In this article, we will delve into the key ingredients of this innovative supplement, exploring the science behind its effectiveness and the benefits it offers to hardworking individuals seeking to elevate their performance.
Before we dive into the specifics of Hit The Rack, it's crucial to grasp the significance of nighttime recovery. During sleep, the body undergoes various physiological processes essential for repair and growth. Hormones such as growth hormone are released, muscle tissue is repaired, and the central nervous system is rejuvenated. These processes are compromised without adequate and quality sleep, leading to diminished performance, increased risk of injury, and slower progress.
1st Detachment's Hit The Rack recognizes this fundamental aspect of performance optimization, providing a comprehensive solution to enhance sleep quality and support the body's natural recovery mechanisms.
(Photo Credit: SleepFoundation.org)
During sleep, the brain goes through different stages characterized by distinct patterns of brainwave activity. These stages collectively form what is known as the sleep cycle. The sleep cycle typically consists of four main stages: Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, and REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. Each stage is associated with specific brainwave patterns, which can be measured using an electroencephalogram (EEG). Here's an explanation of the different waves in each stage:
The sleep cycle typically repeats throughout the night, with each cycle lasting about 90 to 120 minutes. As the night progresses, the proportion of time spent in each stage may vary, with more time spent in REM sleep during the later cycles. This cycling between different stages of sleep is essential for overall sleep quality and restoration of both body and mind.
L-theanine, an amino acid commonly found in tea leaves, is a standout ingredient in Hit The Rack. Known for its ability to induce a state of relaxation without sedation, L-theanine helps alleviate stress and anxiety, promoting a calm and tranquil mind conducive to quality sleep. This amino acid also enhances alpha brain wave activity, associated with a relaxed yet alert mental state, which can be particularly beneficial for athletes looking to wind down after intense training sessions.
A hormone naturally produced by the pineal gland in response to darkness, melatonin plays a pivotal role in regulating the sleep-wake cycle. Hit The Rack includes a carefully measured dose of melatonin to support the body's natural circadian rhythm. By supplementing with melatonin, users can improve their sleep efficiency, reduce the time it takes to fall asleep and experience a more restful night.
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 biochemical reactions within the body, including muscle and nerve function, energy production, and bone health. Magnesium is particularly valuable for athletes due to its role in muscle relaxation and recovery. Hit The Rack incorporates magnesium to help alleviate muscle tension, reduce the risk of cramps, and contribute to a more restorative sleep environment.
Valerian root has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for sleep-related issues. Its calming effects are attributed to compounds that interact with the brain's gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors, promoting relaxation and sleepiness. In Hit The Rack, valerian root complements other ingredients to create a holistic approach to nighttime recovery, addressing both physical and mental aspects of relaxation.
GABA is a neurotransmitter that plays a crucial role in promoting relaxation and sleep by inhibiting brain activity. As an integral part of Hit The Rack, GABA helps calm the nervous system, reducing racing thoughts and promoting a sense of tranquility. This is especially beneficial for individuals dealing with the stress and demands of intense training or a hectic lifestyle.
The effectiveness of 1st Detachment's Hit The Rack lies in its synergistic blend of these essential ingredients. This unique supplement mix addresses various facets of sleep and recovery by combining L-theanine, melatonin, magnesium, valerian root, and GABA in precise proportions. This thoughtful formulation reflects a deep understanding of the intricate interplay between different biochemical processes in the body, ensuring that users experience a comprehensive and holistic approach to nighttime recovery.
1st Detachment's Hit The Rack NightTime Recovery Supplement Drink stands as a beacon of innovation in performance optimization. Its carefully curated blend of L-theanine, melatonin, magnesium, valerian root, and GABA offers a multifaceted approach to rest and recovery, addressing sleep's physical and mental aspects.
Athletes and fitness enthusiasts can benefit immensely from incorporating this supplement into their nightly routine, unlocking the full potential of their hard work and dedication. As we continue to push the boundaries of human performance, products like Hit The Rack pave the way for a new era in recovery-focused supplementation.
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Cluster dextrin®, or highly branched cyclic dextrin (HBCD), is a carbohydrate derived from amylopectin via enzymatic conversion. It features a unique structure characterized by highly branched glucose polymers arranged in a cyclic formation.
Cluster Dextrin® is produced through the enzymatic conversion of amylopectin from various starch sources, such as corn or potato starch. The process involves the selective breaking of glycosidic bonds in amylopectin molecules, forming highly branched cyclic dextrin structures. Purification steps are then employed to isolate and concentrate the Cluster Dextrin® product.
Carbohydrates serve as the primary energy substrate during exercise, particularly in high-intensity and endurance activities. Muscle glycogen, derived from dietary carbohydrates, provides readily available energy for muscle contraction and performance.
Following prolonged or intense exercise, glycogen stores become depleted. Consuming carbohydrates post-exercise helps replenish glycogen stores, facilitating recovery and preparing the body for subsequent training sessions.
Timing carbohydrate intake around training sessions is crucial for optimizing performance and recovery. Consuming carbohydrates before exercise provides a readily available energy source, while post-exercise consumption enhances glycogen resynthesis and muscle repair processes.
Due to its unique structure and properties, Cluster Dextrin® undergoes rapid digestion and absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. This feature ensures a quick supply of glucose to working muscles during exercise, supporting sustained performance.
Unlike other carbohydrate sources, Cluster Dextrin® offers a sustained release of glucose into the bloodstream. This sustained energy supply helps maintain blood glucose levels during prolonged exercise, delaying fatigue and enhancing endurance capacity.
Studies have demonstrated the potential benefits of Cluster Dextrin® supplementation for improving endurance performance and high-intensity exercise capacity. Its rapid absorption and sustained energy release make it an effective carbohydrate source for athletes engaged in prolonged or intense training sessions.
This detailed breakdown provides a comprehensive understanding of Cluster Dextrin®, its properties, production methods, and its role in supporting athletic performance through carbohydrate utilization and energy metabolism.
After intense physical activity, muscle glycogen stores become depleted. Consuming carbohydrates, such as Cluster Dextrin®, post-exercise is crucial for replenishing these glycogen stores efficiently. Cluster Dextrin's® rapid absorption and digestion properties are ideal for delivering glucose to muscles, facilitating glycogen synthesis, and hastening recovery.
In addition to glycogen replenishment, Cluster Dextrin® plays a vital role in muscle recovery and repair. Its rapid delivery of glucose and amino acids to muscle cells supports the synthesis of new proteins, aiding in repairing damaged muscle fibers. This process is essential for promoting muscle recovery and adaptation to training stimuli.
Cluster Dextrin® supplementation has been shown to reduce post-exercise muscle soreness and fatigue. By replenishing glycogen stores and supporting muscle repair processes, Cluster Dextrin® helps minimize the extent of muscle damage incurred during exercise. Additionally, its ability to maintain stable blood glucose levels may reduce fatigue and enhance recovery.
Consuming Cluster Dextrin® as part of a pre-workout supplement regimen provides athletes and bodybuilders with a readily available energy source to fuel their training sessions. Its rapid absorption ensures that muscles are adequately fueled for optimal performance, enabling individuals to train at higher intensities and volumes.
Incorporating Cluster Dextrin® into intra-workout nutrition protocols helps sustain energy levels and delay fatigue during prolonged training sessions. Its ability to provide a steady supply of glucose to working muscles supports endurance and strength performance, allowing athletes to maintain intensity and output throughout their workouts.
Cluster Dextrin® is a valuable component of post-workout recovery shakes because it facilitates glycogen replenishment and muscle repair. Combining Cluster Dextrin® with protein sources promotes muscle protein synthesis, accelerates recovery, and enhances the overall adaptation to exercise-induced stress, ultimately optimizing muscle growth and strength gains.
Cluster Dextrin® exhibits a low glycemic index, meaning it causes a gradual and steady increase in blood glucose levels rather than sharp spikes. This property is beneficial for maintaining stable energy levels and preventing fluctuations in blood sugar, which can lead to fatigue, cravings, and impaired performance.
Consuming Cluster Dextrin® helps regulate blood sugar levels, resulting in sustained energy release throughout the day. By avoiding rapid fluctuations in blood glucose, individuals can maintain consistent energy levels, improve cognitive function, and support overall well-being.
The low glycemic index and stable blood sugar response of Cluster Dextrin® make it suitable for individuals with insulin sensitivity issues, such as diabetes or metabolic syndrome. Its gradual glucose release minimizes the demand for insulin secretion, helping to manage blood sugar levels effectively without causing spikes or crashes.
Carbohydrates support muscle growth by providing the energy necessary for intense workouts and facilitating post-exercise recovery and repair processes. Adequate carbohydrate intake ensures glycogen stores are replenished, optimizing training performance and enhancing the potential for muscle hypertrophy.
Cluster Dextrin® exhibits anabolic properties because it rapidly delivers glucose to muscle cells, promoting glycogen resynthesis and protein synthesis. By facilitating the uptake of amino acids into muscle tissue, Cluster Dextrin® enhances the anabolic response to exercise, promoting muscle repair and growth.
Combining Cluster Dextrin® with protein sources, such as whey or casein, can further enhance muscle protein synthesis and promote muscle growth. The synergistic effects of carbohydrates and protein provide the necessary nutrients and energy for optimal recovery, repair, and adaptation to training stimuli, maximizing muscle-building potential.
The optimal dosage of Cluster Dextrin® may vary depending on individual factors such as body weight, training intensity, and goals. Generally, recommended dosages range from 15 to 30 grams per serving, consumed before, during, or after exercise to support performance and recovery.
Timing Cluster Dextrin® consumption around workouts is vital to maximizing its benefits. Pre-workout supplementation ensures adequate energy levels for training, while intra-workout and post-workout consumption support endurance, recovery, and muscle repair processes.
Incorporating Cluster Dextrin® into your intra-workout nutrition regimen offers several benefits that can enhance exercise performance, recovery, and overall training outcomes. Here's a detailed explanation of the advantages of using Cluster Dextrin® intra-workout:
Sustained Energy Release: Cluster Dextrin® is characterized by its low osmolality and rapid absorption rate, allowing for a steady glucose release into the bloodstream. During prolonged or high-intensity workouts, this sustained energy release helps maintain optimal blood glucose levels, providing a continuous fuel source to working muscles. This sustained energy can delay the onset of fatigue, allowing you to train at higher intensities for longer durations.
Minimized Gastrointestinal Distress: Unlike other carbohydrate sources, Cluster Dextrin® is less likely to cause gastrointestinal discomfort during exercise. Its low osmolality ensures rapid gastric emptying, reducing the risk of bloating, cramping, or gastrointestinal upset often associated with consuming carbohydrates during physical activity. This makes cluster dextrin suitable for individuals with sensitive stomachs or those prone to digestive issues.
Glycogen Replenishment: Intense or prolonged exercise can deplete muscle glycogen stores, leading to fatigue and diminished performance. Consuming Cluster Dextrin® intra-workout helps replenish glycogen levels in real-time, ensuring muscles have an adequate supply of readily available energy to sustain performance throughout the workout. This glycogen-sparing effect can be particularly beneficial during endurance activities or prolonged training sessions.
Hydration Support: Many intra-workout supplements containing Cluster Dextrin® are formulated with electrolytes to support hydration and fluid balance during exercise. Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium help maintain proper hydration, regulate fluid balance, and prevent dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, especially during intense or prolonged workouts. Incorporating Cluster Dextrin® with electrolytes into your intra-workout routine allows you to optimize hydration and performance simultaneously.
Muscle Protein Synthesis: Cluster Dextrin® can enhance muscle protein synthesis when combined with amino acids or protein sources. Consuming carbohydrates intra-workout stimulates insulin secretion, which, in turn, promotes amino acid uptake by muscle cells, facilitating muscle repair and growth. Pairing Cluster Dextrin® with protein sources intra-workout can maximize the anabolic response to exercise, supporting muscle recovery and adaptation.
Improved Endurance and Performance: By providing a steady supply of carbohydrates and supporting glycogen replenishment, Cluster Dextrin® intra-workout can enhance endurance and performance during training sessions. Maintaining stable blood glucose levels and energy availability allows you to sustain higher workloads, delay fatigue, and optimize training adaptations. Whether engaging in endurance activities, high-intensity interval training, or resistance training, Cluster Dextrin® can help you push through challenging workouts and reach your performance goals.
Integrating Cluster Dextrin® into nutrition plans for athletes and bodybuilders involves strategically incorporating it into a well-balanced diet. It should complement other macronutrients, such as protein and fats, focusing on meeting overall energy and nutrient needs to support training adaptations and performance goals.
Individuals with allergies or intolerances to ingredients in Cluster Dextrin® supplements should exercise caution and consider alternative carbohydrate sources. It's essential to read product labels carefully and consult with a healthcare professional if unsure about potential allergens.
Cluster Dextrin® supplementation may interact with certain medications or other dietary supplements. Individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplementation regimen, especially if they are taking medications for medical conditions or have existing health concerns.
While Cluster Dextrin® is generally considered safe for most individuals when used as directed, the long-term effects of prolonged supplementation are not fully understood. Monitoring overall carbohydrate intake and considering individual dietary and health needs is essential for maintaining balance and promoting overall well-being.
Future research on Cluster Dextrin® should explore its effects on specific populations, such as elite athletes, recreational exercisers, and individuals with metabolic disorders. Further investigation into optimal dosing strategies, timing of consumption, and potential interactions with other nutrients or supplements would also contribute to a deeper understanding of its role in sports nutrition.
As sports nutrition science continues to evolve, emerging trends in carbohydrate supplementation, including novel formulations and delivery methods, may influence the utilization of Cluster Dextrin® in athletic settings. Research into the potential benefits of combining Cluster Dextrin® with other ingredients or nutrients for synergistic effects could lead to the development of more effective sports nutrition products.
Prioritizing mental well-being and finding ways to detach from stressors is paramount in today's fast-paced world. At 1st Detachment, we are dedicated to providing valuable insights, strategies, and resources to help you achieve your optimal physique and athletic performance outcomes.
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Let's delve into the benefits of each component and how they work synergistically to support a holistic approach to weight management.
Yohimbine, extracted from the bark of the Pausinystalia yohimbe tree, is a potent ingredient known for its ability to enhance fat loss. Yohimbine works by increasing the release of adrenaline, which in turn promotes the breakdown of stored fat for energy. This process, known as lipolysis, is crucial for individuals aiming to shed excess body fat. Additionally, Yohimbine has been shown to improve blood flow, potentially aiding in the transportation of fatty acids to be used as a primary energy source during exercise.
Green Tea Extract has long been celebrated for its antioxidant properties and its role in supporting weight management. The active compounds, particularly catechins, found in green tea help to boost metabolism and increase fat oxidation. This means that the body is more efficient at burning fat, even during periods of rest. Moreover, the presence of caffeine in green tea extract provides an added energy boost, making it an excellent component for those looking to increase their physical activity levels.
Theacrine, a natural compound found in certain plants, is included in Go Pills to provide sustained energy without the jitters or crashes associated with traditional stimulants. Known for its similarities to caffeine, Theacrine enhances alertness and focus while also reducing perceived exertion during exercise. Additionally, Theacrine has been shown to modulate neurotransmitters associated with mood and motivation, promoting a positive mindset towards fitness goals. This unique combination of effects contributes to better adherence to a workout routine.
Go Pills by 1st Detachment doesn't just focus on burning fat and boosting energy; it also addresses the crucial aspect of appetite control. The synergistic effects of Yohimbine, Green Tea Extract, and Theacrine help to suppress appetite, making it easier for individuals to adhere to a calorie-controlled diet. By reducing cravings and promoting a feeling of fullness, Go Pills support a more sustainable and balanced approach to weight management.
Go Pills by 1st Detachment stands out as a comprehensive fat-burning supplement that combines the power of Yohimbine, Green Tea Extract, and Theacrine. Whether you are looking to enhance your workout performance, accelerate fat loss, or control your appetite, this supplement offers a well-rounded solution. As with any supplement, it's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before incorporating it into your routine, especially if you have pre-existing health conditions. With proper use and a commitment to a healthy lifestyle, Go Pills may prove to be a valuable ally on your journey to achieving your fitness goals.
The subject of training to failure is by no means new. However, there’s been a recent surge of interest, which has sparked discussions on podcasts, social media posts, etc. Often, these conversations are discussed in a should you or shouldn’t you format. In my opinion, this method of comparison is inappropriate since both approaches have produced a long list of elite-level physiques.
Therefore, the purpose of this article is not to make a black-or-white comparison but to evaluate the relevant evidence (both research and anecdote) in an attempt to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of each approach.
From there, we can go beyond theoretical constructs and shift to effective applications for hypertrophy.
A 2016 systematic review and meta-analysis by Schoenfeld et al. compared the effects of various training volumes on markers of muscle growth (1). Unsurprisingly, the data found a dose-response relationship whereby higher training volumes resulted in greater muscle hypertrophy.
If you follow the evidence-based fitness community, you may have even heard people discussing a recent paper titled “Effects of Different Weekly Set Progressions on Muscular Adaptations in Trained Males: Is there a Dose-Response Effect?” which sparked some controversy on social media (2). The pushback was in response to the researchers' prescription of volume. One group eventually reached 52 sets of legs per week, which resulted in the greatest hypertrophy across groups. Ironically, this study didn’t really add anything new to the literature and primarily just reaffirmed what we already knew. Which is essentially that for a certain period, and so long as you can recover, more volume generally equates to more muscle growth.
A 2021 paper by Dos Santos et al. found, “Compared with NF [non-failure], MF [momentary muscular failure] resulted in a higher number of repetitions in the first set (11.58 ± 1.83 vs. 7.58 ± 1.72, p < 0.05), but a lower in the last set (3.58 ± 1.08 vs. 5.41 ± 1.08, p < 0.05). Total number of repetitions was similar between the protocols (MF 26.25 ± 3.47 vs. NF 24.5 ± 3.65, p > 0.05). In both protocols, there were significant decreases in maximum and mean movement velocity loss and power output loss, but higher decreases were observed in MF than NF (p < 0.05).” (3). These findings are in line with the broader literature, which suggests that the additional fatigue cost of training to failure can temporarily impair performance.
A 2020 paper published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that closer proximity to failure resulted in greater fatigue accumulation, which slowed the rate of recovery. Hormonal responses were also impaired, and greater muscle damage was found as well (4). One study titled Strength Training with Repetitions to Failure Does Not Provide Additional Strength and Muscle Hypertrophy Gains in Young Women by Martorelli et al. found that when volume is equated, training to failure is not necessary to see marked improvements in hypertrophy and strength.
Ultimately, the aggregated data suggests that training to failure or just shy of failure seems to produce similar hypertrophy. We can quantify this as 3 RIR (repetitions in reserve) or less. But, as I mentioned in the beginning, what’s often lacking in these findings is context.
This is where things become a bit more interesting. A 2017 paper by Helms et al. assessed male and female powerlifters' ability to select appropriate loads to match the prescribed rep and RPE targets. Researchers found that “powerlifters can accurately select loads to reach a prescribed RPE. However, accuracy for 8-repetition sets at 8 RPE may be better for bench press compared with squat. Rating squat power-type training may take 3 weeks to reach peak accuracy” (5). In short, powerlifters are pretty good at rating RPE accurately. This paper is often used to support non-failure training. However, in real-world scenarios, we run into a few practical issues with this model.
Additionally, when comparing the efficacy of failure to non-failure training, we often rank the “winner” based on the best stimulus to fatigue profile. Although this makes a lot of sense in some instances, it’s lacking in nuance. For instance, the fatigue cost of training low bar squat to failure is radically different than training biceps or lats to failure. Thus, there are likely instances where the additional fatigue is irrelevant because the time course for recovery still permits training volumes and frequency that fall within an optimal zone for hypertrophy, so to speak. There’s also a big difference between taking every set to failure and just one set to failure.
A 2017 paper by Moran-Navarro et al. found similar results when assessing the time course for recovery among their subjects (6). I should clarify the paper was not specifically comparing all sets to failure vs one set to failure. However, the study design and findings allow us to extrapolate this from the data into an applied setting. There’s also significant inter-individual variability in response to volume and intensity. Any experienced coach can testify that some individuals can only tolerate a small amount of volume and get incredible results. Others require absurd volumes and intensity to see similar adaptations. And the one thing I want to stress here is at the end of the day, your results and/or your clients' results are the primary determinant of what’s effective.
When looking at the practices of elite bodybuilders, many (maybe even most) of them utilize failure training in their approach. Some people will brush this off since it’s not peer-reviewed literature. But I should remind you that these are the individuals who have the most muscle and simultaneously produce the best bodybuilders. So, although you can point to instances of bodybuilders being incorrect in the past, keep in mind that researchers have been wrong on at least as many things, if not more. Therefore, it’s wise to be open to learning from the people who have accomplished the most in this respect. Keep in mind that if we extend the timeline out, most lifters will cycle through higher and lower volumes, as well as higher and lower intensities. This is part of the process of periodization and discovering what works most effectively for you at a given point in your lifting career. By extension, if you never train to failure, or you never train shy of failure at higher volumes, you’re likely missing out on progress.
When we get deep into the individualization realm, we also have to take temperamental differences into account. Some individuals just like to train hard. Prescribe them 5x8 @ RPE 8, and you know they’re taking every one of those sets to failure. Conversely, not all clients will push themselves to the appropriate RPE target. Therefore, prescribing multiple sets to failure may be required just to get them to reach an RPE 8. Since adherence to a program is heavily influenced by the athlete's level of enjoyment and buy-in, it’s often in the coach's best interest to take personal preferences into consideration.
Earlier this year, I was on the Table Talk podcast, and Dave asked me about one of the things I’ve changed my mind on over the years. One of the points was training to failure. Previously I had never tried it, but I understood the conceptual argument, which led me to not see a clear benefit to it over training just shy of failure. However, after going through several blocks utilizing this approach in various parts of my program, I gained new insight into its potential benefits. For instance, if you train to failure there are potential orthopedic benefits since the total volume will necessarily be reduced. Some people might argue that any potential benefit might be outweighed by the additional stress of taking sets to failure. This is a reasonable conceptual argument, but it doesn’t always pan out like that. Especially when you factor in individual variability.
Additionally, people often neglect the SAID principle (Specific Adaptations To Imposed Demands), which suggests that people have the capacity to adapt to this style of training. No one disputes this when discussing other approaches, but for some reason, it’s seldom mentioned (if mentioned at all) when debating the pros and cons of training to failure. Coaches will utilize volume landmarks to prescribe appropriate doses during various periods of development.
But regardless of the volume prescribed, the one metric that needs to remain high is intensity of effort. Intensity of effort is different than simply intensity, which refers to your maximum capacity at a given task (i.e., sprinting, 1RM squat, etc.) Intensity of effort can be scaled to various volumes and activities, but it still needs to remain above a certain adaptive threshold. As volume and intensity undulate, it may be beneficial to utilize failure training periodically to drive adaptations.
This article explores the key ingredients found in these supplements and their multifaceted benefits for those striving to achieve peak physical performance.
Caffeine is a well-known stimulant and a cornerstone in many pre-workout formulations. Its ability to increase alertness, boost energy levels, and enhance focus is crucial for optimizing workout performance. Additionally, caffeine has been shown to stimulate thermogenesis, promoting the body's ability to burn fat for fuel during exercise.
L-Citrulline and L-Arginine are amino acids that play a pivotal role in promoting nitric oxide production in the body. Nitric oxide helps to dilate blood vessels, improving blood flow to working muscles. This increased blood flow not only delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles but also aids in the efficient removal of metabolic byproducts, contributing to improved exercise performance.
Beta-alanine is renowned for its ability to enhance endurance by buffering the buildup of lactic acid in muscles during high-intensity exercise. By delaying the onset of muscle fatigue, beta-alanine supports longer and more intense workouts, ultimately contributing to increased calorie expenditure and fat burning.
Acetyl L-Carnitine HCL is an amino acid derivative that plays a crucial role in the transportation of fatty acids into the mitochondria, where they are oxidized for energy. By aiding in the utilization of stored fat as a fuel source, acetyl L-carnitine supports the fat-burning aspect of pre-workout supplements.
Maintaining proper electrolyte balance is essential for optimal muscle function and hydration. Himalayan pink sea salt, rich in minerals like sodium and potassium, is often included in pre-workout formulations to support electrolyte balance, preventing dehydration and cramping during exercise.
KSM-66, a high-concentration ashwagandha extract, is known for its adaptogenic properties, helping the body cope with stress. Beyond stress reduction, KSM-66 has been linked to improvements in endurance, making it a valuable addition to pre-workouts for those aiming to push their limits.
Often paired with caffeine, L-Theanine is an amino acid known for its calming effects. It helps offset the jitteriness and potential energy crashes associated with caffeine, promoting a smoother, sustained focus throughout the workout.
Vitamin B3, or niacin, plays a crucial role in energy metabolism. It helps convert food into energy and supports proper functioning of the nervous system. Including niacin in a pre-workout supplement contributes to overall metabolic efficiency.
Theacrine is a compound that provides similar stimulating effects to caffeine but without the risk of developing tolerance over time. This makes it a valuable addition to pre-workout formulas for sustaining energy levels during extended periods of physical activity.
Black pepper extract, or Bioperine, is often included in formulations to enhance the bioavailability of other ingredients. By promoting better absorption, black pepper extract ensures that the body can fully utilize the benefits of the various components in the pre-workout supplement.
Fat-burning pre-workout supplements offer a comprehensive approach to enhancing exercise performance and promoting weight management. The synergistic blend of ingredients provide not only an energy boost but also supports endurance, focus, and fat metabolism.
You can find these ingredients in WTF Pre-Workout, 1st Detachment's expert-formulated pre-workout nutrition drink mix.
As with any supplement, it's crucial to consider individual tolerance levels, fitness goals, and health status before incorporating these products into a fitness regimen.
Consulting with a healthcare or fitness professional can help tailor pre-workout choices to specific needs, ensuring a safe and effective fitness journey.
The liver, an unsung hero in the pursuit of peak physical performance, plays a pivotal role in maintaining stable glucose levels, a fundamental aspect for sustained energy during workouts and recovery periods.
Scientific research underscores the liver’s significant role in glucose homeostasis. It acts as a metabolic powerhouse, orchestrating the balance of glucose in the bloodstream through processes like glycogen storage and gluconeogenesis.
For bodybuilders and athletes, maintaining liver health goes beyond mere precaution; it's a performance-enhancing strategy. Studies have highlighted the correlation between liver function and exercise capacity:
Nutrition stands as a cornerstone for supporting liver health and, consequently, optimal blood sugar regulation:
Exercise isn't just about building muscle or enhancing cardiovascular health; it also positively influences liver function:
In the pursuit of peak performance, bodybuilders and athletes often focus on muscle-building strategies and workout routines, sometimes overlooking the critical role of liver health in regulating blood sugar levels. Understanding the intricate relationship between liver function, glucose regulation, and performance can be a game-changer in achieving fitness goals.
By prioritizing liver health through proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle choices, athletes can optimize their metabolic performance, ensuring a steady and sustainable supply of energy for intense workouts, faster recovery, and overall improved athletic prowess.
Remember, a healthy liver isn’t just a silent supporter in the background; it’s an invaluable ally in the journey towards unparalleled fitness achievements.
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For physique athletes, whose goals are purely based on aesthetics/hypertrophy, the role that heavier loading plays is controversial. Some will point to the famous videos of Ronnie Coleman lifting crazy pounds even during contest prep, along with training styles such as DC Training or those utilized by Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates, to illustrate the important role heavier lifting can play.
On the other hand, it’s easy to point out a long list of fantastic and successful physiques that have been built without the use of heavier loading or even much in the way of compound movements.
Before we go any further, it’s important to distinguish exactly what we mean by “strength training” in this context. Strength training for physique athletes IS NOT the same as it is for strength-sports athletes. In the same way that a power-based athlete (i.e., a sprinter or thrower) would not train for strength in the same way as a competitive powerlifter, neither should a physique athlete.
For a powerlifter or strongman competitor they compete in the ability to express maximal strength (which is a specific facet of strength), so it is in their best interest to train in a manner that maximizes their performance in this physical ability, even if it is to the detriment of other physical qualities. Whereas for our physique athlete (or our power athlete, for that matter), we are using strength-training as a tool to enhance the results we get from the rest of our training. For the physique athlete, this would be in the form of a more impressive physique, and for our power athlete, it would be an increased rate of force development/power/speed/agility.
This may sound like nuance, but this difference in desired outcomes and context alters what effective strength training looks like for these individuals. Our physique athletes need to do JUST ENOUGH strength training to gain the desired benefits from that style of training (which we will address shortly). In essence, we are looking to utilize the minimal effective dose to get the benefits that we desire so that we can go back to a training style that is more directly applicable to our end goal… being jacked.
It’s important to remember that until the 60s, pretty much everyone trained the same way. You trained three days per week utilizing primarily compound movements that would cover the whole body in each session.
Now, a big part of this was down to the fact people didn’t have much choice. Most gyms at this time had separate days for men and women to train, as training together was seen as too risqué. So men would usually be able to train Monday, Wednesday, and Friday while women could train Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, with most gyms then being shut on Sunday. So three days per week was the most you could train regardless.
Likewise, there simply wasn’t the variety of equipment that exists today. Squat racks weren’t invented until the 1930s, and even then, a lot of gyms didn’t make the investment straight away. Benches didn’t appear in gyms until the 1950s, and there weren’t any benches that had uprights attached to them released until the 1960s. If you wanted to bench heavy, you had to get two reliable spotters to hoist the bar up and hand it to you.
So, the reality was you simply couldn’t train using a wide variety of exercises or equipment because the means didn’t exist. Not only that but if you are limited to training 3 days per week, then in most circumstances, it’s in your best interest to stick to the biggest “bang for buck” exercises to get the biggest stimulus you can with your limited training time.
But this didn’t stop people from developing some truly impressive physiques, especially considering that steroids weren’t available at this time. Testosterone was first synthesized in 1935 but wasn’t readily available. Dianabol was marketed in the U.S. in 1958, but even when that trickled down to the bodybuilding world in the ’60s, people were arguing about whether taking 5mg or 10mg 3 days per week was excessive. Many of these impressive individuals from this era also competed in several sports at once; Doug Hepburn, although not a bodybuilder, is a good example of this.
Now, as time went on, gyms developed, they started having a wider variety of kit, and you were able to train more frequently due to the segregation being removed. Steroids also started to become more and more available to those outside of high-level/professional sports. As a result, physique athletes started to train more and more (because they could) and also get better results (not just because of steroids… but you know, that helps).
This created a natural migration towards training splits that facilitated more frequent training. Whole-body training worked fine when everyone was training 3 days/week and had limited kit. But now, not only were people training more frequently, but they could handle more volume, and they had new exciting exercise variations they wanted to experiment with.
And so the “Bro Split” was born, ladies and gentlemen. It allows trainees to lift more regularly and accumulate more volume per body part, as well as a greater variation in exercises. What’s not to like?
In my opinion, the only downside to this shift in the training landscape for physique athletes has been the gradual drop in the perceived importance of compound movements and strength-biased training for these individuals. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being the guy that says, “Bro, back squat is all you need for complete leg development.” For some people, that is (almost) true, but there are so many people for whom it couldn’t be further from the truth.
If you are reasonably new to lifting, then compound-based movements in the low(ish) rep ranges should play a reasonably large role in your training program.
Why?
Because you need to learn how to move, as a beginner, you are mainly limited by neurological factors such as balance, coordination (intra and inter-muscular), active stability, fast-twitch fiber recruitment and so on. If you jump straight into performing primarily stable, isolation-based movements, then you are not going to improve these factors.
Not only that but at this point, your nervous system is functioning at a pretty poor level, so the loads that you will be able to use on isolation movements such as flies and lateral raises (for example) are going to be so small that they will impose almost no mechanical tension on the target muscle (which is the main stimulus for hypertrophy). So, even if you perform them correctly to a high intensity, the resulting hypertrophy stimulus will be negligible.
I know the weight on isolation movements isn’t the most important factor, BUT no one is going to get jacked doing 2.5lb lateral raises and 5lb bicep curls…
I’m not saying you need to run Starting Strength for the first 5 years of your lifting journey, but at the beginning, every lifter will be better off becoming proficient at the basic movement patterns, which are:
*I put these two in there also because it genuinely just makes me sad when I see a muscular person who can’t perform a decent split squat or farmers walk with their body weight. But not everyone cares about these things*
Get yourself to a reasonable strength level on these, and then feel free to migrate towards a more typical “bodybuilding” approach. But I would still advise keeping these movements in there in some capacity.
When the jacked old boy in your gym tells you that you need to “build your base,” this is what they are referring to.
So, once we’re passed the beginner stage, and we can squat a reasonable load without looking like Bambi on ice, what benefits are there to be had from keeping strength work in your programming?
There are plenty:
As you can see, there are quite a few reasons you may benefit from including strength training. Most of these function as a form of investment by making your future training more effective. Which is the best way for physique athletes to view the role of more strength-orientated training in their programming.
In the second part of this article, I will outline what strength training can look like for physique athletes (without turning you into a powerlifter) and how to integrate it into your annual training plan.
]]>Speak to some people, and they will convince you carbs are sent from the depths of hell to torch your gains and make you an eternal slave to fat gain.
“I can’t even look at a carb without gaining weight” is one favorite you might hear from the doom-mongers of this particular macro.
But let me tell you this: working alongside Justin Harris of Troponin Nutrition and 1st Detachment, I stepped on stage at a shredded four or five percent body fat, eating 1000g of carbs at least once a week through my 16-week contest prep.
And I could do that even after a peak off-season that included three of these 1000g ‘high days’ a week – with meal six on each of those a cheat meal of my choosing.
I reached a point where food from carbohydrates was so high I wanted to ‘cheat’ on my diet by not eating.
A week out from stepping on stage, I ate my cheat meal in a restaurant to celebrate my nine-year-old son’s birthday, tucking into a ‘dirty burger’ complete with a giant ice-cream sundae. I could scarcely believe it myself.
Oh – and I won my competition, the Masters Over 45 class at the NABBA UK here in Britain.
The thinking behind such a diet is carb-cycling, consuming carbs at their highest amount when you need them most and reducing them accordingly when you don’t.
It is also linked to protein and how much your body uses to build muscle, which is surprisingly little.
Justin Harris explains it arguably better than anyone else in the industry; if a person were to synthesize (use protein to build muscle tissue) just 19g of protein per day, they would gain 50 lbs. per year.
No athlete is doing that, particularly year on year. So, what is the rest of this protein being used for? Well, if you are not eating enough carbs, it is being turned into them through gluconeogenesis. In short, you are paying for very expensive carbohydrates.
Eat enough carbs, and you can reduce the amount your body is turning protein into fuel, ensuring more of it is available to build muscle tissue.
Cycling also prevents giant leaps in fat gain. For example, any rest day is called a ‘low-day’; protein is higher to compensate for the lower carbohydrate intake. We do not need as much fuel because our output is generally lower due to not working out. Fats are also added to help with energy.
We also have medium days, generally, any workout days that are anything except back or leg days. Here, carbs are moderate enough to fuel workouts and supplement protein intake that they can be used to repair and grow.
High days (generally a leg day, often leg and back days) are used when output is at its highest and glycogen stores need replenishing. The previous low and medium-day cycling means most, if not all, of these high-day carbs can be stored as muscle glycogen rather than fat. It is a win-win.
With such a high amount of carbs, you might think an athlete would run into issues with insulin sensitivity, but there are supplements to mitigate such factors, including Suppressor Max.
1st Detachment has been able to include ingredients such as berberine HCI at 97 percent, cinnamon powder, and R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA), which help enhance insulin sensitivity and improve blood sugar control.
Justin Harris is the authority on carb-cycling nutrition, and I implore you to watch as many educational videos as possible to improve your knowledge base. He has helped me more than I could have imagined.
About the author.
Gary Chappell is a journalist and a Masters bodybuilder from the UK, coached by Justin Harris of Troponin Nutrition.
He is the founder and editor of a new website for amateur bodybuilding named MuscleMatters, with a complete website called frontdouble.com coming soon.
When it comes to sculpting those arms, understanding the muscles you're targeting is crucial. So, before you even pick up a weight, let's ensure you have a solid grasp of the muscles involved and their functions.
Location: The biceps are located on the front of your upper arm, running from your shoulder down to your elbow.
Composition: It's called 'bi-ceps' because it has two parts or "heads":
The long head (outer part) which creates the peak when you flex during biceps exercises. The short head (inner part) which gives width to the bicep.
The triceps are on the backside of your upper arm. Named 'tri-ceps' due to its three parts or "heads":
Lateral head: The outer section giving the arm a horseshoe shape.
Medial head: Lies below the lateral head and isn't visible, but it plays a vital role in the strength of the arm.
Long head: The largest part that runs down the back of the arm and contributes to the 'horseshoe' appearance.
Arm Flexion: When you bring your forearm toward your upper arm (like when doing a curl).
Forearm Supination: Rotate your forearm to turn your palm upwards (as if holding a bowl of soup).
Arm Extension: Straightening your arm or pushing it downward (like when you're doing a pushdown or pressing something away from you).
Understanding the location and function of these muscles will help you:
Mind-Muscle Connection: Being aware of which muscle you're working can help you mentally focus on it during exercises, enhancing muscle activation and growth.
Avoiding Mistakes: Beginners often compensate with other muscles when the target muscle gets tired. Knowing your muscles can prevent these bad habits. For instance, you'll want to avoid using your back and shoulders when doing bicep curls.
Variety in Training: Once you're familiar with the muscle heads and their functions, you can ensure your workout routine targets all parts equally. This prevents imbalances and promotes symmetrical growth.
Start with Light Weights: As a beginner, the focus should be on learning the correct form. Start with weights that you can comfortably lift for 12-15 reps. As you progress, you can increase the weight.
Warm Up: This is crucial. A quick 5-10 minutes of cardio, followed by some dynamic stretching, can prepare your muscles for the workout, reducing the risk of injury.
Stay Hydrated: Muscles perform best when they're well-hydrated.
Ask for Guidance: If you're unsure about form or technique, don't hesitate to ask a trainer or experienced gym-goer. Everyone starts somewhere, and it's better to get it right from the beginning.
As a bodybuilder, your ultimate aim is to sculpt a symmetrical, muscular physique. The journey towards that goal revolves around two primary types of exercises: compound movements and isolation movements. Both play a critical role in muscle development and strength. But what are they exactly, and how do they factor into a successful bodybuilding regimen? Let's dive in.
Definition: Compound movements are exercises that engage multiple joints and, consequently, multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
Given their ability to rapidly build strength and muscle mass, compound exercises often form the base of bodybuilding programs. They are usually performed at the beginning of workouts when energy levels are highest.
Definition: Isolation movements target a specific muscle or a small group of muscles, working predominantly on a single joint.
Examples:
Isolation exercises are the sculptor's chisel in a bodybuilder's toolkit. After the heavy lifting of compound movements, they are typically used to detail and refine the physique. They're also pivotal in addressing muscle imbalances.
A successful bodybuilding regimen skillfully integrates both compound and isolation exercises. Here's how:
Begin with Compound: Start your workouts with compound movements to harness your full strength and energy. This is when you're lifting the heaviest and need the most power.
Detail with Isolation: After compound exercises, transition to isolation movements to target individual muscles, ensuring they receive specialized attention.
Listen to Your Body: While this guide provides a foundation, every bodybuilder's journey is unique. Adapt based on your goals, strengths, and weaknesses.
Think of compound exercises as the broad brush strokes on a canvas and isolation movements as the detailed work. Together, they create a masterpiece—your optimally sculpted physique. As with any art form, mastering the technique, understanding the tools, and dedicating time is key to success in bodybuilding.
What is Training Frequency? Training frequency refers to how often you work out a specific muscle group or perform a particular exercise over a set period, usually a week.
The 2-3 Times Rule: Research suggests that for most beginners, training each muscle group 2-3 times per week strikes the right balance between stimulus and recovery, leading to optimal muscle growth.
Why This Frequency? Training a muscle more frequently can:
Ensure that muscle protein synthesis (the process by which the body builds new proteins) is consistently stimulated throughout the week.
Provide more opportunities for skill acquisition. As a beginner, learning the proper form is crucial, and more frequent practice can solidify these techniques.
Push-Pull-Legs (PPL):
By following a PPL routine twice a week, you can hit each muscle group twice, adhering to the optimal frequency.
Upper-Lower Split: Divide your training days between upper body exercises and lower body exercises. This format can be especially beneficial if you want to focus intensively on either half of your body.
Understanding Training Volume: Volume, in this context, pertains to the total amount of weight lifted in a specific period. A common way to quantify it is by looking at the number of sets performed for a muscle group.
10-20 Sets Rule: For beginners, performing 10-20 sets per muscle group per week is often recommended. Why this range?
10 sets: Offers a baseline stimulus for muscle growth, especially if you're just starting out and adapting to weight training.
20 sets: Represents a more advanced range. As you progress, your muscles can handle (and may require) this volume to continue growing.
Dividing the Volume: If you're training a muscle group twice a week, you can split this volume over your sessions. For instance, if you're aiming for 12 sets for your chest weekly, you can do 6 sets in one session and 6 in another.
These numbers serve as a guide, but every individual is different. Some might thrive on higher frequencies or volumes, while others might need more recovery. Always monitor how your body responds, and adjust accordingly.
Overtraining Signs:
If you encounter these, consider dialing back and allowing more time for recovery.
Quality Over Quantity: The age-old adage "quality over quantity" rings especially true in the world of bodybuilding. While it might be tempting to hoist heavy weights to impress peers or chase rapid results, it's paramount to prioritize technique.
Muscle Engagement: Lifting with correct form ensures that the target muscle group is fully engaged, leading to effective and consistent growth.
Injury Prevention: Poor form can strain tendons, ligaments, and muscles, potentially sidelining you with injuries. Remember, an injury can set back progress more than lifting lighter weights ever will.
Understanding Progressive Overload: Muscles adapt to stress. Once they're accustomed to a certain range of motion, weight or routine, they won't grow unless you introduce new challenges. This principle of progressively increasing the demands on your musculoskeletal system is termed 'progressive overload'.
Increase Weight: As you become stronger, gradually add more weight to your exercises.
Vary Reps and Sets: Alter the number of repetitions or sets, challenging muscles in diverse ways.
Introduce New Exercises: Rotate exercises to target muscles from different angles and prevent adaptation.
Feed Your Muscles: The effort you invest in the gym needs to be complemented by what you consume outside of it.
Rest and Repair: While it might seem counterintuitive, muscles don't grow in the gym—they grow during rest periods.
Equipment: Barbell
Description: The classic bicep exercise that allows for heavy weights and targets both the long and short head of the biceps.
Equipment: Dumbbells
Description: Offers a greater range of motion than the barbell curl and can be performed seated or standing.
Equipment: Dumbbells
Description: This variation targets the brachialis, a muscle that lies underneath the biceps, and the brachioradialis, a muscle of the forearm.
Equipment: Dumbbell and bench
Description: Isolates the biceps and minimizes the involvement of secondary muscles.
Equipment: Preacher bench and barbell or dumbbells
Description: Provides a strict movement pattern that helps to isolate the biceps.
Equipment: Dumbbells and an incline bench
Description: The incline position stretches the biceps, offering a unique tension pattern.
Equipment: Dumbbells
Description: Curling one arm at a time allows for a fuller range of motion and focus on each arm.
Equipment: EZ curl bar
Description: The unique grip position can reduce strain on the wrists and elbows.
Equipment: Cable machine with a bar or rope attachment
Description: Provides consistent resistance throughout the curling motion, which can lead to increased muscle activation.
Equipment: Resistance bands
Description: Portable and effective, resistance bands offer ascending resistance, meaning the exercise becomes harder as the band is stretched.
Equipment: Barbell or dumbbells
Description: This involves doing 7 reps of the lower half of the curl, 7 reps of the upper half, and then 7 full curls, totalling 21 reps. It's a great technique for muscle endurance and getting a "pump."
Equipment: Pull-up bar
Description: While it's a compound exercise, the underhand grip chin-up heavily recruits the biceps.
Equipment: Barbell or EZ curl bar
Description: Instead of curling the weight in front of you, you drag it up your torso. This slight change emphasizes the outer biceps.
Equipment: Dumbbells
Description: Combines elements of a standard curl and a reverse curl, targeting both the biceps and the forearms.
Equipment: Barbell and bench
Description: This compound movement emphasizes the triceps more than a traditional bench press due to the closer grip.
Equipment: Parallel bars or a sturdy bench
Description: A powerful compound exercise that engages all three heads of the triceps. Advanced users can add resistance with a weight belt.
Equipment: Barbell, dumbbells, or EZ curl bar and a bench
Description: These effectively target the long head of the triceps.
Equipment: Dumbbell, barbell, cable machine, or EZ curl bar
Description: The overhead position emphasizes the long head of the triceps.
Equipment: Cable machine with bar or rope attachment
Description: Provides consistent resistance throughout the pushdown motion, engaging mainly the lateral head.
Equipment: None (bodyweight)
Description: The close hand position in this push-up variation intensifies the triceps activation.
Equipment: Dumbbells
Description: This isolation exercise focuses on the contraction of the triceps at the end range of the movement.
Equipment: Cable machine with a rope attachment
Description: The rope allows for a range of motion that targets the triceps from a slightly different angle, emphasizing the outer head.
Equipment: Dumbbell
Description: Similar to the overhead extension but done one arm at a time, allowing you to address any imbalances.
Equipment: Cable machine with a bar attachment
Description: The underhand grip places more emphasis on the medial head of the triceps.
Equipment: Dumbbells and a bench
Description: Like the close-grip bench press, this exercise emphasizes the triceps, especially when the elbows are kept close to the body.
Equipment: Two benches or chairs
Description: A versatile bodyweight exercise where feet elevation or added weight on the lap can increase the difficulty.
Equipment: Dumbbells and a bench
Description: The outward flare of the elbows during this exercise uniquely targets the triceps.
Equipment: EZ curl bar and a decline bench
Description: The decline position adds variety and can offer a deeper stretch to the triceps.
Let's dive into specific arm workout programs tailored to different levels and objectives: beginners, seasoned bodybuilders, and powerlifters.
Objective: Establish foundational strength, get familiar with exercises, and ensure correct form.
Frequency: 2-3 times per week, with at least one rest day between sessions.
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 10
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-10 (or as many as you can perform with good form)
Rest: 60 seconds
Objective: Enhance muscle size, definition, and separation.
Frequency: 2 times per week, allowing ample recovery time due to the increased intensity.
Sets: 4
Reps: 8-10
Rest: 90 seconds
Sets: 4
Reps: 8-10
Rest: 90 seconds
Sets: 4
Reps: 10 each arm
Rest: 90 seconds
Sets: 4
Reps: 10-12
Rest: 90 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 10-12 each arm
Rest: 60 seconds
Sets: 3
Reps: 8-12
Rest: 60 seconds
Objective: Develop arm strength to support compound lifts (like bench press and deadlifts) rather than focusing on aesthetics.
Frequency: 1-2 times per week, ensuring that it doesn't interfere with primary compound lift days.
Sets: 4
Reps: 5-7
Rest: 2-3 minutes
Sets: 4
Reps: 6-8
Rest: 2 minutes
Sets: 4
Reps: 6-8
Rest: 2 minutes
Sets: 3
Reps: 6-8
Rest: 2 minutes
Sets: 3
Reps: 6-8
Rest: 2 minutes
Muscle-building is a fine balance of training smart, eating right, and resting adequately. It's a holistic journey where each component, from the weights you lift to the hours you sleep, contributes to your overarching goal. Always remember: patience, consistency, and dedication are the cornerstones of successful bodybuilding.
]]>Alas, here we are, the conclusion of this article series. For those of you who have made it this far, congrats. By reading these three articles, you will have likely done more reading than the average adult does in a year. Which should be celebrated.
Now that we’ve established what triggers hypertrophy and how much volume (at what intensity) we need to stimulate it appropriately, I want to cover two often misunderstood concepts:; special or intensification techniques and de-loads.
When we refer to “special methods” with regard to hypertrophy training, we are referring to methods that help us to increase the intensity of that particular set. Common examples that would come to mind for most people here would be drop sets, rest-pause, and cluster sets. But in reality, there is an almost endless number that you could come up with if you sat down and used your imagination.
Before we look at some of these methods individually, it's first important to cover what the goal of a special method is, which is to increase the efficiency of your workout from the perspective of the stimulus-to-fatigue ratio, which in this case is:
[Total number of maximally effective reps achieved]/ [Total number of reps performed]
When we’re concerned with hypertrophy, this is what we mean when we talk about “efficiency”.
Let’s look at what happens when we perform regular, straight sets to one rep short of failure (1 RIR). As discussed in the previous article, a set of 6 or more reps that are performed to one rep short of failure will give us five maximally effective reps (MERs). So based on the rep range we are using, it would look something like this:
This is why I talked about lower rep ranges being better for hypertrophy in MOST scenarios. It allows us to achieve a much better level of efficiency in terms of stimulus to total workload.
So, the inevitable question now will be:
“Bruh, so why don’t I just do sets of 6 on everything if I want to get jacked?”
Great question, my muscle-bound intellectual. The reality is that while lower rep work does give us a better stimulus-to-fatigue ratio, it isn’t always the best option for other reasons.
Firstly, not everyone can handle lifting in the lower reps ranges with higher loads all the time, especially if they are at a level where their volume requirements are high. We must take into account the stress our training has on our tendons, ligaments, connective tissue, and also our nervous system. If lifting heavier loads consistently causes these factors to limit our performance, then we are likely going to end up worse off.
Additionally, not all exercises lend themselves to heavier loading and lower reps. These tend to be the movements that deal with long lever lengths and that have easy mechanisms for you to “cheat” and take the loading away from the target muscle. The DB Lateral Raise is a perfect example of this; when it is performed for lower reps with heavier loads, it inevitably turns into a movement where most of the lifting is done via body momentum and the traps, not the lateral delts.
Lastly, using lower rep ranges can make progressive overload difficult with some exercises, primarily those that use lower loads. Let’s use the DB Lateral Raise as an example again. If we are using the 6-8 rep range with 10lb dumbbells, then once we go to increase the load, we may end up a bit stuck. The next dumbbells up will probably be 15lbs, which is a 50% increase in load. This will likely make it impossible for us to achieve 6 reps without a considerable amount of cheating, even if performing multiple sets of 8 with 10 lbs was quite easy. In this scenario, we’re much better off having a larger target rep range, say 12-20; that way, we can focus on progressively adding more reps with the same load. Not only that, but when we then go to jump from 10 to 15lb dumbbells, we will likely still be able to stay in our target range, and we can repeat the process again.
So, as always, the answer is never as simple as “just do this rep range” on everything. But when it comes to training efficiency, we generally want to use the lowest possible rep range that allows us to train effectively while taking the above factors into account.
Now that we have established what we mean by “training efficiency,” we can now judge the efficacy of a special method and whether it is worth utilizing in our training. Remember, if we don’t see a decent increase in training efficiency, then a special method is not giving us any benefit. Performing special methods does not inherently produce more growth/stimulus when you equate the number of MERs achieved, it simply allows us to achieve those MERs more efficiently. People always assume that because special methods are generally unpleasant and tough they cause more growth, but they don’t.
The other thing that we need to remember here is that special methods also come at a cost. As I just mentioned, these methods all cause more discomfort than regular straight sets. This increase in discomfort is going to increase the degree of central fatigue experienced by the nervous system, which in turn impacts our recovery. This is why I would suggest the following guidelines when programming special methods:
So let’s move on to looking at a few of the more popular special methods.
Rest-pauses are probably the easiest and most effective special method you can implement. They are almost guaranteed to work. The only way you can mess these up would be by resting too long. If we rest too long and we recover “too much,” then we can end up falling outside of the MER zone.
Let’s look at an example below (we are assuming 1 rep in reserve on all sets here):
As before, our regular straight set gets us 5 MERs and only a 50% efficiency rate. Now, if we add a rest-pause with a short rest period, that means that when we jump back into the additional reps, we are still fatigued enough for the load to represent an 80% effort (or more). This means that all of those additional reps are MERs, and we improve our efficiency by 16% to 66%. Conversely, if we rest too long, then when we jump back into our additional reps, the load no longer requires 80% effort. So, we end up having to do ineffective reps to fatigue us before we reach that MER zone again. That’s why this only results in a 5% increase in efficiency.
Below we can see what happens if we use a heavier version of rest-pause training and also the effect of adding a second rest-pause:
As we can see, by using a heavier/lower rep loading scheme, we achieve a higher level of efficiency due to fewer “wasted” reps in the initial set. This is why favoring lower rep ranges can be more beneficial for hypertrophy. Now, if we add a second rest-pause to this set, then we increase that efficiency even further. As I mentioned previously, you don’t want to use very intense techniques like this all year round, but they are certainly very helpful when it comes to increasing the stimulus of your workout.
The rule of thumb when performing rest-pauses is simply going to be that if you get more than 6 reps on any of the rest-pauses, then you are resting too long. This will help you maximize the efficiency of them.
Probably the most effective version of the rest-pause method out there is “Myo Reps”, created by Borge Fagerli. This is essentially an extended rest-pause set where you can achieve a very high number of MERs in a single set. In fact, for many beginners and intermediates, one Myo Rep set performed to the correct intensity could give them all the weekly effective volume they need for that muscle group.
When I program these, the only variable I change is the initial rep scheme. I generally start with 6-10 reps as opposed to 8-15, just so I can ensure we don’t accumulate too many “garbage reps” at the start of the set.
Drop sets are probably the most well-known and utilized special method for hypertrophy. It involves performing an initial set and then lowering the load so that you can perform additional reps.
In many ways, it is extremely similar to doing a rest-pause, except we are manipulating the intensity via lowering the load as opposed to resting enough to partially recover. Likewise, the efficacy of this method is also determined by exactly how you program it. Too much of a drop in load will result in the drop-set being too easy and not achieving MERs from the start, which will result in poor efficiency, as we can see below:
Straight set - 10 reps – 5 MERs for 10 total reps = 50% efficiency
Once again, we can see here how too big of a drop in intensity will lead to a smaller gain in efficiency when compared to a straight set and how a second (well-programmed) drop set will increase efficiency even further.
When programming drop sets, you are simply going to use the same rule that we applied to rest-pauses; if you get more than 6 reps, then your weight drops are too big.
For the record, dropping the load is not the only way of performing a drop-set. Instead, you can move from one variation of a movement to a slightly easier one (mechanical drop-set), or you can reduce the ROM to allow you to keep performing reps (ROM drop-set). These methods are a bit more advanced but can be very effective also.
Super-sets are another very popular method that we see pop up in hypertrophy training. Unfortunately, super-sets don’t increase the efficiency of the workout from a MERs point of view, but they can make a workout more time-efficient.
Let’s see why:
Super-set Example 1 – Antagonistic Super-set
Super-set Example 2 – Same Muscle Super-set
In both examples, we achieve the same efficiency in terms of MERs compared to performing regular straight sets, we just complete the workload in less total time.
Now, as we’ve already seen, we could improve efficiency here by changing these movements to a lower rep range:
Super-set Example 3– Antagonistic Super-set (Lower reps)
Super-set Example 2 – Same Muscle Super-set
*Here, we may want to keep the second, isolation-based movement using slightly higher reps due to the reasons discussed previously.
Here we have improved the efficiency of the work we are doing, but again, it is no different to performing those movements separately in that regard.
When it comes to super-sets, if you want to use them to save time, then go for it! But they do not make your workout more effective from a stimulus perspective. One factor that is worth remembering, however, is that performing super-sets will cause a slightly larger release of cortisol/adrenaline as you are asking your nervous system to go back and forth between two movement patterns (you’re essentially asking it to multi-task). So, it will make your workout slightly harder to recover from neurologically.
If you are someone whose training time is limited and this facilitates you getting the desired workload done, then the trade-off will likely be worth it. But outside of that, there isn’t going to be any benefit to you performing super-sets, at least from a pure hypertrophy viewpoint (they have applications for other things).
Clusters are generally associated with training for maximal strength. In fact, clusters are one of my favorite strength training methods. Why? Because they allow us to accumulate a higher amount of work using the same load or the same workload with a heavier load.
But wait….. doesn’t that sound like it might be useful for hypertrophy too?
Yes, it most certainly does sound useful.
When training for maximal strength, we will generally program clusters using around 90% of 1RM and perform “sets” of 1 rep until we achieve a target rep range, usually 3-6. The only thing that we need to adjust when using clusters for hypertrophy is the loading zone and the number of reps “per set”. Instead, we will generally use a load of 75-80% (somewhere between an 8 and 6 rep max) and perform sets of 2 or 3.
If we use 80%, then all of the reps we perform will be MERs straight away. If we use 75%, then most of our reps will be MERs depending on how many reps we perform per “set” and how much rest we have between them. As a general rule of thumb, 20-30s of rest in between “sets” works well for hypertrophy clusters, but this can vary depending on several factors:
Here’s what a hypertrophy cluster may look like with 75% and 80% of 1RM:
When using 75% of 1RM, our first “set” of 3 only gets us 1 MER, as it won’t be until the third rep that it will represent an 80% effort or above. But after this point, we will achieve MERs earlier in the “set” due to the incomplete recovery we will get between “sets,” meaning that by “set” three and four of the cluster, all our reps are now MERs.
Even with 75% 1RM, we still achieve a level of efficiency that matches that which we achieved using rest-pauses and drop-sets. Obviously, with 80% of 1RM, we accumulate nothing but MERs, which is why this method can be so effective.
If you want to take advantage of hypertrophy clusters but don’t want to use such high-loading zones, I suggest looking up a method called “Muscle Rounds” by Scott Stevenson. It uses a lower loading zone which means it doesn’t quite score as high in terms of efficiency (generally around 65-70%) as the above, but it is a great option for those who want to lift a bit lighter or for those who want to use a cluster approach with smaller/isolation-based exercises.
OK, so that is a quick review of some of the most common special methods that we see used in the context of hypertrophy. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but even if you just took rest-pause, drop sets, and hypertrophy clusters, you could probably come up with enough variants to keep your training interesting for years. So long as you keep in mind that accumulating MERs as efficiently as possible is the goal, then it will still be effective.
While we’re discussing the matter of training efficiency, it would be wrong not to touch on the topic of de-loads. Now, when I bring up this subject in the context of hypertrophy, the most common responses I get are:
“Bro, I’m not a powerlifter trying to max out; I don’t need to de-load/peak”
“How can training LESS help me get jacked?!”
“Sir, this is a drive-through; please just make your order and move on”.
The role of de-loading with regards to hypertrophy seems to be quite misunderstood, and the attendant at the Burger King drive-through doesn’t seem to want to be enlightened for some reason.
De-loading is a tool that is used to regain our training sensitivity.
Training sensitivity is simply a measure of how well our body responds to the stimulus of training. Over time training represents a less significant stimulus to our body, and as a result, we see a reduced adaptive response from the body, usually in the form of a reduced increase in mTOR activation, GH, IGF-1, MGF, and so on. So over time, if we want to continue to get the same adaptive response from our training, then we have a few options:
Option 1 – Create a progressively larger stimulus through our training by increasing intensity and/or volume to force the same degree of adaptation
Option 2 – Offer up progressively bigger sacrifices to Cthulhu and hope he bestows greater gains upon us via his tentacular appendages
Option 3 – Reduce our training stress to allow us to re-sensitize to the stimulus of training
Option 1 can work in the short term; in fact, this is how many periodized hypertrophy programs will be structured. They will gradually ramp up the stimulus over the course of the program so that we maintain enough of a stimulus to keep progressing. However, in the long term, this becomes troublesome because there is only so much training that we can recover from. But even if that wasn’t an issue, eventually, we would all end up training for 8+ hours every day, which simply isn’t feasible for 99% of people.
Option 2 also shows lots of promise, but there are only so many ritualistic sacrifices one can make before one ends up on the FBI’s most-wanted list.
Which kind of leaves us with Option 3 as the solution to this issue in the long term.
I mean, it makes sense, right? It’s just like using caffeine for energy. At first, one cup of coffee works great, but then over time, we de-sensitize to the effect (or rather, the beta-adrenergic receptors down-regulate), and then we end up needing progressively more to get the same effect.
The exact same principle is happening here with our training.
Now, most people end up “accidentally” de-loading throughout the year anyway. It could be due to work being crazy, a family vacation, or due to sickness or injury, but at some point, most trainees will take some form of break from training.
You’ve heard the story before:
“Dude, I went on vacation for two weeks, and when I came back and trained my legs, I couldn’t walk for a week.”
What’s happened here is that the break from training has re-sensitized you to the stimulus, so much so that a workout that was just a regular workout before your vacation is now TOO MUCH of a stimulus for your body to recover from effectively.
What you should do in this scenario is start off training with a considerably lower volume and take advantage of the fact that you can now stimulate progress from much less work.
If you want to progress long-term with your hypertrophy training, then you must learn how to cycle your training in a manner that allows you to continue to get an adaptive response from the work you do.
1 – After every training cycle (assuming this is around 12-16 weeks), take one week off training entirely OR perform 2-3 weeks of training at a heavily reduced volume and/or intensity (i.e. a 50% reduction in volume)
2 - Build a gradually increasing workload or intensity and partial de-load into each training block (every 3-6 weeks) – this can prolong how much time you can go without having to take a “true” de-load and ensure you get a stimulus from each of your training weeks.
3 - Use vacations and public holidays as a convenient way to de-load – if you plan your de-loads around holidays such as Thanksgiving or Xmas, then you can take a break from the gym without harming your progress, and you can spend more time enjoying yourself. You can even purposefully “over-reach” prior to the holiday so that you know the break is actually contributing positively to recovery as well.
It’s also important to ensure you can distinguish between training for results and training for the sake of training. Often people will have themselves convinced that they must do a certain level of training to progress. The truth is that they are often trying to justify to themselves the fact that they simply WANT to train that much. This is fine, but sometimes you must accept that the training you WANT to do and the training that gets you the best results aren’t always the same.
If you’re reading this article, then chances are that you enjoy training. This is why it can be hard for us to accept that sometimes the best training for us to progress is LESS training, or perhaps even no training at all (for a short period).
But trust me, if you don’t learn how to de-load and take a step back, all that will happen is that, at some point, you will be forced to do it. It could be through injury or sickness or whatever, but at some point, your body will make you take the break you need. If you leave it to that point, then the enforced break will always end up being longer than the strategic de-load you could have taken earlier.
If you have made it this far, then I hope you enjoyed this article series and found it insightful. Hopefully, you now have a better grasp on how to train for hypertrophy in an effective and efficient manner in the short and long term.
Until next time, Tom
]]>Suppressor Max is the most effective Glucose Disposal Agent (GDA) on the market. The combination of berberine and sodium caprate creates an optimal aid in insulin sensitivity and glucose management. Our new formula includes research-backed ingredients proven to lower blood sugar levels and support high-carb days.
Suppressor Max was designed as a carb management supplement to support and reduce your body's afternoon crash and jitters when taking in carbs, in general, or in a higher amount.
Suppressor Max contains key ingredients like Berberine HCI 97%, Cinnamon Powder, and R-Alpha Lipoic Acid (R-ALA), all of which have been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity.
These ingredients work together to assist cells in responding effectively to insulin, leading to better blood sugar control. Berberine HCI 97% helps regulate blood sugar levels by increasing insulin sensitivity, while Cinnamon Powder also supports improved insulin response.
R-ALA, on the other hand, enhances insulin sensitivity, making your body more efficient at utilizing glucose.
Fenugreek seed, a component of Suppressor Max, can play a role in reducing cravings. Its fiber content helps increase feelings of fullness and satisfaction, potentially curbing overeating and cravings.
Additionally, Piperine from Black Pepper Extract may enhance the absorption of certain nutrients, like those in Suppressor Max, which can aid in promoting satiety and reducing cravings.
The combination of Berberine HCI 97% and Cinnamon Powder in Suppressor Max contributes to blood sugar regulation.
Berberine HCI 97% helps lower blood sugar levels by enhancing glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Cinnamon Powder, with its active compounds, can also aid in controlling blood sugar levels by improving insulin function and reducing insulin resistance.
Suppressor Max shines as excellent support on high-carb days or post-workout when the body's demand for energy is elevated.
It aids in partitioning nutrients correctly, ensuring that proteins and carbs are directed to the right areas of the body.
This is crucial for optimizing muscle recovery and replenishing energy stores after intense exercise.
The ingredients in Suppressor Max work in harmony to guide nutrients where they're needed most, assisting you in maintaining your fitness goals even on days when carb intake is higher.
Berberine, derived from the Berberis aristata plant's root, is a true powerhouse. It's celebrated for its diverse health advantages:
This common spice, Cinnamon, is more than just a flavor enhancer. It boasts an array of benefits:
Fenugreek seeds hold a treasure trove of health advantages:
In the realm of health and wellness, nature's gifts often hold the key to optimal vitality. Here, we delve into the transformative powers of some extraordinary elements that have made their mark on the path to well-being:
While not widely discussed, 1-Nonanecarboxylic acid (Sodium Caprate) has a unique role as an absorption enhancer in supplements. It has been proven in research studies to improve the permeability of cell membranes, aiding the absorption of select ingredients for enhanced effectiveness.
A potent antioxidant, R-ALA offers a range of wellness benefits:
The unassuming black pepper hides Piperine, a compound with substantial advantages:
While these natural ingredients exhibit promising health benefits, it's vital to remember that individual responses can vary. Prior to incorporating them into your health routine, it's prudent to consult a healthcare professional to ensure they align with your specific needs and health conditions.
]]>Muscle recovery is a crucial aspect of any fitness regimen. It allows muscles to heal, grow, and strengthen after intense workouts. Adequate muscle recovery can lead to improved performance and less risk of injury. This article delves into the science of muscle recovery and explores what to look for in muscle recovery supplements.
During intense physical activity, muscle proteins are subjected to mechanical stress, leading to a natural process called proteolysis, where these proteins are broken down into their constituent amino acids. This breakdown is essential because it clears out damaged proteins, making way for new protein synthesis.
Protein synthesis is the process where cells construct new proteins, which replace those that were damaged or broken down during exercise. This process is vital for muscle recovery and growth of muscle tissue.
The balance between protein breakdown and synthesis determines muscle growth, maintenance, or loss muscle mass. Post-workout recovery aims to shift this balance towards synthesis.
Post-workout nutrition plays a vital role in supporting protein synthesis:
Hormones like insulin and growth hormone also play essential roles in regulating muscle protein synthesis.
Glycogen is a complex polysaccharide and the stored form of glucose found mainly in the liver and muscles. It serves as a vital energy reserve, especially during prolonged or high-intensity exercise.
The restoration of energy stores, primarily through the replenishment of glycogen, is a complex but essential aspect of recovery following intense exercise alone. Understanding this process and implementing proper nutritional strategies can significantly impact an individual's ability to recover and perform optimally.
Whether for a recreational exerciser or an elite athlete, proper glycogen restoration is not just about fueling the next workout; it's about supporting overall health, maximizing training adaptations, and enhancing performance. It underscores the importance of post-exercise nutrition and emphasizes why post-workout meals should be an integral part of any fitness regimen.
Intense workouts cause microscopic damage to muscle tissues, leading to inflammation. Recovery provides time for the body to heal muscle damage and reduce this inflammation.
Rehydration is essential to replace fluids and electrolytes lost through sweating.
Maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance is a multifaceted process that goes beyond simply drinking water after exercise. It requires an understanding of the specific needs and losses associated with individual exercise patterns and environmental conditions.
Implementing a targeted rehydration strategy can enhance recovery, improve subsequent performance, and reduce the risk of injury and illness. Whether a weekend warrior or a professional athlete, understanding and respecting the body's fluid and electrolyte needs is a cornerstone of optimal health and performance.
When considering muscle recovery supplements, the following factors should be kept in mind:
Look for supplements containing proven ingredients that aid in muscle recovery, such as:
Choose supplements that have been researched and proven to support muscle recovery.
Opt in for products that have been tested and certified by reputable third-party organizations for quality and purity.
Ensure that the supplement aligns with any dietary restrictions or preferences, such as being gluten-free or vegan.
Stay away from supplements containing unnecessary fillers, artificial colors, or other potentially harmful substances.
Intra-workout supplementation can help with muscle protein synthesis, which is the process of using protein to repair muscle damage and build muscle. If your body isn't breaking down muscle tissue to access amino acids, building muscle and achieving your physique and strength goals will be easier.
Field Rations Intra-Workout Benefits
Muscle recovery is an intricate process that plays a pivotal role in overall fitness. Adequate sleep, proper nutrition, hydration, and rest are fundamental to recovery. Muscle recovery supplements can offer additional support by providing essential nutrients that aid in recovery.
Choosing the right supplements requires careful consideration of the ingredients, scientific support, certifications, dietary compatibility, and the absence of harmful additives. Consultation with a healthcare provider or a fitness professional is often advisable to determine the best muscle recovery supplements tailored to individual needs and goals.
Remember, supplements are meant to complement, not replace, a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle. With the right combination of exercise, nutrition, and possibly supplementation, you can optimize muscle recovery and take your fitness to new heights.
]]>We meet again, avid reader.
Welcome to Chapter 2 of this article series on training volume about hypertrophy. In Chapter 1, we covered the main factors that stimulate hypertrophy. After all, we can’t talk about how to train for hypertrophy without knowing what causes it. Now the geeky stuff is out of the way; we can start to get into the more interesting and applicable material.
Knowing how much training volume to do is a difficult thing to decipher. After all, you have successful training programs that use a wide variety of volume prescriptions, and lifters have built incredible physiques using both extremes. So how much should YOU do?
There will be a lot of different factors that play into this, including:
The most common problem that we see is, trainees that are performing too much volume at too low of an intensity level to stimulate the progress that they want. You can not compensate for lack of intensity by doing more work; it doesn’t work like that.
This article will illustrate why that is the case and give you a blueprint to help estimate how much training volume you need to perform and at what intensity to keep progressing.
We briefly touched on Maximally Effective Reps (MERs) in the first article. MERs are reps that stimulate all possible motor units and muscle fibers, including the fast twitch fibers. This is achieved by performing a rep that requires at least 80% of your maximal force available at that moment (there’s some variation with that figure, but it’s a solid baseline). So, for example, if we performed a set of squats and had 80% of our 1-rep max on the bar, all our reps would be maximally effective because the load would dictate that we need 80% of our maximal effort right from rep one.
Remember, the fast-twitch fibers are the ones that have the growth potential. Slow twitch fibers have little to no growth potential, so stimulating them doesn’t get us any hypertrophy. But our body likes to be efficient and will only recruit the fibers that it MUST complete the task at hand.
So, to start, it will recruit just some of the slow twitch fibers. If that doesn’t produce enough force, it will progressively recruit more and more slow-twitch fibers. If that doesn’t produce the required force output, it will recruit the intermediate fibers (which still have minimal growth potential). If this doesn’t result in enough force output, that is when the fast twitch fibers will get recruited.
This is why a high degree of mechanical tension is needed for growth because it means we have created a situation where the body must recruit all the fast-twitch fibers to get the job done.
However, starting with a heavy load is not the only way to achieve MERs. As discussed in the previous article, muscle fibers will fatigue at around 3-4% per rep (variation here is based on the fast/slow twitch you are). So even a lighter load will eventually represent an 80%+ effort and cause full fiber recruitment. Table 1 (below) from the previous article sums this up nicely.
Rep Number |
Relative Load/Intensity (%) |
Degree of Fatigue (%) |
1 |
60 |
0 |
2 |
64 |
4 |
3 |
68 |
8 |
4 |
72 |
12 |
5 |
76 |
16 |
6 |
80 |
20 |
7 |
84 |
24 |
8 |
88 |
28 |
9 |
92 |
32 |
10 |
96 |
36 |
11 |
100 |
40 |
12 - Failure |
104 |
44 |
Table 1 – The relationship between rep number, relative intensity, and fatigue. Those listed in red are “maximally effective reps.” The 12th rep would be a failed rep due to relative load exceeding 100%
As we can see, if we start with a load that is 60% of our 1-rep max then the first five reps are not MERs as they do not represent a high enough relative load to get maximal recruitment. However, from rep six onwards, the load now represents 80%+ of our max force output (at that time), allowing us to start getting maximal recruitment.
So, the only difference between using 60% and 80% as your starting load is that if you use 60%, you must perform five initial reps before achieving MERs. Whereas, with 80% you have that from the start. This is an important point, which we will touch on later.
What we can infer from Table 1 because the maximum number of MERs we can get from a set is six if we push to the point of completing the maximum number of FULL reps possible. If we push to the point where we fail a rep due to fatigue, then we could argue that we are achieving seven MERs, even though the rep isn’t completed, but I’ll let you debate that.
So, the intensiveness of the set, or if you prefer, how close it is pushed to failure, determines how many MERs we get from that set (see Table 2 below).
Reps In Reserve (RIR) |
Number of MERs achieved |
Failure |
7 (possibly) |
0 (can’t complete another full rep) |
6 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
Table 2 – The relationship between how close to failure a set is pushed (known as reps in reserve/RIR) and how many maximally effective reps are achieved.
Now you can understand the statement I made in the introduction of this article “You cannot make up for a lack of intensity by simply doing more work, it doesn’t work like that.”.
If a person is not pushing their sets to a high enough difficulty level, then they may be getting ZERO MERs per set. In that scenario it doesn’t matter how many sets you do because zero multiplied by one million still gives you zero. Of course, this is an extreme example, but you get the picture.
What we usually see is lifters thinking they are pushing to one or two reps in reserve (RIR) when in fact they have more like four or five RIR.
Why is this important? Because this is going to radically change the number of MERs the lifter achieves. If we look at this difference across the course of a whole workout consisting of 10 sets:
Lifter 1 is working at an intensity of 4-5 RIR = 1-2 MERs x 10 sets = 10-20 MERs
Lifter 2 is working at an intensity of 1-2 RIR = 4-5 MERs x 10 sets = 40-50 MERs
Now, both lifters have performed the same volume, but Lifter 2 has achieved two to five times more MERs than Lifter 1. This is an enormous gulf in terms of workout efficacy and the stimulus that will be achieved from the workout.
The inevitable follow up question will then be…
“But can’t Lifter 1 just do more volume to make up for this difference in stimulation?”
Sure, but Lifter 2 would need to perform two to five times more volume to match the stimulation achieved by Lifter 1. Meaning Lifter 2 would end up performing anywhere from 20 to 50 sets to achieve the same stimulus!
Now, even if Lifter 2 was willing and able to do this amount of volume that still wouldn’t mean they would get the same positive outcome from the workout. Doing more work means releasing more cortisol/adrenaline (neurological fatigue) and means expending more energy to perform the work.
There is only so much work you can recover from and if you exceed that then you make no progress, even if you do accumulate enough MERs. Remember, you only get elevated protein synthesis in a muscle for 24-36 hours. If you spend that entire timeframe recovering from the excessive workload you did, then you end up with zero net muscle gain. So, Lifter 1 would most likely perform all that work and still get no benefit from it.
Whether you like it or not, at some point if you want to make progress then your sets must be HARD. There just isn’t a way to work around that fact.
So now we move on to the information you’ve all being dying to know since the start of the first article…
“Bro, just tell me how much lifting I have to do to get jacked.”.
We’re getting there I promise. But just like the hot girl (or guy) you want to hook up with; if I just gave you the good stuff right away then you wouldn’t respect me afterwards.
As I mentioned earlier, there are several factors that will affect exactly how many MERs you need to achieve maximal growth. But I will outline some general guidelines below based on training experience.
It can be very hard to classify people based on training age. I know plenty of people who have been training for years but are still beginners. Likewise, I’ve met others who have progressed passed the beginner stage in 9-12 months easily by working hard, following the right program, and doing everything right outside of the gym (being dealt a good hand in the genetic lottery also helps here).
When we talk about beginners, we are talking about people who are still making “newbie” gains. They are gaining muscle at a fast rate, can make linear progression in terms of their strength, and probably don’t have to be paying that much attention to the other stuff (nutrition, sleep etc.) to do this. This is because their training sensitivity is very high due to it still being a novel stimulus to them.
This category would also include anyone who has taken a lengthy break from training because their sensitivity to training would once again be very high. This is why programmed de-loads can be very useful; but we’ll talk about that in the third article.
Studies on un-trained populations have found that programs that result in as little as 8-10 MERs per muscle group per week can be very effective for hypertrophy. If you’re not completely un-trained then this is likely going to be a little low as you will have at least some adaptation to the training stimulus.
Hence my suggested range of 8-15 MERs per muscle group per week
This means that if you can train your work sets to an intensiveness of 1-2 RIR (RPE 8-9) then you can maximize your progress in terms of hypertrophy from as little as two to four work sets per week per muscle group (enjoy that while you can).
The caveat here is that beginners will often find it difficult to push to a genuine RPE 8 or 9. This is because their motor skills (proprioception, intra and inter-muscular coordination) will generally be poorly developed. This means that they often must end sets not because they cannot create the muscular force required but because they cannot stabilize or control the movement any longer.
If this is you, or someone you coach, then you can navigate around this by sticking to machine or cable-based movements that require considerably less stabilization, which will allow them to push to a genuine RPE 8 or 9. Or your other option would be to do an extra set for each muscle group to account for the fact that their RPE 9 is probably more like an RPE 8 from a muscular effort standpoint.
It is easier to classify an intermediate in my opinion. Intermediates are lifters/athletes who are passed the stage of making incremental progress on a short-term basis. In terms of strength, this refers to people who will now require a structured training cycle (usually around 10-16 weeks) to hit solid PRs in their lifts. But they are still hitting PRs reliably at the end of each cycle.
In terms of hypertrophy this is an individual who’s rate of muscle gain has now slowed down to a more sustainable level. An intermediate training for hypertrophy can expect to put on around 1-1.25lb of muscle tissue per month if they do everything right. Can some people gain more? Sure, those who are genetically predisposed to putting on muscle easily can gain more than this. But for a drug-free trainee if you manage to add 12-15lbs of muscle in a year then you are progressing extremely well. Most will fall well short of this.
Remember, we’re talking 12-15lbs of MUSCLE TISSUE here, this would equate to around 20-25lbs of scale weight increase when you take in to account the extra water, glycogen and fat that will come with it. People really under-estimate what 15lbs (for example) of actual muscle tissue does to a person’s appearance. If someone hasn’t seen you for a year and you’ve gained that much muscle, you will look like a different person to them. Likewise, if a competitive bodybuilder steps on stage 15lbs heavier than their last show (in the same condition) people would be shocked.
Now obviously as an intermediate you are going to be more adapted to the training stimulus. Gone are the days of not being able to walk for five days after your squat workout (or, at least, they really should be). So, we will now need a greater stimulus to get the response that we want.
For intermediates my suggested range is 15-25 MERs per muscle group per week
It would be uncommon for an intermediate to genuinely need 25 MERs/week. This would generally be reserved for individuals who have historically trained using high volume approaches. Remember, your body will adapt to whatever workload you give it over time. So, if you consistently train using a higher volume than is necessary then at some point it will acclimatize, and you will get no stimulus from it. Again, this is why the next article will cover the use of de-loads to re-establish training sensitivity.
Advanced trainees are in a scenario where they must fight tooth and nail for every bit of progress. For a strength athlete they will only be capable of hitting PRs on their main lifts likely once or twice per year because it will take months of strategic planning to get them up to that level. Even then sometimes they won’t improve on their previous result if the training cycle didn’t go to plan for whatever reason.
For those chasing hypertrophy we’re looking at gaining 3-5lbs of muscle tissue per year. Remember that will mean about 5-8lbs of scale weight gain and this is presuming you are doing everything possible to maximize your ability to grow muscle (short of taking PEDs).
The volume requirement for some advanced trainees won’t increase that much. The reason for this is that advanced trainees are going to be more efficient at recruiting their fast-twitch fibers. This allows them to start stimulating MERs earlier and fatigue them more quickly. This is most prominent in strength athletes but will also be present in those who train primarily hypertrophy also (more so who train in the lower rep ranges). This increased efficiency helps to off-set some of the adaptation to training resulting in a lower increase in required MERs.
In fact, this is why many advanced athletes (primarily strength) find they have to train LESS than when they were intermediates. Five sets of five at 80% of 1 rep-max is perfectly acceptable for intermediates and may well be too easy for a beginner, but it would floor an advanced athlete, if they could even complete it.
With that in mind my suggested range for advanced athletes is 18-30 MERs per muscle group per week.
Again, it would be rare for individuals to need 30 MERs per week to progress, but if you are right at the top of your genetic ceiling in terms of hypertrophy then this may well be the case.
As you become more advanced not only do you need to do a bit more volume, but you will also be fatiguing your nervous system to a greater degree, through more efficient recruitment as well as the fact you will likely being using heavier training loads. This increased recovery demand is where intensification methods such as rest-pauses, drop-sets etc. can become incredibly useful to help achieve the required MERs using less total workload.
Hopefully this second article has given you a better grasp of the principle of Maximally Effective Reps and how it governs how much volume you need to perform, and at what intensity, in your training. The third article in this series will be about how to maximize the efficiency of your training using de-loads and intensification methods. Until next time.
]]>Fitness journeys often begin with a sense of excitement mixed with a little bit of confusion. For anyone new to working out, there are a multitude of questions that can arise. This guide is here to clear up some common questions and provide insight into the world of fitness.
In the world of fitness, you might have come across the acronym "PR" and wondered what it means. PR stands for Personal Record, a concept that resonates strongly with athletes, bodybuilders, runners, and anyone engaged in a consistent exercise regimen. This article explores the meaning of PR, its importance, and how it can be an integral part of your fitness journey.
A Personal Record (PR) refers to the best performance that a person has achieved in a specific exercise or physical endeavor. This can be lifting the heaviest weight; lifting weights used in a deadlift, squat, or bench press; running the fastest mile or kilometer; or completing a particular number of repetitions in a given exercise.
Tracking PRs can be as simple or as sophisticated as you like:
Setting and breaking PRs requires a positive and persistent mindset. It's about challenging yourself, recognizing your achievements, and knowing that failure is just a stepping stone towards your next PR.
Personal Records are more than just numbers or badges of honor; they are reflections of personal growth and commitment in the fitness journey. Tracking PRs can be a motivational way to see your progress and set new, reachable goals. Whether you're a professional athlete or just starting your fitness journey, understanding and embracing PRs can be a rewarding and fulfilling part of your workout routine.
When it comes to working out, the right attire can make a significant difference in both comfort and performance. Your choice of clothing and footwear should not only reflect your personal style but also contribute positively to your workout experience. This guide will provide you with essential insights into choosing the perfect gym attire.
The comfort of your gym attire is vital for a productive workout. Here's what to look for:
Your clothing choices also play a role in keeping you safe during workouts:
Choosing what to wear to the gym is about more than just appearance. It's about maximizing comfort and safety to enhance your overall workout experience. By focusing on breathable, moisture-wicking fabrics that allow good range of motion, and selecting footwear designed for your specific activities, you'll be well on your way to a more productive and enjoyable time at the gym. Whether you're a fitness newbie or a seasoned pro, taking the time to choose the right gym attire is an investment in your health and well-being.
Yawning during a workout can be both puzzling and common. You're in the middle of an intense set or a vigorous run, and suddenly, you find yourself yawning. Far from a sign of boredom or disinterest, this physiological reaction has intrigued scientists and fitness enthusiasts alike. This article explores some theories and insights into why we yawn during physical exercise.
One of the prevalent theories about yawning during exercise revolves around the brain's temperature regulation. The act of yawning might serve as a mechanism to cool down the brain.
Another theory posits that yawning during exercise could be related to the body's need for oxygen.
Yawning during a workout could also signal the body's need for rest.
While yawning during a workout may seem out of place, it's a common phenomenon with several possible explanations. Whether it's a mechanism to cool the brain, an increased need for oxygen, or a signal to rest, understanding why we yawn during exercise offers an interesting insight into human physiology.
Further research may continue to unravel this intriguing aspect of our physical response to exercise, but for now, a yawn in the gym is nothing to worry about – and might even be a helpful cue to tune into your body's needs.
The time you rest between sets during a workout is not merely a chance to catch your breath; it's a critical component that can greatly impact your performance and results. Whether you are aiming to build strength, increase muscle mass and size, or enhance endurance, the rest interval between sets can play a crucial role. This article explores the different rest periods for various fitness goals and provides guidance on how to optimize your workouts.
Rest periods refer to the recovery time between consecutive sets of an exercise. This break allows muscles to recover, replenish energy stores, and prepare for the next set. But how long should you rest? It depends on your specific goals and the type of exercise you are performing:
Though these guidelines provide a starting point, it's essential to recognize that individual factors may influence the optimal rest time for most people, you:
Paying attention to your entire body is vital for determining the right rest periods:
The ideal rest time between sets is not a one-size-fits-all answer but rather a dynamic component that should align with your specific goals, fitness level, and exercise routine. By understanding and applying the principles of rest for strength, hypertrophy, or endurance training, you can enhance your workouts and make strides toward your fitness goals. Remember, the quality of rest is just as important as the exercises themselves, so listen to your body and give it the time it needs to perform at its best.
One of the most common questions for both fitness novices and seasoned athletes is, "How long should a workout be?" While the answer may vary greatly based on individual goals, fitness levels, and types of exercise, understanding the key factors that influence workout duration can help you design an effective and efficient routine. This article delves into the considerations that should guide your decision on how long to spend in the gym or on the track.
Fitness Goals:
Individual Fitness Level:
Quality of the Workout:
Focus on Form: Proper technique and form often matter more than how long you exercise. Rushing through a long workout with poor form can lead to ineffective results and potential injury.The optimal workout duration is highly individual and should align with your specific goals, fitness level, and the type of exercise you are performing. While anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours can be effective, the focus should be on the quality of the workout rather than the quantity. A well-planned, balanced routine with proper form can lead to substantial fitness gains, regardless of how long you spend in the gym. Remember, fitness is a journey, and finding the right balance for you is key to long-term success and enjoyment.
In the world of fitness, gym etiquette isn't just about politeness; it's about creating an environment that's respectful, safe, and conducive to everyone's workout goals. Whether you're a gym newbie or a seasoned veteran, abiding by these unwritten laws helps maintain harmony and ensures that everyone can have a positive experience. Below are some of the generally accepted principles of gym etiquette:
Gym etiquette is an integral part of the fitness community, fostering a sense of respect and consideration for others. By adhering to these unwritten laws, you contribute to a positive gym culture where everyone can feel comfortable and focused on their fitness journey.
It's about more than just rules; it's about being part of a community that values health, well-being, and mutual respect.
If ever in doubt, don't hesitate to ask gym staff or observe the practices of regular members, as nuances may vary slightly from one gym to another.
Embarking on a weight lifting journey is an exciting endeavor, but it can also be daunting for beginners. One way to ensure a safe, effective, and personalized experience is to hire a personal trainer. A trainer's guidance can be invaluable in teaching proper form, creating tailored workouts, and providing motivation. This article outlines how beginning weight lifters can find the right personal trainer to meet their specific needs.
Before searching for a trainer, define what you want to achieve. Are you looking to build strength, improve overall fitness, or have specific weightlifting goals? Understanding your objectives will guide your search.
A professional personal trainer should have relevant certifications from recognized organizations. These certifications demonstrate that the trainer has the necessary education and skills. Some common certifications include:
Some trainers may specialize in body weight, lifting or specific methods of training. If weight lifting is your primary focus, finding a trainer with relevant experience and specialization can be beneficial.
Word of mouth is often an excellent way to find quality trainers. Ask friends, family, or fellow gym-goers if they have any recommendations. You can also consult gym staff for insights on trainers who work with beginners.
Many websites and apps connect individuals with personal trainers in their area. You can filter by specialty, location, price, and more. Reading reviews and testimonials can provide valuable insights into the trainer's approach and effectiveness.
Once you've narrowed down potential trainers, schedule a consultation or interview. Key questions might include:
A personal trainer should not only be qualified but also compatible with your personality and communication style. Assess how comfortable you feel with them, as a good relationship with professional trainers can enhance your motivation and progress.
Make sure you understand the pricing, cancellation policy, session length, and any other contractual obligations. Clarifying these details upfront can prevent misunderstandings later on.
If possible, consider starting with a trial period or package to ensure the trainer is the right fit for you. This allows both parties to evaluate the relationship without a long-term commitment.
Finding the right personal trainer as a beginning weight lifter is a process that requires careful consideration and research.
By focusing on qualifications, specialization in weight lifting, compatibility, and clear communication, you can find a trainer who aligns with your goals and helps you embark on a successful weightlifting journey.
Remember, investing in a personal trainer is an investment in yourself, your safety, and your fitness success. With the right guidance, the world of weightlifting can become an empowering and transformative part of your life.
Starting a weightlifting routine can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially when faced with a variety of equipment options. Each type of equipment – cable machines, weight lifting machines, dumbbells, and barbells – offers unique benefits and can be more suitable for certain exercises or fitness goals. This article breaks down the differences and advantages of each, helping beginners make informed choices.
Differences:
Benefits for Beginners:
Differences:
Benefits for Beginners:
Differences:
Benefits for Beginners:
Differences:
Benefits for Beginners:
The choice between cable machines resistance bands, weight lifting machines, dumbbells, and barbells will depend on your goals, preferences, and experience level. Here's a summary that might guide a beginner's choice:
A well-rounded routine might incorporate all of these, taking advantage of their unique strengths. If possible, consulting with a fitness professional can help you design a program that aligns with your goals and introduces you to the proper use of each piece of equipment. Whether you train at home or in a gym, understanding these differences enables you to embark on a weightlifting journey that's both safe and effective.
]]>When it comes to natural supplements promising a wealth of health benefits, one powerful substance has captured the interest of scientists and health enthusiasts alike - Berberine.
Derived from several different plants, this bioactive compound has demonstrated remarkable benefits, comparable to pharmaceutical drugs, especially for blood glucose management, weight loss, and more.
Let's delve deeper to understand why Berberine (found in Suppressor Max) could be an ideal supplement for your health journey.
In addition to its glucose-regulating effects, Berberine has been found to aid in weight loss. Improving insulin sensitivity and enhancing energy expenditure helps the body use glucose more efficiently, reducing fat storage and promoting weight loss.
A study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine showed that overweight individuals taking Berberine lost an average of 5lbs more than those taking a placebo.
While these results are encouraging, remember that any weight loss supplement is most effective when used in conjunction with a balanced diet and regular physical activity.
Beyond blood sugar and weight management, Berberine offers other health benefits:
Heart Health: It helps lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, reducing heart disease risks.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects: It contains powerful antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties that help protect against chronic diseases.
Mental Health: Some studies suggest that Berberine can help treat depression and improve overall mental health.
Gut Health: Berberine can influence gut bacteria composition, promoting a healthier gut environment.
Cancer Prevention and Treatment: Early research suggests that Berberine could have anti-cancer properties. Some studies have shown that it can reduce the growth and spread of various different types of cancer cells.
Improvement of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Symptoms: Berberine may also be helpful for women with PCOS, a hormonal disorder that can lead to metabolic issues and weight gain. It appears to enhance insulin sensitivity and decrease androgen levels, potentially alleviating PCOS symptoms.
Boosting Immune Function: Some research indicates that Berberine may stimulate the immune system, helping to fight off infections and disease.
Management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): NAFLD is a condition characterized by excessive fat buildup in the liver, primarily in people who drink little to no alcohol. Some research suggests Berberine may help to improve this condition.
Gastrointestinal Infections: Berberine has been used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a variety of infections, including gastrointestinal infections.
Anti-Aging Properties: Some preliminary research has shown that Berberine might have anti-aging properties and could potentially protect against age-related diseases.
Eye Health: Some studies suggest that Berberine may be beneficial in treating certain eye diseases due to its anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties.
Remember, while Berberine shows potential in many areas, it is still important to consider it as a supplement and not a replacement for traditional treatment. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement regimen.
Berberine has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for its myriad health benefits.
Recent scientific studies have explored its potency in managing blood sugar levels, drawing comparisons with Metformin, a widely used drug for type 2 diabetes.
Research indicates that Berberine can lower blood sugar levels in individuals with type 2 diabetes, similar to Metformin. Both work by decreasing glucose production in the liver and improving insulin sensitivity. However, Berberine possesses an additional advantage – it promotes gut bacteria health, which is intrinsically linked to metabolic health and diabetes. It's worth noting that while these findings are promising, it's crucial to consult with your healthcare provider before making changes to your diabetes management regimen.
Like any supplement, Berberine can have side effects. Common ones include digestive problems, such as constipation, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. Some people may experience headaches, dizziness, or skin irritation. Most of these side effects are minor and temporary. However, due to its impact on blood sugar levels, it could interact with diabetes medications, leading to dangerously low blood glucose.
Berberine is emerging as a potent natural supplement for managing blood glucose levels, aiding weight loss, and promoting overall health. Its comparative effectiveness to Metformin and other benefits certainly make it a fascinating subject for future research. As with any supplement, it's crucial to consult a healthcare professional before adding Berberine to your regimen.
]]>Understanding how our bodies process and utilize carbohydrates is an essential aspect of both general health and physical performance.
This is where Glucose Disposal Agents (GDAs) come into the picture.
This article aims to provide an informative guide about GDAs, their benefits, the differences between GDAs and insulin, and tips on finding the best GDA supplement.
Glucose Disposal Agents (GDAs) are supplements that have grown increasingly popular due to their potential for managing blood sugar and optimizing carbohydrate metabolism.
They function by amplifying the body's natural insulin response, essentially making insulin more efficient in its crucial role of driving glucose from the bloodstream into cells, where it is used for energy.
GDAs are composed of natural ingredients that are commonly used in dietary and herbal medicine. These include substances like cinnamon, berberine, alpha-lipoic acid, chromium, and many others. Each ingredient has a unique role.
For instance, berberine helps decrease insulin resistance and aids in metabolic function. Chromium enhances the action of insulin, while alpha-lipoic acid improves insulin sensitivity and helps protect against oxidative stress.
The benefits of GDAs span various areas of health and well-being. Firstly, their blood sugar regulation properties make them ideal for individuals at risk for or managing type 2 diabetes.
By increasing insulin sensitivity, GDAs can help maintain healthy blood glucose levels, mitigate the risk of energy crashes, and help prevent serious health complications associated with consistently high blood sugar levels.
Beyond disease prevention and management, GDAs also present benefits for those looking to improve their physical fitness and body composition.
By directing carbohydrates towards muscle cells instead of fat cells, they aid muscle growth and limit fat storage. This is why many bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts turn to GDAs as a tool in their nutrition and supplement regimens.
Further, the effective carbohydrate utilization that GDAs promote can also lead to enhanced energy levels.
By ensuring carbohydrates are efficiently converted into usable energy, users may experience fewer energy dips throughout the day and better performance in athletic activities or workouts.
While insulin and GDAs are both involved in glucose metabolism, their roles are distinctly different.
Insulin, produced by beta cells in the pancreas, is a hormone responsible for controlling the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. It is also essential in directing glucose into cells, where it is converted into energy or stored for later use.
GDAs, meanwhile, function as a complementary system to insulin.
They don't produce or replace insulin; instead, they act like an amplifier to the body's natural insulin response. By enhancing insulin sensitivity, GDAs help the body use insulin more efficiently, driving glucose into cells more effectively.
In essence, if insulin is the key to unlocking cells for glucose entry, GDAs are like the lubricant that makes the key turn more smoothly.
Finding the right GDA supplement involves a mix of research and understanding your individual health needs. When evaluating GDA supplements, it's crucial to understand the ingredients used.
Ensure the supplement contains scientifically supported ingredients that improve insulin sensitivity. Avoid products with excessive fillers, additives, or so-called 'proprietary blends' where the specific amounts of each ingredient are not explicitly stated.
Transparency from the manufacturer is also paramount. Trusted GDA supplements will have clear labeling, with no hidden or obscure ingredients.
Additionally, reputable manufacturers will provide research or evidence to support their claims about the product's effectiveness.
Consideration of dosage is crucial as well. It's essential to follow the manufacturer's dosage guidelines, as excess consumption can lead to low blood sugar, while insufficient intake might not produce the desired effects.
Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, remember that supplements should not be considered a magic pill or a substitute for a healthy lifestyle.
All of these are reasons behind why thousands of customers trust Suppressor Max by 1st Detachment as their go-to glucose disposal agent supplement.
Proper diet, regular physical activity, and good sleep hygiene play substantial roles in blood sugar control and overall health. Always consult with a healthcare professional before beginning any new supplement regimen to ensure it's the right fit for your individual health needs.
In summary, GDAs can provide valuable support for individuals aiming to manage blood sugar levels, enhance physical performance, or improve body composition.
However, their use should be a part of a broader health strategy that includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and sound lifestyle habits.
]]>We all want to be jacked. Even those of us who claim to do it for health benefits, performance (in strength sports or other sports), or whatever other reason. Being more jacked gives us more confidence, makes moving house infinitely easier, and helps make the sad head voice go away for a little while.
So, considering that just about everyone in the weights room is after hypertrophy in at least some capacity, very few understand what stimulates hypertrophy and even further understand how much work they need to do to achieve it.
The goal of this article series is to help address these points.
In this first article, we will briefly cover the mechanisms that drive hypertrophy. This will lay the foundation for what we will cover in the later articles about how we set up effective programming. So yes, this first article may be a little dry (read: very boring) for some of you. But how can we program for hypertrophy if we don’t know what CAUSES hypertrophy? So simply see this as an investment in future gains.
So have your chicken and rice ready, and let’s begin…..
Until quite recently, the primary driver of hypertrophy was a hotly debated topic. Some thought it was volume, and some thought it was mechanical tension, while others thought it was the 9 ancestral tenants (if you don’t get that joke/reference, then consider yourself lucky).
However, a lot of great research has been done over the last 10-15 years to help clear this up, especially by the likes of Brad Schoenfeld. Meaning that we now have a pretty clear of what does, and does not, contribute to the stimulus of hypertrophy.
It’s now become clear that mechanical tension is the primary stimulus for muscle hypertrophy. But what exactly does mechanical tension mean in this circumstance?
Put simply; it is the stress that is applied to the muscle fiber from an external resistance. Now, we can achieve a high degree of mechanical tension from the start of a set by using heavier loads. That way, the muscle fibers are under a high degree of stress from the very start of the set. But that isn’t the only way we can achieve this.
The mechanical tension created by a load will increase from rep to rep as fatigue accumulates. On average, muscle fibers will fatigue at around 3-4% per rep, so if we start our set with a weight that represents 60% of our 1-rep max, the RELATIVE LOAD (or intensity) will increase with each rep until we reach failure. Failure simply happens when the relative load exceeds 100% of our capacity at that moment in time.
This is summed up in Table 1 below.
Rep Number |
Relative Load/Intensity (%) |
Degree of Fatigue (%) |
1 |
60 |
0 |
2 |
64 |
4 |
3 |
68 |
8 |
4 |
72 |
12 |
5 |
76 |
16 |
6 |
80 |
20 |
7 |
84 |
24 |
8 |
88 |
28 |
9 |
92 |
32 |
10 |
96 |
36 |
11 |
100 |
40 |
12 - Failure |
104 |
44 |
Table 1 – The relationship between rep number, relative intensity, and fatigue. Those listed in red are “maximally effective reps.” The 12th rep would be a failed rep due to relative load exceeding 100%
When training for hypertrophy, we need 80% relative load/intensity to properly stimulate a response. This is where the principle of maximally effective reps comes into play, which we will address in the next article.
For now, simply remember that we need a high degree of mechanical tension to stimulate hypertrophy and that this can be achieved with heavier loading and/or by intra-set fatigue leading to a lighter load representing a higher relative level of loading/intensity.
One thing that is worth pointing out here is that there is a difference between external force and intra-muscular tension (mechanical tension). Some movements, such as plyometrics, have a very high force output (Force = mass x acceleration) but do not really stimulate hypertrophy. This is because the rate of movement allows very few actin-myosin cross-bridges to be formed. A low number of cross-bridges means low internal tension within that fiber, which means low internal tension for the muscle.
To get high mechanical tension, we need two conditions: a high degree of intensity/effort and a reasonably slow movement speed. And no, that doesn’t mean we can just purposefully move slowly during our reps to create higher mechanical tension. While this can help us create a higher degree of intensity with lower weights (which can be useful at times), we still need to get to the point where movement speed slows down DUE TO FATIGUE and not due to us limiting it voluntarily……
To boil it down, think of it like this; you need to be pushing your sets to the point where the concentric rep speed slows down significantly. For most, this will start to happen in 3-4 reps from failure, depending on how “fast twitch” you are. Reps performed after this point are the “money reps,” as Arnold would say. If you are not getting to this point with your sets, then you are not really stimulating much (if any) hypertrophy. Furthermore, you simply can not make up for this lack of intensity by doing more volume, as we will discuss below.
It was theorized by some that volume was, in fact, the main driver of hypertrophy. On the surface, it makes sense, right? How do you make your muscles grow? You just progressively ask them to do more work. The issue arises here when you scale this up to the long term.
How does one progressively do more volume throughout their whole lifting “career”? At some point, we would all end up training twice a day for 3 hours each session, 7 days per week.
Not only is this completely impractical but at some point, it would surely become impossible to recover from such a workload, even if much of it was done at a low intensity. We may grow bigger muscles, but our nervous, immune, and lymphatic systems do not increase in their respective abilities as much as we get jacked. Sure, our training tolerance improves as we adapt to training, but nowhere near enough to support an ever-increasing amount of volume for years on end.
Not only that, but this also doesn’t explain how so many successful bodybuilders (and other athletes) have had success utilizing lower-volume training. Dorian Yates, Mike Mentzer (before his methods went a bit, you know….), and Lee Haney are good examples of individuals who thrived using a low-volume, high-intensity approach. Then there are all of those who have used programs such as DC training with good effect.
Now, of course, there’s also a huge number of people who have used a high-volume approach to great success.
What this tells us is that hypertrophy can be achieved using varying degrees of total volume or workload. This, in turns, means it CAN’T be the main driver of hypertrophy; otherwise, we would see some form of dose-dependent hypertrophy response to training volume.
A study by Amirthalingam et al. (2017) summed this up nicely by comparing 2 groups, one training using a typical GVT-style routine (10 sets of 10) and the other using half the volume (5 sets of 10). The group running the regular GVT routine (10 sets) got no more hypertrophy than the 5-set group. This shows that, at some point, more volume does not equal more gains. There are plenty of good studies that show this same trend, but this one always springs to mind due to the aura that often surrounds GVT.
So, what role DOES volume play in hypertrophy?
Well, that will also become clearer in the second article of this series, where we dive into the principle of maximally effective reps and how we use that to determine our required volume. But for now, there are two principles we need to know about:
Minimum Effective Volume (MEV) – this is the minimum volume we can do to elicit some form of positive response or adaptation. Performing the minimum effective volume doesn’t get us the maximum stimulus we can from that workout, but it elicits just enough of a positive response that we end up in a net positive once we take into account the catabolic nature of performing a workout and the resources it requires to recover from it.
Maximum Recoverable Volume (MRV) – this is the absolute maximum volume we can perform and still recover. Now, that doesn’t mean to say that we NEED to do this amount of volume to get maximal adaptation from this workout. Always performing the maximal recoverable volume would in fact hinder your progress because you are constantly performing the highest workload possible and leaving yourself little to no “spare” resources to actually grow.
Let’s say we can get the maximum stimulation from a workout using 10-12 sets (taken to the correct intensity). Our MRV may, in fact, be 16 sets. So, if we go with our MRV and always perform 16 sets, then we are performing 4-6 extra sets every workout that we don’t need to. Those extra sets are going to take resources to recover from.
Remember, protein synthesis is only upregulated in a muscle for around 24 hours after a workout (maybe up to 36 if you’re very lucky in the genetic lottery) before returning to baseline, where there is no net synthesis of new tissue. Now, if you spend pretty much all of those 24 hours just recovering from the work done in the workout, then you leave precious little time to actually grow any new tissue. This is why doing too much volume can be damaging to progress, along with other factors.
Somewhere in between MEV and MRV lies the mystical beast known as OPTIMAL VOLUME (OV). This is the amount of work we need to perform to get the maximum stimulus from that workout and nothing more. This is where we want to be, as it gives us maximum returns with no wasted output.
Volume may not be the main driver of hypertrophy, but it IS still an important factor we need to control. There is a minimum threshold of volume that we must perform to achieve the stimulus we desire, and on the other end, there is a limit to how much volume we can perform before we start to get detrimental effects.
The idea of muscle damage being the driver of hypertrophy stood for a long time. Once again, it made sense in our heads, so we didn’t argue too much. We train hard, tear up some muscle fibers, then the body’s immune system detects the damage and rebuilds bigger, stronger fibers to protect against it happening again.
But in reality, this isn’t what happens.
Does muscle damage lead to an increase in protein synthesis? Yes, it absolutely does. But that increase in protein synthesis is only used to repair the existing damage and IS NOT used to create new tissue. Therefore, it doesn’t lead to hypertrophy.
The problem was that when we first started researching these things we didn’t have great ways of measuring the level of protein synthesis and tracking the end results of it. So, in the labs, we simply saw that muscle damage led to increased synthesis; that was it. We couldn’t see how much the rate of synthesis was raised, where the new proteins were going, and so on.
Fortunately, now we have much better technology and ways to study these things, and this lack of “super-compensation” became clear very quickly. This also explains why we don’t see any hypertrophy to response in non-training related conditions that create a high degree of muscle damage, such as crush injuries, etc.
Again, this doesn’t mean that muscle damage is irrelevant when it comes to hypertrophy, however. The reason the idea of muscle damage driving hypertrophy persisted for so long is that many of the things that maximize mechanical tension (the true driver of hypertrophy) also cause larger amounts of muscle damage.
Examples include:
So, we are always going to cause at least some degree of muscle damage when we are looking to maximize hypertrophy. Yes, there are methods you can use that cause little to no muscle damage, but we will never maximize hypertrophy by using those alone.
The problem is that muscle damage imposes a big demand on the immune system to recover from. Meaning we end up in the same situation as we did with volume; we need to find a way of maximally stimulating hypertrophy without causing an excessive amount of muscle damage that is going to take too long to recover from.
This can become even more important if you are an individual who, for whatever reason, has a poor immune system. In this scenario, if you train using methods that cause a lot of muscle damage, then you will often leave yourself in a situation where you won’t progress due to the recovery demands being too great. If you fall into any (or several) of the below categories, then you need to be careful with the amount of muscle damage you cause within your training:
Mechanical tension is the king when it comes to stimulating hypertrophy. If we don’t tick this box during our workouts, then the stimulus we receive is going to be poor at best. This should be the main concern when you are addressing your programming. But that is not the only thing we need to take into account.
Our volume needs to be dosed carefully so that we are providing enough stimulation to get a hypertrophy response from that workout (MEV) whilst also making sure we don’t go above the amount of work that we can recover from before our window of increased protein synthesis is over (MRV).
Muscle damage then needs to be taken into account as the amount of damage we cause will directly affect the time taken to recover from the workout and therefore affect our resulting net gains in protein synthesis.
In essence, the perfect workout is one that provides a high degree of mechanical tension to the target muscles using just enough volume to get the maximum possible response while keeping muscle damage to a minimum.
Simple right?.....
How we achieve this is what we will begin to cover in article two.
References
Amirthalingam, Theban; Mavros, Yorgi; Wilson, Guy C.; Clarke, Jillian L.; Mitchell, Lachlan; Hackett, Daniel A.. Effects of a Modified German Volume Training Program on Muscular Hypertrophy and Strength. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 31(11):p 3109-3119, November 2017. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001747
]]>Powerlifting is not just a form of exercise; it's a test of physical strength and endurance, a challenge of mind over matter.
It's no surprise that those who are curious or new to powerlifting often have several burning questions.
This article will dive into the essential aspects of powerlifting, distinguishing it from weightlifting and bodybuilding, and providing guidance on how to start your powerlifting journey.
Powerlifting is a strength sport that primarily focuses on three main lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. Powerlifting's objective is simple- lifting as much weight as possible for a single repetition in these three lifts.
Athletes compete in weight classes and the one with the highest total combined weight lifted wins.
While it may seem like a straightforward sport, powerlifting requires a balance of raw strength, perfect technique, and strategic planning.
It's not just about lifting heavy weights but about consistent progression, pushing your limits, and breaking personal records.
Powerlifting is also a community, where athletes support and push each other to strive for their best. It's an environment that fosters mental strength, self-confidence, and determination.
One common source of confusion is distinguishing powerlifting from weightlifting and bodybuilding. While they all involve weights, the objectives, techniques, and training methodologies differ significantly.
Powerlifting, as mentioned earlier, revolves around three main lifts (squat, bench press, and deadlift) with the aim to maximize strength for these lifts. It's about performance and how much weight you can lift.
Weightlifting, also known as Olympic weightlifting, involves two technical lifts: the snatch and the clean and jerk. It requires a blend of strength, speed, power, flexibility, and coordination. The goal in weightlifting is not only about lifting heavy but also executing these complex lifts with perfect technique.
Bodybuilding, on the other hand, focuses on aesthetic goals. Bodybuilders aim to build, sculpt, and define various muscle groups for symmetrical body composition. The emphasis here is on muscle size, shape, and proportion rather than maximal strength or power.
In summary, powerlifting is about strength, weightlifting about technique, and bodybuilding about aesthetics.
Starting your journey in powerlifting can seem daunting, but with the right steps, it can be a rewarding experience.
Start by learning the fundamentals of the three main lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Use light weights or just your body weight initially to get the form right.
Before you begin any intensive workout regimen, it's crucial to have a physical check-up. It helps you understand your body's capacity and any limitations you may have.
Beginners should follow a structured training program or hire a coach. This helps to maintain consistency, track progress, build muscle, and prevent injuries.
Once you're comfortable with the form, gradually start increasing the weight. Always prioritize quality over quantity; it's not about how much you lift but how you lift.
Powerlifting communities are great for support, motivation, and advice. Find a local powerlifting gym or an online group. You'll learn from others' experiences and gain invaluable insights.
Remember, a powerlifting program is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about consistent progress over time. Be patient, stay determined, and you'll see yourself growing physically and mentally stronger.
In the context of powerlifting, "gear" typically refers to two different categories: equipment used during a training session and performance-enhancing substances.
This includes essential items like weightlifting belts, knee sleeves, wrist wraps, and special shoes that provide better support and stability during lifts. It can also include powerlifting suits and bench press shirts, which are designed to support the body and enhance lifting performance during competition.
In a different context, especially in bodybuilding and powerlifting, "gear" can sometimes be a slang term for anabolic steroids or other performance-enhancing drugs. It's important to note that the use of such substances is considered illegal and unethical in competitive sports and can have serious health consequences.
If you're referring to "gear" in a different context outside of powerlifting, please provide more details so I can give a more accurate response.
Smelling salts, also known as ammonia inhalants, are compounds that release small amounts of ammonia gas.
Traditionally, they've been used to revive or stimulate consciousness in people who have fainted or lost consciousness. The sharp, pungent smell of the ammonia gas irritates the membranes of the nose and lungs, triggering an inhalation reflex, which affects the pattern of breathing and increases oxygen flow to the brain, helping to restore consciousness.
In the context of powerlifting and other high-intensity sports, athletes sometimes use smelling salts to sharpen focus and provide a temporary boost in energy or alertness just before a heavy lift or a big play.
The quick rush can help athletes to overcome the mental fatigue of a tough workout or match, and some believe it aids in their performance.
It's important to note, however, that the use of smelling salts is not without controversy. While it's not generally considered harmful if used occasionally and correctly, frequent use can potentially lead to negative health impacts like nasal irritation or even damage to the respiratory tract.
It's always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional or a trusted coach before incorporating something new like smelling salts into your routine.
Powerlifting competitions are organized across multiple local, national, and international platforms by various organizations, with some of the most well-known ones being the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF), the United Powerlifting Association (UPA), and the World Powerlifting Congress (WPC).
Each competition and its organizing body may have their specific rules and weight classes. However, most adhere to the standardized classes to maintain uniformity and fair play. Weight classes allow lifters to compete against others of similar body weight, ensuring a more balanced competition.
Below are the weight classes as per the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF):
Men:
Women:
Note that these are weight classes for adults. There may be different weight classes for junior and master lifters (those over 40 years old), and each federation might have variations.
The type of competitions also varies in powerlifting. Here are a few types:
Full Power: These competitions include all three lifts – squat, bench press, and deadlift. This is the most traditional type of powerlifting competition.
Push/Pull: These competitions include just the bench press and the deadlift.
Single lift: These competitions focus on just one of the three lifts, most commonly the bench press.
Raw or Classic: Lifters compete using minimal equipment – typically just a singlet, belt, knee-high socks, shoes, and sometimes wrist wraps and knee sleeves.
Equipped or Geared: Lifters use specialized equipment like squat suits, bench shirts, and deadlift suits, which allow them to lift more weight than they could raw.
Whether you're a novice lifter or a seasoned powerlifter, there's a competition and a weight class for you. Just make sure to familiarize yourself with the rules of the specific federation under which you plan to compete.
Powerlifting is scored based on the total weight lifted across three exercises: the squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Each competitor gets three attempts at each lift, and add weight from the highest successful lift from each exercise is taken into account. The weights from these three lifts are then added together to form a competitor's total.
For each lift, if a competitor fails to successfully complete a lift according to the rules set out by the federation they're competing in, that attempt is not counted.
This includes failing to fully complete the lift, not following commands, or breaking other specific rules, like moving their feet during the bench press.
The highest successful lifts from each exercise are then added together to form the lifter's total. The competitor with the highest total in their weight class is the winner.
In some competitions, a formula such as the Wilks coefficient or the IPF points may be used to adjust the totals based on body weight, allowing lifters of different weight classes to be compared more fairly.
This formula accounts for the fact that lifting a given weight is generally more difficult for lighter lifters than heavier ones.
In a situation where two lifters achieve the same total, the lifter with the lower body weight is declared the winner. If competition lifts and they have the same body weight, the lifter who reached the total first is typically the winner.
Remember, each powerlifting federation may have slight variations in its rules, so it's always important to familiarize yourself with the specific rules of the federation you're competing in.
The Wilks Coefficient, also known as the Wilks Score, is a method for comparing the strength of powerlifters despite the different weights of the athletes.
Named after Robert Wilks, CEO of Powerlifting Australia, the Wilks Score is a formula used to level the playing field between powerlifters of different body weights, making it possible to determine who is the most efficient lifter.
The Wilks Score is a calculation that involves a coefficient, which is multiplied by the total amount of weight lifted to give a score. The lifter's body weight and the total weight lifted in competition (the sum of their squat, bench press, and deadlift) are plugged into the Wilks formula, which adjusts the total lifted to a bodyweight coefficient.
Here is the Wilks Coefficient formula:
For men: 500/(a + bx + cx² + dx³ + ex⁴ + fx⁵) For women: 500/(g + hx + ix² + jx³ + kx⁴ + lx⁵)
Where x = the lifter’s body weight in kilograms
The coefficients (a, b, c, d, e, f for men and g, h, i, j, k, l for women) are constants determined through analysis of top lifting performances.
With this formula, a lighter lifter who lifts the same weight as a heavier lifter will have a higher Wilks Score. Similarly, if a heavier and lighter lifter have the same Wilks Score, it means that the heavier lifter lifted more weight.
The use of the Wilks Score allows for comparisons between powerlifters in different weight classes, and it's often used to determine the best overall lifter in a powerlifting competition. However, as of 2020, the International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) replaced the Wilks Coefficient with a new formula called the IPF points.
According to the USAPL Lifting Database, here are the following rankings and when they accomplished their powerlifting total.
Taylor Atwood - 06/14/2021 - Points - 123.42 Weight - 838.5 kg - Bodyweight - 73.6 kg
Jesse Norris 12/13/2014 - Points -121.99 - Weight - 914 kg Bodyweight - 89.3 kg
Austin Perkins 05/20/2023 - Points - 121.20 - Weight - 825 kg - Bodyweight - 73.9 kg
Ashton Rouska 11/14/2020 - Points - 120.97 - Weight - 950.5 kg - Bodyweight - 98.5 kg
Bobb Matthews 03/04/2023 - Points - 119.84 - Weight - 937.5 kg - Bodyweight -97.6 kg
Keenan Lee 12/17/2022 - Points - 119.32 - Weight - 957.5 kg - Bodyweight - 102.9 kg
Brandon Pitre 06/03/2023 - Points - 118.18 - Weight - 887.5 kg - Bodyweight - 89.7 kg
Russel Orhii 12/17/2022 - Points - 117.74 - Weight - 885 kg - Bodyweight - 89.9 kg
Rondel Hunte 03/04/2023 - Points - 117.08 - Weight - 1002.5 kg - Bodyweight - 118.7 kg
Jonathan Cayco 02/27/2021 - Points - 116.94 - Weight - 892.5 kg - Bodyweight - 92.7 kg
Amanda Lawrence 11/21/2020 - Points 122.17 - Weight 646 kg - Bodyweight 83.7 kg
Heather Connor 06/14/2021 - Points 117.91 - Weight 408 kg - Bodyweight 45.1 kg
Alexis Jones 04/13/2023 - Points 117.42 - Weight 701 kg - Bodyweight 143.1 kg
Natalie Richards 10/15/2022 - Points 116.98 - Weight 501 kg - Bodyweight 57.4 kg
Kelsey Mccarthy 05/10/2019 - Points 116.05 - Weight 680 kg - Bodyweight 70 kg
Daniella Melo 10/11/2018 - Points 113.86 - Weight 601.5 kg - Bodyweight 83.5 kg
Celine Crum 03/04/2023 - Points 113.78 - Weight 515 kg - Bodyweight 62.1 kg
Bonica Brown 07/21/2018 - Points 113.78 - Weight 675 kg - Bodyweight 135 kg
Samantha Calhoun 11/14/2020 - Points 113.48 - Weight 510 kg - Bodyweight 61.4 kg
Jessica Espinal 06/08/2022 - Points 112.08 - Weight 402 kg - Bodyweight 46.7 kg
The powerlifting community has seen many athletes rise to prominence due to their incredible strength, determination, and record-breaking performances. Here are a few notable figures:
These are just a few of the numerous athletes who've made significant contributions to the powerlifting community. They've not only achieved personal success but also helped to popularize the sport and inspire a new generation of lifters.
Powerlifters typically structure their workouts around the three primary lifts - the squat, bench press, and deadlift. However, a comprehensive powerlifting training routine also includes assistance exercises to strengthen specific muscles, improve weak points, and prevent injury. Here are some exercises commonly incorporated into a powerlifting routine:
This is a fundamental powerlifting movement that primarily targets your quads, hamstrings, and glutes, while also engaging your lower back, abs, and several other muscles.
This exercise primarily targets the chest, triceps, and front deltoids.
The deadlift works your entire body, but the focus is on your posterior chain, including your glutes, hamstrings, and back muscles.
This exercise works the shoulders, upper chest, triceps, and core. It can improve your bench press by strengthening the deltoids and triceps.
This strengthens your back, an essential area for all three major lifts. It specifically targets your lats and rhomboids, which aid in stabilizing your body during the lifts.
A great assistance exercise for squats and deadlifts, it targets the quads and core, improving your strength and stability.
Pull-ups are excellent for building upper-body strength. They particularly work your lats, which are crucial for maintaining a strong, stable position in squats and bench presses.
They specifically target the hamstrings and glutes, which can help improve your regular deadlift.
These exercises can strengthen your triceps, a key muscle group used in the bench press.
This exercise strengthens the lower back and hamstrings, aiding in both the squat and deadlift.
In training frequency in addition to these exercises, powerlifters often incorporate various forms of accessory work to target weak points, work on muscle imbalances, and further improve their main lifts.
Remember, every powerlifter is unique, and what works best will depend on your specific strengths, weaknesses, and goals. Always consider seeking guidance from a qualified coach or trainer to help create the most effective workout program for you. Be sure to incorporate adequate rest and recovery into your routine, as this is when much of your progress is made.
Progressive overload is a critical principle in powerlifting, and strength training in general. It is based on the idea that in order for muscles to grow and strength to increase, the muscles must be continually challenged to produce an output that is greater than what they have previously done. This concept is what fuels improvements in muscle growth in strength and muscle size over time.
In the context of powerlifting, progressive overload is typically achieved through one or a combination of the following methods:
In the best powerlifting program, using progressive overload in a structured and measured way is key.
By progressively overloading your muscles, you force them to adapt and grow stronger, helping to improve your performance in the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
However, it's crucial to avoid excessive overload, as it can lead to injuries or overtraining.
It's a delicate balance that requires a well-structured training program and attention to recovery and nutrition.
Listening to your body is also essential: pushing too hard when your body is signaling that it needs a break can be counterproductive.
Remember, consistency, using proper technique and form, and gradual progression are the cornerstones of successful powerlifting.
It's not about how quickly you can increase the weight, but about making consistent, long-term progress.
Here's an example of a simple beginner powerlifting program based on the StrongLifts 5x5 principles:
This program is based on a three-day-per-week training schedule, with each day featuring three exercises. The idea of beginner program is to keep increasing the weights incrementally each workout to continuously challenge your body.
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Day 1:
Day 2:
Day 3:
Repeat these two weeks, adding weight to the bar each workout. For the squat, bench press, overhead press, and barbell row, start with a weight that you can comfortably lift for 5 sets of 5 reps.
Then, add 2.5 kg (5 lbs) each workout. For the deadlift, start with a comfortable weight for 1 set of 5 reps, then add 5 kg (10 lbs) each workout.
Remember, the weights should be challenging, but not so heavy that they compromise your form. As a beginner, it's crucial to learn the correct technique for each lift to prevent injuries.
If you're unsure, consider seeking advice from a fitness professional or experienced lifter. Always warm up before starting your workout and cool down afterwards.
As you progress, the weight increments may become too challenging, and you may not be able to complete 5x5 with the added weight.
At that point, you might consider switching to a more advanced program, such advanced programs such as Madcow 5x5 or Wendler's 5/3/1, which allow for more gradual progression.
So there you have it, a comprehensive guide to powerlifting. Whether you're an aspiring powerlifter or just someone fascinated by the sport, we hope this article sheds some light on your queries.
Keep pushing, keep lifting, and embrace the journey of strength that powerlifting offers.
]]>Sucralose is a zero-calorie, artificial sweetener.
It's derived from sugar through a process that selectively replaces three hydrogen-oxygen groups on the sugar molecule with three chlorine atoms, resulting in a stable, sweet-tasting compound.
It's widely used in a variety of foods and beverages because it doesn't break down during cooking or baking, and it isn't absorbed well by the body, making it non-caloric. Furthermore, it doesn't contribute to tooth decay, making it a great option for sugar-free products.
Sucralose is widely used in a variety of food and beverage products due to its stability under heat and versatility. Some common products that may contain sucralose include:
Remember, it's always important to read product labels if you're trying to monitor or limit your intake of sucralose or any other ingredient.
Sucralose was approved pre-GRAS (generally recognized as safe) requirements, which requires a much higher burden of proof for safety than current requirements. Sucralose is generally considered safe for most people, but there are some potential side effects and concerns. It's important to note that everyone's body can react differently, and these are not universal experiences, but rather potential side effects that some individuals might experience.
As with all foods and beverages, it's important to pay attention to how your body responds and consult your healthcare provider if you have concerns. It's also crucial to remember that even though sucralose is calorie-free, consuming too many foods or beverages sweetened with it instead of nutritious, whole foods can lead to an unbalanced diet.
The potential effects of artificial sweeteners, including sucralose, on blood sugar and insulin levels have been a topic of debate among researchers.
When you eat foods or beverages containing regular sugar (sucrose), your body breaks it down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream and raises your blood sugar levels. This triggers your pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps cells absorb the glucose for energy. Over time, regularly consuming high amounts of sugar can lead to higher overall blood sugar and insulin levels, potentially contributing to conditions like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
With artificial sweeteners like sucralose, the idea is that because they aren't broken down in the body, they shouldn't raise blood sugar or insulin levels in the same way as regular sugar. However, research has shown mixed results.
Some studies have found no significant effect on blood sugar or insulin levels in healthy individuals after consuming sucralose. For example, a study published in the journal "Nutrition Research" in 2013 found no significant impact on blood sugar or insulin levels in healthy adults after consuming a meal with sucralose.
On the other hand, some research has suggested that artificial sweeteners might actually increase blood sugar and insulin levels. One study published in the journal "Diabetes Care" in 2013 suggested that sucralose could increase insulin and blood sugar levels in obese people who don't regularly consume artificial sweeteners. The researchers suggested this might be because the sweet taste without the expected calories could confuse the body and cause it to release more insulin.
Sucralose, stevia, and aspartame are all popular sugar substitutes with unique properties.
While they have been deemed safe for consumption by the general public by major food safety authorities, moderation is still advised, and they should not replace a balanced, nutritious diet.
Sucralose is the sweetener of choice for our Field Rations product because it has been extensively researched, passing rigorous FDA regulations through over a decade of clinical trials. While recent in vitro studies have raised concerns about sucralose's genotoxicity, it's crucial to understand the context.
The dose used in those studies was equivalent to consuming about 1,000 servings of our product placed directly onto the cell—and since only a small portion of sucralose is absorbed into the bloodstream, this would be impossible. . Most compounds, including essential amino acids and even natural sugar, can exhibit harmful effects under such extreme conditions.
Alternatives like Stevia are not universally accepted and are banned in many regions due to perceived health risks. Erythritol is associated with an increased risk of blood clots, a serious concern for our customer base. Aspartame carries its own set of misconceptions and public skepticism stemming from the misinterpretation of past research.
Thus, in balancing sweetness, safety, regulatory acceptance, and consumer perception, sucralose proves to be the most suitable choice. We emphasize that it's vital to read and understand scientific studies fully before drawing conclusions.
Sucralose is a widely used artificial sweetener that has undergone extensive testing and been deemed safe for human consumption by major food safety authorities globally.
While all substances, including sucralose, can have side effects or potential risks, particularly at high doses, the evidence supports the safety of sucralose in the amounts typically consumed in the human diet.
Misinterpretation and misunderstanding of scientific research can often lead to unnecessary fear and anxiety.
Sucralose is a valuable tool for those seeking to reduce their sugar intake, control their calorie consumption, and manage conditions like diabetes.
As with any part of a healthy diet, moderation is key. It's always wise to consult with a healthcare provider for personalized advice based on your individual dietary needs and health status.
]]>In today's competitive market, businesses such as gyms, supplement stores, and fitness centers are constantly looking for ways to stand out and deliver exceptional results to their customers. One key aspect that can greatly impact the success of these businesses is offering the right supplements.
However, with countless options available, finding the perfect supplements can be a daunting task.
In this article, we will guide you through the process of finding the right supplements for your business, enabling you to enhance customer satisfaction, drive sales, and ultimately boost your overall success.
The first step in finding the right supplements for your business is to gain a deep understanding of your target audience. Consider the demographics, goals, and preferences of your customers.
Are they primarily focused on weight loss, muscle gain, or overall health and wellness?
Conduct surveys, analyze customer feedback, and consult with other supplement industry top experts to gather valuable insights that will inform your supplement selection process.
When it comes to supplements, quality and safety should be your top priorities.
Ensure that the supplements you choose are manufactured by reputable companies that follow good manufacturing practices (GMP) and are certified by regulatory bodies.
Look for products that undergo third-party testing to guarantee their purity and potency.
By offering high-quality supplements, you not only establish trust with your customers but also minimize the risk of adverse reactions.
Every business has its unique brand image and customer preferences.
Tailor your supplement selection to align with your business's niche and values.
For example, if you operate a gym that primarily caters to athletes, focus on sports-specific brands of supplements such as protein powders, pre-workouts, and recovery formulas. Similarly, if you run a wellness center, consider stocking herbal supplements, vitamins, and natural remedies.
Before finalizing your supplement choices, conduct thorough research and compare different products. Look for key factors such as ingredient quality, formulation, dosage instructions, and customer reviews.
Consider the product's efficacy and potential side effects. Don't hesitate to reach out to suppliers and request samples to evaluate the products firsthand.
By investing time in research, you can make informed decisions and provide your customers with the best options available.
If you're unsure about specific supplements or their suitability for your business, consult with qualified professionals.
This can include registered dieticians, nutritionists, or healthcare practitioners who specialize in sports nutrition or supplementation. Their expertise can provide valuable insights, ensuring that you offer supplements that are safe, effective, and tailored to your customers' needs.
When it comes to finding the best supplements around that deliver real results, transparency, quality, and scientific formulation are paramount. At 1st Detachment, we have combined scientific expertise with real-world experience to create a range of game-changing products. From pre-workouts to glucose disposal agents and intra-workout formulations, our supplements are meticulously custom-formulated to meet the needs of fitness enthusiasts.
In this section, we delve into what sets 1st Detachment supplements apart, from our commitment to transparency and quality to the extensive research backing our products.
At 1st Detachment, we understand the importance of blending scientific research with real-world experience. Each product in our lineup is expertly formulated by renowned coach Justin Harris, who brings years of experience working with athletes and fitness enthusiasts. This unique combination of scientific knowledge and practical insight ensures that our supplements deliver optimal results, helping our customers reach their fitness goals effectively.
We believe in complete transparency when it comes to the ingredients used in our supplements. At 1st Detachment, you can trust that every product showcases a full disclosure of its ingredients. We want our customers to make informed choices, knowing exactly what they are putting into their bodies. Our commitment to transparency extends to providing detailed information about the benefits and potential effects of each ingredient we use.
Ensuring the highest quality standards is a top priority for us. All 1st Detachment supplements undergo third-party micro-testing to guarantee superior quality and safety. This rigorous testing process ensures that our products are free from contaminants and meet the highest industry standards. Additionally, our supplements are manufactured in an FDA-registered facility, adhering to strict quality control measures.
We are dedicated to creating products that produce optimal results and provide value to our customers. Our formulations are carefully crafted to deliver the desired outcomes, whether it's increased energy, enhanced performance, improved recovery, or targeted nutrient delivery. By focusing on efficacy and value, we aim to empower individuals on their fitness journeys, helping them achieve their goals efficiently.
At 1st Detachment, we believe in the power of research and education. We back up our products with real-world research studies, ensuring that they are grounded in scientific evidence. Furthermore, we provide educational resources to support our customers, allowing them to gain a deeper understanding of our supplements and make informed decisions about their usage.
When it comes to finding high-quality supplements that deliver real results, 1st Detachment stands out. With our commitment to science-based formulation, ingredient transparency, superior quality testing, optimal results and value, and extensive research backing, we provide fitness enthusiasts with the tools they need to achieve their goals. Trust in 1st Detachment supplements to elevate your fitness journey and experience the difference that quality and transparency can make.
Click here to submit a wholesale inquiry.
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* International shipping may require additional import/customs fees.
]]>Are you a new bodybuilder?
Maybe you're young and new to lifting or someone looking for motivation to get into the best shape of your life.
Whether you're looking to become a pro bodybuilder or want to stick to amateur bodybuilder competitions, you'll need to know these topics.
Bodybuilding is a sport and a form of physical fitness that focuses on developing and sculpting one's muscles through resistance training, diet, and specific workout routines. The primary goal of bodybuilding is to increase muscle size, strength, and definition, creating a well-proportioned and aesthetically pleasing physique.
Bodybuilders typically engage in intense weightlifting exercises using various equipment such as barbells, dumbbells, and weight machines. They perform specific exercises targeting different muscle groups, such as the chest, arms, back, shoulders, legs, and abdomen. These workouts are designed to stimulate muscle growth and promote hypertrophy (increased muscle size).
In addition to weightlifting, bodybuilders often incorporate cardiovascular exercises like running, cycling, or using elliptical machines to improve their overall fitness and cardiovascular health. They also follow strict dietary plans, which typically involve consuming high amounts of protein, moderate amounts of carbohydrates, and low amounts of fat to support muscle growth and recovery.
Competitive bodybuilding involves showcasing the physique that has been developed through training, nutrition, and posing techniques. Bodybuilders participate in contests where they are judged based on criteria such as muscle mass, symmetry, proportion, muscularity, and overall stage presence.
Beyond competition, many individuals engage in bodybuilding as a means of personal fitness, self-improvement, motivation, or as a lifestyle choice to maintain a strong and well-built physique.
Bodybuilding and powerlifting are two distinct disciplines within the realm of strength and resistance training. While they share similarities in terms of training methods and goals, they differ in their primary objectives and competition formats.
Bodybuilding, as mentioned earlier, focuses on developing and sculpting the muscles for aesthetic purposes. The primary goal of bodybuilding is to achieve a well-defined, muscular physique with excellent symmetry, proportion, and muscularity. Bodybuilders aim to maximize muscle size and definition while maintaining a low body fat percentage to enhance muscle visibility.
Training in bodybuilding involves performing a wide range of exercises targeting specific muscle groups. Workouts typically consist of higher repetition ranges, lighter weights, and a greater emphasis on isolation exercises to enhance muscle definition. Bodybuilders often follow a strict diet and utilize techniques such as posing and tanning to enhance their appearance on stage during competitions.
Competitions in bodybuilding involve participants showcasing their physiques through mandatory poses and videos, allowing judges to evaluate their muscle development, aesthetics, and overall presentation.
Powerlifting, on the other hand, focuses on pure strength and performance in three main lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The primary objective in powerlifting is to lift as much weight as possible in these specific exercises, emphasizing maximum strength and power.
Powerlifters typically train with heavier weights and lower repetition ranges compared to bodybuilders. Their training revolves around improving past their one-repetition maximum (1RM) in the squat, bench press, and deadlift. The focus is on building strength, explosive power, and improving technique in these specific lifts.
Powerlifting competitions are centered around participants demonstrating their strength by performing the squat, bench press, and deadlift with as much weight as possible. Competitors are ranked based on their total weight lifted in these three lifts, and they compete in various weight classes.
Key Differences:
Although bodybuilding and powerlifting have distinct differences, there can be some overlap, and individuals may incorporate aspects of both disciplines into their training routines based on personal goals and preferences.
In the context of steroids, "gear" is a slang term commonly used to refer to anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that mimic the effects of naturally occurring testosterone, a hormone responsible for muscle growth, strength, and other physiological processes.
Steroids are often used by individuals, including athletes and bodybuilders, to enhance athletic performance, increase muscle mass, and improve recovery from intense workouts. Some people may use steroids for medical reasons under the supervision of a healthcare professional, such as in cases of hormone deficiencies or certain medical conditions.
The term "gear" originated from the underground culture surrounding the use of anabolic steroids. It is important to note that the use of steroids without a prescription or outside of medical guidance is illegal in many countries and can have serious health risks.
Steroids can be taken orally in pill form or administered through injections. Users may follow specific cycles and dosages to optimize their desired outcomes while minimizing potential side effects. It's worth noting that steroid use should always be approached with caution, as misuse or abuse of these substances can lead to adverse effects on both physical and mental health.
Some potential risks and side effects associated with steroid use include:
It is essential to prioritize long-term health and consider the potential risks before considering or using anabolic steroids. Consulting with healthcare professionals and exploring legal and natural alternatives for achieving fitness and performance goals is strongly recommended.
There are several different types of bodybuilding competitions that cater to various goals, experience levels, and criteria for judging. Here are some of the most common types of bodybuilding competitions:
Bodybuilding (Open division/Professional): These are the traditional bodybuilding competitions where participants showcase their physiques based on muscle size, definition, symmetry, and overall stage presence. Competitors are judged on their overall muscular development, conditioning, and aesthetics. Bodybuilding competitions are typically divided into weight classes, and winners may earn professional status or qualify for higher-level competitions.
Classic Physique: Classic Physique competitions focus on creating a physique that resembles the aesthetic standards of the Golden Era of bodybuilding. Participants aim for a balanced and streamlined physique with moderate muscle size, emphasizing proportions, symmetry, and presentation. Classic Physique competitions have specific guidelines regarding weight limits based on height and other factors.
Men's Physique: Men's Physique competitions prioritize a more athletic and beach-ready look. Participants showcase a lean and muscular physique with less emphasis on extreme muscle mass or conditioning. The focus is on overall aesthetics, including muscularity, vascularity, and presentation. Competitors wear board shorts instead of the traditional posing trunks.
Women's Physique: Women's Physique competitions feature female athletes with a higher degree of muscularity than in traditional bodybuilding, emphasizing overall muscle development, symmetry, and conditioning. Participants showcase their physiques through mandatory poses, displaying their strength, muscularity, and femininity.
Bikini: Bikini competitions are designed to showcase a fit and toned, yet feminine physique. Competitors display a balanced and athletic look with emphasis on a lean and well-defined body. Bikini competitors wear two-piece swimsuits and perform a series of model-like poses.
Figure: Figure competitions focus on a more muscular and athletic look than bikini, with an emphasis on muscle shape, tone, and symmetry. Participants showcase their physiques through mandatory poses that highlight their muscle development and overall conditioning.
Fitness: Fitness competitions combine physique with athletic routines. Competitors display a fit and toned physique while also performing a choreographed routine that includes elements of strength, flexibility, and dance. Fitness competitions require a balance of muscularity, conditioning, stage presence, and performance skills.
Wellness: Wellness is a relatively new category that focuses on women with a curvier physique. Participants display a fit and toned body with an emphasis on well-developed glutes and lower body muscles. The wellness category celebrates a healthy and athletic look with more emphasis on curves and muscularity.
It's important to note that specific competition categories and divisions may vary depending on the organization or federation hosting the event. Each competition has its own set of guidelines, judging criteria, and specific rules, so it's essential for participants to research and understand the requirements of the particular competition they plan to enter.
Determining the "top" bodybuilders of all time is subjective and can vary depending on personal opinions and criteria. However, several bodybuilders have made a significant impact on the sport and achieved remarkable success. Here are a few notable bodybuilders who are often regarded as some of the greatest of all time:
Arnold Schwarzenegger is widely considered one of the most iconic and influential bodybuilders in history. He won the Mr. Olympia title a record-breaking seven times, from 1970 to 1975 and in 1980. Arnold's charisma, physique, and transition into life as a successful actor helped popularize bodybuilding worldwide.
Ronnie Coleman is a legendary bodybuilder known for his incredible mass and strength. He holds the record for the most Mr. Olympia wins, with eight consecutive victories from 1998 to 2005. Coleman's combination of size, density, and conditioning made him a dominant force in the sport.
Lee Haney is another bodybuilding legend who won the Mr. Olympia title eight times, tying with Ronnie Coleman. Haney is admired by fans for his balanced and symmetrical physique, as well as his professionalism and ambassadorship for the sport.
Dorian Yates revolutionized bodybuilding with his impressive muscle density and conditioning. He won the Mr. Olympia title six times consecutively from 1992 to 1997. Yates brought a new level of mass and conditioning to the stage, showcasing a combination of size, muscularity, and aesthetics.
Flex Wheeler is often regarded as one of the best bodybuilders and the most aesthetic bodybuilders in history. Despite never winning the Mr. Olympia title, he left a lasting impact on the sport with his near-perfect proportions, muscle bellies, and overall aesthetics. Wheeler's physique inspired many aspiring bodybuilders.
Sergio Oliva is remembered for his exceptional genetics, including incredible muscle shape and thickness. He won the Mr. Olympia title three times in 1967, 1968, and 1969. Oliva's dense muscularity and structural dominance set him apart during his era.
Frank Zane is renowned for his exceptional aesthetics and sculpted physique. He won the Mr. Olympia title three times, in 1977, 1978, and 1979. Zane's symmetry, definition, and attention to detail in his posing made him a standout competitor.
These are just a few examples of bodybuilders who have made a significant impact on the sport. Other notable names include Jay Cutler, Phil Heath, Sergio Oliva Jr., and many more. It's important to recognize that bodybuilding standards and judging criteria have evolved over time, and different eras have brought forward different bodybuilding world champions, each with their unique strengths and contributions to the sport.
Bodybuilding poses are specific stances and positions that bodybuilders use to showcase their physique during competitions. These poses are carefully designed to highlight different muscle groups, display symmetry, and demonstrate muscularity and conditioning. Here are some of the major bodybuilding poses commonly seen on stage:
Front Double Biceps: In this pose, the bodybuilder stands facing the judges, arms flexed and raised to display the front muscles. The elbows are typically bent at a 90-degree angle, emphasizing the biceps, chest, and shoulder development.
Front Lat Spread: The bodybuilder faces the judges, with one leg positioned slightly forward. The arms are extended to the sides with the palms facing outward, showcasing the width and thickness of the latissimus dorsi (back) muscles.
Side Chest: With one leg positioned forward, the bodybuilder turns to the side and contracts the chest muscles while bringing one arm across the body, flexing the biceps. This pose highlights the chest, shoulder, and arm development.
Side Triceps: Similar to the Side Chest pose, the bodybuilder turns to the side but extends one arm backward, showcasing the triceps muscle. This pose emphasizes the triceps, shoulder, and back muscles.
Rear Double Biceps: Facing away from the judges, the bodybuilder raises both arms, flexing the biceps and displaying the back muscles. This pose demonstrates the size, thickness, and separation of the back and arm muscles.
Rear Lat Spread: Facing away from the judges, the bodybuilder extends the arms to the sides with the palms facing backward, showcasing the width and development of the back muscles, particularly the latissimus dorsi.
Abs and Thighs: The bodybuilder faces the judges and performs a front pose, flexing the abdominal muscles and displaying leg development. This pose emphasizes the abs, quadriceps, and overall lower body muscularity.
Most Muscular (Crab or Hulk Pose): In this pose, the bodybuilder contracts multiple muscles simultaneously, displaying overall muscularity and density. There are various variations of this pose, such as the hands-on-hips variation or the hands-clasped-behind-back variation.
Vacuum Pose: While not as commonly seen in modern bodybuilding, the vacuum pose involves the bodybuilder sucking in their waist and expanding the chest to create a dramatic tapering effect. This pose demonstrates a small waist and enhanced V-taper.
It's worth noting that different bodybuilding federations may have variations or additional tips for poses specific to their competition rules and guidelines. Bodybuilders practice and perfect these poses to effectively present their physique and maximize their chances of success in competitions.
Being "natty" is a term commonly used in the fitness and bodybuilding community to refer to individuals who achieve their physique and strength gains through natural means, without the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) or anabolic steroids. "Natty" is short for "natural," indicating that someone is relying solely on their genetics, training, nutrition, and other natural methods to attain their physical development.
When someone claims to be "natty," they are asserting that they have not used any substances or treatments that could enhance their muscle growth, strength, or athletic performance beyond what can be achieved naturally. This includes avoiding the use of anabolic steroids, growth hormones, peptides, selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs), and other performance-enhancing substances.
Claiming to be "natty" is essentially a declaration of natural achievement and an attempt to separate oneself from those who may be using PEDs to enhance their physique or performance. It is important to note that it is difficult to determine someone's true status as a gym "natty" or if they are using substances without concrete evidence or drug testing.
However, it is crucial to respect individuals' choices and not make assumptions solely based on their appearance. Some people achieve impressive physiques naturally through years of dedicated training, proper nutrition, and genetic factors, while others may choose to use PEDs or have different goals and priorities.
When it comes to high-protein snacks, there are plenty of delicious options to choose from. Here are some ideas for tasty and protein-rich snacks:
Remember to consider your specific dietary needs and preferences when selecting high-protein snacks. Additionally, it's important to maintain a balanced diet and incorporate a variety of nutrient-rich foods to support overall health and well-being.
Bodybuilders typically engage in a variety of workouts to target different muscle groups, promote muscle growth, and enhance their overall physique. Here are some of the best workouts commonly utilized by bodybuilders:
It's important to note that individual workout programs may vary depending on factors such as training experience, goals, preferences, and specific needs. Consulting with a qualified fitness professional can help design a personalized workout routine tailored to your objectives and ensure proper technique and progression.
Additional resources can be found on the 1st Detachment youtube channel.
For bodybuilders just getting started on their journey, it's crucial to remember a few key points. First, focus on mastering proper form and technique in your exercises to prevent injuries and maximize muscle engagement.
Second, prioritize compound exercises that target multiple muscle groups to build a solid foundation of strength and muscle mass.
Third, gradually increase the weight, volume, or intensity of your workouts over time to ensure progressive overload and continued muscle growth.
Fourth, follow a well-designed split routine that allows for adequate rest and recovery while targeting different muscle groups.
Finally, maintain a balanced diet, emphasizing high-quality protein sources, and consider seeking guidance from a fitness professional or coach to help create a personalized training and nutrition plan.
By combining consistency, dedication, and a strategic approach, you can set yourself up for success on your bodybuilding journey. Remember to enjoy the process, stay motivated, and make adjustments along the way to achieve your goals.
]]>Another step is pre-workout supplements. They play a pivotal role in optimizing your performance and results in order to get you to where you want to be.
In the quest for maximizing gains and pushing beyond your limits, pre-workout supplements can be a game-changer. They are specifically formulated to provide the fuel, focus, and energy needed to crush your workouts and achieve your bodybuilding goals.
Whether you're a seasoned competitor or a dedicated enthusiast, understanding the benefits and considerations of pre-workout supplementation can propel you toward new heights of success.
Here, we will delve into the world of pre-workout supplements and explore how they can amplify your bodybuilding journey.
We'll uncover the science behind these supplements, discuss key ingredients to look for, and address common concerns, such as timing, potential side effects, and personalization.
By the end, you'll have a comprehensive understanding of the role pre-workout supplements can play in enhancing your training sessions, optimizing your energy levels, and promoting muscle growth.
Whether you're seeking that extra edge during intense lifting sessions or looking to maximize fat-burning potential, we've got you covered.
Join us as we embark on a journey to unlock the true power of pre-workout supplementation for bodybuilders.
Together, we'll discover the tools and knowledge to harness your inner strength, surpass limitations, and sculpt the physique you've always dreamed of.
Get ready to ignite your workouts, amplify your gains, and conquer new horizons with the power of pre-workout supplements.
Before your next workout, let's dive in on pre-workout.
Pre-workout refers to a type of supplement commonly used by bodybuilders and fitness pros engaged in intense workouts.
It's designed to provide an energy boost, enhance endurance, improve focus, and increase overall performance during your intense training sessions.
As a bodybuilder, taking pre-workout supplements offers several benefits to support your training and overall performance.
Here are some of the key perks you need to know about.
Yes! Even though pre-workout supplements are primarily designed to enhance energy, focus, and performance, some ingredients commonly found in pre-workout supplements may indirectly support fat-burning efforts.
Here are a few ways pre-workout can help burn fat:
In order to achieve sustainable fat loss, it's crucial to focus on a comprehensive approach that includes a consistent diet, exercise, and healthy lifestyle choices. Adding pre-workout to your routine can boost your fat-burning potential.
Pre-workout supplements will usually come in the form of powders that you will need to mix with liquid to activate the ingredients, or they will come as capsules.
The biggest difference between pre-workout powder and capsules is most obviously in their form and mode of consumption. But here are some other key distinctions:
Ultimately, the choice between a pre-workout drink and capsules depends on personal preference, convenience, and your fitness goals.
Always remember to read the label and understand the ingredient list of the products you are considering.
And, if you don't know what something on the label is, look it up. Select the form that aligns with your preferences, provides the desired effects, and is the easiest for you to remember to take.
While ingredients will always vary based on the product, brand, and your fitness goals, pre-workout supplements will usually contain some of the following:
Nitric Oxide Boosters:
The timing of when to consume pre-workout prior to bodybuilding can vary depending on individual preferences and the specific product you are using.
It's generally recommended to take pre-workout supplements approximately 20-30 minutes before your workout session.
This timing allows the ingredients to be absorbed into your bloodstream and take effect by the time you begin your training.
Take your pre-workout too early, and it can wear off before your workout starts. Take it too close to your workout, and it could make you feel overly stimulated and can give you digestive issues during your workout.
Your supplement will give you recommendations, but it's still important to find the timing that works best for you and your body.
And remember that pre-workout supplements contain stimulants like caffeine, which can affect sleep quality if taken too close to when you want to sleep.
Ultimately, it's a good idea to experiment with the timing of taking your pre-workout to determine what works best for you in terms of maximizing energy, focus, and performance during your bodybuilding sessions.
The duration of the effects of pre-workout supplements can vary depending on several factors, including brand, specific ingredients, dosage, your metabolism, and even your tolerance.
However, on average, you can expect the effects of pre-workout to last anywhere from 1 to 4 hours. Here are some of the factors that can influence how long pre-workout will last:
It's important to note that while pre-workout supplements can provide a temporary boost in energy and performance, they should be used in moderation and according to the recommended dosage.
Regularly relying on high doses or using pre-workout supplements for an extended period without breaks can potentially lead to tolerance buildup or adverse effects on health.
Always follow the instructions provided by the specific pre-workout supplement you are using, and listen to your body's signals.
It's advisable to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist if you have any concerns about the duration or appropriate usage of pre-workout supplements.
When it comes to choosing a liquid to mix with pre-workout for bodybuilders, it primarily depends on personal preference. But here are some popular options:
It's important to note that even though these options are commonly used, you will still want to read the directions on your specific brand of pre-workout supplements regarding the ideal liquid to mix with them in order to activate all of the ingredients and get the most benefit from your drink.
Additionally, be aware of any potential interactions between the pre-workout ingredients and the liquid you choose (e.g., caffeine with certain beverages).
Reading the product instructions and consulting with a healthcare professional or nutritionist can help you make an informed choice based on your specific needs and goals.
Taking pre-workout powder on its own without mixing it with a liquid is highly discouraged. Ingredients are designed to be activated with a liquid.
Intra-workout refers to supplements consumed during a workout, providing hydration, energy, and muscle support to enhance performance and aid in your recovery.
Whether or not to take intra-workout supplements in addition to pre-workout supplements as a bodybuilder depends on your individual goals, preferences, and specific needs, but it is recommended.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding:
While pre-workout supplements primarily focus on providing energy, focus, and performance enhancement before your workout, intra-workout supplements aim to support performance, hydration, and recovery during the workout itself.
These supplements can be used individually or in combination based on your specific needs and preferences.
It's advisable to assess your goals, consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist, and consider the overall balance of your nutrition and supplementation regimen to make an informed decision.
Check out our Ultimate Guide to learn all about Intra-Workout.
Yes, some people will experience itching, redness, or a tingling sensation, often referred to as "pre-workout itch," after consuming pre-workout supplements.
This phenomenon is commonly associated with a specific ingredient found in many pre-workout products called beta-alanine.
Beta-alanine is an amino acid that is known to cause a harmless and temporary condition known as paresthesia.
Paresthesia is the tingling or itching sensation experienced on the skin, usually in the face, neck, or extremities. It occurs due to beta-alanine's interaction with nerve receptors in the skin.
Not everyone will experience the itching sensation, and the intensity and duration of the sensation will vary. It typically starts within a few minutes after consuming the pre-workout supplement and can last from about 30 minutes to an hour.
Even though the itching feeling can be uncomfortable, it is generally harmless and will stop on its own. If the itching becomes severe or persists for an extended period of time, you may want to discontinue use and consult with a healthcare professional before starting again.
If you are concerned about the itching sensation or prefer to avoid it, you can consider trying pre-workout supplements that do not contain beta-alanine or adjusting the dosage to see if it reduces or eliminates the itchiness.
It's important to remember that beta-alanine is known for its performance-enhancing benefits, such as increased endurance, and its absence may affect the overall effectiveness of the pre-workout supplement you're taking.
Aside from the pre-workout itch, here are some of the other potential side effects of pre-workout supplements to consider:
It's crucial to follow the recommended dosage guidelines provided by the specific brand of pre-workout supplement you are using and be aware of your tolerance to the ingredients.
If you experience any concerning or persistent side effects, it's advisable to discontinue use and consult with a healthcare professional.
It's also always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist before starting any new supplementation regimen, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns. They can provide personalized guidance based on your individual needs and health status.
What makes 1D WTF Pre-Workout a standout? It's simple. It's science!
We've already talked about some of the cons of pre-workout (jitteriness, digestive issues, and dehydration), but here are a few things most makers of pre-workout don't want to talk about and how 1D WTF Pre-Workout battles these obstacles to be the standout winner:
Although we've already talked about a few things, it's important to consider your safety and ability to optimize the effectiveness of the product.
Here are some key points to consider:
Remember, while pre-workout supplements can provide benefits, they are not necessary for everyone and should be used according to their label.
It's always a good idea to consult with a healthcare professional or nutritionist before starting any new supplementation regimen, especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or concerns.
]]>Intra-workout supplements can make a big difference in your workout by providing the body with the nutrients it needs to perform at its best during exercise and recover quickly when you're done.
In this ultimate guide, we'll discuss the best intra-workout supplement drinks for athletes, bodybuilders, and even beginners to get the most out of your grueling workouts and training sessions.
Intra-workout refers to supplements, usually in the form of a powder, that is designed to drink during a workout or training session to enhance performance, delay fatigue, and improve recovery.
These supplements typically contain a combination of ingredients such as amino acids, electrolytes, carbohydrates, and sometimes caffeine depending on the brand and your fitness goal.
Keep in mind that not all intra-workout supplements are the same. The quality and quantity of the ingredients can make a big difference in their effectiveness and your results.
Intra-workout supplements will vary, but you'll typically see these common ingredients in most drinks on the market today.
Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) are essential amino acids that play a crucial role in reducing muscle breakdown and promoting muscle protein synthesis, aiding in recovery and muscle development.
BCAAs are considered essential because our bodies cannot produce them on our own, and they need to be acquired through our diet or by using supplements.
Intra-workout supplement drinks often contain BCAAs due to their ability to minimize muscle breakdown while enhancing muscle protein synthesis. This makes them highly sought-after by athletes, especially bodybuilders, as they contribute to improved recovery and muscle growth.
Essential amino acids not only support recovery but also provide energy and enhance endurance during workouts, making it easier to train harder and longer.
Sodium, potassium, and magnesium are crucial electrolytes that are depleted through sweat when exercising, and replenishing them during physical activity supports hydration, prevents cramping, and optimizes muscle function.
Maintaining hydration and electrolyte balance is essential, and electrolytes like sodium, potassium, and magnesium play a vital role in achieving this. By preventing cramping and fatigue during extended exercise, they contribute to your overall performance.
To provide the body with a rapid energy source during exercise, carbohydrates are often included, particularly fast-digesting ones like glucose or dextrose. This addition can enhance performance and delay fatigue.
During workouts, electrolyte drinks become indispensable for preserving hydration and preventing dehydration. These drinks contain a blend of minerals such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium that aid in regulating fluid balance within the body.
For bodybuilders, who experience significant water loss through intense sweating during their workouts, electrolyte drinks are vital.
Caffeine, a well-known stimulant, offers several benefits during exercise. It has the potential to not only enhance focus but also decrease the perceived level of exertion, leading to a more efficient workout session.
Additionally, caffeine has been shown to improve endurance, allowing individuals to sustain their performance for longer durations.
Due to its beneficial effects, caffeine is frequently incorporated into intra-workout supplements. By promoting heightened focus, reducing the feeling of exertion, and increasing endurance, caffeine can significantly enhance the overall effectiveness of a workout routine.
Protein plays a critical role in the processes of muscle growth and repair, making it an essential component of a well-rounded fitness regimen. When consumed in the form of protein drinks during workouts, it provides the necessary nutrients to support efficient muscle recovery.
Not only that, but protein drinks also contribute to reducing muscle breakdown and stimulating muscle growth.
Bodybuilders often favor whey protein as their go-to choice for supplementation due to its rapid absorption rate by the body. Additionally, whey protein offers a substantial amount of essential amino acids, which are vital for supporting muscle development and recovery.
As a result, it remains a popular and highly effective option for those seeking to maximize their muscle gains and optimize their workout results.
Beta-Alanine, classified as a non-essential amino acid, holds great potential in combating muscle fatigue and enhancing endurance, particularly during high-intensity exercise.
By incorporating beta-alanine into your workout routine, you can experience a reduction in muscle fatigue levels, allowing them to sustain their performance for longer durations and achieve your fitness goals with greater efficiency.
Its ability to enhance endurance makes beta-alanine a valuable supplement for those engaged in intense physical activities, such as high-intensity interval training or weightlifting.
Citrulline Malate, an amino acid compound, possesses noteworthy benefits when it comes to enhancing blood flow and minimizing muscle fatigue during exercise.
By incorporating Citrulline Malate into a workout regimen, one can experience improved vasodilation, which promotes optimal blood circulation throughout the body. This enhanced blood flow can contribute to better nutrient delivery to the muscles and removal of metabolic waste products, ultimately aiding in reducing muscle fatigue and improving overall exercise performance.
Citrulline Malate's capacity to enhance blood flow and combat muscle fatigue makes it a valuable addition to the supplement arsenal of athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking to maximize their workout potential.
Creatine, a naturally occurring compound found in the body, holds remarkable potential for increasing strength, power, and muscle mass. When supplemented, creatine has been shown to enhance the body's ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the primary source of energy for muscle contractions during high-intensity activities.
By increasing the availability of ATP, creatine aids in improving muscular strength and power output, allowing individuals to engage in more intense workouts and potentially experience greater gains in muscle mass.
Its ability to enhance performance and promote muscle development has made creatine a widely recognized and utilized supplement among athletes, bodybuilders, and fitness enthusiasts aiming to optimize their physical performance and body composition.
Fast-digesting carbohydrates, such as glucose or dextrose, play a vital role in supplying the body with immediate energy during exercise. By consuming these types of carbohydrates, individuals can quickly replenish their energy stores, leading to improved performance and a delay in the onset of fatigue.
The rapid availability of energy from fast-digesting carbohydrates supports optimal physical exertion and enables individuals to push through demanding workouts with increased endurance.
Carbohydrates, serving as the primary fuel source for the body, assume a crucial role in sustaining energy levels during exercise. By incorporating carbohydrate drinks into their workout routine, individuals can effectively maintain their energy reserves and experience enhanced endurance throughout their training sessions.
Furthermore, carbohydrate drinks contribute to replenishing glycogen stores within the muscles. Intense workouts can deplete these glycogen stores, and replenishing them is essential for supporting sustained physical performance.
By leveraging the benefits of carbohydrate drinks, individuals can optimize their energy levels, improve their overall performance, and facilitate effective recovery from intense exercise sessions.
The typical carb breakdown in an intra-workout supplement can vary depending on the specific product and brand.
However, most intra-workout supplements that contain carbohydrates will typically include fast-digesting carbohydrates such as glucose or dextrose, which can provide a quick source of energy during exercise.
The amount of carbohydrates in an intra-workout supplement can also vary, but it's generally recommended to consume 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per hour of exercise for optimal performance and recovery.
Some intra-workout supplements may provide all of the carbohydrates needed, while others may provide only a portion of the recommended amount.
It's important to note that while carbohydrates are an important fuel source for exercise, they should not be consumed in excess, particularly if weight loss is a goal.
Additionally, if you have certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, you should consult with a healthcare provider before consuming supplements that contain carbohydrates.
The nutrition breakdown of intra-workout supplements can vary depending on the specific product and brand. However, most intra-workout supplements will typically contain a combination of the following nutrients:
Most intra-workout supplements will contain some calories, primarily from carbohydrates. The number of calories per serving can vary, but is typically in the range of 50-150 calories per serving.
You'll want to be sure to calculate this amount into your daily totals if you're aiming to cut through a caloric deficit.
Most intra-workout supplements may contain carbohydrates such as glucose, dextrose, or maltodextrin to provide a quick source of energy during exercise. The amount of carbohydrates per serving can vary but is typically in the range of 10-30 grams per serving.
Pay attention to this number if you're carb-cycling, in ketosis, or watching your insulin levels.
Intra-workout supplements may contain amino acids such as BCAAs, glutamine, or citrulline malate to support muscle protein synthesis, reduce muscle breakdown, and improve recovery.
The amount and type of amino acids will vary, so read the label carefully.
Intra-workout supplements may contain electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium to support hydration and optimal muscle function during exercise.
As we discussed earlier, intra-workout supplements may also contain other ingredients such as caffeine, beta-alanine, or creatine, which can provide additional benefits such as improved focus, reduced fatigue, and increased strength and power.
It's important to note that the nutrition breakdown of intra-workout supplements can vary widely, and individuals should carefully read the label and ingredient list to ensure that the supplement meets their nutritional needs and goals.
Additionally, individuals with certain medical conditions or allergies should consult with a healthcare provider before consuming any new supplements.
When selecting an intra-workout supplement, it's important to be mindful of the ingredients it contains. While individual needs and sensitivities can vary, here are some added ingredients that you may want to avoid or watch out for in intra-workout products.
Some intra-workout supplements may contain artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, or saccharin. These ingredients can provide sweetness without adding calories, but they have been associated with potential negative health effects in some studies.
If you prefer to avoid artificial sweeteners, look for products that use natural sweeteners like stevia.
Certain intra-workout supplements may include artificial colors and dyes to enhance their appearance. These additives, such as FD&C Red No. 40 or Yellow No. 6, have been linked to allergies, hyperactivity in children, and other adverse reactions in sensitive individuals.
Opting for products that use natural colorings or are colorless is a safer choice.
HFCS is a sweetener derived from corn and is commonly found in processed foods and beverages. It has been associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and other health issues when consumed in excess.
While it's unlikely to find HFCS in intra-workout supplements, it's always a good idea to check the ingredient list.
Caffeine is a popular ingredient in many pre-workout and intra-workout supplements due to its stimulant properties. However, excessive caffeine consumption can lead to jitters, increased heart rate, and sleep disturbances.
It's important to be aware of your caffeine tolerance and choose products that provide an appropriate and safe amount for you.
Some supplements may contain fillers, flow agents, or other additives that are not necessarily harmful but may not provide any nutritional benefit. Examples include microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, or titanium dioxide.
While these ingredients are generally considered safe, you might prefer products that have minimal or no additional fillers.
Remember to carefully read the ingredient labels and, if you have any specific dietary restrictions, allergies, or health concerns, consult with a healthcare professional or a registered dietitian before incorporating any new supplements into your routine.
Some of these added ingredients can be sneaky and go by different names on a label. If you aren't sure what something is in your supplement, do a little research by searching Google or adding a nutrition app to your phone and scanning the barcode.
Intra-workout supplements are not essential for bodybuilders or anyone engaging in regular exercise. However, they are a helpful addition to a well-rounded nutrition and training plan.
Overall, the most effective intra-workout supplement will depend on your goals, training intensity, and dietary needs. It's important to choose a supplement that is safe, effective, and fits within your overall nutritional plan.
The primary benefits of intra-workout supplements are related to enhancing performance, improving recovery, and supporting optimal hydration and nutrient delivery during exercise.
For example, consuming carbohydrates during exercise can provide a quick source of energy, which can improve performance and delay fatigue.
Similarly, consuming amino acids such as BCAAs can help reduce muscle breakdown during exercise and improve recovery.
That being said, it's important to note that intra-workout supplements should not be viewed as a substitute for a healthy, balanced diet that provides all of the necessary nutrients to support physical activity.
While intra-workout supplements are not necessary for bodybuilders or other individuals engaging in regular exercise, they can be a helpful addition to support optimal performance, recovery, and overall health and wellness.
The timing of when to drink intra-workout supplements can depend on several factors, such as the individual's workout intensity, duration, and goals.
However, as a general guideline, intra-workout supplements should be consumed during the workout or training session, preferably sipped on throughout the session.
For optimal results, it's recommended to start consuming the intra-workout supplement 15-30 minutes before the workout to allow the body to digest and absorb the nutrients (more on this in the next section).
During the workout, the supplement should be sipped on periodically to help maintain hydration, energy, and performance.
It's important to note that intra-workout supplements should not be consumed on an empty stomach or in place of a meal. They should be consumed in conjunction with a balanced meal plan that meets the individual's nutritional needs and goals.
Overall, the key is to listen to the body and experiment with timing and dosage to find what works best for your goals and preferences.
The time it takes for an intra-workout supplement to kick in can vary depending on several factors, including the specific product, dosage, individual metabolism, and exercise intensity.
In general, most intra-workout supplements are designed to be quickly absorbed and to provide immediate nutritional support for energy, hydration, and muscle recovery. The effects of an intra-workout supplement may start to be noticed within minutes of consumption.
For example, an intra-workout supplement containing fast-absorbing carbohydrates and amino acids may provide a quick source of energy and help to reduce muscle breakdown during exercise. Similarly, an intra-workout supplement containing electrolytes and other hydration-promoting nutrients may help to replenish lost fluids and minerals during exercise.
The effects of an intra-workout supplement may vary depending on individual factors, such as body composition, exercise intensity, and metabolic rate. It's recommended to follow the manufacturer's instructions for dosage and timing, as well as to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before adding any new supplements to your routine.
The duration of an intra-workout supplement's effects can vary depending on several factors, including the specific product, dosage, individual metabolism, and exercise intensity and duration.
In general, the effects of an intra-workout supplement may last for a few hours, typically for the duration of the workout session. Some intra-workout supplements may provide a rapid and short-lived boost of energy, while others may provide a sustained release of nutrients over the course of the workout session.
An intra-workout supplement is designed to be taken during exercise to provide immediate nutritional support for energy, hydration, and muscle recovery. It's not intended to replace a balanced diet or to provide long-term nutritional support.
The liquid that bodybuilders mix their intra-workout powder drink with can vary depending on their preferences and nutritional needs. Here are some common options.
The liquid that you choose to mix with your intra-workout powder drink can impact the overall nutritional content of the supplement.
It's recommended to choose a liquid that fits within your overall nutritional plan.
1st Detachment Field Rations is a robust intra-workout supplement designed to support energy, hydration, and muscle recovery during exercise.
Field Rations is a meticulously crafted intra-workout supplement that supports muscle protein synthesis, aiding in muscle repair, growth, and achieving your desired physique and strength goals by ensuring efficient utilization of amino acids without excessive muscle breakdown.
Field Rations stands out as the ideal intra-workout supplement for several reasons. Its carefully designed formula supports energy, hydration, and muscle recovery during exercise, making it a top choice for fitness enthusiasts.
With its focus on muscle protein synthesis and efficient amino acid utilization, the 1st Detachment Field Rations is a standout choice for those seeking optimal muscle repair, growth, and the achievement of their desired physique and strength goals.
Get an in-depth breakdown of the research and science that went into formulating 1st Detachment Field Rations.
Give 1st Detachment Field Rations a try!
It's important to note that while intra-workout drinks can be beneficial, they are not a replacement for a well-balanced diet and hydration plan.
As always, it's important to consult with a healthcare and training professional before adding any new supplements or drinks to your routine.
Intra-workout supplements, like any other supplement or food, can potentially have side effects. However, if used properly and within recommended dosage, the risk of side effects is generally low.
It's important to note that the potential side effects of intra-workout supplements may vary depending on the individual's health status, allergies, and medication use.
It's recommended to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before consuming any new supplements to ensure they are safe and effective for the individual's needs.
Written by Justin Harris and Team 1D
Ketosis is a metabolic state in which the body burns stored fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. This process can be achieved through a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet, also known as the ketogenic diet.
People with all different fitness goals have turned to the ketogenic diet for various reasons, including weight loss, improved athletic performance, better mental clarity, and management of certain health conditions such as epilepsy and type 2 diabetes.
The ketogenic diet's popularity has grown exponentially as more and more people share their success stories on social media. But is it right for bodybuilders?
We'll break down this question from one of our clients.
So I had some stuff to finish up at my house that I tried to use for [carb] sources and obviously my numbers aren't dialing in perfect because of it but I am having kind of a hard time figuring out what to use for this intra and post-workout carb source if I'm trying to be in keto.
My understanding of being in keto would mean that the fat burning would be a bit easier since weight falls off when you're in keto with the right calories.
If you're already reducing your calorie intake, being in ketosis may not necessarily provide any additional benefits. When you're in a 500-calorie deficit on the keto diet, your body will burn 500 calories of stored energy, primarily from fat, with some use of ketones for energy.
If you're not in ketosis and you're also in a 500-calorie daily deficit, your body will also burn 500 calories from stored energy, primarily from fat, but will use glycogen for energy instead of ketones. The main difference between the two is the source of energy, ketones versus glucose.
Even though ketones and glucose are not exactly the same things, they both provide energy for the body. Glucose is a type of sugar that is the primary source of energy for the body's cells. However, if glucose is not available in sufficient amounts, the liver can break down stored glycogen to produce glucose for energy.
Similarly, when the body is in a state of low carbohydrate intake, the liver can break down stored fat to produce ketones, which can serve as an alternative energy source for the body's cells.
While glucose and ketones are different energy sources, they both play important roles in providing energy to the body.
Glucose is easier to get from external sources, but ketones are more energy dense (which actually isn't good on a diet) but may be more effective as a fuel for the brain.
Some studies show that ketone-fueled brains are more efficient. This would make sense as our bodies evolved to only have two nutrients required for survival: essential amino acids and essential fatty acids.
Both of these are found in all animal-based meat, and both of which are not found in a single source of nearly all non-animal-based food sources.
Ketones and glucose are both forms of energy that are easy for the body to convert.
For example, 100g of glucose gives about 8kg of ATP (energy), and 100g of ketones gives about 9-10kg of ATP (energy).
So even though ketones are actually a more efficient energy source, that's the opposite of what you want in a diet. You want to be able to eat the most amount of food for the lowest amount of energy.
However, it's close enough that it's unlikely you'd ever see a difference in a contest over the length of either diet.
There are many benefits to a ketogenic diet. Since your body burns stored fat instead of carbs while in ketosis and fats tend to keep you satiated longer, you won't feel as hungry. Additionally, ketosis will keep your insulin levels down, having the same satiation effect.
Additionally, with keto, you can avoid the surge of insulin in response to the carbohydrate-rich meal can lead to increased uptake of amino acids in muscle cells.
Insulin is a hormone that can act as a mild CNS depressant, which means that it can decrease activity in certain parts of the brain and promote relaxation. This is why after a big carbohydrate meal, when insulin levels are high, you feel sluggish.
The ketogenic diet, also known as the keto diet, is a low-carbohydrate, high-fat diet that has been studied for its potential benefits beyond weight loss. Some of the potential benefits of the keto diet are:
To achieve ketosis, you have to restrict carb intake and increase the intake of healthy fats and moderate amounts of protein. Here are the general steps to get into ketosis:
If you add it up, the keto diet has you at 100g of protein per day. There is about 500g in a pound, so every 5 days, you're eating a pound of protein as far as the amino acid weight is concerned.
About 30g is needed for the repair of damaged protein structures, so 70g of the 100g is additional to this and able to synthesize new muscle, so 100g of protein intake per day adds up to about 490g of protein allowed for protein synthesis per week, which is almost exactly one pound of protein structures.
If you were using all 490g of that to build new protein structures, you'd be gaining 1 pound of muscle per week or over 50 lbs per year. Since that isn't the case, any number under that amount is being used as something other than protein.
The first step is to convert those amino acids to glucose through gluconeogenesis.
This takes some energy (which is why protein is advantageous in a diet). Around 10-15% of the total protein calories.
This is now glucose in the body, and if it's enough glucose, it will kick you out of ketosis. This is why protein needs to be only about 20-30% of the total calorie count to keep you in ketosis.
That glucose is then either used as energy or is further converted through Acetyl CoA and the fatty acid synthesis pathway into a fatty acid. This takes another 5-15% of the total energy of the protein in the conversion process.
So if you're currently eating 115g of protein, then you're getting about 85g of protein after the maximum amount needed to repair damaged protein structures in the body.
The most you can convert to muscle over the long term from that is about 25g per day. Which would be over 20 lbs of new protein structures (muscle) per year.
So even if you convert 25g per day (no one is gaining 20 lbs of muscle per year, though), then that's 60g of protein per day that will be going through gluconeogenesis to become a carbohydrate.
So that's 60g carbs per day.
My diet has you at 100-105g per day. At 100g, there's 70g after the maximum amount needed to repair damaged structures. If you remove the 25g we removed above for protein synthesis, that leaves 50g protein per day that will be going through gluconeogenesis.
So, we have an extra 10g of glucose per day to play with.
Since you're not having workout carbs on low days, and assuming you're training with weights 5x per week, we have 5 days per week with extra workout carbs. I have you at 46g carbs (which we can lower if it looks like it's taking you out of ketosis....and either way, we'll be removing them as the diet goes on anyway, and we need to reduce calories). At 5x per week, that's 230g carbs.
So, without the workout carbs, you had in the macros you gave me, you have 60g of glucose per day from protein sources. Over a 7-day week, that's 420 total grams of glucose from protein.
With my macros and the workout carbs, you have the 230 workout grams plus 250g carbs from the 50g glucose from protein sources. That's 480g total grams of glucose per week.
So the difference between the two approaches is 60g of glucose per week or 8.5g extra per day. I didn't think that would be enough to change whether or not you stayed in ketosis.
It may. We won't know until you check. But if it is, we just lower it a few grams (which we will as the diet goes on regardless)
The "5g" listed in the other meals is really just a placeholder. I used to just write "vegetables" there in the old way I did diet plans, but now I have an algorithm that outputs numbers across the other pages, so I put 5g there as a vegetable placeholder.
The total carb amount is approximately zero as things like "107g broccoli" won't have more than maybe a gram of actual insulin-impacting carbohydrates.
It's important to note that the process of getting into ketosis will likely be different for everyone and may not be for everyone.
People with certain health conditions, such as diabetes or liver disease, should not attempt to go keto without first consulting with a healthcare professional. Some long and short-term side effects include:
In conclusion, the ketogenic diet is very popular among people with different fitness goals, including bodybuilders. While being in a caloric deficit on the keto diet can lead to fat loss, the main difference between the keto diet and a regular caloric-restrictive diet is the source of energy, ketones versus glucose.
The benefits of the keto diet include improved blood sugar control, reduced inflammation, improved cognitive function, reduced risk of heart disease, and potential treatment for epilepsy.
However, bodybuilders should carefully consider their dietary needs and goals before committing to a keto diet, as it may not be optimal for everyone.
Ultimately, the keto diet can be an effective tool for bodybuilders as long as it is approached in a thoughtful and informed manner.
Both the ketogenic diet and a calorie deficit can be effective for bodybuilders trying to cut. However, the choice between the two will depend on the individual's goals, preferences, and body composition.
However, the ketogenic diet may not be suitable for everyone, as it can be challenging to maintain and can cause side effects such as fatigue, brain fog, and digestive issues.
On the other hand, a calorie deficit simply means consuming fewer calories than your body burns, which can also lead to weight loss and body fat reduction. This approach can be easier to maintain than the ketogenic diet and may be more suitable for those who prefer a balanced macronutrient intake.
However, it's important to ensure that the calorie deficit is not too extreme, as this can lead to muscle loss and a slower metabolism.
Ultimately, the best approach for bodybuilders trying to cut will depend on their individual needs and preferences. It may be helpful to consult with a registered dietitian or a certified personal trainer to develop a personalized plan.
]]>Written by Justin Harris and Team 1D
Fasted cardio refers to doing a cardiovascular exercise, such as running or cycling, on an empty stomach or after fasting. On the other hand, regular cardio refers to cardiovascular exercise at any time, whether before or after eating.
While there are some potential benefits to fasted cardio, such as increased fat burning and improved insulin sensitivity, the evidence is mixed and the effects may not be significant for everyone. Here are some potential benefits of fasted cardio compared to normal cardio:
The biggest point will just be getting the cardio in. There are no studies showing that there is a statistically significant difference in burning more fat doing cardio fasted vs. fed, but I do believe you can POTENTIALLY burn more fat while blood glucose levels are at their lowest (fasted/post workout).
Will you notice a difference if you do fasted cardio versus normal cardio for 10 weeks? No. Expand that to 10 years, and there may be a different answer.
Typically, I suggest doing all cardio post-workout. You're already at the gym, moving and sweating, and if there is a difference between doing cardio with lower insulin levels, you can take advantage of that. But the ultimate answer is no; it doesn't really matter. Just get it in.
We worry way too much about losing muscle. The human species would never have survived if we lost muscle after a walk without food. For much of our history, we were persistent hunters, meaning that the way we hunted before tools like arrows or effective spears was to chase animals until they died of exhaustion. One thing humans can do better than pretty much any species on earth is dissipated heat and travel long distances.
Our gait is extremely energy efficient, we have sweat glands to dissipate heat (we don't pant like a dog), and we have a large surface area to body mass ratio for dissipating heat. We were built to chase animals until they died; we won't lose muscle from a short cardio session.
This is obvious if you look at non-bodybuilding athletes who don't get inundated with the dogma of "you'll lose muscle" from exercising as we do, most high-level sprinters look more muscular than the majority of people devoting a large portion of their life to building muscle, and they don't devote any real effort into building muscle too much would just be wasted weight.
They don't panic about eating every 3 hours. They don't panic about burning muscle from their cardio. They just work their ass off, which, as blatantly obvious as it seems when you remove the veil of "you'll lose your gains bro" makes perfect sense, the harder they work out, the more muscular they look.
]]>Regardless of one's political views, it is becoming harder to deny that cannabis is an effective treatment for multiple diseases in certain individuals.
When I began studying cannabis during my freshman year at the University of Memphis, I came across several studies and publications that suggested it could benefit bodybuilders and others by improving appetite, reducing fasting insulin levels, lowering insulin resistance, reducing waist circumference, and lowering inflammation markers that may help prevent diabetes and other diseases.
In 2013, a groundbreaking study was published that examined the link between cannabis use and fasting insulin, glucose, and insulin resistance. The study surveyed 4,657 adult men and women, including current and previous cannabis users.
The participants' use of cannabis was self-reported in a private setting, and they provided blood samples after a 9-hour fast. The study's multivariable-adjusted models found that current cannabis use was associated with 16% lower fasted insulin levels and 17% lower HOMA-IR (2).
Additionally, the study found that cannabis use was linked to smaller waist circumferences (3). This study sheds light on the potential health benefits of cannabis use and its impact on insulin and glucose levels in the body.
Insulin resistance is a metabolic disorder that occurs when cells in the body become less responsive to insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar levels.
In bodybuilders, insulin resistance can occur as a result of prolonged high carbohydrate consumption and high-intensity resistance training.
When we consume carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream. In response, the pancreas releases insulin, which signals cells to take up glucose and use it for energy.
However, when we consume large amounts of carbohydrates and engage in high-intensity resistance training, the body can become less responsive to insulin, leading to insulin resistance.
It's important to note that insulin resistance is a complex condition that can have multiple causes, and bodybuilders should consult with a healthcare professional to determine the best course of action for their individual needs.
Cannabis use may be an effective way to help reduce glucose and insulin levels.
In 2012, I came across an intriguing study that aimed to investigate the connection between cannabis use and diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels (hyperglycemia) resulting from the body's inability to produce or use insulin effectively.
Among other things, diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which includes conditions such as heart attacks, strokes, and peripheral artery disease.
High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis and an increased risk of cardiovascular events.
The study included a total sample of 10,896 adults who were divided into four groups: non-cannabis smokers, past users, light users, and heavy users. The prevalence of elevated C-reactive protein (>0.5 mg/dl) was significantly higher (p<0.0001) among non-cannabis users (18.9%) compared to past (12.7%) or current light (15.8%) or heavy (9.2%) users (3).
According to the researchers, the reduced prevalence of diabetes mellitus in cannabis users could be attributed to the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties of one or more cannabinoids.
While bodybuilders may be at lower risk for diabetes compared to the general population, it's still important for them to maintain a healthy lifestyle to minimize their risk.
This includes a balanced diet, regular exercise, and regular monitoring of blood sugar levels.
For bodybuilders, consuming a high amount of calories is essential to build muscle, but it can be challenging if their appetite is poor.
Researchers have found that cannabis can be a useful tool to increase appetite in individuals, typically by more frequent feedings throughout the day.
Cannabis has also been found to be beneficial for cancer and HIV patients as it can reduce nausea and increase appetite.
In a study, the researchers observed that smoking cannabis increased the fasting ghrelin concentration in all patients. Ghrelin is known as the "hunger hormone" produced in the gastrointestinal tract>and acts on the hypothalamic brain cells to increase hunger.
Ghrelin is a peptide hormone that is produced in the stomach and stimulates appetite. Ghrelin levels increase before meals and decrease after meals, signaling to the body that it's time to eat.
Ghrelin works by binding to receptors in the hypothalamus, a region of the brain that regulates hunger and satiety.
When ghrelin binds to these receptors, it triggers the release of neuropeptide Y, a neurotransmitter that increases appetite and food intake.
Therefore, the higher the ghrelin secretion, the hungrier a person feels, making it easier for someone like a bodybuilder to eat a lot of calories.
In addition to the studies mentioned above, there are other potential benefits of cannabis use for bodybuilders. One of the most significant potential benefits is its ability to reduce inflammation in the body.
Inflammation can be detrimental to bodybuilders, as it can interfere with muscle recovery and growth.
However, some studies have found that cannabis can reduce inflammation in the body by interacting with the endocannabinoid system.
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is involved in regulating various physiological functions, including mood, appetite, pain sensation, inflammation, and immune system responses.
It is also believed to play a role in regulating important aspects of the nervous system, such as synaptic plasticity, neuronal development, and the overall balance of neurotransmitters.
This interaction can lead to reduced inflammation and a faster recovery time for bodybuilders after intense workouts.
Another potential benefit of cannabis use for bodybuilders is its ability to improve sleep.
Adequate rest and recovery are critical for muscle growth, and bodybuilders require sufficient sleep to repair their muscles after intense workouts.
However, many bodybuilders struggle with sleep, which can impact their performance in the gym. cannabis has been found to have sedative effects, which can help bodybuilders fall asleep faster and improve their overall sleep quality.
Cannabis has been used by many people as a sleep aid for centuries. The plant contains several active compounds, including cannabinoids like THC and CBD, which have been shown to have effects on sleep.
However, it's important to note that the effects of cannabis on sleep can vary depending on the strain, method of consumption, and individual tolerance.
Some people may experience negative side effects, such as anxiety or grogginess, after using cannabis for sleep.
If you are considering using marijuana for bodybuilding, here are some things you should take into consideration:
Overall, professional athletes should carefully consider the potential risks and benefits of cannabis use and consult with a healthcare professional and the rules of their sports organization before using it.
They should also be aware of the potential consequences of violating anti-doping policies and the impact it could have on their career.
There are many other supplements and medications available that are specifically designed to support muscle growth and athletic performance.
Before using marijuana, consider exploring these alternative options and discussing them with a healthcare professional.
Ultimately, the decision to use marijuana for bodybuilding is a personal one that should be based on careful consideration of the potential risks and benefits, as well as consultation with a healthcare professional.
In conclusion, the use of cannabis may offer several potential benefits for bodybuilders.
The studies mentioned in this article have shed light on its ability to improve appetite, reduce fasting insulin levels and insulin resistance, lower inflammation markers, and potentially prevent diabetes mellitus.
Moreover, its ability to interact with the endocannabinoid system may reduce inflammation and promote a faster recovery time after intense workouts.
Additionally, cannabis's sedative effects may help bodybuilders improve their overall sleep quality, which is crucial for muscle growth and repair.
While further research is needed, these findings suggest that cannabis use could be a valuable tool for bodybuilders looking to improve their performance and achieve their fitness goals.
I'd probably prefer you dropped down to 5x a week of training, but that's my personal preference. I just have found that 4-5x a week of training is where people make the most optimal size gains.
I understand that people enjoy training sometimes too much to only go 4x a week, so that's why I say 4-5, but if I really analyze who's grown the most over all the years, it's the people going very hard 4x a week. 5x a week on occasion, but I really haven't seen the improvement with people doing 6-7x a week.
I can explain in more detail, but it basically comes down to this:
In my opinion, anyone training relatively hard is creating more stimulus for growth from their training than the diet can cover.
If you look at it logically, it should make sense.
If this wasn't the case, then there would be a direct linear correlation between more sets and more growth. Since that isn't the case (you can't just do more workload and guarantee more growth, otherwise we'd all be training 4 hours a day and get huge in a matter of months).
So, we all agree that you can't just do more in the gym to guarantee growth.
But, where is that line where you're doing too much vs too little?
No one really knows where this is, but if you look closely at the anecdotal evidence you'll see a few things:
Think of the well-known people training 4-5x a week (I'm thinking the guys like Jordan Peters, Luke Sandoe when he's following JPs stuff, some of the Matt Jansen guys, most of the DC guys).
All of them make consistent body weight increases year after year.
Now, look at the guys training 6-7x a week (I'm thinking the guys following Meadow's programs mostly). They're all very good bodybuilders, but how many of them have added substantial body weight in recent years?
Meadows was competing in the 230s in the 1990s and is a 212 guy now, which DOES NOT mean that he isn't a better bodybuilder now, he clearly is, it just means he hasn't added a ton of body weight in those years).
So, there seems to be some evidence that the lower range of 4-5x a week training produces more rapid body weight increases.
There is NOT a direct correlation between added muscle and being a better bodybuilder of course, but if you're not currently at pro bodybuilder size, then I think it's important to differentiate between what could possibly be better for refining a physique (the 6-7x approach) and what is possibly better for adding gobs of mass (the 4-5x a week approach)
There are many other aspects of the course. If you want longevity, then you're going to need to re-evaluate if going super heavy 4x a week is the right thing to do for 20+ years.
But I do think there is enough evidence to show that, at least until you're carrying the type of size you need to be competitive at the top levels, less frequent training is possibly the best approach.
*I'm really just trying to start organizing my thoughts on that subject, which is why I kind of wrote a novel, this just happened to be a chance to start organizing it, but I do believe less frequent training is better for off-season progress.
Before we dive into the workout routine, it is important to note that bodybuilding is a process that requires time and consistency. You cannot expect to see significant results overnight or within a few weeks. It is essential to stick to the exercise routine and make the necessary lifestyle changes to support your fitness goals.
The weekly workout routine for bodybuilding will vary depending on your experience level, fitness goals, and individual needs. However, the following workout plan is designed to help build muscle mass and improve overall fitness levels for individuals who have been training consistently for at least six months.
On the first day of the workout program, we will focus on the chest and triceps. This workout will help build and tone the chest muscles and improve triceps strength and definition.
On the second day of the workout routine, we will focus on the back and biceps. This workout will help build and tone the back muscle groups and improve biceps strength and definition.
Rest days are essential for the body to recover and repair from the previous workouts. It is important to avoid any intense physical activity on rest days and focus on relaxing and letting the body heal.
On the fourth day of the workout routine, we will focus on the legs. This workout will help build and tone the leg muscle groups and improve lower body strength.
On the fifth day of the workout routine, we will focus
A 5-day-per-week workout regimen can provide numerous benefits for individuals looking to improve their fitness levels and build muscle mass. Some of the key benefits of a 5-day-per-week workout regimen include:
Overall, a 5-day-per-week workout regimen can provide numerous benefits for individuals looking to improve their fitness levels and build muscle mass. However, it is important to tailor the workout regimen to individual needs and goals and to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new exercise program.
Rest days are important for bodybuilding because they allow your body to recover and repair from the stress and damage caused by intense workouts. When you exercise, you create microscopic tears in your muscle fibers, and during rest periods, your body repairs and rebuilds those fibers, making them stronger and more resilient.
If you don't give your body enough time to recover, you risk overtraining, which can lead to injury, fatigue, and decreased performance. Rest days also help to prevent burnout and can improve your mental and emotional well-being.
On your rest days, you should prioritize activities that promote recovery and relaxation, such as:
Remember that rest days are just as important as your workout days, so be sure to prioritize them in your training plan.
]]>Everyone loves their high-carb days, not just for the copious amounts of carbs but for what our bodies do with them. If you’ve been following my content this far, you should know the function of insulin. Insulin is a poly-protein peptide that is the driving force behind your massive pumps on your high-carb days. You see, Insulin is a jack of all trades that has a hand in a plethora of important physiological cascades from glycogen storage to brain function and bone health. This is why insulin sensitivity is such a key factor in keeping body fat at bay.
First, we must understand how insulin works on a basic level. Insulin is released from the beta cells of the pancreas and then binds to its receptor which stimulates PI-3 kinase to allow for the translocation of glut-4 to the membrane of the cell. Now, glut-4 and glucose can travel happily back into the cell. That's how insulin mediates the entrance of glucose into your cells, now it can be stored as glycogen, used for energy, etc. As gross of an oversimplification as that may be, there are certain key points in this process that we can manipulate in order to increase the effectiveness of your meal plan. These key points include the affinity of insulin to the receptor, amount/effectiveness of glut-4, amount/effectiveness of PI-3 kinase, and beta cell function.
Digestion is an incredibly important factor in keeping your body fat levels low. It could take up another article itself, however, you need to understand that with consistent sub-par digestion, there is no way you're getting peeled. There is an endogenous mechanism, shout out healthy beta cells, in which the body secretes insulin prior to the mastication of food. Insulin has some secondary yet important mechanisms that improve digestion.
Hopefully, you see that this creates a perfect storm for you to vaporize any food you eat. What triggers this wonderful endogenous mechanism? Food. The simplest way to take advantage of this is to eat your meals on a consistently similar time basis.
This will create a reliable cycle for the beta cells to secrete insulin. Just the sight, smell, or knowing you're going to eat can trigger this mechanism. Essentially just being compliant with your meal plan will take care of everything.
Now for you exogenous insulin folk you can play up this mechanism with your insulin timing. Keeping in mind the TYPE of insulin you are using is important, but plan to have a spike in insulin about 10-30 minutes prior to your meal.
This sliding scale of time is based on the amount of insulin in the blood already, blood glucose levels prior to the meal, and the experience of the user. Of course, if you have not been 100% compliant with a meal plan for an extended period of time then don’t even consider putting yourself in this category.
Nutrient partitioners can be a highly effective supplement for someone looking to maximize their endogenous insulin. They act to promote the transport of glucose to a preferable place, increase the absorption of what is in the gut, and acutely increase insulin sensitivity. Certain ingredients, like Cinnulin, can promote the glucose uptake of skeletal muscle, however, another powerful mechanism to “stack” with this effect is the activation of brown fat.
By activating brown fat you are promoting the use of fatty acid oxidation for energy within the fat cell. This is in opposition to white fat which, similar to tumors, is greedy with glucose and as they grow they get greedier. Notice that nutrient partitioning can include the metabolism of fatty acids or carbohydrates.
Increasing the absorption of the contents of the gut creates a powerful environment for peri-workout nutrition as well. Typically in high-level meal plans pre-training is going to be one of the most carbohydrate-dense meals. Now of course the partitioning effect of the supplement should facilitate the rapid uptake of the carbs but this is also an effective time to take advantage of oral supplementation.
Any oral supplement must pass through the gut to get into the bloodstream, this is their fault as well as their mechanism of action. Your pre-workout caffeine or any other oral supplement you may use will also be subjected to the facilitated uptake.
Nutrient partitioners are effective at creating an environment for acute increases in insulin sensitivity. Depending on the ingredients they can act on the beta cell to secrete more insulin, increase the excitability of glut-4, and the number of macronutrients that can be easily digested. Beta cells seem to be creatures of habit, their state can be seen as a direct reflection of nutrient-related physiological cascades happening in the body.
This is a class of drugs that you should familiarize yourself with. They are insulin sensitizers that act on what is known as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, specifically the gamma variant (PPARy for short) which are found in the liver, skeletal muscle, and fat cells.
They are known as nuclear proteins and they play major roles in transcription and reduce glucose, fatty acid, and blood insulin concentrations. This may seem counterintuitive but stay with me here. These drugs act on the receptor to alter the expression of genes. Gene expression leads to changes in proteins which ultimately lead to some sort of physiological response. By altering genes on PPARy we are altering the metabolism of fatty acids and glucose.
With an exogenous amount of insulin present in conjunction with a thiazolidinedione, you can more quickly return to a basal level of blood glucose. This can work to your benefit in a few different ways. First and foremost you can more safely use the same, or higher, doses of insulin, this includes protecting beta cell function and insulin receptor affinity.
Increased levels of fatty acids for 48 hours can decrease insulin sensitivity, which should scare everyone who cheats on their diet, and there is an inverse correlation between circulating fatty acids and insulin sensitivity, these drugs modulate fatty acid metabolism to increase insulin sensitivity.
They also increase insulin sensitivity by decreasing blood glucose levels and modulating the metabolism of glucose to be more efficient. This is a powerful two-pronged approach to increasing insulin sensitivity, hence the effectiveness in the obese diabetic population. This can also be highly effective for keeping body fat levels low while using exogenous insulin.
One of the most famous thiazolidinediones is Rosiglitazone, known more commonly as Avandia.
Everyone is on board with nutrition and supplementation that highlight the amazing properties associated with insulin. This is great, as a performance-obsessed community we are moving forward with the effectiveness of our protocols. The next step is to look at the efficiency of insulin. Whether it be endogenous or exogenous it is very likely that you can be getting more out of it.
Safety is also a very big reason to make a movement toward more effective insulin functions. This applies more to the exogenous users because endogenous abusers of insulin are labeled as type two diabetics, but the preservation of beta cell function should be your number one priority. As always, the more you understand the underlying mechanisms of what you are trying to intervene with the more likely you are to find a solution.
Take a look at our Suppressor Max - High Carb Support supplement.
It is designed to suppress your insulin response to high carb meals by properly transporting carbohydrates to the site of insulin binding.
Suppressor Max was designed to support and lower your body's insulin response when taking in carbs, in general, or in a higher amount.
That's really really broad for the first statement. It's not untrue but it's not really precise. Brandon Curry does one-arm rows with about 60lbs, he's probably added 100lbs of muscle without getting stronger and I'm pretty sure his insulin resistance after a long Olympia prep is pretty low.
It's an easily generalized statement that isn't nuanced enough to really be a focal point of any diet or training changes IMO.
If you don't get a raise at work, you probably won't increase your stock market investments.
It's a statement like that probably makes sense but there are too many things at play for it to be a definitive statement that you should adjust your life around.
You should be trying to get stronger, but you can build muscle without getting stronger (sarcoplasmic growth, which is probably the biggest player in a bodybuilder's growth long term), and also without decreasing insulin sensitivity. I just wouldn't change a diet up because someone got bigger but didn't get stronger, I'd check their insulin sensitivity with blood work to see if that was the case before I just assumed it was
The second statement is something I can definitely agree with.
The two best metrics for showing that you are likely gaining muscle mass or at least will be accruing muscle mass over time in my opinion are:
It’s caused by a few factors.
First is the liver.
The body releases liver glycogen to keep blood sugar stable. When you're training hard, the liver is dealing with that (adding orals and whatnot makes it worse).
A compromised liver is worse at releasing liver glycogen when it needs to (alcoholics can actually go through major hypo episodes and even pass out from low blood sugar in their recovery due to the damage to their liver.
Bodybuilding training damages the liver in the same way. (see our QRF Liver Support supplement here)
Add the fact that we're loading carbs to store muscle glycogen AND we're depleted in glycogen going into that day, AND we're using insulin (or some of us are), and we're training so the muscles are asking for glycogen, and you run into a case where the carbs get shuttled to the muscle faster than they get put in the bloodstream, so the liver has to work to cover that deficit but sometimes it can't keep up, especially when it's dealing with the byproducts of muscle breakdown from the training.
The human body has about 6 liters of blood (average human). A blood sugar of 100 means there's 6 grams of sugar in the blood. ONLY 6 grams.
Dropping to a blood sugar of 50, where you'll feel hypo for sure, means you've only depleted 3 GRAMS of sugar from the blood.
Imagine how fast the sugar is going from the gut, to the blood, to the muscle when you're shuttling 1000g of carbs per day?? That's pretty much a gram a minute ON AVERAGE during waking hours. So every three minutes you're going from 100 ng/dL blood sugar to 50 if your liver doesn't keep up, on AVERAGE.
Now, look at the workout window where you're shuttling over 200g of carbs between the pre/intra/post workout meals. Over that 2-hour period you're shutting almost 2 grams per minute, so you only have 1.5 minutes before you go from a blood sugar of 100 mg/dL (slightly high) to a blood sugar of 50 mg/dL (super hypo), and you can see why the liver has to be on top of its game to keep up.
Now make that liver deal with the stresses of a heavy ass leg day (when your high day probably is), and you're asking it to keep up with that insane rate while it's also trying to process all that muscle breakdown from the workout.
The most important thing when blood sugar starts to climb on Friday is to stay calm. Stress and anxiety will activate the flight or fight response and cause a release of sugar into the blood—raising blood sugar even higher.
When we see blood sugar begin to climb, we should approach it in phases.
Blood sugar begins climbing above the 100mg/dL level (5.5 mmol/L), we begin to reduce carbohydrates in our meals. A good rule of thumb is to drop carbohydrates by about 50%.
That is all I would do at this phase, and this is often enough to bring blood sugar back within acceptable levels.
Blood sugar levels continue to stay above 100 mg/dL a full 3 hours after reducing carbohydrates by 50%.
At this point, I would consider bringing insulin into the equation. The important thing to consider is that insulin isn’t a cure-all here. Sodium and water are still required for the storage of glycogen, so if those aren’t available, then insulin is going to struggle to do its job.
The good thing about the need for sodium and water is that, when water is lacking in the diet (assuming water is restricted), then the water must come from the body. And since the water will be going back up to the muscles, it must come from somewhere else—namely the subcutaneous space.
This is the fabled “shrink wrapped” look that people associate with insulin
Not a bother at all. I enjoy this the most. Very nice. I see you're educated in this subject. In short, partly.
Fructose is a low GI carb. It has a high amount of fiber (which slows digestion, making it low on the glycemic index, but also, GLUT5 (the fructose transporter) is insulin -independent. So fructose will not have your body produce as much insulin compared to glucose. Once glucose and fructose enters the enterocyte --> portal vein--> it's next stop is directly to the liver. So the liver gets the first 'dibs' on glucose/fructose and will store and take up as much as it needs before anything else. So the next question you should think of is why the liver? The reason the body is set up this way is because your liver is the only organ that can break down glycogen, and dump glucose molecules in the blood to adjust blood glucose levels. Too high of blood glucose, you die. To low blood glucose, you die. Glycogen can get stored in muscle tissue, however muscles lack a specific enzyme (that the liver has) so that once glucose is stored as glycogen, it is the muscles to keep forever. It cannot break down stored glycogen and send the glucose molecules back into the blood to stabilize blood glucose levels. Again, only the liver can do this. Which is why it gets priority. You are right that fructose will get metabolized by the liver. You will not find fructose just floating around in an otherwise healthy individual.
The main reason I put this in the diet is because 10g of carbs is basically nothing. I want you to get a lot of volume of food in to help you feel full. The added fiber and micronutrients doesn't hurt as well. 1 cup of jasmine rice is roughly 50g carbs. 1 cup of corn is roughly 30g carbs. 1 cup of blueberries is roughly 20g carbs.
Pictures look good, I bumped up fats on low days just a bit. Let's get back on track in the weight room and your eating now that you are home and have a great week. Colorado was great but I ran 4 low days in a row and had a few drinks. Glad you had a good time! My last 2 workouts have been great! Awesome! I was very hungry yesterday though.
It makes sense you were hungry last week, you ran a bunch of low days. We will continually increase food for the foreseeable future. Pretty soon you will be complaining about eating so much, haha.
Well, in general, I think everyone should check and know where their numbers are and be thinking about their insulin sensitivity. Our country would have much less obesity and type 2 diabetics if that was the case, lol.
Insulin sensitivity is always on my mind when I do people's diets. That is largely why I keep my clients lean to keep insulin sensitivity high. Insulin sensitivity increases in a kcal deficit and resistance training. There are also some supplements/medications to help increase insulin sensitivity such as berberine and metformin.
I have my bodybuilders/physique sports competitor track blood glucose with a glucometer before the show. This is how I determine what/how much food to give them to fill up, but not spill over.
As of right now, you don't need to get a glucometer and take readings for your blood glucose levels unless you just want to. I will teach you how to use it and interpret it if you become a client. If you do any bodybuilding shows or anything, we will use a glucometer. But the blood glucometer only tests your blood glucose at that moment in time, so it won't really show you insulin sensitivity.
In order to accurately track insulin sensitivity, you would need an hbA1C test. This test will show the average blood glucose over the lifespan of a red blood cell, which is 90 days.
When you eat food, your body will absorb the fats, protein, and carbs and they will eventually end up in the blood. To get these nutrients out of the blood and into the cells, your pancreas will secrete insulin.
Insulin is a storage hormone, and when this insulin binds to an insulin receptor, let's say on a muscle cell, this cell will begin to make glucose transporters and insert them into the cell membrane. When this happens, glucose can now flux from the blood to inside the cell. This will lower blood glucose. Insulin will also cause increased amino acid and fatty acid uptake. This is why on high days we lower protein; Insulin levels are sky-high all day, so less protein is needed. This is also why we don't add any fats on this day because any fats that are in the bloodstream can be easily stored as fat.
For more information on insulin resistance, feel free to reach out with questions to support@1stdetachmentnutrition.com
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Everyone seems to be focusing on progressive overload training these days -which is great because of all the metrics used to gauge potential muscle growth; an increase in strength is about as direct of a correlation as you'll get.
Progressive overload is a principle in strength training that refers to gradually increasing the resistance or weight being lifted over time instead of the same weight. The idea is that by consistently challenging the muscles with more weight, they will adapt and become stronger.
You have to consider how you're applying progressive overload training. Are you progressively moving more weight in a movement? Or are you progressively moving more weight because of a stronger targeted muscle because they aren't the same?
What's worse is that it sometimes IS the case that getting stronger in a movement means you have directly increased strength in the targeted muscle and therefore have likely increased its size - and the select use of these movements (and athletes of a particular sport) as examples has sent many a person down the wrong road in the quest for muscle mass.
Powerlifter - Probably has a stupid thick back and chest and has relatively weak legs and arms from a bodybuilder standpoint. Think maybe Larry Wheels, your legs are actually pretty well balanced, which actually proves the point I'm going to make because I believe it's your natural form on a squat that is the cause.
Bodybuilder - Often has a weak back and usually has much bigger arms and legs than the powerlifter.
The goal of progressive overload is to make muscles stronger. It can be reasonably assumed that a muscle that continually gets stronger will get larger. There are many other factors in play, but if you're benching 135 for 10 today and in a few years are doing 405 for 10 with the exact same form, you can safely assume your chest will be bigger.
In powerlifting, all that matters is getting stronger in a movement. In bodybuilding, if we're using strength gains as a metric for potential muscle gains, all that matters is making the muscle stronger.
It's because the form that allows you to be strongest in the deadlift or bench is necessarily that form that utilizes the chest and back muscles maximally.
You can vary your deadlift form (stiff leg, Romanian deadlift, etc.), but in any of those variations, you're removing a portion of the stress from the erectors or traps and placing it on the supporting muscle groups (hamstrings, glutes, etc.).
Therefore, if you get stronger in the deadlift, you are by default making your back muscles stronger.
This is pretty much the same with the bench. You can adjust the workload to the supporting muscles (close grip bench, etc.), but since they're the weaker supporting muscles, you will inevitably be weaker with that form.
If you're looking to get big quads, then you need to make the quads stronger - this requires you to use a form on a squat that is probably not the most advantageous for getting stronger in the movement.
Consider a high bar, close stance squat with heels elevated.
Now, if I'm looking to get stronger in that movement, I can very easily get stronger by adjusting my form to adjust the workload from 90% quads/8% glutes/2% other supporting muscles (or whatever it would be) by spreading my stance out, lowering the bar position on my back, sitting back more, adjusting my knee path, etc. The workload distribution is maybe 50% quads, 20% glutes, 10% lumbar, 10% hamstrings, and 10% other supporting muscles (glute minor, adductors, etc.).
In this case, I got stronger in the movement, but I'm working my quads less.
Since the biceps and triceps are probably going to be the weakest mover in any bar path for any arm exercise AND are such small muscles, you are actually almost guaranteed that any initial jump in weight on an arm movement is because you're using the arm muscles LESS, not that they actually got stronger.
The reason is that even a 5lb dumbbell increase on a curl movement is a proportionally large increase in weight for the small biceps (probably along the lines of a 90lb or more increase in the deadlift).
To consider the extreme, you could turn a curl into a reverse hang clean and perhaps curl as much as 400 lbs., all while using close to zero bicep contraction.
If the movement used is such that the only way to get stronger is to use the intended muscle MORE (deadlift, bench, that's really about it), then you can focus on simply getting stronger in the movement.
For ALL other movements, you have to mitigate your PRs by making sure that you're making the muscle stronger - not just being more biomechanically advantageous in the movement.
It's actually a pretty subtle point. It's completely obvious once you think about it, but kind of like how people think they're actually using 500g of protein per day without ever considering that 500g is 1/2kg or 1.1 lbs., so if they were actually using that amount of protein for protein synthesis, they'd be gaining over a pound of muscle per day, most of the time we don't stop and really think about stuff.
Watch Lee Priest train arms - tons and tons of sets and reps. Watch Kai Greene Train legs - tons and tons of sets and reps and a TON of movement variation. The BIGGEST issue bodybuilders have when they start is weak legs (not weak quads - weak legs).
It's because a few balls-deep sets of squats can nearly put you in the hospital, but the workload is spread over so many muscles that even though the body is wrecked, the individual leg muscles aren't loaded nearly enough to trigger the muscle protein synthesis you want.
Also, there are SO many supporting muscles that are required for true bodybuilding legs.
You should devote as many sets and as much of a physical workload to hamstrings as you do quads.
But you also need to devote that same amount of strength training to glutes (minus whatever workload they receive in the quad movements, e.g., if they get 20% in a squat, then you need 80% of the workload for glute specific movements as you do for quads, or in other words, for every 5 sets of quad-focused work, you'd need 4 sets of glute focused work).
But you also need to consider the adductors, sartorius, and the other muscles of the inner quad.
You also need to consider all the components of the quads.
You also need to consider the calves, gastrocnemius, and soleus.
For me, I've found that every leg workout should have a minimum of the following:
What do I like more? Big legs or a big squat?
Because you'll have a hard time getting big legs when you put 45 min or more of physically draining heavy squats and still have 7-9 other movements left (not including calves).
And the only person I've ever seen come close to doing it was Ronnie Coleman.
But if you look at his leg training routine, it was (he hit them twice a week):
So, he did 8 additional movements per week on top of his squat sets.
People think he trained for strength or more like a powerlifter, but he really didn't.
Progressive overload is considered an essential component of a well-designed strength training program, as it ensures that the muscles are constantly challenged and continue to make progress. However, it's important to progress gradually and listen to your body, as attempting to increase the weight or resistance too quickly can lead to injury.
Listen to your body during any form of resistance training, and always incorporate proper form.
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By definition, the bro split workout routine is a weightlifting program that involves working out different muscle groups on different days of the week. The term "bro split" comes from the fact that this type of workout is often associated with "gym bros" who frequent most public gyms.
The bro split typically involves working out one or two muscle groups per day, with a typical weekly (7-day) routine looking something like this:
Each workout typically involves several exercises targeting the specified muscle group for muscle gains. For example, a chest workout might include exercises such as bench presses, incline presses, flys, and dips, while a back workout might include exercises such as rows, pull-ups, and lat pulldowns.
Now that we have definitions out of the way, let's talk about it.
It would seem that way, but it's never worked that way in practice.
Bro split gives enough full attention to the arms and shoulders muscle groups, which I don't think you can get with any other split. You're not going to get 20 sets of arm work in on a push/pull/legs program, and you're not going to get 20 sets of shoulder work on it, but you can and probably will, with warm-ups of a bro split.
On a bro split routine, your triceps are getting hit directly on arm day, but they're also getting taxed indirectly on chest and shoulder day. So you’re already getting more total stimulus moments with 5x per week training on a bro split than 6x per week training on push/pull/legs where triceps are only given any activation on push day.
Many people have tried to find the perfect abbreviated split where things are hit more frequently, but at the end of the day, every top 10 Olympia competitor of the last 30 years has done a bro split.
And even amongst people highly focused on training and developing the most optimal program for muscle growth, the people who focus on higher frequency splits like Dr. Scott Stevenson and Jordan Peters, while very solid bodybuilders are far from the top 10 of the Olympia stage.
Who knows, because the top 10 Olympians definitely have better genetics, but I don't believe you could argue that the top 10 at the Olympia would be even better with a different program because they've all tried it (no one is going to just miss out on the best method if it's out there)
I think the biggest part is that the studies are on protein synthesis. Synthesized muscle proteins don't make up much of your muscle mass. About 30% of it, and if you're on gear, it's going to be even less than someone who isn't because you'll hold more intramuscular water, and probably even less than that if you're someone who does a lot of sarcoplasmic
You can imagine a pound of steak and how big it is.
Now, imagine that steak dehydrated to beef jerky; it's a small rock-hard mass of contractile tissue.
The beef jerky is part of the muscle affected by protein synthesis.
The steak is the muscle with everything else.
And you can affect the "everything else" far more than the contractile tissue, which is what bodybuilding is and what the bro split workout routine improves through all the blood volume stuff related to the pump.
Larry Wheels is what you get when you focus on contractile tissue. Thick chest and back, but lack of arms, delts, and legs. That's what a heavy powerlifting training routine does.
Phil Heath is what you get when you focus on sarcoplasmic work. VERY round muscles, especially the arms, delts, and legs.
The bro split is (probably) just much better at maximizing the sarcoplasmic growth that affects >70% of what makes up a muscle.
Other programs may be more effective at maximizing myofibrillar growth that affects <30% of what makes up a muscle, but being better at 30% while worse at the other 70% will lose to being better at the 70% every time.
That and smaller body parts just get the shaft in terms of output and progressive overload when they come last, so you're getting a hell of a lot more stimulus and growth potential by dedicating one day to them vs. training them 2-3x per week after bigger muscles.
Plus, I would argue that arms, shoulders, and legs have FAR more sarcoplasmic potential than back or chest.
I think powerlifting plays this out, and it makes sense evolutionarily, also. If we were birds, our chest muscles would be built for high-volume work where blood needs to be moved around very well.
But we're not birds. We walk with our legs and use our arms for daily tasks. We use our chest to push something heavy and our backs to lift something heavy, which all makes sense when you wonder why Larry Wheels has a freaky back and chest but small legs and arms, and it's because of that sarcoplasmic work he's not getting, that the muscles of the arms and legs have evolved to thrive on.
This is not something most bodybuilders obsess over when it's clearly worked well for decades, but I find it interesting.
I think most people who are really into learning the sport go through at least a brief "why does everyone do this when the studies show that?" phase, but I think it's because the studies aren't looking at the whole picture. You need more myofibrillar growth, but you won't win a bodybuilding show unless you emphasize sarcoplasmic growth.
Interestingly, this is also why research shows that GH isn't good for muscle growth, but every bodybuilder knows it is. GH doesn't increase the protein structures of the contractile tissue, which is what the research will look at. But it does increase the intracellular fluid volume, as anyone who's used GH will tell you.
And whether you increase the cross-sectional area of a muscle by 5% from new protein structures or more water in the muscle, it looks the same on the outside. And since there's probably 2.5x as much potential for growth from the water version of muscle, you can see why GH is a great "muscle" builder
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