As the number of posting members on MT continues to rise and rise, and The MuscleTalker appears in more and more inboxes. As so many of you are enjoying it, why don't some of you contribute? Each month we need a nutrition and a training related article, a recipe and a DVD or book review. If you feel you have a few paragraphs you'd like to share with your fellow members please email it to
james@muscletalk.co.uk and each article or review we use will receive a free
MT T Shirt. And don't forget you can view
past editions of The MuscleTalker here.
New articles in March were:
Nomenclature of Vitamins where I have listed all forms and names of each vitamin - a useful reference guide!
In the article So you think you're a hard gainer? Big Les reflects on the use of the term 'Hardgainer' in bodybuilding.
Colin Anderson took a trip to the 2006 Arnold Classic in Columbus and reports on the strongman events there.
And there's an interview with pics with the fabulous Fitness star Liz Kinsella
Other articles, reports and interviews can be found HERE
MuscleTalk is supporting FAME UK again this year - for details of this fitness event see here
HiPaCC :: The Dietary Revolution (www.hipacc.org) - is a new weight loss and healthy eating regimen co-authored by James Collier. You can read more about it at www.muscletalk.co.uk/fb.asp?m=1003187
Welshdragon continues to excel in the MT Powerlifting Competition, with his massive total of 1925lbs/875kg - he's way ahead of the rest!
*** All the best from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk
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Have you got your MuscleTalk T-Shirt yet?
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*** Think Fat ***
By Tony Barns of Savant Health - www.savant-health.com
For many years, the general public has listened to the Government, and eaten less fat. You see, fat is calorie dense, at about 9kcals/g. It's the most energy dense nutrient you body can use, so eating fat, with all it's calories is a bad thing and makes you fat. Right? Wrong! Fat is an essential part to everyone's diet, and trying to eat less has helped turn us into a nation of fatties.
One of fat's main roles in the body is structural, each and every cell of your body is wrapped in a double layer of fat (the lipid bi-layer); your nerves are wrapped in fat to make signals pass down them efficiently; some of your organs have a protective layer of fat; and so on. Fats also have key roles in some signalling pathways, and also provide a large amount of slow burning energy.
There are three predominant types of naturally occurring fats: polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and saturated. They are all involved in the bi-layer construction, and the amounts of each affect many aspects of cellular health due to their different shapes and sizes. Saturated fats are straight, monounsaturated fats have a kink in them, and polyunsaturated fats range from kinked to almost spiral. The fatty chains interact in the bi-layer where a certain fluidity is desired; if the cell membrane is too rigid it hampers transport molecules that are embedded in it. If the only fat you had in your diet was saturated fat, then all the chains would be straight and pack together tightly, and the cell membrane would become more rigid as there would be little room for movement. Whilst your body can work towards sorting this itself by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the membranes (cholesterol stiffens the cell membranes), it's important to make sure you get the right fats in your diet. This is why a diet rich in polys and monos will lower blood cholesterol (it's pulled from the blood into the membranes), and a diet rich in saturates (not all!) can increase blood cholesterol (as it gets released from the membranes into the blood). Unrefined flaxseed oil and oil blends are good for providing undamaged polyunsaturates for this purpose.
The more unsaturated a fat is, the more double bonded carbon it has in it. Every carbon that neighbours a double bond is then open for attack from light. As a photon of light hits the carbon, it excites an electron, giving it more energy, which in turn creates a free radical that can then go on to cause the fatty acid it is on to change, or it can go off and damage other fatty acids. Each time a free radical is created, it will cause molecular destruction all around it, making a myriad of unnatural fatty acids that the body will have great difficulty processing/using correctly, to the point where they will interfere with the processing and utilisation of the undamaged fats, as enzymes get taken up. This cascade comes to an end either when the electron pairs up with its original host, another damaged fat, or is 'put out' by an antioxidant. As the damage is saturation-dependant damage, saturated fats are least affected, then monos, then polys, then HUFAs (highly unsaturated fatty acids such as EPA & DHA).
This problem only started affecting us when food manufacturers started to process food. Prior to food processing, fat in food was always kept in the dark so to speak, and would always make it into our body undamaged. Oxidative damage causes fats to go rancid, creating peroxides, with an unmistakably bitter, unpleasant taste. The removal of this taste is called deodorisation in refined oils, which in turn imparts a higher likelihood of creating trans fats, and other dimerised fat products. These fats then also tie up enzyme space as your body tries to process them. Once again, this is saturation-dependant. Both oxidative damage and light induced free radical damage are sped up with heat.
If there is one type of fat you should avoid, it's trans fat. Usually man-made by passing oils over a catalyst at high temperature, trans fats have a long list of negative effects on the body. They interfere with many different enzymes and pathways, in particular the conversion pathway of the essential fatty acids (EFAs). They are found mainly in processed vegetable spreads; anywhere that lists hydrogenated / partially hydrogenated oil / fat as a constituent will doubtless contain trans fats. These fats are found elsewhere though, with the fast food industry often getting a bad rap. If you bear in mind that these fats basically do nothing but bad things, it's clear that they should be avoided. Controversial for many readers, CLA is a natural trans fat that is often used for its weight loss preparations. T he unfortunate truth about CLA is that it gets in the way just the same as other trans fats, and, while some degree of fat loss has been shown in humans, there are other, more far reaching health effects that should not be overlooked.
In a nutshell, natural fat should be most people's friend; it's used as an extensive, slow burning source of energy, it's important for membrane fluidity and it has many signalling / pathway roles (including inflammation, hormone like signals, hormone production, direct gene interaction).
As a rule of thumb, the less refined a fat is, the better it is for you. This means butter is better than margarine, unrefined seed oils (flax / blends) are better than normal cooking oils (which are pretty nasty through and through), saturated fats from a steak aren't going to kill you on the spot, and the short chain saturated fats in coconut oil are actually used easily and efficiently by the body.
Tony can be contacted through the MuscleTalk forums or at www.savant-health.com
** James Collier BSc (Hons), Registered Nutritionist offers personalised nutrition programmes through email tailored to YOUR needs. For more information see:
www.muscletalk.co.uk/james.asp or email james@muscletalk.co.uk
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** Informed Bodybuilding Nutrition eBook by James Collier - the ULTIMATE nutrition bible for bodybuilding. For more information click here:
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*** The Quick Way to Establish Maximum Heart Rate ***
By Steve Blades aka ToxicToffee MuscleTalk Moderator
In the pursuit of stripping off fat to achieve the cut look or simply to increase fitness and boost health, we often incorporate cardio into our training regimes. Many people aim for time, distance or target zones for their session structure. Heart rate is often used to measure effort with the 65% of max heart rate (MHR) theory for fat burning often being employed to ensure muscle mass is saved whilst fat is burned. There is a debate as to whether this is the most effective level to train at which is not the focus of the article. This is simply a quick guide on ways of establishing your MHR and the percentages afterwards. The focus is also on the issue of the one size fits all 220 minus your age equation not being the most effective measure of MHR.
Most recommendations suggest 220 minus your age to find the max heart rate. Often for women 227 minus age will give the approximate MHR.
So a 40 year old man's theoretical maximum will be established by 220 - 40 = 180 BPM (beats per minute).
This test has flaws and is often out by over 10% yielding results between 10 and 20 beats either side. Therefore other methods can be employed to ensure you know your actual MHR as opposed to your theoretical MHR. Let's look at establishing actual MHR over theoretical. One example can be done on a stationary bike with a Heart rate monitor (HRM):
- Warm up for 10 minutes
- Followed by 10 minutes of very hard effort
- When entering the last minute crank up the intensity and finish with a sprint for the final 20-30 seconds
This will yield a figure very close to your MHR. It would be advisable to add 2-5 beats as the MHR is rarely reached after such tests. This method is often not advisable for unfit trainers for whom the emphasis should be placed on simply building fitness before needing to know exact heart rates.
Another method would be interval training, which can be performed on any piece of cardio equipment:
- 5 minute warm up
- 20 second sprint
- 1 minute 40 seconds recovery
- Repeat the 20 seconds
- Again, 1 minute 40 seconds recovery
After the 3rd or 4th interval the trainer will be close to the MHR. This again will be better than the 220 minus age theory as many athletes, with continued training do not drop one BPM each year they get older.
When carrying out these tests try and create a warm environment, as studies show MHR is ore likely to be reached when the temperature is slightly warmer1 although for the recreational trainer an appreciation is all that is needed. When MHR is established you can employ methods such as the Karvonen technique to set zones, if you wish or the method outline by Stannard and Thompson2. At the end of the day, though heart rate training is merely a guide but one must have an appreciation that not everyone fits into the 220 minus your age bracket.
References
1 Sink et al (1989). Fat energy use and plasma lipid changes associated with exercise intensity and temperature. Euro J App Physiol 58:508-513
2 Stannard & Thompson (1998). Heart rate monitors: Coaches' friend of foe? Sports Coach 21:36-37
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Muscle Building Nutrition by Will Brink - Get the FACTS on exactly how, what & when to eat to achieve maximum lean muscle gains with minimum bodyfat in record time, & discover precisely which bodybuilding supplements you need!
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*** Recipe - Recipe - Breakfast Tacos ***
Recipe by Nicole Bremner - MuscleTalk Moderator. Taken from her eBook Muscle Menus
** Ingredients
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 cup tomato salsa
400g quorn sausages, chopped
1 cup onion, finely chopped
1 pepper, finely chopped
15 egg whites, beaten
Freshly ground pepper
4 wholemeal tortillas
170g low fat grated cheese
** Method
Combine sausage, onion and peppers in a non stick pan and fry to 10 minutes until cooked. Remove and set aside.
Pour the eggs in the pan, season with pepper and lightly stir.
Place a ¼ of sausage mixture and ¼ of egg on each tortilla. Roll and top with cheese. Grill for 10 minutes until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Top with mashed avocado and salsa to serve.
** Information
Serves 4. Per serve: 466kcal, 43g protein, 42g carbs, 17.5g fat, 12g fibre.
More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in the eBooks 'Muscle Menus', 'Muscle Menus 2', 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' and Muscle Menus Shakes, Bars and Smoothies eBooks:
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** IMPROVE YOUR GRIP with 'Grippers - Getting the most from your gripper'. The informative ebook from grip champion Steve Gardener tells you how to use your gripper more effectively to improve your performance in your sport:
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*** DVD Review - Jay Cutler: One step Closer ***
Review by Big Les MuscleTalk Moderator
Two disks and over 5 hours long, this is far more than a training DVD, this is an in depth look at the life of Jay in the run up to the 2005 Mr Olympia. The first workout, back, is on the 19th September 2005, the final arm workout is 7th November, in every one Jay is in awesome condition, big, hard and shredded.
This DVD opens to the usual montage of footage, the music is the same that opens Dorian Yates' Blood and Guts and this is no mere coincidence. In the gym this is a new Jay Cutler, free weights, his heaviest poundages and raw intensity characterise the training segments. Jay is a man on a mission, the music signals that mission statement. Don't be alarmed, Jay hasn't copied Dorian in his training and there is still enough volume to hospitalise mere mortals, but unlike before Jay is pushing himself with much lower reps and higher weights. He isn't Ronnie Coleman, but he is a big strong man. All the while Jay is in fabulous condition, from his rock hard flat abs to huge arms and Platz like legs. This DVD brings home just how good Jay Cutler is for sure, but it also drives home just how good you need to be to beat him.
Away from training we get to see Jay do his thing, from walking the dogs Trace and Scraps, radio promotion for the Mr Olympia on Las Vegas radio to preparing his meals for the day and posting out sales at the post office as well as a photo session and party. Finally we go backstage at the Mr Olympia to see Jay in the pressure cooker of competition.
For me this is a great DVD, which held my interest solidly and will have me going back for more dipping into each segment for inspiration and motivation. However, I am a die hard bodybuilding fan, and am quietly a fan of Jay Cutler because of his work ethic and dedication to being the best he can be. However, not everyone is like me, so how does this DVD stack up? For a Jay Cutler fan it's an obvious must have, and for die hard fans it's one to get for sure. However for the more casual bodybuilder and fan it still has a great deal to offer. You are unlikely to sit down and watch this DVD from start to finish in one sitting so it is thoughtfully divided up. So you can be motivated either by to train and train hard by the gym segments, or stick to your guns by the lifestyle elements. It is also informative; Jay talks about what he does and why he does it. Indeed what makes Jay's videos such good value is the amount Jay gives of himself in terms of information about what he does and why, as well as revealing insights into what makes him tick.
So, in conclusion; this DVD gets 5 stars and a big thumbs up from me on all fronts. It has the right mix to appeal to bodybuilders and bodybuilding fans of all types from die hard to casual interest. In fact, it's so good that I would say that it's one of only two DVDs I would recommend to all bodybuilders however casual their interest. The other is the 2005 Battle for the Olympia. The battle series shows how the pros really train in terms of weights, intensity and form near to the biggest contest of the year. One step closer shows us what it takes for one man to be the second best in the world at what he does; the workouts, the diet and the dedication of his whole life.
Thanks to Dave Bourlet of Max Muscle Venice for making this review possible.
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The articles in The MuscleTalker are for information purposes only and are the sole expressions of the individual authors opinion and are those not necessarily shared by the owners of www.MuscleTalk.co.uk