Muscle and Brawn Forums

kettlebell exercises

smalldon — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:10:53 GMT

I would like to start working out with a kettlebell. What would be some good exercises for me to start with since I am both a newbie to body building and to kettlebells?

Tightness in Hamstring

smalldon — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:08:19 GMT

My hamstring feels very tight today. Did lots of leg and lower body work yesterday and think I may have worked it too hard or too much. If this ever happens to you, what do you do to fix it? Is it possible that I just did too much and if I work out again, do you think that that will help to ease the tightness?

Where to put Creatine

smalldon — Thu, 17 May 2012 21:02:39 GMT

Can you put creatine on foods? Like sprinkle it on what you are eating? I have some that does not mix well with liquids, it gets all lumpy and I just do not like the texture of it. Can I sprinkle it on warm foods or will that destroy the creatine?

Nocturnabol - Stay Up Late But Sleep In

Right Hook — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:02:49 GMT

Unofficial National Testosterone Month Continued...

In the bodybuilding world there are often three critical elements to success. In no particular order we know those as...

Usually the argument is over which area is most important to a bodybuilders success. Still the one thing we can all agree on, is that all three are important. In the realm of blogs, fitness sites, and general bodybuilding advice outlets the least discussed is often sleep. Now we know that in general getting enough sleep is important to our goals. There is a lot of sleep research out there, and it all supports that more pillow time will improve your fat loss, muscle growth, and overall body composition goals. But what if you just don't have that option? Maybe you need to be up earlier one day for an important meeting, or your dog decides to tear up the house at 3a.m. Well a recent piece of research out of Lubeck, Germany answers this question for us.

The Study

The study conducted two experiments spaced 16 weeks apart in healthy men (average age of 27). The first experiment tested whether or not staying up later, and getting only 4 hours of sleep (vs. 8 hour group) effected serum markers of testosterone luteinizing hormone (LH), and prolactin. They measured these markers after two nights of staying up late, and sleeping only 4 hours. Both groups were awoke at the same time of day (7 a.m.). They also scored (subjectively) measures of mood for each group before and after the 2 days.

Surprisingly the found no major differences in testosterone, LH, or prolactin levels between the two groups. They did however find that mood scores were significantly lower in the group deprived of an extra 4 hours of sleep. Suggesting that although you may not see a drop in the backbone (testosterone) of bodybuilding success, but it may have a negative psychological impact (ex, motivation to hit the gym). This also suggests that staying up late to catch game 7 of the NBA finals, may in fact not be as harmful as we might think.

That brings us to the second experiment. This part of the experiment did things slightly different, but the primary difference was that in the restricted sleep group, they limited sleep to the early part of the night, and woke them up much earlier than they were used to. There was also a group completely restricted from sleep. They compared the three groups to determine the impact again on testosterone, LH, and prolactin. In this second experiment they found the answers to some of our earlier questions. In the morning they found that testosterone was decreased in both the sleep limited group (to early part of night), and to the group completely restricted from any sleep. They also found significant reductions in prolactin for both groups, but no changes of significance in LH. Results are summarized below, with the starting testosterone levels notated in the top bubble.

As you can see in the results, it appears that going to bed on time, but waking up earlier than normal can have a significant negative effect on total testosterone levels. Of special note, the group with only 4.5 hours of sleep had significantly less measured time in the important REM (14 minutes, vs 50) and Stage 2 sleep (125 minutes, vs 230). Even more importantly (although statistically not significant) Stage 3 and 4 sleep (or slow wave sleep) also increased (65 minutes, vs 77).

The Takeaway

Based on these results, it's quite apparent that if you are wanting to maintain and/or increase your natural testosterone levels, it's important to get some sleep. And if you are unable to get a full night of sleep, we suggests you stay up later, but still wake up at your normal time (or even sleep in late if you have that option). This also re-establishes the importance of taking your sleep seriously. This is another reason why Advanced Muscle Science offers an extremely good value sleep supplement called Nocturnabol. Nocturnabol is specifically designed to get you more pillow time, and more importantly quality pillow time. One ofthe biggest differences that Nocturnabol provides is quality of sleep. So whether you have limited sleep time or not, it's important to take a supplement like this that can help you rest, and recover.

Discount!

As a special offer, to honor Unofficial National Testosterone Month, you can use the following coupon code and get Nocturnabol (a 30 day supply) for only $9.99. Just visit the Advanced Muscle Science Store and place one box in your cart. Enter the following code in the redemption field:

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Sweet Testosterone Filled Dreams!

Karaoke Rage

Fazc — Thu, 17 May 2012 15:26:20 GMT

Did karaoke versions of Sinatra's My Way provoke killings in the Philippines? | Music | guardian.co.uk

At least half a dozen have reportedly been killed after renditions of the 1967 song, forcing bars to take it off their song lists

Over the past decade, the Philippines has been stung by a series of killings all reportedly provoked by karaoke versions of Frank Sinatra's My Way. At least half a dozen people have been murdered after singing the tune at karaoke, according to the New York Times.

Local media call them "My Way killings", and they are occurring in some of the Philippines' thousands of karaoke-filled bars, caf�s and restaurants. Someone gets up, clears his or her throat, and chooses My Way from a list of songs. The lyrics appear on a screen, the music begins to play - and the trouble begins.

"The trouble with My Way is that everyone knows it and everyone has an opinion," Rodolfo Gregorio, an amateur singer from General Santos, told the newspaper. Some performers get into fights with their critics. Some are rude, some jump forward in line, and some simply sing out of tune. "I used to like My Way but after all the trouble, I stopped singing it," Gregorio said. "You can get killed."

Manila resident Alisa Escanlar recalled an incident where her uncle, a police officer, was listening to a friend sing My Way, apparently the most remade song in history, at a local bar. When someone at another table began to laugh, Escanlar's uncle drew his revolver. The people fled, she explained - but Escanlar and her relatives have now banned the Sinatra song from their karaoke parties.

Stories like these have helped My Way to gain a sinister, even malevolent reputation. While some say the violence is simply a matter of statistics - the song is one of the favourites in a country prone to violence - others blame its boastful style. Paul Anka wrote the English lyrics with Sinatra in mind, and they reflect Old Blue Eyes' preeminence. A man, his song explains, must "say the things he truly feels and not the words of one who kneels".

Unfortunately, several people have "taken the blows" of "doing it my way". Not that My Way has pride of place. Karaoke-related violence has spanned the globe, from an attack in Seattle after a man sang Coldplay's Yellow, to a Thai man who killed eight of his harmonising neighbours after their performance of John Denver's Take Me Home Country Roads. Perhaps the real solution is singing lessons.

Welcome to Planet Weird

BendtheBar — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:51:13 GMT

Worst Choir ever? - YouTube

Strength & Conditioning

bruteforce — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:30:10 GMT

An excerpt from an email I received today from a University strength coach. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

Quote:

After talking with students and parents this year there seems to be hesitation of many sophomore, junior, and senior non-football player to attend the advanced session. Though this workout will help develop a complete athlete, not just a football player, I do understand the hesitancy of these students. I have recommended that these students utilize the ----, "Session 1" workout. If there is a group of water polo players, soccer player, tennis players, etc that really want to use the summer to work out together, we can create a program specific to their needs during this session.

If you are a female coach, any help promoting the program would be great. My greatest frustration as a strength and conditioning coach is rarely getting girls to put in proper off-season training. They need the training more than the boys! Running and crunches are not a part of a quality off-season training program!

How to Perform Kroc Rows

BendtheBar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:26:07 GMT

T NATION | Kroc Rows 101

Quote:

Ensure a full range of motion by fully extending the shoulder at the bottom of the movement and really pulling it up and back at the top.

Your shoulders should be kept higher than your hips and your upper back should be at approximately a 15-degree angle to the floor.

Row the dumbbell in a straight line from directly below your chest up to the lower portion of your rib cage.

You can perform Kroc rows with one hand and one knee on a flat bench or standing with your non-rowing hand braced on something solid.

Rotate between performing Kroc rows with and without straps to reap the most benefit from the movement.

After two to three warm up sets, go balls out for one max set attempting to hit either a weight or rep PR and shooting for at least 20 reps per set.

Perform Kroc rows with as much weight as possible and strive to go to complete muscular failure on the final set.

How Fast Should You Gain Weight and Size

BendtheBar — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:24:06 GMT

How Fast Should You Gain Weight and Size
by John C. Grimek (1976)

Just how fast should you gain bodyweight without such weight becoming a liability? The question is asked so often and the answers obtained are debatable. Inexperienced youngsters (and some not so young), however, feel that they should gain several pounds a day so that within a month or two they should be as massive as they ever hope to be. That is not the answer, not the correct procedure . . . and even if one could gain weight that rapidly it is certainly not healthy. Any overnight increase of weight puts added burdens upon the organs and glands, but especially the heart, giving rise to one's blood pressure and further stress on the entire system. The only sensible way to put on weight is gradually . . . not more than 15 or 20 lbs. in a year. In this way the whole body acclimates itself to the process because the increase is so gradual there is never any great stress and the body continues to function normally. Consider that 15-20 lbs. in one year is about 1.5 to 2 lbs. a month.

Let's assume, as an example, that in one month you put on 20 to 30 lbs., and I might add, this is not so uncommon as you think. Swilling gallons of milk a day, along with several nutrient dense meals and snacks, sometimes covered with sauces and oils can put weight on just about anyone this fast. It's not that hard, not that uncommon and not that worthwhile. You'll gain mainly fat when you gain weight at this rate of speed, and if you think it's easy to pare off afterwards, just ask a lifter who's couldn't make weight for a competition.

There have been many weight lifting enthusiasts who gained that much and more. All this extra weight demands the extending of the capillaries throughout this added tissue, which causes the heart to work harder to supply that extra weight. Under such conditions the blood pressure within the body rises in order to meet these demands, and if for some reason a man had any fragility of his venous or arterial system, aneurysms and ruptures could occur, especially when the person was under stress, such as doing heavy weight training and straining at it. Now, think again about the men who have suggested, even shown you how to gain weight at this rate . . . 20 to 30 lbs. a month. Do you think they have your best interests at heart, or are they merely trying to make a dollar and a name for themselves in the game at the expense of ill-educated and green trainees?

If, however, this 30 lbs. was gained within months or even a year or two, the body would be accustomed to this procedure and carry on its function without any hindrance. The heart would grow stronger from the exercise done and from the demands put upon it, thus running into no strain or problems. The weight gained would be solid, mainly muscle, and not just fatty tissue that serves no real purpose for a lifter. Granted, additional weight (and here we are talking of fat not muscle) can increase a lifter's poundages in certain lifts. But think for a moment. Is that what you want? To add weight to the bar by adding weight to your midsection? There is strength, and there is leveraging heavier weights with added fat tissue. You choose.

A gain of a pound a week for a while isn't too much, although a pound (or two) a month is more compatible . . . and even that would amount to 15 to 20 lbs. a year, a lot of muscular weight in any man's language. The truth is that everyone wants to become a massive superman overnight, not realizing that it simply does not happen this way, and never seeing or caring how it affect's one's internal organs when weight is added rapidly and indiscriminately. So long as the scales show the gains . . . even though the body becomes bloated and weaker relative to its weight. That is wrong and should be avoided, regardless of how much you want to become big and heavy. It is the wrong approach.

Any weight gaining should be sensibly done and acquired thoughtfully. The weight that you do gain should be useful and not just be so much blubber.

Another folly of putting on weight too fast is that it is seldom permanent, especially if it's of the "forced growth" type that some lifters obtain. To prove a point, allow me to relate a true example and one that has remained deeply etched in my mind.

For a period of time I belonged to a YMCA that had no weights, but they did have the usual apparatus. I enjoyed doing dips on the parallel bars, dislocates on the flying rings, kips on the hi-bar, and to finish my session I swam a few laps in the pool. One day, however, I overheard a friendly argument between two men who worked out at the Y regularly. One was more inclined to gymnastics, and the other man was bodybuilding with whatever apparatus was available. The bodybuilder (Fred) was around 5'9" and had a fair physique with pretty well developed arms. The gymnast (Bill) looked like a gymnast, with heavier than average pectoral muscles. He was close to 6' with arms that measured a little over 15". In their discussion the gymnast said he could get his arms to match the bodybuilder's measurements in about two months. You can imagine what kind of argument followed. The bodybuilder was vehement in his doubtfulness, but after a half hour or more of the debate, a wager was made . . . a time limit of eight weeks was also made. In spite of this the gymnast insisted that his arms would measure 17" or more at the end of this period, although the bodybuilder was sure this increase was out of the question, judging by his own experience.

One afternoon while I was in the gym doing some bar work the bodybuilder came in to do his workout. We got to talking and the first question he asked was, "Do you think that Bill could put nearly two inches on his arms in eight weeks?" Since I was at that time little more than a rank beginner myself, I told him that in my opinion I doubted that the gymnast could attain his boast. I also added that I had been been training for nearly a year and in all that time had not made such a gain in my arms. To which he added, "Me neither."

Before I finished my dips, Bill the gymnast walked in and began chinning. This guy was a real fiend when it came to chins. He did chins with a narrow, wide, and medium grip, and then he reversed grips and repeated the same routine. Later he crossed his hands and did half-chins, one-quarter chins, and every conceivable variety I ever saw . . . and would you believe that within two weeks his arms began looking rounder and bigger? Just about every day he was working his biceps until they were red and swollen, and growing larger. The bodybuilder worked out about four times a week but, while he improved, his overall gain in arm size during the eight-week period was barely 1/2 an inch.

And would you believe that at the end of eight weeks Bill the gymnast sported a full 17" arm . . . it measured exactly 17.25 inches. The bodybuilder couldn't believe it. He had to check his own girth against the tape and found it to measure exactly as Bill's. You can imagine how frustrated Fred was. Here he worked in earnest and all that work netted him but a half-inch, while Bill's arm gained two inches. Fred was sick, sick enough to quit training and just do chins. Although, when both men stood profile to observe their arms in the locker room mirror, Fred's arm was bigger and rounder looking. No one could deny that Bill's arm wasn't vastly improved, and all who knew of the wager came over and congratulated him for the great job he did to prove his point.

But then something happened. The gymnast was by vocation a salesman, and this was a busy time for him. He was forced to leave on a short road trip for a period of 10 days.The amazing thing to us was that when Bill got back his arms had shrunk down to practically their former size. When some of the Y members asked what happened to make his arms shrink so, he nonchalantly shook his head and said, "Nothing. I haven't done a chin since the day I won the bet." He also added, "And because I was on the road I didn't have much chance to do anything, so I guess my arms went down."

Some weeks later, the bodybuilder got a virus that laid him up for two or three days. Even though it was another week before he got back to his regular workouts, no one saw any great change in his arm size. He admitted that he lost less than a quarter of an inch, but after a few training sessions he not only regained it but nearly added a further quarter of an inch. Fred knew from experience that whenever he lost any of his girths he could readily regain them after a few workouts. But for Bill to regain his lost measurement he would have had to undergo another siege of intensive training. Some of the members urged him to try again, but he seemed to want no part of it, only smiling and saying, "Well, maybe another time." But he never did.

The point I want to illustrate here is that this is a good lesson for all who seek to achieve fast gains. I know I never forgot the incident just related, and I never tried to force growth. I learned that growth of this type was never lasting, and if for some reason one had to lay off training for days or weeks, all that improvement disappeared. What's the percentage in having an 18-inch arm today that a week or two later would be down to 15. It just doesn't make good sense.

If you are out to build muscle because you want to improve your overall appearance, then take such steps as to assure yourself that once you develop it, it will remain, short of some drastic illness or accident. "Inflated" bodybuilders often find that their size disappears after they are forced to skip only a few workouts. Among others troubled by this are those who take large doses of steroid to gain some mass. When they are forced to lay off or they fail to ingest sufficient protein for a steroid user, their muscles literally disappear.

I have always felt that once you develop a good 17 or 18-inch arm it should stay with you for as long as you stay alive. Sure, some changes must take place; you can not expect to have the same measurements at the age of 60 as you did at 25. However, most of it will remain, even if you don't train as hard, and very few men train as hard at 60 as they did at 25. It may seem as if you're training as hard, but don't be misled. You have less ambition, less incentive, and less drive to train a you did before . . . unless you are willing to go down deep and create it.

The point I wish to clarify, however, is that when muscle and strength are acquired through sensible training, without drugs, or force feedings, or other incentives to induce fatty tissue or water weight, the results are more lasting and it takes less effort to maintain them thereafter.

How can you can gain weight and size that will last? Follow your common sense! Train regularly. Don't overpump. Don't force a massive change in food intake on your body suddenly. Even if you gain one pound a month of true muscle (and be honest here), just remember that in three years that's 36 pounds. Enough to completely alter the look of your present physique. The chances are at first you will gain more and faster, but as your body begins to level out you may not gain more than a pound or two of actual muscle in several months.

That shouldn't make any difference. It's the overall result in the long run that counts . . . not what you gain this week. Keep that in your mind's eye and you'll find that whatever gains you make will be healthful, beneficial and long lasting.

Moreover, gradual gains are superior to any overnight gains which don't impose the usual strain upon the heart. The heart develops and strengthens with these gains. You won't run into any problems such as heart palpitations, irregular beats, and high blood pressure if you gain slowly and surely, and here please don't confuse gaining strength and true muscle this way with an easy endeavor or laziness. To gain lasting strength and muscle without fat you will have to work, and work very hard.

We know that the heart is a muscle, and as any muscle that's constantly subjected to over-strain it is apt to renege eventually. It needs ample nourishment and it requires resting periods after any stress put upon it. Gaining a lot of weight in a short time causes the heart to work harder and this strain weakens it, rather than strengthens it. Forget those rapid and monstrous gains or mainly fatty weight and waist size. Be content to work hard towards gaining quality weight so your heart gains in strength as your bodyweight increases. This way, there won't be any problems, with your heart or eventually having to lose the fat.

When putting on weight, if you start experiencing chest pains, shortness of breath, or your blood pressure goes up, be assured these things are not conducive to your long term health, your ability to gain more size, strength, and power. They spell trouble, and this much should be obvious.

Again, anyone who gains rapidly is certainly not gaining solid tissue. Such gains are apt to be more fat than muscle. Who is so blase as to attempt to cultivate fat when knowing that fat ruins the man?

Train with a purpose and achieve those desired gains, but don't be led to believe that you can fool yourself or your body. It's a mistake.

Sponsoring Boyd Huneycutt, Jr.

BendtheBar — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:32:06 GMT

This is Boyd Huneycutt, Jr.

The Boyd Hunneycutt Story - YouTube

Boyd is looking to compete at the 2012 USPA National Powerlifting Championships in California in June. Right now he has some sponsorship help, but still needs to cover airfare and 3 nights of hotel rooms @ $99 per night.

I am trying to help Boyd out. If you are interested in joining me and helping Boyd Huneycutt compete, please donate via my Paypal email address:

contact@muscleandbrawn.com

Even $5 will help. Heck every $2 will help.

Thanks!

HeavyLifts does Reg Park's 5x5

HeavyLifts — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:44:37 GMT

Well lads, it begins tonight. Going to start Reg Park's beginner 5x5.

Real name is Lee. 28 years young; 155lbs.

Right now, the screen name is a misnomer. Pretty soon, I hope to be able to live up to it!

First workout tonight goes something like this:
Squat - 5x5 (3x5 working sets)
Chins - 5x5
Bench - 5x5 (3x5 working sets)
BB curls - 3x10
Wrist Work - 2x10
Calf work - 2x15-20

Not sure what to do for the "wrist work". Thinking I'll just do static holds with a heavy arse barbell...well, heavy for me.

I'll post later to you all know how I made out. I've spent the last month or so working on the big lifts (bench, deads, squats, milt press) to get my form down.

~ Lee ~

Protein shake thread

pappa_bear — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:35:16 GMT

List some of your favorite recipes for protein shakes here.

Mint shake:

5 crushed girl scout cookies
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
4 cubes of ice
1 1/2 cups milk

Blend all together. Delicious!!!!

Picture from my deadlift workout

BendtheBar — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:34:03 GMT

A picture from my last deadlift workout.

This or that?

pappa_bear — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:30:45 GMT

A fun game to play on forums. This or that. Pick two things and then the next person must pick one and then name two as well. Example:
poster one: cake or cookies?
poster two: cookies. Pepsi or coke?

So let's start. Ham or turkey?

Strength building question

70sBB — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:05:40 GMT

This might be a naive question but I'll ask anyway. I've seen some talked about Wilks and researched it. It seems reasonable but my question has to do with strength gains in general.

All things equal on the Wilk's formula, is it easier to get big and strong or is it harder to stay lean and get strong?