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E! EXCLUSIV

THE SILENT BODYBUILDER KILLER

pg. 100

Nicole Wilkins Reveals All

PACK ON

MUSCLE

3O DAYS IN JUST

Your Best Six-Pack Ever! Take Our Abs Challenge

IFBB PRO LARRY VINETTE

Super Stacks for Mass Time Your Supplements for 24-Hour Gains pg. 78

BUILDING GREAT BODIES SINCE 1974

musclemag.com

DECEMBER 2013 $6.99 US/$7.99 CAN

PLEASE DISPLAY UNTIL 12/31/13

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Available exclusively at

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stores nationwide vitaminshoppe.com

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DECEMBER 2O13 WorldMags.net 36 Add 50 lbs. to Your

Squat, Overhead Press, Bench, Bent-Over Row To build super strength and muscle size,

you need to work the secondary muscles that assist in the execution of the major lifts. Here’s how to build power from the inside out. BY JIMMY PEÑA, MS, CSCS

46 Your 5-Week Ab Challenge

Go from flab to abs by making your workout progressively more challenging, building up your strength and your sixpack. Here’s a five-week plan that’ll make your abs pop. BY BILL GEIGER, MA

62 Jurassic Mass

MMI uncovers the truth about the popular ancestral Paleo diet and how it can keep your muscle gains from going extinct. BY MIKE CARLSON

70 Building a

Classic Physique MMI sat down with three legendary

Mr. Olympia champions to discuss the current state of bodybuilding and ask for their insight on how to build a physique for the ages. BY ERIC VELAZQUEZ, NSCA-CPT

78 Stackin’ for Mass

Combine the right supplements at the optimal times for muscle gains around the clock. BY DWAYNE N. JACKSON, PhD

Your Reps, 54 Double Double the Muscle You can do twice the reps with a given heavy weight if you follow the rest-pause technique. Now’s your chance to make muscle and strength gains like never before. BY JIMMY PEÑA, MS, CSCS

6 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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TRAIN BEAST LIKE A

™

pre-workout formula that maximizes intensity and energizes the body to compete at the highest level.* it’s a new age... for a whole new beast.

AVAILABLE AT ®®

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

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© 1995 - 2014 Beast Sports Nutrition. All Rights Reserved

DECEMBER 2O13

WorldMags.net Departments 88 Cheat to Win

100

in the Gym

Maintaining strict form will help you build muscle, but there are times when loosening your exercise execution can help you boost the intensity of your workout and reap even greater gains. The key is knowing how to cheat right. BY ROB RINALDI, MA

94 Cheat to Win on Your Diet

Eating clean makes a bodybuilder start craving the wrong kinds of foods, especially those loaded with sugar and fats. MMI explains which cheat strategies will help boost your gains – and which will bust your gut. BY TEAM MUSCLEMAG

100 Is Your Muscle

Sleep Putting You in Deadly Danger? One side efect of bodybuilding is a

stronger, thicker neck, but that can cause you to fall victim to an insidious nighttime killer called sleep apnea. BY NICOLE MCPHERSON

14

MUSCLEMAG ONLINE

What’s on musclemag.com this month

15

EDITOR’S LETTER

18 20

FREEZE FRAME FEEDBACK

By Bill Geiger

FIRST SET 22 EXERCISE OF THE MONTH By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

24

MAKE ONE CHANGE

By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

26

TROUBLESHOOTING 101 By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

27

PUMP QUIZ By Bill Geiger, MA

28

FACE OFF

29

BODYBUILDER’S CHOICE

By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

By Steven Stiefel

108 After-Dark Muscle Building

Once your workout ends, the business of building muscle in the kitchen begins. Here’s how to maximize muscle growth and fat loss with the right foods and supplements from your postworkout meal through bedtime. BY ERIC VELAZQUEZ, NSCA-CPT

114 Sports Med:

Your Achilles Heel in Your Pursuit to Get Lean If you do high-impact cardio, you

116

might be familiar with plantar fasciitis pain in the soles of your feet. Here’s what causes the condition and how to treat it. BY GUILLERMO ESCALANTE, PhD, MBA, CSCS

116 Eye of the Tigress We get up close and personal with Nicole Wilkins, whose fierce determination to win earned her a third Ms. Olympia Figure title in 2013. PHOTOS BY ROBERT REIFF

8 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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30

MUSCLE MEALS

31

FOOD PICKS

32

NUTRITION R&D

35

ON SHELVES NOW

By Ashif Tejani

By Matthew Kadey By Steven Stiefel

By Steven Stiefel

ON THE COVER Larry Vinette by Paul Buceta

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MAXIMIZE

MASS &

STRENGTH maximize testosterone and nitric oxide levels to support muscle mass, strength and libido while supporting liver and kidney function.* it’s a new age... for a whole new beast.

AVAILABLE AT ®®

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

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© 1995 - 2014 Beast Sports Nutrition. All Rights Reserved

™

DECEMBER 2O13

WorldMags.net 126 Back From

the Future A student of training, Toney

Freeman takes a cerebral approach to his back/rear-delt/ upper-traps workout that’s as multidimensional as it is unconventional. BY ERIC VELAZQUEZ, NSCA-CPT

138 Vintage Vinette

156

Cover model Larry Vinette discusses the training philosophy that helped him earn his IFBB pro card. BY JIMMY PEÑA, MS, CSCS

Real-Time Chest and Shoulder Workout with Lee Banks IFBB pro Lee Banks

146 Miami

Muscle Machine Alejandro Cambronero’s love for

iron has brought him to America and ultimately a pro card. Here’s the Costa Rican’s formula for building massive pecs. BY LARA MCGLASHAN, MFA, CPT

goes high volume/ low rest in this raw, ofseason chest-anddelts thrash. BY ERIC VELAZQUEZ, NSCA-CPT

HARDCORE Departments 124 CONTENTS 166 ATHLETE PROFILE

By Alex Zakrzewski

168 STRONGMAN SUMMIT

By Mike Jenkins

170 BROOKLYN BUILT

By Anthoneil Champagnie, IFBB Pro

172

MAKING GAINS

174 177

MARKETPLACE FITMART

By Alex Zakrzewski

ON THE INSIDE COVER

IFBB Pro Lee Banks Photo by Gregory James

10 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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UNLEASH BEAST THE

™

creatine complex with five advanced forms of creatine to fuel muscle growth, increase strength and accelerate recovery* it’s a new age... for a whole new beast.

AVAILABLE AT ®®

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

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© 1995 - 2014 Beast Sports Nutrition. All Rights Reserved

WorldMags.net Visit musclemag.com for exclusive videos, articles, galleries and more.

Biggest Bodybuilding Rivalries Few sports give rise to rivalries quite as personal and polarizing as those found in bodybuilding. From Arnold vs. Oliva to Phil vs. Kai, these six monster matchups have left an indelible mark on the sport and will be argued over for decades to come. Be sure to let us know your alltime favorite.

We’re HUGE on Facebook and Twitter! Follow us at Facebook.com/ MuscleMag and @musclemag.

Facebook: facebook.com/musclemag Twitter: twitter.com/musclemag YouTube: youtube.com/musclemagintl

Train Like Thor Icelandic strongman champion and Game of Thrones star Hafthor “Thor” Björnsson, profiled on pg. 166, is known for performing mindblowing feats of strength worthy of the halls of Asgard! Don’t believe us? Check out these incredible training and competition videos courtesy of Iceland’s strongest man. 12 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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Making Even More Gains Our much-loved Making Gains section is back! We want to hear your training success stories. Are you bigger, stronger or more shredded than ever before? Send us a message on Facebook, include a snappy photo of yourself looking Olympia-worthy, and much like the lucky gym rats on pg. 172, you just might find yourself featured in the pages of your favorite bodybuilding magazine!

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TRAIN

HARDER RECOVER

FASTER delivering 10 grams of total amino acids, our redesigned formula with electrolytes enhances muscle endurance during workouts and accelerates post-workout recovery.* it’s a new age... for a whole new beast.

AVAILABLE AT ®®

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.

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© 1995 - 2014 Beast Sports Nutrition. All Rights Reserved

™

WorldMags.net DECEMBER 2013 ISSUE

GROUP PUBLISHER Cheryl Angelheart ACTING GENERAL MANAGER Todd Hughes EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bill Geiger DEPUTY EDITOR Michal Kapral ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Donna Diamond ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER Laura (Flores) Thorne ART DIRECTOR Michael Touna A/R MANAGER Alice Negrete SALES MANAGER Holly Burns PRODUCTION MANAGERS Lisa Snow, Patrick Sternkopf ONLINE CONTENT MANAGER Alex Zakrzewski COPY EDITORS Kristi Haar, Angie Mattison CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Guillermo Escalante, Dan Filipe, Frank Hofman, Matthew Kadey, Lara McGlashan, Rob Rinaldi, Steven Stiefel, Terry Webster

Efrem Zimbalist III Chairman & CEO Andrew W. Clurman President & COO Brian J. Sellstrom Senior Vice President & CFO Patricia B. Fox Senior Vice President, Operations

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MuscleMag is printed monthly in the U.S.A. © 2013 by Active Interest Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. The information in MuscleMag is for educational purposes only. It’s not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals. Consult your physician before making changes in your diet, supplement and/or exercise program. MuscleMag, 24900 Anza Dr., Unit E, Valencia, CA 91355 - Toll Free: (800) 423-2874 MuscleMag (ISSN 1086-3400) is published nine times per year (2013 cover dates: Jan ’13, Feb ’13, Mar ’13, Apr ‘13, May ‘13, Jun ‘13, Jul ‘13, Nov ‘13, Dec ’13) by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc., an Active Interest Media company. Advertising and editorial ofces at 24900 Anza Drive, Unit E, Santa Clarita, California 91355. The known ofce of publication is 5720 Flatiron Pkwy, Boulder CO 80301. Periodicals postage paid at Boulder, CO and at additional mailing ofces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MuscleMag, P.O. Box 420235, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235. Subscription rates in the United States are one year $34.97. Canada: $49.97. Foreign: $84.97 (US funds only). The publisher and editors will not be responsible for unsolicited material. Manuscripts and photographs must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed return envelope. Vol. 16, No. 9. Printed in the United States by RR Donnelley, Strasburg, VA. 2013 by Active Interest Media Publication. Copyright © 2013 by Cruz Bay Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, either in whole or part, in any form without written permission from the publisher.

FirstWorldMags.net Rep

By Bill Geiger, Editor-in-Chief

A WORD FROM THE EDITOR

Paying Your Dues

In bodybuilding, whether you compete or not, everyone has to pay their dues. If your goal is to not just look strong but be strong,

you measure those dues by time spent in the gym — and quite literally, it’s measured in years. String together a week of good workouts and you’re a bit closer to your goal, but success comes only to those who have the discipline to stick to it for the long haul. It’s hard to imagine behemoths like Jay Cutler and Phil Heath as anything but Mr. Olympia champions, but even those guys started as rank beginners (albeit many years ago). Most of us think of beginners as skinny guys who get in our way on bench-press day, but for most firstyear lifters, the excitement lies in seeing the changes in strength that come almost workout to workout. For the guys able to advance to the next level, they see firsthand the adaptation process, how muscle grows stronger when it’s stressed in the gym and given proper nutrients and rest. Alas, one of the telltale signs of no longer being a beginner is that progress seems to come to a grinding halt. Those weekly increases in strength and reps on the bench press are a thing of the past. The irony of progressing to the next level in bodybuilding is that everything just got a little bit harder. For me and for countless others in the gym, stagnation was met with a commitment to train harder, doing more exercises, more sets and longer, even more frequent workouts to bust through training plateaus. In a lot of cases, however, that’s exactly the wrong approach.

Today I see a lot of guys in the gym training hard but seemingly making very little progress. Many continue to toil away as if efort alone was the missing ingredient to their physique-building success. Yet ask any top bodybuilder and he’ll tell you that training is as much mental as it is physical. While that may seem counterintuitive in a sport in which you’re lifting tons of iron a day, the fact is training harder isn’t the same as training smarter. Longtime bodybuilders know there are a number of other variables that can be manipulated — exercise selection and order, past-failure intensity principles, rest periods, time under tension — that are critical to your ultimate achievement. The mental aspect comes in because you need to think and plan what you’re doing rather just showing up at the gym and lifting. As editor-in-chief of a publication like MuscleMag, I don’t want our writers to simply find out what the world’s best bodybuilders are doing; I also want to know why and how so that you get an inside look into the inner workings of their mind. In each and every article we publish, I charge them with a simple task: Teach me something that I didn’t already know. I’m looking for more detail than what’s just beneath the surface; many of these insider tips are pulled out into our Power Pointers so that you have a better understanding of the mental aspect of bodybuilding.

This month, you’ll find a number of articles from which we hope you can use a grain or two in your own workouts, especially if you’re facing the same zerogrowth stagnation that confronts many lifters. You’ll find progressive programs in which you increase the intensity over time in both “Add 50 Lbs. to Your Squat, Overhead Press, Bench, Bent-Over Row” and “Your Five-Week Ab Challenge.” For boosting your intensity in a given workout, check out “Double Your Reps, Double the Muscle,” which explains how the rest-pause technique is used by top bodybuilders. And for pushing past failure, we show you how — and when not to — incorporate cheating into your technique to spur additional muscle gains. As usual, you’ll also find interviews with some of the world’s foremost bodybuilders — this issue with Toney Freeman, Alex Cambronero, Larry Vinette and Lee Banks, all IFBB pros — to see what each man credits for his individual success. If gym smarts becomes increasingly important the further you go in bodybuilding, you’ll be glad to know that your investment in MuscleMag will continue to bring you the best and latest information on building your body, one workout at a time.

WorldMags.net

Bill Geiger EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 15

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Coryn Salazar National Bikini Competitor

TEAM NUTRISHOP

Eric Nelson Photography

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THE RIGHT CONCEPT • THE RIGHT OPPORTUNITY • THE RIGHT TIME

Turn your passion for fitness and nutrition into your own business. OPEN A NUTRISHOP TODAY!

We carry all the top brands and the latest cutting edge nutritional supplements at the guaranteed lowest prices!

www.NutrishopUSA.com

Follow NutrishopUSA:

RAPIDLY APPROACHING 200 LOCATIONS! WorldMags.net

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Freeze Frame Not Just Anybody Gets Advice From the Champ IFBB pro Toney Freeman is all business when it comes to a photo shoot, like the one featured on page 126. Oftentimes the bodybuilder is highly depleted the day after a contest, and such shoots require performing a given move time and time again for both the photographer and videographer. But all work ceases when Toney spots a young lifter in the gym who could clearly use a tip or two when it comes to mass building. It’s a reminder to us that, ultimately, this shoot isn’t about Toney as much as it is about helping you, our readers. Photo by Gregory James

18 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 19

Feedback WorldMags.net Facebook.com/MuscleMag AND ON TWITTER @musclemag

Q:

Can Phil beat Ronnie’s record of eight wins? Yeah he does! He’s young in comparison and has the best genetics since Flex Wheeler. As far as mass and shape, he’s unstoppable.” –JAKE ALAN L.

–ERIK L.

Never! Ronnie is the king!” –MIRCEA I. Nope. The competition is too fierce. It is only a matter of time before he is dethroned.

–@STEVEKWELI

20 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

–CLAYTON D.

It’s way too early for this talk. –@STHURMAN14

AGREED #CANILIVE PLEASE? –@PHILHEATH @STHURMAN14: @MUSCLEMAG.

“Of course. He’s “The Gift” for a reason!”

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–@REALSUPERSIDHU

ISAAC HINDS

The bigger question is: Who is good enough to beat him? Is there a guy ready to take the Olympia away from him? Is there a bodybuilder complete enough?

I don’t think he does. With the amount of pure talent coming out of the woodwork like Ramy, it will be hard for him to maintain his crown. Don’t forget about Kai, either. He’s a man who will put it all on the line!

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Muscle

Mouthings

What’s the craziest way you’ve destroyed a protein shaker? Was at my hunting camp and decided to use it as skeet and blast it into pieces with a 12-gauge shotgun. #birdshot @FITNESSCLAY

FROM THE PROS

I dropped mine off of a hotel room balcony completely filled. It exploded on impact when it hit the ground. #wastedprotein

One step at a time. Those steps whether big or small will find their way along this journey we call #Life.

BONOMO27

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SHUTTERSTOCK (4); ISAAC HINDS (2); GREGORY JAMES (2); COURTESY BURCH; MICHAEL TOUNA

@KAIGREENE

Failed on a heavy dumbbell press, dropped it on preworkout cup, and bam! Everyone in the whole gym was coated in sticky drink. #unpopular @UNKLELAY

Didn’t wash it out and let it sit in my car closed. The smell doesn’t wash out of the shaker :(

Left it on my taxi’s roof then it drove off. Lol. ALLEN L.

Had to pee into it when I was hunting this weekend. Threw it in the trash! @BLANCHDANMAN

Lol. NEVER! It’s like the Holy Grail. Still using the same one for 4 years! CRAIG B.

Set it down on the tailboard of the fire truck. We got a call. It made it 6 blocks before taking a corner & exploding.

Next to every successful man is an incredible woman! @FLEX_LEWIS

@R_J_FIRE

@DAL_GD

Can’t wait to try the new peanut butter Pop Tarts after the Prague show!

Another guy at the gym used mine by mistake. I threw it away. @R_D_PHOTO

@FSMALLS1

The Future Battle of Mr. Olympia? Lewis Touna of Toronto, Ontario, (left) is definitely a born bodybuilder, but Easton Michael Burch of Ninety Six, South Carolina, is growing bigger every day. Are we seeing a preview of the 2045 Mr. Olympia showdown?

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Bodybuilding has come a long way since PUMPING IRON! #GenerationIron @LOUFERRIGNO

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 21

FIRST SETWorldMags.net EXERCISE OF THE MONTH By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

THIS MONTH’S EXERCISE

Smith Machine Drag Curl

TARGET MUSCLE: BICEPS (WITH EMPHASIS ON THE LONG HEAD, OR PEAK)

THE START

STEP 1: Stand inside a

Smith machine holding the bar in front of your upper thighs.

STEP 2: Keep your chest

Biggest Training Errors 1. Standing too far away. You need to get up close and personal with the bar. Many lifters stand too far back, which defeats the purpose of this exceptional biceps move.

2. Not pulling

up, shoulders back and eyes focused forward.

your elbows back.

This sets up the entire move. If you pull your elbows back and keep them pulled back, you’re far more likely to get it right.

STEP 3: You should be

close to the bar with your elbows by your sides, knees unlocked.

EXECUTION

3. Shrugging the bar. There’s a bit of

STEP 1: Begin the move

a tendency to shrug the bar upward, but try to keep your shoulders down to ensure that the emphasis remains on the biceps. You may have to drop the weight slightly to do so.

by pulling your elbows back as you drag the bar up your body toward your upper abs/lower chest.

STEP 2: Drag the bar up your torso as high as possible, pushing your elbows behind you. You’ll notice the bar hits significantly lower on the body compared to the standard barbell curl.

STEP 3: Slowly return the bar along the same path and repeat.

Photos by Gregory James Model IFBB Pro Brandon Curry

During the standard curl, the bar travels over a natural arc that hits both the biceps and the front delts to a certain degree. The Smithmachine drag curl eliminates that arc completely and removes all deltoid involvement from the equation. Since your hands stay close to your body as the bar comes up, your elbows must travel backward. If you finish the move with the bar in front of your delts, the bar is too high and you didn’t pull your elbows back behind you. The bar should come no higher than your upper abs.

BEST ALTERNATIVE

STANDARD BARBELL CURL

If you don’t have a Smith machine, you can target the biceps long head with a drag curl using an Olympic bar or short straight bar. The Smith machine makes it a bit easier to focus on the biceps because you don’t have to balance the bar, but the form is identical with a standard barbell. Remember, because the exercise removes the delts from the equation, you’ll need to reduce the weight; it doesn’t take a heavy load to target the biceps. We’re betting this quickly becomes one of your go-to moves for the biceps peak.

22 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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FIRST SETWorldMags.net MAKE ONE CHANGE By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

You Go Below Parallel When Squatting The squat is arguably the most effective exercise for targeting the legs, but what happens when you push it way down low?

Going Down

Obviously, the most popular version of the squat is the parallel squat in which the thighs come parallel to the floor. You stop the downward motion when your knees approach a 90-degree angle, pause briefly, then explode upward until your legs are straight.

➔ SQUAT

MAKE THIS CHANGE

TAKE YOUR SQUATS DOWN LOW: hips to heels. While some people argue that going just to parallel is better for your knees, research confirms that sheer forces on the knees are actually greater in a parallel squat than a deep squat. And for those who think the parallel squat is better for your lower back, a full range of motion has been found to be less stressful on the spine than a squat that stops at 90 degrees. Finally, if the safety of your knees and back isn’t enough to convince you, scientists report that you increase the muscular activity of all three muscle groups (quads, hamstrings and glutes) by taking your hips to the floor compared to parallel squats. Because all three muscles are being required to power you through a greater distance, you naturally recruit more fibers, which exposes you to greater mass opportunities.

The squat is head and shoulders above all other leg moves, targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes to fulfill its demanding requirements. The key is to press through the floor with your feet rather than try to lift the bar with your upper body. You want the bar to feel attached to your traps as you move your entire body as one unit. With your abs pulled in tight, chest up and the energy surging through your feet and up your legs, there’s not a better exercise in the gym.

GET THE BENEFITS FROM BOTH

Both versions have their positive points, so be sure to do both kinds of squats. Before going super deep, however, be sure to warm up with very light weight. Do parallel squats often enough to work the upper range of motion, allowing you to use more weight than you could for a full squat. Try both versions inside a power rack whenever possible so that you can adjust the safeties downward as you work to increase strength as well as hip and low-back flexibility. If you can’t squat deep, be sure to work on your flexibility and keep your entire foot in contact with the floor throughout the move.

24 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

WorldMags.net

GREGORY JAMES

What Happens When ...

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SERIOUS RESULTS FOR SERIOUS ATHLETES

You show up early. You stay late. You do extra reps and never hold back because you know the dedication it takes to be a serious athlete. HMB supplementation with training has been proven to help increase strength, improve endurance, and reduce recovery time. Check out the research and read about other serious athletes like you that take HMB at HMB.org. Then follow the links to get HMB and the results you deserve.

Visit www.HMB.org/mm

HMB is developed, licensed, and marketed by Metabolic Technologies, Inc. Individuals providing testimonies in ads are sponsored athletes or have received the ingredient HMB as a gift from Metabolic Technologies Inc. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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FIRST SETWorldMags.net TROUBLESHOOTING 1O1 By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

TARGET

PRESSDOWN

One of these photos shows a critical but common mistake on the pressdown.

1

2

About the Pressdown

Spot the Error

The overhand-grip pressdown is an efective isolation move for all three triceps heads, with emphasis on the lateral head. The pressdown can help send much-needed blood to the elbow joints to help prepare them for the workout ahead, or can be used as a finishing exercise to pump the muscle. For a diferent feel, try using a straight bar, V-bar or even a rope from workout to workout. Finally, keep your abs tight, knees unlocked and chest up throughout the set.

The key to executing the pressdown efectively is to keep your elbows pinned by your sides throughout each rep. If you permit your elbows to come forward as the bar comes up, you’ll remove emphasis from the triceps while inviting more abs, delts and even the lats to join in. Photo one is correct.

Fix It

Many form fixes begin when you reduce the weight. Once you get the hang of great form, by all means load it up. Step close to the stack so the cable runs right in front of your face. Grasp the bar, pull your elbows to your sides and pin them there. You want the movement to occur at the elbow joints alone, not the shoulders. After pressing to full arm extension, allow the bar to come up to where your forearms are about parallel to the floor; an inch or so above is fine. This range of motion might feel much shorter than you’re used to, but it’s what makes the exercise so efective.

26 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

BEGINNER’S TIP Without any weight on the stack, look to your side in the mirror if possible. If you don’t have a mirror, ask someone to let you know when your forearms are parallel. You’ll notice that it’s much more difcult to stop the upward motion of the cable at parallel than to let it pull your arms up farther. You’ll immediately feel a better burn in your triceps, as well. Once you get the hang of the short range of motion, slowly begin adding weight to the stack and practice that perfect form. Although it’s generally not a good idea to turn your head to watch yourself, it’s a bit safer with single-joint movements.

WorldMags.net

Photos by Gregory James Model Victor Luna

CAN YOU SPOT WHICH ONE IS WRONG?

FIRST SETWorldMags.net PUMP QUIZ First Picks

What’s the best exercise to do first in your workout? Test your iron IQ with these 3 challenging questions. After warming up,

A) ONE-ARM REVERSE-GRIP PRESSDOWN B) CLOSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS C) ROPE PRESSDOWN D) CLOSE-GRIP PUSH-UP

1 which of these moves

is considered the best mass builder for triceps?

After completing your warm-ups, which of these exercises should come first in your workout if your goal is to pack size onto your chest? A) PEC-DECK FLYE B) BODYWEIGHT DIP C) REVERSE-GRIP BENCH PRESS D) FLAT-BENCH DUMBBELL PRESS

3

There are lots of good exercises for building big biceps, but which is best for packing on mass and should be done before any others? A) CONCENTRATION CURL B) PREACHER-CURL MACHINE C) SEATED DUMBBELL CURL D) STANDING BARBELL CURL

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ANSWERS 1. Your first exercise is critical because that’s when your energy levels are highest; as you become fatigued over the course of your workout, your capacity to push heavy loads diminishes. Typically, you want to choose exercises that allow you to push the most weight, which in almost all cases are multijoint moves rather than single-joint exercises. The close-grip bench press and close-grip push-up are both multijoint moves, but the bench press is better because you can add resistance. With the push-up, you’re typically limited to bodyweight and could end up training in a rep range that’s suboptimal. B is the correct answer. 2. Because single-joint moves are eliminated for the reasons in answer No. 1 above, that takes out option A. Training for size is best done in the 8–12-rep range to failure, and most of us can do a lot more dips if we do them first, so that’s out. Reverse-grip benches are great for the upper pecs, but the hand position requires you to drop the weight considerably over what you can use for incline presses. You’ll gain the most mass with flat-bench presses as long as you train to failure in the 8–12-rep range. D is the correct answer. 3. These are all single-joint

moves, so the answer is a bit diferent. The first two exercises target just one biceps head, making them less efective at building overall mass. The first three are also done seated, which means it’s harder to generate momentum, so they’re better isolation exercises. But most bodybuilders want to use a little body english in their first move to help keep a set going. Think about how much resistance you can use on each of those four exercises; you should push the most weight by far on the standing barbell curl. D is the correct answer.

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 27

Photos by Michael Touna / Tauseef Asri / Greg James Model Bill Geiger / IFBB Pro Brandon Curry / Steve Webb

TEST

By Bill Geiger, MA

FIRST SETWorldMags.net FACE OFF By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

Overhead Dumbbell Press

vs.

Overhead Barbell Press

Both moves work the shoulders, but which one is best at targeting the middle delts?

Arguably the greatest benefit of dumbbells is that they allow a greater range of motion than a barbell does. With that comes greater time under tension and recruitment of the traps, which act to raise the shoulder blades. Using dumbbells also summons more stabilizer muscles to perform the move. In other words, more total muscle fibers are hard at work to perform the overhead dumbbell press. Most of the time this exercise is done seated, but you can also perform it standing, which allows you to go slightly heavier by using your lower body and core to a greater extent.

Overhead Barbell Press

The overhead press is a great multijoint exercise that works all three delt heads. If you don’t have a military bench, try to work inside a power rack where you can adjust the safeties up or down so that it’s easy to rack the bar at the end of each set. Take a wide, overhand grip on the bar each time and be sure to wrap your thumbs around it for safety. If you’re new to this move or have relied mainly on dumbbells for your overhead presses, be aware that you’ll have to lean your head back slightly on each rep to get your chin out of the way of the bar. However, avoid leaning too far back because that could cause undue stress on your lower back and cervical

ADVANTAGE Dumbbell Press

Both moves are multijoint in nature and typically done first in your shoulder routine. More than two sets of joints work together, in this case the muscles that attach to the elbow and shoulder joints, so the triceps assist. In case you missed it above, dumbbells require the most coordination but also allow the most freedom. Because you keep your elbows out to your sides during standard overhead dumbbell presses, the emphasis remains primarily on the middle delts. In contrast, the standard overhead barbell press requires you to bring the bar in front of your face to your upper chest. If you follow the path of the elbows, you’ll notice that they travel a bit more forward, calling upon the front delts to a greater extent. So while you can move more weight with a barbell, the winner in the middle delt category is the dumbbell version. Be sure to do both in your routine to gain the unique benefits of each.

28 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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Photos by Gregory James Model Victor Luna

Overhead Dumbbell Press

FIRST SETWorldMags.net BODYBUILDER’S CHOICE

By Steven Stiefel

Pork Bacon

84 6 6

1 oz. (16 grams)

Calories Fat (grams) Protein (grams)

The food Nazis went after bacon and red meat many years ago, demonizing them. Since then, though, research has shown red meat can be healthful in moderation, especially grass-fed versions, which are much higher in omega-3 fats. Bacon was considered to be a “bad” food because of its fat, calorie and nitrate content. And, thus, turkey bacon was considered a healthful substitute for pork bacon. The question remains: Is turkey bacon a better choice than pork bacon? The short answer: maybe. It depends on what you’re looking for in your breakfast meat. Com-

61 4.5 4.5

parable amounts of pork and turkey bacon (16 grams cooked of each) derive a similar proportion of their calories from protein and fat. Pork bacon gets a little more than 28% of calories from protein; turkey bacon gets 29%. Comparable servings of turkey bacon have 28% fewer calories than pork. Both products have nitrates, which are common in many processed meats and have been linked to cancer in lab animals. If you’re consuming bacon for its flavor, fewer calories may make turkey bacon the better choice, providing you consider the flavor to be equal. However, at only 84 calories

Calories Fat (grams) Protein (grams)

for two slices of pan-fried pork bacon, it’s not the gut-buster it’s been demonized to be. Perhaps more salient factors to consider are taste and sodium content, which vary from brand to brand. Both turkey and pork are available in low-sodium versions, although turkey tends to be lower. If you’re trying to avoid nitrates, though, skip bacon altogether.

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WINNER: Turkey bacon

during cutting phases. It’s a toss-up otherwise.

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 29

Photos by Robert Reiff / ©Shutterstock

2 strips cooked

vs. Turkey Bacon

FIRST SETWorldMags.net MUSCLE MEALS By Frank Hoffmann

Seared Pork With Roasted Sweet Potato Fries IME PREP T s te 10 minu IME T K O CO tes u in m 30

INGREDIENTS 2 medium sweet potatoes 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil 2 dashes sea salt 2 dashes black pepper 2 6-oz. pork chops

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450˚F. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut in half lengthwise and then cut into thin wedges. Place the cut sweet potatoes into a bowl and add 1 tbsp. of olive oil and a dash each of salt and pepper; toss with your hands, coating each piece. Spread evenly onto a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for 25–30 minutes, turning each piece after 15 minutes. After you turn over the sweet potatoes, season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a pan preheated to medium-high, and sear the pork chops in the pan until done — about 4 minutes on each side. Let pork rest for a few minutes before plating; serve with sweet potatoes and enjoy.

561

49 g

24 g

29 g

Calories

Carbs

30 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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Protein

Fat

Photos by Maya Visnyei

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION Serves 2; per serving

FIRST SETWorldMags.net FOOD PICKS

By Matthew Kadey,MS,RD

Top 6 Seeds & Nuts Jacked with vitamins, minerals and beneficial fats, here are 6 food picks bodybuilders would be nuts not to keep in their pantry at all times. PISTACHIOS

Pistachios have an earthy flavor that telegraphs their health benefits. The green nut contains more blood pressure-lowering potassium than other types and is rich in phytosterols, compounds shown to chip away at high cholesterol numbers. Chop pistachios and toss them into cooked rice or quinoa.

BRAZIL NUTS

This giant of the nut world is nature’s best source of the antioxidant selenium. European scientists recently found that men with high blood selenium concentrations had improved blood sugar control, which lowers the chances of fat gain and diabetes. Roast Brazil nuts in the oven with spices for a stellar snack food.

CHIA SEEDS

Once famously hawked to the tune of ch-ch-chchia, tiny chia seeds are a fiber powerhouse with six grams in each twotablespoon serving. By slowing down digestion and keeping you feeling full, a high-fiber diet can prevent the hunger pangs that lead to ice cream gorges. Sprinkle them on your salads, cottage cheese, yogurt and oatmeal.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Tossing a handful of shelled sunflower seeds into your yogurt or oatmeal is a surefire way to load up on vitamin E. A study published in the Journal of Physiological Sciences determined that subjects who consumed higher amounts of vitamin E experienced less oxidative stress and muscle damage in response to resistance exercise, an effect that could speed recovery.

ALMONDS

Consider almonds muscle food as they contain more leucine, an essential amino acid that is particularly important at instigating muscle growth, than most other nuts. These crunchy nuts are also loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. Bolster your post-workout shake by blending in a handful of almonds.

PUMPKIN SEEDS

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©SHUTTERSTOCK

Also called pepitas, these jack-o’-lantern castofs ofer a smorgasbord of nutrients, including bone-strengthening vitamin K, testosterone-boosting zinc, and magnesium, an often-underconsumed mineral shown to improve blood sugar control. Try toasting them in a dry skillet and then tossing them onto your salads.

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 31

FIRST SETWorldMags.net NUTRITION R&D

Get Your Glutamine This crucial amino acid provides multiple muscle-building benefits

When you train hard, your body enters a catabolic state in which it breaks down muscle tissue. Because your glutamine levels are depleted, your body needs to pull it from storage to help drive recovery and growth. Supplementing with glutamine before and after weight-training workouts saves your body much of this efort since it can almost immediately begin to use the

supplemental glutamine. This helps reduce the muscle breakdown that occurs to supply glutamine for other recovery needs. It boosts protein synthesis and anabolism. Besides pushing through a catabolic state brought on by intense training, you also want to encourage muscle protein synthesis. In an anabolic state,

GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENTATION FOR NEW MUSCLE BUILDERS Keep in mind that bodyweight is a factor in how much glutamine you need each day. This program is designed for a 180–200-pounder who isn’t taking glutamine now. Use this chart as a guideline for what you should take each day over a seven-week startup period.

WEEK

UPON RISING (g) 0 5 5 5 5 10 10

BEFORE WORKOUTS (g) 5 5 5 5 10 10 10

It fights catabolism and supports recovery.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

32 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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AFTER WORKOUTS (g) 5 5 5 10 10 10 10

BEFORE BED 0 0 5 5 5 5 10

GREGORY JAMES

Lately, glutamine supplementation has taken a back seat to other amino acids or compounds such as creatine and arginine that provide noticeable benefits almost instantly. But glutamine exists in the human body in greater amounts than any other amino, comprising up to 60% or more of free amino acids. Much of glutamine’s importance stems from the fact that it can be converted readily into other crucial aminos, so in essence, a dose of glutamine makes many other amino acids available for specific physiological needs. While supplementing with other aminos and compounds is beneficial, glutamine should always be one of your basics for health and muscle building. Here’s why:

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By Steven Stiefel

your body drives raw materials straight to your muscles, helping to create more muscle fibers so that you continue to grow. Supplemental glutamine is one of the best ways to encourage muscle growth right after you finish training. It supports immunity. Glutamine also benefits your immune system, helping you fight of infections and inflammation, and reducing the impact of stressors on your body. Specifically, glutamine reduces the impact of cortisol, a negative hormone that’s generated by stressors including exercise. While you can’t avoid cortisol release, the goal is to push through the period faster, reducing its ill efects on your body. This allows you to return to an anabolic (muscle growth) state.

KAREN MAZE

It improves your digestive system. A lesser-known fact is that glutamine’s immunity benefits go beyond muscle building. The amino acid helps support overall health, including digestive repair. Every meal you eat causes wear and tear on the lining of your gastrointestinal system, and regular glutamine intake is one of the best ways to hasten repair. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Take 5–10 grams of glutamine up to four times a day. Ingesting up to 40 grams of glutamine daily may seem like a lot, but you can see benefits at this level. Start with a smaller daily total of about 10 grams split over two doses preand post-workout. Add 5 grams per day each week until you hit a comfortable intake level.

Ginger Boosts Testosterone The reputation of this root just keeps growing

Almost every guy who has ever watched Gilligan’s Island understands this on some level: Ginger raises testosterone and Mary Ann bakes a tasty pie. When you want to boost your T levels, you can eat gingery foods or take it as a supplement. Either way, it’ll make your Lovey Howell. Many animal studies have shown the testosteroneboosting efects of ginger intake, but a recent study performed in Tikrit, Iraq, may have been the first human study to confirm these results. When married men with fertility issues were put on a ginger regimen, preliminary conclusions indicated that boosting ginger intake increased levels of luteinizing hormone, which is released from the pituitary gland and stimulates testosterone production. Although this study isn’t conclusive, a body of research suggests that ginger supports testosterone production. Moreover, ginger provides multiple musclebuilding and health benefits. Ginger is known as a digestive aid, helping to soothe the intestinal tract and reduce gas. It also provides anti-inflammatory efects, crucial for those sufering from health problems or exercise-induced soreness, and it supports immunity by fighting of colds, flu and even cancer. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Eat ginger, raw or pickled. Take in 100–200 mg of Panax (American) ginseng with your nitric oxide boosters to enhance blood flow. Do both to cover your bases.

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 33

FIRST SETWorldMags.net NUTRITION R&D

Pick Piceatannol Look for this resveratrol analog to appear in bodybuilding supplements

That’s Rich

A high-protein diet and multiple meals per day are efective for weight loss Bodybuilders have known for decades that protein-rich nutrition plans not only help build muscle mass but also encourage the burning of bodyfat, depending on how many calories you consume. Along the same lines, a recent study reinforced long-held bodybuilding beliefs, including the benefits of high-protein diets and multiple meals per day. Obese subjects who consumed diets rich in protein compared to comparable calorie intake lost more weight. Moreover, obese people who consumed the same amount of calories per day over six meals compared to three meals shed even more pounds. Conclusion: Bodybuilding nutrition programs are for everyone, including those who are extremely overweight. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Get in six meals a day, and make sure each meal contains at least 20 grams of protein while keeping calories moderate when you want to shed body fat.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Keep your eyes peeled for piceatannol. Ask your favorite supplement company or point of distribution if they have any products that contain piceatannol. 34 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

Rice to the Occasion

How you can make the most of vegetarian proteins It’s typically thought that vegetarian forms of protein aren’t as efective as animal forms for building muscle mass. That’s often true whether you’re considering whole-food or supplemental sources. But recent research shows that vegans don’t have to go animal to get muscle-building results from their diets; they just need to add leucine. This crucial amino acid appears to be the limiting factor; it’s notoriously low in vegetable proteins but relatively high in animal sources. New data shows that adding leucine to rice protein helped make it as anabolic as animal-based supplemental proteins, including whey. While few serious bodybuilders are vegans, the takeaway message is this: Make sure you have plenty of supplemental leucine in your program to get the most from your protein consumption. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Add 6 grams of BCAAs to your vegetable protein. Most BCAA supplements contain a ratio of 2:1:1 of leucine:valine:isoleucine, which will give you the 3 grams of leucine you need to equal the anabolic efects of animal protein.

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SHUTTERSTOCK

One of the most controversial issues in sports supplementation has been the illegal use of erythropoietin (EPO). Ingesting outside sources of EPO, a glycoprotein hormone, boosts red blood cell production and ultimately increases oxygen delivery to muscle tissue. One way that athletes “cheat” is by withdrawing samples of their own blood, spinning out the liquid, then re-injecting the platelets at the time of performance to drive their exercise capacity. This procedure isn’t illegal, but it is forbidden by many professional athletic associations. After all, there’s plenty of reason to believe it’s medically beneficial. There’s no doubt that increasing red blood cell production can boost athletic performance, and a lesser known supplement called piceatannol has been shown to help boost EPO production. Research demonstrates benefits for those sufering from digestive issues like Crohn’s disease, and scientists have extrapolated these findings to suggest athletic benefits for endurance athletes in particular. Piceatannol is an analog of resveratrol, both of which come from black grapes. Supplemental piceatannol not only boosts endurance but also helps your body recomposition bodyfat levels, science speak that means it helps you lose bodyfat while gaining or maintaining muscle mass. While piceatannol is available from suppliers, it’s not yet readily available in bodybuilding supplements.

FIRST SETWorldMags.net ON SHELVES NOW

Mesomorph from APS gets you jacked in every way If your goal is to get the most out of your training, you need to jack yourself up before you hit the gym. Mesomorph from APS provides all the supplements you need to maximize energy, then backs this up by providing the raw materials your body needs for growth and repair after a great workout. The product contains a matrix designed for neuro stimulation. It includes methylxanthine anhydrous, also known as the dry form of caffeine, which research shows is superior for enhancing strength and energy. In addition, glucoronolactone — an ergogenic chemical produced during glucose metabolism — enhances physical performance while protecting the liver. Mesomorph also includes betaalanine and citrulline malate, amino acids that help drive better workouts and bigger muscle growth. Beta-alanine boosts strength and endurance during workouts, ultimately leading to greater hypertro-

phy. Citrulline malate is a form of the amino citrulline, which is known to enhance production of nitric oxide, the gas molecule that allows blood vessels to relax so more blood, oxygen and nutrients reach working muscles. Additional goodies include an

ample dose of creatine, agmatine sulfate and geranium oil extract, designed to help you power through your most challenging workouts. Regardless of what body type you were assigned genetically, Mesomorph can help you morph into the best, most muscular version of you.

TOP PHOTO BY GREGORY JAMES; MODEL JACQUES VAN DER LINDE

Lose Your Inhibition, Gain Muscle Myo-X from MHP helps block myostatin to allow for greater growth One of the limiting factors in human muscle growth is levels of myostatin, a naturally occurring protein that prevents muscles from expanding beyond a certain size. But now researchers at MHP have formulated Myo-X, a product that helps inhibit myostatin produc-

tion to provide greater potential for beastly muscle size. Myo-X relies on MyoT12, a proprietary formulation that contains 80 major proteins and hundreds of smaller peptides as well as growth factors that help modulate and inhibit myostatin activity. It includes fecunded G. gallus domesticus isolate, protein derived from fertile egg yolks. Clinical tests support Myo-X’s ability to suppress unwanted myo-

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statin efects in all human subjects. In fact, the product can reduce myostatin levels by an average 46% in 12 to 18 hours after just one serving. Shutting down myostatin’s impact on lean muscle tissue accretion could dramatically increase your ability to build mass. While the benefits are obvious to bodybuilders, they also extend to other athletes and even to older people seeking to add muscle tissue.

musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 35

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36 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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THE INSIDE-OUT SPLIT DAY

BODYPARTS TRAINED

STANDARD^ 1

Legs

2

Chest, triceps, shoulders

3

Back, biceps

4

Rest

5

Legs

To build super strength and muscle size, you need to work the secondary muscles that assist in the execution of the major lifts. Here’s how to build power from the inside out for a stronger bench, squat, overhead press and bent-over row.

6

Chest, shoulders, triceps*

By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS | Photos of IFBB Pro Evgeny Mishin by Paul Buceta

7

Back, biceps*

INSIDE-OUT PROGRESSION

^You can cater the first three days of your week to

accommodate your current bodypart combinations and routine, keeping in mind the order of bodyparts you’ll work in days 5–7. *Optional: You can skip arm training in the second half of the week if so desired. Note: We suggest you test your strength and performance on four major lifts: 1) squat, 2) bentover row, 3) bench press and 4) overhead press. After the program, you can attempt the same exercises to test your newfound strength.

It’s written that a foolish man is he who builds his house upon the sand, where the winds and waves destroy it. The wise man’s house, however, stands strong because he’s built his upon the rock. The fact that you’re reading this means you’re into building stuf, but how do you hold

up when the big weights come crashing down? When was the last time you tested the waters of strength? If you seem to have reached your limit, it’s probably time to fortify your foundation to find out just how strong you can truly be. Now’s your chance, so choose wisely.

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 37

WorldMags.net THE INSIDE-OUT LEG PROGRAM EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

Bulgarian Squat

3

6–8

2 min. 2 min.

Squat

4

8–10

Smith-Machine Squat

5

10–12

2 min.

Leg Extension

3

10–12

1–2 min.

Lying Leg Curl

3

10–12

1–2 min.

Standing Calf Raise

3

25

1–2 min.

NEED-FOR-STABILITY RATING HIGH Most stabilizer muscles required to complete lift. MODERATE Some stabilizers needed for exercise execution. MINIMAL Better for isolation; fewer stabilizers needed.

BULGARIAN SQUAT 38 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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WorldMags.net Most strength articles you’ll find focus on a couple of important elements: load and rest. And you won’t find us in disagreement. Load (or intensity — that is, choosing a weight that corresponds to your maximum lift strength) and proper rest periods are both crucial to the success of someone eagerly seeking great gains in strength. And those typical strongman articles rightly gravitate toward compound exercises and prime movers that don’t rely so much on stabilizer muscles, since stabilizers limit the amount of force the big moves can create. Still no real argument here.

THE DEVIL YOU KNOW

SMITH-MACHINE SQUAT

BULGARIAN SQUAT

START POSITION: Stand erect, holding dumbbells atop your shoulders or hanging at your sides, with one foot raised behind you and resting atop a bench or step. MOVEMENT: Keeping your head neutral, abs tight and torso erect, bend at the knee and hips to slowly lower your body, until your front leg approaches 90 degrees. Press through your front heel to push your body up to the start position and repeat for reps. Give yourself a short rest and then repeat on the opposite leg.

SQUAT

START POSITION: Stand erect, holding a bar across your upper back, with your feet about shoulder-width apart, knees unlocked and your toes turned out slightly. MOVEMENT: Keeping your head neutral, abs tight and torso erect, bend at the knees and hips to slowly lower your body, as if you were going to sit down in a chair. Pause when your legs reach a 90-degree angle and then forcefully drive through your heels, extending at your hips and knees, until you return back to the standing position.

SMITH-MACHINE SQUAT

START POSITION: Stand inside a Smith machine with the bar across your upper back. Take a very wide stance. Keep your chest up and back flat, eyes focused forward. MOVEMENT: With your abs tight, bend your knees and hips, as if sitting in a chair, until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Reverse motion by driving through your heels and pressing your hips forward to return to the start position.

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However, that’s exactly where this particular strength feature finds its independence. See, we want you to focus on the auxiliary muscles because they support the joints of the major muscle groups, and their ability — or lack thereof — could be the limiting factor in your own progress. Even if the muscles most responsible for a particular lift are strong and capable, the underlying and unseen structures that support the joints might not be able to keep up with what you’re trying to lift. And when it comes to strength, sometimes the devil is in the inner details. If you know your weakness lies in stabilizer strength, then the devil you know beats the devil you don’t. The most important detail in this strategy is the systematic order of exercises. It’s the order of exercises for each muscle group that makes the greatest difference in progressive strength in both stabilizers and major lifts. The exercises in and of themselves are not earth-shattering or novel. But much like the correct numbers to a lock combination or a substrate to a chemical reaction, the order of exercises will trigger a response unlike any you’ve experienced. Each day, you’ll be training in a way that takes you from the exercises requiring the most stabilizer activity to those requiring the least. That way, as you move throughout the day’s program, as the synergistic muscles and stabilizers tire out, each new exercise you move on to will musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 39

WorldMags.net FLAT-BENCH DUMBBELL PRESS

THE INSIDE-OUT CHEST PROGRAM EXERCISE

40 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

SETS

REPS

REST

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press

3

6–8

2 min.

Bench Press

4

8–10

2 min.

Smith-Machine Bench Press

5

10–12

2 min.

Incline Dumbbell Flye

3

10–12

1–2 min.

Smith-Machine Decline Press

3

10–12

1–2 min.

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BENCH PRESS

require less stability (and thus less work on the part of those highly fatigued stabilizers) than the one before it. You’re basically working from the inside out, and by going deeper and training the smaller, intricate stabilizers first, you’ll ultimately ensure progressive strength and size of the dominant muscles over the long term. On chest day, for example, you might go from a dumbbell move to a barbell move and then finish on the Smith machine. At the end of the day, you’ll have attacked the chest with exercises (using dumbbells primarily, then barbells) that tax the stabilizers of the joints responsible for working the chest, as well as with exercises (on the machine) that solely blast the chest without much stability. When you melt the benefits of each exercise together over the course of four weeks, you can imagine how much stronger you’ll be. And your chest will look it. Big and strong … isn’t that what we’re all here for?

STRONG TEMPTATION

SMITH-MACHINE BENCH PRESS

FLAT-BENCH DUMBBELL PRESS

START POSITION: Lie faceup on the bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand just outside your shoulders. MOVEMENT: Powerfully press the dumbbells toward the ceiling and together, stopping when they’re an inch or so away from each other; then slowly return to the start and repeat.

BENCH PRESS

START POSITION: Lie faceup on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder width apart. MOVEMENT: Unrack the bar and slowly lower it toward your chest. Keep your wrists stacked directly above your elbows, and your elbows pointed out to your sides. When the bar just touches your chest, press back up explosively, driving the bar away from you until just short of lockout.

SMITH-MACHINE BENCH PRESS

START POSITION: Place a bench centered inside a Smith machine. Grasp the bar with a wide, overhand grip and rotate the bar to unrack it. MOVEMENT: Slowly lower the bar to your lower chest, pausing when the bar is just about an inch away from your pecs; then powerfully press the bar back up to full arm extension and repeat.

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You might be wondering whether we’re breaking a cardinal rule of training called specificity, which says that in order to gain strength in a particular lift, you have to perform that lift. We’re absolutely not breaking the rule; we’re only enhancing the body’s ability to perform all major lifts. As you’ll see in each workout, the major lift is prominent, just strategically placed within each day. We realize that if you practice the leg press, for example, it won’t necessarily translate to a better squat. However, if while you practice the squat you also attack unfamiliar muscles that are indirectly and directly related to your squat performance, then you’ll have the best of both worlds. You might also be curious as to whether we’re breaking our own rule that says to hit your major lifts early in your workout, when you’re the most fresh. Again, no. This scheme isn’t designed to replace your standard bodybuilding or strength-training plan; it’s meant to be a technical tool to be used in combination with your current routine. For the next four weeks, we’re going to have you training each major bodypart twice per week, following a three-day musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 41

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THE INSIDE-OUT SHOULDER PROGRAM EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press

3

6–8

2 min.

Overhead Barbell Press

4

8–10

2 min.

Machine Overhead Press

5

10–12

2 min.

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

3

12

1–2 min.

Seated Bent-Over Lateral Raise

3

12

1–2 min.

SEATED OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS

START POSITION: Sit erect on a lowback bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand above shoulder level with a pronated grip. Keep your head straight and eyes focused forward. MOVEMENT: Keeping your shoulders back, press the dumbbells overhead in an arc but don’t let the weights touch at the top. Slowly lower to the start position and repeat.

42 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

OVERHEAD BARBELL PRESS

START POSITION: Sit erect against the back-pad support at a shoulder-press station. Keep your lower back slightly arched and your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the bar outside shoulder width with a prorated grip and with your elbows pointing down and outward. Carefully unrack the bar and hold it at shoulder level. MOVEMENT: In a smooth, strong motion, press the bar straight up to just short of elbow lockout. Squeeze your delts and then lower the bar under control to the start (i.e., front of head, but you can also do this behind the neck) and repeat for reps.

OVERHEAD BARBELL PRESS

MACHINE OVERHEAD PRESS

START POSITION: Sit erect in the shoulder-press machine with your lower back firmly pressed into the pad. Keep your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the handles at shoulder level, keeping your head neutral. MOVEMENT: Press the handles overhead to full arm extension, but don’t lock out your elbows. Squeeze your delts hard for a count before slowly lowering to the start. Don’t let the weight stack touch down between reps.

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WorldMags.net split. The first time you hit a bodypart, you can use your standard program; the second time you hit it that week, you’ll follow this inside-out approach. So let’s go back to our chest example. On the first chest day of the week, you’ll hit your typical routine, in which you begin with, say, incline barbell presses before moving onto flat-bench dumbbell flyes, decline presses and cable crossovers. Perfect. But on the second chest day, you’ll go from exercises requiring the most stabilizer assistance to those that require the least. The fact that you’ve never tried this will likely mean substantial increases in how much weight you’ll ultimately be able to lift after following this program for just a few weeks.

STRENGTH TO STAND

SEATED OVERHEAD DUMBBELL PRESS WorldMags.net

We realize that it’s not sexy and doesn’t sell magazines, but we want it at the top of your mind: injury prevention and safety. Intentionally working to strengthen your stabilizer muscles will absolutely, positively help prevent injury over the course of your bodybuilding career. If most of us dedicated ourselves to this type of inside-out routine, there would be less nagging shoulder, elbow, hip and knee pain — all culprits of both short- and long-term setbacks. Also, on the list of stabilizer muscles within this inside-out approach, the core musculature is near the top. Since the core is so involved with single-arm and other unstable exercises — because of torque and required balance — it also gets fatigued early in the workout before you move on to exercises that require less. Add a stronger core to the list of reasons why you’ll be much stronger on each lift you attempt at the end of the program — especially on the major lifts. At the end of the day, the best way we’ve found to work the stabilizers is with dumbbells. So, for our inside-out approach, in the second half of the week, for each bodypart, you’re going to be working first with a dumbbell exercise, then with a barbell move and finishing with a machine move. Again, the reason we start with dumbbells is that dumbbell exercismusclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 43

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THE INSIDE-OUT BACK PROGRAM EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

REST

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

3

6–8

2 min.

Bent-Over Barbell Row

4

8–10

2 min.

T-Bar Row

5

10–12

2 min.

Straight-Arm Pulldown

4

12–15

1–2 min.

ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW

ONE-ARM DUMBBELL ROW BENT-OVER BARBELL ROW START POSITION: Bend over at the waist and place one knee and the sameside hand on a flat bench. Keep your other foot on the floor beside the bench and hold a dumbbell in your workingside hand. Let it hang straight down from your shoulder with your arm fully extended.

START POSITION: Standing with your feet hip width apart, grasp a barbell with a wide, overhand grip. Keeping your knees slightly bent, lean forward at your waist until your torso is just above parallel to the floor. The barbell should hang straight down in front of your shins.

MOVEMENT: Pull the weight up and back into your hip, keeping your elbow in close. Pull your elbow as high as you can, squeezing your shoulder blades together for a full contraction, and then lower the dumbbell along the same path — down and forward. Repeat for reps; then switch arms.

MOVEMENT: Without rising up from this bent-over position, pull the barbell up toward your abdomen, bringing your elbows high and above the level of your back. Hold the bar in the peak-contracted position for a count and then slowly lower along the same path and repeat for reps.

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T-BAR ROW

START POSITION: Lean against the pad with your torso and place your feet on the platform. With your arms fully extended, grasp the handles with an overhand grip. Wrap your thumbs around the bar for safety. Unrack the T-bar and allow it to hang in front of you. MOVEMENT: Pull the handles toward you, bringing your elbows as high as you can and squeezing your back muscles at the top before slowly lowering back to the start.

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T-BAR ROW BENT-OVER BARBELL ROW

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es, which allow the greatest range of motion in all sorts of directions, require the stabilizers to work overtime to keep the bodypart on the right path of motion on each and every repetition. As you move on to the barbell move, that reliance on stabilizers decreases until you hit the machine, where you won’t have to worry about balance or stability at all. How much weight you lift on each exercise (as a percentage of your max lift for each move) is referred to as the intensity, and on this program you’ll stair-step the weight, gradually decreasing it with each successive exercise. Thus, the heaviest sets will fall under those dumbbell exercises that allow a lot of freedom, which makes heavier weight even more challenging. Of course, the major target muscles are also highly at work, which is why, by the time you get to the machine moves, you can decrease the weight slightly, since they’ll be somewhat prefatigued. Finally, we’ve focused our attention on the major bodyparts whose major lifts are the most crucial for overall strength. It’s fine if you want to continue your standard training for bodyparts such as arms, traps and calves during the first few days of the week, but keep in mind that you might want to modify the total number of sets and the intensity during the first half of the week to accommodate the inside-out style later in the week. The inside-out workouts in the program — for legs, chest, shoulders and back — are designed for you to insert into your training split, specifically, to build up your strength in the basic core lifts: squats, bench presses, overhead shoulder presses and bent-over rows. You’ll also see that we’ve allowed you to train your biceps and triceps, but feel free to save those for the first three days if you so desire. If you’re not accustomed to training each bodypart twice a week, this will certainly be a shock, and the attention you’ll give your stabilizers will up the physiological ante. Ultimately, this program is a sound way to build strength and size, and it follows a logical progression, which is especially useful when other methods have come to a grinding halt or have failed. musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 45

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k e e W 5Ab Challenge Your

ssively ck. e r g o r p workout and your six-pa r u o y g n by maki p your strength s pop. s b a o t flab r ab ng u Go from llenging, buildi that’ll make you UL BUCETA a more ch five-week plan OF ULISSES BY PA S PHOTO Here’s a , MA | L BY BIL

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People tend to be creatures of habit, meaning you probably do some things over and over again because they feel comfortable. Like eating regularly at a favorite restaurant, wearing a favorite tight-fitting shirt on a date, or preparing the same breakfast every morning. While that may suit you fine and well in your daily life, when it comes to your workout — especially when you’re training abdominals — it’s a sign of danger, at least so far as making progress is concerned. If you’re like too many bodybuilders, your ab training consists of a few sets of crunches at the end of your training session. Do 20 repetitions, rest and repeat. The problem with that approach is that you’re not challenging yourself. Compare that to how you once tried to keep pushing more weight on the bench press to test your upper body strength, constantly trying to add another five or 10 pounds to

your lift. Do you take that same approach with abs? If you’re not seeing results with your ab training, it’s time to put the progressive into progressive resistance. You may remember the fundamental principle of resistance training: To make a muscle grow bigger and stronger, you need to continually tax it with heavier loads or more repetitions as it grows stronger. Building a six-pack doesn’t happen by accident unless you’ve got exceptional genetics; for the rest of us, it takes hard work, a carefully planned approach and proper manipulation of the training variables. This five-week ab workout builds progression into both the resistance you use and the reps you complete for each set. If your abs have resisted getting bigger, stronger and more defined, it’s time to break out of that comfort zone, public enemy No. 1 if you want a washboard midsection.

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WorldMags.net YOUR AB PRESCRIPTION

Here’s a summary of the five-week ab workout that’ll take you from flab to abs.

1

The progressive five-week program requires you to train your abs three times a week, resting at least 48 hours between ab-training sessions. That means you work abs on days 1, 3 and 5, or any other combination as long as you’re not doing them on consecutive days. If you have a tendency to blow off your abs because you’re tired after your regular workout, make ab training a priority for the next five weeks and do them first when your energy levels are highest. Theoretically, taxing your abs before an exercise like squats could adversely affect your leg workout, but unless you’re pushing yourself with very heavy weights on leg day, it’s probably a minor concern.

2

Do all four exercises each workout. The moves focus mainly on lower and upper abs, but you can make some adjustments to work the obliques as well. Follow the exercises in order because they start with the most-challenging moves, which are best done when your fatigue levels are lower.

3

The key is to select the right variation of each move to reach the target rep. With the first two moves you want to complete just 10 reps (both of which focus on building ab strength and thickening up the abdominal wall), so if they’re too easy you must increase the level of difficulty. With the hanging knee raise, do this by straightening your legs (see under exercise descriptions for more advanced variations of each move); with the lying cable crunch, simply add more weight.

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The 5-Week Ab Workout

Do the following ab workout three times a week, resting at least 48 hours between workouts. Do all four exercises each workout in the order presented below. Keep rest periods to 60 seconds between sets. EXERCISE Hanging Knee Raise Lying Cable Crunch Decline-Bench Crunch Crunch

SETS 3 3 3 3

REPS 10 10 20 20

WEEK 1

Choose versions of each move so that you can just reach the target rep. For example, if you can easily do the hanging knee raise, try a more difcult version that challenges you to do just 10 reps with good form. Do all three workouts this week for three sets for the target rep (either 10 or 20), resting only 60 seconds between sets.

WEEKS 2–3

During your first workout of the second week, try to do an additional 1–2 reps on each set of every move. So instead of doing 10 reps of the hanging knee raise (or whichever version of that move you’re doing), do 11–12 reps on each set. Over the course of the six workouts for weeks 2–3, try to do 1–2 more reps on each set for each additional day. By the last workout of week three, you should be trying for at least 16 reps on each set of the hanging knee raise and lying cable crunch, and 26 for decline-bench crunches and flat-bench crunches.

WEEKS 4–5

Increase the degree of difculty of each exercise by one level (see under exercise descriptions). That means increasing the angle of the decline bench, straightening your legs with the hanging knee raise, adding two plates to the lying cable crunch, and choosing a more challenging body position with the flat bench crunch. Start again doing three sets of all four moves for 10 reps, resting 60 seconds between sets. As during weeks 2–3, add 1–2 reps to each set of every exercise over the course of each of the six workouts during this two-week span. By the end of week five, you should be doing about 15 reps of the more difcult variations of the lower-rep moves, and up to 25 reps of the more difcult variations of the higher-rep moves.

WEEK 6 AND BEYOND

Continue to increase the level of difculty of your ab moves while increasing the reps. If you’re already near the most difcult variation of each ab move, reduce rest periods by 15 seconds to increase the level of difculty.

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HANGING KNEE RAISE Target: Lower abs Setup: Use ab straps to support you beneath your elbows or hang freely from a pull-up bar.

Start: With a wide overhand grip, hang at arms’ length, bending your knees about 90 degrees and locking them in this position for the duration of the set. Your hips should be slightly bent at the bottom.

Movement: Without swinging your body, contract your abs to bring your knees at least to the point at which your quads are parallel to the floor (your lower glutes should curl up) and lower under control. Come to a full stop at the bottom so you’re not generating momentum as you go into your next rep.

Make It Harder: • Bring your knees as high as you can, curling your lower spine up at the bottom and more efectively recruiting your lower abs.

• Keep your legs straight throughout each rep. • Hold a medicine ball between your straightened feet for the duration of the set.

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4

The other two exercises are both done for higher reps (to help increase the muscle burn, build muscle endurance and increase the total calories burned, which can help improve muscle definition); still, you need to select exercise variations so that you can complete just the target number of reps (20).

5

During the first week, do three sets of all exercises for the target rep (10 or 20) on all training days.

6

Rest periods should be timed at 60 seconds consistently between sets. The abdominals are a fairly small muscle group that recover quickly and don’t require the same amount of time between sets as larger bodyparts like chest or legs. In addition, you don’t want them to be quite fully recovered as you begin your next set. Individual rest times may vary and you can increase or decrease that interval, but realize recovery has an affect on your ability to complete the number of reps on subsequent sets.

7

For each workout during weeks 2–3, strive to do 1–2 more reps on each set of each exercise than you did the previous workout. So for the first workout of the second week starting with hanging knee raises, try to do 11–12 reps each set; same with the lying cable crunch. Do 21–22 reps for the other two exercises. On your next workout, try to do 1–2 more reps on each set of each move and so on for the duration of the two-week span.

8

When starting week 4, choose a more advanced variation of each move, again starting back at 10 reps. Over the course of the next five workouts during weeks 4–5, try to increase your rep count on each exercise by 1–2 reps for each set of every exercise from the previ-

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LYING CABLE CRUNCH Target: Upper abs Setup: Place a flat bench directly in front of a lower cable with a rope attached.

Start: Lie face-up on the bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the bench. Grasp the rope with a neutral grip, placing your hands

by your ears and locking your arms in this position for the duration of the set.

shoulder blades completely resting on the bench between reps.

Movement: Contract your

Make It Harder: • Add more plates to

abs to curl up as high as you can, trying to get your shoulder blades as far of the bench as possible and squeezing your abs at the top. Lower just short of your

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increase the resistance; you can do this many times to continue increasing the level of dificulty.

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DECLINE-BENCH CRUNCH Target: Upper abs Setup: Set the appropriate bench angle to match your level of ability and the rep range you want to train in. Start: Sit squarely on the bench, feet secured under the ankle pads. Cup your hands behind your head to support it and go back (roughly two-thirds of the way down), making sure your chin isn’t pressed into your chest.

Movement: Contract your abs to rise as high as you can to a point just short of perpendicular to the floor, trying not to pull through your hip flexors (quads) on your way up. Round your back on the way up to increase the abdominal contraction. Lower under control but don’t allow your shoulder blades to touch the pad. Make It Harder: • Use a steeper decline. • Hold a weight plate against your chest or behind your head. • Use a steeper decline and hold a weight plate against your chest or head.

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WorldMags.net ous workout. By the end of your last workout on week 5, you should be trying to do at least 15 reps of your lower-rep moves (hanging knee raise and lying cable crunch) and 25 reps on your higher-rep moves (decline bench crunch and crunch).

9

If even the most advanced variations of each move are too easy and you have no trouble reaching the target rep, reduce your between-sets rest period by 15 seconds (so it’s 45 seconds). Reducing your rest period is another way to increase the intensity of your workout.

10

Write it down. You’ll likely forget the weights you used, the degree of difficulty and the number of reps, so you’re going to forget the important variables from previous workouts. Write down what you’ve done so that you can check back and make sure you try to beat it your next workout.

11

While progression is the key that drives this five-week program, it would be a mistake to think that’s all you need to build washboard abs. You’ll want to pay particular attention to your diet — watching carb and fat intake, monitoring your total calories and following a smart supplementation program — while including cardio four times a week for 30-minute sessions to help strip the bodyfat. Only through a combination of cardio and ab-training exercises as well as a smart diet can you truly bring out your ripped six-pack.

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CRUNCH Target: Upper abs Setup: Place a flat bench in an open space.

Start: Lie squarely on the bench with your feet flat and knees bent about 60 degrees. Cup your head with your fingers — don’t pull on it.

Movement: Contract your abs to raise your shoulder blades of the bench — the range of motion is just a few inches. Squeeze at the top and slowly lower to just short of resting back against the bench.

Make It Harder: • Raise your legs so they’re perpendicular to the bench, causing your lower abs to contract isometrically. • With your legs raised, reach as if to touch your toes. If you do this to alternate sides, you’ll also work your obliques. • With your legs raised, hold a small weight plate against your chest to increase the resistance on your upper abs.

8 Keys to More Efective Ab Training 1) 4) 7) The range of motion is fairly small in many abdominal moves. Bringing your shoulder blades of the floor in the basic crunch, for example, works the abs through a full range of motion; you don’t need to rise as you would in a full sit-up, which doesn’t result in additional contraction or stimulation of the abs.

2)

Hold the peak contraction at the top of the movement. Consciously squeeze and focus on momentarily holding the fully contracted position at the top of each rep; you’ll work your abdominals harder and be less inclined to race through your reps.

3)

Keep your head in line with your torso. When grasping your head to support it, don’t interlock your hands; you’ll be more likely to pull on your head and disrupt spinal alignment. Lightly cup your fingers behind your head to support it — don’t pull on it. There should be about enough space for an apple between your chin and your chest.

Use a smooth, deliberate speed of movement. Use a slow, strict motion, which helps increase the intensity of the contraction and minimizes momentum. Momentum comes from using fast, explosive motions, and it reduces the quality of your workout because your abs are doing less work. You’ll also be more susceptible to injury.

5)

Exhale at the top of the move. Hold your breath until you’ve reached the top of the move (the peak-contracted position) for a stronger, more intense contraction. Exhaling early reduces intra-abdominal pressure, so you won’t be able to contract your abs as strongly.

6)

Make sure the movement is restricted to the waist. During most upper and lower abdominal movements, your spine flexes (meaning your lower back actually rounds), so don’t keep your lower back arched during the movement. Other joints should be stabilized so that the action occurs only at the waist.

Maintain constant tension throughout the set. The ab muscles recover extremely quickly, so if you rest between reps, even if for only a second, you’ll find it difcult to adequately fatigue the muscle. Maintain constant tension by stopping just short of the resting point during the downward phase of the movement. For many movements, this means keeping your shoulder blades of the floor as best as possible.

8)

Take defined rest periods of about a minute between sets. After you complete your set, rest about 60 seconds to allow your abs to recover so you can complete your next set. If you start too early, they’ll still be fatigued and you won’t reach your target rep. In general, beginners should take a little longer rest between sets, as should individuals who are training to build maximal ab strength.

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Read it again: You can do two times more reps with a given heavy weight if you follow the restpause technique. Now’s your chance to make muscle and strength gains like never before. By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS Photos of Lionel Brown by Gregory James

If you’re handy — good with tools — then you know full well how a new drill bit feels when tackling a tough job. Old bits are worn, smooth and just can’t cut it, to say nothing of breaking through the wall. But after you make the switch, breakthrough comes easy. And if you’ve hit a wall when it comes to your muscle growth, then it’s time to drop the old bit, because we have just the tool you need to break through. If you’ve never tried the rest-pause technique, you’re about to discover the cutting edge when it comes to adding size onto your frame. Whether your aim is to bust through plateaus, push yourself to new limits or simply jump-start a stale routine, rest-pause is a proven place to start rebuilding your muscle.

NUTS AND BOLTS To start, understand this: The rest-pause technique is an advanced training scheme that builds extremely short rest periods between reps or blocks of reps. You can even think of them as “mini sets” if it helps you wrap your mind around the concept. As you’ll see, this tactic allows you to complete more total reps — many more — with a heavier weight than you could have accomplished using a straightsets approach. First of all, a straight set is exactly that: straight. You choose a weight, say a weight

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that you can do for just six reps (called a 6RM), and you tackle the set and fail at six. Nothing fancy there. But with rest-pause, it’s an entirely diferent situation. Take that same 6RM for example. After a thorough warm-up, you start your set of six, but when you hit three reps, you actually rack the weight and rest for a few seconds. Then you pick the weight up again to do three more reps. You string together multiple three-rep sets with very short rest periods. That’s it in a nutshell. The most important mental hurdle that most bodybuilders need to get over is that it’s not about getting as many reps as possible with a given weight, nor is it about achieving absolute failure on every set.

TOUGH HABITS We know habits are tough to break, which is why this technique helps you bust through barriers. But in truth, it’s all about the work — the amount of force being applied to the muscle — during a given time. The greater the force your muscle can produce, the more stimulus musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 55

DOUBLE YOUR REPS, DOUBLE THE MUSCLE WorldMags.net the muscle receives and the greater your ability to break through size plateaus. Diving deeper inside the muscle cell is really where we find the justification for stopping short of failure and resting a few seconds. First and foremost, it’s all about replenishing adenosine triphosphate, or ATP; it’s the energy you use to perform any and every activity in your workout. You have some stored ATP inside your muscle cells, but as that source runs out, you lean on three energy systems to replenish it. When you start a heavy set, you rely primarily on creatine phosphate (CP) to restore ATP, and for that reason, CP is labeled as the primary energy source stored in skeletal muscle that fuels short, powerful bursts of activity. CP depletes rapidly, but fortunately it also replenishes rapidly, usually in 10–20 seconds. So to capitalize on this process, the rest-pause method has you selecting a weight that causes muscle failure at, for example, six reps, but you perform only three before taking 15–20 seconds of rest. You then get right back in and do another three reps. You continue this rest/work sequence until you can’t perform even a couple of reps with that particular weight.

MORE WORK When you add those reps together, you realize that you did more work with more weight than you ever could accomplish had you not stopped to rest briefly throughout the set. Put some actual numbers to it and it’s eye opening! Think of your accomplishment strictly in terms of total pounds lifted per exercise. Muscle growth is the result of cumulative work, correct? Therefore if you’re normally benching 225 to failure for four sets of six reps, that’s 5,400 pounds’ worth of reps. If you apply the rest-pause technique and do 200 pounds for three reps, six times for two sets total, you’ve moved 7,200 pounds. That’s an additional 1,800 pounds of muscle-building work that results in bigger, fuller, thicker muscle bellies from head to toe. Unmistakably, the crowning achievement of employing restpause training is that you’ll have lifted

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USING REST-PAUSE IN YOUR WORKOUT DAY 1 — ARMS BICEPS EXERCISE Barbell Curl

Preacher Curl

LOAD 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM

SETS 31 2 1 3 2 1

REPS/REST2 (SECONDS) 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM

31 2 1 3 2 1

2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

LOAD 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM 10RM 10RM

SETS 31 2 1 3 2 1 1 1

REPS/REST2 (SECONDS) 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

LOAD 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM

SETS 31 2 1 3 2 1 3 2 1 31 2 1 3 2 1

REPS/REST2 (SECONDS) 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

LOAD 5RM 7RM 10RM 5RM 7RM 10RM 10RM

SETS 31 2 1 3 2 1 2

REPS/REST2 (SECONDS) 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2 3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5 5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

TRICEPS Close-Grip Bench Press

Overhead Rope Cable Extension

DAY 2 — LEGS EXERCISE Smith-Machine Squat

Leg Press

Leg Extension Lying Leg Curl

DAY 4 — CHEST + SHOULDERS EXERCISE Incline Bench Press

Hammer-Strength Chest Press

Smith-Machine Decline Press

Overhead Barbell Press

Smith-Machine Upright Row

DAY 5 — BACK EXERCISE Bent-Over Barbell Row

Wide-Grip Seated Cable Row

Front Lat Pulldown 1 2

Doesn’t include 1–2 warm-up sets. Never take warm-up sets to muscle failure. Rest 2–3 minutes between each change in the working RM or change in exercise.

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Pause or Play?

Use rest-pause with any exercise that easily allows the weight to be moved into the start position, and avoid those movements where it’s overly difcult to rack and unrack your weights. For example, the overhead dumbbell press takes a lot more efort in the set-up than the machine overhead press. In addition, unilateral movements, such as concentration curls and one-arm dumbbell rows, don’t work unless you do all the reps for one side before switching sides. Here’s a quick guide when selecting the best exercises for rest-pause: MUSCLE GROUP Biceps Triceps Legs Chest Shoulders Back

DO Standing Cable Curl Pressdown Hack Squat Pec-Deck Flye Hammer-Strength Shoulder Press T-Bar Row

AVOID Spider Curl Weighted Bench Dip Front Squat Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press Seated Overhead Dumbbell Press Prone Incline Dumbbell Row

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more total pounds in a given set simply by mixing in these short and cogent rest periods. And that’s how it helps destroy plateaus: muscle damage. The greater your ability to cause muscle damage, the higher your chances of continuous changes in size. However, the more experienced you are, the more difficult it becomes to trigger growth because your body has adapted to the stresses you apply to it from one week to the next. That’s how rest-pause can be so refreshing. Even for the most experienced bodybuilders, utilizing this tactic can feel like you’ve uncovered the holy grail of growth. In addition, the more work you perform at a given weight, the greater your chances of swelling the muscle fibers. The fiber swelling that comes from muscle damage

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can also encourage muscle growth. When a muscle cell fills with fluid, it places a stretch on the muscle cell membrane. This stretch signals the cell to increase the size of its structure permanently.

TOOL BOX Now that you have the concept down, be sure to understand that there are a few important cogs in the system, none as important as the amount of rest you take. You don’t want to rest so long that you waste time, but if you don’t rest long enough, you won’t replenish enough CP to get you through as many reps as possible. A safe spectrum is 10–20 seconds. The work-to-rest ratio is paramount, so either wear a cheap watch or keep an eye on the clock to make sure you stay on track. You may even consider using a

journal to help you remember what you did in previous workouts so that you can make necessary adjustments. As critical as taking precise rest periods is selecting the ideal amount of weight for each set. If you go too light, you risk working the muscle aerobically with no sufcient amount of force. If you go too heavy, you may not get enough volume. So there will be some trial and error as you embark on the rest-pause technique. It’s helpful to know your 3, 5, 7 and even 10RM. (If you don’t, it’s easy to compute; see “Determining Your Weights.”) The goal for your sets in the program we’ve developed will be to repeat the work/rest sequence five times before giving yourself a full 2–3 minutes of rest. Remember, all those segments constitute just one set; you’ll do multiple such sets over the course of your workout.

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WorldMags.net Can Strength Trainers Use Rest-Pause?

If your focus is on strength training rather than building muscle, that’s no reason to fear occasionally trying the rest-pause tactic. What’s clear is that a bigger muscle has more strength potential than a smaller one, but most strength athletes tend to rest three minutes between lifts of low reps. The fact that rest-pause allows for very little rest goes against the “strength” grain. However, as you’ve seen, recovery time is all about the replenishment of ATP (the energy currency in all cells). Reps of 1–6 rely mostly on the stored ATP in the muscle fibers, which is replenished relatively quickly by the creatine-phosphate system. Sets of 10 or more reps use even more creatine phosphate but also rely on muscle glycogen, and that takes the longest of the three to replenish. So if you’re a strength-focused athlete, and if reps 1–6 rely mostly on stored ATP, which replenishes extremely quickly, why do you rest so long between those heavy sets? In fact, researchers from the University of Memphis studied squats at 1RM, with varying rest periods. They had 17 weightlifters do two one-rep max (1RM) sets of squats with either one minute, three minutes or five minutes of rest between sets. After resting just one minute between sets, 13 of the 17 lifters were able to lift their max weight again on the second set. After resting three minutes, 16 of 17 were able to complete the second set, and after five minutes, 15 of 17 were successful. In summary, even as little as one minute of rest was ample for 13 out of 17 lifters to complete the second set. This study appears to indicate that resting longer than three minutes isn’t as productive as resting exactly three. In short, the rest-pause technique can help you become even more efcient within the strength-specific rep ranges at recruiting the powerful CP to replenish ATP. If you can recruit those powerful muscle fibers with less rest time, imagine how strong you’ll feel when you do rest your customary three minutes between lifts. Of note, if you train for strength, the research is clear that strength is hindered when you take each set to muscle failure, but taking only your last set to failure is the best scenario. The restpause technique fits nicely into that wheelhouse, because you don’t take those heavy sets to absolute failure, but rather stop long before that point of fatigue. Both the efciency with rest and the limited failure points will help you promote strength gains.

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DOUBLE YOUR REPS, DOUBLE THE MUSCLE WorldMags.net

Here’s how to include the rest-pause technique in your workout with this sample exercise: LEG PRESS LOAD

SETS

5RM

3

REPS/REST (SECONDS)

7RM

2

3/11, 3/12, 3/13, 3/14, 3/15, 3

10RM

1

5/15, 5/16, 5/17, 5/18, 5/19, 5

2/10, 2/11, 2/12, 2/13, 2/14, 2

So on the first set of the leg press, you’ll select a weight that would normally allow you to fail at five reps, but you’re going to do only two reps before resting 10 seconds. After 10 seconds, do another two reps before resting 11 seconds, so on and so forth. You’ll link five such two-rep segments for a total of 10 reps with your 5RM — and that’s your first set of three. (Remember, take a longer 2–3-minute rest before beginning your next set or exercise.) What’s evident is that it’s impossible to fully recover between blocks of reps, but adding another second of rest will prove marginally beneficial throughout the exercise. And because you’re not going to complete failure, your form is almost guaranteed to be solid throughout the exercise, meaning proper muscle recruitment from start to finish. In the above example, also notice that the heavier the weight, the shorter the rest. The lighter you go, the more reps you perform and the more rest you need between them.

Determining Your Weights

Use this simple calculation to estimate your weights for rest-pause training. ESTIMATED REPS AT PERCENT OF ONE-REPETITION MAXIMUM

REPS:

1 100%

2 95%

Use the chart above to compute your max weight on a given exercise, and then estimate your working weight when you’re required to use a 5, 7 or 10RM. If you know your 1RM (your max weight on a given movement using good form without help for one and only one rep) you

3 93%

4 90%

5 87%

6 85%

can skip the first step. 1) Determine how many total clean reps you can do with a given movement with a given weight. Say you can do four reps on the bench press with 225 pounds. Four corresponds to 90% of your 1RM. Hence your one-rep max would be computed by dividing

60 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

7 83%

8 80%

9 77%

10 75%

225 by 0.9, which equals 250 pounds. That’s your estimated max bench press (1RM). 2) The program requires that you choose weights that correspond to your 5, 7 and 10RM. For your 5RM, choose a weight of 87% of 250 pounds, or a working weight of 217.5 pounds.

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11 67%

12 65%

You can round up or down a few pounds. On your 7RM sets, use 207.5 pounds (83% of 250) and on your 10RM use 187.5 pounds (75% of 250). These are the approximate weights you should be doing on your working sets.

WorldMags.net The most important mental hurdle that most bodybuilders need to get over is that it’s not about getting as many reps as possible with a given weight, nor is it about achieving absolute failure on every set.

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MMI uncovers the truth about the popular ancestral Paleo diet and how it can keep your muscle gains from going extinct By Mike Carlson 62 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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ISAAC HINDS

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Think of all the medical advances of the last 100 years: X-rays, MRIs, artificial joints, arthroscopic surgery, all things that can help you live a longer, more active life. Now think of the nutrition inventions: high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, artificial colors, preservatives. It quickly becomes obvious that Nobel Prize-winning, lifesaving interventions “Paleo is about getting back to basics have barely kept pace with the healthin terms of all the stuf that destroying strides that the commercial has crept into the North food manufacturers and fast-food American diet over the years. It’s marketers have made. about cutting out all the foods that This is a primary reason why the don’t come naturally from the Paleo diet has exploded in popuearth or from an animal. It’s fruits, larity over the past few years. vegetables, nuts, seeds and While skeptics like to cast Paleo adanimal protein. If it comes in a box or a package, herents as simple-minded barbarians don’t eat it.” who like to eat bacon at every meal

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LEFT:SHUTTERSTOCK; RIGHT: ROBERT REIFF

(that statement is only half true), Paleostyle eating is as much about what it rejects as it is about what it embraces. “Paleo is about getting back to basics in terms of all the stuf that has crept into the North American diet over the years,” says Kristen Bell, a registered dietitian and certified sports nutrition adviser who has a private practice in West Los Angeles. “It’s about cutting out all the foods that don’t come naturally from the earth or from an animal. It’s fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and animal protein. If it comes in a box or package, don’t eat it.” The CrossFit community has unofcially adopted Paleo as the nutrition program that goes hand in hand with its brand of functional fitness. But many of those success stories are from people who needed to lose weight to do the rope climbs, pull-ups and handstand push-ups

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WorldMags.net The Higher Cost of Organic Buying organic foods on the Paleo diet is clearly more expensive, so you need to weigh the cost against the benefits. Here’s a sample basket of foods showing the diference in average prices. PRODUCT Milk Ground Beef Eggs Chicken Breast Lettuce Salad Mix Spinach Tomatoes Strawberries Bananas Apples

AVG. PRICE NONORGANIC (USD) 2.28/half gallon 3.58/lb. 1.35/dozen 3.46/lb. 1.78/head 3.85/lb. 4.44/lb. 2.82/lb. 3.23/lb. 0.57/lb. 1.57/lb.

AVG. PRICE ORGANIC (USD) 4.43/half gallon1 8.39/lb.1 3.99/dozen2 5.07/lb.2 3.54/head 8.14/lb. 8.59/lb. 4.05/lb. 5.14/lb. 0.89/lb. 2.34/lb.

1 Refers to grass-fed cattle. 2 Refers to free-range poultry. Source: USDA Economic Research Service calculations using Nielsen Homescan data.

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that are part of daily workouts. The fact is that there are almost no CrossFit Games competitors who follow a strict Paleo diet. Their need to build and maintain strength and muscle mass, as well as fuel longer and more frequent workouts, represent a greater nutritional demand than Paleo can fulfill. “I find that people who have more fat mass and need to lose 20–30 pounds usually have the most success with pure Paleo,” says Bell. “Petite women, who may have only 5 pounds to lose, see a pretty positive response to it. But for men who want to gain muscle, it’s harder for them to do that eating 100% Paleo.” Strict Paleo hasn’t been associated with the bodybuilding crowd because Paleo eliminates cereal grains (wheat, corn, rice) from the diet, and sugar is strictly forbidden. That means the limited amount of simple and complex carbohydrates keeps your level of insulin, a highly anabolic hormone, fairly low. Still, Paleo has a lot to ofer those interested in hypertrophy. Its bedrock of organic produce, grass-fed meats and pastured poultry and eggs can vastly improve the nutrient levels and fat profiles in a diet, leading to less inflammation, faster recovery and a reduction in bodyfat. “Changing the quality of your food is huge,” says Bell. “People feel better knowing they ate foods from a farmers market and organic choices as opposed to going to the supermarket. When people start to eat higher-quality meats and vegetables, the body will break it down much more efciently and be exposed to fewer chemicals and hormones.” By incorporating the tenets of Paleo with some smart choices concerning your carbs, you can put together a bodybuilder-friendly program that promotes muscle building along with overall health and wellness. It’s a strategy that speaks to short-term physique goals as well as the bigger picture. “Every seven years our body regenerates every single cell, so that means every organ is 100% replaced,” says Bell. “So what you’re eating right now determines how you’re going to be in the future. With musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 65

WorldMags.net How to Shop Smart Organic. Pastured. Free range. All natural. Local. These are phrases to look for in the supermarket. Unfortunately these terms often translate into “expensive.” The Environmental Working Group, a leading environmental health research and advocacy organization, has come up with a list that can help you get the cleanest food for your funds. The Dirty Dozen are foods that tend to have the highest pesticide contamination, and whose organic varieties are thus worth the extra money to buy. The Clean 15 are the lowest in contaminants, so conventionally farmed versions are safe to consume.

The Dirty Dozen (Buy Organic)

RULE 1 BEAT THE WHEAT Those who experience the greatest bodytransforming success on a Paleo program tend to react positively to the elimination of allergenic foods from their diet, namely, corn, rice, legumes and especially wheat. Even though these foods come from nature, they require a significant amount of processing and cooking to make them edible. You can’t pick a stalk of wheat and start chomping away the way you can with, say, blueberries. Grains and legumes contain lectins, phytates and gluten, substances Paleo devotees say can inhibit mineral uptake and irritate the stomach lining to the point that it becomes permeable, which initiates the inflammation process. This can be the cause of bloating and discomfort (which makes a workout tough on everybody) that when left unchecked may eventually lead to autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Not all grains are created equal. White rice, while a high-glycemic carb that’s

66 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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1. Apples 2. Celery 3. Sweet bell peppers 4. Peaches 5. Strawberries 6. Nectarines (imported) 7. Grapes 8. Spinach 9. Lettuce 10. Cucumbers 11. Blueberries (domestic) 12. Potatoes

The Clean 15

(Buy Organic or Conventional)

1. Onions 2. Sweet corn 3. Pineapples 4. Avocado 5. Cabbage 6. Sweet peas 7. Asparagus 8. Mangoes 9. Eggplant 10. Kiwi 11. Cantaloupe (domestic) 12. Sweet potatoes 13. Grapefruit 14. Watermelon 15. Mushrooms

SHUTTERSTOCK

that in mind, do you want to eat highquality organic foods or the cheap stuf?”

mostly bereft of nutrients and should be avoided by those looking to drop fat, is reasonably well-tolerated by many. Young hardgainers can use steamed white rice as an efective carb source in their quest to build muscle. Wheat, on the other hand, is best left alone by almost everyone. Thanks to genetically modified strains of wheat crops, gluten levels in breads and wheat products have skyrocketed over the past few years, contributing to an epidemic of gluten sensitivity. According to the National Institutes of Health, 5–10% of the population has some form of intolerance to gluten, a type of protein that’s found in wheat, barley and rye. “Most people don’t match well with wheat, and it’s getting worse because it’s more hybridized and contains more gluten than ever,” says Stu White, co-owner of BodyWork Lifestyle, a personal-training and nutrition consulting firm in Huntington Beach, CA. “It can give you an immune reaction that makes you sluggish and tired. The last thing you want to be doing is eating foods that make you lethargic and burpy.” For the last few years, the darling of

WorldMags.net Paleo Adaptations for Bodybuilders For the Hardgainer THE HARDGAINER Naturally slender guys with fast metabolisms will need to take the most liberties with a strict Paleo program and add substantially more carbs — including more starchy carbs — to their daily meals. Eliminating wheat and other grains will improve digestive efciency, so consuming the necessary calories won’t amount to gas and bloating. (Based on the caloric needs of a 180-pound bodybuilder.)

BREAKFAST

6 free-range eggs, 2/3 cup oatmeal mixed with almonds and dried cranberries

MIDMORNING

4 oz. bison jerky (or grass-fed beef jerky), handful of strawberries or blueberries

LUNCH

9 oz. baked chicken breast (with skin on), 1 large sweet potato and asparagus

PREWORKOUT

Small apple with 2 tbsp. almond butter

POST-WORKOUT

Protein shake with 1 1/2 cups coconut water, 2 tbsp. raw cocoa, 2 oz. organic spinach, 2 oz. organic kale, 1/2 avocado, 1 oz. organic raspberries, 1 oz. whole cranberries, 2 scoops whey protein powder, 1 scoop greens drink mix (optional)

DINNER

9 oz. wild-caught salmon fillet, 2/3 cup quinoa, 3 cups steamed broccoli

DAILY TOTALS

3,240 calories, 244 g carbs, 264 g protein, 117 g fat, 70 g fiber

For Building Muscle and Health For anyone who has achieved desirable levels of muscle mass and bodyfat, a balanced, slightly adapted Paleo program can still provide a slew of benefits. The nutrient density on this diet will be much higher than on a conventional bodybuilding plan, the fat sources will improve joint health and minimize inflammation, and less exposure to pesticides and genetically modified foods will provide health and physique benefits that are still being quantified. (Based on the caloric needs of a 180-pound bodybuilder.)

BREAKFAST

4 free-range hard-boiled eggs, berries, a few macadamia nuts

MIDMORNING

4 oz. bison jerky (or grass-fed beef jerky), handful of strawberries or blueberries

LUNCH

8 oz. grass-fed ground beef in marinara sauce over 1 1/2 cups steamed vegetables

PREWORKOUT

4 oz. grilled shrimp and a handful of almonds

POST-WORKOUT

Protein shake with 1 1/2 cups water, 2 tbsp. raw cocoa, 2 oz. organic spinach, 2 oz. organic kale, 1 oz. organic raspberries, 1 oz. organic blueberries, 2 scoops whey protein powder, 1 scoop greens drink mix (optional)

DINNER

Lettuce wraps with 8 oz. chicken, vegetables, guacamole and salsa

DAILY TOTALS

3,060 calories, 197 g carbs, 234 g protein, 100 g fat, 53 g fiber

For Fat Loss For big guys who have some extra bodyfat to lose, this meal plan will look very similar to a strict Paleo diet. This is because classic Paleo is very efective for retraining a body to be sensitive to insulin. There will be no starchy carbs on this plan, only fibrous vegetables and a little fruit. (Based on the caloric needs of a 180-pound bodybuilder.)

BREAKFAST vegetables

Omelet made with 4 free-range eggs and 1/2 cup sautéed

MIDMORNING

4 oz. bison jerky (or grass-fed beef jerky), handful of blueberries

LUNCH

Large spinach and kale salad with onion, garlic, parsley, 8 oz. freerange chicken or turkey and 2 tbsp. olive oil

PREWORKOUT

1 tbsp. of almond butter on celery

POST-WORKOUT

Protein shake with 1 1/2 cups water, 2 tbsp. raw cocoa, 2 oz organic spinach, 2 oz. organic kale, 1 oz. organic raspberries, 2 scoops whey protein powder, 1 scoop greens drink mix (optional)

DINNER

8 oz. grass-fed rib-eye steak and 1 cup mashed cauliflower

DAILY TOTALS

2,880 calories, 134 g carbs, 233 g protein, 84 g fat, 53 g fiber

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mainstream nutrition has been whole grains. Some manufacturers even emblazon the number of whole-grain servings their product supplies as if they’re a nutrient instead of a food. Imagine a bag containing a dozen apples that reads, “Now with 12 servings of apples!” In fact, the 2–3 grams of fiber and smattering of B vitamins, iron, zinc and magnesium that wheat ofers can easily be replaced with some nutrient-rich vegetables. “Grains are nutritionally irrelevant,” says White. “There are no unique qualities that make them necessary.”

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RULE 2 CHOOSE GRAIN-FREE CARBS One of the ways people lose weight on a Paleo diet is through carb modification. Paleo is not a low-carb program — you’d be surprised how many carbs you can get from fruits and vegetables — but when grains are eliminated from a diet, overall carb intake tends to drop. This adapted plan allows for eating more carbs than you’d find on a strict Paleo program and ofers more leeway in the selection. For slow-burning carbs that might be eaten in preworkout meals, vegetables

RULE 3 GET SERIOUS ABOUT GROCERIES You don’t settle when it comes to choosing a wife, a school for your kids or a workout program, so why settle for food that’s cheap and nutritionally barren? One facet of the Paleo lifestyle that should be adopted by everyone is the sourcing of the highest quality foods possible. Organic produce has been shown to be nutritionally superior to conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, and fewer pesticides in your food ensures fewer chemi-

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SHUTTERSTOCK

“High-quality dark chocolate is great,” says nutrition consultant Stu White. “Cocoa is extremely high in magnesium, calcium, iron and manganese. Raw cocoa in a protein shake is amazing.”

and tubers, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, squash and yams, are good choices as are green vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli and asparagus. Fruits that aren’t loaded with sugar, such as strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and apples, are on the menu as well. Oats are verboten on a strict Paleo plan and many types do contain gut-disrupting gluten. Gluten-free steel-cut oats are widely available and can be accommodated in the hypertrophic Paleo strategy. Quinoa, also gluten-free, falls into the same category. “If you’re going to eat a grain, quinoa is a good bet,” says White. It’s not Paleofriendly, but a study from Sweden found that quinoa significantly boosted IGF-1 [insulin-like growth factor 1], especially compared with brown rice.” When you’re trying to initiate a postworkout insulin surge, don’t be tempted by cheap refined sugars. They might be efective for that purpose, but they’re hardly necessary. Bell recommends her clients use fruit to initiate post-workout insulin response in order to minimize recovery time and replenish glycogen stores. Since most fruit has adequate sugar, branch out from boring bananas or grapes. “For post-workout, I like pineapple and dates. You can throw them into your shakes for that fast glycemic hit,” says White. “And protein still causes a reasonably strong insulin spike, especially whey protein.”

WorldMags.net cals in your body. But the benefits of naturally raised food are most apparent when you start talking about protein. Grass-fed beef, butter and cream, wild-caught fish and free-range birds and eggs are getting easier to find all the time. The demand for them continues to rise for a number of reasons. These farming practices are infinitely more humane and far easier on the soil and atmosphere than the horrors of factory farming. But mostly they’re just nutritionally better for you. A study published in the Journal of Animal Science detailed 10 major nutritional advantages of grass-fed beef over grain-fed beef. Grass-fed beef was shown to be lower in total fat but richer in omega-3s and CLA, a nutrient that helps your body burn fat. (It contains more vaccenic acid as well, which can be transformed into CLA.) Grass-fed beef is also higher in beta carotene, vitamin E, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium and potassium. A study published in the journal Animal Feed Science and Technology showed that eggs from free-range hens contain 10

times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as eggs from factory hens. “You can see the nutrient diference and you can see the actual ratios of fat when you look at the full breakdown,” says White. “You look at corn-fed animals and they have a diferent spectrum of fatty acids than a grass-fed animal. They have less CLA and more omega-6 fatty acids, which are inflammatory. They’ll also have a higher fat total.” While they might seem complex and confusing — and maybe even silly if you get too caught up in the caveman part — the theories of Paleo and how they can be applied to a muscle-building program are really pretty simple. The hard part is maneuvering around the manufacturers who’ll stop at nothing to get you to buy their products. “A lot of stuf is coming out that’s ‘Paleoapproved’ but comes in packages, like Paleo granola bars,” says Bell. “Obviously, that’s great for marketing, but too much of that can easily become the typical highly processed American diet. Keep it simple and stick with the above principles.”

Strictly speaking, alcohol is not allowed on a Paleo eating plan, but even the most diehard athletes will still cheat once in a while on this one. When it comes to happy hour, tequila and red wine are your most Paleo-friendly choices. Beer is the worst because of its yeast and grain content.

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MMI sat down with three legendary Mr. Olympia champions to discuss the current state of bodybuilding and ask for their insight on how to build a physique for the ages With Eric Velazquez, NSCA-CPT Photos by Bill Dobbins and Robert Reif

We may think we know training and nutrition, but we all collectively shut our mouths, stop tapping the keyboard and soak it all in when former Mr. Olympias Larry Scott, Samir Bannout and Franco Columbu have something to say. Because when you get the chance to hear from three Mr. O winners — guys who have been victorious on the sport’s ultimate stage after years of trial and error in the gym and kitchen — it’s time to forget about what you think you know about bodybuilding. 70 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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LARRY SCOTT, MR. OLYMPIA 1965-1966

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WorldMags.net LARRY SCOTT The two-time Mr. Olympia ofers a simple formula for making gains.

The winner of the first two Sandows in 1965 and 1966, Larry owns the most famous biceps in bodybuilding history. MMI: Dieting today has become so precise and so complicated. What was your general approach to nutrition? Larry: Honestly, dieting today has become too complicated. No one diet will work for everyone and the truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all plan. At contest time, when it came down to dieting and nutrition, I was constantly watching my ratios. I’d go 2:1, protein to carbs. I ate in the ofseason the same way I’d eat during contest time. Consistent nutrition — not seasonal — was part of my daily routine. It didn’t stop just because I wasn’t onstage competing. I didn’t allow myself to eat any other way. MMI: There’s a stark contrast to the training approach of today’s pros versus the bodybuilders of your era. What do you think is the right amount of time to spend in the gym for max results? Larry: Great question! I would typically spend 2–3 hours a day in the gym. This would help keep my workouts from becoming stale. I’m 74 now, and as much as I’d like to be in the gym all day long, I simply can’t. Several years ago I came across the concept of compound intensity,

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OLYMPIA TRAINING SEMINAR LARRY SCOTT BICEPS “Something I think people forget is that all muscle groups are important. Your body works as a whole, so everything to me is a favorite. But even now at 74, I still find myself looking in the mirror and constantly critiquing my biceps. To this day, I’m amazed at how well the preacher bench performs.” EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Standing Dumbbell Curl

3

6–12

Standing EZ-Bar Curl

3

6–12

Scott Curl

3

6–12

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which allows me to still obtain great results in a reduced amount of time. Compound intensity basically states that the intensity exerted by a muscle is inversely proportional to the weight of the load times the square of the time under the load. I dare anyone who lifts weights to apply the concept of compound intensity and tell me it doesn’t work. MMI: What specific changes did you make at contest time to get lean? Larry: My exercises would stay virtually the same. It wasn’t until I got with Rheo Blair that I took my training to the next level. He told me if I wanted to get bigger and stronger, I needed to use a certain set of [macronutrient] ratios. If I didn’t want to gain weight but just wanted to maintain, I switched to another set of ratios. And when I wanted to get really lean with almost no bodyfat, I changed them again. This was really important for me because

“

“

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My best advice? Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. I can’t stress it enough.

when it got right down to contest time, I wanted to get rid of every ounce of fat to show as much muscle as possible. As professional bodybuilders we were extremely disciplined in our routines, so there wasn’t much variance between sets, reps and weight. I enjoyed focusing on what my competitors weren’t working on. MMI: What’s the best advice you can give to today’s generation of bodybuilders, both pro and aspiring? Larry: My best advice? Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. I can’t stress it enough. Make sure that your ratios are dead on. Use instinctive training because no one size fits all. Use compound intensity to maximize your results and time in the gym. Constant change keeps your workouts exciting. Bodybuilding requires discipline, hard work, patience and determination. Keeping your goals foremost in your mind will help you maximize your results.

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WorldMags.net SAMIR BANNOUT Getting BIG without the BS in your training and nutrition.

MMI: Dieting today has become so precise and so complicated. What was your general approach to nutrition? Samir: I had an advantage in that I couldn’t get fat even if I tried. For me it was easy to get in shape. In general, you should never go below 250 grams of carbs per day. When I won the Olympia I was on 100–150 per day, then 75–100 per day before the show. That was too low. You need the glycogen to train as hard as necessary. I was overtraining back then, and undereating. If I knew then what I know now, I could’ve won the Olympia again. In the ofseason I went up to 254

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“

day! And he died from getting hit by lightning … seriously! A good bet is to go with 10% [of calories from] fat from healthy sources, 55% from carbohydrate and 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight a day. That’s perfect for today’s bodybuilders. You’ve got to find a happy medium. MMI: There’s a stark contrast to the training approach of today’s pros versus bodybuilders of your era. What do you think is the right amount of time to spend in the gym for max results? Samir: After trial and error, I think that if you train each bodypart once per week, it’s

“

MMI: What are your thoughts on the professional bodybuilding physiques of today? Samir: To be honest, I don’t like this look at all. I’m very disappointed. Bodybuilding is not just about how big you are; mass is not everything. Unfortunately, it has really taken of. It’s a bit ridiculous. I don’t like that these guys are eating 8–10 times a day. Maybe I’m still living in the past, [but] I look back at Arnold, Pearl, Draper and Zane; the way those guys looked is how it should be. They had the tiny waist and the shredded physique, and I thought they were more than big enough. I like Dexter Jackson and his overall look. I liked Phil Heath three years ago more than I do now. Having said that, Flex Lewis won the 212 last year. If he had a little more back or chest, I’d say he’s the best in the world right now. He’s got small ankles, small knees, small wrists. I like Shawn Rhoden; he could get better still but his whole physique is very nice. I hope he doesn’t mess it up. If he put on 7–8 pounds, I’d put my money on him. [But] I wish bodybuilding would just go back to the art and [that bodybuilders would] perform onstage as artists, focusing on detail. And that potbelly should not exist.

pounds but I looked like a bull. I’d diet mostly on chicken, which I hate; I felt like it was poison for my body. Later on I found out that I have type B blood, and I don’t think chicken is well-tolerated by people with my blood type. Bread can also mess you up because of the gluten. At least for me, it’s important to avoid bread and flour at all costs. I was eating chicken, egg whites, salad, broccoli. Now I eat sweet potatoes, white potatoes, rice, broccoli. Meat is important for bodybuilding. People talk about cholesterol and all this baloney. My grandfather lived to 106, and he ate red meat and drank 10 cups of cofee a

I had an advantage in that I couldn’t get fat even if I tried. For me it was easy to get into shape.

Known as The Lion of Lebanon, Samir won the 1983 Mr. Olympia at a reported bodyweight of 195 pounds, and was revered for his symmetry and dense muscularity.

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enough. It’s all about diet and intensity. It should take more than 2–3 days [to recover]. If you’re training hard, it’ll take a week to recuperate. For me, I find it’s efective to train a bodypart once every five days. I trained each bodypart twice a week when I won the O in 1983, and I wasn’t even eating a lot. Today’s bodybuilders need to realize that, hey … if you don’t want to train in the final week, don’t. The muscle won’t disappear; it’s not going anywhere! If your body needs the rest, just take it. MMI: What specific changes did you make at contest time to get lean? Samir: There were many, many factors. When I won in 1983, I wasn’t completely full. Some said I wasn’t even 75% of my best. Honestly, I agree. If I could go back, I wouldn’t have cut my sodium until 3–4 days out. Instead I would allow my body one entire week of rest and just pump up the day before the show with very light weight. I’d eat more to make sure I have enough glycogen in the muscles before refining. Back then, we spent too much time over-posing and worrying. Treat it like there’s no contest. Let your mind relax. Let your body recuperate.

MMI: What’s the best advice you can give to today’s generation of bodybuilders, both pro and aspiring? Samir: First of all, don’t overtrain. Train extremely hard but don’t overtrain. Make sure you’re able to show the muscle you worked on. Don’t pose like a bonehead. Try to copy guys like Frank Zane and Lee

Labrada. Practice the art of bodybuilding. Hire a guy like Zane to show you how to be a professional poser. That will separate the men from the boys. And listen to your body; don’t deprive it. When it says it’s tired, rest up. If you’re thirsty, drink. I also provide this kind of information through my website, bannoutnutrition.com.

OLYMPIA TRAINING SEMINAR SAMIR BANNOUT BACK “I wasn’t a believer in counting reps at all. It was all by feel. In addition to this workout, I’d do weighted hyperextensions every other week and deadlifts every three weeks. When I did either of those, I would train for the max. I could deadlift 745 for three reps. In general, I’d vary my grip from set to set on back moves to hit a slightly diferent area of the muscle.” EXERCISE

SETS3

REPS

Pull-Up

41

Varied2

Close-Grip Pulldown (from floor)

3

Varied

Bent-Over Barbell Row

3

8–12

1 On pull-ups, Samir performed two sets with a wide grip and two with a narrower grip. 2 On his first set he’d get 25–30 reps to engage his back muscles, but he didn’t count reps on the following sets. 3 After the workout, Samir performed 30-second static holds at the halfway point of a pull-up.

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WorldMags.net FRANCO COLUMBU This Mr. Olympia focused on strength first.

MMI: What are your thoughts on the professional bodybuilding physiques of today? Franco Columbu: If you look at the old photos of me, Arnold, Larry, Sergio Oliva, you see small waists. We used to measure them all the time. I could pull mine in to 26–28 inches. At the Olympia today, the guys are more massive with very thick muscles, but the stomachs are so big. Frank Zane was more elegant than me, very proportional. My goal was strength. I wanted to be the strongest and I wanted to look strong. By doing that, I felt that I was really muscular and my waist was really small. [Former MMI publisher] Robert Kennedy had a saying about muscles that had to do with good looks; he wanted men and women to look sexy, not just have thick muscles. When it comes to bodybuilding, it goes to the bottom line: Do you want to look like that guy? Yes or no. MMI: Dieting today has become so precise and so complicated. What was your general approach to nutrition? Franco: My nutrition changed very little between contest and of-season. Back then, most of the bodybuilders would gain [weight] and get up to 250–280 [pounds] two to three months before

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[competition], getting as big as possible, then losing 20 pounds to go compete. On the other hand Frank, Arnold, Sergio and I were [at our] heaviest the day before the competition. We would work to gain as much muscle as we could all the way up to the contest and show up ready to win. I think it’s too much stress to the organs to go that far overweight, then bring it back down. I never followed that theory. MMI: There’s a stark contrast to the training approach of today’s pros ver-

sus bodybuilders of your era. What do you think is the right amount of time to spend in the gym for max results? Franco: If you train each bodypart once per week, you’ll never get enough frequency. We’d usually divide the body into three workouts: chest-back, shoulders-arms, thighs-calves. It takes a minimum of 48 hours to restore all the glycogen from a two-hour workout. I’d train each bodypart twice per week; for mass, that’s enough. For definition, maybe three times one week, then twice the next week.

OLYMPIA TRAINING SEMINAR FRANCO COLUMBU CHEST “I always trained to be as strong as possible. For chest, and most other bodyparts for that matter, I’d just pick the best 3–4 exercises and train hard. Then afterward I’d go to the mirror and pose. The brain gains more control over the muscle, so that’s why I felt when I posed I showed the muscles better than anybody. I got the best results by following this system.” EXERCISE

SETS1

Bench Press

REPS2

7

20, 20, 12, 8, 6, 5, 4

Incline Barbell Press

3–4

12, 10, 6–8, 6–8, 4–6

Dip superset with Dumbbell Flye

3–4

15

3–4

15

1 Franco increased weight on every set of presses, doing as many reps as he could at each weight. 2 The listed rep ranges are merely suggestive of where he’d reach failure depending on the increases in load on each set.

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WorldMags.net MMI: What specific changes did you make at contest time to get lean? Franco: A few days before a show, [sometimes] a week to 10 days, I skipped the last set, which was the heaviest. I would cut out fruit on certain days because I discovered that it was making me smooth. Fruit causes slight water retention because of the sugar.

MMI: What’s the best advice you can give to today’s generation of bodybuilders, both pro and aspiring? Franco: The best advice I can give is to select an intermediate workout that’s neither too heavy nor has too many exercises. Keep rest periods down. Choose basic exercises. Select the best 2–3 exercises for each bodypart and work them hard. Do more free weights than machines because machines aren’t as efcient for the body.

“

“

A two-time Olympia winner who took the Sandow home in 1976 and 1981, Franco was known for his focus and is considered to be, pound for pound, one of the strongest bodybuilders ever.

If you train each bodypart once per week, you’ll never get enough frequency. I’d train each bodypart twice per week.

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STACKIN’

FOR MASS Combine the right supplements at the optimal times for muscle gains around the clock

By Dwayne N. Jackson, PhD Illustrations by Mark Collins

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STACKIN’

FOR MASS WorldMags.net

In the not-sodistant past, bodybuilding was considered a “hit or miss” science, whereby most successful training programs and diets were created on a trial-and-error basis. With the fitness explosion of the 1990s, however, there was an influx of scientific efforts to maximize athletic performance safely, legally and naturally. As a result, the supplement industry experienced exponential growth — literally flooding the market with new, innovative products. Today, in a gargantuan supplement world, there are many sciencebacked products designed to push your muscular potential and maximize your gains. This is both a blessing and a curse — after all, you have a ton of choices, but you also have to sift through the good, the bad and the downright useless to come up with the most effective supplementation regimen. Read on for a walkthrough of the best supplement stacks to take at key markers of the day to amp up your mass-and strength-building efforts. (Editor’s note: This schedule assumes your training occurs in the afternoon and before dinner. Make adjustments as necessary, according to your training time.)

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There was an influx of scientific eforts to maximize athletic performance safely, legally and naturally. WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net WAKE AND SHAKE Your body is starving for nutrients when you roll out of bed, especially your recovering muscles. After a 7–10-hour fast, you need some fast-absorbing nutrition. Here’s a stack that’ll surely shut down catabolism (i.e., muscle wasting) and get your body refueled for growth.

1

Weight Gainer

When you’re trying to gain lean mass, you need to pack in as many beneficial calories as possible — weight gainers provide 500–1,000 supplemental calories, depending on serving size. The product you choose should be composed

mainly of high-quality proteins like whey protein isolate (WPI) and micellar casein. Ideal weight-gain products are high in protein (50–60 grams per serving) and carbohydrates with a modest amount of fat. Because the goal is to gain lean mass and minimize fat accumulation, steer clear of products with more than 50% fast-digesting carbohydrates (e.g., simple sugars like high-fructose corn syrup or sucrose) and more than 5 grams of saturated fat per serving. Drink one shake immediately upon waking (i.e., about 30 minutes to an hour before breakfast).

››

2 Creatine Monohydrate

No other mass-building supplement works as well as creatine. Research illustrates that creatine is a potent cell volumizer that increases muscle water content and glycogen resynthesis (signals for anabolism). Creatine also boosts muscle creatine levels for short-term energy and bolsters anabolic signaling through insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Mix 5 grams of creatine monohydrate into your shake. Use the German or American pharmaceutical grade to avoid gastrointestinal distress. Most weight-gain formulas already contain small amounts of creatine. The addition will ensure adequate dosing for faster muscle gains.

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Amino 3 Branched-Chain Acids (BCAAs)

The BCAAs (leucine, valine, isoleucine) are unique essential amino acids that share a branched-chain structure and are preferentially taken up by skeletal muscle and broken down during exercise. New research illustrates that BCAA ingestion directly stimulates anabolism by acting as an “anabolic switch.” In addition, this supplement trio is anticatabolic, reduces exercise-induced muscle pain and decreases mental fatigue during intense exercise. Mix 5–10 grams of BCAA powder into your weight-gainer shake.

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WorldMags.net BREAKFAST STACK

As you’re planning out your overall nutrition and supplement regimens, remember whole foods should make up the majority of what you fuel your body with. Supplements are just that — products made to supplement (not replace) a quality diet. Assuming your diet is in check, there are a few key products that absorb more completely when taken with a meal to give your breakfast an extra anabolic kick.

1 Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs)

protodioscin has the greatest efect on increased LH production and testosterone release. Therefore, you must use high-quality products standardized to contain at least 80% total saponins and 40% protodioscin. Take 500–750 milligrams with breakfast on training days.

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4 L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT)

LCLT is a stable form of L-carnitine and is completely absorbed by the body. Recent research has demonstrated that LCLT supplementation upregulates the skeletal androgen receptor (the receptors that testosterone binds to) expres-

This group of fatty acids can’t be synthesized by the body and therefore must be taken in through diet. There are two families of EFAs: omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) and omega-6 (linoleic acid). In terms of mass building, these “healthy fats” promote growth hormone secretion, increase protein synthesis and increase insulin sensitivity. Take 2–3 grams of a balanced omega fatty-acid blend with breakfast.

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2 Multivitamin

Micronutrients are essential for proper cellular function and nutrient absorption. Many a bodybuilder’s diet has been known to contain very little variety, so a daily multivitamin will ensure you’re not lacking certain micronutrients. Furthermore, vitamins act as catalysts for many important internal processes; heavy training boosts metabolism, therefore making the vitamin requirement needed to catalyze cellular reaction go up. Use a multivitamin formulated for athletes; take as directed on label.

››

3 Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus terrestris is a flowering plant that contains natural steroidal compounds called saponins. When ingested, these saponins tell the brain to pump out luteinizing hormone (LH), which signals the testes to make more testosterone. Research has shown that a saponin called

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sion and increases LH secretion. The end result is greater testosterone and receptors for interaction. LCLT also reduces exercise-induced muscle tissue damage. Take 2 grams of LCLT with breakfast.

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5 Beta-Alanine

A naturally occurring beta amino acid, beta-alanine is the rate-limiting precursor to the production of carnosine in the body. Research has shown that powerful fast-twitch muscle fibers have higher levels of carnosine, and it bufers skeletal muscle pH. In a recent study, dietary supplementation with beta-alanine for 2–4 weeks was shown to increase

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PRE-LUNCH MUNCH

A few hours after breakfast and about one hour before lunch think about giv-

ing your body a calorie boost. This is an ideal opportunity to help load up with nutrients for a busy day.

1 ››

Weight Gainer

Drink one 500-calorie weightgain shake 1–2 hours before your high-protein lunch.

LUNCH

Since we’ve assumed lunch comes before your workout in this supplement schedule, you should be consuming a well-balanced, high-protein whole-food meal that meets your nutritional needs.

JUMP-START

RECOVERY

WITH AN INTRAWORKOUT SNACK

The post-workout meal is generally considered the most important of the day for the bodybuilder, but now supplement companies are eyeing a new opportunity: intra-workout nutrition that can begin even before you finish your last set. (Theoretically this is especially plausible for bodybuilders who train bodyparts sequentially, and nutrients can start working for one area after it’s been trained while you’re still training the smaller muscle groups in your workout.) According to MuscleMag writer Scott Stevenson, PhD, LaC, “Science has demonstrated that a pre- and/or intra-workout recovery supplement with both protein and carbohydrates can mean better maintenance and promote faster recovery in muscle glycogen stores [stored sugar], less muscle damage and strength loss, improved protein turnover (more synthesis and/or less breakdown) during and after exercise, less catabolic cortisol and more anticatabolic insulin levels, and in the long haul, greater gains in muscle mass.” Moreover, research suggests that the mid-workout protein and carb combo elevated protein synthesis to a greater degree than a drink taken immediately post-workout. As Stevenson says: “The research is fairly clear: While protein metabolism is elevated for days after resistance exercise, the time for most dramatically afecting muscle growth nutritionally is just before and during the exercise itself.” As for what to consume and how much, a whey-based supplement high in leucine helps trigger protein synthesis. For rapid absorption we recommend 25 grams of whey hydrolysate, which means the whey has been broken down into low molecular weight fractions that are more easily transported into the bloodstream, thus resulting in a rapid increase in blood levels of branched-chain amino acids. Carb intake should be in the form of glucose, sucrose (table sugar) or maltodextrin, and can vary from 0 grams for the dieting bodybuilder to 100 grams for the mass-gainer.

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Photo by Robert Reif Model Derek Duszynski

vastus lateralis carnosine concentration by more than 60%. In terms of performance, science has shown that beta-alanine supplementation for as few as four weeks can result in 13% greater gains in total work completed during training with no change noted among the control group. On nontraining days take 2 grams with breakfast.

WorldMags.net PREWORKOUT

When training for mass, you want to be sure the body’s cellular environment is primed for performance. To achieve this state, there are a number of supplements designed to feed your muscles and minimize catabolism throughout the training session. The following preworkout stack is designed to optimize energy and muscle performance while blunting muscle breakdown during training.

1 L-Glutamine

This is the most abundant nonessential amino acid in the body, and years of research have uncovered its several direct and indirect performance-boosting benefits. Glutamine supplementation has been shown to enhance cell volumization and serve as a potent anticatabolic factor and muscle-building aid during heavy training. Its major efects on muscular growth result from the fact that glutamine increases leucine concentration and maintains positive nitrogen balance in skeletal muscle. Further muscle-building support comes from glutamine’s ability to boost growth-hormone and steroid production. Finally, through augmenting bicarbonate production, glutamine significantly increases skeletal-muscle-bufering capacity, thus delaying muscular fatigue during exercise. Ingest 5 grams of pharmaceuticalgrade L-glutamine one hour before training on an empty stomach.

to trained muscles continues to enhance nutrient delivery and flushes out byproducts to optimize recovery. L-arginine also increases anabolic substrates like growth hormone and insulin. With long-term supplementation, L-arginine ingestion upregulates mitochondria (the cellular energy “powerhouses”) in skeletal muscle, resulting in heightened metabolism and greater capacity to use energy for contraction. In addition, extended use has been shown to increase the growth of blood vessels in skeletal muscle and the heart, resulting in an even greater capacity to deliver nutrients and remove metabolites during and after your workouts. Ingest 5 grams of pharmaceuticalgrade L-arginine, one hour before training, on an empty stomach.

Protein 5 Whey Isolate (WPI)

Terrestris 3 Tribulus ››

This metabolite of leucine has been scientifically proven to prevent muscle breakdown, increase strength and promote fat loss. The anticatabolic efect of HMB is more pronounced in beginners than intermediate or advanced bodybuilders, but HMB is a potent strengthand recovery-boosting supplement for all levels of trainers. To maximize strength, take 3–6 grams with your preworkout protein shake.

››

Take 500–750 milligrams about 30–60 minutes before training.

4 Beta-Alanine

This preworkout dose is intended to ensure substrates for carnosine production are maximized for the upcoming training session. Take 2 grams of beta-alanine 30– 60 minutes before training.

››

Whey protein isolate is the best source of protein to ingest before training. It digests rapidly and completely, filling your blood with amino acids, including BCAAs and other essential aminos. Science has shown it’s the hyperaminoacidemia that gives WPI its great anabolic properties. WPI also provides the body with additional mass-building support, as research indicates WPI ingestion upregulates glutathione (a powerful antioxidant) production because of its large fraction of the amino acid cysteine. Consume a shake with 25–40 grams high-quality, cross-flow microfiltered WPI 30 minutes before training.

››

6 Beta-Hydroxy-BetaMethylbutyrate (HMB)

››

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2 L-Arginine

In the body, this conditionally essential amino acid’s primary role is in nitric oxide (NO) production. Thus, arginine supplementation elevates skeletal muscle blood flow, especially during your workout. The end results are more efcient delivery of nutrients and complete metabolite clearing in working muscles, enabling you to work out longer and harder. After exercise and during rest, the augmented blood flow

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WorldMags.net POSTWORKOUT

In terms of mass building, scientific data suggests proper post-workout nutrition and supplementation are vital because cells are depleted of nutrients and can quickly slip into a state of catabolism. This period is termed the “anabolic window” and represents an approximate two-hour time frame when the body is hypersensitive to any nutrient intake. The following stack has been designed to capitalize on the anabolic window by augmenting anabolic hormones, replacing amino acids and maximizing recovery.

1 Creatine Monohydrate

This dose of creatine is vital to restore the creatine pool in your muscle. It’ll also fire up key anabolic pathways for a more complete and faster recovery. Ingest 5 grams of creatine monohydrate immediately after training.

››

L-Tartrate 2 L-Carnitine (LCLT)

Research shows that ingesting a 2-gram dose of LCLT immediately after training will augment LH responses and increase androgen (testosterone) receptor expression in skeletal muscle.

3

L-Glutamine

Taken post-workout, L-glutamine is a proven agent for blunting catabolism. Research shows that ingestion of L-glutamine immediately after exercise enhances recovery and muscle growth. Take 5 grams of L-glutamine immediately after training.

››

4 Beta-Hydroxy-BetaMethylbutyrate (HMB)

Scientific data suggests that HMB supplementation post-exercise augments the recovery process. The outcome is more strength and size in a shorter period of time. As well, among novices, HMB will significantly blunt the catabolic response.

›› Take 3–6 grams of HMB immedi- ›› Consume a shake with 25–30 grams ately after training.

Protein 5 Whey Hydrolysate (WPH)

Whey protein hydrolysate is made from WPI by enzymatic degradation (hydrolysis). Essentially, manufacturers use special enzymes to predigest the proteins in WPI. The end product is digested high in the gastrointestinal tract and enters the blood almost immediately upon ingestion. WPH is the fastest-digesting protein source, and studies illustrate that the faster amino acids enter the blood after exercise, the greater the anabolic response. The rapid digestion of WPH also loads water into muscle cells (cell volumizing), speeds recovery, drives anabolism and supports immune function. The drawback is that WPH is costly to manufacture and thus is relatively expensive.

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of high-quality WPH immediately after your workout.

6 Dextrose

This D-form of glucose is a small monosaccharide and one of the simplest sugars. It’s digested high in the gastrointestinal tract (beginning in the mouth) and is very high on the glycemic index. The rapid absorption rate of dextrose makes it an ideal post-training carbohydrate supplement that enters the blood immediately to cause a great spike in blood insulin and drive sugars into depleted muscles. In addition, insulin is very anabolic, so combined with high amounts of protein, dextrose serves as a mass-building agent. Mix 25–50 grams of dextrose into your WPH shake and drink immediately after training.

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WorldMags.net DINNER

Since we’ve assumed that dinner follows your workout in this supplement schedule, it’s imperative you consume a large, well-balanced, high-protein dinner.

Fatty Acids 1 Essential ››

Take 2–3 grams of balanced EFAs with dinner.

BEDTIME

The day is done and it’s time for some high-quality rest and recovery. Since you’ll be fasting for the next 7–10 hours, it’s crucial you give your body the appropriate nutrition before hitting the hay. Here’s a stack that’ll feed your muscles and help prevent catabolism while you sleep.

1 Micellar Casein

This is the purest casein protein available, and its unique properties make it seem like a custom food supplement designed specifically for sleeping bodybuilders. Its slow digestion results in a sustained release of amino acids into the blood, which produces anticatabolic efects in the body. In fact, research has shown that ingestion of micellar casein inhibits muscle breakdown by over 30%. Additional data illustrates that casein ingestion produces a seven-hour sustained plateau in blood amino acid levels and that it ofers the best muscle nitrogen retention and utilization needed for substantial mass gains.

BASIC BEGINNER’S MASS-GAIN STACK When you begin undertaking a bodybuilding program, your body responds quickly, so you need to create an environment that’s conducive to growth. Consuming the most critical raw materials will help ensure that your body remains in an anabolic state throughout the day. Here are four that should be on every beginner’s list.

MORNING

PREWORKOUT

POST-WORKOUT

BEDTIME

Whey Protein Isolate

30 grams

30 grams

30 grams

30 grams

Creatine

2–5 grams

2–5 grams

Glutamine

2–5 grams

2–5 grams

2–5 grams

2–5 grams

Multivitamin

As per label directions

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gains than the placebo group. The ZMA group also had a 20% greater increase in testosterone levels as well as over 20% greater insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF1) levels compared to the placebo group. ZMA supplements are formulated in the following ratio: 11 milligrams vitamin B-6, 450 milligrams magnesium, 30 milligrams zinc. For optimal results you should try taking this supplement on an empty stomach approximately 30 minutes before drinking your micellar casein shake before bed.

Immediately before bed, drink a shake with 30–50 grams of high-quality micellar casein.

Zinc Monomethionine 2 Aspartate and Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA)

››

ZMA is an acronym for zinc monomethionine aspartate and magnesium aspartate, a proprietary zinc supplement reported to increase growth hormone and testosterone levels when taken before bed. A bonus side efect of ZMA supplementation is that users have reported falling asleep more quickly and deeply. In a recent study, it was found that subjects who took ZMA during eight weeks of training had 250% greater strength

Dwayne N. Jackson, PhD, is a professor and scientist in medical biophysics at one of Canada’s top medical schools, the University of Western Ontario. He has over 12 years of university education in physiology and has attended the University of Ottawa, the University of Western Ontario and the Yale School of Medicine. He also has over 20 years of competitive and recreational bodybuilding experience and is an expert in the areas of performance nutrition and supplementation.

SUPPLEMENTAL MASS — THE CHECKLIST Optimizing muscle anabolism means eating a clean, protein-rich diet and combining supplements that meet your metabolic needs depending on the time of day. Here’s an overview of how you can jump-start your natural muscle-building engines with supplements. Note: This schedule assumes you train in the late afternoon and before dinner. WAKE AND SHAKE

Weight Gainer

50–60 g protein

Creatine Monohydrate

5g

Branched-Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs)

5–10 g

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) Multivitamin Tribulus terrestris

BREAKFAST STACK

PRE-LUNCH MUNCH

PREWORKOUT

MIDWORKOUT

POSTWORKOUT

5g

5g

2–3 g

BEDTIME

2–3 g

As directed on label 500–750 mg

L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT)

2g

Beta-Alanine

2g

500–750 mg 2g 2g

L-Glutamine

5g

L-Arginine

5g

Whey Protein Isolate

25–40 g

Beta-Hydroxy-BetaMethylbutyrate (HMB)

3–6 g

5g

3–6 g

Whey Protein Hydrolysate (WPH)

25 g

25–30 g

Dextrose

25 g

25–30 g

Micellar Casein © Shutterstock

DINNER

50–60 g protein

30–50 g

Vitamin B-6

11 mg

ZMA

450 mg magnesium, 30 mg zinc

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Maintaining strict form will help you build muscle, but there are times when loosening your exercise execution can help you boost the intensity of your workout and reap even greater gains. The key is knowing how to cheat right.

RICH BAKER

By Rob Rinaldi, MA

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JASON MATHAS

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Cheat to Win in the Gym

“Use strict form on every set.” You read these words on this magazine’s pages so many times that you likely just gloss over them. Yet you look around the gym and bodybuilders of all levels are bouncing bars of their chest, throwing their hips forward to generate momentum or otherwise leaning into a move for biomechanical advantage. It seems like no one’s using what you’d consider to be decent, let alone good, form. When your exercise execution strays from textbook form, it’s called cheating. And perhaps as with the IRS, but hopefully not with your wife or girlfriend, everyone does it. Even top bodybuilders get a little sloppy from time to time. In the context of bodybuilding, cheating is the application of a high-intensity training technique that allows you to take a set past failure and boost muscle growth. The danger inherent in cheating that’s not present in other advanced training techniques is the increased risk of injury associated with poor exercise form. Cheating means other muscle groups are involved at the expense of proper exercise execution, so the brunt of the force can unintentionally fall on a vulnerable joint or connective tissue. What’s important is to know when and how to cheat, because while you should indeed complete each and every repetition with proper technique, it would be a mistake to think there’s not a time and a place to loosen up your form.

HOW TO CHEAT Physical therapist and amateur bodybuilder Guillermo Escalante, DSc, ATC, CSCS, PTA, who runs SportsPros Inc., an athletic- and personal-training business in Claremont, California, describes cheating as a method employed by bodybuilders using momentum or “bad form” as a way to lift the weight. “But used properly,

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The Cheat Sheet Here are 12 important

considerations for experienced bodybuilders who want to implement cheating in their exercise form.

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Start with a good warm-up before using cheating motions because of the higher risk of injury to muscle, joints and connective tissue. Always include several lightweight sets of the given move in your warm-up as well.

Because momentum is most easily generated through your legs, it’s far more common to see cheating motions with standing exercises than seated ones.

Know which exercises are best — and worst — to cheat on. Some exercises put your spinal column and rotator cufs at risk, and they’re especially bad choices to cheat on. With others you need to be very careful.

Cheat only when your energy level is high, toward the beginning of your workout. If you’re fatigued, mentally or physically, it’s easier to get sloppy and thus increase your risk of injury.

Don’t cheat on Be an expert on every set. Do it on good form. If you don’t know the diference your last 1–2 sets of an between good form and exercise to get a few poor exercise technique, extra reps. you won’t be able to apply cheating as an advanced technique. Read bodybuilding books or magazines like MuscleMag, or hire a certified personal trainer. Cheating is also more commonly done with free-weight moves rather than with machines, which generally lock you into a predetermined biomechanical pathway. On the flipside, it’s far easier to exceed your range of motion with a heavy free weight, which can put a joint in a vulnerable position. Cheat just enough to get a weight past its sticking point, then allow the target bodypart to take over again so that it gets maximally worked.

Keep strict form on your heaviest sets. Bad form in combination with heavy weight significantly boosts your risk of training injury. Use cheating motions for moderate-weight sets when your muscles and joints aren’t under such extreme stress.

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Use cheating infrequently during your workout. Doing other advancedtraining techniques can work the target muscle group in diferent ways to help break through training plateaus and sticking points.

Cheating should be an intentional approach, not something that just happens because you put too much weight on the bar or are unfamiliar with a given exercise’s proper execution. Use a challenging weight but not one beyond your abilities.

Cheating isn’t recommended if you have a pre-existing injury, especially if the added stress is generated at the damaged joint or muscle that’s assisting. If you’ve got a herniated disk, rotator-cuf injury or knee trouble, you’ll want to limit stress that’s increased when cheating moves are added.

LARRY MccMUSKER

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cheating is a premeditated and intentional movement rather than simply bad form. Some bodybuilders may use poor form unintentionally because they don’t know how to correctly do a given movement and therefore don’t know how to properly isolate the target muscle.” What’s certain is that using bad form increases an individual’s risk of training injury to muscles, tendons and/or joints. But Escalante doesn’t condemn cheating outright, saying instead that applied correctly, it can boost muscle gains. “Knowledge is critical here, and cheating should be used only by bodybuilders who are experienced and really know the diference between good and bad form. They can apply cheating as a technique to push past muscle failure. In that sense it’s just another method to shock your body in a manner diferent than what it’s accustomed to, allowing you to complete more reps with a given weight or use a heavier weight than you might normally be able to handle. The downside is that it can lead to injury if done improperly or even too frequently.

Therefore, it’s an approach that should be reserved for every once in a while rather than on a workout-to-workout basis. From my experience, beginners rarely know the diference between decent and perfect exercise form, and they generally make good gains in strength and size from more traditional means, so it’s not recommended for them to cheat.” What’s the most common way to generate momentum? A slight thrust of the hips and bounce in the knees. Essentially it allows you to do an extra rep or two when you hit a sticking point. Instead of ending your set, you use additional muscles that aren’t directly involved in the execution of the lift to help you work past the point of muscle failure. You can cheat on just about any exercise, but one of the most common is the standing barbell curl. While strict exercise form enlists only the biceps, when you hit muscle failure with a given weight you can continue the set by using your back (leaning backward) or legs (bending and extending at the knees and hips) to overcome the sticking point and help you lift the weight.

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While additional muscle groups are called into play and the biceps aren’t working as hard as when doing strict curls, they’re still highly involved, as long as you keep the cheat move to a minimum. The other involved muscle groups merely work to make up the diference between the remaining strength of your fatigued arms and the force necessary to overcome the sticking point. Escalante argues that the key to cheating correctly is to use this strategy at the end of your set, not the beginning. “Bodybuilders who are cheating on their first rep are simply going too heavy,” he says. “It’s only after you take the target muscle to failure by completing 6–8 reps on your own with strict form should you begin to add momentum or a little body english. Then it should be just enough to keep the weight moving. Good form is still important, but adding a little extra momentum or assistance from other muscle groups would be considered an acceptable form of cheating that won’t cause undue harm.” Therefore, a set includes both perfect reps and cheat reps, the latter added at musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 91

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Cheat to Win in the Gym

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The Cheat List

Some exercises are better than others when it comes to cheating (see “Okay to Cheat,” “Cheat with Caution” and “Just Say No to Cheating”). Essentially, the heavier you go the more dangerous it becomes when using bad form, and any time your spine is in a vulnerable position, the more risky it is to break form. Remember, you want to do 6–8 reps on your own with strict form before adding cheat reps; if you can’t do even one rep with good form, any exercise is dangerous. Only more advanced bodybuilders who know the diference between good and bad technique should incorporate a few cheat reps. The cheating motion should be intentional — not accidental — and should be distributed as best as possible over several areas.

Okay To Cheat

These exercises are generally safe to cheat with, as long as your form breaks are in accordance with the suggestions listed and you’re not maxing out.

Lateral Raise

Very few trainers do this move correctly in the gym, and the most common problem results from going too heavy. The outcome is compromised form, including a slight extension of the hips and knees to generate momentum. (Try this move from a seated position if you want to see what it’s like to reduce body english.)

Alternating Dumbbell Curl

When you do these alternating sides, whether seated or standing, leaning into your working-side arm actually helps you get just a little more body into the move to assist with the lift.

Calf Raise

After the reps get difcult, a little bounce out the hole helps you overcome the sticking point. On straight-legged calf raises, don’t lock out your knees.

Hanging Leg Raise

If you use a bit of body swing at the end of your set, you can do a couple of extra reps past muscle failure. If you swing right from the start, very little work is ultimately done by the lower abs.

Seated Cable Row

You should be keeping your torso in an upright position, just very slightly extending back as you pull, and leaning only slightly forward during the release. Greater degrees of lean recruit the low-back muscles to help generate momentum. Just don’t round your back.

JASON MATHAS

the end. “Because cheat reps require you to start your set with textbook technique, the bodybuilder must know the diference between good and bad exercise form. That kind of knowledge takes a bodybuilder a good couple of years to learn.” Escalante warns that anyone who doesn’t know good form versus poor exercise form should probably refrain from using cheating techniques. Of interest to advanced bodybuilders is the addition of the “cheat” at the end of a set, which allows you to train past muscle failure when the alternative is to put the weight down and end the set. In that sense, it increases the overall intensity. Compare that with an individual who uses bad form from the very first rep. Here, the bodybuilder is actually making the set easier (as he can’t even complete one rep with good form and must resort to recruiting additional muscle groups), not harder. What’s more, there are any number of ways to add body english to keep the weight moving through the sticking point, and it takes a knowledgeable bodybuilder to know what’s acceptable and how much. For example, in the standing barbell curl the cheat can be any combination of a slight knee bend and/or hip thrust and/or lower-back extension. In addition, you can bring your elbows forward from their position by the sides of your torso to recruit the front delts. Moreover, speeding up the rep can also help you overcome a sticking point. Combining any and all of these strategies will help you take a working set of barbell curls past muscle failure. Some of those suggestions are more risky than others. Overarching your back can strain your spine, while a slight bounce in the knees may be less chancy. Escalante recommends using several in conjunction to better distribute the force. Of course, each and every successive rep requires a little more assistance, so the amount of stress continues to increase. Therefore, keep your cheat reps to just a few because the more you do at the end of a set, the greater your risk of injury.

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WorldMags.net Cheat With Caution

Restrict cheating motions to the end of your set as long as you’re not doing extremely heavy weights; go strict on those sets.

Standing Barbell Curl

The danger is to your low back from generating momentum through your hips and leaning backward. You can also use a little knee bounce and bring your elbows forward at the top to get an assist from your front delts.

Bench Press

Arching your back and lifting your hips of the bench turns this exercise into a decline movement in which most bodybuilders are stronger. A little bounce of the chest may also help.

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press

Any lower-back move, this one in particular, puts stress on the muscles protecting your lower spine. Don’t cheat on moves that target your lower back. Keep your back flat — don’t let it round.

Bent-Over Barbell Row

Similar to the bent-over lateral raise (also a moderate risk) you’re required to hold your body in a bentover position. Most bodybuilders typically use their lower backs to assist in the move (and hence they rise); the danger is in rounding the back when you become fatigued.

Here are the five worst ofenders, exercises in which losing good form can compromise either the disks in your spine or your rotator cufs. Use textbook form at all times. To boost the intensity of your training and work past muscle failure, instead of cheating try another advanced technique.

Squat

This is a highly technical lift that engages a number of muscle groups. Your low back is at risk if you can’t hold your body upright. While just about every bodybuilder has bounced a few times out of the bottom, doing so is not good for your knees.

Deadlift

Another highly technical lift with heavy force on the low back. Add heavy weights to the mix and you’d better be using great form on each and every rep. Avoid training to failure with this exercise.

Stif-Leg Deadlift

During this exercise there’s actually a slight rounding of your lower back at the bottom position, which means you’re highly vulnerable to injury. Its cousin, the romanian deadlift, requires a flat back throughout. Don’t ever make the

common mistake of bouncing the bar of the floor. Only in conventional deadlifts should the bar touch the floor.

Shrug

This may come as a surprise, but the tendency here is to put your head down when using heavy weights, which disrupts spinal alignment. Have you ever had a herniated disk in your neck from heavy shrugs, which then basically interrupts the nerve signal to an entire side of your body — for almost a year? It happened to me, and it’s a total disaster for a bodybuilder.

Behind-the-Neck Shoulder Press

With a heavy bar behind your head, your shoulders are already in a highly vulnerable spot. If you bounce or otherwise get sloppy with form, you can damage the rotator cufs.

JASON MATHAS

Probably a bit more risky than the barbell version, as you can’t readily bounce the bar of your chest; instead, a bouncing motion will be absorbed in the shoulder joints and rotator cufs.

Good Morning

Just Say No to Cheating

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Eating clean makes a bodybuilder start craving the wrong kinds of foods, especially those loaded with sugar and fats. MMI explains which cheat strategies will help boost your gains — and which will bust your gut.

RICH BAKER

By Team MuscleMag Illustrations by Larry McCusker

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MAYA VISNYEL

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Cheat to Win on Your Diet

Here’s the good news from the bodybuilding nutrition trenches: You can eat any food you want without blowing your diet. Here’s the bad news: You can’t eat every food you want, and it’s crucial that you limit how much you consume when you do decide to cheat. Cheating, as you know, can really derail your nutrition program. An all-day binge on pizza, hamburgers, ice cream, cakes and pastries can practically ruin months of hard work and soften up a rock-hard bod. Not to mention one cheat day can lead to another one, and so on. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your physique, but it sure can be destroyed just that fast. There’s plenty of bad news for the

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bodybuilders, but there’s also an upside to cheating: Sometimes it can actually enhance your gains. For instance, you can consume fats and sugar at certain times of the day to provide benefits to your body during most of your bodybuilding season. The key is to know what types of cheat foods are beneficial, what types are neutral and what types are detrimental to your physique goals. Many bodybuilders tout the idea of following a bodybuilding diet year-round. But that protocol may not be the best option for young bodybuilders, especially those who have trouble growing. A moderate amount of cheating, which we’ll define as occasional straying of a clean, high-protein, high-complex carbohydrate diet — accompanied by an otherwise solid bodybuilding nutrition (and training!) program — can help provide

your body with necessary calories and nutrients including saturated fats and sugars, which are beneficial for growth when consumed appropriately. That’s right, even some of those foods you swore to stay away from can be favorable when consumed appropriately. Of course, cheating is a double-edged sword: If you cheat too much, you’ll gain excess bodyfat; if you don’t cheat enough, you’ll get ripped, but you won’t be able to maximize your muscle growth. Learning how to strike a balance is the No. 1 key to success. MuscleMag spoke with IFBB pros Troy Brown and Mike Van Wyck to get their expert insights on how best to use non-bodybuilding foods in a positive way to accomplish your overall goals. With your nutritional success in mind, here is the MuscleMag sheet on the seven best ways to cheat.

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LARRY Mc CCUSKER

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WorldMags.net CHEAT RULE 1

CHEAT RULE 2

CHEAT RULE 3

Build your diet Don’t overcheat in Cheat to help get in around foods you like the offseason. all the nutrients you The flipside to overdieting is to overconsume that serve you well. need to maximize cheat foods in the ofseason, believing the One of the ways to reduce your desire to growth. more bodyweight you add the more muscle mass you’ll gain. Beyond a certain threshold, this is false. Once you have reached a point at which you’re slowly adding bodyfat, you’ve almost guaranteed that you’re taking in enough calories to maximize muscle gains. Excess calories will only make you fatter, making it harder to lose bodyfat when you do want to get in shape to show of all your hard work in the gym. When you adopt this overeating ofseason strategy, you’re much more likely to win the title of Biggest Loser rather than Mr. Olympia. “Remember, you have to burn those extra calories of to get in shape for a competition or for the summer season, which means extra cardio,” former British champion Troy Brown says. “Be wise in your choice of cheat meals, and don’t go overboard with the eating, even in the ofseason.” Mike agrees that moderation with cheating is one of the big keys to success. “I don’t go over the top and eat everything I want, but I don’t follow the strictest plan in the ofseason because I need a lot of calories to keep growing. I also do cardio year round, and I work out pretty damn hard.”

Too many bodybuilders over-regiment their nutrition program. Guess what happens in many cases? These bodybuilders end up depleting their muscles, providing too few calories and nutrition to support growth. “I train a lot of hardgainers who are trying to put on weight,” Mike says. “I tell them to order double the food they think they want. The problem these guys have is that they’re just not getting in enough calories to grow.” You see, bodybuilders must surpass a threshold of many diferent nutrients to maximize their muscle gains. You need a certain amount of protein and a certain amount of vitamins and minerals (supplied through nutrient-dense foods from categories such as fruits, vegetables and numerous others). But bodybuilders also need a minimal threshold of calories just to hold their ground. Without consuming the appropriate total calories on a daily basis, you simply won’t grow. Once you’ve included all the protein your body can use for growth (at least 1 gram per pound each day), consuming more protein won’t really help boost muscle growth any further if you’re still coming up short on the total daily calories you need to sustain or add bodyweight. In fact, a bodybuilder who follows an extremely high-protein diet that’s low in calories will begin to lose weight. At this point, you need to bump up total calorie consumption — not protein consumption — to keep adding muscular bodyweight. Satisfying, easy-to-consume foods can be valuable for growth at this point. Those who over-regiment their nutrition programs often end up undereating total calories, diminishing their potential gains. As Mike explains, some “cheating” may be necessary for you to boost your calorie intake for maximal growth.

RICH BAKER

cheat is to satisfy yourself with foods that are in your diet regimen. When you’re on a wellregimented plan, slow-digesting carb foods such as yams can taste quite sweet, helping to satisfy your cravings for sugary foods. Salmon and other fatty fish have an oily texture, which helps decrease your desire for unhealthy, deep-fried foods. Do you love chicken breast? Great — eat it as many days a week as you want in the ofseason or when you’re preparing for a show. Or do you find chicken dry and flavorless? If so, you’re probably not inclined to consume as much of it as you should at any given meal in the ofseason to provide sustained muscle growth. A better strategy for you may be to eat cuts of beef that are slightly fattier than chicken breast. You will consume more protein as well as a few more calories, but gravitating toward beef will probably help you add more muscle mass in the long run. Toronto bodybuilder Mike Van Wyck offers this example: “I don’t like sweet potatoes so I don’t eat them in the ofseason. I eat them only when I’m getting ready for a show because they’re such a great bodybuilding food. But I love rice, so I pound it in the ofseason.” To keep growing, you should emphasize the foods you like best that will help you reach your goals.

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Cheat to Win on Your Diet

CHEAT RULE 4

CHEAT RULE 5

CHEAT RULE 6

Cheat at the right time of the week.

Cheat at the right time of your contest schedule.

Cheat at the right time of the day.

You might feel as if you’ll go insane if you don’t get a cheeseburger or slice of pizza occasionally. However, something worse may happen as well: You may undercut your gains by not taking in cheat foods that help keep your metabolism revved to the max; you want your metabolism functioning in high gear to burn bodyfat while in the process of maintaining or building muscle mass. A moderate amount of cheating every few days is a little like a workout session for your digestive system. Think of these cheat meals as “heavy lifting” for your stomach, small and large intestines. “As long as a bodybuilder doesn’t go overboard and binge excessively, a cheat meal can help support normal thyroid function,” says Troy. “It can also help to reload glycogen stores [the stored form of carbohydrate] in muscle tissue of the dieting bodybuilder, which in turn will help to fuel their intense workouts.” Many fatty cheat foods also provide building blocks for important hormones such as testosterone and give you the calories you need for sustained growth. These cheat foods will also help to create a metabolic ebb and flow. You’re better able to burn bodyfat in the periods between these cheat meals. Then, the additional calories help you restock, making you stronger at the gym and boosting your metabolic rate for additional fat burning.

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If you compete, you don’t want to binge on a Philly cheesesteak the night before a contest, but you don’t want to go into your show looking flat and depleted, either. Taking in carbs such as buckwheat pancakes with syrup can help fill out your muscles so that they’re striated and full. This meal will make you feel like you’re cheating, but you’re really just maximizing the appearance of your hard work. Consume it the night before you want to look your best. Keep the total calories moderate (about double your bodyweight) for best results. If you’re really out of shape, however, you have your work cut out for you. “If you’re 60 pounds overweight when you start to diet and you have set a goal of 12 weeks to get in tip-top shape (say, for a contest or just for the start of summer), you’d better not cheat at all,” Troy says. “But if your starting point is just 10–20 pounds from where you want to be at the end of those 12 weeks, you can have a cheat meal once per week after beginning with two weeks of strict dieting.” You have to assess your situation to know how much cheating you can handle without compromising your goals.

If you crave carbs or fats, you can find a time of day almost any day when you can consume both to benefit your gains, and likewise there are times when you can instead maximize the damage. When cheating at the right times, you may feel like you’re getting of track, but you’ll really be enhancing your overall program. You see, sugar creates a boost in insulin release, and an increase in insulin around the time of your workouts helps drive muscle recovery and thus growth by delivering more nutrients where and when they’re needed. Fats can help slow down digestion so that protein is delivered more slowly, helping to sustain its availability in your body. To benefit your gains, consume sugary foods before and after your workouts. Want a soda or even candy such as Skittles or Gummy Bears? You can have them on your way to the gym or right after your workout. Eating sugar at this time will help drive nutrients to your muscles for growth because these high-sugar foods boost insulin levels. This is a much better alternative than a protein shake without carbs (who would’ve thought?) before and after workouts. Just make sure to avoid fats while you’re consuming these pre- and postworkout carbs because that’ll slow everything down, including the insulin boost. Similarly, fatty foods can be worthwhile to your overall nutrition plan. First, many saturated fats from animal products support hormone production such as testosterone, which is essential for maximizing muscle growth. Second, foods with a higher fat content slow digestion. When you consume fats with protein, you efectively provide a time-released efect upon the amino acids in protein. These aminos will be available for use for much longer periods of time, helping to prevent your body from breaking down muscle tissue for stored aminos (catabolism). Eat fattier forms of protein (such as whole eggs, deli meat, cheese and nuts) before bedtime to make sure there are aminos floating in your bloodstream longer. Just make sure to skip the carbs during these meals.

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RICH BAKER

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WorldMags.net The Treat Sheet

CHEAT RULE 7

When you cheat, cheat in moderation. When you consume an excess of calories during the day, especially if you gorge out at a single meal, you’re virtually assured of storing that surplus as bodyfat. You’re much better served by spreading your cheating around a bit. Instead of ordering a Domino’s double-cheese pizza with all the fixings and gobbling it down in one night, you’d be better of having a couple of slices for your cheat meal that night and sharing the rest with family or friends. If you’re eating alone, though, keep it to two slices. Then, the next day you can have one slice with a protein shake for lunch. Freeze the rest and have it several days later as your next cheat go-round. Troy ofers this rule of thumb: “If you have to undo the top button of your pants, you cheated too much. Never stuf yourself or eat until you feel uncomfortable.” Take a look at “The Treat Sheet” to see how you can successfully include moderate amounts of cheat foods without blowing your diet.

Cravings are a beat-’em-or-join-’em proposition. Either you get over your craving or satisfy it. Often, the only way to satisfy a craving is to eat that particular food. But is there a best “cheat” food? “No,” says IFBB pro bodybuilder Troy Brown. “If a bodybuilder is craving pizza, he should cheat with pizza. Only the pizza will curb cravings for pizza. That goes for any food. If you crave it cheat with it, but only if you’re in good enough shape to aford to cheat and can put the brakes on after just a small portion.” The good news is that any “terrible” cheat food can be turned into a reasonable bodybuilding meal by complementing a moderate amount of it with a protein food, rather than just stufng yourself with a box of Oreos, a dozen doughnuts or an entire pizza. As a baseline, we’ve established 500 calories as the amount you should limit yourself to for an acceptable cheat meal. Here, we give you the cheat food and advice on how to make sure you’re not just taking in empty calories.

Pizza

Desserts

Cheeseburger

“Having a couple of slices should be enough to curb those cravings and still allow you to feel good afterward,” says Troy. Two slices of pizza (a 14-inch medium pizza from a chain such as Domino’s) has about 23 grams of protein and a little more than 500 calories. Actually, it’s not terrible for a cheat meal. Nevertheless, nutrient breakdown is pretty bad for a standard bodybuilding meal since less than 20% of the calories comes from protein. You can add more protein with a tall glass of nonfat milk — skip the beer.

Don’t desert your diet when you eat dessert. Keep your portions moderate (two medium cookies, a moderate wedge of fruit pie, a small piece of cake). All of these goodies have about 300 calories and very little protein. Add a cup of cofee and a protein shake to turn this into a more sensible meal. If you’re eating this dessert on top of a meal, cut back to a much smaller serving. It’ll be a true test of your willpower to stop at just that small amount.

Lean beef is a great bodybuilding food. Fastfood burgers are not. When you’re cheating the key is to straddle the line between the two, making your cheat meal a justifiable bodybuilding meal. A McDonald’s quarter pounder has a little over 500 calories with 29 grams of protein. Whether you’re ordering out or making it at home, avoid fatty condiments such as mayo or “special sauce.” Then, consider taking of the “hat” — the top part of the bun. Doing so will cut empty calories while still delivering the beef relief that you seek. You can even go double meat. Also, avoid the fries and the sugary Coke if it’s the burger you’re craving.

ROBERT REIFF

Doughnuts Yes, they’re considered one of the worst foods for bodybuilders. But if that’s what you want, that’s what you want. Eat one large or two small doughnuts. One large glazed doughnut (about 4½ inches in diameter) has approximately 300 calories with 5 grams of protein. Add two whole eggs and four egg whites to complete a 500-calorie breakfast that has almost 30 grams of protein.

Ice Cream Ice cream is a dairy product, but it’s little more than a cheat food. If you want to turn this frosty treat into anything but decadence, you’re going to have to augment protein. Go ahead and have your ice cream (fatty versions close to bedtime; nonfat versions closer to your workout). An 8-ounce serving (two scoops) of regular ice cream has about 300 calories but only 5 grams of protein. Specialty brands tend to be higher in calories per ounce. If you want, throw those scoops of ice cream into a protein shake.

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WorldMags.net One side effect of bodybuilding is a stronger, thicker neck, but that can cause you to fall victim to an insidious nightime killer called sleep apnea By Nicole McPherson Photos by Paul Buceta Model Adam Headland

Is Your

Muscle Sleep Putting You in

Deadly Danger? 100 DECEMBER  MONTH 2013 |  2013 | musclemag.com

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Is Your Muscle Sleep Putting You in Deadly Danger?

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Imagine you’re lying in bed, catching some ZZZs. Suddenly, a plastic bag is put over your head. You struggle to get it off and frantically gasp for air. Finally, after minutes that feel like hours, you rip the bag open and break free. Your heart is racing and you desperately inhale. You thank God you’re awake and alive ... at least for now. This isn’t the beginning of a horror movie, but rather the story of amateur bodybuilder Carl Cheung’s life — before he was diagnosed with sleep apnea. Carl, who has competed in a number of Ontario (Canada) Physique Association championships, remembers many times like this when he’d wake up suddenly throughout the night, desperate to catch his breath. Back

then, he had no idea that he had a severe and dangerous sleeping condition called sleep apnea. It wasn’t until his friends begged him to see a sleep specialist that he discovered the truth. “The doctor was surprised I was still alive,” Carl remembers about his sleep test results. “That’s how severe my sleep apnea was. I stayed overnight at the sleep clinic to be tested and I was extremely shocked by the results. In a seven-and-ahalf-hour period, I woke up more than 300 times. One time, I’d stopped breathing for a full four minutes.” What exactly is sleep apnea? Characterized by repeated breathing interruptions during sleep, sleep apnea has been defined as “a condition in which breathing stops for periods of time during sleep due to on-and-of blockage of air passages.” In fact, the Greek word apnea literally means “without breath.” The culprit is typically excess and collapsed throat tis-

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sue that’s blocking the airway, which is why suferers often wake up gasping for air. When you experience five or more apnea episodes per hour (i.e., waking periods with at least a 10-second interval between breaths), your level of sleep apnea is considered “clinically significant.” Based on these criteria, Carl’s results were of the charts. Not surprisingly, being jolted awake so many times throughout the night had a staggering efect on Carl’s daily life. Because he was never able to fall into a deep, quality sleep, he was in a constant state of extreme fatigue. And his bodybuilding gains, as would be expected, were poor. The amount of sleep needed, of course, varies by age. Infants spend a majority of their time sleeping — 16–18 hours per day. Teenagers require a good chunk, too; approximately nine hours. Adults can go with less (about 7–8 hours), but most bodybuilders find their needs are greater. After vigorous workouts, adequate rest is essential for growth and repair. While

your body rests, protein synthesis occurs. During this process, the muscles you trained are strengthened and repaired, thereby allowing better recovery and more growth. “When you’ve got sleep apnea, you’re extremely groggy when you first wake up,” explains 30-year-old Carl. “As the day progresses, you can hardly focus. Having conversations is difcult, and you’re always asking people to repeat themselves. When you’re sitting in meetings at work, trying to pay attention and be responsive, you can barely stay awake. But you assume you’re just tired because of the topic or the temperature in the room. You can even fall asleep while standing up. There were times when I’d even fall into a deep sleep at a red light, until I’d hear someone honking at me. But I had no idea I had sleep apnea, or what sleep apnea even was. It’s difcult to diagnose yourself. My friends were the ones who noticed I was always falling asleep and unable to focus. They convinced me

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to go see my family doctor, who referred me to a sleep specialist.” Not long after, Carl went for a polysomnogram, an overnight diagnostic test where many of his bodily functions were monitored while he slept (including his brain activity, eye movements, muscle activity, heart rhythm, respiratory airflow and respiratory efort). Results showed that Carl had obstructive sleep apnea, the most common form of the condition. During obstructive sleep apnea, the upper airway becomes narrow as the muscles relax naturally during sleep. As a result, oxygen in the blood is reduced, which causes you to frequently wake up. Desperate for a solution, Carl began using a CPAP machine, short for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. A CPAP machine aids breathing by delivering a stream of compressed air via a hose to a nasal pill, nose mask or full-face mask. Although it took some time to get used to wearing his CPAP machine, Carl says his life has been much improved since. musclemag.com | DECEMBER  | MONTH 2013 103

Is Your Muscle Sleep Putting You in Deadly Danger?

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“At first you feel awkward using the machine because of the tubes and having things around your nose and mouth,” Carl says. “A lot of people refuse to use it because if they’re with someone, they’re afraid of what that person will think. Having gone through it myself, I know that people who have sleep apnea can be really sensitive about the condition and embarrassed about using the machine. You’ve also got to bring it with you whenever you travel. But you have to realize this is the best solution. It can help resolve your sleep issues and every aspect

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they afect in your life.”

A BETTER LIFE, A BETTER PHYSIQUE Aside from being more focused at work, more alert in social settings and safer behind the wheel, Carl claims that his better-quality sleep has also made him a far better bodybuilder. “Everyone knows you don’t build muscle in the gym; you grow and repair when you’re asleep. So I’ve definitely seen a difference in the amount of quality muscle I’ve put on since using the CPAP,” he says.

“Within a month of using it I saw a 15-pound diference in my body, and I attribute that progress to just getting quality rest. Before that, I was stuck, hitting a brick wall. So for me gaining 15 pounds was huge.” One possible reason for these gains is that human growth hormone (HGH), a peptide hormone that stimulates growth and cell reproduction, is produced during sleep. HGH levels typically rise about 35–45 minutes after you’ve fallen asleep. HGH efects on the body are anabolic; if you’re missing out on your sleep, you’re missing out on muscle building. Mike Kelly, a competitive bodybuilder from Toronto, can relate. Like Carl, he was a victim of sleep apnea without even realizing it. He too would experience extreme fatigue during the day, to the point where he’d easily nod of while talking to people. Episodes of waking up suddenly in the middle of the night were a constant occurrence. “My wife actually stopped sleeping in the same bed as me out of fear,” says Mike. “She didn’t want to look at me

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WorldMags.net What Is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea is a common disorder in which you have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths while you sleep. Breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes. They often occur 5–30 times or more an hour. Typically, normal breathing then starts again, sometimes with a loud snort or choking sound. Sleep apnea usually is a chronic (ongoing) condition that disrupts your sleep three or more nights each week. You often move out of deep sleep and into light sleep when your breathing pauses or becomes shallow. Poor sleep quality results, making you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness.

OVERVIEW Sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed. Doctors usually can’t detect the condition during routine ofce visits. Also, there are no blood tests for the condition. Most people who have sleep apnea don’t know they have it because it only occurs during sleep. A family member and/or bed partner may first notice the signs of sleep apnea. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea. This most often means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses. When you try to breathe, any air that squeezes past the blockage can cause loud snoring. Obstructive sleep apnea happens more often in people who are overweight, but it can afect anyone.

OUTLOOK Untreated sleep apnea can: • Increase the risk for high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke, obesity and diabetes. • Increase the risk for or worsen heart failure. • Make irregular heartbeats more likely. • Increase the chance of having work-related or driving accidents. Lifestyle changes, mouthpieces, surgery and/or breathing devices can successfully treat sleep apnea in many people. Information from the National Institutes of Health.

A CPAP machine isn’t pretty, but it can save your life. Many bodybuilders use one.

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Is Your Muscle Sleep Putting You in Deadly Danger?

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Lack of quality sleep at night makes you drowsy during the day.

while I was asleep and see how my chest would start heaving and how I’d suddenly fly up to take a big gasp of air. This would go on all night, and she couldn’t bear to see me like that.” While at a routine check-up with his family doctor, Mike shared his story of restless nights and over-sluggish days. His doctor immediately referred Mike to a sleep specialist, where it was confirmed that he had sleep apnea. Like Carl, Mike now uses a CPAP machine, and he feels like a new person because of it. Because Mike is a personal trainer, the extra sleep has helped his bodybuilding career in more ways than one. “Before when I was personal training, I’d have such a hard time staying awake. Your clients expect you to be upbeat, happy and energetic all the time, even when you’re dieting for a show, which can be

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hard. When you add lack of sleep into the mix, it’s really difcult. Now, all around, everything is better. I have so much more energy.”

WHO’S AT RISK? Although high risk factors include being male, overweight and over the age of 40, sleep apnea doesn’t just afect people like your beer-bellied relatives who are addicted to Twinkies and TV and who don’t exercise. The condition is an extremely common one — as common as diabetes. In fact, according to the National Institutes of Health, sleep apnea afects more than 12 million Americans. This includes men and women, young and old. Even children are susceptible. Cox Tan-Ngo, MD, founder of Clinical Sleep Solutions, Inc., a private sleep clinic in Vancouver (British Columbia, Cana-

da), has personally experienced sleep apnea and can attest to the stereotypes associated with the condition. “When we think of sleep apnea, we sometimes assume just obese males are at risk. But in fact, I have some patients who are 100 pounds soaking wet. Anyone with a narrow or recessed jaw, a short neckline or a large neck can be predisposed to sleep apnea. Neck size is actually a good predictor of potential for developing sleep apnea. If your neck size is larger than 17 inches, the risk is typically higher. That’s likely why many bodybuilders have sleep apnea. But a lot of it is anatomical in nature. You might be predisposed to it or have small airways.” There are three distinct forms of sleep apnea: Obstructive sleep apnea (which represents 84% of cases), central sleep apnea (representing 0.4% of cases) and complex sleep apnea (representing 15% of cases). Obstructive sleep apnea is caused by a blockage of the airway, typically when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. Breathing is interrupted by a physical block to airflow despite respiratory effort. With central sleep apnea, the airway isn’t blocked, but the brain fails to signal the muscles to breathe. Breathing is interrupted by the lack of respiratory efort. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of the first two conditions. Each time you experience an apnea episode, your brain briefly arouses you in order for you to resume breathing. It’s for this reason that sleep becomes so fragmented and interrupted … and why sufferers can barely function the next day. In severe cases, the condition can even trigger a heart attack and death.

BEING DIAGNOSED Unfortunately, because the public is still relatively uninformed about sleep apnea, many people go undiagnosed and untreated. They assume their fatigue is just a symptom of something else. And many people don’t even realize they’re waking up as often as they are during the night. Symptoms may go unnoticed for years,

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WorldMags.net during which time suferers may simply become conditioned to feeling tired all the time. As was the case with Carl Cheung, it’s typically friends or family who first catch wind of the symptoms and suggest professional treatment. “The biggest problem with regard to sleep apnea is that, although it’s a sleep disorder, most people who have it fall asleep easily and sleep through the problem,” says Tan-Ngo. “It’s diferent than insomnia where you have difculty getting to sleep. With sleep apnea, you can experience waking periods without knowing it or understanding why.” Another myth surrounding sleep apnea is that it’s just a “snoring problem,” but Tan-Ngo urges people not to overlook their snoring habits. “If people tend to snore quite loudly, the more important it is for them to look into sleep apnea as a condition,” he explains. “The last thing you want to do is leave mild sleep apnea untreated only to have it lead to high blood pressure years later. So assess your snoring as a first screening tool, then look at your quality of sleep, how you’re waking up, and then how you are during the day.” As for treatments, the CPAP machine isn’t the only option. Several choices are available, and research into additional options continues. One route is to have an operation involving the removal of some soft tissue of the palate, tonsil area and inner lining of the throat to create a larger air passage. The idea is to “open up” the throat area. Sound painful? Well, it can be. Some who’ve had this operation compare it to having gargled with razor blades. On the flip side, there are others who this surgery has worked wonders for. The important point is to speak to your sleep specialist about what the best option is for you. At Clinical Sleep Solutions, the CPAP is still the treatment method of choice. “We consider the CPAP machine the gold standard for treating the problem,” says Tan-Ngo. “And that’s why we usually start with it. When you go the surgery route, there’s no turning back. If you re-

move tissue and then the problem isn’t fixed, you can’t put that tissue back. Oral appliances are another alternative, but because of their limitations in managing all forms of sleep apnea, they’re hit or miss.” Not all patients who get the CPAP machine, however, stick with it. Some would rather sleep on a bed of nails than sleep with a mask attached to their face. When Mike Kelly first got his CPAP machine, he was unenthusiastic about using it. His wife was the one who convinced him to give it a fair shot. “The first week I had the machine, I’d put it on and fall asleep, but then rip it of a couple of hours later,” he remembers. “Just getting those extra couple of hours sleep made such a diference though, and my wife and I started sleeping in the same bed again. Then sometimes I’d wake up halfway through the night and rip it of, and she’d leave the room again. So finally I just decided to stick with it.” According to Tan-Ngo, what separates those who succeed with the CPAP machine and those who don’t is mindset. “I believe that people who buy the machine but then don’t use it are the people who, when initially tested, didn’t believe the problem to be as severe as it was. The people who use the machine are the ones who know it can change their lives. The last thing we want is to see someone who doesn’t use the machine and their quality of life sufers. That’s why our main focus at the clinic is helping people follow through.

The easy part is buying a machine; the hard part is continuing to use it.” Left completely untreated, the sleep apnea picture isn’t pretty. The condition can lead to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. It can also play a part in memory problems, weight gain, impotency and headaches. Feel like sabotaging your job or increasing your chance of getting into a car accident? Untreated sleep apnea can have a big impact in those departments, too. Put simply, your quality of sleep is crucial. If you’ve been letting it take a backseat to other aspects of your life, you need to switch your priorities. “What I notice with my patients is that sleep is always the first thing people sacrifice if they’re stressed or busy, but it’s never what they consider to be the problem,” says Tan-Ngo. “People never think lack of sleep is causing them to feel sick, or that they might need more sleep. Their first impulse is to think the answer lies in medications.”

WHAT ABOUT YOU? Just sitting on the problem isn’t going to do you any good. In fact, it could do you a ton of harm. Rather than sabotaging your gains as a bodybuilder and literally putting your life at risk, take the time to get your sleep levels tested. You’ve heard the stories: You could pack on more muscle, feel a lot more energetic and focused, and live an allaround better life.

Sleep Apnea Increases Early Death Risk Individuals with severe sleep apnea have a 46% increased risk of dying early, according to a 2009 Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore) study. Sleep apnea is closely associated with obesity, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke. The study looked at 6,400 men and women over eight years and found that those with major sleep apnea were 46% more likely to die from any cause than healthy individuals the same age, regardless of other factors. The study, published in the Public Library of Science journal PLoS Medicine, found that people with milder sleep-breathing disorders were not more likely to die early. It’s estimated that 12–18 million Americans have sleep apnea, and most are neither diagnosed nor treated.

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Once your workout ends, the business of building muscle in the kitchen begins. Here’s how to maximize muscle growth and fat loss with the right foods and supplements from your post-workout meal through bedtime. By Eric Velazquez, NSCA-CPT Photos of Justin Lovato by Robert Reif

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nutrition — the kind that powers workouts and keeps you building lean mass all day — starts when your alarm goes off in the morning. This crucial window helps to put an immediate and definitive halt to muscle catabolism as circulating glucose levels have dropped and your glycogen-starved body goes on the search for fuel. But what about the other end of the nighttime fast? Most lifters tend to think their food and supplements schedule ends when they’ve gone fork-to-mouth for the last time at the dinner table, but that’s simply not the case — not if you want to maximize your gains, anyway. Just as your morning routine is designed to stop the wasting of muscle, your nighttime routine can help to prevent it. As you sleep, your brain requires glucose to operate. As stored sugars become scant, your body starts to break down amino ac-

ids from other sources like circulating amino acids and even muscle to convert into glucose for energy purposes. That’s suboptimal for a lifter looking to add some extra pounds. “In the evening, the body is in recovery mode, hormonally and energetically, as is the central nervous system,” says Tim Ziegenfuss, PhD, CSCS, president of The International Society of Sports Nutrition. “Therefore, an opti-

mal nutrition program addresses each of these processes.” It’s not quite as complicated as your morning routine in that it involves fewer steps, but how you handle your evening nutrition and supplementation can go a long way toward determining just how big and lean you can become. Here are a handful of points you should consider at night to make sure you’re holding on to your hard-earned sinew.

T MINUS 240 MINUTES

IMMEDIATELY POST-WORKOUT As someone who likely trains right after work or school, the most complex part of your nutrition plan is that it’s condensed into a few short hours before you hit the sheets. And though a few steps may follow, the most important feeding happens immediately following the final set of your workout. This anabolic window is crucial for keeping gains on track because your muscles are begging for a fresh dose of amino acids to begin the repairing process and fast-digesting carbs to spike insulin and top of depleted fuel stores. In fact, skipping this “meal” on a regular basis can often result in a drastic backslide in strength and muscle gains. In the interest of expedience — and in anticipation of the whole food meal to come — the best thing to do is to take in a shake containing 40–60 grams of protein to provide your muscles the building blocks they need to get on the mend. Whey is best, but studies show that a mix of whey and casein (faster-digesting hydrolysate is fine) post-workout can in-

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WorldMags.net crease muscle gains in the long run. And though you may have to fight your get-lean instincts, fast-digesting carbs are a must at this time. Having 60– 100 grams of the stuf from sources like sports drinks, sugary snacks or white bread spikes insulin, which helps transport the carbs you eat into muscles where they can be used later for fuel. It also helps to increase protein synthesis and promotes creatine uptake in muscles.

T MINUS 180 MINUTES DINNER

If you train in the evening like most people, you can’t just have anything for your evening repast. You have to take care to select the right balance of foods that’ll maximize recovery and set you on your way to new size. “It depends on workout length, intensity and how long after training you eat,

Is it worth it to consume a very, very late night (or very, very early) shake to stave of muscle catabolism? Food for thought. There are tales of bodybuilders with visions of Sandows dancing in their heads who set their alarms for 3 a.m. — every morning — breaking their slumber so that they can pound down a 40–60-gram shake before ambling back to bed. Is it worth it? “It’s really not needed unless you’re up anyway,” says Ziegenfuss. If you eat the right foods and supplements just before bed, you’re good for at least 4–6 hours, maybe longer.” It’s more important to actually make sure that you’re rested. If you wake yourself up, you interrupt your sleep cycle — and some may not be able to get back to sleep at all — putting yourself at risk for overtraining, excess stress or injury from lack of concentration in the gym. At the very least, your workouts (and workday) will be generally compromised. So it’s okay to skip the late-night feedings. Catch up on your Zs instead.

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but the guy who busts his ass for an hour and eats dinner 2–3 hours before bed should take in about 0.5 grams of carbs and 0.25 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, with only a few grams of fat,” says Ziegenfuss. That averages around 40 grams of protein and 80 grams of carbs. If bodyfat is of particular concern, you can increase protein and decrease carbs at dinner, but slow-burning carbs such as sweet potato and brown rice are important for rebuilding muscle in the hours following high-volume training. Here’s a case where not all carbs are created equal. While your dinner should have a slow-burning carb, avoid fast carbs. Mind you, if you trained before dinner, your post-workout meal should in fact be high in fast carbs (like waxy maize). But your post-workout meal is not — or at least shouldn’t be — your dinner. The biggest diference between the two is the kind of carbs you choose (oftentimes the post-workout meal is a shake while dinner is a whole food). That’s why at dinnertime, to keep the scale moving in the right direction without adding those extra pounds of blubber, try to limit the amount of fastdigesting sugars you shovel in your face while you’re watching TV. These foods spike insulin levels, which can trigger the storage of excess fat. Those fast carbs that did such a great job with your post-workout meal are now a bad idea.

“Before bed, avoid fast carbs such as white pasta, rice or potatoes, chocolate milk, ice cream, juices or sugary cereals like Lucky Charms,” says Ziegenfuss. “I also think most fruits should be avoided at night, even though they’re slow carbs. For many athletes trying to cut, fruit at night seems to make it near impossible to get really lean, probably because fructose helps refill liver glycogen.” If your post-workout meal and dinner are one in the same, you need to follow the rules for post-workout nutrition, but by all means get it in as soon as possible after your workout.

T MINUS 90 MINUTES SNACK

The biggest downside of training hard or following a carb-limited bodybuilding diet is that nighttime cravings are almost inevitable. Somewhere between 9 and10 p.m., you start getting the itch to forage through the pantry for something to satisfy your sweet tooth. Eating, in and of itself, isn’t bad particularly if you’re trying to gain size. But your food selection can go a long way to determining whether or not you’re going to be adding inches to your biceps — or your waistline. “Yes, there are some good foods that you can eat at night that’ll help you with gains,” says Ziegenfuss. “Foods

The “Big” Night Follow this post-workout evening timeline to ensure complete workout recovery and prevent overnight muscle wasting.

TIME

MEAL

6:45 p.m.

Post-workout meal (on training days)

7:30 p.m.

Dinner

9:30 p.m.

Evening snack (optional)

1 0 : 4 5 p.m.

Bedtime supplements

WHAT TO TAKE • 40–60 g whey and casein protein • 60–100 g fast (simple) carbs • 40 g protein • 80 g slow (complex) carbs • minimal fats • 30–40 g protein • minimal carbs •10 g healthy fats • ZMA (as directd on label) • 3–5 g arginine • 30–40 g micellar casein shake with water • 2–3 tbsp. flaxseed oil • 1 tbsp. peanut butter (optional)

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WorldMags.net such as cottage cheese — actually most cheeses are okay — natural peanut butter, modest servings of fish, flax or olive oil are all good choices. Again, the key is to eat protein and fat with very few carbs, but still stay within your daily calorie goals.”

T MINUS 15 MINUTES

PRE-BEDTIME SUPPLEMENTS

10:45 p.m.

Scientists say you have to do something 16–21 times in a row before it becomes habit. Well, for the next few weeks, keep a shaker and some key supplements by your bedside table so that supplementation becomes part of your bedtime routine. As you begin to wind down, about 10–15 minutes before lights out, you should take a 3–5 gram dose of stimulant-free arginine to help optimize growth hormone levels, which peak at nighttime. Ziegenfuss also recommends a dose of ZMA (zinc and magnesium). “Zinc is a great anti-aromatase, and many guys have suboptimal zinc levels,” he says. “Magnesium is useful because it takes the edge of while promoting relaxation. In addition it’s a co-factor in several hundred chemical reactions.” But before you put your head on that pillow, it’s time to focus specifically on the fast ahead and there’s only one choice for lifters here. “Micellar casein is a slow protein that clots in the stomach and is released over a prolonged period of time,” says Ziegenfuss. This efect helps reduce muscle protein breakdown, a major pain during sleep. Avoid the mistake of purchasing casein hydrolysate, which digests much quicker.” Don’t feel bad for casein — it won’t be all by itself in your shaker cup. Ziegenfuss also recommends throwing in 2–3 tablespoons of flaxseed oil to further slow the rate of digestion. The flax also helps to facilitate joint recovery and to aid fat loss. If you choose to blend a shake before bed, you can toss in a spoonful of peanut butter for added texture, taste and healthy fat.

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YOUR ARCHILLES HEEL

IN YOUR PURSUIT TO GET LEAN If you do high-impact cardio, you might be familiar with plantar fasciitis pain in the soles of your feet. Here’s what causes the condition and how to treat it. By Guillermo Escalante, PhD, MBA, CSCS

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Y

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ou wake up in the morning and step out of bed. But when you put your feet on the floor, it feels like you landed on a nail. The pain is sharp along the inside of your heel and extends along the entire sole of your foot. The pain slowly subsides after you walk for a few minutes, but may persist throughout the day.

SHUTTERSTOCK

This is what it feels like to have plantar fasciitis, the most common cause of heel pain1 to afect both athletes and nonathletes. Although the problem is more prevalent among runners, bodybuilders and other athletes may also encounter it, especially those who do a lot of cardio activity for heart health and to keep bodyfat levels low. The condition is usually caused by a biomechanical imbalance resulting in tension and inflammation along the plantar fascia2, the thick connective tissue that supports the arch on the bottom of the foot. These imbalances may include a tight gastrocnemius/soleus, structural foot problems like flat feet, and inflexible joints or weak muscles farther up the kinetic chain like the gluteus maximus/medius that indirectly create tension in the plantar fascia.

make sure you have proper, supportive shoes. You may have to switch to low-impact cardio activities such as swimming and cycling in the short term to reduce the impact to the bottom of your feet. Don’t try to tough out this type of injury; it can easily make matters worse. If the pain persists, it’s always smart to consult a podiatrist, physician, certi-

fied athletic trainer or physical therapist to help you implement other treatment options. References 1 Neufeld, S.K., Cerrato, R. “Plantar fasciitis: evaluation and treatment.” J Am Acad Orthop Surg. June 2008; 16(6): 338-346. 2 Barrett, S.J., O’Malley, R. “Plantar fasciitis and other causes of heel pain.” Am Fam Physician. April 1999; 59(8): 2,200–2,206.

Plantar Fasciitis FAQ WHAT IS IT? The most common cause of heel pain in trainees and athletes, it occurs when the long fibrous plantar fascia ligament along the bottom of the foot develops tears in the tissue, resulting in pain and inflammation. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS? Common complaints include burning, stabbing or aching pain in the heel of the foot. Because the fascia ligament tightens during the night as

you sleep, once you get up in the morning and place pressure on the foot, the ligament becomes taut and causes acute pain. Pain usually subsides as the tissue warms up, but it may return after long periods of standing or weightbearing physical activity. IS IT COMMON? It’s estimated that about 10% of Americans will develop plantar fasciitis over the course of their lifetimes. Because it’s as-

sociated with long periods of weightbearing activity, it’s also linked with being overweight or obese.

Inflammation of the plantar fascia

CONSERVATIVE TREATMENT OPTIONS

Plantar fasciitis can be successfully managed with conservative treatment in about 90% of cases

TREATMENT

HOW IT WORKS

Night splints

These splints provide a gentle, prolonged stretch to the plantar fascia, Achilles tendon and gastrocnemius (calf muscle) while you sleep.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (ibuprofen, sodium naproxide)

Taken in a prescription-grade dosage as prescribed by your physician, these medicines can help alleviate inflammation.

Wearing old or worn shoes and doing excessive-impact cardiovascular exercise such as brisk walking, especially downhill, or running without letting your body recover between runs can also contribute. Plantar fasciitis can be successfully managed with conservative treatment in about 90% of cases1 (see “Conservative Treatment Options for Plantar Fasciitis”). In addition, complete rest, ice and stretching over the course of 1–3 weeks often helps relieve the pain. For a full recovery,

Foot orthotics

If you have flat feet or high arches, orthotics can help support your feet and may relieve foot problems or other orthopedic ailments related to poor foot structure.

Corticosteroid injections

These usually include medicine that helps reduce inflammation and a local pain medication to immediately relieve discomfort. It’s important to note that while this may relieve pain in the short term, the original cause of the problem — like poor foot structure — must be addressed or the condition will persist.

Rehabilitation

This can include modalities such as electrical stimulation, ultrasound, low-level laser and ice. Manual therapy techniques like joint mobilization, fitting for custom orthotics, and therapeutic exercise to address flexibility/strength imbalances may also be implemented.

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Eye Tigress of the

We get up close and personal with Nicole Wilkins, whose fierce determination to win earned her a third Ms. Figure Olympia title in 2013. Photos by Robert Reif

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MAKEUP/HAIR: NANCY JAMBAZIAN; STYLING: ELISABETTA ROGIANI; BODY SUIT AND SHOES BY RICHARDBOWMAN.NET

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“The mainstream media love women to be skinny, but that’s not me. I love muscle on women.”

Nicole Wilkins

HEIGHT: 5’6” WEIGHT: 130 lbs. YEARS TRAINING: 13 BIRTHPLACE: Sterling Heights, MI WEBSITE: nicolewilkins.com TWITTER: @NicoleMWilkins FACEBOOK: /nicolewilkins01 SPONSOR: Met-Rx

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Nicole Wilkins

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“You can

BOLERO AND BOOTS BY RSNBOHEME.COM

show skin and be sexy without being trashy.”

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Nicole Wilkins

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“Fans ask me some strange things. Recently a guy wanted to take a picture of my feet. Go figure!”

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WorldMags.net “I don’t consider myself to

be superstitious, but I have a shirt that says ‘determined’ that my friends gave me in Michigan that I always wear backstage at a show.”

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Nicole Wilkins

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BRA, PANTY, SHOES BY VICTORIASSECRET.COM; DRESS ON CHAIR BY RSNBOHEME.COM

“The most attractive thing in a man is confidence. They have to be very secure in their own skin. Second to that is humor.”

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Nicole Wilkins

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KIMONO BY FREDERICKS.COM

“I have never been a really skinny girl, and I’ve always had an athletic physique, so it was nice to find a sport that embraced that ideal.”

CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS 3x IFBB Figure Olympia Champion; 3x IFBB Figure International Champion 2009: New York Pro Figure Champion; Europa Orlando Pro Figure Champion 2011: St. Louis Pro Figure Champion; Tournament of Champions Pro Figure Champion; IFBB Sheru Classic Champion

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Larry Vinette VINTAGE Montreal’s reveals the training system VINETTE that earned him his pro card WorldMags.net

The dumbbell advantage to bringing up your arms

M

iami uscle achine

How North American light-heavy champ Alex Cambronero uses a dual approach to make his pecs grow

LEE BANKS’

E N A T C O HUPPIEGR-BHODY BLAST

THE

TONEY AWARD

Freeman’s back ‘n’ traps workout may be the toughest you’ve ever tried

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126 Back From the Future

A student of training, Toney Freeman takes a cerebral approach to his back/rear-delt/upper-traps workout that’s as multidimensional as it is unconventional. By Eric Velazquez, NSCA-CPT

138 Vintage Vinette

Cover model Larry Vinette discusses the training philosophy that helped him earn his IFBB pro card. By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS

138 146 Miami Muscle Machine

Alejandro Cambronero’s love for iron has brought him to America and ultimately a pro card. Here’s the Costa Rican’s formula for building massive pecs. By Lara McGlashan, MFA, CPT

168 The Need for Speed

Kick-start your quickness with these speed-training strategies and slash those seconds of the stopwatch. By Mike Jenkins, Team MHP Athlete

166 All Hail the

156 RealTime Chest and

Shoulder Workout With Lee Banks IFBB pro Lee Banks goes high volume/low rest in this raw, ofseason chestand-delts thrash.

By Eric Velazquez, NSCA-CPT

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Mighty Thor! Icelandic strongman champion Hafthor “Thor” Björnsson shows of his freakish physique in the fourth season of Game of Thrones. By Alex Zakrzewski

170 Welcome to the Gun Show We pick the brain of IFBB pro Anthoneil Champagnie on how to keep your biceps and triceps

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TONEY FREEMAN NICKNAME: The X-Man

BIRTHDATE: August 30, 1966 BIRTHPLACE: South Bend, IN CURRENT RESIDENCE: Canton, GA WEIGHT: 280–285 lbs. contest; 305 lbs. ofseason CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS: 2013: Arnold Classic, 3rd, Arnold Classic Brazil, 2nd, Australian Pro, 2nd 2012: Masters Olympia, 2nd, Tampa Pro, 2nd, Europa Super Show, 3rd 2011: Pro World Masters, 2nd, Europa Super Show, 1st CONTACT: [email protected] TWITTER: @IFBBProTFXman

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K C BA E R U T FU e h t m fro

re b r a l e c a s e k a t F re e m a n a p s wo r k o u t y e n o T , g n i t ra i n e r- t r A student of his back/rear-delt/uppunconventionalBy approach to ltidimensionahl oatsoistbiys Gregory James thatV’selaaszqmueuz, NSCA-CPT | P Eric

Toney Freeman was going to be an electrical engineer.

TRAINING SPLIT DAY

BODYPARTS TRAINED

1

Quads, hamstrings, glutes

2

Chest, front and middle delts

3

Back, rear delts, upper traps

4

Biceps, triceps, forearms

5

Cycle repeats

Toney doesn’t include scheduled rest days in his split, instead taking days of only when he feels they’re necessary or when he’s traveling.

Putting himself through the paces at a technical institute, he looked forward to the salary promised him by faculty upon graduation. “Up to $70,000 per year,” they said. After two solid years, he started anticipating the coming conversations with recruiters and how he would manage his retirement plan once hired. Then came high-level math. “I’d been getting As and Bs but the math started kicking my ass, and those [grades] started turning into Cs and Ds,” Toney says. “The perfectionist in me couldn’t handle that. I was working two jobs at the time and they were paying me more than I was going to make when I got out. So I dropped out and that’s about the time I started bodybuilding.” Now 47, Toney trained and ate his way through the amateur bodybuilding ranks, applying proven programs and one-sizefits-all routines as needed to ensure his ascension to the pros. But an epiphany would come in 1995, an evolution of philosophy born out of misfortune.

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“I tore my pec during a Dorian Yatesstyle chest workout,” he says. “I’m a huge fan of HIT and was at the time, but this routine just wasn’t for me. [Editor’s note: High-intensity training, or HIT, requires just one all-out set after several warm-ups but because of the degree of intensity and weight, it’s hard on the joints.] After that happened, I realized that I can’t bodybuild the way everyone else does. That opened the door to the way I think now. I’m actually grateful for the experience. It forced me to get back to basics but also to stay within the realm of my genetics.” Toney spends most of his days now trying to problem-solve. Like a 300pound mad scientist, he vigorously researches, hypothesizes and experiments to coax his body into doing what he wants it to do. In a word, his style of training is highly unconventional. He sits in on seminars, digs through journals and enlists the wisdom of training gurus, Frankensteining it all into a usable formula for success. His engineering hopes dashed by arithmetic, Toney has gone on to master the academics of physique artistry.

If you’re doing this move for the first time, Toney recommends doing it standing with a 45-degree forward lean. Think about moving your lower lats, then your shoulder blades, then your elbows.

TONEY’S BACK/REAR-DELT/UPPER-TRAPS ROUTINE EXERCISE SETS REPS Giant set done without rest until he finishes all four exercises Incline-Bench Straight-Arm Kickback 2 8–10 Supinated Dumbbell Row Pronated Dumbbell Row Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Row with Hold 1 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 (each side)1 Pull-Up x2 50 One-Arm Pulldown with Hold 3 7–103 Wide-Grip Pulldown 3–5 8–10 Shrug Series 3 304 Rear-Delt Series 3 305 1 Toney holds both dumbbells in the fully contracted position. Keeping one weight up, he performs five reps with the other arm, then switches. He repeats this in diminishing-reps fashion — performing four on each side, then three, then two, then one — keeping one dumbbell in the top position while the other arm is working. He does only this exercise this way every other workout. When he doesn’t, he simply runs through his opening giant set a third time. 2 Toney completes as many sets as necessary to reach 50 total reps. 3 Toney keeps one handle in the lowered, peak-contracted position while the other arm works. He performs all reps for one side before switching and does all three sets consecutively without rest. 4 Toney does 10 reps of three shrug variations. First, he does 10 with his palms facing his glutes behind him, then he does 10 using a neutral grip with the dumbbells at his sides, then he finishes with 10 holding the weights in front, palms facing his thighs. 5 Toney does 10 reps of three diferent dumbbell bent-over lateral raises. For the first 10, he brings the weights toward the tops of his ears. For the next 10, he performs standard bent-over lateral raises and takes the dumbbells straight out to his sides, upper arms perpendicular to his torso. For the final 10, he decreases the angle between his upper arms and torso, bringing the dumbbells slightly toward his hips. He reverses the order from set to set.

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Toney’s Tip on the Giant Set Do as many reps as you can with perfect form. You could probably do more reps on the first movement than the last, but aim for 8–10. The number is only important because you have to do the same amount of reps per exercise for balance. Some people may be able to do only five each way, but don’t get too hung up on the number. When I train people, I tell them to focus on what they’re doing and what they’re doing is not counting. That’s where some trainees mess up: If you do all of them wrong because you’re too busy counting, you’re wasting your time.

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INCLINE-BENCH STRAIGHT-ARM KICKBACK DO IT RIGHT: Toney does this lower-lat isolation move first because he says the weak lower lats typically aren’t activated because the stronger upper lats take over. Lean squarely against a bench with a dumbbell in each hand and raise the weights directly behind you without bending your elbows.

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DEEP THOUGHTS When Toney discusses training, nutrition and health, he sounds more like some bespectacled lab geek than a perennial topsix IFBB pro. Rarely will you hear a bodybuilder talk about cellular biology or multiplanar movements for mass, but it could be that kind of deeper thinking that has led Toney to his post-40 surge. Already this year, he has finished third at the Arnold Classic and second in the same show in Brazil. He took second in the Australian Pro as well as at the hotly contested Masters Olympia in 2012. “I’m like a sponge,” he says. “I like to know things. I just got back from Russia, but when I first got there, I was quiet and didn’t say much. I had an interpreter. They thought maybe I was just being solemn or unhappy, but I was being quiet in order to listen and learn. If you don’t know something, you just need to be still and learn. That’s how I end up catching bits and pieces of information. I’ve always been a student of the game, no matter what the game is.” Toney traces his inquisitive nature back to his dad’s church, where he became something of a bible scholar from simply listening. “Even when I was in construction, I was always looking at the blueprints,” he says. “It wasn’t enough to just know that I needed to hang sheet rock, I wanted to know why. In 1995, after the injury, I did some soul searching to get my head together. Life was just different. I wasn’t the same guy I was before the accident. I had to find myself and reinvent myself.” When he got back into training, Toney got other people involved. “I worked with pretty much every guru out there. But I’ve been doing this as long as all of them, if not longer. I basically paid them for their knowledge and information. I learned a lot and discarded some things that weren’t for me. I wasn’t coming to them helpless. I wanted them to be part of my situation, I didn’t want to be part of their situation.” Toney’s greatest critique of today’s stable of experts — as well as some wideeyed up-and-comers — lies in the aban-

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SUPINATED DUMBBELL ROW DO IT RIGHT: This multijoint exercise hits the lower lats a bit higher up. You’re probably accustomed to doing a dumbbell row similar to this one, but the reverse grip ensures your elbows stay tight to your sides. This more strongly activates the lower lats while recruiting the biceps to a greater degree.

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Elbow position relative to your torso is critical when it comes to muscle activation. An underhand grip shifts the emphasis from the upper to lower lats.

WorldMags.net You can shift the muscular emphasis by changing your grip. An overhand grip keeps the elbows out and away from your sides, which targets the upper lats, rear delts, middle traps and rhomboids.

PRONATED DUMBBELL ROW DO IT RIGHT: Keep your body square to the bench and use an overhand grip. Pull the weight into your hip, bringing your elbow as far above the plane of your back as possible.

NEUTRAL-GRIP DUMBBELL ROW

The hammerstyle grip keeps the elbows in tight to your sides, best for activating the lower-lat fibers.

DO IT RIGHT: A slight shift in hand position causes a slight shift in emphasis on the target muscle, one reason that it’s good to use a variety of grips. This is probably the most common variation of the dumbbell row and likely your strongest, so Toney does it last in his giant set.

NEUTRAL-GRIP DUMBBELL ROW WITH HOLD

To fully exhaust the muscle fibers, Toney keeps his nonworking arm in the top position to keep his upper lats working overtime.

DO IT RIGHT: In this variation, hold your nonworking arm in the peak-contracted position as you train the other side. This requires the lower lats to isometrically contract instead of being allowed to rest.

Toney on Isometric Training

“This exercise involves 15 reps per side, basically: You do five on each side, then four, then three, then two, then one. The whole time, you keep one dumbbell in the up position. That’s very challenging for your ‘resting’ side, so it becomes much harder than a normal set of 15.”

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PULL-UP DO IT RIGHT: The wide-grip pull-up is a staple upper-lat move that keeps the elbows away from the sides of the body. Use a strong motion going up, squeeze momentarily in the peak-contracted position and lower under control without swinging between reps.

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WorldMags.net Toney doesn’t do a predetermined number of sets. Rather, in a strategy similar to what Arnold did decades earlier, he sets a target rep total and completes as many sets as it requires to reach that target. “Some days I may go for 100; usually at this point in my workout I’ll get 6–8 at a time,” he says.

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donment of basic, proven training principles. “No one teaches the basic stuff anymore,” he says. “They’re so hardcore, and all about extreme this and advanced that. No one is learning the nuts and bolts of bodybuilding.” He concedes that things once thought to be advanced are now considered commonplace, even for beginners, which is why he insists on learning as much as he can about emerging science. Toney takes a whole-body approach to bodybuilding, waxing philosophical on the dangers of artificial sweeteners and the glycemic index, traveling halfway across the country for medical colonics and sending out for grass-fed bison to meet his red-meat requirements. It’s not that other trainees don’t share in some of this, it’s just that most don’t have a bibliographical justification for it. “There are a couple of guys I know who take it to the level I do,” Toney says. “Ben Pakulski is a lot like me. I met another guy from England who’s similar. But I don’t think they go to the extremes that I go to. Eventually they will because

Toney on Adaptation

“I always start with my right side, which is weaker. Using a towel for the grip makes the move more functional. To increase the intensity and make it more demanding, keep your left side flexed while you train the right. By increasing the time under tension, you incorporate more fibers and exercise stabilizer muscles, too.”

ONE-ARM PULLDOWN WITH HOLD DO IT RIGHT: As with the dumbbell row with hold, here one side is isometrically contracting while you actively work the opposite side. Notice how Toney uses an elastic band on one side and attaches a D-handle to use with the working side..

“You may find a particular style of training that works, but likely it works only once or twice, then your body adapts to it and you have to do something else. There’s no way in the world that you can do the same thing and continue making progress. When you take your body out of its comfort level, it fights its way back by adapting, and progress diminishes. You just have to do something diferent. That’s why I went from guru to guru. At my first pro show I was 252 pounds; at the last show I was 282. Training the same way over and over is known to give you imbalances, visual or physical. That’s why I do machines, free weights, kettlebells, all kinds of training. Sorry, but three sets of 10 ain’t gonna cut it.”

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To better isolate the upper lats, avoid leaning back as you pull the bar into your upper chest.

WIDE-GRIP PULLDOWN DO IT RIGHT: “Most people would be done by now, but I can handle a bit more stimulus than most. So I choose an exercise I know I can perform properly. I don’t have to use a lot of weight; I’m basically doing a back double biceps against resistance.”

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SHRUG SERIES DO IT RIGHT: “People do shrugs with enormous amounts of weight. I’m not against that, but you can’t do it forever. It’s far better to train your traps in a more complete way. I see more striations in my traps lately because I work them the way I work my biceps, hitting them from three angles.”

we’re sharing information, so I’ll be doing stuff that they’re doing and the other way around. If you want to continue doing what you do, you have to do things that prolong your career and your health. I don’t know if people think I just wake up this way [looking like a bodybuilder]. This takes a lot of work, a lot of preparation and a lot of money.” He may have always been this way, but Toney is stumped on exactly why. It’s easy to posit that he relies on his critical-thinking skills because it’ll help him reach the pinnacle of his sport, but more likely it’s pure survival instinct, with his gray matter being his most valuable and versatile weapon. “I’ve been on the brink of quitting a couple of times,” he admits. “I just couldn’t handle it mentally, physically or financially. So I do all this research and strategizing. I’m just a problemsolver. When a problem gets in my way, I work through it. If I don’t know what’s going on, I ask for help. That’s what life’s all about. “I want it all. My ears are always on alert. I might interrupt someone’s conversation if they’re talking about something that can help me. I want to be Mr. Olympia, but I don’t want to dwell on it. I’m a realist. There are so many other things to focus on, so it’s not my No. 1 objective. I want to be more well-rounded and will have to divide myself a bit to accomplish all my goals. If I get most of ’em, I’ll be good. I’m prioritizing myself more.” Toney’s physique has been crushing competitors for years. But ultimately and perhaps ironically, it may be his brain that carves out his lasting legacy.

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Regardless of how you position the weights relative to your torso, shrug your shoulders straight up toward your ears and hold. Don’t round your shoulders, and try to keep your arms as straight as possible.

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Keep your elbows locked in a slightly bent position throughout the set. Opening and closing at the elbow invites the triceps to help perform the exercise.

REAR-DELT SERIES DO IT RIGHT: “Most people use too much weight for rear delts and that’s why they can train them only one way. But for your shoulders to develop all the way around — so they look like parentheses facing each other — you need to hit them from as many angles as possible. The reverse pec-deck flye hits your rear delts from just one. With my three-way bent-over lateral raises, I bring the weights to my ears on the first set. As I fatigue in that plane, I change to a neutral grip and do 10 reps straight out to the sides. As I fail there, I go back toward my hips with another 10. Then I switch the order on my next set.”

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Cover model Larry Vinette discusses the training philosophy that helped him earn his IFBB pro card By Jimmy Peña, MS, CSCS | Photos by Paul Buceta

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WorldMags.net has been said that the greatest leaders are those who spend the majority of their time serving others. The better a leader is at equipping those for whom he’s responsible, the better he’ll be at taking care of the customer, anticipating needs and delivering a first-class product. Montreal’s Larry Vinette is one such leader. The Canadianborn champ started competing in 1994, finally earning his IFBB pro card in 2012 by taking the masters division at the Canadian Nationals. Although he competed as an amateur at 198 pounds, his current goal is to make his pro debut in 2014 at a big, hard and lean 212. That extra time of will help Larry recover from a serious training injury he sufered when he tore his triceps when visiting Las Vegas for the Olympia last September, an injury that required surgery for re-attachment. MuscleMag readers might be familiar with Larry’s name: He was the only athlete signed to a contract with sister publication Reps, appearing on its first cover and penning a training column in each issue. Now that he has moved up in weight class, Larry’s making his first featured appearance in MMI. We wanted to learn more about how he has continued to improve with age and what makes the training of one of the sport’s up-and-coming leaders so successful. So, Larry, let’s not make the customers wait. MMI: Your personal philosophy is “lead by example,” so would you say that’s your favorite quote? Larry: Actually, my favorite quote is tattooed across my chest: “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” MMI: You just won the Canadian Nationals. What are your goals now? Larry: I’m taking a year of to add some weight for my pro debut. I turned pro at 198 pounds, but I want to tip the scales at 212 to be competitive. As far as business goes, I’m still coaching athletes for contest prep like Henri-Pierre Ano, who graced the cover of this mag recently. He made a very strong showing at last year’s Canadian Nationals and should be a force

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to be reckoned with this year. I also work with MMA fighters with their diet and weight cut, like my girlfriend, pro female MMA fighter Valerie “Trouble” Letourneau. MMI: The 212s are a competitive bunch. What areas do you need to improve on and how do you tackle them? Larry: I’m focusing on bringing up my arms, so I train them first in my training cycle. I’ll eat very high-carb the day before my arm workout, aiming for close to 1,000 grams of carbs.

Power Pointer

Putting a weak bodypart first in your split is key to bringing up that muscle group. Doing it first means you’re the most fresh after a rest day or two. You may have a lagging bodypart because you neglected to fully train a particular area. Follow Larry’s example and rearrange your training so that you hit that muscle group first in your split.

MMI: What’s your current training split and why does it work for you?

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LARRY’S TRAINING SPLIT DAY

BODYPART(S) TRAINED

1

Arms

2

Legs

3

Rest

4

Chest, Calves

5

Back, Delts

6

Rest

7

Rest

Larry: I currently train two-days-on, one-day-of. This allows me to fully recuperate from my workouts by giving my nervous system time to rest.

Power Pointer

Take a close look at Larry’s training split: He schedules arms far away from chest and back days. This allows him

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WorldMags.net to destroy his bi’s and tri’s on a day all their own, not preceded by a larger muscle group that might compromise his arm strength. He also gets arm work indirectly a second time when training back and chest. Then at the end of the week, he takes a full two days of before his next arm workout so that he’s ready to go.

MMI: What types of equipment do you prefer? What does your day in the gym look like? Larry: I usually start my workout with free weights but then I may switch to machines, which don’t require stabilizers to balance the weight. I sometimes use chains and bands for variety and to create a diferent stimulus.

Power Pointer

When using chains, Larry starts with a lighter weight that gradually gets heavier the higher he lifts it. As more chains leave the floor, the load gets heavier. As Larry knows full well, you get stronger toward the top of the range of motion, and chains allow for maximal tension on the muscle being trained at the point of peak contraction. As Larry lowers the weight and the chains settle on the floor, the bar gets lighter.

Power Pointer

Used in a similar way to chains with free weights, bands provide Larry with what’s called linear variable resistance. That’s a technical way of saying the bands get more difcult to move the more they’re extended. Although few bodybuilders understand their usefulness, bands are an integral part of Larry’s training regimen.

MMI: What are some examples of high-intensity techniques that you utilize within your workouts?

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WorldMags.net Larry: I use drop sets, forced reps and even the rest-pause technique. I usually use them on the last set of an exercise.

SET BY SET WITH LARRY

Power Pointer

DAY 1: ARMS

Every bodybuilder knows that breaking down the muscle is the key to growth. So when Larry can’t complete another rep on his own, he doesn’t end his set. After reaching failure, he quickly strips an equal amount of weight from each side of the bar or reaches for lighter dumbbells and continues repping until he fails again.

Power Pointer

A common mistake guys make when training for maximum size is applying intensity techniques on all sets of all exercises. There comes a point — and it’s sometimes too late to avoid — when those eforts become counterproductive. Larry judiciously applies the proven tactics of going beyond initial failure, enjoying the benefits without the unfortunate costs of overtraining.

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Scott Curl

5

6–8

Incline Dumbbell Curl

4

8–12

Alternating Hammer Curl

3

10–12

Pressdown

4

8–12

Close-Grip Bench Press

5

6–8

EZ-Bar Overhead Extension

3

10–12

SETS

REPS

DAY 2: LEGS EXERCISE Leg Extension

4

20

MMI: What are your favorite exercises for growth and why? Larry: I don’t have any favorite exercises per se; well, anything other than legs is my favorite, I suppose. But these days I like working my bi’s and tri’s because they’re the muscles that need the most improvement. I like the sleeve-busting feeling I get when I finish my arm workout.

Front Squat

5

6–8

Walking Dumbbell Lunge

3

20

Lying Leg Curl

5

6–8

Romanian Deadlift

4

10–12

Barbell Hip Thrust

3

10–12

MMI: What are the most important keys to getting a great workout? If you had to narrow it down, what’s your best piece of advice? Larry: Get a good night’s sleep, and increase important neurotransmitters like acetyl-choline and serotonin to increase mental focus and motivation before your workouts. I take a supplement that contains huperzine, vinpocetine, bacopa extract, ginkgo extract, phosphatidylserine, acetyl-L-carnitine and N-acetyl-cysteine. And to stimulate the nervous system, I take a good dose of cafeine about 30–45 minutes before I train.

DAY 4: CHEST, CALVES

Power Pointer

DAY 5: BACK, DELTS

You may already know that cafeine binds to fat cells, enhancing the removal of fat, and can help you burn extra fat during your training session. But adding cafeine to your diet like Larry does can actually help you add mass. Researchers have found that weight-trained men who consumed about 200 mg of cafeine before training increased their max bench press by 5–8 pounds! Take about 200–400 mg of cafeine 60 minutes before you hit the weights.

MMI: How does your ofseason approach difer from your precontest training? Larry: My workouts don’t change much from precontest to ofseason. My rest periods between sets might drop precontest, and getting closer to the show I might favor machines a little more to reduce the risk of injury, but that’s about it.

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EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press

5

6–8

Incline Barbell Press

4

8–12

Weighted Dip

4

8–12

Flat-Bench Dumbbell Flye

3

10–12

Standing Calf Raise

4

10–12

Seated Calf Raise

3

20–25

EXERCISE

SETS

REPS

Pull-Up

5

6–8

One-Arm Dumbbell Row

4

8–12

Reverse-Grip Pulldown

3

10–12

Supported T-Bar Row

4

8–12

Dumbbell Lateral Raise

5

6–8

Alternating Dumbbell Front Raise

3

10–12

Bent-Over Lateral Raise

3

12–15

Larry typically starts of each exercise with a lighter weight for higher reps and adds weight on each succeeding set, pyramiding down in reps.

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Miami Muscle Machine His love of iron has brought him to America and ultimately a pro card. Here’s the Costa Rican’s formula for building massive pecs. By Lara McGlashan, MFA, CPT | Photos by Gregory James

Picture Alejandro Cambronero 90 pounds smaller. Not an easy task, but when he came to Miami in 2000, he stepped on a scale and barely hit 130. The scale printed out his weight on a slip of paper, which he pocketed and keeps with him to this day, a reminder of where he’s been and how far he’s come. In actuality, Alejandro has come some 1,113 miles, relocating from Costa Rica. He was led to the States by the lure of a bodybuilding lifestyle, but he wasn’t always so muscle-minded. “When I was younger I was a BMX bike racer,” says Alejandro. “I raced motocross from ages 4 to 18, and I won eight national championships, three Central American championships and went to

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the ’95 World Championships. I was the number-one rider in my country and was beating guys who were much older than I was in the open class. I thought, I can do anything I want!” But a cast-off magazine from a friend completely changed his definition of “want.” “That magazine featured Lee Haney … I saw his back, and I wanted that back!” says Alejandro. “It was so cool. And the pictures of Ronnie [Coleman] that were in there — they were amazing.” So Alejandro, all 130 pounds of him, began his journey into the weight room. While he made some progress, he decided he needed to make a change — not just in the gym, mind you, but to come to America to realize his dream more quickly. “Bodybuilding isn’t very big in Costa Rica,” he says. “The only way to get into the training and the competition and the lifestyle was to come to America.”

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ALEJANDRO CAMBRONERO

WorldMags.net BORN: Oct. 19, 1976

BIRTHPLACE: Costa Rica

CURRENT RESIDENCE: Miami HEIGHT: 5'8" WEIGHT: 215–220 lbs. ofseason; 195 contest COMPETITIVE HIGHLIGHTS: 2013 North Americans, 1st light-heavyweight (pro card); 2012 Nationals, 7th light-heavyweight; 2012 USAs 7th light-heavyweight MARRIED: to figure pro Maggy Cambronero FACEBOOK: [email protected] TWITTER: @AlejCambronero

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So across the Gulf he came, settling into life as a busboy at Gloria Estefan’s restaurant, Larios on the Beach. He didn’t speak much English. But his schedule gave him plenty of time to train, and as a bonus, he met his future wife, Maggy, when she came in one evening to dine. Even though he was a dedicated lifter, Alejandro didn’t feel ready to compete until 2010 when he did the Ronnie Coleman Classic. Unfortunately that experience was nothing short of a disaster. “I tore my pec before the show and had to have surgery two days later,” he recalls.

“But I competed anyhow, and I placed very, very badly. I even cried!” A few months later, he took another shot, this time at Dayana Cadeau’s competition up I-95 in Fort Lauderdale. There he redeemed himself by placing first in the light-heavies and winning the overall and best-poser awards. “Then, of course, I had to do the 2011 Ronnie Coleman show to prove I could do it,” he laughs. “I placed second in the light-heavyweight against [current IFBB pro] Cory Mathews.” These days, the 37-year-old maxes out at 220 pounds offseason, trimming down

to a neat 195-pound package come contest time. After competing with some success on the national amateur stage, Alejandro finally found the winning formula when he took the light-heavy class at the 2013 North Americans last August in Pittsburgh. In less than three years Alejandro had grabbed a coveted pro card. “I put on about 6 more pounds by extending my offseason, bringing up the backs of my legs, especially the ham/glute tie-in. Previously I had soreness in my lower back, especially after squatting, pain that would last a week. I determined it was

ALEJANDRO’S DUMBBELL CHEST ROUTINE EXERCISE Incline Dumbbell Press Cable Crossover Flat-Bench Dumbbell Press Incline Dumbbell Flye Dip

SETS1 4 4 4 4 4

REPS 10–12 15–20 10–12 10–12 20–25

WEIGHT (LBS.) 100–140 Half the stack 100–140 40–50 Bodyweight + up to 100

SETS1 4 4 32 6 4 4

REPS 10–15 15 6–12 8–20 12 20–25

WEIGHT (LBS.) 225–315 Full stack 135–405 90–450 225 Bodyweight + up to 100

1 Alejandro does 1–2 warm-up sets for each exercise before getting into his working sets. 2 The third set of this exercise is a drop set starting with 405 for 6 reps, 315 for 8 reps, 225 for 8 reps, and 135 for 10 reps. 3 Alejandro supersets these exercises, taking a minute’s rest after he completes both moves.

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DAY WORKOUT 1 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

ALEJANDRO’S BARBELL CHEST ROUTINE EXERCISE Smith-Machine Incline Press Peck-Deck Flye Bench Press Hammer-Strength Machine Press Decline Barbell Press3 Dip3

TRAINING SPLIT

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BODYPART Back, abs Shoulders Legs, abs

(hams/glutes emphasis)

Of Chest Legs, abs

(quads emphasis)

Of

WORKOUT 2 Monday Biceps Tuesday Triceps Wednesday Legs, abs Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

(hams/glutes emphasis)

Of Shoulders Legs, abs

(quads emphasis)

Of

Alejandro trains calves on leg days. Ofseason he does 20 minutes of cardio twice a week. Precontest that increases to 30–50 minutes twice a day.

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Don’t get locked into always using the same bench angle. With an adjustable bench, sometimes use a steeper incline, sometimes nearly flat, to vary the point of emphasis on your upper pecs.

INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS SET-UP: Adjust an incline bench to 45 degrees and sit squarely on the bench, kicking the weights up to your shoulders with the aid of your thighs. Turn your palms to face forward, elbows pointing outward and down. EXECUTION: Press the dumbbells forcefully upward and together, extending your arms without locking out. At the peak, your arms should be perpendicular to the floor with the inner heads of the weights nearly touching over your upper chest. Reverse the motion, lowering slowly to the start. ALEJANDRO’S KEY TIP: “This is one of my favorite exercises to develop thickness in the upper chest. I put it first because this is an area that needs work and I want to do it when I have the most energy.”

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Miami Muscle Machine WorldMags.net related to flat feet, so inserting orthotics into my shoes made a big difference and helped eliminate the lower-back pain.” Though his contest resume was rather thin, and the best he’d done before his big win in Pittsburgh was a seventh-place finish at the 2012 NPC Nationals and the USAs the same year, Alejandro credits his meteoric rise in part to his coach, IFBB pro Bill Wilmore. “We worked on bringing up my legs. We trained legs twice a week, and I noticed a lot of gains in the last year. I also had to actually work out with Bill, who is a lot bigger and stronger than I am. He always pushes me out of my comfort zone; it’s definitely hard work!” Besides having a motivational training partner who weighs nearly 80 pounds more than he does, Alejandro found that Bill’s style of supersets and FST-7 training worked especially well for him. “Bill has really made the biggest difference — he’s an exceptional trainer and coach — and I made huge improvements that I wouldn’t have been able to make on my own.” Alejandro made another move that paid big dividends: He gave up his fulltime job working for an electrical firm to become a personal trainer, which allowed for him flexibility with his training schedule as well as the time to eat the requisite meals he needed to make the big gains. Though his win in Pittsburgh might have been somewhat unexpected, Alejandro already has new plans as he enters the pro ranks, setting his sights on making his pro debut at April’s Europa Super Show in Orlando. He’s well under the weight limit, so he hopes to add another 10 pounds by then. In the meantime, he and Maggy are regularly seen on local television as they’re taking ABC news reporter Tamika Bickham through a 20-week transformation, all documented on video, as they prepare her for a local contest. In addition, he’s signed contracts with Total Nutrition and Boca Tanning in South Miami. He’s come a long ways from the 130-pound cyclist living in Costa Rica, but Alejandro’s finally got a winning formula and no longer needs a bike to move swiftly in the right direction.

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CABLE CROSSOVER SET-UP: Attach two D-handles to the upper pulleys and grasp one handle in each hand, centered in the apparatus. Use a split stance with your knees bent, leaning slightly forward and positioning your arms out to the sides, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. EXECUTION: Pull the handles forward and down toward the centerline of your body, keeping your elbows slightly bent and your torso steady. At the peak contraction your hands should be centered at your lower chest with your knuckles nearly touching. Slowly open your arms back out to your sides, resisting the pull of the weight stack on the return. ALEJANDRO’S KEY TIP: ÒThis isnÕt a boxing workout so donÕt ÔpunchÕ the handles forward with this move. I see a lot of guys doing this, but that works your shoulders and triceps and lessens the emphasis on your chest.Ó

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Again, don’t always get locked into doing the movement the same way. On occasion bring the handles more forward than down; at other times step forward so that the angle of pull changes to hit the pecs slightly diferently.

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The dumbbell version allows for a longer range of motion and deeper contraction than the barbell bench press. Hence it makes a good substitute for adding variety to your workout.

FLAT-BENCH DUMBBELL PRESS SET-UP: Lie on a flat bench with your back arching naturally and hold a pair of dumbbells directly over your mid-chest with your arms straight (elbows unlocked) and perpendicular to the floor, palms facing away from you. The inner heads of the weights should be nearly touching. EXECUTION: Slowly lower the weights, keeping your wrists stacked over your elbows, your forearms perpendicular to the floor. Lower the weights to a point just outside your shoulders. Forcefully press the dumbbells back up, extending your arms and squeezing your chest to full arm extension. ALEJANDRO’S KEY TIP: “While you can’t bounce the weights of your chest as you can with a barbell, bouncing out of the bottom position is hard on the shoulder joints and reduces the contribution from the pecs. You never want to make an exercise easier to do.”

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Don’t stay vertical, as that’s the triceps version of this movement. Raising your feet behind you helps push your center of gravity forward, key for emphasizing the pecs.

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Alejandro He’s a big Heat fan: Sure it’s hot in South Florida, but the Cambroneros are season-ticket holders for the NBA’s Miami Heat basketball team. “We even have a 90-pound Doberman named Udonis!”

Therefore, he hates the Knicks: “The very first Heat game I went to, they played the Knicks. Everyone just hates that team. So I do too, even to this day!”

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He still has a yen for BMX: “I’m planning to buy a bicycle, but don’t tell my wife and my coach — they don’t want me to ride! I’m pretty sure I’ll get one anyhow.”

He’s a man of influence: “I spent 2–3 years trying to talk my wife into working out and going to the gym when we first met. And now she’s a pro; she got her pro card before I did!”

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He’s a good husband: “My wife competed in the Toronto Pro figure division last June, so I ate what she did, doing the competition diet with her, even though I didn’t compete till late August!” Maggy placed 10th.

WorldMags.net As with all chest moves, keep your chest lifted by retracting your shoulder blades; don’t cave in and let your shoulders round forward. This allows for a greater stretch and a more powerful contraction.

PARALLEL-BAR DIP SET-UP: Stand inside the dip apparatus and place your hands on the rails, palms facing inward. Hop up and straighten your arms so that you’re suspended between the bars. Cross your feet behind you and lean forward. EXECUTION: Bend your elbows and lower yourself down, maintaining control of your speed at all times and allowing your elbows to flare out. When your arms form 90-degree angles, press into your palms and extend your arms to return to the start. ALEJANDRO’S KEY TIP: “I like to start with just bodyweight, but then with each subsequent set add a little weight to a belt around my waist.”

INCLINE DUMBBELL FLYE SET-UP: Adjust an incline bench to about 45 degrees and sit squarely on the bench with the dumbbells positioned outside your shoulders, arms extended. With the weights facing upward and forward in your hands, lock a slight bend in your elbows. EXECUTION: Contract your pecs to bring the weights together not in a pressing motion but in a wide arc, squeezing your chest hard for a count in the peak-contracted position. Slowly open your arms out to the sides, maintaining the bend in your elbows, lowering until the weights come almost level with your shoulders, feeling a deep stretch through your chest. ALEJANDRO’S KEY TIP: “This is a great move to develop separation in your pecs. Try to establish a solid mind-muscle connection to really feel the movement, really squeezing and holding each repetition at the top.”

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Alejandro’s 6 Keys to Bigger Pecs

1) Every other week I change my equipment, so one week I’ll use dumbbells and the next I’ll use barbells. This allows me to work on building size and strength one week, then work on additionally strengthening the supporting muscles and stabilizers the next. 2) When I do pressing motions, I move the dumbbells in a vertical plane; in other words, I don’t bring them in toward each other. I feel this better emphasizes my chest and decreases the input of the triceps. 3) For pressing motions I don’t fully extend my arms, so you can see a slight bend in the elbows even at the top. I want the focus to stay on my chest completely. I find that if I push all the way up to lockout, I’m using more triceps than I want to. 4) For all my exercises, I do a warmup set using lighter weight and higher reps. Rehearsing the motion first gets my mind and muscles in sync. Then I can go into the heavy sets completely ready. 5) I sometimes use machines on barbell day, and with those I really like to focus on the negative contraction. Machines have a predetermined movement pattern and you don’t need a spotter to help you control the weight. I really like the Hammer Strength press for negatives. I’ll use a 1-to-2 ratio of positive-to-negative rep speed. 6) I train pretty heavy in the ofseason when I have more energy and carbs in my system. As I get closer to a show, I still lift heavy, but I do more supersets and giant sets. These help me with my detail while also enabling me to lean out quicker.

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WorldMags.net Alejandro’s Total Nutrition Supplement Stack “Hard work is the cornerstone of success, but I also have to credit much of my bodybuilding success and progress over the last year to both my trainer, IFBB pro Bill Wilmore, and the pharmaceuticalgrade supplements I receive from my sponsor, Total Nutrition Superstores. I feel these formulas gave me a distinct advantage over the competition as each formula delivers full clinical dosages of every ingredient for awesome results. “Here’s a sample ofseason massbuilding stack I used over the last year. My trainer will make modifications and adjustments based on my conditioning in both the ofseason and precontest.” TEST-BOOSTING STACK: Nutracore Nutrition Massive-RX & Dianatest, used twice daily (a.m./p.m.) PREWORKOUT STACK: Pharma Fuel Engaged Extreme and 3 Capsules Nutracore Nutrition Hypertrim INTRA-WORKOUT STACK: Nutracore Nutrition Carbalean mixed with Amino Active (stimulant-free) POST-WORKOUT: 1 serving Nutracore Lean Active Gainer (2:1 carb-to-protein ratio) BEFORE BED: 1 serving Nutracore Anabolic Dreams ABOUT TOTAL NUTRITION SUPERSTORES: Total Nutrition Superstores is the fastest-growing sports-nutrition franchise in the world with more than 100 locations in the U.S. and new ones opening each month around the world. Visit TotalNutritionSuperstores.com for more information.

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Real-Time Birthdate: Sept. 26, 1971 Birthplace: Jacksonville, FL Current residence: Jacksonville, FL Height: 5'9" Weight: 235 lbs. contest; 250 lbs. ofseason Contest Highlights: 2013: PBW Tampa Pro, 6th; Wings of Strength (Chicago), 6th 2012: PBW Tampa Pro, 5th 2010: North Americans, heavyweight winner (pro card) Website: teambanksbodybuilding.com Twitter: @BanksLee

D N A T CHES R E D L U SHO

lume/low rest o v h ig h s e o g s k IFBB pro Lee Bffasenason chest-and-delts thrash in this raw, o SCA-CPT

quez, N mes Eric Velaz a Gregory J Photos by

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WORKOUT

If you looked at IFBB pro Lee Banks WorldMags.net

LEE S K N BA

WITH

and all 235 pounds of his lean, mean muscle mass and didn’t know what he did for a living, what would you guess as his occupation? Bouncer? He certainly has the presence to work the velvet ropes. Super soldier, perhaps? Closer; he did serve a stint in the U.S. Army. But would you ever in a million years guess childcare magnate? Not likely. But for this Jacksonville, FL, native, kids have been his business for more than 15 years. At Super Duck Child Care, which employs 11 people at its two area locations, this sleeve-stretching bodybuilder is known simply as Lee. “Most parents don’t even know what I do,” he says. “They’ll just drop off the kids or pick ’em up. They don’t even ask. Surprisingly, the parents all take pretty well to me.” Lee, whose mother ran a daycare when he was younger, dove into the world of kiddie care after seeing his sister’s bank account grow in her first year of running her own facility. “I’ve done really well with it. I’m very structured and detail-oriented because of what I learned in the military, and I think that helps me with the chaos of it all,” he laughs. Keeping kids engaged and entertained for hours on end can mystify many, even parents, but Lee is no more intimidated by that than he is the daunting uphill climb of professional bodybuilding. A pro since 2010, he has managed a few top-six contest finishes but has yet to compete in the Olympia or an Arnold Classic. Not that Lee laments these shortcomings. Ever the laid-back gentleman, he sees competition accolades as merely the icing on the cake. By his measure — and in the opinion of many others — he’s already a successful pro. “I think I’ve done pretty well to this point,” he says, tightening his belt for today’s real-time chestand-delts workout for the MuscleMag cameras. “Maybe more of my success has been off the stage than on the stage, but that makes me happy. I’m still getting published, which keeps my face out there. I’m getting guest-posing appearances. And because I’m sponsored by Champion Nutrition and making good money, I can go into these shows comfortable, not feeling like I have to win. I want to, of course, so I do the best I can. But my prep is always more relaxed. That makes a big difference for any bodybuilder. Stress levels can affect performance and make the difference between who looks best on a given day and who doesn’t.” With that, the conversation begins to trail off. Lee takes a deep breath and heads over to the dumbbell rack to get ready for his first exercise of the day. Noticeably, his gait is less like that of a competitor with a show date approaching and more like a guy out for a stroll on a sunny day. For Lee, bodybuilding is more of a pleasure pursuit than a paycheck, and he aims to enjoy every minute of it.

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e EXERCISE Real-TimWorldMags.net DUMBBELL PULLOVER 4 sets x 10 reps Lee is training today in a tank and it’s hard not to notice his leanness. Unlike some pros, his weight doesn’t fluctuate much in the offseason. His heaviest is about 250, but when Lee stepped onstage during last summer’s Tampa Pro in Florida and Wings of Strength in Chicago, he weighed 235 and finished sixth in both contests. “I started working with Chris Aceto back in March, and I didn’t want to give him a raggedy base to work with so I got my diet straight,” he says. “But I didn’t have to do any cardio or any crazy prep for today’s shoot. I really go by how I look. I don’t concern myself with the scale. It’s healthier for me, especially at my age.”

Lee says he places the dumbbell pullover first in his chest routine because he’s focusing on building his upper pecs. “Something about this move just puts a lot of blood in there for me. But it’s easy to get it wrong. You really want to keep your arms straight and extend on each rep. Think about tightening your upper chest so it engages properly and keep a nice arch in your back. It took me a while to get it, but it has really helped my upper chest.” Lee, who keeps things moving with rest periods of 30–45 seconds, adds that this move fires his upper pecs for his primary upper-chest mass-builder that’s next in line.

For even more emphasis on the upper pecs and to further reduce lat engagement, do this move seated on an incline bench set to about 45 degrees.

The concept of “age” lingers as Lee takes only one warm-up set with his pullovers before grabbing a 120-pound dumbbell for his four working sets. “I’m not really a warm-up guy,” he jokes. With eight exercises on the day’s docket, this quickie practice set seems anything but adequate. “When I was younger, I’d go and start throwing up 120-pound dumbbells on overhead presses,” he explains. “Nowadays, I still don’t do much. I just get in there and do one warm-up set and say, ‘Let’s do this!’ But the pump comes pretty quickly. I transform in the gym in like 15 minutes. Everything just blows up.”

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EXERCISE WorldMags.net INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS 4 sets x 10 reps “The pullover engages my upper chest, and since I’m focused on bringing up that area, I go right into another upperpec move,” Lee says. With incline presses, he alternates between using barbells and dumbbells from week to week. When using dumbbells, he does all four sets with 120 pounds, banging out steady, controlled reps with only a brief pause at the bottom of each.

“I normally work my way up to 150s or heavier, but that’s if I’ve gotten enough food in,” he explains. This workout is taking place midday and Lee has downed only two of the six meals he has usually slain by this time. Still, the impressively lean physique he sported before his first working set has morphed into a stageready work of art. Full and vascular, Lee reminds us this is what he said would happen: Just 15 minutes into his workout and he’s already fully pumped up. Each rep is smooth and steady. Lee prefers a controlled motion, never bounc-

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ing out of the bottom or slamming the weights together at the top, which would take tension off the muscle.

An oft-overlooked factor is the degree of incline you set the bench to. The steeper you go, the higher on your chest you’ll focus but the greater you’ll involve the weaker shoulder muscles. Vary the degree of incline from one workout to the next for more complete upper-pec development.

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e EXERCISE Real-TimWorldMags.net DECLINE BENCH PRESS 4 sets x 10 reps Understandably, Lee is a fan of angles when it comes to training chest. And while a great many of our gym brethren choose to tackle incline moves first — we live in a very upper-chest deprived culture — there seems to have been a mass migration away from the decline in recent years. Lee aims to bring it back. Loading the bar with 245 pounds, he explains, “I noticed that guys who get into my age bracket, 40s and over, start to have their lower chests drop the way females’ lower glutes do! To keep the muscles up there, you’ve got to do declines. But for me it doesn’t have to be heavy; I just want to get some blood in there to keep that part of my pecs squared off.” Again keeping things simple, he goes through four sets of 10, taking a few seconds between sets to walk around and let the blood clear from his head. Intense but not strained on his last two sets, Lee says he does the two types of presses at the start of his workout to build size, and that’s where he portions out most of his focus for the day. “The rest of the chest workout is more detail and shaping work,” he says. “At this point I’m pretty spent. I make it a point to focus on the presses for obvious reasons.”

Here the range of motion is actually shorter than the other pressing angles for chest. And because your lats contribute to the action, most lifters find that they’re stronger on the decline than on other types of presses.

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EXERCISE WorldMags.net

PECK-DECK FLYE 4 sets x 15 reps

He may have spent all of his explosive strength on his two pressing moves, but Lee still tackles the pec deck like a man on a mission. Locking himself into position, he rocks the handles toward each other in a wide, controlled arc. When the handles meet in front of him, he squeez-

es them together forcefully. Between sets and breaths, Lee elaborates: “Now the focus is on detail, so I’m focusing on squeezing my hands together on each rep. Mentally, I’m visualizing someone doing their most muscular, and seeing those lines and striations all the way up the chest.” This pec-deck pin is set at 120 pounds, which is where Lee likes to stay for all of his sets. “This is perfect for me. It’s

not too heavy, and allows me to focus on getting a good stretch and contraction rather than just moving the weight.”

Keep your elbows elevated and in line with your shoulders and hands. It’s easy to drop your elbows, but that makes this single-joint movement less efcient.

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e EXERCISE Real-TimWorldMags.net CABLE CROSSOVER 4 sets x 15 reps Setting the pins at 60 pounds on the two opposing weight stacks at the cable station, Lee grabs the D-handles and takes a half-step forward. With his arms

parallel to the floor, he takes a deep breath and muscles the handles down in front of his waist. As with the pec deck, he squeezes intently at the bottom of each rep before returning to the start position. Lee says it’s typical for him to include two isolation movements back to

back at the end of his chest workout. Usually, as is the case today, the exercises are done at different angles. He’ll use the pec deck, the crossover or even an incline bench flye to isolate various areas of his chest. “At contest time, I’ll do two or even three different angled, single-joint exercises,” he says.

Make sure you lock a slight bend in your elbows for the duration of the set. If you extend your elbows you’ll instead press the weights, and this single-joint move is about isolating the pec fibers. Keep your triceps out of the movement.

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EXERCISE WorldMags.net

HAMMER STRENGTH ONE-ARM INCLINE PRESS 4 sets x 10 reps

Lost as we’ve been in chest exercises — five total are in the books — it’s time for the second phase of today’s workout: delts. In recent months, Lee has taken to training shoulders three times per week. He’ll use a lower volume of 2–3 exercises after chest and back or do a dedicated shoulder workout with up to six moves. “It works well for me,” he says. “Somewhat oddly, I have less pain or discomfort in my shoulder joints doing it this way compared to when I did just one all-out day for delts per week. Because I’m training them more often, I don’t have to try to use as much weight to force them to grow and the greater frequency has really worked.” Strangely, Lee parks himself at a seated Hammer Strength chest-press machine. Loading a 45 and a 25 on each side, he takes a seat, places his left hand on the handle, then leans his entire body a bit to his left. This is where he begins each rep.

“One day I was doing a chest press here, and when I changed the angle of my body I found that my front delt was popping more,” he explains. “I was like, ‘Wow, this is working my delt more than my chest.’ Even though this is a compound movement, the most important part is to angle your body in such a way that you get your chest out of it as much as possible. I know it doesn’t look that way, but if you experiment with it you’ll see.” Lee performs a set for his left, then his right, then rests 45 seconds. Taking

quick stock of himself in the mirror before moving on, he says, “At this point, my shoulders are pretty much pumped. They’re not capped yet because I haven’t done any middle-delt work, but they’re pumped. My whole upper body is kinda flooded right now.”

This upper-chest exercise can be made into more of a shoulder movement by angling your body to one side. It also allows you to work each side individually, which is a great way to bring up a weaker side if you have strength imbalances.

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e EXERCISE Real-TimWorldMags.net

A Champion in Lee’s Corner Lee powers through his high-intensity chest and shoulder workout with the aid of these key supplements from Champion Nutrition:

• Before Morning Cardio — Performance Amino Shooter Edge With Meals 1 & 5 • Performance Liver Cleanse • Preworkout • Performance BCAAs • Post-Workout • Performance Pure Whey Plus protein shake with Power Glutamine and Performance Power Creatine

DUMBBELL LATERAL RAISE 3 sets x 12 reps So about those uncapped delts: Dumbbell lateral raises are next, so Lee heads over to the rack and grabs a set of 40s. It’s customary at this point, even for hardcore lifters, to mix in a lighter set to prep the delts for the stress of this

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type of isolation work. But not Lee. “Yeah, this is [the weight] I normally use. There’s no sense in warming up because I’m already warm from all the other work. I just grab the 40s and keep it there for three sets.” Deviating slightly from his “four sets of 10” scheme, Lee cranks out three sets of 12, bringing the weights to the outside of his hips on each rep. “I just feel more comfortable this way,” he says. “I

tried doing it with dumbbells in front, but I felt like it was a wasted motion. I get a good enough stretch coming to my sides, and it isolates that middle delt more than if I come to the front. Going to the front just gets too many other muscles involved.” Still, Lee’s breaks are brief, lasting no more than 30 seconds. “If I take any longer than that, I feel like I’m getting cold,” he says with a wink.

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EXERCISE WorldMags.net ONE-ARM CABLE FRONT RAISE 3 sets x 12 reps Lee heads back to the cable station for his final exercise of the day: the onearm cable front raise. “I want to go pretty light on these,” he says, setting the pin at 35 pounds. “I’m already pretty done, but I want to finish strong.” Doing these unilaterally allows him to concentrate on getting a quality contraction with each rep, and he says he enjoys cables for delt isolation work.

THE LEE WAY Unbuckling his belt and tossing it in his bag, Lee walks over to fill his protein shaker with water. Then he mixes a few heaping scoops of Champion Whey — vanilla ice cream, in case you were wondering — and gets to blending. He talks a bit about what shows he might do next year, but for the moment doesn’t seem particularly concerned about any of them despite the fact that he looks like top-six material right now. His ability to compartmentalize so well is laudable.

“I just love ’em,” he says. “You get a great stretch and good constant tension, and because of that you end up with those great striations.” On each rep, Lee brings the handle to eye level before lowering back to the start with his arm by his side. He takes almost no rest between sides or sets, giving the impression that he senses the finish line just around the corner. After a third set with each arm, he brings the workout to a close.

“I just separate myself from bodybuilding,” he explains. “I have the fantasy life of a bodybuilder but when I’m at home or at work, I’m just Lee Banks. A lot of guys get caught up in all this because that’s all they do. To my parents I’m a normal guy. I don’t even show them my magazines because I don’t want them to see me any differently!” His easygoing attitude is also a powerful public relations tool, Lee says. “I think humility is one of the greatest assets you can have in this line of work. It

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can make you or break you. People always look at us as intimidating. So to find out that we can walk around with all this muscle and be humble puts the sport in a good light and eliminates a lot of prejudice about who we are.” His pecs and delts sufficiently thrashed, this humble bodybuilder incongruously heads out to rub elbows with 4-year-olds to close out the workday at Super Duck. “I love what I do,” he says as the gym door swings shut behind him. musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 165

ATHLETE PROFILE WorldMags.net

All Hail the

Icelandic strongman champion Hafthor “Thor” Björnsson looks like something straight out of Norse mythology, and this spring you can catch his freakish physique on the fourth season of Game of Thrones, where he fittingly plays a gigantic medieval war machine known as The Mountain.

By Alex Zakrzewski

HAFTHOR JULIUS BJÖRNSSON AGE: 25 BORN: Akranes, Iceland CURRENT RESIDENCE: Kopavogur, Iceland NICKNAMES: Haf, Thor, Lion, The Mountain TWITTER: @ThorBjornsson_ INSPIRATIONS: Jon Pall Sigmarsson, Bill Kazmaier

166 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

Strong Acting Skills

Despite being on set for 12 hours a day, Björnsson has been enjoying the filming. “I had four consecutive filming days, and believe me, it’s hard work — especially for the first few days as I was in fullbody armor the whole time and wielding a very heavy sword,” he says. “The sun kept shining brightly every day and the heat was intense. But they took care of me. Three beautiful women waving handheld fans worked hard to cool me down, people carried platters of fruit and, as I told them I needed to eat every 2–3 hours, they brought me whatever I needed. At times I felt like a real medieval king!”

BIGGEST LIFTS DEADLIFT

SQUAT 

LOG LIFT

902 lbs. 772 lbs. 424 lbs. WorldMags.net

PHOTOS COURTESY HAFTHOR JULIUS BJORNSSON

Mighty Thor!

STRONGMAN HIGHLIGHTS

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JOINING THRONES

1st Place

The makers of Game of Thrones first approached Björnsson through Facebook. “I received a short message that read, ‘Would you like to act in Game of Thrones?’” he says. “I assumed this was a joke and didn’t reply.” It wasn’t until the hit show began filming in Iceland that it dawned on Björnsson that it was a real ofer, so he immediately approached the director and expressed his interest in auditioning. Like his Viking ancestors centuries before, Björnsson found that swinging a sword came naturally, and he quickly impressed coaches and crew alike with his strength and athleticism. Within a short time, he was ofered the role of George R. R. Martin’s fearsome character, “The Mountain” Gregor Clegane.

Feeding the Odinson Björnsson’s day begins at 8 a.m. with what he calls “a super secret boost of super food.” Meals at 2–3-hour intervals always consist of a healthy combo of proteins such as salmon, chicken or steak, accompanied by brown rice and either sweet or baked potatoes. A helping of broccoli or raw salad adds some fiber to the mix.

3rd Place 1st Place 1st Place 1st Place

2013 Strongman Champions League 2012 World’s Strongest Man 2011, 2012 Iceland’s Strongest Man 2010, 2011, 2012 Strongest Man in Iceland 2010 Iceland’s Strongest Viking

BY THE NUMBERS Height:

6'8" Weight: 

375 lbs.

From Hoops to Stones

Biceps:

20"

Forearms: Given Hafthor Björnsson’s towering 6'8" 17" height, it’s no surprise Chest: that basketball was his 60" Hafthor Björnsson’sfirst athletic passion. That Thighs: all changed in the sum31" mer of 2009 when he began training with Calves: Icelandic strongman 22" legend Benedikt Magnusson, who recognized the young up-and-comer’s talents and encouraged Björnsson to test his mettle at the Westfjord Viking Strongman competition. In just his first event, he set a new Icelandic record in stones and finished the contest in a respectable fourth place. It turned out to be the beginning of a long list of strongman laurels that today includes three consecutive first-place showings at Westfjord from 2010 to 2012.

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 167

WorldMags.net STRONGMAN SUMMIT

• BY MIKE JENKINS, WORLD’S STRONGEST MAN, TEAM MHP ATHLETE

THE NEED

FOR SPEED

Slow and steady may pay off for some, but today’s top strongmen won’t win the race moving like a tortoise. Kick-start your quickness with these speed-training strategies and slash those seconds off the stopwatch. Being a successful strongman requires great agility and athleticism. Are there any events in which better footwork and speed almost always win out over pure brute strength?

[A] 

Well, considering it’s strongman, you need that brute strength to be able to handle the heavy loads that are in contests these days. That said, without good foot speed you’ll struggle in events like yoke and farmer’s walk. Any kind of loading medley is also speed-biased. Most of the implements are liftable by all the competitors, but those who can literally run with them will do much better. The sport has become so competitive that you see lots of guys who are 375-plus pounds who run like they’re 225.

168 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

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STRONGMAN SUMMIT

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I’ve been competing in strongman meets for the past year and making huge gains in strength, but I’m really falling behind in the timed events. How should I restructure my training to boost my speed?

[A] 

I tell everyone I train that you’ve got to run fast to get fast! That has stuck with me since my football days at James Madison University. In football you don’t need to run 800-meter sprints, you need to be able to go hard for 4–6 seconds. Similarly in strongman, you obviously won’t run a quarter-mile with a yoke, but you also won’t get anything out of plodding along for 60 seconds with an extremely heavy implement. Start light and focus on your footwork, and over time your numbers will go up. Measure how far you can go in 10 seconds with a given weight; then each week try to go either a little farther or a bit heavier. When training for specific events, pick one that you’ll go light on during your event day and moderately heavy on another, but don’t worry so much about moving fast.

"Measure how far you can go in 10 seconds with a given weight; then each week try to go a little farther or a bit heavier." In training, I’m very comfortable pushing myself for those extra reps and adding more weight to my lifts. I’m far more cautious and hesitant to push myself during farmer’s walk, running with a keg or atlas stones, etc. Any tips on how I can train safely but still push myself to get better at these?

Photos by Gregory James

[A] 

I think it’s easier to do this, actually. The key is to remember that you can always just drop the weight. Having someone time you may also help; having that clock running will make you push a little harder. If you finish a given event in 24 seconds on the first run, have the timer make you aware of it so you can try to beat that time on the next run. And it may sound kind of simple, but I honestly think that visualization works.  If you were to listen to me before an event, I keep talking to myself, saying, “fast, fast, fast.”

Tracking my progress in strength is second nature to me now, but how do I know if my speed and quickness are improving on pace? How do you track your speed progression, and what are some realistic goals I should set for myself from week to week?

[A] 

Start by taking the same weight farther or faster each week or a heavier weight for the same or for better time. It can be as easy as setting out

cones to where you made it to last week in 20 seconds so you know that this week you have to get there in less time. If it’s an event for distance, having a goal to shoot for, like a line or cone from a previous week, can really help you. It’ll make you aware of the extra push you need to get another 10 feet, which could make the diference between first and fifth place. Basically a stopwatch and some cones or sidewalk chalk are all you need. 

BUILDING STRONGMAN QUICKNESS Rotate between heavy and light event days when training for a specific timed event. Save your event days for the weekend or whenever you typically have more time to train. Pick a weight and see how far you can go in 8–10 seconds. Use 60%–70% of a contest weight and try to reduce your run time each week. Stick to 3–4 quality runs at max speed. Learn to keep accelerating through the contest finish line by going 10 feet farther in training.

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 169

WorldMags.net

Built

IN BROOKLYN

• BY ANTHONEIL CHAMPAGNIE, TEAM MHP ATHLETE

Sleeve-splitting arms is a goal of every true gym rat, but getting your ticket to the Gun Show takes real work. We pick the brain of IFBB pro Anthoneil Champagnie on how to keep your biceps and triceps fully loaded. 170 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

(A)

Thanks. Making sure my arms stay in proportion to each other is something I’ve always paid close attention to. I like to use a lot of single-arm exercises in my routine. Whether I’m training biceps or triceps, the key is to make sure one arm isn’t doing more work than the other. One-arm isolation exercises are great finishers, too.

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Photo by Gregory James

WELCOME TO THE GUN SHOW

You have some impressive arm development — great size and everything looks in proper proportion. How do you make sure that your biceps and triceps grow evenly when you’re trying to put on size?

BUILT IN BROOKLYN

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I’ve had some injuries in the past and my right biceps really lags behind compared to the left. So I try to avoid any barbell curls and stick to training each arm individually. What exercises should I do to make sure both arms develop evenly?

(A)

In the ofseason I like to train my arms once a week, but during contest prep I drop it way down. I may do arms two times a month, or sometimes I include triceps or biceps on a day with another bodypart. Mainly because I’m training so much as I get closer to a show, I can easily get a pump in my arms while training back or chest. I also don’t want to injure myself, so I’m very cautious on days when my arms feel tight.

A significant weakness in my arms is that my biceps look thin from the front, but from the side they look great. What exercises should I start doing to fix this?

(A)

As a bodybuilder, genetics is always a factor. Some guys are born with great shape to their muscles. The rest of us sometimes have to focus a lot more on weak points. To build more thickness in the biceps from the front, try using a wider than normal grip when doing barbell curls, which better targets the short (inner) head of the biceps. Same thing on seated preacher curls, so be sure to use free weights and not the machine station. I love to train heavy on arm day, but my elbows are starting to get sore. Any tips on how I can keep the stress of my elbow joints but still train my arms heavy?

Photo by Jason Breeze

(A)

Well, the first thing you’ll learn sooner or later as a bodybuilder is that you can’t go heavy all the time. Remember that heavy weight won’t necessarily increase your arm size, but being able to contract and control the proper weight for quality reps will. That said, you could try using elbow wraps if you still want to lift heavy, but I’m not a fan of this. Properly warming up can help, too, but your best bet is to cycle periods of heavy training with lighter-weight/higher-rep ones.

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musclemag.com | DECEMBER 2013 171

WorldMags.net Making Gains

By Alex Zakrzewski, Online Editor

Have you crushed your training goals and made gains you once thought impossible? Stop telling everyone at the gym and start telling us! Drop us a line on Facebook and let us know your incredible success story. Like these lucky fans, you just might find yourself featured in the pages of MuscleMag.

Craig Vigil AGE: 25 HOMETOWN: Tooele, UT

PEC-TACULAR POPS

Shaun Hoisington AGE: 33 | HOMETOWN: Burleson, TX

THE SHREDDER

Four years ago, a 400-pound Shaun realized he couldn’t play with his children more than 10 minutes before almost collapsing from exhaustion. After burning through every top training DVD you can think of, he has shredded down to a muscular 194 lbs. and is no longer pre-diabetic. Better yet, everyone in his family has become a fitness fanatic, including his 4-year-old daughter.

Brandon Wickens

Tyler Bell

AGE: 22 HOMETOWN: Toronto, ON

AGE: 27 HOMETOWN: Valrico, FL

PHILOSOFREAK

CAPTAIN CRUSH

It’s hard to believe that Brandon was once — by his own admission — skinny, weak and insecure. Despite having built himself into an impressive specimen of solid muscle, he insists the real gains have been on the inside. “The stronger I get in the gym,” he says, “the easier it is for me to battle the ups and downs of life.”

While on deployment in Afghanistan, Capt. Tyler Bell used weightlifting to help relieve stress. He even had his family mail him protein and tuna to ensure he kept his major gains. Now safely back home, he weighs in at an iron-dense 205 lbs. When on base, he’s often mistaken for an M1 Abrams battle tank.

172 DECEMBER 2013 | musclemag.com

Craig was a 160-pound partier until his wife introduced him to the fitness lifestyle. The father of three has since gone from being a party animal to an animal in the gym and couldn’t be happier.

Jason Oliver AGE: 33 HOMETOWN: Marydel, MD

ICE GIANT Nine years ago, back spasms ended Jason’s hockey career. His doctor gave him two options: Get surgery or join a gym. Jason smartly chose the latter, and today his back is healthier and more ripped than ever. He also looks like the meanest thing on ice since the ’73 Philadelphia Flyers.

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Dakota Jordan Brown AGE: 18 HOMETOWN: Haysi, VA

VASCULAR VIRGINIAN At age 15, Dakota started lifting weights “just for fun.” Today, he still has fun in the gym, but his laughter is often drowned out by the gasps of envy he gets whenever he takes off his shirt.

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