Iron Man - USA 1 2007

MR.
OLYMPIA: FULL-PAGE PICS OF MASSIVE MUSCLE GIANTS

JANUARY 2007 / IRON MAN MAGAZINE—WE KNOW TRAINING™
MUSCLE
SCIENCE
ROUNDUP
NEW RESEARCH
Get More Growth Reps
at Every Workout!
REPORTS THAT CAN

UP YOUR MASS AND
BLAST AWAY FAT
MISSING LINK Fierce Fat Burner

TO MAJOR (It Jacks Testosterone Too)
MUSCLE-SCIENCE ROUNDUP / MR. O
MUSCLE!
X-Files Discovery
Page 164
JANUARY 2007
$5.98 $7.98 in Canada
0 1>
PLUS: Super Supplement

•New Pro’s Chest Chiseler for Better Sex!
0 70992 37390 1
www.IronManMagazine.com
•X Reps Meet Power/Rep Range/Shock
Please display until 1/4/07
•Doctor’s Orders: One Workout a Week
Free download from imbodybuilding.com
WHATEVER YOU NEED
WHEREVER YOU TRAIN™
Equipment Supplements Books Videos
•Money Back Guarantee

•Unbeatable Pricing
•Same-Day Shipping
•Authoritative Information
•Industry-leading Customer Service
©2009 Home-Gym.com
LOW-CARB
Full-Throttle
MUSCLE GROWTH
Drive Creatine
Straight Into Your Muscle Cells
The LOW-CARB Way
Did you know that delivery is critical What that means to you is… high
when it comes to creatine… critical! absorption… more creatine in your
Creatine can’t get into your muscle cells… more cell volume and
bloodstream and muscle cells unless more strength and more muscle. The
it is FULLY dissolved in the water that best part is because it’s low in carbs
carries it into your muscle cells. And you also end up with less body-fat.
that delivery better be free of excess
carbs and sugars if you want to avoid Experts Consider
added bodyfat.
CreaSol™ to be the
Undissolved Creatine Low-Carb Evolution in
Does Nothing To Build Creatine Delivery
Strength, Power Or Get to the phone and order your
Muscle Size… NOTHING supply right now. Dial 1-800-667-
4626. CreaSol is only $29.95 plus
Low-carb CreaSol™ delivers 200% shipping and handling. Go ahead and SAVE $10!
40 Servings
call right now! / Berry Flavor
more creatine straight into your MSRP $29.95
muscle cells. That’s because, it’s been
SALE $19.9
pH balanced to improve its ability
to dissolve in water. Most creatine is
CreaSol™ Water-Soluble Creatine 5
• Dissolves completely…more creatine in your muscles
only 30% dissolved in water. In other
• No gritty taste, no stomach cramps
words, 70% doesn’t make it into the
muscle cell… it can’t! • Cost-effective manufacturing…affordable
• Low-sugar content...no bloat, no excess calories (bodyfat)
CreaSol is 100% dissolved in water, • Maximum muscle absorption...gives you maximum muscle size
and it’s the water that transports the
dissolved creatine into the muscle. It’s
simple to understand why you end
To Order Call 1-800-667-4626
up with more creatne in your muscle More info at www.muscle-link.com
cells. That’s why there’s no need to These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Send check
load up on fat producing, high sugar or U.S. money order to: Muscle-Link, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Fax (805) 385-3515. All
major credit cards accepted. Call for foreign prices. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat,
or dextrose to drive the creatine into cure or prevent any disease. Results using this product vary from individual to individual. For optimal
results consult your physician and follow a balanced diet and exercise program.
the muscle.
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

Build Your
Body At
Home
All it takes is a dumbbell set
and adjustable bench!
It’s time for you to get the atten-
tion-grabbing body you deserve! Not
enough time to get to the gym? Prob-
lem solved with the new All-Dumbbell
Workout. Now you can build muscle
fast in the privacy of your own home.
• Key Exercises for Big Gains
• Intensity Tactics That Pack On Mass
• The Ultimate Fat-to-Muscle Method
• Perfect Rep Speed to Boost Results
GE
G ETT
YO
Y OU
URRSS
NO
N OWW !!
ON
O LY $ !!
NL
MS R Y $ 9
9 .95
P $ 14 .95
4 .95
Available at Home-gym.com
and Ironmanmagazine.com
This DVD features Greg Plitt, one of the

top fitness models in the country and
up-and-coming Hollywood actor. Seeing
Greg’s muscles in motion will motivate
you, as he demonstrates the techniques
to sculpt your own impressive physique.
Greg is a former Army Ranger and was
recently voted Hollywood’s top body.
150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

January 2007 Vol. 66, No. 1
Mr. Olympia,
™
page 202
We Know Training ™
FEATURES
FEATURES
60 TRAIN, EAT, GROW 87
More details on how the TEG men have merged Power/
Rep Range/Shock with X Reps and 3D Positions of Flex-
ion. Strength is soaring—would you believe 90-pound
incline flyes?
96 A BODYBUILDER IS BORN 18
Ron Harris teaches his young protégé that going back to
basics—like regular deadlifts—can pack on some serious
size fast.
104 MUSCLE-SCIENCE ROUNDUP

It’s a muscle-building, research-wielding anabolic buf-
fet! We take a close look at many of the most important
studies of the past year that can help you build more lean
mass and burn more ugly fat. Oh,
MR. OLYMPIA: FULL-PAGE PICS OF MASSIVE MUSCLE GIANTS
there’s some sex-improvement stuff
here too. ™
MUSCLE
SCIENCE
136 GROWING STEADY ROUNDUP
NEW RESEARCH
Get More Growth Reps
at Every Workout!
Cory Crow delves into the chest- REPORTS THAT CAN

UP YOUR MASS AND
BLAST AWAY FAT
chiseling tactics of Omar Deckard, MISSING LINK Fierce Fat Burner
the superheavyweight and overall TO MAJOR (It Jacks Testosterone Too)
MUSCLE!
X-Files Discovery
winner at the ’06 NPC USA. (This is Page 164
JANUARY 2007
one big dude, gang!)

$5.98 $7.98 in Canada
0 1>
PLUS: Super Supplement

•New Pro’s Chest Chiseler for Better Sex!
0 70992 37390 1
•X Reps Meet Power/Rep Range/Shock
Please display until 1/4/07
•Doctor’s Orders: One Workout a Week
Growing
154 HEAVY DUTY
C1_JAN2007_03EM.indd 1 10/26/06 6:01:57 PM
David Fisher appears on

Steady, this month’s cover. Photos
John LIttle explores the wisdom of
page 136 by Michael Neveux and
Mike Mentzer. Was Mr. Heavy Duty
Keith Berson.
anti-aerobics?
164 X-FILES
It’s a size-building revelation—one of the missing links
to more mass. It could be one of the big reasons Casey
Viator gained 60 pounds of muscle in four weeks back in
1973. A scientific study says so.
X-Files, 176 POWERFUL MUSCLE MEDICINE 2

page 164 John Little continues his interview with Doug McGuff, M.D.
This month they talk about once-a-week workouts, ways
to increase the anabolic response, Ray Mentzer, Arthur
Jones and advanced high-intensity methods.
Muscle-Science Roundup, 202 IFBB MR. OLYMPIA

page 104 You probably know by now that Jay Cutler defeated
Ronnie Coleman for pro bodybuilding’s top title in Vegas
in September. But you haven’t seen our in-your-face
coverage with loads of giant full-page pics that’ll have
your eyeballs popping and your motivation hopping.
232 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE

Bill Starr continues his look at the overhead press. This
installment is all about how to overcome sticking points so
you can put up ponderous poundages. (Now, where did I
put that strongman-contest entry form?)

DEPARTMENTS
26 TRAIN TO GAIN
Ronnie Coleman’s pec-pressing rotations, stretching and
strength loss, and Joe Horrigan analyzes the spider curl.
40 SMART TRAINING
Coach Charles Poliquin explores building more muscle
and strength in record time.
46 EAT TO GROW
Protein and anabolic acceleration, anti-estrogen strate-
gies and pumping up with preworkout arginine.
Train to Gain, 56 CRITICAL MASS

page 26 Steve Holman prepares you for winter mass mutations,
with supplement and training info for the size-building
season.
Powerful Mind/Body,
Muscle page 244 80 NATURALLY HUGE
Medicine 2, John Hansen gives you the ups and downs of high and
page 176 low lat growth.
192 MUSCLE “IN” SITES

Eric Broser wanders the Web to find wondrous muscle-
building info. Look, it’s Melvin Anthony and Jenny Lynn.
Plus, Broser’s column expands with his new Net Results
Q&A. Cool stuff!
196 NEWS & VIEWS

Lonnie Teper pulls no punches in his Mr. Olympia cov-
erage. Should Ronnie have lost? Will he retire? Is this
good or bad for pro bodybuilding? L.T. reveals all.
226 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE

Ruth Silverman was hanging out in Vegas too, cover-
ing the women of the body sports. And lucky for us,
she snapped loads of hot pics. Check out all the clicks,
chicks and picks, direct from Sin City.
240 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY

Jerry Brainum tells you whether to get off the pot—as in
News & Views, Pump & Circumstance, marijuana. Don’t bogart that info, dude.
page 196 page 226
244 MIND/BODY CONNECTION
Randall Strossen, Ph.D., has more motivation for you.
Then Dave Draper talks about extra mass at X-mas.
256 READERS WRITE

More raves for Rachel, an unreal spiel and e-zine mania.
In the next IRON MAN

Next month we have coverage of the uncovered
babes in Vegas—loads of full-page photos of the
Ms., Fitness and Figure Olympias. Bonus: Our
Hardbody layout features none other than beauti-
ful Jenny Lynn, the ’06 Figure Olympia winner. You
won’t believe your eyes! We also have an excep-
tional excerpt from the new 3D Muscle Building
e-book, Jerry Brainum’s take on the science of
muscle growth and our top-six size-surging facts
WEB ALERT! you can use to get huge. Watch for the phenomenal
from the world
For the latest happenings February IRON MAN on newsstands the first week
of bod ybu ildi ng and fitness, set your
of January.
w.I ron Ma nM agazine.com
browser for ww om.
Free and www.GraphicMu
download fromscle.cimbodybuilding.com
TRAIN ANY TIME
Pack On All the Rock-Hard Muscle You Want... At Home!
Never pay for another gym
membership or wait for a piece
of equipment again. The Pow-
ertec Power Rack with cable
setup is an investment in a
lifetime of muscle building.
Here’s a complete Powertec

Power Rack workout:
Quads: Squats*
Hamstrings: Stiff-legged deadlifts
Calves: Standing calf raises
Chest: Bench presses*
Chest: Incline Presses*
Back: Chinups or Pulldowns
Back: Seated cable rows
Shoulders: Seated presses
Shoulders: Upright rows
Triceps: Triceps pushdowns
Biceps: Barbell curls or Cable curls
Abs: Full-range bench crunches
*Safety catch
long-pins make
exercises
safer and
Powertec Power Rack more effective
- with cable setup - - no spotter
necessary.
Check Website for SALE price.
Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

©2009 Home-Gym.com
Over 4000 best-selling products online

John Balik’s
Founders
1936-1986:
Publisher’s Letter Peary & Mabel Rader
Publisher/Editorial Director: John Balik
Associate Publisher: Warren Wanderer
Arnold’s Rules Design Director: Michael Neveux

Editor in Chief: Stephen Holman
Art Director: T. S. Bratcher
Senior Editor: Ruth Silverman
for Achievement Editor at Large: Lonnie Teper

Articles Editors: L.A. Perry, Caryne Brown
Assistant Art Director: Aldrich Bonifacio
Designer: Emerson Miranda
IRON MAN Staff:
I am writing this two weeks before Vuthy Keo, Mervin Petralba,
election day. In the race for governor of R. Anthony Toscano
California, Arnold is the clear front-run- Contributing Authors:
Jerry Brainum, Eric Broser, David Chapman,
ner, endorsed this time by the Los Angeles
Teagan Clive, Lorenzo Cornacchia, Daniel Curtis,
Times. In fact, he’s been a front-runner for Dave Draper, Michael Gündill, Rosemary Hallum,
the 35-plus years I’ve known him. Ph.D., John Hansen, Ron Harris, Ori Hofmekler,
Rod Labbe, Skip La Cour, Jack LaLanne, Butch
The early Arnold and the present Arnold Lebowitz, Stuart McRobert, Gene Mozée, Charles
are fundamentally the same person. His Poliquin, Larry Scott, Jim Shiebler, Roger Schwab,
approach to the governor’s race has been C.S. Sloan, Bill Starr, Bradley Steiner, Eric Sternlicht,
Ph.D., Randall Strossen, Ph.D., Richard Winett,
the same as his run for the Olympia titles. Ph.D., and David Young
He plans everything to the last detail, he is Contributing Artists:
totally focused on his goal, and he gives an Steve Cepello, Larry Eklund, Ron Dunn,
Jake Jones
all-out effort till the goal is achieved.
Contributing Photographers:
Arnold loves hard work. As I’ve mentioned here before, his mantra Jim Amentler, Ron Avidan, Reg Bradford, Jimmy
has always been, “Whatever I do, I always have a good time,” and Caruso, Bill Comstock, Bill Dobbins, Jerry Fredrick,
Irvin Gelb, Isaac Hinds, Dave Liberman, J.M.
he applies that to everything. He surprised a lot of people in politics
Manion, Gene Mozée, Mitsuru Okabe, Rob Sims,
with his unlimited capacity for work and his apparent enjoyment of Leo Stern
that effort. He says that his 16-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week effort Director of Marketing:
is the most satisfying thing he’s ever done. In his words, “I love it!” Helen Yu, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1
In his bodybuilding days, Arnold continued to raise the standard Accounting: Dolores Waterman
Subscriptions Manager:
over five consecutive years when he had no real competition. For the Sonia Melendez, 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 2
most part he was head and shoulders (pun intended) above his con- E-mail: soniazm@aol.com
temporaries. In general, competition is an impetus to achievement; Advertising Director: Warren Wanderer
however, Arnold was different. He was his own competition. The 1-800-570-IRON, ext. 1
(518) 743-1696; FAX: (518) 743-1697
challenge for him was—and is—internal, and that ability to keep im- Advertising Coordinator:
proving when there was a lack of true competition only underscores Jonathan Lawson, (805) 385-3500, ext. 320
his bodybuilding achievements. Newsstand Consultant:
Arnold has always bet on himself. Over the years he has invested Angelo Gandino, (516) 796-9848
$30 million in his various political initiatives: from after-school pro- We reserve the right to reject any advertising at our
grams for kids to the Special Olympics to his current campaign. His discretion without explanation. All manuscripts, art
or other submissions must be accompanied by a self-
confidence is the product of a clear vision and the ability to follow addressed, stamped envelope. Send submissions to
through with all-out effort. That knack for recognizing opportunity IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Avenue, Oxnard, CA 93033.
We are not responsible for unsolicited material.
and acting on it also reflects his grasp of the way things really work. Writers and photographers should send for our
He never stops learning. When Arnold took his plans to the people, Guidelines outlining specifications for submissions.
IRON MAN is an open forum. We also reserve the
his ballot initiatives failed. He had misread the electorate, but he right to edit any letter or manuscript as we see fit, and
photos submitted have an implied waiver of copyright.
learned instantly from the experience. After that misstep many Please consult a physician before beginning any diet
people counted him out in his reelection bid, but they underesti- or exercise program. Use the information published in
IRON MAN at your own risk.
mated Arnold’s ability to learn from his mistakes and turn them into
a springboard to the next step upward. Arnold is fundamentally a IRON MAN Internet Addresses:
pragmatist: The past is only history to learn from. He lives totally in Web Site: www.ironmanmagazine.com
John Balik, Publisher: ironleader@aol.com
the present but looks to the future. These are lessons that are of value Steve Holman, Editor in Chief: ironchief@aol.com
to everyone. Ruth Silverman, Senior Editor: ironwman@aol.com
T.S. Bratcher, Art Director: ironartz@aol.com
Character is the cornerstone of a life well lived. IM Helen Yu, Director of Marketing: irongrrrl@aol.com
Jonathan Lawson, Ad Coordinator: ironjdl@aol.com
Sonia Melendez, Subscriptions: soniazm@aol.com
24 JANUARY 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

SEXY ROCK-HARD ABS FAST
The Secret to Etching your Granite-Carved Abs in 10 Short Minutes
Picture this... you with tight,

shredded abs, serratus and
intercostals all sharp, sliced and
visible from across the room or
on the sun-glared beach! And
from the rear, lower lumbars that
look like two thick steel girders
supporting your muscle-studded
back. Imagine looking like a Greek
god... in street clothes... in the
gym... or anywhere.
The incredible breakthrough

design of the pad on the Ab
Bench pre-stretches the targeted
muscles prior to contraction,
giving you a full-range movement,
making each exercise up to 200%
more effective. The Ab Bench
takes the physiology of your spine
into consideration with its design
like nothing else on the market.
The contraction takes place all
the way into the pelvis where the
abdominals actually rotate the
spine, forcing the abdominals to
completely contract... from the
upper abs to the lower abs.
Using the Ab Bench is the

“sure-fire” guarantee for you to
get those attention-grabbing
washboard abs.
From full stretch
to complete con-
traction—in total
comfort. The Ab
Bench is the most
complete midsec-
tion exercise in
existence. You’ll
feel the incredible Ab Bench
difference from
your very first rep. $149.00
*PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING

©2010 Home-Gym.com
Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

SIZE MATTERS, SO…
If you always start

your chest training
with flat-bench
presses, take a tip
from the Big Nasty
and alternate them
with inclines.

FREE-WEIGHT NIRVANA
2,570 Pounds of Dumbbells in a 2-by-2-foot Area
It’s the Ultimate Home Dumb-
bell Set. The Elite PowerBlock
5-90 pounds base set adjusts in
5- or 10-pound increments. It’s
equivalent to 28 pairs of dumb-
bells, or 2,570 pounds of free
weights, with a top weight of 90
pounds per Block.
•Selectorized: Adjust the

weight instantly by moving the
pins.
•Safe: No dangerous collars to
loosen.
•Comfort: The compact,
smooth rectangular shape en-
sures no rolling and allows the
use of heavier weights.
•Patented: The PowerBlock
was granted 5 patents by the
U.S. government because the
idea is so unique.
FREE Bonus Pack:

•Exercise poster pack $24.00
value.
•CD ROM workout planner
$39.95 value.
•Free 12-month IRON MAN
subscription $29.95 value.
Stand available separately.
Elite PowerBlock
(With FREE Bonus Pack) SImply move the pins for the
$598 fastest, most efficient and
*PLUS SHIPPING & HANDLING productive workouts ever.

©2010 Home-Gym.com
MantaRay
Squat Pad
Knee
Bands
Monster Forearm Bar Power Hooks

BIGGER BODYPARTS
Pec-Pressing Rotation Ronnie Coleman style
In his most recent training DVD, “On the Road,” movement. It’s not enough to do incline presses at
Ronnie Coleman explains how he chooses a pressing every workout if you always do them later, after you’re
movement to start off his chest workouts: fatigued from flat and perhaps also decline pressing.
“For the most part, I like to switch it back and forth. Ronnie’s chest is full and thick from top to bottom,
Last workout, if I started with an incline, next time I’ll which is why few men on this planet can stand next
just start with a flat. I switch between incline, flat— to him in a side-chest pose. Most human beings will
sometimes I start with a decline. So it all depends on never be able to build such an incredibly massive
what I did in the last workout.” set of pecs as Ronnie’s, but we can all build chests
The once and perhaps future Mr. Olympia makes that are proportionate if we follow his lead and initi-
a lot of sense. Most guys always start with flat-bench ate every second or third chest session with incline
presses—usually with a barbell. Over time that leads presses. If your pecs are already bottom-heavy, I’ll go
to overdeveloped middle and lower pecs and weak, one step further and suggest doing inclines first all the
shallow upper pecs. It’s a droopy, saggy, unattractive time in order to correct the imbalance.
look, and you can easily avoid it if you use inclines in —Ron Harris
every second or third workout as your first pressing
Model: Ronnie Coleman \ “Cost of Redemption” ©2006 Mitsuru Okabe Co.

Comstock

HE WANTED TO FIGHT-
Until I Crushed His Hand!
He was big. He was pissed. And
he wanted to kick my butt. There
was no way out, so I extended my
arm for the opening hand shake—
and then I crushed his hand like
a Dorito. Fight over thanks to the
Super Gripper.
If you’re after huge forearms

with the crushing power of an
industrial vise, get the Super
Gripper. It’s the ultimate forearm-
and grip-building tool on the
market because it provides your
muscles with the two essential
requirements they demand for
awesome size and strength:
specificity (mimics gripping action)
and progressive resistance.
You’ll develop a bone-crushing

grip fast by adding one or a
number of power coils for that
critical progressive-resistance
effect. Remember, when you wear
short sleeves, it’s the lower arms
that are exposed for all to see.
You’ll want your forearms to be
huge and vascular to match your
thick, beefy upper arms—and now
they will.
Super Gripper
$29.95

©2010w Home-Gym.com

TRAIN TO GAIN PREVENTION
Save Your
Wrists
If you’ve been paying close at-
tention to the Train to Gain section
here in IM for the past year or so,
you’ve read at least a few times that
straight bars can be disastrous for
your wrists and elbows. One man
who truly believes that is Masters
Comstock \ Models: Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman

Pro World champion Bob “Chick”
Cicherillo, who has more than a
quarter century of training experi-
ence to back up that assertion.
“Our hands were not meant to
rotate that far,” he explains. “When
you stand with your arms at your
side, where are your palms facing?
Are they out in front, as in a barbell
curl? Are they facing to the rear, as
in a pushdown or skull crusher with
FAT BURN a straight bar? No. Your palms are
facing each other. That’s where they
Cardio Convenience Get ripped like the pros want to go. Anything too far away
from that is unnatural and will wreak
What is one major advantage that Ronnie Coleman and Jay Cutler, the two best havoc over time on your shoulders
bodybuilders alive today, have over most bodybuilders when it comes to getting and elbows.”
ripped for a contest? If you said mutant genetics, you wouldn’t be entirely off base, That’s why Bob favors cambered
but the answer is in how they have made it so convenient to do their morning car- bars like the EZ-curl, V-shaped bars
dio on an empty stomach, when stored glycogen levels are at their lowest and the for triceps pushdowns and dumb-
body immediately taps into bodyfat for fuel to burn. bells over barbells for most upper-
I’ve been to Ronnie’s house, and he has a treadmill in his bedroom. For his body work. “You can only force the
evening cardio he doesn’t have a whole lot farther to travel. Just outside his kitchen body to do something that works
door is his fully equipped home gym, with two commercial-grade Stepmills. against its own biomechanics for so
Cutler has his cardio machines in the garage of his Las Vegas home, and more long,” says Chick.
and more pros and top amateurs these days invest in that kind of equipment. The I agree with Bob on that one—if
issue is time and convenience. If you have to spend time driving to a gym in the your elbows or shoulders hurt when
morning or evening to do your cardio, you’re far more likely to avoid doing it. If it’s you train, it could be the straight bar
right there in your home, you’ll be less that you need to ditch.
likely to blow it off. There’s no commute —Ron Harris
time, and when you’re done, your own
kitchen and shower are right there.
New cardio pieces can run you a few
thousand dollars, but searches online
or in your local PennySaver are sure to
turn up some barely used treadmills,
elliptical trainers or stair stepper ma-
chines at bargain prices. So if you want
to get shredded like Ronnie and Jay
but haven’t been able to find the time
or motivation to drive all the way to the
gym, do what they do: Get your own
Neveux \ Model: Dan Decker
machine at home. Making cardio more

Neveux \ Model: Bob Cicherillo
convenient means you’ll probably do a

lot more of it.
—Ron Harris

YOU CAN BENCH BIG
Add 20 Pounds to Your Bench Press Almost Overnight!
How would you like a surge in
upper-body power and a bigger
bench press—say, 20 extra pounds
on the bar—after only a couple of
workouts? Sure, adding 20 pounds
to your bench in two or three training
sessions may sound crazy, especially
if your bench press poundage has
been stuck in neutral for a while.
But nine times out of 10 this stall is
due to an easily correctible muscle
weakness—not in the pecs, delts
or triceps but in a group of muscles
known as the rotator cuff.
The rotator cuff muscles stabilize

the shoulder joint. During the bench
press and almost all other upper-
body movements these muscles
protect the shoulder joint and
prevent ball-and-socket slippage. If
these muscles are underdeveloped,
they become the weak link in the
action and your pressing strength
suffers, or worse, you injure your
shoulder. One of the best ways to
strengthen this area and create an
upper-body power surge is with
direct rotator cuff exercise.
Once you start using the
ShoulderHorn for two or three
sets twice a week, your pressing
poundages will skyrocket. This
device allows you to train your
rotator cuff muscles in complete
comfort and with precise
strengthening action. After a few
weeks you’ll be amazed at your new
benching power. There have been
reports of 20-to-30-pound increases
in a matter of days.
A big, impressive bench press can

be yours. Get the ShoulderHorn,
Shoulder Horn start working your rotator cuff
muscles, and feel the power as you
$59.95 start piling on plates and driving up
heavy iron.

©2010 Home-Gym.com
Seated Row
Push Ups Handle
Dip Belt
Accu-Measure Fat Calipers
8 Over 4000 best-selling products online

TRAIN TO GAIN REVIEW
John Hansen shows you how to

“Real Muscle” DVD build loads of drug-free muscle
Never has the distinction between the natural and the as a skinny 14-year-
“chemically enhanced” bodybuilder been more pronounced. old dramatically
Just look at the lineup at any Mr. Olympia contest over the morphing into a
past few years and note the mind-boggling physiques on big and bulky 230-
display. pound bodybuilder
Bodybuilders who are training without the help of steroids by the time he was
or other performance-enhancing drugs are likely to be in- 21. You’ll see the
timidated by the blown-up physiques of pro bodybuilders. basic exercises that
They’re also likely to be confused if they decide to follow the he used to naturally
training programs of those physique superstars. add muscle mass
In addition to building muscle and strength in excess of and thickness to his
the body’s normal capabilities, steroids contribute greatly to frame and pack on
recuperation and recovery. That enables a bodybuilder who’s almost 100 pounds
“juicing” to train very differently from a bodybuilder who does of muscle without
not have those chemical advantages. resorting to steroid
John Hansen, author of the book Natural Bodybuilding use.
(Human Kinetics, 2005) as well as the column Naturally Huge The DVD covers
here in Iron Man, sheds light on how a natural bodybuilder a full week of John’s
really needs to train for maximum muscle mass. It’s all in his training routine. Day
new DVD, “Real Muscle.” 1 includes chest,
Hansen has an extensive competitive background. He triceps and calves;
began training at the age of 14 in 1977 and started com- day 2 is abs and legs; day 3 is when he trains delts, traps
peting only two years later. Over the next 25 years John and calves; and day 4 concludes the cycle with back and
competed in more than 40 bodybuilding contests. He won biceps.
the Natural Mr. Universe twice, as well as the first Natural The DVD has both instruction and motivation. Most body-
Mr. Olympia title (in 1998). He recently won the overall at the building DVDs now available assume that viewers know what
Natural America’s Cup at the age of 41. exercises the bodybuilder is doing and why he is doing them.
In the DVD’s introduction, John presents photos of himself On “Real Muscle” John fully explains both how to correctly
perform the exercise and why it is so important to include it in
your training routine.
FLEXIBILITY
Immediately after the instruction set, John shows the
“intensity set.” He demonstrates how to perform the exercise
Stretching and with the greatest intensity for maximum muscle growth.
The intensity set is filmed in black and white, which adds
to the hardcore atmosphere, as do the rock music and the
Strength Loss sound of heavy weights clanging in the background. John

trains extremely hard with some very heavy weights, and he
takes each intensity set to the limit. I actually found myself
gritting my teeth while watching some of the high-intensity
Recent studies suggest that stretching before lifting may sets.
decrease maximum strength. Precisely how much stretching I also learned a few new techniques while watching John
causes that, however, isn’t known. A new study presented train. Although he sticks with mostly basic exercises involving
at the 2006 meeting of the American College of Sports barbells and dumbbells, there were some interesting varia-
Medicine looked into that controversial aspect of training. tions. For example, he performs his barbell shrugs seated at
The study featured 18 college students who performed the end of a bench to better isolate his traps. He also holds
a one-rep-maximum test of knee flexion after doing either the bottom position of each rep on squats for two seconds
zero, one, two, three, four, five or six 30-second hamstring
to make the exercise harder on the quads.
stretches. Just
All in all, I highly recommend the “Real
one 30-second
Muscle” DVD. You’ll learn how to train for
stretch significantly
reduced one-rep maximum muscle mass without drugs—prop-
maximums by er execution of the most effective exercises
5.4 percent. After with the right amount of intensity is the key to
the subjects did real muscle!
six 30-second —Jeff Preston
Neveux \ Model: Joe DeAngelis
stretches, their www.IronAge.us

strength declined
by 12.4 percent. Editor’s note: John Hansen’s “Real
Better to stretch Muscle” DVD is available for $24.99 from
after the workout www.Home-Gym.com.
than before.
—Jerry Brainum
0 % More Muscle
3 0 Stimulation
You’ve Never Felt Anything Like It!
FLEXSOLATE ™
GRIP-FREE CUFFS
Fact: A static grip can limit muscle action and growth.
On many exercises it’s your grip that severely reduces your
ability to isolate and innervate the target muscle.
For example, standard straps just don’t do the
job on pulldowns. The rigid, unyielding grip
become the Achilles heel that limits growth
stimulation. But what if you could eliminate
grip completely? The patented Flexsolate gripless
cuffs do just that, enabling you to fully contract
the targeted muscle for exceptional fiber recruit-
ment. You’ve never felt anything like it.
With Flexsolate, you isolate to innervate and

accelerate muscle growth. Once you try them,
you’ll never go to the gym without them!
Cable Rows Cable Laterals
Y
ONL ov
er
1 9 .95 ew
ith
$ shipping a
nd handlin
g)
Us
4 0 es
!
(plus r cis
exe
Every pair of cuffs
comes with an
instructional DVD.
Specify
XS-S-M-L
Hammer Curls Crossovers
1-800-447-0008
or Home-Gym.com
TRAIN TO GAIN SPORTSMEDICINE
Spider Curl An old favorite for bigger,

better biceps
The bench press and the curl are the two most popular lifts tension in your elbow.
in any gym, whether it’s a professional gym, a home gym or Trainees who perform the
a college or high school weight room. There are many ver- spider curl describe feeling
sions of curls: barbell curls with a straight bar or cambered the effect “in the middle of the biceps muscle.” We know that
bar, standing or seated dumbbell curls, preacher curls, incline it’s not possible to separate portions of a cylindrical muscle.
curls, concentration curls, reverse curls, hammer curls and— The entire muscle contracts during any curl. That description
one that’s rarely discussed—spider curls. is most likely the feeling of the biceps
The spider curl earned most of its performing all the work because the
limited popularity from bodybuilding leg- spider curl bench doesn’t let other
end Sergio Oliva. For those readers who muscles assist (except for other elbow
are not familiar with Oliva, he was the flexors such as the brachialis and the
three-time Mr. Olympia when a newcomer brachioradialis).
named Arnold Schwarzenegger arrived Similarly, trainees often state that the
on the professional scene. Oliva and preacher curl targets the “lower biceps”
Schwarzenegger had bodies that were and point to the obvious pump in the
very different, but both were worthy win- lower arm. The preacher curl actually
ners. Oliva was known for his incredible slightly reduces the recruitment of the
mass, full muscle bellies and small pelvis biceps and targets the muscle under
and waist. the biceps, the brachialis, on the lower
One of Oliva’s favorite exercises was part of the upper arm. As the brachialis
Neveux \ Model: Jay Cutler

the spider curl. He made it as well known pumps, it pushes the lower biceps
as Larry Scott made the preacher curl, upward, creating the illusion of isolating
which became known as the Scott curl. the lower biceps.
The spider curl is somewhat similar to the When trainees perform standing
preacher curl but has a completely differ- barbell curls, it’s easy to see how other
ent feel. A bench is used for the spider muscles assist the movement and how
curl, but instead of being angled anywhere from 45 to 60 momentum can contribute. The spider curl eliminates those
degrees, the padded back is vertical. You lean over the spider contributing factors.
curl bench and place the back of your upper arm against the The spider curl also presents relatively few injury risks—the
vertical pad. Then you lower the barbell or dumbbell carefully. main one being elbow hyperextension at the bottom of the curl
If you lower the weight too quickly, you risk significant hyperex- if the weight is dropped too quickly. When that happens, the
ligaments—which attach bone to bone—on
the front of the elbow are subject to over-
stretch or even partial tear. The other risk, al-
though minor in comparison, is that the bony
prominence at the back of the elbow can
become irritated and develop bursitis, which
would cause swelling. The key to avoiding
bursitis is to make sure there’s sufficient pad-
ding on the spider curl bench. It’s important
to note that both of those injuries are rare and
shouldn’t discourage you from performing the
spider curl.
The spider curl has been somewhat for-
gotten. Give it a try, and watch your biceps
become bigger and better.
—Joseph M. Horrigan
Editor’s note: Visit www.SoftTissue

Center.com for reprints of Horrigan’s past
Sportsmedicine columns that have appeared
in IRON MAN. You can order the books,
Strength, Conditioning and Injury Preven-
tion for Hockey by Joseph Horrigan, D.C.,
and E.J. “Doc” Kreis, D.A., and the 7-Minute
Rotator Cuff Solution by Horrigan and Jerry
Robinson from Home Gym Warehouse, (800)
The spider curl was a favorite of 447-0008 or at www.Home-Gym.com.
Mozée
legendary bodybuilder Sergio Oliva’s.

Here’s How To Put Your Muscle-Building
and Fat-Loss Mechanisms on auto-pilot.
Muscle-Building Technology Just Took A GIANT leap from the Past into the Future
Dear friend, the superior amino acid balance of the offer! For mail orders just write the words
In the 1950s and ’60s, a handful of ultimate protein source found in HUMAN Pro-Fusion™ and Offer 669PF on any
DRUG-FREE bodybuilders and elite ce- MOTHER’S MILK—nature’s ultimate growth piece of paper. Be sure to tell us how many
lebrities made shocking gains in muscle formula. canisters you want with your name, mail-
size, (ranging from 25 to 30 pounds) in ing address, and credit card information
only three to four months while dissolving It’s One Reason Babies Grow So Fast! or enclose a check or money order for the
countless pounds of fat when they began proper amount (California residents please
using a special protein formula developed That’s only part of the secret behind this add 8.75% sales tax) plus $7 for shipping
by renowned nutritionist Rheo H. Blair in special blend of protein. There’s more. As and handling, then race over to your mail-
Hollywood, California. For 40 years the incredible as the Pro-Fusion™ technology box and send it right now to:
formula was lost, until now. is with its precise combination of whey and Muscle-Link, Offer 669PF, 1701 Ives Ave.,
We recently “rediscovered” the “lost complete milk proteins to clone the balance Oxnard, CA 93033
formula” he used to develop this special found in human milk protein, it contains Foreign orders must send US$ money
blend of protein and have made it avail- added egg white protein. And we were sure orders only and include $15 shipping.
able to you for the first time in years in to use whey protein concentrate, NOT the Sorry, no shipping to P.O. Boxes.
Pro-Fusion™! cheaper, inferior whey protein isolate which (CA residents please add 8.75% tax)
Listen, you may be one of many body- is commonly used. OR: Fax the paper mentioned above with
builders who mistakenly believed that You see, whey protein concentrate has your name, mailing address, and credit card
you’d have to “choke down” wretched-tast- more of the minor amino acid fractions information and proper amount
ing protein all day long in order to achieve responsible for growth and tissue repair as shown above to: 1-805-385-3515.
worthwhile training results. not available in whey protein isolate, and P.S.: Call today!
Pro-Fusion™ is high in Lactoferrin. P.P.S.: Pro-Fusion™ is a real break-
Well those days are over… Lactoferrin is a protein fraction which, ac- through protein formula. Remember, you
Prepare to GROW!! cording to scientific studies, cuts the time risk nothing. Find out for yourself just how
required for tissue repair in half! And that powerful the Pro-Fusion™ technology is.
When you start using this once “lost” means big gains for hard-training athletes— Order yours Today!
growth technology available in like you.
Pro-Fusion™, you’re going to launch
your progress into warp speed. It’s even been shown to reverse the
Research has proven when you con- growth of cancer cells.
sume a combination of the long-lasting
anticatabolic action of casein protein with Plus, Pro-Fusion™ is absolutely deli-
the short-term anabolic action of whey cious! The design of Pro-Fusion™ makes it
protein, you trigger several mechanisms the perfect choice of anyone with an intense
responsible for unparalleled muscle desire to maximize the results of a well-de-
growth. At the same time, you’ll starve the signed training and dietary program.By now,
stored bodyfat, causing your body to burn you’re aware that Pro-Fusion™ is a techno-
fat virtually 24 hours a day! Then all you logical breakthrough in sports nutrition. Choice of:
have to do is feed that process every two to You’ve just got to get yourself some of Tropical
three hours, and you’ll teach your body to Muscle Link’s Pro-Fusion™ now. A big Vanilla, or
burn fat and grow muscles. 2-pound container of Pro-Fusion™ is only Chocolate
$29.95 (plus S&H). Fudge
The Proof is Scienctific Fact. flavoring
Jump On THIS Money Saving Bonus!
Your muscle mass is influenced by two
critical factors—your rate of anabolism, Buy six 2-pound containers of
which increases your muscle mass, and Pro-Fusion™ and take another 10% off. So
your rate of catabolism, which tears it to you’ll pay only $169.95. You can get started
shreds. The two functions are continuous RISK–FREE! If you’re not 100% satisfied with
bodily processes. Muscle-Link’s Pro-Fusion™ just let us
A recent study found that whey protein know and you will get a FULL refund of the
is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, purchase price, no questions asked—abso-
causing an anabolic action—sadly, these lutely guaranteed!
effects are short-lived. There’s Only One Thing To Do NOW!
In order to get the maximum anabolic Pick up the phone and dial 1-800-667-
and anticatabolic action, you need to in- 4626, Offer 669PF. Have your credit card 1-800-667-4626, Offer 669PF
gest whey protein combined with precisely number ready. Order your six-pack of Available at better health food stores nation wide.
measured amounts of casein to achieve Pro-Fusion™ right away! This is a limited © 2010 Muscle-Link
Come visit us at www.muscle-link.com

TRAIN TO GAIN HARDGAINER
Leg Press Lowdown Make this quad exercise

effective and safe
The squat, deadlift, parallel- of leg presses. Each can stress
grip deadlift, sumo deadlift, leg the thighs and hips differently
press, front squat and hip-belt because of the different angles
squat are all major exercises of body positioning. Some ma-
for the thigh (front and rear) chines, because of their design
and hip musculature; and and insufficient adjustability,
other than the leg press and produce more compression
hip-belt squat, they involve the of the lower back than others.
lower back too. Each of the Excessive compression can
seven exercises works more lead to injury.
than half of the total muscu- Vertical leg presses, includ-
lature of the body. The thighs, ing those done on a Smith
hips and lower back form a machine, put great stress on
unit that’s the foundation of the knees and lower back,
bodybuilding—and mobility. so I don’t recommend them.
To optimize your bodybuilding Although they may not harm
progress, include one or two young, injury-free bodybuild-
of the seven in any training ers, they can cause havoc for
program. It’s critical to find at others.
least one of the seven that’s There are 45 degree ma-
Neveux \ Model: Steven Segers

safe and effective for you. chines. Some may reduce the
No matter how effective an knee and lower-back stress.
exercise may be for someone, If used with caution and cor-
if it doesn’t suit you, it will do Beware of hip rect technique by bodybuilders
you no good and may even do roll and knee who have no injury limitations,
you harm. When considering pressure. the 45 degree leg presses can
the preferences of a trainer, yield good results.
coach or author, consider For most bodybuilders the
your limitations and technical leg press of choice will be from
proficiency. “First do no harm” is the medical prime directive— another category—the near-horizontal type, such as the lever-
equally applicable to training. age-style models from Hammer Strength and the Nautilus
In previous issue of IRON MAN I extolled the virtues of the XP Load, which are plate-loaded. Other companies, such as
parallel-grip deadlift. Now let’s look at the leg press. Cybex and MedX, have selectorized models. They’re conve-
In my youth I had a blind devotion to the squat that dis- nient because they don’t require handling plates—leg presses
tracted me from serious pursuit of the leg press and variations typically require loading with many plates once the user is
of the deadlift. In hindsight, I believe I should have exploited beyond the beginner stage.
the potential of the squat, deadlift, parallel-grip deadlift and leg A few leg press machines can be used one limb at a time,
press. I urge you to do the same. the isolateral or unilateral models. The unilateral leg press gives
There are at least four ways to use the leg press: you the option of working both limbs bilaterally, too, although
1) As one of the major multijoint exercises in its own right, each limb will have its own resistance to overcome.
regardless of whether you squat well. A unilateral leg press applies asymmetrical and rotational
stress to your lower back because both limbs don’t push
2) As an alternative to the squat when you want or need a at the same time unless you use the machine bilaterally. It’s
break from squatting. best to avoid asymmetrical stress on the leg press because it
increases the risk of injury. Because the unilateral model can
3) As a squat alternative for bodybuilders who have le-
be used bilaterally, you should be conservative and stick with
verages that make the squat only marginally effective, if not
using it in bilateral mode.
dangerous.
Next month I’ll explain what I mean by correct, safe, effec-
4) As a substitute for the squat if you can’t perform it be- tive leg-pressing technique. The way that many bodybuilders
cause of lower-back or knee limitations. leg press, it’s no surprise that injuries and frustration are com-
The caveat is that you must perform the leg press safely mon.
and effectively on a machine that suits you. —Stuart McRobert
The leg press is technically simpler than the squat and the www.Hardgainer.com
parallel-grip deadlift. It’s also easier to maintain correct tech-
nique on than those other exercises. Editor’s note: Stuart McRob-
With correct technique the leg press lets you work your ert’s first byline in IRON MAN ap-
thighs and hips hard without your lower back coming into the peared in 1981. He’s the author of
picture other than as a stabilizer. That’s great for bodybuilders the new 638-page opus on body-
who have lower-back problems or lower backs that fail before building Build Muscle, Lose Fat,
their thighs. With some machines knee stress may be less- Look Great, available from Home
ened. It may let bodybuilders with knee problems work their Gym Warehouse (800) 447-0008
thighs and hips hard and heavily. or www.Home-Gym.com.
You need a safe machine, however. There are several types

Are You Ready to FREAK OUT?!
More Wicked Muscle Size and Serious Blast-Off Power On Every Set
It’s the precise scientific combi- 1-MONTH RESULTS! one potent muscle-swelling com-
nation your muscles need to grow bination—the ingredients are list-
larger, freakier and stronger ed at www.X-Stack.com, along
after every workout. Plus, it with results and more photos).
spikes insulin, the hormone that Feed your muscles what they
sends those key nutrients rocketing crave at the precise time when
to your muscles at that critical supercompensation is jacked
grow time. (If you don’t use this to the max, and you can start
amazing combo, it’s like wasting building more muscle immediate-
half your workouts!) ly—more monster mass
Insulin is a good thing and high- “The X Stack combined with X-Rep almost instantly. Plus, you’ll
training got me to my most muscular
ly anabolic right after you train condition ever in only one month.”
refill spent fuel stores so you’re
because that’s when your muscles —Jonathan Lawson fully loaded for your next workout
are extremely receptive—like (bigger, more powerful muscles;
wrung-out sponges waiting to soak up anabolic nutri- you can feel it working). You train hard; you deserve
ents so they can engorge to new dimensions. It’s to freak out!
the time when carbs will not go to fat cells—the time
© 2006 Home Gym Warehouse

to load up so your muscles fill out.
For More Info and Special
The X Stack also includes titrated creatine, which Discount Pricing, Visit:
heightens ATP regeneration to fuel future muscle con- www.X-Stack.com
tractions and fills out your muscle structures even Results using the X Stack vary from individual to individual. These statements have
more (all of the key nutrients in the X Stack make it not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. This product is not
intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
w w w. X - S t a c k . c o m
Natural MuscleCorrect
Growth
& Fat Loss
Impotence and
Improve Sex Drive
Nature's most powerful testos-
our terone enhacements are now
y t a b l e s up, y available in one natural, safe and
ur tra osition
and
Put yo ig h t p effective formula! When it’s time
the upr ! to build muscle you don’t want to
seat in
o r T A KEOFF worry about the side effects of ana-
dy f
get rea bolic steroids.
ZMA-T, a safe, natural and
effective supplement, contains 3 pow-
erful components. Tribulus Terrestris,
Muira Puama and our patented combina-
tion of zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6. Re-
search studies on strength athletes show that
ZMA-T's leading edge formula is designed
to safely and effectively elevate testosterone
levels and strength while correcting impo-
tence and improving sex drive. Each bottle
contains 120 capsules of ZMA-T and is only
$39.95 (MSRP)
For more info call 800-667-4626 or vist us at www.muscle-link.com © 2009 Muscle-Link

TRAIN TO GAIN BACK ON TRACK
Duty Calls, Muscle Stalls Leo Ingram is back to his winning

form after years on ship-bound duty
We often envy the bodybuilders whose pictures appear in

magazines because we imagine they lead lives that revolve
around their chosen sport. They have all the time in the world
to work out, eat and sleep—and that’s part of why they look
so fantastic.
The real world is very different for most of us. There are
times when other duties and responsibilities take over our
lives for lengthy periods and make the bodybuilding lifestyle
all but a fantasy. Maybe you have to work two jobs to sup-
port your family. Perhaps you’re a new mother with nobody
to help you watch your baby. Perhaps you’re in a highly de-
manding academic situation, such as medical school or law
school. Whatever the obstacle, there are times and situations
when training and eating like a bodybuilder aren’t possible.
You may have to watch your once-awesome physique fade
away.
The good news is that the gym will always be there, and
muscle has a memory. Not only can you get back anything
that you lost, but you can be better than ever. For proof look
at new IFBB pro Leo Ingram. Leo was within a hair of earning
his pro card in 1997, taking second place to overall cham-
pion Ken Brown at the NPC USA. Not long after that the
United States Navy, his employer, assigned him to a guided-
missile frigate based in Japan that traveled over the next few
Comstock
years to hot spots near Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Jordan.
“As an engineer I was on call 24 hours a day,” he says.
There were weights onboard, but Ingram rarely had a
chance to use them. “On some missions I’d have just
three hours out of a 24-hour day when I didn’t have to
be on duty. It was either train or sleep, and we all have
to sleep sometime. I had an important job to do for the
safety of my shipmates and my country, so that took
priority for a few years.”
Leo’s diet also suffered, and he was forced to watch
as his rock-hard muscles were buried under a smooth
layer of fat. It all turned around in 2004, when he was
assigned to a shore duty in Hawaii and was once again
able to resume training and eating like a champion body-
builder. As you can see from the accompanying photos,
he not only recaptured his winning form from the ’90s;
he surpassed it. Having won the overall at the ’06 North
American Championships, he’s now a looming threat to
other IFBB pros.
Let his story serve as inspiration when you find yourself
unable to train and eat the way you want to for extended
periods. Don’t worry about what you lose or what you
look like compared to your old self. The day will come
Comstock
when you’ll get back on track, get it all back and then
start reaching for new heights. —Ron Harris

3-D MUSCLE BLAST
Positions of Flexion Builds Mass Fast!
Get maximum muscle fiber
recruitment from minimal gym
time—only four to six sets
per bodypart. Discover how
to build power and size with
3-D Positions of Flexion: big
midrange movements, stretch
overload to activate the
myotatic reflex and
continuous-tension
peak contraction
to finish off
the muscle.
This DVD
explains
Positions
of Flexion,
a break-
through
mass-
building
method
that has
body-
builders all
over the world
growing faster
than ever and
achieving skin-splitting
pumps at every workout.
See this exciting size-boosting
approach in action, apply it to
your own workouts and watch
mass surge to dramatic new
levels in record time. Turn your
guns into cannons and your
shoulders into boulders. Chisel
your chest and pack your thighs
with new size. Bonus: 10 Minutes
Critical Mass POF DVD to Granite Abs is also included
on this action-packed DVD.
$24.95
©2009 Home-Gym.com

Charles Poliquin’s
Smart Training
fat three percentage points overnight,
as measured by an electric impedance
Lean device, after eating an entire salami and

loading on water. The nitrates and the
sodium in the salami made him retain
water, which increased the velocity of the
Machine current in his body and therefore made

him measure leaner than he really was.
To accurately assess your bodyfat lev-
els, I recommend hiring a skilled exercise
physiologist to do a skin caliper. Experts
Q: How fast should I lose weight? I on body composition generally agree
look at the winners of these supple- that the sum of 10 sites can accurately
ments spokesperson contests, and monitor changes in bodyfat. Don’t bother
there’s no way I can match their re- trying to convert the sum of skinfold into
sults. What do you think is realistic for a percentage of bodyfat, as the validity
the average person? of most formulas is questionable. The
A: First of all, weight loss in terms of pounds doesn’t 10 sites I recommend to measure are chin, cheek, pecs,
really mean anything. For example, in a severely restricted biceps, triceps, subscapular, midaxillary, umbilical, supra-
diet you’ll lose glycogen and water first, giving the illusion iliac, patella and medial calf.
of rapid progress. Trying to lose too fast can be quite detri- As you lose bodyfat, the sum of skinfolds will move
mental. You should use bodyfat levels as your true measure lower. You should realistically aim at lowering the sum of
of fat loss. The question is, of course, which method best 10 skinfolds by five to 10 millimeters a week. If you con-
measures bodyfat changes. There are plenty of electronic vert that figure into a loss of pounds of fat, that would be
gadgets out there for that, but, in my opinion, they’re not one to two pounds of fat a week. Of course, if you use a
yet sophisticated enough to measure bodyfat accurately. supplement profile that suits your genetic and lifestyle fat
For example, one of my colleagues “lowered” his body- distribution profile, which I call the biosignature, you can
easily double that rate. For example, if
your biosignature indicates poor cortisol
management, then a tailored supple-
ment protocol of cortisol modulators,
such as phosphatidylserine, can double
to triple that rate of skinfold lowering.
To gain more information on how to use
the biosignature, please log on to my
Web site.
Q: I have trouble spotting my
training partner when we do flat-
bench dumbbell presses. I nor-
mally kneel behind his head and
spot him from the elbows, but we’ve
almost had a few accidents. He sug-
gests I spot him standing by hold-
ing his wrists. I find that even more
cumbersome. What’s the best way to
spot on this exercise? Is it under the
elbows, or should I grab the wrists?
A: Neither. Spotting from under the
elbows by applying upward pressure on
the triceps has resulted in many ac-
cidents. Jerky spotting and/or uneven
spotting can make the trainee drop
a dumbbell on his shoulder or, even
Neveux \ Model: Sebastian Siegel
When attempting to lose

bodyfat, you should shoot for
dropping one to two pounds
a week; however, specific
supplements can help you
safely double that rate.

COST OF REDEMPTION
Mr. Olympia’s Mind-Numbing Training DVD
This 3-plus-hour DVD is a

masters class on what it’s like
to train without limits. Sit back
and be amazed and inspired
by a man who walks the walk.
Mitsuru Okabe spent 4 days
with Ronnie in 2003 just prior
to his sixth win in a row of the
Mr. Olympia. This DVD is shot
in an absolute “you are there”
style. There are no set ups,
no retakes, nothing but the
real Ronnie Coleman. Ronnie
is absolutely focused on his
goal and he lives his life to
make it happen. You will see
him do 800-pound squats,
75-pound dumbbell curls and
an astounding 2250-pound leg
press—almost every 45-pound
plate in the gym! It’s the stuff
of legends. But more than just
the sets, reps and the nutrition,
you get an insider’s view of
the personality that always
lights up any room he enters.
It hits all the right notes:
instructional, inspirational and
a pleasure to watch a man
at the top of his game. Four
Stars.
Coleman DVD
$28.95

©2009 Home-Gym.com
Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train™

Smart Training
by Shiek. To purchase those

quality lifting straps, call
(800) 772-4435.
Q: What are the most
popular supplements
among top-level athletes?
A: My colleagues from
various countries tell me that
the most commonly used
supplements are vitamin C,
mineral capsules, postwork-
out shakes and meal-replace-
ment packets. Please keep in
mind that I’m talking about
strength and power sports;
Neveux \ Models: Tom Voss and Erika Thonpson

those in endurance sports
mostly use carbohydrate
powders.
There’s a wide differ-
ence from sport to sport.
For example, at the Nagano
Olympic Games, the Cana-
dian bobsled team among
all the Canadian delegation
probably used the most
supplements, even though
the medical staff believed
Flat-bench dumbbell presses can pose it was a waste of money. Yet that was the only team that
problems for a spotter. Lifting straps can help. didn’t contract the flu that was going around and that put
many of our athletes, from speed skaters to hockey players,
worse, on his face, permanently imprinting its brand name in bed for days at a time. I’m completely convinced that the
on his forehead. bobsledders’ regular use of supplements kept their im-
Spotting by the wrists can be safer but doesn’t work with mune systems so strong.
advanced trainees. The forearm girth of an advanced male As far as dosages are concerned, here’s what I could
trainee doesn’t leave much space between the dumbbells’ gather from discussing it with the athletes from leading
inside plates and the wrists; therefore, one cannot grab sporting countries:
the wrists properly to help with the concentric, or lifting, Vitamin C is used in dosages of three to 10 grams. It
range. keeps the immune system functioning at optimal levels
The best way to spot on flat-bench or incline dumbbell and accelerates the tissue-repair rates from the training
presses is to use lifting straps. The trainee should have loads. Some nations issue vitamin C supplements com-
the straps around his wrists with the tongue of each posi- bined with vitamin E, selenium, glutathione, alpha lipoic
tioned on the forearm flexors side of acid and various other antioxidants to
the forearm. If you’re spotting, you ensure a more balanced intake of all
should hold the strap tongues lightly, antioxidants and greater absorption of
grasping the material between your the vitamin C.
index fingers and thumbs. Apply no Mineral supplements are extremely
tension to the straps until he reaches popular for endurance events like
muscular failure. Once that hap- cross-country skiing and biathlon.
pens, grab the tongues like a pair of According to sports nutritionists, those
hammers and apply judicious force athletes are most likely to be deficient
upward, enough so he just completes in minerals, particularly the trace ones
the concentric range. like zinc and manganese. The capsules
You can use the same setup if tend to have all minerals known to
your partner wants to do eccentric, enhance human health, including cal-
or negative, training on dumbbell cium, magnesium and selenium. Most
presses—the difference being that as athletes take 1,000 milligrams of mag-
spotter you apply more upward force nesium and 35 milligrams of zinc a day.
to help him complete the concentric
range. Vitamin C is one of the most
I recommend straps padded with popular supplements in the
neoprene around the wrists for athletic community.
more comfort, like the ones made

SWIMSUIT SIZZLEFEST
The Hottest of the Hot
This Sizzlefest
DVD is an
uncensored look
at the best of the
best of our nine
swimsuit videos.
This collection of
fourteen of
the finest,
fittest
females in tiny bikinis
(or even less) gives
you a close up
look at some
of the most
outrageously
beautiful and
sexy fitness
females to ever
slip into (or
out of) a bikini.
The beauty
of the women
is enhanced
and amplified by
showcasing them in
the most spectacular
locations from the desert
to the mountains to the sea.
This DVD is a 10 on every level.
Look at this list of gorgeous sexy
women: Ahmo, Amy, Ashley, Cori,
Frostee, Karla, Laura,
LeAnna, Linda, Paulina,
Rebecca, Tanya, Timea,
Tina Jo.
This 55-minute DVD

Swimsuit Sizzlefest contains nudity. You
must be 18 or older to
$24.95 purchase it.

©2010 Home-Gym.com

Smart Training
Can a history of aerobic sports affect your

ability to gain muscle? Yes, because fast-
twitch fibers can act more like slow-twitchers.
The good news is, you can change that with
specific training.
greater-than-normal percentage of fast-twitch fibers.

Another possible mechanism for your slow gains in
strength is that when you do slow, cyclical-type activities,
the brain tends to organize contractions in that manner.
In other words, it’s hard for the brain to do ballistic high-
force contractions. A Japanese study done a few years ago
showed that the more you increase your V02 max, the more
your vertical jump decreases. A Finnish study showed
that doing aerobic work for the upper body made your
legs slower, indicating that the negative power adaptation
didn’t come from the muscles themselves but from the
nervous system.
Doing excessive amounts of aerobic work has been
shown to lower testosterone and increase cortisol; how-
ever, normal testosterone production can return in no
time, providing that nutrition is optimal, particularly trace
Meal-replacement packets are very popular with Olym- elements.
pic athletes, particularly during the competitive season. The good news is, there’s evidence that when you stop
That’s because most cities—or most hotels that host World doing the aerobic work, the fast-twitch fibers will return
Cup–participating teams—only offer at best three meals to their original form. That’s why long-distance swimmers
a day. Since top-level athletes like to eat five to six times who stop training increase their vertical jump by four
a day, meal replacements ensure quality nutrition. Meal- inches—without even training their vertical jump. I have
replacement packets seem to be more popular in Eng- a client who was a national team road cyclist. He weighed
lish-speaking countries than the German ones, probably 154 pounds at just under 6’ tall. After nine months off and
because of greater education and/or availability. Athletes a switch to weight training his bodyweight climbed to 192
from German-speaking countries prefer to supplement pounds, but the gains in size, though appreciable, were
their diets mostly with bars. very slow for the first six months. At the sixth month he
Postworkout shakes are a staple, but their carb-to-pro- started to grow like a weed, particularly after he dramati-
tein composition varies from 1-to-1 to 4-to-1. cally increased his protein intake. In my opinion, it takes
about four to eight months to detrain the aerobic effect. Be
Q: I always did lots of aerobic-type sports—like
patient; the gains should come sooner or later.
rowing, road cycling and cross-country skiing 10
to 14 hours a week. I took up weight training three
Editor’s note: Charles Poliquin is recognized as one
months ago, but my gains have been slow. My exer-
of the world’s most successful strength coaches, hav-
cise physiologist friend says that the problem is all
ing coached Olympic medalists in 12 different sports,
the aerobics I do. Is he right? Am I screwed for life?
including the U.S.
A: Your friend is right, but the good news is that you’re women’s track-and-
not screwed for life. Your gains in strength are slow to come field team for the
for three physiological reasons: conversion of fiber type, 2000 Olympics. He’s
central nervous system adaptations and hormonal adapta- spent years re-
tions. Let me expand on them. searching European
It’s been shown that people who have done volumes of journals (he’s fluent
aerobic work have fast-twitch fibers that behave like slow- in English, French
twitch fibers. In other words, their fast-twitch fibers have and German) and
greater endurance, smaller diameters and slower time to speaking with other
peak force and are weaker. Fast-twitch fibers normally coaches and scien-
have large diameters and short time to peak force and are tists in his quest to
stronger, but because in your case they were exposed to optimize training
high volumes of aerobic work, they adapted to the training methods. For more
response. on his books, semi-
Unfortunately for the strength and power fanatics out nars and methods,
Bradford
there, the reverse is not true: Slow-twitch fibers do not take visit www.Charles
on fast-twitch properties if the strength-training volume Poliquin.net. Also,
is high. So, if you want to perform well in sprinting, you see his ad on page Charles Poliquin
better have chosen the right parents and be born with a 189. IM w w w. C h a r l e s P o l i q u i n . n e t

BODYBUILDING BEAUTIES
Beautiful, Buff Babes
You can enjoy

watching
fourteen of
the most
beautiful
bodybuilding
babes on
earth, all on
one DVD. We
have carefully
combed our archive to
present to you, what is simply
the finest DVD collection
of bodybuilding babes in
existence. Our carefully
selected list of bodybuilding
beauties includes: Brenda
Kelly, Sharon
Bruneau,
Cynthia
Bridges,
Gabriella
Anton, Laurie
Vaniman,
Lena
Johannesen,
Theresa
Hessler, Timea Majorova,
Sherry Goggin, Toni Dee,
Jennifer Elrod, Christine
Lydon and Ashley Lawrence.
This 55-
minute DVD
contains
nudity. You
must be 18
or older to
purchase it. Bodybuilding Beauties
$14.95

©2010 Home-Gym.com
Order all 3 Fantasy

Workout videos/
DVDs, and you
save $30: $29.95
Whatever You Need—Wherever Youwww.ironmanmagazine.com

Train ™ \ JULY 2006 181
EAT TO
NUTRITION SCIENCE
Protein and Anabolic Acceleration

Some newly published studies con- devoid of
New studies
firm what bodybuilders have known for protein.

a long time: Taking a protein supple- The sub-
ment has anabolic effects on trained jects took the
muscle. The first study compared the supplements
changes in muscle size, strength and for six weeks
muscle protein breakdown that result in conjunc-
from combining either soy or whey tion with a
protein with weight training.1 It featured weight-training
18 women and nine men, all untrained, program. The
with an age range of 18 to 35. The sub- authors hy-
jects were assigned in a double-blind pothesized that
manner to the following supplement those on the
groups: whey protein
1) Whey protein, 1.2 grams per source would
kilogram (2.2 pounds) of bodyweight, show the
combined with 0.3 grams per kilogam highest level of
of bodyweight of sucrose, or common muscle gains,
table sugar. since previous
2) Soy protein, with the same pro- studies have
portions of protein and shown whey
sugar as the whey to be supe-
group got. rior to soy for
3) Placebo, muscle-build-
Neveux \ Model: Jeff Hammond
with the same ing benefits.

proportion of The sugar was Make sure you
sugar as the added to the give yourself
two other protein drinks enough digestion
groups to disguise time after your
got plus their differenc- preworkout shake.
maltodex- es in texture
trin, which and taste and
is a car- to show less differentiation between had proved effective in building muscle
bohydrate the protein sources and the carbohy- in previous studies.
source drate placebo. The authors chose the In fact, neither soy nor whey
specific protein intake (1.2 grams per proved superior in building mus-
kilogram of bodyweight) because that cle; they worked equally well.
Noting that previous studies had shown
that whey was superior to soy, the
You need more than whey or soy to authors suggest that since the study
prevent muscle breakdown. A slower lasted only six weeks, a longer experi-
protein like casein is the best way to ment might provide different results.
get that anticatabolic effect. The study also showed that while
the protein supplements had beneficial

GH Stak’s effervescent action enhances delivery and...
“GETS YOU
LEANER
HARDER
FASTER”• Contains the potent bioactive pyroglutamate form of L-arginine
• Has anterior pituitary peptides, which normalize somatostatin,
a hormone that can shut down GH and IGF-1 receptors
• Has produced a 12 to 36.6 percent increase in IGF-1 levels
(IGF-1 is one of the body’s most anabolic hormones)
• Used by doctors at anti-aging clinics in place of
growth hormone injections
More growth hormone can...
• Help build muscle and burn fat
• Beef up tendons and ligaments
• Improve strength
• Heal injuries
© 2008 Muscle-Link
• Revitalize sex drive

• Tone the skin
Also available at:

For more info visit www.Muscle-Link.com
or call 1-800-667-4626
Results using GH Stak vary from individual to individual. Testimonial endorser’s results using it may be considered atypical. Testimonial endorsers have been remunerated by
Muscle-Link. GH Stak is a trademark of Muscle-Link. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
GROW
Nutrition With a Get-Big Mission
effects, they apparently didn’t offset
muscle protein breakdown. Although
it was not discussed in the study,
that’s not surprising. Whey and soy
are considered fast-acting protein
These newly
published studies
confirm what
bodybuilders
sources—they’re digested and ab-
sorbed rapidly. That rapid uptake have known for a
favors increased muscle protein long time.
synthesis but has little or no
effect on muscle breakdown, or
catabolism. A longer-acting pro-
tein, such as the casein found
in milk, does have a significant
level of anticatabolic effect in
muscle because it takes longer
to digest, gradually releasing
amino acids.
Another new study examined the
effects of whey protein supplements
on body composition, strength, endur-
ance and anaerobic capacity during
10 weeks of weight training.2 Thirty-six
trained men were placed into three
discrete supplement groups:
1) 48 grams of carbohydrate placebo
2) 40 grams of whey protein and
eight grams of casein
3) 40 grams of whey protein, three
grams of branched-chain amino acids
and five grams of glutamine
While several studies have shown
the benefits of taking whey protein for
bodybuilders, none has looked at the
Neveux \ Model: Daniel Decker
effects of a whey-and-casein combina-

tion. As it turned out, the whey-
and-casein group had the best
results. That isn’t surprising
either, since whey and casein
have complementary effects.
Whey is a fast-acting protein that favors
muscle protein synthesis, while casein
is a slower-acting protein that boosts References 2 Kerksick, C.M., et al. (2006). The
anticatabolic effects in muscle. The effects of protein and amino acid
combination provides superior 1 Candow, D.G., et al. (2006). Effect supplementation on performance and
protein balance in trained mus- of whey and soy protein supplementa- training adaptations during 10 weeks
cle and subsequent increased tion combined with resistance training of resistance training. J Strength
muscle and strength gains. in young adults. Int J Sports Nutr Cond Res. 20:643-53.
—Jerry Brainum Exerc Metab. 16:233-44.
www.ironmanmagazine.com \ JANUARY 2007 47

LIFT BIG TO GET BIG
Build Incredible Pressing Power and Bulletproof Shoulders
Unfortunately, shoulder injury

is one of the major reasons
trainees have to sacrifice
gains on many of the most
important strength- and
mass-building exercises—
from bench presses to chins
to pulldowns. You’ll be
amazed at how much better
your shoulders feel and how
much more weight you can
hoist once you start training
your rotator cuff muscles
regularly and properly with
the powerful info in The 7-
Minute Rotator Cuff Solution.
You’ll learn:
•How the rotator cuff
muscles work.
•Specific rotator cuff
exercises.
•The best and safest
stretching exercises.
•Exercises you should avoid.
•Specific training programs.
•Rehab routines for sports-
specific injuries.
•Bodybuilder’s injury-
prevention routine.
•Detailed biomechanics to
pathology.
The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff
Solution can help you
achieve bigger gains in
muscle size and pressing
7-Minute Rotator poundages, not to mention
bulletproof shoulders for
Cuff Solution pain-free and power-packed
$29.95 workouts.

©2010 Home-Gym.com

Eat to Grow
Excess estrogen NUTRITION NOTES

can cause your abs
to go into hiding.
Food Facts
That can affect your
workouts, weight and wellness
Dark chocolate
improves blood ves-
sels. Researchers
at the University of
California, Davis, gave
16 healthy men cocoa
drinks, one with 174
milligrams of epicat-
echins from chocolate
and one with only 7 milli-
grams. The 174-milligram
group had 129 percent
better blood vessel function
after they drank the cocoa.
Water quenches
your thirst, but it’s also
a metabolic booster.
WARRIOR NUTRITION AND EXERCISE German researchers
found that drinking two
Anti-Estrogen Strategies
eight-ounce glasses of
cold water can increase
metabolic rate by 30
Questions and answers from The Anti-Estrogen Diet book percent for 90 minutes.
Plastic water
Q: My problem is stubborn belly fat. I’ve tried virtually every fat- bottles can become
loss product with no results. What makes EstroX different? a health risk—if you
put them in the dish-
A: Most fat-loss products today don’t even address the problem of excessive
washer. The high heat
estrogen, nor do they offer any solution for stubborn fat. EstroX was designed to
can damage the plastic
specifically address estrogen-related disorders, including stubborn fat. Its ingredients and cause chemicals to
have demonstrated the capacity to exert anti-estrogenic effects. That helps create a leach into the water when you refill.
metabolic environment that favors the breakdown of fat tissues, It’s fine to reuse water bottles, but
including areas that generally resist fat burning. wash them by hand, not in
Q: Can I take estrogen inhibitors like EstroX with the dishwasher.
other supplements? Pork is more
A: EstroX can be safely taken with other supplements. healthful to eat
Its ingredients are derived from botanical sources that have than you think.
It’s now 16
proven to be both safe and beneficial in helping treat ail-
percent leaner
ments.
and has almost
EstroX does not adversely interfere with vitamins, minerals 30 percent less
or antioxidants. In fact, we highly recommend taking EstroX saturated fat than
with a multivitamin supplement to maximize its benefits. it did about a de-
Note: EstroX is available from www.Home-Gym.com. cade ago. The USDA
—Ori Hofmekler found that a three-
ounce serving of pork
tenderloin has less fat than
Editor’s note: Ori Hofmekler is the author of the skinless chicken breast. Now, that’s
books The Warrior Diet and Maximum Muscle & Minimum impressive!
Fish relieves depression. A study
Fat, published by Dragon Door Publications (www.drag-
published in The Lancet found that
ondoor.com). For more information or for a consultation, those who eat fish more than twice a
contact him at ori@warriordiet.com, www.warriordiet.com week are less likely to be depressed
or by phone at (866) WAR-DIET. than those who don’t.
—Becky Holman
www.X-tremeLean.com

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
The Best of Bodybuilding in the 20th Century
Here in one definitive,

information-packed volume,
you have the best that IRON
MAN has to offer. The articles
and photos reprinted in IRON
MAN’s Ultimate Bodybuilding
Encyclopedia are of enormous
and enduring value to
beginners and experts alike. A
tour de force of bodybuilding
information with stunning
photos of unrivaled quality,
this massive volume covers
every aspect of bodybuilding
with authority and depth.
Included is complete
information on:
•Getting started
•Bodybuilding physiology
•Shoulder training
•Chest training
•Back training
•Arm training
•Abdominal training
•Leg training
•Training for mass
•Training for power
•Mental aspects of training
•Bodybuilding nutrition
With IRON MAN’s Ultimate

Bodybuilding Encyclopedia,
you will learn Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s insights on
developing shoulder and back
muscles, along with many
other champions’ routines.
This massive volume contains
440 pages and over 350
IM Encyclopedia
photographs. $19.95

©2009 Home-Gym.com

Eat to Grow
PREWORKOUT RITUALS
Arginine Prior to Training You’vesupplements

got to give your
time
I always wonder what people are thinking when they eat a
full meal immediately before training. Ostensibly, they’re provid-
ing energy for the ensuing training session. Of course, food
must be digested before it can provide energy or nutrients.
Also, exercise profoundly affects the digestive process. Re-
search has shown that high-intensity exercise delays gastric
emptying, likely because the exercised muscles get preference
for the available blood supply. In other words, food or drink just
sits in the stomach for the duration of the training session.
There are, however, exceptions to the rule. A sports drink
containing no more than 7 percent carbohydrate, along with
electrolyte minerals such as potassium, magnesium and so-
dium, is absorbed even faster than plain water. What about
amino acids, which are already in their elemental form for up-
take into the body?
That’s a highly relevant question, because many protein or
amino acid supplements touted for bodybuilding come with
suggestions to take immediately before training. A study pre- Neveux \ Model: Binais Begovic
sented at the 2006 meeting of the American College of Sports
Medicine (ACSM) charted the fate of arginine taken at rest and
prior to an intense training session.
Nine men, average age 27, who fasted for 10 hours before
the study measurements, took either a placebo or arginine
tablets (50 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight, or 4,500
milligrams for a 200-pound man) with 400 grams of water. The
drinks were taken at rest or just before engaging in a 60-min- additional hour. Clearly, taking amino acids just prior to training
ute weight-training program. The treatment was repeated four leads to delayed absorption of the amino acids, just like any-
times, with a seven-day interval between treatments. thing else. —Jerry Brainum
Blood levels of arginine increased after arginine intake both Mero, A., et al. (2006). Acute effect of strength exercise on
during rest and before exercise. Peak levels occurred after one plasma arginine after oral ingestion of arginine in men. Med Sci
hour in the rest group but were delayed by the exercise for an Sports Exerc. 38:S339-S440.
VEGGIES PREVENTION
Can the Corn? Trans Fat Trap

Did you know that kernels You probably already
of corn, on or off the cob, are know that trans fat can
classified as a vegetable, but increase your risk of heart
popcorn and the processed disease and make you fat.
variety used to make muffins Now a 14-year study of
nearly 46,000 men has
and cereals are grains? The
found that those who ate
grain form isn’t very nutri-
the most trans fat—about
tious, but the vegetable form 4.5 grams a day—had a
has traces of vitamins, miner- 25 percent higher risk for
als and some fiber. Yellow gallstones. That may be
corn also has phytochemi- due to the LDL cholesterol
cals—such as lutein, which is increase from trans fats.
good for your eyes. Once again, if it says “par-
Bottom line: Sorry, we can’t classify movie popcorn as a tially hydrogenated” on the
serving of veggies. label, don’t eat it.
—Becky Holman —Becky Holman
www.X-tremeLean.com www.X-tremeLean.com

w w w. h o m e - g y m . c o m
BOOKS (#266) by Dick
Tyler $19.95. West
Coast Bodybuilding
scene. 1965-1971
The Golden Era. One
of the most dynamic
eras in bodybuilding.
All the greats are
here, in words and
many rare photos.
(#338) by Dr.
Warren Willey
$31.00
Buildinga great
physique natural
way.
192 pgs
(#003) by Bill
Pearl, Leroy Perry
$29.95Exercises
for every bodypart
explained in detail.
638 pgs
399 pgs
(#323) by Paul (#150) by Paul (#297) by Charles

Burke $15.95 Kelso $14.95 Poliquin $29.95
Three decades of Tales of Texas madness Weight training to
research compiled for and powerlifting. help improve fitness,
those who enjoy learn- 83 pgs lose fat and build
ing about health, exer- muscle mass
cise, weight training, 112 pgs
fitness, and the right
nutrition to enhance all
of the above.
144 pgs
(#212) by Peter (#001) by Arnold (#320) by Pavel

Sisco Schwarzenegger, Bill $39.95
$14.95 Dobbins $30.00
This will answer Mind Over Muscle:
Ironman's Ultimate
Guide to Arm every question any the 5x5x5 Program
Training hardcore bodybuild- 365 pgs
181 pgs er or budding lifter
could ever think of.
More than 850 pho-
tos and anatomical
line drawings.
800 pgs
(#143) by Judd (#269 by

Biasziotto, Klaus Greg Shepard
Arndt $19.95 A HOME-GYM $17.95
Real stories in The Proven System
professional bench
pressing.
119 pgs
BEST for Building Athletes.
Get Bigger Faster
Stronger… Buy it
SELLER here now for less!
(#337) by (#149) by John (#123) by John

Clarence Bass Brookfield $14.95 McCallum $19.95
$24.95 Leading gripmasters Pack More Muscle
Health, Fitness, Leaness tell you how to make with The Complete
without suffering. most of the equip- Keys to Progress
163 pgs. ment you’ll need to 270 pgs
develop a world-class
SALE grip. One of the best
PRICE books ever written
on the subject. Fast
reading. 105 pgs
(#244) by Barney (#197) by Dave (#299) by Charles

Groves, PhD Draper $24.95 Poliquin $29.95
$18.95 Dave Draper's Effective ways to
Technique and train- private journey help your athletes
ing for athletic mus- through become bigger and
cular training. bodybuilding. stronger… Buy it
335 pgs here now for less!
57 pgs
Home Gym Warehouse, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Phone: (800) 447-0008 • Express delivery available.
Eat to Grow
ANABOLIC DRIVE
Supplements vs. Foods

How often have teins prior to and
you heard the re- following resis-
mark, “Foods are tance exercise.
always better than Healthy volunteers
supplements.” Oh, were randomly
and, “You need to assigned to one
clean up your diet of two groups.
first before you take They got a solution
supplements.” Uh, of whey proteins
well, not necessar- immediately prior
ily—on both counts. to (PRE) or im-
Don’t get me wrong. mediately following
To get the best exercise (POST).
results for develop- Each subject
ing your physique, performed 10 sets
muscular strength of eight repetitions
and muscular en- of leg extensions.
durance, you need Interestingly, amino
an excellent diet acid uptake was
combined with a not significantly dif-
periodized training ferent between the
program and proper groups.3 So if you
supplementation. want to take ad-
Proper supplemen- vantage of the pre-
tation, however, can workout window,
help even those the combination of
who have an aver- carbohydrate and
age diet—and quite essential amino
a bit at that. acids is still the
Neveux \ Model: Derik Farnsworth

A recent investi- daddy of supple-
gation determined ments.
the net muscle There you have
protein synthesis it. Whole foods—
in healthy elderly even in the form
individuals (65 to of whey protein,
79 years old) fol- which is a superla-
lowing the intake of tive source—are
15 grams of intact whey protein supplement (WY) or 15 grams no match for essential amino acids (plus sugar). If you want the
of an essential amino acid supplement (EAA). Both supple- optimal results, reach for the EAAs. —Jose Antonio, Ph.D.
ments stimulated the mixed muscle fractional synthetic rate,
but the increase was greatest in the EAA group. The authors Editor’s note: You can listen to Dr. Jose Antonio and
concluded, “While both EAA and WY supplements stimulated Carla Sanchez on their radio show Performance Nutrition, Web
muscle protein synthesis, EAAs may provide a more energeti- and podcast at www.PerformanceNutritionShow.com.
cally efficient nutritional supplement for elderly individuals.”1
How about this interesting study: Scientists wished to deter- References
mine whether taking in a between-meal supplement containing 1 Paddon-Jones, D., et al. (2006). Differential stimulation of
30 grams of carbohydrate and 15 grams of essential amino
muscle protein synthesis in elderly humans following isoca-
acids (carbs-EAA) altered the metabolic response to a nutri-
loric ingestion of amino acids or whey protein. Exp Gerontol.
tionally mixed meal in healthy, recreationally active male volun-
41:215-9.
teers. A control group (CON) received a liquid mixed meal (i.e., 2 Paddon-Jones, D., et al. (2005). Exogenous amino acids
carbs, fat and protein). The experimental group (SUP) got the
stimulate human muscle anabolism without interfering with the
same meals but, in addition, were given EAA supplements. The
response to mixed meal ingestion. Am J Physiol Endocrinol
researchers found that carbs-EAA supplementation produced
Metab. 288:E761-7.
a greater anabolic effect than intact protein without interfering 3 Tipton, K.D., et al. (2006). Stimulation of net muscle pro-
with the normal metabolic response to a meal.2
tein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exer-
Another study, this one hot off the press, examined the
cise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. In press.
response of muscle protein balance to ingestion of whey pro-

Over 4000 best-selling products on-line
"WHATEVER YOU NEED - WHEREVER YOU TRAIN"

(#298) by Charles (#264) by Brad (#147) by Dr. (#243) by Mike
Poliquin $29.95 Schoenfeld Joseph Horrigan, Mentzer, John
Charles presents $19.95 Jerry Robinson Little $18.95
his Ultimate Arm Sculpting Her $29.95 Summary of three
Program - a six Body Perfect. Complete shoul- decades of training
month prescrip- 226 pgs der rehab and research.
tion for maximal prevention pro- 224 pgs
gains in arm size grams.
and strength. 140 pgs
95 pgs
(#262) by Bill (#102) by (#FCIIB) A col- (#201) by Stuart

Pearl, Kim Shott Stuart McRobert lection of weight McRobert
$22.95 $34.95 training posters $24.95
The story of Bill Build Muscle, $29.95 Over 230
Pearls personal Dinosaur Loose Fat, Look Spiral binding Questions and
great.
journey Training 400 photos.
makes it east answers on how
through life. to flip from one to build muscle
291 pgs need 640 pgs poster to the and might.
image next. 319 pgs
SALE
PRICE
(#HFL-WO-009) (#274) by Scott (#167) by Iron (#301) Larry
by Jerry Robinson Cole and Tom Man Magazine Pepe
$19.95 Seabourne $9.95 $39.95
Synergistic princi- $18.95 gives you the How the world’s
ples and specially Maximan core exact training best bodybuilders
designed body- fitness training. routines, supple- get into mind-blow-
weight exercises. 209 pgs ment stacks ing, contest-winning
138 pgs and meal-by- condition.
meal diets to 477 pgs
transform your
physique
(#332) by Paul (#152) by (#245) by (#181) by IRON

T. Burke Randall Strossen Fredrick Delavier MAN, Peter Cisco
$29.95 Fat Ph.D $14.95 $19.95 best $19.95
Burkes Law: A "gold mind" selling author Authoritative
A new fitness
burn- for peak per- comes a book step-by-step
paradigm for the ing formance! Get on the ana- methods used by
mature male. diet Ironmind tomical features champion body-
216 pages 182 pgs unique to women builders.
136 pgs 434 pgs
(#HFL-NT-00009) (#HFL- (#154) by Bill (#072) Randall

by Health for Life MC00009) by Starr, B.S., M.S. J. Strossen,Ph.D.
$14.95 Health for Life $20.00 $14.95
For total neck and $14.95 Classic book on Sound advice
traps develop- Integrates the strength training on anything from
ment. latest research in for football. how to equip a
56 pgs biomechanics for 210 pgs home gym to
synergistic calf how to psyche
training. up for heavy lifts.
57 pgs 107 pgs
HOME-GYM’S ALL-TIME BEST SELLER’S CLUB

(#84) Home Gym (#130) 10 Week (#206) by (#246B)
Handbook Size Surge Frederic Delavier Size Surge -
$14.95 $9.95 $19.95 Hardgainer
This book will If you're serious Strength training $9.95
help you build Size-Building
about building anatomy. The
maximum mass tips, routines
fast at home or muscle, give the ultimate strength and diets for
in a gym. mass-building fererence. the underweight
plan a try. 124 pgs bodybuilder.
75 pgs.
© 2009 Home-Gym Warehouse

Eat to Grow
DIET AND DISEASE
Is a high-protein intake
High-Protein Predicaments hard on internal organs?
A continuing criticism of high-pro- to three grams per kilogram of body-

tein diets is their alleged danger to weight. The subjects took protein
liver and kidney function. The thinking supplements on three nonconsecu-
behind the assertion is that since di- tive days per week, the same days
etary protein is metabolized primarily in on which the workouts took place
the liver, with protein waste products Those who trained and used the
excreted through the kidneys, a long- protein supplements showed definite
term high-protein intake strains those improvements in strength and body
organs, eventually leading to disease. composition. Lab tests revealed no
Much of that idea assumes existing adverse effects on any liver or kid-
pathology. In those with liver or kidney ney functions, no matter how much
disease, reducing protein may be protein was consumed.
useful. For those with normal func- —Jerry Brainum
tion, though, there is no solid evidence
indicting high-protein diets as a cause Duck-Chui, L,, et al. (2006). Effects
of disease. of resistance training and protein
That’s underscored by a study supplementation on muscle strength,
presented at the 2006 ACSM meet- body composition, liver, and kidney.
ing. Forty-five men, average age 23, Med Sci Sports Exerc. 38:S340.
were divided into exercise and protein
groups, with protein ranges from one
MINERALS
Does Chromium Fight Fat?

Chromium is a trace mineral required for a variety In the next phase of the
of functions in the human body, including protein study the women were ran-
digestion. Its most familiar function, however, is domly assigned to receive
its interaction with insulin. Chromium appears to 200 micrograms a day of
interact with cellular proteins to maximize insulin chromium picolinate, 1,420
connections with its cell receptor. Doing so makes micrograms of picolinate
insulin work better. Since insulin has anabolic as without chromium or a pla-
well as fat-promoting effects, increasing its ef- cebo for 12 weeks. Those
fectiveness should lead to fat losses and possibly who took the actual chro-
increased lean-mass gains. mium supplement showed
Several studies have shown those effects. Oth- higher blood levels of chro-
ers have shown either no or equivocal effects on mium, but none of the groups
body composition. In a recent study presented at showed differences in bodyfat
the 2006 ACSM meeting, researchers examined or fat-free-mass levels. Since all
the effects of supplementing chromium picolinate groups ate a controlled calorie intake, the conclu-
on body composition. Eighty-six healthy women, sion was that chromium picolinate doesn’t promote
aged 19 to 50, ate balanced diets—three meals body composition changes.
and a snack—daily for 14 weeks. The diets con- —Jerry Brainum
tained an average of 20 to 30 micrograms of
chromium, underscoring the difficulty of obtaining Lukaski, H., et al. (2006). No effect of chromium
the suggested daily requirement of 50 to 200 mi- picolinate supplementation on bodyweight/com-
crograms. The diet was adjusted over a two-week position of women fed controlled diets. Med Sci
period to match the subjects’ individual energy Sports Exer. 38:S126.
needs for maintaining bodyweight.

TM
PERFECT POSTWORKOUT MEAL

To Kick-Start Immediate Muscle Growth After You Train
Breakthrough research in
exercise metabolism now
reveals this fact: What you
consume (or don’t consume)
immediately after training plays
a critical role in determining
your success or failure! That
time period is known as the
“anabolic window” of growth.
The biggest mistake many

bodybuilders make is eating
a meal of chicken breasts,
baked potato or rice and
vegetables after a workout. This
is an approach doomed to fail
because by the time this meal
digests, the anabolic window
has slammed shut.
The best way to produce this

potent anabolic effect is simply
by drinking an amino acid-
and-carbohydrate supplement
within 15 minutes after training!
RecoverX™ offers the ideal
combination and provides
the perfect blend of nutrients
for postworkout anabolic
acceleration.
RecoverX™ contains 40
grams of the quickest-acting
bio-available protein from
hydrolyzed whey—extremely
fast protein for immediate
delivery—whey protein
concentrate, glutamine
peptides, arginine and 60
grams of carbohydrate to give
you the necessary insulin spike.
RecoverX RecoverX™ is the perfect
3 lbs. 14 oz. postworkout meal to kick your
$30.95 muscle growth into overdrive!

©2009 Home-Gym.com

SteveHolman’s
Steve Holman’s
Critical Mass
program Jonathan used back in the ’90s, and then we su-
Winter Mass
percharge it with various techniques, including X Reps and
multirep rest/pauses. We also update the POF phase with
new techniques and info. Either version—the classic pro-
gram or the supercharged version—is an ideal winter mass-
Mutations
building regimen, whatever your bodybuilding experience.
I’ve got more than 30 years of training under my belt, and
I plan to use that 10-week program this winter for a power
and mass surge. You can learn more about how Jonathan
and I are training at our blog, which you can get to by visit-
Q: I consider myself an advanced bodybuilder, ing www.X-Rep.com.
but I was intrigued by Jonathan Lawson’s 20-pound-
muscle gain in 10 weeks, which you discuss in your
latest e-book [3D Muscle Building]. I want to try
the program, but the first five-week phase, working
out only three days a week, seems too basic. Do you
think it will work for me, considering I’m about 220
pounds and under 10 percent bodyfat? I’ve been
training for about 10 years.
A: At our expo two years ago an advanced competitive
bodybuilder came up to me, shook my hand and said he
wanted to thank me for the 10-week program Jonathan
used because it had helped him pack on pounds of muscle
two winters in a row. He told me that he gained almost 15
pounds of muscle the first time he tried it and about eight
pounds the second time. Remember, he was a very large,
advanced bodybuilder.
I think it does any bodybuilder good to go back to basics
once in a while, and the first phase of that 10-week pro-
gram, which we outline, analyze and update in the e-book,
is ideal for that. The second five-week phase is an every-
other-day 3D POF program that provides more extensive
full-range work for each muscle, which means it effectively A new study says timing your creatine intake can
builds on the first phase. We provide the classic 10-week significantly improve your size and strength gains.
Q: I’ve read up on creatine, and I’m convinced

it works, but I have two questions: 1) Do I need
to load it (20 grams a day for five days)? 2) When
is the best time to take it to get the most results
possible? One more: What brand of creatine do
you use?
A: Paul Cribbs, Ph.D., just completed a study at Vic-
toria University in Australia that may help answer your
questions. It was a 10-week project that used experi-
enced adult male bodybuilders as subjects. Half of the
participants supplemented only in the morning and at
night, using whey protein and creatine monohydrate.
The other half used the same supplements but took
them just prior to and just after their workouts.
The results were dramatic. While both groups im-
proved in strength and body composition, the group
that took their supplements preworkout and postwork-
out achieved double the results. That’s right, they got
twice the strength increases, as measured by a one-rep
max, and twice the muscle gains.
Based on that, I suggest you take two to three grams
of creatine right before you train and the same dose
Neveux \ Model: Jimmy Mentis
immediately after your workout. Here’s what Dr. Cribbs

had to say:
Whatever your training experience, you’ll often

get a new size surge when you go back to a basic
routine for a few weeks.

GRIND OUT THE GROWTH REPS™
Beta-Alanine Gives Your Muscles More Grow Power™
The biggest bodybuilders know that

the last few grueling reps of a set are
the key growth reps. It’s why they fight
through the pain of muscle burn on
every work set-—so they trigger the
mass-building machinery. But sometimes
it’s not enough; the burn is too fierce.
Fortunately, there’s now a potent new
weapon in this massive firefight to help
you get bigger and stronger faster.
Red Dragon is a new beta-alanine

supplement that packs your muscles
with carnosine—up to 60 percent more.
Muscle biopsies show that the largest
bodybuilders have significantly more
carnosine in their fast-twitch muscle
fibers than sedentary individuals for good
reason: Carnosine buffers the burn to give
muscles more “grow power” on every set.
The bigger and stronger a muscle gets,
the more carnosine it needs to perform
at higher intensity levels. You must keep
your muscles loaded with carnosine to
grow larger and stronger. It all boils down
to intensity and the ability to buffer waste
products—hydrogen ions and lactic
acid—so the muscle doesn’t shut down
before growth activation.
Straight carnosine supplements degrade

too rapidly to reach the muscles; however,
more than 20 new studies document that
beta-alanine is converted to carnosine
very efficiently. All it takes is 1 1/2 grams
twice a day, and you’ll see new size in
your muscles and feel the difference in
the gym—you can double or triple your
growth-rep numbers! Imagine how fast
your size and strength will increase when
you ride the Dragon!
Note: Red Dragon™ is the first pure

carnosine synthesizer—so powerful it’s
patented. It contains beta-alanine, the Red Dragon
amino acid that supercharges muscle 120 capsules
cells with carnosine.
$29.95
©2009 Home-Gym.com

Steve Holman’s
Critical Mass
Neveux \ Model: Jonathan Lawson

Cable extensions done in a forward-
“Having a high concentration of cre- lunge position can provide stretch
atine in the blood [during your workout] overload for the triceps without as
will mean that more of it is delivered to much elbow strain as free-weight
the working muscles. Additionally, sup- stretch exercises.
plementation with creatine immediately
after training will ensure rapid uptake of want to neglect the triceps’ stretch
this nutrient by depleted muscles, en- position. What should I do, give up
suring a greater anabolic response.” stretch work for triceps?
Neveux \ Model: David Dorsey
What about loading? Once your A: There are a few things you can try
creatine stores are full, taking in more before you ditch stretch-position work
creatine will only cause extra creatine to for your tri’s. First, get rid of the EZ-curl
be excreted. If you take five grams a day, bar and try using dumbbells with your
without loading, your creatine stores will palms facing each other. Drive them up
be maxed out in about 20 days, even if simultaneously, but stop short of lock-
you’re training hard. Loading 20 grams out on every rep. According to MRI stud-
for five days in a row will probably fill ies, that hand position activates more
your stores faster, but a lot of it will be wasted—like over- of the triceps’ three heads—using a bar neglects the long
filling your mug every time you go to the keg at a party head somewhat.
(reckless beer spillage is not looked upon kindly by hosts If the dumbbell version still causes elbow pain, try cable
who shell out the bucks for booze, and the same should extensions done in a forward-lunge position. Because the
be true of you who dole out hard-earned cash for supple- angle of pull is up and back rather than straight back, as in
ments). overhead extensions done with free weights, you’ll get less
What do I use? Preworkout I like to swallow creatine elbow strain but still achieve plenty of stretch overload on
capsules, so lately I’ve been taking two capsules of a your triceps.
pH-balanced creatine like Kre-Alkalyn EFX or Sci-Fit’s
Kreation, which also has some caffeine and amino acids. The sharp black POF T-shirt with the original
Postworkout I use Muscle-Link’s CreaSol—also a pH-bal- classic logo emblazoned in gold can give you that
anced creatine—for maximum absorption. I put one muscular look you’re after (sorry, large size only). See
scoop, five grams, in my RecoverX postworkout drink. page 219 for details.
That’s the X Stack Jonathan and I recommend for optimiz-
ing the anabolic window. Editor’s note: Steve
Holman is the author many
Q: I am in total agreement with you when it bodybuilding best-sellers,
comes to using stretch-position exercises. I read including Train, Eat, Grow:
in your Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building e-book The Positions-of-Flexion
about the animal study that produced a 300 percent Muscle-Training Manual (see
mass increase after a month of stretch overload. page 78). For information
I built 10 pounds of extra muscle in about four on the POF videos and Size
months after I started using stretch exercises, so Surge programs, see the ad
I’m a believer. One muscle group I’m having trouble section beginning on pages
with is triceps. My elbows hurt when I do overhead 225 and 186. Also visit www.
Neveux
extensions, even when I use an EZ-curl bar. I don’t X-Rep.com. IM

Steve Holman
58 JANUARY 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com ironchief@aol.com
From the IRON MAN PRO Style Store
20th ANNIVERSARY
IRON MAN PRO
JACKET
This is the
exact same jacket
awarded to all
the IRON MAN
competitors.
All embroidery
is of the finest
quality.
Fully lined 100%
nylon, two inside
pockets.
OFFICIAL 20th
ANNIVERSARY
JACKET OF THE
IRON MAN PRO
SIZES AND AVAILABILITY BASED ON

CURRENT INVENTORY.
For prices and ordering information go to:
FREE Mass-Packing Secrets to Get You Growing!

ITRC Muscle-Building Tactics Delivered to You Every Week—FREE!
It’s a big blast of workout information, motiva- (You can
tion and muscle-building science in your e-mail check out those
box every week—and it’s all free! Tons of practical past editions
training tips, analysis and size tactics are jam-packed free at www.X-
into this e-zine from the IRON MAN Training & Rep.com in the
Research Center, where there’s more than 50 years of X Files section.)
training experience to get you growing fast! Here are a It’s exciting
few of the latest editions’ titles (online now): stuff! You’ve
•How the Pros Pack on Extreme Mass gotta subscribe Learn how to make curls three times more effecitve
•Arnold’s Size-Stretching X-ploits today so you at building eye-popping bi’s. See issue 03/04/05.
•The Forgotten High-Intensity Growth Trigger can start building the muscle size you deserve for your
•A Muscle-Building Mystery Solved sweat and effort in the gym. You’ve got nothing to lose
•Pounds of Muscle in Days and plenty of raw muscle to gain! Here’s what to do...
•Bodypart Bloodbath for Super Size
© 2005 IRON MAN Magazine
•Monster Arms: Torching Your Tri’s Subscribe free at

•Time-Bomb Training www.IronManMagazine.com
•Lean-Machine Ignition
•Drop the D Bomb for Bigger Bodyparts
To read free sample issues, visit
•Pre-Ex vs. the Post-X Mass Jack
www.X-Rep.com and click on X Files
•Less Training, Big Gaining: The Truth
w w w. I ro n M a n M a g a z i n e . c o m
R OGR A M
P

Subscribe to IRON MAN Magazine and get a
New Breakthrough
Training System DVD
You'll get 12 Info-Packed issues
of IRON MAN for only $29.97
This new breakthrough

DVD training system
shows you how to
pack on more
attention-grabbing
muscle mass fast!
•Attack every facet of
muscle growth
•Complete multi-angle
workouts
•Build amazing strength
•Fast efficient routines
PLUS —you get

the NEW Breakthrough DVD, POWER/REP FREE
RANGE/SHOCK/MAX-MASS DVD *
FREE!
($19.95 value) Absolutely OFFER
Subscribe to IRON MAN now.
For fastest service, call 800-570-4766 or order online at
www.IronManMagazine.com, code 6812GR
* USA paid orders only
Train, Eat,
GROW
Muscle-Training Program 87
From the IRONMAN Training & Research Center
by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux
o quote Peter Boyle’s
T
as the weights keep moving up and product, as you may have seen on
character from “Every- up. (And, no, we haven’t been mak- our training and supplement blogs
body Loves Raymond,” ing trips to Mexico.) at X-Rep.com. When you try it,
So is it really the program, or is it keep in mind that it’s a cumulative
“Holy crap!” The strength something else we’ve been doing? power effect, building over two to
increases we’ve achieved We’ve always said that small details three weeks until strength takes off!
on our latest program after can add up to big results; however, You’ll find details of how we use it
only six weeks are incred- we believe that our new program is on our supplement blog.)
ible—more than we’ve ever a big part of the equation because of
experienced on any routine its rep-range variety—one week out 2) Our new split, which has us
we can remember. How about of every three has us training in the training each bodypart only once a
lower, power rep range, which we week. We’ve experimented before
90-pound incline flyes, 75- haven’t done in a long while. Never- with seven-days-between-body-
pound seated laterals, 400- theless, we believe that there’s more part-hits regimens and noted that
pound shrugs, 400-pound to our results than that; in fact, there while we got stronger, our size
hack squats and 1,000-pound are three things: gains were sporadic. (That may be
leg presses? the nature of the size-to-strength
1) Red Dragon, which is a beta- adaptation, as we’ll explain.)
We’re not throwing around those alanine supplement that loads
numbers to brag—in fact, we don’t the muscles with carnosine, an 3) Power/Rep Range/Shock, the
care much about strength because intramuscular buffer that allows program we’re currently using,
it’s not our primary goal. We are you to push further into the pain which provides variation within
Model: Jay Cutler
merely reporting our experience so zone on every set, enabling you to its three-week cycles. It was de-
far—that our newfound power is still get more growth reps and X Reps. veloped by Eric Broser, and we
shocking us at almost every workout, (We’re very impressed with this infused it with X Reps and 3D Posi-
tions of Flexion.

Train, Eat, Grow / Program 87
During Shock week

we use contracted-
position exercises
as the second
movement in a
postactivation
superset—
immediately after
a big, midrange
exercise.
Model: Skip La Cour
P/RR/S Arthur Jones,

Nautilus
For those who missed our sum- creator and
mary of P/RR/S training last month, high-intensity
here’s another look: innovator,
often said
Week 1: Power that strength
Train every exercise with straight progresses in
sets—no supersets, tri-sets or drop an upward
sets—and keep your reps in the curve while
four-to-six zone. We use slightly size moves
higher reps on endurance-oriented forward in
muscles like calves, abs and fore- a stair-step
arms. pattern.

New pro Mark

Dugdale is now
experimenting with
multirep rest/pause
training, a.k.a.
Dante’s Doggcrapp
method—three
sets per exercise, 20
seconds of rest after
each set.
Comstock
Week 2: Rep Range some pump thanks to the higher rep result in size gains. And we know
For the first exercise pick a weight range. For example, for upper pecs that low reps, like the four to six
that allows you to get seven to nine we do Smith-machine incline press- we do during Power week, primar-
reps. For the second exercise it’s 10 es (midrange), incline flyes (stretch) ily build strength. So the question
to 12 reps. On the third move the rep and high cable flyes (contracted). becomes, Will this program build
range up to the high end of fast- muscle size, or is it a strength-only
twitch recruitment—13 to 15 reps. Week 3: Shock protocol?
That works exceptionally well with This week is for putting your If we were doing low reps ex-
3D POF: We use a big, midrange- muscles through the meat grinder clusively, we’d be somewhat con-
position exercise as our first move- with supersets, drop sets and so on. cerned. Because we’re getting so
ment, a stretch-position exercise as Reps for most muscles stay in the much variation, however, we be-
our second and then a contracted- eight-to-10 range, but extended-set lieve we’re hitting all the necessary
position movement to finish off techniques are a must. size-building facets—we’re just not
the muscle group with continuous Now, we’ve said many times that training those other components as
tension, occlusion and an awe- strength increases don’t necessarily frequently as we’re used to. In most
(continued on page 68)

(continued from page 64) of our other we add X Reps to one set of each
programs we do extended-set exercise every week, increasing lactic Supercompensation
work—drop sets, for example—at acid, which studies show increases for Super Size
every workout. Now every week is anabolic hormone release. They also
different—and we only use drop sets give us a bit more tension time: Low- We said last month that we think
and supersets during Shock week. rep sets, while still power oriented, of the low-rep week as an intensity
The other two weeks are all straight move closer to the size-building time downshift that results in critical
sets. under tension with the addition of X supercompensation. Heavy-weight,
To make up for that somewhat, Reps. low-rep sets cause the nervous
IRON MAN Training & Research Center Muscle-Training Program 87

Monday (Shock): Chest, Calves, Abs Thursday (Shock): Quads, Hamstrings
Superset Superset
Incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Machine hack squats (nonlock; X Reps) 2 x 8-10
High cable flyes (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Leg extensions (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Incline flyes (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Superset
Superset Leg extensions (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Bench presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Leg presses (nonlock) 1 x 8-10
Low/middle cable flyes (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Leg presses (nonlock; X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Wide-grip dips (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6) Smith-machine sissy squats (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5)
Flat-bench flyes (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Lunges 1 x 8-10
Superset Superset
Knee-extension Stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials; X Reps) 2 x 8-10
leg press calf raises (X Reps) 3 x 10-12 Leg curls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Machine donkey calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 Hyperextensions (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Superset Leg curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Hack-machine calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 Low-back machine (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Standing calf raises (X Reps) 2 x 10-12
Seated calf raises (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 12(8) Friday (Shock): Delts, Triceps, Biceps
Superset
Incline kneeups (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 10(6) Superset
Flat-bench leg raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Rack pulls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Tri-set Forward-lean laterals (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Ab Bench crunches (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Dumbbell upright rows (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Twisting crunches (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Superset
End-of-bench kneeups (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Incline one-arm laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
One-arm cable laterals (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Superset
Tuesday (Shock): Back, Forearms Behind-the-neck presses (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Superset Dumbbell presses (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Wide-grip pulldowns (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(6)
Machine pullovers (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Superset
Parallel-grip chins (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Close-grip bench presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Undergrip pulldowns (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(5) Pushdowns or kickbacks (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Behind-the-neck pulldowns (drop set; X Reps)1 x 8(5) Decline extensions 1 x 8-10
Superset Overhead dumbbell extensions (drop; X Reps 2 x 8(6)
Nautilus rows or cable rows (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Superset
Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 Dumbbell curls 2 x 8-10
One-arm dumbbell rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Preacher curls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Superset Concentration curls or one-arm
Barbell shrugs (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 spider curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Dumbbell shrugs (X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Incline curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Superset Cable hammer curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Reverse wrist curls (X Reps) 2 x 10-12
Forearm Bar reverse wrist curls (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 Note: Where X-Reps are designated, usually only one
Superset set or phase of a drop set is performed with X Reps or an
Wrist curls (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 X-Rep hybrid technique from the Beyond X-Rep Muscle
Forearm Bar wrist curls (X Reps) 2 x 10-12 Building e-book. See the X-Blog at www.X-Rep.com for
Rockers (drop set) 1 x 12(8) more workout details.

system to balk before a lot of mus- system crap-out prevents complete machines, always said that strength
cular fatigue occurs. So keeping the muscle fiber activation—when the occurs first. Here’s an interesting
volume relatively low during Power high-threshold motor units begin quote from his Nautilus Bulletin
week means we’re not overstressing to kick in, the nervous system balks, #1, published in the late ’60s, that
our systemic reserves, even with a forcing the set to end early. All of clarifies our point:
few X Reps here and there. that means the Power-week work- “When the actual progress
We can tell that the Power-week outs are less stressful and muscle of an individual trainee is care-
workouts aren’t as stressful because supercompensation can more easily fully charted over a period of a few
we don’t feel drained after we per- occur. That should translate into size months, several rather surpris-
form them, although we do feel a increases—eventually. ing results will become immedi-
deep muscle ache, probably due ately apparent; for example, while
to our having hit some power fi- strength levels will increase in a
bers that aren’t used to getting into
Size Follows series of gentle curves, increases
the action. Doesn’t that mean the Strength—Sometimes in size of the involved bodyparts—
muscles are getting more stress than and thus apparent increases in
usual? No, because the endurance We say size should come “eventu- muscular mass—will result in a
components of the 2A fast-twitch fi- ally” because it appears that size stair-step pattern.”
bers aren’t getting much stress. Also, follows strength, at least sometimes. What Jones is saying is that
the aforementioned early nervous Arthur Jones, the creator of Nautilus strength increases are usually fairly
ITRC Program 87, Abbreviated Home-Gym Routine

Monday (Shock): Chest, Calves, Abs Leg extensions or
old-style hack squats (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6)
Superset
Sissy squats (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6)
Incline presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Front squats or lunges 1 x 8-10
Incline flyes (top squeezes;
Superset
drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8-10(6)
Stiff-legged deadlifts (low partials) 2 x 8-10
Incline flyes (low partials; X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Leg curls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Superset
Leg curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Bench presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Decline flyes (top squeeze; X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Decline flyes (low partials; X Reps) 1 x 8-10 Friday (Shock): Delts, Triceps, Biceps
Donkey calf raises (drop set; X Reps) 3 x 12(8) Superset
One-leg calf raises (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 12(8) Dumbbell upright rows
Seated calf raises (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 12(8) or rack pulls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Superset Seated forward-lean laterals (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Incline kneeups (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Incline one-arm laterals (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Flat-bench leg raises (X Reps) 1 x 10-12 Dumbbell presses (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Weighted full-range crunches or Bent-over laterals (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(6)
Ab Bench crunches (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 12(8) Superset
Close-grip bench presses (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Tuesday (Shock): Back, Forearms Kickbacks (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Decline extensions 1 x 8-10
Chins (MRRP; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4)
Overhead extensions (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 8(6)
Undergrip rows (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Superset
Dumbbell pullovers (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Barbell or dumbbell curls 2 x 8-10
Superset
Preacher curls (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Bent-over barbell rows 2 x 8-10
Concentration curls (drop set; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)
Bent-arm bent-over laterals (X Reps) 2 x 8-10
Incline curls (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
One-arm dumbbell rows (X Reps) 1 x 8-10
Incline hammer curls (X Reps) 1 x 10-12
Shrugs (MRRP; X Reps) 1 x 8(6)(4)
Reverse wrist curls (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) Note: Where X-Reps are designated, usually only
Wrist curls (drop set; X Reps) 2 x 10(6) one set or phase of a drop set is performed with X
Rockers 1 x 13-15 Reps or an X-Rep hybrid technique from the Beyond
X-Rep Muscle Building e-book. See the X-Blog at
Thursday (Shock): Quads, Hams www.X-Rep.com for more workout details.
Superset If you don’t have a leg extension machine, do old-
Squats 2 x 8-10 style hacks, nonlock style. Use partner resistance,
Leg extensions or towel around the ankles, if you don’t have a leg curl
old-style hack squats (X Reps) 2 x 8-10 machine.

Shock-Week Tactics
Back to Arthur Jones. In Nautilus
Bulletin #2 he says, “You cannot
increase your strength by mere
repetition of things that are already
easy—and to get much in the way of
muscular growth stimulation, you
must constantly attempt the mo-
mentarily impossible. Below a cer-
tain intensity of effort, no amount of
exercise will produce growth stimu-
lation.”
That’s what the Shock week of
P/RR/S training is all about—crank-
ing up the intensity. What’s interest-
ing is that the Shock week gets more
shocking for our muscles on every
three-week cycle because we’re
using more weight on most exer-
cises. In theory, that should produce
some great size increases.
What shock tactics are we talking
about? If you glance at the program
on page 68, you’ll recognize many of
them. Let’s discuss.
Model: Noel Thompson Supersets

Doing two exercises back-to-
back is a sound way of increasing
intensity. What may pop into your
mind is preexhaustion, a technique
in which you do an isolation ex-
Shock-week workouts are ercise for a muscle to prefatigue it
steady, fluctuating slightly up and brutal, with lots of extended- and then follow immediately with a
down but on a distinctly upward tension techniques like X Reps compound exercise to bring in the
trajectory, while size increases and drop sets, but the length of assisting muscles, presumably forc-
come in sudden spurts followed each session is relatively short. ing the target muscle to work harder.
by plateaus—a stair-step pattern. For example, leg extensions followed
Says Jones, “In effect, size increases ing here. While we said that we immediately by squats and cable
permit strength increases—and don’t really care all that much about crossovers immediately followed
strength increases force size in- strength, getting stronger so quickly by bench presses are classic preex
creases.” is a great motivater—and we need supersets.
We’re hoping that he’s right and all the motivation we can get, espe- Preex is a tremendous way to
that our increasing strength, which cially in the winter months. focus on the continuous tension-
at the moment is going up at almost Even if strength increases don’t leads-to-occlusion factor; however,
every workout, results in a sudden bring immediate spurts of muscle we believe that force generation is
spurt of muscle size; however, we re- size, there’s the other school of more important in the hierarchy of
alize that strength can increase due thought that many bodybuilders, mass-building components, and
to neuromuscular efficiency alone, especially the old-timers, subscribe research indicates that doing an
which may or may not produce a to: Build strength in the winter, and isolation exercise first followed im-
size increase. We also know that then use your new strength during mediately by a compound move
muscle growth we get via capillary bodybuilding-style workouts in the significantly reduces force output on
bed expansion and mitochondria spring and summer to pack on new the second exercise—the compound
size—that is, by training the endur- size. Either way, this program, which mass movement.
ance components—may not cause has proven to be a big strength Therefore, we choose to use post-
an increase in force generation, or booster, is perfect for us as we move activation, switching the order of the
strength. So strength and size are re- into winter, and we’re hoping to superset, to lead off our bodypart
lated, but there’s not always a direct move up the size staircase with it as workouts during Shock week. We
cause-and-effect relationship. the new year approaches. do the midrange-position exercise
Remember, we are experiment- first, for max-force generation, and

Model: Michael Turcotte

Stretch-position exercises, like
incline flyes for upper pecs, finish Drop Sets As we said, if you train in a crowd-
the target muscle with severe When it comes to creating ex- ed commercial gym, you will have
stretch overload, which has been tended-tension/occlusion effects, to rely on drop sets instead of super-
this technique is at the top of the list, sets, as it’s hard to hold two pieces of
linked to fiber splitting.
especially when applied to exercises equipment; it’s much more efficient
that keep tension on the target mus- to reduce the weight on the same
then follow immediately with a cle throughout the set—for example, exercise. Or, if you don’t like reducing
contracted-position movement, for leg curls. For those of you new to our the weight, you can use MRRP.
extended tension. Postactivation su- training, a drop set involves doing a
persets have been shown to actually set to exhaustion with a weight that Multirep Rest/Pause
increase force production on the big will get you to that point at about rep A big thumbs-up to Dante and
exercise in the second superset be- nine, and then reducing the weight Rob Thoburn for refining this tech-
cause of heightened neuromuscular by about 20 percent and immediate- nique. We’ve discussed both versions
activation. ly repping out again for another six here before, but let’s review.
We use two rounds of a postac- or so (as designated in the programs ROB stands for rest only briefly,
tivation superset on almost every by the number in parentheses). and it’s Rob Thoburn’s method. Tho-
muscle—for delts it’s rack pulls su- In some respects drop sets are burn is a muscle-building researcher
persetted with forward-lean laterals, better than supersets—you use the who has been corresponding with
for upper chest it’s Smith-machine same exercise on both phases, so scientists worldwide for years, and
incline presses supersetted with there is less rest. You don’t have to he currently works for BSN, the sup-
high cable flyes and so on. spend time moving to another piece plement company that employs Ron-
If you train in a commercial gym, of equipment. In our Shock program nie Coleman. To use ROB, you pick
supersets may be impossible. In that we do drop sets on some contracted- a weight that lets you get eight to 10
case you can begin each bodypart position exercises, ones we don’t use reps. Rep out with it to exhaustion,
routine with drop sets on the com- in postactivation supersets, such as rest 10 seconds, then repeat. Keep
pound exercise or use multirep bent-over laterals. We also like to use doing that, using the same weight,
rest/pause, which we’ll explain after drops on stretch-position exercises, until you can get only one rep. That
we look at drops. like sissy squats. may take you anywhere from four to

Model: Jonathan Lawson \ Equipment: Powertec Squat/Calf machine
Model: Ken Yasuda

Dumbbell shrugs qualify as both a stretch- and
a contracted-position exercise for upper traps,
which makes them a good finisher for midback.
You can do sissy, or limbo,

bodypart. mended it, it’s best on stretch-
squats, the stretch move for Nevertheless, you may want position exercises—like overhead
quads, while holding a plate, on to experiment with both MRRP extensions for triceps, incline curls
a Smith machine or on some styles. Just remember that the ROB for biceps and donkey calf raises
squat machines. method leans more toward endur- for calves—to emphasize stretch
ance-component work. Because overload. Go to exhaustion, then
six sets. you rest longer with Dante’s DC lower weight to the X spot, near
DC stands for DoggCrapp, which training, it provides more force the full-stretch point, and hold to
is Dante’s MRRP method. You start generation—but not as much as failure—or till you can’t stand the
with a weight that allows 10 reps, straight-set work. pain. That’s especially effective on
rep out to exhaustion and then rest At the moment Dante’s method exercises on which you can’t man-
for 20 seconds—10 more than with is being used by two pro body- age X-Rep partials—but even if
ROB. You do three of those sets in builders, David Henry and Mark you can manage X Reps, you may
the sequence, so your reps go some- Dugdale, if that helps convince you want to do a Static X on those. (It’s
thing like 10, seven, five. of its merit. While we haven’t been a killer on calf work!)
Either of those methods can pro- using it lately during Shock week, Full-range reps followed by X
duce great results. We usually merge we plan to incorporate it down the Reps followed by a Static X makes
them: We start with a weight that al- road for an intensity uptick. We’ve sense: After going to full-range
lows about 10 reps, rest 10 seconds included MRRP in the home-gym exhaustion, tax the fibers with
and then repeat that twice. In other program on page 70, so you get an partial movements first, if you can,
words, do three sets with the same idea of how you can incorporate and then finish by forcing them to
weight, resting 10 seconds after it. If you’re more of an endurance cope with an isometric contrac-
each. That provides a bit more work responder, a.k.a. hardgainer type, tion—which takes them to another
for the endurance components than use our version or ROB. If you’re level of exhaustion and can bring
Dante’s method due to the shorter looking for a little more force, use in even more fibers. It’s like attack-
rest, but you don’t do as many sets Dante’s DC version. ing three different levels of fiber
as with Thoburn’s version. We don’t firepower: full range, partial range
want as much volume because we’re Stretch/Pause and, finally, static. That’s very
also using 3D POF, which calls for This is a.k.a. Static X. We just effective for getting the most size-
us to follow with stretch- and con- started using it again on many and-strength stimulation from any
tracted-position exercises; Thoburn exercises; however, as we said back one set via stretch overload. (Note:
usually suggests one exercise per in the ’90s when we first recom- For more info on the Static X tech-

tirep rest/pause. Doing that should

be more effective at stimulating size
gains as our strength gains tail off.
And if they don’t tail off, look for us
in the World’s Strongest Man compe-
tition soon.
Note: Our Shock week is outlined
on page 68. For our complete P/RR/S
The bottom
program, presented so you can print
part of the it out, take it to the gym and experi-
stroke is key ment along with us, see Chapter 15
for heightened of 3D Muscle Building, available at
fiber activation. www.3DMuscleBuilding.com.
Editor’s note: For the latest on

nique, or stretch/pause, see X-Files in other ways. To accomplish that, X Reps, including X Q&As, X Files
on page 164.) we plan to work in more X-hybrid (past e-zines), before and after pho-
We’ve been using the same Shock techniques—such as Double-X tos and the X-Blog training journal,
program on every bodypart, with Overload, X Fade and so on, from visit www.X-Rep.com. To order the
our big strength increases causing our Beyond X-Rep Muscle Building Positions-of-Flexion training manual
a significant intensity uptick every e-book—plus double-drop sets, Train, Eat, Grow, call (800) 447-0008,
time we get to that week. We think which include two weight reduc- visit www.Home-Gym.com, or see
it may be time to up the intensity tions instead of just one; and mul- the ad below. IM

Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s
Naturally Huge
High-Low
a good contraction when your arms are close to your torso.
That will focus the stress on your lower lats.
By developing that area of your back, along with the
upper and middle lats, you’ll display complete develop-
ment even if your lats are attached high, and the judges
Lat Growth at bodybuilding contests won’t consider your back a weak

area of your physique.
Keep in mind that bodybuilders such as Dennis James,
Nasser El Sonbaty and Alq Gurley all have high lat attach-
Q: I’ve been training for about three years, ments, but they’ve been able to achieve incredible back
and I’m considering entering my first bodybuild- development through intelligent, hard workouts.
ing competition. Some of the guys at my gym who Here is a good routine that focuses on the lower lats
watched me pose said I have “high lats.” What does while hitting the rest of the back as well:
that mean, and is it a good thing or a bad thing? If
it’s not good, is there a way I can overcome it? Close-grip pulldowns 3 x 12, 10, 8
A: If you have high lats, it means that your latissimus Wide-grip chins 3 x 8-10
dorsi muscles—the major muscles in your back that create Undergrip barbell rows 4 x 10, 8, 6, 6
width—are attached higher on the back instead of closer Deadlifts 3 x 8, 6, 6
to the waist. The lower your lats are attached, the more
growth potential they’ll have and the bigger they’ll look
Q: I’m 24 years old and weigh 240 pounds at 5’8”.
from the back.
I went to the Arnold Classic, and it inspired me to
Bodybuiders such as Lee Haney, Franco Columbu,
get back into lifting. In high school I weighed 180
Dorian Yates and Ronnie Coleman all have low lat attach-
pounds, played football and was in great shape. I’ve
ments, and they also all have incredible back development.
now been lifting consistently for a week, and I’m
Although you can’t alter the attachments of your lower
already noticing some gains. I’m working out four
lats, just as you can’t change the attachments of your bi-
days a week, but it’s depressing not lifting what I
ceps or any other muscle through training, you can still
used to lift. I do have a pretty big gut now from my
develop the muscles to their fullest potential.
lack of exercise for six years. Do you have any work-
The best exercises for developing the lower lats are
out and diet tips that might speed my results? I’m
close-grip pulldowns and close-grip chins. Try using a
eating tuna, chicken breasts and fish. I’m taking
parallel-grip attachment or an undergrip, keep your elbows
Myopro protein by EAS, CLA supplements, vitamin C,
in front of you when you perform the exercise, and aim for
Mega Men Vitamins and Body Fortress amino acids.
I really want to get into bodybuilding, but everyone
tells me I have more potential to be a powerlifter.
I’ve never been able to develop my muscles, but
If your lats attach low I’ve always been able to put up quite a bit of weight.
on your torso, they Right now I’m only maxing 250 on the bench and
have more growth repping 405 for six on squats. I just want to get rid
potential. of my gut before I get too old to do it. If I just lift like
hell and do ab work, will I get rid of it? Or should I
include cardio in my workout? I greatly appreciate
and admire what you do.
A: It’s great that you’ve decided to start training again
after six years. As I’m sure you’ve discovered, it’s very hard
coming back after an extended layoff.
The good news is that muscles have memory, so to
speak, so they’ll come back faster than if you’d never
trained before. However, it’s still going to take some time
to build your strength, endurance and muscle size to their
previous levels.
I think the ideal training routine for you at this stage of
the game would be to use moderately heavy weights three
to four days a week, with the emphasis on slowly building
up your strength and size. You could split your bodyparts
Neveux \ Model: Derik Farnsworth
over two days, training chest, back, shoulders and abs on

the first day and legs and arms on the second.
If you want to train three days a week, you
(continued could
on page keep
102)
alternating those two workouts, which would mean doing
the first workout twice during the first week, the second
workout twice the second week and so on. If you wanted to
train more than that, you could structure your routine to
train chest, back and shoulders on Monday and Thursday

Mr. Natural Olympia John Hansen’s
Naturally Huge
portant for building mus-

Bodybuilders train specifically to develop certain attributes, like cle. Chicken and fish are
wide shoulders and a small waist. Simply lifting heavy weights complete proteins (they
won’t accomplish that; you have to focus on the muscles, not contain all the essential
just pushing up big poundages. amino acids) that are also
low in fat. You can also
eat lean red meat (flank,
round and sirloin steaks),
eggs and egg whites for
protein. I also include
protein shakes made with
Pro-Fusion protein pow-
der or a meal replacement
like Muscle Meals several
times a day to supple-
ment my protein intake.
In addition to protein,
you need complex carbo-
hydrates. Without carbs in
your diet you won’t have
the energy to perform
your workouts. Carbs are
also important for mus-
cle-tissue repair.
Balik
I stick with carbohy-
drates that are high in
and legs and arms on Tuesday and Friday. That program fiber—they don’t stimulate a large release of insulin. Oat-
would have you training each bodypart twice per week. meal, sweet potatoes, brown rice, oat bran and vegetables
For now I recommend that you train only three days a are ideal for the bodybuilder who’s trying to get bigger
week because in the beginning you want to give yourself while still staying lean.
plenty of recovery time. There’s no sense trying to rush You should also make the effort to eat foods that contain
after being off for so long. You’re still very young, however, essential fatty acids. The omega-3 fats, found in salmon,
so you should be able to get back in shape very quickly. mackerel, sardines and flaxseed oil, help make muscle cells
After two to three months of training consistently on a more carb sensitive and fat cells more carb insensitive. I try
three-days-a-week routine, increase the training program to eat salmon three times a week and take two tablespoons
to four days a week. It’s a good intermediate routine to fol- of flaxseed oil every day in my protein drinks.
low, and it will enable you to build more size and strength. Your diet is critical to changing the look of your body.
You mentioned that you have powerlifting potential, Stay consistent with your workouts and keep eating the
but you want to compete in bodybuilding. In order to look right foods six times a day, and you’ll be on your way to not
like a bodybuilder, you need to train like a bodybuilder. In only regaining your high school physique but surpassing it
other words, don’t concentrate so much on lifting heavy as well.
weights at the expense of developing your physique.
Use weights that limit your repetitions to six to 10 per Editor’s note:
set. That’s the best rep range for building muscle mass. You John Hansen has won
want to use a weight that will allow perfect form, however, the Natural Mr. Olym-
so you emphasize the muscles you’re trying to train. Don’t pia and is a two-time
lift heavy just to get the weight up—like a powerlifter. Natural Mr. Universe
Instead, focus on using heavy weights as a tool for building winner. Visit his Web
your physique. site at www.natural
The ideal shape for a bodybuilder is wide shoulders and olympia.com. You
a small waist with proportionately developed muscles in can write to him at
the chest, back, deltoids, arms, forearms, thighs and calves. P.O. Box 3003, Darien,
If people have commented that your physique looks like IL 60561, or call toll-
a powerlifter’s, then you need to emphasize width in your free (800) 900-UNIV
upper body. You can do that by developing your upper lats (8648). His new book,
and medial deltoids. In your lower body you need to de- Natural Bodybuilding,
velop outer-thigh sweep and more width in your calves via and new training DVD,
soleus work. Also, you want a small waistline with abdomi- “Real Muscle,” are now
Neveux
nal development. available from Home

As for your diet, eat at least six small meals per day in Gym Warehouse, (800)
order to feed your body the nutrients it needs to develop 447-0008 or www John Hansen
muscle tissue and keep your metabolism stimulated. You .Home-Gym.com. IM
John@NaturalOlympia.com
mentioned that you’re eating lots of protein, which is im-

A Bodybuilder Is Born

A Bodybuilder
Is Born Back to Basics
by Ron Harris Photography by Michael Neveux
Episode 18
t first there was the nagging voice in much as shown him how to do deadlifts. Sure,
A the back of my head (no, not the one

that says, “Kill! Kill!”). It said I was
a slacker for avoiding full deadlifts.
Then there was the nagging voice
of IFBB pro Johnnie Jackson on
the other end of the phone accusing me not
only of being a slacker but also of depriving
Randy of the back he was capable of building.
we did rack deadlifts from the knees up some-
times, but lately I’d been starting to think those
were about as close to full deads as second base
was to intercourse. After looking at my con-
test pics from last spring, I had finally figured
out that my back could definitely stand to be
thicker (I had to admit it couldn’t always be bad
stage lighting), I began to look at the guys with
Johnnie himself is no slouch in the back depart- the best backs and what they did for them. The
ment. Fellow pro Victor Martinez remarked best back in the world for the past few years has
of Jackson’s back, “I never seen oatmeal that belonged to Ronnie Coleman, and we all know
lumpy.” (Apparently Vic never tried using a little from watching his videos that he’s capable of
less water and stirring in some protein powder. full deadlifts with more than 800 pounds.
I think I actually made a good 3-D map of the Jackson is another back freak (his traps actu-
Hawaiian Islands like that one morning in my ally do touch his ears), and he has deadlifted
bowl.) 825 in an official USPF meet. Even Martinez,
Johnnie is also a competitive powerlifter and who took third at the ’06 Mr. Olympia, does full
thus strongly feels that all bodybuilders need to deadlifts in every back workout. I asked him
include the three big lifts in their routine if they about half, or rack, deadlifts, but he dismissed
are to grow to their maximum potential. “The them as wimpy.
one thing I hate,” he told me with real scorn in “I like to get my money’s worth when I dead-
his voice, “is when pros and other advanced lift, not half the exercise.”
bodybuilders tell young kids they don’t need It was settled. I hadn’t done full deadlifts
to squat and deadlift just because they don’t except for a few months back in 1998 when I’d
anymore. They’re cheating those kids out of so trained with a powerlifter and former Army
much overall muscle on their bodies, I feel like Ranger named John Lamphiere. To be brutally
slapping them.” honest with myself, I didn’t even know how to
“Yeah, those jerks,” I agreed, all the while do them right anymore, if I ever had. It sure
thinking Johnnie would probably slap me if he isn’t like riding a bike. Luckily I’d been e-mail-
got the chance. ing back and forth with a personal trainer from
Model: Skip La Cour
You see, though I had been diligently forcing Massachusetts named Mike Westerling, and
Randy to squat—except for the few weeks after from his Web site (www.BodiesByMike.com) I
he hurt his lower back a while ago—I’d never so knew he was a big believer in deadlifts. Maybe

been!
Now I was hardly bending my legs
at all, but my back was working like
crazy the whole time. My lower back
in particular was pumped for about
an hour after the deadlifts, and I was
sore for a full five days.
Exactly one week later Randy and
I met up to train back, and it was
confession time.
“Randy, we’re going to start doing
deadlifts today.”
“Huh?” He was clearly confused.
“What do you mean—don’t we dead-
Model: Jorge Betancourt

After the deads the rest lift all the time?”
of the back workout was “Not really. We’ve been faking
chinups, one-arm rows the funk, and it’s all my fault as the
leader in this dynamic duo. It’s time
and shrugs.
we started doing deadlifts from the
floor.”
“I thought you said we only had to
he could teach me, and I could turn my back flat, my butt up and push- do them from the knees up to work
around and pass on the correct ing with my heels. His description the back, didn’t you?”
technique to Randy. Luckily, Mike of the correct form feeling like “fall- “Well”—I carefully chose my
was willing to come to my gym on ing backward” helped a lot. Prior to words—“I’ve reconsidered, and now
a day when Randy and I don’t train this, my deadlifts had unwittingly I think we’ll actually get more benefit
together anyway and show me how been nothing more than squats, from using a full range of motion. All
it’s done. just holding on to the bar instead of those powerlifters with their thick-
The session went very well, though setting it across my shoulders. That’s ass backs must be on to something.”
my ego had to be left outside in the why I’d always felt the first half of Randy thought a minute. “To be
freezing cold while I practiced the the lift only in my legs and glutes honest, I always wondered why we
deadlift with moderate weights. Mike and had concluded that only the top weren’t doing them that way. I watch
patiently kept reminding me to pay half of the exercise’s range of motion that Ronnie Coleman video at least
attention to little things like keeping worked the back. How wrong I had once a month for motivation, and
Pro bodybuilder
Johnnie Jackson,
who is also a power-
lifter, strongly feels
that all bodybuilders
should include the
three big lifts in their
routines.
Much of Jackson’s
thick back detail
is the result of full
deadlifts.
Comstock
Balik

START FINISH
Model: Robert Hatch

Mike patiently kept
reminding me to keep my
back flat and my butt up
and to push with my heels.
he’s a monster on deadlifts. My back one-arm dumbbell rows and shrugs. Randy was convinced the deadlifts
has come up a lot, but I still feel as if We were going to stick purely with were already working their magic.
something is missing.” That last part the basics for a while to beef up our “Yeah, baby!” he exclaimed as he
sent a fresh pang of guilt twisting in backs. did a lat spread. “Blockin’ out the
my gut. The room where we do our sun!”
“Okay, don’t rub it in. At least deadlifts and squats is wall-to-wall “It’s been overcast for days,” I
you’re not starting these at age 34 mirrors, and at the conclusion of countered. “There is no sun.”
like me, Sparky.” the workout, Randy peeled off his “Ronnie Coleman is gonna be in
Randy’s form was even more tank top and started maneuver- big trouble soon!” was his next proc-
awkward than mine had been, and I ing around to see his back as he hit lamation.
wouldn’t let him go any heavier than some poses for it. As his skin hadn’t “Why, has he been claiming each
135 that day. By the end, though, he seen the sun or a tanning bed since limb as a dependent on his tax re-
had it pretty much down. The rest Labor Day, his pasty complexion turns or something?”
of the workout was just chinups, was almost blinding. Apparently, Randy’s enthusiasm couldn’t be
diminished. He was fired up, be-
cause even though he’d only been
deadlifting for one day, he already
knew instinctively, as I did, that
big changes were soon going to be
taking place in his traps, lats and
spinal erectors. He crunched into
a rear double-biceps and squeezed
the knotted muscles together with
all his might. When he spoke, it was
between gritted teeth and while at-
tempting to hold his breath.
Comstock \ Model: Ronnie Coleman
The best back in the “Whaddaya think of that?” he

world for the past few grunted. I paused.
years has belonged to “I ain’t seen vomit so lumpy. At
Ronnie Coleman, who least not since New Year’s Eve in
deadlifts with more 1987, when I was eating nuts and
drinking tequila.” IM
than 800 pounds.

Muscle-Science
Roundup
10 Recent Research Reports
That Can Help Accelerate
Your Muscle Gains
and Fat Loss
Compiled by Steve Holman
Photography by Michael Neveux
It’s our January 2007

issue, which means
it’s time to look back
at some of the key
scientific studies of
the past year that
can have significant
impact on your
size, strength and
fat loss. Much
of the following
was researched
by IRON MAN’s
number-one
science scribe,
Jerry Brainum.
Okay, hand me
that sleeveless
smock, and let’s hit
the gym, er, um, lab.

Muscle-Science Roundup

of 10 reps of shoulder presses and
The burn promotes 1) Extend Your Sets five sets of 10 reps of leg exten-
anabolic hormone for Pain to Gain sions. The no-rest group, despite
the name, rested one minute
release and Training may induce muscular between sets.
appears to increase growth by promoting the release
of anabolic hormones, such as
While the rest group used the
same routine, participants rested
the level of muscle growth hormone, insulinlike between the fifth and sixth rep
fiber recruitment. growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and tes- of each set. That protocol was
tosterone—but it’s got to be the designed to reduce the amount
right kind of training. For a long of metabolic waste products that
time scientists have been looking would otherwise have accumu-
for the type of training that best lated in their muscles during a set.
elicits increases in anabolic hor- The no-rest group showed
mones. Some studies show that elevations of lactic acid, growth
using a weight you can lift for hormone and norepinephrine,
10 reps, then resting no longer while the rest group did not.
than one minute between sets Further, muscle growth occurred
leads to the greatest rise in both only in the no-rest group, with an
growth hormone and testoster- average 13 percent increase in the
one. In contrast, using a weight muscle cross section.
that you can lift for only five Strength gains were also far
reps and resting three minutes greater in the no-rest group. That
or more between sets results in led the researchers to note, “The
no change in anabolic hormone current results clearly indicate
release. That partly explains why that continuous repetition with-
many powerlifters and Olympic out pause is an important factor
lifters are strong but don’t have for strength gains following resis-
dramatic muscle size. tance training.”
Scientists have found that the The increased acidity in muscle
primary impetus for promoting during intense training not only
the release of anabolic hormones promotes anabolic hormone
is stress induced by the accu- release but also appears to in-
mulation of metabolic waste crease the level of muscle fiber
produced in the muscle during recruitment. The brain apparently
exercise. Such waste includes senses the heightened metabolic
lactate and hydrogen ions, which stress and compensates for it by
produce the familiar burning recruiting additional fibers. More
sensation in a muscle during an fiber recruitment translates into
intense set. Studies also show more muscle used, and that in
that occlusion of blood ves- turn leads to greater gains in mus-
sels during training results in cular size and strength.
greater gains in muscle size and That may explain why
strength, again because of the extended-set techniques, such
buildup of waste products in as drop sets and end-of-set X-
the muscle that sends a signal to Rep partials, are so effective
release anabolic hormones. at triggering a muscle-growth
A recent study examined the response—more muscle burn
effects of induced metabolic and occlusion, as well as more
stress in relation to promot- muscular-force production.
ing gains in muscular size and
strength.1 Twenty-six healthy Note: See www.X-Rep.com for
young men, average age 22, all of more on extended-set training,
whom had training experience, occlusion and max-force
were divided into three groups: generation for muscle-mass
1) no rest, 2) with rest and 3) increase.
control. The control group didn’t
exercise, but the no-rest and rest 1 Goto, K., et al. (2005). The
groups trained with the same impact of metabolic stress

Model: Mike Morris
exercises, using the same level on hormonal responses and

of intensity. Both groups did the muscular adaptations. Med Sci
same routine: three sets of 10 Sports Exer. 37:955-963.
reps of lat pulldowns, three sets (continued on page 110)

Muscle-Science Roundup (continued from page 107)
2) Forskolin: Fat-
Burning, Testosterone-
Churning Compound
Forskolin is an extract made from
the roots of Coleus forskohlii, a peren-
nial herb with fleshy fibrous roots
that is a member of the mint family.
A study published in Obesity Research
examined the effect of forskolin on
body composition, testosterone,
metabolic rate and blood pressure
in overweight and obese men. Thirty
subjects participated in a randomized,
The forskolin group double-blind, placebo-controlled ex-
periment for 12 weeks. They reported
had a significant to the laboratory on a weekly basis to
decrease in bodyfat. receive forskolin (Forslean: 250 mil-
ligrams of 10 percent forskolin extract
twice a day) or a placebo. What did the
researchers find?
The forskolin group had a sig-
nificant decrease in bodyfat from
baseline (35 percent) to final mea-
surement (31 percent). The placebo
Model: Derik Farnsworth

group showed no significant differ-
ence in bodyfat. Fat mass dropped
significantly in the forskolin group
with no change occurring in the pla-
cebo group. There was a trend toward
a significant increase of lean body
mass in the forskolin group. Serum
The forskolin free testosterone was significantly
group got a big increased in the forskolin group com-
boost in serum free pared with the placebo group. The
testosterone as well. change in serum total testosterone
concentration was not significantly
different between the groups, but free
testosterone increased 17 percent in
the forskolin group and decreased 1
percent in the placebo group. There
were no changes in blood pressure for
either group.
So 250 milligrams of 10 percent
forskolin extract taken twice a day for
12 weeks favorably altered body com-
position while concurrently increas-
ing bone mass and free testosterone
in overweight and obese men.1 To get
that fat-to-muscle effect, look for a fat
burner that contains the right dosage
of forskolin. You’ll get leaner faster
and build more muscle too, thanks to
its testosterone-increasing effects.
1 Godard, M.P.; Johnson, B.A., and
Richmond, S.R. (2005). Body composi-

tion and hormonal adaptations asso-
ciated with forskolin consumption in
overweight and obese men. Obes Res.
13(8):1335-1343.

Model: Jay Cutler

Stretch-
position
exercises like Peak contraction
overhead is probably less
extensions and important for
stiff-legged hyperplasia.
deadlifts may
help trigger
fiber splitting.
Model: Allen Sarkiszadeh
Model: Moe Elmoussawi
(continued from page 110)
3) Muscle-Fiber “The very large hypertrophy of days, and was accounted for by a 90
the outer-quad muscles could not percent increase in muscle fibers.
Division: Split to Be be fully accounted for by single- That’s impressive stuff!
Sized muscle fiber hypertrophy. In fact, It leads us to believe that if hy-
the cross-sectional area of the perplasia exists and can be trig-
Jose Antonio, Ph.D., is a propo- muscle was 54 percent larger in gered with progressive-resistance
nent of the muscle-fiber-splitting the bodybuilding group than in the exercise, the obvious way to do
theory of hypertrophy.1 In other control group, whereas mean fiber that would be with stretch-posi-
words, he believes hyperplasia oc- area was only 14 percent larger tion exercises, such as stiff-legged
curs. Here’s his latest summation: in the bodybuilding group. What deadlifts for hamstrings, flyes for
“Muscle physiologists have long does that mean? That bodybuild- pecs and overhead extensions for
been fascinated with what those ers likely had to increase their fiber triceps.
who have taken muscularity to ex- numbers in order to account for Note: Stretch-position exercises
treme heights look like at the cellu- the much larger total size of the for each bodypart are included in
lar level. In a study published in the muscle. 3D Positions-of-Flexion programs.
Journal of Physiology, researchers “It appears that the increase in For the latest on that training, visit
took needle biopsy samples from muscle fiber numbers, or hyperpla- www.3DMuscleBuilding.com.
the outer-quad muscles of five male sia, may account to some degree
bodybuilders, average age 27, who’d for the extreme muscle size the 1 Antonio, J., and Gonyea, W.J.
been performing heavy resistance bodybuilders attained.” (1993). Skeletal muscle fiber hy-
exercise for at least two years, and In a study Antonio was involved perplasia. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
from five male active but untrained with, he achieved a 300 percent 25:1333-45.
control subjects, average age 30.2 In mass increase in the latissimus 2 D’Antona, G., et al. (2005).
the bodybuilders a preferential hy- muscle of a bird via stretch over- Skeletal muscle hypertrophy and
pertrophy of fast-twitch fibers took load. That triple-mass increase structure and function of skeletal
place, which was to be expected, but ocurred after only 30 days of stretch muscle fibres in male bodybuilders.
there was more. overload, with appropriate rest J. Physiol. 570:611-627.

4) Gene, Gene, Mass tested at the start. Those with the tissue. They would also have less
ACE-2 variant, or the endurance lactate buildup, reflecting reduced
Machine: Customize gene, responded best to the mul- muscle fatigue.
Your Muscle-Building tiple-set system using 12 to 15 reps.
When doing the slightly heavier
It appears that those who make
exceptional gains with high-intensi-
Workouts for Big Gains eight to 12 reps, however, that group ty, heavy training have the ACE-DD
showed no difference in strength. variants. They’d gain from just about
The best mass training for you Those with the ACE-DD vari- any type of training program. Those
may depend on your genes. In a ant showed similar gains for both with the ACE-2 variant wouldn’t
new study 99 subjects were ran- types of loads and systems. They respond favorably to a workout that
domly assigned to three groups: also made the greatest strength features heavy weights and low reps;
1) single set, 2) multiple set and 3) gains—and made the same gains their physiology is geared toward
control. Both training groups used no matter how they trained. Still, endurance. For them a program
a periodization system to create the DD group made the most gains that features multiple sets and a rep
variations in training intensity from the heavier training, implying range of 12 to 15 per set would pro-
and volume. During the first three that they respond best to that kind duce the best results.
weeks they used loads that were 60 of weight work. If you’re a skinny hardgainer, you
to 70 percent of maximum, which The ACE-2 subjects responded probably have the ACE-2 variant.
permitted an average of 12 to 15 to the higher reps more favorably The big mistake most hardgainers
reps per set. For the next three because of their inherent endur- make is to plug away on a few sets of
weeks they upgraded to using 70 ance capacity. Such people are more low reps. They should do the op-
to 80 percent of maximum weight, likely to also respond to the experi- posite—a few more sets with higher
with a rep range of eight to 12. For mental “hypoxia training,” during reps and/or extended-set tech-
six weeks they trained three times which blood vessels are purposely niques like drop sets and X Reps.
a week, working nine to 11 muscle occluded, somehow leading to
groups per session, with the single- greater gains in muscle size. People 1 Colakoglu, M., et al. (2005). ACE
set group doing one set of each who have the ACE-2 variant get genotype may have an effect on
exercise and the multiple-set group greater tissue oxygenation, which single vs. multiple-set preferences in
doing three. can elevate the contractile proper- strength training. Eur J App Physiol.
The subjects were genetically ties of heart and skeletal-muscle 95(1):20-26.
Your genetic
makeup
determines
whether you
respond best to
Model: Jose Raymond
high reps or low

reps.

Wearing a lifting
belt during squats
was found to
activate more fiber
recruitment in the
lower body.
Model: King Kamali

perception of effort during the ex- Yet another study looked at
5) Belt Up for Leg-Size ercise, thus making the lifting seem muscle involvement during squats
Blastoff—and Less easier. Wearing a lifting belt leads to
greater activation of both the lower-
and found that the belt increased
the muscular involvement of the
Oblique Development back muscles and the abdominal prime muscles in the thigh—both
muscles, both of which increase front and rear. It also found a 23
Should you wear a lifting belt lower-back support. percent increase in the involvement
or not? Some say wearing one can Another study looked at the of the lower-back muscles when
weaken midsection muscles be- effect of wearing belts during subjects wore a belt. The belt likely
cause a belt relieves the abs and two styles of deadlifts and found increased the thigh-muscle involve-
lower back of stability duties. But that not wearing a belt produced ment because of improved lower-
the intra-abdominal pressure a greater oblique muscle activity. back stability, which enabled greater
tight, wide belt creates may be more The obliques are the “love handle” focus on the targeted muscles. In
important. muscles that frame the abdomi- addition, wearing a lifting belt leads
One study found that IAP was 25 nals. The same study also showed, to increased exercise speed, which
to 40 percent greater when a lifting however, that the shift of muscular would increase muscle activation.
belt was worn during heavy squats. activity transferred to the abdomi- So wearing a lifting belt during
That would both stabilize the spine nals. That’s a positive finding: The heavy exercise makes sense on a
and decrease spinal compression. abdominals help stabilize the lower number of levels, especially if you’re
Another study found that wearing a back, and the obliques stabilize the after bigger quads.
belt during heavy lifts decreased the abdominals and trunk muscles. (continued on page 124)

6) Anabolic Amino As expected, after one week training. Recent studies show that
of overtraining, those in the pla- the effect occurs with as little as
Ammo: Derail cebo group experienced a loss of six grams of essential aminos. The
Overtraining strength, but those in the amino
group did not. Levels of substances
greater availability of amino acids
appears to decrease muscle dam-
A new study found that most indicating muscle damage were age incurred by hard training. That’s
of the adverse hormonal effects elevated only in the placebo group. how you maintain strength.
of overtraining and overreaching The amino group maintained levels Other studies show that
are blunted if you use amino acid of total and free testosterone, but branched-chain amino acids can
supplements. A high level of amino not the placebo group. In addition, reduce muscle breakdown by inhib-
acids in the blood is associated with those in the placebo group showed iting proteases, or enzymes that de-
increased muscle protein synthesis higher blood levels of sex-hor- grade protein in muscle. In addition,
and a blunting of muscle catabo- mone-binding globulin, a protein the maintenance of optimal testos-
lism. that locks on to free testosterone, terone levels during intense training
In the study, 17 men with weight- rendering it inactive. The placebo exerts a potent anabolic effect that
training experience were randomly group, however, showed elevated is also conducive to building muscle
assigned to either an amino acid levels of growth hormone. The size and increasing strength.
or placebo group. They underwent authors suggest it was the body’s Those in the placebo group
four weeks of purposeful overtrain- attempt to offset the lowered levels showed decreased levels of hemo-
ing. Those in the amino acid group of other anabolic hormones that globin, the oxygen-carrying protein
took 0.4 grams per kilogram of resulted from the overtraining. in red blood cells. A loss of hemo-
bodyweight of a supplement con- The authors note that “amino globin could adversely affect both
taining essential and conditionally acid requirements to maintain op- energy and muscular endurance
essential amino acids. They took the timal repair and recovery of skeletal while promoting premature fatigue
supplement one hour before meals muscle may be greater during high- during training.
and two hours after meals, as well volume or high-intensity resistance Bottom line: While purposeful
as one to two hours before and after training.” Earlier studies showed overtraining isn’t a good idea for
training. Those in the placebo group that amino acid supplements pro- most people, you can negate many
got an inert supplement on the mote increased muscle protein of its effects with a judicious intake
same schedule. synthesis when taken after intense of amino acids.
Amino acids can

thwart many of the
negative effects of
overtraining.
Model: Nathan Detracy

Model: Amy Lynn
Better sex and

more anabolic
receptors? Pass
the L-carnitine!
peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic tosterone and, especially, carnitines

7) L-Carnitine: Sexy velocity, resistive index, nocturnal proved to be active drugs for the
penile tumescence, International therapy of symptoms associated with
Supplement and Index of Erectile Function score, male aging.”
Anabolic Receptor Depression Melancholia Scale score So what does that have to do with
and fatigue scale score. The carni- building more muscle? It’s been
Increaser tines proved significantly more ac- shown that carnitine also increases
tive than testosterone in improving anabolic receptors in muscle tis-
A six-month study compared nocturnal penile tumescence and sue.2 Anabolic-receptor proliferation
testosterone undecanoate with International Index of Erectile Func- is one way anabolic steroids help
propionyl-L-carnitine plus acetyl-L- tion score. Yes, carnitines were bet- speed muscle growth. Try two to
carnitine and a placebo in the treat- ter than testosterone at producing three grams of L-carnitine a day, if
ment of sexual dysfunction among erections. Testosterone significantly you can afford it. It is pricey.
aging men. A total of 120 patients increased the prostate volume and
were randomly assigned to one of free and total testosterone levels and 1 Cavallini,G., et al. (2004). Carni-
three groups. Group 1 was given significantly lowered serum luteiniz- tine versus androgen administration
testosterone undecanoate, 160 milli- ing hormone; the carnitines did not. in the treatment of sexual dysfunc-
grams per day; the second group got So there were no hormonal side tion, depressed mood, and fatigue
propionyl-L-carnitine plus acetyl- effects with the carnitines. No drug associated with male aging. Urology.
L-carnitine, two grams per day. The significantly modified prostate- 63:641-646.
third group got a placebo. specific antigen or prolactin. The 2 Ratamess, N.A., Kraemer, W.J., et
Results: The researchers assessed carnitines and testosterone proved al. (2005). Androgen receptor con-
a whole host of variables related to effective for as long as they were ad- tent following heavy resistance ex-
mood and penile function. They ministered; cessation of treatment ercise in men. J Steroid Biochem Mol
discovered that testosterone and the resulted in a return to baseline. Bio. 93(1):35-42.
carnitines significantly improved the According to the scientists, “Tes- (continued on page 131)

Do your cardio
after your
weight training
Model: Tomm Voss
Model: Ron Harris
for better fat

oxidation.
cling for an hour at low intensity (50

8) Cardio Timing for percent of maximum heart rate).
Fat-Burn Priming Doing the weight workout before
aerobics led to marked increases in
Should you do aerobics before or lactate, norepinephrine and growth
after your weight workout? Many hormone. Before the endurance
prefer to do their aerobic exercise exercise those in the RE120 group
first to get it out of the way and as had the highest levels of free fatty
a general warmup. A recent study, acids in their blood, while those in
however, suggests that the best the RE20 group had higher levels
time to do aerobics is after a weight of norepinephrine and growth hor-
workout and that how long you rest mone. During the endurance and
between the two can make a differ- weight exercise, blood levels of free
ence in both hormone release and fatty acids and glycerol were higher
fat oxidation.1 in both weight groups than in the
Presented at the 2006 American endurance-only group, meaning
College of Sports Medicine meet- that those in both weight groups
ing, the study featured 10 healthy were burning more fat during the
men who did three types of exercise exercise.
regimens on different days: The study clearly shows that
1) Endurance exercise only (EE) doing a weight workout before
2) Endurance exercise after aerobics leads to hormonal changes
weight training and a 20-minute that favor increased fat oxidation
rest (RE20) during the subsequent aerobic
3) Endurance exercise after workout.
weight training and a 120-minute
rest (RE120) 1 Goto, K., et al. (2006). The ef-
The weight workout consisted of fects of prior resistance exercise on

six exercises, each done for three to lipolysis and fat oxidation during
four sets of 10 reps. The endurance subsequent endurance exercise.
exercise consisted of stationary cy- Med Sci Sports Exer. 38:S545.

Moderate beer
consumption appears
to lower estrogen
synthesis in men.

9) Block Estrogen, Build
Testosterone, Pack On
Muscle—With Beer?
Bodybuilders and athletes on ste-
roids counter the effects of elevated es-
trogen in two ways. The older solution
blocks estrogen receptors with a drug
such as Nolvadex. A better solution
inhibits the activity of the aromatase
enzyme itself. Drugs that accomplish
that were developed to treat estrogen-
dependent breast cancers, especially
in older women. Aromatase-blocking
drugs are now the most popular means
of controlling estrogen.
What’s not generally known, how-
ever, is that natural aromatase blockers
exist in certain foods and supplements.
Red wine, green tea and grapeseed
extract all contain polyphenols that
have aromatase-inhibiting properties. A
new study identifies another aromatase
blocker: beer.1 The particular ingredi-
ents responsible for the effect are hops
and barley malt.
Hops add bitterness to beer, while
malt is a flavoring compound. So-called
prenylflavonoids in hops are thought
to offer cardiovascular protection and
protection against cancer. They don’t
interfere with the synthesis of aro-
matase (as do the drug versions) but
instead seem to throw a biochemical
monkey wrench into its activity. The
net effect, however, is lower estrogen
synthesis.
What isn’t clear from the study is how
much beer is effective against aroma-
tase. That’s because the study design
was in vitro, involving isolated cells.
Earlier research showed that a flavo-
noid called chrysin was just as effective
as anti-estrogen drugs. Later studies,
however, showed that while chrysin
works great outside the body, a living
human being has difficulty absorbing it.
That doesn’t mean the active ingredi-
ents in beer suffer a similar fate. Beer’s
many benefits indicate that natural
substances are indeed absorbed. The
information shouldn’t be construed as
a license to drink vast amounts of beer.
Too much alcohol can lower anabolic
hormone levels and directly destroy
muscle fibers. Drink beer in modera-
tion.
1 Monteir, R., et al. (2006). Effect of

hop (Humulus lupulus) flavonoids on
aromatase (estrogen synthase) activity.
J Agric Food Chemist. 54:2938-2943.

Beta-alanine
gets you
further into
the pain zone
so you get
more key
growth reps
on every set.

at many more fast-twitch
10) Creatine Plus fibers. It has to do with the size
Beta-Alanine: principle of fiber recruitment.
During any set to exhaustion
The New Muscle- you recruit the low-threshold
Building Gasoline motor units first, the mediums
second and the important
A study presented at the high-threshold motor units
2006 meeting of the ACSM last. Those highs trigger the
investigated the effects of most fast-twitch growth. The
combining creatine with beta- more you can continue fir-
alanine, a new supplement that ing the muscle during high-
increases levels of L-carnosine, threshold recruitment—into
a dipeptide amino acid, in the so-called pain zone—the
muscle.1 Carnosine is a major more hypertrophic stimulation
intramuscular buffer that neu- you’ll get in any one set. Beta-
tralizes the effects of the higher alanine makes that pain zone
muscle acidity produced dur- more bearable—or at least
ing anaerobic metabolism. more accessible—and every
Researchers examined the all-out set becomes more ana-
combined effects of creatine bolic. So when you combine
and beta-alanine on strength, beta-alanine with creatine’s
power, body composition and ATP-boosting power, you’ve
hormone changes in strength got a super muscle-building
and power athletes during a 10- smart bomb!
week weight-training program. Muscle biopsies have
Hormones tested included revealed that the biggest
testosterone, growth hormone, bodybuilders have loads of
IGF-1 and sex-hormone-bind- carnosine in their muscles.
ing globulin, which is bound (Remember, beta-alanine
to testosterone and estrogen in converts to carnosine, which
the blood. accumulates in muscle tis-
Thirty-three male athletes sue.) Scientists surmise that
were randomly assigned to one because they do so many pain-
of three groups: zone sets, the biggest body-
1) Placebo (P) builders adapt to that training
2) Creatine only (C) by stockpiling carnosine, so
3) Creatine and beta-alanine they continue the adaptation
(CBA) process—they get bigger and
The CBA group gained more stronger. If your body is ineffi-
lean mass and lost more body- cient at that process or doesn’t
fat than the P and C groups. have the raw materials to
The CBA group also gained make it happen—or you lack
greater strength than the other the pain tolerance to force that
two groups, as measured by adaptation—your gains will be
maximum squat and bench much slower. Taking beta-ala-
press lifts. The creatine-only nine solves the problem and
group had the only hormonal gets you there much faster—it
change—an increase in resting automatically increases mus-
testosterone levels. cle carnosine, giving you the
This preliminary study ability to blast the muscle into
shows that creatine and beta- the growth zone more often.
alanine appear to work to-
gether in promoting gains in
Model: Sagi Kalev
1 Hoffman, J., et al. (2006).

muscle strength and a loss of Effect of creatine and B-
bodyfat. alanine supplementation on
And let’s not forget the lean- performance and endocrine
mass increase. Beta-alanine responses in strength/power
enables you to keep pushing athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
past nervous system failure, 38:S126. IM
extend tension time and get

OmarDeckard

How ’06 USA Champ Omar
Deckard Chisels His Chest
by Cory Crow Photography by Michael Neveux
en Affleck was on “The To- Bodybuilding has gone to focus- with pectorals that spread out like
night Show With Jay Leno” ing more on the arms, back and legs sails on a clipper when he hits
recently, discussing his role of late. Not that the top bodybuild- certain poses. Not that his chest
in “Hollywoodland,” a drama ers in the world are lacking chest development was forged over-
about the circumstances surround- mass, but the emphasis on building night—Deckard spent years slowly
ing the death of George Reeves, the a world-class chest has diminished building his physique, a philosophy
actor who played Superman on in favor of freaky back detail (like that he learned at an early age. “I’ve
TV in the 1950s. Normally, an ap- Ronnie Coleman’s) and insane leg never been in a rush,” he says. “I just
pearance by Affleck on any show development (Jay Cutler’s, Branch want to see what I can do.”
wouldn’t make the pages of IRON Warren’s). It’s been a long, gradual ascent to
MAN. This is a guy who used chest Enter Omar Deckard, the ’06 NPC pro status for Omar. How long? Try
padding when he played Daredevil USA Superheavyweight and Overall 13 years of working, improving and
rather than hitting the gym to build champion and new IFBB pro. Omar growing until he was rewarded with
his own muscle, but one comment is a throwback to the old days, a a pro card at the age of 33. The road
he made stood out: “Back then the bodybuilder with a superior chest wasn’t linear either. Omar started
action stars walked around with who’s had to work hard to bring his NPC career in 2000, finishing
their chests puffed out in a way that up other bodyparts to match it. As second in the superheavyweight
was almost larger than life.” While a young lifter, Omar was a chest class at the California Champion-
watching old films and news clips to and biceps devotee. His early days ships and winning the overall at the
prepare for the role, Affleck had real- were spent under his dad’s tutelage, Los Angeles Championships. His
ized how pervasive the notion was doing bench presses and other basic first national-level appearance came
that being barrel-chested was the lifts, and his chest routine is the at the ’00 USA, where he placed a
masculine ideal. Bodybuilding his- result of years of training and refine- respectable ninth.
tory is full of images of Arnold, Steve ment. For Deckard, 2001 was a forget-
Reeves, John Grimek, Eugen Sandow When you see Omar for the first table year, with no placings listed
and even a young Joe Weider hitting time in a bodybuilding lineup, on his page at MuscleMemory.com,
a side-chest shot with their chests you’re struck by his sheer size. Omar a virtual encyclopedia of contest
protruding. is a big man, he’s barrel-chested, results. His sole competition was the

GrowingSteady
Omar Deckard’s Bench presses

(warmup)
Training Split 135 x 2 x 30-50
Omar uses a three-on/ (hybrid sets,
one-off split; however, de- prepping for
pending on how his body work sets)
feels, he may occasionally 225 x 2 x 12-15
take a second day off to (work set) 405 x 1 x 10-12
ensure complete recovery. (heavy work set,
Nevertheless, he always usually to failure
takes the two days off in 500 x 1 x 6-8
succession—never break- Dumbbell presses
ing up the three-day stretch 120s x 3 x 6-8
of workout days (barring Cable crossovers
illness): 3 x 10-15
Day 1: Hamstrings,
calves (a.m.); shoulders
(p.m.)
Step 1
Day 2: Quads (a.m.);
chest, biceps (p.m.) Protect the Joints
Day 3: Traps, triceps When a tall bodybuilder lifts
(a.m.); back (p.m.) heavy, his joints can get a lot of
Day 4: Off stress. Omar is very conscious of
that and devotes his first two sets
Day 5: Cycle begins again to warming up. He performs the
two sets of 30 to 50 reps at a rapid
Comstock
—C.C.
pace to get his body moving and
ensure that a maximum volume
of blood is transported to the
(continued from page 137) USA, which As with the rest of his career, muscles and joints.
was held in Las Vegas. He rode a however, turning pro didn’t come How important is the warmup?
Greyhound bus to get there and had without a struggle. Due to economic Omar will tell you that it’s para-
enough money for a hotel room, a downturns, Omar’s father was forced mount to having a successful
small amount of food and not much to close his fast-food restaurant workout. “You can’t neglect your
else. He didn’t make the top 15. during Omar’s prep period, but his joints or you risk serious in-
That experience led him to seek family—and especially his girlfriend jury down the road,” he explains.
the advice of Larry Pepe, whom he Heidi—circled the wagons to give “Don’t take shortcuts; gains come
credits with giving him the nutrition- him the support he needed to come with time and patience.”
al foundation he needed to get to the into the show in his best condition And don’t neglect stretching oc-
pros. Omar bounced back in 2002 by to date. casionally between sets. One thing
winning the superheavy class at the After six years of work Deckard is he feels bodybuilders overlook is
Cal and placing fourth at the USA. refocusing his training for his profes- their flexibility, especially as they
The next four years saw him contin- sional debut, which he’ll make in get bigger: “You will need that flex-
ue to improve, never finishing lower Pasadena, California, in February at ibility later on, for posing and just
than fifth at the USA and Nationals the season-opening ’07 IRON MAN for life in general.”
(minus a speed bump in 2003, when Pro. To take that next step up, he’ll be Don’t forget the pump either.
a tired and depleted Deckard took refining his already complete phy- Omar is certain to get a good,
seventh at the latter). The pattern sique and adding about five pounds deep pump when he trains chest.
continued till 2005, when Omar of quality mass to his 6’1’’ frame. You can start with any exercise,
came excruciatingly close to turning Oddly enough, Omar feels that his but he has good reason for stick-
pro by taking second in his class at physique was flat at the USA—where ing with the basic bench press
the IFBB North Americans and third he weighed in at 258—and that he on chest day: his dad. “My father
at the NPC Nationals. can ideally tip the scales at 265 to 270 always told me to start with the
In 2006 Omar put it all together, in Pasadena. In order to reach that heavy, compound movements be-
and last summer he finally got the weight, he’ll use the tried-and-true cause the beginning is when you
pro card he’d been working for, chest routine that he fashioned in are strongest and can lift the most
besting a game Leo Ingram in the his youth following advice Arnold weight.” The first exercise may
superheavyweights and outmassing Schwarzenegger gives in his Encyclo- vary from incline to flat bench,
a ripped Mike Ergas in the battle for pedia of Modern Bodybuilding and by but the routine is always true to
the overall (Ergas got the second pro studying the ultimate bodybuilding his father’s advice—always built
card). movie, “Pumping Iron.” around a form of the bench press.

GrowingSteady
Hybrid sets gradually

prepare the joints for a
heavy load and further
engorge the muscle with
nutrients.
Step 2
Work Up to the
Heavy Stuff
Omar’s in no hurry to get to the
heavy sets. The next two bench
press sets are designed as a bridge
from the warmup to his heavy work-
ing sets. He calls them “hybrid” sets,
and their purpose is to gradually
prepare the joints for a heavy load
and to further engorge the muscles
with nutrients via increased blood
flow into the target muscle. If you
were thinking that two sets of 15 at
225 burns, you’d be right. Near the
end of those sets Omar is ready to
begin reducing reps and moving
heavy weight to really exhaust the
muscle, pushing it to grow.
If you’re reading this and are
thinking that the reps are high at
this point, you’d also be right. Time
has proven that high rep counts are
the key to keeping Deckard’s body
improving. Omar is all about blood
volume training and moving a lot of
weight.

GrowingSteady
“Form comes first,
and then once you
get the form down,
the strength will
come.”
Step 3
Form Follows Function
Heavy benching has become almost
a rite of passage for lifters. Too often
you see novice (and advanced) trainees
use poor form to lift too much weight
in the name of ego. To Omar’s mind
that’s a bad thing.
“I see hundreds of mistakes,
but the most common is arching
the back and lifting too much
weight. Arching your back
won’t do anything for you.”
Omar is also dismayed
when he sees people trying
to lift too much weight.
His theory about that
makes sense, as does
his argument against
it: “The bench press is
the ego-buster of the
gym. If people can’t lift
a lot of weight, they’re
called out. That’s
not right because
the bench press
is just one lift.” As
he likes to remind
bodybuilders, “Form
comes first, and
then once you get
the form down, the
strength will come.”
Because he’s so
concerned with
form, Omar doesn’t
lift nearly as much
weight on his heavy
sets as he did in his
younger days. Another reason for his
decrease in pounds (if you consider
500 pounds for reps to be a decrease)
is that he likes to stay leaner during the
off-season now than he did before. Not
only does he feel better, but he believes
that being lean improves his body’s
anabolic condition, giving him more
efficient muscle growth. Considering
that early in his career he didn’t always
have the resources to eat right, effi-
ciency is very important to his muscle-
building philosophy.
If Omar had his way,
he’d encourage all
gyms to at least
think about catering
to the hardcore
audience.
Step 4
Hit It Again
At this point Omar’s chest is
sufficiently pumped, and the burn
he’s getting is deep and intense. His
next sets are designed to increase
fiber recruitment and further
stimulate the pectoral muscles. The
key to the dumbbell press is to get
the heaviest set of dumbbells that
you can control for three sets of six
to eight reps. For Omar that’s easier
said than done. Like most of us he
works out at a big chain gym. Un-
like most of us he has trouble find-
ing a pair heavy enough. It seems
that some insurance policies won’t
allow gyms to stock dumbbells that
weigh more than 125 pounds.
Omar makes do. “I’m pretty
easygoing,” he says with a laugh.
“I just make do with what I have
and go from there.” If he could,
however, he’d encourage all gyms
to at least think about catering to
the hardcore audience. There are
quite a few trainees out there who
are looking for heavier weights to
lift, he says.

GrowingSteady He says he wants to
be someone like Lee
Haney, who was great
not only at bodybuilding
the activity but also at
bodybuilding the tool
for helping
others.
Deckard knows that bodybuild- wondering if he could go on—Omar

Step 5 ing takes time. He also knows that a feels that it’s all been worth it. He
Finish It Off lot of people don’t know that. Now likes where he is and hopes to
that he’s a pro, one of his goals is to perform well enough in the profes-
By the time he reaches the final educate the public on the lifelong sional ranks to grab the attention
exercise, Deckard’s chest has had dedication that most bodybuilders of a sponsor, which would give him
enough heavy pushing. That’s why display. even more freedom and opportu-
he does cable crossovers as a finish- “People don’t see the hard work nity to spread a positive message
ing move, to work on detail. The and the dedication; they only see about bodybuilding.
weight can fluctuate wildly based the negative stuff. I want to show At the IRON MAN Pro in Febru-
on how he feels. The last exercise them the positive, the time and con- ary the IFBB will welcome a new
not only changes the movement on sistency that bodybuilding requires. group of competitors to the pro
the muscle (pulling vs. pushing) but Bodybuilding is a personal journey, stage. At least one of them will have
also gives him one last chance to but the more you learn about it, the been preparing for that day for a
infuse the muscle group with more easier it is to take it for granted.” very long time. Omar Deckard will
blood. Omar hopes that he never takes be ready, and it’s guaranteed that
One thing he advises lifters not for granted the fans, who are “the he’ll have one of the best chests
to overlook is the importance of best,” he says, and he wants to be onstage.
changing things up in a routine. He someone like Lee Haney, who was
alternates flat-bench and incline- great not only at bodybuilding the Editor’s note: Omar Deckard
bench presses and swaps out cable activity but also at bodybuilding the is an IFBB pro based in Califor-
crossovers for pec deck flyes. By tool for helping others. nia. To contact him for personal
continually altering his workout to Despite all of the difficulties he appearances, guest posings and
hit the muscle from different angles, experienced in getting this far—the sponsorship inquiries write to
he ensures that his growth is steady. bus rides, the bad nutrition, the omardeckard2@yahoo.com. IM

HEAVY The
Wisdom
Of
Mike
Mentzer
by John Little
Anti-Aerobics? cardiovascular health. He did
Q
: I heard from a friend not, however, believe that low-
who is a bodybuilding intensity exercise of the kind
historian of sorts performed on a daily basis in
that Mike Mentzer fitness centers all over North
was against aerobics. Is that America was either the best or
true—and if so, why? safest way to achieve a healthy
aerobic system. Focusing on such
A: Your friend is only partially exercise actually prevents you
right; Mike believed that aerobic from attaining a more important
health was important. During
Balik \ Model: Mike Mentzer
goal—total fitness. Mike’s

the early 1970s he worked in a clinical work suggested that
cardiology clinic in Maryland, properly executed high-intensity-
where he and the resident M.D. resistance exercise provides all
developed a strength-training of the total fitness benefits you
program that also addressed require. According to Mike:

DUTY

HEAVY DUTY
(continued from page 154) “For well anaerobic endurance, the building There has been
over two decades the American and maintenance of lean body an inordinate
public has been force-fed the mass and a positive self-image. focus on the heart
notion that aerobics is the summum The major point I want to make is alone as the key
bonum, the be-all-and-end-all that only by engaging in a properly to longevity and
of fitness. That highly repetitive, conducted, high-intensity weight- health.
steady-state activities, such as training program can total fitness
jogging, bicycling, spinning, be achieved. Conventional aerobic which increases
Stairmasters, dancing, etc., are the activity, by and large, does nothing the likelihood of
best means of achieving it—none for increasing the strength of the injury. Nor does
of which is true. Aerobic condition body’s many skeletal muscles. conventional aerobic
is only one element of a broader In fact, by grossly overtraining exercise improve flexibility,
concept: total fitness. certain muscles to the exclusion of anaerobic endurance or lean mass.
“Total fitness comprises several working others at all, aerobic work Further, the overtraining that many
elements, including skeletal muscle can create dangerous imbalances aerobic obsessives engage in makes
strength, flexibility, aerobic and in the skeletal-muscle system, them sacrifice lean mass—known as
overuse atrophy—and lose muscle
tone, causing their appearance to
deteriorate. Thus they look flabby.”
It should also be pointed out that
conventional aerobic exercise—
being a low-intensity activity—
activates so few muscle fibers that
it burns very few calories. So it’s a
very poor way to lose fat. As Mike
pointed out years ago:
“You may be interested to know
that one pound of fat will fuel at
least 10 to 12 hours of steady-state
aerobic activity. The reason many
IFBB champs do extensive aerobics
is that they believe it will help them
get more defined. That simply is
not the case. None of the top IFBB
champs has the slightest clue as to
how to properly conduct his training
efforts; he merely follows the herd.
In every case the extremely defined
look is due to the use of a wide
range of dangerous drugs, many of
which boost the metabolism and aid
in fat burning.”
Over the past 25 years there
has been an inordinate focus
on the heart alone as the key to
longevity and health. However, it
must be pointed out that all of the
physiological subsystems—the
“Total fitness heart, lungs, liver, pancreas,
comprises thyroid and skeletal muscles—
several elements, must be properly stressed to
including skeletal achieve improved overall organic
muscle strength, functioning. Exercise science has
flexibility, aerobic been myopic over the past decades
and anaerobic in that regard, and it was Mike’s
endurance, the sincere desire to change that
building and perspective on the topic and thereby
Neveux \ Model: Jose Raymond
maintenance of expand the scope of investigation in

lean body mass exercise science.
and a positive self- Mike would have been delighted
image.” (though not surprised) at the
results of a hugely significant study
that was performed at McMaster

Have Your
University (my alma mater, by
the way) and reported in the June
Mike often commented on
the 1975 exercise-science study
Competition
2005 issue of the Journal of Applied
Physiology. Martin Gibala, Ph.D.,
funded by Nautilus Sports/Medical
Industries. Conducted at the
Color All Year Long!
an associate professor in the United States Military Academy,
Department of Kinesiology at the it was overseen by Colonel James
university, summed up the study Anderson. Its purpose was to Bronze
for me: identify the consequences—good
“Short bouts of very intense or bad—of a short-duration,
exercise improved muscle health high-intensity-training program.
and performance comparable Questions included how much
to several weeks of traditional skeletal-muscle strength can be
endurance training.” achieved from intense but brief
Bronzer
The research found that workouts and how strength training
performing repeated bouts of affects an individual’s degree
high-intensity sprint-type exercise of cardiovascular fitness and
resulted in profound changes in flexibility. As Mike described it:
skeletal muscle and endurance “The study involved 18 varsity Bronzest
capacity. Formerly, it was thought football players who trained all of
that results like that required their major muscle groups with
hours of exercise each week. There 10 different strength exercises
were 16 participants: eight who for one set to failure three times How Bronze Do You
performed a two-week sprint- a week for eight weeks. An
interval program and eight who extensive battery of tests and Want To Be?
did no exercise. The workouts measurements was administered
consisted of between four and to the subjects after two weeks California Glow will help you keep
seven 30-second bursts of “all-out” of training and at the conclusion that golden-bronze competition color
cycling followed by four minutes of the eight-week project. As Dr.
all year long. Add California Glow into
of recovery. They were performed James Peterson wrote in his report
three times a week for two weeks. of the experiment, ‘The pre-study your daily supplements. UV or Sunlight
The researchers found that testing was not scheduled until not required.
endurance capacity in the sprint after two weeks of training to
group increased on average from
26 minutes to 51 minutes, whereas
minimize the learning effect on
individual performance.’ The
California Glow is...
the control group showed no results? After only six weeks of • Safe for use with or without
change. The muscles of the trained training, the 18 subjects increased tanning beds or sunlight
group also showed a significant the amount of resistance used in
increase in citrate • Most potent formula on the
synthase, an enzyme
market
that varies with “The overtraining • Free of harmful side-effects
the tissue’s ability that many aerobic
obsessives engage • 100% natural
to utilize oxygen.
Indeed, the subjects in makes them • 100% non-toxic
in the sprint group sacrifice lean BUY
doubled their mass.” GET 13
cardiovascular FREE
endurance. The
control and the
other trained group
(who cycled for
90 minutes, three
times a week) did
not. “This type of
training is very
demanding,” said
Gibala, “and requires
a high level of
Neveux \ Model: Robert Sager
motivation; however,
less frequent, higher
intensity exercise
can indeed lead to
improvements in
health and fitness.”
Results in Just 10 Days!
www.GoldBronzeLook.com
HEAVY DUTY
their 10 exercises by an average (or more) a day to develop only Mentzer Way and the newest book,
of 58.54 percent. And, despite your cardiovascular system, or The Wisdom of Mike Mentzer, all of
such a tremendous increase in you can train (as in the McMaster which are available from Mentzer’s
strength—and the associated study and Mike Mentzer’s official Web site, www.MikeMentzer
increase in overall physiological suggested workouts) for about .com.
stress that attended—the duration six minutes a week and double John Little is available for phone
of their workouts decreased by your cardiovascular endurance consultation on Mike Mentzer’s
nine minutes! while simultaneously increasing Heavy Duty training system. For
“As a measure of the functional your strength, flexibility, lean rates and information, contact
application of intense, short- composition and total fitness Joanne Sharkey at (310) 316-4519
duration strength training, the levels. The choice is yours. or at www.MikeMentzer.com, or
actual subjects and a control group see the ad on the opposite page.
(who didn’t train at all or did so Editor’s note: For a complete Article copyright © 2006, John
on their own) were administered presentation of Mike Mentzer’s Little. All rights reserved. Mike Ment-
three items—a two-mile run, a 40- Heavy Duty training system, zer quotations provided courtesy
yard dash and vertical jump. With consult his books Heavy Duty II, of Joanne Sharkey and used with
the two-mile run the actual test High Intensity Training the Mike permission. IM
subjects’ improvement was
4.32 times greater than the
control groups. It was 4.57
times greater in the 40-yard
dash, and close to two times
greater in the vertical jump.
“What about cardiovascu-
lar improvement? While con-
ventional strength-training
practices have precluded
cardiovascular improvement
owing to the long, arbitrary
rest periods between sets—
which prevents maintenance
of an elevated pulse rate—in
the study the subjects were
trained so as to keep the rest
periods as brief as possible,
eventually down to a few
seconds. On none of the 60 “The major point I
indices used to evaluate the want to make is that
effects of the training on only by engaging in a
cardiovascular function was properly conducted,
the control better on the high-intensity weight-
final testing than the actual training program
subjects. can total fitness be
“Those supervising achieved.”
Project Total Conditioning
were keenly aware of the
importance of flexibility
in human performance
and used four measures
here: trunk flexion, trunk
extension, shoulder flexion
and shoulder extension.
The subjects achieved a
much higher degree of
improvement than did the
control group. In fact, they
averaged an 11 percent
Neveux \ Model: Daryl Gee
increase in flexibility, while

the control group members
averaged less than a 1
percent increase (.85).”
So there you have it:
You can train 45 minutes

X
--FILES
FILES
Missing Link To Major Muscle
by Steve Holman and Jonathan Lawson • Photography by Michael Neveux
In our new e-book, 3D Muscle Build- mass stimulation from every set—a best results in size and strength
ing, we look at the Colorado Experi- forgotten anabolic accelerator you from one set, they must train to
ment, which took place in 1973, and can try at your very next workout. failure and then—and this is a major
at some of the reasons Casey Viator Arthur Jones, the creator of Nau- point—move the resistance as far as
was able to pack on more than 60 tilus machines, is considered the possible and hold it for an isometric
pounds of muscle in four weeks. father of high-intensity training, contraction to failure.
(Yes, he was severely depleted when and he also organized the Colorado That hold at the sticking point
he started, not to mention his su- Experiment. He often said that one creates a lot of anabolic power, but
perman genetics, but it’s still a phe- all-out set for a muscle is enough most people using high-intensity
Model: Binais Begovic
nomenal accomplishment.) We say to trigger muscle growth, and that’s training back in Nautilus’ heyday
that, in addition to training the full what he had Casey do—on about 12 never did it and rarely do it today.
arc of flexion of his largest muscles, exercises, mostly on Nautilus ma- (Could that forgotten element be
like his lats, there was a small detail chines, at every workout, but.… one of the big reasons HIT hasn’t
Viator used that As we’ve explained in IRON MAN lived up to its hype?) There’s no
may have and at our Web site, X-Rep.com, the doubt that Jones had Casey do it on
helped nervous system craps out before every exercise because he knew it
him get you can activate a lot of fast-twitch would trigger the most mass stimu-
more growth fibers. It’s the reason one lation from one all-out set. It’s a big
positive-failure set doesn’t build key to making shorter workouts
much muscle size for most people, much more effective.
unless they have extraordinary neu- We’ve taken Jones’ suggestion
romuscular efficiency and loads of to the next level with X Reps. We’ve
fast-twitch fibers—like Casey. found that doing short pulsing ac-
Did Jones know about the ner- tions at the end of a set is much
vous system roadblock? Possibly. It better than using a static hold, as
may be why he often told trainees muscles are used to priming op-
who were using low-volume, high- timal fiber activation with move-
intensity workouts that to get the ment. In other (continued on page 168)

Casey Viator
gained 60 pounds tion—the max-force point we call the
of muscle in X spot.
four weeks in It’s excellent news, especially for
1973 during those times when partial pulses
the Colorado aren’t possible. In some cases, even
Experiment. when X Reps are possible, a static
hold may be better for specific mass-
ing Power week of building effects—like at the key
our new Power/Rep stretch point on stretch-position
Range/Shock program, exercises.
when we do almost all A static hold on stretch-position
exercises in the four- exercises, like flyes for pecs, may be
Photos courtesy of Arthur Jones
to-six-rep range (see extremely important in triggering

Train, Eat, Grow on mass increases if you execute it at, or
page 60 for more on very close to, full elongation. In our
P/RR/S). As our ner- e-books we discuss an animal study
vous systems crap out that produced a 300 percent mass
even earlier when we increase after only one month of
use extremely heavy stretch overload, an amazing gain. It
BEFORE AFTER poundages, however, happened when researchers merely
it’s impossible to do hung a weight on a bird’s wing so
(continued from page 165) words, to X Reps on some ex- that it was stretched against resis-
keep the max number of fast-twitch ercises. For example, on overhead tance—and increased the resistance
fibers engaged, do short partials presses we often do a Static X at the progressively throughout the study.
instead of an isometric contraction. semi-stretched point at the end of a As for real-world gym applica-
Nevertheless, on some exercises set instead of X Reps. tions, we’ve discussed Jay Cutler’s
you can’t pulse—and in those cases Now we see that science con- method of double-clutching at the
we suggest you use a Static X, or a firmed years ago that a static con- stretch or semi-stretch position on
hold at the semi-stretched X spot traction at the semistretched point many exercises—we call it Double-
for five to eight seconds, as Jones works big time: In a study that
recommended. We’ve found that appeared in the Journal of Ap- Jay Cutler does a lot of
technique especially effective dur- plied Physiology (64[4]; 1988), stretch- and semi-stretch-point
three groups of men holds during his workouts.
did static holds during
If it’s not possible to do end-of-set workouts over a five-
X Reps, you can substitute a static week period:
hold at the X Spot to extend the •Group 1 trained their
set and enhance fiber recruitment. biceps with a static hold
at 25 degrees (0 degrees
is full extension, so 25
degrees would be the X
spot).
•Group 2 trained their
biceps with a static hold
at 80 degrees (almost
halfway up).
•Group 3 trained their
biceps with a static hold
at 120 degrees (near full
contraction).
All subjects experi-
enced some strength
increases throughout
the range of motion—
not just in the position
Dobbins \ www.BillDobbins.com
trained with a static

hold; however—and this
Model: Jonathan Lawson
is important—group
1 had the greatest in-
crease. That’s the group
that did the Static X at
the semistretched posi-

You Can Get
X Overload. Sometimes, however, the target muscle—for as long as
he just uses a hold in the stretch
position for a few seconds between
possible.
You can see the common thread
Bigger,
reps. Considering his volume—the
number of sets he does per body-
from Jones to Dante to our stretch/
pause technique—Static X: A static
Stronger
part—that overload adds up. Could
the cumulative stress of the muscle
stretch at a muscle’s fully elongated
point of flexion has been linked to
and Leaner
stretch be the key stimulus to trig- everything from fascial loosening Faster Than Ever
gering fiber splitting, as evidenced (which can allow unbridled muscle Before!
by the bird study we mentioned growth) to hyperplasia (fiber split-
above? ting) to anabolic hormone surges You don’t have to burn hard-earned muscle
Dante, the creator of DoggCrapp (testosterone and growth hormone) as you melt away fat. Now you can actually
build more muscle size and strength as your
training, a multirep rest/pause to better neuromuscular efficiency abs get razor sharp and you get ripped.
technique we discuss in 3D Muscle (nerve-to-muscle connections). It That’s the attention-grabbing look you want
Building, recommends stretch work now, and the new Fat to Muscle 2 shows you
may have been all of the above that how. You’ll discover:
at the end of DC bodypart work- triggered the 300 percent muscle
outs. He says that it’s necessary for increase in the animal study and ac- •eatPrecise nutrition guidelines and diets—
to max out your muscle mass as pounds
fascial stretching. The fascia are celerated Viator’s mass gains in the of ugly bodyfat disappear. (Learn the Carb-
sheaths that encase muscle fibers, Colorado Experiment. So is stretch Stacking strategy that can transform mus-
cle size and stoke the fat-burning furnace.)
constricting bundles of fibers, and overload important to fulfilling your
can restrict muscle growth. The size potential? You bet!
• Which substance—found in almost any
kitchen—is the ultimate aid for energy,
theory is that if you loosen them up, Obviously, taking the time to better muscular response and fat burning.
you can unleash extraordinary size stretch a muscle after you train it • How dairy can help you burn fat—
yogurt, cheese and milk can get you leaner.
increases. takes, well, time. That’s why we’ve • How to increase fat use with a minimum of
In the late 1990s we got excel- gone back to using the end-of-set aerobic exercise, and why aerobics may be
a waste of time for a lean, muscular look.
lent gains with something we called Static X, or stretch/pause, on most
stretch/pause, which is, now that stretch-position exercises during • The amazing direct/indirect Fat-to-
Muscle 2 training program—with this
we think about it, a Static X. It’s our bodypart workouts (we train on innovative routine it appears as if you train a
bodypart only once a week, but you really
a hold at the stretch point at the our lunch hour, so we don’t have a train each twice thanks to indirect work (and
end of a stretch-position exercise, lot of extra time). On most stretch- each workout takes less than an hour).
like donkey calf raises. You do a set position exercises—a good example • The 8 key nutrients for faster fat burn-
ing, including how much to take of each.
to exhaustion and then hold the is incline curls for biceps—it’s dif-
stretch—with extreme tension on ficult to do X-Rep partial pulses and • Top 6 fat-to-muscle tricks. (Great info!)
for many trainees impos- • The 10 rules for super energy.

The secrets to melting away bodyfat as you
Stretch-position sible. So a better mass- build lean, ripped muscle
stimulating strategy is to are all packed in this IRONMAN
Magazine’
exercises are bulletin—eating plans, BULLETIN

#5
s
painful, but the do a Static X, a hold at or workout routines, FAT TO

very near the point of full metabolism-accelera-
results are worth
stretch, at the end of a set tion techniques and the
best fat-to-muscle
MUSCLE
the excruciating 2
of full-range reps. nutrients. Stop dieting
effort. If you’re after some new away muscle—pack
Pack On Le
As You Shed Mass
an
Bodyfat
on more as you burn Includes carb
-sta
size and strength, give the fat, and look your
diets, grow cking and carb-reducti
fat-burning th hormone activatio
wor
and the 10 kouts and supplements
n,
on
Rules for Sup

Static X technique a try on hard, muscular best er Energy
in record time!
the last set of each of your
stretch-position exercises.
It could be another one Just $9.95
of those minor details plus $6.50 postage & handling ($15 outside North
America) (California residents add 8.25% sales tax)
that ignites major muscle
Credit card orders call
growth—as in pounds
of muscle in only a few 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS
weeks!
YES! I want to transform my physique. Rush
me IRONMAN’s Fat to Muscle 2.
Editor’s note: For
more on the X-Rep mass- ......................................................
Model: Tomm Voss
Rush my
building method, visit copy to: .....................................................
www.X-Rep.com. For ....................................................
new information on 3D Enclose check or money order for $9.95 plus $6.50
shipping payable to: Home GYM Warehouse,
Positions-of-Flexion 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033.
training and the 20- Credit card orders call TOLL FREE
Pounds-of-Muscle-in- 1-800-447-0008, offer ITS
CA residents add 8.25% sales tax. Foreign orders
10-Weeks program, visit (except Canada) add $15 shipping. Payment in
www.3DMuscle U.S. dollars drawn on U.S. banks only.
Building.com. IM

Muscle Medicine
Doug McGuff, M.D., Discusses
High-Intensity-Training Dose/Response
for Muscle and Strength - Part 2
by John Little
I
n Part 1 Dr. McGuff explained DM: Well, in the study they impressive workout I’d ever been
his beliefs regarding short, essentially took groups of subjects through in my life. The guy just
high-intensity workouts and who were training three days a week hammered me. At that point I had
how one five-set workout every and two days a week and looked at managed to push my training out to
seven to 14 days can increase size their rates of progress. The three- every fourth or fifth day.
and strength. The conversation times-a-week trainees went down He said, “You know, I remember
continues. to training two times a week, and talking with Rob Seraino some time
the two-times-a-week trainees cut ago, and when we look back on our
back to training once a week. When records, the best progress we ever
JL: In your video you that happened, their progress— made was when we were training
measured on an absolute basis per once a week.” I told him that when I
cited two studies that unit of time—improved. There have got back, I’d give it a try.
been other, similar studies. The The first time I took seven days
support the validity of trainees decrease their frequency off, going back to the gym was a
and actually do better in a lot of completely different experience:
once-a-week training. cases—particularly the elderly. Even The weight that I’d selected for
in younger subjects that’s borne out. myself that had previously been
Tell me about that and As far as my training is very challenging and right at the
concerned, it was Mike Mentzer’s edge of my capabilities felt light. I
about how you fought writings that influenced me. He actually had to check the resistance
had a kind of “Eureka!” moment, to make sure it was right. I got more
the idea of training came back into the fray and started repetitions with it than I had on the
training clients. That’s when he previous workout by a long shot.
once a week until you argued for decreasing training Reaching “failure” wasn’t like it had
Neveux \ Model: Daryl Gee
frequency, and I finally just decided been previously. It was the sort of
did it—and then went to bite the bullet and wait a whole thing where you were creeping up
week and see what happened. At on failure and thought you were
on to make the best about the same time I’d visited going to fail on a rep, but you’d eke
Greg Anderson in Seattle. He put it out. Then you’d start your next
gains of your life. me through a workout that was rep and think, “Surely I’m going to
five sets—total. It was the most bite the dust on this one,” but you’d

”Muscle is hard to
acquire because
it’s a metabolically
expensive tissue,
and we evolved
as a creature that
can’t afford high
levels of metabolic
expense.“
Neveux \ Model: Darrell Terrell

manage to gut it out. You’d think, disruption of being a full-time night
“Okay, I’m not going to make it this instances even worker and having four small chil-
time,” and you’d barely eke it out. dren. You’ve got to look at what else
Finally, on the fourth one, you’d bite more time might be is going on in the person’s life and
the dust. plug in the right recovery equation.
So you had a very gradual reach- required?
ing of muscular failure, whereas JL: When you look
previously muscular failure had DM: Absolutely. With certain
been just like running into a brick clients we’ve found that we have at it in that context,
wall. It would be just like a boot to look at the total context of their
dropping—Bam!—and you were life—the ones with significantly high-intensity training
done. stressful lifestyles especially.
I think when I trained more In my practice I had a partner is really a different
often, whole sets of fast-twitch who worked full-time nights and
motor units hadn’t reached recov- had four children. We fell into this species of exercise—
ery, so when I had to recruit those pattern where we thought, “Well,
motor units, they just weren’t there. training once a week is good for as opposed to, say,
When I laid off the full seven days, everyone.” What we found, though,
they were there again. was that the guy would not prog- walking, golf, jogging
ress; he could not make a strength
improvement unless we waited. We and so on.
JL: Haven’t you kept pushing it out until we found
that for him training every 12th day DM: Context is everything. From
found that in some worked best, given the circadian an evolutionary standpoint, how

often is the organism going to con- probably don’t need that perfect
front that level of intensity? It just a stimulus to get an adequate re-
can’t be that much. If you’re a hunt- sponse. The problem is that a lot
er-gatherer, you’re going to have a of times we want our bodies to
big kill every once in a while—going respond like the body of someone
to that level of fatigue—but then who has a completely different
you’re going to have an adequate genetic makeup.
respite because you’re not hunting
again until the opportunity pres- JL: True. I was
ents itself.
Keep context in mind when impressed with
you’re thinking about what you’re
doing. For bodybuilders who are another study that
trying to get bigger, much neurosis
is involved, and that neurosis is you cited in your book
exploited for commercial purposes.
Within reason, all the hair split- that had been done on
ting over training theories is prob-
ably unnecessary because, from quail that gained huge
the organism’s standpoint, if the
stimulus had to be that perfect for amounts of muscle
muscle growth to occur, it wouldn’t
have any survival benefit. The fact mass. You calibrated
that we’re all here means that we
“The problem
is that a lot of
times we want
our bodies
to respond
like the body
of someone
Neveux \ Model: Jeff Dwelle
who has a
completely
different genetic
makeup.”
Powerful Muscle Medicine - Part 2
the every-two-days that they basically go lenge will arise less often.
training frequency out once every week or

JL: Why is the
of quail to human two, exert themselves
muscle-building
metabolism, which 100 percent to fight
process so damned
might mean that you for territory or to
slow?
train only once every chase down and eat
20 days. prey, and then sleep up DM: Well, because we evolved in
an environment of food scarcity. I
to 20 hours a day for don’t know how many of your read-
DM: Over time those issues will ers have done survival training in
be settled biochemically, based on another week or two. the military, but I have. In the natu-
information about your genetic ral environment, as we evolved,
makeup. That and certain chemi- getting food was damned hard.
cal messengers are going to be able DM: There’s an extension to that You had to expend a lot of energy
to tell you when it’s time to train argument. As the lion becomes to acquire it, and its calorie density
again—rather than relying on your bigger and stronger and more domi- was quite low.
neurotic urges to return to the gym. nant, it’s going to have to fight less Muscle is very important for sur-
frequently. As you become more vival. If you can’t move—that is, if
dominant, you’re going to be chal- you don’t have adequate muscle or
JL: Arthur Jones used lenged less often, but when you are can’t move efficiently and effective-
challenged, it’s going to be by some- ly, you can’t get food and can’t keep
to study lions in the one who thinks he has a chance. from becoming food. So muscle
So the intensity of that challenge is very important. Above a certain
wild and commented is going to get higher, but the chal- level of musculature, however, the
“If you reintroduce a

stimulus [training] to the
organism before it has
Neveux \ Model: Tommi Thorvildsen
a chance to make its

adaptive response [muscle
growth], you interfere with
its ability to make that
adaptive response.”
All of those things lend the organ-

ism the resources that will enable
its adaptive response. Remember,
we’re asking the body to invest in
a tissue it considers metabolically
expensive. The body perceives sleep,
water, food and security as more
immediately necessary, so if any of
them are unaddressed, production
of metabolically expensive tissue
will be held back. Never underesti-
mate the power of paying attention
to the basics in terms of recovery.
JL: Given your

medical background,
you might have a
keener insight into
this than most of us.
Why is there such
a broad range of
exercise tolerance
and recovery ability
among individuals?
Our species’
musculoskeletal
returns quickly diminish. Muscle is DM: Very basic things actually, system is pretty
hard to acquire because it’s a meta- such as getting adequate sleep.
bolically expensive tissue, and we Being adequately hydrated is also standard.
evolved as creatures that can’t afford very important. Drought always
high levels of metabolic expense. precedes famine in an evolutionary
Too much muscle growth places sense, as you see if you watch the DM: Well, I think when you ask
unnecessary metabolic demands on Discovery Channel and look at the that question you have to look at the
the body. So there has to be a really dry season in Africa. Similarly, when nature of evolutionary biology in
good stimulus that tells the body, you become dehydrated, that’s a big general and not from an “intelligent
“Hey, this tissue is necessary, and stressor. It sends an alarm signal to design” standpoint. A single base
it’s worth the metabolic sacrifice to the organism that it is in a low-ener- substitution on a DNA molecule can
have it.” gy environment, and the organism altogether change the expression
will therefore slow its metabolism, of a gene. Single base substitutions
JL: Realistically, is including the metabolic pathways can occur randomly and as a result
necessary to produce muscle of exposure to environmental ele-
there anything you growth. So it’s necessary to get ad- ments, and that creates an organism
equate sleep and hydration. that is basically the same but has a
can do to hasten the You need adequate—but not ex- broad expression of different physi-
cessive—nutrition, because excess cal characteristics and capabilities.
recovery and growth nutrition can stress the body as well. Over time the species as a whole
A generally relaxed state of mind produces adaptive advantages to
processes? is also important, where you’re not enable propagation of that particu-
under any real or perceived threat. lar species.

I was always fond of Arthur ed him for drinking coffee, and he particularly for someone who has
Jones’ saying that “specialization is told him to shut up. His legs were good muscular potential, how little
for insects.” One of the major prob- astounding! Someone asked him, exercise might be actually required
lems with people is that they’re way “What are you doing for your legs? to produce really dramatic results.
too specialized, but from a biologi- What’s your leg workout?” And he We talk a whole lot about the stimu-
cal standpoint, all the variation in said, “Well, I did one set of squats lus side of the equation. What Mike
our metabolic capabilities benefits 30 days ago.” He said, “My quads should be most credited with is re-
the species as a whole. If you’re a have always been very responsive.” ally paying attention to the recovery
hunter-gatherer and you’re moving That really drove home to me, side of the equation as it applies to
in a tribe of 25 to 50 people, two or
three people in your tribe who are
extraordinarily gifted in endurance
and one to two people who are
extraordinarily gifted in strength
contribute overall to the survival of
the entire band. Two people who
are really gifted in endurance can
chase down an animal until it can
be killed. After you’ve killed it, it’s
going to benefit you greatly to have
two people who are more metabol-
ically adapted to dragging it back
to the camp.
We have so many people in the
middle of the bell curve who ad-
mire extremely strong individuals
who are two standard deviations
out to the right. We try to emulate
them to produce results like theirs
“Someone
when it’s just not in the cards for asked [Ray
us. In general, though, that wide Mentzer],
variation of metabolic capabilities
benefits the species as a whole.
‘What are
you doing for
your legs?’
JL: I remember an And he said,
article that you wrote ‘Well, I did
one set of
for Mike Mentzer’s squats 30
Web site. You said days ago.’”
that when you first
saw Ray Mentzer,
he told you that he
hadn’t trained his legs
in one month.
DM: That was in San Antonio

when I was a teenager. Ray Men-
tzer came out to Olympic Gym for
a seminar. He had on a Nautilus T-
shirt and khaki shorts, and he was
standing there with a Styrofoam
cup of black coffee. Someone chid-
Balik

the average person. attention of the

The future, however, is going to DM: There’s a lot going on with
be paying attention to the organ- bodybuilding public that. I’m not sure bringing it up
ism—not by jamming steroids and was a good thing. I created an-
growth hormone into the body but the existence of other opportunity for supplement
by focusing on the molecular level. companies to shake down gullible
An article in the Journal of Applied myostatin and its bodybuilders by producing their
Physiology describes the relation own “myostatin inhibitors”—which,
of Interleukin 15 [IL-15] protein to role in the growth by the way, did not work in any way,
genetic variation in its response to shape or form.
resistance exercise. All sorts of min- process. I don’t believe
ute genetic issues very profoundly
affect what the muscular response anyone in the industry JL: Could you review
to the stimulus is going to be. And
the technology is already present was looking in that the high points of the
and available to enable the organ-
ism to produce a more profound direction until you myostatin story?
response.
came on the scene.
JL: I think that you Myostatin, or GDF8, is a growth
Have there been new and differentiation genetic factor
should get credit that produces a protein that circu-
developments in that lates in the bloodstream and places
for bringing to the a ceiling on muscle growth. I think
area of gene research? it evolved to (continued on page 188)
“The future is
going to be
paying attention
to the organism—
not by jamming
steroids and
growth hormone
into the body
Neveux \ Model: Sagi Kalev
but by focusing
on the molecular
level.”
(continued from page 184) protect were sold to Wyeth Pharmaceuti- presentation of what
the organism from excess muscle cals, which has already done phase
mass because of the metabolic cost one and phase two trials of the exercise is really
issues. It was discovered in cattle, myostatin antibody, called MYO-
a Belgian blue, bred for muscle 029. So far the human trials indicate about. Could you
mass, that had two to three times that it works.
the muscle mass of a normal cow. I think that in the near future explain that concept?
The animal was lacking the gene people may be able to alter the
for GDF8, a negative regulator of organism to such an extent that this
muscle growth. If you’ve ever seen very optimal stimulus can reliably DM: I came up with it when I was
a photo of one of these animals, it produce a very optimal response. I rifling through some of my pharma-
looks like a bovine Dorian Yates. think that’s coming down the pike. cology notes from medical school,
The thing is huge and does not lift and it was basically just discuss-
weights, work out or take supple- ing the process of determining the
ments. It just stands there and eats JL: Your other optimal dose of a medication dur-
grass. ing the development of any drug. It
Researchers at Johns Hopkins contribution to high- boils down to the fact that the med-
University produced a genetic ication is a stimulus. To determine
recipe that deleted the myostatin intensity-exercise the appropriate dose, you need an
gene from mice. Boom! Muscle adequate stimulus. It must be high
mass went up twofold to threefold. science is your dose- in order to increase your chance
The reason that was of scientific of producing a desired response.
interest was that an overexpression response model. Your Optimal dose frequency has to be
of myostatin is thought to contrib- determined too—the largest gap in
ute to certain kinds of muscular essay “The Dose- dose frequency possible so that the
dystrophy. So if you could eliminate medication can be taken at more
excess expression of myostatin, Response Relationship convenient intervals. That meant
somehow you could cure or al- the highest stimulus possible that
leviate certain kinds of muscular of Exercise” seems wouldn’t produce a toxic effect.
dystrophies. The problem was I applied that process to the
that deleting myostatin was an “all to me the single best exercise stimulus in terms of pro-
or nothing” scenario; you either ducing the optimal response. How
had it or completely removed it.
It would be better to just down- “When you become
regulate it somewhat. So instead dehydrated, it sends
of doing genetic manipulations to
try to eliminate myostatin, they
an alarm signal to
decided to make a compound or the organism that it
antibody that binds to the recep- is in a low-energy
tor site on myostatin that prevents environment, and
its expression in the tissue. Rather the organism will
than try to eliminate the gene that therefore slow
produces the protein, they tried to its metabolism,
find something that inhibits the
protein’s expression.
including the
They found a compound called metabolic pathways
fallostatin that did just that and necessary to
were able to clone antibodies to produce muscle
myostatin to bind it. Now you can growth.”
bind the myostatin molecule in a
dose-dependent fashion to ramp
up and ramp down the degree of
muscularity or myostatin expres-
sion that you want. That was a very
important drug development—for
Neveux \ Model: Marvin Montoya
agricultural, veterinary, meat-pro-

duction and medical reasons.
On the medical side the origina-
tors of the whole process created a
company called MetaMorphix Inc.,
which owns the patents to this.
The patents on the human side

it applied to high-intensity strength The greater the exercise stimulus, on the edge of that
training quickly became evident: the more profound it is, the greater
trying to produce a stimulus of the side effects, and the narrower narrow therapeutic
adequate intensity to demand an the therapeutic effect becomes.
adaptive response but push the window and have to
dose interval out long enough to
enable that response to occur in JL: If you’re doing be very careful about
the first place. What was evident in
my pharmacology notes was that if what we would call an the volume of your
you reintroduced a stimulus to the
organism before it had a chance to advanced technique, workout, particularly
make its adaptive response, you’d
interfere with its ability to make such as negative- the frequency of your
that adaptive response. The rele-
vance of that to strength training hit only training, have training sessions?
me like an ax between the eyes.
you made such a
DM: Exactly. That is exactly what
JL: It was an abso- leap in intensity Mike Mentzer was talking about.
When I wrote the dose-response
lutely first-rate article. that you’re right article, I wasn’t presenting any new
knowledge whatsoever. I was just
You extended that to
include the “narrow “Often when
therapeutic window” trainees
decrease
concept and how too their training
much of something frequency, they
do better.”
can produce toxic or
detrimental results.
DM: Some of the most therapeu-

tically powerful medications have a
narrow therapeutic window—that
is, the amount of stimulus from
a drug that’s going to produce a
therapeutic effect is extremely close
to the level that’s going to produce a
toxic effect. People need to remem-
ber that about all medications—no
medication has a single effect. All
medications have side effects, and
the greater the therapeutic effect,
the greater the side effects will be.
So when you see one of these com-
mercials for an antihistamine on
TV that says, “Side effects similar
to placebo,” what you’ve got to
remember is if it says that, then
Neveux \ Model: Jorge Betancourt
therapeutic effect is also similar to

placebo. The two go hand in hand.
Same thing is true with exer-
cise—the greater the therapeutic
effect from the exercise stimulus,
also greater will be the side effects.

framing it in the context of how the extraneous elements from it.” used and advanced high-intensity
dosage of medication and fre- The key stimulus is ultraviolet light techniques.
quency of dosing are determined radiation. They make bulbs that
experimentally. produce that and only that. It’s pos- John Little is one of the leading
sible to get a concentration of the fitness researchers in North Amer-
stimulus that is adequate and has ica. He, along with his wife, Terri,
JL: You did another to be applied only for a brief period own and operate Nautilus North
of time—infrequently at that. Strength & Fitness Centre. He is the
very interesting innovator of the Max Contraction
Editor’s note: In Part 3 Dr. Training system of bodybuilding
article, “The Biology McGuff discusses the myth of pe- exercise (www
riodization, the most productive .MaxContraction.com). IM
of Exercise,” in which muscle-building programs he’s ever
you looked at the

biology of adaptation “Schiek products are a CUT above the rest. Train with the best quality gear!”
Jay Cutler, IFBB Pro & Arnold Classic Champion
and likened the
increase in size and
strength of human
Remember
muscle tissue to you get
the effect of using what
tanning salons—and
you
how they’ve found
that once a week for pay for!
10 minutes, if the
extraneous elements
wrist supports
are removed, is more only $17.95
CONTOURED LIFTING BELT PLATINUM SERIES LIFTING STRAPS
than sufficient to • Comfortable hip-and-rib contour
(patented)
LIFTING GLOVES
• Easy-removal fins (patented)
• Straps and wrist support
all in one
• Patented conical shape • Washable/Non-Bleeding • Lasts 3 times longer than
produce the desired • Patented closure system • Gel padding (palm and thumb) other straps
• Durable two-year warranty • One year warranty • Available with 11” strap or
response. • 6” just $54.95, 4-3/4” only $49.95
• 4” women’s belt, $44.95
• Ultimate grip just $34.95,
with wraps, $39.95
6” lock-on dowel strap
• Proudly made in the USA
• Proudly made in the USA • Women’s model - $34.95 • A deal at $24.95
DM: The neat thing about the Most scientific research suggests
tanning industry—all the health
that weight belts can help prevent N EW
back injuries! !
issues aside, because we all know
the risk for skin cancer—is people
don’t have all the issues of psy-
chological addiction attached to
the goal of obtaining a tan. Unlike POWER SERIES ELBOW SLEEVE
POWER LEATHER LIFTING GLOVES • Made with breathable
bodybuilding, where just the activ- LIFTING BELT • Easy-removal fins (patented) neoprene to expel moisture
ity and the process itself seem to Same great patented design as • Washable/Non Bleeding and reduce skin irritation.
have a psychological addiction for our nylon belt! • Now with gel padding throughout • Washable
many people, the tanning industry • 4 3/4" Belt only $54.95 palm and thumb • Proudly made in the USA
• 6" Belt only $64.95 • Only $29.95, with wraps $34.95 • Sizes - M, L, XL - $17.95
was able to say, “Look, you want a
tan? We’ve got to figure out what
the key stimulus is and remove all 920 • 426 • 2676 800 • 772 • 4435 FAX: 920 • 426 • 2691
schiek.com • Call for a dealer near you

Eric Broser’s
If you find something on the Web that IM readers should know about, send the URL to Eric at bodyfx2@aol.com.
>www.IntenseMuscle.com
Unless you live in a cave or under a rock in
some far-off land, chances are you’ve heard
about a man named Dante (all 280-plus pounds
of him) and his infamous style of training,
which he affectionately refers to as Doggcrapp.
In fact, in a recent issue of your favorite body-
building magazine (IRON MAN, of course—July ’06), Ron Harris presented a very enlightening interview with the man
himself, describing his methods and madness. While Dante lurks about on many of the Net’s biggest and best body-
building discussion boards, his main hangout is a place called IntenseMuscle.com, where he serves as a “supermod-
erator” and “roundtable expert.” If you’re interested in the Doggcrapp method of training or have questions about it,
it’s a board you definitely want to join. Once you register, you can click on the “Dogg Pound” forum, where you’ll find
the answers to your most burning (and smelly?) Doggcrapp train-
ing queries. If that isn’t reason enough to log on, then let me further
whet your muscle-inducing, fat-reducing appetite by telling you
that another very well-known bodybuilding guru calls this board
home as well. He goes by the name Skip, and he’s rapidly becoming
one of the more sought-after contest-prep coaches in the industry.
There are also separate forums dedicated to such topics as power-
lifting, health news, nutritional analysis, bulking up, dieting down,
members’ pics and the training and dieting concerns of female
athletes. If you’re serious about reaching your bodybuilding goals, I
suggest you add IntenseMuscle.com to your favorites list. Although
you will find a lot of Doggcrapp, there’s no need for a pooper scoo-
per.

>www.MelvinAnthony.com
“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you” (Matt. 6.14). That’s one of several
Bible verses you’ll find on each page of IFBB pro Melvin Anthony’s official Web site. Melvin admits to having become a
very spiritual man, one who “has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.” While I personally am not a very religious
person, I must admit it’s refreshing to see a pro bodybuilder openly discuss his faith while involved in an industry that has
unfortunately dragged many down a less-than-positive path. Melvin is known for two things in the world of bodybuild-
ing. First, for his posing—he’s perhaps the most entertaining performer in the sport and rarely fails to win the best poser
award if there is one. Second, he has one of the most dramatic V-tapers you’ll ever see. His waist is impossibly tiny (most
women would be jealous), and his back flares
into a pair of wings that look as if they’d actually
sustain him in flight. You can get a good look at
the man’s amazing proportions in his photo gal-
lery, which covers competitions from ’02 to ’05,
as well as various guest posing stints, precontest
pics, his trip to Peru—even his wedding. Of all the
men’s pro sites I’ve visited, I’d say Melvin’s has one
of the most up-to-date and complete photo sec-
tions. I was particularly impressed when I clicked
on “Training” and found an in-depth discussion of
Melvin’s general philosophy on working out, which
includes plenty of volume, high reps and intensity
techniques like supersets and drop sets. There are
also specific articles on how he trains his arms and
his wide back. The online store includes photos,
videos and clothes, as most pro sites do, but Melvin
also offers something unique—one-on-one posing
clinics with Mr. Entertainment himself. Now, that is
cool! Can’t you just see yourself, popping, locking,
moonwalking and doing splits at your very next
show?
>www.JennyLynnFitness.com
Yummy is a word that I’d normally use to describe a good
slice of pizza, but for some reason it’s also the word that pops
into my head when I glance (well, okay, stare) at a photo of
figure pro extraordinaire Jenny Lynn. I mean, seriously, take a
look at her and tell me what is not yummy about Jenny. Now, if
I could only get her to go out with me for a slice of pizza (begin
dream sequence now)—but I digress. She’s a natural-born
entertainer. In the site’s “Background” section she describes
singing and dancing for her family when she was a child. As she
got older, she became involved in competitive cheerleading and
aerobics. Later she began weight training and was amazed at
how easily she was able to build muscle and change the shape
of her body. When she finally decided to enter her first fitness
competition, it was also supposed to be her last as well. (Time
for all of us men to get on our hands and knees and thank the
heavens she did not stop there.) Fortunately, she continued to
compete, so we can enjoy the exquisite photo gallery, filled with
a couple of dozen yummy (yes, I said it again) images of this
gorgeous lady. Several pictures have even been documented to
raise natural testosterone levels by 200 percent. Okay, I’m lying;
there’s no documentation—but I certainly wouldn’t be surprised
if it were true. While Jenny Lynn is one of the most successful sport. And make it she did, nailing the ’06 title in Vegas this
figure pros on the circuit today, with multiple first-place trophies past September. Aside from being a competitor, Jenny’s a busy
to her credit, one title continued to elude her: Figure Olympia personal trainer in Walnut Creek, California, where she works
champion. Last July on her home page Jenny mentioned that with clients of all types, from competitors to those who just
her preparation for the world’s top figure prize was in full swing want to be healthy and strong. Click on the “Personal Trainer”
and that she was filming a DVD, chronicling every step, so link to find out how you can schedule your own session with
you could see exactly what it takes to make it to the top of the Yummy…er, I mean Jenny. Walnut Creek, here I come!

Eric Broser’s
shoulders dominate the chest or arms and so on.

>Net Results Q&A So it comes down to trying to make sure that you
Interesting queries from message boards and forums are symmetrical and proportionate. We also look for the
from across the Internet, answered with precision, ac- best V-taper possible, which means a wide back and
curacy and plenty of opinion... shoulders and a small waist. Take that further and you
have the X-frame, which includes thighs that sweep
Q: We’ve all heard phrases like “shoulder-to- nicely out to the sides, from the hip to the knee.
waist ratio,” “X-frame,” “V-taper” and so on. Remember one thing: Bodybuilding is subjective.
According to classic and/or modern standards, What might constitute the perfect body to me might not
what exactly does a symmetrical body consist be what you feel represents perfection. There are those
of? I’m sure lots of people on the board have who feel that the freakiness of Marcus Ruhl defines
judges to tell them their weak points, but what perfection, while others feel it’s Flex Wheeler or Shawn
about us average, everyday muscleheads who Ray. Some purists consider all IFBB pros too large for
don’t compete? How could we determine what their bone structures and have a much greater appre-
we need to work on to be more symmetrical ciation for guys like Steve Reeves or Reg Park.
and have a competitive-level physique? (From It all comes down to looking in the mirror and decid-
www.BuildingMass.com) ing for yourself what “perfection” is. Nobody on the
planet has your exact structure, insertions and shapes,
so you must look to simply make yourself the best you
can be in your eyes, especially if you don’t plan to step
onstage in front of judges. In other words, you need to
be your own judge.
Q: Are there any differences involved in

designing a workout program for a man or a
woman? I’m female, and my trainer says that
men and women should be trained the same
way. (From www.IronMagazineForums.com)
A: Your trainer is wrong. That is a subject I learned

quite a bit about from studying the work of Paul Chek,
an expert in the field of holistic health and corrective
and high-performance exercise. While the topic would
take up way too much space to answer completely,
here’s a list of considerations essential to account for
when implementing a training
protocol for a female (as op-
posed to a male) client:
•joint instability differences

•orthopedic concerns
A: Technically, perfect symmetry means that both the •structural differences
left and right sides of the body are equally developed. Is •posture differences
it possible to achieve? Visually, I’d say pretty much so, •hormone differences
although everyone has slight variations between bodyp- •metabolic differences
•the menstrual cycle
Neveux \ Model: Jessica Paxson
arts on each side, sometimes up to an inch or so on a

tape measure; however, you don’t need perfect symme- •psychological differences
try to be successful as a bodybuilder. Jay Cutler, who •aesthetic goals
has one thigh that looks larger than the other, proves •sports experience
that every year.
Another important aspect of the equation is some- Keep in mind that this is
thing called proportion. That means every bodypart is in a general list; each of these
balance with the others. Is there such thing as perfect considerations is a special-
proportion? There are formulas to describe it, but few ized issue. Some of the differences are genetic, some
people actually fit its measures. I think proportion is are social/environmental, and some are due to differ-
more a visual thing, in that it’s easy to see when some- ences in footwear (high heels) and hair length. So al-
one’s arms look too big for the chest, someone’s thighs though men and women are equal, we’re not the same.
are too small in relation to the upper body or someone’s IM

Lonnie Teper’s
NEWS & ViEWS

’06 Mr. Olympia
Jay Walking
Cutler snaps Coleman’s
streak and keeps on rolling
Of course, you know by now that Jay Cutler
finally beat Ronnie Coleman at the Mr. Olym-
pia. Unless you’ve been in a coma for the past
two months, that is. “You also know that Cutler’s
win snapped the Big Nasty’s eight-straight-vic-
tory string, leaving him tied with Lee Haney for
the all-time record. And that Jay took home the
largest purse in Mr. O history, $155,000.
What you may not know, though, is that the
30 grand Cutler picked up the following week-
end in Europe might be much more significant
than his dream-come-true triumph in Las Vegas
in front of a large, howling throng of fans at the
Orleans Arena.
Yup, Cutler’s sweep of the grand prix events
in Austria, Romania and Holland, all $10,000
paydays, shut the door on all the Olympia con-
spiracy theorists, those who’d conjured up a
scenario in which the judges had voted for Cutler
just because they felt it was time for a change,
that a new Mr. O would be good for the sport
and that a Cutler victory would result in the sale
of the most tickets ever in 2007 for the antici-
pated rematch. Three consecutive wins, in three
different countries, with three different judging
panels. ’Nuff said.
Now, Jay’s admitted to me more than once Jay
that for him to win, Coleman would have to Cutler.
come in “off.” Ronnie supplied that
window of opportunity at the prejudg-
ing, which was held for the first time Guess who?
since 1997 on a Friday night, a full 24
hours before the finals. Coleman was
too heavy, and the extra fluid washed
out much of the detail in his thigh and
back regions. Cutler was tighter and,
as he did last year, bested Coleman
in a back double-biceps shot—some-
Photography by Bill Comstock
thing I would have considered sacri-

legious to say a couple of years ago.
Jay’s legs, as always, were deeply At the podium (from left): Shawn
Balik
separated, his hams thick and gnarly. Ray, Lee Haney and Bob Cicherillo.
As he did in 2001, Jay held a six-point
advantage after the first two rounds. Find hundreds of photos, videos
Although Coleman came back to the finals 12 pounds of water lighter and audio reports from the ’06
and looked vastly superior to the package he displayed at the prejudging,
by the conclusion of the event Cutler had extended his margin to 16.
Olympia Weekend at
www.GraphicMuscle.com.
DISGUISES EXPO NEWS WHO’S THE
Where was Two, three, FREAKIEST?
Moses when four...tell the Can you say,
the lights people what Ru-u-u-uhl?
went out? they wore. Page 198
Pages 196 Page 201
to 198
People keep asking, “Was Jay at his all-time best?” I’m still partial to
the physique he brought to the stage in ’01, the year he got my unofficial
vote at the O. But does it really matter? You just have to be better than
the people you’re standing with now, not better than
Gustavo you were a year, or two, or three ago. Which would
Badell. be the sweeter words: “Congratulations, you were
in your all-time-best shape,” or, “Congratulations,
you are Mr. Olympia”?
Let’s cut to the chase. Should Coleman come
Victor back next year and try, at 43, to regain the crown?
Martinez. Or should he, as some have suggested, retire now
and save his legacy? The former, by a long shot.
Based on the pictures from the grand prix events
I’ve seen online, I’d say that Coleman was getting
better with each show, and the decision at the finale
in Holland definitely could have gone Ronnie’s way.
Did he lose the Olympia title because he’s
washed up or because he missed his peak? I say
the latter. Sure, there are detractions that were not
apparent in years past (see the comments below on
his left triceps and back detail tribulations), but who
in the Olympia lineup, which featured the best body-
builders in the world, didn’t have flaws?
Vince Taylor.
This is a guy who’s considered by many as the great-
est bodybuilder of all time. Although I feel you can’t lump
different eras together for that kind of comparison, Ronnie
might get my vote if I were forced to choose, and I refuse
to count him out if he decides to attempt to regain his
crown in 2007.
Now, I was disappointed by Ronnie’s reaction to losing
the title, although I certainly understood his frustration.
Wasn’t it Vince Lombardi who said, “Show me a good
loser, and I’ll show you a loser”?
Reportedly, for some reason I’ll never comprehend,
somebody backstage told Coleman that Jay was the win-
ner—while the show was still going on! Onstage, Ronnie
shook his head, then gave the thumbs-down in disap-
Balik
pointment to a group of supporters in the audience.

Dexter I was told by a backstage source that Coleman was
Jackson. extremely upset after the contest and that Haney and
Vicky Gates were summoned to cool off the big fella.
History was on the line, and Ronnie never thought Jay
would beat him. Again, I can appreciate the feeling. Even
so, Coleman has always been gracious in victory, and he
should have shown that same courteous behavior in de-
feat. Cutler didn’t like losing over the years—Jay thinks he
deserved the Olympia crown on at least two other occa-
sions—but he handled himself with class, even in defeat.
Another popular story being bandied about is that
Cutler isn’t good enough to dominate the Olympia stage,
that his run will be a short one, that a Coleman victory—or
a Victor Martinez win—is the logical outcome for next
year. Really? You’ll have to convince me of that one. Un-
less Jay suddenly ups and retires, that is.
Cutler is only 33; Ronnie didn’t win his first Olympia until
he was 34. Jay is the most dedicated, focused competitor
I’ve ever encountered. What he lacks in God-given genet-
Melvin ics he makes up with resolve. Nobody works harder in the
Anthony.
gym on a year-round basis. Nobody sticks to a sound nutritional program,
day in and day out, like Cutler. In my Olympia preview piece in this maga-
zine I wrote that I wouldn’t bet against Jay, either. Now you see why. He’ll
make a great champion, and he doesn’t plan on going away any time
soon.
Let’s get back to Coleman for a second. Thumbs-up for his taking the
time and effort to try for something different in the posing round. Cole-
man got boxing broadcaster Bruce Buffer to do his intro, announcing
him as the “Champion of the World,” with Ronnie (or,
more likely, a Coleman pal) coming down the rear aisle
completely covered by a hooded boxing robe. Then
Coleman appeared onstage, dressed as Moses in a
wig and robe and carrying two tablets representing the Toney
10 Commandments—of Bodybuilding. I appreciate the
Freeman.
effort, Ronnie. You look different with hair.
AWARDS DEPT.—Instead of going over the

strengths and weaknesses of the lineup, stuff you’ve
probably read 50 times on various Internet sites, let’s
jump to the L.T. Olympia Awards for 2006. These de-
cisions could cause even more debate than the results.
Freakiest: Markus Ruhl
Most Aesthetic: Melvin Anthony
Best Biceps—Ronnie Coleman Troy
Best Chest/Triceps tie-in—Gustavo Badell Alves.
Best Abs: Dexter Jackson
Best Back (conditioning): Victor Martinez Markus
Best Back (width and thickness): Jay Cutler Ruhl.
Best Legs: Cutler
Best Calves: Vince Taylor
Best Posing Routine: Anthony (performance), Coleman
(originality)
Tough Guy: Anthony, who was in a car accident on Sat-
urday afternoon but was onstage at the finals that night.
Most Overlooked: Troy Alves, David Henry, Ronny
Rockel
Watch Out For: Toney Freeman
Physique I’d most like to possess: Anthony, Jackson,
Freeman, Troy Alves. But I’d settle for Taylor, Darrem
Charles or David Henry. Hell, I’d take any of them,
even for a day!
Balik
IN SUSPENSION—Lee Priest was
missing from the lineup because he’d been
suspended for competing (and winning) an un-
sanctioned event, the PDI Night of Champions,
a couple of weeks earlier. There was talk Priest
might try to get an injunction against the edict,
which was issued by Ben Weider, but that
didn’t happen. The IFBB president gave Lee
Ian L. Sitren \ SecondFocus
the opportunity to meet with him in Montreal in

mid-October to discuss the issue, but I’ll bet a
burger to a hot dog that Priest won’t take Ben
up on his offer.
Still, Priest was at the Olympia Expo, mak-
ing his final appearance at the Twinlab booth.
Did Lee get the boot because of his allegiance
Olympia couplings: Bob and
to the PDI? Naw, he said—the company wants Tocha (above), Peter and
to “go mainstream” again, and bodybuilders don’t fill the Jessica (right) and Ronnie,
Ian L. Sitren \ SecondFocus
bill. Lonnie and Isaac (top right),

We’ll keep tabs on this one. Never a dull moment with a.k.a. “The Experts.” To find
the Priest, to say the least! out what the tremendous
trio was up to in Vegas, go
to GraphicMuscle.com.
ADD THUMBS-UP—Props go to Robin Chang and the team at
AMI (and to Jim Manion) for a very smooth, well-run weekend. If you
remember, last year’s ill-fated production at times resembled a “Saturday
Night Live” skit. Getting rid of the bells and whistles—like the challenge
round and the wildcard qualifier—and putting the money into the men’s
purse, where it belongs—did the trick. A 180 degree turnabout from
2005.
A gratifying moment took place on Saturday night, when co-emcees
Bob Cicherillo and Shawn Ray brought Lee Haney to the stage
and had some fun bantering with the “Totalee Awesome” one, who re-
ceived the Flex Vanguard Award at the postcontest banquet for his “self-
less contributions to bodybuilding and beyond.” People forget that Lee
was but 31 in 1991, when he hung up his posing trunks after his eighth
Lee
win. He would have been the first person to jump for joy if Coleman had
Priest.
broken the tie—that’s the type of man he is.
Chang must be smiling right now, looking at all the hype he’ll have
for the 2007 contest (if AMI is still promoting it in 2007). He has the new
champ, in his prime, back to defend the title.
Paul He has an irritated Ronnie Coleman, who
Dillett. will be more focused than ever, returning to
get that record win. He has Victor Martinez,
third this year and a guy who looked like he
could win it when he first stepped onstage at
the judging, being considered a co-favorite. All
that plus “the Gift,” Phil Heath, who will add
more depth to what is sure to be a glorious
lineup. Shucks, I’m getting revved up already.
ADD CICHERILLO—Saying that Bob

didn’t have much time to relax during the
Leo Ingram and NAC King weekend would be tantamount to saying Tom
promoter Gary Udit. Kamali. Cruise has been acting a bit strange of late.
The Chickster, in his role as IFBB athletes’
rep, held a meeting for all pro competitors on
Wednesday, co-hosted the press conference with Dan
Solomon on Thursday, worked the Bodybuilding.com
booth on Friday and Saturday, co-emceed both night
shows with Shawn Ray and was at the podium for the
awards ceremony at the banquet. In a spare moment
on Saturday morning he met with his real estate agent,
signing the final papers on his new, plush abode in
Castaic, California, near Magic Mountain.
Oh, yeah. He did it all while preparing for his wedding
Montreal Pro p hotograph by Gary Bartlett
to 24-year-old Tocha at Caesar’s Palace on Sunday

afternoon. And damn if he wasn’t at his usual post, pair-
ing with Solomon on the Monday-afternoon Webcast of
Johnnie “Pro Bodybuilding Weekly.”
Jackson. So, Bob, were you totally exhausted by the time your
Jim Lorimer. wedding night arrived? Details on “PBBW,” please.
ADD WEDDINGS—NPC star Peter Putnam and

pro figure starlet Jessica Paxson tied the knot on
the same day, at same place as the above-mentioned
nuptials but three hours apart—and one night after 23-year-old Jessica
impressed with an 11th-place finish (out of 21) at the Figure O. Peter, who
recently signed with Met-Rx, was coming off a second-place finish in the
light heavies at the USA last summer and is zeroing in on the ’07 edition
of that Las Vegas contest to make sure she isn’t the only pro in the family.
Famed wedding photog Ian Sitren, better known in our world as
famed Bodybuilding.com lensman Ian Sitren, shot both weddings and
receptions. The dude does good work, so if you’re thinking of getting
hitched, don’t think any more about who to get to photograph the festivi-
Mickey Hargitay, ties. You can contact Ian at secondfocus@mac.com.
with L.T. in 2004.
UP, DOWN AND ROUND
More Contests Dept. THE ’06 OLYMPIA WEEKEND
ACTION JACKSON—It was lost in the late-season shuffle, with
more pro contests than ever taking place in 2006, but I did want to salute 1
Johnnie Jackson for his victory at the Montreal Pro in early Septem-
ber. It was Johnny’s first pro win, and judging by the Gary Bartlett pho-
tos featured here, one well deserved. Johnny, who landed in 13th at the
Olympia, right behind his buddy Branch Warren (who inked a new deal
with Gaspari Nutrition at the O), muscled his way past runner-up Darrem
Charles and third-placer Quincy Taylor in Montreal. That was also
the show where Shari “King” Kamali qualified for the Olympia with a
fourth-place landing because the three musclemen who placed ahead of
him had already earned their Mr. O berths. In the end, neither Taylor nor
Kamali competed at the big show.
The contest also marked the long-awaited return of Paul Dillett,
competing in front of his hometown fans. As you can see in the photo, 2
King Paul was way off and had to settle for 10th place. Still, it was good
to see Dillett flexing onstage again. He was one of the best at one time
and perhaps can return to that form next year.
INGRAM’S DOMINATION—It’s about time. Leo “the Lion” Ingram,

coming off back-to-back second-place finishes in the superheavyweight
class at the ’05 NPC Nationals and USA, finally earned pro status with his
overall win at the IFBB North American Championships in September. The
37-year-old, who will soon finish a 20-year-stint in the Navy, can do some
damage in the pro ranks. At 5’9” and 250 pounds he’s got the size to go 3
with his good shape, and if he can really dial in on his conditioning, look
out.
With the IRON MAN Pro now a top-five Mr. O qualifier, Ingram has a
good shot at earning his right to stand on the Olympia stage at the John
Balik and Michael Neveux–produced event, which is set for February
17, 2007, at the Pasadena (California) Civic Auditorium.
MILESTONES—How did Jim Lorimer celebrate his 80th birthday

on Saturday, October 7? By sitting at his desk in his Worthington, Ohio,
office, hard at work in preparation for the ’07 Arnold Fitness Weekend—
how else? It’s hard to believe it’s been 13 years since Lorimer first hired 5
me to emcee the Arnold Classic (and the Ms. International, which was
held on the same night in those days); the man has as much energy and
creativity now as he did when he was a mere 67. 4
Lorimer keeps on going, and the ’07 edition, which is scheduled for
March 2–4 in Columbus, keeps on growing. Happy birthday, kid—and 6
here’s to many more. Looking forward to working with you again soon.
Passings—Mickey Hargitay, R.I.P.

Bodybuilding lost another icon on September 14 when Mickey Har-
gitay succumbed to multiple melanoma at the age of 80. Mickey was a
great guy. The last time I saw him was a couple of years back, at the me-
morial luncheon for Joe Gold, where he got a kick out of me tugging on
his mane to see if it was real. Mickey was a humble man and was always
1) LT shows off Carolyn Bryant’s great
in good spirits whenever I saw him. glutes, and Carolyn shows her allegiance.
The former Mr. Universe, married at one time to starlet Jayne Mans- 2) Larry Scott is on the book trail.
field (remember the ’80s television movie on Mansfield, in which Arnold 3) IM’s John Balik sets the lights at the
played the role of Mickey?), lived long enough to see daughter Mariska Orleans Arena.
Hargitay’s first child, August, who joined our world at 10 pounds on 4) Phil Heath displays his “Gift” poster.
June 28. 5) Chris Cormier greets his fans after a
Mickey leaves his wife, Ellen, Mariska, sons Zoltan and Mickey Jr. long stay in New Jersey.
and 10 grandchildren. Look for Gene Mozée’s feature on Mickey in an 6) David Yeung demonstrated a thumbs-
only pushup.
upcoming issue.

7 9
8
12
13
11
10
16
14 15
7) Labrada Nutrition is in the house.

8) And so are the babes at the Champion Nutrition booth.
9) Mits Okabe makes it very clear. “Shawn is the star of the
videos. I am the humble auteur.”
10) Timea Majorova and Russ DeLuca, having a great time, as
usual, at the Bodybuilding.com booth.
11) Jeff Taylor says, “I have in my hand a magic ticket.” To
the ’07 Colorado Pro-Am, natch.
12) Stan McQuay is in fast company at the Biotech booth.
Neveux
13) More butt-related advertising. Says Spiro Kandis, “What’ll

they think up next?”
14) More books. Betty, Joe and Ben Weider sign copies of To contact Lonnie
Ben and Joe’s new memoir, Brothers of Iron. Teper about material
15) Balik greets Red Dragon rep Sagi Kalev. possibly pertinent to
16) Met-Rx’s Frank Sepe says, “You think your booth’s got hot News & Views, write
babes? I’ll see your babes and raise you four.” to 1613 Chelsea
17) “Er, fellas,” says L.T., “I think I’ve got a full house here at Road, #266, San
ThermoLife. Ladies, my card.” IM 17 Marino, CA 91108;
fax to (626) 289-7949;
or send e-mail to
Photography by Bill Comstock, Ron Avidan and Dave Liberman tepernews@aol.com.

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
JAY HAS HIS DAY, TAKES OUT THE BIG NAST-AY
Photography by John Balik, Bill Comstock and Bill Dobbins
To find hundreds of photos, visit

www.GraphicMuscle.com

1) Jay CUTLER
’06 IFBB Mr. Olympia

1) Jay Cutler
2) Ronnie Coleman
3) Victor Martinez
4) Dexter Jackson
5) Melvin Anthony
6) Gustavo Badell
7) Toney Freeman
8) Markus Ruhl
9) Dennis James
10) Gunter Schlierkamp
11) Vince Taylor
12) Branch Warren
13) Johnnie Jackson
14) Darrem Charles
15) Troy Alves

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
2) Ronnie COLEMAN

3) Victor MARTINEZ

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
4) Dexter JACKSON

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
5) Melvin ANTHONY

6) Gustavo BADELL

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
7) Toney FREEMAN

8) Markus RUHL

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
9) Dennis JAMES

10) Gunter SCHLIERKAMP

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
11) Vince TAYLOR

12) Branch WARREN

2006 IFBB
Mr.
Olympia
13) Johnnie JACKSON
Find hundreds of Olympia photos at

CONTEST UPDATE
Olympia Journal Livin’ it like a rock star reporter
What can en’s physique competitions at my fingertips. Callouts blogged

one say that even as the ladies are moving into the center. Videos posted
wasn’t splayed on YouTube and elsewhere. This year’s new gimmick: Some
over the Inter- German guys put up a page where you can create your
net within 15 own Mr. O comparisons. It’s all way cool, but the fact is, it’s
minutes of the not even the next-best-thing to being there. (That would be
crowning of the network TV coverage.)
’06 Ms., Fit- No view through a monitor can ever compare with soak-
ness and Figure ing up the evergy, live. The drama, the buzz, the sounds of
Olympia cham- slot machines permeating the air—and at the Olympia Expo,
pions—not to bar samples as far as the eye can see. For the athletes this
mention the is as big as it gets, competitionwise, and there’s a lot of time
unseating of spent in front of the fans: at the press conference, Meet the
eight-time Mr. Athletes, the expo and the Orleans Arena stage. Most have
O Ronnie worked their butts off, literally, for years to get there—and
Coleman by stay there. The first-timers lap it up with stardust in their eyes
the persistent and truly mean it when they say they’re just glad to be in
Jay Cutler? the lineup. The vets all claim to be good friends—and fierce
In an age when competitors—and they
any fan with a truly mean it as well. Said
computer who Olympia rookie Dena
hates Vegas Westerfield, “I’m livin’ it

can order up like a rock star!”
a Webcast With four new champs
(for a modest emerging on September
fee) and catch 29 and 30, the ’06 Olym-
all the action pia Weekend provided no
in real time— shortage of excitement.
Rookies exemplify the spirit of the O. “Hey, maybe—the Those whose job it is to
I didn’t finish last!” exclaimed Colette results go up report on it couldn’t help
Nelson, beaming, after the show. Nelson’s within minutes, but get caught up. Here,
“Devil With a Blue Dress On” got the P&C
award for best bodybuilding routine, if only
and photos then, is something you
because she didn’t have to be told how to follow quickly. can’t find online: a bit of
bring it downstage and sell it. By sundown perspective from someone
on Sunday the who lived it like a rock star
desk chair experts pretty much know everything. Lol. Dena Westerfield, D.C., admits reporter.
Make no mistake, I love the ways the Internet puts wom- she’s not in Missouri anymore.
EYE ON THE O: MEET DA ATHLETES Soon-to-be-

crowned Fig-
ure O champ
Meet the Jenny Lynn
athletes’ was seen on
mothers. the arm of the
Another same fella she
Olympia was with last
newbie, Es- year, Blaire
ther Peñalo, Mone. Nice
came from going, Blaire.
Puerto Rico This time you
to see her get in the
daughter picture
Adela Gar-
cia reclaim
the fitness
crown.
So this is
lected before her the origi-
Cool, calm and col
earance, Tanji
fourth Fitness O app nal chica
her biggest trophy mama?
Johnson collected
check.
yet, the fourth-place

M S. O LY M P I A MORE MS.
Movers and Shakers

Results Oh, that Dayana Cadeau,
third last year, displayed
a personal best in the
V-taper, among other
attributes, to finish
two points behind Iris
Kyle in second. Annie
Rivieccio, looking
radiant, flexed her way
to the third-place check
after finishing 13th in
2005. With a 12-year
amateur career on her
bio, she’s the ultimate
late bloomer. Bonny
Priest, sixth last year,
Balik
could be the most
consistent female flexer
The top two. “My waist is tiny,” Dayana Cadeau (left) de- in the pros. A perfect
clared before the contest, and she wasn’t kidding. Iris Kyle
outdid herself, though, and flexed herself to her second presentation brought Bonny Priest’s stock is going
Olympia crown. Third if you count her class win in 2001. her into fourth. up, up, up.
The reports from
Triumphs and surprises abounded at the Vegas Games, Atlantic City a week before the O had not lied. Lisa Auk-
starting at the Ms. Olympia, where almost everyone walked land had nipped in her waist and pumped up her back,
away a winner. Officially, of course, the winner was Iris Kyle, and as a result, she picked up her first top-five Olym-
the 2004 Olympia and Ms. International champ, who devoted pia check. Later, at the postcontest banquet, she was
2006 to regaining the titles she lost in ’05 to Yaxeni Oriquen. named Most Improved Female Athlete of the Year, beating
That mission is now accomplished. out nominees from all three
Those who fretted that Iris had held women’s sports. At 48 Aukland
herself back last year in presenting her proves that the old ad slogan,
version of 20 percent less muscle (and You’re not getting older; you’re
I use the phrase loosely) had nothing getting better, works overtime
Photography by Ruth Silverman
to complain about this time. Deciding for the ladies who pump. Ditto
to please herself and the heck with for Betty Pariso, 50, who
it, Ms. Kyle kicked it up a notch and was right behind her, in sixth,
a half and then timed her peak just sporting the best—and most
right. The judges awarded her perfect aesthetic—package I’ve ever
scores in all rounds but the posedown, seen on her.
where she came in third. One can only
wonder what that was about and roll Annie Rivieccio enjoys a well-
one’s eyes. deserved postcontest brewski.
SLACKERS, LACKERS
Guess
who’s got a
new video?
And Everyone Else
Canadian Defending Ms. O Yaxeni Oriquen just wasn’t in
fitness fave game day condition and thudded into seventh. Canadian
Mindi Helen Bouchard was eighth in her first crack at the
O’Brien big show, while Gayle Moher landed in ninth in her first
brought her
training and O since 2001.
lifestyle vid, Jitka Harazimova, fourth last year, was felled by
“All About something that sounded like food poisoning a day or so
Mindi,” before the contest, and her physique suffered almost
to the fan
as much as she did. The judges placed her 10th. There
show-and-
tell. To see were some surprises in the bottom of the 15-woman
the actual lineup as well, with, in order, Tazzie Columb, Heath-
video, go to er Foster, Colette Nelson, Dena Westerfield
AllAbout
Mindi.com. and Brenda Raganot landing in those spots. Raganot,
a symmetry sweetheart and longtime panel favorite, was
so far off condition, even the rookies beat
Yaxeni Oriquen.
her. I’m sure there’s a story there too.

FITNESS
MORE O BABES
Animal House
Figure Time A tale of a bat and a cat
The competition at the Figure
Olympia was as tough as it was It was
expected to be—not one of the no big
21 entrants got onstage out of shocker
shape. They did get onstage in when
some interesting costumes, with Adela the
distracting prints on one-piece fights results
suits threatening to become an crime in of the
fitness.
epidemic if someone doesn’t say Fitness
something. (Consider it said.) Olympia
As soon as word got out that echoed
three-time defending champ those
Davana Medina would of the
not be in the show, two-time Fitness
International champ Jenny Interna-
Balik
Lynn moved into the favorite’s tional at
spotlight, with Monica Brant the be-
expected to land in her tradition- ginning
al spot right behind. (Come on. of the
Was anyone really expecting the season. Adela Garcia, the 2004 winner,
Neveux
panel to suddenly prefer Mo’s moved back into the winner’s circle, while
physique to Jenny’s?) ’05 winner Jen Hendershott dropped
Icing on the cake. Jenny also scored a I had a feeling that Brant to third and Kim Klein took second,
photo shoot with IRON MAN’s Michael
Neveux. Hot Hardbody layout coming up was gonna drop a place in the coming within six points of Garcia. The
next month. Consider this fair warning. pecking order. It was bound to shocker was in the score sheet, which had
happen, although I would have routine queen Hendershott taking third in
predicted that Valerie Waugaman would be the one to cause it, as Val had the two-minute performances, with Adela
beaten both Brant (at the ’05 Sacramento Pro) and Lynn (at the ’06 Colorado beating Kim by a point for the top spot.
Pro) in the past year. Obviously, I underestimated the threat from Amber One judge I spoke with mentioned a
Littlejohn, fourth last year, who did not compete earlier in the season. lack of strength moves in Hendershott’s
Amber arrived in Vegas with every one of her 68 inches looking impossibly routine and that Tanji Johnson, who
fresh and slid solidly into second, bumping Brant into third, for the second eventually finished fourth, came right after
year, and leaving Christine Pomponio-Pate and ’06 Figure I winner Mary her with a strength-filled performance. I
Elizabeth Lado to round out the top five. admit that neither JenHen’s nor Adela’s
Tracey
Green-
routines were my favorite entries ever from
wood them, although the themes were cute—
EYE ON THE O: EXPO SCENES gives
a big
Garcia as Batman and Hendershott in a
big cat suit—but that doesn’t mean they
thumbs-
Speaking of up to her
were weak. Some of it may have been
back in the day. ortho- because our press seats—miles away
Here’s Gayle pedic from the huge Orleans Arena stage and
Moher and her surgeon. on a level that kept the athletes’ legs and
daughter Court-
ney, a high-
floor moves out
school senior. of view—made
It’s their first everyone look
dual appear- less impres-
ance in this
column since
sive. Even
Courtney was a so, I thought
lot smaller. Jen’s jammin’
stage presence
would carry
the round, with
Brenda Kelly gets the charismatic
the gals together Adela right
for an on-air
gabfest at the
behind her.
Bodybuilding.com Guess I’ll have
booth, or as it’s to get the CD
Balik
become known JenHen and take

to those in the
media, Switzer-
lets the a closer
cat out of look.
land. the bag.

QUARTER TURNERS Q&A
In Case
Much Ado After all, it
is figure You were wondering
Valerie Waugaman has taken quite a drub-
bing online and elsewhere for her attempt to Whoops. Kim
spice up the action at the Figure O with colorful Klein’s near-
costumes and some highly stylized moves on her mishap, incurred
quarter turns. It was pretty generally agreed that when she tried to
her efforts were not successful: Both the moves get her scooter
and the suits simply distracted from her physique. offstage at the
Waugaman, who performed her routine at the end of her two-
Palm Beach Pro a week later, paid the price—12th minute routine,
is not a sweet landing when you start off a favor- was due to a
ite—and there were bound to be comments. But last-minute

it’s three weeks later as I write this, and the discus- change of stage
sion has not died, to the point where some people directions,
seem to be making a project of dumping on her. reported the Klein.
Wonder what that could be about? I know I do. Fitness O runner-
Check out an industry-related Internet forum up. Fortunately, it proved to be “just a little
near you. If it’s still going on when this issue hits scratch on my leg.” Now that she’s no longer
the stands in early December, the real story will be a grade-school teacher, Kim seems to enjoy
Wonder Waugaman. She told: Some people just have too much time on their cruising on the wild side. “I’m having a ball,”
Floats like a butterfly.
hands. she said, beaming. Oh, yeah.…
Eager
Childs. beaver.
MORE FITNESS Was it
Divas Under Discussion me, or
was Julie
Tanji Johnson’s rise to fourth from 10th last year Childs’
and sixth at the International was no shock to anyone cheerlead-
who understands the concept of upward trajectory. Last er-themed
year’s fourth-placer, Tracey Greenwood, competing routine a
with a special brace whipped up by her orthopedic sur- little off at
geon after she injured her thumb at the Atlantic City show the fitness
a week earlier, had to make way for Tanji, but she still finals? It
scored her fourth-straight top-five finish. Not too shabby. was, ad-
For my money, the best body in this contest belonged mitted the
to Julie Palmer, who may have nailed her best-ever Julie Palmer. one-time
conditioning. The panel scored it third-best, placing her Seattle Seahawks’ rah-rah gal. “I ripped off
sixth overall. Jules, who won the A.C. show, got to salve her wounds at the Palm my skirt too soon.” Which, you’ll agree, would
Beach Pro, where she picked up the first-place check again. be enough to put anyone a little off-step.…
Filling in the next three slots were Julie Childs, seventh; Angela Semsch, Guts award. Heidi Fletcher, posing here
eighth; and Mindi O’Brien, ninth. Regiane Da Silva was 10th—another com- with Lisa Aukland, pulled her hamstring at the
petitor whose routine I liked better at the Fitness I last March, although I doubt beginning of her 90-second routine at the fit-
that’s what kept her from doing better here. ness judging and kept on going—all the way
through the finals, although, she said, she was
M O R E D I VA S
Unfortunate Circumstances forced to take out moves and make changes
to her long routine at the last minute. Why
Davana Medina’s expected retirement from competi- didn’t
tion came earlier than the figure star planned. Just days Fletcher
before she was to leave for Vegas, the three-time Figure pull out?
O champ suffered a medical emergency and had to pull “I figure
out of the contest. Officially, Medina is still thinking about it’s two
whether to compete again, but don’t be surprised if she min-
decides to go ahead and hang it up. utes,”
Listening to her “Hardbody Radio” interview with Larry she
Pepe, originally Webcast in June, in which she talked said.
about starting a family with new hubby Johnny Dente, I “I’m in
got the feeling that Davana was just kind of done with this portion of her life. Still, the gym
she intended to go out with a bang: successfully defending her title—in front of all a lot
her family and friends. As the saying goes, it was not to be. longer
Reliable sources say that Davana will still be around the scene; she just won’t than
be competing. In any event I look forward to seeing her soon, either getting back that.”
Fletcher (right) and Aukland.
up onstage or successfully getting started on the next stage of her life.

EYE ON THE O: CHARACTERS WELCOME
“If you’ve got any-
thing to say about Michael
girls who wear and
glasses, say it to Debbie
my face,” declares do the
D.J. O. “No-
body
dresses
up any-
more,”
says
Deb.
Not
since
the last
time
you
ikini Bite When Toney hits the money shot,
gatory B made
The obli d o e sn’t even the slots all over the casino go, Ca-ching!
e? It
shot. Bit ndrea. scene,
A
nip, says Ms. K.
There goes
L.T.—posin’
down the
women again.
“I never
took so
many
pic-
tures
in my
life!”
muses
Aneta.
Speaking of Can’t
posing down. imagine
Anyone plac- why.
ing bets on the
Amanda-Jenni-
fer matchup?
MONICKERS INTRODUCING
Sister Rosemary A trip down

memory lane
Helen
Bouchard,
’03 Canadian
champ.
Thanks to Olympia all-around master of
ceremonies Bob Cicherillo for my new
nickname, Rosemary. Chick inadvertently
addressed me as Rosemary at the press
conference, and the guys at GraphicMuscle
are never going to let me forget it. Afterward,
Chick apologized. The stage lights had blind-
ed him. Besides, he exclaimed, “you don’t
look anything like Rosemary.” Quick on his Nicole Ball, ’06 Canadian champ.
feet, that Bob.
Bouchard made her Olympia debut in 2004—
He was referring to veteran muscle re- winning the Battle of the Biceps at the expo. In
porter Rosemary Hallum, Ph.D., but what ’06 she made it to the Orleans Arena stage—and
Here’s Rosemary introducing me to trained Ball to her national championship.
a kid she thinks will go far in the
Bob and the guys don’t know is that Rose-
sport. mary, a.k.a. Redd Hall, Ph.D., and I were
“Separated at Birth,” at least in a spiritual You can contact
sense. For one thing, we were about the only females covering men’s body- Ruth Silverman,
building back in the day. As you can see fitness reporter
in the accompanying shots, Rosemary and Pump & Cir-
and I were all over the ’95 Olympia like
Neveux
cumstance scribe,
oil on the Atlanta Civic Center stage. in care of
Good times. IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave.,
Oxnard, CA 93033; or via e-mail at
That’s me with a couple of cute guys
Mike Neveux introduced me to. Wonder ironwman@aol.com.
Neveux
whatever happened to them.

Only the Strong Shall Survive

How to Get Your Press
Numbers to Soar
by Bill Starr • Photography by Michael Neveux
y now you’ve de- fives, and the extra work expands time you do the routine. That serves
cided whether to the base. Also, the triples let you two useful purposes. It ensures that
make the military concentrate more fully on your you get in the necessary work, and
or Garcy-style press technique, and as your form im- it makes you pay closer attention to
one of your primary proves, so will the top-end numbers. every single set—a practice that will
exercises, at least for a while, or use If you feel that might be too much pay dividends in the future, not only
Photo courtesy of Randall Strossen, IronMind.com \ Model: Bill March
it just as an auxiliary movement to of a load to jump right into, then for the press but for all of your exer-
augment your upper-body develop- move into the routine gradually. cises. It also helps instill discipline
ment. Either way, you still want to Start off with three work sets rather in your training, a critical attribute
get stronger on the lift. than five, and add the other sets for long-term progress.
Previously, I suggested that you when you’re able to handle them. Once a month substitute singles
start out with the basic five sets of Do the back-offs from the very be- for triples. You might want to do
five. If you’ve been doing that for a ginning. They’re important to suc- three warmup sets before hitting the
month or more, you’re ready to alter cess. singles. Whenever you move your
your set-and-rep formula. Do two The key to making the routine best single higher, it helps you use
warmup sets of five, followed by five bear fruit is getting all the reps on more on your triples. Breaking a
work sets of three with the same your work sets before you increase number barrier always boosts confi-
weight, plus a back-off set of eight. the weight. No cheating. That dence. Let’s say you’ve been unable
That will enable you to get stronger means if you manage only two reps to make all your work sets with 185
in a couple of ways: The lower reps on your last set with 175, you must for two straight weeks. You deter-
hit the attachments more than the stay with that same number the next mine it’s a good day to single. You’re

After two or three weeks using

eight reps, you’re ready to build
more variety into your dip routine.
Start alternating the four sets of
eight with five sets of five and this
sequence: two sets of five followed
by four sets of three. Always precede
Stern \ Model: Pat Casey

the weighted reps by one freehand
warmup set. After the heavy work
Try to perfect your sets, add a back-off set using 50
technique at every
pounds less than your top weight for
press workout.
that day. The back-off set really ex-
pands your total volume, and after
motivated to do well since you’ve ther progress. handling 100x3, 50 pounds sudden-
failed with the triples lately, and you You can accomplish that by ly feels light. Knock out as many as
ram up a personal record of 205. using supplemental exercises that you can. Some of my athletes were
Now you breeze through the five strengthen those muscles. One of able to do 20 reps on back-off sets.
sets with 185, partly because you’ve the best auxiliary movements for That really bumps up the workload
handled considerably more weight helping any pressing movement, in- and isn’t that demanding.
and partly because the max single cluding bench presses and inclines, The most important form point
strengthened your attachments. is weighted dips. What I like about to remember when dipping is that
And because you had to concentrate them, particularly for beginners, you have to keep the weights under
more intently on the singles than is that they work the muscles and control. Letting them swing like
the triples, that focus carries over to attachments that are involved in a pendulum will adversely affect
your upcoming sessions. pressing without stressing the lower the execution of the exercise and
At every press workout you back. Heavy pressing, especially the greatly reduce the number of reps
should be trying to perfect your dynamic style, can fatigue the mus- you’ll be able to do. Besides, thrash-
technique, especially if you’ve se- cles in the lumbar region, and until ing around can be harmful to your
lected the explosive form of the lift. they get strong enough to handle elbows and shoulders.
Honing your technique can add 20 the burden, you have to proceed Here’s the best way to maintain
pounds to your press without any cautiously. control of the weights. Pull a bench
great increase in pure strength. So I start my athletes out with free- up close to the dip bars. Fix the plate
review the style points and attempt hand dips: four sets of as many as or dumbbell to your dip belt, and
to use them more precisely on every they can do. Once they’re able to do lock your knees tightly together with
rep. all their sets for 20 reps, I graduate the weight behind your legs. Now
Alas, all lifters fully understand them to weighted dips. slowly ease into position on the dip
that sooner or later the numbers Your first set should always be bars, trying to keep the weight from
on any exercise are going to level freehand, done for 12 to 15 reps. swinging at all. Make sure you’re
off no matter how diligently they Follow that with four sets using steady, and then start your set. Go
apply themselves. It’s simply a part weights, eight reps per set. Gradu- as deep as you possibly can. The
of strength training and can’t be ally increase the weight on each set, deeper you go, the more muscles
avoided. as long as you meet the rep require- and attachments you involve, and
Sometimes your press numbers ment. Should you fail on any set, that translates to more strength.
are stuck because you’re overtrain- lower the weight next time around. Perform both the up and down
ing. That happened frequently at It may not seem like much to miss motions in a smooth fashion. When
York Barbell, where many Olympic two reps on your final set with 70 you get to the heavy sets and start
lifters worked the exercise hard four pounds, but that reduces your work- to stick near the top, look up and
times a week. It could also happen if load by 140 pounds. You would have lean back slightly. That will help you
you do the program I outlined twice been ahead of the game by using 65 break through the sticking point.
or three times a week. The solution pounds and making all eight reps. After you lock out, take a brief mo-
in those cases is to pull back on your
load. You might go to pressing once
a week and doing auxiliary move- Auxiliary triceps
ments at the other workouts. Or do work is a must.
the recommended routine once and
use lighter weights at another ses-
sion, where you drill on form.
The reason for most plateaus,
Model: Jonathan Lawson
however, is that the muscle groups

responsible for moving the weight
overhead from your shoulders need
more work. They have to be over-
loaded if you’re going to make fur-

Incline
presses can so select the one that lets you drive
help your
the hardest.
overhead-
press Another exercise beneficial to the
numbers. overhead press is the incline press.
Like dips, it doesn’t put a great deal
of stress on the lower back. The
incline enables you to overload your
pressing muscles and attachments,
Model: Daryl Gee

and you don’t have to deal with the
balance or technique that military
or Garcy presses require.
The steeper you can set the in-
ment to be sure the weight is steady don’t let it come back down right cline, the better, because you want
before doing your next rep. Once away. Instead, apply pressure and to hit your deltoids more than your
you’ve finished the set, carefully try to hold it in place. With the re- pecs. Pecs do very little when you’re
step back on the bench. ally heavy sets, of course, that hold lifting a weight overhead, but del-
About every five weeks go after may be only a second, but it will toids do a lot.
a max single, but don’t bother still help your cause. Drive, hold; Alternate these two set-and-rep
with any singles until your form is drive, hold; drive, hold. Three reps sequences: five sets of five with a
perfect and you’re handling some are plenty because they’re as taxing back-off set of eight, and three sets
respectable weights for three reps. mentally as they are physically and of five followed by three sets of three
Respectable in my mind is at least require concentrated effort. Add plus a back-off of eight. Every so
75 pounds for three. another 20 pounds, and continue in often, go after a max single. If your
Nearly every York lifter spent that manner until you know you’ve bench is adjustable, vary the angle
some time working on his start for had enough. As long as you’re giv- occasionally. Even when the change
the press. A strong start is certainly ing the bar a ride, though, stick with is slight, it helps work some muscles
beneficial if you’re doing military them. You’re doing them to overload differently, and that’s always good.
presses, but it’s critical if you use your pressing muscles, but you’re What about flat-bench presses?
the Garcy style. With that dynamic also learning how to drive the bar The majority of the Olympic lifters
technique you absolutely must upward in a very precise line. You’ll at York shunned them, believing
have a powerful start in order to be quickly discover that when you hit that they tightened their shoulders
successful with a heavy weight. So it perfectly, the bar climbs much and added mass to their chests,
somewhere along the line you need higher, and when you misdirect which most of them didn’t want
to include an exercise or exercises the bar, it doesn’t go far. Each rep because they had to make a weight
that will strengthen the groups forces you to focus intensely. The class. They didn’t want to put on
responsible for blasting the bar off next time you do military or Garcy- muscle that wasn’t useful.
your shoulders. style presses, you’ll find that they go A few of us did do bench presses
At York we had two exercises to more smoothly because of your new for a short duration, always keeping
improve our starts: working isos in strength and finer form. the reps low. We also made sure we
a power rack, which I’ll cover later, An effective variation of the same did extra flexibility exercises for our
and overloading the start. The very exercise is to work inside a power shoulders before, during and after
first thing you do to prepare for the rack. The uprights, however, have each bench workout. I did benches
overload starts is to make sure your to be spaced far enough apart to at least once a year and found that
abs and lumbar muscles are thor- enable some movement in the rack, they helped my presses and jerks. I
oughly warmed up because you’re or you’ll end up rattling around in it believed it was a viable way to over-
going to be putting a heavy demand unless you have flawless technique. load the pressing muscles. Another
on them. One set of situps, crunches Position the lower pins below where reason I did them was that they
or leg raises and a set of back hy- you rack the weight, and set the came easy to me—almost the only
pers will suffice. Then do as many higher ones at a height you want exercise I can say that about.
warmup sets of presses as necessary to reach when you drive the bar During a noon workout at the
to get all your muscles ready. Some upward. Let the higher pins dangle. York Gym, Bob Bednarski and I got
like to work fairly heavy before Don’t lock them in place. Other- into a discussion about the useful-
moving to the overload starts, while wise you’ll jar your eyeteeth loose if ness of doing bench presses. I told
others prefer to stay with moderate you happen to get an extra-strong him I was going to bench at my
weights so they can leave plenty for thrust. As you increase the weight afternoon sessions on Mondays
the heavy work ahead. on the bar, lower the top pins ac- for the next six weeks. I wanted to
Load the bar with 20 pounds cordingly. strengthen my base in preparation
more than your best single. Back Many trainees like that method of for the difficult program I was plan-
out of the rack, set yourself in a overloading their starts because it ning to do for the upcoming Senior
solid starting position, and drive the gives them a tangible target to shoot National two and a half months
weight as high as you can. Here’s for, yet others say they feel restricted away.
the trick to getting results: When inside the rack and prefer doing Barski had never done bench
the bar reaches its highest point, them outside. Either way is effective, presses and loved a challenge, so he

I’ve said it in passing, but I want

to emphasize the importance of
maintaining strong abs and lum-
bars as you’re attempting to im-
prove your overhead press. Back
hyperextensions should be a part of
Neveux \ Model: Moe Elmoussawi

your general warmup, and it’s use-
ful to finish up with reverse hypers.
You can also do them on your non-
lifting days. The reps add up nicely
during the week. Be sure to include
Model: Tamer Elshahat
one primary exercise for your lower

One set of situps, crunches or leg
raises and a set of back hypers back in your routine and work
will suffice as a general warmup. it hard. I prefer good mornings,
although almost-straight-legged
deadlifts get the job done as well.
joined me. We used the same grip presses, good: Keep them in your That is, when they’re attacked. Do
on the flat bench as our overhead program. If not, drop them, and five sets of eight on both.
presses and maintained very strict pick another auxiliary exercise. You Same holds true for the abs. Do
form. No rebounding the bar off have plenty to choose from. situps, crunches or leg raises along
our chests, bridging or twisting. The very best way to jar your with back hypers at the beginning
We did three warmups sets for five press out of stagnation is to incor- of your workout, and throw in an-
reps, then maxed out on singles at porate some isotonic-isometrics other at the end. Many Olympic
every workout. Each week we added into your routine. Pure isometrics lifters used to do weighted situps to
five pounds to our previous best can be effective, but pressing a strengthen their abs. They believed
and ended up gaining 30 pounds weighted bar a short distance be- that helped them drive the bar off
overall. That may not sound like fore locking it into an isometric their shoulders more forcefully. It
much, but it was almost a 10 per- hold is more productive. was reported that Zhabotinsky and
cent increase. Keep in mind that we You can put them into your Alexeev used very heavy pound-
were also doing our regular presses program in two ways. If you know ages, but there’s a drawback to that.
several times a week along with one exactly where your sticking point They tend to thicken the midsec-
or more primary exercises for our is on the press, set the higher pins tion, making it appear fat. Few
shoulder girdles. in the power rack at that position, desire that look, yet those who were
Barski ended up with a 390 bench and do isos several times a week. more interested in pressing big
and wanted to stay with the lift until Perform two warmup sets, where weights did heavy weighted stups
he reached 400. I suggested he save you only hold the bar against the regularly.
that goal for another cycle—some- top pins for a brief second, and Pressing heavy poundages, with
thing to look forward to—and he one work set, where you attempt either the military version or the
agreed. The Seniors were getting to drive the bar right through the more involved Garcy style, can be
closer, and how much he benched top pins for an eight-to-12-second extremely rewarding. Those presses
didn’t matter at that contest. count. Since you’re having to exert build functional upper-body
His showing on June 9, 1968, at yourself on only one set, you can do strength that you can use in every
the William Penn High School in them after you’ve completed your athletic activity and are particularly
York was one of the most memo- regular press workout or one of the useful to throwers, such as shot-
rable displays of strength in Ameri- other supplemental exercises. putters and, of course, Olympic
can weightlifting history. In a classic Let’s say, however, that you feel weightlifters. Even if you’re only
battle with Joe Dube, Barski set two all parts of the press need to be training to stay fit, presses will be
world records: 456 1/2 press and strengthened. In that event work most valuable if you make them a
486 1/2 clean and jerk. I’m not con- three positions: start, middle and strength lift rather than relegating
tending that the six weeks of bench finish. They’ll take the place of all them to an inconsequential role
pressing were the reason he set other upper-body work for the day. in your program. First master the
those records—he was doing lots of When you fully apply yourself to technique. Then load up the bar.
other work that directly affected his the three work sets, you’ve tapped Once you get to the point where
overhead strength—but he believed into your energy supply for the day. you’re handling some impressive
they helped. Adding other exercises for your numbers, you’ll really enjoy press-
In addition to regular benches, pressing muscles and corresponding.
close-grip benches can benefit your ing attachments would be counter-
overhead press. Again, keep the reps productive. Editor’s note: Bill Starr was a
low. You’re not seeking a pump. In Before doing any isos, be sure to strength and conditioning coach
fact, you want to avoid flushing a lot warm up thoroughly. A few sets of at Johns Hopkins University from
of blood into your chest. Warm up presses with light weights is suf- 1989 to 2000. He’s the author of The
with some fives; then do six sets of ficient, but never lock into an iso- Strongest Shall Survive and Defying
doubles. That’s it. If they help your metric hold with cold muscles. Gravity. IM

Jerry Brainum’s
Bodybuilding Pharmacology
Get Off the Pot? feel good, you’ll feel even better after THC, the intoxicat-
ing component of pot, does its job on your brain.
Marijuana has always been considered relatively in-
nocuous compared to other mind drugs, such as cocaine
Richard Lake (not his real name, for reasons that will and heroin. Entire volumes have been written document-
soon be apparent) was a top professional bodybuilder in ing its physiological effects, but few people are aware of
the mid to late ’60s. Although he did use anabolic steroids, its true effects on the body. Since this is a bodybuilding
he disavowed using most drugs later in his career—with magazine, let’s examine the impact of marijuana relevant
one notable exception. Lake had a preworkout ritual that to bodybuilding and health.
he claimed enabled him to train more intensely and con-
centrate more effectively throughout his training session.
The secret source of his preworkout ritual became
Active Ingredients
evident one day in the locker room of Gold’s Gym. The Known to botanists as Cannabis sativa, marijuana
gym had a defunct sauna room, located in the back of grows wild throughout the world in temperate climates.
the men’s locker room. It was the perfect place to engage Analysis of the 100-species plant yields 460 compounds, of
in clandestine behavior, which was exactly what Lake which 60 are cannabinoids. The only one to have psycho-
wanted. What he couldn’t conceal, however, was the grassy active effects, however, is delta-9-THC, the ingredient that
fumes that diffused into the nearby gym floor. makes you feel high. Interestingly, not long ago scientists
Lake smoked marijuana in that room—and not just a discovered nerve receptors in the brain that are specifi-
puff on one “joint,” either. No, Lake reveled in a marijuana cally affected by THC, suggesting that the body produces
orgy, losing his thoughts in the smoke that rose slowly its own natural form of the substance.
toward the ceiling in his secret alcove. He would emerge in In 1992 a cannibislike chemical was isolated from pig
an hour or so and head directly to the gym floor, working brain. It was made in the body from arachidonic acid, the
out with no apparent sign of his activity. precursor of other chemicals called prostaglandins, most
Although marijuana is illegal, many athletes, not just of which cause inflammatory reactions. The substance
bodybuilders, regularly smoke weed as a means of re- was named anandamide, derived from the Sanskrit word
laxation and mind expansion. Erstwhile bodybuilding for bliss.
champion and current politician Arnold Schwarzenegger Different parts of the marijuana plant vary in THC
openly smoked a joint in the 1977 film “Pumping Iron.” In content. The bracts, flowers and leaves have the most,
a 1989 interview with a Los Angeles Times reporter, Arnold while the stems, seeds and roots contain lesser amounts.
noted, “We smoked pot once or twice a week before we The most concentrated form is hash oil, the distilled liq-
went to the gym. Sometimes at parties someone would uid resin of the female marijuana plant. It contains up
pass around a joint. It never interfered because it was so to 65 percent THC, compared to the 1 to 3 percent found
casual.” A long-held tenet of the drug culture is that mari- in the average joint. Street pot has gradually increased
juana emphasizes the mood you’re already in. Thus, if you in potency through the years, and current versions are
thought to be five to 10 times more potent
than the stuff used to “turn on and tune
in” in the ’60s. In the ’70s the average joint
contained 10 milligrams of THC; today the
average is 60 to 150 milligrams or more.
When inhaled, THC is rapidly absorbed.
Studies show its systemic bioavailability
is about 18 percent, with heavier users
absorbing more than casual smokers.
Compare that to the mere 6 percent of oral
uptake (as from a pill). The peak effects
occur within 20 to 30 minutes and last for
two to four hours.
THC circulates throughout the body
and, being highly fat soluble, easily enters
the brain. About 80 to 90 percent of an
intravenous dose of THC is excreted from
the body in five days, although metabo-
lites remain detectable in urine for 10 days
after a single dose and more than 20 days
after chronic use. Due to its proclivity
for storage in fatty tissues of the body, in
some cases THC may take up to a month
to be eliminated.1
How marijuana affects a person varies
with individuals. A recent study funded
by the United States National Institute on

Jerry Brainum’s
Bodybuilding Pharmacology
subjects and observed in the labora- Marijuana and

tory. Visual imagery is increased, and Hormones
in larger doses, colors may shimmer
and visual distortions occur. There are A brief report concerning the ap-
feelings of changed body proportion. pearance of gynecomastia, or male
Among the most striking perceptual breast development, in three male pot
changes is the subjective slowing of smokers published in 1972 sparked
time.” a number of subsequent studies that
At least two effects rapidly occur examined the relationship between
in most people who smoke mari- marijuana use and testosterone lev-
juana: The eyes redden, and the heart els.7 Gynecomastia, however, is not a
beats faster. The increased load on common side effect of marijuana use.
the heart tends to impede athletic The condition is usually the result
performance, as shown in some stud- of an imbalance between testosterone
ies. That’s because while pot speeds and estrogen in men, with something
the heart, the cardiac stroke volume, increasing the latter. Various studies
or amount of blood pumped by the have shown that the active ingredi-
heart, decreases.3 One study showed ents in pot don’t have any estrogenic
that in men cycling against increas- activity; however, a recent study did
Marijuana’s amandamide ing workloads, pot decreased exercise find potent estrogenlike substances in
content may result in the performance. the smoke emitted from a marijuana
formation of blood clots in the A recent case study reported on a joint.8 Since joints are inhaled deeper
coronary arteries. 21-year-old man who suffered a heart than cigarettes (which, by the way,
attack, despite showing no apparent also provide estrogenic compounds),
Drug Abuse involving identical twins cardiac risk factors, other than drink- you are getting a considerable estro-
found a genetic basis in whether ing too much the night before. THC genic effect from smoking marijuana.
you’ll find pot enjoyable. The effects can cause vasospasms, or contrac- Next month we’ll discuss how pot
can even vary in the same person. tions, of blood vessels, particularly affects testosterone, as well as other
Users of the drug frequently de- in the brain, that may predispose to effects on health and performance.
scribe a dreamy, relaxed state, in stroke. The substance is also linked
which they feel more in tune with to causing heart rhythm disturbances References
their senses. You get a false sense of secondary to increased release of cat-
time—it appears to pass more slowly. echolamines, such as epinephrine. 1 Jones, R. (1984). Marijuana:
Others, however, get what the drug The body’s amandamide promotes Health and treatment issues. Psychi-
culture of the ’60s used to call a “para- increased blood platelet activation. atric Clinics of North America. 7:703.
noid reaction,” characterized by panic That, in turn, can result in the forma- 2 Pillard, R.C. (1970). Marijuana.
and dread. Much depends on such tion of a blood clot in the coronary New England J Med. 283:294.
factors as the user’s mood, expecta- arteries that is the most prevalent 3 Tashkin, D.P. (1978). Cannibis:
tions and personality. cause of heart attacks. 1977 UCLA Conference. Annals of
A 1970 medical review of marijua- Those facts have led some re- Internal Medicine. 89:539-549.
na described the following effects in a searchers to suspect marijuana use 4 Caldicott, D.G., et al. (2005). Keep
user of the drug:2 as a factor in heart attacks with nor- off the grass: Marijuana use and car-
“Typically, the user feels a series mal (not blocked) coronary arteries, diovascular events. Eur J Emerg Med.
of jittery ‘rushes’ soon after inhaling. which occurs in only 6 percent of 12:236-44.
A sense of relaxation and well-being heart attacks, but at a frequency of 10 5 Bird, K.D., et al. (1980). Intercan-
follows. There is awareness of being percent in those under age 35. nabinoid and cannabinoid-ethanol
intoxicated not unlike that produced Another study showed a general interactions and their effects on
by alcohol. The user becomes acutely decrement in standing steadiness, human performance. Psychopharma-
conscious of certain stimuli to the simple and complex reaction times, cology. 71:181-188.
extent that his whole attention is and other athletic skills in 161 men 6 Forney, R., et al. (1976). The com-
focused, immersed and at times lost and women who took THC.5 Con- bined effect of marijuana and dex-
with the sensory experience. In this trary to the beliefs of the bodybuilder troamphetamine. Ann NY Acad Sci.
state, jokes are funnier, misfortunes described at the beginning of this 281:162.
more poignant and human relations article, pot, if anything, decreases 7 Harmon, J., et al. (1972). Gyneco-
more deeply perceived. training concentration and focus—an mastia in marijuana users. New Eng-
“The appreciation of food, sex and, effect so potent that it can’t even be land J Med. 287:936.
in particular, music is intensified. The overcome with concomitant amphet- 8 Lee, S.Y., et al. (2006). Estrogenic
user may believe that his thoughts are amine use.6 effects of marijuana smoke conden-
unusually profound (an impression From a bodybuilding perspective, sate and cannabinoid compounds.
rarely shared with observers). Para- a crucial question is how smoking pot Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 214:270-78.
noid thoughts and feelings of deper- affects anabolic hormones, such as IM
sonalization have been reported by testosterone.

Mind
More Motivation: The Training or the Titles
IRONMIND
I
t’s no secret that motivation fuels your workouts. When your
motivation is high, you have workouts that virtually guaran-
tee progress, and when your motivation is low, your train-
ing takes a turn that causes you to slide backward. Everyone
probably buys the basic idea, but how do you take the next
step? Just what is that motivation stuff, and what can you do
to boost yours? Even though motivation might sound like a
mushy concept, you know there’s nothing mushy about adding
another inch to your arms or 50 pounds to your best power
clean—and you know motivation is a key ingredient in making
that kind of progress.
We’re all familiar with the Hollywood approach to motiva-
tion: Our hero, usually a big-time underdog, trains his heart
Comstock
out, spurred on by the image of himself defeating Mr. Big—if
you listen carefully, you can hear the theme from “Rocky” in the
background. A lot of people focus their motivational efforts on
trying to win a certain contest or beat a certain person. In fact, people, most of the time, it’s not the best route to take. Let’s
that tactic can work, but it’s only part of the story, and for most talk about a couple of key principles involved in understanding
motivation and then apply what we’ve learned to your
training. If that sounds fuzzy, remember our goal is to
produce results that can be measured in pounds and
When you train
inches—which is about as concrete as you can get.
as hard as you
Some years ago research psychologists devel-
can, always
oped a theory of motivation that looked at the two
pat yourself on
primary types of goals people try to achieve. One
the back.
type is ego-oriented, which means things like win-
ning or beating a specific person. That’s the familiar
Hollywood approach to motivation. The second type
is task-oriented, which means things related to actu-
ally going through the motions. For example, taking a
task-oriented approach to your training means focus-
ing on your form, your progress and so forth—it puts
the spotlight on what you’re doing without comparing
it to another person.
Researchers have found that as children we gener-
ally all start off leaning toward task-oriented goals, but
as we get older, we shift toward ego-oriented goals,
although our exact orientation is the result of what
our parents, teachers and coaches emphasize. For
Neveux \ Model: David Fisher
example, if a coach is tough on mistakes, pits athletes

against each other and dotes on the stars, he or she
creates an ego-oriented environment. On the other
hand, if a coach emphasizes effort over results, values
all athletes and urges everyone to improve technically,
he or she probably builds a task-oriented environ-
ment.

Body“So,” you ask, “how do these two types of goals affect
my motivation, and what in the world do they have to do
with my lifting?”
An ego-oriented approach can, in fact, be very effec-
tive for an elite athlete, but there’s also a downside, and
Fun Facts
Bikini Birthday
it’s a big one. Researchers have found that people who
overemphasize ego goals can have a tough time deal-
T
he bikini is 60
ing with defeat. It can leave them in a fragile position. As years old, and to
you’d guess, people who are strongly motivated by ego celebrate, Kelly
goals tend to quit when they’re not doing well and, in Killoren Bensimon has
general, seem to derive less long-term satisfaction from just published The Bikini
what they’re doing than people who have more balanced Book, 400 pages devoted
goals. to a few triangular pieces
On the other hand, a task-oriented approach gives of cloth and some string.
athletes a stable base for continuing to hammer away day Did you know that the
Neveux \ Model: Zdenka Novotna

after day. That’s because task-oriented athletes focus on suit was invented by a
such things as technique and how much progress they’ve Frenchman, Louis Reard?
made without comparing their results to those of others. Men everywhere will want
That perspective appears to be much better for sustaining to honor him with a holi-
consistent long-term effort and for weathering the inevi- day, I’m sure.
table slumps. —Becky Holman
The recipe for maximum motivation consists of some- www.X-tremeLean.
thing like several parts task-oriented goals to each part
ego-oriented goals—that will keep you going day after day.
Try to reserve the ego-oriented goals for the added surge
required to make the final, gut-busting push. On a day- Sex
to-day basis enjoy your training, try to do the movements
correctly, and try to coax progress by doing a little more
today than you did yesterday. Take satisfaction in that More Sex, Live Longer
type of progress, regardless of the guy next to you with
M
10 plates on the bar. At the same time remember that ore than 900 men,
progress isn’t made in a straight line, so there’s no need ages 45 to 59,
to think your world has fallen apart when you have an off were the subjects
day or lose some ground you fought hard to gain. in a Welsh study that
Odd as it sounds, the real key to sustaining champion- showed an active sex life
ship-level motivation over the long haul is to focus on the may extend your life span.
training, not the titles. During the 10-year experi-
—Randall Strossen, Ph.D. ment, subjects who aver-
Neveux \ Models: Adrian Janicke and Amy Lynn
aged two or more orgasms

Editor’s note: Randall Strossen, Ph.D., edits the per week had half the risk
quarterly magazine MILO. He’s also the author of Iron- of dying of subjects who
Mind: Stronger Minds, Stronger Bodies; Super Squats: had orgasms only once a
How to Gain 30 Pounds of Muscle in 6 Weeks and Paul month.
Anderson: The Mightiest Minister. For more information Could it be that women
call IronMind Enterprises Inc. at (530) 265-6725 or Home who withhold sex from
Gym Warehouse at (800) 447-0008, ext. 1. Visit the Iron- their husbands are merely
Mind Web site at www.IronMind.com. trying to kill them off early?
No comment.
—Becky Holman

Bomber Blast MIND/BODY
All I Want for Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth

And a 450-pound bench, 20-inch arms, 6 percent bodyfat and a red Ferrari
H
ang onto your hat, socks and the seat of your pants;
the countdown has begun—10... nine... eight. Just a
reminder, lest you forget: Christmas is upon us. Some
of you are saying, “Hellooo, bomb brains, everyone knows
that,” while some of you are jotting the dates on the palm of
your hand in indelible ink.
I got socks, underwear and a tank top at Wal-Mart for
Laree for Christmas. She’ll flip out; she loves surprises. Noth-
ing but the best for my baby! I expect we’re all a little tied
up these days running around like a bunch of bodybuilders
without their 110-pound barbell set, so I’ve gone through my
top secret files and chosen some recent queries from ya’ll to
Neveux \ Model: Joey Gloor

answer as best I can. Makes for good late-night reading under
the blankets with a flashlight and a handful of cookies.
Q: Up here in Canada we want to know what you
think of warming up, stretching and cooling off for
training.
A: As a weightlifting musclebuilder, I paid no attention to
warming up prior to training until recent years. As a young On your lighter warmup sets you want to
man I’d walk into the gym and train with an instinctive under- loosen and stretch out the kinks with slow,
standing that you must get the weights rolling and build up controlled reps.
momentum as you proceed. I let my spirit and enthusiasm
carry me along, slugging it out from the first set, persuading, It’s always been my concern that the delay in aggressive
inspiring and prodding myself through the thick of the workout action presented by passive stretching and warming up would
and slowing down as fatigue and waning desire entered my hinder my mood, thwart my enthusiasm and swallow up my
bones. available time, energy and focus for training. Outta my way;
I’ve got serious work to do!
Specific pregame warmup and stretching are important
for athletes preparing to vigorously engage in their sport. Ball
Midsection players, track-and-field participants, wrestlers, powerlifters
training can be and so on must have warm, flexible muscles and joints and an
an ideal warmup. increased and sustained heart rate for explosive action, peak
performance and lower risk of injury.
The preworkout limbering I employ these days consists
of lighter weights for higher reps of the same exercises I’m
about to practice. Within the lighter sets I’m able to loosen
and stretch out the kinks and locate possible areas of joint,
tendon and muscle difficulty. Through the manipulation of the
reps I can challenge the hang-ups, modify the exercise groove
to accommodate my needs and determine an efficient training
approach.
I seek to achieve the healthy stretching the strong, athletic
body needs through the practice of full range of motion within
each exercise. I don’t exercise one muscle exclusive of the
muscles around it. Rather, I train my body as a system of
interrelated and cooperating muscles, seldom performing iso-
lated-muscle techniques. I use noncheating body thrusts and
body rhythm to engage the muscles as a functioning whole.
My training methodology contributes to a synchronized, well-
stretched, fully engaged and total functioning flesh-and-blood
machine. More fun, more stimulating.
Moderate aerobic training has been profitable for me in the
Neveux \ Model: Jorge Betancourt
past—raising the core temperature of the body, preparing the

mind for the dynamic training ahead and serving as an invest-
ment in training, confidence and sense of achievement. Of
course, lest we forget, there’s the cardiovascular value of the
aerobic exercise as well.
Another popular warmup scheme I endorse is working the
midsection first in my training routine. That not only accom-
plishes the needed (and oft-neglected) torso development but

also warms and limbers up the body and readies the mind for some tough train-
ing. Note: Fifteen to 20 minutes of midsection work well performed can easily be
more aerobic, more muscle-demanding and more interesting and fulfilling than
15 to 20 minutes on the stationary bike
or the treadmill.
I train till I drop and let cooling down
happen naturally, as I reenter my normal
life patterns. Moderate temps in my neck
of the woods do not expose me to frigid
air or monster heat, and I’m not required
to engage in demanding physical activity
postworkout. I feed the body a Bomber
Blend and take ’er easy till a shower puts
me back on track.
More Q&As next month.
—Dave Draper
Editor’s note: For more from Dave

Draper, visit www.DaveDraper.com and
sign up for his free newsletter. You can
also check out his amazing Top Squat
training tool, classic photos, workout
Q&A and forum.
New Stuff
The Sweatshirt Will never be the same
T
he sweatshirt has lost
its sweat. It’s better
than ever, however,
and maintains its position
as the icon of American
style.
Russell Athletic, the
company that invented the
sweatshirt 80 years ago
and has led in sweatshirt
sales ever since, is intro-
ducing the most significant
technology breakthrough
in the history of America’s
classic clothing icon. The
new technology, which
manages moisture and
transfers sweat away from
the skin, recently debuted
in Russell Athletic sweat-
shirts under the brand
name of Dri-Power Fleece.
Ultimate in comfort,
Russell Athletic’s Dri-Power
technology is a dual mois-
ture management system
that first pulls sweat away
from the body and then
transfers it to the top layer
of fabric, keeping the wearer’s body drier than with untreated fabric.
Remember, staying warm is important during exercise. New research says
that heat can improve results in muscular size and strength, so keep your phy-
sique covered—with a Russell Athletic sweatshirt—when the gym is cold.
For more information visit www.RussellAthletic.com.

Gallery of Ironmen MIND/BODY
MIND/BODY
For immediate release...
THE John Tristram
S
ome athletic stars shine contin-
uously in the sporting heavens,
and some are merely comets
that streak past and then disappear
from view. Larry Scott is certainly one
Photos courtesy of the David Chapman collection

IRON MAN FITEXPO of the steadiest lights to ever partici-
pate in bodybuilding. In 1962 he won
Announces the IFBB Mr. America contest, but the
man who won the short category in
the same contest was John Tristram,
an English-born athlete who showed
great promise but whose career was
as brief as it was bright.
Tristram was born in 1936 and
To Sponsor NPC Women’s was raised on a farm in Gloucester-
shire. There he laid the foundations
Figure Competition of a good physique by doing outdoor was run by muscle guru Vince Giron-
work, building his legs by cycling over da, and it was there that Tristram put
the hilly English countryside. By the on much of the upper-body muscula-
mid-1950s the young athlete had ture that was his best feature.
served in the merchant marine and By 1962 the Anglo-American star
moved to New York City, where at was nearing the top of his form, and
age 23 he began serious training at he managed to win both the short
Abe Goldberg’s gymnasium. division of the Mr. A and the top prize
It was about this time that he in the Mr. Venice Beach contest.
began to compete in bodybuild- Tristram continued to compete in
ing. His photos began appearing in national and international contests,
physique magazines about the same but he was also building his mind as
time, but it was not until he moved to well as his muscles. In 1963 he was
• The Hottest Figure Contest the West Coast that Tristram’s athletic studying modern languages at the
career really took off. Like many other University of California at Los Angeles
In Southern California! hopeful athletes, Tristram had been and was interested in “translation by
drawn to California because of its electronic computer method.” Com-
• A Line Up of the NPC’s climate, glamour and gymnasiums. puters were not widely available in
Best Athletes! The most experimental of L.A.’s gyms the early 1960s, so it shows that the
young man clearly
Also... had an interest in
cutting-edge meth-
ods.
Several writers
have confirmed that
Tristram was as
Signs On As Major Sponsor intellectually gifted
of the Expo! as he was physi-
cally developed, but
by the 1970s the
athlete’s greatest
triumphs were in
the past. Tristram
placed second in
the short division of
the Mr. International
contest in 1974, but
after that his com-
petitive career was
effectively over.
John Tristram
died of AIDS-related
For more details, watch this illness in Los Ange-
les in 1985.
column or go to
—David Chapman
or www.thefitexpo.com
MAN_FitExpo.indd 1
10/27/06 11:26:52 AM
New Stuff MIND/BODY
Two New Ways to Say OhYeah!
F
ollowing on the success of the OhYeah! bar, ISS launched two
new bars that are guaranteed to live up to the OhYeah! name.
The OhYeah! Protein Wafer sandwiches a smooth, creamy
filling with light, snappy layers and smothers the whole delectable
bar in rich chocolate with only 90 calories and one gram of sugar
per stick—the crisp crunch of a protein bar has never sounded so
good!
OhYeah! Natural gets back to basics with a great-tasting, light

and all-natural protein bar. An excellent source of protein and fiber,
OhYeah! Natural is filled with wholesome oats and nuts and is a
surprisingly satisfying way to fuel your body.
For more information visit www.ISSResearch.com.
www.Home-Gym.com Best Sellers

Books: 5) “Ronnie Coleman’s The Cost of
1) Ronnie Redemption”
Coleman’s Top E-book:
Hardcore 3D Muscle Building—Featuring Posi-
2) The tions of Flexion, Mass F/X Training
Precontest and the 20-Pounds-of-Muscle-in-10-
Bible by Weeks Program by Steve Holman
Larry Pepe and Jonathan Lawson (available at
3) Train, www.3DMuscleBuilding.com).
Eat, Grow—
The Positions-of-Flexion Muscle-
Training Manual by Steve Holman
4) 10-Week Size Surge by IRON
MAN Publishing
5) The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solu-
tion by Joseph Horrigan, D.C., and
Jerry Robinson
DVDs/Videos:
1) “2005 Mr. Olympia”
2) “Jay Cutler—One Step Closer”
3) “Ronnie Coleman’s On the Road”
4) “IRON MAN’s Swimsuit Spectacu-
lar #9”

IRON MAN MAGAZINE PROUDLY PRESENTS:
MIND/BODY
The
Bodybuilding
Stars of
Tomorrow
Here Today!
Ben White
Weight: 225
Height: 5’7”
Occupation: Trainer
Residence: Albany,
New York
Marital Status: Single
Factoid: Benches
more than 700
pounds.

Photography by Bill Comstock
To see more great photos
of upcoming physique stars, visit
Erik
Fankhouser
Weight: 214 Height: 5’9”
Occupation: Exercise
physiologist
Residence: Wheeling,
West Virginia
Factoid: Also known as
the “House,” he’s a proud
husband and father with
bodybuilding dreams,
and he’s sponsored by
Universal Nutrition and
Animalpak.com.

Readers Write
More Raves for Rachel Unreal Spiel
As a natural bodybuilder
of 20 years, I found it difficult
to believe the claims made
by Mike Semanoff in your
October ’06 issue. He said he
added 20 pounds of muscle
naturally while reducing his
bodyfat in only two months.
The assertions made in X-
Neveux
Rep training articles are be- Mike Semanoff.
coming very similar to those
made by so many supple-
ment companies, which reduces credibility in my mind.
Paul Cieslak
Redondo Beach, CA
Editor’s note: IRON MAN magazine and X-Rep.com had

nothing to do with Mike’s training experiment. He did it all
on his own and wanted to report in our pages what hap-
Rachel McLish. pened when he began using X Reps in conjuction with su-
persets. We didn’t solicit him or sponsor him in any way. Yes,
20 pounds of muscle in two months is amazing, but keep
in mind that he probably wasn’t in peak condition when he
started. He’d probably backed off training somewhat, lost
some muscle and then started training for the competition
season (he won two drug-free contests after he packed on
the extra muscle). Our guess is that he probably rebuilt five
to 10 pounds of muscle and added another 10 pounds of
Neveux
new muscle in that two-month span. Not to take anything

away from Mike—that’s still an incredible gain. And we
I really enjoyed seeing pictures of Rachel McLish in the thank him for verifying the X-Rep concept.
April ’06 IRON MAN. I’ve been a fan of hers since the ’80s,
when I first began dabbling in fitness, nutrition and body-
building. I am now 50 years old. I feel that it’s important
not only to get in shape but to stay that way, especially as
Ultimate E-zine
I get older. I firmly believe that by maintaining a health- I just read e-zine 131, about doing two sets of the ulti-
ful lifestyle, I and mate exercise for each bodypart [with X Reps]. I alternate
many other baby that abbreviated-style workout with full 3D Positions-of-
boomers can set a Nancy Mitchell. Flexion routines for each bodypart. I get so pumped, and
new standard for I’m almost always sore. I’m growing too. My upper body is
how a middle-aged finally catching up with my legs. I recommend the X-Rep
woman should .com Web site to everyone, as well as the e-books. I even
Photo courtesy of Nancy Mitchell
look. I’ve heard it recommend the train-at-home book [IRON MAN’s Home
said that 50 is the Gym Handbook by Steve Holman] that came out years ago
new 30. I really to anyone who’s looking to get started in bodybuilding.
believe that. Patrick Winn
Nancy Mitchell Indianapolis, IN
via Internet
Editor’s note: For more information on
Editor’s note: 3D Positions-of-Flexion mass training, visit
Watch for more on ravishing Rachel in our upcoming over- www.3DMuscleBuilding.com. To order
40-bodybuilding issue. IRON MAN’s Home Gym Handbook at the
special low price of only $9.95, visit the
newly redesigned Home Gym Warehouse
Weird Science Web site, www.Home-Gym.com, or call
(800) 447-0008.
I love all the research articles you have every month in
IRON MAN. The report by Jerry Brainum on the ISSN Con-
Vol. 66, No. 1: IRON MAN (ISSN #0047-1496) is published monthly by IRON MAN Pub-
ference was excellent [“Stardust Muscle Memories,” No-
lishing, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Periodical Mail is paid at Oxnard, CA, and at
vember ’06]. Because of that one article, I’ve started taking additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives
a meal replacement and L-carnitine [to increase anabolic Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Please allow six to eight weeks for change to take effect. Subscrip-
receptors] an hour before I train, and I’m already noticing tion rates—U.S. and its possessions: new 12-issue subscription, $29.97. Canada, Mexico and
new energy, strength and muscle. Thank you! other foreign subscriptions: 12 issues, $49.97 sent Second Class. Foreign orders must be in
Sam Whipset U.S. dollars. Send subscriptions to IRON MAN, 1701 Ives Ave., Oxnard, CA 93033. Or call
1-800-570-4766. Copyright © 2006. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be
Denver, CO reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the USA.


Iron Man - USA 1 2007

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Iron Man - USA 1 2007

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

MR.

OLYMPIA: FULL-PAGE PICS OF MASSIVE MUSCLE GIANTS

REPORTS THAT CAN

MISSING LINK Fierce Fat Burner

PLUS: Super Supplement

Equipment Supplements Books Videos

•Money Back Guarantee

www.ironmanmagazine.com \ APRIL 2006 261

This DVD features Greg Plitt, one of the

150 DECEMBER 2009 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

104 MUSCLE-SCIENCE ROUNDUP

Cory Crow delves into the chest- REPORTS THAT CAN

the superheavyweight and overall TO MAJOR (It Jacks Testosterone Too)

one big dude, gang!)

PLUS: Super Supplement

David Fisher appears on

X-Files, 176 POWERFUL MUSCLE MEDICINE 2

Muscle-Science Roundup, 202 IFBB MR. OLYMPIA

232 ONLY THE STRONG SHALL SURVIVE

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

Train to Gain, 56 CRITICAL MASS

192 MUSCLE “IN” SITES

196 NEWS & VIEWS

226 PUMP & CIRCUMSTANCE

240 BODYBUILDING PHARMACOLOGY

256 READERS WRITE

In the next IRON MAN

Here’s a complete Powertec

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Arnold’s Rules Design Director: Michael Neveux

for Achievement Editor at Large: Lonnie Teper

24 JANUARY 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

Picture this... you with tight,

The incredible breakthrough

Using the Ab Bench is the

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

If you always start

26 JANUARY 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

•Selectorized: Adjust the

FREE Bonus Pack:

Stand available separately.

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Monster Forearm Bar Power Hooks

Over 4000 best-selling products online

Pec-Pressing Rotation Ronnie Coleman style

Model: Ronnie Coleman \ “Cost of Redemption” ©2006 Mitsuru Okabe Co.

Free download from imbodybuilding.com

If you’re after huge forearms

You’ll develop a bone-crushing

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

Whatever You Need—Wherever You Train ™

Comstock \ Models: Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman

machine at home. Making cardio more

convenient means you’ll probably do a

28 JANUARY 2007 \ www.ironmanmagazine.com

The rotator cuff muscles stabilize

A big, impressive bench press can

Visit us at Home-Gym.com or call 800-447-0008

8 Over 4000 best-selling products online

John Hansen shows you how to