Articles
Soy Vs. Whey
Why do you work out? If you're like most people your reason is likely to feel better, enhance your physique by building lean muscle and losing fat, and/or to improve your health. These processes require a number of factors to be in order and a primary component is your diet, which many people feel is by far the most important component. To put it one way, having a "perfect" workout day is far easier as you can shown up to the gym and train your tail off, but a "perfect" nutrition day goes from sun up to sun down -- every day! Building muscle and burning fat demands intense, consistent workouts along with a killer diet, plus enough healthy calories to facilitate muscle growth (but not too much or you will build fat). increasing protein intake is one of the best strategies to accomplish this needed balance. for a chance to win this product! Not All Proteins Are Created Equal Can you increase your protein intake to levels you need to build muscle and still support and even improve your health? This too can be a tricky balance and in this regard, this is where the source of your protein can become important. How many different sources of protein can you think of? Beef, bison, chicken, turkey, milk, soy and many plants have some protein in them as well. While a protein source like beef can range a great deal in the amount of protein, fat and cholesterol they contain, other protein sources like milk proteins (whey in particular) and soy offer excellent health benefits, but the extent to which they support your workout goals can vary widely. Soy protein, in fact, is considered by many to be one of the more healthy proteins. The components found within soy are isoflavones that contain naturally occurring nonsteroidal substances called phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens interact with the estrogen receptor on the muscle membrane and increasing your intake of soy-based products naturally increases your intake of phytoestrogens which may result in decreased incidence of coronary heart disease and different cancers (Erdman and Fordyce 1989, Montgomery 2003). Isoflavone and phytoestrogen intake may also improve risk for osteoporosis, reduce triglycerides as well total and LDL cholesterol (Wong, Smith et al. 1998, Teede, Dalais et al. 2001) and can be a key part of a successful weight management program (Bhathena and Velasquez 2002). Soy Protein and Hormonal Response The health benefits of soy are well established, but speculation remains whether regular ingestion of soy protein is ideal for resistance training males who seek to maximize various hormonal responses in an effort to get stronger and increase their muscle mass. In fact, a good amount of scientific evidence exists to support both sides of the argument and fortunately, a recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition sheds some light on this exact topic. The purpose of this study by researchers at the University of Connecticut was to examine the extent to which soy and whey protein impacted changes in various hormones in response to a single bout of heavy lower-body resistance training (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). The authors had ten college-age resistance-trained men perform three identical experimental trials. Each trial was separated by a 14-day period called a washout period. Each trial began with a 14-day supplementation period where participants consumed either 20 grams of a carbohydrate placebo, 20 grams of soy protein isolate or 20 grams of whey protein isolate each morning during the supplementation period. After the supplementation period, participants performed a single bout of lower body resistance training by completing 6 sets of 10 repetitions at approximately 80% of each study participant's one-repetition maximum (1RM). A series of seven blood samples were collected before and within the first hour after completing the exercise bout to measure changes in key hormones such as testosterone, cortisol and estrogen. The authors found that when soy protein was provided, serum levels of testosterone were diminished and cortisol levels (a stress hormone) were greater when compared to the levels measured when whey protein was consumed. When both testosterone and cortisol were observed together, 20 grams of whey protein supplementation promoted and sustained higher levels of testosterone while also causing the lowest levels of cortisol (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). The authors concluded that supplementation with whey protein led to the most favorable changes in hormones found in the blood in response to a single bout of resistance training and in particular that ingestion of soy blunted increases in testosterone and increased levels of cortisol. Other studies exist to demonstrate that using soy protein can negatively impact levels of key hormones such as testosterone (Gardner-Thorpe, O'Hagen et al. 2003), sex hormone binding globulin (Habito, Montalto et al. 2000) as well as the ratio between testosterone and estrogen (Habito, Montalto et al. 2000). Moreover, it is thought that soy may inhibit the function of some key enzymes that facilitate the production of various androgens (Evans, Griffiths et al. 1995, Makela, Poutanen et al. 1998). for a chance to win this product! Whey Protein Generates a Preferable Hormonal Response Whey protein, particularly high quality hydrolyzed isolate versions such as BioQuest's MyoZene and ProSource's NytroWhey Ultra Elite possess extremely favorable profiles of amino acids and in particular contain the highest concentrations of the essential amino acids as well as the branched-chain amino acids. As mentioned before, a recent study reported that when similar amounts of protein were given prior to completing an intense bout of lower-body resistance training, the most favorable changes in both testosterone and cortisol were found when a whey protein isolate was given (Kraemer, Solomon-Hill et al. 2013). Isolate versions of whey protein like those found in MyoZene and the entire NytroWhey family are the purest forms of whey protein and as a result contain the highest amounts of protein, essential amino acids and branched-chain amino acids (the good stuff) and the lowest amounts of fat and carbohydrate (the bad stuff). Whey Protein Ingestion Supports Increased Protein Synthesis Hormone response is important, but there are other factors in play as well. Two recent studies compared the impact of soy and whey protein on changes in muscle protein synthesis at rest as well as after resistance exercise. The first study had young college-aged men complete three experimental trials where during each visit they ingested similar amounts of either whey, casein or soy protein. Muscle protein synthesis was measured both at rest and after a single bout of resistance exercise. At rest, rates of muscle protein synthesis after whey protein ingestion were 18% greater than when soy protein was ingested. When the same response was measured after completing a single bout of heavy resistance exercise, the results favored whey protein even more, leading to 31% higher values of muscle protein synthesis (Tang, Moore et al. 2009). Think these results only apply to young men? Think again! These results were reported again in a later study which used older men whereby whey protein ingestion resulted in greater levels of muscle protein synthesis when compared to soy protein ingestion (Yang, Breen et al. 2012, Yang, Churchward-Venne et al. 2012). In conclusion, soy protein, particularly isolate versions, are considered to be high quality sources of protein, but a number of studies continue to provide evidence that soy protein ingestion might lead to unfavorable changes in key hormones that are a part of the muscle building process. On the other hand, high quality, isolate versions of whey protein like those found in MyoZene and the NytroWhey Ultra Elite have the highest levels of amino acids and when compared head to head, and a number of studies indicate that whey protein ingestion promotes greater increases in muscle-building processes. Do you take a soy protein supplement? What have your results been with it? Let us know in the comments field below! References Bhathena, S. J. and M. T. Velasquez (2002). "Beneficial role of dietary phytoestrogens in obesity and diabetes." Am J Clin Nutr 76(6): 1191-1201. Erdman, J. W., Jr. and E. J. Fordyce (1989). "Soy products and the human diet." Am J Clin Nutr 49(5): 725-737. Evans, B. A., K. Griffiths and M. S. Morton (1995). "Inhibition of 5 alpha-reductase in genital skin fibroblasts and prostate tissue by dietary lignans and isoflavonoids." J Endocrinol 147(2): 295-302. Gardner-Thorpe, D., C. O'Hagen, I. Young and S. J. Lewis (2003). "Dietary supplements of soya flour lower serum testosterone concentrations and improve markers of oxidative stress in men." Eur J Clin Nutr 57(1): 100-106. Habito, R. C., J. Montalto, E. Leslie and M. J. Ball (2000). "Effects of replacing meat with soyabean in the diet on sex hormone concentrations in healthy adult males." Br J Nutr 84(4): 557-563. Kraemer, W. J., G. Solomon-Hill, B. M. Volk, B. R. Kupchak, D. P. Looney, C. Dunn-Lewis, B. A. Comstock, T. K. Szivak, D. R. Hooper, S. D. Flanagan, C. M. Maresh and J. S. Volek (2013). "The effects of soy and whey protein supplementation on acute hormonal reponses to resistance exercise in men." J Am Coll Nutr 32(1): 66-74. Makela, S., M. Poutanen, M. L. Kostian, N. Lehtimaki, L. Strauss, R. Santti and R. Vihko (1998). "Inhibition of 17beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase by flavonoids in breast and prostate cancer cells." Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 217(3): 310-316. Montgomery, K. S. (2003). "Soy protein." J Perinat Educ 12(3): 42-45. Tang, J. E., D. R. Moore, G. W. Kujbida, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2009). "Ingestion of whey hydrolysate, casein, or soy protein isolate: effects on mixed muscle protein synthesis at rest and following resistance exercise in young men." J Appl Physiol 107(3): 987-992. Teede, H. J., F. S. Dalais, D. Kotsopoulos, Y. L. Liang, S. Davis and B. P. McGrath (2001). "Dietary soy has both beneficial and potentially adverse cardiovascular effects: a placebo-controlled study in men and postmenopausal women." J Clin Endocrinol Metab 86(7): 3053-3060. Wong, W. W., E. O. Smith, J. E. Stuff, D. L. Hachey, W. C. Heird and H. J. Pownell (1998). "Cholesterol-lowering effect of soy protein in normocholesterolemic and hypercholesterolemic men." Am J Clin Nutr 68(6 Suppl): 1385S-1389S. Yang, Y., L. Breen, N. A. Burd, A. J. Hector, T. A. Churchward-Venne, A. R. Josse, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2012). "Resistance exercise enhances myofibrillar protein synthesis with graded intakes of whey protein in older men." The British journal of nutrition: 1-9. Yang, Y., T. A. Churchward-Venne, N. A. Burd, L. Breen, M. A. Tarnopolsky and S. M. Phillips (2012). "Myofibrillar protein synthesis following ingestion of soy protein isolate at rest and after resistance exercise in elderly men." Nutr Metab (Lond) 9(1): 57. 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4 Moves for a Massive Chest
Faking a straight on, one dimensional selfie on Facebook is easy, but real life is three dimensional and eventually someone will see you from the side. The chest is a very noticeable body part; a well-developed chest commands respect, shows strength and screams masculine virility. If your chest isn't getting deeper, wider, and fuller, then it's time to take some advice from a guy not known for his bodybuilding wisdom. Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. Here at ProSource we are after one thing: results. Let's look at some highly effective, under-utilized exercises in building a massive chest. Plyometric Push-Ups Bodyweight movements are mentioned rarely in bodybuilding publications and literally never outside the context of a high-rep burnout. Plyometric push-ups will be performed as a warm-up before hitting the heavy pig iron. This serves a couple of purposes: to recruit High Threshold Motor Units and increase neural drive to the muscles. In lay terms, we are going to recruit large muscle fibers and wake up the central nervous system (CNS). Neuromuscular Facilitation, not fatigue, is our objective; that's why the reps are low. Perform this exercise for 3 sets of 3 to 6 reps with 1 to 2 minute rest interval between sets. Performance Get in a push-up position on the ground Hands spaced at bench press grip width Do a push-up and explode in to the air as high possible, land and repeat in rapid-fire style Do not exceed 8 reps Board Press To get big you have to go heavy! Because the range of motion is reduced with board presses, we can handle heavier weights contrasted to a conventional bench press. Full range of motion is generally the rule of thumb, but partials need to play a role for maximal muscular development and strength. By handling overloads in board presses, it will remove some of the shock from full-range-of-motion movements. We will do 3 sets of 3 reps as heavy as possible and finish with a set of 15 reps. Rest 2-3 minutes between sets. Performance Have a competent spotter hold two 2 x 4 boards on chest Un-rack the barbell at arms extension over your boards Grab the bar with your strongest bench press grip width Keep your upper back tight Make sure your feet are flat throughout the entire movement Lower the barbell under control to boards; pause for 1 second Forcefully push the bar back to arms extension Smith Machine Overload Bench Press I have some ocean-front property in Arizona if you think you are going to maximally develop a huge chest without any eccentric overload work! Heavy negatives induce greater muscle damage than any other type of contraction. Up to 60% percent more weight can be handled on an eccentric contraction contrasted to a concentric contraction. Eccentrics allow us to do more work longer and work past failure on the positive portion of a set. Furthermore, intense eccentric movements force muscle fibers and surrounding satellite cells to fuse, resulting in muscle fiber growth. Assuming you have two competent spotters, it's tough to beat the eccentric overload bench press for a safe, effective eccentric emphasis exercise. Do 3 sets of 5 reps, rest 2-3 minutes between sets. Performance Lie flat on a bench placed under a Smith Machine (the bar should be directly above your chest) Load the bar with 10%–25% extra weight on the outside of the bar sleeves Lower the weight to your chest At chest level, have a partner on each side pull the extra weight off the bar Forcefully press the weight back to starting position Then have the partners add the weight back to the bar Repeat for necessary reps Here it is in Action Chain Flyes Flyes are a great chest exercise, but they may fall on the risk side of the risk-to-benefit ratio for those with shoulder problems (due to the excessive strain in the stretched position). Thus, many lifters in this situation often opt to only train with cables. But chain flyes are a game changer! Chain flyes are performed by attaching the handles you use to perform cable cross overs to chains. You are still able to get some of the stretch (lacking in cables) that you feel with dumbbells. Yet, as your arms abduct to the fully stretched position, the chains unload on the floor. This removes much of the strain from the shoulders. As you adduct, or squeeze your arms back together, the chains start to lift off the floor again, giving you the peak contraction advantage of the cables. Even with 100% healthy shoulders, chain flyes require you to produce more force where you are strongest -- providing an extreme overload. Select a weight you are capable of doing 12 reps with. Do 10 reps, rest 40 seconds, then attempt 10 reps again; if you are unable to do 10 reps, do nine, if you can't do 9, do 8, if you can't do 8, do 7, do this all the way down to one. If the set is less than 10 reps go to failure; rest 40 seconds after each set. Perform this for a total of 10 reps; this should be brutal. Performance Attach a single-handle attachment with a carabineer to a chair Lie flat on a bench Lift the handles with chain above your chest with arms in a slightly bent position (your arms never straighten out throughout the entire movement) Lower to the side until your chest muscles are stretched Bring the handles together in a giant, bear hugging-like motion Hold the handles together at the top for a brief moment Return to starting position Supplementation Suggestions More muscle damage means more time to recover. I highly recommend ProSource's Mega BCAA from anecdotal experience and validated in scientific literature. When you're going harder and longer, some ProSource Beta Alanine will help you postpone fatigue as well. Final Thoughts If your chest hasn't grown since the second Bush administration, what do you have to lose? Give these unconventional movements a try and you can expect some unconventionally great gains.
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Post-Workout Care And Feeding For Muscle Mass
If you’re doing your due diligence in the gym, but you’re not getting the physique results you want, then chances are your fault lies in your diet, not your exercise regimen. The truth is, the vast majority of sufficiently trained fitness-conscious people are short-changing themselves every day when it comes to nutrition. Either they're simply not consuming enough muscle-supportive calories or they're falling prey to all-too-common myths about proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. This is particularly true when it comes to post-workout nutrition.Let's start with proteins. Do you believe that you're consuming enough grams of high-quality protein to increase muscle mass? Many dedicated gym-goers believe they are, but they are mistaken. The U.S. government’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of protein for a 180-lb adult male is 56 grams. While this might be enough for an untrained individual with no particular physique goal in mind, it is woefully insufficient for anyone trying to add significant muscle mass. In fact, sports nutrition experts suggest that highly trained athletes should consume about 0.75 grams of daily protein per pound of body weight. That’s 135 grams for a 180-lb person.And then of course there's the matter of protein quality. Most top-selling, big-brand protein formulas will tout protein contents of 20 to 25 grams per serving. But a closer look at their labels reveals that a surprising amount of that consists of lower-quality whey concentrates, soy or wheat proteins, and worse. If pure whey protein isolate and hydrolyzed whey aren't featured near or at the top of the ingredients list, you're holding an inferior protein product.Whey protein isolate and whey protein hydrolysate contain more than 90% protein, virtually no lactose or fat, and are superior in generating increased protein synthesis and muscle recovery response. Whey contains an abundance of leucine, the branched chain amino acid responsible for unleashing protein synthesis in muscle tissue. Consumed after vigorous resistance exercise, leucine is essential to maximizing total muscle protein synthesis response, which in turn helps damaged muscle tissue repair, recover, and eventually grow.Whey concentrates often get a bad rap, but the truth is, a wide spectrum of quality exists within this category. Whey protein has a good potential to support your training and physique goals, but it is important to find a whey concentrate product that is 100% whey protein, formulated via advanced low-temperature, ultra-filtration processing, with no cheap fillers or unproven blends, as found in many "bargain" whey products sold by less scrupulous manufacturers. There's also the matter of protein timing. It's important to spread out your protein consumption to maintain a positive anabolic state throughout the day. A 25-gram serving of protein will support an increase in protein synthesis activity that will last approximately three hours. Thus, consuming most of your protein at a single meal, like dinner, will provide a narrow peak for growth potential in terms of your entire day. Your goal should be to make sure that each of your three main meals includes an ample-sized portion of protein from whole-food sources (beef, chicken, fish, etc), while you utilize supplemental protein formulas to fill in the nutritional gaps in your regimen. The Myth of the "Bad" CarbohydrateHas any dietary fad wreaked more havoc on the physiques of fitness-conscious Americans than the demonization of the carbohydrate? For decades, we've been told to restrict or eliminate carbs from our diet. A whole ketone diet culture has grown up around this philosophy. And while a low-carb diet may make sense for individuals focused exclusively on fat loss and slimming down, for athletes looking to add muscle mass, carbs are essential. Indeed, without carbs you're never going to grow the muscle mass you desire.At the most basic level, carbohydrates provide the energy necessary for a productive workout. They support intense workouts more efficiently than any other energy source. Depriving your body of carbohydrates during and after periods of intense exercise will result in depleted glycogen reserves that in turn will cause your body to use proteins scavenged from muscle tissue as an energy source.Protein literally needs carbohydrates to repair damaged muscle tissue. Carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, potentiating insulin release, which in turn plays a key role in skeletal muscle protein synthesis by activating ribosomal activity and growth initiation factors within skeletal muscle. Elevated insulin levels also appear to prevent muscle protein breakdown, which contributes to the overall anabolic effect of not only insulin but insulin-like growth factors as well. Higher insulin levels will help keep skeletal muscle in a state of positive protein balance before and after a training session if carbohydrates are ingested.So as we can see, underestimating the quantity and quality of your protein intake, while depriving yourself of energy-providing, protein-synthesis-triggering carbohydrates, is a worst-case scenario for muscle growth after exercise. What to do about this state of affairs? Supplement with a wide-spectrum protein-and-carbs post-workout infusion.After Mass: Potent Post-Workout Anabolic FuelThe good news is, you don't have to break the bank to derive maximum muscle-building power from every bout of high-intensity resistance training you complete. After Mass post-workout formula from ProSource checks all the boxes of your anabolic nutritional requirements.After Mass was and is one of the pioneering supplement products in the field of hydrolysate proteins. These proteins, formulated via a process of extensive hydrolysis (or pre-digestion) that yields extremely low di- and tri-peptide aminos, are absorbed directly into the bloodstream, resulting in more efficient utilization for muscle synthesis. The ingestion of premium hydrolyzed whey protein immediately after exercise potentiates the highest levels of blood amino acids, which are associated with augmented nitrogen utilization, protein synthesis and a greatly elevated anabolic state. After Mass was the first post-workout formula to incorporate this advanced hydrolyzed whey technology and make it not just palatable, but genuinely delicious. In addition to its hydrolyzed whey content, After Mass's tri-phasic protein complex also features ultra-quick absorbing whey protein concentrate and casein hydrolysate. These proteins are present in the exact same ratios found in mother's milk and provide both fast-release protein for immediate synthesis, plus premium-grade, slower releasing proteins to keep a steady stream of aminos flowing into your system for extended benefits.You want invaluable carbohydrate content to up-regulate insulin release and support protein synthesis? After Mass has you covered here too, in the form of 48 grams of precision-targeted, high-glycemic carbs. Finally, After Mass provides numerous, full value vitamins and minerals including vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-12, thiamin, pantothenic acid, along with calcium, phosphorus and others, plus medium chain triglycerides as an energy source.Real Physique Results at an Affordable PriceAll of the advanced growth factors in After Mass have established this mass-building powerhouse as a staple in the supplement regimens of serious athletes for years. Another aspect of After Mass that has made it an enduring favorite is its price. In an era in which prices in the post-workout category have been soaring, ProSource has continued to utilize its direct-to-consumer retailing model and supply chain expertise to keep the price of After Mass affordable to its countless fans. After Mass continues to be one the most powerful, most comprehensive, and most affordable post-workout mass-building options available!Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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11 Core Exercises for People Who Hate Crunches, Sit-Ups and Planks
Is there anything more depressing than heading into the gym on core workout day? You've got forty-five minutes to an hour of crunches, sit-ups and planks in several variations to look forward to, and you won't even get to look good doing it. (Trust us, nobody looks good in that ridiculous vertical crunch machine, hunched over, red-faced, with your hands grasping those handles over your head.)And here's the thing. All those bicycle crunches, hanging sit-ups, and time spent in the side lateral machine aren't even all that good for you. (Planks might have some utility, but further down, we'll have an alternative for that too.)Researchers have determined that it would take about 250,000 crunches to burn one pound of body fat. Crunches also tend to activate limited muscle groups (abs, obliques) while elevating neck and lower back compression and increasing the risk of injury. Those lateral twist machines are also an injury waiting to happen. Sit-ups have lost so much credibility that trainers don't even mention them anymore. Some people hate core day so much, they refuse to even do one. (ProSource's own fitness guru, Darrin Hills comes to mind.)So. What to do? Well, the good news is, if you're pursuing a well-rounded regimen of weekly weight training that incorporates free weights and compound movements, you're already doing core work. Likewise, any kind of bodyweight bearing exercise or training that requires and improves balance and coordination. Think of it as a stealth core workout hidden within your normal regimen.Can you get six-pack abs without ever doing a plank again? Maybe that's a stretch, but you can work your abs in plenty of alternative ways. And defined abs actually have more to do with losing excess fat and water-weight anyway. For our purposes here, we're talking about building core strength and flexibility. Let's talk about core exercise alternatives and how you can make them work for you.SquatsYeah, yeah, we know. We're offering to take away the drudgery of Core Day, and offering you Leg Day. But squats are the gift that keeps giving: a fantastic compound exercise that primarily targets your lower body, including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. If you're doing them correctly, you're powerfully engaging your core muscles, especially your lower back and abdominal muscles. To maximize the engagement of your core, focus on maintaining a tight and upright posture throughout the movement.DeadliftsHere again, you were doing core work all along. Deadlifts are another excellent compound exercise that primarily works your posterior chain, including your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. When performing deadlifts correctly, you automatically engage your core muscles to stabilize your spine and maintain proper form. Keep a neutral spine throughout the movement to protect your lower back. Oh, and enjoy that clang and crash of weights hitting the floor, something you'll never enjoy doing crunches. LungesHere's a great core alternative that also eliminates the need for two of our least favorite machines: the leg curl machine and the leg extension machine. Lunges are great for targeting your lower body, specifically your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. To engage your core during lunges, focus on maintaining your balance and stability by keeping your abdominal muscles tight and your torso upright. You can perform walking lunges or stationary lunges, depending on your preference and space availability.Push-UpsThe Big Daddy of bodyweight-bearing exercises. While push-ups are a classic exercise for targeting chest, shoulders, and triceps, they also nurture your core. Think of them as planks before your grandpa knew what a plank was. While performing push-ups, your core muscles work to stabilize your body, especially your lower back and abdominals. To engage your core effectively, focus on maintaining a straight line from your head to your heels, avoiding sagging or raising your hips. Need more of a challenge? Ramp up balance difficulty by alternating one-arm push-ups. Or try vertical pushups in a doorway.Renegade RowsOr take the push-up to an entirely new level with the renegade row. Renegade rows are a compound exercise that combines elements of both push-ups and rowing. This exercise targets your chest, back, shoulders, and arms while also engaging your core muscles for stability. Start in a push-up position with a dumbbell in each hand, then alternate rowing one dumbbell at a time, keeping your hips and shoulders squared and stable. Balance and bodyweight bearing equals a sturdy core.Kettlebell SwingsIt pains us every time we walk into a gym and see a full rack of kettlebells neglected in a far-off corner. Kettlebells are the world's most versatile free weights. You can use them to target specific muscle groups and you can also execute total-body movements that emphasize balance, stability and your core. Kettlebell swings, specifically, are a powerful exercise that targets your posterior chain, including your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. The explosive hip thrust motion in kettlebell swings engages your core muscles to stabilize your spine and maintain control throughout the movement. The better you get at it, the heavier the bell you use. Standing Bicep CurlsWe kid you not. The ultimate gym flex is also good for your core, if you're doing them right. The key is to emphasize proper form over using too-ambitious of a weight. If you're swinging your back even an inch or so, or using momentum to complete the movement, you're cheating yourself. Get a lighter weight and start over. Keep your back straight; execute both the concentric (curl) movement and the eccentric (extension) movement slow and steady. Dumbbells or curl bar -- take your pick and build both arm and core strength.Step-UpsTime to think outside the box by getting out the box. Step-ups are a simple yet effective exercise that primarily targets your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. By incorporating a step or box, you can increase the range of motion and engage your core muscles for stability. Step onto the elevated surface with one foot at a time, then step back down. Focus on maintaining proper posture and engaging your core throughout the exercise. Mountain ClimbersThe key here is to not let your body form a tent. If your butt is in the air, you're transitioning your bodyweight stability efforts away from your core and toward your knees and wrists. Not good. Done correctly, mountain climbers are a dynamic exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including your core, shoulders, and legs. Start in a push-up position and bring one knee toward your chest, then alternate quickly as if you're running in place. Engage your core by keeping your hips stable and maintaining a neutral spine throughout the movement.Medicine Ball ExercisesLike kettlebells, another piece of old-school gym equipment that is sadly under-used. The medicine ball, typically eight to fifteen pounds, is an incredibly versatile thing. Incorporate it into some of the movements cited above, like mountain climbers or lunges. Do squat jumps by simply holding one in your hands before you, doing a deep knee bend and springing up out of it. Do Russian twists or reclining side-to-side passes. Do pistol squats in which you balance on one leg, dip while flexing your free leg out with the medicine ball held out before you. Or do one of our favorites -- the kneeling medicine ball slam. Get into a lunge position, hold the medicine ball over your head, then SLAM it to the ground on the side of your high leg. Now switch. Enormously satisfying!Yoga TrainingIf you think yoga is plank exercises with a side order of mysticism, you don't know yoga. Yoga poses are ideal for enhancing balance, flexibility and stability, which are key to strengthening your core. Each movement (or asana) requires the activation and engagement of a range of muscles in the body, including the muscles which make up the core – the abdominals, lower back, hips, and glutes. Holding and transitioning between different asanas will help you enhance core strength while also building a stronger mind-body connection. The argument for yoga is simple: Why endure core training in lonely misery when you can exercise your core in a context of positive mindfulness in the company of others? Get out your yoga mat and join in!The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Research Science Update -- L-Carnitine L-Tartrate Supplementation Improves Recovery and Endurance in Men and Women
If you think of a muscle cell as a furnace generating energy to facilitate work output, then L-carnitine is the tireless worker shoveling coal into that furnace to start the whole process. Without L-carnitine, long-chain fatty acids would never reach the mitochondria of muscle cells, they would never be oxidized to generate energy, and the ATP cycle (the engine of all work output) would ground to a halt. This would (and does) result in muscle fatigue and eventual failure.L-carnitine offers other profound benefits as well. It has been associated with more efficient muscle recovery after exercise by virtue of its role in enhancing blood flow and oxygen supply to muscle tissue via improved endothelial function, thereby reducing hypoxia-induced muscle soreness and breakdown. Research also suggests that L-carnitine may help facilitate increased uptake of testosterone by promoting the expression of androgen (testosterone) receptors in skeletal muscle tissue (1 Kraemer).You would think, given L-carnitine's key primary role in muscle function and the fact that your body exhausts its stores of L-carnitine fairly quickly during high-intensity exercise, that L-carnitine would be a common supplement staple much like creatine monohydrate. L-carnitine, however, tends to fly under the radar. One reason for this is that supplemented pure L-carnitine by itself is assimilated very slowly and inefficiently by the body. This barrier to L-carnitine supplementation, however, was overcome several years ago, when extensive research and development resulted in the formulation of L-carnitine L-tartrate. A salt of tartaric acid, L-tartrate facilitates and greatly shortens the interval of uptake of L-carnitine into muscle tissue, while also acting as an antioxidant in the body. The blend of L-carnitine and L-tartrate produces a highly stable and bioavailable form of L-carnitine.Researchers in the Product Research Team at ProSource were at the forefront of this area of investigation. Their work led to the formulation of a legendary L-Carnitine L-Tartrate (LCLT) supplement introduced under the Cytodyne Technologies brand called Cytodyne AAC. Cytodyne AAC was the secret ingredient in many an athlete's supplementation regimen, and a refined evolution of that technology continues to help serious athletes turn higher volumes of training into greater muscle mass to this day, as we shall see.In the meantime, studies of the benefits of LCLT supplementation are always ongoing. One such study, published recently in the journal Nutrients, offers very encouraging news for both men and women seeking to enhance physique and performance.Clinical Study Links LCLT Supplementation to Increased Endurance and Faster RecoveryIn this study, a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, eighty participants, men and women 21- to 65-years-old, were split into two groups of forty participants each, a placebo group and a L-Carnitine L-Tartrate group. Participants underwent pre-study baseline testing which included serum analysis of muscle damage and oxidative stress markers, maximal isometric strength, maximal muscle power and body composition analysis. Subjects then engaged in a moderate 5-week exercise training program twice per week with the final training session on the fifth week of supplementation consisting of a supervised lower-body exercise challenge specifically constructed to induce muscle damage. Subjects continued to supplement for two days after completing the exercise challenge and then underwent baseline testing again.Researchers found that, compared to placebo, L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation was able to improve perceived recovery and soreness and lowered serum creatine kinase (a marker of muscle degeneration). In addition, L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation was able to blunt declines in strength and power compared to placebo following an exercise challenge. Two sub-analyses indicated that these results were independent of gender and age.The researchers concluded that "these findings agree with previous observations among healthy adult subjects and demonstrate that L-carnitine L-tartrate supplementation beyond 35 days is beneficial for improving recovery and reducing fatigue following exercise across gender and age." Of course none of this comes as a surprise to members of the ProSource Product Research Team. It is nice though to see ongoing research continue to validate the foundations upon which first Cytodyne AAC and then our current LCLT-based growth complex, Aminodrol, evolved. Aminodrol: A Powerful Nutritional Tool For Recovery and GrowthProSource's Aminodrol contains a specialized form of L-carnitine L-tartrate extremely efficient in replenishing the body's stores of L-carnitine and thereby enhancing the production of energy in the form of ATP. ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) is literally the currency of all cellular activity, facilitating DNA and RNA synthesis and triggering muscular contraction during explosive, high-intensity physical activity.L-carnitine L-tartrate, as we noted earlier, may also help facilitate increased uptake of testosterone by promoting the expression of testosterone receptors in skeletal muscle tissue, which would also support subsequent muscle mass increase.A comprehensive growth-support complex, Aminodrol has much more to offer highly trained individuals. Beta alanine supports muscle endurance during high-intensity exercise by increasing muscle carnosine levels, which in turn buffer skeletal muscle pH (acidity) during fatiguing exercise. The BCAAs leucine, isoleucine and valine (much like LCLT) are key factors for muscle recovery after exercise. Leucine in particular is a primary activator of the mTOR anabolic pathway that governs protein synthesis and consequent muscle repair and growth. Additional muscle-building support in Aminodrol comes in the form of L-glutamine, which supports protein synthesis and nitrogen retention, as well as taurine, which helps to optimize cellular hydration and maximize muscle function. Finally, Aminodrol contains phosphatidylserine and inositol. Phosphatidylserine is a specialized fat that resides in nervous tissue and, when taken regularly, may reduce blood cortisol levels which spike after intense training. Inositol may have indirect effects on cortisol levels by improving mood and brain neurochemical balance.A Legendary Growth Support TechnologyAminodrol has been helping serious athletes attain new benchmarks of muscle growth for years now. And, as contemporary science continues to validate its key mechanisms, it will continue to help well-trained individuals achieve real physique and performance improvements for years to come. Scientific References1 Kraemer WJ, Spiering BA, Volek JS, Ratamess NA, Sharman MJ, Rubin MR, French DN, Silvestre R, Hatfield DL, Van Heest JL, Vingren JL, Judelson DA, Deschenes MR, Maresh CM. Androgenic responses to resistance exercise: effects of feeding and L-carnitine. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2006 Jul;38(7):1288-96. 2 Matthew Stefan, Matthew Sharp, Raad Gheith, Ryan Lowery, Charlie Ottinger, Jacob Wilson, Shane Durkee, and Aouatef Bellamine. L-Carnitine Tartrate Supplementation for 5 Weeks Improves Exercise Recovery in Men and Women: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. Nutrients. 2021 Oct; 13(10): 3432. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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Power Peak Performance with a Beta Alanine and Creatine Combo
The perfect workout — the ultra-productive workout that most efficiently generates new muscle mass — is all about volume and duration. Volume is obvious; the more weight you can lift, the more power you can generate, the stronger you are, the bigger you can get. Duration doesn’t refer to the length of your workout — a session that goes on much beyond 45 minutes to an hour actually becomes counterproductive — but rather to the length of each set. The key is to maintain proper form on each rep, while postponing fatigue and putting off that last rep as long as possible until you finally have nothing left to give.That last brutal rep — the rep to absolute failure — is especially important because it facilitates the release of lipase, a pancreatic enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of fats for energy. Those last difficult reps also promote the release of testosterone and growth hormone which will aid in increasing lean body mass, fat burning and recovery. Finally, that last rep is stressing and damaging muscle fibers that your body will have to rebuild bigger and stronger to meet the extreme physical challenges that lay ahead. Unfortunately, most training individuals don't attain any of these benefits because they're lifting too little and giving up too soon.Modern sports nutrition science, however, offers a dramatic edge to serious athletes looking to increase workout productivity, specifically in the combination of supplemental creatine monohydrate and beta alanine.A Perfect Synergy for Dramatic Muscle Growth IncreaseIf power and duration are the keys to an ultra-productive training session, then creatine monohydrate and beta alanine are paired perfectly to help you get to your goal.Creatine monohydrate, of course, is second only to whey protein in its importance to athletes seeking to increase strength and muscle mass. It supports muscle cell volumization by literally pulling water into the muscle cell, making muscles bigger and fuller. Bigger and fuller muscles can generate more force potential. Proper cellular hydration also facilitates the Kreb's cycle, the process whereby muscle cells convert nutrients like carbohydrates and fat into ATP, which in turn facilitates the contractions that make exercise possible. Creatine, especially in its monohydrate form, has been associated with positive effects on strength and power increase, training capacity, muscle mass, and overall cell hydration and volumization in literally hundreds of clinical studies conducted all around the world. Creatine has functioned as the wellspring of muscle strength and power increase for generations of successful athletes.This brings us to duration. If creatine has you covered for short, intense bursts of power, then beta alanine has you covered for stamina. A naturally occurring beta amino acid, beta alanine plays a rate-limiting role in carnosine production by interacting with histidine. High muscle carnosine levels improve muscle performance through their ability to buffer skeletal muscle pH (acidity) during high intensity, fatiguing exercise. By counteracting the negative effects of lactic acid formation, beta alanine allows your muscles to delay the onset of fatigue, increasing endurance and forestalling muscle failure.Creatine monohydrate and beta alanine appear to be the perfect one-two punch for peak performance and growth, and clinical science backs this up. In one ten-week study, published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, collegiate football players experienced significant increases in strength after supplementing with a combination of beta alanine and creatine, as compared to placebo-controlled test subjects. In the same study, the subjects who took beta alanine along with creatine also lost body fat and gained muscle, without altering their diet or training program. [Hoffman 1] Supplement with High-Potency, Super-Premium Forms of Both Creatine and Beta AlanineClearly, creatine monohydrate and beta alanine, working together in perfect tandem, have significant benefits to offer hard-training athletes. Adding them to your regimen can be as simple supplementing with each individually. Indeed, ProSource offers both products in highly potent, super-premium formats. ProSource Creatine Monohydrate is 100% Creapure® sourced from Alzchem of Germany, the world leader in superior creatine manufacturing. This ultra-pure, micro-crystallized creatine monohydrate is unsurpassed in providing the muscle volume and strength-increase results you're seeking. Likewise, ProSource Beta Alanine is 100% sourced with CarnoSyn® brand carnitine, well-established as the gold standard in the industry, and reliably pure and potent to ensure maximum efficacy. Or you can take both creatine monohydrate and beta alanine in precise ratio (with added co-factors) via an advanced, super-premium pre-workout like BioQuest's Fusion Force®. The creatine in Fusion Force® is the same 100% Creapure® found in ProSource's stand-alone brand, and Fusion Force's beta alanine is 100% CarnoSyn® sourced. The ultimate multi-pathway pre-workout performance optimizer, Fusion Force® supports every aspect of performance and muscle growth, while delivering its key ingredients in optimal potencies.One of Fusion Force's key active ingredients, betaine, has been associated with cell-volumizing and power-enhancing qualities much like those of creatine monohydrate. Betaine anhydrous, also known as trimethylglycine, is an amino acid derivative of choline that helps support cell hydration and volume during the dehydration, stress, and metabolite accumulation associated with high-intensity exercise. Fusion Force also provides a powerful matrix of precision-targeted essential aminos, dynamic energy-boosting compounds, muscle pump potentiators, and fat mobilization co-factors. The result is a true all-in-one performance optimizer that functions as an ideal solution for athletes seeking a vitalizing surge of strength, stamina, energy and training intensity that will help you attain peak physique enhancement.Scientific References1 Jay Hoffman, Nicholas Ratamess, Jie Kang, Gerald Mangine, Avery Faigenbaum, Jeffrey Stout. Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006 Aug;16(4):430-46. Use as directed with a sensible nutrition and exercise program. Read and follow all product label instructions and warnings thoroughly before use. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.The articles featured herein are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Specific medical advice should only be obtained from a licensed health care professional. No liability is assumed by ProSource for any information herein.
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