Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The Truth About Building Muscle
The Truth About Building Muscle
- Copyright & Disclaimer Before beginning any new exercise, nutrition or dietary supplement
program you should consult a physician first. The information presented
herein is not meant to treat or prevent any disease or to provide the
reader with medical advice. If you are looking for specific medical advice
then you should obtain this information from a licensed health-care
practitioner.
This publication is intended for informational use only. Sean Nalewanyj
and www.MuscleGainTruth.com will not assume any liability or be held
responsible for any form of injury, personal loss or illness caused by the
utilization of this information. The individual results obtained from the use
of this program will vary from person to person and we make no
guarantee as to the degree of results that you will personally achieve.
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Table Of Contents
Table Of Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction
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Table Of Contents
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Protein Supplements
Whey Protein
Meal Replacement Powders
Protein Bars
Creatine
Multivitamins
Essential Fatty Acids
Glutamine
Beta-Alanine
ZMA
Glucosamine
Caffeine
HMB
CLA
Methoxy
Taurine
BCAA's
Chromium Picolinate
N02
Tribulus
Citrulline
Ecdysterone
Myostatin Blockers
Tyrosine
Carnitine
Morning Nutrition
Pre-Workout Nutrition
Post-Workout Nutrition
Pre-Bedtime Nutrition
Myths #1-15
Sleep
Injury Prevention
Taking Time Off
Training With An Injury
Training When You're Sick
Taking a Day Off
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Table Of Contents
*Wait!*
Heres an extremely important message for you:
Before attempting any of the nutritional, weight training or
supplementation guidelines discussed in this e-book, you MUST
get a doctors approval first!
You should have a complete physical examination, especially if
youve been living a primarily sedentary lifestyle. You also need
to check with your doctor if you have diabetes, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol or if youre over the age of 30.
Have you had any physical injuries recently or in the past that
might be affected by an intense workout program?
These are all factors that you absolutely must get checked out by
a medical doctor before you proceed any further with the
recommendations outlined here.
Get it? Got it? Good!
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 1: Introduction
Here's the scenario
It's late at night. Most of the neighborhood is asleep, but I'm still awake, sitting at my
computer desk. It's been a long day, and I'm feeling pretty relaxed with my headphones
on and a nice glass of ice water to my left.
I finish answering the remainder of my emails and have successfully completed my list of
tasks for the night. I'm not feeling super-tired just yet, so I decide to stay up and surf
the web for a little while longer.
Sitting comfortably in my reclining leather computer chair, I cruise on over to my
favorite online supplement store. My supply of multivitamins is getting low, so I decide
it's time to re-stock. I toss 3 bottles into my online shopping cart and pay the imaginary
clerk with a few clicks of my mouse (isn't the Internet great?).
I'm about to leave, but on the way out something catches my eye. It's a banner
advertisement for an online bodybuilding program. The title reads:
"Renegade Bodybuilding Guru Discovers Revolutionary, Never-Before Seen,
Underground Anabolic Muscle-Growth Breakthrough!"
Uh huh, yeah, right. I'd been involved in the bodybuilding and fitness scene long enough
to pinpoint a false promise when I saw one.
I decide to pay this website a visit just out of plain curiosity...
*Loading Homepage*
The title at the top reads:
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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Chapter 1: Introduction
being the "skinny" kid. The me of years back would have done anything to become
bigger, stronger and more muscular, but he didn't know where to start or whose
information to trust.
Eventually, he gained enough confidence and courage to make a change. He began by
dedicating every ounce of his energy toward literally consuming and digesting every
piece of available bodybuilding literature he could find.
After countless hours of research, the most important thing he came to realize was that
building muscle was NOT as complicated as all of the so-called gurus were making it
out to be. In fact, it was actually very straightforward.
There were no magical routines or secret supplements; all it took was the consistent
application of a few proven, basic principles. He then put his newly gained knowledge to
use, and didn't once look back.
So here I was, 80 pounds of solid body weight heavier, sitting in the dark, reading about
this so-called "bodybuilding guru" and his "Anabolic Muscle-Growth Breakthrough
Program."
I started thinking deeply. I envisioned all of the aspiring muscle-builders out there,
desperately plugging away in gyms the world over, hopelessly tossing weights around,
searching for that "magical" formula that would yield massive muscle gains.
Some of them would achieve impressive results and would be able to confidently say
that the effort they put in was proportionate to the changes they saw in the mirror.
Many others (actually, most others) would not find the same success. Most others would
lift until they were blue in the face, would battle through the sometimes unbearable burn
of contracting muscle fiber, would literally dedicate every inch of their being to packing
on some new muscle weight, and at the end of the day their mirrored reflection would
remain the same. How can this be?
"Renegade Bodybuilding Guru Discovers Revolutionary, Never-Before Seen,
Underground Anabolic Muscle-Growth Breakthrough!"
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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muscle, gain strength, burn excess body fat, and accomplish all of this as quickly as your
body will allow.
Some of this information you may already know, and some of it may be completely new
to you. Regardless of what you currently know or don't know, I can assure you this:
there is something here for everyone.
Do you want to learn the truth about building muscle? Well, here it is
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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Chapter 1: Introduction
I'm not saying that it's easy, but learning the proper methods and techniques to gaining
muscular size is actually fairly straightforward. The problem is that since there is such an
enormous amount of muscle-building information out there, it is extremely difficult for
the average weightlifting beginner to know where to start.
The seemingly endless heap of bodybuilding theory and science makes it nearly
impossible to differentiate between the good information and the bad information, and
believe me, there is a lot of bad information out there. This causes the majority of
people to start off on the wrong path and waste valuable time and energy in the process.
No one can blame them, because it's so easy to get caught up in this infinite whirlwind of
bodybuilding misinformation, from books to magazines to the Internet. It's so easy to
get confused of this routine or that routine, which exercises work and which ones don't,
which foods to eat and which ones to avoid.
The list goes on and on until you are eventually led to believe that building muscle is an
infinitely complex process involving rocket science precision and an intimate
understanding of human physiology.
I mean, that's what it takes to build muscle, right? Wrong!
It continues to amaze me how misguided the majority of people are when it comes to
gaining muscular size. The reality of it all is that this ultimate goal is much more
straightforward than most people make it.
So if you are one of those people who has fallen victim to muscle magazines and socalled "miracle supplements", think again. Building muscle is not a complicated process.
It is a very difficult practice to actually execute, however, understanding the basic
guidelines to increased muscle mass and strength is an entirely different matter.
What would you think if I told you that the basic principles for gaining muscle size and
strength are the same today as they were back in the 1950's, 40's and even 30's? Well,
you'd probably think I was crazy.
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It would seem obvious that with all of the rapid advances in sports science and workout
techniques things could only be getting better. However, if you look a little bit closer at
the overall idea behind building muscle, you will quickly discover that this is not the
case.
While some areas of bodybuilding (such as proper nutrition and supplementation) have
allowed today's lifters to make faster gains than those who trained years before, a lot of
areas have actually gone downhill.
Fancy chrome gyms, super-high-tech workout machines and bogus bodybuilding
magazines have blinded many of today's hopefuls and have prevented them from
making the gains they deserve.
The first thing we must do as an opening to this book is to cleanse your mind of every
piece of inaccurate bodybuilding information you have learned up to this point. We must
purge all of the unnecessary nonsense that is confusing you and pushing you farther
from your goals rather than closer to them.
Although I know this probably isn't true, and may come as a bit of an insult:
YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT BUILDING MUSCLE!
There, that's better. Don't be angry; just accept the above statement as if it were the
complete and total truth. This way we can work with a clean slate and you can be
completely open to what I tell you.
You should not be asking questions such as "why can't I do this?" or "the huge guy at
my gym said to do this." Yes, some people do achieve impressive gains in muscle mass
and strength using their own unorthodox methods, but these are simply the people who
have superior muscle building genetics and will grow no matter how they train.
The principles outlined in this book are aimed at average people with average genetics
that are looking to pack on the greatest amount of muscle that they possibly can and in
the shortest period of time.
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And I know how hungry for success you are right now. I can literally feel your musclebuilding hunger oozing through these pages.
Are you ready to set all of your fears and inhibitions aside? Are you ready to take your
body to limits you never thought possible? Are you ready to blast your entire body into a
gigantic spurt of muscular growth? Are you ready to finally be happy with your reflection
in the mirror?
Perfect!
That's what I love to hear, and that's what I am here to help you accomplish. Anyone
who is willing to make that commitment and put their body to the test deserves success.
I am here to equip you with what I believe to be the absolute best muscle-building
techniques available so that your hard work and perseverance pays off in its fullest, and
so that all of your muscle-building goals are met.
I can completely relate to anyone who is new to the weightlifting scene, and I want you
all to follow the same path that I did
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remember the jokes and insults that I endured from my classmates, and the profound
effect it had on my self esteem and on my outlook on life.
In that very moment, I took the leap of faith and made the conscious decision
to change.
I started envisioning what my new body would look like: ripped, muscular and defined.
I imagined the startled looks on my friends' faces as they stared in disbelief at my new
physique. I envisioned the attention I would get from women and could hear them
saying "flex your arm for me!" I thought about how amazing it would feel to put on a tshirt and feel the sleeves hugging my newly developed arms.
Once I was able to create a clear mental image of the body that I wanted to achieve and
could literally feel success at my fingertips, my mind took a 180-degree turn.
This was it, I was really going to do this. I had made the decision and there was no
turning back. I was going to prove everyone wrong and show them exactly what I was
made of.
If I truly wanted to be happy with my body then quite clearly the only way of
accomplishing that would be to use my own power to change it. There is nothing more to
it than that.
I decided that no matter how hard it would be, how much work it would take or how
much pain and discomfort I would have to endure; I would achieve my goal of becoming
huge and muscular.
That night I began researching, and let me tell you, there is a lot of bodybuilding
information out there. The key for me was to differentiate between the good information
and the bad information, and then put it to use.
I literally spent hours each day soaking up every piece of bodybuilding literature I could
find. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on to find out what the
absolute best methods of building muscle were.
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A lot of my earlier days were a complete trial and error process, but eventually I was
able to narrow it down far enough to figure out what worked and what didn't.
The thing that I came to realize most from all of my research and training experience
was that building muscle was actually pretty straightforward.
I realized that there were no top-secret routines or magical supplements, just a few
basic principles, which, if applied consistently, produced amazing results.
A couple of months went by, and I had gained 12 pounds. My arms had also increased
by an inch. The feeling was surreal. I could not believe that I was actually beginning to
see and feel a difference in my body. I was actually able to look in the mirror and see my
muscles becoming larger and more defined as each week passed.
Not only that, but my friends and family were beginning to take notice as well. As soon
as those first 10 pounds came, I knew I was hooked for life.
I now weigh in at a lean and muscular 210 pounds.
I cannot even begin to describe the feeling of transforming my physique from weak and
skinny to strong and muscular as a result of my own hard work and perseverance.
To go from being thin and underweight to having people asking me for bodybuilding
advice is a feeling that can only be experienced to understand. My life has completely
changed for the better now that I have pursued bodybuilding.
No matter where I go or what I do, I am always able to walk around with my head held
high. I get comments from people all the time who cannot believe the gains I was able
to make in such a short time, and without the use of steroids.
I am able to wake up everyday, look in the mirror and be overcome with a feeling of
pride, knowing that I was able to change my body through my own effort and
determination.
That's the beauty of it.
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The satisfaction of reaching your goals is a feeling unlike any other, and is something
that you must accomplish in order to understand.
Well, what are you waiting for?
The world is full of people with unrealized potential. You only live once, and there is no
reason to continue living your life unhappy with the way you look.
Your body is what houses your entire being, and when you are happy with your body,
that feeling of satisfaction and pride will carry over to every other aspect of your life.
You have all of the power you need to change buried inside of you. All you must do is
realize that potential and then put it to use. If you truly want something, then go out
and get it! I have no sympathy for a person who wants to accomplish something, has the
potential to do it, but chooses not to.
I mean seriously, let's make it count this time. Let's put all the pissing and moaning
aside and get to work. Let's stop wishing we were muscular, and get muscular.
You really do have the potential to do this.
Reaching your goal of bigger, stronger muscles is simply a matter of having the right
knowledge (the reason you bought this book in the first place), and then systematically
applying it, over and over and over again. Combine that with patience (Rome was not
built in a day) and perseverance, and you can't not be successful.
I won't lie to you; it is very hard work. I heard a quote once and it said, "Building muscle
is one of the simplest things to understand but one of the most difficult to implement."
It's so true, and is something that you must be willing to face and conquer.
Building muscle is hard!
Anyone who tries to tell you otherwise is a straight up liar.
Any advertisement you read for a book, magazine, workout gismo or miracle pill that
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tries to portray the muscle-building process as a walk in the park is simply misleading
you and trying to steal your money.
The job of this book is to deliver the truth.
The truth is that building a significant amount of muscle is a difficult task, and will
require you to face large amounts of physical discomfort in the gym and to constantly
feed yourself with proper nutrients, week in and week out.
It is all too common to see those who go to the gym for a few months and then simply
quit. I would guess that around 95% of people who embark on the journey to physical
greatness fall far short of what they had hoped to accomplish.
One of the biggest reasons for this is that most people don't really know what they're
doing. They read some bogus routine in their favorite muscle magazine, train 2 hours a
day, 6 days a week, and then can't figure out why they aren't getting results.
They end up tired and frustrated with little to nothing to show for their efforts, and soon
enough they give up for good.
This is also what makes reaching your bodybuilding goals such a huge taste of victory;
knowing that while others are failing and giving in to laziness, you're sticking it out and
becoming the best that you possibly can.
Don't become a statistic! Become a success story!
The beauty of it is that all of your passion and drive for success can be put to the best
use possible. Why? Because I am going to show you exactly what you need to know to
get the best results you possibly can.
By reading this book you will have a very significant edge over those who choose to go
about it their own way. You won't have to endure a strung-out trial and error process or
waste any of your valuable time on routines and diet plans that simply do not work.
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I will literally save you hundreds of hours of painstaking research and will lay the entire
muscle building process out for you in a simple, easy-to-understand lesson plan.
You will learn in detail about all of the most important principles when it comes to
building muscle such as intensity and progression, the most efficient workout techniques,
proper nutrition, supplementation, recovery, and everything in between.
By the end of this book you'll know exactly what you need to do to build the greatest
amount of lean muscle mass that you possibly can and in the shortest period of time.
From there on it will simply be a matter of executing the knowledge that you have
gained, and that is the hardest part by far.
You can have all the knowledge in the world but without the ability and inner-strength to
apply that knowledge you will get nowhere, and very fast. I can fill your head with all of
the best muscle-building information possible, give you a flawless workout schedule, set
you up with a highly-effective diet plan and motivate the hell out of you, but without
100% passion on your part you will not make the gains you are looking for.
In the end it all comes back to you, and to the decision that you have made.
So before we get started on the knowledge portion of this book, you must make
yourself a promise.
Right now, as you read this, you must promise yourself that you will succeed at all costs.
You must promise yourself that no matter how difficult your journey gets (believe me, it
will get difficult), or how tempted you are to give up, that you will dig down deep and
press forward.
This is the only way that you will truly reach your goal of increased muscle mass and
strength. There is absolutely no room for giving in and slacking.
I transformed my body through week after week and month after month of the same
repetitive application of a few basic principles.
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Yes, the journey got hard, and there were times when I thought about packing it in. All I
can say is that giving up would have been the worst decision I ever made.
Instead, I reached deep within myself and remembered just how badly I wanted to
succeed. I remembered staring in the mirror, unhappy and unsatisfied with the way I
looked. So instead of throwing in the white towel and giving up, I pressed forward and
continued with my hard work.
This is the same attitude you must apply, and is the only attitude that guarantees
success. It's all about passion, and without passion you have nothing. Take the leap of
faith. Make a change. Get that dream body that you deserve.
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Intensity
As I stated before, in order for the muscles to grow they must perceive the stress placed
upon them in the gym as a threat to their survival. Therefore it is only logical that in
order to yield the most dramatic response from the muscles possible, you should train to
as high a level of intensity as you safely can.
When you enter the gym, it should be as if you are going to war.
There is absolutely no room for slacking or laziness here. If you truly want to add a
considerable amount of muscle mass to your frame, you must be prepared for the
inevitable discomfort that is associated with high intensity resistance training.
You began reading this book in the hopes of building some serious muscle, and now you
must be prepared to do what it takes to achieve that. The plain reality is that you will not
make significant increases in muscle mass and strength unless you train at a level that is
at (or very close to) your maximum potential effort.
Instead of "100% intensity", I should have more accurately said "100% controlled
intensity". The goal here is not to completely annihilate your body until you can't get out
of bed in the morning.
You will be putting forth a large amount of effort every time you train, but obviously this
falls within certain limits. The idea of 100% intensity is simply this
Every set that you perform in the gym should be taken to the point of
concentric muscular failure.
Concentric Muscular Failure: The point at which you are unable to complete an
additional positive repetition of a given exercise despite your greatest efforts.
Side note: there are two basic phases to every exercise that you perform in the gym: the
positive (concentric) and the negative (eccentric). The concentric portion is the lifting phase,
such as the pressing motion of a pushup or the pulling motion of a chin-up.
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Progression
Although intensity and progression basically go hand in hand, this is without a doubt the
most important part of the whole equation.
Let's see if you can figure out why progression is so infinitely important by presenting a
basic analogy
Envision a building. A 7.0 earthquake hits and the building is severely damaged. Workers
rush to the scene to repair the damage that has been done and to protect the building
against a possible future earthquake. Sure enough, a 7.5 earthquake hits and the
building is once again broken down. The workers return and repair the building once
more. Only this time they rebuild it even larger and stronger to protect against any
possible future earthquakes. Now an 8.0 earthquake hits
Do you see where I'm going with this?
In order for the muscles to continually increase in size and strength, they must be
presented with greater and greater amounts of stress each workout.
As I said before, muscular hypertrophy is centered around the body's natural reaction of
adapting to the environment. Therefore, in order for the body to become larger and
stronger you must continually and systematically increase the amount of weight you lift
or the amount of repetitions you perform each week.
In doing this the body will continue to adapt and grow to the ever increasing stress.
Think about it; if you were able to squat 200 pounds today, and were still using the
same weight 3 months from now, do you think you would have experienced any
considerable gains in muscle size during that time?
Of course not.
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By simply increasing the squatting poundage by 5 pounds or a few reps each week you
can see how much this adds up over time. With the proper focus, one could increase
their squat by 75 pounds in just a 4-month period.
While the body's response from week 1 to week 2 would be relatively small, week 1 to
week 16 would yield a huge response in size gains. This is why it is so absolutely crucial
that you pay close attention to the amount of weight you lift each week and continually
strive for improvement.
Keep in mind that the example above is for someone who has never seriously trained
before. The amount of time you have been training with weights and the degree of size
and strength increases you receive are inversely proportional. That is, the longer you've
been training, the slower your improvements will come. You will always experience your
best gains in the first 3 or 4 months of training, and they will gradually slow down after
that.
Write It Down!
I don't care how incredible your memory is or how much you insist that you "keep
everything in your head", you absolutely must keep a written record of every workout
you perform. By doing this you will have a visual representation of the exact weight you
used and reps you performed in the previous workout.
This is an extremely powerful tool and will enable you to progress as fast as you possibly
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Chapter 2 Review
You now know that muscle growth is a product of the body's natural reaction of adapting
to the environment. In response to muscular tears brought on by resistance training, the
body will repair the muscles larger and stronger in order to protect against any possible
future threat.
Since muscle growth ultimately occurs because of the discomfort resulting from weight
training, then naturally the higher the intensity we train with, the more dramatic our
gains will be.
Although we must train as hard as our bodies will allow by taking every set to the point
of concentric muscular failure, we must also understand that training intensity and
volume are directly related.
This means that since we are training with 100% effort, we must limit the amount of
time we spend in the gym and only perform as many sets as are necessary. In doing this
we can prevent the chance of over-training and will allow our bodies to make steady,
consistent progress.
This is extremely important, because progress is the ultimate deciding factor between
those who make significant gains and those who make modest gains. In order to
consistently achieve greater and greater size and strength gains we must focus on lifting
slightly more weight or performing slightly more repetitions from week to week.
Keeping a detailed written record of every workout is the best way of efficiently
accomplishing this.
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The 5 x 5 Warmup
A solid warm-up is the first component to any successful workout. Before you move into
the hypertrophy phase and perform your muscle-building sets it is absolutely imperative
that you prepare your mind and body for the work to come.
By doing a proper warm-up you will greatly decrease your chance of injury (an injury is
the absolute last thing you want) and will ensure that your muscles are ready to deal
with the heavy weights and hard work you will be inflicting on them.
The honest truth is that 95% of lifters in the gym are dead wrong in the way they warmup. Some people avoid a warm-up altogether (a costly mistake) while others simply have
no clue what they're doing.
In fact, the majority of people warm up in such a fashion that they actually decrease the
quality of their workouts and prevent themselves from pushing the maximum amount of
weight they are capable of.
A solid warm-up should take about 15-20 minutes to complete. I know it isn't the most
enjoyable thing in the world, but trust me, when an injury takes you out of the gym for 3
months you'll wish you had taken those few extra minutes to warm up.
Now remember, a warm-up is just that, a warm-up.
In no way should you be fatiguing your body during this period. The entire basis of
building muscle is to lift the greatest amount of weight that you possibly can and for as
many reps as possible.
This is why it is absolutely crucial that your muscles are at 100% strength when the
hypertrophy phase comes. If you feel that you are getting even slightly tired or that you
are draining strength from your body, you must ease up and take things a bit slower.
The first component of a proper warm-up is to perform 5 minutes of light cardiovascular
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You don't need to become a mathematician or bring a calculator to the gym, and a few
pounds off will definitely not be a big deal. Don't get stressed out about getting these
percentages dead on. Estimate as best you can or simply calculate the numbers and
write them down before you go to the gym.
Note: If you are training unrelated muscle groups later on in the workout you may also
want to perform 1-2 very quick and light warmup sets for those as well. The first set can
consist of about 6-8 reps, and the second at about 2-3.
For example, if you train quads at the beginning of your workout and triceps later on,
you may want to perform 1-2 quick warmup sets for your triceps since they would not
have been warmed up during your quad exercises.
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Duration
The hypertrophy phase should last no longer than 60 minutes.
No, this is not some random number that I dreamt up out of the blue. It is a number
derived from basic human biology.
Why 60 minutes?
There are a multitude of reasons why you should aim to complete your muscle-building
workout within this time frame.
This 60-minute period does not include warm-up sets, but comes into play beginning
with your first muscle-building set and ends with the completion of your final musclebuilding set.
As I said before, the ultimate goal is to simply "spark" muscle growth using the least
amount of volume necessary and in the shortest amount of time. Highly intensive
training is extremely taxing on the body and it is simply unnecessary and downright
counterproductive to spend extended periods of time in the gym.
After about 45 minutes of strenuous exercise, the body releases a powerful catabolic
hormone called "cortisol" which begins to stimulate the breakdown of muscle tissue for
use as energy.
If you are aiming to gain and preserve as much muscle as possible then you must avoid
cortisol's negative effects like the plague. The longer you continue to train as this
powerful hormone is circulating in the bloodstream, the greater its negative impact will
be.
In fact, after just 30 minutes of intense training your mental focus and intensity will
begin a rapid downhill slide.
This is why 60 minutes is the optimal time frame to complete this phase. It is long
enough to complete all of the assigned exercises and sets but not so long that the
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Volume
For maximal muscle gains, perform 5-7 total sets per workout for large muscle
groups and 2-4 sets for small muscle groups.
Large muscle groups are the chest, back and thighs (Although thighs consist of
both the quadriceps and the hamstrings, they are always trained together and
well be considering them as one major muscle group.)
Small muscle groups are the shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, calves and
forearms.
When I talk about "workout volume" I am simply referring to the total number of
muscle-building sets that you will perform for each specific muscle group for each
workout.
Using this training system, you will be performing anywhere from 5-7 sets for large
muscle groups and 2-4 sets for smaller ones. Remember, this is total sets per workout,
not total sets per exercise.
For example, if you were training chest, you might perform 2 sets of bench presses, 2
sets of dumbbell presses and 2 sets of dips, for a total of 6 sets. You would NOT be
performing 5-7 sets of bench presses, 5-7 sets of dumbbell presses and 5-7 sets of dips.
This is total sets for the entire workout with all exercises combined.
And remember, this does not include warm-ups!
As stated many times before, this training system is based upon efficiency. The truth of
the matter is that as long as your hypertrophy phase is performed with 100% intensity
and all sets are taken to true concentric failure, the muscles simply do not require very
many sets in order for growth to be stimulated.
Excessive workout volume is extremely common among lifters and is one of the major
pitfalls that beginners make. The clueless beginner is stuck with the idea that "more is
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Exercise Selection
To stimulate as much muscle as you possibly can, you must focus on basic,
compound exercises.
There are 2 main types of exercises that you can perform in the gym:
Compound Exercises: Multi-joint movements which require the use of more than one
muscle group (i.e. squats, deadlifts, bench presses)
Isolation Exercises: Single-joint movements which only require the use of one muscle
group (i.e. tricep pushdowns, dumbbell raises, bicep curls)
Choosing the right exercises is definitely one of the most important decisions you will
make in the gym, and again, another gigantic mistake most lifters make.
It's kind of a contradiction for most. They are in the gym to work hard and stimulate
their bodies to grow, yet they choose the easiest and least uncomfortable exercises to
try and accomplish this.
They'll do lat pulldowns instead of chin-ups, leg presses instead of squats, machine flyes
instead of barbell presses or cable rows instead of barbell rows.
Does anyone see anything wrong with this picture?
Remember, the ultimate goal of lifting weights is to convince your body that it is in lifethreatening danger. A simple little machine flye will definitely not accomplish this.
I'll bet if muscles had a mind of their own, they'd be laughing hysterically at these wimps
trying to choose the easy way out. Give me a break.
If you want real gains, get serious. And getting serious means choosing the proven meat
and potatoes exercises which have packed the most pounds onto skinny frames than any
other. I'm talking about the basic compound movements
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Machines or Free-weights?
Free-weights are, overall, the most effective tools to stimulate muscle growth,
but machines can still have their place in a solid workout routine.
A lot of hardcore lifters and old school enthusiasts will argue that free-weights are the
only way to pack on serious amounts of muscle and that machines are simply a waste of
time.
While I agree that the basic compound free-weight exercises are certainly the most
effective lifts one can perform in the gym, machines can still have their place.
You see, this course is all about ridding your mind of conventional, illogical thinking. I
want you to forget about chrome gyms with juice bars and cell phones. Instead what I
want you to do is to look at the science of muscle growth from a new perspective, from
outside the box.
As I've said many times before, muscle growth is all about adaptation to the
environment. The fact of the matter is that there are many tools both in and out of the
gym that will stimulate muscle growth.
Heavy resistance training is undoubtedly the absolute most effective way of doing this,
however it is not the only way.
Have you ever seen the calves on most hardcore cyclists? What about the biceps on
farmers who stack bails of hay all day? As long as you present the muscles with a
workload that is beyond their capacity, they will always respond to some degree.
I was in the gym the other day and off in the corner there was a young guy performing a
set of trap-bar deadlifts. This is a fairly rare exercise to see nowadays, but is quite
effective at stimulating growth throughout the entire body, much the same as a regular
deadlift does. It is different from a regular deadlift in that the lifter actually stands inside
the bar, which encloses the lifter with its octagonal shape. This allows the exertion to run
directly through the center of the body rather than in front as a regular deadlift does.
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Rep Speed
The concentric portion of the rep should be performed as fast as possible while
still maintaining control of the weight. The eccentric portion should be
performed in 2-4 seconds.
Rep speed is another highly debated topic and when you enter the gym you'll see lifters
tossing weights around at all kinds of different speeds. Some push the weights as fast as
they possibly can while others stick with the "slower is better" mentality.
To understand the speed at which you should perform your repetitions, you must first
understand the 2 basic phases of lifting a weight:
Concentric (also referred to as the "positive"): When the muscle contracts by
shortening. This is when the muscle exerts force to move the weight against gravity. For
example, the pushing phase of a bench press or the pulling phase of a chin-up.
Eccentric (also referred to as the "negative"): When the muscle is put under
tension as it lengthens. This is when the weight is lowered towards the force of gravity.
For example, the lowering phase of a bench press or the lowering phase of a chin-up.
So, how fast should you perform your reps?
One big error a lot of lifters make is assigning a set speed to the concentric portion of
the rep. Since you'll be training with as much resistance as you can safely handle, the
weight should be heavy enough that you must exert maximum force at all times on the
positive motion.
It is extremely important that you are always in control of the weight, but it makes no
sense to say, for example, that each concentric phase should be done in 4 seconds.
Obviously reps 1-3 will be performed much faster than reps 4-7. As you get closer to
reaching muscular failure the reps will naturally slow down as you push with all of your
strength and your body's energy stores gradually run out. The rep immediately before
muscular failure may take as long as 7 or 8 seconds to perform.
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Proper Breathing
On the eccentric portion of the rep, inhale. On the concentric portion of the rep,
exhale.
Breathing properly when you exercise will actually allow you to lift more weight and will
decrease your chance of injury. It is very important that you do not hold your breath
when you lift. Since you'll be training with as much weight as you can handle, holding
your breath will cause a buildup of pressure within the body and could lead to a hernia or
even fainting.
Proper breathing is very simple, but must be correctly performed at all times. The only
thing you really need to know when it comes to this subject is this:
On the negative/eccentric portion of the rep, INHALE.
On the positive/concentric portion of the rep, EXHALE.
For example, if you were performing a bench press, you would breathe in as you lowered
the weight, and breathe out as you pushed the weight up.
That does it for the hypertrophy phase. You're almost ready to go home, but there's one
more thing you must complete...
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Frequency
Each muscle group should only be directly trained once per week.
Although this principle does not relate to what should be done during the workout itself,
I still thought I would cover it in this section since it is part of your overall workout
structure.
When it comes to training each individual muscle, one week is the optimal time frame to
allow for sufficient recovery and growth. Any more than this is counterproductive and
any less is simply a wasted opportunity.
You already know how crucial recovery is to your success, and you must put this into
practice by ensuring that your muscles have fully recovered before you train them again.
This is so absolutely critical for you to understand.
Recovery is everything!
Remember, muscle growth does not occur in the gym; muscle breakdown occurs in the
gym. When you train intensely with weights, you are damaging your muscles. It is while
you are out of the gym, resting and eating that the muscle growth process is actually
taking place.
This is the time when your body will be rebuilding the muscles larger and stronger in
preparation for the next workout. It is extremely important that you do not interfere with
this process and allow your body sufficient time to repair and heal itself before you break
them down again.
Many serious weightlifters have accepted this once-per-week training method as a solid
guideline to follow, yet very few actually abide by it.
They know that they should be training each muscle group once per week, but instead
they end up training the same muscles multiple in the same week.
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Total-Body Training
A huge tendency of people who are just beginning a weight lifting program is to neglect
certain body parts and only train their "showy" muscles. They'll put all of their effort into
select muscle groups that people tend to notice the most such as chest, biceps and abs.
It is very important that you don't allow yourself to fall victim to this ridiculous way of
thinking and instead focus on building every muscle in your body with equal focus and
intensity. The goal is to gain as much muscle size and strength as possible and that
means training your entire body.
For example, why would someone want to put more emphasis on their chest instead of
their back? Is it because the chest and the bench press have somehow become a
landmark for judging muscularity and strength? Is it because the chest is generally
considered to be more sexually appealing to the opposite sex? The reality is that 70% of
your entire upper-body muscle mass resides in your back (your lats, traps, spinal
erectors and rhomboids).
So what makes the chest so much more important? Believe me, having a well developed
back will make you appear much larger and more muscular than a well developed chest
will. I'm not saying that a big back is more important than a big chest, as they both
contribute equally to the overall package.
The point I am trying to get across is that every muscle has its own unique role in
making the entire physique come together, and certain muscles should not be favored
over others.
It is extremely important to try and develop each muscle to its maximum potential. The
biceps are no more important than the triceps just as the shoulders are no more
important than the lats. Focus on developing every muscle equally in order to end up
with a complete and symmetrical body.
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Leg Training
In no area is this lack of training equality more prominent than in most people's legs.
Everyone is so hell-bent on having a wide, thick upper body that they forget about the
other half of their muscles down below.
I cannot even begin to stress how costly a mistake this really is.
Lower body training is just as important as upper body training and if you are too lazy or
just don't care about training your legs your entire physique will suffer.
Instead of rambling on and on about why you should place equal focus on your legs, I'll
simply lay out the points for you to see
1) It looks ridiculous.
We've all seen it: guys with a massive, muscular upper body who look like they're
walking on a pair of toothpicks. This is an absolutely ridiculous look and takes huge
credibility away from the entire physique.
Imagine if the situation were reversed: a wide, thick and ripped lower-body sitting
underneath a small, smooth and undeveloped upper-body. I think you can imagine how
terrible that would look.
Being huge means being huge everywhere and it is extremely important that you strive
to remain as balanced as you can from head to toe. Having thick, muscular thighs and
calves is equally as impressive as a thick, muscular chest, back and arms.
2) Your upper-body will benefit.
Still don't feel like training legs?
Well, what if I told you that training your lower body will make your upper body grow as
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Arm Training
Another mistake most "newbie" lifers make is placing way too much focus and emphasis
on direct arm movements. They'll slave away on endless sets of barbell curls and tricep
pushdowns in the hope of developing a massive set of guns.
Arms, particularly the biceps, are another area that tend to be given special priority over
everything else. The reality is that building huge, muscular arms has very little, if
anything to do with direct arm movements.
Remember, every pressing movement for the chest and shoulders also stresses the
triceps while every pulling movement for the back also stresses the biceps. The best way
to effectively stimulate arm growth is to focus on heavy chest and back training. By the
time you finish a chest or back workout your arms will have received more than enough
stress to effectively stimulate new growth.
As you progress in weight and reps on your basic upper body compound lifts, your arms
will always follow along. I mean think about it, is it realistic that someone who weighs
160 pounds would have 18 inch arms?
Of course not.
Your arms will not experience any appreciable size gains until you pack a decent amount
of muscle onto your chest and back.
So once again, focus on total-body training and everything else will fall into place.
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Strength Imbalances
Another very important reason to train every muscle equally is to avoid developing
strength imbalances and postural problems. Over-development of certain muscles could
potentially lead to chronic problems that may eventually result in injury.
For example, if someone were to put more emphasis on pushing movements rather than
pulling movements their shoulders would begin hunching forward. This would eventually
lead to a strength imbalance and could cause rotator cuff problems. Or if one was to
neglect abdominal training they would end up with core instability and could very easily
sustain a lower back injury.
Not only is total-body training beneficial to the overall appearance of your body but it will
help to keep you injury-free as well.
It should now be pretty clear to you why total-body training is so important.
You won't have to worry about juggling all of the exercises to balance everything out as I
have already made the workouts for you.
All you have to do is make sure you follow them to a T. This will enable you to make the
best size and strength gains possible while maintaining overall balance and protecting
yourself against injuries.
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Lifting Straps
You don't need to buy a lifting belt, workout gloves or lifting chalk, but one piece of gym
equipment I would definitely recommend is a high quality set of lifting straps.
For those of you who are new to working out, these are basically just a set of thick
straps which are placed around your wrists and then wrapped around the
barbell/dumbbell. This eliminates your grip from the equation and allows you to place all
of your emphasis on the targeted muscles.
For example, you could use them for a heavy set of barbell shrugs to focus all of your
attention on the traps instead of worrying about your grip giving out. Straps can be used
on basically every back exercise or any lift where the grip is of concern. They will
definitely increase the quality of your workouts by enabling you to lift more weight and
by shifting the stress to where it counts.
Some lifters argue against the use of straps by calling them a "crutch" and claiming that
they negatively affect the development of grip strength.
So what?
What would you rather have: greater muscle mass in your lats and upper back, or
greater ability to open a jar of pickles?
Take your pick.
Your goal should be to maximize muscle gains as efficiently as possible and straps will
definitely aid you in doing this. Besides, you can very easily incorporate specific
exercises for grip strength if this if of concern to you.
Im going to close this section out with a couple more important points
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Chapter 3 Review
1) Always perform a proper warm-up consisting of 5 minutes of light cardio followed by
5 weight acclimation sets.
2) Do not allow the hypertrophy phase to last longer than 60 minutes. This phase begins
with the completion of your first muscle-building set and ends with the completion of
your final muscle-building set.
3) Each specific muscle group should only be directly trained once per week. Anymore
than this will result in over-training and will prevent your body from properly recovering
in between workouts.
4) Perform 5-7 sets for large muscle groups and 2-4 sets for small muscle groups. As
long as you train with 100% intensity and effort you will not require any more than this.
5) Your workouts should be based around heavy, compound free-weight exercises.
These movements will stimulate the most muscle fiber and will have the greatest overall
anabolic effect on your body. Machines can be fairly effective as well, but not in place of
the basic free-weight movements.
6) After you have completed a muscle-building set, you should only perform your next
set when you feel that you are 100% recovered and can perform that set with maximum
strength.
7) With the exception of certain exercises, every muscle-building set should consist of 5
to 7 repetitions. This means that the weight should be light enough that you can perform
at least 5 repetitions, but heavy enough that you cannot complete more than 7.
8) On the positive portion of the repetition, move the weight as fast as you can while
still maintaining complete control. On the negative portion of the repetition, lower the
weight in 2-4 seconds.
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9) Breathe in as you lower the weight and breathe out as you lift it.
10) When the hypertrophy phase is complete, take 5-10 minutes to stretch the muscles
you have trained. This will clear out lactic acid, prevent injury and help to maintain
flexibility.
11) After 8 continuous weeks of training, take 1 full week off from the gym. This will
allow your body to fully recuperate and will prevent overtraining.
12) Make sure to place equal focus and intensity on all muscle groups. You should not
be favoring certain muscles over others, but instead should focus on developing your
physique as equally as possible.
13) Purchase a pair of lifting straps and use them for all back exercises or any lift where
the grip is of concern.
There you have it. As far as workout structure is concerned, you've learned everything
you need to know to perform an optimal muscle-building workout.
Forget about all the crazy and innovative techniques you see people performing in the
gym, forget what the "latest breakthrough training method" has to say, and forget about
what you read in the latest issue of your favorite muscle magazine.
All you need to do is consistently follow the guidelines set forth in the previous section
and you literally cannot fail. If you follow these methods to a T you will be implementing
what I believe to be the most effective and scientifically sound workout procedures ever
devised.
The reason is because they use common sense, not random guessing. Behind every
principle lies sound evidence and reason as to why it is so effective.
Why should you train for no more than 60 minutes? Cortisol, catabolism and injury
prevention.
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This means providing your body with adequate amounts of high quality protein,
carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and water, and all at the proper times. Do not
compromise your results by brushing off the nutrition process! It is extremely important!
If you aren't going to eat properly, then you can forget about making those impressive
gains in muscle size that you promised yourself you would. There is no point in setting
foot in the gym if you are not prepared to fulfill the nutritional needs of your body after
you leave.
In fact, try training without eating properly and see how far you get. You may actually
get negative results, as you'll create a deeper and deeper nutrient deficiency within your
body. A common misconception is that as long as you exercise, it doesn't matter what
you eat.
Nothing could be farther from the truth! If you exercise it matters even more what you
eat!
An active body, especially one undergoing intense resistance training, has much higher
nutritional requirements than the average Joe who doesn't exercise at all.
You see, your body already has nutritional requirements in place simply to sustain life.
Natural processes within your body require a certain amount of protein, carbohydrates
and fats everyday. When you begin training with weights, your body will have to use a
large amount of these nutrients to deal with the damaged muscles on top of its natural
everyday requirements.
Many people consider nutrition to be even more important than what we do in the gym.
Even after you have gained a considerable amount of muscle you will still need to
continue to eat properly to maintain it. If you become lazy and let your diet slip, that
hard-earned muscle will wither away faster than you could imagine.
Studies have shown that as long as proper nutritional requirements are met, the body
will preserve its lean mass for up to 3 weeks. However, if you fail to meet your
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Your metabolism slows down, and your body goes into "starvation mode" as a natural
evolutionary response.
You must avoid this state at all costs!
Instead, you must always ensure that your body is in an anabolic state (fed), in order to
ensure that your muscle proteins are left intact.
The only way to make sure of this and keep the green light for muscle growth flashing is
to continually supply your body with high quality protein every 2-3 hours. Your body will
stay out of starvation mode, leave your hard-earned muscle tissue alone, and continue
to build and repair the damage inflicted from your workouts.
2-3 hours without protein -> Catabolism is triggered -> Muscle size decreases
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But just like anything else in life, you'll get used to it. A lot of people complain about this
aspect of building muscle and claim that "they don't have time" to prepare and eat so
many meals. Trust me, where there's a will, there's a way.
As long as you plan your day out properly anyone can squeeze in at least 5 small meals.
After you've been doing it for a while it will no longer become a chore, but rather a way
of life.
Don't worry if you have a small appetite and can't seem to eat very much at one sitting.
The most important thing at first is to make large jumps in the frequency at which you
eat, not necessarily the volume.
As your body adapts to the increased meal frequency, you will then be able to make
small increases in the volume until your total daily requirements are met.
As you can clearly see, nutrition is an absolutely vital part of the muscle-building
process. Even though you'll only spend a few hours in the gym each week, eating
properly is something that must be monitored at every waking hour of the day.
Again, it's not as hard as it sounds and after a few weeks it will no longer be something
that you have to think about, but rather something that you just do.
So, you now know that you must eat 5-7 small meals per day, spaced every 2-3
hours.
Great, but what exactly should these meals consist of?
Well, to understand why you will be eating certain foods and avoiding others, you must
first acquire some basic nutritional knowledge. I'm going to teach you about:
1) Calories
2) Protein
3) Carbohydrates
4) Fats
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5) Water
6) Alcohol
You'll learn about the important role (or detrimental role) they play in maintaining a
muscle-building environment within the body and I'll provide you with a simple method
to calculate your daily needs.
Let's begin!
Calories
Everyone is always talking about calories. Everyone wants to count them and cut them,
and almost every food item we buy has the amount of calories listed somewhere on the
package.
But does anyone really know what a calorie is?
Well, simply put, calories are fuel.
Everyday our bodies expend a certain amount of energy, and this energy is derived from
the calories that we consume through our diet. Factors affecting the rate of calories
burned include activity level, body temperature, body type and the amount of lean
muscle mass we posses.
Our bodies receive calories by consuming the 3 major macronutrients: protein,
carbohydrates and fats.
1 gram of Protein = 4 calories
1 gram of Carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of Fat = 9 calories
The most important thing to understand when it comes to calories and building muscle is
this:
In order to gain muscular weight, you must consume more calories than you
burn!
This is nothing more than simple mathematics.
If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose body weight. If you consume
the same amount of calories that you burn, your bodyweight will stay the same. So
obviously in order to gain muscular body weight your caloric intake must exceed your
caloric expenditure. If you fail to consume more calories than you burn, you will NOT
gain weight, plain and simple.
This doesn't mean that you can gorge yourself on big macs (which contain about 560
calories each), ice cream cones and potato chips and expect to see great results.
You'll gain weight all right, but not the kind of weight you're looking for! The majority of
the weight you would gain from eating those foods would be fat.
Remember, not all calories are created equally, and in order to see increases in lean
muscle mass you consume the right types of calories. What do you think would be a
better approach to building muscle, consuming 150 grams of fat or 150 grams of
protein?
Heres the bottom line when it comes to calories
1) The raw number of calories that you consume each day will determine whether you
gain weight, lose weight or maintain the same weight.
2) The types of calories that you consume will determine what kind of body weight you
gain, whether it be fat, water or muscle.
So the key for you is to consume more calories than you burn and from the proper
muscle-building sources.
How many calories should you consume each day?
The basic idea when trying to figure out your daily caloric intake is this
1) Determine your caloric maintenance level, that is, how many calories you require
daily in order to simply maintain your weight.
2) Increase your caloric maintenance level by 15-20%. This will create the necessary
caloric surplus within your body to facilitate muscle growth.
There are many different methods that can be used to determine this, and in this section
we're going to examine 3 of them...
1) The Basic Multiplier (least accurate)
2) The Harris-Benedict Formula (more accurate)
3) The Katch-McArdle Formula (most accurate)
Any of these 3 methods is acceptable in the majority of situations, but for the most
accurate reading, methods #2 and #3 are probably best.
On the following pages I'm going to explain each individual method and how to use it in
order to determine your daily caloric intake.
Protein
Protein is without a doubt the absolute most vital and important nutrient for those trying
to increase their muscle size and strength. Protein is a macromolecule that is made up of
a chain of smaller monomers called amino acids. After you consume and digest protein it
will eventually be broken down into individual amino acids to be used for literally
thousands of functions throughout your body.
Almost every single process within your body that is geared towards building muscle
mass relies heavily on this all-too important nutrient. Next to water it is the most
abundant bodily substance and can be found in every single one of the trillions of cells
you are made up of.
It is also critical in the production of enzymes, blood health and proper immune system
function. Above all, it is responsible for the growth and repair of damaged muscle tissue.
Quite simply, if you do not provide your body with sufficient amounts of protein, building
muscle will be next to impossible.
If your body were a house, consider protein to be the bricks. Your body already needs
protein for natural everyday processes, so your consumption of protein must increase as
you train with weights.
If you want to build a significant amount of muscle mass, you must pay close
attention to how much protein you are consuming each day!
If you aren't consuming the proper amount of protein from the right foods, the musclebuilding process cannot take place.
How much protein should you be consuming everyday?
For optimal gains in muscle size and strength, protein should make up 30%40% of your total caloric intake.
Do not stress out about landing on an exact percentage, but simply aim to stay
somewhere in the above range. It is not realistic that youll be measuring out your food
quantities on a precise, targeted basis every single day, so dont obsess about exact
figures.
In order to translate this percentage into a specific gram amount, we use the following
equation
First we multiply our daily caloric intake by the specific macronutrient percentage (in this
case, either 0.3 or 0.4). We then take that number and divide it by 4, since protein
yields 4 calories per gram. This will tell us how many grams of protein we need to
consume each day.
(Daily Calories) x (Macronutrient Percentage) = X
(X) (Number Of Calories Per Gram) = Daily Gram Amount
Heres an example using a daily protein intake of 40% at 3000 calories
3000 x 0.4 = 1200 (The number of daily calories that should come from protein)
1200 4 = 300 (The number of grams of protein that should be consumed daily)
An individual consuming 3000 calories daily at 40% protein would need to consume 300
grams of protein each day.
What are some good sources of protein to include in your diet?
Well, all proteins are made up of different numbers and arrangements of amino acids.
Therefore it is important to get a variety of different protein sources into your diet to
ensure that you are getting adequate amounts of essential and nonessential amino acids
to facilitate growth.
Protein sources are ranked according to the "biological value scale" which compares their
availability within the body. Don't worry too much about the BV scale because all of the
protein sources recommended in this program have their own unique benefits, and you
Eggs
Eggs rank highest on the BV scale and are an excellent protein source to have in your
diet. Eggs are extremely versatile and can be scrambled, hardboiled or fried making for a
great breakfast food. Not only does one whole egg contains about 6 grams of high
quality protein, but it is also rich in vitamins and minerals (which well talk about later).
A lot of people shy away from eggs because of their "high fat" content, but if you really
look into it this claim is somewhat misleading. The white part of the egg contains
absolutely no fat at all, and although the yolk does contain 5 grams of fat, only 1.6
grams is actually saturated fat. Eggs are an excellent muscle-building food and should
play an important role in your overall diet.
Poultry
Chicken and turkey are another bodybuilding staple and can be used to make fajitas,
wraps or are even tasty on their own. The white portion of the meat is very low in fat
and extremely high in protein. Poultry is an excellent bodybuilding choice and also tastes
great when prepared properly.
Milk
This is another great protein source and offers a variety of muscle-building benefits. It
contains about 8 grams of protein for one cup (250ml) and can easily be added to meals
to ensure that your total daily protein requirements are met.
Milk is 80% casein protein, which is the slowest absorbing form of protein available.
Casein "gels" in the stomach and can take up to 4 hours to be fully digested. This
"timed-release" effect of casein will keep your body in an anabolic state for longer
periods of time and will decrease the chances of muscle catabolism setting in.
Milk also provides a great spectrum of amino acids and contains short-chain fatty acids
which help to support muscle growth. In addition to all of this, milk is a great source of
calcium as well as other valuable vitamins and minerals.
Fish/Seafood
A can of tuna is extremely cheap and will provide your body with a solid 30 grams of
protein, zero carbs and zero fat. Tuna has been a bodybuilding staple for decades and
can be prepared in many ways. A lot of people, myself included, are not crazy about the
taste of tuna, so you'll have to be creative with it in order to make it taste good.
Salmon, cod and halibut are also great choices. Not only is fish high in protein but it also
provides the body with a high amount of omega 3 fatty acids which play a crucial role in
building muscle.
Peanut Butter/Peanuts
A lot of people avoid peanut butter because it is "high in fat". Yes, peanut butter is high
in fat, but the majority of this fat is unsaturated and is actually beneficial to your health.
Peanut butter is very calorie-dense and will leave you feeling full and satisfied.
It is a good source of protein and can be used on whole grain toast or bagels to add
extra protein to your meals. It's very important that you use natural peanut butter, as
the commercial stuff is higher in saturated fat and contains less beneficial nutrients than
the natural form.
Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese contains mostly casein protein, which, just like milk, causes it to be very
slowly digested. This will keep your body in an anabolic state for a longer period of time.
Cottage cheese is also very high in natural glutamine, which is the most abundant amino
acid in your body.
Glutamine plays a large role in immunity and in preventing muscle breakdown. You can
add flavor to your cottage cheese by mixing it with fresh fruit such as mandarin oranges
or pineapple slices.
Whey Protein
This is the highest quality protein you can possibly put in your body. Since it is
considered a bodybuilding supplement, its benefits will be covered in the supplement
section later on in the book.
Here are some protein sources that you should avoid ingesting high amounts of:
- Bacon
- Ham
- Sausage
- Whole Milk
- Luncheon Meats
- High fat ground beef
- Cheese
I would also recommend that you avoid ingesting too much soy protein (found in soy
milk or soy nuts) as this type of protein has been shown to elevate estrogen levels and
lower testosterone. If too much soy is consumed it could have a negative effect on the
muscle-building process and could also lead to an increased risk in gynecomastia.
Carbohydrates
Although lean muscle tissue is not made of carbohydrates, this nutrient is still very
important in the muscle-building process. The main function of carbohydrates is to
provide fuel for your muscles and brain. They also help to maintain an optimal hormonal
environment in your body by increasing levels of insulin, IGF-1, and testosterone.
Every meal should include some carbohydrates, as they will aid in the absorption of
protein and also help to prevent catabolism. Sufficient carbohydrate consumption will
also help to ensure that your daily caloric requirements are met.
When it all comes down to it, carbohydrates are sugar. If you were to swallow a
tablespoon full of sugar or eat a plate full of spaghetti noodles, the end result would be
the same. No matter what type of carbohydrate you eat, it will always be broken down
into its simplest form: glucose.
If the glucose is not needed in the bloodstream to be used for energy, it is converted to
"glycogen" which is stored in the liver and muscle tissue for later use. The liver and
muscle tissue basically acts as a "bank" and keep the glycogen stored until the body
needs it.
Rather than classifying carbohydrates using the traditional method of "simple" or
"complex", it is much more accurate to make your carbohydrate choices based on their
glycemic properties. In other words, we should aim to consume carbohydrates that are
broken down and released into the bloodstream at a slow, gradual pace.
in a rapid rise in energy, followed by a sharp decline. They also stimulate the secretion of
insulin from the pancreas.
You see, your body is always working to maintain a balanced state, and whenever this
balance is disturbed your body will work to ensure that it is back to normal.
When you consume high glycemic carbohydrates you are causing an imbalance in your
body's blood sugar levels. Insulin's job is to drive nutrients into the body cells in an
attempt to level this imbalance out.
When you consume high glycemic carbohydrates, you "spike" your insulin. While an
insulin spike can play an important role in the morning and during the few hours after
you workout, it should be avoided at all other times. This is because spiking your insulin
at any other time will cause your body to deposit the excess blood sugars into the fat
cells.
So unless your goal is to get fat, this is something you should try to avoid. Consuming
high glycemic carbohydrates in the morning is a good idea because your blood sugar
levels are already low, and this is a great opportunity to increase nutrient uptake into
your muscles. The consumption of high glycemic carbohydrates in the post workout
period will be discussed later on.
Examples of low glycemic carbohydrates are things like whole grains, oatmeal, non-fat
yogurt and apples.
Remember, every carbohydrate that you eat will eventually be broken down into
glucose. Your body will either use this glucose immediately as an energy source, or it will
store the glucose in your muscle tissue and liver as glycogen. If glycogen supplies are
full, (your body will typically store 90 grams in the liver and 200 grams in the muscle
tissue) your body will deposit the glucose into your fat cells.
The goal of carbohydrate consumption is to eat just enough to fully fuel your tasks for
the day without going overboard.
How do we know if a carbohydrate is high glycemic or low glycemic?
One useful tool that we can use is The Glycemic Index, or GI for short.
The GI is basically a chart that ranks carbohydrates from 0 to 100 based on how fast or
slow they raise blood sugar levels in a 2-hour period after they are consumed.
The GI chart ranks the effects of various carbohydrates on blood sugar levels compared
to the effect of consuming pure glucose, which has a GI ranking of 100. A lower number
indicates that a particular food has a smaller effect on blood sugar levels. For example, a
grapefruit has a GI ranking of 25. This means that eating a grapefruit will raise blood
sugar levels 25% as high as pure glucose will.
In general, low glycemic foods are those with a GI ranking of 55 or less; medium
foods would have a GI score of 56 to 69; while those foods that score 70 or above on the
glycemic index would be considered high.
Since the glycemic index bases its rankings on blood sugar effects, and since steady
blood sugar levels are really the ultimate goal of proper carbohydrate consumption, it is
obviously a very useful tool for those wishing to lose body fat.
Is the GI the be-all-end-all of wisdom about carbohydrate consumption?
the only thing to consider when making carbohydrate food choices, but it most definitely
IS a very useful tool.
My basic overall view on the glycemic index is this:
Natural carbohydrate sources that have a low GI ranking are almost always
acceptable choices. However, carbohydrate sources that have a high GI ranking
are not necessarily unacceptable choices.
Again, this is mostly due to the fact that when consumed in combination with other
foods, GI rankings can be lowered significantly.
If the glycemic index doesnt tell us the whole story, what is another criterion that we
can use in combination with it to figure out which carbohydrate sources to include in our
diet?
The final issue well discuss is a big one, and it is the issue of natural carbohydrate
sources versus refined carbohydrate sources
Refined carbohydrates are foods where the high fiber bits (the bran and the germ) have
been removed from the grain. White rice, white bread, sugary cereals, and any item
made from white flour are all examples of refined carbohydrates.
When a carbohydrate is refined, its complexity is broken down and it is basically
transformed into a simple carbohydrate that raises blood sugar levels quickly. For this
reason, refined products of any kind are not recommended for muscle building nutrition
plans.
Most people today eat a diet thats very high in refined carbohydrate sources, and this is
definitely a huge contributing factor to the current obesity problem in North America.
Our focus should be on eating natural, unrefined sources of carbohydrates which still
contain the whole grain, including the bran and the germ. These carbohydrate sources
are high in fiber and take longer to digest in the body. Eating unrefined carbohydrates
wont cause a spike and then a crash in your blood sugar levels if you consume them as
part of a balanced meal. Unrefined carbohydrate sources also have far greater nutritional
value, whereas refined sources often provide very little to no nutritional value at all.
How do you know if a carbohydrate is refined or unrefined?
The best way to determine this is to read the ingredient list.
When you look at an ingredient label for a product such as bread or cereal, check to see
if the first ingredient listed is whole wheat flour, brown rice, rye flour, barley, or oats. If
it is, that means that you are getting a lot of unrefined, whole grain goodness.
Once you start regularly reading ingredient lists on food items, youll notice another term
on the majority of bread products made in the US: enriched wheat flour. Enriched wheat
flour is NOT the same thing as whole grain. This term simply means that the refined
grain has had some of the vitamins and one mineral added back to it. You will also see
enriched wheat flour listed as bleached flour, bread flour, all-purpose flour or cake flour.
In addition, watch out for terms such as rice syrup, corn syrup, sucrose and brown
sugar. These are all refined sugars that are commonly added to food items. These
refined sugars are empty calorie foods that will upset your blood sugar balance and will
probably set off food cravings shortly after you eat them.
One of the simplest questions you can ask is to determine whether the food item youre
consuming went from its natural source to your plate without being modified. If the
answer is yes, then its probably fine to include as a carbohydrate source.
Weve covered a lot of information in regards to carbohydrate food sources so far. The
biggest problem with discussing this topic is that its not a cut and dry issue, and there
are many smaller details to pay attention to.
Here are a few guidelines for you to follow when deciding which carbohydrate sources to
include in your muscle-building nutritional plan:
1) In general, you should avoid all refined carbohydrate sources of any kind except on
rare occasions.
2) Unrefined starchy carbohydrate sources should make up the bulk of your
carbohydrate intake.
3) Vegetables of all kinds are acceptable, but because they are so low in calorie-density
they are not ideal for individuals looking to build muscle and gain weight quickly.
4) Fruit sources on the medium to lower end of the glycemic index are acceptable with a
maximum of 3 pieces per day.
5) Low fat and non-fat dairy products are fine to include.
The bulk of your muscle-building carbohydrate sources should be derived from natural,
unrefined starchy carbohydrate sources such as oatmeal, whole grains, potatoes, yams
and brown rice. These sources will be broken down slowly and gradually when consumed
as part of a complete meal, and are more calorie-dense than other carb sources.
Your secondary sources should be derived from fresh, low-glycemic fruits and low-fat
dairy products.
Vegetables are fine to include, but keep in mind that they are very low in calories and
thus are not ideal for individuals trying to maximize their caloric intake without
consuming massive quantities of food.
Refined sources of carbohydrates should be completely eliminated except on rare
occasions.
Here is a basic list of carbohydrate food items you can use to structure your diet with
Rating
Bakery Products
Pound cake
Danish pastry
Muffin (unsweetened)
Cake, tart
Cake, angel
Croissant
Waffles
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
Soya milk
Apple juice
Carrot juice
Pineapple juice
Grapefruit juice
Orange juice
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Digestives
Shortbread
Water biscuits
Ryvita
Wafer biscuits
Rice cakes
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
High
Beverages
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
High
High
All-Bran
Porridge, non instant
Oat bran
Muesli
Mini Wheats (wholemeal)
Shredded Wheat
Golden Grahams
Puffed wheat
Weetabix
Rice Krispies
Cornflakes
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
High
High
High
High
Biscuits
Breads
Breakfast Cereals
Glycemic Number
54
59
62
65
67
67
76
30
41
45
46
48
52
58
64
65
67
77
77
48
50
57
60
61
64
69
71
73
95
42
49
55
56
57
69
71
74
77
82
83
Cereal Grains
Pearl barley
Rye
Wheat kernels
Rice, instant
Rice, parboiled
Barley, cracked
Rice, brown
Rice, wild
Rice, white
Barley, flakes
Taco Shell
Millet
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Medium
25
34
41
46
48
50
55
57
58
66
68
71
Dairy Foods
Cherries
Grapefruit
Apricots (dried)
Apples
Pears
Plums
Peaches
Oranges
Grapes
Kiwi fruit
Bananas
Fruit cocktail
Mangoes
Apricots
Apricots (tinned in syrup)
Raisins
Pineapple
Watermelon
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
High
Fruits
Pasta
14
24
27
32
32
34
50
61
22
25
31
38
38
39
42
44
46
53
54
55
56
57
64
64
66
72
27
32
35
37
39
41
45
55
64
92
Root Crop
Carrots, cooked
Yam
Sweet potato
Potato, boiled
Potato, new
Potato, tinned
Beetroot
Potato, steamed
Potato, mashed
Chips
Potato, micro waved
Potato, instant
Potato, baked
Parsnips
Peanuts
M&Ms (peanut)
Snickers bar
Chocolate bar; 30g
Jams and marmalades
Crisps
Popcorn
Mars bar
Table sugar (sucrose)
Corn chips
Jelly beans
Pretzels
Dates
Low
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
Medium
High
High
High
High
High
39
51
54
56
57
61
64
65
70
75
82
83
85
97
Soups
15
32
40
49
49
54
55
64
65
74
80
81
103
Low
Low
Medium
Medium
Artichoke
Asparagus
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green beans
Lettuce, all varieties
Low-fat yogurt, artificially
sweetened
Peppers, all varieties
Snow peas
Spinach
Young summer squash
Tomatoes
Zucchini
Soya beans, boiled
Peas, dried
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
Low
15
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
15
15
15
15
15
15
16
22
38
44
64
66
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
Low
High
29
29
33
38
41
42
48
52
52
79
Fiber
Fiber is found in the cell walls of plants and plays an important role in proper digestion
and in promoting overall health. It is actually a carbohydrate but because of its chemical
structure it is indigestible to humans. Our enzymes simply cannot break this nutrient
down into its basic glucose monomers and therefore it remains completely intact as it
travels through your body.
So if it can't be broken down, what makes it so important?
Well, even though it is considered "nonessential", it still plays an integral role in your
overall diet. It is most well known for its ability to produce regular bowel movements.
Why is this so important to us?
Well, since you are trying to build as much muscle as possible, you will be consuming a
considerable amount of animal meat. If meat stays in your digestive tract for too long it
can produce toxins, which, although not immediately harmful, can have long-term
negative health effects.
This is why it is very important to ensure that foods are moving along smoothly through
your digestive system, and this can be accomplished by consuming adequate amounts of
fiber each day.
Fiber is also beneficial in its "timed release" effect on the food you eat. When you
consume foods containing fiber, they become "gelled" in your stomach and slow down
the rate at which foods are moved from your stomach to your small intestine. The small
intestine is where most nutrients are absorbed and pumped into the bloodstream. By
slowing down the transfer of food to the small intestine your body will be able to extract
the nutrients much more efficiently. This will also keep your body in an anabolic state for
longer and decrease the chances of muscle catabolism setting in.
Along with its digestive benefits, fiber has also been known to lower blood sugar levels.
This will result in a more gradual release of sugars into the bloodstream which will
decrease the chances of unnecessary insulin spikes and fat storage. This will also allow
your body to increase its natural production of this powerful anabolic hormone without
having to increase the consumption of simple carbohydrates.
How much fiber should you consume each day?
Of your total carbohydrate consumption, around 25-35 grams of that should be fiber.
Some good sources of this nutrient are fruits, vegetables, oat bran, beans, grains and
psyllium.
Fats
For those trying to add as much muscular weight as possible while limiting their body
fat, this nutrient may come as a bit of a scare. For decades we've been told to follow a
low-fat diet for fear of high cholesterol levels and obesity. Everywhere you go you'll see
ads for "low-fat" foods as we have been taught to avoid this nutrient at all costs.
Well, you can stop being afraid of fats because the reality is that they play a very
important role in the muscle-building process and overall health in general. Not all fats
are created equally though, and the important factor here is that you consume the right
types of fat and in the right amounts.
Fats are the most dense energy source available and provide your body with 9 calories
for every gram. If you've been paying attention then you'll notice that that's more than
twice the amount of calories of protein or carbohydrates.
Because fats yield such a high number of calories you can only consume smaller
amounts before your caloric intake shoots too high.
Fats are typically found in animal and vegetable tissue and come in two basic forms:
saturated and unsaturated. The saturated fats (which generally come from animal
meats) are solid at room temperature while the oils (derived from plants) are liquid.
Saturated fats are generally considered to be the "unhealthy" fats. While your
consumption of saturated fats should be fairly limited, they do offer certain benefits such
as their mood-enhancing effect and their ability to improve brain and nervous system
function. Saturated fats also play an important role in the production and maintenance of
testosterone.
Although they do have certain benefits, saturated fats can have a fairly significant
negative effect on heart health and cholesterol levels. All in all you should try to limit
your intake of saturated fats and instead focus on unsaturated fats, otherwise known as
the "good" fats.
Unsaturated fats are derived from sources such as fatty fish (like salmon), dark leafy
vegetables , nuts, avocados, seeds and liquids such as flaxseed oil and olive oil.
They are a great source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which play many
important roles in muscle building and in overall health. They help to lower bad
cholesterol levels and play an important role in proper brain and central nervous system
function.
In addition, unsaturated fats regulate blood pressure, fight inflammation and also help to
maintain the strength of the immune system. The reason they are referred to as being
"essential" is because our bodies cannot produce them on their own and therefore they
must be consumed through our diets.
How are essential fatty acids beneficial to those trying to build muscle? Well, how about
this:
1) Increase testosterone production: testosterone is the most important musclebuilding hormone in your body.
2) Increase growth hormone secretion: another very important anabolic hormone.
3) Improve insulin action: this will drive higher amounts of muscle-building nutrients
into your cells.
4) Improve energy production of cells: this will give you more energy and strength
in the gym.
5) Increase nitrogen retention: since protein is the only macromolecule that contains
nitrogen, and since muscles are a major storage area for protein, increased nitrogen
retention indicates an increase in lean muscle mass.
6) Improve metabolism: this will result in lower gains in body fat.
Sounds pretty good, hey?
Well, it is, so make sure you keep your unsaturated fat intake high. A great way of doing
this is to add flaxseed oil and extra virgin olive oil to your diet. I use a tablespoon of
each in the morning and again at night. I'll talk about that later on in the supplement
section.
So we've established that saturated fat intake should be limited, and unsaturated fat
intake should be fairly high. Before I talk about any kind of set daily amount I'd first like
to talk about one more type of fat, and the worst by far: trans fat.
This type of fat is found in foods that are cooked with hydrogenated oils such as fast
food or French fries.
These highly unhealthy fats result in a huge elevation of bad cholesterol and actually
lower good cholesterol levels. Trans fats inhibit fat loss, mutate cell membranes and
have a negative effect on cell function.
Not only that, but they can actually promote muscle catabolism. These fats should be
consumed in very limited amounts! Check the labels on the foods you buy and also avoid
too many deep-fried foods.
So, how much fat should you be consuming everyday?
You should aim to have 20%-30% of your daily calorie consumption come from
fats.
You can calculate this number using the same method as outlined in the protein and
carbohydrate section. Just keep in mind this time that fats yield 9 calories per gram as
opposed to 4.
So, if your daily caloric intake is 3000 calories at 25% fat:
3000 x 0.25 = 1200 (The number of daily calories that should come from fat)
750 9 = 83 (The number of grams of fat that should be consumed daily)
Water
Water is an absolutely critical component to the muscle building process and to overall
body health. Failing to keep yourself properly hydrated throughout the day will have a
negative impact on literally every single process within your entire body!
Most people know that they should be drinking "plenty" of water throughout the day, but
how many actually do? If you really paid close attention to your water intake you'd
probably be surprised at how little you actually consume.
What makes proper water intake so amazingly important? Well for starters, it is the most
abundant element in your body. It is ranked only 2nd to oxygen as being essential to
life. Quite simply, water is life. Your body can survive for weeks without food, but
without water you'd be dead in about 3 days.
Roughly 80% of your body is made up of water; the brain is 85% water and lean muscle
tissue is 70% water.
To demonstrate the importance of water in everyday functions let's take a look at some
interesting facts:
The Amount of Water Lost Each Day Through Normal Bodily Functions:
16oz is lost through perspiration
16oz is exhaled as water vapor
48oz is needed for proper function of the kidneys and intestines
That's a total of 80oz, or 10 cups, merely to survive! The perspiration resulting from
intense exercise will shoot that number even higher. So you can see how important it is
to ensure that you are properly hydrated everyday.
As I said before, 70% of your lean muscle is comprised of water. 70%! It is very
important that you keep your muscle cells fully hydrated at all times.
In doing this not only will your muscles appear larger and fuller, but it will also keep your
strength and power output at its maximum potential.
Research has shown that being even slightly dehydrated can decrease strength and
physical performance significantly. In fact, merely a 3-4% drop in your body's water
levels will lead to a 10-20% decrease in muscle contractions.
As you already know, building muscle is all about moving maximum amounts of weight
for maximum repetitions, and therefore it is critical that you ensure your strength levels
are naturally peaked before you enter the gym.
Not only will water increase your strength, but it also plays a large role in preventing
injuries in the gym. Highly intensive training over a long period of time can put
unwanted stress on your joints and connective tissue (we'll talk more about injury
prevention later on). Water helps to fight against this stress by lubricating the joints and
forming a protective "cushion" around them.
Along with protecting your joints, water is vital in the process of digestion. We've already
talked about how crucial protein consumption is to gaining weight, but without proper
amounts of water you will not receive full benefit from the foods you eat.
Anytime you consume a macromolecule, such as protein, your body must break this
large molecule down into smaller pieces for absorption. In the case of protein, you will
be breaking it down into amino acids. Your body can only break down the protein into
amino acids if water is present.
So, in order to ensure that your body is utilizing all of the nutrients you consume, you
must ensure that your water intake is high.
It doesn't end there.
Water also plays an important role as a temperature regulator by keeping the skin moist
through perspiration. It also helps the body to remove unwanted waste products from
the body cells through expired air, sweat, feces, urine, blood and the lymphatic system.
In addition to all of this, water helps to carry nutrients around the body so that they can
be used where they are needed.
In addition to its many positive effects on performance in the gym, injury prevention and
digestion, water also has a direct effect on your bodys ability to burn fat. Heres why
One of the primary jobs of the liver is to metabolize fat. However, another one of the
livers duties is to help perform the work of the kidneys when they arent functioning at
full capacity. The main function of the kidneys is to flush out waste products from the
body through the urine. When your water intake is less than optimal, the waste products
will accumulate in the body and will force both the kidneys and the liver to work extra
hard to clear out the waste.
When you deprive your body of water, you actually force your liver to divert its focus
from doing its regular jobs to performing the work that the kidneys were supposed to do.
This means that the liver will not be able to metabolize fat as efficiently as it would if the
kidneys had been originally provided with all of the water they needed in the first place.
So in reality, water intake has a direct positive effect on your bodys ability to metabolize
fat efficiently.
I think everything you've read so far should be reason enough to pay closer attention to
your water intake.
So, just how much water is enough?
To find out how many ounces of water you should be consuming every day,
multiply your overall bodyweight in pounds by 0.6.
So if you weigh 150 pounds, you should be consuming around 90 ounces of water every
day.
150 x 0.6 = 90
I know it sounds like a lot, but if you plan your day out properly it shouldn't be a
problem.
Keep a water bottle with you at all times and sip from it periodically. Keep water in the
places where you spend most of your time: in your car, at work, on your nightstand.
Another good method to ensure that you drink enough water is to pre-fill a few 16 ounce
bottles at the beginning of the day. This way you can have a visual representation of
where your water consumption is at any point in the day.
For the first few days you'll probably find yourself running to the bathroom quite
frequently, but your body will soon adapt to the increased water volume and this will no
longer be a problem.
On workout days you should consume 16 ounces before your workout, 16 during your
workout and another 16 following your workout.
Although there are many deciding factors, a good general way to gauge your body's level
of hydration is by the color and smell of your urine. Your urine should always be on the
clearer side and should be fairly odorless if your body is receiving all of the water it
needs. And remember, if you are thirsty, then you are already dehydrated!
On another note, coffee, tea and soft drinks, although liquids in themselves, do not fully
hydrate the body due to their caffeine content.
Caffeine is a diuretic and shuts off a hormone that regulates water content in the body.
In general, you should only add half of the liquid content of these drinks to your daily
water intake. For example, if you consume an 8oz cup of coffee, you should only add 4
ounces of that to your daily water intake.
Alcohol
Alcohol is one of the world's oldest and most widely used drugs. Although it is made
from the seemingly harmless substances of grain, juice and honey, its consumption can
pose numerous threats that will affect you both in and out of the gym.
While alcohol does have a few positive benefits when consumed in moderation, the
negatives are far more prominent and numerous. So, does alcohol have any significant
negative effects on building muscle?
The answer to this extremely common question is yes!
Excessive consumption of alcohol will have a fairly significant negative effect on your
workout performance and on your resulting strength and size gains. I'm not here to tell
you that you can't drink if you want to build muscle, but you should definitely be aware
of how this drug (yes, alcohol is a drug) is affecting your gains.
All I'm going to talk about is how alcohol negatively affects the muscle-building process
specifically. This is not an anti-drug speech and the choice is ultimately up to you. This
book is called "The Truth About Building Muscle", not "The Truth About Staying Healthy."
So, how will alcohol prevent you from gaining the greatest amount of size and strength
possible?
Well
1) It negatively affects protein synthesis.
Protein synthesis is the process by which amino acids are joined together to form
complete proteins. Excessive consumption of alcohol has been shown to slow down this
process by as much as 20%! That's a huge decrease, and since muscles are made of
protein you can see how this would be a problem. The slower the rate of protein
synthesis, the slower your body will synthesize new muscle tissue.
Vitamin A, C, the B's, calcium, zinc and phosphorus are all drained at rapid rates. Not
only will this negatively impact the utilization of protein and carbohydrates, but it will
literally have an effect on every single process going on in your entire body.
6) It increases fat storage.
Alcohol contains 7 empty, worthless calories per gram. That's almost twice the amount
of protein and carbohydrates with virtually no nutritional value. The excess calories will
lead to an increase in body fat, as will alcohol's negative effect on the Kreb's Cycle,
which plays a large role in fat burning. Alcohol also impairs the production of certain
enzymes produced by the pancreas that metabolize fat. So if your goal is to achieve a
body that stores fat easily and has trouble gaining and maintaining lean mass, drink
away!
These are the main effects alcohol will have on your body when it comes to building
muscle.
So how much alcohol is too much?
Well, if you want to gain the absolute greatest amount of muscle size and strength
possible, you should ideally avoid getting drunk altogether. Notice that I said getting
drunk. There is a big difference between getting completely hammered and just having a
couple of drinks every now and then.
A couple of drinks (where a couple means 2, not 3, 5 or 12) on the weekend shouldn't
pose too much of a problem, however, getting highly intoxicated is a completely different
story.
Its important to have fun in life, but too much fun can lead to problems. If youre
serious about achieving significant muscle-building results, you definitely need to
monitor your intake of alcohol and make sure that you are consuming it in moderation.
A couple drinks here and there shouldnt be a problem, but if you find yourself getting
drunk more than once a month you can almost certainly guarantee that your gains will
be compromised.
If you do decide to go out and party, make sure to drink plenty of water and to properly
nourish yourself with vitamins/minerals and a protein rich meal.
I dont recommend revolving your entire life around your muscle-building program, so
dont be afraid to go out and have a good time once in a while. Just make sure to keep
your drinking nights infrequent (no more than once a month) and properly nourish
yourself to lessen its effects.
As long as you monitor what youre doing you can achieve an impressive physique and
have a social life at the same time.
Building muscle is all about making sacrifices. If you want to be the best you can
possibly be then there are certain things you'll have to live without.
You know what you're up against, so you make the choice. If you do decide to go out
and get hammered, then follow these steps to lessen the impact...
1) Have a protein rich meal before you go to bed. This will help to keep your body
in an anabolic state and prevent muscle breakdown.
2) Take a multivitamin/multimineral supplement. Since alcohol robs your body of
vitamins and minerals, taking a high-potency vitamin before bed will help to replenish
your body's stores and also help to prevent a hangover
3) Take 5-10 grams of glutamine. This highly anti-catabolic supplement will ensure
that your body stays in an anabolic state while you sleep and will help to spare muscle
tissue through the night. (We'll talk more about glutamine in the supplement section.)
4) Drink 16-20oz of water before bed. This will help to re-hydrate your muscles as
well as the rest of your body and will also help to prevent a hangover.
5) Eat a big breakfast rich in protein. This will get you back on track and feed your
body with the muscle-building nutrients it has been depleted of.
While this certainly wont eliminate the negative effects of the alcohol, it will definitely
help to minimize them.
since consuming higher amounts of these nutrients will be beneficial to your gains. Fat
intake should still be monitored because going too far over the upper limit of your
recommended amount will probably do you more harm than good.
Also remember that you do not have to eat clean all the time!
Don't be afraid to cheat every once in a while and go for that big mac you've been
craving. If you force yourself to eat squeaky-clean foods all the time you'll go crazy.
Believe me, if all you eat is tuna and oatmeal day after day you'll very quickly become
sick of these foods and will probably begin to dread the idea of even looking at them.
Those who are on specific diets to lose weight must monitor their food intake much more
closely than those who are on diets to gain weight. Your main focus should be to eat lots
and eat often in order to keep your body in an anabolic, muscle-building state at all
times.
Remember, if during your journey to increase muscle mass and strength you end up
putting on a bit of extra body fat, don't worry! You can very easily manipulate your diet
and exercise program later on in order to strip off this excess body fat.
Also, one of the most important factors that determines your resting metabolism is the
amount of lean mass on your body.
Chapter 4 Review
1) You must consume a meal at least every 2-3 hours. If you fail to do this, your body
will enter into a catabolic starvation mode and will begin breaking down muscle tissue to
obtain a source of protein and energy.
2) Eating every 2-3 hours means that on any given day you will be eating 5-7 meals. It
may seem like a lot at first, but as long as you plan your day out properly you shouldn't
have any problems. Purchasing a basic protein powder or meal replacement will make
this process much easier. (You'll learn more about this in the supplementation section)
3) In order to gain muscular body weight, you must consume more calories than you
burn. You can determine caloric intake using the Basic Multiplier, The Harris-Benedict
Formula or the Katch-McArdle Formula.
4) Protein is the most important muscle-building nutrient. Among literally thousands of
bodily functions, protein is responsible for the growth and repair of damaged muscle
tissue. Protein should make up approximately 30%-40% of your total caloric intake.
Some good sources of protein include eggs, lean red meat, poultry, cottage cheese,
seafood, skim milk, peanuts/natural peanut butter and whey.
5) Carbohydrates are responsible for providing your brain and muscles with energy. The
majority of your diet should consist of natural, unrefined carbohydrates, as these forms
are broken down gradually in the bloodstream and will keep your energy and blood sugar
levels constant. Roughly 35-45% of your total caloric intake should come from
carbohydrates.
6) Fiber helps to clear out the toxins produced by meat in the intestinal tract. It also
helps the body to maintain regular bowel movements and consistent blood sugar levels.
You should consume 25-35 grams of fiber everyday.
7) Fats perform many important functions in the body and also play a critical role in the
muscle-building process. Not all fats are created equally, and you should strive to have
the majority of your fat intake coming from the unsaturated form. Roughly 20%-30% of
your total caloric intake should come from fats.
8) Water performs endless functions within the body that are beneficial both to the
muscle-building process and to overall health in general. You should be drinking 0.6
ounces of water per pound of body weight each day.
9) Alcohol can have a fairly detrimental effect on the muscle-building process and should
be consumed in moderation. Alcohol lowers protein synthesis, disrupts your sleep,
decreases your strength and energy levels, depletes the body of vitamins and minerals,
increases fat storage and also lowers testosterone levels.
10) Do not become overly obsessed with counting calories and nutrient percentages.
Everything I've outlined is merely a rough estimation of how you should be eating.
11) Don't be afraid to cheat once in a while. If you're craving some junk food, it won't
hurt to indulge every now and then.
12) Consistency is everything!
There is such an enormous amount of misleading information posted all over the internet
and in books and magazines that will only serve to confuse and frustrate you. Building
muscle is all about being able to differentiate between good and bad information, and
then consistently apply it.
I don't work for a supplement company, nor do I stand to gain any benefit at all by
misleading you. I am simply here to give you the absolute most effective methods to
pack as much muscle onto your frame as possible.
Supplementation is a very important part of the muscle-building process to understand
simply because there is such an incredibly gigantic amount of straight up lies out there
when it comes to this topic.
So, what is the truth about supplements? Let me first start off by saying this
In order to build muscle size and strength, supplements are not mandatory.
There, I said it.
Regardless of what the million dollar magazines would have you believe, you don't have
to use supplements in order to get bigger and stronger. Anyone who trains hard and
feeds their body with sufficient amounts of muscle-building nutrients from natural foods
can experience appreciable gains in size and strength.
Do you think that back in the 1940's guys were pounding back "Fruit Punch Flavored
Super Cell Volumizing Creatine Cocktails" after their workouts? No, they were eating
steak with potatoes and washing it down with milk.
It wasn't until 10 or 15 years ago that supplements really became a big part of the
bodybuilding industry, and people were getting huge long before that.
Nowadays our minds are absolutely flooded with advertisements for get-big-quick pills
and powders. Just flip open any muscle magazine and really pay attention to how large a
portion of that publication is dedicated to supplement advertising. The truth is that a
large portion of the supplements you see posted all over the pages of your favorite
muscle magazine are ineffective, inefficient and waste of your hard earned money. They
promise huge gains in minimal time, and far more often than not they fall short of their
promises.
So why is everyone buying them?
Well, you'd be surprised at how effective a well-planned marketing campaign can be.
People are a lot more gullible than they think, and any supplement that promises huge
gains in size and strength is sure to sell. A popular supplement company could fill a
capsule full of crushed pig bones, call it a "revolutionary step forward in weight gaining
supplementation", and people would most likely buy it.
It doesn't matter whether it works or not, once the consumer buys it, his or her money
is gone.
By now you're probably thinking that this book is completely anti-supplement and that
there is no need to invest in any of these products.
Well, not so fast.
Like I said before, I'm here to deliver the truth. The truth is that a large portion of
bodybuilding supplements available today should be avoided. Most of them deliver falsehope and are far overpriced.
However, (and that's a big however) there are some supplements, which, if used
correctly, can provide considerable results and very good bang for their buck. By using
the right supplements in the right amounts, you'll be able to reach your muscle-building
goals faster than you would without them.
There are a few diamonds hidden in that gigantic pile of garbage, and I'm going to teach
you how to find them. Forget everything you read in the magazines or what your buddy
at the gym told you, because this section will cover everything you need to know when it
comes to supplements.
So like I said before, you don't have to use supplements. You can definitely make good
gains without them, and as long as you supply your body with enough whole food you
should be okay.
But if you want that extra edge and convenience factor that supplements can provide, I
would definitely consider investing in the few basic, scientifically-backed products that I'll
recommend.
If there's one advantage that today's lifters have over those who trained prior to the last
15 years, supplements are it.
A proper supplementation plan will allow you to recover faster, increase your workout
performance and push your body's muscle-building potential to an even higher limit.
Supplements basically take the "good stuff" from certain foods and put them in one place
for you to consume.
Whey protein, creatine, glutamine, vitamins and minerals; these can all be found in
natural foods that are a part of your everyday diet. Supplement companies are able to
isolate these extremely valuable muscle-building substances and conveniently package
them in one place.
For example, one bodybuilding supplement that I would definitely recommend is creatine
monohydrate. Creatine is found naturally in fish and red meat, but in order to consume a
highly beneficial amount of creatine you'd have to eat about five steaks everyday.
Instead, companies are able to synthesize creatine in a lab so that you can mix one
teaspoon of this amazing stuff into a glass of grape juice, slam it down and get a highly
beneficial amount without having to eat half a cow.
You don't have to spend a fortune on these products, but a few extra bucks each month
will definitely help enhance your gains to another level. You don't have to use all of
them, nor do you even have to use any of them.
The choice is up to you.
If you're willing to spend the extra money to get the best gains you possibly can, then
supplementation is a good idea. If you want to save your money and do things the oldfashioned way then that's fine too.
This is "The Truth About Building Muscle", and the truth is that if you supplement with
the following products that I'm going to recommend, you'll notice a definite jump in your
size and strength that you simply could not achieve without them.
Recommended Supplements
This is what I call my "approved" list.
The following supplements are backed by solid research and have been shown to be both
safe and highly useful. These are the most basic products out there and should form the
cornerstone of any effective supplementation program. As I said earlier, supplementation
is optional, but if you do decide to use them, the following products are what I would
recommend.
Here they are in no particular order:
1) Protein Supplements (Whey Protein, Meal Replacements, Protein Bars)
2) Creatine
3) Multivitamins
4) Essential Fatty Acids
(Visit www.SupplementsByPrograde.com to find out the specific brand/products I
recommend. There are a lot of bogus companies out there and this can save you a lot of
wasted time and money sifting through all the hype. I can also give you a 15% off
discount coupon to save you some extra cash)
Protein Supplements
As you already know from the previous section, protein is, nutritionally speaking, the
absolute most important nutrient for someone trying to build muscle. You go to the gym,
train your ass off and rip your muscle fibers to shreds, but without adequate amounts of
protein the muscle-building process will be next to impossible.
Consuming your recommended daily intake of protein exclusively from whole foods is
definitely doable, but it is a fairly difficult task to accomplish every single day of the
week. This is where protein supplements come in handy. A whey protein powder or meal
replacement shake will allow you to mix up a quick meal in your blender and still receive
all of the growth-supporting nutrients your body requires.
Instead of constant meal preparation, recipe hunting and seemingly endless chewing,
protein supplements are a great way to balance out your diet and make your eating plan
a far easier job.
Take a look at the following eating schedules and you tell me which one you think is
more appealing...
Meal Plan A
Meal #1: 6 egg whites/2 yolks, 2 pieces of whole grain toast, banana, 1 cup skim milk
Meal #2: 1 can of tuna, 1 apple, handful of peanuts
Meal #3: 6oz steak, 1 cup whole grain rice, 1 cup corn
Meal #4: 1 chicken breast, 1 baked potato
Meal #5: grilled salmon, 1 cup whole grain rice
Meal #6: 1 bowl low-fat cottage cheese, 2 cups milk, 1 bowl oatmeal
Or
Meal Plan B
Meal #1: 6 egg whites/2 yolks, 2 pieces of whole grain toast, banana, 1 cup skim milk
Meal #2: 1 meal replacement shake
Meal #3: 6oz steak, 1 cup whole grain rice, 1 cup corn
Meal #4: 1 serving whey protein shake, 1 bowl oatmeal
Meal #5: grilled salmon, 1 cup whole grain rice
Meal #6: 1 meal replacement shake, 1 bowl yogurt
While the first meal plan would be a terrific day of muscle-building foods, it's just not
very realistic that you'll have the time or motivation to prepare 6 full meals everyday. If
you are keen on doing this then go right ahead, but you probably won't last very long.
The second eating plan is much more realistic and is the kind that I would recommend.
Instead of having 6 whole food meals, it is much easier and just as effective to have 3
meals and 3 protein shakes or 4 meals and 2 protein shakes. Doing this is far more
efficient, especially if you live the type of lifestyle that requires you to be on the go for
the majority of your day.
Not only that, but protein supplements nowadays contain certain amounts of special
muscle-building nutrients that whole-food simply can't provide. So without going any
further I'd like to talk about the most popular protein supplement available: whey.
Whey Protein
Whey protein is the granddaddy of all protein supplements available, and for good
reason. Whey is a natural source of protein that is extracted during the process of
turning milk into cheese. Simply put, whey is the highest quality and most effective type
of protein you could possibly put into your body.
It is extremely popular among athletes and bodybuilders because of its excellent quality
and convenience. It is rated highest on the Biological Value scale because it has the
highest "bio-availability" of any protein out there, meaning your body will absorb the
greatest amount.
Whey is a "complete protein", meaning that it contains all of the essential amino acids.
Essential amino acids are those that cannot be manufactured by the body and therefore
need to be brought in from an outside source. Whey protein has all of them.
Not only that, but whey is also naturally high in BCAA's (branched chain amino acids).
BCAA's are the amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, and they have been shown to
be a very effective anti-catabolic agent. When your body breaks down muscle tissue for
energy during intense exercise, it is the branched chain amino acids that will be called on
first. By consuming a larger amount of BCAA's you can prevent your body from
catabolizing muscle tissue when you workout.
The two main types of whey protein that you'll come across are whey protein isolate and
whey protein concentrate.
Overall, whey protein isolate is the better choice. Because of the methods used during
the extraction of whey from milk, isolates have a higher absorption rate within the body,
a higher percentage of protein per scoop and a better overall amino acid profile. Not only
that, but whey isolates tend to mix much more easily and also taste better.
Whey protein concentrate, on the other hand, is a lower quality protein and will not be
as highly absorbed as whey isolate. It also tends to form chunks when being mixed and
after a while this can become quite an annoyance.
Both whey isolate and whey concentrate are high quality forms of protein overall, so
youll still see achieve great benefits using either of them.
You can buy pure whey isolates, pure whey concentrates or mixtures of both. If you
have the money to spend and want the highest quality products available, a pure whey
isolate is your best bet.
That being said, in the grand scheme of it all it probably wont have a huge impact on
your resulting muscle gains. I currently use a product that is a mixture of both isolate
and concentrate.
One of the great things about whey protein is its versatility.
What I mean by this is that whey protein can be used effectively in a variety of different
situations. We'll talk a lot more in depth about proper post-workout nutrition a bit later,
but for now I'll just say that directly after a workout your body needs the fastest
absorbing protein it can possibly get.
Whey protein has the highest bio-availability of any protein out there and that also
means that it is absorbed the fastest. If you mix a scoop of whey protein isolate in water
it can be digested in as short as 10 minutes. This makes whey protein the ideal choice
for the post-workout period, as it will provide your muscles with an extremely highquality and quick-acting protein when they need it most.
Whey protein's rocket-fast digestion rate is great for post-workout, but any other time in
the day this is not exactly what you want. When your body is in a normal resting state
you'd ideally like to consume proteins that are absorbed at a more gradual pace.
By mixing your whey protein in milk it will be broken down and released into the
bloodstream in a more timed-release manner. This is because milk is largely made up of
casein protein, which can take up to 4 hours to be fully digested. By slowing down the
release of the protein, your body will be able to deal with it much more efficiently and
this will also allow your muscles to remain in an anabolic state for a longer period of
time.
This is what makes whey protein so amazing. By simply changing the type of liquid you
mix it with (milk or water) you can control its digestion rate and adapt it to your specific
needs at any given time. Not only can whey be used as a post-workout protein source
and as a meal replacement, but it also comes in handy if one of your whole-food meals
does not fulfill its total protein requirement.
For example, if you were only able to consume half a chicken breast at a certain meal
you could simply mix half a scoop of whey protein into a glass of milk to reach the total
protein requirement for that meal.
If there is one supplement out there that I would recommend, whey protein would be it.
Supplementing with whey will not allow you to pack on an extra 10 pounds of muscle in
a 2 week period, but over the long haul it will make your eating plan much more
convenient and will help you make sure that your protein requirements are met every
single day.
It is much cheaper and just as effective to take your whey protein and mix it with your
own carbohydrates and milk. This will provide you with all of the benefits a meal
replacement would, but at a much cheaper price.
I would still suggest purchasing a box or 2 of MRP's to keep around for the times when
they do come in handy. For example, if you were taking a 5-hour drive somewhere and
couldn't stop for a meal you could simply mix an MRP packet with some water and you'd
be good to go.
Protein Bars
The final protein supplement choice is to use a protein bar. While protein bars do offer
certain advantages over powder forms, it is very important that you choose your bars
very carefully.
The one main advantage of a bar is the fact that it can easily be taken with you
anywhere you go. Since it is in solid form, you won't have to worry about shaker cups or
milk, but can simply carry the bar with you and consume it at anytime. Because of its
solid form it is also much more filling than a simple liquid meal.
The downside is that bars tend to be a lower quality meal choice than whey protein or an
MRP. Bars tend to be a lot higher in simple sugar and fat, and the protein quality also
tends to be lower as well.
For example, some bars use an ingredient called hydrolyzed collagen as one of the
protein sources. Simply put, hydrolyzed collagen consists of the crushed skin and bones
of ox and pig.
How's that for a protein source?
A lot of bars also contain low-quality fillers, which help to bind the bar together and keep
it soft and chewy.
Protein bars can have their place, but the key is to choose your bars with caution. Read
the ingredient labels closely and try to choose bars with lower amounts of sugar and
higher quality sources of protein.
There are some bars out there with a decent nutritional profile and these are the ones
you should be searching for. You'll also find that some bars have a pretty unappealing
taste and can also take a long time to eat because they tend to be dry and chalky. I've
had bars that require 2 cups of water and half an hour of chewing to fully eat!
If possible I would suggest sticking to the powder form, but sometimes this just isn't
possible. A bar here or there won't hurt you, but if you can avoid them then that is
probably your best bet. I use bars every now and then if I'm on the go and need some
solid food when I can't get a normal meal in. As long as you can find a decent quality bar
then using it every now and then shouldn't be a problem.
Creatine
Simply put, creatine is the most popular and most effective sports supplement available.
It is one of the only supplements on the market that has been proven time and time
again to have a significant impact on muscle size and strength. This stuff really works,
and is highly recommended for anyone who wants to dramatically increase their strength
and body weight.
Although this amazing stuff only surfaced as a popular sports supplement within the last
10 or 15 years, scientists have actually known about creatine for quite some time. It was
first discovered in 1832 and by the early 1920's scientists were able to determine that
about 95% of creatine is stored in muscle tissue.
While we've known about creatine for over 150 years, it first made its mark in 1992 at
the Olympic summer games in Barcelona. By the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, 75% of
athletes were supplementing with creatine.
Creatine is a compound that occurs naturally in our bodies. Most people store around
100 grams, 95% of which can be found in muscle tissue. Creatine is simply a
combination of 3 amino acids: methionine, glycine and arginine.
It occurs naturally in fish and red meat, but like I said before, in order to obtain a
significant amount of creatine you'd have to eat a ridiculously large amount of steak and
salmon.
So what exactly does creatine do?
In short, this compound will increase your lean muscle mass and strength, speed up
your recovery rate, decrease lactic acid production and also decrease mental fatigue. It's
the super-supplement for serious bodybuilders and can accomplish a lot with a fairly
small dosage and a very cost-effective price.
Let me go a little bit more into detail and explain how this stuff really works
This book is not intended to be a biology course, but an understanding of a few basic
bodily processes will help you to better appreciate creatine's effects.
One of the main things that creatine does very well is that it increases the efficiency of
your body's utilization of a substance called ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate).
What is ATP, you ask?
It's basically the bottom line when it comes to producing energy within the body. What I
mean by this is that ATP is the "usable" form of energy within the cell.
Think of it this way: You have a wallet full of 100-dollar bills, and you want to buy a
chocolate bar. Obviously you wouldn't buy the chocolate bar with a 100-dollar bill, but
instead would break the 100-dollar bill down until you had a 5 or 10-dollar bill to use.
Carbohydrates and fats would represent the 100-dollar bills while ATP would be the 5
and 10-dollar bills.
ATP is made up of one molecule of adenine with 3 phosphate groups attached to it. By
"ripping off" the third phosphate group the body is able to produce energy. ATP then
becomes ADP (Adenosine Di-Phosphate) and must wait for the third phosphate group to
be reattached before any more energy can be produced.
What does this have to do with creatine?
Well, when you consume creatine it is converted into creatine phosphate, which is then
stored in the muscle tissue. By having these extra phosphate groups in the muscle
tissue, the body can convert ADP back into ATP at a much higher rate.
This means that higher amounts of energy can be produced and sustained for longer
periods of time. In doing this, creatine will increase your strength and allow you to lift
more weight in the gym. As you already know, more weight equals more muscle.
The next very important benefit of creatine is its "volumizing" effect on your muscle
cells. Creatine needs water in order to be stored in your muscle tissue and this results in
a "super-hydration" effect on your muscle cells. More water will be stored in the tissue
and this will leave you looking bigger and fuller all day long. This effect is sometimes
referred to as a "perpetual pump", because it causes your body to look as if it has a
training-induced muscle pump at all times.
A lot of people argue against this effect and say that because all you're doing is putting
more water in your muscles that this is of no real value. Just remember that your
muscles are already 70% water.
Do you think this 70% is useless?
Of course not.
Higher amounts of water in the muscle cell will allow you to burn more fat calories and
will create a greater overall anabolic environment within your body.
As if these two benefits of creatine weren't enough, there is still more.
You know that intense, searing burn you usually feel in your muscles when you train with
weights?
As I said before, this feeling results from an accumulation of lactic acid within the
muscle. Lactic acid is a metabolic waste product formed from the burning of
carbohydrates. Lactic acid is catabolic to muscle tissue and can actually result in muscle
loss if too high an amount is present. The pH of the muscle cell will also drop to the point
that muscular contractions can no longer be achieved.
Creatine speeds up the rate that ADP is converted back to ATP, and in doing this the pH
of the cell can be neutralized. This will "buffer" the effect of lactic acid on the muscles.
Less lactic acid means less muscle catabolism and less physical discomfort from training
with weights. In a sense, creatine can help to act as a natural painkiller and allow you to
prolong the point of muscular failure.
As you can see, creatine provides quite a few very beneficial effects for those trying to
gain muscular body weight.
than the traditional forms. They contain lower amounts of creatine and are not very
easily absorbed by the body. If you decide to use creatine, these are the types of
products you should look into...
1) Creatine Monohydrate
This is creatine in its pure form and is the cheapest and most common way to go. It is a
white, tasteless, odorless powder, which can be easily mixed with grape juice, Gatorade
or any other type of sugar drink.
Why should you consume a sugary drink with your creatine?
Studies have shown that consuming your creatine with simple sugars will increase
muscle absorption by up to 60 percent. This is due to the effect that simple sugars have
on your body's insulin levels.
As you already know, insulin's job is to balance out the body's blood sugar levels by
driving nutrients into the cells. This is why it is important to "spike" your insulin when
using creatine as this will ensure that your body is absorbing it properly.
Most people who have never used creatine before will start off with a basic creatine
monohydrate and mix it with grape juice or gatorade. Another good method is to go to
the grocery store and buy a bag of dextrose to use as your sugar.
You can simply add some dextrose, iced tea mix for flavor and throw in your creatine.
This method is the cheapest price per serving but is still very effective.
Recently, two newer forms of creatine have emerged on the scene: creatine ethyl ester
and creatine tri-malate. Both of these forms are based upon creatine monohydrate but
with some supposed improvements.
Creatine ethyl ester is regular monohydrate with an ester group attached. Esters are
organic compounds that are formed from the reaction of alcohols and carboxylic acid.
The attached ester group is said to increase creatines absorption, since regular creatine
must uses lipids to permeate cells walls, and the ester group helps the creatine use
these lipids more efficiently. The main advantage is that a smaller amount of total
creatine would need to be consumed to achieve the same benefit.
Creatine tri-malate is a compound that is formed from one creatine monohydrate
molecule attached to 3 molecules of malic acid.
Malic acid is a substance involved in the Krebs energy cycle and helps to provide the
body with energy. It is thought that the combination of monohydrate and malic acid
creates a more absorbable form of creatine that has a more dramatic impact on the ATP
energy cycle.
Any of these 3 choices (monohydrate, ethyl ester or malate) will be just fine. Since ethyl
ester and malate are still relatively new, its hard to say whether they really have any
significant advantage over regular monohydrate.
mental fatigue. Creatine should definitely be a part of your supplement program if youre
looking for optimal results.
Multivitamins
Nowadays there is a large school of thought who believe that taking a multivitamin is
unnecessary and a waste of time. They believe that all of the vitamins and minerals
found in natural foods are more than enough to supply our bodies with sufficient
amounts of these important little nutrients.
While it may be true that natural foods contain all of the vitamins and minerals you
need, you'd have to balance out your diet extremely accurately in order to consume
them in the proper amounts and ratios.
In this day in age, where most people's diets consists of large amounts of simple sugar
and fast food, the goal of supplying the body with proper amounts of vitamins and
minerals usually falls far short of the mark.
Because of this, I would definitely recommend consuming a high-potency multivitamin
every single day. The thing I find funny is that although everyone knows we need
vitamins, very few know exactly what they do. I don't want to get too in depth here, but
I'd like to review some basic biology for those of you who don't really know what a
vitamin is.
When it all comes down to it, your body is basically one giant mass of chemical
reactions. There are thousands of these reactions going on at all times with the goal of
keeping you alive and healthy.
In order for these reactions to occur efficiently, the body relies on the use of enzymes.
The job of an enzyme is to speed up the rate of chemical reactions within the body. It
does this by lowering the amount of energy that is needed for the reaction to occur.
Simply put, without enzymes you'd be dead, and very fast. An enzyme is made of
protein and an attached "co-enzyme". The co-enzyme alters the shape of the protein so
that the enzyme can perform its job properly. Another name given to a co-enzyme is a
vitamin.
So in the grand scheme of things, vitamins allow your enzymes to perform properly, and
this allows all of the chemical reactions going on in your body to be performed efficiently.
This means that if your body is deficient in just one vitamin, it will literally affect
hundreds of reactions within your body.
Now can you see why vitamins are so important?
I'm not just talking about overall health in general; vitamins have a direct effect on
many important muscle-building processes as well.
Before you read the following, keep in mind that vitamins have literally thousands of
functions. The ones I'm going to list are the benefits that are specifically related to
building muscle.
I'm not going to list every single vitamin out there, but here are some of the ones that
will be most important to you
Vitamin A - Plays a key role in protein synthesis: the conversion of amino acids into
muscle tissue. It is also involved in the production of glycogen, the stored form of
carbohydrates in the body. Strenuous physical activity drains the body of vitamin A, so
this is why supplementing with an extra amount can be beneficial.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) - Heavily involved in protein metabolism and muscle growth.
Thiamine helps the body to produce hemoglobin, which carries oxygen around the body.
This can be beneficial during intense workouts when oxygen is needed most.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) - Plays many important roles in the body such as fat burning
and proper energy production from carbohydrates. Some studies have shown that there
is a direct relationship between riboflavin intake and lean body weight.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) - Heavily involved in energy metabolism which will help to provide
the body with more fuel for those intense workouts. It can also increase vasodilation and
help you to appear fuller and more vascular.
effective rate. From protein digestion to energy metabolism to fat burning to hormone
production, the value of vitamins cannot be understated. Consuming a basic, highpotency multivitamin will ensure that you are receiving all of the vitamins you need.
A lot of lifters also supplement with extra vitamin C which they buy separately from their
multivitamins. Vitamin C plays so many vital roles in muscle-building and immune health
and therefore can be taken in higher amounts. Since it is water-soluble, you don't really
need to worry about taking too much, as it will simply be flushed out through sweat or
urine.
A good, high-potency multivitamin will usually provide you with anywhere from 200500mg of vitamin C. If you do decide to supplement with extra vitamin C, you should
probably take an extra 1000-2000mg per day.
Everyone is always calling them "multivitamins", but in reality they are much more than
just that. Most multivitamins also contain a wide spectrum of minerals; small, inorganic
nutrients that also affect many important processes in the body.
Minerals are substances such as calcium, iron, potassium, copper and sodium. Just as
every vitamin makes some contribution to the muscle-building process, so does every
mineral. Here are some of the more important minerals and the ways in which they will
benefit you...
Magnesium - This mineral plays a role in protein synthesis and energy production. It is
arguably one of the most important minerals for weight lifters.
Zinc - Zinc is involved in almost every process that has to do with growth. Studies have
also shown that intense exercise lowers the amount of zinc in the body, and this is where
supplementation can definitely help.
Iron - A component of hemoglobin, which, as you already know, helps to carry oxygen
around the body. The more oxygen you can provide your muscles with, the faster they
can recover as you workout. This will help to keep your strength at top levels for every
set you perform.
Sodium - An electrolyte that helps to regulate the amount of water your body holds or
excretes. It also plays a role in muscle contractions.
Potassium - Important in the production of glycogen and is also involved in nerve
impulses that result in muscular contractions. If your levels of potassium are too low you
may end up with dehydration and muscle weakness.
Phosphorus - Is involved in the production of ATP, the useable form of energy in the
body. Phosphorus also contributes to the production of creatine phosphate, an important
molecule which plays a critical role in high intensity exercise. Phosphorus may also
reduce lactic acid buildup.
Chromium - Allows insulin to perform its job properly by causing this hormone to
properly transport amino acids, glucose and fatty acids into your body cells. It also plays
a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats.
Calcium - Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and has many major
benefits. It has a direct effect on muscular contractions and also helps to maintain the
integrity of the bones which can be heavily stressed from intense weight training.
Worth a Try
This section is comprised of some popular supplements that typically get mixed reviews.
If youre already supplementing with the items listed in the previous section and are
looking for something new to try, these would be next on the list.
They are not "must-haves" by any means, but they may provide a slight edge if you're
willing to spend a few extra bucks.
Note: Glucosamine and caffeine are not direct muscle-building supplements, but can still
be used as part of your overall program for other reasons. Glucosamine is used to fortify
your joints and connective tissues, and caffeine is used as a pre-workout stimulant.
1) Glutamine
2) Beta-Alanine
3) ZMA
4) Glucosamine
5) Caffeine
Glutamine
As you already know, protein is made up of smaller monomers called amino acids.
Glutamine is just one of those amino acids, and for those trying to build muscle it is
arguably the most important. It is a non-essential amino acid that can be found naturally
in dairy products, fish, meats, beans and poultry, and plays a critical role in the
synthesis and maintenance of muscle tissue.
Glutamine is best known for its remarkable anti-catabolic effects, which means that
glutamine does not actually directly build muscle. You see, glutamine is a non-essential
amino acid, meaning that your body can produce it on its own. In fact, roughly 60% of
the total amino acid pool in your body is comprised of glutamine, a large portion of which
is found in lean muscle tissue.
This stuff is in extremely high demand throughout your body for a number of important
processes, and when you workout intensely glutamine levels can drop by as much as
50%.
One of glutamine's most important jobs is to fuel the immune system, and since the
immune system is so heavily stressed through resistance training, the body must
compensate by breaking down muscle tissue in order to obtain a source of glutamine.
This will ultimately lead to muscle loss.
This is why glutamine intake is so important. Rather than directly building muscle on its
own, glutamine will speed up the muscle-building process by preventing muscle
catabolism. Anytime your body undergoes physical stress it will not have to break down
muscle tissue in order to obtain glutamine since it will already be provided with an
external source.
Like I said before, one of glutamine's most important jobs is to fuel the immune system.
This in itself is an extremely important benefit as not only will you be able to recover
faster between workouts, but you will also greatly decrease your chances of getting sick
(catching a cold or flu in the midst of hard and consistent training is very difficult to deal
with both mentally and physically). Glutamine will help to decrease the chance of this
happening and will keep your immune system and natural resistance mechanisms in tiptop shape.
It is also interesting to note that while this amino acid allows you to gain body weight at
a faster pace, most of the glutamine you consume does not even reach your muscles. I
know what you're thinking
"How can glutamine increase muscle mass if it isn't even absorbed by the muscles?"
Well, failing to reach the muscles isn't really a bad thing in this case. Since glutamine is
in such high demand throughout your body it will simply go to the area where it is
needed most. In doing this, glutamine can increase the integrity of the immune system
while leaving muscle proteins intact.
Remember, glutamine is an anti-catabolic agent, so rather than building muscle directly
on its own, it benefits us by preventing the process of muscle breakdown from occurring.
Along with its anti-catabolic and immune boosting benefits, glutamine also plays an
important role in digestion. As you already know, in order to achieve dramatic increases
in muscle mass and strength you'll have to consume much larger than normal amounts
of protein, carbohydrates and fat.
In order to get the most out of all of the foods you'll be consuming you must ensure that
your body is absorbing all of the nutrients efficiently. Glutamine helps to maintain
optimal digestive health from your lips to your stomach to your intestines. This will make
sure that all of those macromolecules you consume everyday are being broken down and
utilized fully.
Glutamine has also been shown to aid the body in restoring glycogen levels after intense
exercise. Glycogen is a stored form of energy in the muscles and plays an important role
during exercise.
Not only that, but glutamine also works to keep your liver working to its full potential.
The liver helps to flush out harmful toxins from the body and also secretes many
important anabolic hormones. Glutamine also allows the body to maintain optimal levels
of a very important antioxidant called glutathione.
There is certainly no question that glutamine itself plays many important roles in the
body both related to the muscle-building process and overall health in general. The real
question that needs to be asked is whether or not supplementing the diet with additional
glutamine will provide benefits beyond normal levels.
Over the past 10 years or so glutamine was considered a staple in a bodybuilder's
supplement program, much like whey protein or creatine is. It was generally accepted by
the population that glutamine was important to take, and most bodybuilders would
follow this guideline by ingesting around 5-10 grams a day.
Myself, like almost all other experts in the field, stood behind glutamine as a worthwhile
and effective supplement based on all of the information we had at the time. It seems
that now the question as to glutamine's effectiveness is up in the air, and there really is
no clear-cut answer.
If we really look indepth at the research, there doesn't seem to be any concrete link
between glutamine supplementation and increases in lean body mass. It doesn't appear
that glutamine increases protein synthesis, increases cell fluid or even has any
significant effect on the immune-suppressing effect of intense exercise as was once
thought. It also seems that glutamine does not have any direct effect on exercise
performance.
Glutamine has been shown, however, to have a significant impact on the body's growth
hormone levels. In a 2005 study 9 subjects were given just 2 grams of glutamine which
resulted in a nearly 400% increase in growth hormone levels. (It is interesting to note
that this short spike in GH levels didn't translate to gains in muscle mass)
Another study involving 6 subjects who exercised under very intense conditions
demonstrated that glutamine supplementation enhanced muscle glycogen restoration
following the session. This would of course have positive implications for recovery in
between workouts.
So, the big question then is: should we supplement with glutamine?
Well, I think one thing is for certain: glutamine is not the "tried, tested and true"
supplement that we once thought. This does not mean that it isn't a worthwhile
supplement or that it shouldn't be included in your program, but it seems plausible that
glutamine isn't quite as effective as was previously believed.
It has not been shown to have direct effects on lean body mass or performance, but it
does have many health-promoting benefits that very well could be beneficial to
bodybuilders.
While you certainly aren't going to see any sort of instant acceleration in your gains
through the use of glutamine, I still believe that it has positive implications for those on
an intense muscle-building program.
The best thing you can do with this supplement is to try it for yourself and see if you
notice any positive changes. As of now, there is no concrete verdict on its effectiveness.
Beta-Alanine
Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid, meaning that the body can produce it on its
own (it doesn't mean that it's literally "non-essential"). It is produced in the body by the
enzyme "beta-ureidopropionase" through a process called beta-alanine synthase.
It is a precursor to a substance called "carnosine" which is found primarily in fast-twitch
muscle fibers.
In order to fully understand the value of beta-alanine we need to look at the primary
function of carnosine, the substance that is formed from beta-alanine.
Carnosine's main function is to buffer hydrogen ions. Hydrogen ions are a byproduct of
muscular contractions that are formed when ATP is broken down (adenosine triphosphate - the "usable" form of energy within the muscle).
The rise of hydrogen ions in the muscle as a result of ATP breakdown is known as
"metabolic acidosis". As hydrogen ion concentrations rise, the PH of the muscle falls and
it becomes more acidic.
This is where things start to go downhill. You'll begin feeling an intense burning
sensation in your muscles eventually to the point where muscular failure sets in and
muscular contractions can no longer be achieved. This point of "failure" is due largely to
the increased concentration of hydrogen ions.
This is where beta-alanine supplementation is supposed to benefit us. Beta-alanine
increases intramuscular levels of carnosine which should theoretically have a "buffering"
effect on the hydrogen ions in the muscle (particularly in the fast twitch muscle fibers
which are most responsive to growth).
This means that the point of muscular failure will be prolonged. You'll be able to lift more
weight, perform more reps, recover quicker in between sets and recover quicker in
between workouts. This would all obviously lead to an increase in muscle size and
strength.
ZMA
ZMA is a vitamin and mineral formula that is made up of zinc, magnesium and vitamin
B6. Unlike typical zinc or magnesium supplements, ZMA uses different, more absorbable
forms of these minerals: zinc monomethionine and magnesium apartate.
Supplement companies claim that consuming a ZMA formula leads to an increase in freeflowing testosterone levels and aids in recovery. Since testosterone is considered to be
the most important anabolic hormone responsible for building muscle mass and strength,
it would seem that ZMA would be quite beneficial. The question is, does this stuff really
live up to the hype?
So far, the evidence supports that ZMA may actually serve a useful purpose as part of an
effective supplementation program. Most research has shown with reasonable certainty
that hard training athletes and bodybuilders are deficient in both zinc and magnesium.
Since zinc and magnesium both play an important role in the production of testosterone,
consuming extra amounts of these minerals would theoretically boost the levels of this
important hormone. So, in cases where there is a deficiency of zinc and magnesium (due
to strenuous workouts) ZMA may be a reasonable solution.
Another piece of evidence that supports the use of ZMA is the fact that when taken
together, minerals compete for absorption. Because of this, taking a high potency
multivitamin is probably not enough to correct the deficiency. ZMA is typically taken in
the ratio of zinc (30mg), magnesium (450mg) and vitamin B6 (11mg). The best time to
take this supplement is about 30-60 minutes before bedtime on an empty stomach.
I won't classify ZMA as a "must-have", but for those who use supplements as a regular
part of their program, it's definitely something worth looking into.
Glucosamine
Glucosamine sulfate is a sugary compound that is formed when glucose joins together
with the amino acid glutamine. Rather than being used as an energy source like most
simple carbohydrates are, amino sugars are incorporated into the structure of body
tissues.
While many other "joint-healing" supplements and pills work by simply reducing
inflammation and pain, glucosamine actually treats the problem by rebuilding damaged
cartilage and connective tissue. It also helps to cushion and lubricate joint surfaces by
increasing the body's secretion of synovial fluid.
Another great characteristic of this supplement is its high absorption rate within the
body. Because the molecules are so small, glucosamine can be absorbed by the body
tissues at a rate of 98%.
Glucosamine can also be taken alongside another popular joint-care supplement called
chondroitin. Chondroitin also plays a key role in injury prevention by surrounding joint
surfaces and allowing for a smooth range of motion. It has also been shown to block the
enzymes responsible for degenerating cartilage.
Many companies sell products that are a combination of both glucosamine and
chondroitin.
I cannot stress to you enough just how important it is that you make an effort to keep
yourself injury-free. Highly intensive training stresses your muscles and joints, which,
over time, may catch up to you.
Supplementing with glucosamine/chondroitin does not guarantee anything, but if this
supplement provides any significant edge at all then it is definitely worth a shot. I would
suggest using glucosamine as a part of your regular supplement plan at a dosage of
1000-1500mg per day.
Caffeine
Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant and is considered the most socially acceptable
drug in the world (yes, caffeine is a drug). It is classified as an alkaloid and is very
effective at stimulating the central nervous system.
It can be found in many natural plants such as coffee, tea, kola, cocoa and guarana and
can produce some very noticeable effects when consumed.
Caffeine works by stimulating the central nervous system and by providing the body with
increased mental alertness and energy. Caffeine also delays the onset of muscle fatigue
and seems to be quite effective at reducing muscle pain during exercise.
Most people report quite a significant boost when supplementing with caffeine before
their workouts. It has been shown to increase stamina and strength as well as alleviate
some of the discomfort associated with highly intensive training.
Keeping in mind that too much of anything may not be good, caffeine is a highly
inexpensive supplement and you may find it quite helpful to consume before exercising.
100-400mg taken half an hour before your workout should do the trick. You can either
buy caffeine in pill form or you can simply consume a caffeine-containing beverage such
as coffee or tea. Here the caffeine levels in some commonly consumed beverages
8-ounce Beverage
Caffeine (mg)
Coffee, Drip
115-175
Coffee, Brewed
80-135
100
Coffee, Instant
65-100
Tea, iced
47
60
40
Tea, instant
30
Tea, green
15
Hot cocoa
14
HMB
Beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate, otherwise known as HMB, is a very popular
bodybuilding supplement these days. HMB is a metabolite (a substance produced during
metabolism) of the amino acid leucine and can be found naturally in foods such as
alfalfa, catfish and grapefruit.
Leucine is the most beneficial amino acid of the three that make up the BCAA chain
(you'll learn about BCAA's later on in this section) and has been shown to play an
important role in preventing muscle wasting and in promoting an increase in lean muscle
mass. Scientists then theorized that there may be a metabolite of leucine that could be
taken orally and in smaller amounts in order to produce these beneficial effects.
They ended up isolating HMB, and its performance in the lab was very promising. Most
studies done on the supplement demonstrated that it did in fact have a significant effect
on building lean muscle mass and in burning fat.
The problem, however, is that these positive lab results didn't carry over to the real
world. As a whole, most users of HMB give negative reviews. Some people swear by it,
but the general consensus is that HMB simply doesn't work all that well.
The ultimate verdict is unclear.
We'll need to wait until more concrete evidence surfaces as to whether this stuff really is
effective or not. Because of this I would say that HMB might be worth a try, but
definitely should not be a part of your must-have list. If you do decide to give it a try,
the typical dosage is 3000mg per day.
CLA
As you'll recall from the nutrition section, not all fats are created equally. Some fats (the
"unsaturated fats') are actually quite beneficial to overall health and play many
important roles in the body.
Conjugated Linoleic Acid, most commonly known as CLA, definitely falls under this
category. CLA is found mainly in meat and dairy products and was first discovered in
1978 by Michael W. Pariza at the University of Wisconsin.
CLA has been shown to be an impressive anti-cancer agent and also has significant
antioxidant properties. That's all fine and dandy, but what impact does this fatty acid
have on building muscle, gaining strength and burning fat?
Well, just like many other supplements out there, the research is still somewhat unclear.
Supplement companies claim that CLA is an anti-catabolic substance that helps to
regulate fat and protein metabolism. It has been said that CLA creates an environment
in the body where greater amounts of fat can be burned and muscle mass can be
synthesized at higher rates.
Although we can't say that CLA fails to live up to these claims, we also can't say for sure
if it does. Studies on rodents show significant results, but it is uncertain whether these
benefits carry over to humans. The studies are too conflicting to provide any concrete
evidence.
What's the verdict on CLA?
I'm not going to rule it out, but I'm also not going fully recommend it. If you're looking
to use only basic, reputable supplements, CLA probably shouldn't be a part of your
program. If you're looking to spend a few extra bucks to try and gain an extra edge, it's
definitely worth at least trying. CLA dosages vary quite a bit, but anywhere from 20004500mg daily should be fine.
Methoxy
Methoxyisoflavone, otherwise known as methoxy, belongs to the flavone family, a group
of compounds derived from plants. A Hungarian company called Chinoin first
discovered methoxy about 30 years ago. They put a patent on it and basically had it
"locked up" until it expired in 1997.
Researchers then got a hold of the paperwork and discovered that methoxy was a highly
anabolic compound that produced amazing bodybuilding effects.
Or so they thought.
Methoxy is supposed to increase protein synthesis, decrease cortisol levels and improve
recovery in between workouts. When it first became popular in the late 1990's, methoxy
was dubbed as the next "breakthrough miracle supplement."
Companies were claiming that methoxy could produce the same anabolic effect as
steroids, but without the side effects.
That would be awfully nice, but so far the research has shown otherwise. In most studies
done on methoxy, the increase in body weight is actually due to its effect on bone mass,
not muscle mass. I'm not disregarding methoxy as a useful supplement, all I'm saying is
that there's no concrete reason to believe its use is beneficial.
Methoxy definitely doesn't fall under the category of "recommended" supplements, but it
might be worth a try. The typical dosage is 200-400mg taken twice daily.
Taurine
Taurine is a non-essential amino acid that ranks second only to glutamine as being the
most abundant amino acid in the body. It is not referred to as being non-essential
because it is not important in the body, but rather because the body is able to produce
taurine on its own.
Taurine is gaining popularity as a muscle-building supplement mainly because of its
supposed effects on muscle cell volumization. Supplement companies claim that taurine
expands the muscle cell and allows it to hold greater amounts of water (similar to the
way that creatine does).
This would ultimately lead to increased cell hydration and an increase in protein
synthesis. It is also said that taurine enhances "interstitial contractile leverage" which
basically translates to an increase in strength.
Studies conducted on taurine so far are interesting, but still have not been able to clearly
demonstrate its effectiveness. Research performed on rats shows promising results, but
whether or not these benefits carry over to humans is still unclear.
Based on what we know so far, I wouldn't recommend that you run out and spend your
money on taurine just yet. As more research is done we will be able to gain a better
understanding of this amino acid and its effect on bodybuilders. However, it's not highly
expensive, and if you're looking for something knew it might be worth a shot.
BCAA's
As you already know from the nutrition section, proteins are made up of smaller building
blocks called amino acids. There are two different types of amino acids: essential and
non-essential. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be produced by the body and
must be consumed through the diet.
The term BCAA stands for Branched-Chain Amino Acids. BCAA's are made up of the 3
essential amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine.
BCAA's are the amino acids that are broken down and oxidized during strenuous exercise
and also make up one-third of the amino acids found in muscle tissue.
BCAA's are considered an anti-catabolic supplement because they play an important role
in preventing muscle wasting. They have also been praised for their positive effect on
protein synthesis (the conversion of amino acids into lean muscle tissue). Of these three
amino acids, leucine seems to play the most critical role.
The theory behind BCAA supplementation makes sense, however the research hasn't
been quite as promising. Most of the studies done on BCAA supplementation have not
been able to provide any concrete evidence that its use has any real beneficial effects.
Not only that, but BCAA supplementation requires a fairly high dosage for a fairly high
price. I wouldn't put BCAA's on my list of recommended supplements, but I won't rule
out their use completely.
The good news is that whey protein is actually very high in BCAA content and you can
actually obtain a fairly reasonable amount of these amino acids simply by sticking to
basic protein shakes.
Chromium Picolinate
Chromium is a highly important trace mineral that plays a critical role in the body's
production of insulin. It is said that chromium can enhance insulin's effect on the body
by improving the uptake of glucose into the cells. This results in more efficient blood
circulation and blood sugar level maintenance.
Chromium picolinate is considered to be the most absorbable form of chromium.
There's no doubt that chromium plays an important role when it comes to the function of
insulin and overall bodily health, but what implications does this hold for increasing
muscle mass and strength?
It's very hard to say, because chromium picolinate has one of the most inconsistent
track records of any supplement out there. Some studies have show this substance to be
quite effective (note that its main effects were on fat loss, not muscle building) and other
studies have shown no beneficial effect whatsoever.
What's the verdict?
Unless you are deficient in chromium or require it for other specific health purposes, I
don't see any reason to directly supplement with it. As long as you take a good, highpotency multivitamin and consume a well balanced diet you should be getting all the
chromium you need.
Still, some people swear by it, so I'll still say that it might possibly be worth a try.
N02
Nitric Oxide or "NO2" is a free radical gas that can be found in high concentrations in the
tissues of mammals. It is used as a neuro-messenger that essentially allows the body to
communicate with other cells in the body.
NO2 supplements use an ingredient known as "arginine alpha-ketoglutarate" which is
claimed to increase the body's nitric oxide levels.
The benefits of nitric oxide essentially revolve around the idea of increasing blood flow
into the muscles. The basic idea was that this increased blood flow into skeletal muscle
would...
- Increase oxygen delivery
- Increase glucose uptake
- Leave the trainee looking and feeling "pumped" all day long
All of this would ultimately lead to greater increases in muscle size, greater strength
gains and "fuller" looking muscles.
The reality is that there are a lot of problems with the claims made by supplement
companies regarding the use of NO2.
The first is in regards to the actual ingredient itself. Let's forget about nitric oxide for a
moment and simply acknowledge the fact that there is no scientific evidence that clearly
demonstrates that arginine alpha-ketoglutarate (the active ingredient in NO2 products)
has any measureable effect on increasing nitric oxide levels in humans.
Secondly we come to nitric oxide itself. Even if arginine AKG does raise and sustain nitric
oxide levels in the body, there is still no clear-cut evidence that nitric oxide itself
provides any real benefit to bodybuilders.
Now, a lack of "proof" doesn't necessarily mean that NO2 doesn't work. I mean, some
sort of evidence in favor of the supplement would be nice, but just because we don't
have definite proof doesn't automatically mean it's garbage. Many users will argue in
favor of NO2 and say that they directly saw positive results while using the supplement.
Bottom line?
With no real-world evidence in favor of the supplement, NO2 doesn't really have a lot
going for it. There is no proof of either the effects of arginine AKG or nitric oxide on
muscle mass or strength gains, and the real-world evidence is shaky as well.
There are many who say the supplement did absolutely nothing for them, while others
claim they did see positive results. However, we have to be skeptical of the positive
reports since many of the most popular NO2 supplements also contain creatine and
caffeine, not to mention that the all-too-powerful placebo effect could very easily come
into play here.
At this point I don't really see any good reason to supplement with NO2, but if youre
looking for something new to experiment with it might be worth a try. However, more
likely than not youll be wasting your money.
Tribulus
Tribulus terrestris is an herb that grows in many tropical and moderate areas of the
world. It has been used by many different cultures to treat a variety of ailments. The
Greeks used tribulus as a diuretic and mood-enhancer. The Chinese used it for liver,
kidney and cardiovascular diseases. Bulgarians used tribulus as a sex-enhancer and as a
treatment for infertility.
As a bodybuilding supplement, tribulus is recognized as a testosterone booster.
Testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in the body and is one of
the limiting factors that determines how much muscle a person can gain.
Tribulus does not directly raise testosterone levels, but works by raising the body's levels
of a substance called LH (luteinizing hormone). LH basically "tells" the body to produce
higher amounts of testosterone, and this would seem to have positive implications for
muscle growth and workout performance.
The research on tribulus is still unclear. There has yet to be a study that shows a definite
relationship between tribulus use and increased muscle size or strength. Regardless of
this lack of concrete evidence, tribulus still remains as a top-selling supplement.
If youre over the age of 30, are already supplementing with ZMA and are looking for an
additional testosterone booster, tribulus might be worth a try. However, dont expect any
miracles with this one.
Don't Bother
This brings us to our final category, and one that I suggest you steer clear of. The
following products are still heavily marketed by supplement companies, but their
effectiveness just doesn't live up to the hype.
These supplements lack solid research and as far as building muscle goes, they probably
aren't even worth bothering with.
1) Citrulline
2) Ecdysterone
3) Myostatin Blockers
4) Tyrosine
5) Carnitine
Citrulline
Citrulline Malate is the supplement that many people are calling the "new kid on the
block" and are claiming is the next big thing in bodybuilding supplementation. Citrulline
supposedly increases endurance during intense exercise, improves muscle recovery and
also provides a much better "pump" in the gym.
It sounds great, but does citrulline really live up to these claims?
What exactly is citrulline malate?
Well, citrulline is a substrate of the urea cycle, and malate is a tricarboxylic acid cycle
intermediate. Sounds pretty fancy, doesn't it? I thought so too, but don't be fooled by
the complex name.
Supplement companies claim that this substance will increase nitric oxide production,
reduce lactic acid and ammonia build up, as well as increase ATP production. If all of
these benefits held true, citrulline malate would be quite an effective bodybuilding
supplement.
However, there still has yet to be a single study performed that demonstrates any
significant relationship between citrulline malate supplementation and an increase in
muscle mass, strength, energy or recovery.
Supplement companies are touting citrulline as the "next big thing", but so far it has not
lived up to its reputation. It does seem to have some potential as being beneficial to the
aerobic system, but as far as bodybuilding goes, I wouldn't recommend it.
Ecdysterone
Ecdysterone is what is known as a plant sterol: a compound found in plants that is
structurally similar to anabolic human steroids such as testosterone. It was first
discovered in insects and it was found that they depended upon it for survival.
Speculation then arose as to whether the presence of ecdysterone in insects played a
role in their remarkable body size to strength ratio. Scientists wondered if this compound
would have any significant effect on human muscle size and strength.
After various tests and studies, most scientists concluded that ecdysterone simply did
not have any anabolic effect on humans. We still don't know for sure what all of the
effects of ecdysterone are, but it's fairly safe to say at this point that there's nothing
special about it.
Some studies have shown that this compound can improve athletic performance as well
as increase protein synthesis, but these studies are ultimately unclear.
Ecdysterone was mostly popular a few years back and the hype has quieted down
considerably. I don't see any reason to bother with the stuff and would recommend that
you spend your supplement money elsewhere.
Myostatin Blockers
Whether anybody wants to admit it or not, genetics do play a fairly large role in building
muscle. I mean sure, anyone can become huge and muscular as long as they work hard
at it, but the plain fact is that certain people have an easier time with it than others.
There are many genetic factors that affect the rate at which a person gains muscle, such
as testosterone levels, estrogen levels and muscle-fiber distribution. Another major
factor lies in a person's myostatin gene.
Mysotatin is a protein that codes to limit the amount of muscle a person can gain.
Research on mice has shown that mutating or completely knocking off the myostatin
gene results in huge increases in muscle mass.
Once this was discovered, supplement companies looked to cash in by creating pills
known as "myostatin blockers". The basic idea is that these pills would limit the activity
of the myostatin gene and would therefore allow the lifter to build muscle mass beyond
their normal genetic potential.
Sounds amazing, huh?
Well, it would be amazing if it weren't for the fact that these companies have no
evidence whatsoever to support that these products have even a slight effect on
myostatin levels or muscle mass. None. Avoid these supplements completely.
Need I go further? I think not.
Tyrosine
Tyrosine is a non-essential amino acid (the body can produce it on its own) and is a
precursor to the body's adrenal hormones epinephrine and norepinephrine.
It can be found naturally in seafood, red meat and wheat products.
What exactly does this amino acid do?
Since tyrosine plays an important role in the production of stimulatory hormones,
supplement companies claim that increasing the consumption of this amino acid will
speed up the metabolism and lead to an increase in energy and mental focus.
Studies done on tyrosine so far have shown that it can be an effective stress-reducing
supplement and can also enhance the effect of certain weight loss products. As far as
being a muscle-builder or strength enhancer, no research to date can provide any
concrete evidence of its effectiveness.
The only use I can see for tyrosine is that it may be useful as a pre-workout stimulant
(although caffeine will probably be much more effective for this purpose). Other than
that, I don't see any reason to spend your money on it.
Carnitine
Carnitine is synthesized in the body from the amino acids lysine and methionine. It can
be found naturally in foods such as red meat (particularly lamb and beef) as well as dairy
products and avocados.
Carnitine plays many important roles in the body but is best known for its role in
transferring long-chain fatty acids into the mitochondria. Mitochondria are referred to as
the "power house" of a cell because it is the area where energy is produced. Because of
carnitine's role in energy metabolism, it is often sold as a fat-burning supplement.
Companies claim that carnitine will help the body metabolize higher amounts of fat and
will have a positive effect on energy levels and resistance to muscle fatigue. It is also
said that carnitine will aid in the muscle building process.
Carnitine has been studied since 1937 and since then has been shown to have a positive
effect on the cardiovascular system and on heart function. It has also been
demonstrated that carnitine can lower bad cholesterol and raise good cholesterol.
As far as its effects on burning fat and building muscle, much remains to be proven. I
wouldn't recommend supplementing with carnitine, as there are many other products
you could be using instead.
Chapter 5 Review
Recommended Supplements (in no particular order)
- Protein Supplements (whey, MRPs, bars)
- Creatine
- Multivitamins
- Essential Fatty Acids
Worth a Try
- Glutamine
- Beta-Alanine
- ZMA
- Glucosamine
- Caffeine
Might Be Worth A Try
- HMB
- CLA
- Methoxy
- Taurine
- BCAA's
- Chromium Picolinate
- NO2
- Tribulus
Don't Bother
- Citrulline
- Ecdysterone
- Myostatin Blockers
- Tyrosine
- Carnitine
Morning Nutrition
If youre one of those people who likes to skip breakfast and go about their day without
having a meal in them first, you can toss that habit right out the window from now on.
Failing to consume an adequate breakfast will have a significant negative impact both on
your ability to build and maintain muscle and on your ability to burn body fat throughout
the day.
Lets take a look at the state of your body upon awakening from a full night of rest (a
time in which you will have gone at least 8 hours without any food or water)
1) Protein levels are depleted and muscle catabolism is occurring rapidly
2) Blood sugar and glycogen levels are low
3) The body is severely dehydrated
In terms of muscle growth, these are 3 really bad things!
Your goal upon waking up is to correct this nutritional deficit by providing your body
with the proper substances needed to reverse muscle catabolism, restore blood sugar
and glycogen levels, kick-start your fat burning metabolism and rehydrate your entire
body.
Because of the highly catabolic state your body is in during this time, its important that
you consume your breakfast meal as quickly as you possibly can. You dont want to
waste any time here. You should not be waiting anymore than 45 minutes to have
breakfast upon awakening, and sooner is better.
If youre like me and find that you usually arent hungry when you wake up, then its
okay to wait a little bit in order to build up a bit of an appetite, but 45 minutes is the
maximum amount of time I would recommend waiting.
The first main component of this meal is, you guessed it, protein.
Id suggest taking in around 30-40 grams of protein coming from any high quality
source. A whey protein shake or some eggs will do fine. This will provide your body with
the raw materials needed to stop breaking down muscle tissue and to switch the body
back into an anabolic state.
The second component is 2 solid portions of moderate to higher glycemic carbohydrates.
These carbs will replenish your blood sugar levels and restore muscle glycogen. Since
your blood sugar and glycogen is going to be low at this time its okay to consume
faster-absorbing sources of carbs. Some examples might include some fruit, yogurt,
muffin, cereal or oatmeal.
Along with your protein source and 2 portions of carbohydrates you should also consume
8-16 ounces of pure, clean water in order to begin rehydrating your body. You can also
throw in your flax seed oil and olive oil at this time if you choose to supplement with it.
Do not neglect this meal! They dont call it the most important meal of the day for
nothing.
Pre-Workout Nutrition
It is very important that every time you set foot in the gym you are fully prepared to do
battle with the weights. The first step in this preparation begins before you even arrive
at the gym. Having a solid pre-workout meal will increase your strength, keep your
energy levels peaked and will prevent muscle breakdown from occurring during your
workout.
One of the biggest mistakes you could make would be to neglect this important meal and
to perform your workout on an empty stomach. Some people believe that by training on
an empty stomach they will force their bodies to burn higher amounts of fat since no
carbohydrates will be present.
Yes, you will burn more fat, but you will also break down more muscle as well. You work
damn hard for every pound of muscle tissue that you build on your body and so it is vital
that you do everything possible to maintain your gains.
Not only will training on an empty stomach increase muscle breakdown, but it will also
increase the chance of nausea setting in during your workout.
This extremely important meal should be consumed anywhere from 30-45 minutes
before the actual workout. Being off by a little bit is no big deal, but try your best to fall
into the 30-45 minute range.
This meal is designed to keep your body in an anabolic state throughout your workout
and to increase your strength and energy levels.
The first component of this meal is a high quality source of protein. The protein
consumed at this meal should not be just any protein, but should ideally come from a
mix of whey and casein. The best way of accomplishing this is to mix 25-35 grams of
whey protein isolate with 300-400 ml of milk.
Whey protein makes for a great pre-workout choice because it is naturally high in
BCAA's. I talked very briefly about this compound earlier in the supplementation section,
so I won't go into much detail about them. The only thing I will say is that when the
body decides to break down muscle tissue for energy, it is the BCAA's that will be tapped
into. BCAA stands for branched-chain amino acids and consists of leucine, isoleucine and
valine. Whey protein is naturally high in BCAA's and this will help to prevent muscle
catabolism during your workout.
Mixing your whey with milk is a good idea because this will slow down the release of the
protein and provide your body with a steady stream of amino acids throughout your
workout.
If you are not supplementing with whey protein, then any high quality whole-food
protein source will do.
Along with your pre-workout protein source you should also consume some slow-release
carbohydrates. You don't want to choose high-glycemic carbohydrates before your
workout because of the effect it will have on your body's insulin levels.
When you consume carbohydrates that are rapidly released into your bloodstream, your
body will release a surge of insulin in an effort to level out your blood sugar levels. This
will result in a rapid rise in insulin levels followed by a sharp fall. The fall in insulin levels
will leave you feeling weak, tired and sluggish.
This is the last thing you want in the middle of a high intensity workout, so choose
carbohydrates that won't cause this rapid fluctuation in insulin levels.
Pre-workout carbohydrate choices such as oatmeal, apples or brown rice will provide
your body with a steady stream of sugars throughout the workout and will keep your
energy levels peaked.
A lot of people like to take creatine before their workout hoping that it will increase their
strength and energy levels. The fact is that as long as you consistently take your
creatine on a daily basis your muscles will always be saturated with it.
Because of this there is really no added benefit to taking it before your workout. It is
after the workout when your body will absorb the highest amount of nutrients (which we
will talk about next) and this is when creatine supplementation is ideal.
This pre-workout meal should be fairly small to allow for easy digestion and to prevent
you from feeling sick when you train. You should never workout without having a meal in
you first. So, just to recap
30-45 minutes before your workout:
1) 25-35 grams of whey protein mixed with 300-400ml of milk OR a high quality wholefood protein source.
2) A serving of slow release carbohydrates (i.e. oatmeal, brown rice, whole grains)
Post-Workout Nutrition
A lot of people highly underestimate the importance of the post-workout period and
greatly reduce their gains as a result. When it comes to proper nutrition, the absolute
most crucial time to pay close attention to when and what you eat is during the 3-hour
period following your workout.
During this timeframe your body will be in a high state of stress, and as a result your
muscles will literally act as a sponge, soaking up anything and everything you provide
them with. It is absolutely vital that you have a good understanding of proper postworkout nutrition or your gains will surely suffer.
By feeding your body with the right foods and supplements during this crucial period you
will greatly increase nutrient uptake into your muscles, increase muscle growth and
speed up your recovery.
I'll try to break this section down and make things as basic as possible. Let's first look at
the state of your body following a high-intensity workout...
1) Muscle breakdown is occurring.
As you already know, after about 45 minutes of intense exercise the body releases a
powerful catabolic hormone called cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone that stimulates
the breakdown of muscle tissue for use as energy. After you finish your workout your
muscles will be in a state of breakdown as cortisol circulates throughout your body.
2) Blood sugar and glycogen levels are low.
Carbohydrates are a major source of fuel for the body, especially for anaerobic activities
such as weight training. By the end of your workout your body will have released a large
amount of muscle glycogen into the bloodstream to be broken down into glucose for use
as fuel.
3) High level of free radicals.
Free radicals are natural metabolic waste products that are produced in the body as a
result of natural processes and from intense exercise.
Free radicals are electrically charged molecules that attack your cells, mutate cell
membranes and can cause destruction within your body. High levels of free radicals in
the body have been linked with many diseases such as cancer and diabetes. After a
highly intensive workout free radical levels will be fairly high.
4) The body is in a state of maximum nutrient uptake.
Because of the enormous amount of stress you have placed on your body and the
intense protein and carbohydrate depletion going on within, your body will do anything it
can to restore its normal levels. Your muscles have basically become sponges and will
soak up much larger than normal amounts of nutrients.
Keeping all of this in mind, the goal of the post-workout period is this:
1) Reverse muscle catabolism and put your body back into an anabolic state.
2) Restore blood sugar and glycogen levels.
3) Decrease free radical circulation.
4) Feed the muscles with proper muscle-building nutrients in order to facilitate rapid
recovery.
Sounds like a lot of work huh?
Well, it's not really that hard, and I'm going to show you how to accomplish all of this
step-by-step.
The first and main component of an efficient post-workout plan is to consume a "postworkout shake". This post-workout shake should ideally be consumed within half an hour
after your workout. This half-hour period is known as the "window of opportunity",
because it is during this time when your muscles will be extremely responsive and
absorb the highest amount of protein and carbohydrates.
Remember, your muscles are literally begging for nutrients, and so you must take full
advantage of this time period. Most people don't feel like sitting down for a big meal
directly after an intense workout, and luckily the post-workout shake is in liquid form.
The liquid nature of this meal will allow the nutrients to be absorbed as quickly as
possible without forcing your body to undergo a long digestion process. It will allow you
to shuttle all of those important nutrients into your muscle cells in a matter of minutes.
Heres what the post-workout shake should consist of
1) 30-40 grams of whey protein mixed in water.
As you already know, whey protein is the fastest acting protein available and this is why
it is absolutely ideal for the post-workout period. Ingesting 30 to 40 grams of pure whey
protein isolate will quickly switch your body from a state of catabolism to a state of
anabolism.
Your body will stop breaking down muscle protein because it will now be provided with
an external source. This quick shot of whey protein will be rapidly absorbed by your
muscles and will speed up the rate of protein synthesis going on within your body. This
will ultimately lead to a faster recovery period and greater gains in muscle mass.
The most important thing to remember here is that you must mix your protein in water,
not milk. The reason for this is that you want the fastest acting protein you can possibly
get, and milk slows down the absorption of whey significantly. Any other time during the
day milk is fine, but during the post-workout period you must use water.
2) 70-80 grams of simple carbohydrates.
These carbohydrates should ideally come in the form of simple sugar from a high
glycemic juice or other sugary drink. The easiest and cheapest method that I have found
is to simply go to the grocery store and purchase a bag of corn sugar (dextrose). This is
a cheap and very effective post-workout sugar.
Why do you need all of this post-workout sugar?
For starters, you need to replenish your blood sugar levels and help to restore your
muscle glycogen. Both of these have been drained as a result of your workout and play a
very important role in energy production and muscle building.
Even more importantly than that, a quick shot of simple sugars during the post-workout
period will produce an insulin-spike in your body. This rapid rise in insulin will drive all of
that important protein (and the other nutrients I'm about to mention) into your muscle
cells at an even faster rate.
3) 5 grams of creatine.
Creatine levels have been diminished after an intense-workout, and ingesting 5 grams of
creatine post-workout will help to restore these levels. One of the main reasons for
taking creatine in the post-workout period is simply because this is when your body will
absorb the highest amount.
Not only that, but because insulin levels will be very high from consuming your simple
sugars, this is a great opportunity to re-saturate your muscles with the greatest amount
of creatine they can absorb. Creatine will also help to re-hydrate your muscle cells and
will promote faster recovery.
4) 5-10 grams of glutamine. (Optional)
If you have opted to supplement with glutamine, then adding in 5-10 grams to your
post-workout shake is one of the best times for consumption.
5) High-potency multivitamin.
In addition to this post-workout shake I would also recommend taking a high-potency
multivitamin. A multivitamin will contain high levels of antioxidants such as vitamin C
and E, which will help to neutralize those harmful free radical levels. It will also help to
restore some of the depleted mineral levels in your body and will help to reduce lactic
acid concentrations.
Your post-workout shake and multivitamin should be consumed within half an hour after
your workout. This is the time when nutrient absorption will be at its absolute highest.
All of these important nutrients will help to switch off those harmful catabolic processes
that are occurring and immediately put you back into an anabolic, muscle-building state.
The way I would recommend mixing it together is like this
1) Mix your simple sugars and creatine together in one shake. (glutamine optional)
2) Consume your whey protein mixed with water in another shake.
The post-workout shake is the most important part of the puzzle, and it is crucial that
you follow these guideline closely. This is one period of time when supplements definitely
can play a key role and help you to pack on lean muscle at a faster rate.
For those of you who have opted not to use whey protein, creatine or glutamine, postworkout nutrition will be slightly less effective. Your post-workout shake will basically
consist of some simple sugars, which you should consume alongside a protein-rich meal.
The reason why whey protein is so effective during this period is because of its liquid
form and rapid absorption rate. Eating solid protein will require much longer digestion
time and therefore it will not reach your muscles as quickly.
After you consume your post-workout shake there is still about a 3-4 hour time period to
take advantage of. The post-workout shake will be rapidly absorbed and will switch your
body back into an anabolic state, but your muscles will still be primed for nutrition
uptake for a few more hours.
The high sugar content of the post-workout shake will provide you with that muchneeded insulin spike and allow your body to drive all of those important muscle-building
nutrients into your cells.
However, about half an hour to 45 minutes after this natural rise in insulin levels, you
will experience what is called an insulin crash.
This is where your insulin levels dip down below the norm, and this is something you
must avoid. An insulin crash will result in muscle breakdown, and this is something you
most certainly do not want. In order to level out this insulin crash you must provide your
body with more protein and carbohydrates.
Your next meal should contain about 30-40 grams of protein alongside a serving or two
of higher-glycemic carbohydrates. You should aim to consume this meal within 1 hour
after your post-workout shakes. Here are some examples:
1) 1 can of tuna, 1 cup white rice.
2) 1 chicken breast, 100g rice cakes.
3) 6oz steak, 1 baked potato.
Remember, your muscles are still in a state of rapid absorption and you must continue to
feed them with the nutrients they require.
This meal will keep your body in an anabolic state and will provide your muscles with
high quality protein and carbohydrates to facilitate recovery. It is important to keep the
fat content of these meals down, because fat slows the digestion process.
During the 3-4 hours after you train you must consume meals that will be digested fairly
quickly, and that is also why it is a good idea to stick to faster-absorbing carbohydrates
like white rice or potatoes. After this small meal it is simply a matter of taking advantage
of the 3-4 hour window by providing your body with as much protein and carbohydrates
as possible.
Do not neglect this time-period!
Your body has been heavily stressed from your workout and is literally screaming for
nutrients. Eat as much as you can and as often as you can. Not only will you recover
faster, but you will make much more significant muscle gains than a person who doesn't
know the importance of the post-workout period!
Pre-Bedtime Nutrition
Contrary to what most people think, if you want to build as much muscle as you possibly
can then you must eat before bed!
Sleep is a time for muscle recovery and mental rejuvenation, and if you enter this period
unequipped with the proper nutrients you will definitely be selling yourself short. Your
body is going to be fasting for at least 8 hours and it is very important that you do all
you can to remain in an anabolic state for as much of that 8 hours as you possibly can.
You shouldn't eat a gigantic 5-course meal, as this may make it difficult for you to fall
asleep and may also affect your sleep quality. The best approach is to consume a small,
easily digested meal about half an hour before you decide to doze off.
The goal of this meal is to provide your body with nutrients that can be released as
gradually as possible. This will keep your body in a fed state for the longest amount of
time and will prevent as much muscle breakdown as possible. A timed-release meal will
give your body a steady stream of amino acids, carbohydrates and fats to help facilitate
recovery during this extremely important time frame.
Your pre-bedtime meal should consist of some slow-release protein, slow-release
carbohydrates alongside some unsaturated fats. Putting this meal together isn't rocketscience and is actually quite simple.
Here are some good ways of accomplishing a timed-release effect from your pre-bedtime
meal...
Protein: The ideal way to provide your body with a steady stream of amino acids for as
long as possible is to mix 25-35 grams of whey protein in 400-500ml of milk. The whey
protein will elevate blood amino acids levels rapidly while the casein protein from the
milk will slow down their release.
This protein concoction will take at least 4 hours to be fully digested, allowing you to
remain anabolic for at least half of the time you are asleep. If you want to add some
solid protein to this meal, cottage cheese is a great choice. Cottage cheese is naturally
high in casein protein and glutamine, two ideal nutrients to consume before bedtime.
Carbohydrates: You don't need to go overboard on carbs before bed, but a small
portion of complex, slow-release sugars will aid in muscle recovery and protein digestion
while you sleep. There are many possible choices here: a small bowl of oatmeal, some
yogurt or whole grain toast.
Fats: Adding some fat to your meal will naturally slow down its digestion and this is
exactly what you should be aiming for before bed. A great way of accomplishing this is to
consume a tablespoon of both flaxseed oil and olive oil with your meal.
You can mix these oils into your protein shake or just drink them on their own. Another
option would be to consume some all-natural peanut butter. These fats will also help to
elevate testosterone levels while you sleep.
Glutamine: If you do decide to use this supplement, a great time to consume it is right
before bed. Simply mix 1-2 teaspoons (5-10 grams) into your protein shake.
Here are a couple of examples of what an optimal pre-bedtime meal might look like:
1) 30 grams of whey protein/5-10 grams of glutamine mixed in 400ml of milk.
1 bowl of oatmeal
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2) 1 bowl of cottage cheese
400ml of skim milk
1 piece of whole grain toast with all-natural peanut butter
1 tablespoon of flaxseed oil
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Do not neglect this meal! It is very important that you enter your sleeping period
prepared to repair your muscles.
If you enter this important recovery time unequipped with the proper materials needed
to facilitate growth and recovery you will definitely be selling yourself short. You should
never go to sleep without consuming some high quality protein and slow-release
carbohydrates first.
Chapter 6 Review
1) Morning Meal
This meal is critical to your gains and should never be ignored. You should aim to eat
breakfast within 45 minutes of waking up in order to promote muscle anabolism, restore
blood sugar and glycogen and to rehydrate your body.
This meal should consist of:
30-40 grams of high quality protein
2 portions of moderate to high glycemic carbohydrates
8-16 ounces of pure, clean water
1 tablespoon of flax seed oil (optional)
1 tablespoon of olive oil (optional)
2) Pre-Workout Meal
This meal is designed to prevent muscle breakdown during your workout and to keep
your energy and strength levels peaked. You should consume your pre-workout meal
about 30-45 minutes before your workout.
This meal should consist of:
25-35 grams of whey protein mixed with 300-400ml of milk OR a high quality wholefood protein source.
1 serving of low-glycemic carbohydrates.
3) Post-Workout Period
The post-workout period plays many important roles in muscle recovery and growth.
Immediately following your workout your muscles will be in a state of breakdown, blood
sugar and glycogen will be low, free radical levels will be high and your body will be in a
state of maximum nutrient uptake. You can reverse all of these processes with a proper
post-workout shake that is consumed within half an hour after your workout.
Post-Workout Shake
30-40 grams of whey protein mixed in water
70-80 grams of high sugar juice
5 grams of creatine
5 grams of glutamine (optional)
You should also consume a high-potency multivitamin. Within 1 hour after consuming
your post-workout shake, you should have a small, easily digestible meal. This meal
should consist of a portion of protein alongside a portion of high-glycemic carbohydrates.
Here's a couple of examples:
1) 1 can of tuna, 1 cup white rice.
2) 1 chicken breast, 100g rice cakes.
You should continue to feed your body with as much high quality protein and
carbohydrates as you can for about 3-4 hours following your workout.
4) Pre-Bedtime Meal
This meal is designed to keep your body in an anabolic state while you sleep by
preventing muscle breakdown. The pre-bedtime meal should be consumed about half an
hour before you go to sleep and should consist of some slow release protein, lowglycemic carbohydrates and some unsaturated fat. Here is an example:
1) 30 grams of whey protein/5-10 grams of glutamine mixed in 400ml of milk.
1 bowl of oatmeal
1 table-spoon of flaxseed oil
1 table-spoon of olive oil
Myth #1: In order to build muscle, you must achieve a "pump" during your
workout. The greater pump you achieve, the more muscle you will build.
For those of you who have never trained with weights before, a "pump" is the feeling you
get as blood becomes trapped inside your muscles after a few sets in the gym. Your
muscles will swell up, increase in size and vascularity and will also give you a great
mental boost.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with getting a pump, but contrary to popular belief it
is definitely not indicative of an effective workout.
On countless occasions I've heard lifters raving about the massive pumps they get in the
gym as they share methods for achieving the best pump possible.
"Dude, this will give you a crazy pump!"
If you have already been working out for a decent amount of time then you know exactly
what I'm talking about.
While a pump does feel extremely satisfying, just remember that it means very little in
terms of muscle stimulation and growth. Think of it this way: if I took a pair of 5 pound
dumbbells and performed 200 reps of a bench press with them, my pump would be
absolutely incredible. Blood would be rushing into my chest and it would feel rock-solid,
thick and full.
But do you think pressing 5-pound dumbbells for 200 reps would be an effective way of
stimulating chest growth?
Absolutely not.
Do not concern yourself with your pump, and do not be discouraged if your pump is not
as intense as you had hoped for. As I said before, it has nothing to do with how effective
your workout has been, only progression does. If you were able to lift more weight or
perform more reps with a certain weight in comparison to the previous workout, then
you did your job. This is the only thing you should be concerning yourself with.
Myth #2: You should gauge the success of your muscle-building sets on the
level of muscle burn you achieve.
Another huge misconception in the gym is the belief that in order to grow, you must
"feel the burn!" Well, to understand why "the burn" has nothing to do with completing a
successful workout, you must first understand what this feeling is actually caused by.
When we exercise, our bodies produce natural waste products as a result of reactions
going in within the muscles. One of these products, lactic acid, is produced within the
muscle tissue as your body burns carbohydrates for use as fuel.
So, what does this have to do with muscle growth?
Well, nothing!
You will almost always experience some degree of muscle burn during your sets, but this
is in no way an indication that you are successfully stimulating muscle growth.
Again, if you were to pick up a pair of 5-pound dumbbells and curl them 1000 times, the
resulting muscle burn would be virtually unbearable But obviously this would be far
from ideal in terms of building muscle size and strength.
Muscle burn is inevitable, but it is definitely not something you should be striving for.
Myth #3: Bodybuilding professionals have more muscle than anyone on the
planet. Therefore, they also have the most muscle-building knowledge.
One of the biggest mistakes you could possibly make is to take advice from bodybuilding
magazines and from IFBB professionals. Just because these guys are the most massive
and ripped dudes on the planet does not mean that they offer the best advice!
Professional bodybuilding is a shady and corrupt world, and is not a realm worth
venturing into. These guys are simply genetic freaks whose bodies will respond heavily
to pretty much any type of training stimulus.
Not only are they extremely genetically gifted, but their potential is maximized even
further because of the various steroids and hormones they use as a part of their
programs.
Steroid use is a personal choice, and I am not here to advocate their use or to go on a
rant about why you shouldn't use them, but the fact of the matter is that these pro
bodybuilders have more steroids and synthetic hormones running through their bodies
than most small hospitals have.
In a sport where more is always better, these guys are constantly pushing their bodies
far beyond where they were intended to go. I'm not saying that what they are doing is
wrong, all I am saying is that for mere mortals like us there is really no point in trying to
employ their training tactics into our programs.
I don't care what "the big guy" at your gym says, or what Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman
has to say. If certain unorthodox techniques work for these genetic freaks, fine, but for
the other 99% of us humans, these techniques simply will not work and should not be
followed.
Myth #5: High-protein diets should not be followed because they are stressful
to the kidneys.
This issue has been debated for years and years. The truth is that the majority of the
studies performed that suggested a high protein diet was bad for the kidneys have been
shown to be false, and have been replaced by newer and more accurate research. Don't
allow yourself to fall victim to the media.
The bottom line is that there has never been a single study ever performed that has
been able to clearly demonstrate a negative relationship between high protein intake and
kidney function.
So where did this myth come from?
Who knows, but based on modern research, there is no reason to suspect that these
claims have any truth to them at all.
Myth #6: The body can only absorb a maximum of 30 grams of protein in one
sitting.
How often have you heard this one?
The "30 grams of protein per meal" limit seems to have become a basic rule in
bodybuilding circles. The idea is that the body can only absorb a maximum of 30 grams
of protein at one sitting, and anymore will simply go to waste.
The real question is where did this piece of conventional wisdom come from, and what
scientific evidence is there to support it?
Well, the answer is who knows and none.
That is, we don't know where it came from, and there is no evidence to support it.
The digestion of protein is an extremely complicated process and involves much more
than a piece of food simply being chewed and sent to the stomach and intestines for
absorption.
The digestion process involves all sorts of fancy enzymes (protease, peptidase and
trypsin to name a very small few), acids (HCL) and other substances (bile salts, gastrin,
CCK) that are secreted from the mouth, stomach and small intestine.
There are numerous sites along the digestion tract that would affect how much or how
little a person could absorb in terms of protein. Because of this, we don't really know
what the upper limit for protein absorption really is.
It would seem that the number would differ from person to person. It makes sense to
say, for example, that a 250-pound bodybuilder could absorb more protein in one sitting
than a 95-pound ballerina.
I'm not necessarily saying that the "30 gram rule" is wrong, all I'm saying is that there's
no real reason to believe it's correct. If you were to consume 50 grams of protein in one
meal, theres no reason to suspect that the extra 20 grams has somehow gone to waste.
Myth #7: Performing high reps with light resistance will make the muscles
more cut and defined.
This is one of the most common misconceptions when it comes to bodybuilding and
fitness in general. Allow me to clear this up once and for all
You cannot target fat loss from a specific area on your body!
Performing bicep curls will not burn fat from your biceps, just as performing crunches
will not give you a flat, ripped midsection. Fat loss targeting is completely genetic, and
your body will burn fat from wherever it sees fit.
Yet so often we see even serious lifters failing to recognize this and continuing to abide
by the misguided notion that "high reps and light weight gets you ripped."
Whenever I'm in the gym during the few months leading up to summer, I always run
into someone who tells me that they're focusing on using light weight and performing
high reps to get "cut and defined" for the beach.
This is complete and total nonsense!
The bottom line is this: lifting weights builds muscle and diet/cardio burns fat, plain and
simple. This is not to say that building muscle has no effect on fat loss, because it
definitely does. One of the most important factors that affects your resting metabolism is
the amount of lean muscle mass you have on your body.
All I'm saying is that manipulating the amount of weight you lift or the number of
repetitions you perform will not magically cause your body to start burning higher
amounts of fat from the area you're training.
Myth #8: You should switch up your routine periodically by changing your rep
ranges and exercises in order to "shock" your muscles.
The idea of changing your rep range, exercises or training days in an attempt to "shock"
your muscles is a widely accepted truth in bodybuilding circles, but I have yet to come
across any hard-fast evidence that proves this notion.
In order to maximize your muscle gains it's very important to let go of conventional
wisdom and to question the so-called "accepted" methods of bodybuilding. You need to
think of the concept of building muscle from outside the box.
Your muscles do not have a mind of their own. If you switch from using a dumbbell to a
barbell to stimulate your tricep, the muscle does not magically think to itself "Oh no!
He's using a barbell now! We'd better pack on some extra muscle mass this time!"
Muscles adapt to stress, plain and simple.
Do you want to know the real secret for "shocking" your muscles?
Here it is: intensity and progression.
As long as you train with 100% intensity and focus on making steady progression in the
weight you lift or the repetitions you perform, your muscles will continue to respond by
growing larger and stronger. The bottom line is to present them with a workload they
have never experienced before. That's all there is to it.
Youll notice that in the 26-week workout plan Ive provided a different schedule for
every 8-week cycle. This is simply to keep things mentally fresh and interesting, and to
allow you to have experience performing different exercises. It has nothing to do with
shocking your muscles.
Myth #9: You can influence the shape of a muscle by performing certain
exercises.
Anybody who weight-trains has heard it: "use compound exercises for overall size and
use isolation exercises for shape and definition." This is yet another example of
bodybuilding "common sense" that misses the mark completely.
You can do 3 things with your muscles.
1) You can make them bigger.
2) You can make them smaller.
3) You can keep them the same size.
To say that certain exercises make the muscles bigger while others promote more
"shape" is not only wrong, it doesn't even make sense. When you train with weights,
your muscles fire on an "all or nothing" basis, meaning that every fiber in the muscle is
recruited. You cannot force your body to recruit fibers from a specific area of the muscle.
Muscle shape is genetically predetermined, and the unfortunate reality is that there is
very little you can do to change this. If you were born with flat biceps (like me!),
chances are you'll never achieve an impressive bicep peak.
The only thing you can do is to increase the size of your muscles as much as possible
and then hope that the gods of genetics were kind to you.
Myth #10: Weightlifting will cause you to become bulky, and as a result you will
lose your speed, agility and flexibility.
This myth goes back many years when people used the words "muscle-bound" and
"bulky" to describe those with muscular physiques. The common belief is that developing
muscle mass and strength will slow a person down, decrease their flexibility and agility
and will ultimately hinder their ability to perform athletic sports.
Muscles are responsible for every movement that your body makes. Running, jumping,
throwing, skating; all of these activities are made possible by the muscles on your body.
The bottom line is that the stronger a muscle is, the more force it can apply.
Having a strong, muscular physique means that you will be able to run faster, jump
higher and throw farther. You'll be able to hit a baseball farther, shoot a hockey puck
faster, drive a golf ball farther distances and tackle opposing football players with
greater force.
Strong muscles are able muscles, not the other way around.
More and more athletes are beginning to realize this and are including weight lifting as
an important part of their training programs. If you're holding back on increasing your
muscle mass because you're afraid that it will negatively affect your speed or ability as
an athlete, think again.
Myth #11: People who use steroids should be labeled as cheaters because they
have an unfair advantage and are sacrificing their health.
You might be a bit surprised to see this one here, but I felt it was important to include.
I've never used steroids personally, nor am I advocating that you should use them, but I
think the media has really blown the steroid issue out of control. Steroids have been put
under the spotlight and have been portrayed as highly unhealthy and as a cheater's way
out.
What is it that makes steroids so incredibly wrong and immoral?
When bodybuilders use steroids, they are simply consuming a variation of a hormone
that already occurs naturally in our bodies. How is this any different than using
supplements such as creatine or glutamine? We are simply introducing a higher amount
of a substance that our bodies already make.
The main difference between steroids and traditional supplements is that steroids
produce much more noticeable results. Because of the incredible benefits people can
achieve using steroids, their use somehow became classified as "cheating".
But where do you draw the line? Creatine, glutamine and protein powder enhance
performance also, but you don't see users of those supplements being called cheaters.
What about athletes?
Long distance runners typically train at high altitudes because it increases their red blood
cell count, just as Olympic swimmers use special suits that allow them to travel faster
through the water. Neither of these performance-enhancing tools have ever been viewed
as cheating, yet Olympic sprinter Ben Johnson was found to be juicing and will now be
forever labeled as a fraud and a cheater.
Where is the justice in that?
The other issue when it comes to steroids is the negative impact it can have on a
person's health, but this has been blown way out of proportion as well. There are many
different types of steroids, and not all of them have the same impact on the body. When
used properly, some steroids can actually produce significant results without
destroying the body like so many would have you believe.
Please understand that I am not advocating the use of steroids in any way, I am simply
encouraging you to view the subject with an open mind and to not automatically view a
person who uses them as being immoral.
If you are considering steroid use then you absolutely must perform the proper research
first. Using steroids as a quick-fix is certainly a recipe for disaster and is something that
I definitely would NOT condone, but I dont think its right to immediately judge a hardtraining bodybuilder who responsibly uses steroids as part of his entire program and who
understands the risks.
Myth #12: You must perform all of your exercises using perfect, textbook form,
or you may injure yourself.
It's important to focus on using good form in the gym, but using perfect form is an
entirely different matter. If you try to perform every exercise using absolutely flawless,
textbook form, you may actually end up increasing your chance of injury and decreasing
the amount of total muscle stimulation you can achieve.
It's very important that you move naturally when you perform your exercises rather than
trying to keep your body completely tight and rigid like a robot. For example, a lot of
trainers will tell their clients that the bicep curl must be performed using a perfectly
straight back and elbows pinned at the sides. Some trainers will even go as far as having
their clients stand with their backs against a wall in order to maintain that "proper" form.
You need to throw conventional wisdom out the window on this one and allow your body
to move the way it was meant to be moved.
I'm not suggesting that you should throw the weights around using explosive, ballistic
form; I am merely suggesting that you loosen up a little bit and perform your lifts
naturally.
This might mean adding a slight sway to your upper body as you perform your curls, or
using a tiny bit of momentum in order to crank out that last rep. Moving naturally will
ultimately increase the amount of muscular overload you can achieve and will also
decrease your chance of getting hurt.
Myth #13: When you stop working out, your muscles will turn to fat.
I get this question all the time, and it really makes me laugh.
"If I stop working out, won't my muscles just turn to fat?"
I have no idea where this idea came from or what logic it is based on, but this statement
is completely false and downright ridiculous. Muscle and fat are two completely different
tissues, and they cannot magically transform back and forth.
Claiming that muscle can turn into fat is really no different than saying that lead can turn
into gold. It just doesn't work that way.
A lot of times we see people who once had muscular, athletic physiques in their younger
years become flabby and out of shape as they age. However, this has nothing to do with
the fact that their muscles converted to fat. These people simply stopped training (their
muscle size decreased) and let their diets go (they increased their body fat levels).
Myth #15: In order to achieve an impressive physique, you should use the same
techniques as the "buff" guys at the gym.
It's very important to realize that just because someone at your gym is strong and
muscular does not necessarily mean that they are doing everything "correctly". There
are many, many factors that determine what kind of results a person can achieve, and
just because someone is "buff" and "ripped" does not mean that you should follow their
techniques.
The plain fact of the matter is that genetics do play an important role in bodybuilding.
Some people simply posses superior muscle-building genetics and will grow no matter
how they train.
I know people who train 2 days a week, hardly pay any attention to their diets, party
and drink on the weekend and still have what would be considered an impressive build.
Don't worry about what other people are doing in the gym!
Simply have faith in the system you are using and realize that it is based on science and
logic. For this reason, it cannot fail. Anybody can achieve dramatic results if they train
hard and are consistent, but this system allows you to achieve those results as quickly
and efficiently as possible.
The buff guy at your gym may be doing something completely unorthodox, but he could
probably be achieving even better results using a different system.
Sleep
Getting a sufficient amount of sleep every night is a very important part of the musclebuilding equation that most people don't pay enough attention to. If you want to
maximize your muscle gains, improve your performance in the gym and increase your
mental focus, then you should be getting at least 8 hours of quality sleep every night.
That's right, quality sleep.
If you find yourself waking up every hour or tossing and turning throughout the night
then you probably aren't getting the type of rest you should be. A lot of people brag
about how little sleep they get and how they're able to get by with just the minimum
(this usually means about 5 or 6 hours a night). Little do they know just how much harm
this is really doing to their results.
Sleep is a critical piece of the puzzle and its importance should not be underestimated.
Some of us lead very busy lives with activities such as going to school, working and
making time for friends and loved ones. This can sometimes make getting a full night's
rest difficult, but you must do your best to fit it into your schedule. As long as you can
get 8 hours a night then you should be fine. If you can get more then that's even better.
One of the biggest problems with sleep deprivation is the effect it will have on your
mental state. Studies have shown that just a single night with insufficient rest will have a
significant negative impact on your mental focus and willingness to perform difficult
tasks. Last time I checked, an all-out set of squats to failure was more than just a
difficult task, so you can see where sleep would be important in this situation.
It is crucial that your mental focus and intensity are peaked at all times in the gym, and
getting 8 hours of sleep every night is a good way to make sure of this.
Not only will sleep deprivation have a negative impact on your mental state of mind, but
it will also have physical consequences as well because if you don't get enough sleep,
your strength levels will decrease. This means you'll end up using less weight and/or
performing fewer reps than you would normally be capable of.
If you've been paying any attention up until now then you know that strength is
everything. In fact, the entire basis for building muscle relies on the small increases in
strength you are able to make from week to week.
Every time you set foot in the gym your goal is to move more weight or to perform 1 or
2 more reps. This is why keeping your strength levels peaked is so absolutely critical,
and this is where sufficient sleep will benefit you.
Cortisol, testosterone, growth hormone and insulin; these are all powerful hormones
which play a key role in the muscle-building process. Simply put, sleep deprivation has a
negative effect on every single one of them. How's that as an incentive to get your rest?
1) Cortisol
A catabolic stress hormone that increases abdominal fat storage and stimulates the
break down of muscle tissue. Studies have shown that insufficient sleep will cause the
body to release higher amounts of this hormone.
2) Testosterone
The most important hormone when it comes to building muscle. The higher your levels
of testosterone, the more muscle you can build. When people take anabolic steroids to
increase their muscle mass, they are simply taking synthetic variants of this hormone.
Sleep deprivation lowers testosterone levels.
3) Growth hormone
Regenerates the body and plays a large role in building and maintaining muscle. The
time that you sleep is also the time when your body experiences a natural surge in
growth hormone levels. If you fail to get a proper rest at night this hormonal surge will
be compromised.
4) Insulin
Responsible for the uptake of important nutrients into your body cells. Sleep deprivation
can result in an increase in your body's insulin resistance levels, and this means that
your body will have to release higher-than-normal amounts of this hormone to
compensate. This can lead to fat storage, diabetes or heart disease.
Sleep is also a very important time for your body to recover and rebuild damaged muscle
tissue. You already know about the high importance recovery plays in gaining muscle,
and sleep is one of the most important times for this recovery to take place.
High intensity workouts give your muscles and immune system a huge hit, and it is vital
that you are fully recovered between workouts. This is yet another reason to ensure that
you get the recommended 8 hours of sleep every single night.
There are many other negative effects that sleep deprivation will have on your body but
I couldn't possibly cover all of them. These negative effects will not only compromise the
amount of muscle you can build, but it will also deliver a significant hit to your overall
health and well being.
As far as building muscle is concerned, proper amounts of sleep will increase your
strength, up your energy, heighten your mental focus, lower cortisol levels, increase
testosterone, raise growth hormone levels and decrease insulin resistance. That should
definitely be reason enough for you to get 8 hours of restful sleep every single night.
Here are some tips to help you get a deep and restful sleep:
1) Don't consume any caffeine for at least 6 hours before sleep.
2) Turn off all of the lights.
3) Sleep in a slightly cool, dry room.
4) Try to keep your sleeping schedule as consistent as possible.
5) Don't eat a huge meal immediately before bed.
6) Avoid nicotine.
7) Sleep in a quiet area free from distractions.
Injury Prevention
Training with maximal weight and 100% intensity is without a doubt the most effective
means of stimulating muscle growth. Doing this will place your muscles under the
highest amount of stress possible and will yield the greatest adaptive response in size
and strength. For guys (and gals) looking to pack on the greatest amount of muscle in
the shortest period of time, this style of training cannot be matched.
The only downside is that although your muscles are being heavily stressed, so are your
joints and connective tissues. This is simply the reality of training with heavy weights,
and if you don't follow the proper precautions you could end up with a nagging injury
that will stop you dead in your muscle building tracks.
Believe me, when you're training hard and making consistent gains, an injury is the
absolute last thing you could ever hope for. Several years back I suffered a shoulder
injury that dramatically altered my workout schedule (I couldnt perform any pressing
movements at all) for a full 6 months. It was extremely difficult to deal with mentally
and it taught me a valuable lesson. Had I been more careful and followed a few simple
guidelines this injury could have easily been avoided.
The fact of the matter is that most people who lift weights on a consistent basis will
experience some form of training-induced injury at one time or another. Being able to
train for years on end without suffering at least a minor injury is extremely rare.
Remember, gaining and maintaining muscular weight over the long haul is much more
than a temporary hobby. In order to be truly successful it must become a way of life,
and something that is practiced day in and day out.
This book is much more than some quick fix to gain a few pounds. It is a complete
muscle building philosophy that can be applied consistently over the long-term.
Staying as injury-free as possible is extremely important to ensure training longevity and
maximum gains. Here are some guidelines you can apply both in and out of the gym to
keep your joints and connectives tissues strong and healthy and to ensure that your
training stays as consistent as possible.
1) Warm Up!
I already went into detail regarding the benefits of a proper warm-up so you should be
pretty familiar with the importance of this component of the workout.
Simply put, a proper warm-up is the single most important procedure to follow in order
to stay injury free. It will help to lubricate and cushion your joints, move blood into the
surrounding connective tissue, increase your muscle-nerve contractions and fully prepare
your body and mind for the heavy weights to come.
Please don't neglect the warm-up process!
It is a brief, simple procedure which will greatly decrease your chances of getting hurt.
Those who fail to properly warm-up are just asking for trouble. It takes about 20
minutes to complete and can save you months or even years of training downtime
because you tore a rotator cuff or strained your lower back.
Please make sure to read through the exercise database thoroughly before attempting
any of the assigned lifts. If you have never trained with weights before this is especially
important so that you don't develop any bad habits right from the start.
Most of the lifts are fairly straightforward and can be learned quite quickly. However,
there are a few select lifts that will require a few weeks of practice to fully learn.
Don't forget to move naturally when you train, but there are still certain form guidelines
that are important to follow.
I did it by consistently improving every single week with more reps or slightly more
weight. Believe me, it adds up over time.
So as I said before, don't concern yourself with how much (or how little) you can lift as
of right now. If you can only bench press the weight of the bar, so be it. Pick a weight
that you can perform 5 to 7 reps with, focus on progressing a little bit each week, and
the rest will take care of itself.
damaged cartilage and promoting increased flexibility. This is a cheap and effective way
to give your body added joint support and to protect yourself against injuries.
to explain a few key situations where you'll simply have to take a break from training
and temporarily put your bodybuilding goals on the back burner.
I'll also lay out some highly effective techniques for minimizing your losses during these
inevitable points in your muscle-building journey.
If you continue to place stress on an already injured area, the problem will only worsen.
As extremely difficult as it may seem at the time, you must put the weights down and
end your workout.
As I said before, this program is not a "quick-fix" for getting bigger. It is a lifestyle, a full
training philosophy, which can be applied over the long term. If you look at the big
picture then I'm sure you can see how missing 2 weeks of training is a much better
scenario than missing 6 months.
Believe me, I know firsthand.
A few years ago I started getting sharp pain in both shoulders when performing heavy
sets of presses and dips. In fact, the situation got so bad that my left arm would actually
go numb in the middle of my sets! But being the stubborn and incredibly motivated lifter
that I was, I continued to workout anyway. I thought, "aww what the hell, nothing bad
will happen to me!"
What a huge mistake that was!
Eventually I found the common sense to have the problem checked out and find out
what was wrong. Much to my dismay I learned that I had caused extensive damage to
both shoulders and would have to take at least 6 months off of heavy chest and shoulder
training.
For someone who loves training as much as I do, 6 months felt like an eternity. Had I
simply gotten the problem checked out right from the start I probably wouldn't have had
to take this huge training layoff. In fact, my shoulder problems still affect me to this very
day.
So please, don't be an idiot like I was and follow this same path. If you can feel that
something definitely isn't right, seek professional advice immediately. Because I was
smart with my diet and supplementation I was fortunately able to minimize my muscle
losses and stay in decent shape while I was out of the gym.
Here is what you should do if you can feel the negative effects of an injury setting in...
A) Get out of the gym!
As hard as it may be to go through with, it is extremely important that you end your
workout and minimize the injury's negative effects. Trust me, it will serve you much
better in the long run.
B) Seek professional advice!
This must be done as soon as possible!
Don't just sit around and hope that the pain will magically disappear. In some cases it
will, since rest is usually the best medicine. However, getting a proper diagnosis will help
you to understand the seriousness of the problem and will also enable you to perform
certain stretches and exercises to speed up the recovery process.
I would also recommend getting the injury checked out by more than one person so that
you can be 100% sure of what the problem really is.
C) Keep your diet and supplementation on track!
If you aren't going to be in the gym, then keeping your protein and caloric intake high is
absolutely crucial. Remember, if your body is presented with an opportunity to get rid of
excess muscle tissue, it will.
Muscle disuse coupled with insufficient caloric consumption is a recipe for disaster.
Research has shown that as long as your diet stays on track, your body will preserve its
lean mass for up to 3 weeks.
This is extremely important to remember!
Although you won't be able to gain muscle during a training layoff, you won't necessarily
have to lose much either. If you let your diet slip, your gains will disappear faster than
you could imagine.
rid of bent-over barbell rows and perform seated cable rows instead. Only do this in
situations when it is absolutely necessary.
you don't feel at a full 100% but feel good enough that you can safely deliver a solid and
effective workout, then go right ahead.
Simply use common sense and make choices that you know will benefit you in the long
run. If you do get to the point where you need some time off from the gym, there are a
few things you can do to minimize your downtime...
A) Rest
When it comes to being sick, rest is always the best healer. Take it easy and limit your
other daily activities as much as possible. Get as much sleep as you possibly can, as this
is the time when your body will do most of its recovering.
B) Increase glutamine intake
As you already know, this supplement has been shown to provide amazing immune
system benefits. Typically you'll be using 5 to 10 grams each day, but when you're sick I
would recommend shooting that up as high as 15 to 20 grams. Believe me, you'll notice
the difference.
C) Keep your diet on track
When sick, your body will use anything and everything needed to fight against its
intruders. This is why it is extremely important to keep your diet as on-track as possible
to ensure that you provide your body with all of the raw materials needed to facilitate
proper recovery.
Keeping protein intake high is very important during this period to prevent muscle
catabolism. Obviously there will be times when your appetite is almost non-existent as a
result of being sick and it will be very difficult to eat solid foods. During these times
you'll have to rely heavily on protein shakes and meal replacements in order to meet
your daily requirements.
So as I said before: if you get sick, try not to worry. It will happen at some point and the
best thing you can do is to take some time off and follow these guidelines to recover as
fast as possible.
Chapter 8 Review
1) Sleep is an absolutely crucial recovery period and its importance should not be
underestimated. A proper sleep will increase your strength and energy, raise
testosterone levels, lower cortisol levels, increase growth hormone secretion and
decrease insulin resistance. You should aim to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night.
2) To prevent injuries you must always warm up thoroughly, use proper form, train
within your limits, know when to quit, only perform the assigned sets and follow a proper
nutrition and supplement plan.
3) Take time off when you have an injury, feel sick or feel overly tired.
4) If you do feel an injury coming on, you must get out of the gym and seek
professional advice immediately. In order to minimize muscle loss, pay close attention to
your diet and supplementation. When the injury has subsided you must ease yourself
back into the gym and listen to your body.
5) If you get sick, do NOT workout! Make sure to rest until your body is fully healed.
Increasing your glutamine intake may be beneficial.
6) If you feel overly fatigued or unmotivated to train, take a break and perform your
workout the following day. The key is to listen to your body.
As long as you follow the basic guidelines laid out in this book and consistently
implement them, you will be successful.
Think about that
You will be successful.
What are you waiting for?
Building muscle takes time, so you'd better get started!
And you know what?
Building muscle is hard! It's damn hard, and it is not going to happen without a fight.
You know, there are so many other books and programs out there on the Internet, and
some of them make me cringe.
Why?
Its because so many of the other books out there have one thing in common, they all
make building muscle sound easy.
I mean sure, it's obvious why they do it. It's because the easier they make the musclebuilding process sound, the more books they'll sell and the more money they'll make.
That's fine with me; they can make their money by misleading people.
I'm not here to do that. I'm here to give you the truth. The truth is that building muscle
is a battle! The truth is that training with 100% intensity is uncomfortable. The truth is
that eating 5-7 meals a day requires a lot of discipline. If you want to get huge, you're
going to have to work for it.
However, one thing that is absolutely imperative to remember is that building muscle
takes time! Nobody got huge overnight, and neither will you.
This is simply the reality of the entire process and is something you need to understand
before you begin.
Building muscle is all about baby steps. Don't become frustrated if you don't experience
the gains you were hoping for right off the bat. Rome was not built in a day!
Now I'm not a religious man, but I do know that the Buddhist philosophy stresses that
we do not focus on the past or the future, but rather devote our energy to what is
happening in the present moment.
I want you to apply this way of thinking to your muscle-building journey.
Don't worry about how much you'll weigh in 6 months or whether or not your squat will
reach 250 pounds within 8 weeks.
Focus on today.
Focus on improving slightly upon your previous workout, eating 5-7 meals every day and
giving your body adequate rest. Take everything one step at a time, and as long you're
consistent, you'll be successful. Sure, setting goals is great, but do not let them blind
you of what you must accomplish in this very moment to reach them.
Do you think I just woke up one day 80 pounds heavier? Do you think that after 3 weeks
of training my squat increased by 300 pounds?
Of course not.
I got there by applying these principles day after day, week after week, month after
month and year after year. I focused on meeting my nutritional requirements every
single day and adding a few pounds to the bar every week. My gains did not happen
overnight, they were cultivated over time.
It will be the same for you. Take things one day at a time, train hard, eat plenty and
good things will happen.
I don't care if you weigh 175 pounds or 95 pounds, because where you
start is irrelevant. It's where you end up that counts. Don't worry
about where you start, focus on where you'll finish.
We'll all begin at different ends of the spectrum, but in the end we'll land
in the same place. Train and eat for today, and tomorrow do the same thing.
There are no shortcuts to any place worth going, and building muscle is no
different. Work your ass off, follow these principles closely, and I
promise that your life will forever change for the better!
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On top of his best-selling fat loss and muscle gain programs, Sean
Nalewanyj is also the owner of the renowned Muscle Building & Fat Loss
Inner Circle A private, members-only bodybuilding and fat loss
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healthy lifestyle.
The M.F.I.C combines cutting-edge tips and tricks from a team of
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with thousands of fitness-oriented guys and gals from all over the world.
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After reading through this e-book Im sure you can see by now that I have
a relatively anti-supplement stance when it comes to building muscle.
The majority of so called muscle building products out there are
overhyped junk and do nothing more than thin out your wallet.
That said, there are still a select few products that I do believe can
accelerate your results if used properly. In addition, the majority of you will
probably use supplements of some kind in your program anyway.
For that reason, I decided it would be a good idea to at least recommend
the supplements that I personally use and believe in. This will remove the
guesswork for you so that you dont have to waste your time sifting
through all the different products out there.
These supplements are not going to perform any miracles, but they are
definitely a useful addition when used in conjunction with your training and
nutrition plan.
Go ahead and visit the following page for more information. I can also hook
you up with a special discount coupon that will give you 15% off of your
first purchase
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