Ironman Magazine 2008-05 by Iron Man

SHOCKING MUSCLE: 15 GIANT PICS FROM THE IM PRO MAY 2008 / IRON MAN MAGAZINE—WE KNOW TRAINING™

ABS Carve Eye-Popping Cuts for Phenomenal Abdominals

MIND BLOWING MUSCLE SIZE

3D ABS / IRON MAN PRO

•Best Get-Big Exercises •Ultimate Mass Rep Range •Freak-Physique Intensity Techniques

FAST MASS The Pros Train Explosively Should You? MAY 2008 $5.99

www.IronManMagazine.com

Please display until 5/1/08

PLUS: •Wow-Factor Weight Training for Women •Triple-Threat Delt Workout •How to Manifest Muscle Mass Mentally Free download from imbodybuilding.com Free download from imbodybuilding.com

™

WHATEVER YOU NEED WHEREVER YOU TRAIN™

Equipment

Supplements

Books

Videos

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.

Undissolved Creatine Does Nothing To Build Strength, Power Or Muscle Size… NOTHING Low-carb CreaSol™ delivers 200% more creatine straight into your muscle cells. That’s because, it’s been pH balanced to improve its ability to dissolve in water. Most creatine is only 30% dissolved in water. In other words, 70% doesn’t make it into the muscle cell… it can’t! CreaSol is 100% dissolved in water, and it’s the water that transports the dissolved creatine into the muscle. It’s simple to understand why you end up with more creatne in your muscle cells. That’s why there’s no need to load up on fat producing, high sugar or dextrose to drive the creatine into the muscle.

What that means to you is… high absorption… more creatine in your muscle cells… more cell volume and more strength and more muscle. The best part is because it’s low in carbs you also end up with less body-fat.

Experts Consider CreaSol™ to be the Low-Carb Evolution in Creatine Delivery Get to the phone and order your supply right now. Dial 1-800-6674626. CreaSol is only $29.95 plus shipping and handling. Go ahead and call right now!

CreaSol™

Water-Soluble Creatine

SAVE $10! /

40 Servings

Berry Flavor MSRP $29.95

SALE $19.9

• Dissolves completely…more creatine in your muscles • No gritty taste, no stomach cramps • Cost-effective manufacturing…affordable • Low-sugar content...no bloat, no excess calories (bodyfat) • Maximum muscle absorption...gives you maximum muscle size

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

Build Your

Body

Home At

All it takes is a dumbbell set and adjustable bench!

It’s time for you to get the attention-grabbing body you deserve! Not enough time to get to the gym? Problem solved with the new All-Dumbbell Workout. Now you can build muscle fast in the privacy of your own home. • Key Exercises for Big Gains • Intensity Tactics That Pack On Mass • The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Method • Perfect Rep Speed to Boost Results

GE ET G T YO OU Y UR RS S NO OW N W !! ON NL O LY $ !! 9 MS R Y $ 9 .95 P $ 14 .95 4 .95

Available at Home-gym.com and Ironmanmagazine.com This DVD features Greg Plitt, one of the top ﬁtness models in the country and up-and-coming Hollywood actor. Seeing Greg’s muscles in motion will motivate you, as he demonstrates the techniques to sculpt your own impressive physique. Greg is a former Army Ranger and was recently voted Hollywood’s top body.

150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRONMAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAING IRON MAN MAGAZINE IRONMAN MAGAZ

WE KNOW TRAINING™

May 2008

CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS C

FEATURES

62 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 103 High reps vs. drop sets—which is best for an occlusion mass infusion?

90 MANIFESTING MASS MENTALLY Eric Broser gives you nine tips and tricks for going mental on the metal.

104 LOW-CARB LOWDOWN, PART 2 Jerry Brainum’s got all the research on why it’s the real fat-to-muscle diet.

122 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 34 Ron Harris explains how excessive motivation can sabotage your results.

132 3D ABDOMINAL TRAINING It’s a three-way midsection dissection with Positions of Flexion. Steve Holman lays out new 3D attacks—no special glasses needed.

284 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Wow-Factor Weight Training for women

150 TRIPLE-THREAT DELT TRAINING Cory Crow explains how Mark Perry gets his shoulders to grow—big time!

170 MIND-BLOWING MUSCLE SIZE From the Bodybuilding.com archives: David Robson helps you design your perfect mass program—size-building workout template included.

186 HEAVY DUTY John Little channels the wisdom of Mike Mentzer. This month: recovery.

204 BIGGER AND STRONGER Big Jim Hafer takes you back in time to find the best rep range for big gains.

224 FAST MASS Our European research correspondent, Michael Gündill, is back with a look at explosive training and how the pros do it for extraordinary gaining.

252 IRON MAN PRO It’s a muscle-beast feast as the season opener kicks off with a bang. Loads of full-page monster pics here, gang, perfect for framing.

284 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE

132

3D ABDOMINAL TRAINING Midsection perfection to the third power

Strength coach Bill Starr presents a special feature: Wow-Factor Weight Training, a complete strength and curve-carving program for women. (Plus, lots of hot pics of weight-trained chicks!) Cover: Abs by Brandon Quinn; photo by Michael Neveux.

SHOCKING MUSCLE: 15 GIANT PICS FROM THE IM PRO

™

ABS Carve Eye-Popping Cuts for Phenomenal Abdominals

MIND BLOWING MUSCLE SIZE •Best Get-Big Exercises •Ultimate Mass Rep Range •Freak-Physique Intensity Techniques

252

IRON MAN PRO And the winner is...

FAST MASS The Pros Train Explosively Should You? MAY 2008 $5.99

PLUS:

Vol. 67, No. 5

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

www.IronManMagazine.com

Please display until 5/1/08

C1_02-MAY2008_F.indd 1

•Wow-Factor Weight Training for Women •Triple-Threat Delt Workout •How to Manifest Muscle Mass Mentally 3/3/08 12:22:03 PM

CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CO

DEPARTMENTS

28 TRAIN TO GAIN To belt or not to belt? Joe Horrigan answers the classic question in Sportsmedicine.

44 SMART TRAINING Coach Charles Poliquin’s eight tactics for preventing pigeon calves.

50 EAT TO GROW Wheying in on protein studies and the energy-drink stink.

74 NATURALLY HUGE John Hansen carves out info that can help you cut up for contest success.

82 SHREDDED MUSCLE Dave Goodin’s strategies for making friends with brutal leg training.

244 NEWS & VIEWS The world of bodybuilding

86 CRITICAL MASS Steve Holman’s new diatribe on muscle size and pre-ex lies.

238 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY Jerry Brainum digs into new research on melatonin, GABA and growth hormone.

244 NEWS & VIEWS Lonnie Teper reports on the first big show, the IM Pro. Let the controversy flow.

270 MUSCLE “IN” SITES Eric Broser’s clicking critiques on Branch Warren’s site and a gorgeous gal who deserves the spotlight. There’s Broser-style training info here too.

274 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE Ruth Silverman’s look at the women’s side of the body sports—with photos—including the NPC IRON MAN Figure show.

308 MIND/BODY CONNECTION Dave Draper reminisces about Arnold, Gold’s and making muscles at the mecca. Plus, IRON MAN’s Rising Stars and a power-packed pep talk from John Rowley.

320 READERS WRITE

82 SHREDDED MUSCLE How to make friends with leg training

Passing of a legend, contest comments and ’roid raves.

ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLIN

www.IronManMagazine.com

In the next IRON MAN:

See more Photos @ See more Video @

ONLINE VIEWERS’ CHOICE Here are the places that IronManMagazine.com viewers recently clicked on the most:

>CONTEST

COVERAGE Get the latest, greatest results, photos, video and blogs from the biggest events.

CLIPS LIBRARY >PDF >BEHIND>HOT THE-SCENES Feel your heart Read and/or VIDEOS See and hear interviews with the stars of the muscle world.

race when you view these studio sessions with fit, gorgeous gals.

download some of our most popular features. Build your muscle-building collection.

It’s our ageless muscle and strength issue, and we’ve got a big (and ripped) surprise. A former Mr. O got on the big-gain train for one more ride down muscle lane—in his 60s. Hint: His last name rhymes with train. We’ll feature an exclusive interview with Frank, er, um, him next month. We’ll also get critical questions answered on building muscle for the mature man from researcher Jerry Brainum, and more info on explosive training—and gaining. Look for the June issue on newsstands the ﬁrst week of May.

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

TRAIN ANY TIME Pack On All the Rock-Hard Muscle You Want... At Home! Never pay for another gym membership or wait for a piece of equipment again. The Powertec Power Rack with cable setup is an investment in a lifetime of muscle building.

Here’s a complete Powertec Power Rack workout: Quads: Hamstrings: Calves: Chest: Chest: Back: Back: Shoulders: Shoulders: Triceps: Biceps: Abs:

Squats* Stiff-legged deadlifts Standing calf raises Bench presses* Incline Presses* Chinups or Pulldowns Seated cable rows Seated presses Upright rows Triceps pushdowns Barbell curls or Cable curls Full-range bench crunches

Powertec Power Rack - with cable setup Check Website for SALE price.

*Safety catch long-pins make exercises safer and more effective - no spotter necessary.

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S

Publisher’s Letter by John Balik

What a Weekend! I started producing bodybuilding events in the late ’60s as a volunteer with the AAU, which was then the dominant sanctioning organization for amateur bodybuilding in Southern California. That association culminated when I coproduced the ’70 AAU Mr. America with Bill Pearl in Culver City. The first professional bodybuilding event I produced was the ’80 IFBB California Grand Prix. Fast forward 28 years: February 15–17, 2008, was the 19th IFBB IRON MAN Pro and its fifth year with the Los Angeles FitExpo. As the saying goes, we’ve come a long way! As a teenage bodybuilder I expressed my competitiveness by entering bodybuilding and Olympic weightlifting events. Later, I “graduated” to the other side of the lights to promote the sport that’s been central to my life. Bodybuilding and Olympic weightlifting are essentially individual sports— you and the barbell in its most elemental form. You may have a coach or training partner, but you win or lose on your own. Producing a weekend event like the IRON MAN Pro/Los Angeles FitExpo is at the other end of the spectrum—a collaborative effort with every aspect an important part of the chain. Many people came up to me during the weekend to congratulate me on the IRON MAN Pro and the expo. I accepted the congratulations knowing that such an event can only happen with the effort and support of everyone involved. If any one of the key elements were missing, the IRON MAN Pro/Los Angeles FitExpo weekend couldn’t be what it is. Without sponsorship, the event would be financially impossible; without the fantastic lineup of IFBB pro bodybuilders, the fans wouldn’t be there; without great lighting, the bodybuilders wouldn’t look their best; without the marketing/information push, no one would know about it; without my staff, I’d be stressed beyond recognition. It is really about the team. Bodybuilding.com and Gaspari Nutrition were the presenting sponsors, and we had great media help from Peter McGough and Robin Chang at AMI/Weider, Steve Blechman at Muscular Development and Bob Kennedy at MuscleMag and super Web support from Ron Avidan at Getbig.com and Isaac Hinds of Liftstudios.com. When the ’08 competition year is reviewed, I believe the IRON MAN Pro lineup will compare favorably to the Mr. Olympia lineup in depth and quality. A huge thanks to the 32 top IFBB pros for giving the event such fantastic support. Everyone showed up in great condition, and the sellout crowd showed its appreciation. Many people commented on the superb lighting that enabled the bodybuilders to appear at their best. Mike Neveux, the master of light and shadow, is responsible for creating the visual presentation. The light defines the physiques and determines the quality of the audience’s visual experience. From the beginning, the IRON MAN Pro has set the lighting standard, and that’s due to Mike’s understanding of both the physique and the light that defines it. (See the photo report that begins on page 252.) The expo itself grew from 40,000 square feet in 2007 to 140,000 in 2008. Our expo partner, National Fitness Productions and its team, with tireless assistance from both Marc Missioreck and Erin Ferries, created an event second only to the Arnold Sports Festival in attendance—almost 20,000 people over 2 1/2 days. The move to the Los Angeles Convention Center was successful on every level, and that move was made possible by the fantastic support of our sponsors and all of the vendors who supported the expo—a big thanks to all. Next year is our contest’s 20th anniversary, and we’ve already got big plans for it. See you there. IM

Founders 1936-1986: Peary & Mabel Rader 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: Brett R. Miller Designer: Chester Chin IRON MAN Staff: Mary Gasca, Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba 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, Roland Balik, Reg Bradford, Jimmy Caruso, Bill Dobbins, Jerry Fredrick, Irvin Gelb, Isaac Hinds, Dave Liberman, J.M. Manion, Merv, Gene Mozée, Mitsuru Okabe, Rob Sims, Ian Sitren, 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

26 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

Ab Bench $149.00 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING

Smart Training by Charles Poliquin

Growing Calves Q: I have the calf development of a pigeon. Any suggestions for making my calves grow? A: I often get mail from readers asking for help in the calf department. Here are eight surefire tips to get yours growing. 1) Train them first in the workout. Most people train calves at the end of a thigh workout, so the effort is just not there. Train them on arm day, before arms, and watch them jolt into new growth. Don’t worry, your arms won’t shrink into oblivion. 2) Use the appropriate reps for the exercise. The number of reps depends on which exercise you’re doing. In exercises where you bend your knee, most of the load is taken by the soleus, which is one of what kinesiologists

call the antigravity muscles—that is, the muscles that are firing when you’re in a standing position. Muscle biopsies and autopsies have revealed that the soleus is composed of approximately 88 percent slow-twitch muscle, meaning it responds better to high reps. Sets that you complete in less than 40 seconds won’t do much for optimal development of that muscle. In exercises where your knee is straight, such as donkey calf raises and standing calf raises, the gastrocnemius handles most of the load. The gastrocnemius is composed of approximately 60 percent fast-twitch muscle and responds best to sets that can be completed in approximately 20 to 40 seconds. Make sure to do the knees-locked exercises first in the workout, as they recruit the higher-threshold motor units. 3) Pause in the bottom position. It’s a simple trick that will do a lot to promote growth in the calf muscles. After you’ve completed the eccentric, or lowering, part of each rep, pause in the bottom position before performing the concentric, or lifting, part. The length of the pause should be one to four seconds, depending on the repetition count—the higher the number of reps, the shorter the pause. To give you an idea of how that works, on sets of 35 to 50 reps you’d pause for only one second at the bottom. On sets of six to eight reps, the pause should be extended to four seconds. about 88

The soleus is percent slow-twitch fibers, so longer tension times—40 seconds or longer—are best for seated calf raises.

4) Reduce lifting speed. For a change of pace and some new growth, aim at taking five seconds to lift the weight and five seconds to lower it. After six to eight reps

44 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

FREE-WEIGHT NIRVANA 2,570 Pounds of Dumbbells in a 2-by-2-foot Area It’s the Ultimate Home Dumbbell Set. The Elite PowerBlock 5-90 pounds base set adjusts in 5- or 10-pound increments. It’s equivalent to 28 pairs of dumbbells, or 2,570 pounds of free weights, with a top weight of 90 pounds per Block. •Selectorized: Adjust the weight instantly by moving the pins. •Safe: No dangerous collars to loosen. •Comfort: The compact, smooth rectangular shape ensures no rolling and allows the use of heavier weights. •Patented: The PowerBlock was granted 5 patents by the U.S. government because the idea is so unique. FREE Bonus Pack: •Exercise poster pack $24.00 value. •CD ROM workout planner $39.95 value. •Free 12-month IRON MAN subscription $29.95 value.

Stand available separately.

Elite PowerBlock (With FREE Bonus Pack)

$598 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

SImply move the pins for the fastest, most efﬁcient and productive workouts ever.

MantaRay Squat Pad Knee Bands Monster Forearm Bar

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Power Hooks

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Unilateral training concentrates neural drive and can create a lower-leg growth spurt.

to stretch the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles after every set of tibialis anterior work. Since the calf muscles are rather resilient, I’d use the standing calf machine to

provide enough load. 8) Learn the PIMST. Acupressure points in the body can increase your calf strength instantly by 2 to 15 percent. You can learn where they are in a hands-on seminar called the Poliquin Instant Muscle Strengthening Techniques. More strength means more overload and more growth. Check the listing below for when PIMST is coming to your area in 2008: April 5-6: London May 10-11: Santander, Spain June 28-29: Fullerton, California October 11-12: Halmstad, Sweden This is the seminar that sold out the fastest in 2007, sometimes in less that 45 minutes. To reserve your spot, send e-mail to Beverly@CharlesPoliquin.com. Apply the eight tips above, and your calves should get a surge of new growth.

at that slow tempo, you’ll feel a significant buildup of intramuscular tension in the calf muscles because you won’t be using momentum to help you complete the exercise. 5) Give unilateral training a try. If you have difficulty feeling your calves work when training them, you should be able to create a new growth spurt with unilateral training. Experiment with one-leg calf raises on the standing calf machine or one-leg calf presses on the leg press. Concentrating your neural drive on a single limb will enable you to maximize the load on the calf muscle. 6) Try calf raises on the hack-squat machine. Since both your body and the calf block are at a 45 degree angle, it will be easier mechanically to reach the top portion of the range. That will change the resistance pattern of the calf muscles, challenging the nervous system and jolting new growth. 7) Train the muscles involved in dorsi-flexion. For maximum lower-leg development you need to train all areas of the lower leg, including the muscles on the anterior, or front, of the calf. When you perform those exercises be sure to pause in the bottom position for a two-second count. Also, it’s important

Neveux \ Model: Omar Deckard

SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SM

Smart Training

Reducing your lifting speed is a good way to jolt a new response from a lagging muscle. Try five seconds to lift the weight and five seconds to lower it.

46 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

Super Gripper $29.95 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

Pausing near the top of your bench press reps can help facilitate strength adaptations.

Q: What do you think of pausing throughout a repetition cycle of a given set? Is it worth the trouble? A: Well, let me first say that you can pause at various phases of the repetition cycle and that each pause has a different consequence. For example, in the bench press, Australian researcher Greg Wilson has shown that it negates the elastic energy potential of the stretch shortening cycle. In that case, the trainee has to overcome inertia to complete the concentric range, thus creating more intramuscular tension. Here’s what you should know about pauses through a repetition cycle: Vary where you take the pause. For relative strength development it would be beneficial to pause in the advantageous isometric position. In most flexion exercises, such as biceps curls and hamstring curls, the advantageous pause would be between the eccentric and concentric phases of the repetition cycles. In most extension exercises, such as bench presses and squats, the pause would be between the concentric and eccentric phases, when the limbs achieve the near-lockout position. The length of the pause should be in the range of one to four seconds. Both options are great for stimulating hypertrophy but for different reasons. The key is to regularly vary where you pause. You can pause anywhere along the concentric or

eccentric phase as long as you’re consistent throughout the set. Pausing is more important on extensor chain movements, such as presses, deadlifts and squats. That’s based solely on my experience and the experience of my mentors. Pausing in the bottom position is great for training the ability to overcome inertia—the sort an offensive tackle would need, particularly the Patriots’ offensive line, which failed to protect Tom Brady at the last Super Bowl. 3) Be consistent with the pause. For a given training cycle, make sure that the length and the joint angle of the pause are always the same—aim at increasing the load at every workout for that repetition-tempo pattern. Editor’s note: Charles Poliquin is recognized as one of the world’s most successful strength coaches, having coached Olympic medalists in 12 different sports, including the U.S. women’s track-and-field team for the 2000 Olympics. He’s spent years researching European journals (he’s fluent in English, French and German) and speaking with other coaches and scientists in his quest to optimize training methods. For more on his books, seminars and methods, visit www.CharlesPoliquin.net. Also, see his ad on page 275. IM

48 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Neveux \ Model: Cesar Martinez

SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SM

Smart Training

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.

Shoulder Horn $59.95 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Push Ups

Dip Belt Accu-Measure Fat Calipers 8

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Seated Row Handle

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

62 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

More Muscle % 0 0 Stimulation 3 You’ve Never Felt Anything Like It! ™

FLEXSOLATE

GRIP-FREE CUFFS Fact:

A static grip can limit muscle action and growth. On many exercises it’s your grip that severely reduces your ability to isolate and innervate the target muscle. For example, standard straps just don’t do the job on pulldowns. The rigid, unyielding grip become the Achilles heel that limits growth stimulation. But what if you could eliminate grip completely? The patented Flexsolate gripless cuffs do just that, enabling you to fully contract the targeted muscle for exceptional ﬁber recruitment. You’ve never felt anything like it. With Flexsolate, you isolate to innervate and accelerate muscle growth. Once you try them, you’ll never go to the gym without them! Cable Rows

Y ONL .95 9 1 $ g)

andlin

(plus

nd h ping a

ship

Cable Laterals

ov ith

0 es 4 cis r xe

Every pair of cuffs comes with an instructional DVD. Specify XS-S-M-L

Hammer Curls

1-800-447-0008 or Home-Gym.com

Crossovers

Train, Eat,

Grow From the IRON MAN Training & Research Center

Muscle-Training Program 103 by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Daryl Gee

ast month we discussed our 3D HIT program, a streamlined POF routine in which we do one all-out work set in each of the three positions of flexion for every bodypart. We outlined most of the requirements for making it a better muscle-building routine, including a thorough warmup, improving neuromuscular efficiency, X Reps and extended tension times on specific exercises. The one requirement we left out, which we thought was a given, is all-out, see-the-white-buffalo intensity. No abbreviated muscle-building program will work if you can’t light a fire under every set. That’s why winter may not have been the best time for us to experiment with 3D HIT—holidays and cold weather aren’t conducive to maximum motivation in the gym. Nevertheless, we were stoked about it, which is probably why we did get good gains, better than in previous winters for a number of muscle groups.

As we write, spring is on the horizon, and our motivation is heating up. Because of that, we’re sticking with the 3D HIT program for a while longer, but we’ve made a change to up the intensity, with another one waiting in the wings. Before we get to that, let’s review our split:

abs Thursday: Off Friday: Delts, deadlifts, biceps, forearms Weekend: Off (with cardio)

Week 3 Week 1

Repeat week 1

Monday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back Wednesday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Thursday: Off Friday: Chest, deadlifts, triceps, abs Weekend: Off (with cardio)

Week 2 Monday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back Wednesday: Chest, lats, triceps,

Remember, we work legs only once a week; however, we substitute regular deadlifts for the back routine on Friday. That gives us residual leg work at the end of the week as well as a heavy back blast. We follow deads with one or two sets of a direct back exercise—pulldowns if it’s lat day; machine rows if it’s midback day. (By the way, last month we explained why we use a Trap Bar for deadlifts; we hightly recommend it, as it enables you to keep your torso more upright for a safer, more effective movement. It’s available at Home-Gym.com.) Okay, so what’s our big change to last month’s version of the program? Instead of doing the last exercise for each bodypart—the contractedwww.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 63

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Here’s How To Put Your Muscle-Building and Fat-Loss Mechanisms on auto-pilot. Muscle-Building Technology Just Took A GIANT leap from the Past into the Future Dear friend, In the 1950s and ’60s, a handful of DRUG-FREE bodybuilders and elite celebrities made shocking gains in muscle size, (ranging from 25 to 30 pounds) in only three to four months while dissolving countless pounds of fat when they began using a special protein formula developed by renowned nutritionist Rheo H. Blair in Hollywood, California. For 40 years the formula was lost, until now. We recently “rediscovered” the “lost formula” he used to develop this special blend of protein and have made it available to you for the first time in years in Pro-Fusion™! Listen, you may be one of many bodybuilders who mistakenly believed that you’d have to “choke down” wretched-tasting protein all day long in order to achieve worthwhile training results. Well those days are over… Prepare to GROW!! When you start using this once “lost” growth technology available in Pro-Fusion™, you’re going to launch your progress into warp speed. Research has proven when you consume a combination of the long-lasting anticatabolic action of casein protein with the short-term anabolic action of whey protein, you trigger several mechanisms responsible for unparalleled muscle growth. At the same time, you’ll starve the stored bodyfat, causing your body to burn fat virtually 24 hours a day! Then all you have to do is feed that process every two to three hours, and you’ll teach your body to burn fat and grow muscles.

the superior amino acid balance of the ultimate protein source found in HUMAN MOTHER’S MILK—nature’s ultimate growth formula. It’s One Reason Babies Grow So Fast! That’s only part of the secret behind this special blend of protein. There’s more. As incredible as the Pro-Fusion™ technology is with its precise combination of whey and complete milk proteins to clone the balance found in human milk protein, it contains added egg white protein. And we were sure to use whey protein concentrate, NOT the cheaper, inferior whey protein isolate which is commonly used. You see, whey protein concentrate has more of the minor amino acid fractions responsible for growth and tissue repair not available in whey protein isolate, and Pro-Fusion™ is high in Lactoferrin. Lactoferrin is a protein fraction which, according to scientific studies, cuts the time required for tissue repair in half! And that means big gains for hard-training athletes— like you.

offer! For mail orders just write the words Pro-Fusion™ and Offer 669PF on any piece of paper. Be sure to tell us how many canisters you want with your name, mailing address, and credit card information or enclose a check or money order for the proper amount (California residents please add 8.75% sales tax) plus $7 for shipping and handling, then race over to your mailbox and send it right now to: Muscle-Link, Offer 669PF, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033 Foreign orders must send US$ money orders only and include $15 shipping. Sorry, no shipping to P.O. Boxes. (CA residents please add 8.75% tax) OR: Fax the paper mentioned above with your name, mailing address, and credit card information and proper amount as shown above to: 1-805-385-3515. P.S.: Call today! P.P.S.: Pro-Fusion™ is a real breakthrough protein formula. Remember, you risk nothing. Find out for yourself just how powerful the Pro-Fusion™ technology is. Order yours Today!

It’s even been shown to reverse the growth of cancer cells. Plus, Pro-Fusion™ is absolutely delicious! The design of Pro-Fusion™ makes it the perfect choice of anyone with an intense desire to maximize the results of a well-designed training and dietary program.By now, you’re aware that Pro-Fusion™ is a technological breakthrough in sports nutrition. You’ve just got to get yourself some of Muscle Link’s Pro-Fusion™ now. A big 2-pound container of Pro-Fusion™ is only $29.95 (plus S&H).

Choice of: Tropical Vanilla, or Chocolate Fudge flavoring

The Proof is Scienctific Fact. Jump On THIS Money Saving Bonus! Your muscle mass is influenced by two critical factors—your rate of anabolism, which increases your muscle mass, and your rate of catabolism, which tears it to shreds. The two functions are continuous bodily processes. A recent study found that whey protein is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, causing an anabolic action—sadly, these effects are short-lived. In order to get the maximum anabolic and anticatabolic action, you need to ingest whey protein combined with precisely measured amounts of casein to achieve

Buy six 2-pound containers of Pro-Fusion™ and take another 10% off. So you’ll pay only $169.95. You can get started RISK–FREE! If you’re not 100% satisfied with Muscle-Link’s Pro-Fusion™ just let us know and you will get a FULL refund of the purchase price, no questions asked—absolutely guaranteed! There’s Only One Thing To Do NOW! Pick up the phone and dial 1-800-6674626, Offer 669PF. Have your credit card number ready. Order your six-pack of Pro-Fusion™ right away! This is a limited

1-800-667-4626, Offer 669PF Available at better health food stores nation wide.

Come visit us at www.muscle-link.com

Train, Eat,

Grow

Most bodypart routines begin with a big, midrange exercise repped with a standard cadence.

Model: Greg Plitt

position move—as a high-rep set, we’re doing a drop set. Not such a big deal, you say? We’ve found it to be a very big deal, especially since we’ve discovered a more effective way to do drops, as we’ll explain. For one thing, a drop set is a volume increase because it’s two sets back to back. For the uninitiated, here’s an example: On concentration curls for biceps you do a set of 10 reps to exhaustion, grab a lighter dumbbell and immediately rep out again, getting about six more reps. So that’s really two sets to failure, not one higher-rep set, as we had been doing. Is a drop set better than one set of 12 to 15 slower reps? That depends. As we explain in all of

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 103 Workout 1: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps) High-low cable flyes (drop; X Reps) Bench presses (X Reps) Flyes (X Reps) Wide-grip dips (X Reps) Low cable flyes (drop) Wide-grip pulldowns Undergrip pulldowns Machine or dumbbell pullovers Stiff-arm pulldowns (drop) Lying extensions (X Reps) Overhead dumbbell extensions or cable pushouts Superset Pushdowns Kickbacks Giant set Incline kneeups Ab Bench crunches Twisting crunches End-of-bench kneeups

Hyperextensions or Nautilus lower-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12

1 x 10-12 1 x 8-10 1 x 12-15 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-15 1 x 9-12

Workout 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Lower Back Leg extensions (warmup) 1 x 12-15 Squats 1 x 9-12 Sissy squats 1 x 9-12 Leg extensions (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Walking lunges 1 x 10-15 Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 x 9-12 Leg curls (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Knee-extension leg press calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-15 Leg press calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-15 Machine standing calf raises or one-leg calf raises (drop; X Reps) 1 x 12(7) Seated calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 15-20

1 x 10-15

Workout 3: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Smith-machine upright rows (X Reps) One-arm cable laterals or incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) Forward-lean laterals (drop; X Reps) Smith-machine presses (X Reps) Bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) Machine rows (X Reps) V-handle cable rows Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) Dumbbell shrugs (drop; X Reps) Dumbbell preacher curls Incline curls Concentration curls or one-arm spider curls (drop) Incline hammer curls (drop) Giant set Dumbbell wrist curls (X Reps) Behind-the-back wrist curls Dumbbell reverse wrist curls (X Reps) Forearm Bar reverse wrist curls

1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 12(7) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(7) 1 x 10(7) 1 x 20 1 x 10 1 x 15-20 1 x 8-10

Friday Workout Deadlifts (substitute for back workout)

1 x 9-12

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 XRep Muscle Building. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep.com for more workout details.

64 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Are You Ready to FREAK OUT?! one potent muscle-swelling comIt’s the precise scientific combi1-MONTH RESULTS! bination—the ingredients are listnation your muscles need to grow ed at www.X-Stack.com, along larger, freakier and stronger with results and more photos). after every workout. Plus, it Feed your muscles what they spikes insulin, the hormone that crave at the precise time when sends those key nutrients rocketing supercompensation is jacked to your muscles at that critical to the max, and you can start grow time. (If you don’t use this building more muscle immediateamazing combo, it’s like wasting ly—more monster mass half your workouts!) almost instantly. Plus, you’ll Insulin is a good thing and high- “The X Stack combined with X-Rep training got me to my most muscular refill spent fuel stores so you’re ly anabolic right after you train condition ever in only one month.” because that’s when your muscles —Jonathan Lawson fully loaded for your next workout (bigger, more powerful muscles; are extremely receptive—like wrung-out sponges waiting to soak up anabolic nutri- you can feel it working). You train hard; you deserve to freak out! ents so they can engorge to new dimensions. It’s the time when carbs will not go to fat cells—the time For More Info and Special to load up so your muscles fill out. Discount Pricing, Visit: The X Stack also includes titrated creatine, which heightens ATP regeneration to fuel future muscle conwww.X-Stack.com tractions and fills out your muscle structures even Results using the X Stack vary from individual to individual. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This product is not more (all of the key nutrients in the X Stack make it intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

w w w. X - S t a c k . c o m

Natural MuscleCorrect Growth Impotence & Fat Loss and

Improve Sex Drive

Nature's most powerful testosterone enhacements are now available in one natural, safe and effective formula! When it’s time to build muscle you don’t want to worry about the side effects of anabolic steroids. ZMA-T, a safe, natural and effective supplement, contains 3 powerful components. Tribulus Terrestris, Muira Puama and our patented combination of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Research studies on strength athletes show that ZMA-T's leading edge formula is designed to safely and effectively elevate testosterone levels and strength while correcting impotence and improving sex drive. Each bottle contains 120 capsules of ZMA-T and is only $39.95 (MSRP)

our s up, y e l b a t y and ur tra osition p Put yo t h ig ! the upr seat in KEOFF A T r o dy f get rea

For more info call 800-667-4626 or vist us at www.muscle-link.com

More Wicked Muscle Size and Serious Blast-Off Power On Every Set

Train, Eat,

A drop set appears to be better for optimal growth activation than doing one slow, higher-rep set.

Model: Mike Dragna

Grow

our e-books, the size principle of fiber recruitment says that the slow-twitch fibers, which depend on oxygen from the blood, fire first on any set, followed by the endurance-oriented fast-twitch fibers, followed by the high-threshold fast-twitch fibers, which have the most potential for growth but don’t need oxygen to fire. That’s why they fire last, when blood in the muscle is depleted of oxygen. The domino effect is why those last tough reps are so important—to get at the key fibers with the most growth potential. So while a higher-rep set provides a longer continuous-tension time—no break—you get almost the same bloodblockage effect with a drop set, if you can change the weight fast enough. The bonus with drop sets is that you get at even more high-growth fibers on the second phase. Why? With the slow-twitch endurance fibers depleted of oxygen in the first phase, the second phase forces more medium- and high-threshold

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Home-Gym Program 103 Hyperextensions (X Reps)

Workout 1: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Incline presses (X Reps) Incline flyes (drop) Bench presses (X Reps) Flyes (X Reps) Wide-grip dips or decline presses (X Reps) Decline flyes (drop) Chins Undergrip chins Dumbbell pullovers Undergrip rows (drop) Lying extensions (X Reps) Overhead dumbbell extensions Kickbacks (drop; X Reps) Superset Incline kneeups Flat-bench leg raises Ab Bench or full-range crunches End-of-bench kneeups

1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 15-20 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 9-12

Workout 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Lower Back Leg extensions (warmup) Squats Sissy squats Leg extensions (drop; X Reps) Walking lunges Stiff-legged deadlifts Leg curls (drop; X Reps) Knee-extension donkey calf raises (X Reps) Donkey calf raises (X Reps) One-leg calf raises (drop; X Reps) Seated calf raises (X Reps)

1 x 12-15 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 10-15 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 12-15 1 x 12-15 1 x 12(8) 1 x 15-20

1 x 10-15

Workout 3: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms Seated laterals/upright rows (X Reps) Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) Forward-lean laterals (drop; X Reps) Barbell or dumbbell presses (X Reps) Bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) Bent-over rows (X Reps) One-arm dumbbell rows Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) Dumbbell shrugs (drop; X Reps) Dumbbell curls Incline curls Concentration curls or one-arm spider curls (drop) Incline hammer curls Giant set Dumbbell wrist curls (X Reps) Behind-the-back wrist curls Rockers Dumbbell reverse wrist curls

1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 12(8) 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 12-15 1 x 9-12 1 x 20 1 x 12-15 1 x 12-15 1 x 15-20

Friday Workout Deadlifts (substitute for back workout)

1 x 9-12

Note: If you don’t have a leg extension machine, do oldstyle hacks, nonlock style. Use partner resistance, towel around the ankles, if you don’t have a leg curl machine.

66 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

3-D MUSCLE BLAST Positions of Flexion Builds Mass Fast!

Critical Mass POF DVD $24.95

Get maximum muscle fiber recruitment from minimal gym time—only four to six sets per bodypart. Discover how to build power and size with 3-D Positions of Flexion: big midrange movements, stretch overload to activate the myotatic reflex and continuous-tension peak contraction to finish off the muscle. This DVD explains Positions of Flexion, a breakthrough massbuilding method that has bodybuilders all over the world growing faster than ever and achieving skin-splitting pumps at every workout. See this exciting size-boosting approach in action, apply it to your own workouts and watch mass surge to dramatic new levels in record time. Turn your guns into cannons and your shoulders into boulders. Chisel your chest and pack your thighs with new size. Bonus: 10 Minutes to Granite Abs is also included on this action-packed DVD.

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Train, Eat,

Grow

motor units to fire because blood flow is still impaired. So a drop set appears to be better than a higher-rep set. But wait. The question then becomes, Is getting more high-growth fast-twitch fibers to fire the primary goal of contracted-position exercises? Not really. Contracted-position exercises are more about occlusion and tension and stimulating growth through endurance-oriented pathways. You might think that breaking up the tension time to reduce the weight for a drop set would be counterproductive, but that’s not necessarily so. If you do a drop set as follows, it becomes much better than performing a single higher-rep set. Start with a weight that you can get 10 reps with using a slow cadence—two seconds up, three seconds down. That gives you 50 seconds of tension time, which is very close to the parameters in the study we’ve discussed—56 seconds of continuous tension with a light weight produced significant muscle growth. With the first phase of the drop set you get full occlusion benefits, so

you’ve essentially got the higher-repset growth factors in the bag. Now immediately reduce the weight and perform the second phase. The flow of oxygen-rich blood should still be somewhat impaired, which means you can activate more fast-twitch fibers. To make the second phase even more effective, we suggest you use a faster cadence, on the order of one second up and one second down. Explosive-but-controlled reps have been shown to activate pure fast-twitch fibers best, and with depleted oxygen from your first drop-set phase, that will happen faster—efficiency of effort. Remember, reduce the weight for the second phase quickly and begin repping immediately, as the less blood—with oxygen—that gets in the muscle, the better your chances of forcing the fast-twitch fibers into action once you begin the second phase. If you do your drop sets in that manner—first phase with 10 slower, controlled reps; second phase with six to eight faster reps—we think you’ll find that it’s a significant

mass-building improvement over performing one higher-rep, slowercadence set. It’s already making a big difference in the growth-inducing pumps we’re getting at the end of each bodypart routine (we’re using only a drop set on contractedposition exercises). We also mentioned another tactic we have waiting in the wings. It has to do with getting more force production on the first exercise, the midrange move, with an X-Rep-only set. We’ve started doing it on Smithmachine incline presses, and we’re seeing a new blast of mass, just what we need with spring on the horizon. Stay tuned. Note: For information on X-onlystyle training, see the last chapter, “Stretch-Overload Research,” in the e-book X-traordinary Muscle-Building Workouts, available at X-Rep .com. Editor’s note: For the latest on X Reps, X e-books and the X-Blog training and supplement journals, visit www.X-Rep.com. A few of the mass-training e-books are shown below. IM

X-traordinary Workouts — X-ceptional Results!

The Ultimate Mass Workout. This is the original X-Rep manual. Includes the ultimate exercise for each muscle and workouts.

Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building. More on X Reps and X-hybrid techniques, including X Fade and Double-X Overload.

3D Muscle Building. Positions-of-Flexion mass training. Includes the 20pounds-of-muscle-in-10weeks size surge program.

X-traordinary MuscleBuilding Workouts. The big 10 mass-program arsenal. Includes Heavy/Light, 20Rep Squat, Power Pyramid.

X-Rep.com 68 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

Coleman DVD $28.95

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train™

by John Hansen, Mr. Natural Olympia

Cutting Up for Contest Success Q: I was wondering if you could help me with cutting up for a competition—as in, what specifically to eat and what type of lifting and cardio I should do. It will be my first show, and I think if I cut down the right way, I can win. I’m 18 years old, 5’11”, 195 pounds and am currently starting my cutting cycle. Any advice would be appreciated. A: It would help me more if I knew what you’re doing now in your training and diet program; however, I can give you some guidelines. Since you’re a teenager, you probably have a pretty fast metabolism and will get cut up quickly compared to someone who’s older. But everyone’s different, and you will have to plan your diet based on how fast you lose fat.

Give your contest diet a full 12 weeks.

When I was competing as a teenage bodybuilder, it took me only three to four weeks to get really ripped and ready for a contest. Looking back now, I can see that I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’d basically starve myself. As a result, I lost muscle as well as fat. It’s always better to lose fat very slowly so you keep the maximum amount of muscle. Your body gives up muscle if you don’t eat enough calories (as well as protein and carbs) or if you do too much cardio. By losing the fat slowly, you maintain your valuable lean muscle tissue as you get ripped. Count up exactly how many calories and grams of protein, carb and fat you’re eating right now. Before you start your contest diet, you have to determine where you are so you have a baseline. Next, take a look at where the calories are coming from. If you’re eating any processed foods, candy, ketchup, fruit juices and so on, you’re eating simple sugars. Eliminate them right away. Look at all the foods you’re eating and take out anything that has sugar in it. Cut out foods that are high in saturated fat—hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage, mayonnaise, whole milk, cheese, etc. Foods like that contain a lot of calories and add fat that will cover any muscle definition you hope to show onstage. Eat a high-quality source of protein with each meal. Choose complete protein foods that are low in fat, such as egg whites, chicken breasts, turkey andon fish. Those (continued page 102) are the foods that help you maintain muscle tissue as you lose the bodyfat. You can include some protein foods that have a little fat in them.

74 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Neveux \ Model:Micheal Ergas

NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY H

Naturally Huge

SWIMSUIT SIZZLEFEST The Hottest of the Hot This Sizzlefest DVD is an uncensored look at the best of the best of our nine swimsuit videos. This collection of fourteen of the finest, fittest females in tiny bikinis (or even less) gives you a close up look at some of the most outrageously beautiful and sexy fitness females to ever slip into (or out of) a bikini. The beauty of the women is enhanced and amplified by showcasing them in the most spectacular locations from the desert to the mountains to the sea. This DVD is a 10 on every level. Look at this list of gorgeous sexy women: Ahmo, Amy, Ashley, Cori, Frostee, Karla, Laura, LeAnna, Linda, Paulina, Rebecca, Tanya, Timea, Tina Jo.

Swimsuit Sizzlefest $24.95

This 55-minute DVD contains nudity. You must be 18 or older to purchase it.

*PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

tion’s 2:1:1 Recovery or Muscle Link’s RecoverX provides the right ratio of quickly digesting proteins to fast-acting carbohydrates for maximum glycogen storage and recovery. Putting it all together, here’s an example of a precontest diet for someone in your age group, customized for your bodyweight: Meal 1: 1 egg, 6 egg whites, 1 cup oatmeal Meal 2 (protein drink): 2 scoops protein powder and 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, made with water Meal 3: 5 ounces chicken breast, 3 ounces sweet potato, 3 ounces broccoli Meal 4 (protein drink): 2 scoops protein powder, made with water Meal 5 (postworkout): Serving of posworkout drink Meal 6: 4 ounces round steak, 1/2 cup brown rice, 1 cup green beans Meal 7 (protein drink): 2 scoops protein powder and 1 tablespoon flaxseed oil, made with water

Even if you’re in precontest training, you should use heavy weights for six to 10 reps per set.

Neveux \ Model: George Farah

NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY H

Naturally Huge

Lean cuts of beef like round steak and flank steak supply iron and other growth-enhancing nutrients that are missing from white meat. Also make high-fat fish, such as salmon and sardines, a regular part of your diet. They’re very high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help make your muscle cells more insulin sensitive—that is, they attract more carbohydrates into the muscle cells instead of the fat cells. You can use protein drinks between your whole-food meals. Find a high-quality protein powder, such as Pro Complex from Optimum Nutrition, which contains a blend of proteins from whey, casein and eggs. You need complex carbohydrates for energy and to help with muscle tissue repair. Stick with carbs that are high in fiber like sweet potatoes, oatmeal and brown rice. The key is to limit the number of carbs in each meal and eat them at the right times of the day. Eat the majority of your carbs in the morning and afternoon, tapering them off during the evening. Include a postworkout drink, which will help restore the glycogen in the muscle cells after an intense training session. An excellent postworkout drink like Optimum Nutri-

That diet gives you 2,570 calories with 300 grams of protein, 200 grams of carb and 53 grams of fat—a good plan for you to follow on your training days. On the days you don’t train, eat the same diet but take out the postworkout recovery drink, substituting a lowfat protein meal like six or seven egg whites and a teaspoon of natural peanut butter. Stick with the basic exercises and continue to train heavy for six to 10 repetitions. Don’t go lighter and just do a lot of reps, or you’ll lose muscle because you’re not providing enough resistance for the muscle tissues. Train a maximum of four or five days per week. You want to give your body a full day of rest at least twice a week so you don’t overtrain. Limiting your calories and training every day of the week are a sure way to lose muscle. As for cardio, begin doing it three days a week immediately after your weight workout. Use moderate intensity to burn bodyfat without sacrificing muscle tissue. I like using the treadmill at about 3.3 mph and an incline set at 8 or higher. I recommend that you give your precontest diet 12 weeks. You might need to make some adjustments along the way, which is why it’s so important to write down everything that you’re eating as you progress through your diet. You might need to cut back some more on your carbohydrate intake or perhaps even increase your calories. Everybody’s different, and you need to make adjustments for your individual physique. Good luck! Q: I’m confused about what I should eat before I work out. Right now I have a glass of orange juice, or, if I’m running late, one of those energy drinks they sell at the gym. Do you have any suggestions? A: You want to have carbohydrates in your system before you begin a weight-training session. If you’re low on carbs, you won’t have the energy or power for an effective workout. Your body may even tap into the muscle cells as a means of locating more energy to complete the workout. What you eat right before your workout depends on what time of the day you’re training. If you’re working out first thing in the morning, get up early enough to eat a small meal before beginning your workout. You definitely don’t want to weight train on an empty stomach. I recommend a normal breakfast of egg whites and oatmeal for your first meal of the day if you train in the morn-

76 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

BODYBUILDING BEAUTIES Beautiful, Buff Babes You can enjoy watching fourteen of the most beautiful bodybuilding babes on earth, all on one DVD. We have carefully combed our archive to present to you, what is simply the ﬁnest DVD collection of bodybuilding babes in existence. Our carefully selected list of bodybuilding beauties includes: Brenda Kelly, Sharon Bruneau, Cynthia Bridges, Gabriella Anton, Laurie Vaniman, Lena Johannesen, Theresa Hessler, Timea Majorova, Sherry Goggin, Toni Dee, Jennifer Elrod, Christine Lydon and Ashley Lawrence. This 55minute DVD contains nudity. You must be 18 or older to purchase it.

Bodybuilding Beauties $14.95 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008 Order all 3 Fantasy Workout videos/ DVDs, and you save $30: $29.95

Whatever You Need—Wherever Youwww.ironmanmagazine.com Train ™

\ JULY 2006 181

fluctuation in your blood sugar. You’ll have the energy you need for a heavy, hard workout. If you work out later in the day, you should eat at least one to two meals during the day that contain complex carbohydrates. They’ll be stored in your muscle cells as glycogen, which will provide energy when you begin training. I train in the late morning, so I have time to eat a full breakfast before I work out. I try to eat breakfast about 90 minutes before I train so the protein and carbohydrates I eat have time to digest. About 30 minutes before I begin training, I have a small preworkout drink, usually one scoop of whey protein with one serving of creatine. Because I eat the oatmeal for breakfast, I don’t need to eat complex carbs right before my workout. What you eat immediately before the workout is less important than what you eat during the day. Don’t eat junk during the day and then expect a magical preworkout meal to provide you with the carbs and amino acids you need for a great workout. Eat high-quality food throughout the day so you’re feeding your muscles the nutrients they need for an awesome workout. I’ve also been experimenting with sipping a workout drink during my workout. I used to drink only water when I was training, but now I have a drink that contains amino acids and a nitric oxide precursor. I put one scoop of Optimum Nutrition’s Vassive EA8 and one scoop of Vassive NO into my shaker and sip it between sets. The Vassive EA8 contains all the essential amino acids I need to feed the muscles and prevent the body from stealing protein from the muscles during a workout. The Vassive NO is a nitric oxide product that helps me get a great pump during my training. Of course, after my workout is finished, I always have a drink consisting of 35 grams of whey protein along with another 70 grams of carbohydrates. Check out Optimum Nutrition’s 2:1:1 Recovery or Muscle Link’s RecoverX for the best postworkout drinks. Neveux \ Model: John Hansen

NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY H

Naturally Huge

I always have a postworkout drink consisting of 35 grams of whey protein and 70 grams of carbohydrates.

ing. If you don’t want to eat a full meal, you can substitute a whey protein drink for the egg whites, but you still need the oatmeal. The egg whites or protein shake will provide your muscles with the quickly digested amino acids they need after your nightly fast. Those sources of protein will be absorbed into your muscles fast, so you’ll have those valuable amino acids ready for your heavy workout. You also need carbohydrates for fuel during your workout. You don’t want to eat a simple sugar (like orange juice) because that raises your blood sugar very high and then drops it lower than normal, causing an energy crash. A complex carbohydrate will give you sustained energy for a longer period of time. That’s what you need for your workout. Oatmeal is a great preworkout choice because one cup provides 54 grams of complex carbs and plenty of fiber. That means it will be digested slowly and won’t cause a big

Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Natural Mr. Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner. Visit his Web site at www.naturalolympia.com. You can write to him at P.O. Box 3003, Darien, IL 60561, or call tollfree (800) 900-UNIV (8648). His new book, Natural Bodybuilding, and new training DVD, “Real Muscle,” are now available from Home Gym Warehouse, www.Home-Gym. com or (800) 447-0008. IM

78 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

GH Stak’s effervescent action enhances delivery and...

“GETS YOU LEANER HARDER FASTER” More growth hormone can... • Help build muscle and burn fat • Beef up tendons and ligaments • Improve strength • Heal injuries • Revitalize sex drive • Tone the skin

• Contains the potent bioactive pyroglutamate form of L-arginine • Has anterior pituitary peptides, which normalize somatostatin, a hormone that can shut down GH and IGF-1 receptors • Has produced a 12 to 36.6 percent increase in IGF-1 levels (IGF-1 is one of the body’s most anabolic hormones) • Used by doctors at anti-aging clinics in place of growth hormone injections

Also available at:

For more info visit www.Muscle-Link.com or call 1-800-667-4626

Results using GH Stak vary from individual to individual. Testimonial endorser’s results using it may be considered atypical. Testimonial endorsers have been remunerated by Muscle-Link. GH Stak is a trademark of Muscle-Link. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

by David Goodin

Making Friends With Leg Training Q: I’m having trouble bringing up my legs to match my upper body. What would you suggest?

A: I had the same problem the first year that I competed. I entered four bodybuilding contests that year and collected one second-place and three third-place trophies. After the last one I took a close, objective look at the photos and realized that if I was ever going to win a show, I’d need to grow some legs. I knew exactly why my thighs were lagging. I didn’t like training legs, and I hated doing squats. When I joined my first gym, there were no personal trainers, and I’d never received any instruction on training with free weights. I just watched guys in the gym and read the bodybuilding books and magazines. After assessing my weaknesses and coming to the realization that my approach to leg training was grossly inadequate, I purchased Tom Platz’s book Pro-Style Bodybuilding. I wanted to see how Tom had built his freakishly massive, ripped legs. What If you want I learned was that, compared great legs, you to Platz’s butt-to-heels squats, what I’d been doing amounted have to attack to about a quarter squat (maybe your leg training even less). I also read an article about with unbridled Tom’s workout that described intensity and him performing 50 reps of learn to embrace superdeep squats with 315 pounds—after which he racked the pain. the weight and proceeded to pass out. I knew then that both my technique and my intensity were woefully lacking, In order to bring my leg development up to par, I had to swallow my ego and reduce the weight I was using on squats by about 66 percent so that I could go all the way down. Dipping well below parallel put so much more stretch on all the muscles involved in the squat, it felt as if I was doing a totally new exercise. Performing sets of eight to 10 with 135 pounds in that first deep squat workout set my legs on fire, and they didn’t function well for days. I could tell immediately that those “new” squats were going to make a huge difference. The other adjustment that I had to make was my mental approach. I needed to attack my leg training with even more vigor than I attacked the bodyparts I enjoyed working (chest and biceps, as for most guys, and, for me, abs). I started training legs on Mondays, spending a considerable amount of time on Neveux \ Model: Dave Goodin

SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSC

Shredded Muscle

82 APRIL 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution $29.95

The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution can help you achieve bigger gains in muscle size and pressing poundages, not to mention bulletproof shoulders for pain-free and power-packed workouts.

*PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Neveux \ Model: Tom Platz

the weekend psyching myself up for it. I vowed to make friends with my leg workout, with the squats and with the pain that I knew I’d have to endure. At every workout I attacked my legs with a vengeance. To get myself in the right frame of mind, I even started working legs at a gym that didn’t have air-conditioning: Gregory Gym at the University of Texas. When I stepped into the weight room in its basement, it was primal, totally hardcore. It stank of sweat and rust, and if you sat down on the floor, you’d get a splinter in your ass—but I loved it and thrived on it. And guess what: Before I knew it, leg training was my favorite workout and squats my favorite exercise. What else happened? I got the trophy for best legs at my next competition. Just a few weeks ago I was involved in a bodybuilding camp in Evansville, Indiana, with Dr. Joe Klemczewski and Pro Natural World champions Jim Cordova (’07) and Jonathan Harris (’06). Assisting in instruction and directing a video was Layne Norton, who reminded me that we’d first met in 2001 at a show where I was guest posing and he was competing for the first time. Although he won the show’s teen division, his legs were lagging behind his upper body, and he asked my advice. I told him that if he wanted to succeed in bodybuilding, he’d have to come to terms with tolerating a lot of pain, particularly under the squat bar. Clearly, Lane took my words to heart: He’s earned pro cards in two separate drug-free-bodybuilding organizations. The point is, hard leg training is brutal. It’s much more physically and mentally demanding because you work a much larger cross-sectional area of muscle than you do when training your upper body. That’s why you see so many guys walking around the fitness centers in tank tops and sweat pants. They have big upper bodies but skinny legs because they don’t want to pay the price.

Tom Platz’s legs were freakishly massive and ripped to the bone. So wrap your mind around the idea of squatting well below parallel, and make friends with the pain. Try the leg workout here, and let me know how it goes:

Squats (warmup) 1-3 x 8-10 (10RM poundage) 3 x max (20RM poundage) 1 x max Leg presses (warmup) 1-2 x 20 (20RM poundage) 3 x max Lying leg curls (10RM poundage) 4 x max Leg extensions (10RM poundage) 4 x max Standing calf raises (warmup) 1 x 15 (15RM poundage) 4 x max

DESIGNED TO BUILD RES U L T S

FROM THE MAKERS OF OHYEAH! COMES RE-SATUR8 ®

™

RELOAD. RECOVER. GROW.

I also suggest taking two to three capsules of Red Dragon (beta-alanine) and two to four capsules of Cort-Bloc about 30 minutes prior to your leg workout. The first buffers muscle burn, giving you more growth reps at the end of a set, and the second controls muscle-cannibalizing cortisol.

www.issresearch.com

Editor’s note: See Dave Goodin’s new blog at www.IronManMagazine .com. Click on the blog selection in the top menu bar. To contact Dave directly, send e-mail to TXShredder@ aol.com. IM

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 83

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

IM Encyclopedia $19.95 *PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL M

Steve Holman’s

Critical Mass by Steve Holman

Muscle Size and Pre-ex Lies Q: I’ve been following with interest your views and applications of the study that shows that lighter, longer sets can build mass. In your e-zine and in IRON MAN you’ve discussed drop sets and how doing two sets back to back may be better than one longer set because more fast-twitch fibers are activated on the second part of a drop set. My question is, Wouldn’t that apply to preexhaustion too? If you do leg extensions followed immediately by squats, although you have to use a lighter weight on the squats, you’d be tapping into more growth fibers because of the occlusion caused by the leg extensions, right? Not much blood-supplying oxygen is left in the quads after that, so squats should tap into pure fasttwitch fibers almost immediately. But you’ve said pre-ex is not a good mass builder. What gives? A: The study you mentioned, which showed that performing lighter, slower sets—56 seconds of tension time with 50 percent of one-rep max—builds appreciable muscle, has made me rethink my stance on preexhaustion somewhat. I say “somewhat” because I still believe, as other studies show, that it’s inferior for building mass via max-force generation. Basically, you’re doing the key max-force exercise, squats in your example, second, when the muscle is fatigued and riddled with lactic acid. Because of fatigue you simply can’t do justice to the big, midrange move when you do it second in a superset, after a contracted-position exercise. That means less force generation. Can preexhaustion build muscle? Yes, it can, but via the more endurance-specific pathways discussed in the study: growth hormone surge, capillary bed expansion (which can lead to more vascularity, by the way) and mitochondria development. To generate the most force on a compound exercise, like squats, and therefore get the most force-induced mass stimulation from it, do it first,

86 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

BOOKS

w w w. h o m e - g y m . c o m (#266) by Dick Tyler $19.95. West Coast Bodybuilding scene. 1965-1971 The Golden Era. One of the most dynamic eras in bodybuilding. All the greats are here, in words and many rare photos. 399 pgs

(#338) by Dr. Warren Willey $31.00 Buildinga great physique natural way. 192 pgs

(#003) by Bill Pearl, Leroy Perry $29.95Exercises for every bodypart explained in detail. 638 pgs

(#323) by Paul Burke $15.95 Three decades of research compiled for those who enjoy learning about health, exercise, weight training, fitness, and the right nutrition to enhance all of the above. 144 pgs

(#150) by Paul Kelso $14.95 Tales of Texas madness and powerlifting. 83 pgs

(#297) by Charles Poliquin $29.95 Weight training to help improve fitness, lose fat and build muscle mass 112 pgs

(#212) by Peter Sisco $14.95 Ironman's Ultimate Guide to Arm Training 181 pgs

(#001) by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bill Dobbins $30.00 This will answer every question any hardcore bodybuilder or budding lifter could ever think of. More than 850 photos and anatomical line drawings. 800 pgs

(#320) by Pavel $39.95

(#143) by Judd Biasziotto, Klaus Arndt $19.95 Real stories in professional bench pressing. 119 pgs

(#337) by Clarence Bass $24.95 Health, Fitness, Leaness without suffering. 163 pgs.

SALE PRICE (#244) by Barney Groves, PhD $18.95 Technique and training for athletic muscular training.

A HOME-GYM

BEST SELLER (#149) by John Brookfield $14.95 Leading gripmasters tell you how to make most of the equipment you’ll need to develop a world-class grip. One of the best books ever written on the subject. Fast reading. 105 pgs

(#197) by Dave Draper $24.95 Dave Draper's private journey through bodybuilding. 335 pgs

Mind Over Muscle: the 5x5x5 Program 365 pgs

(#269 by Greg Shepard $17.95 The Proven System for Building Athletes. Get Bigger Faster Stronger… Buy it here now for less!

(#123) by John McCallum $19.95 Pack More Muscle with The Complete Keys to Progress 270 pgs

(#299) by Charles Poliquin $29.95 Effective ways to help your athletes become bigger and stronger… Buy it here now for less! 57 pgs

Home Gym Warehouse, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Phone: (800) 447-0008 • Express delivery available.

Heavy Straight sets—rest between all sets, except for drop set Midrange: Wide-grip chins or pulldowns 3 x 5, 8, 9 Stretch: Barbell or dumbbell pullovers (drop) 1 x 8(5) Light Pre-ex supersets—no rest between exercises; rest after second exercise Contracted: Stiff-arm pulldowns 2 x 10-15 Midrange: Wide-grip pulldowns 2 x 10-15

Neveux \ Model: Lee Apperson

Squats build muscle size via max-force production. Doing leg extensions followed immediately by squats in preexhaustion style limits your ability to generate force on squats. Nevertheless, it has some unique bigmuscle-building capabilities, if used correctly.

Another reason Heavy/Light is so effective is that some muscles respond more to the heavy workouts, while others respond more to the light ones. In fact, many times a muscle is slow to grow because it lacks a lot of pure fast-twitch fibers. When that’s the case, lighter, pump-style workouts may stimulate more growth because that type of work is more conducive to the fibers’ endurance-oriented-fiber makeup. That’s a big reason Heavy/Light is such a great mass-building strategy.

after a precise warmup. If you preexhaust the target muscle first at every workout, you will miss out on a lot of maxforce stimulation, and you won’t get nearly as much forceinduced muscle growth as you should. Incidentally, I believe that was a big problem with Nautilus-machine training—the programs had the trainees doing pre-ex at every workout. They would’ve worked better and built more muscle if trainees had been told to alternate techniques, doing pre-ex at one workout and then at the next doing the compound exercise first, followed by the isolated-tension move. For example: Workout 1 Pre-ex superset—no rest between exercises Leg extensions 1 x 8-12 Leg presses 1 x 8-12

Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

Workout 2 Straight sets—rest between exercises Leg presses Leg extensions

1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12

That’s a lot like the old heavy/light program bodybuilders used in the ’50s to get huge—less fiber damage and more occlusion and pump at a lighter, pre-ex workout; then heavy, fiber-damaging max-force straight sets at the next session for that bodypart. In fact, we mentioned in our Heavy/Light chapter in the e-book X-traordinary Muscle-Building Workouts that pre-ex is ideal for light-day workouts because you don’t damage as many fast-twitch fibers (due to fatigue-product pooling from the first isolation exercise and, therefore, less force generation). Here’s an example using lats:

Q: I am looking at a couple of fat burners and have decided on one. Is there anything I can stack with it to get rid of the blubber faster, something that will work well with a fat burner? A: Two other things you can try. The first is a vasodilator, or nitric oxide precursor. They’re used by bodybuilders to increase the pump at a workout; however, opening up the blood vessels also helps increase fat loss. Many areas are stubborn because of lack of blood flow. NO precursors can help. L-arginine is the primary vasodilating ingredient. Try using a vasodilator before each weight workout and cardio as well to kick up fat loss. Another seldom-used fat-loss supplement is L-carnitine, which shuttles fat to the mitochondria, where it’s burned as fuel. Obviously, the more fat you can shuttle, the quicker you’ll get ripped. And there are some big bonuses. L-carnitine has been shown to enhance muscular force production (a key stimulus for muscle growth), increase anabolic receptors in muscle (something anabolic steroids do) and improve libido. Get this: A new study also links it to a reversal of male-pattern baldness. I take 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams upon awakening in the morning and the same dose with lunch. I found L-carnitine especially effective during my last ripping phase. Also, a recent study showed that inadequate vitamin C intake can impair the fat-burning mechanism, so be sure you’re taking extra C, especially when you’re dieting. See the “Ultimate Fat Burners” feature at X-Rep.com for more supplement information related to getting lean—like the key ingredient to look for in a fat-burner supplement to give it an extra fat-to-muscle punch. Editor’s note: Steve Holman is the author of many bodybuilding best-sellers and the creator of Positionsof-Flexion muscle training. For information on the POF videos and Size Surge programs, see the ad sections beginning on pages 168 and 296, respectively. Also visit www.X-Rep.com for information on X-Rep and 3D POF methods and e-books. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 87

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Over 4000 best-selling products on-line

"WHATEVER YOU NEED - WHEREVER YOU TRAIN" (#298) by Charles Poliquin $29.95 Charles presents his Ultimate Arm Program - a six month prescription for maximal gains in arm size and strength. 95 pgs

(#264) by Brad Schoenfeld $19.95 Sculpting Her Body Perfect. 226 pgs

(#147) by Dr. Joseph Horrigan, Jerry Robinson $29.95 Complete shoulder rehab and prevention programs. 140 pgs

(#243) by Mike Mentzer, John Little $18.95 Summary of three decades of training research. 224 pgs

(#262) by Bill Pearl, Kim Shott $22.95 The story of Bill Pearls personal journey through life. 291 pgs

(#102) by Stuart McRobert $34.95 Build Muscle, Loose Fat, Look great. 400 photos. 640 pgs

(#FCIIB) A collection of weight training posters $29.95 Spiral binding makes it east to flip from one poster to the next.

(#201) by Stuart McRobert $24.95 Over 230 Questions and answers on how to build muscle and might. 319 pgs

Dinosaur Training need image

SALE PRICE

(#HFL-WO-009) by Jerry Robinson $19.95 Synergistic principles and specially designed bodyweight exercises. 138 pgs

(#274) by Scott Cole and Tom Seabourne $18.95 Maximan core fitness training. 209 pgs

(#167) by Iron Man Magazine $9.95 gives you the exact training routines, supplement stacks and meal-bymeal diets to transform your physique

(#301) Larry Pepe $39.95 How the world’s best bodybuilders get into mind-blowing, contest-winning condition. 477 pgs

(#332) by Paul T. Burke $29.95 Burkes Law: A new fitness paradigm for the mature male. 216 pages

(#152) by Randall Strossen Ph.D $14.95 A "gold mind" for peak performance! Get Ironmind 182 pgs

(#245) by Fredrick Delavier $19.95 best selling author comes a book on the anatomical features unique to women 136 pgs

(#181) by IRON MAN, Peter Cisco $19.95 Authoritative step-by-step methods used by champion bodybuilders. 434 pgs

(#HFLMC00009) by Health for Life $14.95 Integrates the latest research in biomechanics for synergistic calf training. 57 pgs

(#154) by Bill Starr, B.S., M.S. $20.00 Classic book on strength training for football. 210 pgs

(#072) Randall J. Strossen,Ph.D. $14.95 Sound advice on anything from how to equip a home gym to how to psyche up for heavy lifts. 107 pgs

(#HFL-NT-00009) by Health for Life $14.95 For total neck and traps development. 56 pgs

Fat burning diet

HOME-GYM’S ALL-TIME BEST SELLER’S CLUB (#84) Home Gym Handbook $14.95 This book will help you build maximum mass fast at home or in a gym.

(#130) 10 Week Size Surge $9.95 If you're serious about building muscle, give the mass-building plan a try.

(#206) by Frederic Delavier $19.95 Strength training anatomy. The ultimate strength fererence. 124 pgs

(#246B) Size Surge Hardgainer $9.95 Size-Building tips, routines and diets for the underweight bodybuilder. 75 pgs.

90 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

PERFECT POSTWORKOUT MEAL

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

RecoverX 3 lbs. 14 oz.

$30.95

RecoverX™ is the perfect postworkout meal to kick your muscle growth into overdrive!

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Manifest Mass

Mentally by Eric Broser Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Peter Putnam

Iron Mind-toIron Body Keys to Muscular Success very issue of IRON MAN dedicates dozens and dozens of pages to sets, reps, exercises, routines and intensity techniques—and rightly so. If getting bigger, stronger and leaner is your game, then you’d better be on point when you enter the gym. No dialogue on training is complete, however, without a discussion of the mind’s role in the equation. It would be a true disservice to IM readers not to include what may be the most important element in your pursuit of reaching the outer limits of your genetic potential. Start by asking yourself these very important questions: What separates the good from the great? The athlete from the all-star? The competitor from the champion? The big from the best? Is it luck? Is it steroids? Is it genetics? Or is it something that each of us is capable of tapping into if we’re willing to reach far enough? Something that we could learn to harness, not only to significantly hasten our results in

the gym but to positively affect the direction of our lives as well? The truth is, most of us tend to look for external solutions to our bodybuilding problems: Am I using the right training program, the right diet, the most powerful supplements? Stop and consider, though, that the true key to progress might lie somewhere within. Do me a favor. Look at your face in the mirror. Do you realize that the most powerful computer known to man isn’t sitting on your desk, propped up on your lap or in the palm of you hand? It’s not available at any of the top electronics stores. It is stuck just behind your eyes, right between your ears and smack inside your skull. Yes, my fellow iron freaks, I’m talking about your brain—or more specifically, your mind. The extraordinary power of thought cannot be denied. Mind over matter is real. Turning the impossible into the possible begins in your head—then bleeds into your heart and, finally, bathes your soul. Learn to use your mind in muscular development, and your body will follow. That’s www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 91

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

Red Dragon 120 capsules

$29.95

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

Manifest Mass something I can assure you of. Now that your gray matter is firing on all cylinders, please read this article very carefully—then reread it. For if you can get these ideas so deep in your mind that they burrow to the subconscious, you’ll be able to live bodybuilding on a whole other level and perhaps your entire existence as well.

forehead to your soaked T-shirt as you perform every rep with masterful precision, inducing the most intense pump you’ve ever experienced. Embed into your subconscious exactly what you want to accomplish during your workout, and your body will be programmed to follow.

2) Be positive. Learn to approach each and every workout with an enthusiastic and positive attitude. Expect that you will have a more productive workout today than you did yesterday. Know that the weights are going to feel lighter and each exercise easier. Enjoy the pain. Embrace the pump. Be fully aware that the workout will bring you one step closer to your goals and that every rep of every set is going to command that your muscles grow bigger, harder and stronger. Leave doubt at the door. 92 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Tomm Voss

Visualize. Imagine the beast.

Model: Jonathan Lawson

1) Visualize. Every night before you go to sleep, think deeply about exactly what you’d like to look like. Form a clear visual picture in your mind’s eye of every muscle, every vein, every cut and every striation that you want to see on your body. Imagine the beast. Then visualize your workout for the next day from beginning to completion. See the gym, the people and the equipment. Hear the music relentlessly pounding in the speakers, the weights clanging and the dumbbells smashing to the floor. Smell the atmosphere. Feel the sweat as it drips from your

From the IRON MAN PRO Style Store

20th ANNIVERSARY

IRON MAN PRO JACKET This is the exact same jacket awarded to all the IRON MAN competitors.

All embroidery is of the ﬁnest quality. Fully lined 100% nylon, two inside pockets.

OFFICIAL 20th ANNIVERSARY JACKET OF THE IRON MAN PRO SIZES AND AVAILABILITY BASED ON CURRENT INVENTORY. For prices and ordering information go to:

FREE Mass-Packing Secrets to Get You Growing! ITRC Muscle-Building Tactics Delivered to You Every Week—FREE!

•How the Pros Pack on Extreme Mass •Arnold’s Size-Stretching X-ploits •The Forgotten High-Intensity Growth Trigger •A Muscle-Building Mystery Solved •Pounds of Muscle in Days •Bodypart Bloodbath for Super Size •Monster Arms: Torching Your Tri’s •Time-Bomb Training •Lean-Machine Ignition •Drop the D Bomb for Bigger Bodyparts •Pre-Ex vs. the Post-X Mass Jack •Less Training, Big Gaining: The Truth

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

Subscribe free at www.IronManMagazine.com To read free sample issues, visit www.X-Rep.com and click on X Files

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):

Manifest Mass You will have the best workout of your life today—and nothing on this earth can stop you.

Model: Ron Harris

3) Be aggressive. Don’t just lift the weights—attack them. Tear them apart. Treat every rep as if it were the last you’ll ever perform. Lift as if your life is on

Focus. During every set, concentrate profoundly on what you’re doing.

Be aggressive. Don’t just lift the weights—attack them.

Model: Peter Putnam

the line. Look at the weights and then listen as they mock you: “C’mon, wimp. You can’t lift us. Go home and curl up on the couch with your dolls and some potato chips and watch ‘Oprah’.” Then, go ahead and retaliate with the kind of ferocity that you were saving for your worst enemy. Do whatever it takes to psyche yourself up. Yell, growl, slap yourself, think of people you hate (or taxes). Just get pissed off. Then channel that intense anger and emotion into every rep of every set. You can’t simply whisper at your muscles; you must scream at them. Don’t just work out—go to war.

4) Focus. During every set, concentrate profoundly on what you’re doing. While resting, concentrate on what you’re about to do. If you’re serious about becoming a freak, then think about just one thing while you’re in the gym: what you need to do to become a freak. Put away the cell phone, drop the newspaper, quit the chatter, and stop staring at the hot babes (okay, stare enough for a testosterone boost). Focus laserlike on the bodypart you’re working. Forge the mind/muscle connection. If you want to work out with a partner, make sure he or she is just as passionate about training as you are. If you

94 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Subscribe to IRON MAN Magazine and get a

New Breakthrough Training System DVD You'll get 12 Info-Packed issues of IRON MAN for only $29.97

This new breakthrough DVD training system shows you how to pack on more attention-grabbing muscle mass fast! •Attack every facet of muscle growth •Complete multi-angle workouts •Build amazing strength •Fast efﬁcient routines

PLUS

—you get the NEW Breakthrough DVD, POWER/REP RANGE/SHOCK/MAX-MASS ($19.95 value) Absolutely

FREE DVD * OFFER

FREE! Subscribe to IRON MAN now. For fastest service, call 800-570-4766 or order online at www.IronManMagazine.com, code 6812GR

* USA paid orders only

Manifest Mass

Complacency sucks. but kick it harder tomorrow.

Kick your butt today,

can’t find someone like that, go it alone. Always remember one thing: Your time in the gym is a gift. Don’t waste a single moment.

5) No Sulking. If the first few sets of your workout don’t go as well as planned, do not let that get to you and do not let that establish the tone for the remainder of your workout. If you attempt to set a personal lifting record and fail, do not get depressed. Regroup. Leave negativity behind, and look ahead. You know your next set will be better and that each successive set will be even better. The gym is no place to hang your head or to be a crybaby. The gym is your sanctuary, your domain, your temple. It’s where you go to leave life’s problems behind. While you’re at the gym, you are the boss—you are in control. You make the rules, set the pace and make the decisions. Remember, the gym is the one place where reaching “failure” is a good thing. Yes, setbacks are bound to occur, but that’s when you must dig deep, pick your head up and overcome. What does not kill you makes you stronger. 6) Complacency sucks. It’s perfectly okay to pat yourself on the back after a solid set or productive workout, but don’t let that smile get stuck on your face. Get over it, and get on with it. Set your sights on the next set or the next workout and think about how you’ll crush your previous accomplishments. Complacency is the enemy of a bodybuilder—especially one seeking freak status. Remember, your

96 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Manifest Mass

Toughen up. Do not avoid

Model: Jim Romagna

pain—embrace it.

body is an adaptive machine. You must push further to progress to the next level. Kick your butt today, but kick it harder tomorrow. You just benched 315 for the first time? Awesome. Now it’s time to figure out what it will take to nail down 320. To reach your potential you cannot merely be hungry. You must be starving.

7) Toughen up. Do not avoid pain; embrace it. The saying

“When the going gets tough, the tough get going” applies to the art of bodybuilding perfectly. There’s simply no way around it—if you want to be a freak, you must learn to deal with pain. Learn to think of it as your closest friend, and invite it over every time you lift a weight. When pain occurs while you’re training, don’t think that it’s the end of your set but just the beginning (unless it’s injury pain—learn the difference). Think

of pain as a signal. It’s telling you that you’ve entered the growth zone, the juncture of the set that will trigger the physiological mechanisms that lead to growth. When your muscles are burning, your heart is racing and the nausea is overbearing, simply smile and remember: You are now one step closer to your goal.

8) Have faith. You must have faith in yourself and

98 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Manifest Mass

Dream. Do not set limits.

Model: Christian Boeving

faith in what you want from life. If you have faith in your workout program, your dietary regimen and your supplementation strategy, you will greatly increase your chances of being successful. Believe in your heart that the path you’ve taken is the right one for you, and do not let anyone get in the way. Surround yourself with people who share in your faith and feed your spirit. Faith is the foundation from which you will grow.

9) Dream. Do not set limits. Do not let anyone tell you what you can and cannot accomplish. Ignore the guys in lab coats who claim you can only get so big. Laugh at those who tell you that you can’t get big or ripped unless you use steroids, clenbuterol, insulin and GH. Your body is limited only by where your mind is willing to take you. People defy the “laws” of science and reason every day. Nobody ever thought that Roger Maris’ home run record could ever be broken—but it’s been smashed more than once. Nobody ever believed a four-minute mile would ever be run—but it’s now commonplace. An 800-pound bench press was once thought insurmountable; now some men do reps on it. Conceive, believe, and then achieve. Those who are afraid to dream are bound by the limits that their mind sets for them. Dreamers see beyond what is and seek out what can be. So dream, my friends, and dream big. IM

100 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

keptics frequently suggest that the characteristic initial rapid weight loss that occurs when people go on a low-carb diet is composed of primarily water. Carbohydrate is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscles. Each gram of glycogen is stored with three grams of water, and glycogen makes up 5 percent of liver weight and 1 percent of muscle weight. When you go on an ultralow-carb diet—20 or fewer grams of carb daily—glycogen breaks down within 48 hours to make up for the carbs you’re not taking in. A diuretic effect usually kicks in, leading to a weight loss of two to five pounds during the first week. With a higher—but lowerthan-normal—carb intake, glycogen is depleted in seven to 14 days. Sophisticated studies of body composition have clearly demonstrated that nearly all the weight lost from low-carb dieting comes from stored fat. That’s especially true if you’re following a high-protein diet—and all low-carb plans advocate a higher protein intake to retain muscle. There are other reasons for the

initial weight loss as well: • Reduction in calorie intake. • An increase in ketones, which are by-products of incomplete fat metabolism. Among the effects of ketosis is a drop in appetite and a retention of muscle protein. • A higher protein intake makes you feel satiated, which leads to your eating fewer calories. Studies comparing high- and low-carb diets have observed less hunger during low-carb diets.1,2 Although it’s true that calories do count in bodyfat loss, it’s also true that low-carb diets offer what’s been called a metabolic advantage. In simple terms, assuming your calorie count remains constant, you lose more fat by eating fewer carbs. A 1971 study compared three diets that all contained the same number of calories (1,800) and protein (115 grams), differing only in carb content. The study lasted nine weeks, and the three diets contained 30, 60 and 104 grams of carbs. The weight loss was 16.2, 12.8 and 11.9 kilograms, respectively. The 30-gram

Low-Carb Lowdown Part 2: by Jerry Brainum

104 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Neveux \ Model: Alex Azarian

Why Low-Carb Diets Work

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 105

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown carb intake led to 95 percent of weight loss as fat, 60 grams resulted in 84 percent of weight loss as fat, and 115 grams led to a 75 percent weight loss as fat.

Mice that are specially bred to lack insulin receptors in their fat cells don’t get fat, no matter how many calories they eat. They also live about 20 percent longer than other mice. Other studies show that excess insulin leads to fat gain even in the absence of excess calories. Another study featured 10 obese people with diabetes who were moved into a hospital ward, where every bit of intake was closely monitored. For the first week the subjects ate normally. For the next two weeks they ate only 21 grams of carbs a day—about the same intake suggested for the initial phase of the Atkins diet. They were also permitted to eat as much protein and fat as desired. Despite that, they ate one-third fewer calories than their previous intake and in two weeks lost an average of 3.5 pounds. The blood insulin levels of the subjects dropped 23 percent, which dampened their appetite and likely led to the decreased food intake. When you follow a low-carb diet, your body shifts its calorie use. For example, some dietary protein is converted in the liver to glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. That process uses up calories. The maintenance of proteins throughout the body likewise requires calories during a low-carb diet. Thermogenesis, or the process of converting fat calories into heat, also increases by as much as 100 percent during low-carb diets compared to high-carb, lowfat diets. The free fatty acids produced from low-carb dieting increase thermogenic uncoupling proteins in cell mitochondria. A major misconception regarding diets is that the body needs

Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

Proof in the Pudding

Mice that are specially bred to lack insulin receptors in their fat cells don’t get fat, no matter how many calories they eat.

carbohydrates. In fact, there is no nutritional requirement for carbs, although some body tissues and organs depend on glucose as an energy source. Even if you eat zero carbs, the liver can make about 200 grams of carbs a day from amino acids and

the glycerol portion of fat.3 When you’re on a low-carb diet, your body uses these fuel sources: • 70 percent from fatty acids derived from both dietary fat and stored bodyfat

106 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown • 20 percent from ketone bodies resulting from fat breakdown in the body • 10 percent from glucose derived from gluconeogenesis

Low-Carb Emissions Ketone production during lowcarb diets has been a source of confusion. Some “experts” mislead the public into thinking that the existence of ketones in the blood represents a toxic metabolic state. Yes, uncontrolled diabetes can indeed result in toxic levels of ketones, but that doesn’t happen with low-

Ketones can serve as an alternative fuel source for brain and muscle. They also have potent sparing effects on muscle, thus preventing tissue breakdown at the expense of fat. carb diets. If anything, ketones can serve as an alternative fuel source for brain and muscle. They also have potent sparing effects on muscle, preventing tissue breakdown at the expense of fat. One study even reported a combination of fat loss and lean-body-mass gain—experienced while subjects were on a low-carb diet—that was attributed to increased ketones.4 The frequent admonition that you need to eat carbs to burn fat is also wrong, since muscle lacks the necessary enzymes to do that. What

Specialized Bodybuilding Low-Carb Diets Low-carbohydrate diets have long been a staple of bodybuilding and are Vince still the most popular method used to Gironda. lower bodyfat levels prior to a competition. Vince Gironda, a noted California trainer in the 1960s and ’70s, was an early advocate of low-carb plans. He used the diet himself to produce a physique so muscularly defined that according to Vince, “Judges couldn’t figure out how to place me when I competed.” Vince’s intense muscular definition and vascularity were a rare sight when he competed in the 1950s. His diet focused on eating meat and eggs. He also suggested going off the diet by eating carbohydrates at least two days a week. Vince was aware that glycogen fueled bodybuilding workouts; hence his admonition to ensure some carb intake at regular intervals. In 1995 Mauro DiPasquale, a Canadian physician who was also an eight-time Canadian and two-time world powerlifting champion, published his Anabolic Diet. It derived its name from its maximizing effects on various anabolic hormones while simultaneously promoting maximum bodyfat losses. On his plan you would consume a low-carb (30 grams daily maximum) diet five days a week, eating high-fat, high-protein foods, such as meat. On weekends, you would switch to a high-carb, low-protein, moderate-fat diet for two days. DiPasquale suggested the inclusion of healthful carbs derived from fresh fruit and vegetables during the high-carb phase. The rationale for the diet was that during the low-carb phase, insulin levels would drop while growth hormone and testosterone levels would rise. To prevent muscle loss and to replenish depleted glycogen, you’d eat the high-carb diet on weekends. That would maximize insulin release, which would help replenish glycogen rapidly (the body was already primed for that due to the previous days of minimal carb intake). At Dan Duchaine. the same time it would be building mass because of increased muscle amino acids in muscle and decreased muscle breakdown. Since glycogen is stored with water in muscle, the cells stay hydrated, which itself stimulates anabolic processes in muscle. In 1996 Dan Duchaine published BodyOpus, which included a diet that targeted bodybuilders who were looking for maximum bodyfat reduction. Duchaine’s book offered three diet plans, with one plan reserved for hardcore bodybuilders only. It was similar to DiPasquale’s anabolic diet, in that it featured a zero-carb diet five days a week, followed by a highcarb phase on weekends. Duchaine suggested that following the plan would lead to bodyfat levels in men of 6 percent or less—in short, ripped. —J.B.

108 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown you need to burn fat in muscle are amino acids, specifically branchedchain amino acids. For years it was suggested that low-carb diets worked because of the existence of an elusive “fatmobilizing hormone.” While a low sugar and carb intake would indeed encourage release of growth hormone, which has fat-mobilizing properties, the large amount of free fatty acids produced by the diet Although it’s true that calories do count in regard to blunts GH release. More recently, bodyfat loss, it’s also true that low-carb diets offer what’s animal studies revealed that been called a metabolic advantage. In simple terms, under low-carb-dieting conditions the liver produced assuming your calorie count is constant, you lose more a growth hormone called fat when eating fewer carbs. fibroblast growth factor 21. When activated, FGF21 makes animals switch from using carbs to using fat as a primary energy source. It is activated by a high-fat, low-carb intake and leads to increased fat loss. So the fatmobilizing hormone is real. Bodybuilding workouts are fueled by a combination of stored muscle glycogen and muscle creatine. Various studies show that muscle glycogen drops from 13 to 40 percent after a typical weight workout. Indeed, one study found that a set Diets containing of 10 biceps curls led to a 13 percent drop in about 30 to 40 stored glycogen in the biceps. Doing three sets percent carbs, amounting to resulted in a 25 percent drop in muscle glya carb intake cogen. Based on that, of 100 to 125 many researchers say grams a day, that restricting carbs is foolhardy, leading produce most of to energy loss and a the advantages decrease in training of low-carb intensity. Glycogen is required for complete dieting minus muscle repair between training sessions. That’s the potential problems. why after you train a muscle you need to rest a minimum of 48 hours before training it again. It takes that long to fully replenish depleted muscle glycogen.

Metabolic Moves Several studies ex110 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown Once the body does use fat as an energy source, the process spares existing glycogen stores. So you get more metabolic bang for your carbo buck. The initial fatigue many feel during a low-carb diet results from metabolizing more fat than sugar. Another reason is the diuretic effect. Along with water, minerals, such as sodium, magnesium and potassium, are also excreted. The loss of

potassium may lead to a feeling of weakness. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easily remedied with a supplement. In the late â&#x20AC;&#x2122;70s several people who were following what was unfortunately called the Last Chance Diet died. The cause of death was traced to electrolyte imbalances that resulted in heart rhythm disturbances. The main mineral missing was potassium, required for electrical conduction in the heart. A study presented at Thermogenesis, or the process of converting fat calories into the 2005 meeting of heat, also increases by as much as 100 percent during low-carb the National Strength and Conditioning Asdiets compared to high-carb, lowfat diets. The free fatty acids sociation had subjects produced from low-carb dieting increase thermogenic uncoupling first do maximumproteins in cell mitochondria. rep sets of squats, leg presses and leg extensions. They then ate a low-carb diet for two days, accompanied by exercise designed to deplete muscle glycogen stores in the legs. Other subjects ate a high-carb diet. When retested on the leg exercises, the subjects on the low-carb regimen did five sets of 15 reps of each exercise. There was no difference in exercise performance between the high- and low-carb groups. Another study, citing the frequent criticism that low-carb diets lead to muscle loss, examined the effect of combining a low-carb diet with weight training. The 50 subjects were divided into either lowfat (25 percent of daily calories) or low-carb (15 percent) groups. Two other groups followed the same diets and also lifted weights three times a week. After 12 weeks those in the low-carb group lost twice as much weight as those in the lowfat group. Both groups lost fat and muscle, with those in the low-carb group experiencing the greatest bodyfat loss. Neveux \ Model: Steve Mcleod

amining the effects of decreased carb intake found a loss of training energy and intensity.5 On the other hand, such studies are invariably short-term, often lasting only a day or two, and it takes two to four weeks for the body to get accustomed to a low-carb diet. It has to switch from being a sugar-burning machine to a fat-burning machine, and that takes a few weeks.

112 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown Sophisticated studies of body composition have clearly demonstrated that nearly all the weight lost during low-carb dieting comes from stored fat.

tained in those foods but also because their alkaline content balances the acid content typical of higher protein diets, which helps preserve muscle and prevent the loss of such minerals as calcium.9 Two recently published studies suggest that long-term use of low-carb diets results in increased mortality.10,11 The precise causes of those results are nebulous, but the studies suggest that a lack of protective foods, such as fruits and vegetables, may be a factor. Another suggested factor is the increase in IGF-1 that comes with a high-protein diet. Higher systemic IGF-1 is linked to cancer, but no direct relationship has ever been shown, and that scenario is disputed.

Balancing Act

Those in the weight-training groups, however, lost fat and added muscle. The study proves that engaging in weight training while on a low-carb diet spares muscle while stimulating fat loss.6 One recent study, however, found an adverse effect when carbs are eliminated from the diet. It examined the effects of normal vs. low glycogen levels in relation to muscle growth. Having low muscle glycogen resulted in a decrease in the activity of muscle transcription genes vital for muscle growth. Insulinlike growth factor 1, also important for muscle growth, was likewise blunted in the glycogen-depleted muscle tissue.7 Most bodybuilders don’t use ultralow-carb diets except to kickstart fat loss. Recent research shows that ketogenic diets, which contain

One possible side effect of low-carb diets, especially those that are ketogenic, is a lack of fiber. That can lead to constipation. The lack of fiber adversely affects the beneficial bacteria in the gut that produce a shortchain fatty acid called butyrate. Associated with a decreased incidence of colon cancer, butyrate is linked to the amount of undigested carbs in the diet. There’s an easy fix—fiber supplements or fiber-rich fruits and vegetables.12

20 grams of carbs or less, aren’t necessary for bodyfat loss.8 Diets containing about 30 to 40 percent carbs, amounting to a carb intake of 100 to 125 grams a day, produce most of the advantages of low-carb dieting minus the potential problems. The somewhat higher carb The frequent admonition that you need to intake permits take in carbs to burn fat is also wrong, since the inclusion of muscle lacks the necessary enzymes to do fruits and vegetables. That’s that. What you need to burn fat in muscle important not are amino acids, specifically branched-chain only because of amino acids. the protective nutrients con-

114 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown Another study found that a low-carb diet increases C-reactive protein, a marker of overall body inflammation.13 Excess inflammation is the cornerstone of various degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Another recent study, however, found that, compared to a lowfat diet, low-carb diets depress markers of inflammation in the body.14 Some case studies point to potential health problems with variations of low-carb diets. In one case a man eating only cheese, meat and eggs developed optic neuropathy, which can cause blindness, because of a

deficiency of the B-complex vitamin thiamine, or vitamin B1.15 Another dieter developed a skin condition called acute variegate porphyria while following a low-carb diet.16 A teenage girl died from a heart rhythm disturbance while following a low-carb diet that was traced to a lack of potassium.17 Most such problems, however, result from individual nutrient deficiencies and are easily corrected with a few inexpensive supplements. Also recall the experience of the explorer Stefansson, discussed in Part 1 of this article, who ate only meat, fish and water for a year yet suffered no apparent nutrient deficiencies. The final criticism of low-carb diets is that long-term adherence is difficult, thus ensuring the return of lost bodyfat. A recent study disputes that too. Researchers found that people on low-carb diets managed to maintain their weight loss after following the regimen for three years. Adding fruits and vegetables to the mix makes the diet more balanced and safe for long-term use. A final plus for low-carb diets: Recent studies show that having reduced insulin and blood glucose is better for longevity than high resting insulin and blood glucose. You don’t need to eat 19 pounds of meat a day to accomplish that effect—and that’s no bull.

You don’t need to eat 19 pounds of meat a day to get the lifeextending effects of a low-carb diet—and that’s no bull.

References

Neveux \ Model: John Cowgill

1 Nickols-Richardson,

S.M., et al. (2005). Perceived hunger is lower and weight loss is greater in overweight premenopausal women consuming a low-carbohydrate/ high-protein vs. high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 105:1433-1437. 2 McCleron, F.J., et al. (2007). The effects of a low carbohydrate ketogenic diet and a lowfat diet on mood, hunger, and other self-reported symptoms. Obesity. 15:182187. 3 Westman, E.C., et al. (2007). Low-carbohydrate nutrition and (continued on page 120) metabo-

116 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Low-Carb Lowdown lism. Am J Clin Nutr. 86:276-84. 4 Volek, J., et al. (2002). Body composition and hormonal responses to a carbohydrate-restricted diet.Metabolism. 51:864-70. 5 White, A.M., et al. (2007). Blood ketones are directly related to fatigue and perceived effort during exercise in overweight adults adhering to low carbohydrate diets: a pilot study. J Am Diet Accoc. 107:1792-1796. 6 Quann, E.E., et al. (2007). Carbohydrate restriction and resistance training have additive effects on body composition during weight loss in men. J Am Diet Assoc. 107(Supp3):1-14. 7 Churchley, E.G., et al. (2007). Influence of preexercise muscle glycogen content on transcriptional activity of metabolic and myogenic genes in well-trained humans. J App Physiol.102:1604-1611. 8 Johnston, C.S., et al. (2006). Ketogenic low-carbohydrate diets have no metabolic advantage over non-ketogenic diets. Am J Clin Nutr. 83:1055-61. 9 Yancy, W.S., et al. (2007). Acid-base analysis of individuals following two weight-loss diets. Eur J Clin Nutr. In press. 10 Trichopoulou, A., et al. (2006). Low-carbohydrate/ high-protein diet and longterm survival in a general population cohort. Eur J Clin Nutr. 61(5):575-81. 11 Lagiou, P., et al. (2007). Low carbohydrate-high protein diet and mortality in a cohort of Swedish women. J Int Med. 261:36674. 12 Duncan, S.H., et al. (2007). Reduced dietary intake of carbohydrates by obese subjects results in decreased concentrations

Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

(continued from page 116)

Studies show that engaging in weight training while on a lowcarb diet spares muscle while stimulating fat loss. of butyrate and butyrateproducing bacteria in feces. App Environ Microbiol. 73:1073-1078.

120 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

13 Rankin, J., et al. (2007). Lowcarbohydrate, highfat diet increases C-reactive protein during weight loss. J Am Coll Nutr. 26:16369. 14 Forsythe, C., et al. (2008). Comparison of lowfat and lowcarbohydrate diets on circulating fatty acid composition and markers of inflammation. Lipids. 43:65-77. 15 Hoyt, C.S., et al. (1979). Optic neuropathy in ketogenic diet. Br J Opthalmol. 63:191-194. 16 Quiroz-Kendall, E., et al. (1983). Acute variegate porphyria following a Scarsdale gourmet diet. J Am Acad Dermat. 8:46-49. 17 Stevens, A., et al. (2002). Sudden death of an adolescent during dieting. South Med J. 95:1047-1049. IM

122 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

A Bodybuilder

Is Born Episode 34—Do Not

Become Your Own Worst Enemy by Ron Harris Photography by Michael Neveux

’d known Randy for more than two years, which meant he’d been a firsthand witness to my disastrous spring ’03 prep for the Orange County and New England bodybuilding contests, held in Anaheim, California, and Boston, Massachusetts, a week apart. What happened was that about three weeks out from the Orange County, the first of the two shows, I weighed around 212 pounds and was very happy with the way my physique had shaped up. Happy, that is, except for my nagging belief that I absolutely had to have striated glutes. Few besides proctologists and pornographers think about butts as much as we bodybuilders do, and in our case we’re obsessed with stripping any and all fat off of our gluteus maximus until it resembles a skinned rabbit (though if I ever saw rabbit ears sticking out from the sides of my ass, it would be cause for alarm). We all know that women are forever dissatisfied with their derrieres, constantly thinking that

they have expanded in size while they were sleeping or that some pair of pants or skirt gives onlookers the impression that their butt is roughly the size of a minivan. Well, bodybuilders take it to a whole other level. Considering that most Americans have either flat, wimpy butts that sag and droop like wet dishrags or enormous pillows of dimpled cellulite wide enough for screening an IMAX movie, you’d think we’d be grateful for glutes that are hard and strong and that don’t jiggle when we jump up and down—oh, come on, like you’ve never looked? When we’re preparing for a contest, we don’t feel “in shape” until our glutes have more grooves and notches than Jenna Jameson’s headboard. In 2003 the obsession caused me to go crazy with cardio, doing nearly two hours of intense interval-style running on a Precor elliptical runner every day and jacking up my nervous system so badly that I was sleeping only about four hours a night. The result was that I burned muscle faster in those last three weeks than an SUV with a V-8 en-

gine burns gas in the city. I sucked down to 197, and I sucked onstage. Now Randy was running the risk of repeating my mistake. “What are you down to now?” I asked him, a little less than two weeks out from his show. “One eighty-four, but you should see my hams,” he replied, dropping his pants. I forgot to mention we were in the middle of the gym workout floor. A housewife in her 40s who dressed like an 18-year-old nearly walked into a pole checking him out. “You have some good separation back there,” I agreed, “but your legs are withering away. Have you been doing more cardio than you told me last time?” Randy had picked up a used Stairmaster for his home, so he didn’t have to go to the gym to do cardio. That was great, but it also meant that if he started going psycho and feeling that he needed to do cardio in the middle of the night, he had only to drag his ass over to his garage. “I started doing it after work when I got home, yeah, for an hour.” www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 123

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

A bodybuilder

Is Born

Heavy training will help you maintain mass when you’re dieting.

124 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Michael Ergas

“You realize you’re going to be a middleweight, right?” I told him. He pulled his pants back up and was looking at me with irritation. The housewife, wearing a belly shirt showing her navel ring in the front and a tramp stamp tribal tattoo on the back, frowned. She looked ready to grab some dollar bills to stuff in Randy’s bikini underwear. “No way. By the time I carb up, I should be about 195,” he assured me. “I’m just a little flat right now.” I shook my head. “Dude, that’s what so many novice competitors think. They overdo the cardio and training in general leading up to a show, and they lose a lot of muscle. In denial, they tell themselves they’re flat, and they think a few bowls of rice and some sweet potatoes are going to magically fill them out 10 to 15 pounds. I’m sorry to break it to you, but it doesn’t work that way. When you lose muscle like that, you don’t get it back for a few weeks after the show, once you’ve rested and resumed heavy training and normal eating. You also forget that when you drop your water the night before the show, you’ll

A bodybuilder

Is Born

lose anywhere from five to 10 pounds by the time you get on the scale to weigh in. Some of the really big guys can lose more like 20.” “What? Get outta here.” Clearly Randy thought I was messing with him. “Oh, trust me. You want to see some shocked and angry people? Wait until everybody weighs in the morning of our show. Nobody ever accepts that the weight on the scale is accurate, and, amazingly, everyone always thinks it’s light. I’ve seen guys come close to punching out the poor sap who records the weights because they’re so mad at the weight they lost. But think about it. If our bodies are 75 percent water, not drinking anything for 12 to 24 hours can result in a pretty dramatic loss in bodyweight.” “Kinda like when fat people go on the Atkins diet and So many novice get all happy when they lose competitors overdo so much weight so fast, but the cardio and it’s almost all water from eattraining in general ing no carbs all of a sudden?” leading up to a show At least Randy was thinking, and lose a lot of not just letting his emotions muscle. cloud his brain. “Exactly,” I said. “So whatever you happen to weigh the day before the show, count on losing another five to 10 pounds by the time you get there. What you need to do is chill out on the cardio now and do less than before, not more, or else you’re going to waste away to a stick figure. It’s bodybuilding, not body-disappearing, dumbass.” “But I’m still not lean enough,” he complained. “Okay, that’s true. But you’re very close to where you need to be,” I said. “It’s your first show. Nobody expects you to be as ripped as a pro. And you have less than two weeks left. Realistically, you can lose a maximum of four pounds of fat in that time, but you could also lose four to eight pounds of pure muscle mass if you continue doing what you’re doing. You were doing a good job, losing about a pound of bodyweight a week, but you’re becoming your own worst enemy. Limit the cardio now to no more than an hour 126 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

A bodybuilder

Is Born

Getting extra protein is key during a diet to preserve muscle tissue and help burn fat.

total a day, and you need to stop it completely at three or four days out. I’d also bump up your protein with an extra scoop of whey protein powder with every meal to help preserve your muscle mass while you whittle away the last bit of bodyfat. I think liver aminos are great at this time too. How many liver aminos do you take with each meal now?” “Five,” he said. “Bring that up to eight. That will give you a little more protein, and more important, the iron and Bvitamins your body needs at this most stressful time. Also, reduce by a third your training volume with the weights. You’re not going to be putting on any muscle between now and the show, so there’s no need to go crazy in the gym.” I forgot to mention that because I’d been more careful not to overdo things, I was definitely not going to be one of the men to beat Randy in the light heavyweights. At 12 days out, I was still 217 pounds and would probably weigh in around 205 or so. That had eased the mood between Randy and me somewhat, as he no longer harbored resentment toward me in advance for beating him. Of course, I had plenty to worry about myself. One of the guys in my class had been posting on that message board I call “Muscle Madness,” and his screen name was “TooLarge4U.” Uh oh! Then again, everything is relative. Too large for who, exactly? To the average person, any guy over 200 pounds with a six-pack is considered a freak. Of course, if he was too large for Ronnie Coleman, we were all in deep doo-doo. As always, nobody would really know who stood where in the scheme of things until we were all out there onstage. All I knew was that Randy was going to look a whole lot better if he did less, not more, over the next 12 days. Meanwhile, I needed his opinion on something. I turned and studied myself in the mirror. “Randy,” I said. “Be honest. Do these pants make my ass look big?” IM

128 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

132 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Abdominal

Training

Model: Jonathan Lawson

his is adapted from Chapter 9 of 3D Muscle Building (available at X-Rep.com), in which Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson analyze and improve on the ab routine Jonathan followed during his Size Surge experiment back in the ’90s. In the bodypart chapters of the e-book, they take apart the entire Positionsof-Flexion program Jonathan used to build 20 pounds in 10 weeks, muscle group by muscle group, and then reconstruct it as a new, improved program.

by Steve Holman Photography by Michael Neveux Jonathan’s POF Size Surge Ab Routine • Midrange and Lower Contracted: Incline kneeups 1 x 7-9 • Stretch and Upper Contracted: Ab Bench crunches 2 x 7-9 Another solid bodypart program. The only real problem with it is that the reps are somewhat low considering the abs’ propensity for endurance. Like the forearms and calves, the midsection muscles usually respond best to slightly higher reps and/or supersets, tri-sets, drop sets and other extended-set techniques. In other words, the midsection muscles respond to longer tension times. Look at the program again. That’s a very quick workout compared to what you see most people doing. Check out any gym, and you’ll see inexperienced trainees as well as advanced bodybuilders doing hundreds of reps on every midsection www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 133

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Abs exercise known to man with absolutely no method to their madness. Instead of saddling yourself with a regimen that has you repping till the cows come home, consider the following four facts so you can use logic and the 3D Positions-ofFlexion approach to help you overcome your abdominal obstacles:

The main abdominal muscle that bodybuilders should be concerned with, the rectus abdominis, is not a bunch of knotted muscle masses, as it appears to be, but rather a sheet-type muscle that runs from the bottom of your rib cage and attaches to your pelvis.

1) Muscle makeup. The abdominal muscles are just that—muscles. Each is made up of the same types of fibers as your biceps, quads and back; however, as I mentioned, many of the fibers in the abs are more endurance oriented and require slightly higher reps to reach full development. The main abdominal muscle that bodybuilders should be concerned with, the rectus abdominis, is not a bunch of knotted muscle masses, as it appears to be, but rather a sheet-type muscle that runs from the bottom of your rib cage and attaches to your pelvis. The ripples are actually caused by tendons running horizontally and vertically. 2) Hip flexor function. The hip flexors come into play on many ab exercises, such as kneeups, which makes those exercises inferior ab isolators, like the crunch. The key word here is isolators. As you’ll soon see, the hip flexors are important contributors, or synergists, when you exercise the midrange position of the rectus abdominis. 3) Upper and lower separation. Studies indicate that the upper rectus abdominis can work somewhat independently of the lower part of the muscle, as it does when you perform crunches. But when you work the lower portion, your upper rectus always comes into play—for instance, during incline kneeups. Therefore, you should always work the lower area first, which brings both upper and lower sections into play. If you isolate the upper part first, you fatigue that area and make your lower-ab work much less effective—in much the same (continued on page 138) way that 134 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

The hip flexors are important contributors when you exercise the midrange position of the rectus abdominis.

Abs (continued from page 134)

working forearms before biceps can limit your biceps efforts. For example, if you do crunches first and then kneeups, your upper rectus will be so fatigued from the crunches that it’ll cause you to fail on the kneeups long before you fatigue your lower abs. It’s one reason so many trainees lack lower-ab delineation: They work lower abs last or do only crunches in their ab program. 4) Efficiency of effort. You must work your upper and lower abs from the three positions of flexion to get rapid, complete development and delineation.

You must work your upper and lower abs from the three positions of flexion to get rapid, complete development and delineation. almost as two separate muscle groups—as explained in item 3 above—we break down the muscle as follows to determine its positions of flexion: 138 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Jonathan Lawson

Because research suggests that the rectus abdominis can function

Abs Rectus Abdominis (as a whole) Midrange: The midrange movement for the rectus abdominis should involve the hip flexors to a degree. Remember, you’re not trying to isolate the target muscle, as a midrange exercise is a compound movement that enables surrounding muscles to help the

target muscle contract—squats for quads, for example. For abs the hip flexors are the synergists. You work the rectus abdominis through its midrange position with incline kneeups. Stretch: The entire rectus abdominis is in the stretch position when your torso is slightly below the plane of your thighs and buttocks,

as in the bottom position of an Ab Bench crunch (below), with your lower back arched (the Ab Bench has a rounded back pad).

Lower Rectus Abdominis Contracted: You achieve this position when your upper thighs are almost flush against your abdomen

Model: Jonathan Lawson

The Ab Bench’s rounded lowerback-support pad gives you a full rectus abdominis stretch followed by a powerful contraction.

140 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Incline kneeups work the entire rectus abdominis but emphasize the lower region. and your hips are rolled upward, as in the finish position of an incline kneeup (above). Note that incline kneeups work the entire rectus abdominis through its midrange position and the lower rectus in its contracted position.

Upper Rectus Abdominis Contracted: You hit this position when your upper torso is curled forward toward your pelvis with your hips and lower back remaining on the same plane, as in the standard crunch or finish position of an Ab Bench crunch.

The 3D Phenomenal Abdominal Routines Here are a couple of killer 3D POF ab programs: Total Midrange and Lower Contracted: Incline kneeups 2 x 10-15 No pause at the top or bottom. Total Stretch and Upper Contracted: Ab Bench crunch pulls 2 x 10-15 At the bottom, or point of stretch, use a quick twitch for a stronger

ab contraction. Also, go only slightly below parallel, as it can be dangerous to stretch the abdominal wall if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re prone to hernias. Even though you consider the upper and lower areas of the rectus abdominis separately, you can still work all three positions with only two movements. If you have access to an Ab Bench, with its rounded back pad, you can train your rectus abdominis more effectively, from complete stretch to total contraction with one movement and with progressive resistance on a comfortable machine. Start with two sets of incline kneeupsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;be sure to

142 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Jonathan Lawson

Abs

Abs roll your hips up toward your torso at the top of each rep for lower-ab contraction—before your Ab Bench work and you have one of the most efficient ab routines around for helping you achieve the epitome of rippling ruggedness. While we believe the hanging kneeup exercise is somewhat inferior due to the lack of resistance at the important bottom, semistretch position, you can use it with good results as part of a superset. Here’s another 3D ab routine using that method:

Occlusion Finisher: Partial crunches You can do them on the floor or on a bench. The key is to do only the top two-thirds of the stroke so you keep tension on your rectus abdominis throughout the set. Also, use a slow cadence— two seconds up and two seconds down—and strive for at least one minute of tension time. The continuous tension blocks blood flow to your rectus abdominis, which produces occlusive hypertrophy—from growth hormone release to capillary expansion and mitochondria development (the mitochondria is the part of

1 x max

the cell where fat is burned for fuel). Editor’s note: Steve Holman, IRON MAN’s editor in chief, has written numerous books on muscle building and diet. Visit his Web site, X-Rep.com, for more info, including Q&As, interviews, e-books and the latest research studies. IM

Flat-bench leg raises.

Model: Joey Gloor

Total Midrange and Lower Contracted: Superset Hanging kneeups 2 x 10-15 Flat-bench leg raises 2 x max No pause at the top or bottom of either exercise. On the second exercise let your feet move below the bench on the downward stroke so you feel a stretch in your rectus abdominis; raise your legs until they’re perpendicular to the bench as you lift your hips.

Total Stretch and Upper Contracted: Full-range crunches 1 x 10-15 At the bottom, or point of stretch, use a quick twitch for a stronger ab contraction.

Model: Jonathan Lawson

End-of-bench kneeups are a good occlusive finisher for abs.

144 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

150 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Triple-Threat Training

Delt

Mark Perry’s Shell-Shocking Shoulder Workout by Cory Crow Photography by Michael Neveux

f you’re serious about bodybuilding—on any level—you need to develop your deltoids fully. Not only are the delts a very visible bodypart, but they’re a necessity for crafting the X-frame that all bodybuilders desire. A good set of delts provides an impressively wide structure from which the lats appear to hang. If you don’t have them, you probably want to know more about how a top competitor goes about building them. That thought sent me on a quest to track down and interview Mark Perry, the light-heavyweight winner at the ’07 IFBB North American Bodybuilding Championships.

A Busy Man You don’t often see Mark in supplement ads, and unless you pay close attention to the amateur ranks, you might not be aware that he’s one of the top light heavyweights in the country. That will probably change soon because Mark is poised to make a strong pro-card run in 2008. Perry resides in tiny Columbus, Indiana, where he’s the proprietor of Total Fitness Gym. He’s also a general contractor who spent all of 2007 constructing a new building for his gym and converting his old build-

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 151

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mark Perry’s Delt

Training

ing into a store for Goodwill. You read that right: Mark worked construction for hours every day while prepping for the North Americans—and the NPC USA—last year. While that’s probably not the ideal approach to training and dieting for a contest, it did enable him to tighten up his physique and drop down to the lightheavyweight class. It got him a third-place finish in Vegas, at the ’07 USA, and his class win at the North Americans. Mark’s road to the top placings wasn’t short—or easy. He got into competitive bodybuilding in 1993 after suffering a back injury playing college football. During his rehabilitation, Perry came to the realization that he wasn’t going to play in the NFL. He started working out for general fitness, and before long a gym buddy told him he should consider competing in an upcoming local NPC show. “My diet consisted of eating less of whatever I was already eating,” Mark says. “Cornflakes, spaghetti, you name it. Despite all of that and the fact that I had no idea what I was doing, I finished third.” After that Perry competed in a second local NPC show and finished third in his class again. Shortly after that he received a call from Musclemania promoter Lou Zwick, who told Mark he thought he had genetic potential. Zwick said (continued on page 159) 152 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mark Perry’s Delt

Training

Seated Dumbbell Presses Mark Perry’s Workout Split Monday: Chest and triceps Tuesday: Legs Wednesday: Off Thursday: Shoulders and calves Friday: Back and biceps During contest prep, Mark works out on Saturdays, taking one of the week’s routines and performing it a second time. That way each bodypart gets worked twice per week at least once a month. Cardio: Mark does 45 minutes on the treadmill in the morning, reducing that to 15 to 20 minutes as he gets closer to a show and his energy wanes. Every afternoon he does 30 minutes on the Stepmill. —C.C.

156 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mark Perryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delt

Training

Dumbbell Shrugs 158 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Triple-Threat Delt Shocker

Merv

Lateral raises* 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6 Seated dumbbell presses 4 x 8-12 Alternate dumbbell front raises 2-3 x 8-10 Bent-over lateral raises 3 x 8-10 Barbell shrugs 4 x 12 Dumbbell shrugs 2 x 10-12 * Pyramid the weight on each successive set. —C.C.

he would need to learn about proper training, nutrition and diet if he really wanted to do something in the sport. Mark took those words to heart and began sucking up bodybuilding knowledge from wherever he could get it. “I was driving to Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Louisville once a week so that I could train and learn.” His gym in Columbus was so limited, Mark says, it had the proper equipment for leg training

(continued from page 152)

only. To counteract that, he had to drive to different cities to work out with different people so he could train his whole body. Mark’s life got a little easier when he had the chance to acquire some gym equipment. “After that I didn’t have to drive anymore,” he says with a laugh.

DELICIOU INVIGOSRLAY TING

Building Championship Delts

0 CARBS 0 SUGAR

Perry’s shoulder routine is constructed to give all three heads—front, medial and rear— equal amounts of work. He believes in doing basic, compound movements using barbells and dumbbells to give his deltoids a full complement of work. Twenty minutes before every workout he has an energy drink, such as American Bodybuilding’s Turbo Tea or Ripped Force, to boost his alertness. Lateral raises. He almost always starts his delt routine with this exercise. The goal is to preexhaust

INFINITELY LA STING

MIND BLOWING ENERGY

PRE-WORKOUT DRINK

888.519.9300 SANN.NET Int: 805.988.0640 AVAILABLE AT THESE AND OTHER FINE RETAILERS:

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 159

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mark Perryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delt

Training

Alternate Dumbbell Front Raises

160 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

the medial-delt heads so he can spare his shoulder joints wear and tear on some of the later, heavier exercises. He also likes to hit the medial heads while he’s fresh—at the beginning of the workout—because “that’s the section that gives you the illusion of width. That really helps build an X-frame appearance. Having those middle delts pop gives the illusion that your waist is smaller.” Mark performs laterals by bringing his arms out straight to the sides, raising them to shoulder level. He never bends his arms—keeping them straight prevents his biceps and traps from doing the work, he says. He performs around four sets, pyramiding the weight while decreasing the reps: 12, 10, eight, six. Seated dumbbell presses. Find an adjustable bench, and set the back to a vertical position. Mark completes four sets of eight to 12 reps, depending on the day. “Make sure to take the weight all the way down to the bottom of your safe range of movement,” he advises. “I bring the dumbbells down to touch my shoulder.” He also pauses for a short squeeze of the delts at the top of each rep. Alternate dumbbell front raises. Having preexhausted and then hammered his medial delts, he turns his attention to the other heads. The front heads come first. He likes to alternate arms, which helps prevent the lats from taking over and removing the emphasis

from the target muscle. Perry typically completes two to three sets of eight to 10 reps per arm, depending on the day and how his shoulders are feeling. Bent-over lateral raises (or rear-delt machine). The final ingredient in his formula for complete delt development is rear-delt work. Training the rear delts is vital if you want your physique to have a finished look in certain bodybuilding poses, like the back double-biceps shot. It plays a key role in side poses as well. Mark’s advice here is to make sure you come to the top of

Bent-over Lateral Raises

VASOFLOW IMMEDIATELY FLOODS YOUR SYSTEM WITH POWER INDUCING N.O. SUBSTRATES*

VASOFLOW FORCES COLOSSAL MUSCLE PUMPS AND RAPID INCREASES IN MUSCLE BELLY SIZE* VASOFLOW VASOFLOW IGNITES ROAD MAP VASCULARITY RESULTING IN ENHANCED NUTRIENT DELIVERY* VASOFLOW IS SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO RADICALLY ELEVATE BLOOD LEVELS OF POLYAMINES, GROWTH HORMONES AND INSULIN* *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

888.519.9300 SANN.NET Int: 888.519.9300 AVAILABLE AT THIS AND OTHER FINE RETAILERS:

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 161

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mark Perryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Delt

Training

162 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Lateral Raises Alternatives From time to time Mark adds an exercise that he got from Flex Wheeler called the crucifix. It’s performed on the cable crossover machine with the handles removed. You simply grab the loops: You grab the right loop with your left hand and the left loop with your right hand. The starting position for this exercise is to pull your arms straight in front of you and then bring them out to the sides in a crucifix position, a movement that will put a lot of resistance on your rear delts. Perry suggests that you try this from time to time as a rear-delt finisher. The results Mark got with this workout are on full display in the contest pictures of him that are posted at IronManMagazine.com. At the North American Championships not only was his conditioning great, but he had one of the freakiest sets of delts in the lineup. the rep range to get a full contraction and then lower for a stretch at the bottom on every repetition. That provides optimal activation of muscle fibers. He does three sets of eight to 10 reps. Barbell shrugs. Though not a part of the deltoids, the trapezius is important to having full shoulder and back development. Mark grabs a barbell and completes four sets of 12; then he grabs a pair of heavy dumbbells and does two sets of 10 to 12 until failure to finish off his shoulder routine.

UP TO 6 TIMES FASTER THAN DEXTROSE FOR DELIVERING VITAL MACRONUTRIENTS Replenish glycogen at lightning fast speed.* Deliver BCAA’s at an unsurpassed rate.* Ideal for strength and endurance sthletes. Unparalleled during carb-up right before contest.* *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Looking Forward The 2008 season is expected to be a big one for Mark. He plans to compete in the NPC USA Championships and the Nationals. Coming off of his class win at the North Americans, he’s confident that he’ll do even better this year. And if his diet isn’t working fast enough, he’ll just go build a building. Editor’s note: To contact Mark Perry for guest posings or sponsorship inquiries, write to him at totalfitness@voyager.net. IM

888.519.9300 SANN.NET Int: 805.988.0640 AVAILABLE AT THIS AND OTHER FINE RETAILERS:

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 163

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Presents

170 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mind-Blowing

Muscle Size Designing Your Perfect MASS Program by David Robson Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Mehmet Yildirim

emember when you began training? Almost anything you did produced great results, and it seemed as though they would never end. In your mind it was only a matter of time before you attained a Mr. Olympia–caliber physique. Then the results stopped. What happened? Put simply, your body adapted to the stress placed on it. As it became accustomed to your gym efforts, it had no further reason to waste valuable metabolic energy compensating for the unusual stress it had undergone up until that point. Program planning is often fraught with difficulty for that very reason. Early initial results are so good that we assume anything goes in the weight room. Novice lifters usually lift under the misguided assumption that if they continue doing what they’re doing long enough, they’ll eventually build a large, muscular physique comparable to what they’re seeing in the muscle magazines.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Their results, or lack of them, as they continue to train, could be explained through their lack of insight into the adaptation process. Often what trainees don’t realize is that their programs need to be not only comprehensive but subject to ongoing change as well. They can achieve ongoing progressive resistance only with constant change. The way to keep their gains coming is to keep changing training variables such as rep range, weight, exercise choice and intensity methods. Would you like to see results on a regular basis? Of course you would. Let’s get to some tried-and-tested methods that can help make it happen.

An Effective Bodybuilding Program Before constructing a bodybuilding routine, you need to get the basics right.

Effective mass-building exercises. All good bodybuilding

programs have at least one thing in common: an emphasis on the

multijoint, mass-building exercises, such as squats, bench presses, barbell curls and deadlifts. That emphasis on the basics is particularly important during the early stages of a training career, when the muscles are most receptive to the positive, systemic effect the moves provide. When designing a beginning program, include at least two massbuilding movements per bodypart. Choose from the list on page 178. Correct technique. Without correct technique, correct exercise selection could prove worthless. For example, doing a quarter squat, as opposed to going all the way to the basement, will give only marginal benefits, compared to the full development that results from a full range of motion. The same thing applies to all movements: Squeeze and stretch for complete development. Jerky, incomplete movements can also lead to injury, which halts progress, especially if the injury forces you to stop training altogether. Rep range. As I’ll discuss later, the rep (continued on page 174) www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 171

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Presents

(continued from page 171) range of a set can be manipulated to challenge you and facilitate greater gains. On a more basic level, however, achieving a certain number of repetitions is the essence of hard training. Without sufficient effort and determination, you won’t fully exhaust the muscle—and that can stall muscle gains like nothing else. Remember, those last few reps set the stage for progress. The effective rep range for muscle growth is believed to be between eight and 12. That’s not set in stone, however, as some muscles respond better to higher reps, while others respond better to a lower number. The best method is usually not an either/or approach. The real key to making ongoing progress is to change the rep range from workout to workout or during the same session. For example, at a leg workout do four sets of 15 to 20

Model: Skip La Cour

Failure to properly execute the basic movements will provide only half the progress. For example, doing a quarter squat, as opposed to going all the way to the basement, will give only marginal benefits, as compared to the full development that results from a full range of motion.

reps on squats; at the next leg workout use work sets of five reps each (with more weight, of course). Low reps and high reps each target different aspects of the muscle. Set range. As with rep range, you can increase or decrease your set totals. Generally speaking, a good bodybuilding program includes at least three sets per exercise. Advanced lifters may use more sets, while some trainees—both advanced and novice—find they get greater results from doing only one or two sets. Always do at least one warmup set, usually with a weight that gives you about 25 easy reps. That prepares the muscles, neurologically and physiologically, for what will follow. The key is to do the number of sets that properly stimulate your muscles. Keep in mind that smaller muscle groups like biceps and triceps usu-

ally require fewer sets than the larger, denser leg and back muscles. So the larger the muscle, the more work—meaning the greater the number of sets it will likely need. Intensity. Training intensity is the key ingredient of any good workout. Sure, strategically lowering intensity and stopping the set just short of muscular failure are often considered a more productive way of maximizing recovery and furthering progress, but all-out, balls-tothe-wall effort is what really gets results. It could even be argued that the single most important training variable is intensity, which rips the muscle apart, setting off the process of compensation that causes the muscle to grow larger and stronger. That’s the reason you have to change as many training variables as possible—weight, reps, sets, exercises and techniques. Adding variety

174 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Size Workout

Presents to your program will enhance intensity through the unaccustomed stress that it provides—and you should grow exponentially. Rest between sets. An often-overlooked intensity factor is rest between sets. Generally, taking one to 1 1/2 minutes between sets is the best way to keep the intensity high. It will also enhance muscle endurance and increase fat burning, thereby providing a leaner, more muscular physique. Concentration. The ability to focus on your training technique and the way the muscles are responding is a major contributor to workout quality. Bodybuilding champions know the importance of complete concentration. The most successful ones use their gym time the most productively. They apply themselves to the task at hand, avoiding any distractions.

Keep the Gains Coming One great way to ensure adequate muscle stimulation is to schedule your rep range for each workout. For example, one week you may want to achieve 48 reps total, evenly divided over four sets of a particular exercise. Divide the number of sets (four) by the number of reps you need to reach your target (48). Answer: 12 reps per set. At your next workout reduce the weight slightly and aim for 48 total reps, but over three sets instead of four—that’s 16 reps per set. Changing the rep range provides a more structured way of challenging yourself to progressively overload your muscles. Change the sets. That means increasing the number of sets. Aim for a greater overall amount of weight lifted per workout. For example, discounting

Note: This is a one-week snapshot. For subsequent weeks make changes, as suggested in the accompanying article. Monday: Legs Squats Leg presses Leg extensions Standing calf raises

4 x 12 3 x 8-12 4 x 15-20 4 x 15-20

Tuesday: Arms Barbell curls 3 x 6-8 (rest/pause on last two sets) Alternate dumbbell curls 4 x 8-12 Lying extension 4 x 8-12 Pushdowns 3 x 15-20 Wednesday: Off Thursday: Back Chinups 4 x 10-15 Bent-over rows 4 x 8-12 (last two sets as drop sets) Deadlifts 4 x 6-10 Shrugs 4 x 12-15 Friday: Off Saturday: Chest, Shoulders, Abs Bench presses 3 x 8-12 (drop set on first set) Incline dumbbell presses 3 x 8-12 Flat bench flyes 3 x 8-12 Superset Lateral raises 3 x 8-12 Dumbbell presses 3 x 8-12 Upright rows 3 x 6-10 Superset Rope pulldown crunches 3 x 8-12 Crunches 3 x 8-12

Concentrate! When doing anything of note, it’s worth putting yourself in a productive zone, a place where you and your thoughts can zero in on your objective. 176 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Gus Malliarodakis

Sunday: Off

Presents

Try drop sets for an intensity uptick. When you reach failure on a set, reduce the poundage by 30 percent and immediately continue performing reps.

Basic Mass-Building Exercises Chest Bench presses Incline dumbbell presses Incline barbell presses Straight-legged dips Back Chinups Bent-over rows Shrugs Deadlifts One-arm dumbbell rows Legs Squats Leg presses Stiff-legged deadlifts Standing calf raises Seated calf raises Shoulders Military presses Dumbbell presses Lateral raises Upright rows Arms Standing barbell curls Incline dumbbell curls Lying triceps extensions (skull crushers) Pushdowns

Model: John Cowgill

—D.R.

178 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

warmup sets, if you were to lift a total of 10,560 pounds on the bench (220 pounds x 12 reps x 4 sets), you might want to increase the sets to five on a subsequent workout while aiming for the same number of reps per set. That gives you a new total of 13,200, an overall increase in training poundage of 2,640. It’s the accumulation of intensity, not the overload placed on the muscles for any given set, that’s important. Again, it all comes down to goal setting and effort put forth. Planning a variety of workout factors, in this case increasing the sets, gives the session

structure and a concrete goal.

Increase the weight.

Gradual increases in training poundage should be an ongoing goal for all who lift to build massive muscles. The previous two intensity variables—rep and set manipulation—will ensure muscles get bigger and stronger. Ultimately, however, the overall objective should be to increase the weight. The stronger a muscle is, the

ditional three or four reps. Drop sets: Variations of this idea are called strip sets, descending sets and down-the-rack training. They all mean one thing: extreme intensity. The concept is simple: When you reach failure, reduce the poundage by 30 percent and immediately continue the set. You can even use a second weight reduction and continue with a third set. Notice that a drop set is actually two or three sets

It’s the accumulation of intensity, not the overload placed on the muscles for any given set, that’s important. It all comes down to goal setting and effort put forth. larger it will become. In fact, the microtrauma associated with strength increases is directly linked to enhanced muscle size—the muscle will compensate for little muscle tears caused by using the heavier weights by becoming larger. So the limits to which you can build muscle are largely dictated by the amount of weight you can lift. Try to add weight at each succeeding workout. Obviously, you won’t be adding significant weight at every session, but so long as you’re not sliding backward, you’ll continue to make gains.

Use intensity techniques. After the six-month stage

you can begin to incorporate some advanced bodybuilding techniques. Use them sparingly—once every third or fourth workout for a particular bodypart. That will ramp up your training effort, subjecting your body to unaccustomed stress, which will create greater demands for muscle adaptation—growth. Rest/pause: Once you reach failure on a set, rest temporarily—usually five seconds—and then attempt another rep. Rest for five seconds again, then do another rep, and so on. You should be able to do an ad-

rolled into one—and it will significantly tax your system. Use drop sets infrequently—once every third workout for select exercises. Supersets: Like drop sets, supersets involve going directly to a second or third set following your first one. With supersets, however, you use a different exercise for each set. For example, you might superset dumbbell presses with lateral raises, with no rest between exercises. A variation is the agonist/antagonist superset, which has you training opposing muscle groups with back-to-back sets. For example, you’d do a set of bench presses and then immediately move to lat pulldowns. You can usually do up to three rounds on supersets. There you have it: all the training information you need to progress to the upper limits of your potential and beyond. Remember to keep changing around the training variables to force your muscles to be continually adapting. The sample program on page 176 should get you started. Editor’s note: For more articles by David Robson, pay a visit to Bodybuilding.com. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 179

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Heavy Duty

Q&A by John Little HIT and Arthur Jones Q: I read with great interest

IRON MAN’s tribute to the late Arthur Jones [December ’07]. I know that Mike was influenced by Jones’ research and insights. The other day, however, a friend of mine asked me a question at the gym: “How was Mike Mentzer’s approach to high-intensity training different from Arthur Jones’—if at all?” I actually didn’t have an answer. A: That’s an easy one. It began with Mike’s discovery of the pioneering research of Hans Seyle, M.D., who investigated the body’s nonspecific response to stress. Mike was the first to bring that research to bear on the concept of bodybuilding exercise as a stressor. He also spent a tremendous amount of time researching “regular”—that is, nonsteroid-taking—people who exercise. In the detailed workout records he kept on more than 2,000 clients, he began to see patterns of both progress and lack of it. He observed

that the Arthur Jones prescription of training the whole body with one set each of 12 different exercises quickly led to overtraining for the vast majority, particularly if the sets were taken to true muscular failure and the workout sessions were kept at the same frequency for any length of time—like Monday, Wednesday and Friday for several months. According to Mike: “While my clients’ progress was always immediate from the outset of their training with me, it wasn’t always continuous and worthwhile in every single instance. Why not, if I had a valid theory and was applying it properly? I concluded that there had to be a flaw in Jones’ theory of high-intensity training, even though it was uncritically accepted by just about everyone within his sphere of influence. “The philosophic-scientific precision of Jones’ definition was unquestionable. Intensity, he declared, refers to the percentage of possible momentary muscular effort being exerted. To stimulate an optimal increase in strength and muscle size, an exercise set must

be carried to a point of momentary muscular failure, where 100 percent intensity of effort is being exerted. It was after Jones precisely defined intensity that he made a mistake that seriously compromised the effectiveness of a superior approach to training, with the result that I and thousands of others who thought we had found the Holy Grail quickly grew frustrated. “The dominant training ideology at the time as espoused by Weider, Schwarzenegger and others advocated that everyone train each muscle group twice a week with 12 to 20 sets in a three-workout rotation, for a total of six workouts per week. Jones properly countered that such a regimen amounted to gross overtraining and that less was better. His prescription, however, was not much better: He suggested using whole-body, three-times-perweek programs with a total of 12 to 20 sets per workout. That quickly amounted to mild, and then severe, overtraining.” Jones was saying that, to be productive, intense exercise must be brief and infrequent. Mike then

186 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Balik

The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 187

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Heavy Duty It must be remembered that Mentzer was not a so-called hardgainer by any measure.

queried, “What do brief and infrequent mean precisely?” Mentzer believed that Jones’ theory of productive exercise had validity, yet his application of Jones’ principles wasn’t yielding the results he believed were possible. It must be remembered that Mentzer was not a so-called hardgainer by any measure. For an individual of his genetic gifts, who had enjoyed great success with a three-days-per-week workout exactly along the lines that Jones prescribed, to halt in mid-

stream and recognize that a piece was missing from the puzzle took both insight and courage. As Mike explained: “In a very real sense, Jones was reacting in knee-jerk fashion to Weider—a critical blind spot on his part. Jones wasn’t engaged by theoretical fundamentals so much as he was obsessed with discovering methods for making extremely accurate measurements of certain derivative aspects of exercise, such as range of motion, speed of rep,

number of reps, torque, friction and stored energy. “As noble an endeavor as that may be, the appropriate integration and application of such knowledge is possible only in the context of precise understanding of fundamentals. For instance, what’s the difference if you understand the exact role of speed of rep and range of motion but are performing so much in the way of both volume and frequency of exercise that you’re overtrained? No matter how

188 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Balik

much growth stimulation you’re inducing because you know how to measure the derivatives, they’re relevant only if you properly understand and apply the fundamentals.” As Mike pointed out, most bodybuilders, even today, seem to think that the purpose of a bodybuilding workout is to go into the gym and discover how many sets they can perform or how long they can endure. He often said, though, that a bodybuilding workout “is not an endurance contest!” And he continued: “Many others, including Dorian Yates and high-intensity theorists Arthur Jones and Ellington Darden, are operating on the idea that the purpose is to go into the gym and merely do less than what the majority is doing. I’m saying that since the majority hadn’t the slightest clue about what they’re doing, simply to do less is not good enough. To illustrate the point in extreme form: If the orthodox opinion is that 400 sets performed six days a week is the best way to build muscle and that’s overtraining, performing 200 sets three days a week, which is certainly less, isn’t necessarily the best way to train. It’s just the blind leading the blind.” Science is an exacting discipline. Its purpose is to discover the specific, precise facts of reality. The notion that you should perform 12 to 20 sets for each muscle is not exact. Is it 12, 14, 17 or 20 sets? And if 12 sets are enough, why do 20? You’re left with a groundless assertion. Jones’ response, of course, didn’t derive from a scrupulous process of thought. Weider said turn left; Jones said turn right. To advise people to train with 12 to 20 sets for the whole body instead of each muscle is inexact and arbitrary. With a truly scientific theoretical approach to exercise, there’s no room for the groundless or the arbitrary. As Mike put it: “The proper attitude is to go into the gym like a rational human being and perform only the precise amount of exercise nature requires.

Not more is better, not less is better, but the precise amount required is best. It turns out that the precise amount is much less than, until recently, anyone realized. The idea is to impose a specific training stress on the human body that will induce the biochemical changes that result in muscular growth. Applying any more training stress than nature calls for is overdosing on the medicine, a.k.a. ‘overtraining.’” Mike began experimenting with reducing the volume and frequency of training for his clients and then noting whether doing so resulted in greater or worse results. Right across the board, his clients improved. Three days per week resulted in overtraining almost from the get-go for most high-intensity trainees. After all, his clients, like 95 percent of the population, weren’t Mercury Morris, Casey Viator or even Mike Mentzer. They didn’t have the genetics to tolerate the stressor that is high-intensity training. Consequently, Mike deviated from the “train the whole body three times per week” prescription and recommended a split routine. The body’s muscle groups were divided into thirds, with each bodypart being trained on average once every 12 to 21 days. The results were dramatic: progress instead of stagnation. As research has subsequently confirmed and as the success of his clients—not just those he trained personally or consulted with on the phone but also those who follow his teachings to this day—has revealed, Mike’s innovative modifications of and refinements to the theory of high-intensity training were necessary and overdue.

Stress and Overtraining Q: I understand that Mike likened muscle growth to the body’s “defensive reaction.” I’m not sure I follow. I thought you just had to pump weights up and down to work your muscles and make them grow. Where’s the “defense” in that? A: Your statement is typical of how the vast majority of people view bodybuilding, but it happens to be

wrong. Mike likened the defensive reaction of the body in producing muscle growth to what takes place when it’s exposed to ultraviolet radiation: “While most people think of the development of a suntan or large muscles as merely cosmetic, nature has other ideas. A suntan, like larger muscles, is a ‘defensive barrier’ the body erects to protect itself from future assaults from high-intensity physical stress. “But those barriers can be overwhelmed. A person who overexposed his skin repeatedly to intense August sunlight would eventually die, as the sun’s rays would literally cook his tissues. And as the recent work of Dr. Kenneth Cooper indicates, chronic overtraining may ultimately result in long-range medical problems, such as heart disease and cancer. If you think of exercise as a form of stress on the entire human physiology, it stands to reason that gross overtraining would inordinately tax the overall physical system and could result in some kind of breakdown—in the glandular system, for example. “Bodybuilders using the nontheoretical volume approach to training fret continuously over the prospect of ever developing their muscles because they don’t know about the nature of the specific stress stimulus required to induce a buildup of muscle mass beyond normal levels. Their blind concern is with volume. Unlike the suntanner, who’s rationally concerned with the proper regulation of sunlight stress, the bodybuilder has an irrational obsession with (over)imposing training stress.” Exercise in general goes completely against the human genome, which evolved from a hunter/ gatherer condition in which conservation of energy was strongly emphasized and had huge survival value. In prehistoric times our environment forced brief periods of high-intensity muscular activity. Today we have a choice regarding the effort we need to expend, but our genome still is at play. Consequently, we’re strongly disinclined to exert ourselves maximally, which is why performing several milder sets is always more attractive. As www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 189

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Mike pointed out, however: “The extent to which you work out—that is, that you perform a number of sets—is a negative factor because every set you perform causes a deeper inroad into your recovery ability. For every set performed, more and more of the body’s limited reserve of biochemical resources is used in the attempt to merely compensate for the exhausting effects of the workout, leaving that much less left over for overcompensation in the form of new muscle.” So volume is a negative factor. Even one set is a negative. You’re using biochemical resources that must be replaced, and the more you use, the more that must be replaced. Here’s Mike’s take on that: “It follows logically that optimal results can be achieved only as the result of “It follows logically that optimal the least, or precise, results can be achieved only as amount of exercise the result of the least, or precise, necessary. Of course, you need to do at amount of exercise necessary.” least one set to have a workout. By definition, overtraining means performing any more exercise, in if left undisturbed for an adequate terms of both volume and frequenrest period. cy, than is precisely required.” Mike wrote that most bodybuildEditor’s note: For a complete ers apparently don’t understand presentation of Mike Mentzer’s that the big picture essentially inHeavy Duty training system, volves two elements of equal value. consult his books Heavy Duty II, The first is the workout itself, of High Intensity Training the Mike course; the second is the rest period Mentzer Way and the newest book, between workouts. The workout The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of doesn’t produce muscle growth which are available from Mentzer’s but merely stimulates the body’s official Web site, www.MikeMentzer growth-and-repair mechanism. The .com. body produces the growth, but only

Balik

Heavy Duty

John Little is available for phone consultation on Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system. For rates and information, contact Joanne Sharkey at (310) 316-4519 or at www.MikeMentzer.com, or see the ad on the opposite page. Article copyright © 2008, John Little. All rights reserved. Mike Mentzer quotations are provided courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and are used with permission. IM

190 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger How Many Reps Should You Use to Get the Best Size and Strength Effects?

here are many young lifters—and some who aren’t so young—who are just plain confused about a very important element of weight training, rep numbers. I want to help clear up that confusion. If you haven’t seen my previous features in IRON MAN, here’s a little about my background so you’ll know where I’m coming from. I’ve been lifting weights for 48 years. I’ve experienced splendid progress in this wonderful activity. While it’s true that I’ve never been a world-champion lifter or an international physique star, I’ve enjoyed progress that most lifters would certainly like to experience. I went from 158 pounds at 6’2” to more than 260 pounds in a ninemonth period back in the 1960s. That was documented in Iron Man by Peary Rader, the founder and publisher of this magazine (Volume 25, Number 1). I started competing in Olympic lifting, winning the Arizona Heavyweight Championship. My goal was to enter national-level competition, and I felt that I was well on the way.

Then I was in an automobile accident, seriously injuring my back, and that was the end of my Olympic weightlifting career. I could no longer perform the clean, snatch or squat. On the other hand, I was able to keep doing upper-body exercises and continued to train hard and regularly. My arms eventually grew to 21 3/4 inches at a bodyweight of 245. Also at that bodyweight I was able to perform a standing press with 400 pounds (taken off a pair of squat racks before pressing, since I could not perform cleans anymore), a close-grip bench press with 530 pounds and lying triceps extensions with 320 pounds for six reps. I used a 115-pound dumbbell for six reps on one-arm concentration curls. I was also much involved in instructing others in weight training as well as self-defense. For a while, I lived with Cowboy Bill Watts, the WWF World Heavyweight champion, who was my cousin. Bill had a great home gym in Oklahoma, where other professional wrestlers trained. I trained with a number of them, and believe me, my size and strength were considerable assets to me during those times.

Model: Will Harris

by Jim Hafer Photography by Michael Neveux

204 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Dan Duchaine.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 205

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger

206 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

I’ve worked in six different gyms and have trained many people in my own home gym over the years. I’ve been a strength coach for three high schools and have helped others make wonderful gains. I’ve studied weight training and related subjects for all of those 45 years, including weight-training research that was carried out in the 1800s and 1900s, as well as the current century. I know what works. That brings me to the topic at hand: How many reps should you perform to make the best gains in the gym?

Absolute Science? Very few of the so-called absolute truths in weight training are actually absolute. Weight training is not an absolute science, regardless of what

you may hear. While I respect the tremendous contributions that Arthur Jones and Mike Mentzer made to weight training, I do not agree that their one set of “truths” applies to everyone who lifts weights. I’ve read many articles in which the authors made a very strong statement about the effectiveness of a particular type of training. Some declared that if you didn’t train with their system or technique, you certainly could not and would not make good gains. Some of them even claimed that you wouldn’t make any gains whatsoever, often citing research results to prove that what they were saying was gospel. Yet with each article supposedly proving the effectiveness of some system of training and proclaiming the ineffectiveness of opposing systems, I knew (continued on page 210)

(continued on page 232)

Model: Will Harris

Model: Luke Wood

Weight training is not an absolute science, regardless of what you may hear.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 207

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger (continued from page 207)

of many men who had used those other systems and had made great gains, thus proving the authors wrong on that point. Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus training equipment, dogmatically stated in his many articles that trainees could only make the best gains if they used “full-range” exercises. Yet I knew of many barbell men, myself included, who made their best gains in size and strength when using only partial-range movements.

The Question of Reps When I first started training with weights back in the ’50s, I read every muscle magazine that I could find. I’d read about how a certain bodybuilder built, say, his arms, including the number of reps he used. If the bodybuilder had big arms, I just assumed that what he was doing must be effective. So if he was using eight reps for his arm exercises, I’d figure that eight must be the magic number for building big arms. The next month I would purchase a new muscle magazine, and lo and behold, another bodybuilder would be describing how he built his big arms. This guy, however, was using only six reps on his arm exercises—yet, he too, had built big arms. I, like many other young boys, became totally confused. My focus was on what he was doing instead of why he was doing it. I have since learned that the why is actually much more important than the what.

How Many Reps? So, what is the magic number of reps per set—or is there a magic number at all? Over the years I’ve had many trainees ask me that very question, usually related to arm training. The other day I was looking through some old muscle magazines from the ’30s and ’40s, and I saw an article written by Bob Hoffman of York Barbell—it was in the December ’40 Strength & Health—titled “How Many Reps?”

Muscle Fiber Makeup While intensity is the key to forcing muscle hypertrophy, there’s no doubt that the predominant fiber type in a particular muscle dictates its best rep range. For example, most trainees’ calves and forearms contain more endurance-oriented fibers—both fast twitch and slow twitch—with fewer pure fast-twitch power fibers. That means higher reps will produce the best size results in those bodyparts in most people. Hardgainer types, of which I am one, tend to have more muscles in the endurance category. That means most bodyparts respond best to somewhat higher reps—because it takes longer tension times to get a response from endurance-oriented fibers. A recent study showed that. Researchers took about 100 randomly selected subjects and trained them using various setand-rep protocols. Those with a so-called ACE-2 variant, or endurance gene (skinny folks), responded best to training using 12 to 15 reps, or extended tension times. When they used heavier weights that limited their reps to around eight, they showed no difference in gains. (Hardgainers, read that again.) On the other hand, the subjects who were more anaerobic, with something called an ACE-DD variant, got similar gains from both types of loads. They also made greater strength gains than the endurance-oriented group. Still, the anaerobic DD group made the most gains from the heavier training, which implies that they respond best to that kind of lower-rep weight work. (Colakoglu, M., et al. Eur J App Physiol. 95(1):20-26; 2005.) I’ve noticed that exact response variance in my training, as compared to my training partner, Jonathan Lawson. Most of my muscles are more endurance oriented (ACE-2) and Jonathan’s are more anaerobic (ACE-DD). If our training has too much extended-tension work, Jonathan stagnates; if we do too much heavy straight-set work, my muscle gains stall or regress. Everyone needs both types of training to max out muscle mass, but the right amount of each can be different, depending on your genetics and fiber makeup. As for the discussion in Jim Hafer’s “Bigger and Stronger,” yes, men have developed large muscles using any number of rep ranges. They may have simply discovered which rep range they responded to best and then exploited it. Some may have simply achieved growth—eventually—through volume training. For example, if you use lower reps on all of your exercises, doing more sets can create an endurance-type environment and get those types of fibers to respond. On the other hand, if you use higher-rep sets, each additional set can call into play a few different fast-twitch fibers toward the end of each, forcing them to hypertrophy eventually—maybe. So doing an abundance of sets in one rep range can work, to a degree, but it’s not very efficient and may require pharmaceutical help for many trainees in order to cope with the systemic stress. The way to achieve the most growth with the least time in the gym—and less recovery drain—is to perform a variety of rep ranges, using each on a specific exercise type for a specific purpose. For example, you might do lower reps of seven to nine on your big, midrange exercise, like barbell curls; medium reps of nine to 12 on your stretch-position move, like incline curls; and higher reps of 12 to 15 on your contracted-position exercise, like concentration curls, the latter of which creates longer tension times and more blockage of blood flow, a.k.a. occlusion. At least that’s a great place to start to cover all the muscle-building bases. Each range trains a unique facet of muscle growth: midrange for max force, stretch for stretch overload and contracted for tension and occlusion. That’s efficiency of effort. —Steve Holman www.X-Rep.com

210 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger There was as much confusion about the subject back then as there is now. Let’s look at the rep schemes that a number of highly successful barbell men have used. Back in the ’50s there was a lifter who was known primarily to the readers of Iron Man because the magazine regularly featured him. His name was John McWilliams, and his claim to fame was his arms, which were huge for

Model: Luke Wood

In the ’50s John McWilliams was the king of arm mass. He generally used 15 reps per exercise for biceps and triceps.

212 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger that time, and, actually would still be considered huge today. John’s arms measured more than 20 inches—and that was before anabolic steroids, at a time when barbell men told the truth about their arm size. Back then a 17-inch arm was considered large. John’s arms were

extremely full, with long, peaked biceps and a matching set of triceps. How many reps did he use in his arm training? Would you believe 15 for each exercise? That’s a little higher than most trainees go today, yet for him it produced very big arms. Is 15, then, the most effective

number of reps for producing great gains? Let’s look at our second bigarmed man. In my article “Guns & Ammo” in the September ’04 IRON MAN, I mentioned that I’d walked into the basement weight room of the downtown Phoenix YMCA dur-

214 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

ing my junior year in high school. I noticed that all eyes were on the lifting platform at the end of the weight room. On it stood the biggest man I had ever seen. He had huge arms and was performing repetitions of the standing press with 325 pounds. The man was Jon Cole, a student at

Arizona State University, who later became the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s greatest powerlifter. Jon had built his arms to the colossal size of 23

Model: Omar Deckard

Powerlifter Jon Cole had arms the measured close to 23 inches. Massive! He used five sets of 10 reps, one exercise each for biceps and triceps.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 215

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger inches. They were massive! He was a tremendous Olympic lifter and powerlifter—the first man to officially squat with more than 900 pounds. He also held the world record in the deadlift at just under 900 pounds and eventually performed a standing press with 550! He didn’t even clean the massive weight—he just took the barbell off a set of squat racks and pressed it overhead. Unbelievable! He performed most of those lifts back in the ’70s. Jon trained those exercises with extremely heavy weights for low reps; however, he trained his arms in a very interesting manner. He used just two arm exercises at that time in his career, when he was training at the downtown YMCA. He’d perform a superset of barbell curls and standing barbell triceps extensions, using a straight bar on both exercises. He would perform five sets of 10 reps of each exercise, supersetting them back and forth until he’d completed all five sets of both exercises. Using 10 reps certainly worked for Jon. Could 10 be the magic number of reps? Not very many people had heard of our lifter number three, Mike Guibilo, until Iron Man ran an article about him back in the ’60s. Mike was known for his huge upper body, extremely broad shoulders and monstrous arms, which stretched the tape to 23 inches. Mike was also very strong. He would perform cheating barbell curls with 325 pounds and seated behind-theneck presses with 350 pounds for reps. His bench press was near 600 pounds. Mike usually used eight reps for his arm exercises, and that number certainly worked well for him. That’s fewer then either John McWilliams and Jon Cole used, yet Mike obviously built huge arms. Maybe eight is the magic number? Let’s look at the fourth athlete I’m highlighting. Back in the ’50s and ’60s there were a number of men across the United States who were known in weight-training circles as “mystery men.” They were very big and very strong, and they trained with very heavy weights, but they never entered any lifting contests. In fact, they almost never let anyone see them without a shirt. Even with

The greatest of the mystery men was Chuck Ahrens, of Santa Monica, California. Chuck was around 6’1” and just over 300 pounds. His arms measured 24 inches. He preferred only three reps per set.

216 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Rob Colacino trains his 22-inch arms with only one very slow rep per set.

clothes covering them up, though, you could certainly tell that they were huge. Their long-sleeved shirts could not hide their massive shoulders and arms. In my opinion, the greatest of the mystery men was Chuck Ahrens, of

Santa Monica, California. Chuck was around 6’1” and just over 300 pounds. Though I never saw him in person, the pictures of him that were featured in Iron Man showed unbelievably broad shoulders. In all of my years of reading weighttraining magazines and training with others, I’ve never seen anyone rival his shoulder width. Even so, that’s not all that was humongous on Chuck. His arms taped a colossal 24 inches! Chuck’s arms were not just incredibly big but also incredibly strong. How are these for unbelievable lifts? Chuck performed a one-arm standing press, not a jerk, with a 330-pound dumbbell. That’s correct, with one arm! At that time the world record for the regular two-hand press was around 400 pounds and was held by the mighty Paul Anderson. As much as I respect Anderson, I believe that, had Chuck been persuaded to train on the Olympic lifts, he would have blown the mighty Anderson away. Chuck could perform repetitions of alternate dumbbell curls with a

200-pounder in each hand! He performed reps of lying triceps extensions with an Olympic bar that was loaded to 375. To this day no one has ever matched him on most of the lifts that he performed. How many reps did Chuck prefer? From all that I’ve read about him, it seems that he performed most of his sets for three reps. That’s considerably fewer than what the others I mentioned used, but it obviously worked wonderfully, contributing to Chuck’s tremendous size and strength. Another magic number? The last athlete I want to talk about was featured in IRON MAN’s Ultimate Guide to Arm Training. His name is Rob Colacino, and he built his arms to 22 inches. How many reps did Rob use to build such large arms? Are you ready for this? He performed one rep! That’s correct—he used only a single rep in his arm training and still built huge arms. (He performed that one rep considerably different from the way most people perform their reps, but that is the subject for another article. To learn more about Rob, you can purchase IRON MAN’s Ultimate www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 217

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Biggerand Stronger Guide to Arm Training. It is fascinating reading, as is the whole manual, and it’s free if you subscribe to IRON MAN. See page 145.)

The Perfect Number Based on the success of the five men discussed above, we can conclude that there is no perfect number of reps for building muscle size and strength. John McWilliams was on the high end of reps used, with 15, while Rob Colacino was on the low end, with one. The other three men were in between and used dif-

ferent numbers—yet they all built huge arms. Over the years I’ve read in many articles that you cannot build size with less than six reps or more than 12 reps. That info, obviously, is just not true. Here is the truth about rep numbers: Any number of reps will produce size and strength, as long as you put out some serious effort. The most important consideration is not how many reps you use but the effort you put out on each set. It could be four reps per set or 20, as long as you’re giving it all you’ve got on that set.

Model: Darrell Terrell

Any number of reps will produce size and strength, as long as you put out some serious effort.

As I mentioned, I built 21 3/4inch arms while using six reps on all my arm exercises throughout most of my weight training career. That worked great for me. I never liked using high reps, and six produced great gains in size and strength for me. I’m now 60 years old, however, and I’ve had numerous injuries that dictate my training now. I can no longer lift ultraheavy weights. It’s not that I don’t have the ability to use heavy weights. My muscles are still strong. My joints, on the other hand, cannot handle the heavy weights anymore. If I go over 320 pounds on close-grip bench presses, my shoulders give me major problems. I won’t be able to sleep because of the pain, and I won’t be able to raise my arm above shoulder height. Basically, it just isn’t worth it to me anymore. Sure, I enjoy using heavy weights, but I always pay for it afterward. So I’ve had to change my whole manner of training. I have to use lighter weights—not light but lighter. I also do 12 reps on all of my sets—but with a weight that makes me push very hard to get the 12 reps. I perform my sets closer together, with very little rest between them, and I get a great workout. At this age my arms still tape close to 20 inches! So where I used to use six reps and get good results, I now use 12 reps and get good results. By now I think you get the idea—it’s not the number of reps you do but the amount of effort you put into each set that’s important. Be it three, six, eight or even 20 reps, the point is to give it all you’ve got. How should you determine the right number of reps for your own program? That’s easy. Use the number that you enjoy using. Some barbell men enjoy using five reps. Some enjoy using 12 reps. If you like low reps, use low reps. If you like high reps, use high reps. As long as you apply major effort and lift the most weight that you can, you’ll make good gains in size and strength. It’s as simple as that—no magic number needed. IM

218 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

224 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Fast

MASS MASS Most Pros Train Explosively

Should You? by Michael Gündill Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Jeff Dwelle

f you’ve ever seen a pro bodybuilder’s training DVD, you may have concluded that the pros use bad form on most exercises. They cheat too much. How can their workouts be productive when the execution of so many exercises is so sloppy? Most reps of most sets are so explosive that you have to wonder whether they really know how to train. Aren’t slow, controlled repetitions best for hypertrophy? On the other hand, pro bodybuilders are the most muscular human beings on the planet. They must be on to something. I’m not talking about one or two pros who train explosively—most of the biggest ones do it.

What’s Your Number-One Goal During a Workout? Ask that question around the gym, and you’ll realize that most bodybuilders don’t know their number-one training goal. Is it to lift the

heaviest weights possible? No. Is it to perform the greatest number of reps? No. Is it to perform the most exercises? No. You train to get bigger, but which factor in your training is going to trigger muscle growth? To stimulate hypertrophy, you have to contract your muscles with the highest intensity possible—that’s your number-one goal during a workout. So you attempt to handle the heaviest weights—but that’s a means to an end, not the end. If the goal of your workout is to lift as heavy as possible, you’re a powerlifter, not a bodybuilder, and you’ll fall short of fully developing your muscles. If you want to contract your muscles with the highest degree of intensity, your nervous system should send the target muscles as many hertz—or impulses per second—as possible. At 80 hertz, or 80 impulses per second, almost all of your muscle fibers are recruited. That’s about the level of intensity required to perform a set of eight reps in a controlled fashion. At 100 hertz the degree of contraction of each fiber is much higher. That’s about the level www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 225

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Fast

MASS

of intensity required to perform the same set in an explosive manner. You reach the highest degree of voluntary muscular contraction at about 120 hertz, and you get there only during explosive, not slow, movement. There’s no way to do it with slow, controlled repetitions. You get to the highest degree of muscular contraction at about 150 hertz, typically during a cramp, which is an involuntary contraction. We all know that a painful cramp forces the muscles to contract far more powerfully than they do during a workout, even during a one-

rep maximum effort. If we could voluntarily produce the intensity we get during a cramp while working out, we’d grow very fast—but most of us wouldn’t be able to stand the pain. (Incidentally, a toadfish’s socalled “superfast” muscles can generate power at frequencies in excess of 200 hertz.) There’s only a 30-hertz difference between maximum voluntary contraction and involuntary strength, but those 30 impulses make all the difference in the world. So, if you train at 80 hertz because you insist on using slow repetitions, your

There’s only a 30-hertz difference between maximum voluntary contraction and involuntary strength, but those 30 impulses make all the difference in the world.

degree of muscular contraction is probably extremely low, even if you’re under the impression that you use high intensity.

The Staircase Effect Many bodybuilders assume that once a fiber contracts, it contracts at maximum intensity. That’s not the case. The degree of contraction depends on the number of impulses a fiber receives. A single impulse won’t force a fiber to contract much. Two impulses will do a much better job. The more impulses per second, the higher the degree of contraction. It’s called the staircase effect. If a cramp makes you feel as if you’re about to tear a muscle, it’s not because you’re recruiting new fibers but because each fiber is contracting as powerfully as it can when it receives so many impulses. That’s what we’re trying to duplicate with explosive training. Bodybuilders will get the proper feel of contraction during an explosive repetition only if their muscles have a lot of type 2, or fast, fibers. Those are the fibers that hypertrophy the most, and pros have them in abundance, which is why they’re so big and strong. It’s also why they like to train explosively—and get results from it. They’ve intuitively found that fast reps suit their muscles best. Obviously, most of us aren’t pros. What makes them so different?

Model: Chris Cook

• They have the right nervous system and the right fast-twitch muscle fibers for explosive training.

226 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

• They’ve been training for many years, which has enhanced their ability to contract their muscles properly using very fast repetitions. • Their mind/body connection was probably superior, not average, even before

MASS

Model: Jay Cutler

Fast

When you watch pros train, they may seem to cheat too much, but, in fact, they’re contracting their muscles hard— harder than most of us, the motor-handicapped bodybuilders, are capable of.

they started training. They didn’t have to use scientific researchers to figure out that explosive training was the way to go. • They use steroids, which enhance the mind/body connection. They also restructure the nervous system so that it gets more responsive to explosive training. • Their joints and tendons are far more resistant than the average person’s. Your muscles may respond well to explosive training,

but your tendons and joints may be too fragile to sustain it. Bottom line: When you watch pros train, they may seem to cheat too much, but, in fact, they’re contracting their muscles hard—harder than most of us, the motor-handicapped bodybuilders, are capable of.

Motor-Handicapped Bodybuilders If you can’t feel a powerful contraction when you use fast repeti-

tions, your nervous system just isn’t endowed with the right characteristics. Basically, your muscles aren’t endowed with the right types of fast fibers. I call it being “motor-handicapped.” It describes most of us. Some of your muscles may respond to explosive training, while others may not. Those that do are endowed for bodybuilding, while those that don’t are not. That explains why we all have weak points—like the one so many have: the calves. Even the pros have some unrespon-

228 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

What Science Says Scientific studies consistently show that explosive training induces more strength gains than slower repetitions do. That’s very important to know if you’re weight training for sports. Bodybuilders, however, are interested in hypertrophy rather than in strength. Science demonstrates that

explosive training is superior to slow reps in that respect too. Here are two examples: Eight weeks of arm training increased muscle size by 10 percent in men and women when they performed the exercises in a slow fashion. Explosive training increased the size of their arms by 15 percent. That’s a 50 percent difference.1 Six weeks of leg training performed in a slow fashion did not increase muscle size in men. Explosive training increased the thickness of the type 2 fibers by 11 percent. Another group of men used both slow and fast repetitions. You might think that alternating the two styles of training would be the best way to produce growth. In fact, that strategy didn’t result in any significant muscular gains. It appears that the

slow reps impaired whatever improvements were achieved by explosive training.2

Explosive Training: Not for Everyone If you’re new to bodybuilding, you first have to learn how to contract your muscles. In order to do that, you have to perform the exercises in a slow, deliberate fashion. If you attempt to train explosively right from the beginning, you run the risk of cheating too much. If you use too much momentum, you won’t grow. There’s a fine line between productive, explosive repetitions and sloppy, unproductive training. Proper explosive training is far harder than it seems. It takes years of prac- (continued on page 232)

Model: Idrise Ward-El

sive bodyparts. The point is that you should not use the same techniques to train every single muscle. The bodyparts that don’t respond to explosive training are likely to be your weakest in terms of strength and development. Slower work may suit them best. Still, that does not imply that slow reps are superior to fast reps.

The point is that you should not use the same techniques to train every single muscle.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 229

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Fast

MASS

(continued from page 229)

tice. For a beginner, proper form means: • lifting the weight up in one or two seconds • squeezing the muscle as hard as possible for one second in the contracted position

Explosive training is not perfect. In fact, it’s the most dangerous form of training.

Model: Bob Donnelly

• lowering the weight in two to

three seconds Once you master that technique perfectly, it’s time to move on to more advanced training styles.

Model: Derik Farnsworth

The Most Dangerous Form of Training Explosive training is not perfect. In fact, it’s the most dangerous form of training. The risk of injuries is very high, which explains why we see a growing incidence of serious muscle tears among pros and top amateurs. The more

violent the contraction, the more dangerous it is for the muscles, tendons and joints. Slower repetitions are safer. Sending fewer hertz means the contraction is less aggressive. Ideally, we should find a way to render explosive training less risky without reducing its capacity for forcing muscle growth. I’ll save that topic for next month. Editor’s note: Michael Gündill, IRON MAN’s European research correspondent, is based in France.

References 1 Hisaeda, H. (1996). Effect of high-speed resistance training on muscle cross-sectional area and speed of movement. Jap J Phys Fitness Sports Med. 45(2): 345. 2 Coyle, E.F. (1981). Specificity of power improvements through slow and fast isokinetic training. J Appl Physiol. 51(6):1437-42. IM

232 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Toney Freeman

Six weeks of leg training performed in a slow fashion did not increase muscle size in men. Explosive training increased the thickness of type 2 fibers by 11 percent.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 233

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Bodybuilding Pharmacology

Snooze, You Lose

The amino acid most often linked to growth hormone release is arginine, but the GH picture also includes more complex brain chemistry. Growth-hormone-releasing hormone, or GHRH, is released by the hypothalamus, and somatostatin, known as both SST and growth-hormoneinhibiting hormone, is released in the brain and elsewhere in the body. Scientists believe that amino acids stimulate the production of GH by inhibiting the release of SST. Two recent studies highlight those effects in people engaged in weight training. In one, the focus was on melatonin.1 Thirty young men and 30 young women were randomly given either melatonin supplements in doses of one-half milligram or five milligrams or a one-milligram dose of a placebo. They then did leg presses, seven sets of seven reps, each with a weight equal to 85 percent of their one-rep maximums. Blood samples were taken at various intervals to determine hormone and blood responses. The men who received five milligrams of melatonin experienced an increase of GH release, which was attributed to a blunting of SST. In fact, compared to the men who got the placebo, they had a 157 percent rise in GH prior to training and a 132 percent increase over resting levels after the workout. The response to melatonin was far lower in women, which was thought to be related to the higher concentration of estrogen in their bodies. The interesting aspect of the study was that the melatonin increase in GH wasn’t entirely due to a blunting of SST. The melatonin-GH connection shows up on other pathways in the body as well. Melatonin is available as an over-the-counter supplement, and its primary use is to treat insomnia and jet lag. First discovered in 1958, it’s produced in the pineal gland, located in the brain just behind the eyes. Ancients considered the pineal gland the third eye, and mystical qualities were attributed to it. Melatonin is known as the hormone of darkness because it’s secreted in darkness and inhibited by light. It plays a major role in the control of circadian body rhythms and is secreted under the influence of a bundle of nerve cells in the hypothalamus called the suprachiasmatic nucleus—the brain’s timekeeper organ. The immediate precursor of melatonin synthesis is the amino acid L-tryptophan. Tryptophan was formerly sold over the counter as a sleep aid, but it was banned because of contaminated batches from Japan that caused Neveux \ Model: Steve Namat

BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING

by Jerry Brainum

In one study men who took five milligrams of melatonin before their workouts experienced an increase in growth hormone of more than 130 percent.

238 MARCH 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

serious health problems in some users. More recently, L-tryptophan supplements have quietly reemerged in the marketplace. Enzymes convert tryptophan into 5-HTP, which is then converted into the brain neurotransmitter serotonin. Serotonin is then converted into melatonin in a twostep process that occurs gradually throughout the day. The more you’re exposed to bright light at night, the less melatonin your brain secretes. Darkness prompts the suprachiasmatic nucleus to signal the pineal gland to release melatonin. The retina of the eye, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and lymphocytes, or white blood cells, also produce melatonin, albeit in smaller amounts. The bioavailability of melatonin supplements varies from 8 to 56 percent. As with most oral doses of hormones, melatonin is transported to the liver, where it breaks down considerably as it is metabolized—between 30 and 60 percent within an hour. For that reason many melatonin supplements are sold in timed-release form as a means of maintaining sleep throughout the night. Natural melatonin production declines with age, which may explain why many older people have insomnia issues. Melatonin also decreases with various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s. In 1993 melatonin was identified as a potent antioxidant. One study of older women who took six milligrams experienced a decrease in the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein, the “bad” cholesterol. In vitro, or test-tube, studies showed that it has twice the antioxidant power of vitamin E and four times that of vitamin C. One study found that eating walnuts, a natural source of melatonin, improved the antioxidant capacity of the blood.2 Other food sources include rice, barley, corn and oats. Melatonin boosts the activity of the body’s built-in antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase,3 and it blunts the activity of pro-oxidant enzymes, including the ones related to nitric oxide metabolism. Several emerging studies suggest that melatonin may help prevent various types of cancer by way of both antioxidant and immune-system mechanisms. It supports the function of several immune cells, such as killer T-cells and helper T-cells, which destroy incipient tumors. Many diseases linked to aging are related to a lowering of immune function, and melatonin is known to block that response.4 In addition, melatonin attacks hormones linked to the spread of cancer in the body, including insulinlike growth factor 1 and prolactin, which means it works against pros-

Melatonin induces sleep. It’s naturally secreted by the pineal gland when it’s dark to prepare the body for sleep. tate and breast cancers. Melatonin can readily permeate the blood-brain barrier, which is a mechanism in the blood vessels that blocks toxins and other substances in the blood from entering the brain. The point is, melatonin can operate (for example) as an antioxidant against beta-amyloid, a protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease. By helping to reset body rhythms, melatonin can help reduce the fatigue associated with jet lag. Many people find that doses of 0.3 to 0.5 milligrams are effective for sleep; doses of one to three milligrams are about 10 to 30 times higher than the body ever produces. As you might expect, the primary side effects of melatonin are drowsiness, fatigue and depression. In fact, those who suffer from depression are advised to avoid it because it magnifies depressive episodes. It can also bring on an asthma attack because it fosters the production of cytokines, which are implicated in respiratory inflammation. One way that melatonin may encourage sleep is through an interaction with gamma aminobutyric acid. GABA was discovered in 1883, but its effect in the brain wasn’t discerned until 1950. It’s the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning that it provides a calming and slowing activity in the brain’s neurons. Most pharmaceutical insomnia drugs interact with GABA brain receptors, although a new drug, ramelton (Rozerem), interacts with melatonin. By-products of GABA made in the brain can bring on sleep, the most notorious being the “date rape” drug GHB.

Several emerging studies suggest that melatonin may help prevent various types of cancer by way of both antioxidant and immune-system mechanisms. It supports the function of several immune cells, such as killer T-cells and helper T-cells, which destroy incipient tumors. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 239

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

amino acid, this time glutamic acid. It’s an excitatory neurotransmitter, or brain stimulant. When exposed to specific enzymes and the active form of vitamin B6, however, it converts into the inhibitory form of GABA. You wouldn’t want to supplement with straight glutamic acid, which studies associate with a lowering of GH when taken before exercise and the production of cortisol and prolactin—not good. Most studies show that unlike melatonin, GABA cannot get past the blood-brain barrier. Most active GABA A study found that is directly synthesized three grams of GABA within the brain itself. taken before training Several supplements increased growth contain a form of hormone by 200 GABA that is designed percent. for greater uptake into the brain. On the other hand, studies also show that it can support GH release, although exactly how isn’t clear. So should you go out and purchase a bundle of melatonin and GABA and await delivery of GH? Great idea—if you wanted to fall asleep before training. They both bring on drowsiness and sleep, the last thing you want before working out. Many bodybuilders either drink coffee or take caffeine pills before workouts to increase alertness and decrease fatigue. Some even take amphetamines—also not good. Melatonin and GABA may be useful for sleep, but taking them before working out would seem self-defeating. While interesting, the new studies offer little practical value to those engaged in bodybuilding training. Neveux \ Model: Daryl Gee

BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUI

Bodybuilding Pharmacology

Rapidly inducing a comalike condition for short periods, it is metabolized to carbon dioxide and water in four hours. GHB wasn’t always considered dangerous. At one time, it was aggressively marketed to bodybuilders as an aid to GH release. Structurally, it looks a lot like beta-hydroxybutarate, a ketone body produced in greater amounts during low-carb dieting. When used properly—that is, without any other depressant, such as alcohol or sleeping pills—GHB was a safe and effective sleeping aid. Soon enough, however, it became a popular substance of abuse. Several teens who combined it with large amounts of beer found themselves in 48-hour comas that left no lingering side effects. Because of its unsavory, though largely undeserved, reputation, GHB was banned in 1990, although it is available in prescription form as a drug called Xyrem, used to treat narcolepsy, or sudden episodes of deep sleep. In France, GHB is used to treat alcohol withdrawal. Not long after the initial ban, several analogues of it appeared on the market, such as GBL and BD, all touted as precursors of GH. They, too, were eventually banned, even though one of them was recently discovered in a popular children’s toy imported from Australia. Lost in all the hoopla about the dangers of GHB was the fact that it had been previously used for some 30 years in Europe as a safe and effective presurgical relaxant. So GHB is gone, but what about its “parent,” GABA, which does stimulate GH release? It’s still readily available over the counter. A recent study featured 11 weight-trained young men, who took either three grams of GABA or a placebo, followed by either rest or a weight workout.5 The combination of exercise and GABA led to a 200 percent increase in active GH. The effect was thought to be attributable to a blunting of SST or a rise in growth-hormone-releasing-hormone secretion or both. Like melatonin, GABA is made in the brain from an

References 1 Nassar, E., et al. (2007). Effects of a single dose of Nacetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (melatonin) and resistance exercise on the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis in young males and females. J Inter Soc Sports Nutr. In press. 2 Reiter, R.J., et al.(2005). Melatonin in walnuts: Influence on levels of melatonin and total antioxidant capacity of blood. Nutrition. 21:920-924. 3 Reiter, R.J., et al. (2003). Melatonin as an antioxidant: Biochemical mechanisms and pathophysiological implications in humans. Acta Biochem Pol. 50:1129-1146. 4 Zhang, Z., et al. (2005). Melatonin, immune function and aging. Immun Ageing. 2:17. 5 Powers, M.B., et al. (2007). Growth hormone isoform responses to GABA ingestion at rest and after exercise. Med Sci Sports Exer. 40:104-110. IM

240 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

February 16, 2008 Los Angeles Convention Center Presented by BodyBuilding.com and Gaspari Nutrition Photography by Michael Neveux, Savannah Neveux, Merv Petralba and James Farrally

2008 IRON MAN PRO

The posedown action was fierce.

1) Phil HEATH 2) Gustavo BADELL 3) Moe EL MOUSSAWI 4) Silvio SAMUEL 5) Johnnie JACKSON 6) Desmond MILLER 7) Eddie ABBEW 8) Toney FREEMAN 9) Troy ALVES 10) Shahriar “King” KAMALI 11) Will HARRIS 12) David HENRY II

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to the late Reg Park, accepted by his son Jon Jon Park.

Top five (left to right): Badell, El Moussawi, Heath, Jackson and Samuel.

Heath also won Bodybuilding .com’s Fans’ Choice award.

252 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

1) Phil HEATH

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 253

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO

2) Gustavo BADELL

254 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

3) Moe EL MOUSSAWI

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 255

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO

4) Silvio SAMUEL

256 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

5) Johnnie JACKSON

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 257

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO 6) Desmond MILLER

258 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

7) Eddie ABBEW

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 259

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO

9) Troy ALVES

260 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

8) Toney FREEMAN

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 261

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO

10) Shahriar “King” KAMALI

262 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 263

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

2008 IRON MAN PRO

12) David HENRY II

264 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

11) Will HARRIS

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 265

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Alfonso DEL RIO

Sergey OGORODNIKOV

DeShaun GRIMEZ

Ray ARDE

266 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

JoJo NTIFORO

WANT TO SEE MORE? Go to

IronManMagazine.com for hundreds of contest photos PLUS extended and behind-the-scenes video coverage.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 267

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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

>www.BranchW.com In the ’70s and early ’80s we had Tom Platz to show us what the outer limits of leg development could look like. Then Paul DeMayo, also known as Quadzilla, arrived on the scene and took over as the new leg monster. Unfortunately, his career was cut short (as was his life—RIP, Paul), and nobody showed up to take his place…until a freak from Texas (by golly, they grow them big in that state, don’t they, Mr. Coleman?) named Branch Warren stormed the IFBB. Affectionately known to his fans as Quadrasauras, Branch, at 5’7” competes at about 240 pounds with 30-inch shredded thighs. His quads grow so fast that Branch had to take almost a year off training them at one point so his upper body could catch up. His legs are not only as big as tree trunks but extremely powerful as well. He can squat 700 pounds for five rock-bottom reps. Branch is well-known for his highly intense, old-school training methods, as his new DVD, “Unchained: Raw Reality,” shows. You can purchase it at his site. Also available at BranchW.com are some truly hardcore photos of the Texan beast in awesome condition. While the photos in his gallery are intense, I wish I could make them larger to get a better view. The profile section is rather short, but it does provide some interesting tidbits about Branch. My favorite is that his biggest influence is his mother. I wonder if she’s the one who gave him the genes for those crazy legs of his. All in all, you can view this rather simple site from A to Z in a matter of minutes. I hope Branch continues to add to it in the future so we have a good reason to go back. Roland Balik

MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUS

Eric Broser’s

270 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

>www.leanladies.com/page17/ MellissaViegas/MellissaViegas.html Thirty-five-year-old Mellissa Viegas is a personal trainer, model and nationallevel figure competitor in South Florida who is truly the total package. Her Internet presence is not so much a Web site as it is a simple Web page—and eye candy for my iron brothers who might be in need of a little pick-me-up. Of course, the contents of the page can also serve as inspiration to gals who are interested in working and/or competing in the fitness industry. Not only is Mellissa absolutely stunning, but she also has a beautiful spirit, a warm personality and a sincere desire to help others reach their fitness goals. How do I know? Well, she’s a friend of mine, and lucky for me, she lives only 30 minutes or so from where I hang my hat (or is that weight belt?). Mellissa likes to describe herself as fun and energetic, which certainly comes across in her photos. Her eyes and smile are nothing short of mesmerizing. So do yourself a favor and give her page a look (more like a stare). You won’t be sorry (unless your girlfriend is standing over your shoulder—ouch!).

>DVD Review: “Cost of Redemption” Of all my experiences at professional bodybuilding events, the one that I remember most vividly is the ’03 Olympia. I was sitting in the fifth row, pretty much smack in the center, and Jay Cutler had just walked behind the curtain after completing his mandatory poses. I said to myself, “Damn, he’s just a monster. He’s going to give Coleman another run for his money.” Ironically enough, the next man up was to be Mr. Olympia himself. I remember quickly cleaning off my glasses so that I could get a really good look at Ronnie as he took the stage. When he finally reached the center, he stood up straight, spread his lats, flexed his thighs and gave the audience a big smile. How did I react? I actually started laughing. That’s right, Ronnie was so immense, so freaky, so shredded, so “not of this earth” that I simply could not help myself. My laugh came from pure amazement. He was 286 pounds that night—about 40 pounds heavier than the year before—and ripped to the bone. His thighs appeared to be

about as large as the great Tom Platz’s, while his torso looked like something that could have been created only through computer imaging. Never before and not since has there been a physique that could match Ronnie’s on that day. Recently, I recalled the experience, and I pulled out the “Cost of Redemption” DVD that was shot a few months prior to the ’03 Olympia. Hard as stone, Ronnie was weighing close to 310 and performed 160-pound-dumbbell shoulder presses, 500-pound bench presses, 800-pound squats and 2,250-pound leg presses, all the while yelling, “Light weight, baby.” The DVD contains some of the most hardcore training footage ever recorded and shows what made Ronnie perhaps the best bodybuilder who’s ever lived. If you haven’t seen it, you’re truly missing out. Editor’s note: “Cost of Redemption” is available from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008, or at www.Home-Gym.com. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 271

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Eric Broser’s >Net

Results Q&A

The Power/Rep Range/Shock innovator answers your questions on training and nutrition. Q: I’ve been using Power/Rep Range/Shock training for two straight years with fantastic results; however, I just recently read about Fiber Damage/Fiber Saturation training and wanted to know if I should switch over to that program. Is it even better?

Neveux \ Model: Eric Broser

A: I’m happy to hear that P/RR/S has been producing such great results for you. It’s very satisfying for me to know that something I’ve written has been helping you. Your question is one that shows up on Internet message boards, so I figured it would be best to publish the answer. As I’ve said before (IRON MAN, November ’07), FD/ FS is a blitz growth method, not a year-round protocol. It simply taxes your muscles and central nervous system too much to be used week in and week out. Use it in conjunction with P/RR/S. You can do that in several ways, and you need to figure out what’s best for you and your recovery abilities. I’ve been testing different combinations of FD/FS and P/RR/S based on how well a trainee is able to recover from his or her daily workouts. Low recovery ability. If you always get sore and are usually a bit tired, sleep poorly and are susceptible to colds and flu, you should use FD/FS sparingly. Here’s what a typical cycle of weeks might look like for you:

P, RR, S, P, RR, S, LW, FD/FS, FD/FS, OW, Repeat LW = light week OW = off week Medium recovery ability. If you usually get sore but get over it in a day or two, sleep well and don’t get sick very often, you can use FD/FS a little more frequently. Here’s a cycle that should work well for you: P, RR, S, P, RR, S, FD/FS, FD/FS, FD/FS, OW, Repeat High recovery ability. If you’re always energetic, rarely get sore, sleep well and never get so much as a sniffle, you can be an FD/FS fanatic. Here’s a cycle that should keep your mind and muscles quite challenged: P, RR, S, FD/FS, FD/FS, FD/FS, P, RR, S, FD/FS, FD/FS, P, RR, S, FD/FS, OW, Repeat

Fiber Damage/Fiber Saturation training shouldn’t be used too frequently.

Neveux \ Model: Eric Broser

Another option that’s been working rather well for me lately: a Power week, Rep Range week, then an FD/FS week rather than a Shock week. It’s been an interesting change, and results thus far have been excellent. Just remember: Each of us is a bit different, and what works for me, your training partner or your friend might not work for you. Part of success in bodybuilding simply results from discovering your own path. Get to it. Editor’s note: For complete articles on Power/Rep Range/Shock training, visit IronManMagazine.com and go to the PDF Library. It’s free. IM

272 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive

284 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Women Wow-Factor Weight Training A Complete Strength and Curve-Carving Program for Women by Bill Starr Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Toni Dee

hen Larry McMurtry— author of Lonesome Dove, Terms of Endearment and The Last Picture Show—was asked why he always made the women characters in his novels stronger than the men, he replied, “Because they are.” In the past 25 years there’s been a revolution in women’s athletics. It seems rather silly now, but not so very long ago the fairer sex was deemed physically unable to participate in many sports. In light of later events, the ruling of the International Olympic Committee that women couldn’t compete in races longer than 10,000 meters because running longer distances would be harmful to them was obviously absurd. That precept wasn’t changed until 1984. While it was true that the IOC was made up of men, their attitude toward women in sports was shared by the majority of the general public. Some athletic endeavors were considered too demanding and dangerous for the delicate female.

The concept of the frail female is false—very false, and they’ve proved it. Once the doors were open to them, women rushed in and succeeded in many sports that were formerly the exclusive domain of men. Women run excellent times in marathons, compete in grueling triathlons, play extremely physical games such as softball, basketball and soccer, have formed tackle football leagues—and in 2004 went to the mats in Olympic wrestling. Women pole vaulters are exceeding heights that won the Olympics back when I was growing up. Sure, I’m aware that the poles are much more advanced, but to me that’s beside the point. In another five years they’ll be approaching 20 feet. Women had to fight their way into the hallowed halls of weightlifting. Most sports administrators—men, of course—did not believe they belonged there. Strength belonged to men, and they wanted to keep it that way. The ladies persevered, and when the barriers finally fell, they flourished. Those who follow powerlifting know that some of the women lifters are benching double bodyweight and squatting www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 285

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Federica Belli

Only the Strong Shall Survive

286 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

triple bodyweight. Not all of those achieving high levels of strength are behemoths either. The weight divisions start at 97 pounds. American women competed in weightlifting at the Olympics for the first time in Sydney in 2000 and are faring better internationally than their male counterparts.

Body Image Issues The way women are perceived in weight rooms has also altered dramatically in recent years. Most who have been into physical culture for a long time can easily recall when there were no such animals as co-ed gyms. The women and men trained on different days, and the programs women followed were, let’s say, less than taxing. Light weights and high reps were the order of the day. The idea of doing a heavy deadlift or squat was out of the question. The concept that the female is the weaker sex has always been a stupid one, in my opinion. Throughout history, the females have carried the bulk of the load—from the time our ancestors lived in caves to walking from coast to coast behind Conestoga wagons and preparing the food, washing the clothes and taking care of the family. Women are accustomed to hard work, which is why it’s not the least bit surprising to discover that once they were given the opportunity to take part in a wide range of athletic activities, they quickly excelled. I never cut my female athletes any slack. I give them the same routines that I give my men, and I work them just as hard. Contrary to what many experts contend, I find that women thrive on hard work in the weight room and prefer it to any so-called toning programs administered at most fitness centers. The owners of those places are afraid if they get their customers sore, they may not come back. I, on the other hand, try to get my ladies sore. Their routines include the same exercises I give to the men when they start out. Once they start to see some results of their labors in the weight room, they become extremely regimented and consistent with their training. Being able to actually have control over how they look and feel

is very motivating, and they don’t mind putting in the extra effort to achieve their goals. It’s been my experience that women learn proper form on exercises much faster than men. One of the main reasons is that they haven’t already adopted incorrect technique. When I lay out a day’s schedule, they never waver from it at all. They do every set and rep even if I’m not in attendance. In contrast, lots of men like to add and delete when I’m not watching. Women are more appreciative of the coaching help as well. Some authorities contend that because the two sexes are physically different, there should be a male and a female approach to strength training. I don’t agree. Male and female muscles, tendons and ligaments respond to strength work in exactly the same manner. If a certain exercise works the hips and legs of a man, it will do the same thing for a woman. The biggest difference, strengthwise, between a man and a woman who are just getting started on a strength program is that the female is much weaker in her shoulder girdle. But that’s no reason to change the beginning routine. That just tells me that after the foundation has been established, more time needs to be spent on the weaker areas of the body. At the University of Hawaii and Johns Hopkins I’ve coached women who participated in lacrosse, field hockey, swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer, fencing and trackand-field events. Everyone does the basics until the foundation is firm. Then they move on to specific exercises for their sports. To start out doing specific movements before the base is solid isn’t nearly as effective. Before getting to the principles of strength training and outlining a complete program for women, I want to address a few of the concerns that invariably come up when I start a woman on the routine. First and foremost is the worry about adding bodyweight. Every female I’ve put on a weight program tells me that she’s afraid that if she lifts heavy weights, relatively speaking, she’ll get huge. I assure her that

lifting weights doesn’t mean she’ll gain weight. That’s a factor of diet. The only time a female athlete adds pounds is if she increases her calorie intake, which would also happen even if she weren’t weight training. I tell my women trainees that if they eat like football players, then they may end up looking like them as well. All successful strength programs have their roots in Olympic weightlifting. In that sport, strength is enhanced while the participants— except those in the heavyweight class, of course—are required to stay within strict bodyweight limits. So while strength is gained, bodyweight stays the same. If the athlete pays attention to her diet, she’ll lose unwanted fat while adding muscle. A fair exchange in my book. Another anxiety that many beginners express is that lifting heavy weights can be harmful. Certain exercises that entail an all-out effort, such as squats or deadlifts, should be avoided because they put the lifter at risk. There’s no valid reason that women can’t do exercises with heavy weights, however, if they’ve learned good form and have built a solid base. Women have been lifting heavy objects throughout history. It is no more dangerous for a female to strain doing a maximum poundage than it is for a male. The risk comes into the formula when faulty technique is used, and then it doesn’t matter whether the weights are heavy or light. Even tame exercises, including those performed in a machine, can be risky if the athlete uses sloppy form. In other words, the weights don’t know which sex is lifting them. Failure to use the correct technique is rewarded democratically.

Exercises for the Three Major Muscle Groups Here are the basic guidelines to help you set up your strength program. Three workouts a week in the weight room are enough to give you consistent, long-term gains. The other days of the week should be spent improving your aerobic base, flexibility and practicing the skills needed in your sport. When you become an advanced strength athwww.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 287

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Full squats are safer than partial squats. Once the thighs break the parallel position in the squat, the job of halting the descending bar is transferred from the knees to the more powerful hips, glutes and legs. if I’m dealing with a large number of athletes. For the auxiliary movements, I use the 40-rep rule. That means two sets of 20 or three sets of 15. I realize that three sets of 15 doesn’t come out to 40 reps, but you get the idea. Calves are the exception to the rule. Since they have to be abused to get them to grow, I recommend three sets of 30. The five sets of five will help you establish a firm base and enable you to learn correct form. Once your base is firm and your form good, you can vary the sets and reps. For example, instead of doing five sets of five on full squats, do three sets of five followed by three more sets of three. As you become more ad-

vanced, you can add more sets for each exercise, especially those in which you are relatively weaker. The first step in the process is to add a back-off set of eight or 10 reps after you’ve completed your five sets of five.

Working the Legs All strength development originates at the center of your body, right at the hips. The groups involved include the hips, glutes, legs, lower back and lower abs. The single best exercise for strengthening the power pack is the full squat. In many articles in IRON MAN I have explained why full squats are much

288 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Jessica Putnam

lete, you may decide to add a day, but in the formative stages, three days is best. Each weight session includes a core exercise for each of your three major muscle groups: shoulder girdle, back and hips, and legs. After the core movements have been completed, additional work can be done in the form of auxiliary exercises for the smaller groups, such as the calves, biceps and triceps. Research has shown that the best set and rep formula for developing strength is four to six sets of four to six reps. I am referring to working the major groups. I use the mean, five sets of five. It makes doing the math so much easier, particularly

Model: Jennifer Michelli

Only the Strong Shall Survive

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 289

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive

Model: Jennifer Michelli

All of the auxiliary exercises for the legs are done on machines. Do the movements smoothly and don’t jerk the weights around.

better than partial squats, but I’ll go over a couple of points again. Core exercises: full squats and lunges. The full-range movement works the various groups involved much more thoroughly than a partial one. Full squats hit the lower back, hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, adductors and abductors so that they all receive equal attention, which results in balanced strength. In contrast, when partial squats are done, the quads do the bulk of the work, and that causes them to be disproportionately stronger than the other groups. That eventually leads to trouble. Every athlete is concerned about the effects squatting has on the knees. When partial squats are performed, the burden of halting the downward stroke is placed on the

knees. The knees are relatively small joints and cannot handle the stress over time. Once the thighs break the parallel position in the squat, however, the job of halting the descending bar is transferred from the knees to the more powerful hips, glutes and legs. Thus full squats are safer for the knees than partial squats. A few years ago I read an article in a publication about a weight program at a university where the female athletes were having a much higher rate of knee injuries than their male counterparts. It seemed the men did full-range squats while the women did only partial squats because their coaches felt that going low was potentially harmful to their knees. The exact opposite was true. Staying high was the reason for the many knee problems. Once the

women started doing full squats instead of partial ones, the knee injuries went away. It’s also a fact that many coaches encourage partial squats over full squats because higher numbers can be handled and that makes them look good. But they are doing a disservice to the athletes and putting them at risk. Form for the full squat. The very first step is to fix the bar firmly to your upper back. Those who are slender often find that the bar irritates their back and resort to using some kind of padding to cushion it. That’s not a good idea. When you graduate to heavier weights, the towel or pad of rubber will twist and roll up, becoming more troublesome than the bar itself. Get used to handling the bare bar from the start.

290 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive knee down a bit, then recovers. While that style is easier to do, it’s much less effective. Once you try the deep split version, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Do a rep with one leg; then switch to the other. You’ll most likely find that one leg is stronger and more flexible than the other. That’s normal. One of the reasons I like lunges is that doing them over a period of time improves strength in the weaker leg more than the squat does, where the stronger leg can carry the exercise. A couple of tips to make the lunge easier. Your feet are set at shoulder width at the start. Be sure that you step straight forward. The tendency, especially when you get tired, is to place the lead foot inward, but when you do that your feet end up on a line, and that adversely affects your balance. Don’t rush the recovery. Take as many baby steps as you need to recover from the heavy sets. Do five sets of four while you’re learning the form. Do four reps per leg, and should one leg be considerably weaker than the other, do two extra reps on that weaker leg at the end of each set. Auxiliary exercises: calf raises, leg extensions, leg curls, adductors. All of the auxiliary exercises for the legs are done on machines. Do the movements smoothly, and don’t jerk the weights around. If you have a standing and seated calf machine available, alternate using them each time you do calf raises. Models: Brenda Kelly and Kat Myers

Beginners try to pull away from the bar when it starts hurting them, but that only adds to the problem. Instead, elevate your traps to provide a platform for the bar. Even though you may not have much in the way of traps, they’ll still serve the purpose. Over time, they’ll grow, and you’ll get used to holding the bar snugly on your back. It has to be locked in place throughout the movement. Foot positions vary according to height, but the basic stance for the majority of athletes is slightly wider than shoulder width with toes turned out a bit. Experiment with different foot positions until you find the one that enables you to go the lowest. Your head position should be straight ahead. Don’t look up or down. After you’ve found your desired stance, tighten all the muscles in your body and grip the floor with your feet. That will help you establish a firm base. With your back flat and chest up, lower yourself until the tops of your thighs go below parallel; then stand back up. Stop at the top, and reset for the next rep. While learning form, take your time, trying to do each rep perfectly. Do all your breathing at the top. Hold your breath during the execution of the lift. Two things not to do: Don’t let your back round excessively, and don’t rebound out of the bottom. Some rounding of your back is okay, but if it becomes pronounced, take some weight off the bar and practice better technique; otherwise you’re asking for a back injury. If your back rounds too much even with the light weights, you need to do more work to strengthen your lower back. You don’t want to get into the habit of bouncing out of the bottom, which can irritate your knees and work against you when the weights get heavy. Pull yourself down into the low position in a controlled manner, hesitate for a second and then explode upward. That brief pause will help teach you to use your hips to drive the bar upward rather than using the recoil to come out of the bottom. Should you notice that your

knees are turning inward during the squat, that indicates a weakness in your adductors, the muscles on the insides of your legs. Do extra sets on the adductor machine until that weakness is rectified because it will adversely affect progress. Lunge lesson. The lunge is an excellent lower-body exercise, and many of my woman athletes preferred it over the squat. Since the two lifts work the various groups differently, I believe doing both works best. The bar is fixed on the back exactly the way it is for a squat. Feet are set at shoulder width with toes pointed straight ahead. It’s important for you to step into a deep, full split with your rear leg staying almost completely straight and the front knee extending out over your front foot. You should be so deep that your rear knee is nearly touching the floor. Most muscle mags show the model doing lunges with her trailing leg bent. She merely dips her rear

Working the Back The muscles of the back are extremely important to any strength athlete. All the power generated by the hips and legs has to be transferred up through the back in order (continued on page 298) for many

292 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Jennifer Michelli

Many strength programs for females shun deadlifts because the coaches deem them too dangerous. When done correctly, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re as safe as any other exercise in weight training.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 293

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Stretching is important for injury prevention and improving flexibility. (continued from page 292)

athletic feats to be accomplished, such as striking a field hockey ball or spiking a volleyball. If any part of the back is weak, that power will be greatly diminished. Core exercises: power cleans, deadlifts, good mornings and almost-straight-legged deadlifts. The power clean is called the athlete’s exercise because if it is done correctly, it enhances overall athletic ability. A high-skill movement, it improves coordination,

timing, quickness and strength. It’s a dynamic form of strength that can be used in any sport. While it may seem complicated, it isn’t. My woman athletes learned the form as fast and in many cases faster than my men. One reason is that women have better shoulder flexibility, which enables them to rack the weight more easily. It’s most helpful to provide fivepound Olympic-size plates for women in order to teach them the power clean. The plates set the bar

Model: Jennifer Hendershot

Only the Strong Shall Survive

high enough so the athlete can assume a good starting position. If smaller metal plates are used, the bar is too low to enable the lifter to assume the correct starting position. Place your feet at shoulder width with your shins touching the bar, toes pointed straight ahead. Grip the bar just outside your legs. Lower your hips, but don’t set them deep as in the bottom of a squat. The higher you can set them and still maintain a flat back gives you a leverage advantage. Make sure your

298 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

frontal deltoids are out in front of the bar. Tighten all the muscles in your body, and with perfectly straight arms pull the bar off the floor. When it passes your knees, drive your hips forward, contract your traps, bend your arms, and climb high on your toes. Once the bar is high enough, flip your arms under it and rack it across your frontal deltoids. Don’t let it crash down on your collarbone. Your elbows should be high while you rack the weight parallel to the floor. Stop it at the top of your thighs; then lower it deliberately to the floor. Reset to make sure your starting position is right. Then do the next rep. The key points in power cleaning are 1) keeping the bar close to your body throughout the lift, 2) not bending your arms until the bar passes your waist and 3) not leaning backward when you rack the bar. When the bar is pulled to the desired height, dip your knees and rack the bar with your torso erect. The bar should travel upward like a whip, slow off the floor, start picking up speed through the middle and be a blur at the top. It takes time to master the form on the power clean, which means you must be patient. With practice you’ll improve. Don’t be concerned with the amount of weight on the bar until you have the technique down pat. Then you can add more plates. Five sets of five is the best formula for the lift. The main reason I teach the power clean first is that once form is mastered on that high-skill exercise, all of the other pulling movements can be learned more readily. Such as the deadlift. Many strength programs for females shun deadlifts because the coaches deem them too dangerous. When done correctly, they’re as safe as any other exercise in weight training. Keep in mind that any exercise can be dangerous if you use sloppy form, even if you’re using light weights or machines. I teach the deadlift to all my female athletes for a very practical purpose in addition to improving their back strength for some sport. I believe it’s imperative for them to know how to lift a heavy object off the floor prop-

erly. Every female will be required to do it some time or other in her life. It may be a heavy bag of groceries, a basket of laundry, a squalling child or a drunk husband. The starting position for the deadlift is identical to the one used for the power clean—same foot stance, same grip, same flat back. Once you’re set, however, don’t pull the bar off the floor the way you do in the power clean. Instead, think about pushing your feet down through the floor to break the bar free while keeping your entire body tight. That will help you maintain the critical starting position and keep your back flat. When you tug the bar off the floor, your back tends to round. You want to avoid that. The best way to assure a flat back is to pull your shoulder blades together and keep them that way while you perform the lift. If you try to tighten only your lower back, the middle and upper will often round. As in the power clean, the bar must stay snug to your body from start to finish. Your arms stay straight throughout the movement. They never bend at all. Think of them as strong connecting links, chains. When you complete the lift and are standing erect, take a breath, then lower the bar in a controlled manner with your back still flat and tight. Don’t allow the bar to crash to the floor. Remember that you can injure yourself if you lower the bar improperly, just as when you lift it improperly. Your hips should rise up at the same rate as the bar. If that isn’t happening, use less weight. Should you have difficulty holding on to the heavier weights, use straps. As for your knees turning in while doing a deadlift, position yourself the way you do on the squats. If necessary, make sure you spend more time on the adductor machine. Five sets of five will get the job done. Since the lower back is the cornerstone of strength for the body, I always include one specific exercise for the lumbars. Good mornings and almost-straight-legged deadlifts are the two best. Since the two exercises hit the muscles involved somewhat differently, I believe alternating them every other week is a good idea.

Although good mornings do indeed appear gruesome, the effort you put into them is well worth it. Not only do they strengthen the lumbars, but they hit the glutes and hamstrings at the same time. You may have to start out using an E-Z curl bar across your upper back if the 45-pound Olympic bar is too heavy—but that’s okay. It doesn’t matter where you start. What counts is where you end up. Lock the bar on your back as you did for the squat and lunge. It’s even more important for you to really pull it tight to your back because of the nature of the good morning. If you don’t squeeze it down into your traps and keep it there, it will move when you bend forward and become most irritating. Moving your hands in closer on the bar helps to lock it in better. Place your feet a bit closer than shoulder width and turn your toes inward. This facilitates balance. Bend your knees a bit, but not so much that you’re in a partial squat, and they won’t bend any further. They’ll stay in that starting position throughout the exercise. Push down hard with your feet to create a solid base, and then rotate your upper body downward until your chest touches your thighs. The lower you go, the more muscles you activate. I had several who could look back between their legs at the bottom of the good morning. Most impressive. It’s okay for your back to round on good mornings. Go down and come back up in a smooth fashion. Don’t flop forward and jerk back to the standing position. Pause at the finish, make sure the bar is snug to your back, rebend your knees, take a breath, and lower into the next rep. Once you learn the rhythm of the movement, good mornings will be easier. However, the truth is that good mornings are never easy. What they are is effective, and that’s why athletes do them. You’ll be able to feel the effects the following morning, sometimes sooner. My athletes used to dub them “tomorrow mornings,” which I thought was quite apt. Because I want to restrict the weight used on them, I have my athletes do four sets of 10 or five sets of eight. In most photos of models demonstrating how to do the straightwww.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 299

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive

Model: Brenda Kelly

On pulldowns, always pull to the front, never to the back, and do the movement in a smooth fashion.

300 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Model: Federica Belli

In the beginning perfect your form with light weights and slower repetitions.

legged deadlift, their knees are locked. You should never do any lower-back exercise, however, with your knees locked. It’s risky to your lower back and hamstrings. So bend your knees slightly when doing the almost-straight-legged deadlift. Bending your knees doesn’t alter the effectiveness of the exercise and is safer. Feet are at shoulder width, and your grip is the same as when doing the deadlift. Pull the bar in close to your shins and glide it up and down your body. Don’t let it stray away at all, and don’t bounce the plates off the floor to get a better start. That bypasses the muscles responsible for moving the bar off the floor, and you want to work them. Dead stop

at the conclusion of each rep. It’s not necessary to stand on a bench or block of wood to do them. Just use 10-pound plates and stand on the floor. The smaller plates will force you to go low, and you won’t have to worry about your balance as you do when standing on something. Like the good mornings, they’re done in higher reps, four sets of 10 or five sets of eight. Auxiliary exercises: hyperextensions and lat pulldowns. Do a set of back hyperextensions at the beginning of every workout as part of your warmup. Start with 20 and work up to 50. Come up only until your back is parallel to the floor. Any higher puts an undue stress on your lower back. On the pulldowns,

always pull to the front, never to the back, and do the movement in a smooth fashion.

Working the Shoulder Girdle Typically, females are weakest in this area so I include more exercises for their upper bodies than I do for their backs and legs. They enjoy the exercises because they can see the results faster, especially in their upper arms. Girls like big guns too, it seems. Core exercises: bench presses, incline-bench presses and overhead presses. While most strength routines emphasize the bench press for the shoulder girdle, www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 301

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

302 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

You Can Get

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 on fat-burning th hormone activatio n, wor fat, and look your and the 10 kouts and supplements Rules for Sup er Energy hard, muscular best in record time!

Model: Jennifer Hendershot

Model: Danyella Wisehart

ent placement from the one on the flat bench. Pause, then drive the bar upward right past your nose. Once it passes the sticking point, exhale. Reset at the top, take another breath, and proceed with the next rep. The bar should travel in a straight line up and down. When the weights get heavy, the bar will try to run forward. You must resist that. If it goes too far out front, there’s no hope of pulling it back in the correct line. One other tip: Instead of merely sitting on the incline bench, squeeze your back and glutes down into it. Be sure to have the spotter assist you in reracking the weight, and don’t let go of the bar until you know it’s secure. Assume the same grip on the flat bench as you used on the incline, and, again, your forearms stay vertical during the exercise. The main difference between the two pressing movements is that on the flat bench you touch the bar to your chest much lower. Pull it into your chest where your breastbone ends. The bar needs to be lowered in a controlled manner. Never let it crash onto your chest. Don’t get into the habit of rebounding the bar off your chest. That’s self-defeating for a couple of reasons. Banging the bar off your chest can damage tissue, and you want to work those muscles responsible for driving the bar upward. Because you’re touching your chest at a lower position, the flight of the bar is different from the incline. It moves straight upward as it leaves your chest, then glides backward a bit so that it ends up over your face. Even while you’re gliding

I give the incline priority. It does more for any athlete. The incline strengthens the high portion of the chest along with the triceps and deltoids, groups that are used in every sport. A purer exercise than the flat bench, the incline makes it almost impossible to cheat. Always make sure that you have a spotter when you do both inclines and flat benches. They’re the two exercises with the highest risk factor in the weight room. Grip the bar so that during the performance of the exercise your elbows stay directly under your wrists. That means your forearms stay vertical throughout. If your grip is too wide or too narrow, you’re giving away pressing power. Make sure your thumbs are around the bar. No false grip. Even with a spotter, the bar can slip out of a false grip, and because the bar is over your face, the consequence can be horrible. With the spotter’s assistance, lift the bar from the rack and lock out your arms and get it under control. Take a deep breath, and lower the bar in a controlled manner to a point high on your chest, right where your collarbone meets your breastbone. That’s a much differ-

• • • •

• • •

IRONMAN Magazine’ s BULLETIN #5

FAT TO

MUSCLE 2

Just

$9.95

plus $6.50 postage & handling ($15 outside North America) (California residents add 8.25% sales tax)

Credit card orders call

1-800-447-0008, offer ITS YES! I want to transform my physique. Rush me IRONMAN’s Fat to Muscle 2. Rush my copy to:

...................................................... ..................................................... ....................................................

Enclose check or money order for $9.95 plus $6.50 shipping payable to: Home GYM Warehouse, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Credit card orders call TOLL FREE 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS CA residents add 8.25% sales tax. Foreign orders (except Canada) add $15 shipping. Payment in U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. banks only.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ MAY 2008 303

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive the bar back, your elbows still stay under your wrists. Otherwise you lose upward thrust. As I suggested for the incline, squeeze down into the bench. Become the bench. Trite, I know, but it gets the idea across. The muscles of your body should all be tight when the bar is taken from the rack, and they need to stay that way until you’ve finished the set. Overhead presses can be done while standing or seated, and you can use a bar or dumbbells. I teach the standing press with a bar first. Once technique is learned on this form of the exercise, the others come easy. Using the same grip as with the other pressing exercises, stand with your feet at shoulder width and locked to the floor. That

will provide you with the solid base needed to press the weights. The bar sets across your frontal deltoids. Make sure your entire body is very tight from your feet up to your traps. Drive the bar off your shoulders, keeping it close to your face. After it passes your head, glide it back a bit so that when the bar is locked out it’s fixed over the back of your head. Hold your breath during the execution of the press. Inhale and exhale at the start and finish. You can lean back some, but not too much. Excessive backbending is not healthy for the lumbars. If your backbend becomes exaggerated, switch to seated presses. Lower the weight from overhead back to your shoul-

ders deliberately. Otherwise you’ll ding your clavicle. Auxiliary exercises: incline dumbbell presses, straight-arm pullovers, curls, front raises and lateral raises. Since most females are proportionately weaker in their upper bodies, I have them do a couple of auxiliary exercises for the smaller groups at every session. I like straight-armed pullovers with a bar or dumbbell and pushdowns on the lat machine for the triceps because these exercises are not stressful to the elbows, a major con-

Lateral raises.

Seated dumbbell presses.

Model: Tina Bagne

Since most females are proportionately weaker in their upper bodies, they should do a couple of auxiliary exercises for the smaller groups at every session.

Model: Kat Myers

Pullovers.

sideration for athletes. Curls work the biceps and can be done with dumbbells, EZ-curl bar or straight bar, and seated, standing or sitting on a preacher-curl bench. The more variety, the better. Use dumbbells for front and lateral raises, unless your gym doesn’t have any light enough. In that case, just use small plates. Do mild stretches during the workout between sets. That’s idle time anyway and benefits the session. Stretch again after you finish and later that night if you feel really tight or sore. Do the program for three days a week over the course of two months, and you’ll make significant

304 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Only the Strong Shall Survive gains in overall strength. There is a truism in sports that a stronger athlete is a better athlete, if for no other reason that the strength enables her to practice longer and harder and recover faster. 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—Strength Training for Football, which is available for $20 plus shipping from Home Gym Warehouse. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym. com. IM

A Complete Strength Program for Female Athletes At the start of each workout, do one set of situps or crunches and one set of back hyperextensions. Monday Squats (going to limit on final set) 5 x 5 Power cleans 5x5 Calf raises 3 x 30 Triceps pushdowns 2 x 20 Dumbbell curls 2 x 20 Leg extensions 2 x 20 Leg curls 2 x 20 Leg adductors 2 x 20 Wednesday Lunges (per leg) 5x4 Bench presses 5x5 Good mornings alternated with Almost-straight-legged deadlifts 5 x 8 or 4 x 10 Straight-arm pullovers 2 x 20 Lat pulldowns to front 2 x 20 Front raises 2 x 20 Lateral raises 2 x 20

Model: Timea Majorova

Friday Squats Overhead presses Deadlifts Calf raises Leg extensions Leg curls Leg adductors Incline dumbbell presses Curls (EZ-curl or straight bar)

5x5 5x5 5x5 3 x 30 2 x 20 2 x 20 2 x 20 2 x 20 2 x 20

Conclude the session with an exercise for your lower abs and some stretching. After a few weeks, add a back-off set of eight on all the core exercises.

306 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

May 2008

Passing of a Legend

Editor’s note: Your comments are much appreciated— and thank you for mentioning Marzia Prince so we have an excuse to run another photo of her. Yes, we agree: Wow!

I was sad to read that Reg Park had passed away. His image meant a lot to me. I first saw Reg on a 1951 Muscle Power magazine in a grocery store. Reg was Mr. Universe, and at 6’1” and 230 pounds, he looked great to an 11year-old boy. I wanted muscles like his. He inspired me to live healthy and to work out with weights. Today I’m still working out three times a week at 68 years young. May Reg rest in peace. Bert Kelly Port Orchard, WA Reg Park.

Contest Comments I had an amazing time at [Lonnie Teper’s] ’07 NPC Junior Cal—everything ran smoothly, and there was such a sense of support among the competitors, the audience loved it, and I think it will continue to grow each year. The only disappointment was seeing my picture without my name [in the October ’07 issue]. Dallas Malloy via Internet

Merv

Editor’s note: We can fix that.

Gallery Addendum Richard DuBois was the subject of the January ’08 Gallery of Ironmen item, but since that piece appeared, the 1954 Mr. America winner passed away. DuBois died on September 26, 2007, at St. John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. The handsome muscleman began building his physique in 1950. That led to many contest victories as well as a brief career in movies. DuBois later appeared with Mae West in her nightclub act. For the past 19 years DuBois was a pastor at the Gospel Lighthouse in West Los Angeles. David Chapman Seattle, WA

Get Real I read the letter from the guy who thought the January ’08 cover was suggestive [March ’08, Readers Write]. Get real. Maybe Amish Times is more his speed. I don’t think he knows what suggestive is. I see a beautiful woman with a beautiful body posing with a beautiful dumbbell. I have a son, 11, and a daughter, 13, and I’m not ashamed for them to see that. He should be more concerned with the ’roid-freak women who Marzia sometimes frequent the Prince. pages (although the latest issue didn’t have too many of those Godzilla-looking beasts). I’ve read IM since the ’70s, and it’s still the best. Steve Holman is great. I’m the same age, and I read and follow his stuff. He keeps me motivated. Coach Charles Poliquin is great too, but dump the monthly Mentzer crap; he’s led too many people astray. And please continue to keep up with the old-timers and the beautiful ladies, like Marzia Prince [March ’08, Hardbody]. Wow! Bill Stinson Jacksonville, FL

Dallas Malloy.

Photo courtesy of the David Chapman Collection

Your tribute to Reg Park [March ’08], one of the greatest bodybuilders ever, was much appreciated. What wonderful photos, and the story and interview [by Gene Mozée] were spectacular as well. I’m sure Reg is looking down from his place in iron heaven with pride. Thank you. Jonas Blacksone Baton Rouge, LA

’Roid Raves Jerry Brainum’s Bodybuilding Pharmacology column on steroids [March ’08] was eye-opening. The fact that the largest group of users is young white male professionals is a poignant comment on our society. Illegality and cheating are dismissed too easily. Bring back morality and integrity. Sam Schuler via Internet

Neveux

READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READE

Readers Write

Vol. 67, No. 5: 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 © 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.

320 MAY 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com