Protein Powder, The Skinny Guy's Guide To Protein Powder

By Vince DelMonte


So what do you really need to know about protein powder? As a skinny guy or beginner to the whole bodybuilding scene you simply want to know a few answers. Is protein powder necessary? Does it really work? How much do I need? What kind should I take? What is the best? And finally, will any of these answers make a difference when it comes to getting jacked and attracting the ladies?

This article is not meant for you if you want to learn the science behind the ion-exchanged, cross-mutaed, isotopically labeled protein tracers - blah blah blah. In this article, I will strip away all the hype, science, and confusion that surrounds protein powder. By the time you are through this article and put it to memory, you will become the resident protein powder expert and amaze your friends the next time you visit the sport nutrition store. No more 2-hour shopping trips for protein powder because you don't really have a clue what to look for!

Is Protein Powder really necessary?

So, although protein supplements are not an absolute requirement for gaining mass, I have yet to meet any person able to get 400 grams of protein per day from cooking food. If your protein intake is greater than 200 grams per day I will suggest a protein powder - it will make your life a lot easier.

In addition, dollar for dollar, protein powders and meal replacement drinks tend to be more cost effective than whole food. Don't get me wrong, though. Protein powders are still supplements in my book. Supplement means an addition to the diet. I emphasize this because the focus of any diet should be food. Whole food is often preferable to powders because it can offer a whole spectrum of nutrients that powders cannot.

Most of your dietary protein should come from meat, fish, poultry and eggs. However getting all your protein from whole food is not always practical or convenient, especially if you have to eat 6 or more times a day to get your required intake. I will stress to you, for optimal muscle gains, you should limit yourself to a maximum of three shakes per day or 40 % of your meals. To some this might even sound like it's going 'overboard' and I would not disagree.

The bottom line is that both food and supplements are necessary to achieve a complete nutritional balance as well as the desired level of protein intake, especially if you're not a big fan of cooking. And I assume that over 95% of you reading this do not have a personal maid at home cooking all your meals while you sit around waiting for your next meal. Do not make the fatal mistake of thinking protein powders can take the place of a solid training and nutrition program.

Does protein powder really work and are they healthy?

I get this question emailed to me almost every day. I just showed how it 'works' as a supplement to help you hit your supplemental protein mark but you are probably still wondering, 'Yeah, but is protein powder going to help me get muscular or is it a scam?" A better question would be, "Does protein really work?" and the obvious answer is 'yes.' You are fully aware that protein is composed of building blocks called amino acids, which performs a variety of functions in the body such as building and maintaining healthy muscles when combined with diet and exercise. Protein also:

Supports red blood cell production
Boosts your immune system
Keeps your hair, fingernails, and skin healthy

However, not all protein powder is created equal. Most protein powder contains an array of questionable ingredients such as aspartame, saccharin, fructose and artificial colors. It's interesting to note how unhealthy most of these protein powders actually are. Look for a protein powder with natural ingredients rather than products that are sweetened with chemicals and made with ingredients that are certainly not going to create an environment for muscle growth and fat burning.

Also avoid products with refined carbohydrates such as fructose, sucrose or brown rice syrup. Make sure that the product is made from a reputable company that is genuinely interested in good health. Unfortunately supplement manufacturers will continue to meet the demands of bodybuilding consumers with unknown crappy products because we buy it and it is cheaper for them to create. Do your homework by seeking out unbiased reviews, investigating the company’s history, and reputation. And then make a decision and take responsibility!

In the past one of my criteria for a healthy protein product was that it was great tasting and that it should mix easily. Most protein powders mix quite easily, even with a spoon, however I was disappointed to discover that taste will inevitably be sacrificed for a safe and healthy product. I can live with this. You see, once a product is removed of all artificial chemical sweeteners such as aspartame or sucralose, and simple sugars, it is left almost tasteless and sometimes even gross.

How much protein powder do I need?

A better question would be, "How much pure protein do I need to achieve my goals?"

Protein is an extremely important macro nutrient and should be eaten frequently throughout the day. I recommend at least 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of lean body mass. This means that if you are 150 pounds and 10% body fat (150 x 0.10 = 15 lbs of fat leaving 135 lbs of lean mass), you will require at least 135 to approximately 205 grams of protein per day.

I recommend that protein powder be used primarily for your pre-workout, workout and post-workout shake. This is when liquid food is more advantageous over whole food since it has a faster absorption rate.

I do not recommend protein powder do be used for meal replacements for more than two meals. Here is what a typical day might look like:

Meal 1 (breakfast) - whole food

Meal 2 (mid morning) - liquid protein meal

Meal 3 (lunch) - whole food

Meal 4 (mid afternoon) whole food

Meal 5 (pre and post workout) liquid protein meal

Meal 6 (dinner) whole food

Meal 7 (before bed) whole food

What kind of protein powder should I use?

Before deciding which protein powder is necessary, here is a short protein primer to help you make sense of the thousands of different protein powders from which to choose:

WHEY PROTEIN makes up 20% of total milk protein. Whey is recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, high cysteine content, rapid digestion, and interesting variety of peptides. Since it is very quickly digested the best time to consume it is before your workout, during your workout or immediately after your workout. These would be considered the phase in the day where you need energy the most and when your body is in anabolic state.

CASEIN PROTEIN makes up 80% of total milk protein. Casein is recognized for its excellent amino acid profile, slow digestive nature, and interesting variety of peptides. Since casein is slowly digested into your bloodstream, don't use it during workouts or after workouts - you need a fast absorbing protein at these times. Instead, use a casein protein for all other times outside the pre and post workout window.

SOY PROTEIN is the most controversial of all protein types. While the soy groupies have gone to great lengths to label soy as a super food with magical effects, there is also a good amount of research that suggests soy protein may be contraindicated in many situations. BECAUSE OF ALL THE CONFUSION, IN MY PERSONAL OPINION, I SUGGEST AVOIDING SOY PROTEIN ALTOGETHER AND STICKING TO THE OTHER TYPES LISTED.

Protein Blends are generally a combination of several types of protein blends such as whey protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, egg protein, casein protein, and soy protein.

Why would you want a blend anyway? You will receive the full spectrum of proteins and you will receive varying rates of absorption from the different types of protein. Using a blend will create an anabolic environment from the whey and an anti-catabolic environment from the casein - use this kind at any time of the day but NOT before or after a workout.

Whey hydrolysates (also known as hydrolyzed whey protein, and are also called peptides), are powerful proteins that are more quickly absorbed; more so than any other form, since your body prefers peptides to whole proteins. Hydrolysates are produced through very low heat, low acid and mild enzymatic filtration processes, (those highest in the essential and the branched chain amino acids) and are potentially the most anabolic for short-term protein synthesis such as the pre and post-workout window.

Whey Protein Versus Whey Isolate:

Most whey protein powders that stock the supplement shelves are made up of whey concentrate and mixed in with a small portion of whey isolate. Comparing the two, whey protein isolate is more expensive than whey protein concentrate because it has a higher quality (more pure) and a higher BV (biological value). Whey protein isolate contains more protein and less fat and lactose per serving. Most whey protein isolates contain 90-98% protein while whey concentrates contain 70-85% protein.

Whey protein isolate is the highest yield of protein currently available that comes from milk. Because of its chemical properties it is the easiest to absorb into your system. Obviously with its high concentration, it appears that an isolate protein would be the obvious choice instead of a concentrate. However, this is an individual decision because the isolate is more expensive, and just because it is purer does not guarantee that it will help build bigger muscles. Its extra concentration may not justify its extra cost.


SO WHAT IS THE BOTTOM LINE? WHICH SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

For the Pre-workout and Post-workout phases, as long as whey hydrolysate is the first or second ingredient on the supplement label then there is probably not enough in the product to influence protein synthesis to reap the optimal benefits. As stated, whey isolates are also a extremely high quality whey and for maximal anabolism isolates should be combined with whey hydrolysates for only the pre-workout and post-workout phases of your program. The inclusion of small amounts of whey concentrates will not harm you but this should not be the first ingredient on the tub of protein powder.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE STRONGEST PROTEIN POWDER TO EXPLOIT YOUR FULL GROWTH POTENTIAL DURING THE GROWTH AND RECOVERY PHASES (ANY TIME OTHER THAN PRE AND POST WORKOUT PERIOD) THEN USE A BLEND.

You will receive the full spectrum of proteins and you will receive varying rates of absorption from the different types of protein. Using a blend will create an anabolic environment from the whey and an anti-catabolic environment from the casein.

Conclusion

I hope this article familiarized you with the basics of protein powder and gave you a foundation to work from when deciding on your next order. Don't get caught up in the hype and start becoming a more educated consumer when you take your next trip to the nutrition store. Now you can tell the sales rep exactly what you are looking for instead of staring blankly at the shelves without a clue!

Oh yeah, protein powder will help you get more jacked and attract the ladies, but it's not going to do it in a 'ultra short period of time' with the simple addition to your diet.

To have a look at Vince's site for more great info click here

Comprehensive nutrition plan for optimum fat loss

Diet...NO.... Nutrition Strategy

Diet Nutrition Plan "we don't use the word diet as diet employs a beginning and end"

By: Simon Howard, model LA Muscle

Everyone places a different emphasis on the importance of diet / training / attitude. If you take a look around your gym you will see loads of people training hard doing loads of cardio etc. But look at them in 6 months and do they still look the same? Odds are they look the same, now what you don't see is what they do in the over 23 hours of the day, eating sleeping and resting. Common sense tells us that our body's work in synergy, it's a combination of all these factors that dictates what shape we are in and how quickly we achieve our goals. Firstly there is no one solution, no right and wrong way. What follows is the balanced approach I've taken to my nutrition this year.
I believe in a layered approach that can be altered according to your progress. So I will take you through the layers and a little bit about my nutrition plan.


Layer 1 - Clean Up

Almost a pre-diet diet (I know we shouldn't be using the "D" word). The goal of this layer is to get all the rubbish and get your nutrition to look like an athlete. I like to work with bullet points, set myself mini targets, weekly or daily whatever works. By taking these smalls steps, it avoids major changes and keeps everything easy to adapt to.

An example is

WEEK 1

Cut out all junk (Absolutely no chocolate, crisp, take away etc)
Eat multiple meals (6 meals a day, this can be 3 meals and 3 snacks,)
Protein at every meal
Only one cheat meal a week
By employing this approach it eases you into your diet and you should start losing fat (were after fat loss not weight loss, anyone can lose water and muscle) with little effort. The main points in this section are

Cutting junk food
Eating multiple meals
Same as above eating every 3 hours
Making sure the meals contain quality Protein / Carbs / Fat (please see the list of good food choices)
Limit cheat / non diet meals
Be Consistent, you need to follow your plan day in day out to get results
That's about it for Layer one. This layer can last as long as you want 1 - 4 weeks. You should be monitoring your weight (again weight loss isn't the whole story remember to use the mirror to monitor if its fat or muscle your losing) to make sure your moving in the right direction. Some good food choices are below, you can be creative with these and use your common sense to determine good choices, we all know the difference between healthy and unhealthy foods.

Protein, - Chicken / Turkey / Steak / Tuna / Salmon / Eggs / La Whey
Carbs, - Oats / Rice / Potatoes / Vegetables
Fats - Flaxseed Oil / Nuts / Fatty Fish / Eggs




Layer 2 - The Numbers

I'm a lazy person, and hate weighing and measuring foods but it is important to establish a baseline food intake. If you just measure your portions by eye it's very easy to allow extra food, there is a number of easy methods to establish consistent portions without have to weigh everything. If you are happy the measure everything great, you will be able to be exact with your portions. The method I ended up using was cups, I bought a set of American cup measures from a supermarket (they only cost pennies) and theses allow me an easy way to monitor my portions. To make my life easier I only counted Carbs and fats. Protein, I would just make sure I was getting a good serving at every meal, 1 chicken breast or tin of tuna etc. So for example a typical lunch would be

1 cup cooked brown rice / one medium chicken breast / 2 onions / 1 tbsp flaxseed oil
Nice and simple and we know the calories, carbs etc will be approx the same every time. By doing this we establish a baseline food intake. Now by monitoring your weight we can adjust your food intake to keep your fat loss going. For instance if you are losing weight on your baseline plan, stick with that plan until the weight loss slows. Then we can take away from the diet, I would start with taking ¼ a cup of rice away from my lunch and dinner. This creates a calorie deficit that will cause the fat loss we are after. Again you can continue with this stage as long as it continues to work. Be careful not to reduce your food intake too much, I only dropped my carbs to half a serving, i.e if I started with 1 cup I worked down to ½ a cup. Below is my initial nutrition plan


TRAIN (10G Glutamine Absolute) 1 CUP OF COFFEE
POST TRAINING - 2 SCPS GLUCOSE / 2 SNACK A JACKS CRAMEL / 2 SCOOPS LA Whey 2.2KG
MEAL 1 - HALF OAT CAKE, 1 SCP WHEY, 1TSP PEANUT BUTTER
MEAL 2 - 1 CUP RICE, 1 TIN OF TUNA, VEG, 1TBSP OIL
MEAL 3 - HALF OAT CAKE, 1 SCP WHEY, 1TSP PEANUT BUTTER
MEAL 4 - LEAN MEAT (CHICKEN/TURKEY/BEEF), 1 CUP RICE, 1TBSP OIL,, VEG
CARDIO (10 G Glutamine Absolute) 30 MINS WALK
MEAL 5 - 2 SCPS LA Whey 2.2KG, 1 TBSP PEANUT BUTTER, MULTI VITS ETC


I slowly reduced my food intake down to ½ cup of rice etc, this was dictated by the rate my body was losing fat. Don't be scared to keep your food intake high or even up it if you are losing weight to fast, all that good wholesome rev's your metabolic rate and keeps your burning calories. The trick is to be losing fat on as much food as possible this helps avoid muscle loss. I will mention recipes and tips at the end of the article.


Layer 3 - Food Choice


Reducing food intake and increasing exercise is great for losing fat but obviously you reach a point where the body will become catabolic (where the body breaks down at a faster rate than it can rebuild itself) if you continue. My way too combat this was rather than reduce my food intake further I decided to alter my food choices to lower calorie choices. For instance on the above plan the first thing to go was the peanut butter, butter peanut is great but there are much more efficient fat sources available. So peanut butter would be replaced with Flaxseed oil or a good oil blend. The next major change was to change to only a lean low calorie protein source, so steak was replaced with chicken or turkey. Then Turkey mince was replaced with turkey breast. So the above Nutrition plan after layer 2 and layer 3 is


TRAIN (10G GLUTAMINE) 1 CUP OF COFFEE
POST TRAINING - 2 SCOOPS LA Whey 2.2KG
MEAL 1 - HALF OAT CAKE,
MEAL 2 - 1/2 CUP RICE, 1 TIN OF TUNA, 1TBSP OIL 2 ONIONS
MEAL 3 - HALF OAT CAKE,
MEAL 4 - 1 CHICKEN BREAST, 1/2 CUP RICE, 1TBSP OIL, 2 ONIONS
CARDIO (10 G Glutamine Absolute) 30 MINS WALK
MEAL 5 - 2 SCPS LA Whey 2.2KG, 1 TBSP OIL, Multi_Protector ETC


So you see by slowly reducing the food intake and food choice we can maintain a good fat loss on a nice healthy plan with lots of good quality food. As you will notice above every meal is still balanced, we have no carbs post training (this should be last thing to go as your body needs carbs after training to recover) to reduce total calories, oatcake is a blend of oats and whole eggs (fats, carbs and protein) the rest of the meals are well balanced. We have omitted carbs from meal 5 to further reduce calories, you will use less energy when you are asleep so don't need as many carbs. We have kept the fat in this meal so it slows the digestion of the protein and we can drip feed our muscles during our sleep. Again its sticking with stage and tweaking it as the scales and mirror tell you.


Tip and Recipes


Part of sticking to a diet is making it convenient and making sure it fits your life style. So obviously it's all the basic tip here

Make sure your cupboards are stocked with your diet foods
Always make a shopping list
Do your weeks / months shopping in one go, avoiding frequent trips to shops avoids temptation
Cook your food in bulk, I always have a big tub of cooked rice ready in my fridge
Don't carry loose change, means you haven't got the money for that sneaky chocolate bar
Always have your meals with you (I like to have my next 2 meals with me in case I get held up)
Use spices and seasonings to help you attain your goals, Cayenne pepper and cinnamon are both potent fat burners / thermogenic and are pennies in supermarkets
Cheat meals, you can keep cheat meals in but your progress will be quicker without them, trust me (I know wish it wasn't)
Above are only a few basic tips but there are literally 100s of little tips
A few meals to make diet meals quick and easy. These are two meals I eat everyday on my diet.
Oat Cake - I read about this from Ian Duckett and have tweaked my own recipe a bit. Bear in mind you will have to adjust the quantities to suit your diet.

Ingredients

1 cup of oat
6 egg white 2 yolks
¼ cup raisins
¼ pitted dates
1 chopped banana
1 tbsp cinnamon


Mix all the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and place in microwave for 5mins on high power. Allow to cool and serve. The above recipe makes 2 servings for me.


Chicken / Tuna and rice
1 chicken breast / 1 tin of tuna
½ cup cooked rice
2-4 onions
1 chopped cup mushrooms
2 chopped bell peppers
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
Low cal cooking spray


Chop all ingredients small, lightly fry chicken/tuna in low cal oil. Add chilli powder and cayenne pepper. When chicken is cooked add veg (onions, mushrooms and peppers) and continue to stir fry. Add the cooked rice last, lightly fry in oil. And serve, trust me the chilli powder and cayenne will make sure your getting your 4 litres of water down a day.


Well that's it, no secrets just a balanced measured approach that you can tailor to fit your lifestyle. Just remember be consistent. This doesn't work with days off, follow your plan everyday and you'll reach your goals quicker.


The No Plan - Plan

What do you do after you've achieved you've achieved your fat loss goals? Well as with anything its a learning curve. My goals are to stay in shape year round and not balloon up like I have done previous years. To do this I intend to employ the reverse of the above approach and slowly increase my food intake and food choices while monitoring my weight and body fat levels.

LA Muscle

At home lower AB workout

Many people consider that the lower abs are the most difficult abdominal muscle to define. Developing a lean hard-ripped midsection requires great effort and patience, especially when it comes to lose those last few pounds. The lower abs can be the most stubborn and exercise-resistant area regarding the loss of body fat. Unfortunately, some individuals are so obsessed with this spot that do not hesitate to use extremely hazardous diet drugs or liposuction. Others use the latest abs devices or do countless sit-ups, all to no avail. Don’t be kidding yourself! The only proved method of get rid of the adipose tissue is the proper combination of a healthy diet, aerobics, a comprehensive abdominal training and weight training.

Before we proceed to the At Home training routine that's main target would be the development of the lower abs, lets clear some thoughts. First of all you have to realize that there is no such thing as ‘spot reduction’. In simple words you can’t isolate where you are going to reduce body fat. When you burn fat, you will draw it from all areas of the body, including your feet, neck and hands!, it won't just come off your stomach!! the first place you tend to hold it will be the last place it comes off. When it comes to these ‘stubborn’ spots genetics play a crucial role. Both sexes have different genetic patterns of fat storage. In women, the stubborn areas tend to be the hips, thighs and buttocks. In men it’s usually the lower abs. These genetic traits cannot be altered or changed through diet or training alone. They are unchangeable. You should understand that the shape of your abs is entirely genetic. If you do not have great abs naturally, a million of crunches won’t build a hard six-pack mid-section. The number of rows of abdominal muscles you possess (or packs) is also entirely a matter of genetics. Most people have three rows = 6 Pack, but some have four rows = 8 Pack. Whatever the number of abs God gave you is what you have. You cannot do anything about it.

One of the most common quotes I’ve heard from people in my health club over the years is “I’ve had some success toning my abdominal area but as hard as I try I just can’t seem to get the lower part to show, why can’t I seem to get this area like everything else?!” Well the answer usually is one of two things: A) they may not be doing enough cardio and not dieting properly or B) they may not have the right routine to really target this elusive area. So, that’s what we will discuss today, a great lower ab routine to carve out those lower abs...and you can do it at home!

Keep in mind, this routine alone won’t simply give you great lower abs. Proper diet and a steady amount of cardio are equally important to really sculpting this area. However this routine complimented by cardio on an empty stomach 1st thing in the morning and proper nutrition may just be the answer to the elusive challenge of finishing off a perfect six pack.

Visit the Webs’ No.1 Abdominal Training Resource How To Get Ripped Abs for more great tips on carving those abs.

Leg Training Myths

You know the guy who floats around the gym nit-picking everybody's technique? The guy who offers constructive criticism without being constructive? Well, we got sick of listening to his pseudo-knowledge about leg training, so we decided to give you the low down to some of the most common "tips" you hear.

The Parallel Universe

Myths:
"When doing leg presses, don't go more than half-way down."
"When squatting, don't go below parallel."

Real-World Response
Have you ever watched kids learn to stand? They begin in a full squat. In fact, the fetal position is a full squat. That's how your knee actually developed — in the full squat position.

Don't come back at me saying that a fetal position isn't loaded. That statement actually proves my point. It's not the position itself that's dangerous. If you're an idiot and don't know how to load properly, then we have big problems.

Ask any orthopedic surgeon or physical therapist at what degree of knee-bend one performs the "drawer test?" It's at 90 degrees. In this position, the knee joint is most unstable. If you're trying to assess the integrity of the ligaments, you want minimal interference from other structures.

You can imagine how much force is on the knee ligaments if the athlete descends with a weight and then at the most unstable point (90 degrees), reverses momentum and accelerates in the opposite direction. Couple this with the fact that nearly everyone is capable of squatting more weight to parallel than to the full squat position, and you set your body up for a problem.

Myth:

"Don't let your knee pass your foot during lunges."

Real-World Response
This one is really easy. My answer is, what about the other knee? In a lunge, it's apparently too dangerous for the knee of the front leg to extend past the toes. Meanwhile the knee of the back leg is past the toes the whole time.

I've had people respond by saying that there's no load on the back leg during a lunge. Okay then, put 70kg on your back and go down to the bottom of a lunge. Now lift your back foot off the floor. I rest my case.

Scientific Response
When talking about knees going forward, one study jumps out. Fry, Smith, and Schilling (2003) examined joint kinetics during back squats under two conditions.
The first condition placed a board in front of the participants' shins, which restricted forward displacement of the knee. In the second condition, movement wasn't restricted at all. They squatted normally and the knees were allowed to pass the toes.

The researchers found that restricting the forward excursion of the knees during the squat increased anterior lean of the trunk and promoted an increased "internal angle at the knees and ankles."

The results showed a 22% decrease in knee torque and a 1070% increase in hip torque! That stress has to go somewhere. Keeping the knees behind the toes definitely reduces the forces on the knee, but those forces were transferred more than tenfold to the hips and lower back.

Obviously this study was in regard to squatting. However, the knee angle in a lunge would be similar and we could expect similar findings.

Wrap-Up
• For strength and joint health, using the full range of motion on squats is more beneficial than squatting to parallel.
• Squatting deep isn't any more hazardous to the knees than squatting shallow.
• Keeping your knees behind your toes when squatting or lunging is a little better for your knees, but much, much worse for your hips and lower back.

How to Gain Muscle & Lose Fat

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Turbulence Training

Are you ready for my famous "gain muscle or lose fat" chart?

I know this is going to make a few people mad, but it's the truth about whether a guy should lose fat or gain muscle. If he doesn't stick to my recommendations, he won't get the ripped abs and muscles he wants.

I often get scrawny guys asking me how to lose fat, when they have no muscle underneath the fat...they think they will look good if they "get ripped", but in reality, will look like they are starving. They should focus on gaining muscle instead.

This is a harsh lesson in reality, but too many guys are trying to lose weight when the focus should be on gaining muscle.

In fact, through my experience in working with athletes and dozens of men in the gym trying to lose fat and gain muscle, I've come up with a height-weight chart that determines whether or not you should lose weight.

Here's the chart identifying the cut-off weight for muscle building, and the rule below.

5'6" - 140 pounds
5'7" - 145 pounds
5'8" - 150 pounds
5'9" - 155 pounds
5'10 - 160 pounds

And so on. For every inch taller, add 5 pounds. For every inch shorter, subtract 5 pounds.

For example, if you are 5'8", 150 pounds, you should NOT be focusing on losing weight. You need to gain muscle if you want to look good on the beach and have muscle. Focusing on weight loss would be the worst thing you could do. If you do, you'll look like crap, and practically anorexic, to be blunt.

Instead, you must focus on gaining muscle. This will improve the appearance of your body, and take you from a stick-figure to a lean, muscular physique with a better chance of seeing your abs.

And don't worry, you're not going to look huge. At 5'8", a guy would have to be at least 180 in order to be considered "jacked" or "huge".

And the best news of all? Because skinny guys are untrained, simply starting a muscle building program will give them maximum fat loss and muscle gain at the same time. They are going to get the best of both worlds.

To use Turbulence Training to gain muscle and lose fat, simply stick to the weight training workouts only. Avoid the hard interval cardio for at least 4 weeks as you gain muscle, and eat extra calories right after your workout (as well as having a bigger breakfast than normal). These two changes will
allow you to gain muscle and lose fat.

Sincerely,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training


About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit Turbulence Training

How to Avoid Over-training to Maximize Muscle Growth

By Vince DelMonte


Almost anyone that's picked up a set of weights has or will experience symptoms of over-training at one point in there muscle building program. Over-training can lead to serious injury, chronic fatigue, and even muscle loss.

Over-training is very common amongst athletes and particularly bodybuilders, since they figure that training as much as possible is the fastest way to massive muscle gains.

This couldn't be any further from the truth however...

Training too much, or at too high of an intensity will lead to over-training.

Now this doesn't mean you don't have to put plenty of effort in to see some decent results... Whether you are a bodybuilder, athlete, or just someone that wants to add some additional mass to your frame, you need to train hard and be consistent-that's a given. In order to get the most out of your genetics, you have to progressively overload the muscles by increasing the weight and / or intensity of each weight training workout.

The problem is however, that many of us increase the intensity of our workouts or get insufficient amounts of rest, or even worse, a combination of both. The trick is finding the right balance between workout volume and intensity, and rest and recovery. And that is exactly what I'll cover in this article.


The Effects of Over-Training on Bodybuilders

First, let's take a look at some of the effects of over-training and how one can prevent over-training from happening in the first place.

The Effects of Over-training on the Nervous System

Over-training effects both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in the following negative ways:

Higher resting heart rate
Weak appetite
High blood pressure
Weight loss
Trouble sleeping
Increased metabolic rate
Irritability
Early onset of fatigue

If you are experiencing more than one of the symptoms outlined above, you may be in a state of over-training, and should evaluate your routine as soon as possible.

The Effects of Over-training on Hormone Levels

Many studies have indicated that over-training negatively effects the levels of hormones, as well as the hormone response in the body. Since hormones play such an important role in the muscle building process, this can have a detrimental effect on your training progress.

Over-training has been show to:

Decrease testosterone levels
Decrease thyroxine levels
Increase cortisol levels



The increase in cortisol levels along with the decrease in testosterone levels is a deadly combination, since this leads to protein tissue break down. This will ultimately lead to a loss of muscle tissue.

The Effects of Over-training on the Immune System

perhaps one of the most alarming repercussions of over-training is it's negative impact on the immune system-you're bodies first defense against harmful viruses and bacteria.

Over-training can drastically decrease the levels of antibodies and lymphocytes in your body, making you much more susceptible to illness. Simply put, this means that if you are in a state of over-training, you are much more likely to get sick. Since you will have to skip workouts while you are sick, your muscle building progress will slow considerably.

The Effects of Over-training on the Metabolic System

Here is a list of how over-training can effect the metabolic system. These symptoms are the ones that are most commonly discussed, and are ones we can't ignore:

Micro tears in the muscle
Chronically depleted glycogen levels
Slow, weak muscle contractions
Depleted creatine phosphate stores
Excessive accumulation of lactic acid
Extreme DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)
Tendon and connective tissue damage
So you must get the point by now... Over-training effects the entire body, and can seriously impact the results of your muscle building program.

Now let's take a look at the different types of over-training, and what we can do to prevent it.

Is it Worse to Over-Train With Cardio or Weight Training?


Any form of over-training is a bad thing, however, I've personally experienced both types of over-training and can honestly say that over-training in the weight room is much worse, and much more prevalent than over-training through cardiovascular training.

Here are some of the reasons why:

In order to grow, muscles must fully recover from their last workout, every workout. If you are over-training and work the muscles before they have fully recovered, you will break down the muscle tissue before it has rebuilt-making it impossible to build muscle!
Over-training with weights makes you more susceptible to nervous systems hormone and immune system issues, which all pose serious health risks.
It can lead beginners down the wrong path, perhaps wasting money on unnecessary supplements, or even worse, steroids.
I personally believe that only competitive athletes such as swimmers, runners and bikers run a serious risk of reaching a state of cardiovascular over-training, since there are often training for two or more hours daily.

The bottom line is that it is much easier for the average person to over-train while weight training than while cardiovascular training, and I think the effects can be more serious.

How do I Determine if I'm Over-training?

Determining if you're currently over-training is fairly simple. If you're in tune with your body, you can often see the signs of over-training before they get serious. If you are losing interest in workouts, are having trouble sleeping, and feel weak and irritable, you may be in a state of over-training and should take a week or more off.

If you are experiencing two or more of the symptoms outlined earlier in the article, this should raise a red flag.

Another variable you can use to determine if you are over-training is by tracking the performance of your workouts.

Has your physical performance improved compared to your last workout?

For example, let's say last workout you were able to perform 8 pull-ups using your body-weight, but were only able to perform 6 pull-ups the following week. This means that you have not "out done" your previous workout, have not fully recovered, and therefore are likely over-training. You nave to re-asses your program and make modifications so that you see progress every workout.

How Can I Prevent Over-training?

In order to avoid over-training, you need to take a multi-facited approach. Determining the correct training volume and intensity, eating the right foods, and getting the right amount of rest and recovery must all be taken in to consideration. Now let's take a look at each of those factors in more detail.

Correct Training Volume

Determining the correct training volume can be difficult, especially when you are first starting out. You have to determine how much weight to lift, how many repetitions and set to perform for every single workout.

You need to use your own judgment in this case, based on your recovery ability and your recovery methods. Remember that the goal is that you improve every single workout, and if this isn't happening, you have to decrease the intensity of your workouts.

This is where many people go wrong though. You begin your workout and realize that you have not fully recovered. You can either continue to train at a lower intensity than the previous workout, or skip the workout entirely.

As hard as it may be, skipping the workout is the right way to go. Just turn around and go home! Your body is telling you that it needs more rest, and you must listen to it!

There is no point in training at a lower intensity, further breaking down the muscle tissue. By doing this you will increase your risk of injury, and make it harder for your body to fully recovery for your next training session.

Proper Nutrition

Your diet plays a huge role in your muscle building program. It helps regulate hormone levels, provides energy, and provides the raw building blocks that are used to create new tissue.

Here are some dietary recommendations that will limit the chance of over-training:

• Do not skip breakfast. This is one of the most important meals of the day. Skipping breakfast is very catabolic, and can promote muscle loss.


• Never let yourself get hungry. If you're trying to build muscle mass, you have to constantly feed your body quality foods so that it never has the chance catabolize muscle tissue.


• Unless you are trying to build muscle and lose fat, make sure you have eaten prior to your training session and are not hungry.


• Have the largest meal of the day within an hour after your workout. Do this every single workout!


• Consider taking proven supplements like creatine, and antioxidants to increase performance and fight free radicals.


• Eat every 2-3 hours to ensure that your body remains in an anabolic state.


• Keep glycogen levels at full capacity to inhibit muscle tissue breakdown.
  

Rest & Recovery

Rest and recovery is essential when it comes to avoiding over-training. Make sure that you get at least 7 hours of sleep each night, and that you are on a consistent schedule. As for recovery time, it's important that you have days off between weight training workouts. Try to have one rest day between weight training workouts, and never train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.

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About the Author:


Vince Delmonteis a competitive fitness model and personal trainer, as well as the author of No-Nonsense Muscle Building, a complete guide to building muscle for the hardgainer.

Vince's program includes extensive diet plans, complete weight training regimens, video tutorials, and full email personal training support.

How to Build Big Bigger Arms

By Jason Ferruggia

Guns, jacks, pipes, hooks, pythons… Whatever you call them, the fact remains that most guys want bigger arms. While they are nowhere near as impressive as a big set of traps, you still don’t want to have and extra six inches of space in your shirt sleeves; that’s for sure. So the question is how to build bigger arms? The answer is not as simple as you might assume. If it were easy, you would see tons of guys walking around with 18 inch arms. But that simply isn’t the case.

It’s been said over and over again that in order to add an inch to your upper arms you need to gain ten pounds of bodyweight. This advice has become gospel and it seems that nearly everyone agrees with this these days. Real world evidence shows that this is not the case, however. Walk into any public gym on a Monday night at five o’clock and you will see quite a few skinny guys, weighing no more than 170 pounds, who are sporting decent sized arms.

Many of them probably have not gained more than 10 or 15 pounds total since they started training but they all have put more than an inch or two on their arms. This is because localized hypertrophy/ muscle growth will take place if enough volume is present, without a large increase in bodyweight. Look at the calves on soccer players or the forearms on mechanics. But this only happens up to a certain point.

So these young guys read in some magazine about how to build bigger arms and start by doing ten sets of arms two or three days a week. The volume is enough to elicit a growth response and they may even get a good eight weeks out of this and a quick two inches of arm growth in the absence of any significant weight gain. Seems to defy the ten pounds per inch rule, right?

But what happens after that? Where do they go from there? The gains will halt and there will be absolutely no more arm growth whatsoever unless they make some drastic changes. And that is the pitfall of high volume training- where can you go when you plateau? Add more volume? At what cost? How much volume can you add? If ten sets isn’t enough should you try twenty? And then thirty? And eventually a hundred?

There’s nowhere to go with this approach. Like I said, it’s great for some quick gains on your arms but isn’t a long term approach. Once you hit a plateau you have no choice but to start lifting heavier weights and eating more. More weight on the bar and more food on your plate is the fastest way to increase the size of any body part. All the fancy supersets, drop sets, tri sets, pre exhaustion, post exhaustion techniques in the world won’t help in the least if you are not doing those two very important things.

Beginners can train the arms three times per week and intermediate and advanced lifters seem to do better training them twice per week. Stick with big exercises like close grip chin ups, barbell curls, hammer curls, towel curls, dumbbell curls, parallel bar dips, close grip benches, and lockouts. You shouldn’t need more than 2-4 sets of biceps and triceps twice per week to achieve optimal growth, providing that you are always increasing your loads and steadily adding more calories to your diet. After a couple of heavy sets finish your arm workout by getting the biggest pump possible with one or two higher rep sets.

For more information on how to build bigger arms and increase the size of every other body part, check out Muscle Gain Secrets now.

Train hard,

Jason Ferruggia

Massive Muscle Growth ( Hormone Manipulation )

by LA Muscle


Every experienced bodybuilder knows that on a basic level, gaining muscle is a combination of both correct training and proper nutrition. However the key to making massive muscle gains is understanding all of the hormones involved in producing an anabolic environment within the body for maximum muscle building potential.

Namely, increasing these anabolic hormones in the body:


Testosterone: Perhaps the number one hormone for bodybuilding, testosterone is responsible for the development of male physical characteristics, muscle mass, strength, fat distribution and sexual drive.

Growth Hormone: This hormone is produced by the pituitary gland and stimulates the liver to produce IGF-1 which is ultimately responsible for the growth promoting and anabolic effects of growth hormone.

Insulin: A storage hormone, insulin is produced in the pancreas as a response to the consumption of food.
It responds to carbohydrate and protein by storing glucose in muscle and liver, fat in fat cells and by the utilizing amino acids from food protein in body building and repair.

And reducing these catabolic hormones in the body:

Cortisol: Referred to as the ‘stress hormone’ since it’s released during times of physical or emotional stress, although it does have some positive affects on the body it suppresses the immune system and is likely to enhance fat storage at the expense of protein and muscle.

Glucagon: Associated with low carb diets, glucagon breaks down amino acids from the muscle (essentially it’s the mirror catabolic hormone of insulin.)

Adrenaline: This hormone is integral to preparing the body for action (‘Fight’ or ‘Flight’) but also elicits the muscles and liver to give up stored glucose (glycogen) so that you have instant energy to fuel that survival run. In this sense epinephrine is a catabolic hormone like cortisol.

Tip 1: Carbohydrates to reduce coritsol
During intense work outs our bodies increase more of the anabolic hormones testosterone, growth hormone but more of the catabolic hormone cortisol. However studies show that by taking on carbohydrates during training you can decrease cortisol levels (Bird 2006) therefore ensuring the balance of hormones is in your favour.

Tip 2: Training
In addition to nutrition, your training strategy also greatly affects the production of certain hormones within the body, as suggested by authors Kramer and Ratamess in their research into Hormonal Responses and adaptations to resistance and exercise training; “Protocols high in volume, moderate to high in intensity, using short rest intervals and stressing a large muscle mass, tend to produce the greatest acute hormonal elevations (e.g. testosterone and Growth Hormone) compared with low-volume, high-intensity protocols using long rest intervals.” (Kramer and Ratamess, 2005)

Tip 3: Evening Workouts
Sports physicians state that cortisol levels are higher in the morning, so it may be better to train in the afternoon/ evening time since you have a more suitable hormone profile for bodybuilding. (*Note: I you have enough carbohydrates in the morning, pre-workout, it may be ok to train in the morning, perhaps best to trial different training routines.)

Tip 4: Sleep
Often overlooked by bodybuilders but interrupted sleep patterns are considered to be a contributing factor to poor muscle and strength gains, since the Human Growth Hormone is at its peak during deep sleep.

Tip 5: Supplements
Norateen Heavyweight II

Is considered to be the most powerful, anabolic, muscle builder on the market studies show it increases both testosterone levels and growth hormone levels, therefore ensuring the body has an optimum hormone profile ideal for muscle building.

IGF Anabolic Activator
IGF Anabolic Activator has been developed as a means of naturally and legally increasing your body’s growth hormone.

LA Muscle


References

Bird SP, Tarpenning, KM, FE. Effects of liquid carbohydrate/ essential amino acid ingestion on acute hormonal response during a single bout of resistance exercise in untrained men. Nutrition 2006 Apr;22(4): 367-75

Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Hormonal Responses and apaptations to resistance and exercise training, Sports Med. 2005;35(4):339-61. Review

The Hardgainer Mindset

By Jason Ferruggia

Nothing pisses me off more than skinny guys who complain about their inability to gain weight.


“Waaaaa (said in a whining baby voice ala Artie Lang and Howard Stern), I have a really fast metabolism.”

“Waaaaa, it’s harder for me than most people to gain weight.”

“Waaaaa, I don’t have the appetite to eat that much.”

“Waaaaa, I have terrible genetics.”

“Waaaaa, I don’t have time to eat that much.”

“Waaaaa, I have tried everything and still can’t get bigger.”

“Waaaaa, I’m a hardgainer.”


You know what I say to people who make those excuses?

Give up.

Quit.

It’s hopeless.

You’re right, you are a hardgainer. So, stop going to the gym today and never even think about picking up a weight again. End your misery now and start something else because I promise you that you will never get bigger.

There’s not a shot in hell… and that’s the honest truth.

You know why you will never get bigger and stronger?

Because you don’t have the heart or the balls to do it. It’s that simple. And the sooner you realize it the sooner you can move on and start doing something more productive with your time.

You are a weak, lazy chump… or as you like to put it- a hargainer.

And you make me sick.

I graduated high school weighing all of 147 pounds at six feet tall. I was the epitome of a hardgainer. Eventually I got up to 231 pounds through proper training and eating and an undying dedication to achieving my goal.

I trained as hard as I could and ate when I didn’t want to, when it wasn’t convenient and when I wasn’t hungry. I went to sleep early on nights I wanted to be out drinking and partying. I did whatever I had to do to achieve my goals and refused to believe that my crappy genetics would hold me back. I never fell into the hardgainer mindset.

Somewhere along the path I came down with tuberculosis and nearly died. I spent a few weeks in the hospital and six months on bed rest. I was on medication for a year and when I returned to the gym could only bench press the bar.

But I didn’t let that stop me and picked up right where I left off.

Over my fourteen years in the fitness industry I have seen numerous people achieve the same kind of results time and time again. Many, far more impressive than mine. Many who all could be considered the classic hardgainer.

My client and friend, Mike Schwalb gained 100 pounds of muscle in the time he trained with me. I witnessed Mike force down many a meal and come in to train on nights when his friends were out having fun.

Another good friend, client and former training partner of mine named Todd Coker gained over 120 pounds during the time he trained with me, going from somewhere around 130 pounds to over 250.

My friend Jim Wendler has less than God like genetics and even had a serious disease which he overcame to go to squat 1000 pounds in competition and a body weight of over 280 pounds.

Jim’s teammate and friend Matt Rhodes went from 220 pounds at 6’4” to 313 pounds within the course of two years because of his incredible commitment to eating and training. I had dinner with Matt a few weeks ago and personally watched him force feed himself long after he was full. In fact we all laughed as the sweat dripped down his head while he choked down another bite of chicken. That’s dedication.

I could literally list dozens and dozens of examples of people I know personally who were once considered a classic hardgainer but went on to big time success in the weightroom, (let alone the thousands of people who overcame crappy genetics that I don’t know) but I think you get the point.

You know what those people all had in common?

Drive, desire, dedication and an iron will and commitment to excellence.

That had heart and they had balls.

They never succumbed to the hardgainer mindset.

And most importantly, they never made excuses.

Do you?


Jason Ferruggia is a world famous fitness expert who is renowned for his ability to help people build muscle as fast as humanly possible. He is the head training adviser for Men’s Fitness Magazine where he also has his own monthly column dedicated to muscle building. For more Hardgainer Mindset tips, check out Muscle Gain Secrets

Excess Abdominal Fat is Not Only Ugly, but Extremely Dangerous to Your Health - This is More Than a Vanity Issue!

by Mike Geary, Certified Nutrition Specialist, Certified Personal Trainer

Did you know that the vast majority of people in this day and age have excess abdominal fat? The first thing that most people think of is that their extra abdominal fat is simply ugly, is covering up their abs from being visible, and makes them self conscious about showing off their body.

However, what most people don't realize is that excess abdominal fat in particular, is not only ugly, but is also a dangerous risk factor to your health. Scientific research has clearly determined that although it is unhealthy in general to have excess body fat throughout your body, it is also particularly dangerous to have excess abdominal fat.

There are two types of fat that you have in your abdominal area. The first type that covers up your abs from being visible is called subcutaneous fat and lies directly beneath the skin and on top of the abdominal muscles.

The second type of fat that you have in your abdominal area is called visceral fat, and that lies deeper in the abdomen beneath your muscle and surrounding your organs. Visceral fat also plays a role in giving certain men that "beer belly" appearance where their abdomen protrudes excessively but at the same time, also feels sort of hard if you push on it.

Both subcutaneous fat and visceral fat in the abdominal area are serious health risk factors, but science has shown that having excessive visceral fat is even more dangerous than subcutaneous fat. Both of them greatly increase the risk your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, various forms of cancer, and other degenerative diseases. Excess belly fat has been associated in studies with higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), an indicator of inflammation within the body that can lead to heart disease.

Part of the reason visceral fat is particularly dangerous is that it apparently releases more inflammatory molecules into your system on a consistent basis.

If you care about the quality of your life and your loved ones, reducing your abdominal fat should be one of your TOP priorities! There's just no way around it. Besides, a side effect of finally getting rid of all of that excessive ugly abdominal fat is that your stomach will flatten out, and if you lose enough stomach fat, you will be able to visibly see those sexy six pack abs that everyone wants.

So what gets rid of extra abdominal fat?

Is there actually a REAL solution beyond all of the gimmicks and hype that you see in ads and on commercials for "miracle" fat loss products?

The first thing you must understand is that there is absolutely NO quick fix solution. There are no pills or supplements of any sort that will help you lose your abdominal fat faster. Also, none of the gimmicky ab rockers, rollers, or ab belts will help get rid of abdominal fat either. You can't spot reduce your stomach fat by using any of these worthless contraptions. It simply doesn't work that way.

The only solution to consistently lose your abdominal fat and keep it off for good is to combine a sound nutritious diet full of unprocessed natural foods with a properly designed strategic exercise program that stimulates the necessary hormonal and metabolic response within your body. Both your food intake as well as your training program are important if you are to get this right.

I've actually even seen a particular study that divided thousands of participants into a diet-only group and an exercise & diet combined group. While both groups in this study made good progress, the diet-only group lost significantly LESS abdominal fat than the diet & exercise combined group.

Now the important thing to realize is that just any old exercise program will not necessarily do the trick. The majority of people that attempt getting into a good exercise routine are NOT working out effectively enough to really stimulate the loss of stubborn abdominal fat. I see this every day at the gym.

Most people will do your typical boring ineffective cardio routines, throw in a little outdated body-part style weight training, and pump away with some crunches and side bends, and think that they are doing something useful for reducing their abdominal fat. Then they become frustrated after weeks or months of no results and wonder where they went wrong.

Well, the good news is that I've spent over a decade researching this topic, analyzing the science, and applying it "in the trenches" with myself as well as thousands of my clients from all over the world to see what works to really stimulate abdominal fat loss.

Learn the Truth about Losing Your Stomach Fat Permanently

Can You Gain Muscle and Burn Fat at the Same Time?

Can You Gain Muscle and Burn Fat at the Same Time?--

By Jon Benson, Author of "7 Minute Muscle"


Many fitness pros just plain don't believe that you can burn fat while building muscle at the same time. Every time I read an article by some doctor or expert claiming it's "biologically impossible" to gain muscle on a hypocaloric diet (a diet low in calories) I just laugh.



I do more than make claims - I have proved this to be true many times. I've had my body fat hydrostatically measured during several peaks. In all but one I showed an increase of muscle mass and a decrease of body fat during a 12-16 week period. The one time I didn't show an increase in muscle mass when was I was training the most in the gym. That may not make sense right now, but it will in a moment.

(Read the full article here: http://www.7minutemuscle.com/go/MMBlog/?page=gain-muscle-burn-fat