Muscle Media Magazine October 2015 by Muscle Media Magazine

MELT FAT FAST THE 30 MINUTE SHRED PROGRAM

THE

FOR MEN F I T N E S S M AG A Z I N E

FREAKIN’ RICAN Gustavo Badell

KICK

MASS

LEG TRAINING FOR O C TO B E R 2 0 1 5

MAXIMUM

MUSCLE GROWTH musclemediaonline.com

On the cover... Gustavo Badell Photo By: Jason Breeze

FOR MEN EDITOR IN CHIEF SiaMack Alavi

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Matthew Tiger

EDITOR Jessica Alavi

BUSINESS DIRECTOR Danielle McVey

BUSINESS COORDINATOR Domenico Bevilacqua ACCOUNTING Sonal Sharda DIGITAL MEDIA Christian Garces

ADVISORY BOARD MEDICAL Dr. Marvin Heuer PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE Joseph Palumbo

CONTRIBUTORS Tony Monchinski, PhD Stephane Cazeault, The Poliquin Group™ Roger Lockridge

SUBSCRIBE TODAY! musclemediaonline.com

Welcome to the October edition of Muscle Media for Men. I am extremely excited about the growth of Muscle Media these last few months, your emails and responses and overwhelming support of the magazine has fueled my motivation to make Muscle Media the number one digital magazine on the market. I have received emails from all over the world from visitors to Muscle Media, thanking me for providing a free cutting edge magazine with the latest information on training, nutrition, and supplementation. On the cover this month, is in my opinion, the greatest Latino Bodybuilder of all time: Gustavo Badell. Gustavo is one of my favorite bodybuilders of all time, not because of his incredible physique but his work ethic. In his first Mr. Olympia appearance in 2002, Gustavo placed 24th, he was not the most genetically gifted bodybuilder but thru hard work and dedication, he was determined to improve. Two years later at the 2004 Mr. Olympia, he placed third, only placing behind 5-Time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, and Eight-Time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. He placed 3rd in 2005, Mr. Olympia, as well. In 2005, Badell gave Ronnie Coleman the biggest scare of his career when he beat Ronnie Coleman in the “Challenge Round.” What an amazing turnaround in his career from placing almost dead last at the Olympia to being one of the premier bodybuilders on the planet, two years later. How many times in our lives have we found ourselves in a situation like Gustavo when you have a slow start, and the critics are saying it can’t be done and the odds are against you. Gustavo knew that he had what it takes to be a great champion, so he blocked out all the naysayers in his life and followed his dreams and thru hard work and dedication, became one of the best bodybuilders on the planet. Gustavo recently just moved to Orlando, FL for his personal training business, but his work ethic is still the same. His goals have changed in that he says, “When I was a bodybuilder, I wanted to be the greatest bodybuilder on the planet, now I want to be the greatest Dad on the planet to my kids!” Be sure to check out the feature on Gustavo Badell in this months Muscle Media on the incredible journey of Gustavo Badell, you can also check out Gustavo’s weekly video series and corner on infinitelabs.com. In Good Health, Sincerely,

Siamack Alavi CEO and Editor in Chief Muscle Media Magazine

BLADENUTRITION.COM

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

FAT LOSS & ATHLETIC GAIN 8 WEEK CARDIO PROGRAM FOR

By Roger Lockridge

When you prepare to train, your goal is to give the best effort you have, to perform with the most intensity, and maximize the time you have so you can have the best opportunity to improve and get in better shape. Anything less and that workout won’t help you. You need to know that what you’re doing will work or you shouldn’t waste your time doing it. If it’s a cardio or aerobic program you’re doing then it should help you burn bodyfat, increase your endurance, and improve your overall athletic ability. With these goals in mind, here is an eight week routine that will help you accomplish all of them. By the time you’ve finished each one, you’ll have no doubt that you did all you can do to improve. These workouts should take a max of 30 minutes.

DAY 1

SPRINTS

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Have you ever noticed how almost all track athletes, especially the runners, are shredded? The fact that they sprint is a big reason why. When it comes to burning fat and increasing explosion from the hips and legs, sprints canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be beat. Find a local football field or track. After a 5 minute walk/jogging warm up, your goal is to do 100 yard sprints. Get into a starting position like a sprinter would, count down from five to one, and run from one end zone of the football field to the other as fast as you possibly can. Walk back to the other end while catching your breath. Once you reach the other end of the field, sip some water, get back into the starting position, and perform another sprint.

OTHER TIPS

Beginners who are new to sprinting should perform five sprints. Intermediate and advanced fitness athletes should try for ten sprints. If you want to challenge yourself, time yourself and try to set a new personal best. Make sure you keep your torso straight, shoulders away from the ears, and that your core is tight to insure proper stride and form while running. Keep strides short to prevent wasting energy. Keep your arms in a 90 degree angle and drive the elbows back as you run to help create momentum. Make sure your breathing has a similar pattern to how youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re running.

DAY 2

BOXING TABATA

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Ever had a bad day and wanted to hit something (or someone)? Don’t hit anybody. Instead, unleash the fury on a heavy bag with a boxing workout. For this workout, we’re going to follow the Tabata method. For those of you that may not be familiar, Tabata involves 20 seconds of activity followed by 10 seconds of rest performed eight times for a quick but serious four minute workout. Beginners should try one Tabata round of boxing which should be enough to tire you out if you’ve never tried it out before. Intermediate people looking to reach their next level should perform two Tabata workouts with two minutes rest between each four minute segment. Advanced athletes can go up to three rounds Tabata style with two minutes rest between each. In total that would be 14 minutes of serious and hard hitting cardio action.

OTHER TIPS

Make sure you wear gloves or at least wrap your hands with security on your wrists. Going bare handed with a heavy bag might look and feel hardcore but you’re increasing the chances of injury following this strategy. Gloves and wraps protect your hands from the impact of the bag and the force of your punches. Don’t just stand and swing at the bag. Move around and make sure to duck like the bag has arms and is swinging back at you. If you have kickboxing experience, or at least know how to throw a decent kick, alternate between punching combinations and kicks.

DAY 3

100 REP BODYWEIGHT EXERCISES 14

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

One major benefit of fitness, and what should be a primary goal, is not just having a great looking body but being able to use it and remain in total control of your body at all times. This is why bodyweight exercises should be a must in your program. This cardio program will focus on three bodyweight movements â&#x20AC;&#x201C; push-ups, bodyweight squats, and lying leg raises.

The goal is to perform 100 reps of each exercise in the quickest time possible while maintaining control of your movement and not cheating on any rep.

Start with push-ups. If you need to perform them on your knees, go for it. Knock out as many push-ups as you can until you reach failure. Once you can’t do another rep with good form, take a respite. Make sure it’s just long enough for you to prepare to continue. As soon as you’re able to, pick up where you left off. Repeat this pattern until you’ve performed 100 reps. Take a two minute break. Next will be the bodyweight squats. Keep your back straight, chest out, and shoulders away from your ears. Squat down until your hips are at least parallel with your knees. If you’re able to go lower then definitely do so. You’ll follow the same protocol with the squats that you did with the push-ups. You might be tempted to stop a little short of parallel as you get closer to 100 reps. Don’t do it. Make sure you go as deep into the hole as you can with each rep. If you can’t go that low at all, go as deep as you can and pause before coming back up. Once you complete 100 reps, take another two minute break. Finally you’ll lie flat on the floor and begin the lying leg raises for your midsection. Keep a slight bend in your knees once you begin but don’t let them bend anymore as you raise or lower your legs. The only movement should come from lifting the legs as high as you can until your hips come off the floor and your abdominals contract. Slowly lower your legs back down but stop about one inch before your legs touch the floor. Your legs are going to be feeling this even more thanks to the squats you did earlier. Repeat the process you did with the first two exercises until you’ve completed 100 reps. After this, you’re finished for the day.

OTHER TIPS

If you can complete 100 reps in one set, then try to do it in a faster time or with less rest between sets. You can also use extra resistance to make the exercise more challenging like a bodyweight vest or ankle/hand weights. For the workout to remain challenging and interesting, switch up the order of exercises so you do each movement first in a workout as well as each movement last.

DAY 4

YOGA

Compared to the other workouts, yoga might not seem so intense but don’t let that deter you from taking advantage of all the benefits that come with normal yoga training. Yoga helps improve your mind-body connection which can benefit you with training, helps increase flexibility that can benefit you with other exercises you do like the sprints or squats, and circulatory health which helps with muscle recovery and improved cardiovascular health. There are more benefits from that including muscle tone, protection from injury, relieving stress, and improved respiration due to controlled breathing. If you’ve never taken yoga before then you should know there’s more to it than going into a downward dog and imagining yourself as an animal. Take a beginner class in your local gym or learn from a local yoga trainer that can give you an introductory course and help you with your poses before pushing yourself to more complicated positions.

OTHER TIPS

You can use yoga movements as stretches before and after your other workouts as well so don’t feel like you’re limited to one yoga day a week. If you really want to sweat it out try a hot yoga class which will raise your body temperature and help increase your metabolism so you will burn more calories.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

CONCLUSION If you follow this program for eight weeks then you should see much more than fat loss taking place. You should feel like a better and more accomplished athlete because each of these workouts will show measurable progress. You can sprint faster, improve your coordination with the boxing, perform more reps per set or with added resistance on the bodyweight exercises, and notice an increase in your range of motion and flexibility with the yoga. You can change the order of rotation as well so your body has to constantly adapt and improve. Support this cardio program with an equally intense weight training routine and a balanced nutrition strategy so you will see and feel remarkable results that will be obvious to yourself as well as others.

Sample 8 Week Cardio Program Week #

Day 1

Day 2

Sprints Boxing

Off Bodyweight Yoga

Off

Boxing

Off

Sprints

Day 3

Day 4

Yoga

Day 5

Bodyweight

Day 6

Day 7

3 Yoga Bodyweight Boxing Off Sprints Off Off 4 Bodyweight Yoga Off Sprints Off Boxing Off 5 Sprints Off Yoga Off Boxing Off Bodyweight 6 7

Yoga Bodyweight Off Off

Boxing Sprints

8 Bodyweight Off

Boxing Sprints Off

Off

Yoga Bodyweight Off

Off Boxing Sprints Off

Yoga

HOW

GUSTAVO BADELL BUILT A

LEGACY

When you look at the leg size of Gustavo Badell, in his prime they looked like tree trunks. Many people asked Gustavo what his secret was to building tremendous leg size, but his answer was very simple: moderate weights with high volume with each set taken to complete muscular fatigue! If anyone ever trained with Gustavo, half-way through the workout they would need a bucket, because he trained with lots of sets! Gustavo was known for his full, thick muscle bellies. Gustavo learned about high volume training methods under the legendary Milos Sarcev. This always frustrated people because everyone is always looking for the new magical routine to increase muscle growth, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s simply grueling workouts. Gustavo was clear to point out that he was not a powerlifter, but trained with a moderate amount of weight with very high volume. He was a big believer that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t build muscle while using light weight. The surprising thing about Gustavo was that he was years ahead of what science has recently confirmed about muscle growth, moderate intensity, high volume, and training to failure are all essential for muscle growth.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bodybuilding, Not Powerlifting! Research has confirmed that sessions comprising of high intensity (above 80% of maximum load) and low repetitions (two to six) are used to develop maximum strength, whilst moderate loads (50-80%) and higher repetitions (six to 12) are used to develop muscle size, known as hypertrophy. However, a greater volume of training seems to result in superior hypertrophy gains. For example, a study comparing the eight-week adaptation to 3-5 RM versus 9-11 RM versus >20 RM training schemes found the higher load protocols resulted in significantly greater muscle mass gain, as shown by muscle biopsy techniques, compared to the >20RM protocol. The literature supports both higher volume and relatively high load for maximizing. The reason for this appears to be that fatigue is necessary for the hypertrophy response. High Volume Increases Testosterone Responses Another study compared hormonal responses following three sessions of equal duration. The hypertrophy session comprised 10 sets x 10 repetitions squat and had the highest training volume. The maximum strength session comprised 6 x 4 squats and the power session of 8 x 6 jumps. Both sessions were matched in terms of training volume. They showed a peak testosterone response, relative to pre-session levels, occurred 15 minutes post the hypertrophy session and remained elevated for 60 minutes. Cortisol levels were also elevated post-hypertrophy training. In contrast, there was a flat testosterone response following power and maximum strength sessions relative to baseline, along with reduced cortisol levels. This study concluded session volume is the primary factor influencing acute hormonal response. This suggests that the previous findings that show bodybuilding type training result in high testosterone responses may be a result of training volume and not training type.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Stimulate, Not Annihilate These were the famous words of Lee Haney, in which he advocated that workouts should

GUSTAVOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LEG ROUTINE

be high volume, but not using excess weights. A new study published in the Scandinavian

QUADRICEPS:

Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports

1. Front Squats

4 sets 15 reps

2. Squats

4 sets 15 reps

3. Hack Squats

4 sets 15 reps

The athletes performed ten sets of 5 reps with

4. Leg Press

4 sets 15 reps

heavy, moderate, or low-intensity weight with

5. Hamstring Curl 4 sets 15 reps

wanted to examine if light weights, moderate weights, or heavy weights were the best for increasing squat performance in elite sprinters.

maximal explosive effort. The researchers hooked up EMG electrodes all over the athleteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s thighs to measure muscle activation during each protocol.

6. Lunges

4 sets 15 reps

7. Leg Extensions 4 sets 15 reps

The heavyweight protocol evoked the most potent response from the leg muscles. Maximal isometric strength was significantly reduced post-session, with the greatest reduction observed

HAMSTRINGS: 1. Hamstring Curl 4 sets 12 reps

after the heavyweight protocol, followed by the

2. Sumo Squats

moderate and light sessions accordingly. Peak

3. Walking Lunges 4 sets 12 reps

power was greatly reduced during the heavy

4. Deadlifts

session only, and greater increases in muscle activation occurred during the heavy session, followed by moderate, with no change during the light session. In conclusion, this study has showed in elite athletes that the moderate load is optimal for providing a neuromuscular stimulus, but with limited neuromuscular fatigue. This type of intervention could be potentially used in the development of both strength and power in elite athletic populations. This means that when training with a moderate weight, there is stimulation of the muscle but less chance of overtraining, as documented by less neuromuscular fatigue demonstrated by the moderate weight protocol.

4 sets 12 reps 4 sets 12 reps

So, Gustavo was ahead of what science is showing on how to build muscle, it seems that a moderate training load, with high reps, and lots of volume is the best way to increase muscle mass. Reference: Brandon, R. et al. (2014) Neuromuscular response differences to power vs strength back squat exercise in elite athletes. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine and Science in Sports, Ahead of print. Brandon R, Howatson G, Strachan F, Hunter AM. Neuromuscular response differences to power vs strength back squat exercise in elite athletes. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2014 Jul 4. doi: 10.1111/ sms.12289. Campos, G. E., Luecke, T. J., Wendeln, H. K., Toma, K., Hagerman, F. C., Murray, T. F., . . . Staron, R. S. (2002). Muscular adaptations in response to three different resistancetraining regimens: specificity of repetition maximum training zones. Eur J Appl Physiol, 88(1-2), 50-60.

MELT FAT

FAST WITH ASCENDING VELOCITY BODY COMP TRAINING

By Stephane Cazeault, Poliquin Group™

For the past decade I have been selectively prescribing the German Body Comp (GBC) program to my clients, many of whom are professional athletes who need to lose fat fast without compromising muscle mass. I’ve also found that I can achieve even more impressive results by manipulating the loading parameters of GBC, particularly exercise tempo (aka velocity). This workout variation works great for men, and even better for women. I call this method:

ASCENDING VELOCITY BODY COMP TRAINING (BCT) GBC is based upon pioneering research by Hala Rambie, a Romanian exercise scientist who defected to West Germany (hence the German reference). Rambie found that for fat loss the lactic acid pathway was superior to the aerobic pathway. Rambie determined that high blood lactic levels decrease blood pH levels, which in turn sends a message to the brain to increase its production of growth hormone. Higher growth hormone levels accelerate fat loss, which is the goal. To achieve these results, we use a GBC protocol with multiple joint movements, relatively high reps, and rest intervals of about 30-60 seconds between sets. Understanding the importance of achieving high lactate levels and wanting to use more exercises to recruit more muscle mass, I synergistically combined exercises for a particular body part into tri-sets. As such, a workout might have you perform three tri-sets for the legs (so that the last exercise has the longest rest interval, usually 60 seconds for beginners and 90 seconds for advanced). This 26

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

tri-set could immediately be followed by a tri-set for the back, chest or shoulders. The GBC tri-sets turned out to be a great approach because they quickly raise blood lactic levels. For maximum emphasis on this energy system, I pushed the total time under tension of each tri-set to about 90 seconds. This has a definite benefit to women. Because women are better at buffering lactic acid, and because these tri-sets produce a lot of lactic, I soon found that women respond especially well to training with Ascending Velocity BCT. By that I mean women can handle more advanced variations of this program sooner than men can. In fact, whereas the GBC Program is often referred to as “the nausea workout,” this label is even more applicable to Ascending Velocity BCT. The second change I made to the GBC program was increasing the tempo prescription for each exercise in the trisets. Specifically, by shortening the tempo prescription of the second exercise in the tri-set, and then shortening the third exercises even more (in effect, increasing the velocity of each exercise), my clients can use heavier weights in the second and third exercises. Heavier weights increase the intensity of the exercise. The increased intensity in Ascending Velocity BCT results in greater strength training and muscle building benefits than those gained from conventional GBC protocols (and certainly better than sets of 20 or more reps, which force the trainee to use especially light weights). For example, rather than prescribing three exercises with a 5010 tempo prescription (the 5 indicates a five-second eccentric phase), I might progress a tri-set as follows: 1st exercise, 5010; 2nd exercise, 3010; 3rd exercise, 10X0 (“X” means to perform that phase of a repetition as fast as possible).

For the last exercise, I use movements that involve explosive contractions, such as a jump squat or sled dragging. I wouldn’t use an isolation exercise because they don’t produce much lactic, or for that matter most exercises on machines. With machines, momentum often builds up to such a high level that the muscles are not performing much work. However, I reserve plyometric or jump training exercises for advanced trainees. Ascending Velocity BCT is especially effective for athletes because it incorporates the concept of posttetanic potentiation (PTP). This is the phenomenon that happens when you make a muscular contraction more powerful by preceding that contraction with a strong muscular contraction. Baseball players use PTP by swinging a weighted bat before stepping up to the plate, and a football running back might pull a heavy sled for 10 yards and then release the handles and move immediately into a sprint. Try this experiment: Head over to the dumbbell rack and do a few heavy sets of 3-5 reps in a biceps curl (after warm-up, of course). Now grab a dumbbell that is about 75 percent lighter and notice how the dumbbell nearly flies out of your hands. What happened is that when you used the heavier dumbbell in the first sets, you needed to recruit a large percentage of powerful fasttwitch muscle fibers to lift the weight. When you shifted to the lighter dumbbell, although you didn’t need to recruit as many of these powerful fibers with the lighter weight, your nervous system was conditioned to recruit those fibers.

IN THE

WEIGHT ROOM an Ascending Velocity BCT triset for the lower body could be a slow-tempo front squat, followed by a medium-tempo back squat, followed by an explosive jump squat, as follows: A1. Front Squat 4 x 4-6, 5010, rest 10 seconds A2. Back Squat 4 x 8-10, 3010, rest 10 seconds A3. Jump Squat 4 x 12-15, 10X0, rest 90 seconds In this example, note that you are starting with a slow tempo, five-second eccentric-phase squat. This is followed by a three-second eccentric-tempo back squat. The tri-set finishes with a jump squat that has a one-second eccentric phase and an explosive (â&#x20AC;&#x153;Xâ&#x20AC;?) concentric contraction. 28

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

“Is your goal to lose fat fast without compromising your strength or muscle mass? Are you willing to work hard? Then Ascending Velocity Body Comp Training may be just the workout for you!” Another advantage of organizing the tempo prescriptions in this manner is that, quite simply, it’s fun! I’ve found it is hard to motivate my clients to perform GBC protocols for more than two weeks, due perhaps to the monotony of the sets’ nearly identical tempo prescriptions. In fact, I’ve found that I can have my clients perform Ascending Velocity BCT training for much longer time periods. Whereas I would keep the standard two-week period for GBC for most clients before changing workout protocols, these same clients can stay on Ascending Velocity BCT for three weeks – and in some cases, four. The following is an Ascending Velocity BCT program for a beginner. It consists of four training sessions a week. I like to arrange the workouts so that Monday and Thursday emphasize the lower body, and Tuesday and Friday emphasize the upper body. We break up the workouts with a day of rest on Wednesday and a longer two-day recovery period on the weekend. The BCT program is performed for three weeks for a total of 12 training sessions. 30

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

WORKOUT 1

(Monday and Thursday) A1. Cyclist Squat 5 x 4-6, 5010, rest 10 seconds A2. Wide-Stance Squat 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 10 seconds A3. Leg Press 5 x 8-10, 1010, rest 60 seconds A4. Seated Row 5 x 4-6, 3012, rest 10 seconds A5. Lat Pulldown 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 10 seconds A6. Seated Row to Neck 5 x 8-10, 1010, rest 60 seconds

WORKOUT 2

(Tuesday and Friday)

A1. Trap Bar Deadlift 5 x 4-6, 5010, rest 10 seconds A2. Lying Leg Curl 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 10 seconds A3. Seated Leg Curl 5 x 8-10, 1010, rest 60 seconds A4. Flat Bench Press 5 x 4-6, 5010, rest 10 seconds A5. Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press 5 x 6-8, 3010, rest 10 seconds A6. Incline Dumbbell Press 5 x 8-10, 1010, rest 60 seconds

Join the

C e n t u r io n Le g io n

Prepare for war

Sold Online EXCLUSIVELY at

www.Naturalbodyinc.com Use Promo Code: CENTURION NaturalBodyInc

Centurion_Labz

www.CenturionLabz.com

Born in Venezuela, but growing up in Puerto Rico, Gustavo Badell earned pro status in the International Federation of Bodybuilders when he won the 1996 Caribbean Championships. In the IFBB Pro League, Gustavo’s many accomplishments included three pro victories (the 2005 IronMan Pro Invitational, 2006’s San Francisco Pro, and the 2009 Atlantic City Pro) and two back-to-back third place finishes in the Mr. Olympia in 2004-05. In 2005, the second and last year the Olympia featured a “Challenge Round” (where each man in the top-6 got to call out the other five and go toe-to-toe in a pose of their choice), Gustavo beat everyone—including eventual runner-up Jay Cutler and soon to be crowned 8– time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. Gustavo retired from competitive bodybuilding in 2012 to focus on his children and family. He’s still committed to a lifestyle of physical fitness and well-being, satisfying his competitive nature vicariously through the men and women he now coaches for contests of their own. Infinite Labs is proud to welcome him to the family. We sat down with “the Freakin’ Rican” to discuss his life and bodybuilding career.

THE

FREAKIN’ RICAN GUSTAVO BADELL INTERVIEW by Tony Monchinski

Gustavo Badell The Freakin’ Rican

Contact:

gbadell@infinitelabs.com

Muscle Media Magazine

You got into bodybuilding through boxing,

Do you come from a large family?

right? How did that happen? Gustavo Badell Gustavo Badell

I have four siblings, two brothers and two sisters.

I started boxing at 15. Boxing is very popular

When I was ten years old, my parents sent me to

in Puerto Rico and Venezuela. When you’re

a military school. From ten to fifteen I lived away

a teenage boy, you want to be a muscle-guy,

from my family.

a strong guy. You want to learn to fight well. I was training for a couple of years when my

Muscle Media Magazine

boxing coach told me I was too skinny and sent

You know in America a lot of times kids get

me to the gym to lift weights. My arms started

sent to military schools because they’re

growing and growing and I fell in love with the

troublemakers. What was your story?

results, with the pump. For me, it was love at first sight with bodybuilding. Pretty soon I was

Gustavo Badell

spending more time in the gym lifting weights

My older brother had a lot of problems with

than sparring.

drugs and things and my parents needed to focus on him. I was the baby in the family then, and they didn’t have the time to give me the attention that they wanted to, so they sent me to military school to make sure I would be instilled with discipline and not go the same route as my brother. And you know, thank God they did it! What happened was fantastic for me. I met a lot of good people who taught me discipline and respect. I have very good memories of those years.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Muscle Media Magazine Do you remember the first muscular physique you saw and your reaction to it? Gustavo Badell One Sunday morning after church I came home and crashed like a lot of teenagers do. When I woke up, my brothers and sisters were watching television and they had The Incredible Hulk on. I saw Lou Ferrigno on the t.v. screen, and I was like wow-wow! What the heck is this? I was impressed. I started watching the series every Sunday morning. A friend of mine bought me a muscle magazine which showed Lou Ferrigno’s lifestyle and behind-the-scenes type stuff. I realized, Woah, this (Ferrigno’s physique) is real. It wasn’t special effects. I wanted to look like him. I wanted to be a bodybuilder, but I didn’t know how to do it. There wasn’t much information on the sport in Puerto Rico, and there was a stigma surrounding muscles. People would say, if you’re bodybuilding, then you’re not intelligent. I didn’t understand; Why couldn’t you be smart and have muscle?

to see if I could look good. So I started reading the magazines and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s books, getting as much information as I could. I knew I needed to understand the science behind bodybuilding. My oldest sister was a doctor. I didn’t know the difference between protein, carbs, and fat. Muscle Media Magazine How did you learn more about bodybuilding? Gustavo Badell The first gym I joined didn’t help. The guys kept to themselves. They didn’t want to share training or nutrition information. It was weird. I thought of myself as a smart guy, and now I wanted

She helped me out a lot. My sister is a nutritionist too, so we started working together, gathering the science and applying it. I didn’t have the best genetics, I didn’t have any connections, but I trained and ate smart and that allowed me to compete with the best in the world.

Muscle Media Magazine

Gustavo Badell

You would go on to work with some well-known

Yes, I’d go on to work with Chad Nichols, Chris Aceto,

coaches/nutritionists in the sport.

Hany Rambod, and Milos Sarcev. They all taught me things. But I think one thing I realized early on, something maybe other guys didn’t or never do, is that bodybuilding is a science, and the science behind bodybuilding is HUGE. If you’re smart and you’re willing to study, to see what different training techniques, supplements and ways of eating can do to your body, you have the chance to do well. But you have to approach it all methodically. Muscle Media Magazine In your opinion, how important is it for an aspiring bodybuilder to work with a coach/nutritionist? Gustavo Badell Here’s what a coach can and can’t do for you. A coach or nutritionist just brings more knowledge to the table. A good coach gives you more tools. When you’ve been training hard and eating right, the body shows it. If you’ve been training hard for five or ten years and then you do a contest prep, you see all that you’ve created. It all gels at that moment. If it happens to gel on the day you’re onstage and you’ve been working with someone, people say, Wow! That coach made everything different. No, no, no. What the coach did was he did the right thing now; he delivered the right formula for this show. But all those muscles, all that hard work went into your physique before you hired a coach. For example, Milos was my first coach. I learned a lot from him. He did great by me. But I’d been working hard for years before I hired him. Training on my own, I’d look my best the day before the show or the day after, a week after. What Milos and others after him did was help me dial it in on the day that mattered, the day of the contest.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

I said to myself: Think Gustavo, what do you have to do to get better? I had a lot of discipline and consistency in my training, but sometimes what you need is information. And the year after I turned pro is when I turned to Milos for help. Milos shared information with me that I had no clue about. When you have the knowledge, you really have the potential to have everything. Up until then I’d been doing the hardest parts (training, dieting) with no results [that 9th in Germany was Gustavo’s only top 10 placing Muscle Media Magazine

in 12 contests in the first three years of his pro

At your first IFBB show, the German Grand Prix in

career].

1998, you placed 9th. Were you disappointed or discouraged?

Muscle Media Magazine In 2002 you placed 24th at your first Mr. Olympia.

Gustavo Badell (laughs) No! I didn’t care about my placing. It was

Gustavo Badell

my dream come true to be on stage with those

Yes. I’d qualified by placing third at Toronto. I

guys. I felt like I was winning just being there. It did

always said to everybody I wouldn’t want to go to

not discourage me at all. I got to spend time with

the Olympia until I deserved to be there. People

those guys. We sat at the same tables, shared our

would laugh and say it was never going to

meals. I speak other languages, so I was able to

happen for me. I went to the Olympia and there

translate for Kevin, Flex and Chris in Europe.

were monsters on that stage: Ronnie Coleman,

They became my friends and shared information

Kevin Levrone, Gunter Schlierkamp, and Markus

with me. Wayne DeMelia was president of the

Ruhl. I think I was the smallest guy there at 205

IFBB at the time, and he invited me to Finland

pounds. I only beat one guy [that year’s Masters

the next day, all expenses paid. He saw some

Mr. Olympia, Don Youngblood]. But it was a good

potential in me. Now, I couldn’t go, because I had

experience. I’d done it all on my own. No one

to go to Italy with my then-fiancée.

was working with me, no one was helping me. I knew at that moment that I had to find someone

Muscle Media Magazine

to work with me and guide me. Again, that’s

So 9th place actually helped you?

when I turned to Milos.

Gustavo Badell

Muscle Media Magazine

9th place was good for me. Those guys who beat

From a fan’s point of view, the Gustavo Badell

me inspired me. I looked at guys like Ronnie and

who started gracing the stage in 2004 was

Nasser, they were huge! I looked at Flex and

harder and more shredded then the earlier

Kevin, they were huge too with great shapes.

version. [Gustavo placed third at the IronMan

That’s the thing about becoming a pro bodybuilder.

and GNC Show of Strength that year, fourth in

You go from the top of the amateurs to the bottom

the San Francisco Pro, and third at the Olympia

of the pro ranks. It’s a new beginning; you have

itself].

to start from scratch. In Germany after the show,

Gustavo Badell Milos shared a lot of information with me. And, honestly, some of it was shocking: This is like this? I have to eat THIS much food! In 2004 I could see the results, everybody could see the results. I impressed people for the first time, but remember, it wasn’t the first year of my professional career. I had seven years in to get to that point. Again, the importance of a coach: when you do it by yourself, you’re never sure if you’re doing it right. Having a coach, you have an extra set of eyes that can see you objectively. I was lucky to have Milos in my corner. Muscle Media Magazine Going into the 2004 Mr. Olympia, what did you expect? Gustavo Badell Here’s my thing: I respect everybody. I’m going into the Olympia against the best bodybuilders in the world: Ronnie, Jay, Dexter, Victor. But I know I’ve been working hard. So I’m thinking let’s see what happens the day of the show. I wasn’t the biggest guy on stage but I brought very good condition, very good detail. You know they didn’t call me out for a comparison until the fourth call out? And bodybuilding fans know what it means if a bodybuilder they like doesn’t get called out

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

until the fourth grouping of men. Then they called me with another group and then they called me with the top 6! I was like, Oh my God, I’m doing good! The thing with me is the more I pose, the better I look. I don’t get flat. My muscles fill out and I look better and better. Muscle Media Magazine After prejudging you were in 4th behind Dexter, Jay and Ronnie. That year, for the first time, the IFBB introduced the Challenge Round. Gustavo Badell I beat Dexter Jackson in the Challenge Round. Dexter got mad about it and that’s why he didn’t compete the next year. Muscle Media Magazine The next year, 2005, you also won the Challenge Round, beating out all of the

other men in the top six: Dennis James, Victor

Gustavo Badell

Martinez, Gunter Schlierkamp, Jay Cutler and

I was training in an old school Gold’s Gym on

even Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman. But the

Flamingo Road in Vegas. In one of the rooms

IFBB wasn’t letting the Challenge Round factor

they had pictures of every Mr. Olympia from

into the scoring any longer.

Larry Scott on hitting their famous poses. One day I was working out hard and I said to my

Gustavo Badell

friends—bodybuilders and powerlifters—I said

I remember it like it was yesterday. The other

You know what? One day my picture is going

guys did not like the Challenge Round to begin

to be on that wall too. But those guys? We’ve

with. I didn’t beat those guys because I was

got to respect them. They’re the reason we’re

all-around the best that day. I beat those guys

here doing what we’re doing now. And I started

because I’d studied their physiques. I knew

thinking how can I show some respect to those

their strengths and their weaknesses, their best

guys who came before me on the Olympia

poses and the ones they didn’t look good in.

stage. The past is where we come from. I talked

I knew what poses I could take them in. For

it over with my wife. I decided to put their poses

example, I knew you didn’t go up against Ronnie

to some music, with each Mr. Olympia’s name

in a back double biceps or rear lat spread. But

announced so people know what I’m doing.

Ronnie’s side triceps pose and his abs and thighs pose weren’t his best. So that’s what I

Muscle Media Magazine

called him on. I was smart about it. Afterwards,

You hit everyone’s famed pose except

those other guys were all pissed. They expected

Ronnie’s.

some other result. Gustavo Badell Muscle Media Magazine

Going into the show, Ronnie was still champion.

You beat them all but still ended up in third

I wasn’t treating him like a piece of history. I

overall.

was treating him like a competitor I wanted to beat. To beat the champion you need to knock

Gustavo Badell

him out. To knock him out you have to do

Of course I respect decisions. I’m a man. I

something dramatic. So I pumped my hands

respect the rules. The IFBB didn’t count the

in the air like Ronnie did and people thought it

Challenge Round towards the overall placings.

was so funny. But do you know that was the last

Okay, I dealt with it. But the truth was I was the

day Ronnie Coleman spoke to me? He didn’t

best that night, I chose my poses carefully, and

think it was funny. I wasn’t being disrespectful.

I beat Mr. Olympia the day he defended his

Every man on that stage was there to try to win,

title. I beat the champion. In my world, I was a

which meant they were there to beat the best

champion!

bodybuilder in the world, Ronnie Coleman. I feel he took it the wrong way.

Muscle Media Magazine Your posing routine at the 2005 finals saw

Muscle Media Magazine

you hitting the signature poses of all ten Mr.

The IFBB’s ties to Wayne DeMelia were severed around 2005/2006, when you were doing very well on stage. Did Wayne or anyone ever approach you to join the PDI [a short-lived competitor of the IFBB’s]?

Olympias, from Sergio Olivia’s victory pose to Franco Columbo’s fists-turned-down-variation of the side chest shot. Why’d you go at it that way? 40

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Gustavo Badell Of course! I do bodybuilding, lifting weights old Gustavo Badell No. I was always 100% an IFBB guy and I think they knew that. I was placing well, I had great

But I include kettlebells, ropes, sleds and chains. I mix it up with alternate training. What I’m after

contracts. They never even approached me.

now is all around physical fitness and not the

Muscle Media Magazine

the training now is better than it was when I was

Why did you retire from competitive

most massive, shredded physique. And honestly competing. It’s never boring or repetitive. I’m not

bodybuilding?

20 anymore, but all my years and my career gave

Gustavo Badell

I’m doing very well. I look good, I’m muscular and

I was a bodybuilder and bodybuilding was my passion. But I have a family. I have six kids. Being a bodybuilder was the best thing in my life, but when you’re a parent you need to be responsible and you need to be available. I also wasn’t getting any younger in the sport and I saw the new guys coming up. Bodybuilding had been good to me as far as endorsements, prize money and contracts, but I knew that didn’t last forever. I needed something more stable for me

me tools I can use with these new exercises and healthy and I can play with my kids. At this point in my life, helping to raise my kids and to raise them right is my priority. Muscle Media Magazine You weren’t known as a mass monster, but you were a massive bodybuilder. Gustavo Badell Before, when I was 260 pounds, I couldn’t even

and my family. I needed to get a normal job job.

play with my kids. If I got on the floor, I had to

Muscle Media Magazine

uncomfortable. What I’m doing now, bodybuilding

You’re still training?

school. I keep the basic exercises in my routine.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

wait four or five hours to get up because I was so with the alternate training, I’m most happy. At 210, 215 pounds, I can run, I can jump, I’m athletic.

Muscle Media Magazine You’re also a coach/trainer now yourself, aren’t you? Gustavo Badell I am and I love it. If I train you and you go in a show and win it’s like I win myself. In some ways I’ve never retired. I train for myself, because bodybuilding is my life. But I train other people to win contests and to achieve their fitness goals and when they win or they’re successful I feel like I won and I’m successful. Muscle Media Magazine Some guys have trouble walking away from the sport, from competition, from “the look” of being a pro bodybuilder.

Gustavo Badell The worse part about retiring in bodybuilding is its effect on your ego. Ego is when you’re doing well and you have a ton of fans, you’re winning shows and making money, you’re on the covers of the magazines. When that time passes, if you’re not grounded mentally, you might crash. A lot of guys crash and get involved in crazy things: drugs, alcohol, self-destructive behavior. Trying to stay huge. I had a great career as a pro bodybuilder and when it ended I recognized it was going to be different. I was prepared for it. There came a very definite moment when I realized: Okay, now I’m nobody. Nobody calls me, nobody wants to put me in the magazines. But I kept doing what I was doing; I kept going to the gym and I kept training. But I was thinking differently about what I was doing and what my new goals were. I’d been training people as a pro bodybuilder. That didn’t stop. I kept doing it and that helped me transition out of the competitive side of the sport.

Gustavo Badell I haven’t had a problem. I don’t feel empty. I don’t get crazy. I don’t use drugs. I don’t even drink alcohol. I don’t carry the same size but I don’t need to. I have nothing to prove to anybody. I’m focused on my health, my kids and the people I work with. I want to make sure I’m around for my kids for the next twenty or more years because they will need me. Now that I’m with Infinite Labs I can speak my mind and share what I’ve learned. There’s a lot of eighteen, twenty year old kids starting out and if I can help them avoid some of

Muscle Media Magazine What do you think about bodybuilding today?

the mistakes I made then I’ll be happy. I love this sport. Muscle Media Magazine You mention longevity and it’s good to hear. Some of the guys who were competing when you did aren’t alive now. Like Don Youngblood, Greg Kovacs, Nasser el Sonbatay. It’s sad to watch that happen.

Gustavo Badell Honestly, let me tell you this…bodybuilding is my life. I have a huge passion for this. It is my love. But I don’t like the direction in which I see my love is headed. The sport is confusing to me these days. I feel even a decade ago, when I was competing, was a vastly different time in the sport: the bodies, the personalities. I think the physiques were better then. I don’t know what they’re doing with their preparation. They look like potato sacks to me. I don’t see beautiful symmetry, lines and proportion.

They don’t look healthy to me. I went to a Mr. Olympia and was watching the top guys, and I thought, if it was my time and I looked like this, the judges would have marked me down. Nobody impresses me. I don’t know why they’re doing it. They don’t seem to enjoy the sport. Their physiques look square to me, not balanced, not aesthetic, not athletic. The Physique and Fitness bodies have a good look to me. I think the IFBB needs to refresh the sport and move it in a different direction. Massive size with a lot of veins shouldn’t win a show. I remember in my day, people would say to me, I want to look like you, I want to look like Dexter. Does anyone who watches the sport want to look like these guys on stage today?

Muscle Media Magazine There was an online poll recently where fans were asked which of the 13 Mr. Olympias they would want to look like. Arnold was first, Frank Zane was second, Dexter was up there. I think Dorian was third but the more massive guys, and surprisingly to me even Phil Heath, tended to fall towards the bottom. Gustavo Badell Dorian brought all the mass but he was aesthetic. The way he looked, the way he walked, the way he handled himself. He didn’t lumber across the stage. He had charisma. I liked that look. Even Phil Heath, with all respect, I really liked his physique better ten, fifteen pounds ago. Dorian was freaky but Dorian was freaky with aesthetics, freaky with balance. His physique and physiques like his weren’t freaky-freaky-freaky-ugly. This is part of the reason, I think, why there are fewer fans of bodybuilding today. Old school fans are looking for a different way, a different look. I’m one of them!

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

By Roger Lockridge

Although the chest and arms are the most popular bodyparts for gym rats to train, nothing on a muscular physique is as impressive as a wide, thick, and powerful looking back. Having a wide V-taper that leads down to a lean an narrow waist makes a huge statement, especially as you’re walking away from someone or out of a door to leave. If you’re a bodybuilder or physique athlete, any judge will tell you that contests are won (and lost) from the rear so your development needs to be on point. If you need to work on your back game for any of these reasons or your own, this plan should help you out.

High Intensity Training A Different Approach 48

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

High Intensity Training, or HIT, is a protocol that’s different than your typical high volume approach. You perform your first set or two with a lighter weight as warm up sets to establish a mind-muscle connection and focus on your form while performing your set. Then you put all your energy into one final set which is your only “working” set with the exercise. You should go as heavy as possible while maintaining good form and you should reach failure within your desired rep range. Failure in this case means you can’t perform one more rep with proper form even if you wanted to.

Since youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing one working set per exercise, you need to keep two things in mind. should pick exercises that target all 1. You areas of the muscles youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re trying to work. give everything you have to that one 2. You set. Make it count so you can benefit from the exercise and your effort. So between your warm up set and working set, take as much rest as you need to prepare for that set without going cold and needing to warm up again. 3 minutes is a good time if you want something to work with.

The other choice you have to make is your grip. Some athletes use an overhand grip. Others prefer an overhand/underhand grip. The only thing you should not do is a double underhand grip because it’s not a curl and lifting that kind of weight could result in biceps injuries.

Deadlift The deadlift is more than a back movement. It’s a total body exercise but the major areas that we will use it for is the lower back area and the traps. We’re going to do two warm up sets for 10-12 reps each. Make sure you give more effort in your second warm up set but don’t go all out yet. For our one working set we will perform a group of cluster sets. Cluster sets are mini-sets that are separated by 20-30 seconds rest which will combine into one total set. Think of it as a long rest-pause set. This is a technique that has been used by powerlifters and football players. For this portion of the workout, we will do three cluster sets of 4 reps for a total of 12 reps. If we were to see this in a training log, it might look like this.

Deadlift Warm Up Set 1 – 135 pounds for 12 reps. Warm Up Set 2 – 225 pounds for 10 reps. Cluster Set 315 for 4,4,4 reps with 30 seconds rest between each cluster of 4. Regarding form, there are two popular stances. One is conventional with feet shoulder width apart and hands on the outside of your legs. The other is sumo with your feet further apart and hands inside the legs. The form you use is up to you. Whatever stance you choose, make sure you lift with your legs and not round your back. 50

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

One Arm Dumbbell Row Now we’ll turn our attention to the lats. One arm rows are a great exercise to develop the lats and dumbbells allow you to focus on each side individually so you can focus on balance as well as power. Warm up with one moderate effort set of 12 reps per arm. Rest for a couple of minutes and grab a heavy dumbbell that should cause you to reach failure around the 8 rep mark. Instead of just pulling the weight straight up, remember to bring it up and towards the hip at an angle so your lats are isolated. Don’t be too concerned if you are able to get 9 reps but if you do more than 10, go heavier next time.

Pullups If you want width, this is the exercise for you. As someone who is wanting to improve their physique, you likely want width. Six time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates was someone who had one of the best backs in bodybuilding history. He never did a wide grip pull up or a wide grip pulldown.

thousand two, one thousand three before letting the weight return to the starting position. You will do the same for your work set after a couple of minutes rest. Use a weight that will result in total failure to hold the weight after 12 reps. This means you likely will have to use a lighter weight than you normally use if you’ve done seated rows before.

Straight Arm Pulldown

He used a close grip because he felt his hands being closer meant the body had to travel further which helped increase the range of motion and activated more muscle fibers which resulted in the back he had. If you’re better accustomed to a wider grip, that’s fine but give the close grip a shot before making a final decision. Regardless of grip, warm up with one set of 15 reps either of lat pulldowns or pullups with an assistant. Make sure you pull up as high as you can before lowering yourself back down and get a good stretch in the lats before pulling again. Don’t cheat this movement because your lats won’t get the full benefit. For your work set, perform as many reps as you can. If you can do more than 12, add weight on a belt or wear a chain on your shoulders. Once you reach failure, you’ll do a drop set by removing weight and resuming your set or if you do pullups with your bodyweight, switching to an assistant or doing pulldowns. After you reduce weight, go to failure again for as many reps as it takes.

Seated Row For detail and separation in the middle of the back, seated rows are a great movement. One trick that lifters have used for years for hardness was to hold the weight in the contracted position before lowering it. That’s what we will do here. Do one warm up set of 15 reps with a lighter weight. When you pull the handles in, hold them there for a count of one thousand one, one

This will be a great finisher for a workout like this because of the deep stretch that this exercise can provide if done properly. For a better range or motion as well as a better contraction use a rope instead of a bar handle. You can separate the rope when you pull down at the end of the movement before letting the rope back up. When you perform that eccentric portion of the movement, take five seconds to return to the starting position and hold it for three seconds before resuming your next rep. This attention to lowering the weight and that stretch before contracting the muscle again will help stretch the fascia so more blood can be sent to the area which will help recovery when this workout is over. Perform one warm up set of 15 reps with moderate weight followed by one work set of 15 reps with heavy weight. Use the rep scheme described above for both sets.

HIT Back Workout Deadlift or Rack Deadlift - 2 warm up sets, 1 3-part cluster set for 4-6 reps per part. One Arm Dumbbell Row - 1 warm up set, 1 rest pause set for 8-10 reps each arm. Pullup/Lat Pulldown - 1 warm up set on pulldowns or pullups with an assistant. 1 set to failure on pullups with a drop set to lat pulldowns. Seated Row - 1 warm up set. 1 work set for 12-15 reps with 5 second holds. Straight Arm Pulldown - 1 warm up set. 1 work set for 12-15 reps with 5 second negatives and three second holds in the stretched position. Rest up to three minutes between sets.

MUSCLE MEDIA SEPTEMBER 2015

If you have ever seen IFBB Pro Gustavo Badell, he trains very, very intense. During his competitive career, Badell weighed up to 265 pounds, and his arms were 22-1/2 inches. Unlike most bodybuilders that went to the gym every day and did the same things, Badell always mixed up his exercises from week to week. His rationale was that muscle groups adapt quickly to your training, mixing up your workouts is a new challenge to muscle, and they continue to grow.

Unlike most bodybuilders that went to the gym every day and did the same things, Badell always mixed up his exercises from week to week.

Even though Badell trained this way for years, science has now confirmed that mixing up your workout is the best way to grow and make continuous improvements.

An example of undulating training is: MONDAY

Muscle endurance day with 15-20 reps per set.

WEDNESDAY Muscle hypertrophy day with 10 rep sets

FRIDAY

Muscle strength day using a weight you can only lift 6 or 8 times.

Even though Badell trained this way for years, science has now confirmed that mixing up your workout is the best way to grow and make continuous improvements. Daily Undulating Periodization or DUP, consists of changing your volume/ intensity/rep ranges every day you train. The rationale is that muscle does not adapt. With this training method, there is greater variation in volume and training intensity throughout a macrocycle. On the other hand, there is the traditional linear periodization, in which a person can spend several weeks working at the same volume and intensity. This is enough for adaptation to take place and for the workout to become less effective.

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

Based on a previous study, undulating periodization is superior for increasing strength compared to the classic periodization model. Researchers compared the effect of non-linear or undulating periodization to the classic periodization model. The two groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s workouts were essentially the same; the only difference was the order and structures. At the end of the study, the non-linear or undulating periodization group experienced almost exactly double the results. When comparing the nonlinear or undulating periodization group to the classic periodization group, here were the results: 28.8% vs. 14.4% improvement on bench press, and 55.8% vs. 25.7% improvement on the leg press. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research also reported that undulating periodization works best for increasing strength. Researchers compared the effects of resistance training utilizing block periodization (BP) and weekly undulating model (WUD) on maximal strength and hypertrophy in recreationally strength-trained women. Seventeen recreationally trained women were randomly assigned to either a block periodization group or a weekly undulating model group. Participants of both groups trained three days a week for ten weeks. Block periodization and weekly undulating model programs used the same exercises and the difference between the two programs was in the distribution of the training volume within each training phase. The block periodization group was subdivided into two 5-week sections, comprising a hypertrophy section (high volume, low relative load) and a strength section (low volume, high relative load). The non-linear program varied these parameters from one week to the next, training using a different scheme each week, in two similar 5-week sections. Anthropometric measures and strength testing were performed before (PRE) and after ten weeks (POST) of training.

At the end of the study, the results revealed that both block periodization and weekly undulating model groups made significant increases in strength and power but improvements in lower body strength were significantly greater in weekly undulating model group (+ 27.7 %) compared to block periodization group (+ 15.2 %). Both groups significantly increased arm muscle hypertrophy, whereas improvements in thigh muscle size were significant in the weekly undulating model group only (+ 5.8 %). Results of this study indicate that the weekly undulating model is more effective than the block periodization model for increasing maximal strength and muscle size in the lower body in women. A new study was just reported in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research reported that the order in which you perform undulating periodization also makes a difference. Researchers compared two daily undulating periodization (DUP) models on one-repetition maximum (1RM) strength in the squat, bench press, deadlift, total volume (TV) lifted, and hormone response. Male powerlifters participated in this study and were assigned to one of two groups: 1) Traditional DUP training with a weekly training order: hypertrophy-, strength-, and power-specific training or 2) Modified DUP training with a weekly training order: hypertrophy-, power-, and strength-specific training.

6 Week Undulating Protocol used in the study: Training Day Exercise

Sets/Reps Week 1

%1RM Used

Sets/Repetition Week 2

%1RM Used

Hypertrophy Strength Power

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

75% 75% 85% 85% 85% 80% 80%

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

IA IA 87.5% 87.5% 87.5% 80% 80%

Training Day Exercise

Sets/Reps Week 1

%1RM Used

Sets/Repetition Week 2

%1RM Used

Hypertrophy Strength Power

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

75% 75% 85% 85% 85% 80% 80%

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

IA IA 87.5% 87.5% 87.5% 80% 80%

Training Day Exercise

Sets/Reps Week 1

%1RM Used

Sets/Repetition Week 2

%1RM Used

Hypertrophy Strength Power

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

75% 75% 85% 85% 85% 80% 80%

5X8 5X8 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 3Xmax reps. 5X1 5X1

IA IA 87.5% 87.5% 87.5% 80% 80%

Back Squat Bench Press Back Squat Bench Press Deadlift Back Squat Back Squat

* During hypertrophy and power sessions, subjects performed a fixed number of sets and repetitions but performed repetitions until failure at a given percentage during strength sessions to compare total volume.

Via Wikipedia comes the Strength/ Power/ Hypertrophy/ Endurance table of Mell Siffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Supertraining. Variable Training Goal Strength Power Hypertrophy Endurance

Load (% of 1RM) 80-90 45-55 60-80 40-60 Reps per set 1-5 1-5 6-12 15-60 Sets per exercise 4-7 3-5 4-8 2-4 Rest between sets (mins) 2-6 2-6 2-5 1-2 Duration (seconds per set) 5-10 4-8 20-60 80-150 Speed per rep (% of max) 60-100 90-100 60-90 60-80 Training sessions per week 3-6 3-6 5-7 8-14

MUSCLE MEDIA OCTOBER 2015

The groups had three training sessions per week (example: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) for six weeks, in the order of hypertrophy training on day 1, strength training on day 2, and power training on day 3 (HSP). The HPS group, trained in this order: hypertrophy training on day 1, power training on day 2, and strength training on day 3 (HPS). The hypertrophy, power, strength protocol produced greater total volume in squat and bench press than hypertrophy, strength, power, but not for deadlift. The hypertrophy, strength, power group increased their bench press strength over the course of the study by 8.13%, while hypertrophy, strength, power did not. These findings suggest that a hypertrophy, power, strength protocol configuration of DUP has enhanced performance benefits compared to hypertrophy, strength, power protocol. So if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking to maximize the effectiveness of your training routine, start with hypertrophy training first, followed by power after, and then finish off the week with a strength training session. So it seems that Gustavo was ahead of his time in his training methods and only in the past few years has science caught up to prove that Gustavo was right and that training with different sets, reps, and volume each week is the key to making consistent gains in bodybuilding.