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.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
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.
Friday, April 10, 2009
5 Steps To A Bigger Stronger Bench!
1. Exercise Your Rotator Cuffs:
The Rotator Cuffs are a vital muscle group to maximizing your bench, they are responsible for internal and external rotation of the humorous (arm bone) as well as flexion and extension of the arm and also abduction and adduction of the arm.
All these movements are intrinsically involved in the actions of the bench press. If we take a moment to think of this and look at the bench press from an analytical perspective - we start the movement with the shoulder joint in the flexed position and also in the adducted position - as we move through the eccentric phase of the exercise we transfer from those positions into the extended and abducted position.
Bear in mind that the muscles responsible for these actions are small in comparison to the prime movers of the bench press (pectorals major) and even the assisting muscles, triceps and anterior deltoid.
Exercising these rotator cuff muscles will aid in the stabilization of the shoulder joint as a whole, minimizing the risk of injury while also allowing you to control more weight during the performance of the exercise.
2. Build Stronger Triceps:
Strong triceps are also a necessity for having a strong bench; after all they are solely responsible for the "lock out" phase of the movement.
Increasing the strength of the triceps through similar movements is a great approach to take when trying to increase the amount of poundage being used.
Close-grip bench pressing increases the range of motion of the elbow joint during the "lock out" phase maximizing the number of motor units being utilized to complete the movement, in other words, transferring the emphasis from the pectoral muscles to the triceps. The increased strength gained from performing this exercise transfers perfectly into the traditional bench press because of the biomechanical similarities between the two movements.
3. Try Decline Bench Press:
Decline Bench Press (declination of approx 20 - 30 degrees) allows you to move a larger volume of weight than flat bench, this is due to the biomechanical changes in the range of motion, much like arching the back during the flat bench. This angular change recruits the triceps and deltoids to a greater extent, due to the degree of abduction of the humorous being decreased than that of the flat bench, a greater number of motor units are recruited during the decline movement.
4. Try Eccentric Flat Bench Press:
Eccentric Flat Bench Press are of major benefit to one's strength. A training partner is vital for this phase of your training program. For eccentric training to be truly effective one must have a training partner who is at the same level of strength and is also switched on to one's capabilities.
Here a heavier weight will be used than when performing the regular exercise. As you lower the bar without aid and under complete control, your training partner should be ready to take up to 75% of the load when going through the concentric or positive phase of the movement, this method helps the muscles to adapt to the increased load in a more progressive manner, and the strength increase transfers to the conventional bench press in a relatively short period of time.
Thanks to muscle memory the body realizes that it has already adapted to using such weight, when performing the eccentric or negative phase the muscles brace in anticipation of the load and as they extend they create an elastic like effect, the tension created allows one to press the increased weight under a greater level of control, in other words YOU HAVE GOTTEN STRONGER!!!!
5. Use Partial Repetitions:
Partial Repetitions are the final step in my training program - I stole this method and adapted it from the Weider Principle of 21's where 7 lower half reps are performed, then 7 upper half reps are performed followed by 7 complete reps.
However my adapted method is not as intensive repetition wise, rep ranges are kept between 6 to 8 and sets are performed completing the lower part of the repetition only, that is from the sternum to the midpoint of the movement.
When performing the upper part of the movement a block should be used, some like to use a couple of phone books taped together. The bar is lowered from the lock out position to the top of the block and then pressed, this is a complete repetition.
The Rotator Cuffs are a vital muscle group to maximizing your bench, they are responsible for internal and external rotation of the humorous (arm bone) as well as flexion and extension of the arm and also abduction and adduction of the arm.
All these movements are intrinsically involved in the actions of the bench press. If we take a moment to think of this and look at the bench press from an analytical perspective - we start the movement with the shoulder joint in the flexed position and also in the adducted position - as we move through the eccentric phase of the exercise we transfer from those positions into the extended and abducted position.
Bear in mind that the muscles responsible for these actions are small in comparison to the prime movers of the bench press (pectorals major) and even the assisting muscles, triceps and anterior deltoid.
Exercising these rotator cuff muscles will aid in the stabilization of the shoulder joint as a whole, minimizing the risk of injury while also allowing you to control more weight during the performance of the exercise.
2. Build Stronger Triceps:
Strong triceps are also a necessity for having a strong bench; after all they are solely responsible for the "lock out" phase of the movement.
Increasing the strength of the triceps through similar movements is a great approach to take when trying to increase the amount of poundage being used.
Close-grip bench pressing increases the range of motion of the elbow joint during the "lock out" phase maximizing the number of motor units being utilized to complete the movement, in other words, transferring the emphasis from the pectoral muscles to the triceps. The increased strength gained from performing this exercise transfers perfectly into the traditional bench press because of the biomechanical similarities between the two movements.
3. Try Decline Bench Press:
Decline Bench Press (declination of approx 20 - 30 degrees) allows you to move a larger volume of weight than flat bench, this is due to the biomechanical changes in the range of motion, much like arching the back during the flat bench. This angular change recruits the triceps and deltoids to a greater extent, due to the degree of abduction of the humorous being decreased than that of the flat bench, a greater number of motor units are recruited during the decline movement.
4. Try Eccentric Flat Bench Press:
Eccentric Flat Bench Press are of major benefit to one's strength. A training partner is vital for this phase of your training program. For eccentric training to be truly effective one must have a training partner who is at the same level of strength and is also switched on to one's capabilities.
Here a heavier weight will be used than when performing the regular exercise. As you lower the bar without aid and under complete control, your training partner should be ready to take up to 75% of the load when going through the concentric or positive phase of the movement, this method helps the muscles to adapt to the increased load in a more progressive manner, and the strength increase transfers to the conventional bench press in a relatively short period of time.
Thanks to muscle memory the body realizes that it has already adapted to using such weight, when performing the eccentric or negative phase the muscles brace in anticipation of the load and as they extend they create an elastic like effect, the tension created allows one to press the increased weight under a greater level of control, in other words YOU HAVE GOTTEN STRONGER!!!!
5. Use Partial Repetitions:
Partial Repetitions are the final step in my training program - I stole this method and adapted it from the Weider Principle of 21's where 7 lower half reps are performed, then 7 upper half reps are performed followed by 7 complete reps.
However my adapted method is not as intensive repetition wise, rep ranges are kept between 6 to 8 and sets are performed completing the lower part of the repetition only, that is from the sternum to the midpoint of the movement.
When performing the upper part of the movement a block should be used, some like to use a couple of phone books taped together. The bar is lowered from the lock out position to the top of the block and then pressed, this is a complete repetition.
Friday, April 3, 2009
دو کلید برای بازوها با آرمین شولز
دو کلید برای بازوها با آرمین شولز
یک بدنساز حرفه ای برای تمرین بازوی خود دو حرکت غیر عادی اجرا می کند که
شاید برای شما هم حرکتی ویژه باشد جهت تحریک بازوها به رشد
یک بدنساز حرفه ای برای تمرین بازوی خود دو حرکت غیر عادی اجرا می کند که
شاید برای شما هم حرکتی ویژه باشد جهت تحریک بازوها به رشد
با حرکت آرمین شولز آشنا شوید
آرمین شولز بدنساز حرفه ای آلمانی که لقب چکش را بعضی ها برایش انتخاب کرده اند
هرگز برای ساختن بازوهای خود با مشکلی مواجه نبوده است .فکر نمی کنم با قطری
در حدود 58 سانتیمتر او هیچ وقت برای ساختن بازوهایش مشکلی نداشته است . اما
این بدان معنا نیست که او در مورد بازو هیچ توصیه ای نمی تواند داشته باشد
وقتی تمرینات او را برسی می کنید متوجه دو حرکت غیر معمول می شوید که می توانند
برای جلوبازو و پشت بازوهای متوقف شده شوکی برای رشد جدید باشند
این دو حرکت عبارتند از
جلوبازو دمبل سینه به سینه میز شیبدار
با اجرای حرکت جلوبازو دمبل روی میز بالا سینه به خوبی آشنای دارید چرا که آرنولد هم
یکی از هواداران این حرکت بوده و تصاویر زیادی از او در حال اجرای این حرکت دیده اید
این حرکت از بخش پائین روی جلوبازوها فشار زیادی وارد می کند اما برای افرادی که
سرشانه های قدرتمندی دارند احتمالآ این حرکت نمی تواند برای جلوبازوهایشان خیلی موثر
واقع شود چرا که نقش شانه هایشان زیاد خواهد شد. برای فاکتور گرفتن این کمک نا خواسته
که از سوی شانه ها واصل می شود حرکت مذکور را در حالی اجرا کنید که برعکس روی
میز قرار گرفته اید یعنی باید سینه به سینه میز بنشینید.در این حالت جلوبازوها فشار لازم را
دریافت خواهند کرد. با این فرم دیگر نمی توانید حین حرکت یدن را حرکت اضافه ای بدهید
در نتیجه همه فشار متوجه عضلات جلوبازو خواهد شد
پارالل با میز پرس ,موازی
آرمین شولز هرگز پارالل را دوست نداشته چرا که همیشه در این حرکت عمده فشار به
سرشانه هایش وارد می شود. او همچنین یکی دیگر از حرکات اساسی برای پشت بازوها
به نام پرس سینه دست جمع را انجام نمی دهد چرا که بیشترین فشار را در عضلات سینه
خود حس می کند تا روی پشت بازوها . بنابراین او حرکت پارالل موازی که بین دو میز
پرس اجرا می شود را در برنامه های خود انجام می دهد.این حرکت برای شولز در
ساختن و حس کردن پشت بازوهایش مناسب است از این جهت شاید برای شما هم سازنده
باشد پس شانس خود را آزمایش کنید شاید کلید افزایش سایزتان در نواحی بازو با این
آرمین شولز بدنساز حرفه ای آلمانی که لقب چکش را بعضی ها برایش انتخاب کرده اند
هرگز برای ساختن بازوهای خود با مشکلی مواجه نبوده است .فکر نمی کنم با قطری
در حدود 58 سانتیمتر او هیچ وقت برای ساختن بازوهایش مشکلی نداشته است . اما
این بدان معنا نیست که او در مورد بازو هیچ توصیه ای نمی تواند داشته باشد
وقتی تمرینات او را برسی می کنید متوجه دو حرکت غیر معمول می شوید که می توانند
برای جلوبازو و پشت بازوهای متوقف شده شوکی برای رشد جدید باشند
این دو حرکت عبارتند از
جلوبازو دمبل سینه به سینه میز شیبدار
با اجرای حرکت جلوبازو دمبل روی میز بالا سینه به خوبی آشنای دارید چرا که آرنولد هم
یکی از هواداران این حرکت بوده و تصاویر زیادی از او در حال اجرای این حرکت دیده اید
این حرکت از بخش پائین روی جلوبازوها فشار زیادی وارد می کند اما برای افرادی که
سرشانه های قدرتمندی دارند احتمالآ این حرکت نمی تواند برای جلوبازوهایشان خیلی موثر
واقع شود چرا که نقش شانه هایشان زیاد خواهد شد. برای فاکتور گرفتن این کمک نا خواسته
که از سوی شانه ها واصل می شود حرکت مذکور را در حالی اجرا کنید که برعکس روی
میز قرار گرفته اید یعنی باید سینه به سینه میز بنشینید.در این حالت جلوبازوها فشار لازم را
دریافت خواهند کرد. با این فرم دیگر نمی توانید حین حرکت یدن را حرکت اضافه ای بدهید
در نتیجه همه فشار متوجه عضلات جلوبازو خواهد شد
پارالل با میز پرس ,موازی
آرمین شولز هرگز پارالل را دوست نداشته چرا که همیشه در این حرکت عمده فشار به
سرشانه هایش وارد می شود. او همچنین یکی دیگر از حرکات اساسی برای پشت بازوها
به نام پرس سینه دست جمع را انجام نمی دهد چرا که بیشترین فشار را در عضلات سینه
خود حس می کند تا روی پشت بازوها . بنابراین او حرکت پارالل موازی که بین دو میز
پرس اجرا می شود را در برنامه های خود انجام می دهد.این حرکت برای شولز در
ساختن و حس کردن پشت بازوهایش مناسب است از این جهت شاید برای شما هم سازنده
باشد پس شانس خود را آزمایش کنید شاید کلید افزایش سایزتان در نواحی بازو با این
دوحرکت به خوبی در قفل رشد چرخش کند
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sports Nutrition And Kids
Sports for kids are supposed to be fun right? It's how you played the game not if you won or lost. Today kids are told that no one remembers second place and that the must win! One saying that still sticks is "2nd place is nothing but the first loser". No wonder over the last 20 years there has been a significant rise in performance enhancing drug use amongst teens.
The Big Picture
In a world that only the winners count how can kids get the edge on the competition? The teenage years are a very tough time because kids want to be liked, respected and admired. Athletes many times are elevated too high for their accomplishments, but kids see it and they want to be in the spotlight! When I get a kid asking about product X,Y, or Z? I generally respond with lets look at the big picture. The big picture is how are you training, eating, sleeping, and generally dealing with stress? Obviously going over the entire big picture is beyond the scope of this article so I will focus upon the basics of nutrition only.
As a teenager your performance at your next game dependent upon your nutrition. How you recover between plays and events is directly effected by how you have eaten before and after the sporting event. Most teens eat about whatever they want, but by eating better you will have better performance.
If you are serious about performance you should be eating 5-7 meals daily. When eating to enhance performance you should concentrate on low fat protein, clean (starchy, fibrous and fruit) carbohydrates, and limiting fat intake.
Protein
When selecting protein foods, drop the heavier meats such as: sausage, bacon, hamburger, (unless it is 92% lean). These meats are very slow to digest because of the massive amounts of fat are naturally occurring in the meats. Choose meats such as lean steak, lean pork, chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, lowfat milk products and high quality supplemental protein. I personally cut out my steak at least 3 days from an event. Protein should make up 20-30% of total calories.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) are the bodies preferred fuel source. Most kids I know run out of gas quickly because they just don't eat enough. I eat a plethora of different carb sources; breads, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, yams, any fruit or vegetable. You should eat 3-5 fruits and veggies a day just for health reasons, the phytochemicals in them help prevent certain cancers! Carbs should make up 50-60% of total calories.
Fat
A certain amount of fat (10-20% of total calories) is needed in the diet just for basic health concerns such as; fat (cholesterol) donates the back bone for all steroid-hormones, fat is needed for joint health, and brain function just to name a few. To explain the needs for proper fat would require a whole article so I will tell you what you need. Most Americans do not get enough good fat so I suggest getting some flax seed oil or an "efa"(essential fatty acid) oil to make sure you are getting enough of the right fats.
I take 1-2 tablespoons of Total EFA (Health From The Sun) or a blend called Udo's Choice. I add this to my foods. Some may ask about the other fat-well by choosing leaner meats you will limit the other fat, but also grilling, baking, broiling or boiling your meats will also limit the unneeded fats.
Water
Water is the most over looked nutrient. Remember both protein and fat metabolism are dependent upon water. Without adequate water carbs can't be stored properly. Most doctors recommend 8-10 eight ounces glasses of water a day-this is too little for a hard training athlete. I would suggest at least 1 gallon a day if not more. During exercise/competition stick only with water. A few hours before the event or after you can drink stuff that contains electrolytes, but during the event stick with plan old "cold" water. The water will replenish fluid and the "cold" will keep the bodies core temperature down, which will help prevent overheating!
In a nutshell once a young athlete has a good working knowledge of the basics of the big picture then and only then will I even discuss the use of sports nutrition with them. There are a few that are a must and they are a multi vit/min and some type of essential fatty acid supplement. There are a few supplements that I will never suggest that they use and they are any type of pro-hormone, herbal testosterone booster, or thermogenic aid. Teen athletes don't need higher testosterone so anything that may enhance hormone levels is off limits.
Thermogenics not only aid in fat loss, but the also have the potential of increasing performance, but with the downside of dehydration. Any possible benefits of thermogenics are generally negated by the cramping that most of the time follows their use. When dealing with young athletes I stick with the use of MRP's, protein, carbohydrate type supplements, weight gainers bars and occasionally creatine and glutamine.
The bars and various types of protein powders come in handy between classes. Getting 5-7 meals a day takes timing and for kids in school it is tough to have time to eat a meal between classes, but it would be easy to eat a bar or slam a shake. In an ideal world they would just eat real food.
A weight gain drink could be used by those that need to put on weight in the off season or those that have a problem maintaining weight during the event season. If I have a kid that is Spartan like with his meals I will consider them using creatine and or glutamine. I generally don't let any of my young athletes use these two because they still have not rasped the whole of the big picture, but the ones that have with their parents and Doctors permission I will allow them to use them.
I know, I know but they are kids they shouldn't use these things! I see them as a better alternative to steroids, which like I said before are being used at an alarming rate!
The Big Picture
In a world that only the winners count how can kids get the edge on the competition? The teenage years are a very tough time because kids want to be liked, respected and admired. Athletes many times are elevated too high for their accomplishments, but kids see it and they want to be in the spotlight! When I get a kid asking about product X,Y, or Z? I generally respond with lets look at the big picture. The big picture is how are you training, eating, sleeping, and generally dealing with stress? Obviously going over the entire big picture is beyond the scope of this article so I will focus upon the basics of nutrition only.
As a teenager your performance at your next game dependent upon your nutrition. How you recover between plays and events is directly effected by how you have eaten before and after the sporting event. Most teens eat about whatever they want, but by eating better you will have better performance.
If you are serious about performance you should be eating 5-7 meals daily. When eating to enhance performance you should concentrate on low fat protein, clean (starchy, fibrous and fruit) carbohydrates, and limiting fat intake.
Protein
When selecting protein foods, drop the heavier meats such as: sausage, bacon, hamburger, (unless it is 92% lean). These meats are very slow to digest because of the massive amounts of fat are naturally occurring in the meats. Choose meats such as lean steak, lean pork, chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites, lowfat milk products and high quality supplemental protein. I personally cut out my steak at least 3 days from an event. Protein should make up 20-30% of total calories.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates (carbs) are the bodies preferred fuel source. Most kids I know run out of gas quickly because they just don't eat enough. I eat a plethora of different carb sources; breads, pasta, rice, oatmeal, cream of wheat, yams, any fruit or vegetable. You should eat 3-5 fruits and veggies a day just for health reasons, the phytochemicals in them help prevent certain cancers! Carbs should make up 50-60% of total calories.
Fat
A certain amount of fat (10-20% of total calories) is needed in the diet just for basic health concerns such as; fat (cholesterol) donates the back bone for all steroid-hormones, fat is needed for joint health, and brain function just to name a few. To explain the needs for proper fat would require a whole article so I will tell you what you need. Most Americans do not get enough good fat so I suggest getting some flax seed oil or an "efa"(essential fatty acid) oil to make sure you are getting enough of the right fats.
I take 1-2 tablespoons of Total EFA (Health From The Sun) or a blend called Udo's Choice. I add this to my foods. Some may ask about the other fat-well by choosing leaner meats you will limit the other fat, but also grilling, baking, broiling or boiling your meats will also limit the unneeded fats.
Water
Water is the most over looked nutrient. Remember both protein and fat metabolism are dependent upon water. Without adequate water carbs can't be stored properly. Most doctors recommend 8-10 eight ounces glasses of water a day-this is too little for a hard training athlete. I would suggest at least 1 gallon a day if not more. During exercise/competition stick only with water. A few hours before the event or after you can drink stuff that contains electrolytes, but during the event stick with plan old "cold" water. The water will replenish fluid and the "cold" will keep the bodies core temperature down, which will help prevent overheating!
In a nutshell once a young athlete has a good working knowledge of the basics of the big picture then and only then will I even discuss the use of sports nutrition with them. There are a few that are a must and they are a multi vit/min and some type of essential fatty acid supplement. There are a few supplements that I will never suggest that they use and they are any type of pro-hormone, herbal testosterone booster, or thermogenic aid. Teen athletes don't need higher testosterone so anything that may enhance hormone levels is off limits.
Thermogenics not only aid in fat loss, but the also have the potential of increasing performance, but with the downside of dehydration. Any possible benefits of thermogenics are generally negated by the cramping that most of the time follows their use. When dealing with young athletes I stick with the use of MRP's, protein, carbohydrate type supplements, weight gainers bars and occasionally creatine and glutamine.
The bars and various types of protein powders come in handy between classes. Getting 5-7 meals a day takes timing and for kids in school it is tough to have time to eat a meal between classes, but it would be easy to eat a bar or slam a shake. In an ideal world they would just eat real food.
A weight gain drink could be used by those that need to put on weight in the off season or those that have a problem maintaining weight during the event season. If I have a kid that is Spartan like with his meals I will consider them using creatine and or glutamine. I generally don't let any of my young athletes use these two because they still have not rasped the whole of the big picture, but the ones that have with their parents and Doctors permission I will allow them to use them.
I know, I know but they are kids they shouldn't use these things! I see them as a better alternative to steroids, which like I said before are being used at an alarming rate!
Friday, March 6, 2009
The role of hormones on muscle growth & fat loss
There are plenty of hormones in the human body that regulate all sorts of physical development and metabolic processes. Some of them contribute in an important way to regulate the anabolic and the catabolic processes. This post reviews the main hormones involved in muscle growth and fat loss, namely testosterone, growth hormone, insulin, glucagon and cortisol, which are of primary interest for the bodybuilder.We have already described insulin and glucagon role in a previous post dedicated to metabolism. Remember that these are antagonistic hormones responsible for regulating blood glucose levels. Insulin is an anabolic hormone which facilitates glucose and amino acid transport into muscle cells (stimulating protein synthesis and inhibiting protein breakdown), but also fatty acid transport into fat cells. Glucagon is a catabolic hormone which mobilizes glycogen stores to recuperate glucose levels as well as stimulates breakdown of body fat to be used for energy. Both hormones are controlled entirely by diet.Testosterone is a steroid hormone which is the responsible for the development of male sex characteristics (e.g. body and facial hair, deep voice, etc.) and the maturation of sperm and male sexual organs. In addition, testosterone is probably the most important hormone for building muscle through the promotion of protein biosynthesis. This accelerates muscle buildup and regeneration, and increases your recovery capacity after exercise, injuries, and illness. In addition, protein biosynthesis also stimulates the metabolism and promotes the burning of fat. You can stimulate your testosterone production through intense exercise and adequate sleep and nutrition. In addition, some bodybuilders use natural boosters when testosterone levels begin to drop due to age.Human growth hormone (GH), also known as somatotropin, is the primary hormone responsible for stimulating tissue repair, cell replacement, brain function, and enzyme production. GH is a highly anabolic hormone having profound effects on the growth of the skeleton and the muscles. You can naturally control your GH levels through exercise, rest and nutrition. First, intense and strenuous workouts stimulate GH release because these catabolic states require extra protein synthesis and in case of lack of energy, fat metabolization to make up for glycogen depletion. Second, most part of your total daily GH is released while sleeping, especially during REM phase. For this reason, having a good sleep is mandatory for building muscle. Finally, a high protein diet contributes also to raise your GH levels.Cortisol is a catabolic hormone which reduces cellular synthesis, and carries out the gluconeogenesis process (conversion of amino acids from muscle tissue to glucose for energy), causing in this way muscle breakdown. On the other side, cortisol is also involved in fat mobilization. Cortisol levels are highest early in the morning and during periods of high stress (i.e. after training). In order to control your cortisol levels, you should eat first thing in the morning and right after your workout (since insulin nullifies the effects of cortisol), limit your workouts to no more of 1 hour and have a good sleep. In addition, some amino acids (e.g. glutamine) and vitamins (e.g. vitamin C) help also to control cortisol levels.
Friday, February 20, 2009
پروتئین و اسیدهای آمینه
پروتین ها فراوانترین مولکولهای آلی در سلولهای جانوری بوده و در حدود 50% ویا بیشتر از
وزن خشک آنها را تشکیل می دهند.پروتئین ها در اثر هیدرولیز به واحدهای ساختمانی خود
یعنی اسیدهای آمینه تبدیل می شوند وهمین واحدهای ساختمانی تعین کننده ارزش غذایی پروتئین ها
می باشند.واحدهای ساختمانی پروتئین هر یک دارای قدرت خاصی بوده و بر حسب نیاز بدن مورد
مصرف قرار می گیرند.پروتئین برای ساخت و بازسازی عضلات- گلوبولهای قرمز- مو و دیگر
بافتهای بدن وبرای ساخت هورمون یک ماده اساسی و ضروری است.حدود 15% انرژی مورد
نیاز روزانه باید از غذاهای پرپروتئین مانند مرغ-ماهی-گوشت گاو و گوسفند و یا تخم مرغ تآمین
شود.بسیاری از ورزشکاران مقدار زیادی گوشت قرمز – مرغ -ماهی و یا دیگر پروتئین ها را
مصرف می کنند با این تصور که پروتئین به تنهایی عضله سازی می کنند با این وجود پروتئین
اضافی بر حجم نمی افزاید بلکه تمرینات درست وفشرده است که حجم عضلات را زیاد می کند.
نسبت نیاز روزانه بدن افراد از درصد پروتئین با یکدیگر متفاوت است.معمولآ مصرف پروتئین
بر اساس هر کیلوگرم وزن افراد معمولی 1 تا 2/1 گرم و در ورزشکاران 5/1 تا 2/2 گرم به
ازای هر کیلوگرم از وزن بدن می باشد که در دوران حجم این مقدار نیز حتی به 5/3 گرم هم
می رسد.پروتئین ها از ترکیبات آلی بنام اسیدهای آمینه تشکیل شده اند که این اسیدهای آمینه را
به دو گروه تقسیم می کنند:
1 ) اسیدهای آمینه ضروری
2 ) اسیدهای آمینه غیر ضروری
اسیدهای آمینه ضروری
اصطلاح اسیدهای آمینه ضروری بدین دلیل گفته می شود که بدن انسان قادر به ساختن آنها نیست
و حتمآ باید از طریق مواد غذایی به بدن برسند.این اسیدهای آمینه عبارتند از :آرژنین – والین –
لوسین – ایزولوسین – تریپتوفان – لیزین – تره اونین – متیونین و هسیتیدین
اسیدهای آمینه غیرضروری
این اسیدهای آمینه عبارتند از:گلیسین – آلانین – سرین – سیستین – آسپارتیک اسید – پرولئین
اگرچه تمام اسیدهای آمینه برای بدن و رشد عضلات لازم هستند ولی بعضی از انان در مقایسه
با بقیه از اهمیت خاصی برخوردارند.
برای مثال اسیدهای آمینه ارژنین و گلیسین در تحریک ترشح هورمون رشد در بدن تاثیر زیادی
دارند.از طرف دیگر گلیسین در کنترل افسردگی دارای اهمیت ویژه ای می باشد.اسید گلوتامیک
فراوانترین اسید آمینه موجود در عضلات است که نقش مهمی در تولید انرژی دارد و برای این
کار خود به ویتامین های ب شش و ب سه بیازمند است و به طور خلاصه:
آرژنین: آزاد کردن هورمون رشد از مغز – تحریک رشد عضله
گلیسین: آزاد کردن هورمون رشد از مغز – کمک به ساخت کراتین – کنترل افسردگی- جلوگیری
از تشکیل اسید لاکتیک ودیر خسته شدن ورزشکار
هیستیدین: جلوگیری از دردهای مفصلی – تحریک رشد نوزادان
اسید گلوتامیک:تقوت حافظه و تمرکز حواس – عضله سازی –تولید انرژی در عضله
سرین:بالا بردن قند خون – تولید انرژی در عضله –
آلانین : کمک به تنظیم قند خون – جلوگیری از تحلیل عضلات
سیستین : کاهش درد ناشی از التهاب – آنتی اکسیدان بافتهای بدن – کاهش التهاب ناشی از آسیب
لیزین : جلوگیری از تحلیل عضلات – بالا بردن توان فرد در ورزشهای استقامتی – کمک به ساخت کارنی تین
لوسین و ایزو لوسین : ضروری برای رشد ونمو عضلات بدن – دارای خاصیت آنابولیکی
تمرینات بدنی و فعالیتهای شدید باعث تحلیل پروتئینهای بافت عضلانی می شود و این کمبود پروتئین
در واقع زمینه را برای مصرف پروتئین درخواستی ایجاد می کند و مصرف پروتئین مورد نیاز بعد
از تمرین باعث افزایش حجم عضلات می گردد. پروتئین به عنوان منبع سازنده مواد برای ماهیچه های
بزرگ و قسمتهای ترکیب دهنده ماهیچه هاست و این گروه غذایی عاملی برای ترمیم بافتهای آسیب دیده
حاصل از تمرین و عامل تحریک کننده فاکتورهای رشد بدن و کاهش دهنده چربی های اضافه بدن
می باشد و این همان علتی است که باعث می شود و شده تا ورزشکاران از این گروه غذایی استفادهبیشتری ببرند.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
BODYBUILDING & ALCOHOL Do They Mix?
Alcohol (ethyl alcohol or ethanol), one of the worlds oldest, most widely used, drugs, has many effects on the body, some positive, but most negative. Historically, alcohol has been blamed for many of the worlds tragedies and problems, from the fall of the Roman Empire (What's Your Poison; 1997) (1) to the disbanding of many families. Ironically, it is made from relatively innocuous substances. Fermented grain, fruit juice and honey have been used to make alcohol for thousands of years. Alcohol's use spans nationalities and demographics as it serves to relax and provide a source of enjoyment. It has even been shown to have some salutary effects, such as a blood thinning action beneficial to the cardiovascular system, in addition to the aforementioned social and relaxation aspects.
However, the doses required in these instances are very minimal (1-2 glasses in most cases), and anything beyond this more than outweighs any potential benefits. This is partly because alcohol is classed as a central nervous system depressant, causing the brain to relax and inhibitions to decrease. Ones rational thought, emotional status, judgement, speech and muscle coordination are adversely affected through alcohol consumption. In extreme cases it can cause coma and death. Alcohol is specifically detrimental to bodybuilders, or any athlete, in that it can interfere with recovery, protein synthesis, hydration, motivation , and nutrient intake. Its financial cost is a burden for anyone who buys it.
A review of the research will show that alcohol is poisonous to every organ in the body and will adversely affect everyone who engages in its use to some Extent (1, 6, 7, 8). This article is not intended to dissuade people from using alcohol moderately, for recreational purposes, but will point out, from an athlete and a researchers point of view, its significant shortcomings. Cheers.
Alcohol's Effects Ethyl alcohol is a very small molecule which is soluble in lipid and water solutions. It is metabolized primarily by the liver, where an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase breaks the alcohol down into acetaldehyde, which is further broken down into acetate. Acetate is metabolized into carbon dioxide and water, which is excreted. Alcohol is absorbed rapidly from the small intestine (80%) and stomach (20%), before any other nutrients are digested. These properties ensure that alcohol gets into the blood stream and crosses the blood-brain barrier easily. Hence alcohol's instantaneous effect on thought processes. In fact, alcohol has a number of detrimental effects on the brain two of which, central to the scope of this article, will be discussed first. Alcohol, once it has crossed the blood-brain barrier, will inebriate the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as rational thought) and work its way down to the limbic system. It won't however affect the limbic system. This turns out to be a problem because the limbic system, being the most primitive part of the brain, then takes over the role of rational thought. This is problematic because the limbic system is entirely emotional, and one then begins to think with their emotions rather than the rational area of their brain (the cerebral cortex). A surprisingly small amount of alcohol will have an instant effect on ones ability to control their emotions, and their judgement as a result. A comparatively large amount of alcohol and one might become violent or completely out of control in other respects. As mentioned, alcohol is also a depressant. It depressant effect results from increased transmission of the GABA systems (2). In other words, alcohol consumption creates a demand for more GABA. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for restricting, or depressing the excitability of our brain. Glutamate is the Neurotransmitter that has the opposite effect as it is responsible for brain excitability and can be increased through the intake of various stimulants. It now gets a bit complex. The post synaptic receptors (the receptors of one brain cell that receive a message from another brain cell) for GABA, GABA-A, then become stimulated and respond by hyperpolarising the cell membrane and reducing the chance of an action potential occurring. An action potential is an electrical charge propagated through a neuron which causes that neuron to become stimulated. It gets worse. Over time, if a sufficient amount of alcohol is consumed, the GABA receptors become accustomed to a certain amount of alcohol and more is required to get the same depressing and intoxicating effect. In short, tolerance occurs. With more and more alcohol the potential for the GABA receptor to function improperly increases. This may result in hyperexcitability causing, anxiety, tremors, disorientation, and hallucinations when one is not drinking. This is alcohol at its destructive extreme.
In addition to alcohols destructive effects at the time of ingestion, it can also cause neural tissue death when its consumption is stopped. As explained, GABA (a inhibitory neurotransmitter) binds to its GABA-A receptor following alcohol intake. When this happens, a chloride channel is opened and extracellular chloride moves into a intracellular compartment on the receptor. The neuron is hyperpolarized as a result and excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) cannot occur, as mentioned. The main point here is that alcohol facilitates the ability of GABA to open chloride channels. With greater (chronic) use of alcohol the neuron may become entirely dependant on alcohol for its GABA function in the long term. However, at the time of chlorides uptake another process, this time involving the glutamine (excitatory neurotransmitter) receptors, causes further problems. The glutamate system is up-regulated with alcohol withdrawal and calcium-channel activity is stimulated. Calcium is released directly onto the post synaptic neuron (calcium influx) in large amounts and neural death occurs. This happens particularly after binge sessions that occur on a regular basis.
However, the doses required in these instances are very minimal (1-2 glasses in most cases), and anything beyond this more than outweighs any potential benefits. This is partly because alcohol is classed as a central nervous system depressant, causing the brain to relax and inhibitions to decrease. Ones rational thought, emotional status, judgement, speech and muscle coordination are adversely affected through alcohol consumption. In extreme cases it can cause coma and death. Alcohol is specifically detrimental to bodybuilders, or any athlete, in that it can interfere with recovery, protein synthesis, hydration, motivation , and nutrient intake. Its financial cost is a burden for anyone who buys it.
A review of the research will show that alcohol is poisonous to every organ in the body and will adversely affect everyone who engages in its use to some Extent (1, 6, 7, 8). This article is not intended to dissuade people from using alcohol moderately, for recreational purposes, but will point out, from an athlete and a researchers point of view, its significant shortcomings. Cheers.
Alcohol's Effects Ethyl alcohol is a very small molecule which is soluble in lipid and water solutions. It is metabolized primarily by the liver, where an enzyme called alcohol dehydrogenase breaks the alcohol down into acetaldehyde, which is further broken down into acetate. Acetate is metabolized into carbon dioxide and water, which is excreted. Alcohol is absorbed rapidly from the small intestine (80%) and stomach (20%), before any other nutrients are digested. These properties ensure that alcohol gets into the blood stream and crosses the blood-brain barrier easily. Hence alcohol's instantaneous effect on thought processes. In fact, alcohol has a number of detrimental effects on the brain two of which, central to the scope of this article, will be discussed first. Alcohol, once it has crossed the blood-brain barrier, will inebriate the cerebral cortex (the part of the brain responsible for executive functions such as rational thought) and work its way down to the limbic system. It won't however affect the limbic system. This turns out to be a problem because the limbic system, being the most primitive part of the brain, then takes over the role of rational thought. This is problematic because the limbic system is entirely emotional, and one then begins to think with their emotions rather than the rational area of their brain (the cerebral cortex). A surprisingly small amount of alcohol will have an instant effect on ones ability to control their emotions, and their judgement as a result. A comparatively large amount of alcohol and one might become violent or completely out of control in other respects. As mentioned, alcohol is also a depressant. It depressant effect results from increased transmission of the GABA systems (2). In other words, alcohol consumption creates a demand for more GABA. GABA is a neurotransmitter responsible for restricting, or depressing the excitability of our brain. Glutamate is the Neurotransmitter that has the opposite effect as it is responsible for brain excitability and can be increased through the intake of various stimulants. It now gets a bit complex. The post synaptic receptors (the receptors of one brain cell that receive a message from another brain cell) for GABA, GABA-A, then become stimulated and respond by hyperpolarising the cell membrane and reducing the chance of an action potential occurring. An action potential is an electrical charge propagated through a neuron which causes that neuron to become stimulated. It gets worse. Over time, if a sufficient amount of alcohol is consumed, the GABA receptors become accustomed to a certain amount of alcohol and more is required to get the same depressing and intoxicating effect. In short, tolerance occurs. With more and more alcohol the potential for the GABA receptor to function improperly increases. This may result in hyperexcitability causing, anxiety, tremors, disorientation, and hallucinations when one is not drinking. This is alcohol at its destructive extreme.
In addition to alcohols destructive effects at the time of ingestion, it can also cause neural tissue death when its consumption is stopped. As explained, GABA (a inhibitory neurotransmitter) binds to its GABA-A receptor following alcohol intake. When this happens, a chloride channel is opened and extracellular chloride moves into a intracellular compartment on the receptor. The neuron is hyperpolarized as a result and excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) cannot occur, as mentioned. The main point here is that alcohol facilitates the ability of GABA to open chloride channels. With greater (chronic) use of alcohol the neuron may become entirely dependant on alcohol for its GABA function in the long term. However, at the time of chlorides uptake another process, this time involving the glutamine (excitatory neurotransmitter) receptors, causes further problems. The glutamate system is up-regulated with alcohol withdrawal and calcium-channel activity is stimulated. Calcium is released directly onto the post synaptic neuron (calcium influx) in large amounts and neural death occurs. This happens particularly after binge sessions that occur on a regular basis.
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