ВСАА. СПРАВОЧНИК СПОРТСМЕНА

Комплекс, состоящий из 3 незаменимых аминокислот с разветвленной боковой цепью (АКРЦ) – валин, лейцин и изолейцин, более известные в англоязычной аббревиатуре «ВСАА».

ПРЕДПОЛАГАЕМОЕ ДЕЙСТВИЕ
─ Предупреждает утомление
─ Повышает аэробную выносливость
NB! В обзоре о наращивании мышечной массы в предполагаемом действии вообще речи не было!

ТЕОРИЯ
Одна одна из теорий утомления нервной системы говорит, что увеличение серотонина способствует утомлению и ухудшению выносливости. Усиление синтеза серотонина происходит при повышенном поступлении предшественника серотонина – триптофана. Обычно триптофан связан с альбумином сыворотки, а не связанный триптофан переходит из крови в мозг. ВСАА конкурируют с триптофаном при переходе в мозг, и следовательно должны уменьшать образование в мозге серотонина из триптофана, из-за нехватки триптофана.
Но во время физической нагрузки уровни ВСАА в сыворотке крови падают, а связанный триптофан вытесняется жирными кислотами и переходит в свободный. Значит, количество триптофана, способного перейти в мозг увеличивается. Поэтому усиливается синтез серотонина, и потому увеличивается утомление.
Теоретически добавка ВСАА будет конкурировать со свободным триптофаном, и уменьшать утомление.

РЕЗУЛЬТАТЫ ДОКАЗАТЕЛЬНЫХ ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ
Изучалось действие ВСАА в сравнении с плацебо и в сравнении с углеводными напитками с глюкозой. В результате исследований Madsen и соавторов, Davis и соавторов было установлено следующее. Разницы между плацебо и приемом ВСАА нет. А вот между углеводным напитком и плацебо есть, при приеме углеводного напитка (но не ВСАА) уровень свободного триптофана понижался, а утомление наступало на час позже!

ПРАКТИЧЕСКИЕ СОВЕТЫ.

─ Теоретически применение ВСАА вроде бы и обосновано, но практически нет достаточных результатов доказательных исследований, которые бы говорили, что это, безусловно, помогает. Поэтому подумайте, прежде чем тратить немалые деньги.
─ Поскольку для конкуренции ВСАА со свободным триптофаном нужна высокая концентрация ВСАА, это может привести к повышению аммиака в сыворотке, а это токсичное вещество.
─ Высокая концентрация ВСАА в кишечнике замедляет всасывание воды, и может привести к расстройству.
─ Некоторые аминокислоты, входящие в ВСАА конкурируют между собой за переносчик.
─ Аминокислоты, входящие в ВСАА можно без проблем получить из обычных белковых продуктов.

Статья составлена на основе информации из монографии Питание спортсменов, авторы главы: Роб Скиннер, Элен Колеман, Кристина Розенблюм

Как измерить процент жира в организме

Определение линейкой
Метод с использованием обычной линейки, или штангенциркуля, или специального прибора — калипера, который по сути и является линейкой для измерения толщины кожной складки.
Методика простая: встать прямо, найти точку в 10 см справа от пупка на его же высоте, защепить пальцами кожу и жир на этом месте и измерить толщину получившейся складки калипером (линейкой, штангенциркулем).
Полученную цифру в миллиметрах и возраст необходимо сопоставить с этой таблицей, показывающей уровень жира.
1 картинка - мужчины
2 картинка - женщины

КОМБИНАЦИЯ БАДОВ

Нет ничего важнее, чем заправить организм топливом перед тренировкой

КОМБИНАЦИЯ БАДОВ

БАДы можно комбинировать в любом количестве, что, скорее всего, только лишь улучшит ваши результаты. В большинстве случаев чем больше БАДов в вашей комбинации — тем лучше, особенно если речь идет о белках, аминокислотах и других важных ингредиентах. Специально для этой программы мы подобрали ингредиенты, способные стимулировать мышечный рост, предотвращать излишнее повреждение мышечной ткани и ускорять темпы восстановления. Хотя стимулирующие препараты весьма популярны среди большого числа культуристов, они, говоря по правде, почти не улучшают общее качество мышечной ткани, поэтому мы не рекомендуем вам принимать стимуляторы перед тренировкой.

Разумеется, у каждого из вас есть свои любимые БАДы или компоненты, без которых вы не можете обойтись, и мы не против этого. Если они вам нравятся, принимайте их и не слушайте никого, кто попытается вас отговорить. Хотя я и знаком с результатами научных исследований и имею четкое понимание физиологических взаимодействий, мне, как и вам, тоже нравятся некоторые ингредиенты, не обладающие звездной репутацией препаратов, доказавших свою эффективность в процессе научных исследований.

Помните о том, что, согласно данным ученых, примерно 30% людей вообще никак не реагируют на препараты, доказавшие свою эффективность в процессе научных исследований. Почему бы не заключить, что обратное тоже верно? Мы так и считаем — ученые просто боятся верить в непредсказуемое. Здесь наши мнения расходятся: принимайте любые БАДы, если считаете, что их прием поможет вам достичь ваших целей!

ПРЕДТРЕНИРОВОЧНАЯ КОМБИНАЦИЯ БАДОВ

Перед тем как отправиться на тренировку, не забывайте заправить ваше тело топливом, необходимым ему для мышечного роста. Большинство тренирующихся забывают это сделать, отдавая предпочтение стимуляторам. И хотя стимуляторы действительно могут повысить эффективность тренировки, они не могут дать вам то, что нужно. Стимуляторы не помогают мышцам расти. По этой
причине мы предлагаем принимать несколько конкретных ингредиентов, питающих мышечный рост. Если же вам покажется, что вам необходим стимулирующий заряд, примите дозу любимого стимулятора!
Принимайте следующую комбинацию ингредиентов: креатин (до 5 г), аминокислоты с разветвленными цепями (как минимум 5 г, из которых 3 г — лейцин), инозитол аргинина, (1 г), малат цитруллина или L-цитруллин (как минимум 3 г).

ПОСТТРЕНИРОВОЧНАЯ КОМБИНАЦИЯ БАДОВ

Мышцы растут наиболее интенсивно во время тренировки и сразу же после нее. В это же время происходит наиболее интенсивное расщепление белков. Именно поэтому сразу после тренировки следует пополнить запас белков в организме. Помимо прочего, поскольку в процессе интенсивной тренировки ваши мышцы теряют влагу и целый ряд питательных веществ, необходимо помочь им восстановиться до нормального состояния. По этим причинам мы предлагаем следующую комбинацию БАДов для приема после занятий.
Принимайте комбинацию: креатин (до 5 г), аминокислоты с разветвленными цепями (как минимум 5 г, из которых 3 г — лейцин), комбинацию глютамина и аланина (5 г), и белок (20–30 г).

УТРЕННЯЯ КОМБИНАЦИЯ БАДОВ

Проведя всю ночь в состоянии голодания, по утрам ваш организм жаждет получить дозу высококачественных питательных веществ. Отдельной заботы требуют ваши мышцы. Чтобы правильно начать день, необходимо как следует позавтракать, употребив при этом оптимальное сочетание белков, жиров и углеводов. Эффективная комбинация БАДов даст вашему организму толчок, запускающий процесс мышечного роста.
Принимайте комбинацию: мультивитамины, рыбий жир, препарат для здоровья суставов и белок (20–30 г).

АЭРОБНЫЙ КОКТЕЙЛЬ

Многие занимаются аэробными упражнениями для того, чтобы сжечь ненужный жир и калории, и боятся заправлять организм топливом перед кардиотренировкой. Это ошибка. Хотя такие упражнения и позволяют мгновенно сжигать калории, их эффект продолжается и после занятия. Регулярные занятия высокоинтенсивными аэробными упражнениями ускоряют ежедневный обмен веществ и гармонизируют энергетические и жиросжигательные процессы. Поэтому такая комбинация БАДов будет особенно полезна тем, кто настроен извлекать максимальную пользу из кардиотренировок.
Принимайте комбинацию: кофеин (до 200 мг), аденозин 5’трифосфат динатрия (400 мг) и бета-аланин (1,6–2 г).

ВЕЧЕРНИЙ КОКТЕЙЛЬ

Перед тем как отправиться спать, необходимо заправить мышцы топливом, чтобы избавить их от голодания во время сна. Помимо создания новой мышечной массы, сон позволяет организму поработать над более тонкими деталями, запустить глубинные, невидимые процессы. Эта комбинация БАДов поможет организму справиться с обеими задачами одновременно.
Принимайте комбинацию: рыбий жир, сочетание ингредиентов, улучшающих внимание и сон, белковый коктейль (включающий казеин и/или растительные белки, 20–30 г).

ПОЧЕМУ? Все дело в эмоциях! Почему мы едим то, что мы едим?

 

ПОЧЕМУ? Все дело в эмоциях! Почему мы едим то, что мы едим?
☀Мы потребляем гораздо большее количество пищи, чем требуется нашему организму.
Мы спокойно сможем жить, кушая один или два раза в день, небольшими порциями. Настоящий физический голод едва ли знаком современному человеку.
☀Тот голод, который мы чувствуем – это голод тонкого тела, нашей энергетической оболочки.
Мы можем просидеть весь день на месте, занимаясь каким-то делом, вообще не потратив физическую энергию, но в обед захотим кушать. Почему?
Все дело в энергетике.

У каждого продукта и у каждого вкуса своя энергетика. Об этом хорошо говорит Аюверда. Так, например, сладкий вкус успокаивает, соленый – концентрирует, острый – активизирует, горький дает тонус и терпение…
☀Своей личной энергетикой обладает каждый продукт.
У некоторых продуктов женская и мягкая энергетика, у других мужская, одни поднимают прану, другие заземляют…
Когда мы хотим кушать – это показатель, что нам не хватает какого-то состояния. Нам не хватает определенной энергии. И когда женщина заедает стресс сладким, так она неосознанно пытается расслабиться и успокоиться.
Когда мы наполнены позитивными эмоциями у нас нет необходимости в дополнительных источниках энергии, а значит и не нужно компенсировать ее нехватку с помощью продуктов.
☀Почему диеты не помогают?
Обычно изнурительные диеты помогают сбросить вес лишь на время. Тонкое тело накапливает энергетический голод и в один день мы срываемся.
☀Физическое тело может терпеть голод очень долго, и без всяких срывов спокойно вернуться к питанию.
Но тонкое тело этого не может.
Ему каждый день нужны определенные состояния и, если ему их не давать, то мы начинаем эмоционально изнашиваться, становимся дерганными, нервными, раздражительными.
Помните состояние, когда долго сидишь на диете? В нем нет абсолютно никакого удовлетворения и спокойствия.
☀Ключ к хорошей фигуре в первую очередь находится в нашем тонком теле.
Когда мы получаем много эмоций от жизни — наше энергетическое тело насыщается, и аппетит становится минимальным.
Причем эмоции не обязательно должны быть суперпозитивными, проживание эмоций в принципе наполняет тонкое тело. Если мы проживаем грусть, а не подавляем ее, то она тоже способна дать пищу тонкому телу.
Как известно, не умея проживать эмоции, люди просто их заедают.
☀Позитивные эмоции обладают особым похудательным эффектом!
В Вашей жизни есть зоны «кайфа», в которых Вам не нужна дополнительная подпитка от еды, в которых Вы заряжаетесь позитивом и радостью. Найдите их в своей жизни.
Когда мы живем в гармонии со своей природой, со своим телом – мы не зацикливаемся на еде, меняются наши вкусовые привычки, меняется интерес к продуктам. Меняется наше сознание, и мы перестаем хотеть вредные продукты.
☀Каждый день делайте что-то хорошее для себя.
Очень важно, что бы часть этих радостей была связана с телом, так как телу нужны позитивные эмоции в свой адрес.
Например SPA, массаж, бани, обертывания, сексуальная близость, спорт, танцы…очень важно чтобы тело почувствовало в себе радость, а не постоянное чувство вины за свое несовершенство.
Начинайте творить свою радостную жизнь с сегодняшнего дня, начинайте кормить свое тонкое тело хорошими эмоциями, а не булочками и шоколадками.

Anabolic Steroids and Muscle Growth

 http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/anabolic-steroids-muscle-growth.html/

Ok, let me start this with a disclaimer: I am not a steroid guy. I know enough to be a little bit dangerous and can throw around big words like leutinizing hormone and steroidogenesis but that’s about it. I’ve read most of the major books (and I have both Duchaine’s Ultimate Steroid Handbook and USHII so nyahh) because it interests me on some level but that’s it. I’m not a steroid expert, I don’t claim to be; despite endless people telling me to write about this there are guys out there who have forgotten more than I will ever know about the topic and I leave the topic to them. So why am I writing about steroids?

I got out of college in 1993, where in addition to my studies (UCLA, kinesiology), I had made it part of my obsession to read all of the muscle magazines every month. What if one of them held the true true secret, I couldn’t afford not to read them. It was all the same stuff, Muscular Development, Ironman, M&F, Flex and the always hilarious Muscle Mag International which would publish the stupidest stuff you can imagine.

Muscle Media 2000

But in 1993, things changed, that’s when Muscle Media 2000 started. Bill Phillips, who had originally published an anabolic steroid newsletter saw the money in the industry and launched the magazine. I read it for years and while it was mostly a supplement catalog (ah, Phosphagain, HMB that feels like deca, CLA), there were also some gems in it. Dan Duchaine for one. Even when he was wrong he was still brilliant. His writings and Bodyopus diet would set me on the path of whatever my current job description is exactly.

In any case, in my dotage, I started wanting to back to my youth (trust me, you will all get there about your late 30’s and early 40’s when you try to find the books, magazines, music and movies of your youth) and someone on my Facebook group happened to have some back issues that he was nice enough to send me (for some cash). And as I was reading through them, I was reminded of something that happened about three weeks ago because in a 1996 research review they looked in detail at a study I had talked about.

Someone Was Offended

On a podcast or another (Kinobody I think), I had made a comment about the fact that studies showed clearly, that anabolic steroids build muscle and strength without even training (I made a similar comment in the Webinars I did for the UK Epic Fitness Summit mentioning that these are studies people kind of don’t want to believe).  And someone took issue with it.

He came onto the my Facebook group and proceeded to show me everything that is wrong with reading comprehension in 2015.  My statement, exactly was “Steroids build muscle without training.” Nothing more, nothing less. But he appears to have heard “Steroids make you a competitive bodybuilder” or “Steroids build more and more muscle forever.”

No amount of explanation would make it clear to him that what I had said and what he had heard weren’t the same thing.  His arguments revolved around people who use steroids and still don’t look good and basically all he proved was his own illiteracy and inability to understand basic concepts and words no matter how many times they were explained to him.

Mainly he seemed to be downright offended at the suggestion that it was the drugs and not his impressive work ethic responsible for his gains and physique. Of course I had never suggested anything of the sort and said only what I said which was this “Steroids build muscle without training.” Nothing more and nothing less and I had given him the appropriate links on Medline. Didn’t matter. He was determined to argue with what he had heard until I got fed up and just got rid of him. I can only stand so much stupid.

But this is one of those dirty little things, one I’ve talked about with a good buddy of mine: guys go on drugs and then want to really downplay the effects of them. They only help a little, it’s still the training these folks will argue. Nevermind that their lifts jump and they pack on slabs of muscle when they go on. Those same lifts crater off the drugs despite the same hard training.  But they only help a little.  Sure.

Make no mistake, I’m sure that they are training hard as hell, nothing I said discounts that. But to ignore the very real effects and pretend the drugs only help a little bit is absurd (you can find pictures of pro bodybuilders who went off drugs and went from 280 lb monsters to guys that barely look like they lift).

So Just How Much Do They Help?

And that’s all just one gigantic leadin to the point of this article, to look at some of the studies on this topic to see what the real-world effects of anabolics are on size and strength, even without training. Most of this work comes from a group led by a Bhasin and I’ll provide link out to the Medline links for people who want to delve. Most of the papers are free full text if you want to really get up your own butt or check my math.

The first paper his group did came out in 1996 and is really the key one, it had the impressive title of “The effects of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone on muscle size and strength in normal men.” and was the paper reviewed in the MM2k that made me want to write this piece.

In the study he took 40 men and assigned them to one of four groups: placebo with no exercise, testosterone with no exercise, exercise only, testosterone with exercise. They were at least given a standardized diet although they weren’t in a metabolic ward so there is some potential self-reporting issues.

The training was a little weird, they did squat and bench only three times per week for 4 sets of 6 with varying intensity week to week and weights were increased at week 5. It wasn’t the greatest training program but it turns out to kind of not matter. Muscle size was measured by MRI and strength was tested directly for 1 repetition maximum. This went on for 10 weeks. Here are the results.

Group	LBM	Squat	Bench Press
Placebo	No change	No change	No change
Exercise Only	+4.4 lbs	+21%	+11%
Testosterone	+6.6 lbs	+19%	+10%
Testosterone+Exercise	+13 lbs	+38%	+22%

No shock, the placebo group had no change in anything. Training alone got the guys four and a half pounds LBM in 10 weeks. But steroids alone worked better: 6.6 pounds LBM in the same 10 weeks. With just one shot in the butt every week. Clearly training and exercise was synergistic and the third group gained close to what you’d predict from adding steroids and training alone together. But steroids alone built more muscle than training alone and just as much strength.

And the amazing thing is that, despite the title of the paper, only 600mg/week of testosterone was given. Certainly this is supraphysiological relatively but it’s also a baby dose in a time when the occasional steroid expert had recommended a gram per day. And even that small dose put more muscle on without training than training alone did. Not only do anabolics build muscle without training, they build more muscle than training (and they make training work that much better).

It also looks like the effects may continue in the longer term with no change in dose. In a second study, the same group compared 25, 50, 125, 300, or 600 mg of testosterone enanthate per week for 20 weeks. Only the 125mg and up doses generated an effect but the gains in LBM were 7.5 lbs, 11.4 lbs and 17.4 lbs of LBM for the higher doses respectively.

So 20 weeks of 600 mg/week of testosterone without training still generated more LBM gain than 10 weeks of steroids and training above: 17.5 lbs LBM vs. 13 lbs.   Mind you, this was in young males aged 18-35 (it wasn’t old farts or anything) who were explicitly told NOT to train.

So a mere 600 mg/week of testosterone will build over 17 lbs of muscle in 20 weeks without training. The highest group also showed a 75% gain in leg press strength. Without training. Just let that sink in. For many males this is a year’s worth of gains if they are lucky. In 20 weeks. Without training. Just drugs. Awesome.

And before you start screaming water weight, read on. A followup analysis of the second study showed clearly that the increasing doses of anabolics were associated with muscle fiber growth in both Type I and Type II fibers and increased myonuclear number. This is real growth and strength from fairly moderate doses of steroids without any training.  And that’s in healthy individuals. The same group showed that anabolics alone activate satellite cells, a crucial step in growth. All drugs, no training.

Finally, in men with low testosterone, a baby dose of 100 mg/week of testosterone ethanate increased muscle mass by 11 lbs in 10 weeks. With no training, no fat gain and a measured increase in both triceps and quadriceps size. 100 mg/week. That’s nothing, just bringing testosterone up from below normal to the normal range. I’d have loved to see what 600 mg/week did for these guys.

And finally, in another analysis, the same group made a prediction that basically shows that more testosterone means more growth; as the does goes up, so do the gains. Gilbert Forbes has done similar work although he was looking at the total steroid dose and it’s relation to LBM gains and his results are right in line with this work. When you look at the total dose of anabolics taken over the duration of a cycle, more steroids means more growth up to about 10,000mg total which gave 20kg (45 lbs) of muscle gained.  That’s a career’s worth.

The First Take Home

His illiteracy notwithstanding, the guy who came onto my FB group to complain really didn’t have a leg to stand on. I had stated that steroids will build muscle without training and all the science backs that statement. They build strength, muscle without any training whatsoever. Even when diet wasn’t optimized or possibly controlled they still do this.  And they do it well.  This isn’t debatable.

Will steroids keep building muscle forever so you gain and gain? Probably not although the one longer study is suggestive. At some point you’d have to take more to keep growing. Duchaine once wrote that all of the complex stacking and cycling was irrelevant: just take more and don’t worry about it. I think he was right. Just go fool around with weights a little bit and keep upping the doseage.

Does any of this mean just taking drugs will make someone a stage ready bodybuilder? Of course not and I never said that they would even if that’s what the guy heard. Our hypothetical guy at least need some fat burners to get lean. Throw in some clen, thyroid and GH (or go nuts with DNP) and you can get ripped without having to even diet too hard. That won’t make up for poor muscle bellies, symmetry and all of that but you get my point. A guy with 600 mg/week of anabolics and some basic fat burners will outgain and out lean a guy busting his ass in the weight room and watching his diet.

Does this mean that it will make them a great athlete without training?  Of course not.  But steroids allow people to train more, at a higher intensity, more frequently and grow, gain strength and recover significantly than if they are not being taken.  This is also non-debatable and clearly the idea that they only “help a little” is nonsense.

Issurin wrote in one of his books that steroids will make an athlete adapt positive to any kind of training and that you could only learn about training by looking at non-drug using athletes. He’s probably right.  They sure as hell make you bigger and stronger without training so you have to figure that anything done beyond that will improve almost no matter what.

The Second Take Home

To deny that steroids build muscle, strength, etc. without training is simply not supported by the science. They work. Well. And the 600 mg/week used in these studies is still a moderate dose by today’s standards. Guys are using multiple times that with multiple drugs and if you want to know why naturals are stuck in the 180s if they are lucky and the top pros are up at 280 and ripped, well…now you know.   More is better, that’s what more means.

Does this mean that guys who are using don’t train hard or work hard? Absolutely not and that’s usually where people get into trouble with this. They equate the statement of “Drugs work without training” as “You guys don’t train hard.” Those aren’t synonymous statements.

Drugs just enhance the training process, clearly by a lot more than most people want to admit or recognize. It can at least double the gains in muscle that training produces and longer periods of just drugs still beat both in terms of LBM and strength gains.

Though the impact of drugs does explain why so much bs training and diet sure seems to work just fine for guys using and why guys juicing usually aren’t great sources for advice: enough drugs can cover up for the worst training and diet practices (a fact bodybuilders found out the hard way when they tried testing and everybody had forgotten how to get into shape).

Let the flaming begin.

The Top 5 Best Steroids for Raw Power

 http://www.musculardevelopment.com/articles/chemical-enhancement/2893-the-top-5-best-steroids-for-raw-power-by-the-anabolic-doc-thomas-oconnor-md.html#.VfKZU7Sh4VV 

Question: I read your four-part interview in Powerlifting USA magazine and was totally amazed. All I can say is that it was awesome! What, in your opinion, are the top 5 steroids for power and strength?

Thanks for the kind words about the interview! I put a lot of time into it, so I am happy to hear that you liked it so much. In regard to your question about what steroids are best for power and strength, I will give you my personal opinion from not only a medical and scientific angle but also from a real world hands-on practical application that I have seen from world-class lifters. I have been in this underground strength culture for over 25 years and I know the reality of what truly goes on behind the scenes, in both bodybuilding and powerlifting.

I am sincere to my professional medical ethics and I am also very sincere in making sure that you protect your long-term health. Do I agree with everything that I see taking place in the strength sports, in regard to drug use and abuse? The answer is no! But since you all are my brothers and sisters in iron, I do want to make sure that you stay healthy during your competitive years and beyond.

You see, my clients come to me for three main reasons. First off, it is because I am sincere to the under-culture of the strength sports and this is important because you are ultimately putting your life in my hands. I am a doctor who you can put your trust in and in this day and age, in regard to the stigma of drugs in sports in this country, it is nonexistent with other doctors who are too afraid to go against the grain.

Second is the fact that I know what the reality is in regard to anabolic use and performance enhancement. I know what the pros use in bodybuilding and powerlifting and the reality of what it takes pharmaceutically to make it to the top of these sports. I know the reality of dosages, underground steroids, and even the crazy things that athletes of all sports will do to perform at their best. I know this reality from my time in the sport, as well as from the world-class athletes who I deal with day in and day out.

Third, I know the hardcore internal medicine and how it relates to performance-enhancing drugs. This right here is the big ticket, because some doctors may know their medical texts inside and out, but that is only half of the puzzle. Put them in a room with a 250-pound bodybuilder who is taking 18 I.U. of GH daily and 3,000 mg of testosterone weekly plus all the other goodies and he won’t have a clue on what the hell to do to bring this guy’s health and blood profile back to where it should be. The difference is between these doctors and me is that I have built my professional medical reputation on making sure that I get the job done. So with this said, let’s take a look at the best anabolics top-strength athletes use to take their strength to the next level!

Testosterone Suspension 

Oh yeah baby, ‘Test’ is best! Now the inclusion of some form of testosterone in a strength athlete’s cycle is essential for optimal gains. When it comes to strength gains, no other form of testosterone compares to suspension. This is due to the fact that it is so fast-acting. This is because there is no ester and basically you are getting straight testosterone in water. You can look forward to increased muscle gains and even strength that will make you feel like Hercules.

One drawback is the fact that it must be injected daily. In my opinion, to truly maximize the benefits of testosterone suspension, it must be administered twice daily, due to its short half-life. Another undesirable reality of using suspension is the painful shots. Many of the brands of testosterone that float out in the black market are veterinary grade. To make matters worse, because it is not micronized and the crystals are very large, it clogs syringes very easily.

One lifter I know used some vet-grade suspension and he had to inject it with an 18-gauge needle. Damn it makes me cringe just thinking about it. He must have felt like he was getting stabbed by an icepick. Plus the majority of underground labs do not even make suspension. This is because many of them in reality are not run by educated chemists like they want you to think. Making a sterile testosterone suspension at the quality of even vet-grade gear is not going to happen unless the guy is a chemist with a degree behind his name and is preparing it in a clean room. Most guys will take about 100-150 mg per day, broken up into two daily shots for best results.

Anadrol 50

Oh yeah, they don’t call these bad boys ‘A-Bombs’ for nothing. I am sure all of you reading this know that it is a derivative of dihydrotestosterone. In powerlifting and strongman circles, this is no doubt a top drug of choice for many reasons. First off, the strength gains are fast. Seeing a guy jump 30 pounds in his bench press in 10 days is not uncommon at all. It increases water retention a lot and for powerlifters, this can be a good thing, because it optimizes your leverages. Secondly, it will make your power gear like your bench shirt fit just that little bit tighter, allowing you to get even more poundage out of your shirt. Lastly, it can really jack up your red blood cell count leading to increased pumps and training endurance.

Now for those guys who may be taking one tablet per day for short periods of time, there is not much worry. But for the ‘Anabolic Kamikazes’ who are in our midst, taking five or more tablets per day, elevated red blood cell count is one danger that must be taken into consideration. For those who do such extreme practices making sure you get regular and comprehensive bloodwork is essential for your long-term health. Taking large doses of Anadrol 50 for extended periods of time can make your blood resemble Canadian maple syrup and that is no lie! The other main thing you have to watch here is liver enzyme elevation. The liver is one tough beast, but that doesn’t mean you should abuse it without showing it some respect. Most guys will take 50-100 mg daily, broken into two doses, but there are others like I mentioned before who take this much just to start off their day with breakfast.

Halotestin

Halotestin does not have the following in America that Anadrol does and this is for a couple reasons. First off, for most in the underground scene in the U.S., getting your hands on legitimate pharmaceutical-grade Halotestin and enough quantity to make it worthwhile is like finding a fucking leprechaun and a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

For most— except for those with horseshoes up their asses— neither of the two above scenarios is going to happen. It is also at least double the price of Anadrol. Many people will pay more for 10 mg tablets of Halotestin than 50 mgs of Anadrol on the black market. Halotestin provides very fast strength gains and in my opinion, even better than Anadrol. Plus there is no water retention and this is why it is so popular with many bodybuilders in the last four weeks of contest prep.

If you think Tren will turn you into an ass-clown in record time, then Halotestin will take it to whole new level. In fact, this drug is very popular with European strongmen since it is much easier to get across the pond. Plus let’s face another reality that most of you are probably unaware of: Europeans are not afraid of side effects like guys here in the U.S.— I lived there and I know the deal. The hardcore gear scene in Germany and England makes us look like candy-asses. When the average guy here in the U.S. is talking milligrams, they are talking grams and this is everyday Joes, not pro athletes. Since hepatoxicity is a concern, taking it for four weeks or less is the best option. Most guys will take 20-40 mgs daily, spread out in three doses throughout the day.

Trenbolone Acetate

Tren is one of the most popular steroids in strength sports for many reasons. First off, since it is three times more androgenic than testosterone, you can now understand that it is very potent. With an androgenic ratio like this, its a goldmine for strength athletes looking to increase their power output. Since it doesn’t aromatize, you won’t get the water retention like you do with Anadrol. This means you will pack on lean, dense muscle and your strength gains will be bang on, too.

Many guys will take around 75-150 mg of tren acetate every other day. Because it has a short ester, it needs to be taken on an every-other-day basis minimum, while some lifters do prefer taking it daily. Another plus is the major increase in aggression. Now if you sport an attitude without tren in your life, then you will be a ‘super-sized’ asshole, once you start incorporating it in your plan. Increased aggression and trying to rip everyone’s head off that you come in contact with, is not an uncommon emotion while taking tren.

Another thing you to watch out for is impaired kidney function. The kidneys are not as strong as the liver so you need to take extra care in this area. You also need to make sure you balance the ratio of your dosage of testosterone in relation to taking tren. If not, your sex drive will hit an all-time nonexistence and your manhood will be nothing more than a soggy noodle.

Mibolerone

This oral steroid is known as Cheque Drops and is derived from a nandralone base. It is a vet drug that was created to alter the ovulating cycle of female dogs to keep them from going into heat. Now in powerlifting circles this is a well-known pre-contest bad boy that is quite popular. I personally know of one guy who is a 1,000-pound squatter who takes a couple cc’s of this right before going under a heavy squat in World Championship competitions.

Now you might be wondering why he would do that. The reason for this is that it turns you into a raving beast in minutes. It can dramatically increase your aggression in record time. Since aggression is a key attribute in all strength sports, powerlifters seem to like this more than bodybuilders. In fact, I have not heard of too many bodybuilders that this drug is popular with. Now another sport where it is taking center stage is MMA and professional boxing.

Oh yeah, fighting in a cage or ring without rules can be some crazy shit, so there is nothing like getting all jacked up during the fight. Since it clears the system fast as well, it makes it popular with MMA fighters who are now under the scrutiny of rigid drug testing. For boxers, it is rumored that one legendary pro who already sported an attitude of a pit bull used this right before a major fight, where he mistook his opponent’s ear for a Big Mac.

Yeah, no shit, this stuff will turn the weak-hearted into an animal and bad-ass into a fucking cannibal. Now if you don’t want your liver to turn into Swiss cheese, then I would advise against taking this steroid, because it is extremely hepatoxic. It is so strong that is measured in micrograms, unlike milligrams with other steroids. Hardcore powerlifters will use it for the last two weeks before a contest on their hardest training days as well as at the contest. Most will take 1 ml under the tongue about 15 minutes to half an hour before training or competing.

My Personal Favorite Pre-workout Supplements

I have a question about pre-workout supplementation. I was wondering what you use before you train to get all jacked up before an intense workout?

You see I am going to tell it like it is. My favorite pre-workout stack is Plasma Jet and Super Pump 250 by Gaspari. Now, before all you reading this get your balls in a knot, just to give you the 411, I am not sponsored by Gaspari Nutrition. Nor do I get free supplements or endorsements. I go down to my local GNC like every other hardworking American and spend my hard-earned dollars on these products because I believe in them. I have been a fan of Rich since his career in the ’80s and in my opinion, he should have beaten Haney on several occasions.

But even though you may disagree with me on that one, I don’t care. What I do care about is telling you the no-bullshit truth of what I actually lay down my Benjamins for every month and what I use before I tackle a 500-pound bench press.

About three hours before I hit the gym, I down 10 capsules of Plasmajet on an empty stomach. I love this stuff— it is my favorite N.O. booster by far. You see the science behind Plasmajet is very sound, and it’s not just another one of those arginine-loaded N.O. boosters that the pump starts off great, then fizzles out two hours later. Because it is composed of numerous high-quality ingredients, including Peak ATP, it truly is in a class of its own. Then about half an hour before I start training I take 2-3 scoops of Super Pump 250 in 16 ounces of water.

By the time I hit the gym I am ready to Smash Fucking Weights (SFW). This is a common powerlifting term that means you are going all-out, balls-to-the-wall. Basically it’s a war between you and the iron. This keeps me fueled right throughout my workout. I like Gaspari products because they work hands down and it is what I took before I hit that 500-pound bench press record that I did just a few months back. Rich, keep up the good work and keep the kick-ass products coming!

Trashing Triceps Powerlifting Style

Hey Anabolic Doc, what’s up, my man? I loved the interview series that you did and it kicked ass! Now in your first column here you mentioned you would be giving us some of your secret powerlifting training tips, too. My question is about improving my triceps strength and power. I know powerlifters have some of the strongest triceps around, so I thought you could let me in on some new ideas that I can incorporate into my training plan. My bench press sucks and I can barely get one rep with 275. I have been training for six years and I know it has to do with my weak triceps. I do a lot of the basic bodybuilding exercises like pushdowns, dips and kick-backs so I was wondering if you could throw something new my way. Thanks again for such a great interview and I look forward to more of your work in Muscular Development.

Hey, thanks for the kind words about the series I did. The sole intention was for powerlifters, but many of those same things will apply to bodybuilders as well. It is very important to take care of your long-term health because this, in my opinion, is often overlooked when in search of that bigger powerlifting total or 21-inch guns. In reality, this should not be the case at all and your main goal should be maintaining optimal health while at the same time improving at your chosen strength sport.

So— you are looking to bring up those triceps, are you? Not a problem— the Anabolic Doc has benched pressed over 500 pounds at 44 years old, so I know a thing or two about improving triceps strength. Now I am going to give you a really kick-ass workout idea that you most likely have never heard of.

These are known as Crazy 8s and for good reason. This technique was developed by world-renowned strength coach Rahim Kassam. Believe it or not, it’s not just an exercise, but a complete workout. I recommend warming up with a few good high-rep sets of pushdowns just to warm the area and increase blood flow to prevent injury before starting this exercise. I am sure you have done lying dumbbell extensions before, even though I know many bodybuilders don’t make this a major movement— but they should.

Now, the powerlifting twist will shake this exercise up to a whole new level and believe me— when you are done, you will be begging for mercy. First off, we won’t be using a flat bench but a decline bench for this exercise. What makes this so hard is the rep and tempo scheme that I have laid out. The reason why it is called Crazy 8s is because of the fact that you will be doing 8 sets of 8 reps. Now you may be thinking, “Ah, that’s all— what kind of exercise is that?” Well, hold on to your panties for a minute boys, it’s not over yet.

The rest periods will not be 1 minute like you are used to doing. They will be shortened down to a nice 8 seconds. Yep that’s right, 8 seconds between sets, which will give you just about enough time to take in two to three deep breaths— and down you go again for another set. It’s not over yet.

Let’s talk about the tempo next. You will be doing a 3:1 eccentric-to-concentric action. For all you meatheads out there who do not understand what I am talking about, this means that you will take 3 seconds to lower the weight and 1 second to bring it back up. There are two reasons for this. Lowering it slowly in an eccentric action will help increase hypertrophy. We all know that the negative portion of the exercise is what causes the most muscle damage and growth. The concentric or raising motion will be done in a strict, yet explosive form. This will cause you to build explosive strength in your triceps and allow them to fire more efficiently.

Did you ever see the difference between a bodybuilder bench pressing and a powerlifter? 

Yes, the form is slightly different, but as the bodybuilder just grinds out the reps like every other exercise he does, the powerlifter brings it down with control and then fires the weight explosively yet with control. I am not talking about bouncing it off your chest like these retards that you see at the gym. I am talking about strict explosive power here, not sloppy, bouncy bullshit that is done at gyms all across America. If you want to lift weights— and I am talking about big weights— you must develop your explosive strength and what is known as speed strength. Without these two, you may look big, but your strength won’t compare to a powerlifter who weighs 100 pounds less than you.

So you will be doing 8 sets of 8 reps and you get a whopping 8 seconds rest in between each of those sets. Now if you are used to using 50-pound dumbbells for normal sets of 8 for this exercise, get ready for a rude awakening when you can barely get 30s up. Remember, you can’t change the resistance during the set program. If you choose 30s, you have to go all the way through with it and not drop down to 20s by set 5.

Now let’s talk a little about the biomechanics and form. The reason this exercise is done on a decline is because MRIs have shown that it recruits more muscle fibers than doing it on a flat bench. Second, the form must be strict with the elbows tucked in and close to the sides. When this exercise gets hard, people will cheat by flaring their elbows out— and this is not what you should be doing. Lastly, you want the dumbbells to come down far enough where they can touch your ears. This way with the decline, you are going to get one hell of a stretch.

You may think this workout is over— but hold on just a little longer, my friend. To finish this off, you will be doing another 3 sets of decline extensions with flex bands for a giant drop set. For these, you will not use the 3:1 tempo that was done with the dumbbells, but a regular 1:1 tempo. Basically you are now banging out the reps to force some blood in there, but again, the form must stay strict.

We hook up three sets of flex bands to the bottom of the bench or with dumbbells. So once you have done all 8 sets, you have another 3 sets done without rest, with these bands of varying strength. The reason for using bands is that it will totally change the feel of the exercise and will further stretch your triceps. Plus, the main reason why powerlifters use flex bands on many different exercises is the fact that they’re great at improving explosive strength. Incorporating them into your training is known as the ‘Contrast Method’ and is very effective at increasing strength from another angle bodybuilders have never heard of.

By the way, make sure you get true Jump Stretch Flex Bands made by Dick Hartzel. He is the originator, and makes the highest-quality bands on the market. Over time, inferior bands will crack and break. This happening during triceps extensions isn’t a major problem, since the most you might get is hit in the face and a fat lip. But it’s not something you want with 600 pounds on your back during a heavy box squat. The consequences of this happening can result in a major injury, so quality bands are the name of the game.

First, you will get the Light band— but don’t think it’s that light, because it has a resistance of about 70 pounds in each hand. Some of you will be so destroyed that you won’t even be able to continue, so this technique is reserved for advanced lifters only. You will now bang out as many reps as you can with this band. Then once you can’t do any more, you will jump to the Mini Flex band and again do as many as reps as you can without resting. Then when you can’t take it anymore, you will grab the Micro Mini Flex band and continue again until you simply can’t do anymore.

If you can complete this workout and if it’s done with the right intensity, I am telling you good luck at trying to move your arms for the next couple days. This will take your triceps training to a whole new level. If done properly, not only will this help increase your bench press strength because you are focusing on many different aspects of training methodology with this just one exercise, but you will forge some horseshoes made from granite.

In all the years I have spent in commercial gyms, or even spent time training with advanced bodybuilders, never have I seen them do this exercise with this rep and tempo scheme. If you have the guts to try this, give it a shot because I am telling you it will fry your triceps in a very short period of time. Besides the few sets of pushdowns that I recommended to get your elbows warmed up, this whole workout will take no more than 10 minutes. But believe me, if you do this with true intensity and proper form, it will destroy them more than spending 40 minutes hitting three different exercises. By the time you have completed that last set of the band extensions to utter failure you will need your training partner to help get you off the bench.

To get a set of these Flex Bands go to www.jumpstretch.com. Give this triceps thrashing program a whirl and I guarantee it will take your pressing strength and size to a whole new level.

References:

Llewellyn W, Anabolics 9^th Edition, 2009

Roberts A, Anabolic Steroid Ultimate Research Guide, 2005

Poliquin C, Winning the Arms Race, 2001

Kneller B, Science and Muscle, Summer/Fall 2008

Simmons L, Training Methods Part 1 Speed Day, Powerlifting USA, 2004