Fitness Rx For Men - January 2017.pdf 4t511r

THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH T O B U I L D I NG MUSCLE,, LLOSING FAT,, ENHANCING PERFF O R M A N C E & S TAYING HEALTHYY

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TRAIN INSANE X-TREME WORKOUT ARE YOU REP KILLER MAN ENOUGH? LEG BLAST

DISPLAY UNTIL JAN 25th

FitRxInsideEDGE ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

NEW YEAR

TRANSFORMATION TRAIN E INSAN

At FitnessRx, we are always looking to bring you the best, most hardcore workouts so you can take your training to a new level by losing more body fat and building more muscle fast. To help you get in gear for 2017, we packed this issue of FitnessRx with more extreme workouts than ever before. Get ready burn fat, build muscle and transform your physique in 2017! Kris Gethin, the CEO and founder of Kaged Muscle supplements, believes in training hard and intense. He also believes in naturally fueling the body in order to be at your best and as healthy as you possibly can. The host of the most watched transformation series on the web via Bodybuilding.com, Kris is the founder of the Dramatic Transformation Principle, which is a combination of reps, weights and workout techniques to transform the physique. In “The 600Rep Killer Leg Workout with Kris Gethin: Get Tough! Are you Man Enough?” by Lisa Steuer on page 40, check out Kris’ high-rep, high-volume workout that will build legs like no other. With his style of training, Kris said that he has naturally been able to maintain an increase of one to two pounds of lean muscle tissue per year for the last 17 years, so this is definitely something you’ll want to look into if transforming your physique is your goal. Cory Gregory is known for his extreme workouts that aren’t for the weak. So what better way to take your training to a whole new level than some basic but extreme workouts with Cory? In “Five Metabolism-Boosting, Fat-Blasting Workouts for 2017: Extreme Training with Cory Gregory” by Cory Gregory on page 50, check out some of Cory’s hardcore workouts that will get your heart pumping and boost power, muscle, strength and endurance. Cory’s workouts are a mix of powerlifting, bodybuilding and some CrossFit/conditioning GPP (general physical preparation), so they produce results. If you’re ready to sweat and push hard, these workouts are for you. We all know that high-intensity, explosive training is key to getting in shape fast. If your goal for 2017 is to increase aerobic capacity, lean muscle mass, strength, power and fat loss, then you’ll need a high-intensity weight-training program. In “Lean and Mean for 2017: MuscleBuilding, Fat-Incinerating Total Body Workout with Jeff Seid” by Thomas Fahey, Ed.D. on page 32, IFBB professional physique competitor, personal trainer and our cover model this month, Jeff Seid, demonstrates a scientifically based high-intensity training program that brings lightningfast results. The program is supplemented with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that involves maximal intensity intervals performed on an elliptical trainer, stationary bike, treill or track for a total body transformation. The capacity of dopamine to trigger feelings of pleasure also makes the dopamine system vulnerable to manipulation by certain types of addictive drugs like cocaine, prescription drugs like Adderall, and behaviors such as gambling— which all stimulate feelings of pleasure by increasing dopamine activity within the brain. The new breakthrough product DOPA RUSH™ from Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) has been scientifically formulated with natural ingredients to suppress the incessant craving for addictive drugs and behaviors, by naturally boosting the production of dopamine. In “DOPA RUSH™ (Dopamine Maximizer): Feel the Rush With DOPA RUSH™ by Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D. on page 46, find out more about how DOPA RUSH™ cranks up dopamine levels while increasing energy, focus, memory, alertness, attention, creativity, confidence, mood, motivation and weight control. For more information or to purchase DOPA RUSH™, visit www.advancedmolecularlabs.com. You can make 2017 the year for getting in the best shape of your life— and we have got you covered with the right scientifically backed workouts and training advice to help you get there! And for more, don’t forget to check out our website, www.fitnessrxformen.com.

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FOR MEN

FITNESSRx

YOUR ULTIMATE PRESCRIPTION FOR THE PERFECT BODY

Publishers Steve & Elyse Blechman Editor-In-Chief Steve Blechman Online Editor Allan Donnelly Creative Director Alan Dittrich, Jr. Digital Creative Director/ Design Consultant Chris Hobrecker Managing Editor Lisa Steuer Associate Editor Alan Golnick Associate Art Director Stephen Kolbasuk Contributing Editors Dan Gwartney, MD Thomas Fahey, EdD Victor Prisk, MD Contributing Photographers Ian Spanier Michael Neveux Jason Ellis Per Bernal Advertising Director Angela Theresa Frizalone (239) 495-6899 Director of New Business Development Todd Hughes 416-346-3456 istrative Assistant Fernanda Machado Circulation Consultants Irwin Billman and Ralph Pericelli

Reader Inquiries: Subscriptions (to order) (631) 751-9696 (ext 301) customerservice@fitnessrxformen.com

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www.fitnessrxformen.com FITNESS RX for Men (ISSN 1543-8406) is published six times a year by Advanced Research Media, 21 Bennetts Road, Suite 101, Setauket, New York, 11733. Copyright ©2008 by Advanced Research Media. All rights reserved. Copyright under the Universal Copyright Convention and the International Copyright Convention. Copyright reserved under the Pan Am Copyright. Rate: $20.95 per year (USA); $38.95 per two years (USA); foreign: $28.99 per year. Nothing appearing in FITNESS RX may be reprinted, either wholly or in part, without the written consent of the publisher. Send editorial submissions to: FITNESS RX, 21 Bennetts Road, Suite 101, Setauket, New York, 11733. Stamped, self-addressed envelope must accompany all submissions, and no responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited submissions. All letters, photos, manuscripts, etc. sent to FITNESS RX will be considered as intended for publication, and FITNESS RX reserves the right to edit and/or comment. Periodical postage paid at Setauket P.O., Setauket, NY 11733 and at Glasgow, KY 42141. Postmaster: Send address changes to FITNESS RX 21 Bennetts Rd., Suite 101 Setauket, NY 11733. Advertising Office Phone: (800) 653-1151. PRINTED IN USA

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VOL. 14-NUMBER 1, JAN. 2017

40 THE 600-REP KILLER LEG WORKOUT WITH KRIS GETHIN Get Tough! Are you Man Enough? By Lisa Steuer

46 DOPA RUSH™ (DOPAMINE MAXIMIZER) Feel the Rush With DOPA RUSH™ By Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D.

32 LEAN AND MEAN FOR 2017 Muscle-Building, Fat-Incinerating Total Body Workout with Jeff Seid By Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

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50 FIVE METABOLISM-BOOSTING, FAT-BLASTING WORKOUTS FOR 2017 Extreme Training with Cory Gregory By Cory Gregory

www.fitnessrxformen.com

IN THIS ISSUE

WARM UP

6 PUBLISHER’S LETTER

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH

By Steve Blechman

By Steve Blechman and Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

12 16 20 24 26 28

TRAINING FAT-LOSS HEALTH SEX SUPPLEMENTS NUTRITION

COOL DOWN 84 MR. INTENSITY

56 CARDIO BURN Cardio Research Review: Best of 2016 By Team FitRx

60 FAT ATTACK Research Review: Best of 2016 By Daniel Gwartney, MD

62 HARD ‘CORE’ TRAINING

Best Tips for Building Arms By Joe Donnelly

86 ULTIMATE IN NUTRITION Research Review: Best of 2016 By Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D.

Core-Training Research Review: Best of 2016 By Team FitRx

66 MUSCLE LAB Muscle-Building Research Review: Best of 2016 By Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D.

70 SPORTS SUPPLEMENT REVIEW

ON THE COVER: JEFF SEID PHOTO BY JASON ELLIS

MHP Pre-Workout: Reckless By Gabriel Wilson, Ph.D., CSCS

72 THE M.A.X. MUSCLE PLAN Research Review: Best of 2016 By Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., CSCS, FNSCA

76 SPORTS SUPPLEMENT REVIEW Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals: Stamina-Rx® By Team FitRx

78 SUPPLEMENT EDGE Supplement Research Review: Best of 2016 By Team FitRx

80 MEN’S HEALTH Research Review: Best of 2016 By Team FitRx

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JAN U ARY 2017

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WARM UP FitRx

● THE LATEST NEWS AND RESEARCH FROM THE WORLD OF FITNESS

IN THIS SECTION

12-14 TRAINING -PROGRAM STRUCTURE INFLUENCES THE RESULTS; -DON’T NEGLECT FLEXIBILITY

16-18 FAT LOSS -HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE PROMOTES LONG-TERM WEIGHT CONTROL; -DIET, EXERCISE OR DIET PLUS EXERCISE FOR HEALTH?

20-22 HEALTH

-HOW TO PREVENT LOW BACK PAIN; -EXERCISE: MODERATION IS THE KEY

24-25 SEX

-MALE BIRTH CONTROL DRUG NEARLY READY FOR PRIME TIME; -ARE SEXTERS INSECURE?

26-27 SUPPLEMENTS

HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE PROMOTES pg 188 LONG-TERM pg. WEIGHT CONTROL

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-CAFFEINE SLOWS FATIGUE DURING HIGH-POWER TRAINING; -CAFFEINE BOOSTS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE

28-30 NUTRITION

-NUT CONSUMPTION LINKED TO REDUCED INFLAMMATION; -CINNAMON IMPROVES BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION

www.fitnessrxformen.com

FitRxWarmUP

●

TRAINING

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

The legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden said, “Although there is no progress without change, not all change is progress.” Current practices in strength training have their roots in the past, so it’s important that we appreciate the history and evolution of resistance training— according to William Kraemer from the Ohio State University. Early studies by scientists such as A.F. Huxley and A.V. Hill showed how muscles contract and build force. In the 1950s, researchers such as Thomas DeLorme showed the importance of progressive overload for increasing strength. Scientists were influenced by practical observations by fitness gurus such as Charles Atlas and Bob Hoffman. Leading sports scientists of the time, such as Peter Karpovich from Springfield College, believed that weight training made athletes muscle-bound and would hurt performance in power sports. Hoffman put on a demonstration at Springfield that included feats of flexibility, strength and power by champion athletes John Grimek and John Davis that decisively debunked this myth. Richard Berger and Patrick O’Shea developed the set and rep structure of basic weight-training programs that are still used today. Jack Wilmore from the University of California, Berkeley performed the early studies on the effects of weight training on women. Since these early days, sci-

entists such as Bill Kraemer studied the molecular mechanisms of strength and muscle growth and how muscle tension, nutrition and hormones affect them. Athletes should be students of sport. Appreciating the history of training is critical for understanding contemporary training techniques. (ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 20 (5): 10-14, 2016)

LIFT HEAVY TO GAIN STRENGTH

Program structure influences gains in strength and muscle size— according to a study led by Gareth Nicholson from the Institute for Sport, Physical Activity and Leisure at Leeds Beckett University in the U.K. Experienced weight trainers participated in programs designed to maximize strength or hypertrophy. Strength workouts used heavier weights, fewer reps and longer rest intervals (85 percent of maximum, five minutes rest and four sets of six reps) while hypertrophy workouts used more reps, less weight and shorter rest intervals (70 percent of maximum, 90 seconds rest and five to 10 reps per set). A third group used cluster sets involving short rest intervals during sets, with five minutes rest between sets. Strength gains were greatest in athletes performing strength and cluster sets. An important key to gaining strength is to use heavy weights with long rest intervals. Peak tension is critical if you want to get strong. An effective device for gauging the quality of a workout is the Beast Sensor (https://www. thisisbeast.com)— an accelerometer that measures the power output and velocity during each rep. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, published online July 29, 2016)

DON'T NEGLLECT T FLEEXIB BILLITY Y Flexibility is an important type of fitness that affects health and performance— according to Barbara Bushman from Missouri State University. Flexibility is defined as the maximum range of motion of a given t, and it varies with age, gender and regular patterns of physical exercises. People

should stretch at the end of a workout at least two to three days per week. Stretch until you feel tightness or mild discomfort. Flexibility is specific to each t, so stretch the major muscle groups using static, dynamic, ballistic or PNF stretching techniques. For static stretching, do two to four reps of each exercise, holding the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds. (ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 20 (5): 5-9, 2016)

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URBAN LEGENDS OF THE WEIGHT ROOM:

OLD MYTHS AND NEW REALITIES Goofy ideas abound in the weight room— according to James Peterson, a sports medicine consultant and former director of sports medicine at StairMaster. Many people focus on the training technique du jour. CrossFit, kettlebells, long and slow distance, HIIT, yoga and bodyweight exercise all have their advocates. In fact, everything works— to an extent. The best

choice depends on the interests and needs of the exerciser. Ninetyfive percent of success in life is showing up. Find an exercise that you enjoy and helps you achieve your goals, and stick with it. (ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 20 (5): 75, 2016)

RESTRIC CTIN NG BLOO OD FLO OW DURING G REC COV VERY Y SLLOW WS MUSCLE E PRO OTE EIN SYN NTH HES SIS Weight training with low loads and restricted blood flow, a technique called Kaatsu training, increases strength and is particularly valuable during rehabilitation. Metabolic byproducts such as lactate, adenosine, potassium and carbon dioxide may stimulate muscle growth. Restricting blood flow during recovery from weight training increases these metabolic byproducts and might promote muscle growth. Scott Dankel and Jeremy Loenneke from the University of Mississippi, and colleagues, found that restricting blood flow after weight training did not promote muscle growth, and decreased it in women. Training consisted of a single set of biceps curls performed to failure, using 70 percent of one-rep maximum (1RM) weight. The authors concluded that restricting blood flow after high-load weight training does not promote muscle growth, and might slow muscle protein synthesis. (European Journal of Applied Physiology, 116: 1955-1963, 2016)

PROGRAM STRUCTURE INFLUENCES THE RESULTS

No single weight-training program will satisfy the needs of bodybuilders, weightlifters, powerlifters, football players, tennis players or distance runners— according to Grace DeSimone from the Executive Council of the American College of Sports Medicine’s Committee on Certification and Registry Board. The goals of each program depend on the demands of the sport. Bodybuilders, for example, seek to build large, symmetrical muscles covered by a minimum of fat. Weightlifters must build maximum strength in highly complex movements (i.e., the snatch; clean and jerk). Distance runners must build power that helps them run faster during endurance races. The weight-training program should reflect these goals. Bodybuilders, for example, should perform eight to 12 reps for multiple sets— often pushing close to failure. Weightlifters and power lifters typically perform low reps with longer rest periods between sets. The best strategy is to assess the needs of the sport and tailor the strength-training program accordingly. (ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 20 (5): 3-4, 2016)

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CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

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NEEWLY Y DISCOVER RED HO ORM MONEE REGULLATEES BOD DY FAT T AND BLOO OD SUG GAR R

Adropin is a newly discovered hormone secreted by the liver that helps control fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Andrew Butler from St. Louis University and colleagues found that low levels of the hormone are linked to obesity. Chronically high carbohydrate intake suppresses adropin, which might promote fat deposition. Low levels of adropin are also related to high LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fats), which would make it a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. In middle-aged women, higher fat intake was linked to higher blood adropin values, while high carbohydrate intake was linked to lower adropin levels. Scientists are only beginning to understand the link between adropin, control of metabolism and obesity. (Obesity, 24: 1731-1740, 2016)

Reduced-Calorie Diets and Exercise Increase “Brite” Cell Formation The human body contains small amounts of a calorie-burning tissue called brown fat (brown adipose tissue, BAT) that converts food energy directly into heat. White fat does the opposite— it stores energy as fat. BAT prevents weight gain by increasing metabolic rate following overeating. Energy metabolism works through a series of coupled reactions. This means that energy released by breaking down fats, carbohydrates and proteins are captured in other reactions, such as making ATP (a high-energy chemical) or storing fats and carbohydrates. Uncoupling occurs when the energy from food breakdown is released as heat instead of capturing it as ATP. Brown fat converts food energy directly into heat. Reduced-calorie diets and exercise trigger the formation of “brite” or beige fat cells— white fat cells that act like brown fat— according to James Timmons from McMaster University and colleagues. This creates healthier fat cells that can better regulate bodyweight. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104:557-565, 2016)

DIET, EXERCISE OR DIET PLUS EXERCISE FOR HEALTH? Thirty-eight percent of US adults are obese and more than 70 percent are overweight. The obesity rate in US teens is a whopping 21 percent. Obesity has created a national health crisis that might decrease longevity of millennials compared to their parents. Unfortunately, about 90 percent of people who lose weight gain it back within 12 months. People get mixed messages about the role of diet and exercise for weight loss. Edward Weiss from St. Louis University School of Medicine and co-workers measured the effects of losing six to eight percent bodyweight through diet, exercise or diet plus exercise on heart disease risk factors. Diet plus exercise resulted in greater decreases in fat loss, LDL (bad) cholesterol and triglycerides (blood fat) than caloric restriction. Surprisingly, caloric restriction produced similar changes in blood pressure and resting heart rate as caloric restriction plus exercise. The study showed that weight loss— through diet or exercise— had substantial health benefits. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104:576-586, 2016)

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FAT LOSS

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

CALORIC RESTRICTION LEADS TO “BEIGING” OF WHITE FAT

White adipose tissue (white fat) is the body’s principal energy storage site. Excessive fat storage (i.e., obesity) is a marker of poor metabolic health that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, some cancers and back pain. The body also has a small amount of brown fat that dissipates energy as heat rather than storing it as fat. Researchers from the University of Geneva in

Switzerland found that caloric restriction triggers the growth of beige fat— white fat with brown fat characteristics. The creation of beige fat through diet and exercise is an exciting area in obesity research. Long-term caloric restriction increases beige fat production and might promote longevity in a variety of species, possibly even in humans. White fat cell beiging might be the key to a longer life. (Cell Metabolism, 24:434-446, 2016)

HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE PROMOTES LONG-TERM WEIGHT CONTROL

High protein intake (35 percent of total calories) plus caloric restriction caused decreases of 10 percent in weight, 25 percent in abdominal fat, 33 percent in visceral fat, 10 percent in blood sugar, 40 percent in insulin and a nine percent increase in lean body mass in 40 overweight men and women studied for 12 months. The changes were similar in men and women, and greater than in people consuming a low-calorie diet containing normal amounts of protein (15 percent of total calories)— according to a study led by Paul Arciero from Skidmore College and Feng He from California State University, Chico. High-protein, reduced-calorie diets promote long-term weight control, and— according to other studies— the effects are even greater when the diet is combined with high-intensity exercise. (Nutrients, 8: 476, 2016)

MIRABEGRON FIGHTS FAT BY ACTIVATING ADRENALINE RECEPTORS

Hormones work by first binding with specific hormone receptors in the cells. Beta-3 adrenergic receptors, found mainly in fat cells, promote fat breakdown and turn on uncoupling proteins to release energy as heat. Exercise, which triggers the release of adrenaline, helps control body fat by activating these receptors. Unfortunately, most people don’t meet even minimal exercise recommendations and would prefer to take a pill rather than modify their lifestyle. Researchers from the Institute of Endocrinology and Obesity Management Center in Prague, Czech Republic reported that mirebegron, a drug used to treat overactive bladder (OAB), activated brown adipose tissue. Brown fat is important for weight

control because it dissipates energy as heat rather than storing it as fat. Patients taking the drug for OAB burned calories 13 percent faster than before. Animal studies showed that the drug also improves blood sugar regulation. Mirabegron is not currently approved for weight loss but is widely available on the Internet. (Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy, 20:1-3, 2016)

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●

HEALTH

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

RESISTANCE TRAINING REDUCES THE RISK OF CHRONIC DISEASE Resistance training reduces the incidence of many chronic diseases and improves the quality of life in people who have them. A literature review by Joseph Ciccolo and Sanaz Nosrat from Columbia University in New York City concluded that resistance exercise can reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors, improve quality of life in cancer patients, enhance lung function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, improve blood sugar control in type 2 diabetes, increase functional capacity in Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis, decrease muscle pain in fibromyalgia and improve physical function in HIV/AIDS. The intensity of weight training in people with chronic disease must be matched with their physical capacities. (ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 20(5): 45-49, 2016)

Does Growth Hormone Speed Recovery from ACL Surgery? The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) stabilizes the knee t. A significant ACL tear must be surgically corrected, which takes at least one year to heal properly. Women suffer three to four times more ACL injuries than men, but the injury is devastating in both sexes. Techniques for preventing ACL injuries include muscle strengthening (particularly the posterior chain glute and hamstring muscles), stretching, plyometrics, agility and proprioception training, and movement education. Few

athletes reach pre-injury capacity, even with the most diligent rehabilitation. Mark Cuban, the billionaire owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, is funding a two-year study through the University of Michigan to determine if growth hormone can speed recovery from ACL injuries and save athletic careers. Growth hormone has minimal effects on athletic performance but could be a powerful anabolic agent for speeding recovery from serious soft tissue injuries. (ESPN, March 1, 2016)

HOW TO PREVENT LOW BACK PAIN

More than 85 percent of Americans will experience low back pain. Backache is the second most common cause for sick days in the workplace (headache is number one). Most cases of back pain stem from poorly trained core muscles that put pressure on nerve roots leaving the spine. A

literature review and meta-analysis led by Daniel Steffens Sydney Medical School in Australia concluded that exercise plus proper spinal biomechanics are moderately effective for reducing the incidence of low back pain and the use of sick leave. Popular back pain preventive methods such as back braces, shoe insoles and lifting belts are ineffective. Studies by Canadian biomechanist Stuart McGill show that core-stiffening exercises such as side-bridges, stir-the-pot, bird-dogs and Pallof presses are extremely effective for treating and reducing the incidence of back pain. People must do these exercises regularly to get results. (JAMA Internal Medicine, published online January 11, 2016)

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I DUG DOWN DEEP TO

SUR EVERY OBSTACLE SHANE DYCK

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HEALTH

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

EXERCISE: Moderation Is the Key

Exercise is good for health, but there is an optimal amount of exercise that promotes heart and blood vessel health. A

25-year study from the Medical University of Lodz in Poland showed that moderate-intensity exercise reduced blood markers linked to coronary artery disease, while chronic and intense exercise increased them. Longtime marathon runners showed increases in inflammation and dangerous blood fats, compared to moderate-intensity exercisers. Regular, moderate-intensity exercise promotes good health, while excessive exercise may cause inflammation and premature death. (BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 16: 65, 2016)

COFFEE:

HEALTHY OR DEADLY? Religious groups such as the Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists and Rastafarians forbid or discourage coffee consumption because it is considered unhealthy or sinful. For years, physicians advised patients to restrict caffeine consumption to reduce blood pressure, anxiety and the risk of heart attack. As often happens, science has done a flipflop on coffee. Recent studies found that drinking three cups of coffee a day reduces the risk of heart attack, skin cancer, type 2 diabetes, liver disease, prostate cancer and fatty liver disease. Not all studies agree. What gives? Scientists from the University of Toronto discovered that genes controlling the rate of caffeine metabolism might be the answer. Coffee is healthy for people who metabolize caffeine quickly, but increases the risk of heart attack in slow metabolizers. Rapid caffeine metabolizers process caffeine quickly, which leaves the healthy components of coffee such as antioxidants and polyphenols to promote metabolic health, without the heart-stimulating effects of caffeine. The same thing influences the effects of caffeine on exercise performance: rapid metabolizers benefit, while slow metabolizers don’t. At least eight genes influence the effects of caffeine on the body, so the problem is complex. (The New York Times July 19, 2016)

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SNORING OR SLEEP APNEA?

Sleep is extremely important for health and quality of life. Getting less than six hours of sleep per night increases the risk of various metabolic diseases and can result in premature death. Many people who snore have sleep apnea— periodic airway collapse during sleep that prevents people from sleeping soundly. Obese or unusually muscular people should be screened for this health problem. Consequences of sleep apnea include high blood

pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, weight gain, adultonset asthma and acid reflux. Treatment typically involves using a continuous positive airway pressure (AP) machine, which keeps the airway open. Get checked out for sleep apnea if you snore or have trouble getting a restful sleep. (WebMD, September 16, 2016)

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THE WILL TO BE

BIGGER THAN EVER AJ SHUKOORI IFBB PRO @AJFitnow

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MUSCLETECH.COM

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SEX

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH ● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

Sexting is sending sexually suggestive texts or photos via cell phone or email. Sophisticated cameras on smartphones have made it possible for almost anyone to produce porno on demand. In recent years, celebrities such as Congressman Anthony Weiner, golf star Tiger Woods, actor Billy Bob Thornton and rapper Kanye West were embroiled in sexting scandals that caused embarrassment, public outrage, divorce or huge financial losses. Why do people sext? It depends on the context— according to a study led by Rob Weisskirch from California State University, Monterey Bay. For serious couples, sexting is a sign of a committed relationship. In others, sexting is linked to insecurity and dating anxiety. Insecure people were more likely to sext, even if they weren’t in a committed relationship. They studied 459 unmarried college students with an online questionnaire. Sexting is equally common in men and women, but men are more likely to sext when they want sex. (Journal Sex Research, 31:1-9, 2016)

THE FEMALE CONDOM IS A BUST In 1990, Danish inventor Lasse Hessel developed the female condom— a latex sleeve with rings at both ends— as a contraceptive device for women to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. In spite of enthusiastic endorsement by the World Health Organization, it is not a popular form of birth control, particularly in the United States. The

female condom is about four times more expensive than the traditional male condom. It is also associated with partner distrust, cultural stigma about sex, lack of spontaneity, poor sensation and technical difficulties inserting the device. The demand for the female condom has decreased steadily during the last 20 years, and it is doubtful that condom makers will devote sufficient resources to change things. (The Atlantic, June 6, 2016)

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MALE BIRTH CONTROL DRUG NEARLY READY FOR PRIME TIME

In the 1960s and ‘70s— the golden age of free love— men and women routinely had unprotected sex. By 1965, 6.5 million American women took birth control pills for contraception, and sexually transmitted diseases were much less common than today. Gradually, a new reality set in: people discovered that birth control pills had significant side effects and sexually transmitted diseases became rampant and deadly. Many women stopped taking birth control pills, which increased the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Men could no longer assume that they could have sex without consequences. A breakthrough in male contraception may turn back the clock. The Parsemus Foundation has developed a long-acting male contraceptive called Vasalgel that’s injected directly into the penis and blocks the movement of sperm. While it won’t be like the old days, it’ll do. (www.parsemusfoundation.org/projects/ vasalgel/)

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Until recently, most women had a healthy bush that signaled men that they were nearing the Promised Land. That’s changed. Most women shave off pubic hair completely or drastically trim it. Tami Rowen and coworkers from the University of California, San Francisco completed a large nationally representative study of pubic hair grooming habits of American women. Nearly 84 percent groomed their pubic hair, while only 16 percent never groomed. Middle-aged and older women were less likely to groom than women 18 to 24 years. Educated women— those with either some college or college degrees— were more likely to groom than less educated women. White women were more likely to groom pubic hair than women of other races. Groomers were also more sexually adventurous and were more likely to participate in anal sex, giving and receiving oral sex, and giving and receiving oral-anal sex. (JAMA Dermatology, published online June 29, 2016)

ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION LINKED TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE High blood pressure— defined as a systolic blood pressure above 140 mmHg or a diastolic pressure above 90 mmHg— increases the risk of erectile dysfunction by 74 percent— according to a meta-analysis of 40 studies and more than 120,000 people by researchers from Xi’an Jiaotong University in China. The link was greater for men living in North and South America than in Europe, Africa or Asia. High blood pressure is a marker of poor metabolic health that affects the function of blood vessels in the penis and the risk of blood vessel disease. Twenty-nine percent

of U.S. men have high blood pressure, but only 59 percent receive treatment. Hypertension increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney failure and erectile dysfunction. If you have high blood pressure, do something about it. (Andrologia, published online August 5, 2016)

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked to Erectile Dysfunction Low levels of vitamin D are linked to erectile dysfunction (ED)— according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of ED by 30 percent. Low levels of vitamin

D are linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome— a group of risk factors that increase the risk of heart attack. Higher vitamin D levels are related to improved blood pressure, healthier blood vessels, reduced inflammation and less blood vessel calcification. The study could not determine if vitamin D supplements can help treat ED. (Atherosclerosis, 252: 61-89, 2016)

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SUPPLEMENTS ● BY

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

CAFFEINE SLOWS FATIGUE DURING HIGH-POWER TRAINING

Caffeine (6 milligrams per kilogram of bodyweight) increased power output by 5.3 percent compared to a placebo (fake caffeine) in team handball players, during four sets of 30 seconds of repeated vertical jumps with 60 seconds of rest between sets— according to Brazilian scientists led by Beatriz Ribeiro. Team handball is an Olympic sport that is a cross between soccer and basketball. Even

with increased power output, training with caffeine did not produce more muscle damage, as measured by blood levels of creatine kinase. Athletes should take caffeine before training sessions to increase the quality of workouts. Consuming caffeine supplements 30 to 60 minutes before training will increase power output during training sessions without causing tissue injury. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30: 2354-2360, 2016)

PROTEIN PLUS CARB SUPPLEMENT DURING INTENSE TRAINING INCREASES MUSCLE MASS Supplementing proteins and carbohydrates immediately after intense cycling increased muscle cross sectional area (measured by muscle biopsy) but had no effect on performance during a 30-kilometer cycling time trial. A sophisticated study by Andrew D’Lugos, Michael Saunders and colleagues from James Madison University in Virginia examined the effects of supplemental protein plus carbohydrates versus carbohydrates during normal, intense and reduced intensity cycle training on skeletal muscle and performance in a cycling time trial. They used only seven subjects and the training blocks lasted only 10 days. They found measureable changes in muscle structure during a short training cycle, so supplementing protein during intense training might enhance performance during longer cycles. (Nutrients, 8: 550, 2016)

CAFFEINE BOOSTS MENTAL AND PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE Caffeine— found in coffee, cola, tea, energy drinks, plants and chocolate— is a favorite stimulant of physically active people. It stimulates the central nervous system by blocking adenosine receptors and enhances the effect of adrenaline (epinephrine). Caffeine may improve endurance, muscle strength and endurance, and sprint speed. A literature review led by Tom McLellan from TM McLellan Research in Canada concluded that moderate levels of caffeine (less than 400 milligrams) increase alertness, reaction time, attention and focus. Caffeine protects nerve cells, so it has long-term benefits on memory. The diuretic and cardiac stimulating properties of caffeine increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms. Higher doses can cause anxiety and insomnia. (Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, published online September 6, 2016)

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LEUCINE ENHANCES FAT METABOLISM

Leucine is an essential amino acid that provides calories, builds proteins and chemically signals key metabolic pathways. Higher dietary intake of leucine is linked to a reduced risk of obesity. Researchers from Suzhou University in China, in a study on mice fed a high-fat diet, found that long-term leucine supplementation enhanced fat metabolism, prevented fat and weight gain, reduced fat accumulation in the liver and increased brown fat activity. Leucine activates the mTOR path-

way, which is important for muscle protein synthesis. It stimulates brown fat, which helps regulate bodyweight by converting food energy to heat instead of storing it as fat. Leucine is an important supplement. Whey protein is high in leucine, but athletes benefit from additional leucine supplements (about three grams per protein shake). (Food & Nutrition Research, published online September 9, 2016)

High Doses of Antioxidant Supplements Block Fitness Gains Antioxidant supplements such as vitamins C and E suppress highly reactive chemicals called free radicals. During normal metabolism, the body produces free radicals implicated in aging, degenerative diseases and immune system breakdown. Think of free radicals as biological rust that attacks vital cell membranes and genes. Vitamins C and E act as antioxidants that help combat free radicals and protect the body from their destructive effects. Free radicals do good things, too. A study led by John Hourihan from Harvard Medical School found that antioxidants suppress an enzyme called IRE-1 that is important for triggering cell repair and protein synthesis. Antioxidant supplements can interfere with tissue repair and fitness gains, so athletes should consume foods high in antioxidants (fruits and vegetables) instead of supplements and drugs that suppress them. (Molecular Cell, 63: 553-566, 2016)

HMB IMPROVES AEROBIC CAPACITY AND BODY COMPOSITION IN ENDURANCE AND POWER ATHLETES Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) is a metabolite of the amino acid leucine. Some studies found that HMB prevented muscle protein breakdown, stimulated muscle growth and promoted fat breakdown. Krzysztof Durkalec-Michalski and Jan Jeszka from Poznan University in Poland found that 58 well-trained athletes taking 3,000 milligrams of HMB (the same amount fount in Advanced Molecular Labs Muscle Growth Post-Workout Stack) daily for 12 weeks showed increases in maximal oxygen consumption and decreased fat mass, compared to a placebo (fake HMB). Creatine kinase— a marker of muscle breakdown— was also lower with HMB. HMB improves aerobic capacity, reduces body fat, prevents muscle breakdown and increases peak power output, so it would be an effective supplement for athletes. (Journal Strength Conditioning Research, 30: 2617-2626, 2016)

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NUTRITION

CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH

● BY

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

CINNAMON IMPROVES BLOOD SUGAR REGULATION Some of the simplest foods are sometimes the healthiest. Cinnamon is a popular kitchen spice used to flavor oatmeal, desserts, coffee and hot chocolate. It also promotes insulin metabolism and improves blood sugar control. Cinnamon contains antioxidants called phenols that decrease inflammation and promote blood vessel health. Its active ingredient is cinnamic acid, which is also found in fruits, vegetables and flowers. Chinese researchers found that cinnamon extract improved blood sugar regulation in people with type 2 diabetes. Even small doses of cinnamon were helpful. People who consumed 120 milligrams

per day of cinnamon for three months showed reduced blood sugar, triglycerides (blood fats) and hemoglobin A1c (a marker of long-term blood sugar regulation). Including cinnamon in the diet might reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Try sprinkling a teaspoon of cinnamon on your oatmeal at breakfast. (Nutrition Research, 32: 408-412, 2012)

HIGH-PROTEIN DIETS REDUCE FAT WITHOUT HARMING KIDNEY FUNCTION A landmark study led by Stuart Phillips from McMaster University in Canada showed that young men consuming a low-calorie, high-protein diet (2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight per day) combined with an intense exercise program gained lean body mass while losing fat, compared to a group with normal protein intake (1.2 grams per kilogram). While the changes were remarkable, the possible side effects of a high-protein, weight-loss diet are unknown. A study led

by Claire Berryman from the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Massachusetts found that a diet high in plant and animal proteins reduced abdominal fat without affecting kidney function. People can safely and effectively follow a low-calorie, high-protein diet to lose weight. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104:743-749, 2016)

NUT CONSUMPTION LINKED TO REDUCED INFLAMMATION Inflammation, as determined by blood measures such as elevated C-reactive protein, interleukin 6 and tumor necrosis factor receptor 2, is linked to poor metabolic health. Inflammation increases the risk of the metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms that include high blood pressure, insulin resistance, elevated blood insulin, abnormal blood fats, abdominal obesity and blood-clotting abnormalities. It is also linked to lower cardiorespiratory fitness, fatty liver and reduced lung function. Zhi Yu from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, in a study of more than 5,000 people in the Nurses’ Health Study, found a link between greater nut consumption and reduced inflammation. Substituting three servings of nuts per week for red meat, processed meat, eggs or refined grains can substantially decrease inflammation. (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 104:722-728, 2016)

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NUTRITION

STEVE BLECHMAN AND THOMAS FAHEY, EdD

Beetroot Has Small Effect on Recovery From Muscle-Damaging Exercise Beetroot juice is an unlikely performance-enhancing food. It is high in nitrates that are important for synthesizing nitric oxide in the inner lining of the blood vessels. Nitric oxide is a gas that promotes blood flow, and its regulation is an important marker of metabolic health. It is also high in antioxidants that protect cells from naturally occurring but highly reactive free radicals that contribute to muscle soreness after intense exercise. A study led by Tom Clifford from Northumbria University in the U.K. found that consuming beetroot juice between two exhaustive bouts of sprint intervals (20 sets of 30-meter sprints) reduced muscle pain and improved vertical jump compared to a placebo (fake beetroot juice). Beetroot did not raise antioxidant levels or improve performance during the second set of sprints. Beetroot promotes recovery from intense exercise, but it is no magic bullet. (Nutrients, 8: 506, 2016)

CARBOHYDRATE MOUTH RINSE IMPROVES ENDURANCE WHEN CARB brain depends on carbohydrates for fuel STORES ARE LOW andThe the body uses carbs almost exclusively for energy at exercise intensities above 65 percent of maximum effort. Carbohydrate stores in the muscles, liver and blood decrease progressively during prolonged exercise. This can lead to extreme physical and mental fatigue. A CHO mouth rinse stimulates a group of sensory receptors in the mouth, which are linked to reward and motor control. A carbohydrate mouth rinse can improve endurance performance in carbohydrate-depleted athletes— according to Adriano Lima-Silva from Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil, and co-workers. Subjects rode a stationary bike for 30 minutes, followed by a 20-kilometer time trial when fed normally, after a 12-hour fast and after a 12-hour fast while carbohydrate depleted, while on the bike. During each session, subjects took a carbohydrate mouth rinse at fixed intervals during exercise. The mouth

rinse improved endurance performance by nine percent when athletes were carbohydrate depleted. A carbohydrate mouth rinse might prevent fatigue during the later phases of a marathon or triathlon, or during repeated workouts on the field in sports like football or soccer. (Medicine Science Sports, 48:1810-1820, 2016)

EATING RAW OR ROASTED FISH INCREASES THE RISK OF GOUT Inflamed ts, kidney stones and kidney cell deterioration characterize gout, caused by high blood uric acid levels. Lifestyle risk factors include obesity, as well as meat and beer consumption. Eating raw or roasted fish also increases the risk of elevated uric acid— according to Japanese researchers. They studied nearly 500 men for three years. Men consuming high amounts of raw or roasted fish had the highest uric acid levels, while those consuming fried or boiled fish had normal uric acid levels. (Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Diseases, 26: 778-785, 2016)

www.fitnessrxformen.com

LEAN & MEAN

FOR 2017

By Thomas Fahey, Ed.D. Photography by Jason Ellis

LEAN & MEAN FOR 2017 Muscle-Building, Fat-Incinerating Total Body Workout with Jeff Seid

It’s New Year’s resolution time! You have plenty of time to get into peak beach shape for the spring and summer. Fortunately, breakthroughs in sports science make it possible to make gains in 12 weeks that used to take six months to a year. IFBB professional bodybuilder, fitness model, and personal trainer Jeff Seid demonstrates a scientifically based high-intensity training program that brings lightning-fast results. The program has three elements: a high-intensity, explosive weight-training program; a core-stiffening program that incorporates revolutionary new biomechanics research; and a high-intensity interval training program that melts fat, builds power, and packs on muscle. High-intensity, explosive training (HIET) is the key to rapid gains in aerobic capacity, muscle mass, strength, power and fat loss that will take your fitness to the next level. Most guys spin their wheels when trying to build muscle and cut fat. They go through the motions but don’t reap the rewards of superior fitness. HIET turns on biochemical

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pathways that builds strength and power, triggers muscle hypertrophy and mobilizes fat-burning hormones that give you that lean, athletic look. This type of training is not for the faint of heart. Combine high-intensity training with protein and amino acid loading and you will make faster progress than you thought possible. Science is changing the way we train. HIET fits the bill for a training method that builds muscle strength and size rapidly, promotes fat loss, develops fitness quickly, activates anabolic hormones and creates long-term changes in muscles that promote lifelong fitness. HIET turns on a metabolic pathway called mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) that regulates muscle growth and repair. It also maximizes the time the muscle tissue is under tension, which is vital for muscle hypertrophy. HIET builds muscle satellite cells, which are genetic structures that increase the ability of the muscles to make new proteins. HIET triggers the release of growth hormone, IGF-1, testosterone, and epinephrine that streamlines the body by promoting muscle growth and reducing fat.

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Training at peak power output will give you the explosive fitness of a freight train. What is high-intensity, explosive training? HIET involves three sets of 10 repetitions per exercise using moderate loads (75 to 85 percent of one-rep maximum) and performing reps explosively. Many of the exercises in the program force you to stabilize the spine, which promotes core stiffness— important for powerful movements. The program is supplemented with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that involves maximal intensity intervals performed on an elliptical trainer, stationary bike, treill or track. HIET and HIIT programs are exhausting and difficult. Unlike other programs, you will see amazing changes in only 12 weeks. This is not hype or fitness media nonsense— the program works. This is for dedicated people who want to get into training shape quickly.

THE SCIENCE BEHIND HIGH-INTENSITY EXPLOSIVE TRAINING Increasing strength is simple: make the muscles work against increased resistance. Muscle strength is highly related to muscle

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LEAN & MEAN

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BARBELL INCLINE PRESS:

in gains in muscle mass and strength. Performing standard bodybuilding exercises explosively creates high levels of metabolic stress for prolonged periods that triggers cell inflammation and promotes increases in muscle mass and strength. HIET programs promote weight loss. Many recent studies have shown the power of high-intensity interval training for increasing metabolic rate and reducing body fat. HIET workouts are consistent with the kinds of exercises that produced rapid weight loss while maintaining muscle mass. The combination of explosive weight training and high-intensity interval training are a magic combination that trigger rapid fat loss. Combining HIET with HIIT will provide astounding results in only 12 weeks.

PROMOTING MAXIMUM SPEED AND POWER OUTPUT DURING WORKOUTS

Keeping the barbell high on the chest, press it upward explosively and then return to the starting position.

Maximizing speed, resistance, and power output during training sciences has been more art than

science— until recently. A training device called “The Beast” is a lowcost three-plane accelerometer that measures movement speed, power output, and force during most exercises (https://www.thisisbeast. com). The Beast is a magnetic sensor worn on the wrist or body or attached to a metal bar that accurately measures speed and distance during common exercises. Information is transmitted to a smartphone, which gives you repby-rep of each set. After the workout, training information is transmitted to the Cloud so that you can track progress and adjust your workouts to optimize power output. This device does for weightlifting and bodybuilding what GPS apps do for walking, running, and cycling.

BUILDING CORE STIFFNESS Until recently, most personal trainers and coaches thought that sit-ups were the key to a fit, flat midsection. They have been the mainstay of abdominal exercise for more than 100 years. That’s changed— not only are sit-ups

PUSH PRESS IN POWER RACK: With the weight racked at chest level, bend your knees and forcefully push the weight overhead with your legs and shoulders until your arms are extended, then return to the starting position. Push the weights as explosively as possible.

size. The best way to increase muscle size is through high-tension explosive weight-training exercises. The HIET program uses a wellrounded assortment of standard bodybuilding exercises that you perform explosively using good form. HIET increase muscle mass and strength at an incredibly fast rate. Canadian researchers, led by Tim Shepstone, and a series of studies led by Prue Cormie from Appalachian State University in North Carolina found that high-speed training increased muscle crosssectional area and the size of fast-twitch motor units (muscle fibers and their nerve) better than slow speed training. High-speed contractions cause greater disruption at the cell level, which promotes muscle protein synthesis and causes larger increases in muscle mass and strength. We are beginning to understand why highintensity explosive training works so well. HIET creates high levels of metabolic stress that include the release of inflammatory chemicals such as prostaglandins and free radicals (i.e., reactive oxygen species) that combine with other chemicals and cell structures to trigger cell damage. Cell damage from these chemicals stimulates protein synthesis, which results

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LEG PRESS: From a seated position, place your feet on the pedals or platform of the leg press machine. Push your legs forcefully and explosively until they are nearly fully extended and then return to the starting position. Repeat.

not the best ab exercise, they can be dangerous. Do enough of them and you will probably be a candidate for back surgery. The best strategy for building a firm, toned midsection is to develop all the muscles of the core— the abs, back, side stabilizers and hips. Build these muscles as a functioning unit so they learn to work together harmoniously and you will have a strong core to promote powerful movements on the playing field. Key exercises in the program, such as hanging leg raises, pullups, push press in the power rack, standing dumbbell curls, standing cable flyes, standing cable triceps extensions, standing high cable rows and walking lunges require a stiff core and neutral spine that promote core stiffness. During these exercises, the muscles create a link between ts that scientists call the kinetic chain. What this means is that every t movement depends on other ts in the body to stabilize or assist in a particular movement or series of movements. The key to these linked movements is the midsection— the abdominal muscles, deep side stabilizing

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WALKING LUNGES: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the bar resting on the back of your shoulders with your hands holding the bar in that position or hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lunge forward with one leg, bending it until the thigh is parallel to the floor. The heel of the lead leg should remain on the ground. Do not shift your weight too far forward or let the knee move out past the toes, and then repeat the exercise using the other leg. Repeat until you have “lunge-walked” for 10 repetitions. Keep your back and head as straight as possible and maintain control while performing the movement. PULL-UPS: Use a pull-up bar or assisted pull-up machine. Grasp the bar with a pronated grip (palms away from your body) and hang with elbows fully extended. Pull your body up until your collarbone reaches the bar. Return to the starting position and repeat. Use a spotter or assist machine if you can’t do 10 reps. Suspend weights from a weight belt when you can do more than 10 repetitions.

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HANGING LEG RAISES: While hanging from a bar with legs straight, bring your feet to waist level until your thighs are parallel with the ground. Return to the starting position and repeat. muscles and spinal extensor muscles. Build these core muscles and you will have a strong midsection that contributes to whole-body power. These exercises are consistent with the role of abdominal muscles in movement. The STANDING BARBELL CURLS (STRAIGHT OR EZ BAR): Use a supinated grip to torso region requires stability and stiffness to hold the weight (palms up), stand with elbows straight. Bend your arms (“curl” the weight) transmit force between the upper and lower until they almost reach your collarbone, then return to the starting position. Repeat. body. The rectus abdominis— the long, wide muscle in the front of the abdomen— is a crucial stabilizer and force transmitter. The muscle is designed to distribute stresses around the spine, which increases the efficiency of the obliques— the muscles on both sides of the abdomen. The rectus abdominis and underlying transverse abdominis are more important as spinal stabilizers than as major muscles in trunk movement. Developing core stiffness is more important than building trunk flexion fitness because it strengthens muscles, improves muscular endurance, reduces low back pain and boosts sports performance. Greater core stiffness transfers strength and speed to the limbs, increases the load bearing capacity of the spine and protects the internal organs during whole-body movements.

SEATED ROWS: On a seated rowing machine, grasp handles with arms extended and then pull them explosively toward your chest. Return to the starting position and repeat.

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HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT) High-intensity interval training sounds too good to be true. In studies of moderately trained people, practicing HIIT for only 20 minutes in two weeks triggered changes in aerobic capacity and endurance that took months from traditional endurance workouts practiced 30 to 60 minutes per day. Few exercise techniques are more effective for improving fitness rapidly than HIIT.

The four components of interval training are distance, repetition, intensity and rest, defined as follows: • Distance refers to either the distance or the time of the exercise interval. • Repetition is the number of times the exercise is repeated. • Intensity is the speed at which the exercise is performed. • Rest is the time spent recovering between exercises.

STANDING CABLE FLYES (CROSS-OVERS): Grasp the handles of the upper pulleys and extend your arms upward in a “V” with your palms facing downward. Bend your arms slightly and bend at the waist. Pull the handles explosively across your body until your hands touch each other, and then return under control to the starting position.

STANDING TWO-ARM CABLE TRICEPS EXTENSIONS WITH ROPE ATTACHMENT: Standing, facing away from the high pulley machine, grasp the rope handles. Extend your elbows fully and then return to the starting position. Repeat. Train explosively but use good form.

Canadian researchers found that six sessions of highintensity interval training on a stationary bike enhanced endurance, maximal oxygen consumption, muscle glycogen and mitochondrial capacity (mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cells). The subjects made these amazing improvements by exercising only 20 minutes over a period of two weeks. Each workout consisted of four to seven repetitions of high-intensity exercise on a stationary bike. Each repetition consisted of 30 seconds at near maximum effort. Follow-up studies showed that practicing HIIT three times per week for six weeks improved endurance and aerobic capacity just as well as training five times per week for 60 minutes. These studies (and more than 60 others) showed the value of high-intensity training for building aerobic capacity and endurance. You can use interval training in your

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The program involves interval training two to three days per week and weight training three days per week. For best effect, do intervals and weights on separate days. Interval Training: Practice HIIT on an elliptical trainer or stationary bike two to three days per week for 10 to 20 minutes each workout: Sprint for 20 to 60 seconds at 100 percent of maximum effort on a stationary bike or elliptical trainer, followed by light recovery exercise for two to four minutes. Each workout, do six to 10 sets of these maximum sprints. High-Intensity Explosive Training: Do three sets of 10 repetitions of the following exercises, resting at least one minute between sets. Rest long enough to recover between sets. Your goal is to achieve maximum power output for your chosen weight. Some people may need to rest as long as five minutes between sets. Use a weight that allows you to complete the sets with some difficulty (75 to 85 percent of maximum effort; one repetition maximum, 1RM). Use good form for each exercise but try to perform each rep explosively.

SETS X REPS

REST BETWEEN SETS & EXERCISES

Barbell incline press Push press in power rack Leg press Walking lunge Pull-ups Hanging leg raises Seated row Standing barbell curls Standing cable flyes Standing triceps cable extensions Standing high cable rows

3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10 3 x 10

1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes 1 to 5 minutes

STANDING HIGH CABLE ROWS: Stand facing a crossover cable machine and hold a handle in each hand at chest level. Pull the handles toward your body and then return to the starting position. Repeat.

SIMPLE NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY FOR MUSCLE HYPERTROPHY AND MAXIMUM FAT LOSS This is an exhausting workout, so you need energy. You can build muscle and control appetite and body fat at the same time by consuming a shake containing 25 grams of whey protein, three grams of the amino acid leucine and five grams of creatine monohydrate mixed with water, milk or juice. The nutrients in this simple shake combined with the training program will help you build muscle and cut fat.

TRAIN INTENSELY AND FIRM-UP QUICKLY It is no problem to gain muscle and lose fat fast if you follow a few basic principles and stick with the program. More importantly, you can maintain your new weight. If you start today, eight weeks from now there will be a new you. You will be thinner, vibrant, healthier and look terrific. The ball is in your court— promise to make fitness and diet priorities in your life and you will achieve the kind of body you want.

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COMBINING HIGH-INTENSITY EXPLOSIVE TRAINING WITH HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

EXERCISE

FOR 2017

favorite aerobic exercise. In fact, the type of exercise you select is not important as long as you exercise at near maximal intensity.

REFERENCES: Bottaro, M, et al. Effect of high versus low-velocity resistance training on muscular fitness and functional performance in older men. Eur J Appl Physiol. 99:257–264, 2007. Cormie, P., et al. Optimal loading for maximal power output during lower-body resistance exercises. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 39: 340–349, 2007. Cormie, P. Influence of strength on magnitude and mechanisms of adaptation to power training. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 42: 1566–1581, 2010. Cronin, JB, et al. Force-velocity analysis of strengthtraining techniques and load: Implications for training strategy and research. J Strength Cond Res. 17:148-155, 2003. De Vos, NJ, et al. Optimal load for increasing muscle power during explosive resistance training in older adults. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 60:638-647, 2005. Fahey, TD, P Insel, and W Roth. Fit and Well. New York: McGraw Hill, 2015 (11th edition). Gaesser, GA and SA Siddhartha. High-intensity

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interval training for health and fitness: can less be more? J Appl Physiol 111: 1540–1541, 2011. Mastropaolo, JA. A test of the maximum-power stimulus theory for strength. Eur J Appl Physiol 65:415-420, 1992. Paavolainen, L, et al. Explosive-strength training improves 5-km running time by improving running economy and muscle power. J Appl Physiol. 86:1527-1533, 1999. Sale, DG, et al. Neuromuscular function in weighttrainers. Exp Neurol. 82:521-531, 1983. Seger, JY and A. Thorstensson. Effects of eccentric versus concentric training on thigh muscle strength and EMG. Int J Sports Med. 26:45-52, 2005. Shepstone, TN, et al. Short-term high- vs. lowvelocity isokinetic lengthening training results in greater hypertrophy of the elbow flexors in young men. J Appl Physiol 98: 1768–1776, 2005. Zehr, EP and DG. Sale. Ballistic movement: Muscle activation and neuromuscular adaptation. Can J Appl Physiol. 19:363-378, 1994.

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FitRxTRAINING

THE

600-REP

KILLER LEG WORKOUT with Kris Gethin

Get Tough! Are you Man Enough? Kris Gethin, the CEO and founder of Kaged Muscle supplements, believes in training hard, being as healthy as possible, and that it’s essential to fuel your body as naturally as you can. The founder of the DTP (Dramatic Transformation Principle), which is a combination of reps, weights and workout techniques to transform the physique, is host of the most watched transformation training series on the web via Bodybuilding.com. The natives of Wales said there are several reasons why many have flocked to his methods and workouts. “I promote health with the supplement line, and that’s why when people take them they say they feel so much better,” he said. “But I feel more so than anything, I’m the only person that actually does daily video trainers, the only person who actually transforms with them. So whether I’ve done the muscle-building trainer or the Four Weeks to Shred, I am the one that’s doing it with them every single day. … I’m their personal trainer, I’m their training partner… and I’m with you every single day.”

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BY LISA STEUER PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON ELLIS www.fitnessrxformen.com

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FitRxTRAINING

FINDING FITNESS Kris raced motocross for 10 years, but it was a back injury that led him to focus on bodybuilding. He found that even after going to many specialists, nothing alleviated the back pain— until he started doing rehab with resistance training. From there, Kris went to college to study health and sports therapy, eventually becoming a personal trainer and massage therapist, moving to Australia and opening his own gym, becoming a natural pro bodybuilder, personal trainer, fitness writer in magazines and of books, editor-in-chief of Bodybuilding.com and more. These days, Kris is very “versatile” with his training. He generally trains two to three days on and then takes a day off. But sometimes if he feels like training six days straight, he will. “I’ll normally do one muscle group. If I do pair up muscle groups, it would be something like chest and abs,” he said. For legs, Kris will normally split them up as well. But when it comes to hamstrings, he will do deadlifts with that workout. “I feel there’s a very strong crossover between hamstrings, glutes and lower back.” As far as cardio, Kris will perform it twice a day all year round, but never does fasted cardio, even in the morning. “It doesn’t make sense to me to do cardio when my metabolism is at its slowest or when I’m catabolic, because I’m trying to build muscle.” His cardio exercise will always change— it could be anything from swimming, mountain biking, paddleboarding to running or the StairMaster. “I like to eat, so by doing a lot of cardio activity, I can eat more,” said Kris. “But my priority now, especially as we get older, is always health. So I’m always doing my

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best to be as healthy as I possibly can and obviously my heart needs to be strong.” Something he might eat before cardio includes Kaged Muscle’s Re-Kaged, because that’s the “world’s fasted digesting protein… so it gives you a sufficient insulin spike, requiring no carbohydrates,” he said.

SUPPLEMENT AND LIFESTYLE CHANGES Kris founded Kaged Muscle supplements because he wanted to create supplements with high-quality ingredients that are patented and third-party tested (unlike some other companies, Kaged Muscle products are sent to an outside company to completely take over and make a full and extremely indepth assessment). “I wanted to go as naturally as possible because we eat a certain way for our health and we exercise to promote health benefits, and supplements should be no different,” said Kris. “That’s why I decided to launch Kaged Muscle, and it’s been a great response so far.” Once he started taking the supplements and making a number of lifestyle changes, Kris noticed huge differences. “I found that my body was able to respond so much more to building muscle and burning fat, and I was putting my body under less stress when it came to dieting and extensive amount of cardio, and I used to eat a lot of food— the typical bodybuilder mentality of eat as much as possible,” he said. “But now I find that I’m able to recover much easier, and I don’t need to eat as much food as I once did.” As for the lifestyle changes that have made a difference for him, Kris says he is not as “toxic” now. These changes include only eating organic food, not overcooking any vegetables and eating as raw as possible,

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making sure that he has the windows open and is never in an air-conditioned confined unit, only drinking bottle or filtered water, and mainly consuming a pescatarian diet (vegetarian diet with fish). “That’s why these supplements kind of go hand-in-hand because I didn’t want any impurities, I didn’t want any generic ingredients, and I didn’t want any artificial colors or dyes or anything like that.”

ON BUILDING LEGS Kris said leg day is his favorite because “it feels like it’s a challenge because not only it is hard on you physically … your brain definitely gives out before your body. Sometimes you want to stop three reps short, so it’s a challenge to really make sure you embrace the pain to get through it. And once you do, you feel so much more better.” If legs are a weak point for you, Kris suggests taking the day off before the workout or the day after, so that all the nutrients you are consuming are either fueling that workout or helping with recovery from that workout. “I also suggest that you do your cardio after your workout,” said Kris, adding that if you are going to do cardio, you should do at least 15 minutes to remove the body of all the toxins and lactic acid. “If you can shift away the lactic acid, the body will uptake the nutrients that much more efficiently, and especially if your blood is flowing through the localized area much more efficiently, so it shuttles those nutrients that much faster. And the faster you recover, the faster you’re going to be able to build muscle.”

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FitRxTRAINING THE WORKOUT Kris believes in high reps and high volume for best results and to alleviate inflammation. “For me, training is therapy,” he said. In this particular intense workout, both high reps and low reps are performed. “Your body does go into a survival mode. … It will grasp onto every single muscle fiber possible just to survive those last few reps. And it’s very intense on your cardiovascular system.” With his style of training, Kris said that he has naturally been able to maintain an increase of one to two pounds of lean muscle tissue per year for the last 17 years. “[This workout]” definitely separates the men from the boys,” he said. For those who are looking to modify this workout or maybe are newer to a fitness program, Kris suggests following the program to your intensity. “Use a weight that would allow you to reach failure at these reps,” he said. “Maybe you need to take a little bit more rest between sets … allow yourself to ease into it and just train knowing the intensity that you can put into it.”

“SOMETIMES YOU WANT TO STOP THREE REPS SHORT, SO IT’S A CHALLENGE TO REALLY MAKE SURE YOU EMBRACE THE PAIN TO GET THROUGH IT. AND ONCE YOU DO, YOU FEEL SO MUCH MORE BETTER.”

Leg Press: 50 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 50 reps Rest for 45 to 60 seconds. Increase weight slightly and perform: Leg Press: 40 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 40 reps Rest for a minute and 15 seconds Increase weight slightly and perform: Leg Press: 30 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 30 reps Rest for a minute and 30 seconds Increase weight slightly and perform: Leg Press: 20 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 20 reps Rest for a minute and 45 seconds. Increase weight slightly and perform: Leg Press: 10 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 10 reps Rest. Leg Press: 10 reps Superset with Hack Squats: 10 reps Decrease weight and continue in this fashion, going back up to 50. Decrease weight slightly each time and rest for about a minute and 30 seconds to a minute and 45 seconds in between. After finishing the leg press and hack squats, perform the seated calf press and then standing calf press in the same manner. When you reach failure, rest pause and then continue until you finish all reps. For leg press, maintain a wide stance near the top of the platform for the first half. When declining the weight, hold a slightly narrower shoulder-width stance at the bottom of the platform.

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KRIS’ KAGED MUSCLE SUPPLEMENT STACK Glutamine + Creatine HCL + Hydra-Charge mixed together in a gallon jug Morning or before cardio: Re-Kaged anabolic protein fuel Pre-workout: Pre-Kaged Intra-workout: In-Kaged If focusing on fat-loss: Clean Burn Fat Burner, but if not, then L-Carnitine twice a day, before and after his workouts. Coming November 2016: Caged Muscle Kasein protein

KEEP UP WITH KRIS To purchase Kaged Muscle supplements and to check out Kris Gethin’s video series, visit kagedmuscle.com. Be sure to check out Kris’ 8-week Hardcore Video Trainer, which will launch at the end of December. For more information, visit kagedmuscle.com. Find out more about Gethin Gyms at gethingyms.com You can also Kris via Instagram and Facebook.

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CUTTING-EDGE RX By Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D.

DOPA RUSH: MAXIMIZER) TM

(DOPAMINE

FEEL THE RUSH WITH DOPA RUSH!

The central dogma in molecular biology states that DNA makes protein. While this scientific creed is accurate, a more philosophical interpretation of this rule asserts that DNA does more than simply produce protein; DNA produces human behavior. This is particularly true because some proteins encoded within our DNA enhance the production, and function, of chemicals known as neurotransmitters within the brain. Since neurotransmitters directly influence brain function and thus behavior, the ability of the genetic code to influence neurotransmitter function directly impacts the way we behave. Consider, for example, the neurotransmitter dopamine, which plays a major role in reward-motivated behavior— which increases dopamine activity within the brain, producing a euphoric-like feeling that ultimately reinforces that behavior.

DOPAMINE AND ADDICTION The capacity of dopamine to trigger feelings of pleasure also makes the dopamine system vulnerable to manipulation by certain types of addictive drugs like cocaine, prescription drugs like Adderall, and behaviors such as gambling— which all stimulate feelings of pleasure by increasing dopamine activity within the brain. Regrettably, a physical dependence for this enjoyable stimulus can develop, making it extremely difficult to overcome many of these addictions. In fact, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), approximately 1.5 million Americans are addicted to cocaine, and nearly 80 percent of those trying to quit ENERGY will relapse within the first six months of trying. In addition, there are an astounding 4 million American FOCUS children who are prescribed drugs like Adderall MEMORY for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), despite mounting evidence suggesting that combined ALERTNESS therapeutic approaches lowers the need for these ATTENTION potent psychotropic drugs.1 Adding to this problem CREATIVITY are many high school and college students, who use dopamine-enhancing prescription drugs to increase CONFIDENCE their ability to concentrate for longer periods of time, MOOD enhancing their capacity to study for exams. Then there is also the chronic use of other drugs, such as MOTIVATION marijuana, that appear to reduce the brain’s response LIBIDO to dopamine— lowering motivation and sensitivity WEIGHT CONTROL to rewards, ultimately increasing the reaction to emotional stress and irritability.2

INCREASES:

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ALLEVIATE ADDICTION The new breakthrough product DOPA RUSH™ from Advanced Molecular Labs (AML) has been scientifically formulated with natural ingredients to address all of the aforementioned addiction issues. DOPA RUSH™ does this by suppressing the incessant craving for addictive drugs and behaviors, by naturally boosting the production of dopamine— thus mitigating the urge to crank up dopamine levels with harmful substances, or behavior, while perhaps even alleviating the harmful effects that smoking pot has on dopamine function in the brain.

REINVIGORATE COMPLETELY WITH DOPA RUSH™ Greater dopamine from DOPA RUSH™ will also revive a tired central nervous system (CNS). The CNS, composed of the brain and spinal cord, serves as the main “processing center” for the entire nervous system that controls all the workings of your body by monitoring and coordinating organ function and responding to all external stimuli. Neurons, or nerve cells, are the fundamental components of the CNS that give and receive all of this information by electrical and chemical signaling. Neuronal electrical signaling is ultimately converted at the nerve ending into chemical signaling in the form of neurotransmitters, which are chemical substances that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron, triggering further electrical signaling down that neuron and so on— until the desired effect is produced. After neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse and activate the appropriate neuron, they are reabsorbed and degraded by the surrounding neurons— tightly regulating neuronal activity. Therefore, neuronal activity increases the degradation of certain neurotransmitters— effectively depleting their levels, inducing CNS fatigue. This is one reason why after a long day at work, it is a bit harder to get in a great workout or do anything else that requires focus and attention. Personally, I usually can’t wait to get into the gym and hit the weights. Yet every once in a while, especially after a long work week, I’m a little less motivated and intense during the workout. I’ve also noticed during these workouts that my strength levels are usually depleted, making me wonder what could boost my energy levels and overcome this muscle-depleting fatigue. Although it may seem that the exhaustion I’m experiencing is mainly due to muscle fatigue that can be dealt with by eating a high-energy meal that replenishes muscle cell energy, the most likely contributor to my low energy and poor workout performance is a weary CNS that requires more than carbohydrate, fat and protein— no, this kind of CNS fatigue demands DOPA RUSH™!

BOOST DOPAMINE The most accepted mechanism explaining a lethargic CNS is the “central fatigue hypothesis.”3 This hypothesis states that an increase in the ratio of the neurotransmitter serotonin to the neurotransmitter dopamine within the CNS is associated with feelings of tiredness and lack of motivation. On the contrary, a low serotonin to dopamine ratio favors improved performance through the maintenance of motivation and arousal. Since serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has been linked to fatigue because of its well-known effects on sleep and drowsiness, it was originally thought that the serotonin to dopamine ratio was increasing during times of fatigue because of greater serotonin production, which increased fatigue. However, it turns out that the

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INCREASING DOPAMINE LEVELS WITH DOPA RUSH™ WILL IMPROVE CNS FUNCTION, REDUCING FATIGUE AND IMPROVING THE CAPACITY TO FOCUS ON THE TASK AT HAND— ULTIMATELY PROVIDING SUPERIOR MENTAL FUNCTION AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE. serotonin to dopamine ratio was increasing, primarily because of the degradation of dopamine associated with neuronal activity within the CNS during exercise.4 This new insight is completely logical, as dopamine has well-defined roles that positively influence motivation and arousal— so dopamine removal would reduce motivation and initiate fatigue. Consequently, increasing dopamine levels with DOPA RUSH™ will improve CNS function, reducing fatigue and improving the capacity to focus on the task at hand— ultimately providing superior mental function and overall performance, in and out of the gym.

DOPA RUSH™, THE NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO DANGEROUS PSYCHOSTIMULANT DRUGS The ability to crank up dopamine production for performance enhancement has already been established with a class of drugs known as psychostimulants. Altogether, these drugs effectively overcome fatigue while restoring focus and motivation. In fact,

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CUTTING-EDGE RX recent findings5 have shown that the use of the psychostimulant bupropion, which inhibits neuronal reuptake and degradation of dopamine, improves performance during exercise, particularly in very warm temperatures. In fact, the consumption of the highest dosage of bupropion enabled subjects to maintain a higher power output than the placebo group, yet only at elevated temperatures. Interestingly, the test subjects who consumed bupropion performed a significantly greater amount of work, while they reported no changes in the rate of perceived exertion. This phenomenon suggests an altered motivation or drive to continue exercise brought on by an increase in dopamine levels, as this would tend to decrease CNS fatigue and perceived exertion, despite exercising in a hightemperature environment. Interestingly, the consumption of the dopamine precursor L-tyrosine, which also boosts dopamine production6, has also been shown to improve exercise performance in warmer temperatures, where subjects performed an exercise test while consuming either a placebo or L-tyrosine in a doubleblind manner, one hour before cycling to exhaustion in 86 degrees Fahrenheit.7 The results showed the L-tyrosine-consuming group exercised for 16 percent longer, compared to the placebo group— while showing no increase in the rate of perceived exertion, despite a longer exercise time. This is the same result seen in the previous study, where test subjects consumed the psychostimulant bupropion— indicating that L-tyrosine intake had a similar impact on dopamine levels, which enhanced motivation and determination to exercise. So, consuming 2,000 milligrams of the potent dopamine activator L-tyrosine— the exact amount found in DOPA RUSH™— mimics the strong performance-enhancing effect of psychostimulants, yet in a much more natural, safer manner.

CONSUMING 2,000 MILLIGRAMS OF THE POTENT DOPAMINE ACTIVATOR L-TYROSINE— THE EXACT AMOUNT FOUND IN DOPA RUSH™— MIMICS THE STRONG PERFORMANCE-ENHANCING EFFECT OF PSYCHOSTIMULANTS, YET IN A MUCH MORE NATURAL, SAFER MANNER.

GET AN EXTRA JOLT OF DOPAMINE WITH DOPA RUSH™’s THEACRINE (AS TEACRINE™)

L-TYROSINE BUILDS BRAIN POWER In addition to boosting exercise performance, L-tyrosine intake can also enhance mental performance just as impressively. In fact, one study by Thomas et al. found test subjects who consumed 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine showed a vastly improved memory.8 While a second study found that consuming the same amount of L-tyrosine apparently also improves creative thinking, as test subjects who were given 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine showed an enhanced capacity to perform convergent thinking— indicating that 2,000 milligrams of L-tyrosine likely improves creative thinking, as convergent thinking indicates a greater capacity for creative thinking.9 That’s the same amount found in DOPA RUSH™.

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muscle, it is caffeine’s ability to stimulate the CNS that impacts the mental aspect of training, influencing overall mood and wellbeing. Caffeine stimulates the CNS, in part, by inhibiting the adenosine receptor in the brain. The inhibition of this receptor triggers the release of dopamine.10 The surge of dopamine from caffeine consumption will amp-up your neurochemistry for superior concentration and intensity while training in the gym. In fact, studies have shown that 200 milligrams of caffeine is the optimal dose for elevated mood and focus11,12 … the same amount found in DOPA RUSH™! Additionally, the plateauing effect of caffeine on mood is believed to match the adenosine receptor effects on dopamine areas of the brain, and their involvement in the feelings of well-being.13 Moreover, additional studies have shown that similar doses of caffeine, at around 200 milligrams, also improved cognitive function, both during and after strenuous exercise, while enhancing concentration— and this improved cognitive ability correlated with improved dopamine production within the brain.

MILD CAFFEINE DOSAGE IN DOPA RUSH™ IMPROVES OVERALL MOOD AND COGNITIVE FUNCTION Caffeine is one of the powerful components in DOPA RUSH™, enhancing dopamine production. While caffeine is normally used as an ergogenic aid to improve exercise performance by increasing muscular contraction force and energy production within

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Although caffeine is a remarkable performance-enhancing supplement that can raise dopamine levels on its own, combining caffeine with theacrine apparently heightens dopamine production even more so, further improving energy and reducing fatigue. Theacrine is a protoalkaloid, with a similar chemical structure to caffeine that triggers dopamine release in a similar fashion to caffeine, increasing arousal and motivation. This effect was shown in an initial study where theacrine increased energy, diminished fatigue and improved concentration just like caffeine.14 However, unlike caffeine, which can produce a tolerance after as little as four days of consumption15, theacrine use for up to seven days showed no signs of desensitization— indicating that the combined intake of caffeine with theacrine should enhance mood and energy, with no decrease in potency for longer periods of time, effectively increasing overall arousal and focus before hitting the gym.15 Furthermore, the combined use of caffeine and theacrine likely stimulates the release of greater levels of dopamine, as a study by Kuhman et al.16 showed that combining theacrine with caffeine had a greater impact on feelings of energy and mood, relative to the consumption of caffeine alone, indicating an additive impact on dopamine levels. Consequently, in addition to DOPA RUSH™ having 200 milligrams of caffeine (the optimal dose for elevated mood and focus!), it also has 125 milligrams of the optimal dose of theacrine as TeaCrine™, generating an even greater surge in dopamine levels.

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REFERENCES:

IMPROVED MOOD WITH FOLIC ACID

release.21 Piperine also inhibits the enzyme that degrades dopamine— monoamine Another key ingredient in DOPA RUSH™ oxidase— resulting in a surge in dopamine, is folic acid, as some evidence links a giving this all-important ingredient the shortage of folic acid with sluggishness and capacity to increase dopamine amounts depression.17 While the exact mechanisms as well as dopamine release in the brain.22 Piperine also improves the gastrointestinal involved in the development of depression absorption and systematic utilization of are not entirely transparent, some insight comes from the observation that folic acid is the other dopamine-boosting nutrients in DOPA RUSH™ which, altogether, makes involved in the biosynthesis of the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) that is required for piperine an indispensable ingredient in this the production of dopamine. So, low folic acid dopamine-enhancing supplement. probably results in lower dopamine levels fostering depression, as low dopamine levels WEIGHT LOSS MADE EASIER Enhanced dopamine levels brought have been linked to depression characterized about by DOPA RUSH™ will also improve by a low-energy, demotivated state.18 Consequently, more folic acid from DOPA dieting and weight loss, as evidence has RUSH™ will augment the catalytic production shown that obese people tend to have an of dopamine, delivering an overall better underactive dopamine response to food mental state. intake— requiring them to eat more in order to trigger a sufficient dopamine release MORE DOPAMINE FOR MORE that fully rewards and satiates them.23 So, MOTIVATION AND FOCUS? the ability of DOPA RUSH™ to increase DOPA RUSH™ also has 100 milligams of dopamine levels should diminish the desire Mucuna pruriens, providing a considerable to overeat, improving and promoting weight amount of the dopamine precursor L-dopa, loss. at 40 milligrams19, which is a compound that has been shown to effectively increase TAKE DOPA RUSH™ WITHOUT FOOD FOR OPTIMAL EFFECT diminished dopamine levels— particularly In order to optimize all of the positive in patients with Parkinson’s disease, a disease that occurs due to low dopamine.20 effects associated with DOPA RUSH™, Interestingly, an additional clinical trial also this product should be taken on an empty indicated that Mucuna pruriens was just as stomach to avoid any potential antagonistic effective as some pharmaceuticals in the effects that certain foods may have on the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, illustrating ability of DOPA RUSH™ to boost dopamine. the powerful ability of Mucuna pruriens For instance, the amino acid leucine, to increase dopamine levels in the brain.19 found in many different protein sources, Consequently, taking Mucuna pruriens along prevents the uptake of the dopaminewith tyrosine should bolster dopamine precursor tyrosine into the brain, reducing production and function even more potently, dopamine production.24 Of course, this could potentially counteract any positive particularly when these two dopamineinfluence that DOPA RUSH™ would have enhancing compounds are combined with on dopamine production, making it pretty caffeine and theacrine in DOPA RUSH™. clear that co-ingesting DOPA RUSH™ with Overall, this potent blend will augment any protein source loaded with leucine or dopamine synthesis and release, giving tryptophan is ill-advised, as this would DOPA RUSH™ an extraordinary capacity to diminish the impact of DOPA RUSH™ increase dopamine activity for exceptional on dopamine levels. As a result, DOPA mental clarity and physical performance. RUSH™ does not contain any compounds TRIGGER MORE DOPAMINE AND that diminish the production of dopamine. HALT DOPAMINE DEGRADATION Moreover, DOPA RUSH™ should be WITH PIPERINE consumed separately on an empty stomach, DOPA RUSH™ is also loaded with the to optimize the production of dopamine. compound piperine, which is naturally found in black pepper. Piperine triggers dopamine release by activating the TRPV receptor in For more information or to purchase the brain, which stimulates the sympathetic DOPA RUSH™, nervous system, resulting in dopamine visit www.advancedmolecularlabs.com. For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.

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1. Wymbs FA, Cunningham CE, et al. (2015). Examining Parents’ Preferences for Group and Individual Parent Training for Children with ADHD Symptoms. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol, 1-18. 2. Volkow ND, Wang GJ, et al. (2014). Decreased dopamine brain reactivity in marijuana abs is associated with negative emotionality and addiction severity. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 111, E3149-3156. 3. Acworth I, Nicholass J, et al. (1986). Effect of sustained exercise on concentrations of plasma aromatic and branched-chain amino acids and brain amines. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 137, 149-153. 4. Davis JM and Bailey SP. (1997). Possible mechanisms of central nervous system fatigue during exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc 29, 45-57. 5. Roelands B, Watson P, et al. (2012). A dopamine/ noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor improves performance in the heat, but only at the maximum therapeutic dose. Scand J Med Sci Sports 22, e93-98. 6. Fernstrom JD and Fernstrom MH. (2007). Tyrosine, phenylalanine, and catecholamine synthesis and function in the brain. J Nutr 137, 1539S-1547S; discussion 1548S. 7. Tumilty L, Davison G, et al. (2011). Oral tyrosine supplementation improves exercise capacity in the heat. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 2941-2950. 8. Thomas JR, Lockwood PA, et al. (1999). Tyrosine improves working memory in a multitasking environment. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 64, 495-500. 9. Colzato LS, de Haan AM and Hommel B. (2015). Food for creativity: tyrosine promotes deep thinking. Psychol Res 79, 709-714. 10. Zheng X, Takatsu S, et al. (2014). Acute intraperitoneal injection of caffeine improves endurance exercise performance in association with increasing brain dopamine release during exercise. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 122, 136-143. 11. Olson CA, Thornton JA, et al. (2010). Effects of 2 adenosine antagonists, quercetin and caffeine, on vigilance and mood. J Clin Psychopharmacol 30, 573-578. 12. Brunye TT, Mahoney CR, et al. (2010). Caffeine modulates attention network function. Brain Cogn 72, 181-188. 13. Lieberman HR, Wurtman RJ, et al. (1987). The effects of low doses of caffeine on human performance and mood. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 92, 308-312. 14. Habowski SM, Sandrock JE, et al. (2014). The effects of TeaCrine™, a nature-identical purine alkaloid, on subjective measures of cognitive function, psychometric and hemodynamic indices in healthy humans. Int J Med Sci 11, 1-15. 15. Ball KT and Poplawsky A. (2011). Low-dose oral caffeine induces a specific form of behavioral sensitization in rats. Pharmacol Rep 63, 1560-1563. 16. Kuhman DJ, Joyner KJ and Bloomer RJ. (2015). Cognitive Performance and Mood Following Ingestion of a Theacrine-Containing Dietary Supplement, Caffeine, or Placebo by Young Men and Women. Nutrients 7, 96189632. 17. Coppen A and Bolander-Gouaille C. (2005). Treatment of depression: time to consider folic acid and vitamin B12. J Psychopharmacol 19, 59-65. 18. Willner P. (1983). Dopamine and depression: a review of recent evidence. I. Empirical studies. Brain Res 287, 211-224. 19. Katzenschlager R, Evans A, et al. (2004). Mucuna pruriens in Parkinson’s disease: a double blind clinical and pharmacological study. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 75, 1672-1677. 20. Tharakan B, Dhanasekaran M, et al. (2007). AntiParkinson botanical Mucuna pruriens prevents levodopa induced plasmid and genomic DNA damage. Phytother Res 21, 1124-1126. 21. Marinelli S, Pascucci T, et al. (2005). Activation of TRPV1 in the VTA excites dopaminergic neurons and increases chemical- and noxious-induced dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. Neuropsychopharmacology 30, 864-870. 22. Al-Baghdadi OB, Prater NI, et al. (2012). Inhibition of monoamine oxidase by derivatives of piperine, an alkaloid from the pepper plant Piper nigrum, for possible use in Parkinson’s disease. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 22, 7183-7188. 23. Stice E, Spoor S, et al. (2008). Relation between obesity and blunted striatal response to food is moderated by TaqIA A1 allele. Science 322, 449-452. 24. Choi S, Disilvio B, et al. (2013). Oral branched-chain amino acid supplements that reduce brain serotonin during exercise in rats also lower brain catecholamines. Amino Acids 45, 1133-1142

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FitRx X-TREME TRAINING

By Cory Gregory Photography by Per Bernal

METABOLISM BOOSTING

FAT-BLASTING

WORKOUTS FOR 2017

Extreme Training with Cory Gregory I have found that over the years, there are some exercises and programming that will just magically light up that metabolism. It’s what everyone wants so they can eat more and get that holy grail of fitness. I found five workouts that will pay you back huge dividends if you bring your A-game. Now these workouts are basic, but not for the weak. I own one of the most hardcore gyms in the country called Old School Gym in Etna, Ohio, and we do a mix of powerlifing, bodybuilding and some CrossFit/conditioning GPP (general physical preparation) workouts. I mix and match all work each day. I bring five days of metabolism magic— let’s go!

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DAY 1:

Row: 250 for time Squat: 135 for 15 reps Complete 10 sets 100 ab wheels to finish Starting this workout out with the row will increase your heart rate quickly and since getting ripped is the name of the game with these workouts, that’s what we want. After rowing, your upper body will be super tapped, so it’s time to hit the lower body with a heavy squat set. The Ab Wheel: This movement has been the foundation for building my six-pack and with these workouts calling for 50 or 100 reps, you’re going to get tested real quick. Keep your form strong, as you absolutely have to be on your game for this movement, no matter how tired you feel.

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DAY 2:

Walking lunges with medicine ball overhead: 400800 meters (YUP, you read that right!) or 15-30 minutes straight 10 x10 stiff-leg deadlift after at 50 percent of max weight Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grasp a barbell and let it hang in front of your body. Keeping your knees straight, slowly bend forward at the waist and lower the barbell until you feel an intense stretch in your hamstrings. Then, reverse direction, contracting your glutes as you rise upward to the starting position. Walking Lunges: Step forward with your left leg and try to touch the ground with your right knee. Make sure to keep your left knee behind the ankle. Then, repeat with the other leg. I used somewhere between a 20-pound and 30-pound medicine ball— you may want to start lighter at first— and I held it over my head doing walking lunges.

DAY 3:

Sled drags backward: 800 meters Bodyweight circuit: Max pull-ups wide Max dips Max push-ups 2 minutes rest Complete 5 sets The raw bodyweight circuit is meant to get you strong and ripped, and is not for the weak. We’re basically doing push-ups, pull-ups and dips non-stop. If you’re just trying to get strong overall and get your connective tissues better for heavy workloads, this workout will do that. If you’re trying to take your conditioning to another level and don’t want to worry ing much equipment, this also does that.

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DAY 4:

Jump Rope Shredz: 10 seconds speed rope 10 seconds rest 10 minutes in duration Bench press: 12 reps heavy 1 rope climb up: 12-15 feet 1-minute rest Complete 6-8 sets

DAY 5:

Straight Conditioning: Jump rope: 15 seconds on, 15 seconds off for 10 minutes Sled drags: 400 meters Walking lunges: 400 meters Perform 2 sets 50 ab wheels You burn the most fat in the first six seconds of an exertion, which is why this workout starts out with HIIT-style jump roping. The 15-second rest is barely enough to catch your breath, meaning you’ll be sweating like crazy.

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A former underground coal miner, Cory Gregory worked diligently to save money to realize his dream of opening his own gym by the age of 20. In the last 15 years, he has gained extensive experience and has received a number of accolades within several aspects of the fitness industry. Obtaining an Exercise Specialist certificate from Columbus State, Gregory is also NESTA nutrition coach certified and Westside Barbell certified. In addition to his in-depth knowledge of bodybuilding and nutrition, he is a CrossFit Level-1 trainer and has been featured on the cover of top fitness magazines, including FitnessRx. For more with Cory, visit corygfitness.com, and follow him on Twitter @corygfitness.

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RESEARCH PG.86 REVIEW BEST OF 2016

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Get a competitive edge with Setria® Performance Blend* Pre-EX

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FitRxCoolDOWN

CARDIO BURN ● BY

TEAM FITRX

CARDIO RESEARCH REVIEW: BEST OF 2016

Many people have a love-hate relationship with cardio. But for most, cardio is essential for cardiovascular health and fat burning. But which kinds of cardio are best and how long do you really need to sweat to see results? We gathered our best reports and cutting-edge research from 2016— check out these effective methods and training techniques before your next sweat session.

THE 12-MINUTE HIIT WORKOUT By Lisa Steuer The method known as 10-20-30 training works like this: you gently run or use a machine for 30 seconds, then accelerate to a more moderate pace for 20 seconds, then for the last 10 seconds, you sprint at full force— as hard as you can— and then repeat the sequence. People have found this type of training to be appealing because it’s easy to count your time without using a stopwatch, and the most difficult part of the workout only lasts 10 seconds at a time. In comparison, typical HIIT training involves 30 to 40 seconds of very hard sprinting followed by 15 to 20 seconds of jogging or walking, and is repeated several times. This method is difficult but effective and is often reserved for more advanced exercisers. But in 2014, a study on HIIT using out-ofshape adults found that few of the participants became more fit after the study’s completion, according to The New York Times. This study involved overweight and out-of-shape adults who were asked to complete high-intensity interval training for three months. The participants could perform one of the two common types of training protocols— four minutes of fast jogging with a rest and then four more minutes of fast jogging, or 30 seconds of full-out effort, followed by rest, and then repeated three times. The researchers believed that few of the participants became more fit because early in the study, most of the participants had quit doing most or all of their exercise assigned to them for

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the study (study participants were supposed to do some exercise sessions on their own, and some were supervised). As a result of the findings of this study and others like it, Jens Bangsbo, Ph.D., a professor of physiology at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, and his colleagues came up with the 10-20-30 training routine. Dr. Bangsbo studies high-intensity interval training, and in his lab had found that HIIT did make people fitter— but those studies were typically done on very motivated athletes in supervised settings, according to The New York Times. The 10-20-30 training approach is an effort to make HIIT training more realistic for the average person. Dr. Bangsbo and colleagues put the 10-20-30 training method to the test in a study that was published in The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science. The study involved 132 recreational runners who were mostly middle age. The runners traded two of their usual weekly workouts for 10-20-30 training. A control group of 28 runners continued their regular training. At the beginning of the study, all of the runners had physiological testing, which included a simulated 5-kilometer run.

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FitRxCoolDOWN

CARDIO BURN

After eight weeks, it was found that almost all of the 10-2030 runners were still following the program, and when they ran another 5K, they on average had decreased their time by 38 seconds. In addition, almost all of the runners improved in other areas of health, such as decreased blood pressure. As for the control running group, no changes were found.

HAVE A MINUTE TO EXERCISE? By Lisa Steuer What if we told you that 60 seconds of intense exercise may have the same benefits as 45 minutes of moderate exercise? It almost sounds too good to be true, but a study has found that this may be the case, as reported by The New York Times. The study was done by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario and involved 25 out-of-shape young men. According to The New York Times, participants were randomly divided into three groups. One group changed nothing about their current nonexistent exercise routines. Another group started doing a typical endurance workout routine (riding at a moderate pace on a stationary bike for 45 minutes with two-minute warm-up and three-minute cool-down), and another group did the shortest workout with interval training. That third group with the shortest workout warmed up for two minutes on a stationary bicycle, pedaled as hard as possible for 20 seconds, went at a slow pace for two minutes, pedaled as hard as possible again for 20 seconds, followed by another two minutes of slow riding and another 20 seconds of all-out sprint. All groups did three sessions of their workout every week for 12 weeks. When the study was complete, the researchers found that it didn’t seem to matter whether the participants completed longer endurance workouts or shorter, more grueling workouts. At the end of the study, all the exercises showed nearly identical gains, increasing endurance by almost 20 percent and showing improvements in insulin resistance. So, the study reveals that you can exercise for less time and still may get the benefits of a longer, more moderate workout. Of course, everyone is different, but it’s worth giving it a try!

SUPRAMAXIMAL INTERVAL TRAINING FOR FAT LOSS By Nick Tumminello Fat loss and supramaximal interval training (HIIT) are both hot topics that are often associated with fitness and the sports training world. However, although running is a more universal exercise type than cycling, there are limited data on whether sprint interval training (repeated super-maximal intensity, short duration exercise bouts) affects body composition, as most SMIT data on body composition involves cycling exercise. Probably the most well-known study using cycling is the research that gave us the Tabata intervals, which consist of 20 seconds of supramximal intensity (as hard as you can go) exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for eight rounds for a total of four minutes. Contrary to popular belief, the original Tabata interval training study does not measure fat loss. In fact, there was no mention of fat loss in the paper at all. A study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism focused on assessing whether supramaximal running intervals can alter body composition, waist circumference, VO2 max and peak running speed. The female participants of this study completed six

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weeks of running SMIT consisting of four to six 30-second “all-out” sprints on a self-propelled treill separated by four minutes rest performed three times per week. The results of this study found that six weeks of the training decreased body fat mass by 8.0 percent, and reduced waist circumference by 3.5 percent, increased fat-free mass (i.e., muscle) by 1.3 percent (45.7±3.5 to 46.3±2.9 kg; P=0.05), boosted VO2 max by 8.7 percent and improved peak running speed by 4.8 percent. As if those results aren’t impressive enough, possibly the most interesting thing about these results is that there were no differences in food intake (assessed by a three-day food record). It’s important to note that the relationship of how many calories you consume per day to the number you burn per day is the single most important factor when it comes to determining whether you lose fat. The concept that you need to be in a caloric deficit in order to lose fat isn’t personal opinion nor is it up for debate by so-called diet gurus. This is validated in science, as research looking into the potential advantages to diets emphasizing protein, fat or carbohydrates has found that reduced-calorie diets result in clinically meaningful fat loss regardless of which macronutrients they emphasize. With that reality in mind, there are two ways to create a caloric deficit. You can either eat fewer calories or you can eat the same amount of calories and increase your activity level to burn more calories. In the case of the female subjects of this study, doing four to six 30-second bouts of running SMIT three times per week, which is only nine minutes of total work done per week, was enough to not only increase their fitness levels, but also metabolically demanding enough to put them in a caloric deficit. These impressive results led the researchers of the running SMIT study to conclude that running SMIT is a time-efficient strategy to decrease body fat while increasing aerobic capacity, peak running speed, and fat-free mass. ■

REFERENCES Reynolds, Gretchen. “1 Minute of All-Out Exercise May Have Benefits of 45 Minutes of Moderate Exertion.” The New York Times, 27 Apr. 2016. Web. 11 May 2016. Tabata, I., et al. Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996 Oct;28(10):1327-30. Hazell TJ, et al. Running sprint interval training induces fat loss in women. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2014 Aug;39(8):944-50. Frank M. Sacks, M.D., George A. Bray, M.D., et al. Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates. N Engl J Med 2009; 360:859-873February 26, 2009

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FitRxCoolDOWN

FAT ATTACK ●

RESEARCH REVIEW:

BEST OF 2016

Another year goes by without the emergence of alien technology allowing us to lose weight by ing through those annoying theft prevention gates at department stores that no employee ever responds to, or an actual Willy Wonka-esque gum convincing us we have eaten Thanksgiving dinner without consuming a calorie. Damn the creative genius of Roald Dahl and all other writers who give us hope that we can lose fat effortlessly.

TRAINING DURATION A fatiguing amount of research continues to be published from exercise scientists and physiologists, comparing the effects of exercise on fat oxidation, energy expenditure and body composition. Though studies investigated the effects of training condition, timing, intensity and duration, the relevance to competitive fitness and related pursuits is uncertain. HIIT (high-intensity interval training) remains the flavor of the month, with various factions lining up to claim that it is more potent and doesn’t interfere with strength or muscle mass gains (if you eat sufficient protein) while stripping fat faster than a groom undresses on his honeymoon.1 Low- to moderateintensity steady-state “cardio” is likewise

BY DANIEL GWARTNEY, MD

lambasted as a muscle-depleting “old school” practice that just nudges fat about as effectively as using the salad bar. Elite fitness professionals rarely utilize HIIT due to the specialization of their training; the risk of injury or overtraining outweigh potential benefits. Rather than preceding or ending resistance-training workouts with an additional 20 or 30 minutes of HIIT, the prevalent practice is to split steady-state cardio and weightlifting into two different sessions. Combining resistance training and HIIT in a single session does have benefits, yet possible drawbacks. While an increase in muscle “endurance” is beneficial to many sports, the potential for reduced muscle mass and strength gains is of greater import to the physique sports.2 Certainly, there are many people who train concurrently (combining aerobic and resistance training). CrossFit is extremely popular, and most people don’t wish to specialize into becoming a massive bodybuilder or depleted marathoner. For the individual striving for the greatest functional benefit, HIIT may be a great choice, but the best choice is whatever activity an individual will adhere to. As to whether it is best to do the “cardio” before or after weights— well, there are pros and cons both ways. Generally, people perform the HIIT after weight training, though preworkout “cardio” may prime the anabolic response of muscle.

FAT-LOSS DRUGS Cellular signals generated during exercise do more than shuttle fatty acids and sugars into the mitochondria to burn as energy. They also induce cellular changes that promote a leaner physique. The actions of PGC1-alpha on fat cells and muscle cells have been shown to be more complex than previously understood. Resistance training and endurance aerobics have different effects on “reprogramming” the body, and some drugs (e.g., clenbuterol) may promote bodybuilding-oriented effects.3 I suspect we may see clinical trials involving clenbuterol and beta-1 blockers used together for fat loss in the future. The FDA has essentially shut down DMAA in pre-workout and fat-loss products, but as has been seen before, a substitute is marketed soon thereafter. The most recent iteration is DMHA, previously marketed as Octadrine.4 There is very little in the published literature about this chemi-

ACTIVATING CALORIE BURNING TO INCREASE ENERGY EXPENDITURE REMAINS THE KEY WAY TO DROP BODY FAT. CERTAINLY, EXERCISE IS ONE MANNER OF DOING SO, BUT A FOCUS OF FATLOSS RESEARCH FOR YEARS NOW IS BROWN FAT ACTIVATION. 60

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cal, particularly as an ergogenic or fat-loss aid. Additionally, given the recent action against DMAA, and past actions against “stimulant” thermogenics, it is likely that the FDA will fight against DMHA and declare as NOT being DSHEA-eligible. This means that it will likely not be considered a dietary ingredient and be recalled. The arguments most strongly against DMHA will be its history of use as a drug and the use of synthetically produced material as opposed to plant extracts.

BROWN FAT Activating calorie burning to increase energy expenditure remains the key way to drop body fat. Certainly, exercise is one manner of doing so, but a focus of fat-loss research for years now is brown fat activation. It has been spoken of many times, but new findings keep appearing in the medical literature. A cholesterol metabolite once thought to only play a role in digesting fat is now understood to behave like a hormone— bile acids. Among the effects of bile acids is their actions promoting an increase in brown fat activity. In part, this may be due to an increase in the active form of thyroid hormone by activating TGR5 receptors.5 Bile acids may be an agent to help fitness competitors who have used thyroid hormone as a fat-loss aid pre-contest restore function; it is not rare for those who follow this practice to suffer from temporary hypothyroidism, or even require lifetime thyroid replacement (e.g., Synthroid). The increased metabolic rate, and stimulation of brown fat, as well as “beige” fat is further influenced by a growth factor called FGF21.6 Produced primarily in the liver during catabolic stress, as well as in strenuously exercised muscle, FGF21 promotes “uncoupling” which wastes calories as heat. Conditions that increase FGF21 production (e.g., ketogenic diets), as well as drugs (e.g., fenofibrate, butyrate) are likely to be evaluated for this purpose.

THE FUTURE OF FAT LOSS Really, 2016 was a bit of a disappointment in of fat-loss discoveries. Certainly, there remains a need for a potent and safe drug(s) that will increase energy expenditure, an effective appetite suppressant and a better understanding of the conditions that will induce a response that will promote fat loss not only in fitness professionals and athletes, but also the general public. Ideally, a company might look at combining clenbuterol with a beta-blocker that would allow not only fat loss, but possibly muscle mass and strength gains, non-serotonergic appetite suppressants and low-carbohydrate diets that avoid any

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nutrient deficiencies or muscle wasting and can be tightly adhered to, possibly so far as to be chronically ketogenic. The “push” in the nutritional product industry has been stated to involve nutritional ketosis via supplementation with ketone esters or salts, though this has some practical hurdles to clear.7 One last factor that needs to be addressed to avoid the expansion of the overweight and obese population is social incentives and role modeling. In prior generations, obesity negatively affected a person’s social standing and perceived attractiveness, rightly or wrongly. However, the systematic pressure to accept and embrace obesity as “beautiful” and shame those who might react negatively to a person’s weight s the high (and possibly growing) prevalence of obesity in adults, adolescents and children. There are damaging and lasting effects of thoughtless and rude comments or being “left out” because of one’s weight, but removing social disincentives reduces individual motivation to achieve metabolically healthy weight ranges. In fact, many young people fail to recognize they are overweight or obese because the conditions are so common, they see their weight as “normal” in that their weight is no different from their peers and neighbors. There is no place for bullying, or shaming, but to coddle someone whose long-term health may be negatively affected by their weight is no different than watching a diabetic fail to watch his/her diet and even treat them to sugary treats regularly to make them “feel better.” Ultimately, fat loss remains dependent upon the motivation and behavior of the individual, and absent bariatric surgery, can only be ed by current drugs and supplements.

REFERENCES 1. Longland TM, Oikawa SY, et al. Higher compared with lower dietary protein during an energy deficit combined with intense exercise promotes greater lean mass gain and fat mass loss: a randomized trial. Am J Clin Nutr 2016;103:738-46. 2. Tsitkanou S, Spengos K, et al. Effects of highintensity interval cycling performed after resistance training on muscle strength and hypertrophy. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2016 Sep 23. [Epub ahead of print] 3. Silvennoinen M, Ahtiainen JP, et al. PGC-1 isoforms and their target genes are expressed differently in human skeletal muscle following resistance and endurance exercise. Physiol Rep 2015;3. pii: e12563 (12 pp). doi: 10.14814/phy2.12563. 4. Kim K, Zilbermintz L, et al. Repurposing FDA approved drugs against the human fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob 2015;14:32. 5. Watanabe M, Houten SM, et al. Bile acids induce energy expenditure by promoting intracellular thyroid hormone activation. Nature 2006;439:484-9. 6. Keipert S, Ost M, et al. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial uncoupling drives endocrine cross-talk through the induction of FGF21 as a myokine. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2014;306:E469-82. 7. Egan B, D’Agostino DP. Fueling Performance: Ketones Enter the Mix. Cell Metab 2016;24:373-5.

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HARD CORE TRAINING ● BY

TEAM FITRX

CORE-TRAINING RESEARCH REVIEW: BEST OF 2016 Everyone wants a six-pack, and there are a lot of opinions out there about the best core-training methods. We went through our core-training research reports from 2016 to help you start the new year off right. Take a look at the best of the core-training research, and get ready to sculpt your six-pack in 2016.

CAN YOU SELECTIVELY TARGET THE LOWER ABS? By Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., CSCS, FNSCA It appears the answer might be related to proper exercise performance. In one of the more novel study designs on the topic, Sarti et al. separated participants into two groups— a high physical activity group that trained seriously for at least one and a half hours, three days a week for three years, and a low physical activity group that did not meet this criterion. Each of these two groups performed a crunch (intended to target the upper abs) and a reverse crunch (intended to target the lower abs). EMG readings were obtained to determine muscle activity in the upper and lower abdominal region. Exercise performance was monitored

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by fitness professionals, and the groups were then further subdivided into correct and incorrect performers— based on the participant’s ability to perform the exercises properly (in this case, correct performance of the reverse crunch was dependent on the participant being able to initiate a posterior pelvic tilt). The interesting finding of this study was that only the physically active participants deemed “correct performers” were able to target their lower abs! A recent study of Middle Eastern belly dancers lends further for the ability to preferentially recruit the upper and lower rectus when the person is skilled at performance. EMG analysis of the rectus abdominis showed significant differences in activation levels between

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the upper and lower abs throughout dance movements. The results provide compelling evidence that provided you have muscular control over your abdominal region, the rectus abdominis does function as semi-independent units that can be selectively targeted depending on the choice of exercise. Given that you can in fact target the lower abs, the next logical question is whether the increased activation actually translates into greater muscle development. While the jury is still somewhat out on the topic, research does seem to indicate that greater activation is indeed associated with increases in hypertrophy. The extent to which the greater activation increases muscle hypertrophy is not clear, but when it

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HARD CORE TRAINING ● BY

comes to a hard-to-develop area such as the lower abs, every little bit counts. It is important to point out that you can’t isolate any of the body’s major muscles, and the abs are no exception. Regardless of which abdominal exercises you perform, you’re always working both the upper and lower areas of the rectus abdominis (and even your obliques, too). Take-home message: When it comes to resistance training, you can only emphasize, not isolate! REFERENCES: Sarti MA, Monfort M, et al. Muscle activity in upper and lower rectus abdominus during abdominal exercises. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 1996;77: 1293-1297. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, et al. An electromyographic comparison of a modified version of the plank with a long lever and posterior tilt versus the traditional plank exercise. Sports Biomech 2014;13: 296-306. Wakahara T, Miyamoto N, et al. Association between regional differences in muscle activation in one session of resistance exercise and in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012;112: 1569-1576. Wakahara T, Fukutani A, et al. Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: its relation to muscle activation in training session. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2013;45: 2158-2165.

THE END OF SIT-UPS? BETTER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES By Michael J. Rudolph, Ph.D. Two alternative core exercises that were shown to trigger significantly greater activation of the abdominal and oblique muscles than

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the sit-up, and therefore should be done in lieu of the ineffective sit-up, are the power wheel roll-out and the hanging knee-up (or hanging knee-raise). The power wheel roll-out starts with your knees on the floor and your hands holding the power wheel on the floor directly in front of your body, very close to the knees. From this position, the subject straightens out the body by rolling the wheel forward in a straight line, while maintaining a straight spine and pelvis throughout the entire movement. When full extension is reached, the subject simply reverses direction back toward the body until the wheel is in its original position, immediately in front of the knees. The hanging knee-up exercise begins with the body hanging in a vertical position with the trunk, hips and knees in full extension. From this position, the subject simply flexes the hips slowly, pulling the knees up while keeping the legs together, resulting in about 125 degrees of hip and knee flexion. At the top position, pause for a second and then slowly lower your knees back to the starting position. One study showed that the power wheel roll-out and

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TEAM FITRX

hanging knee-up were superior to the sit-up. Researchers attached electrodes to the core muscles of 21 subjects to measure muscular activity of the core, while performing 12 different abdominal muscle exercises including the sit-up, power wheel roll-out and the hanging knee-up. The data showed that the power wheel roll-out most strongly activated the upper and lower abdominal muscles, while the hanging knee-up movement induced the highest muscular activity within the internal and external oblique muscles. On the other hand, the sit-up performed rather poorly— activating the abdominal muscles to only onehalf the level of the power wheel roll-out, and the oblique muscles to one-half the activity triggered by the hanging knee-ups. Taken together, these results show that the sit-up is a poor choice for overall abdominal training, while the power wheel roll-out should be utilized, especially if you are focusing on abdominal development— and the hanging knee-up should be employed to more precisely target the oblique muscles. REFERENCE: Escamilla RF, Babb E, et al. Electromyographic analysis of traditional and nontraditional abdominal exercises: implications for rehabilitation and training. Phys Ther 2006;86, 656-671.

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MUSCLE LAB ● BY

MICHAEL J. RUDOLPH, Ph.D.

MUSCLE-BUILDING RESEARCH REVIEW: BEST OF 2016

GET JACKED WITH CREATINE-INDUCED PAP

ENHANCED PERFORMANCE WITH CREATINE AND REST-PAUSE TRAINING The right combination of supplement and training techniques can vigorously boost muscle size and strength. One combination suggested in 2016 involved the t use of creatine monohydrate with the restpause training technique. Rest-pause training typically involves the use of a weight that you can lift for a specific amount of repetitions.Yet, instead of lifting the weight uninterrupted for a complete set of repetitions, you rest between repetitions. This approach will typically allow performance of additional repetitions, providing a substantial training effect that boosts muscle size and strength.

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The additional rest provided during rest-pause training more adequately restores the muscle cell’s level of ATP and phosphocreatine (PC), the two molecules that provide all of the energy required for those extra repetitions. Since restoration of the ATP/PC energy system during restpause training stimulates the musclebuilding effect, supplementing with creatine monohydrate while doing rest-pause workouts should further improve the positive influence of this training approach, as creatine intake also increases PC levels by as much as 20 percent. This, of course, would make the recuperative response of the ATP/ PC system during rest-pause training much more robust, providing even greater gains in size and strength.

There were several studies covered this past year that investigated the potent muscle-enhancing phenomenon known as post-activation potentiation (PAP). Post-activation potentiation (PAP) does stimulates the interaction between the two muscle proteins actin and myosin that directly generate muscular contraction. Because there are more interactions between these two muscle contractile proteins, superior muscular contraction occurs, augmenting strength and power production. PAP also boosts strength and power by activating the nervous system, producing additional muscle fiber excitation for greater strength and forcegenerating capacity. PAP also produces considerable gains in lean muscle due to the superior training stimulus associated with enhanced amounts of muscular contraction. The enhancement of strength and power from PAP is usually triggered by performing an initial lift with very heavy weight, resting several minutes, then performing the same lift with lighter weight. This tactic will result in lifting the lighter weight for several additional repetitions.

CREATINE-INDUCED PAP Muscular fatigue tends to deplete PAP, so reducing fatigue is an effective way to enhance the positive impact of PAP on exercise performance. In addition to the obvious choice of rest to mitigate muscular weariness, creatine use also reduces muscular fatigue, as this compound rapidly replenishes energy levels within the muscle cell, effectively halting fatigue. The ability of creatine to reduce muscle fatigue suggests that the use of this supplement may also improve the positive impact of PAP on muscular strength. In order to see if creatine use could positively influence PAP, a study done in

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2016 by Wang et al. investigated the influence that creatine supplementation had on PAP in test subjects performing complex training— a training protocol that effectively induces PAP. Each complex set involved high-intensity squats followed by a rest period to induce PAP, then an explosive jump movement to measure the improvement of jump height caused by PAP. The rest period varied considerably from one to 12 minutes to measure the different impact of varying rest intervals on fatigue and PAP. The results showed that creatine intake strongly improved squat strength while also stimulating PAP much more rapidly, as the group using creatine showed a maximal PAP effect after four minutes of rest and the placebo group demonstrated maximal PAP after six minutes of rest. Surprisingly, this study also showed that creatine did not significantly increase jump height, indicating that while PAP occurred more quickly in subjects consuming creatine, it did not alter the positive impact that PAP usually has on power production. This result may be due to the brief duration of this study, as subjects took 20 grams of creatine for only six days and a longer period of time is likely required for creatine intake.

KAATSU TRAINING The remarkable impact of Kaatsu training was also covered in FitnessRx this past year. Kaatsu training elicits increases in strength, despite using lighter weight, from the preferential activation of fasttwitch muscle fiber, as this training technique depletes oxygen levels to the working muscles due to the restriction of blood flow. The reduction of available oxygen drives the muscle cell to produce energy without oxygen, or anaerobically, which preferentially activates fasttwitch muscle fibers instead of slowtwitch muscle fibers, as fast-twitch muscle fibers prefer anaerobic respiration while slow-twitch muscle fibers favor aerobic respiration. Since fast-twitch muscle has superior potential for strength, their preferential stimulation over

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slow-twitch muscle provides Kaatsu training with a greater capacity to develop strength. In fact, one study by Takarada et al. showed that Kaatsu training produced comparable strength gains relative to a second group performing high-intensity training group, revealing that Kaatsu training can improve strength to a similar degree as high-intensity resistance training.

LESS PAIN WITH MUSCLE GAINS Kaatsu training potently generates considerable strength and size. However, there is a downside to this style of training, as it can be fairly painful. In fact, several studies— along with my own experience in the gym— have demonstrated that the standard Kaatsu approach elicits a high level of perceived exertion and pain. Of course, there is always going to be some level of discomfort caused by weight training. However, the level of discomfort brought on from the typical approach to Kaatsu training is much worse. So, a group of scientists from Indiana University and Purdue University investigated the musclebuilding ability of a modified approach to Kaatsu training where they cut the pressure of the pneumatic cuff used to restrict blood flow by roughly 50 percent relative to other studies while also removing the initial set of 30 repetitions that is usually performed during Kaatsu training. Altogether, the modifications reduced the overall pain rating assessed during the study considerably while still increasing muscle size and strength significantly relative to the control group that did not use Kaatsu training. Nonetheless, the gains in size and strength were not as large as earlier Kaatsu training studies showed likely because of altered training protocol that probably diminished the training effect and pain experienced while training. Yet, because there were still considerable gains in size and strength, this less painful approach to Kaatsu training still provides significant gains in muscle size and strength while using lighter weights.

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For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.

REFERENCES McNaughton LR, Dalton B and Tarr J. The effects of creatine supplementation on high-intensity exercise performance in elite performers. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1998;78, 236-240. Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, et al. Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 2001;281, E197-206. Candow DG, Chilibeck PD, et al. Effect of ceasing creatine supplementation while maintaining resistance training in older men. J Aging Phys Act 2004;12, 219-231. Cribb PJ and Hayes A. Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006;38, 1918-1925. Antonio J and Ciccone V. The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2013;10, 36. Candow DG, Vogt E, et al. Strategic creatine supplementation and resistance training in healthy older adults. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2015;40, 689-694. Engelhardt M, Neumann G, et al. Creatine supplementation in endurance sports. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1998;30, 1123-1129. Graham AS and Hatton RC. Creatine: a review of efficacy and safety. J Am Pharm Assoc (Wash) 1999;39, 803-810; quiz 875-807. Judge, L.W. and J.R. Burke, The effect of recovery time on strength performance following a high-intensity bench press workout in males and females. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2009. 5(2): p. 184-96. Rassier, D.E. and W. Herzog, Force enhancement following an active stretch in skeletal muscle. J Electromyogr Kinesiol, 2002. 12(6): p. 471-7. Stone, M.H., et al., Power and power potentiation among strength-power athletes: preliminary study. Int J Sports Physiol Perform, 2008. 3(1): p. 55-67. Wang, C.C., et al., The Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Explosive Performance and Optimal Individual Postactivation Potentiation Time. Nutrients, 2016. 8(3): p. 143. Takarada, Y., et al., Effects of resistance exercise combined with moderate vascular occlusion on muscular function in humans. J Appl Physiol (1985), 2000. 88(6): p. 2097-106. Wernbom, M., J. Augustsson, and R. Thomee, Effects of vascular occlusion on muscular endurance in dynamic knee extension exercise at different submaximal loads. J Strength Cond Res, 2006. 20(2): p. 372-7. Hollander, D.B., et al., Partial occlusion during resistance exercise alters effort sense and pain. J Strength Cond Res, 2010. 24(1): p. 235-43. Weatherholt, A., et al., Modified Kaatsu training: adaptations and subject perceptions. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2012. 45(5): p. 952-61. Wernbom, M., et al., Acute effects of blood flow restriction on muscle activity and endurance during fatiguing dynamic knee extensions at low load. J Strength Cond Res, 2009. 23(8): p. 2389-95. Yasuda, T., et al., Muscle activation during lowintensity muscle contractions with restricted blood flow. J Sports Sci, 2009. 27(5): p. 479-89.

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FitRxCoolDOWN

SPORTS SUPPLEMENT REVIEW ●

BY GABRIEL WILSON, PH.D., CSCS

GO BEYOND CAFFEINE WITH YOUR PRE-WORKOUT MHP’S NEW CLINICALLY TESTED PRE-WORKOUT IS A GAME CHANGER

Energy supplements are a leading category in sports nutrition, with millions of athletes, fitness enthusiasts and gym rats relying on stimulant-loaded supplements to fuel their workouts. Recognizing the ever-competitive pre-workout market, some supplement companies have resorted to extreme doses of stimulants, even approaching up to 600 milligrams of caffeine. When does it stop? When is enough caffeine, enough? You may be surprised to learn that beyond energy, caffeine provides little benefit in of your actual mental performance. In fact, too much caffeine can impair performance by rapidly raising your stress, anxiety, panic and jitters. If you truly want to maximize your workout experience, you have to go beyond caffeine. Fortunately, exciting new research has revealed how natural herbal extracts can do just that.

INGREDIENTS THAT SPUR COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE Theanine is often considered a stress-reducing tea extract that calms the mind and body. Alone, this is true— but when combined with caffeine, theanine has a true synergistic effect, resulting in superior attention, focus and concentration compared to either theanine or caffeine alone.

Theacrine is another novel, non-habituating tea extract that s natural dopamine production (the pleasure neurotransmitter). When combined with caffeine, this tea extract also s unique enhancements in reaction time, mood and energy. Both theanine and theacrine also have the benefit of reducing heart rate, jitters and blood pressure normally accompanied by caffeine. Not surprisingly, enhanced blood flow is not just important for your muscles, but for your mental health as well— and can help to speed your mental processing speed, resulting in greater focus and concentration.

WHAT IF YOU COMBINE THEM ALL? Studies usually look at one or two ingredients in combination with each other. But what would happen if you tested all of these ingredients at once? Well, that’s exactly what the sports supplement company MHP sought to do. MHP’s new pre-workout, Reckless, is designed based on the latest in mental performance science, and features— at dosages of one to two scoops— 195-390 milligrams of caffeine, 50-100 milligrams of theanine, 25-50 milligrams of theacrine (as TeaCrine), 63-126 milligrams of the stress-reducing herb ashwagandha (as Sensoril) and a potent, bloodpump blend. Reckless is also the first pre-workout to feature NeuroFactor, a novel whole-coffee fruit extract that has been shown to increase a unique brain protein called BDNF by 143 percent after just one dose. BDNF is an amazing neuroprotein linked to faster skill development, reaction time, mood and mental performance. MHP tested their new pre-workout, Reckless, in a gold standard, double-blind, placebo-controlled cognitive performance study. Young male and female adults (age 18-35) were tested on three separate occasions, and performed the same battery of cognitive tests before and 30 minutes after consuming two scoops of a supplement in blinded fashion that either contained a placebo, one serving of Reckless or two servings of Reckless. Electrodes were applied to the scalp to measure brain wave activation using an advanced electroencephalographic (EEG) device. The subjects then performed a demanding, attentional switching task that objectively determined their ability to focus and concentrate.

The results were astonishing … after the demanding task, the placebo group had over a 100 percent decline in mental activation, indicating they were bored and distracted. In contrast, in just 30 minutes after supplementation, one scoop of Reckless improved cognitive activity by over 200 percent, while two scoops increased cognitive activation by over 2,000 percent! This potent increase in cognitive activity resulted in a dose-dependent increase in reaction time and attentional performance, indicating superior focus and concentration in subjects. In the attention-switching task, the scientists observed that Reckless substantially improved correct choices and the speed at which subjects chose correct responses (reaction time), while also substantially decreasing errors. In sports such as baseball and football, where you have milliseconds to make a decision, this could have tremendous implications for optimal decision-making. For the everyday gym-goer, it also suggests that Reckless can help them focus and pay attention to their workouts so they can be at their very best. For someone looking for a general boost in focus during the day, these results suggest that Reckless can also help people to concentrate and pay attention during highly monotonous and boring activities where concentration dwindles. And we have not even gotten into the performance benefits of Reckless, which also features potent doses of creatine, beta-alanine and a novel ancient peat and apple extract called elevATP, shown to potently boost muscle ATP, strength, endurance and muscle mass. But possibly the most impressive attribute of Reckless is that it is free of any banned substance. We know this because it is Informed-Choice Certified, a gold-standard testing procedure used to certify that a product has no banned substances, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Finally, Reckless doesn’t just deliver results— it delivers in taste, too. In a world of bitter pre-workouts, Reckless surprisingly has delicious, smooth and refreshing flavors including Blue Slushy and Watermelon. So, the next time you are looking for more than just caffeine-loaded pre-workouts, give Reckless a try instead! For more information, please visit reachyourmhp.com. ■

ONE SCOOP OF RECKLESS IMPROVED COGNITIVE ACTIVITY BY OVER 200 PERCENT, WHILE TWO SCOOPS INCREASED COGNITIVE ACTIVATION BY OVER 2,000 PERCENT! 70

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THE M.A.X. MUSCLE PLAN ● BY

BRAD SCHOENFELD, Ph.D., CSCS, FNSCA

BEST OF 2016 HIGHLIGHTING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH RESEARCH REVIEW:

During my fitness career as a personal trainer, I would look to the literature to guide my decision-making. What really struck me was how little good research existed for those aspiring to achieve a fit physique. Now, as a full-time educator/researcher, I’m like a kid in a candy store. I get to conduct studies on all the topics that were of interest to those, like me, who aspire to get jacked and shredded. Here are some of the highlights from the research my lab has conducted over the past year:

• Higher training volumes are superior for muscle building. There has been a long-standing debate in the fitness field as to whether single-set training (i.e., high-intensity training, or HIT) is as effective (or even more so) as multi-set training. The late Mike Mentzer, among others, was a staunch advocate of the HIT approach, claiming that a minimalist training philosophy maximized gains. Contrast this view with that of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who performed double-splits of multiple sets per exercise, six days a week. Who’s right? Well, a recent meta-analysis from our lab sheds important light on this topic.6 We reviewed all studies that compared lower versus higher training volumes. A total of 15 studies met inclusion criteria, and the data from each were pooled for analysis. Results showed a clear dose-response relationship between lifting volume and muscular growth, when stratified by sets per muscle group per week. Here’s how things broke down: Performance of less than five weekly sets per muscle equated to hypertrophic gains of 5.4 percent; five to nine weekly sets per muscle equated to gains of 6.6 percent; and 10+ sets per muscle equated to gains of 9.8 percent. Unfortunately, there was not enough data to evaluate the effects of volume beyond 10+ weekly sets per muscle. Thus, an upper threshold could not be established based on current literature. The primary take-home message here is that a low-volume HIT-type approach can certainly build muscle, and it represents a viable choice for those who are timepressed and need to get their workouts completed in a short amount of time. But the evidence is clear that higher volumes are essential if the goal is to maximize muscular gains. The “optimal” number of sets remains to be determined, but it will ultimately vary from person to person on a host of genetic and lifestyle facTHE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR based tors. Hence, some lifters are able to benefit THAT HIGHER VOLUMES from higher volumes more so than others. Thus, experimentation is needed to tweak ARE ESSENTIAL IF THE the number of sets you perform based on GOAL IS TO MAXIMIZE how you respond. Given that repeatedly training with high volumes can lead to an MUSCULAR GAINS. overtrained state, the best approach may be to cycle from lower- to higher-volume blocks that culminate in a brief period of functional overreaching; this would hypothetically allow for sustained muscular gains over time, while staving off the potential for overtraining. • Resting longer between sets is beneficial to growth. It is widely thought that short, inter-

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set rest periods of about one minute or so are best for maximizing gains. This is largely based on the hormone hypothesis, whereby limiting rest intervals increases post-exercise elevations in testosterone, growth hormone and IGF-1. However, recent research indicates that these transient hormonal spikes have at best minor effects on hypertrophy, if there are any effects at all.4 With this in mind, a recent study from our lab set out to test the effects of limiting inter-set rest on growth.3 We randomized 21 resistance-trained young men to a group that performed a lifting routine with either one- or three-minute rest intervals. All other resistancetraining variables were held constant. Subjects performed a routine that comprised seven different exercises, working the major muscle groups of both the upper and lower body. Three sets of eight- to 12-repetition maximum (RM) were performed per exercise on three non-consecutive days a week. Contrary to popular belief, results after the eight-week training period showed that the group resting for three minutes between sets actually showed greater increases in muscle thickness compared to the group that rested for one minute. Although we can’t be sure of the underlying mechanisms, results may be attributed to a reduction in total volume load (i.e., reps x load) that was noted over the course of the study. Given the previously mentioned dose-response relationship between volume and hypertrophy, very short rest periods may compromise growth by reducing the amount of weight you can use on subsequent sets. This would indicate that if there are synergistic benefits to heightened metabolic stress, they are overshadowed by the associated decreased volume. That said, it appears the greatest reductions in volume load are associated with multi-t

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THE M.A.X. MUSCLE PLAN

movements. Thus, a viable strategy is to take longer rest intervals on your large-muscle, compound exercises such as squats, presses and rows. These movements generate very high levels of metabolic disturbance, particularly when performed with moderate rep ranges (i.e., 8-15 reps). Thus, longer recovery periods are needed to fully regenerate energy levels for your next set so that volume load is maintained across sessions. On the other hand, single-t movements are not as metabolically taxing and thus you’re able to recover more quickly from set to set. Exercises like biceps curls, triceps pressdowns and leg extensions therefore could conceivably benefit from shorter rest periods. In this way, you can heighten metabolic stress and its potential hypertrophic benefits without negatively impacting volume load. • Varying rep ranges can enhance hypertrophy. For years, it was thought that lifting weights lighter than about 65 percent of your 1RM had little to no effect on muscle growth. Recent research shows this clearly is not the case, and that loads as light as 30 percent of your 1RM can produce substantial hypertrophy, provided sets are carried out to muscular fatigue.5 What’s less clear is whether there might be a benefit to combining rep ranges. To test this hypothesis, our lab recently carried out a study where 19 resistance-trained young men were randomized to a constant-rep protocol that trained using a standard rep range of 8-12RM per set, or a daily undulating periodization (DUP)-style, varied-rep protocol that trained with 2-4 RM per set on day one, 8-12RM per set on day two and 20-30RM on day three.2 Subjects trained three nonconsecutive days per week, performing a multi-set, total-body routine for eight weeks. Findings showed that the effect size differences in muscle thickness— a measure of the meaningfulness of the change— favored the varied approach. Now, these differences were rather modest, but nevertheless they may be important for a guy who wants to eke out every bit of his muscular potential. There are a number of different ways the varied rep strategy can be implemented into a long-term training program. For one, you could perform a DUP routine, as was the case in the study. Alternatively, you can periodize in a more linear fashion with dedicated training cycles for high, moderate and low loads. Another possibility is to perform your heavy compound movements in a lower rep range, and then employ higher-rep work for your single-t exercises. There are many options to choose from, and all are potentially viable strategies. • The hip thrust can help to maximize lower body muscular adaptations. The squat has

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long been recognized as a terrific mass builder for the glutes and thighs. Some fitness pros have even professed that it’s the only exercise necessary for getting a jacked lower body. The hip thrust is an exercise that has been gaining popularity as a go-to exercise for packing on muscle in the glutes. Recently, I collaborated with uber-researcher Bret Contreras on a study that looked at differences in muscle activation between the back squat and hip thrust.1 We recruited 13 young women who were experienced in resistance training, to perform both exercises at their estimated 10RM. Muscle activation of various glute, quad and hamstrings muscles was evaluated by electromyography, which provides a gauge as to the neural drive to a working muscle. Results showed that the hip thrust elicited significantly greater glute and hamstrings activity compared to the back squat; there were no significant differences in quadriceps activity. Now, muscle activation is not necessarily indicative of maximal growth in a given muscle. That said, there is emerging evidence that a correlation exists between these factors.7,8 Bottom line: The squat is undoubtedly a terrific exercise for gaining lower body muscle, however, the hip thrust can be a valuable addition to resistance training for those seeking maximal development of the posterior chain. ■ Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., CSCS, FNSCA is widely regarded as one of the leading authorities on training for muscle development and fat loss. He has published over 100 peerreviewed studies on various exercise- and nutrition-related topics. He is also the author of the best-selling book, The M.A.X. Muscle Plan and the seminal textbook, Science and Development of Muscle Hypertrophy. Check out is website and blog at www.lookgreatnaked.com.

REFERENCES 1. Contreras B, Vigotsky AD, et al. A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis EMG Activity in the Back Squat and Barbell Hip Thrust Exercises. J Appl Biomech 2015. 2. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, et al. Effects of varied versus constant loading zones on muscular adaptations in well-trained men. Int J Sports Med 2016;DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1569369. 3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, et al. Longer inter-set rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 2016;30: 1805-1812. 4. Schoenfeld BJ. Postexercise hypertrophic adaptations: a reexamination of the hormone hypothesis and its applicability to resistance training program design. J Strength Cond Res 2013;27: 1720-1730. 5. Schoenfeld BJ, Wilson JM, et al. Muscular adaptations in low- versus high-load resistance training: A meta-analysis. Eur J Sport Sci 2014;1-10. 6. Schoenfeld BJ, Ogborn D and Krieger JW. Dose-response relationship between weekly resistance training volume and increases in muscle mass: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sports Sci 2016;1-10. 7. Wakahara T, Miyamoto N, et al. Association between regional differences in muscle activation in one session of resistance exercise and in muscle hypertrophy after resistance training. Eur J Appl Physiol 2012;112: 1569-1576. 8. Wakahara, T, Fukutani, A, Kawakami, Y, and Yanai, T. Nonuniform muscle hypertrophy: its relation to muscle activation in training session. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2013;45: 2158-2165.

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SUPPLEMENT EDGE ● BY

SUPPLEMENT RESEARCH REVIEW:

BEST OF 2016 THE FACTS ON

AGMATINE SULFATE: A SCIENTIFIC REVIEW

Agmatine occurs naturally in plants, fish and animal products; even the microbes in your GI tract can make agmatine. Agmatine sulfate is a naturally occurring metabolite of the conditionally essential amino acid L-arginine. It is “decarboxylated” L-arginine. It may show up on your supplement label as 1-(4-aminobutyl)-guanidine. It may even show up in fermented foods like beer or wine. Agmatine can be absorbed by the gut and apparently crosses the blood-brain barrier, at least in rodents. The limited human clinical data on agmatine suggests that it really isn’t toxic, and may be an adjunctive therapy for people with neuropathic pain (like from a herniated disk) or people overcoming drug addiction. Another small clinical case study of three patients suggested that agmatine supplementation could act as an antidepressant. Unfortunately, there are zero studies in the published literature on the ability of agmatine to help nitric oxide production, aid in recovery or improve metabolic function. One study by researchers Gilad and Gilad demonstrated that consuming agmatine at a dose of 2.67 grams per day (three tablets of 445 milligrams, twice per day) was safe when taken up to five years. Periodic blood work and physical exams demonstrated no “significant” adverse events. I mention the researchers’ names for a particular reason. These researchers have obtained patents for agmatine and have done human research on this ingredient. Dr. Gilad was quoted by the online news service NutraIngredients-USA as saying, “That agmatine is touted for bodybuilding, is completely unsubstantiated and is backed by outright false claims.” Until a research study is performed in an exercise model, or examines its effect on perceived exertion in the gym, supplement companies need to tread lightly on the claims being made for agmatine supplementation.

Supplements can help give you the edge in training as well as fat loss. Here’s a look at some of the best supplement research from 2016 to help you take 2017 to a whole new level.

VICTOR R. PRISK, M.D.

GLUTAMINE: PROS AND CONS

Early studies on glutamine in cell cultures, and studies on animals, suggested that glutamine played an important role in muscle protein synthesis. Follow-up in humans was needed. In a randomized, placebo-controlled study, a group of 31 young adults was divided into a placebo group and a group that received 0.9 grams of glutamine per kilogram of lean mass per day, for six weeks, while participating in a strength-training program. Before and after training, measurements were taken of one-repetition maximum (1RM) squat and bench press strength, peak knee extension torque, lean tissue mass (by DEXA) and muscle protein degradation. In the end, the researchers found that glutamine produced no improvements in muscle performance, body composition or muscle protein degradation. Further work by Dr. Jose Antonio of the ISSN examined the immediate effects of glutamine supplementation of 0.3 grams per kilogram of bodyweight, in men familiar with resistance training. The glutamine was given one hour prior to training, and the researchers compared glutamine and glycine. They examined the maximal number of repetitions of bench presses at 100 percent bodyweight and leg presses at 200 percent of bodyweight. In this study, the subjects did not realize a performance-enhancing effect of the glutamine on muscular endurance.

GLUTAMINE SUPPLEMENT OR NOT?

So, I would say that if you are eating all of your meals with high-quality protein, supplementing with glutamine will likely be a waste of money. If you are extremely physically stressed, and overtraining to make weight for a contest (meaning you probably aren’t prepared), then perhaps adding 10 to 20 grams of glutamine per day may be a consideration for immune system and GI , with prevention of muscle catabolism. Again, don’t put yourself in that position— stick to a strong diet plan, get plenty of rest and actively recover from your training.

REFERENCES Galgano F, et al. Focused review: agmatine in fermented foods. Front Microbiol 2012;Jun 7;3:199. Keynan O, et al. Safety and Efficacy of Dietary Agmatine Sulfate in Lumbar Disc-associated Radiculopathy. An Open-label, Dose-escalating Study Followed by a Randomized, Double-blind, Placebocontrolled Trial. Pain Med 2010;Mar;11(3):356-68. Molderings GJ and Haenisch B. Agmatine (decarboxylated L-arginine): physiological role and therapeutic potential. Pharmacol Ther 2012;Mar;133(3):351-65. Shopsin B. The clinical antidepressant effect of exogenous agmatine is not reversed by parachlorophenylalanine: a pilot study. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2013;Apr;25(2):113-8. Piletz JE, et al. Agmatine: clinical applications after 100 years in translation. Drug Discov Today 2013;Sep;18(17-18):880-93. Gilad GM and Gilad VH. Long-term (5 years), high daily dosage of dietary agmatine - evidence of safety: a case report. J Med Food 2014;Nov;17(11):1256-9. MacLennan PA, et al. A positive relationship between protein synthetic rate and intracellular glutamine concentration in perfused rat skeletal muscle. FEBS Lett 1987;May 4;215(1):187-91. Candow DG, et al. Effect of glutamine supplementation combined with resistance training in young adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 2001;Dec;86(2):142-9. Antonio J, et al. The effects of high-dose glutamine ingestion on weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res 2002;Feb;16(1):157-60.

Dr. Victor Prisk is a board certified orthopaedic surgeon and IFBB professional bodybuilder in Pittsburgh, PA. Dr. Prisk is an active member of the GNC Medical Advisory Board and creator of the “G.A.I.N. Plan.” He is an NCAA All-American gymnast, champion swing dancer and NPC Welterweight National Champion.

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TOP 10 CLASSIC BODYBUILDING SUPPLEMENTS 1.WHEY PROTEIN: Adding an extra 40 grams of whey protein (or more) to your diet after your workouts and with another meal can be a very effective way to build and maintain muscle mass. 2. HMB: HMB supplementation can improve recovery from exercise with a reduction in muscle damage and enhance muscle growth, strength and power after the appropriate exercise stimulus. 3.VITAMIN D3: Studies show that vitamin D supplementation of more than 3,000 IU per day can increase testosterone levels. 4. FISH OIL: The omega-3 fish oils are fatty acids that may improve recovery and performance.

5. MELATONIN: Melatonin supplementation of one to five milligrams can be an effective way to enhance your sleep. Additionally, melatonin is a strong antioxidant that can be effective in protecting us from excessive free radical damage after a physically demanding day. 6. CAFFEINE: There are numerous studies ing caffeine as a booster of power, strength and endurance. 7. CREATINE: Creatine is involved in energy production and anabolism in many tissues. Creatine levels in muscle can be increased by up to 40 percent with dietary supplementation. 8. BETA-ALANINE: Next to creatine, one of the ways your muscle helps you get through that pain period is through an acid buffer called carnosine. 9. NITRIC OXIDE DONORS: It is thought that L-citrulline is a more effective way to raise L-arginine levels consistently, and thus availability for nitric oxide production and buffering of ammonia. Further, nitrates, found in beetroot juice and green leafy vegetables, appear to improve performance as a nitric oxide donor as well; so eat your veggies! 10. PREBIOTIC/PROBIOTIC: The gut microflora (bacteria in our bellies) play a critical role in our health and metabolism. Nutrients we eat also feed our bacteria, and our bacteria can convert those nutrients into other metabolically active nutrients that we wouldn’t otherwise eat. In particular, the soluble fiber we eat acts as a “prebiotic” that fuels the healthy bacteria in our gut to make valuable compounds like the shortchain fatty acids.

REFERENCES Antonio J, et al. A high protein diet (3.4 g/kg/d) combined with a heavy resistance training program improves body composition in healthy trained men and women--a follow-up investigation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2015;Oct 20;12:39. Wilson JM, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: beta-hydroxy-betamethylbutyrate (HMB). J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2013;Feb 2;10(1):6. Wilkinson DJ, et al. Effects of leucine and its metabolite beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate on human skeletal muscle protein metabolism. J Physiol 2013;Jun 1;591(Pt 11):2911-23. Pilz S, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res 2011;Mar;43(3):223-5. Salles J, et al. 1,25(OH)2-vitamin D3 enhances the stimulating effect of leucine and insulin on protein synthesis rate through Akt/PKB and mTOR mediated pathways in murine C2C12 skeletal myotubes. Mol Nutr Food Res 2013;Dec;57(12):2137-46. Jeromson S, et al. Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Skeletal Muscle Health. Mar Drugs 2015;Nov 19;13(11):69777004. Nassar E, et al. Effects of a single dose of N-Acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine (Melatonin) and resistance exercise on the growth hormone/IGF-1 axis in young males and females. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2007;Oct 23;4:14. Davis JK, Green JM. Caffeine and anaerobic performance: ergogenic value and mechanisms of action. Sports Med 2009;39(10):813-32. Burke JM. Caffeine and sports performance. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2008;Dec;33(6):1319-34. Buford TW, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2007;Aug 30;4:6.

BEETROOT VERSUS NITRATES Studies have examined the effect of either nitrate-rich beetroot juice or sodium nitrate supplementation on health and performance. Most studies have examined the effect of improved blood flow, higher mitochondrial efficiency and subsequent lower need for oxygen on performance in endurance events.The majority of the studies that failed to show a positive effect on performance were ones that used sodium or potassium nitrate as a supplement. It is entirely possible that the polyphenols, betaine and vitamin C in beetroot confer some ergogenic benefit beyond the rich nitrate content.

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Thus, researchers composed a placebo-controlled, single-blind, crossover, randomized study to compare sodium nitrate supplementation with beetroot juice supplementation in some welltrained endurance athletes on a cycle ergometer with moderate to high intensity. The athletes were asked to abstain from nitrate-rich foods in their regular diets and also to abstain from antibacterial mouthwash, which decreases bacterial conversion to active nitrite and nitric oxide production. In the end, the beetroot juice won against sodium nitrate, in that it conferred a four percent reduction in oxygen consumption needed to com-

plete the high-intensity exercise trial. Overall, beetroot seems to be more effective in of lowering oxygen consumption and blood pressure, compared with nitrate. The difference may arise from the facilitated nitrite conversion to nitric oxide, which may have been catalyzed by polyphenols, vitamin C and other antioxidants present in the beetroot in combination with the rich nitrate content. Just imagine if the researchers allowed them to eat their veggies every day, too!

REFERENCE Flueck JL, et al. Is beetroot juice more effective than sodium nitrate? The effects of equimolar nitrate dosages of nitrate-rich beetroot juice and sodium nitrate on oxygen consumption during exercise. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab 2016;Apr;41(4):421-9.

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MEN’S HEALTH ● BY

TEAM FITRX

THE MEDICAL POWERS OF COFFEE By Marie Spano, MS, RD, CSCS, CSSD In 2016, FitnessRx for Men covered a wide range of health topics from the importance of sleep, excessive exercise, testosterone boosters and more. Here’s look at some of our top research reports of 2016 for a healthier new year.

According to media reports highlighting a study published in the British Medical Journal’s publication Heart, consuming three to five cups of coffee a day may keep arteries clear by helping prevent the buildup of plaque. This study examined diet and artery health in more than 25,000 Korean men and women. They found people who drank three to five cups of coffee per day were 19 percent less likely to have the first signs of atherosclerosis, the buildup of calcium deposits in arteries, compared to those who were not coffee drinkers. Lower intakes of coffee were not associated with a reduction in calcium buildup. Though this study lends more for the potential health benefits of coffee, diet was examined at one point in time and study subjects were asked to recall their coffee intake over the previous year. Therefore, they showed an association between coffee intake and artery health, but this doesn’t prove that coffee reduces the buildup of plaque on artery walls or that it can prevent cardiovascular disease. More research is needed to understand how coffee intake could heart health. Recent research also suggests coffee may be protective against cancer. Regular consumption of caffeinated coffee was associated with a decrease in recurrence of colon cancer with the strongest results observed in those who drank at least four cups of coffee per day, providing about 460 milligrams of caffeine.

Individuals previously treated for stage III colon cancer who were regular coffee drinkers, consuming at least four cups of caffeinated coffee per day, had a 42 percent lower risk of recurrence of colon cancer and 33 percent lower risk of dying from the disease. If regular coffee consumption is associated with prevention of colon cancer reoccurrence in people who have been treated for this disease, why didn’t it prevent the cancer to begin with? They didn’t examine coffee consumption before diagnosis of colon cancer but instead started examining the relationship between coffee and cancer recurrence after initial diagnosis of the disease. Research on coffee intake and risk of various cancers is mixed, with some showing coffee is protective and others suggesting it may contribute to an increase in risk. There are many potential factors that impact cancer risk and risk of cancer recurrence with a sedentary lifestyle; high body fat and alcohol intake are strongly associated with increased risk in certain types of cancer. Conversely, studies suggest fruit and vegetable intake is associated with a decrease in risk of some types of cancers. As for coffee, time and more research will tell one if of America’s favorite beverages fits in the picture.

IS EXTREME EXERCISE BAD FOR YOUR HEART? By Lisa Steuer

A study conducted at the St. George’s, University of London, presented at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology, found that extreme exercise volume or intensity could be associated with increased levels of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries. Dr. Sanjay Sharman, a British sports cardiologist who is the medical director for the London marathon, oversaw the study. The study involved two groups— one group was made up of 169 competitive endurance athletes over the age of 40 and the other group involved 171 people (also over the age of 40) who were more sedentary but exercised up to 150 minutes per week, which is the amount of exercise per week currently recommended by a U.S. exercise guideline. The competitive endurance athletes were males and females who had been competing in endurance exercise for more than 10 years and ran more than 35 miles or cycled more than 150 kilometers per week, said Dr. Ahmed Merghani, a cardiologist who let the study. Both groups contained individuals who did not smoke, weren’t diabetic and didn’t have high cholesterol. “What we found is that individuals and athletes who exercise at extreme levels … do have a higher degree of coronary calcium or hardening of their arteries, which is something that’s often seen in coronary artery disease,” said Dr. Merghani. And while certainly exercise is beneficial, it is possible to reach a certain point where you see diminishing returns, he added. “But I have to point out that point is really quite high and it probably doesn’t affect the majority of people who are recreational athletes.”

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MEN’S HEALTH

LACK OF SLEEP AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK By Lisa Steuer

According to reports, in addition to increasing hunger, lack of sleep can also have other negative health effects. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism found that lack of sleep was associated with an increased cardiometabolic risk. In this study, there were 13 subjects, who like in the previously mentioned study also participated in several laboratory sessions: two nights of 10 hours in bed versus two nights of four hours in bed. Sleep was recorded and after the second night of each session, blood was sampled at 20-minute intervals between 9:00 a.m. and midnight in order to measure the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and total cortisol— the stress hormone. Every 20 minutes, from 2:00 p.m. to midnight, saliva was collected to measure free cortisol. At hourly intervals, perceived stress, hunger and appetite were assessed. ACTH stimulates the production and release of cortisol from the cortex of the adrenal gland. Increased ACTH levels are related to increased cortisol, a catabolic hormone associated with the body’s response to stress. Increased cortisol release means that more muscle tissue is broken down, and lean muscle development is blocked. The researchers in this study found that reduced sleep resulted in a 19 percent increase in overall ACTH levels. In addition, overall cortisol levels were also elevated, and morning levels of ACTH were higher after sleep restriction, while evening ACTH levels were unchanged, and total and free cortisol increased by 30 percent and 200 percent respectively. And while reduced sleep was not associated with a higher perceived stress, it once again did result in an increase in appetite, which was correlated with the increase in total cortisol. This study reveals that restricted sleep may involve an increased psychological response to daily life stressors, which could lead to negative health effects on the body. REFERENCES: Borel, Brooke, Cody Pickens, Virginia Hughes, and Hackett. “Sleep. How To Do It Right.” Popular Science Mar. 2014: 39-49. Print. Guyon A, Balbo M, Morselli LL, Tasali E, Leproult R, L’Hermite-Balériaux M, Van Cauter E, Spiegel K. Adverse effects of two nights of sleep restriction on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in healthy men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Aug;99(8):2861-8. doi: 10.1210/jc.2013-4254. Epub 2014 May 13. Marshall G, Turner A. “The Importance of Sleep for Athletic Performance. Strength and Condition Journal. 2016 Feb; 38(1):61-67

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T-KILLERS: PRO AND

NEGATIVE TESTOSTERONE FACTORS By Daniel Gwartney, M.D.

• Live right: The body and mind can cope with an amazing range of stresses. Acute, short-term stresses that are extremely severe, or long-term stresses that persist, can both wreak havoc on the testosterone regulatory and production system. Failing to acknowledge extreme or prolonged stressors is self-sabotage. Examples include failing to get adequate sleep or maintaining a regular schedule; following extreme diets; living in conditions of violence, fear or desolation; abusing drugs, both illicit and legal; having time and emotional demands that cannot be reasonably met; etc. It seems trivial, but fast-rotating shift workers, all-night gamers, domestic abuse victims, those addicted to pain medications or even those being treated for common conditions such as depression or high cholesterol are at risk of suppressing their own testosterone production. • Eat right: Even in healthy people of normal weight, the typical diet can affect testosterone production. Very high-fat diets, as well as high-glycemic diets, can inhibit testosterone production. Further, both can lead to insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, which is associated with low testosterone. • Get your body moving: A sedentary lifestyle does nothing to promote health. Moderate activity is good for the entire metabolism, and associated with a greater preservation of testosterone production. Resistance training may offer unique advantages over endurance-type training. Many point to the acute hormonal effects of resistance training, but chronic effects such as bone strengthening and myokine production may have more to do with the benefits. DO NOT OVERDO IT! Excessive training can lead to an underdiagnosed condition seen in athletes called functional hypogonadism, which in many ways is similar to the hormonal disruption seen in ultra-endurance athletes. • Avoid endocrine disruptors: An underreported problem, these are chemicals used in industrial production that enter the food or water supply, acting on the regulatory system that controls hormone production. Many, many recognized chemicals have been shown to act as estrogens and reduce testosterone. Exposure to such chemicals can be minimized by avoiding canned food, plastic containers and urban areas. Even the chlorine used to maintain swimming pools has been suggested to reduce testosterone production by forming an endocrine disruptor.

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• your balls: Testosterone is produced in Leydig cells in the testes. These cells are sensitive to free radical damage, and certain nutrient deficiencies. Intracellular glutathione is the antioxidant providing much of the cell defense, so supplementing with glutathione or its precursor, NAC, along with grapeseed extract, taurine and melatonin, will protect these essential cells. If your goal is to maintain good testosterone production throughout life, do not take anabolicandrogenic steroids (AAS). It is unclear what a “safe” amount of AAS exposure may be, but a recent study demonstrated that men who used AAS have a much greater risk of presenting with profound testosterone deficiency prior to the age of 50. Oddly, smokers have a higher testosterone, and see a reduction during smoking cessation attempts. • Protect your noggin: It is becoming more evident that chronic or severe head injury, including that experienced during sports (e.g., soccer, MMA, football), can induce multiple endocrine deficiencies due to damage to the hypothalamus and pituitary glands. • Be someone: This sounds judgmental, but it means to avoid withdrawing from society and find ways to be competitive, and seek companionship. Humans

are genetically designed to be sexually active, and whether you are pursuing a new love interest or keeping the fires of ion lit at home with your soul mate, maintain a healthy sexual relationship. Also, have activities where you compete with and against others. It can be a recreational sport, debate or possibly even a video game league. ■ REFERENCES: Touitou Y, Motohashi Y, et al. Effect of shift work on the nighttime secretory patterns of melatonin, prolactin, cortisol and testosterone. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1990;60:288-92. Bawor M, Bami H, et al. Testosterone suppression in opioid s: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015;149:1-9. Saad F, Aversa A, et al. Testosterone as potential effective therapy in treatment of obesity in men with testosterone deficiency: a review. Curr Diabetes Rev 2012;8:131-43.

Ho CH, Yu HJ, et al. Prediabetes is associated with an increased risk of testosterone deficiency, independent of obesity and metabolic syndrome. PLoS One 2013 Sep 12;8(9):e74173(9 pp). Barbonetti A, Vassallo MR, et al. Correlates of low testosterone in men with chronic spinal cord injury. Andrology 2014;2:721-8. NR Chavan, AA Dwyer, et al. Male functional hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (MFHH): A distinct clinical entity? ENDO 2010; Abstract Book, P2-462. Gore AC, Chappell VA, et al. EDC-2: The Endocrine Society’s Second Scientific Statement on Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals. Endocr Rev 2015 Dec;36:E1-E150. Chen H, Pechenino AS, et al. Effect of glutathione depletion on Leydig cell steroidogenesis in young and old brown Norway rats. Endocrinology 2008;149:2612-9. Coward RM, Rajanahally S, et al. Anabolic steroid induced hypogonadism in young men. J Urol 2013;190:2200-5. Ives JC, Alderman M, et al. Hypopituitarism after multiple concussions: a retrospective case study in an adolescent male. J Athl Train 2007;42:431-9. Diekhof EK, Wittmer S, et al. Does competition really bring out the worst? Testosterone, social distance and inter-male competition shape parochial altruism in human males. PLoS One 2014 Jul 30;9(7):e98977(11 pp).

FitRxCoolDOWN

MR. INTENSITY ● BY

JOE DONNELLY

BEST TIPS

FOR BUILDING ARMS Q:

JOE, FIRST OFF I TRULY APPRECIATE ALL THE TIPS YOU POST ON INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK. I AM WRITING BECAUSE DESPITE MY BEST EFFORTS, I CANNOT SEEM TO GET MY ARMS TO GROW. I WAS WONDERING IF YOU COULD OFFER SOME TIPS THAT ARE DIFFERENT THAN THE SAME DRIBBLE EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO BE CONSTANTLY SPEWING OUT. THANKS! HUGE FAN!

Thanks for your outstanding question. This actually comes at perfect timing, as FitnessRx magazine has put heavy time and research into BFR (blood flow restriction) training. The previous issue (November 2016) with the tool bag on the cover (me) has a great article behind the science of BFR. I highly suggest you implement BFR for your biceps and triceps training. You will see huge and almost immediate gains! In addition, one must understand that the arm is comprised in size by two-third of the triceps— so if you truly want to grow the size of your arms, you want to pound the triceps. Include variation in your training. Low-rep ranges for things like close-grip bench presses, and higher rep ranges for isolation exercises. Smaller muscle groups such as biceps and triceps will absolutely respond to lighter weights and higher reps. Often when

A:

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we use heavier weights we activate other muscle groups to move the weight. Why do you think we can straight bar curl way more weight than preacher curl? It is still a curl? The issue with the straight bar curl is we generate momentum during the bottom initiation of the rep, we first activate our forearms and it truly isn’t until almost the halfway point of the curl that the biceps are forced into full activation. Many then use their front delts to compensate for using too much weight. Reduce the weight, and isolate the muscle group in question. Do not allow the elbows to move, affecting the torque point of the exercise. I am also a huge fan of using cables for biceps and triceps. I find a much higher degree of muscle activation when I can apply torque throughout the entire range of motion. This is not so with free weights. Another tip is before you perform each curl, initiate or flex the bicep. You will find very quickly how much faster the muscle becomes fatigued. This is a good thing; you are now working the muscle rather than working an exercise. Control the tension on the muscle through the entire range of motion. Pull or push hard on the concentric portion, while under FOLLOW JOE control, and then take a conFollow Joe on Instagram @JoeDonnellyfit, trolled negative on the eccentric or his online training and nutrition website portion of the rep. , at www.JoeDonnellyfitness.com. Have a question for Joe? You could see more is not better. Better is it answered in the next issue! Email your better. Shitty reps will give you question to Joe at [email protected]. shitty muscles. Fact! ■

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FitRxCoolDOWN

ULTIMATE IN NUTRITION ● BY

MICHAEL J. RUDOLPH, Ph.D.

STACK PHOSPHATIDIC ACID WITH LEUCINE FOR EXTREME MUSCLE GROWTH

The diet you consume is an extremely important part of your training regimen that is often underappreciated.While it is well understood that diet quality is heavily influenced by the three macronutrients— protein, carbohydrates and fat— the impact of your diet goes well beyond these three macros, as there are many different compounds that can be used to supplement the diet. These supplements can potently improve performance in the gym and enhance the results obtained from training. Here are the best muscle-building supplements covered throughout 2016 that will provide tremendous gains in muscle size and strength. In fact, stacking these compounds will produce tremendous anabolism within the muscle cell while preventing muscle loss, especially while dieting.

RESEARCH REVIEW:

BEST OF 2016

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Recent cutting-edge science reported this past year has revealed that the simultaneous ingestion— or “stacking”— of certain supplements such as leucine, HMB and phosphatidic acid immediately after weight training can enhance muscular growth to remarkably high levels. One of those supplements, leucine, has been shown to directly stimulate muscle protein synthesis and inhibit muscle protein breakdown, ultimately promoting muscle growth, by directly activating the nutrient-sensing molecule mTOR. The musclebuilding effect of leucine consumption has been shown in several studies to be most potent after resistance training. In fact, one study by Walker et al.1 showed that leucine consumption immediately after working out increased mTOR activity for several hours after training, leading to greater muscle protein synthesis, when compared to a second group that did not take leucine post-workout. Phosphatidic acid (PA) is a phospholipid found in the cell membrane involved in many different cell-signaling cascades, including one signaling pathway that stimulates muscle growth. While it has clearly been established that mTOR is necessary for the hypertrophic response to resistance training, the activation of mTOR has previously been proposed to occur through the IGF-1 signaling cascade. However, several recent scientific studies conclusively illustrate that an increase in PA is responsible for the activation of mTOR signaling in response to resistance exercise, without the need for IGF-1 activity. A study by O’Neill et al.2 showed that incubating isolated muscle cells with PA is sufficient to induce an increase in mTOR signaling. In the same study, researchers also showed that the activation of mTOR by PA occurred even when the isolated muscle cells had their IGF-1 signaling pathway chemically inhibited, demonstrating that PA activation of mTOR occurred separately from IGF-1 signaling. One more interesting finding from this study relates to the fact that mechanical stress put on the muscle cell from weightlifting activates the enzyme phospholipase D, which catalyzes the production of PA. Since PA increases mTOR-driven muscle protein synthesis, a group of researchers tested whether PA could also increase muscular size and strength. In this study by Hoffman et al.3, the researchers looked at the influence that PA had on strength in 16 test subjects with adequate weightlifting experience. The subjects were split into two groups, with one group receiving 750 milligrams of PA per day and the other group taking a placebo. During the experiment, each subject lifted weights four days a week at 70 percent of their one-repetition maximum (1RM) for all lifts during the entire eight-week trial period. Each subject was tested for strength and body composition at the end of the experimental period. The results showed that subjects ingesting PA demonstrated a 12.7 percent increase in squat strength and a 2.6 percent increase in muscle mass, while subjects consuming a placebo showed much less improvement in squat strength and virtually no increase in muscle mass. So, taking everything into consideration, the results of these studies indicate that the activation of mTOR can occur in an insulin-independent way by PA and in an insulindependent way by compounds such as leucine. Therefore, stacking PA with leucine should coordinately activate mTOR with, and without, requiring insulin— producing extraordinary mTOR function that drives superior muscle growth.

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FitRxCoolDOWN

ULTIMATE IN NUTRITION

CAPSAICIN DOES MORE THAN CAUSE WEIGHT LOSS Another remarkable compound featured throughout 2016 was the phytochemical capsaicin, which is naturally found in chili peppers where it contributes to the hot and spicy flavor of the chili pepper. This remarkable compound has the capacity to promote overall health in many different ways, including the ability to reduce body fat, function as a potent antioxidant and improve overall cardiovascular health, just to name a few. In fact, a recent epidemiological study investigating almost half a million people showed that the routine consumption of chili-rich foods, loaded with capsaicin, reduced the likelihood of death from certain chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease, relative to those who did not consume capsaicin-rich, spicy foods.4

CAPSAICIN BOOSTS MUSCLE GROWTH While activation of TRPV1 by capsaicin within the gastrointestinal tract triggers thermogenic fat loss, the ability of capsaicin to switch on TRPV1 in muscle tissue enhances, and maintains, muscle size. The positive influence on muscle mass from capsaicin intake was demonstrated in a study by Ito et al.5 In this study, researchers showed that mice given capsaicin demonstrated similar gains in muscle growth relative to a second group of mice that were not given capsaicin, but underwent a process known as synergistic ablation, which stimulates muscular growth of a targeted muscle group by ablating a second functionally synergistic muscle group. The destruction of the synergistic muscle group ultimately puts more strain on the targeted muscle group, driving the targeted muscle to adapt and grow. In the study, both capsaicin and synergistic ablation increased the mass of the plantaris leg muscle to a similar degree. Capsaicin also enhanced muscular force production within another group of leg muscles, suggesting that capsaicin can increase muscular strength as well as muscular size. Interestingly, the positive impact of capsaicin on muscle growth in the aforementioned study was brought about by activating the enzyme mTOR. Activation of mTOR is well known to increase muscle protein synthesis and therefore muscle growth6,7, particularly after consuming the amino acid leucine or weight training.8,9 However, the exact mechanism by which capsaicin activates mTOR was largely unknown until this recent investigation by Ito et al.5, where researchers revealed that capsaicin activation of TRPV1 causes an increase in intracellular calcium within the muscle cell that turns on mTOR-driven muscle protein synthesis.

CAPSAICIN PREVENTS MUSCLE LOSS WHILE DIETING In addition to capsaicin increasing muscle size and strength, this compound can also reduce the potential loss of hard-earned muscle mass by inhibiting muscular atrophy. Muscular atrophy occurs when muscle protein degradation exceeds muscle protein synthesis— lowering muscle protein levels, and therefore muscle size. The loss of muscle mass caused by muscular atrophy can be counteracted by increasing protein synthesis or inhibiting protein degradation. Capsaicin apparently mitigates muscle atrophy by doing both, as capsaicin increases mTOR-driven muscle protein synthesis, as previously mentioned, while also reducing muscle protein degradation. In fact, in the study by Ito et al.5, the researchers showed that capsaicin intake completely prevented the decrease of muscle weight and fiber size in both the soleus and gastrocnemius leg muscles, after the mice in this study had their hind limbs suspended for one week— while a second group that did not take capsaicin showed decreases in muscle mass of 34 percent and 16 percent in their soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, respec-

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CONSUMPTION OF CHILI-RICH FOODS, LOADED WITH CAPSAICIN, REDUCED THE LIKELIHOOD OF DEATH FROM CERTAIN CHRONIC DISEASES SUCH AS CANCER AND HEART DISEASE. tively. The authors of this study hypothesized that the activation of mTOR likely stimulates function of the molecule PGC-1alpha, which has been shown in other studies10 to reduce muscle protein degradation when activated, meaning the enhancement of PGC-1alpha function by mTOR would reduce muscle protein degradation. Further substantiating the idea that capsaicin inhibits muscle protein degradation, a second study by Kortzon et al.11 demonstrated that isolated human muscle cells treated with TNF-alpha— a molecule that drives muscle atrophy by specifically increasing the degradation of muscle proteins— along with capsaicin, failed to induce atrophy in these isolated muscle cells, which illustrates that capsaicin can prevent muscle protein degradation and muscle atrophy. For most of Michael Rudolph’s career he has been engrossed in the exercise world as either an athlete (he played college football at Hofstra University), personal trainer or as a research scientist (he earned a B.Sc. in Exercise Science at Hofstra University and a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stony Brook University). After earning his Ph.D., Michael investigated the molecular biology of exercise as a fellow at Harvard Medical School and Columbia University for over eight years. That research contributed seminally to understanding the function of the incredibly important cellular energy sensor AMPK— leading to numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals including the journal Nature. Michael is currently a scientist working at the New York Structural Biology Center doing contract work for the Department of Defense on a project involving national security.

REFERENCES 1. Walker DK, Dickinson JM, et al. Exercise, amino acids, and aging in the control of human muscle protein synthesis. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011;43, 2249-2258. 2. O’Neil TK, Duffy LR, et al. The role of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and phosphatidic acid in the regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin following eccentric contractions. J Physiol 2009;587, 3691-3701. 3. Hoffman JR, Stout JR, et al. Efficacy of phosphatidic acid ingestion on lean body mass, muscle thickness and strength gains in resistance-trained men. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2012;9, 47. 4. Lv J, Qi L, et al. Consumption of spicy foods and total and cause specific mortality: population based cohort study. Bmj 2015;351, h3942. 5. Ito N, Ruegg UT, et al. Activation of calcium signaling through Trpv1 by nNOS and peroxynitrite as a key trigger of skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Nat Med 2013;19, 101-106. 6. Bodine SC, Stitt TN, et al. Akt/mTOR pathway is a crucial regulator of skeletal muscle hypertrophy and can prevent muscle atrophy in vivo. Nat Cell Biol 2001;3, 1014-1019. 7. Goodman CA, Miu MH, et al. A phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B-independent activation of mammalian target of rapamycin signaling is sufficient to induce skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Mol Biol Cell 2010;21, 3258-3268. 8. Ma XM and Blenis J. Molecular mechanisms of mTOR-mediated translational control. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2009;10, 307-318. 9. Zoncu R, Efeyan A and Sabatini DM. mTOR: from growth signal integration to cancer, diabetes and ageing. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2011;12, 21-35. 10. Luo Z, Ma L, et al. TRPV1 activation improves exercise endurance and energy metabolism through PGC-1alpha upregulation in mice. Cell Res 2012;22, 551-564. 11. Kortzon E. Capsaicin protects against atrophy in human skeletal muscle cells. MPhil. Thesis, 2014. Retrieved from Sterling online research repository (http://hdl.handle.net/1893/22316).

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