FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Last month we outlined the training aspects of my FST-7 (Fascia Stretch Training 7) system.
The discussion included the need for both strength gains and a fascia-stretching maximum
pump to induce optimal gains, and how to incorporate the ‘seven' sets into your workouts for
best results. Ideal exercises for ‘sevens' were listed for each bodypart, and instructions were
given as to how to perform the series of pumping sets properly. Finally, several suggested
bodypart routines incorporating both standard sets and sevens were given. This month, we
wrap up the two-part series by explaining how to structure your nutritional intake around your
workouts to ensure that your muscles will have all the necessary nutrients to fuel a superior
pump, thus stretching out your fascia tissue and permitting growth to occur. Bodypart routines
for the rest of your muscle groups will also be provided so that you can get started immediately
on your own FST-7 growth experience.

Pre-workout nutrition: Priming the pump

Hopefully most of you grasp the importance of solid pre-workout nutrition. This provides the
body with all the raw materials it will need to fuel an intense and productive weight training
session. I like to see my clients get in a minimum of two solid-food meals containing both lean
proteins and complex carbohydrates prior to training. The protein source can be chicken or
turkey breast, white fish, or even leaner cuts of red meat such as filet or top sirloin if one is
training later in the day. Good carbohydrate sources would be oatmeal, sweet potatoes, or
brown rice. These are all slow-burning carbs that will deliver time-released energy, as opposed
to fruits and other simple sugars that digest too quickly and can leave you with an insulin crash
while training. Equally important to the food intake is adequate hydration. This is particularly
applicable to anyone using thermogenic products. Most of these have a diuretic effect, which
means you need to take care to drink a bit more water to compensate for the fluid loss. Notice
that I said water and not diet soda. Carbonated drinks tend to be too filling and hence you don't
drink enough. A common question I get is, how soon before the workout should my last meal
be? Generally speaking, you want your last meal to end about one hour before your workout
begins. The exception would be legs. Since heavy leg training is so metabolically demanding,
the last meal should be a bit earlier - say ninety minutes. These are just guidelines. If you are
the type of person that is starving an hour and a half after a clean meal, you probably don't ever
want to let more than an hour go by from the end of the pre-workout meal to the workout. If you
seem to digest your food more slowly and get nauseous when you eat too close to the workout,
adjust your meal timing accordingly. Staying away from high-fat foods or sugary items should
help stave off feelings of nausea while training.

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

During the workout

While training, most people will only need plenty of water - roughly a liter. This also depends on
your size, how much you tend to sweat while training, and the season. Obviously you need
more water in the summer, particularly if you train at a place like MetroFlex Gym that doesn't
believe in air conditioning, or if you work outdoors. You can sip a carb drink or a thermogenic
drink if you tend to ‘run out of gas' while training, but neither takes the place of water. If you
choose to have one of these beverages during your workout, you should also have a water
bottle and alternate between the two to ensure proper hydration. I can't emphasize this strongly
enough - there is simply no way you can achieve a great pump if you aren't drinking enough
water before and during the workout. As you know, the human body and especially our blood
supply is comprised of over seventy percent water, so you need to have a steady supply to stay
hydrated.

Post-workout nutrition

Within 15-20 minutes of the end of your workout if not immediately, it's important to drink a
shake to start the re-compensation and recovery process that ultimately leads to muscle growth.
There are several different recovery powders I am currently testing with my clients, and I will
have the results soon. But in the meantime, you can't go wrong with a highly bio-available
protein source such as whey protein isolate along with a rapidly-assimilated carbohydrate
source like dextrose, waxy maize, or maltodextrin. If you are a hardgainer ectomorph type, don't
be afraid to mix two or more carb sources together. You can even add in something like fruit
juice for flavor and additional simple carbs. If you are trying to lean out or you are simply a
person that gains fat very easily, you will want to take it easy on the amount of carbs in this
shake. You still want to always include at least some carbs in this shake, except in the case of
the final stages of a pre-contest diet for those that are striving to lose the last vestiges of
bodyfat.

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Roughly an hour or two later, you want to have another solid-food meal that should be similar in
composition to the pre-workout meal. For the purpose of better absorption, you want to keep the
fat content low, particularly saturated fats. The timing of this meal will depend on the size of
your shake as well as your appetite. Obviously you can't eat until you are hungry again. If you
are drinking a large shake that is very filling for you, it might take two hours for your appetite to
return substantially enough to allow you to eat a solid meal. Conversely, a lighter shake should
digest faster and you should theoretically be ready to eat just an hour later. Also note that there
tends to be more bloating and gas associated with lower-quality grades of protein powder. They
tend to taste good, but contain large amounts of lactose. Do yourself and your loved ones a
favor and spring for the good stuff.

A note on sodium

Many bodybuilders have it in their heads that sodium is bad for them and should be avoided.
They intentionally remain on very low-sodium diets year-round when the fact of the matter is,
you only need to be concerned about sodium intake in the final few days before a contest when
you are attempting to shed subcutaneous water. Without proper amounts of dietary sodium, you
simply won't be able to get a pump. Some of you may have experienced this when competing. If
you are trying to pump up and haven't had more than trace amounts of sodium for a couple
days, your muscles will be totally flat and unresponsive, even if you are eating carbs and
drinking some water. Then, if you go out and have a burger and fries after the judging, your
muscles seem to magically inflate, and you are able to generate an excellent pump for the night
show! Sodium helps transport carbs into the muscles, so by all means don't be afraid to put a bit
of salt on your food. I actually encourage my clients to get their sodium from condiments like
ketchup, mustard, and barbecue sauce in the off-season. It should be noted that for any of you
with medical conditions such as hypertension or diabetes that require you to adhere to strict
low-sodium diets, always observe the guidelines set forth by your physician or your dietician.

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Additional research

If it seems odd that this discussion of nutrition as it applies to the FST-7 training system isn't
discussing supplements, that's because I am currently in the process of experimenting with
various types of products to see which ones enhance the pump, reduce soreness, speed up
recovery, and other effects that would be beneficial. One of the major side effects of this type of
training is extreme muscle soreness, so this in particular needs to be addressed. All I can say at
this point is that even though all the results aren't in and there is still more research to be done;
we have already witnessed some intriguing and exciting effects. Stay tuned here in the coming
months for my findings in this area.

Success stories - in progress!

Although I have been developing the FST-7 system for several years and have been
recommending it to my clients, only recently have I insisted that they consistently incorporate it
into their own training. In the near future, I will have some impressive success stories to report.
In the meantime, you will be seeing some of the results of FST-7 on the pro stages this year.
Phil Heath has used it to improve his shoulder and back width, his chest, and even his legs.
Larger bodyparts like back and legs typically need more time to show changes, of course.
Charles Ray Arde has used FST-7 over this past off-season to bring up his chest, delts, and
back for his rookie pro season this spring. And Bill Wilmore has just started using FST-7 for his
arms, and will soon be showing the results of his hard work. I also encourage those of you that
experience success with FST-7 to send me before and after photos and tell me how you used it
to improve stubborn bodyparts.

Figure workshop

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Finally, I want to let you all know about a Figure workshop being held the first weekend of April
in Southern California. I am teaming up with trainer Kim Oddo, whose star clients have included
Monica Brant, Gina Aliotti, and Sonia Adcock. Regular readers of MD will know that I have
worked extensively with two-time Figure Olympia Champion Jenny Lynn, and have worked with
many other Figure competitors in recent years. This comprehensive one-day workshop will
cover various aspects of training, nutrition, and supplementation for the Figure competitor.
Plans are already in the works for a follow-up workshop for those of you who need more notice.
Please email me for more information.

Date: Saturday, June 7

Location: Body by O Fitness Facility

Temecula, CA

Got a question for Hany you would like to see answered here? E-mail him at HanyRambod@a
ol.com . Due to
the high volume of e-mail he receives and limited editorial space, only selected questions will be
answered and used.

FST-7 Bodypart routines

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Back - width emphasis

Warm-up:

Neutral-grip chin-ups 3 x failure            

Wide-grip pulldowns 3 x 8-12

Barbell row 3 x 8-12

Hammer Strength row 3 x 8-12

Machine or cable pullover 7 x 8-15

Back - thickness emphasis

Warm-up:

Reverse-grip pulldowns 3 x 12-15

Low cable row or 1-arm dumbbell row 3 x 8-12

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

T-bar row 3 x 8-12

Deadlift 4 x 8-12

Hammer Strength row 7 x 8-12

Note: For either back workout, those needing to specialize on lower back development should add 3-4 s

Traps

Dumbbell shrugs* 3-4 x 8-12

Machine shrugs 7 x 8-12

*Proper form consists of leaning head and torso slightly forward and shrugging up to an imaginary point

Rear Delts

Dumbbell rear lateral raise 3-4 x 12-15

Reverse pec flye or cable 7 x 12-15

Rear laterals

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Hamstrings

Lying leg curls 3-4 x 10-15

Stiff-leg deadlift 3-4 x 10-12

Single leg curl 3-4 x 10-15 each leg

Seated leg curls 7 x 10-15

Calves (alternate workouts)

Workout A

Standing calf raise 4 x 10-12

Seated calf raise 4 x 15-20

Leg press or calf sled raise 7 x 10-12

Workout B

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FST-7 - The Key to Muscle Growth: Part 2

Written by TheProCreator
Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:36 - Last Updated Wednesday, 17 September 2008 13:56

Leg press or calf sled raise 4 x 10-12

Donkey or standing calf raise 4 x 10-12

Seated calf raise 7 x 12-15

*Calves should be trained twice a week with roughly 48-72 hours

between workouts, such as Monday and Thursday, Tuesday and Friday,

or Wednesday and Saturday.

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