Muscle Building Amino Acid
L-Arginine Info And Products
What is it and where does it come from?
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid. It is a building block of protein that performs a myriad of physiological functions. It is a known precursor of the gas nitric oxide [N02].
Arginine is an amino acid that the body cannot make naturally. Therefore it is important to consume foods that are rich in arginine.1
Arginine is found in high concentrations in nuts and seeds like peanuts and almonds. It can also be found in chocolate and raisins.
What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?
Arginine is necessary for the execution of many physiological processes. These physiological processes include hormone secretion, an increase in growth hormone output, the removal of toxic waste products from the body, and immune system defenses.2
Because Arginine is a precursor of nitric oxide [which is responsible for vasodiolation 3] it is often used for supporting healthy sexual function.
Recently, dietary supplements containing Arginine have become popular due to Arginine's nitric oxide producing ability, its ability to scavenge free radicals, as well as its ability to signal muscle cells, release growth hormone, support healthy cholesterol, and enhance fat metabolism. Arginine helps regulate salt levels in the body. 4
For this reason it should be of interest to competing bodybuilders, as retaining water under the skin can make one looks smooth, bloated and washed out. The nitrogen retaining abilities of Arginine are well-known within the bodybuilding and scientific communities. Arginine is also believed to be crucial for muscle growth due to its vasodilating abilities, as well as its ability to participate in protein synthesis. 5
Learn more about the benefits of L-Arginine on Clayton South's Health Facts.
Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?
Everyone. Populations in particular need of arginine are growing children, infants, athletes, individuals trying to lose weight, and the elderly. In adult populations Arginine is considered to be a non-essential amino acid. For children, by contrast, Arginine is essential to the defense and development of the adolescent immune system.
Persons suffering from injury can benefit from supplemental arginine, as demand for arginine is increased during times of bodily injury and repair.6 Persons looking to support their sexual health may also benefit from use of Arginine due to its vasodilating properties. Arginine will act to increase the diameter of blood vessels, thereby allowing increased blood flow to reach constricted areas.
Arginine presents benefits to hard training athletes. Supplementing with Arginine may boost the immune system, thereby allowing the athlete to train harder and avoid the detrimental effects of minor health problems associated with overtraining.
Athletes who are discontinuing the use of androgenic or anabolic steroids may benefit from supplemental arginine.
Due to Arginines ability to increase growth hormone levels, its ability to encourage lipid oxidization, and its ability to support healthy blood pressure, supplemental arginine may prove beneficial for persons looking to lose weight.
How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?
Individuals with existing heart or psychiatric conditions should consult with their physician prior to supplementing with Arginine. With any amino acid containing product, overdose is a possibility. Dosing with too much arginine can lead to diarrhea, weakness and nausea. Clear dosing guidelines have not yet been established, so it is best to do what is known as "tolerance mapping".
Take a small dosage for one week, note the benefits and the side effects, and increase the dosage until the benefits are maximized and the side effects minimized. Over time the two will converge and you will hit the optimal dose. This process is similar to "receptor mapping" for bodybuilders who use insulin and steroids.
Many protein powders on the market are fortified with amino acids, including arginine. With this in mind, pay particular attention to how much arginine you are ingesting from sources. If you do not feel comfortable following the above described procedure, it is always best to follow the directions as prescribed on the products label.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Zinc Info And Products
1. What is it and where does it come from?
Zinc is classified as an essential mineral, and with good reason. Many foods rich in trace minerals contain Zinc, including milk, oysters, red meat, spinach, nuts, oats, and beans. The highest quality pharmaceutical grade Zinc is available from Bodybuilding.com!
2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?
Zinc does quite a bit for the body. First, Zinc is crucial for health because it strengthens the immune system. It is also essential to cell division, growth, and repair. Zinc plays an important role in the detoxification of alcohol in the liver, aides in digestion, and increases the production of protein. Second, it is involved in over 200 enzymatic reactions, and aides the body in the actions of several hormones, such as growth hormone, testosterone, insulin, and estrogen. It also maintains blood cholesterol levels in the body that are already in normal range. Not meeting the recommended RDA for Zinc can adversely affect sex hormones and lead to muscle atrophy because protein synthesis will not be optimized in your body (according to rat studies). Recent studies show that people who work out and exercise are more likely to be Zinc deficient and, consequently, need more Zinc
.
3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?
In the quest for huge and lean mass, bodybuilders often look to a variety of well-known supplements. Names like HMB, Creatine Monohydrate, L-Glutamine, and Amino Acids comes to mind. However, a few supplements have been shown to achieve results that have not been highly publicized. Zinc is one such supplement. Many experts say that Zinc deficiency is widespread. Making sure you get your zinc is important to elevate your level of muscle building. Bodybuilders, especially, need Zinc! Since many don't get enough Zinc in their diet, this also means their immune systems will not be as strong! Make sure you're getting enough Zinc!
On the other hand, general supplementation with the mineral leads to an increased production of the hormone testosterone by the body. Good news! Individuals deficient in Zinc can raise their levels and benefit greatly from supplementation!
4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?
The recommended RDA for Zinc is 15 mg/day for men and 12 mg/day for women. Research shows that supplementing to attain your RDA is beneficial and conductive to bodybuilding. The RDA levels are safe and effective to supplement at. Taking too much Zinc (25-100 mg/day) can lead to the non-absorption of other minerals such as iron and copper. So, stick to the recommendations and you'll be well on your way to a bigger, healthier body!
Zinc is classified as an essential mineral, and with good reason. Many foods rich in trace minerals contain Zinc, including milk, oysters, red meat, spinach, nuts, oats, and beans. The highest quality pharmaceutical grade Zinc is available from Bodybuilding.com!
2. What does it do and what scientific studies give evidence to support this?
Zinc does quite a bit for the body. First, Zinc is crucial for health because it strengthens the immune system. It is also essential to cell division, growth, and repair. Zinc plays an important role in the detoxification of alcohol in the liver, aides in digestion, and increases the production of protein. Second, it is involved in over 200 enzymatic reactions, and aides the body in the actions of several hormones, such as growth hormone, testosterone, insulin, and estrogen. It also maintains blood cholesterol levels in the body that are already in normal range. Not meeting the recommended RDA for Zinc can adversely affect sex hormones and lead to muscle atrophy because protein synthesis will not be optimized in your body (according to rat studies). Recent studies show that people who work out and exercise are more likely to be Zinc deficient and, consequently, need more Zinc
.
3. Who needs it and what are some symptoms of deficiency?
In the quest for huge and lean mass, bodybuilders often look to a variety of well-known supplements. Names like HMB, Creatine Monohydrate, L-Glutamine, and Amino Acids comes to mind. However, a few supplements have been shown to achieve results that have not been highly publicized. Zinc is one such supplement. Many experts say that Zinc deficiency is widespread. Making sure you get your zinc is important to elevate your level of muscle building. Bodybuilders, especially, need Zinc! Since many don't get enough Zinc in their diet, this also means their immune systems will not be as strong! Make sure you're getting enough Zinc!
On the other hand, general supplementation with the mineral leads to an increased production of the hormone testosterone by the body. Good news! Individuals deficient in Zinc can raise their levels and benefit greatly from supplementation!
4. How much should be taken? Are there any side effects?
The recommended RDA for Zinc is 15 mg/day for men and 12 mg/day for women. Research shows that supplementing to attain your RDA is beneficial and conductive to bodybuilding. The RDA levels are safe and effective to supplement at. Taking too much Zinc (25-100 mg/day) can lead to the non-absorption of other minerals such as iron and copper. So, stick to the recommendations and you'll be well on your way to a bigger, healthier body!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
AFTER THE WORKOUT
we have all heard the expression "people grow outside the gym not inside." However, what does this really mean, it means that recovery from training is where one achieves all their results. In the last few years post-workout nutrition has gained significant attention because researchers have found the body is most apt to absorb nutrients after one trains. This post-workout meal helps the body in increasing protein synthesis, creating more of an anabolic state, and making the most of the bodies desire to repair itself. Is this all we can do to promote the recovery process and take full advantage of our rest time between training sessions? The simple answer is no, there is so much more we can do to help our recovery which in turn will lead to better gains in training. While examining some of the more popular methods of recovery hopefully many of you will be able to feel better and to train harder.
During Training
General Physical Preparation (GPP): This is now becoming a more common training method in programs even though it has been part of periodization models for decades. GPP is intended to provide balanced physical conditioning in endurance, strength, speed, flexibility, and other basic factors of fitness (Siff, 2000). In general GPP is low intensity training and can be performed in a variety of activities. These activities can fall into the categories of weighted GPP and unweighted GPP. Examples of weighted GPP are wheelbarrow pushes, farmer's walks, sled dragging, and tire flips. Unweighted GPP could involve body calisthenics such as jumping jacks, split shuffles, mountain climbers, burpees, and even jump rope skips. Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, GPP helps improve work capacity and assist in recovery. It is a shame that so many people have very low levels of GPP and could greatly benefit from improving their current levels.
Nutrition: There is some evidence that drinking specific formulations during a workout can enhance the training effect. Nutritional/supplement experts such as Dr. Eric Serrano and Dr. Mauro DiPasquale have found great success in using Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) and Glutamine during training. To explain the great benefit of BCAAs I would like to quote Kelly Baggett from her article "BCAA Supplementation for Athletes."
"The BCAA's are special because they aren't significantly broken down in the liver and this results in release of the BCAA's from the liver into circulation. Skeletal muscles, however, are able to break down the BCAA's for energy and will do so during increased energy needs such as starvation, trauma, or exercise. During resting periods when other fuel sources, such as carbohydrates and fats, are available they spare the BCAA's from oxidation, leaving them available for use in protein synthesis which is what you want them to do - serve you by building muscle. The important thing is that although BCAA's account for only about 20% of the total amino acids in a protein meal they account for 50-90% of the total amino acids released into general circulation to be taken up by the muscles. BCAA's are the most abundant amino acids incorporated into muscle protein and make up 1/3 of this muscle. They are also heavily catabolized (broken down and used for energy) during exercise. These 2 reasons plus the fact that the body can't make it's own BCAA's increases the need for BCAA's for athletes."
Glutamine is the other component of this formula. Glutamine is known to have benefits such as sparing lean body mass during stress, improving the immune system, and increasing growth hormone levels. These are great supplements taken separately, but seem to have a synergistic effect when taken together. The problem in the past had to do with the dosage of BCAAs. To get the desired effect you must take a significant dosage of BCAAs. Fortunately, two companies have come out with powders that combine BCAAs and glutamine. I do not receive any money for promoting these products, but being able to pass along information that I have found extremely beneficial is the most help I could provide. ICE by Xtreme Formulations or GlutaCene by PRD are both great tasting and very effective products.
Directly After Training
These are methods we can all employ as soon as training is complete for the day or in between training sessions.
Contrast Showers: Expose all areas of the body that were involved with the day's training session. These showers are done by alternating bursts of hot and cold water. These temperatures are alternated for periods of two minutes and done as hot as tolerable and as cold as tolerable. This can be repeated four to six times. The reasoning behind these showers is the hot periods are for vaso-dilation (increased size of vessels) and cold is for vaso-constriction (decrease in size of vessels). The result is improved circulation in the trained areas.
Ice Massage: This should be done in between exercises or immediately after training. The ice is from a plastic cup of water that was frozen the day before. The ice is rubbed along the muscle belly that has been trained and not along the joints. Performing some movement while gently rubbing the muscles with ice is another way of improving upon this method. The purpose of ice massage is to reduce the tightness in the contracted muscles and to pump free the waste products in the tissues as a result of training.
Conclusion
Taking fifteen minutes either directly after the workout or later in the day can greatly improve all these aspects. It is unfortunate most of us neglect this aspect of our training especially considering the majority of us already know these benefits. However, if I told you, you would grow more and lift more would you stretch? The truth is I wouldn't be lying so start now!
Above are just some of the more common and easy to apply principles of restoration. Other methods include jacuzzis, saunas, vibromassagers, and electronic stimulation. Depending upon their availability these would also be great methods to employ. Be realistic though, if you are not use to incorporating these techniques into your routines begin with just a few and easy to use methods. Treatments such as stretching and utilizing general physical preparation training should always be reasonable and accessible.
During Training
General Physical Preparation (GPP): This is now becoming a more common training method in programs even though it has been part of periodization models for decades. GPP is intended to provide balanced physical conditioning in endurance, strength, speed, flexibility, and other basic factors of fitness (Siff, 2000). In general GPP is low intensity training and can be performed in a variety of activities. These activities can fall into the categories of weighted GPP and unweighted GPP. Examples of weighted GPP are wheelbarrow pushes, farmer's walks, sled dragging, and tire flips. Unweighted GPP could involve body calisthenics such as jumping jacks, split shuffles, mountain climbers, burpees, and even jump rope skips. Besides the benefits mentioned earlier, GPP helps improve work capacity and assist in recovery. It is a shame that so many people have very low levels of GPP and could greatly benefit from improving their current levels.
Nutrition: There is some evidence that drinking specific formulations during a workout can enhance the training effect. Nutritional/supplement experts such as Dr. Eric Serrano and Dr. Mauro DiPasquale have found great success in using Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) and Glutamine during training. To explain the great benefit of BCAAs I would like to quote Kelly Baggett from her article "BCAA Supplementation for Athletes."
"The BCAA's are special because they aren't significantly broken down in the liver and this results in release of the BCAA's from the liver into circulation. Skeletal muscles, however, are able to break down the BCAA's for energy and will do so during increased energy needs such as starvation, trauma, or exercise. During resting periods when other fuel sources, such as carbohydrates and fats, are available they spare the BCAA's from oxidation, leaving them available for use in protein synthesis which is what you want them to do - serve you by building muscle. The important thing is that although BCAA's account for only about 20% of the total amino acids in a protein meal they account for 50-90% of the total amino acids released into general circulation to be taken up by the muscles. BCAA's are the most abundant amino acids incorporated into muscle protein and make up 1/3 of this muscle. They are also heavily catabolized (broken down and used for energy) during exercise. These 2 reasons plus the fact that the body can't make it's own BCAA's increases the need for BCAA's for athletes."
Glutamine is the other component of this formula. Glutamine is known to have benefits such as sparing lean body mass during stress, improving the immune system, and increasing growth hormone levels. These are great supplements taken separately, but seem to have a synergistic effect when taken together. The problem in the past had to do with the dosage of BCAAs. To get the desired effect you must take a significant dosage of BCAAs. Fortunately, two companies have come out with powders that combine BCAAs and glutamine. I do not receive any money for promoting these products, but being able to pass along information that I have found extremely beneficial is the most help I could provide. ICE by Xtreme Formulations or GlutaCene by PRD are both great tasting and very effective products.
Directly After Training
These are methods we can all employ as soon as training is complete for the day or in between training sessions.
Contrast Showers: Expose all areas of the body that were involved with the day's training session. These showers are done by alternating bursts of hot and cold water. These temperatures are alternated for periods of two minutes and done as hot as tolerable and as cold as tolerable. This can be repeated four to six times. The reasoning behind these showers is the hot periods are for vaso-dilation (increased size of vessels) and cold is for vaso-constriction (decrease in size of vessels). The result is improved circulation in the trained areas.
Ice Massage: This should be done in between exercises or immediately after training. The ice is from a plastic cup of water that was frozen the day before. The ice is rubbed along the muscle belly that has been trained and not along the joints. Performing some movement while gently rubbing the muscles with ice is another way of improving upon this method. The purpose of ice massage is to reduce the tightness in the contracted muscles and to pump free the waste products in the tissues as a result of training.
Conclusion
Taking fifteen minutes either directly after the workout or later in the day can greatly improve all these aspects. It is unfortunate most of us neglect this aspect of our training especially considering the majority of us already know these benefits. However, if I told you, you would grow more and lift more would you stretch? The truth is I wouldn't be lying so start now!
Above are just some of the more common and easy to apply principles of restoration. Other methods include jacuzzis, saunas, vibromassagers, and electronic stimulation. Depending upon their availability these would also be great methods to employ. Be realistic though, if you are not use to incorporating these techniques into your routines begin with just a few and easy to use methods. Treatments such as stretching and utilizing general physical preparation training should always be reasonable and accessible.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
MORNING CARDIO!!!!!!!!
Most bodybuilders, fitness enthusiasts, and personal trainers, will tell you that the best time to do cardio is early in the morning, on an empty stomach. For some reason, which most of them don't know the answer to, they will tell you this is the perfect time to facilitate fat burning.
I'm here to say they are off base in this approach to losing body fat, and I will tell you why. As bodybuilders, most of us endeavor to eat 5-6 meals a day, spaced out over three hour intervals. This helps to keep blood sugar levels stable, keeps us in an anabolic state by maintaining a positive nitrogen balance, aids in better digestion and assimilation, and also helps to keep the waistline smaller, as most of the meals should not be big meals, per se'!
After sleeping all night for 6-8 hours, or whatever amount is required for you personally, the body, upon arising in the morning, is in a very catabolic state. This means a state of negative nitrogen balance, something no bodybuilder wants.
To perform cardio at this time, on an empty stomach, creates a further state of catabolism, thus resulting in muscle breakdown, and muscle tissue loss. The exact opposite of what bodybuilding is all about! It's true that blood sugar levels are low in the morning, but so are amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
If you must do cardio in the morning... no big deal, just make sure to have a protein drink, or a light protein meal, 45-60 minutes before the aerobic session. Your first priority in the morning, after fasting all night during sleep, should be to feed the body protein and carbs, thus restoring the body to an anabolic state once again. You always want to remain in this anabolic state, if possible, that's why we eat every three hours or so.
In my opinion, the best time to do cardio is after you workout with the iron. Performing your cardio workout after training with the weights, is the most ideal time to burn fat. The reasoning behind this thinking is that during your weight training workout you are using glucose, and stored glycogen, as fuel for energy.
Glucose and glycogen are sugars, and sugars are carbs. You want to use carbs as fuel for your training ideally, to sustain you throughout the workout.
After you are done training, your glucose and glycogen levels are obviously depleted, thus making this the perfect time to perform your cardio, and to use stored fat as fuel. At this time, if you are on a high protein diet, as most bodybuilders are, or should be, the body will burn fat as fuel, to help get you through the cardio session.
Type Of Cardio
Keep the cardio intense and brief, or the body will once again go into a catabolic state and use protein for fuel literally eating your hard earned muscle tissue alive. Doing too much cardio is detrimental. The type of cardio that you perform is up to you, but I would recommend doing 15-20 minutes of "High Intensity Interval Training." Hereafter known as HIIT!!
HIIT cardio involves an all out burst of effort for about a minute, followed by a cool down pace, also for a minute or so, or until the heart rate slows down substantially. As I stated above, 15-20 minutes of HIIT is great and usually enough for most people. I personally wouldn't go over 30 minutes tops.
One of the advantages of performing HIIT cardio is that it accomplishes more in a shorter time period. Another more important benefit, is that it raises the heart rate and the metabolism. Your metabolism stays elevated long after your cardio session is done. This enables the body to keep on burning more fat just by going through your normal daily routine! I call this effect the "After burn"!!
I use an Elliptical Trainer most of the time, and I find by using this particular apparatus, I burn over twice as many calories using HIIT, over more traditional methods I have employed in the past. The Elliptical Trainer also has virtually no impact on the feet, hips, or knees.
Conclusion
So there it is, my take on doing AM cardio, and why I think it should not be done on an empty stomach. Try it out and lose some of that excess body fat, while retaining your hard earned muscle, you'll be glad you did!!
TRAIN HARD!!!
I'm here to say they are off base in this approach to losing body fat, and I will tell you why. As bodybuilders, most of us endeavor to eat 5-6 meals a day, spaced out over three hour intervals. This helps to keep blood sugar levels stable, keeps us in an anabolic state by maintaining a positive nitrogen balance, aids in better digestion and assimilation, and also helps to keep the waistline smaller, as most of the meals should not be big meals, per se'!
After sleeping all night for 6-8 hours, or whatever amount is required for you personally, the body, upon arising in the morning, is in a very catabolic state. This means a state of negative nitrogen balance, something no bodybuilder wants.
To perform cardio at this time, on an empty stomach, creates a further state of catabolism, thus resulting in muscle breakdown, and muscle tissue loss. The exact opposite of what bodybuilding is all about! It's true that blood sugar levels are low in the morning, but so are amino acids, the building blocks of protein.
If you must do cardio in the morning... no big deal, just make sure to have a protein drink, or a light protein meal, 45-60 minutes before the aerobic session. Your first priority in the morning, after fasting all night during sleep, should be to feed the body protein and carbs, thus restoring the body to an anabolic state once again. You always want to remain in this anabolic state, if possible, that's why we eat every three hours or so.
In my opinion, the best time to do cardio is after you workout with the iron. Performing your cardio workout after training with the weights, is the most ideal time to burn fat. The reasoning behind this thinking is that during your weight training workout you are using glucose, and stored glycogen, as fuel for energy.
Glucose and glycogen are sugars, and sugars are carbs. You want to use carbs as fuel for your training ideally, to sustain you throughout the workout.
After you are done training, your glucose and glycogen levels are obviously depleted, thus making this the perfect time to perform your cardio, and to use stored fat as fuel. At this time, if you are on a high protein diet, as most bodybuilders are, or should be, the body will burn fat as fuel, to help get you through the cardio session.
Type Of Cardio
Keep the cardio intense and brief, or the body will once again go into a catabolic state and use protein for fuel literally eating your hard earned muscle tissue alive. Doing too much cardio is detrimental. The type of cardio that you perform is up to you, but I would recommend doing 15-20 minutes of "High Intensity Interval Training." Hereafter known as HIIT!!
HIIT cardio involves an all out burst of effort for about a minute, followed by a cool down pace, also for a minute or so, or until the heart rate slows down substantially. As I stated above, 15-20 minutes of HIIT is great and usually enough for most people. I personally wouldn't go over 30 minutes tops.
One of the advantages of performing HIIT cardio is that it accomplishes more in a shorter time period. Another more important benefit, is that it raises the heart rate and the metabolism. Your metabolism stays elevated long after your cardio session is done. This enables the body to keep on burning more fat just by going through your normal daily routine! I call this effect the "After burn"!!
I use an Elliptical Trainer most of the time, and I find by using this particular apparatus, I burn over twice as many calories using HIIT, over more traditional methods I have employed in the past. The Elliptical Trainer also has virtually no impact on the feet, hips, or knees.
Conclusion
So there it is, my take on doing AM cardio, and why I think it should not be done on an empty stomach. Try it out and lose some of that excess body fat, while retaining your hard earned muscle, you'll be glad you did!!
TRAIN HARD!!!
Friday, September 11, 2009
POWER BREAKFAST
"Power Breakfast" is usually something you hear wannabe executives at large corporations talk about. This is a breakfast intended to make them corporate tigers and able to work long and hard every day, showing just how ambitious and serious about their careers they are. Power Breakfast to a bodybuilder is different, but has the same basic principle: High-octane fuel for a demanding day. If you've ever tried having a typical "diet" breakfast of an orange and a small yogurt (like touted in a great many tabloids), know that you'll most likely croak after 5 minutes in the gym.
The Exceptions
There are exceptions to this rule, but most of us need a solid boost of energy to get up to speed in the morning. What's more, we need to get the nutrients required for optimal growth and recuperation in place. Keep in mind that when you wake up, you've probably not had any food for the past 8-12 hours. That means your blood sugar levels are way down, and you're possibly already in a catabolic state. As we know by now, the best way to get out of that miserable situation is to eat - but we have to figure out the best way to go about it, and what works best for you individually. After all, when you're getting glasses, you make sure to get a pair that is individually perfect for you, rather than pick any prescription at random and run with it.
The size of your breakfast should be decided by your body size and overall caloric needs. If you're dieting, the concept of power breakfast might feel kind of ridiculous. However, when you're bulking up and tries to add some muscle to those arms of yours, breakfast is key.
As usual, you have to get certain balance of calorie intake throughout the day (don't forget: smaller snacks 3 hours apart are better than a few big meals), but I say the BIGGEST chunk of calories ingested in the day should be the breakfast, with the SMALLEST being the last two snacks at the end of the day. In other words, exactly the opposite of the established norm of our culture.
So what's a good breakfast, anyway? Frosted flakes, a blueberry muffin, and a Classic Coke? If you intend to take a trip with the blood sugar roller coaster - sure! Hyper like a raccoon on ecstasy by the time you get to work or school, and down in the land of blood sugar blues an hour before lunch. If you prefer a smooth ride, the key word is balance. Protein, carbs, fat (!) and fiber, and plenty of fluid to keep yourself well hydrated.
The fluid also helps digestion. The reason for the fat is that some vitamins are fat soluble (requires fat to get absorbed properly), and that you NEED a certain amount of healthy fat to stay healthy. That means fish oil, flax seed oil, or olive oil or similar, NOT fried bacon.
A good balance to aim for is 25-40% protein, 50-65% carbs, and 10% fat. Fiber is good for digestion, and slows down the overall GI value of the meal. Also keep in mind that complex carbs are better than simple for GI reasons.
Now, I'm not your mother. I know nobody is perfect, and that sometimes you will deviate from the percentage ratios mentioned above, as well as the part about the smallest meals at the end of the day and so forth. Don't worry. I'm just trying to give you a general idea of where you want to be, nutrition wise. Try to get a feel for a good composition, and use the guidelines in figuring out your perfect breakfast. Who knows, perhaps you feel like tossing your cookies at the very thought of oatmeal porridge? My wife sure does, but I grew up with it and appreciates the nutritional values (even though it's a far cry from bacon & eggs!). So, to wrap it up, I would like to give a couple of sample breakfasts, depending on body size. Once again, these are only generic samples - feel free to tailor to your taste and caloric needs.
The Exceptions
There are exceptions to this rule, but most of us need a solid boost of energy to get up to speed in the morning. What's more, we need to get the nutrients required for optimal growth and recuperation in place. Keep in mind that when you wake up, you've probably not had any food for the past 8-12 hours. That means your blood sugar levels are way down, and you're possibly already in a catabolic state. As we know by now, the best way to get out of that miserable situation is to eat - but we have to figure out the best way to go about it, and what works best for you individually. After all, when you're getting glasses, you make sure to get a pair that is individually perfect for you, rather than pick any prescription at random and run with it.
The size of your breakfast should be decided by your body size and overall caloric needs. If you're dieting, the concept of power breakfast might feel kind of ridiculous. However, when you're bulking up and tries to add some muscle to those arms of yours, breakfast is key.
As usual, you have to get certain balance of calorie intake throughout the day (don't forget: smaller snacks 3 hours apart are better than a few big meals), but I say the BIGGEST chunk of calories ingested in the day should be the breakfast, with the SMALLEST being the last two snacks at the end of the day. In other words, exactly the opposite of the established norm of our culture.
So what's a good breakfast, anyway? Frosted flakes, a blueberry muffin, and a Classic Coke? If you intend to take a trip with the blood sugar roller coaster - sure! Hyper like a raccoon on ecstasy by the time you get to work or school, and down in the land of blood sugar blues an hour before lunch. If you prefer a smooth ride, the key word is balance. Protein, carbs, fat (!) and fiber, and plenty of fluid to keep yourself well hydrated.
The fluid also helps digestion. The reason for the fat is that some vitamins are fat soluble (requires fat to get absorbed properly), and that you NEED a certain amount of healthy fat to stay healthy. That means fish oil, flax seed oil, or olive oil or similar, NOT fried bacon.
A good balance to aim for is 25-40% protein, 50-65% carbs, and 10% fat. Fiber is good for digestion, and slows down the overall GI value of the meal. Also keep in mind that complex carbs are better than simple for GI reasons.
Now, I'm not your mother. I know nobody is perfect, and that sometimes you will deviate from the percentage ratios mentioned above, as well as the part about the smallest meals at the end of the day and so forth. Don't worry. I'm just trying to give you a general idea of where you want to be, nutrition wise. Try to get a feel for a good composition, and use the guidelines in figuring out your perfect breakfast. Who knows, perhaps you feel like tossing your cookies at the very thought of oatmeal porridge? My wife sure does, but I grew up with it and appreciates the nutritional values (even though it's a far cry from bacon & eggs!). So, to wrap it up, I would like to give a couple of sample breakfasts, depending on body size. Once again, these are only generic samples - feel free to tailor to your taste and caloric needs.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Glutamine, Miracle supplement?
Truthfully, I feel a one page report on l-glutamine does this supplement a bit of a disservice as its potential benefits and applications are extremely diverse and far-reaching. If you're an athlete then you probably already know that glutamine can benefit your training and muscle building efforts.
What you probably don't know is just how great of an overall supplement it really is, not just for athletes and bodybuilders, but for ALL people. I thoroughly believe that glutamine should be on the vitamin shelf in EVERY household right next to the Vitamin C!
What's amazing is how everyone, regardless of lifestyle, can derive supplemental benefits from its use. Here is a brief list of the possible applications of supplemental glutamine.
• Improves athletic performance
• Improves brain functioning
• Stabilizes blood sugar
• Helps the heart function
• Strengthens the immune system
• Maintains the health and functioning of the gut lining
• Decreases alcohol cravings
• Decreases sugar cravings
• Helps with wound healing
• Helps maintain proper acid/alkaline balance
• Possible cancer benefits
Quite a long list isn't it? So you might be wondering how exactly glutamine exerts all these benefits? Recall that glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in circulation. In a healthy individual, the concentration of glutamine in the blood is 3-4 times greater than all other amino acids. It is actively transported and metabolized in nearly all tissues.
It is particularly found in high concentrations in the brain, muscles, gut lining, lungs, heart, kidney, and liver where it has multiple and critical functions.
Glutamic Acid
We primarily obtain glutamine from the conversion of glutamic acid from food, although some is also found in food. The average amount supplied from a healthy diet is 5-8 grams per day. Among medical practitioners who use blood tests to determine amino acid status, glutamine is one that is often found to be lacking, especially in patients with either chronic illness or mood and cognitive symptoms. For this reason glutamine has become extremely popular, not just with athletes, but among holistic medical practitioners who use it in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments.
As an athlete glutamine can help you directly in many ways. I've already touched briefly on this in my BCAA article but to recap, glutamine in muscle is a regulator of muscle protein synthesis or muscle building and supports muscle glycogen accumulation. When there is glutamine depletion, there is a breakdown in muscle. Studies indicate glutamine counteracts cortisone steroid induced muscle atrophy.
Skeletal muscle in the body accounts for approximately 30-40% of the total body mass. A 150 lb male would ideally have about 60 grams of glutamine in these muscles. Free stores of glutamine in muscles exceed those of any other amino acid. Surgical and injury trauma, infections, burns, stress, cancer, and most major illnesses dramatically deplete and alter the production and flow of glutamine causing movement of glutamine out of the muscle and decreasing glutamine blood levels.
Intense Training
Under these circumstances the net glutamine consumption exceeds the production and there is a decrease in muscle protein synthesis. This contributes to the muscle wasting seen in severe illness and trauma and can also happen with intense exercise.
Research has shown a significant correlation between survival in severely infected patients and the muscle glutamine concentration. Supplying glutamine helps the metabolic processes associated with recovery. So as an athlete glutamine can help you in the following areas:
• Stimulates muscle protein synthesis by donating nitrogen to build proteins.
• Increases growth hormone which can induce positive body composition and mood changes (Note: A study done in 1995 by LSU College of Medicine showed that a surprisingly small oral dose of 2 grams of glutamine raised GH levels more than 4X over that of a placebo. Age did not diminish the response of the volunteers who ranged in age from 32 to 64 years.)
• Decreases muscle catabolism during exercise
• Increases endurance by replenishing glycogen under conditions of glycogen depletion
• Decreases muscle recovery time
• Decreases the chances of illness/infection by boosting your immune system
• Prevents over-training from high loads and long duration activities (recall that blood glutamine levels are an excellent marker of anabolic status).
These are some of the direct roles in which glutamine can boost your performance. What is just as important, if not more so in my mind, are the indirect roles that glutamine can play in building a healthy body. These are things that may not make you into a physical powerhouse but will still aid in keeping your body healthy and free of disease and give you some other benefits now and in the future.
These benefits are why I look at glutamine as a "wonder supplement" and I feel just about everyone should be using it. Next week I'll cover these other important areas.
What you probably don't know is just how great of an overall supplement it really is, not just for athletes and bodybuilders, but for ALL people. I thoroughly believe that glutamine should be on the vitamin shelf in EVERY household right next to the Vitamin C!
What's amazing is how everyone, regardless of lifestyle, can derive supplemental benefits from its use. Here is a brief list of the possible applications of supplemental glutamine.
• Improves athletic performance
• Improves brain functioning
• Stabilizes blood sugar
• Helps the heart function
• Strengthens the immune system
• Maintains the health and functioning of the gut lining
• Decreases alcohol cravings
• Decreases sugar cravings
• Helps with wound healing
• Helps maintain proper acid/alkaline balance
• Possible cancer benefits
Quite a long list isn't it? So you might be wondering how exactly glutamine exerts all these benefits? Recall that glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in circulation. In a healthy individual, the concentration of glutamine in the blood is 3-4 times greater than all other amino acids. It is actively transported and metabolized in nearly all tissues.
It is particularly found in high concentrations in the brain, muscles, gut lining, lungs, heart, kidney, and liver where it has multiple and critical functions.
Glutamic Acid
We primarily obtain glutamine from the conversion of glutamic acid from food, although some is also found in food. The average amount supplied from a healthy diet is 5-8 grams per day. Among medical practitioners who use blood tests to determine amino acid status, glutamine is one that is often found to be lacking, especially in patients with either chronic illness or mood and cognitive symptoms. For this reason glutamine has become extremely popular, not just with athletes, but among holistic medical practitioners who use it in the treatment of a wide variety of ailments.
As an athlete glutamine can help you directly in many ways. I've already touched briefly on this in my BCAA article but to recap, glutamine in muscle is a regulator of muscle protein synthesis or muscle building and supports muscle glycogen accumulation. When there is glutamine depletion, there is a breakdown in muscle. Studies indicate glutamine counteracts cortisone steroid induced muscle atrophy.
Skeletal muscle in the body accounts for approximately 30-40% of the total body mass. A 150 lb male would ideally have about 60 grams of glutamine in these muscles. Free stores of glutamine in muscles exceed those of any other amino acid. Surgical and injury trauma, infections, burns, stress, cancer, and most major illnesses dramatically deplete and alter the production and flow of glutamine causing movement of glutamine out of the muscle and decreasing glutamine blood levels.
Intense Training
Under these circumstances the net glutamine consumption exceeds the production and there is a decrease in muscle protein synthesis. This contributes to the muscle wasting seen in severe illness and trauma and can also happen with intense exercise.
Research has shown a significant correlation between survival in severely infected patients and the muscle glutamine concentration. Supplying glutamine helps the metabolic processes associated with recovery. So as an athlete glutamine can help you in the following areas:
• Stimulates muscle protein synthesis by donating nitrogen to build proteins.
• Increases growth hormone which can induce positive body composition and mood changes (Note: A study done in 1995 by LSU College of Medicine showed that a surprisingly small oral dose of 2 grams of glutamine raised GH levels more than 4X over that of a placebo. Age did not diminish the response of the volunteers who ranged in age from 32 to 64 years.)
• Decreases muscle catabolism during exercise
• Increases endurance by replenishing glycogen under conditions of glycogen depletion
• Decreases muscle recovery time
• Decreases the chances of illness/infection by boosting your immune system
• Prevents over-training from high loads and long duration activities (recall that blood glutamine levels are an excellent marker of anabolic status).
These are some of the direct roles in which glutamine can boost your performance. What is just as important, if not more so in my mind, are the indirect roles that glutamine can play in building a healthy body. These are things that may not make you into a physical powerhouse but will still aid in keeping your body healthy and free of disease and give you some other benefits now and in the future.
These benefits are why I look at glutamine as a "wonder supplement" and I feel just about everyone should be using it. Next week I'll cover these other important areas.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Top Five Mass Building Exercises
I can't tell you how many times people have asked me for the best exercises to do in the gym to get big. Well, before I go any further, listen up. I'm going to tell you five exercises that have great potential for helping you build muscle. However, going in the gym and doing only these five exercises would be ridiculous.
Also, don't go into the gym doing the same thing every time. These are simply exercises that you should be doing in your workout. If you are already doing these exercises, you will want to put a little more emphasis on them than the others in your workout.
Squats
I've said it a million times - if you want big legs, you're going to have to squat. Technique is everything with this exercise. Make sure that you are arching your back from the time that you pick the weight up to the time you rack it. Also, your head needs to be back, preferably looking up during the set.
Your chest should be out with feet a little wider than shoulder width. To execute, imagine yourself sitting down in a chair. With me, if I can imagine myself doing the exercise in such a way that the form makes sense, it is always easier to execute the movement.
Now, you might even want to grab a bench and practice sitting down normally just so you can get a feel for the movement. To really hit your quads (which is the muscle that you want to focus on with this exercise), go down to just above parallel, in order to minimize the emphasis on your glutes, before starting the ascending portion.
Deadlifts
This exercise should be done on the days that you work your back. This is an excellent movement for overall strength and building thickness in the mid to lower portion of your back. Deadlifts can be done anytime in the workout, but it is probably best to do it later in your workout.
I've always found that if I have a pump in the working muscle, it is easier to work it in other exercises. Since deadlifting pulls in aspects of your legs as well, the more of a pump you have before this exercise, the more you can emphasize your back. You can do this with a narrow stance, with your arms outside of your knees.
An alternative way is to have a "sumo" stance with your feet very wide apart and arms inside your knees. Either way, the key is to have strict form, arch your back, and keep it that way throughout the movement.
Bench Press
To most people, this is the bread and butter to building their chest. However, most people perform this movement with very poor form. It seems like every time that I look at the people bench pressing in the gym; over half are using terrible form by squirming on the bench, lifting their butts off of the bench, or dropping the weight on their chest. I think that this is because the majority of those who bench press want to load on as much weight as they can possibly handle so that they can go around bragging about how much they bench. Now, if you have done bench press with any kind of frequency, you've probably noticed that there is a groove that you can push through where the weight feels a little lighter.
This is natural because there is a groove that you need to try and stay in to get maximum results. After letting the weight down to your chest and GENTLY touching your chest with the bar, push up and very slightly towards your head. The weight should end up over your chin or mouth.
If you push at all towards your feet, the weight will feel much heavier. This is what you will tend to do with extremely heavy weight or late in a set. Avoid throwing the weight up, instead, put the emphasis on actually pushing with your chest muscles.
To do this, try flexing your lats throughout the set. I do this, and it makes my chest flex automatically. If that doesn't work, put a little bit of force in trying to touch your hands together at the top of the repetition without actually moving your hands.
Military Press
This is an exercise that you want to do when you work shoulders. It is a good idea to go ahead and have a pump before you do this movement. I prefer to do these by pressing the weight behind my neck, not in front. This because I simply feel it more in my shoulders this way. However, you can do as you please.
Military press is very good for getting that wide and thick look up top. Again, there is also a groove for this exercise as well. Basically, if you are going behind your neck, you want to make sure that your elbows are back throughout the entire set. You don't want to come down to your neck and push the weight up while your forearms are at a funky angle to the bar.
You want your forearms to be perfectly perpendicular with the bar. Use about the same width that you use on bench press. If you have a relatively narrow grip for bench press, then go a little wider with military press.
Be cautious of the position of your lower back and butt throughout the set. Usually, you tend to deviate from the back of the bench as the set progresses. Make sure that you keep your lower back and butt pressed against the back of the seat.
Straight Leg Deadlifts
You would want to include this exercise in your hamstring workout. This is a very simple movement, but it can be devastating if you are not aware of your form. Just like regular deadlifts, you want to keep your lower back arched, chest up, and head back. Use about a 15 inch grip and when you let the weight down, stick your butt out and bend at the hips.
This will cause you to focus in on your hamstrings. Personally, I would rather try to stick my butt out as far as I can in order to get a stretch in my hamstrings instead of trying to go all the way down to my toes with the weight. Think about it, if you try to go all the way down to your toes, your back will probably round, and that is what you don't want.
When you pull the weight up, flex your hamstrings and bend only at the hips. If you do what I have instructed, you will be able to blow out your hamstrings with this exercise.
Conclusion
I promise that if you incorporate these exercises into your workout and really emphasize them, you will get results. Go as heavy as you can using perfect form and you will definitely obtain the maximum benefits to these exercises.
Remember, it's always a good idea to get somewhat of a pump in the working muscle before performing any of these movements. Also, try to incorporate 2-4 other exercises per body part in addition to what I have listed depending on the body part worked.
Also, don't go into the gym doing the same thing every time. These are simply exercises that you should be doing in your workout. If you are already doing these exercises, you will want to put a little more emphasis on them than the others in your workout.
Squats
I've said it a million times - if you want big legs, you're going to have to squat. Technique is everything with this exercise. Make sure that you are arching your back from the time that you pick the weight up to the time you rack it. Also, your head needs to be back, preferably looking up during the set.
Your chest should be out with feet a little wider than shoulder width. To execute, imagine yourself sitting down in a chair. With me, if I can imagine myself doing the exercise in such a way that the form makes sense, it is always easier to execute the movement.
Now, you might even want to grab a bench and practice sitting down normally just so you can get a feel for the movement. To really hit your quads (which is the muscle that you want to focus on with this exercise), go down to just above parallel, in order to minimize the emphasis on your glutes, before starting the ascending portion.
Deadlifts
This exercise should be done on the days that you work your back. This is an excellent movement for overall strength and building thickness in the mid to lower portion of your back. Deadlifts can be done anytime in the workout, but it is probably best to do it later in your workout.
I've always found that if I have a pump in the working muscle, it is easier to work it in other exercises. Since deadlifting pulls in aspects of your legs as well, the more of a pump you have before this exercise, the more you can emphasize your back. You can do this with a narrow stance, with your arms outside of your knees.
An alternative way is to have a "sumo" stance with your feet very wide apart and arms inside your knees. Either way, the key is to have strict form, arch your back, and keep it that way throughout the movement.
Bench Press
To most people, this is the bread and butter to building their chest. However, most people perform this movement with very poor form. It seems like every time that I look at the people bench pressing in the gym; over half are using terrible form by squirming on the bench, lifting their butts off of the bench, or dropping the weight on their chest. I think that this is because the majority of those who bench press want to load on as much weight as they can possibly handle so that they can go around bragging about how much they bench. Now, if you have done bench press with any kind of frequency, you've probably noticed that there is a groove that you can push through where the weight feels a little lighter.
This is natural because there is a groove that you need to try and stay in to get maximum results. After letting the weight down to your chest and GENTLY touching your chest with the bar, push up and very slightly towards your head. The weight should end up over your chin or mouth.
If you push at all towards your feet, the weight will feel much heavier. This is what you will tend to do with extremely heavy weight or late in a set. Avoid throwing the weight up, instead, put the emphasis on actually pushing with your chest muscles.
To do this, try flexing your lats throughout the set. I do this, and it makes my chest flex automatically. If that doesn't work, put a little bit of force in trying to touch your hands together at the top of the repetition without actually moving your hands.
Military Press
This is an exercise that you want to do when you work shoulders. It is a good idea to go ahead and have a pump before you do this movement. I prefer to do these by pressing the weight behind my neck, not in front. This because I simply feel it more in my shoulders this way. However, you can do as you please.
Military press is very good for getting that wide and thick look up top. Again, there is also a groove for this exercise as well. Basically, if you are going behind your neck, you want to make sure that your elbows are back throughout the entire set. You don't want to come down to your neck and push the weight up while your forearms are at a funky angle to the bar.
You want your forearms to be perfectly perpendicular with the bar. Use about the same width that you use on bench press. If you have a relatively narrow grip for bench press, then go a little wider with military press.
Be cautious of the position of your lower back and butt throughout the set. Usually, you tend to deviate from the back of the bench as the set progresses. Make sure that you keep your lower back and butt pressed against the back of the seat.
Straight Leg Deadlifts
You would want to include this exercise in your hamstring workout. This is a very simple movement, but it can be devastating if you are not aware of your form. Just like regular deadlifts, you want to keep your lower back arched, chest up, and head back. Use about a 15 inch grip and when you let the weight down, stick your butt out and bend at the hips.
This will cause you to focus in on your hamstrings. Personally, I would rather try to stick my butt out as far as I can in order to get a stretch in my hamstrings instead of trying to go all the way down to my toes with the weight. Think about it, if you try to go all the way down to your toes, your back will probably round, and that is what you don't want.
When you pull the weight up, flex your hamstrings and bend only at the hips. If you do what I have instructed, you will be able to blow out your hamstrings with this exercise.
Conclusion
I promise that if you incorporate these exercises into your workout and really emphasize them, you will get results. Go as heavy as you can using perfect form and you will definitely obtain the maximum benefits to these exercises.
Remember, it's always a good idea to get somewhat of a pump in the working muscle before performing any of these movements. Also, try to incorporate 2-4 other exercises per body part in addition to what I have listed depending on the body part worked.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Back Done Right
I am writing an article on the importance of back training. Many people say that the back is the most neglected muscle, but I beg to differ. In my experience, I have seen many teens train their back and not even know it. There are many different theories on which muscle group is the most neglected. I myself believe it is calves. But anyway, a good back is very important to keep in shape if you care about your physique.
Have you ever seen the lats on Lee Haney? If you don't know what lats are, I'll get into that a little later. Back to the point. Haney probably has the best lat development I have ever seen. I have researched in many books to find what Lee Haney's back workout is like. I have learned by reading Joe Weider's "Ultimate Bodybuilding," that Haney does a lot of Barbell Rows for his back development. There are many different back exercises that can stimulate your back in different areas, and it is important to hit your back in all those areas. That is what I want to explain to you.
Another thing I want to make clear to you by the time you finish this article is the difference between what exercises work the back and what exercises don't. I've seen kids that think pull-ups (chin-ups) work your shoulders. I've seen this one kid who thought he knew everything, going around to all the teenagers on the Lat Pulldown machines that their form was off, and that they weren't working their chest muscles right. He then went on to say that you have to pull the bar down to the bottom of your chest, and that works your chest muscles. I just want to clear up some things that people just don't understand.
Muscles of the Back:
There are basically 3 sets of muscles in your back, the Latissimus Dorsi muscles, the Spinal Erectors, and the Trapezius muscles. I am going to make a separate page for the Trapezius muscles, because most of those exercises go well with shoulder exercises.
Latissimus Dorsi-these are triangular muscles that extend from under the shoulders to the lower back.
Spinal Erectors-these are several muscles in the lower back area. These protect your nerves, and are the slowest recuperating muscles in your body.
Trapezius- I will go over these probably in my shoulder article, if not an article just for the Traps.
How to Train the Back:
I like to train my back all by itself or on my chest day. It is up to you, I just prefer it that way. However, it has been said that in order for your chest to get fully stimulated, and to get maximum training for the chest, you have to develop your lat muscles. I usually have to kill my back, because I do not have broad shoulders, I have a narrow chest/shoulder span.
I will not go through the training systems for each of the body types. Instead, I will just tell you some basic principles to train by for your specific body type.
Are you a heavy teen?
Heavy teens should focus on higher repetitions, higher sets, not focusing on lower rep/set mass building. Most heavy teens already have muscle mass accumulated because of their weight.
Are you a Skinny teen?
Skinny teens are just the opposite. They should go for low rep/low sets, because they are trying to build mass. A lower number of reps means you are building mass rather than definition.
Are you a Gifted teen?
How will you know if you are gifted? If you are naturally muscular, and don't have a hard time gaining muscle mass or definition, then you are most likely a gifted teen (Mesomorph). You should train with a medium range of reps. I would say 8-12 reps per set.
In my experience with back training, the upper back recuperates from a workout very fast, while the lower back does not. In fact, the lower back is the slowest recuperating muscle in your body, taking some 100 hours to fully recuperate. I have to just blast away at my back and eat like a maniac after I train it because I have a very narrow chest. My body didn't have that "V" look to it. It looked like my chest and my stomach was connected, they just go straight up on my body. I can show you how to fix that about your back if you have that problem. It really looks good having your back in that V-shape behind your chest. I don't usually show my training schedule on a "Done Right" article, but I will show you, because if I could see a "V" shape forming on my body, then you definitely could.
To start you off with back training, I want to say that less is not always more in my experience. I know that sometimes people say in order to gain you need to train less and eat more, but back training does not always work that way (in my experience). I blasted away at my back for months and I saw some great gains. Like I said, you couldn't even see my lats, my stomach went straight up, with no "V" flare. When I started blasting my back in the weight room, I seemed to get pretty good gains. Excellent gains. If you want, you could try blasting your back like I listed before, or you could try doing less and see how it works for you. One thing does not always work for everyone. It rarely does, in fact. Later in this article, I will show you both kinds of workouts to build your back, because I have used both my blasting techniques and less training to build my back, and I have built it very exceptionally. Try either one.
Exercises For the Back:
I will start by giving you a list of exercises for the Upper Back, but I will get into the lower back afterward. You may already know all of these exercises, so you can just skip this part if you have to.
Wide Grip Chins-you may know them as pull-ups, they are done by hanging from a pull-up bar, pulling your chin above the bar. If you don't know what a pull-up is, I don't know what world you live in. For most school systems, schools have to test your fitness, and pull-ups are a requirement. Use a wide grip to expand the width of your lats. Wide Grip Chins behind the Neck-just pull yourself up to where the bar meets the back of your neck.
Close Grip Chins-pulling yourself up with your hands close together.
Lat Pulldowns-these are done on a machine, they are the same as a chin-up, and you just pull down on the bar that is there. These are very good because you can do less than your body weight and it doesn't allow you to thrust your body around when you are doing your last rep. You can also do these behind the back, and with a close grip. I won't go into that.
Barbell Rows-putting a barbell on the floor in front of you put your hands on the bar arms straight out at shoulder width. Bend your knees slightly. Keep your back straight throughout the exercise, with a slight arch upward, as not to totally bend over and hurt your back. Bring the bar straight up, about to your ABS.
Dumbbell Rows-these are the same as barbell rows, except you are using dumbbells. Plus, you have your hands holding the dumbbells in a hammer position, thumbs facing each other on the inside. These can be done with one arm, too. Kneel on a bench for support with the opposite knee of the arm you are using. Let the arm you are using hang below the bench, and, while hunched over, pull the dumbbell up.
T-Bar Rows- I know Arnold always talked about how he liked to do these for his back because they gave him such a burn. These do work very well. The same as a barbell row, only on a T-Bar machine.
Cable Rows (Pulley Rows)- these are done with a cable bar (It is one of those 2 handled things, or a regular straight bar that connects to a cable), where you are seated using your legs as a restraint, pulling the bar to your chest, really feeling the burn in your back.
Pullovers-these can be done either with a barbell, or with a machine. Most gyms have pullover machines. With a barbell on the ground right in front of a bench, lay on the bench, your head on the end where the barbell lays. Have a training partner hand you the bar with your arms bent at 90 degrees. Pull the bar up (keeping your arms bent) until it is above the top of your face.
Lower Back:
Dead Lifts-these are very difficult to perform correctly if you have never done them, because they require a lot of discipline. Stand at a barbell like you were going to do a barbell row. Have one hand in a reverse grip like you were going to curl, and one in a regular grip. You should see the palm of one hand, and the top of the other hand. Bend your knees until your thighs are about parallel with the ground. Using your legs, press them up until just your back is bent over. Then straighten yourself up with your back. When you are doing this, do it in one motion, do not sit there with your back bent. Right after you press up using your legs, straighten up with your back. This is a very important exercise.
Good Mornings-put a barbell behind your neck lying on your shoulder blades like you were doing a squat. Bend only your back forward and bring it back up when you feel the pressure. You should be almost parallel to the floor.
Hyperextensions- these are like reverse Roman chairs, you lay on your quads, bend your back so that your head goes toward the ground, and bring it back up.
Have you ever seen the lats on Lee Haney? If you don't know what lats are, I'll get into that a little later. Back to the point. Haney probably has the best lat development I have ever seen. I have researched in many books to find what Lee Haney's back workout is like. I have learned by reading Joe Weider's "Ultimate Bodybuilding," that Haney does a lot of Barbell Rows for his back development. There are many different back exercises that can stimulate your back in different areas, and it is important to hit your back in all those areas. That is what I want to explain to you.
Another thing I want to make clear to you by the time you finish this article is the difference between what exercises work the back and what exercises don't. I've seen kids that think pull-ups (chin-ups) work your shoulders. I've seen this one kid who thought he knew everything, going around to all the teenagers on the Lat Pulldown machines that their form was off, and that they weren't working their chest muscles right. He then went on to say that you have to pull the bar down to the bottom of your chest, and that works your chest muscles. I just want to clear up some things that people just don't understand.
Muscles of the Back:
There are basically 3 sets of muscles in your back, the Latissimus Dorsi muscles, the Spinal Erectors, and the Trapezius muscles. I am going to make a separate page for the Trapezius muscles, because most of those exercises go well with shoulder exercises.
Latissimus Dorsi-these are triangular muscles that extend from under the shoulders to the lower back.
Spinal Erectors-these are several muscles in the lower back area. These protect your nerves, and are the slowest recuperating muscles in your body.
Trapezius- I will go over these probably in my shoulder article, if not an article just for the Traps.
How to Train the Back:
I like to train my back all by itself or on my chest day. It is up to you, I just prefer it that way. However, it has been said that in order for your chest to get fully stimulated, and to get maximum training for the chest, you have to develop your lat muscles. I usually have to kill my back, because I do not have broad shoulders, I have a narrow chest/shoulder span.
I will not go through the training systems for each of the body types. Instead, I will just tell you some basic principles to train by for your specific body type.
Are you a heavy teen?
Heavy teens should focus on higher repetitions, higher sets, not focusing on lower rep/set mass building. Most heavy teens already have muscle mass accumulated because of their weight.
Are you a Skinny teen?
Skinny teens are just the opposite. They should go for low rep/low sets, because they are trying to build mass. A lower number of reps means you are building mass rather than definition.
Are you a Gifted teen?
How will you know if you are gifted? If you are naturally muscular, and don't have a hard time gaining muscle mass or definition, then you are most likely a gifted teen (Mesomorph). You should train with a medium range of reps. I would say 8-12 reps per set.
In my experience with back training, the upper back recuperates from a workout very fast, while the lower back does not. In fact, the lower back is the slowest recuperating muscle in your body, taking some 100 hours to fully recuperate. I have to just blast away at my back and eat like a maniac after I train it because I have a very narrow chest. My body didn't have that "V" look to it. It looked like my chest and my stomach was connected, they just go straight up on my body. I can show you how to fix that about your back if you have that problem. It really looks good having your back in that V-shape behind your chest. I don't usually show my training schedule on a "Done Right" article, but I will show you, because if I could see a "V" shape forming on my body, then you definitely could.
To start you off with back training, I want to say that less is not always more in my experience. I know that sometimes people say in order to gain you need to train less and eat more, but back training does not always work that way (in my experience). I blasted away at my back for months and I saw some great gains. Like I said, you couldn't even see my lats, my stomach went straight up, with no "V" flare. When I started blasting my back in the weight room, I seemed to get pretty good gains. Excellent gains. If you want, you could try blasting your back like I listed before, or you could try doing less and see how it works for you. One thing does not always work for everyone. It rarely does, in fact. Later in this article, I will show you both kinds of workouts to build your back, because I have used both my blasting techniques and less training to build my back, and I have built it very exceptionally. Try either one.
Exercises For the Back:
I will start by giving you a list of exercises for the Upper Back, but I will get into the lower back afterward. You may already know all of these exercises, so you can just skip this part if you have to.
Wide Grip Chins-you may know them as pull-ups, they are done by hanging from a pull-up bar, pulling your chin above the bar. If you don't know what a pull-up is, I don't know what world you live in. For most school systems, schools have to test your fitness, and pull-ups are a requirement. Use a wide grip to expand the width of your lats. Wide Grip Chins behind the Neck-just pull yourself up to where the bar meets the back of your neck.
Close Grip Chins-pulling yourself up with your hands close together.
Lat Pulldowns-these are done on a machine, they are the same as a chin-up, and you just pull down on the bar that is there. These are very good because you can do less than your body weight and it doesn't allow you to thrust your body around when you are doing your last rep. You can also do these behind the back, and with a close grip. I won't go into that.
Barbell Rows-putting a barbell on the floor in front of you put your hands on the bar arms straight out at shoulder width. Bend your knees slightly. Keep your back straight throughout the exercise, with a slight arch upward, as not to totally bend over and hurt your back. Bring the bar straight up, about to your ABS.
Dumbbell Rows-these are the same as barbell rows, except you are using dumbbells. Plus, you have your hands holding the dumbbells in a hammer position, thumbs facing each other on the inside. These can be done with one arm, too. Kneel on a bench for support with the opposite knee of the arm you are using. Let the arm you are using hang below the bench, and, while hunched over, pull the dumbbell up.
T-Bar Rows- I know Arnold always talked about how he liked to do these for his back because they gave him such a burn. These do work very well. The same as a barbell row, only on a T-Bar machine.
Cable Rows (Pulley Rows)- these are done with a cable bar (It is one of those 2 handled things, or a regular straight bar that connects to a cable), where you are seated using your legs as a restraint, pulling the bar to your chest, really feeling the burn in your back.
Pullovers-these can be done either with a barbell, or with a machine. Most gyms have pullover machines. With a barbell on the ground right in front of a bench, lay on the bench, your head on the end where the barbell lays. Have a training partner hand you the bar with your arms bent at 90 degrees. Pull the bar up (keeping your arms bent) until it is above the top of your face.
Lower Back:
Dead Lifts-these are very difficult to perform correctly if you have never done them, because they require a lot of discipline. Stand at a barbell like you were going to do a barbell row. Have one hand in a reverse grip like you were going to curl, and one in a regular grip. You should see the palm of one hand, and the top of the other hand. Bend your knees until your thighs are about parallel with the ground. Using your legs, press them up until just your back is bent over. Then straighten yourself up with your back. When you are doing this, do it in one motion, do not sit there with your back bent. Right after you press up using your legs, straighten up with your back. This is a very important exercise.
Good Mornings-put a barbell behind your neck lying on your shoulder blades like you were doing a squat. Bend only your back forward and bring it back up when you feel the pressure. You should be almost parallel to the floor.
Hyperextensions- these are like reverse Roman chairs, you lay on your quads, bend your back so that your head goes toward the ground, and bring it back up.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Guide To Sugar
But first, let's see how our body deal with sugar. Sugars are simple carbohydrates: chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a 1-2-1 ratio. Glucose, fructose and galactose are single sugars or monosaccharides. Double sugars, or disaccharides, have more complex arrangements: Sucrose includes one molecule each of glucose and fructose; lactose has one glucose and one galactose molecide; and maltose has two glucose molecules.
Polysaccharides, complex carbohydrates such as grains, consist of long glucose chains, plus fiber and other nutrients. Digestive enzymes reduce all carbohydrates to glucose, commonly called blood sugar, for absorption.
Whether simple or complex, the primary dietary function of any carbohydrate is energy. Both quantity and quality play a role in the body's capacity to effectively metabolize sugar. The former is pretty straightforward: Ingesting large quantities of simple carbohydrates on a regular basis strains our systems. The effect of sweetener quality is less clear cut, but a closer look at various sweeteners may help you make more informed choices.
Processed from sugar cane or sugar beets, white table sugar is 99.5 to 99.9 percent pure sucrose. It lacks vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and trace elements. Powdered or confectioner's sugar is simply pulverized white sugar. Brown sugar is white sugar with some burnt white sugar or molasses mixed back in for color and taste.
Other sweeteners offer different flavors, textures and perhaps a slight nutritional edge compared to white sugar, though availability and price may be limiting factors.
Other Sweetners
Amasake:
This age-old, Oriental whole grain sweetener is made by culturing cooked rice with fermented rice called koji. Enzymes convert the rice starch to simpler forms, mainly maltose and glucose. Besides subtle sweetness, amasake contributes some leavening power and a wonderfully moist texture to baked goods. Buy prepared amasake or make it at home from rice and packaged koji.
Barley Malt Syrup:
This viscous, medium brown liquid sweetener is extracted from roasted, sprouted whole barley. It has a molasses-like character, and is about half as sweet as white sugar (unless corn syrup has been added for extra sweetening; check the label). It's perfect in baked goods when you don't want a pronounced sweetness.
Pure barley malt contains about half complex carbohydrates and half maltose, plus a small amount of glucose, vitamins and minerals. Refrigerate if you use it slowly or the room is warm; otherwise, it's likely to ferment. Also comes in powdered form.
Carob Powder:
This natural sweetener is usually thought of as a chocolate substitute, but the pulverized pods of the locust tree are nearly 50 percent sugar. It's most often combined with another sweetener in recipes. Carob is rich in calcium and other minerals, B vitamins and vitamin A.
Corn Syrup:
An inexpensive, clear, somewhat viscous syrup that is made from chemically refined cornstarch. Corn syrup is composed of at least 90 percent simple carbohydrates. In its purest form, it contains only glucose, but sucrose is usually added to bolster sweetness. Otherwise, its flavor is devoid of character.
Date Sugar:
This sugary-textured substance, consisting of ground, dried pitted dates, is about two-thirds as sweet as sugar. It contains iron, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins. Use it as you would brown sugar on cereal and in baking. You may want to blend date sugar to a finer texture or dissolve it in liquid for some purposes. Store in a cool, dry cupboard.
Fructose:
Although fructose occurs naturally in fruits and honey, commercial crystalline fructose and liquid fructose are highly refined substances derived from refined cane or beet sugar or corn syrup, respectively. Both are 50 percent to 60 percent sweeter than sugar and are devoid of nutrients.
Fructose is most effective as a sweetener when used raw; its sweetness diminishes greatly when cooked. Though it seems to enter the bloodstream somewhat more slowly than glucose, fructose is more likely to end up stored as fat rather than glycogen, the liver's reserve energy supply.
It may cause allergic reactions and exacerbate cholesterol and blood sugar problems in some people. But fructose may have an advantage for diabetics because, unlike other sugars, it doesn't require insulin to get into the liver and body cells. Some vegetarians choose not to use fructose because livestock feed is one byproduct of its production.
Fruit:
Don't forget the sweetening power of fresh fruit purees, dried fruits, cooked fruit sauces and butters, fruit juices and juice concentrates. The less water remaining in a fruit, the more concentrated its flavor and sweetening power. Fruits contain fiber and naturally balanced nutrients, both missing in more refined sweeteners. Winter squashes, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots and other sweet-tasting root vegetables are other mild sweeteners that also lend moistness to baked goods.
Granulated Sugar Cane Juice:
This is a mechanically processed, chemical-free product that physically resembles light brown sugar. It contains about 85 percent sucrose, but vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in the original cane are still intact.
Look for it in natural food stores. A popular brand is Sucanat. Mexican piloncillo and Indian jaggery, sometimes available in ethnic markets, are similarly unrefined.
Honey:
Bees drink in sucrose-rich flower nectar and convert it to glucose and fructose in the form of honey, which also contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and pollen. Depending on the flower source, honeys vary from light-colored and delicate to dark and intensely flavored.
All types are 20 percent or more sweeter than sugar, and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. For best taste and nutrients, look for honey that hasn't undergone high heat or extensive filtration. Honey is acidic and will activate baking soda; it also helps preserve baked goods. Don't give honey to children under 1 year of age; it's been known to cause botulism in infants. Many vegans regard honey as an animal product and avoid it.
Maple Syrup:
It takes 30 gallons to 40 gallons of sap containing 3 percent sucrose to produce one gallon of maple syrup that's 65 percent sucrose. Look for pure maple syrup; 'maple-flavored' syrup consists primarily of sugar or corn syrup and usually contains artificial coloring and flavoring.
Buy organic maple syrup to avoid formaldehyde, chemical anti-foaming agents and mold inhibitors. Refrigerate maple syrup in a glass jar to prevent spoilage. Maple syrup provides a flavorful sweetness with no aftertaste. Highest grade (AA or fancy) maple syrup has the sweetest, most delicate flavor and is best used as a topping. Darker, stronger-flavored grades are ideal for cooking and baking. Maple sugar is dehydrated, crystallized maple syrup; both are pricey, but worth it.
Molasses:
The thick, dark syrup that remains after sugar crystals are removed during sugar refinement, molasses' color and flavor differ depending on whether it results from early or later extractions. Strong-flavored blackstrap molasses is the residue from the final sugar extraction.
This sweetener is rich in minerals, particularly calcium and sometimes iron, but also may contain high concentrations of pesticides and other toxins.
Rice Syrup:
Rice syrup traditionally is made by combining cooked brown rice with dried sprouted barley and culturing the mixture until malt enzymes convert some of the rice starch into glucose (about 3 percent) and maltose (about 45 percent). Rice syrup retains 30 percent to 50 percent complex carbohydrates, plus some minerals and B vitamins.
Rice syrup has a subtly sweet flavor, about two-thirds as sweet as white sugar, one-half as sweet as maple syrup and one-third as sweet as honey. Store in a cool dry place. Rice syrup has a powdered counterpart, made by pulverizing crystals prepared from the liquid; it dissolves readily in liquid.
Polysaccharides, complex carbohydrates such as grains, consist of long glucose chains, plus fiber and other nutrients. Digestive enzymes reduce all carbohydrates to glucose, commonly called blood sugar, for absorption.
Whether simple or complex, the primary dietary function of any carbohydrate is energy. Both quantity and quality play a role in the body's capacity to effectively metabolize sugar. The former is pretty straightforward: Ingesting large quantities of simple carbohydrates on a regular basis strains our systems. The effect of sweetener quality is less clear cut, but a closer look at various sweeteners may help you make more informed choices.
Processed from sugar cane or sugar beets, white table sugar is 99.5 to 99.9 percent pure sucrose. It lacks vitamins, minerals, fiber, protein and trace elements. Powdered or confectioner's sugar is simply pulverized white sugar. Brown sugar is white sugar with some burnt white sugar or molasses mixed back in for color and taste.
Other sweeteners offer different flavors, textures and perhaps a slight nutritional edge compared to white sugar, though availability and price may be limiting factors.
Other Sweetners
Amasake:
This age-old, Oriental whole grain sweetener is made by culturing cooked rice with fermented rice called koji. Enzymes convert the rice starch to simpler forms, mainly maltose and glucose. Besides subtle sweetness, amasake contributes some leavening power and a wonderfully moist texture to baked goods. Buy prepared amasake or make it at home from rice and packaged koji.
Barley Malt Syrup:
This viscous, medium brown liquid sweetener is extracted from roasted, sprouted whole barley. It has a molasses-like character, and is about half as sweet as white sugar (unless corn syrup has been added for extra sweetening; check the label). It's perfect in baked goods when you don't want a pronounced sweetness.
Pure barley malt contains about half complex carbohydrates and half maltose, plus a small amount of glucose, vitamins and minerals. Refrigerate if you use it slowly or the room is warm; otherwise, it's likely to ferment. Also comes in powdered form.
Carob Powder:
This natural sweetener is usually thought of as a chocolate substitute, but the pulverized pods of the locust tree are nearly 50 percent sugar. It's most often combined with another sweetener in recipes. Carob is rich in calcium and other minerals, B vitamins and vitamin A.
Corn Syrup:
An inexpensive, clear, somewhat viscous syrup that is made from chemically refined cornstarch. Corn syrup is composed of at least 90 percent simple carbohydrates. In its purest form, it contains only glucose, but sucrose is usually added to bolster sweetness. Otherwise, its flavor is devoid of character.
Date Sugar:
This sugary-textured substance, consisting of ground, dried pitted dates, is about two-thirds as sweet as sugar. It contains iron, potassium, and other minerals and vitamins. Use it as you would brown sugar on cereal and in baking. You may want to blend date sugar to a finer texture or dissolve it in liquid for some purposes. Store in a cool, dry cupboard.
Fructose:
Although fructose occurs naturally in fruits and honey, commercial crystalline fructose and liquid fructose are highly refined substances derived from refined cane or beet sugar or corn syrup, respectively. Both are 50 percent to 60 percent sweeter than sugar and are devoid of nutrients.
Fructose is most effective as a sweetener when used raw; its sweetness diminishes greatly when cooked. Though it seems to enter the bloodstream somewhat more slowly than glucose, fructose is more likely to end up stored as fat rather than glycogen, the liver's reserve energy supply.
It may cause allergic reactions and exacerbate cholesterol and blood sugar problems in some people. But fructose may have an advantage for diabetics because, unlike other sugars, it doesn't require insulin to get into the liver and body cells. Some vegetarians choose not to use fructose because livestock feed is one byproduct of its production.
Fruit:
Don't forget the sweetening power of fresh fruit purees, dried fruits, cooked fruit sauces and butters, fruit juices and juice concentrates. The less water remaining in a fruit, the more concentrated its flavor and sweetening power. Fruits contain fiber and naturally balanced nutrients, both missing in more refined sweeteners. Winter squashes, sweet potatoes, yams, carrots and other sweet-tasting root vegetables are other mild sweeteners that also lend moistness to baked goods.
Granulated Sugar Cane Juice:
This is a mechanically processed, chemical-free product that physically resembles light brown sugar. It contains about 85 percent sucrose, but vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in the original cane are still intact.
Look for it in natural food stores. A popular brand is Sucanat. Mexican piloncillo and Indian jaggery, sometimes available in ethnic markets, are similarly unrefined.
Honey:
Bees drink in sucrose-rich flower nectar and convert it to glucose and fructose in the form of honey, which also contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes and pollen. Depending on the flower source, honeys vary from light-colored and delicate to dark and intensely flavored.
All types are 20 percent or more sweeter than sugar, and are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream. For best taste and nutrients, look for honey that hasn't undergone high heat or extensive filtration. Honey is acidic and will activate baking soda; it also helps preserve baked goods. Don't give honey to children under 1 year of age; it's been known to cause botulism in infants. Many vegans regard honey as an animal product and avoid it.
Maple Syrup:
It takes 30 gallons to 40 gallons of sap containing 3 percent sucrose to produce one gallon of maple syrup that's 65 percent sucrose. Look for pure maple syrup; 'maple-flavored' syrup consists primarily of sugar or corn syrup and usually contains artificial coloring and flavoring.
Buy organic maple syrup to avoid formaldehyde, chemical anti-foaming agents and mold inhibitors. Refrigerate maple syrup in a glass jar to prevent spoilage. Maple syrup provides a flavorful sweetness with no aftertaste. Highest grade (AA or fancy) maple syrup has the sweetest, most delicate flavor and is best used as a topping. Darker, stronger-flavored grades are ideal for cooking and baking. Maple sugar is dehydrated, crystallized maple syrup; both are pricey, but worth it.
Molasses:
The thick, dark syrup that remains after sugar crystals are removed during sugar refinement, molasses' color and flavor differ depending on whether it results from early or later extractions. Strong-flavored blackstrap molasses is the residue from the final sugar extraction.
This sweetener is rich in minerals, particularly calcium and sometimes iron, but also may contain high concentrations of pesticides and other toxins.
Rice Syrup:
Rice syrup traditionally is made by combining cooked brown rice with dried sprouted barley and culturing the mixture until malt enzymes convert some of the rice starch into glucose (about 3 percent) and maltose (about 45 percent). Rice syrup retains 30 percent to 50 percent complex carbohydrates, plus some minerals and B vitamins.
Rice syrup has a subtly sweet flavor, about two-thirds as sweet as white sugar, one-half as sweet as maple syrup and one-third as sweet as honey. Store in a cool dry place. Rice syrup has a powdered counterpart, made by pulverizing crystals prepared from the liquid; it dissolves readily in liquid.
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