Real Opinions, In-Depth Review: Muscle Warfare Napalm Extreme

Posted on July 27th, 2011

Soon, you too will “Love the smell of Napalm in the morning”, as the manufacturers of Muscle Warfare Napalm Extreme say! It’ll begin to smell like victory, alright. Most reviewers who’ve tried this popular bodybuilding supplement find that victory over the barbell, the dumbbell and their own limitations gets to be a little addictive. Muscle Warfare Napalm Extreme is one of those rare supplements that works just as well as the marketing hype. However, like everything that works exceptionally well, it also has drawbacks. Today we check out what the real people who’ve tried Muscle Warfare Napalm Extreme think of it.

RRRRAAAWESOME Energy!

Napalm Extreme is a pre-workout supplement designed to help you do great things in the gym … and it sure smashes that goal. People note that they get a whole-body type of pump after working out with Napalm, even when they’re only focusing on their lower body. Even for people who have hit the bodybuilding supplements hard, and may have stopped reacting to some after overuse, reports are that Napalm Extreme gets them going every time. Both energy and endurance are noted to be high … so just watch your technique to avoid overlifting and sustaining an injury.

A Little Caffeine-Heavy

Some people feel the buzz from Napalm Extreme as a little caffeine-heavy – jittery, rather than a body-type of energy. If this happens to you, try cutting down your dosage a little.

After Effects Not to Be Messed With

However, like many truly effective bodybuilding supplements, you’ll notice the absence of Napalm Extreme once it has gone from your system. Some people experience it as an energy crash, some people get emotional after taking it, some people reported nausea. Some reviewers noted that if they were already in a bad mood before taking Napalm, this would be exacerbated by the supplement. However, there were other reviewers who simply didn’t notice the after-effects! The only way to know how you’ll react is to try it yourself.

If your lifestyle and metabolism can handle working out in the evening, you might want to schedule your Napalm Extreme shake to wear off at about bedtime … voila, pump without side effects! Remember though, that you may well be one of the reviewers who simply doesn’t get the after-effects.

Taste, Mixability, Presentation

The colour of Napalm Extreme changes when it’s mixed with water, from red to purple to blue – a very neat effect! This little trick of presentation isn’t a cover for poor taste or a lumpy mix, though – most people rate taste and mixability for Napalm Extreme at around 7 to 8 out of 10. We stock both the Grape Splash and Fruit Punch Blast flavours, which are both well-reviewed, although some people report a slightly chemical taste. Other reviewers found the taste cloyingly sweet – if this is the case for you, just dilute it a little more.

You may need to let it sit for a while to dissolve and scrape the sides of your blender to improve mixing.

Restrain Yourself!

Many reviewers advise not to take Napalm Extreme before every workout – just when you need an extra pick-me-up to give your best. People often say that they don’t want to work out without it – so go easy on Napalm right from the start!

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, muscle warfare, napalm extreme, Supplement Reviews
Filed under Supplement Reviews | No Comments »

Squat Before Your Ruler!

Posted on July 27th, 2011

Before an exercise of such awesome potential and necessarily tight technique as the squat, we are all reduced to servants before its awesomeness … at least at first we are. Squats cause a lot of injuries, but they are also responsible for some massive hypertrophy. Tom Platz, Ronnie Coleman, Don Thompson and Ed Coan all made the squat a big part of their routine, despite the enormous differences in their overall strategy and goals. At first, you’ll be squatting before your ruler. However as time goes on (and with the help of our handy guide today!), you’ll learn to master the king of exercises.

We’ll look at both the major forms of the squat today – squatting equipped (using a mono-lift) and squatting raw (walking the bar out of the rack).

SQUATTING RAW

The Preparation: You’ll want to wear ordinary lifting clothing that doesn’t restrict you. If your shorts get stuck on your quads and you have to wiggle to get them unstuck as you get out of a chair, they’re no good for squatting. Wrist wraps, knee wraps and weightlifting belts will also help minimise your chance of injury while getting more pounds on the bar.

You’ll also want to wear a different pair of shows for squatting than your other lifts. Squat shoes should be flat soled and have good ankle support. Converse All Stars can work, so can work boots, but the best option is dedicated squat shoes.

The Set Up: Here’s how to set up for raw squatting success:

• Have the bar in a power rack or squat stands at chest height. You should be able to lift it out without having to calf raise, or doing a quarter squat to get the bar out.
• Position your feet under the centre of the bar, hip-width apart
• Tighten your upper back by squeezing down and together
• Place the bar in its most stable position across your shoulders – give yourself time
• Arch your lower back, put your chest out, take a deep breath and un-rack the bar
• Take a small step backwards – only a few inches – and turn your toes out by 10 to 40 degrees

The Eccentric Portion: On the way down, make sure that:

• You take a deep breath and push your knees outwards while descending
• You don’t go further than where the crease of your hips is just below your knees
• When you’re in the hole, your shins are almost vertical with knees tracking your toes
• Your upper back is still tight, and your head is pushing against the bar with your eyes looking straight ahead

The Concentric Portion: Now make that squat your slave!

• Keep your upper back tight and keep looking straight ahead to avoid having the bar roll over your head. NOT ideal.
• Drive upwards, thinking of whatever has frustrated you that day, your ex/boss/traffic jam etc.
• Stay tight until the bar is re-racked.

SQUATTING EQUIPPED

The equipped squat is mainly used by powerlifters, and all that lifting gear allows you to make your stance much wider than usual. It also means that you’ll work the glutes and hammies much more, in what is effectively a shorter exercise.

The Preparation: Get your gear on!

The Set Up: Set yourself up in a position from which you can comfortably perform the entire exercise. As when squatting raw, you’ll have you’re the midline of your body directly under the centre of the bar, with your feet a little wider than hip width apart.

The Eccentric Portion: Make sure you sit way back, trusting your equipment to take up the slack. You should end up with your shins vertical when in the hole – if they aren’t, you need more hamstring strength.

The Concentric Portion: Perform as you would the raw squat, with your head driven back into the bar, upper back tight and lower back arched, and your chest out. Stay wide and back.

Turn the tables on that squat – make it yours!

Tags: legs, squats, training, workouts
Filed under Training Articles | No Comments »

Real Opinions, In Depth Reviews: Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore

Posted on July 25th, 2011

Muscletech supplements have been around for a while, with several reformulations and ingredient updates under their belts. Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore is one of those fantastic supplements that, when you are taking it, you don’t have to guess whether it is working or not … you can feel it! There’s nothing that makes me more edgy than taking something that mostly seems like a placebo – Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore is definitely not one of those. This is a fantastically effective product, but is definitely geared towards certain goals and certain physiologies. Today we check out what real people think of both the ups, and downs, of Muscletech Hydroxycut Hardcore.

Energy Without Aggression

The reviewers are pretty clear that Hydroxycut Hardcore is effective at increasing energy. In fact, a few reviewers noted that if they didn’t exercise while on Hydroxycut they started feeling jittery and restless. So, it not only gives the energy, but also the motivation to exercise!

Be aware that the energy comes from caffeine and other stimulants, so don’t time any of your Hydroxycut doses for after 5 or 6 pm – it’ll impact on your sleep and therefore your muscles’ recovery.

Gets You Hot and Sweaty

Almost everyone that tries the product notes how much it makes you sweat. An increase in sweating should obviously be expected with a thermogenic product – if your stored energy is being burned to raise your body temperature (thereby helping you lose weight even while at rest), your body will sweat to try and reduce that temperature! These comments seem to come mostly from people who haven’t tried thermogenics before; however, others feel that

Drink Plenty of Water, Make Sure You Eat

Reviewers note that they need to drink plenty of water in conjunction with HydroxyCut Hardcore. Those that fail to drink at least 3 to 4 litres of water per day (and more if you’re working out), seem to experience more intense side effects and far more negative side effects. The nausea, tiredness, racing pulse and low blood pressure that some reviewers experience on the product are all closely linked to dehydration. Be aware that your water needs will increase substantially on HydroxyCut, and you can make it work for you!

The same applies to nutrition. There are appetite suppressing ingredients in HydroxyCut. However, if you dose optimally and make sure that you eat to a schedule, you’ll get far better results from it. You should be taking your dosage before meals, also.

Build Up Your Dose

Lots of reviewers found that the standardised dose didn’t work for them. One smart reviewer suggested starting with an absolute minimal dose, and working your way up from there – this would also be our recommendation to help avoid any crashes or dehydration, and to help you maintain sleep and therefore recovery.

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, hydroxycut, muscletech, Supplement Reviews
Filed under Supplement Reviews | No Comments »

Four Steps to GFH Quads!

Posted on July 25th, 2011

Bodybuilders aren’t particularly ordinary. That’s the great thing about this sport! Instead of getting people interested in articles with titles like ‘Lose 10 pounds without ever leaving the couch’ or ‘The easiest diet in the world’, bodybuilders get interested at the first hint of a challenge, the whiff of an idea that what they’re about to do, only a select few are capable of. Y’all don’t want things to be easy … so we know you’ll be sweating in anticipation over this workout for GFH quads!

The routine is a 4×4 one: that is, 4 different exercises performed in a list, 4 times each. You’ll be doing a cycle of the following, four times over:

1. Leg extensions
2. Hack squats
3. Leg presses
4. Back squats

Grab Your Partner, Step in Time

You might want a partner for this workout. They’ll not only help you with moving weights around, reserving machines or bars, but they’ll keep you motivated through this true motherlover of a quad workout!

Your First Cycle

Your first cycle of four quad exercises will be an 8-rep set of each. You need to know your maximum weight for each of these exercises, particular to an 8-rep set. Choose a weight that you can only JUST do 8 reps correctly with. Perform your:

• 8 leg extensions
• 8 hack squats
• 8 leg presses
• 8 back squats

Do them in the order written here. This arrangement is designed to work the teardrop part of your quad first, then get some blood into the entire upper leg and remaining quad region, then work the hamstring area a little, then get all the supporting muscles involved with the regular squat.

Once you’ve finished this giant set, have a timed rest. You’ll need to be fresh enough to perform the second cycle. Some people recommend having only 90 seconds rest in between each … but just as you’ll need to adjust the weights for your individual capability, you will also need to adjust the rest period. Don’t make it too long, or you might never get up.

The Second Cycle

While you’re resting, your partner will have been loading up your machines and bars with enough weight so that you can correctly do 10 reps of each exercise. No cheating in these sets – you want to do every exercise by the book this time.

Rest again – time your rest so that it’s the same length as your first one.

The Third Cycle

In the third cycle, you’ll be using the maximum weight that you can correctly do 12 reps with.

Don’t increase that rest period!

The Fourth Cycle

This time round, you’ll be doing 15 reps. It’s not really any easier than the 8-rep set, is it? In fact, it’s fricking hard! Enjoy it!

It’s not a shortcut to getting flipping huge quads. But you and I know that the easy way is not the way that gets results …

Tags: Build muscle, exercise, legs, quads, training, workouts
Filed under Training Articles | No Comments »

Whose Nutrition Advice to Trust?

Posted on July 22nd, 2011

As bodybuilders, we need to have a much higher than average awareness of how our nutrition and exercise impact on our body. The standard government sanctioned advice to do things like stay away from saturated fat, do moderate exercise 5 times a week and eat plenty of fruit and vegetable simply doesn’t go far enough to support us in achieving our goals. In some cases, standard nutrition advice simply doesn’t apply – for example, our BMI’s are often well into the “obese” category, and we need far more maintenance calories than any other population.

So, we usually go hunting for help and advice on the internet. The trouble is that any old sod (yes, including us!) can put their opinions up on the net and masquerade them as fact. Some people give bad advice out of ignorance and some from greed or malice. However, the net result to you is the same – wasted money, questionable health benefits and possible health detriments. Today we check out the ‘Red Flags of Junk Science’ as well as some other tips to help you determine whose nutrition advice you should trust.

The Red Flags of Junk Science

In evaluating the usefulness of any particular nutritional regime, supplement or indeed even books about nutrition and health, check for the following warning signs of bad information.

—- It promises a quick fix

No effort to change your body will be fast or easy.

—- The information comes from a person selling the product (or an affiliate)

You absolutely cannot trust somebody to maintain a neutral perspective and to fully inform you of BOTH the dangers and benefits of a product if they have a financial interest.

—- It sounds too good to be true

You know what your mother told you …

—- Only a single study is examined

The scientific method requires that results be replicated in several studies before they are considered valid.

—- Simple conclusions are drawn from a complex study

Humans are all different, and trials studying our biology are complex. Simple conclusions probably don’t create a full (and therefore truthful) picture.

—- Poor study design

Any scientific study worth its salt will be published in a journal which is peer reviewed. The population studied should come from varied backgrounds (ie, different sexes, ages, etc), or the conclusions can only be applied to the population studied. Additionally, while not all studies must be clinical trials, studies that are should be randomised, placebo-controlled, and double-blinded. Those that aren’t still show something, but the data is poor quality.

—- Lists of good and bad foods

We should all know by now that there are no ‘good’ or ‘bad’ foods. It is more about which will help you achieve your goals, which you need to prepare differently or simply use less often.

—- Recommendations that aren’t government or science-supported

You know all those websites claiming to tell you “what they don’t want you to know”? Well, the only reason “they” don’t want you to know it, is because it isn’t the truth.

Other Tips for Assessing Nutrition Advice

In addition to the above, when you’re looking at nutrition advice, consider whether:

• It is written by anyone with formal training in any sort of biological science
• It is supported by any data that has the red flags of junk science. For example, a blog author might have non financial interest in a particular food product, but the website she got her information from might.
• Fight your instincts, go with evidence. A lot of crank theories are based on ideas that SEEM like they might be true. But are they true? We need evidence to decide … don’t forget that.

There’s a lot of good nutrition advice out there, and there are just as many lay people repeating the good advice as the bad. All we’re asking bodybuilders to do in evaluating their nutrition advice is to realise that junk science will get you a junk body. Look a little further before accepting anything as fact – and that includes our advice on this blog .

Tags: diet, nutrition, science
Filed under General | No Comments »

3 MORE Scoffable Recipes for Ketogenic Diets

Posted on July 22nd, 2011

Bodybuilding’s challenges do not begin and end where the gym walls do. For anyone who has ever thought about competing, and for anyone who has progressed far enough with the sport to realise that you can’t really eat whatever you like as long as you do enough exercise, you’ll know that diet is an integral tool to help you achieve your goals. Ketogenic diets are common in bodybuilding, and while they sound like heaven at first (steak for brekkie?!), they’re easy to get bored of! Today we check out another 5 scoffable recipes for those on keto diets.

Menloaf

Meatloaf for men! This freezes really well, and you can split it into portions beforehand, you’ll have an awesome lunch straight out of the microwave. Here’s how you cook it:

Ingredients:

• 1 kg lean beef mince
• 500g bacon
• 1 egg
• ½ cup oats
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• Half an onion
• ¼ green and ¼ red capsicum
• Butter or margarine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp steak sauce
• ½ tsp Garlic salt
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning

• 1. Fry the peppers and onion in the butter.
  2. Dice half of the bacon, and mix with the oats, the beaten egg, the steak sauce, the seasonings, the cheddar and half of the mozzarella cheese in a large bowl.
  3. Add the sautéed veges to the oat/egg/seasoning, and mix very well.
  4. Once those ingredients are mixed, add the ground beef and mix very well again.
  5. Press the mixture into a baking tray, add the remaining slices of bacon to the top.
  6. Cover and bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius; then uncover and bake for a further 10 minutes (to crisp the bacon); then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top and bake until the cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown.

Feel free to play with the ingredients – add a few more veges, use a different sauce or different seasoning.

Soft Serve Frogurt

This cool, creamy and sweet dessert is still perfect for keto diets, but helps satisfy sugar cravings.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Cottage cheese

• 10 Ice cubes
• Water
• 1 tsp Xanthan gum
• Your choice of flavourings, from ideas like cocoa, cinnamon extract, sugar free jelly powder, sugar free pudding mix, ice cream syrups, etc.

• 1. Put your cottage cheese and ice in a blender. Add artificial sweetener if you want to.
  2. Once the cottage cheese and ice has started to blend, add your xanthan gum and flavouring of choice
  3. Add a little water to help everything become creamy and properly combined.

Jalapeno Poppers

No, not peppers … poppers! These are intense, but you’ll start to love the burn. You might recognise that feeling from the gym …

Ingredients:

• 4 medium jalapeno peppers
• Flax seed meal
• 1 egg
• Cream cheese
• Dressing to dip the poppers in, if you like

• 1. Hollow out the inside of your peppers and fill with cream cheese. If you like it a little hotter, leave some of the seeds in.
  2. Beat your egg in a bowl
  3. Coat the peppers in beaten egg, then in flax seed meal. Repeat for a thicker coating
  4. Deep fry your peppers until crispy.

There are too many good keto recipes about to ignore any more of them … so keep a watch out for our next featured set!

Tags: diet, ketogenic, ketosis, recipes
Filed under General | No Comments »

“Abs Revealed” Reviewed

Posted on July 20th, 2011

For both female and male bodybuilders, the abs are one of the trickiest parts of the body to keep looking cut. A week of laxity in diet planning and we inevitably find that the edges of those abs start to look a little fuzzy … two weeks of failing to watch what we eat and all of a sudden the spare tyre is back. Is “Abs Revealed” the solution to these abdominal dilemmas? We go to those who’ve read the book to find out.

Great Balance of Background and Instructional Content

Many reviewers were enthusiastic about the balance of theory and practice in ‘Abs Revealed’. There is enough information to give you a rationale for your actions, without blinding you with science. The explanations of exercises are exceptionally clear (not always easy to achieve!). The anatomy section is brief and easy to understand. The diet section doesn’t venture into ‘groundbreaking’ territory, and the changes are pretty easy to achieve.

The focus of the book is definitely the exercises, and there is a huge variety of them. Reviewers appreciated this both for the anti-boredom factor, and because it allowed

Great Basic Strategies for Beginner Bodybuilders

Some reviewers loved the fact that there were no ‘magic powder drinks’, no radical diets and no fancy equipment needed to progress with the ab-revealing program in this book. While some exercises can be adapted to provide more resistance, many bodybuilders will already have progressed past the point where an ‘ordinary’ diet and exercise program can have any benefits.

If you’re a beginner bodybuilder, this simplicity will be a massive advantage for you. If quitting your ‘magic powder drinks’ and other bodybuilding supplements is likely to see you go backwards, you might need another strategy.

For Women as Well!

The abs on the front cover of the book belong to a man, but many female reviewers said they are getting great results from the ‘Abs Revealed’ program. There isn’t really anything in the book that is gender-specific … ladies abs will be revealed as effectively as men’s with this book.

Science and Experience Based

Plenty of reviewers were thrilled with the authoritative tone of the book, the consistency of information and the evidence base for all of the recommendations. Plenty of people said that Ross “really knows what he’s talking about”. It debunks the myth of spot reduction (though some said this wasn’t extensive enough), and works off well-established nutritional principles.

Well priced!

Unlike our other feature book review this month, ‘The Paleo Solution’, ‘Abs Revealed’ isn’t surrounded by a thick cloud of hype. This translates to a much more reasonable price! You can order it for just under $8 from Amazon – at that price, it is definitely worth a shot.

Been tempted to click on those “Lose your belly fat by following this 1 weird old tip” ads that are all over the internet? Don’t do it! ‘Abs Revealed’ might take a bit more reading, but is a fantastic addition to beginning and intermediate bodybuilders’ knowledge bases.

Tags: abs, book review, workouts
Filed under General | No Comments »

“The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet” Reviewed

Posted on July 20th, 2011

There’s been a lot of buzz about the Paleo diet, in bodybuilding circles as well as among those who are trying to move from obesity to healthy weight. However, it wouldn’t be the first diet to garner an enormous following of dedicated fans in a very short time, only to later let down expectations. Atkins, anyone? Today we check out what real people think of the Paleo Diet book, with a little bonus section examining how the principles of the diet stand up scientifically, in general weight loss and bodybuilding contexts.

The Overall Reviewer Verdict …

“The Paleo Solution” has a total of 238 reviews from those who bought it on Amazon. Of these, 189 gave the book 5 stars, 23 gave it 4 stars, 14 gave it 3 stars, 5 gave it 2 stars and 7 gave it 1 star. Overwhelmingly positive! Here are some trends in the reviews.

Easy to Stick To

Many people seem to find that the Paleo diet is an easy one to transform into a ‘lifestyle’, rather than keeping it as a short term ‘diet’.

Plenty of Energy, a Feeling of Power

Reviewers noted that they felt more energetic after following the Paleo diet; one reviewer in particular said that it made him feel ‘powerful, like food should’. A fantastic positive effect, but no doubt one that is also dependent on other circumstances in your life. Will eating grass-fed grain or cutting out potatoes and peanuts make you feel powerful while you’re going through a divorce or have just been fired? Probably not.

Based on Evolutionary Biology

Evolutionary biology is quite a sensible trend in science at the moment. It recognises that most of our evolution occurred in circumstances radically different to those we now live in, and that we can work best with our body’s ‘performance envelope’ by trying to replicate the caveman era a little more closely.

The only unfortunate thing is that ‘The Paleo Solution’ oversimplifies evolutionary biology. Humans evolved in similar circumstances all over the globe, but there is still vast genetic difference within our population. Paleo might not work for everyone. Additionally, evolution hasn’t stopped in modern times – in fact, the changing world we live in may be accelerating the process.

Great for Reversing Aging Changes

There is a disproportionate number of positive reviews from people who found that the diet reversed some of their negative aging changes. Plenty of people say that it was able to suck up their middle aged spread, deflate the spare tyre, and give them that elixir from the fountain of youth that all 18 year olds seem to have a secret bottle of.

Good for Bodybuilding

The Paleo diet encourages ketogenesis, and as such fits well with what we already know to work well for bodybuilders. The book can be a handy little guide to low-carb eating – but it does work off additional principles.

Good for Weight Loss?

The medical community wants to remind us that no diet will result in weight loss unless it also results in a reduction in calories consumed. The Paleo Diet favours some fairly solidly evidence based tenets of weight loss dieting, including keeping GI low, eating foods that help you feel fuller for longer, and eating ‘good fats’ rather than ‘bad fats’.

Paleo is not a ticket to eat as much bacon as you like … but it seems to work for a lot of people! Let us know how you find it.

Tags: book review, diet, paleo
Filed under General | No Comments »

Feeling Funny? Blood Tests to Stop Your Body Clowning Round

Posted on July 18th, 2011

As bodybuilders, we’re pretty in tune with our inner workings. Most of us have a sixth sense about when we’re coming down with something, we notice the difference the morning after dinner at Maccas, and our sleep clocks are finely tuned. While we usually know when something isn’t going quite right in the world of cells, proteins, serum markers and minerals, we don’t always know what’s going on! That’s where an annual check up and some handy blood tests come in. Today we look at the blood tests your doctor might recommend for you when your body’s clowning around, and some indications of the meaning of markers that might be found.

Please remember that this is very general advice only! If something feels wrong, your doctor is the best person to advise you on exactly what is happening with YOUR body.

Blood Tests for Renal Function

If you have any urinary abnormalities or are generally feeling ill, your doctor will check out your renal function. They’ll be looking for:

• Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN): This builds up in the blood if your body has trouble excreting it at the kidneys. However, it is also elevated on high protein diets.
• Creatinine: Another marker of improper excretion of this waste product by the kidneys. However, it is also elevated if you are taking creatine supplements!

Healthy kidney function depends on plenty of water available to help with excretion. Additionally, diets that are heavily stacked towards meat (like ketogenic ones) will put stress on your kidneys to excrete the nitrogenous wastes. Long term, you need to be including plenty of fruit and veges as well for healthy kidney function.

Blood tests for Liver Function

Your liver is the body’s multi-tasker, and problems here cause general malaise, jaundice and low energy levels. Here’s what they’ll test:

• AST and ALT: These enzymes rise in response to damage or disease of skeletal, muscle and liver cells. Hepatitis is a particular culprit.
• Alkaline phosphatise: Bone or liver disorders cause this marker to rise, but anyone in positive nitrogen balance will have high levels.
• Bilirubin: It is your liver’s job to filter the bilirubin (formed by blood cell breakdown) out of the blood and direct it towards the urinary and digestive systems to be excreted. If your liver can’t extract it from the blood, it is probably taking a beating from high alcohol or steroid use.

Blood Tests for Thyroid Function

Your thyroid gland is in charge of telling your body how to use energy. If it isn’t working properly, you may not have the free calcium available to begin skeletal muscle contractions. Or, your metabolic set point may be out of whack, making weight loss or weight gain difficult depending on whether you have high or low levels of thyroid hormone. Doctors will test:

• Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH): Produced by the pituitary, this hormone tells the thyroid to pump out thyroxine. Without it you’ll stack on weight and have less energy.
• Free T3 and T4: These secondary thyroid hormones are also needed in metabolism, and are prone to globulin binding. Free readings are necessary.

Blood Tests for Adrenal Function

If your body is under stress, you may have either high or low levels of adrenal hormones. Cortisol and DHEA will be tested, and can help pinpoint disorders like Cushing’s disease, Addison’s disease and adrenal cancers.

Blood work can help give you a direction to work in, and even bodybuilders who are in-tune with themselves at a cellular level (!) should have it done occasionally. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ve been overtraining, only to find out that there’s something seriously wrong … or worrying that something was seriously wrong when you just haven’t been sleeping enough! Get the tests, have the conversation, and move forward from there.

Tags: blood tests, health, medicine, science
Filed under General | No Comments »

Got Too Much Money? Throw Some Away on Homeopathic Bodybuilding Supplements

Posted on July 18th, 2011

If you’re like many ordinary Australians, you have probably heard that homeopathy is just a ‘gentler’ alternative to standard medicines. You may have heard that it works with your body’s natural healing tendencies, and that it can achieve the same this as any ordinary bodybuilding supplement, but without the side effects. Well, this is the marketing spin, and it in no way represents the truth of homeopathy. Today we check out why homeopathic bodybuilding supplements will do you just as much good as using your money as kindling …

What is Homeopathy?

In a nutshell, homeopathy is:

“ A system based on the principle that a much diluted preparation of a substance that causes symptoms in healthy individuals can cure disease that causes the same symptoms in a sick person”

This sounds like a mouthful because it is a real mental leap. In layman’s terms, homeopathic remedies work on the concept that ‘like cures like’, but only when diluted so much that less than one molecule of the original substance remains in a tincture, but after the tincture has been shaken to “imprint the water with its memory”. Theoretically, your body then learns to self-heal, with prompting from the substance in the tincture.

So, if you can’t sleep, a homeopath would prescribe you a caffeine preparation. The caffeine would be diluted many, many times over, and the solution would be shaken to ALLEGEDLY imprint the water with the memory of the caffeine molecule. By the same logic, a thousand-time dilution of estrogen which has been shaken could be used to treat low testosterone levels.

Make sense to you? Because it simply makes me feel like I woke up in a Dr Seuss book!

The Placebo Effect

Unfortunately, bodybuilding supplements can be prone to the placebo effect. We are working with outcomes which have many interlinked factors – so, if taking a bodybuilding supplement makes you believe that you will be able to lift more weight, have more energy, or get an increased sex drive, there’s a high possibility that you’ll get a mild improvement.

Homeopathic bodybuilding supplements usually get their only real effect as a placebo. This is completely understandable when you know that any active ingredient that was in the original preparation is now diluted so much that it isn’t actually present. On top of this, the original active ingredient would have actually THWARTED your goals rather than helping you achieve them, because of the insane (and importantly, unproven) theory that ‘like cures like’.

Homeopathy has only survived for so long because of the placebo effect, and because people don’t really understand the rationale upon which these preparations are based. If you want real results from your bodybuilding in the long term, you’ll need to take supplements with REAL active ingredients. And anything with the word ‘homeopathic’ on the label is produced based on an unproven fantasy.

Tags: Bodybuilding Supplements, science, supplements
Filed under General | No Comments »