Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Muscular Development 2009-11
Muscular Development 2009-11
THE WORLDS
BIGGEST
BODYBUILDIN
MAGAZINE! G
82
FAT LOSS
90
DRUGS
MARK ALVISI
USA OVERALL
CHAMPION!
162
24 MD
30
38
46
MD People
56
70
FEROCIOUS
POTENTIAL! 226
THE RAZORS
EDGE 216
THE REDEMPTION
OF B-RAY 176
FEATURES
162 ALVISI MAKES HIS MARK Mark Alvisi Is the 2009
Overall USA Champion! By Ron Harris
GEE-FORCE
188
RELENTLESS
PURSUIT! 202
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 25
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By Steve Blechman Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
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T
28 MD
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MD 29
mailroom
Lets Hear It for Evan!
Way to go, MD, for putting Evan
Centopani on the cover [September
2009]. What a triumph for Evan to win
his first pro show! He really is the
Beast from the East, as he slaughtered
the competition at the New York Po.
Evan was like a hurricane or a tornado
that came upon the contest. The sky
opened up and a deep voice laid it on
the competition: Move over,
chumps!
Wally, e-mail
Congratulations,
Mark Alvisi
Mark Alvisi is a man of his
word. He said he would win
the USA, and he delivered.
Mark has one of the best looks
in bodybuilding today: huge,
symmetrical and pleasing to
the eye. Mark represents the
future of bodybuilding. He
doesnt look gross like some
other bodybuilders. And some
guys you see at bodybuilding
shows are walking around so
deprived of food and water,
they look like they would keel
over if a stiff wind came along.
Not Mark Alvisi. Hes pumped
and ready for action. His USA
win was a well-deserved victory. Congratulations, Mark!
Roger, e-mail
Basic Training
I love to watch Kai [Greene] train. All the guys Ive seen in the old days did the same
basic, bust-ass training thats been the basis of every great physique over the years. And it
was the basis for my own very modest gains, too. Its the type of training that gives
results, and it aint fancy and it aint brain science and it aint complex you just have to
do it consistently.
Richard F. DiLorenzo, e-mail
30 MD
Its great to see Dorian Yates Blood and Guts column in MD each month. His column is one of the most
thoughtful and informative sections of the magazine.
Perhaps best of all, Dorian is a gentleman who has class.
Ive been training for 30 years and class seems to be a
dying concept in gyms. People used to be more polite,
more courteous, and would put their weights away. Now
you have guys who grunt and scream while they do
their set. Its like feeding time at the zoo. In fact, Ive
been to zoos where the animals were more polite than
some gym members, and they the animals smelled
better, too.
Allan, e-mail
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
SHAWN RAYS
Industry
InsiderBuzz
nsiderBuzz
By Shawn Ray
38 MD
Missing In Action
Richard Jones pulled another
disappearing act after his return to
the pro stage in Pittsburgh this past
May, where he found himself in the
th
unfamiliar placement of 9 out of
12 competitors. He planned on
competing in the Dexter
Jackson/202 Pro in August, but the
show came and went while Richard
was MIA. Word on the street is that
both of his parents have been ailing, and a few cross-country visits
from California to his hometown,
Boston, have taken a toll of his
focus and any type of serious
preparation for the contest stage
had to be put on hold. Stay tuned;
Richard said he is far from done as
a competitor. We wish a speedy
recovery for both parents.
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
!
W N
E M
N U
L
O
C
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 39
Shawn Rays
IndustryInsiderBuzz
Daryl Gee was an amateur who took
four years off from competition, only to
return to the stage at the Los Angeles
Championships in July to win the middleweight class and Overall titles, on his
way to winning the middleweight class at
the NPC USAs and an IFBB pro card as the
st
1 runner-up Overall in that show! His third
contest in as many weeks would land him
on an IFBB pro stage, weighing a paltry 174
pounds in the newly-created 202-pound
division in Jacksonville, Florida landing in
the number-two spot and nabbing an
Olympia Showdown qualification to boot.
Based on this placement ahead of veterans
Tricky Jackson, Charles Dixon and
Steve Namat, Daryl was onstage in the
premier event of the year for 202-pound
bodybuilders at the Olympia EXPO. What a
ride! Enjoy it, kid, and congratulations!
Sacramento Pro
A late addition to the mens pro contest season is the Sacramento Pro.
Longtime NPC/IFBB pro judges and contest promoters John Tuman and Ted
Williams have added an IFBB pro mens contest to their womens pro figure and
th
NPC contest weekend on November 7 . John and Ted have a passion for helping
the sport grow, and now some of the worlds best have reason to diet a bit
longer with hopes of early Olympia qualifications for 2010, prior to next years
calendar kicking off with the Iron Man Pro in January, held in Los Angeles.
Stay Hungry! S. Ray
For the latest breaking news and information, visit the musculardevelopmet.com forums,
where updates are posted daily by top pros and rising stars of tomorrow. And dont miss the
Team MD Radio Show on Mondays at 4 p.m. PST, 7 p.m. EST with Shawn Ray and Flex Wheeler.
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
By TEAM MD
MDPeople
CHECK OUT
MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
FOR COMPLETE
CONTEST COVERAGE!
NPC
USAs
46 MD
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 47
MDPeople
CHECK OUT
MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
FOR COMPLETE
CONTEST COVERAGE!
48 MD
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 49
MDPeople
CHECK OUT
MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM
FOR COMPLETE
CONTEST COVERAGE!
50 MD
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 51
THE GOSPEL
AccordingtoLEE
By Lee Priest
Hes got an opinion actually a lot of opinions and hes not afraid to express them. Being politically correct is not how
Lee Priest rolls, so if you are easily offended, you may want to flip a couple pages!
56 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Eight-Year-Old
Gang-rapedand
Parents Blame Her!
Teenage Nationals
Winner Was Actually
20 Years Old
There was a bit of controversy after
this years NPC Teenage Nationals
when it came to light that the winner
was actually 20 years old at the time
he won. Im really not sure whos to
blame here, as I dont know for certain
whether or not the promoter was
aware of this fact or not. If he was
aware of it and still let him compete, I
have to shake my head. Whats the
point of having a teenage contest if
you dont really have to be a teen to
enter? Would you let a 39-year-old
compete in the over-40 category, too?
But for the sake of argument (and
so I can do my usual ranting thing) and
not necessarily speaking specifically
about this case, allow me to comment
on the scenario of a 20-year-old competing in a teenage division. At that
stage of development, there is indeed
a big difference, as a young man ages
each progressive year, in many ways.
This is why you can drink at 21 and
not 20, for example. So indulge me as I
address a young guy, knowingly competing at an unfair advantage.
Why would you do something like
this? Do you really want a trophy that
badly? Its like assholes taking drugs
and competing in natural shows, beating legitimately drug-free athletes (not
exactly a perfect analogy, but bear
with me). Then the secret drug-user
proudly gloats, Hey look, I won! Big
deal, fuckhead. You won while using
drugs against guys who werent!
58 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
60 MD
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November 2009
62 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
SPONSORED THIS
MONTH BY:
muscular
development.com
By Gregg Valentino
Somewhere, a village is missing its idiot and I know where to
find him..YUP, IM ON THE MD
NO BULL FORUM EVERY
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OPEN.FUCKING
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70 MD
November 2009
musculardevelopment.com
(high reps, low weight.low reps,
heavy weight)
4. Do supersets
HERE IS A MD.COM QUOTE FROM
MD SUPER COVER STAR AND MY
PAL, EVAN CENTAPONII deadlift
almost every week. Maybe once
every 8 or so weeks I may skip them.
I think barbell rows are superior to
dumbbell rows, but if you were to do
one, I would most likely skip the
other....alternate them..Evan
Centaponi
AND AS ALWAYS, I LIKE TO GIVE YOU
5 QUICK Q&As FROM MY FRIEND
SHAWN RAY,TAKEN FROM HIS Q&A
THREAD ONLY ON THE MD FORUM:
Q. Do you think three days on
then a day off would be better than
just one day of rest a week?
A. When I competed I did 3 on 1 off. Now
I do Mon. to Fri.
Q. What do you think about all
these guys keeping their diets a
secret?
A. I never cared what other guys ate or
took, I only cared about what benefited
me. Some guys need a Guru/Trainer, no
hard no foul, I didnt.
Q. What was the heaviest you
weighed in the off-season when you
were competing?
A. I went up to 242lbs after the 97
Olympia for the 98 Olympia. I came in at
218lbs but lost a lot of sharp crispness I
usually displayed and came in 5th.
Q. Do you think doing cardio right
after a hard and heavy leg workout
would be overtraining?
A. I personally never had a problem
doing cadio after great leg workouts!
Actually, it helps loosen up the pump
sometimes. I walk or I ride the stationary
bike, its not like I run or anything. 4.0
incline at 4.0 speed.
Q. How did you eat your egg
whites, back in the day?
A. Scrambled. Sometimes I add chopped
chicken breast, canned tuna or ground
beef for extra protein.
IVE LEARNED ONE THING TRAINING
AS A MAN IN HIS LATE 40s >>> Middle
age is when you choose your cereal
for the fiber, not the toy.A BIG >
FUCK OFFSEE YA ON THE
FORUM!!!
72 MD
Hi, Valarie, Im Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for
meHi. Can I domesticate you?.WOW, THIS MONTHS BABE OF THE
MONTH VALARIE BECK IS MY TYPE OF GIRL, WITH HER NATURAL GOOD
LOOKS, NOT TOO OVERLY MUSCLED AND SWEET SMILE.OOPS, SHE IS
TOO YOUNG FOR ME....SORRY ABOUT THAT, I GET CARRIED AWAY SOMETIMES, FORGIVE ME MS. HOTTIE GIRL VALARIEDamn girl, were you
arrested earlier? Its gotta be illegal to look that!!!
Name: Valarie Beck
Forum Name: lilfitgirl
Age: 21
Zodiac Sign: Leo
Hometown: Monroeville, Ohio
Height: 55
Measurements: 34, 27, 33
Eyes: Hazel
Off-season Weight: 122
Competition Weight: 115
Favorite Food: steak
Favorite Junk Food: ice cream
Favorite Quote: Obsession is
what lazy people call dedication. Unknown
Favorite Makeup: Cover Girl
mascara
Sports/Activities/Hobbies: huge football
fan, full-time student at the University of
Toledo, spending time with friends and
family, anything outdoorsy (hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming, etc.) and lifting
of course!
Favorite TV Show: Greys Anatomy
Favorite Music: everything! (metal, country, pop, rap, easy listening, etc.)
Biggest influence in your life: my family
Favorite Body Part to train: arms
Your Best Asset (body part): long, lean
legs
Future plans /
Goals: start
competing
spring of 2010
as a natural figure or bikini
(depending on
how my training comes along); become a
personal trainer.
My name is Valarie Beck; I am a 21-year-old
college student at the University of Toledo
majoring in early childhood education. I have
always been an athletic person and enjoyed
every aspect sports offers. In junior high I was
a four-season athlete with volleyball, basketball, track and summer league softball. In high
school I was a member of the fall and winter
dance team and ran track in the spring. My first
year in college was quite the adjustment, not
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
musculardevelopment.com
being in so many activities, and my body suffered for it. I gained the dreaded freshman
15 lbs. I soon realized how unhappy I was with myself and started doing simple cardio
at the local rec center a few times a week. I saw some results, but wasnt meeting my
goal. One of my best guy friends talked me into lifting weights along with my cardio to
help burn more fat and tone up. After the first week of lifting weights, I was hooked!
Lifting and time at the gym has since become one of my top priorities in life. I absolutely love watching my body grow and change.
After giving myself completely to this lifestyle, I thought
I should do something with it, so I applied to be a promo
model at the Arnold Classic. I have been a promo model at
the Arnold Classic the past two years (2008 & 2009) and will
be in 2010. Now I want to take this to the next level and step
onstage for the first time in spring of 2010. Another goal of
mine that I will be meeting soon is to become a personal
trainer. I already have many people asking me for advice on
training, and I want to be able to give them professional
advice. I will be taking a personal trainer course along with
my full class schedule this coming fall at the University of
Toledo. Many people question and judge the lifestyle I live,
but Im not doing this for them...Im in this for me.
YO VALARIE,YOU GOT ME ON MY KNEES RIGHT
NOW. Are your feet tired? They should be, youve
been running around in my mind all dayOOOPS,
THERE I GO AGAIN, I CANT HELP MYSELF, YOURE JUST
TOO DAMN HOT!!!!!
Name: Joe Pietaro
MD Forum Member Screen Name: Joe Pietaro (formerly MuscleSport Mag)
Hometown: Long Island, NY
Age: 42
Years Bodybuilding: 23 years
Goal for the Future: Turn back the clock
Favorite Bodybuilders: Rich Gaspari, Jay Cutler, Dan Lurie
I consider myself a lucky guy. A sports nut my entire life, Im actually earning a living writing about that exact subject. Covering the last three Super Bowls and multiple baseball playoff games has been everything that I could have
imagined and then some. Being a bit of a throwback, my favorite place to visit is Wrigley Field. They can build all the
new ballparks they like, but give me one of the historical originals any day. Even while I was interviewing the likes of
Derek Jeter and Eli Manning, I still had the itch for bodybuilding.
As a teenager, I got hooked on working out and reading the muscle magazines and that transcended into adulthood. I wanted to cover the big bodybuilding shows just like the other main events.
Ive been to the last two Arnold Classics
and last years Mr. Olympia and enjoyed
them just as much if not more than
many of the other sporting events. I
immersed myself into the bodybuilding
scene as a journalist, and that made me
decide to launch my own online publication, MuscleSport Mag, which covers both
of my passions. Now that I find myself
working with MD, the skys the limit. I feel
as if my mainstream sports experience
gives me a different insight into this industry and Im confident that will help me
establish myself even further and become a
better writer. The key to this profession is to
separate yourself from the pack, and Im
working toward that. Not bad for a kid from
Brooklyn.
76 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Word
Essay
By David Burton
his month we had a number of excellent entries to this contest; eight essays were competing for this months
prize and coming out on top with a third of the overall votes was Big Bris essay. It tells the story of his struggle
with diabetes and how a bodybuilding lifestyle helped him take back control of his symptoms. Enough said now,
lets give it up for Big Bri!
Big Bri tells a great story, and getting this amount of info condensed into 500 words is no mean feat, but he
managed to do this and to get his story across, with great impact. Big Bri is managing to control an illness which
is blighting the western world, Diabetes is reaching almost epic proportions and costs millions in health care costs
every year, yet with a few changes to a persons lifestyle it can be kept under control and keep the need for medication to a bare minimum.
Adhering to this lifestyle has helped Big Bri, and his dedication is to be commended. Hiding behind the scenes,
but still being a helpful part of his journey are the members of the Muscular Development forums. Big Bri has a
very long personal journal thread in the member journals section of the site; for anybody interested in reading
more about his progress, his thread can be accessed at http://forums.musculardevelopment.com/showthread.php?t=48002.
Congratulations to Big Bri and as always, I look forward to more excellent article entries next month!
78 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
RESEARCH
Training
82 MD
Improving Your
Bench Press for
the NFL Combine
Test
Max reps to failure on the bench
press is a common measure of
strength and muscle endurance and is
included in the NFL combine test.
Zach Wagner and colleagues from
West Point showed that the prime
mover muscles are increasingly activated during the exercise with
increasing reps. Bench press
endurance was highly related to onerep maximum capacity, bodyweight,
and mass. During the test, muscle contraction velocity and power output
slowed with fatigue, but there were
no differences between muscle fiber
activation in any muscle groups as the
test progressed. The best way to
increase performance on a bench
press rep test is to get big and strong.
(Paper presented at American College
of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting,
May 28, 2009)
Abdominal
Crunches Activate
Core Muscles
Better Than
Planks
Core muscle development is central
to successful bodybuilding and serves
Eccentric Strength
Increases More
Than Concentric
Strength During
Intense Weight
Training
When muscles exert force, they
contract eccentrically when they
lengthen and concentrically when
they shorten. Muscles can exert more
force eccentrically than concentrically,
particularly at fast movement speeds.
During standard weight-training exercises, muscles contract at higher percentages of maximum during the concentric phase of the lift because
eccentric muscle strength capacity is
greater.
However, Danish researchers led
by Emil Sundstrup found that gains
were greater in eccentric than concentric strength during a 12-week
weight-training program using standard lifts (squat, hack squat, knee
extensions, leg curls, and calf raises).
This study showed the importance of
including eccentric muscle contractions in strength-training programs.
(Paper presented at American College
of Sports Medicine annual meeting,
May 28, 2009)
RESEARCH
Training
Elastic Bands
Increase Bench
Press Strength
Most elite powerlifters use elastic
bands or chains to provide variable
resistance during the lifts. Athletes
attach them to the bar and the resistance increases during the exercise as
the bands stretch or the chains come off
the floor. Limited research supports
their use.
Matthew Muller from Kent State
University and colleagues found that
elastic band training increased bench
press strength more than traditional
bench press training alone. During a sixweek training program, men did either
five sets of five repetitions in the bench
at 85 percent effort using bands, or at
100 percent effort without bands.
Strength gains were nearly 8 percent
greater when using bands. The study
showed that elastic band assist training
is an effective way to improve
weightlifting strength. (Paper presented
at American College of Sports Medicine
Annual Meeting, May 28, 2009)
84 MD
Anabolic Hormone
Response to
Weight Training
Greater in Men
than Women
Increased levels of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone and IGF-1,
are critical for the training responses
that increase muscle mass and
strength. For example, studies by
Shalender Bhasin from Boston
University found that increases in muscle hypertrophy were directly proportional to blood testosterone levels. Men
have larger muscles than women, so
the response of anabolic hormones to
training might be significant in determining the training response.
A study from Springfield College in
Massachusetts, led by Jason Sawyer,
found marked gender differences in
testosterone and IGF-1 following a
weight-training workout. The authors
speculated that gender differences in
mechanical stress during the exercise
might have accounted for the differences in hormonal response. (Paper presented at American College of Sports
Medicine Annual Meeting, May 28,
2009)
No Racial
Differences In
Blood Pressure
Responses To
Weight Training
African-American men have a higher
risk of hypertension (high blood pressure) and type II diabetes. Compared to
Caucasian men, African-Americans tend
to have stiffer large central arteries,
impaired blood flow control in smaller
arteries, and higher blood pressure.
Weight training increases blood vessel
stiffness, so it is unclear whether racial
differences exist in response to resistive
exercise.
Kevin Heffernan and co-workers
from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign found no racial differences
RESEARCH
Fat Loss
Obesity
Suppresses
Testicular
Function
Obesity is bad for your sex life.
Most women dont like fat guys, and
excess adipose tissue interferes with
metabolic health that controls erections and testosterone levels.
Australian researchers, in a review of
literature, concluded that obese men
tend to have lower testosterone and
the biologically-active free testosterone. To make matters worse, agelinked declines in testosterone occur
faster in overweight and obese men.
Obesity increases risk factors
linked to low testosterone levels such
as obstructive sleep apnea, insulin
resistance, and type 2 diabetes. High
body fat levels, particularly in the
abdomen, interfere with hormones
that control the reproductive system
and decrease sperm quality. Weight
loss increases testosterone and free
testosterone and improves reproductive health. (Molecular and Cellular
Endocrinology, in press; published
online June 18, 2009)
90 MD
Follistatin
Promotes
Fat Cell Growth
Follistatin is a chemical produced
by almost every cell in the body. It is
of great interest to bodybuilders
because it inhibits myostatin a
chemical that prevents muscle
growth. Researchers from the Ohio
State University found that mice
given a single dose of follistatin
increased body mass and strength.
The treatment increased skeletal
muscle size throughout the body but
did not affect heart muscle. A single
dose of follistatin continued to
increase strength for 60 days, and the
Portion Size
Influences
Food Intake
Would you consume more calories
if given a plate containing 10 large
cheeseburgers or a plate containing
20 mini cheeseburgers (the burgers
on both plates contained the same
number of calories)? According to a
study from Wageningen University
in the Netherlands, you would eat
more when faced with the larger portion sizes.
People were given large (15 grams)
and small (5 grams) portions of chocolate custard, but allowed to eat as
much as they wanted. Those who
received the larger portions ate 10
percent more calories. Cafeteria studies using college students found similar results. Students ate less food
when given smaller portions, even
though they could eat as much as
they wanted. Parents trying to help
kids lose weight should serve small
portions at dinner and let them take
seconds. They might eat less and lose
weight. (American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, 90: 269-275, 2009)
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
RESEARCH
Fat Loss
Elevated IGF-1
Does Not
Suppress
Growth Hormone
in Obesity
Many bodybuilders take growth
hormone (GH) to build muscle and
lose fat. GH is a potent fat burner,
which makes it popular with the
total makeover set as well as athletes. Increased GH levels stimulate
IGF-1 release mainly in the liver.
Many of the beneficial effects of GH
are actually caused by IGF-1.
However, GH levels decline in obesity
and IGF-1 levels stay the same.
Danish and American researchers
showed that IGF-1 and its binding
protein were not related to the
degree of obesity in women. The
study showed no feedback between
growth hormone and IGF-1 in obesity.
GH and IGF-1 are readily available on
the black market. Bodybuilders
should be careful when using these
drugs in combination to decrease
body fat, because we dont fully
understand how the two hormones
interact. (Journal Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism, 94:
3093-3097, 2009)
Mini-Fast
Plus Exercise
Promotes Fat Loss
Most people have a difficult time
trying to lose weight, and more than
90 percent of people who lose weight
gain it back again within 12 months.
Our genes are programmed to protect
us from starvation. The body perceives low-calorie diets as an assault
on its well-being. Weight regulation
centers in the brain preserve energy
stores by slowing down metabolic
rate and increasing appetite.
Is it possible to fool Mother
Nature? Mexican researchers from
the Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana
found that exercising after short fasts
(12-14 hours) promoted fat loss.
92 MD
Do Chemicals in
the Environment
Make You Fat?
Energy balance and the principle of
conservation of energy is one of the
first lessons you learn in a college
nutrition course. In a nutshell, you get
fat if you take in more energy than
you expend. Likewise, you lose
weight when energy expenditure
exceeds energy intake. If weight management were that simple, we wouldnt be in the midst of an obesity epidemic.
Researchers from the University of
California, Irvine, suggested that obesogens environmental chemicals
that alter cellular sensors controlling
metabolic rate and food intake interfere with energy balance and promote
fat storage. Exposure to these chemicals during critical growth periods
might condemn people to a lifetime of
obesity. Understanding and managing
obesogens is a major public health
issue. (Molecular Endocrinology, 23:
1127-1134, 2009)
Low-Carbohydrate
Diets May
Promote
Blood Clots
High-fat, low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins diet,
are extremely popular for short-term
weight loss. Many medical experts
have criticized them because they
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
RESEARCH
Health
Obesity Rate Hits
All-time High
Last year, 26.1 percent of Americans
were obese, compared to 25.6 percent in
2007. A 2009 report issued by the Trust
for Americas Health and Robert Wood
Johnson Foundation showed that U.S. is
in the midst of a public health disaster
that is on par with the economic meltdown. Adult and childhood obesity rates
increased 2-3 times during the past 30
years.
In 2008, obesity rates
increased in 23 states and
didnt decrease in even one
state. Mississippi and
Alabama are the fattest
states, with obesity
rates of 32.5 percent
and 31 percent,
while Colorado is
the skinniest at
18.9 percent.
Health care costs
expanded at an
alarming rate during the past 10
years, in part due to
the obesity epidemic.
The economic downturn has increased the
incidence of psychological
depression and made it more difficult for families to purchase healthy
foods, so it is likely that the obesity
rate will continue to increase.
(www.healthyamericans.org,
July 2009)
98 MD
Exercise Reduces
the Risk of Cancer
Low Testosterone
Linked to
Metabolic
Syndrome
Low testosterone is an important
marker of poor metabolic health.
Andrt Guay from Harvard Medical
School, in a review of literature, concluded that low testosterone levels
increase the risk of the Metabolic
Syndrome a cluster of disease-pro-
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Low Testosterone
Increases Heart
Attack Risk
RESEARCH
Supplements
Whey Protein
Boosts Muscle
Protein Synthesis
Best
Scientists, coaches, and athletes
argue endlessly about the best protein
supplement for enhancing muscle protein synthesis. Whey and soy proteins
are digested faster than casein, so supplement makers often mix blends to
maximize amino acid availability for as
long as possible. However, little
research supports the use of one type of
protein over another.
Researchers from McMaster
University in Canada found that a supplement containing whey protein
hydrolysate accelerated muscle protein
synthesis at rest and after weight training better than soy or casein protein.
The researchers speculated that whey
protein promoted muscle protein synthesis best because it was digested
faster and was better able to increase
blood levels of leucine, which is a critical signaling compound for promoting
protein synthesis. (Journal of Applied
Physiology, in press; published online
July 9, 2009)
Timed Casein
Supplementation
Has No Effect on
Strength Gains
106 MD
Potassium Citrate
Reduces Risk of
Kidney Stones
During Atkins Diet
The Atkins diet, which is high in proteins and fats and low in carbohydrates,
is extremely effective for promoting
weight loss, particularly during the first
three to six months of dieting. While the
diet generally promotes positive
changes in metabolism, it often causes
high cholesterol, constipation, and kidney stones. Kidney stones are excruciatingly painful. In addition to the Atkins
diet, they are also common in people
who take calcium supplements and consume low-fiber diets.
Lysine Reduces
Blood Sugar
Response
High-sugar beverages, such as
energy drinks, cause rapid increases in
blood glucose (blood sugar) and trigger insulin release from the pancreas.
The insulin response is critical for
moving sugar from the blood into the
cells but can cause a yo-yo effect on
blood sugar. Rapidly fluctuating levels
of blood glucose and insulin can wreak
havoc in athletes who must maintain
high energy levels and adequate blood
sugar concentrations for sustained
practices and competitions. Insulin
spikes can also promote fat storage
when caloric consumption from the
energy beverage exceeds energy
expenditure during exercise.
Scientists from the
University of Minnesota
found that consuming the
amino acid lysine with glucose
resulted in a blunted blood
sugar response without affecting
insulin release. During training, including lysine in an energy replacement
supplement might help maintain a
more stable blood sugar
level, which would prevent
hunger, sustain energy levels, and prevent fat accumulation. (American Journal
Clinical Nutrition, 90: 315-320,
2009)
RESEARCH
Supplements
Maltodextrin
Preserves Muscle
Glycogen During
Prolonged
Exercise
Carbohydrates are the principle fuels
during exercise at intensities above 65
percent of maximum effort. Since the
1960s, weve known that high-carbohydrate diets promote endurance capacity
better than low-carbohydrate or mixed
diets. While fats contain more energy
per gram than carbohydrates, they take
longer to metabolize. Consequently, carbohydrates provide more energy per
liter of oxygen consumed than fats. In
other words, carbohydrates are faster
fuels. Unfortunately, we store only
about 400 grams of glycogen throughout the body, which limits endurance
capacity.
Popular energy drinks contain carbohydrates to help provide fuels for prolonged exercise. When first introduced,
these drinks contained the glucose polymer maltodextrin, because it could
deliver large amounts of glucose (sugar)
without being overly sweet-tasting.
Gradually, maltodextrin was replaced
by high-fructose corn syrup in most
sports drinks, because it was cheaper.
In a study on rats, Brazilian
researchers showed that pre-exercise
feeding with maltodextrin preserved
muscle glycogen in active muscles. In
humans, this effect would help athletes
involved in prolonged endurance events
recover faster and exercise more
intensely during subsequent workouts.
(JEPonline, 12: 30-38, 2009)
Medium-Chain
Triglycerides
Boost Endurance
Capacity
Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs)
have been called nutritional optimizers
and fatless fat. They provide a lot of
energy in a small volume, just like fat,
yet are absorbed and used rapidly, just
like carbohydrates. They may also
108 MD
Waxy Maize
Starch Maintains
Blood Sugar
Bodybuilding involves a delicate balance between increasing muscle mass
and minimizing fat. During building
phases, protein and calorie intake are
critical for turning on chemical pathways that promote muscle protein synthesis. Unfortunately, unbridled caloric
intake also leads to increased fat deposition. When trying to lose fat, hunger
is the bodybuilders enemy. They must
continue intense training regimens,
while maintaining energy levels and
restricting calorie intake. Waxy maize
starch (WM) is a complex carbohydrate
that helps stabilize blood sugar, without increasing insulin and causing wild
fluctuations in hunger and satiety.
A Purdue University study showed
that consuming a supplement containing WM caused lower blood sugar and
insulin responses than drinking a beverage containing maltodextrin and
table sugar or eating white bread.
Waxy maize starch effectively sustains
blood sugar and prevents hunger. It
might be a useful supplement for bodybuilders. (Nutrition Research, 29: 383390, 2009)
Coenzyme Q10
Increases Interval
Sprint Capacity
Coenzyme Q10 is a vitamin-like
chemical that helps supply energy to
the cells. Some athletes experience
coenzyme Q10 depletion during training
and might benefit from supplements.
Scientists from Selcuk University School
of Medicine in Turkey found that men
who took 100 milligrams per day of oral
coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) increased performance during repeated sprints on a
stationary bike (5 Wingate tests; all-out
30-second sprints), compared to when
they took a placebo (fake CoQ10).
CoQ10 increased peak power and average power and reduced the perception
of fatigue.
A Japanese study found that
Coenzyme Q10 (100 or 300 milligrams
per day for eight days) improved performance and reduced the perception of
fatigue during intense endurance exercise and interval training. The larger
dose produced the greatest effects.
Coenzyme Q10, particularly in doses of
300 milligrams per day, might prevent
fatigue and boost performance during
intense sprint exercise, but we need
more research before we can recommend it as an effective performanceenhancing supplement. (Journal
Strength Conditioning Research, in
press; published online July 28, 2009)
RESEARCH
Nutrition
No Benefit Linking
Dextrose and
Creatine
Leucine
Supplement Does
Not Increase
Lower-Body
Workout Volume
Leucine is a branched-chain
amino acid thats used as a building
block for proteins, acts as a chemical
signaler for protein synthesis, and
helps maintain blood sugar through
its conversion into glucose in the
liver. Intensely training athletes can
sometimes become leucine deficient,
which makes it a possible effective
performance-enhancing supplement.
Baylor University researchers
found that large doses of leucine (40
mg per kilogram bodyweight) had no
effect on training volume during an
intense lower-body workout. Many
recent studies have demonstrated
the critical role of leucine in exercise
performance and adaptation to training. However, most studies have
failed to find a beneficial effect from
leucine beyond the effects of training alone. (Paper presented at the
American College of Sports Medicine
Annual Meeting, May 28, 2009)
114 MD
Caffeine Does
Not Alter the
Relationship
Between Heart
Rate And Oxygen
Consumption
During Exercise
Many athletes take caffeine to
jumpstart their workouts. Caffeine is a
mild stimulant that increases heart
rate and blood pressure at rest. A
study from Minnesota State University
at Mankato found that caffeine (6 mg
per kilogram bodyweight) did not
affect the relationship between heart
rate and oxygen consumption during
exercise. However, caffeine increased
oxygen consumption slightly.
Many studies found that caffeine
boosts endurance and high-intensity
exercise performance. Caffeine might
work by altering the perception of
fatigue. Caffeine is no longer on the
ban substances list in Olympic sports
but its use is still limited by the
NCAA. (Paper presented at the
American College of Sports Medicine
Annual Meeting, May 28, 2009)
Glutamine
Supplements
Protect Muscles
From
Inflammation
Glutamine is vital for a strong
immune system and recovery from
intense exercise. It also protects the
muscles from inflammation because of
its role in generating heat shock proteins (HSP) that help organize new
proteins and speed the removal of
injured cells and tissues. Stresses
increasing HSPs include muscle cell
damage from high tension, high cell
temperature, reduced pH (cell acidity),
inadequate blood flow, oxidative stress
(free radical damage), and depleted
energy stores.
Researchers from the University of
Illinois, Urbana, in a study on mice,
found that glutamine supplements
preserved muscle strength in artificially-inflamed muscles. While controversial, we have some evidence that glut-
RESEARCH
Nutrition
amine supplements boost immune function and protect tissues from inflammation. (Paper presented at the American
College of Sports Medicine Annual
Meeting, May 28, 2009)
Protein-Carb
Supplements Do
Not Boost Muscle
Protein Synthesis
at Rest or After
Exercise
Muscle growth requires muscle tension, amino acids, calories, carbohydrates, anabolic hormones, and rest.
Take away any of these and training
progress grinds to a halt. Many recent
studies found that taking protein and
amino acid supplements before or after
weight training promoted protein synthesis. This practice increases the availability of amino acids, which are used
to build new proteins. Also, key amino
acids such as leucine activate important
biochemical pathways (i.e., the mTOR
pathway) that trigger protein synthesis.
Not all studies have found that supplementing protein close to workout times
has any beneficial effects.
Aaron Staples and colleagues from
McMaster University in Canada found
that supplementing protein and carbohydrate following a weight workout did
not boost protein synthesis more than
the workout itself. We need more
research to help decide this controversial issue. (Paper presented at the
American College of Sports Medicine
Annual Meeting, May 28, 2009)
Low-Glycemic
Index Meal Boosts
Performance
Cycling time trials are prolonged,
high-intensity events requiring ready
availability of carbohydrates for fuel.
Carbohydrates come from stored glycogen in the muscles, liver glycogen, gluconeogenesis (liver converts various
fuels to blood sugar), and dietary
116 MD
intake of carbohydrates.
British researchers found that a 40kilometer cycling time trial was 4 percent faster, following a low-glycemic
index meal after a high-glycemic
index meal. Both meals contained 1
gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of
bodyweight. Glycemic index is a
measure of how fast foods increase
blood sugar. Low glycemic index
meals provided more sustained glucose release, which might spare
scarce muscle and liver glycogen during intense, prolonged exercise. These
results may not apply to short-term,
high-intensity exercise. (International
Journal Sports Physiology
Performance, 4: 331-344, 2009)
No Difference
Between Highor Low-Glycemic
Index Meals on
High-Intensity
Exercise
Performance
The Mediterranean
Diet Reduces
Abdominal Fat
The Mediterranean diet is high in
pasta, olive oil, fruits, vegetables, lean
meats, fish, nuts, and wine. People living in Mediterranean countries have the
lowest heart disease rates and greatest
longevity in the world. Diet may play an
important role in their excellent health.
A large study of nearly 500,000 men
and women age 25 to 70 living in 10
European countries found a reduced
risk of abdominal obesity in people who
followed the Mediterranean diet. The
relationship was strongest in men from
northern European countries. People living in France, Norway, and Sweden
were the thinnest, while those living in
Greece and Spain were the fattest.
Europeans were considerably leaner
than Americans. The Mediterranean
diet has positive effects on metabolic
health and preventing obesity.
(Journal Nutrition, 139: 1-10, 2009)
RESEARCH
Drugs
Link Between
Steroids and
Preoccupation
with Building
Muscle?
Many high school and college
women suffer from eating disorders,
such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, which are related to distorted
body image. These women starve
themselves or eat-and-purge
because they think they are overweight even when they are not. An
increasing number of men have a similar condition called muscle dysmorphia.
These men are preoccupied with their
bodies and think they are not lean or
muscular enough.
Lebur Rohman from St.
Georges University of London in
the U.K. summarized the literature on muscle dysmorphia and
its possible link with anabolic steroid
use. Men with this condition have a
compulsive need to work out and diet.
They will evade important social and
work responsibilities to maintain their
workout schedule. They often take
drugs and supplements they know are
unhealthy in order to attain their goal.
We think that there is another perspective on this problem. While many
men undoubtedly have unrealistic body
images, extreme focus and dedication
are required to reach championship levels. In champions, preoccupation and
dedication are considered admirable,
while these qualities are classified as illnesses in less-accomplished people.
(Eating Disorders, 17: 187-199, 2009)
120 MD
NSCA Issues
Position Statement
on Anabolic
Steroids and
Growth Hormone
The National Strength and
Conditioning Association (NSCA) is one
of the premier professional organizations for strength coaches and research
on strength and conditioning. In August
2009, the NSCA issued a position statement regarding anabolic steroids and
growth hormone use in sports. The elements of the report included:
1. Steroids increase lean mass, muscle mass, and strength.
2. Steroids plus weight training work
better together than either one alone.
3. The side effects of these drugs
have not been systematically studied,
but there are numerous reports of a
variety of possible side effects.
4. Women and men experience similar effects from steroids, but women
also experience masculinizing effects
such deepening of the voice and clitoral
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Physicians Blame
Dieting Increases
Steroids for
the Risk of
Near Death of
Positive Drug Tests Ex-Bodybuilder
increase in the size of the wall separating the left and right sides of the
heart. The patient reported taking
anabolic steroids 15 years before.
The surgeons speculated that
steroids might have caused the
ex-bodybuilders heart problems.
Intense weight training causes
high pressure loads in the heart.
These loads increase when lifting
heavier weights. It could be argued
that steroids caused the heart problems, because they allowed the exathlete to lift unusually heavy
weights when he was younger.
However, heavy weightlifting increases heart size and the stiffness of the
arteries regardless of steroid use.
Which was the culprit: heavy weight
training or steroids, which allowed the
athlete to lift unusually heavy weights?
Also, did the steroids contribute to
enlargement of the heart independently of heavy weightlifting? (Journal of
Cardiothoracic and Vascular
Anesthesia, 23: 208-210, 2009)
RESEARCH
Drugs
enlargement.
5. In children, steroids can cause
premature closure of the bone growth
centers, which results in retarded
growth.
6. Steroids are Schedule III substances. Illicit use can have serious
legal consequences.
7. Combining growth hormone with
weight training causes few changes in
muscle mass and strength beyond
weight training alone.
8. Growth hormone side effects
increase with dosage.
9. Anabolic drug use has decreased
in high school students during the past
few years. Hiring qualified, certified
coaches is the best way to prevent
drug use in athletes. (Journal Strength
Conditioning Research, 23: 1-59, 2009)
Drug Police
Seeking Growth
Hormone Test
Athletes first started using growth
hormone (GH) in the early 1980s. The
drug was harvested from cadavers
and was extremely expensive. Early
studies showed that GH had little
effect on athletic performance, but
athletes discovered that the combination of GH and anabolic steroids was
dynamite. While GH has been on the
banned substances list since 1989,
the world anti-doping Association
(WADA) did not introduce a GH test
until the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
The test could only detect GH for 24
hours after injection, so an athlete
would have to be an idiot to get
popped.
The ideal scenario for drug testers
would be a urine test that could
detect minute amounts of the drug.
Currently, thats little more than a distant dream. A promising test measuring connective tissue changes was
reported last year, but WADA has not
adopted it. Growth hormone will continue to be a problem drug for Olympic
sports until WADA scientists develop
an effective test to detect it. (Growth
Hormone & IGF Research, in press;
published online May 2009)
122 MD
Growth Hormone
Builds Muscle
and Cuts Fat
Growth hormone (GH), along with
its helper hormone IGF-1, has important long-term and short-term effects
on protein, fat, and carbohydrate
metabolism. Increases in GH during
exercise appear to be important for
triggering the training response. In
GH-deficient adults, supplementing
the hormone increases muscle mass,
physical performance, and decreases
body fat.
In studies lasting as long as 10
years, administration of GH supplements in older adults slowed many of
the effects of aging, such as decreased
muscle mass and increased fat. In
healthy athletes, GH decreases body
fat and prevents protein loss during
intense training, but these effects are
small and controversial. Chronically
high levels of GH seen in acromegaly
show that excessive long-term administration of the hormone does not
improve physical performance.
However, short-term supplementation
could benefit athletes. (Growth
Hormone & IGF Research, in press;
published online May 2009)
GH Remains the
Anabolic Drug of
Choice for
Olympic Athletes
Why is growth hormone so popular
with elite athletes? The answer is simple: there is no effective test to detect it.
Random drug tests make it very dangerous to take anabolic steroids, because
they can be detected for one week to
more than six months. However, available research suggests that GH provides only small benefits to athletes.
Even though athletes can once again
get GH from China, it is still expensive
and importing it is risky (both legally
and medically). GH might increase connective tissue strength, which allows
athletes to train harder, prevents soft
tissue injury, and speeds the healing
rate following injury. While the effectiveness of GH is unclear, at this time athletes can take it with little risk of detection. (Growth Hormone & IGF Research,
in press; published online May 2009)
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
RESEARCH
Sex
Regular Sex
Important for
Sperm Quality
Every bodybuilder knows that when
it comes to muscle, you use it or lose it.
The same goes for your reproductive
system. Australian researchers, led by
David Greening from the Sydney InVitro Fertilization Clinic, showed that
sperm quality improved by 20 percent
in men who ejaculated daily for seven
days. The researchers concluded that
couples trying to conceive should have
sexual intercourse daily for seven days
prior to ovulation.
Previously, urologists recommended
that couples abstain from sex for 5-7
days before ovulation so that men
could build up sperm volume. It
appears that older sperm is more susceptible to DNA damage, which can
decrease the chances of fertilization
and increase the risk of birth defects.
(Paper presented at the European
Society of Human Reproduction and
Embryology, June 2009)
Most Women
Use Vibrators
128 MD
Until recently, most women had a healthy bush and that signaled to men
that they were nearing the Promised Land. Things have changed. Nowadays
women clear-cut their nether regions to the point where you sometimes question whether youre having sex with a pre-pubertal girl. It appears that hairless loins are here to stay.
A Scottish study speculated that the wide distribution of porno movies
accounts for the sudden disappearance of pubic hair. Throughout history, art
(the ancient version of porno videos) showed men and women with minimal
pubic hair. Victorian modesty caused people to cover up, which promoted genital hair growth. With the Sexual Revolution that began in the 60s, the full
bushes of early Playboy models gradually led to todays genital deforestation.
Most women perceive removal of pubic hair as sexy and sanitary. They
believe that hair removal increases sexual pleasure by increasing sensitivity,
improving the beauty of the sex organs, and making it easier to identify the
hood of the clitoris. We need more research to help us understand this pressing public health issue. (Journal Sexual Medicine, 6: 2102-2110, 2009)
Is ED a Disability?
Several large-scale studies found
that regular sex is one of the most
important factors promoting happiness.
What happens if contaminants in the
workplace cause sexual problems that
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Does your significant other carry a picture of her vibrator in her wallet instead
of you? A study from the Kinsey Institute
at Indiana University showed that a
majority of women aged 18-60 use vibrators. That means that if shes not using
the sex toy with you, her vibrator is getting more action than you are.
On a brighter note, women who use
vibrators are sexually better adjusted
than those who dont. Vibrator users
scored higher on measures of sexual
desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and
overall sexual function. Few women
reported side effects from vibrator use.
The study involved a sample of 3,800
women chosen to represent a cross-section of Americans. The research
showed that if you are looking for a highly sexual woman,
ask her if she uses a vibrator.
(Journal Sexual Medicine, 6:
1857-1866,2009)
The Deforestation of
Our Nations Crotches
RESEARCH
Sex
interfere with quality of life? Many studies have shown a link between erectile
dysfunction (ED), obesity, physical
inactivity, smoking, and recreational
drug use. Chemicals in the workplace,
such as lead, organic solvents, and
pesticides, and job-related emotional
stress can also promote ED.
Should work-linked ED be grounds
for disability payments? While scientists can build a reasonable case
between work stresses, contaminants, and bad sex, its unlikely the
government will do anything about it,
given the present economic climate.
(Journal Sexual Medicine, 6: 23402342, 2009)
High Cortisol
Levels Linked to
Sexual Problems
in Men
Cortisol is a stress hormone
released by the adrenal glands, which
are located on the top of each kidney.
130 MD
Beer Glasses
Affect Men More
Than Women
How many times have you gone to
bed with a 10 and woke up with a
2? According to British researchers
from Brunel University, this is much
more likely to happen to a man than
to a woman. While casual sex is relatively common in men and women,
women have higher standards.
They asked nearly 1,000 male and
female students from the U.S.,
Germany, and Italy to rate the likelihood of having a one-night stand
with someone who propositioned
them and was either slightly unattractive, moderately attractive, or
exceptionally attractive. Looks had no
effect on a mans decision to have
casual sex, while most women
required that her potential sex partner be exceptionally attractive. The
study also found differences between
countries. Italian and American men
would sleep with anything that
moved, while German men were
more selective. (Medical News Today,
August 12, 2009)
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Fatattack
EPO: A Surprising
Fat-Loss Hormone
It
134 MD
Fatattack
ple whose kidneys do not function) is
associated with a decrease in body
mass index (BMI) and LDL (bad) cholesterol; increased exercise tolerance,
activity, and muscle growth; as well
as improved glucose control with a
lower fasting blood glucose and
12-18
increased insulin sensitivity.
Clearly, there is much more to EPO
beyond increasing oxygen delivery
for anemic patients or sports doping.
This group of scientists altered the
mice to overproduce EPO by transferring the EPO gene (cDNA) to a leg
muscle, increasing circulating (blood)
concentration 100-fold; not 100 percent, which would be doubling the
amount in the
blood, but 100fold or 10,000
percent! These animals were compared to normal
mice, the two
groups (EPO versus
normal) being
assigned to consume either a normal mouse-chow
or a high-fat diet
that causes obesity.
After a 12-week
trial, EPO-treated animals showed significant, practically incredible, results
compared to their untreated peers. In
just three months, obese EPO mice
lost 23 percent of bodyweight, with
dual energy X-ray absorptiometry
(DEXA) scans revealing that the prior
fat mass was reduced 28 percent by
11
volume. The reduction in fat resulted
in metabolic changes that improved
glucose control back to normal levels.
Obese mice and humans typically
have poor blood sugar control, with
high fasting sugar and insulin levels.
Perhaps even more exciting was
the effect EPO had on muscles. In
muscles that were transfected (had
the cDNA containing the EPO gene
transferred into the muscle cell), muscle volume increased 14 percent,
compared to the opposite-side leg
that was not transfected, with no
change in protein concentration
suggesting that the increase was due
to muscle hypertrophy and not edema
11
(fluid retention). However, the mus-
Fatattack
low body fat of elite cyclists who
maintain high EPO through high-altitude-simulating sleeping chambers,
or by injecting EPO and related
drugs. Remember, this group
expends thousands of calories daily
in aerobic exercise.
Gene doping and gene therapy
are part of the future of sports and
medicine. This study offers a
glimpse at what may be pending in
the next decade. Certainly, athletes
and anti-doping agencies are closely following the performance-
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2000). The effects of moderate altitude (1700 m) on cardiovascular and metabolic variables
in patients with metabolic syndrome. Eur J Appl Physiol, 2003;88:506-514.
Nutrition
Performance
A Novel Way of
Increasing Appetite
in Bodybuilders
recently spent a few days with
IFBB pro Kai Greene, and can
this guy eat! I filmed him for a
workout, which can be found on
musculardevelopment.com along
with many videos from other pros.
After his workout, Kai immediately
ate two full-sized chicken breasts
and a bowl of rice and we were
going to dinner in 40 minutes. When
we arrived at the restaurant he ate
two steaks, a baked potato, vegetables, and ordered another steak to
go. This guys appetite is amazing.
Most bodybuilders have problems
putting on size because they just
dont have the appetite. Is there
anything a bodybuilder can do to
increase his appetite?
According to a new study in the
American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition, monosodium glutamate
(MSG) is being examined as a way
6
to enhance appetite in the elderly.
Also known as sodium glutamate,
MSG is a sodium salt of the nonessential amino acid glutamic acid.
MSG is a food additive that
enhances flavor in food. It has virtually no flavor of its own, but
through neurological mechanisms,
causes people to experience a more
intense flavor from the foods they
142 MD
Medical Use
for MSG?
MSG is used extensively
throughout the world as a flavor
enhancer. A team of scientists in the
Faculty of Medicine at the
Complutense University of Madrid
discovered that when given to rats,
MSG produces a massive 40 percent increase in appetite. The scientists thought that MSG affects the
arcuate nucleus (area of the brain
involving appetite control), preventing proper functioning of the bodys
appetite control mechanisms.
According to this hypothesis, people
(and children) who consume foods
with large quantities of MSG just
feel more and more hungry the
more they eat.
Glutamate is an amino acid that
enhances the flavor of natural ingredients, and is present in most of the
fresh food we eat. The Spanish scientists fear that MSG use could
compound the already rising problem of obesity, particularly when
MSG is used as an additive to
enhance the flavor of processed
foods or foods served in restaurants, or even at home.
Food companies are obliged by
law to list E-621 (number code for
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November 2009
NutritionPerformance
food additives) in the ingredients,
but they do not have to specify the
quantity used. Food additives
improve specific flavor characteristics such as continuity, mouthfulness, effect, mildness, and thickness. They also improve the overall
preference for food. One of the
major problems that doctors face in
hospitals with elderly patients is
that the patients cant maintain their
bodyweight, as they just dont want
to eat. One of the physiological
problems of the elderly is a general
decrease in the sensitivity of the
senses, including taste.
Several studies investigated the
use of MSG to enhance the flavor of
food and get patients to eat more.
One study looked at the effect of
MSG supplementation of food for
the elderly who have lost their
appetite. MSG supplementation
caused an increased intake of cer1
tain foods. In another study, intake
of energy and nutrients was measured in hospitalized elderly subjects given food with or without
added MSG (0.6 percent) for six
months. Although total energy
intake did not change, higher intake
of the foods containing added MSG
(soups, meats, vegetables) was
observed, and the intake of foods
without added MSG (e.g., desserts)
was low.
Another study of 62 middle-aged
patients with diabetes mellitus
2
reported similar findings. The combination of MSG and food flavors
increased food intake and improved
nutritional status in 43 hospitalized
elderly patients whose bodyweights
3
were reduced by disease.
Interestingly, MSG may enhance
the intake of protein. Healthy adults
who supplemented a protein-rich
liquid diet with 0.5 percent MSG
increased the gastric emptying rate
(how quickly foods are emptied
from the stomach). Of interest, this
action of MSG occurred only in a
protein-rich liquid diet and not when
it was added to an equicaloric car4
bohydrate (no protein) liquid diet.
In another study, it was reported
that 0.5 percent MSG supplementa-
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bodybuilding
science
Thermal Therapy
for Ultimate
Muscle Recuperation
S
aunas and hot tubs have been touted for years as a way
to rejuvenate the body. Sauna sessions or thermal heat
are used to facilitate sweating, but you sweat in the
gym. Do you really need a sauna? For most bodybuilders,
saunas and hot tubs are things we know we should incorporate into our workout program, but just dont incorporate
them as much as we should.
Health Benefits of
Thermal Therapy
When researching the literature on the recuperative effect
of thermal therapy generated by hot tubs and saunas, I was
amazed at how the therapeutic effect could enhance muscle
recuperation in men. Studies examining the use of saunas
found that they:
Reduce levels of stress hormones adrenalin and
noradrenalin, and increase the pleasure and well-being
1
hormone beta-endorphin.
Increase testosterone and growth hormone (GH) in
2
men.
Reduce the inflammatory mediator prostaglandin
F2-alpha, and protect against oxidative stress and free
3
radical damage.
Regular saunas, when combined with exercise therapy, can efficiently clear organic chemicals, solvents,
drugs, pharmaceuticals, and even PCBs and heavy met4-6
als from the body. Use moderation when spending time
in a sauna; and too much time there can cause an exacerbated stress response.
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November 2009
bodybuildingscience
resting diastolic pressure, averaging 20-23 mmHg and 14-18
7-9
mmHg, respectively. These reductions in blood pressure
were at least as large as those seen in control groups asked
to run twice weekly. This means that sitting in the sauna is
going to facilitate the production of nitric oxide, which may
enhance muscle recuperation.
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Supplement
Performance
Whey Protein
Hydrolysates
Increase Blood Flow
hey protein is not only a
fast-acting protein as it has
been known for years, but it
has many more applications for
bodybuilding. It may help you get
better pumps in the gym.
The vascular endothelium is a single-cell layer in blood vessels that
influences vascular health and risk of
disease by regulating vasoconstriction and vasodilation, blood pressure, blood clotting, etc. Bioactive
peptides derived from food, especially milk proteins, exert a wide range
of biological actions including
decreased blood pressure and
improved endothelial function. Milk
is a rich source of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides. ACE inhibition prevents the
conversion of angiotensin I to
angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor. Many people with high blood
pressure are prescribed ACEinhibitor drugs to lower blood pressure, but bodybuilders may get a
similar effect with whey protein
hydrolysate.
Most bodybuilders take a nitric
oxide (NO) product before exercise
to increase muscle pumps, but taking a new and novel whey protein
150 MD
BounceBack
Reduces Muscle
Soreness After
Eccentric Exercise
Being sore is a way of life in
bodybuilding like walking up a
flight of stairs in torture after a grueling leg day. But bodybuilders may
not need to suffer anymore. In this
months Journal of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition,
researchers tested the validity of a
supplement called BounceBack to
reduce muscle soreness.
BounceBack is a proprietary
dietary supplement with antioxidants
and a potent blend of anti-inflammatory agents, proteolytic enzymes,
curcumin, phytosterols from
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November 2009
TestoSurge
Increases
Testosterone
In a poster presentation at the
2009 ISSN in New Orleans,
researchers reported a new supplement for increasing testosterone.
TestoSurge is a proprietary substance
extracted from Fenugreek (Trigonella
foenun-graecum) seeds and is
patent-pending by INDUS Biotech.
A study examined 30 resistancetrained males (it is important that
they used people who were already
lifting weights) who completed all
phases of the study. Subjects were
matched according to total bodyweight and randomly assigned in a
double-blind manner to ingest either
500 milligrams of a placebo or
TestoSurge, once daily for eight
weeks.
MuscleGrowth
Update
Casein Before
Bedtime Increases
Muscle Mass
U
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MD 000
Sports Supplement
Product Review
MuscleTechs
Hydroxycut
Unleash The
Power of
Thermogenesis!
machine. Hydroxycut Hardcore X rapidrelease liquid micro-dispersion capsules contain key ingredients that have been shown to:
Increase Norepinephrine By Up To An
Average Of 92 Percent
Accelerate Metabolism
Enhance Muscle Performance
Increase Uncoupling Proteins
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When developing the Hydroxycut Hardcore X formula, Team MuscleTech researchers included an ingredient
that was clinically researched and shown to help you get
shredded. !
To find out more about MuscleTech products, visit
www.muscletech.com
References:
1. Benefits N, et al. (1995). Clin Pharmacol Ther, 58:684.
2. Ngondi J, et al. (2009). Lipids Health Dis, 8:7.
3. Lafontan M, Berlan M. Fat cell adrenergic receptors and the control of
white and brown fat cell function. J Lipid Res, 1993 Jul;34(7):1057-91. Review.
4. Stich V, De Glisezinski I, Crampes F, Hejnova J, Cottet-Emard JM,
Galitzky J, Lafontan M, Riviere D, Berlan M. Activation of alpha(2)-adrenergic
receptors impairs exercise-induced lipolysis in SCAT of obese subjects. Am J
Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2000 Aug;279(2):R499-504.
5. Bell DG and McLellan TM. Exercise endurance 1, 3, and 6 h after ingestion in caffeine users and nonusers. J Appl Physiol, 93:1227-1234. 2002.
6. Spriet LL, Maclean DA, Dyke DJ, Hultman E, Cederblad G, Graham TE.
Caffeine ingestion and muscle metabolism during prolonged exercise in
humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, 262:E891-E898. 1992.
7. Beaven CM, Hopkins WG, Hansen KT, Wood MR, Cronin JB, Lowe TE.
Dose effect of caffeine on testosterone and cortisol responses to resistance
exercise. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab, 2008 Apr;18(2):131-41.
8. Astrup A, Toubro S, Cannon S, Hein P, Breum L, Madsen J. Caffeine: a
double-blind, placebo-controlled study of its thermogenic, metabolic, and cardiovascular effects in healthy volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr, 1990 May;51(5):75967.
9. Kawada T, Watanabe T, Takaishi T, Tanaka T, and Iwai K. Capsaicin-induced
beta-adrenergic action on energy metabolism in rats: influence of capsaicin on
oxygen consumption, the respiratory quotient, and substrate utilization. Proc
Soc Exp Biol Med, 183: 250-256, 1986.
10. Yoshioka M, Lim K, Kikuzato S, Kiyonaga A, Tanaka H, Shindo M, Suzuki
M. Effects of red-pepper diet on the energy metabolism in men. J Nutr Sci
Vitaminol, (Tokyo) 41: 647-656, 1995.
11. Kawada T, Watanabe T, Takaishi T, Tanaka T, and Iwai K. Capsaicin-induced
beta-adrenergic action on energy metabolism in rats: influence of capsaicin on
oxygen consumption, the respiratory quotient, and substrate utilization. Proc
Soc Exp Biol Med, 183: 250-256, 1986.
12. Daily JW, Hongu N, Mynatt RL, Sachan DS. Choline supplementation
increases tissue concentrations of carnitine and lowers body fat in guinea
pigs. J Nutr Biochem, 1998;9:464-470.
13. Zeisel SH, Blusztajn JK. Choline and human nutrition. Annu Rev Nutr,
1994;14:269-296.
14. Dodson WL, Sachan DS. Choline supplementation reduces urinary carnitine excretion in humans. Am J Clin Nutr, 1996;63:904-910.
15. Neri DF, Wiegmenn, D, Stanny RR, Shappell SA, McCardie A, Mckay
DL. (1995) The effects of tyrosine on cognitive performance during extended
wakefulness. Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine, 66, 313-319.
16. Magill RA, Waters WF, Bray GA, Volaufova J, Smith SR, Lieberman HR,
McNevin N, Ryan DH. Effects of tyrosine, phentermine, caffeine D-amphetamine, and placebo on cognitive and motor performance deficits during sleep
deprivation. Nutr Neurosci, 2003 Aug;6(4):237-46.
17. Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Kang J, Rashti SL, Faigenbaum AD. Effect
of betaine supplementation on power performance and fatigue. J Int Soc
Sports Nutr, 2009 Feb 27;6:7.
18. Yang Y, Chen M, Georgeson KE, Harmon CM. Mechanism of
oleoylethanolamide on fatty acid uptake in small intestine after food intake
and body weight reduction. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, 2007
Jan;292(1):R235-41.
MARK ALVISI IS
THE 2009 OVERALL
USA CHAMPION!
Interview by Ron Harris, Photography by Per Bernal
Its not often that we are able to follow an amateur
through his final months leading up to becoming a professional bodybuilder. But with Mark Alvisi, weve all been
able to do that right here on the pages of MD, as well as
on our website. You didnt have to be Nostradamus to
pick Mark as a rising star destined for greatness if you saw
him last year at either the USA, his breakout show, or the
Nationals, where he took a painfully close second place to
Mike Liberatore in the Heavyweights.
Between his obvious genetic gifts and his powerful will and
work ethic, it was only a matter of time before Mark graduated
to the pro ranks. Sadly, we have all seen athletes like this that
either never made it or took much longer than anticipated to
hit that next level. Not Alvisi. After his narrow miss at the
Nationals last November, he put his nose to the grindstone
and did what it took to make sure that the next time he got
onstage, there would be no doubt in anyones mind that they
were looking at the clear-cut champion. Though hes already a
proud member of Team MD, please welcome Team MDs
newest professional bodybuilder: Mark Alvisi!
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MD 163
I didnt feel
any pressure
other than what
I put on myself.
The confidence I
had throughout
the prep came
from knowing
I was doing
everything I
had to do to
look like a
champion.
Mark Alvisi
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I think I
brought my legs
up the most.
My quads and
hams were
fuller and
harder, and my
thighs had better sweep. I also
saw a lot more
fullness, roundness, and detail
in my shoulders
and arms. You
could really see
it in my front
relaxed
stance.
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Contest History
2001 NABF Florida Supernatural
2001 NABF American Nationals
2001 Musclemania
2002 Musclemania
2002 Musclemania Superbody
2003 NPC Southern States
2006 NPC Southern States
2006 NPC USA Championships
2007 IFBB Arnold Amateur
2008 NPC USA Championships
2008 NPC Nationals
2009 NPC USA Championships
Overall Champion
Professional Winner
3rd, Welterweight
10th, Professional
Middleweight & Overall
nd
2 , Light-heavyweight
2nd, Light-heavyweight
Did not place
Heavyweight Winner
4th, Heavyweight
2nd, Heavyweight
Heavyweight &
Overall
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176 MD
BRANDEN
RAY
IS DOWN,
BUT FAR
FROM OUT
REDEMP
TIO
D
E
N
N
A
R
T
H
Y
A
E
R
N OF
B
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FW: Lets start with the lead-up to the USA. How was
your physique shaping up in the final couple weeks? What
improvements did you see from the year before?
BR: Flex, I made what I felt were huge improvements in that
year. Unfortunately, they didnt show onstage. I was very happy
with my conditioning. In the videos posted up on MD before the
show, you could see I was dead on. Even in Vegas I did a precontest interview with your colleague Shawn Ray and
posed for that in my hotel room, and again you
could clearly see my condition was dead on. But
onstage I looked like crap.
FW: You said on the MD No Bull
Forum that your stage color was what
ultimately messed you up. Elaborate
on that situation if you would.
BR: That was a huge part of it, yes.
Not being dark enough is a problem
for a lot of competitors, but I had the
opposite problem of being too dark.
As you know, Im not light-skinned
in the first place.
FW: Correct.
BR: Being too dark actually works
against you, especially once the oil is
on and youre under those bright
stage lights. But getting back to what
happened, Jan Tana was doing the spray
tan for the competitors and this was the
first time I had ever had that done. Tamer
El Guindy and Chulsey Grahams appointments had been right before mine, and while I
was getting sprayed, they were already standing in
front of fans and drying off. My skin must be a lot drier
than most peoples, because it just soaked up this tanning
product. I dried off before those two guys! So I said well, I guess
I better do another coat. You can never be too dark, right? Wrong.
My skin soaked that up too, of course.
The stuff made me so dark onstage that my true condition
couldnt be seen. But I swear to you, my glutes and hams were
shredded, my Christmas tree was perfectly dialed in, all that.
Hany Rambod will attest to that, and he doesnt lie. Another issue
I had with this particular tanning product was that my skin had
some type of allergic reaction to it and I started breaking out.
FW: It had to have been heartbreaking to see the stage
shots from the show and realize just how badly these
issues obscured your cuts.
BR: Flex, it killed me, because it looked like I hadnt worked
hard enough to get in shape. But I tell you, I busted my ass for
this show. I was doing 45 to 60 minutes on the StepMill twice a
day. My condition was exactly where it needed to be. Even the
other guys backstage saw that. They were all congratulating me,
long before the show was over, for winning! But things looked
different out there onstage.
FW: The color wasnt the only issue, though. You
dropped a lot of weight in that last week before the
show. You weighed in at only 188 pounds, and a lot of the
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MD 179
fullness and roundness I normally see on you in the off-season was gone. What happened
there, bro?
BR: Three weeks out from the
show, I was looking awesome at
about 215. Kevin Levrone has
moved back to the East Coast and
trains at my gym, and he took a
look at me. Kevin said all I needed
to do was drop my water and I was
ready to rock.
FW: I should point out that
everyone says that, but Kevin
actually has an eye for these
things as a former Mr. Olympia
competitor. He knows the difference between fat and water;
most people dont.
BR: Right. But I kept on pushing
for that extra level of freaky conditioning, because I wasnt about to
leave anything to chance. Id already
been second place and I had no
intention of leaving the USA with
anything but a pro card. When I got
off the plane in Las Vegas, I was 200
pounds on the dime. I have to preface everything I say next by saying
that just like last year when Dexter
worked with me, this was the first
time Hany worked with me and he
hadnt really learned how my
metabolism responds to various
factors. I dont care how great any
coach or guru is, they still need to
learn how each individual clients
body responds. You saw it last year
with Chad and Dennis Wolf, too.
FW: OK, I think we get the
picture. You dont want to
throw Hany under the bus.
BR: Exactly. So I get off the plane
at 200 pounds. Hany is all about
condition, because it usually does
win shows. He was concerned that I
was holding a little water from the
flight and was very determined to
get rid of it. He had me go do more
cardio and sit in a sauna, and eat
only fish.
When I woke up the next morning, I had dropped 11 pounds. I was
sharper, but I was a lot flatter, too.
That cant happen again. I need to
stay full, and I need to be at the top
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Training Split
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Contest History
2003 Contra Costa
2005 Contra Costa
2005 California Championships
2005 NPC Nationals
2009 Los Angeles Championships
2009 USA Championships
2009 IFBB Jacksonville Pro 202
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194 MD
On a Roll,
Then Dropping
Off the Map
After a six-week low-carb
diet that indeed made him
tired and moody, Daryl entered
a big regional show in his area
called the Contra Costa. He
won the Novice division and
took second in the Mens open,
but more importantly, he had
discovered how much he liked
competing. Once I was up
there on stage, it just felt right,
he says. He also got a much
better idea of what he was up
against, and it was clear to him
he needed more size before he
competed again.
Gee took off 2004 and
returned to the show in 05 to
win the middleweights, and hit
the Cal and become its first
champ in the new welterweight
division but missing the
Overall to David Truley, who
was featured several months
later here in MD. Daryl finished
the season off with a stab at
the NPC Nationals, placing
third as a middleweight. He
had no idea at the time it
would be his last contest for
almost four years.
I took a job as a recruiter,
more commonly known as a
headhunter, Gee says. The
workdays were often up to 12
hours long and I was constantly on the road. He kept
up his training and did continue to make gains, but he
knew that competing was out
of the question with such a
grueling schedule.
2009: The
Comeback
Things turned around last
year when Daryl left his
native San Francisco area to
take a job in New York City as
the Sales and Marketing
Director for a book publishing
company. With a desk job and
less stress, he was able to get
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MD 195
G-Forced Reps
When asked to briefly summarize his training
style, Daryl made it clear that he learned the hard
way (through several injuries over the years) not to
ever use a weight that he could handle for fewer
than six or seven reps on his own. After that, he frequently employs the one technique he feels has
been the most productive of his entire training
career: forced reps.
If you look at my bone structure and my joints,
its obvious Im a small-boned guy, he says. I am a
true hard-gainer, and the only way I have been able
to keep adding muscle mass is to shock the muscles
with higher levels of intensity. For me, forced reps
have been the absolute best way to achieve that.
Hes quick to point out that forced reps are often
bastardized and rendered useless out of ignorance
or ego. They work very well if you do them after hitting failure on your own, but if you are using so much
weight that all your reps are forced reps with a spotter helping, you defeat the purpose.
196 MD
all his meals in on time again and the itch to get back on stage
grew stronger.
I put a plan together to do the Atlantic States show here in
New York to re-qualify, then the Junior Nationals two weeks
later in Chicago, he says. But just before Gee was to start his
diet, he suffered a slight tear in his elbow tendon and couldnt
train for five weeks.
It was the longest I had gone without lifting in 17 years,
and it was tough. I started dieting and got slowly back into
training, but I had to wait and see how I was looking before I
figured out my new plan. As the weeks went on, the west
coast was looking more and more like his best bet. The L.A.
was coming up, and thats where a lot of guys qualify for the
USA a week later, he explains. Its a show with great exposure and I also thought it would be nice to start my comeback
in my home state.
By now you know how it went. Gee swept his class and the
Overall in L.A. and turned pro just a week later. Daryl contemplated several options to compete soon as a 202. I knew there
was a pro show in Sacramento coming up, but I wasnt sure if
they would have a 202 class, he says. Tampa was also a pos-
Olympia-bound and
Nothing to Lose
And is Daryl Gee going to compete in Las Vegas? You know he is!
Its all still a big whirlwind, but Im
very excited about stepping on the
Olympia stage. Ive looked up to the
reigning champion Dave Henry for a
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CONTEST HIGHLIGHTS
1996 TNBF Natural California Invitational
1997 NPC Contra Costa
1997 NPC California
2001 NPC Iron Man
2002 NPC California
2003 NPC USA Championships
2003 NPC Nationals
2004 NPC USA Championships
2004 NPC Nationals
2005 NPC USA Championships
2005 NPC Nationals
2006 NPC USA Championships
2006 IFBB North American
2006 NPC Nationals
2007 NPC USA Championships
2007 IFBB North American
2007 NPC Nationals
2008 NPC USA Championships
2008 IFBB North American
2009 NPC USA Championship*
2009 IFBB Tampa Bay Pro
2009 IFBB Europa Supershow
*Earned pro status.
MD 207
The Quest
Begins, and The
Road is Long
Little did Grigori know that
13 years would pass from his
first NPC contest until he
finally earned professional
status. He worked hard in the
gym and grew into a lightheavyweight, a heavyweight,
and by 2007, a super-heavyweight. In 15 of his local
shows before he got to the
national level, he placed third
on seven different occasions.
It was a landmark occasion
when he finally took second
place at the 2001 Iron Man
amateur show. Six months
after that, Atoyan won the
California the same title
that had been a steppingstone for men like Flex
Wheeler, Shawn Ray, Chris
Cormier, and Melvin
Anthony.
That same year, he started
competing nationally, bypassing the junior shows and
going directly to pro qualifiers. Along the way, there
208 MD
were various disappointments. Perhaps the most devastating was his second place to Capriese Murray at the 2004
NPC Nationals, a show Atoyan had achieved his best-ever
condition for and honestly felt he should have won. So forlorn was he over the loss that he actually quit training
entirely for three months until his father, Harutyan, gave
him a much-needed kick in the ass.
My dad told me he had told me to quit all this weightlifting stuff when I was a kid, and I wouldnt listen, he says.
And now youve come this far at it and you want to quit?
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The next day, he was back in the gym, and one of Atoyans
biggest regrets is that his father didnt live to see him finally win his pro card.
He passed away three weeks before the 2005 USA, and
I almost didnt compete, he intimates. But my mom
pushed me, because she knew thats what dad would have
wanted. As it turned out, winning the Heavyweights at that
show was a futile effort for Grigori and the others due to a
newcomer from Colorado they were already calling The
Gift Phil Heath.
MD 209
GRIGORIAN CHANT:
PUMP UP THE
VOLUME!
Brief workouts may have been the
keys to success for champions like
Dorian Yates, the late Mike
Mentzer, and the reigning 202 King
Dave Henry, but Grigori Atoyan
prefers to bomb his muscle groups
with higher volume. Heres a look at
typical numbers of sets he will perform for given body parts:
Back:
Chest:
Biceps:
Triceps:
Shoulders and traps:
Quads:
Hams:
Calves:
Persistence Pays
off At Last
Even though its a clear indication
of his character and steel willpower
that Grigori continued striving
toward his goal, despite so many
shattered expectations, he shrugs off
any praise by pointing out others
with similar degrees of fierce determination. Bob Cicherillo competed at the national level for 13 years
before he won the USA, he says.
And theres Sean Allan, whos also
been at this a long time. A lot of
guys out there work very hard, you
210 MD
24-28 sets
20-24 sets
16 sets
16 sets
30-32 sets
16 sets
12 sets
8 sets
November 2009
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212 MD
TRAINING SPLIT:
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Back
Chest
Arms
Shoulders and traps
Legs and calves
Arms
OFF
QUICK FACTS:
Full name: Grigori Atoyan
Nickname: Greg
Date of birth: November 21, 1972
Height: 58
Off-season weight: 256
Contest weight: 230
Current residence: Sacramento, California
Years training: 19
Occupation: Owner of Max Muscle retail stores
in Rockland, CA and Rancho Cordova, CA
Marital status: Married 16 years to Narine
Children: Sons Harutyan (15), and Martik (13)
Favorite clean meal: Breakfast oatmeal and
egg whites
Favorite cheat meal: I guess pizza or cheesecake but I really love a great omelet with the
works, meat and tons of cheese.
November 2009
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MD 213
IS
H
S
T
U
C
Y
D
N
I
TAMER EL GTUHE BONE AT THE USA
O
T
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O
I
T
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nal
hy by Per Ber
s, Photograp
ri
ar
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ed by a Rathe light-heavyweight class at th a fellow
h
s
u
b
m
A
is Bryant,
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sed to win
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o was suppo
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ry
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o Creat cr
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t another Pr
went into th
o
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as
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od
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tim
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lans. This tim
ow Tamer tr
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ea
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id
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ready have
you might al
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The Razor,
.
ls in places
g
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of striatio
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also include
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id
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Though ulti
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ile, lets get
at
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of tim
ey call The
at the USA (a
nly a matter
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te this), its o
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ch
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as
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r
g
te
ei
vyw
month la
SA light-hea
ut the new U
little bit abo
216 MD
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MD 217
218 MD
Contest Hpisto
ry
2002 Emerald Cu
p
2003 Emerald Cu
p
Cu
d
al
er
Em
2004
pionships
2005 USA Cham
pionships
2006 USA Cham
pionships
2007 USA Cham
pionships
2008 USA Cham
pionships
2009 USA Cham
t
8th, Middleweigh
ight
we
vy
th
ea
t-h
10 , Ligh
ht
ig
we
vy
nd
ea
t-h
gh
2 , Li
t
gh
10th, Middlewei
ight
5th, Light-heavywe
t
gh
ei
nd
ew
dl
2 , Mid
ight
4th, Light-heavywe
ht Champion
ig
Light-heavywe
lit
Training Sp
est
Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Sunday:
Ch
lves
Hamstrings & ca
Back
s
Chest & shoulder
s
m
Ar
Legs
OFF
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 219
220 MD
top five at the USA. The following years USA almost proved
disastrous, as a last-minute illness threatened to knock him
back down to middleweight.
Hany and I argued back and forth about what to do, he
says. He said I wasnt the biggest light-heavy anyway, so I
should capitalize on my condition and lines and drop down to
middles. I was dead set against it, but as luck would have it I
wound up weighing in as a middleweight anyway and took
second to Jose Raymond. El Guindy tried things on his own
in 2008, but was unhappy with the package he brought,
despite still earning fourth place in the light-heavyweights. As
soon as the show was over, Tamer decided to get back with
Hany and that he was going to win the USA in 2009.
time to time. If you cant handle that, you shouldnt compete. All I can do is keep coming back better and better, and
my day will come.
A Work in Progress
with Great Promise
Tamer has his eye on the upcoming NPC Nationals, a
show hes never competed in. He isnt foolish enough to
think for one minute that the momentum of taking second
at the USA will ensure victory there. Thats a very dangerous way to think, he says. Not only does Tamer plan on
continuing to bring the spectacular condition that has
become his trademark, but hes also working his butt off to
build a more complete physique.
November 2009
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MD 221
222 MD
By Ron Harris,
Photography by Per Bernal
226 MD
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228 MD
230 MD
when their 15-year-old son pinned up photos of these muscle men on his bedroom walls rather than bikini babes
but they could see how passionate he was already about
bodybuilding.
Growing Boy
Seth had learned all about crash dieting as a wrestler,
and the former fat kid was now pleased with his newly
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 231
ing as the actual win for Seth, a longtime bodybuilding fan, was being backstage with guys he
idolized, like Branch Warren, Jay Cutler,
Ronnie Coleman, Kai Greene, Phil Heath,
and Dennis Wolf.
I was like a kid in a candy store, he confides. The guest posers were all top names,
and it was also cool to be back there with the
pros, competing in the 202s and seeing them
up close. Thats the division I see myself in
soon, God willing.
Short-term Goals
Seth recognizes that his physique still needs
work before its ready to do battle with the pros,
and hes busy in the gym, making that happen.
The more I look at pictures, I realize I need a
bigger back, he begins. Your back can never
really be too wide and thick. I want to fill out my
biceps more, harden and tighten my hams, and
about me, so I simply couldnt
commit to a show until I felt I was
complete.
He had attended Jim Manions
Pittsburgh contest a few times, and
at the 2008 show his then-girlfriend,
now wife Elise, had finally had
enough. She told me I would have
won if I had dieted down and competed, Seth says. When I started
to argue with her about it, she cut
me off and told me to just shut up
and do the show next year.
Wives are good like that. Now
living in Cleveland, Seth buckled
down and chose the NPC Northern
Kentucky as a warm-up show this
March for the target show in
Pittsburgh on May 2. Coming in at
208 pounds, he won the
Heavyweight class, but missed the
Overall. Soliciting feedback from the
judges, Feroce was shocked at what
they told him.
They said if I had dropped 10
more pounds and come in sharper,
I would have had the Overall easily, he says. I was already feeling
so depleted from the diet that I really couldnt possibly imagine doing
that, but I did. In Pittsburgh, he was
indeed 198 pounds and untouchable, having worked his new coach
Hany Rambod for the final two
weeks to dial it all in. Equally excit-
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MD 235
Evans Dppelganger?
As I spoke to Seth Feroce, I could not help but
notice more than a couple eerie parallels to MDs
own Evan Centopani. Among the most notable were:
Grew up on the East Coast, of Italian heritage
Was overweight as a kid
Inspired by Dorian Yates and particularly his Blood
and Guts training video
Started training to get in shape for high school football
Played football only in freshman year of high
school; gave it up for bodybuilding
Acquired most of his muscle mass in college
Waited years until his physique was truly ready to
compete
Won first national qualifier at age 23
Guided by top industry guru preparing for first
national show
236 MD
November 2009
Heavyweight winner
Light-heavyweight & Overall
www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 237
242 MD
Ava
Marzia
Trish
www.musculardevelopment.com
Presented by
Photography by
by
Photography
PER BERNAL
BERNAL
PER
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246 MD
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MD 247
248 MD
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MD 249
250 MD
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MD 251
252 MD
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MD 253
DORIAN YATES
BLOOD&GUTS
By Dorian Yates
MD is immensely proud to welcome one of bodybuildings true icons to our family. In addition to winning the Mr.
Olympia six times, Dorian Yates is respected as one of the hardest-training bodybuilders who has ever lived. Equally
feared for his keen intellect and unwavering discipline as he was for his incredible physique during his Olympia reign,
Dorian is widely considered to be one of the most knowledgeable men in the industry when it comes to areas such as
training, nutrition, the psychology of bodybuilding and more. Its been a long time coming, but at last we are able to
bring you the man once known as The Shadow the one and only Dorian Yates!
Training
Questions
and
Answers
You wrote that if you didnt
feel fully recovered that you
would skip a workout or even
abort it at the warm-up stage.
But what if your training partner
Leroy felt great and ready to go?
Would you call Leroy that morning (or tell him at the gym) that
youre not training that day? How
did he respond? Did he train anyway, or did he just do what you
decided because, after all, you
were Mr. Olympia and your partnership was mainly about you
and he should be privileged to
train with you, and so he accepted that you were the one who
made these decisions?
What about the opposite scenario? What if Leroy felt like crap
but you felt great? Did he suck it
up and train because, again, it
was more about him being there
for you to assist you toward being
Mr. Olympia, and his needs and
progress were secondary?
I ask because my workout partner and I frequently had this issue
and we finally resolved it by just
256 MD
MD 257
DORIAN YATES-BLOOD&GUTS
movements for chest later in the session, rather than first thing.
Shoulders presented an almost
identical issue. Were I to do lateral
raises first in my routine, I would have
needed at least 80- or 90-pound
dumbbells to reach failure in my preferred rep range of 6-10. The shoulder
joints are simply far more prone to
injury in certain types of movements
when you go very heavy. As for tracking my strength gains, as long as I
consistently performed the exercises
in a certain order, which I did, this was
never an issue. It would only be problematic if one were to regularly switch
the order of the movements; for example doing presses initially in some
workouts and as a second or third
exercise at others.
For delts, you wrote that you
prefer Smith machine presses
instead of dumbbell presses. You
explained that you have to
expend a lot of energy balancing
the dumbbells, which was dangerous and also took focus away
from the delts.
In contrast, you explained that
the Smith machine offers the
advantage of being guided so you
didnt have to worry about balancing the weight, and therefore
allowed you to feel it in your delts
much more than dumbbell presses. This makes a lot of sense, so
my question is why didnt you also
use the Smith machine for chest
movements like decline, flat
and/or incline presses, as well as
rows, standard and stiff-legged
deadlifts, and any other movement
that the Smith machine could simulate a barbell movement?
Thats a good question, mate! The
points about the overhead dumbbell
press are correct. By the time I was
competing in the Mr. Olympia contest,
I was capable of pressing a pair of
150s or 160s, strength-wise. But getting such a heavy pair of dumbbells
up into a pressing position is a whole
process in itself, and not an entirely
safe one. Its bad enough to risk injury
doing your set, but imagine how foolish youd feel getting hurt before the
set even commenced!
Another exercise I had used earlier
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DORIAN YATES-BLOOD&GUTS
rep, and no more. I didnt want to get
stuck on the static contraction, you
see. Once the set was complete, I
would always ask Leroy how much
help he had provided, and he replied
honestly. So if I had done seven reps
on my own and one with a bit of his
help, I would note that in my journal.
As for how I was able to remember
such numbers and details even a couple hours later, that comes back to
how important my workouts were to
me. They were essentially my job, and
my workouts werent overly long
either. So keeping those numbers in
my head for another hour or two was
never a problem. Obviously if you feel
you need to, you should write the
weights and reps down immediately
upon completion of each set.
Did Leroy always scream
throughout each workout like he
did in the Blood & Guts video
or was that mainly for the camera? I ask because you wrote
that you dont like to have
someone yell and scream at you
during your set, that instead you
prefer nothing or just a simple
and low-key, Come on, you got
it at the most.
Well you are certainly learning a
lot more about the mysterious Leroy
this month than I bet most of you
ever cared to! My good friend happened to be a Sergeant Major in the
Royal British Army Reserves, which is
similar to what you call a Drill
Sergeant in your U.S. military. He
was very much accustomed to barking out orders and so on, so I dont
think he even realized that he did this
in our workouts as well. Truth be told,
I was in a zone during my sets and
blocked it all out as background noise
regardless. Only when I saw the DVD
later did I realize how vocal Leroy
actually was when we trained.
I performed reverse-grip barbell rows for years, using the
style you recommend (upper
body at a 70 angle), but unfortunately I never felt the target
muscle (lower lats) get that
much out of it. I was expending
so much effort trying stabilize
my upper body and maintain the
260 MD
Testosterone
By Dan Gwartney, M.D.
262 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Testosterone
has escaped the notice of the press.
Throughout the history of sport, tragic and unexpected deaths have
occurred in young, healthy athletes.
The risk of sudden cardiac death
(unexpected death due to immediate
heart failure) has been known and
the underlying cause is often unde12,13
termined.
One can imagine the
frustration and fear of family members dealing with the death of a
promising, healthy, athletic child or
teen; sudden cardiac death also
occurs in adult athletes. In nearly
every case, an autopsy is performed;
extensive tissue and fluid analysis
augment the internal and external
examination.
At times, when no other cause is
evident, any abnormality is considered to contribute to, if not outright
cause, the fatal event. If an already
controversial factor is present (e.g.,
dehydration, Atkins diet, ephedra,
AAS, etc.), then the media, parents,
team officials, sporting organization,
14
etc. are quick to place blame.
Unfortunately, blaming the whipping boy factor may lead to an inaccurate diagnosis and fail to provide
the family and public with critical relevant and accurate information. This
is not to say that any of the above
listed, as well as other factors, may
not have played a role in athlete
deaths. Rather, it points out the
essential need to make every effort
to factually determine what may
have caused a sudden and premature death in a young and presumably healthy person.
AAS have become the whipping
boy of performance-enhancing
agents. When an AAS user suffers
harm, dies, or is violent and harms
others, the drugs are immediately
15
blamed. Clinicians, the public, and
the press are so conditioned to AAS
being the cause of harm that little to
no investigation is made to justify the
claims, or even look for other relevant factors. Again, in specific cases,
AAS may have contributed to or possibly caused certain adverse events.
However, to immediately discount
any other cause would demonstrate
poor clinical judgment.
With those caveats, it is also
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Testosterone
fatigue affecting his workouts and
general well-being. The feeling
became so bad he stopped working
out and stopped all AAS. Despite
this, he developed a loss of appetite,
recurrent vomiting, pain under the
ribs on the right side, and jaundice
(yellowing of the skin). His initial
labs revealed excessively high liver
enzyme values, LDH, acute kidney
failure, and slow clotting. His liver
was enlarged; other causes of liver
damage were ruled out, including
infectious agents and other livertoxic drugs. The patient was transferred to the liver transplant team
with a diagnosis of anabolic steroidinduced toxic hepatitis. In other
words, they were getting ready to
take out his liver and replace it with
one from an organ donor.
While he was awaiting surgery,
he was receiving normal I.V. fluid
support and developed fluid in the
lungs and an increase in central
venous pressure (representing a
backup of blood in the large veins).
When an echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart) was performed,
it showed the heart was enlarged
and working very poorly. The function of the heart is measured by the
ejection fraction, the percentage of
blood that is pumped out of the left
ventricular chamber with each beat.
Imagine a water gun with a 10 ml
bladder. When you squeeze the trigger, about 8 ml is shot out of the
water gun nozzle. This would represent an 80 percent ejection fraction.
If the water gun is cheaply made and
only shoots out 3 ml, this would represent a 30 percent ejection fraction.
If you are in a water-gun battle with
your nephews, youd soon realize
your water gun bites.
The heart has a normal ejection
fraction of 55-70 percent; when this
falls below 35 percent or so, the
heart is no longer delivering oxygenated blood to the body sufficient
to meet the metabolic demand. At
this point, the person enters congestive heart failure and begins to experience organ damage. At 15 percent,
such as seen in this case, blood flow
is sluggish and organs are starved
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Testosterone
to be considered. However, when one has been using high-dose AAS for several years, it is important to consider that the heart may have been affected.
These two gentlemen, who represent many of the readers of this magazine,
were not even aware of a problem until things were very serious.
These conditions are particularly worrisome, as monitoring cholesterol or
coming from a family with no history of heart problems would not detect a
progressing problem and may offer a false sense of security. Those who
have used AAS for several years or more need to be sensitive to the possibility of heart damage when unexplained fatigue sets in, or fluid builds up
around the ankles (edema). Whenever problems arise, it is important to be
open and honest with ones physician so that they may investigate possible
problems that they otherwise might not consider.
References:
1. Ahlgrim C, Guglin M. Anabolics and cardiomyopathy in a bodybuilder: case report and
literature review. J Card Fail, 2009 Aug;15(6):496-500.
2. Clark BM, Schofield RS. Dilated cardiomyopathy and acute liver injury associated with
combined use of ephedra, gamma-hydroxybutyrate, and anabolic steroids. Pharmacotherapy,
2005 May;25(5):756-61.
3. Vogt AM, Geyer H, et al. [Cardiomyopathy associated with uncontrolled self medication
of anabolic steroids] (Article in German) Z Kardiol, 2002 Apr;91(4):357-62.
4. Sullivan ML, Martinez CM, et al. The cardiac toxicity of anabolic steroids. Prog
Cardiovasc Dis, 1998 Jul-Aug;41(1):1-15.
5. Ferrera PC, Putnam DL, et al. Anabolic steroid use as the possible precipitant of dilated
cardiomyopathy. Cardiology, 1997 Mar-Apr;88(2):218-20.
6. Nieminen MS, Rm MP, et al. Serious cardiovascular side effects of large doses of anabolic steroids in weight lifters. Eur Heart J, 1996 Oct;17(10):1576-83.
7. Schollert PV, Bendixen PM. [Dilated cardiomyopathy in a user of anabolic steroids]
(Article in Danish) Ugeskr Laeger, 1993 Apr 19;155(16):1217-8.
8. Fineschi V, Riezzo I, et al. Sudden cardiac death during anabolic steroid abuse: morphologic and toxicologic findings in two fatal cases of bodybuilders. Int J Legal Med, 2007
Jan;121(1):48-53.
9. Kantor MA, Bianchini A, et al. Androgens reduce HDL2-cholesterol and increase hepatic
triglyceride lipase activity. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 1985 Aug;17(4):462-5.
10. Manolakou P, Angelopoulou R, et al. The effects of endogenous and exogenous androgens on cardiovascular disease risk factors and progression. Reprod Biol Endocrinol, 2009
May 12;7:44.
11. Singh AB, Hsia S, et al. The effects of varying doses of T on insulin sensitivity, plasma
lipids, apolipoproteins, and C-reactive protein in healthy young men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab,
2002 Jan;87(1):136-43.
12. Thiene G, Basso C, et al. Is prevention of sudden death in young athletes feasible?
Cardiologia, 1999 Jun;44(6):497-505.
13. McGrew CA. Sudden cardiac death in competitive athletes. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther,
2003 Oct;33(10):589-93.
14. Williams C. Vikings raise ephedra as causal link to Stringers fatal heatstroke. USA
Today 25 February 2003. Available at: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/vikings/200302-25-stringer-ephedra_x.htm, accessed August 10, 2009.
15. Donaldson-Evans C. Wrestler Chris Benoit Double Murder-Suicide: Was It Roid Rage?
FOXNews.com 27 June 2007. Available at:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,286834,00.html, accessed August 10, 2009.
16. Hartgens F, Cheriex EC, et al. Prospective echocardiographic assessment of androgenicanabolic steroids effects on cardiac structure and function in strength athletes. Int J Sports
Med, 2003 Jul;24(5):344-51.
17. Krieg A, Scharhag J, et al. Cardiac tissue Doppler imaging in sports medicine. Sports
Med, 2007;37(1):15-30.
18. Kasikcioglu E, Oflaz H, et al. Androgenic anabolic steroids also impair right ventricular
function. Int J Cardiol, 2009 May 1;134(1):123-5.
19. Dickerman RD, Schaller F, et al. Left ventricular size and function in elite bodybuilders
using anabolic steroids. Clin J Sport Med, 1997 Apr;7(2):90-3.
20. Di Bello V, Giorgi D, et al. Effects of anabolic-androgenic steroids on weight-lifters
myocardium: an ultrasonic videodensitometric study. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 1999
Apr;31(4):514-21.
21. Dickerman RD, Schaller F, et al. Left ventricular wall thickening does occur in elite power
athletes with or without anabolic steroid use. Cardiology, 1998 Oct;90(2):145-8.
22. Bispo M, Valente A, et al. Anabolic steroid-induced cardiomyopathy underlying acute
liver failure in a young bodybuilder. World J Gastroenterol, 2009;15:2920-22.
23. Matyal R, Panzica P, et al. Severe hemodynamic instability during general anesthesia in
a professional bodybuilder. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth, 2009 Apr;23(2):208-10.
24. Kam PC, Yarrow M. Anabolic steroid abuse: physiological and anaesthetic considerations. Anaesthesia, 2005 Jul;60(7):685-92.
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Muscleform
&function
Muscle
Structure and
Function
The muscle fibers in each of
the three heads of the triceps
connect to a single triceps tendon that crosses the elbow
joint. After crossing the elbow,
this tendon attaches to the
ulna bone of the forearm.
Contraction of the triceps
brachii muscle causes extension of the forearm at the
elbow (straightens the elbow
joint). The long head of the
triceps brachii (the inner head) begins on the scapula
(shoulder blade), just below the head of the humerus at the
shoulder joint. This muscle belly crosses the shoulder joint
posteriorly, so that the arm must be moved into shoulder
flexion (i.e., arms and elbows lifted high over your head) if
you want to fully activate the long head of the triceps.
270 MD
The lateral head of triceps brachii creates the outside (lateral) boundary of triceps. Its fibers run from a
small section of bone on the posterior part of the humerus
(upper arm bone) starting about two-thirds of the way
toward the shoulder joint and stopping short of the shoulder joint. The medial head of the triceps brachii is
deep and it is located between the other two heads of the
triceps. It attaches to two-thirds of the upper and posterior
parts of the humerus bone. This muscle head provides
enormous depth to the top part of the triceps muscle
(closer to the shoulder).
Cable French
Presses
With A Rope
Be sure to first warm up
your elbows with a couple of
light sets before pulverizing
the triceps with heavier French
presses. Sore elbows will not
help your quest for arm greatness and in fact if your elbows
are painful, this will interfere
with your chest and shoulder
development as well.
1. Attach a rope with two
ends to it like a Y, to the bottom pulley of the weight stack.
2. Stand vertically, facing
away from the pulley station
and grab the rope in both
hands. Place the rope behind
your head. Your elbows and
little fingers should be pointing upward at the ceiling. Your
feet should be placed at
shoulder-width.
3. Move your upper arms beside your head so that they
are perpendicular to the floor (elbows should point toward
the ceiling). Keep your arms close to your head and pull the
rope upward by straightening the elbows.
4. Slowly lower the rope behind your head and neck.
This should take about three seconds. The elbows should
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November 2009
muscleform&function
272 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
MuscleTech
RESEARCH REPORT
By Team MuscleTech Research and Development
BODYBUILDING Q&A
Q:
A:
274 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
By Gregg Valentino
DISCLAIMER:
278 MD
magazines.she punished me by
bending me over her knee and spanking my bare ass till her hand was
hurting so bad she had to stop.but
all it did was piss me off because she
could have switched hands and
spanked me some more!!!!...wink.If
you cant keep it in your pants, then
keep it in your family!!!
Confucius say: >Man who
scratches his ass should not bite fingernails..Valentino Says > FUCK
THAT, Its my ass and my fingernails, I dont care. Im still gonna
bite them!!!
DOCTOR COLKER IN
DA-HOUSE!!! Well, I chalked up
some more Frequent Loser Miles
today >>>OH YEAH BABE, I SAW MY
OLD PAL DOCTOR CARLON COLKER
TODAY.I WAS AT HIS OFFICE FOR A
QUICK CHECK-UP.COLKER WAS
WORKING WITH THIS REALLY HOT
YOUNG FRESH OUTTA MED SCHOOL
FEMALE UROLOGIST.I MEAN SHE
WAS DROP-DEAD GORGEOUS AND
EXTREMELY SEXY LOOKING..SHE
TOOK ONE LOOK AT ME NAKED AND
SAID, GREGG YOU REALLY HAVE
TO STOP MASTURBATING.
I ASKED HER, WHY???, DR. COLKER TOLD ME IT WAS GOOD FOR ME,
WHY SHOULD I STOP?? SHE THEN
SAID, BECAUSE I AM TRYING TO
EXAMINE YOU.....AHHH,
GOTCHA!!!!....NO, NO.THATS AN
OLD JOKE, AND IT DIDNT REALLY
HAPPEN.
BUT I WAS AT MY BOY DR. COLKERS OFFICE GETTING A CHECK-UP
AND I BROUGHT MERCEDES WITH
ME, WHICH WAS A BIG MISTAKE!!.
OH YEAH BABE, IM NOW ONE YEAR
FROM TURNING 50 YEARS OLD, I
KNOW, I KNOW, I DONT LOOK IT,
RIGHT???....OH SHUT UP, I DO
NOT!!!!!....SO ANYWAY, I AM STARTING TO FEEL OLD, I GOT THE HORMONE LEVELS OF A 65-YEAR-OLD
WOMAN, I REALLY DO NEED HRT
(HORMONE REPLACEMENT
THEARPY, YA FRIGGIN MEATBALL).IM BEYOND THE HELP OF
JUST SUPPLENTS ALONE.I MEAN,
HORMONE WISE!!!....BUT IM NOT
READY TO GO TO THAT LEVEL (HRT)
YET!!!.MY PAST JUICE ABUSE
280 MD
RIGHT NOW MY
DICK *MARKUS
REMINDS ME OF
Dolly Partons bra
strapsIt has a job
to do, but at times I
feel its totally incapable of doing it!!!!
NOW JUST LIKE BARRY BONDS, I
GOT *MARKUS WITH AN *ASTERISK NEXT TO MY DICKS NAME
BECAUSE MY PAST STEROID USAGE
AND MY AGE HAVE FINNALLY
CAUGHT UP WITH MY DEAD DICK!!!
THESE DAYS, The strongest thing I
put into my body are sausage and
peppers!!!YUM!!!.. RIGHT NOW MY
DICK *MARKUS REMINDS ME OF
Dolly Partons bra strapsIt has a
job to do, but at times I feel its totally incapable of doing it!!!!
I CALL MY DICK *MARKUS
BECAUSE IM USED TO HAVING AN
ATHLETE BETWEEN MY LEGS
LIKE *MARKUS RUHL (MY DICKS
NAMESAKE)....YA SEE, BACK IN THE
DAY I COULD GET IT UP AND
TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS (FUCK)
A FEW TIMES IN ONE DAY!!!....YES,
282 MD
284 MD
RETARDOS.SHAWN MEANT IN
SHAPE).SHAWN RAY TOLD ME
THAT JUST LIKE LEE HANEY,
KING RONNIE WAS SO DOMINANT
THAT IT WAS SCARY.. SHAWN
SAID THAT HE (SHAWN RAY) COMPETED AGAINST ALL THE RECENT
GREAT MR. OLYMPIAS CHRIS
DICKERSON, SAMIR BANNOUT,
LEE HANEY, DORIAN YATES,
RONNIE, JAY CUTLER AND DEXTER JACKSON >> WOW, THATS
SOME LINEUP.SHAWN SAID
OTHER THAN RONNIE COLEMAN,
HE FELT ONLY LEE HANEY PUT
OUT A SUPREME DOMINANCE
AURA aka AN UNBEATABLE
TYPE SCARED FEELING INTO THE
OLYMPIA LINEUPDAMN, YA
GOTTA LOVE RONNIE COLEMAN, I
KNOW I DO.
ASIDE FOR HIS LOVE FOR STEAK
AND ITALIAN FOOD, RONNIE AND
I SHARE THE SAME KRYPTONITE
!!!....ITS A WEAKNESS THAT IS
BECOMING MORE AND MORE COMMON TODAY, ITS THE LOVE FOR
LATINA CHICKS WHO ARE VERY
PASSIONATE AND VERY FIREY
(YUM).KEEP IN MIND, LATINAS
ARE GREAT IN THE BEDROOM
AND THEY CAN THROW HANDS
(FIGHT) LIKE A MAN.NOW
THATS HOT!!!!... AND THATS
FLAVOR!!!!!!!....AND JUST LIKE
MANY OTHER PATHETIC WHITE
BOYZ >> LATINAS ARE MY
FAVORITE FLAVOR!!!!....OH
YEAH BABE, LATINA MUSHPOT
PIE >> ITS A FOOD OF LOVE
THING, BABE.PORK FAT
RULES!!!!!.I KNOW RONNIE
COLEMAN IS READING THIS RIGHT
NOW SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS IS
HIS FAVORITE COLUMN AND WE
ARE BUDDIES.YO, AFTER READING WHAT I JUST WROTE ABOUT
LATINA BABES, I KNOW MY
BROTHER RONNIE JUST YELLED
OUT A GREAT BIG YEAH
BABE.>> AND THAT AINT NO
APPLES & ORANGES, THAT
THERE IS THE TRUTH Im gonna
now make like a fetus and get out
of this mother.YO, TILL NEXT
MONTH.FUCK OFF.
Shred of Evidence
Show Me The Proof!
MUSCLE BLOOD
FLOW
REDIRECTIONS:
WHEN I MEANS NO
286 MD
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November 2009
288 MD
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November 2009
OSCAR ARDON
TheBODYBUILDING
TheBODYBUILDING
ALCHEMIST
By Oscar Ardon
The Secrets
to Becoming
A Champion
M
290 MD
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November 2009
!
W N
E M
N U
L
O
C
The Power of
Proper Mindset
The elite athletes of any sport have
spoken highly about the power of
proper mindset, or the mind being the
most important factor that allowed
them to succeed. You can go on
YouTube and find interviews with Tiger
Woods, Michael Jordan, Muhammad
Ali, Michael Phelps and Arnold
Schwarzenegger, all crediting their success to the power of the mind. It is
their mind that created their beliefs. It
is their beliefs that created no limits for
them. And backed up by hard work,
drive and determination, they rose to
the top of their sport unchallenged
and unbeaten. It is not only in sports. It
is in music, art, movies anything that
was created by human hands had to
first be a thought and believed in the
human mind.
So how do we tap into the part of
the human mind and create the ideal
life for us, and attract everything we
always desired? By following a few
simple steps. These steps have been
used since the beginning of time. They
have been used to create fire, create
the wheel, create pyramids, and to cre-
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MD 291
THEBODYBUILDINGALCHEMIST
gold. Youve heard these phrases
before. Have you ever noticed that
a man who becomes successful
tends to continue to become successful? On the other hand, have
you noticed how a person who is a
failure tends to continue to fail?
Its because of goals. Some of us
have them, some dont. Some people with goals succeed because
they know where they are going.
Now think of a ship leaving a
harbor with a complete voyage
map and plan. The captain and
crew know exactly where its going
and how long it will take. Now lets
take another ship just like the first.
Only lets not put a captain or a
crew at the helm. Lets give it no
aiming point, no goal, and no destination. Well just start the engines
and let it go. I think you would
agree that if it gets out of the harbor at all, it would either sink or
end up on some deserted beach,
as a derelict. It cant go anyplace
because it doesnt have guidance
or destination. Its the same thing
with a human being.
The second step is belief or
what some people call unwavering faith that their goal will occur
and manifest. Belief is the cornerstone of our society. It is also the
center of all religions. You must
trust and know that your goal will
be attained. See your goals being
achieved in your thoughts.
Envision them. This is when we
begin to visualize and create
images in our minds to support
our beliefs.
The two best times of the day
to visualize are upon rising in the
morning and before you go to bed
at night. These are the two times
when you are uninterrupted and
can spend at least 10 minutes
focusing on the end result. If your
goal is to win your upcoming
show or event, envision yourself
onstage in the best condition of
your life, and your name being
called out for first place. Looking
out into the audience, see your
family proud of you. Doing this
twice daily will intensify your
belief and create a clear vision in
your mind.
292 MD
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November 2009
TheAnabolicDoc
AndUncensored
By Thomas OConnor, M.D.
Who Is The
Anabolic Doc?
I was wondering if you could tell us a little about who
you are, what type of people you work with and what
your column is going to focus on?
My name is Dr. Tom OConnor. I am
board-certified in internal medicine. I
am 44 years old and I am a physician
and a competitive powerlifter who
competes at the National level. I have
benched-pressed over 500 pounds as a
masters lifter. I did my pre-med studies
at Syracuse University and then went
to the Guadalajara University of
Medicine. I completed my medical
studies at New York Medical College.
As my thirst for knowledge grew, I
conducted my residency training in
internal medicine at the University Of
Connecticut School Of Medicine.
I currently work there as a clinical
instructor of medicine, educating medical students and residents in many
areas of clinical medicine.This makes
me without a doubt the strongest
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November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
!
W N
E M
N
LU
O
C
You will be
listening
to my
response
to what is
currently
going on in
this media
war on
anabolics
that is taking place
in this
country.
TheAnabolicDOC
be touching on different health conditions and even case studies of my
patients to help educate you like never
before. I will discuss true clinical cases
of what I do with my patients and
report this progress in my column. I
will relate these clinical vignettes
through evidenced-based medicine. I
will also discuss my advanced knowledge of power training because I have
the credentials to back this up as well.
I am bench pressing more in my
40s than many of you in your 20s
could only dream of. I will teach you
the real secrets of getting stronger in
the gym not like many of the bullshit programs that flood bodybuilding
magazines, that have no scientific
basis. If you think cable crossovers
and incline dumbbell flyes will make
you improve your bench, you have
another think coming! I will go indepth on advanced Soviet and
Bulgarian-era training methodologies
that will not only increase your
strength, but will help pack on more
dense muscle than ever before. I will
also discuss performance enhancement with you and what is really
going on in the sports scene.
I really love when I hear a pro
bodybuilder telling people that his
heaviest stack he ever did was about
800 milligrams total of testosterone
and 2 IU of GH before going into the
Olympia, and how he is some genetic
freak. I will even discuss different
stacks in relation to what people are
doing, and answer your anabolic performance questions. If you want to
believe fairy tales like the above scenario, then my column is not for you!
If you are that gullible, I have a bridge
in New York that I want to sell you.
Just so you know, I am a supernice guy, but dont try and bullshit a
bullshitter. I am frank and to the
point, so dont piss on my leg and
tell me its raining because I am not
an idiot. I can be your best buddy but
I can also be the biggest ball-breaker
you ever met. I know what goes on
behind the scenes because I have
lived this in my gym life and in my
medical practice. This magazine is
based on a No Bullshit stance and
you can bet your bottom dollar I will
not bullshit you, either. I am going to
give you the cold, hard facts and I
am not afraid to tell it like it is.
296 MD
and Uncensored
My special medical
practice focuses mainly
on athletes of all sports
who are using pharmaceuticals to enhance
their performance. My
job is to take athletes,
powerlifters and now
bodybuilders and keep
them healthy that is
the bottom line.
I combine cutting-edge medicine
from the East and the West to provide you with the best of both
worlds. Nothing I hate more is when
I see a doctor prescribe medication
for a health condition, only to totally
ignore the nutritional aspect of that
condition, which in the large majority of cases plays a huge role. I will
teach you true clinical anabolic
steroid medicine from the science
end and also from the reality of what
athletes use and their doses.
I will teach you the secrets of
health and longevity so that you avoid
side effects before they start. I will be
discussing and answering questions
that may be inclined for some begin-
Anabolic
Pharmacology
Pharmacology
By Seth Roberts, M.A.
Pharmacology is the study of drugs and their effects. Anabolic pharmacology is the study of drugs that have growth-promoting effects on muscle. This
column will explore anabolic pharmacology by profiling a different anabolic drug and its effects each month. The focus of discussion this month will be the
anabolic androgenic steroid, Dianabol.
DIANABOL
298 MD
Though there is little evidence in the literature, it is pretty apparent from anecdotal experience that Dbol is in fact
converted to methylestradiol to some degree.
Gynecomastia appears to be quite common with the use of
this steroid. There is evidence in the literature of the formation of 5-alpha (and 5-beta) reduced metabolites from
methandrostenolone and this is expressed in the fact that
1,2,3,4
Dbol is considered to be quite androgenic.
The 5-alpha reduced form of methandrostenolone,
methyl-1-test, is known for inducing massive bloating and
high blood pressure at higher doses, likely as a result of
inhibition of the 11-beta hydroxylase enzyme. SHBG binding of this drug is moderate, so a good portion of the
5,6
absorbed quantity of this drug circulates in the free state.
The binding affinity of methandrostenolone is low and
people have speculated that it acts through a non-AR mediated effect. A more recent journal article has shown that
even though the binding affinities of some AAS are low,
7
they are still adequate to activate the receptor. Additionally,
methandrostenolone has several active metabolites that
likely have more potent AR affinity.
There is a small amount of interaction with the progesterone receptor, but no direct effect on the glucocorticoid
receptor. This steroid has been shown to increase levels of
CBG, while at the same time, increasing serum cortisol and
8
non-protein bound cortisol levels. This could be the mechanism for the marked increase in appetite seen by those
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November 2009
AnabolicPharmacology
using Dbol.
Increase in the level of CBG is a common effect with
estrogenic compounds, while androgens tend to
decrease CBG levels, demonstrating the propensity of
methandrostenolone to convert to methylestradiol. The
increased cortisol levels could also contribute to the
extreme amounts of water retention that users experience with this drug.
Dbol decreases TBG levels less than fluoxymesterone
8
but with a slightly greater increase in TBPA.
Methandrostenolone is orally-active, due to the presence
of the C-17 methyl group. As such, this compound is livertoxic, but many do not consider it to be much of a concern, because users tend to consume doses in the 20 to
30 mg range and some report Dbol to be effective in
doses as low as 5 mg per day.
A study in the literature reported a gain of just over 5
pounds with just three weeks of methandrostenolone
9
dosed at only 5 mg twice daily. Larger doses are not
uncommon (up to 100 mg per day) but with larger doses,
liver toxicity could become a concern. This drug has been
shown to build up red blood cells in a similar manner to
10
most other androgens with similar efficacy.
Seth Roberts is a former pharmaceutical research scientist,
with over 10 years of pharmacological research in the discovery
and development of novel therapeutics. Seths new book, ANABOLIC PHARMACOLOGY, is available at www.Ergogens.com.
[Seth Roberts, 2009. All rights reserved. For informational
purposes only, not to be considered as medical advice or an
endorsement of the use of illegal substances.]
References:
1. Schanzer W: Metabolism of anabolic androgenic steroids. Clin
Chem, Jul;42(7):1001-20, 1996.
2. Schanzer W, Delahaut P, Geyer H, Machnik M, Horning S: Longterm detection and identification of metandienone and stanozolol abuse
in athletes by gas chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry.
J Chromatogr B Biomed Appl, Dec 6;687(1):93-108, 1996.
3. Schanzer W, Geyer H, Donike M: Metabolism of metandienone in
man: identification and synthesis of conjugated excreted urinary
metabolites, determination of excretion rates and gas chromatographicmass spectrometric identification of bis-hydroxylated metabolites.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, Apr;38(4):441-64, 1991.
4. Mass R, Bi HG, Ayotte C, Du P, Glinas H, Dugal R. Studies on
anabolic steroids. V. Sequential reduction of methandienone and structurally related steroid A-ring substituents in humans: gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric study of the corresponding urinary metabolites. J Chromatogr, 562(1-2):323-40, 1991.
5. Saartok T, Dahlberg E, Gustafsson JA: Relative binding affinity of
anabolic-androgenic steroids: comparison of the binding to the androgen receptors in skeletal muscle and in prostate, as well as to sex hormone-binding globulin. Endocrinology, Jun;114(6):2100-6, 1984.
6. Bickov M, Hampl R, Strka L. Binding of synthetic anabolic
steroids to testosterone-estradiol binding globulin and to rat prostate
cytosol. Endocrinol Exp, 11(2):85-90, 1977.
7. Feldkoren BI, Andersson S. Anabolic-androgenic steroid interaction
with rat androgen receptor in vivo and in vitro: a comparative study.
J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol, 94(5):481-7, 2005.
8. Barbosa J, Seal US, Doe RP: Effects of anabolic steroids on hormone-binding proteins, serum cortisol and serum nonprotein-bound
cortisol. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, Feb;32(2):232-40, 1971.
9. Johnson LC, OShea JP. Anabolic steroid: effects on strength
development. Science, 164(882):957-9, 1969.
10. Sanchez-Medal L, Gomez-Leal A, Duarte L, Guadalupe Rico M.
Anabolic androgenic steroids in the treatment of acquired aplastic anemia. Blood, 34(3):283-300, 1969.
ANABOLICSQ&A
ANABOLUICSA
By William Llewellyn
ANABOLICS Q&A is a monthly session with William Llewellyn, author of the bestselling anabolic
steroid reference guide, William Llewellyns ANABOLICS, 9 th edition. William is widely regarded as
one of the worlds foremost authorities on the use of performance-enhancing substances by athletes
and bodybuilders. If you have a drug or supplement-related question that you would like to direct to
William, dont hold back. Please e-mail it to QandA@AnabolicsBook.com. William will answer the
most interesting and pertinent questions right here each month.
Lyka Dianabol
302 MD
November 2009
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KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Anabolic
By William LIewellyn
ResearchUpdate
Warning: Opinions expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the views of this magazines publisher or its
editorial staff. MD does not condone any form of illegal drug use for bodybuilding or for any recreational purpose. MD
also does not condone abuse of legal drugs for any purpose.
304 MD
Is it possible
that in the coming years, Cuba
may become
a key exporter
of another
highly-desired
commodity
newly-designed
anabolic
steroids?
Chemical nerds may be noticing
that these steroids look familiar. There
is already a commercially-available
steroid that carries both 11-beta
hydroxy and 9-alpha fluoro groups on
its structure. This steroid is fluoxymesterone, better known by its brand
name Halotestin. This is a very potent
oral steroid, possessing marked anabolic and androgenic properties. It
seems to be a strong androgen relative to most other steroids, and is usually taken during cutting phases of
training, or when strength is desired
over bulk mass.
The fact that fluoxymesterone
doesnt convert to estrogen also lends
it to being more of a lean musclebuilding steroid, as opposed to one for
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November 2009
AnabolicResearchUpdate
-ISOBUTY
AcO
(A)
(B)
306 MD
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AnabolicEdge
Rising Androgens,
Sagging Man Boobs
G
308 MD
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AnabolicEdge
improvements of glycemic control,
and reverses the MetS after 52 weeks
3
of treatment. Wow. You mean, T can
actually be good for you?
Testosterone
Lessens
Cardiovascular
Disease Risk
In short-term studies, testosterone
replacement therapy has been
shown to protect male subjects from
exercise-induced ischaemia and
modify cardiovascular risk factors
such as insulin resistance, fat mass
and lipid profiles. In a recent study,
scientists looked at the effect of
testosterone therapy (Nebido) compared to placebo on exercise-induced
ischaemia, lipid profiles, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and body
composition during 12 months of
treatment in men with low testosterone levels and angina. You read
that right a year of treatment with
testosterone. Hmm. I wonder if this
stuff is as lethal as the mainstream
idiotic press makes it out to be.
Lets check out the data. According
to the investigators, The protective
effect of testosterone on myocardial
ischaemia is maintained throughout
treatment, without decrement.
Previously noted potentially beneficial
effects of testosterone on body composition were confirmed, and there
4
were no adverse effects.
Youre not going blind. There were
no side effects, and it helped protect
the heart.
Testosterone Goes
Up With Moderate
Exercise
In super-elite endurance athletes, it
seems that all that exercise actually
depresses serum testosterone. As an
adaptive response to exercise, this
makes sense. Endurance athletes typically do not want to have hypertrophied muscles. It would just slow
them down. But for those of you who
worry that doing cardio in the gym
might depress the big T, theres no
need to worry. Heres the proof.
Fifteen young, healthy men performed an endurance-training regimen for five weeks on a cycle ergometer. Before and after the exercise
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November 2009
ExtremeMuscle
Enhancement
By Carlon M. Colker, M.D. FACN
Some Like It
Y
312 MD
ExtremeMuscle Enhancement
extremes. Yet this experience, like so many other odd adven- exerting themselves on one of a sea of treadmills. They
tend to move just enough to get heated up. This is so
tures in my life, taught me something about myself.
often mistakenly perceived of as abnormal for them. So
Training in extreme heat, at least for me, was better
they start pushing collectively for climate relief. As a
than training in extreme cold. Even though the heat and
result, gyms have gone into some kind of deep freeze.
humidity sucked the strength out of me and flattened my
High-trafficked commercial gyms tend to maintain the
pump as I perspired like some kind of farm animal, I still
environment like a meat locker. The end result is that the
preferred it over battling bitter cold. Unlike the extreme
fit set of minimally-clothed bodybuilders sporting a low
cold, the heat did manage to wipe me out the rest of the
percent of body fat must suffer the cold blast.
day, yet it remained my preference. Maybe it was a funcGiven all this, just what temperature should you train
tion of warming up faster, due to the pro-circulatory
at for optimal muscular growth in response to weight
effects of the heat. Perhaps it was just my joints feeling
training? In my experience, though Ive learned through
more lubricated and less stiff. Maybe having to wear less
the years that my perfect environmental sleeping temperclothing made me more comfortable, enhanced my range
ature is 69 degrees Fahrenheit (20.56 degrees Celsius),
of motion, and provided the motivation of being able to
purely in terms of ambient temperature, my ideal bodysee yourself. Maybe it was all these reasons. Of course, as
building training environment should be kept between 70
I always say, everyone is different and I imagine that there
and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (about 21.1 to 23.9 degrees
are plenty of people out there who, if forced to pick a prefCelsius). But there is another major factor of equal imporerence from these extremes, would pick the cold.
tance, and that is the amount of air circulation. Stagnant
I remember vividly one clown I used to see train
air makes 75 degrees feel like 90 degrees. If you feel like
decades ago named Bob Henry, who displayed an unusuyou are not getting enough air, just imagine how your
al penchant for actually enjoying the cold. Like many gym
muscles feel.
rats, this guy was a real character. First off, despite being
Throughout the years, one of my favorite training envijuiced to the gills, Bob sported a terrible physique. On the
ronments has always been, and continues to be, Golds
off-chance we suffered the misfortune of spotting him in
Gym in Venice Beach, California. As impressive as the histhe locker room without his layers, what was revealed
tory of this Mecca of bodybuilding truly is, it so often does
was pale white skin, matted back hair, crowned off with a
not get credited for having one of the
big fat belly and peculiar oversized
Even though the heat most superb environments to train in.
sneakers. His chest, arms, and legs
and humidity sucked Though not the original building that
were so surprisingly pathetic we all
wondered if he was missing his ass
the strength out of me housed the first Golds Gym, it remains
with the needle and instead injecting
and flattened my pump a relatively old structure. Like a few of
remaining older gyms across the
all that juice into his shoes. But all that
as I perspired like some the
country, the building is a former waredidnt stop him from walking out of the
kind of farm animal, I house space.
locker room with 16 sweatshirts on and
Most of the older gyms were
proceeding to open the gym door in
still preferred it over
housed
and built in warehouse districts
the dead of winter while turning the air
battling bitter cold.
which were famous for larger and less
conditioning on high.
desirable space, only to find that in time these spaces
Some more understanding people tolerated his shit,
became incredibly valuable. Thus they found themselves
akin to sympathy for a patient with an overactive thyroid. I
pushed out in favor of shopping malls and yuppy houspersonally simply thought he was nuts and just liked to
ing. Yet like Bob Bonhams Strong and Shapely Gym in
stay covered up and padded like some kind of sumo
New Jersey, Golds Gym in Venice beach survives. With
wrestler in winter clothes. We all tried to keep the laughs
high ceilings and massive bay doors in back that are
under wraps because he really wasnt a bad guy when
almost always wide open during operating hours, Golds
you actually spoke with him. But he was as nutty as a
provides that perfect southern California warmth with just
fruitcake. The fact remains if hed just remove a dozen or
the right amount of refreshing ocean breeze.
so layers, he would have been just fine and the rest of us
It is no wonder to me that whenever I have spoken to
would not have to suffer his crap. Of course without his
Arnold about the old days at Golds Gym, World Gym, or
layers, he probably would have felt small.
other similar southern California bodybuilding training
Its a funny story, but things are so much different now.
haunts, he so often reminisces of all things about how
Back in those days, the gym owners would take your
perfect the environment was for training and how it
money, let you in, and that was the end of it. You didnt
seems every day to this very day when the warm sun hits
complain because the gym was what it was. If you didnt
him coupled with the ocean breeze, he remembers and
like it, the door was always there. These days, gyms are
big business, so they actually try and cater to the clientele. falls in love with it all over again.
More recently Ive noticed gyms cranking up air condiDr. Colkers book, Extreme Muscle Enhancement:
tioning in an effort to make the clientele more comfortBodybuildings Most Powerful Techniques is available
able. Usually the people they are targeting are the relaby calling 1-800-310-1555 or ordering the book online at
tively unfit weekend warriors wearing quasi-street clothes
www.prosource.net.
with sneakers and flipping magazines, while minimally
314 MD
By Doctor X
MDWalk-InClinic
Walk-in clinics offer convenience and occasionally
good medical advice, assuming you survive the
aerosolized spray of contagions saturating the
waiting room. What walk-in clinics do not
offer is a substitute for preventative health
or primary care.
This Walk-In Clinic column is a collection of questions and experiences
encountered by a number of physicians who have
treated bodybuilders, athletes and gym
rats using performanceenhancing
drugs (PED).
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Reliance on any information provided in this column or any
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My girlfriend confronted me about using steroids. She doesnt like the idea anymore, not that anything
has happened. Ironically, she approached me at the gym because she was attracted to my physique. Weve
been together about two years, during which I have done about four or five cycles. I dont have any prolems
with anger or side effects, my libido doesnt change much, and I can certainly afford the drugs. I told my girlfriend that I am going to keep using because I like the strength, look, and confidence I gain when I am oncycle. She says I am addicted to steroids and calls me a juice-aholic. Do people get addicted to steroids?
What should I tell my girlfriend?
The topic of addiction as it
relates to androgenic anabolic
steroids (AAS) is a very controversial topic that is being
debated among experts even
now. The initial arguments for
placing AAS within the purview
of Controlled Substance regulation were considered to be
weak and inappropriate, as elegantly described in Rick Collins
book, Legal Muscle. One of the
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affects both genders equally and in the United States, it is
in humans, based upon animal data. Unfortunately, the
more likely to be manifest in an obsession with plastic
decades-long stigmatization of AAS research has blunted
surgery or other cosmetic procedures. Only a few in the
the clinical understanding of the risks, as well as benefits,
media have commented on the possibility that Michael
of AAS use in adults.
Jackson suffered from BDD among his
To this day, it remains unclear what
other challenges, causing him to
effect AAS have on the human psyche
undergo so many cosmetic procein general, let alone effects of the
dures. Narcissism is another personalimany different specific AAS. Questions
ty disorder that might be supported by
relating to therapeutic dose, threshold
AAS use, functionally if not neuroranges for adverse effects, predisposchemically. Narcissists are people
ing factors, relevant clinical history,
viewed as having tremendous ego,
markers, signs and symptoms, etc.,
who must be admired to feel satisfied.
have gone not only unanswered, but
They are often believed to be incrediunasked. Some professionals, but defibly self-centered. Clearly, developing
nitely the minority in this politic state,
an attractive or dominating physique
view this as unethical and inexcusable.
Addiction is clearly a major healthPaul Pfingst, former district would be a goal of many narcissists.
Even among mentally healthy peocare and economic problem in the
attorney of San Diego County
ple, a functional dependence upon
United States, globally in all honesty.
AAS can develop. This is one reason why AAS are
However, despite being labeled a pharmaceutical pariah
banned substances in organized sports. A powerlifter
for 40 years, AAS have not been specifically listed as an
would clearly benefit from using AAS and when abstainaddictive agent in the definitive clinical source, the
ing from the drugs, would see a decline in performance
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
(as well as social status, achievement, and possibly
(DSM-IV). There is a catch-all category, Other Substanceincome). If AAS were used, a competitive athlete would
Related Disorders, available for any drugs not clearly
need to continue using the drugs for as long as he
defined in the voluminous tome.
wished to perform at the elevated level provided for by
The World Health Organizations International
the AAS. He/she would be functionally dependent upon
Classification of Diseases placed all steroids under the
the drugs for performance enhancement.
category of non-dependence-producing-substances
Clearly, as the drugs are banned and illegal, this could
according to Charles Yesalis in his book Anabolic Steroids
be viewed as a sign of addiction or dependence, since
in Sport and Exercise. A search of the ICD-9 shows no
the drug-seeking behavior negatively affects social and
anabolic steroids listed among the 461 substances coded
occupational status, if detected. However, if there were an
for under dependency. Paul Pfingst, former district attorallowed non-AAS drug that provided the same perforney of San Diego County, stated in an interview with
mance effect with no legal consequences, would an athESPN.com that AAS were not a priority for his departlete continue to use AAS? No, unless he/she were truly
ment; An addict is someone who does not have control
addicted to the drug. When ephedrine was pulled from
over their life, Pfingst said. You dont have that with
over-the-counter weight-loss products, the clamor was for
steroids. You dont see anyone knocking over a liquor
an effective weight-loss substitute. The people craving
store to buy steroids.
ephedrine were seeking the drug for methamphetamine
Despite the vast number of professional sources sugproduction, not to continue using ephedrine for the sake
gesting that AAS are not drugs with dependence potenof using ephedrine-assisted weight-loss, from what the
tial, it is likely that they do have the potential to be at the
media reports.
very least a prop in certain personality disorders (psychoNeurologically, AAS are active drugs, affecting mood
logical conditions that have negative features but are not
state. While roid rage remains a media phenomenon,
so severe as to cause a person to cause harm to himnot a clinical diagnosis, most users have observed indiself/herself or others). Most bodybuilders are familiar
viduals using high-dose cycles become more alpha-male
with the term reverse anorexia, or body dysmorphic
in social situations. Further, discontinuation of AAS can
disorder muscle dysmorphia. This is a condition in
lead to changes in libido, mood, fatigue, and even cogniwhich a person becomes so fixated upon his/her
tive function, if not properly tapered or supported by
physique, constantly finding flaws and a need to build
post-cycle therapy. Many of the same symptoms are
muscle or promote definition, that he/she will pursue any
experienced by men undergoing androgen-deprivation
number of unhealthy techniques (including drug use) to
therapy for prostate cancer treatment; they are also part
create a perfect body, usually neglecting positive relaof the constellation of symptoms seen in ADAM (androtionships (work, family, social) in the process. Sadly, the
gen decline of the aging male). Testosterone is a hormone
criteria appear to borrow from the lifestyle of bodybuildpresent throughout life that supports normal function and
ing, offering a self-fulfilling diagnosis to any psycholohealth. Like any other part of the human mechanism, an
gist/psychiatrist wishing to stigmatize any person from
excess or deficiency results in negative signs and sympthe fitness enthusiast to the professional competitor.
toms.
In reality, BDD (general, not muscle dysmorphia)
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There is a group of researchers who have put together criteria for inclusion in the next revision of the DSM diagnostic manual for AAS dependency.
Unfortunately, the criteria show great overlap with functional use of the drug
for those who seek AAS benefits in promoting physique, performance, sexual
function, or cognitive/mood preservation with aging. AAS, at this time, are
not clearly defined as drugs which can produce dependence, but in a person
predisposed to certain psychopathic, sociopathic, or personality disorders,
AAS certainly could be part of the behavior in such individuals. At this time, it
is impossible to state whether using AAS, such as in competitive bodybuilding, could cause narcissism or muscle dysmorphia in someone who would
otherwise never be affected by the condition.
Undoubtedly, any person who is
struggling with a personAny person who is
al/psychological issue involving AAS
struggling with a
use should seek professional help.
personal/psychological
issue involving AAS use While it is unclear as to whether or
should seek professional not AAS can be defined as depenhelp. While it is unclear dence-causing agents, AAS-users are
human and subject to the same
as to whether or not
potential disorders and challenges
AAS can be defined as
everyone else faces. AAS use is such
dependence-causing
a high-impact topic that it often blinds
agents, AAS-users
users and professionals alike to coare human and subject
existing issues, delaying awareness,
to the same potential
disorders and challenges diagnosis, and proper treatment of
underlying disorders.
everyone else faces.
As to the relationship conflict, you
will have to discuss that with your girlfriend. If it is a relationship you wish
to salvage, counseling or just some frank discussions are certainly in order.
It is also possible that either or both of you are losing interest in the other
or seeking a reason for terminating the relationship. Conflict should always
be addressed early and with honesty, enlisting professional counseling if
necessary. Even if your relationship does end, let it do so on good terms
and for just cause.
If she has a strong conviction against using AAS at this point (perhaps she
does wish for a long-term relationship and is thinking of family planning),
then her point-of-view deserves to be considered. She may be timid about
broaching the topic of long-term commitment or children if you two have not
had such discussions; it is also possible she is threatened by the attentions
others are paying you; the recent arrests that have made national news may
concern her regarding your welfare; she may not like one or more individuals
who are part of your local AAS culture; her friends and family may have
strong opinions; she may have heard of a case of domestic violence involving
AAS; etc. She may be a keeper, or this may be a convenient excuse to rationalize a difficult decision.
Dont behave like an addict, letting important relationships suffer because
of drug use; however, dont fall into other relationship traps by allowing your
partner to unduly influence you for her gratification or to validate an
unhealthy emotional demand on her part. It is impossible to say what is right
or wrong, not knowing of the circumstances or the persons involved.
Certainly, calling you a juice-aholic does not lend itself to rational discussion. If the discussion is likely to be emotional or turbulent, recruit a thirdparty (church leader, counselor, mutual friend, etc.) to keep things calm. You
can be certain that any outburst will be blamed on AAS, and if you are currently on-cycle, AAS can make a person respond more aggressively to provocation.
As always, AAS use outside of the direction of a licensed health care professional is not condoned and does pose risks to ones health and may cause
legal jeopardy. !
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
Busted!
LegalQ&A
By Rick Collins, JD
322 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
WOMENS
BODYBUILDING
BODYBUILDING
By Cheri Owen, B.S., J.D.
JACKED:
To Be or Not to Be?
T
326 MD
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KAI GREENE
The Predator
By Kai Greene
328 MD
Im a huge fan of
yours and your column!!! MD is a bit
tricky to track down
here in OZ sometimes
but I grab it every
month when I find it.
You guys do a great
job! My new sons
name is Kai Bradley
Parker, born on August
1st, 2009 in Brisbane,
Queensland, Australia.
You looked crazy at
the Arnold and going
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November 2009
by the clips on MD TV you will be looking even bigger for the Olympia. Just thought you would be interested
in knowing there was a baby boy out here in Australia named in your honor, and best wishes at the Mr. O.
Stephen Parker
Wow, I dont know what to say to that! I am honored and humbled to know that I have had that kind of impact, that you
would choose to name your child after me. I think it goes back to something I say often when I meditate on my success
and what it means. My victories become something to celebrate, not because of me the individual, but for what they represent. Thank you for this honor, Mr. Parker, and best wishes to your family.
Calling Me Out?
Its not so unusual for a top pro to be called out by
another top pro, but recently there has been a young guy
in Florida posting up clips on YouTube talking about how
November 2009
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I want to leave you this month with a very deep and meaningful poem that I heard years ago and it remained imprinted in my
mind. For the longest time I thought it came from a speech given
by Nelson Mandela. Its really not so important where the words
stem from, only that you really listen to what they have to say to
you. Listen, and take them into your heart.
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
VICTOR MARTINEZ
TheTrueVictor
By Victor Martinez
My Muscle
Maker Grill:
Grand Opening!
On Sunday, August 16, I
finally had my long-awaited
Grand Opening for my Muscle
Maker Grill right on the
Hudson River boardwalk in
Edgewater, New Jersey. It features indoor and outdoor dining with a perfect view of the Manhattan skyline
just across the river. A lot of people came down to show their support, and I
appreciated every single one making it. Gregg Valentino was there, along
with Steve Weinberger, Vinny Galanti, new USA champ and 202 Pro Daryl
Gee, Brian Moss, Figure International champ Zivile Raudoniene, and of
course my man, Gerard Dente of MHP, who was a big help to me in getting
the place off the ground.
The next generation of bodybuilding
stars from New York was representing,
with Junior Nationals champ Jon
Delarosa and Armando The Kid Pena.
We raffled off a Nintendo Wii, and people
were checking out the Playstation 3 setup in the VIP room. This is a restaurant,
so the VIP room is a very nice private dining area. There aint no stripper poles and
bottles of Cristal to be found! I got there
at 11 a.m. and didnt leave until 1 a.m.
My Two Favorite
Menu Items
People look at the menu and ask,
Whats good? I usually say everything, because thats the truth. But
there are two items on the menu I
cant wait to eat, but I have to hold off
on both until after the Mr. Olympia.
The first one is called the Rocky
Balboa, and its a chicken meatball
wrap. The smell of it drives me crazy,
and the thing is so big that most
women who order it can only eat half
and have to take the rest home. The
other dish is called the Victory Plate,
named after take a guess. Me! Its a
double-steak order with a big side of
black rice and beans. Once its off-season again, I will be probably put a
couple of these away every day.
Someone asked me why I cant
have a Victory Plate now. The steak
is fine, but to get the right flavor
with the rice and beans, you need to
add in a certain amount of oil and
salt, and I have to eat very plain to
get in shape. In fact, the two things I
am craving most as I write this at
five weeks out from the Olympia are
rice and beans and cookies. I could
make a whole lot of cookies disappear right now, like freakin David
Copperfield. Or is it Mrs. Fields?
Man, I gotta stop thinking about
cookies!
Another Franchise,
or Even More?
332 MD
On that day, I was just under six weeks out from the Mr. Olympia, and it was
one of my low-carb days because I wasnt weight training. I was fine smiling,
talking to everyone, and posing for pictures until about seven or eight at night.
After that, I was pretty much running on fumes and fading fast.
Luckily, everyone there knew I was
getting ready for the Olympia and
they understood why my energy
wasnt there anymore. Since then,
there have been some other celebrities stopping by for some great food.
We had a couple players from the
New York Giants, actor Michael Jai
White, and rapper/actor Busta
Rhymes.
Transformers 2 Sucked!
I was really looking forward to Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. I
was a big fan of the old cartoon show and liked the first movie, too. But they
messed up the sequel badly. Most of the issues I had were sound-related. For
one thing, they got rid of the sound effects when the robots transformed. What
the hell? Thats their whole thing! Megatron had a different voice from the first
movie and so did Starscream. I watched this on a bootleg while doing cardio
and man, was I glad I didnt blow the money to see this crap on the big screen.
One O is Enough?
Ive always said just let me win the Mr. Olympia one time, and Id be satisfied. But the more I think about it, I gotta be honest. I know if I did win, theres
no way I wouldnt want to keep winning. Its been a long, hard road to get
there and if I do get to the top of the mountain Im gonna stand my ground and
defend it before I let Heath, Kai, Wolf, or any of those other guys knock me off.
My Training Camp
Everybody knows Kai Greene is out in Las Vegas camped out for the last
seven weeks before the Olympia. Few people know that at five weeks out, I
headed down to Fort Lauderdale for my own version. Im staying down there
with my friend Jeff and getting ready for the show without all the drama and
distractions. Back home theres just too much going on between my new
restaurant, my kids and their moms, and its just not conducive to focusing and
giving 100 percent to my prep. I will probably head back up there before the
show at one point to see my kids, but other than that I am staying in Florida
until the Mr. O.
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One more time, Id like to thank everybody who came out to my Muscle
Maker Grill Grand Opening. I put a lot of time, effort, and money into making the
place something special, and it means a lot to me to see so many friendly faces
coming down to celebrate my new venture with me. And I have to tell you guys,
if you ever get down to this area of Edgewater, you owe it to yourself to drop by.
Whether you want to bulk up or rip up, we have something delicious on the
menu for you that you
damn sure wont find at
McDonalds or Wendys!
I also want to thank
my kids for continuing to
inspire me to be a better
man each day, and
thanks to my trainer
Victor Munoz. He helps
keep me pumped up
and never lets anything
the haters say affect me.
The latest rumor we
both had to laugh at was
that I was pulling out of the Olympia because my heart wasnt in it, due to everything thats happened to me: my knee injury, losing the Arnold to Kai, and of
course the worst thing, the murder of my beloved sister. The haters wish I would
quit, but that aint gonna happen, fools! n
Got a question for Victor Martinez? You can ask him directly on the MD website
and have Victor personally answer your question! Go to
www.musculardevelopment.com, MD Forums, MD Spotlight, for Victors Journal.
By Rodney Roller
RAW POWER!
The Masters Nationals:
So Close To
That Pro Card!
It had been two years since I first tried the
Masters Nationals. In 2007, I had hurt my back
badly spreading mulch in my yard when I was
getting ready for that show (you think my wife
would let me ignore that stuff because Im dieting? Ha!), and I made a last-minute decision to
go ahead and compete, since we already had the
flight and hotel. I still took fifth place even after
all that, which was encouraging. I was all set to
do it last year, even though my wife was eightand-a-half months pregnant, but she was not
doing too well and had to go to the hospital
three days before the show. No way was I leaving her alone at a time like that to go off and
compete in a bodybuilding contest.
So this year was a whole different scenario.
My training went perfectly and I was looking my
absolute best ever. At 56, I weighed in
Thursday night at the very top limit of the
Heavyweights at 225 and in excellent condition. Then I cut my water big mistake! By the
time I got onstage Friday night, my fullness had
disappeared. Luckily, I carry enough thick mass
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!
W N
E M
N U
L
O
C
had no experience
with these shirts is
that they are so tight and
springy that you actually
have to pull the bar down.
My second attempt was with
725, but by then I was too worried
about not being able to touch the
bar to my chest and my concentration
and psyche were shot. I am thinking
about doing another bench press
meet in the near future. I have a friend
named Joel Toranzo, who is a worldclass bencher. Hes done 840 in a
meet, and he only benches in the
500s raw, meaning without a bench
shirt. Joel says he is sure I could put
up over 900 pounds once I adjusted to
using a shirt and if I trained specifically for the meet.
Normally I dont use anything I
cant handle for 8-10 reps. I did a
MD 337
338 MD
A couple weeks later, I was benching again and I heard this weird clicking noise inside my shoulder. It felt
sore, but as I got into the workout the
pain was only very minor. The strange
thing was that as long as I warmed up
enough it didnt hurt me in the gym,
but it killed me shifting gears in my
car. It actually felt like someone was
stabbing me in the shoulder!
I went to the doctor and he said it
was a rotator cuff, plus I had a bone
spur. He recommended surgery. I
went to another doctor for a second
opinion, but he told me the same
thing. I sure didnt want surgery, so I
stayed away from the bench press for
a full five years. Chest workouts were
all dumbbells and machines, and
eventually the shoulder was fine
again, without ever having been cut.
Injury # 2: Minor Pec Tear
Two years ago, I was training with
my brother at his gym one hot summer day. I was probably a little dehydrated. But I was at a new gym and
you know how that is somehow
you just have to go a little heavier
than usual! I worked my way up to
615 on the bench and got two good
reps with it. As I was coming up with
the third, I felt a sharp pain in my left
pec, near the shoulder, and yelled for
my brother to grab it and help me
rack it, quickly. It was a slight tear, but
only of the muscle fiber and not the
tendon. It set me back; I didnt bench
for four months after that.
Injury # 3: Minor Biceps Tendon
Tears
Let me start by saying that I have
always been blessed with pretty good
arms without ever having to go very
heavy or do anything too crazy for
them. They go 21 inches in the off-season and theyre still over 20 in contest
shape. But one day, I was training
with a buddy who did like to go pretty
heavy as well as do all kinds of intensity techniques like forced reps, drop
sets, and negatives, once youd
reached positive failure.
On this day, we did one hell of a
workout. On triceps we worked up to
405 for 10 reps on close-grip presses.
We did standing curls and preacher
curls with 185 (plus heavy negative-
Special Thanks
Id like to wrap it up by expressing
my gratitude to some people who
help me in so many ways. First and
foremost is my wife Cindy. Schlepping
our three kids to Pittsburgh was no
picnic, especially when I had to focus
on the show. Thanks to Gerard Dente
of MHP, Muscle Meds, and Xero
Limits for all his help and support. I
can guarantee you all you wouldnt be
watching me on the MD site or reading this if it hadnt been for him.
Thanks for my training partner Brian
May, and last but definitely not least:
Steve Blechman and Robbie Durand
at MD. Being part of the MD family is
a wonderful thing.
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
MASSwithCLASS
MASSwithCLASS
By Branch Warren
340 MD
November 2009
www.musculardevelopment.com
342 MD
CH
ment.com
lardevelMop
muscuFO
ETE
R CO PL
!
November 2009
MARK ALVISI
MARK of a
CHAMPION
By Mark Alvisi
A Pro Card
and the
Cover of MD
Awesome!
344 MD
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You may have seen a thread on MDs No Bull Forum called LMAO Aspiring BB
calls out Mark Alvisi. This takes you to a YouTube video created by a local young
bodybuilder here in Florida named Jason Genova, which starts with him reenacting
the original Terminator movie with him in the Arnold role, and gets weirder from
there. At one point in the video, he speaks directly to me saying, Youre my friend
and role model, but when Im bigger and youre older, Ill beat you! I am gonna destroy
you onstage I am gonna eat you alive!
If youre wondering how I know Jason, heres the deal. I did a demo appearance for
Gaspari Nutrition at a GNC here in Delray Beach. As the athlete representative for the
company, I give out samples, sign photos, and answer questions about the products.
Of course, if people have training and nutrition questions, I help them out, too. Jason
was there the entire time, and must have asked me roughly 300 questions, in addition
to telling me all about himself and the career as a pro bodybuilder he aspires to. He
also posed extensively for me and sought out my critique, though he was mainly looking for some praise/affirmation, Im pretty sure. Anyway, I was nice and polite to him,
as I always am. Then this video pops up see what I get for being a nice guy? I have
somehow become his target and the one guy out of this whole sport he chose to challenge! If you really want to see this video, go to YouTube and search for, My Story:
Part 3 The Terminator. But be warned that clip starts out with Jason oiled up and
naked out in the woods somewhere and it doesnt get any easier to watch or listen to.
November 2009
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EVAN CENTOPANI
BEAST From
The EAST!
By Evan Centopani
USA Review
I wasnt at the USA, but I did see all the photos from
the MD coverage. Going in, it was Mark Alvisis show to
win, and he nailed it. His conditioning was insane, and his
frame can hold a lot more muscle eventually. He was a perfect choice for the Overall, because out of all the class winners he definitely has the most potential to be a good pro. I
should qualify that, because middleweight winner Daryl
Gee is going to be a real force in the 202s. He already took
second place at the Jacksonville Pro 202s right after that.
He also has 25 full pounds to play with before he maxes
out the weight limit for the 202s, and when he gets close
to 200, I think he might just dominate that division.
350 MD
EVAN CENTOPANIBEASTFromTheEAST!
What do you know about tennis elbow, Evan?
It could wreak havoc on your backhand! But seriously,
inflamed tendons are no joke. Ive had issues with my
quadriceps tendons, my biceps tendon, and even my
elbows. Its pretty much an occupational hazard of being a
bodybuilder and doing the same movements over and over
with heavy weights. I find that deep-tissue massage helps a
lot. My chiropractor also tried something called the Graston
Technique, where they dig into the area with a stainless
steel tool. To me, it just seemed like it was ripping away at
the skin and not really helping the inflammation. With my
quadriceps tendon, I found that soaking in an Epsom salts
bath the night before training legs and again the night after,
alleviated much of the pain.
When it comes to the elbows, you have to always take
plenty of time to warm up with high-rep cable pushdowns
and get a pump going before you even think about starting
up with heavy skull-crushers or close-grip bench presses. As
you can see, there are a lot of options and you have to try at
least a few to see what you respond to best.
352 MD
EVAN CENTOPANIBEASTFromTheEAST!
How do you like to eat your oatmeal in the
off-season?
With a spoon. Seriously though, I havent been
eating any oats this off-season. Ive been having
Ezekiel bread with my eggs and it really agrees with
me. I feel like oatmeal attracts too much water and
tends to bloat me. Ezekiel bread is just as effective at
providing a steady energy flow with no blood-sugar
crash. I get mine at Trader Joes, and Ive been eating
it since right after my first show back in 2005.
What is it like to train with Kai? Do you
enjoy it?
I actually only trained with Kai once. It was shortly
after he won the Arnold Classic and I was a couple
months out from my show, and we did chest and
biceps. He wasnt really going all-out, but he was still
incredibly strong. It was a motivating experience to be
able to train with someone who had just won such a
prestigious show, and also knowing that we were
both working with the same coach, Oscar Ardon.
Do you ever have a glass of wine with
some meals, for example when you eat steak
at night, or are you against that... I have
occasionally done this and its good for the
heart too, I think.
Im not against the practice, but I just dont like
alcohol and the way it makes me feel hot and
uncomfortable. Once or twice a year I might have a
beer. But dont let me stop you from having a glass
with dinner and getting the benefits it has on the
heart and the circulation.
354 MD
TheBigBad WOLF
By Dennis Wolf
356 MD
November 2009
I enjoy reading your column, and I have been a fan of yours for a
while. I see you are close to 6 tall, and have one of the most impressive backs for a big man, along with those incredible shoulders. Im
510 and 196 pounds. Im trying to continue to make my back
wider and better. Im always trying to find ways to stimulate new muscle growth. Whats a sample back routine of yours that I could follow?
I appreciate your being a fan very much! I do a lot of basic free weight
exercises for my back. Two of my favorites are barbell rows and one-arm
dumbbell rows. I am able to feel the fibers in my lower lats work very hard
when I do these, and thats the area (as everybody in the bodybuilding
world knows, and keeps repeating!) that I need to develop the most. But I
dont just train my lower lats. That would be silly, because everything in my
back can still be better.
My goal is to become Mr. Olympia one day soon, and my back should be
even thicker, wider, and more detailed. What I mean is, it can never be too good,
and I am pretty far away from the day when anybody will say, Wolfs back is
one of the best in the world! But I do keep training my entire back super-hard
so one day they will say this. Here is a good routine I use that you can try:
Lat pulldowns to the chest
Barbell rows
One-arm dumbbell rows
Seated close-grip cable rows
Deadlifts
Once you are into your contest diet, do you still drink protein
shakes, or do you only have whole-food meals? Also, what about fruit?
I know some bodybuilders cut fruit completely out of their diets before
a contest. Do you? If not, what fruits are safe to eat in your opinion
on a contest diet?
I do drink two protein shakes a day while I am dieting. If its the off-season, I
go with a blended casein and whey shake like Pro-Gram by Nutrex. Once I am
into my diet, I prefer whey protein isolate. And I still get in very lean condition,
so I dont know why some experts try to say this cant be done unless you eat
all solid food. Unless there are lots of sugar or carbs in general in the shakes, I
really dont understand what the problem is supposed to be.
As for fruit, I do avoid it because of the fructose, or fruit sugar in it that can
make your insulin levels go very high and make losing body fat harder. Early on
in the diet though, I do eat a little bit of fresh pineapple at the end of some of my
meals. It has enzymes in it that are good for digestion. But toward the end I cut
that out, too.
November 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com
MD 357
DENNIS WOLF
Favorites:
TV Show
Right now I am watching a
lot of reruns on MTV of this
stupid show called
Wildboyz. Its most of the
same guys from Jackass,
doing more crazy stunts. Its
different because in this show
they do a lot of dangerous and
disgusting things with animals. Its one of those shows
that makes me say, Why am I
watching this? But I cant
change the channel!
My Reaction to
the Murder of
Eridania
Rodriguez
When my wife and I
heard about what happened to the older sister of
my fellow MD athlete
Victor Martnez, we were
shocked and felt very sad
for Victor and his whole
family. I know it must be so
horrible to have to go
through losing someone
you love in such a senseless and brutal way. My
condolences to all of them,
and I really hope the sick
monster who did it will
burn in Hell forever.
Car
Aston Martin DBS. The Aston Martin is the top choice
for James Bond. A 6-liter V-12 engine, hand-built wonder of
beautiful automotive perfection. I would love to own one! !
Am I Russian or German?
Since I am of German heritage but actually was born
in Russia and lived there until I was 12, there seems to
be some confusion as to whether I am Russian or
German. I think in German, I count in German in my
head so I consider myself German. Now you know!
Training DVD
My favorite bodybuilding DVD, and the one I still
358 MD
OUT
CHECK
m
veloPpLmEeTnEt.co
e
rd
la
cu
s
u
m FOR COM VERAGE!
November 2009
ErikTheHouse
Fankhouser
By Erik Fankhouser
Things to Have on
Contest Day:
360 MD
1. Posing trunks two pair one for prejudging, one for finals.
2. Posing music two copies always
have a backup. You dont want to pose to elevator music.
3. Extra tanning supplies even if you
are getting sprayed. You will need touch-ups.
4. Posing gel you dont want to be trying to find some before you go on, and have
someone throw you baby oil.
5. Towels you always need a towel to
pat yourself off, if your tanner is running.
6. Food so you dont get flat; I always
have jam and rice cakes on hand.
7. Water, sodium and potassium if you
start to get cramps.
8. Pump-up bands you got to get a
pump on push-ups and posing.
9. Music I always have my i-pod to listen to; it relaxes me. Nerves will make you
flat.
10. Entry forms, money for fees and
membership dues or membership card and
your A Game.
Contest Checklist
Eric Fankhouser
North American Champion
Training Journal
This is a great month for my training. I have been training with less volume now for over six weeks and I am
seeing great results. I am getting better recovery and moving more weight.
I just needed a change from my highvolume training and it worked. I am
going to stick to the high-intensity
training until I start my contest diet,
then change back to high volume.
Soon I will be dieting for the NY pro. I
am going to start in December with
my contest prep.
ThePRO
Creator
By Hany Rambod
ALVISI:
Pro Creation
at the USA
Congratulations to the man on
the cover of this issue, my client
Mark Alvisi. Mark is the latest to
win the USA, a show I have had
good success with since I began
coaching athletes over 10 years
ago. Some of the men I helped
earn pro cards at the USA in that
time include Quincy Taylor, Idrise
Ward-El, Mike Dragna, Omar
Deckard, and Curtis Bryant. It
was at the 2008 USA that I was
first approached by Mark Alvisi to
team up and start fulfilling the
potential we both knew he had.
364 MD
ThePROCreator
the newer versions of the system. I held off
because I wanted to test them out on clients
and note their effectiveness before putting it
out there, and thats all been completed. So
stay tuned for that in a column coming
soon.
We also focused on Marks chest and
back, and took great care to maximize his
recovery by supplementing with BCAAs several times a day. By the end of April, as his
off-season was coming to an end, the gains
were apparent. All our target areas had
become noticeably thicker and fuller, and
even his hamstrings appeared wider, when
viewed in back shots like the rear double
biceps and rear lat spread.
Alvisis delts were more capped from
using FST-7, and his arms had taken on a
rounder appearance. Now it was time to
shred it all up for the big win.
366 MD
Pro show, since its fairly close to his home in the Boca
Raton area. But in the meantime, Mark is letting his win
sink in and is already mentally gearing up to make his
Mark as a pro. Congrats, Brother!
Ive read in your column, as well as heard you
mention on MD Radio how you recommend BCAAs,
L-Glutamine, and creatine to enhance recovery and
create muscle fullness. How much do I take, and
when? Would you please elaborate? I have been
using the FST-7 Training system now for a few
months and absolutely love the results, but I want to
get the most out of these workouts.
Its commonly known among my clients that I have been
designing my own supplement formulas for some time
now. Until recently, any talk of making these products available to the public was just that, as I had been too busy with
other projects and job responsibilities for several years to
devote the needed time.
Recently, I teamed up with a company Im involved with
named Evogen, to develop the first of several formulas for
www.musculardevelopment.com November 2009
ThePROCreator
athletes. This flagship product is called EvoP1-Alpha, and
its designed to be used both pre- and post-workout. Its one
I tested successfully on a wide range of athletes, ranging
from local to professional bodybuilders as well as figure,
fitness, and bikini competitors. Ingredients include ultra-soluble BCAAs, N.O.-stimulating Arginine, several forms of LGlutamine, creatine pyruvate, and a profile of B vitamins
designed as an anti-stress pack.
CHARLES GLASS
Trainer of
Champions
By Charles Glass
THE BODYBUILDING
The question that I have pertains to bringing my
waist back down to size. Since the rectus abdominis
(abs) are only so wide and run mainly up and down
the body, I believe the transversus abdominis is the
muscle that acts like a corset and keeps the waist
nice and slim. Are there any exercises you can suggest (I do the vacuum pose often) that can help bring
the waist down in size? Any help would be greatly
appreciated.
I am not quite sure exactly what way you would like your
waist to decrease in size. If your hipbones are set wide and
you have a large pelvis, a narrow waist is not in the cards
for you. If its a matter of body fat, obviously cardio and diet
are going to be the tools to ameliorate that situation. You
could also have very thickly-developed oblique muscles,
which I often see in men who perform heavy deadlifts from
the floor and heavy full squats (below parallel).
370 MD
You often hear of this group of muscles referred to collectively as your core. As you probably know, there has
been a tremendous amount of hype over training the core,
and many people who have little or no lifting experience
desire to have a stronger core. If you ever want to see an
incredibly strong core, check out the guys who compete in
Strongman events. These are often men well over 300
pounds with visible abdominals, but enormous midsections. Even with a belt, their core muscles have to work
exceedingly hard to stabilize and assist in the various
events they do that often involve lifting very heavy, odd
objects such as stones. So go ahead and train your abs
and lower back, but if you want to keep your waistline as
small as it can be, wear a belt and avoid movements that
cause your core to have to work so hard.
372 MD
By Lee Priest
Overdosing
on Steroid
Discussion?
B
What does all the talking about steroids really accomplish? Ostensibly, I know the idea is to provide accurate
information about the drugs to people who are going to
use them anyway, so at least they can be informed and
hopefully, exercise a little more caution and common
sense when they do.
As much as I agree with the ideas
of freedom of speech and information
sharing, I think it may be time we did
what all the other professional sports
do. They tacitly accept that drugs are
being used, but keep it under the carpet. Theres really no need to out up a
big banner effectively announcing,
Hey! Look at us! We use drugs, were
proud of it, and we can tell you how
to do it too! Golf Digest may have
the latest high-tech clubs profiled, but
we have the newest hot designer
steroids and exactly how to cycle
them to make crazy gains!
I know my opinion isnt shared by
everyone. A lot of you love to talk
about steroids, read about steroids,
and generally obsess over various
drugs and what you feel they can do
for you. Some people just cant get
enough. Its almost like steroids have
become their porn. There are guys on the forums who have
screen names like DecaBoy or TestoKing, and they delight
in posting and debating about steroids all day and night.
But youll notice the pros rarely talk about drugs. For
one thing, theyre still illegal without a prescription in the
USA and most other countries. For another, most of us
dont particularly like buying or using them. We do it
because they are part of the sport, just as they are with
the majority of sports.
If this starts a real dialogue among us about whether
the excessive steroid content and discussion is helping
or hurting the image and growth (pardon the pun) of our
sport, then great. Thats all I wanted to do.
396 MD
www.musculardevelopment.com
November 2009
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