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FADS COME & GO: THIS 1 THING NEVER CHANGES
3
5 TIPS to stay IN
SHAPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING FOR MAXIMUM GAINS
WHY PERFORMANCE
GOALS ARE IMPORTANT GRIP MUSCLES: The secret behind heavy lifts
THE BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT’S
GUIDE TO SUPPLEMENTS
NOT JUST FOR THE PROS!
Chinese Secret
Weapon for Weight Loss
ENHANCING YOUR POWER PERFORMANCE Aximperiaemqui officti nectur ab idelicil THROUGH PARKOUR aditm. Toressi officti nectur volescias itm.
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Keep your body running INFINITELY.
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Once again, we find ourselves getting ready for the festive Season. There is a certain vibe in the air. The temperatures have plummeted to the low 90’s here in Florida, so it’s time to break out the parkas and boots… (OK, so not much has changed with the weather, but at least it has stopped raining!) However, there is a different vibe that I’ve noticed in my patients/clients. I believe that part of the vibe involves the celebration of the Season. Perhaps there is more of a desire for family, friends, and fellowship. Perhaps there is introspection, time for reflection upon who you are, what you are, and where you are… We have this conversation every year at this time. It seems natural, considering the change of seasons, change of attitude, but also the impending change of the year. Maybe that’s the key to understanding the vibe: “change”. Although my “Shrink” training has taught me that we are all “creatures of habit”, the prospect of any change promotes some interesting thoughts and feelings. It doesn’t even need to be a major change to cause some anxiety. Your grocery store may simply stop selling your preferred brand of coffee… AAAGH…! Your favorite restaurant may change their menu, and no longer serves _____ that you’ve been craving (you know what I’m talking about…!) To some people, any change represents a threat.
editor in chief Dr. Tom Fisher
CREATIVE director Abby Cronin It can upset their carefully constructed daily routines. Changes such as these are at least seen as annoyances. At worst, they can force rethinking or reinventing your routine. To others, change represents a challenge. Rather that retreating to annoyance and anxiety, the change offers an opportunity to explore. These are the “risk-takers”. I have found that this is typical of those who possess an “athletic mindset”. Typically, they are always up for a challenge. They will usually welcome a competitive situation. While they may encounter some significant competition from others, the most difficult challenges usually come from within. I don’t mean to get too into the “psychobabble weeds”, but I have found this to be true. Although we may be our greatest supporter, cheerleader and advocate, we also tend to be our own harshest critics. Professionally, I have found that many people live “unexamined lives”. They tend to live… No, to exist day-to-day without questioning their routine, their goals, or their reasons for doing what they repeatedly do. They say that “ignorance is bliss”. Perhaps,
contributing WRITERS Joe Palumbo Abby Cronin Anne Fisher Megan Reynolds Kim Goss Mike Axler Matthew Farley Roger Lockridge
We want to see your progress! Send us an email at info@musclemediaonline.com for a chance to be featured in our next month’s issue!
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M u scle M ed i a M a g a z i n e
...CONTINUED but I also believe that we all want to improve ourselves. This might only extend to getting some new clothes, or a new car, or something else in your surroundings. While some can certainly change their surroundings, more often than not, it does little to change them. Well, “Tis the Season…” Take a look in the mirror. Take a look at yourself. Take a risk… In this issue, our very talented authors continue to educate. If you are looking for training advice, this one’s for you! Our resident IFBB Pro, Joe, comes bearing gifts! He offers us his considerable experience and wisdom while discussing Gym Fads, the importance of Grip Muscles, and some insights into a Chinese “Secret Weapon” for your training. Our master training guru, Roger, finishes the final chapter of his 6-part Trainto-Transform series. We would like to welcome Kim back to the pages of Muscle Media after a brief hiatus. Kim, and his
colleague Eoin, discuss the principles of German Volume Training. Additionally, we were lucky to secure an exlusive interview with bodybuilder and physique coach Paul Revelia who doubled as our cover model this month. Finally, we have several authors new to our pages. Megan introduces the sport, and takes us through the rigors of Parcour training. Mike offers advice to those of you who are “financially challenged” and still want some effective supplements. Matthew shines the light on the benefits of adopting performance-based training goals. Kyle explains the relationship between developing a healthy body and a healthy mind. And, because it is the Holiday Season, Anne offers her professional entertaining advice with 5 Tips to Hosting a Healthy Holiday. Cheers…! -Dr. Tom Fisher
Dr. Tom Fisher
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CONTENTS
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ENHANCING YOUR POWER PERFORMANCE THROUGH PARKOUR
10
GERMAN VOLUME TRAINING
12
THE BROKE COLLEGE STUDENT’S GUIDE TO SUPPLEMENTS
14
FADS COME AND GO:BUT THIS ONE THING NEVER CHANGES
16
GRIP MUSCLES: THE SECRET BEHIND HEAVY LIFTS
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18
BENEFITS OF PERFORMANCE BASED TRAINING GOALS FOR THE COMMON GYM-GOER
22
TEA: A CHINESE SECRET WEAPON FOR WEIGHT-LOSS
24
PAUL REVELIA: FROM COMPETITOR TO COACH EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
28
TRAIN TO TRANSFORM: THE FINAL PART OF THE 6-PIECE SERIES
32
HOSTING A HEALTHY HOLIDAY: 5 TIPS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
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Enhancing Your Power Performance
By Megan Reynolds, BS “Parcour” is a French word that directly translates to mean journey, route, or course. Most people are familiar with parkour, the English version of the word, and associate it with free running, stunts and obstacle courses. While the majority have heard the word, many might be surprised to learn that this stunt-like exercise format is recognized as an official sport in United Kingdom. Parcour has also been expanding in the United States and across the world; aspiring to make the list of future Summer Olympic events. Even though most people – exercise buffs or not – know that it exists, many of you might still be asking, what is Parkour? The discipline has previously been dismissed as nothing more than urban acrobatics. However, recent studies and developments
have begun to show great physical and mental health benefits amongst participants. Behind parkour is a philosophy, often referred to but rarely explained. It is a philosophy of utilitarian movement based on the central pillar of “usefulness.” Moving beyond this definition, let’s answer questions you’re probably asking – What physical benefits will this activity encourage? And, how/why should I implement Parkour into my usual, established exercise routine? The advantages of Parkour training are extensive. They include, but are not limited to: massive amounts of body control, agility, balance, and power. Mental strength also comes into play through problem solving and repetition. In addition, increased confidence and self-respect are derived from accomplishing the seemingly impossible or “superhuman.” The
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PARKOUR skills put to use during Parkour training primarily involve eccentric muscle contractions. Eccentric contractions occur when a muscle is extending or lengthening, and they are able to handle much more force than concentric contractions (which occur when a muscle is flexing). Due to this kinesiological property, most of the strength gains made in the gym are a result of eccentric loading. In other words, a greater eccentric force increases strength. When velocity of contraction considered,
power is increased as well. A 2016 study performed by Grospretre & Lepers found that eccentric torque values were greater in Parkour athletes than in power athletes. This study also revealed that Parkour training induces major development of jump and ballistic muscular skills. The use of such training has several practical applications. It provides better resistance to high eccentric load and helps reinforce musculoskeletal structures. So, if an increase in power output is what you’re after, you may want to skip the simple plyometric training and the track and field drills. Parkour combines plyometric exercise with massive eccentric contractions, which could lead to a significant gain in eccentric force and jump performances (Santos & Janeira, 2008). Thankfully, due to the
expanding popularity of the sport, adding Parkour to your exercise regimen has never been more accessible. Facebook and Google are excellent resources for finding a local community. There are also online videos from companies such as APK Academy, Fight or Flight: Basic Vaults, or RogueOperative’s Guide to Starting Parkour. Parkour gyms are also on the up and up, with existing locations in Washington DC, Minnesota, Florida, and Hawaii.
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5 POUNDS OF MUSCLE
GAINED IN 3 WEEKS OF G.V.T.
10 SETS
OF EACH EXERCISE
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ONCE CONSIDERED A RADICAL APPROACH TO TRAINING, G.V.T. HAS PROVEN TO BE INCREDIBLY EFFECTIVE FOR MUSCLE GAIN.
By Kim Goss, MS, CSCS Poliquin Group™ Editorial Staff Almost any weight training system will help you build muscle, at least during the few weeks it takes your body to adapt to it. There is, however, one training system that stands above all the rest for packing on slabs of muscle fast. It’s called German Volume Training. In 1996, Muscle Media introduced the bodybuilding community to German Volume Training (GVT). It was considered a radical approach to training and was brutally hard, but gains of five pounds of solid muscle in as little as three weeks were not uncommon for those willing to pay the price. However, after over two decades of listening to the feedback from countless trainees and trainers, we’ve found ways to make GVT even better. As background, GVT is often called the “10 sets method,” but
its roots are in German-speaking countries, hence the name German Volume Training. The training system appears to have originated in Germany in the mid-’70s and was popularized by Rolf Feser, who was at the time a national coach for weightlifting. A similar protocol was promoted by bodybuilding guru Vince Gironda from the US. GVT targets a group of motor units (nerves that cause a specific group of muscle fibers to contract) and subjects them to an extraordinary amount of work. The body adapts to this stress by increasing the size of the targeted fibers There is also the effect GVT has on hormones, specifically testosterone. Numerous researchers have looked at the best protocols for increasing testosterone. For example, in a study published in the November 2013 issue of Medicine
REPS
OF EACH EXERCISE
60 SECOND
REST PERIODS Kim Goss has been a contributor to Muscle Media since 1994. German Volume Training can be purchased through the following link: https://main.poliquinstore. com/workout-essentials/ books-gear/german-volume-training and Science in Sports and Exercise, researchers concluded that that the best resistance-training protocols for increasing anabolic hormones used “…moderate to high volumes, moderate to high training loads, and short rest interval lengths in between sets.” The German Volume Training (GVT) program follows these loading parameters. So if low testosterone is an issue with you, consider skipping the cardio and getting some iron in your blood with GVT.