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MR. OLYMPIA MIKE
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BIG SEAN NATIONA
PREVIEWLS
ALLAN 262
FEATURES
194 MR. OLYMPIA COVERAGE BY FLEX WHEELER
216 MICHAEL LIBERATORE ARMED & DANGEROUS
GUNNING FOR THE PROS By RON HARRIS
232 ED NUNN: THE NEXT X MAN PROFILE AND
WORKOUT By RON HARRIS
246 TREY BREWER LEG WORKOUT By RON HARRIS
262 SEAN ALLAN AND MICHAEL LOCKETT
SPEAK OUT EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS By RON HARRIS
278 2008 NATIONALS PROFILE: MICHAEL LOCKETT, WWE’S
ED NUNN, TREY BREWER, SEAN ALLAN, KIRK CANDICE
DEFRANCESCO, MICHAEL LIBERATORE, JEFF LONG, MICHELLE
MARK ALVISI, PETER PUTNAM, DARRELL TERRELL, 296
GUY CISTERNINO, KENNETH JACKSON By FLEX WHEELER TREY BREWER
289 DOING LIFE IN LAS VEGAS HOW CLARK COUNTY MONSTER
DEPUTY DA ROBERT DASKAS GAVE CRAIG TITUS
WHEELS
WHAT HE FINALLY DESERVED By JOHN ROMANO
WORKOUT 246
GUNNING
FOR THE
PROS!
ovember 21st the best ama- makes this kid rise to the top.
year is no different. On page 278, Flex Wheeler gives a complete run- Assistant Editor
Alan Golnick
down of the entire 2008 Nationals hopefuls.
Contributing Editors
On page 289, John Romano interviews Titus prosecutor Robert
Carlon Colker, M.D.,Thomas Fahey Ph.D.
Daskas. As bodybuilding’s former bad boy settles into the reality that Dan Gwartney, M.D.
the rest of his life will be spent in prison, find out the truth about how
Executive Assistant
he got there. Daskas plainly Michele Gampel
and openly discusses the Photographers
case and tells how Titus’s
d
Chief Photographer: Per Bernal
stories and emphatic pleas Mike Yurkovic, Dan Ray, Bill Comstock
of innocence are total bull- Illustrators
shit, and just how close Titus Bill Hamilton, Fred Harper, Jerry Beck
came to being sentenced to Advertising
death for the murder of Advertising Director—Angela T. Frizalone
Melissa James. (239) 495-6899
Corporate Office
Finally, on page 194, get the scoop 800-653-1151, 631-751-9696
Huge Fan
Hello. I wanted to write
in and say thanks for such
a kick-ass magazine. I turn
to MD each month for all
the news I need about the
industry, scientific
research, training… every-
thing. It’s what I really
look forward to reading
every month and I always
tear through it. Keep it
up!
Rodger, e-mail
Sylvia
Smith,
NPC Figure
Athlete,
Alabama
Heather
Mae French,
IFBB Figure
Pro, Colorado
If you are an NPC or IFBB athlete and you have some news, gos-
sip or want to be featured as one of the MD “Hot Girls,” contact
Mike Yurkovic at www.physique-art.com.
Candace Lewis,
NPC Figure
Athlete, Arizona
Figure Girls
Have Guns, Too!
It seems these days on a figure stage, the word flex is a big no-no.
Now, I know many figure ladies who love to hit the weights and see
Lee Banks their muscles working in the gym. One of my jobs with MD is to take
the backstage shots when the athletes are pumping up. When I ask
the figure girls for a pose, 99 percent of the time it’s a figure
pose...nice, but come on ladies, show me something new! That’s why I
love this photo of California girls Melissa Deal and Tina Arabia show-
ing me the guns. That’s right ladies, flex those guns and be proud!
Melissa Deal
and
Tina Arabia
A Man On The Rise
Backstage at the IFBB North Americans this past
Labor Day weekend, I was floored at the sight of Lee Banks pumping up. The dude has a crazy upper body with amazing
size, thickness and shape. How do 22-inch arms with a 30-inch waist sound? Lee has an interesting personal life as well,
being a child care center director and owner and a Desert Storm war veteran. Lee earned second at the North Americans
and by his own words knows he needs to bring up his legs to be in balance with his upper body. Lee is now focused on the
2009 NPC USA next July in Las Vegas.
LaDawn
McDay
Fouad
Abiad
Overlooked Now,
But Not For Long
I had a chat awhile back with female bodybuilding’s
greatest of all time, the lovely Lenda Murray. She told me
in her opinion, today’s top female bodybuilders lacked the
pure genetic gifts of females in the ‘90s. When I saw the
beautiful shape and X-frame of Michigan’s LaDawn McDay
at the 2008 North Americans, I saw what is best about
female bodybuilding. Nice shapes and lines, with small
joints and waist. LaDawn finished sixth in the heavy-
weight class, which still has me scratching my head as I
write this; I had her in the top three. As she continues to
add muscle and improve, her body’s genetic gifts will vault
her to the top national contest placings. BET ON IT!
Remember to keep up to date on all the 2008 NPC and IFBB contest placings and pics at
www.musculardevelopment.com, where we have it first!
I’ll be back!
Steve
Stone,
RIP, you
will be
missed
dearly.
Congratulations,
Dexter!
Romano Diet.
The “O”
Henry’s!
Romano Jr.
TheRomano
Factor By John Romano
PEARSON FLEXES IN VALHALLA— Wash. gym of sudden heart attack on September 21. With no
indications of any health problems, this specimen of good health
AND WE WANT TO KNOW WHY made his living as an industrial hygienist protecting the safety of
people in the workplace.
When you think of how many What could explain this untimely tragedy? According to wit-
bodybuilders there are in the world nesses, Pearson walked for about 4 minutes on a treadmill at
and you compare that to how many StarFit Fitness Club when he fell and apparently struggled to
of us die doing it, the numbers breath until paramedics arrived. His heart stopped beating.
aren’t that many. Even in light of the Attempts to resuscitate him failed, and he died shortly there-
extremes some of us go to, body- after at Kennewick General Hospital.The coroner’s preliminary
building is a relatively safe pursuit. report states that three arteries were clogged with plaque and
So, when one of us (especially a caused blockages to his heart. No diet, training or supplement
young healthy vibrant example with regimen could have changed this genetic defect. His heart had
everything going for him) gets to work hard to pump blood through his body, and the autopsy
pulled into the fold, those of us left showed an enlarged heart as a result. Whereas the average
shocked want to know why. heart weighs 365 grams, Pearson’s weighed 459 grams at the
This week, Dave Palumbo called time of his death. The autopsy also showed he had suffered a
me to tell me that one of his clients, previous heart attack that he was apparently unaware of.
NPC lightweight champion Joe Previously, Pearson’s family and friends indicated he never
Pearson, suddenly died while he complained of shortness of breath or illness….He was more
was walking on the treadmill. WTF?? than my boyfriend of two years, for all intents and purposes he
How did that happen? I mean the was my trainer, my motivator and my best friend. Joe lived a
guy was only 39, in great shape, very full life...hunting, fishing, wakeboarding and snowboard-
good health, nothing was wrong ing... but it was a love of bodybuilding that so clearly demon-
with him! It is these very mysteries strated his strength of character, body and heart….
that beg to be answered because Joe was a loving and compassionate man, always willing to
we’re all standing here in shock. It’s help others. He was the strongest person I knew and I miss him
one thing to lose a guy who was jacked to the gills, the color of so much I ache. But as painful as it will be to walk through the
raw liver and gasping each breath like it was his last. Joe was door of the gym we met at almost three years ago and trained at
the exact opposite. In a million years, you wouldn’t think this almost every day since, I can hear his voice in my head, “Suck it
guy would drop dead, but he did. up and get it done. We’re tough, and we didn’t get bodies like
THE WAY I SEE IT, we should let the person who knew Joe these by sitting around wishing. Eat clean and lift hard. Do your
the best tell the story of why he died.The following is excerpted best and listen to your body. Never give up.” So tomorrow, my
from a letter Joe’s girlfriend, Emily, sent to Dave Palumbo….. dear friend is meeting me in the parking lot, and I’m going to
walk through the door of our gym. It was who we were. Out of
Given the phenomenal physique Joe worked so hard to respect for Joe, I will lift hard, or I will go home.
achieve, he defended himself against speculation of substance Godspeed, brother.The rest of you, stop what you’re doing
enhancement often. (After a show, he was usually the first guy to right now and go get a physical!
NO BULL RADIO
No Bull Radio is proud to announce that we have finally accepted sponsorship of two exciting companies! Moving forward, Dave and I will be trying
out and showcasing many new and innovative products soon to be released by each respective company. The great thing is that Dave and I worked hard to
solicit two companies that do not produce competing products. We didn’t want to have to choose sides and use one product over another. This way, we
can take advantage of both company’s products and report real-world experiences to you!
First to step up to the plate was Met-RX founder Dr. Scott Connelly. Dave has known Dr. Connelly for many years, having worked with him at Met-RX
back in the day. Their close relationship precedes our deal, as Dave and definitely vouch for the doctor. Dr. Connelly has been a guest on NBR many times
and his shows have historically been our most popular.
Dr. Connelly was on NBR this month talking about the first of his new product line called Progenics SRG. This is a three-part system consisting of a
growth and recovery formula that you mix together as a shake and accompanying capsules taken immediately after your work out. Dr. Connelly’s ground-
breaking research into whey protein fractions have resulted in a growth and recovery formula like nothing I’ve ever tried. I took the Progenics after training
legs and then trained them again the next day. What I found was that after 24 hours I was not only fully recovered from the previous day’s training, but also
slightly stronger! The immediate results from Progenics are northing short of drug-like. I urge you all to try it while it’s still legal! Get yours today at
ProgenicsSRG.com.
The next company that wants Dave and me on board is ALR Industries. I’ve known the company’s founder Author L. Rea for more years than I care to
admit. Something like 15 we last calculated. The ink isn’t dry on our deal yet, but my cupboard is stocked with his whole line of ALR products. I’m loading
up now and looking forward to having Author on the show soon so that we can discuss his incredible line of mass-building fare. So stay tuned to NBR
Monday nights at 7 P.M. EST on www.musculardevelopment.com.
muscular
development.com By Gregg Valentino
Welcome back, my friends, to the show that AHH, THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH ORALS IS, I’M
never ends. We’re so glad you could attend, come OUT OF THEM….EVERYONE KNOWS DAVE IS THE PRE-
inside! Come inside!…. MuscularDevelopment.com CONTEST GURU SO HERE IS A QUESTION FROM ONE OF
24 HOURS A DAY BABE… 7 DAYS A WEEK, BOO- THE MEMBERS WHO COMPETES…QUESTION: DAVE,
YA….YOOOOOO, WHAT’S UP, WHAT’S GOOD…FUCK what would you recommend for a dyazide protocol from
OFF!!!!…YO, I SAY THAT OUTTA LOVE!!!!!.... OH YEAH Friday after pre-judging to the Saturday finals? ANSWER:
BABE, In the land of the witless, the half-wit is 1/2 dyazide on Friday night before bed and another
king…THE “NO BULL” FORUM IS FULL OF KINGS & A 1/2 dyazide on Saturday morning at 12
FEW QUEENS, IF YOU READ BETWEEN THE LINES…We noon…SWITCHING CHANNELS FOR A MOMENT…..HERE
the willing, led by the unknowing, are doing the IS A QUESTION FOR DAVE BY A MEMBER WITH STEROID-
impossible for the ungrateful. We have done so RELATED ACNE PROBLEMS…DAVE, I am planning on
much for so long that we are now qualified to do using accutane at 40mg/day for the first 6 weeks and see
anything with nothing…..WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? I’M how it works before I increase it to 80mg/day. My question
NOT SURE BUT IT SOUNDED GOOD….ANYWAY, I MUST is 1. Should I split the dosage? YES…2. Can I take 40mg at
TELL YA, THINGS ARE GETTING STEAMY ON THE FORUM once? YES…3. Can I run 40mg stanazolol(orally) with accu-
THANKS TO MY POST ABOUT “WHO IS LOOKING FOR tane? SURE…..4. Do I need to use Liv.52 with accutane? I
wouldn’t in case it interacts with the efficacy of the
ACCUTANE. Believe me, having 1-2 alcoholic drinks
a night is a hell of a lot more toxic than 40mcg
Accutane….
ACNE IS A BIG PROBLEM FOR A LOT OF STEROID
USERS, THERE ARE EVEN A FEW PROS WHO ARE WALK-
ING ZIT FARMS…HEY ANOTHER FAMOUS BODY-
LOVE?”….YO, GAG AT THIS, JOHN BUILDER, A BODYBUILDING LEGEND TALKS TO THE
ROMANO HOOKED UP WITH ONE OF MEMBERS EVERY DAY…WITH HIS WITTY COMMENTS
THE FITNESS GIRLS aka PRGIRL ON AND POSTS, SHAWN RAY ANSWERS LOTS OF QUES-
THE MD FORUM AND THEY ARE NOW TIONS….HERE IS A SAMPLE OF A FAMOUS PRO INTER-
A COUPLE…..YES YES YES, YOU CAN ACTING WITH THE MEMBERS….
NOW CALL ME CUPID.THANK YOU
VERY MUCH….BY THE WAY ROMANO Q: SHAWN, I’m really interested if you made
OWES ME A BIG FAT STEAK DINNER many friendships with bodybuilders when you
FOR HIS NEWFOUND LOVE CONNEC- were competing.
TION AND YO, I’M HUNGRY & READY TO A: I made a few friends but mainly on the amateur side
COLLECT!!!!!…SO FAR THERE HAS BEEN of the sport. Kevin Levrone was the closest, although
A FEW HOOK-UPS AND ONE REKINDLED Flex was in and out of my camp based on his mood. I
OLD FLAME…GEEZ, I’M FEELING ALL never had it out for Flex, but loved to stick it to him
WARM & FUZZY INSIDE…..FOR THE REST when I could because he was an emotional guy who didn’t
OF YOU MOMOS I WILL TELL YOU THIS MUCH >>> ON THE take criticism very well. That said, my friends were the
MD “NO BULL” FORUM, THERE ARE A BUNCH OF HOT guys I grew up with. I never lived far from where I was
FIGURE/FITNESS & BODYBUILDING GIRLS LOOKING born, which helped keep me grounded. I only dealt with
FOR REAL ROMANCE SO IF I WERE YOU GUYS, I most of the pros on an as-needed basis, friendships were
WOULD GET MY ASS ON THE MD FORUM AND MEET built, earned and respected in a non-confrontational, non-
THE BABE OF YOUR DREAMS… combative way. Kevin Levrone and I never really discussed
ANYWAY ENOUGH OF THAT SHIT, IT’S TIME FOR A BBing.
QUOTE FROM “THE MAN HIMSELF” DAVE
PALUMBO, TAKEN FROM HIS LEGENDARY Q&A QUICK Q&A BETWEEN MEMBERS
THREAD ON THE MD FORUM: “The problem with oral AND SHAWN RAY
steroids is that they’re not in your system for that Q. How far out of a competition did you make a
long. This creates UPS and DOWNS, mood swings, posing routine?
acne breakouts (because of hormonal fluctuations A. 5 weeks
similar to what happens to women when they PMS), Q. How do you feel about doing high reps for leg
and water retention”... Dave Palumbo…..UM DAVE, training?
Bodybuilding Achievements:
2008 Muscle Mayhem, First, Wheelchair, Kansas City, MO
Back in August of 1998 I was involved in an accident 2008 Wheelchair Nationals, Fourth, Heavyweight, Palm Beach
that would forever change my life. The left front tire on Gardens, FL
my vehicle blew out and rolled my vehicle five-and-a- 2007 Rocky Mountain Championship, “BEST MALE POSER”
half times. I was ejected through the driver’s side win- Denver, CO
dow, and eventually collided with my vehicle in mid-air. 2007 Rocky Mountain Championship, First, Wheelchair, Denver, CO
The outcome of these 2007 Debbie Kruck Classic, Second, Wheelchair, Daytona Beach, FL
unfortunate circum- 2007 Caveman Classic, First, Wheelchair Mixed Pairs, St. Louis, MO
stances was a broken *1st Wheelchair Mixed Pair in Bodybuilding History!
back and a damaged 2007 Caveman Classic, First, Wheelchair, St. Louis, MO
spine at T-12 and L-1— 2007 USA Wheelchair Championship, First, Heavyweight, Metairie, LA
requiring titanium rods to 2007 Wheelchair Nationals, Third, Heavyweight, Palm Beach
be vertically bolted to my Gardens, FL
spine. I was diagnosed 2006 Rocky Mountain Championship, First, Wheelchair, Denver, CO
as paraplegic, and was 2006 Wheelchair Nationals, Second, Heavyweight, Palm Beach
told that it would be physi- Gardens, FL
cally impossible to ever ***COMPETED AGAINST ABLE BODYBUILDERS AS A WHEELCHAIR
walk again. That BODYBUILDER
day a part 2007 Kansas City Gold’s Classic, “BEST MALE POSER,”
of me died; Overland Park, KS
yet at the 2007 Kansas City Gold’s Classic, Third Mixed Pairs, Overland Park, KS
same time
another part “When one door of happiness closes, another
of me was opens; but often we look so long at the closed
born. What’s door that we do not see the one that has been
the one thing opened for us….HEY NICK, IT’S AN HONOR TO HAVE
you gain YOU AS PART OF THE MD FAMILY, YOU ARE TRULY AN
from los- INSPIRATION…..YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!
Training
Should You Train
to Failure?
Bodybuilders are bombarded
with slogans such as, “No pain, no
gain,” and “You must burn to
grow.” Inspirational films, such as
the Rocky Balboa movies, reinforce
the concept that you can’t work hard
enough and that more is better. This
training philosophy accounts for the
popularity of “boot camp” workouts
and fitness challenges such as the
United States Secret Service 10-minute
One-Arm Kettlebell Snatch Test that
push people to absolute failure. Is fail- obliques, transversus abdominis). This makes the exercise less effective for target-
ure training necessary for peak fitness ing the abdominal muscles and puts excessive strain on the spine. Nearly 50 years
and is this type of training safe? Jeffrey ago, therapists suggested that bent-knee sit-ups were superior to straight-leg sit-
Willardson and colleagues from Eastern ups because they minimized the activity of the hip flexor muscles. Unfortunately,
Illinois University in Charleston, IL biomechanical scientists found that both straight-leg and bent-knee sit-ups pro-
found that training to failure was no duced unacceptable loads on the spine. Canadian scientists, led by Chad Workman,
more effective for building muscle found that the Janda sit-up maximized the load on the abdominal muscles while
endurance than a program with a fixed minimizing the activity of the hip flexors. The Janda sit-up: Lie on your back with
number of sets and reps. Muscle ten- knees bent and feet off the floor and calf muscles supported by a spotter. Do a
sion and time under tension are two standard curl-up, while pushing down against the spotter’s hands and contracting
critical factors for building muscle mass your hamstring and glute muscles. Contracting the hams and glutes (hip extensors)
and strength. Training to failure inhibits the hip flexors from contracting— a phenomenon called reciprocal inhibi-
reduces muscle tension to the point tion. The Janda sit-up is an effective way to build the ab muscles, while minimizing
where the extra work is no longer ben- the load on the spine. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 22: 1563-1569, 2008)
eficial. Failure training can also be dan-
gerous and even deadly because it can Chronic Weight Training Decreases
destroy muscle tissue. This condition,
called rhabdomyolysis, releases the Short-Term Hormonal Responses To
muscle contents into the bloodstream, Exercise
which can cause kidney failure. The
popularity of failure training has trig- Anabolic hormones such as testosterone, growth hormone and IGF-1
gered a mini epidemic of rhabdomyoly- decrease with age. Low levels of these hormones increase the risk of heart dis-
sis in the United States. (International ease, type 2 diabetes, decreased muscle and bone mass, prostate cancer and
Journal Sports Physiology Performance, depression. Anabolic hormone loss also impairs metabolic health, promotes obe-
3: 279-293, 2008) sity and decreases sexual performance. It is a serious public health issue that
robs men of their energy levels and quality of life. Intense weight training
Janda Sit-Up increases anabolic hormone levels and has been suggested as a way of combat-
ing hormone decline in middle-aged men. Brazilian researchers, led by Eduardo
Builds Abs With Cadore, found that total testosterone, free testosterone, dehydroepiandros-
Less Stress On Hip terone, cortisol and sex hormone-binding globulin increased more in untrained
men than in trained men following an intense weight-training workout. Aging
Flexors men with low levels of testosterone and growth hormone can’t count on exer-
Six-pack abs are the bodybuilder’s cise to boost hormone levels and might require hormone replacement therapy to
Holy Grail. A basic challenge for ath- maintain optimal health. In a recent interview with Muscular Development,
letes is how to build the abdominal Harvard urology professor Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, author of Testosterone for
muscles without injuring the back. Life (New York: McGraw Hill, 2009) commented, “While exercise and diet can
Many abdominal exercises, such as influence testosterone, it is doubtful that lifestyle changes alone will compen-
straight-leg sit-ups, work the hip flexors sate for extremely low levels. I urge my patients to exercise and eat healthy
at the expense of the ab muscles (rec- diets because it makes them feel better and enhances overall health.” (Journal
tus abdominis, internal and external Strength Conditioning Research, 22: 1617-1624, 2008)
Training
Training Volume a bench press (negatives). Muscles tion to intense exercise that damages
can exert more force eccentrically muscle tissue. Linda Yamamoto from
More Important (lengthening contractions) than con- the University of Connecticut at
Than Intensity For centrically (shortening contractions), Storrs and co-workers found that
so muscle soreness and injury is more hydration status had no effect on
Glucose Uptake common in exercises involving eccen- myoglobin or creatine kinase (two
After Weight tric contractions. Muscles increase in markers of muscle damage) following
Training strength and size largely by repairing
small injuries to the muscle fibers,
intense weight training (squats, 6
sets of up to 10 reps). The test sub-
Weight training increases muscle and adapting by adding muscle pro- jects completed the workout while
mass and strength; it also boosts tein so that similar loads are less dehydrated, normally hydrated and
metabolic health by improving blood stressful in the future. Kyle Hackney overhydrated. The researchers con-
sugar regulation. Aerobic and resist- and co-workers from Wayne State cluded that dehydration did not con-
ance training increase glucose (sugar) University in Detroit found that crea- tribute to muscle damage during
uptake capacity following exercise. tine kinase (a marker of muscle injury intense weight training. (Journal
Poor blood sugar regulation is linked and inflammation) and resting energy Strength Conditioning Research, 22:
to the Metabolic Syndrome— a group expenditure were higher in untrained 1387-1393, 2008)
of symptoms that include hyperten- people than in trained people in the
sion (high blood pressure), type 2 dia-
betes, abdominal fat deposition, abnor-
days following an intense weight-
training workout. The program,
Electrical
mal blood fats, inflammation and designed to induce muscle soreness, Stimulation
blood-clotting abnormalities. Glucose
uptake during recovery from exercise
involved 8 sets of 6 repetitions for
eight exercises. The training cadence
Increases Growth
is vital for restoring glycogen (stored was 1 second for each concentric con- Hormone And
carbohydrate), which prepares the traction and 3 seconds for each Causes Muscle
body for future workouts. Paul eccentric contraction. The study
Luebbers from Emporia State showed the weight-trained people
Damage
University and colleagues found that adapted to intense muscle contrac- Electrical muscle stimulation
training volume influenced glucose tions and developed protection (EMS) has fascinated athletes and sci-
uptake during recovery from weight against potentially damaging exer- entists for more than 100 years. It
training more than training intensity. cise. Conversely, muscle damage and looks like the lazy man’s dream exer-
They infused small amounts of glucose the resulting repair process were cise machine: You attach electrodes
continuously after high and low inten- greater in untrained people. (Journal to your muscles, sit back, and let the
sity weight-training programs of the Strength Conditioning Research, 22: machine do the work. Scores of stud-
same volume (total work). The study 1602-1609, 2008) ies found that while EMS increased
showed that high and low intensity muscle strength and size following
weight-training programs could Dehydration Does surgery or injury, it was less effective
improve blood sugar metabolism. than traditional volitional exercise for
People can benefit from many types of Not Increase increasing muscle fitness in athletes.
weight training; it is an important Muscle Damage Marc Jubeau and colleagues from the
technique for promoting metabolic University of Bourgogne in Dijon,
health and improving the quality of
Following Intense France found that EMS increased
life. (Journal Strength Conditioning Weight Training growth hormone, creatine kinase (a
Research, 22: 1094-1100, 2008) marker of muscle damage), and mus-
High-volume training programs, cle soreness more than a similar
Eccentric Exercise such as “boot camp” and high-rep to amount of volitional exercise.
failure workouts, increase the risk of Anabolic hormones and metabolic
Less Stressful In muscle damage. Extensive muscle stress stimulate muscle growth and
Trained People injury can lead to rhabdomyolysis strength. Electrical muscle stimula-
that involves leakage of muscle chem- tion caused changes within the mus-
Muscle soreness is most often icals such as myoglobin and creatine cles that could enhance training
associated with eccentric exercise— kinase into the bloodstream, which gains. EMS might be a valuable
muscle contractions that occur as the can cause kidney failure. Treatment adjunct training method when com-
fibers lengthen. Examples include involves infusing fluids intravenously. bined with traditional weight-training
walking or running downhill and low- It seems reasonable that fluid (hydra- exercises. (Journal Applied
ering the weight to the chest during tion) status would influence the reac- Physiology, 104: 75-8 81, 2008)
Fat Loss
The Skinny on the thinner than the average American. A
study by Abu Mourad and co-workers
Obese Young Men
Mediterranean from the University of Crete School of Have Erection
Diet Medicine combined the results of 102
studies on obesity rates in 21
Problems
The Mediterranean diet— high in Mediterranean countries (European, Fitness and metabolic health are
olive oil, lean meats, fish, fruits, veg- Middle Eastern, African) conducted the keys to good sex because they
etables and red wine— promotes between 1997 and 2007. The study provide physical and mental benefits.
longevity and reduces the risk of heart showed that 20 percent of adult males Metabolically fit men can control blood
disease, some types of cancer, and flow to the penis that gives them erec-
blood vessel inflammation. The diet tions on demand, staying power for
might also combat obesity, but prolonged, wild sex and hormone
what’s the evidence? A review of regulation that maximizes desire,
literature by Genevieve Buckland instills confidence, but maintains
from the Catalan Institute of control. A study of young men (aged
Oncology in Barcelona, Spain and 20-45) living in Denmark showed that
colleagues found 21 studies that obesity increased the risk of erectile
examined the link between obesity dysfunction (ED) by 274 percent.
and the Mediterranean diet. While Obesity was defined as a body mass
only half the studies showed that peo- index (BMI) of 30 or more (BMI is a
ple following the diet were less likely measure of the proportion of height to
to be obese, no study showed that the weight). Surprisingly, ED was more
Mediterranean diet promoted weight prevalent in obese non-smokers than
gain. In fact, in long-term studies, peo- smokers. Obesity was not related to
ple following the diet were 29 percent premature ejaculation, retarded ejacu-
less likely to become obese. Cross-sec- lation or problems with sexual desire
tional studies showed a 51 percent (libido). Abdominal obesity is an
reduced risk for becoming over- important sign of poor metabolic
weight or obese. Several interven- health and sexual dysfunction. Men
tion studies (i.e., subjects followed who have big guts often have insulin
the Mediterranean diet to lose resistance, which is a sure sign of
weight) showed weight poor blood flow control to the penis,
losses of more than 30 reduced testosterone levels, poor
pounds. The diet may prevent physical fitness and a host of health
weight gain because of its low problems that increase the risk of
energy density, low glycemic load heart attack, stroke and some types
(lower in simple sugars), and high of cancer. Diet and exercise are the
water content. The diet is low in satu- and 25 percent of adult females living keys to reducing abdominal fat,
rated and trans fats and high in in Mediterranean countries were improving metabolic health and boost-
monounsaturated fats, which might obese, compared to 33 percent of ing sexual performance. (Journal Of
have health benefits. (Obesity Americans. Only 10 percent of Sexual Medicine, 5:2053–2060, 2008)
Reviews, in press, published online Mediterranean kids were obese com-
June 10, 2008) pared to 17 percent in the United
States. European children living in
Growth Hormone
People Living in Mediterranean countries were more
Amps Up Fat
Illustrated by Jerry Beck/www.ironasylum.com
Fat Loss
role in fat burning during fasting. diets to promote fat loss. These diets total fat. This association is highly
During a two-day fast, growth hor- might also inhibit IGF-1 production in controversial, but prompted many
mone increased by 400 percent, fat healthy bodybuilders, which might people to eat more dairy products.
breakdown increased by 100 percent compromise gains in muscle mass and Angelo Tremblay and colleagues from
and insulin decreased by 80 percent. strength. (Epilepsia, in press; pub- Laval University in Quebec, Canada,
They measured the effects of growth lished online August 2008) in a review of literature, concluded
hormone on fat breakdown by block- that calcium and dairy food intake
ing growth hormone production by influence weight loss, particularly dur-
about 65 percent with a drug called
growth hormone releasing hormone
Weight Loss ing calorie-restricted diets. He made
several observations:
(GHRH). Preventing growth hormone Decreases • Most people do not consume the
release during fasting with GHRH
wiped out the increased rate of fat
Biologically Active recommended amount of calcium in
their diets. Conversely, high sugar
breakdown. They concluded that Testosterone soft drink consumption has increased
growth hormone plays a limited role Gains in muscle mass and strength 300 percent in the last 10 years.
in fat turnover when people follow depend on adequate blood levels of • Several large, well-controlled studies
normal feeding schedules, but plays a testosterone. Studies by Shalender showed that low calcium and dairy
major role in fat breakdown during Bhasin (now at Boston University) and intake are linked to increased body fat
fasting. (Journal Clinical colleagues such as Tom Storer and adults.
Endocrinology Metabolism, 93:2755 – showed that muscle mass increased • Low-calcium intake is an excellent
2759, 2008) in direct proportion to testosterone predictor of excess body fat and
levels. A significant portion of testos- weight in children.
terone is bound to serum hormone- • Low-calcium consumers lose weight
Ketogenic Diets binding globulin (SHBG) and is
unavailable for anabolic activities,
when they supplement dairy foods
and calcium.
Suppresses IGF-1 such as synthesizing muscle protein. • During calorie-restricted diets, con-
Levels SHBG increases with age, which par-
tially explains why aging men gradu-
suming dairy foods preserves muscle
mass.
The body produces ketones, such ally lose muscle mass, even though • Inadequate calcium intake increases
as acetone, acetoacetate, and beta- their total testosterone levels remain the risk of the Metabolic Syndrome,
hydroxybutyrate, during low calorie within the normal range. A review of which includes symptoms such as
intake and carbohydrate restriction. literature conducted by scientists from high blood pressure, insulin resist-
Low-carbohydrate diets— sometimes the Laval University Medical Research ance, abdominal obesity, inflamma-
called ketogenic diets— are more Center in Quebec, Canada concluded tion, abnormal blood fats and blood-
effective than low-calorie, mixed- or that SHBG increases during weight clotting abnormalities.
high-carbohydrate diets for short-term loss, particularly in obese people. The • Calcium supplements improve blood
weight loss. The brain and nervous increases are greater in women than fat profiles and decrease abdominal
system use mainly glucose (blood men. One study found that high-pro- fat deposition.
sugar) as fuel but can also use tein diets prevent increases in SHBG • Increased calcium intake promotes
ketones when carbs are unavailable. better than high-carbohydrate diets. fat cell death.
Ketones, however, suppress the However, during weight loss, changes • High calcium intake increases levels
appetite center in the brain, which in SHBG are independent of dietary of uncoupling proteins in cells, which
might explain why low-carb diets composition. The study showed that increase the rate that the body burns
cause rapid weight loss. Ketones these hormone changes are most sig- calories.
cause an improved sense of well- nificant during pronounced weight • High calcium intake increases fat
being and produce mild euphoria. loss. Bodybuilders should attempt to excretion in the feces and increases
Ketogenic diets have been used to lose fat gradually so they can main- post-meal fat use.
suppress epileptic seizures since the tain higher levels of biologically active • Inadequate calcium intake promotes
1920s. A study from the Karolinska free testosterone and preserve muscle hunger.
University Hospital in Stockholm, mass. (Nutritional Reviews, 66:506 • Dairy products contain high-quality
Sweden showed that ketogenic diets 516, 2008) proteins that help suppress appetite.
slowed growth rates and suppressed They concluded that we need more
IGF-1 levels in children with epilepsy.
IGF-1 is a powerful anabolic hormone
Do Dairy Foods long-term studies to determine the role
of dairy products in promoting weight
produced mainly in the liver in Promote Fat Loss? control, but that most data support the
response to growth hormone release. High calcium and dairy food intake value of these foods in fighting fat.
Many bodybuilders follow ketogenic are linked to lower bodyweight and (Obesity Reviews, 9: 428-445, 2008)
Health
Strength Linked to time in some men, they usually caused below normal body temperature (98.6°F
Longer Life complications such as bone and muscle
loss, erectile dysfunction, loss of sex
or 37°C). The researchers did not meas-
ure the effects of heated car seats on
Get strong if you want to live longer. drive, breast tissue development and sperm production quality, so it’s diffi-
Most exercise recommendations men- abdominal fat deposition. Treatment cult to determine their long-term
tion muscle strength as an after- increased the risk of depression, poor effects. Over the years, researchers
thought. Aerobic exercise strengthens blood sugar regulation, high cholesterol, have speculated about other practices
the cardiovascular system, protects the hypertension (increased resting blood that might increase scrotal tempera-
heart and blood vessels from disease, pressure), blood-clotting abnormalities, ture, such as wearing cotton briefs and
and reduces the risk of heart attack blood vessel inflammation and type 2 sitting in hot tubs. The take-home mes-
and heart-related sudden death. A 19- diabetes. Testosterone suppression also sage is don’t let your sack get too hot.
year long study of 8,762 men age 20 to increased the risk of death from heart (Fertility Sterility, 90: 335-339, 2008)
80 conducted at the Karolinska disease. For men suffering
Institute in Sweden found that from prostate cancer, Sleep Loss Causes
men with the highest levels of suppressing testos-
strength were less likely to die terone might be like Inflammation
each year from heart disease, throwing the baby out Inflammation is the body’s
cancer, or any other cause. with the bathwater. response to injury and cellular disrup-
The men received medical (Journal Andrology, tion. It is linked to heart disease, dia-
exams and physical fitness 29:534- 539, 2008) betes and cancer. Physicians routinely
tests during the 1980s and screen for inflammation with blood
their status was reevalu- tests such as C-reactive protein and
ated nearly 20 years nuclear factor (NF)-KB. A study from
later. Greater strength UCLA found that disturbed sleep,
reduced the risk of even for a few hours, triggered inflam-
death from all causes by mation in the body’s cells and organs.
32 percent, 50 percent The scientists found that (NF)-KB lev-
from heart attack and 32 els were lower after a good night’s
percent from cancer com- sleep compared to partial sleep depri-
pared to the weakest one- vation, in which people stayed awake
third of the men. Increasing between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m. Sleep
strength might make you live deprivation is linked to a variety of
longer and increase the quality of life. health problems including obesity,
Weight training should not be a substi- heart disease, arthritis, and some can-
tute for aerobic exercise— you should cers. America is a high-stress society
do both. (British Medical Journal, 337: in which most people don’t get
a439 2008) enough sleep. We could be paying for
Heated it with our health. (Biological
Nasty Side Effects Seats Bad Psychiatry, 64: 538-540, 2008)
Health
strength, but is linked to increased also impairs metabolic health, pro-
blood vessel stiffness, which could motes obesity, and decreases sexual
decrease nitric oxide secretion and performance. It is a serious public
impair health. Japanese researchers health issue that robs men of energy
found that weight-training increased levels and quality of life. A study from
nitric oxide release by nearly 100 per- the New England Research Institute
cent in 64-year-old men without and Massachusetts General Hospital
increasing arterial stiffness. Weight in Boston on men 30-79 years of age
training may be the most important found that low testosterone levels
exercise for older adults. It improves increased the risk of Metabolic
metabolic health and increases muscle Syndrome in a wide variety of racial
and bone strength that enhance the and ethnic groups. The Metabolic
quality of life. (British Journal Sports Syndrome is a group of symptoms that
Medicine, 40:867-869, 2006) include high blood pressure, abnormal
blood fats, inflammation, poor blood
New Surgery for sugar regulation, abdominal fat depo-
sition and blood clotting abnormalities.
Gynecomastia Low blood testosterone is an impor-
Gynecomastia is the development tant marker of poor metabolic health
of female-like breast tissue in men and should be a standard measure-
caused by elevated estrogen levels. A ment in aging men. (Journal Clinical
portion of testosterone is converted Endocrinology Metabolism, 93:3403-
naturally to estrogens by a process 3410, 2008)
called aromatization. Gynecomastia is
common in bodybuilders who use ana- Does Spinal
bolic steroids and in adolescents with
surging testosterone levels because a Manipulation
portion of the male hormone is con- Stimulate Muscle
verted to estrogen. The condition is
extremely embarrassing and distress-
Growth and
ing to young men. While liposuction Repair?
can help some men, serious cases
often require extensive breast and Many bodybuilders see chiroprac-
skin surgery. In the past, most plastic tors to treat back and neck pain.
surgeons used the same procedure Treatment typically involves spinal
they used for female breast cancer manipulation that reduces pressure
patients, which cause scarring and on sensitive spinal nerves and
abnormal shaping of the breasts and reduces symptoms. A study from the
nipples. Egyptian scientists described McTimoney College of Chiropractic
a surgery for gynecomastia called the in the United Kingdom suggested
horizontal ellipse method that resulted that spinal manipulation might have
in minimal scarring and better breast benefits beyond changing the posi-
shape and symmetry compared to tions of spinal bones. Spinal manipu-
other surgical methods. The best strat- lation causes rapid stretching of the
egy is to avoid getting gynecomastia muscles in the neck and back. This
in the first place. (Aesthetic Plastic might increase the activity of the
Surgery, 32: 795-8 801, 2008) gene regulating IGF-1, a powerful
muscle growth factor that promotes
Low Testosterone muscle growth and repair of muscles
and nerves. They provided only cir-
Linked To cumstantial evidence for this
Declining Health hypothesis, so we need more
research before we can say that
Low testosterone (T) levels spinal manipulation influences nerve
increase the risk of heart disease, type and muscle metabolism. (Medical
2 diabetes, muscle and bone loss, Hypotheses, in press; published
prostate cancer, and depression. It online in July 2008)
Supplements
Cinnamic Acid Peter Cisár from the Comenius
University School of Medicine in
that chemicals in the supplement called
catechins, particularly epigallocatechin-
Improves Blood Bratislava, Slovakia and colleagues 3-gallate, help enhance metabolic
Sugar Regulation found that Pycnogenol reduced pain in health, fight free radical formation and
people suffering from knee arthritis. One decrease fat. Green tea extract
Some of the simplest foods are some- hundred people were given 150 mil- enhances the health of the endothelium
times the healthiest. Cinnamon is a pop- ligrams of Pycnogenol or a placebo (fake (the inner lining of blood vessels), which
ular kitchen spice used to flavor oat- Pycnogenol) per day for three months. decreases resistance to blood flow and
meal, desserts, coffee and hot chocolate. Pain decreased gradually throughout reduces blood pressure. A study led by
It also promotes insulin metabolism and the study without side effects. By the Italia Papparella from the University of
improves blood sugar control. Its active Padova in Italy showed that GTE
ingredient is cinnamic acid, which is reduced blood pressure and prevented
also found in fruits, vegetables and heart enlargement in rats by altering
flowers. Thai researchers found that free radical metabolism. Free radicals
adding cinnamic acid to cultured pan- are highly reactive chemicals produced
creatic cells (the pancreas secretes naturally during metabolism that are
insulin) increased insulin release by linked to aging, immune system
as much as 300 percent. In humans, breakdown, heart disease and cancer.
Swedish scientists found that includ- Other studies found that GTE slowed
ing 6 grams of cinnamon in rice pud- cell death in cell cultures and promoted
ding reduced blood sugar and recovery after a heart attack or stroke.
delayed emptying of the pudding An 11-year study of more than 40,000
from the stomach without affecting Japanese adults found that people
hunger. Cinnamon contains antioxi- who drank the largest amount of
dants called phenols that decrease green tea had reduced death rates
inflammation and promote blood ves- from all causes and from cardiovas-
sel health. Even small doses of cinna- cular disease compared to people who
mon were helpful. People who ate 1 didn’t drink green tea. Green tea
gram of cinnamon per day— about a end of the study, pain decreased by 40 extract looks like an excellent supple-
half teaspoon— for 40 days showed percent; 38 percent of the subjects were ment that promotes metabolic health
reduced blood sugar, triglycerides (blood able to reduce their dosage of nons- and speeds weight loss. (Journal
fats), LDL cholesterol (the bad choles- teroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g., Nutrition, 138: 1596–1601, 2008;
terol), and total cholesterol. Including Advil); 38 percent reported less stiffness American Journal Clinical Nutrition, 87:
cinnamon in the diet might reduce the and 52 percent reported improved phys- 778–784, 2008)
risk of heart disease and diabetes. ical function. Pycnogenol appears to be
Bodybuilders would benefit by sprin-
kling a teaspoon of cinnamon on their
a safe supplement. Side effects include
headache, gastrointestinal discomfort,
Caffeine Boosts
oatmeal at breakfast. (Journal nausea, dizziness and allergic reactions. Repeated Sprint
Agricultural Food Chemistry, 56:
7838–7844, 2008; American Journal
In diabetics, it could theoretically inter-
fere with blood sugar control, but this
Performance
Clinical Nutrition, 85:1552–1556, 2007) side effect has not been reported in the Caffeine is an effective supplement
scientific literature. Pycnogenol appears for increasing strength and power. It is
Pycnogenol to be a useful and safe supplement for
bodybuilders. (Phytotherapy Research,
currently legal in Olympic sports, but
restricted in college and high school ath-
Reduces Knee 22: 1087–1092, 2008) letics. Most studies show that caffeine,
Arthritis Pain
Illustrated by Jerry Beck/www.ironasylum.com
Supplements
University College showed that caffeine effects as anabolic steroids. (The Tan in Canada, in a review of literature, con-
(average of 385 milligrams) increased Sheet, August 11, 2008) cluded that the combination of weight
performance during repeated short training and creatine monohydrate gen-
sprints (12 X 30-meter sprints repeated
at 35-second intervals). Caffeine boosted
CLA Needs D6D to erated satellite cells that had the char-
acteristics of young muscle. The satellite
peak sprint performance by 0.06 sec- Promote Fat Loss cells are integrated into the old muscle,
onds compared to a placebo (fake caf- Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a which reverses many of the effects of
feine), an improvement of 1.4 percent. popular supplement with bodybuilders aging. Adding conjugated linoleic acid
Caffeine also delayed fatigue during the because it cuts abdominal fat and supplements helps decrease body fat
workout by 1.2 percent. Caffeine didn’t reduces inflammation linked to insulin and increase lean mass. Creatine sup-
make the sprints seem any easier (per- resistance, diabetes, and poor sexual plementation combined with weight
ceived exertion), but it increased heart performance. CLA is a fatty acid found training increases muscle nuclei (the
rate more than the placebo. Caffeine in beef and dairy fats and is also avail- genetic centers of cells), which also has
had only a small effect on repeated able in higher concentrations in CLA the effect of making muscles “younger.”
sprint performance. However, it could supplements. Most animal studies, but They concluded that the combination of
mean the difference between winning only 50 percent of human studies, found weight training, creatine monohydrate,
and losing. (Medicine Science Sports that CLA reduced body fat. We can infer and CLA has important anti-aging
Exercise, 40: 1835–1840, 2008) from this that there might be respon- effects, but it is not known how long
ders and non-responders to the supple- these changes can be maintained.
CRN Issues DHEA ment. A University of Nebraska study
led by Kimberly Hargrave-Barns showed
(Applied Physiology Nutrition
Metabolism, 33: 213 – 227, 2008)
Marketing that CLA-triggered fat loss depends on
Guidelines an enzyme called alpha-6-desaturase
(D6D). Genetics and environmental fac-
Creatine Is Safe For
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is tors influence D6D activity and the Soccer Players
produced naturally in the adrenal capacity of CLA to promote fat loss. Creatine is one of the most popular
glands, gonads, fat and skin. It is even- These include aging, smoking, insulin sport supplements on the planet. It
tually converted to androstenedione, resistance, inadequate intake of vitamin increases muscle mass, strength, and
testosterone and estrogens. It is a pop- B6, magnesium, and zinc; poor metabol- performance in some high-intensity
ular anti-aging supplement. The ic health, and high intake of saturated sports. Creatine has few reported side
Tanushimaru Study (J Amer Geriatr and trans fats. People who are geneti- effects. High doses (i.e., greater than 20
Soc, 56 (6), 2008) found that low levels cally prone to obesity, such as the Pima g per day) cause large increases in
of DHEA were linked to reduced lifes- Indians, also have lower levels of D6D. blood formaldehyde levels, which can be
pan and men with the highest levels This study sends an important message: toxic to the kidneys and the cells lining
lived longer. Unfortunately, DHEA is a drug or supplement that works in one the blood vessels. Carlos Ohanian from
caught up in the political steroid frenzy person might not work in another. the University of Uruguay and co-work-
that grips many of our politicians (who (Obesity, in press; published online July ers found that soccer players who took
should have more important things to 24, 2008) creatine for 56 days experienced no
worry about). Some supplement mak- changes in blood or urinary health mark-
ers have marketed the supplements as
alternatives to anabolic steroids.
Weight Training, ers. Fourteen soccer players were
assigned to either a creatine or placebo
Several bills were introduced in Creatine and CLA (fake creatine) group. The creatine
Congress to limit the sale of the sup-
plement. The Council for Responsible
Slow the Aging group took 15 grams per day of creatine
for seven days and 3 grams per day for
Nutrition (CRN), a trade association Process 49 days. Only the creatine group gained
that represents the food supplement Muscle mass, strength, and muscle weight during the study. Creatine
industry, issued advertising guidelines cell function decrease with age. Aging kinase (a marker of muscle damage)
to its members that prohibit marketing causes loss of functional motor units increased and uric acid (a marker of
DHEA as an anabolic supplement and (nerve and muscle cells), abnormal mito- amino acid metabolism) decreased in
targeting young people under age 18. chondria (cell energy centers), nerve cell the creatine group, but the changes
DHEA does not improve athletic per- death and DNA destruction. Gradually, were more likely due to training than
formance or increase testosterone lev- muscle cells lose the ability to repair the supplement. Creatine appears to be
els in low doses (25 to 100 milligrams). damage, which causes further deteriora- safe for short-time use, but we still need
However, it will increase testosterone tion in muscle function. Weight training more detailed research on the long-term
levels in very high doses (greater than can partially restore lost muscle function safety and effectiveness of this supple-
800 milligrams), but will also increase in older adults. Mark Tarnopolsky and ment. (British Journal Sports Medicine,
estrogen levels and have the same side Adeel Safdar from McMaster University 42: 731-735, 2008)
Nutrition
Weight Training the calcium out of the muscles, so they
and Creatine remained contracted. Calcium is the
trigger for muscle contractions.
Increase Muscle Physically fit people can
IGF-1 release and store calcium
efficiently, which allows
Muscle growth requires rapid muscle contractions
muscle tension, anabolic and relaxation. Poor calcium
hormones, amino acids and control causes fatigue and
energy. Creatine monohy- decreased muscle strength and
drate stimulates muscle power. Japanese researchers, in a
growth by increasing mus- study on rats, found that
cle creatine phosphate (an feeding chicken breast
important energy source), extract for five weeks
promoting creatine phos- improved muscle calcium
phate resynthesis during metabolism regulation
exercise, optimizing cell (i.e., Ca2+-ATPase activity)
water levels, increasing following a 2.5-minute intense
satellite cell activity (impor- sprint exercise. The treated ani-
tant for cell repair and growth) mals showed 15 percent and 45
and initiating protein synthesis in percent increases in muscle carnosine
the cells. IGF-1 is an important anabol- trol, exercise, reducing and anserine levels, which are impor-
ic hormone that is produced mainly in salt and alcohol consumption, and eat- tant for calcium metabolism. It is not
the liver in response to increased ing more fruits and vegetables. Chinese known whether these results apply to
growth hormone levels. It is also pro- researchers, pooling the results of 12 humans or how much chicken you
duced in the muscle cells themselves. studies using a statistical method called would have to eat to slow fatigue.
A Canadian study from the University meta-analysis, found that the consump- Chicken Nuggets are Olympic sprint
of Regina showed that weight training tion of milk peptides reduced systolic sensation Usain Bolt’s favorite food; per-
(eight weeks) increased muscle IGF-1 and diastolic blood pressure. Milk pep- haps he’s on to something.
levels by 54 percent and that the addi- tides are groups of amino acids formed (International Journal Sports Nutrition
tion of creatine (0.2g of creatine mono- during the digestion of milk. Examples Exercise Metabolism, 18: 399-411, 2008)
hydrate per kilogram lean mass per include whey and whey isolates. Milk
day) increased it by an additional 24 peptides reduced blood pressure best in Moderate Protein
percent. Creatine supplements people with hypertension or pre-hyper-
increased muscle creatine levels more tension (blood pressure greater than Intake Plus
in vegetarians than in meat eaters, but 130/80). The effects of dairy consump- Exercise Promotes
the increases in IGF-1 were not influ- tion on obesity and blood pressure are
enced by diet. Weight training and cre- extremely controversial and require fur-
Weight Loss
atine monohydrate supplements ther study. (Nutrition, 24:933-940, 2008) Increased protein intake helps peo-
increase muscle IGF-1 levels, which ple lose weight, but can you get too
promote muscle protein synthesis and Chicken Extract much of a good thing? The United
increase muscle size and strength. States Department of Agriculture rec-
(International Journal Sports Nutrition Improves Muscle ommends that proteins make up 15
Exercise Metabolism, 18: 389-398, 2008) Control percent of the total calorie intake.
Increasing protein intake to 40 percent
Tony Soprano whacked Paulie in of the total calories promotes weight
Milk Peptides New Jersey and stuffed him in the loss. Chronically high protein intake,
Lower Blood trunk of his car. He drove to a secluded
area to get rid of the body but found
however, can have metabolic side
effects such as elevated levels of uric
Pressure that the corpse was contorted and stiff acid, which increase the risk of heart
Hypertension (high blood pressure) when he tried to remove it from the disease, kidney disorders and gout.
is one of the leading risk factors of heart trunk. Paulie had gone into rigor mortis Paul Arciero and colleagues from
attack and stroke. While high blood because calcium buildup contracted Skidmore College in New York found
pressure runs in families, people can muscles throughout his body. The dead that moderate protein intake (25 per-
decrease the risk through weight con- body no longer had the energy to pump cent of total calories) and exercise (aer-
Nutrition
obics plus weights) had similar effects intensity exercise, including body- • The scientists concluded, “We
on body composition (weight, body mass builders, must restore vital glycogen are just beginning to understand how
index, waist circumference), metabolic stores so they can train hard each the properties of nuts influence health
health (insulin sensitivity, blood fats, lep- workout. They should consume carbo- even though they have been part of
tin) and muscle growth factors (IGF-1, hydrates during the first 2 hours of the human diet for thousands of
IGFBP-1). This study showed that mod- recovery from exercise to maximize years.” (Journal Nutrition, 138:1734S-
erate-protein diets plus exercise pro- glycogen replacement. George Brooks 1764S, 2008)
duced the same effects in obese, seden- from the University of California,
tary people as high-protein diets plus
exercise. (Metabolism, 57:757-765, 2008)
Berkeley and Jack Azevedo from
California State University, Chico
Soy Does Not
found that the gut absorbs multiple Lower LDL
Green Tea Extract carbohydrates faster than just one. Cholesterol
British researchers found that consum-
Improves ing a drink containing fructose and Lowering low-density lipoprotein
Metabolic Health glucose (two forms of carbohydrates)
was no more effective for increasing
cholesterol, even by a few points,
reduces the risk of heart disease and
Green tea extract (GTE) is a popular glycogen levels than glucose alone. stroke. Some studies found that sub-
weight-loss supplement that might However, athletes should use fluid stituting soy protein for animal pro-
also boost metabolic health by improv- replacement beverages that contain a tein lowered total and LDL choles-
ing blood sugar regulation, preventing variety of carbohydrate sources terol. Soy increases the activity of
obesity and lowering blood pressure. It because the energy enters the blood- liver enzymes that break down cho-
is not a magic bullet that instantly stream faster. The effectiveness of lesterol. In 1999, the FDA approved a
improves health and vitality, but it specific fluid replacement beverages claim from soy food manufacturers
helps. Scientists speculate that chemi- varies with the volume and intensity that a diet containing 25 grams of soy
cals in the supplement called cate- of exercise, genetic differences, and protein per day was good for the
chins, particularly epigallocatechin-3- training status. (Medicine Science heart and lowered cholesterol. A year
gallate, help enhance metabolism and Sports Exercise, 40: 1789-1794, 2008) later, the American Heart Association
fight fat. A Rutgers University study recommended that people with a high
using obese mice fed a high-fat diet Put Nuts risk of heart attack include soy prod-
found that an extract of epigallocate- ucts in their diets. Unfortunately,
chin-3-gallate promoted weight control, In Your Life there was little solid evidence that
prevented fat accumulation in the liver, Many bodybuilders don’t eat nuts soy was good for the heart or that it
and reduced symptoms associated with because they are calorie dense and reduced blood cholesterol. Most stud-
the metabolic syndrome (i.e., high high in fats. Research conducted over ies showing positive effects used few
blood pressure, abdominal fat deposi- the past 10 years shows that nuts subjects and often had statistical and
tion, abnormal blood fats, insulin resist- should be an important part of your research design problems. The
ance and blood-clotting abnormalities). diet. They promote a healthy heart, American Heart Association changed
Green tea extract looks like an excel- prevent cancer and improve digestion. its position in 2006 and concluded
lent supplement that promotes meta- A symposium conducted at the that soy protein or isoflavones (estro-
bolic health and speeds weight loss. University of California, Davis summa- gen-like chemicals in soy) did not
(Journal Nutrition, 138:1677-1683, 2008) rized the many important health ben- lower LDL cholesterol, triglycerides
efits of using nuts: and blood pressure or increased HDL
Glucose-Fructose • While nuts are calorie dense, nut (the “good” cholesterol). Australian
eaters are thinner than the rest of the researchers confirmed this when they
No Better Than population. Nuts prevent hunger, are found that high soy protein intake had
Glucose For difficult to absorb during digestion, and no effect on total or LDL cholesterol.
increase resting energy consumption. However, substituting soy burgers
Restoring • Nuts promote cardiovascular and soy hot dogs for their high-satu-
Glycogen health by reducing cholesterol, oxida- rated fat equivalents might reduce
tive stress, inflammation and blood saturated fat intake and improve car-
Carbohydrates are the main fuels for vessel reactivity. diovascular health. Even though soy
exercise intensities above 65 percent of • Frequent nut consumption foods don’t have a direct effect on
maximum effort. Exercise grinds to a reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes by cholesterol metabolism, they might
halt when we run out of stored carbo- stabilizing blood sugar regulation. improve the overall quality of the diet.
hydrates. Unfortunately, we have limit- • Nuts decrease the risk of cancer, (WebMD Health News, August 8,
ed carbohydrate stores in the liver and possibly by reducing oxidative stress 2008; American Journal Clinical
muscles. Athletes involved in high- and inflammation. Nutrition, 88:298-304, 2008)
Drugs
EPO Boosts Brain One study showed that Byetta type 2 diabetics better than long-acting
Function decreased calorie intake by 20 percent.
Byetta could have deadly side effects. In
insulin alone. The drug is convenient for
patients because they only need twice-
Endurance athletes such as cyclists 2007, the Food and Drug Administration daily injections— one before breakfast
sometimes take erythropoietin (EPO) to (FDA) issued a warning linking the drug and a second before dinner. The study
increase endurance, red blood cell pro- to pancreatitis, a potentially fatal dis- found that premixed insulin was more
duction and oxygen transport capacity. ease. Since then, six cases of pancreati- effective than long-acting insulin and
EPO increases the production of red blood sugar control pills for regulating
blood cells in the bone marrow, which hemoglobin A1c— an important marker
enhances the ability to transport and of long-term blood sugar regulation.
use oxygen during exercise. Most of the Many bodybuilders take insulin to boost
drug scandals in the Tour de France muscle mass and strength, but you
have involved EPO in athletes trying to should be aware of the side effects.
improve maximal oxygen consumption, Injected insulin is an effective ana-
but the drug might boost performance bolic drug, but it can trigger insulin
in other ways. German scientists shock, which can kill you. (Annals
found that EPO increased mental per- Internal Medicine, published online
formance in mice by enhancing nerve September 15, 2008; Health Day News,
function rather than increasing red September 17, 2008)
blood cell production. They injected
mice with EPO every other day for Aromatase
three weeks. Memory improved in the
animals even after red blood cell levels Inhibitor Increases
returned to normal. EPO improved nerve Testosterone and
function in the hippocampus, a part of
the brain linked to short-term memory
Decreases
and integration of information Estrogen
from the senses. EPO is more
than a blood booster; it might The capacity for muscle growth
increase athletic performance by depends on blood levels of testosterone.
improving short-term memory Young men build muscle better than
and sensory integration. (BMC women and older men because they
Biology, in press; published online have higher levels of the hormone.
September 2008; Science Daily, tis have been linked to Byetta— two of During its metabolism, a portion of
September 9, 2008) the patients died. The FDA announced testosterone is converted (aromatized) to
that it will strengthen its warning estrogens. High estrogen levels promote
FDA Issues regarding Byetta even further. (USA prostate and breast cancer, gynecomas-
Today, August 19, 2008) tia (development of female-like breast
Warning About Gila tissue in males) and prevent muscle
Monster Enzyme Premixed Insulin hypertrophy in men. Anabolic steroids,
particularly in high doses, are partially
Byetta Improves Blood converted to estrogens. Many body-
Byetta is becoming a popular drug Sugar Control builders who take steroids also take
with bodybuilders because it promotes drugs such as Arimidex (anastrozole) to
Illustrated by Jerry Beck/www.ironasylum.com
weight loss and increases insulin secre- Diabetics can take fast-acting insulin, prevent aromatization of testosterone to
tion (insulin is a highly anabolic hor- such as Humalog or Humulin-R, that’s estrogens and its consequences.
mone). Amylin Pharmaceuticals and Eli injected shortly before or after a meal, or Blocking aromatization increases the bio-
Lily sell Byetta (exenatide), an enzyme they can take long-lasting insulin, such logically available testosterone and could
found in the saliva of gila monsters, to as Humulin-N, Humulin-L, Lente, and promote muscle growth. Sherri-Ann
treat type 2 diabetes. When taken Humulin-U, that works 24 hours or Burnett-Bowie and colleagues from
before a meal, Byetta increases insulin longer. Rehan Qayyum from the Johns Massachusetts General Hospital in
secretion by the pancreas and speeds Hopkins School of Medicine and col- Boston, in a year-long study on men over
the delivery of fuels to the muscles. It leagues, in a review of literature, con- 60, found that anastrozole increased
also slows the rate that food leaves the cluded that premixed insulin containing testosterone levels by 61 percent and the
stomach, which prevents hunger and a mixture of short- and long-acting more biologically active free testosterone
promotes satiety (feeling of fullness). insulin improved blood sugar control in by more than 100 percent. Estrogen lev-
Drugs
els decreased by 25 percent. While the
drug normalized testosterone levels, it
Albuterol Builds by promoting specific signaling path-
ways inside the cells that activate
had no effect on body composition, Strength In Women protein synthesis and modifies mus-
strength, markers of prostate gland But Not Men cle protein breakdown, remodeling,
health, blood thickness or blood fats. and repair. It decreases body fat by
Arimidex is a popular drug with many During Simulated binding with the adrenaline receptors
bodybuilders, but we have limited objec- Spaceflight in fat cells, which promotes fat break-
tive information on its effects in healthy down and release. Italian researchers
young men. (Clinical Endocrinology, pub- Albuterol is a beta-2-adrenergic found that clenbuterol reacts with
lished online August 12, 2008) agonist drug (has adrenaline-like nitrites in the gut and forms com-
effects) used to treat airway spasms pounds that could cause cancer. Also,
Growth Hormone in people with asthma. The studies in humans and animals
International Olympic Committee showed that clenbuterol caused
Prevents banned it, except for athletes given severe cardiovascular side effects,
Hardening of the medical exemption. Albuterol is simi- including heart failure. Clenbuterol
lar to clenbuterol, which is popular builds muscle, but the side effects are
Arteries and with some bodybuilders because it potentially deadly, so bodybuilders
Insulin Resistance increases muscle mass. A study led by should leave it alone. (Free Radical
John Caruso from the University of Biology Medicine, 45:124-135, 2008)
Some bodybuilders take growth hor- Tulsa found that albuterol increased
mone because it builds muscle and cuts ankle extension strength in women Tadalafil (Cialis)
fat. Many older adults call it a modern but not men involved in a 40-day sim-
Fountain of Youth because of its effects ulated spaceflight (unilateral limb sus- Increases
on quality of life, skin texture, body com- pension). British researchers deter- Testosterone and
position, sexual performance and mined that albuterol was anabolic and
strength. Low growth hormone levels in worked by binding to androgen recep-
Cortisol Levels
older adults are linked to heart disease, tors in muscles. Their experiment After Exercise
muscle and bone loss, depression and measured binding rates to androgen Cialis is a second-generation erection-
premature death. The Food and Drug receptors in cell cultures. This study promoting drug that followed in the foot-
Administration has not approved showed that b2-adrenergic agonist steps of Viagra. It works by increasing
growth hormone as an anti-aging drug. drugs work much like testosterone to nitric oxide production, which increases
Many physicians fear its possible long- promote protein synthesis. Another blood flow to the penis. Viagra increases
term side effects and want to see the British study showed that albuterol exercise capacity at high altitude (but not
results of large, well-controlled studies increased quadriceps and hamstring sea level) by reducing blood pressure in
before they prescribe it to their patients. muscle strength but did not promote the lung circulation. Italian researchers
A 10 year-long Swedish study of low- lean body mass in healthy men. Like from the Departments of Endocrinology
dose growth hormone supplementation most anabolic drugs, albuterol proba- and Sport Sciences at the University of
in older adults showed positive effects bly works best when combined with Rome, led by Luigi Di Luigi, found that a
on body composition, bone mass and weight training. (Aviation Space single dose of Cialis administered before a
metabolic measurements (J Clin Environmental Medicine, 79:577-584, maximum exercise test increased salivary
Endocrinol Metab, 92: 1442-1445, 2007). 2008; British Journal Sports Medicine, testosterone and cortisol levels by more
A five-year-long Italian study showed 41: 874-878, 2007) than 100 percent. Before purchasing a
that growth hormone replacement ther- wheelbarrow load of Cialis, consider the
apy (4-5 micrograms per kilogram body- Clenbuterol Might limitations of this study. Salivary testos-
weight per day) prevented atherosclero- terone and cortisol measurements are
sis (hardening of the arteries) and Trigger Cancer notoriously inaccurate. Also, hormone lev-
insulin resistance. This study was diffi- Clenbuterol is used to treat asth- els often increase during exercise because
cult to interpret because the patients ma and is very popular with body- plasma volume (liquid part of blood)
were taking a variety of other drugs, builders because it increases muscle decreases by about 20 percent. No study
including testosterone and thyroid hor- growth and cuts fat. It is a beta-2 has found that Cialis or Viagra improved
mone. However, we are beginning to agonist, which means that it has performance at sea level in healthy people.
see promising long-term evidence that effects similar to the fight-or-flight Claims that these drugs improve exercise
growth hormone supplementation is hormone adrenaline. It is a popular performance or promote muscle growth
beneficial in older adults. (Journal drug with bodybuilders because it are little more than urban legends.
Clinical Endocrinology Metabolism, increases muscle mass, cuts fat and (Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and
93:3416- 3424, 2008) boosts energy levels. It builds muscle Metabolism, 93:3510- 3514, 2008)
Sex
Viagra: The Perfect Proscar, Propecia, Fincar, Finpecia and of stopping or at least uncovering
Finax) block DHT production, which hanky-panky. (www.dramatel.com;
Date Drug shrink enlarged prostate glands and PRNewswire, September 11, 2008)
Viagra is the perfect date drug: it prevent hair loss. However, several
promotes erections, prevents heart studies reported that up to 15 percent This is Your Penis;
attack and stroke during sex, and keeps of men treated with these drugs experi-
the flowers you gave her fresh for days. enced erectile dysfunction (ED). Onder This is Your Penis
Viagra (sildenafil) was originally devel- Canguven and colleagues from Johns on Drugs.
oped to treat hypertension (high blood Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore,
pressure) and angina (chest pain). The Maryland, in a review of literature, con- Many recreational drug users take
drug had an unexpected benefit— it cluded that 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors heroin, amphetamines and ecstasy to
promoted erections. Pfizer, the maker of did not cause ED, even in men who boost libido and sexual performance. A
the drug, immediately switched gears took the drugs for as long as two years study from the Department of Urology
and marketed it as a treatment for erec- and reduced DHT levels by up to 93 at the Kaohsiung Veterans General
tile dysfunction (ED). Competition from percent. Bodybuilders can safely take Hospital in Taiwan showed that male
second-generation ED drugs, such as these drugs to combat balding without drug users had an increased risk of
Cialis and Levitra, led Pfizer to search worrying about muscular or sexual side- erectile dysfunction, decreased sexual
for new and more novel uses for Viagra. effects. (Journal Andrology, 29: 514-523, desire, and delayed ejaculation during
Scientists discovered that it helps treat 2008) sex. The study examined 701 men
pulmonary hypertension (high blood (average age 35). The risk of erectile
pressure in the lungs), improves Phone Card Helps dysfunction was nearly five times
endurance performance at high altitude, greater in drug-users than non-drug
speeds recovery from jet lag (in ham- Catch Cheaters
sters), and slows the rate that cut flow- Hard economic times have led to
ers wilt. British researchers found that more affairs. Typically, the cheater will
Viagra might also prevent heart attacks avoid phone calls from their significant
and strokes by preventing blood clots. other and use caller ID to avoid getting
Viagra makes blood cells called platelets caught. A company called DramaTEL is
less sticky, which makes blood less like- trying to cash in on the cheating epi-
ly to clot. Blood clots are the leading demic with a phone card that allows
causes of heart attacks and strokes. users to alter caller ID displays to any
(Proceedings National Academy of message they want. They claim their
Sciences USA, 105:13650-13,655, 2008) product will help catch a cheating
spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend; fool
Anti-Balding Drugs those attempting to avoid your calls;
and trick your spouse into believing
Don’t Cause ED or you’re home when you’re not. The
Slow Muscle device will also change the sound of
your voice from a man to a woman (or
Growth vice versa). Men and women are more
Many bodybuilders, particularly likely to have extramarital affairs when
those who take anabolic steroids, take the economy is bad. Hard financial
anti-balding drugs such as Proscar and times add stress to a relationship that
Propecia. These drugs inhibit the pro- would not otherwise exist. The result-
duction of dehydrotestosterone (DHT). ing dissatisfaction causes people to look
Do these drugs interfere with muscle elsewhere for emotional support and
growth or have sexual side effects? excitement. Losing a job, falling real
DHT is a breakdown product of testos- estate values, and rising gas and food
terone and is produced in the prostate prices affect the way people feel about
gland, hair follicles and adrenal glands. each other. Some psychologists call this
While it is a more powerful male hor- phenomenon “financial infidelity,”
mone than testosterone, it has little and describe it as a condition
effect on skeletal muscle. High levels of where people are unable to
DHT trigger hair loss and promote adjust their lifestyle to hard
prostate growth in genetically suscepti- economic times. Whatever
ble men. Drugs called 5-alpha-reductase the reason, the DramaTEL
inhibitors (e.g., finasteride, marketed as phone card is a high-tech way
Sex
users of the same age. Drug effects performance in the bedroom. (Journal percent of women said that sex was
were not consistent. While most heroin Sexual Medicine, 5: 2107-2110, 2008) important to them, more than half con-
users experienced a decreased sex fessed that they were the ones who did-
drive, nearly 20 percent reported an High Blood n’t want sex. Nearly 30 percent of
increased sex drive. The frequency of women avoided sex because they were
both premature and delayed ejaculation Pressure too tired (particularly those with chil-
was higher in drug-users then non-drug Linked To Erectile dren). Instead, they would rather read a
users. As might be expected, lifestyles book or take a bubble bath. Among
were very different in drug-users and
Dysfunction women who had sex regularly, less than
non-drug users. Drug-users were less Erection problems are strong indica- half did so because they liked it and 23
likely to be married (27 percent versus tors of poor metabolic health that percent did it to please their husbands.
68 percent), more likely to be divorced increase the risk of heart attack and The survey showed that sexual enjoy-
(17 percent versus 1.5 percent), and stroke. In addition to the obvious (i.e., ment often went south after childbirth.
more likely to be single with a fixed sex- can’t get it up), other markers of poor New moms often stopped having sex
ual partner (49 percent versus 21 per- metabolic health include abdominal because they were ashamed of their
cent). Nearly all drug-users were smok- obesity, poor blood sugar regulation, bodies or were exhausted from family
ers (93 percent versus 39 percent). The abnormal blood fats, inflammation and and work responsibilities. On a positive
study showed that recreational drugs blood-clotting abnormalities. Italian note, most women said that sex was
will not make you a lion in the bedroom. researchers found that obese men with important to them. Guys, you have sev-
(Journal Sexual Medicine, in press; pub- erectile dysfunction (ED) also had low eral options: 1) Don’t get married, 2)
lished online September 2008) testosterone levels. Hypertension (high suck it up and accept that marital sex
blood pressure) was the most common will never be like it was when you were
Funny Films Make health problem in obese men with ED. dating, or 3) compromise and find out
Men over 35 should be concerned about what she needs and what turns her on.
You Hard and erectile dysfunction because it is a (www.momlogic.com August 12, 2008)
Increase strong indicator of serious health prob-
lems that can lead to heart attack,
Testosterone stroke and diabetes. The associated BlackBerry Fetish
Having problems getting an erec- decreases in testosterone can also lead Would you rather diddle with a hot
tion? Perhaps you should see the latest to poor sexual performance, insulin babe or your BlackBerry? While the hot
comedy starring Eddie Murphy, Will resistance, coronary artery disease, babe might be tempting, more than 33
Ferrell or Adam Sandler. Hajime Kimata muscle and bone loss, depression and percent of business executive said that
from the Moriguchi-Keijinkai Hospital in prostate cancer. Men with high blood they would choose their PDA over their
Osaka, Japan found that watching pressure are particularly susceptible to spouse. However, work is not necessari-
humorous films improved erectile capac- ED. (Journals Sexual Medicine, in press; ly their primary motivation. “Porno” and
ity in men with an inflammatory skin published online May 2008) “sex” are the two most popular terms
disease called atopic dermatitis (AD). accessed on mobile search engines.
AD is extremely painful and causes con- So, You Got Men use their BlackBerry for all kinds of
siderable emotional stress. Poor meta- hanky-panky, including text-messaging
bolic health is the principal cause of Married To Get their girlfriends, chat rooms and watch-
erectile dysfunction in aging men, but Regular Sex?? ing good old-fashioned porno movies.
stress can also contribute. After watch- The fascination with BlackBerrys and
ing film comedies for three consecutive Robert was crazy about Sally; they other PDAs transcends sex. Tech-cen-
days, the men had fewer erection prob- had sex like rabbits and she gave him a tered guys check them before they go
lems, increased testosterone, and blowjob three times a week. They decid- to bed at night and when they wake up
decreased estrogen levels for four to ed to take the plunge and both were in the morning. Some men admit check-
seven days. Watching boring documen- excited. Robert told his friends, “Just ing their PDAs in the middle of sex.
taries caused no changes in erectile think, I’ll get a blowjob every day after More than two-thirds of men claim that
capacity or hormone levels. A positive we get married.” Sally said to her PDAs allow them to spend more time
psychological outlook increases testos- friends, “Just think, after we get mar- with family and friends and enjoy life
terone and improves erectile capacity. ried I won’t have to give Robert any more. Experts say otherwise. PDAs con-
Testosterone levels increase after win- more blowjobs.” A survey by tribute to social isolation and decreased
ning athletic contests and decrease Momlogic.com showed that sexless mar- interpersonal relationships. Watching
after losing. Athletes might benefit from riages were extremely common and that people have sex on a small screen is not
watching humorous films before athletic many married women hated sex. About the same as participating in the real
contests or weight-training workouts. 50 percent of women found sex depress- thing. (New York Daily News,
Watching the films might also improve ing, embarrassing, or a hassle. While 75 September 15, 2008)
True
Euphoria? Help For Smokers
H
ave you ever experienced true found in the PE fruit also happen to
euphoria? I mean a feeling so Chances are that if you are into fight against lipid peroxidation as
different than joy or excite- exercise and or sports that you do well as being soluble in water, so it
ment that energy just wants to burst not smoke. However, so many peo- helps protect cells in the body from
out of your body? Well, I imagine that ple smoke that even secondhand pro-oxidants and antioxidants on
some of us have and those of who smoke at times is hard to avoid. the cellular level to ultimately
know that feeling, want to achieve it Well, we all know that smoking can enhance overall cellular health. The
again. If you are asking what the heck cause cancers (more than one type PE product will be commercially
does this have to do with bodybuild- or location) and that being exposed known as Capros® and the animal
ing, weightlifting or even fat loss, I will to smoke can also have negative and data to date strongly indicates that
tell you— that mindset, emotional detrimental effects on one’s health. this specific product has a great
health and clarity all have a direct reducing effect— thereby allowing
affect on your ability to achieve suc- Researchers from the body to better deal with physi-
cess. We can also say that the feeling cal or environmental stress. The
of euphoria occurs when you accom-
Natreon have animal study tested the effects of
plish a long, hard-earned, strived-for developed a spe- Capros® against true cigarette
goal; for some of us, that goal might cialized fruit smoke and the results are clear;
be to look great entering our first this product is one that reduces the
show and yet for others, happiness extract that damage that smoke does to healthy
comes after a hard-fought battle in the appears to be the cells. The product was found to
gym. The point is that even with nutri- real deal in fight- reduce malondialdehyde (MDA, a
tion, how you eat can affect your marker of oxidative damage) while
mood and thus how and when you eat ing the cata- also stimulating antioxidative
may also affect the gains (or losses) strophic damaging enzymes (glutathione, catalase,
that you can achieve as a result of superoxide dimutase, etc.), thus
working out and watching how and
effects of ciga- demonstrating a strong protective
what you eat. Use food and supple- rette smoke. effect. The data is impressive,
ments in a judicious manner to help though it needs to be replicated in
promote the achievement of your Researchers from Natreon have humans (animal data to date). This
goals— the “how-to” is often found in developed a specialized fruit extract is a product that is on store
these pages of MD on a monthly that appears to be the real deal in shelves.
ILLUSTRATION BY LYMAN DALLY
basis. Again, the goal of this column is fighting the catastrophic damaging To date, no one has examined if
to help advise you of what is being effects of cigarette smoke. The this product alone (Capros®) or per-
explored in the research arena (and Phyllanthus emblica (“PE”) fruit is a haps when combined with other
how you or other loved ones may fruit rich in galloellagitannoids— flavonoids or tannins has any fat-
benefit), as well as to be a source of compounds similar to those found burning effect…it might….therefore
information to you here and on the in green tea and that are associated it is one to watch (and consider if
MD forums. With that said, let’s review with an improvement of “spiking” you live a lifestyle where you are
the hot topics of the month! effect on metabolism. The tannoids exposed to smoke).
performance
Kitchen Pharmaceuticals
for Fat Loss
espite wide-ranging efforts to encourage Americans if the acute appetite-suppressing effects of an egg breakfast
Update!
Supplement Performance
WPH Beats WPI! Augment from Serenoa repens (Alphastat(R)),
Just as we know that not all carbs Testosterone have been reported to have inhibitory
or fats are treated the same by your Maintaining endogenous testos- effects on both 5AR and AER in-vitro.
body, we also know that proteins are terone (T) levels as men age may slow So, 42 healthy males ages 37 to 70
unique in their own right. Casein, the the symptoms of sarcopenia, were divided into two groups of 21
slow protein, and whey, the fast pro- andropause and decline in physical and given either 800mg/day or
tein, are perhaps the most popular performance. Dang, after reading that, 2,000mg/day of Alphastat(R) for 14
among supplement users. But to add it makes you want to slap a few dozen days. Blood samples were collected on
a twist to this little tale, we know patches of testosterone patches on days zero, three, seven and 14 and
there is a difference between whey assayed for T, DHT and ES.
protein isolate and hydrolysate. In There’s evidence that Bodyweight and blood pressure data
fact, there’s evidence that protein were collected prior to blood collec-
hydrolysates can speed tissue repair protein hydrolysates tion. Both dose groups showed signifi-
following damage and are useful for
accelerating recovery from exercise-
can speed tissue cant increases in T and decreases in
DHT within three days of treatment
induced muscle damage. And that it repair following with Alphastat(R). But the effect was
does it better than whey protein iso- not dose-dependent and that
late! The potential for a hydrolysate damage and are 800mg/per day is equally effective as
(HD) of whey protein isolate (WPI) to
speed recovery following eccentric
useful for accelerat- 2,000mg/day for increasing T and low-
ering DHT. Blood levels of ES however,
exercise was tested by assessing ing recovery from decreased significantly in the
effects on recovery of peak isometric 2,000mg/day dose group, but not in
torque (PIT). In this study, 28 seden- exercise-induced the 800mg/day dose group, indicating
tary males had muscle soreness (MS),
serum creatine kinase (CK) activity,
muscle damage. a dose-dependant decrease in E levels.
So, it looks like the 2,000mg dosage is
plasma TNF-alpha and PIT assessed at best for both increasing T and
baseline and after 100 maximal your epidermis. Also, drugs inhibiting decreasing both DHT and E levels.
eccentric contractions (ECC) of their the enzyme 5-alpha-reductase (5AR)
knee extensors. Participants then con- can produce increased blood levels of Muscle Builder
sumed 250ml of flavored water (FW), T and decreased levels of dihy- And Anti-
or FW containing 25g WPI or 25g drotestosterone (DHT). But the bad Inflammatory
WPI(HD). PIT or force output part is that symptoms of gynecomastia Besides increasing muscle fiber
decreased 23 percent following ECC, (fat deposits on the chest) have been size, activating satellite cells, improv-
remained suppressed in FW and WPI, reported due to the aromatase (AER) ing strength, power and endurance
but recovered fully in WPI (HD) by 6 enzyme converting excess T to estradi- and enhancing mental function, you
hours! Thus, in the head-to-head ol (ES). So what’s the solution? Let’s now can add this to the list of the
match-up, WPI gets its butt whooped check this out. many great things creatine does. And
by the hydrolysate in assisting ath- The carotenoid astaxanthin (AX) that is…it’s an anti-inflammatory. For
letes to recover from fatiguing eccen- from Haematococcus pluvialis, Saw instance, scientists examined the effect
tric exercise. Palmetto berry lipid extract (SPLE) of creatine supplementation upon
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HERE WE GO
The lineup looks good. Everyone came to play. The first and
last callouts are usually the key to the show. The athletes step
out numerically, so the order has no real significance. Toney
Freeman…surprise, and a nice one at that. The X-Man has never
looked better. What a time to bring your all-time best! Phil
Heath…expected. Bigger and drier than the Nevada desert. He
looks dangerous. Dexter Jackson…of course. Also bigger
though not as crisp as earlier in the year (and this is what threw
me, at first—more on this later). Still a huge threat with his near-
ly flawless physique. Jay is off. He’s big but he’s nowhere near
as hard as he needs to be. The door is open.
Toney was obviously holding back in Atlanta so he could
peak tonight (wise play Dave). Dexter and Jay battled hard with
Phil on the outside looking to move in. But the absence of Wolf
was the most telling aspect. For the next callout, Dexter and
Jay (numbers 1 & 2?) left the lineup, making way for Silvio
(most shredded man in the show), Melvin (sharper than he was
in Atlanta), and Wolf (finally! to the deafening approval of the
crowd). Silvio impressed me with his conditioning, which was
absolutely shocking. I foresee a top spot. The Wolf-Heath
matchup was a prediction of things to come. Only one year
separates these two (29 and 28 respectively), perhaps the most
promising young athletes of the future. Wolf looks huge! The
biggest guy in the show. Still can’t believe he wasn’t in the first
callout. But Phil brought his A-game and he’s not backing
down. The kid is really showing me something. He’s got my
TURNING POINT
The 3rd callout. Toney and Phil are replaced by Dexter
and Jay. Wolf’s in the middle, between them. The crowd’s
going nuts. Dennis is beating Jay on almost every pose.
Off to the side though, Dexter is staking his claim. The
added size is impressive, but did it come at a price?
Initially I thought he wasn’t quite as dry as I’ve come to
expect from a man with a vise-grip on the conditioning
department. He was almost too full. But then Dexter
started getting harder and drier. The Blade was sharpen-
ing and cutting down his foes. He has things the others
don’t. His intricate details, flowing lines, perfect symmetry
and added mass were slicing Wolf and Cutler’s size advan-
tage in two. Inside, I felt the first stirrings of hope. But
this is the Olympia, where size is always rewarded, so I the final callout, top 6 looks to be:
didn’t let myself get carried away.
Obviously, Dexter and Jay were battling for the top Dennis Wolf
spot. But in my world, it would have been Dexter and Toney Freeman
Dennis, followed by Phil and Toney in a neck and neck race Phil Heath
for 3rd with Silvio edging out Melvin for 6th. Obviously my Dexter Jackson
opinion differed vastly from the judges. But hey, that’s Jay Cutler
just my opinion. Let’s get back to the moment. Phil is Silvio or Melvin
closing the gap on Dexter, but Dexter’s still holding him off The judges got me baffled, which means they’re doing
and pushing Jay more than anybody—even more than their job right. Some had Dexter winning. Others put Wolf
Victor did last year. Dexter had only 2 callouts! I have at the head of the pack. There was a case made for Toney,
him ahead of Jay at this point. I can’t get a handle here as too. I’ve never heard so many varied opinions in one night.
it looks like Dennis and Toney are duking it out for fourth To me, that’s the hallmark of a great show. Here’s how the
(???) with Melvin and Silvio right on their heels. Based on chips fell. No more bets please!
www.fantamag.com
www.fantamag.com
PHIL HEATH—3rd
5 ‘9”
240
The Gift sure lived up to his billing as a future Mr. Olympia. I’m
stunned speechless. How can this guy keep improving at such a rapid
rate? And I’m talking major, jaws dropped to the floor, no question
about it improvements! Bigger than ever with a degree of condition-
ing right on par with Silvio. One of the roundest guys in the sport.
The best guns in the show with thick, flared thighs riddled with crazy
deep separation. Chest has nice thickness but still needs more width.
His back is coming up too, though it’s not quite at the level he needs
to leapfrog past the top tier guys (which won’t be too long if he keeps
up this pace). Still, his delts, guns, quads, hams, glutes, and calves
are stellar material. Winning lines and symmetry, too. Showed mar-
velous detail in quarter turns. Pushed Dexter and Jay hard. Could
have been one spot higher and nobody would have complained—
least of all, me! Absolutely ecstatic with third; great seeing such
youthful enthusiasm. He’ll be hard to keep at bay with his combina-
tion of size, shape, and conditioning.
GUSTAVO BADELL—10th
5 ‘8”
240
The Freakin’ Rican! A little lighter than normal but it served him well. When
Gustavo opts to forgo the size game, his waist gets tighter, improving his aes-
thetic qualities. But he sacrificed in other areas, mainly his front thighs, which
were markedly down and this cost him points. Guns were loaded as always but
his chest seemed a bit shallow. Powerful from the side though he lacked his
usual crisp lines. Rear double biceps still carrying loads of dense beef, but lack
of dryness hurt him. It was a tough line up and this clearly wasn’t the best
we’ve seen from Gustavo.
www.fantamag.com
In a way, a finish like this
redeems the sport on several
levels. The incumbent does
have an advantage (even if you
disagree, like I do, there’s no
disputing it has played a signifi-
cant factor in the past). So to
have it come down to the wire
and go to the better man based
solely on what was brought to
the table at the moment gives
me great consolation. Maybe
the days of one guy holding the
title for years and years are
over. I have no problem with
that if it’s truly warranted, but
that’s rarely been the case.
Dexter’s physique toppling
Jay’s—the proverbial apples and
oranges—makes a statement
louder than Saturday night’s
standing ovation. The aesthetic
component of the sport like
tight waists, impeccable symmetry, and pleasing lines are finding their way back to the center of bodybuilding. Size at all costs
is no longer a guarantee for victory. It’s the combination of everything: size, shape, symmetry, and conditioning. The total pack-
age. A return to the very ideals of bodybuilding. Balance has been restored to the bodybuilding universe.
Congratulations to Mr. Olympia Dexter Jackson (feels great to write that!), Ms. Olympia Iris Kyle, Fitness Olympia Champion
Jen Hendershott, and Figure Olympia Champion Jennifer Gates. Dennis Wolf was the overwhelming People’s Champion based
on crowd reception alone. Thanks also to AMI for resurrecting the German Grand Prix in 2009. Thank you to All-American EFX
(www.aaefx.com). Had a blast at the booth! Thank you to Steve Blechman for the support and respect he has for this sport.
Steve brought a small city of people to cover the Super Bowl of bodybuilding because that’s how much he cares. As usual, I had
a rip roaring good time covering all the festivities for you. On behalf of Steve, Dave Palumbo, Shawn Ray, John Romano, Per
Bernal, and the rest of Team MD, God Bless you all. We’ll do it again next year!
He’s ranked right now as “America’s Top Amateur,” having lost the
2008 USA heavyweight title by a scant one point to overall champ
Brandon Curry. There’s a very good chance that just a couple weeks
after you read this, Michael Liberatore will take that weight division at
the Nationals and we’ll have to come up with something else to call
him. “The Liberator” is out, seeing as that name is already taken by
patented furniture wedges designed specifically for facilitating certain,
more enjoyable positions of sexual intercourse. But Michael doesn’t
really need a catchy nickname, anyway. His physique does the talking.
More than a couple pundits have compared his package of size,
shape, symmetry and condition to IFBB Hall of Famer Lee Labrada,
something you don’t hear very often about a heavyweight. The only
points on his physique right now that need to come up are his chest
Cable Curls
Liberatore also includes
cables in his arm-training arse-
nal, as they provide a feel and
tension uniquely different from
either free weights or
machines. He will do curls with
one or two arms, often as a
finishing movement for the
bi’s. The only variation you
won’t see him do is the “front
double biceps” cable curl from
dual overhead pulleys in the
cable crossover station. “I
don’t feel a thing from them,”
he states. “Most often I like
one-arm cable curls, because I
can isolate the muscle com-
pletely.”
Cable Pushdowns
Cables play an even more
frequent role in Liberatore’s
Machine Curls triceps training. He usually warms up with at least 2 sets
“Should I be like all the other guys and say I only use of cable pushdowns and then launches into 3 or more
free weights and everything else is for sissies?” That’s heavier work sets. “I just think it’s a good idea to warm
what Michael asked me when I inquired about his choice the whole area up and get a good pump going before
of training tools. Of course I would only want him to say you start using barbells and dumbbells,” he notes. At
that if it were true, and it’s not. “You have to have free some workouts he uses a V-bar, at other times a rope.
weights in your routine as your bread-and-butter move- Toward the end of the triceps workout, he often comes
ments, but there are a lot of machines I like, too.” He often back to the cable stack for one-arm pushdowns with a
Dips
Weighted dips have been a
core movement in Liberatore’s tri-
ceps training for his entire career.
He sometimes goes up to three
45-pound plates, but finds that he
pays for it in the form of elbow
pain. Most of the time he sticks
with two. He also has a secret
technique that he picked up from
his own background as a gym-
nast. “If you look at nearly all
high-level gymnasts, they have
great triceps,” he begins. “They
don’t get that from skull-crushers
or even doing dips; it comes from
so many hours and hours on the
parallel bars, supporting them-
selves in that top position.” To
mimic this, Liberatore often fin-
ishes each set of dips with an iso-
metric hold in that top position at
the end, with only a very slight
bend in his elbows. “You could
also do your sets of dips, then fin-
ish by trying to hold that position
for as long as you can, 1 minute,
2, or 3— you’ll be amazed at how
sore your triceps will get. And
don’t be too surprised if they start
growing again, too.”
Liberatore’s VPX
Supplement Stack
NO Shotgun pre-workout
NO SyntheSize post-workout
Meltdown (for cranking up fat-loss)
Zero Carb (protein supplement)
Redline Xtreme (when he needs additional energy)
Super-Heavies—
Not Always Super
Since the NPC instituted the super-heavyweight class 10
years ago in response to the need to give the “smaller”
guys in the 205-225 range a fighting chance against the
250-plus-pound monsters, a curious truth became evident
at the USA and Nationals. Aside from occasional standouts
like Dennis James, Quincy Taylor, Melvin Anthony, Orville
Burke, Desmond Miller, and most recently Evan Centopani,
the super-heavyweights usually weren’t so super.
In fact, for many in the audience, the class soon came
to be expected as an anticlimactic letdown at the end of
every show, and has remained so. Though initially con-
ceived as a weight division to encompass the true freaks,
instead it often draws tall guys with no legs, guys with
mass, yet lacking shape or definition, and always at least a
few competitors who clearly should have dieted down to
the heavyweight limit of 225 1/4 yet were obviously hoping
for an easier chance to win compared to the always-tough
heavyweights. But like I said, occasionally the super-heavy-
weight winner is a man with all the makings of a future
star in the IFBB. Toney Freeman certainly proved that, cata-
Weighty Issues
Until just a couple years ago, Ed used to let his bodyweight climb up to over 300 pounds in the off-season. That’s
not too uncommon these days, especially for a man over 6 feet. But what is uncommon is that eventually he made a
decision to stay leaner. “It’s not that I was uncomfortable at that weight physically,” he says. “I just got sick of hav-
ing to kill myself with cardio to get in shape when it was time to compete because I needed to drop 50 pounds.”
Sharing the bodybuilder’s universal hatred of cardio, Nunn adds, “Being so heavy with all that fat also stretches the
skin out and makes it harder to get that tight, shrink-wrapped look once you’re in condition.” Since 2006, Ed has
maintained a weight of around 280 in the off-season. “My abs are in at that weight, and I see plenty of vascularity.
As long as I eat clean all week, I find I can have a couple treats over the weekend and it doesn’t hurt me much. I
have a pretty fast metabolism for someone my size, I think. But staying leaner is definitely something that’s made
my contest diets a lot easier. And best of all, I don’t have to do a ton of cardio when it’s time to get in shape. I can get
by most of the time with two 15-20 minute sessions a day instead of 45 like the old days.”
Leg Extensions
Trey used to consider leg extensions nothing more than the prelimi-
nary warm-up before he could get into the “real” leg workout with squats,
but lately he’s changed his thinking. “Instead of just rushing through
extensions and not really putting much into them, now I get a really good
squeeze at the top and try to go progressively heavier set by set.” The
pump resulting from the increased blood flow has paid unexpected divi-
dends at the squat rack. “Now I get a much better pump and feeling in the
quads when I squat, for sure.”
Hack Squats
Prior to this, The Phenom usually did hack
squats on leg day. He will occasionally rotate
them back in, but he feels that doing both hacks
and front squats in addition to squats, leg press-
es, leg extensions and lunges is a bit much, even
for a workhorse like him. “I still think it’s a very
good exercise, particularly for anybody who
wants to get more outer sweep to the quads.”
Trey’s Leg Workout steps, because that would mean skinning his
Leg Extensions 4 x 10-15* knees on asphalt.
Squats 4-5 x 10-15
Leg Presses 4 x 10-15 Lying Leg Curls
Parking Lot Lunges 4 trips across gym parking lot and back
Trey usually does both lying leg curls and
Lying Leg Curls 4-5 x 10-15*
seated leg curls in each workout, and eschews
Seated Leg Curls 4 x 12
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts 4 x 10-15 the common practice of high reps. “I’ve always
responded well to going heavy on hams just like
*The final set for both leg extensions and lying leg curls is usually
a drop set that amounts to a total of 20-25 reps. I do on quads,” he declares. “The hams have a
lot of fast-twitch muscle in them, so high reps
Stiff-Leg Deadlifts
Finally, Brewer nails his hams with heavy stiff-legs,
working up to 405 pounds in the off-season. The style he
chooses would more accurately be called “Romanian
deadlifts,” as this variation involves keeping the knees
slightly bent at all times and having the bar travel very
close to the body. With Romanian deads, you don’t need
to lower the bar to your shoelaces for a full stretch.
Typically that occurs right around mid-shin level.
I
f you subscribe to the adage “bigger is bet-
ter” when it comes to bodybuilding, you
have to be a fan of Big Sean Allan, or “BSA”
as he’s become known. Standing 6’4”, Sean
competes these days around 285 and has been
as heavy as 352 pounds in the off-season. His
claimed measurements sound like they belong
on a comic-book character rather than a flesh-
and-blood human being: 68-inch chest, 25-inch
arms, 23-inch calves, and— wait for it— a 32-
inch waist on contest day. BSA’s career has had
almost as many ups and downs as the stock
market since he first stepped onstage over a
decade ago. He actually became infamous sev-
eral years ago by standing up at the Mr.
Olympia press conference and informing the
top men in the world that he planned on being
onstage with them soon.
“The many people who know Big Sean know I’m a good person
and treat others the way they treat me. I’m not cocky or arrogant,
but I am very confident. That will never change. If people have a
problem with that, it speaks of their own lack of confidence.”
—Big Sean Allan
I
t was getting to the point where I
was expecting to see Michael
Lockett’s face on the side of a freak-
ing milk carton. Never has someone
on such a fast track to the pros so com-
pletely dropped off the radar. The guy
wins the overall at Team Universe in
2006 after just two years of training, then
goes on to win the super-heavyweights
and overall at the 2007 Junior Nationals at
5’9”, 244 pounds…drug-free. And then,
gone! Nobody has a clue where he is or
what he’s doing. Recently we tracked him
down and learned he is headed to Atlanta to
make good on his early promise and turn
pro. Here’s what’s been going on with one of
the national level’s biggest mysteries.
RH: First off, where the hell have you
been? You won the Junior Nationals in
June of 2007 and were supposed to do
the USA this year, but it’s like you
dropped off the face of the earth.
ML: Not exactly, but close. I worked the
Kemistry booth at the Olympia last year, and
soon after that my new girlfriend decided we
should move to Las Vegas. I figured it would
be good for my career, much closer to the
West Coast than Ohio, and plus you have
guys like Jay and Gustavo there now. I love
the weather out there, too— beats the win-
ters in Akron! But once I got there I really
lost focus on bodybuilding. It’s wasn’t the
casinos or strip clubs or anything like that, it
was really the trials and tribulations of my
relationship. It didn’t work out. She’s a beau-
tiful woman, but we just weren’t meant to be together. She need to, but I’m working on it. I’ve still been training for
went back to Ethiopia after a few months, and I went to less than four years now.
Jamaica to go get my head straight and get the love and RH: I have to ask, because the readers will want
support I needed at that time from my family. to know: are you still natural?
RH: Your family? You have family in Jamaica? ML: Absolutely. Never had steroids, never will. God
ML: Oh yeah, that’s where I’m from. I came to the USA gave me these genetics for a reason and it would be blas-
when I was 7 years old. So all in all, I stopped training phemy for me to throw that amazing gift away and start
completely for about four or five months after a few using drugs. People can think or believe whatever they
months of not really having any focus or drive in the gym want. I don’t claim to look this way because I train harder
anyway. But now I’m back in Akron, and I’ve been training or eat better than every other natural bodybuilder out
hard again since the beginning of August. there. I do work hard, but I give all the credit to my Creator.
RH: Well there’s one unsolved mystery we can RH: Then I will go on record as saying that in my
close the file on. As we speak, the Nationals is still opinion, you might just be the greatest natural
over two months away. What are you looking like bodybuilder of all time along with Mike Ashley.
now? What’s your weight, and what improvements ML: Thank you.
do you think you’ve made since you won the Junior RH: Last time we spoke, you didn’t train calves,
Nationals? Or have you been able to make any, you did nothing for abs, and you didn’t do any car-
given what’s been going on? dio. Is that still the case, or have you started doing
ML: I’m up to 250 right now, and I will keep growing up any of those?
until the day of the show. I think I could be close to 260 ML: Still none of that, though I have been thinking
even after I drop my water. I’m thicker overall, but you’ll about maybe starting to do a little bit for abs. I’m not sure I
see the biggest improvements in my quads and my back. need to, though. I have a nice, cut-up eight-pack all the
It’s still hard for me to flare out my lats the way they say I time without doing a single crunch or leg raise. Cardio just
one: It’s the last chance of the year. And believe me it’s a long, slow wait
until the beginning of 2009 (bodybuilding is practically dead from mid-
November to February). Before it’s over and the curtain drops, there will
be a handful of athletes standing proud as the newest pros in the IFBB.
Here are some of those favorites, underdogs and dark horse picks.
BILL COMSTOCK
BILL COMSTOCK
SUPER-HEAVIES
MICHAEL LOCKETT
2007—Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Figure &
Fitness Championships
Overall Winner, Super-Heavyweight (First)
2006—Team Universe Bodybuilding Championships
Overall Winner, Heavyweight (First)
• Great delt mass and width
• Tight waist
• Impressive in quarter-turns
• Excellent overall size and roundness
What a freak! Michael caused a near riot
when he won the Junior Nationals last year.
Since then, he’s been biding his time, waiting
to emerge in spectacular fashion. He’s got
great pecs, as evinced by a head-turning side
chest shot and side triceps shot. He’s proven
that he can get into top condition, courtesy of
his striated glutes and all-over hardness. He
will need to improve that back, adding width,
lumbar thickness and deeper separation. His
front thighs need more clarity as well. Biceps
could use a bit more peak and fullness. His
chest and delts look great in the front lat
spread, but if he can add lat width, he’ll be
hard to beat.
BILL COMSTOCK
1995—USA Bodybuilding & Fitness
Light-Heavyweight (Second)
Championships
USA Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships Light-Heavyweight (12th)
Heavyweight (15th)
2003—National Bodybuilding Championships • Excellent shape and symmetry
Heavyweight (Fourth) • Great roundness
In addition to wide pecs and split peaked biceps, this cat is sporting
USA Bodybuilding Championships
great width to his legs in the quarter-turns. And those legs are super sep-
Heavyweight (Third)
arated too. He needs more meat to his back, especially for the front double
2002—National Bodybuilding Championships biceps and abs and thigh. I’d like to see greater sweep to his frontal
Heavyweight quads, too. He’s definitely got the conditioning down.
JEFF LONG
2008—USA Championships
Heavyweight (Ninth)
Junior Nationals Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure Championships
Heavyweight (Second)
2007—National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships
Super-Heavyweight (16th)
Europa Super Show
210 (16th), 210 & under (Ninth)
2006—National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships
Heavyweight (16th)
Eastern USA Championships
Heavyweight (Sixth)
• Densely packed
• Massive wheels and alien calves
Jeff’s another short guy with swollen thickness.
Overflowing front lat spread needs a little more sepa-
ration to really drop the judges’ jaws. The same goes
for his rear double biceps. He’s got sick arms and
huge, cross-striated thighs in the front double biceps.
The perfect complement to his combination of round-
ness and fullness would be more crispness.
Conditioning is the key for Jeff, even if he has to sacri-
fice a little size.
LIGHT-HEAVIES
PETER PUTNAM
2007—National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships
Light-Heavyweight (Second)
USA Bodybuilding & Figure Championships
Light-Heavyweight (First)
2006—USA NPC Bodybuilding & Figure Championships
Light-Heavyweight (Second)
2005—North American Championships
Light-Heavyweight (Fifth)
2004—NPC Collegiate National Bodybuilding Championships
Overall Winner
Light-Heavyweight (First)
• Pro-caliber wheels
• Great mass, separation, shape, striated glutes
I spent some time with Peter out in Venice, CA. I
think he’s a great guy and I wish him all the best.
After a disappointing loss to a sensational Charles
Dixon at last year’s Nationals, odds are he’ll be in
Atlanta ready to bump with anybody standing
between him and that elusive pro card. His greatest
weapon in that quest will be those massive, cut-to-rib-
bons legs with great sweep and lower thickness from
every angle, which he’ll need to offset his somewhat
narrow clavicles. He must bring his back up to chal-
lenge for the top spot.
Junior USA
Light-Heavyweight
• Cross-striated quads from hell
• Tight waist
• Small joints and billowing muscles
This kid’s physique is hollering Potential! He hasn’t
been in a lot of shows, but that’s sure to change. At
this stage, he’s in need of overall mass, particularly to
his torso. I see big things happening for him.
BILL COMSTOCK
GUY CISTERNINO
2007—National Bodybuilding & Fitness Championships
Middleweight (Second)
Junior USA Bodybuilding, Figure & Fitness Championships
Middleweight (First)
New York Metropolitan Bodybuilding, Fitness & Figure
Championships
Middleweight (First)
• Nice proportions
• Round, peaked biceps
• Stripped glutes
Impressive side chest, very wide and full. I like
Guy in the quarter-turns, with his great leg detail
and hanging hams (which you don’t see too often
at this weight). Check out his thigh rods! Give me
a bigger back, Guy. With the level of muscularity
and hardness he achieves, it’s just a matter of hold-
ing enough size and fullness. I’m still waiting for
him to bring that WOW factor to the table.
CHECK OUT
MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
FOR COMPLETE
CONTEST
COVERAGE!
DOING LIFE IN
LAS VEGAS
HOW CLARK COUNTY DEPUTY DA
ROBERT DASKAS GAVE CRAIG TITUS
WHAT HE FINALLY DESERVED
BY JOHN ROMANO
By now, Craig Titus, former IFBB pro bodybuilder The fading memories of his brief championship
and industry bad boy, who has now graduated to the physique, all the hotties he banged, all the drugs he
auspicious post of convicted murderer, kidnapper and consumed, and all the trophies he won, will have to be
arsonist, is getting used to the confinement he will enough to carry Craig through the decades to come.
occupy for pretty much the rest of Because other than that, as they
his natural life. The sensational say in the joint, he’s got nothing
murder that rocked our little coming.
world involving one of its most His wife, Kelly Ryan, will soon
prominent couples and their red find her way to freedom and in the
Jaguar found burning in the years to come will probably find
Nevada desert with the body of the sensible life which her manip-
their live-in assistant in the trunk ulative, self destructive, control-
is fading from the news while the ling, sad excuse for a husband
grief-stricken family of their vic- deprived her. With any luck, the
tim tries to find the closure to dark cloud Craig cast over her will
deal with such a vile affront to fade and she will find happiness
their family. with a real man who will adore
Knowing Craig as I do, he’s her for the sweetheart that is
only thinking about himself right underneath what Craig perverted.
now and how, or even if, he is And perhaps after months or
going to survive for probably the years of therapy, “Craig Titus” will
next 30-35 years locked up in a fade to a mere disappointing foot-
Nevada state prison. All the glitz note to her life…at least, one can
and glamour of his former life as a hope. For one of the most visible
bodybuilding rock star— the hous- and vocal members of our commu-
es, the cars, the guest appearances, the drug-fueled, nity, it doesn’t get more pathetic than that.
sex-crazed parties that sought the very depth of How does one of our industry’s biggest names crash
depravity— is all gone. So is the money, endorsement and burn so severely? How does a guy with so much
contracts, their friends, their fame, their well-equipped going for him end up losing everything and end up sit-
home gym, and the life he and his fitness-star wife ting in prison until he is a very old man? What exactly
could have lived together if Craig wasn’t such an arro- happened in the Las Vegas home of Craig Titus and
gant, selfish, controlling, lying, out-of-control asshole. Kelly Ryan from about 2:00 p.m. on December 13, 2005
penalty, the case has to a chance of having promoting his new fitness federation while at the same
some kind of life time leveling scathing accusations of impropriety against
be presented to a and Craig gets what the IFBB, the NPC, their president and his son. The only
Death Penalty Review he would have got- catch was that we had to pay him handsomely for it. I lis-
committee in order to ten anyway, tened to that message over and over again to figure out
approve the case for because if they what it said much the way you’d have to listen to
such a prosecution. I’m went to trial there “Jumping Jack Flash” to figure out what the hell Mick
JR: OK, Candice; let’s roll up our CM: Ha ha! Yeah, you should! eling jobs in Milwaukee. My agency
sleeves and get this thing going Always listen to your mother! took me to New York for a modeling
like we always do. What are your JR: You live in Los Angeles contest and they signed me!
stats? now. Is that where you’re from? JR: Would you rather be any-
CM: I’m 5’7”, 123 pounds, 34C- CM: No; I’m originally from where else?
25-35. Libra, born September 30th! Milwaukee, WI. I came to Los CM: No! I don’t think I would
JR: Now, my mother always said Angeles when I was 19 after start- ever live anywhere else! I love Los
to stay away from girls with two ing to model in Wisconsin. You can Angeles!
first names. imagine there aren’t too many mod- JR: If you could have a second
O
n a cloudy day, time moves less youths abusing anabolic steroids that
clearly than it does on a sunny Role are so effective in gaining media
day. Harken back to the summer Testosterone is not a static pres- attention and political backing.
days of youth, before the responsibili- ence in the blood. Its “normal” con- Looking at testosterone objective-
ties of a job or family required one to centration varies among age groups, ly, one must admit that the illicit (ille-
pay attention to the passage of time. It races, individuals; even in the same gal) distribution and use of testos-
wasn’t until the streetlights went on person, it not only varies from season terone and related anabolic steroids
that one realized the sun had set and to season, but hour to hour! If a (collectively called AAS) is problemat-
night had covered the neighborhood man’s serum (blood) testosterone ic. Despite the fact that most users
in a cloak of darkness. The activity on concentration were plotted on a are socially responsible adult men
the streets settle as children are called graph, it would have as many ups who report surprisingly moderate
in, even the dogs and squirrels sought and downs as the stock market has use, regulations need to be in place
shelter as they prepare for their noc- shown these past months. To compli- to prevent and punish illicit trafficking
turnal slumber. cate matters further, the effects of of AAS. Failure to do so results in the
A man’s physiology undergoes a testosterone are not dependent solely administration of abusive levels by
similar change as time passes, though upon the concentration of testos- uninformed and unsupervised users,
on a much grander scale. In decades, terone in the blood (serum), but also administration of the drug(s) to
rather than hours, the “sunshine” of on androgen receptor density, struc- unsuitable candidates who may have
youthfulness passes gradually as the ture, converting enzymes, co-factors overt or covert contraindications
“darkness” of aging suppresses many (both activators and suppressors), (obvious or undetected reasons to not
activities in the body. Among the genotype, nutritional status, non- be given access to AAS; i.e., pregnant
many documented changes that occur genomic receptors, etc. Even when women; adolescents who have not
with aging is a clear decline in the con- restricting the evaluation of a man’s reached final height; persons with
centration of testosterone. androgen status to serum testos- personality disorders, psychoses or
Testosterone is a naturally occur- terone measures, there remain a neuroses; those with hormone sensi-
ring hormone that is responsible, number of variables, including: sex tive tumors; etc.); introduction of
either directly or through one of its hormone-binding globulin (SHBG); adulterated products (drugs that do
metabolites— dihydrotestosterone albumin; total versus free versus not contain the stated amount of a
(DHT) and estradiol (E2)— for promot- bioavailable; E2; DHEA; etc. drug or contaminated with other
ing anabolic processes in many tis- To be fair, few people understand drugs/chemicals), etc.
sues, as well as initiating and main- the greater scope of testosterone’s Yet, the steps taken in 1990 and
taining secondary sexual roles and action in human physiolo- 2004, in addition to the policies fol-
characteristics. Testosterone is often gy. Certainly, there has been no call lowed by licensure boards and proto-
referred to as the male sex hormone, by academics, professional journals, cols suggested by professional agen-
but it is short-sighted to pigeon-hole the popular media or even the public cies have been overly restrictive,
testosterone to a single set of process- to pursue, let alone fund, investiga- serving only to foster the “black mar-
es. Testosterone obviously promotes tions into the role of testosterone and ket.” The policy of prohibition is a
muscle mass and sexual/reproductive its benefits to society and individuals. failed social experiment, as was
function, but also affects bone density, This would contrast too sharply with shown with the 18th Amendment,
red blood cell mass, hair growth pat- the emotion-laden reactionary mes- which prohibited the production, sale
terns, organ function, fat cell metabo- sages about the ethical violations of or possession of alcohol (ethanol),
st
lism, stem cell differentiation, etc. doping and challenges of high-risk later repealed by the 21 Amendment.
Carving Unreal
Quad Separation
With Barbell Lunges
utstanding quadriceps sepa- with a few sets of leg extensions to ceps muscle group. The quadriceps
ration demands freakish tighten the quadriceps. Lunges are femoris (“quads”) is a group of four
thigh mass that dives into only for the serious lifter who is willing muscles that covers the anterior and
deep canyons etched on either side to push well through the pain barrier lateral parts of the femur bone of the
of the muscle bellies. When it comes into the valley of unbelievable thighs. thigh. The three vasti muscles take
to top thighs, it is hard not to think Three sets of these will take your their origin from the respective part of
about the mass and cross-striations thighs to new contours, valleys and the femur; the vastus lateralis mus-
of a shredded Jay Cutler, or the size grooves that you did not know existed. cle from the lateral part of the femur;
and shape of a ripped-to-the-bone the vastus medialis muscle from the
Ronnie Coleman. This kind of thigh Muscles Activated medial part of the femur; and the vas-
development initially relies on regu- By Lunges tus intermedius muscle from the
lar back squats and leg presses to The hip and hamstring muscles are central, anterior part of the femur. As a
build great mass builders. However, affected strongly, but the greatest chal- result, the vastus lateralis muscle is
as good of a mass builder as these lenge will be felt in the anterior quadri- positioned on the lateral (outer) part of
exercises are, they simply do not get
the job done when it comes to devel-
oping thigh separation and cuts.
Achieving those deep separations
requires exercises that build mass by
targeting each of the bellies under
near-constant tension and this
means some specialization work for
the middle and the lower quadriceps.
You probably are drawn to thinking
about leg extensions for ripping your
thigh mass. However, if you are willing
to handle the work, the barbell lunge
is an alternative and intensive way to
blast a bulky thigh into strips of
carved, sharp and lean mass. As a
byproduct, lunges will greatly improve
your quadriceps, hamstrings and
gluteal power and endurance and this
will come in pretty handy when you
start your heavy squat sessions for
adding even greater overall mass.
To do lunges properly, you must
rise above the crowd who is satisfied
References:
1. Ekstrom RA, Donatelli RA and Carp KC.
Electromyographic analysis of core trunk, hip,
and thigh muscles during 9 rehabilitation exer-
cises. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 37: 754-762,
2007.
2. Escamilla RF, Zheng N, Macleod TD,
Edwards WB, Hreljac A, Fleisig GS, Wilk KE,
Moorman CT, III and Imamura R.
Patellofemoral compressive force and stress
during the forward and side lunges with and
without a stride. Clin Biomech, (Bristol, Avon)
23: 1026-1037, 2008.
3. Farrokhi S, Pollard CD, Souza RB, Chen
YJ, Reischl S and Powers CM. Trunk position
influences the kinematics, kinetics, and muscle
activity of the lead lower extremity during the
forward lunge exercise. J Orthop Sports Phys
Ther, 38: 403-409, 2008.
4. Cronin J, McNair PJ, Marshall RN. Lunge
performance and its determinants. J Sports
Sci, 21, 49-57, 2003.
5. Hefzy MS, al Khazim, M and Harrison, L.
Co-activation of the hamstrings and quadriceps
during the lunge exercise. Biomed Sci Instrum,
33, 360-365, 1997.
6. Petrella JK, Kim JS, Mayhew DL, Cross
JM and Bamman MM. Potent myofiber hyper-
trophy during resistance training in humans is
associated with satellite cell-mediated myonu-
clear addition: a cluster analysis. J Appl
Physiol, 104: 1736-1742, 2008.
OMEGAWAVE:
A Revolutionary Way
To Monitor Overtraining
“I came to practice feeling good and ready to work out.
Before stepping on the field my coach told me to go light
today, because my Omegawave assessments didn’t look
too good. Since I didn’t feel any different than the day
before, I doubted the system was correct. That same night I
came down with fever and barely got any sleep. Our med-
ical staff was prepared for my illness and got me healthy in
time for the next game. That’s how I learned to trust
Omegawave.”
-Omegawave athlete testimonial
NOJUICE
Bodybuilding By Eric Broser
COMMANDMENTS
For Natural Bodybuilding
Part IX
Dream And Dream Big!
T
his is perhaps the most impor- and disagreement amongst body-
tant of all the commandments I builders, trainers, nutritionists and
have written about thus far! coaches within our industry regarding
Please listen up…don’t ever set lim- whether natural bodybuilders should
its, as this is one of the surest roads use a zero-carb or low-carb approach to
to failure for a natural bodybuilder. dieting when seeking both a ripped and
Do not let anyone tell you what you maximally muscular physique (like
can or cannot accomplish. Ignore the when prepping for competition). As a
meatheads who claim you will get pro natural bodybuilder myself who has
nowhere unless you take drugs. prepared for about 20 competitions, as
Laugh at the loudmouths who spew well as one who has coached both
nonsense like, “you can only get “enhanced” and drug-free lifters for
huge and ripped with steroids, GH, T3 hundreds more, I have a very definite
and clen!” Bullshit! Your body is only opinion on this matter…based on expe-
limited by where your mind is willing rience and science. Simply put…natural
to take you! Do you realize that peo- bodybuilders have different require-
ple defy the “laws” of science and ments than those who utilize perfor-
reason every single day? mance-enhancing drugs. About this, I
There was a time when nobody have no doubt!
thought Roger Maris’ home run
Eric Broser While I certainly would agree that a
record would ever be broken, but it has…and more than properly implemented, zero-carb diet does work wonders
once! The 4-minute mile was once considered insur- for most of my “enhanced” brothers in iron, there are
mountable, but now it is commonplace! An 800-pound very definite and compelling reasons why the majority
bench press was a fantasy just a few years ago, and (nothing in bodybuilding is universal) of naturals should
now there are men who can rep with it! If you can con- stay away from this approach. As bodybuilders, our goal
ceive it and believe it, you can achieve it. Think about when getting ready for competition is not just to strip off
it…then be about it! Those who are afraid to dream are as much body fat as humanly possible, but also to retain
bound by the limits that their mind sets for them. as much muscle mass as we can in the process. I know I
Dreamers see beyond what is and seek out what can be. don’t want to step onstage looking like an underwear
You are the writer, producer, and director of your model! Do you? Didn’t think so. And that is the major dis-
life…so go ahead and dream my friends, and dream advantage of a zero-carb diet for drug-free athletes— the
BIG! Always look to raise the bar…and once you do, inevitable loss of muscle size!
leap right over it and don’t look back! But why does this occur? It’s just simple physiology,
really…hormones, signaling molecules, and how they are
Natural Diet Dilemma: affected when zero carbs are ingested! That said, let’s get
Zero Carb vs. Low Carb Part I a little more specific about why zero-carb diets (for natu-
Lately there has been a lot of discussion, controversy rals) are not the Holy Grail, but likely will lead you to fail.
DISCLAIMER:
The following is uncensored/
unedited and in no way reflects the
opinions of the staff of Muscular
Development. Who the hell knows
what this guy might say... he’s a
mental freak. This article is for enter-
tainment purposes only.
“Insane peo- OK, SO NOW YA’LL KNOW I’M PATHETIC ….PERSON-
ple are always ALLY A FEW A-BOMBS (ANADOL, YA RETARDO) AND
sure that they A FEW D-BALLS WOULD ADD A VERY HAPPY FACE
are fine. It is TO MY MISERABLE SELF…Am I truly nothing???
only the sane Could the neighborhood children be right??? DAMN
people who are willing to admit that they are I’M SHOT. YO, I JUST GOT BACK FROM SEASIDE
crazy.”… YOOOOOO WELCOME BACK FOR MORE HEIGHTS, I WAS ON VACATION WITH MY DAUGHTER
STUFF…AND PLEASE SHUT YOUR PIE HOLES AND GINA & MY NIECE KARINA….. YO, I’M FUCKING SO
JUST SIT THERE ON YOUR SMELLY TOILETS AND TIRED AND RUN DOWN, I FEEL WEAK AS HELL. AS A
READ MY BULLSHIT……I’M IN NO MOOD TO DEAL MATTER OF FACT >>> Right now, the only power I
WITH ANYONE’S BULLSHIT RIGHT NOW….I’M REALLY sense in my whole body is that of the mighty forces
GETTING IN TOUCH WITH MY FEMININE SIDE AND unleashed by the meatball sandwich I just ate…..OH
I’M PMS-ING…OH YES IT’S TRUE, I ALMOST SIGNED YEAH, BABE…OOPS… SHIT!!!!...HEY, I’LL BE RIGHT
UP FOR A DAMN CERAMICS CLASS THE OTHER DAY. BACK, I GOTTA USE THE PORCELAIN CONVEN-
GEEZ-US, YES IT’S THAT BAD FELLAS…GOD WHAT I IENCE (THE TOILET, YA FRIGGIN
WOULDN’T GIVE FOR A CUTE PINHEAD) …wink…AAAAHHHH,
LITTLE AMPULE OF SUST. WHAT A RELIEF!!! WOOF, I FEEL
250…. OK OK OK, MAYBE 2 MUCH BETTER…OK, I’M BACK, NOW
OR 3 AMPULES OF SUST. 250 WHERE WAS I???
…he he he, OH YEAH BABE, OH YES, I WAS IN SEASIDE
HOW ABOUT ALL IN ONE FUCK- HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY ALL BY
ING SYRINGE AND INJECTED MYSELF WITH THESE 2 YOUNG
SLOWLY & LOVINGLY INTO GIRLS AND THEY FUCKIN’
ONE FUCKING DELT? KILLED ME, AN 11-YEAR-OLD
YESSSSS!!!! …..THEN MAYBE (MY KID) & 13-YEAR-OLD (MY
ANOTHER 2 OR 3 APMS OF NIECE) …NOT ONLY WAS I AT THE
SUST. 250 INJECTED INTO MY BEACH EVERY DAY BUT THE
OTHER DELT…OH YEAH FUCKING BOARDWALK (GAMES
BABE!!!!!...IT’S A LOVE THING, & RIDES) COST ME 2 PAY-
BABE!!!....AHHH BUT IN ALL PI E HOLES CHECKS IN LESS THAN A
SHUT YOUR
REALITY I HAVE NO SEX DRIVE WEEK!!!….AND MY KIDS ARE
AND I’M FEELING VERY OLD SPOILED. THEY WANT EVERYTHING BUT I’M THE
…These days every time I sneeze or cough hard, I SUCKER who LISTENS TO THEM….LIKE ALL WOMEN
have to change my friggin’ underwear….YES I’M IN MY LIFE, MY DAUGHTER IS THE BOSS. IF I COM-
REALLY THAT PATHETIC & OLD. At this point in my PLAIN ABOUT SPENDING MONEY ON HER, I’M IN
life, I just wish I liked anything as much as my kids TROUBLE…ONE DAY, I WAS BITCHING ABOUT PAY-
like farts…AND all kids love farts!!!!!... AHHH WHY ING 4 DOLLARS FOR A SLICE OF NASTY, GREASY
BOTHER COMPLAINING TO YOU READERS? IT JUST BOARDWALK PIZZA AND $3.50 FOR A SMALL DIET
DON’T HELP ME. THINGS NEVER CHANGE, I’M SO COKE …MY DAUGHTER JUST GRIT HER TEETH AND
PATHETIC. Yo’, I’m so upset right now, I can hardly SAID, “DAAAAD”……SO I GAVE HER THE MONEY….HEY
eat this meatball sandwich I’m holding while I am WHAT CAN I SAY? I’M A SAP. ANYWAY MY NIECE
typing this up!!!!.…And that’s bad!!!.....GOD I LOVE ASKED MY DAUGHTER, “WHAT DID YOUR DAD
MEATBALL SANDWICHES…. JUST SAY???” TO WHICH MY DAUGHTER
www.fantamag.com
www.fantamag.com
MuscleTech
RESEARCH REPORT
By Team MuscleTech Research and Development
BODYBUILDING Q&A
As a bodybuilder, I real- protect cells from the damage the difference in your training when you use
Q: ize that taking a multi-
vitamin every day is a good
caused by free radicals, but they
also engineered the formula with a
the most advanced supplements available –
®
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idea. But, is there any advan- potent anabolic agent proven to
tage to using a multi when it drastically drive up muscle
comes to building muscle and growth and
strength that I’m not aware of? strength! What’s
Just by raising this ques- more, Anabolic
A: tion, you’re way ahead of
your competition. Your body does,
VITAKIC is the only
anabolic micronu-
in fact, utilize a wide variety of trient multivitamin
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ate the foundation for building mus- Nanoparticulation
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It’s also true that in order for muscle by this novel technology,
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advanced muscle-building com- Anabolic VITAKIC’s proven
pound that targets the biochemical key anabolic driver is shuttled
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and strength. of scientific advancements for
One obstacle that bodybuilders bodybuilding supplements,
face in their quest to build more Anabolic VITAKIC is just one of
muscle is free radicals. You see, due many innovative supplements to
to the effects of intense training, come out of our doors. In fact, our
these molecules can cause micro- researchers from Team
scopic damage to the cells all over MuscleTech are
your body, even muscles. However, the same group
there is a perfect micronutrient mul- that developed
tivitamin that takes care of your Cell-Tech™
micronutrient demands, made even Hardcore and
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY PER BERNAL
ResearchUpdate
Warning: Opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of this magazine’s publisher or its
editorial staff. MD does not condone any form of illegal drug use for bodybuilding or for any recreational pur-
pose. MD also does not condone abuse of legal drugs for any purpose.
Speed, Horses,
Testosterone
And Other News
Speed Demon Governor Steve Beshear. When I read other parameters of sexual function
Marion Jones this, I said to myself, “So that’s the including erectile function were unaf-
Released From kind of stuff politicians waste taxpay- fected by the treatment. Well heck,
Prison ers’ dollars on!” Bizarre. “This is a ain’t that like alcohol? Desire goes up,
According to a news report historic day in Kentucky racing,” but function doesn’t always fol-
(http://www.canada.com/topics/sports Beshear said in a statement. “This low…well, one out of two ain’t bad.
/tsnstory.html?id=6521015), action demonstrates our commitment
“Disgraced former Olympic track and to ensuring the integrity of racing and Just Say
field star Marion Jones was released the safety of its competitors.” No To Diets?
from a federal prison in Texas Friday (Originally published at Trying to get lean? Don’t try to lose
after serving a six-month sentence. BloodHorse.com.) Why is there this too much weight, or else your T levels
Jones was sentenced to the six- “all or nothing” principle with may drop precipitously!To investigate
month term for lying to federal prose- steroids? Why does the state govern- this, 18 elite wrestlers were studied
cutors about her steroid use and her ment feel compelled to regulate this? with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry
knowledge of a check-fraud scam Like any drug or supplements, the (DXA) before and after two to three
involving her ex-boyfriend, former dosage you give determines whether weeks of weight loss. In order to
sprinter Tim Montgomery.” And to it helps, hurts or has a neutral effect. establish the degree of dehydration
think this woman was at one point To test for steroids in horses is a and hormonal status, blood samples
the FASTEST woman on earth! I am waste of money. Plain and simple. were collected to obtain blood chem-
of course waiting for “equal justice” istry, electrolytes and endocrinological
for the ENTIRE country of the former T and E parameters after both DXA measure-
East Germany in having their medals Let’s face it.Testosterone is key to ments. The mean weight loss was 8
rescinded, since all athletes were male sexuality. For instance, a total of percent and they also found a huge
doped up via the direction of the 60 men aged 55 years or older in good drop in serum testosterone (63 per-
state sporting officials. Mmm…we general health with total testosterone cent drop) and luteinizing hormone
know that ain’t gonna happen. And in (TT) levels <15 nM, and with symp- concentrations. A reduced bodyweight
more bizarre news, can you believe toms suggestive of androgen deficien- correlated with decreased serum
that a governor of a state actually cy, were randomized in a double-blind testosterone concentration.These sci-
gives a hooey about whether horses protocol to transdermal testosterone ence types suggest that, “Even short-
are given steroids.? Read on… patches or placebo for 12 months. term weight reduction may have
Nice— 12 months of free androgens! marked effects on body composition,
A Horse Is A Sexual function was assessed using blood chemistry and hormonal para-
Horse, Of Course the International Index of Erectile meters. It may constitute a possible
Of Course Function at weeks zero, 26 and 52. In health risk at least in a growing ado-
Yep, it is now true that testing for men receiving testosterone, TT levels lescent athlete.” So don’t go hog-wild
anabolic steroids in racehorses in increased by 30 percent and luteiniz- trying to get ripped that you end up
Kentucky will begin with the start of ing hormone decreased by 50 percent. dropping levels of T! For instance, we
the Keeneland fall meet under emer- Relative to placebo, testosterone ther- know that in aging men, low testos-
gency regulations signed by apy improved sexual desire; however, terone levels are associated with a
The Anabolic
Freak By Dave Palumbo,
Editor-in-Chief,
musculardevelopment.com
Name: Keith Williams 2008 NPC Flex Wheeler Classic, Super-Heavyweight, First Place and
Age: 35 Anabolic Freak Overall
Height: 5’10” of the Month: 2008 NPC USA Championships, Super-Heavyweight, Eighth Place
Weight: Off-season: (289 Keith Williams 2008 NPC North American Championships, Super-Heavyweight,
pounds) Precontest: (245 Fourth Place
pounds) Current Job: Personal trainer
Keith Williams was born and raised in South Central Los
Contest Highlights: Angeles. His mother was a drug addict and his father was not even a
2004 NPC Iron Man MN, part of his life. In fact, according to Keith, from the age of 13 on he
Heavyweight, Second Place raised himself on the mean streets of Compton— one of most dan-
2005 NPC Gopher State Classic gerous inner city/inner suburban areas in the U.S. As far back as Big
MN, Heavyweight, First Place Keith can remember, he constantly told his friends, “I’m not gonna
2005 NPC Junior Nationals, wind up as a statistic.” He was right; sports saved him! Keith was a
Super-Heavyweight, Third Place two-time all-American in football and a three-time state track cham-
2006 NPC Junior Nationals, pion in the 110 high hurdles and 300 IM hurdles at Escondido High
Heavyweight, Third Place School.
2006 NPC Mr. MN/ Mr. Midwest However, in 1992, while still in high school, a drunk driver
Super-Heavyweight, smashed into Keith’s car and shattered several of his vertebrae and
First Place and Overall broke his jaw. The doctors said he’d never walk again, but Williams
2006 NPC USA Championships, refused to accept that fate. After two years of intense rehab,
Super-Heavyweight, 10th Place Williams was back to playing football and running track at St. Cloud
2007 NPC Junior Nationals, State University in Minnesota. While he was no longer able to jump
Super-Heavyweight, Fourth Place the hurdles, he concentrated on sprinting and in 1996, the unknown
2007 NPC Southern States, Super Williams won the 60-meter dash (6.56) at the USA Indoor Track and
Heavyweight, Third Place Field Championships in Atlanta, Georgia outsprinting the likes of
2007 NPC USA Championships, Carl Lewis, Dennis Mitchell, John Drummond and Donavan Powell.
Super-Heavyweight, Eighth Place Nike endorsement contracts followed shortly thereafter and
2008 NPC Junior Nationals Super Williams found himself as an alternate on the 1996 U.S. Olympic
Heavyweight, 2nd Place Team (4x100 meter relay). Following the Atlanta Olympics, Williams
AskTheDoc
Are there any pharmaceutical treatments for mus- If we shouldn’t limit the inflammatory process for the
cle injuries on the horizon? sake of growth factors, how do we improve healing? There
There certainly are. Research at the University of are a few other approaches. First, we can stimulate regen-
Pittsburgh has been looking at muscle injuries from a multi- eration through increases in myoblast proliferation and dif-
faceted approach. We understand the process of muscle ferentiation. This can be done through enhancing the
injury at a complex level. Let me explain a little. inflammatory process or adding growth factors. Our lab
When a muscle is injured either by strain (most com- has shown that using a cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2)
mon), contusion, laceration or ischemia, it undergoes dis- inhibitor, which limits inflammation, reduces myoblast pro-
tinct phases of healing. First, the damaged muscle degener- liferation and increases TGFb-1 for the formation of scar. On
ates. As the injured muscle fibers are torn, they begin to the flipside, the addition of prostanoids such as
degenerate. This happens in concert with the inflammatory prostaglandin F2a can stimulate muscle protein synthesis
process. Inflammatory cells infiltrate the injured area and and growth. Second, we can inhibit the formation of scar
begin clearing the damaged myofibers while releasing tissue. Finally, we can break down scar tissue that has
many growth factors and cytokines that activate the next already formed.
phase, regeneration. Multiple studies at the University of Pittsburgh Growth
The growth factors released during the inflammatory and Development laboratory have been performed to look
phase, such as IGF-1 and TGFb-1, stimulate resting pre- at agents that can stimulate the regenerative process.
cursor cells for muscle growth and scar formation, Although many growth factors can stimulate myoblast
respectively. During this process, there is a fine balance growth and differentiation, IGF-1 is particularly well-suited at
between scar tissue formation from fibroblasts and for- this task. IGF-1 therapy may be a great solution to muscle
mation of new myofibers from myoblasts. Myostatin is a injury if administered early in the process, because it
TGFb-1-like protein that when present, encourages the encourages the proliferation of myoblasts. However, as the
formation of scar tissue while inhibiting myoblast prolif- healing process progresses, fibroblasts begin to accumulate
eration and differentiation into new myofibers. All mus- and IGF-1 may stimulate these scar-forming cells as well.
cle injuries, if severe enough, will result in the final There are many agents being evaluated for improve-
phase of fibrosis or scar formation. When scar forms in ment in muscle healing that have the ability to inhibit mus-
muscle, it deforms the shape of the muscle belly, cle fibrosis and thus shift the balance toward myofiber
reduces its strength, and increases the risk of re-injury. regeneration. Groundbreaking studies in our lab have
Thus, it is beneficial to limit scar tissue formation. shown that TGFb-1 is a major contributor to the formation
of scar tissue in skeletal muscle. Other labs are also sug-
gesting that myostatin, a TGF super-family protein, con-
tributes to the formation of muscle fibrosis. There are a
number of inhibitors of TGFb-1 that have been evaluated in
our laboratory. First of all, decorin, a leucine-rich proteo-
glycan, is an inhibitor of TGFb-1 and myostatin. Its injection
into damaged muscle increases myofiber regeneration and
reduces scar formation. Secondly, suramin, an anti-para-
sitic drug, inhibits TGFb-1 and myostatin, while causing a
significant increase in muscle regeneration. Of note, there
are very few studies showing any improvement in recovery
of strength.
Another agent that can significantly improve muscle
healing is an angiotensin (AII) receptor blocker. These med-
The typical treatment of muscle injuries involves the use ications are typically prescribed for the treatment of hyper-
of physical modalities such as ice, heat, ultrasound, e-stim, tension (high blood pressure). Studies have shown that
compression and early motion/physical therapy. angiotensin receptor blockade has the ability to limit the
Pharmacological treatments for muscle injury include con- production of TGFb-1 in many different organ systems. Our
trolling the inflammation with non-steroidal anti-inflamma- research has shown that the AII receptor blocker, losartan or
tory drugs and other agents to limit pain. However, many Cozaar, has the ability to limit skeletal muscle fibrosis and
studies have detailed the benefits of the inflammatory improve regeneration in a dose-dependant manner. This is,
process in promoting muscle regeneration and lessening of course, with the risk of lowering blood pressure.
recovery time and re-injury rates. Again, the inflammatory There are other ways in which one can stimulate muscle
process is critical in bringing essential growth factors, repair but have more conflicting studies. Nandrolone, corti-
cytokines, and prostanoids to the area of injury. sone and physical modalities like ultrasound and e-stim
Extreme Muscle
Enhancement By Carlon M. Colker, MD, FACN
LegalQ&A
Is Medical
Marijuana Legal?
I live in California, where marijuana for medical pur- compliance with California’s Compassionate Use Act. In effect,
poses was legalized. So why do the Feds keep raiding the DEA properly seized and destroyed the cannabis plants of
medical marijuana facilities? California residents who used doctor-recommended marijuana
Shortly after taking office in 1969, President Nixon declared a for serious medical conditions.
national “War on Drugs.” Marijuana has always been a target. Raich largely put the legal issue to rest until just this
Many Americans don’t realize that Congress placed marijuana in August, when a federal judge in San Jose issued a first-of-its-
Schedule I— the most severe classification for any controlled kind Constitutional ruling denying a Bush Administration
substance, higher even than cocaine and anabolic steroids. request to dismiss a lawsuit by Santa Cruz city and county offi-
While media outlets are portraying steroids as America’s drug cials and the Wo/Men’s Alliance for Medical Marijuana, which
scourge du jour, steroids are only classified as Schedule III con- was raided by federal agents in 2002.The plaintiffs allege that
trolled substances— a federal classification which permits them the Feds have “pursued a policy of threatening and utilizing
to be prescribed by doctors for acceptable medical purposes. arrests, forfeitures, criminal prosecutions and other punitive
The Schedule I federal classification of marijuana prevents the means, all with the purpose of rendering California’s medical
use of cannabis for any medical reason. marijuana laws impossible to implement and with the intent of
California and 11 other states have legalized marijuana for coercing California and its political subdivisions to enact legis-
th
medical reasons in direct conflict with federal law. As such, the lation recriminalizing medical marijuana.” Under the 10
Department of Justice has implemented a policy of raiding med- Amendment, Congress may not simply commandeer the leg-
ical cannabis facilities under the premise that compliance with islative process of the States by directly compelling them to
state laws doesn’t immunize them against prosecution for violat- enact and enforce a federal regulatory program.The court held
ing the federal law. They justify the policy in part on a 1999 that if a concerted effort by the Feds to subvert and sabotage
Institute of Medicine study, which concluded that smoking mari- state medical marijuana laws could be proven, it could estab-
th
juana is not recommended for the treatment of any disease con- lish a violation of the 10 Amendment.
dition, and that there are more effective medications currently We’ll have to see how this new ruling plays out in the
available for relevant conditions. The DEA argues that marijuana courts. Meanwhile, as the Presidential election nears, political
is a “dangerous, addictive drug” and the “gateway” to other activists are pointing out that an Obama Administration would
drug abuse, and that the argument about compassion and care likely curtail DEA raids on medical cannabis (even though VP
for people with serious illnesses is just a cover for broader drug candidate Joe Biden was the prime architect of the “War on
use legalization. The American Medical Association agrees with Steroids”) while a McCain Administration would almost surely
continued Schedule I status for marijuana. continue the current policy. For now, medical marijuana
On the other hand, proponents of medical marijuana argue remains a violation of federal law. And although recent
that marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the research shows that 42 percent of Americans (including many
nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in politicians) have tried smoking marijuana, making it an enor-
ILLUSTRATION BY LYMAN DALLY
AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with mously more popular illegal drug than anabolic steroids, the
glaucoma. Additionally, they cite evidence that marijuana government nonetheless regards it as among the most serious
reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. of drug threats.
The scientific and medical debate will surely continue for
Rick Collins, JD, CSCS [www.rickcollins.com] is the lawyer that
years to come, but the legal debate reached the Supreme Court
members of the bodybuilding community and nutritional supple-
in 2005. In Gonzales v. Raich, the Court held that the federal ment industry turn to when they need legal help or representation.
Commerce Clause includes the power to prohibit the local culti- [© Rick Collins, 2008. All rights reserved. For informational purpos-
vation and use of marijuana, even if that cultivation and use is in es only, not to be construed as legal or medical advice.]
Victor, I was wondering if you recommend train- What do you think you need to improve? I wanted
ing to failure. Some bodybuilders never go to fail- to know what your goals are for next year.
ure, while others do forced reps and even negatives. My goals are to be better than I was at my last show.
What do you recommend? That’s the goal of every competitive athlete. Even if you
Intensity is a prerequisite for muscular growth and don’t compete, you should always strive to be better than
there’s no greater way to turn up the heat than going to you were six months ago. Don’t just train with the hopes
failure and beyond. However, over time, it can lead to of getting bigger. Be specific. Set a goal you have to work
overtraining and stagnation— especially if you’re going for. It shouldn’t be so easy that it doesn’t require any real
past failure with forced reps and negatives. The Dorian effort to achieve, but it shouldn’t be unattainable, like win-
stuff is best used sporadically. I do it every couple of ning the Olympia when you’ve never competed in your
workouts, but never if I feel I haven’t recovered from the life. Pick a time frame, say four to six months, take pic-
previous training session. tures and measurements, and then try to improve on
them. As for my goals, I’m not looking to
add 20 pounds of new muscle. It’s more
along the lines of fine-tuning. At this point,
it’s all about quality, not quantity; just a little
more flare to my thighs and more rounded-
ness to my delts, while keeping my waist
tight for that all-important X-frame.
KNOW-IT-ALLS
One of the worst pitfalls of body- SEEING IS BELIEVING the last thing I saw before going to
building is thinking you know every- Visualization is a simple tool I’ve bed at night. And I knew it was
thing. Nobody knows it all. Nobody! used to great effect since the possible because it was I, not
There’s always something new to beginning of my career (I got the somebody else, like the big guy at
learn, no matter what level you’re at. idea from an article I read years the local gym. This was Victor
It’s what keeps the sport progressing. ago). In the beginning, I saw, in my Martinez after busting his ass in
If our base of knowledge stopped in mind, what I wanted to look like. the gym, eating all the right food,
the 50s or 60s, we’d never have gone At first the image lacked detail, and getting plenty of rest to grow.
past Steve Reeves. Look where we kind of fuzzy and undefined, like It gave me something concrete to
are today. Every champion of each the picture you get on an old TV shoot for. Today, I can’t even imag-
successive era has made improve- (the kind where you change chan- ine training if I didn’t “see” myself
ments over his predecessors. We nels by turning the knob). But the onstage at the next show. Use it!
never thought you could get better more I kept working at it, the clear-
than Arnold, until Lee Haney came er it got. Suddenly, it was like 2009 ARNOLD
along. And you couldn’t get any big- watching a flat plasma screen. I I start my official assault on the
ger than Haney, right? Wrong. Dorian could literally see each muscle in Arnold in October. The knee is feel-
proved it was possible to take it fur- high def. The peak on the biceps, ing better every day. The strength
ther. And just when it looked like we the teardrops over the knees, the is coming back and I’m getting full
hit the ceiling with Dorian, Ronnie traps flowing into the del- flexion on it. The pumps are return-
came and blew the damn roof off. The toids…these images were ing, too (is there anything sweeter
champions of yesterday were great, ingrained in my brain. I used it than a skin-splitting pump?). I feel
but they wouldn’t be able to stand on while training, seeing the muscles absolutely no apprehension during
the regional level today. You have to growing with each rep. I even set training. At this point, with all the
stay hungry for knowledge to keep aside time outside the gym specifi- work I’ve been doing on it, I’m
moving forward. If you don’t because cally for this purpose. I visualized more worried about the good knee,
you think you know it all, you’re just exactly what I would look like, LOL. It’s gonna feel good to get
gonna get left behind. down to the finest detail. It was back in it!
suggested I exercise caution and give it another week. It’s was part of the preparation
only natural that we rush back to the very thing that we process; I had to heal so I
hold so dear, but I’m glad I took his advice because that could train. It was my only
first week back wasn’t all that easy. I found myself distract- job at the moment. All of this
ed by the injury. I pulled back for fear of re-injury. Training contributes to 2009. Just
with a mental block like that can get frustrating. The run- keep in mind, Rome wasn’t
ning conversation with my body was, “Should I push for- built in a day.
ward or pull back?” Doctors, trainers, colleagues, and
WHEELS OF STEE Dorian Yates: Legs had an odd shape to them but his
As a kid on leg day, I thought of these champions to calves were unreal.
help motivate me to reach my goals.
Rich Gaspari: Didn’t have crazy hamstrings, but his
Tom Platz: A true pioneer; up until that time, legs like quads were separated from the knees all the way up to his
that simply didn’t exist. He opened up a whole new world hips like nobody’s business.
of possibilities.
And who can forget the following leg monsters:
Shawn Ray: I recall an ESPN “American Muscle” clip Paul DeMayo
Jean Pierre Fux
where he’s walking on a lake tossing pebbles in the water. Bertil Fox
It was a revelation for three reasons. Phill Hill
1. From the side, his quads were going in one direction Paul Dillett
and his hamstrings in the other. I didn’t know it was possi- Matt Mendenhall
Tom Prince
ble for a leg to have such dimensions.
Victor Richards
2. I could identify with Shawn because he was shorter Tim Belfort
(unlike Arnold at over 6 feet). John Sherman
3. It was OK for a man to wear spandex. JJ Marsh
Frank Hillebrand
ALREADY BACK
Got the cast off yesterday and boy, do I feel good.
Only three weeks and almost no atrophy! I firmly
believe that training the right side of the body had a big
hand in that. It’ll be another three weeks before I can
train the triceps, so I’ll keep doing what I’ve been doing.
Chest Triceps
Pec Deck Cable Extensions
Delts Dumbbell Extensions
Front and Side Raises Legs
Back Leg Extensions
Dumbbell Rows Smith Squats
One-Arm Lat Pulls Leg Presses
One-Arm Hammer Lying Leg Curls
Strength Seated Leg Curls
Biceps Calves
Dumbbell Curls Standing Calf Raises
Dumbbell Preachers Seated Calf Raises
THICK OR THIN
Give me New York-style pizza any day of the week. Lots of sauce and cheese.
You can’t go wrong with double cheese, mushroom, pepperoni, beef and olives.
NO MAN IS AN ISLAND
One pitfall I’d like to see young athletes avoid is becoming too self-
absorbed. On the surface, bodybuilding is a selfish sport. It’s all about my
training, my eating, and my recuperation. But in reality, nobody can do it all
by themselves. It takes the support of others to make it. Becoming self-
absorbed to the point where it hurts your relationships is counterproductive
to real success. There’s more to all this than just you and bodybuilding. It’s
the people in your life that matter.
Thank you to all the people who sent me their prayers and good thoughts. I
got hundreds of e-mails wishing me a speedy return. Positive energy like that
makes a big difference when you’re facing a tough situation. The support I
receive on a daily basis gives me the strength to face any obstacle. If it weren’t
for the fans I wouldn’t have a career. Hell, we wouldn’t have a sport! A big,
heaping serving of gratitude to MuscleTech for being in my corner to support
me through this. I can say with all honesty that they’re one of the best compa-
nies I’ve ever been with.
Be on the lookout for the Ghast Clothing ad, CHECK OU
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Biceps Injury Update three months, I was told. If I did all that, there is
As I write this in early September, my biceps is doing absolutely no way I would be able to compete again
OK. I really should clarify something. It’s not my biceps until the late spring shows in May. I’ve been away from
that was hurt; it’s actually the tendon that holds the the stage long enough already, so waiting a few more
biceps up near the front delt— that tendon snapped. months to compete is ridiculous. I need to compete in
There’s a little pain now and then, but I’m working the early spring shows, so no surgery for me at this
around it as best I can. Surgery was presented to me as time. It’s an option I might consider again once I have
an option right away. But if I get the operation, they will done a couple contests, but until then I am holding off
have to put a screw through a bone to reattach it, then I on it. I am already doing some light back and biceps
would have to have that arm in a sling for two months training again and slowly adding weight, week by week.
while the whole thing heals up. The rehab with a physi- I’m feeling it out and being very careful not to overdo
cal therapist following the surgery would take about anything.
of the ads do? They just bash the other guy and try to ply complain and don’t do a damn thing. What if everyone
make him look like a terrible person. decided to stop buying gas? Do you think they would still
Meanwhile, the money spent on all these campaigns be able to charge four bucks a gallon for it then? You don’t
could easily accomplish many of the promises these bas- like high taxes? What if everyone stopped paying taxes?
tards make about education and health care that they They couldn’t go after the whole country. Like they said in
never keep! Why not tell the truth? Why not just be who the movie “V for Vendetta”— the people should not fear
you really are instead of creating this godlike image of the government. The government should fear the people.
yourself as a savior for America? They all have massive
ShawnRay
Turning Muscles
Into Money
S
o you climb up the ranks of the my pro debut in New York City at the
bodybuilding ladder from the Night of Champions for a rematch
local, city, state and national against the heavyweight class winner
level of the national physique com- I’d beaten months prior (Phil Hill) to test
mittee to find yourself on the my wares against seasoned pro veter-
receiving end of an International ans like Bob Paris, Albert Beckles and
Federation of Body Building pro Robby Robinson. Now remember, I
card. Now what? won the Nationals and was plastered
on the pages and covers of numerous
Far too often, have I seen ama- magazines and had a pro contract with
teur bodybuilders coming up the Joe Weider for a massive amount of
ranks of the NPC with fire in their eyes money: $12,000 per/year or $1,000
to take the big league by storm only to per/month! I was the toast of the town,
fade out when the going gets tough face of the future and the “golden boy”
and the callouts stop coming. of sorts on paper, but all that would be
Famously, their next move is to get a put to the test when I hit the stage.
real job or basically throw in the towel When the curtain came down, I
due to lack of funds to proceed. Many found myself in fourth place, barely
questions begin to pop into the mind qualifying for the Mr. Olympia later in
of the new professional on the scene September to be held in Los Angeles. I
that weren’t there a year ago. One was suddenly a man on an island, fail-
minute the athlete is the toast of the ing to live up to the “HYPE.” As a per-
town and champion of the NPC; the son, I felt like a failure, I’d let everyone
next year he is a like a pace car on the down, got beat by guys I was sup-
racetrack taking up space in the IFBB. posed to beat and worse yet, I didn’t
Some soon realize things can only get have the answers as to why I wasn’t
worse, while others may feel they were peaked like I had been many times in
born for moments such as these. the past. More questions than answers
Personally speaking, I walked down made me want to disappear and throw
this road as well. I was a former in the towel. I was a college student
California state champion and later barely making enough money to pay
received my pro card by way of win- for my car and apartment, but I knew
ning the overall NPC National title and to keep things going and turn things
was supposed to barnstorm the pro around I would have to test the waters
ranks and pick up where I’d left off as again to see if there was something I
an amateur. Sadly, that wasn’t the case could salvage from this beating.
at all. In May of 1988, I would walk into After recovering from my New York
pounds, with very low body fat. I good calories. At your size, I
have been training for a year and think you should aim for
have already gained 20 pounds, so I about 3,000 calories a day
am very excited about getting bigger with around 225 grams of pro-
and bigger. I was wondering if you tein, 300 grams of carbs and 40
could advise me on a basic mass-gain- grams of healthy fats. I bet
ing routine, with the simple goal being you will grow very well if you
hypertrophy. I am also wondering follow this advice.
OUT
CHECK
ment.com
eveloPpLE
muscuFlaOrd
RC O M TE
VERAG
E!
ST CO
CONTE
House, now that the bodybuilding season is over Thanks, bro. I always like to hear that I motivate some
and it is starting to get colder outside, how is the cats to train hard. Leg day is my favorite day and I look for-
off-season diet going and how big is The House ward to training legs.Yes I’ve got some good wheels, but I
going to get this year? have put time in on them. Even if I am having a shitty day,
It is about that time of the year again; I can smell it in legs day can and will make me feel better. I am currently
the air. Yes, it is time to get huge again. I got to put on my doing a few different leg workouts. I like to change them up
winter coat for the cold weather. That is what the off-season week-to-week so I can stimulate growth. Here it is with the
is all about. Getting big and moving big weight. I get very K.I.S.S method (stands for: Keep It Simple, Stupid).
strong in the off-season. I don’t know if it is the cold air that
makes me stronger or the carbs. At the good old Body Workout #1: Heavy
Shop in Yorkville, Ohio, it is cold and training is going great. This heavy workout is pretty basic, but it works the
This off-season, I am focusing on moving big weights. I core of any leg with workout with heavy squats. So we
have never focused on this before. For the most part, I am a can have big slabs of meat hanging off those sweeps.
volume guy, with little rest between sets. This season, I am Rest time between sets in this workout is around 90 sec-
going to give myself longer rest time and a lower number onds. This is what it looks like.
of total sets per workout, but each set is as heavy as can be
and intense. I am also focusing on eating better this off-sea- Free-Weight Squats: 10, 8, 8, 6, 10 (all sets are
son. I am going to make sure I eat even if I don’t feel like it. working sets)
I want to be over the three bills mark. Here is how my off- Lying Leg Curls: 10, 8, 8, 6, 10
season diet and supplements look as of now. Barbell Lunges: 10, 8, 8, 6, 10
Leg Extensions: 10, 8, 8, 6, 10
Meal and Supplement Plan Straight-Leg Deadlifts: 10, 8, 8, 6, 10
During Off-Season: Calf Raises (on the leg press): 50 straight,
50 with toes in, 50 with toes out, 50 straight
Meal 1: 10 whole eggs; 1 cup of oats and peanut butter
Meal 2: 4 scoops Real Gains by Universal Nutrition; 1 cup oats;
and peanut butter
Workout #2: Pre-Exhaust With Failure
One of my favorite workouts with legs. I do this
Meal 3: 10 ounces chicken; 1 cup rice
workout for a few reasons; it lets me go heavy on the
Meal 4: 4 scoops Real Gains by Universal Nutrition; 1 cup oats; core exercises, but they are done at the end when you
and peanut butter are tired, so it just feels different. When you do this, you
Meal 5: 10 ounces beef; 1 cup rice can use lighter weight but it still feels like a ton. Rest
Meal 6: 60-gram shake IsoWhey and peanut butter time is 90 seconds between sets; each set is done to
failure with form. When form is lost, you are done. Also,
Animal Pak 2x/day: One with breakfast; one with last meal weight can be lowered each set since we are going to
Animal Flex 1x/day: One with second meal failure on most exercises. Reps should be around 8-15.
NT-1 2x/day: One with third meal and one with 30 minutes before bed
ZMA 1x/day: One 30 minutes before bed Leg Curls: A few warm-up sets then
4 sets to failure
Storm 2x/day: One preworkout; one post-workout Leg Extensions: 4 sets to failure
Shock Therapy 1x/day: One preworkout Lunges (with dumbbells): 4 sets to failure
Animal Pump 1x/day: One preworkout Straight-Leg Deadlifts: 4 sets to failure
Animal Nitro 2x/day: Pre/post-workout Front Squats: 4 sets to failure
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PER BERNAL
Intra-Aid 1x/day: During workout Standing Calf Raises (with bar): 4 sets to failure
Torrent 1x/day: Post-workout
Workout #3: Faster And
My man, I have been watching you train like a Higher, With Reps
total freak for some time now. I always get motivat- This workout will give you a real burn deep in the mus-
ed when I see some of your training videos online. cle and yes, the feeling of puking. Rest time is 60 seconds
What are you doing for those crazy legs you walk between sets and reps will be higher to get you ready for
around on? that heavy workout next week. During this workout, my
UT
O
CHECK
culardevelop ment.com
mus FOR COMPLETAEGE!
T COVER
CONTES
NATIONAL HERO
When is the best time to eat
before training (1 hour, 2
hours)?
An hour before is perfect.
I get to the gym around
noon, eat 70 grams of
protein from chicken, a
cup and a half of
white rice, and 2
tablespoons of olive
oil. Before that, I’ve
already had a
shake. This has been
working fine for years.
Ideally, you want at
least one meal before train-
ing. I don’t recommend train-
ing on an empty stomach (unless
all you’re doing is cardio).
NATIONALS
The competition is hardly ever who
you think it’s gonna be. There’s always
the possibility of an unknown blasting
the favorites, but at this point you have
to see who’s been in it and who’s been
generating noise at the other shows.
Heavies
Michael Liberatore has looked great
every show this year. He has the potential
to take a giant stride forward. I don’t
know if he needs to improve anything at
the moment other than adding a little
more overall size. Crazy conditioning! I’d
like to see him get that pro card. Mark
Alvisi looked great at the USAs. He just
needs a little bit more size. Lee Banks
should be in contention, too.
Light-Heavies
I’ve heard a lot of talk about Darrell
Terrell vs. Chulsey Graham. Chulsey has
great arms but his back width is lacking.
Darrell’s more complete, but Chulsey is a
big light-heavy.
FST-7:
Preloaded
and Reloaded!
One of your clients goes to my any significant pump from sets such the flat Hammer Strength bench press
gym and I saw him training legs as these. Many bodybuilders would machine and finish with both the pec
the other day. I always pay atten- feel the more powerful glutes and hip deck and cable flyes done for 7 sets
tion to whatever he’s doing to see flexor muscles working instead. But each. Again, I must emphasize that
what I can pick up and use for the initial 7 sets on leg extensions these are advanced techniques and
myself. I’ve seen him using the served to pump up the quadriceps and both make a deep impact on the
FST-7 system for a while now and pre-stretch the fascia, so that the body’s ability to recover. You must not
normally he does the “7” sets at heavy sets of front squats and leg attempt to use them for every single
the end of a body part. This time, presses would deliver a far more sig- body part at the same time or I guar-
he did his 7s on leg extensions at nificant pump than usual. Then, to antee you that you’ll overtrain. I also
the very beginning of the work- really make sure that the quads are want to add that even when used
out. I think I recall you mention- hammered into new growth, we finish sparingly as I suggest, special atten-
ing this variation on the FST-7 sys- with a final set of 7s on hack squats. tion must be paid to optimizing recov-
tem before, but I don’t understand This technique is fairly new, but so far ery with proper rest, nutrition, and
the rationale for doing 7s in the the results are very encouraging. supplementation. If you fail to respect
beginning. What gives? Another advanced version is the FST-7 your body’s recovery needs, this or
What you saw was one of two vari- Reloaded concept. any other type of training system will
ations my clients have been using as In this variation, two heavy exercis- not deliver the results you want.
specialization routines for stubborn es are performed for straight sets, and
body parts. I call these the “FST-7 the workout ends with two series of 7s You and several other nutri-
Preloaded” and “FST-7 Reloaded” con- done back-to-back. In the example of tionists have recommended eat-
cepts. What you witnessed was the quads, an athlete may start with two ing tilapia fish as a low-fat, low-
FST-7 Preloaded version, which has a or three exercises such as leg exten- calorie source of protein when
bit of the pre-exhaust element to it. In sions, squats, and perhaps walking dieting to lose fat. In the
the case of the workout you watched, lunges; then finish with leg presses November issue of MD, I read
the athlete would begin with 7 sets of and hack squats for their 7s. Both of that tilapia is high in concentra-
leg extensions for roughly 10-12 reps the methods discussed above would tions of arachidonic acid, which
each, with only 30-45 seconds rest in be ideal for a person who needs to a recent study said caused
between each set. improve the fullness and sweep of his inflammation linked to heart
What this does is “prime the or her quadriceps, yet is unable to disease, blood vessel damage
pump” for the heavier sets to follow. squat heavy due to preexisting prob- and cell aging. I have a few
The next two exercises are front lems with the lower back or knees. pounds of tilapia in my freezer
squats and leg presses, each done in a Another common muscle group the right now. Should I toss it in the
high-intensity style. After sufficient Reloaded version is used on is the garbage?
warm-ups, 2 work sets of 8-12 reps, as upper chest. I might have a client do I wouldn’t be so hasty if I were you.
heavy as possible, are performed. heavy sets with incline dumbbell Realize that this is simply one study,
Normally, the quads would not receive presses, incline dumbbell flyes, and and the odds are that another study
Trainer of
of Champions
Champions
THE BODYBUILDING
I recently read an article that talked about how you might be able to handle 80-pound dumbbells for 10
overhead presses are much more effective when reps seated. Standing, I doubt you would be able to use
you use free weights as opposed to machines and 50s. The disparity increases with a barbell. Most guys
furthermore, that doing your shoulder presses who can press 225 to the front sitting down can’t manage
standing rather than seated is far more effective at much more than 135 or 155 pounds standing— unless
stimulating growth in the delts. The writer claimed they start leaning back. I always make sure my clients
that the act of having to keep the weight balanced don’t lean back and arch while doing presses. If they can’t
and stable forces the do it on their own, we take
shoulders to work a big weight belt and strap
much harder. Plus, you them in securely. You’ll
can’t cheat by leaning notice that most Hammer
back. As a man who Strength pressing
has put many a body- machines for shoulders
builder through many a and chest have seat belts
shoulder workout, what built in for that same pur-
do you think? pose. A very slight arch is
I do think overhead fine in overhead pressing,
presses can be very pro- but anything beyond that is
ductive when done from a dangerous and counterpro-
standing position, but we ductive. The more you lean
need to get one thing back and shift your hips
straight. Not only is it pos- forward, the less your
sible to cheat, but in fact, shoulders are activated as
the overhead press with a your upper chest takes
barbell was discontinued over. I always choose a
as a competitive lift in the bench with a set vertical
Olympics in 1972 entirely back rather than an
because all the lifters were adjustable bench that
cheating by leaning back to would allow for a slight
an exaggerated degree. incline (again, too much
Leaning back like this is upper chest involvement).
treacherous. It means that Try to understand that even
the lower back is put into though I am advocating
an extreme arch under a seated presses rather than
very heavy load, which you should recognize as a surefire standing and one big reason is for the greater loads you
way to suffer a devastating injury to that area. But if you can use, I still don’t ever recommend using poor form
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PER BERNAL
do the lift without leaning back, you find that you can’t simply to use a heavier weight. One other way to press
handle anywhere near the amount of weight. that I highly recommend is to use the Hammer Strength
Using dumbbells would be a superior choice, since behind-neck press, but do it facing into the machine with
you don’t even have to lean back to get your head out of your hips back a few inches from the back support. This
the way and can maintain a vertical posture. The reason I shifts the emphasis squarely on the front and side delts.
like to have bodybuilders do their presses most often in a So when it comes to standing presses, go ahead and do
seated position with back support is that greater loads them occasionally with dumbbells, maybe every third or
are possible, and that builds more mass. For example, fourth workout. Otherwise, remain seated!
Sensational Silvio
I’m always proud of my clients when they
work hard, but right now I really got to give it
up for Silvio. My man is on a roll and only get-
ting better. I have never seen someone who’s
able to stay in shape so consistently all year
long and still put on muscle. He just did a
photo shoot with my white H2 Hummer. The
Hummer has 24-inch rims and custom doors
that open up and back at a 45-degree angle
like a Lamborghini. I’m actually thinking
about having them redone so they open
straight up like the old DeLoreans…that’s the
car that was a time machine in the “Back to
the Future” movies. Anyway, I know I give
Silvio props pretty often here, but it’s only
because the guy deserves it.
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lastword By John Romano
MAD PROPS
TO THE O!
I
t’s 3:00 am and I just arrived back home from Vegas. the Olympia was in Vegas and that the show was going
I, along with the rest of the MD road crew, have to be hot. The Orleans was like Olympia Village. I’m not
been running around like crazy since Thursday when saying it’s the most swank place in town, but since the
we landed, doing what we do to bring you the awesome Mandalay is out, there is not other venue in town to
coverage we do. I’ve probably gotten a total of 10 hours hold it until the new complex on the strip is done in
of sleep in the last four days. I’m dead tired and hungry 2011. Maybe by then the show venue and the expo can
as a cave man in winter and I have to get up in 3 hours be contained in one location and things can get a little
to drive to my mom’s to pick up my son, but I just can’t less troublesome as far as logistics go, but still, this year
go to sleep yet. I’m so jacked from the incredible week- the show and the expo both rocked.
end we had that I have to say something now about it. Speaking of the expo, the place was laid out pretty
Well, also because the press deadline is tomorrow…. well. The signage was off the chain and everything
First of all, I have to send my condolences to NPC looked first class, right down to the life-sized cardboard
Vice Chairman Steve Stone’s family. We all lost an cutouts of all the competitors scattered around the expo
incredible friend and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever and immediately upon walking in. Robin Chang must
meet when he was suddenly taken from us on Friday have presided over an army to get this job done the way
morning. I had just talked to him to get the competitor it was executed and I can’t say enough how much better
list so Dave and I could do the women’s prejudging this year was than years past. Great job!
play-by-play. We chatted for a minute; he told me he The big news is, of course, that Romano has to eat
had a headache all morning and was talking Tylenol. I his words. Not only for the press pass thing, but also
told him it was probably the heat. He agreed with me, because I went on record implying that Jay was going to
handed me the list, we shook hands and that was it. win no matter what. Well, as you all know by now, that’s
Twenty minutes later, he was gone. To say something not what happened. And I can’t tell you how good it was
like that shakes you up is an understatement. My for bodybuilding that the audience got to see who they
prayers go out to his family. thought was the best man onstage win the show. Clearly
The weekend itself turned out differently than I had Jay was outdone by Dexter Jackson and I couldn’t be
ever expected. Not only did the required MD staff get happier that it turned out that way. If they had just given
the press credentials they needed, but Dave Palumbo it to Jay again, the way he looked, the show would have
and I were also given press passes, putting to rest once lost whatever credibility it was still holding onto after
and for all our perceived redheaded stepchild status. The the travesty that befell Iast year when the best guy on
boss of all bosses and Robin Chang also began a dia- stage didn’t win. I think that the judges might finally be
logue that will hopefully see the two camps working getting the message that “bad judging” is an excuse we
together moving forward, and the feud that has plagued are no longer willing to accept— not when no one in the
our industry looks like it might be coming to an end. entire world will agree with them. It was clear to every-
Quite frankly, NOTHING would make me happier. one that Jay Cutler was not deserving of the win and the
Speaking of Robin Chang, the man has outdone him- right thing happened. That’s what this sport needed and
self yet again. This was by far the best Olympia ever I can pretty much assure you the proof will be in the
since leaving the Mandalay Bay. I really felt this year droves of people who come out next year for what
that there was no denying the Olympia was in Vegas. promises to be one of the most hotly contested
From the LCD TV billboards showing Olympia footage Olympias in history.
on the Stratosphere and outside the Orleans, to the little For everyone who had anything to do with this year’s
TV ad signs on the slot machines in the Orleans casino, show being such a rousing success, you have my
to the other various media, you couldn’t help but know utmost respect and thanks!
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