GOT SQUATS?

It kills me that so many guys in the gym tend to stay away from training their legs – they procrastinate. When leg day comes around they make up excuses such as, “bad knees”, “bad back”, or, “I don’t want to bulk up – I am looking for more definition”.

Here’s the truth: a properly executed squat will help you benefit drastically from bad knees since it will help strengthen the muscle around the knee joint and increase the stability. The same goes with having a bad back – when properly executed the squat will strengthen the supportive tissue throughout the back and spine.

For those who say they are not looking to bulk up in the legs and they would prefer to perform leg extensions or legs curls, or use abductor-adductor machines to obtain more definition, forget it. You will only bulk up if you are consuming enough calories to do so.

Some benefits to performing squats are: increased bone density, an increase in core strength, increase in stamina and an increase in lower body strength and stability.

Another good reason that you should perform squats is to increase the anabolic hormone testosterone. Testosterone allows you to build lean muscle, reduce body fat, improve mood, and increase sexual performance. If you are stuck at a plateau on your bench, there’s a good chance hitting some good squats will elevate your testosterone enough to break it.

If you are not sure how to perform a squat properly, speak to a certified personal trainer and have him or her go over the movement. Even if you think you know how to perform a squat, I suggest you have a qualified individual take a second look to make sure you are performing it correctly.

Make sure you have a good warm-up and stretch before performing squats. I prefer to do my cardio at the end of my leg workout, as the increase in oxygen will help eliminate the build-up of lactic acid – the burn. Finally, take the next 10-15 minutes for a good stretch.

So, don’t forget about your squats and remember: procrastination is just like masturbation – it seems like a good thing at the time, but in the end you’re only fucking yourself.

- Chris Belanger www.fusionbodybuilding.com

VITAMIN C - don't forget about it.

It is commonly known that vitamin C is a powerful nutrient. Mainly due to its ability to prevent colds and keeping you scurvy free. But, it’s lesser known benefits are those that can help you be a better bodybuilder.

Plasma ascorbic acid, vitamin C in your blood, has been shown to have an inverse relationship to degenerative joint pain and osteoarthritis. This is because vitamin C is needed for collagen synthesis and the repair of it. What does this mean to you? It means it can help reduce the pain, or prevent the pain that you get from doing heavy compound movements like squats.

It has also been shown that a person low in vitamin C can have more trouble burning fat. This is because vitamin C is needed for the formation of carnitine, a biological molecule needed for adipolysis, the metabolism of fat tissue. So take your vitamin C supplementation seriously and watch how the addition of it can change your performance.


References

Evangelou A, et al., Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) effects on withdrawal syndrome of heroin abusers.
In Vivo. 2000 Mar-Apr; 14(2):363-6.

Johnston CS, et al., Marginal vitamin C status is associated with reduced fat oxidation during submaximal exercise in young adults. Nutr Metab (Lond). 2006 Aug 31; 3:35.

McAlindon TE, et al., Do antioxidant micronutrients protect against the development and progression of knee osteoarthritis?Arthritis Rheum. 1996 Apr; 39(4): 648-56.


KURT KUHN - Bodybuilding Researcher
www.fusionbodybuilding.com