This was the first week of the “Strength Max” portion of the program.  It felt good to be doing heavier loads again.

This week’s innovation was the addition of “Punisher” sets.  These are 100 rep exercises!  You start with a load you can do a max of 30 – 40 reps with, then squeeze out 100.  Obviously, this takes more than one set to accomplish, but the idea is to minimize the intervening rest periods… each “rest” was only about 15 – 30 seconds.

Naturally, the 100 rep sets are at the end of the workout, right when I’m tired and ready to hang it up for the day.  The Punisher exercises we did this week were 1) calf presses (leg press machine); 2) reverse curls (EZ-bar); and 3) seated leg curls.

“Punisher” is a good name for this… doing 100 reps really, really burns.  I was ok with the calf presses (they hurt, but my calves are quite tough, and can take a LOT of abuse), but I’m still aching from the other two.

We didn’t get any Prowler workouts in this week - we had either John’s work schedule or the weather (rain) to contend with.  Admittedly, we had a chance yesterday (it was Saturday AND sunny), but blew it off, since we were both sore from our upper body workouts.

C’est la vie.  We’ll pick it up again next week, weather (and John’s schedule) permitting.

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Lao Tzu

About a decade ago, my husband, John, was tipping the scales at 257 lbs.  Despite his height (he’s 6′ 3″), he was borderline obese, and – even worse – had a family history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  He knew he had to deal with the weight, and was taking action, but had a looong way to go.  Needless to state, I was on the lookout for ways to inspire and motivate him to succeed, and – after some searching - I found what looked like the perfect e-book for him.

It was Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle by Tom Venuto.

BFFM was my first introduction to Tom’s writings, and I could not have asked for a better one.  Unlike many other programs, it was a detailed roadmap – not only for getting into shape – but for reaching the next level.  Tom truly is one of those ”teachers” alluded to in the above quote… Unlike many other popular and “fad” diet programs, BFFM provides readers with a template for lifelong fitness and maintenance of their ideal weights.

Nonetheless, it’s not for everyone.  Tom is a successful natural bodybuilder, and BFFM reflects his training and discipline.  While it’s “user-friendly”, it’s also fairly detailed – which is why he saw the need for a simpler program that would be just as effective, but more in tune with the “goals of ordinary ‘real people’”.

That program is The Body Fat Solution. It was written for…

…men and women who are overweight…This book is for the busy working person who doesn’t have all day to spend in the gym or in the kitchen preparing complicated meals.  It was not written for the full-time athlete, bodybuilder, fitness professional, or person with unlimited time to exercise.

The Body Fat Solution is for the layperson who wants simple explanations and practical action strategies to apply in daily life.

Continue Reading »

The article speaks for itself…

FDA has received a consent decree from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division, to destroy prohormone products worth $1.3 million. The decree included more than 23,300 bottles of three products distributed by LG Sciences LLC, of Brighton, Mich., marketed for use by body builders and distributed on the Web and at retail under the names “Methyl 1-D,” “Methyl 1-D XL,” and “Formadrol Extreme XL.” On behalf of FDA, U.S.Marshalls seized the products back in early April 2008, but the company was fighting the action, saying the products were DSHEA-compliant.

FDA said lab tests showed the products, which were marketed as dietary supplements, contain one or more unapproved food additives and/or new dietary ingredients (NDIs) and lacked scientific support for safe use. They found Methyl 1-D and Methyl 1-D XL contained 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione, also known as “ATD” or 1,4,6-etioallocholan-dione; Formadrol Extreme XL contained ATD and 3,6,17-androstenetrione, also known as “6-OXO”—the substance at the center of the legal battle between suspended Phillies pitcher J.C. Romero and several supplement makers and retailers.

FDA stated both of these substances are steroids that inhibit the activity of the enzyme aromatase; they can be found in dietary supplements marketed as testosterone boosters.  Also, 6-OXO was created by Patrick Arnold, the chemist behind many of the BALCO products involved in the Major League Baseball steroid scandal, which involved Barry Bonds and other key players.

Continue Reading »

…It’s 9:25 AM on August 8, 2009

In just 5 minutes time, Tom Venuto, will swing by the W. to escort you, your fellow Contest Winner and Adam Waters on a “road trip” you’ll never forget.

That’s right! Over the next 10 hours you will be living the dream with two online fitness icons. Your “Winner’s Itinerary” for the day includes a one-on-one training session in New Jersey, a professional photo shoot, a private dinner with Tom and Adam in New York City, and a “Broadway Show” in Manhattan’s famed “theatre district.”

I’d like to title this, “My Dream Date with Tom Venuto” – except there’s no way I’d win this contest!  All I can do is be insanely jealous of the actual winners.

Of course, anyone who sees the “Real Time Physique” Transformation contest through will BE a winner, even if they don’t walk off with the top prize.  The deadline for signups is April 30.  Check out the details at http://www.rtp-system.com/ (terms and conditions here).

It’s funny, now that I think back on it: throughout my entire reproductive life, I’ve spent only…four, maybe five years – tops – on the pill. Sure, oral contraceptives have their obvious charms w/respect to spontaneity, and – with the exception of one, college-era prescription - I never had any problems with it…

Yet there was always something about taking the pill that…bugged me. Simply put, I just never liked the idea of messing around with my hormones.  Thus, I opted for other forms of birth control most of the time: diaphragm or IUD. I’d cycle oral contraceptives in for a year or so (mostly for John’s sake, lol), then return to somewhat more awkward, but also less (psychologically) bothersome, forms of protection. Finally, John had a vasectomy right after Nick was born and that was that…birth control became a total non-issue for me.

Until I got into bodybuilding, that is.

Continue Reading »

Paul forwarded a reader comment to me yesterday, and I thought the subject was worth exploring in depth:

I’m curious to know your opinion on the negative effects of Rutaecarpine? There are a lot of reliable (!?) anecdotal reports of liver enzyme issues. A quick search finds multiple studies, including human, of this compound inhibiting liver  microsomes.

Rutaecarpine is in products like BSN No Xplode (which many of the anecdotal evidence is against).

I’d be really interseted in your thoughts/comments and could provide an interesting article.  Most people will never come across this information, but we need supp companies to omit ingredients if dangerous.

I certainly don’t disagree with that last sentence!  Of course, therein lies the problem that many pro-regulation-types have with the industry.  Simply put, a lot of supplement ingredients have virtually no track record w/respect to health and safety, let alone efficacy.  So we’re treading into murky water, both scientifically AND philosophically. 

Let’s take care of the science part first…

Continue Reading »

Yesterday, I fielded a question on the “Bodybuilding Revealed” forum about “Hexaghen,” a new supplement designed to raise levels of IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1). IGF-1 is a polypeptide hormone that’s similar in structure to insulin (thus, “insulin-like”). It plays an important role in growth and development, and has anabolic effects in adults too. Thus, IGF-1 levels – like testosterone – are important to bodybuilders and others wishing to add mass and strength.

At any rate, while perusing the ad literature, I noted this graph, which illustrated the results of lab tests showing an increase in IGF-1 levels in (an unknown number of) subjects after two weeks of Hexaghen use. As the accompanying spiel put it:

Continue Reading »

Actually, I’m long overdue for a new one…I’ve been more-or-less marking time for the last 2-3 weeks.  Unfortunately, I’ve allowed myself to get too wrapped up in my work to write one up.  There’s no end in sight, either, so it occurred to me that I could use this as an opportunity to try out some of the “canned” workout programs in my possession…Lord knows I’ve got quite a collection on my hard drive and bookshelf.  That way, I don’t have to think too hard about what I’m doing, and can discuss each program as I go through it.

Continue Reading »

The Washington Post has an article on the results of an interesting…and somewhat odd study presented at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting.  The study focused on the effects of human growth hormone (HGH) injections on athletic performance – but with a twist.  The researchers gave either HGH or a placebo to a group of 64 men and women who were recreational athletes between 20 – 40 years of age.  At the end of the two month study period, the subjects were asked to rate their performance improvement during the time they were receiving the injections, and to guess which group they were in.
Continue Reading »

People ask me lots of questions about their supplements, and it’s no wonder: many supplement labels are deliberately designed to be confusing.  Using scientific names for the chemicals, nutrients and herbal extracts creates the impression that the product’s been scientifically designed - yet this may not be true.

Take this supplement, for example.  The ad copy proclaims it’s “the World’s Most Powerful Formulation of Proven and Effective Muscle Building Components Ever Assembled…”  

Continue Reading »

I moderate two private fitness forums: “Fat Loss Revealed” and “Bodybuilding Revealed.”  These names are pretty self-explanatory…the first forum is dedicated to fat loss, while the second is concerned with building muscle.  

Not surprisingly, the majority of the members on the “Bodybuilding Revealed” forum are male.  Nonetheless, we have female members too – which is a great thing, in my view…I wish there were more.  However, one thing that I find odd – and kinda scary, to be honest – is the number of female members who are shocked when they learn they need to eat more than 1500 – 1600 calories/day to add muscle.  I’ve fielded queries from women who’ve used the “Calorie Planner” on the site, who are dumbfounded by numbers as low as 1900 – 2000 calories.  They’re afraid they’re going to get fat on that – I kid you not.

Continue Reading »

One problem with working in the bodybuilding industry, is that the focus is relentlessly on…well, bodies.  A lot of people lift because they want a leaner, more muscular, better-looking body.  Nuthin’ wrong with that: I certainly enjoy my body (and so does my husband).

But there’s so much more to it than that - especially for me, as a woman.  Quite honestly, it’s seriously cool to be strong.  I love being able to increase the weight and/or number of reps that I do for a particular exercise.  I was decidedly unathletic as a kid, and pretty much started at “-10.” Thus, it’s awesome to be able to do things that I never thought I’d be able to do: it’s been a tremendous confidence booster.  Continue Reading »