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398. WHEY IS WAY BETTER
There are three primary types of protein supplements, soy, milk and egg, and whey. Soy is derived from plant sources and is an incomplete protein. This means it doens't contain the full compliment of amino acids. Milk and egg protein is complete but you'll need a blender to miss it. Whey is derived from milk and is the purist form of protein. You can mix it with a spoon and it doen't cause the digestive problems that often accompany milk and egg proteins. Besides being the best source of protein for building muscle, whey protein helps boost the immunity system.
399. BEWARE OF SOY PROTEIN
Soy protein has made a comeback in recent years because of some studies that suggest it can lower the rish if certain cancers. Unfortunately soy can also elevate estrogen levels. This is not a problem for females, but for a hard-training male bodybuilder, elevated levels of a female hormone is not a desirable quality. Given that soy protein mixes poorly and has been known to cause gas, we suggest you avoid soy protein.
400. USE AMIND ACID SUPPLEMENTS WITH CAUTION
As refinement techniques improved, it wasn't long before the individual amino asicds that make up protein became available. Such amino acids as arginine, lysine, glutamine, and histidine are touted to do everything from increasing growth hormone levels to speeding up protein synthesis. A few words of caution are needed. First, scientists don't know the full effects of taking high concentrations of one or more amino acids. Second, no one knows in what proportions amino acids should be consumed. Finally, amino acid supplements are much more expensive than protein supplements.
401. FRUIT FLAVOR
Despite the advances in supplement production, many people still find them rather bland in taste. One way to flavor things up is to add fruit. Place your powder and mixing mediium (milk, juice, yogurt or water) in a blender and then throw in a banana or handful of strawberries. A few seconds later you have a great-tasting protein drink fortified with extra vitamins and minerals.
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402. FAT FOR FAT LOSS
It may seem contradictory but one of the best supplements for losing body fat is medium chain triglycerides or MCTs. MCTs work by speeding up the metabolism, causing bodyfat to be consumed faster. Many biochemists say MCTs are oils that act like carbohydrates. It seems one of the byproducts of MCTs are ketones, which the body can use as an energy source. Start off by taking half a tablespoon per meal for the first week and then slowly increase the dosage to 1 to 2 tablespoons.
403. CREATINE - BODYBUILDING'S NUMBER ONE SUPPLEMENT
Creatine first broke onto the bodybuilding scene in the early '90s and has quickly leaped to the top of the supplement charts. Creatine increases muscle power by serving as a short-term energy source. When adenosine triphosphate, ATP, breaks down into adenosine diphosphate, ADP, and a single phosphate group, creatine can regenerate ATP by donating a high-energy phosphate group. The result is more energy available for contracting muscles. Start by taking 15 to 20 grams of creatine per day for 5 to 7 days, and then cut back to 3 to 5 grams per day.
404. INSULIN RELEASE FOR MAXIMIZING CREATINE ADSORPTION
Besides transporting glucose (sugar) out of the bloodstream, insulin also shuttles other substances, one of which is creatine. To maximize absorption, take your creatine supplement with a high-carbohydrate drink like grape juice. The sugar in the juice will cause the body to release insulin, which will speed the transport of creatine out of the bloodstream and into the muscle.
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405. POWDER VERSUS LIQUID
As the first-generation creatine supplements came in powdered form and had to be mixed, a few enterprising supplement manufacturers jumped the gun and started marketing creatine in liquid form. There are a few problems with this. For starters creatine is not stable in liquid form. Also, despite claims to the contrary, no one is sure how effective these liquid creatine supplements are. Another factor is price. It costs more money to manufacture liquid creatine and this extra production cost gets passed on to you, the customer. Our advice is to stick with tried-and-true powdered creatine.
406. TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT
Creatine is one of those supplements that seems to be dependent on the temperature of the mixing medium. If the liquid is too hot you may destory some of the creatine. Conversely, cold liquid prevents proper mixing. For best dissolving results, try using lukewarm liquid. Granted warm juice is not that appealing, but you'll have the satisfaction of knowing you've maximized your creatine absorption.
407. CREATINE AND CAFFEINE - KEEP THEM SEPARATE?
A number of recent studies suggest that high doses of caffeine may interfere with creatine absorption. Taking creatine with one cup of coffee is probably no big deal but if you like to pop a couple of caffeine tablets (or a couple of cups of coffee) before a workout, it probably makes sense to take your creatine a few hours later.
408. DON'T MEGADOSE ON SUPPLEMENTS
Because they are relatively cheap and promoted to cure just about every disease outthere, many people take mega doses of supplements. This is not advised. Some vitamins and minerals are toxic in high doses. Likewise large amounts of creatine and protein may cause diarrhea and other digestive problems.
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16. HOW MANY SETS
As with the number of reps in a set, there is no magic number of sets to perform in a workout. In time most bodybuilders discover what works best for them. Perform too many and you run the risk of overtraining and burnout. Perform too few and you won't adequately stimulate the muscles. Our advice is to start off by performing 6 to 9 sets total for bigger muscles like chest, back and legs, and 4 to 6 sets for smaller muscles like biceps and triceps.
is this talking about 6-9 sets for a single workout session? Im only doing 3 sets of 10, 8, 6 reps... is that too little?
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its not too little, but you should play with that number and see how your body responds. In theory after your workout - which ever day it is - you should be completely empty! If you have enough energy to clean your apartment, bang the woman and other crap - perhaps add a set or two
:)
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409. GLUTAMINE - THE MUSCLE-BUILDING IMMUNITY BOOSTER
Glutamine is an amino acid that falls into the "conditionally essential" category. This means the body can manufacture it from other amino acids, but at certain times demand exceeds the body's rate of synthesis. Glutamine is taken by bodybuilders because it keeps the body in positive nitrogen balance - the necesssary environment needed to turn protein into muscle tissue. In times of stress glutamine levels may drop to the point that negative nitrogen balance occurs. The end result is a bodybuilder's worst nightmare - muscle wasting. Besides promoting muscle growth, glutamine increases production of glutathione, one of the precursors of antibodies and lymphocytes - the immune system's two primary germ-fighting cells. Although the scientific literature is lacking with regards to dosage, the anecdotal evidence suggests 5 to 10 grams per day works best.
410. MEAL REPLACEMENT POWDERS
Meal replacement powders (MRPs) are an excellent way to obtain heealthy nutrients quickly and easily. While they won't replace a regular meal of food, they have the advantages of being lower in calories and easy to prepare. If you're stuck for time or trying to cut back on calories, try to make one of your meals an MRP.
411. EPHEDRINE FOR FAT LOSS AND STIMULATION
Ephedrine is one of the few over-the-counter supplements that does exactly what it claims - it promotes fat loss and increases short-term energy. Ephedrine is an example of what's called a thermogenic drug. This means it promotes fat loss by elevating body temperature. Ephedrine also provides energy because it is a sympathetic nervous system stimulant. Despite the bad press it has garnered over recent years, ephedrine is relatively safe provided you don't have a history of heart problems and you don't take megadoses. Make sure you follow the directions on the bottle. Needless to say, use it only where it is legal to do so. Never exceed recommended doses.
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412. THE ECA STACK
The name ECA is derived from the first initials of the words ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin. Bodybuilders discovered that ephedrine's stimulant and fat-burning effects are magnified if combined with caffeine and aspirin. If you decide to experiment, the proportions are 25 mg ephedrine, 200 mg caffeine (about one cup of coffee) and one aspirin. Caffeine is also a stimulant, so those with a history of heart problems should avoid both ephedrine and high doses of caffeine. Always follow the directions on the bottle when taking supplements.
413. AN ASPIRIN A DAY?
If you have a history of eart disease in your family, check with your doctor about the possibility of taking an aspirin a day. Aspirin is commonly called a "blood thinner." It has reportedly been scientifically shown to reduce the build up of plaque on arterial walls.
414. FORGET THE APPLE - TRY ZINC!
An apple a day may keep the doctor away but zinc may cure your cold. Studies have shown that those people who take lozenges containing zinc had a significant reduction in their cold symptoms. For best results try dissolving one zinc-containing lozenge every two hours.
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415. HYDROXYCITRIC ACID - HCA - A SAFE ALTERNATIVE FOR FAT LOSS
For those who don't like the stimulant properties of ephedrine, HCA may be the answer. HCA is a substance obtained from the rinds of the Garcinia fruit of Asia. HCA's primary role in athletics is to promote fat loss by decreasing fat storage. It does this by interfering with the enzyme (citate lyase) that converts excess carbohydrate into fat. The less new fat stored, the more old stored fat will be burned during exercise.
416. MORE FAT LOSS WITH CLA - CONJUGATED LINOLEIC ACID
Like MCT oils, CLA promtoes the loss of stored body fat. The exact mechanism is unknown but it is believed that CLA tricks the body into "thinking" it has more fat than it needs and so is less likely to hold onto fat stores. In addition, many biochemists believe that CLA may indirectly promote fat burning by increasing lean muscle mass. The more lean muscle mass carried by the body the higher the person's metabolism (one of the primary reasons women are encouraged to train with weights). To get the 2 to 4 grams of CLA recommended by biochemists, supplement your diet with flax and fish oils.
417. TRIBULUS TERRESTRIS - THE SAFE WAY TO BOOST TESTOSTERONE?
Sooner or later many readers will toss around the idea of taking anabolic steroids or other testosterone derivates. We recommend against this. Not only are there health risks, but steroids are now illegal in most states. Before jumping on the pharmacological bandwagon, give tribulus terrestris a try. Tribulus is an herb that is believed to increase testosterone levels bystimulating the pituitary gland to release leutinizing hormone (LH), LH is turn stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. The recommended daily dose of tribulus is 500 to 750 mg.
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418. ANDROSTENEDIONE - NOT ALL IT'S CRACKED UP TO BE
Androstenedione, or "andro," was introduced to the masses by baseball slugger Mark McGwire. When a snooping reporter spotted it in McGwire's locker, the genie was out of the bottle so to speak. Soon supplement stores couldn't keep andro in stock. This was ironic, as andro was on its way out in bodybuilding circles. Biochemically andro is a precursor to the male hormone testosterone, so in theory it should help build muscle. Unfortunately only a small smount of andro (5 to 10 percent) actually gets converted to testosterone. Another consideration is that testosterone is only one of the end products of andro. It also converts to the female hormone estrogen. Finally, most anecdotal evidence suggests andro does little to improve muscular strength or size. It may be an idea to give andro a pass.
419. PROHORMONES - ARE THEY WORTH IT?
For those of you engaged in drug-tested sports, we caution against using prohormones. As the name suggests, prohormones are compounds that serve as precursors for the manufacture of hormones. Bodybuilders and other athletes take them in the hope they can boost their natural levels of testosterone and other muscle-building compounds. In some cases prohormones will provide a boost. However, as most anabolic compounds are banned by sports' federations, you run the risk of testing positive even though you never took the substance directly. This is especially true for the prohormones that convert to nanrolone. Before experimenting with prohormones, check to see what your sport's governing body has to say.
420. INSULIN MIMICKERS - NOT JUST FOR DIABETICS
As soon as medical science makes a discovery that has performance-boosting implications, athletes immediately update their shopping lists. Insulin mimickers are substances that either increase the sensitivity of insulin or act like the hormone. Insulin not only transports sugar through the bloodstream but also such subtances as creatine and amino acids. In this respect insulin can be considered an anabolic hormone. The most popular insulin mimickers are vanadyl sulfate, chromium picolinate, alpha-lipoic acid, and Momordica charantia (also known as bitter melon). As all fairly cheap, relatively safe, and anecdotally reported to have some merits, we sugest taking one or more iwth your protein or creatine supplements.
421. THE JAVA BOOST
The next time you hit the gym, take a close look at people as they come through the door. Odds are at least 25 pecent of them will have a cup of coffee in hand. Coffee is one of the cheapest and most effective performance-enhancing drugs. Being a mild stimulant, coffee (actually the caffeine it contains) will give you that extra boost needed to get you through another grueling workout.
422. POST-WORKOUT DRINK
To help rebuild muscle, boos tyour immunity system, and recharge your engery reserves, try blending 25 to 30 grams of whey protein, 5 grams of creatine, 5 grams of glutamine, and a handful of fresh strawberries into a super post-workout drink.
423. GLUCOSAMINE FOR JOINT HEALTH
One of the few disadvantages to regular weight trainng is that it may play havoc on the joints over time. Veterinarians regulary prescribe glucosame to animals to help treat and ward off arthritis and other joint problems. If you plan on lifting some serous iron for decades to come, try taking a glucosamine supplement.
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424. A CHANGE OF HEART
Although once frowned upon, it's now generally accepted that cardio training is beneficial for bodybuilders. Not only does cardio speed up fat loss, it does a better job stimulating the heart and lungs than weight training does. A cardiovascular system that's in great shape will not only contribute to your long-term health, it will give you more stamina while weight training. Finally, a healthy cardiovascular system is more efficient at removing the wast products of exercise, including lastic acid, than a slow and sluggish system.
425. FAINT OR DIZZY - LISTEN TO YOUR BODY
If at any time you feel faint or dizzy, immediately stop what you are doing and sit down. Don't try to "work through" the dizziness, hoping it will go away. Lightheadedness is one of the body's first warning signs that there is not enough blood circulation to your head and you are about to faint. As soon as you sit down, tilt your dead slightly forward to increase the bloodflow to the brain. If you really don't feel well, immediately notify the closest staff member.
426. CARDIO VARIETY
Although it's probably not as important with cardio as it is with weight training, it's a good idea to change around your cardio exercises every now and then. If you normally use a treadmill, try switching to a crosstrainer. Likewise if the cycle is your cardio mainstay, see what a rowing workout feels like. The body adapts fairly quickly and you'll be surprised how challenging your cardio workout will be after switching to an unfamilar machine.
427. TARGET HEART RATE
To get the most out of your cardio workouts, strive to elevate your heart rate to what's called the "target heart rate zone." To calculate your target heart rate, subtract your age from 220. The lower end of the zone for your target heart rate will be 60 percent of this number, while 80 percent will give you your upper level. For a 20 year old the math would be 220-20= 200. Lower zone is .6 x 200= 120. Upper zone is .8 x 200 = 160. For this person the target heart rate zone would be 120 to 160 beats per minute.
