Black Cat in 1995.
Over the years l've had hundreds of request
to training advice. Everybody wants to know
to get a body like a Wrestler overnight Well,
it's not that easy. Everyone has different
genetics. There is a lot more to building
muscle that just picking up and putting down
weights a few times a week and l think may
be one of the best places to go to learn
how to do it. whether you want to lose weight
or gain muscle there is information here
that will help You. l got a lot of great
training and nutrition ideas from this page
myself so l thought l'd recommend it to You.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) list (last
update 2001.11.12)
The misc.fitness.weights FAQ Table of Contents:
-------------------------------------------
This is the misc.fitness.weights FAQ. If
at any point you do not understand the terms
used in this FAQ, they can be looked up in
the bodybuilding and weightlifting dictionary
This article is provided as is without any
express or implied warranties. While every
effort has been taken to ensure the accuracy
of the information contained in this article,
the author/maintainer/contributors assume(s)
no responsibility for errors or omissions,
or for damages resulting from the use of
the information contained herein. Comments
about the content of this FAQ should be directed
to the newsgroup misc.fitness.weights. This
FAQ is available at http://www.trygve.com/mfw_faq.html
Can I advertise in misc.fitness.weights?
I just began working out and I wanna get
big. How should I start? Should I work the
entire body at every workout? How many exercises
should I do per muscle group? How many sets
should I do per exercise? How many repetitions
should I perform? How many times per week
should I lift? Should I be concerned about
the amount of weight I lift? What are the
best exercises for a beginner? What is HIT?
What is Periodization? What is a hardgainer?
Where can I read more about lifting routines
on the net? Which of the muscle/exercise/health
magazines should I believe? I want to tone
up, but I don't want to get too big. How
can I achieve this? The Exercises What is
the proper way to squat? What is the proper
way to deadlift? How do I work my abs? How
do I get a 6-pack? What is the proper way
to do shrugs? Can I change the peak of my
bicep? Weightlifting and health? Is weightlifting
beneficial for my health? My liver enzymes
are elevated, but I don't take steroids or
drink alcohol. What's the problem? Weightlifting
and cardiovascular conditioning How important
is cardiovascular conditioning to Bodybuilders?
How important is cardiovascular conditioning
to Powerlifters? Should I do cardiovascular
work before or after the weights? Muscle
strength versus size Can I gain muscle and
lose fat at the same time? Can I lose fat
without losing muscle? Can I get stronger
without gaining more muscle mass? Can I gain
muscle mass without getting stronger? What
should I eat? to gain weight? How many Calories?
How much protein? How much carbohydrate?
How much fat? to lose weight? How many Calories?
Weight loss and protein? Weight loss and carbohydrates What is the
Glycemic Index? Weight loss and fats Is weightlifting
important to fat loss? What about those weight
loss centers? What is the Isometric diet?
What is the Anabolic diet? What is Bodyopus?
What is the Zone diet? Dietary Protein Requirements
of the Athlete Is increased protein intake
harmful? Carbohydrate loading Supplements
Protein powders Meal Replacement Powders
Weight gainers / "mega-mass 9 billion"
Proteabolic Amino acids supplemental branched
chain amino acids l-carnitine GABA Glutamine
HMB KIC phosphatidyl serine tryptophan tyrosine
Can amino acids cause an increase in GH secretion
(ROK) Colostrum Sports bars CLA DMSO Flax
seed oil Lecithin Medium Chain Triglycerides
(MCT oil) Omega-3 fatty acids vitamin and
mineral supplementation B vitamins Boron
Chromium CoQ10 Dibencozide vanadium Creatine
Hydroxy-citric acid (HCA) Glucosamine Sulphate
Inosine Prohormones pregnenolone DHEA androstenedione
androdiol 5-androstenediol norandrostenedione,
norandrodiol cyclodiol Melatonin Tribulus
Terrestris ( Endo-Pro, Tribestrone ) "Super
Blue-Green Algae" Shark cartilage/bovine
cartilage Random vaguely Russian-sounding
"supplements" from Atletika Herbs
Avena Sativa Borage Capsicum Ephedrine, ECA
stack Evening Primrose Gamma Oryzanol Ginseng
Cordyceps (Dong Chong) Milk Thistle Saw Palmetto
Smilax Yohimbe Are there any natural ways
of increasing testosterone levels? Homeopathic
testosterone and other homeopathic preparations
Do squats and deadlifts increase testosterone
production? What about sex and/or masturbation?
What are anabolic steroids? What Side effects
are commonly seen with steroid use? Is Lyle
Alzado a good example of how steroids are
harmful? Should I start my first cycle? I'm
going to start my first cycle. What are the
safest steroids? Where can I get steroids?
Are my steroids real? What is the proper
way to taper off cycle? Is bridging between
cycles beneficial? Are steroids morally wrong?
What about other drugs? Clenbuterol Clomid
/ Cyclofenil Cytomel Cytadren DNP Diuretics
Growth Hormone HCG Insulin Insulin-like Growth
Factor 1 Nolvadex Viagra Personal Grooming
Removing body hair Dealing with Chafing /
Calluses Miscellany How can I get BRAWN or
Hardgainer? How can I subscribe to Peak training
journal? Why do so many people in m.f.w hate
MM2K and Phillips? Why is everyone so hung
up on scientific evidence and research studies?
Document History Works In Progress -- topics
requested but not yet completed Authors and
credits This FAQ was originally compiled
and edited by Rifle River (jstream@girch1.med.uth.tmc.edu).
Subsequent updates and maintenance by Trygve
Lode (trygve@trygve.com).
--------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section 0 Can I advertise in Misc.fitness.weights?
No. Go away. Seriously, commercial ads are
strongly discouraged on misc.fitness.weights;
ads for weights-related items may be placed
freely on alt.fitness.marketplace, however.
Generally, the contents of a .signature appended
to your articles on the group may contain
whatever you wish to put there and that may
include pointers to a commercial website
or mention of your products or services--however,
this exception is only applicable if you're
actually posting an article that is otherwise
appropriate for the group. Noncommercial
ads for personal items appropriate to the
group, such as one for your old MogoFlex
Ergobench 2000 are grudgingly permitted,
however, note that newsgroups such as misc.fitness.weights
are propagated worldwide, so consider limiting
the distribution of any ads of this type
to just your local area and absolutely be
certain that you mention your approximate
location. It does no good to list your pre-owned
600-pound aerobic kickboxing simulator if
a potentially interested reader has no way
of knowing whether you are in the South Bronx
or South Africa.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section I I just began lifting and
I wanna get big. How should I start?
Lift big weights (with proper form). Eat
big. Avoid overtraining. Short, but intense
workouts are probably the best type of workout
to stimulate muscle growth while avoiding
overtraining. Some people prefer low-volume
High Intensity Training (HIT). Some follow
a more moderate volume approach. Others prefer
high volume lifting (many exercises, many
sets etc.). Still another commonly followed
method of training is Periodization. Advanced
lifters often follow programs that are not
suitable for beginners. Don't follow someone
else's lifting schedule, design your own.
Should I work the entire body at every workout?
Certainly. Entire body workouts usually make
the most efficient use of time. Of course,
there is no reason you can't work different
muscle groups on different days. However,
a beginner is less likely to overtrain any
individual body part if they're working the
entire body in one workout. How many exercises
should I do per muscle group? Some suggest
only one exercise per muscle group. Others
prefer to do 4 or 5 different exercises for
a single muscle group. Keep in mind that
too much enthusiasm for the weights will
often lead to overtraining, so moderation
is key until you discover what works best
for your body. How many sets should I do
per exercise? Some suggest that once the
muscles are thoroughly warm (after performing
a couple of light-weight warmup sets) you
should do one all out set to failure. Others
suggest that you should perform 2 to 4 working
sets to failure for each exercise. Almost
everyone can agree that if you end up doing
30 sets for any individual body part, you
are definitely overtraining (assuming that
you take these sets to failure) or just wasting
your time (assuming you don't take these
sets to failure). How many repetitions should
I perform? When warming up you should be
able to complete more than 12 repetitions
with ease. On sets that are taken to failure
you should fail at some number less than
12 receptions and greater than 5 repetitions.
If you can do more than 12 repetitions on
your working set, then the weight should
be increased. Remember, there are two components
to building mass - the load placed on the
muscle and the time under tension. On the
other hand, as Andy Austin used to say, "lots
of muscle has been built with singles all
the way to 100 rep schemes." How many
times per week should I lift? Some beginners
make fine progress training the entire body
three times a week, a Mon, Wed and Fri routine,
for example. Other beginners require more
recuperation time and make gains training
the entire body only once per week. People
differ and so do individual muscle groups.
Some muscles can be trained more frequently
than others. Find a routine that is comfortable
for you and allows you to make progress.
If you aren't making any progress consider
the possibility that you are overtraining
(quite common) or even undertraining (less
common). Should I be concerned about the
amount of weight I lift? Initially, no. The
most important thing for a beginner is to
learn proper lifting technique. However,
the basic principle of getting larger through
weightlifting is progressive overload. You
must increase the weight (load) so that the
muscle will be forced to adapt to the increase
in stress. Bouncing and moving the weight
too quickly will not stress your muscles
into growing and it will likely stress your
joints unnecessarily. Remember, that for
bodybuilders, the goal is not to lift the
weight. Weightlifting, for bodybuilders,
is merely a method to stress the muscles.
A bodybuilder should work the muscle, or
muscle group that the exercise focuses on,
not try to heave the weight up by any means
possible. There is a difference between lifting
a weight and working a muscle, although it
basically comes down to using proper form
and technique. For example, if your lower
back becomes stressed from doing biceps curls,
you should consider paying more attention
to working the biceps, not trying to get
too much weight up by throwing out your back.
Comparing yourself to other lifters is also
unnecessary. Everyone starts at a different
level. What are the best exercises for a
beginner? Squat, Barbell Bench Press, Pull
Up, Seated Military Press Dead Lift, Incline
Dumbbell Press, Bent Over Barbell Row These
exercises are considered the best because
they are compound movements that involve
moving a lot of weight while recruiting many
different muscle groups. These are the types
of exercises that will make you grow, not
concentration movements. What is HIT? High
Intensity Training. This is a training method
which believes in minimizing the sets per
exercise. No warm-up sets are done with the
belief that the first few reps of the exercise
is sufficient. Each set is done at very high
intensity to complete failure. In a typical
HIT workout, 15-20 different single set exercises
may be done in the space of 1 hour hitting
the entire body with around 2 mins rest between
sets. A 'HIT Jedi' does not believe in split
routines where different bodyparts are trained
on different days (which allows more time
per bodypart). Amongst other benefits, HIT
training is a very time efficient way of
training. The HIT (High Intensity Training)
FAQ 3.0 is available at www.cyberpump.com/hitfaq/
What is Periodization? Periodization is a
training method where over a series of weeks
the number of reps is dropped and the weights
increased. The idea behind this is to shock
the muscles into growth by varying the reps
& weights. Part of the theory of periodization
revolves around the idea that a person can't
always train with 100% intensity and that
the body may actually need some periods of
lighter weight, variable rep training to
allow for recuperation. In addition, periodization
is based on the idea that not all muscle
fiber types can be trained with the same
rep schemes. Many powerlifters follow some
form of periodization to peak for a competition.
What is a 'Hardgainer'? / What is a Hardgainer
routine'? A hardgainer (HG) is someone who
has a genetic make-up which does not allow
him/her to pack on muscle quickly. These
type of people typically do not respond large
volumes and frequency of training. It has
been estimated that 60%-95% of the population
are hardgainers. HG routines use low volumes
and frequencies of training. A HG routine
will usually train each bodypart no more
than once per week. Compound movements (like
squats and deadlifts) are favoured over isolation
movements (like leg extensions or hamstring
curls). Hardgainers are prone to overtraining
when using high volume/frequency workouts,
hence the general rule of thumb is 'less
is more'. Frank J. Kelly and Craig Sadler's
Hardgainer bodybuilding / weightlifting FAQ
(11/29/1999) is available at cns-web.bu.edu/pub/kellyfj/hgfaq.txt
Where can I read more about lifting routines
on the net? There are numerous places where
you can read more about lifting routines,
like HIT and Periodization. Check out these
sites: The HIT (High Intensity Training)
FAQ 3.0 www.cyberpump.com/hitfaq/ at CyberPump
Frank J. Kelly and Craig Sadler's Hardgainer
bodybuilding / weightlifting FAQ (11/29/1999)
cns-web.bu.edu/pub/kellyfj/hgfaq.txt Mistress
Krista's Women's Weightlifting Page www.stumptuous.com/weights.html
CyberPump! www.cyberpump.com/ Bill Piche's
Powerlifting Competition FAQ v2.2 www.cyberpump.com/powerfaq/powerfaq22.html
Steve Kidwell's Bodybuilding Competition
FAQ v1.0 nps.ticz.com/bbcfaq.htm Brad Appleton's
Stretching and Flexibility FAQ v1.42 (6/10/1998)
www.enteract.com/~bradapp/docs/rec/stretching/
WeightsNet, a resource for people who workout
with weights www.weightsnet.com/index.html
Fred Hatfield's (Dr. Squat's) Home Page www.drsquat.com
(the following links have not yet be checked
or updated) "Zen and the Art of Weightlifting"
It's at http://www.cs.unc.edu/~wilsonk/zen.html
The misc.fitness FAQ can be found at http://www.cs.unc.edu/~wilsonkmf-faq.html
MM2K bench press routine at http://www.users.interport.net/~dl/bench.html
Psycho Trainer's Guide to lifting. http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~pasko/psycho.html
To subscribe to the Weights mailing list
weights-request@fa.disney.com The Canadian
Powerlifting Union page: http://www.tgx.com/cpu/nccp.htm
has good discussions of squat/deadlift/bench
form. Which of the muscle/exercise/health
magazines should I believe? There's a profusion
of muscle/exercise/health magazines out there
and they often seem to contradict each other
or even themselves from issue to issue. The
one thing they do have in common, however,
is that they put well-built guys with defined
abs on their covers, usually with scantily-clad
(though, in most cases, not visibly muscular)
women hanging off of them. ...which should
be your first clue that magazines are, first
and foremost, in the business of making money,
and that means selling issues and supporting
their advertisers and owners. Just in case
you didn't already know this, many, if not
most, muscle/exercise/health magazines are
owned by companies that make supplements
and often gym apparel and home exercise equipment
as well. Even apart from who owns them, the
fact is that advertising sales to supplement
companies are where most of their revenues
come from; the price on the cover that you
pay is just an added bonus. That doesn't
mean that what they print is wrong, but it
does tell you on what side their bread is
buttered. For example: Experimental and Applied
Sciences (EAS) owns: Muscle Media MuscleTech
(Robert Kennedy) owns: Musclemag International
Oxygen Twin Laboratories (TwinLab) owns:
Muscular Development Weider owns: Fit Pregnancy
Flex Muscle and Fitness Muscle and Fitness
Hers Natural Health Shape You can expect
to find taking (or at least purchasing) supplements
given emphasis above and beyond their importance
in training, and the coverage in the articles
and news briefs is likely to be slanted towards
whatever products are in the parent company's
lineup. The other notable caveat about training
articles is that many of the routines given
would push you well beyond overtraining if
you followed them. With an article on training
your upper body, legs, or a full-body training
regimen, that won't always be the case, but
every magazine has to run at least one article
every six months on Blasting Your Biceps
Beyond Belief and, sad to say, the biceps
just aren't that big, and they get worked
in a lot of other exercises already (pulldowns,
chinups, rows, as examples). But if you're
going to write an article on battering your
biceps until they're begging for mercy, you
have to come up with more than a few simple
exercises to write about, especially if you
want to work in a bunch of cool-looking pics
of biceps exercises and poses. Think of "muscle
magazines" as decent sources of pictures
and inspiration, but keep their editorial
biases in mind when you read them.
--------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section II I want to tone up, but
I don't want to get too big. How can I achieve
this?
You should work out exactly as described
above with one exception: once your muscles
are as toned as you want them, stop increasing
the amount of weight. Performing sets of
endless repetitions with extremely light
weight is a waste of time. It will not make
you more toned. There are only two reasons
to perform more than 12 repetitions in a
set: 1) you really like to warm up thoroughly
or 2) you really like the feel of the pump
after a high-rep set. High repetitions will
not lead to toning, or hypertrophy for that
matter. Getting big is extremely difficult,
especially for women. Most men and 99.9%
of all women do not have the capacity to
get large. If, after two years of lifting
weights intensely, you become too large,
you are either a genetic freak or on drugs.
So many lifters want to be big and so few
ever achieve it because it is so difficult.
Do not worry about getting too large. Lift
weights to strengthen your muscles, this
will improve their tone. High repetitions
will only increase the amount of time, possibly
indefinitely, required to achieve your goal
of being toned. Lift hard, and once you are
toned, then stop increasing the weights.
In addition, fat hides muscle tone. Many
people can look toned just by dropping some
body fat (see Is weightlifting important
to fat loss?). RR
---------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section III The exercises
What is the proper way to squat? Squatting
is one of the most productive if not the
best exercises out there (it's called the
King of Exercises by many). It is one of
the most difficult to learn as well. If you
are new to this exercise, please take several
training sessions practicing with an empty
bar or broomstick (you can do some additional
work on the leg press if needed). It's very
important to get your technique down cold
while the weights are still light. Your small
errors with small weights will turn into
BIG errors with big weights. Much of the
bad press the squat has received in the media
is a result of improper technique and not
the exercise itself. Red flags you may encounter
will be pointed out and hopefully how to
avoid them. The first thing to discuss is
not foot position or width of stance, but
proper trunk position. Pretend you are a
soldier and the meanest, ugliest sergeant
ever just told you "TEN-HUT!" You
would automatically straighten up and pull
your head and shoulders back. This is the
proper position of the spine for the squat.
IOW, your head is pulled back; your chest
is raised; and you have a slight arch in
your lower back. At no time during the squat
should you bend over at the low back or look
down. Of course you have to bend over at
the hip (more on that later). You should
not look up either. OK, so you got that down?
Now, the best way to do squats is in a power
rack or cage (a large rectangular rack with
cross-drilled holes) so you can adjust the
pins where if you have to bale, you can set
the bar down without any harm. Set the pins
to just below the depth you are going. They
also serve as a visual cue for depth and
if you go down/up crooked. Place the J hooks
or posts that hold the bar for you to get
under at the level of your nipple or so.
Try to unrack it once to see if it's at the
right height The bar should have a knurled
area in the middle (if it doesn't, find another
bar or another gym) so it will not slide
down your back. Many people use towels or
padding under the bar. Others (including
me) feel this leads to some instability because
the weight is "teeter tottering"
on a small area on your back. If the bar
is hurting you either need to add some trapezius
mass, place the bar a little further down
your back (it should be just above or below
the sharp ridge on your scapula (shoulder
blade), buy a Manta Ray, or tolerate it because
it's part of the game. The Ray helps to spread
the load across the shoulder, but it doesn't
fit everyone well. Now step up to the bar.
Place your hands about the same width as
a bench press (unless you are doing the shoulder
breaker wide-grip variety) and make sure
you are even on the bar before unracking.
Take a deep breath, step under the bar and
unrack it Most squat injuries (according
to Fred Hatfield) occur during the back up.
Only take enough steps that you can clear
the j-hooks or posts on the descent. Place
your feet shoulder width or slightly farther
apart. Think if you suspended a line from
the ceiling it would brush against your medial
delt and hit you in the ankle. Use the "practice"
sessions to get a width that fits you. You
might say many powerlifters squat with a
wide-stance and they are pretty strong as
a group. I'll agree wholeheartedly, but I'll
also point out that the conventional squat
is prob'ly more productive because you are
working through a larger Range Of Motion.
Learn this way and then learn the variations
if you like. After you have the width right,
turn your feet out at roughly a 45 degree
angle. Adjust the width if need be. Now you
are ready to squat. Take a deep breath, contract
your abs and descend. It should feel like
you are sitting back on a chair behind you;
not going straight down. Keep your knees
in line with your feet. DO NOT LET YOUR KNEES
BOW IN anytime during the lift! (I have a
Grade 1 knee sprain (MCL) from doing just
this.) Keep the load light enough so you
won't do this and gradually build up. Many
people say to try to keep your shin at a
90 degree angle to the ground. This is impossible
with the regular stance squat and is only
possible by a few using the wide-stance variety.
Try to keep your knees from going out past
your toes. Alter the width if need be. Most
people can and should descend till their
thighs are parallel to the ground. This is
actually pretty low. A very small majority
of people can't and may be better stopping
just above parallel. Don't give up on reaching
parallel too quick. Also, to go even close
to parallel, you have to bend over at the
hip (not the spine, of course). However,
you should always be more upright than bent
over. Two methods of determining your shin/back
position and depth is to either have an attentive
and adept person monitor you from the side
and/or use a video camera placed to the side
and close enough to determine all angles.
After you have descended to the bottom position,
reverse your direction immediately (don't
bounce at the bottom) and drive upwards.
Try and pull your back up (hip extension)
as hard as possible during the ascent. Brooks
Kubik describes this "as if a giant
gorilla had a hold of your ass and your shoulder
and was trying to straighten you out."
Come back to a standing position, take a
breath or two (or many 8^) and descend again.
Make each rep it's own little lift. IOW,
make each one count even on your warm-ups.
If you maintain good form in your warm-ups,
you'll likely retain it for the work sets.
Should you wear a belt or knee wraps? The
former helps to stabilize the spine by increasing
intra-abdominal pressure and the latter is
just a way of elevating more weight. Especially
if you are getting started with the squat,
go without either. Use your abdomen as the
brace instead of outside help. The knee wraps
serve no use except to the powerlifter who
wants a bigger max. They may impede the growth
of structures around the knee or even cause
some harm if used chronically. The main reason
the power rack gathers dust while there is
a line for the angled leg press is because
squats HURT! It doesn't matter whether it's
the skinny beginner using the "big wheels"
on each side for the first time or the bonafide
600+ squatter stepping under an already bending
bar. They both feel some pain when doing
this exercise. Learn to live with it! The
most productive exercises are the most painful.
It's a fact of life. If you squat with proper
technique and heavy (for you) poundage, you
might grunt, scream, cry, hurl and/or pass
out, but you prob'ly won't be injured and
you'll make terrific headway towards your
goals. Learn to be aggressive and focus your
complete attention on the task at hand. Good
luck and happy training! Chuck Clark SPT
cmclarz1@homer.louisville.edu University
of Louisville, KY. see also Fred "Dr.
Squat" Hatfield's three-part squat primer
at http://www.drsquat.com/articles/sq.htm
What is the proper way to deadlift? One of
the most productive, but least seen exercises
in the gym is the deadlift. From a technique
point of view, it's a relatively simple one
compared to the squat. You just stand up
holding a barbell in front of you without
humping your back. That's a brief, but concise
explanation. However, most people are scared
of the deadlift because they think it will
pull, strain, or break their back. When performed
in good form, however, the deadlift is one
of the best erector (the muscles of the spine)
and total body exercises around. First, learn
to set up your spine and shoulder girdle
as described in the "How to Squat"
section. Suffice to say, you should pull
your shoulders back and keep them there.
Additionally, you should NEVER let your back
hump over at any time during the lift. Load
a barbell on the floor to the desired poundage.
Make sure the area around you is free of
potential troubles and the floor is not slippery.
If you don't have the required strength to
use 45 lb. plates on each side of the barbell,
elevate the bar to mimic the height as if
you were using the 45s. Walk up and place
your feet slightly narrower than shoulder
width apart with your shin almost brushing
the bar. Point your toes out at an angle
slightly. Reach down and grasp the bar with
an overhand grip just outside your legs.
Contract your abs hard, make sure your back
is flat (actually with a natural arch), and
pull the bar up. Be sure to keep the bar
as close to your body as possible as you
stand up. The angle to which your hip and
knee joints go to is an individual matter.
Length of bones and your flexibility will
determine this. You should always attempt
to remain more upright than bent over. When
you pull the bar, make sure your hip joint
straightens at the same rate as your knee.
Don't straighten your knees and then try
to straighten your hips. You'll hurt yourself.
Also, don't lean back at the top. After you've
stood up with the weight, take a breath,
contract your abs and slowly descend in the
reverse manner you came up. Do NOT bounce
the barbell on the floor. After the plates
touch the floor, take a breath (or many!),
contract your abs and flatten your back,
and pull again. Make each rep its own little
lift. Practice the mvmt with light weight
till you get it down before moving up in
weight. The first muscles to usually fatigue
during the lift are those associated with
gripping the bar which are mostly located
in the forearm. Most people will tell you
to use an mixed grip (one palm forward, one
palm back). This can create some torque imbalances
that may give you problems later. Especially
when you are starting out, keep to the pronated
or hands-over grip and let your grip muscles
catch up. If you must use the mixed grip,
alternate which palm is forward each set
or each session. The least attractive option
is to use straps. Straps take the work off
of the grip muscles and arguably make the
deadlift less productive. Use chalk if it
is feasible to help hold the bar. As in the
squat, some people can't truly descend to
the bottom position in the deadlift safely.
Don't give up very quickly on making this
low spot. If you can't, don't despair. Place
some pins in the power rack to where when
you place the barbell on them it's just above
where it would be on the floor. Try out the
mvmt. Elevate the pins till it feels right.
If this doesn't help or having to pull the
bar that's out in front of you gives your
back fits, you might want to give a Gerard
trap bar a try. This is a diamond shaped
bar that you stand inside of and deadlift.
The line of force is through you instead
of out front. This makes for a more safe
and therefore productive exercise than the
regular version. You can have a look at the
Gerard trap bar at . As in the squat, the
deadlift is a very productive and, hence
brutal exercise. Don't be scared of it, though.
Tall and lanky people who usually have great
trouble squatting or benching can usually
move up quickly in poundages in the deadlift.
This exercise is more than just a back exercise
or a "thickening" exercise, it's
a total body exercise. Too much in weight
training is put into isolation. The big movements
ARE the most productive. The deadlift works
you from finger to neck to toe. Treat it
with respect and it will help you realize
your goals quicker than without it. Good
luck and happy training! cmclarz1@homer.louisville.edu
University of Louisville, KY. How do I work
my abs? Use weight for resistance. 100 reps
of any exercise is a waste of time. Crunches
are good because they focus on the abs. I
view crunches as an isolation movement. Compound
movements are usually better, so I actually
recommend sit ups (especially incline) with
weight held on the chest. Yes, sit ups work
the hip flexors and other muscles as well,
but these muscles are critical to movements
like the squat, deadlift and other serious
compound movements. Who wants weak hip flexors
anyway? The High-Intensity Abdominal Workout:
For those who are obsessed with their abdominal
muscles, are willing to spare no expense
to develop them, and want a hard-core, high-intensity,
low-repetition abdominal workout, there IS
an answer. The primary problem with this
method is the fact that the required equipment
is [a] rather expensive, and [b] since the
late 1980s, rather difficult to find. You
will need an "inversion table"
with "gravity boots." For those
unfamiliar with such devices, a brief explanation
is in order. "Gravity boots" are
padded, metal collars which are clamped onto
your ankles and which have a strong metal
hook that protrudes from the front, directly
over the foot. An "inversion table"
is designed for use with gravity boots. It
is like a vertical army cot with two bars
spanning the foot end, one below the feet,
and one above the feet. It is attached to
a stand by a single pivot hinge on each side.
After fitting the gravity boots, you step
onto the inversion table with your feet on
the lowest bar and the hooks of the boots
locked beneath the upper bar. Then, you simply
throw your weight backwards, causing the
table to pivot approximately 180 degrees
on its hinges, leaving you suspended by your
ankles, completely upside-down. Please note
that a good inversion table will pivot beyond
perpendicular, breaking contact with all
parts of your body other than your ankles;
some of them will not reach full perpendicular,
leaving you mostly inverted but still laying
on the surface of the table. The latter is
not well suited to this type of exercise.
Once inverted, you can perform a normal "crunch"
routine. The complete inversion of your body
will provide extreme resistance which will
result in the much-desired abdominal "burn"
long before the number of repetitions required
when doing crunches on the floor or on a
slant board. However, a few suggestions on
technique will be helpful: (1) Do NOT hold
your hands behind your head; clasp them across
your chest. Your neck should be held in a
relaxed position, with your head back, "pulling"
yourself forward with your shoulders, not
your head. When you find yourself able to
do more than 20 repetitions, you may clasp
a weight plate to your chest to add resistance,
increasing the size of the plate each time
you can exceed 20 repetitions. (2) Although
it will be slightly difficult, bending slightly
at the knees will decrease stress on your
back. However, even with your legs fully
extended, you will find that the usual back
stress experienced during traditional crunches
is almost non-existent when performing "inverted"
crunches. Aside from the increased resistance
in using this abdominal workout, there are
a few other advantages: (1) No "tailbone
rash." The usual abrasion caused by
constant friction on the sacral spine area
during traditional crunches no longer exists.
Your back does not contact any solid surface;
therefore, no friction. (2) No "head
banging." There is no solid surface
to come into contact with your head, either.
That is why you can easily hold your head
back during this routine without worrying
about striking it on the floor and without
the need to support it in any way. Abdominal
Training FAQ http://www.dstc.edu.au/TU/staff/timbomb/ab/
ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/misc.fitness.weights/
How do I get a 6-pack? Everyone has a six-pack
of abs. The ability to see them is completely
dependent upon body fat levels. If you want
to show off a washboard stomach, then drop
the body fat. Spot reduction is a myth. Hundreds
of situps or crunches will not "bring
out" the abs if they're covered in fat.
If you want to increase the strength of your
abdominals (and every lifter should), then
perform abdominal exercises with WEIGHT.
100 reps of any exercise is a waste of time.
What is the proper way to do shrugs? Shrugs
should be performed in a straight up and
down motion. Keep the head in an upright
position, looking straight ahead, not at
the floor, not at the ceiling. Rolling the
shoulders does not stress the traps any better.
In fact, it may be harmful. Rowing movements
can effectively work the traps when the shoulders
are pulled backward. However, rowing movements
call for moving the weight perpendicular
to the body in order to stress these muscles
during this movement. During shrugs the weight
is not in a position to provide resistance
against a backward movement. Therefore, a
shrug should be done straight up and down.
Barbells or dumbbells can be used, although
dumbbells provide for a more natural shrug.
Can I change the peak of my bicep? In a word,
NO! Everyone from Peewee Herman to Ahnuld
has their own individual genetic shape. You
can't change it. This extends to the shape
of the muscle bellies as well. Some people
have very long and flat muscle bellies and
some have peaky, short muscles. Most people
are somewhere in between. The biceps brachii
is a two headed muscle that runs from the
shoulder to across the elbow. It functions
to supinate and flex the forearm. The 2 heads
run parallel to each other and it's debatable
whether one exercise will target one over
the other when sufficient weight is used.
You can't preferentially contract one area
of a bicep head over the other, either. The
innervation of a muscle (or muscle head in
this case) is made so that if one motor unit
(motor neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates)
fires you'll get a very weak contraction
all over the whole muscle. As more motor
units are called into play the weak contractions
(all over, of course) summate and you get
a strong contraction. Also, you can't stretch
one part of a muscle over any other part
because you either move the muscle attachments
closer together or farther apart. So, what
do you do? You just merely focus on making
your arms larger: increase the size of the
muscles. This will give you the illusion
of having peakier or longer biceps. Doing
the "mass" or big movements will
go longer to giving you big arms than endless
sets of curls. Also, you're going to have
to increase your bodyweight significantly
to make any real gains in bicep mass. It's
much easier to put an inch on your arms when
you've put on 20 lbs of muscle. Chuck Clark
SPT cmclarz1@homer.louisville.edu University
of Louisville, KY.
--------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section IV weightlifting and health
Is weightlifting beneficial for my health?
Yes. Muscle is what moves us and it's something
we all lose as we age. The loss begins about
age 25 resulting in about a 10% loss by age
50. Between the ages of 50 and 80, people
lose about half their strength and about
40% of their muscle. The exact mechanism
causing this change is unknown, but it is
thought that it is related to altered interactions
between muscle cells and motor nerves. Muscle
loss leads to a lower metabolic rate and,
thus, weight gain unless Calorie intake is
reduced (which rarely happens). Age associated
muscle wasting can lead to a number of problems
where older people may not have the strength
to lift loads, rise from a chair, or carry
out the daily activities required for independent
living. Weight lifting or resistance training
can actually prevent this muscle loss. So
far, strength training is the only method
shown effective at slowing this loss of muscle.
Aerobic exercise does not stem muscle loss.
Physiologists indicate that, ideally, a person
would begin weight training before age 50
(those of us at mfw would suggest by age
20). The benefits are not restricted to older
members of society. Interestingly, studies
have shown that 87 year old men and women
experienced a 90% increase in strength over
a 10 week period of resistance training.
If you have high blood pressure, diabetes,
heart pains or any heart or circulatory condition,
it is essential to check with your physician
before beginning. Strength training has been
shown to increase bone-density in post-menopausal
women, helping to prevent bone fractures.
In addition, weightlifting can improve neural
control of muscles which can prevent the
types of accidents that often cause bone
fractures in the elderly. In addition, weightlifting
can contribute greatly to the control of
body fat. Therefore, weightlifting can be
very beneficial for those who have a tendency
towards obesity. As more studies are done,
more and more beneficial effects of weightlifting
are becoming evident. My liver enzymes are
elevated, but I don't take steroids or drink
alcohol. What's the problem? While the aminotransferases
are often referred to as liver enzymes, these
enzymes are actually found in numerous tissues
and their numbers often increase from exercise-induced
trauma. These numbers are a good marker for
people who drink alcohol constantly, or consume
oral anabolic steroids. If the numbers are
100 times higher than the normal range in
the aforementioned people, there's a good
chance their livers are hurting.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section V Cardiovascular conditioning
and weightlifters
How important is cardiovascular conditioning
to bodybuilders? Very important. First, cardiovascular
conditioning is very important for health,
but bodybuilders rely on it to help shed
fat so they can show off the physiques they
have built. Some argue that they burn enough
calories from intense weight workouts, making
cardio unnecessary. While this may be true
for people with fast metabolisms, it is not
true for a large percentage of the population.
Recent studies have found that long duration,
repetitive use of muscles (like biking, rowing,
skiing or jogging for 10 minutes or longer)
causes changes in gene expression that greatly
increase the quantity of certain proteins
within these exercised cells (mainly slow
twitch fibers). These proteins not only have
the potential to lead to better health, but
they can greatly enhance the fat burning
done by these muscle cells. To turn your
body into a blast furnace, do some cardio
exercise regularly. In addition, regular
cardio work may also provide for better blood
flow to muscle cells, which may provide for
better lifting in the gym. Powerlifters?
Powerlifters who are unconcerned with the
health benefits of cardiovascular exercise
may still need to do some regular cardiovascular
exercise. Too much cardio work would be absolutely
detrimental to their goal. However, insufficient
cardio exercise may limit their potential
as a powerlifter. Should I do cardiovascular
work before or after the weights? Cardiovascular
exercise before lifting weights can serve
as a very good warmup. Unfortunately, this
may leave you too fatigued to give intense
effort to the weight workout. Weightlifting
before cardiovascular exercise may help the
body go into "fat burning" mode
faster because the weightlifting depletes
glycogen stores. Unfortunately, after lifting
a person may be too tired to have an effective
cardiovascular workout. The general consensus
is that, for general fitness, it doesn't
matter what order you do your exercise. However,
strength athletes should prioritize the weightlifting
first, performing the cardio later. Lyle
McDonald and RR
------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section VI Strength and size
Can I gain muscle and lose fat at the same
time? This is very difficult. It can be done
in some unique circumstances, but for the
most part it isn't possible. For example,
novice lifters can sometimes gain muscle
and lose fat at the same time. Also, people
returning from long layoffs can sometimes
add muscle and lose fat at the same time.
However, experienced lifters who are working
out consistently can't do both at the same
time. If you want to do both, you should
choose one goal (either fat loss or muscle
gain) and work towards that goal for a few
months. After some success towards that goal,
you should then change over and try to accomplish
the other for a few months. Be single-minded
in your focus towards that goal. When trying
to lose fat, you should be unconcerned if
you lose a little muscle as well. Likewise,
if you're trying to add muscle, you should
allow the addition of a small amount of fat.
Can I lose fat without losing muscle? No,
this can't be done. Most dieters will lose
1 pound of muscle for every 3 pounds of fat
lost. Steroid-aided athletes can only take
this ratio up to about 1:8. Muscle loss when
dieting is inevitable. Try to minimize it,
but focus on the goal of fat loss. Can I
get stronger without gaining more muscle
mass? Yes, it is possible. Gaining strength
without gaining muscle mass is common in
novice lifters and people who are returning
from long lay-offs. Older lifters can sometimes
improve strength through improvements in
lifting technique. However, once these avenues
have been exhausted, the only way to improve
strength is through and increase in mass.
Can I gain muscle mass without getting stronger?
No. This is why so many bodybuilders, appropriately,
train to get stronger. If you get stronger,
you will get larger. This doesn't automatically
mean, that when comparing to different individuals,
the larger person is stronger. It simply
means that if you take your existing muscle
mass and then increase it, it will necessarily
be stronger. In response to this question,
Fred Hatfield once said "just lift the
damn weights!"
----------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section VII What should I eat?
There are some good nutrition and training
FAQs located at http://www2.dgsys.com/~trnutr/index.html
Also there is the Training-Nutrition mailing
list - to subscribe trnutreq@dgs.dgsys.com
to gain weight? There are three macronutrients
(food consumed in large amounts to meet energy
and other physiological requirements) that
you must consume daily: protein, carbohydrate
and fat. Bodybuilders often focus on protein
(which is the largest constituent of muscle
cells after water) because, after all, "you
are what you eat." However, the most
critical factor for weight gain is total
Calorie (one Calorie = one kilocalorie) intake.
How many Calories? Those attempting to add
muscle to their frames should consume at
least 15 to 20 times their body weight (in
pounds - kg x 2.2) in Calories per day. 25
times your body weight should be the upper
limit in Calories consumed for weight gain
diets, but these are usually for steroid-assisted
athletes. How much protein? Approximately
15 to 20% of those Calories should come from
protein. Bodybuilders are rarely deficient
in protein. Common sources of protein include
milk, eggs, red meat, chicken, beans, rice,
pasta and nuts. How much carbohydrate? Approximately
60 to 65% of those Calories should come from
carbohydrates. The healthiest diets usually
involve a wide variety of carbohydrate sources
starting with vegetables and fruits. Other
sources of carbs include rice, pasta, baked
potatoes, oats and breads. These are common
carbohydrates consumed on weight-gain diets.
How much fat? Approximately 20% of those
Calories should come from fats, preferably
vegetable fats, although some animal (saturated)
fats will inevitably be consumed by those
who regularly eat meat. to lose weight? How
many Calories? Someone trying to lose body
fat should consume between 10 and 15 times
their body weight in Calories per day. A
common goal is to consume about 250 Calories
fewer than you would normally require, and
exercise to burn off an extra 250 Calories.
At this Calorie deficit of 500 Calories per
day, a person will lose about 1 pound of
fat per week. A person should never lose
more than 2 pounds per week. The faster the
weight is lost, the more likely muscle will
be lost instead of fat. Other health problems
are also associated with drastic weight loss.
Another, more precise method: Estimate your
BMR at 11 x bodyweight in pounds Estimate
maintenance Calories by multipling BMR by:
1.2 - for people confined to bed 1.3 - for
sedentary people 1.5-1.75 - for normally
active people 2.0 - for extremely active
people Consume 10% less Calories than maintenance.
[ William Lau ] When it comes to dividing
the calories between protein, carbohydrates,
and fats, don't start by figuring out the
precise percentages (unless you're following
the Zone Diet), start with your body's nutritional
requirements: Keeping your protein intake
at around 1 gram per pound of bodyweight
is even more important when dieting, and
your caloric deficit should come from reducing
carb and/or fat intake, not protein intake.
There is no one caloric ratio you have to
shoot for. [ Bob Tokyo (robertdorf@japan.com)
] Your body doesn't know from percentages
of anything. Your body knows from requirements
in terms of g/unit weight. As others said,
you need protein at ~1 g/lb lean body mass
while dieting (or massing). that's on an
absolute scale, not a percentage scale. whether
that makes up 20% or 50% of your total calories
will depend on your total calories. So protein
gets set at that level regardless. Then worry
about the other numbers. But just keep in
mind that the percentages can be terribly
misleading. [ Lyle McDonald (lylemcd@onr.com)
] Weight loss and protein The daily protein
intake necessary to prevent lean tissue losses
and (ideally) allow for muscle mass and strength
gain is estimated to be about 0.8 grams per
kilogram in sedentary individuals and 1.6
to 1.8 grams per kilogram in highly active
individuals. Optimal protein intake for maximum
growth in non-dieting individuals is likely
even higher. [ Lemon PW, "Beyond the
zone: protein needs of active individuals."
J Am Coll Nutr 2000 Oct;19(5 Suppl):513S-521S
] The protein requirements of dieters are
certainly not less, owing to their increased
tendency to burn both dietary and tissue
protein for fuel. Weight loss and carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are starches and sugars such
as those found in bread, pasta, rice, vegetables,
fruits, non-diet soda pop, Twinkies, crackers,
and breakfast cereals. The traditional division
between "simple" and "complex"
carbohydrates is largely meaningless and
often misleading when compared to the body's
own responses to different kinds of foods.
The Glycemic Index of foods is a far more
useful measure of their real-world effects.
What is the Glycemic Index? Glycemic Index
(GI) is a rating system for carbohydrates
based on how quickly the sugar enters the
blood stream and the degree of insulin response
induced. GIs were initially established to
help diabetics regulate insulin levels following
meals. Carbohydrate sources with low GIs
generally enter the blood stream slower or
cause a smaller insulin response. This can
be beneficial for those trying to lose fat
as well as those who are diabetic. Note that
the Glycemic Index is measured for a standardized
100 gram sample of a carbohydrate-rich food
eaten in isolation and on an empty stomach.
Consumption of any carbohydrate-rich food
along with proteins and/or fats will reduce
its effective Glycemic Index and any insulin
"spike" induced. Rick Mendosa maintains
an extensive list of the glycemic indices
of foods at http://www.mendosa.com/gilists.htm
Unfortunately, though the names have been
changed, the foods that you'd always thought
were bad for your diet still are. Foods rich
in sugars are particularly to be avoided,
with non-diet sodas and fruit juices sharing
a particular talent for sneaking loads of
calories past the lips of the unwary dieter.
It is likely beneficial to consume multiple
meals per day, like six, instead of just
three. One reason is that multiple meals
will reduce the amount of carbohydrate eaten
at any one time, causing a smaller insulin
response at each meal and maintaining a more
constant insulin level throughout the day.
Much evidence indicates that high insulin
levels encourages the storage of fat. Weight
loss and fat A dieter should consume about
20% of their Calories from fat. The primary
source of fat should be vegetable sources
while minimizing the intake of saturated
fats from animal sources. There are essential
fatty acids. Linoleic acid is obtained from
just about every source of vegetable fat.
Linolenic acid, and other omega-3 fatty acids,
are more difficult to obtain, but they are
found in walnuts, flax seed, borage seed
and some fish oils. Is weightlifting important
to fat loss? Yes. As outlined above, a loss
of muscle mass causes a decrease in metabolic
rate and subsequent weight (fat) gain. Inevitably,
dieters undergoing Calorie restriction will
lose some of their muscle mass. This loss
of muscle will slow down the metabolic rate
causing them to resort to further Calorie
decreases (or increases in physical activity)
in order to continue losing weight. Weightlifting
can actually prevent some of this muscle
loss, and if new muscle is added to your
frame, you will actually burn more Calories
when you aren't even exercising (the other
23 hours in the day). Successful weight loss
requires permanent dietary and exercise changes,
but the goal of fat loss is more likely to
be successful when weightlifting is combined
with proper diet and aerobic (cardiovascular)
exercise. What about those weight loss centers?
Weight loss centers are usually viewed as
a temporary fix and they rarely contribute
to long-term management of body fat. People
will usually visit the center for a while
where their meals are controlled and they
are regularly weighed and measured for body
fat. However, once the person stops visiting
the center, their eating patterns do not
resemble the meals of the controlled environments
and people often lose motivation without
the regular weigh-ins to monitor their progress.
Successful elimination of body fat comes
about through long-term changes in diet (decrease
Calorie intake, eat healthier foods) and
a long-term commitment to exercise. What
is the Isometric diet? Some people find other
types of diets useful. The isometric diet,
by Dan Duchaine, involves eating 1/3 of Calories
from protein, 1/3 from fat and 1/3 from carbohydrates.
On this diet, Dan also encourages the consumption
of low to moderate GI carbs. What is the
Anabolic diet? The AD is a cyclical ketogenic
diet which provides a way to gain muscle
whilst losing fat, sometimes at an astonishing
rate. During the week no carbs are ingested
(less than 30g per day), fat and protein
make up the daily calories. On the weekends
the diet switches over to a normal low fat
and very high carb regime. The diet works
in the following manner. In the absence of
carbs (during the week), the body switches
to ketone bodies (from fat breakdown) for
an energy source - this is ketosis. Ketones
have been shown to be protein sparing. The
high levels of ingested fats also trick the
body into a faster metabolic rate. On the
weekends when huge amounts of insulin spiking
carbs are ingested, the body is put into
a highly anabolic state. Fat spillover is
minimised due to the carb depleted muscles
absorbing most of the excess blood sugar.
Hence, fat loss is maximised during the week
with minimal muscle loss and conversely on
weekends muscle gain is maximised and any
fat spillover is minimised. Weekday food
choices include bacon and eggs, steak, salmon,
full fat mayo, cream, butter, sausages -
you get the picture. A 1:2 protein to fat
ratio is recommended, hence the high fat
content. See the following site by Jeff Krabbe
for more info. http://www.best.com/~pdornier/ad2.htm
What is Bodyopus? Bodyopus is very similar
to the anabolic diet except that it focuses
on losing bodyfat quickly while minimizing
lean tissue losses and includes the use of
various pharmacological agents. Mysteriously,
Bodyopus was published without an index,
but Robert Ames was kind enough to write
one. A plain-text version is available at
http://www.solid.net/lowcarb/bodyopus/bindex.txt
and an HTML version is located at http://www.solid.net/lowcarb/bodyopus/bindex.htm
What is the Zone diet? The zone diet, by
Barry Sears, is an extremely Calorie restrictive
diet that involves maintaining a protein
to carbohydrate ratio of 0.75 and encourages
the consumption of low glycemic index carbohydrates.
In theory, this type of diet should reduce
the insulin response after meals containing
high-glycemic foods. Subsequently, Sears
believes that this lower insulin response
should help reduce body fat. A recent study
found that after long-term (30 day) consumption
of low-glycemic foods, the body can alter
insulin secretion to reflect values similar
to those observed following the consumption
of high glycemic foods. In addition, another
study found that, despite decreased insulin
secretion, there was no significant fat loss
above that observed in a high insulin secretion
group. There are problems with both of these
studies, but they do raise serious questions
that have yet to be answered with respect
to the zone diet. First, almost all studies
examining the glycemic index of food have
followed the subjects for only a number of
hours after the meal, or for only a few days.
Insulin responses have not been examined
after long-duration consumption of low glycemic
index foods. This leaves the question, will
the body adapt, in the long run, to low glycemic
diets by secreting some predetermined genetic
quantity of insulin? Second, while insulin
certainly encourages the storage of fat,
one obvious question remains. Can reducing
insulin levels by changing to a low glycemic
index diet actually result in fat loss, independent
of further Calorie restriction? In addition,
weightlifters usually have some of the best
glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity
around, raising another question. Will this
type of diet be beneficial for weightlifting,
or any, athletes? Due to the extremely Calorie
restrictive nature of this diet, I (RR) do
not recommend it for weightlifters trying
to gain lean mass. Those trying to lose fat
may find the recommendations of the zone
diet to be very beneficial for fat loss.
The basics of the diet revolve around low-glycemic
vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans and dairy
products as food sources containing the ideal
carbohydrates. While all the claims have
not yet been born out by research, the Zone
diet is a sound approach to nutrition. RR
The Zone diet is from the book "The
Zone" by Barry Sears. It is a low Calorie,
low saturated fat, moderate carbohydrate,
moderate protein diet, with 40% of the Calories
from carbohydrates, 30% from (mainly mono-unsaturated)
fats, and 30% from protein. It is similar
to Dan Duchaine's IsoMetric Diet. Most people
who have tried it report good results at
losing fat while preserving lean mass. People
trying to gain lean muscle have had more
mixed results. Further information can be
obtained by going to http://www.cs.umass.edu/~swanzone.html
and following the links from there. For weightlifters,
3 effects on the Zone diet are generally
reported. 1) You can't get a pump. 2) It
takes a lot longer to recover between sets.
3) You're a lot less sore the day after a
workout. [ Russell Swan ] See also The Zone
page http://www.cs.umass.edu/~swan/zone.html
Dietary Protein Requirements of the Athlete
Common wisdom is that the dietary protein
requirements of athletes exceed that of sedentary
individuals, but this topic remains a contentious
one with a very wide range of recommendations
and a few outspoken individuals even going
so far as to deny that athletes have any
greater requirement at all or that increased
protein consumption is harmful (see the following
section, Is increased protein intake harmful?
). One of the best-known researchers on the
subject is Peter Lemon, who writes: Protein
and amino acid needs of the strength athlete.
Lemon PW, Applied Physiology Research Laboratory,
Kent State University, OH 44242 (Int J Sport
Nutr 1991 Jun;1(2):127-45) The debate regarding
optimal protein/amino acid needs of strength
athletes is an old one. Recent evidence indicates
that actual requirements are higher than
those of more sedentary individuals, although
this is not widely recognized. Some data
even suggest that high protein/amino acid
diets can enhance the development of muscle
mass and strength when combined with heavy
resistance exercise training. Novices may
have higher needs than experienced strength
athletes, and substantial interindividual
variability exists. Perhaps the most important
single factor determining absolute protein/amino
acid need is the adequacy of energy intake.
Present data indicate that strength athletes
should consume approximately 12-15% of their
daily total energy intake as protein, or
about 1.5-2.0 g protein/kg.d-1 (approximately
188-250% of the U.S. recommended dietary
allowance). Although routinely consumed by
many strength athletes, higher protein intakes
have not been shown to be consistently effective
and may even be associated with some health
risks. Is increased protein intake harmful?
In a word, no. Several studies have indeed
shown that reduced protein intake is beneficial
for individuals suffering from kidney disorders,
but this does not imply that a diet high
in protein is harmful for individuals with
healthy, functioning kidneys. Increased protein
intake does, however, also increase calcium
excretion; this is not generally a problem,
because it can be compensated for by increased
calcium intake, either from food or from
supplements. Many high-protein foods, including
milk and cheese, contain more than enough
calcium to compensate for any increase in
calcium excretion due to their protein content.
Even if your diet is high in protein but
not high in calcium-rich foods, calcium supplements
are widely and cheaply available in pill
form. Carbohydrate Loading Carbohydrate loading
is the technique of depleting muscle glycogen
stores, usually through a combination of
diet and exercise, followed by a period of
consuming a diet rich in high glycemic index
carbohydrates. Muscle cells with depleted
glycogen stores will take up and store carbohydrates
from the bloodstream much more rapidly than
undepleted cells and if glycogen stores are
refilled rapidly, this "window"
of increased uptake will last slightly longer
than it takes to return glycogen stores to
baseline levels, leading to more glycogen
being stored in muscle tissue than would
ordinarily. How much? according to one study:
Persistence of supercompensated muscle glycogen
in trained subjects after carbohydrate loading.
Goforth HW Jr, Arnall DA, Bennett BL, Law
PG (J Appl Physiol 1997 Jan;82(1):342-7)
Human Performance Department, Naval Health
Research Center, San Diego, California 92186-5122,
USA. Several carbohydrate (CHO)-loading protocols
have been used to achieve muscle glycogen
supercompensation and prolong endurance performance.
This study assessed the persistence of muscle
glycogen supercompensation over the 3 days
after the supercompensation protocol. Trained
male athletes completed a 6-day CHO-loading
protocol that included cycle ergometer exercise
and dietary manipulations. The 3-day depletion
phase began with 115 min of cycling at 75%
peak oxygen uptake followed by 3 x 60-s sprints
and included the subjects consuming a low-CHO/high-protein/high-fat
(10:41:49%) diet. Subjects cycled 40 min
at the same intensity for the next 2 days.
During the 3-day repletion phase, subjects
rested and consumed a high-CHO/low-protein/low-fat
(85:08:07%) diet, including a glucose-polymer
beverage. A 3-day postloading phase followed,
which involved a moderately high CHO diet
(60%) and no exercise. Glycogen values for
vastus lateralis biopsies at baseline and
postloading days 1-3 were 408 +/- 168 (SD),
729 +/- 222, 648 +/- 186, and 714 +/- 196
mmol/kg dry wt, respectively. The CHO-loading
protocol increased muscle glycogen by 1.79
times baseline, and muscle glycogen remained
near this level during the 3-day postloading
period. Results indicate that supercompensated
muscle glycogen levels can be maintained
for at least 3 days in a resting athlete
when a moderate-CHO diet is consumed. Carbohydrate
loading is potentially valuable to both the
bodybuilder and endurance athlete, by increasing
muscle size and fullness and by increasing
intramuscular energy stores to be used in
a subsequent athletic event. Because glycogen
storage requires the simultaneous uptake
of water by muscle cells, carbohydrate loading
also has the potential for drawing in any
excess extracellular water, which makes the
skin appear thinner and brings out muscular
detail. Care must be taken to drink sufficient
fluids at any time when glycogen stores are
being replenished, because if too much water
is taken up without adequate intake, electrolyte
imbalances and cramping may result.
-------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section VIII Supplements
---------------------------------------------------------
See separate document, MFW FAQ, Section VIII.
Supplements
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section IX Are there any natural
ways of increasing testosterone levels?
Unfortunately, even if there are natural
ways to increase testosterone, the body tends
to adapt to that change. It is unlikely that
natural supplements can actually result in
observable benefits. Homeopathic testosterone
and other homeopathic preparations You may
be wondering how one can legally sell testosterone
and how homeopathic "testosterone"
might be effective when taken orally, like
testosterone isn't. The secret lies in the
basic principle of homeopathy, which claims
that the "essence" of a substance
remains even when it is diluted to the point
that none of the substance in question actually
remains in the solution. As such, these are
basically just particularly expensive vials
of distilled water and will do everything
for you that drinking a tiny vial of water
would, thus getting around the legal and
biochemical limitations of actual testosterone.
Do squats and deadlifts increase testosterone
production? I suspect it's much simpler.
If you do exercises, with really heavy weights,
that stress the entire body, then the entire
body grows to adapt to that stress. You can
do isolation/concentration movements 'til
you're blue in the face, but once you place
a bar on your back (with some really heavy
weight on it) and squat down using every
muscle in your body to support that weight,
then your body has a serious stress to adapt
to. RR I'm going to back this statement.
This is the main reason any power lifter
does overloads. My PR in the squat is 525,
so I put 600 on the bar and simply hold it.
In laymen's term's it's simply getting used
to the weight. That is my advice for powerlifters.
For any other athlete, this advice may be
different. Train for what you do! Not for
what increases limit strength. Frederick
C. Hatfield II, MS,SSC1 What about sex and/or
masturbation? Neither masturbation or sexual
intercourse is likely to worsen your athletic
performance and recovery or lower testosterone
levels. Engaging is sex or masturbation *during*
a lift could potentially be dangerous and,
in any case, you should always observe good
gym etiquette and clean up any equipment
afterwards. If you do have sex in the gym,
be aware that other gym members may complain
if you haven't brought enough to share with
them too. J Endocrinol 1976 Sep;70(3):439-44
Endocrine effects of masturbation in men.
Purvis K, Landgren BM, Cekan Z, Diczfalusy
E The levels of pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHA), androstenedione, testosterone, dihydrotestosterone
(DHT), oestrone, oestradiol, cortisol and
luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured in
the peripheral plasma of a group of young,
apparently healthy males before and after
masturbation. The same steroids were also
determined in a control study, in which the
psychological antipation of masturbation
was encouraged, but the physical act was
not carried out. The plasma levels of all
steroids were significantly increased after
masturbation, whereas steroid levels remained
unchanged in the control study. The most
marked changes after masturbation were observed
in pregnenolone and DHA levels. No alterations
were observed in the plasma levels of LH.
Both before and after masturbation plasma
levels of testosterone were significantly
correlated to those of DHT and oestradiol,
but not to those of the other steroids studied.
On the other hand, cortisol levels were significantly
correlated to those of pregnenolone, DHA,
androstenedione and oestrone. In the same
subjects, the levels of pregnenolone, DHA,
androstenedione, testosterone and DHT in
seminal plasma were also estimated; they
were all significantly correlated to the
levels of the corresponding steroid in the
systemic blood withdrawn both before and
after masturbation. Psychosom Med 1999 May-Jun;61(3):280-9
Cardiovascular and endocrine alterations
after masturbation-induced orgasm in women.
Exton MS, Bindert A, Kruger T, Scheller F,
Hartmann U, Schedlowski M, Department of
Medical Psychology, University Clinic Essen,
Germany. The present study investigated the
cardiovascular, genital, and endocrine changes
in women after masturbation-induced orgasm.
Healthy women (N = 10) completed an experimental
session, in which a documentary film was
observed for 20 minutes, followed by a pornographic
film for 20 minutes, and another documentary
for an additional 20 minutes. Subjects also
participated in a control session, in which
participants watched a documentary film for
60 minutes. After subjects had watched the
pornographic film for 10 minutes in the experimental
session, they were asked to masturbate until
orgasm. Cardiovascular (heart rate and blood
pressure) and genital (vaginal pulse amplitude)
parameters were monitored continuously throughout
testing. Furthermore, blood was drawn continuously
for analysis of plasma concentrations of
adrenaline, noradrenaline, cortisol, prolactin,
luteinizing hormone (LH), beta-endorphin,
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone,
progesterone, and estradiol. RESULTS: Orgasm
induced elevations in cardiovascular parameters
and levels of plasma adrenaline and noradrenaline.
Plasma prolactin substantially increased
after orgasm, remained elevated over the
remainder of the session, and was still raised
60 minutes after sexual arousal. In addition,
sexual arousal also produced small increases
in plasma LH and testosterone concentrations.
In contrast, plasma concentrations of cortisol,
FSH, beta-endorphin, progesterone, and estradiol
were unaffected by orgasm. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual
arousal and orgasm produce a distinct pattern
of neuroendocrine alterations in women, primarily
inducing a long-lasting elevation in plasma
prolactin concentrations. These results concur
with those observed in men, suggesting that
prolactin is an endocrine marker of sexual
arousal and orgasm.
--------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section X Anabolic steroids
Steroids are a very large class of compounds
which occur in all animals. The steroids
used by athletes are mostly androgenic steroids:
steroids which act like testosterone. The
steroids used to treat inflammatory disorders
(e.g. prednisolone, cortisone, beclomethasone,
budesonide, dexamethasone and dozens of others)
are corticosteroids and do not have anabolic
effects. Testosterone in the male is produced
mainly in the testis, a small amount being
produced in the adrenal. It is synthesized
from cholesterol. The regulation of its production
may be simplified thus: the hypothalamus
(part of the brain) produces gonadotrophin
releasing hormone (GnRH) which acts on the
anterior pituitary to increase the production
of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH). LH acts on the
Leydig cells in the testis, causing them
to produce testosterone. FSH, together with
testosterone act on the Sertoli cells in
the testis to regulate the production and
maturation of spermatozoa. Testosterone in
turn acts on the hypothalamus and anterior
pituitary to suppress the production of GnRH,
FSH and LH, producing a negative-feedback
mechanism which keeps everything well-regulated.
The small amount produced in the adrenal
(in both sexes) is regulated by secretion
of adrenal corticotrophic hormone (ACTH),
also secreted by the pituitary. Testosterone,
and its metabolites such as dihydrotestosterone,
act in many parts of the body, producing
the secondary sexual characteristics of the
male: balding, facial and body hair, deep
voice, greater muscle bulk, thicker skin,
and genital maturity. At puberty it produces
acne, the growth spurt and the enlargement
of the penis and testes as well as causing
the fusion of the epiphyses (through its
conversion to estrogen), bringing growth
in height to an end. It plays some role in
maintaining the sexual organs in the adult,
but only a low concentration is required
for this. The normal production of testosterone
in the adult male is 4 to 9mg per day. The
normal plasma concentration is 22.5nmol/l,
of which 97% is protein bound. Most is excreted
in the urine as 17-ketosteroids, but a small
amount is converted to oestrogens. Various
analogs of testosterone are used in medical
treatment of testicular failure, hereditary
angioedema, anemia, severe endometriosis
and a few other conditions. Testosterone
itself is given by injection. Oral preparations
such as methyltestosterone, fluoxymesterone,
mesterolone and stanolone are sometimes used,
but they cause substantially more liver damage
than injectable or rectally administered
preparations because they are absorbed from
the gut and transported first to the liver
(like most things taken by mouth), where
they reach quite high concentrations and
are extensively metabolized before circulating
to the rest of the body. Many other analogs
have been developed with more anabolic effect
than testosterone. These include such famous
names as stanozolol, nandrolone, ethyloestrenol
and oxymetholone. They all have substantially
the same effects as testosterone: retention
of sodium, potassium, water, calcium, sulfate,
and phosphate, increased muscle synthesis
in response to exercise and possible increases
in aggression and or libido. They act on
the hypothalamus and pituitary to suppress
the production of GnRH, FSH and LH, causing
a virtual cessation in the production of
natural testosterone in the testes and also
reducing or stopping the production of spermatozoa.
This effect does not always reverse when
the artificial androgens are stopped. Cancers
of the prostate are frequently dependent
on testosterone (hence their treatment by
castration) and they may progress very rapidly
in the presence of high level of androgens.
A percentage of testosterone is converted
to estrogen and some artificial androgens
have some estrogen effect as well, causing
enlargement of the breast tissue behind the
nipple (gynaecomastia). This is occasionally
seen naturally in pubescent boys and a small
percentage of the adult male population.
This effect may be reduced by drugs which
inhibit the binding of estrogen to its receptors:
e.g. clomiphene, cyclofenil and tamoxifen
or drugs that block the enzyme, aromatase,
that converts testosterone to estrogen. So
are they safe? The approval and use of any
drug is a matter of deciding whether the
therapeutic benefits from its use are worth
the adverse effects. No drug is safe; acetaminophen
(paracetamol) causes some very nasty fatal
poisonings, aspirin causes rare cases of
devastating skin reactions. Problems occur
with every pharmaceutical and it is usually
dose dependent. However, the concensus is
that they save enough lives and alleviate
enough problems to more than compensate for
the bad effects. In therapeutic doses, steroids
result in few side effects. Androgenic steroids
have a fairly limited use in medicine. They
are effective in males with testicular failure
and are occasionally used in osteoporosis
and as an appetite stimulant in severely
wasted patients. In the past they were also
used to treat anemia, however, more effective
treatements now exist for this disease. In
these cases the benefits clearly outweigh
the risks for the patient. Using them for
essentially cosmetic or frivolous reasons
doesn't produce much of value to compensate
for the risks associated with their abuse.
Using drugs under medical supervision doesn't
make the drugs any safer, it just gives a
greater chance that the adverse effects may
be picked up sooner, and it decreases the
chances that an abusive quantity will be
used. James Mitchell (with modifications
by Rifle River) http://netspace.net.au./~jam/
See also The Anabolic Steriod FAQ http://www.cyberiron.com/asfaq.html
What Side effects are commonly seen with
steroid use? First, there are many different
anabolic steroids and based on how the body
handles them, they have very different side
effects. Some steroids have virtually no
side effects and to lump all anabolic steroids
into one category (in terms of benefit or
harm) shows a lack of understanding with
respect to their pharmacological action.
In therapeutic doses, 100 mg deca-durabolin
per week for example, very few side effects
are observed. Unfortunately, most athletes
will not restrict their use to therapeutic
doses. What happens when athletes take some
of the harsher anabolic steroids in abusive
dosages? Numerous side effects can result
while on steroids including acne, increased
sex drive, impotence, liver problems, aggression
and psychological dependence. Other side
effects, including gynecomastia (bitch tits),
high blood pressure, other cardiovascular
diseases, baldness, stunted growth in adolescents,
and enlargement of preexisting prostate tumors
can persist even after steroid use has stopped.
Female steroid users, in addition to the
problems listed above, can have virilizing
(masculinizing) symptoms when using the harsher,
androgenic compounds, including amenorrhea
(which is reversible), clitoral hypertrophy,
deeper voice, excessive growth of body hair,
loss of scalp hair and alterations in skin
texture (which frequently aren't reversible).
Not all of these conditions are caused by
all anabolic steroids. Some of the harsher
anabolic steroids will only cause these problems
for a certain percentage of the users, above
certain dosages. Some of the milder anabolic
steroids cause almost none of these side
effects. Therefore, it is a mistake to state
that all steroid users will come down with
these side effects. Any such silly statements
will be readily flamed on m.f.w. Most of
the side effects of steroid use result from
the conversion of testosterone to estrogen
or dihydrotestosterone. Some anabolic steroids
do not undergo this conversion. These steroids
will have fewer side effects. Commonly, guys
will post a question to the group asking
if they should be concerned about side effects,
like gyno, when taking 200 mg/week of deca-durabolin.
This demonstrates a lack of understanding
with respect to the side effects of anabolic
steroids. This person should do more reading
on the subject before proceeding because
deca undergoes very little aromatization
to estrogen, making the chances of gyno quite
small, especially at such a low dose. A more
valid question that is often asked is will
250 mg/week of testosterone make nolvadex
necessary during a cycle to prevent gyno.
Testosterone will convert to estrogen readily.
However, gyno and many of the side effects
of testosterone, don't show up at such low
doses. In fact, testosterone has been shown
to be relatively safe up to 600 mg/week FOR
SHORT DURATION USE! Those interested in this
should read the July 4. 1996 issue of the
New England Journal of Medicine regarding
the harmful and beneficial effects of testosterone.
For more information on specific steroids,
their effects and side effects, such books
as the World Anabolic Review (800-294-6181)
or the Anabolic Reference Guide (800-615-8500)
should be consulted. Is Lyle Alzado a good
example of how steroids are harmful? No,
anecdotal information is inadequate for drawing
conclusions (see question on scientific research).
In addition, Lyle died of a rare form of
brain cancer that is only seen in patients
with immunodeficiencies. This does not indicate
that Lyle was HIV positive. There are many
causes of immunodeficiencies. However, no
other steroid user, who is immunocompetent,
has died from this same form of brain cancer,
casting doubt on the hypothesis that Lyle's
steroid use caused his cancer or his death.
Should I start my first cycle? If you are
under the age of 20 you shouldn't even consider
the possibility. Teenagers are already experiencing
an anabolic spurt and the risks far outweigh
the benefit. Many anabolic steroids have
the potential to stunt your growth, so that
is something every teenager should consider
if they have any expectation of becoming
a professional athlete where short people
have a much lower probability of success.
If you live in the US, Canada or other countries
where steroids are strictly regulated, you
should consider the consequences of breaking
the law. If you have only been lifting weights
for a few years, you should consider that
inexperienced weightlifters rarely show benefits
from the use of steroids. If you think that
you will only use the milder anabolic steroids,
you should consider that just about everyone
who uses the more dangerous steroids started
out that way. Cycles of deca and primo turn
into cycles of anadrol and testosterone.
These compounds can be psychologically addictive,
and the desire for more is a dangerous game.
If you think that you are capable of self-administering
these compounds, you should consider how
much you really know about human physiology
and pharmacology. What would you do if you
hit a nerve with your needle? What would
you do if you get an abscess or infection?
How would you know if your liver or kidneys
were suffering? Is there a doctor around
who can run blood tests to monitor your health?
If you think that you can handle these drugs,
you should really think about what it will
mean to come off cycle. How will you taper
or ween yourself off? The desire to stay
on these compounds can be overwhelming. I
know guys who go on and never come off. The
potential for damage from this practice is
astounding. If you think that you want to
start a cycle, you should consider what exactly
is your goal. At age 25 you may want to look
better, but at age 35 or later you'll begin
to become concerned about your health. Is
the risk of problems, such as cardiovascular
disease, which take some time to develop
worth the risk, when your looks can improve
dramatically through weightlifting without
anabolic steroids? If you think you're ready,
you should consider that many guys use steroids
and make very few muscle gains because the
potential for using them incorrectly is enormous.
These people are increasing their chance
of suffering the side effects and they aren't
even achieving the main effect (putative
benefit) because they don't know how to use
them properly, workout properly and eat properly.
The potential errors that can be made are
extensive. See lists in the World Anabolic
Review and the Anabolic Reference Guide for
common errors. Once you have thought about
all this and have extensive knowledge in
this area wait another year before beginning.
This will allow you plenty of time for more
thought and it will demonstrate your dedication
to the iron. Decisions of this magnitude
should not be made quickly. As I always tell
a pushy salesman, "if I have to decide
today, the answer is no." I'm going
to start my first cycle. What are the safest
steroids and inwhat doses should they be
used?? Self-administered steroids are rarely
ever safe. In addition, black market steroids
can contain virtually any substance - it's
like playing Russian roulette. And, if you
don't know which ones are safer than others,
this indicates you don't have enough information
to begin a steroid cycle. You must be well-educated
in this area before you begin. Otherwise,
it will be very easy to make mistakes. Always
consult your physician before adding any
drug to your system. Make sure that your
physician monitors you while you are on that
drug. Injectable steroids are far easier
on the liver in general than oral preparations.
Of course, sterile technique and clean (new)
needles and syringes should be used for injection.
Any injection carries the potential risk
of bacterial infection. Sharing needles can
increase the risk of spreading viruses including
HIV, Hepatitis C and others. Fake steroids
often result in infection because the products
are often made in a non-sterile environment.
It is also possible to cause an embolism
from inadvertent intravenous injection. In
addition, it is possible to impale the sciatic
nerve during a gluteal injection which can
be extremely painful. Some of the milder
anabolic steroids include deca-durabolin,
equipoise, primobolan and oxandrolone. Some
of the harsher anabolic steroids that result
in more harmful effects include testosterone
esters, anadrol and dianabol. When considering
dosage, most lifters base their dose on total
mg/week. Whether it is deca or test, the
most important consideration is the total
mg/week. The question these users have to
address is how much risk are they willing
to take? Obviously, the higher the dosage,
the greater the risk they're tkaing. In addition,
these users often decrease their risk of
harmful effects by using a higher percentage
of the milder anabolic steroids listed above.
Those users who choose to take a greater
risk will use a higher percentage of the
harsher steroids listed above. For example,
some guys might choose to do 800 mg/week.
If all of that 800 mg is test, the risk of
harmful effects is much greater than if these
guys used 250 mg test in conjunction with
550 mg of deca (which is a safer anabolic
steroid). What dosage a user chooses is completely
up to that individual and the risk they're
willing to take. However, they should recognize
the risks associated with various dosage
levels. Many first time users try 200 mg/week.
Many experienced users push 2000 mg/week
(10 times more). Some bodybuilders have been
known to use 5000 mg/week, although this
is certainly a waste of the pharmaceuticals.
Many first time users will notice good gains
between 200 and 400 mg/week. Experienced
users often get good gains between 600 and
800 mg/week. Unfortunately, harmful effects,
such as gyno, often show up when users take
750 mg/week or more (this does not mean gyno
will not show up at lower doses, just that
it occurs with low frequency at lower doses).
So, many guys build great physiques, never
exceeding 700 mg/week. Of course, Dan Duchaine
once said "you give a guy 2 grams of
anything a week and he's going to grow."
For those who would like to understand more
about steroids they should read the following
books: World Anabolic Review (800-294-6181)
and Anabolic Reference Guide (800-615-8500).
Where can I get steroids? If you are looking
to use steroids for athletic or aesthetic
purposes, doctors can not, and will not,
prescribe them for you in the United States,
Canada and several other countries. 95% of
the items on the black market are fakes.
Attempting to obtain steroids from someone
you met on the net is STUPID. They could
be law enforcement looking to make a bust,
or they will simply take your money - they
won't even waste time with a fake product.
People often obtain the drugs in countries
where the regulations are not as strict while
visiting or through mail order. Others obtain
them from veterinary supply houses. Or they
are obtained from that really big guy in
the gym. :-> Are my steroids real? Make
sure that the substance in question doesn't
have a picture in the World Anabolic Review
or the Anabolic Reference Guide. No serious
steroid user should be without at least one
of these manuals. They provide pictures of
various real and fake steroids. If a picture
of your steroid is in this book, people will
be frustrated with the question. In addition,
these books give several guidelines for determining
if it's real. If it is not in this book,
you may ask the group. However, it is very
difficult to answer these types of questions
without actually seeing the product and usually
people will only answer with the standard
guidelines. What is the proper way to taper
off cycle? Do not use anabolics that aromatize
or suppress endogenous testosterone for a
taper. Any substance that suppresses endogenous
test production will be very harsh for coming
off cycle. A proper taper can help avoid
psychological addiction. Substances like
deca-durabolin, equipoise, laurabolin, primobolan
and proviron are commonly used for tapering.
The two best compounds for tapering are probably
primobolan and proviron. Here is one way
that people taper: After all testosterones,
dbols, anadrols and other harsh androgens
clear out their system, usually three or
four weeks is sufficient - shorter time periods
are fine if the substance has a shorter half-life,
begin HCG for one or two weeks. They then
follow the HCG with clomid (never the reverse)
for one or two weeks. The next week they
begin use of primobolan (which doesn't suppress
the axis). After a couple weeks they drop
the primo and use clenbuterol for two weeks.
Throughout the duration of the taper, proviron
is sometimes used because it is an anti-aromatase,
an androgen, and it doesn't suppress the
axis. For more information see the World
Anabolic Review (800-294-6181) and Anabolic
Reference Guide (800-615-8500). Is bridging
between cycles beneficial? No, it is very
dangerous. When you decide to use small quantities
of steroids between cycles, you must recognize
that you are not between cycles. You have
gone on steroids permanently. This is a very
drastic move and one that should not be contemplated
lightly. Many pro bodybuilders go on and
stay on. Consider the serious health ramifications
of this decision. But, you say, you'll only
do 50 or 100 mg of deca a week to bridge.
This is a mistake and a waste of juice and
androgen receptors. This won't have too many
harmful effects associated, but this will
prevent androgen receptors from ever returning
to normal levels. So, when a person decides
to go back "on-cycle", they get
few benefits from the higher dose steroids
because their receptors are still down-graded.
At this point the person begins to question
if the steroids are real because they aren't
seeing an effect. Bridging is a demonstration
of how steroids can be psychologically addictive.
Guys say they're off cycle, guys say they
aren't psychologically dependent, but they
still have to take a shot every week. Some
of the guys who get the best gains from their
cycles are the ones who only do one 10 week
cycle a year. The entire rest of the year
their training is causing an increase in
androgen receptors. When they finally hit
these receptors with juice, they are primed
for action. Bridging is a mistake. It is
far more detrimental to progress than people
believe. If a person decides that they are
going to go on without coming off, they will
not get any benefit from bridging with small
quantities. Pros that go on and don't come
off use serious quantities year round. Don't
risk your health by going on permanently.
Some would argue that it is worth the risk
if the person could earn millions of dollars
as a result of the steroid use. These people
are definitely not choosing bodybuilding
as their sport. Are steroids morally wrong?
Moral arguments against the use of steroids
usually fail miserably. One assumption made
in this argument is that everyone has a common
morality which is certainly false. Second,
people often forget that even over-the-counter
drugs have harmful effects and that legal
status is often determined by political ideology,
not by the safety of a drug. For example,
alcohol and nicotine both have inherent side
effects, but their overwhelming demand, and
other historical reasons, have led to their
legality in a democratic society, not their
relative safety.
-------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section XI Other drugs
Caution is always advised. Use any drug
under the care of a qualified physician.
Advice on the net may come from an actual
MD or a 13 year old kid posing as a MD. Their
writing can look quite similar when they
both use Times Roman, size 12, fonts. Clenbuterol
and Albuterol (salbutamol) Clen and Al are
beta-adrenergic agonists, like ephedrine,
used for the treatment of asthma. However,
they do not activate beta1 receptors which
are found on the heart. This alleviates the
potential for rapid heart beats and arrhythmia
associated with ephedrine. Although many
people report rapid heart beats in the first
couple of days of use. On the other hand,
both clen and al will activate beta2 receptors
more strongly than ephedrine resulting in
more side effects and a greater desensitization
of receptors. In addition, the half-lives
of these two compounds are longer than ephedrine,
especially clen which has a half-life between
48 and 60 hours. These beta agonists can
aid in fat loss, however, there use should
be kept very short. In addition, these compounds
are often used 2 days on, 2 days off for
a 2 week period followed by at least two
weeks off the substance. Clen is commonly
taken between 60 and 120 mcgs in divided
doses per day. The potential for side effects
is quite large. The side effects include
headaches, dizziness, tremors, nausea and
insomnia. Long term use of these substances
could potentially result in chronic thyroid
insufficiency. Clen is not available in the
US and albuterol is prescription only. And,
no, your albuterol INHALER will NOT help
you lose fat. This is because the inhaled
drug will not act systemically. Albuterol
does come in tabs, but the inhaler version
is much more common. Yes, clen comes in tablet,
liquid and powder forms. Clomid (clomiphene)
/ Cyclofenil Clomid causes a rise in LH Releasing
Hormone (LHRH) meaning that it will stimulate
the endogenous production of LH. Therefore,
it is useful alone when coming off cycle
(just as HCG is useful). Or, it is useful
to follow HCG treatment with clomid treatment
(never the reverse). Clomid also has some
mild antiestrogenic properties. As with HCG,
the body will have to adjust to the absence
of the exogenous signal. Therefore, efficient
tapers of cycles will follow clomid therapy
with primobolan, proviron or clenbuterol.
Cyclofenil is very similar to clomid, acting
both as an antiestrogen and gonadotropic
stimulant. Cytomel Cytomel will also cause
the loss of fat. It will also cause the loss
of muscle if you aren't simultaneously using
steroids. Cytomel is the thyroid hormone
triiodothyronine (T3). Its immediate side
effects are very similar to those of clenbuterol
listed above. Its use can result in chronic
thyroid insufficiency which will make you
either obese or dependent upon the substance
for life. Competition bodybuilders regularly
use this substance. It would be interesting
to find out how many bodybuilders who no
longer compete, yet require T3 because they
have developed chronic thyroid insufficiency.
Cytomel is not something to play around with.
Cytadren Cytadren is a cortisol blocker that
actually blocks the conversion of cholesterol
to pregnenolone and should inhibit the synthesis
of all endogenous steroids, including testosterone.
It is very useful for steroid users tapering
off cycle to block high cortisol levels (which
may result from the high androgen levels)
as the body is fighting to get its own testosterone
levels back to normal. Cytadren has been
blamed for some joint problems. It is unknown
if this claim is based on fact. In addition,
cytadren was blamed for Andreas Munzer's
death. However, Andreas did not have an autopsy
and the exact cause of death is unknown.
DNP 2,4-Dinitrophenol makes the production
of ATP less efficient causing a person to
burn more Calories. If you take too much
(which is easy to do), DEATH can result.
The other side effects seem superfluous in
light of this fact. The effective dose and
lethal dose are only separated by a factor
of 6. This is too close to play with. In
addition, the effects tend to be cumulative,
so it's very easy to obtain a much higher
effective concentration in the body than
the person realizes. Diuretics Diuretics
are drugs that (normally) increase the amount
of urine excreted causing a person to become
dehydrated. Bodybuilders often use diuretics
during competition to show off their muscles
better. Diuretics can be quite dangerous.
They can cause electrolyte imbalances which
can lead to death. The death of Momo Benaziza
is attributed to diuretic use. When used
in moderate quantities, they pose little
harm. Diuretics can not make up for poor
dieting. Growth Hormone "The Food and
Drug Administration, after receiving 6 reports
of benign intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor
cerebri) in patients treated with recombinant
growth hormone, actively identified an additional
17 affected patients in the United States
or abroad. Benign intracranial hypertension
was also reported in three patients with
resistance to growth hormone who were treated
with insulin-like growth factor I, the primary
mediator of the actions of growth hormone.
... Twenty-one patients had headaches or
visual changes, and all 23 patients had papilledema
when first examined" [A]. A. Malozowski
S, Tanner LA, et al. 1993. Growth Hormone,
Insulin-like Growth Factor I, and benign
intracranial hypertension. NEJM. 329:665-666
(letter). In addition, the reports in the
trenches are that growth hormone does not
add that much to a cycle. On the other hand,
many people claim that they had their best
cycles while combining growth hormone with
anabolic steroids. The evidence just isn't
in on this one yet. However, for the most
part, growth hormone results in a lower frequency
of side effects than anabolic steroids. Of
course, this may be a function of the price
and that people can't afford enough GH to
cause serious problems. HCG Human chorionic
gonadotrophic hormone acts like Lutenizing
Hormone (LH). In men it stimulates the testes
to produce testosterone. This is very useful
for steroid users who have shut down their
endogenous production of testosterone through
their use of exogenous androgens. HCG should
be used for only 2 week periods with at least
4 weeks inbetween use. Be aware that despite
its usefulness, the body still has to adjust
to the absence of the exogenous LH (HCG)
when coming off the HCG cycle. Other compounds
should be used at this time, like clomid,
clenbuterol, proviron or primobolan. Some
guys mention significant hair loss and gyno
as common side effects from use of HCG. Insulin
Too dangerous to even consider. Use only
if your doctor informs you that you are an
insulin dependent diabetic. If you accidentally
take too much, it could kill you. Pro bodybuilders
are using this, but this is unlikely to be
the explanation for extra gains. Insulin
can easily make you fat. Stick with anabolic
steroids, they are known to work. The following
studies show that insulin does NOT stimulate
protein synthesis in vivo (in the body, as
opposed to in a test tube). The conclusion
in #1 was that increased doses of insulin,
aminos, or both do not affect protein synthesis
in the heart, and that the effects on skeletal
muscles were inconclusive. In #2 the conclusion
was "insulin failed to stimulate skeletal
muscle and liver protein synthesis, even
when major plasma substrates (glucose, amino
acids, and potassium) were replaced."
1. McNulty PH, Young LH, Barrett EJ. 1993.
Response of rat heart skeletal muscle protein
in vivo to insulin and amino acid infusion.
Am J Physiol. 264: E958-65. 2. Tauveron I,
Larbaud D, et al. 1994. Effect of hyperinsulinemia
and hyperaminoacidemia on muscle and liver
protein synthesis in lactating goats. Am
J Physiol. 267:E877-85. Insulin is anti-proteolytic
and it decreases the concentration of IGFBP-1
in the blood [3]. IGFBP-1 inhibits the activity
of IGF-1. Therefore it is conceivable that
insulin could be ergogenic in combination
with other substances. The main thing to
remember is that while insulin may be anabolic
for fat, it is not anabolic for protein in
vivo. It is only anti-proteolytic. 3. DiPasquale
MG. 1995. Drugs in Sports 3(1):14. Robert
Ames Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 IGF-1 is
both myotrophic and neurotrophic as established
by in vitro studies. However, its effects
on muscle mass in vivo are unknown. IGF-1
has been shown to have similar effects as
growth hormone in GH deficient children.
This has led some researchers to suspect
that the actions of GH are mediated by IGF-1.
However, there are too many unknowns in this
field of research. It is extremely expensive
as well. It is an unnecessary risk. Stick
with anabolic steroids (or drug-free training)
because they're known to work, and their
harmful effects are well-understood. Word
has it that those who have used IGF-1 are
dissatisfied with the results. Nolvadex (tamoxifen)
Nolvadex is an anti-estrogen used to slow
the rate of growth of breast cancer. Because
of the action of aromatase converting testosterone
to estrogen in men, gynecomastia (bitch tits)
can develop. Anti-estrogens can help prevent
the development of gynecomastia while a steroid
user is on cycle. Anit-estrogens can prevent
the development of gyno, but they can't make
it go away. Some people claim that gyno reduces
slightly when off cycle, or when taking nolvadex.
In therapeutic doses in females, the incidence
of nausea and vomiting is around 25%. Viagra
(sildenafil) brand name of sildenafil, a
selective type 5 cGMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor,
which enhances nitric-oxide-dependent vasodilation
in the corpus cavernosum, thus increasing
erectile response in males suffering from
impotence. Note that viagra does not initiate
or increase sexual drive or desire or affect
testosterone levels. Viagra might help you
get it up in the bedroom (if you're having
problems in that department) but it won't
help you get the weight up in the gym.
------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section XII Personal Grooming
What is the best way to remove body hair?
Shave! Many people have tried every product
out there. They continue to shave because
nothing is more effective. A small percentage
of people have success with the no-shave
products. If they don't work for you, or
you can't stand the smell, become intimate
with your razor. Dealing with Chafing / Calluses
The short form: "just give your hands
time to get used to lifting the weights."
Some people have tried using lifting gloves,
but most people experience better results
from letting their hands get used to it.
(On a personal note, I [Trygve] do use lifting
gloves when doing sumo-style deadlifts, not
because of the bar, but to protect the back
of the supinated hand when it rubs against
my thigh.) "It will get easier, honest.
Eventually you'll be wrapping your hands
around knurling that's like several rows
of shark's teeth, and not even noticing.
"Grooming tip: buy a foot file, like
a pumice stone or other rough file, and use
it to file your calluses every day in the
shower. After the shower, apply a heavy duty
moisturizer. You'll still have the thickened
skin to protect your hands, but it'll be
smooth and almost soft." - Krista, Glamour
Advisor to the Choads <mistresskrista@home.com.removethis>
. . . "Just tell [your girlfriend] that
they're ribbed for her pleasure! ($1 to Lyle)"
- Nina [ http://www.theslack.com ]
------------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section XIII Miscellany
How can I get BRAWN or Hardgainer? CS Publishing
Ltd. PO Box 1002 Connell WA 99326 800-877-3322
Brawn is $18.95 + $3.50 p/h Hardgainer is
$25 for 6 issues (12 months) How can I subscribe
to Peak training journal? 330-686-0184 $13.95/yr
Why do so many people in m.f.w hate MM2K
and Phillips? When Bill Phillips first started
putting together educational materials (and
they were educational) for bodybuilders who
was one of the first, very honest, people
in the business. His newsletter and books
pointed out that professional bodybuilders
do use drugs, rather than hiding the fact
as many publications attempt to do. Bill
brought honesty back to bodybuilding. He
recognized that steroids were used and that
the claims for supplements were rarely founded
in fact. However, Bill's tactics began to
change, presumably as he recognized the potential
for monetary return. He also began to hype
supplements claiming some were as good as
steroids. Unfortunately, he was doing the
very thing he had previously exposed as,
virtually, fraudulent - making false claims
with respect to products that will earn him
money. In addition, Bill began claiming that
certain athletes are 100% drug free, when,
in fact, these athletes had used steroids
in the past. Granted, they may have ridded
their bodies of exogenous steroids, but the
long-term effects of these hormones can provide
benefit for some time after their use has
stopped. For this reason, many people view
his 100% drug free claims as misleading as
well. People began disliking what Bill has
become compared to what he once was. Some
still argue that his magazine is one of the
better ones around. At least he still recognizes
that pro athletes use drugs and he encourages
natural lifters to choose natural role models.
Furthermore, a few people in mfw have been
paid by Bill, or his enterprises, as employees
in the past. Some worked as freelance writers
while another worked with the supplement
company. Some of these people left Bill's
employment dissatisfied with the circumstances.
Some believe they were treated unfairly by
Bill or his associates. One way or another,
Bill was once highly respected and now he
is viewed on a similar level with the majority
of magazine publishers who are supplement
pushers. Some people on mfw do not hold this
opinion and they still believe that Bill's
publication is one of the best bodybuilding mags around.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Why is everyone so hung up on scientific
evidence and research studies? When anyone
makes a claim about anything (whether it
be the alien-driven spacecraft that landed
on their front lawn, or the latest miracle
muscle-building supplement) a very simple
question can be asked. Is the claim true
or false? How would a person go about verifying
if a claim is either true or false? Early
philosophers liked to think about something
(introspective method), believing that logic
could lead them to the truth. However, this
often fell short. The introspective method
was improved upon by use of the observational
method. People would observe something closely
and then make conclusions about the truth
or falsity of a claim. However, this method
has inadequacies as well. These inadequacies
were never more evident than with Hans the
counting horse. Yes, you could ask this horse
to count to 5 and it would stamp its hoof
five times. You could tell it to multiply
5 and 5 and it would stamp its hoof 25 times.
The horse was amazingly accurate, even more
so than some schoolchildren. Scientists from
all around came to observe Hans and his counting
abilities. They too were amazed when their
mathematical questions were readily answered
by the horse. Hans would perform this incredible
task for just about anyone who would ask
him a problem (not only could he count, but
he could understand language too!). However,
some more skeptical scientists had a hard
time believing the stories. So, they decided
to determine if this claim was true or false.
They suspected that the horse was relying
on some sort of signal from the person asking
the question. After all, the person asking
the question usually knew the answer. It
turns out that Hans was responding to facial
and body cues given by the asker of the question
(no small task of learning in itself). When
Hans could not see the person when he was
counting out his answer, he would get it
wrong every time. In addition, if the person
asking the question did not know the answer,
Hans would not come to the right answer.
What does Hans the counting horse demonstrate?
Hans shows how the observational method can
be very misleading. People were willing to
attribute his skill to a mental capacity
that horses do not have. However, Hans' skill
lay in his ability to read people's reactions
to his actions. The people who observed Hans
jumped to a false conclusion because many
things were happening at once. When there
are multiple potential causes of something,
it is very difficult to differentiate which
was responsible for actually causing the
event to occur. For this reason, it is very
difficult to distinguish which claims are
true or false. The scientific method works
to distinguish truth from falsity and actual
causes from simple correlations. The scientific
method is not always right, it is sometimes
inadequate and the people doing the investigations
often make mistakes. However, the inadequacies
of the scientific method do not negate it's
usefulness. In addition, its inadequacies
do not indicate that the other methods -
introspection and observation are necessarily
better. These other methods are simply more
misleading than the scientific method. The
scientific method is the best method for
understanding and describing the world around
us. So, when Joe Bodybuilder takes supplement
X and grows larger, he can't make the conclusion
that X made him grow larger. How did he know
that his training wasn't the cause? How did
he know that his nutrition wasn't the cause?
Most importantly, how did he know that his
belief in X wasn't the cause? These questions
can't be answered with anecdotal observations.
And, since one anecdotal observation is inadequate,
multiple anecdotal observations do not make
the conclusion any more adequate, it's just
multiple inadequacies. For this reason the
scientific method is critical for unraveling
the differences between a true and false
claim. That said, even scientific studies
published in respectable, peer-reviewed journals
can be wrong. In fact, many studies turn
out to be wrong. Initially, research studies
will show both sides of an issue to be true.
So, it's very easy to find scientific literature
to support almost any claim that you wish.
However, the scientists conducting this research
begin to discuss the limitations of the methods
they're using, they improve the techniques
and experimental design and eventually several
well-done, quality studies convince the scientists
that they should agree with one side over
the other. How can you determine whether
a study is of good or poor quality? Well,
this takes much practice at the task itself.
However, there are some basic guidelines
or questions to ask. Does the study involve
fewer than 30 subjects per group? Studies
with few subjects can easily mislead because
small samples often lead to strange, false
results. Does the study have an adequate
control group? Were the experimental and
control groups similar enough at the start
of the study? Were statistics performed properly,
or were they abused? What was the study really
testing? Did it test what the authors wanted
to test, or did it miss the mark? Was the
study performed blindly, where the researchers
and subjects did not know the treatments.
The list of questions and potential mistakes
goes on and on. Now, think about all these
mistakes that can be made which make a scientific
research study come to a false conclusion.
If it is that difficult for science to actually
make a claim - AND HAVE IT BE TRUE - think
how much more difficult it is to make a claim
and have it be true in the absence of quality
scientific evidence. The chance is very small.
This is why people often rely on the scientific
method and a healthy skepticism (which requires
that someone have good evidence to state
that something is either true or false).
People make claims all the time that turn
out to be false. Simply considering these
guidelines of how we know that something
is true or false can help you avoid making
these same mistakes. This should also give
huge insight into the falsity of the advertising
claims on bodybuilding supplements. Most
of the products include fantastic claims
that have absolutely no backing except the
smiling face of a huge, juiced-up bodybuilder.
This can, in no way, constitute a true claim.
On the other hand, many companies are starting
to test their products in scientific labs.
However, we must remember all the rules listed
above for why a research study can lead to
a false conclusion. Just because a supplement
has a research study supporting it does not
necessarily mean the claim is true. Often,
the researchers are funded by the supplement
company and their salaries are dependent
upon positive results. Also, supplement companies
will often throw away those studies that
don't support their claim. In addition, basic
errors can be made in the study which are
difficult to detect by the average person.
It all boils down to the fact that it's very
difficult to make a claim and actually have
quality evidence supporting the contention.
It requires a lot of hard work, honesty and
impartiality. Occasionally bodybuilders in
the trenches will notice something that science
is not yet aware of. For years, many scientists
doubted that anabolic, androgenic steroids
actually work. For political reasons some
medical representative organizations maintained
a public position that there was no evidence
that AAS worked. However, the anecdotal evidence
indicated otherwise. Careful experimentation
has since confirmed that steroids do work.
So, these other methods of obtaining knowledge
aren't worthless. In fact, we rely on the
observational method daily. The key is to
pay attention to what the bodybuilders in
the trenches are saying. If it looks interesting,
it should be examined and researched, not
discarded immediately. Most of these anecdotal
findings turn out to be false, but those
that are true can often lead to exciting
new ideas that scientists hadn't even thought
of. So, keep your eyes open as you lift hard,
but maintain an even skepticism to protect
your pocketbook.
---------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section XIV Document History
2001.04.20 Added section 1.12 Which of the
muscle/exercise/health magazines should I
believe? 2001.01.27 Split off the section
on Supplements to a separate document updated
some sections, notably tribulus terrestris
to cover recent studies on its effect on
training and performance 2000.02.21 added
sections on Dietary Protein Requirements
of the Athlete, Is increased protein intake
harmful? and Carbohydrate loading 2000.01.29
Fixed several dead or moved links, began
linking to Weightlifting, Bodybuilding, and
Exercise Dictionary ( www.trygve.com/weightsglossary.html
); added "in progress" section.
2000.01.13 Fixed a minor typo, added a section
on prohormones (full text to follow shortly)
1999.12.31 Converted document to HTML, added
index, checked some of the references, fixed
a few typos.
----------------------------------------------------------
MFW-FAQ Section XV Works In Progress -- topics
requested but not yet completed
ribose glycerol chondroitin muscle imbalance
rotator cuff hypoxic training corticosteroids
versus anabolic steroids free sex: new treatment
for rotator cuff injuries? Is "ephedrine,
caffeine, and free sex" more effective
for weight loss than just "ephedrine
and caffeine"? free sex versus machines
how many reps should I do? How many sets?
How long should I rest between sets? what
position should the spotter be in?
----------------------------------------------------------
In January 17 of 2001, I'm graduate by ISSA
International Sports Sciens Association
now I'm
Personal Fitness Trainer and Specialist
Performance Nutrition
now I'm already for make and change the body's
on my Stars of my company.
What is ISSA?
please check Pro-trainer in the front page!
