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www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

 Build Your
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150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE WE KNOW TRAINING IRON MAN MAGAZINE IRON MAN MAGAZI

WE KNOW TRAINING™

November 2008
CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS C

FEATURES
64 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 109
Static contraction for a mass reaction. The TEG men hold to grow.

90 BRICK BY BRICK
Ron Harris’ consistency plan for building your ultimate physique.

106 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 40

How to set up a time to grow and why staying too lean is the no-gain scene. 136
MARK PERRY’S
114 SUPERSIZE THIS! BIG-BACK ATTACK
Jerry Brainum’s scientific take on fast food. (Ronald McDonald is toast!)

136 DETAILED DENSITY

Cory Crow analyzes Mark Perry’s rugged-back training program.

146 HMB CONTROVERSY

Jacob Wilson and Gabriel Wilson explore the research to determine who can
benefit musclewise from using this controversial supplement.

162 MUSCLE FIBER FACT AND FICTION

New research on fast-twitch fibers rewrites the textbooks.

174 40 IS THE NEW 20, PART 2

Eric Broser’s complete workout program for getting bigger and better with age.

186 GET BIG & STRONG

From the Bodybuilding.com archives, Michael Roussell outlines a best-of-both-
worlds workout.

202 X-FILES
A quick Q&A on everything from volume vs. intensity to lower-lat growth to
building a massive muscular base with 3D Positions of Flexion.

232 HARDBODY
Sasha Brown unveils her muscular curves—prepare to slam on your brakes.

244 PROFILE: DARREM CHARLES

90
BRICK BY
D.C. talks: A personal peek at the proportionate pro. BRICK

256 HEAVY DUTY

John Little channels Mike Mentzer’s intensity.
3 GET-BIG WORKOUTS • FREAKY FAST-FOOD RESEARCH
Katerina Van
266 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE Derham, Sebastian
Part 2 of Coach Bill Starr’s Bigger, Stronger, Younger—how and when to start Siegel and Timea ™

youngsters on a strength-training program. Majorova appear Bigger,

on this month’s Stronger,
cover. Hair and Leaner
•Power/Rep Range/
makeup by Shock Workout
•Big-and-Strong
Katerina Van Program
•The Static-Hold
Derham Photo by Mass Method

Michael Neveux. New Muscle

Fiber Study
Rewrites Science
and Rocks Your Results
HMB Controversy
Supplement for Size
NOVEMBER 2008

244
$5.99

266 Vol. 67, No. 11 www.IronManMagazine.com

Please display until 11/4/08

FC_IMNov2008_F.indd 1 8/28/08 4:06:06 PM

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CONTENTS CO

DEPARTMENTS

28 TRAIN TO GAIN
How to build a big, bad chest, to squat or not, and Joe Horrigan on pullovers.

44 SMART TRAINING
Coach Charles Poliquin explains how to rest for strength.

52 EAT TO GROW
Best creatine-loading method and gaining with protein and carbs during training.

74 NATURALLY HUGE
John Hansen constructs pec-pounding programs for a chest that’ll impress.

82 SHREDDED MUSCLE
Dave Goodin talks competitive encouragement and the benefits of training with
your better half.

86 CRITICAL MASS
Steve Holman analyzes the stretch and how it can etch muscle detail.
208
NEWS & VIEWS
L.T.’s world of
208 NEWS & VIEWS bodybuilding
Lonnie Teper’s world-of-bodybuilding coverage—plus, four Rising Stars.

224 MUSCLE “IN” SITES

Eric Broser has more on Mark Dugdale’s “Driven” DVD, a review of the new e-
book X-Rep Update #1 and set-by-set warmup protocols for bigger results.

228 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY

Jerry Brainum explains the pros and cons of growth hormone for athletes.

248 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE

Ruth Silverman’s USA pict-O-rama, plus—another women’s bodybuilding legend.

276 MIND/BODY CONNECTION

The overflowing riches of iron and steel from Dave Draper. Plus, sexy time, nap for
knowledge and The Lean Body Promise book review.

288 READERS WRITE

28
TRAIN TO GAIN
Gangbuster gladiator, castration accusation and X-traordinary gains.
ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLINE ONLIN

www.IronManMagazine.com
See more Photos @
See more Video @
In the next IRON MAN:
We’ve got loads of good stuff on
ONLINE VIEWERS’ CHOICE
Here are the places that IronManMagazine.com viewers recently everyone’s favorite bodypart—arms. Up-
clicked on the most: and-coming bodybuilder Jim Romagna
provides his titanic training program for
building gargantuan guns. Then Greg
Zulak muscles in with tips and tricks on
how to pack size on your bi’s. Plus, we
have an interview with Dr. Bob Goldman
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COVERAGE THE-SCENES Feel your heart Read and/or at the pro level to anitiaging research,
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 TRAIN ANY TIME
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 PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S LETTER PUBLISHER’S L

Publisher’s Letter Founders 1936-1986:

Peary & Mabel Rader
Publisher/Editorial Director: John Balik
by John Balik Associate Publisher: Warren Wanderer
Design Director: Michael Neveux
Editor in Chief: Stephen Holman
Art Director: T.S. Bratcher
Senior Editor: Ruth Silverman

Cultivating Editor at Large: Lonnie Teper

Articles Editors: L.A. Perry, Caryne Brown
Assistant Art Director: Brett R. Miller

Physical Culture Designer: Fernando Carmona

IRON MAN Staff:
Mary Gasca, Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba
Contributing Authors:
IRON MAN ’s purpose is to be a facilitator. We are enablers by design. Jerry Brainum, Eric Broser, David Chapman,
“We know training” is our mantra—training meaning all the facets of Teagan Clive, Lorenzo Cornacchia, Daniel Curtis,
Dave Draper, Michael Gündill, Rosemary Hallum,
the process that can help you attain your physical-culture goals. Ph.D., John Hansen, Ron Harris, Ori Hofmekler,
Physical culture was once the center of our collective identity. Iron Rod Labbe, Skip La Cour, Jack LaLanne, Butch
Man’s founders, Peary and Mabel Rader, saw the magazine as an infor- Lebowitz, John Little, Stuart McRobert, Gene
Mozée, Charles Poliquin, Larry Scott, Jim
mation center that would get the word out about the benefits of physi- Shiebler, Roger Schwab, Pete Siegel, C.S. Sloan,
cal culture. As the physical-culture world splintered into bodybuilding, Bill Starr, Bradley Steiner, Eric Sternlicht, Ph.D.,
Olympic lifting and powerlifting, the core was diminished. The original Randall Strossen, Ph.D., Richard Winett, Ph.D.,
and David Young
Muscle Beach in Santa Monica, California, featured all aspects of physi-
Contributing Artists:
cal expression. There were circus people, hand balancers, gymnasts and Steve Cepello, Larry Eklund, Ron Dunn,
lifters, the last-named being practitioners of all three iron-related dis- Jake Jones
ciplines. It was a family of the culture of the physical. Today’s physical Contributing Photographers:
culture as defined by IRON MAN is what we call training. Jim Amentler, Ron Avidan, Roland Balik, Reg
Bradford, Jimmy Caruso, Bill Dobbins, Jerry
As I look through this issue’s table of contents, I see a modern em- Fredrick, Irvin Gelb, Isaac Hinds, Dave Liberman,
bodiment of the Raders’ tradition of a “how-to” information-based J.M. Manion, Merv, Gene Mozée, Mitsuru
magazine. IRON MAN’s readers are primarily doers—some may be fans Okabe, Rob Sims, Ian Sitren, Leo Stern

of bodybuilding competition, but more than 85 percent of you buy the Director of Marketing:
Helen Yu, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1
magazine for its information and inspiration. Everything starts with
Accounting: Dolores Waterman
inspiration. You must have the belief that you can get bigger, stronger Subscriptions Manager:
and leaner faster. Sonia Melendez, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 2
Eric Broser speaks to the 40-plus bodybuilder in his “40 Is the New E-mail: soniazm@aol.com
20,” which begins on page 174 and includes an innovative program that Advertising Director: Warren Wanderer
1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1
stresses recovery while maximizing size and strength.
(518) 743-1696; FAX: (518) 743-1697
At the other end of the spectrum, in this month’s installment of Only Advertising Coordinator:
the Strong Shall Survive, Coach Bill Starr addresses strength training for Jonathan Lawson, (805) 385-3500, ext. 320
teenagers. As usual, he’s got the right balance of authoritative informa- Newsstand Consultant:
tion and the all-important inspiration. You’ll find it on page 266. Angelo Gandino, (516) 796-9848
Our regular columnists also specialize in the how-to element of We reserve the right to reject any advertising at our
discretion without explanation. All manuscripts, art
weight work. In Smart Training, starting on page 44, Coach Charles or other submissions must be accompanied by a self-
Poliquin reminds us that as essential as the workout is, it merely sets the addressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to
IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033. We
stage for growth through recuperation. He also discusses cardio mis- are not responsible for unsolicited material. Writers and
takes and antagonist-muscle training. photographers should send for our Guidelines outlining
specifications for submissions. IRON MAN is an open
Steve Holman, IRON MAN’s editor in chief, is always looking for ways forum. We also reserve the right to edit any letter or
to make his workouts and yours more productive. In his Critical Mass manuscript as we see fit, and photos submitted have an
implied waiver of copyright. Please consult a physician
column, beginning on page 86, he discusses how the stretch can etch before beginning any diet or exercise program. Use the
in new muscle detail, and he also suggests how to prioritize your upper information published in IRON MAN at your own risk.

pecs to create a more balanced upper body. In his Train, Eat, Grow entry, IRON MAN Internet Addresses:
which appears on page 64, he and Jonathan Lawson analyze static-hold Web Site: www.ironmanmagazine.com
John Balik, Publisher: ironleader@aol.com
training, an innovative technique for helping you build more muscle Steve Holman, Editor in Chief: ironchief@aol.com
mass. Ruth Silverman, Senior Editor: ironwman@aol.com
That’s but a taste of the full menu that awaits you in this month’s T.S. Bratcher, Art Director: ironartz@aol.com
Helen Yu, Director of Marketing:
IRON MAN. Enjoy! IM helen@ironmanmagazine.com
Jonathan Lawson, Ad Coordinator: ironjdl@aol.com
Sonia Melendez, Subscriptions: soniazm@aol.com
26 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 SEXY ROCK-HARD ABS FAST
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 TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO GAIN TRAIN TO

Dennis Wolf.

28 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 B E T T E R B O D Y PA R T S

Big, Bad Chest Pec pounding with

the Wolfman

As I always say, the pros who have the most to offer us 3) Prioritize the upper chest.
regular humans are the ones who have managed to bring “Very few of us have upper chests that grow easily—I
up weak bodyparts. For instance, I wouldn’t listen to much know I don’t. Because of that, I feel that at least two out
Dennis Wolf has to say about shoulder training, as his delts of three chest workouts, you should start with dumbbell or
are a gift from God. Chest, on the other hand, wasn’t such barbell incline presses. If your upper chest is really lacking
a blessed area. in thickness, you should always do incline presses and
“My chest has been my weak point from day one,” Wolf flyes first.”
says. “It probably has a lot to do with my shoulders being 4) Switch your workout around.
so dominant.” Since he’s had to experiment to make his “A lot of guys go to the gym every Monday and do the
pecs grow, we should all pay attention to some tips the Big same chest workout they’ve been doing every Monday for
Bad Wolf has to offer: years. Then they wonder why their chest always looks the
1) Never train chest and shoulders together. same. Change the exercises, the order you do them in,
“I only did that once and would never do it again. your rep range and the speed you do your reps on a regu-
There’s too much overlap between the pressing move- lar basis. Once a muscle fully adapts to what you’re doing,
ments for chest and shoulders, so whatever comes sec- it stops responding.”
ond in the workout will suffer significantly. I suggest training 5) Save machines and cables for last.
them about three or four days apart for best results.” “It’s fine to incorporate machines like Hammer Strength,
2) Learn to press with the pecs. as well as cables, into your chest workouts. But because
“If all you care about is how much weight you can free weights require more balance and coordination and
bench-press, you’re probably using almost all front del- also because they’re more productive at stimulating mus-
toids and triceps. Use less weight, slow down the reps, cle growth, you should use them first.”
and learn how to squeeze and contract your chest as you —Ron Harris
push the weight away from you. If you can’t feel your chest www.RonHarrisMuscle.com
working, it won’t grow.”

If your upper chest is

a weak point, prioritize
it by doing an incline-
pressing exercise first at
every chest workout.
Neveux

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 HE WANTED TO FIGHT-
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Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

 Train to Gain / WATER
WORKOUT WONDERS
Get High for Health

During the running craze of the

1970s, you heard a lot about some-
thing called the runner’s high—it’s
a feeling of euphoria and relaxation
that occurs shortly after a run. Sports
scientists attributed the effect to
the body’s increased production of
natural painkilling chemicals called
endorphins. Later studies, however,
repudiated that theory. Those studies
often used drugs such as naltrexone,
to block the effects of endorphins, but
the runner’s high continued to appear
after exercise. Scientists then decided
that the runner’s high—a concept later
extended to weight training—was the
result of an increased release of cat-

Neveux \ Model: Todd Smith

echolamines, such as norepinephrine.
If you secrete more catecholamines
during an intense workout, your toler-
ance for pain will be higher, and so will
your ability to train harder. A recent
study with rats found that endorphins
not only are beneficial for mental and

Dehydration How it affects your workout

painkilling effects but also may be
a major factor in the cardiovascular
benefits offered by exercise.
The rats ran on a treadmill for four
The scientific literature on dehydration’s effect on anaerobic strength and power days, with one day of highly vigor-
is contradictory. Some studies show a definite drop in strength because of dehy- ous exercise. Another group of rats
dration, while others show little or no effect. One study found no effects on volun- didn’t exercise. Heart attacks were
tary muscle contraction in the legs or arm muscles with an induced 4 percent loss then induced in the rats, and the heart
of weight through dehydration. Another study found no ill effects of dehydration on damage in the exercised rats was half
one-rep-max bench presses. On the other hand, 30 minutes in a sauna resulted in that of the sedentary rats. The protec-
a loss of leg press strength. Dehydration amounting to loss of 3.9 percent of body tive effect of exercise was gone five

Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

mass during moderately prolonged exercise reduced blood flow to active muscles; days after the exercise. When rats
elevated carbohydrate oxidation, which leads to premature muscle glycogen de- were injected with a drug that blocks
pletion; and increased lactate production—all of which can cause muscle fatigue. endorphins, the heart-protective effect
In a new study seven subjects, average age 27, did upper and lower Wing- of exercise disappeared. Exercise also
ate anaerobic exercise tests before and after a 90-minute recovery from a heat increased the amount of several opi-
stress trial of treadmill exercise. They lost about 3 percent of body mass through ate, or endorphin, genes in the heart,
along with
sweating. The severity of fatigue increased by 70 percent in the dehy-
genes that Most
drated condition. Mean power decreased 17.17 percent in the upper body and
regulate in- weight
19.20 percent in the lower body, which is consistent with past studies showing that
flammation trainers
lower-body muscles are more affected by dehydration than upper-body muscles. and muscle are
The results suggest that dehydration on that scale decreases the body’s ability to cell death in happier
generate anaerobic power. the heart. and
Loss of water leads to loss of intracellular potassium, which adversely affects The healthier.
calcium use during muscle contraction. Higher intramuscular temperature resulting conclu-
from dehydration elevates cellular hydrogen ion acidity, which inhibits energy-pro- sion was
ducing enzyme activity. The net effect: muscle fatigue and a considerable drop in that much
training intensity. of the
Studies show that on average, athletes replace only two-thirds of the water they protection against cardiovascu-
lose during exercise. If you lose 3 percent or more of your weight from water loss, lar disease offered by exercise
your anaerobic-exercise capacity is compromised. That suggests that you should was due to an increase of en-
drink water at regular intervals during training, since thirst is not a precise indicator dorphin activity in the heart and
of fluid requirements. That’s particularly true in hot and humid environments. that the protection was short-lived in
—Jerry Brainum the absence of regular exercise.
—Jerry Brainum

30 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 YOU CAN BENCH BIG
Add 20 Pounds to Your Bench Press Almost Overnight!
How would you like a surge in
upper-body power and a bigger
bench press—say, 20 extra pounds
on the bar—after only a couple of
workouts? Sure, adding 20 pounds
to your bench in two or three training
sessions may sound crazy, especially
if your bench press poundage has
been stuck in neutral for a while.
But nine times out of 10 this stall is
due to an easily correctible muscle
weakness—not in the pecs, delts
or triceps but in a group of muscles
known as the rotator cuff.

The rotator cuff muscles stabilize

the shoulder joint. During the bench
press and almost all other upper-
body movements these muscles
protect the shoulder joint and
prevent ball-and-socket slippage. If
these muscles are underdeveloped,
they become the weak link in the
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suffers, or worse, you injure your
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Once you start using the
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 Train to Gain / MATURE MUSCLE
To Squat or Not? Are squats necessary for optimal
leg development?
Q: I’m a 54-year-old man the weight—what you used 10 days
and have been training with earlier—and be sure that you hit the
weights for 25 years. I have 25-rep mark. Do the same super-
trouble with my thighs. I com- set follow-up with leg curls and leg
pete in the over-50 class, and extensions.
the guys with good thighs say c) Add a set of hack squats with
that squatting is king. I try as much weight as you can use for
squats, but I keep getting in- 15 reps. Go to failure. That’s your
jured when I do them. Is there last exercise.
an alternative to squatting that d) On your next leg day just do
can build and split the thigh the leg curls and leg extensions for
muscles? Or is squatting the three supersets to failure.
only way to go? e) Train legs again six or seven
A: Not everyone gets maximum days later. Do one warmup set on
stimulation and muscular hypertrophy leg presses. Then load up those
from doing squats. Those who say plates to as much as you can use for
that squats are king are only half right at least 15 reps. Push and release
because many people who squat until you can’t take it anymore. Try
shouldn’t. for at least three to four times your
Many men are not biomechani- bodyweight for 20 to 30 reps—non-
cally designed for squats. I used to stop. At one time—ages 44 through
squat heavy until I found a really great 48—I was using 1,200 pounds for

Neveux
alternative. If you can squat but find 25 reps. That, along with the leg-
yourself failing biomechanically before curl/leg-extension supersets and one
maximum muscular stimulation of the set of hack squats, pushed my legs
quadriceps, then try doing the following: to grow two inches and split into four distinct muscles. The
1) If your upper body is bending forward too much, that idea is to build up reps while adding weight and giving your
means your torso is a bit longer relative to your leg length and legs a rest here and there so that when you come back to
hip width. So put a second belt on above your power belt. them, you can set a personal record on the leg presses.
That will help hold your upper body upright. The easiest way f) After your one all-out set of high-rep, heavy-weight leg
to know for sure if there’s a large disparity between your upper presses, go directly to hack squats. With no more than a one-
and lower body is to measure the distance from the center of minute break, do as many reps as possible with as much weight
your right nipple to the center of your left. Now, measure from as possible—never locking out and never stopping until you can
dominant-side nipple center to your belly-button center. If your do no more. That’s how you make thighs grow and split. Finish
second measurement is two or more inches longer than the with the supersets, three rounds to failure.
first, that’s a clear indication that your upper torso is a bit long, g) Do what you normally do for calves on all leg days.
relatively speaking, and that calls for squat-assisting measures. Since we’re not all biomechanically equal, we cannot, and
2) If you choose to squat, purchase a pair of weight-training should not, do the same exercises. Most people who have
shoes that support your ankles. That will help at least 5 to 10 small lower joints or who are tall have a great deal of difficulty
percent. doing heavy squats. That doesn’t mean that they can’t make
3) Wear knee wraps (and ankle wraps if necessary). I see their legs grow; it merely means they need to be smart about
many people squatting without wearing ankle-high training how they approach their leg training. If you slowly build up
shoes, and that’s usually a major problem. The weight you can weight and reps on a machine such as the leg press and/or
squat with depends on the weakest link. If your ankles and hack squat, you’ll often get better leg development than you
knees are small or not supported properly, then you need to will with squats.
wrap the knees and wear weight-training shoes that support —Paul Burke
your ankles.
4) If none of those help, then quit squatting. Try the follow- Editor’s note: To contact Paul
ing leg routine to get maximum muscular stimulation and maxi- Burke, write to pbptb@aol.com.
mum muscular hypertrophy. Burke has a master’s degree in inte-
a) On a smooth-sliding leg press, do one warmup set of grated studies from Cambridge Col-
25 reps with a light weight. Add 100 pounds and do 15 more lege in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
warmup reps. Then take a weight that you’ve had difficulty He’s been a champion bodybuilder
handling for 10 reps. With your ankles well supported and and arm wrestler, and he’s considered
your knees wrapped, push that weight as many times as a leader in the field of over-40 fitness
possible—until total failure. That should be anywhere from 12 training. You can purchase his book,
to 25 repetitions. Remember that number. Although you may Burke’s Law—a New Fitness Para-
not hit the 25-reps mark the first time, within months you’ll be digm for the Mature Male, from Home
doing much more weight and many more reps. Now do three Gym Warehouse. Call (800) 447-
leg extension/leg curl supersets to failure. 0008, or visit www.Home-Gym.com.
b) Wait 10 days before training your legs again. Then do His “Burke’s Law” training DVD is also
just one warmup set of 25 reps on the leg press. Then load on now available.

34 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Train to Gain / HARDGAINER

Success Through Failure

I wasted years of my The college crowd. Also
bodybuilding youth by at the gym are many young
persisting with exercises, men from local colleges, who
routines and methods that follow four- and six-day-split
didn’t help me much, if at routines, with three or four
all. I’ve seen the same fun- exercises per bodypart and at
damental error being made least three work sets for each
by most bodybuilders in all exercise. Their intensity is only
the gyms I’ve ever been to. moderate, their poundage
Some trial and error is part progression nonexistent—and
of bodybuilding, so short pe- their bodybuilding progress
riods of failure are inevitable, nonexistent too. That their
but if you don’t make prog- routines are clearly not working
ress for a long time, change doesn’t seem to register with

Neveux \ Model: Alex Azarian

is needed. them. They continue month
To succeed in bodybuild- after month and make no prog-
ing, learn pronto from your ress, apparently thinking that
failures. something that hasn’t worked
Squats and bench for a long time will suddenly rev
presses. I’ve seen many up. It won’t.
bodybuilders do squats even Middle-aged beginners.
though they could never These are middle-aged men
master them. That especially applies to tall, lanky bodybuilders trying to train like the college crowd. Overweight, out-of-condi-
or to those of average height but with long legs relative to their tion, middle-aged beginners following four- and six-day-split
height. Rather than grasping early on that their body propor- routines are a recipe for failure. Yet month after month they
tions weren’t well suited to the squat, they persisted in doing persist with that approach. Eventually, most of them get so
them because so many people rave about the squat. frustrated and perhaps injured that they give up training. Rather
Sure, it can be a fantastic exercise for many bodybuilders, than recognize the ineffectiveness of the approach early on and
but not for all. Many bodybuilders who aren’t suited to the bar- do something about it, they persist in failing.
bell squat are suited to the parallel-grip deadlift, and when they Don’t persist in doing exercises, routines or methods that
change to the latter, they start to make terrific gains. don’t help you. If your training hasn’t yielded progress over the
I’ve seen many bodybuilders who were never able to bench- past two months, it’s unlikely to yield any progress over the next
press well despite great effort and dedication. When the open- two months. Make changes.
minded ones substituted the parallel-bar dip, however, they Training failures can be valuable learning experiences that
made far better progress. help you succeed with subsequent efforts. What could you
Joan. I’ve been treating Joan, a former competitive body- have done differently that would have improved the outcome?
builder, for elbow injuries. In her 50s, she still trains regularly What did you learn that you can put to good use next time? If
and retains the mind-set she had in her prime about 20 years you approach your training failures and setbacks with a positive
ago. Her elbow problems originated in the muscles that are attitude, you’ll use them to improve your chance of success in
connected to her elbows. Once I’d treated her arm flexors and the future.
extensors and some of her forearm muscles, her elbows were Use your gym time wisely. Train hard but briefly, use exer-
transformed. cises suited to you, and strive to add a little iron every week or
With “new” elbows, Joan was charged up to train her arms. two to each exercise. Use a balanced program that includes
She hadn’t been able to train her arms hard for many years, so cardio and stretching. Even if you do train well, if you don’t fully
they were lagging behind the rest of her physique. I didn’t have satisfy all the components of recuperation, you won’t make
a problem with Joan training her arms hard, but did with the ex- much bodybuilding progress.
ercises she wanted to return to: very-close-grip bench presses, It’s amazing that so many bodybuilders are negligent in their
triceps extensions to her forehead with a straight bar and close- nutrition and sleep. Every day you must eat and sleep well if
grip and wide-grip barbell curls with a straight bar. Those exer- you want to optimize your recuperation. Don’t undermine your
cises had contributed to her elbow problems in the first place. training by cutting corners outside the gym.
For wrist and elbow comfort I persuaded her to use a shoulder- —Stuart McRobert
width close-grip bench press, parallel-grip pushdowns with a www.Hardgainer.com
rope attachment and dumbbell rather than barbell curls.
She wasn’t doing any cardio or stretching. She was still Editor’s note: Stuart McRobert’s first
locked into a weights-only mentality. Cardio and stretching byline in IRON MAN appeared in 1981. He’s
weren’t common in bodybuilding programs when Joan got the author of the new 638-page opus on
started, and she hadn’t moved on. She was stuck in the past. bodybuilding Build Muscle, Lose Fat, Look
While she’d maintained enough of her competitive physique to Great, available from Home Gym Ware-
make her a standout in the gym, she was overly focused on house, (800) 447-0008 or www.Home-Gym
appearances, to the neglect of well-being. Well-being is always .com.
more important than appearance, especially in middle age and
beyond.

36 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Train to Gain / SPORTSMEDICINE
Pullover: Dumbbell vs. Machine
An avid weight-training patient recently asked me about Another benefit is that many trainees feel they have a very
the differences between the Nautilus pullover machine and a strong contraction in the abdominal muscles in the finished
traditional dumbbell pullover across a bench. There are strong position, with the bar pulled low toward the abdomen. That
similarities and significant differences. doesn’t occur during the dumbbell pullover. One last point is
The prime and secondary movers in the pullover exercise that the machine pullover enables you to pull your shoulders
are the shoulder extensors, which include the teres major slightly into hyperextension. That also occurs at the bottom
(upper lat), latissimus dorsi (lat), posterior deltoid (rear delt) position, as the elbows move backward, past your body.
So why doesn’t everyone use the pullover machine? Some
trainees can’t perform pullovers at all because of shoulder
pain. The source of the pain may be a tear in a cartilage ring
that surrounds the shoulder socket. The extreme range of
motion of the pullover can stress the cartilage ring. Trainees
who have rotator cuff problems may also have pain when they
do pullovers. Many also find that the machine pullover lends
itself to a greater stretch at the top. The restriction of the
body in the machine permits that. Most trainees won’t let the
dumbbell drop as low.
The late Joe Gold, founder of Gold’s Gym and World Gym,
Neveux

always included a Nautilus pullover machine in his gyms. Gold

thought the machine was terrific.
There’s been much debate whether to classify the exercise
as a chest or back exercise. The pecs help initiate the pull,
but the latissimus dorsi, teres major, posterior deltoid and long
head of the triceps perform most of the work, so it should fit
into a back workout. If you’re on a
split routine with chest and back on
the same day, feel free to include
it. If your split is back and biceps in
one session, place the pullover in
that workout.
The bottom line is that the ma-
and the long head of the triceps. If chine gives you resistance over a
Model: Arnold Schwarzenegger

you’re lying across a bench with the greater range of motion and also
dumbbell supported directly over allows the abs to get a little work-
your head and you lower the dumb- out. Not all gyms have a pullover
bell behind your head, those muscles machine. If your gym doesn’t
are working but lengthening. That’s have one, you can use a dumbbell
known as the eccentric, or negative, and a bench and target the same
portion of the exercise. As you pull the muscles, but you won’t get the ab-
dumbbell back to the starting point, the muscle contracts, or training effect. If the pullover causes shoulder pain, you should
shortens. That part of the stroke is commonly called positive drop it from your workouts. Plenty of other exercises can
training. The dumbbell pullover has the greatest resistance target the same muscles: barbell rows, dumbbell rows, T-bar
when your arms are parallel to the floor, the lowest part of rows, seated cable rows, wide-grip pulldowns, narrow grip
the movement. That’s because your arms form the longest pulldowns and undergrip pulldowns, to name a few.
lever for gravity to pull on. The closer the movement reaches —Joseph M. Horrigan
the starting point, directly over your face, the less resistance,
because the lever is at its shortest. Editor’s note: Visit www.SoftTissueCenter.com for re-
Pullover machines target the same shoulder extensor prints of Horrigan’s past Sportsmedicine columns that have
muscles, but the machine lets significant resistance occur appeared in IRON MAN. You can order the books, Strength,
at the same position as the start of the dumbbell pullover, Conditioning and Injury Prevention for Hockey by Joseph
with the machine bar near the upper abdomen. Gravity pulls Horrigan, D.C., and E.J. “Doc” Kreis, D.A., and The 7-Minute
downward on the weight stack, and the force is transmitted Rotator Cuff Solution by Horrigan and Jerry Robinson from
through the pulley system to the pads and bars you are push- Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008 or at www.Home-
ing against. You’d have to perform a decline dumbbell pull- Gym.com.
over to have a similar effect.

38 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Train to Gain / X-REP RAP

X-Blasting North of the Border

X-Rep partials have been around long added to the detail and overall muscle
enough now that the approach is reach- maturity of my arms. I also include a lot
ing all elements of the bodybuilding and of stretching. That’s something I picked
fitness community. Take Ryan Malo, a up from Darren, who is one flexible
275-pound Canadian mass monster SOB. [Note: Darren, as a superheavy-
who’s striving for his pro card. He’s been weight, does the splits during his
hooked on X-Rep training for about a posing routine.] Stretching helps keep
year and has gotten bigger. He plans to me injury free. I’m not sure if hyperpla-
compete in the Canadian Nationals as a sia exists, but from what Darren tells
heavyweight at around 220 pounds. He me and what I’ve seen in IRON MAN,
said he’d added a solid 15 pounds since the idea seems to have merit. Hell, I
he joined TeamGots (www look better, so it must do something. X
.TeamGots.com), which is run by supertrainer Darren Mehling. Reps in the stretch position have really seemed to help this past
Let’s see what Darren had Ryan doing to get bigger and more year. Lots of sets and reps, lots of tension time and squeezing
ripped. and, of course, stretching, stretching and more stretching. I’m
looking forward to seeing how this next year will go with X-Rep
WL: What are your goals right now in and out of training and working with Darren.
the gym?
RM: I would like to win my pro card by the age of 29. I’d WL: Describe a basic arm workout. How about the
also like to start a family. last one you did, just to get an idea of what Darren
has you doing.
WL: How long have you been working with Darren RM: Sure. Last week Darren had me do the following. I
Mehling and TeamGots? performed each pair of exercises as
RM: Darren Mehling has been awesome. I’ve been working supersets:
with him since about March ’07. There have been some big
changes in my confidence as well as my overall look and mus- Seated concentration curls 4 x 10
cle density. He has the ability to bring about massive changes One-arm kickbacks 4 x 12
in his clients, even those who have been at it for some time, like
me. He has many unique ideas and keeps updated with what EZ-curl-bar preacher curls 4 x 12
is out there—taking seminars and classes. He has his finger on EZ-curl-bar lying extensions 4 x 12
the pulse of what’s what and what works. I can’t say enough
about the changes I’ve made with him. Alternate dumbbell curls 4 x 15
Standing rope extensions 4 x 15
WL: What is your current training split?
RM: Right now I stick to a five-day rotation, working one We supersetted a biceps exercise
bodypart per day. I work out Monday to Wednesday, with with a triceps movement with no rest,
Thursday off. Then Friday and Saturday I’m back in the gym. waited 30 to 45 seconds, then did a
Photos courtesy of Ryan Malo

Each day has its own bodypart, with the exception of legs, second superset. On the last superset
which get trained as a unit. For example, I train quads, hams we did six X Reps in the semistretch
and calves on Monday; chest Tuesday; shoulders Wednesday; position, and after the workout we did
Thursday is off; bi’s and tri’s Friday; and back day is on Sat- fascia stretching and posing, as you
urday. Darren has me rotate different theories and exercises recommend.
often. Sometimes we superset; sometimes it’s straight sets and
heavier weights. I do X Reps regardless, but sometimes I save WL: I got the idea from John
them for the last set of a movement to avoid overtraining. Parrillo. He does them slightly
differently, but the isometric posing and stretching
WL: Your arms look incredible. How did you build are direct from him.
them to their current size? RM: I like the fascia stretching. It’s hard work, which is prob-
RM: The bodyparts that seem to grab attention are my delts ably why I don’t see many people doing it. Where did all the
and my arms. When I first started training my arms, I’d go as hardcore bodybuilders go?
heavy and as hard as I could. I never counted reps or sets; I’d
blast them till I couldn’t move them anymore. The same went WL: I’m with ya, bro. Keep up the X Reps, and let
for delts. I’d do every exercise that I could think of and pump us know if you discover something new with them.
those things full of blood. That gave me a really good base to RM: Absolutely.
work with. As I became more in tune with the mind/muscle —William Litz
connection, I was able to lower the weight and make only the
target muscle do the work. That enabled me to maximize the Editor’s note: Will Litz’s BodySpace page is
blood to the area I was working. The slower movement allowed http://bodyspace.bodybuilding.com/WinnipegWill/.
for less cheating and created new stress on unused muscle For more on X Reps, visit www.X-Rep.com.
fibers. X Reps have helped too, keeping blood in the target
muscle longer and increasing the tension time. That’s greatly

40 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Smart Training
by Charles Poliquin

2) Allows for the clearance of the

Rest for metabolic waste accumulated in

muscle tissue following intense
muscular work.

Strength 3) Allows the central nervous

system to recover.
4) Slows down the elevated meta-
bolic and heart rates.
Q: My main goal is to get really strong.
5) Affects which hormones are
I’m confused about how long to rest be-
secreted as a result of the workout
tween sets. What’s your opinion on that?
and to what magnitude. Those

Neveux \ Model: Jeff Hammond

A: Unlike numbers of sets and reps, the hormones will affect strength, fat
length of their rest intervals is rarely controlled loss and muscle gains.
by weight trainees. While a beginner can make
progress on just about any type of program, Sports scientists recommend
not paying attention to that important train- rest intervals of three to four min-
ing variable could account for the fact that so utes (and up to five minutes) for
many trainees don’t gain. training with maximal loads—one-
The length of your rest between sets affects several fac- to five-rep maximums at 85 to 100 percent of max. That
tors that are important in the adaptations brought on by approach prevents early fatigue and enables you to make
your training. The rest interval: repeated efforts at high intensity.
A guiding principle when developing strength is that the
1) Regulates the partial, or nearly complete, restoration rest interval should be long enough to permit the nervous
of the short-term-energy substrates necessary for maxi- system to recover almost completely but not so long that
mal performance. you lose what’s called the post-tetanic potentiation ef-
fect. That’s the phenomenon by which your contraction

Neveux \ Model: Mehmet Yildirim

On compound exercises
rest about four minutes
after each set for a max-
strength-building effect.

44 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SM Smart Training
seated dumbbell presses and loaded
chinups, your workout could be as
follows:

A1) Seated dumbbell presses: 6 x 4,

4/0/X/0 tempo, 120 seconds’ rest
A2) Weighted chinups: 6 x 4, 4/0/X/0
tempo, 120 seconds’ rest
Breaking it down even further, the
workout would proceed as follows: set
1 of seated dumbbell presses, rest 120
seconds; set 1 of chinups, rest 120 sec-
onds; set 2 of seated dumbbell presses,
rest 120 seconds; set 2 of chinups, rest
120 seconds; and so on.
Keep the pattern until you complete
all six sets of four reps. Although the
rest time between sets is 120 seconds,
you actually have more than four min-
utes of rest before recruiting the same
muscle groups again.
If you have the antagonistic pairs
contracting alternately—flexion fol-
lowed by extension—as opposed to
agonist contractions alone—precon-
traction of antagonists—you can often
enhance full motor-unit activation in
a muscle contraction.
Neveux \ Model: Danny Hester
Over the past 30 years I’ve found
Also for max strength:
that alternating between two antago-
Take about three nistic muscle groups or movements
minutes of rest after is the best way to train for strength.
sets of isolation It makes for shorter rest intervals, a
exercises. greater total volume of work per train-
ing session and greater recruitment of
motor units. It’s a win-win deal.
strength potential is increased for five to 10 minutes after a I’ve found that athletes who reach the highest levels of
heavy set because of greater neural activation. I made that maximal strength strive to reduce their rest intervals and
concept popular in the English-language literature after repeat sets of maximal loads.
translating Dietmar Schmidtbleicher’s work from German
Q: What do you see trainees typically doing wrong
in the early ’80s.
in planning their cardio work for fat loss?
The peak effect—that is, greater potentiation—occurs
about four minutes after a near-maximal contraction and A: They make two main types of mistakes:
then gradually wanes so that it’s gone by around the fifth
minute. Consequently, when training for strength, you 1) They always perform low-intensity, or steady-
should rest about four minutes between sets of an exer- state, cardiovascular work. With low-intensity cardio-
cise—that is, assuming we’re talking about a compound vascular work, your body reaches maximal adaptations
exercise. For isolation exercises three minutes of rest nor- usually after six to eight weeks—for life. Therefore, it’s
mally suffices. better to move on to interval training if you want very rapid
An individual’s maximal strength has an impact on the results in fat loss.
phenomenon, however. If you can curl 155 pounds for reps,
you may need four minutes; if you curl only 75 pounds for With a properly designed
reps, three minutes should suffice.
With a properly designed strength session, you should strength session, you
actually become stronger on every set of an exercise—up
to a point. That point occurs later for well-trained athletes: should actually become
An intermediate trainee may reach it at four sets, while an
Olympian may reach it on the eighth set. stronger on every set of
Although four minutes between sets of the same exercise
is generally best for strength, there are ways to manipulate an exercise—up to a point.
that recommendation. If you alternate two exercises for
opposing muscle groups, you can get by with less rest time That point occurs later for
between sets, provided that you still keep four minutes
between sets of the same movement. Applying that idea to well-trained athletes.
46 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SMART TRAINING SM Smart Charles
TrainingPoliquin’s

Alternating sets
of exercises for
antagonistic muscle
groups can enhance
contraction.

Neveux \ Model: Mehmet Yildirim

Neveux \ Model: Brian Yersky

Although aerobics gurus call for a single cardiovascular you weaker, as the blood pH drops, hampering the body’s
training protocol for stimulating maximum weight loss, ability to recruit high-threshold fibers.
research suggests otherwise. As I mentioned last time, the
Q: How good do you think the Internet is for find-
notion that low-intensity cardiovascular work is superior to
ing strength-training information?
high-intensity work was refuted by a study published in the
July 1994 issue of Metabolism in an article titled “Impact A: Be aware of the difference between the strength jour-
of Exercise Intensity on Body Fatness and Skeletal Muscle nalist and the strength expert. A clue that someone is not
Metabolism.” As the authors reported, “The results of the growing or becoming stronger is that he or she is spending
present study show that for a given level of energy expen- more hours reading about training than training.
diture, a high-intensity training program includes a greater The Internet is great for getting access to information;
loss of subcutaneous fat compared with a training program the problem is that on 90 percent of the sites the informa-
of moderate intensity.” tion is useless. Go with individuals who have a proven track
2) They perform cardiovascular work before record. If they never name who they work with or cannot
strength training. Trainers may recommend working on produce a training program associated with a name, they’re
fat burning first by performing cardiovascular work before probably not worth what they’re charging.
the weight workout. In reality, the reverse is true: Empty- Often those coaches claim that all their elite clients have
ing your glycogen stores through strength training actually them sign confidentiality agreements that forbid them
primes the fat-burning process for a cardio program that from discussing their working relationship, but such agree-
follows. Further, performing cardio before weights makes ments are rare and are usually a ruse. Don’t get ripped off.
All of us who have success with athletes know one another,
as we end up working with the same agents or general
When training for strength, managers. When someone asks if so-and-so is reputable, I
advise calling a sports agent. If he doesn’t know the coach,
you should rest about the coach is not worth the advice he gives.
Editor’s note: Charles Poliquin is recognized as one
four minutes between of the world’s most successful strength coaches, having
coached Olympic medalists in 12 different sports, includ-
sets of an exercise— ing the U.S. women’s track-and-field team for the 2000
Olympics. He’s spent years researching European journals
that is, assuming we’re (he’s fluent in English, French and German) and speaking
with other coaches and scientists in his quest to optimize
talking about a compound training methods. For more on his books, seminars and
methods, visit www.CharlesPoliquin.net. Also, see his ad
exercise. on page 259. IM

48 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Train ™ \ JULY 2006 181
EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT TO GROW EAT

Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission

to Grow
NUTRITION SCIENCE studies also indicated that taking cre-
atine with a simple, or rapidly absorbed,

Best Creatine-Loading Method sugar source aided uptake. The mech-

anism involved sugar-stimulated insulin
release. Insulin, in turn, was thought
Creatine is the most extensively re- ing a buffering action in muscle, which to activate the creatine transporter in
searched food supplement on the market lowers the acidity that fatigues muscle. muscle, which is the rate-limiting fac-
and works for 80 percent of users. It’s As if all that weren’t enough, creatine tor in muscle-creatine uptake. While
specific for anaerobic exercise, such as boosts intracellular water, which aids the insulin theory hasn’t been
bodybuilding, and helps maintain op- anabolic processes in muscle. completely discarded, it turned
timal levels of the immediate source of Based on research, most people out that insulin was only a minor
energy for muscle contraction, adenos- thought the best way to use creatine player. The real stimulus is a
ine triphosphate—a.k.a. ATP. Energy is was to load 20 to 30 grams for five to mechanism called the sodium
produced when a phosphate group is six days—that is, 0.3 grams of creatine pump. As the name implies, it is
released from ATP, and creatine helps per kilogram of bodyweight—usually in powered by sodium, not sugar. Other
regenerate the depleted ATP molecule by five-gram doses, or about a teaspoon- research demonstrated that taking
contributing a phosphate molecule. Cre- ful. After the initial load the dose goes creatine with a fast-acting protein, such
atine also aids intense training by provid- down to 0.03 grams per kilogram of as whey, was as effective as taking it
bodyweight, or with a simple sugar. That made sense
about three grams because amino acids contained in whey
a day. Originally, also trigger an insulin release, which
that dose was then turns on the sodium pump, lead-
thought to be the ing to creatine uptake.
fastest way to load Clearly, the formula for the best way
muscles. Later to take creatine is evolving. A recently
research, how- published study, for example, used a
ever, refined the double-blind design—that is, neither
technique. Several the researchers nor the subjects initially
studies showed knew which was the creatine and which
that you can in- was the placebo. Thirty-two men re-
crease muscle ceived either five grams of creatine and
creatine simply by four grams of phosphate or a placebo
taking five grams consisting of 20 grams of dextrose,
of creatine for 30 a sugar. Researchers tested the sub-
days. That results jects’ anaerobic-training capacity after
in less water reten- 30 days. There were no differences in
tion, as the typical anaerobic-training ability between the
creatine loading creatine and placebo groups. The only
phase can add change was a weight gain of one kilo-
anywhere from five gram—2.2 pounds—in those who used
to 10 pounds of the real creatine, which occurred after
Creatine
water. Later studies 10 days. Those in the placebo group
can make
muscles also found that cre- didn’t experience any weight change.
fuller and atine loading was Based on those results, the authors
stronger. effective for only suggest that using low-dose creatine
the first 48 hours. for 30 days provides no ergogenic or
After that the ma- significant training effects. Noting
jority of the creatine that the loading phase is use-
taken in was rapidly less after 48 hours, they think
excreted. that it’s best to load creatine for
Some early two days, then switch to a main-

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This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
 of which yields several po-
tenance dose. For those who can’t tentially toxic by-products,
tolerate a loading phase, another option including sodium sarcosine,
is to take eight to 10 grams of creatine cynamide, dicyandiamide
a day for about 10 weeks. Anything less and dihydrotriazine creati-
than five grams a day, say the authors, nine. During quality control
is not effective for boosting anaerobic the toxins are supposed to
performance. be filtered out. Even so, they
Another new study examined the oc- may be present in cheaper
currence of gastrointestinal distress in brands, especially those
creatine users. Anecdotal reports indi- from China—a country
cate that some users experience stom- notorious for shoddy quality
ach cramps, diarrhea and nausea. The control, as we discovered in
question is, Are the side effects related last year’s tainted-pet-food
to dosage? To find out, researchers episode. In contrast, creatine manufac- only to him and no one else. Based on
randomly assigned 59 elite professional tured in either the United States or Ger- the safe and medically uncomplicated
soccer players to a group that got two many is usually highly purified and free use of both whey and creatine, as well
five-gram doses of creatine a day, a of contaminants. Finally, consider that as nitric oxide supplements, by count-
group that got one 10-gram dose over the side effects in the study were similar less people, I’d say that’s an accurate
a 28-day period or a group that got a for those who took either five grams of assumption.
placebo containing no creatine. creatine or a placebo. That should tell Here’s the kicker: They didn’t test
In all three groups the most common you something right there. the guy for oral anabolic steroids. In
side effects were diarrhea (39 percent), A new case study might cause con- fact, there was no mention of anabolic
stomach upset (23.8 percent) and cern in those who take both creatine steroids in the entire case study. Chole-
belching (16.9 percent). There was no and whey. A 27-year-old man devel- static jaundice is a common side effect
difference, however, in the incidence oped kidney failure and serious liver of oral anabolic steroid use. Could it be
of side effects between the five-gram problems after allegedly taking popular that the guy was a surreptitious—and
creatine group and the placebo group. bodybuilding supplements, specifically unadmitted—steroid user? In their zeal
On the other hand, the incidence of di- a popular brand of whey powder, a to label commonly used bodybuild-
arrhea was far higher—over 20 percent popular nitric oxide-and-creatine mix- ing supplements as potentially toxic,
more—in the 10-gram creatine group. ture and a popular brand of creatine. the physicians conducting the study
Accordingly, the authors contend that He had no family or personal history conveniently sidestepped the steroid
taking more than five grams of creatine of liver disease and claimed to not use issue. So this case study is rated G for
as a single dose can lead to gastroin- any recreational drugs or alcohol. Tests garbage.
testinal side effects. showed that he had severe jaundice, —Jerry Brainum
Why would larger doses of creatine traced to a blockage of bile in his liver.
cause such effects? Creatine is an He’d been using creatine for eight to
amino acid product synthesized in the nine months prior to his symptoms, References
body from three amino acids—arginine, which peaked when he added the whey
glycine and methionine—chiefly in the supplement. Based on that, the authors Eckerson, J.M., et al. (2008). Effect
liver, pancreas and kidneys. Although speculate that the supplements caused of thirty days of creatine supplementa-
all commercial creatine supplements his medical problems. tion with phosphate salts on anaerobic
are synthetic, which makes them suit- On the other hand, the authors cite working capacity and body weight in
able for vegetarians, they retain their research showing that, if anything, men. J Str Cond Res. 22:826-32.
amino acid characteristics. Concen- whey protein reduces liver inflamma- Ostojic, S.M., et al. (2008). Gastro-
trated amino acids, when taken orally, tion. Whey is also known to lower liver intestinal distress after creatine supple-
draw water into your gut. Accumulate enzymes in some cases of hepatitis mentation in athletes: Are side effects
enough water, and presto—you have B. The authors also say that studies dose dependent? Res Sports Med.
the gastrointestinal side effects. The implicating whey or creatine or both as 16:15-22.
effect is more likely to occur with larger a cause of that kind of problem “are far Whitt, K.N., et al. (2008). Cholestatic
individual doses of creatine because the from robust.” Translation: They don’t liver injury associated with whey protein
creatine particles may not completely exist! They write off the man’s problem and creatine supplements. Semin Liver
dissolve. as an idiosyncratic reaction to the sup- Dis. 228:226-32.
In other cases the culprit may be a plements, meaning that it may pertain
low grade of creatine, the processing
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 53
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LIFT BIG TO GET BIG
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 to Grow
NUTRITION NOTES

Food Facts
That can affect your
workouts, weight and wellness

Macadamia nuts can

help lower cholesterol. Re-
search from Pennsylvania
State University showed
that eating about a handful
a day reduced cholesterol
by 10 percent.
Carrots and sweet
potatoes contain key antioxidants
that can
protect
your skin
from sun
damage

Neveux \ Model: Skip La Cour

and that
are also
good for
hair and scalp hydration. For younger-
looking skin and hair, eat more orange
foods.
Potassium helps
aging people retain
DIETING
more muscle. A study

Minerals and Mood Adjust your ’tude reported in The Ameri-

can Journal of Clinical
Nutrition showed that
the mineral can neutral-
Any bodybuilder who’s ever dieted knows that it can adversely affect mood.
ize acid that breaks
Studies confirm that it’s not all in your head, although that’s the scene of the down muscle.
action. Following a lowfat diet for a month leads to increased anger and hostility, Oatmeal has the highest satiety
perhaps due to a lower intake of fats that positively influence mood, such as the ranking of any
omega-3 fatty acids. A diet that reduces energy intake is bound to affect your food. It’s one
mood sooner or later. A recent study examined the effects of minerals on mood of the most
during diets that are intended to reduce blood pressure. complex of
Both diets used in the study were high in potassium and calcium but differed the complex
in sodium content, one diet being moderate in sodium and the other low in it. carbs, so it
Ninety-seven men and women stayed on either diet for four weeks, then went on digests very
slowly, which means no insulin surge
a two-week control diet, followed by switching to the other diet. That’s known as
or peak and drop in
a crossover study. blood sugar.
The subjects showed greater improvement in mood, as expressed by less CoQ10 is a nutri-
depression and tension and more vigor, on the low-sodium diet. Their increased ent found in every cell
vigor was also linked to increased magnesium. Interestingly, cortisol counts rose, of the body, and it’s
which seemed to impart feelings of less fatigue and more vigor. Past studies have recently been shown
found a relationship between cortisol and fatigue and depression. Decreased to have ergogenic
sodium is known to boost cortisol, likely a minor stress effect. properties. Now new
The main point of the study, however, is that a higher potassium studies show that
and magnesium intake, coupled with a lower sodium intake, is when applied topically
to the skin, it can re-
associated with improvements in mood. The practical application: Make
duce wrinkles. Creams
sure you supplement with minerals—with the exception of sodium—when diet- that contain CoQ10
ing. Taking minerals should make dieting—or at least your perception of it—a bit can be found at health
easier to take. food stores and some
—Jerry Brainum cosmetic counters.
—Becky Holman
Torres, S.J., et al. (2008). Dietary electrolytes are related to mood. Brit J Nutr. www.X-treme
9:1-8. Lean.com

54 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 to Grow
CALORIE COUNT

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starving them all day so they’re ravenous with
hunger, then giving them huge amounts at one
feeding. One gigantic meal a day is a very ef- By the way, don’t think you’re always
ficient way to become obese. These days, with getting fewer calories if you order fish or
fast food, it’s even easier to pack in the chicken:
calories at one meal. Check out the
calorie counts of some popular • Nathan’s Fish ’N’ Chips, 1,537
items, listed at www.acalorie • Dairy Queen Chicken Strip Basket,
counter.com: 1,270
• White Castle Chicken Rings (20),
• White Castle chocolate
1,130
shake, large, 1,630
• Carl’s Jr. Double Six
If you must eat fast food, go for a
Dollar burger, 1,520
grilled-chicken item, like McDonald’s
• Dairy Queen large Premium Grilled Chicken Classic
chocolate chip cookie sandwich, hold the mayo—365 calo-
dough Blizzard, 1,320 ries, 23 grams of protein, 50 grams of
• Hardee’s Double carbs and four grams of fat.
Thickburger, 1,250 —Becky Holman
www.X-tremeLean.com
HORMONE ZONE CHUB CLUB

Cortisol Control Fat Begets Fat

If you read IRON
In the past it was thought
MAN, you know that
having a lot of the stress that bodyfat was just inert tis-
hormone cortisol can do sue, a stored energy source.
everything from sup- Now scientists know that fat
pressing your immune
system to eating hard- can produce substances that
earned muscle. Intense damage health and make
weight-training sessions you fatter. For example, new
can elevate cortisol, so
research shows that abdomi-
Neveux

supplements that help

control it can preserve nal fat produces neuropeptide Y, a hormone that
muscle. One of the makes you hungry. It’s a vicious circle, as the
latest is ashwagandha. Research reported in the Journal
more fat you put on, the hungrier you get. There’s
of the American Nutraceutical Association showed that
the plant extract helped reduce cortisol, which makes it a one more reason to whittle your middle—lower
viable supplement for bodybuilders, especially high-strung grocery bills.
hardgainer types who tend to overproduce cortisol. —Becky Holman
—Becky Holman
X-tremeLean.com www.X-tremeLean.com

56 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 to Grow
ANABOLIC DRIVE

Peptides—the Next Super Supplement?

Peptides are a collection of amino acids strung together. Another group of scientists tested the effect of chronic
Put two together, and you have a dipeptide; put three to- supplementation of cysteamine, a degradation product of
gether, and you have a tripeptide. The science of peptides is cysteine, on serum insulinlike growth factor 1 concentrations
getting quite interesting. If you go back a couple of decades, and growth hormone receptors in pigs. I know, I know. Pigs?
you’ll find evidence that peptide length influences absorption Well, pigs respond the way humans do. The results sug-
in the gut. In one study the influence of the peptide-chain gest that dietary cysteamine supplementation modulates the
length was analyzed in 12 human subjects. Three hydroly- growth rate, serum IGF-I concentrations and gene expression
sates of egg white and an equivalent amino acid mixture were of various growth factors.2
compared. Two hydrolysates contained mainly dipeptides and Other peptides have been developed to be used in the
tripeptides; the third had tripeptides to pentapeptides. Nitro- management of exercise-related disorders. Researchers who
gen absorption was significantly slower with the higher-chain- looked at a decapeptide isolated from pig spleen found that
length mixture than with either of the two short-chain mixtures. it had antifatigue effects on mice that had been put on an
Several amino acid residues were absorbed less well from the exhaustive swimming regimen and that it can also reduce the
higher-chain mixture. So the study suggests that not all pep- damage to heart and skeletal muscle caused by exercise.3
tides are aborbed easily.1 Another study compared the relative impact of carbohy-
drate alone and carbohydrate plus peptide gluta-
mine—50 grams of maltodextrin plus 3.5 grams
of peptide glutamine in 250 milliliters of water.
The researchers found that the combination of
carbs and glutamine peptide was better at im-
proving exercise performance.4 Furthermore, in
exercised mice, black soy peptides significantly
decreased fat mass and bodyweight gain.5
I predict that peptides will become a robust,
scientifically supported and dynamic category
of supplements very soon. It is clear that not
all peptides are created equal. Now we’ve got
to figure out which are the most anabolic and
which are best at burning fat—and whether any
are good at both.
—Jose Antonio, Ph.D.

Editor’s note: Jose Antonio, Ph.D., is the

CEO of the International Society of Sports Nutri-
tion (www.theissn.org) and is a sports science
consultant to VPX/Redline.

References
1 Grimble, G.K., et al. (1987). Effect of peptide
chain length on absorption of egg protein hydro-
lysates in the normal human jejunum. Gastroen-
terology. 92:136-42.
2 Liu, G., et al. (2008). Effects of dietary
supplementation with cysteamine on growth
hormone receptor and insulinlike growth factor
system in finishing pigs. J Agric Food Chem. 56
(13):5422–542.
3 Wang, L., et al. (2008). The decapeptide
CMS001 enhances swimming endurance in
mice. Peptides. 29:1176-82.
4 Favano, A., et al. (2008). Peptide glutamine
Neveux \ Model: Alex Azarian

supplementation for tolerance of intermittent

exercise in soccer players. Clinics. 63:27-32.
5 Jang, E.H., et al. (2008). Novel black soy
peptides with antiobesity effects: Activation of
leptin-like signaling and AMP-activated protein
kinase. Int J Obes. 32(7):1161-70.

58 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 to Grow
SIZE BOOSTERS

Protein and Carbs During Training

Research has estab- aerobics. In the study,
lished beyond a doubt that 10 healthy men were
having a carb-and-protein examined in the eve-
drink after exercise boosts ning after eating a day’s
muscle protein synthesis. normal fare; most previ-
The mechanism involves ous studies examined
a heightened insulin re- subjects who’d fasted
sponse, lower cortisol before getting the drink.
counts and increased The subjects in the new
amino acid delivery into study got either carbs
muscle. Taking in carbs alone or a carb-and-
alone blunts muscle protein combination.
protein breakdown but The precise doses were
doesn’t boost muscle 0.15 grams of carbs per
protein synthesis. More kilogram of bodyweight,
recent studies show that or the same amount of
having a carb-and-protein carbs with the same
drink may be even more level of protein hydroly-
anabolic prior to training sate, which is a rapidly
than postworkout. That’s absorbed protein. That
because exercise improves dose would be unlikely
circulation, which in turn to cause nausea, as the
increases amino acid whole protein drink did
delivery to muscle. Hav- in the earlier experiment.
ing the amino acids in the The study found
muscle speeds muscle that the carb-
protein synthesis. The best and-protein drink
plan may be to down a improved protein
drink containing both high- balance in the

Neveux
glycemic-index, or fast- entire body and
acting, carbs and a rapidly increased muscle
absorbed protein, such as whey, just before and immediately protein synthesis, as measured by incorporation of
after a workout. tagged amino acids into muscle. The combination also
The effectiveness of the carb-and-protein combination— fostered decreased muscle breakdown during training. Add it
usually in a ratio of 3-to-1, as in three parts carb to one part all up, and you get a potent anabolic effect. The authors sug-
protein or 75 grams carbs to 25 grams protein—makes you gest that the mechanism may involve an enabling of the mus-
wonder what would happen if you drank while you trained. cle protein synthesis pathway, which makes sense because
That idea has come up in the past. More than a decade ago amino acids such as leucine are known to potently stimulate
an article suggested that a high-carb, moderate-protein drink that pathway.
would greatly aid bodybuilding progress because it would spur The workout began three hours after the last meal, and the
insulin release during training. The idea didn’t catch on be- carb-and-protein combo was drunk every 15 minutes during
cause you had to drink nearly three quarts of fluid during the it to permit a continuous supply of glucose and amino acids.
workout. The resulting gastrointestinal distress wasn’t popular. The authors also suggest that the technique works because
Another problem was that physiology textbooks say that in- intermittent exercise, as in weight training, doesn’t turn on the
sulin is depressed during exercise. Since insulin lowers blood AMPK that would otherwise block muscle protein synthesis
glucose, a prime fuel during exercise, it makes sense that during training.
insulin release would be blunted during training. The mecha- If you want to try this, use an easily digested protein source,
nism involves the release during training of catecholamines such as a whey hydrolysate, or even amino acids themselves.
such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, which depress insu- The carb should be high-glycemic and rapidly absorbed. A
lin release. Another problem is that during training, a protein product called Vitargo would be ideal for the purpose, since
called AMPK is elevated in muscle. AMPK acts as a metabolic its extraordinarily high molecular weight and low concentration
switch, making the muscle use fat more than carbohydrate as results in much more rapid uptake than you’d get from other
a fuel source. While that’s good for fat loss, AMPK also blocks carb sources. That kind of product ensures uptake of nutrients
protein synthesis during exercise. The prime concern of the while preventing gastrointestinal distress.
body during exercise, which is interpreted as stress, is to allow —Jerry Brainum
rapid use of fuel rather than building new tissue.
A recent study, however, looked at what happens when Beelen, M., et al. (2008). Protein co-ingestion stimulates
you have a carb-and-protein drink while training with weights. muscle protein synthesis during resistance type exercise. Am
That’s important because bodybuilding is anaerobic and J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 295:E70-E77.
doesn’t use fuel in the same way as aerobics. AMPK and the
catecholamine effect may not be as potent as they are during

60 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 TM

PERFECT POSTWORKOUT MEAL

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Breakthrough research in
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64 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 GRIND OUT THE GROWTH REPS™
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Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

 Train, Eat,
Grow
From the IRON MAN abs
Thursday: Off

Training & Research Friday: Delts, midback, biceps,

forearms

Center Weekend: Off (with cardio)

Week 3
Repeat Week 1
Muscle-Training Program Note that we work legs only once
a week on that split. As we moved
by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson
Photography by Michael Neveux 109 into extreme-lean condition, we
discontinued deadlifts on Friday,
which had been giving us some
indirect leg work later in the week.

O
ur M.O. in the gym is achieved after only one workout, Insane Gains
experimentation with however, make you shake your
the goal of finding the head in disbelief. Even if the gains Okay, so what were the unbeliev-
most efficient methods were half of what he says they were, able results John Little’s subjects
for building muscle. It’s how 3D Po- though, the key technique he em- achieved, and, more important,
sitions-of-Flexion training evolved ployed in the study is worth a spin what was the mysterious technique
and why it now includes end-of-set in the gym. Before we get to it and he used? The goals of the study, ac-
X-Rep partials as well as other X- explain how we’re using it, let’s go cording to Little, were as follows:
hybrid techniques. We don’t have a over our four-day split, which hasn’t • To determine exactly when
lot of time to train—at the moment changed: the body produces a muscular
it’s four-days-a-week lunch-break increase after a workout and
workouts—so efficiency of effort is Week 1 thereby determine optimal train-
key. ing frequency.
That means we’re always on the Monday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs
• To determine when a mass
lookout for effective ways to stimu- Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, increase so produced begins to
late mass increases. Lately we’ve calves, lower back leave the body.
been reviewing some of the past
studies from our files, and we came Wednesday: Delts, midback, • To determine if it’s possible to
across one performed in Canada biceps, forearms gain one pound of solid muscle
by John Little and company. His Thursday: Off in a week or two pounds in two
report, “The Nautilus North Study,” weeks and whether it’s possible
appeared in the November ’05 IRON Friday: Chest, lats, triceps, abs to sustain that rate of gain—add-
MAN. The results were interesting ing up to 52 pounds of muscle
Weekend: Off (with cardio) over the course of a year.
almost to the point of being unbe-
lievable. Week 2 Eleven athletic, well-trained sub-
We say that with all due respect, Monday: Delts, midback, biceps, jects were put through one high-
as John Little is a renowned his- forearms intensity training session and then
Model: Kris Gethin

torian, trainer and journalist in a measured every day for two weeks
number of disciplines, including Tuesday: Quads, hamstrings, to chart muscle gain and the point
bodybuilding. Some of the phe- calves, lower back at which overall muscle size began
nomenal muscle gains his subjects Wednesday: Chest, lats, triceps, to deteriorate. The body-composi-

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 65

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w w w. I ro n M a n M a g a z i n e . c o m
 Train, Eat,
Grow
tion analysis was accomplished All of the subjects
using a Bod Pod, one of the most did one workout
accurate measuring devices avail- of five to 11 sets,
able. The most startling result was one set per exer-
that one subject added 9.3 pounds cise, and some
of muscle after that one workout, used isolation
and peak-mass level occurred six exercises with no
days after the workout. It fluctuated movement—only
downward from there all the way to a static hold in the
day 14. contracted posi-
The nine-pound gain was the tion, such as at the
best-case scenario. Another subject top of a leg exten-
experienced a four-pound muscle sion stroke. Was
gain only one day after the training that the miracle
session, which was his peak-mass mass tactic? It may
point, and by day 14 he’d retained have been a criti-
only half a pound of the increase. cal stimulus, as
Others showed peak muscle mass it was something
after four or five days, but the aver- new that provided
age recovery time for muscle mass fiber activation as
to peak was six days after the work- well as extended
out. Interesting. blocking of blood
flow, which is
Model: Derik Farnsworth

Unconventional called occlusion.

When a muscle
Mass Tactic
is flexed, fibers
You may be saying, “Nine pounds are firing and
of muscle after one workout? What depleting oxygen
the heck did the guy do in the gym?” from the blood
trapped in the muscle. Also, a flexed
muscle lets no blood flow in or out.
Research has demonstrated that a
long tension time of 30 to 60 sec-
onds produces exceptional muscle
gains, and many studies have used
tourniquets or a blood pressure cuff
to block blood flow to the working
muscle. Static contraction has a
similar effect, but there’s no move-
ment—no reps—only a hold.
The bottom line is that static-
contraction training can be an
excellent adjunct to any mass-train-
ing protocol. Will you gain nine
pounds of muscle after only one
workout using it? Probably not, but
we believe that you can significantly
increase your gains by strategically
applying static holds, which is why
Using a static hold at we’re experimenting with them.
specific points along the In fact, we’re convinced that a lot
stroke of an exercise of the muscular development you
can stimulate occlusive see on male Olympic gymnasts is
hypertrophy and also due to static or near-static tension
develop neuromuscular on the rings and floor exercise, and
efficiency for more we believe static holds can provide
strength.
a new muscular dimension to any
bodybuilder’s physique—just don’t
overuse them. We’re using them on
Model: Kris Gethin

two types of exercises, which we’ll

discuss in a moment. First, let’s talk
a little more about the study.

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 Train, Eat,
Grow
Study Observations North Study, we were intrigued the subjects were doing before the
and Comments and immediately had a number of experiment began. Were they over-
When Little released the results thoughts. For example, there are lots training and then finally allowing
of his groundbreaking Nautilus of unknown variables, such as what gains to occur from that overtrain-

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 109

Workout1:1:Chest,
Workout Chest,Lats,
Lats,Triceps,
Triceps,Abs
Abs Knee-extension leg press calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12-20
Smith-machine incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Standing calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 12-18
Superset Superset
High cable flyes (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-15
Incline flyes (X only or StatS) 1 x 12-15 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Superset Superset
Bench presses 1 x 8-10 Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-15
Pushups 1 x 8-10 Hack-machine calf raises (StatC) 1 x 30 sec.
Wide-grip dips (drop; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) Seated calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-20
Superset Hyperextensions or
Low cable flyes (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Nautilus lower-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 10-15
Dumbbell flyes (X only or StatS) 1 x 8-10
Wide-grip pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Workout3:3:Delts,
Workout Delts,Midback,
Midback,Biceps,
Biceps,Forearms
Forearms
Chins (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Dumbbell upright rows (X Reps) 2 x 9-12
Undergrip pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Forward-lean lateral raises (drop; X Reps) 2 x 10(6)
Superset Smith-machine behind-the-neck presses 1 x 9-12
Machine pullovers 2 x 8-10 Seated dumbbell presses (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Rope rows or dumbbell pullovers (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Superset
Lying extensions (drop to dumbbells) 1 x 9(6) One-arm cable laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Superset Leaning laterals 1 x 8-10
Decline extensions 1 x 8-10 One-arm cable laterals (StatC) 1 x 30 sec.
Decline close-grip bench presses 1 x 8-10 Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Tri-set Bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6)
Undergrip pushdowns 1 x 10-12 Tri-set
Pushdowns 1 x 10-12 Dumbbell shrugs (DXO or stage style) 1 x 9-12
Bench dips 1 x 8-10 Cable upright rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Cable pushouts (drop; X Reps) 1 x 9(6) High rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Dumbbell overhead extensions (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Machine rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Pushdowns (StatC) 1 x 30 sec. Shoulder-width cable rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Superset Chest-supported dumbbell rows (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Incline kneeups (drop; X Reps) 1 x 15(10) Superset
Flat-bench leg raises 1 x 8-10 Behind-the-neck pulldowns (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Tri-set Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Ab Bench crunches 1 x 10-12 Preacher curls 2 x 9-12
Twisting crunches 1 x 10-15 Cable curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
End-of-bench kneeups 1 x 9-12 Concentration curls (drop to StatC) 1 x 9 (20 sec.)
Ab Bench crunches (StatC) 1 x 30 sec. One-arm spider curls 1 x 9-12
Incline curls 1 x 9-12
Workout
Workout2:2:Quads,
Quads,Hamstrings,
Hamstrings,Calves,
Calves,Lower
LowerBack
Back Tri-set
Leg extensions (warmup) 1 x 18-20 Forearm Bar reverse wrist curls 1 x 8-10
Squats 1 x 10-15 Cable reverse curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Superset Dumbbell reverse wrist curls 1 x 10-15
Hack squats (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Tri-set
Leg presses 1 x 8-10 Forearm Bar wrist curls 1 x 10-15
Superset Barbell wrist curls 1 x 8-10
Leg extensions (drop; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) Behind-the-back wrist curls 1 x 10-12
Sissy squats 2 x 9-12 Rope hammer curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Leg extensions (StatC) 1 x 30 sec.
Feet-forward Smith-machine squats 1 x 9-12 Note: Where X-Reps are designated, usually only one
Leg curls (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 set or phase of a drop set is performed with X Reps or
Leg curls (drop; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) an X-Rep hybrid technique from the e-book Beyond X-
Rep Muscle Building. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep.com
Leg curls (StatC) 1 x 30 sec. for more workout details.
Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 x 9-12

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 Train, Eat,
Grow
ing period during the experiment’s other muscles, so it’s possible that stress levels, intensity, diet, age and
14-day rest? It’s also possible that the legs grew while other muscles training volume.
some of the subjects trained hard stayed the same or regressed. Us? We’ve found that we tend to
at one time, took a layoff and then Then there’s diet: We don’t know make our best gains training each
entered the study. That would skew how the subjects were eating. Their bodypart about once every five
the results because they were re- meal timing and macronutrient days. That fluctuates with intensity
gaining muscle during the two-week makeup would have been critical to and diet. If we’re training very hard
experiment, although Little said decreasing or increasing recovery. during a calorie deficit, such as our
that wasn’t the case. Muscle is much If some or all of their diets were summer ripping phase, we tend to
easier to rebuild than to build from crappy, that would have skewed the need more recovery time, although
scratch. results and prolonged recovery. we’re often too motivated to take the
Here’s another issue: We don’t The average recovery time for hint.
know if any of the subjects were peak-muscle-mass gain was around The Nautilus North Study was
experienced bodybuilders. If most six days. That’s a good ballpark interesting and took meticulous ef-
of them weren’t, they wouldn’t be baseline. Still, each individual has fort. We applaud Little for the un-
accustomed to high-intensity anaer- to experiment to find his or her best dertaking, which has further refined
obic work, which could prolong full recovery period, as indicated by the our training—with another tactic to
recovery from the unfamiliar load. wide variation of when peak muscle torture our muscles into growth.
Another fly in the ointment is that mass occurred for each subject—for
we don’t know which muscles got some it was one day, for others it Static Training
larger and which stagnated or got was six days or longer. So much for
for Bigger Gaining?
smaller over the 14-day rest. We’ve simplifying the bodybuilding pro-
seen studies showing that quads cess. Turns out everybody is unique In our latest e-book, X-Rep Up-
need longer recovery times than after all, and recovery varies with date #1—you knew we’d eventually

IRON MAN Training & Research Center Home-Gym Program 109

Workout 1: Chest, Lats, Triceps, Abs One-leg calf raises (drop to StatC) 1 x 12(30 sec.)
Incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Donkey calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 10-15
Incline flyes (drop to StatS) 1 x 10(30 sec.) Seated calf raises (X Reps) 1 x 12-20
Superset Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 10-15
Bench presses or wide-grip dips (X Reps) 2 x 9-12
Flyes or decline flyes (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Workout3:3:Delts,
Workout Delts,Midback,
Midback,Biceps,
Biceps,Forearms
Forearms
Chins (X Reps) 2 x 9-12 Dumbbell upright rows (X Reps) 2 x 9-12
Undergrip chins (X Reps) 1 x 9-12 Forward-lean laterals (drop; X Reps) 2 x 10(6)
Superset Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Undergrip rows 1 x 9-12 Barbell or dumbbell presses (X Reps) 2 x 9-12
Dumbbell pullovers 1 x 8-10 Lateral raises (StatC) 1 x 30 sec.
Undergrip rows (StatC) 1 x 30 sec. Bent-over laterals (drop; X Reps) 2 x 10(6)
Lying extensions 2 x 9-12 Superset
Superset Dumbbell shrugs (X Reps) 1 x 9-12
Kickbacks 1 x 8-10 Upright rows 1 x 8-10
Overhead extensions 1 x 8-10 Bent-over dumbbell rows 2 x 9-12
Kickbacks (StatC) 1 x 30 sec. Bent-arm bent-over laterals
Giant set (drop to StatC) 1 x 10(30 sec.)
Incline kneeups 1 x 15-20 One-arm dumbbell rows 1 x 9-12
Flat-bench leg raises 1 x 10-12 Dumbbell curls 2 x 9-12
Ab Bench or full-range crunches 1 x 10-12 Concentration curls (drop to StatC) 1 x 9(30 sec.)
End-of-bench kneeups 1 x 9-12 Incline curls (drop to StatS) 1 x 9(30 sec.)
Dumbbell reverse wrist curls 1 x 12-20
Workout
Workout2:2:Quads,
Quads,Hamstrings,
Hamstrings,Calves,
Calves,Lower
LowerBack
Back Dumbbell wrist curls 1 x 12-20
Leg extensions (warmup) 1 x 12-15 Rockers 1 x 12-20
Squats (second set with narrow stance) 2 x 9-12 Incline hammer curls (drop) 1 x 9(6)
Leg extensions (drop to StatC) 1 x 9(30 sec.)
Sissy squats (X Reps) 2 x 9-12
Walking lunges 1 x 9-12
Leg curls (drop to StatC) 1 x 9(30 sec.) Note: If you don’t have a leg extension machine, do old-
Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 x 9-12 style hacks, nonlock style. Use partner resistance, towel
Knee-extension donkey calf raises around the ankles, if you don’t have a leg curl machine.
(X Reps) 2 x 12-15

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 get a plug in—we discuss static- we can maintain lockout. There are
hold training as another weapon other examples in our program on
in our X-mass arsenal. We apply it page 68 and the home-gym program
in the fascia-expansion program on page 70.
outlined in that e-book, using We’ve just started experiment-
static holds on either contracted- ing with StatC and StatS, but we’re
position exercises, like concentra- already noticing new muscle detail,
tion curls and cable crossovers, at vascularity and a deep postworkout
the point of flex or on stretch-po- ache, which signifies fast-twitch-
sition exercises, like incline curls fiber trauma. Stay tuned for future
and dumbbell flyes, at or near the findings, and visit our training blog
point of max elongation. We use at X-Rep.com to check out how
the designations StatC and StatS— we’re currently using static holds
C = contraction, S = stretch. and all of the X tactics.
Because optimal hypertrophic Note: For more on static-hold
tension time is around 30 sec- training as well as other new X-hy-
onds, we suggest 30-to-60-second brid mass-building techniques, see
holds, whether in the contracted the new e-book, X-Rep Update #1,
or stretch position. We’re using a available at X-Rep.com.
static hold as either stand-alone
sets or as the second phase of a Editor’s note: For the latest on
drop set. For example, we do a set X Reps, X e-books and the X-Blog
of leg extensions to exhaustion, re- training and supplement journals,
duce the weight, then immediately visit www.X-Rep.com. A few of the
Model: Greg Plitt

launch into a static hold at the top mass-training e-books are shown
contracted position for as long as below. IM

X-traordinary Workouts — X-ceptional Results!

The Ultimate Mass Workout. Beyond X-Rep Muscle 3D Muscle Building. X-traordinary Muscle-
This is the original X-Rep Building. More on X Reps Positions-of-Flexion mass Building Workouts. The big
manual. Includes the and X-hybrid techniques, training. Includes the 20- 10 mass-program arsenal.
ultimate exercise for each including X Fade and pounds-of-muscle-in-10- Includes Heavy/Light, 20-
muscle and workouts. Double-X Overload. weeks size surge program. Rep Squat, Power Pyramid.

X-Rep.com
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 71
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 NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HU

Naturally Huge
by John Hansen, Mr. Natural Olympia

I’m getting the back I want. I get a lot of comments

Better Chest on my build, but I want to get my lower chest in

the game. Should I try going really light with high
reps on a flat bench looking for a burn in the lower

to Impress chest? There must be some way to target the area

more effectively.

A: Many bodybuilders have the opposite problem: Most

struggle to build their upper pecs while the lower pecs
Q: I first heard of you in the fall of 2005, when I seem to develop very easily. I think the reason for that is
attended your seminar at Michigan Tech, which the popularity of the barbell bench press. If you bring the
is included on your new DVD “Natural Bodybuild- bar low on your chest, the lower pecs will feel most of the
ing Seminar and Competitions.” By following your stress. Because the bench press is such a popular exercise,
advice, I’ve improved my physique considerably. especially with the younger guys, many of them find they
Here’s my dilemma: When I first started training, I have very big and sometimes overdeveloped lower pecs
concentrated on shoulders and arms, and they’ve after years of heavy benching.
always developed well. I was lacking a back until I You mentioned that you do decline presses and dumb-
read your book, and now that has drastically im- bell bench presses to build your lower chest. Maybe you
proved; however, I’m having a trouble with my lower should add the barbell bench press if you don’t do it al-
chest. Could it be that by neglecting my chest at ready. Make sure you use a moderately wide grip so you
the beginning, I hampered my chest development? involve your chest more than your triceps during the exe-
I have success with upper chest, and I can bench cution of the movement. Keep your elbows wide, and lower
dumbbells with much more weight on an incline the bar to the lower part of your chest so you use the bot-
than a flat bench and really feel the burn. Also, when tom portion of your pecs to complete the exercise. I always
I flex my chest, I have much development in the get sore in my lower pecs from doing heavy barbell bench
upper portion. The bottom, however, especially the presses for five to eight reps. I don’t get that same soreness
lower, outer portion, seems to be greatly lacking. from dumbbell bench presses, no matter how heavy I train.
I’ve tried everything from decline- to flat-bench Another excellent exercise for the lower pecs is wide-grip
dumbbell presses. It seems I never feel it the way I dips. Find dipping bars that are wide at one end and grab
should in my lower chest. I’m 34, 5’7 1/2”, and I have them at the widest part. Bend your upper body at the waist
18-plus-inch arms and wide shoulders—and now so your torso is angled forward. Keeping your elbows wide,
lower your upper body as
Barbell bench presses can far as you can. Push back up
help stress the lower chest. about two-thirds of the way
to the top and then go back
down for a full stretch. That
range of motion will keep
constant tension on your
pecs and limit the use of your
triceps. By leaning forward,
you better activate the lower
pecs.
The barbell decline presses
you do are good for the lower
pecs, but I prefer wide-grip
dips. Declines always affect
my front deltoids more than
my lower pecs.
If decline presses aren’t
building your lower pecs, try
decline flyes instead. The flye
movement will isolate the
lower pectorals more, rather
than bringing in the front
deltoids andon
(continued triceps, as the
page 102)
decline press does. In addi-
tion, you’ll get more of a peak
contraction in the lower pecs
at the top part of the decline
flye.

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 NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HU Naturally Huge
that I recommended
Decline flyes can help isolate is doing the job. As
and etch the lower pecs. for your questions:
1) The first place
we always gain fat is
the waist, and it’s the
last place it leaves.
The fact that your
other bodyparts are
still hard and mus-
cular is a good sign.
It means you added
some muscle to your
frame too.
2) If you want to
lose the fat, just cut
back on your calo-

Neveux \ Model: Lee Apperson

ries and your carbs,
but only slightly. If
you cut way back,
you’ll lose your new
muscle gains.
Begin by counting
the calories, protein,
carbs and fat you’re
Here are two routines for the chest that focus on your eating now. By knowing exactly what you’re taking in, you
lower pecs: can make adjustments.
How many calories and carbs you need to gain weight
Routine 1
and muscle size is always an individual thing. Everyone has
Barbell bench presses 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6
different needs, based on metabolism, age, muscle mass
Incline dumbbell presses 3 x 10, 8, 6
and daily activity level, among other factors.
Decline flyes 3 x 10, 8, 8
When I was 20 years old and trying to get bigger, I need-
Routine 2 ed to eat close to 5,000 calories a day before I started to
Incline barbell presses 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6 put on weight and gain size. I combined a high-calorie diet
Dumbbell bench presses 3 x 10, 8, 6 with a heavy training program, focusing on the basic exer-
Wide-grip dips (weighted) 3 x 8, 6, 6 cises. You may not need as many calories as I did, though
others may actually need more.
I suggest making the changes to your diet instead of add-
Q: I’m really happy to tell you that your advice has ing cardio. If you continue your present diet and just add
had a great impact on my physique. Here are my cardio, it will be difficult to lose fat. The extra calories you
stats over a two-month period: burn doing cardio will be quickly replaced by the food you
eat. Just cut back on your calories and carbs and leave the
Weight: 173.25 to 191.25 pounds cardio alone.
Arms: 14.5” to 15.5” 3) In my opinion, dieting down to reduce fat deposits is
not a good idea. If you want to get bigger, keep doing what
Chest: 41.5” to 42” you’re doing. Keep eating a lot of food and keep training
I made all those muscle gains with no fancy sup- heavy so you continue to add muscle.
plements or steroids. My supplement stack consist- Some guys make the mistake of eating more calories
ed of ON Gold Standard Whey, and that’s it. I’ve used but not pushing themselves in the gym to train heavier.
ON before, but the results came only after I applied If you’re eating more food, you need to train heavier and
your advice. I’ve noticed that due to the weight gain harder. Your main focus should be on getting stronger
I’ve also added some fat, but none of it has hit my in the big lifts—squats, deadlifts, bench presses, incline
shoulders, arms, chest or legs. Now the questions: presses, overhead presses, shrugs, barbell rows, close-grip
bench presses, etc.
1) The fat has accumulated around my waist, If you think you’re adding too much fat compared to
whereas my shoulders, arms, chest and legs are muscle, cut back on your carb intake or cycle your carbs by
hard and muscular. Why is that? eating fewer of them on your nontraining days. Make sure
2) I don’t want to do cardio because I want to keep you are eating good, clean bodybuilding foods and not just
my gains. How should I go about losing the fat? junk.
To be honest, I never worried about adding a little fat
3) I’m thinking of dieting down to reduce the fat when I was younger and trying to get bigger. The need
deposits. Is that a sound strategy? to always have a six-pack is a 21st-century phenomenon
A: Congratulations on your very impressive gains. Add- based on all the marketing and advertising that glorifies
ing almost 20 pounds of bodyweight and putting an inch hard physiques and six-pack abs.
on your arms is great. The increase in calories and carbs If you want to get really big, you need to eat some excess

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 NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HUGE NATURALLY HU Naturally Huge
from a man’s, especially when they’re prepar-
ing for a bodybuilding or figure competition.
I’ve worked with several women who com-
peted in both figure and bodybuilding, and
the lower body is always the last area to get
really lean. With men it’s usually the lower abs
and lower back. With women it’s the legs and
glutes.
I’ve always had the opposite problem with
my legs. My thighs were my weakest bodypart
when I was preparing for a contest, so I would
continue to train them heavy even in the last
week before a contest. Sometimes I’d actually
do some bodyweight squats backstage just to
pump up my thighs so they’d look fuller and
bigger when I walked onstage.
As for cardio, I was very careful not to en-
gage in any type of cardio exercise that would
overtrain my thighs. When I started cutting my
calories in order to lose bodyfat, I had to keep
an eye on my legs to make sure they didn’t
lose size or “flatten out.” As a result, I avoided
cardio that involved a lot of leg work—bike
riding, stair climbing—and stuck with walk-
ing on a treadmill using a high incline. That

Neveux \ Models: Michelle and William Campbell

focused more on my glutes and hamstrings
while keeping the stress off the quads.
Fat is most You, however, could do the opposite, as
stubborn on you’re trying to lose fat and size in your legs.
women’s lower You could probably increase the cardio you do
bodies. leading up to the show while simultaneously
cutting back on the heavy leg training.
To get a woman’s perspective on this issue,
I talked with competitive bodybuilder Barbara
Traverso. Barbara made the finals at the ’03
Natural Universe bodybuilding competition.
calories and some excess carbs. You need to flood your In addition to being 100 percent natural, she’s in her mid-
body with those excess calories in order to put it in an ana- 40s and has two children.
bolic, growing state. You’ll never get there—especially if you She told me that you’re definitely not alone in your
have a fast metabolism that discourages weight gain—if problem with losing that last bit of bodyfat in the legs. She
you’re watching every morsel you eat and are constantly said that all women struggle with that. What has worked
worried about adding fat that might obscure your abs. for Barbara in the past is to do her last weight-training
Your focus should be on getting bigger and bigger. workout for legs 11 days before the contest. From 10 to five
You sound as if you’re on the right track because your days out from the show, all she does is a full-body circuit
shoulders, chest and arms are noticeably bigger and don’t workout using light-to-moderate weights. Then for a few
seem any fatter. Just make sure you’re training harder and days she just does cardio and posing, resting altogether on
heavier—stronger muscles are bigger muscles—as you eat the last two days.
the high-calorie diet. By training big and eating big, you’ll Barbara recommended that if you’re having trouble get-
get big. You can regain your coveted six-pack after you add ting your legs harder, do cardio morning and night six days
some meat to the rest of your body. a week right up until two days before the contest. Do be-
tween 30 and 45 minutes of cardio, depending on your age
Q: I’m a female who competes in both bodybuild-
and metabolism. Performing that much cardio along with
ing and figure. At showtime, I’m able to get down to
an exact precontest diet should get your legs into rock-hard
110 with relatively low bodyfat. The part I struggle
condition.
the most with is my legs; everything else shreds up
nicely. I’d been advised to not train my legs or do
Editor’s note: John Hansen has won the Mr. Natural
cardio the week before and the week of my competi-
Olympia and is a two-time Natural Mr. Universe winner.
tion. Is that correct for a woman? Especially since I
Check out his Web site at www.NaturalOlympia.com or
hold bodyfat and/or water in my legs. It seems to me
send questions or comments to him via e-mail at John@
that cranking out cardio as a last-ditch effort would
NaturalOlympia.com. Look for his new DVD “Natural
be the way to go. The female body is so different
Bodybuilding Seminar and Competitions” along with his
from the male body, and I haven’t been able to find
book, Natural Bodybuilding, and his training DVD, “Real
an answer. What do you think is the proper path for
Muscle,” at his Web site or at Home Gym Warehouse,
women to follow leading up to competition day?
www.Home-Gym.com. Send written correspondence to
A: I agree with you that a woman’s body is very different John Hansen, P.O. Box 3003, Darien, IL 60561. IM

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 SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSCLE SHREDDED MUSC

Shredded Muscle
by David Goodin

Competitive
encouragement to persevere anytime he’s feeling “too tired
to go lift.” The words that motivate me when I get like that
are, “Do you want to be a champion?” That always gets me
going. You might want to remind him when it looks as if he

Encouragement might falter in training or diet that he’s going to be stand-

ing onstage in posing trunks with a group of competitive
bodybuilders. As I prepared for my first show, I had to keep
reminding myself that it wasn’t like taking my shirt off at
the pool with a bunch of beer-swilling knuckleheads.
Q: My boyfriend has decided to compete in his You can really help by doing cardio with him. Very few
first bodybuilding show. I work out but not very seri- male bodybuilders enjoy doing cardio. In fact, I’m going
ously. I want to help him as much as possible, and I out on a limb here and saying that 99 percent of us hate it.
wondered if you had any advice for me. So it’s that much more tolerable when my girlfriend does
A: That’s a question I rarely get, but it deserves some cardio with me and I have someone to talk with. She’s
attention. Whether your significant other is preparing for been great at prodding me at times to get my cardio done.
a physique contest, shaping up for some other event—a Besides, we quite honestly have some great conversations
wedding, class reunion, Body for Life
contest, etc.—or just trying to get into
better condition, your support is crucial.
Training and dieting along
You have the ability to make his or her
with someone who’s
quest for a better body as fun and easy or
competing can get you in
as difficult as possible. Since you’ve asked
your best shape, even if
the question, you’re obviously hoping to
you’re not planning to hit
make things easier for your guy, and that’s
the stage with him or her.
a wonderful thing.
Keep in mind that there are going to be
times that will be very difficult for you. As
the contest gets closer, he may become
more irritable, less patient, less talkative,
less considerate, constantly hungry
and tired most of the time. I realize that
doesn’t sound very appealing, but the
more helpful and supportive you are, the
better he’s going to feel and the better life
will be for both of you.
There can be a lot in it for you too.
Obviously, your man is going to end up
in the best condition of his life, and what
woman doesn’t want her guy to be in great
shape? You could also end up in fantastic
shape. A number of years ago I was dat-
ing a woman who didn’t work out at all
and whose diet was the worst imaginable.
She decided to diet along with me as I
prepared for the Natural World Cham-
pionships. With just a little training and
following my diet, she ended up losing
about 20 pounds and looked great. An-
other benefit for you—actually for both of
you—is that working together to accom-
Neveux \ Models: Peter and Jessica Putnam

plish his goal could bring the two of you

even closer and deepen your relationship.
Okay, let’s get down to the specifics of
how you can help. I get the impression
that you may not be too much into weight
training, but don’t worry about that. If
he’s decided to compete, he’s already
hardcore and doesn’t really need your
help with that, other than maybe some

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during our cardio sessions together. cut way back on drinking. “Sympathy
Not only will you be helping him, but abstinence,” along with doing cardio
you’ll also be working yourself into and dieting with me, helped her get
better shape. into such good shape that people were
The most important thing you can asking if she was competing at the
do to help your boyfriend succeed Masters Nationals too.
is encourage him stick with the diet. Posing is another area that you
That doesn’t mean you have to pre- can help your guy with. Look for an
pare all his meals for him, although if experienced posing coach. Try to
you enjoy doing that sort of thing, it’s find someone who’s competed and
a tremendous help. The best thing that judged. Go with your boyfriend to the
you can do is diet along with him or at posing lessons and pay close atten-
least not eat stuff in front of him that tion to the posing tips that the coach
he can’t eat. It’s a huge, huge help to is giving him. It helps tremendously
keep things out of the house that he to have someone who can help you
can’t eat while he’s on his contest diet. on a regular basis, especially when
You have no idea how difficult it is to preparing for your very first show. Get
have to smell pizza or cookies baking a list of the mandatory poses and call
or watch someone eat a cheeseburger them out for him; you can e-mail me
and fries or open the freezer and see for a list. Have him hold each pose
a half gallon of ice cream when you’re for 10 to 15 seconds and coach him
on a rigorous contest diet. Eliminating through each pose, making sure that
or minimizing temptations is the very he’s flexing everything. Make sure,
best thing you can do to help him. too, that he keeps his face relaxed
Once again, you’ll be helping yourself and works on smiling while posing.
as well. There’s nothing worse than having
This year has been great for me your body prepared, then posing
with respect to the support I’ve got- poorly and/or making weird faces in
ten from my girlfriend. The date of my all of your photos. Posing is difficult
first contest of 2008 was actually her and grueling, especially when your
birthday. Of course, I asked her if she adrenaline is pumping at the show.
was cool with me competing on her Both of you will probably be sore the
birthday, as I had other competition day after the contest. That’s right. You
options. She said it was fine, and she will be too because you’ll be “chair
decided to train and diet to be in her posing” right along with him. You’ll
best shape for her birthday. She was probably be exhausted from flexing
really great about making sure that in your seat by the time he’s done
I got my cardio done, and diet was with prejudging.
never an issue throughout the prepa- The main thing to keep in mind
ration period. She told me that she throughout contest preparation is that
wanted me to win the contest—the it’s probably one of the most physical-
NPC John Sherman Classic—for her ly difficult things that he’s ever done.
birthday, and I was able to deliver. Add to that the fact that he’s hungry DESIGNED TO BUILD RES U L T S
®

Two weeks later I had an even all the time and worried about getting
bigger challenge—the NPC Masters into good enough shape. Just try to
National Championships. One big
issue was making weight in the welter-
understand what he’s going through
and be patient with him, and I’m sure
FROM THE MAKERS
®
weight class, which had a 165-pound
limit. On the morning of the weigh-in
he’ll make you very proud.
Okay, now make sure he reads this:
OF OHYEAH!
COMES RE-SATUR8
™
we got up at 3:15 to make a 5:30 flight. Dude. Be careful not to get your head
Since I was four pounds over the so far up your own butt that you can’t
weight limit when I got up, I decided see what’s going on around you. While
that in order to make weight I’d have
to go without eating or drinking until
you’re getting tunnel vision, everyone
else has to try to live a relatively nor-
RELOAD.
after the weigh-in.
While Diana could have eaten all
mal life. Your girl is trying to help you
as much as possible. You’re going to RECOVER.
day long, she engaged in “sympathy
abstinence.” Aside from a small por-
tion of scrambled eggs in the Atlanta
have to make a concerted effort to be
considerate of her needs and thank
her at every opportunity for every-
GROW.
airport, she didn’t eat either. Needless thing she is doing for you.
to say, we were both starving by the Best of luck to you both.
time I finished weighing in about 7
p.m. As we discussed it while waiting Editor’s note: See Dave Goodin’s www.issresearch.com
for our dinner, it hadn’t really been new blog at www.IronManMagazine
a conscious decision on her part not .com. Click on the blog selection in
to eat. We also realized that because the top menu bar. To contact Dave
I had not been drinking any alcohol directly, send e-mail to TXShredder@
for weeks, she’d also unconsciously aol.com. IM

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

 CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MASS CRITICAL MA

Critical Mass
by Steve Holman

Stretch to Etch
Muscle Detail

Q: I’m trying to get a crisp division between my could injure your shoulder joints.
pecs. I want to be able to see my inner-chest mus- End-of-set X-Rep partials in the part of the stroke
cles from the lower part up to the collarbone. I do where you feel a distinct pull on the pecs can help too—
lots of cable crossovers, and I really squeeze at the on those two exercises and even on bench presses. Re-
bottom of each rep, but I’m only seeing my lower spected muscle-science researcher Jacob Wilson verifies
chest. Any suggestions? that: “Partial-range reps in the lower range of a muscle
A: One problem may be fat in the area. Adipose tissue can actually add sarcomeres to a muscle fiber, which
covering the pecs blurs or negates any detail. You need to would fill out the area of a muscle where it is inserted.”
be fairly lean to see the chest-muscle division, or cleav- The inner pec consists of the insertion points of the
age, from top to bottom. pectoralis major, so you see how short-stroke X Reps in
If you’re fairly lean and simply lack development, cable the stretch or semistretch position can add to develop-
crossovers aren’t the best exercise. A move that stretches ment there. I believe that’s especially true on stretch-posi-
your pecs against resistance, like dumbbell flyes or cable tion exercises, like flyes for the pecs. It has to do with the
flyes, will provide more stress down the center—but on stress and pull on the muscle at the insertion point. Even
Neveux \ Model:

either you need to focus on the stretch, not the contrac- on a big, midrange exercise like squats, though, if you
tion. Don’t try to exaggerate the stretch, however, or you stop your reps above parallel, you don’t get a lot of stretch

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 Q: My upper pecs suck, and my lower chest is okay.
Should I always lead off my chest workout with an
upper-pec exercise, like incline presses, to priori-
tize?

A: My training partner Jonathan Lawson and I adopted

that upper-pec-priority principle—always work upper pecs
first, usually with Smith-machine incline presses. Then
we reread our first e-book, the Ultimate Mass Workout. In
it we analyze and provide the ultimate exercise for each
bodypart. For chest that movement is decline presses or
wide-grip dips done with a forward lean—which simulate

Neveux \ Models: Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman

decline presses. Why are those two exercises in the ultimate
category? Because a decline-pressing position better syn-
chronizes the working muscles with more priority on the
pectoral muscles and less on the front delts. But here’s the
kicker from page 31 of that e-book:
“Studies also show that declines hit the upper chest as
well as the lower, but most bodybuilders will want to do
some type of incline press or incline flye, preferably with
cables to get continuous tension, to augment decline work.
The pecs, after all, are fan-shaped muscles, so angle train-
ing is important if you want to stress as many fibers as
possible; however, many trainees can get good overall chest
If you have weak upper pecs, you can start your chest development using only dips or declines.”
workout with incline presses; however, decline presses We’ve got to start rereading our stuff more often. That
also effectively work the upper chest, according to flipped on the memory banks, and we recalled the study
exercise-science research. Starting with declines is that showed that a decline-pressing motion has significant
also an acceptable upper-pec-building strategy. effects on the upper pecs as well as the lower. In other
words, if we use decline presses or wide-grip dips first,
we’re still prioritizing upper chest.
So instead of always starting with inclines, we’re alter-
nating the chest section we train first. The variety alone is
making a big difference. We train upper chest first at one
pec workout, with middle and lower last; then middle and
lower chest to start the next workout, with upper last:

Workout 1
Neveux \ Model: Moe El Moussawi

Upper-pec midrange: Smith-machine incline presses

Upper-pec stretch and contracted: High cable flyes
Lower/middle-pec midrange: Wide-grip dips
Lower/middle-pec stretch and contracted:
Middle cable flyes

Workout 2
Lower/middle-pec midrange: Wide-grip dips
Flyes stretch the pecs, putting more stress on the Lower/middle-pec stretch and contracted:
muscle insertions. That can result in more chest detail. Middle cable flyes
Upper-pec midrange: Smith-machine incline presses
Upper-pec stretch and contracted: High cable flyes
in the quads, and you can end up with turnip thighs—that
is, not a lot of development down near the knee, where the Just remember that the first exercise in your lower-and-
muscles insert. middle-chest workout should be decline presses or wide-
So elongating the target muscle against resistance is im- grip dips. What about flat-bench presses? Most trainees get
portant on most exercises. That’s why the answer for your too much front-delt activation from them; however, if you
particular problem is dumbbell flyes or cable flyes, done must do them, add them after declines or dips. If your ego
with a variety of stretch-amplifying techniques, like X Reps insists on benching first so you can use more weight, create
at the stretch point at the end of a set; Double-X Overload, a third workout with bench presses at the top of the list and
which is an X-Rep partial in the bottom (stretch) position add it to the chest-workout rotation—a heavy flat-bench
after each full rep; StatS, a static hold in the stretch position day every third chest workout.
for 30 to 60 seconds (slight pulses are recommended).
Neveux \ Model: Derik Farnsworth

Cable crossovers can give you pretty good occlusion, or Editor’s note: Steve Holman is the author of many
blood-flow blockage, if you don’t let the handles move up bodybuilding best-sellers and the creator of Positions-
past shoulder height—that’s where you can lose tension on of-Flexion muscle training. For information on the POF
the pecs; however, because of the angle of pull, they’re not videos and Size Surge programs, see the ad sections
very good at pec stretch. Dumbbell flyes are your best bet, beginning on page 220 and 264, respectively. Also visit
with specific stretch-to-etch tactics like X Reps, DXO and www.X-Rep.com for information on X-Rep and 3D
StatS. POF methods and e-books. IM

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90 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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Brick by
Brick
How to Build Your
Ultimate Physique
With Consistency
by Ron Harris

I
know it can be discouraging bantamweight. For every IFBB pro,
for a beginner to look at the thousands of others have managed
exceptional physiques in body- to craft physiques worthy of praise
building magazines like IRON and admiration—many of them
MAN and struggle to imagine ever totally drug-free, just to make that
looking like that. The gap between clear. It didn’t happen overnight.
the top muscle men and the average No significant structure can
weight trainee is so vast that it can be erected rapidly—think of the
seem pointless to try to reach that pyramids, great castles and palaces,
level yourself. You tend to think of even the cavernous stadiums where
those men and women as having we watch our favorite baseball
simply been born that way. I won’t and football teams play. They all
lie and tell you that the top body- take time, and they’re built brick
Merv

building champions aren’t all genet- by brick, girder by girder. When it

ically gifted and that most don’t use comes to transforming an average
drugs. IRON MAN is one of the few body into something outstanding,
magazines that features outstanding it takes doing the right things every
drug-free lifters like Dave Goodin. day over an extended period of
None of the stars, however, woke up time. In other words, it boils down
one day suddenly transformed into to consistency.
a marvel of muscular development, Being consistent in several key
packed with thick mass and the areas will ensure that you’ll ul-
definition of an anatomy chart. timately have the best physique
Every single one, including freaks you’re capable of. You’ll reach your
like Jay Cutler, Ronnie Coleman and full physical potential, whatever
Neveux \ Model: Ahmad Ahmad

Dexter Jackson (pictured at left), that may be, which is something

built their bodies one workout and only a tiny percentage of men and
one meal at a time. Dexter, now a women who weight train can ever
Merv

three-time Arnold Classic champ honestly say. Just about any human
who competes at 230 pounds, won body developed to that point is an
his first contest as a 140-pound amazing sight to see.

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Brick by
Brick
Train Consistently
Every January, gyms and health
clubs are inundated with a flood
of New Year’s resolution trainees.
They work out religiously because
this is the year they’re finally going
to get in great shape. By February
that herd has thinned, and by the
spring thaw most of them are no-
where to be seen.
Most people simply lack the
dedication to train routinely,
especially if they don’t get the
immediate gratification of see-
ing spectacular results. If you’re
reading this publication, though,
I doubt that describes you. Still,
Neveux \ Model: Greg Symers

I’m often shocked to see guys at

the gym reappear after absences of Suck it up
weeks or even months, often with- and get
out what I would consider valid dedicated!
reasons for having abandoned
You have
to train
and eat
consistently
for long
periods
to make
muscle
gains.

training for so long.

Yeah, school or work or family
can all put serious demands on
your schedule, and there will be
times when you can’t adhere to your
usual program. Even so, it’s always
better to have fewer workouts that
are shorter in duration than none
at all. Some men and women are
forever taking three steps forward
and two steps back, wasting too
much time constantly trying to get
back to the size and strength they
had before their latest hiatus. The
funny thing is, some of them are
gifted and could make superb prog-
ress at a faster rate than the rest of
us. Remember that old fable about
the tortoise and the hare? Slow and
steady wins the race.

Eat Consistently
Most people do train consistently.
They wouldn’t dream of skipping

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Brick by
Brick
workouts, much less not train- bout with the weights. you started training. The first thing
ing for weeks or months. When it A bodybuilder’s body is like those that it will start to burn when you
comes to nutrition, however, few old steam engines in locomotives go for many hours without eating
are as dedicated. It’s not easy to that had to be stoked with shovel- is the amino acids in your muscle
eat high-quality meals like chicken fuls of coal constantly. Going way tissue. That’s catabolism, and it’s the
breast, steak, turkey breast, eggs or too long between meals—or eat- exact opposite of what you want—it
fish every two to three hours, every ing foods with little to no nutritive means your body is literally eating
single day. It takes planning, a value—does nothing to get you its own muscle tissue.
good deal of cooking and cleaning closer to your goals and often sets
up in the kitchen, and often pack- you back. Always remember that Take Your Supplements
ing meals to take with you. That’s your body doesn’t want to build
Consistently
the only way to be totally sure you muscle mass. It doesn’t even want to
have all the nutrients you need maintain the extra you’ve built since I always make a point to note

Forgetting to take your supplements

at times or being too lazy to take
them with you doesn’t cut it.

every day. And yes, you do that consistently eating

need to eat that way every day, high-quality food meals is
not just every once in a while by far the most important
when you’re extra motivated. aspect of nutrition, but
That used to frustrate my supplements also play a big
older brother Dana, who was part. In recent years we’ve
getting serious about body- all learned just how valu-
building a little over a year ago able postworkout shakes
and would look for praise or are to the recovery process,
approval every time he told yet I still see plenty of guys
me that he “ate good today.” walking out the gym door
You’re supposed to eat well as soon as their workouts
every day, I would respond. are over. Yeah, I might have
Every waking moment you A bodybuilder’s body is like those looked like a geek toting
have to be thinking of yourself old steam engines in locomotives my cooler in and out of the
as either fueling up for your that had to be stoked with shovelfuls gym all these years, but
next great workout or recover- of coal constantly. I’ve never, ever missed a
ing and growing from your last postworkout shake of whey

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Brick by
Every Step Brings You Closer
Brick In your moments of doubt, which you will have as a bodybuilder, it will
seem that all your efforts are yielding nothing in return. The human body
protein, simple carbs like waxy being the complex machine that it is, your gains will never come as fast as
maize, creatine and L-gluta- you wish, and there will be times
mine. when you hit a plateau and
Most supplements are meant remain stuck there for a while.
to be taken every day, often That’s when it’s crucial to have
several times a day. Forgetting faith and believe that by training
to take them or being too lazy to hard and eating right day after
take them with you doesn’t cut day, you’re indeed heading in the
it. Even my own wife thinks I’m right direction. Your reward will
nuts for taking the enormous come.
assortment of pills, powders and I know that when I was a 100-
shakes that I do every day, but pound runt in my teenage years,
it has definitely had an impact I often lost faith that I would
on my physique. She, who in ever become a big, strong man.
some ways has far better genet- It didn’t help that people every-
ics than I do, is nowhere near as where were more than eager to
consistent with her meals or her crush my dreams and spirit and
supplements and as a result has assure me that I would never

Neveux \ Model: Ron Harris

never reached her full potential. look remotely like a bodybuilder,
Don’t get me wrong, I love her to but I refused to give up. I per-
death; I’m only using her as an severed and continued lifting
example to make a point about weights and eating my chicken,
the importance of being consis- tuna, rice and potatoes and try-
tent with supplements. ing every new supplement that
came along. The results were
Sleep Consistently certainly not supernatural. Nobody was ever flabbergasted at the amount of
muscle mass I was accumulating before their eyes. But somehow, tiny gains
Being not entirely antisocial added up over the years, and I eventually hit a high bodyweight of 240. I was
in the gym, contrary to what my instantly recognized as a bodybuilder everywhere I went.
wife might say, I occasionally The reason my story should inspire you is that it’s far from unique. Legions
ask how someone’s workout is of others out there just like me have strung together years of tough workouts
going. If the answer isn’t “Spec- and quality meals to build a damn good physique. Only a lucky few are able
tacular, thanks,” the culprit is to gain muscle at a truly incredible rate and continue building it to reach the
usually some minor illness like size of a pro. Anyone can take an average body and turn it into something
a cold or that the person didn’t special if he or she is willing to go the distance and stay the course. —R.H.
get enough sleep the night be-

If you don’t get the rest your body

needs to recover fully, you won’t grow.
A late night every so often is okay, but
don’t make it a habit.

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Brick by
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fore. You can’t completely avoid quality sleep a night, particularly if from workouts, you won’t grow
catching a cold every once in a we’re trying to either gain muscle period.
while, but most of the time lack of or lose fat. Both goals are compro-
sleep is your fault. mised by excess cortisol production Stay Intense and
We all choose how we spend our in the body, which inevitably oc-
Motivated
time. Despite knowing you’re going curs when we miss out on adequate
to train the next morning, you shut-eye. I know things will happen Remaining consistently moti-
may stay out way past your usual and there are special occasions vated is without a doubt one of the
bedtime or even more foolishly when you just can’t get to bed at a biggest challenges of long-term
stay up late watching 500 channels reasonable hour, but do your best bodybuilding. I’ve been at it for
of digital cable TV on a cool new to get your rest. You don’t grow in nearly a quarter-century—how time
plasma screen. the gym, and if you don’t get the rest does fly—and even though I work in
Most of us need eight hours of your muscles need to fully recover the industry, I too suffer from lapses
in enthusiasm. We
all do. Usually
Having specific goals to achieve it’s because the
and setting definite deadlines routine we’re on
for accomplishing them go a has grown stale, or
we’re simply over-
long way toward reviving lost trained and need
motivation. to take a few days
or a week off the
weights.
Having specific
goals and setting
definite deadlines
for accomplish-
ing them go a
long way toward
reviving lost mo-
tivation. Some of
the most intense
workouts of my
life have taken
place in the weeks
before compet-
ing, which was
no doubt a con-
sequence of the
excitement and
anticipation of the
upcoming show-
down onstage. A
burning desire to
win helped too.
You don’t need
to compete to stay
consistently mo-
tivated, though.
Having any spe-
cific goal will
do the trick; for
example, losing a
certain amount of
bodyfat, gaining a
certain amount of
Neveux \ Model: Eric Domer

lean mass, gaining

in measurement
on a given body-
part such as arms
or legs or even
bench-pressing,

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Brick by
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squatting or curling X
amount by a certain day. Just as you
Bodybuilding magazines, must train hard
books, DVDs and Web consistently
sites are also beneficial for continual
for keeping you psyched,
and never underestimate
progress, so must
the power of trying out a you ease back on
new workout technique the gas and pull
or supplement. over every few
hundred miles to
Increase Weights keep your engine
Over Time running at peak
In our early days of
performance.
bodybuilding, we all
grew steadily stronger
as the months and years
wore on. Then the gains
slowed and in most cases
eventually stopped alto-
gether. Not coinciden-
tally, once we stopped
becoming stronger, we
also saw our muscle
size freeze. How many
guys do you know at the
gym who look exactly
the same today as they
did two, five or even 10
years ago? Do you see
one every time you pass
a mirror?
The longer you’ve
been training hard, the
tougher it gets to make
increases in strength. Dif-
ficult but not impossible.
You have to strive to con-
sistently add resistance
to your exercises. It’s a
practice that too many
have either forgotten
about or have denied the
importance of. It’s also
the underlying reason
that DC training has ex-
ploded in popularity. The
Neveux \ Model: Greg Smyers

only “magical” aspect to

the program’s success for
so many trainees is that
it stresses a systematic
method for gradually
increasing strength. Get-
ting a pump is valuable,
and it’s always rewarding Take Scheduled Layoffs bodybuilders tend to be obsessive-
to feel soreness in a bodypart for a Consistently compulsive and subscribers to the
day or two or three after you work more-is-better philosophy of life.
it, but the bottom line if you want It probably sounds contradic- Many of us train ourselves into the
to grow is that you must continue tory for me to go from telling you ground, dismissing any and all signs
getting stronger. to train on a very regular basis to of overtraining such as fatigue, loss
taking time off, but hear me out. We of motivation, low-grade illnesses

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Brick by
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and infections and the absolute venomous fate that you might think sidered it to be. It’s all about doing
worst: loss of muscle mass and you are. Typically, the events and the right things to support the con-
strength. quality of our lives are directly re- struction, day after day for months
I remember reading that Skip lated to conscious choices we make and years. By itself each small step
La Cour would take a week off as well as our attitudes toward life, seems insignificant, but over time
from training after every six weeks success and happiness. the steps add up and build on one
of hitting it hard, and he recom- another until you’re the proud
mended we all do the same. Skip’s Start Piling Up Those owner of a magnificent structure—a
a smart guy, I thought, but that’s body you can be proud of, a body
Bricks
nuts. Then two years ago, when I that inspires others, and a physique
began DC training, an integral part By now you should realize that that stands out as the true accom-
of the program was to take one- building a great physique isn’t as plishment of desire meeting dedica-
or two-week “cruises” after each “accidental” as you may have con- tion and patience. IM
eight-to-12-week “blast” phase.
Finally, the concept of planning
layoffs as a means of affording When you’re constantly worried about running out of
the mind and body ample time money and having no place to live—or forever chasing
to recover and regroup for the women or men and dealing with emotional breakups and
next bout of all-out training the baggage of failed relationships—it carries over into
clicked in my mind and made every aspect of your training, nutrition and rest.
perfect sense.
Just as you must train hard
consistently to make continual
progress, so must you ease back
on the gas and pull over every
few hundred miles to keep your
engine running at peak perfor-
mance.

Relationship and Job

Stability
At last we come to the one
area that I have seen derail
even the most genetically
gifted bodybuilders, even pros.
I understand that whether we
keep a job or stay in a relation-
ship is often not in our control.
Companies lay off employees,
businesses fail, and significant
others may decide for any num-
ber of reasons that they want
to move on. I’ve also observed,
however, a definite correlation
between a stable personal life
and making steady physique
improvements.
When you’re constantly
worried about running out of
money and having no place to
live—or forever chasing women
Neveux \ Models: Skip La Cour and Kristyn Hutzell

or men and dealing with emo-

tional breakups and the baggage
of failed relationships—it carries
over into every aspect of your
training, nutrition and rest. If
you really step back and look
at your history of jobs and rela-
tionships with an objective eye,
you should be able to see that
you aren’t always the victim of

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 A Bodybuilder
Is Born
Episode 40

A Time
to Grow
by Ron Harris
It was getting to be that time of the really wanted to be deceitful, I could doing a good job of maintaining
year. All the contests were over. My recycle pictures of me in contest his cuts since he’d competed back
wife and I had returned from the condition all fall and winter long in May—too good a job, actually.
Olympia weekend in Las Vegas a on my Web site and feel like a fraud He’d taken my advice and made
couple of weeks before, which for when people e-mailed me in awe of the most of the optimal metabolic
us marks the end of the bodybuild- how I was able to avoid all the typi- environment for growth, but then
ing season. A couple hundred poor cal holiday desserts and stay ripped. he freaked out as soon as he got
souls were still dieting for the NPC The guilt might even be bad enough up to 221 pounds in late June and
Nationals in late November, but that to dissuade me from that second decided that he was too fat. I could
was none of our concern. I would hunk of chocolate cake and pile of certainly understand why he stayed
toast their discipline with a slice of white chocolate macadamia nut lean throughout the brief Boston
pizza in one hand and a Diet Coke cookies. summer, sharing a similar vanity,
in the other—hey, at least it’s diet. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t sub- but summer was now just a sticky,
Fall was in full swing in New Eng- sist entirely on junk for those few humid memory.
land. The leaves blazed with vibrant months. Most of my meals are still We were at the very end of Octo-
hues of red, rust, orange and yel- made up of chicken, ground turkey, ber. That meant my favorite holiday
low, and the sweet, pungent aroma lean red meat, moderate amounts of of the year, Halloween, was just a
of leaf piles being illegally burned starchy carbs—pre- and postwork- couple of days away. For the big
permeated the brisk air. I’ve always out—and fibrous carbs in the form night, I was going to be not Buffy
loved that smell. of raw broccoli, snap peas, carrots the Vampire Slayer but the Buff
Like many bodybuilders, es- and salads. I get plenty of good food Vampire. I only regretted letting
pecially those of us on the East every day before I even think about Janet toss out the collection of black
Coast, my wife, Janet, and I stay in anything like ice cream. Well, okay, spandex T-shirts I’d once worn with
fairly lean condition throughout the I still think about it, but I never let pride, the sleeves so tight they ac-
warm months of the year and ease myself have it unless my nutritional tually cut off a bit of blood flow to
up on our diets in the off-season. needs have been met. As for trying my arms. Ah, but if you pumped
Neveux \ Model: Jay Cutler

Since the colder temperatures de- to stay “in shape” in bodybuilding them up first, the blood couldn’t
mand a far more concealing style of terms, I allow myself to not worry escape, and your guns looked big for
dress than tank tops and shorts, no about it for approximately the last hours! So what if your fingers went
one is the wiser if we accumulate eight or nine weeks of the year. numb and eventually your arms fell
just a little bit of extra bodyfat. If I Randy, on the other hand, was asleep?

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 A Bodybuilder
Is Born
My son was dressing as a
dinosaur for the third year
running, in a costume that
was now almost too tight
to close the zipper on, my
11-year-old daughter was
going as something called
a Midnight Fairy, and Janet
was simply being her beau-
tiful self, acting as mom
to two young kids and one
very goofy overgrown kid. I
usually hang back a good 10

decision to go back on what was

essentially a contest diet earlier
in the summer. His contest had
come and gone, and he’d been on
it for six months.
Related to such a diet is the
amount of gas that eating every
two hours and having a high
fiber intake can produce. A wife
can get used to something like
that and tolerate it—I love you,
babe—but a brand-new girl prob-
ably won’t be as understanding.
There needs to be some bond first
before you start revealing your
disgusting habits.
In addition to the diet, Randy
was also still doing a lot of cardio.
He stopped over before his
party, while I was getting ready to
go trick-or-treating with the kids.
I let him know what I thought
about his extended contest diet.
Keep in mind that the conversa-
tion took place while I was paint-
ing my face up in ghoulish black
and white vampire tones. Luckily,
Randy wouldn’t be donning his
From now until the spring tiger-stripe loincloth and black
thaw, Randy will share shoulder-length wig for a couple
the off-season with of hours. I can take only so much
me, getting bigger and surrealism at once.
stronger and not giving
Neveux \ Model: Mark Perry

“What are you weighing these

a rat’s ass about seeing days, kid?” I knew how to get
veins on our abs or having
things rolling innocently enough.
chiseled cheekbones.
“Um, about 210,” he stam-
mered. I gave him the look—the
look that says I know he’s full of
crap.
paces from the front door when the local nightclub, dressed as Tarzan. “You were 190 when you compet-
kids ring the bell and screech, “Trick I only hoped the girl he was dating ed, and you look like you’re about
or treat!” If I don’t, I have found that would still be around in two days to five pounds over that—maybe.
the occupants within, peeking out be his Jane. Lately he hadn’t been Who are you kidding?” He shuffled
the window, often get a good look hanging on to women for very long, around a little.
at me and never open the door. And and I’m pretty sure he wasn’t the “Well, with clothes and shoes on
that’s without a costume. one making the calls. I wondered and a few meals, I’m almost 210.”
Randy was going to a party at a if it had something to do with his “Yeah, and what else, when you

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 A Bodybuilder
Is Born
trained in my gym out in Califor-
nia, and he trained pretty hard and
heavy considering he was a small
guy. The reason he was a small guy
was because he was obsessed with
staying in contest condition all the
time. He didn’t take in enough food
to grow, and he did tons of cardio.
His body never had a chance to
grow new muscle tissue because it
was struggling so hard to maintain
his bodyweight. Mr. Stay Lean did
okay in a couple of natural body-
building contests in the area, but
he never had enough size to be
competitive for the top spots. He
thought everyone who beat him was
using steroids, but the real cheating
was that he was cheating his body
out of the muscle it should have put
on.”
“And?” Randy asked. I was just
about done, and put in my fangs. I
snarled at him.
“And now you are the reincarna-
tion of Mr. Stay-Lean, jackass!” I
hissed for emphasis, and he burst
out laughing.
We talked a little more, and it
didn’t take much to convince Randy
that he needed to start eating a lot
more food and allow himself a treat
here and there. I even offered him
a few Reese’s peanut butter cups
and a bag of candy corn to get him
Trying to maintain a started, but he politely declined. He
chiseled physique all year did accept one of the pizza coupons
is a recipe for muscle-size on my refrigerator.
stagnation. 221 about five weeks after From now until the spring thaw,
the contest. You had gained Randy will share the off-season with
a little fat, but most of that me, getting bigger and stronger and
was pure muscle. Now look not giving a rat’s ass about seeing
at you. You’ve lost at least half veins on our abs or having chis-
of the muscle you put on be- eled cheekbones. His goal is to get
cause you just had to get lean up to 225 while still maintaining a
again and stay that way.” bodyfat level he can be comfortable
“The women really like with, which for him is about 10 to 12
the lean look, and I feel more percent.
confident like this too,” he The epilogue to our Halloween
said. tale? Janet sent me home after the
“Do you plan on compet- first five houses refused to open the
ing again, or are you all done door for our poor kids. Then I inad-
haven’t had a bowel movement in with the goals you had as a vertently scared away most of the
five days and you have 10 bucks bodybuilder? Because trust me, if trick-or-treaters who came to my
in change in your pockets? Please! you keep this up, you really are all door and wound up eating about a
Weren’t you supposed to be improv- done competing. You got last place pound of miniature chocolate bars.
ing and adding size? Do you forget at your first contest, and I don’t see I can’t say how many times I told
how those other light heavies made you moving up the ranks at all if you myself, “Just one more, and that’s it,”
you look like a swimmer back in keep it up. Did I ever tell you about but I am estimating about a dozen. I
May?” He winced. “I’m not ragging Mr. Stay-Lean?” don’t advocate gluttony, but if you’re
on you. I just want to know why “I don’t think so.” going to indulge, this would be the
you’re doing this. You were up to “He was a bodybuilder who time—grow time. IM

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 Supersize
A Scientific Look at Fast
Food—the Good, the
Bad and the Ugly Fads

by Jerry Brainum

W
hatever happened to Ronald McDonald? In
the past you couldn’t turn on a TV without
encountering the perpetually happy face
of Ronald, usually extolling the virtues of
McDonald’s food. Ronald, who first appeared in 1963, is said
to be the second most recognized face in the world, right
after Santa Claus. He speaks 31 languages and is, of course,
well versed in the nuances of the McDonald’s menu. Small
Photo Illustration by Brett Miller

wonder that he was appointed “Chief Happiness Officer” of

the McDonald’s corporation in August 2003. Despite his fame
and even though the McDonald’s circus is still going strong,
Ronald seems to have faded into the background of late.
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This!

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 115

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 Fast Food
He began to make himself scarce Painter of Eastern Illinois University
around the time a documentary produced the documentary “Por-
called “Super Size Me” was re- tion Size Me,” obviously a reaction
leased in May 2004. The film was to Spurlock’s film. It follows the
about the quest of Morgan Spur- diet progress of two students, a
lock to live entirely on McDonald’s 254-pound man and a 108-pound
food for 30 days. He ate at McDon- woman who lived on fast food for a
ald’s three times a day, sampling month but ate portions appropri-
every item on the menu at least ate to their body size. Both students
once. When asked whether he lost weight and showed significant
would like to “supersize” the meal plasma cholesterol declines.
with considerably larger portions, What if you added exercise to
he opted in. His average daily calo- a Spurlock-like eating regimen?
rie intake during the monthlong That’s precisely what 48-year-old
experiment was 5,000—about the economist Chazz Weaver decided to
same number of calories found in do. He duplicated Spurlock’s Mc-
9 1/2 Big Macs. Donald’s-only diet for 30 days but
When he began his McDonald’s- continued his regular bodybuilding
exclusive diet, Spurlock was 32 years the results of overeating vary among program, which he had followed for
old and had followed a normal, individuals due to differences in 19 years. He trained six days a week,
varied diet that included an evening metabolism. doing an average of 45 minutes of
vegetarian meal. At 6’2”, Spurlock In another self-experiment, docu- free weights, along with 20 to 25
weighed a healthy 185 pounds. After mentary filmmaker Scott Caswell minutes of aerobics. He started the
eating McDonald’s food exclusively duplicated Spurlock’s experiment of McDonald’s foray at 222 pounds
for one month, however, he’d gained eating solely at McDonald’s with one and after 30 days had dropped eight
24 pounds and was experiencing notable exception: He chose only pounds of fat, despite eating every-
a number of side effects—mood healthful food items from the menu. thing on the menu. His high-den-
swings, sexual dysfunction and liver Caswell lost 20 pounds, and his sity-lipoprotein cholesterol—HDL,
abnormalities. He lost the weight he blood cholesterol readings declined the beneficial kind—improved 80
gained, but it took him 14 months. significantly. He never disclosed percent, while his low-density-lip-
Spurlock said that his motiva- precisely what he chose to
tion for the film was to focus on the eat. Another person, Merab
epidemic of obesity. He also cited Morgan of North Carolina,
a lawsuit filed by two teenage girls also ate only at McDonald’s
who claimed that eating McDonald’s for three months but limited
food led to their obesity; they lost. her calories to only 1,400 a
In an attempt to replicate Spur- day. Not surprisingly, she lost
lock’s results, Swedish scientist 37 pounds. Her experience
Fredrik Nystrom had seven univer- was similar to that of Deshan
sity students eat 6,000 calories a day Woods of San Antonio, Texas,
and discouraged them from doing who went on a 90-day diet
any exercise. While the diet didn’t in which he lost 14 pounds.
consist entirely of fast food, it did He ate mostly burgers and
contain mostly saturated fat. Those fries but didn’t go for the
who couldn’t eat the day’s full calo- high-sugar drinks. His daily
rie fare drank high-calorie shakes calorie intake averaged 2,500
before going to bed. The students and included 130 grams of
gained 5 to 15 percent extra weight fat. His cholesterol dropped
and felt tired and bloated. They also 44 points.
showed liver changes, none deemed Noting that portion size
serious. Nystrom concluded that makes a difference, James

Mike Mentzer used to say that you could lose

bodyfat by living entirely on ice cream—as long
as the total calorie content was less than you
burned daily through physical activity. The fact
that others besides Spurlock lost weight even
while eating fast food seems to underscore that
it’s not what you eat that counts but how much.
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 Fast Food
roprotein cholesterol—LDL, the
Research shows
bad kind—dropped 2 percent. that the high
His blood triglycerides, or fat, fat and fast-
dropped 42 percent. Weaver esti- acting carbs
mated that without the extensive
exercise he would have gained
that are typical
about 30 pounds. of fast food
Mike Mentzer used to say that are a potent
you could lose bodyfat by living combination
entirely on ice cream—as long
as the total calorie content was
for increasing
less than you burned daily bodyfat.
through physical activ-
ity. The fact that others
besides Spurlock lost
weight even while eat-
ing fast food seems to
underscore that it’s not
what you eat that counts
but how much. Spurlock
ate far more calories
than he burned through activity and • 1,310 milligrams of
even forced himself to eat when he sodium
wasn’t hungry. So the main ques- Supersizing the meal adds
tions are whether fast food is inher- another 400 calories, 13 grams
ently bad and whether it’s possible of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat and
to eat fast food and remain healthy. 190 milligrams of sodium. risk of weight gain and insulin resis-
A supersize nondiet soft drink tance, a harbinger of diabetes. Those
Fast Food: The Bad alone contains 136 grams—34 who ate at fast-food restaurants
teaspoons—of sugar. According to more than twice a week gained an
A major problem associated with a recent study, fast-food content average of 10 pounds and showed a
fast food is calorie density. Because varies throughout the world.1 The 104 percent greater increase in insu-
of its high fat and sugar content a study analyzed 74 samples of fast lin resistance at both baseline and
typical fast-food meal contains a lot food consisting of french fries and follow-up compared to those who ate
of calories per portion. That makes fried chicken nuggets and wings fast food less than once a week.2 The
the odds of gaining bodyfat greater, purchased in McDonald’s and KFC study attributed the increased in-
especially if you don’t compensate stores in 35 countries. The fat con- sulin resistance to the large amount
for it by increased activity. The aver- tent varied from 41 to 65 grams of trans fatty acids in fast food. Also
age fast-food meal has more than at McDonald’s and from 42 to 74 contributing was the high concen-
100 percent of the fat and more grams per serving at KFC. tration of high-glycemic-index, or
than 50 percent of the calories most A 15-year study of 3,031 young rapidly absorbed, carbohydrate,
men and women require each day. adults, aged 18 to 34, found that eat- which triggers greater insulin release.
For example, here’s the nutritional ing fast food was associated with a Research shows that the high fat and
profile of a
McDonald’s
Big Mac meal A supersized nondiet soft drink alone con-
with a Classic
Coke: tains 136 grams—34 teaspoons—of sugar.
• 1,220 calo-
ries

34 =
• 58 grams
of fat—42
percent of
the meal’s
calories
X
• 14 grams
of saturated
fat—10 per-
cent of calo-
ries

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 Fast Food
fast-acting carbs that are typical of experiment, Spurlock
fast food are a potent combination placed various fast-
for increasing bodyfat. food items in jars to see
When people involved in stud- how long they would
ies opted to eat fast food but kept take to decompose.
their portion size reasonably small, While most of the foods
they either didn’t gain bodyfat or decomposed rapidly,
lost it. The larger the portion, the a Big Mac lasted five
more food eaten and the greater weeks, and the side
the calorie imbalance, which tips order of fries still hadn’t
the scales toward fat gain.3 Portion decomposed after 10.
sizes at most fast-food outlets have In a YouTube video,
increased by 250 percent over the a woman displayed
past 50 years. After “Super Size Me” McDonald’s fries that
was released, McDonald’s phased hadn’t decomposed
out its Supersize menu but three after four years. Such is
years later reintroduced a few the power of trans fats.
oversize items. One was the Hugo McDonald’s quietly
soft drink, a 42-ounce monstros- removed trans fats from
ity containing 400 calories, which most of its fried food
was the same size as the previously items, including french
offered Supersize beverage. In Los fries, last year, replac-
Angeles, McDonald’s introduced the ing it with canola and
Angus burger, which has a third- vegetable oils. So you
pound beef patty, 820 calories and can now be confident While most of the foods
43 grams of fat when ordered with that its fries should spoil decomposed rapidly, a Big
bacon and cheese. If you add a large quite rapidly.
Coke and large order of fries, you And not a moment too
Mac lasted five weeks, and
wind up with 1,700 calories. soon, healthwise. Trans the side order of fries still
Because fast food is calorie dense, fats are linked to cancer hadn’t decomposed after 10.
it’s easy to get an overabundance and cardiovascular dis- In a YouTube video, a woman
of calories. Humans have an inher- ease. Indeed, although displayed McDonald’s fries
ently weak innate ability to recog- saturated fat is often asso-
nize foods with high calorie density ciated with cardiovascular that hadn’t decomposed after
and to adjust intake appropriately.4 disease, trans fats are far four years. Such is the power
That’s a simple explanation of why more effective than of trans fats.
obesity has reached epidemic pro- saturated fat at raising
portions. LDL, high counts of
Complicating the picture, of which are linked to the
course, is that french fries and other disease. Even worse,
fast-food staples are rich in trans trans fats, unlike
fats, perhaps the most dangerous saturated fat, suppress
item in the modern diet. In fact, HDL.
when McDonald’s complained that Trans fats are typi-
Spurlock intentionally ate too many cally found in mar-
calories and did too little exercise—a garine, spreads and
combination guaranteed to make frying oils. They may
anyone gain weight regardless of the keep foods from going
food source—Spurlock responded bad, but the human
that the calories weren’t the only body doesn’t have a
problem, citing the exceptionally place for them. They
high content of fat and sugar in the harden cellular mem-
meals, including the worst form of branes and interfere
fat in history—trans fat. with hormone be-
havior. One analysis
Trans Fat: The Ugly found that trans fats
are found in 50 percent French fries and other fast-
Trans fat is a hydrogenated fat of the products sold in
used to extend the shelf life of food. fast-food restaurants, food staples are rich in trans
It’s effective; unlike most other resulting in an average fats, considered perhaps the
forms of fat, it resists oxidation intake of 36 grams in a most dangerous item in the
and rancidity. Indeed, in a separate (continued on page 124) modern diet.
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 Fast Food
Those who ate at fast-food restaurants more than
twice a week gained an average of 10 pounds and
(continued from page 120) single meal.
A daily intake of five grams of trans
showed a 104 percent greater increase in insulin
fats is linked to a 30 percent increase resistance at both baseline and follow-up compared
in risk for cardiovascular disease. to those who ate fast food less than once a week.
Bodybuilders need to know that
trans fats not only favor increased
bodyfat, especially in the waist area,
but also interfere with amino acid
metabolism, thus blunting muscle
protein synthesis and anabolic reac-
tions in muscle after training.
Trans fats help deposit bodyfat
in the abdominal area. They are a
ligand—that is, they interact with
PPAR-gamma, a cellular structure
that increases fat synthesis. In a
study with monkeys, subjects were
put on either an 8 percent trans fat
diet or the same amount of mono-
unsaturated fat—the type found in

olive oil and other vegetable sources—for

six years. At the end of the study the trans
fat monkeys had gained 7.2 percent body-
weight compared to the 1.8 percent in-
crease in the monounsaturated group. CT
scans revealed that the trans fat monkeys
had 30 percent more fat in the abdominal
area than the monounsaturated mon-
keys. That’s important because abdomi-
nal fat is considered the most dangerous,
linked as it is to the metabolic syndrome,
diabetes and high blood pressure.
A recent study confirmed that what
happened to Morgan Spurlock’s liver
after eating fast food is all too common.5
Twelve men and six women, average
age 26, followed fast-food diets for four
weeks, just as Spurlock did. The goal was
to double the average daily calorie intake
and increase bodyweight by 5 to 15 per-
cent. Physical activity could not exceed
5,000 steps daily—again, à la Spurlock.
The liver enzyme ALT, associated with
inflammation, rose significantly in the
participants, as did bodyweight and
waist circumference, along with a nearly
4 percent increase in bodyfat. Fourteen
of the 18 subjects showed liver enzyme
abnormalities, which returned to normal
several weeks after the experiment was
over.
Fat intake wasn’t related to the liver
enzyme spike, but a combination of sugar
and carbs boosted ALT by the third week
of the fast-food diet. Fatty liver was ob-
Neveux \ Model: Danny Hester

served in only two of the subjects. The

authors think that the liver enzymes rose
because the subjects’ livers weren’t used
to being bombarded with an overdose of
fat and sugar.
Brent Tetri, M.D., a professor of inter-

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 Fast Food
nal medicine at Saint Louis Uni- The mice were also kept 2005, scientists from the
versity Liver Center and an sedentary to replicate the United States Department
expert on nonalcohol- of Agriculture identified a
ic fatty liver disease, activity pattern of many simple and safe food ad-
notes that fast food humans. The study was ditive that can prevent the
is closely associated slated to last 16 weeks, but insulin resistance com-
with fatty liver, Tetri and his colleagues were monly seen in people who
which in turn eat a lot of fast food. It’s a
is associated surprised to find an increase form of cellulose, a fiber
with insulin in liver enzymes and glucose called HPMC, that has been
resistance and is an intolerance after only a month. added to foods to improve
early sign of liver
failure. Tetri says
that children are
starting to show up
with cirrhosis, the
stage of disease that
comes after fatty liver and
that is usually seen in longtime
alcoholics and patients who
have hepatitis C. He attributes
the children’s liver problems to
their eating too much fast food
and not doing enough exercise.
Even so, he explains that fast-
food intake itself isn’t the prob-
lem but rather the abundance
of processed sugars, such as
high-fructose corn syrup, and
trans fats in the food. It’s more a
question of too many calories at
one time, he says.
In a 2007 study, Tetri gave
mice a 40 percent fat diet re-
plete with high-fructose corn
syrup. “We wanted to mirror the
kind of diet that many Ameri-
cans subsist on,” he said, “so
the high-fat content is about
the same as you’d find in a
typical McDonald’s meal.” The
mice were also kept sedentary
to replicate the activity pattern
of many humans. The study
was slated to last 16 weeks, but
Tetri and his colleagues were
surprised to find an increase
in liver enzymes and glucose
intolerance after only a month.
The mice weren’t forced to eat
but could eat whenever they
wanted. Tetri believes that the
symptoms were early signs
of both fatty liver and diabe-
tes—precisely what happened
to Spurlock during his 30-day
McDonald’s experiment.

Possible Solutions
At the annual meeting of the
Neveux

American Chemical Society in

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 Fast Food
texture for more than 50 years. It’s and longer-lasting rise in free radi- adds to the burden of tissue inflam-
tasteless and odorless and can be cals—electrons that make mischief mation that is the source of cardio-
added to burgers, pizza and hot on body-tissue stability—and in- vascular disease, diabetes, cancer
dogs. In a four-week experiment flammation than the normal sub- and other ailments so commonly
hamsters were put on a diet that jects did. That study suggests that diagnosed in people who carry
contained 38 percent of calories as eating the wrong kind of fast food excess bodyfat.
fat, similar to the content of fast-
food items. Other hamsters got an
11 percent fat diet. As expected, the Bodybuilders need to know that trans fats not
animals on the high-fat regimen only favor increased bodyfat, especially
developed insulin resistance, while
those on the lowfat diet did not.
in the waist area, but also interfere with
Adding HPMC to the high-fat diet, amino acid metabolism, thus blunting muscle
however, blocked insulin resistance. protein synthesis and anabolic reactions in
The fiber slows the uptake of fat
and sugar, which prevents a rapid
muscle after training.
insulin reaction, in turn prevent-
ing the insulin resistance that is a
major side effect of regular fast-food
intake. Fat that enters the body too
rapidly isn’t shunted to fat cells;
instead it winds up in the liver, heart
and pancreas, where it causes cel-
lular damage.
The study implies that taking a
soluble fiber before eating fast food
may decrease much of the meta-
bolic damage that a high-fat meal
would otherwise do. One soluble-
fiber supplement is glucomannan,
a.k.a. konjac root. If you get it in
capsules, open them and add the
contents to at least eight ounces of
fluid 30 to 60 minutes before you
eat. The fiber swells in your stom-
ach, causing you to eat less and
slowing the uptake of fat and sugar.
Use a dose of about one to two
grams.
The high fat content of fast food
often results in a negative effect on
the endothelium, or lining of blood
vessels. That can result in cardio-
vascular damage, but research dem-
onstrates that it can be prevented
if you take vitamins C and E with a
high-fat meal. On the other hand, a
recent study found that people who
ate typical fast-food fare like burgers
and fries experienced no difference
in vascular reactivity from those
who ate salads and vegetarian burg-
ers.6
Another recent study found that
eating high-fat, high-sugar fast-food
meals is particularly dangerous for
Neveux \ Model: Michael Icolari

people who are already obese.7 The

study compared 10 normal and
eight obese subjects who ate a 1,800
calorie high-fat, high-carb meal
after an overnight fast. The obese
participants experienced a greater

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 Fast Food
Can Fast Food
Ever Be Good?
With its calorie density, rich sup-
ply of trans fats, high-fructose corn
syrup and other fast-acting carbs,
fast food vividly reveals how not On the other hand, the amount
to eat. The variable experience of of ghrelin, a potent appetite-stim-
those who ate fast food in the wake ulating hormone that normally
of the controversial views offered rises between meals but rapidly
by “Super Size Me,” however, shows drops just afterward, dropped
that fast food doesn’t have to be all 30 percent two to three hours
that bad. Sure, some negatives are after all the meals. It rose above
hard to escape, such as the lack of baseline five hours later only
fiber in most fast food, but that’s after the fast-food meal. That
easily remedied with fiber supple- may point to an increased ten-
ments. The high sodium content is dency to overeat, although it
also a problem, associated as it is wasn’t considered significant by
with water retention and high blood the authors because the amount
pressure. If, however, your diet in- of leptin, another appetite-
cludes nutrients that balance the ef- stimulating hormone, didn’t vary
fect of sodium, such as magnesium between the meals.
and potassium, the sodium content Let’s face it: There are times when
doesn’t seem so significant. fast foods may be the most conve-
One study focused on the im- nient food available. You may be
mediate effects on health of eat- trapped in a mall somewhere with
ing a typical fast-food meal.8 It’s your only nutrition option being the
intriguing because its subjects—six local McDonald’s or Burger King.
overweight men—ate two health- You can get away with eating at fast-
ful meals during the day. The key food joints by using simple dietary
variable of the study was that the discretion.
meals all contained about the same Take, for example, hamburgers, a
amount of fat, protein and calories: mainstay of fast food. Although you
1) McDonald’s Big Mac, french aren’t likely to find grass-fed or lean
fries and a root beer sweetened beef, the hamburgers themselves
with high-fructose corn syrup contain neither sugar nor carbs. The
problem is what goes on the burger.
2) An organic-beef meal con- Avoid cheese, mayonnaise or “spe-
taining high-quality range-fed cial” sauces. Opt for a smaller burg-
beef plus cheddar cheese on an
er, even a child’s portion, and if you
unbleached bun and a root beer
have to, add ketchup or mustard.
sweetened with sucrose, or table
sugar Good choices include the following:

3) A sandwich containing sliced Burger King

free-range turkey and cheddar Original Whopper minus cheese
cheese produced with no antibi- or mayo
otics or artificial growth stimu- Plain hamburger
lants on 60 percent whole-wheat Veggie burger with reduced-fat
bread, plus an organic orange mayo
juice drink
McDonald’s
The only difference in the meals
Plain hamburger
from a nutritional standpoint was
their fatty acid content. The fast- Wendy’s
food meal had almost twice the Junior hamburger
saturated-fat content and eight
times more trans fats than the two If you order a deli sandwich,
other meals. The only finding that request reduced-fat and reduced-
the authors considered significant salt meat. Skip the mayo, but add
was that the organic-beef meal low- vegetables such as green and red
ered LDL more than the fast-food pepper, onions, tomato, lettuce
meal. No other significant differ- and pickle. Good choices at Sub-
ences in any hormones, glucose or way include the six-inch roast beef,
triglycerides were observed. roasted chicken breast or turkey

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 Fast Food
breast sandwiches. At Arby’s opt cakes. Forget fish sandwiches; they is, but it sure isn’t pizza, which has
for the light-roasted turkey deluxe have no omega-3s and are just pure a unique combination of oil, bread
sandwich. crap. A Burger King Fish Filet with a and cheese. It provides a high-gly-
Skip french fries at any fast-food medium serving of fries contains cemic glucose surge hours after
place, or eat the smallest portion. A 5 1/2 tablespoons of fat, or 61 you eat it. That’s something to keep
Supersize portion of fries at McDon- grams, none of it omega-3. For bev- in mind if you’re diabetic or have
ald’s adds 610 calories alone! Order erages, stick with coffee, diet soda blood glucose control problems.
a baked potato if possible—no or tea.
added cheese. Use light dressings on At Taco Bell, your best bet is the References
salads, and forget bacon bits, crou- grilled-chicken burrito, which con-
tons, taco chips, cheese and sour tains 410 calories, 15 grams of fat, 1 Stender, S., et al. (2007). Fast

cream. 50 grams of protein and 17 grams of food, unfriendly and unhealthy. Int
If you have to eat fast-food carbohydrate. J Obes. 31(6):887-90.
chicken, don’t order fried chicken; As for pizza, one of the original 2 Pereira, M.A., et al. (2005).

instead ask for baked, broiled or fast foods, I’ve seen advice sug- Fast-food habits, weight gain and
grilled. Avoid chicken nuggets, gesting that you eat pizza without insulin resistance (the CARDIA
which are actually trans fat mini cheese or oil. I don’t know what that study): 15-year prospective
analysis. Lancet. 365:36-42.
3 Dilberti, N., et al. (2004).

Pizza, which has a unique combination of oil, bread and Increased portion size leads to
cheese, provides a high-glycemic glucose surge hours increased energy intake in a
restaurant meal. Obes Res. 12:562-
after you eat it. That’s something to keep in mind if 568.
you’re diabetic or have blood glucose control problems. 5 Prentice, A.M., et al. (2003). Fast

foods, energy density, and obesity:

a possible mechanistic link. Obes
Rev. 4:187-194.
6 Kechagias, S., et al. (2008). Fast-

food based hyper-alimentation

can induce rapid and profound
elevation of serum alanine
aminotransferase in healthy
subjects. Gut. 57(5):649-54.
7 Rudolph, T.K., et al.

(2007). Acute effects of

various fast food meals
on vascular function
and cardiovascular
risk markers: the
Hamburg Burger
trial. Am J Clin
Nutr. 86:334-40.
8 Patel, C., et

al. (2007). Pro-

longed reactive
oxygen species
generation and
nuclear factor-
KB activation
following a high-fat,
high-carbohydrate
meal in the obese. J
Clin Endocrin Metab.
92:4476-4479.
9 Bray, G., et al. (2007).

Hormonal responses to a
fast-food meal compared
with nutritionally comparable
meals of different composition.
Ann Nutr Metabol. 51:163-71. IM

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Detailed
Density
Mark Perry’s Gym
Attack for a Big,
Broad Back
by Cory Crow
Photography by Michael Neveux

Ever had a back workout where you work

and work, and an hour later your biceps feel
like crap, but your back is barely fatigued?
If you’re like most lifters, that experience is
all too common—and frustrating, as you
try to build a back so thick and wide that
you have to turn sideways to walk through
doorways. Considering the judging standards
in competitive bodybuilding today, if you don’t
have a strong, wide back, you might as well
make early dinner plans because you likely
won’t make the top-15 cut for the finals.
Posedowns? You can pretty much forget about them because posedowns are where the wide
guys hang out. You, with your overtrained biceps and narrow shadow, can watch from the back
of the auditorium.
Even if you’re not interested in competitive bodybuilding—and I’m betting most of you
aren’t—you’ll gain a lot by having a strong back. It will help you with posture and injury pre-
vention and improve your overall appearance. A thick back is one of the more striking features
of the human physique.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 137

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 Detailed
Density
I don’t pretend to be an expert
when it comes to weight training.
When I have a training question, I
consult a real expert or talk with a
competitor who’s known for hav-
ing spectacular development in
the bodypart in question. For back
training I can think of no one bet-
ter than top light heavyweight Mark
Perry.
A few years ago that wouldn’t
have been the case. Mark used to list
his back as one of his weaker body-
parts. It wasn’t until the ’07 IFBB
North American Championships
that his opinion changed.
“I read where Dave Palumbo said Pulldowns. A
I had the best back in the class,” good warmup
Mark recalls, beaming. “That was
when I knew all of my hard work exercise.
bringing up my back had really paid
off.”
When last I checked on Perry,
he was recuperating from the 2007
season, in which he not only dis-
tinguished himself in top amateur
competition but also built a
gym. That double focus didn’t
prevent him from taking third
in the light heavyweights at
the ’07 NPC USA Champion-
ships and winning the class
at the North Americans. After
coming so close to his goal of
earning an IFBB pro card—
the top two in the overall bal-
loting at the NAC get tapped
for the pros—Mark has set his
sights on the ’08 NPC Nation-
als, where all class winners
receive their cards.
In the meantime, after
several false starts, we got Chinups. This
together to talk about how he
crafted a championship back. classic back
builder is the
Think of Your Arms mainstay of
as Hooks Mark’s back
“The back is a bodypart workout.
you have to feel,” Mark
warns. “The rest you can see.”
And therein lies the problem
with back training: You can’t
see your back working unless
you’re Linda Blair in “The
Exorcist.” Unfortunately, that
would come with the side
effects of projectile vomiting
and demon possession, nei-
ther of which are conducive
to peak (continued on page 142)

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“Think of your arms
as hooks; they’re
there to hold the
weight, but the
;/93
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 Detailed
Density
(continued from page 138) muscle
growth. Instead, you could fol-
low Mark’s advice: “Think of
your arms as hooks; they’re
there to hold the weight, but
the back is the winch at the top
that raises the weight.” Keeping
that thought in mind through-
out your workout can help you
bust through the glass ceiling
of growth and lead you to new
levels of back size.
Chinups. This classic back
builder is the mainstay of Mark’s
back workout. He doesn’t typi-
cally add weight via a belt be-
cause it’s the first exercise in his
routine. He visualizes a pulley
system, with his upper back
squeezing together to provide
the lifting force. He does four
sets of 10 reps to flush his back
muscles with blood. You can
vary your grip width if you like,
but Mark prefers a wider grip
because it isolates his back and
helps keep the biceps out of the
movement. Remember that the
goal is to use the back to lift and
the arms to hold.
Bent-over rows. Mark
likes to pyramid his sets on
these—adding weight on each
successive set so the reps drop.
A typical pyramid would be
four sets of 12, 10, eight and six
reps. By the last set the weight
should be heavy. “It takes heavy
weight to stimulate a big muscle
group like the back,” Mark says.
“Too many lifters don’t go heavy
enough and leave any chance
of fiber activation in the locker
room.” There are two different
grips you can use on this lift: the
standard overhand grip, which
focuses on the outer wings of the side, you can really get a good feel petitors, Mark prefers an over-under
lats, and a Dorian Yates–style under- for the back working, and you can grip and again chooses to pyramid
hand grip, which shifts the focus to also limit your cheating so that the the weight, with the reps descend-
the inner back. Mark recommends back is the heavy lifter in this move- ing from 12 to six. The goal of this
switching grips from workout to ment.” Mark also likes to pyramid movement is to decimate the entire
workout to ensure full, complete the reps here, performing 12, 10, back, working on thickness so that
development and thickness. eight and six, increasing the weight you don’t look two-dimensional on-
One-arm Hammer Strength on each set. stage—or at the beach. “Go heavy,
isolated rows. Your gym probably Deadlifts. The granddaddy of but never forget that your arms are
has Hammer Strength machines, all back movements is still the best. still just hooks,” Mark says. “And
and it’s also likely that you don’t pay It’s no surprise to see it in Mark’s invest in some lifting straps so your
much attention to them on back workout because most top com- deadlift numbers aren’t limited by
day. That’s a mistake. “A lot of people petitors use it. If they’re not doing your grip strength.”
say isolation exercises are not ben- deadlifts currently because of injury Stiff-arm pulldowns. Take an
eficial for back training,” Mark says, concerns, they’ve probably done EZ-curl-bar attachment and hook it
“but I disagree. By isolating each them in the past. Like most com- to a high-pulley. Step back from the

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 Mark prefers an over-under grip on deadlifts and Alternate Back Workout
suggests, “Invest in some lifting straps so your deadlift As a change of pace, Mark rec-
ommends working the following
numbers aren’t limited by your grip strength.” program into your rotation once
per month to spur additional
work, moving the bar growth.
from the top to the
bottom of the rep. Pulldowns (warmup) 4 x 12-15
Superset: over- T-bar rows 3-4 x 8-10
head rope rows One-arm dumbbell
and hyperexten- rows 3-4 x 8-10
sions. Overhead Long-bar stiff-arm
rope rows are a pulldowns 3-4 x 8-10
Charles Glass special. Superset
Mark got the chance Rope rows 3 x 10-12
to work with the Hyperextensions 3 x 25-30
noted training guru
a while back, and Mark advises using different
Charles introduced angles on the rows in this work-
him to this very out to provide different stimulus
nontraditional move- points, which helps ensure full,
ment. “Charles would complete development.
have me attach a
rope handle to a pul-
ley above my head.
Mark’s Workout Split
I’d start with the ends
of the rope together. Monday: Chest and triceps
Then I’d pull down Tuesday: Legs
Wednesday: Off
Thursday: Shoulders and
calves
He sometimes Friday: Back and biceps.
rotates various On days when two bodyparts
are scheduled, he does first the
cable exercises workout in the late morning and
into his back the second in the evening. When
routine for unique time is short, he combines the
two into one session.
angles of pull.

tional weight.
The hypers are
used as a fin-
isher to engorge
the muscles of
the lower back.
Three supersets
gets the job
done.

Training
Like a Pro
Mark’s body-
part split calls
for working back
with biceps.
pulley, facing it, and starting with with my back, separating the ends Because he owns a gym and can be
the bar above your head, use your of the rope until I was almost in a flexible with his training, he works
back muscles to pull the bar down front double-biceps position.” The them at different times of the day.
to your hips. Make sure to keep your move is designed to attack your Odds are you don’t have the time to
arms straight so that they’re not upper back from a different angle. work out twice a day—or the ge-
involved in pulling the weight down. Do 10 to 12 reps, and do the hyper- netics to recover from that type of
Your lat muscles should do all of the extensions for 25 to 30 without addi- workload. If you can train twice and

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 143

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 Detailed
Density

can handle the recovery, Mark rec-

ommends that you work your back
first and hit the biceps later in the
day to truly isolate the bodyparts.
Otherwise, you can work back and
biceps together, “but make sure you
have someone to drive you home,
because you’ll be spent.”
Mark hopes to achieve his dream
of earning an IFBB pro card in 2008,
and he designed his workout with
that goal in mind. Your goals might
be similar, or they might involve
winning a local show or just looking
swole up on the beach in your swim
trunks next summer. The wonder-
ful thing about bodybuilding is that
anyone can use the same concepts
and moves the top competitors use
to reach his or her bodybuilding
goals.

Editor’s note: To contact Mark

Perry for guest posing or sponsor-
ship inquiries, write to totalfitness@
voyager.net. IM

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 Controversy

Whether, How and Whom

It May Benefit

by Jacob M. Wilson, CSCS, and Gabriel J. Wilson, M.S., CSCS

A controversial object of discussion, beta-

hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate, or HMB,
has been deemed miraculous by some and
fraudulent by others. Is it effective for trained
athletes? How exactly does it work? Is it safe?
If you’re among the thousands of athletes who
don’t know the answers to those questions,
don’t worry: You will! Not only that, but you’ll
have another cog in your muscle-building
machinery for improving your physique.
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 147
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 HMBRecently the president and vice
president of the scientific body-
encouraging leanness, among other
things.2,3 Evidence indicates, how-
mentation has been extensively
investigated in the literature, and
building Web site ABCBodybuilding ever, that leucine’s effects are partly while a number of studies suggest
.com—that would be yours truly— caused by its metabolites—that is, that it may trigger lean mass gain
teamed up with Finnish exercise products of leucine metabolism. and performance benefits, there are
physiologist Anssi Manninen to Indeed, when conversion of leucine conflicting results. Therein lies the
conduct a comprehensive review of into its metabolites is blocked, its controversy.
HMB in the Journal of Nutrition and effects on protein degradation are

HMB’s protective effects enable bodybuilders to lift heavier weights for

more sets before fatiguing due to muscle damage and to repair that kind of
damage at a heightened state.
Metabolism.1 Check it out for more inhibited.4
details. Meanwhile, we’ll cover the As you may have surmised, one
important points. of the metabolites formed during
leucine catabolism is
What Is HMB? HMB, representing 5
percent of leu-
The effectiveness of the branch- cine metabo-
chain amino acid L-leucine is well lites.5 HMB
established. It’s renowned for stimu- sup-
lating muscle protein synthesis, ple-
decreasing protein breakdown and

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 HMB

If experienced bodybuilders and lifters are to benefit from HMB supplementation,

they must commit enough muscle damage, by continually overloading their muscles
and changing up their set-and-rep schemes.

Merv \ Models: Dexter Jackson, Phil Heath and Branch Warren

HMB supplementation may help slow the normal
muscle loss that occurs in low-calorie situations, saving research is needed to clarify our un-
bodybuilders from losing their density and size onstage. derstanding of HMB. Our primary
issues were that the studies elicited
an inadequate training stimulus
categories. Once you in experienced lifters, used limited
distinguish between outcome measures and were short-
trained and untrained duration experiments. Before we
athletes, as well as go into that, though, let’s explain
aerobic vs. anaerobic exactly how HMB works.
activity, the mys-
tery becomes much HMB Mechanisms
clearer.
of Action
The effectiveness
of HMB in untrained In a nutshell, HMB is purported
athletes is well estab- to work via three mechanisms:
lished, with only two 1) Improved sarcolemma, or
single-workout studies muscle cell, integrity
revealing no benefit
from HMB for muscle 2) Increased protein synthesis, or
growth and perfor- building of muscle tissue
mance.6.7 3) Decreased muscle protein
The real contro- breakdown, or tissue atrophy
versy centers on
trained athletes. While The most common mechanism is
we identified several known as the cholesterol synthesis
studies that support hypothesis. Cholesterol is an impor-
the effectiveness tant component of the cell mem-
of HMB in trained brane. Consequently, muscle cells
aerobic and anaerobic damaged by exercise may not be
HMB and Athletes athletes, a number of able to produce adequate cholester-
studies suggest otherwise. ol to optimizing cell function. Some
In our review of literature, we We certainly don’t dismiss the evidence suggests that HMB can be
found it necessary to divide the latter studies, but we do contend converted into HMG-CoA reductase,
studies on HMB into a number of that they’re limited and that more a liver enzyme that helps generate

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 HMB
new cholesterol.8 That should result
in less muscle damage and quicker
a heightened state. Put that together
with the finding that HMB increases
integrity—suggest that it may be
effective only when muscle dam-
recovery from injury. protein synthesis while stopping age occurs or in a situation such as
Other recent evidence shows that protein breakdown, and you can calorie restriction, when muscle loss
HMB may inhibit the main pathway see why it’s perfect for the serious is heightened. In order to see the
responsible for protein breakdown bodybuilder. benefits of HMB via those mecha-
as well as stimulate the primary Now let’s get back to the HMB nisms, therefore, muscle damage,
pathway responsible for muscle controversy. or heightened protein breakdown,
protein synthesis.9 In short, it’s sug- must be elicited by the stimulus
gested that HMB’s protective effects HMB and Advanced Lifters of either training or a hardcore
enable bodybuilders to lift heavier diet. One study showed that HMB
weights for more sets before fatigu- Two mechanisms by which HMB supplementation increased muscle
ing due to muscle damage—and may work—protein breakdown and mass, fat loss and strength in sub-
that they can repair such damage at its ability to strengthen muscle cell jects who did exercise but not in
those who did not exercise.10
While a number of studies have
HMB increases protein synthesis while stopping shown HMB to work in advanced
protein breakdown, making it perfect for the serious lifters, the ways it works may ex-
plain why they benefit less consis-
bodybuilder. tently from HMB than novice lifters
do. Because of what’s known as the
“repeated bout effect,” the more
you train, the more resistant your
muscles become to being dam-
aged.11 Therefore, if experienced
bodybuilders and lifters are to ben-
efit from HMB supplementation,
they must commit enough muscle
damage by continually overloading
their muscles and changing their
set-and-rep schemes. We identified
a lack of training variety in several
of the routines used by advanced
lifters who supplemented with HMB
and found no benefits.12 In one
study advanced weightlifters were
instructed to train as usual while
supplementing with HMB. Over
the four-week course of the study,
neither control nor supplemented
athletes increased their lean body
mass or their performance in any
measured lifts, which suggests that
they were adapted to their program
and perhaps needed to include
more variation to see benefits from
HMB.
That’s partly supported by studies
showing HMB supplementation to
be effective for advanced resistance-
trained athletes.13,14,15 Researchers
demonstrated that four weeks of
HMB supplementation in 20-to-40-
year-old men and women resulted
in greater fat loss (1.1 vs. .5 percent),
more upper-body strength (7.5 vs.
Neveux \ Model: Steve Namat

5.2 kilograms) and more lean body

mass (1.4 vs. 0.9 kilogram) than the
placebo group experienced, regard-
less of sex or training experience.
In addition, if HMB operates by
triggering protein turnover—a.k.a.

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 HMB protein synthesis and degrada-
tion—changes like that are typically
slow and may take place only over
a number of months of training.
Currently, the experiments on HMB
last four to eight weeks, which may
not be long enough to see changes
in muscle mass.

HMB and Muscle Wasting

A number of studies indicate
that HMB supplementation may be
advantageous when your body is
wasting muscle—whether because
of bed rest, limb immobilization or
calorie deficits.16,17,18 That’s impor-
tant for bodybuilders because they
often restrict their calories before a
contest. So HMB supplementation
may help slow the normal muscle
loss that occurs in such situations,
saving bodybuilders from losing
their density and size onstage.
The elderly are another popula-
tion known to be at risk for muscle
loss. HMB supplementation has
been found to improve body com-
position, strength and functionality
in that population.19

HMB and Health

HMB has been clearly shown to
be safe and may even have health
benefits. No side effects have
been reported from megadoses in
animals or from three to six grams
of daily supplementation in hu-
mans.20,21
In people who have hypercho-
lesterolemia, HMB has actually
lowered LDL, the so-called bad
cholesterol, by a whopping 40 per-
cent!22 The mechanism for that is
unknown and seemingly paradoxi-
cal, as HMB is thought to convert
into the rate-limiting enzyme for
cholesterol synthesis. Note, how-
ever, that HMB has no effect on
cholesterol if your count is normal.
It may slightly decrease blood pres-
Neveux \ Model: Kyoichiro Morinaga

sure, though that’s been attributed

in part to its calcium content.

Best Dosage
Current advice is to take three
one-gram doses over a day. Only
two studies, however, have investi-

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 HMB In order to see the protein-sparing and
cell-strengthening benefits of HMB, muscle
damage, or heightened protein breakdown,
must be elicited by the stimulus of either
training or a hardcore diet.

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 gated that.12,23 We believe that more (1984). Effects of leucine on in vitro trained and untrained males under-
research is needed on the best dos- protein synthesis and degrada- going intense resistance training.
age of and frequency for HMB use, tion in rat skeletal muscles. J Nutr. FASEB J. 10:287.
particularly under differing stages of 114(7):1204-1212. 14 Panton, L.B., et al. (2000). Nu-

muscle catabolism. 3 Layman, D.K. (2003). The role tritional supplementation of the
of leucine in weight loss diets leucine metabolite beta-hydroxy-
Practical Applications and glucose homeostasis. J Nutr. beta-methylbutyrate (hmb) dur-
133(1):261S-267S. ing resistance training. Nutrition.
Based on the current research, 4 Mitch, W.E., and Clark, A.S. 16(9):734-739.
we feel confident recommending (1984). Specificity of the effects of 15 Nissen, S.L., et al. (2003). Ef-

HMB supplementation to novice leucine and its metabolites on pro- fect of dietary supplements on lean
bodybuilders and lifters. It should tein degradation in skeletal muscle. mass and strength gains with resis-
enhance recovery and improve body Biochem J. 222(3):579-586. tance exercise: a meta-analysis. J
composition and strength. 5 Van Koevering, M., and Nissen, Appl Physiol. 94(2):651-659.
For experienced bodybuilders the S. (1992). Oxidation of leucine and 16 Rathmacher, J.A. (1999). Effect

jury is still out. We believe that if you alpha-ketoisocaproate to beta-hy- of the leucine metabolite beta-hy-
want benefits from HMB, you have droxy-beta-methylbutyrate in vivo. droxy-metylbutyrate on muscle
to create enough muscle damage by Am J Physiol. 262:E27-31. protein synthesis during prolonged
continually instituting new work- 6 Hewitt, J., et al. (2006). HMB bedrest. FASEB J. 13:A1025.
outs and/or lifting heavier weights. and KIC supplementation does not 17 Soares, J.M., et al. (2001). The

Further, the gains may take several reduce signs and symptoms of exer- effects of beta-hydroxy-beta-meth-
months to emerge. cise-induced muscle damage. Med ylbuturate (HMB) on muscle atro-
HMB appears to be safe and may Sci Sports Exerc. 38(5):S401. phy induced by immobilization.
even have health benefits. In par- 7 Paddon-Jones, D., et al. (2001). Med Sci Sports Exerc. 33(5):140.
ticular, if you have high cholesterol Short-term beta-hydroxy-beta- 18 Cohen, D.D. (1997). The effect

or high blood pressure, studies sug- methylbutyrate supplementation of beta-hydroxy-methylbutyrate

gest, it can help your body regulate does not reduce symptoms of ec- (HMB) and resistance training on
itself. centric muscle damage. Int J Sport changes in body composition during
Is the HMB controversy really Nutr Exerc Metab. 11(4):442-450. positive and negative energy bal-
resolved? No, but we hope you’ve 8 Nissen, S., et al. (2000). Beta-hy- ance—a randomized double-blind
gained a clearer picture of the sup- droxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) study (Master’s thesis, University of
plement and that the experts will supplementation in humans is safe London).
continue to research HMB. There is and may decrease cardiovascular 19 Vukovich, M.D., et al. (2001).

still much we need to learn about it. risk factors. J Nutr. 130(8):1937- Body composition in 70-year-old
1945. adults responds to dietary beta-hy-
Editor’s note: Gabriel Wilson 9 Baxter, J.H., et al. (2006). Attenu- droxy-beta-methylbutyrate simi-
is completing his Ph.D. in nutri- ating protein degradation and en- larly to that of young adults. J Nutr.
tion, with an emphasis on optimal hancing protein synthesis in skeletal 131(7):2049-2052.
protein requirements for muscle muscle in stressed animal model 20 Nissen, S., et al. (1994). The

growth, and is a researcher in the systems. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 38(5): effect of beta-hydroxy-beta-methyl-
Division of Nutritional Sciences, S550-S551. butyrate on growth, mortality, and
University of Illinois, Urbana. He is 10 Nissen, S.L., et al. (1997). Effect carcass qualities of broiler chickens.
vice president of the Web site ABC- of feeding beta-hydroxy-methylbu- Poult Sci. 73(1):137-155.
Bodybuilding.com. Jacob Wilson is tyrate (HMB) on body composition 21 Gallagher, P.M., et al. (2000).

a skeletal-muscle physiologist and and strength of women. FASEB J. 11: Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate

researcher in the Department of Nu- A150. ingestion, Part II: Effects on hema-
trition, Food, and Exercise Science, 11 Nosaka, K., et al. (2001). The re- tology, hepatic and renal function.
Florida State University, Tallahassee. peated bout effect of reduced-load Med Sci Sports Exerc. 32(12):2116-
He is also president of the Web site eccentric exercise on elbow flexor 2119.
ABCBodybuilding.com. muscle damage. Eur J Appl Physiol. 22 Coelho, C. C. (2001). Effects

85(1-2):34-40. of HMB supplementation on LDL

12 Kreider, R.B., et al. (1999). cholesterol, strength and body com-
References
Effects of calcium beta-hydroxy- position of patients with hypercho-
1 Wilson, G.J.; Wilson, J.M.; and beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) lesterolemia. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
Manninen, A.H. (2008). Effects of supplementation during resistance- 33(5):340.
beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate training on markers of catabolism, 23 Gallagher, P.M., et al. (2000).
Neveux \ Model: Steve Namat

(HMB) on exercise performance body composition and strength. Int Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate

and body composition across vary- J Sports Med. 20(8):503-509. ingestion, Part I: Effects on strength
ing levels of age, sex, and training 13 Nissen, S.L., et al. (1996). Ef- and fat free mass. Med Sci Sports
experience: A review. Nutr Metab fect of beta-hydroxy-methylbutyr- Exerc. 32(12):2109-2115. IM
(Lond). 5:1. ate (HMB) supplementation on
2 Hong, S.O., and Layman, D.K. strength and body composition of

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 157

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 Muscle Fiber ences that averaged 19 to 20 inches,

Fact
the researchers fully expected the
bodybuilders to show far larger
muscle fibers than the students had.
After all, muscle growth involves
a thickening of muscle fibers as a
result of intense exercise, which
causes increased muscle protein
synthesis. Yet when viewed under

.
the microscope, the muscle fibers of

v s the massive bodybuilders weren’t all

that different from those of the far

Fiction
less muscular students. How could
that be?
The researchers suggested that
years of heavy and intense training
had encouraged a process called
hyperplasia, which is a splitting of
muscle fibers. So while the body-
builders’ individual muscle fibers

New Findings Reveal weren’t larger than normal, they’d

produced far more of them. As the
fibers themselves weren’t counted,

the Truth Behind Muscle the hyperplasia hypothesis re-

mained speculative, but how else
to explain the notable disparity in

Growth muscle size between the bodybuild-

ers and the students?
A more recent study also pro-
by Jerry Brainum 3) Type 2B are most the ame- duced a number of surprises. Once
Photography by Michael Neveux nable to growth. They’re the again, champion bodybuilders
“strength and size” fibers. They were compared to ordinary college
It’s no secret that having favorable have a low resistance to fatigue, students. The bodybuilders all con-
genetics gives you a significant as they lack the extensive blood sumed a high-protein diet, averag-
head start on bodybuilding success. vessels and mitochondria present ing 200 to 220 grams daily, and none
Muscle fibers can be among those in type 1 fibers. They work mainly had used anabolic steroids for two
genetic advantages. Longer muscles, through anaerobic metabolism. years prior to the study—or so they
which have more muscle fibers, can On the other hand, type 2B fibers said. They trained regularly four to
produce greater rates of muscular have the thickest motor neuron six times a week, for three to four
growth. The number of fibers is connections, which means they hours at each session. The muscles
determined at birth, although the produce greater force than the examined in the study were the
types of fibers may be subject to other kinds of fibers. front thighs, and the bodybuilders’
change to a certain extent. Take, for leg routines averaged two sessions
example, the calf muscles. Having Muscle fibers are recruited in a week. They did 12 sets of 10 to 20
high calves usually means you have a certain order, with type 1 fibers reps, using 70 to 90 percent of one-
fewer muscle fibers in your calves, being activated first, followed in rep-maximum weights.
which translates into less potential order by the type 2As and 2Bs. Most Note that the study examined
for growth. That doesn’t preclude exercise physiology textbooks say single muscle fibers. Since the type
muscle growth; it just means that that type 2B fibers can be recruited 2B fibers are the muscle fibers most
the odds of obtaining massive calves only by heavy weight and high likely to grow, it stands to reason
are stacked against you. intensity. For years bodybuild- that the bodybuilders in the study
Human muscle fibers come in ers have been told that they need would have an abundance of such
three main types: heavy weights and high intensity fibers, or at least more of them than
to achieve gains in muscle size and the other kinds of muscle fibers.
1) Type 1, or slow-twitch, are strength. That’s because they need The reality was that they showed
smaller and generally more suited to activate type 2B muscle fibers. a higher portion of types 1 and 2A
to endurance, or aerobic, activity. Years ago a study was published fibers, with a complete absence of
that compared the muscle fibers type 2Bs. How could that be?
2) Type 2A are intermediate, in elite competitive bodybuild- Training. Typical bodybuilding
showing some of the characteris- ers to those of unathletic physical training isn’t characterized by using
tics of types 1 and 2B fibers. education students. Because the maximum weight for six reps or
bodybuilders had arm circumfer- fewer but instead involves higher

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Model: Ahmad Ahmad \ Illustration by Brett Miller

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 163

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 New research shows that the
best bodybuilders have an
abundance of fast-twitch type adapts by spurring the development
2A fibers, not 2Bs, as was of the muscle fibers most efficient
once believed. Type 2As have for the purpose: type 2A fibers.
an aerobic component, which While type 2Bs have low fatigue
means that the best formula resistance, 2As have intermediate
for development is to do sets fatigue resistance. Type 2B fibers
in the 10-rep range. last less than a minute before fa-
tigue sets in, while 2As can go for
five minutes. One reason is that 2A
fibers contain more mitochondria—
the cell’s energy factory—than type
2Bs and are more efficient at using
oxygen, thus making fuel more
available.
As for type 2Bs, the authors say
that in bodybuilders they work
more or less as reserve fibers. When
recruited during exercise, they
convert into the type 2A fibers that
are so abundant in bodybuilders.
Interestingly, high numbers of type
2B fibers are found in obese women
and in those with spinal cord inju-
ries, in the latter case likely as the
body’s way of compensating for the
injury.
One limitation of the study, the
authors suggest, is that the body-
builders might have been born with
greater numbers of type 2 muscle
fibers, thus having a genetic pre-
disposition toward more muscle
growth.
What does it all mean in a practi-
cal sense? More than anything that
bodybuilders’ knowledge is empiri-
cal. They’ve discovered from years
of experience that using weights
that give them a range of eight to
12 reps yields the most muscle
growth. Now we know why: Because
of the middle-of-the-road type 2A
fibers, which have characteristics
of both aerobic and anaerobic
muscle fibers. So for maximum
training progress it’s best to gear
your training for the type 2As. That
doesn’t mean it’s useless to use
heavy weights that give you six reps
or fewer per set. They’re great for
strengthening connective tissue
and for activating the type 2B fibers
that will transform into 2A fibers
Model: Ahmad Ahmad

with continued training. [For more,

see page 166, “3D Muscle Fiber Size
Increases.”]

Kesiidis, N., et al. (2008). Myosin

heavy chain isoform distribution in
reps, less rest time between sets and 2As, which have some of the charac- single fibers of bodybuilders. Eur J
high training intensity. It turns out teristics of both strength and en- Appl Physiol. 103(5):579-83. IM
that this style of training favors the durance, exactly matching the way
transformation of fibers into type most bodybuilders train. The body

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 3D Muscle Fiber Size Increases
The following is adapted from the e-book 3D Muscle first, followed by the mediums, followed by the highs.
Building (2006). That will train many fiber types. More important, the
With so many opinions and theories floating fast twitchers will be forced to rely on some aerobic
around, it’s tough to separate muscle fiber fact from capacity, and therein lies one of the big keys to more
fiction. For example, it used to be generally accepted size.
that the fast-twitch type 2Bs were best for growth. It also explains why X Reps—end-of-set partials
They’re supposedly pure anaerobic fibers. New infor- done at the max-force point on the stroke—are so ef-
mation seems to say otherwise, however, pointing to fective; for example, eight-inch partials done near the
the type 2As as the fibers that are fast-twitch, or an- bottom of an incline press. When you reach exhaus-
aerobic, but also have an endurance component. That tion on a set of, say, nine reps, and you extend the set
gives you a double-layered size effect—if you train with X Reps, you can activate more fast-twitch 2As,
them correctly. Here’s how Designing Resistance Train- build more endurance capacity in the ones that are
ing Programs, by Steven J. Fleck, Ph.D., and William J. already firing and, therefore, make the set even more
Kraemer, Ph.D., clears the air: effective—two to four times more powerful at acceler-
“Several subtypes of type 2 fibers have been dis- ating a mass increase.
covered. Type 2A fibers possess good aerobic and What about rep ranges of more than 15? For most
anaerobic characteristics, whereas muscles a tension time that long
type 2B fibers possess good anaero- causes too much accumulation of
bic characteristics but poor aerobic fatigue products, which derails high-
characteristics.” threshold, fast-twitch recruitment
early. A few muscles, like calves,
Fleck and Kraemer take the subject appear to be exceptions in most
a little further, however: people because they’ve adapted
“It now appears that the type 2B to high-endurance demands over
fibers may in fact be just a pool of time. That would explain why those
unused fibers (with low oxidative who train exclusively with high reps
ability) that on recruitment start a tend to have a more stringy appear-
transformation process to the type ance—they aren’t getting at enough
Model: Johnathan Lawson

2A fiber type. Dramatic reductions fast-twitch 2As to stimulate appre-

in type 2B fibers occur with heavy ciable size increases, and they lean
resistance training.” more toward aerobically conditioned
muscle. Longer rep ranges don’t stress
Interesting—and it explains a lot of the anaerobic capacity of the 2As,
what bodybuilders experience by trial plus, because of fatigue products, the
and error. For example, low reps don’t build a lot of muscle craps out early, before the high-threshold 2As
muscle for most trainees. Why? Well, fiber-transforma- get in on the action. You just don’t get enough fast-
tion research suggests that 2As are king. With low-rep twitch stimulation or involvement.
training those 2As don’t all develop to their full capac- It’s best for drug-free bodybuilders to do an aver-
ity because they aren’t being stressed enough from an age of two sets of nine to 12 reps per multijoint ex-
endurance standpoint. They get anaerobic stress only. ercise with continuous tension—that is, in nonlock
Critical excess development from endurance-oriented style—extending at least one of those sets with X Reps.
stress doesn’t occur unless you keep tension time, the After you’ve been doing straight sets for a number
length of a set, at around 30 seconds—you do want of months, as listed in the 3D POF Every-Other-Day
that excess development, don’t you? Revised Size Surge program [in 3D Muscle Building],
In other words, with lower reps you’re getting only you can begin adding other extended-set techniques,
half of the 2As’ growth potential—the anaerobic part— such as drop sets.
not to mention that low reps tend to stress the tendons There are more advanced techniques as well, such
and ligaments more and cause the nervous system to as X Fade and Double-X Overload. Drop sets contain
crap out earlier than medium-rep-range sets do. an endurance component because you work two sets
The 2As have both endurance and anaerobic ca- back to back, so 2As can get their endurance-growth
pabilities, so it makes sense that they have the most requirement as well as anaerobic stress—very effi-
potential for growth—you can stress both facets of the cient! Double drops with lower rep ranges can also be
muscle cell for a double-layered size effect. Does that beneficial—six reps, reduce the poundage, five reps,
mean low reps don’t build muscle? No, but the growth reduce the poundage, three or four reps. Add X Reps
is limited until the endurance capacities of the fast- into that mix, and you really have a potent mass-build-
twitch fibers are developed. ing sequence—if you can stand the pain.
So on most sets you should strive for 10 reps, to get —Steve Holman
a tension time of about 30 seconds—if you’re after
maximum muscle size. That’s assuming an average rep Editor’s note: The e-book 3D MuscleBuilding is
speed of three seconds—1.5 up and 1.5 down. A half available at www.3DMuscleBuilding.com or
minute of tension will trigger the size principle of fiber X-Rep.com. IM
recruitment—low-threshold motor units recruited

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 40 Is the
New 20
How to Get Bigger and Better With Age

by Eric Broser
Photography by Michael Neveux
Part 2
B
y the time you read this, program on squats, leg presses, group, which includes better overall
it should be just a few deadlifts, bent-over rows, bench shape, lines and tie-ins.
weeks before my 40th presses, incline presses, weighted I also am seeking better separa-
birthday, which will occur dips, military presses, barbell curls tion between muscle groups and
on October 31. Yes, I was born on and skull crushers. improved proportion and aesthet-
Halloween, and I’ve already heard Unlike many misinformed begin- ics. In order to accomplish those
all the jokes (I never take my mask ners I stayed away from the fancy things, I now use many different
off). It’s ironic that I was born on a machine and cable exercises and exercises, as well as angles, grips
day when the tradition is to dress busted my butt with good old heavy and stances. I still include at least
up in a costume and go door to metal—it worked. I got bigger, and one basic movement per workout
door looking for all kinds of tasty I got stronger, and everyone around but also venture toward more isola-
but empty calories. Last year I tried me noticed. Most people believed I tion exercises, using dumbbells,
dressing up like Conan. But I di- was on the juice—and I was. Apple, cables and machines of all types. In
gress. grape and orange were my favor- fact, I’m constantly trying out new
What I’m really here to do is fur- ites. After many years of training ways to position my body and alter
ther discuss the differences between that way, however, I noticed that I the angle of push or pull in order
my training strategies of today vs. 15 looked more like a wrestler or foot- to target a muscle—or section of a
or 20 years ago and offer you a look ball player than a bodybuilder. I was muscle—with laserlike precision.
at my current workout and diet. a mound of mass without shape or Don’t get me wrong—I still love to
artistry. In addition, my joints were lift heavy and can still move plenty
Exercise Selection taking a real beating, and I began to of poundage, but my challenge now
accumulate my share of aches and is not just to acquire more size but
That was then: When I started pains. But that was then. to create a masterpiece.
lifting weights in my mid-teens, This is now: Nowadays my goals
I had only one goal: to get big. I are somewhat different, although Rep Range
needed muscle and bulk badly be- I’m still seeking more muscle mass
cause at 5’11 1/2” and 125 pounds and always will. More than any- That was then: Just as I under-
I looked less intimidating than my thing, however, I’m meticulously stood that the basic lifts built the
Model: Eric Broser

sister. After extensive research I attempting to sculpt the perfect most muscle, I believed that heavy
discovered that the fastest road to physique, at least as perfect as my weights and lower reps—four or
raw size was through basic, heavy own genetics will allow. My focus five per set—were the Holy Grail
movements. That’s why I based my is on refinement of every muscle of mass. That approach definitely

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 www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 175
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 Week 1: Power
Rest Between Sets: 2.5 to 3.5 minutes; lifting tempo: 3/0/X

Chest, Shoulders, Abs Undergrip bent-over

worked for several years; however,
Dumbbell bench presses 3 x 4-6 rows 3 x 4-6
after a time I found that diminish-
Smith-machine incline Close-grip seated cable
ing returns, progressively worse
presses 3 x 4-6 rows 2 x 4-6
aches and pains and nagging in-
Weighted dips 2 x 4-6 One-arm dumbbell rows 2 x 4-6
juries began to take the place of
Shoulder-width-grip Partial deadlifts 3 x 4-6
ongoing progress. That didn’t stop
barbell upright rows 3 x 4-6 Barbell shrugs 3 x 4-6
me, as I thought the solution lay in
Seated dumbbell presses 2 x 4-6 Weighted incline
going even heavier. The stronger a
Standing lateral raises 2 x 4-6 situps 2 x 12-15
muscle, the bigger a muscle, right?
Cable crunches 2 x 12-15 Supported knee-hip
Well, right and wrong. It took me
Hanging straight-leg raises 2 x 12-15
years to finally embrace the fact that
raises 2 x 12-15
muscles are made up of different
Biceps, Triceps, Forearms,
fiber types that respond uniquely to
Quads, Hams, Calves Calves
varied rep ranges and that our ana-
Hack squats 3 x 4-6 Standing alternate hammer
bolic machinery needs to be stimu-
Leg presses 3 x 4-6 curls 2 x 4-6
lated through more than just one
Smith-machine lunges 2 x 4-6 Strict barbell curls 2 x 4-6
pathway if reaching your genetic
Lying leg curls 2 x 4-6 90-degree dumbbell
potential is the goal. Yes, get stron-
Smith-machine preacher curls 2 x 4-6
ger, but do so in many rep ranges,
stiff-legged deadlifts 3 x 4-6 Smith-machine close-grip
not just one. But that was then.
Single-leg leg curls 2 x 4-6 bench presses 3 x 4-6
This is now: These days my
Leg press calf raises 4 x 6-8 Seated overhead dumbbell
training regimen has just two con-
extensions 2 x 4-6
sistent themes: intensity and varia-
Lats, Traps, Lower Back, Abs Single-arm rope
tion. Those of you who have read
Weighted wide-grip pushdowns 2 x 4-6
my articles and columns in IRON
pullups 3 x 4-6 Seated calf raises 4 x 6-8
MAN understand that I change
workout protocols every week
Week 2: Rep Range through my Power/Rep Range/
Rest between sets: 1.5 to 2.5 minutes; lifting tempo: 2/1/2/1 Shock (P/RR/S) and Fiber Damage/
Fiber Saturation (FD/FS) training
Chest, Shoulders, Abs Undergrip pulldowns 2 x 10-12 programs. The changes include not
Hammer Strength incline Close-grip Hammer only a wide variety of rep ranges
presses 2 x 7-9 Strength rows 2 x 13-15 but also lifting tempos, rests be-
Smith-machine bench Stiff-arm pulldowns 2 x 16-20 tween sets and intensity techniques.
presses to neck 2 x 10-12 Close-grip cable upright Every week my goal is to attack the
Incline dumbbell flyes 2 x 13-15 rows 2 x 10-12, 7-9 muscles differently and to force the
Bodyweight dips 2 x 16-20 Behind-the-back central nervous system to deal with
Seated lateral raises 2 x 7-9 shrugs 2 x 13-15, 10-12 a unique form of stress.
Alternate dumbbell Weight hyperextensions Whereas in the beginning my
front raises 2 x 10-12 3 x 16-20, 13-15, 10-12 training was fairly one-dimensional,
Rear-delt machine Lying straight-leg now it is utterly dynamic. Heavy
flyes 2 x 13-15 raises 2 x 16-20, 13-15 weights still play a role but are only
Standing one-arm Machine crunches one part of a multifaceted approach
dumbbell presses 1 x 16-20 2 x 13-15, 10-12 to hypertrophy. The system has
rewarded me with steady gains in
Quads, Hams, Calves Biceps, Triceps, Forearms, muscle, a lack of training-related
Smith-machine squats 2 x 7-9 Calves injuries and a far more challenging
Sissy squats 2 x 10-12 90-degree preacher and enjoyable method of working
One-leg leg presses 2 x 13-15 curls 2 x 7-9 out.
One-leg leg extensions 2 x 16-20 Low-cable curls 2 x 10-12
Seated leg curls 2 x 7-9 Reverse curls 2 x 13-15
Focus and Concentration
Lying leg curls 2 x 10-12 V-bar pushdowns 2 x 7-9
Smith-machine stiff- Seated machine close-grip That was then: Without a doubt,
legged deadlifts 3 x 13-15 bench presses 2 x 10-12 since day one in the gym I was as
Standing calf One-arm overhead serious as a heart attack and chock-
raises 1 x 10-12, 1 x 7-9 extensions 2 x 13-15 full of drive and intensity. Even
Seated calf Dumbbell kickbacks 1 x 16-20 though I always used relatively strict
raises 1 x 16-20, 1 x 13-15 One-leg calf presses form on most movements, however,
2 x 10-12, 7-9 I never really concentrated on the
Lats, Traps, Lower Back, Abs Seated calf action of the muscle while it was
Wide-grip supported raises 2 x 16-20, 13-15 working. My main goal was to move
incline rows 3 x 7-9 the weight from point A to point B

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 New 20

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 New 20

under good control, but my mind picture myself as a machine, kind attention to the signals it gives you.
was not necessarily focused on the of like the mechanics of a working Understand that building the body
mechanics of the exercise and how clock. Every repetition is deliberate is a lifelong process that requires a
my muscles actually felt while con- and precise, with my body locked more sophisticated and meticulous
tracting and lengthening. But that into a position that enables me to approach with each passing year.
was then. zero in on exactly the area of a Never look at aging as a detriment,
This is now: As the years go by, muscle that I wish to hit. I definitely though, at least not when it comes
I can feel myself developing a bet- feel that I am training on a higher to your physique. Consider that as
ter connection with each of my level these days, and I have no time goes by you can continue to
bodyparts. The old saying, “Put your doubt it’s a major contributor to my build more dense, thick and refined
mind into your muscle,” should not ability to continually improve my muscle, with more separation and
be taken lightly, as there is evidence physique. striations—more “mature” muscle,
that the more you think about the so to speak.
working muscle, the more fibers you Not Getting Older, Appearing on the cover of the
can get to fire. Exhaust more fibers, October ’08 IRON MAN at age 40
Getting Bigger
and you’re on the road to better was a dream come true for me.
gains. Unlike most sports and activities Knowing that I look better now than
When I perform a set, not only do where age often hinders perfor- I did 20 years ago only adds more
I drown out everything that’s going mance, bodybuilding lets you enjoy fuel to my motivational fire. In fact, I
on around me, but I also make continual improvements well into am hoping that I can be an IM cover
sure to feel my target muscle work your 50s and even 60s if you make man again at age 45, 50, 55 and be-
through every inch of the move- the proper adjustments to your yond, each time looking better than
ment—from the concentric to peak training and nutrition strategy. You the last. Just make sure you keep
contraction to eccentric to stretch. I need to work with nature and not your subscriptions up.
call it precision training, as I literally against it. Listen to your body. Pay

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 Week 3: FD/FS-Shock Hybrid
Rest between sets varies; lifting tempo: as listed below

Chest, Shoulders, Abs rows (1/4/X) 2 x 6-8

Incline presses (6/1/X) 2 x 4-6 One-arm dumbbell
Flat-bench flyes (2/4/X) 2 x 6-8 rows (1/4/X) 2 x 6-8
Superset: Superset
Cable crossovers 2 x 10-12 Stiff-arm pulldowns 2 x 10-12
Dumbbell pullovers 2 x 10-12 Undergrip bent-over
Hammer Strength shoulder rows 2 x 10-12
presses (6/1/X) 2 x 4-6 Superset
Behind-the-back cable Dumbbell shrugs 3 x 8-10
lateral raises (2/3/X) 2 x 6-8 Partial deadlifts 3 x 8-10
Cable one-arm Cable crunches
bent-over lateral (drop) 1 x 12-15(8-10)
raises (drop) 1 x 10-12(6-8) Superset
Superset Supported straight-leg
Weighted crunches 2 x 16-20 raises 1 x 16-20
Lying knee-hip Seated bench knee
raises 2 x 16-20 raises 1 x 16-20

Quads, Hams, Calves Biceps, Triceps, Forearms,

Lying machine squats Calves
(6/1/X) 2 x 4-6 Barbell curls (5/1/X) 2 x 4-6
Sissy squats (2/3/1) 2 x 6-8 Low-incline dumbbell
Superset curls (2/4/1) 2 x 6-8
Leg presses 2 x 10-12 Seated hammer
Leg extensions 2 x 10-12 concentration
Lying leg curls (6/1/X) 2 x 4-6 curls (drop) 1 x 10-12(6-8)
Hyperextensions (2/4/1) Weighted dips (6/1/X) 2 x 4-6
2 x 8-10 Incline EZ-curl-bar
Standing one-leg overhead extensions
curls (drop) 1 x 10-12(6-8) (2/4/X) 2 x 6-8
Superset Superset
Standing calf Reverse-grip
raises 2 x 8-10, 16-20 pushdowns 2 x 10-12
Seated calf Pushdowns 2 x 10-12
raises 2 x 8-10, 16-20 Leg press calf
raises (4/1/X) 1 x 6-8
Lats, Traps, Lower Back, Abs Leg press calf
Weighted wide-grip raises (1/4/X) 1 x 6-8
pullups (6/1/X) 2 x 4-6 Seated calf raises
Close-grip cable (drop) 1 x 12-15(8-10)

12-Week IM Cover Shoot Friday: Biceps, triceps, forearms,

Training Program calves

In order to arrive in top condi-

tion for my photo shoot, I began to My program was divided into four
prepare approximately 12 weeks three-week cycles of Power (week
beforehand, using a two-days-on/ 1), Rep Range (week 2) and FD/FS
one-day-off/two-days-on/two- Shock (week 3). After each three-
days-off training schedule. I believe week cycle I would begin again,
that’s the optimal way to stimulate but each time with a different set of
hypertrophy, as it allows for proper exercises. The programs listed are
recovery and repair. I split my an example of one full three-week
bodyparts as follows: cycle.

Monday: Chest, shoulders, abs Editor’s note: You can read Eric
Broser’s features on P/RR/S and
Tuesday: Quads, hams, calves FD/FS training at www.IronMan
Thursday: Lats, traps, lower back, Magazine.com. They’re located in
abs the PDF Library section. IM

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

 Presents

Get
Big

186 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 &
Strong
A Best-of-Both-Worlds Workout
by Michael Roussell
Photography by Michael Neveux

The ideal is being big and strong. Many bodybuilders catch

a lot of flak for having the muscles but not the strength to
back them up. Times have changed from the golden age of
bodybuilding. Franco Columbu and Arnold Schwarzenegger
were big and strong.
How could anyone forget the scene in “Pumping Iron” when
Franco was in his hometown on Sardinia, off the coast of
Italy? Not only did he look as if he could lift a car, he
did lift a car. While the big-and-strong routine won’t
automatically enable you to lift a car, it will help you pack on
some serious beef while making you strong as an ox—okay,
Model: Mehmet Yildirim

enough with the bovine metaphors. (continued on page 190)

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 187

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 Presents
Big-and-Strong Principles Training Program
This routine has four corner- Let’s put it all together with the Start
stones. big-and-strong training program.
It consists of two types of work-
1) Constant variation of the outs—strength and hypertrophy—
set-and-rep schemes. By con- with two workouts of each type.
tinually varying the set-and-rep The training schedule alternates
scheme of your workout, you’ll the four workouts as follows:
prevent your muscles from adapt-
ing. By keeping them guessing, Monday: Hypertrophy A
you’ll be providing the optimal
environment for optimal growth. Wednesday: Strength B
Variety in your sets and reps will Friday: Strength A
also keep training fresh for you.
Nothing is more boring than Monday: Hypertrophy B
doing three sets of 10 week after

Model: Mike Dragna

Wednesday: Strength A
week.
Friday: Cycle begins again
2) Movement selection. Step
away from the leg extension FRONT
machine. The big-and-strong
program is designed to be both
SQUATS
effective and efficient. I’m not Finish
looking to waste your time, so we
leave out isolation movements.

You need high-yield exercises

that maximize muscle stimula-
tion and stress numerous muscle
groups at once. What am I getting
You need
at? Compound, multijoint move- high-yield
ments give you the biggest bang
for your buck and should be the exercises that
cornerstone of any routine when
you’re looking to put on size and maximize muscle
strength.
stimulation and
3) Training frequency. Many
people get stuck in the pattern stress numerous
of training each bodypart once a
week out of fear of overtraining. muscle groups at
Fortunately, if you reduce your
per-session bodypart training
once. Compound,
volume, you can increase your
weekly bodypart volume without
multijoint
running the risk of overtraining.
In fact, the increase in volume
movements give
will stimulate more muscle
growth.
you the biggest
4) Training through soreness.
bang for your
This is a great tip I learned from buck.
strength coach Chad Waterbury.
Initially it seems like a bad idea
and something that could again
lead to overtraining; however, as
long as you stimulate and don’t
annihilate your muscles, train-
ing through soreness will lead to
decreased soreness and increased
fitness.

190 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Here are the workouts:
By continually varying On paper the workouts may not
seem that tough, but wait until you
Hypertrophy A
Front squats 6x6 the set-and-rep scheme finish the first week—you’ll be sing-
ing a different tune.
Seated dumbbell presses 5 x 10
Seated close-grip of your workout, you’ll Editor’s note: Michael Roussell
cable rows 5 x 10
Hypertrophy B prevent your muscles from has a B.S. in biochemistry and is
currently pursuing an M.D. at the
Deadlifts 6x6
Close-grip bench presses 3 x 12 adapting. Variety in your University of Vermont with the in-
tent of specializing in rehabilitation
Chinups 3 x 12
sets and reps will also keep medicine. For more of his articles,
visit www.Bodybuilding.com. IM
Strength A
Narrow-stance squats 7x4 training fresh for you.
Push presses (overhead) 7x4
Dumbbell rows 7x4
Strength B Start
Stiff-legged deadlifts 7x4
Dumbbell bench presses 7x4
Upright rows 7x4

As you progress with the big-and-

strong program, you can change the
loading parameters by adding sets

Model: Brian Yersky

to the 3x12 and 7x4 exercises and
reducing the rest periods between
sets of the 6x6 and 5x10 exercises.
DEADLIFTS Start

CHINUPS
Model: David Yeung

Finish Finish
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 191
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202 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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3D -X
Training
by Steve Holman and
Jonathan Lawson
Photography by Michael Neveux
Q: I notice from your partials done at the end of a set, one
Q&A
efficient and always evolving. That’s
training blog that you of the most efficient mass-building what we’re all about—and why X
rarely do more than two tactics you can use. Reps and X-hybrid techniques are
At exhaustion, when the key a big part of the efficient fast-mass
work sets for an exercise. fast-twitch growth fibers are fi- solution.
Why? Most bodybuilders nally engaged, you don’t stop the Q: I have high lats,
do four or five sets per set. You move the resistance to the which makes my waist
exercise. point at which the target muscle is
strongest—like near the bottom of
look very long. How do I
A: As Arthur Jones, the creator of
Nautilus machines, said, “You can a chinup—and you continue to do develop the lower section
train hard, or you can train long, eight-inch partial reps. Yes, it hurts, so my lats go down far-
but you can’t do both.” Short and but that extends the set and forces ther on my waist?
hard or long and not so hard each more key fast-twitch activation for A: As we’ve said, you can’t length-
work. Despite what some diehard exponential growth stimulation. The en a muscle with exercise; for ex-
high-intensity trainers say, gradu- hurt, or burn, triggers more growth ample, you can’t make your biceps
ally increasing volume is a form of hormone release, a potent muscle or calves longer to fill in gaps below
overload that can result in more builder and fat burner. the attachment point. You can,
muscle—if you don’t overdo inten- Another way to make your work- however, get more development in
sity. It’s a balancing act. Us? We’re out more efficient is to change your certain segments of a muscle to cre-
about efficiency of effort in the gym. hand or foot position slightly on ate the illusion of more length. Lats
In other words, we want to build each set. For example, if you do two are a good example.
the most muscle in the shortest sets of incline presses, use a grip Stretch-position exercises and X-
time with the shortest workouts that’s slightly wider than shoulder Rep partials done in the stretch po-
possible. Why? To keep our lives width on the first set and move your sition can create more sarcomeres
sane—and keep our jobs—we can hands in to shoulder width on the at a muscle’s insertion point. In
train only four days a week on our second. That can change the angle other words, the muscle gets more
lunch break. If we chose the volume of pull on the target muscle slight- density and detail where it attaches.
approach, we’d have to train after ly—and one slight change can pro- The two best exercises for lower lats,
work for 2 1/2 hours five to six days duce big gains. It’s all about creating which are near the insertion point,
a week—and our families would new adaptation through variation. are dumbbell pullovers and under-
probably have us put in a padded That’s very important because the grip pulldowns.
room somewhere. Plus, when hard body can adapt to one style of train- Dumbbell pullovers create a more
training and long training begin to ing after only two or three workouts. severe stretch, but they can also be
commingle, steroids become neces- Keep making changes, such as alter- more dangerous to the shoulders. If
sary for most trainees, and we refuse nating the use of end-of-set X Reps you find pullovers difficult or pain-
to go that route. with X-hybrid tactics like Double-X ful, use undergrip pulldowns or
Life and time constraints have Overload, X Only, Forced-X Over- undergrip chins instead. With those
us relying on tactics like drop sets load and so on. you get a decent stretch when your
and rest/pause for slight volume If you have tons of time, good arms are extended—you should feel
increases because they don’t add a recovery ability and no family life, a distinct pull in the lower lats—and
lot of time to the workout. X Reps volume training can work. If you’re then a cramping contraction when
Model: Omar Deckard

and X-hybrid techniques, of course, in our boat—short on time but still the bar is at your upper chest, upper
can make a single work set as effec- want to look like a ripped body- arms squeezed against your lats.
tive as two to four regular work sets. builder—you’ll need to figure out The contraction is something you
Take the simple concept of X-Rep ways to make your workouts more don’t get with pullovers—plus you
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 203
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 get muscle synergy from the biceps. 3D Muscle-
Very efficient. Building, the
Once you start hitting this exer- Positions-
cise hard and adding X-Rep partials of-Flexion
at the semistretch point—just be- manual, you
fore your arms fully extend—you still focus on
should see more thickness and out- the midrange
ward sweep in your lower lats. No, exercise, doing
they won’t look like they’re attached it first—chins,
down on your hip bones, but the squats, bench
new development will improve the presses,
“hanging” look of your lats, giving etc.—but you
you a wider, fuller back. follow with
Q: I’ve been lifting for stretch-posi-
about a year and a half, tion work and
contracted-
trying to build a mass position exer-
base, but it’s just not cises. Those
happening very fast. I like two unique
the idea of 3D Positions mass builders
of Flexion [training each develop the
muscle in it’s midrange,
stretch and contracted
positions], but almost
everyone I talk with says
to stick with the big, basic
exercises and forget
about isolation. Should
Model: Markus Reinhardt

I just continue using the

Undergrip pulldowns are an excellent

Model: Brain Yersky

big basics and hope I addition to standard pulldowns or chins
build size and strength, or because they provide more stretch in the
is now the time for me to lower lats, at the muscle insertion.
try 3D POF?
A: Using only the big, basic exer- muscle via pathways different from off blood flow to a working muscle
cise like squats for quads—what we the basic force producers. activates a lot of different fiber
call midrange-position moves—is Stretch-position exercises are types, and it develops the cell mito-
fine for, say, a six-week phase decent force generators, but they’ve chondria and capillary beds. That
every so often. We firmly believe, also been linked to hyperplasia, all adds another unique muscle-size
though, that those who make big or fiber splitting, and anabolic pathway.
gains using only big exercises have hormone release in muscle tis- So, yes, you should still use the
an abundance of fast-growing sue. In our e-books we discuss the big exercises, but add stretch- and
fast-twitch fibers and exceptional animal study that produced a 300 contracted-position moves—at least
nerve-to-muscle connections, a.k.a. percent muscle gain in only one for a few training phases during the
neuromuscular efficiency. They’re month. That shows the incredible year. That will give you fuller, more
genetically gifted, unlike the major- mass-building power of stretching complete muscular development no
ity. a muscle against heavy resistance, matter what your genetics. Even if
Remember, the big basics are something you don’t get with most you’re not gifted with loads of fast-
geared to elicit max-force gen- compound, or midrange, exercises. twitch fibers, you can still look like a
eration, which primarily builds the Then there are contracted-posi- ripped, muscular bodybuilder when
fast-twitch fibers at the power level. tion exercises, like leg extensions, you peel off your shirt by developing
If you can’t contract a lot of those leg curls, concentration curls and all aspects of the fibers you do have.
fibers or simply don’t have a lot of pushdowns. Those build mass at a
them to begin with, you have to different level as well. They provide Editor’s note: For more on X
use a more efficient mass-building continuous tension, which results in Reps, 3D Positions of Flexion and
approach, like 3D POF, to get big- occlusion, which is the blockage of e-books and programs that incor-
ger, fuller muscles so you look like a blood flow, and that alone has been porate those mass-building tactics,
bodybuilder. shown to build muscle size. Choking visit www.X-Rep.com. IM
As we explain in the e-book
204 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 LONNIE TEPER’S

’08 NPC USA

Brandon

It’s an (Expert) Curry.

Wrap
All About Jaguar Jon Lindsay’s
Big Vegas Show
• Although I could understand why some
folks—especially Muscular Development’s Dave
“Jumbo” Palumbo and his colleagues—thought
Michael Liberatore should have been the USA
champ, the Swami’s precontest selection of
Brandon Curry was the right choice according
to the judges. And light-heavyweight winner Curtis
Bryant’s getting the second pro card in a close call
over superheavyweight champ Ed Nunn was a
good selection too.
Yes, Curry does need to bring up his wheels—I
noted that on our “Inside Look at the 2008 USA”
preview video—but “Liberace,” the heavyweight
winner at the ’08 Junior Nationals, needs to bring Mark
up his back. So I say the decision to award the Alvisi.
class trophy here to Curry’s aesthetic physique over
the more conditioned Liberatore was correct.
Hey, the heavyweight class was the only one that was
rejudged at the finals—every other division produced
a unanimous victory. A single digit separated the two
stars—so Palumbo’s viewpoint should not be seen as
that of a biased trainer. Which, of course, he is. Dave set
a new record by working with 36 guys who competed at
the USA. Just joshin’, Dave; I know it was only 26. The
other 10 were women.
A potential Liberatore-Mark Alvisi rematch at the
Nationals (Alvisi, who took fourth at the USA, bested
Fredrick

Liberatore at the NPC Arnold in 2007) should make “The Experts” at the USA.
promoter Steve Karel smile. An inside source tells me,
though, that Alvisi was only 204 onstage in Vegas and could be
dropping down a class at the Nationals. I say Alvisi, one of this
month’s Rising Stars, could make things very difficult for Peter
Putnam and Al Auguste in the light-heavyweight division. What
do you think, Peter?
• People need to be a little less harsh on Branden Ray after
his second-place finish behind Bryant in the light heavies. Yes, Ray
did get big-time promotion throughout the year, mostly from MD
(shoot, the guy has a contract with them; what else would you
expect?), but that wasn’t his fault. Some folks just set the bar too
high and forgot to realize that it was only Ray’s third contest ever. Troy Tate (left) and
I actually had Troy Tate finishing second to Bryant—and I’m Branden Ray.
far from the Lone Ranger in that opinion—but even if Branden had
placed third, it would have been nothing to be ashamed of. Ray,

208 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 FIST BUMP?
Or is Flex
just really
L.T. SAYS glad to TAT TALE
Kim will see him? Recognize
conquer. Pages 211 this artwork?
Page 210 and 212 Page 213

Curtis
Bryant. who turned 29 in August, had dropped all the
way down to 186 by the time he weighed in;
another year of training—adding thickness and
detail to his back and another 10 pounds to his
5’6” frame—should produce a vastly improved
version in 2009.
• Nathan DeTracy, the 5’5”, 171-pound
middleweight champ, might have been the best
conditioned athlete onstage—yes, even bet-
ter than Liberatore. Even so, there will be no
Nationals for Ned in 2008; he’s getting hitched
and says he’ll be back next year—but as a light
heavyweight. Hmmm. DeTracy, Ray, Tate and
Nathan who knows who else?—there’s a terrific battle
DeTracy. brewing for the ’09 USA. Should we start the
hype now, Jaguar?
• Bryant wins my award for the Smartest
Competitor. Why? He listened to me after last
year’s Nationals, after mucho resistance, and
dropped about 10 pounds, moving from his
Jaguar Jon
Edward usual spot in the heavyweight class to the light heav-
Lindsay.
Nunn. ies. Curtis felt he’d been getting overlooked in major
shows; I agreed but knew he could come in at the top
of the lighter division and be the best conditioned. He
did and was, and you saw the results.
• Was Sean Allan just worn out after competing
in his third contest in less than two months, resulting
in his ninth-place finish in the supers? Or did anybody
besides Isaac Hinds notice what the Swami said
prior to the contest—that the big man has never
nailed it in prime time.
Allan, at 6’4” and about 275 pounds, has a terrific
upper body but needs to improve his wheels, hams
and glutes. He was never in the running at the USA,
despite his assuring anyone who would listen that he
was going to kick the tush of everyone who dared to
stand next to him onstage.
I’ve always gotten a kick out of the eccentric gentle
giant. It was a humbled Allan that I interviewed the
Avidan

morning after the contest. The guy admitted he’d

been way off form but was still convinced that he
should have finished in the top five. Sean, who cur-
rently lives in New Jersey, told me he’s moving to So
Martin Cal in the near future and that he’s not going to let this
Burger. L.T. and setback stand in the way of the pro card he’s been seeking for the
Sean Allan. past few years. I love the quotes, Sean. Keep ’em coming.
• One of the best, and underappreciated, bodybuilders in the
NPC, Shavis Higa, says he’ll be passing on the Nationals to con-
centrate on winning his fourth class at the USA in ’09. Higa added
USA photography by Merv

the welterweight crown to his USA résumé, which also includes

wins in the bantamweight and lightweight categories, and will move
up again—to the middleweights—next season.
• Joe Pearson was one of the biggest surprises of the con-
test, winning the lightweight class after finishing fourth in the welter-
weights at both the ’07 Team Universe and the ’08 Junior Nationals.
• Marty Burger proved that age is just a number, as the 47-
Avidan

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 209

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 Kim Klein Joe
year-old came out on top in the bantams. and L.T. Pearson.
• “The Experts” proved true to form despite not having been
together since the Arnold Classic. Naturally, I led the way with the
most correct picks—three (Curry, Bryant and Higa); Isaac made the
worst prognostication (Allan) and Yogi Avidan had the luckiest se-
lection (Burger). Avidan, who lusts after food the way Ron Jeremy
craves his video co-stars, thought I was asking what he wanted to
eat when I queried him about his choice for the bantams.
As you can see in the postcontest wrapup video (find it at Iron
ManMagazine.com), Yogi quickly responded, “I’ll take a burger,”
thus avoiding a shutout. Hinds does get credit for reminding me
about Nunn, who swept the superheavyweight division, and was
another one who picked Liberatore to win the heavies prior to the
show. He did say in the wrapup that DeTracy was in even better
shape than Michael. So the Lifter had a good weekend, avoiding an
anticipated suspension (again) from the team.
By the time you read this, our Mr. Olympia predictions video,
done in intense heat at the pool on Sunday morning after the USA,
will have been posted at IronManMagazine.com for a while. In it Shavis

Fredrick
you’ll notice that both Hinds and Avidan changed their picks to mir- Higa.
ror my choice of Jay Cutler, stated previously in the USA wrapup.
Better to swallow a bit of pride rather than
have to run and hide, eh, guys?
• Steve Stone’s X-Team expedition crew
did another super job of running the show
and helping me look good as we finished the
whole shebang at 9:45 p.m., a new record.
It helps, natch, to have this season’s Fitness
International champ (and my pick to win the
Fitness Olympia), Kim Klein, working closely
with me. Yes, Klein was quite divine.

Tampa Pro—The X-Factor

Toney Freeman fans who were wonder- From left: Dan Solomon, Tim Gardner, Chris
ing if we’d seen the best of the X-Man got Dickerson, Rob Wilkins and Bob Cicherillo.
a partial answer when Toney Terrific edged
Dennis James by a single digit in Tim Gardner’s event, Toney
which was held in August, two weeks after the USA. I wasn’t at Freeman.
the show, but from the reports I’ve gotten—and the photos I’ve
seen—Freeman was holding water at the prejuding but got sharp-
er at the finals and deserved the close win over James. Freeman
appeared to be about 90 percent of his best, which makes sense
since he was headed for the Europa in Dallas the following week-
end. The former IRON MAN Pro champion is also going to com-
pete in the Atlantic City Pro two weeks before the Olympia.
Man, Toney, that’s a long time to hold. Can you still be at your
best onstage in Vegas at the end of September? Beating Dennis
the Menace is no small achievement, for sure, but dealing with
Jay Cutler, Dexter Jackson, Dennis Wolf, Phil Heath,
Silvio Samuel and company at the Orleans Arena is another
Tampa Pro photography by Ron Avidan

matter.
Dave Palumbo, who worked with you, says he had you on
zero carbs for eight weeks prior to the Tampa show, so I guess James
the torture will continue. If you’re not smiling when I see you at the “Flex”
O, I’ll totally understand. And I’ll pop for the cheesecake after the Lewis.
show. On second thought, that’s Palumbo’s duty.
Congrats to David Henry on his victory in the 202-and-under con-
test and on finishing third behind Freeman and James in the main event.
In the photos nobody was in better shape than Henry. I think he could
(didn’t say should, knuckleheads) have won the show despite being half
Freeman’s size.
Now, don’t get me started again on my feelings about athletes being

210 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Sara Matheson and able to cross over and compete in both divisions. As
Keith Williams. of now that’s what the rule book allows, so I’ll ac-
knowledge it and give props to Henry for his double-
duty work.
On the subject of crossovers, James “Flex”
Lewis had a superb weekend, finishing second
behind O. Henry in the 202-and-under and landing
in seventh in the open show, right behind Tarek
Elsetouhi, this season’s amateur Arnold winner.
Jaroslav Horvath finished behind Lewis in both
contests.
Gee, the “little” guys finished third, seventh and
eighth, respectively, out of what, a field of 44? And
Henry would not have been a bad choice for first.
Guess there really isn’t much of a disadvantage in
going up against the larger fellas, eh? Oops, there
I go, talking about the topic I said I wouldn’t get
started on. Just can’t help myself—especially when
I’m right.
A nice tribute took place during the latter part of
Laura
the show when former Mr. Olympia Chris Dicker-
Teper
Teper

Bailey.
son was honored with the in-
augural Ben Weider Lifetime
Achievement Award for his
Teper contributions to the industry
over the past three decades.

Flex
Wheeler,
Blasts From
Shawn the Past
Ray,
Kevin It had been several years
Levrone since I’d hosted an event in
and L.T. Chris Minnesota, so I was both
Bongiovani. surprised and pleased to find
out I’d be heading back to the
Minneapolis-St. Paul area to
emcee the Flex Wheeler Classic, which was held a couple
of weeks before the USA. Why Minnesota for the Fresno,
California, raised Wheeler, who produced this contest in his
David
Henry. hometown last year? Because, after not being able to se-
cure a date for the 2008 show, Team Flex Wheeler member
Jason Gilmore, who was raised in Minnesota, decided to
check out his old stomping grounds, and a deal was struck
for the Minneapolis Convention Center.
Wheeler’s buds Kevin Levrone and Shawn Ray
flew in for the weekend, and Silvio Samuel was secured
by Wheeler’s best friend, Robin Chang (yes, that Robin
Chang—the fella who produces the Olympia), to fill in for an
allegedly injured Gustavo Badell as the guest poser.
A seminar took place after the prejuding, featuring the
above-mentioned folks (sans Chang, of course) and Jeff
Golini of All-American EFX. In an, ah, interesting bit of
news, Wheeler announced that he’ll put up a million bucks
to prove that his huge pipes are not inflated with synthol.
(Perhaps they’re inflated with air, just to help out with the gas
crisis?)
Anyway, it was a special moment when I brought up
Wheeler, Ray and Levrone during the finals—three of the
Dennis greatest bodybuilders of all time, whose classic battles in
James. the ’90s remain among the highlights of my career as both a
journalist and emcee. For the first time ever I could actually
go pose for pose with at least two of them. I was more con-

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 211

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 ditioned than Sugar Shawn and bigger than Kevin. Okay, so I’m
exaggerating a bit, but check out the accompanying photo, and
tell me I wouldn’t be able to hold my own. Even if you have to lie.
Congrats to men’s winner Keith Williams, women’s champ
Sara Matheson and figure winner Laura Bailey, who came all
the way from Bakersfield, California, to dominate the action. Say
Laura, did I ask you why you didn’t compete in my Junior Cal in
Pasadena three weeks earlier? Oh, yes, I do remember that now.
Either way, you looked good, girl.
Former pro star Chris Bongiovani, who’s now the NPC
state chair in Minnesota, did a good job of keeping the prejudging
running smoothly. Keep up the good work, Chris, and I hope we’ll
see each other at the same place, same time, next year.

ADD CELEBRITIES: A HELPING SAN—Speaking of stars

coming out, there were a slew of big-time athletes and celebs
from the world of entertainment at the Marcus Allen Celebrity
Invitational Poker and Golf Tournament, which was held in June at
the Lucky Strike in Hollywood and at the Westlake Country Club.
Maybe you’ll recognize some of them: Joe Thiesman, Ron-
nie Lott, Barry Bonds, Willie Gault, Charles Barkley,
Emmit Smith, Edwin Moses and Clyde Drexler. A dude
I knew well back at World Gym, Pasadena, in the ’90s, Dennis
Haysbert, also participated, as did his fellow thespian Kevin
Sorbo.
My, Dennis has done well for himself, rising to the highest office
of all, President of the United States. Well, at least he was in
his role as David Palmer on the television drama “24.” And he’s
great in his current role as Jonas Blaine on “The Unit” too. From Jay
what I remember, he’s not too shabby on the links, either. Bednar.
Joining in at the worthwhile event, where all proceeds were
donated to All-Stars Helping Kids (founded by former NFL star
Lott), were representatives from SAN (www.sann.net), which
donated supplements and information on nutrition.
“The event was a wonderful experience,” said Joe Koch,
SAN’s vice president of sales. “Some of the athletes were ex-
tremely excited to explore the variety of our advanced supple-
ments and became loyal customers and fans of our brands.
We received many follow-up phone calls, thanking us for help-
ful advice on how to stay fit and boost their training with our
supplements.”
A special thumbs-up to all involved—it sounds like a fun,
rewarding day.

ADD NPC SHOWS—LONG TIME COMING—A special Evelio Castales and Jim Manion.
congrats to Vinny Galanti and Gus “the Bus” Carter, who
finally earned the right to turn pro when Vinny won the ’08
Masters Nationals and Gus finished second in the overall balloting in Pitts-
burgh in July. Vinny and I go way, way back. I was the emcee when he won
his class at the ’93 USA at the Santa Monica (California) Civic Auditorium. I
met Gus a few years ago after finding out he was training with his pal, a cat
named Coleman. Ronnie Coleman. Both Galanti and Carter have been
very frustrated through the years, coming close but unable to snag that
elusive IFBB card.
Gus was always a good sport when, after he started slipping in the
standings in recent times, I would tell him that the bus had apparently run
out of gas. Glad you were able to fill up the tank with supreme for this one,
buddy. I say Galanti will become an immediate contender in any 202-and-
under pro show he competes in.
Kudos also to Collegiate National champ Jay Bednar and Teen Na-
tional champ Evelio Castales. Dave Liberman, a former Collegiate
National victor himself—and our roving reporter for shows we can’t get Promoter Gary
to—was on hand to snap photos of the champs. IM Udit (center)
with Vince
Galanti (left)
212 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com and Gus Carter.
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 UP, DOWN AND AROUND THE USA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Photography by Ron Avidan, Jerry Fredrick and Lonnie Teper

8 9
10
1) Pistol Pete Ciccone
pumps up.
2) Jaguar Jon and the light
heavyweights.
3) IM’s Merv is ready for
the Sunday morning shoot.
4) Quincy Taylor and Brandi
Akers.
5) Ruthless Ruth Silverman
greets Victor Delcampo.
6) Curtis Bryant and
Brandon Curry do the new-
pro handshake.
7) Mark Mason, video stud.
8) Jerry Fredrick and R.
Echelle Harris.
11
9) Jamie Costa is Tat
Woman.
10) Yogi Avidan at work,
with Heather French.
11) Shoot maestro J.M.
Manion (center) with
overall champs Curry and
Isabelle Turell.
12) L.T. chats up the new
figure pros (from left):
Rachel Cammon, Crystal
Lowery, Kristin Nunn, Amy
Lee Martin, Jamie Costa
and Mendi Sakamoto.
12

To contact Lonnie Teper about material possibly pertinent to News & Views, write to 1613 Chelsea Road, #266, San Marino, CA 91108;
fax to (626) 289-7949; or send e-mail to tepernews@aol.com.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 213

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L O N N I E T E P E R ’S R i si n g St ar s

IRON MAN

Nathan
DeTracy
Age: 31
Weight: 171 contest; 240 off-
season
Height: 5’5”
Residence: Bellevue,
Washington
Occupation: Owns a gym as
well as a catering business
Contest highlights: ’08
NPC USA Championships,
middleweight, 1st; ’07
Emerald Cup, heavyweight,
1st, and overall
Contact: TrainEvolution.com

Photography by Merv
214 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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L O N N I E T E P E R ’S R i si n g St ar s
IRON MAN

Marty
Burger
Age: 47
Weight: 139 contest; 172 off-
season
Height: 5’4”
Residence: Sunrise, Florida
Occupation: Owner and
founder of Door-to-Door
Fitness
Contest highlights: ’08
NPC USA Championships,
bantamweight, 1st; ’94 NPC
National Championships,
bantamweight, 3rd
Contact: MMBurger@msn.com
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 215
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 IRON MAN

Monique
Minton
Age: 24
Weight: 145 contest; 155
off-season
Height: 5’9”
Residence: Foothill Ranch,
California
Occupation: student, dental
hygeine
Contest highlights: ’08 NPC
USA Figure Championships,
F-class, 3rd; ’08 John
Sherman Classic, figure
Isaac Hinds \ www.LiftStudios.com

overall
Factoid: She’s of Philippine
and Polish heritage.
Contact: www.momorhino@
yahoo.com

L ON NI E T E P E R’ S Risi ng St ars

216 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 IRON MAN

Mark
Alvisi
Age: 31
L ON N IE TE P E R’S Ri sing St ars

Weight: 206 contest; 238 off-

season
Height: 5’9”
Residence: Delray Beach,
Florida
Occupation: Director of
marketing for Gourmet for Life,
health food delivery
Contest highlights: ’08
NPC USA Championships,
heavyweight, 14th; ’07 NPC
Arnold, heavyweight, 1st
Contact:
malvisi@gourmetforlife.com

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 217

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MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE ‘IN’ SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSCLE “IN” SITES MUSC
Eric Broser’s

Muscle “In” Sites

If you find something on the Web that IM readers should know about, send the URL to Eric at bodyfx2@aol.com.

>www.EnovaOil.com
As a natural pro bodybuilder and contest-prep
coach and trainer, I’m always on the lookout for
anything that might contribute to building a bet-
ter physique. Generally I discover a unique train-
ing technique or sports supplement but rarely
a new “food” that can help clients attain more
muscle and/or burn fat more efficiently. After
doing some research about Enova oil, however,
I believe I may have found something that can
improve results as well as overall body compo-
sition. Enova oil is made from natural soy and
canola oils and is far richer in diglycerides than
other common cooking and salad oils, which are
composed mostly of triglycerides. Diglycerides, healthier bodyweight. Sounds good to me. I have
unlike triglycerides, follow a unique pathway in yet to try Enova oil, but I love olive oil, which I put
the body, traveling through the portal system on all of my vegetables. In the near future I plan
to the liver, where they’re oxidized, leaving less on incorporating Enova oil into my diet in order
available to be stored as fat—cool. More than to see how it affects my physique and health. To
20 years of scientific research show that intake learn everything you might want to know about
of diglyceride-rich oils not only lowers serum this “super oil,” visit the site, which is packed with
triglycerides after a meal but can also help you interesting info. Looks as if the oil might be quite
maintain a lower percentage of bodyfat and a a useful “enovation” for us muscleheads.

>E-book Review: X-Rep Update #1

End-of-set X-Rep partials have been an intrinsic element of Shock
weeks in my Power/Rep Range/Shock method for years, and I can honest-
ly say that they are amazing for triggering muscle growth. Now the X-Rep
innovators, Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson, have released an e-book
update—X-Rep Update #1—and it’s X-ceptional. They review the original
X-Rep concepts and then discuss studies that have taken them into new
realms of muscle stimulation—one that built pounds of muscle after only
one workout. You’ll learn how to use Flex-X, static contraction—StatC and
StatS—and stretch pulses to add lots of new muscle to your frame. They
also analyze the volume vs. intensity argument, with some surprising con-
clusions, revisit rest/pause and X-only sets and check out Jay Culter’s lat-
est Mr. Olympia training from an X-Rep perspective—Jay is X-ing all over
the gym. The e-book also includes a Fat-to-Muscle Supplement Guide and
a big Q&A section. It’s a must-read for those looking for the most efficient
route to mass. For more info visit X-Rep.com.

224 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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>DVD Review, Part 2: Mark Dugdale’s “Driven”
Last month I used quite a bit conditioned physique, not just a
of space to let you know just how massive one. In my opinion, Mark
much I was enjoying “Driven.” At owns one of the best physiques in
that point, though, I’d watched the entire sport, and I must men-
only about half the DVD. As I con- tion that his thighs and calves are
tinued watching, it became more among perhaps the freakiest ever
apparent that director and editor to appear onstage. Just wait for
Joel Barham either graduated from the sequence that was shot at the
film school and/or simply has the weigh-in of the ’06 IRON MAN Pro.
vision of a true filmmaker. Joel Mark drops his pants and flexes his
obviously did not set out to simply legs—and they’re nothing short of
shoot another pro bodybuilder sick.
training and eating. He wanted to So yes, I loved the movie, and
tell a story—and what a great and I feel that bodybuilders and non-
uplifting story it is. bodybuilders alike will also enjoy
“Driven” is not so much a body- it. Even the outtakes at the end are
building DVD as it’s a film about a terrific. Honestly, I cannot wait for
family that comes together to sup- his next one—coming soon.
port the dream of the father, who Note: I’ll be shooting a DVD with
just happens to be a bodybuilder. Figure Olympia champ Jenny Lynn
For Mark, bodybuilding is truly a team sport, and the in about a month. I’ve been designing all of her workouts
team includes his wife, three daughters and several good in her pursuit of a third straight title, and the DVD will
friends. All of them pitch in to help him with every aspect capture all of the torture on film. For a while Jenny and
of his contest preparation, and the sincerity and love with I struggled to decide who we wanted to shoot and direct
which they do it is incredibly inspirational. our DVD, but after watching “Driven,” I had the answer.
That said, there’s still plenty of hardcore training, and Yes, Joel Barham will be using his fly-on-the-wall style
you can see that Mark’s success begins in the gym. The to capture all the action, and I am so looking forward to
man works extremely hard, and he does so out of a sense working with him.
of responsibility to himself and his family.
Watching Mark pose toward the end of the video re- Editor’s note: Mark Dugdale’s “Driven” is available
minds me of why I started bodybuilding in the first place: from Home Gym Warehouse, (800) 447-0008, or visit
to create a big, balanced, proportionate, symmetrical and www.Home-Gym.com.

from just two sources, you’re bound to create an unbal-

>Broser’s Net Results Q&A anced amino acid profile in your body, which can inhibit
your ability to gain muscle. By eating a wider variety of
The Power/Rep Range/Shock innovator answers your proteins, as well as carbohydrates, you’ll create a better
questions on training and nutrition. internal environment for hypertrophy because your muscles
will have a more complete amino acid “warehouse” to draw
Q: My question is about protein. I’m not a veg- from.
etarian, but I really don’t like chicken, red meat There’s another very important reason to include some
or fish. I prefer egg whites and protein powder meat and yolks into your diet—fat. That’s right, I said fat.
mostly; however, I’m also a natural bodybuilder It’s a well-documented
and wonder if I’m limiting my growth by not eating fact that if you don’t
meat. I have a feeling I am. Am I? eat adequate amounts
of fat, your natural tes-
A: Your feeling is pretty accurate—I can assure you that tosterone production
you’re hampering your ability to put on muscle by limit- will suffer. That spells
ing yourself to just egg whites and protein powders. While disaster for a body-
I’m not a great lover of very many foods myself, I believe I builder, especially one
now incorporate enough variety into my diet—and it took who trains drug free.
me years to get there—that all of my nutritional bases are Heck, we need all the
covered. You need to do that as well. testosterone our bodies
When it comes to protein, you should incorporate at can muster. Since you
least some meat and perhaps a few egg yolks into your mentioned that you eat
regimen in order to give your body the raw materials re- only egg whites and
quired for optimal recovery and growth. Every food has protein powders, which
a unique makeup of amino acids, with some foods being are generally very low
higher or lower in one or more of the aminos than others. in fat, you’re probably
If you continually eat the same protein, especially when it’s taking in only small

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 225

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 Net Results

amounts of dietary fat each day. Not good, my friend. You The truth is that more often than not, most trainees
may be eating healthful fats, such as almonds, walnuts or overdo their warmup sets. Performing multiple, low-inten-
olive and flaxseed oils, which is certainly smart and would sity, high-rep sets before each exercise will only deplete
be enough to keep your diet balanced. But—and yes, there energy stores and create a more acidic environment within
is a but—research shows that saturated fats like those your muscles, leading to fatigue. That, of course, will carry
found in red meat, egg yolks and cheese are much more over into your work sets, where strength, endurance and
effective for raising the natural production of testosterone. intensity must be at maximum.
That’s because saturated fats are higher in cholesterol, Here is an example of how most bodybuilders approach
which is a precursor of the big T. their warmup sets, using the bench press as an example:
So does that mean you should load up on foods that
contain saturated fats? No, of course not; however, you do Warmup set 1: 135 x 20
need some saturated fats in your diet if you wish to maxi- Warmup set 2: 185 x 12-15
mize your ability to add muscle. Warmup set 3: 225 x 10-12
So go ahead and eat your egg whites and drink your Warmup set 4: 275 x 8-10
proteins powders, but make room for a few yolks, some Work-set 1: 315 x 4 to failure
chicken and a good steak now and again. I guarantee you’ll
see faster and more efficient progress from all your hard That’s somewhere between 50 and 57 reps before you
work. even get to the first work set. It’s going to produce a sig-
nificant amount of lactic acid
buildup and make serious inroads
Warm up, don’t into your ATP/creatine phosphate
burn out. reserves.
A more useful and efficient
warmup would be the following:

Warmup set 1: 135 x 6

Warmup set 2: 185 x 4
Warmup set 3: 225 x 4
Warmup set 4: 265 x 2
Warmup set 5: 285 x 1
Warmup set 6: 305 x 1
Work-set 1: 315 x 6-7 to failure

You do a total of only 18 reps

before getting to the first work
set, and none of the sets con-
tains more than six repetitions.
Also notice the two extra weight
jumps, the last of which is very
Neveux \ Model: Nathan Detracy

close to the poundage to be

used for the first work set. That
way there is little to no lactic acid
buildup, less inroad is made into
your cells’ energy warehouse,
and your central nervous system
is better prepared to handle the
workload ahead. Not to mention
you spend less time in the gym and improve your ability to
Q: I’m confused about warmups. Most trainers recover and grow from each workout.
recommend doing several high-rep sets before Once you’ve completed the first exercise for a particular
attacking your work sets with “real” weight; how- bodypart, you need only one or two brief warmups for each
ever, I find that lactic acid builds up during those successive exercise for that bodypart. While your muscles
high-rep sets, and I think it negatively affects my will be quite warm, it’s always important to prepare your
workout. I also don’t want to hurt myself by pulling joints, tendons, ligaments and central nervous system for a
or tearing something. What’s the best way to lead new angle of push or pull.
into work sets? Please keep in mind that I’m talking about trainees who
are healthy and uninjured. Those who have a strain, pull,
A: That’s a commonly asked question on the discussion tear or other similar problem may need to do a more ex-
boards. My clients also frequently ask me about how to tensive warmup for exercises that directly affect the injured
properly warm up. Although I’ve written about it before in area. IM
this magazine, I think it’s worth going over again.

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 Bodybuilding Pharmacology
by Jerry Brainum
BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING

Growth
The literature on the therapeutic use of GH confirms those
opinions.
Recently, the same Stanford researchers examined the
effect of GH on sports performance.1 They looked at 44

Hormone
articles related to GH and sports and found that 27 met
the minimum research criteria. Those studies involved 303
subjects representing 13.3 person years of treatment. The
average age of the subjects was 27, and all were physically
fit. The dose range for GH varied, but none was similar
Useless for Sports? to what real-world athletes and bodybuilders use, which
created a credibility problem from the start. Nevertheless,
lean body mass increased among the GH users over nonus-
ers, but strength and exercise capacity didn’t increase. That
Last year a group of researchers from Stanford Univer- led the researchers to suggest that any gains in lean mass
sity published a study in which they examined previous induced by GH were likely merely water weight. If that
studies related to using growth hormone to forestall the sounds vaguely familiar, it’s because that’s what was said
aging process. They concluded that GH is largely a waste about anabolic steroids for many years—all the gains are
of money for those seeking a cure for aging. Instead, using water, not muscle.
it opens the door to a host of adverse effects, such as joint Several of the studies reported more lactate in the bod-
swelling, carpal tunnel syndrome and other unwanted side ies of athletes who use GH prior to exercise. That would
effects. The conclusions have been vigorously disputed by portend premature fatigue during training. Those using
antiaging organizations and researchers, who note that GH reported increased fatigue as well as soft-tissue edema,
the doses reported in the Stanford analysis are far larger pointing to water retention. It all suggests that, if anything,
than those commonly used in antiaging therapy, hence the GH has an adverse effect on sports performance. If that’s
unfavorable side effects. Many users of GH antiaging ther- the case, however, why are so many athletes reportedly
apy report few side effects and a greatly improved health using the drug? GH use was so prevalent at the 2000 Olym-
picture from what they had before they took the hormone. pic Games that the event is often called the “GH Games.”

If GH does nothing for athletes,

why do so many use it?

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That was possible because
there was no standard test for
the presence of GH in the body.
Allegedly, there’s a test for that
purpose for the 2008 Games
in Beijing—they said the same
thing in 2000.
The new critique of GH
seems at odds with what hap-
pens in the real world of sports
and bodybuilding. Recent
sports inquiries, such as the
Mitchell Report on drug use in
baseball, suggest that GH use
is widespread, with many illus-
trious players injecting them-
selves with the drug. It’s also
a major presence in track and
field, cycling and even swim-
ming. Chinese swimmer Yuan
Yuan was caught with suitcases
full of GH vials while traveling
to a world championship swim
meet in Australia. While Ben
Johnson is widely known for
losing his 1988 Olympic 100-meter gold medal after testing GH is a major presence in track and field, cycling and
positive for the anabolic steroid Winstrol, he later admitted even swimming.
under oath that he also used GH. A large amount of GH was
found in a team car at the 1988 Tour de France. All athletes of protecting connective tissue, thus possibly preventing an
exposed in the BALCO drug scandal, including track star injury in the first place. Since injuries are a major setback
Marion Jones, used GH regularly. for all athletes, that property of GH would be relevant for
In bodybuilding GH has been an anabolic staple for athletic use all by itself.
years. The consensus is that while GH isn’t too anabolic by The Stanford study mentions studies that found that
itself, it has potent synergy with other anabolics, such as using GH led to gains in lean mass and loss of bodyfat yet
anabolic steroids and insulin. GH aids protein synthesis no strength gains. That’s also what happens in acromegaly,
through a mechanism distinct from that of anabolic ste- a disease in which excessive amounts of GH are released
roids; that explains the synergy. Others say that GH works from the pituitary gland because of a tumor. Those with
well to reduce bodyfat—no small consideration in pre- the disease often have larger but weaker muscles. If acro-
paring for a major contest. An injection of GH stimulates megaly occurs during childhood, a common effect is giant-
bodyfat breakdown and elevates fasting blood free fatty ism, or growing to unusual height. The tallest man in the
acids, which peak two to three hours after injection. GH world, Russian Leonid Stadnyk, 37, is 8’5 1/2” tall and had
itself doesn’t mobilize fat but increases the effects of other surgery to remove the tumor from his pituitary gland that
substances that do, such as the catecholamines epineph- caused his acromegaly. He shows the peripheral myopathy
rine and norepinephrine. resulting from acromegaly, evidenced by his need to hold
As mentioned above, one problem with the new GH on to things as he walks. The tallest man ever recorded,
report—acknowledged by the authors themselves—is that Robert Wadlow, died at 22 of a leg infection that he got from
the doses used in the studies don’t remotely resemble what having to wear a leg brace; his leg muscles were too weak
real athletes use. For example, in the studies analyzed, the to support his upper body. At his death in 1940, Wadlow
average GH dose was two to three units. Some pro body- was 8’11.1” tall and weighed 440 pounds. By age 13 he was
builders are said to use 16 units or more daily. Then there’s already 7’4”.
the use of other anabolics along with GH, which obscures Peripheral weakness is a hallmark of acromegaly, as is
the individual benefits, if any, that it offers. Unfortunately, a greater tendency to diabetes and heart disease. Andre
the prevailing bodybuilding mentality is that if that guy Roussimuff (“Andre the Giant”), a 7’4” professional wrestler
over there is using it, I need to use it too. Few athletes ever with acromegaly, succumbed to the effects of diabetes and
take a close analytical look at benefits offered by GH alone. heart disease at age 47 in 1993.
Not mentioned in the Stanford analysis is a major reason As for bodyfat, the Stanford researchers note that GH
athletes use GH: It’s an established accelerator of the heal- seems to increase bodyfat use at rest but not during exer-
ing process of connective tissue in joints, ligaments and cise. Since using fat for fuel during exercise would spare
tendons. Because of poor blood flow, connective tissues muscle glycogen stores, the fact that GH doesn’t help the
often require prolonged healing periods. GH shortens such body use fat during exercise would mean that it doesn’t do
healing periods considerably. It is also suggested as a way anything to help exercise and sports endurance. On the

Not mentioned in the Stanford analysis is a major reason athletes use

GH: It’s an established accelerator of the healing process of connective
tissue in joints, ligaments and tendons.
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 229
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 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY BODYBUIL
Jerry Brainum’s
Bodybuilding Pharmacology
produced a deep-seated abscess filled with yellow-green
The Stanford researchers pus. The coroner wrote that the bacteria had entered her
acknowledge that GH bloodstream, sending her temperature to 105 degrees. She
seems to increase attempted to treat the infection but instead overdosed and
bodyfat use at rest. died.

Book Review
Anabolic Steroids:
Ultimate Research Guide
What, you may ask, is the curious malady known as
“trenbolone dick”?—or is it Dick Trenbolone? The answers
to that and other pressing questions about a plethora of
anabolic drugs is available in Anabolic
Steroids: Ultimate Research
Guide by Anthony Roberts
and Brian Clapp. The
book is similar to other
anabolic-drug guides
in its format and
layout. It provides
comprehensive
information about
every drug used in
bodybuilding and
other athletics.
This one, however,
Neveux

differs from
similar references
because of
other hand, a recent study found that GH improved aerobic the humor
capacity in those who had previously used anabolic ste- throughout
roids. and its “I’m
Again, the major weakness of a seemingly concise re- just like you”
view of the sports usage of GH is that it doesn’t reflect the philosophy.
real-world use of the hormone. Someone must think GH In addition, the book offers
benefits athletes, though. How else to explain the search for real-world feedback from Internet forums
a definitive GH doping test, which has been going on for that focus on anabolic use. I have doubts about the
more than two decades? The one thing you can count on is veracity of anecdotal accounts, but there’s no doubt that
that plenty of athletes who compete at the Beijing Olym- Anthony Roberts isn’t the least bit reticent about his own
piad will be using GH. It will be interesting to see if the extensive experimentation with anabolic substances over
alleged new test to detect it catches anyone. the years. Somehow he lived to tell about it in this book.
As to the many alleged dangers of GH use, it appears I had the opportunity to watch Roberts in action recently
that one celebrity may have died indirectly from it: Anna as he delivered a seminar on the history of anabolic
Nicole Smith, erstwhile Playboy Playmate of the Year, a steroids at the 2008 conference of the International Society
person famous for being famous and an admirer of hoary of Sports Nutrition in Las Vegas. I can tell you that he
billionaires (or is that horny billionaires?). Noting that the was, without question, the most entertaining lecturer at
biological clock was ticking for her and taking into account that conference. I could barely suppress my guffaws as
her tendency to get fat, Anna turned to a cocktail of antiag- Roberts made numerous wry comments during his slide
ing drugs that included GH. During her autopsy, the medi- presentation. Don’t get me wrong: Roberts isn’t some
cal examiner found evidence of repeated needle injections frustrated comedian who was secretly auditioning for the
on her left buttock. The repeated injections at one site had opening act at a Vegas lounge. The guy knows his stuff
and seems to be a human encyclopedia when it comes to
anabolics. His book reflects both his wonderful sense of
Someone must think GH benefits humor and his extensive knowledge. Anabolic Steroids:
Ultimate Research Guide manages to both entertain and
athletes. How else to explain the inform, a rare commodity in the reference arena.
search for a definitive GH doping 1 Liu, H., et al. (2008). Systematic review: The effects of

test, which has been going on for growth hormone on athletic performance. Ann Intern Med.
148(10):747-58. IM
more than two decades?

230 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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232 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 IRON MAN HARDBODY

Trainer, Martial Artist and

Figure Champion Sasha Brown
Compiled by Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux

Hair and makeup by Yvonne Ouellette

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 233
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 IRON MAN HARDBODY Height: 5’6”
Weight: 133 off-season; 122
contest condition
Age: 28
Hometown: Ukraine
Current residence: Los
Angeles, California
Marital status: Married
Occupation: NPC figure com-
petitor, personal trainer and fit-
ness model

234 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 IRON MAN HARDBODY

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 IRON MAN HARDBODY Workout schedule: Weights four to
five days per week; cardio six days per
week—30 minutes in the off-season
and two hours precontest
Favorite foods: Peanut butter, al-
monds, sushi and tuna steak Factoid:
“I have a degree in computer science
and business management and am
also a certified personal trainer and
specialist in performance nutrition.
I’ve been practicing martial arts for six
years. Three to five days a week I con-
duct boot-camp classes in a local park.
I’ve done five NPC figure competitions
and took first place and overall in my
second show.”
Future plans: “I'd like to get my
pro card and continue competing at
that level, as well as get a third degree
in kinesiology and sports nutrition.
I want to open a personal-training
facility and continue to inspire
healthful living. I’d also like to open
a gym in my hometown to inspire
Ukrainian women to get in shape.”
Contact info: www.sashabrownpt.
com or sashabrown07@yahoo.com

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 IRON MAN HARDBODY

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IRON MAN HARDBODY

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 Profiles in Muscle
Darrem Charles
IFBB Pro Bodybuilder
Profiles in Muscle

and MuscleTech Athlete

Compiled by Ron Harris

Full name: Darrem Christopher

Charles
Date of birth: July 22, 1968
Born in: Arouca, Trinidad
Height: 5’8”
Off-season weight: 245
Contest weight: 228
Current residence: Coral
Springs, Florida
Years training: 22
Occupation: Professional body-
builder
Marital status: Married to Kim
since 1988
Children: Renel, 18
Hobbies: “I like shooting hoops,
but I have to be very careful not to
get any injuries. I also like to ride
my Jet Ski, go to the movies and
watch movies in my home theater.”
How did you get into body-
building? “I’d always been an
athlete, very lean and sinewy—but
always on the small side physically.
I started bodybuilding to try some-
thing new and in hopes I could put
on a bit of weight.”
Who inspired you when you
were starting out? “I read
Arnold’s Encyclopedia of Modern
Bodybuilding, and that book was
the catalyst. I wanted to look just
like Arnold.”
Top titles: ’92 IFBB Caribbean and
Central American overall champi-
on; ’02 Southwest Pro; ’03 Maximus
Pro (Italy); ’04 Florida Pro Extreme;
’04 Toronto Pro; ’05 New York Pro;
’05 Toronto Pro; ’06 Atlantic City
Pro; ’07 Montreal Pro
Favorite bodypart to train:
“Honestly, I’ve never had a favorite
bodypart or one that I didn’t like
to train. I treat them all equally.
The same goes for exercises. I don’t
prefer any one over any other. You

244 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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need to do a wide variety of ex- fans or the judges but for my own nice burger after the show.”
ercises and keep things fresh to personal goals. I’ve always had
keep making progress over the a vision in my head of the most What is your favorite supple-
long term.” perfect physique I am capable of ment, and why? “My favorite
building, and I continue to strive supplement is Cell-Tech by Mus-
Best bodypart: “Obviously, for that. There is always room for cleTech. After my workout, I have
my biceps and triceps are what improvement. You can always expended so much energy and
people always comment on. I’ve train a little harder, get more rest, effort, and Cell-Tech helps restore
worked hard on them, but they and eat a little better.” that. I also like to keep that nice
always responded well no matter pumped feeling going, and Cell-
what I did for them.” How would you describe your Tech keeps me feeling full and
training style? “Smart. I’ve pumped for hours.”
Most challenging bodypart: “I always said that I’m in this for the
really don’t like to point anything long haul. I never wanted to be Goals in the sport: “I still have
out to judges, but it’s well known some fly-by-night success, here two goals left to fulfill in body-
that my calves have always been today and gone tomorrow, the building. The first is that I want
tough for me to build. I put a lot way so many men and women to be in the final posedown of
of effort into training them, and have been in this sport. Even the Mr. Olympia contest. I have
they’re better now than they used though I train heavy and always come very close but never made
to be. You can’t give up.” with the goal of stimulating the that. The second goal is to stand
muscle to grow, I never want to onstage with my son Renel at his
Obstacles overcome: “Just first pro show. That will happen—
before the ’04 Mr. Olympia, my annihilate the muscle. I am proud
to say that I have never torn a I know from his genetics and the
mother was murdered. Finan- progress he is making that he’ll
cially, my toughest challenge was muscle. It’s all about life after
bodybuilding. I still want to be turn pro in about four or five
back in 1995. My business partner years, at the same age I did.” IM
in Trinidad embezzled all the able to train, look good and feel
profits from our gym while I was good when I am 65, 75 years old.”
away in the USA competing, and I Training split: Monday,
lost the gym.” quads; Tuesday, chest and abs;
Do you have any quotes or a Wednesday, back and calves;
philosophy you try to live by? Thursday, shoulders, ham-
“‘Hard work doesn’t guarantee strings and abs; Friday, arms
success, but without it you don’t and calves; Saturday and
stand a chance.’ Also, ‘If body- Sunday, rest
building was easy, everybody Favorite clean meal:
would do it.’” Chicken and rice
How do you stay motivated? Favorite cheat meal: “A
“It’s not really so much for the

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 245

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 RUTH SILVERMAN’S About November:
• Desert Blossoms
• Pro Stars
• Personalities
• USA Pump Pourri

Photography by Ruth Silverman

MUST BE ALL THAT

DESERT BLOSSOMS

DRY HEAT The Arizona

delegation to the ’08
NPC USA Women’s
Bodybuilding lineup
featured two of the
four class champs.
Diana Tinnelle and
Chris Sabo, favorites
in the middleweight
and light-heavy
classes, respectively,
came though with
flying colors—and
physiques that weren’t
too extreme. From
left: Tinnelle, Vicki
Manfredi, Sabo,
Shanna Girod, Rebecca
Greaig and Akila
Pervis.

(WHO YOU CALLIN’)

OLD ACQUAINTANCE
I first interviewed
Linda Wood-Hoyte
(below) at the ’87
NPC Nationals, where
she took fifth in the
heavyweights. She
looked fabulous
then, and she looks
fabulous now. Fredrick

THAT SPECIAL SPARKLE USA Figure A-

class winner Jamie Costa (far left) gener-
ates high wattage wherever she roams.
She’s but 5’ tall and weights less than 100
pounds but, wow!

Kristin Nunn (left) went from diamond in

the rough at the Junior USA to a 40 karat
win in the C-class. Welcome to the pros,
ladies.
248
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 PRO STARS
ISO-BELLISSIMA!
ISO-BELLISSIMA! MORE TRIPS
Feminine is in, and Bernadette
Isabelle Turell was Galvan’s
clearly on point at slam-dunk
the USA. A favorite in figure win at
the heavies, she took the Europa
the class and overall Super Show
crowns and earned a has her
trip to the pros. heading for
Vegas—and
the Olympia
stage.

USA LOCKER ROOM—FIGURE

3
1) Alicia Marie is ready for any- 5
thing. A brush of blush and a pat of
powder is all it takes, eh, Alicia?
2) Though she slipped in her flip-
flops on her way to the dressing
room, Cynthia Herndon didn’t let
a sore glute keep her from getting
onstage.
3) Hawaii’s Sarah Nakajima re-
turned to the stage after a season’s
layoff and managed a top-five trophy.

Aloha, again, Sarah.

4) Best line by a
figure babe: Said 5) Candice Houston lost
Sunshine Loustaunau the B-class to Crystal Lowery
after spelling her in a tie-breaker. My guess:
name, “It used to be Candace will get ’em next
Smith.” time.
NOVEMBER 2008 249
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CHAMPIONS

LOOK, MOM! NO HANDS! Thanks to Elaine Goodlad, whose

flub on the Bodybuilding.com Webcast of the Super Show

Isaac Hinds \ LiftStudios.com

Fitness competition offered an opportunity to highlight two
outstanding athletes: She kept referring to Nicole Duncan
as Carla Dunlap. The fast-moving cheerleading coach from
Georgia (that’s Nicole) propelled herself into a third-place
finish and her Olympia debut, and call me crazy, but I can kind
of see her resemblance to bodybuilding legend Dunlap, whose
photo appears on the opposite page.

GAME
CHANGER?
Jennifer
Sedia’s
pro-debut
victory at
the Super
Show had
people
talkin’
trend.

Fredrick
Isaac Hinds \ LiftStudios.com
Avidan

TWO TRACIES
Equal four
Read all about it in my blog at
very long
IronManMagazine.com.
legs. Tracey
Greenwood
(left, with ALSO GOING TO THE O Debbie
Traci Redding) Bramwell (above right) and Klau-
notched dia Larson garnered their invites
another win by taking third and second, respec-
on her bikini tively, at the Tampa Pro Bodybuild-
at the Super ing Weekly event in early August.
Avidan

Show Fitness.

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

 LEGENDS
LIGHTWEIGHTS’ LOCKER ROOM

PERSONALITIES
1) A mid-
dleweight at
the Master’s
Nationals a
week ear-
lier, Beth
Wachter
dropped
back to the
115-and-un-
ders at the
USA but
feared she
was too
ripped for
the cur-
rent fash-
ion. She
landed in
fourth.
IN CASE YOU
HAD TO ASK
Carla Dunlap,
a former speed
and synchronized
swimmer, was the
2) Maria ’83 Ms. Olympia.
Davis Known for her
slipped into graceful presence
the top five onstage, she’s
in her first also the answer to
try at this one of the tough-
show. est trivia questions
(“I’ll have Female
Flexers for $200,
Alex”): Who won
the contest in
“Pumping Iron II:
The Women”?

3) Best
line by a
bodybuild-
er: Said
Jacqueline
Horan:
Neveux

“The ex-
pediter
asked,
‘When
will you TROPHY SHOT
be ready,’ Congrats to Jen
and I Hendershott,
said, ‘Two who won this
weeks.’” year’s Living
Beautiful
Award,
bestowed by the
radio show of
the same name
at the Super
Show. Class
act that she is,
Hendershott,
here with L.B.
co-hosts Dr.
Z. Catherine
4) Condition, Navarro (left)
condition, con- and Nancy
dition. You can’t DiNino, said
say Barb Fletch- she’d be giving
er didn’t nail the grand that came with this hunk of crystal to four charities. Read all about
the fashionable it—and catch her interview with the ladies—at LivingBeautifulRadio.com.
look.

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

 PUMP POURRI—NPC USA

Nola Trimble
says she’s
ready to
rumble—or
quarter-turn,
whichever
comes first.

Zhanna
Rotar and
Tamer El-
Guindy are
absolutely
giddy about
their new
MuscleTech
contracts—
and he’s got
Emily Nicholson thinks abs.
she’ll be taking third in the
C-class again. Darned if she
isn’t right.

More
Above: F-classer Becky introductions.
Above: Those Fizeek Brazil gals, Lulu Youngberg catches the Betsy McNally
(left) and Ana Tigre, have Body- Pump & Circumstance picked up her
Well’s Tom Richardson right where You mean there’s camera’s eye on the pro card in
they want him. another one? way to the finals. fitness at the
Below: “So pleased to meet you,” Monique Minton Junior Nationals.
says Danyell Johnson. Back atcha, with her sister Janet.
Dany!
Photography by
Ruth Silverman

Yamile
Marrero’s
fighting
the too-
small/
too-big/
too-small
syndrome.
Richard Jones (left) and Victor Time to
Martinez. I spent some time just please
studying this shot, trying to figure myself,
out if Victor really looked to be she says.
Have you ever noticed how
eight weeks out from the Mr. O. By
difficult it is to take a bad
the time you read this, we’ll know
picture of Ann Pratt?
if he was.

You can contact Ruth Silverman, fitness, figure and women’s bodybuilding reporter and Pump & Circumstance scribe, in
care of IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at ironwman@aol.com.
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
 Heavy Duty
The Wisdom of
Mike Mentzer
by John Little
Exercise Makes
composition testing machine called calorie count. A workout—whether
You Fat? a Bod Pod, we’ve observed that the it’s a two-sets once-a-week routine
Q: I’ve heard that using Mike average time it takes for the average like the Consolidation program or a
Mentzer’s Consolidation Rou- trainee to replenish the energy debt high-set multiday-a-week routine—
tine will make you stronger but caused by a workout and build more does two things: 1) It burns calories,
that you’ll get fat. My friends at lean tissue is 6.6 days. We’ve super- and 2) it stimulates the production
the gym tell me that perform- vised more than 55,000 workouts of muscle tissue that raises the
ing only two to three sets once over the past four years in situations metabolic rate and thus burns more
a week simply isn’t enough ex- where clients are trained once a calories. The workout doesn’t pro-
ercise to build muscle. I don’t week. Despite what your friends at vide the trainee with calories above
know what to tell them. the gym say, our clients are all get- maintenance, so it does nothing to
A: Ask them to tell you precisely ting stronger and building muscle. make you fat.
how many sets are enough exercise The sets per workout are low—two If you’re stimulating muscular
to build muscle and then ask why to six on average, which is the same growth and allowing it to be pro-
training before recovery takes place volume as Mike’s Consolidated and duced, then you will in fact be
helps build muscle while training Ideal Routine workouts. We and oth- burning more calories than you
after recovery has taken place pre- ers have established that perform- were prior to having added the new
vents muscle from being built. That ing one set per muscle group, two muscle tissue. Getting fat after add-
is the issue after all: how many sets to six sets total per workout, once a ing more muscle has more to do
are necessary to stimulate the body week builds muscle. That’s no lon- with excessive calorie intake than
to produce more muscle and how ger debatable. with the workout itself.
often you should train to enable the Your friends at the gym need to Discover what your maintenance
growth your training stimulated to tell you why doing more sets and calories are and eat fewer than that
occur. not allowing recovery to take place to get lean. Most of our subjects
The scientific literature has will somehow produce significantly who train as described above do. As
repeatedly established that one better results. What data back up Mike pointed out:
set taken to failure is at least the that conclusion? For every set per- “For those interested in losing
equal of two, three or more sets per formed above one set, you would fat, reduce your caloric intake by
muscle group for building strength need to see 100 percent more results 500 to 1,000 a day below your main-
and size. It also suggests that train- to justify a 100 percent increase in tenance calories, and you’ll lose
ing before recovery occurs simply volume. We’ve never seen such a one to two pounds of fat a week. As
digs a deeper hole into your energy phenomenon, and we’ve been test- long as you’re training on a proper
reserves, such as glycogen, which ing it consistently for more than high-intensity program, you won’t
are replenished instantaneously four years. lose muscle and may even gain
but require time—and considerable As for the idea that a workout some, depending upon a constel-
time if the workout stimulus, such that stimulates muscle growth and lation of genetic factors, none of
Balik \ Model: Mike Mentzer

as negative-only training, was par- allows time for recovery to produce which you can visually detect. One
ticularly intense. the growth somehow makes you of my clients reported recently that,
Whenever we’ve tested subjects fat, that’s a bizarre claim. You get while on a calorie-deficit diet, he
at Nautilus North Strength & Fit- fat from taking in too many calo- lost 11 pounds of bodyfat over a
ness Centre using a high-tech body ries relative to your maintenance three-month period, increased his

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 www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 257
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 Heavy Duty
strength enormously, and gained gain muscle mass and bodyweight, as most of the competitors pay lip
half an inch on his arms. None of his maintenance calories will go up, service to science but quickly turn
the lost weight was muscle, as he and weight gains will slow down to tradition, convention and ste-
grew stronger and increased the size and eventually come to a halt. roid-bloated bodies as proof of the
of his arms. When you see that your weight superiority of their brand of exer-
“The gain of muscle mass while gains have slowed down, increase cise. They tend not to cite the cause-
losing fat on a calorie-deficit diet the calories by 150 to 300 a day, and and-effect relationship of chemical
doesn’t necessarily prove that his you’ll resume gaining. Likewise, as a agents on human physiology.
body stole calories from fat and person continues to lose weight, his
shunted them to the muscles. It maintenance level goes down, and All Different?
demonstrates that when you’re in weight loss diminishes and even-
a modest negative calorie balance, tually halts. When that happens, Q: How can one exercise pro-
the fat can be starved sufficiently to decrease calories by another 500 or gram be perfect for everybody?
be used for fuel, and enough nutri- so per day, and the weight loss will We’re all different, so it seems
tion is provided to maintain lean continue.” only logical that our training
mass and allow for at least some Most of the criticism that has requirements would be differ-
growth production. I told my client been leveled at Mike’s programs ent too.
that as well as he did on strength comes from individuals who are A: While it’s true that many fac-
and lean mass increases, he most selling their own brand of training tors are at play in giving us dis-
likely would have done better on a programs. In the Coke and Pepsi tinctive personalities and values,
positive-calorie balance. When you wars a few years back, each brand it’s not true that we’re all different
reach the desired weight, go into a claimed that more people preferred physiologically. Were that so, then
slight positive-calorie balance of 300 its taste to the competition’s. The a doctor would perform an appen-
or so, and see what happens. advantage of Mike’s program is that dectomy on one person’s abdomen
“As a bodybuilder continues to it has the backing of science, where- and on another person’s calf. Mike

“As a bodybuilder continues to gain muscle mass and bodyweight, his maintenance
calories will go up, and weight gains will slow down and eventually come to a halt.”

Neveux \ Model: Danny Hester

258 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Heavy Duty
made that point quite eloquently who have great physiques. I’ve muscular development yet had
decades ago: never been big, and I’ve been calves on par with those of an ad-
“Medical science and exercise training for five years. Is there vanced bodybuilder. Not much later,
science are based on an under- any special technique I can use while in Air Force boot camp, I en-
standing of the universality of the that will make my muscles big- countered two different individuals
principles of human physiology. ger (not steroids, of course)? on separate occasions with muscu-
While that may seem redundant to A: If you’ve been training for lar physiques. They both looked like
some, the near-universal confusion five years and aren’t as big as you’d advanced bodybuilders, but neither
over whether there is only one valid hoped, then you probably don’t ever worked out in his life.”
theory of productive bodybuilding have the necessary genetic predis- Mike Mentzer was the first body-
exercise calls for clarification. position to build a physique of the builder to point out that in body-
“Birth defects and genetic same size as those you have been building there are the genetically
anomalies notwithstanding, the admiring. We’ve all gone to school blessed, who have a strong inherited
principles of human anatomy and with individuals who were just big- predisposition for having and devel-
physiology are universal, or appli- ger than the rest of us—that’s genet- oping large muscles; the genetically
cable to all members of the species, ics. When they use their muscles cursed, who will never achieve more
which renders the sciences of medi- more intensely, they grow bigger than minuscule muscular develop-
cine and exercise viable intellectual and stronger. When someone who ment no matter how they train or
disciplines. To refute the validity has larger than normal levels of eat; and everything in between.
of any one of these theoretical sci- muscle mass to begin with marries According to Mike:
ences, you need irrefutable evidence that genetic gift with progressive- “No amount of teeth-gnashing,
that some human beings don’t have resistance exercise, his muscles get hand-wringing, hair-pulling or
an animal’s anatomy and physiology even bigger than they were already. howling in the void will alter the
or a rational faculty. Many people simply don’t have fundamental fact that any individ-
“When a young man or woman the genetics to build a massively ual’s genetic programming is abso-
goes to medical school to study muscled physique. Mike wrote lutely fixed and, within the context
physiology, whose physiology is he extensively about that in his last of existing scientific knowledge,
or she studying? Answer: Human book, High Intensity Training: The can’t be changed. While everyone
physiology. If everybody’s cells, Mike Mentzer Way. It’s not a popu- has the capacity to improve his ex-
organs and tissues were constituted lar topic, particularly in the gym isting muscular development, it can
differently, if we were (or are) all ‘dif- industry, which sells false hope and be done only within a fixed range.
ferent,’ then we could not possibly assures everyone that you, too, can In other words, no one with inher-
have medical science. Transitioning look like anyone you want to. ited physical traits similar to Woody
to the world of exercise, we’re deal- Let’s say you have 200,000 fibers Allen’s can do anything to extend
ing with the human muscular sys- in your biceps and Mike Mentzer the range of his potential such that
tem, and human muscle responds had 400,000. If you both trained he could develop a Mr. Olympia
in a known way to the stimulus of the same, ate the same, had the physique.”
exercise. The more intense the ex- same metabolic rate and paid at-
ercise, the more muscle fibers are tention to recovery so that both of Editor’s note: For a complete
recruited and stimulated to grow you doubled the size of your biceps, presentation of Mike Mentzer’s
larger and stronger. Less intense Mike’s arm would still be twice the Heavy Duty training system,
exercise does not provide the same size of yours. The same holds true consult his books Heavy Duty II,
level of fiber recruitment or stimula- for champion bodybuilders, who, High Intensity Training the Mike
tion—which is why you’ll never put compared to most of the popula- Mentzer Way and the newest book,
an inch on your arm by washing tion, are two standard deviations to The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of
dishes. the right of the genetic bell curve. which are available from Mentzer’s
“It takes high-intensity training As Mike once commented: official Web site, www.MikeMentzer
stress to serve as a sufficient call “Sometimes when I’m explaining .com.
to arms for your body to defend its the role of genetics in bodybuilding John Little is available for phone
tissues and energy reserves by in- at a seminar or to a client, someone consultation on Mike Mentzer’s
creasing the size and strength of its complains, refusing to accept the Heavy Duty training system. For
muscles. You are indeed a unique fact that the extent to which mus- rates and information, contact
individual psychologically, but your cles can be developed is inherently Joanne Sharkey at (310) 316-4519 or
muscular system is no different limited. While most bodybuilders at www.MikeMentzer.com, or see
from any other human being’s.” today are at least aware of the issue the ad on the opposite page.
of genetics, few know how crucial a Article copyright © 2008, John
Genetics role it plays in physical expression. Little. All rights reserved. Mike
“Walking the main streets of my Mentzer quotations are provided
Q: I really want to build big- hometown of Ephrata, Pennsyl- courtesy of Joanne Sharkey and are
ger muscles, and I see athletes vania, I’d regularly see nontrained used with permission. IM
and people who train at my gym women who exhibited ordinary

260 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 Only the Strong Shall Survive

BIGGER,
Stronger,
Younger
266 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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 Strength Training and the
Young Athlete, Part 2
by Bill Starr
Photography by Michael Neveux

M
ost parents seem to is an invitation to disaster—might of strength routine. We also have
worry very little about as well open the gun locker and let examples in our own country. Two
their sons participat- them play with a pistol or shotgun. of our top prospects in the sport of
ing in high-contact Well, it might not be that serious, Olympic lifting began training be-
sports like hockey, football, lacrosse but you get my point. An adult must fore they turned 10: Casey Burgener
or soccer—they even encourage be present to make sure they’re and James Moser. Their fathers,
them to skateboard. Yet when asked using correct technique and not Mike and Jim, were outstanding
if they’d like their children to start trying to lift a weight they’re not yet Olympic lifters and taught their
some type of strengthening pro- ready for. children the fundamentals of lifting
gram, they throw up their hands How young can they start? It as soon as they displayed an interest
in horror. “Lifting will stunt his depends—not so much on age as in learning them. James’ younger
growth!” they exclaim. I’ve heard it on mental maturity. Are they able to brother Willy began playing with a
all my life, but where’s the evidence take instruction and focus on what broomstick when he was only four,
that it’s a fact? There isn’t any. In they’re doing? In many cases very trying to mimic what his big brother
truth, a well-administered strength young children take to lifting simply was doing. Casey’s sister Sage also
routine can promote overall growth. because a parent or older sibling made lifting a part of her play when
I do, however, understand the has embraced the activity. It’s only she was four and is now competing
concern: At what age can youngsters natural for a youngster to want to on the international level.
start lifting weights safely? Should emulate his big brother. Keep in None of the youngsters were
they handle only very light weights, mind that gymnasts and figure skat- pushed into the activity, which is
or is it all right to attempt heavy ers frequently start training when most important. They have to want
lifts? How often should they train? they’re five or six years old, and a to do it; it has to be self-motivated.
Sets and reps? How long should the huge number of children no older Push, and they’re sure to rebel. Tell
workouts be? Valid questions. than six take part in many competi- them they can’t do it, and they’ll
To reiterate what I stated last tive sports: baseball, football, soccer soon be begging to give it a try.
month on the subject: Safety is the and hockey. While I think it’s a mistake to rush
Model: Spencer Neveux

number-one factor when dealing The Europeans, from whom we’ve youngsters into lifting, I also believe
with youngsters, which means that gained nearly all the information they shouldn’t be kept from training
each and every workout must be available on training youngsters, if they have a genuine desire to do
closely supervised. Allowing young- have no problem putting very so. That will only prompt them to do
sters to train themselves or lift alone young boys and girls on some type it on their own, which can lead to all

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 267

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 Only the Strong Shall Survive
kinds of trouble. youngsters to participate in other people are much more flexible—an
What is essential when deal- athletic activities—especially those absolute necessity—so they have
ing with young athletes is to make that require a good deal of coordi- no problem whatsoever in racking
weight training fun and enjoyable, nation, balance, quickness and foot a clean or locking out a snatch or
It’s way too early to instill a note of speed with a minimum of the kinds sitting in the ideal bottom positions
seriousness into the activity. I’ve of head-on collisions that occur for a full clean or snatch. It’s also
seen quite a few fathers drive their in hockey and football. Wrestling, been my experience that kids don’t
sons in the weight room as if their gymnastics and the martial arts fit have the same fear of numbers as
lives depended on making a certain into the scheme nicely. Coupled older athletes.
number on some exercise. The boys with strength training, they help The European study of training
all grew to dislike lifting and as soon develop a youngster into a finer young athletes, which I mentioned
as they could dropped it entirely. athlete, which is the bottom line on last month, is pertinent to the sub-
When lifting is merely a part of an everything. ject of learning technique on the

While training sessions need a certain amount of regimentation at the beginning,

it should be very light. The emphasis should be on perfecting the form on every
exercise in the program. Don’t be concerned about numbers, just technique.

Models: Lee Apperson and Lee Apperson Jr.

overall fitness program, though, With that in mind, you need to two Olympic lifts: the snatch and
they embrace the activity enthusias- design and select the exercises for clean and jerk. Recruiting athletes
tically and use the discipline the rest the programs of young boys and as young at eight years old, the
of their lives. girls so they enhance athletic at- experts taught them very complex,
While training sessions need tributes as they build muscle and high-skill movements along with
a certain amount of regimenta- strength. Olympic lifts, or some lots of explosive pulling exercises
tion at the beginning, it should be version of them, along with other and plenty of squats, both front and
very light. The emphasis should pure strength exercises, fill the bill. back. Every program was created
be on perfecting the form on every Now you may ask, aren’t the snatch to eventually improve the numbers
exercise in the program. Don’t be and clean and jerk difficult to learn? on the Olympic lifts. The coaches
concerned about numbers, just Not really, if someone knows how to believed, as I do, that those who
technique. Master the technique, teach them correctly. It’s easier, by become proficient in those two lifts
and the numbers climb automati- the way, to teach a young person the could apply their strength and ath-
cally. At the same time encourage quick lifts than it is an adult. Young leticism to any other sport. Not all

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 Building a strong core is one of the
goals in setting up a beginning program
for youngsters.

You can do it very simply, by holding a bar overhead for a count of 10.
Model: Justin Balik

of the young men who took part in weightlifters had more muscle mass that it’s not an activity to be avoided
the study stayed with weightlifting. and better posture than the swim- but rather grasped wholeheartedly.
Some embraced volleyball, water mers. There’s no doubt in my mind that
polo, hockey, gymnastics, track What I’ve seen and read over the when done properly and under
and field plus many other Olympic years concerning strength training close supervision, a strength pro-
sports. Even so, the foundation for for youngsters leads me to conclude gram can have tremendous benefits
their athletic careers was estab-
lished with the quick lifts.
The beginning programs
for the European youngsters
were a great deal more ambi-
tious than any set up in this
country, yet the results were
very favorable to the lifters,
A long-term study compared
those who engaged in strength
training with swimmers of the
same age. After following the
progress of the two groups for
seven years, the researchers
concluded that both displayed
identical skeletal growth with
absolutely no unfavorable side
effects. Tests showed that the
weightlifting had a positive
health-protecting influence
Model: Spencer Neveux

and contributed to beneficial

functional and bodily changes.
The only differences between
the test subjects were that the

270 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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Only the Strong Shall Survive
You Can Get
for the overall health and future
athletic success of any youngster
want.
You should design programs for Bigger,
willing to expend the energy. With
obesity in young people now at
youngsters to establish balanced
strength in the three major muscle Stronger
epidemic proportions in our coun-
try, it seems to me that teaching
groups: shoulder girdle, back and
hips and legs. It can work if the and Leaner
them the fundamentals of weight young athletes do a primary ex- Faster Than Ever
training would be a wonderful step ercise for each of those groups at
in helping them gain control over every workout—no split routines Before!
their bodyweight and therefore their where the upper body is worked one
You don’t have to burn hard-earned muscle
self-image. It’s a physical activity time and the lower the next. The as you melt away fat. Now you can actually
that they can do in the privacy of idea is to do three primary exercises build more muscle size and strength as your
their homes under the guidance of for the various groups or a combi- abs get razor sharp and you get ripped.
That’s the attention-grabbing look you want
a caring parent. If they stick with it, nation movement, such as power now, and the new Fat to Muscle 2 shows you
they’ll learn that they do have some cleans followed quickly by front how. You’ll discover:
control over their physical selves. squats or power snatches followed •eatPrecise nutrition guidelines and diets—
to max out your muscle mass as pounds
That’s a very good feeling, especially by an overhead squat. Cleans and of ugly bodyfat disappear. (Learn the Carb-
when you’re young and lack confi- presses and cleans and jerks also get Stacking strategy that can transform mus-
dence because you’re overweight. the job done. cle size and stoke the fat-burning furnace.)
I said that a strength program Core training is the current catch- • Which substance—found in almost any
kitchen—is the ultimate aid for energy,
bodes well for future sports activi- phrase in fitness circles. Every fit- better muscular response and fat burning.
ties, and that includes bodybuild- ness video, exercise gadget or piece • How dairy can help you burn fat—
yogurt, cheese and milk can get you leaner.
ing. Olympic-style weightlifting of equipment on the market boasts
served as the basis for all the greats that it will improve core strength— • How to increase fat use with a minimum of
aerobic exercise, and why aerobics may be
in my day: John Grimek, Steve though for the life of me I can’t see a waste of time for a lean, muscular look.
Stanko, Vern Weaver, Sergio Oliva, how sitting on a bench and twisting • The amazing direct/indirect Fat-to-
Muscle 2 training program—with this
Val Vasilef, Ken Waller and, yes, even from side to side makes the core innovative routine it appears as if you train a
Arnold. Arnold will be the first to tell stronger. Everyone is always look- bodypart only once a week, but you really
you how much he loved doing the train each twice thanks to indirect work (and
ing for a shortcut. News flash: There each workout takes less than an hour).
Olympic lifts in his formative years isn’t one. The results you gain from • The 8 key nutrients for faster fat burn-
of training and how much they doing any form of strength training ing, including how much to take of each.
helped him achieve his stunning are in direct proportion to the effort • Top 6 fat-to-muscle tricks. (Great info!)
success in bodybuilding. While that you put into the activity. • The 10 rules for super energy.
The secrets to melting away bodyfat as you
trend has faded recently, the idea is Building a strong core is one of build lean, ripped muscle
no less valid. the goals in setting up a beginning are all packed in this IRONMAN
Magazine’
s
bulletin—eating plans, BULLETIN
#5
When coaching youngsters, you program for youngsters. You can
must understand that the same do it very simply, by holding a bar
workout routines,
metabolism-accelera-
FAT TO
principles apply to them as to overhead for a count of 10. With tion techniques and the
best fat-to-muscle
MUSCLE
adults. In order for the muscles, those who display a glaring weak- nutrients. Stop dieting
Pack On Le
2
tendons and ligaments to grow ness in their core, I have them hold away muscle—pack As You Shed Mass
an
Bodyfat
on more as you burn Includes carb
stronger, they must be systematical- just an empty, light training bar, a fat, and look your fat-burning
-sta
diets, grow cking and carb-reducti
th horm one
workouts and activation,
on
and the 10 sup
ly overloaded. Overloading simply stick or piece of PCP pipe for 20 to hard, muscular best
Rules for Sup plements
er Energy

means that more work is being done 30 seconds for five or six sets. Once in record time!
than at a previous session. It may they get stronger, I add weight and
be no more than one extra rep on a then have them do overhead squats. Just $9.95
certain exercise or a slightly higher At the conclusion of each squat plus $6.50 postage & handling ($15 outside North
America) (California residents add 8.25% sales tax)
weight. At the same time, a coach they pause at the top and hold the
has to realize that progress comes barbell for a set count—say, five Credit card orders call
much more slowly in young bodies; or six. After each jerk or overhead 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS
they do not have the benefit of large press, they again hold the weight
amounts of testosterone in their for a short time. I do not teach them YES! I want to transform my physique. Rush
systems. That’s why you can’t force to merely hold the weight in a pas- me IRONMAN’s Fat to Muscle 2.

the issue and also why learning cor- sive fashion. Instead, I want them ......................................................
Rush my
rect technique is more valuable than to extend their arms and shoulders copy to: .....................................................
increasing the numbers. Progress up into the weight in an aggressive ....................................................
should come slowly for youngsters manner. That forces them to keep all Enclose check or money order for $9.95 plus $6.50
shipping payable to: Home GYM Warehouse,
so you can be certain that weak the muscles in their body extremely 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033.
areas aren’t lagging way behind. The tight—and that, as a matter of fact, Credit card orders call TOLL FREE
physical structure you’re attempt- does strengthen the core groups. 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS
CA residents add 8.25% sales tax. Foreign orders
ing to create is a long-term project, Dynamic pulling movements— (except Canada) add $15 shipping. Payment in
and hurrying is a mistake. Slow but full cleans, full snatches, power U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. banks only.
steady improvement is what you cleans, power snatches and full

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 Only the Strong Shall Survive
front or back squats—have a direct or calf raises. Why? Given the op- jerks and squats.
influence on core strength, as do portunity, kids will spend more There will be plenty of time to
high pulls and shrugs, but they time on the showy muscles than on do specialized movements for the
may not be included in youngsters’ the major groups. What they don’t smaller groups later on, after the
programs until they’ve perfected realize is that shoulders and elbows strength base is rock solid. In the
the technique on the basics. Those are delicate joints and can easily be formative stages, all the athletes’ en-
exercises form the foundation of traumatized by overwork. Besides, ergy and attention must be directed
my beginning programs, along with the smaller groups I mentioned all to working the major groups. I have
others I’ll mention later. get plenty of attention on the core no problem, however, if they choose
First, though, I want to go over exercises. Dynamic pulling activates to do something for the smaller
some exercises that fit into most the biceps on every rep, and once groups with bodyweight exercises,
strength programs yet don’t belong lifters have to put out a bit of extra such as chins, pushups, dips and
in a youngster’s beginning routine. effort, they bring the prime mov- calf raises, without any additional
No specific movements for the ers of the arm into play. Any form resistance. They won’t tap into the
smaller groups, including curls of of pressing involves the triceps and energy stores, as they’re self-lim-
any type, pushdowns, skull crush- deltoids, and the calves are very iting. Rarely can youngsters do
ers, dumbbell front or lateral raises much a part of cleans, snatches, more than 10 chins, but give them
a couple of dumbbells and they’ll
grind out dozens of curls. Basically,
just say no to working the smaller
groups with any resistance other
than bodyweight.
While that recommendation may
not be popular, here’s one guaran-
teed to be even less so: Don’t do flat-
bench presses. I avoid the bench
press for youngsters, not because
it’s dangerous but because when it’s
overworked, it limits the range of
motion in the shoulders and doesn’t
have the conversion benefits that
other pressing movement have.
Overhead presses and steep incline-
bench presses use the shoulders
and triceps to a much greater degree
than flat-bench presses do. Every
athletic activity involves the shoul-
ders and arms, but only a very few
depend on the pecs. Besides, the
chest can get specialized work later
on. It’s not a matter of eliminating
the flat bench forever, only setting
it aside until the young body grows
considerably stronger. The Europe-
an youngsters never did flat-bench
Dynamic pull- presses. They were confined to
ing activates overhead presses and jerks.
the biceps on Incline benches are much more
useful for young athletes than flat
every rep, and benches. They use the shoulders
once lifters have more and still work the high portion
to put out a bit of the chest. That’s good; it helps
stabilize the shoulder girdle. In-
of extra effort, clines are more convertible to sports
they bring the activities than the flat version.
prime movers The steeper the incline, the bet-
ter, as that forces the deltoids and
of the arm into
Model: Spencer Neveux

triceps to do most of the work. Do

play. overhead presses, jerks and steep
inclines, and the shoulders and
arms will get plenty strong. That
strength can be used in every sport.

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Note, however, that youngsters are move the reps to eight. I restrict the
well advised not to build the lower deadlift to auxiliary status because
pecs. It may seem like a great idea it’s just too tempting for youngsters
on paper, but it’s a huge mistake. to attempt to see how much they
People have to maintain their lower can lift from the floor—again, the
pecs for as long as they live. If they reason a parent or coach should
don’t, they’ll droop. We’ve all seen never permit young athletes to train
examples of that, and it’s not a on their own.
pretty sight. I’ve already gone over the exer-
What about deadllfts? I teach cises I prefer for youngsters. Now
every beginner how to deadlift, let me go over why I like them. The
regardless of age or sex. I do so for power clean has been called “the
a practical reason. Throughout our athlete’s exercise” for good reason.
lives we have to lift heavy objects off It requires a good athlete to excel

Basically, just say no to working the smaller groups with

any resistance other than bodyweight.

the floor. Knowing how to do so cor-

at the lift, and constant repetitions
rectly can save a lot of pain. I omit
enhance athletic attributes, such
the deadlift from youngsters’ pro-
as timing, coordination, foot speed
grams, however, except when I use it
and balance. Power cleans work
to help them strengthen the starting
the entire body from foot to neck
position on their pulling move-and certainly strengthen the core
ments. Even then I keep the weights
groups. While they’re a high-skill ex-
relatively light. I start out with five
ercise, they’re not difficult to master.
reps, and if they use perfect form, I
My book The Strongest Shall Survive
includes sequence photos
Incline benches are much more that are easy to follow, as
does Starting Strength by
useful for young athletes than Mark Rippetoe and Lon
flat-bench presses. Kilgore (Aasgaard: Wichita
Falls, Texas. 2007).
The one thing to keep
an eye on during the ex-
ecution of the power clean
is the rack. Youngsters
should never lean back-
ward as they rack the bar
on their shoulders. Rather,
they need to keep their
torso perfectly erect and
dip straight down to rack
the bar. When they do, the
lift is safe.
Once someone learns
correct form on the power
clean, it’s easy to do power
snatches. The snatch is
basically the same move,
except the grip is wider
and the pull is longer from
the floor to lockout over-
head. Both exercises are
done in dynamic fashion.
Model: Spencer Neveux

What makes them use-

ful to youngsters is that
they make or miss the lift
quickly. There’s no grind-
ing through a sticking

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 Only the Strong Shall Survive
point, and that’s what you want at that formula when I first started
their stage of development. training beginners. It wasn’t long,
Full squats are the single most however, before I saw that it was
important exercise in any strength flawed. It didn’t fit at all when
program. As I explained in last high-skill lifts were part of the
month’s installment, they’re safe program. Form began to break
when proper technique is used. down at reps eight, nine and 10,
Problems can occur, however, when and it’s a truism of strength train-
athletes rebound out of the bot- ing that lifters can sustain an
tom, round their back excessively or injury with a light weight if they
allow their knees to turn in. When use sloppy technique.
any of that happens, they need to That’s why I use the five-sets-
spend time strengthening their of-five concept as a general rule.
weaker areas. For the rebounding, For the high-skill exercises—
have them pause at the bottom of power cleans, power snatches,
every rep. full cleans, full snatches, front
Front squats come easy for most squats and jerks—I lower the reps
youngsters, as they possess excel- to threes or twos. If I want to in-
lent flexibility in their shoulders and crease the workload on a certain
hips. I like them because they force exercise, I merely add more sets.
the lifter to go very low. Cutting I’d rather have a youngster do
them off ends up being counterpro- every rep correctly than try more
ductive because it only makes the and use poor form. Should you
exercise harder. notice that a youngster is tired
After youngsters can do front and struggling, stop the session.
squats, overhead squats, power You want every one to be a qual-
cleans and power snatches, they can ity workout.
do full cleans and snatches without Prior to any lifting, have young-
any problem. Of course, practice sters do one exercise for their
helps, but adding full cleans and abs and one for the lower back.
snatches to a routine will advance At the conclusion of the workout
a young person’s athleticism even have them do another for those
further. two areas. Situps or crunches and
How often should youngsters hyperextensions before and leg
train? How long should each session raises and reverse hypers after
last? How about sets and reps? Even- will help strengthen the core
tually, the idea is to train three times muscles even further.
a week, but that might not happen Unless there happens to be a
right away. At first they may not fol- competent coach within driving
low a strict routine and may do only range, parents will have to take on
Model: Spencer Neveux

one or two exercises at a workout. the job of training their children

In that event short sessions five or and perhaps others in the neigh-
six days a week are okay. Youngsters borhood. You won’t need much in
have an excess of energy, so there’s the way of equipment, but some
not a lot of worry about overwork- of it is rather specialized—such as
ing them; they’re not really handling a shorter, 35-pound Olympic bar,
that much of a load. One day squat, small bumper plates, PCP pipe and mind that future collegiate and pro
the next power clean, the next front a broomstick. The pipe and stick are athletes, Olympic champions and
squat and so on. Ease them into the for warming up and practicing the Mr. Olympia winners have to come
program, and they’ll constantly ask lifts. A squat rack and incline bench from somewhere. Why not from
for more. Pile too much on right are also useful but not absolutely es- your household?
away, and they’ll rebel. sential. You can help the youngsters
When you think the youngster position the bar on their back for Editor’s note: Bill Starr was a
is ready, have him or her work all squats and rig up an incline station strength and conditioning coach
the major groups at every workout: or just have them do presses and at Johns Hopkins University from
press, pull and squat. Every program jerks. 1989 to 2000. He’s the author of The
I ever read concerning training a While you may not feel that a Strongest Shall Survive—Strength
beginner recommends three sets of youngster is ready to start strength Training for Football, which is avail-
10 reps. The logic is that the higher training just yet, this information able for $20 plus shipping from
reps force the lifter to use lighter will help you when he or she is and Home Gym Warehouse. Call (800)
weights, thereby lowering the risk should reassure you that the activity 447-0008, or visit www.Home-Gym
of injury. Makes sense, so I adopted is safe when done correctly. Keep in .com. IM

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MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BODY MIND/BOD MIND/BODY

Mind/Body
BOMBER BLAST
The Overflowing Riches of Iron and Steel
know.

H
ere’s the beginning of a
promising conversation: 12) Education in method-
“Had you invested your ology: how to, how much and
time and effort in an education when equal wisdom.
rather than building muscles, you 13) Exercise investment:
could have made something of training is an added step in life
yourself—you could have been achievement.
a doctor, a lawyer, a banker or a 14) Inspiration: self-realiza-
hairdresser. What have you got to tion, self-respect and self-assur-
say for yourself?” ance equal harmony.
Though the declaration high- 15) Exhilaration: high spir-
lights your potential, I don’t believe its, the thrill, the high. What can
it’s meant to be a compliment. exceed them?
The glib inquiry that follows, I’m 16) Expanded purpose:

Neveux \ Model: Kris Gethin

certain, is not a bid for a cheery muscle building and training
and thoughtful reply. Inarticulate knowledge are grand goals.
mumbling with downcast eyes will 17) Fulfillment: inner satis-
do nicely. faction; accomplishment; initiation
I don’t think so. and completion of a tough, worthy
You want to be prepared with a job done well, start to finish, is the
cogent response without appear- grandest goal.
ing defensive or dumb. Here’s how 18) Stress relief: a train-
I finessed that very question when ing by-product. Physical exertion
proposed to me recently: “Yes, Laree, you’re right as usual. burns our worries, and mental concentration diminishes our
But I’m nothing without the iron. I’m a mess. I get the shakes. woes.
I drool. I wet my pants. Reviewing the selection makes you want to race to the gym
“When hoisting the iron, however, in addition to building and grab a set of dumbbells before they’re gone. Never mind
muscle mass and shape, strength and health, the specific college tuition, Mom and Dad; presses are free. Nurse Goodly,
things I seek and often achieve are plentiful and praiseworthy. squats today; tell my patients I’m conducting a major opera-
Ponder the list below.” tion. Ms. Justin, have my clients and their lawsuits wait in
1) Pleasure and play and camaraderie: lifting the conference room. I’m before the honorable bench. Note:
weights is so much fun. Banks are closed on Arms Day.
2) Pump: the tight and full muscular feeling is sheer joy. Okay, not every workout is playful and fun. Some days
3) Burn: the kind of pain any healthy individual craves. they’re downright agonizing and—What’s this?—the company
4) Stimulation: all regions of stimulus—body, mind and you keep is on a bummer, too. Bad vibes, man. We got da
soul—are immeasurable. blues. That’s life. You must get your kicks outta something
5) Increase in weight used: another ounce added is else, then, like the awesome pump and nasty burn. We’re
another step forward. bombin’ and blastin’. Yeah, and sometimes the pump and
6) Increase in reps applied: one more rep and away burn are limp and cold—big trouble at the farm, turkeys.
we go. Stimulation you can count on every time. Stimulation cov-
7) Muscle concentration: focus is absolute and tran- ers a lot of territory. Just a little is enough to feel good and be
scendent. worthy. You can soak in a thimble of stimulation if you don’t
8) Complete, well-performed reps: what compares splash around too much. Get what you can, where you can,
to perfection in motion? when you can—the brain, the bi’s, the heart, the soul. Don’t
9) Even, orderly exercise pace and set-rep pace: be greedy; don’t be cheap.
order is sanity. Once in a while—not always—the sets are easy, and the
10) Desired degree of muscle exertion: appropriate reps go up, gravity is mild and the poundage goes up. Sing
force enhances life. for joy and remember the song. This is a very good day. These
11) Discovery or invention or learning in exer- are the days that will carry you onward when obstacles arise.
cise application: trial and error, learn and grow, create and If you and the iron are at all good together, there will come
a day when anything short of total concentration is unaccept-
276 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com
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able—a major training flaw. No leaks allowed. One must unite
the engaged muscle with the pain and the force, with the ac- Intimacy
tion and the form, with the will and hope and the completion
of the set and reps. Focus or die.
Well-performed reps vary from lifter to lifter. Cute, perfect
Sexy Time
reps from the manual are eventually replaced by lifts and

A
grooves that match the iron vet’s limitations and abilities. Injury ccord-
often defines one’s exercise performance, and perfection
takes on broadened margins...any way you can accomplish
ing to
the deed. Looks good to me! re-
Aim to do everything with order and rhythm and rhyme. search done at
Only you can hear the music that resounds in the ear of your
mind and heart. Yup, there are times when we sound like the Pennsylvania
Huber Street Elementary School Band, but it gets better with State University,
practice.
Now, we want to lift with all our heart and soul, but produc-
a desirable time
tive muscle exertion requires us to retain a reserve. I have a frame for sex—
hard time with that one, and I’m not alone. One more rep. for both men
Training intensity! Maximum muscle exertion! 110 percent! A
bunch of busted-up ironheads are crawling around out here. and women—is
Nevertheless, I highly endorse moderation and sanity—that is, just seven to 13 minutes. How did the re-
when not bombing and blasting it.
Train with focus, yet keep your mind’s eye wide open.
searchers come up with those numbers?
We’re learning and growing constantly, adapting and increas- They interviewed more than 30 sex experts
ing. Not everything has a by-the-book answer; things don’t in the United States who have consulted with
always work and fit together as planned. Be ready to cut a
new path, to adjust to the circumstance, to invent a solution thousands of people. My unofficial feminine
to a personally unique condition. guess is that those numbers don’t include
You can read and learn and go, or you can go and learn
and grow. Brad Harris called me yesterday to make sure we
foreplay.
were alive and well. He said Gene Mozée had just left his —Becky Holman
place in Santa Monica after interviewing him for an article, www.X-tremeLean.com
which appeared in last month’s IRON MAN. The only muscle
talk we shared was his training method, developed a million
years ago: trial and error, lift and learn. See? Told ya!
When we think we’ve done enough, lifted sufficiently,
moved all the iron we can or should, we wake up the next Mental Might
day realizing it’s training—hard exercise, right eating and right
thinking—that propels us forward and lures us on. Weight Nap for Knowlege
training is a passion. We’re rich. Our wallets are empty, but
our gym bags are full, whatever that means.

R
I’ve gotta tell ya, bombers, without the steel-studded path I
esearch out of Germany suggests that
can’t find my way to the gym. It is there, that cold and austere a mere six-minute nap can improve
place in the sun, where I’m reminded how to count sets and memory performance. When tested
reps, count others and count myself. If only I could spell or
knew the capital of Washington, D.C. Where’s Canada? against subjects who didn’t nap and those
You can be dumb and still find joy and exhilaration in a who napped for 30 to 45 minutes, the six-
heavy bench press, a thrill from a series of well-executed su-
persets. Your spirits can be sinking when you enter the gym,
minute nappers did just as well on memory
but they’re soaring when you leave. You remember why you’re tests as the longer nappers, while the nap-
alive: to live. Few things are more fulfilling than a challenge less subjects did worse. So the next time
undertaken and accomplished, all in 60 minutes, one 24th of
a day. Frustration and anxiety and stress fall like scales from your boss catches you sleeping at your desk,
your being. You’re whole and good and right. whip out that study. —Becky Holman
The only thing missing is the wind at your back, before you
and to your left and right.
www.X-tremeLean.com
Get wings and fly...Godspeed.
—Dave Draper

Editor’s note: For more from Dave

Draper, visit www.DaveDraper.com and
sign up for his free newsletter. You can
also check out his amazing Top Squat
training tool, classic photos, workout Q&A
and forum.

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ NOVEMBER 2008 277

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 MIND/BODY BodySpace Physique of the Month MIND/BODY

Jake Sawyer
Y
ou might call Jake Sawyer the new face on BodySpace.
You may have seen him recently in a lot of places, such
as a Tylenol commercial that ran during the broadcasts
of the Summer Olympics, in which he played a wrestler, a
commercial for Harley-Davidson, guest appearances on the
Comedy Central show with Lewis Black, the new HBO series
“Little Britain,” Work Out” on Bravo, and a bunch of magazine
ads for everything from photo labs to travel. Now, it’s not as
if Jake has been working on being an actor for the past 10
years; that’s all happened in the past 10 months! It’s a big deal
for a 30-year-old from Maine, who wrestled for the University of

Photography by Ian Sitren \ SecondFocus

Nebraska.
Jake didn’t go directly from Nebraska to screen and maga-
zine, however. He stopped off in Iraq, courtesy of the National
Guard, and got himself blown out of a truck by an IED—one of
those now infamous improvised explosive devices. Surgeries
and recoveries later, he got a degree in exercise physiology
and sports nutrition, and he got his certification as a personal
trainer.
For the past six years or so Jake has worked
as a strength and conditioning coach, a fitness
instructor at a country club and an independent
personal trainer. In addition, he’s often out the
door of his home in Palm Springs, California,
and on his way to Los Angeles, where he audi-
tions for commercials and catalog shoots. He
was even a finalist for “American Gladiators,”
and he just did his first bodybuilding show, the
’08 Muscle Beach Venice competition, which
was held on Memorial Day.
Jake discovered BodySpace on Bodybuild
ing.com and has been spending time talking
with other people interested in health and fit-
ness. He says BodySpace fits his goal of want-
ing to “be someone’s inspiration.”
His BodySpace member name is “JakeW
Sawyer,” so look him up and
tell him you saw him in IRON
MAN magazine.
—Ian Sitren

Editor’s note: For more

BodySpace bodies and info,
visit Bodybuilding.com.

278 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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MIND/BODY New Stuff

NITROCARN™ GPLC 1500

T
he STS Nitrocarn GPLC 1500 is
a dietary supplement contain-
ing glycine propionyl-L-carnitine
as the active ingredient. Results from a
recent investigation using GPLC indicate
that short-term oral supplementation in
resistance-trained men can increase blood
nitrate and nitrite levels, which are markers
of nitric oxide. The clinical research sug-
gests that using at least 1,500 milligrams
of GPLC may be helpful in three distinct
ways: vasodilation, fatty acid metabolism
and antioxidant protection, as related to
health and performance.
For more information, visit www.sts-sports.com, or call (800) 275-
6079

Bloomer, et al. (2007). Glycine propionyl-L-carnitine increases plasma

nitrate/nitrite in resistance trained men. Journal of the International Society
of Sports Nutrition. 4:22.

Longevity
Golf Fore Life

I
n a study done in Sweden, research-
ers looked at 300,000 golfers and
determined that golfers can add
about five years to their lives just by play-
ing regularly.
—Becky Holman
www.X-tremeLean.com

Stress Busters
Action to Ease Anxiety

R
eaders of IRON MAN know that hitting
the gym is a stress reliever—if you don’t
overtrain, of course. But you don’t have
to blast out high-intensity sets to ease anxiety.
New research from Scotland suggests that just 20
minutes of moderate activity—including yard work
or brisk walking—increases happiness and energy
©iStockphoto.com / Nikada

levels. Got a break at work? Take a walk.

—Becky Holman
.www.X-tremeLean.com

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 MIND/BODY Book Review MIND/BODY
MIND/BODY

The Lean Body Promise

get the full Lean

I
M readers know
Lee Labrada as Body cycle: day
the symmetrical 1, weight train-
pro bodybuilder who ing; day 2, more
was ranked as one weight training;
of the top four body- day 3, cardio;
builders in the world repeat. Lee out-
during the last seven lines three different
years of his pro weight workouts,
career. More recently push muscles,
he was appointed pull muscles and
fitness czar of Hous- legs and abs. You
ton, Texas, where his move through that
company, Labrada sequence in order,
Nutrition, is based. but after every
Houston used to be two workouts
consistently ranked you have a cardio
as one of the fattest U.S. cities. Lee put day. As for the exercises, you get start
a stop to that, and his book, The Lean and finish photos of each along with
Body Promise, outlines the tools he descriptions and performance tips. The
used on that successful mission. exercise section is nicely done, with all
The book was first published in the info you need.
2005, but it’s worth a current look. It’s Lee’s cardio prescription isn’t just
based on what Lee calls Banex—a walking a treadmill or riding an exercise
short term for “balanced nutrition and bike in a steady-state fashion, although
exercise.” In the book he shows how he says that’s okay. He prefers the
a person can get lean using 30-minute high-intensity method, which he ex-
exercise programs along with five bal- plains in detail, including graphs.
anced meals a day. The book is much The back of the book features an
more, however, than that. extensive FAQ section, daily planners
After introducing himself and chroni- and lots of scrumptious recipes. But
cling his rise to bodybuilding promi- let’s rewind for a moment. Everything
nence, Lee reveals the two reasons I described involves following the right
people fail to get in shape: 1) they use map. What about the second reason
the wrong map, and 2) they can’t sus- people fail to get in shape—losing
tain the motivation. Obviously, The Lean motivation?
Body Advantage has the right map. It If you need to be inspired—and who
contains diet analysis and simple meal doesn’t?—the beginning of the book
plans along with tips on eating out includes a number of success stories,
without pigging out. complete with before and after pho-
In addition to diet coaching, Lee tos of real people who did it. No, they
provides workouts, identifying aerobic aren’t competitive bodybuilders but av-
and anerobic work and explaining why erage folks who reshaped their bodies.
you need both but not too much of You’ll read each one’s story and see
either. Lee explains that “cardio training the before and after photos and stats.
alone can’t give your body the muscle it Is the book for hardcore bodybuild-
needs to burn fat more quickly, nor can ers? Not really, although there are
it give you the lean body you desire.” things in it that add to the muscle-
Amen to that. building knowledge base. If you know
The weight-training workouts are someone who needs a kick in the
simple, very circuitlike, with little rest pants and a precise road map to a
between exercises. Lee outlines an body metamorphosis, however, The
easy-to-follow break-in program with Lean Body Advantage makes a great
nine different exercises. You do one set gift. It’s hardcore-bodybuilding con-
each, pausing between exercises just cepts whittled down for the average
long enough to catch your breath. The trainee for real-world results.
next day you do 30 minutes of cardio. —Becky Holman
After the two-week break-in, you www.X-tremeLean.com

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 MIND/BODY Commentary MIND/BODY

Who’s to Blame?
grew hoarse for freaks like Yates,

P
rofessional bodybuilding seems
to be returning, at least some- Nasser El Sonbaty, Paul Dillett and
what, to the former ideals of Markus Rühl and virtually starting riots
shape and symmetry. Physiques like whenever smaller men beat their giant
those of Phil Heath, Dexter Jackson idols?
and Dennis Wolf are a far cry from We could also ponder the role
the thick waists and pregnant bellies that the magazines and supplement
that many felt were ruining the sport companies played. Since both cater,
by turning it into a pharmaceuticals- generally speaking, to males aged 18
induced carnival sideshow. Now that to 25 who simply want to get huge,
the tide is turning, some want to know they often featured and sponsored
how and why things got so out of men who had the freakiest physiques
hand in the first place. In short, some- on earth. It could be argued that they
one needs to take the blame for the glorified the image of the overjuiced
age of “mass at all costs.” But who? 270-to-300-pound monsters and
Is it the athletes themselves? made it the standard that everybody
They’re the ones who decided to take chased. Twenty-three-inch arms, legs
size further. But what athlete doesn’t that really were the size of tree trunks
strive to take the game to the next and veins the size of garden hoses
level? We haven’t had a Mr. Olympia were salivated over, while boil-like
weighing less than 250 pounds for acne, B-cup gyno and bellies that
20 years. The bodybuilders were only looked ready to give birth to quintu-
following the leader. Haney was big- plets were ignored.
ger than any Mr. O before him; Dorian When you step back and objective-
brought a whole new standard for ly analyze the era of the mass mon-
massive, thick muscle to the throne. sters, you have to realize that we were
Ronnie was even freakier, and if a all to blame. It was a group effort that
human being could get much bigger shifted the paradigm of the ideal phy-
than Jay Cutler, I don’t think he’d be sique, just as we are all now shifting
able to move around at all. back to a more reasonable standard.
Maybe we should blame the judges As tempting as it may be to blame
for rewarding the mass monsters. one group for deciding what type of
That’s questionable too. They judged physique we aspire to and rewarding
what was put in front of them, and that look with contest wins, magazine
the competitors were getting larger by covers and lucrative endorsement
the year. contracts, it’s not realistic.
What about the fans? Weren’t they —Ron Harris
the ones cheering until their voices www.RonHarrisMuscle.com

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 MIND/BODY Health and Aging

Marijuana Not Linked to Lung Cancer

T
he following is from an interesting, eye- determined that marijuana did not seem to have an
opening article by David Biello, written for effect, despite its unhealthful aspects. “Marijuana is
Scientific American: packed more loosely than tobacco, so there’s less
The smoke from burning marijuana leaves contains filtration through the rod of the cigarette, so more
several known carcinogens, and the tar it creates particles will be inhaled,” Tashkin says. “And marijua-
contains 50 percent more of some of the chemicals na smokers typically smoke differently than tobacco
linked to lung cancer than tobacco smoke does. A smokers; they hold their breath about four times
marijuana cigarette also deposits four times as much longer, allowing more time for extrafine particles to
of that tar as an equivalent tobacco one. Scientists deposit in the lungs.”
were therefore surprised to learn that a study of The study does not reveal how marijuana avoids
more than 2,000 people found no increase in the risk causing cancer. Tashkin speculates that per-
of developing lung cancer for marijuana smokers. haps THC, a chemical in marijuana smoke,
“We expected that we would find that a history prompts aging cells to die before becoming
of heavy marijuana use—more than 500 to 1,000 cancerous. Tashkin and his colleagues presented
uses—would increase the risk of cancer from sev- the findings in San Francisco at a recent meeting of
eral years to decades after exposure to marijuana,” the American Thoracic Society. —Dr. Bob Goldman
explains physician Donald Tashkin of the University www.WorldHealth.net
of California, Los Angeles, and lead researcher
on the project. Looking at residents of Los Editor’s
Angeles County, however, the scientists note: For the
found that even those who smoked more latest informa-
than 20,000 joints in their life did not have tion and research
an increased risk of lung cancer. on health and aging,
The researchers interviewed subscribe to the
611 lung cancer patients and American Academy of
1,040 healthy controls as well Anti-Aging Medicine
as 601 patients who had cancer e-zine free at World
in the head or neck region under Health.net.
the age of 60 to create the statisti-
cal analysis. They found that
80 percent of those who
had lung cancer and 70 per-
cent of those who had other
cancers had smoked tobacco,
while only roughly half of both
groups had smoked marijuana. The
more tobacco a person smoked, the
greater the risk of developing cancer,
as other studies have shown.
But after controlling for tobacco,
alcohol and other drug use as well as
matching patients and controls by age,
gender and neighborhood, researchers

284 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

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 READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READERS WRITE READER

Readers Write
Letters

Gangbuster Gladiator Castration Accusation

Lonnie I’m responding to Bill Stinson’s
Teper did a “Get Real” letter, which appeared
masterful job in the May ’08 Readers Write. Al-
interviewing though I’m new to bodybuilding, I
my favorite know that many male bodybuild-
Mike “Titan” American ers who take anabolic steroids
Gladiator, sometimes have extremely
O’Hearn.
Titan, or Mi- teeny balls. However, until I read
chael O’Hearn Stinson’s response, I was unaware
[“Gladiator,” that for some the result can be
September total castration. He see’s nothing
’08]. It was one suggestive about Marzia Prince
of the most on the cover [March ’08]? I am a
complete heterosexual female, and I saw
interviews I’ve immediately that she was suggestively and overtly sexual in
ever seen with the photo. Any reader who missed that must be experienc-
anyone. Teper ing a castrating effect from something! Jennifer Voorhees
asked about via Internet
his upbring-
ing, athletics, Editor’s note: Ouch! We think he probably saw the
best lifts, TV sexuality, but he just didn’t see anything wrong with it. We
and movie didn’t see it as overtly sexual either, and—hold on, let us
Neveux

credits. And check—yes, our balls are normal size.

to top it off,
Titan’s full workout and diets were included. IRON MAN
magazine is unequivocally the best bodybuilding maga-
X-traordinary Gains
zine, period. Sly Sebastian I wanted to thank [Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman]
Newark, NJ for a great mass workout that gets results
fast. I’ve been lifting for two years, train-
Editor’s note: As Lonnie said in the introduction to that ing for hours in the gym five days a week.
interview, he’s known O’Hearn ever since Mike came to I’ve seen progress, but the definition
California early in his career. The two have a certain rap- and growth halted last year. I ran across
port, so we’re hoping to see Lonnie competing on “Ameri- the X-Rep programs one afternoon and
can Gladiators,” considering he’s got a connection. ordered all of the available e-books. I
read them all that day. I started with
the X-Rep Mass-Detail Workout [from
L.T.’s Show the e-book Ultimate Mass Workout, the
original X-Rep manual]. The results
I truly enjoyed [Lonnie Teper’s Junior Cal bodybuild- after just four weeks are more than I’ve
ing event]. I actually achieved over the past year. I went from a defined 185
Lenda got to sit, watch and pounds to a ripped and superdefined 193 pounds in one
Murray. enjoy. I’m promoting month. For the first time in my life I have muscle detail
my own show, so it that I never knew existed, and my abs went from a good
was very motivational six-pack to a defined eight-pack. The next step is to use
to watch the success the new techniques in X-Rep Update #1. I can’t thank you
unfold. enough! Jonathan Jura
Lenda Murray Delphi, IN
via Internet
Editor’s note: For more on X-Rep training, visit www
Editor’s note: .X-Rep.com.
Lonnie appreciates
the kudos, and we Erratum: On the cover of the September ’08 issue we mis-
appreciate any oppor- spelled the surname of our Hardbody model. It’s Ava Cowan.
tunity to run a photo
of an eight-time Ms. Vol. 67, No. 11: IRON MAN (ISSN #0047-1496) is published monthly by IRON MAN Pub-
Olympia. You’re one lishing, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Periodical Mail is paid at Oxnard, CA, and at
additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives
of the all-time best, Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Please allow six to eight weeks for change to take effect. Subscrip-
Lenda. tion rates—U.S. and its possessions: new 12-issue subscription, $29.97. Canada, Mexico and
other foreign subscriptions: 12 issues, $49.97 sent Second Class. Foreign orders must be in
Comstock

U.S. dollars. Send subscriptions to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Or call
1-800-570-4766. Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be
reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.

288 NOVEMBER 2008 \ www.ironman-

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