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Archive for July, 2010

Jay Cutler Bio

July 28th, 2010

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I was born August 3, 1973 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Worcester is centrally located in Massachusetts. About 50 miles west of Boston. I grew up in a small town called Sterling, which is a suburb of Worcester County. I was born the youngest of seven, 3 brothers and 3 sisters. My dad was a superintendent of the highway department and my mother worked in finance at a military base.

My childhood was an active one. I enjoyed riding my bike and playing neighborhood games such as kick the can and hide and seek. I rode ATV’s and worked on my family’s farm which consisted of pigs, goats, chickens, and cows. I worked in my brother’s concrete business from early on and developed quite a physique for myself. This physique was the foundation for my bodybuilding career.

In high school I played football. I had a vast group of friends and was popular with everyone. I did the usual high school party routine and really enjoyed my years at Wachusett Regional High School. My high school consisted of 5 towns: Paxton (Wachusett), Rutland, Holden, Sterling and Princeton.

When I graduated high school in 1991, I went to college at Quinsigamond Community College. I completed my Associate Degree in Criminal Justice from Quinsigamond Community College in 1993. This is where I discovered bodybuilding. I began training actually on my 18th birthday in 1991.

In the beginning, I trained only to look better, but my training quickly led to competition. I competed at the age of 19. My first show was the Teen Nationals in Raleigh, NC. I placed first. This was the start of my bodybuilding career and love for competing.

My girlfriend Kerry and I moved in together in Worcester. I began training for pro status. The years went by quickly. I worked at different jobs, while Kerry was pursuing her nursing degree. In 1994, I met a person who gave me the guidance and support I needed to become the best bodybuilder and business man.

Bruce Vartanian was a local bodybuilder and business owner. Bruce took me under his wing and taught me the ins and outs of the business. He taught me what I needed to do to be the best. We trained together along with my diet mentor, Chris Aceto. We built a physique that would sweep the Nationals in 1996 to gain professional status. I was bombarded with contract offers and eventually signed on with Joe Weider.

I took 1997 off from competition and came back to debut in 1998 at the Night of Champions in NYC. I placed 11th- a little off from my best. I went back to old school dieting and training for the 1999 season. I placed 3rd at the Pro Ironman Invitational and 4th at the Arnold Classic. Later that year, I placed 15th at the Olympia.

On July 9, 1998, I married my girlfriend of seven years, Kerry. We got married in a small private ceremony at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas. In 1999, Kerry and I moved to Aliso Viejo, CA. This was a great business move for both of us. Kerry began a job in nursing at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach. I continued to train with the hunger to move up in the bodybuilding ranks.

In May of 2000, I became the Night of Champions Winner, putting myself further ahead in the rankings. Kerry and I purchased our first home in CA in June of 2000. This was a great step for us, as we always wanted to live in CA.

I competed next at the 2000 Olympia placing 8th. The week following the contest, I was runner up to Ronnie Coleman (three time Mr. Olympia) at the English Grand Prix and the Italian Grand Prix.

In November 2000, I made a crucial business decision and began a new relationship with ISS Research. ISS is based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. They approached me with an offer that I could not refuse. ISS Research gave me the opportunity to take a whole year to prepare for the 2001 Mr. Olympia. I did many appearances through 2001 and really focused on preparing to do my best in October 2001. I went on to place a controversial 2nd place to Ronnie Coleman. The publicity launched my career even further and catapulted me to the next level.

After the “O” in 2001, I began preparing for the 2002 Arnold Classic, which I won unanimously over Chris Cormier. Many journalists have thus far declared 2003 as “The Year of Cutler”. It was at the beginning of the year that I won three consecutive contests – the IronMan Pro Invitational, the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic and the San Francisco Pro Invitational. I finished off the year with two more victories, the English and Dutch Grand Prix while landing runner up on three occasions: Mr. Olympia, Russian Grand Prix and the GNC Show of Strength. 2003 was a very busy year for me; eight contests, five victories, three 2nd’s…not bad!!! I also began a new relationship with MuscleTech Research and Development in December 2003. I will now endorse the largest sports supplement line in the fitness industry. MuscleTech has many future plans for the release of the most breakthrough supplements on the market.

At the beginning of this year, 2006, I stated on my website that this would be the year that I would have my name etched into bodybuilding history by becoming Mr. Olympia. On September 30 I fulfilled my destiny. Kerry and I now live in Las Vegas, after spending many great years in California. I will continue to train here in Vegas and do all I can do to solidify my position as the #1 bodybuilder in the world.

Posted in BodyBuilding

Tags: 200olympia, anabolic steroids, best, big body builder, biggest, bodybuilder, Cutlet, Jay, jay cutler, olympia, steroids, worcester mass

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Balco Steroid Investigation.

July 23rd, 2010

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A federal appeals court upheld the perjury convictions Thursday of champion cyclist Tammy Thomas, the first athlete charged with lying to a federal grand jury in the BALCO steroids investigation – the same charges now pending against former San Francisco Giants superstar Barry Bonds.

Thomas, who won a silver medal at the world cycling championships in 2001, was convicted of four felony charges based on her November 2003 grand jury testimony that she had never taken steroids. A federal judge in San Francisco sentenced her to six months of house arrest in 2008.

Bonds, baseball’s all-time home run leader, is awaiting trial in San Francisco on charges of lying to the same grand jury.

The panel was investigating the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative’s distribution of performance-enhancing drugs to athletes. BALCO’s founder, Victor Conte, and four others later pleaded guilty to dealing steroids. Track coach Trevor Graham, track star Marion Jones and former 49ers and Raiders lineman Dana Stubblefield were convicted of lying to investigators looking into BALCO.

Thomas was banned from competitive cycling for life in 2002 after testing positive for steroids. Federal agents said her supplier was Patrick Arnold, an Illinois chemist who designed undetectable drugs that BALCO distributed to other athletes. Arnold pleaded guilty in 2006.

Thomas’ perjury convictions were based on her denials that she had ever gotten any products from Arnold except for one legal drug, that she had ever taken anything Arnold gave her, and that she had ever taken anabolic steroids.

In her appeal, her lawyer argued that her answers were all literally true. The products were actually supplied by Arnold’s girlfriend, Arnold never “gave” Thomas anything she didn’t pay for, and the drugs she took were not on the list of legally banned steroids when she took them, the defense said.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco was unpersuaded. The court cited testimony that Thomas had contacted Arnold asking for steroids, and said the jury had been entitled to conclude that he “gave” – that is, supplied – her with substances that expert witnesses described as anabolic steroids.

Judge Jay Bybee wrote the 3-0 ruling. Thomas’ lawyer was unavailable for comment

Posted in Steroids News

Tags: anabolic, anabolic steroids, balco, Balco steroids, barry bonds, convictions, investigation, steroids

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8 week ultimate Cutting Diet.

July 22nd, 2010

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The Ultimate Diet to Getting Ripped While Maintaining Muscle Mass

This is a Strict Diet for 8 weeks. No CHEAT days, None. 56 days Straight. If you can’t deal with it, then this isn’t for you. If you can hang, The results will be Phenomenal.

This is a Diet for someone who is in Shape, but just needs to lose those LAST few pounds of Stubborn fat.

This diet will work ESPECIALLY for those with excess Fat in the lower abs, thighs, lower back area.

Diet Guidelines:

Avoid All starches, You don’t need them if your goal is to get down to 4-7 Percent BodyFat.

(1) Eat Tons of Green Veggies (Fiber)

(2) Eat Lots of Healthy fats ex. Steak, Flax Oil, E.V. Olive Oil, Salmon, Fish Oils, etc. (Energy)

(3) Eat TONS of Protein (Preserve Muscles).

(4) DRINK 1-1.5 gallons of H20 a day AT LEAST.

Avoid ALL fruit drinks, Juices, rice, breads.

Eat carbos ONLY after a grueling Glycogen depleting workout.

You will have tons of energy from the healthy fats, good digestion from the fiber, and great muscle hardness and protection from the protein.

Healthy Fats = Energy Protein = Muscle Hardness, Muscle Protection Fiber = Digestion, and various other health benefits.

Healthy Fats, Lots of Fiber, And TONS of Protein. That’s the key.

Not only will you DROP bodyfat while maintaing Muscle, but you will ALSO have an abundance of energy and your skin (complexion) will be looking great as well.

Example of a Day

(1) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(2) 8-10 OZ London Broil Steak (Extra Lean)/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(3) Grilled Salmon/ 1-2 cups Green Veggies.
(4) 3 servings of Whey/ 1 tablespoon of Flax Oil
(5) 2 Cans of Tuna/ Chopped Onions/Celery/ 1 tablespoon of Safflower Mayonnaise.
(6) (Post Workout) MRP or 2 servings of Whey/10 OZ Orange Juice.
(7) 8-10oz Extra Lean Steak/ 2 cups Veggies.

Breaks Down to About:

Protein 1.5 – 2 grams per lb of Bodyweight Fat .5 -.75grams per pound of bodyweight Carbs (only post workout) 30-50 grams fiber in the form of green veggies – As much as possible.

Supplements:

Do NOT take ANY FAT BURNERS…Why? They will Suppress your appetite TOO much, You need to eat every 2 hours. If you take a fat burner you won’t be up to it.

1 Multivitamin Extra Zinc 30 – 50mgs Fish Oil Caps Flax Oil Liquid 200mcg Selenium 800mgs Folic Acid 800iu Vitamin E 2 grams Vitamin C.

WORKOUTS:

Staying ACTIVE!! is the KEY. ALWAYSSSS stay Active.

Lift four times a Week. Alternate Between Heavy Low Rep workouts, and high repetition moderate weight workouts.

Cardio, 4-7 days a week, Alernate Between 20 min High Intensity (Jump Ropes, Sprints) and Low intensity for 45min – 1hour (Such as walking, light jogging)

This DIET is NOT easy by any means. It takes proper planning a day ahead of time (you have to have the steaks / veggies / chicken / salmon, etc, thawed out before cooking them, put stuff in tupper ware containers…you just have to be prepared). Be prepared to Go through at LEAST one pound of lean steak a day, and 10 servings of whey protein powder a day and TONS of green veggies a day. Be prepared to be going grocery shopping at least twice a week.

Like I said this diet is not easy, But oh well, No one said this game is easy.

But remember if you can stick through it for 8 grueling weeks, you’ll be satified at the end with your amazing results.

Good Luck.

P.S. NEVER mix fats and carbs at the same meal.

Posted in Nutrition

Tags: 8 week diet, 8 weeks, diet, fat loss, Get cut fast, loose weight, Strict diet, ultimate cutting diet, Unreal results

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Primobolan Injectable.

July 22nd, 2010

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Primobolan is an anabolic steroid which became very popular once it was claimed that it was one of Arnold’s favorites. I’m not really sure why this is, or how likely it is that Arnold went around telling everyone’s favorite steroid- but nonetheless, this rumor has persisted through the years.

When we take a critical look at it, in terms of its anabolic and androgenic rating, it appears to be a pretty weak steroid but is rated as stronger than Masteron (Drostanolone)! I’ve used both steroids and can tell you that not too many people would claim that those ratings provide an accurate idea of those two steroids compare to each other. In truth, I used Primobolan at 400mgs/week and wasn’t very impressed with it, and honestly, for the money, that’s really disappointing, since Primobolan is not inexpensive. I also would speculate that the reason many (male) Primobolan users have been less than thrilled with results from it is that they failed to use high enough doses. If I were to use it again (which I won’t), I would probably use 100mgs/ED (Every Day).

Interestingly, Primobolan has a relatively high affinity for binding to the Androgen Receptor, and surprisingly it actually binds with more affinity than testosterone (1). This ability to strongly bind to the AR may be why Primobolan is considered a good fat burner- although most Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) derivations are very potent fat burners (the notable exception being Anadrol).

Primobolan has been used medically to reduce breast tumors, with a success rate of about a third (2), so we can safely assume that no Anti-Estrogen products would be necessary. The use of Finasteride, Dutesteride, or another anti-hair-loss product may be useful, however, as Primobolan has a bad reputation for causing Alopecia.

Primobolan is very useful as both an anabolic as well as anti-catabolic agent, and the probable cause for this property is its ability to aid in nitrogen retention (3), which is a useful trait on both a bulking or cutting cycle…once again, I have to reiterate that the expense of this drug probably makes it a poor choice on a bulking cycle because of the reasonably high doses that it would require.

One of the other very interesting facts about Primobolan is that it’s one of the very few compounds available as both an oral as well as an injectable. Unlike Winstrol and Dianabol (both alkylated and non-estrified steroids) however, which are also available in both forms, Primobolan is available with an Acetate ester for use as an oral, and with an Enanthate ester as an injectable. Unfortunately, in this case, making Primobolan a non-17-alpha-alkylated steroid greatly reduces its potency. However, it must be noted that this alkylation is what makes oral steroids survive their first pass through the liver; it also makes them hepatoxic (liver –toxic). Oral Primobolan doesn’t actually have this drawback, and thus it is very mild on liver function and doesn’t elevate liver enzymes too much. Instead of the more toxic 17a-alkylation, Primobolan (Oral) uses 17 beta estrification and 1 alkylation to make it orally available. For both men as well as women, daily dosing of the oral is necessary, although men would probably want to take 100mgs per day and women would need to take at least 10mgs every day.

Although it is typically considered to be a very mild drug when inhibition of the natural hormonal profile is considered, this isn’t totally true. Men were given a 30-45mg dose of the oral version of Primobolan, experienced between a 15% and 65% decrease in their Gonadatropin levels (4). Since we’re probably looking at double or triple that dose, for men to get any kind of results, it’s also probable that gonadal inhibition will also be increased.

My history with Primobolan Enanthate (the injectable version) has been less than impressive. I used it at 200mgs/week about a decade ago, and wasn’t impressed at all. A couple of years ago I went back to it and used 350mgs/week (100mgs/Every other Day), and got much better results, but still wasn’t overly impressed with it. Add to that the fact that it is an expensive chemical, and I really wasn’t impressed.

On the Black Market, Primobolan tabs are only being produced by British Dragon currently, although PaperPrimo is being produced as well. Both are high quality products, although I would speculate that their use is going to be reserved for women. With regards to the injectable version, many underground labs produce it, and quality tends to vary, due to powder quality at the moment. Expect to pay around $100 for a 10ml bottle dosed at 100mgs/ml, if not more. Finally, ampules are available at a cost of roughly $7-12 per amp, but since this is the most widely counterfeited steroid on the black market, I’d stick to the underground lab variety.

Posted in Steroid Profiles

Tags: anabolic steroid, anti hairloss, Arnold, Arnolds favorite. Anabolizan, fakes, good fat burner, inectable, Injection, popular steroid, Primo, Primobvolan, real steroids, safest steroid, steroids, turkish

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Anavar.

July 19th, 2010

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Partly this is due to its apparent lack of non-AR-mediated activity. This can be corrected of course by stacking with a Class II steroid such as Dianabol, Anadrol®, 4-AD, or nor-4-AD: the latter two steroids require high blood levels which are not obtained by oral use of the powders.

The other part of the reason for this is that bodybuilders make unfortunate and unreasonable comparisons when judging anabolic steroids. If say 8 tablets per day does little, then the drug is pronounced useless or weak by the user. But that is only 20 mg/day, or 140 mg/week. Does 140 mg/week testosterone give much results? No. Few anabolic steroids give dramatic results at that dose. Per milligram the potency is reasonable, but each individual tablet is weak because the dosage is small.

Because of its high price, very few bodybuilders have taken large doses of oxandrolone. There is a single case in the medical literature (Forbes et al.) where it is reported that a competitive athlete self-administered 150 mg oxandrolone per day with remarkable gains. This is of uncertain credibility because unless urinalysis was done to verify that no other steroids were taken, there is no way to be certain that the athlete did not actually take more drugs than he reported. In any case, at current prices, only the quite wealthy could afford such a dose. I personally have tried 150 mg/day and considered it somewhat effective, but not dramatically so, and not a preferred regimen.

Oxandrolone does not aromatize or convert to DHT, and has a longer half life than Dianabol – 8 hours vs. 4 hours. Thus, a moderate dose taken in the morning is largely out of the system by night, yet supplies reasonable levels of androgen during the day and early evening.

Oxandrolone shares the liver toxicity problems common to 17-alkylated steroids. At one time it was thought that it did not, but both clinical and practical experience with Oxandrin has shown that at doses of 40 mg/day and higher, liver toxicity is indeed an issue with prolonged use.

Primobolan, I believe, should be considered a superior compound, offering the same activity at (usually) a lower price and without the alkylated-toxicity issue.

Oxandrolone is the chemical name of active ingredient in Oxandrin and Anavar. Oxandrin is a registered trademark of Bio-Technology General Corp. in the United States and/or other countries. Anavar was originally the registered trademark of Searle Laboratories.

Posted in Steroid Profiles

Tags: anabolic steroids, anavar, oral steroid, Profile, steroid, Steroid profiles., steroids, var

1 Comment »

Intermediate Steroid Cyle

July 17th, 2010

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Week	Testosterone (Propionate)	Trenbolone Acetate	Anavar or Winstrol (Oxandrolone or Stanozolol)	Arimidex* (Anastrozole)
1	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
2	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
3	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
4	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
5	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
6	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
7	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
8	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD		.5mgs/day
9	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD	50mgs/day	.5mgs/day
10	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD	50mgs/day	.5mgs/day
11	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD	50mgs/day	.5mgs/day
12	100mgs/EOD	75mgs/EOD	50mgs/day	.5mgs/day

Ok, so what we have here is a cutting cycle that uses low(ish) amounts of anabolics. A cycle like this, which makes use of short estered products like Testosterone Propionate and Trenbolone Acetate will produce noticeable results almost immediately. Since this is a cutting cycle, I´ll assume some kind of calorie deficit. This is important because the body is a lot more sensitive to androgens when there´s a hypocaloric state & this is why bodybuilders who are dieting for contests seem to be able to do astonishing things with their bodies on relatively small amounts of anabolic steroids.

The testosterone in this cycle has a very short ester, meaning it is released into the body very rapidly after it is injected – and is therefore usually injected every day or every other day. Testosterone stacks well with anything, and produces a nice anabolic (muscle building) effect, in addition to a distinct androgenic effect. Naturally, both of these effects will work together to help you achieve a significant increase in weight-load capacity, and a gain in Body weight.

Since you´re going to have to inject the testosterone propionate every other day anyway, you may as well include another product that has a similar ester length. For a cutting cycle, that would probably mean using Trenbolone Acetate. It´s often used by bodybuilders before contests for its hardening abilities and fat metabolizing qualities. It is highly androgenic and does not aromatize, it makes a great cutting drug. It stacks well with anything, including Anavar, which is our final compound in this cycle.

Anavar is Oxandrolone does not convert to estrogen at all, so water retention is quite low with this steroid (if there´s any) and gynocomastia is never reported. It is very popular for addition into a cutting cycle and provides a nice ending for this cycle, over the last four weeks, where the user may have reached a plateau in body fat loss. It´s also very good at helping users retain or even gain strength when calories are low or at just maintenance level. Its principal drawback is its price, which is why many users may opt to include Winstrol in a cycle in its place. Although Winstrol shares many of the properties that Anavar boasts, it just (anecdotally) doesn´t seem to provide as much muscle gain or strength increases. It is, however, very cheap in comparison to Anavar.

A cycle like this will give the user a lot of muscularity and loss of body fat, if a proper diet accompanies it. If your nipples get tender (a beginning sign of Gynocomastia), add in some Arimidex (Anastrozole) at half a milligram every day. Clenbuterol or Ephedrine can be added into a cycle like this also, if more fat loss is needed. Clenbuterol is typically used at a dose of 20-120mcgs/day in divided doses, and Ephedrine is typically used at a dose of 20mgs 3x a day.

Posted in Steroid Cycles

Tags: anavar, arimidex, cutting cycle., fat loss, Intermediate steroid cycle, Steroid Cycles, testosterone, Tren, Trenbolone, Winstroll

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Importance of Sleep/Rest during Training

July 16th, 2010

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As bodybuilders we are constantly on the lookout for new and effective ways to gain muscle. The latest supplement, a sophisticated training routine, a new diet. Granted, all of these things are crucially important but what is possibly most important of all is sleep.

The best training routine, diet and supplement program will not compensate for insufficient rest, and sleep is the best, and only (in some instances), way of getting this rest. Professor Michael Colgan went as far as to say: €œeven if your training and nutrition program can straight for the mouth of God almighty, without adequate rest your body will fail to adapt.€?

During sleep, growth hormone is produced and protein synthesis (provided protein is consumed prior to sleep) occurs. These are only two beneficial aspects of sleep. Energy consumption reduction and brain cell restoration are two other aspects equally important for bodybuilders.
Throughout this article I will explain the various stages of sleep and their implications for bodybuilders. Outlined also will be the benefits sleep has in terms of muscle recovery and growth.

Throughout this article I will explain the various stages of sleep and their implications for bodybuilders. Outlined also will be the benefits sleep has in terms of muscle recovery and growth.

Why Do We Sleep?

Sleep serves many vital functions. For bodybuilders the main functions are growth and mental alertness. Sleep provides these effects directly. Without adequate sleep, time in the gym could be, to a large degree, wasted. The following are important functions of sleep.

The repairing of muscle and other tissues, and replace aging or dead cells:

*
1. Never Oversleep: Oversleeping may set the bodies clock to a different cycle. This will make trying to fall asleep much harder.
2. Take A Warm Bath: A warm bath will sooth and relax. However, a shower will have the opposite effect so these should be avoided.
Lowered energy consumption is a biological mechanism for resource conservation. We would need many meals per day (rather than the normal 4-6 for bodybuilders) if we did not get enough sleep.With bodybuilders, the name of the game is increased size, so energy conservation out of the gym is paramount. Several meals throughout the day also assists growth, and sleep helps to ensure that food is used to replace energy and rebuild muscle (pre-sleep meals and nocturnal eating help to intensify this effect).
Adenosine (a neurotransmitter that produces ATP, the energy-storage molecule that powers most of the biochemical reactions inside cells) is used as a signal to tell the brain that it needs to rest. Rising and declining concentrations of adenosine suggest that the brain is actually resting during sleep given that adenosine secretion reflects brain activity.During sleep, levels of adenosine decline. Blocking adenosine in the brain has been shown to increase alertness, so this suggests that during sleep the brain is recharging. During the day heightened levels of adenosine, particularly toward the end of the day, suggest that the brain is getting tired.Resting the brain has obvious implications for bodybuilders given that mental alertness is desired during the day, especially during training. Motivation levels are highest when mental alertness is highest. Studies suggest that it is during REM sleep that proper functioning of the brain and alertness is assisted.
Stage One:
Considered the transition stage between sleepfulness and wakefulness, stage one non-REM sleep is the shortest period (2-5%) of sleep in the sleep/wake cycle.Stage Two:
Considered the baseline of sleep, non-REM sleep stage two accounts for 45-60% of sleep.Stages Three & Four:
Termed delta sleep, non-REM sleep stages three and four account for up to 40% of sleep time. These are the deepest stages of sleep and the most restorative for the brain.REM Sleep:
The most active stage of sleep REM accounts for 20-25% of a normal nights sleep. Breathing, heart rate and brain activity quicken during this stage.

Sleeping for 8-10 hours per night is similar to fasting and this is catabolic to muscle growth. However, eating just prior to sleeping, can help to reverse this process and increase protein synthesis. Protein synthesis does occur under conditions of sleep but it occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, not the muscles.Muscle is actually broken down under these conditions to provide our stomach with amino acids during this time of €œstarvation€?. Eating before bed is crucial in offsetting this. Some reports suggest waking up in the middle of the night to eat (nocturnal eating).

Human growth hormone is also released under conditions of sleep. In men, 60% to 70% of daily human growth hormone secretion occurs during early sleep which is typically when the deepest sleep cycles occur. Poor quality sleep can negatively impact human growth hormone levels.Research suggests that it€™s during REM (Rapid Eye Movement: explained later) sleep that the body is able to: restore organs, bones, and tissue; replenish immune cells; and circulate human growth hormone. Sleep has a profound effect on muscle growth and physical well being.

During sleep energy consumption is lowered:

Sleep to recharge the brain:

The Stages Of Sleep & The Sleep/Wake Cycle

The brain follows cycles during sleep, which last between 90 and 100 minutes each. The two different types of sleep are REM and non-REM sleep. A sleep cycle begins with 4 stages of non-REM sleep before they reverse and REM sleep commences. Most people experience around 5 of these cycles per night.

Knowing about sleeps stages are important for bodybuilders as the stages typically follow a set pattern and to adequately recover (get a good night of sleep, and grow) ones brain must experience all of these stages.

A lack of REM and stage three and four sleep is particularly problematic because it is during these periods that the body and brain are complete rest (stages three and four) and memory consolidation occurs (REM). During stages three and four the body and brain are completely at rest due to the slowing of brain activity that occurs.

Due to the neurotransmitter acetylcholine€™s activation in the pons, which in turn activates the medulla, during REM sleep, the body becomes paralysed. This is because the medulla inhibits motor neurons and gives rise to atonia (complete immobility). Newborn babies undergo about 50% of REM sleep per night.

This level decreases as one ages, until, by adulthood, REM will account for 20-25% of sleep per night. The phenomenal growth that occurs as the baby makes the transition to childhood, then to adulthood, suggests that REM is beneficial for growth. Sleep research is not conclusive on this point but many bodybuilders will attest to the benefits of a complete night of uninterrupted sleep (8-10 hours).

The Stages

Getting Adequate Sleep

Often it is hard to get a good night of sleep. Even when we do fall asleep the quality of the sleep may not be sufficient. The following ways can assist in getting that good night sleep and subsequently the benefits thereof.
* Exercise: Exercising, particularly aerobic, during the day will sufficiently tire one out and sleep will come faster at night. Intense training sessions during the late evening will have the opposite effect.
* Avoid Alcohol, Caffeine & Tyrosine-Rich Foods At Night: Caffeine causes hyperactivity and wakefulness. Tyrosine- rich foods are brain stimulating and may keep one awake. Alcohol significantly disrupts sleep by interfering with the stages of sleep.
* Avoid Sleeping Pills: These may work temporarily but in the long term will cause disturbed sleep patterns.
* Correct Sleeping Environment: Keep your room reasonably cool (about 60 degrees). Humidity may cause disrupted sleep. A fan running or soft background music may help to relax and encourage sleep.
* Make evenings relaxed, not stressful affairs.
* Do not watch television in bed. This may also increase alertness. The brain may also decide that bedtime is for television watching and refuse to sleep.

Conclusion

As research has shown, sleep is important for any reasons. For bodybuilders, sleep is particularly important as it restores brain function and alertness in preparation for intense training sessions.

Sleep also enhances muscular recovery through protein synthesis and human growth hormone release. Getting eight to ten hours of quality sleep every night will promote these factors as well as general well being. Recovery will take a backward step if one does not prioritize sleep, so get to sleep if you want to grow.

Posted in Health, Training

Tags: 8hrs or more, anabolic steroids, bed, body builder, BodyBuilding, Bodybuilding training, diet, exercise, grow, Growth Hormone, important to sleep during training, Imprtance of sleep, loose weight fast, new diet, night, recovery, routine, sleeping to grow, stages of sleep, steroids, Training

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Lou Ferigno.

July 9th, 2010

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When I was a teenager just getting started in bodybuilding, I used to marvel at the biceps of Larry Scott. They were the best I’d ever seen, and to me they still rank as the best ever.

Scott’s biceps heads were incredibly long, reaching past his elbows, and they were very thick and full, too. In studying my own biceps early on, I realized that Scott would be a good role model for me because I also had long muscle bellies. As much as I was amazed by the high peaks of Freddy Ortiz (Mr. America short-class champion in 1963 and ’64), I knew that there was no way I could ever attain arms that looked like his because our basic structures were too different.

In time, my upper arms stretched the tape at 22 3/4″ cold–no pump at all. This was when I was at my biggest, 325 pounds, for the 1994 Masters Olympia, in which I finished second. For that contest, I used the same biceps routine that I had applied in preparation for the 1975 Mr. Olympia [in which he placed third in the heavyweight division]. In fact, I’ve been so pleased with the results that I still use pretty much the same workout to this day.

PYRAMID PRINCIPLE There’s a general misconception about biceps training that more is better. For more than 30 years, I’ve been doing three or four exercises, two to four sets apiece and with a strict rep range of eight to 10. That’s usually a total of about 14 sets, give or take, which takes me less than a half-hour to perform.

I pyramid up in weight for each exercise, although I don’t necessarily lower my reps to accommodate the increase. No matter how hard it may be to bump up your poundage from set to set, it is important that you do so. I firmly believe that you get the most growth activation and strength improvement out of the last set or two of an exercise, when your muscles are pushed to their limits.

For example, let’s say I’m doing barbell curls, which is usually my first biceps exercise. I’ll start with a light weight and do 10 quick reps (still using good form) just to get the biceps warmed up. My next set will again be 10 reps, with a weight that gets difficult to lift on the seventh or eighth rep. For my third set, I’ll add another 20 pounds and shoot for eight reps. Then, for my final set, I’ll add another 20 pounds and go for eight again. I struggle to get eight on the third set, so when the fourth set comes around, it’s a real test of will, after having increased the weight, to try to equal the same number of reps.

When I move on to incline dumbbell curls, I stick with eight reps for all four sets, but I keep increasing the weight for each set, from 50s to 60s to 70s to 80s. A lot of people assume that pyramiding means increasing weight while dropping reps. If you set a goal of keeping the reps the same set after set while increasing weight, you bring a whole new level of intensity and mind over matter to the equation.

INCLINED TO CURL Incline dumbbell curls are my favorite biceps exercise. I like the full range of motion and the stress in the biceps from the bottom of the movement all the way to the top. I get a really good stretch at the bottom, although I never let my elbows lock out. I believe you can do damage to your elbow joint if you let it lock each time you lower the weight. I also like to lift with my arms in unison, as opposed to alternating them, as there’s too much opportunity to cheat when doing them one arm at a time.

In the movie Pumping Iron, I do incline dumbbell curls with a pair of 100s. I don’t go quite that heavy anymore, but I can still get 80s up for reps. This exercise is a great overall biceps builder.

Barbell curls and incline dumbbell curls are basic mass movements. I try to go as heavy as I can for these, while maintaining strict form. My third exercise, however, will be an isolation movement, such as standard preacher curls or spider curls, which are done hanging over the end of a high bench. I lighten the weight and return to an eight- to 10-rep range, concentrating on slow, steady motion and really contracting my biceps at the very top of the movement.

For my last exercise, I like either 21s or concentration curls, both of which give me a great burn to end my workout. If you’ve never heard of 21s, they’re an old standby. Not many people do them anymore, but I’ve always liked them.

To perform 21s, choose a barbell that’s about half the heaviest weight you normally use for your final set of regular barbell curls. For the first seven reps, curl the weight as you would a barbell curl, but instead of going all the way up, stop when your forearms are parallel with the floor (i.e., the bottom half of the full range of motion). When you’ve finished the seventh rep, perform another seven reps beginning with your forearms parallel to the floor and curling to the apex (i.e., the top half of the full range of motion). Finally, after you’ve completed those seven reps, do seven more, this time going all the way down and all the way up. It’s a killer. By the time you’ve finished a set, your arms feel like Jell-O.

If I choose one-arm dumbbell concentration curls instead, I like to do them leaning on a bench or holding on to a dumbbell rack. I’ll only do two sets of the final exercise, which makes a total of 14 sets. The biceps aren’t a big muscle group–they don’t require the same number of sets as for chest, back or thighs. For me, 14 sets or so does the trick for biceps.

TUNING UP Although I have a few favorites I stick with time after time, I do inject variety from workout to workout by changing up the order. The sample workout I just outlined is the default order for my biceps training. If I were to do the same routine every workout, my biceps would eventually adapt to the exact kind of stresses I’m putting on them and not respond. To combat that, I’ll reverse the order, swap out different exercises for my usual ones or just mix up the entire workout on occasion. Joe Weider calls it the Muscle Confusion Training Principle, and I’m a strong believer in it.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to use good form. It’s just not worth the risk of injury to compromise form to try moving a weight that’s too heavy. For example, when doing barbell curls, you want to take a shoulder-width grip, keep your chest high, your shoulders back and, as with seated inclines, never completely straighten your elbows at the bottom of the movement. You also want to keep the motion steady throughout. A mental trick I’ve used is thinking of the motion as if I were playing a violin, keeping the same pace both in the positive and negative portions of each rep. You should also make sure that you are squeezing the biceps throughout; there should never be a point during a set when your muscles relax.

Some people pair biceps with back because the two groups work synergistically. Others put tris and bis together in an arm day. I prefer the latter, because I find that back training incorporates the biceps so much that they’re burned out by the time I get to them. When I train arms as a whole, however, I get a great pump and the biceps workout actually prepares my triceps for their training by pushing blood into the entire upper arm.

Train your biceps twice a week following my suggested routine (see the sidebar), keep the intensity high and the form solid, and I’m confident you’ll maximize your arms’ growth potential just as I have my own.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRIS LUND

FERRIGNO'S
BICEPS WORKOUT

EXERCISE                        SETS  REPS

Standing barbell curls          1 *    10

                                 1     10

                                 2     8

Incline dumbbell curls           4     8

Preacher-bench or spider curls   4    8-10

Concentration curls or           2    8-10

  Barbell-curl 21s               2     21

* Warm-up set

Posted in BodyBuilding

Tags: Arnold, BodyBuilding, Lou, Lou ferigno.ferigno, steroids, workout, Workout Routine

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Tamoxifen Nolvadex

July 9th, 2010

meetsteroids.com

Nolvadex is very comparable to Clomid, behaves in the same manner in all tissues, and is a mixed estrogen agonist/antagonist of the same type as Clomid. The two molecules are also very similar in structure.

It is not correct that Nolvadex reduces levels of estrogen: rather, it blocks estrogen from estrogen receptors and, in those tissues where it is an antagonist, causes the receptor to do nothing.

The claim that Nolvadex reduces gains should not be taken too seriously. The fact is that any number of bodybuilders have made excellent gains while using Nolvadex. The belief that it reduces gains seems to stem from the fact that the scientific literature reports a slight reduction in IGF-1 (individuals using anabolic steroids were not studied though) from use of Nolvadex. Thus, Dan Duchaine reported that it reduces IGF-1 and therefore reduces gains. However, if this effect exists at all, it must be very minor, due to the excellent gains that many have made, and from the fact that no one has noticed any such thing from Clomid, which has the same activity profile.

However, I would not be surprised if one were to tell a steroid user that Clomid reduced his gains, he would immediately become afraid that Clomid reduced his gains (please note that no one I have ever heard of has noticed this.) Not having been so misled, however, he would not conclude this from his results. But if an authority publishes that such an effect occurs, whether it does or not it can become self-fulfilling by biasing the user.

The fact that Nolvadex will reduce water retention may result in the user agreeing that gains are less, since weight gain is less, thus reinforcing the bias.

Tamoxifen citrate is the chemical name of active ingredient in Nolvadex. Nolvadex is a registered trademark of AstraZeneca UK Limited in the United States and/or other countries.

Posted in Steroid Profiles

Tags: anabolic, Clomid, hcg, Nolva, Nolvadex, pct, pct therapy, post cycle treatement, steroids, tamoxifen, therapy

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Deca Durabolin

July 6th, 2010

meetsteroids.com

This drug is unique (so far as I know) in that 5a -reductase, the enzyme which converts testosterone to the more-potent DHT, actually converts nandrolone to a less-potent compound. Therefore this AAS is somewhat deactivated in the skin, scalp, and prostate, and these tissues experience an effectively-lower androgen level than the rest of the body. Therefore, for the same amount of activity as another drug at the androgen receptors (ARs) in muscle tissue, Deca gives less activity in the scalp, skin, and prostate. Thus, it is the best choice for those particularly concerned with these things.

Its effectiveness at the androgen receptor of muscle tissue is superior to that of testosterone: it binds better. Yet, it gives only about half the muscle-building results per milligram. This I think is a result of its being less effective or entirely ineffective in non-AR-mediated mechanisms for muscle growth.

It also appears less effective or entirely ineffective in activity on nerve cells, certainly on the nerve cells responsible for erectile function. Use of Deca as the sole AAS often results in complete inability to perform sexually.

These problems can be solved by combining with a drug that does supply the missing activity: e.g. testosterone.

Nandrolone is proven to be a progestin. This fact is of clear importance in bodybuilding, because while moderate Deca-only use actually lowers estrogen levels as a consequence of reducing natural testosterone levels and thus allowing the aromatase enzyme less substrate to work with, Deca nonetheless can cause gyno in some individuals. Furthermore, just as progesterone will to a point increase sex drive in women, and then often decrease it as levels get too high, high levels of progestogenic steroids can kill sex drive in male bodybuilders, though there is a great deal of individual variability as to what is too much.

Incidentally, this progestogenic activity also inhibits LH production, and contrary to common belief, even small amounts of Deca are quite inhibitory, approximately as much so as the same amount of testosterone.

To some extent, nandrolone aromatizes to estrogen, and it does not appear that this can be entirely blocked by use of aromatase inhibitors – indeed, aromatase may not be involved at all in this process (there is no evidence in humans that such occurs) with the enzyme CYP 2C11 being in my opinion the more likely candidate for this activity. In any case, Cytadren, an aromatase inhibitor, has not been found effective in avoiding aromatization of nandrolone.

The drug is moderately effective at doses of 400 mg/week. The long half-life of nandrolone decanoate makes it unsuited to short alternating cycles, but suitable for more traditional cycles, with a built-in self-tapering effect in the weeks following the last injection.

Nandrolone decanoate is the chemical name of active ingredient in Deca Durabolin. Deca Durabolin is a registered trademark of Organon Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

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