Synthol demolishes muscle tissue

Synthol is no longer a novelty. Some bodybuilders have been injecting themselves for years with a mixture of 85 percent MCT oil, 7.5 percent lidocaine and 7.5 percent alcohol, targeting muscle groups they feel are not growing fast enough. Surgeons are now starting to notice the long-term effects of the Synthol rage: and they are not mild.

Synthol was concocted in the 1990s by the bodybuilding guru Chris Clarke. It's a 'site enhancement oil', consisting of fatty acids that accumulate in the muscle tissue where you inject the oil. As a result muscles grow at a fantastic rate. Bodybuilders like Greg Valentino developed an unnatural physique by using the substance and became world famous. Peter Hiesinger followed his example  and became ill.

Doctors have already written about the dangers of bodybuilders injecting themselves with oil, but more recently case studies have started to appear that describe the long-term effects on bodybuilders who injected themselves with Clarke's brainchild years ago. Injected fat, the study has shown, causes inflammations that decimate muscles over time.

This happened for example to the 29-year-old bodybuilder that the surgeon Suleiman Ghandourah of University Hospital Marburg. Four years ago he started injecting Synthol into his biceps, but recently these muscles started to play up. They hurt so much that the man had to stop training, and in the end he was constantly in extreme pain. The man's biceps [below left] not only looked strange, they felt strange too. It looked as though they had developed holes in them. When the doctors made an MRI scan of the man's right biceps which was in worse condition - they saw that the muscle was now made up of separate parts. There was oil between the muscle fibres [below left] and the remaining muscle tissue was inflamed.

The doctors decided to amputate the most seriously damaged part of the biceps, a piece measuring 11 x 5 x 5 cm. This helped. Six months later the bodybuilder asked the doctors to perform the same treatment on his other biceps.

The doctors operated on the man's arms. They discovered to their amazement that the man had almost no muscle tissue left in his arms. His arms were filled with pus and fat. The surgeons removed these, but when they did an MRI scan a year later they saw that hardly any muscle tissue had been restored. Three years after the operation the man was still suffering from pain and could no longer train at all.

The New Sit-Ups

Here's something you probably never thought you'd hear out of the mouth of a fitness pro: Stop doing sit-ups. But according to Jay Cardiello, celebrity strength and conditioning coach, not only do sit-ups and crunches isolate very few muscles in your abdomen, they also aggravate an existing problem for most Americans: the anterior tilt.

"Most people sit at a desk all day, staring at their computers or talking on the phone, which creates a hunched-over position or an anterior tilt in your body," Cardiello says. "So you're already crunching forward at work all day – why would you want to do that at the gym?"
To train your abs, do planks instead, says Cardiello. Planks and side planks work your abs, in addition to your posterior side – the underdeveloped, underutilized backside of your body that includes your back, butt, and hamstrings. "A full-body movement like a plank or side plank works more joints and activates more muscles than doing crunches, and they train your posterior and anterior at the same time," Cardiello concludes.

When doing planks and side planks, remember to keep your spine as straight as possible, without hunching your upper back, raising your hips, or letting your hips or knees drop. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds, or until you lose form, and repeat if you don't feel any strain or pain. When regular planks become easy, try doing them on an unstable surface, like a Swiss ball or even a bed, to create a sense of imbalance and force your body to recruit even more muscles.

5 Things We Can Learn From Arnold About Building Muscle

Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably the ultimate American success story.

In this article, we'll examine 5 mechanisms that perhaps contributed to Arnold's bodybuilding success.

1. Chase the Pump

Arnold was a big proponent of training for "the pump." The pump is a phenomenon whereby muscles become engorged with blood following resistance training. It's primarily achieved by performing multiple sets with moderate to high reps.

2. Keep Your Mind on Your Muscles -Arnold was astute when he claimed that resistance training was more than simply lifting a weight from point A to point B, stating that "the weights are just a means to an end; how well you contract the muscles is what training is all about."

3. Visualize Performance - Arnold frequently employed a technique called visualization (a.k.a. motor imagery) whereby he mentally pictured the way he wanted his muscles to look, and then imagined them taking this form while training.

4. Strike a Pose - Watch nearly any training video of Arnold from back in the day and you'll see images of him posing in front of the mirror. Arnold would pose between sets, pose after a workout, and pose on his off days.

5. Go Heavy - Arnold didn't believe that bodybuilders should train like powerlifters. Rather, he felt that bodybuilders needed to master many different techniques. One essential technique for physique mastery was, in his opinion, maximal strength training. Arnold stated that "the basis of bodybuilding is developing muscle mass by lifting heavy weights."

How to Become a Hardcore Squatter

It’s time to enter beast mode. To become a hardcore squatter you need to:

Building muscle isn’t magic. It’s hard work. And the cornerstone of hard work is a dedication to the fundamental mass building exercise, squats. So stop being a pussy, quit your whining, tell you friend who keeps saying “squats will ruin your knees” to bite it, and head to the gym.

You know that little movement you do in the squat rack with the bar on your back – the one where you load the bar and only sink down 3 inches – well I have news for you. That’s not a squat. That’s not even a 1/2 squat. That’s called a quarter squat, my friend, and the only thing this quarter squat will accomplish is helping you reach the grave a lot sooner.
If you want to be a man, go deep. Real men go deep. Deep squats build beastly quads, and raw brute strength.

The squat is NOT a standing leg press. You do NOT push yourself up from a squatting position with your legs. The squat is a hips, hamstrings, glutes, lower back, abs AND quads movement. But have no fear, your quads WILL grow.
Here’s how you squat. Sink deep into the hole, then raise your ass up to start the movement, and pull your hips forward to finish the squat.

The New Risks of Testosterone Therapy

A study of more than 8,700 men diagnosed with low testosterone found that those who received injections or other testosterone-boosting products were 30 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack, stroke, or death. Testosterone therapy can be a beneficial treatment, since low-T can cause a rise in plaque in the arteries, an increase in fat in the midsection, and higher blood sugar. "The danger comes when men who are not actually low on testosterone buy these supplements and obtain super high levels without a doctor monitoring them," says Dr. Larry Santora, medical director of the Dick Butkus Center for Cardiovascular Wellness in Orange County, California. "Men using these products need their levels monitored, as well as their blood pressure, blood sugar, and lipid levels."

3 steps to ensure maximum muscle growth

1. Lift more weight - Simple, right? Well, I don’t mean for you to just try and lift as much weight as you can every time you head into the gym. I mean that if you’re doing a program, keep track of exactly what you’re lifting every time you’re in the gym, and then try and best it the next time you’re working out doing the same exercise.t.

2. Sleep - This whole post I’ve talked about training, and different steps to take when you’re in the gym, but one of the most important factors in your eventual success actually happens in the bedroom – and no I don’t mean sex. Allowing your body the proper recovery is maybe even as important as the workout. It’s in rest and recovery that our bodies repair the muscle tissue that we’ve broken down during exercise – in effect, “building muscle”. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep each night.

3. Drink water – lots of it. - Our muscles are actually made up of 70-80% water, which means that if you’re going to get the most out of your muscles, you’re going to have to keep them hydrated. Not to mention the fact that a healthy supply of water boosts the metabolism, helping your body burn fat.

In 1997, a German study found that protein synthesis occurs at a higher rate in muscle cells when they are well hydrated, compared to dehydrated cells. So keep your muscles hydrated!

The consequences of synthol use

Synthol, which was developed in the early 1990s by the German bodybuilder Christopher T. Clark as a replacement for Esiclene which went out of production at the time. Synthol consists of 85 % medium-chain triglycerides, 7.5 % Lidocaine and 7.5 % Benzyl alcohol. It is a liquid substance, a mixture of oils, used by some bodybuilders to increase the apparent size of some muscles. The effects of Synthol are purely and solely cosmetic and there is no increase in muscular performance.

Synthol works by filling the muscle up with an oil substance. This substance abuse can really get out of proportion and end up hurting your health. It is site-injected, that is, it is injected directly into the muscle whose size is to be increased. Synthol is usually used to 'top up' a muscle that is not quite up to standard with the rest of the body.

Synthol demolishes muscle tissue

Synthol is no longer a novelty. Some bodybuilders have been injecting themselves for years with a mixture of 85 percent MCT oil, 7.5 percent lidocaine and 7.5 percent alcohol, targeting muscle groups they feel are not growing fast enough. Surgeons are now starting to notice the long-term effects of the Synthol rage: and they are not mild.

Synthol was concocted in the 1990s by the bodybuilding guru Chris Clarke. It’s a ‘site enhancement oil’, consisting of fatty acids that accumulate in the muscle tissue where you inject the oil. As a result muscles grow at a fantastic rate. Bodybuilders like Greg Valentino developed an unnatural physique by using the substance – and became world famous. Peter Hiesinger followed his example – and became ill.

Doctors have already written about the dangers of bodybuilders injecting themselves with oil, but more recently case studies have started to appear that describe the long-term effects on bodybuilders who injected themselves with Clarke’s brainchild years ago. Injected fat, the study has shown, causes inflammations that decimate muscles over time.

This happened for example to the 29-year-old bodybuilder that the surgeon Suleiman Ghandourah of University Hospital Marburg wrote about  Four years ago he started injecting Synthol into his biceps, but recently these muscles started to play up. They hurt so much that the man had to stop training, and in the end he was constantly in extreme pain.

The man’s biceps not only looked strange, they felt strange too. It looked as though they had developed holes in them. When the doctors made an MRI scan of the man’s right biceps – which was in worse condition – they saw that the muscle was now made up of separate parts. There was oil between the muscle fibres and the remaining muscle tissue was inflamed. The doctors decided to amputate the most seriously damaged part of the biceps, a piece measuring 11 x 5 x 5 cm. This helped. Six months later the bodybuilder asked the doctors to perform the same treatment on his other biceps.

Synthol: The New Vice of Bodybuilding

A new substance has found its way into the ranks of bodybuilding. It is not a growth hormone, nor an anabolic steroid, nor any other type of performance-enhancing drug. It is Synthol. The effects of Synthol have yet to be determined, but one thing is for sure - it is giving bodybuilders freakish, almost cartoon-like figures. Bodybuilders are looking less like current Mr. Olympia Champion Jay Cutler and former Mr. Olympia Champion Arnold Schwarzenegger, and more like Popeye and the Incredible Hulk. Where the previous standard for bicep size in bodybuilding may have been 18 to 22 inches in girth (flexed), now even novice bodybuilders are displaying biceps of immense proportions, measuring up to 27 inches and beyond - mostly through the use of Synthol. And it is not limited to arms; Synthol is being used to increase the size of calves, thighs, pecs, and wherever else bodybuilders may feel the need/pressure to enhance.

According to many bodybuilding websites, Synthol (also known as “Pump N’ Pose”) originated in the 1980’s from an Italian steroid called Esiclene, which was used as an inflammatory agent in bodybuilding to add temporary fullness to weak-looking body parts. In the 1990’s, a German researcher named Chris Clark built upon the idea of Esiclene and developed a substance called Synthol that could yield much longer-lasting effects on muscle size. Clark later changed the name of Synthol to “Pump N’ Pose” because the former name was already being registered and trademarked by a pharmaceutical company. Synthol is synthetic oil that is locally injected right into the muscle. It becomes encapsulated in the bundles of muscle fibers which adds extreme volume to the muscle -as much as one inch of girth per injection (if injected into the bicep).

The actual chemical make-up of Synthol is not certain, but it has been reported to consist of 85% medium-chain triglyceride oils (fatty acid), 7.5% lidocaine (pain killer), and 7.5% benzyl alcohol, of which 30% is quickly metabolized by the body and the remaining 70% remains encapsulated in the muscle fibers - breaking down very slowly over three to five years. Although it is touted as being safe, neither the short-term nor the long-term effects of Synthol have been adequately studied. It is believed that the accidental injection of Synthol into an artery and or vein could lead to heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke due to the substance forming blood clots or even, in and of itself, becoming lodged in major organs such as the heart, lungs, and brain, causing localized structural damage to tissue. Additionally, the substance could cause tumor-like abscesses that could quickly become infected, requiring extensive surgery that could lead to disfigurement or scarring, or even amputation. There are other risks associated with self-injection, such as nerve damage and possible transmission of HIV and other life-threatening diseases. However, Synthol is a legal substance (because it is sold as posing oil). It currently sells for anywhere from $100 to $500 per bottle depending upon the brand name and supplier.

There is no professional literature or applied research on the use and effects of Synthol on the human body. However, the potential for wide-spread misuse does exist, due to the number of people who are now enjoying the sport of bodybuilding and or body sculpting. That potential also exists with the masses looking for a new cosmetic agent that will prolong youth and beauty by reducing wrinkles and diminishing aging lines. Further research is needed, especially given the fact that Synthol might prove to be beneficial in cosmetically treating patients who suffer from deep tissue/muscle scarring due to disease and/or traumatic injury.

Nutrition During Cold-Weather Exercise

Athletes and exercisers who routinely use a sports drink while practicing or competing in the summer heat are much less likely to do so while enjoying winters sports activities such as snowboarding and snowshoeing. There is a tendency to assume that nutrition is not an important issue in cold-weather exercise. But in reality it is just as important. Failure to use a sports beverage carries the same risks in the cold as it does in the heat: dehydration, bonking, and even fatigue-related injury.

Three factors increase the likelihood of dehydration in the cold. First, cold air tends to be very dry, and in dry air more fluid is lost as vapor through breathing. Often you can see it when you exhale. Second, cold tends to suppress thirst, so even when a sports supplements are available, athletes are likely to drink less than they need when exercising in the winter. And third, the heavier clothing that is worn during cold-weather exercise has the same effect as hot air: it causes the body to sweat and thereby lose fluid.

As little as a 2% reduction in bodyweight through fluid loss results in impaired athletic performance. In one study, cross-country skiers experienced an average 3% reduction in bodyweight during a race.

As in hot-weather exercise, water is not sufficient for hydration. Along with water, electrolyte minerals (mainly sodium) are also lost in sweat. A good sports supplement contains electrolytes in the right balance to offset these losses.

Your Energy Needs

But hydration is just the first component of optimal sports nutrition. The second component is energy, which is essential for performance in all weather. Carbohydrate is the primary source of energy that powers the muscle during moderate- to high-intensity exercise in hot and cold conditions. Athletes become exhausted when they run out of a type of carbohydrate fuel called glycogen that is stored in their muscles. However, by consuming carbohydrate during exercise, they can get more of their energy straight from the bloodstream, in the form of glucose, and hold onto their precious glycogen supplies longer. This results in the ability to work at a higher level for a longer period of time.

In addition to the muscles, the central nervous system and the brain are largely dependent upon carbohydrate fuel for their energy needs. And athletes depend on a well-fueled brain for quick reflexes and decision-making. By consuming a carbohydrate drink during practices and games, athletes get more energy to their brain and are therefore less likely to make mistakes or get injured due to poor reaction time.

The Protein Factor

Most energy drinks contain no other useful ingredients besides water, electrolytes, and carbohydrate. But new research has shown that the addition of protein to a sports supplements carries additional benefits that apply equally to summer and winter exercise.

There first benefit of using a sports supplement with protein relates to the hormone insulin. The job of insulin is to transport glucose through the bloodstream and into the muscle cells, where it can be burned for energy. The pancreas releases insulin automatically when glucose and/or protein levels rise in the bloodstream.

Research has found that when a small amount of protein is consumed with carbohydrate, there is a stronger insulin response and glucose is delivered to the working muscles more quickly than when carbohydrate is taken alone. The result is greater muscle glycogen conservation and prolonged endurance. In other words, adding protein to a sports supplement is like adding a fuel injector to an automobile engine. A University of Texas study showed a special drink containing carbohydrate and protein increased endurance by 24 percent as compared to a conventional, carbohydrate-only drink and by 57 percent as compared to water.

Protein in a sports beverage also accelerates post-exercise muscle recovery. Proteins are the main structural ingredients of muscle cells. During hard play, many muscle proteins get damaged or broken down for energy, leaving the muscles sore and weakened. But when a little protein is consumed during exercise, fewer muscle proteins get broken down and afterward the muscles are able to rebuild proteins more quickly.

But be aware that too much protein will slow stomach emptying, delaying the deliver of nutrients to the muscles. The ideal ratio is 4 grams of carbohydrate to 1 gram of protein. This ratio provides the benefits of protein with no negative effect on stomach emptying.

Take It Along

For the maximum benefit, drink a few ounces of energy drink every 10 to 15 minutes during winter exercise. If the air temperature is below freezing, pour room-temperature beverage into an insulated container and carry it close to your body. You will feel the difference!

Bodybuilding Steroids

When it comes to bodybuilding and in particular bodybuilding steroids there are truly a host of options from which the individual has to choose. While most all anabolic steroids owe their allegiance to the steroidal hormone testosterone there are branches that stretch far past this simple naturally produced compound. For many the choices and options can at times be very overwhelming as there are literally hundreds of forms and within each form there are often several options. When looking for the best bodybuilding steroids the question is often what’s the best to choose and for most they will find the optimal rout to be keeping it simple.

For the majority of bodybuilders their steroid use will be broken up into two phases, bulking and cutting; simply meaning, certain steroids will be used during their off-season period when they are trying to grow new lean tissue and certain steroids during the actual dieting phase when they are trying to lean out and refine what they have built. In many cases some of the same steroids will be used for both purposes; we may aptly refer to these as versatile bodybuilding steroids. However, there are others that will really only have a place in one phase but in some cases they can play a secondary role in the opposite cycle; we will however focus in a more general sense.

Off-Season Bodybuilding Anabolic Steroids

Without question the best off-season bodybuilding anabolic steroids are that of a pure testosterone nature and for the majority of bodybuilders it will be the foundation of all their off-season cycles. Testosterone, a hormone of equal anabolic and androgenic power is perfect for growth and will pack size on like no other, assuming ones diet is filled with enough calories to meet the demand. Truly any form of testosterone will do but most will choose long ester based testosterones to meet this end such as Testosterone-Enanthate or Testosterone-Cypionate.

Beyond testosterone Nandrolone Decanoate (Deca-Durabolin) and oral tablets such as Anadrol and Dianabol are very popular off-season bodybuilding steroids. All three of these steroidal forms will pack size on the bodybuilder in rapid fashion and when conjoined with testosterone the synergetic effect is truly great.

Contest Prep Bodybuilding Steroids

As is with the off-season cycle the best bodybuilding steroids for one’s contest prep is undoubtedly again those of a testosterone nature; in-fact, if one were going to only supplement with one steroidal form this would be the one they’d want to use. While testosterone is perfect for initiating growth it is also the perfect hormone for preserving lean tissue which can be easily lost when dieting. Further, it will aid in the overall metabolic process, as well as keep the bodybuilder fuller with a more pleasing look. While many bodybuilders will choose to use long ester testosterone during this period, which is perfectly fine, many will choose short ester based forms such as Testosterone-Propionate to meet this end.

Beyond testosterone popular bodybuilding steroids for the contest period often include Stanozolol, Halotestin and Anavar. All three of these steroids, while all varying in power can aid in preserving lean tissue, improving hardness and vascularity and simply providing an high quality look the competitor is after.

True Versatility

While we’ve seen testosterone belongs to the class of truly versatile bodybuilding steroids, as it is highly important for most cycles of any purpose, it is not the only steroid that is used in both off-season and contest cycles with equal power. Without question the most versatile steroid of all for either purpose is that of Trenbolone; in-fact, many call it the perfect bodybuilding steroid. Not only is Trenbolone an amazing steroid in-terms of size and strength increases but it is one of the few steroids that directly promotes fat loss and further provides a level of hardening quite unmatched.

Beyond Trenbolone Equipoise is another very versatile steroid to meet all purposes but even the bulking steroid Deca-Durabolin and Anadrol can be used for either purpose; although the degree of versatility here is not quite as great and such use should only be performed by those with experience under their belt.

The rise of synthol

There are two types of drug abuse: the scary kind, and the really scary kind. Synthol users fall victim to the latter. A drug which is becoming increasingly popular with bodybuilders, synthol is a kind of injectable fat, used to “correct” lagging body parts, giving the impression of a larger muscle mass as it’s absorbed into the body.

It was first concocted by American bodybuilder guru Chris Clark in the 90s, when he was looking for a way to bulk up muscles that responded poorly to training, and it’s been destroying people’s bodies ever since. Clark ended up in hospital after inadvertently poisoning himself with one of the early stage mixes, but apparently that didn’t deter him and synthol is now about as easy to get hold of as cannabis.

On some forums the muscles built up with synthol are labelled “dirty muscle”, which is pretty apt. If the oils don’t absorb into the body the muscle tissue reject it, and the oil becomes encapsulated inside the skin, often in the form of painful cysts. If these aren’t treated in time the muscle tissue is broken apart and immobility becomes a very real threat. Koert tells me that in the worst cases, “there are so many cysts in the muscle that physicians cannot remove them all. They have to amputate part of the muscle.” These guys are having their arms hacked off because there’s nothing left in them but fats and puss.

The thing is, synthol is “the lazy man’s drug” because unlike anabolics, which only work in tandem to a rigorous program of training and diet, synthol just makes muscles appear bigger by bulking them up. Koert is passionate about the difference: “Steroids give you more contracting, real muscle tissue. Synthol muscles are just meat, filled with oil. If you visit bodybuilding boards, you will only find hostility towards synthol users.”

That might be true, but there are some fanatics out there. In the depths of one forum a user posts “The thing about S is it’s unnoticeable, so you can even everything out, perfect symmetry scores big points at pro level,” whilst another comments, “Synt freaks are the best kind, using for a year and no side effects so far!” Good for you, mentalist.

But there’s a far more disturbing issue here than whether or not pumping your arms up is ethically viable or not. Dr Harrison Pope, who was featured in the 2012 documentary The Truth About Steroids, thinks a disease he calls “bigorexia” is sweeping the community. He believes many bodybuilders suffer from muscle dismorphia, and are truly unable to gage how big they are. As a result they resort to increasingly desperate measures to get bigger.

This sounds not too different from the ten of thousands of anorexics, bulimics and body dismorphics out there, fucking up their bodies because lasting damage seems a small price to pay for physical perfection. Perhaps the worst thing about synthol isn’t its ethics, or its side effects, but what it suggests about the standards we set for ourselves.

We live in a society where our beauty ideals increasingly seem to lie outside of what the human body is actual capable of achieving. Until we start celebrating women and men of all different shapes and sizes, drugs like synthol will continue to wreak havoc on not only our muscles, but our minds.

4 Ways to Get Freaking Huge

Time To Get Swole
Man, do I have some magical, mystical, muscle building advice for you today. But I know – you’re extremely skeptical. You’re waiting for the bullcrap; to be let down by some cool sounding training system with overly complicated mumbo jumbo, and exercises that suck.
Sorry, no fail for you today.

I don’t hand out fail. I’m not pushing an agenda. You want to get big fast, then do the following.

1 – Stay with a Simple Routine
Listen, you have been searching for the ultimate routine for years. In fact, you spend more time reading about routines then performing routines. And each week you switch routines. I’ve found it, this week I’m making the change to blah, blah, blah and will grow!
Fail!
Enough with this foolishness. I’m about to carpet bomb your fantasies, so you have been warned. Brace yourself. Here goes…it doesn’t matter what routine you use. Yes, you heard me right. Doggcrapp, Max Stim, Dogg Stim, Max Crapp…whatever. Just pick something and stick with it. And make sure the routine isn’t complicated. You don’t need complicated.
A simple routine focuses on progression of weight using basic heavy compound lifts including:

• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Bench Press
• A form of the Overhead Press
• E. T. C.

If you find that your routine has you doing giant sets, drop sets, or focusing on the dreaded mind-muscle connection, run like the wind. And worse yet, if it contains too many isolation movements…well…FAIL. You don’t need training techniques or isolation movements, you need to:

2 – Lift Heavy Ass Weights

Lift heavy ass weight. Heavy ass weight makes muscles grow. Heavy ass weight can be in any rep range, because it is heavy ass weight and is kicking your balls seven ways to Sunday.
What rep range should I use? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!
What should my rep speed be? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!
Should I do cable crossovers before or after flyes, and should incline bench be performed with a 22 degree angle, or a 24 degree angle? FAIL! It doesn’t matter – Lift heavy ass weights!
What split is the most effective for mass? FAIL! FAIL! FAIL!
GO LIFT HEAVY ASS WEIGHTS!
But I don’t want to lift heavy! So and so says that squats are bad for your knees, and my mom is afraid and wants me to take up knitting.
Both so and so, and your mom (no offense to moms) can barely lift a roll of toilet paper to wipe their own asses. If you want to look like your mom, listen to the training advice of your mom. If you want to pack on muscle, lift heavy ass weight!
The end!

3 – Stop Bitching and Get Your Ass to the Gym!

I’m tired.
My toe hurts.
My right nut seems small today, maybe I shouldn’t train.
Want to know how to fail? I mean epic fail? Continue to make excuses, and avoid going to the gym. Want to know how to succeed? Gird up your balls, shut the hell up, and get your ass to the gym, 52 weeks a year. The end.
This isn’t complicated.
Of course your left nut hurts! You’re lifting weights. Lifting heavy ass weights will hurt from time to time. Pain is part of the equation. We aren’t collecting bottle caps here, Charles.

4 – Forget Your Damned Abs and Eat!

I want a six pack!
Bud, if you think you can pack on muscle and carve out a six pack in the same month, you need to lay off the crack pipe.
This just in…if you want muscle, you need to eat big. If you want to be a 220 mass monster, but only weigh 120, you need to start eating like you weigh 220 pounds.
How long should I bulk before I cut? FAIL! Eat until people at the gym start asking you where you get your steroids from. Then, and only then can you start cutting.
Should my bulk be dirty or clean? FAIL! Grab a shovel and get to gettin’.
Whole milk has fat! Almonds have fat! I can’t eat fat! FAIL! Listen, drinking whole milk and lifting heavy ass weights equals muscle mass.

Final Thoughts

• Lift heavy ass weight using heavy ass compound lifts.
• Eat big.
• Never miss a workout.
• Stick with a basic routine.

Follow these 4 rules for two years and you will dramatically change your body. The end.

Synthol - How Big is Big Enough!

This compound is a perfect example of the extremes that some bodybuilders will go to be the "biggest". Not content to have 20 or 22-inch arms, bodybuilders found a way to push the limits up to the 27-inch barrier. Yes you read correctly there are freaks walking around now sporting thigh-sized arms from their shoulders!

Synthol has its origins in the 1980's when a drug called Esiclene was all the rage. For those who missed the 1980's, Esiclene, was not used to build muscle mass like traditional steroids but instead was used as a quick fix to bring up weak bodyparts before a contest. The drug acted primarily by causing a localized swelling. Bodybuilders found it very useful in bringing up such small muscles as the calves, rear shoulders, and arms. The only drawbacks were that Esiclene was very painful to use and very short-lived.

In the mid 1990's a researcher took the next logical step and invented an oil-based compound that could be injected directly into the muscle.
The initial name he chose was Synthol, but he later learned that this was already registered and trademarked by a pharmaceutical company. So he renamed his product Pump N' Pose, but as with steroid trade names the first name stuck. It has now reached the point that Synthol is as well known as such bodybuilding compounds as creatine, Dianabol, and whey protein.

Chemically the drug is composed of 85% medium-chain triglyceride oils (a fatty acid), 7.5% lidocaine (painkiller), and benzyl alcohol. The oil is injected straight into the muscle where it becomes trapped between the muscle fibers. With each injection, a larger volume of oil builds up, and the muscle swells up just like a balloon. It is estimated that about 30% of what is injected is broken down by the body while the remaining 70% breaks down slowly over three to five years. Users report incredible muscle pumps during training, but this could be a result of the extra pressure generated by the trapped oil.

Is it safe?

Although some bodybuilders consider Pump & Pose relatively safe to use, there are numerous health issues to consider. Injecting any amount of fatty-acid material intramuscularly can be dangerous. This is compounded by the fact that most bodybuilders have any medical training. It's very easy to hit a major nerve and if you do hit one by accident you can easily cause permanent paralysis of muscle fibers in that area.

The repeated injections cause other problems. As bodybuilders have discovered from long-term steroid use, sticking a needle into the same are results in the build up of painful scar tissue that may require surgery to remove. And it gets worse. Should you inject into a vein or artery by mistake the fatty acids could be carried to the lungs and cause a pulmonary embolism. They may also reach the heart and induce a heart attack. They might even make it to the brain and lead to stroke. As you might guess all three cases are potentially fatal. Oh and did we mention that if you strike a larger artery such as the femoral artery you could bleed to death in minutes!

Training for Muscularity

When someone has the goal of becoming more muscular, they have to methodically plan out their nutrition, and of course, their training. Knowing what genetic body type you are will make this goal somewhat easier, since as structures vary, so will the ideal style of training, frequency, duration of each session and type of program to use.
To build a muscular body you have to set both short term and long term goals. Short term you have to construct a program that will help to increase strength and muscle mass over different phases. This is better known as periodization. Long term you will have to change your training based on adaptation. As soon as your muscles become too accustomed to particular program, it is best advised to alter an aspect of your training to prevent stagnation and plateaus.
Periodization is a type of training that allows an individual to overload the muscles while making .periodic changes each week to prevent adaptation. The premise behind it is that an individual must continue to challenge themselves at great enough intensity to induce anatomical and physiological adaptation. If this is not the purpose of the program, then it is considered to be “maintenance”. To develop complete muscularity, 3 stages must be used to prepare the individual for lifting greater weight. A simple, but extremely effective periodization program is usually 12 weeks in length, and focuses on squats, deadlifts and bench press since they use the majority of muscles in the body. Lifting heavy weights with low reps will not cause a person to become to big, cumbersome, or inflexible. Bulk and size is dependant on diet, cardiovascular training and neglect of periods of moderate repetitions. That’s why the following program can develop a lean, muscular physique if that is your goal.

Period 1 (4 Weeks): This period focuses on strengthening connective tissue surrounding the muscles to prevent future injury. It also helps with coordination and nervous system changes that allow for better muscular contractions and strength. Period 1 usually consists of 3-5 sets of 10 repetitions for each of about 4 exercises.
An example would be Day 1: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Exercises: Bench press, Military Press, Flat DB flyes, Cable pushdowns Reps: 10-12
Frequency: 2 times per week
Day 2: Back, Biceps, Abs, Calves
Day 3: Legs
Period 2 (4 Weeks): This period involves greater intensity (weight) with slightly less volume (reps). Much of the same reasons of period1 are involved in period 2, except here the objective is to break the staleness after 4 weeks, and the plateaus that usually occur by this point. The second period is when people are usually surprised by their own strength. Period 2 usually consists of 4 exercises, 3-5 sets, and 6-8 repetitions with slightly less more rest between sets. Here is an example:
Day 1: Legs
Exercises: Squat, Leg Press, Leg Extension, Leg Curls Reps: 5-8
Frequency: 2 times per week
Period 3 (4 Weeks): During period 3 individuals are entering a period of great intensity with even less volume. Connective tissues and coordination would have reached their peak, and strength should continue to improve. The largest goal of this period is to provide a new and greater stimulus to the muscle and break down more potential plateaus. The major exercises continue to be the compound movements, reps are in the 4-6 range, sets are also 4-6 of 4 different exercises:
Day 1: Back
Exercises: Deadlift, Lat Puldowns, Seated Rows, Bent-over Barbell Rows.
After 2-3 cycles of periodization, 4-5 days per week, 1-2 bodyparts per day programs are suggested for 8-10 weeks.

Effects of Rest Between Sets

Rest between sets can and will vary depending on your objective and the type of muscle fibers in your body. You’ve probably been told to take 60 second rest periods between sets maybe a bit more and as you get more advanced, you take less rest towards 30 seconds to make the workout more intense. While it can be that easy for a particular workout routine, your rest intervals really depend on several factors such as:

• weight being used
• goal of the training plan (strength, hypertrophy, endurance)
• type of strength being sough after
• explosiveness of the exercises

Taking a mere 30 seconds of rest between sets for weightlifting would be mistake and lend itself to sub-optimal training results. Taking 3 minutes rest between sets for something like TRX exercises (not rounds) is sub-optimal as well.  Tossing a random number at your clients is great for the general population but when it comes to YOUR training, you need to know what the rest between exercises should be to obtain maximum results and replenish glycogen.

Ideal Rest Between Sets

The rest between sets has a primary goal to generate enough ATP (adenosine triphosphase) to get most of your strength back to complete the next set properly. In about 30 seconds of rest, 70% of ATP has been restored.  You won’t get near complete ATP regeneration until about 3 to 5 minutes of rest between exercises (useful for maximum lift attempts).  After about 2 minutes, you can get 84% of your ATP stores returned and 4 minute rest intervals can get your closer to 89%.  Somewhere about 8 minutes you’ll get complete restoration.

High Volume Training vs. Maximum Lifts vs. Muscular Endurance

Taking this into account, you should see that if you are doing high volume training utilizing alternating sets (or supersets), less than 60 seconds probably isn’t enough rest between sets to allow enough restoration to do another set with an adequate training load. If you are doing force and power generating type lifts, 85% of your 1 rep maximum, 2 to 5 minutes is better suited for regeneration. Resting longer while doing heavy lifts, you can lose approximately 12% to 44% of that force and power generating capacity! This still doesn’t mean you can’t lift heavy with minimal rest but it does mean you may not be at peak capacity.
For example, even with only 60 to 90 seconds of rest between sets, you could do single reps of 85% of your maximum lift with a mere 60-90 seconds of rest between reps. It’s an extended set for sure and just below what’s optimal for such a lift but the intensity will be much harder because of a shorter rest period and you might feel pumped. This is an advanced technique but it shows that rest between reps is a personal variable like anything else.
All this means if that if your goal is heavy lifting, somewhere in the range of 2 to 5 minute rest between sets are optimal. That doesn’t mean you have to wait that long, but don’t be shocked when you start to feel too fatigued and weak to do the workout properly.
Short rest between sets across many sets and reps are not optimal if you are trying to maximize muscular strength and power development. Meaning, if you are doing high volume training, you’ll want at least 60 seconds to 2 minutes so you can continue to lift moderate amounts of weight.
However, if it’s muscular endurance you are after, it is almost common sense that shorter rest between sets would be advantageous in this training situation. In fact, some adaptations can occur with shorter rest intervals and high volume training such as:

• increases in blood flow
• buffer capacity
• mitochondrial density

You know that annoying lactic acid build-up that stops you short of doing those last few reps? The burn is so bad you have to quit before it’s over? High volume, short rest between sets may increase that buffer and allow you to move moderate weight over longer periods of time. It’s why going from a regular training program to a high volume program can be a really painful experience if your buffer capacity is very low.
That being said, if you do any type of high volume training (many sets, 10+ reps per set) I’d suggest 60 second rest between sets at a minimum to generate enough ATP to perform your sets at optimal levels. Anything less and you might start off fatigued (heart rate, waste products not flushed, low strength output) to really give it your best effort.

How Rest Between Sets Effect Hormone Response to Exercise

If you haven’t heard, shorter rest between sets might improve hormonal responses that are thought to be responsible for greater stimulus for hypertrophy. Specifically, weight training programs that utilize shorter rest intervals, with higher repetitions (10+) with 55%-75% weight loads, greater growth hormone is released!
However, high levels of growth hormone have been shown to be released in weight training programs that use longer rest between sets (2 to 5 minutes), compound exercises with moderate to high intensity and lower repetitions. Translation, lift heavy with sub maximal intensity and plenty of rest periods between sets.
What you don’t see is short rest between sets utilizing isolation movements or high repetitions with low training loads. To be even more blunt, how much growth hormone is released and how that directly translates into actual muscle growth is not known.
Shorter rest between sets as you can see don’t lead to complete recovery and generally decrease the amount of workload you can do (weight lifted; volume load). If you believe that muscular hypertrophy is the resulted of weight lifted (tonnage) then shorter rest between sets for strength training may not be optimal.
It really comes down to your ability to recover that determines your rest between sets when targeting muscular hypertrophy. If you can recover well enough to lift moderate weight loads for higher reps, then 30 seconds may be all you need. If you are not that advanced, you may need longer rest periods between sets to move the same amount of weight.
The difference is really the training objective of the entire program down to the objective of the actual workout training session. On a heavy training day, longer rest between sets for strength training of 2-5 minutes are best. If you are lifting less weight but higher repetitions, you can opt for short rest intervals IF indeed you can recover.

Predetermined Heart Rate

Instead of using fixed time rest periods between sets depending on the training load and objective, you can use a predetermined heart rate. One method is to set a heart rate rate of 120 to 130 beats per minute as a cutoff for the next set (muscular endurance). A second method is to set the recovery period as however long it takes to get your heart rate back to 65% of maximum.
The first of these methods is better suited to help determine rest periods for cardio interval training. The second method can be used for weight training. After your set, watch your heart rate, when it gets back to 65% of your maximum, initiate the next set. As you get more advanced, your heart rate should decrease faster, and your rest between exercises grow shorter.

The Bottom Line

If your goal is to use heavy weight (85% of maximum and higher), you’ll require longer rest periods between exercise sets in the range of 2 minutes to 5 minutes. If you are using moderate weight (55% to 85%), your rest intervals between sets can be shorter from 30 seconds to 90 seconds.

Taking Creatine Can Help with Your Rest Between Sets Variables:

Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force … – The participant completed 40 eccentric-only repetitions (4 sets × 10 with 3 minutes rest between sets) of each exercise in this manner. All participants were verbally encouraged during each set to maintain the required lowering speed.
Bring your stopwatch to the gym and test different rest time intervals.  The primary objective of the rest between sets is to recover the strength required to complete the next set properly.

4 Easy Tips To Pack On Muscle

What is the best method to pack on muscle mass? Begin by working out 2-4 days per week. Try to keep repetition range to about 4-12, and rest time between sets should be approximately 2-3 minutes. The best way to build lean muscle mass while burning fat is to perform cardio, either before or after a workout. It is best to do cardio first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, although it may be inconvenient.

The steps outlined below are easy, and they will help you pack on quality muscle fast.

1. Eat more often. As a bodybuilder, you require more grub than the average Joe. So think five, six or even seven small meals per day. It might sound like lots of calories, but that is precisely what you could do with at the moment. Don't go crazy eating everything and anything in sight. You'll just gain a bunch of soft, useless fat instead of muscle if you eat too much junk food.

A good rule of thumb is if man made it, then don't eat it. If that isn't enough information for you, then check with a qualified nutritionist, or do free research online. Make sure any professional you pay is properly credentialed. If you do the research yourself, don't believe what you find if that site is clearly more interested in your cash than in your physical condition.

Here are some tips that you should find useful:
• Take multivitamins daily
• Never go hungry – eat every 2½ to 3 hours
• Make an effort to eat two meals prior to working out – training on an empty stomach is not a good idea as it can cause side effects such as dizziness and does not lead to as much fat loss as eating breakfast and a mid-morning meal before working out does.
• Always eat breakfast – or else you will bring your metabolism down which will lead to you storing more body fat.
• Become familiar with Glycemic Index of foods.
• Add 3-5 grams of cinnamon to meals as it helps process insulin better, and add lemon juice or vinegar to foods to reduce their Glycemic Index.
• Eat fewer carbohydrates overall and more protein and fat.
• Eat as much raw fruit and vegetables as possible. Be careful not to overcook vegetables, as you will kill vital enzymes that are needed for digestion and lower their nutritional value by destroying vitamins and minerals.
• Eat fresh fruits, but no more than 1-3 portions a day, as excessive fructose turns to body fat if not burned off. Avoid tropical fruits, as they are high on the Glycemic Index.
• Include sources of protein with all meals as it helps with digestion and increases metabolic rate to keep body fat levels low. Rotate protein sources, as you will become allergic if you use the same sources all the time.
• Take fish oils with every meal. This can result in 3-6 pounds of weight loss in a month, as they increase the utilization of fat stores and decrease fat storage.

2. Supplement with the big three: Glutamine, Creatine and BCAA. Glutamine is known as the immunity amino. Creatine is linked with added power and the capacity to create more adenisone triphosphate (ATP) – the chemical energy resource for training and growth. Branched chain amino acids act as a useful energy source when glycogen stores are low.

Another very important supplement is water: at least one gallon or 0.6 to 0.7 ounces per pound of bodyweight per day while training. To make sure you drink enough water, every day fill a one-gallon milk jug and put it in the fridge. Pour yourself some whenever you want water, and at the end of the day, if the milk jug is empty you'll know you have hydrated yourself throughout the day.

3. Work out hard. Intensity is the element that creates muscle. Use a weight that you can really lift to pump out some good, clean reps with strict form. Get your spotter to assist you with some additional reps. Have your spotter spot you until he/she gets tired, if you can get used to the "Pain of the Growth Zone." The intensity of this type of training is tremendous!

Want to get huge? You will have to use high intensity techniques built into your weight lifting routine. In order to generate quality muscle growth you need to damage the muscle to a certain extent for it to respond, repair and grow. You definitely won't build large muscles by using light weights and high repetitions. Lift hard and heavy. Only very heavy weights damage the muscle adequately for growth.

4. Rest. A muscle will not need to be worked more than once a week if done well and intensely. You may actually get fewer results if you train a muscle group directly more than once a week. Muscles need rest and recovery time in order to grow and get stronger. They will not get the required rest if you are training them all the time.

When a muscle cell is stressed intensely it causes damage to its internal elements, protein filaments shatter and glycogen storage chains break down rapidly. When the stress stops the cell has the time to recuperate, replace and fix the cell back to the pre-stressed state. After this recovery the cell will overcompensate for its stress by adding more elements to its structures, more protein filaments, glycogen stores and increased enzymes for energy production.

In addition to packing on muscle, strength training strengthens and conditions the musculoskeletal system, improving muscle tone and endurance. These improvements have a great influence on our physical performance, metabolic efficiency, physical appearance and risk of injury. Research shows that unless we strength train often, we will lose more than one half-pound of muscle every year of our lives after age 25.

Broad Shoulders - How To Get Them

When it comes to upper body workouts, most of the trainees are mainly concerned with chest and how much they can bench press. But if you are after a better physical appearance, broad shoulders should be your priority. Broad shoulders make you look more fit and powerful, and are a characteristic that many men want, but few have. Besides when you put a shirt on, no one can how big your chest is but they certainly spot massive shoulders. Also  broad shoulder will make you more athletic an thinner. The higher your "shoulders to waist" ratio the fitter you will look. Sadly, only a small percent of people really know how the shoulders are built, how they function and how to train them properly.

The shoulders have three heads:

Lateral shoulder head - this is the part that is responsible for moving the arms sideways and the one that contributes the most to shoulder width. Two-time Mr. Olympia Larry Scott is a prefect example of how you can build broad shoulders with proper training and determination.

Anterior shoulder head - although the lateral head is the one that makes your shoulders look wider, it almost always stays underworked.That honor has the anterior head.It is the most worked (and probably even overworked) shoulder head.This happens from all the bench pressing, shoulder pressing and dips.

But probably the most underworked head is the posterior shoulder head.This head is extremely important in developing that "broad shoulders" look and depth in the shoulder region, because without it the shoulder will appear flat from the side.

So if you want to build wider shoulders you should mainly concentrate on the lateral an posterior head.There are three exercises that will develop these two shoulder heads and help you build broad shoulders.

1. Hang clean and press 3 x 6-8 reps
2. Side laterals 3 x 10 reps
3. Rear delt raise 3 x 10 reps

Remember, no one can see your chest and biceps with your clothes on, but everyone can see how athletic you are if you own a set of wide shoulders.

Combining Cardio With Resistance Exercise: Muscle Growth Killer?

You just finished a grueling session of working out and now it’s time to do some cardio. Wait… combining cardio with resistance exercise may hinder muscle growth, according to a new study.

Researchers reported that if you are trying to gain muscle mass, combining resistance exercise and cardio in the same session may disrupt genes for anabolism. It has been shown that repeated high-intensity, short-duration contraction promotes muscle hypertrophy and strength gains, whereas prolonged, low-intensity contractile activity is associated with increased mitochondrial density and enhanced resistance to fatigue (an aerobic muscle fiber type). Previous research observed only modest hypertrophy with endurance training, combined with resistance exercise in skeletal muscle of subjects.

Type of Exercise Influences Gene Expression

Researchers from Australia, in a study published in Medicine and Sports Science and Exercise, examined genes from well-trained endurance athletes and resistance-trained athletes to determine if a particular type of exercise turns ‘on’ different genes. Twenty healthy males volunteered for this investigation. Seven were endurance-trained cyclists who had been training for eight years (cycling 250-600 kilometers per week). These subjects had no history of strength/resistance training. Six subjects were strength-trained (ST) powerlifters who had been strength/resistance training exclusively for nine years (three to four sessions per week).
As might be expected, genes chronically altered in endurance subjects are predominantly involved in energy metabolism and mitochondrial function, membrane transport, and blood vessel growth, whereas those upregulated by prolonged strength training are involved in processes that regulate protein synthesis and transcription and translation. The research group reported for the first time that a great number of genes that regulate these processes are chronically elevated, specific to this type of training.
Strength-trained individuals, on the other hand, are characterized by muscle hypertrophy/protein synthesis, which is reflected in the novel genes and the gene clusters upregulated. These data support the notion that regular strength training chronically alters skeletal muscle gene expression to promote protein synthesis and hypertrophy, thus maintaining the phenotype for improved muscle force production. In contrast, the endurance training phenotype has a strong association with aspects related to mitochondrial biogenesis, improved oxygen supply, and energy metabolism. The novel genes and the gene clusters highlight the chronic upregulation of genes specific to the characteristic phenotype for efficient energy provision from metabolism during rhythmic, continuous muscle contractions in endurance exercise.
In summary, there is evidence that basal gene expression patterns in human skeletal muscle are altered after chronic (greater than eight years) endurance and strength training. In particular, training-specific differences exist in groups of genes that are involved in adaptive processes that are important in response to different types of training. On the basis of this perspective, it is probable that chronic training subtly regulates numerous genes from important functional groups in human skeletal muscle, possibly through modulation of processes that control mRNA degradation, as a long-term adaptive mechanism to cope with repeated training stimuli.

 What Happens If You Combine Aerobic and Resistance Exercise In the Same Session?

If doing certain exercises turns on specific genes, then combining exercises may result in a ‘mixed’ signal in muscle. Therefore, the possibility exists that the cumulative, adaptive effect with consecutive resistance and endurance exercise bouts results in an ‘interference effect’ with concurrent training. This means that cardiovascular training turns on genes for an aerobic fiber type (increased type I fibers, increased mitochondria), while resistance exercise turns on a resistance training gene phenotype in muscle (increased type IIAB muscle fibers, increased anaerobic threshold, etc.). By combining the two, you have a ‘mixed’ gene expression being translated in muscle.

Researchers from Australia took trained men and assigned them to either one of two conditions. One experimental trial consisted of a bout of resistance exercise followed by a bout of endurance exercise (cycling), while in the other trial, subjects performed the reverse exercise order (i.e., endurance, then resistance exercise).

• Following a standardized warm-up (2 x 5 repetitions at 50 percent and 60 percent of 1RM, respectively), subjects performed 8 sets of 5 repetitions at ~80 percent of 1RM. Each set was separated by a 3-minute recovery, during which the subject remained seated on the leg extension machine.

• Subjects performed 30 minutes of continuous cycling at a power output that elicited ~70 percent of individual VO2 peak.

Muscle biopsies were taken before, 15 minutes after, and 3 hours after exercise.

Combining Cardio and Resistance Exercise Disrupts Genes for Anabolism

Basically, it’s a ‘no win’ situation no matter which way you look at it. Combining cardio and resistance exercise disrupted genes for muscle anabolism. For example, here is what the researchers found when genes were analyzed.

• Cardio Before Resistance Exercise: A novel finding was that an endurance bout undertaken prior to resistance exercise suppressed IGF-1 Ea (a gene splice of IGF-1) mRNA (~42 percent) and also induced small declines in mechano growth factor (~27 percent). The findings represent the collective effect of diverse contraction modes, and it is tempting to speculate that endurance exercise immediately preceding resistance exercise attenuates anabolic response.

• Resistance Exercise, Then Cardio: Cardio performed after resistance exercise increased genes for muscle tissue breakdown. Muscle breakdown genes were elevated (atrogin, 21 percent and MuRF mRNA, 53 percent) when cycling was performed subsequent to resistance exercise. Previous studies showed that following a single bout of endurance exercise, atrogin and MuRF mRNA (genes for muscle tissue breakdown) were elevated. Thus, the results indicate that endurance activity after resistance training may have the capacity to exacerbate genes for catabolism and subsequent protein degradation. Consequently, when resistance exercise is undertaken after endurance exercise, upregulation of ubiquitin ligase expression may be suppressed. Moreover, PGC-1-alpha mRNA— a gene that turns ‘on’ an aerobic phenotype— was elevated when cycling preceded resistance exercise.

The results indicate that endurance activity prior to resistance exercise may diminish anabolic response, while endurance activity after resistance exercise may exacerbate inflammation and protein degradation. AMPK has been termed a metabolic ‘master controller’ activated by exercise and changes in glycogen content in skeletal muscle. AMPK activation was not different 15 minutes after each successive exercise bout. However, AMPK above resting baseline was higher 3 hours after cycling was done after resistance exercise, indicating metabolic stress may have been exacerbated when endurance exercise was performed subsequent to resistance exercise.

The results provide support for the contention that (acute) combination of cardio and resistance exercise training back-to-back does not promote optimal activation of anabolic pathways.4 Thus, undertaking both resistance exercise/cardio together in close proximity influences the acute molecular profile and likely exacerbates acute ‘interference’ of key anabolic-signaling pathways.

One of the things I was highly critical of in this paper was that after exercise, the subjects did not eat for 3 hours— a huge flaw in the study. I contacted Dr. Hawley and he said that this was a preliminary study, and researchers have samples where the subjects consumed a post-exercise protein/carbohydrate shake to see if there was a different effect on the genes in muscle. The study is set to be released in a few months.

If you going to do cardio, it may be better— for an optimal anabolic effect— to do it earlier or later in the day, as opposed to doing it before or after resistance exercise.

Bodybuilding and Sex

Bodybuilding, like many forms of vigorous exercise, is an aphrodisiac. Certainly, the lean, shapely, muscular look of the bodybuilder's body is a psychological turn-on. But there is more to it than that. At the physiological level, scientists have found that vigorous exercise stimulates the production of the hormone responsible for the sex drive in both men and women - testosterone.

Research has found that the testosterone level in both sexes, athletes and nonathletes, is greatest following a vigorous workout. The explanation is that testosterone is important in muscular activity. The hormone stimulates the after-exercise replacement of muscle glycogen, the fuel muscles use to energize the action of hard training.

When you are bodybuilding at an optimum level of exertion, you are likely to have the most testosterone at your disposal for both exercise and sex. Circulation plays a role. Testosterone is produced by the sex glands, but if the blood flow to those areas is insufficient due to lack of exercise and poor physical condition, the cutback in production of the hormone is sure to be reflected in decreased sex drive.

Not all male impotence is physical. Psychological factors also can be the reason for potency disturbances. If there's anything men fear more than heart disease, it's impotence. It is a common problem that can be as the inability maintain an erection.

Inhibited sexual desire is the same as decline in sexual response. By middle age most men have lost some of the physical excitement of sex. Normally, in erotic situations, men don't lose their desire even though erections are harder to come by. However, there are many factors that may inhibit sexual desire in both men and women. In a University of Pittsburgh survey, 35% of women and 16% of men reported inhibited sexual desire, despite the fact that most of them were happily married.

Men are particularly apprehensive when it comes to sex. Customarily the man makes the first move. Even if he's good, he worries. Will his erection hold up? Is it big enough? Is he satisfying his partner? Can he make her climax? Is he better than her last lover? His manhood is always on the line.

Impotence has physical causes more than half the time. The most common causes are diabetes, which may decrease blood flow, hardening of the arteries, back or pelvic surgery, hormonal imbalances, high blood pressure, and drug (including alcohol) abuse. In fact, one of the first symptoms of diabetes is impotence. Obviously, a healthy lifestyle of exercise and proper nutrition remains the best preventative.

The psychological factors disturbing potency, once thought to be 90% of sexual problems, are now considered to be less than half. Inhibited sexual desire may result from marital problems, a deteriorating relationship, depression, stress, major life changes and the sexual revolution.

Inhibited sexual desire can best be described as a low rate of sexual activity and lack of sexual interest (thoughts, fantasies, etc.).

Routine sex can be boring after a period of time and result in loss of appetite for sex.

If both partners are career oriented, their work problems may disrupt their sex life.

Lack of sex interest can often be one of the first signs of depression. Factors such as retirement, career changes, moving to a new home or remarriage may also lead to temporary loss of desire.

On-the-job problems may cause sexual desire to deteriorate.

New female freedom in the sexual revolution has created pressures that have caused some males to retreat from sex. When demand for sex from his partner exceeds his own interest, a man may lose interest entirely.

Vasectomy, though not affecting male potency physiologically, may have a psychologically inhibiting effect.

Impotence is often temporary, but a man may experience performance anxiety from a failure that chain-reacts into subsequent failures. He may even avoid sexual encounters as a result.

It is not easy to overcome these anxieties or dysfunctions on your own. Many such problems can be diagnosed and treated successfully by professionals. Hormonal imbalances can be remedied, and psychological problems resolved. The urologist can look for physical problems in the genitourinary tract. Small testicles could indicate a low testosterone level. Blood tests provide the urologist with a hormone profile. Existing organic factors can thus be treated medically low hormone levels can be boosted by injections. Drugs to improve erections can be prescribed to counter the inadequate nerve transmission due to diabetes. Pill such as Viagra can also be prescribed to help create and keep an erection.

Men will slay dragons and reach for the moon, but when it comes to sex, they are as fragile as cut glass. Take the case of 'Vito."

Vito was the envy of his male friends. He taught bodybuilding full time, exclusively to women, one on one, sometimes at the gym, sometimes in their homes. He was handsome, tall, well-built, single and Italian — a winning combination to his clientele of beautiful actresses, stunt women, models, jetsetters, writers and business executives. He opened up a whole new world to them with bodybuilding. For 50 bucks an hour, he gave them hope, along with the attentiveness and kindness so often absent in their lives. They showered him with gifts and invitations to dinners and drinks that regularly lead to another kind of one on one.

Vito loved women, but it got to the point where he would almost rather kick back alone in his pad and watch the Raiders or Celtics on TV, or even read a book. Yet, he couldn't resist their overtures.

It happened one Monday night following an awards show to which he had escorted his gorgeous actress client "Sheila." It was his first time with her outside the gym. He had just been on a weekend boat party and tried to make up for it with a three-hour workout that morning. He was pooped, and he thought wistfully of his own empty bed. So when sexy Sheila closed in on him, he could not arise to the occasion. Nothing worked. He couldn't believe this was Vito.

The same thing happened shortly thereafter on a date with another of his clients. And then another. Amidst these failures, his self-image began to wilt.

Vito went to a specialist for a physical, sure something must be wrong with him, but he checked out A one. "It's all in your mind," the doctor told him. "Relax. Take your time. Remember, you can't will a sexual response. It's more likely to happen when you're rested, in a positive mood. Chances are, you're simply burned out from too much."

Vito stuck strictly to business for a couple of months. Then he met "Audrey," a secretary who had only recently started weight training at a health club. They had several dates that went no further than a good-night kiss. He found pleasure in the growing affection that comes with being close. He made time in his busy work schedule to be with her, and to work out with her. With this new mutual involvement in training, their intimacy grew. They shared their strengths and limitations, which opened the way for mutual compassion and support. Vito became more at ease. Then one quiet evening together at her place, while watching Monday night football, they were both delighted to discover some off-field action. Vito was too overwhelmed with love and joy of his own score to hear the outcome of the game.

Often lack of sexual desire comes from poor communication with the other person. The two people think that sex comes naturally, that they don't have to talk about it. Most middle-aged people today grew up not talking about it at all.

You can start now to tell each other what gives you pleasure in sex. Talk about what you don't like. Keep the conversation warm and affectionate.

Try bodybuilding together. Medical experts say that exercise releases natural tranquilizers that erase depression and anxiety and promote better mental health.

Bodybuilding improves your physiology and enhances the body's structure. It makes you look a lot better. It promotes a positive body image that sparks the confidence that can fire romantic relationships. The sensuality in physical improvement heightens your own self-esteem, which makes you feel sexier and look sexier to your partner. It gives a new sense of self and an emotional awareness that can translate into sexual desire. Done together with your companion, bodybuilding is a sharing of intimate time from which sexual relationships can develop.

When you are fit, sexual issues are less a problem. Some authorities believe the physical connection between two people training together may be biochemical. The scent of sweat can even be a turn-on.

Training together gives time together, valuable for cementing relationships. Good physical condition is an invitation to love. Impotence gets lost in the fun and passion of your healthy lifestyle.

BUY STEROIDS

Buying steroids is not an easy task because steroids without a prescription are illegal. With the Internet, however, the task of buying steroids is easier even if it is risky.

The first issue with buying steroids is that they are illegal to purchase in the United States if you don't have a prescription. Even buying steroids from a country where they are legal and having them shipped to a location in the United States is against the law. Some people have even resorted to going to Mexico, buying steroids and smuggling them back to the United States. Again, this is illegal.

Anyone who participates in buying steroids is setting themselves up for legal repercussions including possible jail time.

The next issue with buying steroids is that since it's an illegal process, the steroids are not regulated so it's questionable as to the quality of these steroids. People have inadvertently found themselves buying steroids that are diluted or underdosed (which skews the results) as well as contaminated (which can cause serious illness and even death). Other people have found themselves buying samples of steroids that have not gone through the testing needed to approve them for human consumption.

The final warning for people buying steroids is that they are setting themselves up for fraud, especially if they try buy steroids online. Many people and website who advertise steroids for sale are scams. It's difficult for people buying steroids to weed out the scamming sources to find "legitimate" sellers. Furthermore, people who have found good sources for buying steroids are often reluctant to share their sources for fear of their source getting busted.

Many people will tell you that the only safe way of buy steroids is with a valid prescription and from a reputable pharmacy.

Is Synthol good or not?

Synthol is another site enhancing oil. In case, you do not know. It is not a anabolic steroid. You inject this oil directly in your muscles. Before discussing it any more, you have to understand that this oil does not help you in gaining strength of your muscles. Its effect is that it makes the muscle that you are using to develop look bigger and better. In other words, it just work on the appearance of your muscle without effecting its strength or your ability to train that muscle for better performance.

How does it work? There is a covering, which surrounds the muscles in human body. This cover compresses the muscles from all sides. It means that naturally it inhibits the growth of the muscle. You can use synthol, in order to remove or reduce this inhibition. There is a famous myth that synthol stays in your system up to 5 years. If true, using synthol could be very dangerous for your health. As it does contain some substances that can harm your anatomy, if you expose your body to it for a longer period of time. Recent research has shown that it is not true.

It works by slowly dissolving into your body and becoming part of your metabolism. It can take up to several months to completely flush out of your body and as with any other site enhancement oil, you have to be careful, but you can use it if you are careful. Anyway continuing the above discussion, when you inject it directly into your muscle it stretches the protective covering surrounding your muscles. It means that muscles that the protective covering was surrounding from all sides by this cover. Suddenly have more room to grow. It allows for almost an instant increase in the size of that particular muscle.

 It is why, you have to inject synthol directly into your muscles that you want to grow. Most body builders do that in order to grow their muscles. Especially, the ones that they feel are not growing up as fast or as well as the rest of their body. Like everything else in life it has a downside also. First, you have to avoid both the scar tissues and lump formation at all costs. Scar tissues make it harder to inject synthol into your muscles directly. You have to know that taking these injections is a painful process, at least to begin with.

 Regular users say it becomes easier as you take more shots and eventually, you become immune to pain, but you have to know that it is a very painful in the beginning. Also to get the best results, you should give a good thorough and even rub down to the muscle in which you are injecting synthol, right after the injection. Otherwise lumps will form and they will not only be painful, rather they will be counterproductive to your goals of rapid growth. If the lumps do form, stop taking synthol and continue to rub that place cyclically, until that lump dissolves. After that lump dissolves, you can restart the intake of synthol.

And after all this - PLEASE DO NOT OVERDOSE WITH THIS!!!!

Balding and Steroid

Anabolic steroids are a common class of steroid hormones that can influence a person’s physical and sexual development.  

Besides its ability to boosts physical performance, this type of steroids can also be a main contributing factor to genetic hair loss in both women and men so if you are a regular user of this class of drugs, it’s best for you to know what you are dealing with.

Steroids actually represent a large group of chemical substances derived from naturally occurring or synthetic fat-soluble compounds. Many types of body’s hormones, reactive compounds and other constituents like cholesterol are steroids.

Women and men contain sex hormones of both sexes. For men, the dominant sex hormones are androgens mainly consisting of testosterone, Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and others. Estrogens and progestagens are the female sex hormones that are highly abundant in women. All of these steroid hormones play a crucial role in your sexual development and proper structural growth.

Steroidal drugs are compounds manufactured and synthesized from these natural hormones in order to influence or stimulate a reaction from your body. 

The main classes of these steroids are:

• Sex steroids - This type of steroids usually includes androgens, estrogens and progestagens that are usually prescribed for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and to treat hormone related conditions.
• Anabolic Steroids - The most well known among the 3, this class of steroids are responsible for stimulating muscle development and other male related characteristics.
• Corticosteroids - Mainly used medically, this class of steroids is used to mimic the activity of cortisone. Cortisone is produced naturally in the body to regulate inflammation, control auto-immune disorders and many other types of diseases. Many types of auto-immune related hair loss like Scarring Alopecia and Alopecia Areata utilize this treatment.

The real term for this class of steroids is Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS) because of its androgenic properties. Anabolic, which means ‘to build’ in Greek is represented by the steroid’s ability to help improve protein synthesis and cuts recovery time. Androgens on the other hand are a group of male sex hormones that control the development of masculinity and male sexual characteristic.

As most anabolic steroids are derived from androgens like testosterone and DHT, you are likely to face side effects from high levels of androgens in your body like

• Acne, oily face and scalp
• Low sperm count
• Deepening of the voice
• Liver damage
• Impaired sperm production
• Aggression (Roid Rage)
• Cardiovascular disease

Many other health conditions are also reported from unsupervised use of steroids so you have to be very careful.

First things first, not everyone that uses anabolic steroids will face hair loss. It seems that only people who are genetically predisposed to Male Pattern Baldness will notice an increased level of hair loss. If you are not genetically predestined to lose your hair, you are likely safe from this ordeal.

The cause of accelerated pattern baldness is due to the increased of the male hormones DHT and Testosterone in your body. Your body’s enzyme converts testosterone into DihydroTestosterone (DHT) a highly potent form of testosterone. In some males, a large portion of the hair in the front and top are very sensitive to this hormone and once the hormones bind with androgen receptors at the hair follicles, it causes the follicles to cease growing and eventually die.

Women are not spared too, high levels of testosterone in their bodies will also trigger diffuse thinning all over the scalp because most of the women’s hair follicles are much more sensitive to the male hormone. The situation can be much worse if they are using potent anabolic steroids with harsher androgenic effects.