin

tributable to changes in posture or positioning. Bilateral deficit seems to come from the way we use our limbs. We generally use our limbs separately, instead of together. For example, we use both legs separately, as with walking, more often than we use them together, as with the leg press or vertical jump. With training, however, you can turn a bilateral deficit into an increase. For example, the deficit in the legs is usually fairly large, except in athletes such as bodybuilders who train both legs together with leg presses, squats and other two-legged exercises. Those athletes can experience bilateral facilitation rather than bilateral deficit. That suggests that the bilateral deficit is a central nervous system phenomenon that will adapt with training. Bilateral deficit is the argument behind recommendations to do dumbbell movements one arm at a time or alternating arms (for example, to do supinated dumbbell curls first with one arm, then with the other). Since training can turn bilateral deficit into bilateral facilitation, however, the argument doesn’t hold water. So if you feel like doing a dumbbell movement with both hands at the same time, go right ahead—you won’t be compromising your gains. Note: To learn how to apply the above information in the gym, see “Past Nervous System Failure for Bigger Muscle Gains” on page 162. Editor’s note: Jerry Robinson is the co-author of The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution, available for $29.95 from www.Home-Gym.com, or you can call (800) 447-0008. IM

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How Boxer Michael Lockett Lifted Weights for a Little More Than a Year to Win the NPC Team Universe by David Young • Photography by Bill Comstock

Maybe one person in a million is born with the genetics to become an outstanding bodybuilder. Of those few, not many have the drive or work ethic to realize their potential. So it’s rare to encounter a guy like Michael Lockett, who has the predisposition for building muscle and is also hungry—and I do mean hungry!—to achieve his goals. After only 15 months of serious (gut-wrenchingly serious) hardcore training, Michael gained 27 pounds of muscle, completely clocked his competition, won the overall at the Team Universe and became an IFBB pro. Sit down, tune in, and listen up. Here’s how he did it. 180 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MICHAEL LOCKETT

“I’m ver competitive. Once I decide I want something, I don’ anything stop me. If I have to train harder train harder

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MICHAEL LOCKETT DY: How did you get started in bodybuilding and fitness? ML: I was a boxer. But after several years it was time to leave it. My brother Reggie and my sister Donna influenced me to start bodybuilding. They told me that I was born with a natural bodybuilding physique, so why not take up bodybuilding and realize my full potential? I took what they said to heart and joined a gym called Fitworks. It’s sort of an old-school hardcore gym: real weights that clang, people working out with fire in their eyes, grunting, sweating—you know, a real gym. When I was working out at Fitworks, I met the general manager, Mark Sustin, who could write several textbooks on bodybuilding. He was a bodybuilder, and he encouraged me. He also taught me what I needed to know about training, nutrition and motivation. I already had the work ethic and conditioning from boxing.

“If I hadn’t taken up bodybuilding, it would be like I was wasting my God-given genetics.”

DY: I love those types of gyms. It sounds like your brother, sister and Mark were all good influences on you. It also sounds like you did do your homework. Give us your stats. ML: I’m 23, 5’10” and 220 pounds. DY: And how long have you been training? ML: 15 months. DY: No, I don’t mean how long you trained for the Team Universe. I mean how long have you been bodybuilding? ML: That’s it, just 15 months. In that time I gained 27 pounds of muscle, won the Team Universe and got my IFBB pro card. DY: Oh, but you used to lift weights for boxing, right? ML: No, never. I didn’t lift weights until 15 months before the Team Universe. When I was boxing, it was just boxing training along with pushups and situps. DY: I’m shaking my head. That just doesn’t happen. ML: I know, I get that all the time. That’s why my brother and sister told me to start bodybuilding. They saw the determination and conditioning I had from boxing and they 182 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MICHAEL LOCKETT boxing again. DY: The passion is still there for boxing? ML: Yes. There’s a certain confidence that comes from being able to handle yourself in the ring.

“If I’m in the gym and I need to get 12 reps with a new weight, I’m going to get those reps no matter what.”

DY: Does that confidence carry over into other worthwhile endeavors? ML: Yes, it does. It carries over into my business, it carries over into bodybuilding, and it even carries over into my personal relationships. I’m not referring to the violent part; I’m referring to the fact that boxing is a series of strategies and overcoming obstacles and setbacks. It’s also very motivating to know that I can overcome those obstacles and setbacks. DY: Bodybuilding training and dieting require a lot of motivation. What keeps you motivated for that? ML: I’m very competitive. Once I decide I want something, I don’t let anything stop me. If I have to

also saw the predisposition I have for building muscle. In fact, if I hadn’t taken up bodybuilding, it would be like I was wasting my God-given genetics. The way I look at it, I was given my genetics for a reason, and it would be almost a discredit to my Maker. DY: Let’s go back. When did you start boxing? ML: When I was about 15. DY: I understand that now you’re a personal trainer at Fitworks. What do you like about that? ML: I like taking people who aren’t getting results and completely turning them around. When people start getting the kind of results they should, they get motivated. I love motivating and influencing others in a positive way. I loved learning about bodybuilding, nutrition and motivation. That’s why I became a personal trainer. DY: Do you play any other sports or have any other hobbies? ML: No. But I’m thinking about 184 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MICHAEL LOCKETT train harder, I train harder. I set my goals. If I’m in the gym and I need to get 12 reps with a new weight, I’m going to get those reps no matter what. I fire up my willpower, I roll up my sleeves—metaphorically— and I dig in.

“I don’t diet. I always stay ripped. It comes naturally to me.”

DY: Tell us your diet strategy on-season and off. ML: It’s the same on- and offseason. I don’t diet. I always stay ripped. It comes naturally to me. I even cheat three days a week by having an entire bag of red licorice. I love it. DY: I really hate you now. [Both laugh] Maybe we could sell this as the new diet fad: “The licorice way to fab abs.” Okay, Mr. Licorice, can you give me a sample of your eating for a day? ML: Oatmeal, egg whites, chicken breast, protein shakes and brown rice. DY: So you eat clean except for the licorice—you just don’t think of it as a diet. MY: Correct. That would be the wrong mind-set. I love what I eat. I just don’t have a huge appetite. DY: Do you have a favorite supplement? ML: Met-Rx RTD protein shakes. DY: How do you overcome training plateaus? Although you probably haven’t had too many in only 15 months. ML: I really feel as though it’s all about concentration. You have to be totally focused in your workouts and let nothing stand in your way. You’ve got to stand toe to toe with the weights. They’re either going to beat you, or you’re going to beat them. It’s up to to you to decide which. DY: Toe to toe—just like a boxing match. Ah, now I’m starting to understand your mind-set. ML: I’m a naturally self-motivated person. No one has to force me into the gym. No one has to push me. It’s all on me—and God. God is responsible for my success. It’s not me; it’s God. My goal is to be the best bodybuilder I can be. But more important, I want to show

people what’s really possible without drugs—no steroids, no growth hormone, no insulin or whatever else they’re using. You have to have faith in your own abilities. DY: So you want to take it to another level without drugs and influence people that way. Is that your life philosophy? ML: Yes, that’s it. Without a clear vision, I will perish. DY: Are there any secrets to your training success? You know, secrets to muscle growth. ML: Without pain we can’t grow. You’ve got to push through the pain barrier. That’s what makes the difference. The pain is going to come. The question is, Can you keep going beyond the pain, or will it stop you? If it stops you, you’re done. If you can go through it, that’s the secret to success. I train that way all year-round. And I look the same all year-round. I just keep trying to improve. That’s it. DY: How many weeks out do you start your preparation?

ML: I’m ready all the time, so I make only a few alterations one or two weeks out. DY: Do you use supersets or forced reps? ML: Yes, on occasion, just to mix it up. Never as a regular training principle, though. DY: What kind of sets-andreps patterns do you use? ML: On every exercise, I do either four sets of 12 or four sets of eight. Let’s say it’s four sets of 12. That first set or two may be relatively easy to get my 12 reps, but the last two or three sets, it’s a fight. It’s me against the iron. It’s cold, hard and nasty, and I’m getting my reps no matter what. DY: How many exercises do you do for each bodypart? ML: Almost every bodypart gets four exercises and four sets per exercise. Back gets slightly more because I’m trying to bring it up into balance with the rest of my physique, and calves and abs get less because they are naturally my

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MICHAEL LOCKETT

Michael Lockett’s Team Universe Training He does four sets of eight to 12 reps on each exercise, except where indicated. He uses a two-seconds-up/twoseconds-down cadence and rests about 90 seconds after each set—slightly longer on bench presses and squats. Chest Incline dumbbell presses Flat-bench dumbbell presses Incline flyes Flat-bench flyes

“It’s about concentration. You have to be totally focused in your workouts and let nothing stand in your way.”

Biceps Barbell curls Preacher curls One-arm dumbbell curls Back Pullups (5 sets) Seated cable rows Pulldowns Bent-over rows Dumbbell rows

best-developed bodyparts. To do more for them would be wasted effort and simply cut into my recovery ability. DY: How do you organize your training week? ML: Like this:

Monday: Back, Triceps Tuesday: Chest, Biceps Wednesday: Legs Thursday: Shoulders Friday: Back, Triceps The following week continues the sequence, beginning with chest and biceps. It works out to each bodypart getting trained two times every eight days rather than one time a week. DY: Yes, I follow a similar philosophy. I found that training a bodypart only once a week wasn’t enough for me. So I went

to twice in eight days, and it’s worked well. ML: I think you need to train slightly more frequently than once a week, especially if you’re drugfree. [Note: Michael’s complete routine is at right.] DY: What about cardio? ML: None. DY: Are there any other training, nutrition, supplementation or cardio strategies that you think are important to building a great body? ML: Consistency. One day of training, eating right or whathave-you does not build a great body. It’s all the days, weeks and months put together over time. Editor’s note: To contact Michael Lockett for appearances, training or sponsorship, send email to thebutcher_1982@yahoo .com. IM

Shoulders Seated dumbbell presses Front raises Lateral raises Rear-delt-machine laterals Shrugs Triceps Pushdowns Reverse pushdowns Dips Quads Squats Legs presses Leg extensions Lunges Hamstrings Leg curls Stiff-legged deadlifts Calves Standing calf raises Abs Roman-chair situps

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X-FILES

Q & A: Muscle-Building Solutions From the IM E-zine by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson •

Photography by Michael Neveux

: I’ve been getting excellent results with X-Rep partials, using them at the end of a set in the semistretch position [near the bottom of bench presses for instance]. I’m in college, and my physiology professor agrees with the X-Rep concepts, but he says the X spot should be at the fully stretched position because you get more fiber action there. Why do you think it’s higher on the stroke than at the very bottom [full-stretch point]? (continued on page 202) 198 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Models: Markus Reinhardt and Hubert Morandell

X-FILES

Moving from near the bottom of the stroke to near the halfway mark covers the X Range, where optimal force and fiber activation occur. A: It may depend on the exercise and individual leverage points, but let s generalize. We originally developed the X-Rep concept to interact with 3D Positions of Flexion training. So in the beginning the X spot corresponded with a particular exercise s position. For example, quads: Midrange: squats—X Reps near the middle of the stroke. Contracted: leg extensions—X Reps at the top, contracted position. Stretch: sissy squats—a squat up on your toes with the legs and torso on the same plane—X Reps and/or a static X at the fullstretch point. That is described in our first ebook, The Ultimate Mass Workout,

and works well. Then we came across findings from William J. Kraemer, Ph.D., and Steven J. Fleck, Ph.D., two of the most respected researchers in strength training: The total amount of force developed depends on the total number of myosin crossbridges interacting with active sites on the actin. At the optimal length there is potential for maximal crossbridge interaction and thus maximal force. Below this optimal length, less tension is developed because with excessive shortening [closer to peak contraction] there is an overlap of actin filaments so that the actin filaments interfere with each other s ability to contact with the myosin crossbridges. Less crossbridge contact with the active sites on the actin results in a smaller potential to develop tension. In other words, as you get close to the contracted position, the fibers

are too crowded to fire optimally, and the result is less force. So that discounts the so-called flexed position for maximum fiber recruitment. What about the semistretch and stretch positions? Back to the scientists: At lengths greater than optimal [more stretch] there is less and less overlap of the actin and myosin filaments. This results in less potential for crossbridge contact with the active sites on the actin.... Some prestretch of the muscle prior to initiation of an action will increase the amount of force generated. Too much prestretch will, however, actually decrease the total amount of force developed. So at the full-stretch point the fiber alignment is not optimal, and you get less force. That means the full-stretch position is not the best X spot and neither is the fully contracted position; it s the semistretch point, in a range from just above full stretch to the midpoint of the stroke, which is where the actin and myosin filaments are perfectly aligned for max-force production. That eight-to-10-inch range is where you should do the X Reps. That goes for all exercises. Nevertheless, we suggest using a static X in the full-stretch position on stretch-position exercises. As we and others have found, that can re sult in big strides in muscle size. To get through the pain, just remember the 300 percent size gains one animal study achieved in only one month of static-stretch overload. Q: You guys suggest a rep speed of 1.5 seconds up and 1.5 down. Wouldn’t a slower negative be more beneficial? It would mean lower training poundage, but since the negative is so important, emphasizing it seems like a no-brainer. A: Because the muscles are so much stronger on the negative, or lowering, part of the rep, many fibers disengage. In other words, a lot of fibers rest during the negative. So if you perform it too slowly, you lose tension on groups, or bundles, of fibers for too long—but you still build up fatigue products quickly, leading to premature exhaustion, a.k.a. failure.

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X-FILES

That s why we use the same speed on both the positive and negative— fast, but not too fast. One and a half seconds up and 1 1/2 seconds down is about as fast as you can go without using momentum; however, you should move a bit slower on both phases of the stroke on the first few reps because that s when the muscle is strongest and can produce more force—which could trigger injury. As the set progresses, your rep speed should increase so by the end of the set you re trying to explode at the turnaround—without jerking or bouncing. Keep in mind that even though you re thinking explosive, the reps will be even slower than normal due to fatigue. But attempting to move as fast as possible as the set progresses recruits more highthreshold motor units toward the end of a set. What about X-Rep partials? You should still be thinking explosive, but with control. Luckily, on most exercises you won t be able to heave or jerk at the X spot, but even if you can, don t do it! Move as fast as possible, but stay in control. That keeps

the muscle engaged and more fasttwitch fibers firing. Q: I’m pressed for time, so I like the idea of using the ultimate exercise for each body part [as listed and explained in the e-book The Ultimate Mass Workout]. I’m using one of the split routines you outline, but I want to vary the rep range on my two work sets. My question is, Should I do my higher-rep work set (10 to 12 reps) or my lower rep set (four to six reps) first? I know pyramiding is popular, so I would guess the higher-rep set. A: If you do a quick, comprehensive warmup, you ll be primed for your heavy set first, which is what we recommend. Why the power set first? The reason is twofold. First, heavy weights heighten ner vous system response, so you ll be able to activate more fibers on your second higher-rep growth-range set, which should have about 30 seconds of tension time. That s exactly what you want—the best strength

(force) activation on your first set and the best hypertrophic (growth) stimulation on your second. When you reduce your weight for your second set, you ll feel much more powerful because of that heightened innervation. That means you ll glide through the size principle of fiber recruitment much more readily and activate more growth fibers toward the end of that second, lighter growth set—especially if you add X-Rep partials at exhaustion. The other reason you should do your heavy set first is that you deal with less fatigue-product accumulation. You want to be as fresh as possible so the muscles don t crap out early. Remember, low-rep sets to exhaustion cause your central ner vous system to balk very early—an emergency shutdown. If you reverse the order and do your higher-rep set first, residual fatigue products make hitting that CNS wall on your heavier set happen even sooner. Do your lower rep set first most of the time. You may be asking, But won t fatigue products accumulate (continued on page 208) with that

Models: Andre and Rune Nielsen

Forced reps can extend tension time on the muscle; however, much of the range is wasted due to less-thanoptimal force generation and unbalanced loading and unloading from your partner.

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X-FILES

most trainees.

No—at least not enough to negatively affect your higher-rep set. There isn t much fatigue-product pooling on a six-rep set, and the low-rep power set will supercharge your second set due to heightened nervous system response. Pyramiding, as in doing four sets and adding weight on each, is okay, but keep in mind that the first few sets are like heavier and heavier warmups. The last, heaviest set in the pyramid is usually the only one taken to exhaustion, which means there s a lot of fatigue-product pooling by then and you don t get that CNS-turbocharging effect. That makes pyramiding inefficient for

Q: I’ve tried a lot of quick workouts similar to [the threedays-per-week] Phase 1 of your 20-Pounds-of-Muscle-in-10Weeks program [in 3D MB]. I haven’t found one that’s done much for my muscle size. Am I just one of those people who need more sets? Maybe I’m genetically not cut out to be any bigger. What do you think? A: Almost everyone should be able to get considerably bigger in the muscle-size department—even with workouts that last about an hour three days a week. We say almost” everyone because, yes, there

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Inset photo from Mitsuru Okabe’s “Jay Cutler Ripped to Shreds” DVD

(continued from page 203) as well?”

are a few people who have very low neuromuscular efficiency, or nerve-to-muscle connections, and/ or fewer-than-average fast-twitch fibers. But those anomalies aside, let s outline a few things you must do to get the most out of every set of your quick-hit workouts: 1) Nonlock sets. You must keep tension on the target muscle, even on the big, multijoint exercises like bench presses and squats. That means you shouldn t lock out and rest between reps. If you re after maximum size stimulation, do enough reps to give you at least 25 seconds of tension time—usually about nine. 2) Continuous-tension sets. Jay Cutler That means no uses a lot heaving or jerking, of partial as momentum can pulses reduce stress on the target muscle between along the stroke. full reps, For example, such as bouncing the bar off your rib cage near the on the bench press bottom on takes tension off dumbbell your pecs through part of the botpresses, a tom range—not technique good, as that s we call the most impor tant area for fiber Double-X activation. Keep Overload. your reps under His delts control—about 1 1/2 seconds up appear and 1 1/2 seconds to have down. Move like a responded piston in an engine, but don t use nicely to momentum. Feel that tactic. the muscle working. Notice that nine reps times three seconds per rep equals 27 seconds—putting you smack in the muscle-building target zone. 3) Efficient warmup sets. We usually recommend two progressively heavier warmup sets that mix full-range and

X-FILES

partial reps to get blood into the muscle quickly without creating too much fatigue-product pooling (see Chapter 12 of 3D MB). 4) Beyond-exhaustion sets. Go past failure on at least one set per bodypart. A forced rep or two can work, but in our opinion, X-Rep partials that encompass the semistretch, or max-force, point on the stroke are best, followed by a static X right at that X spot for more stretch overload. For example, once you reach exhaustion on incline presses, move the bar to just off your chest and do partial reps up to just below the halfway point—fire up and

down through that eight-inch range to exhaustion. Then hold the bar right above your pecs for a static hold. Keep in mind that when Jonathan gained 20 pounds of muscle in 10 weeks, he was on a two-phase abbreviated program that included most of the above—except for X Reps, which we hadn t discovered yet. He did use a few forced reps, however. We think if hed had X Reps, he could ve gained even more muscle. Before you consider yourself genetically challenged in the muscle-building department, try

your quick-hit workouts with all of the above. You should see a mindblowing, muscle-growing difference immediately. Q: You mention the myotatic reflex in 3D Muscle Building. I’ve seen it mentioned other places as a way to get more muscle fibers to fire on stretch exercises. [Editor s note: To activate the myotatic reflex, use a quick twitch—but not a bounce—to change directions. There s no pause in the stretch position.] But I’ve also read about fascial stretching,

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X-FILES

Balik

which can loosen up the fiber encasements to make more growth happen. That requires a long hold in the stretch position. Which is better—a long pause in the stretch position or no pause? A: The simple answer is, don t pause during sets of stretch-position exercises, like dumbbell flyes, so you take advantage of the myotatic reflex for enhanced fiber recruitment; then, when you reach full-range exhaustion—you can t do another full-range rep— hold the weight at or near the full-stretch position for as long as possible. (Yes, it hurts, but remember those animal-study results mentioned above.) In most Positions-ofFlexion programs we usually recommend two sets of stretch-position exer cises—like flyes for pecs and pullovers for lats—so you may want to do your second set with a reduced poundage and use DoubleX Overload, which is per forming an X Rep between full reps throughout the set. Then at exhaustion do a static hold in the stretch position. DXO gives you more stretch-point stimulation throughout the set, which can heighten fiber activation. We noticed that Jay Cutler, the current Mr. Olympia, uses a version of that technique on many of his exercises, even big moves like dumbbell presses. While that seems to have worked for him in the deltdevelopment department, we think DXO works best on stretch-position exer cises. But we re not going to argue with Mr. O.

One of Arnold’s favorite biceps programs contained a 3D attack—dumbbell curls (midrange), incline curls (stretch) and concentration curls (contracted).

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Q: You talk about the force/extended-tension concept in 3D Muscle Building, and you say

X-FILES

that it’s similar to the heavy/ light system bodybuilders in the ’50s and ’60s used to get big. Why don’t pro bodybuilders today use heavy/light or F/Xstyle training? A: Anabolic steroids. They have all but destroyed the science of bodybuilding because they distort recovery. When you re on drugs, just about any type of training works and no stress-and-recovery balancing act is necessary. You can train heavy and with loads of sets at almost every workout and do just fine. If you re drug-free, you can still train hard at every workout, but we ve found that if you do, you have to incorporate a back-off week, which entails subfailure training and/or less volume, every so often. Depending on individual recovery, you should do it about every five weeks—sooner in many cases. Keep in mind that when Jonathan gained 20 pounds of muscle in 10 weeks, he was training heavy three times a week; however, he downshifted for supercompensation every fifth week for at least three workouts. If you train with a heavy/light system, which is a heavy, lower rep workout followed later in the week by a lighter, higher-rep session, you can push that back-off supercompensation week further out—say, seven to eight weeks. Once again, those time frames depend on individual recovery ability, which is radically distorted by anabolic steroids. If you re using, you can train intensely for months on end and not have to worry about overtraining and muscle catabolism. When you go off, however, you ll have no idea of how to train to build muscle. We think it s best to not use drugs, and that means training with heavy/light, or F/X, or working in a downshift week after every month of all-out training. Q: I notice that your arm workouts are very short. I’m interested in building big arms, but I’m worried that four or five sets won’t be enough. If I want to specialize, should I add more sets? A: While everyone s work capacity

Jonathan packed on 20 pounds of muscle in 10 weeks using a basic three-days-per-week routine followed by a Positions-of-Flexion phase. (The program he used appears in 3D Muscle Building.) and recovery ability are different, keep in mind that a recent study showed that doing only three sets of barbell curls depletes more than 70 percent of the glycogen stores in the biceps. And that exercise has no continuous tension! If you re familiar with our Positions-of-Flexion mass-building approach, you know that we follow two sets of the midrange exercise (barbell curls) with a stretch-position movement and then a continuous-tension contracted-position exercise, with some X Reps or X-hybrid techniques thrown in for good measure (and bigger measurements). Once you try it, you ll see that with an efficient, precise, intense program like that, it doesn t take a lot of volume to completely annihilate the target muscle. And speaking of measures and measurements, remember that Jonathans arms measure more than 19 inches, and that s without steroids and after using brief 3D workouts. If you re new to 3D POF, it s basically training a muscle through its three specific arcs of flexion so you accomplish full-range, max-fiber recruitment with minimal sets. For example, for biceps you d do barbell curls for midrange work, incline curls (reclining on an incline bench) for stretch and concentration curls for continuous-tension, contractedposition work. With those three exercises you

train the biceps in a range where they’re back behind your torso (stretch; incline curls), in a range where your arms are slightly in front of your torso (midrange; bar bell curls) and a range where your arms are out and up close to your head (contracted; concentration curls). They cover the biceps’ full arc of flexion—and it takes only one or two sets in each position to get full, dense development. That approach gives you maxforce production, occlusion (bloodflow blockage, which has been shown to significantly increase size and strength) and stretch overload (which has been linked to hyper plasia, or fiber splitting—the birdwing study that increased muscle mass by 300 percent in one month). By the way, one of Arnold s favorite biceps programs was barbell or dumbbell curls, incline dumbell curls and concentration curls. Sound familiar? Yes, he had good genetics, but he also knew instinctively that those three exercises in one workout were very powerful. Editor s note: For more on X Reps and other concepts mentioned in this feature, visit www.X-Rep.com and www.3DMuscleBuilding.com. To subscribe to the weekly IM e-zine, go to www.IronManMagazine.com. It s free. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 211

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Jerry Brainumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Bodybuilding Pharmacology

Yohimbe Faster Fat Blaster?

Neveux \ Model: Joey Gloor

Despite inflated advertising claims, the truth is that most over-the-counter fat-loss supplements have limited value. The combination of ephedrine and caffeine proved to be the most effective combination on the market, but the Food and Drug Administration banned products containing ephedra due to dubious safety concerns. Since that happened, a number of books and articles have implicated the pharmaceutical industry, in cahoots with the FDA, in a plan to eliminate the competition that products containing ephedrine plus caffeine were giving to various weight-loss drugs. Most of those drugs are no more effective than OTC fat-loss supplements, and they have considerably greater chance of side effects. The current crop of fat-loss supplements provides some mild thermogenic effects, which, in conjunction with proper diet and exercise, can result in fat loss. But

the effects are mild at best, and some studies that have compared a few of them with placebos have found no difference. In an effort to tap into the lucrative fat-loss market, various companies have produced exotic-sounding compounds that are claimed to promote relatively rapid fat loss. The scientific evidence proving the effectiveness of the products is either based on animal studies or simply nonexistent. One compound that looks good on paper and that is an ingredient in many fat-loss supplements is yohimbe, which is extracted from the bark of a West African tree called Pausinystalia yohimbe. A pharmaceutical form of yohimbine called Yacon was formerly used to treat impotence, though it has since been supplanted by Viagra and other more effective drugs. Yacon worked for only about a third of users and, like Viagra, had no effect on libido. Yacon worked as an alpha-2 adrenergic blocker, increasing blood flow within the sex organs, thereby improving erections. Yohimbine is still a major ingredient in so-called herbal Viagra formulas. From the standpoint of promoting fat loss, yohimbe is thought to act through its alpha-adrenergic blocking properties. Fat cells contain two types of adrenergic receptors, beta and alpha. Beta-receptors respond to catecholamines, such as norepinephrine, leading to a cascade that culminates A recent study in the release of fatty acids concluded that from lipocytes, or fat cells. yohimbe enhances Lipocytes that contain a fat burning when it s preponderance of alphaused in conjunction adrenergic receptors, such with a weight as those found in the upper training program. thighs, buttocks and hips, are more resistant to the fat-releasing effects of norepinephrine. By blocking the function of alphaadrenergic fat cell receptors, yohimbe helps you lose stubborn fat deposits. Animal studiesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;on dog, rat and mouse subjectsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; show that yohimbe seems to increase fat mobilization. The rodent studies have little relevance for humans because most of the fat mobilization occurred in brown fat, or BAT, a highly thermogenic fat tissue that is scarce in adult humans. The results in human studies of yohimbe have been equivocal. Exercise also stimulates catecholamine release, and an additive effect has been observed in human subjects who take yohimbe. Other studies show increased fat loss when yohimbe is

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combined with a low-calorie diet. In one study a group of overweight women who took yohimbe supplements while following a 1,000-calorie-a-day eating plan lost more weight than another group of women following the same diet minus yohimbe. In a Polish study published years ago, a group of women who’d been previously unable to lose bodyfat in their upper thighs, buttocks and hips did so successfully after taking yohimbe supplements. Despite continual dieting, the women had never been able to lose their recalcitrant fat stores. Those areas are hard to reduce because the fat cells contain a preponderance of alpha-2 adrenergic fat cell receptors. Scientists think that the female body evolved in this way to ensure an adequate number of calories for perpetuating the species (it takes an average of 80,000 calories to produce a human baby). Other human-based studies, however, have come up empty in terms of the fat-loss properties of yohimbe. One study examined the effects of various topical creams on fat loss in the thighs of a group of women.1 Aminophylline, a beta-adrenal agonist, proved most effective. Yohimbe turned out to be the least effective. Even so, several skincream products are currently on the market with yohimbe as the primary ingredient. In a double-blind study 33 men, average age 42, were randomly assigned to a yohimbe or a placebo group, with neither group knowing who was taking which substance.2 The men in the yohimbe group took a peak dose of 43 milligrams a day, considered an effective dose for fat-loss purposes. For six months researchers tested body mass, blood lipids, bodyfat and bodyfat distribution as measured by a CAT scan and waist-to-hip ratio. There were no differences in fat loss between those getting the real yohimbe and those who got the placebo. Yohimbe has also been touted as a testosterone booster. How that came about isn’t clear, but there’s no proof that yohimbe has any effect on any anabolic hormones, including testosterone and growth hormone. A recent study examined the effects of yohimbe on body composition and sports performance in 20 toplevel soccer players.3 The athletes were assigned to two groups, with one group taking yohimbe at a dose of 20 milligrams twice daily for 21 days. The other group got a cellulose placebo. No significant differences in body mass and muscle mass were found between the groups. Those in the yohimbe group, however, did have a significantly greater loss of bodyfat than those in the placebo group. No performance changes occurred in either group, nor were any side effects reported. Since both groups also trained with weights, the authors concluded that yohimbe supplementation boosts fat loss when used in conjunction with a weight-training program.

Some studies done with humans show a heightened fat-burning effect when yohimbe is taken before exercise and/or combined with a low-calorie diet. One reason the human studies produced such divergent results may be quality control. Analysis of commercial yohimbe supplements indicates that many contain either too little or no active ingredients. Yohimbine bark contains 0.7 percent yohimbine, while most supplement forms contain zero to 0.05 percent. One survey of products sold over the Internet showed a variance in yohimbe content that ranged from zero to 9.5 milligrams per unit. In the American products tested, two out of 18 contained clinically relevant amounts of yohimbe. Many dietary supplement forms of yohimbe contain 3 percent yohimbe, which means that a 100-milligram tablet will provide only three milligrams of actual yohimbe—if any at all. The accepted dose for fat-loss purposes is 0.2 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight. Yohimbe lasts for only about an hour before being degraded in the body. Active metabolites, however, can last up to six to eight hours. For best results you must take yohimbe on an empty stomach, since food totally negates its fat-mobilizing effects. That may explain the failure of some studies to show yohimbe’s role in fat loss. Since yohimbe works by triggering norepinephrine release, it would initially appear logical that combining it with other supplements that promote catecholamine release would increase the effectiveness of all. Taken alone, yohimbe isn’t considered stressful to cardiovascular function, though it isn’t recommended for those with high blood pressure or kidney problems. Adding it to a stack of ephedrine and caffeine, however, put more stress on the

Yohimbe has been touted as a testosterone booster. How that came about isn’t clear, but there’s no proof that yohimbe has any effect on any anabolic hormones, including testosterone and growth hormone. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 217

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Jerry Brainum’s

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Bodybuilding Pharmacology

One way to contol cortisol release during exercise is to take branched chain amino acids before training at least five grams. heart. As with ephedrine, too much yohimbe can bring on side effects. They include high blood pressure, since norepinephrine constricts blood vessels, rapid heart rate and severe anxiety. Blood pressure is heightened if you eat foods containing an amino acid by-product called tyramine—aged cheeses, red wine and chocolate. Years ago I spoke with a martial artist who said that his use of an OTC yohimbe supplement resulted in a panic attack so severe that he had to be hospitalized. His experience was idiosyncratic and uncommon. Still, it’s best not to take more than 40 milligrams a day. Perhaps the best way to use yohimbe for fat loss would be to take it in the morning before doing aerobic exercise. Early morning aerobics minus food increases fat oxidation more than usual, and adding yohimbe may increase the effect.

Caffeine and Cortisol Cortisol is a catabolic hormone

that promotes the breakdown of protein in the body. It is the yang to the yin of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone, growth hormone and insulin. In fact, they vary inversely— when cortisol levels are high, anabolic hormone levels are usually low and vice versa. One key to gaining muscle size and strength is controlling excess cortisol release. You wouldn’t want to completely curtail all cortisol release, since it helps your body manage stress; without it shock could prove deadly under some conditions. You also need it to control inflammation in the body, and curtailing all cortisol synthesis would likely lead to severe joint pain in most hard-training bodybuilders. Caffeine is a popular ergogenic aid for athletes and bodybuilders because it promotes alertness and may help increase fat oxidation during exercise. Other studies show that caffeine may increase the potency of muscle contractions during training through an interaction with calcium ions. What’s less well known about caffeine is that it also increases the cortisol count.

A recent study examined the effects of caffeine and cortisol on exercise.4 Ninety-six men and women took 250 milligrams of caffeine three times a day—the equivalent of about six cups of coffee. Their cortisol levels were measured eight times a day, and they engaged in either mental stress or moderate-intensity exercise, followed by an afternoon meal. At the start of the study, both men and women had similar resting cortisol levels. The women had a smaller cortisol response to mental stress than the men, and caffeine increased the cortisol response to stress in both sexes. The exercise alone didn’t increase cortisol, but when the subjects took caffeine before exercising, the same workout led to elevated cortisol in the men. Exercise alone didn’t activate a cortisol response because the workout was of moderate intensity and not long. Cortisol helps regulate blood glucose, among other functions, so cortisol release during exercise is usually activated when the blood glucose level begins to fall. In this study the men who took caffeine prior to training experienced substantial cortisol release that persisted into the evening hours. One way to control cortisol release during exercise is with carbohydrates, as lower blood glucose signals cortisol release. Another way to block cortisol’s catabolic effect on muscle is to take at least five grams of branchedchain amino acids—leucine, isoleucine and valine—before training. Be aware, however, that if you take in carbs during training, you’ll blunt any fat-releasing effect induced by caffeine.

References 1

Greenway, F.L., et al. (1995). Topical fat reduction. Obes Res. Supp4:561S-568S. 2 Sax, L. (1991). Yohimbine does not affect fat distribution in men. Int J Obesity. 15:561-565. 3 Ostojic, S. (2006). Yohimbine: the effects on body composition and exercise performance in soccer players. Res Sports Med. 14:289-299. 4 Lovallo, W., et al. (2006). Cortisol responses to mental stress, exercise, and meals following caffeine intake in men and women. Pharm Biochem Behavior. 83:441-47. IM

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Balik

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Heavy Duty

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Bigger, Stronger and Leaner Faster Than Ever Before! You don’t have to burn hard-earned muscle as you melt away fat. Now you can actually build more muscle size and strength as your abs get razor sharp and you get ripped. That’s the attention-grabbing look you want now, and the new Fat to Muscle 2 shows you how. You’ll discover: nutrition guidelines and diets— •eatPrecise to max out your muscle mass as pounds of ugly bodyfat disappear. (Learn the CarbStacking strategy that can transform muscle size and stoke the fat-burning furnace.) Which substance—found in almost any kitchen—is the ultimate aid for energy, better muscular response and fat burning. How dairy can help you burn fat— yogurt, cheese and milk can get you leaner. How to increase fat use with a minimum of aerobic exercise, and why aerobics may be a waste of time for a lean, muscular look. The amazing direct/indirect Fat-toMuscle 2 training program—with this innovative routine it appears as if you train a bodypart only once a week, but you really train each twice thanks to indirect work (and each workout takes less than an hour). The 8 key nutrients for faster fat burning, including how much to take of each. Top 6 fat-to-muscle tricks. (Great info!) The 10 rules for super energy. The secrets to melting away bodyfat as you build lean, ripped muscle are all packed in this bulletin—eating plans, workout routines, metabolism-acceleration techniques and the best fat-to-muscle nutrients. Stop dieting Pack On Le an away muscle—pack As You Shed Mass Bodyfat Includes carb on more as you burn -sta diets, grow cking and carb-reducti th on horm one fat-burning activation, wor fat, and look your and the 10 kouts and supplements Rules for Sup er Energy hard, muscular best in record time!

The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer

• • • •

by John Little

• • •

Q: In his last book, High

Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way, Mike indicated in his chapter on metabolic momentum that “all-out effort of the highintensity variety requires a lot of motivation and actual physical and mental courage.” What exactly did he mean by that? I’ve always looked at bodybuilding as a physical activity—not a psychological one.

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All-out physical effort requires not only ample psychological motivation but physical and mental courage as well.

A: Mike viewed the mind and body as interrelated. Because highintensity muscular contraction places a large demand on the body’s limited supply of adaptive energy and because the body has been conditioned over time to use such energy only sparingly as a response to conditions that are potentially life threatening, one’s mind and body do everything possible to prevent conditions from occurring that would warrant tapping into the extremely potent but rare supply of energy. As Mike once pointed out: “Lassitude, anxiety and even a preference for low-intensity workouts are manifestations of the mind’s disinclination to engage the body in such maximal efforts. Therefore, as your muscles get stronger and stronger, you must exercise your will to get stronger apace. Having been successful in my efforts to become both muscularly

massive and very strong, I can assure you that the principle of intensity refers almost exclusively to the human will and the ability to command your muscles to contract against the only real resistance—your own mind.” That of course has been a malefactor of human performance for eons and has been written about and commented on by everyone from psychologists and philosophers to poets and playwrights: “Thus conscience doth make cowards of us all.” —Shakespeare, Hamlet (III.i) “Compared with what we ought to be, we are only half awake. Our fires are damped, our drafts are checked. We are making use of only a small part of our possible mental and physical resources.” —William James, “The Energies of Men”

“I assess the power of a will by how much resistance, pain, torture it endures and knows how to turn to its advantage.” —Friedrich Nietzsche, The Will to Power Mike’s point is well taken, as all-out physical effort requires not only ample psychological motivation but physical and mental courage as well. The mind is immensely capable of aiding muscular contractions. The strength of a muscle is directly proportional to its physiological or effective cross section, which is approximately 140 pounds per square inch in the average male and 105 in the average female.1 It’s the pull exerted at the point of attachment to the skeleton. Under normal conditions, however, we can’t produce the physiological maximum. The reason, according to physiologist

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Heavy Duty Arthur Steinhaus, is that we typically operate only to our psychological limit, although it may be extended via excitement, desperation, hypnosis, insanity or shock therapy. No doubt most of us have noted a degree of reluctance to engage in an all-out physical effort; it’s something that we ordinarily avoid. Over the millennia human beings have sur-

vived by being efficient at conserving energy—rather than dispelling it. Again, to quote Mike: “Other than in athletic training and competition, such effort is required only in emergency situations. Only a person fired by a strong, almost overwhelming sense of purpose and meaning will be able to train with maximum intensity.”2

Neveux \ Model: Chris Cook

The body requires a fairly severe stimulus to bring about physiological change.

Mike went on to cite psychologist and philosopher William James to the effect that only the “unusual stimulus” can fill you with the emotional excitement to make the “‘extra effort’ that will carry you over the dam to optimal training progress.”3 That point was verified scientifically by Dr. Steinhaus more than 50 years ago during experiments he conducted in order to determine the factors that affected the maximum expression of human strength. As Steinhaus recalled: “I came to try a very simple experiment in this area. We pulled against a scale to measure strength of forearm flexors. Whenever the second sweep hand came to the one o’clock position, the individual was to pull as hard as he could. So we registered a maximal contraction every minute. Then without warning to the individual we shot a gun at various times before the clock came to the pulling position. Invariably, we found the individual had more strength after the shot. We found that the shot about four seconds before the pull got the greatest increase. We found the increase was sometimes as much as 30 percent. Then we tried yelling. When they yelled, their strength was also more than usual. Then we tried hypnosis. Under hypnosis it is possible to do away with inhibitions. We found up to 50 percent improvement in strength.... We had found three ways of crashing the psychologic [sic] barrier that stops us in the execution of strength. The psychologic limit is always short of the physiologic one. Professor Hill of England once said that one of the big differences between the athlete and the nonathlete is that the athlete has learned to close the gap between the psychologic and physiologic limits. He drives himself closer to the physiologic limit.”4 Most trainees, except perhaps the greatest champions, rarely summon the mental drive necessary to wring maximum contraction from their muscles. The majority of bodybuilders who seek to achieve maximum results have to find a means of strengthening their will—or to bypass their motivational shortcomings. It can be

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Heavy Duty done by applying an exogenous training method such as forced reps or negatives to the muscle so that contractions can always be maximal—exogenous means external, or initiated from outside the body. Some believe that through normal conscious direction perhaps only 30 percent of a single muscle can be stimulated at any one time. If that limiting factor could be removed, you would effectively remove the impediment to your stimulating closer to 100 percent of that muscle at one time. Many years ago John Zeigler,

into the subject’s muscles. In 1974, shortly after he returned to the East Coast from a lengthy trip to Deland, Florida (where he trained with Casey Viator and talked training for many months with Nautilus impresario Arthur Jones), Mike began to work with Ziegler. As he recalled: “What made Dr. Ziegler even more interesting was his world-famous electronic muscle stimulator. With the assistance of an electronics engineer, Ziegler developed a machine that could contract any of the body’s skeletal muscles to

old friend and sometime training partner Roger Schwab, currently proprietor of the hugely successful Main Line Health and Fitness Center in Pennsylvania. It wasn’t long before Mentzer told him of Ziegler’s machine, with the result that Schwab decided to check it out for himself. “Mike told me about it, and it sounded very intriguing,” Schwab says, “so I went down to see Mike and Dr. Ziegler once a month, over the course of a year, maybe 10 or 12 times. The machine was incredible—you could put it on any body-

varying degrees—including maximal contraction where every fiber of a given muscle is activated. The Federal Trade Commission investigated Ziegler’s machine and claimed it was harmless, because it wasn’t supposed to work. Well, the machine most certainly did work, since my brother and I were giving each other treatments, as well as administering them to injured athletes and those who were handicapped or had lost the use of certain limbs.”5 In almost constant touch with Mentzer during that period was his

part—and you turned it up and it would contract the muscle, sometimes really intensely. We put it on our calves and abs, pecs, delts and arms, and Mike was using it twice a week—and I was using it once a month—and it gave me the opportunity to spend the day with him. “You’d sit or lie there, and he would dial up the intensity. It felt like you were really fatiguing the muscle even though you weren’t doing any lifting, but it felt afterward like you had done a workout. It was not a continuous buildup. It was intermittent—contract/relax,

Balik

“Only a person fired by a strong, almost overwhelming sense of purpose and meaning will be able to train with maximum intensity.”

a physiologist from Olney, Maryland, created a muscle-stimulation machine that was used by champion bodybuilders (such as Mike and Ray Mentzer) and professional athletes, such as members of the Washington Redskins football team. Both Ziegler and the Mentzers considered it helpful because it enabled the individual to stimulate 100 percent of a muscle via bypassing the trainee’s motivational and neuromuscular shortcomings. The resistance was provided through an exogenous source—electricity wired directly

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 227

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Heavy Duty

Perhaps only 30 percent of a single muscle can be stimulated at any one time.

Neveux \ Model: Steve Namat

contract/relax—but that was Mike; always on the lookout for new ways to build more muscle.” Thus the benefit of an exogenous stimulus. But who said that you can get an exogenous muscle stimulating effect only from an electronic machine? As you get bigger and stronger, many very real barriers—both physiological and psychological— begin to impose themselves on your physiology. Your body doesn’t want to change. It literally must be forced. A high-intensity rep—all things being equal—is the most productive rep you can perform. That contraction, and thus the resistance you’re contracting against, is maximal. It becomes increasingly difficult to psych yourself up for a maximum effort—much as Olympic sprinters must psych themselves up for an allout sprint every time they go to the track. Indeed, Heavy Duty training is even more difficult, as the inroad into the muscle’s recovery ability is greater than what you encounter in sprinting. The depletion of the body’s energy reserves is greater. Given how slow the muscle-growth process is, it takes an individual of incredibly strong willpower to derive motivational sustenance from witnessing changes in your strength and appearance that are incremental at the best of times. How, then, can you improve your motivation shy of enrolling in a course of hypnotherapy? Moreover, as you get stronger, your body doesn’t remove waste products as efficiently. Contractions become so draining and the onset of fatigue so immediate that it gets progressively more difficult for you to derive full benefit from a set. Neuromuscular efficiency can also limit the recruitment and stimulation of muscle fibers. Some individuals are born with a tremendous genetic advantage in that regard; they can contract almost all of their available muscle fibers (providing sufficient overload is imposed on them) at will, while others can contract only a small percentage of fibers, despite their greatest conscious effort. Nevertheless, the advanced bodybuilder must make a concerted effort to do three things if he desires further progress: • He must make his muscular contractions more intense.

• He must reduce the volume of his workouts to enable his muscular contractions to become more intense. • He must adjust the frequency of his workouts to permit full recovery and growth to take place after each workout. The third point requires some elaboration. The greater energy out-

put a trainee generates, the greater the corresponding rest required prior to his next workout. In some instances it can be as long as three to four weeks—just to let adequate recovery take place. Then, of course, an additional block of time must elapse to allow for the muscle growth that was stimulated to be produced.

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Heavy Duty At my training facility in Canada, Nautilus North Strength & Fitness Centre, we’re often asked whether it’s better to train more frequently to hasten the fat-loss and/or muscle-growth processes. Since we typically don’t prescribe more than one training session per week (at most), it is to be expected that in an age of chronic misinformation, many people believe that “more is better” when it comes to their exercise habits. While “more” may or may not be “better” in terms of achievement, happiness and understanding, “more” can be downright toxic in the case of exercise. Exercise is a stimulus that acts upon the body to produce a response. As with medicine, the precise dose can and should produce the optimal response—but too much of the stimulus administered too frequently simply results in an overdose that can have disastrous consequences. The body, being very resistant to change and very protective of the status quo, requires a fairly severe stimulus in order to bring about any desired physiological change, such as a change in body composition—that is, in bodyfat-to-muscle ratio—whether the stimulus is in the form of a drug or exercise. According to Doug McGuff, M.D., an emergency-room physician in Seneca, South Carolina, and the owner of Ultimate Exercise, a personal-training facility: “The problem with most drugs is that there is a narrow window between an amount of stimulation which produces the desired response and an amount of stimulation which produces a toxic response. Generally, the more effective a drug is at producing a stimulus, the more narrow the space between a therapeutic and toxic dosage. Another critical observation is that the therapeutic effect always plateaus so that pushing the dose higher only produces toxicity and never produces any additional therapeutic effect.”6 Dr. McGuff logically concludes that there’s no point in risking toxicity. He cites the pain-relieving effects of ibuprofen, which max out at approximately 400 milligrams. If you increase that dosage, you get no more pain relief but you will

increase the likelihood of burning a hole in your stomach lining. A similar relationship between dose amount and frequency exists with exercise, with anything above the threshold impeding or preventing the desired physiological response from taking place. That’s being corroborated by more and more researchers in the field of exercise physiology, who report that if another stimulus (workout) is introduced before recovery is complete, a host of negative biochemical reactions occurs within the body. Sound familiar? It should. Mike Mentzer said it first—back in the early 1980s. He told me about it in 1986:

was required to induce maximum growth stimulation. And if, in fact, I had not recovered—which was obvious—why train at all? Recovery always precedes growth, and growth was our ultimate goal; if we had not recovered, then, in fact, there was no way we could have grown from the first workout. In that kind of case the best thing that can happen would be that you merely wouldn’t

Training is like ibuprofen. If you increase the dosage past a certain point, you get no more pain relief but you increase the likelihood of physical damage.

“Back in 1979 I remember meeting my brother in the gym for one of our usual workouts. I think it was the second day of a split routine schedule, and we were both quite fatigued, apparently still not having recovered from the previous day’s workout. Just all of a sudden it occurred to me that it would be useless to train with anything less than all-out intensity—since that

make any progress. You’d just spin your wheels. Carried on for too long, you’ll actually lose muscular mass and strength—you’ll always be making inroads into your recovery ability and never allowing yourself to recover, let alone grow, which is secondary. You have to recover before you can grow. “It was obvious that we were still tired, that the forced reps and www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 229

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Heavy Duty the negatives we’d done with the legs and the back, for instance, were so exhausting that we hadn’t overcome the effects of the workout. How the hell were we going to grow unless we at least let that happen? We knew that recovery was important in terms of overall, or systemic, recovery. We weren’t worried about localized or particular muscle recovery; we knew that happened relatively quickly after a workout. But it was obvious due to our general exhaustion that we hadn’t even recovered our overall systems’ energies and so forth—let alone grown. And since growth was our primary goal along with getting defined, at that point we realized that it would have been counterproductive—perhaps even harmful—to our progress to train.” Science has revealed that training before recovery has taken place creates a very negative environment for muscle growth, the result of incomplete protein turnover, which causes a slowing of the recovery process and creates an overstressed condition. That leads to secretion of the catabolic hormone cortisol, which, in turn, creates additional tissue breakdown. The degeneration can bring on a host of maladies, including but not limited to muscle soreness and stiffness, tendinitis, a suppression of the immune system, increased frequency of upper-respiratory-tract infections, depression, lethargy, weakness, reductions in testosterone and greatly reduced sperm count in men, depressed muscle glycogen reserves, insomnia, a marked decreased in exercise performance and symptoms of Cushing’s disease. In fact, research conducted by Kuipers and Keizer in 1988 revealed that individuals who are so overtrained may require upward of three to six months off from training in order to fully recover. That’s why Heavy Duty training calls for but one workout per week—particularly for trainees with more than two months of training under their belts. As McGuff points out: “If you work out too soon, you will know that you have done so because you will actually be weaker in your workout rather than stronger. You will not be able to lift the

same amount of resistance for as long as you did in the last workout. If you have waited long enough, you should be stronger on every set of every movement in your workout. We have found through experimentation that four days is the minimum that most average adults will require between workouts. Some people may require as many as nine or 10 days. In general, the vast majority can recover sufficiently in seven days.”7 At Nautilus North, people have made excellent progress training as little as once every four weeks. Indeed, two women at our facility were out of the gym for three months and both went up in reps and weight in every exercise upon their return.

References 1 Mentzer, M. (2003). High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2 Mentzer, M. (1979). Metabolic momentum. The Revised Heavy Duty Journal. Copyright renewed 2002 Mentzer-Sharkey Enterprises, Inc. 3 Mentzer, M. (1979). Metabolic momentum. 4 Steinhaus, A.H. (1961). Towards an understanding of health and physical fitness. Paper presented at the 29th annual convention of the southern district of AAHPER, Atlanta, Georgia, February 28–March 3, 1961. 5 Mentzer, M. (2003). High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way. 6 McGuff, D. (2000). The dose-response relationship of exercise, part II: The narrow therapeutic window (www.ultimate-exercise.com). 7 McGuff, D. (2000). The dose-response relationship of exercise.

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

Science has revealed that training before recovery has taken place creates a very negative environment for muscle growth, the result of incomplete protein turnover, which causes a slowing of the recovery process and creates an overstressed condition. That leads to secretion of the catabolic hormone cortisol, which, in turn, creates additional tissue breakdown. The degeneration can bring on a host of maladies. 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 © 2007, John Little. All rights reserved. Mike Mentzer quotations provided courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and are used with permission. 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.

Question: Where on earth are you most likely to hear the following phrases uttered? “Ain’t nuthin’ but a peanut.” “Light weight, baby.” “Yo-o-o buddy.” “Everyone wants to be a bodybuilder, but nobody wants to lift heavy-ass weights.” Well, if you’re a serious fan of pro bodybuilding, you know the answer without hesitation: Metroflex Gym in Arlington, Texas, the legendary stomping ground of eight-time Mr. Olympia, and the very man—man? More like an alien from the planet Freakazoid—who made the above lines famous, Ronnie Coleman. Look up the word hardcore in the dictionary, and you’ll find a picture of Metroflex. It’s known throughout the bodybuilding world as one of the most dungeonlike, sweaty, intense and pure gyms on the planet. There’s nothing fancy, modern or pretty about the place, and that’s exactly the way the members want it. When you walk through the doors of Metroflex, you better be ready to “go hard, or go home.” You have two choices when training there: Pour out some serious sweat, or run away with your tail between your legs. Just talking about Metroflex is enough to get my testosterone skyrocketing, but what has me even more pumped up is that we all now have the opportunity to learn from the main man behind the Metroflex madness, owner and operator Brian Dobson. Just think how cool it would be to have the same secrets in your back pocket as Brian has taught to Ronnie Coleman, Branch Warren and dozens of other top-level pro bodybuilders, powerlifters, football players, fitness athletes and UFC fighters. What are you waiting for? Check out the Web site and find out how you too can benefit from the insights of a man who’s spent 30 years creating champions in the iron sports. You have nothing to lose and only slabs of new muscle to gain. 232 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Ronnie Coleman

>www.MetroflexGymTraining.com

>www.LiftStudios.com Just having a great body, effective product, sexy look or even an IFBB pro card doesn’t guarantee financial success in the extremely competitive bodybuilding industry. You may be exceptional when you’re out among the general public, but within the confines of the fitness and physique world you’re a dime a dozen. Thus you must find ways to promote yourself so you stand out among your peers. That’s where a company like Lift Studios, a brand-strategy and design firm providing branding, consulting, design, interactive and marketing services, can be enormously valuable. Located in Denver, Colorado, Lift Studios offers creative solutions for everything from your advertising, marketing and public relations to corporate identity, Web design and photography—and anything in between. With such well-known clients as Monica Brant, Phil Heath, King Kamali and Dina Al-Sabah, Lift Studios is trusted in the bodybuilding and fitness industry. Go to www.LiftStudios.com to learn more about this company and how it may be able to help you get your career on the fast track to success.

>www.MonicaGuerra.com Okay, sometimes I just got to take care of my boys—my iron brothers. I know you guys work hard, at school or in the office—and, of course, in the gym. Every once in a while it’s just nice to relax, kick back, sip a protein drink and enjoy a little eye candy. If you agree, then let me introduce you to California personal trainer and IFBB Fitness pro Monica Guerra. Born in beautiful Santa Barbara and now residing in Redondo Beach, Monica has a stunning, exotic look that causes men’s—and women’s—blood to boil. At 5’2” and 109 symmetrical and not-too-mus-

cular pounds, she’s just plain hot. There’s not a lot of information on this site, nor is it up to date; however, the gallery is worth the trip—you know, just for the stress relief. Consider it therapy.

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Eric Broser’s >Net

Results Q&A

Interesting queries and replies from message boards and forums from across the Internet, answered with precision, accuracy and plenty of outrageous opinions... Q: I really feel the need to have a couple of cheat meals each week—you know, something way off the typical bodybuilding diet. Is that horrible? Will it totally kill my progress? When is the best time for me to have meals like that? A: Hey, we’re all human, so I totally understand the need to break free from the typical chicken, brown rice and vegetables in order to eat something that lets you focus more on your taste buds than your muscles. That said, most bodybuilders who eat cheat meals still take in plenty of protein and useful carbohydrates when they go off their diet, instead of eating 100 percent nutritionally vacant meals. Typical cheats for bodybuilders are burgers and fries, pizza, fried chicken, Chinese food and so on. What really makes those meals cheats is the number of calories, as well as the excess sodium and fats. So is it horrible to eat those things a few times per week? Will it destroy all of your hard work in the gym? Thankfully, the answer in no. In fact, it can be quite beneficial to splurge once or twice per week, as the excess calories will have a positive effect on your metabolism, serving to rev it up a bit. More important, eating things that you truly enjoy will give your mind a rest, which makes it a lot easier to remain on a strict regimen the majority of the time. Just try to make your cheats reasonable, with at least some nutritional value. Hey, even pizza has some important antioxidants (lutein, anyone?). As for the best time to put away delicious goodies, that would be at the meal immediately following your workout. Right after you train, your body is metabolically set up to absorb more overall calories and to partition most of these calories toward muscle cells rather than fat cells. Because of the metabolic posttraining window it’s best to have a cheat meal at that time—as long as it’s a meal and not ice cream, cake, cookies and so on. Your muscles will get what they need in terms of protein and carbs and will be less likely to store the excess calories as fat. So go ahead and enjoy a guilt-free cheat meal once or twice per week—and the extra time you’ll spend in the bathroom (just make sure you have the latest copy of IRON MAN with you).

Q: I really like your P/RR/S program, except for one thing: You advocate training each bodypart once per week, and I have a couple of weak points (shoulders and chest) that I think need more stimulation. Can I do extra work? If so, how would you arrange a split for four days per week? A: One of the greatest attributes of my program is that it’s very versatile and can be tweaked to meet the specific needs of each individual. Normally, yes, I do advocate training each bodypart very intensely just once per week, but there are certainly exceptions to that rule. I have some clients with extraordinary recovery ability who need to train each muscle twice per week, or at least twice every five to six days rather than every seven. I also have clients who burn out very easily and benefit most from training each bodypart once every eight or nine days. We all have somewhat different needs, due to our individual hormonal profiles, constitutions, immune systems, lifestyles, stress levels, sleep patterns, eating habits, etc. Now, as to your specific question, yes, there’s room in P/RR/S for more frequent bodypart training, especially when it comes to lagging muscle groups. In fact, I believe that one of the best ways to bring up a muscle is to train it a bit more often. Remember, though, that won’t always solve the problem. Some people fail to improve certain muscle groups because they use poor form or improper exercise selection or even have compromised nerve innervations. If none of those apply, however, more frequent training for the lagging muscle group quite often alleviates the problem. Generally, I don’t recommend two full workouts per week for lagging muscles but rather one full and one miniworkout that’s at half your normal volume. In other words, if your normal chest workout consists of 10 sets, then your miniworkout should be no more than five or six sets. Usually, that’s enough to get the stubborn muscle growing without compromising your overall recovery ability. Since your weak bodyparts are shoulders and chest, here’s a split for you: Monday: Chest, biceps, abs Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, shoulders (mini) Thursday: Lats, lower back, chest (mini) Friday: Shoulders, traps, triceps, calves IM

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Lonnie Teper’s

NEWS &ViEWS ’07 Arnold Classic

Vic Does the Trick As Yogi did predict

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Victor Martinez.

Arnold Classic photography by John Balik, Roland Balik and Merv

Ron ”Yogi” Avidan says his partners on “The Experts”—me and Isaac Hinds—should get down on our knees and pay homage to him. Dan Solomon says the Swami might need a crystal ball cleaning. I say both of you must be sniffin’ glue. First, Yogi. As you can see on “The Experts” video wrapup of the prejudging at the Arnold Classic on March 3—find it at www.GraphicMuscle .com—Avidan is flowing with attitude because he feels his pick to win the Columbus, Ohio, bash, Victor Martinez, is a lock to take home the grand prize of $130,000, a $20,000 Audemars Piguet watch, a splendid Tony Nowak jacket and congrats from the Governator. Several hours later Yogi’s prediction becomes a reality. What makes things even worse is, as the emcee of the contest, I’m the one who gets to make things official when I read off the final placings. Isaac, I feel your pain. This is nothing against Martinez, who is a great bodybuilder. It’s more about losing to Avidan. Now for the real story behind Avidan’s pick. As executive producer of “The Experts” I wanted three different athletes to be selected by our terrific trio. I was going with two-time defending champ Dexter “the Blade” Jackson, and Isaac’s choice was sophomore sensation Phil Heath. Getbig.com’s Big Ron was confused, as usual. He was waffling between two or three contestants (who did not end up in the top six) when I told him that his time was up and that he would be selecting Martinez, the co-precontest favorite with the Blade. Talk about a handout. Now he’s acting like some legit expert and wants praise for “his” pick? Okay, I’ll be a man about it and give Avidan his props, tainted as they are. Well, all three of us did say Toney Freeman would win the IRON MAN Pro, so Ron is on a roll. Let’s see just how long Yogi’s winning streak lasts. I’m picking Dennis James to take the New York Pro on May 12. Hinds says last year’s Nationals champ, Desmond Miller, will win it in his pro debut. I’ve been a fan of Miller’s since I first saw him at the ’05 Nationals, and it was hard not going with Big D for this one. In fact, I was going with him up until the moment that I heard that James would compete. Yogi is taking Darrem Charles. At press time—mid-March— I’m not sure who’s all in, who’s out of the Steve Weinberger production. Now back to Solomon. The creator of the standout radio show “Pro Bodybuilding Weekly” (can you believe the GoverFreeman and Badell (right). nator was actually on for an hour before the Arnold Classic?) Above: The Blade and Mar danced up to me at the postcontest banquet (with Canadian tinez compare cuts. dance diva Nancy Di Nino doing the leading) and promptly let

HOT MOVES Is Dan bucking to be nicknamed Dancezilla? Pages 238 to 240

TRICK QUESTION How many times does this garment appear in this column? Pages 242 and 244

CALF ROUNDUP See pages 242 and 243

me know that the Swami’s predictions of late haven’t been first rate. Hold on a minute, young man. It’s not like the Blade got stomped in Columbus. He looked terrific, as I said he would. Count me as one of many who thought the show was a lot closer than the final verdict—a unanimous victory for Martinez. Jackson was great; the judges simply thought Victor was greater. I can live with that. In the end Vic was just too slick. That he was selected to win the Most Muscular Award is noted as well. You and your Webcast mate Bobzilla Cicherillo need to get over your obsession regarding my ’Zilla nicknames. In more than 20 years I have given the moniker three times: to the late Paul “Quadzilla” DeMayo in 1989, to Tommi “Glutezilla” Thorvildsen in 2001 and to Ahmad “Abzilla” Haidar in 2003. Okay, I did give a gal out of San Diego the moniker of “Boobzilla” about 18 years back, but if you saw her, you’d understand. Gee, I’m up to six now; you two may have a point.

Clockwise from top: Vic with Governor S, L.T. at the podium, Phil Heath, Abzilla, Silvio Samuel and Markus Rühl.

ADD ARNOLD CLASSIC—Back to the show. I felt the lineup might have been one of the most balanced in Classic history, and although the point totals don’t reflect that (except for the battle between Freeman and Gustavo Badell for third, I stand tall on that statement. Check the pictures here and in the pictorial that begins on page 244—as well as those at GraphicMuscle. com—and let me know your thoughts. I went with Dex because he’s really at the top of his game. I know that Martinez has perhaps the best genetics in the sport but wasn’t sure he could peak again so soon after coming in prime condition to last season’s Mr. Olympia. Although he didn’t look as good as he did at that show, he was impressive. And, yes, he does beat Jackson in both the front and rear lat spreads and in the back double-biceps pose. Freeman, my ’06 Comeback Bodybuilder of the Year, is leading the pack for ’07 Bodybuilder of the Year honors after he edged Badell for third. The 6’2”, 280-pounder out of Atlanta had made it two for two a week earlier with a victory at the Sacramento Pro. (The X-Man was also set to compete at the Australia Grand Prix a week after the Arnold but had passport problems and was forced to miss the event, which, by the way, was won by the Blade. Darn, that Swami knows his stuff! Okay, okay, Martinez wasn’t onstage at that contest.) Some folks had Heath as high as third early in the judging, but the 27year-old Denver phenom had slipped to fifth when all was said and done. A disappointment? Hardly. Heath added about eight pounds to his 5’9” frame and wasn’t tight enough in the upper body to match his awesome wheels, calves and hams. After the show, Heath and trainer Hany Rambod expressed disappointment and admitted they were thinking about passing on the Olympia again to concentrate on next year’s events. “If Phil placed fifth www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 239

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CORY IS THE STORY—It was great to see Cory Everson again. The six-time Ms. Olympia, who retired after her final victory in 1989, was on hand to receive the Arnold Schwarzenegger Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Governator himself was on hand to present it. Not only did I get to chat with Cory at the postcontest banquet (and meet her husband, Steve Donia, and her two beautiful children, Boris and Nina, who were adopted from Russia at ages three and five), but I did likewise with another blast from the past—Cory’s sister, Cameo Kneuer-Bernard.

Haley gets down.

NPC Arnold photography by Amir Marandi

here,” Rambod reasoned, “where will he finish at the Olympia, with Jay [Cutler], Ronnie [Coleman], Gunter [Schlierkamp], Melvin [Anthony] and other top guys competing?” Well, I don’t think Gunter will be getting onstage in 2007, so one of your worries is over. I do understand Rambod’s concern that the Gift won’t have enough time before the Big Dance—at the end of September—to make the improvements the judges are looking for. Still, Phil the Thrill will be someone to be reckoned with in the near future. Trust me. This season’s biggest surprise, Silvio Samuel, continues to prove that his name deserves to be uttered when people are discussing the best in the game. Fourth at the IRON MAN, second in Sacramento and sixth at the Arnold, he was set to compete in Australia as well but, like Freeman, had passport problems. Branch Warren, Ronny Rockell, Markus Rühl and Vince Taylor finished seventh through 10th, respectively, and, in the biggest upset of the night, Taylor was beaten by Marcus Haley for the Most Entertaining Posing award, which padded Haley’s wallet with 10 grand. To be fair, Marcus deserved it; Vince is one of the alltime greats, both as a bodybuilder and a poser, but, for reasons unknown, his performance lacked the creativity and energy we’ve become accustomed to. Back to Branch. After finishing eighth in his initial try at the Olympia, in 2005, WarNancy Di Nino ren muscled his way into second place and Dan Solomon. at last season’s Arnold—and he won the Most Muscular award to boot. Then, after losing to Badell at the ’06 San Francisco Pro, he finished fifth a week later at the Australia Grand Prix. He had a legit excuse for the latter; he was on his honeymoon. But Warren was way off at the ’06 Olympia, landing in 11th, and this year’s Arnold was his “I’ll show you I’m still a contender” contest. Branch came in a bit smaller, especially in the upper body—his wheels were still outrageous—in an obvious attempt to bring back his grade-A conditioning. He’s scheduled to compete in the New York Pro. A huge performance there would put him back where he left off a year ago. Mark Dugdale (11th), Haley (12th), Hidetada Yamagishi (13th), David Henry (14th), Sergey Shelestov (15th) and Luke Wood (16th) rounded out the field.

Arnold amateur top names (clockwise from upper left): Miguel Neil, Diane Brown, Kara Flowers, Sara Flom and promters Lorimer and Davies.

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Sandy, Lats and Debbie.

Photos courtesy of Cameo Kneuer-Bernard

Photography by Lonnie Teper, Dave Lliberman and Ron Avidan

Ronnie’s pinstripes.

For those who remember, Cameo was big in the fitness industry around the time Cory was dusting her Ms. O opponents year after year. She was the very first winner of the very first big fitness competition, the ’87 Ms. National Fitness Championship, and held the title for two years. The fitness business has been very rewarding to her, she said. “I have been doing infomercials on a yearly basis ever since I competed and have made a great living from it,” said Cameo. “Cory and I live a few miles apart, and we train as much as we can together. We hold each other accountable and are best friends. We help each other with our kids, and she is so happy to be a mom.” Cameo is married to Randy Bernard, CEO of Professional Bull Riders, and they have three children—Priscilla, 17, Ryan 16 and Alexandria, 14. They live in Woodland Hills, California, Jay and Colorado Springs, Colorado. Reg and tanks it. “Priscilla is a varsity water-polo player,” said Mareon Park. the proud mother. “Ryan is a varsity volleyball Lisa player and plays for the number-two-ranked Santa Monica Aukland Beach Club team. Alexandria is a freshman varsity water-polo and Dave player, is on the varsity swim team and also played junior Liberman. varsity basketball.” Is that all? Now, what would you expect from anyone blessed with those wonderful Kneuer genes? Have those 18 or so years been kind to Cory and Cameo? I can’t wait anLackdaddy other two decades until we meet again, so let’s connect soon, and Monica. ladies. Lunch on me. Just no sprints in the pool with the kids.

MORE ARNOLD ACTION—Good thing I like to talk. Because I certainly did a lot more than usual during the weekend in Columbus. In addition to my usual duties as emcee of the Arnold Classic and Ms. International finals, I was hired by Bob Lorimer and Mike Davies to host the newly revived NPC Arnold Championships, Rockell which took place on Friday and Saturday morning at Veterans eats Auditorium and on the expo stage. cake. About 250 athletes from around the United States joined the fray, which began on Friday at 9 a.m. and ended at 2 p.m. with the completion of the bodybuilding prejudging and the fitness and figure finals. Even I’m surprised I could jabber that long (including a new all-time fill record of more than 30 minutes). There were so many figure competitors that the fitness and figure prejudging had to be held in a separate room (hosted by former Collegiate National champ and current engineer/writerphotographer-emcee Mike Lackner) while I handled things at Vets Memorial. On Saturday morning the trophies were given out to the fitElissa Schlichter ness and figure winners, and all the bodybuilding finalists posed and got their medals on the main stage at the ever-expanding and John Tuman. expo. When I called out the first contestant at 9 a.m. sharp, the place was already packed. Congrats to men’s champ Miguel Neil, a hometown guy out of Columbus, and Dazzling Diane Brown, from Hyattsville, Maryland, in the women’s bodybuilding category. Ditto for fitness champ Sara Flom, a Granada Hills, California, athlete who in her spare time doubles as an attorney. The figure winner was Kara Flowers of Blacklick, Ohio, who I met when I announced her as the winner of the Natural Ohio last year. I predicted then that she’d earn her pro card at the Team Universe in 2006, but she was unable to compete there, so I’m making the prediction again for 2007 here and now. Emceeing the NPC Arnold was a fun experience, and I hope to do it again next year. Kudos to Lorimer and Davies for bringing the event back (it was held in a

Cory with Arnold (above) and with sister Cameo and L.T.

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smaller format a couple of times about a decade ago), as well as to head judge Gary Udit and head expediter Rick Bayardi for running such a smooth show.

Teper’s Tales As always, the weekend attracted an industry who’s who. Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler and the man he dethroned, Ronnie Coleman, greeted each other warmly. The Big Nasty, known for his wild suits, was true to form with a shiny new black pinstripe; Jay was sporting a suit as well, but he looked more at home in his Team MuscleTech tanker at the expo.… Don Long, who fulfilled his wish of competing in a pro bodybuilding show again at the Atlantic City Pro in September, told me he’s signed a contract with ISS Research. Congrats, Don, you looked great as always.… At the postcontest banquet I sat at the legends table, which included Reg Park and his lovely wife, Mareon. They both looked great. Also at the table were Mike Katz and Winston Roberts, Dave Liberman and Linda Reho (how in the heck did they get to sit at the legends table?—oh, I got them tickets) and my fellow emcee Clint Richards. Clint, are they trying to tell us something?… Liberman couldn’t contain himself when he saw Lisa Auckland’s marvelous calves walking into the Veterans Memorial lobby after the Ms. International finals. “If I had calves like that, I could have been a pro,” lamented Liberman.… A Lee Labrada look-alike was working the Labrada Nutrition booth—none other than Lee’s 14-year-old son, Hunter. Does he look like Pops, or what?... Chris Cormier was at the MuscleTech booth and said he’ll probably make his comeback at the Europa in August.… The IRON MAN staff, sans Ruthless Ruth Silverman, who was having dinner with friends, met at Mitchell’s Steakhouse on Friday night and sat opposite a table filled with IFBB and NPC promoters and judges, led by Lats Manion, whose one-liners keep me in stitches every time we meet. We all got to see Johnny Tuman and Elissa Schlichter announce their engagement. I got the money shot of the weekend while the two smooched just as Jim Rockell was preparing to dive into his supersized piece of carrot cake. Elissa is a doctor, as well as an NPC figure competitor. Also at the table was Sandy Williamson, who used to be known as Sandy Ranalli. Here’s a belated best wishes to Sandy and former NPC Los Angeles District Chairman Ted Williamson on their marriage…. Mike Lackner brought along his charming wife, Monica, who is a huge supporter behind the scenes in Lackdaddy’s life.…

Don Long.

Hunter (left) and Lee Labrada with Linda Reho. L.T. greets Dot and Mits.

MORE TALES—I ran into ageless Jack LaLanne and his superenergized wife, Elaine, while changing planes in Phoenix, and the two kids drew admirers as always. Also as usual, I was unable to get Jack to spring for a free Power Juicer, the kitchen appliance that has made him a very well-to-do man in recent years, as if he hadn’t been one already!...Mits and Dot Kawashima made their annual trek in from Hawaii to attend the Arnold Sports Festival. Mits said he won’t be promoting his Hawaii Classic anymore, but the show will continue to run.… Tony Nowak, who produced the official jackets for the Olympia, did likewise for the Arnold. Tony has done terrific work for many years with his handmade leather works; check them out at www.TonyNowak.com, or call (800) 272-555.… One guy who really loved this year’s jacket was Shawn Loevenguth, the main man at Live Technologies, the company responsible for set design and lighting at the Classic. In fact, Shawn cherished the coat so much he had to be apprehended in the production office before he could run off with the one that would eventually go to Victor Martinez. 242 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Jack and Elaine LaLanne. Tony Novak.

Shawn Loevenguth.

Carol does a Semple.

The man lost it for a moment, hitting various poses while wearing the Nowak creation, trying to show why he was the best fit for the garment.… I ran into Carol Semple at the Columbus airport on Sunday, and the former Fitness International and Fitness Olympia champ (has it really been 10 years since Carol copped those crowns?) was talked into performing her famous legs-over-shoulders pushups by some lunatic who was waiting to board a flight to California. Semple is simply amazing.… Remember Roger Stewart and his giant calves? Saw Roger, who’s still living in Orlando, Florida, at the banquet, and he showed that he still has the huge diamonds on his lower legs. Stewart edged John Romano in a calf down, even though Romano did shock the hell out of me with his well-developed lower leg.… Rob Klein is getting his wish. “Since Kim [Klein] won the show,” he said, meaning the Figure International, “do I finally get my picture in your column?” Yes, Rob, you do. And are you going to congratulate me on my correct prediction of Kim’s win on GraphicMuscle two weeks earlier? Solomon, are you listening?... The saddest news to come out of the Arnold Weekend: Ray “Thunder” Stern passed away at the age of 74, according to his wife Debi Lee Stern, the former fitness star-turned-physique judge. Kris Gethin and Stern, who was born Walter Bookbinder in Marika Johannson. Brooklyn, New York, on January 12, 1933, became a pro wrestling star, gym owner and avid pilot, proving successful in all three fields. In 1979 he founded Stern Air, a charter flight service, in Dallas. Ray always had a big smile on his face and was always very complimentary whenever we met. Debi, whom he met 10 years ago, was the biggest reason for his happiness. Condolences to Debi and the Stern family.…

Corney’s DVD.

Cathy’s calf.

Kim and Rob Klein.

Chris Cormier.

Photo courtesy of Debi Lee Stern

Ray and Debi Lee Stern.

Neveux

Romano and Stewart.

Neveux

Dave Draper.

STILL MORE TALES—The San Francisco Pro, which has played in various Bay Area venues over the years, seems to have finally found a home. The Jon Lindsay–Steve O’Brien production, now known as the Sacramento Pro and featuring men’s and women’s bodybuilding, was held at the Crest Theater in that city this year, and the guys were happy with the outcome. So the show stays in Sacramento, moving to a week after the Arnold, in 2008.… Cathy LeFrancois, who finished second to Tonie Norman in the women’s lightweight division at the Sac, had a full plate, to say the least: competing in the Ms. International the following week and co-promoting her first contest, with Paco Hernandez, in Fresno, California, a week after that.… Ed Corney was in the lobby selling pictures and his DVD, “The Master Poser,” which features some of his amazing posing routines. I was mesmerized watching the film; check out Ed’s Web site at EdCorney.net.… Kris Gethin and Marika “Da Freeka” Johansson were also greeting fans, with Kris displaying his new magazine, Kaged Muscle, and Marika selling her new DVD, on which she trains with industry icon Dorian Yates. Gethin is one of the most enthusiastic, hardworking gents in the sport— check out his Web site, www.KagedMuscle.com To contact Lonnie for more details.… And, finally, Dave Draper, who Teper about material had a quadruple bypass and valve repair surgery on possibly pertinent to February 23, came home a week later and wrote his News & Views, write first recovery column a week after that. According to to 1613 Chelsea wife Laree, Dave started to feel pretty good after only Road, #266, San Marino, CA 91108; three weeks and was “planning to dink around the fax to (626) 289-7949; gym Saturday or Sunday for the first time. No weights or send e-mail to allowed.” Yeah, try and tell the Blond Bomber to stay tepernews@aol.com. away from the iron! IM

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Victor Martinez Snags a Unanimous Win at the â&#x20AC;&#x2122;07 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic

Photography by John Balik, Roland Balik and Merv

Victorious 244 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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1) Victor Martinez

’07 Arnold Classic 1) Victor Martinez* 2) Dexter Jackson* 3) Toney Freeman* 4) Gustavo Badell* 5) Phil Heath* 6) Silvio Samuel* 7) Branch Warren 8) Ronnie Rockel 9) Markus Rühl 10) Vince Taylor 11) Mark Dugdale 12) Marcus Haley 13) Hidetada Yamagishi 14) David Henry 15) Sergey Shelestov 16) Luke Wood *Qualifies for the ’07 Mr. Olympia.

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2) Dexter Jackson

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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3) Toney Freeman

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4) Gustavo Badell

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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5) Phil Heath

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6) Silvio Samuel

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7) Branch Warren

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8) Ronnie Rockel

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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Top five finishers at pre-judging, Badell, Heath, Freeman, Jackson and Martinez.

Jackson, Martinez, Freeman and Heath.

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9) Markus R端hl

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10) Vince Taylor

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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11) Mark Dugdale

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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12) Marcus Haleyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Most Entertaining Posing Award

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13) Hidetada Yamagishi

ARNOLD CLASSIC

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INTERNATIONAL SHOW TIME

W O M E N ’ S B O DY B U I L D I N G

Whole Lotta Shakin’

End of an era. Hendershott calls it quits. See page 265.

Goin’ on

Icon-ic

Another slam-bang Arnold Classic weekend went down in Columbus, Ohio, on March 2 through 4. They keep adding sports and changing the name of this mammoth meeting of the fit and fabulous—now known as the Arnold Sports Festival—but when you’re on the physique beat, it’s all about the Arnold, a.k.a. “Columbus,” a.k.a. the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic World Bodybuilding Championship and Ms., Fitness and Figure International competitions. This year’s edition of the IFBB Pro League’s early-season A-list party was so full of fascinating developments, even the contests that were business as usual were not business as usual. Snowstorms in the Midwest and Northeast plus tornadoes in the South ensured that everyone traveling to central Ohio would have interesting stories to swap before the women’s judging got started at noon on Friday. Once the fitness athletes strode onstage in their one-piece suits, there was plenty of other stuff to talk about. Here’s as much of it as would fit on five pages.

Flexing in the age of Iris

Is it my imagination, or was Iris glowing under all that muscle? See page 266.

D R E S S I N G R O O M TA L E S

Girl talk. Lisa Aukland tells Tonie Nor man about her own long, slow climb to the Ms. I top five.

262

Photography by Ruth Silverman

Sage advice. Amanda Savell teaches Sonia Adcock how to pose for the money shot. Rumors, anyone?

Hot bods collide (from left): Inga, Zena, Debbie and Christine make for colorful combustion.

“Iris will win until she retires.” That observation by one bodybuilding sage of my acquaintance pretty much sums up the results of the Ms. International competition, in which defending champ and Ms. Olympia Iris Kyle nabbed a five-point victory over Yaxeni Oriquen and a lineup of 16 of the world’s finest female flexers. Yaxeni would be the first to disagree with that assessment—she’s beaten the 5’6”, 158-pounder with the fab X-factor from Fullerton, California, numerous times and no doubt expects to do it again—but now that Kyle has put consistency on her list of admirable qualities, not even the Yaxinator may be able to stop her. Not that Oriquen didn’t try. Those who were wondering if the ’05 Olympia and Inter national champ’s drop to seventh at the ’06 O signaled the end

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Ms. and Fitness International photography by Roland Balik, Merv and Bill Dobbins \ www.BillDobbins.com

of the 5’8”, 170-pound Venezuelan vixen’s own run at the top can find something else to stew about. Yaxeni was back in championship form, meaning tighter, her large, evenly distributed bodyparts flowing majestically as she hit her mandatories at the judging. Even so, Yaxeni is 40, and in an interview So there. Policky declared her published online last self a major force in the sport. year, she questioned how long she would Yaxeni is back! (Was there any want to continue comthe judges thought she could doubt?) peting. Iris is 32 and have been drier—and sharpseems to be settling in er. I also wondered whether for a Ronnie Coleman–like run. Queried the above-menthey were so blinded by the tioned sage, Is anyone with the genetics to beat Iris even beef, they didn’t actually see coming up? anyone who weighed under Fans of new pro sensation Heather Policky, who 140 (Dayana is thick, but was fresh off her win at the Sacramento Pro Grand Prix the she’s a lightweight). week before, clear their throats at that. Based on the first Not for nothing did another callout—Kyle, Oriquen and Policky—they may have a point. wise observer say, “The conPolicky’s got all the ingredients, with jaw-dropping muscular test was a complete waste ity, anatomy-book definition and a vicious V-taper leading the of time and money for the list. The Olympia should be very interesting, eh? smaller girls.” While that may Rounding out the top six, in a surprising order, were Lisa be a bit of an exaggeration—I don’t know any athletes who Aukland, Betty don’t enjoy competing at the International—it’s also true Pariso and Dayathat none of the leaner, “more aesthetic” types, even na Cadeau. (See, among the heavier women, could break into the money I told you you’d be placings. From top: Cadeau’s surprised.) Aukland One larger athlete who sixth-place finis another vet who wasn’t at her best, Annie ish was her lowhas developed the Rivieccio, dropped to seventh est since her Ms. I debut in ’99, when knack of nailing her from third at the O in Septemshe was 11th; Pariso conditioning every ber. Bonny Priest, fourth at was at her best; and time. Now that the O, landed in eighth. She so was Aukland. she’s brought her looked good but perhaps a little Don’tcha just love Lisa’s new shape? waist in and, literally, smaller than at recent shows. changed her shape, With the 5’7”, 173-pound there appears to Policky grabbing the spotlight, be no stopping her. however, the 5’5 1/2” 158Pariso—speaking of pound Priest could have apveterans, Lisa is 48, peared downright diminutive. Betty is 51—may Tonie Norman, the lighthave brought her weight winner at the Sac, dialed “Hey, don’t forget personal-best phyit in again, only to finish ninth, us!” cries the 5’2”, sique to the stage in with Cathy LeFrancois 135-pound Cathy. The Columbus. I’ve said much improved from the week call for having weight that before, but she before but again landing beclasses at more prowomen’s shows is actually keeps gethind Norman, in 10th. Eleventh getting louder. ting better. through 16th, in order, went to As for Cadeau’s Lora Ottenad, Denise Masixth-place finish, I’m sino, Kim Perez, Colette not sure what that was about. At first glance her physique Nelson, Rosemary Jennings seemed on point. On closer inspection I considered whether and Susanne Niederhauser. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 263

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MORE FITNESS

FITNESS FUN

So In-Kleined

Reporter’s

Panel says Kim’s time has come

The revolving crown of professional fitness took a new turn in Columbus when Kim Klein, the runner-up at every major competition since the ’05 Olympia, (gracefully) flipped past Adela Garcia and Jen Hendershott to land her now-dainty derriere on the throne at last. Fifteen of the most amazing athletes in the fitness universe (note lower case) came to Columbus in tip-top condition to perform for the industry’s most enthusiastic audience. No one expected the winner to be other than one of the three above-mentioned headliners, and when it turned out to be Kim, no one was shocked—pleased for the 5’2 1/2” former grade-school teacher from New Jersey, but not really surprised. Was it Adela’s coming in a bit smaller again or Kim’s trimming her lower body just a smidge more that made the difference? No matter. The point shift definitely occurred in the physique rounds, where Kim finally slipped past Texas transplant Garcia to win them solidly. A pair of second-place scores in the routine rounds gave her a seven-point margin of victory. Considering the history of pro fitness since Susie Curry retired—Garcia won the International and the Olympia in 2004, lost both titles to Hendershott in ’05 and won them back in ’06—Klein would seem to be halfway to the double crown. With Hendershott out of the mix at the Olympia, who’s going to stop her?

Notebook

Kim nailed her routine—and the title.

STILL MORE FITNESS Best perfor mance by a rookie. Hollie Stewart was the only Columbus first-timer to break the top 10.

The Rest Of the best Tanji Johnson continued wiggling her way up the totem pole with a fourth-place finish at the International. Julie Palmer, who I thought had the best physique in the bunch, picked up the fifth-place check, and Tracey Greenwood got the last of the top-six places. Julie Shipley-Childs had to settle for seventh. That’s what happens when there are too many divas onstage. Debbie Czempinski and her Zorro routine took the number-eight spot, ’06 Team Universe champ Hollie Stewart landed in ninth, and Angela Semsch was 10th, with Amy Villa Nelson, Mindi O’Brien, Bethany Gainey and Amy Haddad rounding out the lineup.

Dancing With the Stairs. “Say hello to my little friend.”

I have to admit I was really sur prised when Adela Garcia didn’t win the ’07 Fitness International— and not because I’d predicted that she’d retain her title. After all, I’d seen her in the past win the physique rounds looking exactly the way she did that morning. Plus, I thought she had the best two-minute routine—tangoing with her silent partner. Oh, well. Another example of why I’ll never be invited to judge these things. Adela, in fact, took third in both routine rounds and third overall, with Jen Hendershott, third last year, moving up to second. Hendershott, who looked her best ever in the physique rounds, took third in both, and aced both routine rounds. Despite the sentiments expressed above, I don’t have a problem with her finish. These ladies are so good, any one of them could win. Too bad about that difference in prize money (see item on page 265).

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Who says cat-suit shots aren’t hot?

MORE COLUMBUS

Speaking of Jen Hendershott

Cash Concerns Did someone say prize money?

The first big news to drift my way in Columbus came from the above-named gal, who greeted me with a twinkle in her eye. “This is going to be my last competition,” she said. Shut up, I replied. No, she would not be onstage for the Olympia in September, insisted fitness’ reigning performance artist, who moved with hubby Brian Kinn to Charlotte, North Carolina, from Columbus a year or so ago. It’s time to start making babies. Hendershott, who is 35, wanted to go out with a bang in her hometown, and she succeeded. Dressed as a Girl Scout, she wheeled a wagonload of cookies onstage and proceeded to pass them out to the judges, shaking booty and body and thoroughly pleasing the crowd at the Veterans with her trademark moves and grooves. I can’t say I’m really shocked at Jen’s decision. In fact, I’ve kind of been expecting it (and there’s another old interview favorite I wouldn’t be surprised to hear making a similar statement soon). Having won the Fitness International—and the Olympia—Hendershott has nothing to prove, and with her Phat Camps threatening to take over the fitness world, she’ll hardly be gone from the scene. Jen will be a motivating force in the industry for years to come— you can take that to the bank. But those high-energy, high-concept, choreographed-to-thrill routines—Who else could have won the Olympia dressed as a banana?—will be sorely missed.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Cleveland Rocks! If reading about the Columbus festivities has you jonesing for something to motivate your spring shape-up, look no further than 143 miles to the northeast: PlanetPhysique.com’s Healthy Lifestyle Weekend goes down at Gray’s Armory in Cleveland on June 9 and 10. Promoter Robert Szarek has lined up a two-day expo designed to knock your gym socks off: “My goal is to have performances going on all day and try to make it a family event.” The fun will include an NPC fitness contest presented by Mari Kudla; a performance by Tanji Johnson; the Danielle Rouleau Fit Body contest; the “Posedown in C-Town,” with Frank Roberson Tanji’s guest-posing routine and “Save Fitness” seminar are and a slew of NPC and IFBB pospart of the Healthy Lifestyle ing artists, plus tons of exhibitors. Weekend. “We had 50 booths last year and expect 70 to 75 this time,” said Szarek. For the full rundown, visit www.HealthyWeekend.com.

I usually don’t go into the prize money at these shindigs because, where the women’s sports are concerned, there’s not much to talk about. That makes the exception of the International competitions worth mentioning. Even as the women’s physique sports grew to three, Arnold Sports Festival promoters Jim Lorimer and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger continued to support them all. The Columbus shows are invitationals, meaning all the athletes’ expenses are paid (16 men and 46 women this year). The ladies get a royal production at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium on Friday night, and the money prizes, although nowhere near the $130,000 Victor Martinez earned for winMad money. Julie got ning the Classic, are way three grand for taking fifth, the same as she above the $3,000 picked by the victor at the average earned for taking first at the Palm Beach Pro last women’s show. First-place fall. checks at the International are $25,000 each to the bodybuilding and fitness winners and $12,000 to the figure champ. Could it be more? Absolutely, but women’s bodybuilding, fitness and figure competition are by definition don’t-quit-your-day-job situations. On the other hand, it’s a nice chunk of change a gal could get used to having; so don’t be surprised if you see some high-on-the-physique-chain competitors not waiting until the O to hit the stage again. As one gal who dropped a couple of placings from 2006 said after a reporter suggested she’d be taking an Olympia qualification away from some young hopeful, “Honey, I gotta make some money.”

What About Figure? P&C coverage of twoMore on M.E. next time Figure Internamonth. tional champ Mary Elizabeth Lado and the rest of the quarter-turners continues in the July issue, when IRON MAN presents its eye-widening pictorial on women’s night at the Arnold Classic. In the meantime—if you haven’t already—check out our in-the-moment mediablitz coverage of the weekend in Columbus, including video reports and photo galleries, at IronManMagazine.com and GraphicMuscle.com.

Silverman

Jenhen takes her eighth Fitness I bow and bids adieu.

Silverman

GOOD-BYES

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 265

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Photography by Ruth Silverman

TALES FROM THE ARNOLD SPORTS FESTIVAL WEEKEND Friends. Who said suitmakers Cynthia James and Merry Christine are never in the same place at the same time? Careful, ladies, someone seems to be going after both your clients.

A hot dressingroom shot? No problem, says Colette.

Questionabl e trends. Su sanne Nied hauser (top) er and Rosem ary Jennings the short-h aired route went an bottom of th d finished at e rankings. the Coincidenc e?

Peak attraction. Mindi O hits a personal best.

Even in sweats, Denise Masino brings a touch of elegance to the proceed ings. Welcome back!

Cute Couplings

No truth to the rumor that Betty has to be wound up before she does her Mike Matarazzo impression.

Did somebody say rumor? Adela and Tracey practic e a not-somixed pairs fitness routine.

Nancy and Dina get a little anxious waiting for their steaks at Morton’s. Watch it, girls. This is how rumors get started.

Hometown honeys in the house. Briana Tindall and Nick Hetterscheidt. NPC Arnold Figure champ Sara Flom and Stacy Cravens threw themselves a surprise wedding last December, inviting family and friends to an “engagement party.” Nice way to do it your way, guys.

“True story,” says He idi. “Adela used to drive a sch ool bus!”

Julie bills herself as Shipley-Childs these days. Not that she ever really intended to drop her maiden name, but after a fan told her she was a dead ringer for a ’90s fitness star named Julie Shipley—and what ever happened to her?—she thought it might be time to make a statement.

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

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Neveux

Speaking of rumors, here’s one that proved to be true: Iris Kyle and John Sherman.

Another cute Columbus couple. Latisha Wilder and hubby Sam.

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Austin’s Abby Marie Wolf Packs a Feminine-Muscle Punch Compiled by Jonathan Lawson Photography by Michael Neveux Height: 5’6” - Age: 29 - Weight: 116 Hometown: Austin, Texas Current residence: Austin—“The best city in Texas!” Occupation: Medical equipment company owner for five years and fitness and bikini model Marital status: “Married to a very patient and supportive man.” Workout schedule: Five days a week—Sunday, legs; Tuesday, chest; Wednesday, back; Thursday, shoulders; Friday, arms

Hair and makeup by Alexandra Almond

Sample bodypart workout (legs): Leg presses, 5 x 20; squats, 5 x 12; leg curls supersetted with leg extensions, 4 x 12 Favorite foods: “Cereal—at least four kinds mixed in the same bowl; Tri-O-Plex protein cookies, which are addictive; well-seasoned chicken breasts; sweet potatoes; and anything sweet—especially carrot cake with a glass of milk.” Factoid: “I have a three-year-old daughter, Kirsten Nicole Wolf, who is the cutest kid in the world. I have a bachelor's degree from Texas A&M. I was the floor exercise Texas State champion in high school and a college gymnast. More recently I was the ’05 NPC Texas State Fitness champion, the ’05 INBF Alamo Classic Fitness champion and the ’06 Southwest Regional Fitness and Bikini America champion. I took fifth in the ’06 Bikini America Championship.” www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 269

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Building Hip and Lower-Back Strength

Model: Noel Thompson

by Bill Starr • Photography by Michael Neveux

ery few strength athletes’ or bodybuilders’ routines include specific exercise for their hips. They figure if they’re working their legs and lower backs, they’re also hitting their hips. Not necessarily. If you’re going deep on back squats, doing front squats, setting your hips very low on your deadlifts and high pulls and handling heavy poundage on good mornings or almost straightlegged deadlifts, then you’re indeed strengthening your hips.

The trouble is, few meet those requirements. They cut off their back squats, substituting partial movements for full-range ones or at most barely breaking parallel. All they re interested in is a legal squat in regard to powerlifting rules. Many of those same lifters also start their deadlifts with hips set high. They neglect specific exercises for the lower back or use only light weights. They shun front squats unless they do some Olympic lifting. As a result, their hips start falling behind, and that s when problems occur. The muscles and corresponding attachments of the hips are potentially the strongest in the body. If they re not stimulated directly and with heavy weights, though, they become disproportionately weaker than the surrounding groups. What makes the hips even more important is they re at the very center of the body, and that s the source of all strength development. Even if you re no longer trying to see how much you can move in the squat or deadlift, you still need to maintain a certain level of

strength in your hips to perform everyday tasks and keep them from being injured. Should you happen to be one of the million people genetically disposed to osteoarthritis, then it s even more crucial that you pay close attention to strengthening your hips. Even though the hips can be made extremely strong, they re also quite complicated and are susceptible to many types of injuries, both large and small—and a host of diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. A couple of points that are often misunderstood: Osteoarthritis is not an inevitable part of the aging process. It can be halted and reversed if you catch it in time. You sometimes hear that joint deterioration happens because of the stress placed on them during strenuous physical activities, such as weight training. Not true—just the opposite. Studies have shown that vigorous exercise enhances joint integrity and is a useful means of improving the health of joints that are showing signs of osteoarthritis. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 283

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I’m not, however, giving an across-the-board endorsement of all forms of exercise. High-impact aerobics, for example, should be avoided. Sloppy form, which jars the hips, is also harmful. Whenever any exercise continually traumatizes your hips, knees or shoulders, you need to eliminate it from your routine because it’s doing more harm than good. Here’s why the hip is a complicated joint. It’s formed of bone, of course, and safeguarded by 22 muscles, not including the lower abs and lumbars, which are also connected to the hips and play a major role in stabilizing them. There are six flexors, four extensors, two abductors, four adductors and six outward rotators, plus all the tendons and ligaments that add support to the structure. An amazing piece of work. I’m going to list some things you can do to maintain the health of your hips, but first I want to deal with exercises that can help you to strengthen them. Most of them 284 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

you’re likely already doing, but I want to modify them just a bit so that they involve your hips even more. They should be most useful to someone who is experiencing a slight hip pain that’s not severe enough to visit a doctor. Even though it doesn’t hurt terribly, you know something isn’t quite right. I’ve given the program to a number of athletes, and they were able to remedy the problem completely in a couple of months. That may seem like a long time, but consider the Good mornings may be difficult, but they’re alternative. One

Model: Idrise Ward-El

Model: Mike Morris

Don’t shun front squats. They can do a lot to bring the hips and lower back into strength alignment.

afternoon an older gentleman came to see me just as I got to the Hopkins weight room. He came to the athletic center to swim and play squash regularly, but his left hip was hurting him so badly that he limped when he walked and had trouble getting up from a chair. He was dreadfully afraid that he might have to have surgery and was willing to try anything I suggested. I laid out a program. He came in and worked out under my supervision before the teams started their programs. Naturally, he wasn’t very strong, since he’d never weighttrained before, but that proved to be an advantage because he hadn’t picked up any bad form habits. He started out using only the Olympic bar and, for the good mornings, just a broomstick. As he learned the technique on the lifts, I slowly increased the resistance. He lifted three days a week and swam six. He agreed to curtail playing squash until his hip got better. Right away I saw that his lower back was very weak, so I put lots of lumbar work into his program. Prior to lifting, he did situps and hyperextensions and after the workout leg raises and reverse hypers. I also had him come to the weight room on his nonlifting days and do situps and hyperextensions before he swam.

one of the most productive moves in strength training.

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Model: Chris Cook

Regular deadlifts can do a lot for core strength. And because the exercise trains so many muscles at once, it has tremendous metabolic-stimulating powers.

When you’re setting up your program to improve hips and lower-back strength, be sure you give your abs plenty of attention. There should be something for the upper and lower abs and the obliques. True, your midsection isn’t formed by two separate planes but rather is a continuous girdle of muscle. So you need to work all parts—front, back and sides—in order to maintain proportionate strength.

Here’s the workout I gave him: Monday, deep squats and low deadlifts; Wednesday, wide squats and good mornings; Friday, deep squats and sumo, or widestance, deadlifts. Occasionally. I substituted almost straight-legged deadlifts for good mornings and hack lifts for deadlifts. Once he got comfortable with wide-stance squats, he did them exclusively. By the third week he’d stopped limping, and after a month he was pain free. While the strength work certainly played a major role in his recovery, the other

two recommendations I gave him were equally important. We’ll get to them, but I want to stay with the exercises for now. The reason I like wide-stance squats and deadlifts is that they work the hips more than when you do them with a closer foot placement. In order for them to be effective, however, you really must go low on the squat and set your hips extra low before you pull on the deadlift. If you can’t go low with a wide stance, use your normal stance and try to sit on your heels. Also, whenever you employ a wide stance, you activate your adductors to a greater extent, and they’re most valuable to leg and hip strength. When starting out on wide-stance squats, stay with higher reps until you get the feel of the different movement. How wide? As wide as you can set your feet and still maintain your balance when you go low. The key to making the lift work for you is locking your back tight and keeping your torso erect throughout the up-and-down motion: no leaning whatsoever. When you think you’ve gone just as low as you can, squeeze down another inch; then another. Four sets of 20 will give you plenty of work. That final set should be tough. After a few weeks doing 20s, you can reduce the reps to five and add a few extra sets. That will enable you to use more weight and thus increase your hip and leg strength. In the event you’re not bothered by any sort of hip problem but still want to work them just for a bit of insurance, do wide-stance squats as your back-off set or sets after your regular squat workout. Sumo deadlifts also activate the various muscles and attachments of the hips in a fashion slightly different from conventional deadlifts. So they’re quite useful for building strength in those joints. Be sure to set your hips extra low at the start, and don’t let them rise too fast. The bar and your hips should elevate at the same rate. Concentrate on squeezing your hips down as the bar breaks off the floor. It will take a bit of trial and error to determine exactly where to place your feet and grip the bar, but it’s a simple exercise to learn. I like to alternate these setand-rep formulas: four sets of eight;

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Model: Daryl Gee

five sets of five; three sets of five followed by three sets of three. I also use regular-stance deadlifts for improving hip strength, but with a twist. Do the exercise with 25pound plates and, again, position your hips extra low at the start. That makes them do more work at the start than when you use 45pound plates. Get in the low starting position, tighten all the muscles of your body, and think about driving your feet down through the floor. If you think about pulling on the bar, your hips will tend to come up too rapidly, and the exercise resembles an almost straight-legged deadlift. Be sure to lower the bar in the same way—lowering your hips as you lower the bar. Change the sets and reps as suggested for the sumo deadlifts. Another excellent hip exercise that was part of almost every strength routine when I first started training is the hack lift. It’s also called the straddle lift, and for good reason: You straddle the bar. While it will take a bit of practice to figure out where to place your feet and where to grip the bar, the hack lift is easy to master. It works your hips in unique ways. Your upper body must stay erect from start to finish. Change your hand placement on every set. If you place your right hand in front of your body on the first set, move your left hand to

When starting out on wide-stance squats, stay with higher reps until you get the feel of the movement. Go as wide as you can and still maintain your balance when you go low.

that position on the following set. Lift and lower the bar in a smooth, rhythmic stroke, and never rebound the plates off the floor. The lower you set your hips at the start, the more you involve them. Use the same rotation of sets and reps, changing them at every workout. I’ve found that, as with my older gentleman, pain in the hip is frequently caused by a weakness in the lower back. That’s almost always because the person isn’t doing any specific exercise to strengthen his lumbars, or if he is, The muscles and corresponding he isn’t handling attachments of the hips are potentially the enough weight. strongest in the body. The main reason so

many neglect their lumbars is that when done correctly, lower-back exercises are very demanding. Good mornings may be the most difficult exercise in strength training, but they’re also the most productive. Using token weight on specific lower-back movements just doesn’t get the job done, and when the lumbars lag behind strengthwise, the weakness affects the hips. Whenever people complain to me about hip pain, I check out their program to see how much work they’re doing for the lower back. Invariably, it’s severely lacking. Once they increase their overall workload on lumbars, the hip pain disappears. The increase is achieved gradually. It’s not prudent to attack any muscle group that’s obviously deficient. I have them do hypers prior to lifting and reverse hypers to finish off the workout. Start out with 20 reps on both, and steadily add a couple of reps at each session until you reach 50. Also do one or both www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 287

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Model: Moe Elmoussawi

on your nonlifting days. It isn’t that hard to figure out a way to do them at home. I’ve done reverses on kitchen counters and hypers on a small table with my feet locked under my desk. Those exercises are useful in helping to expand your base, but you’ll need to do one core exercise for your lower back in order to get it strong. While I think good mornings are the most beneficial, almost straight-legged deadlifts are good too. Neither, however, will bring the result you’re seeking unless you work them hard and heavy. The key form points for good mornings are 1) once you break your knees at the start, don’t allow them to bend any further, and 2) the lower you go, the more muscles you activate. You can do them with a flat back, rounded back or while seated. It doesn’t matter where you start, only where you end up. My older gentleman, who used a broomstick at his first two workouts, was doing them with 100 pounds by the end of a month’s training. Your eventual goal is to handle 50 percent of what you’re squatting for eight to 10 reps. Someone who squats 300 pounds should be doing eight to 10 reps on good mornings with at least 150 pounds. Many prefer almost straightlegged deadlifts over good mornings because they think they’re easier—not true if they’re done right. They’re very demanding. Use straps, and don’t stand on a bench or block. You can get the same benefits by using 25-pound plates and standing on the floor. When you stand on a bench, you have to deal with balance, and there’s a risk of dropping the bar across the bench. I’ve seen it happen several times, and it didn’t make the gym owner happy at all. The most important thing to know about that exercise is you must bend your knees slightly. I realize that it’s generally called the stiff-legged or straight-legged deadlift and that nearly every photo in fitness magazines shows the model doing them with his or her legs locked. Well, that’s incorrect form. Whenever you’re working your lower back directly, you need to unlock your knees. Otherwise you’re placing your hamstrings in jeopardy.

Use hypers prior to lifting and reverse hypers to finish off the workout. Start with 20 reps on each, and steadily add a couple of reps at each session until you reach 50. Unlocking your knees doesn’t affect the two lower-back exercises suits the benefits of the exercise at all and them better than doing either one greatly reduces the risk of pulling exclusively. I use the same set-andyour hamstring. That applies to rep sequence for both: five sets of hyperextensions as well. eight at one workout and four sets of Keep in mind that whenever 10 at the next. Although that might you’re working your lumbars, you’re not seem like much of a change, it is. also strengthening your hamstrings— yet another reason to include specific lower-back exercises in your hip-strengthening routine. The hamstrings are crucial to the health of the hips. My guideline for almost straightlegged deadlifts is to use threefourths of your best squat weight for eight to 10 reps. Our 300-pound squatter should aim for 200 for eight to 10 reps. Some find Vitamin C and manganese increase the jointthat alternating support formula of chondroitin and glucosamine.

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Model: Ray Campisi

The hip is formed of bone, of course, and safeguarded by 22 muscles, not including the lower abs and lumbars, which are also connected to the hips. In addition to strengthening the muscles and attachments responsible for keeping your hips stable, you can do other things to help ensure that the joints stay healthy as you grow older. While genetics may finally win out, you can prolong it as long as possible and not succumb without a fight. Avoid high-impact activities, such as running. Studies have shown that walking can bring you the same benefits as running without the pounding to your back, hips, and knees. Walking at a brisk pace for 12 miles a week helps improve cardiovascular and respiratory fitness, control bodyweight, reduce cholesterol levels, enhance the health of your heart and lower the risk of many types of cancer. Sounds good to me. Other useful, lowimpact aerobic activities include biking, rowing and, maybe best of all, swimming. By the way, the two additional recommendations I made to my older gentleman (he was 72) to get

his bad hip healthy were 1) find a competent chiropractor and 2) go to a health food store and buy vitamin C, multimineral supplements, chondroitin and glucosamine (making sure the latter two were sulfates). By competent, I mean a chiropractor who knows how to work on muscular people. Regardless of what those in the profession declare, some are definitely more capable than others. So don’t look for a chiropractor in the Yellow Pages. Instead, ask around in the athletic community before making your selection. The strength work you’re doing in the weight room for your hips and lower back will be much more productive if your back in aligned properly. Alignment, however, is not enough to solve the problem. If your back muscles remain weak, they’ll be unable to hold the spine in place as the vertebrae move out of alignment when placed under stress. So you need both strength work and alignment. Chondroitin and glucosamine have a terrific success rate in halting osteoarthritis, if you catch the problem early enough. Obviously, if the cartilage in your

Sumo deadlifts activate the various muscles and attachments of the hips in a fashion slightly different from conventional deadlifts.

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Models: Adrian Janicke and Amy Lynn

Walk, don’t run. Studies show that walking can bring you the same benefits as running without the pounding to your back, hips and knees. hips is completely worn away, no supplement is going to help. If the problem is slight, though, those substances help build new cartilage as well as the ends of the bones where cartilage is attached, the capsules surrounding the joints and the muscles adjacent to the joints. Take 1,200 milligrams of chondroitin three times a day and 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine every day. Vitamin C and manganese increase the effectiveness of chondroitin and glucosamine. Water-soluble, both vitamin C and manganese are antioxidants and assist the immune system in destroying joint-damaging free radicals. Manganese plays a key role in the synthesis of cartilage, so it needs to be taken regularly. Take five grams of C daily, and every time you do, take a multimineral tablet as well. I think taking minerals in a mixed form rather than separately is a good idea because of mineral synergy in the body. Just make sure your multimineral has an adequate amount of manganese in it.

Another product, ASU, has been used successfully for the treatment of osteoarthritis in France since the early ’90s, but it’s only recently become available in the United States. It’s derived from avocado and soybean oils and works well with chondroitin and glucosamine. It may be hard to find. If you do, take 300 milligrams a day. To learn more about taking care of your joints, read The Arthritis Cure by Dr. Jason Theodosakis (St. Martin’s). It’s changed the way people deal with joint pain and osteoarthritis. Even though your hips feel strong and healthy, it’s a smart idea to include specific exercises for them in your strength program. You may be able to avoid future hip problems by taking the nutritional supplements I mentioned. An ounce of prevention.… 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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Pick Your Personality Is it time to re-create yourself? o into any gym and you’ll see people who attack their workouts. They don’t coast through the tough exercises. They make each set count. They have an air about them—they expect to succeed. You can almost feel it. It’s the same outside the gym, too, and other people can’t help but notice it. They describe such people as winners, attributing all manner of good things to them and summing it up by saying that they have terrific personalities. You know the other side of this story: the people who lose at everything they try; the people for whom failure seems to be a required result no matter what they are doing—building biceps, taking a test, handling a job. It’s always the same, and it isn’t good. Once again, others notice and write those people off as chronic losers.

Neveux \ Models: Clark Bartram and Michael O’Hearn

IRONMIND

Mind The truth is, the so-called permanent personality characteristics are extremely malleable; they can usually change with the social situation we’re in. That means you can change who you are and become what you want. Before we touch on how to make the changes you want, let’s take a minute to explore just how flexible our personalities are. We’ll begin by considering the importance of the social situation in determining how we think and act. Twenty-some years ago Stanford research psychologist Phil Zimbardo and his colleagues recruited students and randomly assigned them to be either prisoners or guards in a study. Conditions were as realistic as could be managed, from the time the students were “arrested” by the local police to their incarceration in cells. Very quickly, the stereotypical relationships and behaviors of prisoners vs. guards developed. The prisoners became passive and depressed, while the guards became aggressive and abusive. The first prisoner had to be released in less than a day and a half due to his uncontrollable crying, disorganized thinking, fits of rage and so forth. It wasn’t pretty. Things became so strained that what originally had been planned as a two-week experiment had to be terminated after six days. Remember, only random assignment determined who was a prisoner and who was a guard. Not so startling but just as telling was a body of psychological research demonstrating that, lo and behold, people weren’t as consistent as you might think from one situation to another. They might be honest here, dishonest there and somewhere in the middle in a third situation. That posed a big problem for classic personality theories that would have us expect people to behave very predictably across a variety of settings. Now it was clear that particular situations influence a person’s behavior in a very particular way. The moral of the story is that you might think you’re destined to waste away as a wanna-be or a wallflower, but you really don’t have to. You can re-create yourself in whatever image you want, Viking warrior, Amazon queen or anything in between. Less dramatic but more to the point, you don’t have to be the person who misses workouts, makes a halfhearted effort when in the gym and always finds the best reasons for not sticking with a program. You can be a winner. The first step in your transformation is to pick the type of personality you want to have. In our example you’d want to be someone who isn’t just enthusiastic about training when he’s lying on a couch watching his favorite muscle video. You’d want to be the type of person whose deep-rooted enthusiasm motivates and sustains each workout. You look forward to training and can’t wait to get started. You can’t wait to get to

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Body Editor’s note: Randall Strossen, Ph.D., edits the quarterly magazine MILO. He’s also the author of IronMind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies; Super Squats: How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks and Paul Anderson: The Mightiest Minister. For more information call IronMind Enterprises Inc. at (530) 265-6725 or Home Gym Warehouse at (800) 447-0008, ext. 1. Visit the IronMind Web site at www.IronMind.com.

Hormones

Laugh Ends With GH

n a new study volunteers who anticipated watching a funny movie had 27 percent more endorphins and 87 percent more human growth hormone. Both of those substances enhance the immune system, and GH can help boost fat burning and muscle growth [Bottom Line Health, March ’07].

Neveux \ Model: David Yeung

your heavy sets, and you welcome the chance to set a new personal record, no matter how hard the required effort or how small the step forward. After training, it’s natural to get the nutrition and rest required for optimum recovery and progress. You’re brimming with energy, and it seems as if the harder you train, the harder you want to train. It’s great—you’ve become a self-sustaining training machine. To reach that state, you need to cultivate the right thoughts and behaviors. Gone are the people who tell you that lifting weights is a waste of time. Gone are the people who tell you that you’re genetically suited to be a wimp. Gone are the people who say that they never built more than a 16-inch arm, so why should you expect any more? Gone are the people who always say “no,” “can’t” and “never.” Gone are the thoughts of everything that could possibly go wrong along the way. Gone are the late-night binges that cripple the next day’s training. Gone is the junk food that can undo your best efforts in the gym. In their place are the elements you need to build the successful you. Here are the people who always believe that you can do what you dream about. Here are the people who are in charge of their own lives. Here are the people who like to challenge themselves and never settle for yesterday’s best. Here are the people who do the things that others said were impossible. Here are the thoughts of how to make the next step forward. Here is the discipline to eat, sleep and think in a way that almost guarantees progress. As you can see, building a winning personality isn’t just a bunch of emotional cheerleading or fanciful visualization—it’s serious work. Along the way you have to keep your eyes and ears open, trying to learn things that will help you reach your goal. You have to keep your sleeves rolled up to do the work that will get you there. It’s a challenge, but look at what you stand to gain. It’s your choice, winner or loser: Pick your personality. —Randall Strossen, Ph.D.

—Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

Mental Health

Flax or Fishin’

For omega-3s

ou may know that omega-3 fatty acids are good for your heart and can even relieve depression, but are you eating more fish? If not, you may want to consider flaxseed. Two tablespoons of ground flaxseed provides 1,000 milligrams of omega-3s—and only 25 calories. You can get the same amount of omega-3s in two ounces of cooked salmon, but that has a little over 100 calories, not to mention a fishy taste. You may want to try adding ground flaxseed or flaxseed oil to your protein drinks to get more of those important omega-3 fats. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JUNE 2007 293

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Bomber Blast

MIND/BODY

Lost-and-Found Department S

clutter of things only you risk touching—battered water bottle, frayed wraps, chalky towel, sticky loose change, squashed MRPs, smeared phone numbers on Post-its and business cards, and that brown paper sack of training tricks ’n’ treats—tells the story of a long, arduous and worthy journey. The knowing and persistence with which you approach your dilemma defines a responsible, purposeful individual. Each step, sure or uncertain, takes you forward and makes you more, better, tougher and smarter. You’re a creator, an innovator, an improviser, a battler. You are dauntless. Ah-ha! What’s this? A dusty, retired slumpbuster created to blast the arms and spirits out of their stinky socks. Had you not paused to refresh yourself with a tug on the ole flask of gratitude, you might have entertained frustration and displeasure, doubt and surrender. Unlikely, really. That’s the course of a loser, and a loser doesn’t know a good slumpbuster from a ham-and-cheese sandwich. You’re a bomber. The bi-tri slumpbuster is neither retired nor old, but another dirty trick to remind you of my favorite builder of big guns, or, in the case of gals and fitness rascals, developer of strong and shapely arms. I resort to tricks, smoke and mirrors and teensy exaggerations (lies) to effect the growth of healthy muscle and might. Watch closely. The slumpbuster is standing barbell curls supersetted with lying barbell extensions. I like five sets with reps ranging from 10 to six for bi’s and 12 to eight for tri’s. The mass, density, shape and strength of the arms and assisting muscles improve in proportion to the maximum-muscle intensity applied—each set, every rep. Work equals improvement. Remember, intensity is relative. I work harder today—focusing, exerting, forging and burning—than I did 10, 20, 30 and 40 years ago. I move a fraction of the weight with less freedom, I search for an agreeable groove to facilitate muscle engagement with solid effort and I use a frazzled elastic wrap where and when necessary, but I blast it. With one eye on risk and both eyes on the goal, I get what I can while I can. See my crooked mouth? That’s a smile. Whadaya know...the end of the runway. I have one ole battered body to get this tin can off the ground and high in the sky before it’s too late. That and a lot of heart is all it takes. —Dave Draper Neveux \ Model: Jose Raymond

Neveux \ Model: Sagi Kalev

ome folks collect rare coins, stamps or antique cars—precious, impressive and a joy to the owner. The fascinating items are appropriately stored in safe places and admired by enthusiasts on special occasions. Sometimes they’re traded or sold for large sums of money. I collect old forgotten facts and similar abstract collectibles relative to exercise and fitness (I also have a garage full of rusty scrap metal). They’re valuable yet don’t cost a dime. People seek them as precious gold nuggets, yet I find them in plain sight on any gym floor. Once found, they are not stored under lock and key; they are applied and utilized regularly. And I don’t trade them or sell them for large sums of money; I give them away to anyone who can use them. Not a week goes by at the gym that I’m not reminded of an effective exercise, training technique or nutritional truth that has slipped through the ever-widening cracks in my mind. For example... I’m watching a couple of nerd-types (I’m not a prejudiced person; some of my best friends are nerds) out of the corner of my eye as I carefully make my workout preparations. One’s wearing Bermuda shorts and knee-high socks and a spiffy HappySoftware.com T-shirt, the other’s in a puffy gray sweatshirt and sweatpants and new Reeboks, and they both wear iPods and carry cell phones, calculators, clipboards and timers. Goofy and Goofus. Now get this. Goofy takes the lead, closely followed by Goofus, and commences a series of exercises—one after the other—with little more than 15-second pauses. The string of exercises at first glance appears to be a calamity of randomness typical of new lifters, but further scrutiny reveals that the routine demonstrates advanced formation: five upper-body movements in a thoughtful and complementary cycle—incline dumbbell presses (chest and shoulders), straight-arm pullovers (two hands, one dumbbell—lats), lateral raises (shoulders), incline curls (biceps), overhead triceps presses (two hands, one dumbbell—triceps). They complete three cycles of five sets of six reps with weights that make them work hard. Who are these guys? That workout MO has been in the closet for a generation. Where and when did this unlikely pair uncover the lost, forgotten alternative muscle-building technique? Apparently, they’ve been paying attention. Going through a sack of bodybuilding tricks can be frustrating, but often riches unfold. The familiar gym bag with its

Editor’s note: For more from Dave Draper, visit his Web site, www.DaveDraper.com, and sign up for his free newsletter. You can also check out his amazing Top Squat training tool, classic photos, workout Q&A and forum.

294 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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News

VPX Sports Awards $50,000

PX is proud to announce team “Fat 2 Fit” as the winners of the $50,000 Zero Impact Challenge. After 12 weeks of dieting and training while following Zero Impact diet principles and taking VPX products, such as Redline, the members of team Fat 2 Fit set a new fat-loss record by losing a combined 189.6 pounds of bodyfat. You can learn more about their astonishing transformation by going to www.zidiet.com. The team Fat 2 Fit members are now $50,000 richer for their accomplishment. Moreover, the team will be featured in ads in all the top fitness and bodybuilding publications. Imagine, $50,000 and massive exposure to celebrate this amazing fat-loss record. Congratulations once again to team Fat 2 Fit. What’s next? How about a $75,000 grand prize! That’s right, the next Zero Impact contest will have a $75,000 grand prize, and preregistration has already begun. You can preregister online at www.zidiet.com. In the following weeks we’ll have everything together for you to officially enter the next contest, which begins June 28, 2007. Preregister today. You could be the next Zero Impact Challenge winner!

New Stuff

Plasmavol

Freaky vascularity and insane pumps are just minutes away

lasmavol, bodybuilding’s first blood plasma expander, from NxLabs can help you reach a professional level of vascularity in a matter of hours. All it takes is squirting a serving of this one-of-a-kind liquid formula into a glass of water. Before you know it, your veins will start popping like the Fourth of July and your muscles will feel harder and fuller than ever. Plasmavol also delivers instant mind-blowing pumps and helps pack on slabs of rock-hard muscle in no time flat. Find out how Plasmavol changes everything by going to www.NxLabs.com for your free sample. Get Plasmavol today at GNC, Vitamin Shoppe, Vitamin World, www.Bodybuilding .com and other fine retailers.

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Gallery of Ironmen

MIND/BODY

Sergei Ivanovich Eliseev

Lon \ Photo courtesy of the David Chapman collection

arly-20th-century Russia was a volatile place where the czar ruled with an iron fist and revolutionaries strove to overthrow him. One of those rebellious fighters was a mighty athlete who challenged authority and demonstrated that strength of muscle and strength of character are sometimes united in the same person. The young man’s name was Sergei Ivanovich Eliseev, and he was one of the most powerful lifters ever to emerge from the heart of Mother Russia. Eliseev was born in 1876 in Ufa, a city in the remote southern Ural Mountains. He was a strong youth and a champion wrestler from an early age. In April 1898 he went to St. Petersburg, where he began his lifting career under the sponsorship of Vladislav Krajewski (Gallery of Ironmen, May ’05). There he learned the finer points of weightlifting from the growing community of athletes who were active there. His progress was so dramatic that he was sent to Italy in 1899 to the World Weightlifting Championships. The newcomer surprised almost everyone by taking top honors at the competition, thus becoming the first Russian ever to

win an international gold medal for his country. Although he continued to compete occasionally as an amateur in national and international contests, Eliseev left St. Petersburg and returned to Ufa, where he found work as a metalworker at a locomotive repair shop. In addition to lifting, Sergei Ivanovich was politically active, and when a revolution broke out in 1905, the athlete was in the thick of things. He came to the attention of the czarist secret police often enough to earn a code name in the official records. He was known as “the Athlete.” Eventually, he was exiled to Siberia, and two years after the Communist revolution of 1917 he settled in the city of Tomsk, located on the TransSiberian Railroad. Eliseev held a variety of jobs, but despite the poverty and hardships that beset almost everyone in the Soviet Union at that time, he continued to work out and to coach others in weightlifting. Although the facts of his death are not entirely clear, it seems that the outspoken Russian lifter was liquidated in 1939 in the infamous Stalinist purge of “troublemakers.” Tragically, Eliseev had survived one tyrannical regime only to fall victim to another. —David Chapman

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New Stuff

MIND/BODY

Use Your Stress

n so many people’s lives, stress has become a life-robbing negative; it’s intense, even overbearing, for prolonged periods of time. Actually, millions have allowed it to become intense, overbearing and prolonged. Don’t be one of them. You can change your perspective and begin using stress as motivation to produce incredible life improvements. For 27 years Pete Siegel, through hundreds of published articles and interviews, radio segments, TV appearances, book and CD sales, seminars, classes and, more recently, podcasts and e-articles, has helped millions worldwide overcome negatives in their lives and then go on to experience remarkable levels of personal growth and success (especially in the areas of performance enhancement and personal income). His new, groundbreaking work Using Your Stress to Fuel Your Success! has cracked the code for conquering (not just managing but conquering) the unsettling effects of stress—in a way that leads to truly enhanced personal vitality, emotional strength, life

To fuel your success

effectiveness and measurable personal advance. It’s a 12-chapter 112-page e-book. Unlike any personalgrowth book you’ve ever read or used before, Using Your Stress to Fuel Your Success! presents unique and proven concepts. Siegel has taken all the guesswork out for you. Just read and apply the book’s step-by-step, easyto-understand chapters, and you’ll begin to deliberately use your stress and stress factors to richly enhance your life—in esteem-building, powermagnifying, growth-commanding ways you never even considered. For more information about Using Your Stress to Fuel Your Success!, visit www.IncredibleChange.com.

New Stuff

Carb-Conscious Bar

he Supreme Protein bar, long a favorite among serious athletes, will soon be available at 7-Eleven and Vitamin Shoppe stores. That merchandising move marks a radical change in sales strategy for Supreme Protein maker ProSource, which has always been content to restrict sales of its gourmet protein bar to its own Web site and exclusive catalog. Why the change of heart? It seems ProSource and the national retail chains have been inundated with thousands of requests from customers who simply couldn’t understand why their favorite bar wasn’t available in convenience stores (like so many other bars that, frankly, lack Supreme Protein’s premier protein content and great taste). The Supreme Protein bar is justly famous for its outrageously delectable fourlayer combination of creamy nougat, crunchy peanuts, luscious caramel and crispy protein wafers. At the same time, thanks to its superior whey isolate, it is the undisputed industry leader in protein content. That makes it a far cry from most competing bars, which contain large amounts of useless gelatin. It contains healthful fats, including flaxseed oil, and a full spectrum of vitamins and minerals. The Supreme bar also has only six net carbs, low sugar and zero trans fat. Of course, those of you who have long preferred to deal with ProSource directly can still get your favorite bodybuilding snack by going to www.Prosource.net or calling up its industry-leading customer service team at (800) 310-1555.

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MIND/BODY

Physique Flaws

The Perfect Body?

ecently, someone asked me what constitutes the “perfect” body. I was somewhat taken aback, as I don’t think perfection is possible. Even if it were, wouldn’t perfection be different for each one of us? So here’s how I answered: When discussing the look of a bodybuilder’s physique, we normally mention symmetry first. Basically, that means both sides of the body are equal in size and shape. Is it possible to achieve this? Yes, visually pretty much, although everyone has slight variations on each side in terms of size (sometimes up to an inch or so on a tape measure), as well as in the shape of each muscle group. You don’t need perfect symmetry, however, to be successful as a bodybuilder. Jay Cutler proves that every year; one of his thighs looks bigger than the other, and he’s the numberone pro in the world. Another important aspect of the equation is proportion, which means that every bodypart is in balance with the others. While people have come up with formulas to describe perfect proportions, few people actually fit that measure. Proportion is more of a visual experience, in that it is easy to see when someone’s arms look too big for his chest (sorry, Lee Priest), or someone’s thighs are too small in relation to the upper body, or one’s shoulders dominate the chest or arms. Accordingly, “perfection” comes down to trying to make sure that your physique is symmetrical and proportionate. In bodybuilding we also look for the best V-taper possible, which means a wide back and shoulders coupled with a small waist. Take that further and you have the X-frame, which includes thighs that sweep nicely out to the sides, from the hip to the knee. But remember: Bodybuilding is subjective. What might

constitute the perfect body for me might not be what you feel is perfection. Some feel that the freakiness of Markus Rühl defines perfection, while others feel it’s Flex Wheeler or Shawn Ray. Still others look at all IFBB pros as being entirely too large for their bone structures and appreciate guys more along the lines of Steve Reeves or Reg Park. You need to look in the mirror and decide for yourself what perfection is. Nobody has your exact structure, insertions and shapes, so you must look to simply make yourself the best you can be in your eyes—especially if you don’t plan to step onstage in front of judges. In other words, you need to be your own judge. —Eric Broser www.PRRSTraining.com

New Stuff

Sleep

Edge Active Care

Sound for Shut-eye

C Johnson has created the first premium shave preps with the launch of Edge Active Care, a line of products that deliver a great shave and good skin care. Each of the new shave preps specifically addresses a man’s unique needs while providing a superior shaving experience with unsurpassed protection from the razor’s edge. Edge Active Care shave preps are all dermatologist-tested, and the creams sit close to the skin to give you a close, comfortable shave. Look for Deep-Hydrating Shave Cream, Deep-Cleansing Shave Cream, Revitalizing Shave Cream and Therapy Shave Gel. The Edge Active Care shave preps are all enhanced by exfoliants, cleansers and vitamins to leave the skin nourished, soft, smooth and comfortable. For more information visit www.EdgeActiveCare.com.

ntermittent sounds during the night can disrupt your sleep, which can lead to less growth hormone release and muscle repair. According to Thomas Roth, Ph.D., director of the Sleep Disorders and Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, “It’s the inconsistency of the sound or silence that’s disruptive.” Fans or other white-noise devices produce steady sound that can block out noises that can disrupt sleep. If you’re having trouble staying asleep, white noise may do the trick. —Becky Holman

300 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Graphic Muscle Stars / GraphicMuscle.com

Meriza Goncalves

Photo courtesy

of Pete Ciccon

Weight: 96 pounds contest; 100 pounds off-season Height: almost 5â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Years training: Six Residence: San Diego Favorite foods: Sushi (healthful); cheesecake, In-N-Out Burgers (cheat) Web site: MerizaFigure.com

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Readers Write Delightful Di Nino

Mentis the Man

Nancy Di Nino.

Neveux

I’ve always been a big fan of IRON MAN. I like the fact that many of the bodybuilders featured are in their 40s or above. Last March you did an article on one of them, Jimmy Mentis. After checking out his nutrition ideas and workout programs on his Web site, I decided to write to him with some questions. To my surprise, he responded immediately. He even gave me a great workout program and nutrition guide to follow and told me he’d be at the Arnold Classic promoting his new supplement Jimmy Mentis. line. I went, and it was an honor to meet him and his wife, Suzie. To this day he checks up on me via e-mail and makes sure I’m leading a healthy lifestyle. At 46 years old, I need that. I am amazed that he took so much time to help me out. He’s changed my life. Brian Clerici Beaver Falls, PA

Nancy Di Nino [IRON MAN Hardbody, April ’07] is so-o-o hot—fiery red hair, just the right amount of muscle and an exotic, angular face that is very sexy. I was blown away when I realized she’s a correctional officer in a men’s jail. Lock me up—please! Sam Frutousky via Internet

Walkin’ and Talkin’ I am impressed that so many of IRON MAN’s writers talk the talk and walk the walk. John Hansen, Steve Holman, Jonathan Lawson and now Eric Broser—these men have drug-free physiques that I can aspire to. I’ve enjoyed reading Train, Eat, Grow and how Holman and Lawson are using Broser’s Power/Rep Range/Shock method along with their own POF and X Reps. Very interesting, and it was good to see a big photo of Broser in the latest installment [April ’07]. You guys keep it real to keep me training real hard. Cesar Martinez Oakland, CA

Editor’s note: For more on Jimmy Mentis, click your way to www.JimmyMentis.com.

Packin’ on Muscle Just wanted to drop you a note and let you know how well my workout routine is going with the Phase 1 Mass F/X Program from the e-book 3D Muscle Building. I decided to use that program for 10 weeks, and I’m now entering week six. The results have been outstanding. Since the start of the program, I’ve put on about five pounds of solid muscle, only about one pound of fat and 4.5 pounds of “lean body mass”—which to me means intercellular water weight. A big thank-you for such an outstanding massbuilding routine! C.J. via Internet Editor’s note: For more information on 3D Positions of Flexion and X-Rep training, visit www.3DMuscleBuilding .com and www.X-Rep.com.

Muscle-Training Program 90 From the IRONMAN Training & Research Center by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux ou could d say y that h w on a quest q to find d the h p perfect muscle-building b d g outine—but b ironically the h perfect p routine doesn d exist Oh e, a sound d training p g program w rks k for a while, h b but entually you y have h to mo to something h g else. Why? Wh AdapAd p

Th human The h body b d is ded signed g d to adapt d p as it striv for homeostasis—to h maintain equilibrium. q b B But w d don want equilibrium; q b want to continue to g gr and d that h means that h when h adaptation d p morphs ph into stagnation, g yyou gotta g thr h the h body b dy a cur E B Eric P r/Rep R p R g Sh k is designed Range/Shock d g d with h the h body b dy high h gh level of adaptd p ability b y in mind—you d y change h g things h g fairly y drastically d y ev y eek. k T eview her h sh ho

Week 1: Power T ain ev y ex cise with h straight h sets—no supersets, p tri-sets or d drop p sets—and d reps p stay in the h four-to-six z W use slightly h h higher h reps p on end durance-oriented d muscles like calves, abs b and d for

Week 2: Rep Range For the h first ex cise you pick p k eight h that h allows you to get en to nine reps. p For F the h second d ex cise y u do d 10 1 to 12 1 r ps. p O the On h third h d ex cise y the h rep p range up p to the h high h h end d of fast-twitch h r uitment—13 to 15 reps. p (Note: N That Th w rks excepp tionally well with h 3D POF W ab big, midrange-position d p ex cise as our first mo ement and da stretch-position h ex cise as our second, d and d then h w finish h with h a contracted-position d p mo

example, p for upper pp p pecs w d do Smith-machine S h h incline p presses, incline flyes and dh high h cable b flyes.)

Week 3: Shock Th week is for putting This p y muscles through h h the h meat grinder d with h supersets, p drop d p sets and d so on. Reps R for most muscles stay in the h eight-to-10 h 1 range, b but extended-set d d techh niques q are a must C cling through h h those h three h pr p tocols h has given us lots of new insights h into training, not to mention some incredible d b strength h gains. A As for size gains, eported p d that h they h eb been sporadic, p d b but accordd ing to many that h how h size gains h pp happen—siz ge follo ed db d drought h en when h strength h is ineasing. Maybe M b cutting back a b bit and d intensifying our efforts could d

Vol. 66, No. 6: 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 © 2007. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.

304 JUNE 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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