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| It's been a while since I sent out a few recommended reading ideas, so here goes...
Cracking the Code on Muscle Imbalances - Muscle Imbalances Revealed has become a continuing education mainstay for our interns when they start with us, and with a new class about to get underway, it made me realize that this recap of the product I wrote a while back has slipped into the archives of my site. There is a lot of good information here; check it out.
Why Bodybuilders are More Jacked than Powerlifters - Trust me when I say that the writing and research in this T-Nation article is far superior to what the title implies. Bret Contreras and Brad Schoenfield did an excellent job with it.
Coaching Neutral Neck, Spine, and Wrist - This three-part series by Mike Robertson was very well done, as it includes a lot of valuable coaching cues for your strength training programs. It includes several videos for those of you who are visual learners.
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| Back in 2008, Ray Bennett made the trip from the West Coast all the way out to see me here in Massachusetts to figure out how to train around some chronic knee issues and get his body right so that he could compete as a bodybuilder at the young age of 41. After his initial consult and training sessions at Cressey Performance, Ray "endured" four months of online consulting programs with me before we threw him back out into the wild on his own.
Recently, the bodybuilding dream came to fruition for Ray, and when I saw the pictures, I was so impressed that I asked if he'd be willing to be somewhat of a "posterboy" for our one-time consultation program at Cressey Performance (and my online consulting set-up) with a testimonial and some pictures. As the pictures below show, those knees are doing just fine! Check it out:
"After meeting Eric in person for an evaluation at Cressey Performance in Boston I travelled back home to Portland, Oregon where I embarked on a new method of training. I was so impressed with the knowledge and work ethic Eric and his performance facility displayed that I entered into a remote, on line coaching agreement. For four months Eric programmed all my training, instructed me on proper exercise mechanics and answered all of my detailed questions without fail. As an aging amateur bodybuilder I found I had hit a plateau in my training and was racking up more injuries than personal bests. Eric understood that my failure to advance was due to a lack of focus on the core compound lifts and functional movement patterns. With Eric's help I began making progress again and all of my old aches and pains resolved. He gave me the tools I needed to rediscover the reasons I go to the gym which are to excel and be my best. Along these lines he helped inspire me to set a goal of actually competing in my very first contest. I am in the best shape of my life, able to run and jump with my son pain free and am continually breaking personal lifting records that have stood for 25 years. I am excited about my newfound viability in the gym and I have Eric to thank for laying the foundation."
Ray Bennett
41 year old Natural Bodybuilder (2010 Vancouver Natural Bodybuilding Championship Competitor - 40 and over class)
 
A big congratulations goes out to Ray Bennett for not only an awesome transformation, but also for being living proof that no matter how annoying an injury is, you can always find a way to train around it and get better.
For more information on my one-time consultation service, click HERE. Or, for online consulting, check out my Services Page. |
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| Let me be clear about one thing: with the possible exception of anything that comes out of Larry King's mouth, there are no unimportant interview questions. Every question or comment serves a purpose, whether it's to get the interviewee to open up, show emotion, unleash new information, or just get back on track. Everything matters.
But I recently learned that sometimes I should just let the guy ramble. If he wants to rant, my job is to shut up and make sure the tape recorder keeps rolling.
Most of the guys I interview are great at going off on tangents. And while the resulting transcript is often a jumbled mess of opinion, applied research, and hard-earned experience, occasionally I get something unexpected: an idea for a completely different article based on the unrelated information or opinion. To paraphrase Rod Stewart, every tangent tells a story.
This is a collection of those tangents and tidbits from Dave Tate, Chris Bathke, Matt McGorry, Eric Cressey, and Craig Weller.
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by Eric Cressey and Tim Skwiat
In Part 1, Tim and Eric set forth the dietary framework for Maximum Muscularity. Now, training and supplementation take center stage.
* Add Fuel to the Fire...On non-lifting days, we highly recommended that you perform high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in place of the resistance training. The fact that HIIT is most heavily reliant on muscle glycogen during exercise does not mean that it is an inefficient method of exercise for fat loss. On the contrary, HIIT is a much more efficient means of achieving fat loss than steady-state aerobics. Otherwise, you wouldn't see so many non-spandex deserving aerobics instructors with greater than 30% body fat! When the post-exercise period is factored in and excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) is taken into account, the total amount of fat and calories burned as a result of the HIIT is actually greater than with its lower intensity counterparts (20-22). And, let's not forget that in given the right work: rest ratio, you'll almost always perform more total work with HIIT than steady-state aerobics. Tremblay et al. found that subjects who performed a HIIT program showed a ninefold greater decrease in the sum of six subcutaneous skinfolds relative to a group of subjects that performed an endurance training program (23). Additionally, interval training is considered to be superior to steady-state, submaximal cardiovascular activity in improving VO2max (24). We know what you're thinking: "Why should I worry about VO2max? I lift weights; VO2max is only important for spandex-clad cyclists!" Well, even if being a more functional lifter (or athlete, if that's your cup o' tea) isn't reason enough to value VO2max improvements, you will still be interested to know that a greater VO2max value has been associated with increased thermic effect of food (25). That's right - jack up the VO2max, and the dozen Krispy Kremes that "accidentally" vanish in your presence are less likely to be stored as body fat.
As if all these benefits weren't enough, let's consider the explosive nature of HIIT work. Typically, your ball-busting work periods are in the 10-30 second range, a timeframe that closely approximates the duration of most strength training sets. In other words, you'll be training the same energy systems (ATP-PC and fast glycolysis) as in strength training (13). And, less scientifically, picture yourself digging deep to propel yourself forward during a sprint. Now, think of the last time your hip and knee extensors kicked in as fired out of "the hole" during a set of squats. You can bet that training your explosiveness will carry over to such performances. Finally, when you notice how insanely sore your hams, glutes, quads, calves, obliques, and lower back are after your first sprinting session, you'll be convinced of how effective HIIT can be in promoting muscle growth.
Okay, now that you understand why HIIT beats steady-state aerobics like a redheaded stepchild, let's consider the mode and structure of your HIIT sessions. There are plenty of options available: cycling, elliptical trainers (preferably with arm motion included), rowing, jumping rope, and boxing. However, ask any HIIT-aficionado, and he'll tell you that sprints are king! That said, the table below summarizes some HIIT guidelines to adhere to regardless of your mode of choice. Note: Because we are using interval training for physique enhancement rather than purely for performance improvement, these selections depart from traditional interval training protocols. At the very least, they represent the shortest end of the spectrum in terms of rest intervals, as total recovery should not be reached before the onset of the next work interval.
| Work Period |
Rest Period |
Work: Rest Ratio |
Repetitions |
Duration |
| 10s |
50s |
1:5 |
15 |
15:00 |
| 15s |
45s |
1:3 |
15 |
15:00 |
| 20s |
40s |
1:2 |
15 |
15:00 |
| 30s |
60s |
1:2 |
10 |
15:00 |
These guidelines are, however, very general; you'll need to modify them slightly based on your fitness level. With that in mind, suppose you do three HIIT sessions per week. You might opt to do all three at a 1:5 work: rest ratio the first week, and then switch to a 1:2 ratio for the second week. Or, you could add another interval each week. Finally, you could perform each session for the week at a different intensity. That's one of the beauties of Maximum Muscularity: flexibility. Just be sure to change your protocol of choice every few weeks.
Following the bout of HIIT, a brief (i.e. 5-15 minutes) session of low-intensity aerobics might work to enhance fat loss. It appears that inadequate blood flow to adipose tissue during high-intensity exercise is the culprit behind reduced fat oxidation (26). As a result, immediately upon cessation of high-intensity exercise, there is a marked increase in the concentration of plasma free fatty acids (2). By exercising at an intensity that relies primarily on the use of plasma fatty acids (i.e. less than 60% of heart rate reserve), you will maximize adipose tissue lipolysis and fat oxidation.
On HIIT days, the same schedule (i.e. time of training) need not be followed, but the same diet plan should be preserved. Again, it?s important to remember that high-intensity aerobic exercise (i.e. HIIT) is very heavily glycogen-dependent and can be much more depleting that resistance training. Significant glycogen depletion can occur with a mere 15-30 minutes of exercise performed at very high intensities (i.e. 90-130% of VO2max), which is similar to the protocol that is followed in HIIT-style training (12). Therefore, you should not be at all leery about maintaining your carbohydrate intake after HIIT sessions.
We recommend one complete day of rest from exercise per week. On this activity-free day, you should focus on consuming mostly meals of protein, fats, and fibrous veggies, as described above. That said, on this day, a breakfast of protein and carbs is warranted in most cases, particularly for those who are focusing on gaining muscle mass. Lastly, if your primary goal is muscle growth, you may choose to limit the frequency of HIIT to 1-2 sessions per week. Additionally, for these same individuals, the frequency of the lower intensity aerobic sessions may be reduced or the sessions themselves shortened.
With HIIT completing the training mix, here's what your sample split might look like:
|
Upon Rising |
HIIT |
Weight training* |
| Monday: |
20-45 minutes |
--- |
Late Afternoon |
| Tuesday: |
20-45 minutes |
--- |
Late Afternoon |
| Wednesday: |
--- |
Sprints |
--- |
| Thursday: |
20-45 minutes |
--- |
Late Afternoon |
| Friday: |
20-45 minutes |
--- |
Late Afternoon |
| Saturday: |
--- |
Sprints |
--- |
| Sunday: |
Relax. Kill, cook and eat furry woodland creatures. |
*Note: Weight training sessions may be followed by 5-15 minutes of low-intensity aerobics.
*Topping off the Tank...Some individuals may find that after a period of time following these guidelines that glycogen stores are not adequately topped off. Increasing the carbohydrate content of the protein and carb meals and/or increasing overall caloric intake can circumvent this dilemma. However, these increases are not feasible for some, particularly those in a hypoenergetic state who are using this plan as a vehicle for fat loss. That said, many individuals might find that a day of higher carbohydrate intake is needed once every 6-12 days. Obviously, this is a very broad range due to individual differences, so it may take some trial and error (start with every twelfth day). As a rule of thumb, the leaner you are, the more frequently you should carb up. Rather than engaging in an uncontrolled overfeed (consisting of refined, processed, sugary carbs), simply increase the number of protein and carb meals. These meals should be very similar in composition to those that you utilize on a daily basis (healthy carb sources). We encourage you to implement this day of reglycogenation following a weight training session; ideally, the training session would be performed early in the day (i.e. after one protein and fat meal) and be followed by 3-5 protein and carb meals containing 60-100g of carbohydrate each. Total carbohydrate intake will vary based on frequency of reglycogenation periods (i.e. degree of depletion) and activity level on that particular day. To maximize glycogen restoration, a carbohydrate intake of 3-5g/kg of lean body mass is a good starting point; more or less may be optimal. All in all, you'll need to pay close attention to your response to varying levels of carbohydrate intake, as well as varying frequencies of high-carb days. You will, however, still see comparable results if you opt to incorporate the increased carb intake on a rest day (breakfast should be the largest meal, and carb should slowly be tapered off as the day progresses). This higher carb day will prove beneficial in that it will be very anti-catabolic and will fill up muscle glycogen stores. More importantly for some, it will help to quell any possible mental cravings. Implementing the reglycogenation strategy in a relatively glycogen-depleted state will actually make possible more glycogen storage than if glycogen is restored on a daily basis (27). More glycogen = more energy. More energy = harder training. Harder training = more muscle and less fat.
*Supplements...Although the Maximum Muscularity plan does not require extensive supplementation, several supplements will increase its efficacy. With that in mind, we recommend:
1) BCAAs: These anti-catabolic amino acids will definitely prove valuable in the morning before the fasted-state activity and during your regular HIIT sessions. Xtreme Formulations' ICE is an excellent choice in this regard, as it also offers an appreciable dose of glutamine.
2) Nootropic: Marc McDougal outlined various nootropic supplements recently in his article, "This is Your Brain on Drugs". It goes without saying that many of these agents will enhance focus throughout the day ? especially during training sessions - and will help to create the vision of Maximum Muscularity that will keep you going!
3) Glucose disposal agents, particularly R-ALA: These are excellent complements to the protein and carb meals following training as well as the periodic high-carb days. We highly recommend R-lipoic acid (R-ALA) at a dosage of 100mg per 50g carbohydrates consumed in a meal. The capsules should be taken 20-30 minutes prior to the meal. In general, the brands of regular old-school ALA are racemic mixture products; they include both the R+ (naturally occurring form) and S- (synthetic form) isomers. R-ALA has proven more effective than its synthetic counterpart in promoting appropriate glucose disposal in skeletal muscle (28-30). This natural form is, however, pricier, so if cost is an issue or you just happen to have some old stuff kicking around, rest assured that the racemic (traditional) mixtures of ALA will still prove valuable (28,31,32). In short, with improved glucose disposal and enhanced insulin sensitivity, you'll be storing more carbs as glycogen and promoting anabolism.
4) Yohimbine: Increasing circulating catecholamines via supplementation or exercise results in elevated thermogenesis. Unfortunately, circulating norepinephrine (NEP) is not selective in the receptors to which it binds. While NEP binding to beta receptors stimulates thermogenesis, bindings to alpha 2 receptors trigger a negative feedback response that inhibits further NEP release. Because alpha 2 receptors are activated at low catecholamine levels (32), this phenomenon is most applicable at rest. Therefore, full-force thermogenesis may never be in effect! One way to overcome the alpha-inhibition of lipolysis is to ingest ephedrine and/or caffeine to increase circulating catecholamines, although this potential solution only reduces alpha-induced inhibition of lipolysis to a moderate degree (33). Yohimbine, as a selective alpha 2 receptor antagonist, is the key to maximizing lipolysis (34). By binding and antagonizing alpha 2 receptors, yohimbine inhibits the NEP negative feedback loop. Therefore, by maximizing circulating catecholamines, you also maximize thermogenesis and lipolysis.
An added benefit of yohimbine is increased peripheral blood flow (35,36). Blood flow to adipose tissue is necessary to transport free fatty acids in the bloodstream (after the breakdown of triglycerides in adipose tissue) to tissues for oxidation in the mitochondria. Activation of the alpha receptors (via NEP) causes vasoconstriction, and, consequently, less blood flow, to peripheral tissues (37,38). In this respect, yohimbine's ability to inhibit the activation of alpha receptors provides maximal peripheral blood flow.
Note: We are speaking of the yohimbine alkaloid from the yohimbe herb (similar to ephedrine being the active alkaloid in ephedra). Therefore, we recommended that you choose the hydrochloride version (i.e. Yohimbine HCl) over the herbal yohimbe in order to ensure purity and avoid unknown side effects of other alkaloids in the same family. If you choose the to go the herbal route, be sure to verify that you are dealing with a reputable company that lists the standardization for yohimbine on the label. The appropriate dosage for Yohimbine HCl is 0.2mg/kg (35,36), with smaller dosages providing less favorable results. A final word of caution: insulin completely blunts the lipolytic actions of yohimbine. Therefore, you should only ingest it before the low-intensity aerobic sessions and at times well separated from carbohydrate-containing meals.
5) Green Tea: This tasty beverage not only gives you a versatile option from water, but it also offers several other benefits of which you can take advantage. Green tea is now being recognized for a plethora of health benefits including those as an anti-oxidant, cholesterol lowering, antidepressant, capillary-strengthening and lipolysis-enhancing agent. As mentioned above, it may also act as a glycemic modifier in that it slows carbohydrate absorption. However, there?s even more exciting benefits than that. Recent research demonstrated that subjects who supplemented with a green tea extract containing 90 mg epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and 50mg caffeine three times daily resulted in a 4% greater energy expenditure and significantly lower respiratory quotient (i.e. greater fat oxidation) compared to subjects that consumed 50mg of caffeine alone or subjects that received a placebo (39). The fact that the subjects receiving the green tea extract experienced these benefits and the caffeine group did not clearly illustrates the inherent benefits of the EGCG, which is thought to be the most pharmacologically active catechin polyphenol in green tea. In light of this data, we recommend drinking 5-10 cups of green tea daily, either decaffeinated or caffeinated depending on the timing of ingestion.
Obviously, these supplements should serve as an addendum to your everyday supplements: multivitamin, antioxidants, protein powder, EFAs, and creatine. Beyond these specific recommendations, feel free to include other supplements as your budget allows.
Conclusion
The physique enhancement strategies set forth in the Maximum Muscularity plan are based on thorough evaluation scientific literature and anecdotal evidence. You'll be optimizing the hormonal milieu to control catabolism and anabolism, manipulating macronutrient and caloric intake for various activities, and paying close attention to nutrient timing as it relates to substrate utilization and storage. Beyond just offering an avenue to aesthetic improvements, Maximum Muscularity is a long-term perspective that enables you to achieve and maintain optimal health status regardless of the short-term goal. Rejoice, Rugged-Brethren! The old-school days of uncomfortable overfeeding followed by painstaking underfeeding are over! The stratagem to getting Huge and Ripped is now reality more than ever. All you have to provide is the determination and effort.
References
1. Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, Gastaldelli A, Horowitz JF, Endert E, & Wolfe RR. Regulation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to exercise intensity and duration. Am J Physiol 1993 Sep;265(3 Pt 1):E380-91.
2. Rasmussen BB, Holmback UC, Volpi E, Morio-Liondore B, Paddon-Jones D, Wolfe RR. Malonyl coenzyme A and the regulation of functional carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 activity and fat oxidation in human skeletal muscle. J Clin Invest 2002 Dec;110(11):1687-93.
3. Sweetman, SC (ed). Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Pharmaceutical Press: London, 2002.
4. Dulloo AG, Geissler CA, Horton T, Collins A, & Miller DS. Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50.
5. Horowitz, JF, Mora-Rodriguez R, Byerley LO, Coyle EF. Lipolytic suppression following carbohydrate ingestion limits fat oxidation during exercise. Am J Physiol 1997 Oct;273(4 Pt 1):E768-75.
6. Montain SJ, Hppoer MK, Coggan AR, Coyle EF. Exercise metabolism at different time intervals after a meal. J Appl Physiol. 1991 Feb;70(2):882-8.
7. Nair KS, Halliday D, & Garrow JS. Thermic response to isoenergetic protein, carbohydrate or fat meals in lean and obese subjects. Clin Sci (Lond). 1983 Sep;65(3):307-12.
8. Day JL, et al. (1978). Factors governing insulin and glucagon responses during normal meals. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1978 Nov;9(5):443-54.
9. Schade DS, & Eaton RP. Modulation of fatty acid metabolism by glucagon in man. I. Effects in normal subjects. Diabetes. 1975 May;24(5):502-9.
10. Dorgan J, et al. Effects of dietary fat and fiber on plasma and urine androgens and estrogens in men: a controlled feeding study. Am J Clin Nutr 64(6): 850-855. 1996.
11. Howarth, NC, E Saltzman, SB Roberts. Dietary fiber and weight regulation. Nutr Rev. 2001 May;59(5):129-39. Review.
12. Lowery, L. Temporal Nutrition, Part 1. Testosterone Magazine. 21 Mar 2003. http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/253temp.jsp.
13. Baechle, TR, & Earle, RW. Essentials of Strength and Conditioning: 2nd Edition. Human Kinetics, 2000.
14. Essen-Gustavsson B, & Tesch PA. Glycogen and triglyceride utilization in relation to muscle metabolic characteristics in men performing heavy-resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1990;61(1-2):5-10.
15. Keizer HA, et al. Influence of liquid and solid meals on muscle glycogen resynthesis, plasma fuel hormone response, and maximal physical working capacity. Int J Sports Med. 1987 Apr;8(2):99-104.
16. Bourghouts LB, & Keizer HA. Exercise and insulin sensitivity: a review. Int J Sports Med. 2000 Jan;21(1):1-12. Review.
17. Zhang J, & Kashket S. Inhibition of salivary amylase by black and green teas and their effects on the intraoral hydrolysis of starch. Caries Res. 1998;32(3):233-8.
18. Lee YS. The effects of various intensities and durations of exercise with and without glucose in milk ingestion on postexercise oxygen consumption. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1999 Dec;39(4):341-7.
19. Parker DC, & Rossman LG. Human growth hormone release in sleep: nonsuppression by acute hyperglycemia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1971 Jan;32(1):65-9.
20. Phelain, JF, Reinke E, Harris MA, & Melby CL. Postexercise energy expenditure and substrate oxidation in young women resulting from exercise bouts of different intensity.
J Am Coll Nutr. 1997 Apr;16(2):140-6.
21. Bahr R, & Sejersted OM. Effect of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise O2 consumption. Metabolism. 1991 Aug;40(8):836-41.
22. Smith J, & McNaughton L. The effects of intensity of exercise on excess postexercise oxygen consumption and energy expenditure in moderately trained men and women. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1993;67(5):420-5.
23. Tremblay A, Simoneau JA, & Bouchard C. Impact of exercise intensity on body fatness and skeletal muscle metabolism. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):814-8.
24. Gorostiaga, EM, Walter CB, Foster C, & Hickson RC. Uniqueness of interval training at the same maintained exercise intensity. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 1991;63:(2)101?107.
25. Hill JO, Heymsfield SB, McMannus C 3rd, & DiGirolamo M. Meal size and thermic response to food in male subjects as a function of maximum aerobic capacity. Metabolism 1984 Aug;33(8):743-9.
26. Samra JS, et al. Effects of epinephrine infusion on adipose tissue: interactions between blood flow and lipid metabolism. Am J Physiol. 1996 Nov;271(5 Pt 1):E834-9.
27. Goforth HW Jr, Arnall DA, Bennett BL, & Law PG. Persistence of supercompensated muscle glycogen in trained subjects after carbohydrate loading. J Appl Physiol. 1997 Jan;82(1):342-7.
28. Streeper RS, Henriksen EJ, Jacob S, Hokama JY, Fogt DL, & Tritschler HJ. Differential effects of lipoic acid stereoisomers on glucose metabolism in insulin-resistant skeletal muscle. Am J Physiol 1997 Jul;273(1 Pt 1):E185-91.
29. Saengsirisuwan V, Kinnick TR, Schmit MB, & Henriksen EJ. Interactions of exercise training and lipoic acid on skeletal muscle glucose transport in obese Zucker rats. J Appl Physiol 2001 Jul;91(1):145-53.
30. Moini H, Tirosh O, Park YC, Cho KJ, & Packer L. R-alpha-lipoic acid action on cell redox status, the insulin receptor, and glucose uptake in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Arch Biochem Biophys 2002 Jan 15;397(2):384-91.
31. Jacob S, Henriksen EJ, Schiemann AL, Simon I, Clancy DE, Tritschler HJ, Jung WI, Augustin HJ, & Dietze GJ. Enhancement of glucose disposal in patients with type 2 diabetes by alpha-lipoic acid. Arzneimittelforschung. 1995 Aug;45(8):872-4.
32. Jacob S, Henriksen EJ, Tritschler HJ, Augustin HJ, & Dietze GJ. Improvement of insulin-stimulated glucose-disposal in type 2 diabetes after repeated parenteral administration of thioctic acid. Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes. 1996;104(3):284-8.
33. Arner P, Kriegholm E, et al. Adrenergic regulation of lipolysis in situ at rest and during exercise. J Clin Invest. 1990 Mar;85(3):893-8.
34. Goldberg MR, & Robertson D. Yohimbine: a pharmacological probe for study of the alpha 2-adrenoreceptor. Pharmacol Rev. 1983 Sep;35(3):143-80. Review.
35. Berlan M, Galitzky J, Riviere D, et al (1991). Plasma catecholamine levels and lipid mobilization induced by yohimbine in obese and non-obese women. Int J Obes. 1991 May;15(5):305-15.
36. Galitzky J, Taouis M, Berlan M, Riviere D, et al. Alpha 2-antagonist compounds and lipid mobilization: evidence for a lipid mobilizing effect of oral yohimbine in healthy male volunteers. Eur J Clin Invest. 1988 Dec;18(6):587-94.
37. Millet L, Barbe M, Lafontan M, Berlan M, Galitzky J. Catecholamine effects on lipolysis and blood flow in human abdominal and femoral adipose tissue. J Appl Physiol. 1998 Jul;85(1):181-8.
38. Ruffolo RR, Bondinell W, Hieble JP. Alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors: from the gene to the clinic. 2. Structure-activity relationships and therapeutic applications. J Med Chem. 1995 Sep 15;38(19):3681-716. Review.
39. Dulloo, AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, & Vandermander J. Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans. Am J Clin Nutr. 1999 Dec;70(6):1040-5. |
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By Tim Skwiat and Eric Cressey
Typically, whenever a trainee aspiring to improve his physique utters, "I want to gain muscle and lose fat...", he is immediately greeted by eager critics from opposite ends of the spectrum. First, there are those experts that pounce on the opportunity to suppress such a bold quest. They proclaim that such a task is doomed for failure, and simply respond with an unscientific, "You can't. Choose one or the other." In contrast, there are those that say that such a mission is rather simple. While the former cynics are just downright ignorant, the latter faction is just as useless, offering no other advice than one must train hard and eat right. Uh, duh! With that in mind, we'd like to introduce a plan that we feel will lead to what many call the Holy Grail of Bodybuilding: Maximum Muscularity.
The term "Maximum Muscularity" elicits a beautiful vision of the classic physique of someone like Arnold or Serge Nubret. Maximum Muscularity isn't just about being ripped...yet of beanpole proportions, nor is it just about being huge--yet uncomfortably rotund. Rather, Maximum Muscularity is fusion of the two: being Ripped and Huge; it's about becoming a walking, super-sized anatomy chart. It's about pushing the envelope of one's capabilities to add muscle and lose fat.
In a broad sense, the ultimate goal of Maximum Muscularity is to gain muscle mass and lose fat mass. However, the principles of Maximum Muscularity also apply to gaining muscle while keeping bodyfat constant OR to losing fat while maintaining all hard-earned muscle--both scenarios involve a drop in percent body fat.
The context in which you view the aforementioned goals is paramount to the realization of these favorable scenarios. Rather than asking "How do I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?", we ask you to ponder, "How do I gain muscle and lose fat in the same training period?" Our reasoning is very simple; at any given moment in time, the body is either in a state of anabolism (i.e. tissue-synthesizing: muscle or fat gain) or catabolism (tissue-destroying: breakdown of triglyceride, glycogen or protein stores). This is not to say, however, that one cannot control the shift from anabolism to catabolism or vice versa at various times throughout the day. With the Maximum Muscularity protocol, you will do just that.
This approach departs from the traditional Bulk and Cut scheme to which so many trainees adhere. This plan is especially well suited to those individuals who tend to store fat easily and gain more fat than muscle during traditional bulking cycles; it can and should be applied year-round and for long-term purposes. In short, there is absolutely no need to deviate from the Maximum Muscularity plan, as it is easily adapted to suit any physique goal and provides great versatility.
Gaining muscle and losing fat in the same training period is the culmination of diligent training and dietary practices. Paramount to achieving this lofty goal is the creation of a superior anabolic state and enhanced insulin sensitivity through various dietary and training measures. From a nutritional standpoint, you'll be paying specific attention to nutrient timing and energy intake to capitalize on and manage your body's hormonal milieu in order to promote muscle gain and fat loss. Likewise, your training protocol is of paramount importance to providing the anabolic and metabolic stimuli necessary to accomplish such a mythical feat. That said, here is a summary of the Maximum Muscularity principles:
*(Optional) Kickstart your day with some low to moderate activity (i.e. aerobics) before your first meal of the day. You're going to watch SportsCenter anyway, right? Why not jump on a treadmill or bike for 20-45 minutes while taking in the "Plays of the Week?" On the other hand, if infomercials and cooking shows suit your fancy, then we recommend you shell out five payments of $49.95 for "Saggy Man Breasts for Dummies;" you probably aren't cut out for Maximum Muscularity. This activity is, of course, optional and by no means needs to be done indoors. Intensity should be kept at 40-60% of heart rate reserve. At this low intensity, the majority of energy will be derived from plasma fatty acids (i.e. broken down from adipose tissue) (1) and will give your metabolism a brief kick in the pants without sacrificing precious lean body mass (1).
Prior to these low-intensity sessions, one can utilize stimulants (i.e. caffeine and ephedrine) and other fat mobilizers (i.e. yohimbine). These implements will enable you to maximize adipose tissue lipolysis without worrying about any unfavorable consequences in terms of insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal, as these sessions will not be followed immediately by carbohydrate-laden meals. The half-life of caffeine is broadly defined as 3-7 hours, depending on dosage and activity (exercise decreases this time period) (3). Assuming that you are leaving adequate time (i.e. 5 hours) between your morning java wave and any carbohydrate-containing meal, consumption of caffeine in the morning should not be problematic. Also of note, researchers have noted a 3-4% increase in metabolic rate in the 2.5 hours following ingestion of 100mg caffeine (4). We don't know about you, but we're all for maximizing our metabolic rates during the time of day where lipolysis is highest!
*Stoking the Fat-Burning Inferno...Consume protein and fat meals (a small amount of carbs from fibrous, low-calorie vegetables is encouraged with these meals) in the hours leading up to training. The caloric value of these meals should be at or slightly below what you would be eating at these times during a traditional maintenance phase. This allows you to keep insulin at bay and blood glucose stable, thus permitting an optimal environment for lipolysis. Ingesting a substantial amount of carbs, and the resulting insulin response, inhibits lipolysis both at rest (4) and during exercise (5,6). This same elevation in insulin will also suppress release of growth hormone (GH)), another critical player in our quest for Maximum Muscularity. Since most of you work jobs that demand little high-intensity activity, your energy needs will be most efficiently met by the metabolism of fat. Because fat can provide 2 ? times as much energy as carbohydrate per gram, it is the optimal substrate at low levels of oxygen consumption (e.g. napping at work or during class).
Protein and fat meals with very few carbs are beneficial in several other regards in these low-energy expenditure scenarios. First, such meals keep blood glucose and insulin levels stable, thus ensuring that you avoid episodes of hormonal hunger and dulled mental acuity that are associated with unstable blood glucose, insulin, and serotonin concentrations. In addition, the thermic effect?the amount of calories burned in order to process foodstuffs--of protein is about twice that of carbohydrate and more than three times that of fat (7); thus, by eating more protein, you'll be burning more calories! Also, protein and fat meals stimulate the release of glucagon (8), which ensures that fatty acids are released into the bloodstream for oxidation (9). Furthermore, protein and fat meals--along with ample amounts of fiber from low-carb, fibrous veggies that accompany these meals--slow digestion and offer far more satiety per gram than carbohydrates. By setting fat intake at a minimum of 0.5g/lb LBM, you'll be supporting endogenous testosterone levels and all the good stuff (e.g. libido, strength) that goes along with them (10). Assuming that you're balancing out your mono/poly/saturate intake, you'll also be deriving some cardiovascular health benefits (among others). While you're probably at least somewhat cognizant of the myriad of benefits of polyunsaturated fats--namely omega-3s--it is critical that you do not overlook the formidable cardioprotective benefits of monounsaturated fats (i.e. olive oil, mixed nuts, etc.).
Be sure to get plenty of fibrous veggies (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, spinach) with these meals for fiber and other important nutrients. Howarth et al. recently demonstrated a decrease of 10% in daily caloric intake and a loss of 4.2 pounds in subjects that consumed an additional 15g of fiber daily over a period of four months! (11) We encourage you to emphasize whole-foods whenever possible to maximize satiety and the thermic effect of your feedings. We want to reiterate the fact that Maximum Muscularity emphasizes maximizing nutrient intake via whole-food sources.
* Maximum Muscularity and Density...There are countless solid training programs to suit your goals; there's no excuse for not having the aforementioned anabolic stimulus for impressive size and strength gains. When choosing a program, however, recall that some styles of training are less suitable for improving glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. Specifically, the aforementioned carbohydrate metabolism factors are negatively affected by training that focuses on heavy negatives/long eccentrics (12). In light of the fact that we're constantly striving to maximize these critical factors and use them to our advantage, you'll definitely want to adapt your training accordingly (i.e. lowering carbohydrate intake during training periods that emphasize eccentrics, if you choose to include them at all). Ideally, you should be in the gym for 3-5 sessions per week. An added bonus of training in the late afternoon is that you increase the likelihood of maintaining constantly high testosterone levels throughout the day. Testosterone levels are typically highest in the morning and gradually decrease as the day progresses; by interrupting this decline with exercise-induced increases, you may be able to overcome this aspect your body's natural hormonal milieu (13).
The importance of the resistance-training component of the plan cannot be overemphasized. However, it's beyond the scope of such a comprehensive article to prescribe a new routine or training program. Rather, we direct you to consider the works of Charles Poliquin, Ian King, Don Alessi, Brian Haycock, Charles Staley, Dave Tate, Christian Thibaudeau, Chad Waterbury, Joel Marion, and John Romaniello.
* You may find it advantageous to follow up your resistance training session with 5-15 minutes of low- to moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, preferably a full-body mode (i.e. Elliptical trainer or jogging). The purpose of this aerobic session is to gorge those muscles that were just trained with blood. This massive blood flow will assist recovery by: 1) removing waste products from the muscles, 2) transporting nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, and 3) shuttling metabolic by-products (i.e. lactic acid) from the muscle to the liver for recycling (i.e. gluconeogenesis). Two added benefits: more energy expenditure and glycogen utilization, which creates a greater glucose economy, allows for more carbohydrate to be eaten in the recovery period, and enhances glucose uptake and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity- critical factors for improvement in body composition. Be forewarned, though, that even at low and moderate intensities, if the aerobic components cause the exercise sessions to carry on too long (i.e. greater than 75 minutes), they may very well do more harm than good over an extended period of time. As such, it's important to keep you resistance training sessions to 60 minutes or less. Several factors, however, are contraindications (in most cases) to performing post-training aerobic activity; most notable among these factors are excellent pre-existing insulin sensitivity and high volume strength-training programs.
* The High-Octane Refuel- Resistance training can be heavily reliant on muscle glycogen and carbohydrate for fuel (14), while intense interval training can be even more taxing on the body's carbohydrate reserves (15). Therefore, during and after the training bouts are the most opportune times to capitalize on excellent insulin sensitivity and enhanced glucose uptake where you desire it most: skeletal muscles (16). Here's where individual differences strongly come into play; this portion of the plan needs to be altered according to one's training and physique goals, as carbohydrate recommendations are going to be vital to achieve optimal results. Most individuals either handle carbs well or poorly. Likewise, most individuals are primarily geared toward fat loss or muscle gain. With respect to the latter case, we have stated that the primary goal of this plan is to accomplish both. Nonetheless, choose from the following recommendations relative to your primary training goals and carbohydrate tolerance.
For those individuals with poor insulin sensitivity and a predisposition to easy fat storage, a single meal of protein and carbs should be consumed following training. While it is well established that liquid nutrition (e.g. Relentless, Vendetta) is an excellent choice as a post-training recovery meal, this meal can be either whole-food (i.e. solid) or liquid (i.e. Relentless). Due to the fact that carbohydrate is restricted to a single meal, one may opt for a food source over a liquid source. In the event that the whole-food route is chosen, one should consume BCAAs and glutamine (i.e. ICE) during training. This meal should contain approximately 50g of carbohydrate (about 0.6-0.7g/kg lean body mass) and adequate protein to meet daily needs.
Alternatively, if you are looking primarily to pack on slabs of ripped muscle and/or handle carbs very well, then we recommend you approach the mid/post-training window more aggressively. It goes without saying that nutrition during and immediately after training is optimal for building muscle. With this in mind, we recommend that you consume a serving of Vendetta or 1/2 serving of Relentess during and another one-half serving of Relentless immediately after training. You lean folk have already established outstanding insulin sensitivity and are in the quest of the optimal anabolic/anti-catabolic environment. Therefore, approximately one hour after the post-training liquid meal, we recommend an additional protein and carb meal. This meal is not for the timid or carbophobics; rather, the carbohydrate content of this meal should range from 1.0-2.5g/kg of lean body mass. This is a rather large range, but our recommendation is to push the envelope; if you are hesitant to utilize such a carb intake, begin with the lower end of the range and gradually add over a few weeks if fat gain is not apparent. The protein content of this meal should be 0.5-1.25g/kg of lean body mass.
The carb sources in all of the whole-food protein and carb meals (either one or two) should be comprised of low to moderate GI/II sources (i.e. oats, yams, whole-grain/mixed-grain bread, beans, fruits, etc). Also of benefit to lower the glycemic and insulinemic response to the carbohydrate would be to include extra fiber (i.e. veggies) and a high quality vinegar or lemon juice. Consume plenty of water with your high-carb meals?as well as throughout the day?because for every 1g of glycogen stored in the muscle, 2.7g of water are stored along with it. We advise you to drink at least 24 oz. of water/fluid with each meal. Adding lemon juice to your H20 is also a good idea, as doing so will not only offer flavor without calories, but also because it may act as glycemic modifier (i.e. lower glycemic response). Drinking decaf green tea may also help to slow down carbohydrate absorption (17), as well as provide other excellent benefits (see below). We offer further advice in the supplement section as to how you might be able to further increase muscle glucose uptake and improve the insulin response to the meal.
* You should consume protein and fat meals following the last protein and carb meal and continue them until the next training session. Make sure that at least two hours have elapsed after your last protein and carb meal before resuming protein and fat meals. However, there is no problem in ending the day with a protein and carb meal. These carbs will not interfere with fat loss (18) and will actually decrease recovery time. Contrary to popular belief, there seems to be NO inhibition of sleep-induced growth hormone release with acute hyperglycemia (19). Nevertheless, if you are still concerned over the issue of growth hormone release and insulin, then allowing about 90 minutes after eating the meal to go to sleep should be adequate to calm your nerves. To these individuals who train later and consume the protein and carb meals as their last (i.e. going without a meal for 90 minutes before sleeping), we strongly recommend a serving of Ultra Peptide upon awakening in the middle of the night. There's no need to set an alarm, though. Just drink an extra liter of water before you hit the sack and you-ll wake up on your own.
With these recommendations in mind, a sample day's diet might look something like this:
Breakfast: Eggs/Egg whites with Salad, olive/flaxseed oil, fish oil, vinegar, lemon juice
Mid Morning: Turkey, broccoli, nuts, vinegar, lemon juice
Lunch: Tuna, spinach, olive/flaxseed oil, vinegar, lemon juice
Mid-Afternoon: Steak, green beans, fish oil
Train: Appropriate pre/mid/post training drink (e.g. ICE, Vendetta, Relentless)
Dinner:
|
For those prioritizing growth and those with good carb tolerance:
Chicken, Yams, Salad, vinegar, lemon juice
or
For those prioritizing fat loss and those with poor carb tolerance:
Steak, salad, olive/flaxseed oil, vinegar, lemon juice |
Before Bed: Cottage Cheese, Xtreme Ultra Peptide, Natural Peanut Butter
2AM trip to the can (optional): Xtreme Ultra Peptide
*Note: Protein intake should be set at 4.0-4.5g/kg of lean body mass
In Part 2, Tim and Eric will discuss how to integrate training into the dietary considerations outlined above.
References
1. Romijn JA, Coyle EF, Sidossis LS, Gastaldelli A, Horowitz JF, Endert E, & Wolfe RR. Regulation of fat and carbohydrate metabolism in relation to exercise intensity and duration. Am J Physiol 1993 Sep;265(3 Pt 1):E380-91.
2. Rasmussen BB, Holmback UC, Volpi E, Morio-Liondore B, Paddon-Jones D, Wolfe RR. Malonyl coenzyme A and the regulation of functional carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 activity and fat oxidation in human skeletal muscle. J Clin Invest 2002 Dec;110(11):1687-93.
3. Sweetman, SC (ed). Martindale: The Complete Drug Reference. Pharmaceutical Press: London, 2002.
4. Dulloo AG, Geissler CA, Horton T, Collins A, & Miller DS. Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50.
5. Horowitz, JF, Mora-Rodriguez R, Byerley LO, Coyle EF. Lipolytic suppression following carbohydrate ingestion limits fat oxidation during exercise. Am J Physiol 1997 Oct;273(4 Pt 1):E768-75.
6. Montain SJ, Hppoer MK, Coggan AR, Coyle EF. Exercise metabolism at different time intervals after a meal. J Appl Physiol. 1991 Feb;70(2):882-8.
7. Nair KS, Halliday D, & Garrow JS. Thermic response to isoenergetic protein, carbohydrate or fat meals in lean and obese subjects. Clin Sci (Lond). 1983 Sep;65(3):307-12.
8. Day JL, et al. (1978). Factors governing insulin and glucagon responses during normal meals. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 1978 Nov;9(5):443-54.
9. Schade DS, & Eaton RP. Modulation of fatty acid metabolism by glucagon in man. I. Effects in normal subjects. Diabetes. 1975 May;24(5):502-9.
10. Dorgan J, et al. Effects of dietary fat and fiber on plasma and urine androgens and estrogens in men: a controlled feeding study. Am J Clin Nutr 64(6): 850-855. 1996.
11. Howarth, NC, E Saltzman, SB Roberts. Dietary fiber and weight regulation. Nutr Rev. 2001 May;59(5):129-39. Review.
12. Lowery, L. Temporal Nutrition, Part 1. Testosterone Magazine. 21 Mar 2003. http://www.t-mag.com/nation_articles/253temp.jsp.
13. Baechle, TR, & Earle, RW. Essentials of Strength and Conditioning: 2nd Edition. Human Kinetics, 2000.
14. Essen-Gustavsson B, & Tesch PA. Glycogen and triglyceride utilization in relation to muscle metabolic characteristics in men performing heavy-resistance exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol. 1990;61(1-2):5-10.
15. Keizer HA, et al. Influence of liquid and solid meals on muscle glycogen resynthesis, plasma fuel hormone response, and maximal physical working capacity. Int J Sports Med. 1987 Apr;8(2):99-104.
16. Bourghouts LB, & Keizer HA. Exercise and insulin sensitivity: a review. Int J Sports Med. 2000 Jan;21(1):1-12. Review.
17. Zhang J, & Kashket S. Inhibition of salivary amylase by black and green teas and their effects on the intraoral hydrolysis of starch. Caries Res. 1998;32(3):233-8.
18. Lee YS. The effects of various intensities and durations of exercise with and without glucose in milk ingestion on postexercise oxygen consumption. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1999 Dec;39(4):341-7.
19. Parker DC, & Rossman LG. Human growth hormone release in sleep: nonsuppression by acute hyperglycemia. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1971 Jan;32(1):65-9. |
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By Eric Cressey
A while back, during the infancy of my transition from business school to the world of exercise science, I wrote Budgeting for Bodybuilders, a collection of thoughts that unified these two facets of my academic background. To me, all the information seemed like common sense; like many poor graduate students, I'm up to my neck in student loans, so I need to be--gasp--cheap. As such, I was pretty surprised to receive dozens of emails from people who really went out of their way to let me know how much they appreciated the article.
Apparently, there are a lot of other people out there like me who are constantly looking for ways to save a few bucks and better manage their dough. These folks thanked me for helping them to save money and better organize their finances and priorities. Heck, one reader even offered me his first-born child. Okay, so I'm lying, but lots of people did ask if I had any more secrets on how to keep on training like a madman and eating like a horse without breaking the bank. I really only scratched the surface with my old "tips;" in case you missed them, here's a recap:
- Buy in bulk
- Drink tap water.
- Buy generic foods.
- Reuse empty cottage cheese containers as Tupperware.
- Shop for supplements online.
- Order in bulk to save on shipping charges.
Without further adieu, here are ten more magical secrets specifically for the iron enthusiast:
1) Befriend a hunter: This tactic won't do much for your sex life if he introduces you to his one-toothed, inbred sister, but it's a sure-fire way to fill your freezer a couple times per year with venison, moose, pheasant, or the odd stray cat. Besides, can you think of anything cooler than knowing that what you're eating was carved on the back of a pickup truck?
2) Stock up at sale time: Be sure to read mailings and the flyers in the local newspapers; clip coupons, too. When meats are on sale, stock up and fill your freezer. You'll derive satisfaction not only from saving boatloads of cash, but also from knowing that the mothers in the grocery store will be hiding their "tasty" young children from the carnivore with 47 pounds of chicken in his cart. You can freeze fresh vegetables (and some fruits) that are on sale, too, to save over pre-packaged frozen items. You might even consider some local farmers' markets for these purchases; they'll usually offer cheaper, and definitely higher quality produce than larger stores. Unfortunately, purchasing large quantities of vegetables tends to elicit less fear in innocent bystanders, and a lot more vegetarian jokes. Speaking of which, what do you call a vegetarian with the runs? Salad-shooter! But I digress...look for sales, stock up, and freeze.
3) Do your homework when buying supplements!: You'd think that this would be common sense, but I'm constantly amazed at how many suckers there are in the world. Nitric oxide supplements are perfect examples; they're ridiculously expensive and ineffective, yet how many people do you think have wasted money on them in order to learn that? Way too many frat boys, and most of the time, the ones that do report amazing gains are the ones that couldn't drag themselves to the gym beforehand. Now that they have this amazing supplement, they finally start to train; talk about magnifying the placebo effect! Plus, even if they realized nitric oxide bit the big one, these guys have too much pride to admit that they got ripped off. Heaven forbid that anyone find out that they spent the money mom and dad sent for laundry and books on crap supplements and...
4) BOOZE!: If you go to bars or sporting events, it's too damn expensive to get drunk. If you're sitting at home getting drunk by yourself, you're an alcoholic with bigger problems; I suggest taking up solitaire. Or, dare I say it? You could exercise.
By the way, alcohol won't do much for your physique, either. Remember: you want the six-pack, not the keg! If you absolutely must get plastered, you can at least make an effort to return the bottles for a modest return on investment afterward, slacker!
5) Prioritize: When you got into the iron game, you probably realized early on that to make good progress, you also needed to be willing to make some sacrifices. One has to make time instead of finding time to train several times per week and eat 6-8 healthy meals per day. Moreover, if you really want to improve, you need to be take time to read and discuss training, nutrition, and supplementation methodologies in order to learn. Since I don't want to sound overly harsh in lecturing you here, I'll just toss out another vegetarian joke:
Q: How many vegetarians does it take to change a light bulb?
A: It's a trick question; vegetarians can't change a damn thing!
6) The Magical Change Jar: This tip is absolutely priceless. I started doing it about two years ago; without fail, I collected enough change every month to pay off the monthly interest bill (roughly $12-$15) I received for some of my student loans. Very simply, find an empty jar and place it within five feet of the door to your apartment or house. Each time you walk past it (i.e. returning home at the end of the day), take all the change out of your pockets, wallet, or purse, and put it in the jar. Throughout the month, never buy anything with change. For instance, if you're at the store and your total comes to $14.02, give the cashier $15; don't offer the extra two pennies. Instead, take the $0.98 home and deposit it in your "magical change jar." Think of it as a deceptive way to force yourself to save without even knowing it. Some people may frown on deception, and you may piss off the cashier that is forced to make change, but you'll thank me when you have enough money at the end of the month for a new training book or a few pounds of protein powder.
7) Plan and pack ahead: I shouldn't need to tell you how much cheaper it is to pack your grub for the day the night before than it is to go out to lunch. Hitting the coffee shop every morning is just as bad; if you save that two bucks every weekday, that's roughly $520 over the course of a year. Either use this money to buy a coffee maker and your own materials, or save the dough and kick the morning caffeine habit altogether. Your pre-workout caffeine buzz will be all the more satisfying if you aren't a habitual coffee drinker, anyway. More importantly, you'll have more cash available for more worthwhile expenditures. Again, nothing witty on which to end here, so here's another one:
Q: Why did the vegetarian cross the road?
A: She was protesting on behalf of the poor and defenseless chicken.
8) Learn the art of the home brew: This one piggybacks on #6. Not only is this a great way to save cash, it's also a lot of fun, as you get to play the part of "deranged chemist" in your kitchen! Customizing your proteins is useful in both meal-replacement shakes, puddings, and post-workout concoctions. If you're interested, look no further than Black Star Labs; these guys know their stuff and offer high quality proteins and great service at low prices. From a pre-bed or midday MRP standpoint, you might want a blend with more slow-digesting proteins like calcium caseinate and milk protein isolate. Or, if you're someone that likes an MRP at breakfast, you might want more whey. You can even buy a few pounds of each and be your own mixer by having a few varieties on hand. Additionally, an added advantage of having separate powders on hand for your post-training "home brew" is that you can tinker with your protein/carb/BCAA/glutamine inclusion decisions. If you're training with lower reps or are looking to lean out quickly, you'll want fewer (or no) carbs in your mid/post training shake. In contrast, when volume is higher, and you're looking to gain some size, you can be more liberal with your dextrose and maltodextrin additions. Finally, when you buy BCAAs and glutamine in bulk, you save a ton over encapsulated forms. Did I mention that most cannibals agree that vegetarians taste better?
9) Be a guinea pig: Check with local universities and independent research organizations to see if individuals of your age, physical profile, and qualifications are needed for studies. You might as well have some fun in the process, so look into something exercise-related. Studies dealing with strength and conditioning always need young, resistance-trained men to participate in various protocols, many of which pay very well: $100-$1000 in my experience, depending on the extent of the intervention (duration, difficulty of the protocol, dietary records, biopsies, blood sampling, etc.). In many cases, you'll get a free body composition assessment via a DEXA scan or hydrostatic weighing as a bonus. In longer duration studies, you might even get your own educated personal trainer for a few months at a time! Unfortunately, in most cases, women are excluded due to variations that arise with the menstrual cycle. Don't let that stop you from taking part in supplement, dietary, or other performance-related tasks, though! On a totally unrelated note, how can you spot vegetarians in restaurants? They're the customers that talk with the waiter for twenty minutes, and then just order garden salads.
10) Be your own butcher: Take a look at the typical cost of a thin sliced top-round steak at your local grocery store. At mine, it's at least $3.99/lb. Now, when I went to a wholesale club and bought a 73-pound case of top round roasts for $118.99, I paid $1.63/lb. The trade-off? Thirty minutes of my time to carve off some of the extra fat, chop the suckers up, individually bag them, and put them in the freezer. When I'm ready for a steak, all I need to do is hack off part of the roast. If I had let the local butcher do it for the 65 pounds (let's assume I chopped off eight pounds of fat), I would have paid $259.35. Now, was my thirty minutes worth $140.36? Damn right! And, if that's not enough, I avoided the time and hassle of having to go shopping every week. Plus, I got the sick thrill of seeing the horrified looks on my neighbors' faces when I hauled a massive quantity of animal flesh out of my trunk?
That about wraps it up. I should note that although I eat an exorbitant amount of meat, I harbor no ill will toward vegetarians; I'm just not creative enough to write an entire article on being cheap without having a little fun at someone else's expense. So whether you're eating vegetables or soft, fluffy, innocent, woodland creatures that were brutally massacred and then carefully carved, marinated, and grilled to tasty perfection, I hope that your wallet appreciates the tips I've provided.
Note: no animals were injured in the creation of this article. During the writing process, I did, however, cook and devour the remains of several that were already dead. They were yummy. |
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| You're going to watch SportsCenter anyway, right? Why not jump on a treadmill or bike for 20-45 minutes while taking in the "Plays of the Week?" On the other hand, if infomercials and cooking shows suit your fancy, then we recommend you shell out five payments of $49.95 for "Saggy Man Breasts for Dummies;" you probably aren't cut out for Maximum Muscularity. This activity is, of course, optional and by no means needs to be done indoors. Intensity should be kept at 40-60% of heart rate reserve. At this low intensity, the majority of energy will be derived from plasma fatty acids (i.e. broken down from adipose tissue) (1) and will give your metabolism a brief kick in the pants without sacrificing precious lean body mass (1).
Prior to these low-intensity sessions, one can utilize stimulants (i.e. caffeine and ephedrine) and other fat mobilizers (i.e. yohimbine). These implements will enable you to maximize adipose tissue lipolysis without worrying about any unfavorable consequences in terms of insulin sensitivity and glucose disposal, as these sessions will not be followed immediately by carbohydrate-laden meals. The half-life of caffeine is broadly defined as 3-7 hours, depending on dosage and activity (exercise decreases this time period) (3). Assuming that you are leaving adequate time (i.e. 5 hours) between your morning java wave and any carbohydrate-containing meal, consumption of caffeine in the morning should not be problematic. Also of note, researchers have noted a 3-4% increase in metabolic rate in the 2.5 hours following ingestion of 100mg caffeine (4). We don't know about you, but we're all for maximizing our metabolic rates during the time of day where lipolysis is highest!
Stay tuned as this series unfolds!
Eric Cressey
www.EricCressey.com |
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| Typically, whenever a trainee aspiring to improve his physique utters, "I want to gain muscle and lose fat...", he is immediately greeted by eager critics from opposite ends of the spectrum. First, there are those experts that pounce on the opportunity to suppress such a bold quest. They proclaim that such a task is doomed for failure, and simply respond with an unscientific, "You can't. Choose one or the other." In contrast, there are those that say that such a mission is rather simple. While the former cynics are just downright ignorant, the latter faction is just as useless, offering no other advice than one must train hard and eat right. Uh, duh! With that in mind, we'd like to introduce a plan that we feel will lead to what many call the Holy Grail of Bodybuilding: Maximum Muscularity.
The term "Maximum Muscularity" elicits a beautiful vision of the classic physique of someone like Arnold or Serge Nubret. Maximum Muscularity isn't just about being ripped...yet of beanpole proportions, nor is it just about being huge--yet uncomfortably rotund. Rather, Maximum Muscularity is fusion of the two: being Ripped and Huge; it's about becoming a walking, super-sized anatomy chart. It's about pushing the envelope of one's capabilities to add muscle and lose fat.
In a broad sense, the ultimate goal of Maximum Muscularity is to gain muscle mass and lose fat mass. However, the principles of Maximum Muscularity also apply to gaining muscle while keeping bodyfat constant OR to losing fat while maintaining all hard-earned muscle--both scenarios involve a drop in percent body fat.
The context in which you view the aforementioned goals is paramount to the realization of these favorable scenarios. Rather than asking "How do I gain muscle and lose fat at the same time?", we ask you to ponder, "How do I gain muscle and lose fat in the same training period?" Our reasoning is very simple; at any given moment in time, the body is either in a state of anabolism (i.e. tissue-synthesizing: muscle or fat gain) or catabolism (tissue-destroying: breakdown of triglyceride, glycogen or protein stores). This is not to say, however, that one cannot control the shift from anabolism to catabolism or vice versa at various times throughout the day. With the Maximum Muscularity protocol, you will do just that.
This approach departs from the traditional Bulk and Cut scheme to which so many trainees adhere. This plan is especially well suited to those individuals who tend to store fat easily and gain more fat than muscle during traditional bulking cycles; it can and should be applied year-round and for long-term purposes. In short, there is absolutely no need to deviate from the Maximum Muscularity plan, as it is easily adapted to suit any physique goal and provides great versatility.
Gaining muscle and losing fat in the same training period is the culmination of diligent training and dietary practices. Paramount to achieving this lofty goal is the creation of a superior anabolic state and enhanced insulin sensitivity through various dietary and training measures. From a nutritional standpoint, you'll be paying specific attention to nutrient timing and energy intake to capitalize on and manage your body's hormonal milieu in order to promote muscle gain and fat loss. Likewise, your training protocol is of paramount importance to providing the anabolic and metabolic stimuli necessary to accomplish such a mythical feat. That said, stay-tuned as this series unfolds.
a special thanks to Tim Skwiat who co-authored this series
Eric Cressey
www.EricCressey.com |
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Bodybuilding and Budgeting
By Eric Cressey
First published at www.johnberardi.com, Sep 27 2002
In response to my call for contributions from the Mark Twains of exercise and nutrition, Sport Management and Exercise Physiology major Eric Cressey applied his pen to the task of teaching bodybuilders how to budget their benjamins in such a way as to be able to afford their protein and eat it too. I immediately liked this article because it is an interesting fusion of business principles and bodybuilding. It's an article I would have never thought of writing as it reflects Eric's unique academic training. And that's why I encourage readers to send me their ideas. Their unique ideas and experiences can and often do benefit us all. -- JB
If I told you that being a bodybuilder is a lot like running a business, you'd probably think that I've been mixing some Drain-O into my oatmeal, wouldn't you?
How can I draw such an analogy? Well, for starters, businesses need to generate revenue in order to grow and succeed; and so do bodybuilders. Businesses must allocate those sources of revenue in the most efficient ways to maximize their gain per unit cost. So must bodybuilders. Business owners have to invest both time and capital into their company; and so must bodybuilders. Of course, while the particular needs of the corporate world may be different from your needs in the iron game, very similar principles can be employed to evaluate and hopefully meet these needs.
With all that being said, it's very easy to liken bodybuilding success to a company's success; each requires hard work and capital: two needs that can easily serve as limiting factors to ultimate success. Aspiring bodybuilders can have the will to train diligently, intensely, and intelligently, but if they can't afford to eat or pay for a gym membership, they're destined for failure. Likewise, there are lots of companies out there with hard working employees, but these companies may never be a "cut above" due to financial shortcomings. As my fifth grade teacher often said, "Money makes the world go round." (Although I think she said that with a tinge of bitterness since the salary of a fifth grad teacher is barely enough to make a 1978 Gremlin go round, let alone the world).
At the other end of the spectrum are those with seemingly bottomless pockets who still manage to fail because they simply don't work hard. In a bodybuilding context, these are the folks with the fancy gym bag, clothing, and every supplement imaginable. Meanwhile, they're doing twenty sets on the hip adductor five times a week, staying out all night, eating junk, and wondering why they aren't huge yet. Similarly, a business may have all the money in the world, but if its employees spend all their time at work chatting by the water cooler about how great Tribex has made their sex lives, that business will flop like a newbie trying to rock bottom squat 800 pounds!
Alright, now I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that you, as loyal Berardi followers, are far less likely than the general population to have trouble training intensely or intelligently. In other words, I'll assume that the money issue is far more of a concern for you. As you all well know, the bodybuilding lifestyle can get expensive. However, that's not to say that you cannot afford it.
Think about the last time that you heard someone say, "I can't afford to eat more protein" or "supplements are too expensive." While often these are just cop-outs that allow weak minded individuals to have a ready-made excuse for failure, sometimes the money issue is the limiting factor. When this is the case, one of two things might happen. The person will decide to just go on being fat and lazy like much of the world because making excuses is easier than actually solving problems and working hard. Or they may mindlessly search for shortcuts in the wrong places. As a result, they wind up with a nice set of man-breasts from gyno caused by the generic andro they bought or the soy protein they pulled down from mommy's medicine cabinet. Lame complaints and feeble attempts to cut corners could all be avoided if these individuals had known how to budget properly. This article is designed to cut through the bull and show you how you can budget properly so that you wont have an excuse for not succeeding.
Like any well-organized company, a bodybuilder who budgets appropriately will be taking the steps to ensure that the resources necessary for success will always be present thanks to adequate cash flow. I'm willing to bet that you've probably never considered how terrible a bodybuilder you would be if you did not have money to provide you with the wherewithal to eat, sleep comfortably under a roof, train, and supplement. These factors are a bodybuilder's lifeblood, but cash is the lifeblood of the factors themselves. Furthermore, I'm willing to bet that you'd all like to know how you could afford this sometimes-costly lifestyle.
With that in mind, let's cover a few broad guidelines that must be considered in creating our Bodybuilding Budget:
1) Prioritize - If you haven't read Dawg School - Basic Training for Beginners: The Bodybuilder's Hierarchy of Needs by Testosterone Magazine's Chris Shugart, I strongly urge you to check it out now. Basically, physiological needs (the foundation of Maslow's original hierarchy) should always come first, with other items following in order of importance. Some might debate me for putting supplements at the bottom of the budget when they're what we're trying to afford. However, in accordance with our priorities, you should only purchase supplements if you can afford all the more important stuff first. Therefore, by leaving the supplement piece of our budget until the end, we'll see how much we can allocate to supplement purchases. If we aren't happy with this amount, we reexamine the previous expenses in our budget in hopes of reducing them and, in turn, free up more cash for supplements. This prioritization also includes buying supplements that correspond to your goals (e.g. thermogenics for cutting if that's your bag).
2) Live and budget within your means - Obviously, it would be unreasonable for someone flipping burgers from nine to five to budget like Bill Gates. Set up a budget in light of your recognized financial limitations, and you'll be golden, even if you work for the golden arches. On a related note, do not ignore the importance of saving for the future. Personally, I would rather be able to afford to eat once I have retired than live the high life while immediately spending every penny of every paycheck to support my present bodybuilding habit.
3) Take it month by month - As you get more experienced with budgeting, you'll probably be able to plan out several months in advance. For now, though, just see how accurately you can plan things for the upcoming month. Semi-yearly or one-time expenses should be considered as part of the months in which they occur and placed in the budget according to the prioritization principle. In other words, figure your Christmas shopping expenses into the months in which you buy the gifts. It might mean that you have to cut back on luxuries (like the really tasty milk protein isolate blend vs. the plain old whey concentrate) when your expenses go up for other items in order to continue with your supplementation plans.
4) Leave some wiggle room - Budgets are a plan, and we all know that nothing ever goes exactly as planned. In other words, don't allocate every penny you have to the month ahead of you. This way, if something unexpected that requires a cash payment comes up, you'll be able to accommodate the expense without throwing off your entire lifestyle.
5) Always evaluate a budget's accuracy - Near the end of the month, look to see how well you were able to adhere to your budget. Make adjustments as needed for the following month.
6) Keep it simple and neat - Chances are that if it looks too complex, it probably is. Budgets are useless if you can't interpret them usefully.
7) Anticipate - Remember that although you won't have to buy every supplement every month, it definitely helps to know when certain supplements will run out so that you can plan ahead. A good way to avoid having to deal with this often is to buy three or four at a time.
8) Use Microsoft Excel or a comparable program (Quicken or Lotus Notes) to design your budget - If you're familiar with this program, you know how much time it can save you. Excel will save time in adding up numbers. Perhaps more importantly, you can easily and neatly (no erasers needed) make changes and, provided you reference the correct cells throughout, see how these changes affect the numbers at the end of the budget with which you are the most concerned. Plus, Excel allows you to copy and paste your budget into a new spreadsheet each month and make modifications without having to rewrite everything. Excel is even great for tracking your gym progress too.
9) Adapt - No matter how many sources of cash payments I list, I'll never be able to cover every possible situation that may arise. As such, you need to make judgment calls on where in your budget certain unique expenses fall in your overall prioritization scheme.
Okay, now let's get down to business. Here are the components in order of appearance in the actual budget:
1) Cash Receipts - The bulk of this section is the dollar amount on your paycheck (after deductions for taxes, social security, Medicare, retirement, etc.). It also includes any amount that you are willing to make available from your savings, although this scenario is certainly not ideal.
2) Cash Payments - When you need to prioritize a certain muscle group, you know to put it at the beginning of your split so that you can train it when it's fresh. Likewise, you should put your most important payments at the beginning of your budget where your wallet is fresh. We'll subdivide this section into several categories based on our priorities:
a) Physiological Needs - Food, hygiene, and shelter for you and those for whom you provide (wife, children, etc.) are the primary components of this section. Be careful not to confuse your monthly food expenditures with your grocery bill, especially if you are someone who buys every magazine in sight, lottery tickets, cigarettes, and all the gimmicks at the end of each aisle. We'll address purchasing these little treats later. Note: You should include protein powders and MRPs in your monthly food expenses. Shelter payments can usually be recognized as your rent or mortgage payments. If you own your own home, live with your parents, or just hang out in a van down by the river all the time, you can omit this portion. Lastly, payments for medications are included as physiological need expenses. If you really need proof of why these payments come first and foremost, just think for a second: have you ever seen a successful bodybuilder sifting through dumpsters for food or living in a cardboard box?
b) Mandatory Payments - These are the payments over which you have the least control. Examples include loan repayments, membership fees for professional organizations, child support, and alimony. Chances are that if you skimp out on these payments, you'll be setting yourself up for a whole lot of trouble. But who knows? Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all. I mean, a lot of penitentiaries have pretty nice gyms nowadays; then again, do you think the showers are as pleasant? And, let's not forget how tough it will be to deadlift after the loan collector has cracked both your kneecaps. Lesson learned? Mandatory payments suck, but you gotta' deal with 'em.
c) Contingency Fund - We count this as a payment even though you probably won't need to make it in most cases. How much you allot to this fund depends largely on your income and your perception of how likely it is that an emergency will arise. It might seem unnecessary, but when you get saddled with a $100 traffic ticket for swerving out of your lane while staring at some vixen on the sidewalk, you'll be glad the cash is available. Plus, if you don't have to use the contingency fund, you'll have some cash left over at the end of the month for savings or a treat. Unexpected medical bills and car repairs might also be covered by the contingency fund.
d) Important Amenities - Here's where we start to have a little more control over our payments. These items are things to which you have grown accustomed to having, but you really could do without them if necessary. Obviously, some are more important than others. They include: payments for car-related bills (lease, gas, insurance, parking); all insurance not provided by your job; gym memberships; telephone usage; internet access; utilities (if not included in rent); newspaper and magazine subscriptions; premium channels on television; and pet-related expenses.
e) Luxuries - These are payments for things that are certainly not essential to our survival or convenient lifestyle. Basically, they include anything to which you "treat" yourself: going to a movie, eating out, and most one time purchases.
3) Total Cash Available for Supplements - This is simply the cash receipts minus the cash payments (what's left over).
4) Primary Supplement Payments - This is the portion of total cash available for supplements that is allocated to those of foremost importance: Multivitamin, Surge (or other pre/post-workout nutrition), and essential fatty acids. Subtract it from #3 to get…
5) Total Available for Secondary Supplements - This is the last section of our bodybuilding budget. In a typical business budget, this final section is referred to as Net Income, but remember that we're trying to figure out how to afford supplements, so the section gets a new name. Whatever remains at this point can be spent in several ways to bolster your supplement arsenal from "slingshots" (e.g. glutamine, BCAAs, digestive aids, fiber supplements, alpha lipoic acid, ZMA) to the "heavy artillery" (e.g. Tribex, creatine, thermogenics, anti-estrogens, methoxyisoflavone, ecdysterone), to the "'uh oh, hide the women and children' type weapons" (e.g. prohormones, myostatin inhibitors). Basically, you recognize how much you have available and mix and match among these "weapons of mass destruction" according to your physique goals. Whatever is left over goes to savings (if you have already chosen to subtract it as part of cash payments) or treats.
Putting it all together
For our bodybuilding budget guinea pig, we'll use a hypothetical dude: Rich N. $uave. Rich is a 25 year-old living in Boston with a goal of stepping onto a bodybuilding stage in the near future. He knows not to curl in the squat rack, but, like the rest of us, he'd love to find out how to incorporate a more effective supplementation protocol into his lifestyle. So let's break down Mr. $uave's budget:
Cash Receipts
Rich is a college-educated guy with an entry-level position for a marketing firm in the city. At age 25, he hasn't really climbed the corporate ladder yet. After taxes, he brings in $27,000 per year (or $2,250 per month). Given his uncertain future, he isn't willing to tap into savings too deeply: only $30 per month. So here's Rich's first number:
Cash Receipts = $2,250 income + $30 from savings = $2,280/month
Cash Payments
Physiological
Rich is a steadfast follower of John Berardi's Massive Eating principles. As such, from his position atop the food chain, Rich must also be a "Massive Shopper" to meet his calorie requirements. All the grub adds up to about $320 per month. He also figures that he spends $20 per month on hygiene (haircut, toothpaste, shaving cream). Plus, Rich and his roommate share a decent apartment just outside the city; his half of the rent is $700 per month. Luckily, utilities, phone, cable, and Internet access are all included in this figure. Finally, Rich has asthma that is aggravated by the city's smog. Although he has good medical coverage from his employer, he still has to pay $20 per month for his inhaler. Thus:
Physiological Needs payments = $350 food and hygiene + $700 rent + $25 medication = $1,075
Mandatory
Four years of college are catching up to Rich. He pays off $200 of student loan fees per month. Fortunately, that's his only mandatory expense.
Important Amenities
Each month, Rich pays $230 for his car lease, $35 for insurance, $50 for gas, and $120 for parking at work. He also has a cell phone ($30/month), a gym membership ($35/month), and HBO ($20/month - Rich just has to watch old Arnold movies, and Sex in the City helps him get in touch with his feminine side). Plus, Rich buys the Boston Globe each day ($20/month). So,
Important Amenities payments = $230 car lease + $35 car insurance + $50 gas + $120 parking + $30 cell phone + $20 HBO + $20 Boston Globe = $540
Contingency Fund
Based on his income and his desire to save for the future, Rich has decided to allocate $70 to contingencies. He plans to take whatever is not used and put it towards his retirement.
Luxuries
Mr. $uave goes to the movies every other week ($30/month) and to a fancy restaurant for dinner once a week ($120/month). He's also a big Celtics fan, so during the season he'll splurge and buy courtside seats once a month as well. Factoring in ticket prices, parking costs, and stuff he buys at the Fleet Center, Rich drops $120 on each of these games. Finally, this month, Rich has decided to buy a new Poliquin book ($30) and a set of skinfold calipers ($30). He calculates:
Luxuries payments = $30 movies + $120 restaurant + $120 Celtics + $30 book + $30 calipers = $330
We add all these components up to get $2,217 in Cash Payments. Then, we subtract it from $2,280 Cash Receipts to arrive at $63 Total Cash Available for Supplements. Now, if we assume that Rich spends $40 per month on Primary supplements and subtract that out, we find that only $25 is left over for the "big guns."
| Cash Receipts: |
|
|
|
|
| Net Income |
2,250
|
|
|
|
| From Savings |
30
|
|
|
|
| Total Cash Receipts |
|
2,280
|
|
|
| Cash Payments: |
|
|
|
|
| Physiological Needs |
|
|
|
|
| Food and Hygiene |
(350)
|
|
|
|
| Rent |
(700)
|
|
|
|
| Medication |
(25)
|
|
|
|
| Mandatory Payments |
|
|
|
|
| Student Loans |
(200)
|
|
|
|
| Important Amenities |
|
|
|
|
| Car Payments |
(230)
|
|
|
|
| Car Insurance |
(35)
|
|
|
|
| Gas |
(50)
|
|
|
|
| Parking |
(120)
|
|
|
|
| Cell Phone |
(30)
|
|
|
|
| Gym Membership |
(35)
|
|
|
|
| Boston Globe |
(20)
|
|
|
|
| HBO |
(20)
|
|
|
|
| Contingency Fund |
(70)
|
|
|
|
| Luxuries |
|
|
|
|
| Two movies/month |
(30)
|
|
|
|
| Four fancy dinners |
(120)
|
|
|
|
| Courtside seats |
(120)
|
|
|
|
| New Book |
(30)
|
|
|
|
| Skinfold Calipers |
(30)
|
|
|
|
| Total Cash Payments |
|
(2,215)
|
|
|
| Total Cash Available for Supplements |
|
|
65
|
|
| Primary Supplement Expenses |
|
|
(40)
|
|
| Total Cash for Available for Secondary Supplements |
|
|
|
25
|
*Numbers in red and parentheses are negative (payments)
.**One line beneath a number indicates that the numbers above were combined.
Not a whole lot that can be done with $25, eh? Then again, does Rich really have any right to complain? Read on.
Making Adjustments and Saving Cash: Why you can afford more and better supplements
One of the foremost characteristics of the bodybuilding lifestyle is the willingness to make sacrifices and do things that aren't always pleasant. Bodybuilders go to the gym to train hard and push themselves to not only discomfort, but to all-out pain (and worse yet, enjoy it!). The general population merely "works out," stopping short of anything even remotely challenging. Furthermore, from a dietary standpoint, bodybuilders eat to achieve their goals more often than they eat for taste. Honestly, is there anyone out there that actually enjoys flaxseed oil? Meanwhile, the fact that more than half of all Americans are overweight or obese is perfect evidence that most people eat for taste. So how does this apply to Rich? Well, he doesn't exactly seem to be overly eager to make sacrifices. Just think about what skipping a few dinners out or just watching the Celtics game at home would save him. Or, he could just subscribe to the Globe instead of buying it each day. Plus, there are plenty of other ways to save some cash besides cutting back, including:
1) Buying in bulk - Wholesale clubs can save you a lot of cash. I pay $2.57/lb. for skinless chicken breasts at my wholesale club, whereas my local grocer charges at least $3.99/lb.
2) Drinking tap water - If you're buying purified, reverse osmosis filtration mountain spring water with lemon zest, you're overspending. Stick with the tap, and if it's nasty, get a purifier.
3) Buying generic food (not supplements, though) - Name brand cottage cheese: $2.79/tub. Generic: $1.73. Same cow. Same protein. For gosh sakes, don't pay an extra dollar for the label!
4) Reusing empty cottage cheese containers - This is one of the greatest tricks of the trade. You'll never have to spend money on Tupperware again. Plus, you can toss them when you're done rather than lugging them home with you.
5) Shopping for supplements online - If you're not doing so already, do yourself a favor and dedicate this month's luxury fund to buying a sledgehammer with which to beat yourself over the head, because you are a moron! Retail outlets will always overcharge you, regardless of what kind of sales and/or promotions they're offering. Basically, you're just paying the middleman's salary.
6) Ordering more at once - By ordering more at one time, you'll save on shipping costs. Some online supplement retailers will even offer free shipping at a certain order quantity or price.
Obviously, these suggestions are just the tip of the iceberg. Personally, I think the best route is to always adhere to the six aforementioned guidelines (which are based on saving money on food and supplement purchases that you already plan to make) and then to be cognizant of limiting regular expensive social occasions (so that you can free up more money for those food and supplement choices that you're also now saving money on). Additionally, you should review the individual components of your cash payments section to see where you can cut back.
To see how effective just making a few minor changes can be, let's use Rich as our guinea pig again. Mr. $uave wants to do three two-week Mag-10 cycles alternated with three two-week M/Tribex cycles. So, he checks out the Biotest site and finds that he'll need to free up about $360 to pay for three of the Mag-10 Plan for Success packages. We'll just start from the bottom and work our way up, making sacrifices as we go:
a) Rich won't go to any movies this month. After all, he knows you have to sleep to grow! $30 to Mag-10 fund.
b) He can also eat "in" instead of "out" on two of his four planned fancy dinners. We'll assume he saves $25 on each. $50 to Mag-10 fund.
c) Rich can watch the Celts on TV this month. $120 to Mag-10 fund.
d) The Poliquin purchase can wait. $30 to Mag-10 fund.
e) He will read the Globe online. $20 to Mag-10 fund.
f) Rich can carpool or take the bus or train to work two days per week, thus saving on gas and parking. $70 to Mag-10 fund.
g) Using the aforementioned six suggestions, he'll save on groceries and bottled water at work. $40 to Mag-10 fund.
There you have it: $360! It probably won't always be this clear-cut, but if you take it step-by-step, I guarantee that you'll free up a considerable amount of cash, even if you don't reach your objective completely.
So now you have a strategy for budgeting to be a bodybuilder. Sure, all this planning seems pretty, well, anal. But is it any more so than how we "analize" our training and nutrition lives? No way! Sure, preparing a budget might not seem as important as planning a diet or designing a training program because it seems peripheral, indirect. But I can assure you that rather than peripheral, it's actually the cornerstone of your lifestyle. Once you realize its utility, you'll notice that the other components of bodybuilding success are more easily managed.
Just think about everything you've done today and then consider whether it would have been possible without adequate cash flow. Instead of shortchanging your hard work in the gym and the kitchen by losing track of your money, draw up a budget and watch your financial worries diminish while your gains soar! |
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