Muscle Clinic by David Gentle
The majority of the top stars train six days a week, because it's their
job. Their body is their business.
There's no way a top class bodybuilder can maintain year-round quality muscularity without training virtually every day, and sometimes two or three times a day.
QUESTION. Can you tell me the function of chromium and its natural sources?
ANSWER. Chromium helps reduce high cholesterol levels in the body and regulates blood sugar levels. It is easily obtained from molasses, whole grains, whole wheat and brewers yeast.
QUESTION. Is selenium useful as an anti-arthritis treatment?
ANSWER. Combined with vitamin E, selenium is an anti-oxidant which helps to protect cells from being destroyed and also to fight degenerative diseases such as arthritis-so the answer is YES.
QUESTION. What's your opinion or advice on the use of split routines? I have been training for over 1 1/2 years on a three day a week full body routine, but I have recently made very little progress. Can you advise? I feel advanced enough to try tougher routines. How do the stars train?
ANSWER. Let's quote top star ROBBY ROBINSON on split routines - the majority of the top stars train six days a week, because it's their job. Their body is their business. There's no way a top class bodybuilder can maintain year-round quality muscularity without training virtually every day, and sometimes two or three times a day.
Also, a top bodybuilder can't do his entire body at one shot, because it's such a long, total workout. He'd prefer to do segments, so he can do everything when he's fresh, which leads to more intensity. This way he gets the most out of each workout.
The time to go on a split entirely an individual matter, and I can't jump into everyone's body to feel what it's like and give them a definitive answer. I can't see a person trying to go on a split routine if he hasn't already developed some quality muscle. If you're going on a split routine you have to have the body first. You have to have the foundation laid.
Maybe from three days of training each week a bodybuilder can graduate to four days, twice a week for each bodypart. Then when a contest is coming he can maybe go to six days a week. Tune into your body and you'll know when it's time to switch.
If you've gone on a split routine and your body isn't quite ready for it, your recuperative powers may become drained to the point that you will not be able to bounce back enough from a heavy workout to train hard again the next day.
QUESTION. Can you tell me what TENOSYNOVITIS and SYNOVITIS are please? These terms were used when I visited my local hospital with a knee injury.
ANSWER. TENOSYNOVITITIS is an inflammation of both the tendon and the sheath surrounding it. SYNOVITIS is damage to the synovium or the inner lining of a joint. Sounds to us you need some REST!
QUESTION. I wonder if you would help me with a problem I have with my abs. I train three times a week doing press ups, bench dips, chins etc., without weights, and I do 3x15 leg raises, 3x20 situps., 200 twists and in between days I do 2x20 to 30 reps of situps or 'crunches'.
The problem is that my waist s growing in size, particularly below the navel and it is definitely muscle rather than fat. Could you please advise me what I can do to reduce this unwanted added size. I do my sit ups and leg raises on an abdominal board.
ANSWER. The answer is so simple it hurts ... just cut out doing so much abdominal exercise. The rectus abdominus are just muscles like any other, and will continue to grow if you persist in exercising them. Keep the waist firm by dieting.
QUESTION. I'm confused with conflicting advice, just how long - if at all- should I rest between sets?
ANSWER. Normally the general rule is about 60 seconds. Longer rests mean you can 'cool off' and possibly offset injuries. Bodybuilders training for strength may take longer i.e. up to 3 minutes-but usually 60 seconds is about right.
QUESTION. Is it a good thing, or bad, to add extra salt to our meals? Surely when one trains hard, extra salt is required to replace salt lost in perspiration?
ANSWER. You get all the salt you need without adding extra. Manufacturers add salt to almost everything EVEN TOOTHPASTE! Health experts reckon we consume up to 20 times more salt than we need thereby risking heart disease, strokes and high blood pressure. We advise you to AVOID adding extra salt.
QUESTION. We hear so much about sports nutrition especially with the current craze for 'CYBERNETS' or 'Ultra Blitz' foods. Are there really any 'magic muscle foods' or can we gain just as well from a normal 'good' all round diet? What's the history and your view of all this?
ANSWER. The search for something 'magic' to build up strength is as old as history, from the days of Samson as a skinhead and the eating of honey for energy and power. The iron game originated in the beer gardens of the Austrians. Beer, a stronger brew than today, and a staple part of the working man's diet, supplemented normal heavy meals and nourished the would-be strong men in between lifting attempts. ARTHUR SAXON considered by most historians to be one of the strongest men in history used to consume literally gallons of beer, both in and out of training even on the actual occasion when he lifted 3761bs/1170.5kgs over head SINGLE HANDED in the now obsolete lift, the BENT PRESS. EUGEN SANDOW probably bodybuilding's first superstar, drank less beer, but smoked the occasional cigar, and publicly stated his faith in COCOA. BERNARR McFADDEN, who was an abstainer, fought the demon drink and took his health ideas so far he almost killed his first wife by refusing her any medical assistance when she was in childbirth.
McFadden walked most places bare-footed and ate carrots by the bushel. But 'health foods' or not, he did outlive most of his derogators.
THOMAS INCH, the man who first introduced the barbell as we know it to Britain, and was once Britain's strongest man, was a great believer in correct nutrition for strength and muscle, he advised a normal sensible diet of good wholesome foods and continually advised pupils to take extra fibre by eating HOVIS.
The bodybuilders of the 1940's had a hard time looking for extras in times of wartime rationing, but by contrast the nation's health was actually better with less obesity and the related diseases (heart, liver and diabetes) because of the more spartan eating.
Seen right:
More mouth and trousers than 'Master Blaster' at this stage, but Joe Weider did
bring glamour and hype to bodybuilding.
The real progress came from 'over the pond'. The Yanks were making massive gains by drinking Milk. They drank it by the gallon. JACK DELINGER, CLANCY ROSS, EIFERMAN et al, sent over photos and even came over to display their massive pectorals and mighty limbs resulting from the new set system and Milk. Milk, of course, was always regarded as the perfect food. In the days of massive mail order courses, CHARLES ATLAS advised his pupils to actually 'chew' milk to aid it's digestion. The course, by the way, was actually written by another health 'nut' DOC TILNEY who later wrote for most American Muscle mags including joe Weider's YOUR PHYSIQUE and MUSCLE POWER and Bob Hoffman's STRENGTH AND HEALTH. Again, like McFadden, Tilney used to take his own medicine and lived to a ripe (all that fruit) old age.
HOFFMAN'S LADS, known collectively as THE YORK GANG were told that 'drinking blood' was a rapid way of gaining energy and vitality. Even better ... was fresh blood. They consequently visited a slaughter house and actually had a quick sip of the old red stuff. Luckily THAT idea didn't catch on. BIG JOHN (GRIMEK), STANKO, DAVIS and the other champs realized it was more fun eating masses of ICE CREAM.
STEVE REEVES was more determined than most to be the World's greatest and so
he too paid a lot of attention to diet. He ate fresh fruits, lots of wholesome
vegetables, lean meats and began to supplement them with HONEY, AND GOAT'S MILK.
He also had vitamin B 'shots' a real innovation.
Seen right: Steve 'The Magnificent' Reeves circa 1947 - before Arnold, the best known bodybuilder around.
The first actual supplements, as such, i.e. protein drinks turned up about the same time (late 1940's-1950's) from JOWED who was in charge of THE BODYSCULPTURE CLUB over here in the UK. At the same time both JOE WEIDER and HOFFMAN brought out WEIGHT GAIN DRINKS and HIGH PROTEIN. They have simply become more and more sophisticated as current adverts prove.
Most labels look very impressive on food supplements with complex chemical breakdowns and an analysis of the contents. Look at this for an example:- a nutrition breakdown of a 'muscle building food' for an average serving of 140gms; Protein 7.0gms, Fat O.7gms, Carbohydrate 25.2gms, Salt 1.4gms, Energy 134 cal, Fibre 10.2gms.
Looks pretty good eh? High in protein and low in fat and with high fibre ... a real 'health food'? Well the food is just plain old fashioned baked beans. But don't knock it. Most doctors are in general agreement that we should reduce the amount of fat, salt and sugar we eat and increase the amount of fibre in our diet. Where do YOU go from now? If you can afford them, by all means take ADVANTAGE of supplements, but be selective and if you have any doubts WRITE TO THE FIRM SELLING THE PRODUCTS and demand to know all about their produce.
The amount of actual extra protein most people really require is relatively small ... eat milk, lean meats, cheeses, poultry and plenty of eggs. Vince Gironda, a long time trainer of champions swore by eggs. Like the man said about chicken, 'the chicken is a most useful animal, you can eat them before they are born and after they are dead.'
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