Vitamin-shop Magazine EN

EN/03/2013 [05]

STACKING STACKIN G A DIFFICULT ART

OF COMBINING SUPPLEMENTS

„BIG GUNS” THE HOLY GRAIL OF EVERY BODYBUILDER

GLADIATOR

WOMEN WENDY MCCREADY

MARKET NEWS MULTIPACK SPORT SOY PROTEIN DAY/NIGHT FORMULA ISOLATE INDISPENSABLE DAY AND NIGHT

A PLANT-BASED ALTERNATIVE

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MULTIPACK SPORT DAY/ NIGHT FORMULA – 24-Hour vitamin and mineral protection for athletes.

SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE supplements the diet with top class, high-quality protein.

ULTIPACK SPORT DAY/NIGHT FORMULA is a unique twophase vitamin and mineral formula created with particular focus on the specific requirements of athletes. The product adequately addresses nutrient deficiencies, supplying ingredients which optimize energy metabolism and support regeneration. Thanks to a new release from TREC NUTRITION, supplementing is easy – a white capsule of MULTIPACK SPORT DAY FORMULA for day-time use contains all the necessary vitamins and action-stimulating extracts of Ginseng and Guarana.

The formula is enriched with valuable antioxidants from citrus fruit and coenzyme Q10 which controls energy production at cellular level. The black capsule MULTIPACK SPORT NIGHT FORMULA is designed for night-time use – it supplies essential minerals along with GABA, L-theanine and L-tryptophan – ingredients which promote a good sleep and optimize night-time hormone secretion.

rotein supplementation is one of the key components of daily supplementation for athletes. Plants, like animals, are able to store protein. Some of them manufacture proteins with very high nutritional value and containing amino acids, which are of key importance for athletes. The record-holder among them is soybean, the seeds of which contain high-quality protein, providing a complete set of essential amino acids. Not everyone wishes or is able to use animal protein-based products, and this is why TREC NUTRITION introduces SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE. It is a top quality dietary supplement based on a pure soy protein isolate. Thanks to the excellent quality raw ingredients, the final product has high protein content with minimal amounts of carbohydrates, sugar, fat and cholesterol. The supplement is lactose-free and contains no unnecessary additives, which makes it suitable even for those with food intolerances.

SOLID MASS

CHANGED PRODUCT DESIGN

KEY TO BUILDING MUSCLE MASS

NEW STYLE, THE SAME TOP QUALITY

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veryone knows that the key principle for building muscle mass is energy surplus and an appropriate amount of high quality muscle building ingredients. Just as we cannot build a house without a solid foundation, it is impossible to build muscle mass without the correct amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. Sometimes it is hard to gain more kilograms without adequate support. Then we know that it’s time to reach for a high quality gainer. We are introducing a new release in the TREC NUTRITION range – SOLID MASS. It is a complete carbohydrate and protein nutrition supplement – a solid foundation to help you build powerful muscle. A blend of whey protein concentrate, diversified carbohydrates and essential vitamins helps to quickly correct nutritional deficiencies and to increase body mass. SOLID MASS is available in two pack-sizes – 3000 g and a monstrously huge 5800 g.

o you still remember our first packaging design and the navy blue labels with a characteristic check pattern? So much has changed since then. With all the subsequent new releases, packaging and labels, one thing has remained constant – the care we take to ensure that the product you purchase is of excellent quality and made from the top ingredients which really work. We not only keep abreast of the latest scientific research, which are included in our new formulations on an ongoing basis, but also the latest aesthetic trends. That’s why we decided to introduce a totally new design concept, thus refreshing our range of TREC NUTRITION products. We dressed in “new clothes” not only the wellknown classics like the NITROBOLON or the CM3, but also the latest bestsellers i.e. S.A.W. or WHEY 100. The new labels are clear and easy to read, the graphics dynamic and trendy. All product categories now share a colour code, which will make it easier to locate the desired TREC product on a store shelf.

So how do you like the new look of TREC?

SOLID MASS provides solid support while building The new TREC NUTRITION product design is muscle mass. not only aesthetically pleasing, but also very legible.

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Guys: an instr We like to say that age is only a number, however, when we see senior citizens in our country, who struggle to get on a bus by themselves, we begin to doubt these words. This is the question, in fact: are we doomed to gradually lose skeletal muscle mass? Anybody who works out at a gym knows that regular work-outs keep our bodies in good health. The added benefit is improved appearance – the muscles became tight, the complexion seems younger, we become more flexible and don’t struggle with everyday mobility issues, typically affecting people of mature age. However the devil is in the detail: each age group is distinguished by a somewhat different metabolism – learn about these Scientists studied data originating from a wide group composed of all populations and mechanisms and slow down the concluded that this problem affects even ageing process! advanced sportspeople. If they don’t train

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he process of ontogenetic human development can be divided into three distinct stages: the growth of the organism, a period of stabilisation and the ageing stage. The divisions between them are very blurred, often not noticeable, and the age at which they occur can differ depending on individual genetic predispositions and life style, which includes physical activity and nutrition.

During the successive life stages there occur not only changes of the make-up of the body, manifesting in increasing accumulation of fatty tissue and a gradual decrease in muscle mass. With age, the functioning of various organs and of whole systems also changes. One of the basic characteristics describing the human organism is the capacity for physical effort of diverse intensity and duration. This in particular relies on the efficient functioning of the muscular, cardiovascular and pulmonary systems. Their functioning is closely interconnected. At the successive human life stages the capacity for physical effort changes significantly. The dynamics of this process depend not only on the person‘s age, but also on individual, genetically determined predispositions as well as on the individual’s level of physical activity. The progressive decrease in physical strength and healthy functioning is one of the signs of the biological process of ageing in the human organism and is linked with a deteriorating functioning of the cardiovascular, pulmonary and neuromuscular systems, and also with a drop in the metabolic rate.

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Of no lesser importance in preventive health care is the social factor, as maintaining significant physical activity levels is often crucial for keeping up high performance that is linked to manual labour. A significant influence on the progressive drop in healthy functioning is a lack of opportunity for performing daily mobility tasks such as walking or stair climbing. Studies conducted in the US indicate that many individuals over the age of 65 cannot even manage simple mobility tasks, not requiring much physical effort. More than 51% are unable to perform heavier household tasks, and approximately 33% cannot walk a distance of 1 kilometre without rest. This status quo is accompanied by unfavourable transformations in body composition which limit the effort ranges. The above data suggests, that the key to a positive change is adaptation.

Keeping up physical activity will ensure a smaller decrease in muscular mass into late old age. But can physical activity itself, along with nutrition and a training plan remain the same for the duration of one’s lifetime?

Researchers from the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom proved that as the human organism enters the ageing stage, sudden attempts at taking up an exercise regime in order to slow down the ageing process may in fact bring about the latter’s acceleration. The body is unable to cope with an exhausting exercise workload, which is counter-productive. Why? An exhausting training regime results in an increased demand for glutathione (an antioxidant produced by the liver, from i.a. L-glutamine) in order to prevent free-radical damage. However its secretion by an ageing organism is often impaired. The stress caused by the exercise load, which at one stage would have revitalized the body, over a certain age acts to its disadvantage.

according to the level which their age and fitness level allows, they accelerate the ageing process of the organism. The message is clear, and it also applies to body builders – training helps to preserve a youthful appearance and good health, but its intensity should be adapted to age. Through over-ambitious exercising, our cells will be exposed to chronic oxidative stress, that will ultimately lead to their gradual destruction and a faster ageing of the entire organism. And we shouldn‘t forget about the safeguard provided by correct nutrition. Diet and supplementation should also take into account the modifications taking place in our organism with the passage of time.

Nutrition during a period of second youth When we train very intensively, our body is often subjected to great physical and psychological burdens. Long and sometimes exhausting training sessions can interfere with the natural equilibrium of the organism (homeostasis), compromise healthy functioning as well as bring about many health disorders. In order to improve performance, both professional sportspeople and amateurs should use specific methods of biological regeneration, the main goal of which is the replenishment of energy substrates and other macro- and microelements which are being used up as a result of increased physical effort. This is already complicated enough with a person in the 20–25 age bracket, and gets even more so with individuals over 50, when during hormonal changes (andropause – androgen menopause) it may for instance be the pancreas that begins to malfunction and we get to experience what „insulin resistance“ means first hand. Additionally our bodies manufacture antioxidants less and

ruction manual – how to stay young and fit. less efficiently, such as the earlier mentioned glutathione, and due to sarcopenia (the loss of muscular mass due to ageing) the level of BMR – Basal Metabolic Rate – decreases rapidly, which is represented in the table below.

Estimated BMR for a 78 kg man in the age bracket 19–30 is 1872 kcal. For the same individual in the age bracket 31–60 the calorie requirement is already equal to 1783 kcal, which is around 90 kcal lower, and for a man over 60 it is only 1540 kcal, which is a deficit of more than 330 kcal in comparison to a young person. As it is these figures give a distorted picture, since we have assumed for the needs of this calculation that men across all the age brackets have an identical body composition, namely that their mass is an ideal body weight (IBW) with a body fat percentage of 10%. In the case of ageing individuals it is rather unlikely to maintain the fatty tissue at such low levels and at the same time have such a high percentage of muscular mass.

Increased expression of myostatin which occurs during sarcopenia quite cruelly deprives the senior persons of their muscular mass – and in this way limits the level of consumed calories. The muscle cells are up to eight times more anabolically active than the fat cells, so the greater the muscular mass, the more calories the organism will burn during daily activity. Each kilogram of muscular mass allows us to get rid of approximately 50 kcal more per 24 hrs. It will be safe to assume that the Ideal body weight (IBW) of the senior person under consideration here is around 60 kg, since the body fat percentage is higher, and the muscular mass on the other hand is smaller than of a man in the 19–30 age bracket. Because of that the actual caloric burn per 24 hrs will be 1575 for the 31–60 age bracket and 1297 kcal for someone over 60. So it’s not surprising that calorie-reduced diets followed in our youth become the daily menu when we get older, keeping us at a zero or a positive caloric balance. One just needs to add here the earlier mentioned weakening action of insulin, malabsorption, food sensitivities, an inadequate enzymatic response

– and we get a complete picture of how difficult it becomes to fulfil the nutritional needs of a senior who gets involved in strenuous physical effort.

It is not only an issue of the caloric content of the diet. It has been proved, for example, that reducing the number of calories derived from fat (from more than 30% to below 15%) and increasing the amount of fibre (from below 20 g up to 25–30 g and more daily) significantly lowers the levels of total and free testosterone as well as the androgens secreted by the adrenal glands (androsterone and dehydroepiandrosterone). Moreover, during 11-day long tests on men who switched from a typical Western diet to a low-fat diet (10% fat) with a high quantity of fibre (35–40 g daily), a 17% drop in the level of free testosterone was noted. A low-fat, high fibre diet can be considered an „anti-testosterone“ diet; the drop in the testosterone level is caused by the increase of the amount of the protein called globulin which binds to sex hormones (SHBG). The testosterone circulating in the blood binds mainly to SHBG and also to some degree to albumin present in the blood plasma. Only a small amount of testosterone doesn’t undergo this process and remains „free“ , in other words biologically active and able to enter the cell and activate its receptor. SHBG blocks the action of this hormone, in other words bioavailability of free testosterone depends on the levels of SHBG.

is insulin. It was shown that consumption of protein and specific amino acids raises the level of insulin, which in turn lowers the level of SHBG. The role of „mediator“ is played by specific amino acids, and most importantly leucine. It has been shown that it triggers an increase in insulin level, which can be one of the factors of protein ability to lower the levels of SHBG. The role of insulin in regulation of SHBG levels may explain why a low-fat high fibre diet results in a drop in the level of androgens – this kind of nutrition may in fact decrease the rate of glucose absorption in the small intestine, which results in smaller fluctuations of insulin and sugar levels in the blood. It turns out, that the amount of this hormone both on an empty stomach and after glucose was given is inversely proportional to the SHBG levels in the blood plasma. This indicates, that a low insulin level raises the SHBG level in the blood. However, let’s not forget that with age the activity of the pancreas and the insulin function are prone to disorders. This condition can be remedied to some extent by means of sensitizing the cells to glucose – through regular physical activity and supplementation with products which support the insulin function, such as leucine – LEUCINE FUSIOIN, taurine – TAURINE 900, chromium, creatine – CREA9 XTREME, cinnulin (cinnamon bark extract) as well as omega-3 fatty acids (SUPER OMEGA-3),

The result of a high protein diet is decreased production of SHBG. To give an example – the tested subjects were placed in two groups: the first group followed a high protein diet for ten days and the second – a high carbohydrate diet. In the first group the level of SHBG dropped by around 39%, which meant that the bioactivity of testosterone was higher.

One of the main factors controlling the SHBG synthesis

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le 1.

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anti-oxidants, L-carnitine (TREC L-CARNITINE + GREEN TEA) and Xylitol (birch sugar). However, taking into account research on the ageing population, it is worthwhile to take a closer look at the role of green tea and creatine in the functioning of the human body after the fourth decade of life.

Let’s take a look at a study in which creatine raised the activity of mRNA IGF-1 without the aid of exercise. Researchers claim that an increase in dry mass frequently observed after supplementation with creatine monohydrate may be transmitted by signalling pathways, which activate the mRNA IGF-1 in the muscles. It has been discovered that creatine has a potential antioxidant effect at a cellular level.

It prevents oxidative stress in skeletal muscles, which is a result of the destructive effect of free radicals, leading to cell mutation, destruction of tissue and weakening of the immune system. It would seem that maintaining the levels of antioxidants (i.e. glutathione) and ATP is an essential combination of processes indispensable to slow down ageing. The latest research published in the „Journal of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research“ proves, that creatine protects the muscle cells against oxidative stress. This ingredient assists the muscles in adverse conditions and prevents the destruction of mitochondria in the cells, which degenerate with age in the muscles.

As result of this research, creatine may be regarded as a supplement which slows down the ageing processes. Moreover, it has been proved that it is also a natural inhibitor (a supressing factor) of myostatin – a protein which inhibits the development of the muscle mass. This phenomenon, along with the increased rate of IGF-1 secretion, provides an incredibly anabolic foundation – this leads to

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the conclusion that this ingredient not only increases the level of lean muscle mass in young people, but also prevents the loss of muscle mass related to ageing. Researchers have high hopes for the application of this supplement for a wider market than that of bodybuilding.

servings had a significant effect on slowing down the process of fatty tissue accumulation – both subcutaneous and visceral fat – as well as creating a chemopreventive effect following tumour remission.

Recently, the benefits of using supplements have been presented in a very favourable light in the context of green tea consumption. Although it is most commonly used for fat loss, new research discovered some of its other significant benefits. The first study (published in the „American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”) was conducted on a sample of more than 42 thousand individuals. The study objective was to investigate the health benefits of green tea consumption in relation to the consumed dose. The reduction in fatty tissue wasn’t the focus of interest this time – it turned out that the increased consumption promotes psychological wellbeing and helps to soothe disquiet and states of anxiety.

In the event of taking five cups daily (approximately 100–150 mg EGCG – the most active polyphenols) it was found that psychological anxiety had been relieved by 20%. Other recently conducted research showed an additional unexpected benefit.

and sarcopenia – a bodybuilder’s nightmare

Reports published in „Respiratory Medicine“ suggest that green tea consumption may prevent damage to the lungs done by smoking, as well as helping to reduce the stiffness of muscles used in breathing.

The afore mentioned mitochondrial degeneration in the muscles may be an explanation why after the fourth decade of life, L-carnitine supplementation becomes more justifiable than in one’s younger years. Research conducted on a substantial group of ageing people has demonstrated that a daily dose of 2500 mg L-carnitine divided up into 500 mg

Andropause

In the context of the biopsychosocial approach, andropause is a stage in a man’s life (usually a man over 50) which heralds the onset of old age. This stage is marked by an onset of a number of complaints in various areas of an individual’s functioning, rooted in multiple organ changes taking place in the organism, including hormonal changes due to ageing. We can talk here of somatic aspects (pain, sleep and appetite problems), psychological ones (memory complaints, irritability, anxiety) and sexual ones (erectile dysfunction and a drop in libido). Among the typical symptoms of physical changes we can mention the following: a drop in muscle mass by 25%, an increase in the amount of visceral fat by 10 –15 kg, a decrease in the bone mass (osteopenia), an increase in insulin resistance (which characterises pre-diabetic changes leading to a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes), arterial hypertension and scalp hair thinning. Another result of ageing in men is a gradual drop in concentration of some hormones, mainly androgens, and also of the growth hormone and melatonin, which causes sleeplessness in older people. Researchers generally agree that the main culprit of this cascade of negative biological effects are the dropping testosterone levels. The multiple organ ageing of the organism manifests itself among others as impairment of the HPTA (hypothalamus-

pituitar y-testicles axis) function resulting in a downward spiral – the drop in testosterone level leads to pancreatic dysfunction and influences a drop in adiponectin levels, which in turn influences the accumulation of visceral fat.

Adipokines secreted by visceral fat interfere with the blood sugar level, leading to hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, which ultimately brings the onset of cardiovascular disease and death.

The phenomenon of the degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass by around 23%, observed in men in the age bracket 30–70, is referred to as sarcopenia. It is also linked with a drop in the rate of strength development. The crucial factor contributing to this condition is the decline in hormonal function – a dropping level of biologically active testosterone (between the ages of 40–70 by around 30%) and of the growth hormone. Men aged 40–74, despite maintaining a relatively constant level of lean body mass (LBM) (accompanied by an increase in total body weight), suffer from a systematic drop in muscle function of the upper limbs. The magical age of 30 is a milestone above which a drop can be observed in endogenous testosterone levels, with a systematic annual decrease by 1%. From that life stage onwards, a percentage increase of fatty tissue can be observed with a simultaneous percentage drop in muscle tissue.

Testosterone controls the anabolic processes involved in the maintenance of muscle mass, so it is not surprising that sarcopenia involves a reduction of muscle protein – the crosssection of the muscles decreases, while the content of the connective tissue and visceral fat increases. In men over 40 there is also a change in fat distribution – the fat content in the trunk grows, while the fat content of the limbs decreases. This is a very negative phenomenon and it is directly linked to andropause and the impairment of HPTA function which leads to numerous health complications – Type 2 Diabetes, hypertension, arteriosclerosis and ultimately death. The more significant changes in the total body weight become noticeable only around the age of 50, whereas a marked drop in lean muscle mass happens around 20 years later.

The reduction is accompanied by a decrease in the total water content of the organism.

There is also a drop in the level of creatine excreted in the urine. This is related to a diminishing intensity of the basal metabolic rate, which in turn is associated with the loss of biologically active tissue, namely the muscles.

The caloric requirement remains at a relatively constant level until approximately age 40, thereafter it begins to drop gradually (within a period of 50 years by around 30%). Factors which may help to reduce the destructive influence of a drop in the muscle mass and also help to combat the changes in body composition are the following: regular physical activity, unprocessed foods rich in the essential unsaturated fatty acids (EUFA), antioxidants, nutraceuticals, vitamins and minerals.

Workout capacity changes with age It is not thoroughly understood what kind of changes take place in the muscle fibres during the ageing process of an organism. Many research studies indicate that the numerical ratio of fast twitch muscle fibres (FT) to slow twitch muscle fibres (ST) changes with age. It happens as a result of increased atrophy of FT fibres,with the number of ST fibres remaining constant, or a greater activity of reinnervation processes – taking over the function of

inactive motor neurons by new neurites – in motor neurons of slow twitch motor units.

Researchers have shown that in men between the age of 20 and 30, ST fibres constitute 36% of the total muscle fibres, whereas in the age group 30–50 this figure was already 44%. In another study was found that in the age group 20–29 the ST fibres make up 39%, and in the age group of 60–65 year old men – 66% of the total fibres. What is indisputable is the fact of a more distinct diminishing of the cross-sectional area of FT fibres in contrast with ST fibres. In 80-year old persons it is, in contrast to the young, around 26% smaller.

Especially prone to changes are B-type FT fibres, namely the ones with the maximum power and potential for lateral growth. This process can significantly limit the muscle strength of elderly persons, and the drop in the rate of muscle contractions is related primarily to a diminishing firing frequency of motor neurons.

Muscle strength is a characteristic which is strongly related to changes in the cross-sectional area of the muscle fibres, participation of the individual fibre types and also to the activation efficiency of motor units. A relatively constant level of strength is maintained until the age of 50, although many research studies indicate that the drop seems to begin as early as age 30. A distinct reduction in muscle strength takes place at the age between 50 and 70. During the sixth and seventh decade of life its maximum value decreases by around 15%, and later, in the subsequent decades, drops even by 30%.

These studies explain why endurance training gets „easier“ with age and why men over 40 achieve good results in sports which focus on endurance such as instance triathlon. The increased percentage share of the ST muscle fibres along with atrophy and an impaired function of muscle power creation, explains why when we get older we should swop typically anaerobic activities (sprints, MMA, bodybuilding) for mixed exercise (strengthand-endurance training, such as e.g. functional training) as well as aerobic exercise (swimming, running and endurance walking, cycling).

JAKUB MAURICZ mauricz.com

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THREE AGE GROUPS, THREE RU AAGE: MIDDLE AGE 3040

PROFILE An excellent period of mo motor otor fitness, time for achieving best results ultts in many sport disciplines. A period d of relative maintenance of constant level of motor skills. For those involved in sport, the early period of adult life is a time of achieving top results. The advice for those not involved in competitive sports is to take up a relatively intense and systematic physical activity of a recreational nature. Most importantly it will prevent a drop in n physical fitness, while also serving to maintain the fitness gained in the previous years of life. It is also a stage of developing eveloping muscular maturity, assuming that coordination had been achieved in childhood – what is left to do now is its consolidation.

PR PROFILE Decline in physical activity levels. In people involved in regular training, physical and locopl motor fitness can be maintained. It is a time of a m gradual decrease in motor skills in human life. This gr concerns predominantly learning new sport activico ties. It is true that the decline in fitness level takes tie place slowly and gradually, yet towards the end of pl that phase it is quite pronounced. At this time there are huge differences visible between those who are involved in fitness training and those who are not – in the latter physical fitness and locomotor skills are low, due to neglect.

DIET Avoid products which can predispose one towards the andropause metabolic syndrome in the future – sugars, trans fats. Diet can be rich in energy ingredients, since a young organism has an excellent capacity for absorption and utilization of carbohydrates and fats. Due to the fact that a large muscle mass can be developed through training at this time, which involves an increased metabolic rate, supplementation relies mainly on carbohydrate-protein gainers, used both af-

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OLENDE OL R AR

POTENTIAL Unlimited – in the absence of injury and postural defects any sports discipline can be practised; best time for development of muscle mass.

K

AGE: YOUTH 1930 9 30 930

ter a workout in order to recover the calorie expenditure in the context of the post-exercise “anabolic window“, and also in-between meals, so as to increase caloric density. Creatine supplementation, in contrast to later years, will be more advisable in view of the rate of its resynthesis and IGF-1 stimulation for muscle mass gain, and not for its maintenance and breakdown prevention.

TRAINING Speed- and strength: bodybuilding, martial arts, crossfit, interval training instead of aerobic training in order to raise energy expenditure and development of capacity.

SUPPLEMENTATION SOLID MASS, MASS XXL, ISOLATE 100, CREATRIX, CREA9 XTREME.

POTENTIAL Focused on sport with small movement coordination – the last chance for strength training. Injury and mobility loss caused by prior sedentary life style could result in limited function and be a hindrance to developing physical fitness.

DIET It is a time when caloric supply in persons involved in regular training should not become too restricted, although those who are physically inactive may notice first symptoms of insulin resistance.

Low-processed products are recommended as well as supplements which promote stability of blood sugar levels. In view of slowly declining testosterone levels, supplementation with testosterone boosters plays an incredibly essential role. As a preventive measure, creatine supplements can also be used in the heavier training microcycles in order to reduce oxidative stress and to improve recovery. These products will also assist in inhibiting the negative influence of myostatin, whose expression limits training progress in this age group. Lipolytic agent supplementation is recommended in order to assist with the metabolism of fatty tissue and combating cortisol. In this age group, hard-gainers (supplements with a 80:20 ratio of carbohydrate to protein) should be substituted by bulk supplements, which

RULES FOR STAYING IN SHAPE Z „PAPAJ” LE AS CH M O T TRAINING The progressively slowing down metabolism requires stimulation – at this stage the rapid development of ST fibres at the expense of FT fibres hasn’t commenced yet, thus we can get involved in strength and interval training. However. one has to pay special attention to proper recovery, since the organism doesn’t regain its homeostasis as quickly as at a younger age. Eight hours of sleep, massage, proper nutrition and supplementation become very important at this stage, with view to preventive care.

SUPPLEMENTATION TESTO(X)PACK, L-CARNITINE + GREEN TEA, LIPO(X)PACK, FAT TRANSPORTER, HARD MASS, BCAA TURBO JET.

POTENTIAL Unlimited, provided that throughout all of the previous stages we used preventive measures and led an active life style. In inactive persons only recreational exercise is possible with a focus on developing muscle endurance and preserving the correct body posture. It is the time when instead of going to the gym, we should concentrate on activities which aim to develop our general fitness.

DIET Sarcopenia, which gets more pronounced in physically inactive individuals, creates a necessity to lower the caloric supply and to pay closer attention to what we consume – total ban on consuming excessive amounts of sugar and a need to avoid trans fats. Numerous metabolic impairments which occur in this age group create a situation w when every time we overindulge, we expose ourselves ours to health complications. In the context of ssupply of basic nutritional products, it is advisable that diet be supplemented with high quality proteins, prot e.g. whey and also complex carbohydrates which elicit a gentle and gradual in-

ZEMYSŁAW PR

have a higher protein content, resulting in a higher thermogenesis and a reduction in insulin fluctuation. In view of the slow mitochondrial degeneration, supplements containing L-carnitine are recommended.

PROFILE People with low physical activity levels already manifest signs of involution processes; active people on the other hand, can be involved in many sports on a non-competitive level, achieving good results, provided physical fitness had been maintained since puberty. For the majority of people this is a time of a rapid decline of physical and locomotor fitness. Regression can be observed in daily motor activities and those linked to professional life. Physical exercises and sport activities should serve primarily to maintain cardio-pulmonary fitness. Attention should also be paid to flexibility and relaxation exercises. Their lack at an older age quickly leads to mobility reduction in the joints – this condition which started developing in middle age, now becomes consolidated in physically inactive persons.Exercises whose aim is to maintain a correct body posture are also important, making it possible to prevent senile kyphosis, among other things.

ETA L SA

AGE: MATURE AGE 40+

40

sulin response (VITARGO ELECTRO–ENERGY).

A compulsory and continuous supplementation with testosterone boosters is recommended, in order to minimize complications of andropause.

Because of the degeneration of motor neurons, a neurotransmitter – Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid has to be used (GABA 750). Creatine is used in preventing sarcopenia. For a better libido and a lower blood pressure, supplementation with NO (nitric oxide) boosters is recommended. In order to prevent senile dementia supplementation with additional neurotransmitters and supporting substances is imperative. In view of mitochondrial degeneration in the ageing muscles, supplementation with L-carnitine is also useful.

TRAINING Predominantly aerobic sessions, developing of endurance (long distance running, triathlon), recreational strength exercises (split routines) should be replacedby full-body-workout sessions. If possible, use the HST method.

There is an ever greater demand for appropriate biological renewal treatments – sauna, massage, visits to the osteopath every few months due to overuse injuries.

SUPPLEMENTATION WHEY 100, VITARGO ELECTRO–ENERGY, ISOLATE 100, TESTO(X)PACK, DAA ULTRA, GABA 750, CREA9 XTREME, NITRO(X)PACK, NITROBOLON, TYROSINE 600, L–CARNITINE 3000.

CONCLUSIONS The fundamental prerequisite for maintaining the musculoskeletal system at a high level of fitness is appropriate physical activity, which helps to preserve muscle mass and muscle strength right into late old age, and also slows down its decline with age. The main reason for a progressing muscular atrophy is underuse of muscles in the absence of physical activity. With an appropriate selection of training, nutritional methods and supplementation it is possible to enjoy the fitness of a young man right into ripe old age. Research shows that 50-year old men involved in resistance training had the muscular strength and diameter comparable to 28-year olds with low physical activity levels. At the same time it has been proved, that the correctly designed strength training programme results in a significant hypertrophy of muscle fibres and improves the degree of stimulation of motor units not only in middle-aged individuals, but also in ageing persons. The key is appropriate progressive loading of muscles and its timing and specific methods of biological renewal, including massages and sauna sessions, accompanied by correct nutrition and supplementation – aspects which should never be neglected.

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GLADIATO

WOMEN 36 County Durham 5’4” 139-145 LBS 165LBS 19 17 2004

AGE LIVES HEIGHT: CONTEST WEIGHT: OFFSEASON WEIGHT: YEARS TRAINING: YEARS COMPETING: TURNED PRO: MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS:

2004 UKbFF British heavyweight&overall champion

2005 IFBB Battle of Champions Texas

2007 IFBB Atlantic City Pro 7th

WENDY McCREADY

I

t is my dream and has been since before I turned Pro to step onstage at the Ms Olympia.

I am determined to get there and will not give up until my goal is reached. In 2012 I came so close to qualifying. I placed 3rd in the Toronto Pro in Canada where any previous year i would have qualified had it not been for the new rule changes that came into place that year. This new change meant winners only qualified and if not for a little more luck in the judging I would have been there. I brought the best package in my whole career, my condition was one if not the best onstage and I was extremely proud, knowing I couldn’t have done anymore. With the help of John Hodgson himself an IFBB PRO and also my coach, I returned to basics, simply hard work&consistent cardio and diet, pushing myself to the absolute limits to achieve my best ever showing. My willpower, hard work&commitment have brought me this far&my determination to succeed&achieve my goals is stronger than ever. I am now surrounded by a great support network&I aim to improve on my 2012 best placing.

2008 IFBB Tampa PBW Championships Florida

2009 IFBB Atlantic City Pro

2010 IFBB Tampa Bay PBW Champs FLorida

2010 IFBB Battle of Champs Connecticut

2012 IFBB Toronto Pro Champs, Canada 3rd

2012 IFBB CHicago Pro 7th I have also guestposed at the Welsh Championships, British Championships, Scottish Championships&Uk Channel Islands Championships along with many more British qualifiers.

I am a qualified Level 3 Personal Trainer, Biomechanics Trainer&also have a BSc (hons) in Sport&Exercise.

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2013 is my off-season and I aim to return to the competitive stage in early 2014. I train at Lifestyle Fitness Darlington in County Durham which is a friendly hard working environment where I have had great support from the first time I trained there. I also train at John Hodgson’s EVOLUTION GYM in Rochdale where John overlooks my training&nutrition.

John was instrumental in me achieving my best ever condition last year. We are now building on that&aim to bringer a fuller package with the same level of conditioning.

This year i have had the added benefit of being sponsored by TREC Nutrition. Their products are of the highest quality and I have seen great improvements, in particular recovery and fullness in my muscles. I use a wide range of products, my favorite is definitely the ISOLATE 100 French Vanilla flavour and also the S.A.W. pre-workout. I have tried many pre workout drinks in my time and a lot them made me feel wired and then afterwards very lethargic. However this is not the case with S.A.W., it gives a huge mental boost and great pump without the downward slump afterwards.

My training partner Slawek Kochan supplies TREC NUTRITION products in his supplement stores Body Extreme VITAMIN-SHOP® in Darlington and Middlesbrough. His help and support has been instrumental in my gains this offseason.

My determination to succeed and mental tenacity is my greatest asset&the bigger the challenge the higher I rise. I have learnt that nothing worth having comes easy and I love pushing myself both physically and mentally to the max. The only limits are those which we place upon ourselves&with some support, guidance and hard work nothing is impossible.

OR

EN

IT IS MY DREAM AND HAS BEEN SINCE BEFORE I TURNED PRO TO STEP ONSTAGE AT THE MS OLYMPIA. I AM DETERMINED TO GET THERE AND WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL MY GOAL IS REACHED.

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LCARNITINE ideal in the war on fat There is a great deal of ongoing change in the fields of supplementation and Dietetics. New theories and fashions are springing up all the time for the use of various products. Some of them appear on the scene, rise to stardom for a few seasons and disappear without a trace. However, there are ingredients which have been used successfully for years and one of them is L-carnitine – an old but trusted companion in the war against unwanted fat.

T

he progress in scientific research both in Dietetics and supplementation continues to astonish us with new discoveries. Let us go back in time a little – in the past, products which are nowadays considered thermogenic supplements were not of much use, and the market that served the fight against excessive fat was dominated by Lcarnitine. Why is it so effective in burning subcutaneous triglycerides? In order to answer this question, we need to look more closely at its physiological function. L-carnitine is a vitamin-like substance, which means that its correct levels are indispensable for the proper functioning of the biochemical processes taking place in our organism. It is an ingredient of utmost importance for the intramitochondrial transport of fatty acids, in addition it influences the balance between fatty tissue and muscle tissue levels. It is true that thermogenic supplements had been gaining popularity in subsequent years, and in the end became competition for L-carnitine. But let’s say it clearly, their effect on subcutaneous fatty tissue is completely different. And this doesn’t mean that good old L-carnitine should now play a marginal role, on the contrary. Not everyone can take formulations which stimulate thermogenesis.

These supplements, aside from being effec-

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tive in getting rid of excessive fat, contain ingredients with the potential to stimulate the central nervous system (e.g. caffeine).

Moreover, during extreme physical effort they contribute to increases in both body temperature and blood pressure. What am I getting at? In fact, it can be concluded from observation that, although thermogenics are certainly effective, they are not for everybody – they are not recommended for those who suffer from ailments of the nervous, cardiovascular or circulatory systems. They cannot be used by sufferers of arterial hypertension either. What conclusions can be drawn from the above? L-carnitine, which makes use of different mechanisms to fight subcutaneous fat, is an effective agent that anyone can use, whereas thermogenics – despite their undoubted efficacy – are not recommended for everybody.

What is L-carnitine and where does it come from?

The substance which was given the name carnitine was first isolated from meat in 1905

by Gulewitsch and Krimberg – following this discovery it took a long time for research to commence on the

functioning and wider applications of this compound. It was only in 1947 that it gained interest, and subsequently became popular as one of the “miraculous substances“ assisting competitive athletes due to its multi-level effects and high effectiveness. After more research and assessments of its efficacy it became commercially available in a suitable form, as a dietary supplement recommended for athletes.

What is then this highly significant substance? L-carnitine is classified as an organic compound – the human organism is able to synthetize it in

bit more about the way it has to travel during the process. An essential aspect here is also transport of the free, predominantly longchain fatty acids. But let’s start from the beginning, that is from the site of the process. It all happens in the mitochondrion – a specialized cell organelle, a structure which is found within the cytoplasm. It fulfils very specific metabolic functions – in this case it is mainly transformation of nutrients into energy. How is it all connected? In the event of extreme physical exhaustion, for example caused by training, and during states of hunger, mitochondria work very hard.

After the depletion of the basic carbohydrate energy substrates there is a significant drop in energy levels and in response to hormonal stimulation the process of lipolysis is triggered – free fatty acids are released from the adipocytes (fat cells) and they begin to travel through the organism. After they reach the muscle cells in the blood, they enter the mitochondrial matrix through the mitochondrial membrane, where they are oxidized with a release of energy. This helps to maintain physical activity.

But it is not as simple as it would seem. Why? Bboth the outer and the inner mitochondrial membranes are permeable exclusively to short-chain fatty acids. In combination with coenzyme A, with the involvement of ATP they are carried into the mitochondrial matrix. There is a problem with the transport of long-chain fatty acids, which are much more numerous in our organism. It is

t

the kidneys, brain and liver from the amino acids methionine and lysine. It is present in relatively large quantities in our muscles.

Carnitine, or more precisely 3-hydroxy-4(trimethylazaniumyl)butanoate, exists in two stereoisomers.

L-carnitine – a super transporter The beneficial fat burning properties of L-carnitine are related to the mechanism of beta oxidation of fatty acids which takes place in the organism, and with the transport of fat molecules. In order to fully understand how the supplement works one should find out a

here that L-carnitine, also called a super transporter of fatty acids, comes to the rescue. It combines with the fatty acids to form acyl-L-carnitine and only in this form carries them across the inner mitochondrial membrane – fatty acids thus conquer the last barrier and reach the energy-producing furnace of the cell.

In the course of beta-oxidation which takes place in the mitochondrial matrix the fatty acids are converted into energy. It is interesting that a very efficient source of energy, e.g. the beta-oxidation of one molecule of Palmitic acid, yields up to 106 molecules of ATP. For the sake of comparison, the anaerobic breakdown of 1 molecule of glucose yields only one.

It would be worthwhile to mention here the process of beta-oxidation itself, which is a

specific mechanism of fatty acids combining with oxygen. Why should be mention it so late? Because it is only after the complex fatty acids aided by L-carnitine entered the mitochondrial matrix that the process of beta-oxidation is activated. The above mentioned compound which is formed as a result of carnitine combining with the complex fatty acid (acyl-L-carnitine), with the involvement of the appropriate enzyme, reacts with coenzyme A – and as a result free carnitine is generated once again, which can return to its original site. It is also the time when complex fatty acids can be converted to energy. It all depends on the optimal amount of oxygen, activity level and the number of active mitochondria, as well as the sugar level, since the process of beta-oxidation and thus the complete breakdown of lipids cannot proceed without the abovementioned ingredients.

What else? No oxidation of long-chain fatty acids occurring even in the largest quantities could take place were it not for the presence of the carnitine transporter and of its biologically active form – L-carnitine. The greater the momentary energy demand, the more of it is required in the cell. Provided there is a sufficient supply of carnitine, the process of oxidation of fatty acids takes place faster and is more effective.

Benefits, action and effects

L-carnitine is a substance with a wide variety of applications, and its working can be described as multi-level. It acts both as a transporter of fatty acids, an intermediary in the process of their breakdown and an anti-catabolic agent (in relation to muscles). It has a lipolytic effect on the subcutaneous fatty tissue. How can L-carnitine be of use to us? It is effective, after an appropriate transformation, in limiting the activity and effects of lactic and pyruvic acids (oxidation), which in the face of extreme physical activity lead to increasing muscle acidity (impaired acid–base homeostasis). This situation results in an increased activity of the enzymes which destroy muscle protein and the creation of an acidic environment which they require for their activity. L-carnitine inhibits this process and helps to prevent muscle degradation. It also influences energy conversions, as it mediates in the secretion of an active enzyme which increases energy production (obtaining of ATP from fatty acids using cytochrome oxidase). It also exhibits properties which have a beneficial influence on psychological well-being – this is linked

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to an ability to stimulate production of betaendorphins and a simultaneous decrease in the number of the received pain stimuli.

The anti-catabolic effect, which is a supporting factor in the stimulation of the anabolic conditions, can also be strengthened by reducing cortisol to an optimal level – it is after all one of the more dangerous catabolic factors which have an destructive influence on the muscle fibres. In addition, L-carnitine exhibits antioxidant potential, which has a protective effect on the muscle tissue, guarding it against the free, aggressive, reactive oxygen species (free radicals – ROS).

What can we achieve

through L-carnitine

supplementation

Maintaining of a balance between fat and muscle level Effective metabolism of subcutaneous fat without side effects Better transport and oxidation of free fatty acids Decline in bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and an increase and optimization of good cholesterol levels (HDL), Improved heart function (choline connection), Secondary prevention of cardiovascular and metabolic disease (health promoting functions) Improved sense of comfort and general psychological well-being, Antioxidant and anti-catabolic protection

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Indirect stimulation of anabolic processes (muscle growth) Decline in fatty tissue accumulation with increasing muscle mass

Dosage, supplementation and scientific opinion On the whole, L-carnitine dosage is possibly the most controversial of all the aspects related to this supplement. Once it was thought appropriate to limit the dosage to between 0.7–1 g daily, whereas nowadays this limit has been raised to servings of 2 to 3 g. It has been proven that L-carnitine essentially does not provoke any serious side effects, whereas in conditions of extreme physical effort it works with much greater efficiency in greater concentrations and increased dosage. It can be found that in the context of psychological and physical exhaustion of the organism and training development of today‘s athletes the dosage has been increased on account of the multidimensional effect of the supplement. The once recommended dosage of Lcarnitine is simply too low in relation to the demand for this ingredient under extreme conditions, such as a heavy physical workout in combination with other activities which place a psychological load on the organism (professional work, study).

Research findings published in “Metabolism – Clinical and Experimental” and in the “Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition” in 2009 unequivocally weigh in favour of L-carnitine and its antioxidant and anti-catabolic properties. One may thus draw the conclusion that, in its different fractions, it improves the dynamic muscle function and supports the regeneration of the muscle fibres at tissue level. The same can be said about research conducted at the University of Connecticut, which confirmed that the supplement works in that dimension irrespective of age. Whereas in the experiments conducted at the University of California in Storrs (published in 2008, in the Journal Strength Conditioning Research) it was proven that L-carnitine increased the amount of oxygen used by the subjects in the study sample group, during squats and forearm exer-

cises (the conclusions were obviously drawn in relation to muscle tissue). In the context of the same study the subjects were also tested for the number and presence of markers with a destructive influence on muscle tissue in relation to free radicals – the obtained results were satisfactory, as they indicated far lower levels of destructive markers than in cases with an absence of L-carnitine supplementation.

Absorption versus types of supplement

There are different types of carnitine products available on the supplements market (softgel, gelatin capsules, liquid, gel) which often contain different chemical varieties of the same ingredient. It is important to select the correct form to suit ones individual needs and demands and according to one‘s convenience and habits. I recommend liquid gel capsules, e.g. L-CARNITINE SOFTGEL, which contain a concentrated and highly absorbable form of chemically free L-carnitine, often referred to as L-carnitine base. Liquid-form concentrates L-CARNITINE GOLD and L-CARNITINE 3000 are also an excellent idea, they contain respectively 2000 mg and 3000 mg of free L-carnitine per serving. Of course one can also choose a multi-ingredient product – L-CARNITINE COMPLEX, which includes such valuable additions as chromium and Vitamin B6, or a blend of L-carnitine and green tea (L-CARNITINE + GREEN TEA). These ingredients have a synergistic effect and intensify the process of fat reduction as well as reduce appetite during a weight loss diet.

Brief summary

Compared to other fat burners and thermogenics, L-carnitine can be of benefit to everyone – it works in a specific and positive way irrespective of age and type of training one is involved in. It improves both mental and physical well-being and also fulfils a health promoting function. There are no contraindications as to its usage during a reduction cycle, such as is the case with thermogenics, which cannot be used by persons who suffer from cardiovascular or circulation problems. The multidimensional working effect and user safety, as well as convenience due to the existence of a variety of forms of the supplement make it appear in an extremely positive light. Now you know how it works and why it works so well – it is a perfect ally in fighting fat. It can also prove to be an excellent supplement for you, and this is confirmed by numerous research results.

JANUSZ ZIÓŁKOWSKI

MUSCULAR ARMS TWO THINGS A REAL TOUGH GUY MUST HAVE

A PAIR OF GUNS HANGING OFF THE SHOULDERS  A DREAM OF EVERY MALE GYMGOER. HOWEVER, YOU SHOULD REMEMBER THAT THE ARMS ARE NOT ONLY BICEPS, BUT ALSO TRICEPS WHICH ACCOUNT FOR NEARLY 2/3 OF THEIR SIZE. WHY ARE „BIG GUNS” THE HOLY GRAIL OF EVERY BODYBUILDER? EVERYONE WANTS TO HAVE IT, BUT NOT EVERYONE KNOWS HOW TO GET IT. AND WHAT IS ARM WORKOUT FOR YOU? DO YOU LIKE IT OR FIND IT NECESSARY?

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ADAM “JABI” JABŁOŃSKI

I

simply love to exercise this muscle group. Given the experience accumulated over time, today, as a bodybuilder competing in bodybuilding competitions, I must say that my approach to biceps and triceps workout has changed a lot. Below you will find a set of exercises for building guns of steel – powerful and rock-hard arms.

Steel-cord arms, also known as „guns” to gym-goers, are a must-have for every bodybuilder. Whether you are wearing a T-shirt, elegant shirt or sleeveless, strong arms will stand out a mile. The arms are the first thing to be noticed by other gym-goers and used to judge their fellow bodybuilders in the same manner as models are judges on a casting for a photo shoot. Who wouldn’t like to have powerful biceps and triceps like Arnold Schwarzenegger during his glory days?

As far as I am concerned, I don’t aspire to be original and to say that I prefer exercising legs to exercising arms. An „arm” workout day is one of my favourite days during the week.

I am one of the hot heads who love exercising their biceps together with their triceps. That’s why I exercise the arms in one workout session. This gives me greater strength potential and I am able to better target the muscles which work antagonistically. Since the triceps extend the arms, and the biceps curl the arms, then why not combine these movements in one workout session? Of course, my workout plan for the arms changes during the year. I change not only single exercises, number of sets and scope of reps in each set, but also the way to perform them. At one time, I do bicep and tricep exercises alternatively, and at another time I combine them into super sets.

Different workout methods help to derive different benefits, depending on the workout cycle. During the mass building period I try to do the weaker muscle group first, and the stronger muscle group second. On the other hand, during the mass reduction period, each set of bicep reps is immediately followed by another set of tricep reps or the other way round so as to intensify the physical work.

Sometimes it is undoubtedly worth breaking your routine and include super sets also during the mass building cycle.

Workout is one thing, but sometimes our genetic build-up cannot be beaten. I’ve never had any problems with my triceps, but I’ve always had to work extra hard on my biceps. I struggle all the time to add size and roundness to my biceps, and to achieve their desirable shape. As a result of changes in my workout plan and approach to bicep exercises I can slowly see some progress, and therefore I think I’m on the right track.

Unlike other muscle groups, which require as many as up to 20 sets, arm workout can be done really fast. The biceps and triceps are not large muscles compared to e.g. legs or back, thus it’s sufficient to do 3 exercises of 4 sets or 4 exercises of 3 sets. Even if you’re in a hurry, you can have a good arm workout composed of alternative super sets of exercises for the biceps and triceps. This gives a great muscle pump so that it is difficult to put on a T-shirt when leaving the gym, and the only way of preparing a post-workout shake is to make it in a mixer at home. Additionally, you don’t have to be afraid that on your way home you will get a citation for talking on the phone – you won’t be able to keep it up.

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BICEPS BICEPS BICE

DUMBBELL SUPINATING BICEPS CURLS

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This bicep exercise can be performed both at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the workout session. I like this exercise very much because – when properly performed – it is perfect for achieving peak concentration in the biceps, taking advantage of the full range of motion. For me, this is a good mass building exercise, and with adequate „muscle feel” – also for roundness of the biceps. This is my favourite bicep exercise with dumbbells.

HOW TO DO IT In the initial phase, keep the dumbbells in extended hands, with the arms at the hips, elbows close to the body and thumbs turned towards each other. Breathing out, make yourforearm curl and lift the weight, at the same time doing a wrist halfturn to the outside and trying to tense the bicep. Next, lower the dumbbell to the starting position, while breathing out, and then exercise the other arm.

NOTE During the concentric phase do not stick your elbows to the front, and turn the wrists smoothly while lifting the weight. During the eccentric phase try not to extend the arm in the elbow joint so as to maintain the muscle tension of the biceps. One of the most frequent errors with this exercise, which I used to make myself, is using excessive weight and sticking the elbows to the front which limits the range of motion of the biceps.

INCLINE BENCH DUMBBELL BICEPS CURLS

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This is a rather unpopular exercise for the biceps as you can’t use large weights to command respect among your fellow gym-goers. However, you should remember that you perform bodybuilding exercises for yourself and sometimes reduced weight combined with a complete isolation of the muscle helps to achieve much better results than struggling with huge dumbbells or barbells. This exercise targets arm muscles located under the biceps which adds visually to the circumference of the arm, and that’s why they should be included in the workout plan both in the mass building and reducing periods.

HOW TO DO IT Sit on a diagonal bench and put its backrest at an angle slightly greater than 40°. Grab the dumbbells with your arms hanging down at your sides, forearms pulled to the sides of the torso which should be kept on the bench at all times.

Closely monitoring the movement, raise the dumbbells slowly, while achieving a short peak concentration of the biceps at the end of the concentric phase. Lower the dumbbells very slowly until full extension of the biceps and avoid any overextension.

NOTE If you put on too much weight, you won’t be able to do the exercise properly. It’s better to take smaller dumbbells and feel the biceps working, while trying to perform the movement with surgical precision and very slowly.

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CEPS BICEPS BICEPS STRAIGHT BAR BICEPS CURLS This is one of the essential bicep exercises in which you can use slightly greater weights, and therefore it should be started after a warm-up. Barbell forearm curls are perfect as the second exercise during bicep workout. After the muscles are warmed up and pumped up with blood, you can take on a barbell to work them really hard.

HOW TO DO IT While standing with your legs slightly spread, grab the barbell with a slightly wider grip, keeping your elbows close to the torso and arms fully extended. Breathing in, raise slowly the arms until you achieve a peak concentration in the biceps, and then breathing out, lower the barbell, monitoring the movement at all times.

The concentric phase should be ended with full extension of the biceps, however, avoiding overextension of the elbow joints.

NOTE Of course, as with any other exercise, it is important to have good technique and choose proper weight. Excessive weight may lead to torso swinging. Cheated movements are only acceptable in the last 1–2 reps, but these movements are recommended only during the mass building period, when your muscles need exceptionally strong workout impulses.

3

STANDING HAMMER CURLS This exercise can be performed by raising the dumbbells or by moving them up and at the same time to the side – try to touch the middle of the right pec with the dumbbell held in the left hand and the other way round. Both exercises target mostly short heads of the biceps, located on the outside of the arm.

4

HOW TO DO IT Stand upright with the dumbbells hanging down at both sides of the body, holding them with a neutral grip which should be maintained through the full range of motion.

Slowly raise the weight with one hand, while monitoring tension of the biceps, and then lower it gradually.

NOTE In popular hammer curls, it is important to feel your muscles working and not to jounce the weight upwards. To perform this exercise with a greater weight, e.g. during mass building workout, we can use an exercise bench for support. This prevents cheating your weights up and helps to isolate and perfectly hit the biceps.

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TRICEPS TRICEPS TRICE TRICEPS CABLE PUSH-DOWN

1

This exercise is a very good warm-up for elbow joints and triceps, and next for working your muscles really hard. It is also perfect for use at the end of your workout because it isolates the triceps, especially their short lateral heads. As a result you can hit all three heads of the triceps with a good peak contraction.

HOW TO DO IT Stand in front of the cable crossover, blocking the lumbo-sacral section of the spine, and stick out the chest.

Grab the cable with a neutral grip using both hands, pull it down, while controlling the movement at all times and keeping the elbows in one position close to the body until you achieve full muscle tension. At the end of the movement you can stretch the cable while moving each hand to the side so as to hit and finish off the short heads of the triceps.

NOTE Remember to use adequate weight and maintain constant tension of the cable. The cable must move smoothly, without any sudden pulls.

TRICEPS DIPS This exercise can be used as a warm-up at the beginning of your workout or to „finish off” at the end to pump you muscles as much as possible. If you are able to do 3 sets of 15–20 reps without the assistance of a training partner, then it’s a really good result. You may also chain up additional weights to the belt so as to target your triceps with a reduced number of reps.

This exercise is suitable throughout the year.

2

HOW TO DO IT The procedure is simple, but you need to remember a few important details – grab the railings with a neutral grip, do not lean forward as otherwise the workout will mostly target the shoulders and chest muscles. Lower the weight at 90 degrees to the floor, until the triceps in your arm are fully stretched, while your feet should not touch the floor. In the concentric phase lift the weight until the triceps are fully extended and tense.

NOTE You should control the full range of motion and avoid swinging your body. This exercise should be performed while wearing gloves or workout grips, e.g.

TREC GRIPS.

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TRICEPS TRICEPS CLOSE GRIP BARBBELL BENCH PRESS This exercise may seem to be simple. You might think it’s enough to get a narrow grip on the barbell and perform some barbell curls. Nothing could be further from the truth. You must remember to control the movement so that your triceps do most of the work. Elbows must be kept narrow and close to the body through the full range of motion. Many bodybuilders fail to follow this rule and keep their elbows in the same manner as during regularchest barbell press, and they are surprised that such workout doesn’t target their triceps.

3

HOW TO DO IT This exercise is quite similar to barbell chest workout. Lie down on the bench, dismount the bar from the rack which can be put slightly higher this time. Hold it in the starting position with fully extended arms over the middle of your chest and lower it slowly. Remember to keep your elbows close to the body. The motion is in the opposite direction in the concentric phase. You should avoid overextending and blocking the arms in the elbow joint. Thus, the triceps will be tense through the full range of motion.

NOTE Remember to properly keep your elbows and control the weight all the time. This is not about breaking a weightlifting record, but about having good technique and targeting your triceps.

EZ BAR FRENCH PRESS French press is one of the most effective tricep workout exercises, which also involves a serious risk of injury. This is mostly because of the excessive weight compared to our technical potential and strength. Many young bodybuilders start their tricep workout from French press and without proper warm-up, as „you need heavy weights to develop your triceps”. This is true, however, should the same weight be used by beginners and bodybuilders with many years of training experience? I don’t think so! In this exercise the weight should be suchthat you will be able to do the first set of 12 technical reps without cheating the weights up.

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HOW TO DO IT Lay down on the bench with narrow overhand grip on the barbell and pick it up off the rack. With the barbell positioned over the head, lower it slowly to the forehead with arms held fixed at 90 degrees to the floor. You should move only your forearms by bending the elbows. Remember that both the eccentric and concentric phases should be done slowly, and the elbows must not go wide apart.

NOTE EZ bar french press is a difficult exercise and as such it should always be performed with a training partner (a spotter). Not only will he help you lift off the bar from the racked position, but he will also provide assistance if you run out of energy and catch the weight to prevent an injury. As a result you will be able to concentrate on doing the exercise correctly.

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RAFAŁ CEJROWSKI KAROL OLENDER

KAROL IS A YOUNG AND TALENTED BODYBUILDER, WHO BEGAN HIS LOVE AFFAIR WITH WEIGHTS ONLY AFTER HIS ARRIVAL IN THE UK. EARLIER, STILL IN POLAND, HE PRACTISED BREAK DANCE, WITH SOME SUCCESS. INITIALLY, GYM TRAINING WAS SUPPOSED TO RELIEVE HIS EXCESSIVE ENERGY WHICH HE NEVER LACKED IN SPITE OF 12 HOURS OF HARD WORK. Soon his evening exercises with a barbell and a set of dumb-bells became something more: a sports passion. In spite of hard training, the expected effects did not come. That was why the young contestant decided to find professional aid. As he says, he made all possible nutrition errors in that period. Finally, he managed to find a press advertisement of the VITAMIN-SHOP® chain. Karol did not realise at that time that ordering a parcel full of good quality supplements would influence his life that strong. Thanks to that decision, he met a VITAMIN-SHOP® manager, Robert Rzeźniczak, who offered cooperation. Soon, Karol opened his own shop, which was the fulfilment of his dreams.

His diet, supplements and exercises changed. One day, someone asked Karol why he wasn’t taking part in competitions if he had spent so many years training. At the beginning, that seemed unrealistic, but finally, as a VITAMIN-SHOP® ATHLETES contestant, he decided to enter the bodybuilding stage. His plan was ambitious: a debut in Ostrów Mazowiecka in Poland, then the London South & East Championship and USN Classic at Body Expo. Months of killer training and restrictive diet passed fast. Thanks to his shape, Karol won a high fifth place at the Bodybuilding Debut at the end of March 2013. The time came to take part in the next planned competition, where Karol exceeded a weight limit and had to face contestants of a bigger category who were even 7 kg heavier. And he succeeded. Karol was surprised to win. It was quality, not weight, that mattered. After 6 days, he took part in another competition, and also stood on the podium, second only to the UK Champion. Karol Olender is a young man who has shown just how much can be achieved by hard work.

RAFAŁ CEJROWSKI HAS AN UNQUESTIONA BLE SPORTS TALENT. HE WAS BORN IN GDAŃSK, WHERE HIS LOVE AFFAIR WITH WRESTLING BE GAN. FOR HIM, SPORT WAS AN EXCELLEN T FORM OF ESCAPE FROM THE GLOOMY CLIMATE OF ONE OF THE MOS T DANGEROUS DISTRICTS OF THIS SEASIDE TOWN, WHERE HE GREW UP. As a VITAMIN-SHOP® ATHLE TES contestant, he experimented with various disciplines. He tried football, long-distance running, karate, taekw ondo, boxing. But wrestling is what he has always liked most. As a junior, he achieved great successes in this discipline. He was, for example, the Champion of Poland and a member of the Polish national team. Everything was going great, but suddenly his promising career was suspended for several dozen months when his first son was born. As a 20-year-old father, Rafał had to give up sport and decided to leave for the UK, where he joined up with the VITAM IN-SHOP® chain. When he stabilised his financial situation, he came back to professional sport. He lost 10 kg and started training hard to win, after 6-year break, the UK Open Championsh ip in the classic style, in the heavy weight category of up to 96 kg, which surprised everyone.

Soon after the competition in Manchester, the Pole also won a star-studded tournament and a year later the championship of Northern Ireland in Belfast. In both events, he chose freesty le and proved how versatile he was.

At present, Rafał is a classic, freestyle and submi ssion-style wrestler and takes up any opportunity to test his strength in all possible variants of grappling. He is preparing for his first MMA gala. As a wrestler who has been technically trained in the standing position, he has great chances to win the champion title. Rafał Cejrow ski runs a VITAMIN-SHOP® shop in Watford (London), where supplements are always chose n in a professional manner. In addition, he works as a VIP bodyguard and a personal trainer . He emphasises that this is the fulfilment of his dreams, because a healthy diet, supplements and training are inseparable parts of his life.

Rafał Cejrowski is a proud father of two wonderful sons: Cyprian (11) and Maksimus (2). We are looking forward to his further successes.

Cyprian

Maksimus

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STACKING Supplement combining is a rare art, which can be mastered with a knowledge of fundamental physiological and biochemical mechanisms. This knowledge primarily rests on a recognition of the synergistic and antagonistic effect, namely the information which tells us whether the given supplements are compatible in their overall actions, or whether they interfere with one another. They say ignorance is bliss, but in my opinion in the event of supplementation with incorrectly combined substances our ignorance can land us closer to an ICU than to a state of bliss.

I

n the article below I will present elementary data concerning stacking of diet supplements.

Experience will tell you the truth Many people get lost in the lengthy catalogues of supplements and meal replacements on offer in stores. Even many professional competitors who know how to use the

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products independently, don’t know how to combine them. As I have already mentioned in the introduction to this article, combining supplements requires a certain elementary medical knowledge, but sometimes all you need is some evidence, a summary of the action of specific types of products and such information can be acquired by thoroughly empirical means – by trying out various dietary supplements and singlehanded attempts at

stacking them. Unfortunately some consumers end up taking all the available products at once, without any idea what is good for them or about supplement compatibility. However, by sticking to specific times of the day and establishing a proper dosage routine one can get so much benefit from supplementation. Consulting your mates at the gym, you will probably often have been confronted by puzzling questions – Czesiek, who after the

G

aof combining difficult art supplements recommended dose of a pre-training stack, made up of eighteen components, experienced light stimulation, but nothing exceptional, while Jack on the other hand, after only a half of the recommended dose had to be physically forced to quit training and this attempt almost ended up with tearing the door off its hinges, and Janek after a double portion was yawning and wanted to go to sleep. Why does this happen? Because reaction to a supplement is unique and personal. Every one of us has a different sensitivity to specific components which act as relaxants or stimulants, but also differs in reaction to absorption of individual macronutrients. In addition to the above there can be undetected malabsorption problems and substance dependence concerning certain substances. It is unfortunate that, at a time when supplements are freely available, we seem to struggle with the “difficult“ art of reading the product label with comprehension. It frequently happens that a consumer who receives a sachet with a product sample, neglects to read the information on the packaging that it contains four servings of the product, and that while you are in the process of testing your own tolerance to strong stimulants, you should start with half of the recommended dose, that is 1/8 of the packaging. Well, I think we can all imagine the effects of taking 1600 mg caffeine, 1200 mg synephrine, 8 g beta-alanine and synergistically acting components, all at once, which after the person has consumed 8-times the recommended amount are going to make it difficult for them to decide what bothers them more: high blood pressure 190/160 (atrial flutter) or burning-itchy-prickly sensations (paraesthesia) following the consumption of such a high amount of beta-alanine. There is one other problem – more doesn’t always mean better, alhough many people still think that increasing the dose is directly proportional to the intensity of the effect of the supplement. Unfortunately this often is not the case, just the opposite. The Le Chatelier-Braun’s principle of contrariness is one of the elementary laws concerning dynamic equilibrium. It states that a system subjected to a stimulus responds in such a way as to counteract it. Taking this into consideration, in sport disciplines which have an endurance or mixed focus, supplementation is accomplished mainly with betaalanine or its mixture with carnosine in the ratio 2:1, despite the fact that carnosine, which is a powerful intramuscular buffer , in fact origi-

nates from beta-alanine. To put it simply, administration of the product itself often impairs absorption or causes the utilization of the substrate by the organism for its own purposes.

A very similar situation takes place in the case of combining testosterone boosters which are often composed of such ingredients as Tribulus terrestris, an ingredient of TRIBULON BLACK, Maca root, an ingredient of TREC XTREME MEN‘S FORMULA, D-Aspartic Acid in DAA ULTRA or chelated zinc and magnesium in TREC ZMA ORIGINAL, or the innovative complex formula containing the most effective components in TREC TESTO(X)PACK. However, in the event of stacking, one has to remember that the recommended dose can often be lowered. Those higher than 400 mg per day frequently have the opposite effect , promoting prolactin and progesterone secretion, often resulting in acne. So as the afore mentioned examples show, it is not always the case that more means better. The last issue relating to the safety of supplementation of certain products is the use of antagonists, as here the dose of active ingredients which have the opposite effect is of utmost importance. Such combinations have spawned the most myths.

Let’s then concentrate on the most commonly used stimulant – caffeine.

Nowadays many pre-workout stacks containing Nitric Oxide (NO) Boosters - NITROBOLON ENERGIZER, S.A.W. - also contain added caffeine, despite the fact that in principle the first class of substances increases the diameter of the blood vessels so that the muscle pump effect is easier achieved, whereas caffeine narrows the diameter of the blood vessels, raising the blood pressure. The amount of the second ingredient is selected in such a way as to activate the brain-to-muscle connections and produce concentration, while at the same time not interfering with the relaxation of the endothelium of the blood vessels and the improvement of the muscle pump effect. It is all a question of the administered dose. A caffeine serving of 1-1.5 mg per kilogram of ideal body weight (IBW) has a stimulating effect on the motor neurons (projection of the nerve cell reaching into the muscles), whereas doses of 2.5 mg/kg of IBW and more have a blood-pressure rising, diuretic and analgesic effect. One shouldn’t combine multiple servings of supplements with antagonistic action – again, I refer here to the principle that more doesn’t necessarily mean better. Using large doses of both

substances may lead to feeling unwell, nausea, drowsiness , and in extreme cases even to collapse. Smaller servings are rather unlikely to produce such an effect.

One ingredient or many

– the pros and cons

At a time when diet supplements are freely available, the question arises whether it is better and more economical to purchase several individual products which then can be combined into one dose on one’s own initiative, or should one trust the manufacturer and buy a ready-made mix, that comes with a special measuring spoon for preparing your dose, and we don’t worry about anything else? This is quite a complex matter and I think that a table is the best way of clarification So, as evident from the above table, those with a thinner wallet will probably focus on individual products and will combine them, within their financial means, into agents with pre-and post-training effects, as well as all-day supplements, which look after the positive nitrogen balance, as for instance proteins and amino acids. The ready-made stacks, on the other hand, possess the advantage of a much more complex composition and patented quantity ratios, which guarantee a specific result – of course taking into account the personal reaction, as there will always be consumers who will be affected in an unexpected way. With stacks there are also risks of interactions with prescription medicines – it is easy to asses the correlation of individually used supplements with a drug, as in the medication information leaflet classes of substances are listed which should not be used concurrently (fibre, phosphodiesterase inhibitors like caffeine etc.).

Problems are created by the use of multi-ingredient stacks in addition to individual medications. You never know whether or not the combination of between a dozen or so supplements is going to enter into a biochemical interaction with the drug in the organism, even if none of them show any negative correlation with the medication separately. The synergistic effect of combining a dozen or so of them may have a stimulating or inhibiting influence on the action of the medication and both scenarios are equally dangerous. One such recommendation is among others is not to combine Quercetin, Boswellic acid and other anti-inflammatories with Heparin (an anticoagulant commonly given post-operatively), because www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

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MULTIINGREDIENT PRODUCT

When you purchase a single-ingredient product, you know very well what you are paying for, you know the amount per serving, you determine the dose of the amount of natural carbohydrates or of the simple sugar supplement by yourself.

A manufacturer with greater financial means can afford a much more complex formula with a greater synergistic effect. However, a large quantity of sugar added to the product makes it economically unviable for the consumer. If possible, select product versions without carbohydrates, often labelled ‘carb free’, e.g. S.A.W.

When creating a stack from single-ingredient products you might know precisely, what you put inside, however a ‘proprietary blend’ often means that the manufacturer knows of a “secret“ quantity combination of the individual products and the correct weight proportions between them, which are unlikely to be obtained on one’s own initiative.

Thanks to carefully analysed research studies and multiple attempts at creating a formula with the greatest strength, the manufacturer refers to his own formula as a ‘proprietary blend’ only quoting the net weight of the mixture, without breaking it down into the amounts of individual ingredients. There is one important rule in the labelling: the higher an ingredient is on the list, the more of it there is in the formula (it predominates in the contents) – the lower on the list, the less there is of it.

PRODUCT STRENGTH

Usually this is created by the amount of the serving measured out, less frequently through a discovery of the most effective proportion between ingredients or through the addition of a large number of synergistically acting components.

Usually created by means of a correctly chosen quantity ratio of individual ingredients and addition of components with complementary action.

It is relatively easy to evaluate the effect of a given substance on a prescription drug through elimination or discontinuation of the dose of one of the components.

Within such a complex formula with multiple biochemical correlations it is very difficult to identify the “culprit“ which interferes with or intensifies the action of the medication. Usually during the period of the treatment supplementation has to be discontinued.

READYMADE FORMULA

PRODUCT COST EFFECTIVENESS

SINGLEINGREDIENT PRODUCT

INTERACTIONS WITH PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS AND OTHER DIET SUPPLEMENTS

Table. Selection of products due to the composition

of their synergistic effect, as they promote hemodilution. Each external or internal injury can lead to a greater haemorrhage due to the extended prothrombin time (coagulation).

Timing is everything Not all supplements perform equally well when taken irrespective of the time of the day.

Many of them have to be properly combined, to ensure they produce the desired effect and maximise their effectiveness. When it comes to nutrition and supplementation in sport, one could say that the correct timing is the key to success. Below I present what I consider to be most important supplements in bodyfitness disciplines and strength training, which are best taken at strictly controlled times.

MORNING It is said, not without reason, that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Following the nighttime fasting the organism has exhausted a good part of the glycogen stored in the liver, for the purpose of keeping the brain in the parasympathetic phase, that is at rest.

During sleep we require approximately 10 g of glucose per hour in order to nourish our body, including the brain. It makes sense that, after eight hours of utilizing the carbohydrates stored in the liver, they need to be replenished.

It is an excellent time for fast absorbing carbohydrates, such as carbohydrate concentrates (MAX CARB, VITARGO ELECTRO-ENERGY), fruit (doses of fructose taken during the day interfere with fat cell metabolism, so it is safer to take them in the morning and /or after the training) as well as slow absorbing carbohydrates, which release the energy gradually in the course of digestion. We need to remember that a gainer (a carbohydrate-protein supplement – HARD MASS, MASS XXL) with a high content of complex carbohydrates should not be considered a porridge equivalent. After all powder dissolved in water is a liquid, so it

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will pass through the digestive tract a lot faster. In order to slow down the release of glucose, a serving of soluble fibre, e.g. DIETARY FIBRE APPLE, can be added to this shake. Loading glycogen levels as such will be assisted by suitable supplements, such as alpha lipoic acid (ALA), Arginine (AAKG MEGA HARDCORE) as well as Astragalus extract, one can also purchase Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA SOFT GEL), which helps stabilize after-meal blood sugar levels. Ideally suited for this purpose is also cinnulin, an ingredient of cinnamon.

A high quality protein (ISOLATE 100, PERFECT WHEY PROTEIN) will help elevate the nitrogen balance, which following the nighttime fasting has also declined, because protein degradation exceeded its synthesis level. Obviously one can protect oneself against this phenomenon, using concentrates of proteins with low rate of absorption, such as micellar casein protein (CASEIN 100, NIGHT PROTEIN BLEND), or alternatively base one’s meal on milk products containing large quantities of precisely those protein fractions (cottage cheese, curd cheese). Together with breakfast it is beneficial to take vitamin supplements, because breakfast, being the largest meal of the day, should contain large quantities of fats (that is if we don’t train in the morning after breakfast), in which vitamins A,D,E, and K can dissolve. These vitamins of the B group (VITAMIN B COMPLEX) will speed up the metabolism of the three macronutrients and in this way are the key drivers of the entire human metabolism. If we do have a thermogenic fat burner at our disposal, such as CLENBUREXIN, its administration instead of the morning coffee is a good idea. It will get us in a mood for action and will increase the thyroid function, so that more calories can be used for the needs of the organism.

BEFORE TRAINING This is the time when carbo-loading with slow absorbing carbohydrates and amino acids is

the key for increasing exercise capacity of the organism in order to reach top energy levels and the muscle pump effect during exercise.

The additional amount of amino acids in the bloodstream will protect the muscles against catabolic wasting, which is a risk during prolonged aerobic or interval sessions – training of a glycolytic nature. It is also a good idea to focus on thermogenic agents (CLENBUREXIN, LIPO(X)PACK), if we expect an energy kickstart and concentration, or alternatively we can take a nitric oxide booster (NITROBOLON, NITRO(X)PACK), which will increase the muscle pump effect, improve their capacity for contraction and aid muscle mass development. Creatine supplementation (CREATINE MICRONIZED 200 MESH, CREA9 XTREME) makes good sense at this stage by virtue of a low or almost zero content of fat in the pre-training meal, which results in its perfect absorption. Besides, its administration immediately prior to the physical effort is going to be a very effective protection of the muscles against catabolic degradation and it will speed up the rate of ATP re-synthesis in the cells. It is also a good time for taking testosterone boosters, as steroidal saponins present for instance in Tribulus terrestris (TRIBULON or TRIBULON BLACK) – and in other agents of this kind, such as DAA ULTRA – work better in the pre-training phase, at the time of preparation for effort. Linking up with receptors is then more effective.

AFTER TRAINING Here the key aspects are the glycogen supercompensation effect, adjustment of the nitrogen balance after sustained muscle microtrauma, ATP re-synthesis in the cell from creatine phosphate and administration of a nitric oxide booster with the aim of improving glycogen loading and removal of free radicals after effort. But now one thing at a time. The key issue and at the same time a personal issue, which

requires experimenting, is what one should take first after completing a strength workout – should it be hydrolysed whey protein or exogenous amino acids, or perhaps carbohydrates, in order to satisfy the requirements of the anabolic window and the supercompensation of the glycogen in the muscles. The scientific basis in this situation is the correlation of the growth hormone (GH) with the insulinlike growth factor (IGF-1), which in post-training conditions are inversely proportional. Following strength training, the carbohydrate reserves in our body are seriously depleted, which results in a significant spike in the levels of GH. The receptors and binding sites for the growth hormone are proteins, and their activity sharply decreases in the event of taking sugars. That’s why it makes sense to take advantage of the prolonged duration of high GH levels following exercise and take processed amino acids in a fast-absorbing form, e.g.

AMINOMAX 6800. After 15–20 minutes a carbohydrate concentrate may be served, e.g.

MAX CARB or VITARGO ELECTRO-ENERGY, which will significantly elevate blood glucose levels, at the same time lowering the GH, while simultaneously the levels of IGF-1 will be raised rather substantially. However, everyone must test these strategies on themselves , because each organism is different. As I always say: there is one rule when it comes to nutrition in the bodyfitness sports – there are no hard and fast rules. There will be others, who will achieve better results with a standard approach, which first focuses on supplying carbohydrates, and later proteins. After completion of a power training it is also worthwhile to throw in a serving of creatine, i.e. CREA9 XTREME, in order to adjust the deficit of leftover creatine phosphate for the purpose of replenishing the stores of the cell energy/energy of the cell. Also a serving of a NO booster, e.g. S.A.W., will enhance a better re-synthesis of glycogen, will relax the blood vessels, which is going to improve transport of metabolites and nutrients. Nitric oxide boosters paradoxically also work as anti-oxidants (because the left-over NO themselves, are also free radicals), so it is good to serve them after training, to aid the organism in regaining its homeostasis.

BEFORE SLEEP Before going to sleep, one has to protect oneself against a drop in the level of amino acids in the blood by taking proteins with a low kinetic rate, and making sure one gets a sound, uninterrupted sleep. Here I recommend casein proteins, best if based on the negative form of this protein, i.e. CASEIN 100. This factor is indispensable for proper rest and surge of anabolic hormones, mainly the growth hormone and testosterone. That’s why taking minerals with added Vitamin B6 influences increased levels of the latter during the phase of night secretion. This is the combination we

will find in ZMA ORIGINAL or in a capsule of MULTIPACK SPORT NIGHT FORMULA, which additionally contains the gammaaminobutyric acid, L-tryptophan and L-theanine, which will also have a tranquillizing and tonic effect on tense muscles, letting us have a healthy sleep. Of course it is also a good moment for taking a second serving of testosterone booster – DAA ULTRA or TRIBULON.

How to effectively lose weight Supplements classified as fat burners are not magic pills enabling us to burn fatty tissue under all conditions. In order to enable them to serve their function, what is required is a hypocaloric diet or at least a diet with a zero-calorie balance, which means that we consume the exact amount of calories necessary for our needs. Below is the formula for calculating this amount.

TMR = BMR x PAL TMR – total metabolic rate – is the number of calories which must be absorbed for a specific training goal.

BMR – basal metabolic rate – is a number of calories, required for the maintenance of vital functioning, such as breathing, digestion and brain function during 24 hours PAL – physical activity level – we set it at 1,5 for those doing intensive bodyfitness training Thus, TMR for a slim man (BF 12%) with a body weight of 72 kg is the following:

TMR = 72 x 24 x 1.5 TMR = 2592 kcal It is only an approximate value, however it makes it possible to freely manipulate the number of calories consumed daily. Of no less importance is the ratio of macronutrients to the total of calories consumed. Their daily supply should provide 30% kcal from protein, 40% from carbohydrates and 30% from fats, assuming that the man in question works out intensely at the gym and that in terms of somatotypes he is an ectomorph, that is, someone with a fast metabolic rate. It is another big simplification, but assuming that we are going to consume low-processed food products, following a diet which is low in carbohydrates but high in protein, it is certainly going to benefit the process of development of lean muscle mass and the maintenance of low levels of body fat.

Pre- and post-training meals should have a high content of complex carbohydrates (apart from those taken directly after training, in the form of supplements, which should feature simple carbohydrates), as well as include proteins and a minimum amount of fat.

The use of fat burners will in this case speed up the metabolism, and make it possible to get rid of approximately 200–300 kcal more, which over a ten-day period will ensure a loss

of around 0,5 kg of fatty tissue. Of course the amount of fat burned could be increased following an appropriate training programme and a diet which won’t produce rapid increases in the blood glucose levels.

While we are on the subject of fat burning agents, the best way is to have them stacked alternately. Early in the morning, in order to increase the metabolic rate and stimulate the central nervous system, it is a good idea to take a serving of a thermogenic agent (CLENBUREXIN, THERMO FAT BURNER MAX, LIPO(X)PACK). A few hours later during lunch it would be worthwhile to take a lipolytic product, e.g. L-CARNITINE 3000, FAT TRANSPORTER, which increases the bioavailability of fatty acids as the main energy source, without producing the effect of psychomotor stimulation, which is common with thermogenics. Another serving of the latter should be taken in the early afternoon, when we still have a few hours left at work or have to sit through a few more lectures at the university. Moreover, using it at that time means that we won’t have any problems with falling asleep around 11 p.m., something the manufacturers usually warn about in their leaflet, stating that the product should not be taken at least six hours before bedtime. In the late afternoon, before a training session, it would be worthwhile to take the last dose for the day of a lipolytic product, which will enable the organism to utilize fat as a fuel alternative, when the stores of blood glucose are depleted. This strategy ensures a holistic approach to fat burning, and when the organism gets addicted to stimulants contained in thermogenics, one can stop taking them for four weeks, all the while taking the lipolytic supplements.

It should be noted that these products should not be taken for longer than 8–10 weeks.

Summary Above all, one should remember that it is the diet, and not supplements, that is the foundation of our nutrition and supplementation programme. The latter are only an addition, one could say – the icing on the cake. The more low-processed foods we consume, the better for our performance and for the health of our digestive system. But in a situation when there is a maximum demand for nutrients from the bloodstream in a short space of time, diet supplements become indispensable. Moreover, many of them occur in nature only in minimum amounts, as for example beta-alanine in watermelons or tomatoes.

Wishing to give 100% of ourselves, we have to rely on the strength of dietary supplementation. But this has be done intelligently. I hope that some of the advice that I have shared with you is going to help you in your daily endeavours to further improve your body shape.

JAKUB MAURICZ www.vitamin-shop.co.uk

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LONG ENERGY GEL is a professional gel designed to be used during high-intensity exercise lasting more than 40 minutes. Helps to overcome the ďŹ rst signs of fatigue and tiredness and maintain high performance output, and also provides rapid energy repletion. Delivers not only carbohydrates, but also substances used in their metabolism.

Thanks to the special HYDRO GEL formula, the active ingredients of LONG ENERGY GEL start to be absorbed in the mouth, and are rapidly delivered to the circulatory system and then to the working muscles.

ADRENALINE GEL is a professional pre-workout gel designed to provide a powerful and long-lasting energy boost before intense and energy-driven exercise. It contains a unique complex of active substances, to provide additional energy for muscle contractions and mobilise the body for intense physical performance. Thanks to the special HYDRO GEL formula, the active ingredients of ADRENALINE GEL start to be absorbed in the mouth, and are rapidly delivered to the circulatory system and then to the working muscles.

CARBO FULL GEL is a professional energy gel designed to help you maintain maximum performance during high-intensity exercise. Contains taurine to boost the energy and mental focus while training, glycine, and a combination of carbohydrates for sustained energy release during workout. Helps also to supplement electrolytes lost through sweat. As a result of the special HYDRO GEL formula, active ingredients of CARBO FULL GEL start to be absorbed in the mouth and are rapidly delivered to the circulatory system and then to the working muscles.

REGENERATE GEL is a professional gel designed to be used after intense exercise.

Stimulates the body’s regenerative capacity based on the effect of post-workout overcompensation. Helps to eliminate unnecessary metabolites and delivers substances essential for the biological regeneration of muscles, sinews and joints. Thanks to the special HYDRO GEL formula, the active ingredients of REGENERATE GEL start to be absorbed in the mouth, and are rapidly delivered to the circulatory system and then to the working muscles.

If you are interested to opening a professional sale point of food supplements and vitamins under the brand VITAMIN-SHOP® please contact with us: robert@vitamin-shop.co.uk

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