Sunday, January 19, 2014
What is Big Ramy Doing Now?
Saturday, January 18, 2014
2013 Mr. Olympia: Is Phil Heath Ready For Perfection?
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Phil Heath sucks at bodybuilding! Wipe that condescending look off your face, I’m just joking. This dude is a genetic God and as a fellow west coaster, I like Phil. In Seattle, Washington, 1979, Phillip Jerrod Heath was born. The current 2nd year Mr. Olympia title holder was an impressive athlete from the start, playing basketball for Rainier Beach High School as a shooting guard and graduating to play D1 ball for the University of Denver team. He was a little guy at 5ft 9” and just over a buck seventy. He should have been nicknamed “The Gift” a while ago considering he was a successful college athlete double majoring in IT and Business Administration. Let’s be real though, I doubt UD had a b-ball team that was really worth a shit. But screw it; I’ll give him the credit because I’m sure he’s better than me. In 2002 he decided to put his gifts to work in the bodybuilding arena. He started with a 185lb base and bulked up to a 215lb 6% bodybuilder in the first year. He competed in 2003 at a shredded 192lbs at The Rocky Mountain NPC USA Championship where he walked away with the overall title. Yes, you heard right. Phil heath has been kicking ass and taking names since the very beginning. He was quite gifted genetically, which actually ended up hurting him in the beginning. He was a slacker (relatively speaking). He leaned on his “gifts” and lost competitions because of his lack of proper training.
…he got his act together and ended up as Mr. Colorado and later earning his pro card at 215lbs. To give you an idea of where Phil has come from, let’s look at his weight. Currently, he stalks the bodybuilding stages at 240lbs lean and mean. That’s 25lbs of solid lean body mass that he has gained since turning pro. That’s a ton of muscle on a 5ft 9” frame. In the past, Phil has sported 22” arms, a 19” neck, and 20” calves suspended on a 29” waist. That’s just ridiculous Phil, you’re a freak. He isn’t the biggest guy out there, that’s for sure. Big Ramy should be a monster this year, but he won’t beat Phil. Phil is said to be the most proportionate bodybuilder alive. Ronny Coleman said this about Phil and the 2013 Mr. O, “He has several insane body parts, always nails his conditioning, and presents great separation and thickness.” Big Ron continues to question Phil’s limiting structure and says his frame may, very well be, “maxed out.” I would say Kai Greene is Phil’s nemesis in 2013 as was the case in 2012. Phil barely squeezed the victory from Kai who has a previously lacked back thickness. Kai does have Phil beat on a few key traits. Kai will carry more muscle mass than any other bodybuilder on that stage lbs. per inch and he also has hair that would make CONAN The Barbarian rise from his grave and start doing the YMCA.
I think it will be won by stage presence. The competition this year is ridiculously high. Is this the year Phil will be de-throned? We will find out next week. There is no doubt that Phil will bring the whole package to 2013. His favorite movie is gladiator, favorite food is steak, favorite music is Rock and Hip-hop, and favorite Hobby is hanging out with his two angry dogs. Basically he stays in the zone 24/7 and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the champ. He is cocky and he likes to back it up. He is rumored to make around 3.5million per year. Considering he drives a Bentley that is worth as much as my house, I wouldn’t doubt those numbers. He is backed by the biggest and best in the game; Sponsors include Muscletech and Muscle & Fitness/ Flex magazine. Phil even has a sponsor for chicken breast and egg whites. Red Bird’s Chicken and Lana’s Egg Whites fuel the beast with high-grade protein. He is living the bodybuilding dream and has the talent, drive, and dedication to become the Floyd Mayweather of bodybuilding. In fact, there is one and only one thing “The Gift” is lacking and has been lacking since the very start, hair.
Meet Dana: The Best Physique in the World
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Dana Linn Bailey is an incredibly beautiful and incredibly gifted physique competitor. This past 2013 Mr. Olympia, she was crowned with first place in women’s physique. This was the first time the world had seen women’s physique on the holy grail of bodybuilding, the Mr. O stage. As of October 2013, she is the best physique competitor in the world.
Dana grew up as a jock and played 6 sports growing up. Before high school, she played soccer, basketball, field hockey, track, swim team, and softball. She studied kinesiology at West Chester University where she was recruited to play soccer. She was crowned as the defensive player of the year when she was a junior and senior. She was aggressive and unafraid, similar to how she competes today. The girl is fearless.
She started working out because her boyfriend at the time was a dedicated lifter. He told her that if she wants to see him, she could see him at the gym. What a badass. I like this guy. Fast-forward a couple years and Dana is incredibly proportionate and has a great set of legs. Her shoulders and back are so detailed they are almost see-through. And, her butt ain’t too bad either. Way to work Dana and congrats on the big win at Mr. O. M&M will be anxiously following Dana along her journey, so stay tuned.
Friday, January 17, 2014
M-Sten, Methylstenbolone, MSten RX
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Assault Labs, Iron Mag Labs, and a host of other underground supplement companies are selling a hormone called methylstenbolone. Most companies market this as “MSten, MSten RX, Super M-Sten,” you get the point. I always find it a bit concerning when ten companies have the same name for a product, MSten for example, and none of them go after one another or file copyrights. I’m guessing that this is because most of these companies disappear just as quick as they come up. M-Sten usually is dosed in between 4-10mgs per capsule.
has made quite an impact on the underground community, which is why I wanted to address it. I will shed some light on what a user can expect while using something like this including muscle gains, strength, side effects, PCT, and other comparable steroids.
derivative such as the steroids primobolan and masteron. Because of its relationship with DHT, it will be a lean and relatively dry strength builder. I say strength and not muscle because this compound will sway more on the strength gain side vs. the weight gain side. It is still possible to put on a few good pounds of muscle with this stuff. The underground community has embraced it as the new Holy Grail since the popular Superdrol was banned. In my opinion, there are better, safer options out there, but to each there own.
will be dose dependent as with many other hormones. It will not aromatize, so estrogen sides will be low to non-existent. The usual DHT side effects will be present including prostate problems, having trouble urinating, hair loss, aggression, and acne. The most concerning of all is the 17a Dimethyl attachment to the hormone which is meant to increase the bioavailability of the hormone. As with other methylated steroids such as anadrol, winstrol, and superdrol, Msten is very liver toxic and will increase internal inflammation. This stuff can be dangerous and even deadly depending on dosing and your current liver health. Expect an elevated liver panel across the board and low HDL (good cholesterol) numbers. As always, blood work is a must if you are going to risk running a harsh compound such as methylstenbolone.
Most people are dosing this stuff at 8mgs per day and some go getters are taking upwards of 30mgs per day. Until next time my friends…..
6 Holiday Fit Tips: How to Enjoy Guilt Free Family Time
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to see the family, the in-laws, and watch our gains/hard work disappear in a single month. December and I have a love hate relationship. The following tips are strategies I use (about every other year because I love food) to minimize the damage of the holidays. There are ways to choose foods and habits that don’t portray you as “the stuck up prick that goes to the gym during holidays and thinks he’s better than everyone.“
It is very easy to stuff your plate and face during big family dinners. I can actually do both at once. I only see my family about twice per year. I am able to consume fewer calories by engaging in conversation more with the family. At dinner, slow down the eating, and bond with the family. Don’t talk about lifting. Show them that you have other passions in life besides looking better than they do.
Choose carbs over fats. You will get in a shitload of both if you are not carful. The last thing you need is an insulin spike along with 50g of fat to be shuttled straight to your gut. Take the opportunity to carb up on sweet potatoes. Decline the bread and take one serving of stuffing. Choose white meat instead of dark and forget about the skin. Try to keep the fat low because your body will store fat with all the carbohydrates floating around. That’s just how insulin works. You can’t have your cake and eat it too…..because cake has a shitload of carbs and fat as I’m sure you know. Grab the veggies off the appetizer tray and forget the chips. Don’t worry, the veggies will last a while in the average American home, so you don’t have to hoard them.
I aim for a gallon of water on thanksgiving. The water will also curb your appetite during the day. Avoid alcohol at all costs. Alcohol reduces the affect of insulin so the body cannot mobilize glucose. This is a double whammy as your body will store fat AND ignore shuttling the glucose to the muscles and store it as fat instead. This is dose dependent. The more you drink, the worse your body get’s at properly shuttling carbs.
I’m playing football, I don’t know about you. Get off your ass and do something. You have all day to lie around and be a troll. Drink a cup of coffee or something with caffeine when you wake up. This, in conjunction with exercise, will jumpstart your metabolism for the day and gets things churning. Also, half way through the day, have more caffeine. I like to time this right before thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. It will help curb your appetite and increase metabolism efficiency
This is the most important one of all. If you don’t eat breakfast, there is know way you will be able to do any of the first three suggestions in this list. Do not starve yourself until dinner and then gorge on everything in sight. This only ends in loneliness and shame. But seriously, eat breakfast and lunch before the big dinner and you will cut your calorie total.
Desert is where you will really screw things up. Pumpkin pie is a better choice than pecan or apple. Chose sorbet over ice cream. Try a piece of pumpkin pie with milk and a scoop of whey for desert. Put it in a blender with a couple ice cubes. Blend it on high for 30-60seconds. You will thank me later.
Good luck to everyone in the field. And most of all, happy holidays.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Increase Muscle Mass With These Veggies
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What most people don’t realize is that there are small diet changes that can be implemented to create a “pro-muscle building” state. In athletic circles we call this, creating an anabolic environment. It is important to minimize muscle-wasting periods during the day and help your body stay in an anabolic state as much as possible. If done right, this type of practice will keep you in the muscle building zone for the whole day. There are so many choices of different proteins, different carbs, fats, and different veggies to choose from. I have found chicken breast and tuna fish to be the most rewarding proteins but today I am going to discuss vegetables and which ones are optimal for creating anabolism.
There is a compound called sulforaphane that is found in cauliflower, broccoli, and sprouts. Sulforaphane has been teasing athletes and scientists for a while with research promoting improvements in a stem cell that is capable of developing into muscle cells. Recently, a group of molecular scientists in Italy have found that sulforaphane deactivates myostatin, which is a muscle growth inhibitor. This compound also has an anti-carcinogenic and detoxification effects. The researchers gave a group of pigs, who’s muscles cells bear almost identical resemblance to human cells, different concentrations of sulforaphane. What they found is that it increases vitality of the cells and dramatically reduced the syntheses of caspase-9 and -9, which are suicide proteins. This is extremely intriguing however, because sulforaphane reduces vitality in cancerous cells and triggers the suicide mechanism.
In conclusion, sulforaphane may actually reduce muscle wasting and increase protein synthesis. Including this in your diet will help maintain that anabolic environment that we all work so hard to create. What good is busting your ass in the gym if you aren’t getting the nutrients your body needs to repair and build. On your next trip to the supermarket, it might not be a bad idea to grab a bag or four of broccoli and sprouts.
The best natural sources of sulforaphane are brussels sprouts and fresh broccoli. I buy a big bag of frozen broccoli and heat it up for lunches and dinners. Heating the broccoli will reduce positive effects so anytime you can eat it fresh it is more beneficial. Unfortunately, I don’t have the time or resources to constantly stock fresh produce so I work with what I have.
Source: http://www.ergo-log.com/cauliflower-broccoli-bodybuilders.html
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
A Methamphetamine Analog in Craze?
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Craze is a pre-workout supplement made by the supplement company Driven Sports. It has recently been pulled off of retail shelves as cautionary reports from labs started accruing. The reports are accusing Craze of containing an amphetamine analogue that is used as a recreational drug and has never before been used on humans. Researched provided by Harvard Medical School, the US FDA, the South Korean National Forensic Service, and the RIVM in the Netherlands were all involved in the Craze takedown.
What initially led to these studies were reports from the WADA. The WADA reported that doping hunters discovered methamphetamine analogues in tested athletes that had never been seen on previous doping tests. Every one of the athletes who were caught came clean about their Craze use. After all, it was legal and presumed harmless. The researchers then went off to buy a few tubs of Craze and proceeded to analyze the contents in their labs.
Craze disclosed some common analogues of beta-phenylethylamine, which is a mild stimulant found in many common foods including chocolate. There was a very peculiar substance that raised suspicions, however; N,N-diethyl-phenylethylamine. Underground supplements companies are not regulated by the FDA and are very good at adding amphetamines or other stimulants and listing them as a peculiar name on the nutrition label. Researchers think that the listed “N,N-diethyl-phenylethylamine” is actually N,alpha-di-ethylphenylethylamine. If this is proved true, then Driven Sports did in fact include an amphetamine analogue in the product.
If you were to attach a methyl group to Beta-phenylethylamine, you can protect the substance from enzymes and therefore boost the stimulant activity. So what has happened is the harmless compound gets turned into the street drug amphetamine. If you attach one more methyl group, then you get methamphetamine, otherwise known as “Meth.” The substance that the researchers found in Craze was one that is created by attaching two ethyl (not methyl) groups to beta-phenylethylamine. It is called N,alpha-di-ethylphenylethylamine.
No research has been done on humans. In fact, the only research done with this compound has been on animals. Knoll Pharmaceuticals patented it in 1988 and considered marketing it as a stimulant. Knoll calculated the effective human dosing should be around 10-150mgs and the most suitable being 30mgs. Interestingly enough, when the researchers measured the amount of the drug in Craze, it proved to be between 21 and 35mgs per scoop. Iiiiiiinteresting.
Driven Sports has announced that this substance naturally occurs in the dendrobium orchid and Craze includes extracts of this plant. This sounds remarkably similar to the Jack3d case about a year ago. Plant “extracts” always seem to be the go-to for supplement companies in hot water. Researchers say it is highly unlikely that Craze contains these extracts causing such a measured dose. Below is a quote from them. Stay safe my friends.
Source: ?Drug Testing and Analysis. Article first published online: 14 Oct 2013. DOI: 10.1002/dta.1578.
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
Recovering From Injury While Staying in the Gym
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Let me start off by saying that I am not a doctor and those affiliated with mindandmuscle.com, nor I are qualified to treat or prevent injuries. The following article is based on information that I have learned, being in and out of physical therapy offices, and simply being the most accident-prone human being in the world.
Whether your injury was sustained in the gym such as a painful rotator cuff or a tight lower back, or you were injured outside of the gym trying to keep up with your 2 year old hellion, this article can help. Also, if you are coming back from injury and you are working to get back to where you were prior, keep reading. I see many people in the gym who do not take care of their bodies and try to work through injuries. They all end up in the same place, hurt, or in the “closet of shame” because they quit. Don’t be that guy.
This may seem like an obvious one to some, but for some of us the ego is the last thing to go. This is a common mistake. The greatest athletes of all time became great because they were coachable. Be coachable! They listened and learned from others. Ask your lifting partner to watch form closely and pick apart your flaws while lifting. If you don’t have an educated lifting partner, ask the old guy that squats 600lbs and benches 450lbs. There is always an old school guy willing to help. Ask for brutal honesty and explain what you are trying to do. You must lower the weight. While lifting injured, semi injured, or recovering, we are not trying to gain muscle; we are trying to condition the muscle and strengthen connective tissue.
If it is chest day, I will not just pump out 20 reps with the bar on the flat bench and call it good. When we are working to condition the muscle and prevent future injury, it is important that we pay attention to each muscle group individually that we will be working that day. On chest day, the following need to be warm before doing your first set of bench press:
Shoulders (lateral raise)
Tri’s (Skull Crusher)
Chest (flat bench)
Back (Lats more specifically if you are benching correctly. Use pull downs)
For Example, my shoulder warm up will be 5lb dumbbell lateral raises for 25-40 reps for 2 sets. This will flush blood into the shoulders without being detrimental to your strength during the rest of your workout. This technique will also strengthen connective tissue and build muscular conditioning. Yes, I said 5lbs: Go light! See, the chest is a large muscle group, but it is not that strong. The shoulders are very strong, but they are limited by their size. The goal here is to wake up all the muscles we will use for chest day so they all are working in unison.
When you breathe, you are stronger. When you take a breath in, and hold it, you are even stronger. This is not just a powerlifting technique. During each rep of your heavier sets, take a breath and the top of each rep and hold it until you complete that rep. This will tighten everything up and not only give you more strength but will also keep vulnerable areas like your back and neck safe.
Recovery: Make sure you are giving your body ample time to recover. In a vulnerable state, I like to give each muscle group a week’s rest.
Sleep: Sleep is when your body recovers and rebuilds. Get your 8 hours in.
Inflammation: Many power lifters and professional athletes ice areas to prevent injury. For example, icing knees after a heavy squat session will reduce inflammation and reduce the risk of pain and injury in that area.
Hydration: Water is essential for strength, recovery, endurance, and mental wellness. 90% of the population is dehydrated. Don’t be one of them. Enough said.
Optimizing Male Hormones: Part 1
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Everyone is always asking me online and in person, “How do I increase testosterone levels,” or “What do I TAKE to increase testosterone levels.” One problem with these questions is that testosterone is only one piece of a delicate puzzle that is our hormones in the male body. There is another hormone called DHT that is up to 10x more anabolic than testosterone and is responsible for well-being, concentration and brain health, energy, sex drive, and confidence. Insulin is another powerful hormone that has a tremendous affect on body composition, fat loss, strength and muscle gain. Being able to optimize these hormones will do worlds of good for the male physique. I will address DHT and insulin more later on. Another problem with this thinking is that increasing testosterone is only trying to cure the “symptoms” and is not addressing the cause. We all love to just take a pill and have everything go away. That is our culture in the western world, and it is a sad thing. The same guys that are worried about their “T” levels also have a stressful job, a nagging wife, terrible sleep quality, and shaky diets. No wonder you feel like shit! Taking a pill will not fix your life into a magical dream world where your boss is all of a sudden mother Teresa and your wife turns into a loving and caring Meghan Fox. Most of the men that I talk to are brainwashed to think that if they raise testosterone than they will be a sexual god and a beast in the gym. This is not the case. Hormonal balance is what we need to strive for. Testosterone is only one piece of the pie. Keeping the right ratios of testosterone to estrogen, decreasing insulin resistance, optimizing DHT, DHEA, and androstenedione ratios. I know this sounds complicated but if you continue reading you will find that hormonal optimization is not only relatively simple, but it is one the best decisions a man can make in life. Hormonal balance and optimization is the #1 priority when a man wants to increase vitality, energy, sex drive, confidence, healthy aggression, muscle gain, fat loss, and achieve a healthy drive and lust for life.
DHT has been given a bad rep. There is a common misconception that it may lead to enlarged prostate and possibly prostate cancer. Modern science has since contradicted this belief and DHT is making its way back into the spotlight. See, DHT is responsible for manly traits. In fact, testosterone is actually a DHT prohomormone which means testosterone converts into DHT along with a couple other things. When a man reaches an elevated DHT level he will experience a sense of well-being, drive, strength, decrease in estrogen, and a huge boost in the bedroom. Taking substances like Proscar, Finasteride, etc. will lower your DHT levels and in turn make you feel like shit. In Europe, they offer a DHT gel but in the USA, you cannot buy it without a prescription. There are a few PHs that convert to DHT that are legal and non-toxic. Those products are Forerunner 5-Alpha Test, AMS Epi-1 Test, and LG’s EpiAndro. These products are very effective in increasing DHT levels in the body but will also be suppressive. This means that when you come off these products you will have a rebound affect where you may have to run a post cycle therapy (PCT) to help restore natural hormone levels. Other than these options, eating a clean diet, keeping testosterone elevated, and staying away DHT suppressing drugs will help your body optimize itself. Basically, for the body to naturally optimize DHT, we have to optimize the other hormones that work towards that process.
Testosterone is great, but only on an individual basis. This means that different levels will be beneficial to different men. People respond differently. Testosterone does a lot of good for your body including keeping your heart healthy, maintaining and building muscle, increasing vigor and sex drive, confidence, decreasing body fat, and increasing mental clarity. The problem with testosterone is that it also converts to estrogen via the aromatizing process. An increase in testosterone will also increase your estrogen, which can lead to water retention, emotional instability, impotence, tiredness, and high blood pressure. Your body is already tuned to a point so maxing out 
testosterone levels is not always the best approach. On the other had, freeing up unused testosterone, AND keeping estrogen levels on the lower end, is one of the best ways to receive more of the benefits from hormones that you already have. There are two measurements of testosterone in the body called Free and Total. Total is the amount of testosterone that is in your body. Free testosterone is the stuff that your body can actually use. So as men, free testosterone is the only number we care about. We want out testosterone to be free to do all its manly goodness. The best natural way to increase testosterone lies in a combination of habit changes. Exercising regularly, having sex, and eating healthy are some of the most important things in maximizing testosterone. A high percentage fat diet has been shown to increase testosterone in men. I usually eat around 35%fat, 45%protien, and 20% carbs. I find that I do much better and have more energy on a high fat/low carb diet. Zinc has also been shown to increase free testosterone levels. Zinc blocks the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Zinc Citrate is the best “version” for absorption. I take zinc everyday and have been for three years now. It’s really cheap and you can find it anywhere.
This concludes Part 1 of my Hormonal Optimization Series. In Part 2 I will discuss the most anabolic hormone in the body, insulin and how to make it work in your favor. I will also be covering estrogen control and DHEA optimization.
As you go through your week, in all facets of life and your daily stresses, remember to treat the cause and not the symptoms.
Until next time.
Big Ramy’s Pre Olympia Downfall
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Big Ramy just turned 29 this month. The time has come for the young star to face the music. There is so much hype surrounding Big Ramy it’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen this much “raving” since the original Matrix came out. Needless to say, he deserves it. After sweeping the competition at the New York Pro, his first pro contest, now he’s stepping up with the big boys. The main thing that is of concern when it comes to Ramy is exactly what makes him spectacular. He’s young and he’s only been working out a few years. He has premature muscle, and a lot of it. Look at the pictures in this article and you can see what I mean. He has so much mass it is ridiculous. In fact, he will out mass every single person on the stage this weekend. But look at the lack of separation and the lack of detail. Dennis Wolf, Dexter Jackson, and Phil all look like they are hard as granite. They are peeled to the bone. This comes with muscle maturity and time. Well, in Phil’s case, it’s genetic gifts. Bodybuilding isn’t about who’s biggest, it’s about who has the best lines, conditioning, symmetry, stage presence, and density. Have you ever tried to wrestle your old man, or maybe fight with him a bit as a kid? When guys reach around 30+ they’re muscles start to mature and are deceptively strong. I call this “grown man strength.” And it’s scary. Ramy doesn’t have this. He looks soft in comparison. I don’t think he’s ready. I think he will p
lace 4-7 simply because of the political influence in bodybuilding; To “keep us on the hook” if you will. Ramy has the biggest legs in the game, but he needs separation. His trainer, Dennis James, has been working on this all year. See the image comparison below. On the right are Ramy’s legs recently. On the left are Ramy’s legs at the NYP. Dennis is throwing all sorts of crazy techniques Ramy’s way to harden up the Egyptian hulk. He is having Ramy do extremely slow reps; I’m talking 15-20seconds per rep, designed to increase density and replicate maturity. Look at Branch Warren and Dennis Wolf if you want to see what dense and mature muscle looks like. Tomorrow it starts to unfold. Everyone’s ready, and Dennis James states his muscle project, Ramy, is going to be crowned Mr. O by 2015. We’ll see Dennis, we’ll see.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Alcohol, The Truth: Effects on Insulin, Testosterone Levels, Fat Gain, and Growth Hormone
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We have all been told that alcohol causes fat gain, muscle loss, decreased protein synthesis, and decreased testosterone. I want to take a closer look at these claims, including the studies behind them (which are linked to the highlighted words below). We all bust our ass in the gym and we all deserve to know the true effect that alcohol consumption has on our body composition/strength. We all know “the athlete who sits at home while everyone else goes out for drinks.” Supposedly this behavior is in the name of performance, while I think that it may just be a bummer. I encourage you to have an open mind about the messages you’ve heard in the media as we dive into this topic a little deeper.
Binge drinking has been directly linked to causing insulin resistance in rats. This means the body is not able to shuttle glucose and fat to the proper areas, i.e. muscle tissue. A decrease in glucose uptake can result in hyperglycemia, which is a by-product of type-2 diabetes. Let me make something very clear. This information is based on a study by researchers at the Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine in New York. This study was done on rats, not humans. They provided conclusive evidence that binge alcohol use was linked with higher levels of circulating glucose, which suggests insulin resistance. I don’t find this hard to believe, but the study is simply suggestive at best, considering humans and rats have very different physiology. Again, this is binge drinking, which is defined as large amounts of alcohol often consumed over a period of 2-3days. The take home here is: Do not get hammered and eat a bunch of fat and sugar simultaneously as the already damaging effects to the body may be pronounced by the high concentration of alcohol.
There are plenty more human studies that claim moderate alcohol consumption improves insulin sensitivity (opposite of insulin resistance) and improves glycemic control. For the athlete or gym enthusiast, this means more efficient nutrient shuttling resulting in a potential increase in muscle and decrease in fat. This could be a primary reason why studies are consistently showing that moderate drinkers live longer than non-drinkers. This information spits in the face of everything that I have been taught by the mainstream health community. Looking at the studies referenced below, it is almost certain that we are healthier consuming a moderate amount of alcohol than abstaining from it.
Drinkers weigh less than non-drinkers, especially women. This is odd because alcohol is labeled as a relatively high 7.1 calories per gram. and is similar to dietary fat in terms of energy density. One theory is the affect of alcohol on appetite decreases long-term food consumption. Another is the previously mentioned increase in insulin sensitivity in moderate drinkers causing an improvement in nutrient partitioning resulting in fat loss. Alcohol acts similarly to carbs in that it suppresses fat oxidation (fat loss) so dietary fat is stored in fat cells easier. This is a result of the body reacting to insulin and not alcohol being metabolized into fat. The main culprit in fat storage resulting from alcohol consumption is the decrease in impulse control while under the influence. I am guilty of coming home after a night of drinking and pounding cookie dough and brownies until I pass out from a food coma.
You may have heard about alcohol decreasing testosterone levels in men. The fact is, this is true, but it has been exaggerated to the point of distortion. In order for alcohol to lower testosterone by a significant amount, 120g of alcohol must be consumed. 120g of alcohol is about the equivalent to 10 shots of 80proof liquor. Testosterone was reduced by 23% for up to 16 hours after ingestion. Growth hormone secretion was “reduced” as “ethanol (alcohol) profoundly suppressed the pulsatile secretion of growth hormone.” There was also a notable increase in cortisol (+36%), which can increase fat storage. In a study examining the response to 70-80g of alcohol, no effect on testosterone was noted. Basically the media snagged a couple studies and made dramatic claims about the negative effect alcohol has on testosterone. This may have happened to you when you took 10 beer bongs with your freshman buddies at that one frat house. That lifestyle aside, this study has little merit in the “responsible adult” realm.
It is not all good news for the alcohol-consuming athlete. A study using rats showed alcohol to negatively effect protein synthesis, but no human studies have been found. Chronic alcoholics, however, have been shown to adopt a decreased rate of protein synthesis in the muscle. Moderation seems to be the underlying theme here. Also, alcohol is treated as a poison in the body and becomes “the priority fuel to be metabolized.” When you drink, your digestive juices turn all their energy into digesting the alcohol. All the other food in your stomach gets last priority.
-Moderate alcohol consumption increases insulin resistance, which can result in increased nutrient partitioning and other health benefits.
-Alcohol calories are not the culprit, your drunken trips to Taco Bell are.
-The negative effect on testosterone is not applicable to moderate drinkers. If you have a night of heavy drinking, expect your T levels to drop, along with your growth hormone, for the next day. Lets not make that a habit.
-Alcohol does have a negative effect on protein synthesis in alcoholics and rats. For the rest of us humans, the jury is still out.
-Alcohol does not directly cause fat gain but it can inhibit lipolysis. If you eat a bunch of crap (fat/sugar), while in an inhibited lipolysis state (drunk), you can negatively effect your body composition.
-Alcohol that is low in calories includes dry wines, rum (and other hard liquor), and sugar free mixes. Heavy beers and sweet wines should be saved for occasions.
-Don’t take this article as a green like to go be an idiot. Be safe and use your head.
Sources:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/255716.php (resistance)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12393073 (insulin)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10636266 (life expect)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20096714 (weigh less)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18471931 (appetite)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2128439 (Test and GH)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10642377 (hormones 70-80g)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1449559 (rat study)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11115785 (treated as poison)
Everybody is taking Beta-Alanine….and taking it wrong.
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Take Beta-Alanine With Meals
Most people have caught the beta-alanine wave and those who haven’t are jumping on board to ride out the wake. This amino acid has been shown to increase strength and more notably endurance during high repetition or long exercise intervals. It will not create bulging veins and 1 rep PRs, but it is being used by many to create that endurance based edge in the gym, on the track, or during their game. Beta-alanine supplementation has been researched quite a bit recently. I stumbled across a pretty good study while surfing the web that I thought I would share with all you strength athletes out there.
Athletes will retain higher levels of beta-alanine in the body if they take it during meals or more notably, with an insulin spike. Scientists at Ghent University in Belgium are the guys to thank for this one. They found that taking the amino acid when you eat leads to a quicker increase in carnosine concentration in the muscles than when taken outside of meal times.
Carnosine is a dipeptide responsible for suppressing or neutralizing the acids that are formed in the muscles when they are exercised. You know that burning feeling in your muscles when you workout….that’s when you know that you could use a little beta-alanine (aka increasing carnosine levels) in your life. The more carnosine in your muscles, the longer you can exercise for. It’s pretty simple, and tremendous news for athletes.
Basically the body makes carnosine by attaching two amino acids together, beta alanine and histidine. The body has a ton of histidine already but not beta-alanine. That’s why taking beta-alanine from an exogenous source is a good way it increase carnosine levels in the muscles and help the athlete push farther. We have found that creatine and l-carnitine are absorbed well when levels of glucose, amino acids, and insulin in the blood rises. Will beta-alanine exhibit the same characteristics?
For 46 days, the scientists gave three different groups of test subjects 3.2mg of BA every day. This is a very low dose that they are using for the study. Usually dosing around 3-5mgs/day is optimal for performance enhancement. (PBA) took BA four times through the day between meals. (PBA + Meal) took their BA three times during meals. The last group (SRBA+Meal) used a slow releasing BA supplement 30 minutes before their meals. The researchers measured the amount of carnosine in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles of the participants before and after the experimental supplementation period.
Taking BA with meals led to a quicker and higher level of carnosine in the muscle. More specifically, carnosine rose by 57%. In the “in between meals” group, PBA, an increase of 40% was noted. The slow release BA supplement taken before the meal generated the same results as taking BA with a meal.
The muscle cells seem to absorb BA better, on average, with a spike of insulin. When you eat carbohydrates, your body produces insulin. Hence why taking BA with meals tends to be more beneficial for plasma levels of BA. Beta-alanine is mostly discarded through urine and a small amount actually reaches the muscle. This is important to note as the more bioavailable you can “make” the supplement, the better. Many people supplement BA with a pre workout. This is usually to small of a dose to do anything. According to this study, it is also suboptimal unless consuming carbohydrates at the same time.
Source:
www.Ergo-log.com
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Creatine Basics
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is the most studied supplement on the planet. It is commonly accepted that creatine is a cheap, legal, safe, and effective way to increase athletic performance. When supplementing with creatine, the body is able to replenish ATP (body’s main source of energy) quicker through a series of events after it is metabolized. The increase in ATP can result in longer and harder workouts. 95% of creatine is stored in the muscle and this comes with an increase in intracellular water. An increase in weight from 3-10lbs is common and many report an increased “pump” in the gym coupled with an increase in strength.
-Decrease recovery time
-Increase protein syntheses and minimize protein breakdown
-Muscle cell volumization (increase in size and weight of muscle)
-Increase in endurance, power, and explosiveness
-Support ATP reproduction
-Increase in brain function and alertness
Creatine is very safe and can be used with little to no side effects. It is important to drink more water while on a creatine cycle, as your body will push excess water into the muscles. Many report dehydration, chapped lips, and lethargy if water ingestion is sub optimal. High levels of creatine, and ultimately creatinine, is said to make the kidneys work harder but many studies suggest that this is not toxic or harmful to the kidneys. Those concerned with cycle length often stay “on” for 8-12 weeks and “off” for about 4 weeks. However, many bodybuilders and athletes stay on creatine year around with no adverse effects.
Doses depend on the type of creatine used. Creatine monohydrate doses range from 5-10g per day and CEE (creatine ethyl ester) may require significantly less volume as it has a much higher absorption rate. Creatine monohydrate is said to be around 10% and CEE around 90%. I have seen great results with 5g per day of monohydrate eaten with 40g of simple carbohydrates to increase absorption. Recent studies suggest that “loading” is not necessary, as previous theories would suggest. Keep it simple.
The Man Smoothie: Change your life. Change your body. Save Time.
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There are so many fad smoothies out there they have polluted Google searches to the point of exhaustion. I am here to cut through the bullshit and give you guys something you want. This is a smoothie that will give you a ton of energy in the morning, let you keep your sick days for vacation days, increase concentration, and build muscle. It sounds ridiculous, I know. Since I have been drinking this every day I haven’t been sick, had a cold, nothing for about 2 years. It is antioxidant heaven. Its good for you and it tastes good…now that’s hard to beat. The following recipe has been carved from years of failure into a work of exquisite art. I will now pass my smoothie secrets on to you.
***Buy a good blender. Look at the Blendtec or the Vitamix. The Ninja will do, but anything less than $100 is garbage and will turn out chucky and more like salsa than a smoothie.***
3/4c Frozen Mixed Berries (I buy them at Costco. Blue, black, and raspberry)
2 Whole Frozen Strawberries (Also huge bag at Costco)
2 Cups of Frozen Kale (Any kale will do. Get the deepest green you can find and throw it in the freezer
2/3 Cup Fat Free non-flavored Greek Yogurt (I but at Costco to save a few bucks but you can find this anywhere)***NOTE: you can leave this out if you are dairy free
1/2 Cup Raw Oats
8-12oz Water
3 Ice Cubes
***NOTE: If you blend the mixture on high with protein powder it will turn very frothy and be full of air. So add the protein after like described above.
I add the following but can be substituted depending on your supplement regimen:
5g Creatine Monohydrate, 1tbls Ground Flax Seed, LG EAAs and BCAAs
WHILE BULKING: Try adding 1tbsn almond or peanut butter, 2 raw whole eggs, and use VitD milk instead of water.
WHILE CUTTING: Omit the oats and the yogurt
FOR WOMEN: Omit the yogurt and add some love
Without modifications, the original smoothie above should get you around:
25-30g Protein60g Carbs1-2g FatI eat this smoothie every morning with 2 whole eggs and 3 egg whites boiled. This is great post workout as well.
ENJOY!
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Gain Muscle While Staying Lean. Train Fasted.
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a very controversial topic as of late with some of the hot dieting methods such as carb cycling and intermittent fasting. I have always been under the belief that eating every few hours is best for maintaining muscle mass, especially while in a caloric deficit. I also have been a firm believer of a high protein/moderate carb or high protein/moderate fat pre-workout meal to reduce muscle catabolism and fuel the body during training. There is some evidence out there that suggests this might not be as concrete as we have been led to believe. These studies suggest that training in a fasted state, such as when you wake up before breakfast, may create an increased response to your post workout meal creating a more anabolic state after exercise. In this article I will explain these theories. In fact, the arguments are so convincing, I have started experimenting with fasted training myself.
there is scientific support explaining the effects from two types of training; training fed, and training fasted. When we lift weights, the body responds by activating myogenic (inside the muscle) genes that control protein synthesis. P70s6 is referred to as an activator of muscle growth and often used in studies to determine the latter. In this study, they used two groups of young men and put them through a basic full body workout in a fasted state and in a fed state. The subjects that were given breakfast ate a meal consisting of 722 cals consisting of 85% carbs, 11% protein, and 4% fat. After they trained, both groups rested for a 4-hour period and drank a recovery supplement. The results show the fasted group, I will call them group F, had twice the levels of p70s6k in comparison to the other group at the 1 hour post workout mark. As time continued through until the 4-hour mark, levels started to equal out between the two groups. Here is a quote from the study:
“Our results indicate that prior fasting may stimulate the intramyocellular anabolic response to ingestion of a carbohydrate/protein/leucine mixture following a heavy resistance training session. ”
the increased levels of p79s6k may lead to a more pronounced and rapid anabolic effect by shuttling amino acids into the muscle at a faster rate. We all know that training fasted causes some degree of muscular catabolism. These findings would suggest that the body has a response that compensates the possible muscular catabolism that may outweigh the losses and cause actual gains in the long term. This is fascinating. I think that it has to do with insulin sensitivity as it is increased as glycogen stores are depleted. When your body has enough glycogen stored in the muscle, it does not respond as efficiently to insulin as not as much glucose needs to be shuttled to replace a deficiency in the muscle. When you eat a meal pre workout, your glycogen is restored. After working out fed, the rebound isn’t pronounced as you supplied much of what you need already. This results in a flat line response where nutrients are not needed for the muscle to reboot. Training fasted results in high insulin sensitivity so your post-workout meal is shuttled very efficiently and glucose and other nutrients are soaked up into the muscle like a sponge.
training on an empty stomach from here on out. If you train at night, this can be very hard to do while still getting in the calories, protein, fats, and carbs you need for the day. I suggest trying fasted training in the AM before you eat breakfast and see what you think. Drink 5-10g of BCAAs pre-workout to counter the muscle catabolism that comes from training fasted. More is explained on BCAAs positive effect on p70s6k here. I have been experimenting with this for the past week and can honestly say that I feel great. I thought I would have no energy in the gym and that my lifts would suffer but that has not been the case. I actually had a stronger deadlift the other day….go figure. Some people will take a week or so to get adjusted but my experience has been quite pleasant. It is too early to report physical results but I did take measurements prior to this experiment so I can measure my results. I will report back on what I find in a month or so. So far I feel a bit more alert in the morning and not as foggy throughout the day. I drink my pre-workout supplement in the morning and starting this week will be supplementing with BCAAs prior to training. See what you think. You can always go back to what you are doing now, but you can’t get results from something you never try.
Friday, January 10, 2014
2013 Mr. Olympia: He Will Crack the Top 6….and He Just Joined the Gym
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The year was 2010. Perhaps one of the most genetically gifted men in bodybuilding history didn’t even have a gym membership. In 2011, after working out for a year and eating as much as he could, he shot up to 200lbs. In 2012, on the Amateur Olympia stage, he stood peeled at 286lbs. His professional resume consists of one contest where he placed first in the NY Pro.
Now it is 2013 and only a week and a half until the Olympia where some of the industry’s best, like Flex Wheeler, are calling for Big Ramy to take the crown from Phil Heath. Ramy was born Mamdouh Elssbiay in Cairo, Egypt. He grew up fishing with his brother and father and now he’s knocking on the door of the Olympia, while putting his stamp on every big name muscle mag in the world.
Ramy was discovered in Kuwait and trains under IFBB pro and Team Weider prep coach Dennis James. If you GoogleDennis James, he will be with Ramy, and vise versa. James has made statements about Ramy like, “…so much potential its unreal.” He said, “Pictures do not do him justice,” and “…in person, the size and mass of Ramy is incredible!” Ramy won his 2012 Amateur Olympia class and the Overall Title, which earned him both a Pro Card and a spot on the 2013 Mr. Olympia lineup. This guy is a freak and has the genetics of a Greek god. If he can come on stage again at 285lbs conditioned, there is no one who will “out mass” him. He took pictures 4 weeks out at 310 with abs like blocks so it looks like he’s right on track.
German American Technologies, or otherwise know as GAT, sign the Egyptian masterpiece this year. They have high hopes for Ramy, saying that they have never seen an athlete with the size that he has. Ramy is excited as well saying, “I know I can count on GAT to help me continue gaining muscle at the super human speed that I have come to be known for.” No doubt, Ramy has the potential to knock off bodybuilding’s top tier; and he’s only been lifting for 3 years. His trainer has said that there is no secret supplement or food that he is implementing but sheer genetic gifts that Ramy is blessed with. I’ll say. At 5ft 9’ and 285lbs shredded, if I saw this guy on a street corner I’d throw my wallet at him and run. This year’s Mr. O line up is the most impressive we have ever seen and the competition for the top 6 is incredibly hard to predict. We at Mind & Muscle will keep you up to date with Ramy, and other surprising threats, as the stage is dusted off for the 2013 Mr. Olympia.
