Ironman Magazine 2008-10 by Iron Man

Middle-Age Muscle: 40 Is the New 20—Lift for Life!

OCTOBER 2008 / IRON MAN MAGAZINE—WE KNOW TRAINING™

e g A e l d d i M

! e l c s u M Older Guys With Muscle Size Show You How

™

ERIC BROSER, Age 40

Prime-Time-Physique

Techniques

SURGE

Up Your Growth Hormone in the Gym

MIDDLE-AGE MUSCLE

BIGGER, STRONGER, YOUNGER Coach Bill Starr on Workouts for Your Kids

Johnnie Jackson Q&A OCTOBER 2008 $5.99

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PLUS: • DHEA—Do You Need It? • #1 Muscle-Building Mistake • Mr. Olympia Preview Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

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150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE IRON MAN MAGAZ

WE KNOW TRAINING™

October 2008

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

FEATURES

62 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 108 Three-days-a-week training—and gaining—with an innovative split.

88 TO SLEEP, PERCHANCE TO GROW, PART 2 Jerry Brainum’s research says to turn up the Zs for more muscle and less fat.

104 KILLING THE “OLD” MYTH From the Bodybuilding.com archives, John Pasco, a 75-year-old bodybuilding competitor, explains how to break the chains of so-called old age (hit the gym).

128

112 40 IS THE NEW 20 Cover man Eric Broser lays out a plan for getting bigger and better with age.

GH SURGE

128 GH SURGE Jacob Wilson and Gabriel Wilson provide tips and research on how to maximize growth hormone output with weight training.

140 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 39 Ron Harris explains why great backs come from great effort.

152 BRAD HARRIS: VERY ALIVE AT 75! Gene Mozée delves into the fitness lifestyle of this movie star (he’s a god in Europe), stuntman and all-around muscle legend.

166 THE TESTOSTERONE ZONE Jerry Brainum explores legal ways to up your T, including a new form of DHEA that’s over the counter and without the negative side effects.

178 X-FILES The X men reveal the number-one bodybuilding mistake that you can’t afford to make if you want to achieve your full growth potential.

188 BODY INSURANCE Legendary bodybuilder Richard Baldwin, 58, provides a blueprint for achieving maximum muscle, minimum injuries and lifelong health.

248

204 MASS CONSTRUCTION

‘08 MR.OLYMPIA PREVIEW

After years of heavy lifting and recent surgery, C.S. Sloan constructs a kinder, gentler muscle-building routine—but be prepared to turn up the volume.

236 MUSCLE BEACH Pics from this year’s Memorial Day and Fourth of July events.

248 ’08 MR. OLYMPIA PREVIEW As the big show draws near, Lonnie Teper checks his crystal ball for who’s hot and who’s not in the land of the giants.

260 PROFILE: JOHNNIE JACKSON Meet a man on a mission: big muscle and plans for the future to match.

Eric Broser and Stephanie Iorio appear on this month’s cover. Hair and makeup Marisol Orozco. Photo by Michael Neveux.

Middle-Age Muscle: 40 Is the New 20—Lift for Life!

Age Middle- !

Muscle Older Guys With Muscle Size Show You How

™

ERIC BROSER, Age 40

Prime-Time-Physique

Techniques

SURGE

Up Your Growth Hormone in the Gym

272 HEAVY DUTY

BIGGER, STRONGER, YOUNGER

The conclusion of John Little’s 1995 Q&A with Mike Mentzer.

Coach Bill Starr on Workouts for Your Kids

Johnnie Jackson Q&A OCTOBER 2008

282 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Part 1 of Coach Bill Starr’s Bigger, Stronger, Younger—how and when to start youngsters on a strength-training program.

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Vol. 67, No. 10

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PLUS: • DHEA—Do You Need It? • #1 Muscle-Building Mistake • Mr. Olympia Preview 8/4/08 3:36:15 PM

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

DEPARTMENTS

26 TRAIN TO GAIN Upper-pec problems and solutions, Joe Horrigan’s look at dumbbell rows and more.

42 SMART TRAINING Charles Poliquin’s advice on how to grow bigger and stronger faster.

50 EAT TO GROW The acid factor—is it slowing your growth?—and arginine’s anabolic connection.

72 NATURALLY HUGE John Hansen’s sound advice on beginning bodybuilding, programs included.

78 SHREDDED MUSCLE Dave Goodin answers questions on ripping up.

82 CRITICAL MASS Steve Holman identifies the best moves for big bi’s. Plus, rest/pause and drop sets.

218 ANTIAGING RESEARCH Jerry Brainum sifts through the studies on IGF-1. Is it a killer or saviour?

264

PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE Picture-perfect panache

224 NEWS & VIEWS Lonnie Teper’s world-of-bodybuilding coverage—plus, six big Rising Stars.

242 MUSCLE “IN” SITES Eric Broser unearths the Web site of a new over-40 pro bodybuilder and reviews Mark Dugdale’s “Driven” DVD. Ab-etching advice is here too.

264 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE Ruth Silverman covers the ladies’ side of the sport. Warning: Hot photos featured here!

292 MIND/BODY CONNECTION Five big keys to happiness; review of Get Stronger, Feel Younger; and new research on health, aging and longevity.

304 READERS WRITE

26 TRAIN TO GAIN

Ageless wonders, classic Arnold and Cutler’s cutting-edge workouts.

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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.

We kick things off with big-back-training advice from Mark Perry, a young champ who has some old-school views. He shows you how to get so wide you can glide. Then Ron Harris explains how to build your ultimate physique brick by brick (or is that fiber by fiber?), and Jerry Brainum does his research thing on fast food—yes, people are really eating that stuff. We also have the second installments of Bill Starr’s “Bigger, Stronger, Younger” and Eric Broser’s “40 Is the New 20.” Look for the November issue on newsstands the first week of October.

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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

Muscle Beach Muscle Beach, Santa Monica, California, was the birthplace of the worldwide fitness revolution. Just a few names of those who made their names there: From the prewar group there were Jack LaLanne and Joe Gold; in the ’50s came Armand Tanny, Zabo Koszewski, Russ Warner, Pudgy Stockton and Steve Reeves; in the ’60s and ’70s came Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu, among other bodybuilding stars. Muscle Beach has always been as much a dream as a place. The magnetism of sun, sand and athletic men and women has drawn thousands to Southern California for generations—including me. I’ve always been drawn to the water, first as a teenager to the shores of Lake Michigan and later through my ongoing love affair with the Pacific Ocean. That all came flooding back to me on the Fourth of July, as I sat next to Zabo at Muscle Beach, Venice, for one of Joe Wheatley’s contests. At 88 Zabo is one of the last links to the golden era. He lives only a few blocks from the Venice workout area, and as he told me, he loves it as much as he did in 1950, when he made his way from Pennsylvania to the iconic beach. As he said, no one had any money then, but they made up for it with a shared passion and camaraderie. Zabo was with me not just to enjoy the picture-perfect day but also to receive an award—his name was added to the Muscle Beach Walk of Fame. My relationship with Muscle Beach goes back more than 40 years, to when I was a competitor. That’s why I support Wheatley’s request that IRON MAN be a sponsor of the Muscle Beach events and awards ceremonies. It’s still a special place, and the programs Joe produces there underline that fact. The contests and awards that took place on July 4 recognized both the foundation of our sport—Zabo—and the enduring appeal of bodybuilding. If you have a chance to attend one of the Muscle Beach events, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that it’s exciting not only to watch bodybuilders from teens to 70-year-olds show why what we do is so special but also to experience the love and appreciation the crowd lavishes on the dedicated athletes. It’s bodybuilding in its most elemental expression: sun, sand and joy. I enjoy the events because they refresh my memory. I get to talk with people like Zabo, who inspire my own training. Everyone is having a good time, the stakes are personal, and the exhilaration is experienced by everyone who attends. That’s what bodybuilding is all about. For photos from two Muscle Beach events, see pages 236 and 237. 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: Fernando Carmona 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: helen@ironmanmagazine.com Jonathan Lawson, Ad Coordinator: ironjdl@aol.com Sonia Melendez, Subscriptions: soniazm@aol.com

24 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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26 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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M AT U R E M U S C L E

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Neveux \ Model: Omar Deckard

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Q: I’m 52, and I started working out with weights 12 years ago. I’ve made good progress in most areas, but I have struggled to make my upper-pectoral muscles thicker. No matter what exercise I do for my upper chest, it doesn’t grow. Why don’t Incline movements work for me? A: I’ve had that problem myself. To make improvements requires specialized, biomechanically sound training. I don’t agree with most experts, who say that training the upper-pectoral region requires lots of incline-bench presses and incline flyes. Let me explain. First, you probably don’t have a lot of muscle tissue in that area, which is genetic; however, you still can make gains there. Your lower pectorals, a.k.a. the pectoralis major, are probably responding to most of your chest exercises. That has to do with autonomic muscle engagement. Your body is doing that automatically because of your genetic deficiency. The person with ideal biomechanics, of whom there are very few, can isolate the pectorals the way the experts suggest—flat-bench presses for the entire chest, incline presses for the upper pecs and declines for the very lowest area. What if I told you to do the exact opposite? First, take off your shirt, turn sideways, and look in a mirror. Notice where your deltoids sit. Are they forward of the center of your neck and ear? Now, take note of the front deltoid and your upper pectorals. Are your shoulders forward of your upper chest? My guess is yes on both counts. Why is that important? That says your deltoids will grow before your upper pecs if you follow the standard rules of pec development. Even if you puff your chest up, arching your back, when doing inclines, your shoulders will still take too much of a load because your deltoids are positioned forward of the center of your neck and will be worked more than your upper chest. What has happened here involves a lot of musculoskeletal changes. You have gotten a little bit taken by the weak upper-pectoral problem and you have made your upper thorax move enough to make the shoulders change position. Your body may seem like a static group of bones held together with some magical glue; however, each time that you emphasize one muscle group more than the opposing muscle group, you may change the arrangement of the musculoskeletal structure. My recommendations: First, start doing more centerback work in order to pull your shoulders back enough for them to be in that imaginary straight line from the center of the deltoid to the center of the ear when you’re standing erect. Do low-pulley rows with a bar that allows for maximum squeezing of the shoulder blades. You might want to do a couple of sets of those every other day until you get your shoulders back where they belong. The other two biomechanical presets I’m assuming are that you have a) rather long arms and b) narrow or medium

Upper-pec problems and solutions

width across your collarbones. Since your arms are long, you are at a leverage disadvantage in doing almost any pressing but especially when doing inclines as your primary resistance work for upper pecs. Add those two disadvantages to the small amount of muscle fiber in your upper chest, and you are never going to create hypertrophy in that area until you eliminate at least two of the problems. The first answer to your problem is going to be decline presses. Why? Because they put you in a position that will shorten the overall pressing range and take your front deltoids out of the work. It also allows you to use more weight After one warmup set with a light weight on the bar, do two to three heavy sets of six to eight repetitions with a barbell. Then do two to three sets of 10 to 12 reps the same way with the heaviest dumbbells you can handle. You may want to alternate which of those you do first. When you can do no more full reps, do X Reps—extended reps—by moving the bar or dumbbells a few inches up and down in the lower part of the stroke until failure. For a finishing exercise, use machine flyes. Find a machine that has handles and long arms. Set the seat fairly low so that when you are doing the exercise, your arms are at the exact height of your clavicles—right straight across your upper chest. There should be one continuous line from either side of the upper-pectoral area out to both arms and hands so that when you are in a fully contracted position, it should look like a big-tree hug from the top view. Keep your chest up throughout the exercise. Use as much weight as you can and really squeeze your chest on each contraction. Do three or four sets to absolute failure. Your upper-pectoral area will begin to grow within three months on this routine. Train your chest no more than twice in eight or nine days and always keep your mental focus to provoke muscular stimulation and hypertrophy. Also, remember to work on getting your shoulders back to where they belong—in line with the traps, neck and ear. That’s important for both your overall upper-thoracic health and your upper-chest development. —Paul Burke

Editor’s note: To contact Paul Burke, write to pbptb@ aol.com. Burke has a master’s degree in integrated studies from Cambridge College in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He’s been a champion bodybuilder and arm wrestler, and he’s considered a leader in the field of over-40 fitness training. You can purchase his book, Burke’s Law—a New Fitness Paradigm for the Mature Male, from Home Gym Warehouse. Call (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com. His “Burke’s Law” training DVD is also now available.

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Train to Gain / OLD SCHOOL

X-FILES

Around the Worlds I recently rediscovered a great old-school exercise. I think the last time I saw it was in Bill Pearl’s “20 Months to a Championship Physique” about 10 years ago in IRON MAN. The movement is part flye, part pullover and all-pec stretch. It’s called around the worlds. I credit Milos Sarcev for bringing these back, as he’s had Dennis Wolf, Hide Yamigishi, Silvio Samuel and others add them to their precontest programs. Around the worlds are not a mass builder—you can’t go heavy, and if you do, you risk serious injury. As a finisher, though, this will tie the pecs together nicely while stretching out the lats, delts and even triceps a bit. I like to do them at the end of my chest workout, which is often a heavy compound movement done for low reps, followed by a giant set of five to six exercises that hit all the chest fibers by training the muscles’ full arc of flexion—a.k.a. Positions of Flexion, or POF. After that I head over to a decline bench with 20-pound dumbbells and stretch out with two to three sets of 15 reps of around the worlds. Milos does them on a decline, and that’s the bench I’ve used exclusively since adding them to my chest routine. I lie on the bench with the dumbbells in the top of a decline flye, with palms facing each other. Next I bring the dumbbells back toward my head while keeping my arms straight and rotating my hands so that my palms face upward in the bottom, full-stretch position, similar to a pullover. Next, I rotate my arms, bringing the dumbbells back to the start in a large circular arc movement not unlike a cable crossover. My hands naturally twist inward so they’re back in the palms-facing starting position. After tensing your pecs hard, begin the movement again—it’s basically a large, swooping arc. You’ll feel it stretching your chest, back and triceps at the bottom of the movement and chest contraction on the way back to the start. Keep in mind that around the worlds can be tough on the rotator cuffs, so don’t go heavy. Also make sure you’re warmed up before doing them. Give them a try if you’re in need of some new pec detail. —Will Litz Editor’s note: For more on Will Litz visit http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/ WinnipegWill/.

Q: The idea of a few mediumintensity [subfailure] workouts after many weeks of going all out makes perfect sense. My question is, Should I reduce my poundages so I can do the same number of reps, or should I stick with my same working poundages and just do fewer reps? Which way is best? A: We prefer to use the same phasetraining approach Jonathan used on the 10-week Size Surge Program when he gained 20 pounds of muscle [for more on that, see 3DMuscleBuilding.com. For each of his two supercompensation weeks (weeks 5 and 10) he used the same work weights and stopped just two reps short of failure—and that worked amazingly well for him. He actually appeared to get bigger during each downshift week as his muscles and nervous system supercompensated. The reason we like to stick with our normal heavy poundages is to keep the nervous system primed. If you use lighter weights, your normal poundages may feel excessively heavy when you go back to them a week later—your nervous system can lose some of its conditioning if it’s not subjected to the same load. For our supercompensation week we use our same program—3D POF for each bodypart—supersets intact, but we do only one work set for each exercise using our normal poundage and stop two reps shy of our normal rep count. That keeps stress to a minimum. On some exercises, like the big, midrange moves such as incline presses, we use rest/pause. After the six-rep set, we rest for 15 seconds and then do another four to six reps, once again not to fail-

ure. That heightens blood flow, creating more of a pump, which is what we are after—to enhance muscle recovery without damage. Try one week of subfailure training followed by about four weeks of all-out workouts. Phase training is truly a natural anabolic based on human stress physiology. —Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

28 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Derik Farnsworth

Illustration by Larry Eklund

Supercompensation

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

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Train to Gain / SPLIT TRAINING

Frank Zane’s 9-to-5 Sequence A sequence refers to the order of workouts in a split routine—in this case a three-way split, my favorite way to train. For example, a seven-day sequence could mean you train pushing muscles on Monday, legs on Wednesday and pulling muscles on Friday. It takes seven days—including rest days—to do each different workout one time, hence the name seven-day sequence. A sequence repeats itself exactly the same way over a designated period of time. In the case of the seven-day sequence, it repeats exactly the same way each week. While that particular sequence is a nice way to train, I’ve discovered that training the same way each week tends to lead to plateaus. Your body becomes acclimated to it and ceases to change. I overcome that by practicing a randomized routine, the 9-to-5 sequence. The body thrives on routine—routines have advantages. You need to practice your workout in a specific way in order for your body to adapt to it. During that adaptation period you make progress; you get into a groove. A routine answers the question, “What and when should I train?” Randomized training, sometimes called instinctive training, doesn’t give you anything specific to practice and get good at. While it might be okay for advanced bodybuilders—Dave Draper trained that way when I worked out with him in the 1970s—it isn’t so good for beginners because it isn’t specific enough.

I’ve done many different sequences, a four-day sequence (train three days in a row, rest the fourth day, repeat), a five-day sequence (train, train, rest, train, rest, repeat), a six-day sequence (train every other day). The problem with each of those sequences is that the workouts fall on different days each week. With the 9-to-5 sequence that’s not exactly the case. It’s a nine-day sequence that uses a three-way split, and you train one day, then rest two before the next workout—so it takes you nine days to do each different workout once. You get plenty of rest, so it’s great for recovery, and you’ll be stronger at each workout and able to use heavier weights and, consequently, grow. Follow the nine-day sequence with a five-day sequence, and you execute a pattern that recurs exactly the same every 14 days. Here’s how it goes down: Week 1 Monday: Push Tuesday and Wednesday: Rest Thursday: Legs Friday and Saturday: Rest Sunday: Pull Week 2 Monday and Tuesday: Rest Wednesday: Push Thursday: Legs Friday: Rest Saturday: Pull Sunday: Rest

Frank Zane’s legs at age 65.

Christine Zane

Week 3 Repeat week 1 Providing you don’t miss workouts, the pattern occurs exactly like that every two weeks. You work each bodypart twice in two weeks, and you always have Tuesdays and Fridays off. If you began on Tuesday instead of Monday, you’d have Wednesdays and Saturdays off, and Thursdays and Sundays off if you started it on Wednesday. I look back at my workouts recorded in my journal at the end of each two-week period and then plan my poundages, sets and reps for the coming two weeks—and I don’t reach involuntary plateaus. It’s a routine that’s randomized, so you don’t get acclimated to it. —Frank Zane Three-time Mr. Olympia

32 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train to Gain / HARDGAINER

The Brothers Grimm If you’re not a regular reader of this column, please get the previous few issues of IRON MAN to catch up on this series. You can apply the lessons I taught Stelios and Yiannis to transform your own bodybuilding training and results. This month let’s continue with the faults and fixes in the exercises in the brothers’ new program.

Leg Curls Faults: Incorrect setup, excessive involvement of the lower back, excessive range of motion. Fixes: Set up so that the center of your knees is lined up with the center of the pivot point and the resistance pad is against your heels (not against your lower calves). During the ascent of your feet, your hips should come off the bench slightly, to permit full contraction of the hamstrings. Your hips should rise no more than one inch. Any more than that will overstress your lower back, which can cause injury. Excessive lifting of the hips also reduces the work done by your hamstrings. Don’t exaggerate the range of motion at the bottom of the exercise. Stop the descent a few inches before your knees fully straighten.

Standing Calf Raises Faults: Incorrect setup, incorrect use of the standing calf machine, too much knee flexion. Fixes: Use a block that’s so high, it’s impossible to touch your heels to the floor even at full stretch. You’ll compress your spine if your heels hit the floor when you have a heavy weight on your shoulders. When you get positioned for the first rep of any machine standing calf raise, don’t round your back. Put the pads in position on your shoulders, pull your shoulder blades back, bend your knees, and place your feet in position correctly on the foot support. Use a hip-width foot placement rather than a feet-together stance, to help you keep your balance. Then keep your lower back slightly hollowed as you take the resistance on your shoulders. Don’t round your back. Put the balls of your feet on the block, not just your toes. Keep your big toes pointing directly forward or slightly outward and keep your knees straight or just slightly bent. An alternative to the machine calf raise is the one-legged dumbbell calf raise, with you holding a dumbbell on the same side as the working leg.

Partial Stiff-Legged Deadlifts While both brothers were using straight-bar deadlifts, only Yiannis was performing them full range from the floor. Stelios’ longer torso and shorter limbs made the full-range deadlift an inefficient, high-risk exercise. So I had him perform it in a power rack from knee height—in effect, a partial stiff-legged

A bodybuilding odyssey, part 10

deadlift. The reduced range of motion made the exercise safe for him so he could get the benefits. I’ll cover the fullrange deadlift in a later issue. Faults: Incorrect range of motion, incorrect positioning for the first rep, incorrect back positioning, asymmetrical form, leaning back at the top position, setting the bar down between reps, grip failure. Fixes: In a power rack find the pin setting that puts the bar two to three inches below your kneecaps when your knees are slightly bent. That’s the bottom position. Alternatively, set a loaded bar on boxes so that the bar’s starting position is the same as in the rack setup. Stand with your feet under the bar, heels about hip width apart and feet parallel to each other or slightly flared. Take a shoulder-width or slightly wider overhand grip. For just the first rep, bend your knees more than slightly, to help ensure correct back positioning. Hollow your lower back slightly, and, with straight elbows, shrug against the bar and pull your shoulders back and push your chest up and out. The bar won’t move unless the weight is light, but the shrug will lock your lower back into the required, hollowed position. Now, while looking forward or upward, simultaneously pull with your back and straighten your knees to move the bar. During subsequent reps, bend your knees only slightly. Your knees should straighten as you complete the lift and bend slightly once again during the descent. Keep your head up at all times, shoulder blades retracted and chest pushed up and out. During the descent push your hips rearward to help keep your lower back in the correct position. The bar should brush your knees or thighs. Lift and lower symmetrically, and don’t turn your head. Don’t lean back at the top. Stand straight, pause for a second, keep your scapulae retracted and lower back hollowed without exaggeration, and then lower the bar to the pins by bending your knees slightly and simultaneously leaning forward. Don’t rest the bar on the pins or boxes at the bottom position. Instead, pause very briefly just above the pins. Maintain a locked, hollowed lower back, with your shoulders pulled back. Smoothly move into the next rep. To keep a secure grip, use a well-knurled bar and lifter’s chalk on your hands. Eventually, when you build up to a big poundage, you may be forced to use an over-under grip. If so, alternate which way you position your hands from set to set. —Stuart McRobert www.Hardgainer.com Editor’s note: Stuart McRobert’s first byline in IRON MAN appeared in 1981. He’s the author of the new 638-page opus on bodybuilding Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look Great, available from Home Gym Warehouse (800) 447-0008 or www.Home-Gym.com.

34 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train to Gain / SPORTSMEDICINE

Dumbbell Rows for Back Growth

Neveux \ Model: Noel Thompson

One of the most popular exercises in serious gyms is the dumbbell row. It’s an easy lift to learn and works the large muscles of the upper body, producing far less lower-back discomfort than a barbell row. The dumbbell row works the large latissimus dorsi muscles of the midback; the teres major, or upper lats; the middle and lower trapezius; the rhomboids and the rear delts, as well as

the biceps, brachialis, brachioradialis and gripping muscles. The lats, upper lats and rear delts pull the upper arm backward. The middle and lower trapezius and rhomboids pull the shoulder blades closer to the spine. The biceps, brachialis and brachioradialis muscles of the arm bend, or flex, the elbow. So, as you can see, rowing motions target a significant amount of muscle mass. Many trainees include the barbell row in the early stage of their training, but it’s often dropped later for various reasons, usually lower-back pain. Trainees try to keep their upper body very still as they row, but it becomes more difficult to maintain that position as the weight increases. Other trainees move to doing the bent-over row standing on a bench, which enables them to touch the bar to the bench and then pull it toward them as their upper body returns to a position parallel to the floor. That variation usually limits the amount of weight that can be used. Many iron legends have rowed incredible weights. Hall of

Fame powerlifter David Shaw, Barbarian Brothers David and Peter Paul, former NFL strongman Pete Koch (remembered for his role as Swede in Clint Eastwood’s “Heartbreak Ridge”) and former Mr. Olympia Samir Bannout all performed barbell rows with 500 pounds. Eventually, even very strong trainees like them let the barbell row fall by the wayside. Very heavy dumbbell rows, with 220-pounders, became a viable substitute. There’s more than one way to perform a dumbbell row. One method that evolved and is believed to be very “strict” is to place one hand and one knee on a bench with the other foot on the floor and the dumbbell hanging down. Then you pull the weight in a very strict manner. There certainly are situations where that form is beneficial. If a patient has just returned from a shoulder or lower back injury or surgery, the knee on the bench will allow only so much weight to be used and only so much force to be exerted. Beginners are often taught to perform dumbbell rows that way. Once the dumbbell become relatively heavy, however, it’s difficult to maintain balance with one knee on the bench. There’s much discussion today of “stability training,” in which trainees are placed in unstable settings to force them to use various muscles to stabilize their core. The concept is a topic for another day, but there are limits to that form of training. To lift heavier weights, you must work from a stable platform. The most extreme example is Olympic weightlifting, where the lifters pull from a solid wood platform and wear lifting shoes, which are very stiff. Once they’re in a very stable position, they can pull the greatest weights at significant speed and acceleration. I assure you they have very strong cores. The same can apply to the dumbbell row. If you have both feet on the floor, spread them apart a little bit, and move the leg that’s on the same side as the dumbbell back a little, your free hand can support you on the bench. That puts you in a tripodlike position, which is very stable. You pull the dumbbell as in any row. You can let your upper body rotate slightly as you pull—the paraspinal muscles will be activated more with the slight rotation. Another variation is to pull the dumbbell toward a point where the front pocket of your sweat pants or shorts would be. That angle gives you a stronger pull than you’d get by trying to pull the dumbbell toward your chest, which could affect how your shoulder blades are pulled back. Train smart. That will let you remain in the gym making more gains. —Joseph M. Horrigan Editor’s note: Visit www.SoftTissueCenter.com for reprints of Horrigan’s past Sportsmedicine columns that have appeared in IRON MAN. You can order the books Strength, Conditioning and Injury Prevention for Hockey by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and E.J. “Doc” Kreis, D.A., and the 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Horrigan and Jerry Robinson from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008 or at www.HomeGym.com.

36 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train to Gain / OVERTRAINING

Train—and Rest—to Gain

Neveux \ Model: Mark Ryan

When I first began training more than four decades ago, I followed exercise routines published in the magazines to the letter. I recall using the current Mr. America’s workout routines each year, feeling that if it worked for him, it would work for me. My adolescent mind hadn’t yet grasped the notion of individual genetic responses to exercise, nor had I any concept of overtraining. One routine that I used featured 70 sets for chest alone, and the total workout required five to six hours of daily training. The only reason I likely survived was my age—14. It seems silly now, but many young people still follow often poorly designed workout programs they see in magazines. These days, of course, the men featured are often taking anabolic drugs, which dramatically increase exercise recovery ability. Those who attempt to duplicate their routines without pharmacological assistance are doomed to failure. I see routines in the magazines and online that are simply disastrous. They will definitely produce results—but not the kind that the users of such wacky programs are seeking. One article suggested that you train arms six days a week. Such training is guaranteed to lead to muscle catabolism, reflected by a loss of size and strength. Writers of such drivel are living in their own world, and it’s significant that they never show the gains they or their clients made on such “super” routines. A recent rat study clearly illustrates what happens when you get a bit overenthusiastic about your training. The authors note that muscle gains result when exercise activates certain hormonal and signaling factors in muscle. If all goes well, muscle protein synthesis is increased, leading to muscle gains. The initial recovery of trained muscle also has an inflammatory component, however, and while inflammation is initially necessary to clear out muscle debris and so on, it can be counterproductive if it persists for an extended time. Indeed, a major component of the loss of muscle with age is out-of-control inflammation, setting the stage for catabolic processes that lead to a loss of muscular size and strength. In the study, the rats did a compressed form of overtraining, termed “stacked” exercise by the authors. Specifically, the rats did four bouts of 3x10 reps of squatting exercise, separated by three hours of recovery. That resulted in an acute suppression of insulinlike growth factor 1 release in muscle and also suppressed muscle protein synthesis factors. Locally

produced IGF-1 in muscle as a result of training is required for muscle repair and regeneration. It activates special muscle stem cells called satellite cells. Adequate muscle glycogen, or carbohydrate stored in muscle, is also needed to fuel muscle recovery, but the amount of exercise also suppresses muscle glycogen. The lack of muscle glycogen then switches on a protein called AMPK, which lets the muscle use alternative fuels, such as fat. But a side effect of AMPK is suppressed muscle protein synthesis. The authors note that excessive exercise suppresses gene expression and reduces the force of anabolic factors in muscle. While all that is going on, muscle inflammation increases, fostered by the excessive exercise. That tips the balance toward catabolism, leading to no gains or even a loss of muscle. The inflammatory cytokines that rise in muscle after intense training, such as tissue necrosis factor-A, block anabolism in muscle and promote catabolic pathways. The authors note, “These results indicate that adequate recovery between resistance bouts is important for reducing inflammatory signaling and subsequent protein degradation in muscle.” They add that those effects impair anabolic processes in muscle for up to 48 hours after training. The lesson is that more is definitely not better. Steer clear of those self-styled Internet experts who recommend “high volume, high frequency” overload training to make spectacular gains. For maximal training progress, allow enough time for complete recovery between workouts. In simple terms, rest at least 48 to 72 hours before training the same muscle group again to give the inflammation a chance to recede. —Jerry Brainum

38 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Triceps Training Tips and Myths Q: Can you give me some tips for isolating each head of the triceps? A: One key to making the fastest gains possible is controlling the variables of training. Tempo, rest intervals, frequency and exercise selection are among the loading parameters I look at closely when designing workouts. Another variable to consider is body position, an oftenoverlooked aspect of training. Many bodybuilders—and strength coaches, for that matter—regurgitate and perpetuate training ideas that are off base, such as: Leg extensions can develop cuts in

the quads, high-rep twists with a broomstick will trim the waist, and close-grip presses will target some mysterious muscle group called the inner pectorals. One reason those nonsensical ideas have persisted for so long is that top bodybuilders often endorse them, and their big muscles suggest that they know what they’re talking about. If it were revealed in the latest issue of Hypertrophy Today that Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler used triceps kickbacks “to sharpen the shoehorn edges of his mammoth triceps,” young bodybuilders would tend to believe it. What’s even more absurd is that the bodybuilders such stories are written about often have nothing to do with the story. One writer I know who’s published hundreds of training articles in national magazines told me that when he calls champion bodybuilders for interviews for training articles, the muscleheads often tell him they don’t care what he writes as long as he includes a plug for their guest-posing services. Bodybuilding urban legends aside, strength training and bodybuilding have evolved thanks to sophisticated testing methods, including muscle biopsies and electromyography. In one of the more creative research endeavors, sport-scientist Per A. Tesch, Ph.D., used magnetic resonance imaging to determine exactly how hard specific muscles worked during numerous common strength-training exercises. For example, Tesch had subjects perform various types of squats to see which areas of the upper-leg muscles worked the hardest during each exercise. His book Target Bodybuilding (Human Kinetics; available at HomeGym.com) provides a summary of those results. Although MRIs have their limitations, such research gives us data we can use to make more intelligent decisions about training to achieve specific goals. We use research so that we can take exercise selection one step further by looking at how body position affects recruitment. Performing a triceps extension from a seated position with Neveux \ Model: Danny Hester

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medial head gets more work at the end of the range of motion. At the bottom of the range, however, the prime mover is the lateral head. You also need to consider your hand position. Simply stated, pronation means “palm down,” and supination means “palms up.” When your palm is pronated, the lateral head is usually more active, whereas when the palm is supinated, the medial head works harder. How about a practical example? If you’ve got poor medial triceps development and want to break a plateau in arm development, superset the following: A-1: Decline EZ-curl-bar triceps extensions with chains, 4 x 6-8 with a 4/1/1/0 tempo, rest 10 seconds. I use chains because they provide resistance that creates a better overload on the medial head.

Neveux \ Model: Benais Begovic

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The farther away your arms are from your belly button, the more long-head recruitment you get. elbows perpendicular to the floor, for example, doesn’t have the same strength-training stimulus as performing the exercise from a seated position with the elbows parallel to the floor. That example demonstrates that the approach many exercise gurus take of limiting the variety in their workout programs to “Keep it simple, stupid” is simply stupid. A smarter approach is to look at how body position affects the triceps, specifically the differences produced by performing triceps extensions on flat, incline or decline surfaces. Keep in mind that the triceps has three heads: long, lateral and medial. Because the three heads join at a common tendon to insert on the forearm, it’s impossible to purely isolate one single head. By changing your position to change the orientation of your upper arm in relation to gravity and to your torso, however, you can affect the percentage of contribution of each muscle. Here are some specifics: Incline to perpendicular. The farther away your arms are from your belly button, the more long-head recruitment you get. Exercises for that area include triceps extensions performed on an incline bench (incline position) and overhead triceps extensions (perpendicular position). Flat. Performing triceps exercises on a flat bench increases the contribution of the lateral and long heads. Decline. As your arms get closer to your torso, which occurs during exercises performed on a decline bench, the

A-2: Decline elbows-under-the-bar close-grip bench presses, 4 x 6-8 with a 3/0/X/0 tempo, rest two minutes. That elbow orientation, with the arms close to the torso, maximizes medial-head recruitment. I hope you get a chance to attend our seminars to learn more about the effects of body position on musclefiber recruitment. There is much, much more exciting information available on the subject—just as there are many common myths that need to

be forgotten. Q: Is the old “gram of protein per pound of bodyweight” rule still good? I hear some coaches say we need less—like a gram per pound of lean body weight only—and some recommend 300 grams a day for a 200-pounder. A: For a 200-pound lean male, 300 grams of protein per day would be the minimum. In fact, I think the rule should be closer to two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, assuming the person is lean. For about 70 percent of the population—those who aren’t carb tolerant—two grams per pound is good for mass gains. It can make a huge difference. Personally, I couldn’t get above 192 pounds until bodybuilder Milos Sarcev persuaded me to start taking in two grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. In no time I was up to 205 lean. Now, if a person handles carbohydrates very well, that value would drop to one to 1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight. Someone like my colleague Christian Thibaudeau, who’s not carb tolerant, should be getting two grams per pound. But for a guy like Milos Sarcev, who can wake up and drink a gallon of 50 percent maple syrup/50 percent dextrose without its affecting his blood sugar, I’d say one to 1.5 grams. Guys like Milos, however, do need to get 70 percent of their calories from carbs.

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Drink up. Dehydration can result in high cortisol levels and increased fat storage.

Q: How important is water intake for muscle growth?

Neveux \ Model: Greg Smyers

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 Charles Training Poliquin’s

Your body adapts to steady-state cardio work after about six weeks.

A: Water is often the most neglected nutrient. Dehydration leads to higher cortisol output and repercussions ranging from increased oxidative stress on the brain to increased fat storage. As a rule of thumb you should drink 0.6 to 0.7 ounces for every pound of bodyweight. In other words, if you weigh 200 pounds, you should drink 120 to 140 ounces of water a day. An easy way to ensure that you’re drinking your proper daily quota is to measure your prescribed amount out in containers for the day every morning. By bedtime all the containers should be empty. When first starting this hydration protocol, many individuals realize that they’ve barely drunk 40 percent of their water needs by the time they retire for the evening. That in itself is very educational. The best indication that you’re

The notion that lowintensity cardiovascular work is superior to highintensity work was refuted years ago. staying well hydrated is that your morning urine is clear. If it has the color of Vermont’s finest maple syrup, drink up. Q: Why don’t you like low-intensity, “steady-state” cardiovascular work for fat loss? A: With low-intensity, steady-state cardiovascular work, your body usually reaches maximal adaptations after six to eight weeks—for life. It’s therefore better to move on to interval training if you want very rapid fat-loss results. Although aerobics gurus call for a single cardiovascular training protocol for maximum weight loss, research suggests otherwise. Further, the notion that low-intensity cardiovascular work is superior to high-intensity work was refuted years ago in a study published in the July 1994 issue of Metabolism, “Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle Metabolism.” The authors reported: “The results of the present study show that for a given level of energy expenditure, a high-intensity training program includes a greater loss of subcutaneous fat compared with a training program of moderate intensity.” 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 245. IM

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\ JULY 2006 181

Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission NUTRITION SCIENCE

The Acid Factor From a dietary standpoint, muscle growth results when anabolic factors predominate over catabolic factors. Anabolic factors include a hormonal milieu favorable to promoting gains in muscular size and strength—such as higher levels of testosterone and growth hormone and a controlled release of insulin at the right time. The primary catabolic hormone is cortisol, secreted from

Is it sabotaging your muscle gains?

the cortex area of the adrenal glands, which sit just on top of the kidneys. A high-protein diet is also vital for encouraging anabolism in muscle because the components of protein foods, amino acids, are directly involved in muscle protein synthesis. Amino acids also help curb the effects of cortisol. Cortisol is released when the body is under high stress and has a protec-

Older people are more susceptible to acidosis, which can lead to muscle loss; however, eating high protein and low carbs can put the brakes on muscle growth even in younger people.

tive role in that regard. In fact, a lack of cortisol can lead to death if a massive stress event, such as shock, ensues. Exercise itself is a form of stress that’s beneficial under the right conditions. The body reacts to exercise by upregulating the muscular and cardiovascular systems. On the other hand, the body also has a finite capacity for that. Excess stress can overwhelm the body’s defenses, leading to disease. Overtraining constitutes excess stress, which results in a loss of muscle because the body can’t cope with an overabundance of induced stress. A less recognized cause of muscle loss, which is common among many bodybuilders, involves alterations in the body’s acid-alkaline balance. The body functions best within a certain range of pH, which is a measure of acidity. Every bodybuilder is familiar with the burn induced by an intense set. The burn is caused by a buildup of hydrogen ions, signaling that the end of that particular set is near. Energy-producing enzymes in muscle fail under high-acid conditions, leading to muscular contraction failure. The body is also affected, however, by systemic acidity. While high acidity often happens during pathological conditions, such as a heart attack or kidney failure, a more subtle form often isn’t immediately recognized. Systemic metabolic acidity relates to diet, specifically an imbalance between high-acid-producing and alkaline-based foods. Most highprotein foods, along with cereal and wheat products, are high acid. Protein generates acid because of the presence of certain amino acids that contain sulfur—methioNeveux \ Model: Ed Myska

EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EA

to Grow

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nine, cysteine and taurine. The sulfur content of the aminos encourages the production of acid, mainly highly caustic sulfuric acid. The body normally neutralizes the excess acid with various buffers, which include bicarbonate, phosphate and carnosine in muscle. The buffer system is aided by the intake of foods rich in alkaline minerals, such as potassium, magnesium and calcium. Alkaline foods are mainly fruits and vegetables. What happens when you eat a highprotein diet and no alkaline foods? Studies show that most people lean toward a high-acid diet, mainly because they don’t eat enough fruits and vegetables. As people age, their kidney function declines, and the kidneys are the primary organ that excretes excess acid. As a result, many older people are in a chronic state of mild acidosis. Other studies show that obese people on fat-loss diets are also susceptible to becoming mildly acidic. The higher acid levels that result from such diets can lead to a loss of muscle, which in turn results in a lower resting metabolic rate—which just about ensures a regain of the lost bodyfat. Other studies show that supplying a buffer, such as potassium bicarbonate, stops the loss of muscle. An easier way to do that would be to just eat more fruits and vegetables. In response to a higher acid level in the body, cortisol levels rise, leading to a breakdown of muscle tissue. When the amino acids that are released from muscle enter the blood, they travel to the liver, where they are converted into glutamine. The kidneys use glutamine to synthesize ammonia. The ammonia molecules readily accept acid protons and are then excreted as ammonium ions, which leads to acid excretion and lower blood acidity. That’s a primary buffering system of the body, but it also explains the connection between high body acidity and loss of muscle. The scenario gets worse with age,

Balance your protein intake with sufficient helpings of fruits and vegetables to create a more alkaline and anabolic environment.

as kidney function often declines by an average of 40 percent in older people. A recent study found that older adults who eat more alkalinebased foods, as determined by excretion of potassium, a primary alkaline mineral, experience less loss of muscle than those who eat only high-acid foods. The authors suggest that seniors who eat fruits and vegetables in addition to enough protein will stave off the loss of muscle that leads to frailty. Another interesting recent study focused on 1,136 young women, age range 18 to 22, to identify any association between an acid/alkaline imbalance and cardiovascular risk factors. The study found positive links between high-acid food intake and high blood pressure, increased total and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and, surprisingly, a larger waist, which is associated with the metabolic syndrome. Those effects were thought to be related to an increased amount of cortisol induced by high-acid food intake, coupled with a loss of minerals that act as buffers in the body, such as calcium and citrate. What does it all mean to a hard-training bodybuilder? As I’ve pointed out in regard to low-carb dieting, one of

the main problems with following a high-protein, low-carb diet is the increased acidity. Some claim that such diets lead to loss of muscle, often incorrectly attributing it to a lack of carbs. It’s not the carbs—it’s the high acidity; high acid favors more cortisol. The cure is simple: Eat more fruits and vegetables. Those who don’t should get enough alkaline minerals, such as potassium and magnesium, as well as citrate, to offset the higher acidity of a high-protein diet. Eating more alkaline foods is far better, though, because they provide other nutrients often lacking in high-protein diets, such as fiber. —Jerry Brainum

References Hughes-Dawson, B., et al. (2008). Alkaline diets favor lean tissue mass in older adults. Am J Clin Nutr. 87:662665. Murakami, K., et al. (2008). Association between dietary acid-base load and cardiometabolic risk factors in young Japanese women. Brit J Nutr. 18:1-10.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 51

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to Grow NUTRITION NOTES

Food Facts That can affect your workouts, weight and wellness

Neveux

Tomatoes or tomato products (like ketchup or tomato juice) in your daily diet can lower LDL, or bad, cholesterol, by almost 15 percent. Lemon or vinegar on your food or salad or lemon in your drinking water can ease indigestion. Lemon and vinegar increase stomach acidity, which improves the digestive process.

HORMONES

A Problem With Plastic In the July ’08 IRON MAN, my item “Bottled-Water Whoas” discussed the negative impact bottled drinking water is having on our environment—from adding to landfills to the waste created in making the bottles. I also mentioned the health problems that turn up when bottled water is left in the heat, such as a closed car in the summer—chemicals can leach from the plastic into the water—however, it’s not just plastic bottles we need to be aware of. Many people boil water and pour it into plastic containers to make iced tea. They also heat up food in microwave ovens in plastic containers. When exposed to excessive heat, a lot of the plastics, including polycarbonate drinking bottles, release excessive amounts of bisphenol A, a chemical that mimics estrogen. BPA has been shown to create problems with reproduction and brain development in lab animals. If it mimics estrogen, guys, it can’t be good for your testosterone and muscle growth. You may want to ditch the plastic drinking bottles and purchase one of the safer metal types now on the market. —Becky Holman X-tremeLean.com

Citrus fruits, such as oranges, appear to prevent and/or reduce wrinkles. Researchers believe it’s the vitamin C content, as C is key in the formation of collagen, the substance that repairs and rejuvenates skin, tendons and ligaments. Skim milk is a good postworkout drink if you can’t afford the recovery powders. If you drink 24 ounces, you get 30 grams of protein and 40 grams of carbs. If you go the chocolate milk route, 24 ounces give you 30 grams of protein and about 80 grams of carbs. Go for the chocolate when you’re not dieting. Honey appears to have antiaging benefits. Studies with mice found that those getting honey in their diets had better memories and were less anxious. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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

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to Grow FAT L O S S

Green Tea to Get Lean In a recent study a group of researchers managed to separate the normal fat-burning effects produced by exercise and compare them to what happens when green tea is drunk before the exercise.1 The two-part study featured 12 young men, average age 26. In the first part they took a capsule containing ingredients equivalent to 3 1/2 cups of green tea three times a day, the last one hour before exercise. Other subjects got a placebo containing corn flour. The exercise consisted of 30 minutes of cycling at an intensity equal to 60 percent of maximum heart rate—low-intensity exercise that past studies have shown is optimal for fat oxidation. In the second part of the study 11 of the men took an oral glucose-tolerance test before and after taking green tea capsules. Those who took the green tea capsules had a 17 percent greater contribution of fat to energy expenditure during exercise than those who took the placebo. That scale of fat oxidation was over and above what usually occurs during exercise, pointing to a definite green tea effect. The second part of the study showed that green tea increased insulin sensitivity by 13 percent, which reduces the insulin response to a glucose load by 15 percent. Green tea is known to modulate glucose metabolism. It boosts the activity of GLUT4, the primary carrier of glucose into muscle, which itself would increase insulin sensitivity. It also mimics the effects of insulin cell receptor binding, thus boosting glucose uptake into cells. Through encouraging the oxidation rather than the storage of fat, green tea reduces intramuscular fat increase. That’s significant because that kind of fat can also produce insulin resistance—although not in those who work out regularly. As for fat oxidation, one mechanism involves the inhibition of an enzyme that breaks down catecholamines, such as nor-

New fat-burning evidence

epinephrine, which are involved in fat oxidation. Prolonging the activity of catecholamines results in greater fat oxidation. Green tea also elevates the amount of various proteins involved in fat transport and oxidation, especially if used for longer periods. Green tea is known to reduce the content of malonyl coenzyme-A, the substance produced by carbohydrates that blocks fat oxidation during exercise. The effect would be to increase the potency of carnitine transport of fat into the mitochondria for fat oxidation, a.k.a. beta oxidation. Another study, this time involving isolated fat cells, found that green tea can inhibit the development of new fat cells.2 The mechanism involved an inhibition of GPDH, an enzyme, along with the inhibition of PPAR-gamma, a protein that boosts bodyfat. Green tea acts as an oxidant in fat cells—but that’s good because it activates AMPK, a protein that stimulates fat oxidation in muscle during exercise. Green tea is not a miracle fat burner, and taking green tea supplements is not a license to eat whatever you want. It’s a dietary aid that enhances fat oxidation. Unlike many other touted “fat burners,” green tea at least has significant research backing up the claim. —Jerry Brainum

References 1 Venables, M.C., et al. (2008). Green tea extract ingestion, fat oxidation, and glucose tolerance in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 87:778-784. 2 Seuk-Moon, H., et al. (2007). Inhibitory effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate on lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells. Obesity. 15:2571-2582.

CANCER ANSWERS

APPETITE ARRESTERS

Grape Expectations

Oral Fixation

According to new research out of the University of California, Irvine, eating grapes regularly (or drinking red wine) may help prevent colon cancer. In a study conducted there, patients with colon tumors were given 80 milligrams of grape powder daily, which is equal to about three small servings of grapes or half a glass of wine. That significantly reduced cancer activity. Note that supplementing with resveratrol, the compound believed to be the cancer fighter in grapes, didn’t have the same effect. Go for real grapes, grape juice, raisins or red wine, not resveratrol supplements. —Becky Holman X-tremeLean.com

In a recent study reported in BottomLine Health newsletter, subjects who chewed gum for 15 minutes every hour for the three hours before eating a snack ate 39 fewer calories than those who did not chew gum. While that doesn’t sound all that significant, it shows that chewing gum can diminish the desire to eat—plus, you’re burning calories via continuous jaw exercise. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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Eat Protein, Lose Bodyfat It’s high time you left behind those who are stuck in a carbohydrate-centric world. Unless you plan to run 26.2 miles or compete in the Ironman World Championships, having a dietary focus on carbohydrates is like watching the Pussycat Dolls and focusing on their ankles. The most important nutritional factors when it comes to losing bodyfat are what? If you answered protein and fat, go to the head of the class. Those are the two macronutrients that you must emphasize. Especially protein. Scientific studies have shown that a high-protein intake combined with aerobic and resistance exercise can improve body composition and cardiovascular risk profile more than a traditional—that is, low—protein intake combined with moderate-intensity aerobic exercise. In fact, the popular notion that those looking to lose weight should limit themselves to 15 percent protein is part of the nonsense promulgated by mainstream clinicians with waist circumferences that come eerily close to the average yearly snowfall in Buffalo. What happens when you eat more protein? Let’s find out. Twenty-four overweight or obese men and women were randomly assigned to one of three groups for a three-month nutrition and exercise intervention: 1) High-protein diet and high-intensity resistance and cardiovascular training (high protein + exercise) 2) Moderate-protein diet combined with high-intensity resistance and cardiovascular training (moderate protein + exercise) 3) High-protein diet only (high protein + no exercise) Interestingly, all groups experienced significant and similar losses of bodyweight, body mass index and total and abdomi-

nal percentages of bodyfat and similar improvements in insulin sensitivity. So eating lots of protein by itself is a way to lose bodyfat. Also, the high protein + exercise group had decreased total cholesterol and triglycerides and increased insulinlike growth factor 1 and IGFBP-1. The moderate protein + exercise group experienced decreases in total cholesterol too, whereas the high protein + no exercise group had increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol-to-HDL, IGF-1 and IGFBP-1. This study points out several key issues: 1) To improve body composition, just eat more protein. 2) High-protein diets are good for your health. 3) High-protein diets are good for your heart.1 4) Don’t get your dietary advice from the American Heart Association. To expand on that last point, here is some brilliance from that vaunted group: “The American Heart Association doesn’t recommend high-protein diets for weight loss. Some of these diets restrict healthful foods that provide essential nutrients and don’t provide the variety of foods needed to adequately meet nutritional needs. People who stay on these diets very long may not get enough vitamins and minerals and face other potential health risks.”2 What, pray tell, is the AHA talking about? —Jose Antonio, Ph.D. Editor’s note: Listen to Dr. Jose Antonio and Carla Sanchez on their radio show Performance Nutrition, Web- and podcast at www.performance nutritionshow.com. Dr. Antonio is the CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutrition—www.TheISSN.org. His other Web sites include www.SupplementCoach.com, www.Javafit.com, www .PerformanceNutrition Show.com and www.Jose AntonioPhD.com.

References 1 Arciero,

P. J., et al. (2008). Moderate protein intake improves total and regional body composition and insulin sensitivity in overweight adults. Metabolism. 57:757-765. 2 American Heart Association. (2008). High-Protein Diets. Retrieved from American Heart Association Web site, www.AmericanHeart.org.

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Arginine’s Anabolic Connection

Neveux \ Model: Sagi Kalev

Most bodybuilders are familiar with the amino acid L-arginine because it’s often touted as a “growth hormone” releaser. Various forms of arginine have recently played a starring role in sports supplements used to boost nitric oxide. Since arginine is the main dietary precursor of nitric oxide, it makes sense for NO-boosting supplements to feature it. Increasing NO may boost vasodilation, resulting in an increased muscle pump during training. As I pointed out recently in IRON MAN, NO does a number of other things that are beneficial to health and training. Arginine is classified as a conditionally essential amino acid. That means the nutritional requirement for arginine rises under certain conditions. Among other functions, arginine is involved in the detoxification of ammonia, which is produced as a result of the metabolism of amino acids. With the participation of arginine, potentially toxic ammonia is converted into urea, which is excreted from the kidneys. Arginine is also a glucogenic amino acid, meaning that it can be converted into glucose, the circulating form of sugar in the blood. That process happens in the liver and is called gluconeogenesis. Arginine is involved in the synthesis of various important body compounds, such as creatine, polyamines,

ornithine and citrulline. Adding arginine to creatine supplements does not offer any benefits, because the limiting factor in the conversion of arginine into creatine is an enzyme rather than arginine itself. The most overlooked aspect of arginine is its effect on muscle protein synthesis. While the branchedchain amino acids, particularly leucine, are most associated with muscle protein synthesis, all essential amino acids are actively involved in the process. More recent evidence shows that arginine mimics many of the effects of BCAAs in regard to muscle protein synthesis. One recent study used rabbits as subjects. The authors note that under severe catabolic conditions, such as burn injuries, the requirement for arginine rises. Past studies show that arginine greatly aids wound healing. At first, the effect was attributed to increased growth hormone release. Later, when arginine was identified as the primary source of NO, the increased blood circulation fostered by NO was thought to be the cornerstone of arginine’s healing effects. The most recent studies indicate that the source of arginine’s healing power is its involvement in stimulating protein synthesis. BCAAs are involved in the same thing. The rabbit study involved wounds to the animals’ skin and muscle. One focus was whether the healing effect of arginine involved increased NO release in the wound area. The researchers gave the animals a chemical that blocks NO production. That had no effect on the increased muscle protein synthesis that occurred after the animals were given arginine, although the blood flow to the wounded area was markedly reduced, confirming that NO was blocked. The researchers also ruled out increased insulin release, since plasma glucose didn’t decrease, as would have occurred with upgraded insulin release. What they found was that arginine stimulated the movement of amino acids from blood into muscle. That increased amino acid availability and, consequently, muscle protein synthesis. The downside is that while you can duplicate the results of the experiment in humans, it would require an intake of arginine of 3.1 grams per hour for several hours. A possible side effect would be excess production of NO, resulting in a drop in blood pressure. The main point, however, is that arginine spurs muscle protein synthesis independent of NO—one more aspect of a versatile amino acid. Also consider that the dose suggested above is about what many bodybuilders take anyway in various protein or NO supplements. The muscle protein synthesis effect is a bonus of getting a lot of arginine. —Jerry Brainum Zhang, X.J., et al. (2008). The anabolic effect of arginine on proteins in skin wound and muscle is independent of nitric oxide production. Clin Nutr. In press.

58 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train, Eat,

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Muscle-Training Program 108

IRON MAN Training & Research Center

From the

by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson Photography by Michael Neveux If you’ve been following our TEG series, you know that we’ve been training four days a week, working legs only once, every Tuesday. Recently, however, we were forced to train only three days, which caused us to stumble onto a killer split for those who have limited time and/or recovery—older trainees, listen up. Before we get to that, let’s take a look at our normal four-day split: Week 1 Monday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back Wednesday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Thursday: Off Friday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs Weekend: Off (with cardio) Week 2 Monday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves, lower back Wednesday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs

Thursday: Off Friday: Delts, midback, biceps, forearms Weekend: Off (with cardio) Week 3 Repeat Week 1 To reiterate, we work legs only once a week on that split. For some indirect leg work we were substituting regular deadlifts for the back routine on Friday, but as we got leaner and more depleted during our ripping phase, we eliminated that due to recovery issues—a.k.a. having trouble getting out of bed. The current version of our four-day routine appears on page 66. As we mentioned, the hybrid split we devised is only three days per week. You still train legs only once, but the two upper-body workouts are compressed into one session that you perform twice a week, Monday and Friday. How do you keep the time down when you’re training so many bodyparts at one session? The heavy/light system. We’ll elaborate on that in a moment: First here’s a snapshot of the innovative threeday split (H = heavy; L = light):

Monday: Chest (H), delts (L), lats (H), midback (L), triceps (H), biceps (L), forearms Wednesday: Quads, hamstrings, calves, abs, lower back Friday: Delts (H), chest (L), midback (H), lats (L), triceps (L), biceps (H), forearms Notice that the bodypart order changes on the two upper-body days. On Monday, chest is heavy, so it’s first, before light delts. On Friday, however, delts get a heavy hit, so they’re first, with light chest work following. The same is true of lats and midback. Lats get hit heavy on Monday, so they’re first, with light midback after; on Friday, heavy midback is first, followed by light lats. Biceps and triceps get the heavy/ light treatment as well, but they don’t swap positions. Why? If you train biceps first, the pump you get acts as a forearm buffer on triceps work—a fully engorged biceps becomes a fulcrum that can slightly force the elbow joint apart in the stretch position of some triceps exercises. That could eventually result in injury, so we prefer to always

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

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

Train, Eat,

GROW

The bent-over dumbbell row is a very efficient midback exercise—you get some stretch at the bottom as the ’bells move together, you get a good contraction at the top as the dumbbells move apart, and you squeeze your scapulae together. train triceps before biceps. What about heavy/light for legs? That’s not necessary because you train them only once a week. You

part pairings: Chest (heavy) Incline presses High cable flyes (drop) Bench presses Dumbbell flyes Low cable flyes (drop)

2 x 8-10 1 x 8(6) 2 x 8-10 1 x 8-10 1 x 8(6)

Delts (light) Dumbbell upright rows 2 x 10-12 Lateral raises 1 x 10-12 Incline one-arm laterals 1 x 10-12 You need to take note of a few things when comparing the heavy chest program and the light delt workout: 1) The reps are lower on heavy chest. 2) You use more volume on heavy chest, primarily with the addition of drop sets on isolation exercises—two sets back to back with a weight reduction on the second.

should always train them heavy, although you can work in some lighter, higher-rep sets as well. Let’s look at a few sample body-

3) You use full 3D POF for each bodypart; however, the order on the last two exercises is reversed on light delts. That provides variety and gives you a fascia-expansion effect. You pump the muscle with occlusion from the contracted-position exercise first—lateral raises—then follow with a stretch-position exercise—incline one-arm lateral raises—to stretch the fascia that encases the muscle fibers. Theoretically, the fascia loosening can result in more growth. 4) There are no pressing exercises in the delt program; that’s because you do four heavy sets of pressing for chest before training delts. At the next workout, when you train delts heavy, you add a delt-pressing move, as shown below:

Model: Skip La Cour

You don’t do overhead presses for delts on light day because of all the heavy pressing you do on chest beforehand. Heavy overhead presses enter the picture on heavy delt day.

Delts (heavy) Dumbbell upright rows Incline one-arm laterals (drop) Dumbbell presses Lateral raises (drop) Chest (light) Bench presses High cable flyes Dumbbell flyes

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2 x 8-10 1 x 8(6) 2 x 8-10 1 x 8(6) 2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12

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Train, Eat,

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Notice that the light chest routine is more abbreviated—you don’t train every position for each pec section. You choose which ones you cover, depending on your development. If your upper chest is weak, you may want to focus on that

deficiency—for example, incline presses, high cable flyes and then low cable flyes. Just remember that the most critical workout for each bodypart is its heavy day. Try to train all the positions of flexion and also use some

extended-set techniques like drop sets and X Reps. Really hammer a bodypart on its heavy day. On light day go only to positive muscle failure or, stop one or two reps short. You’re striving for a pump without too much muscle damage. Let’s look

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 108 Workout 1: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Superset High-low cable flyes (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Incline flyes (X only) 1 x 12-15 Superset Wide-grip dips (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Dumbbell bench presses or pushups 2 x 8-10 Superset Low cable flyes (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Dumbbell flyes 1 x 8-10 Wide-grip pulldowns (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Chins (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Superset Stiff-arm pulldowns or machine pullovers 1 x 8-10 Rope rows or undergrip pulldowns 1 x 8-10 Dumbbell pullovers 1 x 8-10 Lying extensions (drop to dumbbells) 1 x 9(6) Superset Decline extensions 1 x 8-10 Decline close-grip bench presses 1 x 8-10 Tri-set Undergrip pushdowns 1 x 10-12 Pushdowns 1 x 10-12 Bench dips 1 x 8-10 Superset Dumbbell overhead extensions 1 x 8-10 Cable pushouts (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset Incline kneeups 1 x 12-15 Flat-bench leg raises 1 x 8-10 Tri-set Ab Bench crunches 1 x 10-12 Twisting crunches 1 x 10-15 End-of-bench kneeups 1 x 9-12

Workout 3: Delts, Midback, Biceps, Forearms

1 x 18-20 1 x 10-15

Dumbbell upright rows (X Reps; rest/pause) 2 x 9-12 Forward-lean lateral raises (drop; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) Smith-machine behind-the-neck presses 1 x 9-12 Seated dumbbell presses (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Superset One-arm cable laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Leaning laterals 1 x 8-10 Bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Superset Dumbbell shrugs (DXO or stage style) 1 x 9-12 Cable upright rows (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(7) Machine rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Horizontal chins (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Chest-supported dumbbell rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Superset Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Preacher curls 2 x 9-12 Cable curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Concentration curls (drop) 1 x 9(6) One-arm spider curls 1 x 9-12 Incline curls 1 x 9-12 Tri-set Dumbbell reverse wrist curls 1 x 10-15 Forearm Bar reverse wrist curls 1 x 8-10 Cable reverse curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Tri-set Dumbbell wrist curls 1 x 10-15 Barbell wrist curls 1 x 8-10 Rockers 1 x 12-15

1 x 10-12 1 x 8-10

Seated calf raises (X Reps)

Workout 2: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Lower Back Leg extensions (warmup) Squats Superset Hack squats (X Reps) Leg presses Superset Leg extensions (drop; X Reps) Sissy squats Feet-forward Smith-machine squats Leg curls (X Reps) Leg curls (drop; X Reps) Stiff-legged deadlifts

Knee-extension leg press calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12-15 Standing calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12-18 Superset Hack machine calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-15 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Leg press calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-18 Hyperextensions or Nautilus lower-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 10-15

2 x 10(6) 2 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 9-12 1 x 10(6) 1 x 9-12

Friday: Add soleus work 1-2 x 15-20

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.

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The biceps and triceps routines are abbreviated. You can do full 3D POF for your arms if you have time, but keep in mind that the bi’s and tri’s get a lot of work when you train chest, delts and back beforehand. IRON MAN Training & Research Center Home-Gym Program 108 Knee-extension donkey calf raises 2 x 12-15 Donkey calf raises 2 x 12-15 One-leg calf raises 2 x 15-20 Seated calf raises 1 x 12-20 Hyperextensions 1 x 10-15

Monday: Chest (H), Delts (L), Lats (H), Midback (L), Triceps (H), Biceps (L), Forearms Incline presses 2 x 8-10 Incline flyes (drop) 1 x 8(6) Bench presses 2 x 8-10 Decline flyes (drop) 1 x 8(6) Dumbbell upright rows 2 x 10-12 Lateral raises 1 x 10-12 Incline one-arm laterals 1 x 10-12 Chins 2 x 8-10 Dumbbell pullovers (drop) 1 x 8(6) Undergrip bent-over rows (drop) 1 x 8(6) Dumbbell bent-over rows 2 x 10-12 Shrugs 1 x 10-12 Lying extensions 2 x 8-10 Overhead dumbbell extensions (drop) 1 x 8(6) Barbell curls 2 x 10-12 Concentration curls 1 x 10-12 Rockers 1 x 15-20

Friday: Delts (H), Chest (L), Midback (H), Lats (L), Triceps (L), Biceps (H), Forearms

Wednesday: Quads, Hamstrings, Calves, Lower Back Leg extensions (warmup) Squats Sissy squats Leg extensions Walking lunges Stiff-legged deadlifts Leg curls

1 x 15-20 3 x 9-12 2 x 9-12 2 x 9-12 1 x 10-15 2 x 9-12 2 x 9-12

Dumbbell upright rows 2 x 8-10 Incline one-arm laterals (drop) 1 x 8(6) Dumbbell presses 2 x 8-10 Lateral raises (drop) 1 x 8(6) Bench presses 2 x 10-12 Incline flyes 1 x 10-12 Decline flyes 1 x 10-12 Bent-over rows 2 x 8-10 One-arm dumbbell rows (drop) 1 x 8(6) Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop) 1 x 8(6) Shrugs 1 x 8-10 Undergrip chins 2 x 10-12 Lying extensions 2 x 10-12 Kickbacks 1 x 10-12 Barbell curls 2 x 8-10 Incline curls (drop) 1 x 8(6) Rockers 1 x 15-20

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.

at the back workouts: Lats (heavy) Chins 2 x 8-10 Dumbbell pullovers (drop)1 x 8(6) Stiff-arm pulldowns (drop)1 x 8(6) Midback (light) Dumbbell bent-over rows Shrugs

2 x 10-12 1 x 10-12

You train all of the positions of flexion for lats on heavy day, but you use only two exercises for light midback. As we’ve mentioned here before, the bent-over dumbbell row is a very efficient midback exercise—you get some stretch at the bottom as the ’bells move together, you get a good contraction at the top as the dumbbells move apart, and you squeeze your scapulae together. Plus, you get muscle synergy from your lats and biceps. We like to use chest support to keep the reps fairly strict. Finish with shrugs for your upper traps. That’s a great, efficient light-day midback attack. Now let’s look at the other back day: Midback (heavy) Machine rows V-handle cable rows (drop) Bent-arm bent-over laterals (drop) Lats (light) Undergrip pulldowns

2 x 8-10 1 x 8(6) 1 x 8(6) 2 x 10-12

Keep in mind that there’s a lot of crossover with those two muscle groups—when you work your midback, you train your lats indirectly and vice versa. That being so, you really need only one exercise on light lat day—undergrip pulldowns. That exercise is to lats what bentover dumbbell rows are to midback: You get some lat stretch at the top, a good lat contraction at the bottom and muscle synergy from the biceps and midback. Very efficient. If you’re like us, you probably appreciate an entire program laid out for you with all of the above plugged in. That’s what we’ve done on this page, and we’ve made it a homegym version with basic equipment. You can adapt it to your time constraints, recovery ability and gym. For example, the biceps and triceps routines are abbreviated—midrange

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Train, Eat,

Model: Todd Smith

GROW

and stretch on heavy day, midrange and contracted on light day. You can do full 3D POF for your arms if you have time, but keep in mind that the bi’s and tri’s get a lot of work when you train chest, delts and back beforehand. Remember, the program is only a template; you need to tweak it to your recovery ability, genetics and time constraints. If you’re an older bodybuilder or are recovery challenged or have time issues,

the three-days-per-week program makes a lot of sense—and can produce some outstanding gains for you if you train hard. As we’ve mentioned in previous installments, heavy/light is an effective way to build muscle—it’s how many bodybuilders of the ’50s and ’60s developed massive physiques without steroids. Note: You may want to use fascia-expansion supersets on light day. That can speed up the workout because you combine the last two exercises—a contracted-position move and a stretch-position move. For examples, see our current routine on page 66. For a complete heavy/light fascia-expansion program with supersets, see the new e-book X-Rep Update #1, 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 www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 69

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by John Hansen, Mr. Natural Olympia

Beginning Bodybuilding Q: I’m a 20-year-old guy from England. I’ve been training for two months now, four times a week, using a split routine. I’m trying to bulk as fast as possible without the use of steroids. My question: Are eight to 12 repetitions adequate for bulking, or should I be working in a lower or higher rep range? Also, perhaps you could suggest a routine you’ve used to bulk up with.

should include approximately one exercise for each major muscle group. Because you’re doing only one exercise for each bodypart, it’s possible to train your whole body in one workout. That would be impossible if you were doing several exercises for each muscle group. Here are two good workouts for someone who’s just started weight training. Notice that the first workout begins with the muscles of the upper body and the second with the legs. That helps keep your body balanced by not putting too much emphasis on some muscle groups or neglecting others by training them at the end of the workout, when you have less energy. Workout 1 Bench presses Wide-grip chins or pulldowns Seated dumbbell presses Lateral raises Pushdowns Standing dumbbell curls Leg extensions Leg curls Leg presses Dumbbell stiff-legged deadlifts Standing calf raises Incline situps Incline knee raises

A: If you’ve been training for only two months, you’re really a beginner at this stage. I normally recommend that someone who’s just starting train the whole body at each workout and repeat that workout two to three times per week. That way you establish a foundation for your physique as well as gradually push yourself to get into better condition. During the beginning phase, your strength, muscle mass and cardioA beginner should perform vascular health should all three sets of 10 to 12 improve. repetitions for each exercise. A beginner’s program

Workout 2 Leg extensions Squats Leg curls Hyperextensions Seated calf raises Incline dumbbell presses One-arm dumbbell rows Standing military presses Upright rows Lying triceps extensions Barbell curls Exercise ball crunches Hanging knee raises

Neveux \ Model: Justin Balik

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

Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions for each exercise. The exception would be the abdominal exercises, where higher repetitions—20 to 40—are best. Follow that routine for three to six months to establish a good foundation. It will build muscle mass and strength and enable you to make an easy transition to the next level. After following the beginner’s routine for three to six months, you can move to an intermediate split routine. You do more exercises for each bodypart, which makes training the whole body in one workout on toopage difficult. (continued 102) A split routine makes you focus more on the individual bodyparts by using more resistance and more volume. You’ll also need more recuperation between workouts. You can divide the muscle groups in several ways when using a split routine. Because there are eight major mus-

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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 Seated cable rows Incline curls Barbell curls Wrist curls

3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 12, 10, 8, 8

Wednesday Rest

Intermediates should use more volume on a split routine and do six to 10 repetitions. cle groups—chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps, thighs, calves and abdominals—you train four muscle groups at each workout. You can train chest, back, shoulders and abs at one workout and thighs, calves, biceps and triceps at the next workout. Another alternative is to train all the pushing muscles—chest, shoulders, triceps and abs—on the first workout and the pulling muscles—back, biceps, thighs and calves—at the next. When I was younger and trying (desperately!) to add muscle mass and get bigger, I used the push-pull routine, which was very popular at the time. I trained chest, shoulders, triceps and calves on Monday and Thursday and legs, back, biceps and abs on Tuesday and Friday. I rested on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Here’s the exact routine I used to bulk up: Monday Bench presses Incline dumbbell presses Flyes Dumbbell pullovers Seated military presses Lateral raises Bent-over lateral raises Barbell shrugs Pushdowns Lying triceps extensions Weighted dips Standing calf raises Seated calf raises Tuesday Incline situps Incline knee raises Squats Leg presses Leg curls Stiff-legged deadlifts Wide-grip chins Barbell rows

4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 3 x 10, 8, 8 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6 3 x 12, 10, 8

3 x max 3 x max 5 x 10, 8, 6, 6, 6 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6

Thursday Bench presses Incline barbell presses Incline flyes Weighted dips Seated dumbbell presses Seated lateral raises Upright rows Power cleans Close-grip bench presses Seated barbell extensions Donkey calf raises Leg press calf raises

4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 20 3 x 15, 12, 10

Friday Incline situps Incline knee raises Squats Front squats Leg curls Stiff-legged deadlifts Wide-grip chins One-arm dumbbell rows T-bar rows Hyperextensions Seated dumbbell curls Preacher curls Wrist curls

3 x max 3 x max 4 x 12, 10, 8, 8 3 x 10, 8, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 10, 8, 6 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 3 x 15-20 3 x 10, 8, 6 3 x 8, 6, 6 4 x 12, 10, 8, 6

That’s a very intense routine. It took a lot of energy and commitment to do it four days a week, but it did the job of really packing on the muscle mass. Of course, I was only 20 years old when I was training like that, so I was able to recuperate much more quickly, and I didn’t have any injuries or joint problems to contend with. You asked about the repetition range you should use to build more mass. I recommend six to eight reps. You can see in the routine that I usually warmed up with 10 to 12 reps on the first set and then used a very heavy resistance for six to eight reps. When you use a weight that limits you to six to eight reps, you build a lot of strength because you’re pushing yourself to go heavier each week. You also build the maximum amount of muscle mass because you’re increasing the muscle fibers and specifically targeting the white, fasttwitch ones. Q: I live in Sialkot, Pakistan. I have been working out for three years in my home gym, yet my body is not growing. My shoulders, wings, biceps, triceps, upper chest, middle chest and lower chest are not big. My workout is very hard, as my chest routine shows, but I don’t see results in my body. Please tell me why. Chest exercises: 1) Pushups

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3 x 15

You should train all sections of your chest, including upper, middle and outer areas. 2) Incline dumbbell presses 3 x 12,10,8 3) Incline bench presses 3 x 12,10,8 4) Flat-bench presses 3 x 12,10,8 5) Flat-bench dumbbell presses 3 x 12,10,8 6) Flat-bench dumbbell flyes 3 x 12,10,8 7) Flat-bench pullovers 3 x 12,10,8 My coach has a gym as well. Here’s my workout schedule when I go there to train: Monday and Thursday: chest and abs Tuesday and Friday: shoulders, wings, back and abs Wednesday and Saturday: back, triceps and abs So here are my problems: 1) My upper body does not increase and does not show definition. 2) My chest is not balanced. 3) My abs are not good (fat problem). I await your good advice. A: I think I can give you some suggestions that will help you to achieve better results. Let’s look at your chest workout first. You’re using seven different chest exercises to build your chest—three sets for each exercise for a total of 21 sets of eight to 12 reps each. My philosophy for building muscle mass is to use the basic exercises with a heavy resistance—six to 10 reps—for a moderate number of sets. You also want to choose the correct exercises so you’re not training the same part of the muscle with similar exercises. Let’s look at the exercises you’re using for your chest routine and what areas of muscle they stimulate. Pushups work the outer pecs; incline dumbbell presses and incline barbell presses both work the upper pecs; flat-bench presses, flat-bench dumbbell bench presses and flat-bench flyes all work the outer pecs; and dumbbell pullovers work the upper-inner pecs and help in expanding the rib cage.

Neveux \ Model: Berry Kabov

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 My first suggestion is to cut back on the number of exercises you’re using. Choose one exercise for each part of the muscle. For your chest, use one basic exercise for the outer pecs, one for the upper pecs and one shaping exercise. For example, you could do barbell bench presses for your outer-middle pecs, incline dumbbell or barbell presses for your upper pecs and flat-bench flyes—more of an isolation and shaping exercise—for your outer pecs. Cutting back on the number of exercises and sets you use will give you more energy to put into the exercises. If you did four sets for bench presses, three sets for incline presses and three sets for flyes along with two sets of dumbbell pullovers, you’d be doing a total of 12 sets instead of 21. The other factor for building more muscle mass is to progressively use more resistance in your workouts. You need to get stronger and stronger using the basic exercises in order to build more muscle mass. Every week you should attempt to use heavier weights or do more reps—in the sixto-10 rep range—with the same weight. If you’re using 300 pounds on bench presses for six to eight reps, your chest muscles will be much bigger than if you’re able to use only 200 pounds for six to eight reps. A stronger muscle is a bigger muscle. Remember that! I’d also suggest that you train more muscle groups in a workout so you don’t have to train six days a week. If you combined your chest, shoulders and triceps into one workout and your back and biceps into another workout, you’d get more work accomplished in one day, and you could use the other days of the week to rest and grow. By eliminating similar exercises, you’ll also be cutting back on the number of sets you do for each bodypart and will avoid overtraining. I also noticed that you’re not training your legs—a big mistake that many bodybuilders make when they begin training. The legs are the biggest muscle group in the body, and you’ll build more muscle all over by training legs heavy. Start by doing full squats with a light weight to slowly build strength and size in your legs. If you have a leg press, you can do a few sets on it after you do your squats. Don’t forget to train hamstrings with leg curls and stiff-legged deadlifts. Here’s an example of how you could structure your workouts: Monday and Thursday: Chest, shoulders, triceps, calves Tuesday and Friday: Legs, back, biceps Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday: Rest Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Mr. Natural Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner. Check out his Web site at www.NaturalOlympia.com or send questions or comments to him via e-mail at John@ NaturalOlympia.com. Look for John’s new DVD, “Natural Bodybuilding Seminar and Competitions,” along with his book, Natural Bodybuilding, and his training DVD, “Real Muscle,” at his Web site or at Home Gym Warehouse, www.Home-Gym.com. You can send written correspondence to John Hansen, P.O. Box 3003, Darien, IL 60561. IM

Cutting back on the number of exercises and sets you use will give you more energy to put into the exercises.

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by David Goodin

Questions and Answers Online I can’t believe that it’s been a full year since I started writing for IRON MAN. This column marks the first of my second year as a monthly contributor, and I must say that I’m really enjoying it. What I like most is getting e-mail from readers with their questions, comments and sometimes just brief notes thanking me for doing what I’m doing. I also love getting to work in the IRON MAN booth at the IFBB IRON MAN Pro and at the Olympia and meeting our readers face to face. It’s been great, and I sincerely appreciate all the support that y’all have given me. This month I’m going to revisit a few topics that I’ve written about over the past year. I’ve been getting some of the same questions repeatedly, so I feel I should go over a

Dave Goodin, age 48.

few things again. Reader 1: I hear that the new thing for young men to do in New York City is to slather themselves in Preparation H before they go to a nightclub. They say it gets them ripped, which the women like. If that works, could we use it for a bodybuilding show? Dave: I’ll answer that one just as I did the first time: Covering yourself in Preparation H is just going to make you smell like ass. It’s probably what those morons are drinking, smoking or snorting that makes them think that they’re getting “ripped” from Preparation H. Being ripped has to do with having very low bodyfat and adequate amounts of muscle so that the separation between muscles shows up and the striations within a single muscle belly are visible. Being ripped takes a lot of hard weight training, dieting and, usually, cardiovascular exercise. Occasionally, people are ripped due to superior genetics, but that’s rare. And if you’re not already ripped, Preparation H isn’t going to get you there. Reader 2: I’m thinking about competing in a bodybuilding contest. I’m already lean, but I’m holding about 10 pounds of water. What can I do to get rid of it? Dave: Is it there all the time? Reader 2: Yes. Dave: It’s not water. It’s bodyfat. Reader 2: I was told that if I cut my water for three days and took an herbal diuretic, I’d get rid of it. Dave: Muscle is about 75 percent water. Blood is about 88 percent water. As a drugfree bodybuilder you’ll lose muscle cell volume and blood volume if you dehydrate yourself. You’ll be smaller and less vascular and have difficulty getting a pump. You’ll appear softer because your skin won’t be stretched as tightly; your muscle circumference will be less. You might also experience severe cramping and/or dizziness and fainting. You’re still carrying a relatively thin layer of bodyfat. You need to reduce that by a combination of diet and exercise in order to be ripped for competition. Reader 2: What if I just cut back on my water the day before the show? Dave: Don’t cut your water. I usually end up drinking 1.5 to two gallons of distilled water the day before a show. On the day of the show I do not restrict my water. I drink whenever I’m thirsty. Cutting back on water will make you smaller and less vascular. Also keep in mind that water isn’t your problem. It’s bodyfat. Check out my photos from the ’07 NPC Team Universe at IronManMagazine.com. I drank more than two gallons of water in the 24 hours preceding the show. Reader 2: What about using herbal Neveux

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

Shredded Muscle

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diuretics? Dave: You don’t want to do anything to dehydrate yourself. Reader 2: What about coffee? Can I drink coffee the day of the contest? Dave: If you’re accustomed to drinking a cup of coffee every morning, by all means have a cup the morning of the show. A buddy of mine drinks an enormous amount of coffee every day. The first time I helped him prepare for a show, I had him cut way back on the coffee that he drank before the prejudging. That was a mistake. By about noon he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms, and I had to go to Starbucks to get him a cup. I’ll admit I’m hooked. I have a grande or venti Black-Eye every morning on my way to work. Reader 2: So you’re saying that I have some bodyfat to lose and that if I get that off, I don’t have to worry about cutting my water or taking diuretics? Dave: Exactly. Reader 3: Dave, I’m 44 years old, and I’ve been training for about eight months. I want to have washboard abs like yours. I’ve been doing a good 30 minutes of abdominal training and core work four days per week. I’m working extremely hard, but I still can’t see my abs. What’s your secret? Dave: There are no secrets. You can’t spot reduce. You can do all of the abdominal training you want to do, but until you get your bodyfat low enough, your abs aren’t going to show up. To be very honest, I work my abs only once a week for about 10 to 15 minutes when I’m preparing for a show. I normally don’t do any specific ab work in the off-season. When I do train abs, however, my philosophy is to try to contract them as hard as I can on each repetition. I usually do about four sets of a leg-raise exercise, usually hanging leg raises, and then four sets of crunches—either on the floor or on a therapy ball. I go to failure on each set. As I mentioned, the biggest factor in having great abs is getting your bodyfat extremely low. I rarely let my bodyfat get above 8 percent in the off-season, and I usually get under 3 percent in contest condition. A lot of people have great abdominal muscles, but we never see the six-pack because they never get their bodyfat low enough. Dropping bodyfat to extremely low levels takes discipline in training and diet, and it also takes

consistency. I usually take 12 to 14 weeks to drop from 8 percent to below 3 percent. Reader 3: So, if I do more sets of the leg raises, will that get the fat off my lower abs? I seem to hold more there. Dave: Again, you can’t spot reduce. With a combination of diet and exercise you’ll lose bodyfat from all over your body, and the fat on your abdomen will gradually get thinner and thinner. Reader 3: Okay, but what should I do about my love handles? They’re pretty bad too. Dave: Diet and exercise. You have to burn more calories than you take in. You’ll lose fat all over your body. You can’t spot reduce bodyfat. As you lower your bodyfat, your love handles will disappear. Now, about the obliques. Those are the muscles in the love-handle area. The obliques work as assistance muscles when you’re doing crunches and leg raises. They also contract very hard when you’re doing squats or deadlifts. Since the obliques are involved in supporting your trunk, they’re contracting any time you’re standing, walking or jogging. I don’t do any direct oblique training other than some light twisting with a broomstick. I caution physique athletes about doing direct oblique work or excessive core work because it will thicken your waist, and the Vtaper is extremely important in physique competition. If you participate in a sport or activity in which twisting is at a premium, you should do some strength training for the obliques. Thank you all for your support over the past year. Please continue to e-mail me your questions and comments. Don’t worry that your question might be stupid or too basic or that I may have already covered it. There are many, many things that I don’t know and for which I need to go to experts to get good, honest information. There are also things that I can’t get through my thick skull right away too. I’m sure some of my friends and family are sick of my asking the same stupid computer questions over and over. The bottom line is, don’t be afraid to ask. My column is here to answer your questions. If you don’t send them, I won’t know what to write about. Train hard and eat clean.

DESIGNED TO BUILD RES U L T S

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

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FROM THE MAKERS OF OHYEAH! COMES RE-SATUR8 ®

™

RELOAD. RECOVER. GROW. www.issresearch.com

by Steve Holman

Neveux \ Model: Omar Deckard

Best Moves for Big Bi’s

Concentration curls are an “in” movement that targets the outer head of the biceps for more peak. Widegrip curling exercises, with the lower arm angled out, emphasize the inner head for more thickness.

Q: I love 3D Positions of Flexion training. It makes sense and has helped me bring up my chest and delts with fewer sets. My question is about biceps. Which is best for the contracted-position exercise, one-arm spider curls or concentration curls? Or are they about the same? A: In the e-book X-traordinary Arms we explain the in-for-out/out-for-in principle. For biceps it means that to focus on the outer head for peak, you use an inner-grip exercise. Concentration curls are about as “in” as you can get. By curling the dumbbell across your torso to the opposite shoulder, you’re simulating an extreme inside grip, emphasizing the lateral, or outer, head of the biceps, which adds to the peak when you flex. It’s the outer head that rises above the inner head to produce an impressive jutting crest. One-arm spider curls, which are performed on the vertical side of a preacher bench, are an “out” exercise—you angle your lower arm out away from your upper arm. That focuses on the medial, or inner, head of the biceps. Beefing

up that area gives it more thickness when your arm is down by your side and viewed head-on. Obviously, one is not better than the other—unless you want to specialize on one of those biceps areas. If you’re after complete biceps development, you should alternate them as your contracted-position exercise. A good 3D POF biceps program would be barbell curls (midrange), incline curls (stretch) and concentration curls or one-arm spider curls (contracted), alternating the last two exercises from biceps workout to biceps workout.

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Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

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

Critical Mass

Q: Do you think I could lose 15 to 20 pounds in a month? I have a reunion coming up, and I want to be in a somewhat healthy-looking condition. I was 250 last night. I want the fat off. It’s killing me to see this gut—you have no idea! A: Yes, you could lose that much, but most of it would be water and muscle—and you probably wouldn’t look much better or feel healthy. We’re all impatient when it comes to changing our bodies, but the best strategy is relatively slow and steady. You’d be better off shooting to lose about 10 pounds of fat and lifting hard to build muscle. You’ll be amazed at what losing some ugly fat and gaining some rock-hard muscle will do for your total look and how you feel—from the standpoint of health and self-confidence. If you do it right, you’ll be adding muscle and losing fat, so the scale isn’t something you should pay attention to very closely. In other words, if you lose 10 pounds of fat and gain 10 pounds of muscle, you’ll look completely different—as in so much better—but the scale will read exactly the same. Always keep that in mind. Q: What’s the difference in effect between rest/ pause and drop sets? I know what they are: You use the same weight on rest/pause sets and rest about 10 seconds between them, while on drop sets you move immediately to a lighter set with no rest. But is one better than the other? A: I’ve found that rest/pause is best for exercises that use max force as their key growth component. In 3D POF those are midrange- and stretch-position moves. It’s a great way to add a little more volume and force overload without too much extra time in the gym. Try resting 15 seconds, then hitting another set to exhaustion. That lets ATP and nerve pathways regenerate somewhat so you can continue the force-overload assault. Wouldn’t adding another set after a two-to-three-minute rest be better? Possibly, but that adds significant time

Neveux \ Model: Nathan Detracy

Q: I keep reading that the shape of the biceps is genetic and can’t be changed, but [in the e-book X-traordinary Arms] you say that it can. I’ve even seen respected scientists say that changing the shape of a muscle can’t be done. How do you respond? A: What those scientists are referring to is the length of a muscle. For example, if you have short biceps, with a gap between the lower part of the muscle and the elbow joint when it’s flexed, you can’t fill in that gap. You’ve simply been born with a high biceps insertion point—same idea as a high calf muscle. To fill in the gap would require muscle reattachment surgery. You can, however, use exercises that focus on one head of a muscle to give it a different look—genetics willing, of course. For example, in the answer above I explained how concentration curls train the outer biceps for more peak because of the inward angle of your upper arm, while spider curls, with the lower arm angled out, focus on the inner biceps head for more thickness. Another example is keeping your feet close on squats, which hits more of the outer quadriceps, the vastus lateralis, for sweep. A wide stance hits more of the inner quads, the vastus medialis, and the adductors, the beefy upperinner-thigh muscles. Remember, in for out and out for in. The same holds true for angling your feet on leg extensions—toes out hits more inner quad, or the teardrop, while toes angled inward hits more of the outer area for sweep.

The rest/pause tactic is great for big, midrange-position exercises like incline presses. Drop sets are best for contracted-position exercises, like concentration curls, because they provide more tension and occlusion. to your workout. I train on my lunch break four days a week, so I have to find innovative ways to tweak up the volume without adding much time—and rest/ pause is one of the best tactics for that. (Note: See the new e-book X-Rep Update #1 for more on rest/pause.) The numbers on a scale can be Drop sets, on the deceiving if you’re gaining muscle other hand, are best and losing fat at the same time. when occlusion is the primary growth factor—contractedposition exercises like leg extensions, leg curls and concentration curls. On those you’re trying to extend the tension time, so that means as little rest as possible—only enough to reduce the weight on the stack or grab a lighter pair of dumbbells. A drop—two sets back to back, the second with a lighter weight—is a great way to force the secondary layer of growth that consists of mitochondria development and capillary bed expansion. Plus, you get more muscle burn, which can activate more growth hormone, a potent fat burner and muscle builder. If you want to look big like a bodybuilder, you have to attack every layer of growth— from max force to stretch overload to tension/occlusion. 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 page 246 and 280, respectively. Also visit www.X-Rep.com for information on X-Rep and 3D POF methods and e-books. IM www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 83

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To Sleep, Perchance to Grow

Snooze or You Lose Muscle,

Part 2 by Jerry Brainum

Sleep and Exercise

Most studies examining the effects of sleep on training have been contradictory, with some showing negative effects, others none. Some trends have become clear, however. For example, studies show that if high-intensity exercise is done in the afternoon, it will adversely affect sleep at night. Low-intensity exercise, however, has no effect on sleep, unless the exercise is prolonged.1 Training in the morning has no effect on sleep. Overtraining may indirectly affect sleep quality. Studies show that overtrained athletes move around more when they sleep, which can have a disturbing influence. I recall once visiting the home of a wellknown professional bodybuilder. I noticed that he had a small Army cot next to a larger bed. “Who sleeps on the cot?” I asked. “I do,” he replied. “My wife moves around too much when she sleeps, and that keeps me up, hence the

cot.” His pragmatic approach made sense to me. It’s underscored by the fact that he’s still married to the same woman nearly 40 years later. Lack of sleep may affect some forms of exercise more than others. For instance, studies show that partial sleep deprivation led to a lowered maximal oxygen intake, along with higher accumulation of lactate, a marker of exercise fatigue. Those lacking sleep show higher heart rates and more labored breathing while training. That all points to insufficient sleep adversely affecting endurance, or aerobic, training. The insulin resistance induced by sleep deficiency adds to that effect, as it interferes with glucose use in muscle. What about weight training? One study examined the effect of exercise—weight training—in depressed older people.2 It featured 32 subjects with an age range of 60 to 84 who engaged in a weight-training program three times a week.

Neveux \ Model: Greg Smyers

n Part 1 of this discussion we saw how lack of sleep negatively affects your anabolic hormones and promotes bodyfat accrual. It also affects your ability to perform.

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Another group didn’t train. Those in the weight group reported improved sleep quality, along with less depression, which itself can interfere with sleep. Because sleep is a particular problem for older people, the study suggests, weight training can help improve their sleep. Another study had eight male subjects, aged 18 to 24, who slept only three hours a night for three consecutive nights, then had a four-day phase of normal sleep. The segments were separated by 10 days. The men trained on a weight program that included biceps curls, bench presses, leg

presses and deadlifts. Initial tests were done to establish maximal lifts. Lack of sleep didn’t affect biceps training but did affect the bench press, leg press and deadlift. The deterioration in performance on those exercises became significant on the second day of sleep deprivation. The implication is that largemuscle-mass exercises are affected more adversely by a lack of sleep than exercise of smaller muscle areas, such as the arms. Researchers put physical-education students on light exercise in the morning, evening and late evening. Exercising in the late evening resulted in subjective reports of better sleep, along with less daytime sleepiness.4 How can exercise aid sleep? Several mechanisms have been suggested: • Anxiety reduction. Disturbed sleep is closely associated with anxiety, and anything that reduces anxiety, such as exercise, will help promote sleep. • Antidepressant effect. Disturbed sleep is a hallmark of mental depression. Since exercise is a natural antidepressant, it can promote sleep. One theory suggests that

Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

Snooze or Lose

The common notion that exercising late at night will lead to sleep disturbances just isn’t true.

Neveux \ Model: Cara Basso

exercise rapidly relieves depression by suppressing REM, which seems to lower depression. Reducing REM sleep by 25 percent showed significant antidepressant effects. • Thermogenic effect. Exercise increases slow-wave sleep, possibly due to elevated body temFor those who don’t work out, perature. That leads to a lowered core temperature, which taking a hot bath about an hour body is a sleep signal. Studies show prior to bedtime can trigger the that a drop in body temperature of one degree near bedtime is sleep response because of a rapid an internal signal that triggers core temperature lowering the drive to fall asleep. For those that begins as soon as you who don’t work out, taking a hot bath about an hour prior to step out of the bath. bedtime can trigger the sleep response because of a rapid core temperature lowering that begins as soon as you step out of the bath.5 One other thing: The common notion that exercising late at night will lead to sleep disturbances just isn’t true. One study involved subjects who not only exercised vigorously late at night but were also subjected to bright-light exposure, which is thought to delay sleep by interfering with the release of melatonin. Neither exercising nor exposure to bright light, however, had any 90 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Snooze or Lose Drugs and Sleep Several studies have investigated the relationship between anabolic and recreational drug use and sleep. Various surveys of anabolic steroid users show sleep disturbances. One survey of 500 steroid users found that half reported having insomnia.13 Men on testosterone-replacement therapy showed an increase in stagefour sleep, along with longer times to REM sleep. High-dose testosterone reduced sleep time and lowered sleep efficiency and the percentage of non-REM sleep but increased stage-two sleep. Other studies link an increase in sleep apnea, or temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, with high-dose testosterone use. One theory suggests that the increased nighttime metabolism induced by high-dose testosterone leads to poorer sleep quality. The most recent study featured three groups: 1) 20 current steroid users; 2) 21 controls with no history of steroid use; 3) 17 sedentary men with no sleep disorders.14 All three groups were examined in a sleep lab, using devices that monitor sleep activity. The steroid group had more reduced sleep efficiency and more wakings after they fell asleep than the sedentary group. Those in the sedentary group experienced a higher percentage of stage-four sleep than the nonusers, who lifted weights but didn’t use steroids. Steroid users and nonusers alike showed a higher percentage of stagetwo sleep than the sedentary group, and both exercise groups had the same amount of stage-four sleep. What it all adds up to is that those who engage in weight training, whether they use steroids or not, spend more time in the lighter sleep stages than those who don’t work out. Steroids may adversely affect the activity of serotonin, a brain neurotransmitter involved in sleep. Steroid users with higher estrogen levels, due to the conversion of androgens such as testosterone into estrogen by way of the enzyme aromatase, may have a downregulation of GABA receptors in the brain. That would adversely affect sleep because GABA is the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Most drugs prescribed to treat insomnia interact with the GABA receptor.

High-intensity training without sufficient recovery between training sessions may produce sleep disorders through increased sleep fragmentation—that is, lack of smooth transitions between sleep stages—with more time in the less restful stage-two sleep than in the deeper, more restorative sleep stages. Of course, the scenario adds to the overtraining syndrome because of increased cortisol and other stress hormones that would normally be degraded during deep sleep. Other drugs—not typically used by rational bodybuilders—also have the potential to adversely affect sleep.15 As you might expect, most stimulant drugs play havoc with sleep. Notable in this regard is cocaine, which increases wakefulness while suppressing REM sleep. That contributes to the well-known fatigue experienced the day after an evening coke binge. Coke also fosters nightmares, and the negative effects continue through sustained abstinence. MDMA, or ecstasy, is an amphetaminelike compound that leads to persistent sleep disturbances. Consistent use of the drug selectively destroys serotonin receptors in the brain, resulting in permanent brain damage that includes sleep disturbances. Smoking marijuana reduces restful REM sleep; however, pot also promotes sleep and increases stage-four sleep. On the other hand, people who experience marijuana withdrawal consistently report difficulty sleeping and strange dreams. Although not in the category of recreational drugs, any type of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, such as ibuprofen—trade names, Advil and Motrin—may also seriously disturb sleep if taken at bedtime. NSAIDS, most often taken to reduce pain, wreak havoc on sleep by preventing the lowering of core body temperature that acts as a primary sleep signal and by suppressing the release of melatonin. The theory is that NSAIDs disturb sleep by interfering with the synthesis of prostaglandins involved in the sleep process.16 —J.B.

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Snooze or Lose adverse effects on sleep.6

Nutrition and Sleep

sleep problems, factors that cause insomnia, such as anxiety and depression, also invite vitamin use. As the authors themselves note, “The results of this study are unreliable and unreplicable.” Taking certain nutrients shortly before bed can indirectly have negative consequences for sleep. For example, a high dose of watersoluble vitamins, such as the B-vitamins or vitamin C, has diuretic effects that can interfere with sleep quality. They are also cofactors in the production of brain-stimulating substances—just what you don’t need at bedtime. Even amino acids can stimulate the brain and

High-glycemic-index, or simple, carbs can aid sleep.

What you eat definitely affects how you sleep. One recent study found that not getting enough sleep had a negative effect on antioxidant defense systems.7 The study looked at how a lack of sleep affects glutathione, as well as several other antioxidants. After five to 10 days of sleep deprivation, the antioxidants catalase and glutathione decreased in the liver by 23 to 36 percent—a magnitude that compromises antioxidant defenses and opens the door to a multitude of diseases related to outof-control oxidation, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. Given those results, you might be tempted to take antioxidant supplements at bedtime. Another recent study, however, suggests that those who take vitamins experience impaired sleep. The subjects were 772 people, age range 20 to 98, who answered a questionnaire concerning their except L-tryptophane, sleep habits. Those who an amino acid that took vitamins experienced converts in the brain poorer sleep than those who to the neurotransmitter didn’t, including awakening more serotonin. That gives trypduring the night, which interferes tophane easier access to the with sleep quality.8 There are, however, several caveats to A high dose of water-soluble vitamins, such as the B-vitamins or consider. As vitamin C, has diuretic effects that can interfere with sleep quality. the authors noted, no They are also cofactors in the production of brain-stimulating single vitamin is known substances—just what you don’t need at bedtime. to disturb brain. Tryptophane itself is a precursleep, but a combination may do produce insomnia. sor of melatonin synthesis. so. Another factor to consider is High-glycemic-index, or simple, High-fat foods, because of their that those with sleep problems are carbs can aid sleep.9 Only simple, or fast-acting, carbs are effective for lengthy digestive time, bring on more likely to take vitamins in the that purpose because of the heightlethargy and sleepiness. On the hope that they may aid sleep. So ened insulin release that results. other hand, eating a high-protein, the sleep problems may have preInsulin drives all amino acids cirlow-carb meal prior to sleep can ceded vitamin intake. While there culating in the blood into muscle produce insomnia because it inducis no link between vitamin use and 94 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Snooze or Lose es brain stimulation from certain amino acids, such as tyrosine. Caffeine intake would not be amenable to sleep, as it’s a stimulant that interferes with the activity of adenosine, a calming brain chemical. Nicotine also is a brain stimulant. While alcohol is a depressant and so can help induce sleep, the sleep it supports is impaired because it interferes with normal sleep cycles. Despite the research suggesting that taking vitamins may interfere with sleep, several other nutrients have proven effective in inducing sleep and relieving insomnia: • Inositol. When taken in large doses—four to 18 grams—this nutrient helps reduce panic attacks, which keep those who suffer from them awake.

A bonus of melatonin is increased growth hormone release, which likely occurs because melatonin speeds the way toward the deeper, slow-wave sleep stages, when GH release is maximal.

form is superior because melatonin is rapidly degraded, which can lead to premature awakening. A bonus of melatonin is increased growth hormone release, which likely occurs because melatonin speeds the way toward the deeper, slow-wave sleep stages, when GH release is maximal. While the mechanism of • Magnesium. A natural melatonin in inducing sleep-inducing mineral sleep isn’t known, one when taken at a dose of theory is that it works 300 milligrams before bed. by lowering core body • L-theanine. An amino temperature, which is acid found naturally in a primary sleep signal. tea; at doses ranging from Melatonin is also a 200 to 400 milligrams it facilitates potent antioxidant that may help relaxation. prevent various diseases and slow • Valerian. An herb that works the aging process. through the same receptors as Besides nutrition, there are several methods of bringing While alcohol is a depressant and so can on sleep that help induce sleep, the sleep it supports don’t involve drugs:11 is impaired because it interferes with • Inverted normal sleep cycles. posture. Neck and chest below the heart with legs above prescription sleep aids. the heart. That posture lowers The dose is 400 to 600 milsympathetic hormones, which are ligrams. Caution: it smells stimulatory, and promotes a paraterrible! sympathetic response, which pro• 5-HTP. This is a by-product of the amino acid trypto- duces relaxation. • Skin warming and cooling. As phane that directly converts noted above, warming the body into serotonin. The dose is leads to a lowering of body core 100 milligrams. temperature, which initiates sleep. • Melatonin. Minimize the dose to prevent morning Methods include a hot foot bath, a hot bath, warm blankets, socks, grogginess. The dose range thermal feedback and consuming is one to five milligrams. A ice. Stretching to reduce muscle recent study of 170 people tone may also aid relaxation and over age 55 found that taksleep. ing two milligrams a day of • Sensory withdrawal. Darkness, a timed-release melatonin supplement for three weeks quiet and rhythmic sound, or “white noise,” aid in this. Note that expoimproved the quality of sure to bright light inhibits melatosleep and mental alertnin release. ness in the morning. The • Breathing techniques. Slow exresearchers suggest that halation (count to 10) reduces symmelatonin offers a “benefipathetic activity while increasing cal treatment effect on parasympathetic activity. The techthe restorative quality of nique is commonly used by yoga sleep.” No significant practitioners and produces a feeling side effects occurred in of calm. Raising the carbon dioxide any of the subjects.10 Using a timed-release content of the blood through heavy,

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Snooze or Lose never napped. Occasional nappers showed a 12 percent reduction. The protective effect is linked to the lowering of blood pressure that occurs just before sleep. A recent study of 20 men and 22 women found that a two-hour midafternoon nap following a night of sleep loss lowered levels of the inflammatory chemicals cortisol and interleukin-6, both of which are

elevated during sleep deprivation.12 During his bodybuilding-competition years, Arnold Schwarzenegger habitually napped between his morning and late-afternoon training sessions. Arnold may have been ahead of his time in that regard—or then again, he may have just been tired. Arnold says that a key to his success is in the way he handled stress, and napping may have played a role. What hapThe study featured 32 subjects with an age range of 60 to 84 pened to our who engaged in a weight-training program three times a week. friend Randy Gardner from Another group didn’t train. Those in the weight group reported Part 1 of this improved sleep quality, along with less depression. discussion? He’s alive and well, still sleeping soundly—although not excessively,

Neveux \ Model: Bill Grant

Mozée \ Model: Arnold Schwarzenegger

rapid breathing quickly brings on drowsiness but can also cause acute anxiety in some people. When all else fails, consider taking a nap. Studies show an inverse relationship between naps and fatal heart attacks. One study from Greece of 23,000 people found that those who regularly took naps had a 37 percent reduction in coronary mortality compared to those who

During his bodybuildingcompetition years, Arnold Schwarzenegger habitually napped between his morning and late-afternoon training sessions. Arnold may have been ahead of his time in that regard—or then again, he may have just been tired. Arnold says that a key to his success is in the way he handled stress, and napping may have played a role.

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Neveux \ Model: Mike Icolari

Snooze or Lose

The implication is that large-muscle-mass exercises are affected more adversely by a lack of sleep than exercise of smaller muscle areas, such as the arms. I assume. In any case, his sleep-deprivation record turned out to be short-lived. Another high school student shattered it by two hours about two weeks later. The last listing for the sleep-deprivation record in the Guinness Book of World Records dates back to April 1977â&#x20AC;&#x201D;449 hours set by a British woman. Those who are contemplating breaking that record should seek other pursuits. The Guinness Book no longer lists the sleep record, considering it too dangerous. So, prospective ap-

plicants, rest easy. You might consider going for the egg-swallowing record. Better yet, take a nap!

References 1 Driver, H.S., et al. (1996). Sleep disturbance and exercise. Sports Med. 21:1-6. 2 Singh, N.A., et al. (1997). A randomized controlled trial of the effect of exercise on sleep. Sleep. 20:95-101. 3 Reilly, T., et al. (1994). The ef-

fect of partial sleep deprivation on weightlifting performance. Ergonomics. 37:107-115. 4 Yoshida, H., et al. (1998). Effects of the timing of exercise on the night sleep. Psych Clin Neurosci. 52(2):139-40. 5 Youngstedt, S.D. (2005). Effects of exercise on sleep. Clin Sports Med. 24:355-65. 6 Youngstedt, S.D., et al. (1999). Is sleep disturbed by vigorous latenight exercise? Med Sci Sports Exerc. 31:864-869. 7 Everson, C.A., et al. (2005). Antioxidant defense responses to sleep loss and sleep recovery. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 288: R374-R383. 8 Lichstein, K.L., et al. (2007). Vitamins and sleep: An exploratory study. Sleep Med. 9:27-32. 9 Afaghi, A., et al. (2007). Highglycemic-index carbohydrate meals shorten sleep onset. Am J Clin Nutr. 85:426-30. 10 Lemoine, P., et al. (2007). Prolonged-release melatonin improves sleep quality and morning alertness in insomnia patients ages 55 and older and has no withdrawal effects. J Sleep Res. 16:372-80. 11 Cole, R. (2005). Nonpharmacologic techniques for promoting sleep. Clin Sports Med. 24:343-353. 12 Vgontzas, A., et al. (2007). Daytime napping after a night of sleep loss decreases sleepiness, improves performance, and causes benefical changes in cortisol and interleukin-6 secretion. Am J Physiol Endocrin Metab. 292(1):E253-61. 13 Parkinson, A.B., et al. (2006). Anabolic androgenic steroids: a survey of 500 users. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 38:644-51. 14 Venancio, D., et al. (2008). Effects of anabolic androgenic steroids on sleep patterns of individuals practicing resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol. 102(5):555-60. 15 Schierenbeck, T., et al. (2008). Effect of illicit recreational drugs upon sleep: Cocaine, ecstasy, and marijuana. Sleep Med Rev. In press. 16 Murphy, P.J., et al. (1996). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs alter body temperature and suppress melatonin in humans. Phys Behav. 59:133-39. IM

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Kill THE “Old” Myth

PR E S E NT S :

by John Pasco

Photography by Michael Neveux

vitality because bones, muscles and nerves are tired and need rest. “He’s paid his dues,” they say. “Now we should see that he enjoys some leisure in the years (months?) he has left.” Well-intentioned, charitable agencies similarly feed that myth. For example, the church I attend has a program to build a “retirement center” for seniors. It’s full of concepts that are intended to make life easy for the residents. I’ve advanced the idea that while some seniors do need caregivers, the plan should include assisting capable residents to become rejuvenated through a vigorous exercise program. My offer has been met with absolute silence. It’s my suspicion that it’s more satisfying for them to make life easier for the “old folks” than to promote their physical, mental, social rejuvenation. To provide for the latter might just elevate the seniors to a less dependent vitality, decreasing the

“market” of seniors needing assistance in their last years. The blame for perpetuating the myth is shared by some seniors themselves—probably because, believing the myth, they’re eager to allow themselves to vegetate. Many have a certain weariness born of years of meeting the challenges of life. The opportunity to relax and have others discharge the obligations rising from the challenges becomes appealing. I’m here to tell you that the myth that we should surrender to socalled old age, accepting without a whimper inabilities that we’re told are inevitable, is dead wrong. First off, the idea that people must use their bones, muscles and nerves less as they age is backward. The human body is a wonderful creation that responds favorably to the challenges given it. That is, when you exert your muscles, bones or nerves beyond what they can handle and then rest a bit, the body goes to work to get the muscles, bones or nerves ready to meet the next similar challenge. In other words, they grow and improve when they need to. The contrary also holds: If you don’t require your body to do more, it will become even less able. That being the truth, contrary to the old myth, people shouldn’t take it easy as the years mount. Rather, they should work out, challenging their body to respond, as it will, with growth. Some personal trainers make a mistake in working with seniors. They’re afraid Model: Dave Goodin

recently received the following response to my articles on aging and training: “It is so encouraging to learn that you/we can create muscle mass at an older age and progress in bodybuilding or strength training. I get excited just reading about it. The old mythology told us to ‘give it up’ as we age. Your dedication and success are so inspiring and are a great kick in the butt for me. There really is no excuse not to try. Thanks for that too.” That message fires me up to kick more butts off the couches and rocking chairs and into the vibrant, vital life of bodybuilding. It validates my writings. You all know the myth of which he writes. Well-meaning people believe it’s their duty to “take care of the old folks,” to give them an easy time in their last years. Their understanding is that anyone who gets up in years should have less

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Bodybuilding coach George Turner in his 70s.

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to really work the senior trainee. I know that to be true from my own experience. In my first days of working out to reclaim vital life, I was guided by a young, well-intentioned but inexperienced trainer. I started out with very light exercises. The trainer believed that he had to “go easy on the old man.” Although I had clearance from my doctors, the trainer believed that if I overexerted, I might have a heart attack or a stroke or something. I think his concern was as much for himself as it was for me. He didn’t want an emergency on his watch. I had to ask him repeatedly to train me harder, expect more of me. His reluctance to do that was one of the reasons I found a real bodybuilding trainer who expects no less of me than he does of his younger clients. “Ask and you shall receive” is a better guide. If you’re really serious about developing your physique through bodybuilding, you and your trainer have to make demands in your training that go beyond, far beyond, the myth about seniors. If much is demanded of you, much will be achieved. To ask little is to ensure that the ravages of age will continue to manifest. In that, age is not a consideration at all. My primary goal is to help those who have reached advanced years and/or have some serious medical diagnosis. I encourage you to take charge of your life through bodybuilding. Heed the truth of the old hymn’s words:

The idea that people must use their bones, muscles and nerves less as they age is backward. The human body is a wonderful creation that responds favorably to the challenges given it.

“Lay hold on life, and it shall be Thy joy and crown eternally.” Kill the myth that says we can’t increase muscle mass at an older age and progress in bodybuilding or strength training. Not only can you, but your body demands it of you. If you accept the myth, you’ll only become progressively older in mind, spirit and body. If you take charge of your life through bodybuilding, you’ll become living proof of the error of the myth. Your muscles will respond to the demands and grow, accompanied by the equal growth of your mind and spirit. Editor’s note: John Pasco is a 75year-old competitive bodybuilder. For more of his articles, visit www. Bodybuilding.com. IM

Lee Apperson in his 40s.

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4020

Is the New

How to Get Bigger and Better With Age, Part I by Eric Broser Photography by Michael Neveux

The date was August 19, 1989, and as I stood onstage at my secondever bodybuilding competition, I listened with nervous anticipation as the announcer counted down the top five placements. I was only 20 years old, weighing in at a skinny but sharp and proportionate 171, wondering if after just three years of hard training I could actually go home as the winner of the Natural Mr. Eastern USA title.

“In fifth place…! In fourth!” Wow, I’m still standing. They haven’t called my name yet. Is it possible? Am I dreaming? “In third place…!” Holy crap, I’m in the top two! The other guy looks pretty damn good. He’s thicker than I am and just as hard, but I know I have a better overall look. It’s apples and oranges. Fingers, toes and eyes crossed. “In second place…! And the winner of the men’s middleweight division is Eric Broser!” The crowd goes absolutely wild—packed as it is with dozens of my friends and family members. My heart is beating wildly, and I struggle to fight back the tears. As I grab the trophy and hold it over my head, I realize that this will be one of the most memorable and satisfying moments of my life.

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I look bigger and better today at age 40 than I did at age 20, albeit with a few extra aches and pains.

So here I am, 20 years later, and yes, that first win was still the sweetest. I often find myself reflecting on that day. It never fails to bring a smile to my face and a boost to my spirit. As I sit at my computer just a few months away from my 40th birthday, however, I look in the mirror and see the reflection of a physique that isn’t merely as good as it was on that

winning day 20 years ago; it’s far superior. That’s right, I look bigger and better today at age 40 than I did at age 20, albeit with a few extra aches and pains. That’s the beautiful thing about the bodybuilding lifestyle: If you live it every day, you can get better with age, like a fine wine. Even so, there are significant differences in how I must approach

my training and diet at my present age compared to when I was a kid. Wait, did I just say that? Hold on a second. I still am a kid—and I have the PlayStation and Wii to prove it. To achieve longevity in bodybuilding, especially if your goal is to continue to improve your physique over time, you must be not only consistent, dedicated and disciplined but also intelligent and

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calculating in your efforts. Your program must evolve if you want to keep pace with the changes in your body that naturally manifest themselves as you get older. You can’t expect to be able to train and eat as you did 20 years ago and achieve the same type of progress. In most cases that approach causes regression and, more than likely, injury. So let me discuss how my physique-building strategy differs today from 20 years ago.

Warmups That was then: My warmups were not what you would call extensive when I was a young buck. Basically, all I’d do was walk into the gym, decide what exercise was going to be first in the routine and then do two to three progressively heavier sets of about 15, 12 and eight reps before launching into my first work set. Perhaps I’d do another quick warmup set of each new exercise after the first one, just to show my joints and nervous system the new movement and angle that were about to be attacked. That was pretty much it, and it worked fine. But that was then…. This is now: These days the first thing I do is make my way over to a treadmill or stationary cycle for a five-to-10-minute medium-paced walk or ride. I do that to get some blood pumping through my system and raise my core temperature. Luckily, I live in a warm climate; getting my body into a light sweat does not take very long. Next I do some calisthenictype exercises for my lower back, including side bends and twists. I’ve had some serious disk injuries in the past, so that’s vital to my warmup. From there I move to various shoulder roll and rotation movements, as well as direct rotator cuff exercises using dumbbells and/or cables. Once I’ve chosen where I’m going to start my workout, I usually do three to four progressively heavier warmup sets of that particular exercise and at least one to two warmups for each exercise thereafter. I never skip or rush through any portion of my 116 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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On most exercises I use textbook form, with a very full range of motion— until it’s X-Rep time, of course—and a slower lifting speed, especially on the eccentric portion. warmup; I believe that’s essential to staving off muscular and joint injury.

Exercise Form That was then: Compared to the average younger trainee, I usually had pretty good exercise form. Still, I often found myself getting somewhat sloppy in an attempt to move more weight than I was truly ready to handle. There was a little of the infamous bouncing of the bar off the chest to claim a bigger bench press, some serious back arch on barbell curls, minor body English during my “power” laterals and more than a just a bit of jerking when trying to outlift Dorian on bent-over rows—Dorian never had to worry much. Almost all of the younger guys go through sloppiness at one point or another, and that’s okay—as long as the cheating is not so excessive

that it causes a major injury. When you’re young, of course, your body is quite resilient and can take a major pounding without falling apart. If you keep using loose form for too many years, though, it will eventually catch up with you, usually in the knees, shoulders, elbows and/or lower back. Still, I look back on those years with affection and recognize that the overload the extraheavy weights forced on my muscles did effectively produce hypertrophy and made me rather functionally strong. But that was then.… This is now: If I tried to lift with the same loose and explosive style today, I’d probably end up a cripple. That’s not to say I don’t lift heavy and intensely these days. Quite the contrary—the form and lifting tempo that I tend to use now are in many ways far more brutal and intense than ever but at the same time safer.

On most exercises I use textbook form, with a very full range of motion—until it’s X-Rep time, of course—and a slower lifting speed, especially in the eccentric portion of each lift. That forces the resistance to move solely through muscular contraction rather than momentum, with the force falling squarely on the target muscles instead of joints and connective tissue. When an exercise gets more difficult, I usually slow the movement down even more, although the natural tendency would be to speed it up. To me that’s when a set gets down and dirty and it’s time to dig deep and make the muscles go to work. Bottom line: If you want to stay injury-free as you train into your 40s and beyond, you have to tighten up your form and become conscious of every movement you make when lifting weights. Go after the target muscle for sure, but at

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40 the same time keep your entire body tight and stable. Not only will your muscle growth be more efficient, but you’ll also get to use more ice in your protein shakes than on your joints.

Training Frequency That was then: Unbelievably enough, when I was in my late teens and early 20s, I’d train on a threedays-on/one-day-off schedule most of the year, and when I was about 12 weeks out from a competition, I would step it up to a four-dayson/one-day-off program. Thinking about it now, I have no idea how I did it. While it might not have been the optimal frequency for my body even back then—I believe I would have progressed more quickly with more rest—not only did I do well on that schedule, I thrived on it. Between the ages of 19 and 24 I gained about 50 pounds and could toss around some pretty big weights. At the time most of the pro bodybuilders I admired trained at least six days per week, and I felt I had to do the same if I ever wanted to look anything like my heroes. With my hormones in full swing; very little pressure or stress in my life; a ton of eggs, red meat, milk, pasta, potatoes and fruit filling my belly; and upwards of 10 hours of sleep per night,

What works best for me is a twodays-on/one-day-off/ two-days-on/twodays-off training routine. Anytime I attempt to train more than two days in a row, I have a poor workout on the third day.

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40 I was easily able to recover from old physique. such frequent beatings. But, that was then.… Training Volume This is now: What works best That was then: When I was for me is a two-days-on/one-dayaround 20 years old, not only did off/two-days-on/two-days-off training routine. Anytime I attempt to train more than two I fry biceps and days in a row, triceps in just I have a poor workout on five to six sets. the third day, become rundown—maybe even catch a sniffle.… Pass the Kleenex, please—and/or begin to feel an old injury rear its ugly head. It’s almost as if my body is reminding me that after two days it wants a break from the weights. That’s fine by me. Most weeks I’m in the gym on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, giving me weekends off, which works quite well with my social calendar. While I might do some cardio work on my off days, depending on the time of year, that doesn’t make inroads into my recovery ability the way lifting weights does. I train more frequently, but I also Indeed, studies have demonstrated did many more sets per bodypart that off-day cardio augments the than I do today. Although I was body’s process of healing from never one for those crazy four-hour training. I’ve been making steady 30-to-40-sets-per-muscle maraprogress on my current routine, thons, I was still able to maintain have fewer nagging aches and a relatively high workload without pains and feel rather energetic repercussions. I performed anymost of the time, leading me to where from 15 to 18 work sets for believe that I’ve found the optimal the larger muscle groups—quads, training frequency for my 40-year-

chest, lats and shoulders, for example—and somewhere between eight to 14 sets for the remainder of my bodyparts. Because of my training frequency, however, I worked each muscle twice per week. Today each bodypart gets only one beating per week, with the exception of abs and calves. As for the training program from my early days, it’s a wonder I had time to do anything else, although I’m pretty sure my only concerns at age 20 were getting big and getting girls. But that was then.… This is now: At this writing the bodypart I’m prioritizing is my back. I feel that compared to my chest, it lacks thickness and depth, which gives those two opposing muscle groups a somewhat disproportionate look. Consequently, I do more sets for my back than for any other muscle group, maybe 10. That seems like a lot. I blast chest and quads in seven to eight sets, beat down hamstrings and shoulders in six to seven sets, fry biceps and triceps in just five to six sets and hit the rest of the muscles in four or fewer total work sets. While that’s not exactly Mentzerian—is that a word?—it falls under the definition of lowvolume training compared to

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40 the way most trainees work out. Truth is, why do more if I don’t need more? Remember, I’m currently in the best shape of my life, carrying more muscle than ever with definition and density I’ve found the optimal that match my best competitive stats. It training frequency for mybeen might seem that the longer you’ve training, the morephysique. you’d need to do in 40-year-old order to continue to improve, but that’s not the case with bodybuilding—and there are reasons for it. Next time I’ll talk about why less is more as we get older and touch on several other areas of my program, which has evolved over my many years in the gym. Until then, remember, you’re not getting older, only better—and probably a little balder.… Rogaine, anyone? IM

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Surge How to Maximize Growth Hormone Release During Bodybuilding Training by Jacob M. Wilson, CSCS, and Gabriel J. Wilson, M.S., CSCS

Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

hat is it about resistance exercise that triggers muscle growth? What we and others have found in the lab is that resistance training stimulates the release of several hormones and chemicals that signal trained muscles to grow. One of the major hormones released in response to training is growth hormone. Its effects on growth appear to be essential. For example, a study by McCall and colleagues showed that resistance training could induce immediate increases in GH and that there was a correlation between increases in GH and muscle growth.1 That means individuals who released more GH grew the most, and the nail was hammered home when scientists found that blocking GH release following exercise eliminated muscular growth adaptations.2 So it’s critical that bodybuilders understand how growth hormone works and, most important, how they can manipulate their training to maximize its release following exercise. The cell nucleus is responsible

for regulating the size of a muscle cell. The number of nuclei in the cell is regulated by satellite cells—cells that surround a muscle fiber. When a muscle fiber is damaged, the satellite cells divide and fuse to the muscle fiber. As they fuse, they donate their nuclei to the fiber. If satellite cells aren’t allowed to divide and fuse to a muscle fiber, growth stops. GH stimulates an increase in satellite cells and the actual binding of satellite cells to muscle fibers. That occurs indirectly through GH’s ability to increase insulinlike growth factor 1 release from the liver.3 IGF-1 that directly stimulates protein synthesis, or the building of proteins, and also activates satellite cells.4,5

Acute Training Variables Affect Growth Hormone By now there’s only one thing you’re interested in knowing: How do you optimize growth hormone release? A virtually endless combination of variables can be manipulated to change the GH response to exercise. We can narrow them down, however, to five immediate

ones: exercise intensity, rest periods, volume, exercise choice and exercise order. 1) Exercise intensity. Exercise intensity is expressed as a percentage of a one-repetition maximum. For example, if you can bench-press 200 pounds for a single, then benching 200 pounds would represent 100 percent intensity, while lifting 160 pounds would represent 80 percent intensity. A threshold intensity is required to stimulate an acute GH release following exercise.6 To see what that threshold was, researchers studied the effects of lifting at 60 percent, 70 percent and 85 percent of individuals’ 1RM for a total of three sets on each of 12 different exercises.7 They found that 60 percent wasn’t enough to stimulate GH but that stimulation increased in a dose-dependent manner at 70 to 85 percent of the one-rep max. What happens when you compare moderately high-intensity exercise—70 to 85 percent of 1RM—to maximum-intensity exercise? Scientists compared 10 sets of 10 RM squats to 20 sets at 1RM intensity.8

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2) Rest periods. Rest periods have a tremendous effect on growth hormone release. Studies have compared 5RM sets to 10RM sets with either one- or three-minute rest periods between sets.10 Which do you think produced the greatest GH response? Lactic acid builds up in the muscle and blood, but with shorter rest periods the body has less time to clear the lactic acid, which means lactic acid buildup is greatest following 10-repetition-maximum sets compared to five-rep maxes, and greatest with only one-minute rest periods compared to three-minute rest periods. GH is also highest after 10-repetition-maximum sets done with only one-minute rest periods. So moderately high-intensity exercise with shorter rest periods produces the greatest GH response to exercise.

Moderately highintensity exercise with shorter rest periods produces the greatest GH response to exercise.

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Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

An exercise protocol stimuulates the secretion of GH proportionate to the amount of lactate produced during exercise. Go for the burn.

It was found that the 100 percent intensity increased GH by 450 percent, while the moderately high intensity produced a 200fold increase. What was really interesting was that the increase in GH paralleled a greater increase in lactic acid production. That study lays the basis for the lactate-concentration hypothesis, which suggests that an exercise protocol stimulates the secretion of GH proportionate to the amount of lactate it produces. Lactic acid is responsible for the burn you get during weight training, and it’s maximally released during higher-repetition sets, such as within an eight-to-12-rep range. Now, as loyal IM readers know, under special conditions you can stimulate growth hormone release at very low intensities by means of blood occlusion training, which was discussed in the April ’08 IRON MAN by yours truly and our colleague Layne Norton.9 If you haven’t read that, we urge you to do so.

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3) Volume. Volume is determined by the number of sets and repetitions and the amount of weight lifted in a given training session. High-intensity bodybuilding, in which individuals perform one set vs. multiple sets of an exercise, has always been controversial. The question is, What delivers the greatest GH response? To investigate that question, Gotshalk, et al., studied the effects of a single-set vs. a three-set workout on blood GH.11 GH increased to a greater extent with the three-set workout. In a similar study scientists compared a group of individuals who performed eight exercises at one set per exercise to a group that performed eight exercises at three sets apiece.12 The higher volume elicited a far greater GH response than the lower-volume session. Studies have found increases in GH from one to three sets and from eight to 24 sets. That suggests that, when intensity is held constant, volume may increase GH in a dose-dependent manner. However, more studies are needed to see how far-reaching the relationship is.

Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

4) Exercise choice. This variable is related to compound vs. isolation exercises, as well as the size of the muscle groups being trained. A recent review on GH suggested that GH is released to a greater extent with compound exercises and with exercises that involve larger rather than smaller muscle groups.13 Compound exercises involve movements at more than one joint. For example, a bench press, which involves movement at the elbow and shoulder joints, would have a greater effect than the dumbbell flye at stimulating a GH response. The squat, which involves larger muscle groups like the gluteals, quadriceps and hamstrings, would elicit a greater GH response than the bench press, which mainly stimulates the chest and triceps.

GH is released to a greater extent with compound vs. isolation exercises and in exercises that involve larger rather than smaller muscle groups.

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Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

GH 5) Exercise order. Performing larger-muscle-group exercises first may elicit a more anabolic response for the remainder of a training session. Evidence suggests that GH peaks 25 minutes after high-intensity exercise. That carries several practical implications. For example, typically after a leg workout athletes leave the weight room; however, if an athlete is prioritizing a smaller bodypart, he or she may benefit by training it after the main workout to promote GH-enriched blood flow to it. So throwing in a few sets of biceps curls after squats, for example, could make your arms grow faster. That also has implications in fullbody workoutsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;it would suggest that larger muscle groups should be trained before smaller to facilitate a more anabolic hormone environment for the duration of the session. While the theory seems logical, it has yet to be tested.

Bodybuilders slave in the gym for hours on end to maximally stimulate muscle growth. Hypertrophy appears to be triggered by an increase in hormones and other growth factors following exercise. The most effective way to train for GH release is eight to 12 repetitions, with one-minute rests between sets and multiple sets. The threshold is unknown, but GH appears to increase proportionately with volume up to at least 24 sets. Evidence indicates that compound exercises produce a greater GH response than isolation work, meaning that those of you avoiding the squat need to reevaluate your priorities. Editorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s note: Gabriel Wilson is completing his doctorate in nutrition with an emphasis on optimal protein requirements for muscle growth, and is a researcher in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana. Gabriel is also vice president of the Web site ABCBodybuilding.com. Jacob Wilson is a skeletal-muscle physiologist and researcher in the Department of Nutrition, Food, and Exercise Science, Florida State University, Tallahassee. He is president of the Web site ABCBodybuilding .com.

If an athlete is prioritizing a smaller bodypart, he or she may benefit by training it after the main workout to promote GH-enriched blood flow to it. So throwing in a few sets of biceps curls after squats, for example, could make your arms grow faster.

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Practical Applications

References

A More Efficient GH Response While research shows that multiple sets of an exercise increase GH more than a single set, using extended-set techniques can cause GH response to happen faster—perhaps after only one or two sets. For example, adding X-Rep partials to a full-range set at exhaustion increases the time under tension as well as the burn, which is lactic acid accumulation, a primary stimulus of GH. Using extended-set techniques—such as X Reps, supersets and drop sets—is one of the ways I have continued to improve my physique into my 40s and beyond (I’m 49); however, it’s not random application. I use the techniques best suited to an exercise. IRON MAN readers know that I am a proponent of Positions-ofFlexion training, which is basically training a muscle through its complete range. That usually means three exercises, one each for the midrange, stretch and contracted positions. For example, a POF triceps routine would be close-grip bench presses (midrange), overhead extensions (stretch) and pushdowns (contracted). That trains the triceps muscle at three points along its arc of flexion, which creates full muscular development with minimal waste in the gym. It’s also great for maintaining flexibility as you age, but that’s another story. Midrange-position exercises. These are the big, basic moves like bench presses and rows. The best tactic for extending midrange sets is X Reps. At exhaustion you move the resistance to a spot at which the target muscle is somewhat stretched, such as near the bottom of incline presses, and continue to do eight-inch partial reps. That increases intensity and fast-twitch-fiber activation, creates some occlusion and muscle burn and encourages GH release. Stretch-position exercises. These moves put the target muscle into full elongation against resistance, such as overhead extensions for triceps and pullovers for lats. The best tactic for extending stretch-position sets is a static hold in the stretch position at exhaustion. When you can’t do any more full reps, move the resistance into the stretch position and hold for as long as possible. Research suggests that stretch overload triggers anabolic hormone release in muscle tissue, and it’s also been linked to hyperplasia, or fiber splitting. Contracted-position exercises. These are continuous-tension moves that include the target muscle’s fully flexed position, such as concentration curls for biceps, leg extensions for quads and pushdowns for triceps. Because those exercises don’t allow the muscle to relax during a set, they produce the best occlusion effect, choking off blood flow to the muscle as it works. That heightens muscle burn, which initiates growth hormone release. The best extended-set technique is drop sets—at exhaustion, immediately reduce the weight and continue to do reps to exhaustion. Training your muscles with POF and adding the optimal extended-set technique to each position is an efficient way to encourage growth hormone release with fewer sets so you can continue building muscle through middle age and beyond. —Steve Holman Editor’s note: For more on 3D POF and X Reps, visit www.X-Rep.com and www.3DMuscleBuilding.com.

1 McCall, G.E., et al. (1999). Acute and chronic hormonal responses to resistance training designed to promote muscle hypertrophy. Can J Appl Physiol. 24(1):96-107. 2 Palmer, R.M., et al. (1994). Effects of a polyclonal antiserum to rat growth hormone on circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein concentrations and the growth of muscle and bone. J Endocrinol. 142(1):85-91. 3 Crist, D.M., et al. (1991). Supplemental growth hormone alters body composition, muscle protein metabolism and serum lipids in fit adults: Characterization of dose-dependent and responserecovery effects. Mech Ageing Dev. 58(2-3):191-205. 4 Coolican, S.A., et al. (1997). The mitogenic and myogenic actions of insulinlike growth factors utilize distinct signaling pathways. J Biol Chem. 272(10):6653-6662. 5 Florini, J.R., et al. (1996). Growth hormone and the insulinlike growth factor system in myogenesis. Endocr Rev. 17(5):481-517. 6 Felsing, N.E., et al. (1992). Effect of low- and high-intensity exercise on circulating growth hormone in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 75(1):157-162. 7 Pyka, G., et al. (1992). Age-dependent effect of resistance exercise on growth hormone secretion in people. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 75(2):404-407. 8 Hakkinen, K., and Pakarinen, A. (1993). Acute hormonal responses to two different fatiguing heavy-resistance protocols in male athletes. J Appl Physiol. 74(2):882-887. 9 Norton, L., Wilson, G., and Wilson, J. (2008). Occlusion training: The new frontier in muscle growth. IRON MAN. 67(4):102. 10 Kraemer, W.J., et al. (1990). Hormonal and growth-factor responses to heavy resistance exercise protocols. J Appl Physiol. 69(4):1442-1450. 11 Gotshalk, L.A., et al. (1997). Hormonal responses of multiset versus single-set heavy-resistance exercise protocols. Can J Appl Physiol. 22(3):244-255. 12 Fleck, S.J., et al. (1996). Influence of resistance exercise volume on serum growth hormone and cortisol concentrations in women. J Strength Cond Res. 10:256–262. 13 Fleck, S.J., and Kraemer, W.J. (2003). Designing resistance training programs (3rd ed.). Colorado Springs: Human Kinetics Publishers. IM

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Opener: Big back Other photos: Sports Illustrated cover; Back-double biceps comparison (contest lineup); Pulldowns; Heavy one-arm dumbbell rows; Ronnie Coleman double biceps shot or training back; Weighted chins

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A Bodybuilder

Is Born

Great Backs Come From Great Effort Episode

39 by Ron Harris

Photography by Michael Neveux

Model: Robert Hatch

all was coming to New England. The change of seasons meant a new girlfriend for my friend Randy, whose makeup artist had gotten back together with some guy she’d been seeing off and on since high school. Then again, I think the girl Randy was dating now was one he’d dated around the time we first started training. It’s hard to say. The kid goes through so many females, I doubt even he can keep track. I often wonder if he meets girls sometimes and has to ask, “Hey, have we ever gone out before?” Some guys use the cheesy pickup line, “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” In Randy’s case he’s being sincere. We’d gone to a big regional bodybuilding contest over the weekend. They’re always fun affairs, especially on the rare occasions when I’m not competing. It’s a lot easier to enjoy yourself when you aren’t dehydrated, exhausted and stinking of Pro Tan and oil. I must admit that it felt strange being a spectator and not part of the spectacle. Then again, everyone is part of the spectacle at a show like that. That’s the funny thing about bodybuilding—the fans are also participants in the sport.

Contrast that with baseball, for instance. You don’t have everyone in the ballpark aspiring to play like Barry Bonds or Alex Rodriguez. Instead, they’re perfectly content to watch incredibly talented players do their thing out there on the field. Bodybuilding is quite different. Nearly everyone in the audience at a bodybuilding show, unless we’re talking about the worried moms (“Don’t overdo it, honey!”) either has been onstage or wants to be. We even have monthly magazines that cater to the idea that anyone can look like Ronnie Coleman and friends just by mimicking his training exactly. To the outside world that’s pretty ludicrous. I have yet to see Sports Illustrated run a single article about how you, too, can throw a football just like Tom Brady. That’s because we all know that Tom Brady’s prowess as a quarterback is the result of not only many years of practice but also a genetic anomaly that gives his throwing arm such inhuman power and accuracy. Top bodybuilders are also endowed with rare genetics, yet the rank-and-file bodybuilders tend to ignore the fact. You know, denial ain’t just a river in Egypt! But I digress. The amateur show was a good one, with plenty of bodybuilders in shape and flexing their hearts out. Still, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to who was going to win, once we knew he was in the contest. “Carl,” as I’ll call him, was doing the show purely to requalify for the Nationals, which

would take place eight weeks later. He’d been to the USA and Nationals a half dozen times, finishing around seventh or eighth as a light heavyweight on each occasion. If that doesn’t sound too impressive, you must not know how tough the light-heavy class at any pro qualifier is. Carl was loaded with muscle, a walking tank at 5’6” and 198 pounds shredded to the bone. When the class took the stage, however, it was clear that it wasn’t exactly going to be like shooting fish in a barrel for Carl, as we’d all thought. First he was going to have to get through Rick, a guy making his competitive debut. I knew who Rick was because he’d backed out of a couple of shows

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A Bodybuilder

Is Born

quickly. “Do you know why, aside from the fact that Carl has been competing since you were in kindergarten? He’s more seasoned than a family

bucket of KFC.” Rick shrugged. “It’s your back. It needs a lot of work to match the rest of you.” I asked what he did for his back

Comstock

over the past year and a half, having announced his intent to compete on the message boards. Rick was loaded with potential, but I’d written him off as just another flaky guy

Too many magazines and Web sites cater to the idea that anyone can look like a champion bodybuilder just by training like one. Not true.

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Model: Robert Hatch

who talked the big talk but, when it came down to dieting all the way down and getting onstage, would never follow through. Boy, did Rick prove me wrong. Here he was, the only guy out of almost 20 light heavies to really challenge Carl. Rick had mammoth delts, chest and arms, a tiny waist and sweeping quads. Like Carl, he was also in great condition. It was only when they turned around that I saw that Carl was going to sweep the class easily after all. Rick’s back just wasn’t that impressive. Not to say it didn’t have some width and thickness, but it didn’t match the rest of his phenomenal body at all. Carl’s back looked like a craggy mountain range, popping with bulges and ridges when he hit his rear double-biceps pose. Before the night show began, I was sitting up front with my wife while the Indian food I had just eaten roiled around in my belly and sent early warning signs of the distress I would feel later. Rick approached me. Because I write for the bodybuilding magazines and have a Web site, people often seek out my opinion. After Rick introduced himself and we exchanged pleasantries, he got right to it. “Ron, what do you think about my chances?” Rick asked me. “He’s going to beat you,” I deadpanned. “Oh.” Rick looked a bit shocked that I’d come right out and said it so

A Bodybuilder

Machines and cables have their place, but you’ll never max out the density of your back muscles without some heavy doses of raw iron.

Once I made it clear that he could have taken out one of the best

Balik \ Model: Ronnie Coleman

ments—weighted chins, barbell rows, dumbbell rows and deadlifts.

Model: Mike Icolari

Is Born

and learned it was mainly a lot of cable rows and pulldowns, along with some Hammer Strength machines. When I chastised him for the lack of free weights, he reminded me that his back routine was nearly identical to the one Ronnie Coleman performs in his latest DVD. “Yes,” I agreed, “but that’s Ronnie’s second back workout of the week! In his other training video, you see him do deadlifts, T-bar rows and barbell rows. Machines and cables have their place, but you’ll never max out the density of your back muscles without some heavy doses of raw iron.” “Maybe I should have bought the other video too,” he said. It turned out that Rick had never liked training back and had never really devoted himself to the tough free-weight move-

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bodybuilders in our part of the country in his first contest if only his back had been better developed, his attitude about training it changed immediately. “Back day is going to become your favorite workout of the week,” I explained. “You’re going to set goals with each exercise to increase the weight, the reps, or both on a regular basis.” Rick nodded in agreement. He planned to compete again at the same show next year and to blow it away the way Carl was doing on this day. By the time Carl received his trophy for winning the overall a couple of hours later, I knew something was dreadfully wrong down in my guts. I would spend the next day or so visiting the toilet, but at least I could take solace in knowing that somewhere Rick was building himself a bigger and better back. As for me, the next time I’m offered anything with the words curry or tandoori in it, I’ll pass. IM

“R

iding a life” is the best way to describe Brad Harris’ rise from a wide-eyed youth of 14 who was inspired by the immortal Steve Reeves to start weight training and traveled to Muscle Beach on a bus from his home in Burbank, California. He later followed Steve Reeves to Italy and, like Reeves, became an international movie star. His film career spans 48 years, and he’s appeared in more than 40 pictures plus a slew of TV shows as an adven-

ture-movie hero and phenomenal stuntman. He was inducted into the Hollywood Stuntmen’s Hall of Fame on January 19, 2006, and was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the “Brad Harris Live” Film Festival on April 29, 2006, in Germany, where he signed autographs for three hours. There are active Brad Harris fan clubs even today. Brad’s exciting and adventurous career is documented in a 387-page biography by Reiner Boller, Brad Harris, the American Bavarian, which received glowing reviews. There are stories of incredible ad-

venture, life-threatening danger, love, sorrow and grief, as well as some that are very funny indeed. Negotiations are currently under way to make Brad’s life story into a feature film. Harris’ name represented action in the European cinema of the 1960s, whether as Hercules in the Italian epics or as Captain Rowland in the “Police Inspector X” series of films. He was also the role model for such strong action heroes as Arnold Schwarzenegger and, in fact, had the Governor under personal contract at one point. He always

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All Photography courtesy of Brad Harris Archives unless otherwise indicated.

The Hollywood Stuntman Hall of Famer.

Negrita Jayde

by Gene Mozée

Don Leomazzi

Filming “Death Stone” in Sri Lanka, 1971.

Clockwise, from top left: Brad filming “Mr. Dynamite” in Spain, 1967; poster for Harris’ film festival in Essen, Germany, 2006; poster for Brad’s first European film, 1961; in front of a billboard for a film he and his wife starred in and he co-produced, 1970; filming “Hunt for the Red Tiger” in Pakistan, where he’s called a “Golden Jubilee Star,” 1971.

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Brad Harris

many musclemen to appear in those sword-and-sandal movies, none was as versatile or as prolific as Brad. He was far and away the best athlete of the group. Later this year Brad is set to appear in a new movie based on the million-seller novel Shiver, written by Brian Harper. He will also serve as associate producer on the project. His rigorous daily workout regimen keeps him in tiptop shape so that he’s always ready. Harris was an outstanding athlete at Burbank High School, where he competed in football, basketball and track. Classmate and highly

acclaimed actor-bodybuilder Bill Smith used to train with Brad in his garage. Brad was elected student body president and was offered a football scholarship to USC, but he chose the academic climate at UCLA, where he graduated with a degree in political geography. Brad speaks Italian, German and some French and Spanish. “Because of Muscle Beach and Steve Reeves, I began weight training,” says Brad. “Because of Muscle Beach and Steve Reeves I became a third-world movie star and traveled around the world many times and experienced many adventures. I

Don Leomazzi

performed his own stunts, risking his life in more than a few of them. He was the stunt coordinator on many of his films and also trained stuntmen. He belongs to a unique fraternity of cinematic heroes who established their place in motion picture history in the period Italians commonly refer to l’epoca d’oro, or the golden age, which began in the early ’60s with Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita,” “Cleopatra” with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton and “Hercules” with Steve Reeves, and took in the 1960 Olympic Games, which were held in Rome. Of the

At right: performing in the German film “Death Trip,” which was filmed near Ankara, Turkey, in ’67.

Above: training with an assist from Arnold and Franco Columbu at Gold’s Gym in Venice, California, circa 1970. At right: starring in “Masacre at Marble City,” which was filmed in Prague, Czech Republic, in ’64.

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Brad Harris:

Don Leomazzi

Brad as Captain Rowland in the German film series “Kommissar X.”

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Art Zeller

party, the Oktoberfest, in Munich, Germany— 2008 was his 49th consecutive year. Not even Arnold can top that. Today, Brad Harris is dedicated to his fitness corporation, Modern Body Design. He produces Ab-OrigiOnals, a unique abdominal-exercise device that enables the user to work the midsection from all angles for maximum results. His company also produces HotPex, which are the ultimate

SPORT REVUE

Cover photo by

Albert Busek

now live near Muscle Beach and see it almost every evening. I walk down to the beach and sit on a turnedover trash can while gazing up into the great beyond. The oxygen from the ocean breeze is invigorating and rejuvenating. I get some of my best ideas during that quiet period of meditation under the darkening sky. Modern medicine is now discovering the value of pure oxygen used in a hyperbaric chamber to combat the many diseases that can’t survive in pure oxygen. Exercise and oxygen therapy is a new medical discovery with great promise.” He holds a possible world record for attending the world’s largest

Clockwise from top: Brad and Arnold at Muscle Beach, circa 1969; wind sprinting on a mountain bike in Santa Monica, California; at Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany; on the cover of Sport Revue, Germany’s largest muscle magazine.

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Brad Harris

pushup handles for working the chest, triceps and shoulders. He has developed other exercise devices that he uses in his workouts. Brad is quick to point out that his personal program is designed specifically for his needs and goals, based on more than 60 years of trial and error. He performs many exercises with the equipment that he designed and sells—he feels that they are the best, or he wouldn’t recommend them. He doesn’t recommend that anyone try to follow his exact

Brad in 1987, after just six weeks of training with his first pair of AbOrigiOnals.

Brad, his wife Olinka and their daughter Sabrina at their palazzo in Rome, 1969.

Brad and Sabrina: “The most important job in the universe is parenting.” 158 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Brad Harris

exercises, but you can learn the basic principles of his system and apply them to your own workouts. He has an individual approach to training and diet: “I train every single day—seven days a week. Presently, I’m on a four-day cycle. I concentrate on one major muscle group each workout, keeping in mind that several other muscles assist on each exercise, which gives them a good workout as well. I train at Gold’s Gym in Venice in the morning. My workouts are 40 to 45 minutes of high-intensity action.

“In the afternoon, about three or four o’clock, I run the famous stairs in Santa Monica for legs and cardiovascular work. The 167 wooden steps are used by hundreds of fitness enthusiasts every day. I used to charge up those steps in less than 30 seconds and do it eight to 10 times, but that’s totally unnecessary. We all used to overtrain all the time in the old days. Now that I’m 75, it kicks my butt to run them under one minute, which is still a very good time. I run them twice, once to warm up, and the second time I go full blast. I do the stairs every other

A young Brad with parents, Stoney and Helen, in St. Anthony, Idaho, about to depart for the “Promised Land”—California.

“Exploring the universe of my mind, reviewing my yesterdays and contemplating my tomorrows.”

“Someday I’m going to change the world, but first I’ve gotta change my diapers.”

“The only gun I’ve ever owned is a squirt gun.”

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“We must exercise our mind as well as our body, to maintain equilibrium in our life.”

day. Some days I do wind sprints on my mountain bike instead of the stairs. Those two exercises provide all the work I need for my legs.”

Morning Workouts Monday: Arms Low-pulley rope curls Forward-leaning rope triceps extensions Tuesday: Shoulders, back Circle high pulls (Harris Row) Seated side raises Wednesday: Chest, front delts Decline dumbbell presses Bradomatic push presses Thursday: Upper back Pulldowns (slant bar, various positions) Friday: Cycle begins again.

Afternoon Workouts Abs: Ab-OrigiOnals

4 x 40

Next day: Legs Runs stairs twice or does mountain bike wind sprints.

Brad performing pushups with his latest HotPex handles.

“To describe each exact movement would be near impossible,” he says. “On every exercise I try to incorporate as many assistance muscles as possible. I generally do 12 sets of 30 reps on a single exercise each workout day. I may use a second exercise for four sets of 30 reps. I start with a light weight, which serves as a warmup. Then I increase the weight 10 pounds each set until I reach the heaviest weight I’m going to use that day. Even though I know I could use more weight, I don’t because I don’t want to injure myself. Overtraining leads to injuries. “For me it’s extremely important to have good blood flow every day. When I do my decline-bench presses with dumbbells, I put my feet up in the air so that the blood flows into my upper extremities and blood flows throughout my entire body. I want all those veins and capillaries open. That’s what keeps you healthy. When people get older and aren’t getting enough blood flow from their activities, those little veins all shut down. That makes the heart work harder, and if it’s suddenly overworked, a heart attack is the result. That’s what happens to people who aren’t paying attention www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 161

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Brad Harris

to proper blood flow throughout the body every day. “My diet is based on getting balanced nutrition from fresh, healthful foods that are low in sugar, salt and fat. I start the day with a protein drink mixed with nonfat milk, nuts, fruit and grains. For lunch I may have a prepared meal from Whole Foods Market, which might be a delicious thick soup with tender chicken and other healthful ingredients. For supper I may have a big salad with fish and assorted organic vegetables. About once a month I have an eight-ounce filet mignon when I go out and dine with friends. Green tea is one of my favorite beverages. I do take some food supplements, such as vitamins and minerals,

vitamin E, vitamin C, fish oils and MSM, for joint health. I believe that supplements are intended to balance what may be missing from your food intake. I try to get what I need from a well-balanced, healthful diet. “I monitor myself on how I look, how I feel and how I perform. I weigh myself every day. If I gain a couple of pounds, I make necessary adjustments to get back in the 170-pound zone. If anything goes out of balance, I correct it. I’ve never been overweight, and I don’t take any medicine. I try to avoid stress or minimize it. “The best advice I can offer for anyone wishing to start a weighttraining program is to get a qualified

personal trainer to design a program suited to your goals and condition. You won’t need the trainer forever. When training, you must concentrate fully on each movement so that you feel it in the area you’re working. Be consistent. At first it takes discipline to stick to the program and diet, but after a while it becomes a way of life that you’ll enjoy. It will add years to your life and more life to your years.” A fitting way to close is with Brad’s motto: “Stay Fit, Have Fun, Harm No One, Inspire Everyone.” Editor’s note: For more information on Brad Harris, visit www .hotpex.com and www.aborigionals .com. IM

“It is my mission and desire to inspire, until I expire, and thereafter, while having fun! Thereafter?”

Overhead French curls—a favorite triceps exercise.

Floor pulley rope biceps curls.

Overhead pulldown biceps curls.

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The

Testosterone

DHEA,

Hormone Therapy and Quality of Life by Jerry Brainum

Dehydroepiandrosterone, a.k.a. DHEA, is relevant for bodybuilders for at least two reasons. One is that many supplements touted for their â&#x20AC;&#x153;testosteroneboostingâ&#x20AC;? ability have DHEA as the active primary ingredient, although it is often listed by another name. Another is that DHEA is the only pro-hormone on the market. 166 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Toney Freeman

Zone

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DHEA While the exercise program led to beneficial changes in body composition, insulin sensitivity and blood lipids, the addition of DHEA provided no additional benefits to what was gained from the exercise program alone.

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While pro-hormone supplements were a previously lucrative commodity, they were banned by federal law in 2005. There’s a current legislative attempt to have DHEA removed from over-the-counter sales as well. The proposed ban is based on reports in medical journals that DHEA is an anabolic steroid and therefore is subject to the same restrictions as other anabolic steroid and pro-hormone drugs. One of the co-sponsors of the bill is Republican presidential candidate Senator John McCain of Arizona. The labeling of DHEA as an anabolic steroid implies that it’s capable of increasing testosterone in the human body. In fact, DHEA is an adrenal steroid that can be a precursor, or starting substance, of various other steroids, such as testosterone and estrogen. Its actual effects in the body, however, aren’t that straightforward. DHEA can take a number of pathways through the body.

it takes. Early studies suggested that it predominantly converts to estrogen in men. More recent studies, however, indicate that a certain amount of it converts to testosterone, particularly in men who have lower testosterone or DHEA. A study reported in the March 2004 issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility traced the pathway of oral doses of DHEA in 14 men, age range 18 to 42. The men were randomly assigned to three dosage groups: 1) 50 milligrams of DHEA 2) 200 milligrams of DHEA 3) Placebo The study lasted six months, and during that time none of the men showed any significant side effects, such as gynecomastia, a.k.a. “man boobs,” changes in testicular size or enlarged prostate. DHEA also had no effect on any of the men’s testosterone measures, regardless of the

Gynecomastia, or

“man boobs.” Enzyme activity can convert DHEA to androstenedione. “Andro” may ring a bell, as it was the second pro-hormone, after DHEA, to be commercially marketed. It gained notoriety when baseball slugger Mark McGwire admitted to using it. Andro can also convert into other steroids. In women it usually converts to testosterone. In men it mainly converts to estrogen or to a metabolite of the testosterone by-product dihydrotestosterone, though some does also convert into testosterone. The question is whether DHEA itself can reliably boost testosterone levels in men. Several studies have examined the metabolic pathway

dose. More problematic, however, was the rise of ADG in those who took DHEA. ADG is a metabolite of the testosterone by-product dihydrotestosterone, a.k.a. DHT, that stays in the blood longer than DHT does. DHT is linked to such maladies as male-pattern baldness, acne and prostate enlargement. Since none of the subjects experienced those effects even after six months, the side effects attendant to DHEA remain an open question. On the other hand, the rise in ADG could be a problem for long-term use by men over 40, since DHT and ADG are also linked to prostate enlargement and possibly cancer if estrogen levels are also higher than

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DHEA normal, which is common in older men with high bodyfat levels. Because some conversion to andro and possibly testosterone does occur, could DHEA prove a useful aid for building muscle? That issue was examined in a study published nine years ago.1 Ten young men, average age 23, took 50 milligrams a day of DHEA. The men’s serum andro levels rose by 150 percent within an hour of taking DHEA, but that didn’t affect either testosterone or estrogen. Another 19 men, the same age, trained with weights for eight weeks, with half the men getting a daily dose of 150 milligrams of DHEA and the other half a placebo. The serum andro levels increased in the DHEA group at weeks two and five, but no other hormones rose. Both groups made similar gains in strength and lean mass, thus pointing to no beneficial effect from DHEA intake. Does that mean that we can rule out DHEA as a useful muscle-building aid? That’s unclear, especially for

older people. In a study published two years ago that involved older men and women, DHEA supplementation was found to increase the effects of a weight-training program in building muscle mass after 16 weeks of training.2 A more recent study involved women over age 64 who took 50 milligrams of DHEA a day and engaged in both weight-training and aerobicexercise programs. Another group of women did the same exercise but took a placebo. After 12 weeks the women in the DHEA group had increased hormone measures, including DHEA-S, the circulating form of DHEA in the blood (up by 650 percent); total testosterone (100 percent); estradiol or estrogen (165 percent); estrone, a weaker estrogen (85 percent); and IGF-1 (30 percent). While the exercise program led to beneficial changes in body composition, insulin sensitivity and blood lipids, the addition of DHEA provided no additional benefits to

In a study published two years ago that involved older men and women, DHEA supplementation was found to increase the effects of a weight-training program in building muscle mass after 16 weeks of training.

what was gained from the exercise program alone. This study confirmed a previous widely reported study done by researchers from the Mayo Clinic and published in the October 19, 2006, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. That study featured 87 men and 57 women over age 60 who took 75 milligrams a day of DHEA (men) or 50 milligrams a day (women) for two years. DHEA was found to have no effect on muscle strength, peak endurance, muscle mass or fat mass. Further confusing the issue was still another study that found that older people who took DHEA experienced a significant loss of abdominal fat along with an increase in insulin sensitivity.3 In that study the older female subjects all showed elevations of testosterone after oral intake of DHEA; both women and men showed elevated estrogen after using it. Past studies show that giving rats huge doses of DHEA led to a significant loss of bodyfat, but rats do not produce significant levels of DHEA, which made the study’s relevance for humans questionable. Indeed, follow-up human studies found no fat-loss benefits with DHEA use, even with massive doses. Other reports showed that DHEA appears to blunt the effects of cortisol, which tends to rise in aging bodies, and improve insulin sensitivity, as insulin and cortisol have an inverse relationship in the body. DHEA may also blunt inflammation, an underlying cause of most degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. So it appears that DHEA may offer considerable health benefits to those over 40. It does, for instance, help maintain levels of IGF-1, the active component of growth hormone. IGF-1 helps maintain muscle function and connective tissue as people age. The effects of DHEA on building muscle are still nebulous at best, however. It should never be used by those under age 40, since DHEA measures are sufficient in most people until that age. People over 40 who are considering taking DHEA should have a blood test for DHEA-S and take the supplement only if they have a below-normal (continued on page 174) level. Since

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DHEA

DHEA may help blunt inflammation, an underlying cause of most degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. (continued from page 170) DHEA

always converts to testosterone in women, women who want a bit more bang from their training buck may consider taking a small dose—25 to 50 milligrams—daily or every other day. Be aware, however, that women who take DHEA supplements also have a high incidence of adult acne. That isn’t surprising when you consider that DHEA is a primary culprit in teenage acne. A study published last year found that merely taking oral doses of free fatty acids leads to a rise in various hormones, including DHEA, in women. Those who want to reap most of the immune-enhancing and other health benefits associated with DHEA should consider a special form called 7-keto DHEA, which is sold as a dietary supplement. It doesn’t convert into either testosterone or estrogen, but it does offer some weight-loss effects not offered by DHEA itself. The 7-keto form brings on a thermogenic effect in the liver that leads to greater fat oxidation. The major drawback to 7-keto is that it’s far more expensive than plain DHEA supplements. I’ve taken DHEA supplements in the past and still take it on occasion. I did feel better when using DHEA, although I didn’t notice any particular benefits in my regular training program. The same holds true for the 7-keto form. I’d probably now stick with the 7-keto form for long-

term use because of the finding that DHEA may promote the DHT metabolite. I’d rather not add male-pattern baldness or prostate problems to the other stresses of life. So if information on DHEA supplementation is sketchy, what’s the answer? After all, according to statistics, two men out of 10 aged 60 or over have a testosterone deficiency. Even that stat may be low because it represents total testosterone, which includes both the free, or active, form of the hormone as well as the form bound to plasma proteins. Ninety-eight percent of circulating testosterone in the blood is bound to those proteins, but only 2 percent, the free form, can interact with cellular androgen receptors. So judging the level of testosterone only by measuring the total test level is both deceptive and inaccurate. Only the free level truly reflects the state of testosterone in a man. Based on that, I believe that many men are walking around with lowerthan-optimal active-test levels, especially since most doctors don’t routinely measure free testosterone. At least three recent studies that I know of show that having low testosterone significantly increases mortality in men, mainly as a result of heart failure. Among the effects of having low testosterone are these: • Decreased energy • Reduced muscle mass and

strength • Decreased brain function and possible risk of degenerative brain disease, such as Alzheimer’s. • Low libido, possibly impotence, as test is required for nitric oxide release • Depression • Increased bodyfat, especially visceral, or deep-lying, abdominal fat, which is considered the most dangerous form from a health standpoint. Physicians are hesitant to prescribe test to men because of fears of activating prostate cancer—an unfounded and inaccurate assumption, all based on one case study published in 1942! A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute analyzed 18 worldwide studies related to prostate cancer and hormones. The study included 3,886 men with prostate cancer and 6,438 men who were cancer-free. It found no relationship between blood testosterone and estrogen and the onset of prostate cancer. Men who have prostate cancer should not take testosterone, although that, too, isn’t a certainty anymore. Consider that men with the lowest test levels show the most aggressive forms of prostate cancer, and one form of non-androgendependent prostate cancer actually

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recedes when treated with testosterone. Actor Sylvester Stallone, who attributed his ability to portray action hero Rambo again at age 61 to his use of GH and test, believes that test is so effective that it will be offered over the counter within 10 years. I wouldn’t go that far, but other drugs currently in development called SARMs, or selective androgen receptor modulators, offer the benefits of test with little or no side effects. Perhaps when those drugs are available, doctors will have a more enlightened attitude. Men who are deficient in test who get on some form of test therapy will likely experience a far greater quality of life—and perhaps even live longer. In the meantime, here are a few questions that men can ask themselves to judge whether they’re low in testosterone: 1) Are your erections weaker (and I don’t mean buildings)? 2) Do you have a decreased sex drive? 3) Do you feel fatigued and lack energy most of the time? 4) Do you fall asleep after dinner? 5) Has there been a recent de-

terioration in your work performance? 6) Have you noticed a decreased enjoyment of life?

7-keto DHEA, which is sold as a dietary supplement, doesn’t convert into either testosterone or estrogen yet has weight-loss effects not offered by DHEA itself.

7) Are you experiencing a decrease in strength, muscle size and endurance? 8) Is your ability to play sports lessened? 9) Are you sad and grumpy? 10) Have you lost weight? 11) Do you find yourself sexually attracted to Hillary Clinton (just joking)? The test is positive for low testosterone if you answered yes to questions one or two or to any three other questions. The test was developed by a group of endocrinologists, several of whom express sexual interest in Hillary Clinton. At least they didn’t mention John McCain.

References 1 Brown, G.A., et al. (1999). Effect of oral DHEA on serum testosterone and adaptations to resistance training in young men. J Appl Physiol.

87:2274-2283. 2 Villareal, D.T., et al. (2006). DHEA enhances effects of weighttraining on muscle mass and strength in elderly women and men. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 291: E1003-E1008. 3 Villareal, D.T., et al. (2004). Effect of DHEA on abdominal fat and insulin action in elderly women and men: A randomized, controlled study. JAMA. 292:2243-2248. IM

Neveux \ Models: Clark and Anita Bartram

Since DHEA always converts to testosterone in women, women who want a bit more bang from their training buck may consider taking a small dose— 25 to 50 milligrams.

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Balik \ Model: Arnold Schwarzenegger

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e h T

Mistake

t was summer 1975, and Arnold was Mr. Olympia, bodybuilding’s top dog. The muscle world was captivated by the awesome Austrian, and for good reason: He looked incredible from every angle. At 17, Steve was in awe too, but his physique, at 155 pounds, was far from awesome—and he was fed up with it. So he decided that between his junior and senior years of high school he was going to use Arnold’s double-split Mr. O program and become unrecognizably freaky huge by the start of school in September—he’d show Michelle what a fool she was for breaking up with him. Steve had been training for two years, so he knew he was ready for one workout in the morning and another in the late afternoon, six days a week. Steve knew he’d also have to follow Arnold’s diet, so every morning he planned to wake up and choke down a hamburger patty, toast, whole milk, juice and fruit—the perfect mass-gaining preworkout meal. He was stoked that his arms would morph to at least 18 1/2 inches—Michelle was going to swoon—which was only about 1 1/4 inches per month. No problem. Did he make it? Well, after less than three weeks of two 1 1/2-hour workouts a day, he was completely burned out with nothing to show for his efforts except calluses, sore shoulder joints and a pissed-off mom who had to wash all his workout clothes. After taking a few weeks off, he went back to one workout a day four days a week and did manage to build about five pounds of impressive muscle that summer. Arnold’s Olympia title was

safe for another year. There’s a hapthe genetic giants? None—in fact, pier ending, though, as you’ll see in you’ll probably quit trying. You have a moment—with clues to help you to find other ways to get the ball get huge. through the hoop—more efficient Therein lies the biggest mistake methods for your bodytype, such as most bodybuilders make—they jump shots and hooks. use the pros’ training routines and So here’s the truth about your end up with zero gains. They think muscle-building success: If you’re that because they want to look like disciplined and use your head, the top stars, they have to train like there’s real, almost unlimited possithem. It makes some sense till you bility. In other words, loads of musreally think about it—would you cle are just waiting to be slapped jump into an Olympic swimmer’s onto your frame. Just stop trying to program because you want to some- dunk the ball before you grow tall. day swim in the Olympics? No. You Don’t try to use pro-style workouts, have to gradually progress to that which will do nothing but discourlevel. Patience and age you. gradual progresIt took Steve many sion—as well as years to figure that out, smart training—are and after learning all he key to realizing your could about his specific potential. requirements for muscle You can be bigger, growth and the science much bigger than behind anabolic stimuyou are now, but the lation, he sculpted a pros have different worthy physique, using genetics than 99.99 3D Positions of Flexion percent of us. Plus and eventually X Reps they use pharmaceuand X-hybrid techtical enhancements, niques. A happy ending, which make an inbut it’s not over yet; he’s credible difference in still building muscle at A recent shot of Steve in workload tolerance, 49 years old. In fact, he his late 40s. recovery and growth. looks better in his late In other words, you 40s than he did in his Steve won’t look like the 20s. at 15 champs by training He’s no Arnold, but like them, unless you and 120 he’s taken his genetics have those two often pounds. much further than his unmentioned advanbefore picture, taken on tages. his 15th birthday, could Think about it this have predicted. Most exway: If you’re a 5’2” perts would’ve told him basketball player, to give up bodybuilding how much success and try marathons. Steve are you going to have knew what he wanted, if you try to dunk the though, and stuck to his basketball only like guns. He’s living proof Neveux \ Model: Steve Holman

by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

Photo courtesy of Steve Holman

Muscle-Building

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that with experimentation, discipline and effort, you can pack on plenty of muscle. Remember, he’s still doing it as he nears 50—no drugs. You can do it too—but you shouldn’t train like the pros. Not yet anyway. Give it time and progress correctly. We’re not saying that you shouldn’t check out the training of the top guys. You can learn a thing or two from them. For example, in the e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building we analyze Ronnie Coleman’s Mr. Olympia training and explain why he does certain things to grow and how you can use them correctly. We even analyze some of the things Arnold did that you can apply to your workouts. Us? We don’t train with a prostyle program because we don’t use drugs, and we have limited time—and Steve’s genetics are far from superior. Basically, we have to work out on our lunch break, usually only four days a week. Even so, we’ve discovered a lot of what works: efficiency-of-effort muscle building that’s built quite a bit of size for us as well as so-called average trainees. One of the big techniques we discovered is phase training, or taking it easy during a low-intensity week after four to six weeks of all-out workouts. Phase training is a must if you train to muscular exhaustion on a regular basis, which we believe is necessary if you want to make the fastest gains—and quick gains are possible. Here’s a story that shows it can be done: “I wanted to give you an update on my progress with X Reps. In the last month and a half I’ve put 60 pounds on my bench and 1 1/2 inches on my arms. I use a combination of X Reps, Double-X Overload sets [from the e-book Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building], drop sets and double drop sets. Keep the information coming! I read the training blog [at X-Rep.com] every day.” —Jon Julius, via Internet Hearing about quick gains like that get us stoked on a number of levels. Here’s another motivating statement, this one from Arthur Jones, the creator of Nautilus ma-

chines and the father of high-intensity training, that should get you champing at the bit to hit the gym with intensity: “The potential muscular size of the average individual is far beyond existing average muscular size; in effect, almost any healthy man can build muscular size and strength to such a degree that most medical doctors would refuse to believe accurate before and after measurements and photographs. And at least a fair percentage of apparently average men can build literally huge muscular size.” You can do it. Just remember, progression, patience and smart training are the superhighway to big gaining—not pro-bodybuilder workouts.

Neveux \ Models: Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson

Arthur Jones.

We don’t train with a pro-style program because we don’t use drugs, and we have limited time. We’ve discovered a lot of what works: efficiencyof-effort muscle building that’s built quite a bit of size for us as well as so-called average trainees.

Editor’s note: For more on X-Rep training and 3D POF, visit www .X-Rep.com and 3DMuscle Building.com. If you’re a beginning bodybuilder, a trainee coming back from a layoff or a trainer who trains beginners, visit www .MuscleQuick Start.com. IM

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After a few weeks of allout training, you should have a downshift week of lower intensity. A phase-training approach like that is a key to achieving great gains.

Body Insurance Maximum Muscle, Minimal Injuries and Lifelong Health “Youth is wasted on the young” is a saying that issues from the mouths of the old who have made mistakes and wish they could do it over. “Body insurance” is an injunction to all those who lift weights to do so with thoughts of their future health and well-being. It may be difficult when we’re young to think about the ramifications of our youthful habits. For one thing, the frontal lobe of our brains—the seat of judgment—is not fully developed until we’re 25. Still, it’s important to delineate some principles of weight training and nutrition that profoundly expand the quality of human life—preserving youthful vitality into old age. It’s not only competitive bodybuilders who do foolish things in their youth. We’re all prone to think we’re 188 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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by Richard Baldwin

immortal and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be careful about what we eat or drink or how we drive or how hard we push ourselves in pursuing a sport. Thoughtless pursuit of any goal will always lead to overtraining, injuries and hindrances to progress. So letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s look at some important elements of a lifestyle that can slow the aging process and protect youthful vigor long past the 20s and 30s. www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 189

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Body

The judgmental frontal lobe is not fully developed until we’re 25.

Insurance

Neveux \ Model: Lee Apperson

must make a permanent lifestyle change. One reason diets and exercise fads don’t work is that humans get bored rather easily. So how do you maintain motivation? Periodization is one answer—that is, changing exercises, sets, reps, even days from time to time. Our bodies get used to any routine and then quit responding. Regularly changing the routine disrupts that cycle. Another challenge to lifestyle fitness is overtraining. Symptoms include loss of motivaWhen squatting, be sure to keep your knees pointtion, fatigue, insomnia, ing and bending in the same direction as your toes decrease in sex drive, to avoid twisting your knees. irritability, depression and a host of other undesirable outcomes. If those symptoms begin to characAccording to the American terize your life, it’s time to examine Academy of Family Physicians, the what could be causing them: It maximum benefits of exercise are could be insufficient calories, lifting achieved when it consists of 30 to 60 heavy weights too often, doing too minutes, four to six days per week. many sets and repetitions or just According to the Harvard School of not using periodization to avoid Public Health, “Next to not smokovertraining. ing, getting regular physical activity If anything can interrupt a peris arguably the best thing you can son’s dedication to lifestyle fitness, do for your health. It lowers the risk it’s injuries. To avoid injury, you of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, must perform each exercise properhigh blood pressure, osteoporosis ly; a certified personal trainer could and certain cancers.” Sarcopenia, or help here. Putting your skeleton in the loss of muscle as we age, results awkward and dangerous or biomein a loss of up to 40 percent unless chanically unsound skill patterns is counteracted by weight-bearing asking for injury. For example, the exercise. Sacropenia is not a hidden squat is one of the most productive result of old age, like hardening of exercises you can do, but if you do the arteries. It’s often easy to recit improperly, it can damage your ognize someone is old even from knees. When squatting, be sure to a distance just by the obvious loss keep your knees pointing and bendof deltoid and pectoral muscle in ing in the same direction as your the upper body, plus atrophy in the toes to avoid twisting your knees. gluteus maximus and quadriceps in Any severe inward rotation of the the lower body. knees can eventually result in injury. Once a person begins an exercise Find a good book on exercise kineprogram, the challenge is to make siology to be sure you are following it part of his or her lifestyle. Fads in proper exercise form. exercise and nutrition irritate me, In addition, keep your ego in because there’s no quick fix—you check by avoiding singles, or maxi-

1) Proper Training

mum one-rep attempts. Unless you’re shooting to be a competitive powerlifter, singles are just too dangerous and unnecessary in normal training. Motivation and progress are also greatly enhanced by setting goals. Without a goal, most people will have difficulty training consistently, let alone actually getting fit. Set both long-term and short-term goals. For instance, many men would like to add an inch or two to their arm girth. The smartest way to do that is to work on short-term goals such as shooting for 1/16 inch first. When I’m trying to gain in a bodypart, I measure the part before and after I train it, just to see the difference between the cold and pumped measurements. Then I begin to aim for a greater pump every time I work it. If an arm measures 16 pumped now, pump it to 16 1/16 to 16 1/4 during the next workout. Whatever you achieve, let that be the least you let it pump to the next time. Soon it will be larger in the cold stage and pump even larger. If a couple of weeks go by and the measurement hasn’t changed an iota, determine to pump that sucker up as long as it takes to move that tape. Determination + faith + persistence = success. You can do it. (A caveat: Sometimes with goal setting, you have to make a choice. It’s very difficult to cut up and grow muscle at the same time. It is very difficult to gain pure strength—be able to life twice bodyweight—and concentrate on building big biceps or a six-pack set of abs. You have to set your sights on one goal and stick with it.) As you increase the intensity of

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Body Insurance

When I’m trying to gain in a bodypart, I measure the part before and after I train it, just to see the difference between the cold and pumped measurements.

Putting your skeleton in your workouts, warming up should be part of your regimen, and I don’t awkward and dangerous or mean stretching: Do a few sets with biomechanically unsound skill significantly lower weight than your six-rep maximum. Doing a couple patterns is asking for injury. of sets of 10 to 12 repetitions with a weight you could actually do more like 15 to 20 repetitions with lubricates the joints—something especially important for the over-40 crowd—and prepares muscles to stress on the body that it exert maximum effort. responds to by overcompenFinally, let me alert you to a sation—the anabolic pronewly discovered bonus from excess. Yet if it’s not properly ercise: Proper, consistent training fueled, training is a waste of will protect your brain from detime. I always believed that mentia. A number of studies over it was not only the quantity the past decade have demonstratof calories that counted but ed that exercise can inhibit the also the quality. In other impairment of the dentate gyrus, words, our bodies not only do not the site in the hippocampus that metabolize protein, fats and caris identified as the site of impairment in normal memory loss. Exercise I always believed that it was not stimulates increases only the quantity of calories that in cerebral blood volcounted but also the quality. ume, which should result in extension bohydrates in the same manner, of normal memory. In fact, corbut even complex carbohydrates relation between exercise and are metabolized differently than better performance on memory simple carbohydrates. tests has been demonstrated in Processed foods with an overnumerous studies, such as those abundance of sugar, flour and by Arthur Kramer at the Universalt are often referred to as empty sity of Illinois and those at Israel’s calories because they provide so Bar-Ilan University and researchlittle nutritional value, especially ers from the Karolinska Institute the vitamins and minerals necesin Stockholm. sary to turn food into lean tissue. Resistance training creates

2) Proper Nutrition

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Body Insurance Concentrate on nutrient-dense foods like baked, broiled or grilled chicken, fish and beef; steamed vegetables; and fresh fruit. Also, eat six small meals if possible rather than two or three big ones. Protein drinks and/or lowcarb protein bars along with vitamin-and-mineral supplements can count as one or two of those small meals. You’ll lose inches in the waist and butt and gain in the shoulders and arms. You will, therefore, look slimmer and more shapely whether you lose or gain bodyweight. The importance of following a nutritious diet cannot be stressed

3)Proper ProperRest Rest 3) Training and eating right are the keys to success, yet some people still fail to make the gains they expect. Often it’s because of lack of sleep. You can train and eat right, but if you’re not getting seven to nine hours of sleep each night, forget it. While you’re sleeping, growth hormone is released so that your body can repair itself and so that real growth of fatburning muscle can occur. [For more on sleep, see page 88.]

While you’re sleeping, growth hormone is released so that your body can repair itself and so that real growth of fatburning muscle can occur.

enough. Gluttony is rampant in America, with more than 60 percent of Americans being overweight or obese. That has resulted in a rising incidence of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. If that isn’t bad enough, the March 26, 2008, edition of the journal Neurology reported the results of a study involving 6,500 people: Those who were overweight and had a large belly were 2.3 times as likely to develop dementia as those with normal weight and belly size. So the combination of a healthful and nutritious diet with a solid exercise routine can’t be beat for ensuring that your healthy body and mind will last a lifetime.

4) Sparing Energy for Workouts Don’t expect spectacular muscle gains if you go out dancing all night or play basketball or some other sport. When you want maximum gains in lean body mass, limit your activity to tossing the steel around. Any energy expended on any activity other than pumping iron, including aerobics, is energy your body won’t have to grow muscle. If the goal is to lose fat, then aerobic exercise is probably a must for females, whose metabolisms don’t remain

Don’t expect spectacular muscle gains if you go out dancing all night or play basketball or some other sport.

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Neveux \ Model:Carl Suliani

The best way to warm up the muscles is to do a few sets with a significantly lower weight than your sixrep maximum.

elevated after exercise as long as males’ do, but if you have eliminated junk foods, you should see great gains in health and fitness.

5) Learn Learn to to Manage Manage 5) Stress Stress If you’re in a lousy relationship that upsets you or you’re worried all the time about finances, health or some work-related or family problems, you can’t make maximum gains. You must be able to manage your stress levels. The body can use up as much as 90 grams of protein during a stressful day. Just think of the maintenance, repair and growth of muscle your body could have accomplished with those 90 grams. Follow these simple lifestyle protocols, and you’ll not only make progress but maintain a fit and ac-

Stress can eat up 90 grams of protein per day.

tive lifestyle for life.

Richard Baldwin, Ph.D.

Editor’s note: Richard Baldwin, Ph.D., 58, is a former Mr. USA and Mr. America class winner. IM

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Mass Construction State-of-the-Art, Holistic Training for Outlandish Muscle Gains by C.S. Sloan I have a confession to make: I’ve been training like a bodybuilder.

Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

After years of heavy power training—years upon years of heavy triples, doubles and singles performed with supermaximal poundages, my body just couldn’t take it anymore. For six months I couldn’t even lift a weight due to several herniated The Principles of Mass cervical disks. Finally I had Construction to have surgery. The doc’s advice: “Don’t ever train heavy again!” What, was the guy crazy? I love lifting heavy weights. It’s the most addictive thing I’ve ever experienced. I’ve never tried heroin, but I’m pretty damn sure that I wouldn’t find it as addictive as getting under a 500-pound squat and cranking out a few triples. Nevertheless, when I recovered from my surgery and it was time to start pumping the iron again, I knew it was also time to make some changes to my training. So I decided to trade one addiction for another. I traded in the addiction of the max single for the addiction of the monster pump. “Pump” training was my original love, after all. I even wrote about it in IRON MAN in the mid’90s. One thing was certain, however: I wasn’t about to start training like the average pro bodybuilder. I decided that my new-style bodybuilding training was going to be state of the art. I was going to take all of the stuff I learned from years of powerlifting and power building and apply it to some serious hypertrophy training. This bodybuilder was going to be 21st century—cutting-edge as hell.

we were going to do the entire program. We were going to train our bench presses and deadlifts Russian-style too. There are several cutting-edge The program we followed had training principles that will empower us bench-pressing three times per you to pack on the most muscle growth in the shortest time possible. week, squatting twice each week and deadlifting twice each week. I’ll start by discussing the most important principle; the others fall into The squatting and deadlifting were place. done on different days, which meant that we were training our Principle 1: Volume Is King! hamstrings, glutes, and lower back a total of four times each week. None ”Whoa!” some of you are saying. of the workouts we did were light on “Hold your friggin’ horses, Sloan, volume. ’cause there’s no way that principle I definitely had my reservations can be right. We’ve read Mike Menat first. After a few weeks, however, tzer, and while we might not agree I was sold. My squat had never with everything he had to say, we do been stronger, and my deadlift know that less is better.” and bench press were increasing. Not so fast. Not only is less not The only problem: I was gaining better, but more is a helluva lot better. too much muscle, funny as that The key is knowing how to apply the volume, when to pour it on and when may sound. The routine wasn’t to back off—we’ll get to backing off in meant for someone trying to stay in a weight class, but it was fantasa bit. First, I want to spin a little tale tic for a trainee trying to pack on about myself—how I first discovered pounds. I had to actually decrease there might be a lot more to this volthe amount of work I was doing in ume business than I ever realized. each workout in an attempt to stay A few years ago I was training for a in my weight class. powerlifting meet in the Deep South. A couple of training partners I lifted Still, I’d learned a lesson, one with wanted to try one of those crazy that I’m now applying to my new Russian-style squat routines. I decidhypertrophy workouts. Volume ed, What the hell—might as well give definitely rocks! You just need to it a shot. If we were going to follow a know how to manipulate it to get Russian-style squat routine, though, the best results. That’s where the www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 205

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Mass Construction

following principles come in.

Principle 2: Volume Might Be King but Squatting Is Queen Volume training combined with lots of squatting is the most surefire way imaginable to pack on muscle mass. You want to increase your bench press? Squat more. Want to gain 30 pounds of muscle? Squat more. Want big arms more than anything else in the world? Squat more. Get the picture? Those answers have one thing in common. You’ve got to squat if you’re serious about gaining muscle mass.

Principle 3: Full-Body Workouts Are the Best

Principle 4: Stay Away From Failure When training with high volume— lots of sets, full-body workouts three days each week—you want to stay the heck away from muscle failure for the

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Neveux \ Model: Mike Dragna

If volume is king and squatting is queen, then full-body workouts are the aces up your muscle-building sleeve. Combining plenty of volume with squatting and full-body workouts is like creating a muscle-building cocktail—a cocktail that, once ignited, is hard to put out.

Mass Construction

most part. You’ve probably heard people say that you can train either hard or long but not both. True enough, but most people just don’t understand that training long is better than training to failure. Even though I’m outlining a state-of-the-art program, it’s not really anything new. Bodybuilders of old knew very well that it was better to train long than it was to train hard. Most classic bodybuilders from the ’60s and earlier trained their muscle groups three times each week. They didn’t do it because they’d read some newfangled study that told them it was the best way to go. They trained that way because they’d tried every bodybuilding workout under the sun and that was what worked best for them. Besides, they knew that in order to train their muscle groups so frequently, they’d have to avoid muscle failure.

When training with a lot of volume, you want to avoid a couple of things besides training to failure. One, you don’t want to train with incredibly heavy weights. Why? Because that would have you approaching or hitting failure on all of your sets, and, as we saw in our fourth principle, failure is bad. In other words, you can’t do 10 sets of max triples and not expect to burn out. That doesn’t mean you can’t do 10 sets of three; it just means that the weight should be only moderately heavy if you keep the reps that low. Also keep in mind that when you’re trying to build maximum muscle mass—not maximum strength—your reps can be a little higher. The second thing you need to avoid when training with a lot of volume is doing too many reps on each set. 208 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Neveux \ Model: Brian Yerskey

Principle 5: Keep Your Reps Moderate

High-rep sets combined with a high number of sets can add up to too much workload in a single session. That’s what leads to overtraining, not volume workouts in and of themselves. What’s an ideal rep range for a bodybuilder solely interested in building muscle? I’d say anywhere between six and 12 reps, with six to eight being best.

Neveux \ Model: Luke Wood

Neveux \ Model: Brian Yerskey

Principle 6: Know When to Back Off Funny thing about those Russian workouts my lifting partners and I were doing: Every four weeks the volume would drop for one week. I’ve noticed something else about all other great workout programs that rely on volume, whether they’re a Soviet-inspired squat regimen or a bench workout from the famed Westside Barbell Club of Columbus, Ohio. Almost all of them call for a break after three weeks of hard training. That doesn’t mean you have to lay off for an entire week; it just means cutting back on sets and reps. In fact, principle 6 is the key to making big gains with volume workouts. In case you haven’t figured it out, not backing off every few weeks is the reason that most people get absolutely nowhere when training with high volume.

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Mass Construction (continued from page 209)

Creating the Ultimate Workout Okay, knowing the principles as we now do, let’s see what a really great training program would look like and how you can keep the gains coming after completing it. What follows is a four-week cycle. Study the entire program several times before hitting the gym.

A Formula for Mass Construction Week 1 Day 1 Squats Bench presses Wide-grip chins Superset Barbell curls Dips Incline situps

Week 3 5x8 5x8 5x8 5 x 10 5 x 10 5 x 15

Day 1 Squats Bench presses Wide-grip chins Superset Barbell curls Dips Incline situps

Tips 8x8 8x8 6 x 10 8 x 10 8 x 10 5 x 25

Day 2 Sumo deadlifts 5x6 Standing dumbbell presses 5 x 8 Dumbbell curls (per arm) 4 x 10 Skull crushers 4 x 10 Incline situps 5 x 15

Day 2 Sumo deadlifts 8x6 Standing dumbbell presses 8 x 8 Dumbbell curls (per arm) 8 x 10 Skull crushers 8 x 10 Incline situps 5 x 25

Day 3 Squats Incline-bench presses Bent-over rows Superset Preacher curls Pulldowns Incline situps

5x8 5x8 5x8 5 x 10 5 x 10 5 x 15

Week 2 Day 1 Squats Bench presses Wide-grip chins Superset Barbell curls Dips Incline situps

6 x 10 6 x 10 5 x 20

Day 1 Squats Bench presses Wide-grip chins Superset Barbell curls Dips Incline situps

• When in doubt, use less weight, not more. • Rest two to three minutes between sets.

8 x 12 8 x 12 5 x 25

• The last week is your back-off week.

3x8 3x8 3x8

• When you’re finished with the fourth week, you can either start the program over again for another four-week cycle or create a workout of your own based on the principles you have learned.

2 x 10 2 x 10 2 x 15

Day 2 Sumo deadlifts 2x6 Standing dumbbell presses 2 x 8 Dumbbell curls (per arm) 2 x 10 Skull crushers 2 x 10 Incline situps 2 x 15

Day 3 Squats Incline-bench presses Bent-over rows Superset Preacher curls Pulldowns Incline situps

6 x 10 6 x 10 5 x 20

• Only the last set or two of each exercise should approach muscular failure.

• The program is designed so that each week builds on the previous one. That means you do not miss a training session.

Day 2 Sumo deadlifts 6x6 Standing dumbbell presses 6 x 8 Dumbbell curls (per arm) 6 x 10 Skull crushers 6 x 10 Incline situps 5 x 20 6x8 6x8 6x8

• All sets listed are work sets. Perform one or two warmup sets on each exercise.

8x8 8 x 10 8 x 10

Week 4 6x8 6x8 6x8

• Train three nonconsecutive days each week. The most popular days are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

3x8 3x8 3x8 2 x 10 2 x 10 2 x 15

Closing Words I always enjoy hearing from lifters, so if you want to e-mail me with thoughts or questions you can do so at cssloan@mac. com. You can also visit my Web site at web.mac.com/cssloan. Forget about the things you thought you knew about training and give this program an honest try. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the results. IM

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by Jerry Brainum

IGF-1: Killer or Savior? Insulinlike growth factor 1 is so named because of its resemblance to insulin. IGF-1 is synthesized both in the liver and in muscle. There are two variants of the hormone in muscle, and each is a potent stimulator of satellite cells, which are muscle stem cells and are required for muscle repair and growth. Most scientists say that IGF-1 is the primary anabolic effector of growth hormone, and GH stimulates IGF-1 synthesis in the liver. Scientists are looking at IGF-1 therapy with great interest, as it appears to reverse many of the effects of aging. As with GH, IGF-1 concentration drops with age, and many older people have 50 percent less than younger people do. Numerous studies show that maintaining an optimal count of IGF-1 forestalls many of the typical signs of aging. For example, a lack of IGF-1 is linked to heart failure, which affects more than half of those over age 60. IGF-1 is also required to maintain brain cells, or neurons. Without a sufficient amount in the brain, neurons undergo a cellular suicidal process called apoptosis. Insufficient IGF-1 also makes muscles and connective tissue break down, resulting in the weakness and stiffness that older adults often experience. With all these benefits, you’d think that just about every person over age 40 who’s low in the hormone would be supplementing it in some way. Thus far, however, commercial forms of IGF-1—which must be injected, as the hormone is protein based and composed of 79 amino acids in a particular sequence—are prescribed only to treat certain forms of childhood growth problems. Because IGF-1 spurs cellular growth, some scientists voice concern that at high concentrations it could stimulate cancer. Indeed, higher amounts of IGF-1 are associated with certain forms of cancer, such as those of the prostate, breast and colon. The big debate among researchers is a chicken-and-egg argument: Does IGF-1 promote tumor growth and spread, or do tumors themselves increase IGF-1? IGF-1 is useful to tumors because it prevents their apoptosis. Complicating the cancer connection is the fact that teenagers, still in a growth stage and thus producing large amounts of IGF-1, have low rates of cancer. By contrast, older adults have the highest rates of various cancers yet also have the lowest blood IGF-1 counts. A more rational scenario is that while IGF-1 doesn’t cause cancer, taking it in large doses may result in tumor activity. One recent study found that higher levels of IGF-1 are inversely associated with testicular cancer.1 Also confusing IGF-1 as a health issue is the way some animals react to the hormone. Studies with worms and other invertebrates show that a lack of IGF-1 helps extend life. Mice and rats deficient in IGF-1 live longer than rodents not deficient in it. Female mice having defects in

IGF-1 cellular signaling appear to age more slowly than other rodents. Animal studies, however, usually involve lifelong exposure, which isn’t the case with human studies. The hormone may also act differently in relatively shortlived animals, such as mice and rats, than in longer-lived humans. Preliminary studies of IGF-1 with human subjects have shown beneficial effects. For example, researchers recently examined the effects of IGF-1 on human mortality.2 Critics of IGF-1 and GH therapy often say that rather than offering a fountain of youth, the hormones may hasten death, citing the longevity of some animals that are hormone

Neveux \ Model: Carl Suliani

ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI

Anti-Aging Research

For now, you can take solace in the fact that regular exercise is the most potent known method of maintaining an optimal level of IGF-1. Weight training is the best form of exercise for that.

deficient. In the eight-year human mortality investigation of IGF-1, which involved 376 healthy subjects aged 73 to 94, higher amounts of IGF-1 were associated with longer life and reduced cardiovascular risk. Those with the least IGF-1 in their bodies showed nearly twice the risk of death of those who had more. Those who had a lot of age-related overall body inflammation were particularly at risk; IGF-1 appears to douse the flames of out-of-control inflammation. Inflammation plays a major role in nearly all causes of premature death, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and such degenerative brain diseases as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

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A new study shows that one way IGF-1 may slow aging is through protecting cellular mitochondria. Giving IGF-1 to aging rats normalized mitochondrial oxidative damage and function while reducing free-radical generation.

Neveux \ Model:

One major theory of why we age relates to cellular last longer in the blood, thus extending its active time. structures called mitochondria, the site of energy producTaking too much IGF-1, as some bodybuilders and tion and fat oxidation. Because mitochondria are the cell’s athletes do, could lead to problems. The primary side efpower supply, when they die or cease to function, so does fect of large doses of IGF-1 is hypoglycemia, or low blood the whole cell. The main cause of mitochondrial death is sugar, which points up similarities between insulin and oxidation. The high rate of energy production in mitochonIGF-1. In other words, large doses of IGF-1 could start to dria also generates the highest rate of free-radical producact like insulin. That isn’t likely to happen with IGF-1 drug tion in the body. By-products of oxygen metabolism, free forms that also include IGF-binding proteins, which exradicals attack cell membranes. Mitochondria have extentend and delay the activity of the hormone. Unlike insulin, sive fat-based membranes, making them particularly prone IGF-1 doesn’t stimulate bodyfat synthesis, although it does to oxidation. stimulate internal organ growth, resulting in the bloated If you can maintain mitochondria as you age, the proabdomens you see on some athletes. That occurs only with cess of aging should slow down, as should the incidence of doses far bigger than you’d ever use for antiaging purposes. age-related degenerative disease. A new study shows that The same holds true for GH: Small doses are beneficial, but one way that IGF-1 may retard aging is by protecting milarge doses place you in unknown biophysical territory. tochondria.3 Loss of mitochondria isn’t usually an issue in In the near future gene therapy will be available for placyoung people because of their higher IGF-1 counts. In the ing IGF-1-producing genes directly in muscle. Preliminary study, giving IGF-1 to aging rats normalized mitochondrial studies with rodents show startling gains in muscle size oxidative damage and function while reducing free-radical generation. Another study done by the same researchers also provided low doses of IGF-1 to aging rats.4 Old rats deficient in IGF-1 have a lack of serum antioxidants, which were restored with IGF-1. Older rats also have more glucose, insulin, fat and cholesterol in their blood. All those metabolic abnormalities were corrected when the rodents got low doses of IGF-1. What happened in the study is important because insulin resistance increases with age and is often linked to a loss of lean mass, mainly muscle. Insulin resistance results in insulin spikes in the blood, which are linked to premature aging and diabetes, itself a cause of premature death. The study also showed that old rats suffer brain and liver damage because of inadequate antioxidant defenses, but the low IGF-1 dose normalized antioxidant protection as well as mitochondrial dysfunction. Low-dose Most scientists say that IGF-1 is the primary IGF-1 also increased testosterone, not anabolic effector of growth hormone. a minor effect for anyone who wants to maintain muscle size and strength with the passing years. and a 35 percent increase in strength with the technique. Does that mean you should consider taking IGF-1 injecThe idea is that the therapy will eliminate the extensive tions as a means of slowing the aging process? If you’re weakness and loss of muscle that come with age, turning deficient in the hormone, you will more likely be given GH 70-year-old muscle back into 19-year-old muscle. Even itself. Since GH increases IGF-1, the benefits will be similar. so, the technique is experimental with humans and needs Also, most physicians have more experience in providing refining. Attempting to try it now could lead to catastrophe, GH than IGF-1, so the optimal doses of GH are better essuch as turning on cancer-friendly genes. tablished. Drug forms of IGF-1 were approved by the UnitFor now, take solace in the fact that regular exercise is ed States Food and Drug Administration in 2005, but one the most potent method of maintaining an optimal meaform was removed from the market in 2007, leaving only sure of IGF-1; weight training is the best form of exercise one (Increlex) available. Athletes and bodybuilders have for that. A high-protein diet is also directly related to IGF-1, used a form called long R3 IGF-1 for years. It’s structured to www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 219

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with lower protein intake linked to less total IGF-1 in the body. Some studies suggest that taking DHEA, an adrenal steroid, can normalize low IGF-1 and may be the reason that DHEA is often called an antiaging hormone.

several preventive risk factors—most related to common sense—such as not smoking, not having diabetes, not being fat and not having high blood pressure. Their positive relation to exercise, meanwhile, was particularly effective. The authors suggest that a 70-year-old man who doesn’t smoke, has normal weight and blood pressure and no diabetes and works out two to four times a week has a 54 percent probability of living to age 90. With the presence of adverse factors in his profile, his probability of living to 90 was reduced by the following amounts:

How to Live to 90 or More A study published last February in the Archives of Internal Medicine included some tips on how to live to 90 or more.5 Twin studies found that one-fourth of the variation in human life span is attributed to genetic factors, which means that 75 percent of life span is linked to modifiable risk factors. The research involved 2,357 men who participated in an ongoing project called the Physicians’ Health Study. At the beginning of the study in 1981, the men, average age 72, provided such information as height, weight, how often they exercised, blood pressure, cholesterol counts and so on. Twice during the first year and then once a year through 2006, they completed a questionnaire about

• Sedentary lifestyle, 44 percent • Hypertension, 36 percent • Obesity, 26 percent • Smoking, 22 percent • Three factors—such as no exercise, being fat and having diabetes—14 percent

The authors suggest that a 70-year-old man who doesn’t smoke and has normal weight and blood pressure and no diabetes and who works out two to four times per week has a 54 percent probability of living to age 90. • Five other factors, 4 percent

changes in their habits, health status and ability to complete daily tasks. A total of 870 men, or 41 percent, lived to age 90 or older. Those who made it to that age had a negative relation to

The primary point of the study is that if you adhere to a healthful lifestyle as you age, your chances of living longer are enhanced. Conversely, having favorable genetics but living an unhealthful lifestyle can shorten your life. One example of that was the former king of late night TV, Johnny Carson, who came from a family of long-lived adults, with both his father and grandfather living past 90. Carson, however, was a heavy smoker most of his life and also drank too much alcohol. Such behavior took its toll, overruling Carson’s favorable genetics. He died at age 79 from the effects of emphysema related to his cigarette smoking.

References

ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-AGING RESEARCH ANTI-

Brainum’s Anti-AgingJerry Research

1 Chia, V.M., et al. (2008). Insulin-like growth factor-1, insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 3, and testicular germ-cell tumor risk. Am J Epidemol. 167:1438-1445. 2 Brugts, M.P., et al. (2008). Low circulating IGF-1 bioactivity in elderly men is associated with increased mortality. J Clin Endocrin Metab. 93(7):2515-2522. 3 Puche, J.E., et al. (2008). Low doses of insulin-like growth factor-1 induce mitochondrial protection in aging rats. Endocrinol. 149(5):2620-2627. 4 Garcia-Fernandez, M.G., et al. (2008). Low doses of insulin-like growth factor-1 improve insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and oxidative damage in aging rats. Endocrinol. 149(5):2433-2442. 5 Yates, L.B. (2008). Exceptional longevity in men: Modifiable factors associated with survival and function to age 90 years. Arch Intern Med. 168:284-290. IM

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LONNIE TEPER’S

Contests

’08 NPC Junior Cal

Jay Cutler.

Stars Come Out in Pasadena I’ve been around this game for a long time—much too long, according to a lot of people—but even I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of industry icons who showed up at my annual Junior Cal on June 21 at Pasadena City College (if you haven’t read my blog on the show or viewed the thousands of pictures taken by Merv, Yogi Avidan and Nga Azarian that are posted at www.IronManMagazine.com and at www.NPCJuniorCal.com, slap yourself upside the head). Twenty current and former pros were in attendance, three of whom account for 12 Olympia gold medals—Jay Cutler (two), Lenda Murray (eight) and Jenny Lynn (two). Also in the house were seven current and former Arnold Sports Festival winners: Jay (three), Jenny (three) and Gina Aliotti, this year’s Figure International champ. The Ultimate Beef was the featured guest poser again, at a massive 291 Quincy pounds. As always, he drove his huge Taylor legion of fans wild, jumping into the (left) audience and moving up and down and the aisles of the Sexson Auditorium of Silvio Pasadena City College, posing for picSamuel. tures with all those who approached L.T. and Jay. him. Afterward, he had plenty of kind words for the fans’ support and for every Best competitor who stepped onstage. Has Poser Kris. there ever been a more giving Mr. Olympia than Cutler? The man puts out 100 percent, whenever he performs. Thank you for your continued loyalty to my event, Jason. Lenda, who has lived in Los Angeles for the past few years, came to support one of her clients, Carlissa SesFlex Wheeler, Kris Gethin soms, who made her contest debut and Brian Andrews. with a third-place finish in the open-figure A-class. Jenny came all the way from Louisville, Kentucky, to be there for her best friend, Amy Carr, the second-placer in the D and Masters-over-35 figure classes. Flex Wheeler was part of the team repping EFX, co-title spon224 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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P.D. Devers.

PRECONTEST DIET? Silvio has it his way. Page 225

FIGURE FIGURES It’s all relative. Page 228

Jenny Lynn (left) and Amy Carr.

Photography by Merv and Ron Avidan

YogiAvidan Avidan, Silvio Yogi and Silvioand atthe theBurger BurgerKing. King.

Michael Ergas (left), Steve Kuclo and Amy Peters. Tanji Johnson and Mark Mason.

BICEPTUAL BATTLE Any question as to who won this one? Page 226

sor of the event along with Bodybuilding.com. The latter, by the way, was represented by Kris Gethin, the Bodybuilding.com editor in chief, and his bride, pro bodybuilding star Marika “Da Freeka” Johansson. Darn if Gethin didn’t actually compete in the show—after my badgering him for the past two years. He got fourth out of 15 in a tough novice middleweight class too, and he was honored with the Best Poser award for the men. Not bad for a guy who says he made up the routine on the way to the stage. Silvio Samuel showed up, much to my surprise, since I didn’t think he even knew I was putting on the affair. Quincy Taylor, who was Lenda helping Greg McCoy, a student at the University Murray of Texas, Arlington, was also on hand. (right) One of the many highlights of the evening was and Patric seeing Samuel and Taylor, who had some words Birdsong. at last season’s Olympia press conference (Q.T. said his 6’4” height works against him, that it’s easier for “ankle biters” like Silvio to put on muscle; Silvio told him to take up basketball), go at it pose for pose onstage in an impromptu session. Gee, wonder who egged them on to do such a thing? I have to hand it to both guys—Silvio looked terrific, but to be fair to Taylor, Samuel was competing in Houston two weeks later, and Q.T. was seven weeks out from his debut 2008 appearance at the Tampa Flex Pro Bodybuilding Weekly Championships, Wheeler so the matador should have slayed the bull and John in that one. Balik. Here’s the kicker on Samuel: The 33year-old star Pete Ciccone of 619. was caught, with Avidan, munching on cheeseburgers at Burger King across the street from the PCC campus after the prejudging. Silvio swore he was not part of the burger fest, which also included Gethin, and that Elsa Escobar with June he was just along for the ride. Later, at the postand Katie Munroe. contest celebration at the Cheesecake Factory, both Cutler and I saw Samuel downing a plate of barbecued ribs. As Cutler broke up, I walked over to Samuel to make sure he knew what he was doing; he firmly assured me the meal would have no effect on his condition at the Houston Pro. As his easy victory on July 5 in Texas proved, he was right. Sorry for the interruption; I’ll pass down the barbewww.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 225

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cue sauce next time. As always, June Munroe and Amy Peters flew in from Texas to help me with the contest production, as did Amy’s beau, NPC star Steve Kuclo. Amy, who was also planning on competing in Texas in two weeks, was a happy camper when she got her hands on the one of Cheesecake Factory’s rich desserts. She looked great, too, so I guess the chatter about the tortures of dieting is greatly exaggerated. I eat ribs and cheesecake all the time; how come I don’t look like Silvio and Amy? On second thought, no need to respond. Cathy LeFrancois had to cancel her guest-posing stint due to a broken foot suffered when she was moving equipment into her El Monte, Calilfornia, home gym. She still appeared at the Gaspari Nutrition booth, along with David Hughes. Tanji Johnson, in great shape in preparation for the fitness competitions at the Pro Bodybuilding Weekly and Europa events in August, drove all the way in from San Francisco, where Gladiator “Stealth” recently moved, and shared a table with Jenny Lynn in greeting the fans. Kristy Hawkins, taking time off from the lab at neighboring Caltech L.T. and to attend, edged me out in a biceps spectacle that some wisecracking Kristy Hawkins media member referred to on the IronManMagazine.com forum as the pose Posedown of the Century. Okay, I lost. Big Armin Scholtz (another down. shocker), Derik Farnsworth, Michael Ergas and Meriza DeGuzman were also among the pros in the house. Cynthia Bridges-Satalowich, hubby Todd David Hughes and Jazz the dog drove in and Cathy from Gilbert, Arizona, to LeFrancois. which they recently moved from Simi Valley, California, because Tall Todd got a promotion from BSN. Cynthia wasn’t sporting her normally sharp abs but had a pretty good excuse—she and Todd are expecting their first child in December. She was sporting the usual slew Cynthia Bridges-Satalowich (center) with Jazz, hubby of competitors she brings to Todd and a slew of ﬁgure competitors at the BSN booth. my event each year. Zhanna Rotar was part of the judging panel, which was once again led by head judge Link Swenson, while Alesandro Komadina, a former pro from Italy who’s now a trainer at the Gold’s Gym, Pasadena, also stopped by, as he has year after year. Top NPC competitors Pete Ciccone (at his 619 Muscle From far left: Steve Langham and Jim Arrington and Lorenzo Reybooth) and Alex Azarian (with wife Nga, who was shootnaga. Above: Andre Bueno with L.T. ing the show for Muscular Development) were in the house, as well as last year’s winners, Kiyoshi Moody and Jeane Sunseri-Warp, who made the trip from San Diego and San Jose, respectively, just to hand out the overall awards in men’s bodybuilding and open figure. Of course, the NPC district chairman, Jaguar Jon 226 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Above, from far left: Anna Brown, Ali Olsen, Jeane Sunseri-Warp, Brianne Shaw, Mona Liza Reyes, Charles Turner and Kiyoshi Moody.

Martha Ybarra.

Leo Delaine.

Garrett Jaronczyk.

Keisuke Yoshida.

Lindsay, was at the prejuding, helping me put out the usual fires that are lit at every show. Also on hand from San Diego was P.D. Devers, who interrupted his USA prep to drive all the way to Pasadena (about a 2 1/2-hour haul) just to open up the festivities with his always-entertaining posing routine. Then he got back in his car and drove right back to continue with his training. Seeing people do such altruistic things, year after year, makes promoting the Junior Cal such a rewarding experience. IRON MAN publisher John Balik got there early in the evening and stayed for the entire event, despite his hour-plus drive back home; it was great seeing J.B. and Silvio sitting side by side, chatting much of the time about how much they respected the competitors. Now, John, Silvio has guaranteed to me that he’ll be doing the IRON MAN Pro until he wins it, so did you lock that up during your conversation? A blown tire forced IM’s Ruthless Ruth Silverman to miss the action after supporting the contest with her presence for nine years, but she left her “best wishes” message on my voice mail. Mark Mason flew in from Seattle to videotape the event; Mark does great work—check out NPCJuniorCal. com if you want to order a video of the show. Flex editor Allen Donnelly came to the contest; even the infamous Hollywood Bert Perry showed up, late as always, but still in time to get his celebrated grab shots for MuscleMag International.

ADD JUNIOR CAL—The lineups were grand at the 10th edition of the show, perhaps the most evenly matched field in the history of the contest. In the end, Leo Delaine took the men’s overall, with Martha Ybarra winning the women’s bodybuilding title and Brianne Shaw topping a very tough figure lineup. Leo, who I met at the NPC San Francisco last October, is from Suisun City, California. I think he’s a top-five-caliber guy at the Team Universe. Remember, last year’s Junior Cal champ, Kiyoshi Moody, took his class at that New York event before losing the overall to Chris Faildo, so a precedent has been set. Charles Turner—one of the stars of this event three years back, when he won the novice middleweight class, was second in the light heavyweights and was cited as Best Poser, Collegiate, and Most Promising—had a grand reunion by winning the open heavyweight and the novice heavyweight and overall trophies. Shaw, 22, recently moved to Southern California from Omaha, Nebraska, and was prepped for the show by Gina Aliotti; she was also www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 227

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named the Most Promising figure competitor, an award that came courtesy of Jimmy Mentis and Tight Curves nutrition. Mentis was at the Junior Nationals in Chicago that weekend, but he supported the contest with that special gift. The women’s Best Poser and Most Inspirational awards went to Ybarra, who has lost more than 100 pounds in the past few years. Kudos to double winners Andre Bueno, a PCC student who was first in both the collegiate and teen categories; Steve Langham, who came out on top in both the 50-plus and 60-plus classes; Lorenzo “Leonidis” Reynaga, who celebrated his 31st birthday with victories in the collegiate lightweight and novice middleweight classes; and Ali Olson, who came in from Fort Collins, Colorado, to win the C-class and the 35-plus. Check out Ali in this month’s Rising Stars section (beginning on page 230). The outdoors photo was taken by none other than Ali’s mother, Ellie Schirra, a model turned photog. All four division winners in the open figure competition were outstanding. Mona Liza Reyes, the ’06 California Overall winner, did the show, taking the A-class, as a warmup for the USA, with eventual overall champ Shaw taking the B category. As mentioned, Olson was crowned the winner in the C-class, and the striking Anna “Sasha” Brown, who recently posed for a Michael Neveux Hardbody shoot, took division D. Look for her dynamic layout in an upcoming issue. Anna, 28, came to the United States two years ago from Kiev, Ukraine, without speaking a word of English. It’s amazing how fluent she has become in such a short time. Silvio Samuel asked me about you only five times at the Cheesecake Factory, Anna; where were you hiding? As always, many of the competitors had great stories, and I can’t single them all out, but I did want to mention the mother-daughter team of Debbie Cruz, a 46-year-old mother of five, and Jessica Lindsey, a 22-year-old mother of two. And I don’t want to forget to mention Krista Pallett, a 17-year-old who came in from Kingman, Arizona, for her first contest and left with the collegiate crown, a second-place finish to 19-year-old Kaila Fairchild in the newly offered teen figure and a fourth-place award in the open D-class; or Chris Abrahim, the youngest competitor in the entire show at 16. Jungle Jim Arrington, the Jack LaLanne of the event, was the oldest at 75, and he actually seems to be getting better each year! A special shout out to Nilav Bhadra, a student of mine at East Los Angeles College, who Tracy Gaither earned the moniker “Beast From the Middle (left) and East—India” during the semester. The kid really Krista Pallett. did a heckuva job, losing only to the impressive Patric Birdsong in the novice lightweight and finishing third in his class in the collegiate division. I’m also handing out some special awards of my own. My award for Most Promising figure competitor goes to Noella Downs, an elegant 40-year-old who finished second to the overall winner in her class. The 5’3”, 110-pounder from Valley Glen, California, was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and raised there until the age of 17. She speaks four languages—Luo, Swahili, French and English—and she first drew my attention when she finished third in her class at the Cal a month earlier. I also want to say, “watch out for Birdsong.” The 18-yearold from Ontario, California, won the novice lightweights in addition to placing behind Bueno in the teen division and might have been my second choice, behind Kris Gethin, in the Best Poser category. Gosh, has it really been 10 years since I first took on this challenge? As they say, time flies where you’re having fun.

Debbie Cruz (left) and Jessica Lindsey. Kaila Fairchild.

Noella Downs.

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Nilav Bhadra.

UP, DOWN AND AROUND THE JUNIOR CALIFORNIA CHAMPIONSHIPS Photography by Ron Avidan

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1) The gang from Bazi. 2) Musclewerks in the house. 3) Rebecca Camden and Fleur Henry of HeadBlade. 4) Adam Strachman for MHP. 5) Lourdes Medina and Liz Ramirez of Hollywood Tans, Pasadena. 6) Dream Tan’s Mo Mohsen and Luka Cambio. 7) Gold’s Gym, Pasadena, reps Jack Boyajzan, Tracey Bailey and Justin Seitz. 8) Jennifer Thomas and David Slagle of JS Nitro. 9) Kimberly Insley models the merchandise at ZsuZsi Athletic Swim Couture. 10) Elek Tenki, on hand for Dumbbell Mania. 11) Ali Cody and Nicole Jiminez of Labrada Nutrition. 12) MetRx reps Kim Harris and Terry Hairston.

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

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IRON MAN

Age: 25 Weight: 195 contest; 220 off-season Height: 5’8” Residence: Suisun City, California Occupation: USAF Reserve and Fed-Ex Kinko’s Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Championships, light heavyweight, 1st, and overall; ’07 NPC San Francisco Championships, heavyweight, 1st Factoid: Married to Kathleen, father of Kaleo, two Contact: LeoDelaine@gmail.com

Photography by Merv 230 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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LO NN I E T E PE R’ S Ri si ng S t ars

Leo Delaine

L O N N I E T E P E R ’S R i si n g St ar s

IRON MAN

Keisuke Yoshida Age: Ageless Weight: 165 contest; 176 offseason Height: 5’7” Residence: Irvine, California Occupation: Owner of MoveOn44.com, an Internet business Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Championships, middleweight, 1st; ’07 California Championships, welterweight, 1st Factoids: “Lifetime drug-free is my motto,” he says; he’s a member of the All-American EFX team. Contact: wwwMoveOn44.com

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IRON MAN

LO NN I E T E PE R’ S Ri si ng S t ars

Andre Bueno Age: 19 Weight: 190 contest; 217 offseason Height: 5’9” Residence: Pasadena, California Occupation: Student at Pasadena City College Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Championships, collegiate and teen, 1st Factoids: Moved from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the end of 2006 to California to pursue a career in accounting; is also a Latin dancer, specializing in salsa and samba Contact: AndreBueno14@yahoo.com

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IRON MAN

L ON NI E TE P ER ’S Ris ing S t ars

Brianne Shaw Age: 22 Weight: 123 contest; 135 offseason Height: 5’3 1/2” Residence: Foothill Ranch, California Occupation: National sales executive Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Figure Championships, B-class, 1st, and overall; Tight Curves “Most Promising Figure” award Factoid: She recently moved from Omaha, Nebraska, to Orange County, California, and is a certified ISSA personal trainer and certified nutritionist. Contact: www.BrianneShaw.com

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IRON MAN

LO NN I E T E PE R’ S Ri si ng S t ars

Charles Turner Age: 30 Weight: 210 contest; 230 offseason Height: 5’10” Residence: West Covina, California Occupation: Manager of Max Muscle store, Rowland Heights Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Championships, heavyweight, 1st, and novice overall; ’06 NPC Tournament of Champions, novice heavyweight, 1st Factoid: Served four years in the Marine Corps as an infantry squad leader Contact: EDT1209@yahoo.com

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Ellie Schi

rra Photog raphy

IRON MAN

Ali Olson L ON NI E T E PE R’ S Ri si ng S t ars

Age: 35 Weight: 135 contest; 140 offseason Height: 5’5” Residence: Fort Collins, Colorado Occupation: Hair stylist, Spinning instructor, nutritional counselor Contest highlights: ’08 NPC Junior California Figure Championships, C-class, 1st, and masters over 35, 1st Factoids: She’s a former swimmer and the mother of two girls. Contact: AliOlson@comcast.net

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Be Mu ac sc h le ’0 8

Memorial Day 3

Memorial Day, May 26

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1) Jackie Lee, 75 years old! 2) Sherry Goggin and Stephanie Hicks add to the beauty of Muscle Beach. 3) Mark Antonia Grant and Colonel Kenneth Allison. 4) IM art director Terry Bratcher and Jon Jon Park, who accepted his father Reg’s induction into the Muscle Beach Hall of Fame. 5) The athletes stand at attention as a C-17 Globemaster from March Air Force Base flies overhead. 6) Joe Wheatley and Angelica Huston. 7) Laura Bailey, figure overall winner. 8) Cara Basso and head judge Jerome Ferguson. 9) Anu McKnight, novice men’s bodybuilding overall winner, and Sheanni Vanderbilt, novice figure overall winner. 10) The crew from March Air Force Base, in charge of the C-17 flyover. 11) Laura Bailey with Todd Greene of HeadBlade, the host sponsor. 12) Dawn Michael Thomas, women’s bodybuilding overall winner.

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Independence Day

6 4

8 9

Photography by Jerry Fredrick, Brett Miller and SecondFocus

Independence Day, July 4 1) Joe Wheatley and Cheryl Stoneham, figure-over-45 winner. 2) The class winners pose down. 3) Over-60 masters: Glen Greenbaum, Jim Arrington and Phil Le Gault. 4) Laura Bailey, figure champ. 5) Bob Blair. 6) Zabo Koszewski, Hall of Fame inductee, and IM’s John Balik. 7) The men’s heavyweight winners. 8) Kim Farley, novice figure overall champ, and family. 9) Balik and Zabo. 10) Dawn Michael Thomas, women’s bodybuilding overall winner. 11) Tattooes are in! 12) Ron Avidan (left), camera in hand for GetBig.com. 13) The figure lineup. 14) Mike Manibog, men’s champ. 15) Figure class winners.

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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.AndyHaman.com Andy Haman is an unusual IFBB professional bodybuilder—he earned his pro card at age 41. That’s right: After 20 years of hard training, Andy started competing about two years ago. He earned a string of impressive victories in local and state shows and hit the big time with a win at the Masters Nationals in ’07, which catapulted him into the pose-for-pay ranks. In fact, after a 14-year career teaching, as well as coaching wrestling and football, in the public school system, Andy retired specifically to pursue his dream of becoming a pro bodybuilder. That dream began many years earlier when Andy’s father permitted him and his older brother George to fill the basement with barbells, dumbbells and benches so that they could train to their heart’s content. And

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

now, with the help and support of his children and loving wife, Michelle, Andy is ready to begin his “second life” as one of the world’s top professional bodybuilders. Andy’s site has a nice look; it’s colorful and eye catching. He has a page filled with some interesting and fun facts about himself, including some of his best lifts, one of which is a 615-pound bench press—wow! He’s also put together a nice photo gallery with dozens of shots from contests and with his family, as well as shots of his training and just plain having fun. It’s easy to tell that Andy is not a person who takes himself too seriously, and he appreciates the gifts life has given him. He offers several services, such as online training and contest prep, as well as one-on-one sessions at either his gym or yours. Yes, Andy will actually travel to where you live and train with you at your facility while sharing as much knowledge as you can gather from him in a day. Pretty cool. Many photos are for sale, and coming soon is a DVD chronicling his entire preparation for his debut on a pro stage. I’m a fan of Andy’s, and I think after one look through his site, you will be too.

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>DVD Review: Mark Dugdale’s “Driven” One thing I’d never do is be dishonest with my readers, which is why I need to tell you that I’ve watched only about half of this DVD. I wanted to watch it in its entirety before reviewing it, but some unexpected things got in the way, and my magazine deadline was looming. I really didn’t need to watch another second—although I will have watched it all by the time you read this—to tell you all how much I enjoyed “Driven.” Shot in documentary style, “Driven” is not just another bodybuilding-training DVD but a complete look at the real life of Mark Dugdale. We get to see just how hard a champion works in the gym and as a businessman, husband and father. It’s apparent that Mark has developed an incredibly balanced physique and, even more important, a well-balanced life. I’d love to show the DVD to anyone who thinks all bodybuilders are just dumb, narcissistic, selfish meatheads; Mark absolutely destroys the stereotype. He is truly living the American dream—success, fame, love, family, friends, spiritual-

>Broser’s

Net Results Q&A

The Power/Rep Range/Shock innovator answers your questions on training and nutrition. Q: I just competed in my third bodybuilding contest, where I placed second for the third time. It was cool the first two times, but at my last show I was definitely frustrated. I asked the judges what was wrong with my physique, and they said my biggest weakness was my abs. When I look at photos, I can see what they’re talking about. My abs just don’t “pop.” I train them two to three times per week with three exercises and about 30 to 50 reps per set. What else can I do? I want to win next time. A: Before answering your question, I just want to mention that you should be very proud of yourself for those second-place finishes. Some people have to compete for many years before reaching a top-five posedown, and you’ve accomplished that in each of your first three competitions. Now, as to your question, it’s interesting because it’s a problem I once faced. A judge whom I respected very much told me early in my career that a truly excellent set of abs should show clearly even without being flexed. When I view early

ity are all abundant in Mark’s life. Intensity is obviously the name of the game in his training philosophy. His style is quite reminiscent of six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, where maximum effort on minimal sets was the rule. Interestingly, there were a few moments during “Driven” that I was reminded of the film “Pumping Iron”—something about the way the gym scenes were shot, along with the music and dialogue between Mark and his partners. That in itself brought a smile to my face. Those who like only hardcore-training DVDs might not appreciate two discs, but if you want to take an honest look at the life of one of the very best and most well-rounded bodybuilders in the world today, you will love “Driven.” I’ll have a little more on it next time. Editor’s note: Mark Dugdale’s “Driven” is available from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com.

photos of myself, I can see that when I hit an abs-andthigh pose, my midsection looked fairly ripped, but when I was standing relaxed, you couldn’t see a single box. So, if my bodyfat was low and I’d depleted my water properly, why were my abs not clearly delineated? The answer is simple: They were not developed enough. As with any other muscle group, if there’s not enough thickness to the abdominal muscles themselves, they’ll fail to project as fully as they should onstage. What’s the solution? Stop with the 30-to-50-rep sets and start training them with resistance just as you would any other bodypart you wish to improve. Do you regularly train your chest or biceps with weights light enough to give you such high reps? Do you think you’d carry the size you do in those muscles if you did? No, you wouldn’t, because high reps don’t challenge the muscle fibers most responsible for growth. Cut your reps from 30 to 50 per set to no more than 15 per set. Don’t be afraid to hold a heavy dumbbell on your chest for floor crunches, Swiss ball crunches and incline situps. Continue dropping the pin farther down the rack on cable crunches as well. Challenge your abs with progressive resistance and watch each of those “boxes” thicken and take on more of a 3-D appearance. When I started doing that years ago, I could only use a 50-pound dumbbell on my chest for crunches done www.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 243

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Net Results

Neveux \ Model: Joey Gloor

on the floor. Nowadays I can easily use a 120-pound dumbbell for sets of 15 to 20 reps. On cable crunches I rarely find a weight stack heavy enough and normally have to add some extra plates. The most common question I get when I discuss the need for “heavy” abdominal training is, “Will that thicken my waist?” The answer is no, as long as you do all of your repetitions with total control, perfect form and an intense focus on only allowing your abs to contract on each rep. I do not recommend adding resistance to all of the so-called lower-abdominal exercises, where the legs, knees and hips are drawn toward the torso. I feel that the movement too strongly activates the hip flexors, leaving less stimulation for the abs. Those exercises are important, however, and should be used either as the second half of a superset with a weighted abdominal movement or close to the end of your routine, when the abs are more fatigued. Q: I’ve been using the Power/ Rep Range/ Shock training program for a year, and I love it. The change from week to week really keeps my muscles guessing, and it simply makes weight training more interesting. My favorite is Shock week, so I was wondering if you have any new twists that would bring even greater variation. A: Every time I hear that someone is using my P/ RR/S training protocol with good results, it makes me smile, so thank you so much for your feedback. Rarely, however, is Shock week a favorite; you’re certainly in the minority there. I love the feeling that shocking the muscles provides, so yes, I’ve come up with some new ways to do it. One interesting method I’ve been experimenting with this year is heavy/light supersets and drop sets. In the standard P/RR/S program most supersets are in the range of eight to 10 or 10 to 12 reps per exercise. As for drop sets, the basic regimen calls for eight to 10 reps with a drop of four to six more or 10 to 12 reps with a drop of six to eight more. With the heavy/light protocol, however, you go from a traditional Power range of four to six reps immediately to a high-rep range of 16 to 20. That provides a unique stimulus for both the muscles and nervous system and gives your body a serious wake-up call. Here’s an example of a Shock chest workout using heavy/light:

Superset Bench presses Cable crossovers Superset Weighted dips Incline dumbbell flyes Smith-machine incline presses (drop)

2 x 4-6 2 x 16-20 2 x 4-6 2 x 16-20 1 x 4-6 (16-20)

A training method called add-on sets, which I’ve described in IRON MAN before, is another excellent way to shake up the traditional Shock workouts. It seriously challenges your mind, stamina and muscles. I like to use that method during cutting and contest prep periods, especially as the workouts force copious lactic acid production, which in turn signals the body to release increased amounts of fat-destroying, musclebuilding growth hormone. Here’s an example of an addon-sets Shock workout for quads: Walking lunges Superset Walking lunges Hack squats Tri-set Walking lunges Hack squats Leg presses Giant set Walking lunges Hack squats Leg presses Leg extensions

1 x 10-12 steps per leg 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12 1 x 10-12

You might also vary your Shock weeks by occasionally deleting the supersets and drop sets and using advanced rep techniques during each exercise. Examples include 1 1/2 reps, X Reps, stretch/pause, eccentric/concentric emphasis and pause reps. They force your muscles to work in ways they’re not accustomed to. There’s no rule saying that a weight must simply be lifted and lowered in the same standard manner all the time. In fact, doing standard training all the time could be keeping you from reaching your total growth potential. Here’s an example of a Shock workout for biceps: Barbell curls with eccentric pauses: Curl the bar to the top, squeeze the biceps, then lower slowly only halfway and hold that position for three seconds before lowering, 2 x 6-8. Preacher curls with 1 1/2 reps: Curl the bar to the top, squeeze the biceps, lower slowly only halfway, then curl back to the top before lowering, 2 x 8-10. Concentration curls with X reps: Do full-range reps until positive failure, then continue with constanttension partial reps from just above the stretch position up to the halfway point, 1 x 8-10. Enjoy the pain. IM

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Jay Cutler

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2008 Mr. Olympia

Preview by Lonnie Teper

Photography by Roland Balik and Merv

Is It Jay All the Way? Not According to the Blade and the Big, Bad Wolf

s this is being written, we still have 14 weeks to go to the big show. In late June—and with four qualifiers still to come—19 competitors had earned the right to take part in the ’08 Mr. Olympia, which is set for September 27 at the Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. Although another 12 might be joining the party by game day, it’s fair to say that the main challengers are already onboard. Can anybody put a stop to the Jay Cutler train ride? The Ultimate Beef has his sights on a three-peat and, with last year’s runner-up, Victor Martinez, probably out of the Big Dance because of knee surgery undergone during the first part of the year, can the judges mail this one in? Not according to Dexter Jackson, who feels the crown will change hands this time around—as in his hands. Dennis Wolf, coming off his highly controversial fifth-place finish last season—remember, Wolf won the fans’ vote at Body building.com—might not agree with the automatic-Cutler-victory-approach either. So who has the best chance of knocking Jay off his Olympia perch? Let’s take a look at the field so far.

The Champ: Jay Cutler

Victor Martinez and Jay Cutler.

He was off the past two years, due to injuries and illness leading up to the show, and still won. So can anybody stick with Jay if a much-improved version hits the stage this season? Cutler was 291 pounds when he guest-posed at my Junior Cal on June 21 and, unlike years past, had cleared his appearance calendar by July 1 so he could devote the entire summer to nothing but adding another Sandow to his Las Vegas fortress. Jay, who turns 35 in August, will probably carry around 265 to 270 pounds on his 5’9” frame and, with the widest shoulders and back in the profession, will look to overpower the field again.

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Preview 2008

Victor Martinez

The Top Challengers: Dexter Jackson, Dennis Wolf, Phil Heath

Martinez, of course, would be my choice if anybody has a shot at Cutler, but he told me—and the crowd—at the Lone Star Classic in Plano, Texas, in early June that he was too far behind in his leg training since the surgery and was going to concentrate on the ’09 Arnold Classic. Which makes perfect sense. Then I heard at dinner after my contest that he was back in the hunt, so I don’t know Martinez’ exact status at press time. I will be more than taken aback, however, if Vic actually does end up flexing on the Orleans stage.

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Preview 2008

Dexter Jackson

Jackson, coming off his third Arnold Classic

I’ll be generous and say the 5’6 1/2” Jackson might have tilted the scales at around 220 to 222—he was 205 the year before— at the ASC. In any case, the 38-year-old from Jacksonville, Florida, says he’ll be five pounds heavier in Vegas. In other words, an even bigger and better version of what we’ve seen in the past. Will that be enough to upset Cutler? Dex thinks so; he feels he has the edge in shape and conditioning and is fully confident he’ll be joining the short list of Mr. O winners in a couple of months.

win in the past four years—Martinez prevented a three-peat in ’07—plus back-to-back victories in Australia and New Zealand in the following two weeks, says he weighed 233 at the Arnold en route to his unanimous victory. If you’ve been reading my drivel for the past few years, you know what I think about the Blade’s claims. Actually, you know what I believe about almost all bodybuilders’ declarations when it comes to weight. Deduct 10, 252 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com then begin. Free download from imbodybuilding.com

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Dennis Wolf

The big, bad Wolf broke through big time last year, and he has legions of fans who feel that the 5’11” 260-pounder out of Germany can truly cop the title this season. He took the entire ’08 contest season off to focus solely on the Olympia. We’ll see if he brings up his weak areas enough to overtake the Beef, the Blade and the Gift.

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Phil Heath

The last named, of course, is

Phil Heath, the 28-year-old out of Colorado who opened up the new year with a powerful victory at the IRON MAN, following that up with a second-place finish to Jackson at the ASC two weeks later. The Denver Nugget was bigger at this year’s events than in the past, but I hope he doesn’t add much weight to his 5’9”, 230-pound frame. The guy has outstanding calves, wheels and nasty hamstrings and, of course, possesses the best allaround arm development on the pro level. Picking Heath as a legit challenger to the title this year is a stretch, I admit, but I like long shots. Makes things interesting. If he comes in the way he did at the IRON MAN, though, or perhaps 10 percent better, don’t be shocked if Phil provides a thrill or two in Las Vegas.

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Preview 2008

matic invite to the ’09 Mr. O. Both Warren and Samuel bested Anthony at the Arnold—as did Gustavo Badell and Toney Freeman—but I say the Marvelous One makes up for his below-par eighthplace finish there to battle again for a top-six slot—Anthony finished fifth in 2006, sixth in ’07. He was way off at the ASC but got better in Australia and New Zealand, where he took second. Conditioning, Melvin Anthony Marvelous, conditioning. With his fourth-

Branch Warren

Top-Six Contenders: Melvin Anthony, Branch Warren, Silvio Samuel, Gustavo Badell With Kai Greene opting out of the big show, postponing his Olympia debut for another season, the four men listed above will vie for inclusion in the finals and an autowww.ironmanmagazine.com \ OCTOBER 2008 255

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Preview 2008

Silvio

a top-six finish at any contest in the world. By the time this issue of IRON Samuel MAN comes out, the Houston Pro will be long gone—and I say the 5’7” 220-pounder will have added that contest to his “win” résumé. Don’t forget Badell. The ’Frican Rican, at 36, is still a great bodybuilder, capable of standing next to anybody onstage. He’s been third in this contest in the past, if you’ll recall, is coming off a second-place finish at this year’s IRON MAN and was sixth at the Arnold. At 5’7 1/2” and 245 pounds, the cat carries a lot of muscle.

Gustavo Badell

place finish at this year’s Arnold, Warren fooled a lot of experts who thought the 5’7” 240-pounder had seen better days—he also won the Most Muscular award. Warren, like Anthony, has redemption on his mind; he was 12th at the O in ’06, and I don’t think you’ll see anything but a gnarly Warren at the Orleans Arena. Samuel is an amazingly consistent bodybuilder and, as his fifthplace finish at the Arnold and last year’s seventh-place landing at the O prove, Silvio can never be counted out when you’re handicapping 256 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Dennis James

Toney Freeman Top-10 Candidates: Toney Freeman, Dennis James, Johnnie Jackson, Moe El Moussawi, Darrem Charles

Darrem Charles

What version of the XMan will show up in Vegas? Freeman fell all the way to 14th at the Olympia last year and opened up the year with an eighth-place finish at the IRON MAN before placing seventh at the Arnold. Still, the 6’2”, 275-pounder has beautiful shape and, if he dials it in, still has the goods for a top-six landing, top 10 for sure—even at 42. Jackson, 37, qualified for the O right out of the chute this year with a fifth-place 258 OCTOBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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finish at the IRON MAN and, even though he fell to ninth at the Arnold, is one thick son of a gun at 5’7” and 250 pounds, especially in his upper body. The 35-year-old El Moussawi has been the surprise of the ’08 season, winning my Most Improved Bodybuilder of the Year award after just one contest—the IRON MAN, where he shocked people with a third-place finish. Mo dropped to 11th at the Arnold but came back with a third-place medal in Australia; he ranks right up there with Heath when we’re talking best guns in

Johnnie Jackson Kevin English

Moe El Moussawi

Craig Richardson Sergey Shelestov

the sport. James, 38, is another thickly muscled contender and at press time was one of the favorites to win the Pro Bodybuilding Weekly event in Tampa, Florida, and the Europa in Dallas, Texas, in August. Dennis always looks like Mr. Olympia in the gym two weeks out from any show he competes in. Will he be able to peak when it counts the most—at the end of September? Assuming he qualifies, that is—and I say he does.

David Henry

Charles, at 40, remains one of the most consistent physique artists in the game. Always count on Dazzling Darrem to be in primetime condition. Never count him out of any top-10-prediction field. I’m willing to bet that Charles will qualify at the Houston Pro or one of the other shows taking place before Olympia time. Others already eligible for the O at this point are Kevin English, Craig Richardson, Sergey Shelestov, David Henry and Ronny Rockel.

Ronny Rockel

Considering the depth of the field in the greatest bodybuilding lineup of every season, it will be tough for the above to crack the top 10. All, however, have quality physiques, so never say never. Remember, that’s the exact term used when people were discussing El Moussawi’s chances of finishing in the top three at the IRON MAN. For contest updates, log on to www.IronManMagazine.com. See ya in Vegas. IM

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Profiles in Muscle

Johnnie Jackson Profiles in Muscle

IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and MuscleTech Athlete Compiled by Ron Harris Full name: Johnnie Otis Jackson Date of birth: January 30, 1971 Height: 5’8” Off-season weight: 278 Contest weight: 250 Current residence: Hurst, Texas Years training: 29 Occupation: Professional bodybuilder and MuscleTech athlete Marital status: Married to Rebecca Children: Johnnie Jr., 14; Jonessa, 15; and a baby on the way Hobbies: Bowling, landscaping, going to movies How did you get into bodybuilding? “My older brother Willie was really into bodybuilding, and I wanted to be big and strong like him. I competed once at age 16 and then didn’t do it again for almost 10 years.” Who inspired you when you were starting out? “Lee Haney truly was Totalee Awesome. Later it was Flex Wheeler. I loved his aesthetics, and it killed me to see him ruin his shape and lines when he got too big toward the end of his career.” Top titles: ’01 NPC Nationals, light heavyweight, 1st, and overall; ’06 Montreal Pro, 1st; ’07 Atlantic City Pro, 1st Favorite bodypart to train: Back Favorite exercise: Deadlifts Least favorite exercise: “Anything for calves or abs—boring!” Best bodypart: “My chest—it would easily overpower everything else if I let it.” Most challenging bodypart: “Calves. I can say that by far I’ve put the most effort into them for the least results.”

Obstacles overcome: “Divorcing my first wife and having my kids move back east to New Jersey was the most difficult thing I have ever had to deal with, even worse than losing various loved ones over the years.”

ders and triceps; Friday, back; Saturday, light biceps and triceps; Sunday, off

Do you have a quote or a philosophy you try to live by? “I have two: Treat others the way you would like to be treated, and respect your elders.”

Favorite cheat meal: “Pizza from Bruni’s Pizzeria in Hammonton, New Jersey, where I grew up—the best pizza in the world as far as I’m concerned.”

How do you stay motivated? “I want to be the best bodybuilder in the world, and I also want to make a good living at my chosen sport. I guess you could say glory and money.”

What’s your favorite supplement, and why? “I love MuscleTech’s NO Vapor drink before workouts. It provides plenty of energy to sustain me through all the heavy weights, cardio and even anything I might have to do after the gym.”

How would you describe your training style? “Power bodybuilding sums it up pretty well. It’s very similar to the way Ronnie [Coleman] trains.” Training split: Monday, chest and biceps; Tuesday, legs; Wednesday, off; Thursday, shoul-

Favorite clean meal: “Salmon. I can eat it plain, with no seasoning or marinade.”

Goals in the sport: “I want to win at least three more shows, one of which has to be the Mr. Olympia. Any pro bodybuilder who says he doesn’t want to be Mr. Olympia is full of it!” IM

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RUTH SILVERMAN’S

About October: • • • •

Summer Sensations Coming Attractions Notables Trophy Shots

FAST MOVERS Her twoshows-to-thepros blast into figure competition was so quick that hot photos of Lenay Hernandez were in short supply, even after she qualified for the Olympia in her debut at the Houston Pro. Not to worry— hardworking Hardbody.com correspondent Isaac Hinds was on the scene at the Junior USA to get this shot. My hero.

264

Roland Balik

HOUSTON PRO FITNESS Tracey Greenwood (left) grabbed her first win of the season (she had two last year) at the Houston Pro Fitness in July. Erin Riley (right) earned her Olympia debut there with a third-place finish.

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Isaac Hinds \ LiftStudios.com

SUMMER SENSATIONS

Photography by Ruth Silverman and Merv

CHOICES Shannon Meteraud returned to fitness in Houston, took second and earned her first trip to the Fitness O since ’03. She’s qualified in figure as well, but Shannon’s best bet for a money slot may lie with the sport where reigning champ Adela Garcia recently withdrew due to injury.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

JUST BECAUSE I was reminded of this fabulous shot of top NPC flexer Kris Murrell—taken by IRON MAN publisher John Balik during a shoot at Bill Dobbins’ studio—while preparing my predictions for this year’s USA. To see how Kris did—and how well my coanchor Kristy Hawkins and I did in previewing the stars of the ’08 USA Women’s Bodybuilding and Figure Championships, check out the galleries at IronMan Magazine .com.

TODD, TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL ABOUT THAT BUMP While Shannon and Tracey were showing the younger girls how it’s done in Houston, their fellow fitness vet Cynthia BridgesSatalowich (here with hubby Todd Satalowich and Jazz) was engaging in a different kind of body building. “I’m going for the biggest abs now,” she joked in late July.

Avidan

MORE BECAUSE Another photo I’ve been looking for an excuse to publish: this triceps shot of Kristy winning the ’07 Nationals.

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Manion

Bradford

N O TA B L E S

MORE CHOICES After hearing from one too many disappointed friends whose teenage daughters had abandoned “real sports” for more ladylike activities, I had to laugh at the tale of Cassie Manion. The 12-year-old, who often competes in leagues with 14-year-olds, reportedly had some qualms about telling her mom, former dancer Debbie Amelio Manion, that she was giving up dance for softball and soccer. Not that it stopped her. And you thought it was the guys in that family who are strong-willed.

TALL TALE South Carolina’s Sharon Van der Horst started the season with an overall victory at Ty Felder’s Atlantic USA and won her class but not a pro card at the Junior USA. What are the chances that omission will be corrected at the next show the 5’11” personal fitness trainer quarter-turns in?

DARING, DARLING DIANA Bodybuilding legend and performance artist Diana Dennis has never let being a grandmother— or anything else—keep her from new challenges. At a benefit in her hometown of Vegas in July she made her debut on aerial silks, a Cirque du Soleil–style discipline that most fitness athletes would be hard-pressed to master. Find video of Diana flying though the air at www.DianaDennis.com—and enjoy this classic Michael Neveux photo of her right here.

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PERSONALITIES

WORKS OF ART

John Stutz \ Model: Meriza DeGuzman

QUEEN DEE Houston flexer Dee Lazard won the over-55 title at the ’08 NPC Masters Nationals and was eighth in the over-35 middleweights. “I like to get up there and see where I place compared to the younger women,” she says. Dee, I know the feeling.

MOMENT IN TIME Heather French, third at the Houston Pro Figure, is resting up for the Olympia.

EROTIC—ER, ERRATA I was so-o-o excited about running a photo from John Stutz’s collection in the August ’08 issue that I got the name of the book wrong. It’s Fit Girls, Volume I, and you can read all about it at www.JohnStutz .com. As punishment for my sins, I get to run another shot. Ouch, that hurts.

ANOTHER SIDE OF TRACEY Greenwood (right) takes time from a full season of competing to promote the Tracey Greenwood Fitness and Figure Classic each year. That’s ’08 T.G. Fitness winner Edna Valentino in the victory pose.

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Bradford

For crackling commentary on all things women’s bodybuilding, fitness and figure, read my Pump & Circumstance blog at www.IronManMagazine.com

MORE MISTAKES Erratum number two in the August issue involved that very same John Stutz photo, specifically the model, Breean Robinson. As I have now misspelled her name twice in this mag (see also the February ’08 issue), I’m pleased to finally get it right.

TROPHY SHOTS From the ’08 NPC Teen, Collegiate, Masters National Championships, July 18–19.

1 Photography by Dave Liberman

’08 USA FLASH

1) Master’s Women’s Overall champ Gale Frankie.* 2) Masters Figure 55 and over: Kathy Cook, 1st; Deborah Freeman and Maureen O’Connell. 3) Teen Figure champ Aspen Schmidt. 4) Figure 45-and-over overall winner Elissa Schlichter. 5) Collegiate Figure winner Chelsey Morgenstern and NPC President Jim Manion 6) Master’s Figure Overall champ Tina White.* *Earned pro card.

USA promoter Jon Lindsay hails the new pros (from left) Curtis Bryant, Isabelle Turell, Crystal Lowery, Brandon Curry, Amy Lee Martin, Mendi Sakamoto and Rachel Cammon. (Not shown: Jamie Costa and Kristi Nunn. )

Find IM’s slam-bang coverage of the NPC USA and Team Universe Championships at www.IronMan Magazine.com—and more here next month. You can contact Ruth Silverman, fitness, figure and women’s bodybuilding reporter and Pump & Circumstance scribe, in care of IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at ironwman@aol.com.

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Heavy

Duty Mike Mentzer Interview,

Part 2

by John Little

Balik \ Model: Mike Mentzer

his month IRON MAN brings you the second part of a neverbefore-published interview with Mike Mentzer, conducted in 1995, just before the release of his classic book Heavy Duty II: Mind and Body. Q: It’s strange that more people don’t encourage a pursuit of truth. MM: You and I have enough experience to know that anyone who’s innovative, no matter what the field, is going to be attacked. Arthur Jones spoke to me about that a number of years ago. We were sitting in his favorite restaurant in Deland, Florida, and he was railing on and on about all the people who were attacking him. He pointed out that the pattern followed is almost always the same: First you’re ignored, then ridiculed, then attacked, then copied—they steal your idea. I use a mnemonic device: IRACS—Ignore, Ridicule, Attack, Copy, Steal. And it’s true. In the very beginning Nautilus was ignored, then ridiculed, then attacked.

Then all of a sudden everyone was building cams “like Arthur Jones” or, as they thought, “like Arthur Jones did,” but, of course, their cams weren’t created on the basis of any scrupulous thinking; they just drew a cam on a piece of paper. Q: Why do you think this IRACS phenomenon exists? MM: Because bodybuilding is a reflection of the culture at large—in politics you see the same thing. For people who understand the power of ideas and the role that they play in human life, it amazes me. I still shudder in contempt, for instance, when I see how little value politicians place on the power of ideas. It’s just disgusting beyond belief. Let me go back to bodybuilding in the same context—allow me to quote myself from Chapter 7 from the book Heavy Duty II: Mind and Body, entitled “Either-Or,” which was my favorite chapter to write: “Having grown justly contemptuous of the vicious irrationality and assorted outrages he witnessed in the field of exercise science and bodybuilding of the sort seen in every sphere of human life and

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Heavy

prompting Jones’ righteously expressed indignation. There is a certain point beyond which the willful evasion of knowledge and the associated violation of life-preserving ethical principles become evil depravity. Each has a responsibility to learn how to judge critically so as to protect himself, and each has a responsibility to abide by objective ethical principles. “Only recently has the field of bodybuilding fitness been grudgingly accorded a minuscule respect by the scientific and medical community. The actual value of bodybuilding goes largely unnoticed because of the influence of low-grade mentalities controlling it. Unlike the hallowed researchers and practitioners of Western theoretical medical science, who rightfully pride themselves on exacting ethical principles, too many of the individuals involved in regulating bodybuilding have no explicit intellectual standards. Worse, their degree of control has emboldened them to actually take pride in flouting ethical principles. Unfortunately, too many of the self-styled experts in our field not only fail to make a nominal effort to stay abreast of the state of the art, but they actively evade such knowledge and even work diligently to suppress valid ideas that would help people achieve greater progress as well as protect their health. Sheer, innocent ignorance is one thing, but the conscious evasion and willful suppression of life-enhancing knowledge is another. The motive of such people is the irrational desire to project and protect a false image of uncontested superiority and infallibility. That only makes them look pathetic and poses a threat to the young and innocent, who are apt to be duped by the blandishments of these not-sobig big shots.” Q: I think one of the worst manifestations of that is the Neveux \ Model: Will Harris

Duty

crippling the progress of mankind, Arthur Jones has often stridently intoned: ‘Either you’re part of the problem, or you’re part of the solution. The choice is yours. The issue is either-or. Let the chips fall where they may. The stakes are your ass. There’s no other possibility.’” I go on to say: “In my earlier contact with Mr. Jones such remarks excited

something in me that at the time I couldn’t identify. It was my strong moral sense of life as well as the nascent, explicit understanding I possessed of the actual serious nature of the ethical issues Jones was expounding. Today I have a thorough conceptual grasp and intellectual understanding of the issues of morality and justice, and I fully concur with the motives and premises

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Heavy

Duty

Neveux \ Model: David Dorsey

“Range of motion, speed of rep— those things are important but only in the context of understanding and properly employing the fundamentals.”

concept that some product will make the user of that product look like the guys in the magazines. It creates a standard that is unattainable. Long-term thinkers realize that they’re undermining their own market. MM: Yes, they are—and that’s what really irritates me. Cynicism is resulting in the ongoing deterioration of the sport’s popularity. Whatever pinnacle it achieved a number of years ago, it’s definitely on the downside now. For people who have a proper, ethical interest in it, to see such willful flouting of ethical principles, knowing that it will lead to destruction, I find that contempt-

ible. Q: Getting back to your book: When you say that it’s an almost total integration of philosophy and bodybuilding and a correct theory, it makes me wonder if you’re going to have much more to write on the subject of bodybuilding. Not that there isn’t more to write, but I’m wondering if you have plans down the road to move on to something else. MM: I do, but that doesn’t mean that I can’t keep a foot in the bodybuilding waters. At times I saw my thinking was going in the direction of leaving the industry entirely.

I stopped myself and thought, “There’s no reason to do that necessarily.” With regard to further research, study and thought, I’m convinced that I’ve mastered the fundamentals. The only thing I have left to study are the derivatives—aspects of exercise that are based on and derived from an understanding of the fundamentals. Namely, the importance of range of motion, speed of rep and things like that. All those things are important but only in the context of understanding and properly employing the fundamentals. In other words, what’s the difference if you understand the importance of range of motion or speed of reps if you don’t understand the necessity of precisely regulating volume and frequency? Q: And intensity. MM: Right. It’s only on the basis of properly understanding and employing the fundamentals that the derivatives take on any meaning.

Editor’s note: For a complete presentation of Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system, consult his books Heavy Duty II, High Intensity Training the Mike Mentzer Way and the newest book, The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of which are available from Mentzer’s official Web site, www.MikeMentzer.com. John Little is available for phone consultation on Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty training system. For rates and information, contact Joanne Sharkey at (310) 316-4519 or at www.MikeMentzer.com, or see the ad on the opposite page. Article copyright © 2008, John Little. All rights reserved. Mike Mentzer quotations are provided courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and are used with permission. IM

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Neveux \ Model: Nathan Forster

hile parents have no qualms about letting their children participate in such contact sports as hockey, football, soccer and lacrosse at a very early age—sometimes as young as six—they completely reject the idea of having their offspring take part in a weight-training program. Way too dangerous, they contend. Yet they actually encourage their sons to blast full-speed into an opponent at a football game or hockey match. Even more insane is the huge popularity of skateboarding, in which very young boys often do acrobatic maneuvers 40 feet above terra firma. Currently more than 12 million athletes take part in that risky sport, and the majority are under 10 years old. So it’s okay to skateboard but taboo to lift weights. Totally illogical. It’s much safer to weight-train in a controlled fashion than to be gang-tackled or to crash and burn on a skateboard. The notion that any type of weight training is harmful to a young, undeveloped body is supported by the medical community. Most authorities recommend waiting until youngsters are in their teens before starting a lifting program. It has to do with growth plates. The contention is that if youngsters lift weights, they’ll damage the growth plates in the long bones and that will adversely affect their height. Makes sense, right? Or does it? I’ve never bought it. If that were the case, then no one should lift weights who hasn’t reached age 20 because growth is still occurring till then. Plus, I’ve never read any scientific studies that supported the allegation. I have, however, read several studies conducted on youngsters in Europe who started training very early, and none reported any damage to the growth plates. I think it’s simply a concept that’s been around for so long, everyone assumes it must be fact, even though no hard evidence to substantiate it has ever surfaced. Otherwise it would be in every magazine, newspaper and news

Only the Strong Shall Survive

Bigger, Stronger,

YOUNGER Strength Training and the Young Athlete by Bill Starr

Part 1 In addition, the young farmers grew to be taller than their parents. What people fail to recognize is that the hard work involved in the daily operation of a farm was basically a form of strength training. Before much of the labor was mechanized, it entailed a great deal of heavy lifting, pulling and push-

ing. Some of the programs used by strength athletes in sports now include many of the same things done by farmers and other laborers as part of their jobs. Even if parents do understand that weight training can be beneficial to their child, they still have lots of concerns: How young can kids start on a routine? Should they do high reps and use only light weights? What exercises should they include in their routines, and which ones should they avoid? How often should they train and for how long? All are valid questions. The European sports IStockPhoto.com

report across the country. I happen to believe the exact opposite—resistance training done under proper supervision helps stimulate growth in bones and muscles. It wasn’t many years ago that children growing up on farms did their share of the work even before they started elementary school. As they grew older, they did more, and some of the chores were quite strenuous. It turned out that farm boys were invariably bigger and much stronger and more athletic than their nonfarm classmates. They became the cornerstones of the sports teams and didn’t suffer in the slightest from the hard work imposed on them every day.

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Only the Strong Shall Survive

Neveux \ Models: Lee Apperson and Lee Apperson Jr.

IStockPhoto.com

It turned out that farm boys were invariably bigger and much stronger and more athletic than their nonfarm classmates, becoming the cornerstones of the sports teams.

community is light-years ahead of the United States in regard to training youngsters. In Europe it’s been demonstrated that very young boys and girls can derive positive benefits from a systematic, well-supervised strengthtraining regimen—and safely. When I was the editor of Strength & Health in the late 1960s, I exchanged copies of the magazine for closely held information about what the Russian Olympic lifters were doing at the time. My pen pal sent me a comprehensive study dealing with young lifters, some just eight years of age. What many people fail to grasp is that Russians cherish their children just as much as Americans do, so a study was done to find out if, in fact, weight training might indeed be harmful over the long term. Over a 10-year span it compared weightlifters with swimmers and concluded that there was no significant difference between the overall development of the two groups, except that the weight-trained athletes had more muscle mass and better posture. There was no evidence of any disruption in the growth process in either group. So basically, a youngster can begin to do resistive training at almost any age. The guideline I use is not chronology but maturity level. How a youngster takes direction and maintains discipline is a better gauge than age. Some eight-year-olds are more focused than the majority of 14-year-olds. Several excellent coaches in this country believe that’s it’s better to start boys on strength training when they’re quite young, before their interest turns to girls, cars, girls. One of them is Jim Moser, a former Olympic lifter whom I started training when he was 14. He has two sons, James and Willy. James started tagging along with his father to the gym when he was nine. Jim is part owner of three Valley Isle Fitness Centers on Maui, so it was only natural for James to start playing with the weights. By age 12 he was doing some serious lifting and at 16 had risen to the top echelon in the sport of Olympic weightlift-

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Only the Strong Shall Survive ing. At that point he’d already won the Junior Olympics four times, the Junior Nationals twice, held numerous National School Age Records and come in second at the Junior Pan Ams in Colombia. At 17 he placed third in the Senior Nationals and has personal bests of 363 in the snatch and 410 in the clean and jerk, at a bodyweight of 206. It certainly didn’t interfere with his growth

pattern. He’s 6’2”, a good six inches taller than his father. Now 18, he’s considered one of our best hopes on the international scene. Willy is nine years younger than James, and very early in his life he began watching his big brother train and started to mimic his moves. I’ve seen videos of Willy snatching and jerking a broomstick when he was five years old. His father didn’t push

James Moser has been an Olympic-lifting sensation since his early teens.

him into lifting. Willy did it on his own. It was merely another form of play, and kids possess a wealth of energy to expend on various physical activities. By six he was training regularly and, like James, enjoyed the Olympic lifts. In 2007 he won the Junior Nationals in Knoxville. At eight he was competing against boys three years older, which is a huge age gap at that stage of life. He has done a 54-pound snatch and 88-pound clean and jerk—more than he weighs. There are other examples. Mike Burgener is one of the very best Olympic-lifting coaches in the country, and he started his sons at an early age on strength-training programs. Currently, Casey is the number-one heavyweight in the United States with lifts of 390 in the snatch and 480 in the clean and jerk. Norik Vardanian is another who started lifting when he was quite young. He, Casey and James are our hopes for the future in Olympic lifting. So there’s evidence in our own country that it’s okay for youngsters to embark on a strength routine. It needs to be noted that they were all trained by fathers who had extensive experience in the sport and who understood the many salient aspects of coaching a young athlete. Most of all, they put the kids’ health and welfare ahead of everything else. That isn’t always the case. Quite often a father is so intent on making his son strong, he’ll push him beyond his limits. Or at the other extreme, the father is so fearful of injuring his son that he doesn’t push him enough, making the workouts wasted effort. The latter doesn’t pose much of a problem, but the former does. I witnessed an example of an overzealous father who was coaching his 14-year-old son at the Marion YMCA. The father was an excellent coach, with a couple of state champions to his credit, but when it came to working with his son, he was

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IStockPhoto.com

You Can Get totally irrational. His boy was chubby and possessed little in the way of athleticism, which made learning ideal form on the various exercises a bit more difficult. The correct approach would have been to have him stay with moderate and light poundages until he perfected the technique. That method didn’t fit into the father’s plan. He kept adding weight even when the previous lift was so ugly that the rest of the lifters had to look away—especially on the back squat. Yet despite the terrible form, the father was determined to have him squat 500 pounds by a certain day in the near future. The boy did in fact achieve that goal, but it looked more like a twisted good morning than a squat.

Neveux \ Models: Lee Apperson and Lee Apperson Jr.

Weights are innocent hunks of metal and much like cars can be instruments of pleasure and reward or objects of pain and destruction. It came as no surprise to the other lifters that the boy sustained a rather severe injury to several parts of his back and was told not to do any sort of weight training ever again. The injustice of that edict is that it places the entire blame on the weights. They’re innocent hunks of metal. Weights are much like cars. They can be instruments of pleasure and reward or objects of pain and destruction. It’s just a

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Neveux \ Model: Justin Balik

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Only the Strong Shall Survive matter of how they’re used. I’m not suggesting that every youngster should be put on a strength program. What I am saying is that if a young person expresses a genuine desire to lift and a willingness to follow a coach’s advice, then it’s okay for him or her to do so. There are, however, rules that must be adhered to—and religiously. By far the most important rule in regard to training youngsters is that they must be supervised. To allow preteens or teenagers to train on their own or with others of the same age is an invitation to trouble. Youngsters are not able to foresee the consequences of what they’re doing in the weight room. Left alone, they’ll resort to sloppy form and invariably attempt to lift a poundage they’re not yet ready to handle, especially if they’re competitive, which nearly all of them are. One summer when I was training at Fielder’s Shed, two 14-year-old boys who lived in the area asked if I would train them. They planned on going out for the North Harford football team in August. I said I would but that they had to do exactly what I told them. One boy was small and the other much larger. The larger one followed my program to the letter, but the smaller one was determined to match his friend on every exercise. So he started training on his own because I wouldn’t let him use a weight that I knew was too heavy for him. I arrived early one day and walked in while he was squatting. Or what he believed to be a squat. He’d loaded the bar up to about 50 pounds more than he was capable of and was doing a quarter squat. Even that was almost too much. Before I could get behind him to spot, he went into a deep squat position, and the weight crashed to the floor. He dinged his back rather badly, and his parents put an end to his strength training. Even more dangerous is every youngster’s favorite exercise—the bench press. It’s dangerous because the bar is hovering over the lifter’s face and neck. A lost grip translates to lost teeth or worse. More than one exhausted youngster has lost his life when the bar fell across his throat. I’m not being an alarmist

but pointing out how critical it is to have adult supervision in the weight room. Other than the risk factor, there’s another reason an adult needs to be in charge of the training sessions. If left to set up their own programs, youngsters will do nothing but upper-body work. Most parents are worried about knees and back in regard to weight training, yet the areas most vulnerable to injury are the elbows and shoulders. Both joints are extremely delicate, and when anyone pounds them relentlessly with arm and chest exercises, they get overworked and break down. A young person who suffers an injury to elbows or shoulders will have to deal with that problem for the rest of his or her life. While on the subject of safety, I’ll address the bigger concern of parents when it comes to lifting weights: the full squat. It’s the very best single exercise in weight training, and it’s perfectly safe when done right. “Even young kids?” I’m frequently asked. Yes. It’s a very natural move for youngsters. It becomes complicated only when we grow older and less flexible. Observe small children. They’re constantly squatting. Up and down all day long, and if you pay close attention, you’ll notice that their form is impeccable. And they always do deep squats—not any partial movements. The concerns are about the knees, of course, but studies have shown repeatedly that full squats strengthen the knees. That only makes sense. The muscles and corresponding attachments that surround the knee joint get stronger from the squats, thus better securing the joint in a bundle of muscles, tendons and ligaments. Lifters who rebound out of the bottom or let their knees turn inward excessively, however, can irritate their knees. The culprit isn’t the exercise but rather poor technique, which is true of nearly every exercise in weight training, even simple movements like curls. Form is paramount when it comes to training youngsters—yet another reason to have a knowledgeable instructor in the weight room. If you decide that someone other than you is better qualified to teach

your child the basics of strength training, make certain that person knows what he or she is doing. Forget the certifications the coach might have. They’re basically a way of creating revenue and indicate only that someone passed a written test. They don’t guarantee the knowledge of how to coach a youngster. In truth, most of the better coaches never bother to get certified. Be present at a workout and watch how the coach or instructor deals with your son or daughter. Does the coach teach precise form or allow sloppy technique? Push them too hard or make it way too easy? Deal with them as individuals or merely as a group? Since most fitness facilities don’t allow youngsters under age 14 to train because of liability issues, you may have to take on the task yourself, unless you know of someone who has a home gym and knows how to coach young people. Obtaining equipment and setting up a workout station in your home has lots of advantages, such as being able to schedule the training sessions at everyone’s convenience. With the price of gas climbing higher and higher, it’s a godsend not to have to drive to a gym several times a week. Once youngsters get involved in strength training, they become more health conscious. The weight work helps them sleep more soundly, and they begin to learn what foods are beneficial to training and the ones that provide only empty calories. As they gain size and strength, they become more proficient in school sports and less susceptible to serious injuries. Perhaps the best reason to start a youngster on a strength program is the effect it will have on self-confidence. Adding muscle is a heady experience for a young person, particularly one who’s undersized. As they grow bigger and stronger, their self-esteem will also improve. I’ve seen kids change from being quite timid to assertive and very secure in their abilities and worth. Learning to train consistently and with intensity instills discipline in youngsters when that trait is in short supply. Knowing that they have a great deal of control over how

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Neveux \ Model: Kris Rindt Hoffman

Perhaps the best reason to start a youngster on a strength program is the effect it will have on self-confidence.

Neveux \ Model: Kris Rindt Hoffman

Only the Strong Shall Survive they look and feel is a revelation that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. I have observed numerous examples of young people who transformed not only their bodies but their attitudes about themselves rather dramatically. I know it can happen because it happened to me. I was the second smallest male in my high school graduating class. In all honesty, most of the girls were bigger than me as well. I weighed 135 and was 5’5” tall. Three months after joining the Air Force, I touched my first barbell at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where I attended medical corpsman school. Although I knew absolutely nothing about weight training, I persisted, learning as I went along, as almost everyone did in my generation, by trial and error. Despite my ignorance and with only a standard bar and plates at my disposal, I gained 50 pounds and added four inches to my height in two years. Maybe I would have hit that late growth spurt anyway, but I’ve always felt that it was a result of the stimulation from the hard training and lots of good food. That’s when I got hooked on lifting, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Parents need to know that it’s perfectly all right for their children to take part in a strength program. When done correctly, it’s safe and very beneficial. It’s certainly much safer than many of the activities young people currently participate in. Strength training develops a young body in countless ways, some being rather subtle, such as elevating self-esteem. All it requires is effort and time, which isn’t a bad deal at all. Next month I’ll get into the nuts and bolts of how to put together a functional strength program for youngsters, along with some tips on how to set up a home gym for training them on a budget. 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

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Mind/Body BOMBER BLAST

Time Flies, Kid—Hang On to Your Hat

t 66 years old I’m no longer a pile of rocks; more like a pillar of salt. I’ve received considerable e-mail from guys who are relieved they’re not alone. They know better, but none is eager to acknowledge the bold truth, the bare facts, the revolting predicament: the reality of—gag—old age (OA). See what I mean? Did you feel that? I said it, OA, and ya’ll cringed. More than one not-so-young bomber flipped the page. “Later! I’m outta here.” All these years invested in muscle and might, iron, steel and discipline, and we fold like beach chairs as the sun goes down. Excuse me. I, in this day of social correctness and sensitivity, should have applied the more appropriate and graceful terminology, gathering of years (GY). Gee, why? Prevent mass hysteria. Do you suppose we built a robust outer shell and not one of us has developed inner strength, courage or mettle—spirit,

heart and soul? No way. I like older. Older lasts a long time, forever, in fact. Once you’re older, young is silly. I was young once but abandoned it for something more substantial and worthy: oldness. Young is ephemeral, passing, untested, vacant, thin, without density or mass. Old is deeply rooted and thick-walled, established, profound and unyielding. It’s masterful. I can’t resist mocking myself, my tarnished conversations and the fact that I’m 66 and nibble at the edges of crackersize workouts. I wonder how long this will go on, like I’m gonna get better; like I’m in a short recovery period and with a few nights’ sleep, some soup and a couple of aspirin, I’ll be my old self again—younger and stronger—and charging around the gym, a bull in a china shop. Warm up, don’t forget cardio, keep a log, practice intelligent periodization, don’t overtrain—but how can I help myself, compulsive whack job that I am?—eat right, and rest lots. If only there were eight days in a week. Push that iron, lift that steel, eat that tuna, and drink that water. That’s my bench; I’m using that bar. Have you noticed? The older we get, the more closely we approach the same abilities and capacities. Soon we’ll be sharing similar instinctive training systems: breathe in, breathe out—good. Again. Breathe in, breathe out—good. Again. Talk about insecurity: I went to the gym last Friday, did six dandy sets of cable work—rope tucks and crossovers—and had to sit slumpshouldered for 10 minutes on the nearest bench. Fatigue climbed over me like an onslaught of slugs. I dragged myself across the floor, out the door, down the steps and into my truck. I’ve never before walked out on a workout. People pointed, they gasped, they whispered, they stared, they dialed 411. Hello, information? Where’s he going? What’s that all about? It must not become a precedent. No way. I’ve trained twice since then, and all systems are go. I’m a rocket ship. Neveux \ Model: Daryl Gee

MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BOD

MIND/BODY

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The warming days, the lengthening days, the hopeful days bring with them an expectation of sudden renewal. We need to modulate our training to suit the season of the year and the season of our lives. As we eased out of fall and into winter bareness, so should we ease into the spring and summer abundance. Stop, look, listen. Pause and take note. Put your ear to the ground and sense the earth’s rumbling. Lift your moistened finger to the air and determine the wind’s direction. String your bow and choose your arrow; know your target and aim with care. I’m a stealthy archer. Pull steadily, release gently, don’t shoot to kill, shoot to live. Retrieve your arrow and do it again. Where am I going with this? Nowhere. I was going to compare isolated left-right nanocell training with amplified molecular stimulus exercise, but no such things exist—yet. I guess I’ll have to go back to the basics. By the way, this is my last pass at the aging thing; have to get it out of my system. From now on it’s strength and health, and bombing and blasting. I’m a bomber. Try this upon entering the gym when you haven’t a clue why you’re there or what to do: Stand or sit someplace quiet and out of the way. Close your eyes, relax, and count backward from 10 to one. If that confuses you, go home immediately. If not, go on to step two, which includes determining which muscle group or groups need attention. Sometimes I wiggle and shake my body to arouse meaningful muscle sensations to guide me in my selection. Apply the technique covertly. It’s dumb—embarrassing if observed—but works. Flex, extend, contract, and consider. Where is the pain? What stings or burns or feels like lead? Feels like Jell-O? That’s been my general approach to training recently: Sit in the corner, flex, wonder, and choose. Hello, chest, shoulders and back. Pick two nonvexing exercises for each muscle group, perform three to four sets of six to 12 reps—18 to 24 sets total—with 80 percent output, and complete the deed in 45 to 60 minutes. Ride the bike or walk the plank for 15 minutes and call it a day—one of three or four workouts this week. At once cutting edge and prehistoric, this wholly unique methodology is making its circuitous journey to the forefront of resistance training. Time will prove its viability, its popularity, its acceptance. Your humble participation is priceless, noble and admirable. Smile, go home, pet the dog, adore the cat, hug the spouse, squeeze the kids, and feed the loving mob well. Thank God. Tomorrow’s another day. Possibly arms. Maybe legs. Perhaps a walk on the beach. Preferably a charge down the runway, a dash for the sky and wings outstretched for the heavens above, where hope resides surely and abundantly. —Dave Draper Editor’s note: For more from Dave Draper, visit www.Dave Draper.com and sign up for his free newsletter. You can also check out his amazing Top Squat training tool, classic photos, workout Q&A and forum.

Heart Health

Cardio Strides ou don’t have to pound the pavement or soak your clothes to build a decent level of fitness. Researchers checked out data on more than 60,000 people and found that the risk for stroke was the same in those who had moderate levels of cardiorespiratory fitness as in those who exercised more intensely. So a brisk 30-minute walk four to five days a week is great for your heart health—plus, it’s good meditation and a way to burn more calories. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

Mental Might

Mind-Altering Sodas?

n a study performed at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, researchers gave mice what amounted to five sodas a day for six months. Those mice had more than twice the amyloid plaque in their brains and did far worse on memory tests than mice who drank water. By the way, amyloid plaque is a sign of Alzheimer’s disease. So was it the sugar, extra bodyweight or something else? Does it matter? Drink soda in moderation only. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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MIND/BODY BodySpace Physique of the Month

MIND/BODY

Peggy Vreeland veryone knows her as Peggy Vee, but her name is really Peggy Vreeland. More than 15 years ago Peggy was competing in fitness and bodybuilding, even winning the Ms. Fitness Michigan title in 1998. Being a mom sidetracked the 44-year-old until a few years ago. Now she’s back and with more enthusiasm than ever. At her home base in St. Paul, Minnesota, she’s rebuilt her great physique by lifting and eating right. Check out her BodySpace profile at BodyBuilding.com to get a peek at the hot videos from her photo shoots, modeling and posing. She was on the West Coast for the Muscle Beach International Classic over Memorial Day weekend and then at the FAME World Championships in Toronto. So what makes Peggy Vee go? The onetime social worker with a master’s degree says she likes the way working out makes her look and feel. A healthful lifestyle lets her live her life the way she wants to and gives her the opportunity to help others do it too. As a certified personal trainer she now gets to combine it all in her personal and business lives. Check out Peggy’s BodySpace profile at http://BodySpace.BodyBuilding.com/ PeggyVreeland and drop her a line telling her that you saw her in IRON MAN magazine. —Ian Sitren

Editor’s note: For more BodySpace bodies and info, visit Bodybuilding.com.

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Photography by Ian Sitren \ SecondFocus

MIND/BODY New Stuff

Diet Turbo Tea

With green tea extract

hat improves alertness and gives you hydrating electrolytes—and now green tea antioxidants—all without any sugar, carbs or calories? Introducing Amercian Bodybuilding’s Diet Turbo Tea in new green tea flavor. The tea supplement promotes energy, hydration and thermogenesis with a refreshing formula that includes 90 milligrams of caffeine plus ginseng and guarana. It’s great for before or during your workout and even as a late-afternoon pick-me-up. For more information visit www.American Bodybuilding.com.

Life 101

Keys to Happiness

Balik \ Model: Arnold Schwarzenegger

n “Why We’re Happy” (Reader’s Digest, July 2008) Arthur C. Brooks lays out a list of happiness predictors. Here’s a quick summary: 1) Faith. Attending a place of worship once a week or more, which may have something to do with social contact. Hmm, does the gym count? Lots of people worship there. 2) Work. It makes you feel needed and productive. “Job satisfaction is nearly equivalent to life satisfaction.” 3) Marriage and family. “While 50 percent of married people of faith who have children consider themselves to be very happy, only 17 percent of nonreligious, unmarried people without kids feel the same way.” 4) Charity. It’s true: ’Tis better to give than to receive. (See Arnold’s quote at the end of this item.) 5) Freedom. People are happier with unlimited moral choices. It’s the foundation of democracy. So happiness is not about having a lot of things but having healthful values, according to Brooks. A quote by Arnold Schwarzenegger is included that sums it up: “Being passionate about something is the key to success. But using that passion to help others is the key to happiness.” Well said. —Becky Holman www.X-tremeLean.com

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MIND/BODY Book Review

MIND/BODY MIND/BODY

Get Stronger, Feel Younger

ne line from authors Wayne Wescott, Ph.D., and Gary Reinl sums up their book: “Remember, you are not trying to lose weight. You are trying to lose fat.” Get Stronger, Feel Younger is about building muscles, the calorieburning engines we need to stay strong, lean and healthy throughout our lives. While the 200plus-page book is aimed primarily at women, men can learn a lot from its contents—and if you’re an experienced male bodybuilder, you may have a girlfriend or wife who will benefit from the information and motivation in it. The strength-training programs are relatively simple—one requires only 20 minutes two days a week and a more advanced version is a three-days-per-week routine, each workout lasting about 30 minutes. Obviously, it isn’t a book for getting your body into competitive shape, but it gives you a great starter plan that claims great fat-off, muscle-on results with no cardio and no strict dieting. In fact, Wescott and Reinl discuss in Chapter 2 why diet plans don’t work— one of the big reasons being muscle loss. As you lose muscle, your body needs fewer calories, so your metabolism slows down—your resting metabolic rate can be reduced by as much as 350 calories per day. No wonder people who go off diets gain all their weight back and more. On the other hand, stronger muscles burn more calories, and the authors do a good job of explaining

why in Chapter 3. Then they get into the specifics of training, covering everything from sets, reps and progression to training speed, posture and breathing. They outline a number of programs that use various equipment. There’s an all-machine workout for those who train at a fitness facility. There’s an at-home workout that requires only dumbbells, an adjustable bench and floor exercises. They even outline a complete Bowflex workout, and they include advanced versions of each of the programs as well. The end of the book is all about proper nutrition, and I was surprised and pleased to see a distinct bent toward protein in every menu presented—a total of 12 complete meal-by-meal menus. The last chapter is filled with great recipes, like California chicken soup, Thai chicken stir-sizzle, homerun hamburgers and spicy ’n’ light shrimp curry. There’s even a section of vegetarian recipes. As I said, this book is not for advanced bodybuilders. Rather it’s for the advanced bodybuilder to give to a female acquaintance to get her started building muscle to lose fat. It’s full of sound advice, simple programs and detailed nutrition recommendations and menus. —Becky Holman Editor’s note: Find Becky Holman’s before and after photos as well as her fat-to-muscle transformation story at www.X-treme Lean.com.

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MIND/BODY Aches

MIND/BODY

Tea Off on Joint Pain

ou probably know that vitamin C helps build collagen, which strengthens joints, tendons and ligaments. You may also have heard that glucosamine, after a few weeks of taking about 1,500 milligrams a day, can relieve joint pain (recent research shows that it doesn’t need to be paired with chondroitin to be effective), but did you know that green or black tea can help too? Both contain polyphenols, which help alleviate joint inflammation. If you can’t drink two to three cups a day, try supplements. —Becky Holman

www.Home-Gym.com

Best-Sellers DVDs/Videos: 1) “2008 IRON MAN Pro” 2) “2007 Mr. Olympia” 3) “Jay Cutler’s Jay to Z” 4) “Ronnie Coleman: Relentless” 5) “IRON MAN’s Swimsuit Spectacular #9” Books: 1) The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and Jerry Robinson 2) 10-Week Size Surge by IRON MAN Publishing 3) The Precontest Bible by Larry Pepe

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4) The Russian Kettlebell Challenge by Pavel Tsatsouline 3) Ronnie Coleman’s Hardcore Top E-book: Quick-Start Muscle-Building Guide—Your First 8 Weeks to a Muscular Transformation by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson (available at www.Muscle QuickStart.com).

MIND/BODY Health and Aging

DHEAS Linked to Longevity

ship between DHEAS and life span, researchers measured the hormone in 940 men and women who ranged in age from 21 to 88 and followed them until 2005. The men had higher amounts of DHEAS at the study’s outset, and both sexes showed a decline in the hormone over time. In the women there was no relationship between their DHEAS counts and how long they lived. For men, however, low amounts of DHEAS, older age, higher blood pressure and higher blood sugar after fasting showed a significant association with shorter life span. Among the variables, the researchers found that DHEAS was the most strongly linked to a longer life. The relationship between DHEAS and longevity remained even after the researchers adjusted for glucose levels, age and blood pressure. There was no difference in longevity among men based on DHEAS until the 15year follow-up point, the researchers note, which may help explain why some past research found no relationship between the hormone and longevity. The study’s limitations include the fact that information on cause of death wasn’t available for every participant, so it wasn’t possible to determine if low DHEAS correlated with death from heart disease or other causes, the researchers say. Nevertheless, they conclude, “These data suggest that serum level of DHEAS is a strong predictor of 27-year longevity in men.” Source: Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, June 2008. —Dr. Bob Goldman www.WorldHealth.net

Neveux \ Model: Carl Suliani

he amount of DHEAS, or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, that a man has in his blood is a “strong predictor” of how long he’ll live, a new report from a 27-year study conducted in Japan suggests. The adrenal glands secrete DHEAS, a prehormone that the body converts into androgens and estrogens, according to Dr. Mika Enomoto and colleagues from the Kurume University School of Medicine. DHEAS peaks in the body during a person’s 20s and 30s and then sharply declines. Animal research has found that the hormone has a number of anti-aging effects, the researchers say. Some studies in humans have linked it to longevity, while others have not. In 1978, to better understand the relation-

Editor’s note: For the latest information and research on health and aging, subscribe to the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine e-zine free at WorldHealth.net.

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Letters

Ageless Wonders I really like the fact that IRON MAN features over-40 bodybuilders on a regular basis. I’ve enjoyed the features on ageless wonders such as Frank Zane, Jim Morris, Clarence age 71. Bass and Jim Morris. I’m a 42-year-old P.E. teacher, and I’ve been reading IRON MAN since the ’80s, when it was TV Guide–sized. The magazine has really hit its stride the last couple of years by staying true to its roots and including features on bodybuilders of yesteryear. It has helped me evolve my training, and I recently placed fourth in the light-heavyweight class at the ’08 NPC Ironman Classic. John E. Davidson El Paso, TX Editor’s note: Our over-40bodybuilding issues and legends features have been very popular. We’ll continue to be true to our John E. Davidson. roots and provide information and motivation to keep our readerss training hard. By the way, you look great, John.

Classic Arnold The Caruso photos of Arnold in the August ’08 IM were spectacular. There were some I’d never seen before. All I can say is, encore! Aaron Donnelley via Internet

Caruso

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

Editor’s note: Watch for more of Jimmy Caruso’s legendary work in future issues.

Righteous Reviews I notice that Eric Broser is reviewing books and DVDs in his Muscle “In” Sites column now. I’ve followed Broser’s work for years and respect his opinions, so I’m all for his giving us the lowdown on what’s new in the bodybuilding world. Maybe you should expand his column so he can do more. Paul Flarety via Internet Editor’s note: Hmm, that’s just what he’s been telling us. Seriously, we’re pushing him to do more, so keep your eyes on future IM issues.

Strength-Training Starr The first two parts of Bill Starr’s “Ageless Strength Training” [June and July ’08] not only are excellent but also left me hungry for the next installment. IRON MAN has always been the leading edge for new information on training and with Starr’s series has broken the mold that “older” somehow means “past 40”—hell, many of us have been training for 50 or more years, so “past 40” must refer to something for our children. As always, Starr’s work is first rate, full of penetrating insight, good humor and the harsh, unavoidable truths of lifelong training—as we age, we’d better learn to adapt to ensure our fitness, health and freedom. Ken O’Neill Austin, TX

Cutler’s CuttingEdge Workouts The feature on Jay Cutler’s Mr. Olympia training [“Mr. O’s Wild Workouts,” August ’08] was absolutely fantastic! I read everything Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson write because I always learn something new and usually pick up a thing or two I can try at my next workout. The way they put Cutler’s training under a microscope to show why he does what he does to continue to grow got me fired up to hit the gym hard and try some X-Rep-only sets. By the way, I have all of their e-books. Great info and programs. I’ve put on 10 pounds of muscle since I started using X-Rep training concepts. X Reps and POF rock! Silvio Martinez via Internet Editor’s note: Holman and Lawson’s analysis was the result of viewing the “Jay to Z” DVD, which is available from Home Gym Warehouse, www.Home-Gym.com. For more on X-Rep training, visit www.X-Rep.com. Vol. 67, No. 10: 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.

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