by Rickie H!

Latissimus Dorsi Side

The lats, I know you’ve heard of them whether it be from the lat towers, wide backed bodybuilders, football stars or anyone who needs to be wide. The Latissimus Dorsi aka “lats” are the single headed, outer most muscle of the back right below and behind the armpit. It is responsible for the bulk of the width of the upper back and adduction of the shoulder, shoulder extension, scapula depression and scapular rotation.

Lats are important not only for sheer width but also for good back and shoulder strength. To train the lats you should do the following exercises: Deadlift, T-bar row, Bent over row, Chin/Pull ups, Lat pull downs, and pullovers. They play a great part in your pulling force and anything you have to pull downward from overhead. It is also very difficult to train lats without interaction from the biceps brachii and typically include deltoid work as well.

Latissimus Dorsi

The lats have variables form person to person. Lats attach to the vertebra but the amount varies from person to person, some people only have 4 vertebrae with the lats attached to them while others can have as much as 8. Size also obviously varies but maybe more than just thickness. Some fibers in the Latissimus Dorsi are as short as 6 centimeters while others are as lengthy as 10 centimeters and once again it varies from person to person. Some fibers may slip and attach to other muscles such as the triceps brachii, this is especially common is apes.

I’m betting there is a procedure involving the lats you didn’t know could save your heart. If your heart isn’t producing enough output and you can’t do a heart transplant then you can have a surgery called cardiomyoplasty. This is a procedure involving the lat muscles being stretched over the heart and being electronically stimulated in sync with the hearts beat, strengthening it.

The lats are a very important muscle indeed. Constituting a large part of the back and an even larger proportion of your pulling force it’s quite obvious you’re going to need them for everyday use so get out there and hit those lats!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latissimus_dorsi_muscle

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/LatissimusDorsi.html

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/latissimus

http://www.getbodysmart.com/ap/muscularsystem/armmuscles/posteriormuscles/latissimus/tutorial.html

by Rickie H!!!

protein

I’ve often wondered about the myths of “protein poisoning”. I’m sure most of you guys have wondered about it too but after some research I have most if not all the answers we have been lusting for.

First off, protein poisoning is real. It’s real and it’s potentially fatal in extreme cases. On the other hand the positives are that it is curable and is very easily avoided as well as hard to actually fall victim to. Protein poisoning happens when an individual eats excess amounts of animal proteins but doesn’t eat enough fats or carbs to balance them out. It is often referred to as “Rabbit Starvation” due to the fact of rabbit being so lean to the point you’d definitely get protein poisoning by eating nothing but rabbit. In the medical field it is referred to as proteinosis.

When you eat all the animal proteins you can you make your blood turns alkali to a slight extent. Apart from the blood the lack of fats prohibit your liver and kidneys from processing the amino acids (proteins) which can result in excess build up. This build up can cause nausea, diarrhea, heartburn, weakness/fatigue, low blood pressure, and headaches. The -MOST EXTREME- cases can cause tumor growth, organ failure, extreme muscular dystrophy, and death. The odds of getting one of these extreme symptoms are extraordinarily slim to none, unless you are stuck in the magical woods of rabbits and leaves only the thought shouldn’t even cross your mind.

fish

As stated it’s very easy to avoid and treat this condition. The extreme ratio of protein to carbs + fats is hard to achieve. You need to eat around 7 times as much protein as carbs and fats combined, like I said…hard. If you do however gets protein poisoning a simple change in diet which adds more fats, carbs, and nutrients will have you back to normal in a few days to a few weeks. Please note protein IS NOT BAD, the bad guy here is the 1 sided diet. Diets are meant to be triangles with fats, carbs, and proteins but when you make it 1 or 2 sides you are asking for trouble. You can eat as much protein as you want as long as you balance it out with proper nutrition.

Remember next time you go on that diet for a 6-pac that diets are meant to be triangles. Don’t  eliminate fats or carbs; they’re good for you in moderation!

bean protein

http://www.paleosnow.com/protein-poinsoning/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbit_starvation

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/the-dangers-of-a-high-protein-diet/introduction.html

http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/the-dangers-of-a-high-protein-diet/introduction.html

Article by Rickie H.

glucose molecule

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for all life. No matter if it’s a human consuming over 300 grams of carbs daily or plants making their own carbs from the sunlight carbs are everywhere! The carbs we consume and the carbs plants make are not usually the same carbs however due to the fact of two types of carbs existing. In this article we will explore the differences in complex and simple carbohydrates.

First off simple carbs. Simple carbs are quick burning spurts of energy, this is because simple carbs are almost always sugars. This doesn’t mean that simple carbs are bad however. There are two main groups of simple carbs, good sugars and bad sugars. The best kinds of simple carbs are natural and unprocessed such as bananas, apples, pears, grapefruits, etc. Simple carbs are great for you and are often used by people trying to loose weight because they offer a low calorie energy boost. On the flip side bad sugars are fake and added to foods for flavor. Bad sugars include fudge, cake, candy, pop, etc. Bad sugars are usually the last thing you should eat, especially when dieting. Most of your bad sugars are calorie packed and have little to no micronutrient value.

Complex carbohydrates are a whole new category. While they are still technically a sugar, they are very different type…starches. Starches are slower digesting and hence slower burning carbs. They provide a continuous energy source over a long run. They won’t have you hyped up and jittery like simple sugars but rather keep you up and at ‘em for possibly hours at a time. We all know pasta has a reputation for being carb packed, and complex carbs are the carb its packed with. Pasta is a very rich source of complex carbs but they may also be found in rice, bread, cereal, and oatmeal. Most of these foods contain a few nutrients, most complex carbs contain more nutrients than any simple carb. Most of your carbs should be complex and considering about 50-60% of your diet should consist of carbs you should have a lot of complex carbs in the diet.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-simple-carbohydrates.htm

http://www.howtothinkthin.com/instincts2.htm

http://www.weightlossforall.com/carbohydrates.htm

http://diabetes.about.com/od/carbohydratefaq/f/typesofcarbs.htm

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/dietandfitness/nutrition/carbs/qas/0,,249_156580,00.html

Salt

Let’s face it, most of us like salt. It’s a necessary mineral to sustain life but when used in excess like today’s world salt can cause major harm to the body. Why do we need it however? What causes it to harm us?

Salt in today’s world comes in 3 forms; refined, unrefined, and iodized. All 3 are edible and can be beneficial or dangerous, some are however better than others. Society today uses salt in a variety of manners ranging from paper production to food preservation.

Refined salt is the most widely used type and is mostly sodium chloride. It is readily available to us in the form of table salt. When consumed in moderation it acts as an electrolyte. Moderation is about 2.4g( ½ a teaspoon) of sodium which is about 5g(1 teaspoon) of salt a day for the average healthy individual. Salt is important for water retention, retaining PH balance, stimulating glands, and is important for the nerves and muscular contraction. Should you somehow not consume enough sodium deficiency symptoms include decreased blood pressure, weakness, apathy, nausea, and major cramps. On the flip side when you eat too much sodium be prepared for high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, excess water weight, and reduced taste sensitivity.

Another type of salt we get our sodium from is unrefined salt. Unrefined is basically a fancy word for unprocessed, thus unrefined salts are somewhat healthier. Unrefined salts are sea salts and are used for flavoring, bath salts, cosmetics, and smelling salts. Unrefined salts are more bitter than normal salts.

The third type of salt is iodized salt. Refined and unrefined salts alone do not have enough iodine to sustain life. Iodized salt is just what the name suggests. Iodine is necessary for proper brain function as iodine deficiency is the number one cause of mental retardation. Be aware however iodized salt loses its iodine over time due to evaporation and oxidation.

Salt substitutes are available today in many places. The most popular is potassium chloride. It is similar in taste to table salt without the sodium content. Potassium chloride is not a safe substitute, hyperkalemia may result from excess potassium and those who have kidney or heart problems shouldn’t use salt substitutes at all.

Salt is a required nutrient and in some cases a necessary evil. The biggest thing is no matter how you get your salt remember moderation and opt for the iodized salt. It may be only one nutrient but for the same price why not?

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_iodised_salt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt#Salty_condiments

http://www.ehow.com/about_4622347_negative-effects-sodium.html

http://health.rutgers.edu/factsheets/sodium.htm

http://www.anyvitamins.com/sodium-info.htm

http://www.healthvitaminsguide.com/minerals/sodium.htm

Franco Columbu Chalking up

Franco Columbu is one of the most accomplished men of the 20th century. He is a/an avid bodybuilder, great artist, successful actor, licensed chiropractor, expert nutritionist, licensed in sports medicine personnel, a kinesiology agent, and so much more. A lot of his success is owed to his raging work ethic and undoubtable determination.

From his fairly humble birth in Ollolia, Italy he grew up and started his athletic career as a boxer in Italy. He soon rose to become the amateur boxing champion of his regional boxing club. He continued to box for a while but soon realized this wasn’t what he wanted.

Franco Columbu Deadlifting

After a short and dominating boxing career, Franco went to power-lifting. Franco had huge success in this field thanks to his major self motivation. He trained day in and out. He managed to become the strongest lifter in Germany, Italy, and eventually Europe. He claimed some world records for the time with a max bench press of 525 lbs, a max squat of 665 lbs, and a max dead lift of 750 lbs. These records have since been broken but they’re still not bad for a guy who is only five foot five and a hundred and eighty pounds!He continued to power lift for a good deal of time but in mid sixties turned to bodybuilding. He kept a good mind in power lifting regardless and kept his strength higher than most of the other bodybuilders who simply went for looks. This is proven that
in seventy-seven he competed in the world’s strongest man competition and placed fifth due to him not completing the competition. He tore a muscle in his leg while doing the refrigerator carrying event, otherwise he would’ve no doubt placed first.

Franco Columbu Abs

^{After his illustrious power lifting era he began to bodybuild. He was driven to
have the best physique on Earth. He had a great start from his power lifting career. He was already in great shape and only had to do minor changes in his training and diet to
accompany fat loss with the muscle gain. He also garnered as much major success as a bodybuilder as he did with everything else he did earning many awards such as Mr. World, Mr. Universe, Mr. Europe, and Mr. Olympia to name a few.}

^{As you can imagine after this massive success people were always wondering how Franco worked out, what his diet was, his personal training preferences and things of those categories. This inspired a series of books Franco would write on training and proper nutrition for mass building over the next several years.}

^{In the early to middle seventies Franco wrote several pamphlets and articles for several gyms, major magazines, and in health clinics. The articles were huge successes especially coming from such an accomplished man. Soon the public craved more and Franco obliged in the form of books.}

Franco Columbu at Muscle Beach in Venice California

In nineteen seventy-seven Franco wrote his first book entitled “Winning Bodybuilding”, within it he releases secrets to a monster physique which at the time had never before been exposed. The book sold well, men who thought their physique was inadequate bought the book like it was a necessary utility.

He continued to write about the topic he knew most about. A year after his first book he released a second book that was relatively similar but focused on the female audience. At this time it still wasn’t widely popular for women to train for strength but Franco aided the wave that would soon come. Franco’s book explained a lot of things females need to know when training such as their hormonal cycles interfering, certain lifts being dangerous for women, their bodily structure and more. Within a decade women were getting stronger and began to bodybuilding.

^{Apart from his female translation of muscle building he also did a teenager version. Franco saw great potential in the nation’s youth and knew that their age group could build swiftly with their enhanced metabolism and energy. In nineteen seventy-nine “Weight Training and Bodybuilding for Young Athletes” was released to the general public. It sold very well.}

^{We all know there are two parts to building muscle, diet & exercise. Franco knew this and took advantage of it by releasing “The Bodybuilding Nutrition Book”. As you can probably guess it dealt with what a diet should consist of, good meals and foods for anabolism, fat-carb-protein ratios, unique body types and their diet needs, and such. What if we don’t have time or facilities to exercise? Don’t fret Franco thought of that. He wrote “The Businessman’s Minutes a Day Guide to Shaping Up” in nineteen eighty-three. It showed strategic short and non demanding workouts that can tone those
coffee and doughnut ridden buns and thighs. Apart from being muscular and writing there was also an actor within Franco. To date he has starred in 20 major motion pictures the first being “Stay Hungry” in
seventy-six. The most notable films he has played in are probably, “Conan the Barbarian”, “The Running Man”, and “Ancient Warriors”. His newest film released in two thousand ten is “muscle Beach: Then and Now.Franco was also award winning. In two thousand nine he was granted “The Lifetime Achievement Award” by his long friend Arnold Schwarzenegger.}

Columbu posing with Viator

Franco has accomplished a lot in his life and his life isn’t over yet. We may get to See another film or book from him in the future. Although his strongman days are over he still works in California as a chiropractor, trainer, and nutritionist. At the ripe old age of 69 he is sill a productive member of society. This is why I chose Franco Columbu as my author of choice and why I massively respect this man.

I had initially tried the Fit Wrapz at our local Gold’s Gym and from the first bite I couldn’t get enough.  Here is a pretty quick interview with Shige Toyoguchi CEO AKA “Big Shug”.  To see the incarnation story check out Fit Wrapz

Fit Wrapz Burritos Logo

Shige Toyoguchi founder of Fit Wrapz

BBW : What’s your position with Fit Wrapz?
Big Shug : Founder and President

BBW : Why did you decide to introduce Fit Wrapz into the community?
Big Shug : I want to make a difference in the way our community eats.  I realized that I had a great positive impact on my personal training clients in educating them on how to eat properly.  I want to be able to share that positive educational influence with a larger audience.  Teach our community what they need to do to feed their bodies well.

BBW : What is so different about Fit Wrapz than any other wrap?
Big Shug : Straight and simple, company motto: COMPLETE, NUTRITIOUS, SAVORY.  I challenge you to find another wrap that has all three to offer.  There are plenty of wraps/burritos that taste damn good but sure aren’t nutritious.  There are plenty of wraps that are super delicious but are WAYYY to high in fat and protein/calories, etc. And are not nutritious.  There are also many wraps that are very nutritious but are analogous to an old fashion power bar.  Good for you but hard to swallow.  When I say complete, Fit Wrapz are engineered to meet or exceed American Dietetic Association standards on their macronutrient breakdown.  Each Fit Wrap has the proper amount of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, to keep you satisfied, energized, and smiling inside.

BBW : Does Fit Wrapz offer more than one flavor?

Production run at the University of Idaho cGMP Commercial Kitchen

Big Shug : Fit Wrapz comes in four signature varieties.  Famous Green Chili, Tangy Teriyaki, Southwest BBQ, and the NEW BreakFitz Breakfast wrap.  The Chili, Teriyaki, and BBQ wrapz are made with local fresh flour tortillas, antibiotic-free chicken breast meat, low fat part-skim mozzarella cheese, long grain brown rice and their respective hand mad marinades.  The marinades include ingredients like fresh diced onions, cilantro, minced garlic, and many spices!   BreakFitz contain Lean ground turkey, fresh diced red bell peppers, yellow onions, diced green chilies, egg whites, oil free hash browns, low fat part-skim mozzarella cheese, and a blend of Shige’s seven secret spices.

BBW : Where is Fit Wrapz located and produced?
Big Shug : I utilize the commercial kitchen at the University of Idaho Food Technology Center in Caldwell, Idaho located at 908 E Chicago St.  We are considered a manufacturer and wholesaler so we do not have a brick and mortar quick service restaurant yet.  Coming in the near future though.

BBW : What is the advantage for people to consume Fit Wrapz as opposed to another “Grab and Go” meal?
Big Shug : They are locally made, hand-made, they have been engineered to be a complete, nutritious, and savory meal.  They are designed to keep you satisfied while providing a high amount of complete protein, low in fat and sugars, and good amount of fiber.  In lieu of all of this they are delicious and super convenient!  It’s like getting a home cooked meal on the go!  Try driving while eating a home-made meal.

BBW : What has been the overall response to Fit Wrapz since you launched it?
Big Shug : The response has been excellent!  For the first couple of years I kept it very quiet because I knew I did not have the capacity to keep up with production out of my home.  Now that we are in a commercial facility and have begun to do some small marketing campaigns it is spreading virally and organically throughout the community.

BBW : How difficult was it to start Fit Wrapz?
Big Shug : I could go back to school and get a four year degree in how to do what I have figured out on my own over the past four years.  Starting a perishable, high risk, ready to eat food manufacturing business has been quite the rapid learning experience with MANY bumps.  Thank god my body is a 4-wheeler.

BBW : What challenges have you seen in running a health conscious food company?
Big Shug : Convincing people that they NEED to change the way they currently eat and justify spending the extra money for their CHILDREN too! I’ve had many clients who purchase Fit Wrapz for their selves but hide them from their kids and buy them corn dogs from Costco.  Very frustrating.

BBW : How have you been promoting Fit Wrapz sales?
Big Shug : Promotion via social media outlets (Facebook, twitter, YouTube). Word of mouth, business interviews, incentivized sales, E-store, wholesale distribution and POS marketing materials, co branding campaigns with Gold’s Gym and Tully’s Coffee.  Giveaways with shirts/sticker/etc.

BBW : What is the best selling Fit Wrapz flavor?
Big Shug : They all sell well.  Quantitatively speaking they are fairly balanced in total sales.  Famous Green Chili was top seller for years, Teriyaki caught up, now BBQ and BreakFitz are on top!

BBW : What are the advantages and disadvantages to consuming a Fit Wrapz product as opposed to another “wrap?”
Big Shug :The advantages are having a quick, convenient, and delicious meal in your hand while you drive, work, or play!  Fit Wrapz are balanced to meet ADA (American Dietetics Association) recommendations for Carbohydrates, protein, and fat balance.  They can be kept frozen for several months without losing any quality or taste.  They are portable nutrition devices.  They are the RIGHT amount of calories for meal consumption rather than the most amount of calories.  Fit Wrapz are made from scratch with the freshest ingredients including antibiotic-free chicken breast, fresh minced cilantro and onions, and handpicked spices.  The only disadvantage to eating a Fit Wrap is for people who do not want to treat their body well. These will make you smile…inside and out.

BBW : What makes Fit Wrapz work so well?
Big Shug : We are filling a very important void in society.  QUICK, HEALTHY, COMPLETE, YUMMY food that can be eaten on the go anywhere within minutes without sacrificing the home-made goodness of making wraps on your own!  Also knowing that they are engineered by a passionate, educated, tenured fitness professional with 7 years of Health Science college experience, 11 years of personal training and nutritional counseling, and someone who has a SERIOUS agenda for making a difference in changing the way AMERICA eats.  Fit Wrapz….changing the way we eat one wrap at a time.

To contact Big Shug at Fit Wrapz Click Here

Open up any bodybuilding magazine and you usually see pretty much the same articles recycled over and over,often offering little if anything new. Oh, sure, there are some decent articles every so often, but how often do you see an article on aspects like hormone manipulation, the importance of being in a positive nitrogen balance, or proper recovery? These are critical aspects to your bodybuilding success, yet you seldom see quality articles on these topics. This article will cover each of these important areas:
Positive Nitrogen Balance
There have been so many articles on protein, I’m not going to squeeze into an already crowded area with yet another article on that topic. What I want to focus on is nitrogen, it’s importance, a bit of history and tips to promote a positive nitrogen balance and how to stay in a stay in a state of positive nitrogen balance.
What is nitrogen and how does it apply to the bodybuilder? According to Tabors Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary, nitrogen is “one of the important elements in all proteins, nitrogen is essential for tissue building.” More important, perhaps, to bodybuilders is that nitrogen is a direct measurement of protein levels in the body.
For the most part, we are told to eat sufficient protein to maintain a positive nitrogen balance because your body is actually in an anabolic, or building up phase in this state, where a negative nitrogen balance, from lack of adequate protein, indicates a catabolic, or tearing down state. This is why protein ( and eating enough through out the day) is so important: lack of adequate protein, and your begins to break down tissue (read: muscle) to meet it’s daily protein needs. Our bodies constantly assemble, break down and use proteins (in the form of amino acids, the building blocks of protein), in fact there are literally thousands of different protein combinations used by the body, each one has a specific function determined by it’s combination ( or amino acid sequence).
I can think back to the 80′s and early 90′s, and the advice then was to take 3-4 amino acid tablets, and 3-4 liver tablets anywhere from once every hour to once every three hours. Back then, the recommended intake for bodybuilders was much less than what has currently been recommended ( 1 gram per 2.2 lbs. of body weight), so it’s harder now to meet protein needs because the current suggestion is 1 to 1.5 grams per lb. of body weight, at least. So protein timing/intake becomes critical. Besides taking in high quality protein from food (lean beef, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs),the best way to keep your protein intake at the proper levels are through the use of protein shakes. Whey protein remains number one, because of it’s high quality, but milk based proteins are making a comeback, largely because of their longer lasting effects in the body: whey is typically touted as a fast digesting protein, milk as a slow digesting protein. The other part of getting the most out of your protein intake and thereby maintaining a positive nitrogen balance is carb and fat intake, both are needed in reasonable amounts to insure protein synthesis.
Reasonable amounts of carbs are dependent on goals, for fat loss, stay closer to 80-100 grams a day. For mass, think about 2 grams per lb of body weight. As to fat, I’d stay under 50 grams a day.

Hormonal Manipulation
Hormones are anything that is produced by one organ, carried by the bloodstream to a second, or target, organ and that affects the second organ’s function. There are two major classes of hormones: protein hormones and steroid hormones.
Protein hormones are made up of long chains of amino acids and include the following hormones: insulin, glucagon, IGF, all pituitary hormones.
Steroid hormones are derived from cholesterol. They diffuse freely into all cells. However, their “target” cells contain cytoplasmic and/or nuclear proteins that serve as receptors of the hormone. Steroid hormones include testosterone and cortisol.
Hormone Regulation
The levels of hormones circulating in the blood are tightly controlled by three homeostatic mechanisms:
When one hormone stimulates the production of a second, the second suppresses the production of the first.
Example: The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulates the release of estrogens from the ovarian follicle. A high level of estrogen, in turn, suppresses the further production of FSH.
Antagonistic pairs of hormones.
Example: Insulin causes the level of blood sugar (glucose) to drop when it has risen. Glucagon causes it to rise when it has fallen.
Hormone secretion is increased (or decreased) by the same substance whose level is decreased (or increased) by the hormone.
Example: a rising level of Ca2+ in the blood suppresses the production of the parathyroid hormone (PTH). A low level of Ca2+ stimulates it.
Hormone Transport
Although a few hormones circulate simply dissolved in the blood, most are carried in the blood bound to plasma proteins. For example, all the steroid hormones, being highly hydrophobic, are transported bound to plasma proteins.

The main anabolic hormones in the body are:
Testosterone – This a steroid hormone isolated from the testes. It is produced by the interstitial cells of Leydig (simply, cells in the testes, named after Franz von Leydig, who discovered them). Testosterone performs the following actions in the body: accelerates growth in tissues upon which it acts and stimulates blood flow. It stimulates and promotes the growth of secondary sexual characteristics. It’s essential for normal growth of the male accessory sex organs, deepens the male voice, and promotes muscular development in men.
Growth hormone – Human growth hormone (also called somatotropin) is a protein of 191 amino acids. The GH-secreting cells are stimulated to synthesize and release GH by the intermittent arrival of growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) from the hypothalamus. GH promotes muscle growth and fat loss, it also promotes growth by binding to receptors on the surface of liver cells, this stimulates them to release insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; also known as somatomedin), this is a protein hormone similar in structure to insulin. It has anabolic effects: Its primary action is mediated by binding to specific IGF receptors present on many cell types in many tissues. The signal is transduced by intracellular events. The effect is the promotion of cell growth and multiplication.
Almost every cell in the human body is affected by IGF-1, especially cells in muscle, cartilage, bone, liver, kidney, nerves, skin, and lungs. In addition to the insulin-like effects, IGF-1 can also regulate cell growth and development, especially in nerve cells, as well as cellular DNA synthesis.
Insulin – A hormone secreted by the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans of the pancreas. What’s the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans? Paul Langerhans was a German pathologist in the 1800′s. Islets of Langerhans are clusters of cells in the pancreas, islet means they are detached from surrounding tissues like an island, or, characterized by a difference in structure. Going back to the islets of Langerhans, there are three types of cell clusters: alpha, beta and delta. The beta cells are in greatest abundance and produce insulin.
Insulin affects many organs. It stimulates skeletal muscle fibers to take up glucose and convert it into glycogen; take up amino acids from the blood and convert them into protein. It acts on liver cells stimulating them to take up glucose from the blood and convert it into glycogen while inhibiting production of the enzymes involved in breaking glycogen back down (“glycogenolysis”) and inhibiting “gluconeogenesis”; that is, the conversion of fats and proteins into glucose. It acts on fat (adipose) cells to stimulate the uptake of glucose and the synthesis of fat. It also acts on cells in the hypothalamus to reduce appetite.
In each case, insulin triggers these effects by binding to the insulin receptor — a transmembrane protein embedded in the plasma membrane of the responding cells.
How does all of this affect the bodybuilder? As many of you know, understanding hormones could take several books and is in fact a field of scientific study. But by having a basic understanding of the main anabolic hormones, realizing the impact they have on muscle growth and by naturally stimulating the production of these anabolic hormones, greater gains can be achieved. This is done by doing the following:
1. The body’s natural production of testosterone can be increased through hard work on the big, compound movements, such as the squat, deadlift and power clean . Also, the bigger the muscle, the more testosterone is released in response to the exercise. What’s bigger than the legs and back, which these exercises primarily target? These exercises should be the cornerstones of your routine. Think 5-6 sets of each, heavy weight, reps in the 6-10 range. Diet also affects this hormone. Eating a reasonable amount of carbs( no super low carb diet) and some cholesterol is important to maximize release. There are a number of supplements that increase testosterone, from basic herbal based products to the more hardcore pro-hormones. These will help maximize results, especially for the older bodybuilder whose natural levels have begun to decline.
2.Research shows that when GH is secreted along with testosterone, it magnifies the effect of the testosterone. Research also shows that there is a direct connection between the muscle burn of lactic acid buildup and GH release. What better way to get the burn than through some form of extended set techniques, like drop sets for example. Of course, there are numerous ways to extend a set, but the idea is to train to or past failure on at least some sets. For me, doing one heavy set, after warm ups, of say, squats, and then going right into a drop set, dropping the weight 3-4 times, until I can barely lift an empty bar, is the ultimate intensity set. Another good idea I like is the classic 20 rep squat routine, except I like to use a fairly heavy weight. Still another is to use rest pause, great for those without training partners. Similar to drop sets, this is a great way to extend a set. In fact, as far as hormonal manipulation is concerned, taking a basic exercise done with a heavy weight and a intensity technique like drop sets or rest pause sets offers the best of both worlds – testosterone release and GH release.
3.Insulin being a hormone primarily tied into blood glucose levels, can cause our body to store fat if you have constant spikes all day – that’s why watching your simple carb intake is a good idea as eating to many simple carbs in the absence of complex carbs and/or protein causes insulin surges. It also causes amino acids and creatine to be stored – this promotes protein synthesis. To get the anabolic actions with out the fat storage, you want to cause an insulin spike at two key times of the day – first thing in the morning when you first wake up and after your work out .
You do this by drinking a mixture of simple carbs and protein, about 40 grams protein to 40-60 grams carbs.
You want to get nutrients in the bloodstream as fast as possible after your workout and take advantage of the anabolic actions of insulin at the most critical time, this also starts the recovery and growth process. But in the morning, you are also at a critical time as far as nutrient needs are concerned because you have just come off a short fast while you slept and research shows this creates an anabolic window – take advantage of this by triggering an insulin spike. By keeping all your other meals high in protein and mixed with complex carbs, you can keep insulin spikes under control during the rest of the day.
One other key is to limit training time to 1 -11/2 hours, any longer and the body will release catabolic hormones, such as cortisol, that can have very destructive, for the bodybuilder, effects.

Recovery
Those that know my writing know that I have often talked about how important recovery is to the growth process. You don’t grow by training 6 or 7 days a week using Ronnie Coleman’s pre contest routine, you grow by using a routine compatible with your experience level and by taking enough time between workouts to recover and let growth take place. How much time? Typically, 5 days of rest before training the same body part again is a good rule of thumb, although for “chemically enhanced” bodybuilders, as little as 2 days may be all that’s required, since steroids dramatically enhance the body’s recovery ability. Along with this is the fact that individual recovery is based on individual circumstances – age, schedule – both personal and work, type of job, training experience. An older man with a heavy work schedule and/or personal schedule will not recover as fast as an 18 year old with a light schedule and lots of free time. One of the most misunderstood aspects of training is the fact that you grow in between workouts when you are recovering, not because of how many workouts you do. I’ve said that before, but it bears repeating. Read that sentence about five times because in the 25 years I’ve been in bodybuilding, I still see far to many people that do not understand the concept of recovery, who think the more you train the faster you grow. How recovered you are should determine when you should train. Different muscles recover at different rates than others, and any time you train two or more days in a row, you may be “resting” certain muscles while you train others but you are taxing your entire system, putting a drain on total recovery. There are two ways to tell if you have recovered – if the body part you last trained is still sore on your next scheduled training day for that body part, you have not recovered. Rest one more day or until that body part is no longer sore. If you are unusually tired in the morning on any scheduled training day, and you haven’t changed anything in your approach, you’re probably entering an over trained state – you aren’t allowing enough time for recovery. Take off a few days and you’ll come back to the gym refreshed with more energy to train. Learn to tailor your workouts to your recovery ability for maximum gains.
Questions are always welcome,email me at sb5660@windstream.net.

This is a light and low calorie berry blend. Under 300 calories, so it’s great for people who want the good nutrition and extra protein without all the calories.

1 small banana, cut up and frozen
1/4 cup raspberries
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup nonfat, sugar free vanilla yogurt
1 scoop BuyBulkWhey.com whey protein

Calories 263
fat 3 grams
carbs 34
protein 28

Part One

A crucial part of gaining muscle is having the equipment to do it. Granted you can do pushups and other exercises without and equipment, you just can’t work the entire body without the aid of a machine. Weight benches, power towers, squatting boxes…they can be complicated if you don’t know what your wanting to work and how much you want to spend.

Part 1-machines…

There are plenty of machine types ranging from specialty machines to entire home gyms but you will mainly encounter only three or four types.

Specialty machines are specially designed to do one single(sometimes two but usually no more) exercise but they dominate that 1,squatting racks for example are made for…well squatting and they do it well but if you wanted to work your Pecs for example a squatting rack wouldn’t do much good. These machines can use stacks or free weights.

Multipurpose machines usually consist of a bench with attachments such as a lat tower or leg curling attachment. They are made to do multiple exercises but since you get a gain in quantity you usually lose a bit of quality in these exercises. These machines can work a large group of muscles but it can still be a challenge to work the entire body on one of these machines. These machines usually use free weights or resistance bands but can use stacks.

Home gym systems are usually very bulky powerhouse machines but can integrate just about every exercise one can imagine. They usually consist of an octagon or hexagonal shape with the weights in the middle and each face having a machine of its own. These machines usually use stack weights and can sometimes use free weights

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weight_machine

http://www.americanfitness.net/

http://www.bigfitness.com/weightmachines.html

No matter what kind of machine you get you’ll need some sort of resistance. Resistance comes in many forms ranging from steel to big rubber bands. How to choose is up to you.

Free weights come in many materials and are very versatile as they aren’t anchored down and are easily adjustable weight wise. Some free weights are made of steel and come in many weight values ranging from three quarters of a pound to a hundred pounds or more but can cost a very pretty penny. Vinyl weights are very cheap and durable however they don’t come in very large sizes. Concrete weights are basically concrete with a plastic coating and are very cheap but the concrete tends to crack easily. Some free weights are even made from lead but these can be expensive and hard to find.

Resistance bands are basically big rubber bands that you have to use your strength to stretch. They usually don’t have a lot of adjustments and wear out over time but are the most versatile resistance you can have while in their prime and are usually moderate in price.

Weight stacks are a group of weights stacked on a pole and rigged to a pulley. These can be adjusted to lift more or less weight very quick by moving an elongated bolt up and down. These sorts of weights don’t really have a lot of room for movement so your excursuses are limited to whatever the pulley is rigged to and these can cost a decent bit of money but it’s hard to lose something like this but please note the pulleys can break.

http://exercise.about.com/cs/exerciseworkouts/a/resistance.htm

www.nextag.com/weight-stack/stores-html

http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~ricerec/fitness/rice_fitness_center/free_machine.html