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Post your dietary/workout routine/dietary supplementation questions in here.

73K views 700 replies 77 participants last post by  Atlasgtr 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hey guys,

I am currently majoring in Kinesiology at Penn State(i'm ready for Paterno jokes
), and I love helping people with anything that encompasses bodybuilding, athletic performace, general health or just the old timer trying to get back into the gym.

I am currently training seven undergrads at my school, two soccer players at Lafayette University, a guard at Maine University, and a professional indoor soccer player(Omaha Vipers). I have done many scientific write-ups on dietary supplementation and nutrition. I also did an eight page paper on training tips for weight trainees. I'd be happy to email it to anyone that is interested.

I am also a paid representative/consultant on Bodybuilding.com(this is not my job, I am a full time college student).

Here is a link to my profile: http://bodyspace.bod...m/Shermanatorx/ I am currently cutting weight preparing for my first NPC competition(natural).

Ask any questions you'd like; this is good training and practice for me.

-Connor
 
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#5 ·
First off, nutrient timing is irrelevant, i.e, a whey protein shake right after a workout, or a casein shake right before bed etc. A few years ago, it was believed that a whey(fastest digesting/utilization) protein shake was best taken immediately after a workout; this was known as the "anabolic window". More recent research(bigger and better funded) tells us other wise. Whey consumed at any time during the day is just as effective as a post workout whey shake.

The most important thing to consider is macro nutrients(carbs, protein and fat). Generally speaking, if one wants to build muscle, it would be wise for them to consume 1g of protein per lb of body weight. I currently weigh ~230lbs, so I try to consume at least 230g of protein. How, when or where you get that protein will not make a difference. Protein is made up of amino acids, amino acids are the building blocks of life(muscle is need to support life). It is very important so consume enough protein in order to maintain or gain muscle. Also, remember, muscle burns fat. It eats away at calories to maintain itself. If ones body is lacking protein especially, it will eat at itself, this is called muscle catabolism(the opposite of anabolism), if not taken care of, it will eventually cause muscle atrophy(opposite of hypertrophy).

I generally recommend people try to obtain their protein requirements through whole food, as it provides other macro nutrients as well as micro nutrients(vitamins, minerals, organic acids etc.).

This is not always possible with Americas fast paced life style. My recommendation is to pick up a whey protein powder that is GMP(Good Manufacturing Process)certified. Nothing in the dietary supplementation industry is FDA approved, not even the multi vitamin you're taking-they can only approve the label. Therefore, it's best to look for something GMP certified. I have seen various COA's for companies and I can guide you in the right direction if you'd like.

I realize that may have been a longer answer than you expected.

Are you currently taking any whey protein? If so, what brand?
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Sounds good.

I received a PM from a member that will remain anonymous, and I think it would be good to outline his concern in this thread(as well as through pm).

He was talking about losing weight, and what was the best way to go about doing so.

My response:

A few things to consider.

The equation to lose or gain weight is really much simpler than people make it:

Losing weight: calories in < calories out

Gaining weight: calories in > calories out

What makes up the majority of those calories doesn't matter. It can be simple carbs, complex, protein, fiber, saturate fat, polyunsaturated fat etc.

My recommendation is to count calories. You wan't to consume 100-300 calories under your or BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate) if you're trying to lose weight. BMR is how many calories an individual burns at rest. Remember, your BMR decreases as you age too.

Plugging in your stats into a BMR(Basal Metabolic Rate) calculator, it comes up with 2416.95 calories.

Here is the calculator I used: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

So, you would wan't to consume ~2200 calories a day. This will enable you to lose weight, I can guarantee it. This is all scientific, there is no guess work involved. If you follow this approach you will shed the pounds. This may be hard at first, so I would start a little higher(~3,000cals), and start to taper down.

If you were my client, I would put you on a weight training routine paired with some sort of cardio/plyometrics. The reason being, with P90x(and Insanity) you are not effectively building muscle, but rather just burning calories. If you read my post in the thread, muscle is very important for building a well balanced physique and increasing your BMR, enabling you to burn more calories just laying in be for instance.
 
#9 · (Edited by Moderator)
Does gaining muscle weight come quick like after a few weeks if you do the proper protein?
A few weeks may not be a sufficient amount of time.

Also, protein is only one aspect of gaining muscle(or weight in general). You also have to be eating enough calories, and follow a routine designed around your goals(endurance, myofibrillar/sarcoplasmic hypertrophy etc.)

These are two segments taken directly out of my paper:

Progressive Overload:

This is one of the most important rules in my opinion. This rule refers to continually increasing the demands of the musculoskeletal system in order to continually make gains in muscle size, strength and endurance. In simplest terms- In order to get bigger and stronger you must continually lift more and more and make your muscles work harder than they are used to. If you don't, your muscle will not become any bigger or stronger than they currently are. The human body is very smart and will adapt to the challenges you put forth on it. If you don't give your body a reason to grow, it won't. There are seven good ways to use the principle of Progressive Overload.

Numbers 1-6 are ways to increase training volume or make the muscle(s) do more work
Number 7 is a way to make your muscle(s) do more work in less time.
1- Increase Resistance ( this is number 1 for a reason)
Simply put- If you benched 300lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps, the following week you would increase that weight. The increase is usually very small (2.5, or 5lbs). If you try to increase the weight in larger increments, you will only be let down, or injured. Be patient, weight training is a marathon, not a sprint.

2- Increase Sets
Increase the number of sets you perform for a given exercise. Instead of 3 sets of bench, try 4 to really fatigue the muscle.

3- Increase Repetitions
Increase the number of repetitions you do for a given exercise. Don't stop yourself at some magical number- push yourself to do 1 or 2 more reps, you can use a spotter if necessary.

4- Increase Frequency (not recommend for beginners)
Increase how often you train a certain muscle or muscle group. This technique is most useful for improving lagging or weak muscles.

5- Increase Exercises
Increase the number of exercises you perform for a certain muscle or muscle group with the addition of a new one to your current program. An example for chest day would be doing dumbbell pullovers, something you didn't have in your routine before. You can also do something like combining chest and back day.

6- Increase Intensity
This principle refers to how much effort you put into every set and rep. This is hard for many people to do, only because a big chunk of it has to do with mind set. A good training partner will serve to push you harder and keep you on task if you are not easily internally motivated.

7- Decrease Rest Time
Decreasing the rest time between consecutive sets will force your body to adapt metabolically by removing toxins (lactic acid) and other byproducts of anaerobic exercise (weight lifting) faster and more efficiently over time. Eventually you will be able to lift more in less time.

Don't stress progressive overload too much at this point. You should only be concerned with rule #1.

The importance of proper nutrition:

Nutrition is without a doubt the most important topic in this write up. Inadequate nutrition when weight training is like winning a Ferrari, except it doesn't have any fuel. Think of the Ferrari as your training program, and the fuel as food. You can have the best training program in the world, but without proper nutrition you will only be left disappointed. Your body needs calories to build muscle. This doesn't mean eating junk food to obtain those calories. A serious weight lifters diet should consist of milk, chicken, fish, lean beef or pork, eggs, pasta, nuts, yogurt, fruit, lots of water and vegetables.

Rest is imperative as well, with out it, your muscle will not heal, and therefore will not get stronger/bigger. I generally tell my trainees not to train the same muscle group more than 2x a week. The only exception would be people that have chosen to take AAS(anabolic androgenic steroids).

Again, feel free to ask for the paper and its entirety via email.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Here is a simple routine, typically referred to as a "cookie cutter" routine. I made this for some guys at Penn State:

This routine is great if you do not know your max lifts(1rm for squat, deadlift, bench, and shoulder press). A good personal trainer or strength and conditioning coach will always base a clients routine off their max lifts, but that is not always the case.

This is a simple 3 day split. Each body part is worked once per week(Monday/Wednesday/Friday). For each exercise you're doing 3 sets for 5-8 reps.

Routine:

Back/bi's(all exercsies are 3x5-8)

Deadlifts
BB row
Lat pulldown
BB curl

Chest/tri's(all 3x5-8)

Bb bench
Incline bench
Chest dips
Skullcrusher

Legs/shoulders(all 3x5-8)

Squat
Hamstring curls
Shoulder press(DB or BB)
Calf work

Now, we have to incorporate some sort of progression to keep stressing the musculoskeletal system. You're going to pick a weight you're comfortable with for each exercise; this is going to be an adjustment period.

All weight remains the same:

-The first week, you're doing 5 reps for each exercise.

-The second week, you're doing 6 reps for each exercise.

-The third week, you're doing 7 reps for each exercise.

-The fourth week, you're doing 8 reps for each exercise.

After four weeks, you have reached 8 reps, now you have to increase the weight of each exercise and start back at 5 reps.

This is called dual factor training and it's an ingenious concept. It's called dual factor due to it's two methods of progression-weight and reps, as opposed to only one or the other.

-Connor
 
#14 ·
Thanks for all the stuff you posted OP. It seems like if you really don't pay attention to every little detail you can fudge something up or lead yourself down a road of disappointment. Do you have a cookie cutter plan for fat loss while adding muscle?
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
I wouldn't stress every little detail.

Trying to lose fat and build muscle is called recomping, and it has more to do with diet than a routine. For the average joe who is natural, it's a waste of time. You will be left spinning your wheels, getting nowhere fast. If some one has ridiculous genetics, or is on AAS, then it's possible. But even then, bulking and cutting are still more effective.

Bulking and cutting are (when done correctly) a very effective way to put on muscle quickly, and get rid of excess body fat. However, bulking and cutting can be difficult, discouraging people to give it a try.

Bulk- When someone goes on a "bulk" that's simply increasing calories (caloric surplus). For a bulk, you take the normal amount of calories you would consume (maintenance), and add 200-500 calories more a day.

Cut- Cutting is decreasing calories (caloric deficit). When cutting you subtract 200-500 calories from your maintenance.

A good rule of thumb is gaining a pound a week when bulking, and losing a pound a week when cutting. If you're not achieving that, adjust your calories accordingly.

I would use that BMR calculator I posted in an earlier post. Once you get your number, I can help you further.
 
#16 ·
Thank you as well for all the info. I don't run marathons yet, but I would like to in the next year.

As for the BeachBody products, I like them because I would never make it to a gym. Just not motivated enough or want to spend the additional time. They allow me to do it at home, and provide instruction for both the fitness and nutrition aspects without having to research everything. I still read up as much as I can though. It was an easy way to get a structured program, and the company didn't appear to fluff anything up. They promote good nutrition and exercise as the key to getting fit.

It would appear to me that Insanity targets mostly type II stimulation (on legs and core?), but you are only using your body as resistance. You know more than I do though, could you elaborate on what you would change?

For me, it is more exciting doing max cardio and plyo moves than lifting stuff. I just wasn't as motivated when doing weights, but maybe I never found something that was fun to do.
 
#17 ·
I hear what you're saying, and in no way am I saying it's wrong or right. I am only giving my thoughts.

I'm not sure what exactly you're asking, if you can rephrase the question I can help you.

You seem like the type of person that would like Crossfit, Google that.
 
#23 ·
I'll have to try out Myofusion, I liked SuperDump250/Max when I was using it for my preworkout. Probably try the Smart Powder stuff too since the price is right.
That product is the toilets worst enemy lol.

If you're looking into pre workouts, consider the following:

SAN Fierce

Controlled Labs White Flood(the version that contains beet root)

If you want stim free:

Ultima

Pump Bol

Hemavol
 
#29 ·
Thanks for the heads up on Jack3d, that'll be the last container I use of that stuff after seeing ED side effects!

As for the ab spasms, yes.. it happens only after workouts. Used to get them during sex as well, no bueno. Happens in the 6 pack region. Just offset from the belly button in a vertical pattern.

I used to toss in a few scoops of ON CGT-10 to aid with recovery with my protein shake which had taurine in it, might have to start doing that again.
 
#30 · (Edited by Moderator)
Alright, if it only happens after activity, and it's in the location you described, it's probably just abdominal rigidity. I was just making sure we weren't dealing with an inguinal hernia.

I would just buy some bulk taurine powder at smartpowders.com. CGT-10 is pricey and Glutamine does nothing as a recovery agent. It can be good for gut health or burn victims though.
 
#31 ·
^I actuall have been following the weight loss advice, which is really similar to yours. Its working but the results are a bit disappointing.

I read about some fat burners on the net, but for some reason got scared, Do they screw up the liver?
 
#32 · (Edited by Moderator)
Well, it depends what products you're referring to.

Typically, the best supplement stack for weight loss is called an EC stack. The "E" stands for Ephedrine, and the "C" stands for caffeine. Ephedrine can be found in the USA in the form of Bronkaid tabs in local pharmacy stores. Caffeine as a standalone is a great option, as it provides energy and suppresses appetite.

I personally have never needed anything for weight loss, supplement wise. A good diet paired with a weight training routine/cardio is all one needs to achieve any physique.

You can also look up Raspberry Ketones on Google. A compnay called SNS makes a capped form. Raspberry Ketones are a good non stimulant option.
 
#34 ·
I wish you came with the forum from the Get go lol good posts and learning a lot. I think every community should have someone with your knowledge to share. You don't seem to be as bias like I know many people are in this field which makes what your saying easier to intake and digest :p

If I don't goto the gym anymore what do you suggest? My goals are not high... But I won't be able to goto the gym on a regular basis anymore after the month. I also won't be able to take all these vitamins and supplements so I guess my diet will have to be focused on mostly of which I have no idea how to control or manage... Much help is needed.
 
#36 · (Edited by Moderator)
My diet last night was half a Papa Johns pizza, 4 Caldera IPAs, and some of my son's bday cake.

That was a bit of a send off.

Ski season is about to start up for me, and I am back on P90X. I do not care about being muscular. My goal is endurance, so I can physically keep up with my ability.

What say you about P90X?
 
#37 ·
Good luck in your quest...

I did my one & only contest (drug tested) back in '89 & placed mid-pack (never thought I'd ever do one when I first started training--as I grew up a fat kid).

I'm happy now to maintain a decent physique for a guy my age & train abt a third as often I did when I was training 4-5 days/wk.

The good news is that if you lay off for a while--even in your mid 40s @ least, it comes back very quickly, and it's very easy to maintain. Muscle memory is for real...
 
#39 ·
The following is a write up I did for my own pleasure my junior year of high school, I strongly suggest skimming through it:

*It's not complete.

Knowledge is Power​
By: Connor Sherman​

Whether you're training for a sport, or just trying to build a physique that demands respect, weight training will undoubtedly be the path you take. The world of weight training can be very perplexing, with so many contradicting ideas, one can be overwhelmed as to what to believe. The purpose of this write-up is to steer you clear of all the misleading information associated with weight training, and get you to where you want to be.

* I do not take credit for any of the concepts or principles used in this write-up. I do however take credit for putting the concepts and principles in my own words and using my own examples; making this write up ideal for a beginner trainee.

More is not better

I believe too much of anything is not ideal. This is especially true with regards to weight training. People get the idea, that the more you do, the more you will gain. If that were the case, why would some one do 4 sets of bench press, when they could do 5, 20, or 100 sets? The reason it doesn't work that way is because the body grows when it is at rest, not when in the gym. If some one were to do that amount of volume (Sets x Reps), they would experience overtraining, something we will cover later. The only individuals that can get away with that amount of volume are the ones that have chosen to take Anabolic Steroids. Training that much would halt gains, and can even set you further back in your training. This first rule is very hard for a lot of beginner lifters to comprehend, and use to their advantage. If you can master this concept, your gains will reflect it.

Weight Training Routines

What many people fall victim to is picking up the latest "muscle magazine", and trying out one of the pre made workout templates found inside. Unfortunately 99.9% of the programs you find in those magazines break the first rule. The truth is, there is no "perfect" program. A program that works wonders for your friend might just be mediocre for you. The human body is very complicated, and still not totally understood. For the most part, the program that works best for an individual is the one they stick with and believe in. However, there are some programs out there that do follow many rules for a natural lifter, and therefore have a better chance of working for many people. I will attach some routines that have stood the test of time.

Progressive Overload

This is one of the most important rules in my opinion. This rule refers to continually increasing the demands of the musculoskeletal system in order to continually make gains in muscle size, strength and endurance. In simplest terms- In order to get bigger and stronger you must continually lift more and more and make your muscles work harder than they are used to. If you don't, your muscle will not become any bigger or stronger than they currently are. The human body is very smart and will adapt to the challenges you put forth on it. If you don't give your body a reason to grow, it won't. There are seven good ways to use the principle of Progressive Overload.

Numbers 1-6 are ways to increase training volume or make the muscle(s) do more work
Number 7 is a way to make your muscle(s) do more work in less time.
1- Increase Resistance ( this is number 1 for a reason)
Simply put- If you benched 300lbs for 3 sets of 5 reps, the following week you would increase that weight. The increase is usually very small (2.5, or 5lbs). If you try to increase the weight in larger increments, you will only be let down, or injured. Be patient, weight training is a marathon, not a sprint.

2- Increase Sets
Increase the number of sets you perform for a given exercise. Instead of 3 sets of bench, try 4 to really fatigue the muscle.

3- Increase Repetitions
Increase the number of repetitions you do for a given exercise. Don't stop yourself at some magical number- push yourself to do 1 or 2 more reps, you can use a spotter if necessary.

4- Increase Frequency (not recommend for beginners)
Increase how often you train a certain muscle or muscle group. This technique is most useful for improving lagging or weak muscles.

5- Increase Exercises
Increase the number of exercises you perform for a certain muscle or muscle group with the addition of a new one to your current program. An example for chest day would be doing dumbbell pullovers, something you didn't have in your routine before. You can also do something like combining chest and back day.

6- Increase Intensity
This principle refers to how much effort you put into every set and rep. This is hard for many people to do, only because a big chunk of it has to do with mind set. A good training partner will serve to push you harder and keep you on task if you are not easily internally motivated.

7- Decrease Rest Time
Decreasing the rest time between consecutive sets will force your body to adapt metabolically by removing toxins (lactic acid) and other byproducts of anaerobic exercise (weight lifting) faster and more efficiently over time. Eventually you will be able to lift more in less time.

Recording Workouts

This directly correlates with Progressive Overload. Recording workouts can be difficult at first, but eventually you'll feel weird not doing it. The point of recording workouts is to see what weight you used, how many reps you did, what exercises were done and the amount of rest you took. I don't know anyone that can remember all that without writing it down somewhere. I personally just use paper, but many will create an Excel page for their workouts. Don't guess what you did, write it down!

Nutrition

Nutrition is without a doubt the most important topic in this write up. Inadequate nutrition when weight training is like winning a Ferrari, except it doesn't have any fuel. Think of the Ferrari as your training program, and the fuel as food. You can have the best training program in the world, but without proper nutrition you will only be left disappointed. Your body needs calories to build muscle. This doesn't mean eating junk food to obtain those calories. A serious weight lifters diet should consist of milk, chicken, fish, lean beef or pork, eggs, pasta, nuts, yogurt, fruit, lots of water and vegetables.

The Infamous "Pump"

I can't tell you how many people have told me their workouts must be working because of the pump they get. That pump you get is Vasodilatation, or a widening of blood vessels, thus greater blood flow. It has no direct correlation with muscular development. Vasodilation can help with nutrient delivery via blood pathway, and can cause fascia stretching.

The Infamous "Soreness"

This is the soreness you feel hours, or days after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise. Its real name is Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness or DOMS. The concern many people have is if they don't feel the soreness days after training, they don't think their routine is working. If I were to hold my hand up all day, it would without a doubt be sore, but it doesn't produce gains. The only way you can track if you are making progress is recording your workouts, and incorporating Progressive Overload.

Bulking and Cutting

Bulking and cutting are (when done correctly) a very effective way to put on muscle quickly, and get rid of excess body fat. However, bulking and cutting can be difficult, discouraging people to give it a try.

Bulk- When someone goes on a "bulk" that's simply increasing calories (caloric surplus). For a bulk, you take the normal amount of calories you would consume (maintenance), and add 200-500 calories more a day.

Cut- Cutting is decreasing calories (caloric deficit). When cutting you subtract 200-500 calories from your maintenance.

A good rule of thumb is gaining a pound a week when bulking, and losing a pound a week when cutting. If you're not achieving that, adjust your calories accordingly.

Compound vs. Isolation Exercises

Compound exercises refer to multi joint movements (squat, deadlift, bench press, shoulder press, pull ups etc.). Isolation exercises refer to single joint movements (dumbbell curls, tricep push downs, leg curls etc). Compound exercises allow you to lift more weight than isolation, and stimulate the most muscle fibers. Isolation exercises allow you to "isolate a muscle". If pull ups aren't adequate enough to stimulate bicep growth, a curl variation can be thrown in. Most beginner programs focus on compound exercises only. As a beginner, you don't need isolation exercises to get bigger and stronger. As you become a more experienced trainee, isolation exercises may be needed to stimulate new muscle growth. COMPOUND EXERCISES ARE SUPERIOR TO ISOLATION, DON'T GET THIS CONFUSED.

Hypertrophy vs. Strength

This is one of the more confusing concepts, only because there are so many different beliefs as to how to achieve hypertrophy or strength. Hypertrophy is just a fancy name for muscle growth. Strength is self explanatory. Many uninformed individuals believe if you become stronger, you become bigger and vise versa. This is not always true. An example would be a power lifter vs. a bodybuilder. The bodybuilder is usually much bigger, but the power lifter is stronger; the reason being bodybuilders train for hypertrophy while power lifters train for strength. Some people believe low reps do a better job in training the CNS (Central Nervous System) and higher reps are better for muscle growth. This concept is just that&#8230;a concept. There are many individuals who have gained great size by training for strength, as well as individuals that gained strength training for hypertrophy. The best choice is to try both, and see how the body responds. The below tips are very generalized, and there are a range of other variables that go along with both training methods. A rule that no one will argue with is that beginners need to follow a strength routine; this builds a good base for doing hypertrophy style training in the future.

Hypertrophy tips(stimulating sarcoplasmic hypertrophy)
-Reps are kept between 8-12.
-Rest should be no longer than 2 min.

Strength tips(stimulating myofibrill hypertrophy)
-Reps are kept between 1-5(>75% of 1rm
-Rest should be between 3-5min.

Advanced training methods

These techniques will help individuals break plateaus (when progress has stopped). None of these techniques should be used on a regular basis, overtraining or injury are much more likely to occur.

Benching specific

Rack Lockouts
This exercise is used to improve an individual's lockout (very top part of bench movement). The exercise works the triceps more than the chest. It allows you to load up the bar with a weight that you wouldn't actually be able to bench. The exercise requires a power rack. You should set up the spotter bars so that you are only performing a 3-4 inch movement. Keep the weight under control.

Negatives (spotter needed)
Negatives, like rack lockouts, are loading up the bar with a weight you wouldn't be able to perform the full motion with. You perform a negative by only performing the eccentric part, or lowering. To set up for bench, have your partner help you lift the weight off the hooks, and then slowly, and under control, lower the weight by yourself. When you have touched your chest, have your partner hoist the weight back up onto the j hooks. You do not attempt to perform the concentric or raising part on a negative. On a negative you will "positively fail". Unlike rack lockouts, negatives can be used for other exercises&#8230;yes even barbell curls.

Floor Presses (dangerous)
Floor presses can't be performed in a power rack, making an injury more susceptible. Floor presses allow you to use a weight greater than your normal bench. They are performed by lying on the ground. You will only be able to so low, because your elbows will hit the ground. Your arms should form 90 degree angles.

Board Presses (2 spotters recommended)
The purpose of a board press is to train specific ranges of the pressing motion in order to increase overall power for a bigger bench press. The lifter places a stack of boards on his chest. The bar is lowered until it touches the boards, and is pressed back up. The great thing about this movement is that both the positive and negative bench motions can be utilized in a constrained range of motion. The height of the boards is chosen by the lifter. 2x6's are most commonly used, cut to 12-18 inches. It's recommended to use two spotters, one to help you un-rack the weight and one to hold the boards in place.

Techniques for everything else

Drop Sets (spotter needed)
A drop set is a simple technique where you perform a set of any exercise to failure, then drop some weight and continue for more repetitions with the reduced weight. I'll use bench as an example to illustrate a proper drop set. Let's say someone is benching three plates. To do a drop set they would perform 8 reps with 3 plates, and then the spotter would quickly remove a plate from each side, then another. All you're doing is shedding the weight.

Super Sets
Super sets can be a great time saver. To perform a super set you simply combine two exercises, with limited rest. Super sets are most commonly used with antagonistic (opposite) muscle groups, but don't have to. You could combine bench with lat pull downs, or barbell curls with triceps extensions.

Machines vs. Free weights

Let me start this out by saying free weights are a better choice than machines. Machines do have there place, but if your goal is strength and hypertrophy, free weights are a better choice. When I say "free weights" that includes dumbbells and barbells for the most part. "Machines" refer to leg curl/extension machine, leg press, smith machine, pec deck, chest press machine etc. Free weights are superior in many ways, the main reason being they work your stabilizer muscles. I'll do a free weight and machine comparison using the squat and the leg press. When you perform a leg press, you are in a stationary position; all you have to do is press. When you squat, obviously you are still pressing, but unlike the leg press you are using your full body to perform the exercise. When you squat you have to prevent yourself from falling forward/backward, making sure you don't go too low. To prevent this we use are abdominal muscles. Since the squat uses more muscles, it puts a greater stress on the musculoskeletal system, creating greater gains. You'll notice machines are easier to use than free weights; they do half the work for you. Squats, deadlifts, and OHP's are some of the best abdominal exercises. This is why it is not beneficial to work abs directly everyday; they get worked indirectly all the time.
 
#40 ·
My take on P90X:

It is a well thought out program that really incorporates a lot of fundamentals for the person with knowledge ranging from none to average. It covers all of the mysteries, fills in the blanks, takes the guess work out of exercising. If you put the discs in, and follow the meal plan - it is a great program for someone getting started (or trying to get back in to your 20yr old shape). I was a nay sayer (for quite some time), thinking that there is no magic pill, or magic routine. So I tried it, and found that although I could have done it better with my own plan, it was a great starting point to recover from my injuries.

Like I said - it covers the basic fundamentals - stretching, warm-ups, regular exercise, diet, etc... There is a LOT of room for improvement - but you'll figure all that out after you complete the program.

For those with extensive knowledge already, you'll see the holes that hinder improvement - but it is sufficient for people with little equipment. If you have access to a gym or additional equipment, you can make use of that, and improve your results GREATLY.

I'm in no way affiliated with beachbody, just addressing P90X for some who may be considering it.
 
#41 ·
^^Very accurate take on P90x. It's great for getting started for certain people, esp people getting back in the weight room. Everyone I train is under 30 y/o and is looking to improve for a sport of some kind or just to look good on the beach :D.

Everyone has different goals too, whether it be strength, muscle growth or endurance.
 
#44 · (Edited by Moderator)
My opinion on creatine:

It is one of the few supplements that really works... So well, in fact, that the body pretty much makes all it needs. HOWEVER, if used properly, it can load (saturate) the muscles with enough creatine to reuse what used to be garbage, and recycle it for more energy - allowing you to expend more energy in the weight room, getting a few more reps, shorter breaks, or more poundage.

It gets pretty complicated, and requires a lot of water (like everything else), or you risk liver issues. But the one thing I like about it - is that it has been tested long term (over 4 decades). My concern about supplements is always - what is the long term effect? Does the body compensate for the overage and stop taking in nutrients or creating its own? Sometimes - yes. But in the case of creatine, once your body is saturated (by your intake), it stops making its own. The cool thing is, if somebody has taken creatine for over 20 years and then stops, the body recognizes this quickly, and starts making it again, almost instantly (based on research from olympic teams dating back to the '60s).

Be aware that it can cause defficiencies in other nutrients because you are altering the natural process.
 
#49 ·
In all honesty......nothing 500 mL of testosterone enanthate twice a week can't fix. I packed on 24 lbs of solid beef on me in about 4 weeks. 4x10 for practically every workout, one muscle group per day with 6 days on and 1 off. Piece of cake. Instant size.
 
#51 ·
Military? YES
Drug test? YES
For steroids? NO

I've taken multiple "piss tests" and none of them came back positive or with any deficiencies. It has to test specifically for steroids (which is outrageously priced so the military avoids it unless they find your stash)
 
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