The MuscleTalker - Issue 26 (June 2004)

Don't forget to get your MuscleTalk training T-shirt this summer!

*** Best Wishes from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***
See you at www.MuscleTalk.co.uk

*** Protein Requirements of a Bodybuilder ***
By Seungmena aka Big Les - MuscleTalk Moderator

Pretty regularly someone asks 'how much protein do I need to consume?' What ensues is pretty predictable - a range of recommendations ranging from the 0.4g per kg body weight right up to 1.5g per lb. There will more often than not be a few studies or articles backing up the various figures and no real consensus.

So why is this? The short answer is no one really knows for sure how much protein a bodybuilder needs. There have been no studies on strength athletes and weightlifters who, although similar, have very different training protocols and demands from their training. This leaves the field wide open for all sorts of speculation, and more importantly complete confusion.

The important thing to do then is try and clear the fog. Before arriving at a figure of how much protein a bodybuilder needs we need to consider what this protein is being used for. Firstly repair: the repair of every cell in the body - this is going to happen anyway; then there is the repair of muscles broken down during training. The most important two fates for protein for a bodybuilder are growth and the creation of an anabolic environment (which I suppose could be one big thing).

From this little list we can see there are some very variable variables, which doesn't really help us in our search for an answer. However, it introduces a very important consideration: insurance. The concept of insurance is a basic tenet of bodybuilding; you find it in every facet from supplementation, to diet, to training routines.

So how much do I recommend to cover all those bases? 1.5g per lb body weight (or 3g per kg body weight). With the qualification that over 15% bodyfat you calculate lean mass and use that figure for your calculation.

It is at this point a helpful soul points out the deleterious effects of excess protein associated with high intakes - really is not very helpful at all. Firstly look at the statement which talks about three things: A high intake - but in whose opinion, what determines what is high? And secondly excess - who says that 1.5g is going to create an excess given the uses to which a bodybuilder's body is going to put that protein? And the third, and by far the most important point, if your kidneys are going to be put under unacceptable strain by that protein intake you need to see a doctor right now - in fact you should be under medical supervision right now as you are far from a healthy individual. Bodybuilding in all its aspects assumes a certain level of health that this individual is nowhere near. This person needs to discuss with their doctor all aspects of training and diet.

So back to the 1.5g per lb: Why this figure? It is higher than the studies for strength athletes and a lot higher than general recommendations. Well remember all the destinations for protein plus insurance - that is how we get the figure. Plain and simple - and not a lot of science behind it!

However this is not the end and this is a baseline figure; there are circumstances when this can and should be changed. I f the individual is trying to add muscle mass in a serious bulking program then they can push up to 2g per lb if they are a natural to make the most of the anabolic environment they are creating. If this individual is drug enhanced, then the body's increased ability to process and utilise protein means that intakes of up to 3g per lb could be beneficial.

One final note - this protein intake has to be part of a structured nutrition program because at the end of the day excess calories will be turned into fat whatever they started off as.

*** How To Build Bigger Biceps In 3 Easy Steps ANYONE Can Follow! ***
By The "Muscle Nerd" Jeff Anderson - Author of Optimum Anabolics

Clint Eastwood wouldn't have been a very intimidating Dirty Harry if all he pulled out was a little .22 calibre pistol to make his point. He knew that to really make the bad guy's knees shake and the lady's legs quiver, a .44 Magnum was the weapon of choice! So when it comes to bicep development, why should you settle for second rate pea-shooters when you can pack some really big guns?

Let's face it, all men want big biceps. They're the easiest muscle to show off without getting undressed, women love to wrap their arms around them when walking down the street, and they're small! Whoa, hold up there … I didn't mean YOURS were small! I simply mean that compared with other muscles of the body, like your chest, back, and legs, your biceps are a relatively small muscle. That's good news for you and me because it means that it's much easier to target your biceps for growth than it is to take on larger, more complicated muscle groups.

So why aren't YOURS the size of softballs yet? One quick look around any local sweatbox and the answer becomes clear … most guys have absolutely no clue how to effectively work their arms! But these 3 EASY STEPS are guaranteed to make sure you don't end up on the 'loser list'.

**Step 1: dial the right 'frequency'
Because the biceps are a smaller muscle, and because they're used in compound exercises when working other muscle groups, your arms are more prone to overtraining than any other muscles of the body. I'm sure you understand by now that your muscles grow when they're at rest, rather than at work. So if you keep your biceps at work by targeting them more than once a week, you're setting yourself up for major disappointment! This is where the 'more is better' crowd will lose every time! Stick to only one targeted arms workout per week and you'll give them the much needed recovery time to pack on new muscle.

**Step 2: upgrade your ROM
No, I'm not talking about your computer; I'm referring to your muscle's range of motion. If you ever want to grow your bis to their full potential, you must concentrate on hitting all of the muscle fibers. The only way to do this is to take the muscle from full 'pronation' (arm extended, palm facing body) to full 'supination' (arm curled, pinkie turned in toward body). You're not impressing anyone, especially that cute red head over by the water cooler, by stacking up the EZ curl bar with massive weight and flopping your body all over the place like a hooked bass, your arms barely lowering the weight to full extension. You must start every single repetition with your arms fully extended. (I know this makes the exercise harder, now grab a tissue, wipe away the tears, and get back to work!). A little trick to help you accomplish this is to first briefly (like a split-second) flex your triceps before raising the weight each rep. Since the only way to do this is to fully extend your arm, you'll know you've begun each rep in the optimum starting position to stimulate new muscle growth.

**Step 3: recruit your 'main squeeze'
To get your biceps to become bigger, you first have to show them what it's like to be bigger. Here's how it's done: At the very top of your curl, when your bicep has peaked, squeeze the muscle hard for approximately 1-2 seconds. Your curl will make the muscle contract, effectively setting up a 'road block' in your bicep. That final squeeze you add will literally force blood, water, and lactic acid into the contracted muscle, causing an intense pump. In response, the muscle cells themselves begin to thicken, the capillaries within the muscle grow in number and size to hold more fluid, and stem cells split off to form new muscle fibers, already pre-programmed for growth.

**Summary:
Well, there you have it … but now comes the hard part, and no, I'm not talking about picking the weight up and starting your curls. The hard part will be forcing yourself to actually decrease the weight you currently use because, chances are, you've been padding your ego by working too heavy, while sacrificing the most effective ego-booster … BIGGER BICEPS! But trust me, the growth you'll get from incorporating these 3 principles will more than compensate for your initially bruised ego.

** HOW TO SHOOT MUSCLE-BUILDING HOMONE LEVELS THROUGH THE ROOF...NATURALLY! Yes, it's possible! Step-by-step instructions give you an unfair advantage over all the other "wanna-bes" in the gym. Get the scoop at Jeff Anderson's Optimum Anabolics:

*** June's Recipe - Mango Ice-cream ***
By Nikki - MuscleTalk Moderator

Taken from the new eBook Muscle Menus 2 (out soon!):

**Ingredients
450g tinned mango in juice or 2 mangoes and 50ml apple juice
1 mango
500g low fat natural yoghurt
2 tblsp sugar substitute

**Method
Place tinned mango and half of fresh mango in a blender with yoghurt and sugar substitute and blend well. Freeze for 2 hours. Remove from freezer, blend again and refreeze for another 3 hours. Serve with remaining fresh mango.

**Information
Many different fruits can be used instead of mango. Try strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach or even pineapple and coconut for a pina colada type flavour. Serves 4. Per serve: 179kcal, 7g protein, 35g carbs, 2g fat, 3g fibre.

More great bodybuilding recipes can be found in the 'Muscle Menus' and 'Muscle Menus Vegetarian' eBooks.

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