Muscle Made Easy: The 3 Proven Keys to Maximising Your Gains

Building muscle is not rocket science. Supplement websites and bodybuilding magazines like to imply that the key to your goals is to take the latest cold-process, micronized "special-blend" protein or "skin-tearing pump-inducing" pre-workout; however, the truth is much simpler. Unless you are an Olympic athlete or competitive bodybuilder, looking for that extra 3%, there is no substitute for the 'true' method to building outrageous muscle - hard work.

Let's consider, for a second, the following statues of Laocoon, housed in the Vatican museum (left), and the Farnese Hercules (right):

These sculptures were carved, based on real models centuries before the invention of creatine, WPI or anabolic steroids. This suggests that we have always known how to build our bodies and achieve our true genetic potential.

The secret hasn't been lost, it's just been slightly misplaced as we've become increasingly impatient to achieve results - shoved underneath a large pile of shiny new supplements and training techniques that promise slabs of muscle in weeks.

However, I feel it's time to dust off the classic techniques that worked for our fore-fathers of physical culture and put them to good use. In fact, if I could step into a time machine and pass anything back to my younger self with regards to training / diet / supplementation, it wouldn't be a bottle of Jack3d or Muscle-Milk, it would be a training template that consisted of compound movements, combined with a clean, diet comprising of 35% PRO, 45% CHO, and 20% FAT (which is right for my body-type) and the advice that I should stop having so many late nights out, and make sure I get regular and sustained 8 hours of sleep!

That's right folks, you read it here first - the secret to building large amounts of muscle, fast is to stick to the basics:

• Training: Don't be the guy that does 3 types of bench press, 2 types of flys and 'finishes' off his chest-day with a few dozen pushups for a good pump. You can get great results in the gym by adhering to the 'less is more' rule. Try a 1 day-on, 2-days off regimen, which will see you hit the iron 3 times a week. Choose compound exercises and remember, stimulate DON'T annihilate your muscle. Also - I have often found that a 5 sets, 5 reps model works best as it allows you to go heavy enough to see some strong gains in size and strength.

• Diet: You need to find the right diet for you; however,one thing is for sure, clean is inevitably better than dirty. You may be 18 with a metabolism that can clear anything now; however, why abuse the body you've been given. Starting at the good-old fashioned 40-40-20 diet is a good foundation for your experiments. If you are the type of person that responds best to a lower-carb or ketogenic diet, go with that. If you require a higher carb load, then listen to your body. I have done both in the past and made tremendous progress using both a keto-approach, and my current 35-45-20 model. If you're really looking for some lean-gains, try cycling your calories with a higher intake on training days and lower intake on 'rest' or cardio and conditioning days to really see some striking physical changes.

• Rest & Recovery: This point is key. So many people think they can function without adequate rest and recovery. Not every day needs to be a high-intensity day. Seriously, it's OK to mix things up. Doing steady state cardio is good for your heart, and taking up a martial art won't hinder your gains to the point that 'bro-science' would have you believe given you allow your body both the adequate diet and rest it requires. Have you ever seen a UFC fighter? I don't think many people will complain with having not only that physique, but also that level of performance and power output! While it's true that sleep requirements are an individual element, 8 hours is definitely a great starting point. Make sure to get into a routine with your sleep, don't go to bed at 8.30 one night at 12.30, another. Your body accumulates sleep debt, and that isn't a debt that is easily paid off. Remember, the body enjoys homeostasis, and will try to get back to a set point with regards to sleep so why fight that particular element of biology? 

If you have tried and successfully implemented the following for 6-months and still see no progress, you can start to look for alternate ways of building additional muscle - supplements, advanced training techniques, etc; however, I guarantee that anyone reading this post, who is serious about training and takes the above advice to heart will see tremendous progress, debunking the myth that 'muscle building is rocket science'.

Fasted Cardio For Faster Fat Loss - Fact or Fiction?

Fasted Cardio! I have heard many a personal trainer swear by this as a method of accelerating and maximising fat loss during periods of caloric deficit. In theory, when training after an overnight fast, low glycogen and insulin levels cause the body to shift away from using carbohydrates as energy, allowing greater mobilisation of stored fat for fuel.

Despite having a sound theoretical basis, there is little evidence investigating the loss of fat, over time, in a fasted compared with a 'fed' state, particularly during periods of caloric deficit. It was against this background that Brad Schoenfeld et al. (2014) conducted their research.

The Method (in a Nutshell):

The researchers recruited 20 young, healthy and non-obese females. Thereafter, they assigned 10 to a FASTED group, that performed exercise after an overnight fast, and 10 to a FED group, that exercised after consuming a meal. Participants performed:

• 1 hours steady-state cardio, 3 times a week

They were also provided with customised dietary plans to ensure that they were within a caloric deficit (500 calorie), required to log calories daily via MyFitnessPal and were provided with nutritional guidance to ensure they adhered to the protocol.

The Results:

If we break down the above table, we see a reduction in weight for both the FASTED and FED group, along with a drop in body fat %, waist circumference, and fat mass (kg). However, there were no significant differences in the rate of fat loss between the groups.

Key Take-Aways:

For the time-being, I would say that this novel study has 'busted' the claim that training fasted will accelerate the loss of fat during your 'summer shred' (at least for the general, healthy and non-obese population).

However, I would be highly curious to see the results of the study replicated with a larger sample size, to add further statistical power to the results, as well as for future research to broaden and build upon the question of whether fasted training produces accelerated results in physique athletes in the lead up to competition.

Until that study comes along, we can generally assume that the Average Joe and Jane are free to perform their cardio, whenever they please without fear of 'hindering' their fat loss results.

Reference:

B.J.Schoenfeld, et. al (2014) Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nut, 11(1); 54.

Redefine 'The Pump' With Glycerol!

In the movie Pumping Iron (1977), Arnold Schwarzenegger famously compared 'the pump' to the satisfaction of sexual gratification. While he later acknowledged that this statement was made as part of the eccentric character he wished to portray on-screen, the term 'the pump' has remained, and it's physiological acquisition for trainees has become a well-targeted section of the supplement industry's marketing machine.

Whether it's Superpump 250, Amped or White Floor, the market has become inundated with 'breakthrough' energy / muscle pump inducing supplements. L-Arginine and Citrulline Malate have become favourites of the gym-rat.

However, one cheap and efficient supplement is often ignored by a large demographic of the fitness community, who believe N.O. products to be the gold standard of achieving a vascular and pumped look.

Glycerol:

Glycerol, though not as sexy as Arginine or Citrulline Malate is perhaps the single most effective ingredient I have ever had the fortune of stumbling across with regard to creating a more chiselled look during everyday training.

Glycerol or glycerine is a colourless and odourless liquid (or powder, depending on preference) substance that is used widely in the pharmaceutical and food industry. Due to it's sweet taste, it is often used as a sugar substitute in baking. As glycerol is a sugar alcohol, it is insulinogenic, so no need to fear on that front. However, each gram of glycerol contains 4 calories, making it the most calorically dense sugar alcohol.

Moreover, topical application of glycerol is highly effective as a moisturising agent to hydrate the skin.

Benefits:

The benefits of glycerol in relation to performance are several-fold:

• As an ergogenic for endurance athletes, hyper hydration with glycerol has been found to improve performance. In one study, loading with glycerol improved the performance times for cyclists by 5%, compared to the placebo group (Hitchins, et. al., 1999).
• Skin-tearing pumps and vascularity (OK, now this just sounds like an ad).

In terms of mechanism of action - glycerol helps the body hold on to water. It can also slow the removal of excess water from the body and draws water from tissue into the blood, imparting that sought-after cosmetic effect.

Points of Consideration:

Glycerol is on the WADA list of prohibited supplements since 2012. Thus, if you are a WADA controlled athlete, it only makes sense to avoid glycerol. The reason, you ask? Glycerol can increase blood volume, thereby acting as a 'masking agent' for other performance enhancing substances such as testosterone, etc.

Glycerol requires the ingestion of large quantities of water to work effectively, for both hyper hydration or 'the pump'.

In terms of specifics, an effective protocol for hyper-hydration comprises 1 - 1.5g / kg glycerol + 25 - 35 ml / kg of fluid. For an 80kg individual that means you would require no less than 80g of glycerol + 2 litres of water!

For me, I find that 1.5 tablespoons of glycerol in liquid form, coupled with 1 litre of water will bring about a salacious pump that will last at least as long as your workout. To make the substance more palatable, I would suggest mixing it into a nice cup of black coffee.

I recommend taking it 60 minutes prior to training, but for your early risers, 30 minutes will do in a tight spot. That magical pump might just be delayed a few sets into your routine.

Remember, you don't need to fork out on expensive products - you can easily pick up bottles of this stuff from your local pharmacy, cheap. For those a little more health-conscious, I would suggest to try to source the glycerine from a company who does not use GMO vegetable sources in production.


Reference:

S. Hitchings, D. T. Martin, L. Burke, K. Yates, K. Fallon, A. Hahn, & G. P. Dobson (1999). Glycerol hyperhydration improves cycle time trail performance in hot humid conditions. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 80 (5), 494 - 501.

The (Underestimated) Caloric Cost of Anaerobic Exercise

For some readers, the findings of this article will come as no surprise. For others (particularly those that count caloric expenditure), this post may just be the cue that you needed to incorporate some anaerobic exercise into your regime without the guilt of feeling as though you weren't maximizing your energy output.

Traditional May Not Always Be Best

Traditionally, the energy expenditure of anaerobic exercise (a.k.a. weights, etc) has been calculated by measuring oxygen uptake during a trial. Critical thinking should lead us to the obvious that this method would drastically underestimate the effect that anaerobic (coming from the Greek word meaning 'no air') exercise has on participants in comparison with aerobic exercise.

A New Method?

I will grant the researchers originality points for their novel way of measuring energy expenditure in anaerobic exercise. Basically, oxygen uptake was assessed during recovery rather than activity. 

Now, readers should be aware that the reason that I don't like the idea of counting calories expended is due to the flaws in the measurement systems. The calorie counter on your treadmill won't give you accurate numbers, and even your heart-rate monitor can only provide a ball park. 

As such, I believe that real-world results are the gold standard for measuring calories burned. The weight-loss and health benefits achieved by those performing anaerobic or high-intensity interval exercise would, in my mind, support the notion that our current understanding of the extent to which these exercises tax the human body (energy-wise) is under-stated.

Figure 1. Energy expenditure due to bodyweight exercise based on oxygen uptake during exercise (traditional) and at rest (improved). Taken from SuppVersity

As you can see in the figure above - the researchers in this study found that traditional methods of calculating the energy-burning impact of anaerobic exercise was underestimating it's impact by nearly half.

Take-Away

What all of this hullabaloo would translate to in the real world is a typical 120 pound (54kg) woman burning not 150 calories (as shown below), but approx 300 calories in 30 minutes of weight training, which trumps the 259 calories burned by the same amount of jogging.

So next time you feel that going into the weights room for some resistance training would be a waste of calories, think again and make a decision that, long-standing real world results have shown us, will take you to the body of your dreams.

Reference:

Vezina, Jesse W., et al. (2014) An Examination of the Differences Between Two Methods of Estimating Energy Expenditure in Resistance Training Activities. Journal of strength and conditioning research/National Strength & Conditioning Association. Epub ahead of print.

Grip Strength - Your Key to a Bigger Deadlift

Though the squat is often hailed as the 'king of exercises', I contend that the deadlift imparts just as many benefits for trainees, if not more, making it comparably useful as a powerhouse movement in one's training repertoire.

The deadlift strengthens the entire back and surrounding muscles, making it a god-send for both rehabilitation and prevention purposes; builds core strength, and is a significant calorie burner through it's simultaneous usage of multiple muscles in the body.

 

The Weakest Link

Unfortunately, for many, the limiting factor for a strong deadlift is grip strength. Assuming proper form and flexibility are established and maintained throughout a lifter's life cycle, grip is the remaining factor in the trifecta that can skyrocket your successes in many a movement.

The Soft Option

Many fitness enthusiasts, frustrated with their less-than-instantaneous progress, turn to lifting aids such as wrist wraps and lifting belts to barrel past such obvious weaknesses as grip strength and form. However, I would argue that an over reliance on these, sometimes beneficial, tools creates more problems in the long run than it fixes.

The Right Option

Fortunately, there are several practical ways in which grip can be improved, translating in a better deadlift that can continue to develop your physique  and strength to the maximum possible extent.

Hanging:

As simple as this sounds, hanging can be used to overcome weaknesses in grip. Just jump onto a pull up bar and allow the forces of gravity to take their toll. Aim for increasing your hanging time to 60 seconds before looking to move to more difficult progressions such as the one-arm hang.

Farmers Walks:

Another deceptively simple exercise. This involves picking up a pair of heavy dumbells and walking a length of distance while carrying them. Many of us will willingly carry 20 shopping bags in each hand following our weekly supermarket run, rather than make two trips to the car; as such, apply the same principles in the gym. As well as being a great grip builder, you will find that heavier weights will also impart a cardiovascular workout.

Plate Pinches:

Stack two plates together, with the smooth sides facing each other, and hold them between your thumb and remaining fingers (See below).

Programming

Like any body part, you want to ensure that you are not taxing your CNS with grip training to a great extent. When programming the above movements into your workouts, I would suggest dedicating one day a week (when grip-heavy exercises are not on the agenda) to grip training. Utilising a 5 reps of 5 sets method will ensure outstanding strength gains.

Alternatively, you can use the above exercises as supplemental movement at the end of a workout. For example, after your workout has finishes, get on the pull-up bar and perform 5 minutes of hangs before hitting the shower and your post workout meal!

Good luck!

Plyometrics as a Prevention Strategy for Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a worldwide health problem that affects 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men, over 50. Data from the International Osteoporosis Foundation indicates that an osteoporotic fracture occurs every 3 seconds, resulting in 8.9 million fractures annually.

If you're not a post-menopausal woman or elderly man, you may be struggling to care about an issue that may not affect you for the foreseeable decades; however, in the case of osteoporosis (much as many things in life), it would seem that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. 

I would draw your attention to research which suggests that increasing bone mass during and after 'growth' may be an important strategy to ensure the outlook for your future is fifty and fit as a fiddle. Specifically, that increases of Bone Mineral Density of just 3 - 5% can reduce fracture risk by up to 30%. That's a 30% decrease in the likelihood that you will spend your twilight years in and out of hospitals for various replacements or worse - wheelchair bound and institutionalised in a nursing facility.

Plyometric Prevention Plan

In the study at hand, the researchers aimed to investigate the effects that 9 months of plyometric jump training would have on the Bone Mineral Content of adolescent girls (aged 14.6, give or take 6 months, and 22.7, give or take 14 months).

Exercise Protocol

Participants trained three times a week for 30 - 45 minutes. They began with progressive resistance exercises (squats, forward and side lunges, bench stepping and jumping on and off of a 20cm box).

They did about 2 sets, comprising 8 - 12 reps and the intensity was slowly taken from 5 - 15% of their bodyweight over a number of months. This means that a 55kg participant wore a nylon weighted vest weighing 2.75kg - 8.25kg.

The girls also did various plyometric exercises ranging from simple two footed jumps to stair jumping, bounding, and depth jumps from 12 to 24 inch boxes (see below).

Plyometric drills progressed from two sets, 10 reps of five to seven different exercises (100 - 140 jumps) to two to three sets,  2 - 20 reps of 12 - 20 exercises in the final months (360 - 1000 total jumps). While that number sounds extremely high, the researchers were careful to choose the exercises in such a way that the number of high intensity jumps was only between 40 - 100 in the final months.

Results

At the end of 9 months, the trends in bone mineral density observed in the participants led the researchers to suggest that plyometric jump training continued over a longer period may in adolescents may increase peak bone mass.

This could indeed be a novel way to help prevent the onset of osteoporosis in later years by instituting safe and effective behavioural changes in those of a younger age.

Not an adolescent? Fear not, it's never too late to start to reap the benefits of loading on bone mass. In my next blog, I will provide some good starting examples of exercises that can be both practical plyometric methods of inducing bone mineral density and uptake, as well as, fun ways to alter an otherwise boring training routine.


Reference:

Witzke, K. A., & Snow, C. M. (1999). Effects of plyometric jump training on bone mass in adolescent girls. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 0195-9131/00/3206-1051/0.

5 Ways to Make Your New Year's Resolution a Reality

For many, the New Year heralds the start of a fresh beginning, as well as a cognitive 'restart button' through which we often believe all of our perceived inadequacies can be erased with the use of a 'resolution'.

According to Forbes Magazine, 40% of Americans make New Year's resolutions. This tells us that the rest of the first world is probably not far behind. The success rate for change attempts is much more sobering. University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals. Furthermore, longitudinal examination of change attempts over a 2 year period indicated only 19% of participants were able to maintain their pledges for two years.

In principle a resolution should be simple to keep. You make a promise and then follow it through. So, what is it about New Years resolutions that is so hard to maintain?

The Major Players:

1. Lack of willpower
2. Inability to control the 'stimulus' (events in the environment that influence behaviour)

In the example of weight loss / gain - junk food may be considered a 'stimulus'. Thus, your inability to control your family's or partner's purchasing and stocking of all of the yummy junk food's you so decadently indulge in, can be seen as a barrier to maintaining your New Year's resolution.

Now before you sign the divorce papers or lock yourself in the basement for 6 months to ensure the success of your goals, we should look at another elements of maintaining goals - slips. Approximately 53% of the people in the study cited earlier that managed to maintain their goal, experienced at least one slip. Over two years, the average number of slips for successful participants was 14. This should tell you something: nobody is perfect, and nobody has willpower of steel. Slips were found to be precipitated by:

1. Lack of personal control
2. Excessive Stress
3. Negative Emotion

Sticking with my former example, who hasn't felt the call of the ravenous beast within during a particularly 'low' period filled with stress and negative emotions (e.g. EXAM TIME!). If you have, then fear not - you're not a bad human being .... you're just normal!

So, apart from placing yourself into a impenetrable fortress of solitude (or a research lab with a perfectly controlled environment), what can you do to make sure this year's New Year resolutions are a great success!

• Set S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Saying 'I want to lose weight' is tantamount to saying 'I want to fail' - you haven't set an appropriate goal for yourself. Goals should always be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound.

As such plan:

1. Exactly what you want to accomplish, e.g. I want to lose 5kg.
2. How you will measure it, e.g. Using mirror-check's, body fat measurements, tight clothes and track my weight on a scale.
3. Make sure that the goal is something you can achieve, e.g. don't tell yourself you'll be a fitness model in 2 months if you think that the road to your goal will take 2 years.
4. Keep the goal personally relevant - something that's important to you.
5. Set a time-limit, e.g. I will lose 5kg in 5 weeks.

• Fading:

Fading is a principle in psychology where you first use prompts to promote an action before gradually withdrawing them until the need for them fades away.

A simple application in the context of fat loss and muscle gain is images of an achievable physique that you wish to aspire to, or a meal plan stuck on a fridge.

Hanging a tight fitting pair of jeans in the living room can be a reminder of the goal you are working towards. When I was adjusting to a healthy eating plan, I often referred to my meal plan before every meal to ensure that I knew that the food I was about to eat was my 'quota' and that I should enjoy it, because no snacking would come thereafter.

• Counter Conditioning:

Counter Conditioning is essentially replacing an unwanted response with a new response. It is seen is smokers frequently, when they replace a cigarette with a sandwich to quell their addiction.

Instead of that, try replacing your unwanted behaviour with another more healthy one. For example, when you start to feel hungry and you know that this is simply the call of your former over-eating habits, try brushing your teeth or making a pot of tea. This will quell your hunger and condition your body back into a healthy eating regime.

• Give yourself permission to fail:

As evidenced in the above study, a major portion of people have difficulty setting and maintaining long term goals. So why should you be different? I'll tell you why - because we usually set unrealistically higher expectations for ourselves rather than those around us.

Instead of throwing away your resolution with that first sip of alcohol or that first bite of a pizza - try being gentle with yourself and not making a mountain out of a molehill. I guarantee that one or two slips will not result in a broken promise; however, throwing away your resolution for a better you at the first sign of failure is a sure-fire way to ensure that your goal will never be achieved.

• Ask yourself 'how's that working for you?'

Finally, don't be afraid to try something new. If you're a cardio bunny and your goal is to lose weight - why not try to hit the weights. As intimidating as it can be learning a new skill, if you sit with the discomfort of pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone - you will ultimately thank yourself (and me) for it afterwards.

Reference:

J. C. Norcross, & D. J. Vangarelli. (1989). The resolution solution: longitudinal examination of New Year's change attempts. Journal of Substance Abuse, 1(2), 127 - 134.

The Performance Enhancing Effects of Music

As a child, there were few video games I completed without the use of some cheat code or walkthrough guide. As an adult constantly striving for improved physical performance, I find myself latching on to tidbits of nutritional and supplemental information that I know will help me reach the 'edge' I'm looking for.

An Unlikely Ergogenic Aid?

It is no small coincidence that Henry David Thoreau wrote - "when I hear music, I feel no danger. I am invulnerable. I see no foe." Much has already been written on the stimulatory effects of music on athletes.

For example, Terry, Karageorghis, Saha & D'Auria (2012) found music provided ergogenic, psychological and physiological benefits in their study on treadmill running among elite athletes. The researchers found that time-to-exhaustion was 18.2% and 19.2% longer when the athletes ran in time to motivational music and neutral music, compared to no music. Furthermore, both music groups were associated with better running economy in the context of oxygen consumption and blood lactate concentrations. Similarly, Rendi, Szabo & Szabo (2008) wrote that their results indicated that fast music acted as an external 'psyching-up' stimulus in brief and strenuous muscle work.

Fast forward to a 2013 study from sports scientists at Brunel University, who found that music had an ergogenic effect on the swimming times of their athletes.

The Study

In order to determine whether swimmers react positively to music, they provided each athlete with a waterproof MP3 player and asked them to swim 200m as fast as they could.

Playing in their ears was either 'Sexy and I Know It' by LMFAO OR 'Howl' by Florence and the Machine. The researchers found that the former song was motivational due to it's simple rhythm and positive lyrics.

On the other hand, the song 'Howl' was more complex and rated 'oudeterous' (neither motivational nor demotivational).

Both songs had the same tempo (130bpm). The scientists commented that this beat was ideal for performance enhancement.

The Results

Swimmers improved their times by an average of 2% when listening to music, when compared with the control who swam in silence.

In line with prior findings, it would appear that the beat rather than the lyrics is where the magic occurs. However, it should be noted that 70% of the participants advised that they preferred to swim to LMFAO than Florence and the Machine.

The Take Away

A 2% increase in performance may not seem like much. However, it is the often the kick that an individual may require to boost them to the next level of physical performance. For example, take a bodybuilder who is dead-lifting 150kg - that would equate to a performance increase of 3kg and may just provide that additional kick required to transfer that individual from stagnation to further progression.

References:

Karageorghis, et al. (2013). Psychological, psychophysical and ergogenic effects of music in swimming. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 14(4), 560 - 568.

Rendi, M., Szabo, A., & Szabo, T. (2008). Applied research performance enhancement with music in rowing sprint. The Sport Psychologist, 22(2), 175-182.

Terry, P.C., Karageorghis, C.I., Saha, A.M., & D'Auria, S. (2012). Effects of synchronous music on treadmill running among elite triathletes, 15(1), 52 - 57.

Increasing Post-Workout Protein Turnover

One does not need to be an athlete to see the beneficial effects that increased protein can provide to a nutrition plan. It is recommended that adult women consume 0.75g and adult men consume 0.84g per kilogram of bodyweight. So, for example - a 75kg adult male would need a measly 63g of protein per day. 

As an individual who engages in both resistance training and martial arts, I find that the government regulations leave me with drastically increased DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) and impact my ability to recovery from exercise. As such, I subscribe to the recommendations of Dr 'Protein' Peter Lemon, of the University of Western Ontario who has advised that "the RDA for those engaged in strength training should be about 1.7 - 1.8g of protein per kilogram of body mass per day."

That being said, what is the best way to consume this quantity. Is there any appreciable difference between living the bodybuilding lifestyle of 6 smaller, protein-based meals spread throughout the day or a single bolus dose of steak eaten at dinner?

Researchers from Switzerland and Canada attempted to test just that question and to investigate the effects of the intervals at which protein is ingested.

The Study

They performed experiments with 24 young men, all of whom performed strength training 4 - 6 times a week (finally, a study relevant to the non-couch potato). The individuals performed leg extension exercises in the laboratory prior to breakfast. Warm-ups were performed with 5 sets at 60-70% of their 1RM, followed by 4 sets of 10 reps at 80% 1RM.

In the 12 hours following this session, the individuals were administered a TOTAL of 80g whey isolate. The three groups were separated as such:

• BOLUS group: 2 servings of 40g whey (1 portion per 6 hours)
• INT group: 4 servings of 20g whey (1 portion per 3 hours)
• PULSE group: 8 servings of 10g whey (1 portion per 1.5 hours)

Interestingly, protein synthesis was highest in those who spread their intake out during the day. While the difference in net muscle increase between the three groups was subtle, a trend was apparent where net protein balance was highest in the INT group. While protein synthesis was higher in the PULSE group, protein breakdown was also higher in the same individuals.

Notably, the differences were not statistically significant. However, the study was also 'under powered'. The researchers claimed that with a larger number of subjects, the sought after significance values may have emerged.

Implications

Given that whole-body protein balance appeared to be greatest with moderate 20g feedings every 3 hours, this has implications for individuals attempting to enhance their anabolism and lean mass accrual through the use of strength training.

Indeed, the bodybuilder paradigm of separating the day into 6 meals may be the ideal way to provide yourself with the slight increase in anabolism that is required to push an aspiring athlete into the next stage of their training.

Reference:

Moore, D.R., Areta, J., Coffey, V.G., et al. (2012). Daytime pattern of post-exercise protein intake affects whole-body protein turnover in resistance-trained males. Nutr Metabolism (London), 16(9), 91.

How To: Implement Vascular Occlusion

Implementing a vascular occlusion protocol can be difficult given that ‘Kaatsu’ equipment is costly and notoriously difficult to come by (unless you live in Japan). However, nearly every gym goer has the practical solution in their gym bag –

WRAPS!

Knee, elbow or wrist wraps can be used to effectively occlude muscle groups for the purposes of restricted-blood flow training. Remember that Kaatsu is best performed at lower intensities (for safety reasons as much as others), as such you should be working anywhere between 20% - 50% of your 1RM. For the mathematically challenged, the former figure is calculated by multiplying your one rep maximum effort by 0.2, and the latter is achieved by multiplying the figure by 0.5.

That is, if your 1RM on bench press is 100kg, you would perform occluded exercises using between 20kg (100 x 0.2) and 50kg (100 x 0.5). In terms of sets, reps and rest periods, based on the literature reviewed in the prior article, I would recommend 4 sets, to failure with 30 – 45 seconds rest in between sets. Keep in mind that there is a difference between occlusion and chronic restriction of blood flow. As such, one would be ill advised to either restrict blood flow to a great degree (occlusion should be ‘moderate’) or keep the muscle bound for extended periods (i.e. anything greater than 10 – 15 minutes).

With regard to the physiological logistics of ‘wrapping’, depending on the muscle one wishes to target, you would occlude by binding the muscle at the ‘top’. E.g. for biceps / triceps, bind near the armpit / shoulder. For quads / hamstrings, the bands should be located near the groin. For calves, bind as feasibly close to the top of the calf (towards the kneecap) as possible. For some examples, see below -

Note: If you have impaired endothelial, vascular or cardiac function – do not attempt this form of training.

Vascular Occlusion: Mechanisms & Benefits For Muscle Growth

It is generally accepted that resistance training using more than 65% of one repetition maximum (1RM) is the minimum stimulus required to achieve noticeable muscle and strength gains.

For the young bucks in my reading-audience, these tidings will have little impact on their training style. Unfortunately, high-intensity training using >65% 1 RM can be potentially problematic for certain population groups such as the injured and elderly.

So what do you do if you find yourself unable to employ more traditional means of hypertrophic training? Should you throw in the towel, buy a yoga mat and take up Pilates? Thanks to emerging research in the area of strength and conditioning training such drastic measures may not be necessary.

In fact, significant and rapid increases in muscle hypertrophy could be gained using a training intensity as low as 20% 1RM. You read correctly ... Low-intensity (20 – 50% 1RM) resistance training, combined with restricted venous blood flow from the working muscle has been shown to provide an alternative training method to traditional HIT programs, giving hope to not only the frail or injured but to individuals looking for an additional burst of growth potential.

A number of studies have investigated muscle adaptations to Kaatsu training protocols. For example, according to Weatherholt et al. (2012), 3 sets (15 reps) of unilateral bicep curls and tricep extensions, 3 times per week for eight weeks, while wearing pneumatic cuffs was stimulus enough to produce increases in both strength and size in participants. Furthermore, a pilot study from the University of Tokyo, examining the impact of occluded-bench press training on hypertrophic responses found that performing bench press (30% 1RM) for four sets (75 reps) twice daily, 6 days a week for 2 weeks led to a significant increase in strength (6%) as well as a increase in major muscle thickness increase of 8% in the triceps and 16% in the pectoral muscles.

Takano, et al. (2005) also investigated the hormonal responses to a short-term low-intensity resistance program with reduction of muscle blood flow. In the study, eleven untrained men performed bilateral leg extensions with a Kaatsu band. At 20% 1RM, the subjects performed 4 sets until failure (which equated to 30 repetitions) with 20 second pauses in-between sets. Blood analysis found that, following this training modality, serum concentrations of growth hormone (GH), vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) were significantly elevated. For the remaining Doubting Thomas’ out there, Kaatsu may be so powerful that even slow-walk training may induce muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. When individuals trained twice a day, 6 days a week for three weeks using 5 set bouts of 2 minutes slow walking (1 minute rest) researchers found that muscle volume increased by 4 – 7%, alongside a strength increase of 8-10%!

Similar effects have been replicated in a number of additional studies (see reference list).

The Mechanisms

So how exactly does restricting blood flow translate into bigger muscles? Scientists believe that there are three main mechanisms at synergistic work –

1. Fiber Type Recruitment

We know that the ‘fast twitch’ muscle fibers are those with the greatest potential for growth. While low-intensity training will usually activate slow-twitch fibers, a moderate restriction of blood flow causes the body to rapidly recruit fast twitch fibers to handle the workload. In fact, EMG data has revealed no difference in the extent to which fast-twitch fibers are activated using low-intensity occlusion and high intensity exercise

2. Accumulation of Metabolites

Occlusion training also increases lactate and growth hormone. Impressively, the GH spike using this modality has been shown to be even higher than that of traditional training.

3. mTOR pathway activation

Finally, use of restricted blood flow activates the mTOR pathway, which is responsible for protein synthesis. This increased activation is the equivalent of priming your body’s pump for growth.

Reference:

American College of Sports Medicine. Position stand. (1998). The recommended quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness, and flexibility in healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 30, 975–991.

Moritani, T., Michael-Sherman, W., Shibata, M., Matsumoto, T., & Shinohara, M. (1992). Oxygen availability and motor unit activity in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol , 64, 552-556.

Yasuda, T., Ogasawara, R., Sakamaki, M., Bemben, M.G., & Abe, T. (2011). Relationship between limb and trunk muscle hypertrophy following high-intensity resistance training and blood flow-restricted low-intensity resistance training. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging, 31(5), 347-51.

Yasuda, T., Fujita, S., Ogasawara, R., Sato, Y., & Abe, T. (2010). Effects of low-intensity bench press training with restricted arm muscle blood flow on chest muscle hypertrophy: a pilot study. Clin Physiol Func Imaging, 30(5), 338-43.

Yasuda, T., Fukumura, K., Fukuda, T., Iida, H., Imuta, H., Sato, Y., Yamasoba, T., & Nakajima, T. (2012). Effects of low-intensity, elastic band resistance exercise combined with blood flow restriction on muscle activation. Scan J Med Sci Sports, DOI: 10.111/L.1600-0838.2012.01489.x [Epub ahead of print].

Nishimura, A., Sugita, M., Kato, K., Fukuda, A., Sudo, A., & Uchida, A. (2010). Hypoxia increases muscle hypertrophy induced by resistance training. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 5(4), 479-508.

Takano, H., et al. (2005). Hemodynamic and hormonal responses to a short-term low-intensity resistance exercise with the reduction of muscle blood flow. Eur J Appl Physiol, 95(1). 65-73.

Abe, T., Kearns, C.F., & Sato, Y. (2005). Muscle size and strength are increased following walk training with restricted venous blood flow from the leg muscle, Kaatsu-walk training. J Appl Physiol, 100(5), 1460-1466.

Practical Core Training: Leveraging Standing & Unilateral Movements

For the masses of ‘weekend warriors’ training for purely aesthetic purposes, the ‘core’ is a term that’s either entirely absent from their vocabularies or an afterthought in the larger scheme of their physique aspirations. However, the importance of the core muscles (around the hips, lower back and abdomen) are not to be scoffed at. They serve to stabilise the body during movement and unfortunately, due to our sedentary lifestyles, do not nearly often enough receive the appropriate amount of stimulation.

Enter The Trainer:

If you’ve stepped foot in a commercial gym, you might find the odd person here or there working with a trainer to perform bicep curls (or worse; squats) on a bosu ball. The field of personal training has wasted little time in latching onto the finding that core muscles can be stimulated by doing exercises on an unstable surface and exploiting it in unique and colourful ways. At the same time, an often overlooked consideration in the program-building repertoire of many trainers is that core muscles are trained to a greater extent when they require you to keep your body stable, rather than ‘flex’ the muscles. This is why a plank is a better exercise than a crunch. As such, you may find the same clients supersetting their bosu-squats with weighted-decline Russian twists, etc.

Now, The Study ...

Taking the former finding into account, Saeterbakken & Fimland (2012) investigated the effect of performing common resistance exercises when standing, compared to seated and unilaterally compared to bilaterally. Their marker for success: the muscle activation of the core.

The researchers used EMG activity seen in the rectus abdominis, external oblique and erector spinae of 15 healthy males as they performed five repetitions (at 80% 1RM) of unilateral, bilateral, seated and standing dumbbell shoulder presses.

The rectus abdominis (6-pack muscles) were found to work harder when the exercises were performed standing, whereas the obliques worked harder when unilateral movements were executed.

 

Their findings suggest that, in order to elicit the greatest amount of neuromuscular core activation, standing instead of seated and unilateral instead of bilateral exercises should be used.

The Practical Application

Unilateral movements can be performed with almost any upper body exercise. Consider the unilateral:

• Bench Press (Incline, Decline, Neutral Position)
• Shoulder Press
• Dumbbell Fly
• Lat Pull-Down
• One-Handed Pull-Up
• One-Handed Push-Up
• Dumbbell Row
• Kettlebell Movements (e.g. Swings, Snatch, etc)
  

In the case of standing to activate the core, this is easily done with anything including:

• Shoulder Press
• Snatch
• Clean & Jerk
• Push-Press
• Front Raise
• Lateral Raise
• One-Handed Dumbbell Snatch
• Kettlebell Movements (e.g. Swings)

One exercise that I cannot extol enough is the hand-stand push-up. Although many bodybuilder scoff at the premise of bodyweight training, I guarantee that the handstand push-up is no laughing matter. Full repetitions require months of training to achieve and the ultimate progression would involve you performing reps with no wall for support. This will provide maximum core activation in combination with a hell of a strength building exercise.

Naturally, these exercises performed in a standing or unilateral method will be initially humbling. Those individuals used to heaving gargantuan weight may find themselves back at the ‘herculean’ level. However, for the benefit of your core as well as your long-term performance, it may be advisable to swallow said piece of humble pie. When you find yourself able to dragon-flag until the cows come home, you (& your partner) will thank me!

References:


Duncan, M. (2009). Muscle activity of the upper and lower rectus abdominis during exercises performed on and off a swiss ball. J Bodyw Mov Ther, 13(4), 364-7.

Saeterbakken, A.H., & Fimland, M.S. (2012). Muscle activity of the core during bilateral, unilateral, seated and standing resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol, 112(5), 1671-8.

Intermittent Fasting as a Tool For Muscle Gain & Fat Loss

For those seeking to lose fat and build muscle, the idea of voluntarily fasting for 16 hours, followed by an 8 hour ‘feeding’ window may seem as far from practical as possible. For those same individuals, the prospect of then training in a fasted state before waiting several hours for one’s post-workout meal would equate to the highest form of exercise sin.

However, for those with both lean muscle gains and fat-loss in mind, Intermittent Fasting may be of more interest than face value would suggest.

Figure 1. The potential results of Intermittent Fasting, personified

Debunking The Myths Surrounding Fasting:

First off, let’s allay some irrational fears . A recent study looked at the signalling pathways associated with muscle protein synthesis after a resistance training session performed in either a fasted or fed state. Participants performed a standardized training session in either a fasted state or following the ingestion of a carbohydrate-rich breakfast. Thereafter, the trainees received a solution (6ml/kg of bodyweight) comprised of carbohydrates (50g/l), protein hydrolysate (33g/l) and leucine (16.6g/l). The results indicated that resistance training while fasted stimulated the intramyocellular anabolic response to the CHO/PRO/Leucine mixture, whereas ingestion of carbohydrates prior to training actually blunted this effect.

OK, so we’ve established that the anabolic process can still be stimulated through the use of fasting; how about HGH (Human Growth Hormone)? As we know, exercise stimulates the natural production of growth hormone. This is particularly so in the case of exercise modalities that stimulate blood lactate concentration (e.g. resistance training, sprinting, etc.). It is important to note that IGF-1 as well as GH concentrations in plasma are known to be unaffected by the fasting process. Ergo, as long as an appropriate exercise-induced stimulus is present – one would not need to fear decreased growth potential. In fact, recent evidence would suggest that, on the contrary, growth hormone may be increased during 24-hour fasting periods, to the order of 1,300% and 2,000% for men and women, respectively.

Implementing a I.F Protocol & Additional Failsafe’s:

Who wants to spend 16 hours fasting in a waking-state? The chances of successfully avoiding boredom-fueled hunger pangs and elevated ghrelin levels in this manner are similar to the odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field (3,720:1). Thus, the simplest way to implement a fasting protocol would be to have your final meal of the day at approximately 8pm and fast until 12 noon the next day.

Naturally, you can begin and end the 16 hour window in accordance with your individual schedule. But, such a set-up would allow you to partake in a fasted morning training session and maximise the hormonal response from this exercise by holding off the first post-workout meal for several hours.

If you’re still worried about muscle catabolism, you can implement the additional failsafe of ingesting BCAA’s following training, coupled with EAA’s at several intervals during the fasting period to increase the markers of anabolism in skeletal muscle during and after resistance exercise. I opt for 10g EAA’s prior to training, a 5g EAA / 5g BCAA mix with 2.5g Glutamine intra-workout and 10g of BCAA’s (2:1:1 ratio) and 4g free-form Leucine post-workout.

 
References:

Karlsson, H.K., Nilsson, P.A., Nilsson, J., Chibalin, A.V., Zierath, J.R., & Blomstrand, E. (2004). Branched-chain amino acids increase p70S6k phosphorylation in human skeletal muscle after resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 287(1), E1-7, Epub.

Deldicque, L., De Bock, K., Maris, M., Ramaekers, M., Nielens, H., Francaux, M., & Hespel, P. (2010). Increased p70S6K phosphorylation during intake of a protein-carbohydrate drink following resistance exercise in the fasted state. Euro J App Physiol, 108(4), 791-800.

Godfrey, R.J., Whyte, G.P., Buckley, J., & Quinlivan, R. (2009). The role of lactate in teh exercise-induced human growth hormone response: Evidence from McArdle disease. Br J Sports Med, 434(7), 521-5.

Bouhlel, E., Zaouali, M., Miled, A., Tabka, Z., Bigard, X., & Shephard, R. (2008). Ramadam fasting and the GH/IGF-1 axis of trained men during submaximal exercise. Ann Nutr Metab, 52(4), 261-6.

Intermountain Medical Center (2011, May 20). Routine periodic fasting is good for your health, and your heart, study suggests. ScienceDaily. Rerieved February 5, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110403090259.htm