cablepump’s BodyBlog

The subject of today’s review is:
The Pharmacodynamics of L-Arginine, Rainer H. Böger, American Society for Nutrition J. Nutr. 137:1650S-1655S, June 2007.
L-Arginine is a precursor for nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. NO is a ubiquitous mediator that is formed by a family of enzymes named NO synthases. In the brain, NO acts as a neurotransmitter; in the immune system, NO acts as a mediator of host defense; and in the cardiovascular system, NO mediates the protective effects of the intact endothelium, acting as a vasodilator and endogenous antiatherogenic molecule.

I did not write any of this. These are all statements from the 2007 December issue of MUSCLE and FITNESS magazine. I’m just putting this up to give you help to make a quality workout program to give you the results you want.

I did rewrite most of this article because it was kind of long and I got tired. MUSCLE & FITNESS mag has research supporting all of the statements in this blog, this is not something I just made up, M&F did. I tryed to orginize this as best I could by how it relates to each other.

1. Best way to prepare for a workout? Relax: research shows that when a person is relaxed, they can do 2 more reps than those who are aggressive or “aroused” before a lift.
2. Best way to estimate 1 rep max (RM)? 5 rep max test: heres what you do for upper body exercises; find a weight that you can lift for 5 reps to failure, then plug in (your 5RM weight X 1.1307) + 0.6998. For lower body; find a weight that you can lift for 5 reps to failure, then plug in (your 5RM weight X 1.09703) + 14.2546. Have fun
3. Best exercise discovery? Reverse-grip bench press: hits the chest and triceps and has been shown to activate up to 30% more muscle activity than regular bench press.
4. Best strength training technique? Ascending sets: take leg extensions for 3 sets, first is 50% 10RM, second is 75% 10RM and third is 100% 10RM. it has been shown that this technique can improve your lift by 10 pounds.
5. Best rep range for muscular strength? 2-6 reps: this rep range best produces changes in both the muscle fibers and the nervous system that promotes strength gain.
6. Best rep range for muscular endurance? More than 12 reps: more than 12 reps is best for improving muscular endurance, which enhances performance in a variety of sports.
7. Best rep speed for muscle mass? Slow, controlled reps: studies show that a group that did slower reps (2-3 seconds up, 2-3 seconds down) made significantly greater gains in biceps muscle size than those doing faster reps. Keep your reps slow and controlled to add mass.
8. Best rep range for muscular power? 3-5 reps: research shows that when training for power is best done with reps in the 3-5 rep range. Here is how you do this; pick a weight that you can do for 20-25 reps and stop at 3-5. Power is the ability to apply strength as quickly as possible.
9. Best range for muscle growth? 8-12 reps: 8-12 rep range is best to encourage muscle growth.
10. Best intensity technique for muscle growth? Forced reps: Is where you use a weight, about 15% more than normal, and your spotter has to help you finish the 12 reps. you have to use a spotter on forced reps.
11. Best chest builder? Dumbell bench press: DB’s will use more of the chest and less of the deltoids, so your chest will be more stimulated.
12. Best lat width? Wide-grip lat pulldown: while wide-grip, to the front, reverse, and neutral grip pulldowns all have their place in the back building world, wide-grip involves the most lat muscle fibers.
13. Best deltoid builder? overhead DB press: DB press will activate more muscle fibers than the BB version. I’d suggest changing it up every 2 or 3 weeks, just for variety.
14. Best bicep builder? Barbell curl: EZ bar is preferred by most bodybuilder, and should be a part of your routine, research shows that you can lift more weight with a straight barbell than with a EZ bar. More weight, more strength, more mass.
15. Best triceps builder? Dip: triceps pressdowns are useful in any routine, but dips will use more muscle and you weigh a lot, so the more weight you use, the bigger you get.
16. Best for quads? Front squat: front squat will target your quads more. heres a picture link. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.php?Name=Front+Barbell+Squat
17. Best for hamstring and glute development? Romanian deadlift: Romanian will always you to use more weight to over load you hams and glutes for maximum muscle growth.
18. Best for upper trap mass? BB Shrug: nothing will build your trap like shrugs do. So, get to shrug’n.
19. Best for calf mass? Standing calf raise: if you want huge lower leg mass, do standing calf raise first.
20. Best mass builder? Squat: it has long been known that squatting helps the body produce growth hormones (GH) in the body. Squatting uses your entire body either as primary or secondary muscles to keep you balance.
21. Best strength builder? The deadlift: Deadlifting uses hundreds of muscles, like the squat. You need a lot of power to get that bar off the floor with a few hundred pounds on it.
22. Best recovery time between workouts? 3-4 days: your muscles will recover in 3 days and fully recover in 4. Consider giving each muscle group 4 days in between workouts.
23. Best time of day to train? Evening: a group training in the evening hours gained about 3% more muscle mass and lost about 9% more body fat than those who trained in the morning.
24. Best time to stretch? Post-workout: studies show that stretching before working out can make muscles weaker. Stretching post-workout can make you more flexible then when you started.
25. Best grip for deadlift? Staggered: (one hand facing front, the other hand facing back) can help you do 50% more reps than a stander grip. to maintain balance in strength and muscle development, alternate by switching which hand faces which way.
26. Best rep speed for muscular strength? Fast reps: during the same studies for #24 (best reps speed for mass) they tested a group of trainees who preformed fast reps (1 second u, 1 second down) made 10% greater strength gains.
27. Best rest period duration for strength and mass? 2-3 minutes: a study shows that when resting 2 to 3 minutes between sets, can allow you to do more reps with a heavier weight
28. Best aid to increase strength and reduce injury? Weight belt: studies show that wearing a belt while lifting weights increases interabdominal pressure by up to 40%. Other reports show that wearing a lifting belt during squats can help you perform squats 10% faster than without. So, use a lifting belt during heavy lifts only especially on exercises that load the spine.
29. Best training aid to increase number of reps completed? Wrist straps: Research shows that when doing back workout, you can complete 1-2 more reps per set, compared to working out without the straps.
30. Best machine for increasing strength? Smith machine: studies show that individuals who do squats in the Smith are about 4% stronger than those who use free weight BB, and 10% strength for those who use Smith for shoulder press.
31. Best equipment for power and strength? Elastic bands: 10 trained lifters squatted 85% of their 1RM on Smith with 20% of the weight applied by exercise bands. The subjects exhibited about 25% more power than when they did squat without the bands.
32. Best method to increase muscle mass? Mind-muscle link: studies show that when lifters focus on the muscles that are being worked showed more muscle activity than those who focused on lifting the bar. So, focus on the muscle, not the bar.
33. Best way to maintain intensity during a workout? Listening to music: Weider Research Group found that when trained lifters listed to their favorite muscle during their workouts, they could complete an additional 1-2 reps per exercise than those who did  not listen to muscle.
34. Best way to see results? Positive thinking: Harvard U. found that when hotel maids were informed that the work they did was good exercise and satisfied the surgeon general’s recommendation for an active lifestyle, they experienced a decrease in blood pressure and bodyweight after 4 weeks, as opposed to those who were not given the information. So, think about how your pushing your muscle growth forward with every meal and gram of protein you take in.
35. Best method to increases power and strength? Self talk: A study shows that people who use positive self talk increased power production by 4%, as opposed to those who do not. So, tell yourself this before a big lift or every set: “I will lift this” or “I will explode up”.
36. Best carbs before workouts? Slow-digesting: slow-digesting carbs will keep insulin levels low, which will help burn fat during exercise and will give you a longer-lasting energy. I study shows that those who eat slow digesting carbs were able to run 7 minutes longer than those who ate fast digesting carbs.
37. Best protein before workouts? Whey: Research confirms that rapidly delivering amino acids to the muscles before workouts maximizes protein synthesis. So, consume 20 grams of Whey protein within 30 minutes before your workout.
38. Best carbs after workouts? Fast-digesting: consuming fast-digesting carbs, post work out will spike insulin levels, and replenish depleted muscle glycogen stores faster than slower digesting carbs. So, consume 60-100 grams of fast digesting carbs, preferably in liquid form, after workouts.
39. Best protein after workouts? Whey: Studies show that taking Whey protein immediately after workouts ramps up muscle growth. the spike will cause insulin levels to boost protein synthesis. Go with 40 grams of Whey protein immediately after workouts.
40. Best supplement? Creatine: Studies show that creatine can significantly increase muscle mass and strength. So, take 3-5 grams of creatine pre and post workout.
41. Best, cheapest way to bost metabolic rate? drink 2 cups of water: A study shows that drinking just more than 2 cups of water on an empty stomach (having not eaten for 60 to 120 minutes) boosted metabolism by 30%. Do this several times a day for steady fat burning.
42. Best way to burn fat? High-protein low-carb diet: don’t cut your protein when cutting calories. your muscles need protein to build, to reduce calories and drop body fat by reducing the number of carbs you are taking in.
43. Best cardio machine for burning fat? Treadmill: A 2003 study found that training on a treadmill can burn a higher amount of fat, 45% more, than training on a cycle.
44. Best way to make cardio less monotonous? Break it up: running for a straight 30 minutes or breaking it up into 3, 10 minute bouts will burn the same amount of calories. The 3, 10 minutes will feel easier and quicker because your only doing it for 10 minutes. Take a 10-20 minute break between sessions.
45. Best time for cardio? After lifting weights: A 2007 study shows that subjects who preformed stationary cycle after lifting weights burn a higher amount of fat than those who did the cycle before lifting weights. Also, this study found that doing the cardio between 5 pm and 7 pm had a higher resting metabolism after the workout than those who trained at 5 am and 7 am, or 11 am and 1 pm.
46. Best cardio technique for burning fat? HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): Studies show that those who use the HIIT program lose significantly more body fat than those who did a steady cardio program. A 2% drop in BF actually. So, after a 2-3 minute warm-up, alternate 1 minute quick jogging and 1 minute slow walking for 20-30 minutes, 1:1 jogging walking ratio. Finish by a 2-3 minute slow walk to cool down.
47. Best overall ab exercise? Crunch: you should know how to do them by now.
48. Best for core strength? Plank: get in a push-up position resting your forearms with your arms bent at 90 degrees. Hold it there for 30-60 seconds.
49. Best fat burning exercises? Free-weight multijoint lifts: using free weight will put more stress on your muscles, but don’t worry, it’s a good stress. you can burn up to 50% more calories with free weights than with machines or single movement exercises.
50. Best way to lift to burn fat? Heavy weight, short rest: using a weight that you can lift for only 6 reps can increase you metabolism longer after your work out than the 12 rep range can. So, do a lift of 6 to 8 reps, rest between 30 to 60 seconds, and do it again. Not too light of weight and not too heavy.
51.  Worst strength training technique? Single sets: S study over 12 weeks shows that doing one single set on leg press, bench press, and BB rows acutely saw a decrease in strength.
52. Worst way to train for size? going to failure on every set: while going t failure on the last set of an exercise in critical for developing strength, doing more than that may hinder muscle growth.
53.  Worst training advice? “don’t train is your sore”: training while your still sore from the prior session is no more damaging than training while your not sore, and the muscle can recover just as quickly.
54. Worst time to lift weights? After cardio: A study shows that doing cardio before lifting weights will have a decrease in growth hormones (GH) up to three times less than doing cardio after workouts.
55. Worst rep rang to use for mass building? Low reps (6 or less): Research shows that training with low reps heavy weights will not increase mass. While training with high reps lighter weights will increase mass and strength.
56. Worst way to squat? with your head down: looking down or forward during squat wil increase the pressure on the spine and hips making it more likely to cause injury. So, be sure to always squat with your head pointed straight ahead.
57. Worst piece of cardio equipment? Fitness flyer A.K.A, the Gazelle: it will burn far fewer calories that on a treadmill with the same intensity.
58. Worst way to do cardio? comfortable pace: training at a comfortable pace will have a lower aerobic fitness impact. So, if you can read a book or magazine while your doing your cardio, you need to pick it up.
59. Worst time to train abs? first thing in the workout: even if you hate doing abs, don’t do them first, heres why. Reasearch shows that doing abs first thing in your workout will tire your core and limit your strength and movement. So, keep abs at the end of your work out.

I’d love to hear some feedback from you on this blog. I know it’s long, but you will appreciate it after you read something that will affect the way you workout from that moment on.