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FOR MEN
F I T N E S S M AG A Z I N E
BEAUTY AND
THE BEACH
TOO HARD OR
TAKING TOO LONG
THE PERILS OF OVERTRAINING
TOP
10
BODYBUILDING
MYTHS
EPIC
GYM
FAILS
APRIL 2016
musclemediaonline.com
CONTENTS
22
10 | GYM FAIL
16 | FEEL THE BURN!
10
THE SCIENCE OF THERMOGENESIS
22 | THE ANA DELIA EXPLOSION
ANA DELIA DE ITURRONDO
44 | KETTLEBELL TRAINING
TORCH FAT & BUILD MUSCLE
50 | TOO HARD OR TAKING TOO LONG?
HOW YOU TRAIN, NOT HOW LONG BIGGEST
DETERMINANT OF STRENGTH GAINS
54 | TOP 10 BODYBUILDING MYTHS REVEALED
16
44
MUSCLEMEDIAONLINE.COM
ADVERTISE WITH US
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EDITOR IN CHIEF
Robbie Durand
EDITOR
Jessica Alavi
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Matthew Tiger
BUSINESS DIRECTOR
Danielle McVey
ON THE COVER
50
54
BUSINESS
COORDINATOR
Domenico
Bevilacqua
DIGITAL MEDIA
Christian Garces
CONTRIBUTORS
Roger Lockridge
Ruth Silverman
Joseph Palumbo
ADVISORY BOARD
MEDICAL
Dr. Marvin Heuer
PHYSICAL
PERFORMANCE
Joseph Palumbo
©MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PHOTOGRAPHY
Cover Photo & Feature
Daniel Figueroa
Guilliani.com
instagram.com/Guilliani_
Additional Photography
Getty Images
HAIR/MAKEUP
LioMaldonado
instagram.com/LioMaldonado
ON THE COVER:
Ana Delia DeIturrondo
“Firestarter” Ana Delia Iturrondo
One of her favorite songs by the band Prodigy is “Firestarter.” That’s exactly how
I like to describe our April cover girl Ana Delia De Iturrondo from Puerto Rico.
She has been on the cover of just about every fitness magazine on the planet
and her popularity is continuing to grow. Ana Delia loves training and has been
involved in sports since she was a child. When she finished competing in sports,
she starting going to the gym where she fell in love with the iron. Early in her
career, Ana Delia was a cardio maniac, but she noticed that she got skinnier
but her bodyfat was not decreasing, she considered herself “Skinny fat.” It was
not until she was combining cardio with weight training that she noticed a big
difference in how her body changed. After reading Ana Delia’s story, any person
in the fitness industry will be inspired by her courage to keep moving on no
matter what obstacles life throws your way. Fitness is what changed Ana Delia’s
life and gave her a purpose again.
Kettlebell training has been promoted as an effective training modality
for improving body composition, muscular strength, endurance, power,
agility, balance, and cardiovascular fitness. Most people are intimidated by
kettlebells, but kettlebell training is nothing new, as kettlebell training have
been used for centuries in some Eastern Bloc countries. If your sick and tired
of spending hours on the cardio machine to burn fat, then you have to read
Roger Lockridge’s article on TORCH FAT & BUILD MUSCLE WITH
KETTLEBELL GIANT SETS.
Also, be sure to check out the feature on Bodybuilding’s 10 Biggest Myths.
It will open your eyes as to how much misinformation is circulating in the
bodybuilding community. Train smart and see you next month…
In Good Health,
Robbie Durand
CEO and Editor in Chief
Muscle Media Magazine
CORRECTION
MISTAKE
IMPROPER FORM /TECHNIQUE
Strength training requires that you lift a weight slowly
and through the full range of motion in order to work
the muscle correctly. Mastering the correct technique
for every exercise performed is imperative whether it
is anaerobic or aerobic activity, therefore do yourself
a favor and buy a book, spend some time watching
demo videos, some people find it beneficial to hire a
trainer to learn how to perform the exercises correctly.
Respecting the integrity of the exercises will save you
time, money and injuries. The better your technique/
form the more productive results you will get.
MISTAKE
CORRECTION
BY: IFBB PRO JOSEPH PALUMBO
10
MUSCLE MEDIA APRIL 2016
OVER TRAINING
Over training causes injuries, retards progress, it interferes with muscle and the nervous
system’s ability to recuperate. Repetitive over training on your body will also lead to muscle
break down (catabolic state = the body eating its self for nutrients), leaving you mentally
and physically burned out. Reevaluate your training fitness regiment, “quality is better then
quantity.” Training is all about getting the right type and amount of physical stress, followed
by the right amount of rest. It is in this rest period where you recover and grow stronger. With
that said, feeling fatigued can indeed be a sign of the onset of over-training. If sufficient rest is
not included in a training program then regeneration cannot occur and your performance will
inevitably plateau and eventually decline.
MISTAKE
NEGLECTING TO WARM-UP
OR JUST NOT WARMING UP
PROPERLY
CORRECTION
CORRECTION
Always take the time necessary to
warm up your entire body and pay
special attention to the body part
you are training. Warm up is usually
a high rep, low intensity, exercises,
the idea is to increase blood flow
and body temperature of the
involved muscles areas promoting
flexibility and mobility. The warm
up is the key to unlocking tight
muscles, ligaments and tendons,
with out a warm up you are inviting
injuries thus halting you progress.
Everyone has a certain
amount of stress in his
or her lives and the body
usually has enough coping
strategies to deal with
everyday life. Occasionally,
we are overcome by the
extra stress in our lives
especially for those of us
in the Law Enforcement
Profession.
CORRECTION
MISTAKE
IGNORING THE STRETCH
12
Stretching is a great way to begin any
fitness session. It lets you know quickly,
which areas are tight and which ones
are limber. Stretching is different from
your warm up, a stretch helps relax and
elongate a muscle after warm up and
before resistance training. The proper
method of performing a stretching
program is to take your time and allow
your muscle to lengthen gradually as
you bend and reach, NO BOUNCING
OR JERKING. When stretching try for a
maximum effort or bend, attempt to hold
the point of full extension for a full 15 to
20 seconds. Warming up and stretching
is the most common left out part of a
training program and the biggest mistake
anyone can make. After warming up,
You should stretch your muscles before,
during and after any physical activity
whether its aerobically or anaerobic.
MISTAKE
TOO “STRESSED” TO TRAIN
Stress can dramatically affect your attitude, training, and sleep cycle. Exercise and training can be used
to reduce stress levels and should not be used as an excuse to avoid training. Research has shown
that physical exercise is the best tension reliever. It is a very important remedy for stress. Nothing
eases stress more than exercise. Use your training to provide an outlet for negative emotions such as
frustration, anger, and irritability. The key is proper concentration and staying focused.
CORRECTION
The term “no pain, no gain” should not
be taken literally, it’s a motivational term
MISTAKE
TOO MUCH TOO SOON
used mostly by professional athletes,
it does not apply to everyone. Being
overzealous can be harmful, looking for
results over night is discouraging and
causes the typical burn out. Do not chew
more them you can handle. Everything in
moderation, star out slow and work your
way up, your body needs to adapt slowly
physically and mentally, especially if your
new to the fitness regiment, you must
have patience, results will come, the key
is consistency.
CORRECTION
MISTAKE
CHEATING
CORRECTION
There are so many ways to cheat in the gym, whether its resistance or cardiovascular training.
When it comes to resistance training a cheat is known to professional athletes in the advanced
stage of training as a technique that allows the lifter to train beyond normal, taking them past the
point of failure. Do not confuse this with the lazy, short cuts methods that will only slow down
progress. Some people know they’re doing it without the knowledge of the detrimental effects it
has on their results, while there are others that don’t realize short cuts, Improper Form /Technique
are cheats. For cardiovascular training a good example is, if you’re one of those people that lean
on a treadmill or stair master for support, you’re cutting down on the full benefits of the exercise.
Placing your hand on the rail (other than receiving heart rate info) while on the stair master or
the treadmill is a BIG CHEAT. To correct this safely, you need to start at the beginning, walking
swinging your arms normally with a slower pace at a lower incline and gradually increase to your
desired pace with out the assistance of holding, resting, or leaning on the rails. Thus giving you
more benefits, more calories burned better stamina, endurance, balance and quicker results.
14
MISTAKE
POOR NUTRITION
A nutritional diet is as much a part of a fitness program
as exercise, and what you eat will affect every aspect
of your workout. Nutrition is the most over looked
part of any type of physical training; as a matter of
fact it is one of the most important for achieving
your goals. Your nutritional food intake should work
hand in hand with your training. For instance, weight
training requires more protein for building and toning
muscle, for endurance and stamina, you must have
a sufficient amount of carbohydrate. For endurance
activity use slow burning carbs before, and fast burning
carbohydrates after. Fat should be avoided preexercise unless the exercise is for endurance. The post
exercise meal should consist of carbohydrate, protein
and perhaps a small amount of essential fats (the good
fats like; omega 3), in a form that is easily and quickly
digestible. Refrain yourself from junk food, there are
many meal replacement products that are a better
choice. Just pick the one that is suitable for your training
regimen. Lastly but just as important, WATER! I can list
10 positive effects water has from weight loss to general
heath, water is the most abundant nutrient in the body
so just take my advice and consume plenty of water.
CORRECTION
MISTAKE
LACK OF CONCENTRATION
When you’re distracted, preoccupied and not focused
during your training you are definitely inviting,
boredom, sloppy form, and even burnout or injuries,
equating to negative benefits. Take a few seconds
out and reevaluate your training strategy, think about
the results that your trying to accomplish, focus on
the benefits that your trying to achieve, move to a
different machine or exercise if need, this will stimulate
your concentration. When possible find somebody
to train with, a training partner can keep you focused
and concentrated. Having a partner allows you to
encourage each other resulting in positive gains.
16
It is not uncommon for bodybuilders to lose muscle
and they are getting ready for a competition. The
general endocrine response to a low-calorie diet is
increased hunger, reduced metabolic rate, and loss
of lean muscle mass. No matter how much protein
a bodybuilder consumes, it’s nearly impossible to
keep all the muscle while dieting to get ripped up.
Severe calorie restricted diet is often associated with
a reduced thermogenic response. It makes sense
that the body sense a reduction in calories will send
a negative feedback loop to your brain to slow down
metabolic rate to compensate for the loss of calories.
The decrease in
thermogenic response is
due to some hormones
such as thyroid, insulin,
testosterone, and
leptin. The hormones
of the thyroid
gland, particularly
triiodothyronine (T3),
are known to play an
important and direct
role in regulating
metabolic rate. Increases
in circulating thyroid
hormones are associated
with an increase in the
metabolic rate, whereas
lowered thyroid levels
result in decreased
thermogenesis and
overall metabolic rate.
Some studies have
reported that caloric
restriction results in
a reduction in thyroid
function.
18
CALORIE RESTRICTION
REDUCES MUSCLE
THYROID LEVELS
Weight loss results in a loss of metabolically
active tissue and, therefore, decreased basal
metabolic rate. The newest research has
found that not only does metabolic rate
decrease, but muscle thyroid declines as
well. That’s right, not only does your basal
thyroid levels drop, but your muscle’s thyroid
levels fall as well. Researchers examined
muscle genes responses during and after
caloric restriction. Using a rat model of
semistarvation-refeeding, in brief, rats were
food-restricted at 50% of their spontaneous
food intake for two weeks (semi-starved rats),
after which they were refed the amount of
food corresponding to the spontaneous food
intake of control rats matched for weight
at the onset of refeeding. The researchers
measure the animals muscle size and
performance under both conditions of calorie
restriction and refeeding.
The researchers also measured the muscle
thyroid levels by taking muscle biopsies.
At the end of the study, researchers found
that the muscle fibers of the rats placed on
a low-calorie diet were altered from a fast
twitch, explosive muscle fibers (i.e. more
energetically costly) to a more fuel efficient
slow twitch muscle fiber while dieting. The
researchers speculated that the changes in
muscle fiber types from a fast-twitch to a slow
twitch muscle fiber resulted from the reduced
calories and a need to make the muscle
more fuel efficient. There is evidence that
slow-twitch muscles use less ATP than fasttwitch muscles. The researchers found the
calorie restricted diet resulted in a decrease in
metabolic rate in conjunction with decreased
availability of muscular thyroid T3 levels. The
altered thyroid hormone metabolism, fiber
type composition, and contractile properties
constitute mechanisms by which diminished
skeletal muscle thermogenesis could
contribute to energy conservation during
weight loss.
The altered muscle function was likely induced by
changes in thyroid hormone levels. This is strongly
suggested by diminished T3 availability within skeletal
muscle. In sum, the researchers concluded that
diminished muscle thermogenesis following caloric
restriction results from reduced muscle T3 levels,
alteration in muscle-specific transcription factors, and
fast-to-slow fiber shift. These energy-sparing effects
persist during weight recovery and contribute to
catch-up fat. This study reports that calorie restriction
results in a reduced muscle thyroid levels that
led to a shift in fiber types from the fast twitch
muscle hypertrophy prone fibers to slow twitch
aerobic muscle fibers. With the suppression of
metabolism after low-calorie diets, competitors
need to find ways to increase their metabolic
rate. The three supplements which have the
most research on increasing metabolic rate is
caffeine, green tea extract, and synephrine.
SYNEPHRINE SCIENCE
With the gap that ephedrine left in the weight loss
market years ago, Synephrine HCL has taken up
ephedrine’s space as a popular weight loss supplement
after ephedrine was named a banned substance in
the United States. Synephrine has many of the same
benefits as ephedrine, but without the addictive
properties and negative side effects. Synephrine is a
compound found in high concentrations in the fruit
Citrus Aurantium (aka bitter orange), which is the only
source strong enough to cause the fat-burning and
stimulatory effects. It exists in many citrus fruits, but
at levels, that would not have any impact on humans.
Synephrine is also known to increase the body’s
metabolic rate. It helps release the stored lipid cells
into the bloodstream, and the metabolism, which is
working at a faster rate than usual so it can burn off
this stored energy. This creates a loss of fat in the
body. It also has the benefit of being able to do so
without majorly increasing blood pressure or heart
rate. Similar to caffeine, synephrine is a stimulant.
It provides an energy boost, can help suppress your
appetite, and help you burn more calories even when
exercise is not being undertaken. Many who take
synephrine combined with caffeine find this gives them
the results they are after.
Synephrine is structurally similar to adrenaline,
noradrenaline, and ephedrine; several studies have
confirmed the metabolic effects of synephrine
that are useful for bodybuilders such as enhancing
thermogenesis and fat burning, increasing energy
metabolism, and improving athletic performance.
Synephrine is widely used in combination with caffeine
and other ingredients in products designed to support
weight management. A previous study reported that
20mg of synephrine with 325 mg of caffeine increased
energy expenditure in humans. Previous research
has shown beneficial effects of synephrine on raising
metabolic rate. Synephrine is a phenylethylamine
derivative with some structural similarities to
ephedrine; however a recent review of the literature
concluded that synephrine and bitter orange extract
based on the available studies in animals, humans, and
cell culture systems, it has been found that when taken
orally and in recommended amounts both are safe.
None of the previous research reviews have reported
serious or significant adverse events that are directly
related to bitter orange extract or synephrine. A
typical sweet orange contains about 6mg synephrine.
A wide variety of Citrus juices contain approximately
5mg synephrine per 8-ounce glass. Another positive
aspect of using synephrine was that in a study in rats,
synephrine dose-dependently decreased appetite
in rats, which can help bodybuilders curve, their
appetite while dieting. Most sports supplements
and fat-burners/weight loss aids will take care of the
stacking aspect for the end user. Caffeine’s effects
are synergistic with it and will nearly always be found
alongside synephrine, whether in pure anhydrous
form or from an alternative source such as green tea
extract. If you are looking to maximize the effects of
synephrine, it should be combined with caffeine and
green tea extract.
Green Tea Extract, Caffeine,
and Synephrine and HighIntensity Exercise: Ultimate
Thermogenic Stack
Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in
living organisms that can facilitate the fat burning
process. There are many ingredients in most over the
counter fat burners. Of these bioactive compounds,
caffeine, synephrine and green tea catechins of
various plant extracts remain arguably as the main
ingredients found in thermogenic supplements
today. In the prestigious Journal of Strength and
Conditioning Research reported in the study titled,
“Dietary Caffeine And Polyphenol Supplementation
Enhances Overall Metabolic Rate And Lipid Oxidation
At Rest And After A Bout Of Sprint Interval Exercise”
reported that caffeine and green tea extract increased
post-exercise fat oxidation after sprint exercise
by 10%. When green tea extract and caffeine are
combined, they operate synergistically to enhance
metabolism, fat oxidation, and ultimately facilitate
weight loss. Previous research has found that a
combined treatment of a catechin polyphenolcaffeine mixture has shown to induce a significantly
greater thermogenic response than an equivalent
amount of caffeine.
At the end of the study, during the resting state, a
single dosing of green tea extract and caffeine induced
an approximate 8% rise in energy expenditure with
an increase in oxygen uptake. Accompanying this
thermogenic response was a 10% increase in fat
oxidation rate. Specifically, post-sprint exercise energy
expenditure was approximately 10% greater with
pre-exercise caffeine-polyphenol supplementation
versus placebo. The results suggest that increased
lipid oxidation rate following sprint interval exercise
is further amplified with a single caffeine-polyphenol
dosing. This is a great study showing the synergistic
effect of combining caffeine and green tea extract with
high intensity exercise can enhance fat oxidation.
If you are looking for a great fat
burner backed by research, you
may want to consider Infinite
Lab® Elevate Series Final Cutz,
which contains caffeine, green tea
extract, and synephrine. It’s one of
the few supplements to increase
thermogenesis and keep metabolic
rate going while on a calorie
restricted diet.*
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*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
20
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FINAL CUTZ®
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Mattoli L, Cangi F, Maidecchi A, Ghiara C, Stubaro M, Tralda P. 2005.
A rapid liquid electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy method for
evaluation Citrus aurantium L samples. J Agric Food Chem 53: 9860–9866.
Blumenthal M. 2004. Bitter orange peel and synephrine. Part 1. Whole
Foods March: 77–79, 97.
INFINITELABS.COM
THE ANA DELIA
EXPLOSION
By Ruth Silverman
Photos by: Daniel Figueroa
22
In the video bio
you’ll find at her
Website, Ana Delia
De Iturrondo tells
movingly of a series
of family tragedies
that marked her early
20s, sending her into
a deep and difficult
depression. How
deep were her blues?
“It took me years to
start getting out of my
house” she says. With
time, her passion
for fitness broke
through, resulting in
the beautiful body
displayed on these
pages.
Ana exploded on the
scene in 2011 and
got her IFBB pro card
in bikini two years
later. What has the
San Juan, Puerto Rico,
beauty been up to
since then—besides
looking fabulous in
photos—and where
did she get her start?
As you’ll see from the
following interview,
the lovely Latina
never does anything
halfway.
24
TRAINING SPLIT
MONDAY
SHOULDERS/BOOTY
STEADY STATE CARDIO
TUESDAY
CHEST/TRIS/ABS
HIIT
WEDNESDAY
LEGS/CALVES
STEADY STATE CARDIO
THURSDAY
BACK/BICEPS/ABS
HIIT
FRIDAY
SHOULDERS/BOOTY
STEADY STATE CARDIO
SATURDAY
Stretching/Rest
SUNDAY
MEAL PREP/ACTIVE REST &
“THE WALKING DEAD”
*My workouts are constantly changing. On my
active rest days I try to take advantage of it to
spend time with fam and/or friends while doing
something fun and still get active like going hiking,
dance games with my Kinect, paddle boarding, rent
a bike, light jog or walk around the touristic areas
of PR, going the park to try out some fun exercises
I’ve been wanting to try out or just play some type
of sport. The key to long lasting results is balance
and enjoying your lifestyle.
26
Some
of my
favorite
exercises:
Shoulders-
Alternating
Dumbbell
Military Press
Chest-
Alternating
Lying Dumbbell
Press
Triceps-
Cable Rope
Triceps
Pushdown
Biceps-
Z Bar Cable
Biceps Curls
Calves-
Calf Raises:
Seated or
Leg Press
28
Back-
Booty-
Wide Grip
Pulldowns
Hip Thrusts
Legs-
Deadlifts
My meal plan:
Meal 1
Egg whites cooked
with coconut oil
Oats or wheat toast
Blueberries
Asparagus spears
Meal 2
Tru Supplements
Plant-Based Protein
shake
Almond butter +
Cinammon
Grapefruit
30
Meal 3
Ground turkey
Quinoa
Green beans
Meal 4
Chicken breast
Sweet Potato
Broccoli
Meal 5
Salmon or a Steak
Mixed greens salad
with balsamic
vinaigrette
Asparagus spears
How early did
you start as
an athlete?
32
My mom got me into
gymnastics when I was eight.
I was always a shy but active
child. She would have a hard
time—she’d find me on the
roof. Actually, though, I was
born with a little deformity in
my legs. I had to use braces.
Afterward, I had to wear
special orthopedic shoes to
turn my feet outward.
What did you
study in college?
What other
sports did you
participate in?
In high school I did inline
skating and was on the
Puerto Rican national
team. In college I was doing
running, track and field,
and Olympic weightlifting,
and I continued into my
early 20s.
Computer programming.
34
Wow, you’ve
come a long way
from that.
[ Laughs ]
It has always been in my blood to
do modeling. My mom wanted to
do it, but she was 4’11” and didn’t
have the height to be a model. She
a phone call from home
brought it all crashing down.
Talk about those times.
That was when everything started falling apart. First,
we got notice that my father had terminal cancer
[and] he passed around Christmas. That same year
my husband’s grandfather passed from cancer as
well, and my husband’s brother died in an accident.
The next year our family took another big hit when
my cousin was shot on a Thanksgiving night
followed around 3 months after with the lost
was into makeup and those kinds
of my brother over a hit & run motorcycle
of things, and she got me into
accident . There was a lot of drama and my
it. Also, I was shy, and they were
husband, and I were trying to get whatever
always encouraging me to do things
peace we could. As a makeup artist, I started
that would get that shyness out of
working with different brands—like L’Oreal—
me. So, while I liked computers, I
on promotions. I was working my way up
didn’t like all the math required to
become a programmer. Eventually,
I started studying professional
photography and makeup and
doing modeling. I did some
commercials, some magazines and
did some small acting gigs
in movies—but not fashion
modeling. I’m only 5’4”.
with my modeling and photography and
makeup. When I was contacted by a big
modeling agency, it took everybody by
surprise because I was not exactly the right
age [almost 22] or the right measurements.
[She tears up
as she describes her brothers lasts words before she
took her flight from Puerto Rico to Miami “Don’t go,
please take me with you” also the call that came,
two weeks after she got to Florida, telling her that
Around that time you had the opportunity
to go to Miami and work with a big modeling
agency.
Just as you were getting
acclimated and getting work...
36
her beloved younger brother had been in a
motorcycle accident. She rushed home and
was by his bedside for many days. Despite
his family’s prayers and his doctor’s
skills, her brother didn’t make it.]
No matter how strong you are,
you either learn to move on with
it, or you let it defeat you. That
that was like the straw that broke
goal, meeting anyone and everyone at the big Arnold
Sports Festival. Ana was introduced to the late Robert
Kennedy, famed publisher of Musclemag International and
Oxygen, who seemed to think she was a natural, “which
the camel’s back. I was [very
was a great injection of motivation.” She met some athletes
depressed], and my family tried to
who trained with a well know team and, “said
help me out of it. It took me years
to start getting out of my house. I
lost my speech and I didn’t want to
work out—which had always been
one of my passions. I gained some
weight and felt even worse.
What finally got
you to the stage?
Articles about the new bikini competitions
began appearing in the fitness magazines.
By that time I had started going to
the gym with my husband, and he
encouraged me to try the competitions.
“You can totally do that,” he said. So
we booked a flight to Ohio and went to
the Arnold Classic bikini show [Bikini
International]—the one that Nicole
Nagrani won [2011]—to get acquainted
with the sport and maybe find a coach.
38
[She describes how they threw themselves into the new
let’s get started.”]
When was your first
show? How did your
career progress?
Three weeks after the Arnold. It was
the NPC New York Metropolitan, and
I placed second to my surprise and I
was hooked . And then I placed fourth
in the Team U. In 2012, I did the New
York Metropolitan again, and I got
second again. I did the Eastern USA
and got second. Then came the Miami
Nationals, and I got a bad callout. I
went from thinking, “You’re going to
get your pro card today,” to my tan
melting onstage lol! , and “I don’t ever
want to feel this way again!” It was a
good experience because sometimes
you need to see the bad so you can
appreciate the good. That made me
work even harder I knew that when
I placed low, but, it seemed, though
I did not get my pro card, I met
some people who helped me later
when I got my first Muscle & Fitness
Hers cover. I am a firm believer that
sometimes we don’t get things when
we want but ultimately when God
thinks we are ready for them. There
is always a lesson to be learn behind
everything that happens in life.
You turned pro in
2013. Wasn’t there a
pro show in Puerto
Rico last year?
When are you going
to compete again?
I’ve been trying to make the most out of the
experience and to make it into my business. I
focus on growing on social media. I focus on
traveling more—I got signed by a supplement
company, and I was able to travel to Australia
and other expos and reach out to my fans. I’m
working now with a brand manager and with
somebody who’s helping me create strategies
for challenges, like the 30Day Bikini Challenge
featured at my Website, AnaDelia.com I’m
working with a team of certified coaches
and trainers combined with my years of
experience as an athlete
and fitness competitor
to help me put out the
best programs possible.
[ Laughs ]
That’s a good question.
I have not wanted to compete since I won
my Pro status . When you are competing,
you are focused on it and sacrifice a lot. I
was pushing myself, and my body was beat
up. Also, I focused so much on trying to get
that pro card—and the stress of the work
and the training—that I was losing myself
again and losing the love I have for fitness
again. I said, this cannot be happening.
Nothing is as important as feeling well
inside yourself and being happy with your
environment. I was like, I need to tame
myself down. I need to focus on how I can
take what I’m doing…and actually gain
some money from it instead of just beating
my body up and competing, competing,
competing, to the mercy of what ifs. So I
went to get back that love and maybe look
good & stay healthy for a lifetime. I want to
be able to grow old and stilll give ya’ some
push ups jajaja!
40
What have you
been doing in the
meantime?
Just a special note
with love for everyone
out there: If you want
something go after it, put
How did you meet
your husband?
in the work but always
with love and humility and
When times get though
know that you are not
alone everyone has a
struggle on their own. Grow
from it and keep moving
on while we still have a
heartbeat and air in our
lungs we have been given
another chance don’t waste
it! The only thing we take
It’s a really funny story. We met when were inline skating, when
we were 13 or 14, but we didn’t start dating till long after that
[ laughs ]. One day I was going to the mall with my father, and
he had trouble pulling the car out because of a car parked
behind us. That’s when I saw him. I didn’t recognize him at first,
but something jumped. He was going to a friend’s wedding, and
he got lost. My father invited him to go with us to the mall and
to watch a boxing match with us afterward, and I guess you
could say everything started from there. We haven’t stopped
talking or being with each other since that moment.
with us on our last breath
is the experiences we’ve
lived and the lives we are
able touch during our
journey. NEVER QUIT!
Any kids?
No, but we have two beautiful dogs.
What do you love
best about your
life in the fitness
industry?
@AnaDeliaFitness
That I can actually work doing what
I love. Not many people can say that
they have the opportunity to touch
people’s lives in a positive way. To me
that’s a gift.
42
/AnaDeliaDeIturrondo
Bookings:
[email protected]
BY ROGER LOCKRIDGE
44
If you’re looking to improve your level of fitness then you know
that means more than losing weight or building muscle. You train
for more than to look good in an outfit. You want to improve
as an athlete, get stronger, and increase your endurance. With
those thoughts in mind, you know that you can’t look for the
easier road or the simpler workout to help you achieve those
goals. Your training plan has to challenge you physically and push
you mentally. It may also be nice if those workouts won’t mean
committing to a couple of hours in the gym.
This plan can serve as a solution to all of those qualifications.
You will find that this plan pushes you aerobically. In other
words, you’re going to be breathing heavy and your heart
rate will increase dramatically. This program is also going to
challenge you anaerobically. It’s going to require you to train the
entire body and you’ll have very little time to transition from one
exercise to the next. This combined with minimal rest means
your muscles are going to burn and will be craving nutrients
for recovery as soon as possible. Both of these factors mean
you’ll have to put yourself in a mindset that regardless of how
difficult this workout is, you will finish it because your success
will depend on it.
The Advantages of Kettlebells
Let’s get
more into the
details of this
workout and
break down
why it will be
effective.
Kettlebells were originally used as far back as
the days in Ancient Greece. When they made
their way to Russia, farmers used them as a
way to weigh and measure grains and other
crops. At gatherings, they would swing and lift
the heavy weights as a way to show off their
impressive strength. It didn’t take long for
competitions to start and the fitness benefits
became obvious. Eventually kettlebells became
the popular choice for resistance training. They
didn’t become popular in North America until
the latter part of the 20th century. Nowadays
you can’t walk into a gym without finding them
in a rack or stored in a row on the floor.
Barbells, dumbbells, and machines are great
tools to help you train effectively but I think
that even in 2016 kettlebells aren’t used nearly
as much as they should be. It’s a versatile piece
of equipment that should be used by everyone
regardless of their fitness level. If you’ve never
used one before, now is a great time to start
because every exercise in this workout requires
the use of a kettlebell.
46
The handle at the top of the weight means
that the weight is beyond the hand which
makes lifting it more of a challenge. There are
exercises which will call for you to hold it at the
top of the handle or on the sides, otherwise
known as the horns, of the weight. Although
it might take some practice to get used to the
movements, you’ll be hooked and won’t do
a full workout without them again once you
master the form with these exercises. Every
exercise in this program requires the use of
one kettlebell. There are other exercises that
require two. Also, for you home gym goers that
don’t want to buy several different weights,
there are adjustable kettlebells available that
allow you to use weight plates to adjust the
amount of resistance you use and you can find
those at major sporting goods stores.
Giant Sets Work
If we want a workout that will challenge us both
aerobically and anaerobically, then straight sets
won’t get the job done. We need to up the ante
and find the most intense protocol we can. This
is where giant sets come into play. Whereas
supersets are two exercises performed back
to back without rest and trisets involve three
exercises performed in the same manner,
giant sets call of four or more movements to
be performed consecutively. To maximize the
effectiveness of them, transitions from one
exercise to the next needs to be minimum. This
is why all the exercises involve the use of one
kettlebell. All you will have to do is change your
positioning and how you hold the weight.
Giant sets are effective for two reasons. The
first one is by the time you get to the final
exercise in the circuit, you’re going to feel the
cardiovascular benefits including elevated heart
rate and heavier breathing.
Second, muscular endurance will be a factor
because you will perform several reps over
the course of the giant set so that burning
sensation will become prominent. The key
to success is pushing on until you reach the
finish line. The long term result will be stronger
muscles.
The Workout
Most programs will call for you to perform a
certain number of reps per set. This workout is
different because you will perform the exercises
for time. You’ll need to be near a clock or use a
stopwatch to time yourself. This four exercise
giant set will challenge the entire body so make
sure you warm up effectively for a few minutes
before you start. Next, choose a kettlebell that
isn’t too heavy. You want to feel resistance
but you also don’t want to reach failure before
the end of the sets. Finally before you start the
clock, perform each exercise for a few reps to
make sure your form is proper and you’re ready
to take on this challenge.
Goblet Squat
Hold the kettlebell by the sides of the handle or “horns” at
shoulder height. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder
width. Keep your chin up and look straight ahead while
keeping your back straight and core tight. Bend your
knees and lower your hips until the top of your thighs
are parallel with the floor. Using force from your legs,
push yourself back up and return to the starting position.
Repeat for as many reps as you can within the time limit.
Kettlebell Swing
Stand with feet wider than shoulder width. Hold the
kettlebell with both hands on top of the handle and
hold it at arms’ length. Bend at the hips and lower the
weight until it’s between your legs. Don’t squat. This
bend should be similar to a deadlift. While keeping
your arms straight throughout the whole movement,
use as much force as necessary to swing the kettlebell
up to shoulder height. As you lift the weight up you
should also return to a straight standing position.
Once the weight is elevated to shoulder height that
is one rep. Let the weight go back down between your
legs while keeping your arms straight to perform the
next rep. Don’t round your back as you lower the weight.
Keep your back straight and push your hips back as the
weight swings between your legs. Continue to perform
this swinging motion for as many reps as you can within the
time limit.
Pullover
Lie flat on the floor and hold the kettlebell by the sides
of the handle (horns) on your chest. Press the kettlebell
up until it’s at arms’ length over your chest. Keeping your
arms straight, lower the kettlebell behind your head
until it touches the floor. Don’t let the weight slam on the
floor. Control it until it makes contact. Immediately lift
the weight back up to the starting position while keeping
your arms straight. This is one rep. Repeat for as many
reps as you can within the time limit.
Weighted Crunch with Legs Elevated
Lie flat on the floor and hold the kettlebell by the bottom
of the weight in both hands. Press the weight up until it’s
at arms’ length over the chest. Bend your knees and lift
your legs up off the floor. Your legs should make a right
angle with your thighs vertical and calves parallel with the
floor. This is your starting position. Lift your shoulders off
the floor as high as you can while holding the weight at
arms’ length. Contract your abs while doing this. Lower
your shoulders back to the floor. This is one rep. Repeat
for as many reps as you can within the time limit.
The Plan
After your warm up, you’ll perform each exercise for
30 seconds until you’ve completed all four exercises in
the giant set. This means one giant set should take no
more than three minutes counting transitions from one
exercise to the next.
Goblet Squat – 30 seconds.
Kettlebell Swing – 30 seconds.
Pullover – 30 seconds.
Weighted Crunch with Legs Elevated
– 30 seconds.
You should rest for two minutes between giant sets.
Beginners should perform three or four giant sets.
Intermediates and advanced lifters should shoot for six
to eight giant sets in their program. This means at the
most you will train for 40 minutes.
48
Perform this
program 2-3 times a
week as a part of your
fitness program for eight
weeks and you should
notice cardiovascular
improvement, bodyfat
loss, and improved
athleticism.
50
If you go into any gym or college training facility, you will
see athletes pushing themselves to the limit. In order
for an athlete to achieve greatness, he or she must push
themselves to the limit, but there is a time when an
athlete must pull back to avoid overtraining.
The body much like a race car, the body needs regular
maintenance, if you hit the nitro button on the car too
much, your going to burn out the engine. One of the
easiest way of hitting the nitro button too much is by
training to complete muscular failure each set. Training
to muscular failure has been proposed to lead to
greater gains in muscular strength and size because of
greater neural drive when training at a closer proximity
to muscular failure, implying that more motor units may
be recruited.
While failure can be a valuable tool in a bodybuilder’s
training routine, there is some evidence to indicate that
it comes with a significant cost.
failure resulted in greater increases in cortisol and
decreased IGF-1 levels. A new study published in the
International Journal of Sports Medicine reports that
training to failure each set needs longer recuperation
than those not training to failure.
This study
analyzed the
time course of
recovery following
two resistance
exercise protocols
differing in level of
effort: maximum
(to failure) vs.
half-maximum
number of
repetitions per set.
Researchers had a group of volunteers perform 3 sets of
bench presses and squats.
Nine males performed either:
3 sets of 8 reps (80% 1RM) to failure
3 sets of 4 reps (80% 1RM) not to failure.
Previous research has found that training to failure
every set significantly increased resting levels of the
catabolic hormone cortisol and suppressed anabolic
growth factors such as IGF-1. This study demonstrated
that taking every set to failure could lead to overtraining
and a catabolic response. This study may indicate that
bodybuilders who take every set to absolute failure may
put themselves at risk of impeding long-term growth.
In one 12–week study, the researchers found no
difference in the routines that were taken to failure and
those that were not. This study only lasted 12 weeks,
so long term effects of taking every set to absolute
muscular failure is not known. Training to failure too
frequently can a possible lead to overtraining, as
previously reported with the study that training to
52
Training to failure resulted in greater neuromuscular
fatigue and longer muscle recuperation than the not
training to failure group for 48 hours. This indicates it
takes a longer time for full muscle recovery following
intense resistance exercise that is taken to failure
compared with a similar workout where sets are
terminated before failure is reached. Future studies
should be conducted to determine how fatigue extent
influences MUs recruitment and RT-related muscle
adaptations on strength trained and untrained
individuals.
Some research question the scientific validity of
training to failure each set. For example, using trained
participants train to failure and the other group
train just short of muscular failure. At the end of the
study, both group increased muscular strength and
muscle mass equally, with no differences between
the groups. It seems that when volume is equated
between groups, it does not matter whether a person
trains to failure or not to failure.
Researchers wanted to test the validity of training to
failure vs. not training to failure in a series of different
training methods.
Researchers had one group perform:
5 sets of 5 reps (Not Training to Failure).
25 reps in as few sets as possible
(Muscular Failure).
Under both workout conditions, they had
2 minutes rest between sets (2 seconds
concentric, 1 sec isometric, 2 seconds
eccentric). The training load and training
volume were both the same. The The training
protocol to failure required ~7 minutes and
6 seconds to complete, whereas the training
protocol not to failure 5x5 protocol required
12 minutes and 10 seconds to complete.
The study suggests that, when training
just short of muscular failure using a 5x5
approach, may attain similar strength
increases when compared to training to
complete muscular failure. When volume
is matched, both protocols produced
the exact same increases in strength but
training to failure appears a more timeefficient protocol.
“Training to failure
resulted in greater
neuromuscular
fatigue and longer
muscle recuperation
than the not training
to failure group for
48 hours”
Is resistance training to muscular failure necessary? By Nóbrega and
Libardi, in Frontiers in Physiology (2016)
Sampson, J.A, and H. Groeller. “Is repetition failure critical for the
development of muscle hypertrophy and strength?” Scand J Med Sci
Sports (2015): Ahead of print.
González-Badillo JJ, Rodríguez-Rosell D, Sánchez-Medina L, Ribas J,
López-López C, Mora-Custodio R, Yañez-García JM, Pareja-Blanco F.
Short-term Recovery Following Resistance Exercise Leading or not to
Failure. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Dec 14.
54
The results showed no evidence of
impaired fat oxidation associated with
consumption of carbohydrate either before
or during exercise. These and other studies
presented by Mr. Schoenfeld that goes
against the theory of exercising in the
morning on fasted stomach for fat loss.
The Fat Burning Zone Myth
Over the past few years, it has become apparent that
interval training is superior to steady state cardio for
fat loss. The reason interval training is superior is that
interval training burns more calories “post-exercise.”
Catecholamines, especially epinephrine, have been
shown to enhance fat mobilization release from both
subcutaneous and intramuscular fat stores.
#1
CARDIO ON AN
EMPTY STOMACH
IS BEST FOR
FAT LOSS
For decades, trainers have recommended that clients
do fasted cardio to enhance fat loss. There was an
excellent review paper written by Brad Schoenfeld in
the Strength and Conditioning Journal titled, “Does
Cardio After an Overnight Fast Maximize Fat Loss”
stating that there is no evidence to support cardio on
an empty stomach to enhance fat loss.
The rationale for doing cardio first thing on an empty
stomach makes physiological sense, but research
studies do not support the validity of fasting cardio
for weight loss. The theory is that glycogen stores
are depleted after an overnight fast, and that fat
mobilization is more readily available for glycogen
stores are depleted. As stated by Schoenfeld, “The
human body is very dynamic and continually adjusts
its use of fat for fuel. Substrate utilization is governed
by a host of factors (i.e., hormonal secretions, enzyme
56
activity, transcription factors, etc.), and these factors
can change by the moment. Thus, fat burning must be
considered over the course of days—not on an hour-tohour basis—to get a meaningful perspective on its impact
on body composition.” To support the fact that food
before cardio does not stop fat oxidation, researchers
evaluated the effect of pre-exercise and during
exercise carbohydrate consumption on fat oxidation.
The subjects were assigned to 4 different groups:
(a) a placebo before and during training
(b) a placebo 30 minutes before training and
then a carbohydrate beverage every 15 minutes
throughout exercise
(c) a carbohydrate beverage 30 minutes before
training and then a placebo during exercise
(d) a carbohydrate beverage both before and
every 15 minutes during exercise.
The subject cycles for 120 minutes at approximately
63% of peak power output, followed by a ‘‘performance
cycle’’ pedaling as fast as possible mimicking a sprint
test after the exercise protocol. All those carbs had to
blunt fat oxidation right? WRONG!
To demonstrate the effectiveness of how interval
training releases catecholamines, A 2009 study
examined the catecholamine response of 12 subjects’
who completed ten 6-second cycle sprints with a 30second recovery between each sprint. From baseline,
plasma epinephrine increased 6.3-fold, whereas
norepinephrine increased 14.5-fold at the end of
sprinting. These significant fat-burning catecholamine
responses to HIIT are not produced during moderate,
steady-state aerobic exercise that results in small
increases in epinephrine and norepinephrine.
In 2000, researchers studied the response of GH
and catecholamines during and following exercise
of varying intensity and related these responses
to changes in fat oxidation. Fat oxidation following
exercise was related to exercise intensity and while it
correlated to both the peak GH and peak epinephrine
response; after further analysis only the peak GH
response was found to be the greatest predictor of
post-exercise fat utilization.
This is similar as why high intensity resistance exercise
contributes to more favorable changes in fat loss than
steady state cardiovascular exercise alone. Although
steady state cardio results in greater fat oxidation
during exercise, the post-exercise period results in
minimal changes in fat oxidation as opposed to interval
training. Despite blood flow to adipose tissue being
lower during high intensity exercise, it still results in
greater fat oxidation post-exercise.
So who cares that fat oxidation is higher during fasting
exercise or that a person is in the “fat burning zone”?
The training intensity will be lower during fasted
exercise resulting in lower metabolic stress during
exercise.
Another important factor that was presented in the
review article by Schoenfeld was when training in a
fasted state results in a greater impact on proteolysis
or muscle breakdown. Cortisol levels are higher in
the morning so morning cardio is a fasted state will
exacerbate morning cortisol levels. Researchers found
that nitrogen losses were more than doubled when
training while glycogen depleted state compared with
glycogen loaded.
This would suggest that performing cardiovascular
exercise while fasting might not be advisable for
those seeking to maximize muscle mass. Additionally,
training in a fasted state results in elevated cortisol
levels, which enhances fat loss, but also results in
enhanced muscle tissue breakdown.
The Nail in the Coffin for Fasted Cardio:
New Research
In the Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise
Metabolism, an excellent study was presented titled,
“Exercising Fasting or Fed to Enhance Fat Loss?
Influence of Food Intake on Respiratory Ratio and
Excess Postexercise Oxygen Consumption after a Bout
of Endurance Exercise.” The authors’ purpose was to
verify differences in fat metabolism during training
in fasting or feeding conditions. They compared the
effect on oxygen consumption (VO2) and substrate
utilization, estimated by the respiratory-exchange ratio
(RER), in 8 healthy young men who performed the
same moderate-intensity training session (36 min of
cardiovascular training on treadmill at 65% maximum
heart rate) in the morning in 2 tests in random
sequence: Fasting condition without any food intake
or Fed state after breakfast. The subjects consumed
a Mediterranean type breakfast, which consisted of
25% protein, 22 carbohydrates, and 53% lipids. The
breakfast was roughly 673 calories. In both cases, the
same total amount and quality of food was assumed in
the 24 hours after the training session. The breakfast,
per se, increased both VO2 and RER significantly (4.21
vs. 3.74 and 0.96 vs. 0.84, respectively).
Twelve hours after the training session, VO2 was still higher
in the fed conditioned, whereas RER was significantly
lower in the fed condition test, indicating greater lipid
utilization. The difference was still significant 24 hours
after exercise. The authors conclude that when moderate
endurance exercise is done to lose body fat, fasting before
exercise does not enhance lipid utilization; rather, physical
activity after a light meal is advisable. The current research
indicates that it is better to avoid training in a fasted state
with moderate intensity exercise if fat loss is the target.
In sum, the review article does not support cardio in
the morning on an empty stomach enhances fat loss.
Additionally, training on an empty stomach accelerates
muscle tissue breakdown which may be considered
counterproductive for fat loss.
According to a new study published in the prestigious
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, it
seems that a leucine-enriched whey protein may be
a key ingredient, but carbohydrates are not. Another
common belief is that adding carbohydrates to whey
protein powders will enhance muscle protein synthesis
rates. Researchers wanted to examine the influence
of leucine-enriched whey protein impact of increasing
protein synthesis. A total of 45 older men (average age
of 69) were randomly assigned to ingest:
#3
21g of leucine-enriched whey protein with
carbohydrate (9g) and fat (3g)
MAXIMAL PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS OCCURS
WITH HEAVY WEIGHT
a similar whey protein drink with 21g of leucineenriched whey protein without carbohydrate or fat
an isocaloric mixture containing carbohydrate and
fat only
#2
CARBOHYDRATES
INCREASE
MUSCLE PROTEIN
SYNTHESIS
Building muscle does take more effort as one ages,
as it appears that older adults have a blunted protein
synthesis rate or anabolic resistance. Several studies have
shown reduced muscle protein synthesis response in
the older population when compared with young adults.
Furthermore, the addition of free leucine with protein
has been demonstrated to increase further enhance in
muscle protein synthesis rates in elderly men. Another
interesting fact, ingestion of whey protein, when compared
with casein protein, more efficiently stimulates muscle
protein synthesis in the elderly and addition of free leucine
to protein can further increase muscle protein synthesis in
older men. The post-workout shake for decades has been
a few scoops of protein powder with some carbohydrates,
such as maltodextrins or Vitargo for recovery.
58
At the end of the study, ingestion of a nutritional
supplement containing 21g of leucine-enriched
whey protein raises muscle protein synthesis
rates. However, co-ingestion of carbohydrate
and fat with the leucine-enriched whey
protein did not affect the postprandial muscle
protein synthesis response. The author states,
“Following ingestion of the whey protein and
leucine supplement, we observed a substantial
increase in muscle protein synthesis rate when
compared with basal protein synthesis rates. This
anabolic response did not seem to be modified by
the added carbohydrate and fat, as the ingestion of
the nitrogenous supplement resulted in a similar
anabolic response.”
Another interesting finding were the insulin levels
in the carbohydrate drink. Carbohydrate plus fat
coingestion sharply increased the rise in plasma insulin
concentrations in the whey protein with leucine and
carbohydrates group. These levels were significantly
higher than following protein ingestion only. Although
the circulating insulin levels were significantly greater
in the whey protein with leucine when compared
with the protein only group, it did not result in higher
post-muscle protein synthesis rates. This goes against
the popular belief that carbohydrates are needed for
increased protein synthesis rates. These findings imply
that nutritional supplements such as whey and leucine
can be used to help prevent muscle loss and require
protein to stimulate skeletal muscle protein synthesis
in older individuals.
The anabolic effect of resistance exercise appears
not to be dependent on resistance exercise intensity
but rather on the volume of exercise performed
and that loads were lifted to muscular fatigue. Some
researchers have suggested that maximal muscle fiber
recruitment, which could be achieved regardless of
intensity, was a principle factor in stimulating increases
in muscle protein synthesis. What this means is that as
you are lifting weights, type I fibers are recruited first
then as type I fibers fatigue; type II fibers are recruited.
Researchers reported that taking sets to failure
seemed to enhance the anabolic effects of whey
protein regardless of how much weight was lifted.
The researchers had subjects consume a whey
protein drink (15 grams of whey protein) at rest and
before exercise and then had the subjects perform
leg exercises where immediately after they had
muscle biopsies taken to measure markers of protein
synthesis. The subjects performed either:
1.) four sets at 90% of maximal strength to
failure (90FAIL)
2.) 30% work-matched not to failure
3.) 30% to failure (30FAIL).
So in sum, the researchers had the subjects lift heavier
weights to failure (90% of a 1-RM) and lighter weights
to failure (30% of a 1-RM), and light weights not
until failure (30% of a 1-RM). At the end of the study,
protein synthesis was increased after exercise for
24 hours after exercise was performed. Additionally,
the researchers reported that regardless of intensity
or weight used, the researchers found that muscle
protein synthesis was observed only after exercise
performed until failure (i.e. 90FAIL and 30FAIL), which
may suggest that maximal fiber activation (especially
of type II fibers) is necessary for activation of muscle
protein synthesis after exercise. When exercise in the
lightweight group was not taken to failure, protein
synthesis did not occur. The researchers speculated
that protocols eliciting maximal fiber recruitment (i.e.
both type I and type II fibers using manipulations of
load and volume to induce fatigue) during exercise are
critical to enhancing the anabolic effects of exercise
for at least 24 h postexercise recovery. One may
question how can a weightlifting programs using such
a lightweight be useful for enhancing muscle protein
synthesis? You have to consider although one protocol
(i.e. 90% of a 1-RM) lifted heavier, the lighter program
(30% of a 1-RM) lifted longer. What this means is
that bodybuilding may want to vary their workouts
using both heavy and light protocols in conjunction
with using a high-quality whey protein such a to
enhance muscle protein synthesis. This suggests that
bodybuilders can get similar increases in protein
synthesis with the performance of low-load and high
volume until fatigue.
The resistance training protocol consisted of 3 sets of
7 exercises per session targeting all the main muscle
groups of the body. The exercises performed were:
flat barbell press, barbell military press, wide grip
lat pull-down, seated cable row, barbell back squat,
machine leg press, and machine leg extension. During
each session, subjects in both groups performed
three sets of 7 different exercises representing all the
main muscles. Training was carried out three times
per week on non-consecutive days, for eight total
weeks. All other resistance training variables (e.g.,
exercises performed, rest, repetition tempo, etc.)
were held constant. The training interventions lasted
eight weeks with subjects performing three total
body workouts per week. The subjects all consumed
a whey protein isolate drink post exercise to ensure
optimal recovery. The researchers measured muscle
hypertrophy and strength from both protocols.
Muscle Hypertrophy Only Occurs with Heavy Weight
If you look at many fitness websites, you will see such
programs as “100-Rep Hell” or the “3 Minute Set”
programs being advocated by the ultimate program for
muscle size. Some bodybuilders advocate high repetitions
for muscle growth where others advocate low repetitions,
but there is little research to prove which repetition
scheme works the best for muscle growth.
Results of these studies are conflicting, with some
studies finding superiority for heavier load training
and others showing no significant differences between
high repetition protocols taken to fatigue compared to
lower repetitions taken to fatigue. The case for heavier
weight lifting is based that on the fact that type II fibers
display an approximately 50% greater capacity for growth
compared to type I fibers. Type II fibers are activated with
a weight in excess of 70-80% 1RM is required to recruit
the largest units.
Researchers examined 18 young men experienced
with resistance training experience, they were matched
according to baseline strength, and then randomly
assigned to 1 of 2 experimental groups:
-A low-load resistance training routine where 25-35
repetitions were performed per set per exercise, or
-A high-load resistance training routine where 8-12
repetitions were performed per set per exercise.
60
At the end of eight weeks, when the researchers
crunched all the data, both routines increased muscle
growth similarly with no significant differences
between the two groups. These results run contrary
to accepted hypertrophy training guidelines, which
profess that loads of at least 65% are necessary to
stimulate muscle growth in well-trained individuals. In
terms of strength, although low load, lite repetitions
did not increase maximal muscle strength, the
heavier weight, lower rep routine resulted in greater
increases in strength. It should be noted that the
greater increase in bench-press strength for the high
load method led to their lifting slightly higher mean
loads (~2 kg) compared with low weight. 1RM bench
press increased by 6.5% vs. 2.0% for the low load
routine.
In conclusion, the study goes against the popular
belief that you can only build muscle with heavy
weights. The results suggest that low-load training
can be an effective method to increase muscle
hypertrophy of the extremities in well-trained
men. The gains in muscle size from low-load
training were equal to that achieved with training
in a repetition range frequently recommended for
maximizing muscle hypertrophy. On the other hand,
if maximizing strength gains is of primary importance,
then heavier loading should be employed to the
exclusion of lower load training.
#4
Acute Anabolic
Hormones Increase
Muscle Growth
Hormones such as human growth hormone (GH),
testosterone, and IGF-1 have been shown to play a
role in muscle hypertrophy and strength gains. The
prevailing dogma for the past 50 years has been that
testosterone increases muscle mass by stimulating
fractional muscle protein synthesis. Testosterone
administration also results in increases in GH secretion,
androgen receptor number, satellite cell activity,
and increased IGF-I expression in skeletal muscle.
It’s also been demonstrated that the increase in
muscle anabolism is associated with an increase in
the expression of intramuscular mRNA IGF-I. GH is
also highly recognized for its role in muscle growth.
Resistance exercise stimulates the release of GH from
the anterior pituitary gland, with released levels being
very dependent on exercise intensity. GH helps to
trigger fat metabolism for energy use in the muscle
growth process. As well, GH stimulates the uptake and
incorporation of amino acids into protein in skeletal
muscle. In humans, GH administration is known to
increase both whole-body and muscle protein synthesis
and almost unequivocally to increase lean body mass
and decreased fat mass. Human growth hormone
also stimulates the production of circulating IGF-1
concentrations and may also stimulate IGF-1 production
in other tissue such as skeletal muscle. So it’s well
established that testosterone and GH are important for
muscle hypertrophy and strength, but what about the
acute increases that occur during resistance exercise?
Are they important?
Researchers at the Exercise Metabolism Group at
McMaster University reported that muscle hypertrophy
took place without acute increases in anabolic hormone
concentrations. Ten healthy young male subjects
performed unilateral resistance training for eight weeks
(three days/week). Unilateral resistance exercise is
basically where you train one arm or leg while the other
arm or leg is used as a control or untrained muscle.
Activities performed in the study were knee extensions
and leg presses carried out at 80–90% of the subject’s
single repetition maximum (1RM). Blood samples were
collected before, immediately after, 30, 60, 90, and 120
minutes post-exercise. The first training bout and the last
training bout were analyzed for total testosterone, freetestosterone, GH, and Insulin-like growth factor-1, along
with other hormones. Thigh muscle cross-sectional area
(CSA) and muscle fiber CSA by biopsy (vastus lateralis)
were also measured pre and post-training.
Acutely, no changes in GH, testosterone, or IGF-1
concentrations were observed during the 90-minute
period following exercise, and there was no influence of
training on the anabolic hormones measured. Human
growth hormone did show a moderate increase 30
minutes post-exercise but returned to baseline values
after 90 minutes. Training-induced increases were
observed in type IIb and IIa muscle fiber CSA. No changes
were seen in muscle size in the untrained leg. Wholemuscle size increased in the trained leg and remained
unchanged in the untrained leg.
In conclusion, unilateral training-induced local muscle
hypertrophy occurred only in the exercised limb, which
occurred in the absence of testosterone, GH, or IGF-1
circulating levels. To further support the evidence that
acute anabolic hormones have little impact on muscle
growth, an excellent review was published in Medicine
in Sports Science and Exercise, which further supports
the notion, that acute anabolic hormones have little to
do with muscle hypertrophy. The reviewers suggested
that the interpretation of the current literature to
support that post-exercise hormone levels have an
effect on the extent of muscular hypertrophy is lacking.
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#5
SHORTER REST
PERIODS STIMULATE
MUSCLE GROWTH
In the early 70 and 80s, all bodybuilders trained with
rest periods less than 60 seconds because this was
thought to promote muscle growth. It is known that
resistance training increases in testosterone levels may
be related to reduced plasma volume, acute blood
lactate augmentation, and adrenergic stimulation. Free
testosterone is a portion of testosterone not bound to
the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) protein and
is considerably biologically active, able to interact with
androgen receptors and its expression has been shown
to hold some relation to total testosterone values.
In the early 90’s, world renowned researchers William
Kraemer found that 60 second rest periods resulted
in greater testosterone responses than 3-minute rest
periods. Another study examining hormones responses
to varying rest periods. Researchers had subject’s rest
60, 90, and 120 seconds over four sets at 85% of 1RM
squat and bench press to failure on circulating growth
hormone, and total testosterone concentrations.
The authors found that resting 60 seconds between
sets, resulted in higher GH immediately post-workout
compared to resting 120 seconds; but in contrast,
resting 90 or 120 seconds between sets, resulted in
higher total testosterone concentrations immediately
post-workout compared to resting 60 seconds.
So this made researchers question, what
is the optimal rest period between sets to
increase muscle mass?
64
Key Points of the Study:
-3 minute rest periods resulted in
greater free and total testosterone
responses compared to 1 minute
rest periods.
Researchers examine the influence of rest period
duration (1 vs. 3- minute between sets) on acute
hormone responses to a high intensity and equal
volume bench press workout. Ten resistance
trained men performed 2 bench press workouts
separated by 1 week. Each workout consisted of 5
sets of 3 repetitions performed at 85% of 1-repetition
maximum, with either 1-or 3-minute rest between sets.
Circulating concentrations of total testosterone, free
testosterone, cortisol, testosterone/cortisol ratio, and
growth hormone were measured at pre-workout, and
immediately post, 15 minutes and 30 minutes’ postworkout.
At the end of the study, although both short and long
rest periods enhanced acute testosterone values, the
longer rest promoted a longer lasting elevation for
both total and free testosterone. Since the the cortisol
values did not change throughout any post-exercise
verification for either rests, the total testosterone/
cortisol ratio was significantly elevated for both rests in
all post-exercise moments compared to pre-exercise.
The growth hormone values did not change for both
rest lengths. Traditionally, professionals prescribe
longer rests between sets (e.g. 3 to 5- minute) for
strength developing purposes. This experiment
is on parallel to this practice once we have found
that although both rest protocols (1 and 3-minute)
enhanced testosterone values, the longer rest
(3-minute) provided a longer lasting elevation for both
testosterone and free testosterone.
“The last three or four
reps is what makes
the muscle grow. This
area of pain divides
the champion from
someone else who is
not a champion. That’s
what most people lack,
having the guts to go
on and just say they’ll
go through the pain no
matter what happens.“
-Arnold Schwarzenegger
#6
YOU SHOULD TRAIN TO
COMPLETE MUSCULAR
FAILURE EACH SET
If you go to any gym, the one thing all trainers will tell
you is that in order for muscle to grow, you need to
train to complete muscular failure. Training to failure
is what Arnold said is what separates champions
from the losers. One of the all-time favorite growth
techniques used for decades by all bodybuilders has
been pushing past the point of complete muscular
failure. We all remember scenes from Pumping Iron
where Arnold Schwarzenegger is training to failure and
beyond despite the immense pain. Arnold said that
muscle did not grow unless they were taken past the
point of muscular failure. There were other historic
bodybuilders such as Mike Mentzer and Dorian Yates
that also believed that every set needed to be taken
to complete muscular failure. While failure can be
a valuable tool in a bodybuilder’s training routine,
there is some evidence to indicate that it comes with
a significant cost. Previous research has found that
training to failure every set significantly increased
resting levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol and
suppressed anabolic growth factors such as IGF-1. This
study demonstrated that taking every set to failure
could lead to overtraining and a catabolic response.
This study may indicate that bodybuilders who take
every set to absolute failure may put themselves at risk
of impeding long-term growth.
Researchers recently just published a study which
may cause controversy among bodybuilders and
researchers. Twenty-eight males completed a 4-week
familiarization period and were three groups:
1.) non-failure rapid shortening (RS; rapid
concentric, 2 s eccentric). They lifted up the
weight explosively and lowered the weight in 2
seconds, emphasizing the eccentric portion.
2.) non-failure stretch-shortening (SSC; rapid
concentric, rapid eccentric). They lifted up the
weight explosively and lowered the weight the
weight explosively.
3.) failure control (C, 2 s concentric, 2 s
eccentric). Exercise taken to complete muscle
failure.
After 12 weeks of the study, the average number of
repetitions per set was significantly lower in non-failure
rapid shortening and non-failure stretch-shortening
group compared with failure control. A significant
increase in maximal strength, maximal voluntary
contraction, muscle size was observed for all groups;
however, no between-group differences were detected.
Similar adaptations across the three resistance training
regimen suggest repetition failure is not critical to elicit
significant neural and structural changes to skeletal
muscle. In sum, the researchers found no difference in
the routines that were taken to failure and those that
were not. This study only lasted 12 weeks, so long term
effects of taking every set to absolute muscular failure
is not known. There are some adverse outcomes of
taking every set to complete failure that can lead to
long-term overtraining, but the study is interesting
none the less.
#7
ARMS NEED
TO BE
TRAINED ON
A SEPARATE
DAY FOR
MAXIMAL
GROWTH
Most workouts are the combination of both single
and multi-joint exercises. For example, a person may
perform a squat in conjunction with a leg extension.
Multi-joint exercises recruit several muscles or muscle
groups at a time, whereas single joint exercises recruit
only one primary muscle. Although it is often believed
that muscle is better stimulated during isolation
exercises, the evidence for this assumption is weak;
previous studies have not shown increased motor unit
recruitment during single joint exercises. It has been
shown that muscle hypertrophy is dependent on the
mechanical tension, muscle damage and metabolic
stress produced by the strength exercise.
This may be surprising, but no research studies have
ever demonstrated that single joint exercises are
needed when performing multi-joint exercises. For
example, a previous study examined the effect of
performing isolated single-joint exercises in conjunction
with multi-joint exercises on upper arm circumference
and upper body strength in 17 national-level baseball
players. One group performed only upper body multijoint exercises; the other group completed the same
multi-joint exercise program plus biceps curl and triceps
66
extension exercises. Both groups reported the same
increases in arm circumference and muscle strength.
This suggests that performing single-joint exercises
in combination with multi-joint exercises may not be
necessary. According to a new study published in the
Journal of Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism
once again reports that single joint exercises, when
combined with multi-joint exercises, don’t have any
extra benefit regarding strength or size.
A few years ago, researchers examined the effect of
adding single-joint exercises to a multi-joint exercise
resistance-training program on upper body muscle
size and strength. Twenty-nine untrained young men
participated in a 10-week training session. They were
randomly divided into two groups:
-The multi-joint exercise group performed only
multi-joint exercise exercises (lat pulldown and
bench press)
-The multi-joint exercise +single-joint group
performed the same multi-joint exercise exercises
plus single-joint exercises (lat pulldown, bench
press, triceps extension, and bicep curls)
All exercises were performed with three sets of 8–12
repetitions. Participants were instructed to carry out
all sets to failure. Before and after the training period,
the muscle thickness (MT) of the arms was measured
with ultrasound, and peak torque was measured with
an isokinetic dynamometer. At the end of the study,
there was a significant increase in muscle growth for
the both the single and multi-joint group (6.5% for
multi-joint and 7.04% for multi-joint+single-joint) and
peak torque (10.40% for multi-joint and 12.85% for
multi-joint+single-joint) in both groups, but there were
no between-group differences.
At the end of the study, both training groups
significantly increased arm strength, but there was
no significant difference between groups. Both
training groups also increased muscle mass but once
again there was no difference between the groups.
The researchers concluded that adding single-joint
exercises to a multi-joint resistance training program
does not appear to increase further gains in muscular
strength and size. They, therefore, suggest that for
maximal efficiency of training, single-joint exercises can
be removed from training programs.
Therefore, this study showed that the inclusion of
single-joint exercises in a multi-joint exercise training
program resulted in no additional benefits regarding
muscle size or strength gains in untrained young
men. In summary, this study showed that the stimuli
provided during multi-joint exercises were sufficient
to promote gains in muscle size and strength in
previously untrained subjects; no additional benefit
was seen with the addition of supplemental single-joint
exercises over a period of 10 weeks. Thus, coaches
and athletes could save time by not including singlejoint exercises in the training program and still achieve
gains in muscle size and strength in the upper body.
Future studies should analyze the use of single-joint
exercises over longer periods of time and in different
populations. It would also be interesting to explore this
concept in lower body muscle groups.
A new study reported similar finding that single joint
exercises are not useful to muscle hypertrophy.
Twenty-nine young men, without prior resistance
training experience, were randomly divided into two
groups.
So the study lacks some credibility because it was
performed in untrained men, but for the non-believers,
a study was released this month in trained athletes
and found the same findings. Researchers compared
the increases in muscular strength and size between
resistance training programs involving upper body
multi-joint exercises and those involving both upper
body multi-joint and upper body single-joint exercises,
in trained subjects. 20 young, resistance-trained males,
randomly allocated into either a combined multi-joint
and single-joint group or a multi-joint only group. Both
groups performed an 8-week period of resistance
training for the upper body, following a linear
periodized program. Both groups performed both free
weights and machine exercises for the upper body,
including various pressing and pulling movements.
Also, the combined group also performed triceps
extensions and biceps curls.
-One group performed only multi-joint exercises
involving the elbow flexors (lat. pull downs),
-While the other trained the elbow flexors muscles
using only single joint exercises (biceps curls).
Both groups trained twice a week for ten weeks. The
volunteers were evaluated for strength and muscle
mass.
At the end of the study, there were significant
increases in muscle mass for the multi-joint exercise
group (6.10%) and single-joint exercise group (5.83%).
Muscle strength increased for the multi-joint group
(10.40%) and single joint group (11.87%). However,
the results showed no difference between groups
regarding muscle mass or strength.
In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest
that multi-joint and single joint exercises are equally
effective for promoting increases in upper body muscle
strength and size in untrained men. Therefore, the
selection of single joint and multi-joint exercises should
be based on individual and practical aspects, such as
equipment availability, movement specificity, personal
preferences, and time commitment.
#8
DUMBBELL
PULLOVER’S
ARE GREAT
FOR BUILDING
A BIG CHEST
The dumbbell pullover was one of
Arnold’s favorite exercises that he
prescribed for building a big chest.
Arnold had undeniably one of the
greatest chests in the sport but he
was misinformed about it being
a great chest builder according to
new research. Recently, a study
reported that the dumbbell pullover
exercise recruits latissimus dorsi
fibers, without significant differences
between those musculatures and
muscles portions of the pectoralis
major.
Researchers wanted to examine the
muscle activation of the dumbbell
pullover and the flat bench press.
The aim of the study was to compare
the EMG activity (i.e. muscle
activation) of the following muscles:
clavicular portion of pectoralis
major, sternal portion of pectoralis
major, long portion of triceps brachii,
anterior deltoid, posterior deltoid
and latissimus dorsi during dynamic
contractions between flat horizontal
bench press and barbell pullover
exercises.
The sample comprised 12 males
individuals experienced in resistance
training. The volunteers made three
visits to the laboratory. The results
showed a higher EMG activation of
the pectoralis major and anterior
deltoid muscles in the flat horizontal
bench press in comparison with
the barbell pullover. The triceps
brachii and latissimus dorsi muscles
were more activated in the barbell
pullover.
So based on the results of the study,
pullovers are better for triceps and
lats than building a better chest.
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Maximal muscle growth requires you to
recruit as many muscle fibers as possible
during exercise, which is the reason many
bodybuilders perform squats first—because
the exercise utilizes many different muscle
fibers. For gaining muscle size, your training
goal should be to recruit as many motor
units as possible during exercise to get the
fastest results for muscle growth. This has
been the resistance training way of life for
decades, but recently a study in the Journal
of Medicina Sportiva found just the opposite
of what has been preached for so many
years about doing large muscle groups first.
The research paper was a critical review on
exercise sequence and muscle growth and
has challenged the size principle theory.
The authors reported that two new studies
showed no significant difference between
groups in strength gains for any of the
exercises or any significant difference in
muscular hypertrophy when small muscle
groups were performed first compared to
large muscle groups.
#9
WEAK BODYPARTS
NEED TO BE
TRAINED
BEFORE STRONG
BODYPARTS FOR
MAXIMAL GROWTH
The key finding was that when repetitions
were standardized for workouts comparing
small vs. large muscle groups performed
first; the results were the same. The
research paper went on to report that many
studies that have examined small vs. large
muscle groups being performed first failed
to control for repetitions completed. The
reviewer noted that some of these studies
reported that significantly fewer repetitions
were performed in subsequent sets of an
exercise when they were performed later in
a resistance-training session, compared with
when they were performed earlier in the
session.
The lead author concluded, “There is very
little evidence to suggest that any specific
sequence of exercise affects strength gains or
muscular hypertrophy.” As long as volume
remains equal for workouts, it should
make very little difference which exercise is
performed first.
#10
SIT-UPS ARE THE BEST
ABDOMINAL EXERCISE
TO LOSE FAT
Spot Reduction is a term used to describe using exercise
to target a specific area of the body. For example, doing
a certain leg exercise in an effort to slim your thighs.
Another classic example of spot reduction is doing situps to reduce belly fat. Exercising a specific muscle does
not get rid of more fat over that muscle in comparison
to the rest of your body. If it did, tennis players would
have less fat in their tennis arms, and this does not
happen. Fat mobilization from an area will typically go
to local circulation so it can’t be specifically used by
that local muscle. Strength training strengthens weak
muscles, but it cannot remove fat specifically over the
strengthened muscle. To get a muscle to show more, its
all based on your diet.
70
For example, to show how spot reduction is just a myth,
check out the study below:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect
of abdominal exercises on abdominal fat. Twenty-four
healthy, sedentary participants (14 men and 10 women),
between 18 and 40 years, were randomly assigned to 1
of the following 2 groups: control group or abdominal
exercise group. Anthropometrics, body composition,
and abdominal muscular endurance were tested before
and after training. The abdominal exercise group
performed 7 abdominal exercises, for 2 sets of 10
repetitions, on 5 days a week for 6 weeks. The control
group received no intervention, and all participants
maintained an isocaloric diet throughout the study.
There was no significant effect of abdominal
exercises on body weight, body fat percentage,
android fat percentage, android fat, abdominal
circumference, abdominal skinfold and suprailiac
skinfold measurements. The abdominal exercise
group performed significantly greater amount of curlup repetitions compared to the control group on the
posttest. Six weeks of abdominal exercise training alone
was not sufficient to reduce abdominal subcutaneous
fat and other measures of body composition.
Nevertheless, abdominal exercise training significantly
improved muscular endurance to a greater extent than
the control group.
In another study examining if spot reduction can
work, forty overweight women were given either a
weight-reduction diet or the same diet plus abdominal
resistance training. After 12 weeks, both groups had
the same weight decrease, abdominal subcutaneous
fat, waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass
index, body fat percentage, and skin fold thickness.
When you take in more calories than your body burns,
you store the extra calories as fat. More than half of
the fat in your body is stored underneath your skin and
over your muscles. Your stomach will look better when
your belly muscles are strong, but sit-ups or crunches
will not remove extra fat from your belly. The only way
to lose fat from a specific part of your body is to lose
weight overall.
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