T-Nation, I, Bodybuilder, loses it's marbles

[BendtheBar]

T-Nation is officially gone the way of insanity. It's pimping the new, I, Bodybuilder program waaaay over the top...

"Christian gained 27 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks, and was doing seated overhead presses with 375 pound for 5 cluster reps.

"Christian is already an advanced-level bodybuilder, and in his best condition prior to starting the program. So building a substantial amount of new muscle mass, on top of his existing development, would be more difficult than, say, someone at the intermediate level.

"Before officially starting the project, I wanted Christian to test the entire program on himself. He spent three weeks dialing in to the new training methodology, and three weeks on our shoulder specialization program. All six weeks, however, he was loading the Anaconda™ formula and nutrient-partitioning carbs into an insulin surge, as part of each workout.

"Six weeks later, like I said, Christian had gained 27 pounds of solid muscle, and ended the shoulder program doing seated overhead presses with 375 pounds for 5 cluster reps! He ended the sixth week weighing 239 pounds. He's now substantially stronger than he ever was as an Olympic lifter. And the kicker is, he still had 75 percent of the program left to do!

"Christian, of course, is in the genetic freak category. So, even in spite of the fact he's already an advanced lifter, it could be argued that his results are certainly going to be above average. Still, adding that much muscle and that much strength to an already advanced lifter — adding that much muscle to anybody, for that matter — is way beyond impressive.

"Another example is Sebastien, who's currently in the final and brutal weeks of contest prep. Keeping that in mind makes his already very impressive results even more impressive.

"Sebastien gained 20 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks and added 100 pounds to his front squat, while cutting body fat for the bodybuilding contest.

"Kevin is another advanced bodybuilder who's on the program, but he's not currently preparing for a contest.

"Kevin gained 24 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks, while losing 14 pounds of fat and adding 50 pounds to his bench press.

"Another example is Christian's training partner, Nick. Nick's not actually a bodybuilder. He's just a normal guy with a very busy life and a lot of commitments to juggle. In addition to unofficially being in our project — if that wasn't hard enough — Nick works construction, has a family to support, and trains for boxing twice a week.

"At five-foot-eight, he's also a former fatty. And through Christian's previous supervision over the last year, he'd gotten down to a fairly lean 175 pounds, where he finally began to see his abs for the very first time. Christian strictly managed Nick's carb intake to get him in that condition, which unfortunately, also made him carb-phobic.

"So when Nick was first introduced to loaded insulin surges, it was like trying to talk someone into drinking a bottle of Drano. It took an awful lot of convincing, but we not only managed to get him using loaded insulin surges, but we've replaced his phobia with an addiction.

"In eight weeks of faithfully using loaded insulin surges and training with HTH methods, he certainly has a new appreciation and perspective on carbs.

"Nick ended up gaining 20 pounds of new muscle and increasing his bench press by 55 pounds, and that's addictive.

"After experiencing these kinds of results, from week to week, it's impossible to be satisfied with anything else. These guys are hooked — we're all totally hooked — and simply refuse to train any other way.

[RickB]

Where does the deception stop in this industry?

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by RickB

Where does the deception stop in this industry?

What I find it hard to believe is that T-Nation had to close a thread that was 16 pages long about this program. A small percentage were attacking it, but the majority were embracing it.

Can you say sheeple?

Everyone buys these magic potions and programs, but few look like they've gained more then 10 pounds over the course of their life.

[jwood]

Why does the industry have to be so outrageous?

and why cant people just keep it simple and train hard and eat well, that is all you need. If you are a beginner like most are in these threads just pick a basic program and go balls to the wall and eat big. I guarantee gains, everybody wants an easy way out and a magic pill, but dont want to work hard.

Things are getting crazier and crazier. I am fan of t-nation but if they continue this I will have to take my business elsewhere. I like their powerlifting articles and most of their bodybuilding articles but this is just way too much for me.

[BendtheBar]

UPDATE...I got attacked about my anti-I, Bodybuilder post. I offered a challenge to the reader:

Reader: “at the top of this very page of yours is a google ad telling me I can add 15lbs in 8 weeks with hypergain, (a creatine supplement). A much more ridiculous claim. why are you not attacking them?”

Muscle and Brawn: A) I don’t control Google ads. B) Creatine works great. I’ve had great experiences with creatine monohydrate.

Reader: “It is a free program not something to buy. they do highly recommend their supplement protocol and say you will over train without it. Therein lies the secret to the program, it’s going to be brutal.”

Muscle and Brawn: So, let’s see…the program is free, but you will over-train if you don’t purchase their supplements? Hmm…I wasn’t born yesterday. I’ll give you a free car (what a nice guy I am), but you need to pay me $100 a gallon for the special fuel I’m selling to drive it. A scam is a scam is a scam.

Reader: “They are very open with the fact that Christian was detrained and there was some muscle memory and a little fat gain in his results.”

Muscle and Brawn: Oh, really? That’s not what it says off the I, Bodybuilding article. And I quote:

“Christian gained 27 pounds of muscle in 6 weeks, and was doing seated overhead presses with 375 pound for 5 cluster reps. Christian is already an advanced-level bodybuilder, and in his best condition prior to starting the program. So building a substantial amount of new muscle mass, on top of his existing development, would be more difficult than, say, someone at the intermediate level.”

The article on T-Nation states that Christian gained the muscle ON TOP of his already existing, substantial, development.

Reader: “a couple of months back I put on 10lbs in less than a month just by switching to a higher volume program…If I could have maintained that rate for another month before I stalled out I would have beaten their claim”

Muscle and Brawn: If, huh? I guess you decided you were already too big? If I could have sustained the gains I experienced my first year of training, Ronnie Coleman would be asking me for advice. If doesn’t mean anything to me. It’s not reality.

Reader: “No offense but it doesn’t seem like you even read the entire article or any of the many discussions on there before trashing it.”

Muscle and Brawn: No offense, but I think you’ve drank the Kool-aid. I will pay for ALL your supplement costs if you run an I, Bodybuilder log on my forum, use a caliper and video log your results, and gain more then 20 pounds of muscle in 8 weeks. In fact, I will give you an additional $250 on top of that.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by jwood

Why does the industry have to be so outrageous?

and why cant people just keep it simple and train hard and eat well, that is all you need. If you are a beginner like most are in these threads just pick a basic program and go balls to the wall and eat big. I guarantee gains, everybody wants an easy way out and a magic pill, but dont want to work hard.

Things are getting crazier and crazier. I am fan of t-nation but if they continue this I will have to take my business elsewhere. I like their powerlifting articles and most of their bodybuilding articles but this is just way too much for me.

One of the reasons I hold back from getting into the supplement ring is because of this. Supplement money drives the bus. Sure, T-Nation has great info...but when that info starts getting wrapped around a program where you have to buy supplements or you'll over-train, it's time for me to go elsewhere for that info.

Not telling you what to do Jwood, because I know you're a wise man. It's the kids out there who fall for this stuff...well, it's abuse. T-Nation gains their trust and then anal rapes them. Sorry to be blunt, but that is what's happening.

[jwood]

I totally agree with you, tnation has some great stuff but i do not trust any of their supplement articles because you get to the end and then they start talking about biotest products and how wonderful they are. I run into people all the time that ask me what the best supplement is and I tell them food, they ask what the best program is, I say something heavy and done hard, thats it. Simplicity rules, and yields results!!

The internet is a great resource for kids but companies have really ruined a lot of it and it is hard for beginners to determine what is good and bad info!

I highly suggest that you check out the velocity diet on tnation, it boggled my mind, it is actually diet suggested to be used for a month where pretty much the only thing consumed is biotest products!! No real food, the dieters are allowed one whole food meal a week, these are supplements as in supplements to your diet they are not supposed to be the whole diet. It just seems outrageous to me.

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by jwood

I totally agree with you, tnation has some great stuff but i do not trust any of their supplement articles because you get to the end and then they start talking about biotest products and how wonderful they are. I run into people all the time that ask me what the best supplement is and I tell them food, they ask what the best program is, I say something heavy and done hard, thats it. Simplicity rules, and yields results!!

The internet is a great resource for kids but companies have really ruined a lot of it and it is hard for beginners to determine what is good and bad info!

I highly suggest that you check out the velocity diet on tnation, it boggled my mind, it is actually diet suggested to be used for a month where pretty much the only thing consumed is biotest products!! No real food, the dieters are allowed one whole food meal a week, these are supplements as in supplements to your diet they are not supposed to be the whole diet. It just seems outrageous to me.

I've skimmed over the velocity diet, but never new that it was Biotest madness. Speaking of diets, if you want a really good diet book, check out "Better than Steroids." I am interviewing the author, and it is the best book on diet and food intake that I've ever read.

So the supplements on the Velocity ARE the meals? That's completely insane.

[jwood]

I read most of the diet and from what i gathered all you do is take supplements. Here is a quote from the velocity diet:

Quick Overview

Remember, you'll have five shakes each day, spread evenly throughout the day, for 28 days. Once a week you'll enjoy a healthy solid meal (HSM).

So it is basically a supplement diet. But that sounds like a very interesting book although being back at school I am not really in the mood to read anything else after reading a bunch of textbooks and such. but thank you and i intend to read this book in the future

[swoleramon]

Yeah, I almost went for the Velocity Diet until I found out about all that. I couldn't afford it.