For the average trainer, the much desired lat spread does not come easily. In order to have lat flair you must first develop lats and herein lays the problem for many. Lat training is no different from the training of other body parts. There are dozens of various methods and techniques prescribed to widen the lats. Almost every routine tells you to perform chins, bent over rows, dumbbell rows, pull downs, T bar rows, and seated cable rows.
In fact, you would be hard pressed not to find a lat program that did not contain these movements. They are your basic lat exercises and you will have to do them to develop your lats. Some movements will work better for some while other movements will work better for others. The movements are not the problem, its the technique used, or in this case not used, and that presents the problem for most trainers.
Developing Great Lats
For a great many bodybuilders, proper feel and technique in performing lat work comes later on in their training. Unfortunately for most it is much later. Although thickness is obtained, the width and flair of the lats lag behind. The problem is due to not employing the correct technique in performing the various movements used to widen the lats. The technique is not really natural in nature and requires understanding, and a great deal of practice to master.
The biceps come into play heavily while performing any movements for the back, especially the lats. You cant work the lats without the biceps becoming involved to a very large degree. The secret is to limit the involvement of the biceps as much as possible. Most beginners use almost only bicep strength in performing lat exercises and this limits the results they can expect to receive. The biceps, forearms, and grip must be secondary muscle actions while performing lat movements... not foremost.
The hands must be viewed as hooks or cups that hook the bar. The mind must be focused on the back executing the movement and not pulling with the biceps. For most, this is difficult to do in the beginning as you cannot ignore the fact biceps are pulling muscles and used in any pulling movement. Mind visualization and practice are required in order to perform lat exercises properly for maximum benefit.
Although this technique is to be used on all back and lat movements, let me describe it using the bent over row as an example. Assume the bent over row position. Hands on the bar about shoulder width apart, your feet slightly wider than shoulder width. Keep your knees lightly bent throughout the movement. Bend over at the waist with your upper torso slightly more than parallel to the floor. Now focus on your arms and hands being nothing more than hooks on the bar. Concentrate full on your back and start the movement with your lats, not your arms. Try to make your shoulder blades touch one another.
Your focus must be on the lats doing the work, not the arms. The only way for most bodybuilders to properly perform lat work is to practice form and technique with very light weight. Once you have mastered the technique you can then begin adding weight to your exercises. Many bodybuilders use weights that are far too heavy for performing lat movements correctly. Poor form on lat exercises only places you at higher risk for injury and prevents you from working your lats the way they should be worked.
Chins are the absolute hardest movement to perform properly. Next are bent over rows. Both are excellent lat movements and allow for varied hand spacing to hit all aspects of the lats. You should continue to practice all lat movements using light weights without worrying about anything except your form. So that you will not feel using light weights counter productive to your training, I suggest you follow this giant set routine.
You will have to use light weights to make it thorough and it will give you plenty of practice. After following this giant set for about six weeks you should have the movements down pretty good and can advance to heavier weights and fewer movements per workout.
Begin by thoroughly warming up the lats. I suggest you perform chins for two sets of ten reps. If you are unable to do ten chins dont worry about it and every two sessions try to add one more repetition. Chins are difficult for most and I would not worry about the total number of reps you can actually perform. Just keep working on them. Since this is the warm-up movement, allow yourself about two to two and a half minutes between sets and the start of your workout.
The following movements are to be performed one right after another with no rest in between exercises. Once you have completed all the exercises in the order listed, this will constitute one giant set and you are to rest for two minutes before moving on to your next giant set. Remember; focus on form and not how much weight you can lift. This routine is designed to help you achieve the feel for working the lats.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
All About Recovery From Training And Competition
1) Replenishment Of Muscle Glycogen Stores
After many types of training, muscle glycogen levels are depleted. Rapid replenishement of muscle glycogen stores has a favorable impact on the prevention of muscle protein catabolism, on cellular rehydration, and on subsequent exercise performances within the same day or on subsequent days.
Basically, if you don't replenish glycogen rapidly, your performance will suffer next time you train and you may even lose some muscle along the way. Achieving the most rapid replenishment of muscle glycogen stores is especially important to my endurance athletes because they often train several times per day. However this can also help those training for bodybuilding as bodybuilding training (9-12 reps) often can deplete muscle glycogen.
In terms of glycogen replacement, the main difference between the two types of athletes is that endurance athletes usually need more glycogen replacement than do weight trainees. With endurance exercise the athlete should consume more carbs over the 4-6 hour period after the workout than the weight lifter.
In endurance athletes, I usually recommend consuming a liquid meal immediately after training that contains 0.4g protein and 0.8g of carbs per kg of body mass. Then I instruct them to consume food meals in similar proportions every 2 hours for 3 subsequent meals.
This means that there will be 4 total meals in the 6 hours following training that conform to the 0.4g protein and 0.8g fat recommendations. Some fat may be included in these latter meals but since carb intake will be high, fat intake should be modest.
2) Recovery Of Protein Balance
Protein balance is calculated as the difference between protein synthesis (protein anabolism) and protein breakdown (protein catabolism). As I've written before in my Solving the Post-Workout Puzzle articles, after training, protein synthesis tends to go down in endurance trainees while it may stay the same or minimially increase in weight trainees.
However in both types of athletes, protein breakdown goes way up, thus creating a negative protein balance and a good potential for muscle loss. Although this eventually rebounds and the body goes into an anabolic state, in the time immediately following training, muscle can be lost. Since no athlete can afford muscle loss, this is an important focus for recovery and subsequent muscle gain.
While weight trainers jump for joy at even the slightest prospect of a weight gain, endurance athletes aren't so excited about the possibility of any weight gain. However, the endurance athletes have nothing to fear. Since endurance athletes have a predomination of slow twitch fibers, the recovery of protein balance in these athletes is designed to prevent muscle loss as a result of intense training.
These types of fibers just don't grow very well so there is no big danger of packing on the pounds. But in bodybuilders, the fast twitch fibers respond quite differently than the slow twitch fibers. You will grow when a positive protein balance is initiated with nutrition and supplementation. And this means you get big.
So how does one initiate the recovery of protein balance after training?
Conveniently, the best way to do so is to consume the nutrient recommendations from the last section (glycogen replenishment).
By consuming the mentioned ratios (with the addition of some individual amino acids like glutamine, bcaas, and phenylalanine in the first post-workout drink) you will quickly create the optimal anabolic environment by minimizing protein breakdown and increasing protein synthesis.
3) Recovery Of The CNS
(Neurotransmitter balance)
Neurotransmitters are responsible for many functions in cell signaling and play a big role in the communication between different brain areas and between the brain and the rest of the body. Research on these regulatory chemicals and their effects in exercise training has just recently begun to get the attention it deserves. But this field is still in its infancy due to the fact that it's difficult to study the brain and central nervous system.
Some evidence exists showing that when neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine get depleted, physical and cognitive performance suffers. Since these neurotransmitters can be depleted from intense repeated bouts of strenuous exercise, this is bad news. I believe that certain types of fatigue with endurance training as well as many of the symptoms of over training (altered appetite, inability to sleep, etc.) are a result of this type of depletion of neurotransmitters.
In addition to this evidence, there is research showing that even the ratio of tryptophan to BCAA in the blood can increase 5-HT (serotonin) levels in the brain. This is due to increased tryptophan uptake in the brain. Tryptophan is a precursor for the fatigue promoting neurotransmitter, serotonin.
Since neurotransmitters can be depleted during exercise and this depletion can cause fatigue and over training, nutritional strategies may offer some support. Supplementation with 1-2 g of phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) per day may prevent the depletion of acetylcholine seen with training. Since acetylcholine is active in promoting muscular force, memory, and awareness, this would offer both cognitive and performance benefits. In addition, 6-8 g of tyrosine supplementation per day may help with dopamine and noradrenaline depletion.
Depletion Of These Neurotransmitters May Lead To:
• CNS fatigue
• Reduced motivation
• Poor memory
• Loss of motor control
• Poor mood
Finally, supplementation with 5g of BCAA during training may prevent serotonin increases during and after training due to the fact that BCAA compete with tryptophan for uptake into the brain, thus reducing the precursors for serotonin production.
Since the research in this area is so new, I recommend that most endurance athletes try the supplements I mentioned to see if they impacts performance. If not, we simply eliminate them from the program. There is simply not enough evidence to know if the neurotransmitter alterations seen in training have that much of an impact on performance and whether or not supplements can help in this regard.
4) Maximizing The Anabolic To Catabolic Hormone Ratio
In very intensely trained athletes, the anabolic hormones (testosterone) tend to decrease while the catabolic hormones (cortisol) tend to increase. This phenomenon is present in most endurance athletes and can manifest in weight trainers who do a high volume of exercise. This imbalance can lead to muscle loss, performance decrements, depression, and fat gain.
Several supplement strategies can be employed in an attempt to correct this. In a study done by Steve McGregor, Tribex supplementation increased the free testosterone to cortisol ratio in elite cyclists. This indicates it may be useful in balancing the anabolic and catabolic hormones.
1. Tribulus Terrestris, a very unusual, very powerful herb that has been shown in numerous studies to elevate testosterone levels.
2. Avena Sativa, a plant that has chemical properties that increase the levels of free testosterone in the body.
In addition, supplements like vitamin C, phosphatidylserine, and plant sterols may help prevent exercise induced increases in cortisol levels.
5) Recovery of the ATP-PC system
The ATP-PC system is responsible for repeated muscular contractions at the start of all exercise. It is also extremely important for brief, all-out bursts of maximal effort. ATP (the best energy source for muscular contraction) is broken down during such efforts and PC comes to the rescue to resynthesize the ATP that was broken down. This system is usually very efficient.
However when you really challenge the system with high intensity muscle-damaging contractions, the ATP is broken down faster than it can be resynthesized and some of its degradation products are lost from the muscle. This means that for each ATP that is lost, that's one less ATP to be resynthesized for further work.
Over the next few days following an exercise bout, ATP levels can be lowered by about 20% due to this. Sure, a few days later it will be back to normal. But most athletes don't train once every 3 days or so but every day. So they need more rapid recovery of ATP.
Creatine supplementation and ribose supplementation may come in handy here. High starting levels of muscle creatine before the exercise bout may be beneficial in preventing the overwhelming of the system and therefore the ATP loss.
In addition, ribose supplementation has been shown (in vitro) to increase the rate of ATP resynthesis after exercise-induced depletion. So the creatine-ribose combination may be beneficial in partially preventing ATP depletion with exercise and may help lead to more rapid recovery of ATP to previous levels.
With the knowledge of these 5 areas essential to recovery after training, athletes can target their weakest areas. Proper identification of what system may not be recovering will help to target nutritional strategies for maximizing performance and minimizing symptoms of over training.
After many types of training, muscle glycogen levels are depleted. Rapid replenishement of muscle glycogen stores has a favorable impact on the prevention of muscle protein catabolism, on cellular rehydration, and on subsequent exercise performances within the same day or on subsequent days.
Basically, if you don't replenish glycogen rapidly, your performance will suffer next time you train and you may even lose some muscle along the way. Achieving the most rapid replenishment of muscle glycogen stores is especially important to my endurance athletes because they often train several times per day. However this can also help those training for bodybuilding as bodybuilding training (9-12 reps) often can deplete muscle glycogen.
In terms of glycogen replacement, the main difference between the two types of athletes is that endurance athletes usually need more glycogen replacement than do weight trainees. With endurance exercise the athlete should consume more carbs over the 4-6 hour period after the workout than the weight lifter.
In endurance athletes, I usually recommend consuming a liquid meal immediately after training that contains 0.4g protein and 0.8g of carbs per kg of body mass. Then I instruct them to consume food meals in similar proportions every 2 hours for 3 subsequent meals.
This means that there will be 4 total meals in the 6 hours following training that conform to the 0.4g protein and 0.8g fat recommendations. Some fat may be included in these latter meals but since carb intake will be high, fat intake should be modest.
2) Recovery Of Protein Balance
Protein balance is calculated as the difference between protein synthesis (protein anabolism) and protein breakdown (protein catabolism). As I've written before in my Solving the Post-Workout Puzzle articles, after training, protein synthesis tends to go down in endurance trainees while it may stay the same or minimially increase in weight trainees.
However in both types of athletes, protein breakdown goes way up, thus creating a negative protein balance and a good potential for muscle loss. Although this eventually rebounds and the body goes into an anabolic state, in the time immediately following training, muscle can be lost. Since no athlete can afford muscle loss, this is an important focus for recovery and subsequent muscle gain.
While weight trainers jump for joy at even the slightest prospect of a weight gain, endurance athletes aren't so excited about the possibility of any weight gain. However, the endurance athletes have nothing to fear. Since endurance athletes have a predomination of slow twitch fibers, the recovery of protein balance in these athletes is designed to prevent muscle loss as a result of intense training.
These types of fibers just don't grow very well so there is no big danger of packing on the pounds. But in bodybuilders, the fast twitch fibers respond quite differently than the slow twitch fibers. You will grow when a positive protein balance is initiated with nutrition and supplementation. And this means you get big.
So how does one initiate the recovery of protein balance after training?
Conveniently, the best way to do so is to consume the nutrient recommendations from the last section (glycogen replenishment).
By consuming the mentioned ratios (with the addition of some individual amino acids like glutamine, bcaas, and phenylalanine in the first post-workout drink) you will quickly create the optimal anabolic environment by minimizing protein breakdown and increasing protein synthesis.
3) Recovery Of The CNS
(Neurotransmitter balance)
Neurotransmitters are responsible for many functions in cell signaling and play a big role in the communication between different brain areas and between the brain and the rest of the body. Research on these regulatory chemicals and their effects in exercise training has just recently begun to get the attention it deserves. But this field is still in its infancy due to the fact that it's difficult to study the brain and central nervous system.
Some evidence exists showing that when neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, dopamine, and norepinephrine get depleted, physical and cognitive performance suffers. Since these neurotransmitters can be depleted from intense repeated bouts of strenuous exercise, this is bad news. I believe that certain types of fatigue with endurance training as well as many of the symptoms of over training (altered appetite, inability to sleep, etc.) are a result of this type of depletion of neurotransmitters.
In addition to this evidence, there is research showing that even the ratio of tryptophan to BCAA in the blood can increase 5-HT (serotonin) levels in the brain. This is due to increased tryptophan uptake in the brain. Tryptophan is a precursor for the fatigue promoting neurotransmitter, serotonin.
Since neurotransmitters can be depleted during exercise and this depletion can cause fatigue and over training, nutritional strategies may offer some support. Supplementation with 1-2 g of phosphatidylcholine (lecithin) per day may prevent the depletion of acetylcholine seen with training. Since acetylcholine is active in promoting muscular force, memory, and awareness, this would offer both cognitive and performance benefits. In addition, 6-8 g of tyrosine supplementation per day may help with dopamine and noradrenaline depletion.
Depletion Of These Neurotransmitters May Lead To:
• CNS fatigue
• Reduced motivation
• Poor memory
• Loss of motor control
• Poor mood
Finally, supplementation with 5g of BCAA during training may prevent serotonin increases during and after training due to the fact that BCAA compete with tryptophan for uptake into the brain, thus reducing the precursors for serotonin production.
Since the research in this area is so new, I recommend that most endurance athletes try the supplements I mentioned to see if they impacts performance. If not, we simply eliminate them from the program. There is simply not enough evidence to know if the neurotransmitter alterations seen in training have that much of an impact on performance and whether or not supplements can help in this regard.
4) Maximizing The Anabolic To Catabolic Hormone Ratio
In very intensely trained athletes, the anabolic hormones (testosterone) tend to decrease while the catabolic hormones (cortisol) tend to increase. This phenomenon is present in most endurance athletes and can manifest in weight trainers who do a high volume of exercise. This imbalance can lead to muscle loss, performance decrements, depression, and fat gain.
Several supplement strategies can be employed in an attempt to correct this. In a study done by Steve McGregor, Tribex supplementation increased the free testosterone to cortisol ratio in elite cyclists. This indicates it may be useful in balancing the anabolic and catabolic hormones.
1. Tribulus Terrestris, a very unusual, very powerful herb that has been shown in numerous studies to elevate testosterone levels.
2. Avena Sativa, a plant that has chemical properties that increase the levels of free testosterone in the body.
In addition, supplements like vitamin C, phosphatidylserine, and plant sterols may help prevent exercise induced increases in cortisol levels.
5) Recovery of the ATP-PC system
The ATP-PC system is responsible for repeated muscular contractions at the start of all exercise. It is also extremely important for brief, all-out bursts of maximal effort. ATP (the best energy source for muscular contraction) is broken down during such efforts and PC comes to the rescue to resynthesize the ATP that was broken down. This system is usually very efficient.
However when you really challenge the system with high intensity muscle-damaging contractions, the ATP is broken down faster than it can be resynthesized and some of its degradation products are lost from the muscle. This means that for each ATP that is lost, that's one less ATP to be resynthesized for further work.
Over the next few days following an exercise bout, ATP levels can be lowered by about 20% due to this. Sure, a few days later it will be back to normal. But most athletes don't train once every 3 days or so but every day. So they need more rapid recovery of ATP.
Creatine supplementation and ribose supplementation may come in handy here. High starting levels of muscle creatine before the exercise bout may be beneficial in preventing the overwhelming of the system and therefore the ATP loss.
In addition, ribose supplementation has been shown (in vitro) to increase the rate of ATP resynthesis after exercise-induced depletion. So the creatine-ribose combination may be beneficial in partially preventing ATP depletion with exercise and may help lead to more rapid recovery of ATP to previous levels.
With the knowledge of these 5 areas essential to recovery after training, athletes can target their weakest areas. Proper identification of what system may not be recovering will help to target nutritional strategies for maximizing performance and minimizing symptoms of over training.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
All About Green Tea
I have been a green tea fanatic long before the green tea craze hit the supplement market. Now every damn weight loss product on the market has stuck some green tea extract on their ingredient list. I believe you can get some benefit from supplementing this way but your not using the plants full potential.
The Benefits Of Green Tea:
Green Tea Contains The Following:
Tannins - A group of simple and complex phenol, polyphenol, and flavonoid compounds. Produced by plants, all of the tannins are relatively resistant to digestion or fermentation. All tannins act as astringents, shrinking tissues and contracting structural proteins in the skin and mucosa.
What Does This Do For You?
Having a cup of green tea after a meal can aid in digestion. Green tea has been used for thousand of years in Asia as a digestive.
Catechins - Catechins are a category of polyphenols. In green tea, catechins are present in significant quantities, more specifically; epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content and appears to be the most powerful of the catechins - with antioxidant activity about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.
A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries.
What Does This Do For You?
Well having a powerful anti-oxidant coursing through your system after a heavy workout is just what you need to curb free radical damage.
Flavonoids - Flavonoids are plant pigments, and are the brightly colored chemical constituents found in most fresh fruits and vegetables. They may aid in protecting against infection. Deficiency can result in a tendency to bruise easily.
What Does This Do For You?
Obviously your workouts will suffer if you are sick.
Theanine - An amino acid that produces tranquilizing effects in the brain, theanine is a unique amino acid found in the leaves sencha. Theanine is quite different from the polyphenol and catechin antioxidants for which green tea is typically consumed.
What Does This Do For You?
I can personally attest to the good feelings you get after a couple cups of green tea. It leaves you with a peaceful feeling without compromising motivation and mental activity.
Bodybuilding & Fitness Uses
Pre-workout - Green tea is a great alternative to the ECA stack. Yeah I know nothing beats the ECA stack but hear me out. A number of people, including myself do not like how the ECA stack makes us feel.
I get jittery and easily angered for some reason. The green tea is great because it does have some caffeine and the Theanine really relaxes you mentally but lets you perform physically.
Cutting - Research suggests that supplementing with green tea can raise your resting metabolic rate by 3%. In order to get this benefit you must have about about 3 glasses a day. If you have a bmr of 2000 or so that means 60 extra calories a day. Why do you see so few obese Asians. Its not the kung-fu. It's the green tea!
All About Tea
All teas come from the same source. The tea plant is a member of the Camellia family (Camellia sinensis). Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea are all derivatives of this one plant.
It is the way the tea is prepared that determines its color. After the tea plant is picked, it is fermented, and then heated to stop the fermentation process. This fermentation process is responsible for the caffine content of the tea. The longer it is fermented the more caffine the tea will have. Green tea has the least amount of caffine of all the teas because it is the least fermented. The reason why green tea has the most health benefits is because a longer fermentation process destroys many of the beneficial substances in the tea plant. That is why chugging your Lipton tea is not even remotely comparable to having a cup of green tea (Lipton is made from black tea).
Qualities Of Tea
There is a huge quality difference in tea. Tea has been compared to wine when it comes to grading. The crap you get when you buy a package of tea at the supermarket and the tea you can get in loose whole leaf form is worlds apart in taste and quality. When selecting tea to be put in bags and sold commercially, manufacturers select the cheapest and lowest quality grade available. The leaves are broken and packed into the small tea bags. Breaking the leaves apart like this degrades the taste and eliminates some of the healthful macronutrients.
I suggest ordering your tea in whole leaf form. Try to get organically grown green tea in loose leaf form for maximum benefit. If you do not like the taste of green tea supplementing is always and option.
Conclusion
Green tea can be a great addition to the fitness enthusiast's arsenal. It is no wonder there is a media blitz telling you green tea is the latest greatest supplement. But it is no more "the latest supplement" than food is. Its been around for 1000s of years and there are billions of Asians who swear by it. I personally love it.
The Benefits Of Green Tea:
Green Tea Contains The Following:
Tannins - A group of simple and complex phenol, polyphenol, and flavonoid compounds. Produced by plants, all of the tannins are relatively resistant to digestion or fermentation. All tannins act as astringents, shrinking tissues and contracting structural proteins in the skin and mucosa.
What Does This Do For You?
Having a cup of green tea after a meal can aid in digestion. Green tea has been used for thousand of years in Asia as a digestive.
Catechins - Catechins are a category of polyphenols. In green tea, catechins are present in significant quantities, more specifically; epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG makes up about 10-50% of the total catechin content and appears to be the most powerful of the catechins - with antioxidant activity about 25-100 times more potent than vitamins C and E.
A cup of green tea may provide 10-40mg of polyphenols and has antioxidant activity greater than a serving of broccoli, spinach, carrots or strawberries.
What Does This Do For You?
Well having a powerful anti-oxidant coursing through your system after a heavy workout is just what you need to curb free radical damage.
Flavonoids - Flavonoids are plant pigments, and are the brightly colored chemical constituents found in most fresh fruits and vegetables. They may aid in protecting against infection. Deficiency can result in a tendency to bruise easily.
What Does This Do For You?
Obviously your workouts will suffer if you are sick.
Theanine - An amino acid that produces tranquilizing effects in the brain, theanine is a unique amino acid found in the leaves sencha. Theanine is quite different from the polyphenol and catechin antioxidants for which green tea is typically consumed.
What Does This Do For You?
I can personally attest to the good feelings you get after a couple cups of green tea. It leaves you with a peaceful feeling without compromising motivation and mental activity.
Bodybuilding & Fitness Uses
Pre-workout - Green tea is a great alternative to the ECA stack. Yeah I know nothing beats the ECA stack but hear me out. A number of people, including myself do not like how the ECA stack makes us feel.
I get jittery and easily angered for some reason. The green tea is great because it does have some caffeine and the Theanine really relaxes you mentally but lets you perform physically.
Cutting - Research suggests that supplementing with green tea can raise your resting metabolic rate by 3%. In order to get this benefit you must have about about 3 glasses a day. If you have a bmr of 2000 or so that means 60 extra calories a day. Why do you see so few obese Asians. Its not the kung-fu. It's the green tea!
All About Tea
All teas come from the same source. The tea plant is a member of the Camellia family (Camellia sinensis). Black tea, oolong tea, and green tea are all derivatives of this one plant.
It is the way the tea is prepared that determines its color. After the tea plant is picked, it is fermented, and then heated to stop the fermentation process. This fermentation process is responsible for the caffine content of the tea. The longer it is fermented the more caffine the tea will have. Green tea has the least amount of caffine of all the teas because it is the least fermented. The reason why green tea has the most health benefits is because a longer fermentation process destroys many of the beneficial substances in the tea plant. That is why chugging your Lipton tea is not even remotely comparable to having a cup of green tea (Lipton is made from black tea).
Qualities Of Tea
There is a huge quality difference in tea. Tea has been compared to wine when it comes to grading. The crap you get when you buy a package of tea at the supermarket and the tea you can get in loose whole leaf form is worlds apart in taste and quality. When selecting tea to be put in bags and sold commercially, manufacturers select the cheapest and lowest quality grade available. The leaves are broken and packed into the small tea bags. Breaking the leaves apart like this degrades the taste and eliminates some of the healthful macronutrients.
I suggest ordering your tea in whole leaf form. Try to get organically grown green tea in loose leaf form for maximum benefit. If you do not like the taste of green tea supplementing is always and option.
Conclusion
Green tea can be a great addition to the fitness enthusiast's arsenal. It is no wonder there is a media blitz telling you green tea is the latest greatest supplement. But it is no more "the latest supplement" than food is. Its been around for 1000s of years and there are billions of Asians who swear by it. I personally love it.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
All About Water Retention
I hear it all the time... "I do so much cardio, and my diet and training are so on point, yet I still have this layer of fat covering my abs! What's the matter with me?" Well... that layer of "muscle-masking mess" that you might assume to be fat, could in fact be primarily "subcutaneous fluid", otherwise known as "water weight".
The body has a natural mechanism for storing water and ions in the body, just as it does for storing excess calories as fat. Ions are basically charged particles which float around in your body, having various functions. You may have heard the term "electrolyte" before. An electrolyte is basically a molecule with a certain electric "charge" in your body, such as potassium (K+), or sodium (Na+), for example.
Take this test: See that skin covering your lower abdominal area? Give it a pinch, pull it, and let it go. If it shakes with a sort of quick "rippled" motion, you are probably carrying a lot of fluid which you were assuming to be fat.
A lot of bodybuilders get very lean, and achieve vascularity in areas such as their arms and legs, yet still cannot get their lower abdominal muscles to appear. This is usually due, not to fat, but to fluid and excess sodium ions being deposited in the lower abdominal region, thereby masking the well-sculpted muscle that lies underneath. This is why you hear a lot of people saying things such as "I'll never get this thick skin to go away"; when in fact they are misunderstanding a major concept that underlies achieving a truly striated and well-defined look: flushing subcutaneous fluid and excess sodium from underneath the skin.
"But how do I get rid of that excess fluid?" you might ask. I'm going to outline the steps I follow when I have a little extra fluid to lose, so that you also can get rid of that stubborn water weight, and achieve the thin skin, and truly striated look of competitive bodybuilders and fitness models. Before you start to drop water weight though, it is wise to know if you are lean enough to even begin considering it.
If you are above 7 or 8% body fat and you're looking to get extremely lean from water loss, it probably won't happen. But if you can already pretty much see your abdominal muscles, but have thick skin overlying them, and want to thin it out a bit, then these steps should be what you need to achieve the look you desire. Stick with it for a prolonged period of time, and give it a dedicated try. Nothing works overnight.
1) Drink More Water.
That's right. You've probably heard this one before, and it is definitely true. This is the most important advice I can give, and I cannot stress its importance. Besides flushing out your kidneys and entire digestive system, hydrating your body, and brain, thereby allowing your metabolism to function more effectively, and just making for a nicer skin tone and appearance, drinking more water causes you to release more water through excretion, thereby dropping "water retention".
Aim for 1-2 gallons of water a day, but be sure to take a complete multi-vitamin, as drinking a lot of water causes you to excrete many ions which may result in a deficiency of certain vitamins.
2) Sweat, Sweat, Sweat...
Sweating is a way of "evaporative cooling", a mechanism by which the body regulates its temperature. If you are sweating, it means your metabolism is probably in high gear, since a higher metabolism equals a higher resting body temperature for the most part. Also, water retention is not simply "water", but sodium ions trapped underneath the skin. This is why your sweat tastes salty. A trick I use is to sit in the sauna, and keep drinking water. In the beginning, your sweat will taste salty, telling you that you are retaining sodium.
After a while, your sweat will begin to taste like water. This tells you that you have sweat most of the sodium out that was being retained underneath your skin, which means you have lost a good portion of muscle-masking fluid. Once again, whenever sitting in a sauna, be sure to have water handy, and be sure to supplement with a vitamin, as you sweat out many of your essential vitamins.
3) Pose, Pose, Pose...
A lot of people don't like to sit in front of the mirror and squeeze their muscles, but I have found this to be one of the most important factors in truly achieving great detail deep within the muscle bellies. Besides causing you to sweat out subcutaneous fluid, posing allows you to gain greater control of your muscles. Try to flex just your posterior deltoid muscle, or just one muscle of your quadriceps.
It is a good method of practice for establishing a mind-muscle connection which will both enhance definition while posing, and allow you to better control your muscles during resistance training. The more you pose, and keep your sodium and water level low, the more cuts you will begin to see in your muscles over time, providing that your diet is on point as well.
4) Don't Gorge On The Salt!
That's correct, eating foods such as french fries, potato chips, and various other foods loaded with unnecessary amounts of sodium, will cause you to retain water. The body only needs between 2000-2500mg of sodium a day to complete its metabolic functions.
If you go way over that mark, you are indulging in a mineral which the American population has been using in excess for quite some time now, creating many health problems and concerns. Keep your sodium moderate, and replace excess salt with spices such as garlic, ginger, fresh vegetables, black pepper, chives, cilantro, Ms. Dash, hot sauce, or anything else your taste buds desire.
5) Fiber, Fiber, Fiber...
Most Americans, and even more surprisingly, most "bodybuilders", do not consume adequate amounts of fiber in their diet. Similar to water, which cleanses the urinary tract and kidneys, fiber cleanses the colon/intestinal tract, keeping things moving smoothly, and mores, aiding in the removal of excess fluid. In the morning, if I find that I need to drop some fluid, I will take 2 tablespoons of Psyllium Husk Orange Natural Colon Cleanser, mixed with water.
During my meals, I include fresh vegetables, and I steam the ones I cook very lightly or eat them raw with Balsamic Vinegar and/or garlic powder to make sure I don't boil out all of their nutrients. I also include fresh fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, all of which have plenty of fiber and many antioxidants` which help prevent against cancer and other ailments. When in doubt, berries are a great way to go.
6) Dandelion Root & Black Coffee Or Tea!
I have found the natural herb dandelion root to be a good naturally occurring diuretic, when taken in conjunction with the previous methods I have outlined. Always make sure to drink PLENTY of water and watch your sodium levels, otherwise you will be wasting your time. Coffee and tea are naturally occurring diuretics as well, although some people might not like the jittery feeling caused by stimulants.
7) Tan, Tan, Tan...
Tanning helps to tighten up the skin, and drop excess fluid through sweating as well. Always use some sort of SPF level, and make sure to consume antioxidants (such as berries), on a frequent basis to fight off free radicals which can be carcinogenic (cancer causing).
8) Give Preparation-H A Try!
If you've followed all of my previous steps, but still find that you are retaining a little more fluid than you'd like, I've found that rubbing preparation-H on my stomach before doing cardio, and/or tanning helps me to drop excess fluid from stubborn areas.
Once again, this won't work if you aren't already lean, or if you are slacking on your diet and/or consuming too much sodium. But if all of the above are in control, then this might just be the little spark to ignite the rest of that water releasing fire. Think about it…this stuff is used to shrink fluid out of swollen hemhorroidal tissue. It's worked for me, but once again it takes time.
So I've outlined the steps you should take in order to achieve the look you desire, minus the water-retention. As always, the first step to achieving that balanced physique is a proper nutritional and training regiment. If those are in check, and you find that you are 1 or 2 steps away from dropping that last bit of water, then this should be all you need to get to where you desire.
The body has a natural mechanism for storing water and ions in the body, just as it does for storing excess calories as fat. Ions are basically charged particles which float around in your body, having various functions. You may have heard the term "electrolyte" before. An electrolyte is basically a molecule with a certain electric "charge" in your body, such as potassium (K+), or sodium (Na+), for example.
Take this test: See that skin covering your lower abdominal area? Give it a pinch, pull it, and let it go. If it shakes with a sort of quick "rippled" motion, you are probably carrying a lot of fluid which you were assuming to be fat.
A lot of bodybuilders get very lean, and achieve vascularity in areas such as their arms and legs, yet still cannot get their lower abdominal muscles to appear. This is usually due, not to fat, but to fluid and excess sodium ions being deposited in the lower abdominal region, thereby masking the well-sculpted muscle that lies underneath. This is why you hear a lot of people saying things such as "I'll never get this thick skin to go away"; when in fact they are misunderstanding a major concept that underlies achieving a truly striated and well-defined look: flushing subcutaneous fluid and excess sodium from underneath the skin.
"But how do I get rid of that excess fluid?" you might ask. I'm going to outline the steps I follow when I have a little extra fluid to lose, so that you also can get rid of that stubborn water weight, and achieve the thin skin, and truly striated look of competitive bodybuilders and fitness models. Before you start to drop water weight though, it is wise to know if you are lean enough to even begin considering it.
If you are above 7 or 8% body fat and you're looking to get extremely lean from water loss, it probably won't happen. But if you can already pretty much see your abdominal muscles, but have thick skin overlying them, and want to thin it out a bit, then these steps should be what you need to achieve the look you desire. Stick with it for a prolonged period of time, and give it a dedicated try. Nothing works overnight.
1) Drink More Water.
That's right. You've probably heard this one before, and it is definitely true. This is the most important advice I can give, and I cannot stress its importance. Besides flushing out your kidneys and entire digestive system, hydrating your body, and brain, thereby allowing your metabolism to function more effectively, and just making for a nicer skin tone and appearance, drinking more water causes you to release more water through excretion, thereby dropping "water retention".
Aim for 1-2 gallons of water a day, but be sure to take a complete multi-vitamin, as drinking a lot of water causes you to excrete many ions which may result in a deficiency of certain vitamins.
2) Sweat, Sweat, Sweat...
Sweating is a way of "evaporative cooling", a mechanism by which the body regulates its temperature. If you are sweating, it means your metabolism is probably in high gear, since a higher metabolism equals a higher resting body temperature for the most part. Also, water retention is not simply "water", but sodium ions trapped underneath the skin. This is why your sweat tastes salty. A trick I use is to sit in the sauna, and keep drinking water. In the beginning, your sweat will taste salty, telling you that you are retaining sodium.
After a while, your sweat will begin to taste like water. This tells you that you have sweat most of the sodium out that was being retained underneath your skin, which means you have lost a good portion of muscle-masking fluid. Once again, whenever sitting in a sauna, be sure to have water handy, and be sure to supplement with a vitamin, as you sweat out many of your essential vitamins.
3) Pose, Pose, Pose...
A lot of people don't like to sit in front of the mirror and squeeze their muscles, but I have found this to be one of the most important factors in truly achieving great detail deep within the muscle bellies. Besides causing you to sweat out subcutaneous fluid, posing allows you to gain greater control of your muscles. Try to flex just your posterior deltoid muscle, or just one muscle of your quadriceps.
It is a good method of practice for establishing a mind-muscle connection which will both enhance definition while posing, and allow you to better control your muscles during resistance training. The more you pose, and keep your sodium and water level low, the more cuts you will begin to see in your muscles over time, providing that your diet is on point as well.
4) Don't Gorge On The Salt!
That's correct, eating foods such as french fries, potato chips, and various other foods loaded with unnecessary amounts of sodium, will cause you to retain water. The body only needs between 2000-2500mg of sodium a day to complete its metabolic functions.
If you go way over that mark, you are indulging in a mineral which the American population has been using in excess for quite some time now, creating many health problems and concerns. Keep your sodium moderate, and replace excess salt with spices such as garlic, ginger, fresh vegetables, black pepper, chives, cilantro, Ms. Dash, hot sauce, or anything else your taste buds desire.
5) Fiber, Fiber, Fiber...
Most Americans, and even more surprisingly, most "bodybuilders", do not consume adequate amounts of fiber in their diet. Similar to water, which cleanses the urinary tract and kidneys, fiber cleanses the colon/intestinal tract, keeping things moving smoothly, and mores, aiding in the removal of excess fluid. In the morning, if I find that I need to drop some fluid, I will take 2 tablespoons of Psyllium Husk Orange Natural Colon Cleanser, mixed with water.
During my meals, I include fresh vegetables, and I steam the ones I cook very lightly or eat them raw with Balsamic Vinegar and/or garlic powder to make sure I don't boil out all of their nutrients. I also include fresh fruits such as blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries, all of which have plenty of fiber and many antioxidants` which help prevent against cancer and other ailments. When in doubt, berries are a great way to go.
6) Dandelion Root & Black Coffee Or Tea!
I have found the natural herb dandelion root to be a good naturally occurring diuretic, when taken in conjunction with the previous methods I have outlined. Always make sure to drink PLENTY of water and watch your sodium levels, otherwise you will be wasting your time. Coffee and tea are naturally occurring diuretics as well, although some people might not like the jittery feeling caused by stimulants.
7) Tan, Tan, Tan...
Tanning helps to tighten up the skin, and drop excess fluid through sweating as well. Always use some sort of SPF level, and make sure to consume antioxidants (such as berries), on a frequent basis to fight off free radicals which can be carcinogenic (cancer causing).
8) Give Preparation-H A Try!
If you've followed all of my previous steps, but still find that you are retaining a little more fluid than you'd like, I've found that rubbing preparation-H on my stomach before doing cardio, and/or tanning helps me to drop excess fluid from stubborn areas.
Once again, this won't work if you aren't already lean, or if you are slacking on your diet and/or consuming too much sodium. But if all of the above are in control, then this might just be the little spark to ignite the rest of that water releasing fire. Think about it…this stuff is used to shrink fluid out of swollen hemhorroidal tissue. It's worked for me, but once again it takes time.
So I've outlined the steps you should take in order to achieve the look you desire, minus the water-retention. As always, the first step to achieving that balanced physique is a proper nutritional and training regiment. If those are in check, and you find that you are 1 or 2 steps away from dropping that last bit of water, then this should be all you need to get to where you desire.
Friday, May 1, 2009
5 WAYS TO GET LEAN WITH PROTEIN
There's no grand secret to success in bodybuilding. There's no miracle drug, no wondrous plant potion, no pie-in-the-sky, miraculous 1-2 sets to brutal throw-up failure, or any special chromosomal pattern. Instead - it really takes 3 things:
Disciplined correct and regular workouts, progressive in nature.
Proper sleep and mental attitude.
Great nutrition.
However, far too many hard-training individuals short-circuit themselves with inconsistent and improper protein intake, both in quantity and how they ingest their dietary nitrogen. Believe me, I have trained and observed thousands of athletes and bodybuilders, at varying levels and have seen major changes when better attention is paid to the dietary components for success. As I see it, there are 5 fundamental, critical steps to ensure muscle gains via optimum nutrition.
1. Ample Quality Proteins
Body size and overall activity must guide protein intakes. However, a good rule of thumb for the hungry young male bodybuilder is to eat a minimum of 1.5 grams of quality, complete proteins per pound of bodyweight. Some very hard-training individuals, lab measured to be in negative nitrogen balance over a 72-hour period at 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, have overcome plateaus in muscle mass gains and strength by increasing their protein intake to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight!
Additionally, some individuals seem to have a high level of carbohydrate intolerance (meaning they can not produce effective insulin responses to metabolize the carbohydrates), and for these individuals. I actually recommend up to 2.25 grams per pound of bodyweight. In these cases, a hard training, lean, 200-lb. male would normally shoot for at least 300 grams of protein a day. If he has difficulty with carbohydrates, he should move his protein to as high as 450 grams per day.
Believe it or not, with all we know about medicines today, frequent small doses of protein are the most effective blood sugar balancing agent!
2. Eat Small And Nutrient Dense - But Often
Theoretically, you should ingest quality protein 5 to 7 times a day for a few reasons. As I alluded earlier, protein feedings all but stop yo-yo patterns in blood sugar levels. You will not experience the intense hunger pains, weakness, irritability, headaches, muscle weakness, sweats and dizziness some people get associated with low blood sugar.
Frequent feedings prevent overeating at any one time and can modulate the storing of more body fat. Also, digestion is much easier, and it keeps the flow of flood throughout the digestive tract at an even pace. Finally, frequent feedings elevate the metabolic rate so that your body fat levels remain lower!
3. Absorb, Absorb, Absorb!
As Dr. Eric Serrano, the developer of NitroMine, GlutaCene, Ultra Size and his new Alpha Omega M3, has emphatically pointed out (and I agree), while there are a lot of good commercial, high-protein supplements, a high intake of any of them does not mean much, unless you have maximum digestion and cell assimilation.
While most individuals do produce an abundance of friendly bacteria and supportive digestion enzymes beginning in the mouth and on though the entire gut, many individuals have a documented increase in nitrogen balance when they use varying, digestive enzymes. This could be due to several factors including prescription drugs that they may be taking for medical conditions, the acid-base balance of their foods and plain old genetics.
For optimal protein digestion before the intestine, you might try probiotics (I like Jarrow formulas), betaine HCL and pepsin, and even a few herbal preparations can be of assistance. These include gentian root, fennel seeds and cardamom. My weightlifting colleagues from China recommend something called Conodopsis root a.k.a. Tang Shen root to help utilize more protein.
4. The Miracle Of BCAA's
I strongly recommend that all of you use additional branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), especially if your goal is to increase your lean body mass. I have learned several nutritional facts about the BCAA group from Eric Serrano, M.D., and Mauro Di Pasquale, M.D., and I have been using BCAAs with athletes who have difficulty gaining size.
It is not uncommon for individuals to gain 10 lbs. of muscle in 3-5 weeks of copious branched chain amino acid supplementation. Why does BCAA supplementation work so well? Consider:
Leucine is an important regulator of protein synthesis by reducing protein degradation in humans. Leucine spares glucose as fuel.
BCAAs promote protein synthesis.
BCAAs consumed during training raise growth hormone and insulin, hence the increased anti-catabolism and anabolism from BCAAs.
The BCAAs, unlike the other amino acids, can be used as a form of energy by muscle cells.
Carli et al. [1992] showed that supplementing with branched chain amino acids prior to a workout not only prevented a decrease in post-workout testosterone levels, but actually seemed to facilitate an increase in testosterone levels following exercise.
BCAA administration has a growth effect by enhancing the testosterone/cortisol ratio.
BCAA administration reduces exercise-induced increases in the muscle concentration of tyrosine and phenylalanine. This indicates that there is a decreased net rate of protein degradation during exercise.
Post workout soreness is reduced when you use BCAAs during training.
An Italian study on natural bodybuilders revealed that 0.2 g of BCAA per kg of bodyweight 30 minutes before workouts and 30 minutes after workouts led to greater increases in lean body mass, and strength gains in the bench press and squat.
BCAAs will decrease body fat (especially visceral fat, the fat that accumulates inside the abdomen and results in that beer gut look).
I recommend taking 0.44 gram of BCAAs per kilogram of bodyweight. If you weigh 90 kilograms (198 lbs.), that is about 40 grams of branched chain amino acids/day. If you are on a restricted budget, ingest 20 grams, or don't bother.
Over the years I have experimented with varying BCAA protocols - using them before, during and after workouts. My observations are that it is best to ingest them throughout the workout. This is as simple as taking 2-3 tablets between sets.
It was with this type of dosage, that we observed gains of up to 10 lbs. of lean body mass in just 3-4 weeks using this protocol!
5. Protein Rotation
Most bodybuilders know of only 5 solid protein sources: beef, non-fat milk, eggs, chicken and tuna. The problem with this is that when you consume the same protein foods over and over, you are limited by the weakest amino acid in any one protein. Some bodybuilders actually develop relative states of allergies to these repeated proteins. That's right! All athletes who train under my guidance at the Poliquin Performance Center are tested for food allergies - and it turns out that a lot of them have some relative state of allergic reaction to beef, eggs, chicken, and milk proteins.
Therefore, I rotate and substitute other protein foods such as shrimp, scallops, turkey etc. and use supplements to rebuild the integrity of the digestive track. I do not advise that my athletes eat the same protein source 2 days in a row. Usually, within 2 to 6 weeks, any allergy to a given protein is gone and the protein can be reintroduced. In my own case, I got rid of my signs of beef allergy in two weeks but it took 4 weeks to get rid of my egg allergies.
For anabolic purposes, I suggest you rotate your supplemental proteins over 3 days. For example:
Day 1 - Fish, liver or red beef proteins.Day 2 - Whey and casein proteins.Day 3 - Egg protein.
Athletes, who vary their protein intake more often than the norm, report increased energy levels and lessened requirements for sleep.
Disciplined correct and regular workouts, progressive in nature.
Proper sleep and mental attitude.
Great nutrition.
However, far too many hard-training individuals short-circuit themselves with inconsistent and improper protein intake, both in quantity and how they ingest their dietary nitrogen. Believe me, I have trained and observed thousands of athletes and bodybuilders, at varying levels and have seen major changes when better attention is paid to the dietary components for success. As I see it, there are 5 fundamental, critical steps to ensure muscle gains via optimum nutrition.
1. Ample Quality Proteins
Body size and overall activity must guide protein intakes. However, a good rule of thumb for the hungry young male bodybuilder is to eat a minimum of 1.5 grams of quality, complete proteins per pound of bodyweight. Some very hard-training individuals, lab measured to be in negative nitrogen balance over a 72-hour period at 1.5 grams of protein per pound of body weight, have overcome plateaus in muscle mass gains and strength by increasing their protein intake to 2 grams per pound of bodyweight!
Additionally, some individuals seem to have a high level of carbohydrate intolerance (meaning they can not produce effective insulin responses to metabolize the carbohydrates), and for these individuals. I actually recommend up to 2.25 grams per pound of bodyweight. In these cases, a hard training, lean, 200-lb. male would normally shoot for at least 300 grams of protein a day. If he has difficulty with carbohydrates, he should move his protein to as high as 450 grams per day.
Believe it or not, with all we know about medicines today, frequent small doses of protein are the most effective blood sugar balancing agent!
2. Eat Small And Nutrient Dense - But Often
Theoretically, you should ingest quality protein 5 to 7 times a day for a few reasons. As I alluded earlier, protein feedings all but stop yo-yo patterns in blood sugar levels. You will not experience the intense hunger pains, weakness, irritability, headaches, muscle weakness, sweats and dizziness some people get associated with low blood sugar.
Frequent feedings prevent overeating at any one time and can modulate the storing of more body fat. Also, digestion is much easier, and it keeps the flow of flood throughout the digestive tract at an even pace. Finally, frequent feedings elevate the metabolic rate so that your body fat levels remain lower!
3. Absorb, Absorb, Absorb!
As Dr. Eric Serrano, the developer of NitroMine, GlutaCene, Ultra Size and his new Alpha Omega M3, has emphatically pointed out (and I agree), while there are a lot of good commercial, high-protein supplements, a high intake of any of them does not mean much, unless you have maximum digestion and cell assimilation.
While most individuals do produce an abundance of friendly bacteria and supportive digestion enzymes beginning in the mouth and on though the entire gut, many individuals have a documented increase in nitrogen balance when they use varying, digestive enzymes. This could be due to several factors including prescription drugs that they may be taking for medical conditions, the acid-base balance of their foods and plain old genetics.
For optimal protein digestion before the intestine, you might try probiotics (I like Jarrow formulas), betaine HCL and pepsin, and even a few herbal preparations can be of assistance. These include gentian root, fennel seeds and cardamom. My weightlifting colleagues from China recommend something called Conodopsis root a.k.a. Tang Shen root to help utilize more protein.
4. The Miracle Of BCAA's
I strongly recommend that all of you use additional branched chain amino acid (BCAA) supplements (leucine, isoleucine, and valine), especially if your goal is to increase your lean body mass. I have learned several nutritional facts about the BCAA group from Eric Serrano, M.D., and Mauro Di Pasquale, M.D., and I have been using BCAAs with athletes who have difficulty gaining size.
It is not uncommon for individuals to gain 10 lbs. of muscle in 3-5 weeks of copious branched chain amino acid supplementation. Why does BCAA supplementation work so well? Consider:
Leucine is an important regulator of protein synthesis by reducing protein degradation in humans. Leucine spares glucose as fuel.
BCAAs promote protein synthesis.
BCAAs consumed during training raise growth hormone and insulin, hence the increased anti-catabolism and anabolism from BCAAs.
The BCAAs, unlike the other amino acids, can be used as a form of energy by muscle cells.
Carli et al. [1992] showed that supplementing with branched chain amino acids prior to a workout not only prevented a decrease in post-workout testosterone levels, but actually seemed to facilitate an increase in testosterone levels following exercise.
BCAA administration has a growth effect by enhancing the testosterone/cortisol ratio.
BCAA administration reduces exercise-induced increases in the muscle concentration of tyrosine and phenylalanine. This indicates that there is a decreased net rate of protein degradation during exercise.
Post workout soreness is reduced when you use BCAAs during training.
An Italian study on natural bodybuilders revealed that 0.2 g of BCAA per kg of bodyweight 30 minutes before workouts and 30 minutes after workouts led to greater increases in lean body mass, and strength gains in the bench press and squat.
BCAAs will decrease body fat (especially visceral fat, the fat that accumulates inside the abdomen and results in that beer gut look).
I recommend taking 0.44 gram of BCAAs per kilogram of bodyweight. If you weigh 90 kilograms (198 lbs.), that is about 40 grams of branched chain amino acids/day. If you are on a restricted budget, ingest 20 grams, or don't bother.
Over the years I have experimented with varying BCAA protocols - using them before, during and after workouts. My observations are that it is best to ingest them throughout the workout. This is as simple as taking 2-3 tablets between sets.
It was with this type of dosage, that we observed gains of up to 10 lbs. of lean body mass in just 3-4 weeks using this protocol!
5. Protein Rotation
Most bodybuilders know of only 5 solid protein sources: beef, non-fat milk, eggs, chicken and tuna. The problem with this is that when you consume the same protein foods over and over, you are limited by the weakest amino acid in any one protein. Some bodybuilders actually develop relative states of allergies to these repeated proteins. That's right! All athletes who train under my guidance at the Poliquin Performance Center are tested for food allergies - and it turns out that a lot of them have some relative state of allergic reaction to beef, eggs, chicken, and milk proteins.
Therefore, I rotate and substitute other protein foods such as shrimp, scallops, turkey etc. and use supplements to rebuild the integrity of the digestive track. I do not advise that my athletes eat the same protein source 2 days in a row. Usually, within 2 to 6 weeks, any allergy to a given protein is gone and the protein can be reintroduced. In my own case, I got rid of my signs of beef allergy in two weeks but it took 4 weeks to get rid of my egg allergies.
For anabolic purposes, I suggest you rotate your supplemental proteins over 3 days. For example:
Day 1 - Fish, liver or red beef proteins.Day 2 - Whey and casein proteins.Day 3 - Egg protein.
Athletes, who vary their protein intake more often than the norm, report increased energy levels and lessened requirements for sleep.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)