The "B" Stands For "BEAST"

We all know it's important to get our vitamins and minerals.  Heck, we've been told that by our parents since the dawn of our days.  They were right to say so, vitamins are crucial to essential bodily functions and maintaining a healthy physical and mental state.  Every vitamin has a different job to do within the body (while some do overlap), so it's important to get a broad spectrum.  Some vitamins are water soluble, and some fat soluble.  The water soluble ones you can pretty much take as much as you want (though huge doses usually aren't necessary), where as fat soluble ones you don't want to overdose on, as that can have some nasty consequences.

Now you remember I wrote an article on why multivitamins aren't necessary in a highly clean and varied diet, and I still stand by that statement.  However there are a few vitamins that are definitely good to supplement if you live a certain kind of lifestyle.  For us gym-goers, who work out hard and heavy on a regular basis, one of the most important vitamins to supplement is vitamin B.

Why vitamin B?  Well, in Olympic weightlifting, there is an enormous toll taken on your central nervous system.  In fact, we lifters are almost never sore muscularly, as we have highly advanced recovery diets, massages, cold and warmth techniques, stretches, and other methods to ensure our muscles are ready to go another round only a few hours later.  The main issue with the sport is allowing the central nervous system to recover, which if left to its ways is a very slow process.  Pretty much the best methods of CNS recovery are: sleep, eat, and vitamin B.  That's right, vitamin B is actually quite helpful when it comes to restoring CNS function in a short amount of time.

There are a couple ways to effectively supplement vitamin B.  The first is to actually inject a vitamin B complex directly into the bloodstream.  This ensures extremely efficient absorption, and many people who get vitamin B injections say they feel like superman the next day.  Joint pain is gone, they feel wide awake, and usually cannot WAIT to lift.  Believe me, that's quite the change from the normal "zombie" state associated with lifting.

The second way is to orally supplement vitamin B.  While a B complex is best, I personally usually supplement very large doses of vitamin B-12, only one part of the complex.  B-12 is virtually impossible to overdose on, and therefore it's easy to take a LOT of it and ensure your body has all it needs.  Any extra will just come out in urine.  A word of caution though, just B-12 will not completely repair your CNS completely by itself (although B-12 by itself can have a large effect), it needs support from other B vitamins such as B-5, B-6, B-2, etc.  This is why it's important you do get other B vitamins in your diet, either through food or separate supplementation.  A person is much more likely to overdose on other B vitamins such as B-6, so don't take it in as large a quantity as you would B-12.

Oral methods of supplementation include pills/capsules, or liquid.

Here's a lot more information on B-12 and the entire B complex via the Livestrong.com site:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/410513-b-complex-vs-b12/

Now as you may have guessed, Olympic weightlifters aren't the only people who experience CNS burnout.  Anyone who hits the gym on a regular basis is at risk of "burning out," especially if you're giving it your all in the gym like you should be.  Don't be afraid of getting burnt, but try to avoid it if possible.  Get plenty of sleep, keep your diet up to snuff, and make sure you supplement your B vitamins.  They go a LONG way in ensuring you're able to perform at your best on a constant basis.

There's one more little thing I'd like to discuss about vitamin B-12.  The vitamin can be derived from two main sources, Cyanocobalamin and Methylcobalamin.  There's a rumor out there that the Cyanocobalamin version of the drug is harmful to your body because it's bonded to a Cyanide molecule.  There have been studies done on this claim, and all have shown that Cyanocobalamin has NO noticable effect on your body whatsoever.  Zip.  Zilch.  None.  This is good, because this version of the drug is MUCH cheaper than the Methylcobalamin version, specifically because it's synthetic.  It's also more stable, and more efficient at getting into your body.  

Don't want to take my word for it?  Here's an article describing exactly the same thing:

http://www.isagenixhealth.net/blog/2009/07/23/debunking-myths-about-cyanocobalamin-b12/

Before I end, I'll just add a little personal note in.  The very first night I took a 1500 mcg B-12 pill, I woke the next morning feeling SOOOO much better than I had the day before.  The feeling of mental fatigue and cloudiness was absolutely GONE.  B vitamins are an extremely powerful thing.  Take advantage of what they can do for you.  They're cheap, effective, and boy do they let you perform at your best.

Lift hard, lift often, be a BEAST, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Lifting For Two

Are you a gym loner?  Are you one of those people who hits the gym solo, day in and day out, in your own little world, at your own intensity level, and with your own goals in mind?  Well, thousands upon thousands of people are, and you know what?  That's just fine.  Some people work well alone, and most of the time I think I fall into this category just fine.  For months on end I've been hitting the gym solo, and have gotten plenty of personal records in the process.  Lots of people do the exact same thing with great success, so what's the problem?  Well, the thing is, by working out alone, you may be falling into a hidden trap, and squandering your own potential.

What do I mean?  Well, let me put it this way.  It's much easier than you think to set both your goals and your intensity levels far too low, and lose out on quite a bit of possible muscle gains.  In fact, you could get stuck in a rut without even realizing it.  Sure, I've given you ways to prevent this, such as setting short term goals which you have to try your darndest to stick to, or getting your diet right so you have maximum energy and feel ready to hit the heavy stuff day in and day out.  But honestly, the most effective motivation in a workout is sometimes just another person.

I can speak from personal experience here.  Whenever I've had the pleasure of another person to lift alongside, I've felt better and more motivated than any other time.  The reasons for this are quite simple, and I bet you all could figure them out.  However, because that wouldn't make much of an article, I'll post them here regardless:

Assistance:  Whether it's loading the weights, checking for good form, or just moving equipment around in general, you can get your next workout set up faster with someone else helping you.  You can also make sure you're doing it right.  Though a mirror works fine to check for squat depth, it'd sure be nice to have someone else there checking it for me as well.  And if your back rounds during a heavy deadlift, they can yell at you to drop that sucker before you get hurt, before you actually GET hurt.  That'd be nice, wouldn't it?

Distraction:  When the weight gets heavy, and you're there alone, that's all you can think about.  It's just you, under this stupidly heavy weight, and you need to squat it from top to bottom to top again.  And god it's heavy, why's it so heavy?  It wasn't this heavy yesterday, was it?  Oh my god I can't do this.  But I'm going to try anyway...so I here I go...and then BAM!  You fail.  You dump the weight, make some noise, and miss a chance at another PR.  Sucks, doesn't it?  There are two ways to alleviate this.  Take some weight off (hah! like that'll happen), or get a friend to come and watch you.  Performing for someone else can actually have a positive effect on lifting ability.  Your friend creates a distinct distraction that can easily take your mind off the task at hand, and instead get you into the right mindset to make the lift.  They can talk to you, root you on, tell you to push harder, and most likely you'll listen, and succeed.  Plus, having a friend there makes even the longest workouts fly by.  Just don't get chatting instead of lifting.

This distraction aspect also works GREAT with cardio.  I hate running, so whenever I had to go for a run I'd try to find someone to run with.  MUCH EASIER! 

Competition:  This used to be my driving force back in high school, with a guy named Cameron Stiles.  He and I would go back and forth trying to push out more reps with more weight (in fact our motto was jokingly "more weight, more reps, less rest") than the other could do.  Usually he won, considering he had about 10 lbs more muscle than I did, and was also built like a full-back (short arms, short legs, resembling an M1 Abrams Tank if you squinted.)  Nevertheless, he pushed me to get stronger faster than I ever had before, and god was it fun trying to beat him.  Next chance you get, bring a bud to the gym who's around your strength level, set up a few competitive lifts, and have at it.  You'll not only get a great workout in, but you'll feel like a beast WHEN you beat him.  And if competition doesn't get your mind in the right place to lift, I don't know what will.

Encouragement:  I've sort of covered this one already, but on a hard rep sometimes someone yelling appropriate encouragement can really push you through.  Keep in mind this needs to be the right tone of voice, intensity, volume, etc., so most likely not every one of your buddies will get you lifting that last rep as efficiently as they could.  For me, again, it was Cameron.  He had a way of yelling at me that just made me angry, energized, and extremely determined to get that last rep.  Haven't found someone else yet who could do the same.  But give it a shot, bring a friend and egg each other on, because a little encouragement can go a long way.

Safety:  Now this one kind of seems like a no brainer, but I'll mention it anyway.  Squats I'm not so concerned about, anyone who really knows what they're doing can dump a bar backward or forward, but on something like a bench press, seated military press, or anything else where you're suspending a bar over your body with no place to really throw it if it goes bad, it'd be nice to have someone there to pull the thing off you when you can't lift it anymore, right?

A Few More Reps:  This one kind of goes with the safety topic, though not exactly.  See, when you're benching alone, you know you need to rack it before you get to that one "grinding" rep, where you may or may not get stuck under the darn thing.  If you have someone there spotting you, and they know what they're doing, you can ALWAYS go for broke, and go right until you can't lift another rep.  Then, the best part is, your friend can help you push one more out by gently, lifting up on the bar and alleviating some of the weight on the concentric phase.  Heck, you can do that same thing four or five times and really push your body over the edge so much that it HAS to grow to adapt.  Go past your max, and you'll put on muscle, quick.

Creativity:  If you put two brains together, usually you can come up with better programming and more effective exercises than you would normally on your own.  You can discuss what you're feeling in your bodies throughout the workout, and determine what your next lift should be accordingly.  You can even design routines and lifts on the spot, and confuse your muscles enough so that they'll be forced to grow big and strong.  And trying new and crazy things can really make you feel impressively strong, and walk out of the gym that day feeling truly accomplished.

So there you have it, exactly why you should try to work out WITH someone else the next chance you get.  You'll push harder, be more efficient, creative, and effectively worked.  Plus, I can almost guarantee that it'll be a lot more fun (if you're working out with someone you actually like...).  Give it a shot, I'm pretty sure you'll see what I mean.  Progress comes quickly when someone else is there to help.

Get a buddy, hit the heavy weight, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

Up The Intensity!

Hey, want to lose weight fast?  How about pack on some serious muscle in as little time as possible?  Maybe increase your metabolism and push your body into building, burning, fitness mode?  Well my friends, it's about time you increased your workout intensity.

Sure sure, everyone tells you to "push it," or work harder, egging you on in the gym, while you might be perfectly content to walk on the treadmill at an average pace so you can still actually hear the TV hanging on the wall, and watch the soap opera comfortably.  To you, the gym might be just an annoying routine, where you'd like to be as comfortable as possible doing uncomfortable things (like walking, jogging, biking, or lifting heavy things.)  That's all fine and dandy, and it's up to you, but not only will your progress toward any sort of goal be slowed to a crawl, but you're more likely to get into the rut that so many fall into --The rut of ZERO MOTIVATION,and of course.....low intensity.

Listen, your body responds to intensity.  You'll feel your heart rate shoot skyward, beads of sweat pop out everywhere, and your muscles burn.  It's uncomfortable, no doubt.  But by doing intense things, in any sort of workout you do, you're forcing your body to adapt, to work, and to push itself to the next level.  You'll burn a fantastic number of calories.  Think about it, the harder your heart is beating, the more your calorie furnace is heating up.  If you just saunter along on the treadmill all day, or lift weights far below the level of any sort of real effort, your heart won't get going, your body won't strain, and you won't increase your metabolic rate a bit.  No effort = no results, it's as simple as that.  These days, I see far too many people who are too comfortable in the gym.  Listen, you can love the place, but love it for the results it gives you, not because it's comfortable.  Be comfortable with pushing yourself.  Here are a few ways to get on the seriously intense workout track:

HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING:  Are you a cardio lover?  Do you enjoy the treadmill, the spinning machine, or the elliptical?  Well then, HIIT, or High Intensity Interval Training, is definitely for you.  This is truly the next level of cardio.  It'll take a shorter amount of time, and shoot your heart rate sky high (safely of course).  The concept is pretty simple.  Let's use the treadmill as an example.  When starting out, warm up for about a minute with a medium walk to slow jog.  Then, for the next minute or so, get up to a relatively comfortable pace, one you could keep for at least half an hour (a steady jog, I'd suggest between 5.5-7.0 mph for the average person).  Hit this for another minute.  Once that second hand turns over for the third minute though, the fun begins.  Quickly increase to an 80-95% sprint for a good 15-30 seconds, making sure to push yourself to near maximum speed.  Keep breathing deep and steady, and feel the burn in those legs.  PUSH HARD.  Then, when time's up, go back to your steady jog pace and cool down for about a minute.  Then...you guessed it, repeat.  For a beginner, I'd suggest four complete cycles (four jogs, four sprints), then every week or so get one more interval in there.  Work up to a total of around 20-25 minutes of HIIT, and I guarantee you'll see some real results.  Religious HIITers drop weight quickly and keep it off due to their vastly increased metabolism which is due to the irregular taxing of your heart and muscles.  You'll build leg muscle too, especially if you play around with the incline.  There's all sorts of HIIT workouts out there, google a few and try them out.

Oh, and HIIT works with any sort of cardio.  Try some hardcore spinning intervals, or elliptical, or jump rope, or take it outside and use a hill, a bike, or just plain RUN.  You can even walk and do it (have you ever tried to keep pace on a maximum speed walk?  Definitely not easy).  It's simple, and it produces guaranteed results.  It's not easy, but it gives an amazing sense of accomplishment.  And sometimes it's fun to see just how fast you can run.

Here's a great intro to HIIT, along with a few provided workouts: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw40.htm

HEAVY SQUATS:  My personal favorite.  To be honest, I'm not the cardio type.  But guess what, to keep lean, cardio ISN'T A NECESSITY.  Sure it's great to get at least something aerobic in there every now and then, but you can have plenty of intensity in your workouts just from lifting heavy things.  Squats are one of the best high intensity movements out there, especially heavy ones.  I believe one of my biggest idols, Nick Horton (coach of PDX weightlifting) put it best in a recent email to me by saying: A hard set of squats is really similar to a sprint, actually, as far as your body is concerned. Boy is he right.  Squat a heavy set of five, and not only will your heart rate increase, but you'll feel taxed pretty darn close to your limit.  Keep the reps close together, push as hard as you can, and you'll use so many muscles in such an intense, powerful manner that your body can't help but go into "beast mode," and fire up that calorie burning furnace.  You'll also build a ridiculous amount of muscle too, quite quickly.  I squat 7  days a week (I do NOT suggest this to a beginner, start off with 1 or 2 at most, with wide spacing between days), and it hasn't even been a year and I've already put 100 lbs on my max squat.  I feel stronger than ever, and despite being about 10 lbs heavier I'm also leaner than I was when I started.  Amazing right?  The magic of squats is fantastic.  


Bottom Line:  Squats make you powerful and increase your metabolism enormously.  Do them.  But make sure your form is good.  Get flexible and lift heavy.

PLYOMETRICS:  Plyos are insane.  They kill you with just one set, then on each successive set continue to kick you when you're down.  But they feel GREAT.  They build muscle, they build explosive strength, and they shoot your metabolism through the roof.  They will force your body to go through calories like water through  a sieve.  And like any good high intensity exercise, after you're done you'll still be in high gear, burning through every new meal you consume, packing on muscle and dropping fat.  It's called the "afterburn effect," and it's basically an increased metabolic rate that lasts for a certain amount of time after your workout.  The more intensely you worked out, in general, the longer and larger the afterburn effect is.  Hard, explosive movements force your body to work at maximum level with each rep, and therefore your afterburn effect will be quite large.  So get jumping, leaping, and lunging.


Want a good plyometric workout?  Start here, but please look all over the internet, because there are thousands of different workouts that will ALL kick your butt and produce serious results.  People who practice plyometrics on a regular basis are stronger, fitter, faster, more powerful, and in general on a level above those who don't.  Step up.  Try a few.  Start small, then really go for it!

Now clearly you can't just jump into a highly intense workout and expect to be all right.  Don't start squatting twice what you are now, or sprinting for 12 solid intervals right off the bat.  Chances are you'll burn out, or worse, hurt yourself.  Increase the intensity in levels, or steps, starting small and working up to the truly daunting.  Like I've said in my previous goal setting articles (read my most recent one here: http://foodguru802.blogspot.com/2012/01/short-term-key.html ), give yourself a lofty goal that you really have to reach toward, and set smaller short term goals that will allow you to reach it.  Want a 50" box jump?  Start with 24" box jumps for reps this week, then maybe 26-28" next week.  You'll be leaping like a frog in no time, and the body fat will start to melt right off you with every successive day.

Also, one more thing to close down this article and send you on your way to success:  Be intense inwardly, not outwardly.  What do I mean?  Well, focus all your energy toward that next sprint, that next jump, or that ungodly heavy squat.  Don't waste it screaming your head off in the gym to get psyched up, or making a ridiculous commotion.  Sure, everybody's got their psyche-up routine.  I've got my own, and I'm sure it looks quite strange, but it doesn't necessarily draw attention.  Keep it refined, shall we?  Power toward the movement, not outward into thin air.  Efficiency is the name of the game.

Push hard, then harder, then do it again.  All it takes is all you've got.  GOOD LUCK!

My Favorite Core Exercises

Have you ever wanted a rock solid midsection?  Abs that will break knuckles when punched?  Everyone does at one point or another, and I'm here to tell you that extreme core strength is quite attainable if you attempt to gain some.  The problem is, I think, that most people don't really know how to go about creating a core resembling the trunk of a tree.  They lay on the ground all day, crunching and crunching until they throw up.  Hey...GET OFF THE FLOOR FOR A SECOND and listen up.  There's quite a bit more you could be doing for your abs, especially if you're looking to get the strongest set you possibly can.

First, where is your "core"?  Well sure it involves your abdominal muscles, that plane of rectangular bricks just waiting to impress the ladies, but it also includes your obliques (on the sides), and even your upper quads and hip flexors.  And one part people often forget, it also includes your INNER abdominal wall (that's right, abs work both ways.)  To have a strong core is to be able to support yourself under the heaviest weights while maintaining good form and actually assisting the muscles required to lift said weight (like your legs).  These are all things I'm quite interested in, as should you be.  

First off, let's get one thing straight.  I'm talking about training core for strength, not definition.  You want rippling abs?  Let your diet take care of it.  Eat clean and under maintenance calories and you'll get a shredded midsection in no time flat.  Incidentally one of my favorite quotes is "train for strength, abs are made in the kitchen," (that's actually kind of a hybrid quote between some of my own analogies and Arnold Schwarzenegger's words.)  I hate to say it guys.  Crunches don't make you ripped.  Broccoli does.  Anyway, moving onward.  

Training abs for strength means high resistance, heavy loads, and intense reps.  You need to get that core used to contracting as hard as possible for as long as possible and sustaining that contraction no matter the cost or strain.  Sounds fun right?  Let's look at a few of my favorite high intensity ab contraction exercises.  

"L" chin-ups- These are my favorite by far.  They involve so many muscles I'd have a hard time counting them all, and they require extreme core strength.  I usually try to do at least 3-5 sets of these once or twice a week, after my squats.  Basically, get into chin up position, hold your legs at a 90 degree angle out in front of you (so your body looks like an "L"), and hold that angle as you complete as many chin-ups as you can.  Can't do chin/pull-ups?  No worries!  You can also do an "L" hang.  Just hang from the bar, hold your feet out in front of you, and count to ten.  Rest, then do it again.  I guarantee you'll feel a burn in this one, and it's an incredible core strength builder.  

"V"-ups- Whoa, another letter name exercise!  You've probably seen these before.  The key to these is keeping it slow and controlled.  Basically, lie flat on your back to start, with your arms overhead.  Slowly raise your feet while keeping legs straight, while at the same time raising your hands and arms to match the plane creating by your legs.  When your arms and legs are parallel, crunch toward your toes (touching them if you can), then descend back to starting position SLOWLY.  DO NOT LET YOUR FEET OR HANDS TOUCH THE GROUND.  Keep the contraction the entire exercise.  Do as many good reps as you can, take a short break, then come back for some more.  These are nuts.  

Plate/Russian Twist Balance- Want some serious pain?  Try these suckers.  Hold a plate in your hands (I'd recommend starting off with a 5lb or 10lb plate), and sit narrow-ways on a thin bench (such as a bench press or adjustable bench).  Raise your feet up and lean back so you're balancing on your butt, and hold the plate over one side of your body so it is almost touching the bench.  In a rapid but controlled and CONSTANTLY contracted motion, twist the plate across your body to the other side, ALMOST touch the bench, and repeat.  After twenty to thirty to a gazillion reps of these your core will feel like jello, I promise.  Because you're constantly contracting the core, it gets used to a heavy strain for extended periods of time, building some serious strength.  

The guy in this video taps the plate on the ground.  You CAN do that, but I believe that stopping the motion BEFORE the ground does requires a little more work on your core's part.  Up to you.

"Super Slow" Decline Sit-ups- In truth, doing any core exercise "super slow" is a great idea, as it forces your core muscles to remain firmly contracted for longer periods of time, lending itself toward great, useful strength gains.  This one is just what it sounds like. Hop on a decline bench, and start doing some damn slow sit-ups.  On the way down, stay very slow and controlled, count in your head if you have to.  Go very deep, trying to feel even your lowest abs, and DON'T let your back rest on the bench.  Start your upward movement just before your upper back touches the bench.  This means you'll need to stay quite upright, no hunching forward like you see all those other gym nothings do.  Slow and controlled, firm, contracted, and upright.  Do 15 reps per set, and you'll be burning all day.  

Want an even better burn?  Hold a plate or dumbbell over your head while you do these.  CRAZY!

This is the best video I could find in regards to FORM, but I have no idea why they call it an incline bench when it's clearly at a decline...

Front Squats-  Whaa???  Front squats?  I must've been crazy when writing this and accidentally included a leg exercise.  WRONG.  Front squats are still probably the greatest core workout I regularly do.  To front squat, you must hold the bar on the front of your deltoids, and to avoid dumping the bar in the deepest of bottom positions, you must remain as upright as possible while in the hold.  With all that weight pressing down on you, guess whose job it is to help keep you upright?  That's right!  Your core.  The heavier the squat, the more work your core does.  Try these out sparingly at first, and make sure your form is good.  I'll bet you'll see what I mean though, and quickly.

So there you have it, a few of my favorite core exercises geared toward creating massive core strength.  Do these on a consistent basis and I guarantee that when you get around to dieting down to low body fat percentage you'll have a midsection to be truly envious of.  

Keep it heavy, slow, and controlled.  Good luck!

Brain Training For Muscle Gains

So, all you gym rats, all you muscle heads, you heavy hitters, big time lifters, and meat-heads, what do you think happens when you get stronger? What has actually changed in your body that has allowed you to lift more weight than previously?  Well, the obvious answer is that you've gained muscle mass, greater muscle density, or in other words, you've increased the amount of usable muscle fiber in your body.  But what if I told you that you, without ever lifting a single weight, have more muscle fiber in your body than you really know what to do with?

Well, maybe that's not exactly true, there is a limit to the "stock" amount of muscle fiber you have.  But without any sort of training, much of your muscle fiber will be wasted and doomed to inactivity.  You'll be unable to lift to your potential.  In fact, you may remember in my recent article regarding gorillas (yes, gorillas, quite fascinating actually, read it here: ), I mentioned that the human body with no training whatsoever is only able to use about 20% of the muscle fiber it has.  That's not much now, is it?  Four out of every five muscle fibers are unusable without any sort of training.    That means you have a lot more potential than you could believe.  The good news is, when you lift weights, you not only break down muscle fiber (and inevitably build it back up again), you create stronger connections between your brain and muscles, and can more actively engage greater numbers of muscle fibers to work for you and lift that incredibly heavy barbell.  

Let's explore this brain-muscle connection a little further, and maybe optimize the gains you can obtain through "brain training."  The actual name of this brain system is called the Central Nervous System, or CNS.  Ever heard of it?  In actuality your CNS determines how your body reacts to stimulus, how quickly it reacts, with how much power and intensity, and with the greatest efficiency possible.  As you increase training intensity, weight, reps, etc., you build a stronger connection between your CNS and you muscle fibers. 

 In general, heavier loads are more taxing on your CNS, and require a more powerful contribution from your brain. In fact, the greatest way to stimulate your brain to build stronger muscle connections is through high weight, low rep applications.  Big surprise, I'm going to bring up weightlifting again!  Olympic weightlifters are masters at using every muscle fiber they've got with the greatest possible efficiency.  They can optimize the contribution of their CNS, and while the truth of this statement hasn't been confirmed, very often you'll hear members of the infamous Chinese weightlifting team claiming they can use more than 90% of their muscle fiber.  That's 70% more than the average human being!  Here's a good explanation of CNS training that might optimize brain-muscle connection development:

"Bompa's philosophy (Bompa 2005) with regards to weight training to improve explosive power is that repetitions are the key training variable. He recommends a low number of repetitions (1 to 3), with loadings in excess of 90% of 1RM (1 rep max), in order to develop strength that will boost speed and power and optimise the contribution of the CNS, with a recovery of 6 minutes between sets. These loadings create a higher level of excitation and receptor/effector communication, more motor unit recruitment and greater neural stimulation. These loadings and recoveries are also recommended on the basis of their contribution to maximum power and strength expression, and also because they do not produce a large increase in muscle mass, which could be detrimental to an athlete's power to weight ratio."

But why stop at weightlifters?  It's obvious that any high level athlete has a highly developed CNS in regards to their sport.  They know exactly how to use the muscles they need in order to get the job done to the highest possible efficiency.  They are strong, fast, lean, and powerful.  Most likely they've also been training for quite a long time in order to develop such remarkable connections.  There's obviously something to be said about practice.  The more often an activity is performed, especially with intensity and good form, the greater development will occur in your brain.  

Hopefully it's quite obvious by now that your brain plays a big roll in your training.  And just like your muscles, you can overtrain your CNS to the point where it becomes impossible to work out.  It's not quite the same feeling as an extremely sore muscle, or stiff joints.  From personal experience, I believe it's a much worse feeling, and far more frustrating.  An overtrained CNS will leave you completely drained, blurry eyed, and unable to lift even a fraction of what you normally could.  It'll be like energy just won't come your way no matter what you do.  If you don't want to overtrain your CNS, avoid:

-Extremely heavy loads each and every day

-Working to failure on a constant basis

-Extremely high intensity workouts too often throughout the week

Nobody's saying you can't push yourself.  But do it smartly, and if you're not used to heavy loads, work up to them.  Not everybody is able to squat 90% of their max day in and day out, you need to work up to that level.  Just like your muscles, your CNS will gain endurance and strength, and you'll be able to lift heavier and work harder more and more often.

If you do overtax yourself, even accidentally, don't despair, it usually happens to most everyone at one point or another.  You have to know your limits, and sometimes the only way to find them is to surpass them.  Just take a day off from the gym (A REAL DAY OFF, NOT A LIGHT WORKOUT DAY), get plenty of sleep, eat well (eat to refuel, complex carbs and lean proteins), and really let all those nutrients soak up into your body as you give it a much needed break.

Realize that when you get stronger, you're not just packing on meat.  You're getting smarter with the iron, and more able to use every muscle fiber you've got.  Crazy stuff right?

Use that brain, push yourself, and as always, GOOD LUCK!

References:

http://www.brianmac.co.uk/cns.htm

All About Glycogen

I bet you've all had them.  Those days when you drag yourself to the gym, and for some reason can't lift even fractions of what you normally could.  You'll end up frustrated beyond belief at the end of your session, wondering why weights that you generally pull with ease just won't budge.  You may look in the mirror, and feel as if your muscles looks smaller, softer, and less "bulky" than they usually are.  You just may feel weak, a shadow of your formal, beastly self.  Why has all your progress suddenly come to naught?

The answer?  Glycogen depletion.

Glycogen is an extremely important substance that is stored in your muscles and in your liver.  It is the body's usable source of carbohydrates.  You've always wondered how all that food you ate ended up as usable energy.  Well, glycogen is the answer!  Your body basically converts ingested carbohydrates into glycogen, and saturates your muscles and liver with the stuff to use as an efficient and powerful fuel source.  Hence, after your workout (in which you've hopefully depleted a large amount of your glycogen stores), it would definitely be in your interest to consume carbohydrates with your protein (the ratio is under scrutiny, some say 2:1 carbs to protein, others say as much as 4:1) in order to initiate both protein and glycogen synthesis.  

Easy enough right?  To keep those glycogen stores topped off, keep some carbs in that post-workout meal.  But because you've read my other articles (you have, haven't you?) , you may, upon considering this information, have reached a quandary about replenishing glycogen stores.  You may have realized that there are multiple types of carbohydrates (namely simple, and complex).  So which does a better job of fueling up those muscles after a hard workout?  Or maybe you're wondering if it matters at all, as long as your muscles get those much needed nutrients.

Well we've established in previous examples that IN GENERAL complex carbohydrates are a more effective energy/nutrient source for your body.  They are released slowly and used efficiently, and are less likely to be stored as fat.  They'll give you lasting energy for long periods of time, and are the better choice for filling up those glycogen starved muscles.  Why aren't simple carbs quite as good?  Well here's a quote from a website I found that describes it better than I could:

"… complex carbohydrates … are more effective in replenishing glycogen stores than simple sugars. This makes sense because complex carbs are released slowly whereas simple sugars are released very rapidly, potentially overwhelming the glycogen synthesis pathways and "spilling over" into fat stores. Furthermore, the increased insulin release resulting from simple sugars causes more of the sugar to be converted to fat (Parillo, p.20)."

So there you go, glycogen stores are more effectively replenished via complex carbohydrates.  Good examples of easily consumable complex carbohydrate sources are maltodextrin and brown rice syrup, both of which can easily be mixed into a post workout protein shake.  

Brown Rice Syrup...lovely isn't it?

But simple, sugary carbs also have their place post workout.  In fact they play a very important role in initiating both glycogen and protein synthesis.  Simple sugars (like dextrose, a commonly used sugary carb in the fitness scene) will quickly spike your blood sugar, which allows muscles to rapidly absorb all sorts of nutrients.  In fact, post workout is about the only time you really want to voluntarily "spike" your blood insulin because it allows for all that good synthesis material such as amino acids, carbs, vitamins, minerals, you name it, to be sponged up by those soft, tired muscles in no time flat.  Pretty nifty biochemistry, if I don't say so myself.  

There it is, a simple explanation of muscle glycogen, and why it is so crucial in the strength/fitness scene.  Low glycogen levels=poor performance, and believe me nobody wants to feel like crap in the gym.  If you've come off a long training cycle, chances are your glycogen stores are very low.  Don't be afraid to take a day off and eat a good amount of quality carbohydrates.  Everybody needs a re-feed every now and then!

Keep those muscles fueled, lift heavy and run like the wind.  Good luck!

Reference Article (A great read if you have the time, delves into more complex topics about glycogen replenishment):  http://fitnessforoneandall.com/nutrition/article/glycogen.htm

Canned Fruit: The Good and The Bad

It's a pretty common story.  You buy a bunch of fruit for your new, healthy diet (good for you!), and stick it on your counter in a nice, decorative bowl.  However you don't end up eating it as fast as you had originally planned, and it ends up sitting for just a little too long.  In the end you have to throw out a good quarter of the fruit because of that nasty fruit rot.  What a waste!  How the heck can you get more time out of that healthy, delicious fruit?

Can it!  Canned fruit will last, for all intensive purposes, indefinitely.  It's cheap, tastes great, and is readily available at your local grocery store.  Fruits don't lose any sort of nutritional benefit upon being canned.  They may lose a little of their original texture, but once you get past that you're virtually golden.  What a great way to get more of those essential vitamins and other nutritional benefits back into your diet!

BUT HOLD ON!  Don't run out to your grocery store and buy a whole cartload of canned fruit just yet.  There are a few little things that you should be aware of before splurging on canned fruit.  When it comes to the cans, not all are created equal.  NOT BY A LONG SHOT.  How is this possible?  Well, it's actually quite simple.  Some canned fruit is canned in syrup (either heavy or light), and some is canned in the natural juice of the fruit.  I'll give you one wild guess as to which one is better for you.  I'll even give you a hint...it's not the syrup, and here's why:

Canning syrup isn't composed of much except a whole BUNCH of added sugar.  This is something you really don't need, especially if you're trying to keep blood insulin levels low and your body from storing excess fat.  To give an example of what I mean, here are the nutritional facts for three different varieties of canned peaches:  

Peaches Canned In Fruit Juice:

Nutrition Facts
Calories 43	(180 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat	0g	0%
Sat. Fat	< 0.1g	< 1%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	4mg	< 1%
Total Carbs.	11.4g	4%
Dietary Fiber	1.3g	5%
Sugars	10.1g
Protein	0.6g
Calcium	5.9mg
Potassium	125.4mg

Peaches Canned In Light Syrup:

Calories 53	(221 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat	0g	0%
Sat. Fat	< 0.1g	< 1%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	5mg	< 1%
Total Carbs.	14.3g	5%
Dietary Fiber	1.3g	5%
Sugars	13g
Protein	0.4g
Calcium	2.9mg
Potassium	95.1mg

Peaches Canned In Heavy Syrup:  

Nutrition Facts
Calories 73	(303 kJ)
% Daily Value 1
Total Fat	< 0.1g	< 1%
Sat. Fat	< 0.1g	< 1%
Cholesterol	0mg	0%
Sodium	6mg	< 1%
Total Carbs.	19.5g	7%
Dietary Fiber	1.3g	5%
Sugars	18.3g
Protein	0.4g
Calcium	2.9mg
Potassium	90.2mg

Note that all these nutrition facts are for a 3.5oz serving.  

Wow, 8 extra grams of sugar between heavy syrup and fruit juice?  That's pretty impressive.  And considering that's only about half a can, by the end of it all you'll be getting 16 grams more sugar than you would if you were eating raw peaches canned in their natural juices!  That's ridiculous honestly, nobody needs that much extra sugar, especially in fruit.  With fruit, you want to look for sources that are as truly natural as possible, filled with all the fiber, simple carbs, and vitamins and minerals you need.  While it's true that canning may alter the vitamins you take in slightly, there's no reason that canned fruit has to be any less nutritious.  Here's how to avoid all that extra sugar:

Remember my favorite phrase?  Well here it comes again.  READ THE INGREDIENTS!!!  It's pretty obvious which varieities of canned fruit are the ones filled with syrup.  They will either say.

-"Made with/packed in heavy/light syrup" right on the front (look a little harder for this title, it may not be quite as visible)

-Or on the ingredients, it might say "sugar."  Simple right?  That means there's added sugar on top of all the natural sugar in the fruit already.  Steer clear!  

-To determine that there isn't any added sugar/syrup, look first on the front of the can for phrases like "packed in fruit juice" or "no added sugar."  These are good indications that the fruit is packaged only in its natural juices with no sugary syrup surrounding it.

-Look again on the ingredients.  If it says anything other than the fruit, the fruit juice, and maybe some water, you know there's something fishy.  Raw, canned fruit will have an extremely simple ingredient list.  

-Look for other forms of sugar on the ingredient list.  If it has something like glucose, fructose, dextrose, or sucrose, come to think of it pretty much anything ending with "ose," then there's a good chance it has added sugar.  

-Watch for calories!  If you think that a particular can of fruit has an unusually large amount of calories for being well, fruit, then there's a good chance there's added sugar.  Take a second to look at the calorie figures posted above, notice how the fruit juice variation has 40 less calories per 3.5 oz.  The more natural the fruit, the fewer calories.  Keep that in mind!

So that's it!  I'll suggest fresh fruit over canned fruit all day long, but I understand the need to have long lasting food that has no risk of spoiling before you get to enjoy it.  Just be careful with your canned purchases, and enjoy all the nutritious benefits of a fruity snack!

Be scrutinous, watch for sugar, and as always, good luck!