The MuscleTalker - Issue 18 (October 2003)

We have a few more surprises for you in October including more new mods, a new forum, more great articles and a new store! All these in addition to all the quality information you expect from the best bodybuilding and fitness board on the net.

If you have any ideas on how you feel we could improve the board, please email them to james@muscletalk.co.uk.

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*** Best wishes from James and The MuscleTalk team! ***

*** Caffeine and Bodybuilding - a taster! ***
By James Collier BSc (Hons) - MuscleTalk Moderator

This is a taster of a much larger article I am in the process of writing about caffeine and bodybuilding. This snippet has been written as there have been a number of topics asking for amounts of caffeine in beverages and there are ongoing discussions about he diuretic effects of caffeine. Caffeine has mixed reviews in sport, some love it some loathe it.

In summary an intake of caffeine below 300mg/day poses no public health hazard, and may even have some benefits to the sportsperson (Thomas 2003).

The average cup of instant coffee contains about 50-75mg per cup/mug, tea 40-70mg per cup/mug, cola 11-70 per 330ml can, stimulant drinks 30-80mg per 250ml and chocolate only 10-30 per average bar. So in practice we can safely enjoy 4-5 decent cups of tea or coffee per day with no adverse effects in any respect.

Caffeine is a diuretic but there is a threshold level below which it has zero effect on fluid balance. Infact it takes as much as 250mg caffeine in a single dose (Maughan & Griffin 2001) to have any diuretic effect and even 2 cups of tea or coffee in one go will have no effect. This means, that despite what you will have read on many websites and magazines tea and coffee are very useful for good hydration and there is no evidence to say that they are dehydrating.

Caffeine is well known as a stimulant if used correctly and can be used to fuel intense workouts. However I would not encourage tea or coffee before a workout as hot beverages leave the stomach more slowly and can make you feel bloated.

Look out for a much more concise article regarding caffeine, health and bodybuilding in the next few weeks.

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** Need a diet for growth to suit YOU?
- James Collier, Dietitian offers personalised nutrition programmes through email tailored to YOUR needs. For more information see:
www.muscletalk.co.uk/james.aspx or email james@muscletalk.co.uk

** Check out the Informed Bodybuilding Nutrition eBook by James Collier - the ULTIMATE nutrition bible for bodybuilding. For more information click here:

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*** Warming Up and Stretching ***
By Gymbabeliz - MuscleTalk Pro-Member

It's important to be aware of the difference between warming up and stretching. A warm up is movement designed to get the blood flowing to the muscles and prepare them and the joints for more strenuous activity. Stretching should be done after a workout, when the muscles are warm. It's an often overlooked part, but it is as important to bodybuilders as rest, nutrition and training.

So why should bodybuilders stretch? Among the functions of stretching are: to increase/maintain flexibility, to disperse lactic acid and to aid in growth and repair. After you have used weights your muscles are shortened (this is what makes them look bigger) and are full of lactic acid and other bi-products from exhaustive exercise. If the muscle is not stretched afterward, it will retain this decreased range of motion and the build up of lactic acid leads to soreness.

Strength workouts will often cause damage to the muscle's connective tissue, and as this heals the tissues may heal at a shorter length. . Anyone who has suffered from scar tissue in the muscles will know this can be painful and restrictive, limits muscle development, and is a pain (literally) to break down. Physiotherapists recommend stretching after a strength session to help to realign muscle fibres and prevent problematic scar tissue formation.

There are a number of theories and studies as to which type of stretching (isometric, static, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation - PNF) is the most efficient. But as a general rule, research suggests that static stretches should be held for at least 20 seconds, possibly up to 60 seconds, to gain a benefit. The stretches should also be performed regularly, ideally every day.

One more incentive to stretch: studies have shown that stretching can actually increase strength. In fact a recent report cites strength increases of 52% for a stretching group compared to 29% strength increase for a non-stretching group over an 8 week period.

Although not a problem for most people, it's possible for the muscles of a joint to become too flexible. According to SynerStretch: "There is a trade off between flexibility and stability. The looser you get, the less support offered to the joints by their adjacent muscles. Excessive flexibility can be just as much of a liability as not enough flexibility. Either one increases your risk of injury."

*** October's Recipe - Oat Protein Bars ***
By Levi - MuscleTalk Member

**Ingredients
100g oat bran
250g flavoured whey concentrate
40g coconut oil
6 egg whites
50g mixed nuts/seeds, broken up if necessary100g whole milk
25g spiriulina powder
50g (dry weight) chopped and rehydrated prunes or large mashed banana

**Method
Whisk coconut oil and eggs together until you can't see any oil lumps, then add other ingredients except nuts, whisk again until blended. Stir in nuts. Bake in 2 x 7'' cake tins for 13 mins at 160°C. Leave to cool in tins, cut into 8.

**Information
Serves 8. Per serving: 284kcal, 31g protein, 18g carbs, 13g fat. Suitable for freezing.

More great bodybuilding recipes by Nicole can also be found in the Muscle Menus ebook:

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