Inside the Mind of Deserusan

Systemic inflammation in obese individuals is often the result of adipose tissue release inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins. In comparison to healthy individuals, higher levels of these inflammatory markers can increase the risks of cardiovascular disease and ailments like metabolic syndrome and diabetes which are associated with insulin resistance.

For obese individuals, the obvious answer to reducing potentially pathological systemic inflammation would be to lose weight. However, we all know that the obvious answers often conflict with psychological dependencies and would require complete restructuring of the subject’s lifestyle which often not practical for short term treatment. Researchers have been looking at complimentary over the counter solutions to help reduce inflammation in a cost effective manner which leads us to two compounds researched at the University of New Mexico School of Medicines Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Resveratrol and curcumin both proved to limit NF-?B activation in adipocytes. Now some of you are probably wondering what the heck NF-?B is? It stands for nuclear factor-kappa B and it binds to DNA to initiate the transfer of genetic information from DNA to RNA. Basically this means it in part helps to increase or decrease gene expression. Indeed both resveratrol and curcumin helped reduced TNF?,  IL-1?, IL-6, and COX-2 gene expression by limiting NF-?B activation. These are all considered to be the more prevalent inflammation related genetic factors.

So what does this mean? Basically, these two compounds offer a preventative approach to inflammation induced cardiovascular and insulin resistance related pathologies as well as complimentary approach to systemic inflammation. While the effects of curcumin are well known in this area of research be sure to look out for a variety of studies illustrating how diverse the applications of resveratrol supplementation can be.

Gonzales AM, Orlando RA. Curcumin and resveratrol inhibit Nuclear Factor-kappaB-mediated cytokine expression in adipocytes. Nutrition & Metabolism (Lond). 2008 Jun 12;5(1):17.

Full text found here.

*warm up sets not included

SLDL: 225lbs x failure x 2

Stationary Dumbbell Lunges: 90lb’ers x 8 x 3

Squats: 405lbs x 8 x 2

Hack Squats: 360lbs x 8 x 2

Single Leg Curls (rest pause): 90lbs x 10, 6, 4

Hamtractor (rest pause): 180lbs x 10, 6, 4

V-Ups: 25 x 6

In the never ending saga to bring up my lagging hamstrings I think I’ve finally found an exercise that is really helping them. I’ve been experimenting with stationary lunges quite a bit and have noticed a delayed eccentric contraction really tears my hamstrings up in a “positive” manner. Despite using heavy poundages the tempo is slow and controlled.

I took a few “progress” pictures on Saturday so here I am in all my glory. Right now I’m fully bulked fat ass weighing in at 267lbs. I’ve never been this big before and as I was telling a dear friend last week, it’s really a chore to be this big. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a little girl compared to any IFBB mass monster. However, I’m starting to stretch my XXL shirts and it’s REALLY hard to find pants that fit my quads. Even walking up stairs is a bit of a chore.

In the picture above it looks like I’m taking a shit but I’m not. I swear! When I’m below 8% bodyfat my waist sits at about 31.5 inches and right now I’m pushing a stout 38 inches. The one thing I am proud of is how much thicker my back has become. It will look even better once my waist size drops down again.

*warm up sets not included

Dual Arm Dumbbell Curls: 55lb’ers x 8 x 2

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Dual Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extensions: 55lb’ers x 8 x 2

FreeMotion Moon Curls: 8 x 2

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Overhead Rope Extensions: 160lbs x 8 x 2

Preacher Curls: 95lbs x 8 x 2

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Underhand Cable Extensions: 160lbs x 8 x 2

Cross Body Curls: 30lb’ers x failure x 2

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Overhead Dumbbell Extensions: 120lb’er x failure x 2

Deadlifts: 405lbs x 8 x 6

I’m sorry I haven’t posted a workout in a few days but I’ve been uber busy gathering research for Bruce K and bouncing ideas off of him. Some of you may or may not know, but I’m his research assistant and have been for about a year now. To be honest with you, I’d never thought I’d be in such a position but I guess weirder things have happened in life, just not mine. I never would have imagined I’d be working under one of the brightest supplement designers in the business.

His communications with me are educational on a scale only seasoned supplement industry executives could truly understand. I guess what has had the most profound effect on me is that I’ve actually been a part of process to design the very products I have always admired and often bought myself over the years. Even better, I was asked to design a project myself which has been a labor of love for the past year. Just now I’m starting to see it come to life. You can check out the ad on page 60.

Earlier this week I was in Las Vegas, NV attending the International Society of Sports Nutritionists Conference. All in all the weekend was a great success on many fronts and I had a good time despite having some jet lag.

It’s strange how common interests online can yield hours upon hours of great conversation. I’ve met author Anthony Roberts once before at a bodybuilding show in New Jersey last fall and we really didn’t get to talk. Fortunately he was guest speaker at this year’s conference and we hit it off really well. The only downside was that I missed his presentation on the history of anabolics because his slot kept getting moved around. Regardless, the weekend was a lot more enjoyable having him around.

One stark realization I had over the weekend is that there is quite a gap between the body of knowledge between academia and applied sports science in the real world. It seems the truly talented formulators are the ones who can bridge this gap best. From my own subjective experience in comparing research with real world application, what looks great on paper often doesn’t translate into results. Intuitively I always knew this existed. However, this weekend certainly confirmed my suspicions among the academic elite.

So where does that leave current trends in concocting the next bad assed supplement? It seems there are three different subsets of formulations out there. The first is the most obvious we see plaguing the industry. It’s the copycat. This formula is made from plucking “what’s new” or exciting from the next subset, the innovator.

This is where true talent comes into play. This is born from a unique ability to filter hundreds of studies and apply the latest research into what will truly make an effective product. Often this subset gets overshadowed by the miscues of the last type of formula, the “lost in translation” formula.

What looked great on paper just didn’t seem to have the same effect in a real world application. However, those supporting such endeavors often cite the research as a defense often defending an in vitro rat study and most likely experiencing the placebo effect which unfortunately for them doesn’t seem to be contagious in their case.

Fortunately, many of the researchers associated with the ISSN use their advanced academic prowess by putting many of these formulas to the test. I was fortunate enough to meet many of the researchers responsible for the clinical trials conducted for Gaspari Nutrition.

We conduct trials on all of our products just to get an idea if they are effective or not before release because after all, the product bears Rich Gaspari’s name and therefore must exceed expectation. We just don’t pluck a random statistic or percentage from barely relevant study to prove a product works, we actually put them to the test.

Out of all the researchers I met over the weekend the one I was most impressed with was PhD candidate Jean Jitomir. She was presenting a poster on body fat mass loss using DEXA for contest prep and also a poster on the REE and blood pressure changes of subjects using VPX’s new fat burner Meltdown. What I was most impressed with is that Jean is not only a bright and talented researcher, but also walks the walk when it comes to her own physique and applying her vast knowledge.

To me, she defined a rare but much needed niche in today’s field of exercise and sports nutrition. If all researchers practiced what they preached we would be light years ahead in the field of exercise and sports nutrition. I applaud Jean for being a great ambassador to both the scientific community and to physique competition.

In celebration of my weekend and being surrounded by some of the greatest minds in sports nutrition today I made one last stop before heading to the airport. As I was heading down Las Vegas Blvd gazing at the dance of lights reaching high into the desert sky I remembered seeing the Café Gelato at the Bellagio a few nights beforehand. I had the sudden urge to head into the Bellagio again and see where my curiosity would lead me.

As the creamy chocolate mint Italian gelato passed my lips I reflected on what a great experience it had been learning from the best what great tools can be utilized to create the perfect physical being. However, I also remembered that sometimes it’s nice to set aside that pursuit of perfection and to experience life’s little pleasures from time to time.

I really don’t have much to say about this yet because the conference starts tomorrow. It should be pretty cool conversing with some of the best researchers in the industry those who have conducted the clinical trials for Gaspari Nutrition. Right now I need to shower and head out to the Bellagio for dinner so check back!

 http://www.sportsnutritionsociety.org/site/index.php

Many of the details surround Amanda’s recent death are still surfacing and I will not comment on the why aspect of this horrific crime. However, it is safe to say that the IFBB surely lost one of its most beautiful rising stars. From what I’ve heard, Amanda was a very generous person and full of life. It really is a shame to see that she lost her life so tragically.

More information can be found here.

*warm up sets not included

Front Squats: 315lbs x 8 x 2

Hack Squats: 360lbs x 8 x 2

Single Leg Hack Squats: 90lbs x 8 x 2

Single Leg SLDL: 55lbs x 8 x 2

SLDL: 225lbs x 12 x 2

Lying Leg Curls (rest pause): 10, 6, 4

Leg Extensions: 300lbs x failure

Crunches: 30 x 3

I’m really sore from this workout.

If you have been following the mainstream supplement market I’m fairly certain you are no stranger to coenzyme Q10 aka ubiquinone, CoQ10. This powerhouse of a molecule plays a major role in mitochondrial energy metabolism and its reduced metabolite ubiquinol is responsible for antioxidant capability. Fortunately, clinical research is beginning to uncover the benefits of CoQ10 supplementation in the arena of athletic performance.

A recent study from the Graduate School or Comprehensive Human Sciences at the University of Tsukuba uncovered some beneficial properties of CoQ10 with relation to recovery. Eighteen elite Japanese kendo athletes participated in a single-blinded placebo controlled clinical study to determine whether or not supplementing with 300mg CoQ10 per day would reduce exercise induced muscular damage and oxidative stress.

As expected, skeletal muscle damage indicators increased greatly in the placebo group. Quite simply, creatine kinase levels increased 5 times and serum myoglobin increased upwards of 7.7 times during the five day training camp. The CoQ10 supplemented group showed significant attenuation of the same clinical markers which proved indeed that CoQ10 supplementation can quite possibly reduce exercise induced skeletal muscle damage.  It should be noted also that in both groups both clinical markers returned to base line and changes in leukocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes were unaffected by CoQ10.

In closing, CoQ10 supplementation is beginning to prove itself as a potential aide to athletic recovery. Kendo training is no walk in the park and this clinical study put CoQ10 to the test through 5.5 hours of high impact physical training per day. The results of this study conclude that CoQ10 can be implemented into an athlete’s supplement protocol to assist in reducing exercise induced muscle injury.

Reference.

Kon M, Tanabe K, Akimoto T, Kimura F, Tanimura Y, Shimizu K, Okamoto T, Kono I. Reducing exercise-induced muscular injury in kendo athletes with supplementation of coenzyme Q10. The British Journal of Nutrition. 2008 Feb 20:1-7.

*warm up sets not included

Close Grip Pulldowns: 250lbs x 6 x 2
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Stiff Arm Rope Pullover: 120lbs x 8 x 2

Barbell Rows (underhand): 295lbs x 6 x 2

Machine Rows: 200lbs x 6 x 2

Single Arm Cable Rows: 120lbs x 8 x 2

Cable Extensions: 200lbs x 10 x 2

Overhead Dumbbell Extensions: 120lbs x 8 x 2

Underhand Cable Extensions: 100lbs x failure x 2

Hack Squat Calf Press: 360lbs x 20 x 6

I decided to switch things up a bit and trade out training biceps on back day for triceps. Of course I’ll be training biceps on chest days now for awhile as well. What was my reasoning? I really don’t have one other than I’d rather hit my arms a bit harder twice per week as opposed to only once. Training them with a complimentary muscle group has certainly helped bring them up, but I felt the gains were slowing a bit.