Working Out in the Heat

If you’ve ever worked out in a hot gym – indoors or out – you know that your workouts are different when it’s hot. You rest more often, get tired more easily and sweat a lot. You also know that it can kill your working intensity and, by extension, your muscle growth.

So what can you do? Researchers have the answer.

To overcome the effects of heat on your thermoregulation – your core body temperature – you can take specific measures: heat acclimation and nutritional intervention.

Regarding heat acclimation, researchers recommend working your way “into” the heat – not working with your usual intensity and volume, but starting with lighter weights, more sets at a higher volume and increasing your intra-workout rest times. By gradually building intensity into your workout as it progresses, you prevent early workout performance breakdown.

The most effective nutritional intervention is, as always, fluid replacement – and fluid drinks containing few calories and moderate amounts of glucose and sodium are best.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: When you’re working in the heat – indoors or out – you have to adapt. Don’t just jump in and train like normal because you’ll get tired in a hurry. Instead, work your way into the heat, listening to your body as you continue to work. And, drink plenty of fluids to offset your fluid loss from sweating. Make sure your drink is light and contains not just glucose but also sodium – a key electrolyte. Nothing will help take away the effects of heat altogether, but these two protocols will ensure you get the best bang for your buck!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Wendt, et al. Thermoregulation during exercise in the heat. Sports Med. 2007;37(8):669-682.

Got Back Pain? Work It Out!

If you work out with the kind of intensity needed to build huge, strong muscles, you’ve probably had back pain at least once – after a set of heavy squats, deadlifts or barbell rows, for example. Usually, the advice is to rest until you feel better, but this may not be always best. Sometimes rest isn’t the best medicine.

Researchers have discovered that a great majority of people who get back pain get better sooner by continuing to work out hard on the rest of their body parts while also taking care to work around their back pain and going easier on their back workouts.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: When you get back pain, get back into the gym! Research proves that people who keep working get better faster – working out hard will stimulate your body to heal while keeping you big and strong!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: May S et al. Stabilisation exercises for low back pain: a systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2008;94:179–189.

Can flat feet get you injured?

A lot of bodybuilders have flat feet – poorly formed arches – and this can affect balance, weight distribution, spine health and, ultimately, your performance in the gym. Fact is, with flat feet, your balance is out of whack and your body isn’t correctly distributing the weights you’re using to the muscles. Translation? Your muscles can’t handle the forces generated from your workout because of improper force distribution. You could get injured.

Researchers have reviewed the existing research and have found that by getting orthotics, you could notice dramatic results, with a massive decrease in your risk of getting injured. Here’s what the researchers said, in their own words:

Orthotics ... have moderate to large beneficial effects in treating and preventing plantar fasciitis and posterior tibial stress fractures, and small to moderate effects in treating patellofemoral pain syndrome.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: If you have flat feet, chances are you’re not working out as well as you could be, and your flat feet might even get you injured. So consider getting a checkup and, if you need them, getting orthotics to correct your balance. They’ll not only help make your workouts better but also help keep you in the gym and off the sidelines!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Hume, et al. Effectiveness of foot orthoses for treatment and prevention of lower limb injuries. Sports Med. 2008;38(9):759-779.

Bodybuilding: It's a blood sport - but what about your brain?

It’s well-known that a hard workout gets your circulation going. It gets your blood pumping and increases oxygen and nutrient-rich blood to your muscles, especially after a hard and heavy set of squats, bench press or deadlifts. Let’s face it: Blood flow to your muscles is critical for growth. You want blood – lots of it – and the pump is your surefire sign that your work is paying off.

But what about your brain? As much as bodybuilding is a blood sport for your muscles, so too is it a blood sport for your brain.

It used to be thought that your brain received a steady and constant volume of blood delivery, whether you were working out or not. Not so. A new study shows that your brain gets more blood during exercise, and that study participants reported a weakening of the mind-muscle connection near the end of their workouts – the point at which blood delivery to the brain began to decline, as measured by scientists.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Bodybuilding is a blood sport – for both your muscles and your mind. To get your brain in the game, work for the pump. Not only will your muscles work better and will you be stronger, but you’ll get your mind into every last repetition.

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Querido JS, et al. Regulation of cerebral blood flow during exercise. Sports Med. 2007;37(9):765-782.

Caffeine - it works better the more you train!

Bodybuilders know that adrenaline and noradrenaline are critical for having the energy needed to bust through a hard training session that builds maximum muscle. While a hard workout itself stimulates and triggers the release of these important energy hormones, sometimes it isn’t enough. That’s why supplementation is important – it can take your energy to the next level and make the difference between an OK workout and an explosive muscle-building session for the history books.

Caffeine stimulates adrenaline and noradrenaline release and dramatically increases your energy levels – but new science shows that not every bodybuilder responds equally to it. It turns out that men respond faster and to a greater degree than women do, and also that caffeine has more of an immediate and powerful effect with more training experience and a higher conditioning level.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: No matter whether you’re a male or female bodybuilder, the key to getting the maximum response from caffeine – the key to making it really shine – is hard, consistent work. Be sure to never miss a workout and to always push your conditioning and muscle growth to the next level. By pushing yourself that little extra bit in every workout, caffeine will work that much better and ultimately help push you over the top.

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Hassane Z, et al. Catecholamines and the effects of exercise, training and gender. Sports Med. 2008;38(5):401-423.

Recovery...Get Into It

It’s really easy to “get into” muscle growth – work out hard and stay dedicated, and the muscle will come, right? Maybe, but it’s not that simple.

While many bodybuilders have no problem training all-out, many don’t give recovery the respect it’s due. But the fact is, working out builds muscle, but it can also hurt you – for days after you’re out of the gym.

A new study by Greek researchers examined the effects of a hard workout on oxidant levels and the effects of oxidant activity on lipids, proteins and DNA. Researchers found that a hard workout increases the oxidation of fatty acids (lipids) and proteins and increases damage to your DNA. This is well-established, so this study confirmed what we already know. But researchers also found something else: A hard workout also causes oxidative damage to your muscles – regardless of fiber type – and this damage can persist for days after you’ve gone all-out.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: If you want to grow, you’ve got to “get into” recovery. Make it a habit and a priority. Immediately after going all-out, give your body the good stuff – proteins, fats and carbohydrates – and drink plenty of water. And keep it up, because it can take days – not hours – to recover from a single workout. Finally, don’t be afraid to step back and take it a little easy from time to time. Sometimes your best growth can come from doing nothing at all – especially if you train all-out all of the time!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Nikolaidis MG et al. The effect of muscle-damaging exercise on blood and skeletal muscle oxidative stress magnitude and time-course considerations. Sports Med. 2008; 38(7):579-606.

Maximum Power...

When it comes to muscle growth, nothing is more important than power. But have you ever wondered just how strong your muscles are? In other words, how much you can lift to hit your maximum power threshold, driving your muscle growth even further? Now you can find out.

Scientists investigating the relationship between load and muscle power output had 55 males and 48 females do power movements such as squats and bench press at various percentages of their one-repetition maximum lift (1-RM). After crunching the numbers, researchers found that the optimal muscle output range is between 50 and 70 percent of 1-RM. Further, they found that the optimal load during the “acceleration phase” – when you’re pushing up the weight – appears to be more important for muscle growth than any other phase of the exercise movement. Applying the optimal load during this phase is the key to muscle and strength. In other words, power counts!

At the conclusion of the study, researchers made it clear: “Based on these results, we suggest that the load to be lifted should not be based on 1-RM but should be based on the relationship between the 1-RM, the maximum power output, and the speed of movement.”

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Powerful muscles are big muscles that just keep getting bigger. If you want to get stronger, it’s simple ­– calculate your 1-RM, and then focus on perfecting your speed and power output during the “acceleration phase.”

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Jandacka D & Vaverka F. A regression model to determine load for maximum poweroutput. Sports Biomechanics. 2008;7(3):361­–371.

BACK PAIN...

If you work out hard – if you hit the gym with the kind of gusto and ferocity that builds real muscle – chances are you do squats and deadlifts. And chances are that you’ve gotten back pain in the past, or you’re going to.

Naturally, there are treatment options for the severest of back pain, including physiotherapy, massage therapy and chiropractic treatments. If it gets too bad, sometimes surgery is needed. But there’s another option, and it’s one that many personal trainers tout as superior to most other non-surgical methods: stabilization exercises.

A study examining the effects of stabilization exercises on low back pain reviewed the existing research – 18 studies in total. It found some evidence favoring using stabilization exercises for chronic back pain, but not much showing that they were superior to conventional medical treatments.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: If you work out hard, your back is probably going to get sore, so use every tool you can to treat it. Do stabilization exercises along with whatever conventional treatments your doctor recommends. By doing this, you’ll say goodbye to the pain and be back in the gym faster than ever!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: May S, et al. Stabilization exercises for low back pain: a systematic review. Physiotherapy. 2008;94:179-189.

Who Are You Talking To?

We’ve all seen him: the guy at the gym who goes there more for a social gathering than a workout. And we’ve all seen his physique, the one that looks the same year after year – the same size, the same conditioning. While he does a lot of talking, he doesn’t do much working, so he doesn’t grow. No surprise there.

But if you go to the gym, research shows that you should be talking ­– to yourself.

A study has examined the effects of “self-talk” on exercise performance and found that although talking to yourself during exercise doesn’t produce overly dramatic effects, the results are pretty impressive. By talking to yourself, the scientists say, you give yourself time to take stock of your workout and how you feel, and to better concentrate and direct your efforts for that next gut-busting set. In short, talking to yourself and getting yourself “in the zone” really does improve your exercise performance.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Avoid Mr. or Mrs. Loose Lips and talk to yourself instead. Although talking to others can be fun, you’re most interested in building muscle, and by talking to yourself, you can build more of it.

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Gibson ASC, et al. The role of self-talk in the awareness of physiological state and physical performance. Sports Med. 2007;37(12):1029-1044.

Stretch and Grow?

Experts have long preached about the virtues of stretching. It keeps you strong, limber, flexible and injury-free, and can even cause you to grow more muscle.

While there’s no doubt that stretching is essential for bodybuilders, some experts have taken this one step further, claiming that by stretching, you can selectively recruit and activate specific kinds of muscle fibers – especially the white, fast-twitch muscle fibers that get you huge and strong in a hurry. But is this true? Can stretching really activate these specific fibers more than others?

Not really – and now we have proof.

A study examined the effects of stretching on the activation and stimulation of both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers. The researchers found that rather than triggering fast-twitch muscle fibers specifically, stretching was more general in nature, equally affecting the activation of both fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscle fibers.

So, here’s your FUSION FACTOID: While there’s no doubt that stretching is extremely beneficial and can keep you limber, flexible, functional and injury-free, the science proves stretching can’t activate one specific muscle fiber type to trigger growth.


- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Chalmers, Gordon. Can fast-twitch muscle fibres be selectively recruited during lengthening contractions? Review and applications to sport movements. Sports Biomechanics. January 2008;7(1):137–157.

Still Working Out at a Crappy Gym?

Bodybuilders love to keep it “hardcore” ­– hard, heavy and growing. Let’s face it: Muscle is all that matters, right? Yes. And, working out in a “hardcore” gym like the pros of old, with well-used equipment, will get you huge fast, right? Not quite.

A new study by researchers in California showed that while barbells and dumbbells are balanced when new and therefore can move in space correctly, stimulating correct muscle growth, old, well-used equipment undergoes continuous microchanges. This can result in unequal total weight distribution, meaning that one end of the barbell or dumbbell can be heavier than the other. This can lead to incorrect and unbalanced movement, ultimately leading to incorrect and unbalanced muscle growth, and possibly injury over time.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Muscle growth is job number one, so get into the best-equipped and best-maintained gym your money can buy. The equipment might not be as old as bodybuilding itself, but it will be balanced, more effective and far better at getting you huge in a hurry!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Chiu, et al. The influence of deformation on barbell mechanics during the clean pull. Sports Biomechanics. May 2008; 7(2): 260–273.

This Is Your Body On Cow Protein

Supplement makers are always looking for an edge - always looking for new ways to get your attention and your supplement dollars. To this end they are constantly innovating and developing their products, and are always searching for new ingredients to fuel your growth.

In the past several years, some companies have stumbled upon Bovine lactoferrin - a specialized cow protein found in cows milk that is supposed to have antibacterial power. Naturally, bodybuilders have been skeptical - and this ingredient hasn't really caught on. All of that may change, because new science shows that this stuff actually works - and works well!

A study appearing in Nutrition Research has found that taking Bovine lactoferrin by mouth can actually keep your immune system strong by not only killing opportunistic bacteria - like those that hang around in-wait when you're over-trained - but it can also protect your muscles by powerfully killing off harmful oxidants and free radicals that keep you inflamed and stunt your muscle growth.

So here's your FUSION FACTOID: It turns out that cow protein is good for you after all - and we're not just talking about meat or milk. Specialized cow proteins - Bovine lactoferrin - can keep you healthy, keep you training and, ultimately, keep you on the road to Muscletown!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Ann M. Mulder, et al. Bovine lactoferrin supplementation supports immune and antioxidant status in healthy human males. Nutrition Research 28 (2008) 583 – 589.

Protect Your Liver: Avoid Processed Dietary Oils...

We hear all the time that we should avoid processed foods, instead opting for healthy “clean” options that are straight from nature – fresh fruits and vegetables, complex grains and carbohydrates, and lean meats such as chicken and beef.

Rarely, however, do we hear about cooking oils – but a new study has changed that.

A new study by Austrian researchers found that consuming processed cooking oils such as linoleic acid not only promotes inflammation throughout your body but also prevents the death of cancer cells in your liver, contributing to your risk of getting liver cancer. Cooking with processed oils at high heat also increases their potential side effects.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: If you’re going to use oil when you cook, skip the processed junk. Instead, use small amounts of olive or coconut oil on low heat. By doing this, you’ll not only eliminate excess calories that make you fat but also eliminate side effects and possibly save your liver from inflammation and cancer.

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: Rohr-Udilova, N. V., et al. (2008). Lipid hydroperoxides from processed dietary oils enhance growth of hepatocarcinoma cells. Mol Nutr Food Res, 52, 352–359.

Fat Burning Fats - Here We Go Again...

There's always been a lot of talk about “using fat to burn fat” - and we always see supplement companies pushing Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) or Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) supplements every few years, claiming that they will burn fat, stabilize blood sugar and generally get you into the best shape of your life. Right.

Unfortunately, it seems that very few bodybuilders have actually seen much benefit from using these so called “fat burning fats” - certainly none of us have gotten into the best shape of our lives using them. But, a new study in The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition shows that just because you can't see the results outwardly, doesn't mean there aren't any.

A new study had 12 adults follow a low-calorie diet for three weeks while supplementing with a fatty acid supplement. The study examined the effects of these fatty acids on Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL - “bad” cholesterol) formation. Scientists found that using a fatty acid supplement dramatically reduced the conversion of LDL precursors into LDL, and therefore dramatically reduced the LDL cholesterol that can cause heart disease and heart attacks.

So here's your FUSION FACTOID: While unsaturated fats won't get you into the best shape of your life, and while they may not burn fat like cardio burns fat, they don't hurt, and can in fact help your cholesterol profile, preventing LDL cholesterol from getting out of control - and this could prevent you from having a heart attack. So get enough unsaturated fats in your diet – you'll keep away the grim reaper and help your testosterone manufacture in the process. And testosterone equals more muscle and a bigger you!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Chunyu Zheng, Christina Khoo, Jeremy Furtado, Katsunori Ikewaki, and Frank M Sacks. Dietary monounsaturated fat activates metabolic pathways for triglyceride-rich lipoproteins that involve apolipoproteins E andC-III. Am J Clin Nutr 2008;88:272– 81.

Another Reason to Keep It Lean...

We all know that there are plenty of reasons to get – and stay – as lean as possible: Fat is ugly, it’s easier to build muscle when you’re lean and harder to build muscle when you’re fat, a lean and muscular physique looks great, etc. The list goes on and on.

Now, there’s another reason: Being fat slows your recovery from injury.

A new study looked at how being overweight (having high body fat percentages, or being obese) affected recovery time from knee injuries – something bodybuilders get frequently – and found that fatter people recovered much more slowly than their leaner counterparts.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: You might not have needed more reasons to stay lean, but you can add yet another one to the list. Being overweight – or “bulking up” – can slow your recovery time from injury, ultimately keeping you out of the gym longer than needed. So keep it as lean as possible while still packing on the muscle. It’ll make it easier for you to build even more muscle while also letting you show it off and speeding your recovery from hard workouts!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Unver, B. et al. (2008). Effects of obesity on inpatient rehabilitation outcomes following total knee arthroplasty. Physiotherapy, 94, 198–203.

Get Some Garlic in Ya...

Just when we thought that we knew all there was to know about garlic, we find out something new. While we’ve known for years that garlic is antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and while we’ve all been told that we should eat garlic because it’s “good for us,” we’ve never been told this: Eat garlic because it will help you work harder and longer in the gym.

A new study from Japanese researchers shows that garlic just might help you bust it out in the gym for extra gains. When feeding physically tired people garlic, Japanese researchers noticed a marked increase in their energy levels and recovery speed.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Do as the Japanese do – get some garlic in ya. Not only will you benefit from the antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects and possibly speed your training recovery, but you’ll also have more energy during and after your workouts, and possibly more muscle too!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Morihara, N. et al. (2007). Garlic as an anti-fatigue agent. Mol Nutr Food Res, 51, 1329–1334.

What's Old Is New Again...

Years ago, phytosterols were all the rage. Like all things bodybuilding, phytosterols made their monumental splash on the supplement scene, enjoyed momentary popularity fuelled by marketing hype and then quietly faded from the spotlight as some new ingredient became the flavour of the month. But now, phytosterols – plant sterols – are back, and this time there’s real evidence that they work.

A new study shows that by consuming plenty of plant sterols in your diet, you can protect yourself from cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes and cancers such as breast, colon and prostate cancer. In fact, the plant sterols found in plants are so powerful that they can reduce your cancer risk by almost 25 percent!

As bodybuilders, we need all of the protection from cancers that we can get. The fact is, training creates harmful oxidants that promote inflammation and can damage our DNA, possibly leading to cancer.

So here’s your FUSION FACTOID: Eat plenty of vegetables and plants – at every meal. Not only are plants and vegetables high in calcium, antioxidants and other important vitamins and minerals, but they also contain plant sterols that can ward off cancer.

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Bradford, P. G. et al. (2007). Phytosterols as anticancer compounds. Mol Nutr Food Res, 51, 16 –170.

LIFTING HEAVY: It blows cardio away!

It's been known for years that lifting heavy is the best way to build big, strong muscles that make you look great with clothes on and even better with them off. And, research consistently shows that lifting heavy can help you drop fat by burning a ton of calories.

Now, scientists are saying that lifting a ton of weight cuts you up like nothing else because a hard workout not only improves your insulin function – making you more sensitive to insulin – but it also increases the efficiency of your muscles at using fatty acids for fuel. In other words: a hard workout of sufficient volume makes you a fat burning machine.

So here's your FUSION FACTOID: The next time you're aiming to lean up, think twice before automatically jumping on the cardio machine for endless miles of running / cycling or walking. Instead, hit the pit and pound out set after set of heavy compound movements. You may not only build more muscle, but you'll melt away fat too!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com


Source: HOROWITZ, J.F. Exercise-induced alterations in muscle lipid metabolism improve insulin sensitivity. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev., Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 192Y196, 2007.

Leave Your Sisters "Puffer" Alone...

It's funny but true: for years, many young bodybuilders – and even some older ones – have tried to get the competitive edge in the gym by using asthma inhalers under the idea that the “steroid” and the beta-2 agonist ingredients in the inhalers will improve performance and build muscle.

So do they? Not at all!

A study by German researchers found that the use of asthma inhalers did not improve endurance performance, anaerobic muscle power or strength performance.

So, here's your FUSION FACTOID: If you're a bodybuilder who is thinking about using an asthma inhaler, forget it – it will do nothing for your performance and may, in fact, hurt you. And, if you're currently using an asthma puffer under the illusion that it helps you get the “edge”, stop it – it not only doesn't give you the edge, it makes you look silly! Instead, improve your cardio capacity by doing the work, and get stronger by lifting heavier, longer and more often.

- FUSION Research Team
http://www.fusionbodybuilding.com/

Source: Wilfried Kindermann.Do Inhaled β2-Agonists have an Ergogenic Potential in Non-Asthmatic Competitive Athletes? Sports Med 2007; 37 (2): 95-102.

Phosphatidylserine: Does It Work?

For most supplements out there, there's a ton of hype flying around the magazines and the internet – especially the internet. As a result, it's easy for all but the most seasoned of bodybuilders to get confused about what works and what doesn't.

While hype has been and continues to be part of “the game”, hype not only causes confusion about blockbuster ingredients like creatine and the nitric oxide supplements, but creates confusion about old-school supplements making a comeback – supplements like phosphatidylserine (PtdSer).

Phosphatidylserine, a phospholipid, is found in soy protein and was used heavily by the old-school pro's who swore that it gave them great results. In recent times, this supplement ingredient has been cast aside – so does it really work? Yes – without a doubt!

The evidence shows clearly that PtdSer increases your endurance and performance in the gym, stops your cortisol levels from skyrocketing following your workouts, reduces muscle soreness from hard-training and speeds your recovery – and this means a bigger and stronger you.

So here's your FUSION FACTOID: Despite the hype that pervades the magazines and internet, one thing is certain – phosphatidylserine works big time to get you big and back in the iron battle faster than ever!

- FUSION Research Team
www.fusionbodybuilding.com

Source: Michael Kingsley. Effects of Phosphatidylserine Supplementation on Exercising Humans. Sports Med 2006; 36 (8): 657-669.