Muscle Chemistry Archive
A Guide to Basic Bulking for Impressive Muscle Growth
Bulking’s Bad Rep
There’s a trend to frown upon bulking. It’s often described as a fast pass to getting fat. In reality, people who think bulking is overrated don’t understand physiology. They have small armsand their bloodline is weak. Natural selection will wipe them out in a few centuries.
But anyways, bulking isn’t a bad word. For females in particular, it sends chills down their spine. It sounds like you’re getting fat, blocky, or as the word describes, bulky.
But proper bulking doesn’t have to be like this. In fact, I hate the distinction between dirty and lean bulking in the industry. All bulking should be done to maximize muscle gain while minimizing fat gain. I thought this was obvious, but I guess not.
Why Bulking is Beneficial
The best physiques look good for a number of reasons, but one of the most important is absolute muscle mass. Anyone can get lean, but not everyone has the dedication and patience to accumulate robust muscle tissue.
Endless dieting will get you lean, but if there’s no muscle worth revealing, you simply look flat, skinny, and dimensionless. In other words, people can’t differentiate your physique from a malnourished zombie.
But anyways, to maximize muscle gain, you have to understand human physiology. Muscle is built when your body constructs more muscle proteins than it breaks down, so you get a net amount of muscle growth. This process requires building blocks and cost energy.
All else equal, the people who stand to build the most muscle are beginner trainees. They’re new to the muscle building stimulus and are far from their genetic limit. Furthermore, fat tissue provides energy to fuel the muscle building process.
This is why some individuals can build muscle while eating in a deficit. Even though they consume fewer calories than they burn off, they can construct new muscle tissue from the expense of the fat tissue they’re losing.
That’s great and dandy, except you run into a couple issues if you’re a serious trainee. You will keep getting leaner and leaner until you no longer hold much fat tissue. Without a lot of fat tissue, you don’t have enough stored energy to pay for the energy needed to build muscle. In addition, you get more and more advanced, thus building muscle becomes slower and slower.
This is where bulking comes in. The surplus of calories provides an additional anabolic stimulus and provides sufficient energy for additional muscle tissue (1).
In other words, after a certain point you can’t recomp or maintain your way to a bigger physique. Sure, there may be some undetectable muscle growth, but if you want to get jacked and I’m talking detectable muscle growth where your muscles look like they ate the muscles of the average person. So, the idea that you have to eat big to get big has some sliver of truth.
Like do you really think someone can get from 150 to 170 without bulking? If you eat the number of calories to stay at 150, you’ll stay at 150. This isn’t rocket science yet many people think they can stay lean, light, and in a deficit while their epic muscled up physique just falls from the sky one day.
Go Slow
So while your weight and muscle goals may be ambitious, it’s important to go slow especially in advanced trainees who can only gain so much muscle from 1 session. This means the surplus shouldn’t be too large.
Aiming for 1-2% of bodyweight gain per month is solid sweetspot.
So if you’re 150, you should aim for 1.5-3 pounds of total weight gain per month. Some of it will inevitably be fat, but that’s the nature of bulking even intelligent bulking because avoiding fat gain does more harm than good. If you aim to not gain fat, you’re at maintenance and you don’t move the needles towards actually building a physique.
In other words, don’t undereat because you might waste a whole month of not gaining any weight.
Strength Training
While the surplus of calories provide the calories, your exercise signals for how much muscle you’ll gain.
This is why you have to strength train. You’re not marathoning your way to bigger muscles.
So with proper strength training, you will stimulate muscle growth. Ideally, you’d train as frequently as you can recover. Most people with a properly designed lifting program should be able to lift 4-5x per week.
The frequency, volume, and exercise selection are all paramount to stimulating muscle growth, but the most important aspect is progressive overload meaning your performance has to improve.
If you can go from leg pressing 300 lbs for 12 to leg pressing 400 lbs for 12, you have to build muscle tissue to do so. So a stronger muscle is oftentimes a bigger muscle. This is the adaptation you want. If your training program doesn’t result in performance increases, it sucks and isn’t stimulating much muscle growth if any.
Cardio/Hiit/Crossfit
Cardio is important for health and some people find it enjoyable, but physiologically, it doesn’t contribute to the process of bulking. It doesn’t mean it causes muscle loss like some bros exaggerate, but it shouldn’t take priority.
Like have you ever heard a Mr. Olympia say something like, “You know what got me massive? Crossfit, that was the secret.”
Yeah, no. That’s not how it works. So include cardio if you like, but your priorities are off if you intend to bulk while cardio volume dominates your week.
Macro Split
The big change with bulking is eating in a surplus which many people aren’t used to. A good starting point if you’re lean is to eat around 17-20x your bodyweight. You’ll have to adjust depending on weight gain progress. If you’re not gaining, you have to boost calories by about 100-200 calories.
Conversely, if you’re gaining too fast, cut back 100-200 calories because gaining excess fat gain simply makes recovery worse and prolongs your cut after the bulk.
As for your macros, you want to keep protein high. At least 0.8 grams per pound of bodyweight should be set as a minimum. You can even do 1 gram per pound of bodyweight to be extra safe, not to mention that’s simple.
Protein is responsible for preventing protein breakdown along with providing amino acids as building blocks which literally gets your slabs of meat thicker. This is the wonderful process we call hypertrophy if you want to flex your vocabulary a bit.
As for carbs/fat, they are less important in the sense that they’re not paramount to the process of bulking. They provide their own benefit, but optimizing them is simpler. Carbs provide fuel for training and fat keeps your testosterone high. You don’t need a crazy amount of each, so I generally recommend eating your carb/fat ratio up to your preference so long as you don’t go too low on either of them.
Here are some examples of perfectly acceptable macro splits for someone 160 pounds bulking on 2880 calories
Example 1 (even calories from carbs/fat):
Protein: 160
Carb: 280
Fat: 124
Example 2 (slightly more carbs):
Protein: 160
Carb: 375
Fat: 82
Example 3 (slightly more fat):
Protein: 160
Carb: 257
Fat: 134
Nutrition Choices
What’s arguably more important than the macro split is the food choices. People often think food quality is important for fat loss, but it’s just as important for building muscle.
The healthier and more nourished you are, the more muscle you’ll build.
This is why your food choices shouldn’t change a whole lotfrom a whole food diet. You should still eating plenty of foods like meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, etc.
You can throw in some nuts or fatty fruit like avocado too thanks to the flexibility. You should be able to fill up most of your nutrition with this to provide lots of vitamin and minerals, many of which are key for bulking.
For example, zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, and B vitamins all play key role in performance, recovery, and muscle growth.
That being said, bulking can be difficult with high calorie targetsespecially skinny guys who struggle to eat. Your appetite can limit your ability to bulk, so adding in some calorically dense foods may be a gamechanger. Foods like pizza, peanut butter, fruit juice, fatty dairy, chocolate, or granola bars can help supplement your diet.
Bulking Psychology
Bulking is great at first. You get more food flexibility and you’re never hungry. You have tons of energy at the gym and in some cases, your libido is higher due to not having to restrict calories.
However, psychological bulking benefits only last so long. Many people report struggling to eat as your appetite adapts. In addition, your physique can look temporarily worst because of the fat gain.
Again, the goal is to minimize fat gain, but you can’t look amazing the whole time you’re bulking. If it was easy and you constantly look epic, everyone would do it.
So make sure you get your expectations right. This is not a permanent lifestyle change. You do this temporarily to maximize muscle growth and once you’re not very lean, you cut.
This is what we call the bulking/cutting cycles. They’re not overrated no matter how many politically correct fitness influencers say. These cycles are also not exclusive to bodybuilders. Anyone who physiologically can’t build much muscle anymore and need that surplus should be bulking and then obviously cutting once their bulk is over.
But you read this article because you’re concerned with bulking, so for now, buy plenty of protein/carbs/fat, eat up, stay consistent, and don’t lose heart. You got this.
References
1. Slater, Gary John, et al. “Is an Energy Surplus Required to Maximize Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy Associated WithResistance Training.” Frontiers, Frontiers, 2 Aug. 2019, www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2019.00131/full.
Evan Singleton Wins 2021 World Open Championship (Full Results)
Evan Singleton came out on top in England against some other major competitors in the World.
The 2021 World Open and World Deadlift Championship took place on Aug. 14 in Manchester, England. Giants Live hosted the event for strongman competitors to earn qualification to the 2022 World’s Strongest Man. In the end, it was Evan Singleton who was crowned champion.
Singleton stood at the top of the podium as Adam Bishop finished as the runner-up and 2020’s World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov came in third place. The top three finishers in the competition earned qualification to the 2022 World’s Strongest Man. For Bishop, this was his chance. Singleton and Novikov already qualified by finishing as the top two in the 2021 Strongman Classic.
Evan Singleton earned 43 points while Bishop finished with 40.5 and Novikov earned 39.5. Singleton won two of the five events at the competition.
It began with a stellar performance in the Carry and Drag Medley. Singleton logged a time of 27.38 seconds. Next, it was the Viking Press that was dominated by Singleton. He pressed 160kg (352lb) 12 times. Singleton turned in other strong performances by finishing tied for second in the Max Deadlift and third in the Castle Stones.
Evan Singleton will look to continue to gain momentum heading into the World’s Strongest man, which will take place in Sacramento. Below is the full breakdown of the five events at the World Open.
Full Results
Final
First Place – Evan Singleton, 43 points
Second Place – Adam Bishop, 40.5 points
Third Place – Oleksii Novikov, 39.5 points
Fourth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 29.5 points
Fifth Place – Gabriela Peña, 26 points
Sixth Place – Gavin Bilton, 21.5 points
Seventh Place – Andy Black, 20 points
Eighth Place – Rauno Heinla, 19 points
Ninth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 18.5 points
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 17.5 points
Max Deadlift
First Place – Ivan Makarov, 475 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Nedzmin Ambeskovic, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Adam Bishop, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Evan Singleton, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Oleksii Novikov, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Gabriel Peña, 453.5 kilograms
Second Place (tie) – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 453.5 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 425 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Rauno Heinla, 425 kilograms
Eighth Place (tie) – Andy Black, 425 kilograms
Carry and Drag
First Place – Evan Singleton, 27.38 seconds
Second Place – Adam Bishop, 31.17 seconds
Third Place – Oleksii Novikov, 31.59 seconds
Fourth Place – Andy Black, 36.05 seconds
Fifth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 36.91 seconds
Sixth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 40.66 seconds
Seventh Place – Gabriel Peña, 33.4 meters
Eighth Place – Ivan Makarov, 29.2 meters
Ninth Place – Gavin Bilton, 24.1 meters
Tenth Place – Rauno Heinla, 22 meters
Viking Press
First Place – Evan Singleton, 12 reps
Second Place (tie) – Adam Bishop, 11 reps
Second Place (tie) – Oleksii Novikov, 11 reps
Fourth Place – Gavin Bilton, 10 reps
Fifth Place (tie) – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 9 reps
Fifth Place (tie) – Rauno Heinla, 9 reps
Seventh Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 8 reps
Eighth Place (tie) – Ivan Makarov, 4 reps
Eighth Place (tie) – Andy Black, 4 reps
Tenth Place – Gabriel Peña, 1 rep
Hammer Hold
First Place – Gabriel Peña, 46.85 seconds
Second Place – Oleksii Novikov, 43.93 seconds
Third Place – Evan Singleton, 41.91 seconds
Fourth Place – Rauno Heinla , 36.91 seconds
Fifth Place – Adam Bishop, 35.85 seconds
Sixth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 32.46 seconds
Seventh Place – Gavin Bilton, 29.95 seconds
Eighth Place – Andy Black, 27.26 seconds
Ninth Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 27.00 seconds
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 20.38 seconds
Castle Stones
First Place – Adam Bishop, 18.81 seconds
Second Place – Pavlo Nakonechnyy, 19.75 seconds
Third Place – Evan Singleton, 20.1 seconds
Fourth Place – Oleksii Novikov, 20.9 seconds
Fifth Place – Gavin Bilton, 22.76 seconds
Sixth Place – Andy Black, 24.28 seconds
Seventh Place – Gabriel Peña, 25.96 seconds
Eighth Place – Rauno Heinla, 28.72 seconds
Ninth Place – Mikhail Shivlyakov, 29.76 seconds
Tenth Place – Ivan Makarov, 4 in 48.4 seconds
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Greg has covered the four major sports for six years and has been featured on sites such as Sports Illustrated, Fox Sports, SB Nation, NJ.com, and FanSided. Now, he is transitioning into the world of bodybuilding and strength sports.
Matt Jansen Answers: Did Big Ramy Cement Mr. Olympia As A Size Game?
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Matt Jansen believes that Big Ramy further cemented Mr. Olympia as a battle of size… but there’s one wild card catch.
Matt Jansen is the trainer who has been working with Nick Walker during his rising success. Walker has been compared to Dorian Yates and his size is being praised as he continues to improve and prepare for the Mr. Olympia. With Big Ramy’s win in 2020, it seems he is further raising the bar when it comes to muscle mass. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, we ask Matt Jansen if Big Ramy has cemented Olympia as a game of size – and how that may help Nick Walker’s future.
During our conversation with Matt Jansen, we asked him how he first got into bodybuilding and coaching. What brought him to the place he is today – now known as an iconic modern coach responsible for fantastic physiques? Jansen goes into detail about his past as a bodybuilder and how his entire world was changed when he started focusing on a new training strategy that included a bigger focus on rest.
This change of pace opened Matt Jansen’s mind towards the power of coaching and training knowledge. He later then became mentored under Neil Hill – which began his path towards becoming the coach and trainer he is today. He’s now coaching one of the most threatening up-and-comers in the pro league – Nick Walker.
Nick Walker is a bodybuilder who brings unprecedented amounts of mass for his age. Still in his 20s, he already looks like a mass monster who had been training well into his 30s or 40s. Of course, he still has improvements to go – but he already has become highlighted as a big contender in the sport.
That’s why we also asked Matt Jansen about Big Ramy’s win at the Mr. Olympia 2020. Ramy represents true mass monster size unseen since Ronnie Coleman. While he has struggled to match the same kind of sharp conditioning that made Ronnie Coleman one of a kind – Ramy pulled it together for a truly rewarding physique last year.
Does Big Ramy’s win finally put the nail in the coffin when it comes to size? Has the Mr. Olympia proper become a battle for the most shockingly massive bodybuilder with good conditioning?
Matt Jansen believes so – and also jokingly admits that this will help Nick Walker’s future at the Mr. Olympia. If judges will all be pairing up competitors against Big Ramy in the center – having mass monster size will be of huge importance.
But Matt Jansen does also admit that the mass monster battle is not 100% set in stone. There is one wild card that can change the way judges lean – whether it be this Mr. Olympia or down the line. Matt Jansen believes that Shawn Rhoden presents a smaller but immensely aesthetic physique that can still overcome the likes of Big Ramy. Of course, Rhoden is not able to compete as of Mr. Olympia 2021.
If Shawn Rhoden were able to compete – Matt Jansen believes it can skew the Olympia lineup to favor both aesthetic and mass monster equally. Shawn Rhoden won the Mr. Olympia before against many mass monsters larger than him. He has the talent to do it again.
Alas, we don’t know when or if that will ever happen at this point. So for now it seems mass monster size will dominate as Big Ramy returns as the Olympia champion. Of course, the joy of competitive sports is that anything can happen. Nothing is set in stone – but for now Matt Jansen is feeling good about Nick Walker’s future pairing up against the likes of Big Ramy.
You can watch Matt Jansen speak in detail about his coaching origins, Big Ramy, and the Mr. Olympia in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above.
After Taking Second At The Europa Pro, Where Does Roelly Winklaar Go From Here?
What is the next move for Roelly Winklaar after taking second at the Europa Pro?
Well it seems that Roelly Winklaar has come up short once again. While taking second at the Europa Pro was an improvement in pacing, Roelly has once again missed an opportunity to qualify for the 2021 Olympia.
Nathan De Asha gave Roelly Winklaar all he could handle and more at the Europa Pro. While Roelly looked much improved at this show, he still wasn’t able to nail his conditioning at the show. The best man won, and while many have brought up the stage lighting as an issue at the show, it must be said that Roelly hasn’t been at his best in these last two shows.
It begs the question, what does Roelly Winklaar have left in the tank?
After showing such incredible promise at the 2018 Olympia, Roelly Winklaar has been backsliding a bit. That said, he had still acquitted himself well at the 2019 Olympia. His 2020 opportunity was unfortunately knocked off course due to getting sick. Since that time we haven’t seen Roelly step on stage until the Chicago Pro. His conditioning and size were both off at the show. But he vowed to come back much improved.
At the Europa Pro we saw a much improved Roelly Winklaar, one far more in tune with the usual “Beast” we’re used to seeing. Yet he was unable to overcome Nathan De Asha who himself hasn’t been on stage for quite some time. But Nathan was truly impressive and deserving of the victory. That said, Roelly was certainly no slouch at this show.
Should Roelly Winklaar Compete at The Arnold Classic?
At this point there’s only one option left for Roelly Winklaar if he hopes to step onto the Olympia stage. Roelly would have to compete and win at the Arnold Classic Ohio. But with only a few weeks to prep and lagging behind in his recent shows, it could be a tall order for the veteran bodybuilder.
While competing at the Arnold Classic is an option, Roelly Winklaar may be better off skipping the show and the Olympia. Instead a better strategy would be to win a show after the Olympia and qualify for the 2022 show is the ideal best option for Roelly at this point.
Roelly Winklaar still has plenty left in the tank, but taking the smart approach is ideal.
What do you think of Roelly Winklaar and his recent performances?
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Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.
Gym Crush – Lais DeLeon
Lais DeLeon – The Brazillian Bombshell
Lais DeLeon is a Brazilian beauty who is taking the fitness world by storm. DeLeon started training and sculpting her physique in 2006 at the age of 19, and we can only thank her for putting in all the effort.
Gifted with good looks, Lais started modeling after being approached by an agency. DeLeon’s new career motivated her to keep her body in shape. She increased the intensity of her workouts to achieve her dream physique.
Turning Into a Fitness Star
Not long after starting modeling, Lais turned her focus towards a career in fitness. Her experience as a model and an impressive modeling portfolio helped her have a smooth transition into the fitness world.
Seven years after starting a modeling career, DeLeon started sharing her pictures on Instagram. It was not long after that she was discovered by the fitness community, and thousands of followers showered their love on her.
Lais credits her family and friends for pushing her to go after her aspirations. DeLeon depends on self-motivation to step up her game in the gym. Lais has a ritual of setting new goals for herself every year which she wants to achieve.
Pushing You To Achieve Your Best Self
Lais DeLeon wants her followers to achieve the physique of their dreams and has launched a mobile app to help them with their goals. She also shares her workouts on her Instagram feed for her fans to follow.
DeLeon’s Instagram feed is one of the most aesthetically appealing timelines you’ll come across. Her understanding of fashion, design, and photography is well-evident by her online portfolio – Instagram.
Lais is the kind of wild cat no one would ever mind encountering. If you’re into fitness and lifestyle, you’ll be hooked to DeLeon’s Instagram. Make sure you’re keeping a check on time when you decide on scrolling through her profile.
All About Body, Business, and Best Life
Lais DeLeon’s posts range from workouts to health and business advice, and she’ll surprise you with the knowledge she has about the things she talks about. Although she started with fitness, she doesn’t limit herself to it and has expanded herself into other fields.
Picture-perfect would be an understatement for her photos. Lais has the charm and personality which can overwhelm you. DeLeon can rock the gym and casual attire with complete ease.
Always Adding Value
If you’re a foodie, you can pick up some recipes Lais shares on her feed. You can’t stick to the fit lifestyle by eating the same food for years. Give your taste buds something to rejoice about with the dishes DeLeon teaches on her Instagram.
The best thing about Deleon is she isn’t your typical gym rat. She shares pictures with her friends and when she’s having fun outdoors. We wish Lais DeLeon the best for her future endeavors.
Header image courtesy of Instagram.
Who is your gym crush?
Let us know in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Top 4 Exercises To Unleash A Truly Massive Back
Get bat wings.
When it comes to improving strength and physical form it sometimes requires an athlete to implement new methods into their program. To solely rely on the same methods of training is to more than likely ensure running into a wall. Whether it’s bodybuilding or some other athletic endeavor, you never want to be going backwards. Instead it’s all about making one improvement after another on the road to shaping what’s considered to be the perfect physical form.
Of all the muscle groups and body parts that make up the human body, the back is definitely one of the most important to develop. Building up your back muscles are a great way to bring together your upper body. There’s a tendency to overdue ab exercises as well as focusing too much on the chest, leaving the back isolated and looking less than impressive. The whole point of bodybuilding is to bring together your body to make the ultimate package. It’s no simple task to get a symmetrical upper body and be as shredded and defined as you hope to be.
But building up the back isn’t solely about building muscles, it’s also ensuring that the stabilizers in the back are strong as well. By strengthening the back stabilizers it will guarantee that the most important lifts you perform, the squat and deadlift specifically, will be taken to the next level. Try adding these helpful exercises to your routine.
ISO Hold Front Squat
The iso hold front squat is a great method for building up strength in the upper back. The fronts aren’t something most people think about when considering back development, but the truth of the matter is that the back is engaged while squatting as well, specifically at the top of the movement. With iso hold front squats you load as much weight as your one rep max, lift the barbell in a front squat position and hold in a static position for a five to ten second hold.
Dumbbell Back Extentions
This exercise is great for building up the thoratic spine which is located in the upper region of the back. The movement is performed on a glute-ham developer and not only works the upper back region, but the entirety of the back itself. With some heavy dumbbells held at chest level this exercise can help improve compound lifts like the squat and deadlift.
Band Good Mornings
This exercise may not include any weight lifting, though there is a chain variation that can be considered, but he band good morning is a great technique help with upper back development without putting too much stress on the body. While standing on one end of the rubberband and wrapping the other around the neck you lift the upper body up from the bent over state until you’re fully erect and repeat the motion for reps. This a great and easy way to gain tremendous back strength.
Will you add these exercises to your routine? Are they already apart of your training? Let us know in the comments and forums. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook and Twitter.
The Best Ab Exercises For Those Washboard Abs
Washboard abs can give you an absolutely shredded aesthetic and these exercises are sure to help you achieve that.
You want that shredded six pack to pop. But those washboard abs seem like too impossible of a feat to accomplish. With that attitude, they most likely are. But what people forget is that most of the work done on your abs is in the kitchen. What you eat greatly affects your body fat and just how much those abs pop through. However, a solid training routine for your core can ensure you hit all those intended goals when it comes to a shredded aesthetic so those washboard abs actually do become reality.
Knowing which exercises to try and which ones are actually beneficial can be challenging. With so many out there, it can be tough to weed through all the nonsense and get reliable and effective ab exercises that will both strengthen and show off those abs. Don’t let someone talk you into a boring, ineffective workout and rely on consistent and honest sources to help you achieve those washboard abs.
Let’s take a look at some great ab exercises to help you achieve those washboard abs. The right exercises can give you everything you want and more to greatly benefit all those gains. Able to do at home or the gym, these exercises are convenient and will work for you.
Benefit Of A Strong Core
While those washboard abs offer an amazing aesthetic, the benefits of having a strong core go far beyond just sheer look.
Benefits of strong abs include:
Prevent lower back pain: Don’t let low back pain hurt your gains and overall performance. Strong abdominals will take stress off your low back and provide for better support with activities (1).
Better balance and posture: A strong core can enhance better balance and posture, especially for those of us who sit all day. This will ensure more safe and effective lifts as well as added stability (2).
Easier everyday activities: Playing off of better support, your daily activities won’t seem so difficult because you will have strong abs to back you up.
Aid in big lifts: Those big lifts require core support and with stronger abdominals anything from your squat, deadlift, bench press and more will really improve.
Best Ab Exercises For Washboard Abs
Hanging Leg Raises
Hanging leg raises are great for isolating your hips and abs and involve you hanging from a bar as you perform the exercise by bringing your legs parallel to the ground. While it does require strength to hold yourself on the bar, the benefit of this exercise is that you really feel a core burn to start to see results. It is important to not swing and to keep a tight and engaged core. Also, when lowering your legs, make sure the descent is slow and controlled to maximize results.
Ab Wheel Roll Outs
An ab roller wheel is a great fitness tool to increase abdominal strength and power and works well when building functional strength and power. While this mainly works your rectus abdominis, it also will have an impact on your obliques, low back, and glutes to provide a well-rounded exercise. Easy to perform, ab wheel rolls outs are great for strengthening abs to reduce low back pain, enhancing balance and posture, and of course, aiding in that desired six pack.
Reverse Crunch
The reverse crunch is an effective exercise and can greatly influence those washboard abs. The benefits around performing this exercise are that it can take strain off your neck and is less stressful on your back than crunches. This will also target deeper in your abs to enhance strength and offer a great aesthetic (3).
Russian Twists
Russian twists are a helpful ab exercise to work those obliques to allow for those abs to pop and aid in that washboard aesthetic. While this is a simple movement, you can add weight for added resistance and to really challenge yourself while aiding in strength and support. It is important to keep a neutral spine and engaged core to provide for the best form to avoid unwanted pain.
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are great for working on core strength while also providing for a higher endurance ab exercise. Cardio is a great way to shed fat and aid in those washboard abs and this total body workout has great influence on those gains. Also known as running planks, this exercise involves you starting in a plank position and essentially running in a horizontal fashion. You will most certainly feel a burn with this exercise.
Featured Supplement
Having a solid fat burner can greatly help shed that unwanted fat (4) so your washboard abs begin to pop. Paired with a healthy diet and solid training routine and you are well on your way to an aesthetic others will envy.
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Wrap Up
Achieving those washboard abs can be challenging but it is absolutely not impossible. With the right approach and proper training routine, you will find a shredded aesthetic every time you look in the mirror. While much of these gains occur in the kitchen, the right abs exercises can work to give you a great workout so those washboard abs show. Plus, you’ll have a body others will most definitely envy.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
*Images courtesy of Envato
References
Stuber, Kent J.; Bruno, Paul; Sajko, Sandy; Hayden, Jill (2014). “Core Stability Exercises for Low Back Pain in Athletes”. (source)
Hibbs, Angela E.; Thompson, Kevin G.; French, Duncan; Wrigley, Allan; et al. (2008). “Optimizing performance by improving core stability and core strength”. (source)
Contreras, Bret; Schoenfeld, Brad (2011). “To Crunch or Not to Crunch: An Evidence-Based Examination of Spinal Flexion Exercises, Their Potential Risks, and Their Applicability to Program Design”. (source)
Jeukendrup, A. E.; Randell, R. (2011). “Fat burners: nutrition supplements that increase fat metabolism”. (source)
2021 Tahoe Pro Show Scorecards
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Trenbolone Side Effects: Dangerous or Exaggerated?
Disclaimer: The following article is for educational purposes only and NOT to promote the use of illegal steroids. If you have any questions or concerns, Dr. Touliatos is currently available for consultations.
Trenbolone is one of the most coveted anabolic steroids among bodybuilders, due to its sheer power at building lean muscle mass, whilst simultaneously burning fat (without causing water retention).
Due to its versatility, it can be successfully utilized during cutting or bulking cycles, making it one of the most aesthetically pleasing AAS on the market.
Although it may not cause excessive increases in overall weight gain, its ability to add lean muscle tissue is only rivalled by the likes of dianabol and anadrol.
However, as with any drug, if there are notable benefits, there are also equally notable drawbacks — and trenbolone isn’t the exception.
Trenbolone acetate may be the most potent steroid on the market for rapidly transforming a user’s physique, however it could be argued that it’s also among the most harmful (both physiologically and psychologically).
Note: Different esters of trenbolone (such as acetate and enanthate) will produce the same side effects, as they are essentially the same compound. However, due to the varying length in esters and serum testosterone levels peaking at different speeds; the timing of side effects will occur at different stages.
For example, users will experience side effects sooner during a cycle of trenbolone acetate, whereas it may take 1-2 weeks later to notice the same level of effects on enanthate (due to it being a longer ester).
7 Trenbolone Side Effects
Cholesterol & Blood Pressure
The most damaging side effect of trenbolone is its effects on cholesterol, causing an increase in cardiovascular strain and left ventricular hypertrophy.
Regular use of trenbolone and other anabolic steroids could ultimately result in cardiomyopathy (heart disease), particularly in users with a genetic predisposition to cardiovascular implications.
We do not advise trenbolone-use, however should any of our readers choose to go down this route, it is recommended to perform regular cardiovascular workouts, whilst supplementing with 4g/day of fish oil. This will help to decrease blood pressure and maximize blood flow to and from the heart.
Such measures will not completely reverse cardiovascular strain from trenbolone, however it may help to subdue the risk of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).
Trenbolone should not be stacked with any oral steroids, such as: dianabol, anadrol or winstrol, due to their devastating effects on cholesterol levels. Orals are particularly damaging to the heart, as they stimulate hepatic lipase in the liver; an enzyme responsible for decreasing HDL cholesterol (the healthy cholesterol that reduces plaque build up).
Testosterone Suppression
All anabolic steroids will suppress natural testosterone production, as the administration of exogenous testosterone causes the body to cease endogenous production.
Thus, when you cycle steroids your overall testosterone levels shoot up, but your natural testosterone levels plummet, as the body detects excessive hormone levels.
This causes a transient effect that ultimately leads to a crash post-cycle, when trenbolone injections cease.
Due to the potent nature of trenbolone, users can expect to be fully ‘shut down’ post-cycle, due to it severely effecting the HPTA axis. Thus, natural testosterone levels can take several weeks or months to recover back to standard levels, with the duration depending on the dosage taken, length of the cycle and PCT protocol (which can accelerate this recovery period).
During this transition period, where testosterone levels are shut down, users can experience: depression, erectile dysfunction, diminished libido, low energy levels and decreased overall wellbeing.
Possible Gynecomastia
Aromatization, or the stimulation of estrogen receptors, will not occur on trenbolone. Thus, some assume that trenbolone cannot cause gynecomastia — which is not accurate.
Estrogen is just one female sex hormone that, if high enough, can cause the expansion of female breast tissue in males. Trenbolone significantly raises progesterone, which too is a female hormone responsible for regulating menstrual cycles in women. When raised to excess levels in men, lactation can occur, resulting in puffy nipples and potentially gynecomastia.
Progesterone essentially mimics the effects of high estrogen levels, with progestins having a stimulatory effect on tissue in the mammary glands.
This effect can worsen if trenbolone is stacked with estrogenic steroids, such as: dianabol, testosterone or anadrol, due to an even greater dominance in female sex hormones, and further negative feedback inhibition of testosterone.
Interestingly, anti-estrogens have shown to be effective at preventing the onset of progesterone-induced gynecomastia.
In terms of anti estrogen options, bodybuilders can opt for AIs (aromatase inhibitors) or SERMs (selective estrogen receptor modulators).
AI’s block the conversion of testosterone into estrogen, which can worsen cholesterol levels. However, SERMs work by directly inhibiting estrogen’s effects in the mammary glands, without affecting aromatization.
The downside to AI’s is that they can worsen blood pressure, as adequate levels of estrogen are needed for healthy cholesterol ratios. Thus, in general SERMs are a more optimal choice to prevent gynecomastia, as they do not negatively affect blood lips.
However, the two most popular SERMs, being Nolvadex and Clomid, should not be taken with trenbolone, as they can increase progesterone levels — worsening tren-induced gynecomastia.
Thus, it would be appropriate to have an AI ready, incase the nipples begin to get puffy or swollen. Taking an AI before this point is often unnecessary and will only exacerbate the already serious cardiovascular strain that trenbolone poses.
Two popular AI’s that bodybuilders take are: letrozole (Femara) and anastrozole (Arimidex).
Acne Vulgaris
Trenbolone is highly androgenic, which can cause excess sebum production, resulting in oily skin and acne vulgaris.
Some sensitive users, who naturally have high levels of sebum production, can experience severe cystic acne; which can take the appearance of golf balls under the skin.
Some bodybuilders have experienced success with products such as Accutane (Isotretinoin) for clearing up acne on-cycle. Accutane is designed to shrink the sebaceous glands, reducing sebum buildup and thus preventing the pores from blocking.
Research has shown that 20mg/day of Accutane (Isotretinoin) is a highly effective and safe treatment for moderate to severe acne (1). There is also evidence that Isotretinoin possesses long-term effects, helping to prevent acne breakouts in the future.
Male Pattern Baldness
Trenbolone possesses one of the highest androgenic ratings of the anabolic steroid family, being: 500.
Such androgenicity is destructive to hair follicles, due to elevated levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), causing receding and thinning on the scalp.
DHT causes hair follicle miniaturization and scalp inflammation, however the severity of shedding and total hair loss will be determined by a person’s genetics.
Anabolic steroids (particularly trenbolone) will accelerate hair loss, if taken frequently over a significant period of time. AAS taken in the short-term may result in some thinning or recession; however this often reverses post-cycle when DHT levels regulate back to normal.
Note: if a person has strong genetics, even taking high doses of androgenic steroids (such as trenbolone) for years, may not be enough to cause excessive hair loss.
Bodybuilder sometimes use 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor medications, such as Finasteride, in a bid to block the conversion of testosterone into DHT and thus decrease follicle damage on the scalp.
However, reducing DHT levels may also have a negative effect on muscle hypertrophy and strength gains during a cycle, with research suggesting that DHT is a superior muscle-building hormone to testosterone (2). This is due to it increasing amino acid uptake and protein synthesis in fast contracting muscle fibers (whereas testosterone does not).
Visceral Fat
Many anabolic steroids burn subcutaneous fat — but increase visceral fat levels.
Subcutaneous fat is what you can see externally, whereas visceral fat surrounds the internal organs under the abdomen (and isn’t visible to the naked eye).
High visceral fat levels can cause a bloated or protruding look to the midsection, even if a person has a low level of subcutaneous body fat. The pregnant belly look that is common among IFBB pro bodybuilders, is due to high visceral fat, caused by the administration of estrogenic steroids.
Estrogen causes an increase in visceral fat mass, which is why women typically store more body fat in the abdomen area than men.
Although trenbolone does not convert to estrogen, progesterone can mimic certain effects of estrogen, in relation to body composition, thus tren-users are likely to experience more defined abdominals muscles — albeit at the expense of a potentially more bloated looking stomach.
Anxiety/Depression
Trenbolone’s side effects aren’t only physical but also mental, with users commonly reporting feeling increasingly: irritable, anxious, paranoid and depressed (than on other steroids).
Such side effects can be linked to trenbolone having a stimulating effect on the central nervous system, causing an increase in adrenaline output and thus shifting tren-users into a state of fight or flight mode.
Such a chemical alteration can result in individuals perceiving normal everyday situations as threats, triggering panic attacks or bouts of depression due to the depletion of serotonin in the brain.
It is unclear why trenbolone has a more notable stimulating effect than other anabolic steroids, however it is one of the reasons why some bodybuilders avoid this steroid — for optimal mental well-being.
Trenbolone users may benefit from eating a diet rich in l-tryptophan to help counteract high adrenaline levels on-cycle. L-tryptophan is an amino acid that has sedative properties, helping to calm the nervous system. Not only can this subdue anxiety/depression, but it may also help bodybuilders fall asleep easier and improve their sleep quality.
Foods high in l-tryptophan are:
Whole milk
Turkey
Chicken
Eggs
Steak
Tuna
All of the above are also high quality sources of protein, that will assist with protein synthesis and muscle recovery.
Note: It is important to eat carbohydrates in the same meal as your l-tryptophan food source, as carbohydrates deplete all amino acid content in the bloodstream — excluding l-tryptophan.
This significantly improves the absorption of l-tryptophan, as there is no longer any competition; thus improving its biological value and sedative effects. This combination of l-tryptophan and carbohydrates is the reason why so many people take a (seemingly involuntary) nap shortly after annual Thanksgiving meals; being the result of copious amounts of turkey and potatoes.
Tren Cough
Trenbolone is notorious for causing respiratory distress, known as ‘tren cough‘, upon administration. This essentially is a violent fit of dry coughing, typically lasting several seconds.
Users can also experience chest tightness and a metallic taste in their mouth when this occurs.
Although bodybuilders may feel alarmed by this sensation, it is somewhat common and generally not dangerous. Bodybuilders have reported ‘tren cough’ occurring in approximately 20% of injections.
It is not entirely known why trenbolone causes severe coughing (more so than other injectable steroids), however one theory suggests its androgenic properties may be the culprit.
Trenbolone’s potent androgenic nature can cause vasoconstriction, due to the activation of inflammatory lipids, known as prostaglandins.
Vasoconstriction of the bronchus’ muscular wall (in the lungs) may trigger such coughing, immediately upon injection.
Although coughing can occur when injecting deca durabolin or testosterone, it is less common than on trenbolone.
Virilization in Women
Trenbolone causes virilization side effects in women, such as:
Clitoral enlargement
Jaw hypertrophy
Breast shrinkage
Deeper voice
These side effects occur due to trenbolone’s potent androgenic properties, thus it should be strictly avoided by women who value their femininity. Pro female bodybuilders however may be happy to trade this aspect of their physical appearance in order to win competitions.
However, there are more suitable steroid options for women, wanting to build muscle and burn fat, without compromising their sexual characteristics; such as:
These anabolic steroids also produce milder side effects, in comparison to trenbolone, particularly in regards to cholesterol and blood pressure. For more information regarding suitable steroid options for women, read this article (which references the relevant medical research and gives dosing guidelines).
Summary
Trenbolone side effects are somewhat strange, in regards to some users experiencing virtually all of the above, whilst others can take it and experience few adverse effects.
However, in general, trenbolone’s side effects should be considered harsh, particularly in relation to the heart and its damage to the HPTA axis.
The severity of side effects will also depend on the dosage and cycle length. A typical trenbolone consists of 150-225mg/week, in a 8-10 week cycle. Thus, dosages or cycles exceeding this, present more risk.
It is also important to note that if trenbolone is stacked with other anabolic steroids, its side effects will be amplified.
Thus, it is strongly advised that users do not stack trenbolone with any compounds that have deleterious effects on cholesterol levels and the heart. These include (but are not limited to): anadrol, dianabol, superdrol and winstrol.
Trenbolone is generally only taken by advanced bodybuilders, who have built up a tolerance to various anabolic steroids before administering it. This type of ‘caution’ by the bodybuilding community is wise, with the relevant medical research concerning this compound showing it is not to be underestimated.
Pro Bodybuilder Alena Kosinová Passes Away
Czech IFBB Pro bodybuilder Alena Kosinová dies after being rushed to the hospital in Alicante, Spain.
Tragic news hits the bodybuilding world this weekend with the passing of IFBB Pro bodybuilder Alena Kosinová. The Czech bodybuilder was in Alicante, Spain to compete at the 2021 Europa Pro.
At the time of this writing, there has been no official statement on the cause of death. Early reports have claimed that Alena Kosinová was rushed to the hospital and doctors were unable to revive her.
In 2017, Kosinová won the Ben Weider Legacy Cup New Zealand and later earned her pro card in 2019 at the Czech Virus Open Cup in Women’s Physique. She then later moved up to the Women’s Bodybuilding division. She competed in the Romania Muscle Fest Pro, placing 4th, in 2019. She also earned second place at the European Pro in 2020.
Alena Kosinová was then set to compete in the Olympia 2020, but ultimately had to drop out due to complications with COVID-19 – though no specific details were given at the time. Her most recent competition was the 2021 Portugal Pro. She received 5th place.
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