FullyFlexed.com

Boost Your Strength – Confuse Your Muscles To Gain Size & Strength

admin — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:41:42 +0000

Hypothesis
Periodization refers to the systematic changing of workout variables every few weeks (i.e., weight, reps, sets, rest, exercises) to prevent plateaus in strength and muscle gains. A “newer” style of periodization–undulating periodization, which involves changing variables every workout–has exercise scientists very excited. Most exercise scientists think this is an innovative way to train, but Joe Weider has been promoting this style of training for decades. It’s called the Weider Muscle Confusion Training Principle. By constantly changing the training variables, this method prevents stagnation and better promotes gains in muscle strength and muscle mass than changing training every few weeks.

Research
For 12 weeks, researchers from Brazil had trained subjects follow either an undulating periodization program, a standard (linear) periodization program or a consistent program of 8-10 reps per set that was not periodized. The training program consisted of a two-day split with three or four total training days per week.

Findings
They reported that the group following the undulating (muscle confusion) program increased their bench-press strength by about 60 pounds, almost 200% more than the linear periodization and the nonperiodized programs, which both led to an increase in their bench press by slightly more than 20 pounds. The undulating program also increased the subjects’ strength on the leg press by a staggering 275 pounds (400% more than the nonperiodized program) and leg-press strength by about 65 pounds (over 300% more than the linear program, which increased by 55 pounds).

Conclusion
This study shows that the Weider Muscle Confusion Training Principle is one of the best ways to increase muscle strength. None of the subjects gained significant muscle mass, likely because the training programs were not bodybuilding-style regimens, but rather sport-conditioning programs. Therefore, they did not do enough exercises and total sets for each muscle group to experience decent gains in muscle mass. However, if you used muscle confusion (undulating periodization) in a bodybuilding workout, you would probably make serious gains in both strength and size.

Application
Change the weight you use and the corresponding rep ranges the weight allows. For example, when training legs, use light weight and high reps (12-15) one workout, heavy weight and low reps (5-7) the next leg workout, very light weight and very high reps (20-30) the following workout, and then moderate weight and moderate reps (8-10) in the session after that. Keep cycling your weight and rep ranges in a similar fashion every workout.

Author Jim Stoppani, PhD
COPYRIGHT 2010 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale, Cengage Learning

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Myth Of The Month – You Can’t Build A Good Physique On An Empty Stomach

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 20:49:57 +0000

The truth
Can you drive your car, say, 30 miles on a half-tank of gas? Sure can. The same holds true with your body. While glycogen, the stored carbohydrates found in muscles, is a main fuel source for intense training, reserves don’t need to be full for you to hit the gym. In fact, that’s how bodybuilders lean down without losing muscle mass;

they train with levels of glycogen just high enough to suffice for hard training, which encourages the burning of bodyfat.

What to do
Eat a small snack–a combo of 30-40 grams of carbs with 20-40 grams of protein–within two hours of training. That’s enough to fuel the body and exert an anticatabolic effect on muscle without overloading the stomach and possibly causing intestinal distress. Try a very small bowl of oats or cream of rice cereal mixed with whey protein powder, or 5-6 egg whites with two slices of rye toast. Your muscles–and your stomach–will thank you.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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65 Motivational Quotes To Live By

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:36:09 +0000

“Everybody wants to be a bodybuilder but don’t nobody wanna lift no heavy ass weights.” Ronnie Coleman

“It’s a lifestyle – train like there’s no finish line.”

“You focus your mind to train your body and the changes that begin to take place impact your mind as well. Dream it, believe it, and you will achieve it.”

“Work not to look good, but to make others look bad”

“If it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.”

“Be proud, but never satisfied.”

“If you always do what you have always done, then you will always get what you have always got.”

“It’s not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog” – Magic Johnson, NBA Star

“Pain is temporary, pride is forever” – Unknown

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher & Writer

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life a champion.” – Muhammad Ali, Boxer

“Try and fail is the manner of losers; try and learn is the way of the strong.” – Unknown

“Suffer the pain of discipline or suffer the pain of regret!” – Unknown

“Only the weak attempts to accomplish what he knows he can already achieve.” – Stella Juarez Author

“Failure will not overcome me so long as my will to succeed is stronger” – Micheal S. Kirby

“If you are hurt, whether in mind or body, don’t nurse your bruises. Get up and light-heartedly, courageously, good temperedly get ready for the next encounter. This is the only way to take life – this is also ‘playing’ the game!” – Emily Post

“The human body experiences a powerful gravitational pull in the direction of hope” – Norman Cousins Author

“That which does not kill me makes me stronger” – Friedrich Nietzsche, Philosopher, Poet, and Classical Philologist

“Fall down seven times, get up eight” -Chinese proverb

“There is nothing we cannot live down, rise above, and overcome.” – Ella Wheeler Wilcox

“Success must be felt within before it can be seen on the outside.” – Unknown

“There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them.” – Ralph Marston, Author and Publisher of The Daily Motivator

“You have to do what others won’t to achieve what others don’t.” – Unknown

“Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Philosopher & Writer

“Pain is only weakness leaving the body” – Unknown

“Good luck is the result of hard work and preparation” – Unknown

“Strength is the product of struggle” – Unknown

“The race goes not only to the swift nor the contest to the strong, but that’s the way to bet your money” – Unknown

“How am I to know what I can achieve if I quit?” -Jason Bishop, About Bodybuilding Reader

“Be patient and tough; some day this pain will be useful to you” – Ovid

“The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground” – Unknown

“It’s about mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter” -Unknown

“Tough times don’t last. Tough people do.” – Unknown

“We must train from the inside out. Using our strengths to attack and nullify any weaknesses. It’s not about denying a weakness may exist but about denying its right to persist.” Vince McConnell

“The mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision the fact that you can do something. You can do it, as long as you really believe 100 percent.” -Arnold Schwarzenegger

“There are only two options regarding commitment, You’re either in or your out. There’s no such thing as life in between.” – Anonymous

“Obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated.” -Anonymous

“It’s never too late to become what you might have been”. -George Elliot

“Belief triggers the power to do” -David Schwartz

“Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.” – Marilyn vos Savant, Columnist

“It’s about mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it don’t matter” -Unknown

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.” – Lena Horne, Singer

“The act of taking the first step is what separates the winners from the losers. – Brian Tracy, Motivational speaker

“Your body hears everything your mind says.” – Naomi Judd, Singer/Songwriter

“The man who has no imagination has no wings. ” – Muhammad Ali, Boxing Champion, Peace Ambassador

“You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take.” -Wayne Gretzky, Professional Hockey Player

“The harder you work, the luckier you get.” -Gary Player, Golfer

“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do” – John Wooden, UCLA Basketball Coach

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning form failure. – Colin Powell, U.S. Secretary of State

“I like thinking big. If you’re going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big.” – Donald Trump, Entrepreneur

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to ones courage.” – Anais Nin

“Quitters never win and winners never quit ” – anonymous

“To give any less than your best is to sacrifice a gift” Steve Prefontaine, runner

“Great souls have wills; feeble ones have only wishes.”- Chinese Proverb

“Things do not change. We change.” – Henry David Thoreau, Author/Philosopher

“Hard work is a two-way street. You get back exactly what you put in.” – Unknown

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
Lance Armstrong

“If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.”

“Many people believe things happen to a reason, well I say go out and make those things happen” – Unknown

“Try and fail, but dont fail to try” – Unknown

“You give what you give, what you dont give is lost forever, this day will never come again” – Unknown

“I have found iron to be my greatest friend. It never freaks out on me. It never runs. Friends may come and go but two hundred pounds is always two hundred pounds. There is no better way to fight weakness than with strength, Once the mind and body have been awakened to their true potential, its impossible to turn back, the iron never lies to you.”

“Just say to yourself… how bad do I want this? Am I working harder than the person who will be standing next to me?”

“The meaning of life is not simply to exist, to survive, but to move ahead, to go up, to achieve, to conquer.”

“Limitations are for people that have them and excuses are for people that need them.” – Unknown

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21 Foods To Mix With Protein Powders

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:31:36 +0000

Optimum 100% Whey

The problem with most protein powders is that they taste like cardboard. I found a company called Optimum 100% Whey that puts out some great inexpensive protein powder. Optimum 100% Whey protein powder tastes pretty good, but we can still realize a ton of benefits by learning to mix it with some of the other healthiest foods.

Bodybuilders always need more protein. If you aren’t sure how much you need, read about how much protein you should eat. Or maybe you would rather skip straight to protein shake recipes. If not, read on…

My Top 21 Favorite Foods to Mix with Protein Powder

1. Milk - Just use milk instead of water for more flavor, more thickness, and more calories. Try goat’s milk for an extra health kick.

2. Cream – Use instead of milk or water for way more flavor and calories.

3. Fruit – Blend it up and it’s called a fruit smoothie. Try strawberries and bananas. Add fruit to just about all of these other recipes. Fruit adds vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants so don’t hesitate to add it to anything.

4. Nuts - Mix or blend with walnuts, almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds. Adds healthy fats and a nutty aftertaste to everything. You could probably use peanuts too, but honestly peanuts aren’t that great for you.

5. All Natural Peanut Butter – Use peanut butter to make Peanut Butter Protein Balls using this recipe. These are so good.

6. Oatmeal – Make strawberry or chocolate protein oatmeal for a high fiber breakfast. I have also added 1/4 cup of raw oatmeal to a plain chocolate protein shake.

7. Cereal – Cereal is generally not too good for you unless you’re eating something like Total or Special K, Grapenuts, or Kashi; and that’s exactly what I’m recommending here. Add a scoop or two of protein powder to your healthy cereal… it’s perfect because it already has milk!

8. Cottage Cheese – Just use 1/4 cup of protein powder at the most and add a few drops of water if it gets too thick. Read a post all about cottage cheese recipes. Add fruit and nuts as desired.

9. Pancakes - Everyone that’s been reading this blog for a while knows about protein pancakes. Just add 1/2 a scoop to the mix and a little water to thin it out. Add fruit and nuts as desired.

10. Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt – Blend together for a weight gainer treat. Add fruit and nuts as desired.

11. Dessert Mix – For more junk food, mix the protein powder with brownie mix, cookie mix, or any sort of dessert bread or loaf.

12. Pudding Mix – You can make protein pudding with just about any flavor of pudding or protein. You can choose low fat pudding or regular.

13. Apple Juice and Caramel Flavoring – Mix it with vanilla protein for a caramel apple dessert. Add fruit and nuts as desired.

14. Other Juices – You can also use pretty much any other juice or even Gatorade. Try orange juice, cranberry juice, and someone one recommended green Gatorade but I don’t know anything about it.

15. Yogurt - Particularly low-fat or non-fat yogurt mixed with fruit or vanilla flavored protein powder. Blend it with fruit for an even thicker fruit smoothie. Add fruit and nuts as desired.

16. Pasta Sauce – Or any other thick heavily flavored sauce. The catch is that it has to be unflavored protein powder.

17. Eggs and Egg Whites – Mix unflavored protein powder into any recipe that is primarily made with eggs. From what I understand, cooking the protein powder somewhat denatures the protein, making it less useful to your body, but it’s better than no protein at all. Fact: nearly all macronutrient enzymes are in some way compromised at heats in excess of 160 degrees C.

18. Mashed Potatoes – Once again you’ll need to use unflavored protein powder, but it will make you feel so much better about eating your mashed potatoes. Add a splash of milk or cream if the potatoes become too thick.

19. Sweeteners – Add any type of syrup if you don’t care about carbs, and add any type of artificial sweetener (I prefer Splenda) if you want to avoid sweetening your protein with sugar.

20. Coffee – The secret is to mix up a scoop of protein with milk, then add the milk concoction to your coffee.

21. Homemade protein bars.

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Mark Rippetoe’s 5×5 Strength Training Routine

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:36:50 +0000

Description of the Workout
This routine is Mark Rippetoe’s variation of Bill Starr’s 5×5. Muscle gains of 30-40lb in six months are possible for a well fed lifter as well as massive strength gains in the major lifts.

The Routine
Workout A
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	5
Bench Press	3	5
Deadlift/Power Clean*	3	5
Workout Notes:
*Alternate deadlifts and powercleans every “A” workout

Workout B
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Squat	3	5
Incline Bench Press / Military Press*	3	5
Chin-ups / Lat Pull Downs*	3	5
Weighted Hyperextensions / Good Mornings*	3	5
Workout Notes:
*Alternate between the two every “B” workout

How to Warm-up?

Warm up using several sets before doing the 3 work sets. If you’re using 175, for example, it would look like this:

Warm-up Sets
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Bar	2	5
85lbs	1	5
125lbs	1	3
155lbs	1	2
Working Sets
175lbs	3	5

What is the frequency of training?
You alternate workout A and B, 3 non-consecutive days per week. So you might do:

Week 1

M – Workout A
W – Workout B
F – Workout A

Week 2

M – Workout B
W – Workout A
F – Workout B

What about load progression?
Add weight to the bar whenever possible. If you’re very new to lifting weights, or if most of your lifting has focused on curls and other isolation movements, you’ll probably be able to add some weight each workout. You will probably be able to increase the weights by 5-10 kgs each time in the Squat and Deadlift, and about 5 kgs in the other three lifts.

Is it possible to add direct arm-work into the program?
It’s fine to add some assistance work such as Abdominals, Hyperextensions, or maybe some direct Biceps and Triceps work, but don’t overdo it. For direct arm work, 3 sets of 8 of one lift for each muscle at the end of your last workout of the week will be plenty. Your arms are getting hit hard all week on this routine, so you don’t want to blast them with iso stuff as well.

It is more advisable however to add exercises such as Chin-ups (with varied grips) and Parallel Bar Dips for better arm growth. Your arms may not be very strong by doing this, but they will definitely become big.

What about nutrition?
Eat a whole lot of food. The part about food is important.

You MUST eat big to get big.

Rippetoe recommends 4 meals per day, plus a gallon of milk spread throughout the day.

Recommend supplements for this workout
1. Whey Protein (pre/post workout)
2. Creatine (daily/post workout)
3. Multi-Vitamin (every morning)

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Female Bodybuilder Tanya Hyde Interviewed By FullyFlexed.com

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:00:58 +0000

What’s your background?
I’m originally from Sydney Australia, I now live in Los Angeles CA.

How did you get started in the fitness?
My family moved to America when I was 14 it was a massive culture shock for me and it led me into depression. I would go to the gym to alleviate stress and it made me feel great, also I enjoyed the results I got…I was addicted!

Are there any accomplishments you’d like to share with us?
I competed in Figure while I was in NY attending school at The Culinary Institute of America. INBF Natural New York State I came first in my class and first overall. Then two weeks later I did the Monster Mash in Connecticut and placed third overall.

What do you like best about being into fitness?
I don’t know what I would do without it. I love lifting weights, the burn, sweat, watching my progress and out-lifting a lot of men in the gym!!!!

What is your current weight lifting program like?
I weight train 5 days per week and I am active 7 days per week. I am doing a lot of cardio right now because I have some photoshoots coming up!!! Any specific cardio workouts that you like to use? I just bought some new rollerskates!!! So I have been re-teaching myself how to skate again to beat the boredom of my usual cardio routine. Which is running, elliptical and stairmill.

Whats your favorite and least favorite bodypart to workout?
Honestly, I wish I had more body parts to train because I LOVE training, I am guilty of overtraining because I just love it that much!

Whats your daily nutrition like?
I keep it clean and balanced. Lots of veggies and some fruit early morning. I am lucky to live near fantastic farmer’s markets with the best organic produce, so I definitely take advantage. How does your diet change leading up to a show? Haven’t done one for a long time, I am looking to compete this fall.

What is the most challenging thing you deal with about consistently staying top shape?
Diet! I am a Chef…enough said! However, I enjoy only the best foods…high in quality, fresh and prepared properly. Fast food isn’t appealing to me at all.

Care to share what your daily routine is like with us?
Replying to emails, updating my website www.TanyaFitness.com while sipping coffee. Then I eat breakfast, go to work or run errands. Take my dogs for a walk, then I head to the gym. Eat, sleep, repeat!

Got any advice you want to give for someone trying to get into fitness?
Do your research, educate yourself which is crucial. Don’t listen to too much advise from various people because everyone’s body is different and what works for them may not work for you.

What are your plans for the future?
To continue to help others achieve their positive lifestyle changes by teaching them how to prepare and cook healthy meals, because nutrition is about 80% of living a healthy life. The world is FAT and unhealthy. There are no quick fixes, and no amount of money can buy health. So, I try to help people make positive changes so they can live life more healthfully, eliminate diseases, live longer, look and feel better through food and coaching.

Any favorite quote or saying you like to use?

You are what you eat! Live, life, right!

Anything else you’d like to share with us?
Please check out my website www.TanyaFitness.com and THANK YOU for reading! ;) Tanya

Picture Gallery of Tanya Hyde

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Voluminous Delts – When It Comes To Shoulder Training, Don’t Shy Away From Hard Work

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 20:47:35 +0000

Young bodybuilders often make a common error: they fail to realize that shoulders are a complex bodypart. These trainers tend to think it’s necessary to have wide shoulders to promote a V-shaped torso, but an examination of the shoulders reveals there’s a lot more to them than width.
First of all, there are the deltoids. These muscles serve to raise your arms above your head, but the joints where the arms meet the torso are complex. Unlike a joint such as the knee, which has a limited range of motion and moves basically on a plane, the shoulder joints enable you to move your arms around in a circle with a wide range of motion.

To cope with the complex movement of the shoulder joints, deltoids consist of three heads: anterior, medial and posterior–or, more commonly, front, side and rear.It makes sense then that you need to incorporate a variety of movements into your shoulder training routine to effectively hit all three heads of the muscle group. For this reason, I preferred to train the deltoid-trapezius complex by doing more sets–as many as 50 in some cases, but at least 30 in my normal workout–than many other bodybuilders.

You read that right, at least 30 hard sets three times per week for my shoulders and traps. Nowadays, when talk of less being better is in vogue, I still stick to my belief that if not for the volume of work I performed during my competitive days, I would not have reached the height of bodybuilding success I eventually did.

I’d usually start my shoulder routine with some kind of presses. I’ve performed countless seated military presses over the years, to the front and to the back of my neck. Both are great for developing the side heads, although each exercise stresses them in a slightly different manner. I would often alternate between the two during each workout. Dumbbell presses can be substituted for barbell presses and, if you really want something different, try my special Arnold presses.

For Arnold presses, begin with the dumbbells in front of your shoulders, with your palms facing you. Then, as you push up, rotate the dumbbells outward so that your palms face away from you at the top of the movement. I particularly like the range of movement of Arnold presses as opposed to standard dumbbell presses.

When performing any kind of pressing movement, don’t lock out at the top, which is a mistake I’ve seen many novice trainers make. Once you lock your elbows, you take most of the stress off the muscles you’re trying to work.

After presses, I would typically move on to raising movements. I’d do lateral raises to further work the side heads of my deltoids. Front raises are great for developing the front heads, while bent laterals focus the stress on rear delts. A variation of the lateral raise I liked to perform–lying dumbbell laterals–was described in last month’s issue. Cables can also be employed to add variety to raising movements.

For traps, you have a few options: upright rows, power cleans and shrugs. I would usually finish my shoulder/trap training with one of the three. Keep in mind that when performing upright rows and power cleans, you are also working your deltoids, so expect them to be fatigued and a possible weak link when hitting your traps.

Nothing is more impressive than a man with wide shoulders topped with a powerful set of traps, but getting them takes a lot of work. Give the accompanying routine three months and see if your shoulder region doesn’t grow to Oak-like proportions!

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Shoulders/Traps Routine
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Seated presses (superset with lateral raises)	5 (5)	6-10 (8)
Machine presses (superset with bent laterals)	5 (5)	8 (8)
Upright rows (superset with one-arm cable laterals)	5 (5)	10 (10)

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Colossal Colostrum; Meet The New Challenger In The Battle Of Proteins

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:15:50 +0000

It’s no secret that whey protein is the undisputed heavyweight champion of proteins. Whey’s excellent amino acid profile, fast digestion rate and proven ability to stimulate muscle growth make it a staple in the nutrition plans of any serious bodybuilder. Recent studies, however, show that an up-and-comer may be able to stand toe-to-toe with whey in terms of overall muscle-building benefits. The new kid on the block? Colostrum.

Whey protein is an excellent source of immune-enhancing compounds, but colostrum may have even higher concentrations than whey. The difference between store-bought milk and colostrum milk is the time when it is produced by the cow–colostrum milk is produced only shortly before and after a cow gives birth, resulting in a form of milk that is much higher in immune-enhancing compounds and anabolic nutrients, such as insulin-like growth factor-I Early studies using colostrum protein found that it can provide a host of benefits, including the increase of lean mass and power. It also can increase the buffering capacity of blood, which is important for offsetting muscle fatigue. Many of these studies used whey protein as the placebo.

The mechanism by which colostrum works has not been conclusively proven, but many scientists believe its immune-boosting compounds can improve recovery from hard training. Its high concentrations of IGF-I hormone also could result in muscle growth and decreased muscle breakdown.

The study
Researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia conducted a six-week study with highly trained cyclists to measure the immune-enhancing benefits of colostrum. During the initial five weeks, all subjects performed an initial time trial,and then they supplemented their diets with either 10 grams of colostrum protein or whey protein concentrate. During the last week of the study, each subject performed another time trial and also endured five consecutive days of high-intensity training. The researchers theorized that colostrum’s high levels of immune factors would improve overall recovery from the intense training sessions.

The results
The group receiving colostrum protein had improved immue function at the end of the study. This is important because an improved immune response can increase recovery and allow you to train harder. Symptoms of respiratory illness were also decreased in the colostrum protein group as compared to the whey protein group.

Dosage
Colostrum supplements usually cost more than twice as much as the highest quality whey proteins. Since you don’t need massive amounts of colostrum to derive its recovery-enhancing and muscle-building benefits, a cost-effective solution would be to replace a small amount of your normal protein supplement with colostrum. Replacing 5-10 g of whey from your pre- and postworkout shakes with 5-10 g of bovine colostrum in powder or capsule form can result in enhanced recovery, lean mass gains and muscle power.

References C. Shing et al., “Effects of bovine colostrum supplementation on immune variables in highly trained cyclists,” Journal of Applied Physiology, March 2007, 102(3):1113-22.

Author Jim Stoppani, PhD
COPYRIGHT 2007 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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Arginine & Vitamin C – Stack These Two To Make More Nitric Oxide That’s Longer Lasting For Optimal Gains

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:44:12 +0000

Arginine
This amino acid is known in bodybuilding circles as the nitric oxide booster. In the body, arginine gets readily converted to NO. As you likely know, one of the benefits of NO most crucial to bodybuilders is its ability to dilate (expand) blood vessels. This dilation delivers more blood to muscles, bringing along more oxygen, nutrients (like amino acids and glucose), anabolic hormones and water. This can provide more energy to your muscles for a workout, greater muscle pump, and enhanced recovery and muscle growth after training.

Vitamin C
It isn’t commonly viewed as a mass-building supplement, but it’s time to rethink the benefits of vitamin C. Research from Athens University Medical School (Greece) reported that when vitamin C was taken with L-arginine, it resulted in significantly greater levels of NO in subjects than when arginine was taken alone. It appears that the antioxidant effects of vitamin C protect NO by mopping up free radicals and preventing them from degrading NO. This means that vitamin C may bolster the benefits of arginine by helping to keep the levels of NO produced by the supplement maximized for a longer period of time.

Stack it like this
Take 3-5 grams of arginine in the form of L-arginine, arginine alpha-ketoglutarate, arginine malate or arginine ethyl ester on an empty stomach about 30-60 minutes before workouts along with 500-1,000 milligrams of vitamin C. Consider having a second dose of these two supplements immediately after workouts, just before your postworkout shake and one dose in the morning before breakfast.

Author Jim Stoppani
COPYRIGHT 2008 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning

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On Trial – Wrist Straps Vs. No Straps; Is It Better To Use Or To Ditch Wrist Straps For Pulling Exercises?

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:14:20 +0000

Facts of the case

With straps Wrist straps come in a wide variety. Most are the basic canvas type that you loop around your wrist and the bar. Some involve a Velcro closure that wraps around your wrist and a hook that goes around a bar or a barbell. Regardless of the style, they all serve the same purpose: to increase your grip strength and endurance.
Without straps Even if you don’t employ wrist straps, you can increase gripping ability with the use of lifting gloves or chalk.

The evidence
In a study by the Weider Research Group, trained bodybuilders performed two back workouts. In one workout, they used wrist straps and did three sets of pullups to failure, three sets of dumbbell rows using their 10-rep max to failure, three sets of wide-grip pulldowns using their 10RM to failure, and three sets of seated cable rows using their 10RM to failure. In the other workout, they performed the same exercises in the same order with the same weight, but they didn’t use wrist straps.

It was discovered that for all sets of all exercises, the use of wrist straps offered a significant advantage compared to bare hands. For pullups, straps allowed the subjects to complete an average of one extra rep on all three sets. For dumbbell rows, straps allowed the subjects to complete an average of two extra reps on all three sets. For pulldowns, straps allowed the subjects to complete an average of two extra reps on all three sets. For seated rows, straps allowed the subjects to complete an average of one extra rep on the first two sets and two on the last set.

Clearly, being able to complete one or two additional reps on every set of your back workout with a given weight is a definite advantage in developing back mass and strength. Although most training experts will tell you to only use your grip strength is lessened due to fatigue, our study shows that straps allow for more reps during every set. Furthermore, the subjects noted that using straps allowed them to better concentrate on their backs and less on their arms. This is another important point, as focusing on the muscle leads to greater muscle activity, which can result in greater mass and strength gains.

The verdict
When doing pulling exercises, such as most back exercises, FLEX recommends you use wrist straps during all sets to enhance gains in both muscle strength and size. Some experts will warn that this may limit your grip strength and forearm development. However, your focus should not be on building grip strength and forearm size during a back workout. It should be on developing back size and strength, and it appears that using wrist straps will enhance this endeavor. To develop forearm size and grip strength, include a workout that focuses on forearm and grip exercises.

Reference J. Stoppani et al., “The use of wrist straps enhances muscular strength during back exercises,” unpublished, awaiting approval for presentation at the 2008 National Strength and Conditioning Association National Conference.

Author Jim Stoppani, PhD
COPYRIGHT 2008 Weider Publications
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale Group

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