FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1) What is LBM?

LBM stands for Lean Body Mass, and refers to any weight on your body that is not fat  While this includes water, bone, and tissue, it is primarily meant to refer to muscle in terms of fitness.  Most of the time, when someone refers to how much LBM they have gained, they are more or less referring to muscle gain.  Of course, some of their gains will include water weight, but for the most part, it is muscle they are referring to.

2) What is bf?

This refers to bodyfat.  There are several ways to determine one's body fat percentage.  Chief among these are skin calipers (small devices that look like pliers or "pincers"), electric devices that send a small, undetectable current through your body (the resistance to the current determines how much fat and muscle you have, respectively, since fat is less resistant to electricity than muscle), and water tanks (these measure the amount of fat in your body by how buoyant it is, since fat floats and muscle sinks in water at sea level).  The cheapest and most effective of the three is the electrical test, most health clubs and many hospitals have this type of equipment and can run an analysis for a nominal fee.  Calipers are also relatively cheap, but not nearly as precise.  however, using calipers can still determine a "rough" starting point for you, and measure fat loss is correct (e.g. you lose 5% bf, then that's pretty much how much you lost, despite the lack of precision).

3) High reps, low weight, low reps, high weight...what's the deal?

This really depends on your personal goals.  For individulas training for personal health and fitness, a moderate workout of mid weight and mid reps is probably the most effective.  For individuals interested in gaining muscle mass, most research indicates that 3 to 5 sets of 6-10 reps of incresing weight (last set to failure) is the best.  For individulas looking to lose fat while maintaining muscle mass, a circuit style workout of high reps and low to moderate weight with no rest between sets or stations is the most effective, as it keeps the heart rate up.

4) OK, what about supplements?

Again, this really depends on the individual and their personal goals.  In all reality, supplements are called supplements because they are meant to supplement your regular diet.  For most people with basic goals of health and physical fitness, supplements do little but lighten the wallet.  For the serious bodybuilder or fat-loss enthusiast, there are several supplements that might help.  First, whey protein.  Bar none, it is the best protein one can get.  While egg protein purchased at a health store is technically biologically superior (e.g. it has more branched-chain amino acids that your muscles use as fuel for repiar and growth) it is quite expensive, and the difference it will make is nominal for all but the most advanced of bodybuilders.  For the weight training enthusiast looking to add some quality protein to their diet to aid in muscle repair and recovery, stick with whey protein.  You can get it for around 30 dollars per five pound tub.  Second, creatine.  Again, this is mainly for the bodybuilding enthusiats.  Creatine acts to volumize the muscle cells so they fill up with water.  This creates a positive nitrogen balance that allows for enhanced muscle repair, recovery, and protein synthesis.  Creatine will cause a fairly rapid weight gain, as it causes your body to retain water, and should not be taken by individuals looking to lose weight or fat.  Also, people who use creatine should drink more watere than even the recommended 64 ounces per day.  Finally, creatine should be taken with some form of simple carbohydrate to enhance it's delivery into the muscle cells.  Common sugars used for this include dextrose, ribose, and glucose.  Fructose, table sugar, and lactose (from milk) should not be used, as they do not help and may actually detract from the absorbtion of creatine.  Dextrose is often found in creatine "trasport" products found in health stores.  Ribose is a supplement that can also be found there.  Glucose can be found in sports drinks.
Finally, there is the E/C/A stack, which stands for ephedrine, caffeine, and aspirin.  This is used for weight loss by stimulating the body to speed up the natural metabolic process.  Use of these supplements should be done with caution, and always start with half the recommended dose until you know your tolerance for these products.  Also, drink at least double the recommended 64 ounces of water daily, as this product is a diuretic that will cause your body to lose more water than average.  Use of E/C/A products should be done before 4 p.m. so as not to interfere with natural sleep cycles, and should never be done for more than 2 weeks at a time.  The standard is to use them for two weeks on, then two weeks off, as your body's beta-2 receptor cells (the fat cells that this binds to and causes weight loss) will downregulate after this time due to prolonged exposure.  After two weeks, taking E/C/A does you no good until your body has had time to lower its tolerance to the substance.  Also, NEVER take creatine while on E/C/A, as the effects of each counteract the other.

5) I do sit-ups every day.  Why can't I get the "six pack"???

This is one of the most maddening things to many otherwise fit and lean individuals.  Unfortunately, genetics plays a role here.  Some people naturally carry fat in their midsection, and their bodies are "programmed" to hold onto that fat till the bitter end in case of an emergency situation.  The only methods that have been proven to work are to eat very smart (e.g. low-fat foods, no carbs after 6 p.m., 5-6 smaller meals a day, no food after 8 p.m.), do cardiovascular excercise in the morning right after awakening on an EMPTY stomach (when your bodies glycogen levels are at their lowest and fat stores are used as fuel), and build the muscles up so they show through.  This is accomplished by doing weighted cruches with strict form, heavy weighted cable crunches, and weighted decline leg raises.  When at the peak of the movement, contract your abs for one full second (in a motion similar to coughing, or pushing your stomach out) then slowly complete the motion.  Also, do not allow the abs to rest during the set, but rather keep them contracted during the duration of the set.

6) What is a good diet to follow to lose fat?

Dieting is really a self-defeating proposition, as almost no one can adhere to the limitations and strictness of these diets.  Also, many of these diets are designed for rapid results, which causes some things to be completely neglected.  This leads to cravings and binges.  That is why extremely low-fat diets never work.  While a low-fat diet is possible, this means that about 20-25% of your daily calories are still coming from fat.  Also, the fat should be the so-called "good" fats like olive oil, flaxseed oil, and omega-3 fatty acids (found in fish).  Also, many other fats aren't necessarioly going to destroy you, so long as they are consumed in moderation.  The worst fats are the ones found in fast foods, such as canola, vegetable, and animal oils.  Generally, the best idea is to keep your bodies metabolism constantly running, by eating several balanced meals evenly spaced throughout the day, excluding carbohydrates after 6 p.m. and eliminating late night meals and snacks.  this will allow your body to be sufficiently "fasted' for your morning cardio session on an empty stomach.

7) How do I get "beach" biceps?

First, it is important to note that simply targeting one area of your body is a bad idea.  You should train your entire body (yes this includes a leg workout) to keep it well proportioned and give it constant work.  Speaking now about the biceps, one of the best ways I have found personally to increase the peak is to do reverse curls, where your palms face away from your body as you bring the bar or dumbbell up.  this works the brachialis and brachioradialis muscles more, and since the lie directly underneath the bicep as they grow they will "push" the bicep up, forming the peak efveryone craves.  Also, when doing bicpe curls it is important to keep strict form by not rocking the weight up or using the shoulders to lift the weight.  Rather, use a heavy weight you can still control for at least 6 reps.  At the top of the contraction, forcefully squeeze the biceps, and keep constant tension on them on the way down by concientiously contracting them as you lower.  This will engorge the muscle with blood allowing for better recovery.  Finally, use the standard barbell bicep curl with heavier wieght for 3 sets of 6-8 reps, as this is the proven mass builder.

8) Why can't I just run a lot to lose fat?

You can.  Of course, you'll also lose muscle in the process, and this will lower your body's resting metabolic rate, so in the long run you'll burn less calories.  Furthermore, studies have consistently proven that in experiments, the weight training plus cardiovascular excersie group lost more fat while retaining more muscle than the cardio-only group.  Since muscle burns more calories per pound just existing on your body than fat, it is important to focus on multiple-group excercises, such as the squat, dead-lift, clean-and-jerk, bench press, and leg press, since they work many muscle groups at once.  Finally, running is very catabolic (e.g. muscle destroying) on your body, and your body adapts very quickly to stress.  So, in effect, you'll lose lots of muscle, your body will burn less calories per day, and you'll eventually burn less calories running due to your body adapting itself to this process.  In conclusion, have you ever seen a distance runner with lots of muscle mass??

9) I eat right, take supplements, lift, and do cardio.  Why am I not geting any stronger, bigger, or leaner?

As I stated previously, your body is an adaptable organism.  The human body is a miraculous thing, capable of adapting to stress quite quickly to enable it to perform whatever tasks are being asked of it more efficiently.  The result?  Less gains, since less stress is being placed on the body.  The problem is the plateau factor.  After a given amount of time doing the same types of things, your body "learns" how to do them better, and will thus not need to work as hard to do them.   That is why it is ESSENTIAL to change your workout every 3 weeks or so.  This is not to say abandon one aspect, or the "standard" lifts like the sqat and bench press, but rather that they should be done in a different fashion, and during different parts of your lifting routine.  For example,. you could try doing circuit sets for a week between "mass" cycles where you lift heavy weights for low reps.  Also, you could train incline bench before regular bench for a couple of weeks.  In terms of cardio, switch excercises often, from running to the stairmaster, to the rowing machine, to swimming.  Or, you could always do a combination of some of these for 25-30 minutes (any more and you're cutting into your potential muscle gains) during your cardio workout.    Additionally, make sure you are not overtraining.  You should only be in the gym doing your workout for about an hour or so.  Any more than this, and you are flirting with the catabolic stage.  You should get in, work hard, then leave, making sure to get some carbohydrates and protein immediately after leaving the gym.  One of the best of these is a supplement like Met-Rx or Myoplex, which are commonly called MRP's (Meal Replacement Plans).  For those of you on a limited budget, I have devised my own MRP that is cheap and easy to make.  It is:

Finally, make sure you are getting enough water.  I cannot stress this enough.  Our bodies are made up of 80% water, so it stands to reason that we need lots of it to keep the "engine" in peak operating form.  I personally recommend at least 128 ounces of water per day for an individual who is lifting weights and doing cardio.

10) What, and how often should I train?

As stated above, it is important to train hard, and change your routine, focusing on multiple muscle groups.  I personally recommend 3 days of weight training and four to five days of cardio for the beginner, with one day completely off midweek.  For more advanced individuals, lifting 4-5 times is acceptable, with 5-6 days of cardio per week.  Here is a sample beginner plan, with Sunday's off:
 
 

I'll leave the advanced plan, for those of you who feel you are at that level, to your own ministrations.  I am sure that you have well learned by now what does and does not work for your body.  Just make sure not to train synergystic bodyparts on consecutive days (e.g. doing chest on Monday and shoulders or triceps on Tuesday, since the shoulders and triceps aid in chest lifting excercises).  Have fun, and happy training!!  After several months of intense training, a clean eating pattern, and proper supplementation coupled with smart cardio, you may even look like this: