Dumbell Thrusters

It is no secret that im a sucker for compound movements because quite frankly, it fits the “bang for your buck” criteria that we look for in order to help an athlete achieve his/her specific goals. One such movement is the Thruster.

5 Movement Mechanics

One important principle is maximizing the 5 movement mechanics of the human body: Upper body Push, Upper body Pull, Leg Generation off the ground (or squat), Hamstring work and Core Stability. Thrusters practically stimulate each and every mechanic in one single rep. Labeling this exercise as effective is a massive understatement.

How to do a Dumbell Thruster?

How to do a Dumbell Thruster? See below directions:

Pick up the Dumbells and Clean them. Dumbells and elbows should be facing forward. This is the starting position.

Squat down with the Dumbells and explode upwards using your legs (weight on your heels) and use the force generated to press the weight overhead as you go up. This will resemble doing a parallel dumbbell military press

As soon as you reach the top portion, pull the dumbbells downwards using your back muscles and squat down again to start another repetition

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By Myron Mielke

If you want to build an incredible v-taper then you need to develop a wide flaring back. This routine will get your back growing and add some barn-door width in no time.

A Very Quick Anatomy Lesson

In order to build your back quickly and effectively you need to know how the muscles of the back function so you can train it properly. There are many large and small muscles that make up the back. We won’t spend time on the little ones, just the big, major ones. We’ll divide it into three parts.

Upper

The muscles that start at your neck and make up a triangle shape of the upper back between your shoulder blades are called the trapezius—the “traps” for short. These are the big lumps that pop out between the neck and shoulders during a “crab” most muscular pose. The traps move your arms up and down when you shrug your shoulders.

Middle

The latissimus dorsi muscles, or “lats” start at your armpits and go down to about the waist on most people. These are the impressive muscles that stick out like wings on bodybuilders. The lats’ function is to pull the arms back toward the body when the arms are extended out or up.

Lower

The lower back has a muscle on either side of your spine above your butt. These are called the spinal erectors or erector spinae. They help you bend at the waist. If you’ve ever laid sod, these were the muscles that were sore the day after.

Best Exercises

The best exercise for hitting the traps is a variation of shoulder shrugs. These can be done with a barbell, dumbbells or on a machine. Upright rowing can be an effective exercise for building the traps also, but that exercise can put a strain on the rotator cuffs, which are the inner supporting muscles of the shoulder. I recommend sticking with good ol’ shrugs.

For the lats you will want to do one exercise for width and one for thickness. Width is usually best achieved through pull-ups on a chin-up bar or pulldowns on a machine. Both work well. If you’re just starting out and lack the strength to do pull-ups, use the pulldown machine.

For lat thickness perform a variation of a rowing movement. These can be done in a bent-over position with a barbell or two dumbbells. T-bar or leverage-bar rows also work well as do seated cable rows. Whichever exercise you choose, you need to pull with your lats and not your arms. Rowing exercises are not for your biceps but they are to build your back. Think of your arms as hooks and concentrate on pulling with only your back. Tense and contract your lats all the way through the movement and pull the weight to your lower abdomen and not your ribcage. This technique will be a little difficult at first but once you master this technique your back will explode with new growth and power.

To build the lower back you can pick deadlifts with a barbell or dumbbells or hyperextensions on a special bench that allows you to lock your legs and freely raise your upper body while in a prone position. Keep your back straight and knees bent during deadlifts and never round your back. Concentrate on lifting with your legs and driving the weight up with your hips. Once you get the form down you can really go heavy on these. Hyperextensions, on the other hand, will not require any weight for your first few months of training. Higher reps are good for “hypers.”

The Routine

Perform this routine twice per week with two days rest in between, such as Monday and Thursday. Do four sets of each exercise and eight to 10 reps each. Rest for about one minute between sets. Try doing the same exercises for a few weeks to get the feel of really using your back instead of your arms. Once you master the technique, feel free to use any of the various other exercises for fun and variety.

Lats

Pulldowns to the front — 4×8-10 (Begin with two light warm-up sets first)

Barbell Rowing — 4×8-10

Traps

Barbell Shrugs — 4×6-8 (Begin with two light warm-up sets first)

Lower Back

Deadlifts — 3×6-8 (Begin with two light warm-up sets first)

Or Hyperextensions — 3×15

Conclusion

Building a strong, powerful and impressive back is not rocket science. It’s more about hard work. Once your strength levels start going up, do not be afraid to use some heavy weights. But never increase weight at the sake of using sloppy form. Heaving and hoisting the weight will not speed up your progress. If you get injured, your progress will drag to a halt. Train safe and soon your wings will be rivaling those of a 747 jumbo jet!

By Myron Mielke

Are you too small to hang with the big boys of the grid iron? Do something about it and add some muscle to your frame before the next season starts!

Extra muscle is always a good thing when you’re playing football. The bigger you are, the harder it is to get knocked over and it’ll also be easier  for you to hit and tackle someone else. If you’re serious about playing football, you need to know how to add some slabs of beef under all that protective gear. This article will tell you how to build strength and power and tell you how to eat so you can pack on some size to make your coaches really take notice.

When to start

The best time to start a bulking phase for football is well in advance to the start of the season. Don’t wait until July and think you’re going to add 20 pounds before the two-a-day practices begin.  If the practices start in August, you need to start in at least January. If you already have a season or two under your belt, you need to rest up a few weeks from your last season and then jump right in. Building muscle takes some time and the greater length of time you devote to it, the better your results.

If you start in January, that will give you about six months to bulk up. That’s about how much time you’ll need to get adjusted to your training and eating so you can start to gain size and add some muscle.  

As a side note, another important factor in starting early is to be able to tell the coach you’ve been training and eating for months in preparation for the upcoming season. Coaches like a good work ethic and guys that take the sport seriously.

How does this weight-gain thing work?

You train with weights to break down the muscle cells.  When you’re done hitting the weights, your broken-down muscle cells need to be fed constantly until they recover. It actually takes a few days for them to recover. Once they do recuperate, the muscle cells become a little larger. You keep repeating the cycle of breaking down the muscle cells by training and feeding the muscle cells so they grow back a little larger. After a few months, your muscles will be visibly larger and the extra muscle will show up as extra pounds on the scale. It’s a simple process, but it does take discipline.

What to eat

If you’re used to eating three meals a day and some potato chips or candy bars for snacks, things are going to have to change for you — drastically! You need to start eating six times per day, every day. Forget about the chips and candy; you need some real food, the kind that the NFL players eat and we’re not talking about Campbell’s Chunky Soup!

When I was in eighth grade, my brother, Brent, was in college. He was captain of his track team and Brent threw shot put, discus and javelin. His friend, Butch, who was also a shot putter on the team, played football too. I ate lunch with one day at their college. As we walked through the lunch line, Butch asked one of the servers, “What’s that? Did it crawl, fly or swim?”

The server laughed and said, “Yes!”

Butch said, “Good. I’ll take some.” He then turned to my brother and said, “Brent, if crawled, flew, or swam, it’s good for you! Gotta have your protein.”

Obviously that little quote has stuck with me over the years because it was funny, but more importantly it sums up that a person trying to gain muscle should eat protein — and lots of it.

A general rule of thumb when it comes to building muscle and eating protein is to 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight. For instance, if you weigh 150 pounds you should eat 150-225 grams of protein per day. Split that amount between six feedings and you should eat 25-37.5 grams at each feeding.

For carbohydrates, you will want to eat 2 to 3 grams per pound of bodyweight. Fats will take care of themselves by eating peanut butter, almonds and olive oil to cook with.

Here’s what your typical day of eating should consist of:

Breakfast: Oatmeal, 2 slices of whole-wheat toast, 3-4 egg whites scrambled with 1 yolk, and a protein drinkMid morning: Protein drink, baked potato (you can substitute a protein bar and an apple)Lunch: Chicken breast, salad, rice, fruitMid afternoon: Protein drink, cottage cheese, almonds or cashewsDinner: Steak, chicken or fish, baked potato, salad, fruitBefore bed: Protein drink, a banana and a peanut butter sandwichTake a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral tablet at breakfast.

Eat like this every day. Make it your normal style of eating. If you want muscle mass, then this is what you have to eat. Try to eat at least a gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. Eat lots of high-quality carbs like oatmeal, rice, pasta, potatoes and yams. Eat your veggies. Eat every three hours. Don’t let yourself get hungry. This is what it takes. Eat. And then eat some more, but don’t eat junk and fast food. That’ll just get you fat and not put on the muscle. You need high-quality food to put on high-quality muscle!

Although high quality food is your best bet, adding some protein shakes is a very convenient way of adding extra protein. Find a brand and flavor of protein powder you like and use it regularly. My favorites are Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey Protein, Gaspari MyoFusion and IntraPro, and ProLab Whey. BSN has some tasty flavors too. All of these companies make the weight gainers also and they’re filled with carbs and fats in addition to protein. They’re great for the really hardgainers out there.

The Training

You want to concentrate on basic foundational movements. These are your power builders and they will help you develop muscles that you need most to play and position in football. Don’t get caught up in using fancy machines and various cables. You need to use heavy free weights to make sure you’re training the little stabilizer muscles that machines might not allow you to develop as much. Look at the NFL and college athletes; they’re all hitting free weights!

Here’s the routine:

Monday and Thursday:Bench Press 4×6-8Incline Press 3×6-8Military Press 4x8Shrugs 3x12Lying Tricep Exensions 3x8Tuesday and Friday:Squats 5×6-8Leg Curls 3x8Pull-ups 3x maxBarbell Shrugs 3×10
Barbell Rowing 4x8Barbell Curls 4x8Each workout should again take you about an hour. Include a light warm-up set or two of 12-15 reps at the beginning of each exercise. Rest for two to three minutes between each set. Stick with this routine for about six months. Concentrate on adding weight and getting strong, but never sacrifice good form for added weight. Bad technique will get you injured and then you can’t train at all. It’s hard to make progress when you can’t train. Play it safe and keep your form really strict.

A word of caution: Do not worry about how much you can lift for a one-rep maximum. Except for satisfying your ego and telling your friends “how much you bench,” there’s no need to test yourself and “max out.” Your coach might require a maximum lift at some point, but do it under his supervision. Until then, keep your reps above six and concentrate on good form.

Conclusion

You might be wondering how much weight you can really gain in six months, right? Well, there’s no definite answer. Some guys gain muscles more quickly and grow like weeds while other guys seem to be hardgainers. Everyone is different. If this is all new and you’ve not worked out before, it’s not unheard of to put on five to 10 pounds your first month of training and eating correctly, but you won’t keep gaining at that rate. It’ll be more like two to three pounds per month, if you’re not skipping meals or workouts. So, realistically you can expect to put on 10 to 25 pounds in six months if you work hard.

Good luck, train hard and take this bulk-up plan seriously. If you want to add weight to play football next season, this is the way to do it!

 By: Marc Lobliner, Rob Moran and Derek Charlebois—Team Scivation

I was six weeks out from my contest. While not behind in prep, I certainly wouldn’t have minded getting ahead. Thus , I decided to add in HIIT cardio post workout for a week with my training partner Rob. We had been averaging a consistent amount of fat loss of between one to two pounds per week. But as bodybuilders, we always want more. So for a week, we took Low Intensity cardio out of the PWO equation and threw in some HIIT. We did intervals that looked like this:

Min 1-4: Warm Up

Intervals at 9.0 Speed SPRINT and 3.6 RECOVER at a 1 minute sprint, 1 minute recovery ratio

3 minutes cool down

 We did this for a week. Guess what? No added fat loss and no noticeable difference, except the fact that our legs were tired and we felt like we were hit by a car at the end of the workout. So what are we saying? Does HIIT not work? Is it a hoax?

 Does HIIT Work? Marc Lobliner says that in the right circumstances, hell yes it does!

Absolutely not! We have not yet mentioned that we also were weight training SIX days per week in my pre contest fury to get lean and hard and dial it in. We also were doing a nightly session of LI cardio for 30-45 minutes.

The main argument for HIIT cardio is the fact that it raises hormones and elicits responses in the body similar to that of lifting weights. But if training five to six days a week, can you really increase the afterburn from weights? Your post exercise calorie burn is raised for at least 24 hours. Thus, if you do HIIT, are you really going to raise it that much more or is it simply a matter of burning calories? And if that is the case, is it worth the strain on your central nervous system to burn the calories faster?

Derek knows how to take care of his nervous system!

In my opinion, if weight training three to four days per week, then one to two days of HIIT is very beneficial. That gives you ample rest to make sure you can recover yet still keep your metabolism high. If you train five to six days per week, your metabolism is on fire and you are most likely pushing your nervous system to the brink of collapse as is! This is where we feel that LOW intensity cardio would be beneficial. You will burn the calories, circulate some nutrients, and not drain yourself to the point of collapse!

The bottom line is, let’s STOP debating which form of cardio is best and realize that there is not a one size fits all recommendation. Cardio should be determined based on:

• Weight Training frequency
• Time availability.
• Recovery capability.
• GENETICS!

Genetics? Oh hell yeah! While I can see an endomorphic male (naturally fat) benefitting from sprints and HIIT, I would probably not advise this for the ectomorph (naturally LEAN) who has trouble not losing weight too fast!

Rob knows how to lose fat at a PERFECT pace!

So if prepping for a show or if simply living healthy, just DO THE DAMN CARDIO! But we will reiterate some of Scivation’s official stances on cardio below…

Endurance A.K.A. cardiovascular training improves the heart’s ability to pump blood and increases oxygen uptake into cells. A “fit” person also burns more fat at rest and during exercise than an unfit person. Bodybuilders use cardiovascular training mainly as a means to increase caloric expenditure thereby increasing fat loss or decreasing fat gain. We will address one cardio strategy bodybuilders can do while trying to gain lean mass or during any developmental stage based on both scientific literature and anecdotal feedback.

Low-Moderate Intensity Cardio on Weight Training Days

As stated in the intro, bodybuilders primarily use cardio as a means in increase their caloric expenditure (Cardiovascular training has a TON of other health benefits, but we will not touch on those benefits here). The use of low-intensity cardio, done either pre or post weight training, allows one to burn more calories while not hampering recovery. In fact, low-intensity cardio done post-workout may even enhance recovery due to increase blood flow and nutrient delivery. Low-intensity cardio is not as strenuous on the body as high-intensity cardio or high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It would be very hard for someone to complete a HIIT session pre weight training as it would decrease your performance when lifting weights or to complete the session post weight training as you will already be fatigued.

 We want to keep the body healthy and injury free. If you get injured, then your workouts will suffer or cease altogether. Therefore, I feel it is more practical to perform low to moderate intensity cardio on weight training days. Now, one could perform their cardio separate from their weight training, but for most that would mean two trips to the gym, which is impractical; Hence my recommendation to perform cardio pre or post weight training.

Whether you choose to do your cardio pre or post weight training is a personal preference. Remember, your main goal is to hit it hard in the weight room. If doing cardio pre weight training decreases your performance, then it would be better for you to do it post workout. If you find that you are too tired to do cardio post weight training or simply find you become too bored and do not finish your cardio sessions, it would be better for you to do your cardio pre weight training.

High-Intensity/High-Intensity-Interval Training on Non-Weight Training Days

High-intensity cardio stresses both the aerobic and anaerobic energy systems. The anaerobic energy system is what is stressed during weight training. Putting too much stress on the anaerobic system and hampering recovery is one reason why I do not recommend performing weight training and HIIT on the same day. Obviously running at 6 mph will burn more calories than running at 3 mph, but one has to balance their activities to allow for proper recovery.

There are two main types of high-intensity cardio: Continuous and Interval Training. Continuous high-intensity cardio would be running at a high speed on the treadmill or elliptical machine for a long duration (i.e. 5+ minutes). Interval training involves alternating periods of work and rest (or lower levels of work). For example, running a 100 meter sprint then walking back to the start, resting, then repeating could constitute HIIT. HIIT is more intense than high-intensity continuous cardio and much more intense than low-intensity cardio. 

Now it is time to create a program and to put it into action.

Weight Training and Cardio Programs

The following two programs would be ideal for someone trying to add lean mass:

Monday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 20-30 minutes Low-Intensity Cardio

Tuesday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 20-30 minutes Low-Intensity Cardio

Wednesday: OFF

Thursday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 20-30 minutes Low-Intensity Cardio

Friday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training followed by 20-30 minutes Low-Intensity Cardio

Saturday: OFF

Sunday: Some much needed REST!

***Note: As you lose weight and your fitness level improves you will most likely have to increase you duration and intensity of your cardio sessions.

OR

Monday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training

Tuesday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training

Wednesday: 15-30 minutes of High-Intensity Cardio on the Elliptical Machine

Thursday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training

Friday: 45-60 minutes Weight Training

Saturday: HIIT—Sprints: Ten 100 meter sprints

Sunday: Some much needed REST!

***Note: As you lose weight and your fitness level improves you will most likely have to increase you duration and intensity of your cardio sessions.

As bodybuilders, weight training is your primary concern. You do not want to do too much cardio and impair your recovery from weight training. Whether trying to gain muscle or lose fat, cardio should be done. The exact amount will vary by your goal, fitness level, and ability to recover.

There you have it! The bottom line, take home is:

• Do the damn cardio. Whatever method you choose, just do it year round!
• HIIT might be better for those that weight train four or less times per week.
• Low Intensity Cardio might be better for those who train more than five times per week.
• Cardio is healthy and may even help you grow more muscle.

Take a RIDE into recovery!

We recommend drinking Scivation Xtend during cardio to facilitate fat loss and recovery. We recently completed a Scientific Study on Xtend where the subject who used Xtend during their workout gained 9 pounds of lean mass and lost 4 pounds of fat over the 8 week testing period. For more information, follow this link:

http://www.strengthandscience.com/wordpress/?p=61

In addition, we would like to offer you the opportunity to join Team Scivation, our FREE Diet and Training service. For more information, please visit www.teamscivation.com.

No more excuses or endless debates. Cardio is good and will help you get the body of your dreams!!

Creatine has been one of the most popular sports supplements since it’s introduction some 17 years ago. Yet, there is still a lot of mystery and confusion regarding it. In this article, I hope to clear some of that up as I detail what it is, it’s history, it’s use in bodybuilding, some of the different versions and it’s tie in to Nitric Oxide. Here we go! Read more »

By: Marc Lobliner, Chuck Rudolph, MEd, RD and Derek Charlebois

Team Scivation

The debate will never die! Some trainers and experts are pro High Intensity (HIIT) due to its ability to stimulate hormones similar to those stimulated during weight training and also, well, it takes less time to burn the same amount of calories as lower intensity cardio! The advocates of Low Intensity (LI) cardio counter with the fact that LI cardio is much more beneficial for the physique athlete trying to cut fat and maintain muscle. Well, which one is best? It depends. Read on to find out what Scivation has to say about the topic….

We like HIIT a lot. We also like LI a lot. The key is when to use them. When in a low carb state, we want to tap in to fat for our energy source during cardio. This is where we call on the “fat burn zone”. While some HIIT advocates believe that this is utter rubbish (props to the UK), we somewhat disagree. These numbers didn’t just come from thin air and we know that at a certain level, the body prefers carbs over fat as an energy source. What happens when you have no carbs? Well, let’s just say for the most part cardio will not be fun and you also risk injury IF you’re even getting to the required 90% VO2 Max for it to be considered HIIT cardio!

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How to Get LARGE AND SHREDDED Legs When You Cannot Squat

By: Marc Lobliner and Derek Charlebois

I remember earlier this year, my back had enough. From all of the years of deadlifting and squatting, my achy breaky back went straight ghetto on me and told me to get to steppin’ and to stop squatting. Basically, even with a belt and 135lbs on the bar, my back would get all wobbly like Hillary Clinton’s voting history. In other words, it was unstable, like Hillary Clinton’s marriage. Before I get sued or “whacked” by the former and perhaps future first family, let’s elaborate. Sometimes, the main mass movements like squats are not the smartest thing to perform. People with lower back issues, tall people, those with really bad knees, and countless others. Then how do we get wheels of steel without the king of all exercises, the SQUAT? This is where Derek “Beast” Charlebois and Marc “Machine” Lobliner step in and say, “Move, squats, get out the way,” and rock out a leg workout that will lead to nothing but growth and separation in those meaty thighs. Say goodbye to your chicken-riding days and hop aboard the huge train. But we warn you, you might have to buy new pants or just resort to spandex. The choice is yours.

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by Timothy Ayson

One Arm Dumbell Deadlift

By Timothy Ayson

Part of the Level Three Fitness format is to bring back what has been useful during the old days but has been eliminated by the mainstream fitness “gurus”. One VERY useful type of resistance training that has been corrupted by the “dumbellina syndrome” is TRUE dumbell training. Let me ask you something, ask a normal gym rat what do you do with a dumbell and he will automatically say that its for alternate dumbell curls, shoulder raises and other dumbell movements that will “isolate” muscles. You will usually see these exercises in your popular muscle magazine. See the photo at the beginning of this article? This is how dumbell training should be, heavy, high octane, highly effective usage of dynamic compound lifts. Dumbells were created for a reason, this lift is one of them…One Arm Dumbell Deadlifts.

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There’s nothing quite as stunning as a well developed back: muscles twisting everywhere like a road map, wide lats like a jet plane, and the lower back lit up like a Christmas tree. For me, a defined, fully developed back is one of the most amazing things in all if bodybuilding. Historically, people always say Samir Bannout was the first bodybuilder to clearly show the lower back, or erector spinae, muscles in competition: this would be 1982 and 1983, the year he won the Olympia. But there’s a picture of Arnold from his peak years in the 70′s in his Encyclopedia that clearly shows the erector spinae muscles, defined and reminding me of Christmas morning! In fact, his entire back looks amazing in that picture! Regardless, both men had great backs. Moving forward in history, quite a few top guys are known for great backs: Lee Haney,who was known for his great lat width; Dorian Yates, Flex Wheeler, Ronnie Coleman, Dexter Jackson to name just a very few. In fact, a weak back, whether you compete or not, is a pretty serious weak point that makes a big difference in how you look. After all, what kind of bodybuilder doesn’t have wide, flaring lats? Of course, the back has to be thick as well. And let’s not forget the traps, what good is a weak most muscular pose? Read more »

In order to see the best gains possible from your training program, proper nutrition is essential. Some would say nutrition is as much as 90% responsible for your ultimate results. Regardless of the actual percentage, your best results mean knowing what you need in terms of the proper intake of calories, the proper ratio of macro nutrients – protein, carbs, and fats – and the proper timing of these macro nutrients. This also means understanding and maintaining a positive nitrogen balance (which we’ll talk about shortly). The nutrients in food are broken down into the three types of macro-nutrients mentioned above. Macro-nutrients means nutrients we need in large amounts. Micro-nutrients are vitamins and minerals – micro meaning we need these in small amounts. Each type of nutrient performs specific functions in the body, but interacts with other nutrients to carry out those functions. This article will focus on what many would consider the most important macro-nutrient for bodybuilders: protein. The word protein was named by the Dutch chemist Geradus Mulder in 1838 and comes from the Greek word “protos” which means “of prime importance”. Your body, after water, is largely made up of protein. Protein is used by the body to build, repair and maintain muscle tissue. Protein is comprised of amino acids, usually referred to as the “building blocks of protein”. There are approximately 20 amino acids, 9 of which are considered essential because the body cannot make them, they must be supplied by the diet. They are: Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Valine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine and Tryptophan. The remaining non-essential aminos are: Alanine, Arginine, Asparagine, Aspartic Acid, Cysteine, Glutamic acid, Glutamine, Glycine, Proline, Serine and Tyrosine. Read more »

By: Marc Lobliner, Derek Charlebois and Rob Moran—Team Scivation

This article will go into why one should eat clean calories (healthy, beneficial foods) and opposed to just stuffing their faces with burgers, fries, and spraying Eazy Cheese and Whipped Cream directly into their mouths. But science will take a back seat here. This article will focus on anecdotal and common sense logic with some science. In the bodybuilding world, we call this “BRO SCIENCE”. UrbanDictionary.com defines Bro Science as:

broscience

Word of mouth knowledge passed off as fact, primarily among bodybuilders + weightlifters. Generally spouted most by guys who have used loads of steroids and are huge, have no idea what is happening to their bodies and then share that same cluelessness with others who make the false assumption that their experience means that they have knowledge.

1.      Micronutrients

 What we refer to as clean food usually contains an abundance of HEALTHY components, including vitamins, minerals and key antioxidants, that will help keep you healthy and provide your body with what it needs to grow and stay lean. For example, take eating a sweet potato for your carb source as opposed to a Little Debbie Cream Pie. Yes, those Cream Pies are tasty and I always found Little Debbie somewhat sexually attractive, but the sweet potato will give you a whole bunch of vitamins and fiber and the carbs will be slowly digested, preventing insulin from having an orgy in your body and giving you sustained energy with no crash while Little Hot Debbie (I’d so hit that) would just leave you full of saturated fat, insulin spiking carbs and a nice, fat gut. What is the point of eating her snack cakes if Little Debbie wouldn’t date you due to your fat belly?

As for fat sources, while my mom cooked with butter, she never sported ab veins and shredded glutes like I do. Thus, we recommend HEALTHY fats like avocado, almonds, olive oil and nut butters as opposed to lard, bacon, and Hillary Clinton’s Kankles.

 PROOF THAT THESE METHODS WORK!

 Scivation Owner Marc Lobliner, following a Team Scivation Plan, got these SICK results bulking CLEAN! Going from 154 to 218 in eight weeks!

While we might not be as bro science as some, we do know what we are talking about and that is why we are Team Scivation, the largest FREE diet and training company in the world as well as the sexiest group of men ever assembled. Without further ado, I present to you why you should eat clean to gain mass, stay lean and be a sex machine!

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By: Marc Lobliner, Derek Charlebois and Rob Moran – Team Scivation                    

I am sitting here at The Houston Airport, named after President George Bush the 1st, and thinking about a few things to pass the time. One is, “Man, Laura Bush (George W. Bush’s wife) was decently hot. I mean, not Sarah Palin hot, but for an older lady, she’s pretty hot!” Then my mind wanders into a question asked all the time on Derek, Rob and my blog found at http://www.scivation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4094. “How do you eat clean and maintain your conditioning while traveling?Without further ado, this road warrior along with his faithful Team including diet GURUS Derek Charlebois and Rob Moran will outline a plan to keep you lean and mean on the road.

Road Rules by Team Scivation

On the plane and in the airport

• Bring an empty Tupperware or shaker cup. Bring ziplocks with pre-measured Scivation Whey and a bag of almonds.  If your diet calls for carbs, rock some dry oats. Remember, this is a flight so you need to have NO LIQUID to get through security. When it is time to eat, buy some water and you can have either Sludge (mix as you would with peanut butter, but with less liquid) and drop the almonds in after to make a pudding-like Sludge with your protein. Or, you can simply shake up some Scivation Whey and eat the almonds. If you need carbs, simply add the Oats to your shake or your Sludge. BOOM—you just got SERVED a knowledge bomb of chocolaty GOODNESS! SLAM! For more information on Sludge, check out..
   And for the Scivation Whey Anthem, see
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In many of my articles over the years, I have promoted an approach to training that takes full advantage of manipulating your body’s natural production of anabolic hormones. One area I have not gone into great detail about is the idea of insulin manipulation through the use of carbohydrates and supplements. This article will cover that topic.

If gaining lean muscle mass is your goal, a systematic approach to carbohydrate intake will lead to better results. A cyclic diet – rotating calorie intake based on your activity level for that day by adjusting carb intake up or down- makes sense even if you are lean because your body requires less calories on off days then on training days. It’s also true that too many carbs, if not burned off for fuel, will be stored as fat. Your muscles and liver can only hold so much glycogen ( made from glucose). The amount of glycogen the muscles/liver can hold really depends on the weight of the individual and the amount of muscle mass that person carries. A typical figure usually given is between 200 and 350 grams with the liver capable of storing only 100 grams. It’s important to note that for every 1 gram of carbs stored, 3 grams of water are also stored: this ties into the cell volumization concept that so many products today promote. As part of that process, then, adequate carb and water intake is critical. It’s also important to note that the average person stores enough glycogen for about 12 hours. However, bodybuilders are not average and as soon as you begin to exercise you begin to burn glycogen for fuel. Once you deplete glycogen stores through exercise and/or low carb eating, it can take up to 48 hours to replenish. The most critical time to take in most of your carbohydrates is the hours surrounding your workout. Part of this process is the manipulation of the anabolic hormone insulin. Insulin is a peptide hormone released by the pancreas when glucose concentrations exceed normal levels. Elevated levels of arginine and leucine also cause this hormone to be released. Insulin effects are asserted through a series of steps that begins when it binds to receptor proteins on the cell membrane, which leads to activation of the receptor which attaches phosphate groups to intracellular enzymes. What this means is that it enhances glucose absorption and utilization and ATP production. It also enhances amino acid absorption and protein synthesis. Additionally, it stimulates fat storage. So it can be seen that insulin is a powerful anabolic hormone but also a double edged sword.

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Of all the intensity techniques out there, I have two favorites: drop sets and rest pause. Drops are a lot of fun and can take a normal set and turn it into a brutal one but they have one major drawback: for many exercises you need two spotters to pull plates off. Now, if you have two training partners, that’s great but what if, like me, you train alone? It ain’t gonna happen, that’s what! Enter rest pause. This technique has quite a history and a number of variations. In this article we will look at that and I’ll give you a routine using some of the variations presented.

Most people would trace this technique back to Mike Mentzer and his original Heavy Duty program. While the origins of this technique are unknown, it’s safe to say it’s been around long before Heavy Duty. Arnold used a variation of it in the 70′s and Joe Weider named one of his “principles” after it. If you consider that he began naming and organizing his “Weider Principles” pretty early on in his career, it’s safe to say this technique has been around for about 60 years. As a point of reference, the Weider principles were observations Joe Weider made of the various techniques and ideas the bodybuilders of the 50′s and 60′s used, adding to them as he saw something new and worthwhile. He named each one and organized it into the “Weider System”. Back when I started, that’s all you saw in his magazines and you were given the impression he invented each one of them. In fact, he didn’t really invent them and it’s not a system in the pure sense but it is a valid organization of ideas. Read more »

Every guy wants to have a big chest and biceps, but what about those calves? Without a proportionate physique you just look like a car with no wheels! Don’t let genetics or any other excuses stop you from transforming those chicken legs into bulging calves.Incorporate isolation exercises such as standing and seated calf raises. For beginners start with 4 sets of 20 reps of both seated and standing calf raises three times a week. If you’re more advanced superset standing and seated calf raises for 4 sets of 20 reps with 60 seconds rest between sets. Train hard and good luck!

We all want to get fit, look better, and be healthy. Can you achieve these goals with a book?  Yes, you really can. Any one of these three books will get you started on your path to fitness.

The New Rules of Lifting for Women: Lift Like a Man, Look Like a Goddess by Lou Schuler, Cassandra Forsythe, and Alwyn Cosgrove

The biggest fitness myth that never dies is that women’s muscles should be worked differently than men’s. This belief that if women lift heavy weights they’ll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger or a professional female bodybuilder is false. With this myth in mind, women seek light resistance workouts that shape, tone, or sculpt their bodies.  The truth is these “toning” workouts do little or nothing for your muscles. Read more »

The tagline for the weightlifting-themed Fitness Café, an eleven-year-old eatery on the southwest corner of Scottsdale Road and Thunderbird, states: “we believe in healthy eating not dieting.” To that end, nutritional content (calorie, protein, carbohydrate, fat and fiber counts) is listed for each menu item. While the onus is on the restaurant for providing accurate counts, the concept appears to be popular as regulars stroll through the door in a steady stream.

The narrow space is flanked on one side with a long, wall-size photo of Muscle Beach, Venice, with buff owner Anthony Angelini, standing in front of the famous bodybuilding mecca. On the opposite side, framed photos of celebrated bodybuilders adorn the wall just before the order counter and open kitchen. It can either be inspiring or intimidating, depending upon the size of your biceps. Silver tables in between are filled with patrons who probably think of their gym as home away from home.

Breakfast is either hearty oatmeal ($2.99, or $3.99 with fruit) or a short list of egg whites, scrambled and wrapped in a tomato basil tortilla or folded into an omelet ($7.99) with a choice of a protein and tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onion and cheddar cheese. The Arnold breakfast wrap ($6.99) is no less than eight egg whites with chopped chicken, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and low-fat cheddar cheese.

Fitness Café serves up a handful of smoothies, too, like the push up ($4.99), a creamy blend of berries, cranberry juice and yogurt, or the motivator ($5.99), a whopping 40 grams of vanilla protein powder blended with fat-free milk, vanilla yogurt and peanut butter.

The rest of the menu is dominated by sandwiches and salads, with pumped-up monikers like bench press, weight stack and the crunch. There are a few pasta options as well. Curiously, the pasta is not whole grain pasta, but instead, egg and spinach fusilli.

Of all the dishes we sample, the pasta is the weakest link. The Ferrigno pasta platter ($9.50) is ample enough, just not very flavorful, despite the addition of a pink vodka cream sauce that actually perks up the Ferrigno ($7.99) chicken sandwich. The pasta platter features slightly overcooked pasta, chunks of cooked chicken breast and a smattering of roasted red pepper slices and mushrooms, all doused with commercial grade finely grated parmesan cheese.

The salads are bright and flavorful; a less heavy hand with the dressings would elevate them to terrific. The Pilates salad ($9.50) is a mixture of baby spinach, diced chicken, walnuts, cranberries and goat cheese, heavily bathed in a creamy raspberry dressing. The kung fu ($9.50) is also spinach based, with chicken, mandarin orange segments, sliced almonds and a few crunchy chow mein noodles, tossed in a zingy ginger dressing.

The crosstrainer ($9.50) is a knockout – a mix of crisp romaine garnished with black beans and corn, low-fat Monterey jack, diced tomatoes and tossed with a sweet, tangy barbecue flavored ranch dressing and topped with diced chicken. I’d easily return for this punchy salad.

There are enough sandwich options to dine at Fitness Café for more than two weeks and not eat the same one twice. The firm ($7.69) is tasty – a flattened chicken breast stacked with mozzarella, roasted red pepper, portabello mushroom slices and a splash of balsamic on a crusty French bread roll.

The Venice Beach chicken ($7.69) layers the same thin chicken with a smear of avocado, sprouts, tomato, lettuce, and a slice of low-fat Swiss cheese. The homerun ($7.99) is even better with strips of gyros-style pressed chicken, lettuce, tomatoes and red onions in a folded pita with a dollop of tangy tzatziki on the side.

Chicken isn’t the only protein, although it does tend to dominate most of the menu. Other sandwiches feature deli turkey, roast beef, and tuna or chicken salads and in addition to the French roll, other breads include sourdough, multi-grain, pita and tomato-basil tortilla wraps. Vegetarians have a couple of sandwich choices, including the tall free style ($7.50) which stacks cucumber rounds, avocado slices, red onion, tomatoes and mushrooms on the French roll, along with a choice of cheese.

All sandwiches come with either a small side of garden salad or mayonnaise slathered pasta salad. On one visit, sweet potato fries ($1.99) pop up on the specials menu board, and while not spectacular, they’re crisp and lightly seasoned with a little salt – and disappear quickly.

The sandwiches are filling and the salads are fresh, yet I can’t say that any of them induce a “wow” factor. However, thrilling foodies isn’t Fitness Café’s mission. Instead, the café is aiming for relatively healthful, balanced meals, and if you’re into bodybuilding, it’s a place to dine with other like-minded iron pumpers.

Dexter Jackson is now the 12th man to ever hold the Mr. Olympia title. To watch the webcast replays and look at the Olympia highlights click here http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2008_olympia_replay.htm

Harvard Medical School backs up what we’ve been saying for years: The bodybuilding lifestyle helps you live longer, stronger and healthier Staying at the forefront of fitness and nutrition science has always been Joe Weider’s aim. Read more »

Healthnotes Newswire (October 2, 2008)—Most of us have heard about the importance of staying physically fit to optimize health and prevent disease. Now research suggests that building muscles may be equally important. A new study found that higher levels of muscular strength are associated with a decreased risk of death from all causes and from cancer in men. Read more »

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 2 (Bernama) — Four-time Mr Universe Sazali Abd Samad is back in the gymnasium for intensive training in preparation for the upcoming Mr Universe bodybuilding championship in Manama, Bahrain from Nov 2-7.

Sazali, 41, competing in the 70kg category for the second time, is allocating four to five hours of training a day to get back to ideal shape and weight of between 67 and 68kg. Read more »

Boise, ID (PRWEB) September 29, 2008 — Bodybuilding.com, the world leader in sports nutrition, announced the 4th Annual 2008 Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards winners live at The Olympia in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday. The Bodybuilding.com Supplement Awards are the industry standard for recognition of the best products and brands in the fitness and supplement industry. Read more »

The Benton County Coroner says an autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday, September 23rd.

Peerless Pearson. That’s how he’s described in an article on the October issue of FLEX Magazine. Unique, incomparable and with a body defined as perfection. Read more »

Melissa Prichard’s sport isn’t one that attracts a lot of women.

But that hasn’t kept her from pursuing her latest pastime — bodybuilding. The Fond du Lac woman took up the strenuous hobby in January and began competing this summer. She won the heavyweight category and was named runner-up overall at the State Fair’s bodybuilding competition in August. Read more »

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. — A surveillance camera at a workout club recently caught some mysterious images when no one was inside the building.

Like the name implies, Anytime Fitness is open around the clock. The idea is that people can work in a workout at their convenience.

KMBC’s Bev Chapman reported that the fitness club looks like any other new, well-equipped place until you look at the surveillance video. More…

Dennis Wolf signs with Muscular Development. This was the first magazine I bought when I got into Bodybuilding 3 years ago. They have some if not the best articles in the industry. Check out this link there are some great photos of Dennis Wolf and Markus Ruhl!

Link

It looks like the world of entertainment and digital rights isn’t the only group fed up with Chinese piracy. Supplement makers are also reconsidering the risk of entering a market that has no controls and more importantly no integrity when it comes to rights infringement. To be fair the Chinese government has cracked down of piracy in an effort to save face because of the pressures the west has applied in light of the Olympic Games. However, it’s interesting to consider all of the other industries who will shun this vast market due to the risk and danger associated with a nation and people who do not respect the rights of others.

Ultimately they will only hurt themselves because
without the enforcement of rights protection they will not share in the
quality and diversity it affords. Who wants a market flooded with cheap
knock-offs and fakes. If they would demand the real thing in their
culture, they might end up the better for it….

Here is an interesting article about a supplement manufacturer that is staying out of the biz in China….. Link

To this day, the number one request of my female clients engaged in lifting weights is, “I want Linda Hamilton arms!”

Why are shoulders one of the most neglected body parts? Women spend hours in the gym crunching to obtain developed abdominal muscles and lunging for tight buns and shapely legs. Men, on the other hand focus on the chest or bicep muscles. As a result, most people don’t consciously think about shoulders and the importance of developing this very noticeable muscle group. Yet people want to look their best, so often this lagging body part is covered by suit coats or dresses stuffed with shoulder pads. Or at least they should be! Baby boomers, few things will detract more from an overall physique impression than weak shoulders and sagging triceps for all too see. Just as lines add years to a face, the shape and slope of shoulders when undeveloped can add years to a physique. Think about it. Can’t you often tell someone is an older person from a great distance just by the contour of the shoulders? You can look like you’re in shape with sculpted shoulders even if your lower body carries more fat than it should!

In spite of focusing on other body parts such as chest and biceps, wide shoulders and a narrow waist are considered attractive. Although wide shoulders are the result of the length of the bones of your shoulders (bio-acromial width), well-developed deltoids can give the appearance of wider shoulders, a narrow waist, smaller hips, as well as make your arms look more developed with the creation of the “V” silhouette. In other words, shoulders are important in creating an overall symmetrical physique that is pleasing to the eye. For boomers, developed deltoids create an image of youth, vitality and sexiness.

Shoulders are indeed an interesting muscle in that they not only look good, but are quite functional in ever day life, as well. We use them throughout the day, from stretching upon awakening in the morning, to lifting laundry and carrying groceries to pulling the covers over our heads prior to sleep. Strong and developed shoulders will also help prevent injuries when engaged in sports, whether playing tennis, golf, swimming or skiing. Full Article…

If you want the most up to the minute news, information and gossip from the bodybuilding world. Subscribe to our blog on the left. Whenever there is a new story you will receive a brief summary in your inbox. Just submit your email address on the left and you will be added to our list, it’s that easy!

Learning the various stages of the deadlift is the key to maximizing poundages and avoiding injury Still looking for that elusive “magical” exercise? You know, the one move that holds the key to building maximum muscle? As a beginner you probably spent time scouring muscle magazines and querying longtime gym rats, only to find a tremendous difference of opinion as to what works best.

But if you were to ask champion bodybuilders and the world’s top strength
coaches, they’d agree that the deadlift is, in fact, among the top exercises you
can do to pack on size. In terms of adding quality mass, it’s the one move you
can’t afford not to do.

Texas pro Johnnie Jackson, winner of the 2006 Montreal Pro Classic and 2007
Atlantic City Pro and considered one of the sport’s strongest men, credits the
deadlift as the definitive key to his densely muscled physique.

“I gained the bulk of my size when I trained like a powerlifter,” says
Johnnie, who deadlifted more than 770 pounds before he became a pro bodybuilder.
“I developed so much thickness in my back, legs, and even my chest and shoulders
through deadlifting. It’s a total-body exercise.

Here are the 12 steps to getting it right.

1 INHALE
Take a deep breath and hold it as you start the pull off
the floor. This increases torso stability by bracing the spine and helps
generate greater strength of the muscles involved when you’re lifting heavy.

2 BAR NONE
Keep the bar close to your body (actually touching)
throughout the range of motion. “You never want the bar to be off your body,”
IFBB pro Johnnie Jackson says. Continue reading full article…

Lose Fat With IFBB Figure Pro Pauline Nordin Everyone knows what to do to lose fat, right? Then how come so few reach their goals and achieve that lean look if it’s so damn easy to get ripped? I could tell you the very same things as everybody else does, but I definitely won’t. It’s not only about the perfect diet plan and the right amount of exercise, the best supplements and so on; the most important part of a fat-loss strategy is your mental approach to it.

• You do at least 6 cardio workouts of 40-60 minutes per week, preferably pre-breakfast.
  
  
  
• You eat 5-8 small meals per day, emphasizing proteins, healthy fats and vegetables.
  
  
  
• You don’t skip on the carbs post-workout.   Continue reading full article…