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.