Progressive Overload

In order to make substantial gains in your program it is important to constantly progress. The progressive overload principle is simply, increasing the intensity of an exercise over a period of time. If you continue to perform the same exercise with the same amount of weight and reps, chances are you will no longer stimulate the muscle. In order to develop muscle tissue you must invoke enough stimulation to the muscle cells to be overloaded. The overloading forces a breakdown of the cellular machinery. During proper recovery and repair the cells are re-established and re-synthesized. The end result is more cells are ready for the next exercise session. In order to keep this cycle of regrowth to occur it is important to produce the correct amount of overload each workout. There are different ways to increase the overload.

1. increase the weight. This is obvious. By increasing the amount of weight you instantly increase the intensity and workload of the muscle. However, this progressive overload technique can only go so far. You will find that you won't always be able to increase the weight for a given exercise. Eventually you will hit a plateau and won't be able to add anymore weight.

2. Increase or decrease the rep count. By changing the number of reps you change the intensity. Performing higher reps will produce a greater cardiovascular effect on the muscle metabolism. This will challenge the muscle differently than performing lower reps. There is a bit more oxygen demand when performing higher reps. Performing fewer reps uses less oxygen and can allow the muscle to work at a higher weight load. If you have been training using the low rep system, you can drop the weight and perform higher reps for awhile. This will stimulate new growth and stimulation. If you have performing higher reps, drop the rep count and add more weight to the bar.

3. Shorten your rest period. This progressive overload technique is a good one to do if you are looking to get a little more out of your workout, of which you haven't hit a plateau with yet. The goal here is to try and complete your workout faster each time by taking few rests. Take just enough breaths to get your heart rate down, then get right back to the action. You will be amazed at the pump you get from imploying this technique. It also helps you stay more focused during your workout.

4. Change the speed of the reps. If you are lifting at a place that doesn't have many weights and you can't increase weight, try changing the speed of the exercise. You can get an incredible pump by going slow. You can also go fast, with good form of course, through a rep cycle. Sprinters develop huge muscles from fast explosive movements. Muscle can be developed in this manner using weights as well. Go fast like a sprinter when you do squats and you will get a great pump. This is a bit more advanced and is not recommended for upstarts. Also, you want to avoid locking the knees. Avoid compressive forces on the knees. You can vary the speed of the reps per different sets of the methodic. You want to constantly invoke change to the muscles.

So there you have a few progressive overload techniques to use. The key is to always strive to progress through the exercise program that you are currently on. Each week should be more intense than the previous week. You should never have the exact same workout system each week. Push yourself into new heights by progressive overload. Remember, the workout shouldn't be easy. If it feels good than you are not working out hard enough. You mine as well go back to bed. I gotta have more!!!!

Now get out there and train with some intensity!

tags: progressive overload, intensity,diet EARTH, Daryl Conant, Ron Kosloff, Vince Gironda

Rope Warm Up

Here is a great way to warm up the upper body before working out with weights. I use the rope to develop dynamic flexibility, increase heart rate and warm-up the joints of the body. I will perform 3-4 sets of 1-2 minutes of duration. I will vary the exercises to activate different muscle groups. The rope is a great way to quickly warm up before training.






Tags: Rope training, warm-ups

Understanding Omega-3 Fats

What is so great about Omega-3 fats? They are essential, meaning that they cannot be manufactured in the body, and they are necessary to avoid disease. There are a number of benefits from consuming Omega-3 fats: they help the development of hair and nails, regulate hormone compounds known as eicosanoids, help with cellular communication and their boosting effect to the cardiovascular system. They help reduce low density lipoproteins in the blood, while at the same time help increase the output of high density lipoproteins. The body tends to use up Omega-3 fats more effectively than other fats and won't store them as easily as other fats. This is due in part to the essential properties of the Omega-3 fats used for cellular functions. The body will continue to use Omega-3 fats as long the need is necessary, therefore, storing is reduced until the need is not as high. Omega-3 fats are known as a lipotropic compound. They direct fatty acids away from fat storage areas and towards oxidative metabolism of the muscle cell. This process helps burn fat from the body. This is why eating good fats is important in fat loss. The fat burning properties of Omega-3 fats is in a class called uncoupling proteins. Uncoupling proteins work in conjunction with thermogenesis to help remove fat from the body.

Good sources of Omega-3 fats can be found in: flax oil, walnuts, salmon, mackeral, trout, Omega-3 enriched eggs,
The problem is that most people don't consume enough of these foods to get the benefits. Instead most people consume too much OMega-6 fats. Omega-6 fats compete against Omega-3 fats for desaturation depleting the pro-inflammatory eicosanoids. This reduction in pro-inflammatory eicosanoids can result in health problems.

I recommend that you take a good fish oil supplement if you are not consuming enough of the foods mentioned above. Most health food stores carry a good supply of fish oils. They come in tablet form and are easy to take one at mealtime. You should consume 2 grams per every 50 pounds of bodyweight. You can take half of the dosage for breakfast and then the other half with dinner. If you are not certain of the actual amount to take and have questions concerning your need and health. I would recommend that you consult a professional who knows about nutrition.

Tags: omega-3 fats, omega-6 fats, nutrition, diet EARTH, Daryl Conant, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Salmon,

CHECK OUT MY WEBSITE: WWW.DARYLCONANT.COM

Why Can't The Media

Why can't the media report more stories about events like this rather than all the negative stuff they report.

What Is Cellulite?

Have you ever wondered what the heck cellulite is? It is often seen on the legs, butt, and arms. Cellulite is dimple-like formations that appear in certain areas of the body. Mostly areas that collect large amounts of fat. The origin of cellulite is caused by the "gaps" in the superficial fascia tissue. This tissue becomes discontinuous forming gaps. Fat protrudes through the gaps causing the fat to congeal. Excess fat collected in the butt, thighs, and under arms can store large quantities of fat, therefore, producing lumpy cellulite material.

CREAMS AND MAGIC POTIONS
Rubbing creams and taking magic potion or concoctions will not rid the body of cellulite. The creams are a bunch of hype and false claims.

MOTHER ISSUES
This was a great one. I heard someone tell me one time that the reason they have cellulite is because they have unresolved issues with their mother. If they resolved the emotional issues with their mother then the cellulite would be gone. Come on folks! We have to be smarter than this. This is absolutely ridiculous and someone is making a profit off of selling voodoo claims. Cellulite is not a psychological condition.

HEREDITARY
Cellulite is a predisposed hereditary condition. If your parents have cellulite chances are you will have it.

HOW TO LOSE CELLULITE
The best way to rid those lumpy cottage cheese areas is to exercise. The best exercise is resistance training, cardiovascular exercise just doesn't work. You must perform resistance training. Resistance training builds muscle tissue and can metabolize off more fat from the body than cardiovascular training. For women performing barbell squats, using 85% maximum weight resistance, will greatly improve the definition of the legs. Lunges will also help. Most women who have tons of cellulite as they age usually don't perform the correct amount of resistance training and the muscle atrophies (gets smaller). When the muscle atrophies the thermogenic effect is reduced. Fat then collects around the cold areas and increases. This will ultimately increase the cellulite.

NUTRITION
Eating healthy and avoiding junk foods, refined sugar, hydrogenated fats, alcohol can help reduce the production of cellulite.
Junk foods make the metabolism sluggish and reduces fat burning production. Alcohol slows down metabolism and allows fat to store. Also, alcohol produces free radicals that can get stored in the cellulite.

SWIMMING IN POOLS
Trying to rid the body of cellulite by swimming in a pool or performing aqua aerobic is pointless. The muscle will not produce enough stimulation to create new cells to grow. Pools are non-weight bearing and are useless for losing adequate amounts of fat. I have never seen a women in an aqua fitness class, ripped and muscular. They are mostly overweight and have tons of cellulite. Get out of the pool and do good old fashioned resistance exercise on land. No matter how fancy technology gets or how sophisticated the pools are, nothing beats basic weight training techniques (barbells, and dumbells) for losing fat and cellulite.


So if you are interested in losing the cellulite that has collected in your butt you must perform the right exercises to do so. If you are interested in more exercises that can help the troubled areas please email me at www.dconant2004@yahoo.com


A Tidbit.
Did you know that overweight people who run long distances to lose weight actually increase the aging of their skin. This is true. Gravity pulls down on the skin when the person is running, the added weight from the fat causes the elastin of the skin to stretch beyond normal. This is irreversible. The skin of the body actually begins to look older in long distance runners. Take a look at the skin of those that run a lot. They look older. I prefer fast walking if you are overweight to avoid the gravitational pull of the skin.

Also,
Did you know that taking steam baths on a regular basis can be damaging to your skin. Excessive heat can damage the elastin of the skin causing it to breakdown. This will cause a sagging of the skin. Though there are some benefits of a sauna, too much exposure can be damaging to the skin.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DIET AND EXERCISE PLEASE GO TO
WWW.DARYLCONANT.COM and check out my book "diet EARTH"



tags: nutrition, cellulite, steam rooms, patriots, brett favre, health, bodybuilding, Vince Gironda, Daryl Conant, Ron Kosloff, diet EARTH, Buff Daddy

How Blood Sugar Is Controlled

Glucose is an important energy source of the body. Blood sugar is vital to life. The correct balance is important. The pancreas secretes hormones to help regulate sugar metabolism. Glucose is a simple sugar that is vital for brain function and other bodily systems. Glucose is stored in the body in the form of glycogen. Glycogen is long chained sugar molecules that are stored in muscles and the liver, and travel in the bloodstream.

The pancreas is about 20-25 cm in length. It lies posteriorly at the lower part of the stomach, connected to the duodenum. It produces enzymes that flow along a duct into the duodenum and assist in the digestion of food. It's function is to produce hormones that help regulate blood sugar levels: insulin and glucogon. These endrocrine cells known as islets, are clustered in groups throughout the pancreas. Unlike most pancreatic products the hormones do not enter the duct leading to the duodenum; instead, they are delivered directly into the bloodstream.

Insulin
There are different types of pancreatic cells that produce different hormones. The beta cells of the pancreas produce insulin. There is a low level of hormone is secreted during the day. However it blood sugar levels rise, the cells of the pancreas are activated to produce insulin. Insulin opens up the cells of the body to divert the sugar into them. If the liver and muscle glycogen stores are full then the excess blood sugar will then go into fat cells.

Glucogon
The alpha cells of the pancreas produce glucogon. When blood sugar becomes too low glucogon is released. The hormone causes glycogen, particularly in the liver, to be converted into glucose and released into the blood. It also induces the liver, muscle and other body cells to make glucose from other chemicals in the body.

Sugar is vital for life, however, consuming too much is dangerous for the body. The pancreas is small for a reason. If the human being was supposed to consume large quantities of sugar then the pancreas would be much bigger. There is a certain amount of secretions that the pancreas can perform before it no longer can produce insulin. It takes years for this effect to occur but it does happen. This is a disease known as diabetes. Type II diabetes is adult onset. Which means that it can be provoked by excessive sugar consumption. Type II diabetes can be controlled and reduced significantly through the proper nutrition and exercise. It is a shame that so many people who develop Type II diabetes could have avoided it altogether if they lived a healthier life. In rare cases will a person who eats right and exercises develop Type II diabetes. This would be related to a hereditary factor that was predisposed. But the majority of cases are due from negligence of abusing their body.

It seems that most people are only concerned with cutting out fat from their diet. Believing that if they cut out fat then they won't get fat. This is a ridiculous idea. Consuming refined sugar in abnormal quantities is what is causing many of the health problems of Americans today. The pancreas isn't designed to handle so much sugar. The average intake of sugar per day by an American ranging from 2-6 cups. The actual sugar requirement for the human body on a daily basis is about 75-90 grams. Much less than the average intake. Eating low glycemic foods is the best. Eating fast acting simple sugars will only cause an insulin reaction that could cause excessive fat gain. Whenever there is an excess of sugar in the bloodstream, insulin releases to push the extra sugar into muscle, liver or fat cells. People who are de-conditioned and have inactive muscle tissue usually end up storing extra sugar in fat cells. This is the problem. Understanding how sugar is metabolized is important to keeping your body in balance. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT How to eat sugar, when to eat sugar, and what types of foods to eat that contains sugar I suggest you purchase my book "diet EARTH". In this book I discuss the facts about sugar metabolism.

WWW.DARYLCONANT.COM

tags: sugar, vince gironda, daryl conant, ron kosloff, yankees, rays, phillies, Tom Brady, nutrition, bodybuilding, muscle, strength and conditioning.

Are You Overtraining?

If you are a exercise participant chances are you have experienced overtraining. Overtraining can be disastrous in making progress. It is important to identify to if you are overtraining. There are two types of overtraining: 1. monotonous program overtraining; 2. Chronic overwork type overtraining.

Monotonous program overtraining is simply the process of the same old program performed over and over without varying or changing of the exercises or intensity. Loss of interest, enthusiasm, and performance.

Chronic overwork type overtraining is when the duration of the exercise program goes too long resulting in hormone depletion and poor neural support. The muscles breakdown beyond normal recovery. Exercise is stress to the body. Proper amounts of stress is appropriate. Too much stress exhausts the organs, muscles, brain, vital nutrient exchange system.

The following are symptoms that are associated with overtraining.

Psychological: Poor motivation, anxiety, depression, irritability, lack of self confidence, chronic fatigue, poor concentration, anger, easily frustrated, on-edge. Brain wave activity changes making it difficult to achieve level four stage sleep. The result is insomnia. Loss of appetite is also a sign of overtraining.

Body Composition Changes: Rapid undesirable weight loss. Muscle atrophy. Poor protein synthesis. Catabolism occurs. Negative nitrogen balance is shown in overtraining. A negative nitrogen balance can produce a loss in lean body mass including both structural and enzymatic proteins, antibodies and other necessary proteins. This increases the development of free radicals to enter into the bloodstream. Increase production of free radicals can influence the onset of illness and disease or injury. High intense training requires the need to increase branch chained amino acid concentrations. The muscle is depleted of the branched chain amino acids. BCAA's donate nitrogen to pyruvate. Pyruvate can be formed from glucose or from other amino acids. Pyruvate and BCAA's can be combined: Pyruvate+BCAA-Alanine + Alpha-Ketoacid. Alanine is a nontoxic carrier, that transports amino groups to the liver as part of teh gluconeogenic process. The liver and muscle can catabolize large amounts of amino acids.

Biochemical and Nutritional Changes: The vital nutrient exchange system is compromised in overtraining situations. Vitamin and minerals are depleted from the bloodstream. Vitamins are co-enzymes and minerals are co-factors. They both work in the body as vital components for cell function. When these are deprived in the blood, physical performance is dramatically influenced. I recommend that everyone take a good multi-vit and mineral complex daily.

Dietary Carbohydrates: Low glycemic carbohydrates are essential for muscle metabolism. Glycogen (sugar) is stored in reserves in muscle and liver tissue. During intense exercise muscle and liver glycogen is depleted. Failure to restore glycogen into the muscle and liver will reduce physical performance. Low levels of sugar will influence the early development of lactic acid in the muscle, shutting down the muscle faster than normal. Stored sugar in the muscle can help to provide short term energy and to help the efficiency of muscle metabolism. Lack of sugar changes muscle metabolism making contraction sluggish and weak.

Lactate: Lactic acid is a end product of anaerobic glycolysis. Lactate is a salt that is derived from the buffering action of muscle metabolism. After intense exercise lactate is binds with oxygen in the muscle and liver to form glycogen. If there is less lactate in the muscle then serum lactate concentrations can drop. Low serum lactate levels indicates an overtraining situation. The muscle and liver glycogen levels will be less.

Cardiovascular System: The heart's electrical sequence can be disrupted. Abnormal, sporadic EKG reading can be shown to indicate over stress to the heart. Increased heart rate at rest is common, as well as increased blood pressure as a result of overtraining.

Digestive System: Poor digestion and nutrient exchange is common as a result of overtraining. If the nutrients are not delivered to the vital nutrient exchange system then the body goes into a deprivation mode. During deprivation mode the body tries to conserve energy and cellular reactions as a defense mechanism to protect the body from catabolism Most folks who overtrain are also malnourished.

Constant Aches and Pains: Abnormal stiffness, muscle soreness, injuries, headaches, over all weakness can be related to overtraining.

The bottom line is to avoid overtraining at all costs. It is better to do less work when you are not feeling 100%, rather than trying to fight through the workout because you were taught that you have to fight through every rep, even though you are weak and ill. When I feel that I am overtraining, I will cut down my routine to 1/2 to get just enough stimulation. I avoid going 100% all the time. I have been training for so long that i know how to train to avoid overtraining. I don't let my ego get in the way of listening to my own body and rhythms. If you are suffering from severe overtraining, I suggest you take off a couple weeks of training to allow the bodies immune system, endrocrine, muscular system, digestive system, to get back to normal.

tags: overtraining, diet EARTH, Vince Gironda, Daryl Conant, Ron Kosloff, nutrition, health, strength and conditioning

The Synapse: The Power of Contraction

In order to get more stimulation and growth out of a muscle it is important to establish more capallaries. Increasing the number of capallaries within a muscle will ultimately provide more energy and improved synaptic transmission. Through exercise it is possible to increase new capillaries with a muscle. A neuron cannot activate more than the total number of muscle fibers it innervates. In some cases the the stimulation is not strong enough to activate all of the muscle fibers. However, if the stimulation is powerful enough and constant, the neurons are capable of shooting a domino effect stimulation.

Here's how it works.

When the nerve is activated the impulse travels from the brain to the central nervous system and out to the nerve cells attached to the muscles. Think of this like a long fuse attached to a stick of dynomite. When the fuse is lit it travels down to the TNT. Then there is an explosion! This is much like a snyapse, when the nerve impulse travels down the line it ends up igniting a powerful reaction to the muscle fibers. In electrical terms this is known as arcing. How neurons are activated is by their axons and dendrites. The electrical charge from one nerve ends up at the axon and transfers to adjancent axons that are close in proximity. The impulse goes from the axon to the dentrites of another neuron. The greater the synaspe the more arcing is established. Think of it like this. Have you ever been to a fair and you took a huge hammer and hit the lever to make the ball go up onto a pole. The higher the ball went the more points you would get. If you swing the hammer down on the lever without much force then impulse (ball) would only go a few feet up on the pole. The harder you hit it, the higher the ball would travel. This is how activation of muscle tissue occurs. If the impulse (synaspe) is weak then the activation of its muscle fiber innervation is weak. If the impulse is strong, from lifting more intensely, then the innervation of muscle fibers is great. By gaining control of your neuro-muscular system and controlling the rep and intensity cycles you will make gains faster.

In order to gain control of the synapse you must be able to contract the muscle. If you cannot flex a particular muscle chances are you will not be able to develop that area. Flex your arm, most people can make a bicep muscle tight. Now contract the right lower part of your latissimus dorsi (back). Can you make it hard? or does it remain soft? If you can contract it you can build it. The synapse to the area is weak if the area is soft during contraction. You must think of this every time you train. Every time you lift weights and make a contraction you have to think of the synapse and make it as intense as possible. If you are in a full contraction and the muscle is soft then you are not getting enough stimulation, therefore, you are not getting anything out of the exercise. In order to build the muscle you must establish a powerful contraction. This powerful contraction is stimulated by an electrical charge derived by the brain to deliver a huge synaptic signal to the muscle. If the transmission is weak then the contraction will be weak. This is why lifting too light of weight will not produce anything. You are working way below threshold. You must increase the intensity to activate greater stimulation. Every time you train, every rep, think of the muscle as a stick of dynomite and you are trying to blow up the area with an intense surge of electricity. This is how I train. I think of every rep as my last and work the hell out of the muscle. I leave nothing left behind. I get as much stimulation as I possibly can.

Try this. Next time you do a bicep curl have someone touch your bicep when you are in peak contraction. Is it soft? If so you have lost the synapse and are not getting anything out of the exercise. But if it is hard then you are getting it done, and are blasting new growth patterns.

Remember, we want to create new growth patterns to develop more muscle tissue. Powerful synaptic impulses are crucial for increasing the neurons. The more muscle fibers that are innervated, the more capallaries that are present. The more capallaries the more nutrients can be delivered to feed the newly acquired muscle. My mouth waters just thinking about how I am going to attack today's workout. I am ready to make my chest explode with delight. I love creating as much stimulation as possible.

tags: building muscle, synapse, nutrition, diet earth, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Daryl Conant, Patriots, Jets, DOlphins, Colts, strength and conditioning.

Slow And Grow

We are taught that you have to increase the amount of weight in order to stimulate the muscle to grow. Guys continue to increase the weight on the bar believing that if they lift heavy then they will get bigger muscles. This is not entirely true. If you have been training for a while you know that after a while you cannot add more weight to the bar. It just isn't possible. Even the steroid users eventually hit a peak on their lifts. So what does this mean? It means that adding weight to the bar to the point where you no longer can progress doesn't equate to increase muscle size. When I was new at training I followed the "I gotta lift a lot of weight to get bigger" approach. Over a period of a month I noticed I increased my weights with ease. But by the fourth week I could no longer increase my weights. I hit a plateau. I no longer could get a pump. My muscles felt softer and I was not vascular. This prompted me to investigate my program a little deeper. I decided to change up my program. Once I changed my program I started seeing gains again. It was instant. I realized that the my hormones concentrations were higher at the beginning of month than at the end of the month.

After changing the program every three weeks for a few months I hit another plateau. I didn't understand what was wrong, I was doing great and then I stopped making gains again. This prompted to figure out a new way to stimulate my muscles to grow. Then it came to me, like a 2x4 hitting me in the for head. I had to change the intensities of the exercise. It wasn't about just trying to increase the weights. Each time I lifted I increased the weights. When I lifted the heavier weights I use speed and momentum. My form was sloppier. This was one of the reasons why I lost my gains. I decided to change up things by selecting a weight that I could use for all four sets of the exercise. But this time I controlled the speed of the lift. This was amazing!!!

I was lifting a lot less than I was lifting before, but the pump was absolutely incredible. I dramatically slowed down the speed of the lift. The first set was easy, the second set was more challenging with a struggle occurring by the 12th rep, the 3rd set was really hard and my chest felt like it was going to explode. By the 4th set I could barely get through 8 reps. My chest was so pumped up that I added an inch to my measurements within one week of training. It was awesome! I figured out that by going slower the intensity was actually more than when I lifted heavier weight. Now I go slow with all my exercises and I continue to stimulate the muscles every time. I wanted to test this further so I asked a power lifter to load the bar with his normal heavy weight and rather than lifting fast, to go slow. He couldn't even lift one rep with his heavy weight going slow. THe only way he could lift the heavy weight was to use momentum, and fast speed. Slowing down was much harder. This is basic physics. The power lifter was power-less. I showed my new way and he was shaking like a leaf by the last set. He was totally pumped up though. I think I made him a believer that day. So I say go slow and grow. Give it a try next time you lift. Choose 85% max weight and go slow. Don't even think about speeding up when the pain comes on. You must take the pain and complete your goal. Your brain will want you to speed up because it is trying to help the muscle out by reducing the pain. You must overcome this and persevere.

tags: pain, strength training, nutrition, bodybuilding, diet EARTH, daryl conant, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, health

Classic Physiques A Thing of The Past

Before the age of drugs there was a time when men had "real" muscular physiques with symmetry and definition. The classic physiques of yesteryear are only a distant image etched into those that still cling on to true natural bodybuilding techniques. Today you don't hear guys talking about true natural bodybuilding techniques. There seems to be a shift in the thinking of how to train. Gyms all across America are selling more functional training programs than bodybuilding. Kettle bells, bands, power lifting techniques, cross training, boot camp style classes, seem to be the be craze these days. It is hard to find a gym that just tailors to pure natural bodybuilders. Of the bodybuilding gyms that are still around many of them are loaded with drug addicts and drug pushers. It is a shame that the natural physique idea has gone extinct.

Pure natural bodybuilding is what prompted me to get into bodybuilding 30 years ago. I was naive to think that all competitors were natural and that everyone wanted to live the natural organic lifestyle. I was disillusioned by the truth as I learned more about the drug culture. Regardless of the drugs I continued to pursue a career in natural bodybuilding methods. Over the years I have seen just about every fad and gimmick used to exercise and build bodies. No matter how fancy the equipment gets or how many new techniques are developed I will always stick with the natural bodybuilding techniques.

Look at the classic physiques of the past and you will see what I mean. Guys, today just don't look like that anymore. For guys today it is all about multi-plane, multi-dimensional movement patterns. That type of philosophy is great for an athlete who has to train specifically for their sport. But unless you are making a millions and playing for a professional team these types of programs will not develop a classic looking physique like bodybuilding techniques can.


THE CHANGING OF THE TIMES
I believe that the a healthy balanced body needs to have good symmetry and aesthetics. Many of the programs that are written by today's elitist strength coaches are for developing power, speed, and strength-- not for developing good symmetry. I went to a seminar once. A guy named Mike Boyle was the main presenter. My first impression of him was I saw a skinny middle aged looking guy eating a dunkin donut. I was not impressed by his stature. His physique was not significant. His seminar was all about slamming bodybuilding ideology. I instantly felt like the "elephant in the room". Because here I was a bodybuilder in a room of overzealot disciples of Mike Boyle who believed only in his philosophy. Any other philosophy was not allowed, unless you wanted to get ridiculed to the umph degree. Through his influence and vast knowledge about rehabilitation he has become the biggest name in strength and conditioning. It seems that the focus on building the body is more about performing multi-plane, multi-dimensional exercises using a variety of tools and gimmicks. Bodybuilding techniques are never found in these newly written protocols. Squats, deadlifts and bench press are the closest you get to any resemblance of bodybuilding techniques. Everything else is non-bodybuilder related. Many of these elite experts of the strength and conditioning world look like an average dude. They might be able to squat a house but they have no significant physique to speak of, because that is not their concern. I remember speaking to one of the students of Boyle's after the seminar, I asked him if he could tell me a good program for bodybuilding. He said "bodybuilding is a waste of time, you can't get strong, be fast or jump higher from bodybuilding techniques. In fact, bodybuilding techniques will make you weaker and imbalanced. You will get injured easier using bodybuilding techniques. I looked at the guy with a confused look. I asked him, "so if bodybuilding is the wrong way to train, then why have I never had an injury or musculoskeletal dysfunction from bodybuilding? According to your philosophy I should be injured and weak. In fact, I have improved my strength, endurance and flexibility from bodybuilding." He looked at me and said, "bodybuilding is a waste of time." So essentially he had no answer for me.

I have embraced true natural bodybuilding as a way of life. I love it! I will continue to train according to the ways of the great bodybuilders of the past, because that is how I want to look. They have inspired me to continue to train according to the natural laws of life. I have reaped great benefits from bodybuilding and wouldn't give up my weights for anything. The look of a natural classic physique can't be beat. Those pictures above are images that are unforgettable. They are extra ordinary men that paved the way for bodybuilding. That is how the human body should look like. A far cry from what men look like today...

tags: classic physique, bodybuilding, nutrition, diet EARTH, daryl conant, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is the medical name for a condition of extreme and persistent fatigue. To have a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a patient must meet the following two criteria:
1) have severe chronic fatigue for 6 months or longer with other known medical conditions excluded by clinical diagnosis, and
2) at the same time, have four or more of the following symptoms: substantial impairment in short-term memory or concentration; sore throat; tender lymph nodes; muscle pain; multijoint pain without swelling or redness; headaches of a new type, pattern, or severity; unrefreshing sleep; and discomfort after physical activity that lasts more than 24 hours. The symptoms must have persisted or recurred during 6 or more consecutive months and must not have predated the fatigue. When there is no apparent explanation or cause of fatigue, such as a disease, a diagnosis of CFS is given.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is not entirely understood. What is known is that it is a condition that can be reduced by following a stress reduction and nutrition program. The development of CFS increases when the person's immune system decreases. Usually a person who begins over working the systems of the body goes from an acute state of fatigue to a chronic state. The chronic state is when the body systems can no longer function appropriately. Their production becomes poor. The blood becomes less oxygenated and nutrient uptake decreases. The cellular machinery suffers. Cells slowly regenerate and recycle causing overall fatigue of the body. Vitamin deficiencies can play a role in CFS. In order to have healthy cells, each cell must have the right amount of energy. Cellular energy is derived from ATP (adenonsine triphosphate). In order to synthesis ATP in the cell a five carbon atom carbohydrate -D-Ribose is needed. When D-Ribose levels are low this could result in lower production of ATP. ATP is the high energy compound necessary for all cellular life. The more ATP that is produced the greater energy production the body has. If ATP production is poor then fatigue is eminent.

Another factor that could affect CFS, is low levels of Coenzyme Q10. CoQ10 is a fat soluble compound found in every cell in the body. Co10 levels naturally decrease with age. This could be the reason for why older folks get tired so easily. Supplementing with COq10 has been found to improve the symptoms of CFS in people that had it.

DHEA is an adrenal hormone that is the precursor for the steroids estrogen and testosterone. DHEA levels naturally decrease as we age. There is a link between low levels of DHEA and the production of anabolic hormones. When DHEA levels are low the body goes into more of a catabolic state. The catabolic state is when the cells break down without be recycled. This can, over time, produce a fatigued state. Eating red meat can help boost the natural production of DHEA and help reduce the catabolic effects of aging and CFS.

Fats; Lipoic acid and Omega 3 oils (fish oil) are essential fats that can drastically help reduce CFS effects. Cells of the body require essential fats to function properly. When a person goes through stress the oxidative properties of the cell increase. This increase results in the production of free radicals in the bloodstream. Lipoic acid is an antioxidant, in that it fights against the free radicals in the blood, restoring the synthesis of glutathione, which plays a big role in energy production.

Lastly, magnesium is a mineral that is necessary for proper bone growth and production of proteins and fatty acids. Magnesium also plays a role in ATP production. Eating foods rich in magnesium can help keep levels high in the blood, helping in the manufacturing of ATP in the cells.

Overall, CFS in my opinion is nothing more than a nutritional deficiency. Eating a diet that is rich in essential fatty acids, coQ10, DHEA, D-Ribose, Adenosine, Creatine Phosphate, Omega 3 and Lipoic Acid can dramatically reduce CFS.

It is important to note that if you are over the age of 35 and are not eating a healthy diet rich in nutrients, you are at a high risk of developing a weakened immune system. Females that are approaching menopause who are not eating right can develop many problems, CFS is a common among pre-menopausal women. Eating and exercising correctly can help reduce CFS.

tags: chronic fatique syndrome, nutrition, exercise, bodybuilding, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, daryl Conant, diet EARTH, InVINCEable

The Kidney's Play a Major Role in Blood Pressure

Blood pressure must remain stable in order for all the systems of the body to work efficiently. If any system is compromised, disease or death is eminent.

The kidneys are bean-shaped organs that a located on both sides of the pelvis. They have 2 major roles: 1. Salt and water homeostasis (regulation). , 2. Eliminating waste products, excess salt, minerals, urea that. These wastes are removed by urine.


FILTERING SYSTEM
Each kidney contains a complex filtering system. Inside the filtering system lie microscopic units called Neuphrons. Neuphrons are the key component of the kidneys. Glucose are filtered and re-entered back into the blood stream, where as the more harmful components are excreted in the urine.

BLOOD PRESSURE
The kidney's work with the heart to regulate blood pressure. Blood pressure is defined as the pressure of blood against walls of the main arteries and is an indication of the efficiency of a person's circulation.

Regulation
Blood pressure must be regulated in order to provide an adequate supply of blood and oxygen to the organs.
Low blood pressure (hypotension) indicates that there could be an insufficient amount of blood being pumped throughout the body. This can result in vital organs being depreived of oxygen rich blood and could result in shock, stroke, heart attack, death.

High blood pressure (hypertension) indicates that the heart is working too hard to pump blood throughout the body. Chronic high blood pressure can force too much pressure on the arterial walls which will ultimately cause scaring and attract cholesterol to help repair the damage. Eventually, the artery can occlude and shut down, forcing the heart to either work harder or to shut down (myocardial infarction).

BLOOD VOLUME
The kidneys help to maintain homoestasis (balance among the body systems) in the circulation by regulating blood volume. Although the volume of blood varies with age and gender, the kidneys usually maintain total circulating volume at around five liters. Any significant alteration in this level will affect blood pressure.An increase in blood volume equals an increase in blood pressure. Increased salt intake can lead to water retention, which can lead to more blood volume increasing blood pressure. This is why eating too much sodium is dangerous for the body. On the other hand being dehydrated or losing blood from an open wound causes a drop in blood volume resulting in lower blood pressure.

FEEDBACK SYSTEM
The kidneys act as an alarm system for the blood system. It alerts the brain to re-adjust the blood when there are too many toxins or wastes products floating around. When blood volume increases the kidneys will filter out the wastes and send it off to be eliminated out of the body. The heart will regulate the blood pressure to help the kidney's. When blood volume increases the kidneys remove more water from the blood, reducing the blood volume and restoring normal blood pressure. When blood volume decreases, the kidneys absorb less water, thus restoring blood pressure.

POOR NUTRITION
Kidneys stone are mineral deposits that collect in the kidneys. Though kidney stone development is not entirely related to diet, eating junk food can definitely contribute to them. The kidneys are filters for wastes products in the bloodstream. If a person constantly consumes high salty foods, sodas, nitrates, refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, heavy preservatives, chemicals, cement, antibiotics, alcohols, then they are at high risk of developing kidney stones. Kidney stones form into a hard material that builds up in the kidneys. This material is extremely difficult to pass through the urinary tract. Severe pain and discomfort is the result of a passing kidney stone through the urinary tract. In severe cases surgery is performed to remove the stones.

In order to safe guard yourself against the onset of kidney stones it is advised to drink plenty of water throughout the day and to eat organic natural foods that are not contaminated with chemicals and poisons. The cleaner the food the less the liver and kidneys have to worry about removing all the toxins. The kidneys are designed to last the full lifespan of a human, around 80-100 years. Unfortunately, many people are destroying their kidneys well before later years. This is due in fact to poor dietary choices.

KIDNEY CLEANSE
I recommend that if you have been eating a lot of junk food and drinking a lot of alcohol you should perform a kidney cleanse. This detoxifying method will help flush out some of the toxins that are built up in the kidneys. From what I have heard from others who have had kidneys stones, I would rather take the preventative measure to keep the kidneys healthy, rather than go through what those folks did when they passed the stones through their urinary tract. OUCH!!!!

For more information on Kidney cleanses and other cleanses, you can purchase my book "diet EARTH" and I have the whole system and schedule written out. Or you can email me and I will assist you.

GO TO: WWW.darylconant.com

tags: diet earth, daryl conant, vince gironda, ron kosloff, red sox, tiger woods, kidneys, football, patriots,

Proud to Be An American

How The Body Uses Lipids

Lipids are a large group of organic molecules, that contain carbon, and are insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol. Lipids are divided into three groups: triglycerides, phospholipids and steroids.

TRIGLYCERIDES Long Term Energy Stores

Triglycerides are made up of one glycerol molecule (an alcohol) attached to three long chains of fatty acids. The glycerol structure is found in all triglycerides, however the fatty acids chains vary in structure, thus creating a large number of different triglycerides.

Fatty acids produce a lot of energy in cell when metabolized. Being insoluble in water makes them a great energy source. Most of the bodies energy is derived from fatty acids. Making fatty acids an important in overall health and muscle metabolism.

SATURATED FATS And UNSATURATED FATS
Based on the carbons and hydrogens. The more hydrogen that attaches to a carbon produces a saturated fat. The less hydrogen attached to a carbon allowing more water to be present produces unsaturated fats. Fat that is solid at room temperature are saturated fats. Liquid fats are unsaturated. Unsaturated fats have two divisions: mono and polyunsaturated fats. Both saturated and unsaturated fats are necessary for proper physiological functioning of the body systems.

PHOSPHOLIPIDS building blocks of cell membranes
Phospholipids resemble triglycerides, due to the similar glycerol structure they both have in common. But the phospholipid only has two fatty acid chains, unlike the three in triglycerides (hence the name TRI-Glyceride), they have a phosphorous head attached. The tail contains no electrical charge and is made up of two fatty acid chains. By the tail not being electrically charged a phospholipid it is insoluble,however the head is electrically charged and is soluble in water. It is the property that makes phospholipids ideal building blocks for the cell membrane.

There are two layers to a cell membrane that are made up of phospholipid molecules: the "water-hating" (hydrophobic)tails point towards each other, whereas the "water loving" (hydrophilic) heads point toward the water which is present inside and outside the cell.

STEROIDS
Steroids are fat soluble, which puts them into the lipid category. Cholesterol is a known steroid that helps build tissue in the body. Without proper cholesterol levels in the blood system the body systems become compromised. The brain needs healthy amounts of cholesterol on a daily basis to function properly. Cholesterol is feared in America as being a bad thing. But it is essential in the proper health mechanisms of cell.

Fats are also major players in the production of Fat-Soluble Vitamins, Eicosanoids, Liproteins.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins.
A,D,E,K can only be absorbed after they have bound to ingested lipids, therefore must be derived from dietary fat sources.

Eicosanoids
These include prostoglandins, and leukotrieries, which are both involved in the inflammation, and thromboxanes, which cause blood vessels to constrict.

Lipoproteins
These help transport fatty acids and cholesterol in the bloodstream. The two most common are High Density Lipoproteins and Low Density Lipoproteins.


You can learn more about fats in my book: diet EARTH . WHich can be purchased on my site www.darylconant.com
THanks for visiting.

Tags: fat, low density lipoproteins, high density lipoproteins, strength, Vince Gironda, muscle, nutrition, diet EARTH

Acoustic Sunday

The Wrong Way

Herein lies the problem with most conventional weight-loss programs. They are faulty in design for the very reasons just explained. Conventional diets lower the caloric intake below the basal metabolic rate to create a negative energy balance. This method will incur weight-loss, but it will be a result of muscle or lean mass loss (protein).

It's important to realize that when the calories drop below the minimal amount of energy required (BMR) to feed the nervous system, the body perceives starvation. When this occurs, not only does the body burn muscle to fuel its energy requirements, but while doing so, it is actually slowing down its metabolism. By ridding itself of muscle, the body is essentially ridding itself of metabolism.

This is where the fat storage occurs during dieting. While shedding muscle under this perceived state of starvation, the body will store whatever it Can as body-fat to protect itself. It also will respond to the threat of starvation by increasing the fat-depositing enzymes which will in turn store more fat.

The long term effects of dieting (especially without physical activity) will produce a negative effect on body-composition. A person who lowers calories below his or her BMR and loses muscle mass through dieting, will lower his or her metabolism. (Remember metabolism is directly proportional to the amount of lean muscle mass).

tags: body composition, weight loss, fat loss , strength and conditioning, nutrition, diet EARTH, Vince Gironda, Daryl Conant, Ron Koslofff

Classic Pearl Jam: Great Band

D's Specialized Arm Routine

Hello folks! Here is one of my best arm routines. This routine is designed to get those guns looking good.

Whenever you are specializing on a particular body part, it is important to work less on the other body parts. Don't try to do this arm routine in conjunction with working the entire body on the same day. This routine should be performed independent of working any other part of the body. Let's get started.

First, you need to set up all the equipment before performing any of the exercises. This will allow you to go from exercise to exercise without interruptions. Set up the following;

Biceps
1. Diametric Bar on Preacher Curl Bench
2. Dumbells at the Front of an incline bench. Set incline to about 60 degrees.
3. Load a Barbell with weight
4. Spider Bench with barbell

Triceps
1. Tricep Strap set half on cable Column of cable crossover machine.
2. Power Pushdown bar set on high cable column of cable crossover machine.
3. Tricep Dips off of Dip Stand
4. Diametric bar set up at the front of a flat bench

Forearms
1. Zottman Curl
2. Barbell Wrist Curl
3. Reverse Body Drag

It is important to work triceps first.

Load up all the stations with about 75% maximum weight, with the exception of the power pushdown. You want the power pushdown to be 100-120% maximum.

Here is the sequence of the exercises to follow. This is to be done in a compound set fashion. Going from one exercise to the next. Perform 8 reps of each exercise. Complete each circuit 4 times.
• Lunging Tricep overhead Extensions
• Power Pushdowns
• Tricep Dips
• Prone Tricep Pullover and Press

Your triceps should feel totally pumped up. This sequence is designed to hit all 3 heads of the triceps.

Next, it is time to work the biceps. Again, never work biceps first-- This is VERY important!

Work in the fashion as biceps, circuit style.
• Low down and Dirty Preacher Diametric Bar Curls. Don't cheat and don't sit down. Standing is preferred. You want to get as much extension and contraction as possible. Don't let your biceps relax at all during the rep. Go deeeeeeep!!!
• Next, sit at the 60% bench grab the DB's and perform alternating curls. Lean to one side as the db comes up to the shoulder. Once you begin to let the dumbell down switch over to the side and begin curling the db up. So as one db goes down the other comes up. NO RESTING! Save that for the grave yard. Complete 16 reps, making it 8 on each arm.
• Then, take the loaded barbell and perform a Body Drag Curl. Keep the bar against your body the entire rep, elbows back. Perform 8 reps.
• Finish off with Spider Bench Curls. Using a straight 4 foot barbell.

Forearms
Once you have completed your final circuit set of the biceps move into the forearm ciircuit. 4 Sets 12 reps.

Forearms
1. Zottman Curl
2. Barbell Wrist Curl
3. Reverse Body Drag


This arm routine is fantastic. You're arms will be incredibly pumped up. Remember, I don't recommend training any other muscle groups on the same day as this arm specialization routine. Too much blood is required. If you divert the blood to other areas of the body you will lose the effect.

You could use this sequence:

Monday & Thursday: Back, Chest, Delts
Tuesday & Friday: Arm Specialization
Wednesday & Saturday: Legs

Tags: Redsox, Yankees, Patriots, nutrition, Dr. Oz, Oprah, Michael Douglas, Tropical Cyclone, Craiglist, Kennebunk Youth Football, Strength and Conditioning, Health,

The Benefits of Sex on Fat Loss

Just about every day I have someone ask me how they can lose the fat that has accumulated around the abdominals. There are many factors to why fat has collected around the abdominals:
1. Poor digestion,
2. Genetics,
3. Stress (sympathetic Nervous System Activation-- cortisol release),
4. Lack of adequate amounts of protein,
5. De-conditioned Muscle,
6. Poor cardiovascular system,
7. Low levels of ATP production,
8. Poor immune system,
9. Lack of essential vitamins and minerals,
10. Diabetes, and other metabolic dysfunction,
11. Lack of sex.

"Hold on, did the Big D just say lack of sex??? to be a reason for accumulated fat around the waist. Holy smokes, the Fitness Nut has gone crazy!!!"

Yes! My fellow bloggett's this is a fact. Activation of the reproductive system is crucial in the maintenance of the abdominal area. Let me explain.

In my book "diet EARTH" I discuss the energy flow of the body. We have vital organs that require a certain amount of energy. This energy flows through the body through the bloodstream. When the organ is flushed with blood it is rich in oxygen and nutrients. The more blood that is pumped to and through these organs and tissues the healthier they are. When we exercise the blood floods to the muscles that we are working. The blood pump helps deliver nutrient rich compounds to the damaged muscle tissue. A by-product of blood rushing to the affected area is an increase in blood vessels and capillary concentrations. The more oxygen that can be delivered and saturated by the muscle the more active the muscle becomes. This is the reason why we exercise. We are trying to develop greater strength, flexibility and endurance to working muscles. When we work the muscles the bones are also affected. The bones regenerate by local migrating osteoblasts that are ready to repair worked bone tissue. The more we use a particular part of the body the healthier it becomes. It also helps with the removal of metabolic wastes and fat storage. When muscles heat up they burn fat. The fat that is closest to the muscle is what is used up.

So now the sex thing. When we were young and horny bastards the reproductive organs and system was set in overdrive. This is natural and a normal process of human existence. If we didn't have this intense desire for sex then human life wouldn't have existed all these thousands of years. I like to call the young years the "reproductive years." The reproductive years are from about 15-35 respectively. 18-28 are the most intense.

The driving force for sexual energy is testosterone, estrogen, progesterone. These three hormones begin to develop in greater concentration during the teenage years and peak out around 28 years old. During the production of these hormones the reproductive system is hyper-sensitive and seems to always be on. This is where the phrase " I am turned on" came from. Essentially, the person's libido is activating a sequence of hormonal events that set off a cascade of events to activate the sexual organs. As we get older this area is not as active due to the diminishing effect of hormonal depletion.

When hormones begin to deplete this is known as catabolic aging. Unfortunately, catabolic aging is something we all must succumb to as we age. So, as we get older our sexual drive drops. Now as a result of lower sexual activity, fat accumulates around the abdominals. For women fat collects below the belly button, like a little pooch. The reason for this fat accumulation is because there is no longer enough heat production coming from the reproductive organs and system, therefore the area becomes cold. The nerves are no longer getting stimulated and the area muscle tissue atrophies. Just like any muscle tissue when the area is not being activated on a regular basis the area gets cold and fat stores. Fat attracts to cold places. So if the muscle is cold it will most likely store fat, rather than burn it.

When people become less sexually active their testosterone, estrogen and progesterone could be to blame. Without high concentrations of these anabolic hormones the muscles will not be activated enough to metabolize off excess fat. In order to boost these hormones it is important to keep all the systems of the body working optimally. To do this means that you must exercise all aspects of the body. The reproductive system is a vital system for human health and immunity. Menopause is a process that women must go through as their reproductive system shuts down. This is natures way. Once a woman goes through menopause their ability to store fat increase drastically. This is due to the loss of reproductive system activity, hormonal depletion, and muscle atrophy. The result of this is fat storage. Men go through a similar situation as menopause but not as drastic. Their reproductive system becomes less active and there is atrophy to the muscles. Fat storage is the result. Also, the risk of prostate cancer in men and ovarian cancer for women increases as a result of reproductive shut down.

In order to keep the reproductive system healthy and to reduce early shut down, it is important to keep the reproductive system active. That means having sex on a regular basis.

There are actual physiological benefits with sexual activity:

• Increases immunity properties. Forget the wine, have sex and boost your immune system through the roof. The activation of sexual chemicals boosts the "happy hormones" of the body and increases immune properties dramatically.

• Smaller, Defined abs: Sex performed correctly can burn a tremendous amount of calories meaning that the reproductive muscles are working and are getting saturated with oxygen and nutrients, which ultimately metabolizes fat around the abdominal area.

• Stress Release: Sex is one of the greatest stress relievers of all.

• Sex is the glue of the relationship. (o.k. you know what I mean, don't be gross people). It helps keep a bond between you and your partner.

• Reduces aging. The less stressed you are the more your systems are relaxed which reduces the aging effects.

• Increased para-sympathetic nervous system tone: During a sexual episode the body activates the SNS. The SNS is used to bring about climax. Once the show is over the parasympathetic nervous system is activated deeper than before. Blood flow to the digestive system and reproductive system is enhanced. More nutrients and oxygen is delivered to these areas.

• Better Sleep. After sex the brainwaves shift into deeper wavelengths, allowing the body to fall asleep allowing for growth factors to release and help repair the body.

• Reduces Blood Pressure: Sex increases systemic blood circulation and increases heart rate during the act. This can produce an aerobic response, if sex activity is sustained for a long time. The stress release from sex allows greater PNS tone, thus reducing high blood pressure.

Sex is a very healthy process for the body. It can help burn fat and improve the immune system. In addition, it can help improve blood pressure and reproductive system health. The fat that accumulates around the waist and abdominal can be partly related to decreased reproductive organ activity. The benefits of having sex out weighs not having sex.

Tags: sex, nutrition, health, bodybuilding, strength and conditioning, power, Tiger Woods, Red Sox, Yankees, Hurricane Earl, Ted Williams, diet EARTH, Vince Gironda, Ron Kosloff, Daryl Conant, InVINCEable.

But Daryl! Doctors say that drinking red wine is good for you

"But Daryl! Doctors say that drinking red wine is good for you." If I hear this one more time in my day I am going to vomit. People will hear of a research study that was done years ago that suggests that red wine is good for you and decide that it is okay to drink wine. Well let me tell you about the study. It was done in England a about a decade ago. A small population of subjects were taken for the study. The subjects drank a SHOT GLASS amount of wine, once per day for a few months. The results were that some of the people showed a reduction in triglycerides in their blood. Also, some showed a reduction in free radicals in the blood stream. After the study showed some positive results the world found out. Now every time someone drinks wine they are convinced that it is healthy because the doctors say it is. But the truth has been overly exaggerated. The benefit is only from a SHOT GLASS amount, not a half a bottle or more per day. The amount is so small that you wouldn't even get a buzz from it. But most people who drink enjoy the benefit of getting relaxed from the alcohol effect and can't just have shot glass full. This is when the alcohol becomes a problem.

I always find it interesting how people constantly find ways to believe that what they are doing makes sense. People will always argue with me about the benefits of drinking wine. When I tell them about that there is more antioxidants in broccoli than the wine they drink, they can't say anything. I say if the wine didn't have alcohol in it, would you still drink it for the antioxidants. Nine out of ten drinkers say that they wouldn't drink the wine if it didn't have alcohol. So much for drinking wine for the antioxidants idea.

Alcohol affects the body in a number of ways. In fact, I don't see any value with alcohol. It seems that there are way more disadvantages to drinking alcohol than there are advantages.

Here are the DISADVANTAGES:

1. Destroys the mitochondria of the cell. The mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell. It is where ATP (Adenosinetriphosphate) is manufactured. ATP is the high phosphate energy compound that provides energy to the cells and tissues. Essentially the more ATP you have the more energy you have and can produce. The more energy means greater fat burning ability. The more a person drinks the more they destroy the cells of the body. This will ultimately result in fat storage, and muscle loss.

2. Destroys brain neurons. When teenager's begin to drink alcohol they can damage the development of the brain. The brain is still developing during the teenage years. Full development ends during the ages of 21-25. Drinking too much alcohol during the crucial development years can result in psychological issues as the person ages.

* Depression
* Attention Deficit Disorder / Hyperactive Disorder
* Anger
* Loss of Short Term Memory
* Anxiety disorders
* Nervousness

Alcohol is a controlled poison. If you were to inject alcohol directly into the veins you would die. The liver has to filter out the alcohol to a safe concentration before entering into the bloodstream. However, when people over consume to the point of getting buzzed, the liver is unable to filter out all the alcohol, so blood alcohol levels rise. This is dangerous because now the poison is toxic.

Effects of Alcohol as Blood Alcohol Content rises.
• Cerebral cortex: This is the area of the brain associated with thought processing, and assists in voluntary muscle movements. Alcohol depresses the behavioral inhibitory centers. The person becomes more talkative, increased self-confidence and uninhibited. Also, sight, auditory sensitivity, smell, touch and taste become impaired. Poor thought processing also occurs. The person makes poor decisions.

• Limbic System is compromised. The limbic system controls emotions and memory. Alcohol affects the limbic system in a way that the person becomes emotionally exaggerated. Anger, aggressiveness, withdrawal and memory loss occur when the alcohol penetrates the limbic system

• Cerebellum: The cerebellum controls motor movements of the body. Alcohol affects the cerebellum forcing a person who has drunk too much to lose proprioception (balance) and motor control. They fall down, stagger, lose all motor control.

• Hypothalamus and Pituitary Gland: The hypothalamus controls and influences autonomic functions of the brain and coordinates many chemical and endocrine functions through chemical and nerve impulse actions on the pituitary gland. Sex, thryoid and growth hormones are secreted by the endocrine system. Alcohol impacts sexual performance and urinary excretion. Impotency, weakened ejaculatory processing, and genital insensitivity develops when the hypothalamus is affected by alcohol. This is because alcohol is a depressant and affects the nerves that connect to the genitalia. Though alcohol helps a person lose inhibitions, increasing sex drive. Sexual performance is diminished.

• Medulla: As the BAC rises the medulla is affected. The medulla is apart of the autonomic nervous system, in that it helps regulate involuntary physiological processes of the body; breathing, heart rate, temperature and consciousness. The more a person drinks the more sleepy they get. This is why driving under the influence is a poor idea. No matter how loud the music is or wide open the windows are, the brainwaves are shifting into a sleep state. Blood pressure and temperature falls to a dangerous level as well.

• The Immune System: Alcohol irritates the intestinal and stomach lining. Chronic alcohol abuse can lead to ulcers and cancer. Vomiting occurs when too much alcohol is consumed. The body protects itself when the levels of poisons rise in the digestive and blood system. An irritated stomach also influences an increase in stomach acid. Esophageal deterioration can result from too much acid. Too much alcohol will cause a reduction in blood flow to the muscles. Cramping, dehydration and all achy feeling in the muscle result from over consumption of alcohol.

• Broken blood vessels in face: This is called a condition called telengectasia. It is a result of dilated small vessels in the skin. Telengectasia is caused by liver cirrhosis. Chronic alcohol drinking will cause liver cirrhosis.

• Liver Cirrhosis: The liver slowly deteriorates and malfunctions due to chronic abuse or injury. The liver has to work very hard to reduce alcohol into a safer form of sugar before the alcohol enters the bloostream. As I mentioned before alcohol is a poison that must be reduced in order to enter the bloodstream. If it were to get into the bloodstream with being reduced then death is imminent. Due to the high potency of alcohol the liver enzymes have to overtime. This overwork taxes the liver beyond a normal functioning level. Over time this will begin to injure the liver causes irreversible damage. Once the liver shuts down, the show is over.

• Broken Families: Besides getting a buzz and feeling more comfortable after a hard day of work, there is nothing good that comes from drinking. It is estimated that parents who drink have children who drink by the age of twelve years old. This is due to the fact that alcohol is easily accessible and kids will be tempted to have a drink. It is also estimated that most domestic abuse cases, car crashes, violent and abusive behavior, is 95% related to alcohol.

• Addiction: Alcohol is very addicting for many people. Alcoholism accounts for 1 out of every 3 people in America. When a group of alcoholics (50) were asked how old they were when they began drinking 45 out of the 50 said that they were under the age of 15 years old. Alcohol dependency is hard to resolve. However, through the right measures a person can resolve their addiction.

• Fat Storage, Muscle wasting, Impacted Abdominals: One of the most noticeable effects from drinking alcohol is the weight gain. Alcohol is a sugar and when consumed can end up going into fat cells. A small drink of wine a couple nights a week is not going to affect your system too drastically. However, drinking every day will have adverse affects on your body composition. As mentioned earlier the mitochondria get's destroyed in the cell limiting the production of ATP. Fat accumulation around the abdominals is noticeable in people who over drink. For some the abdominals become impacted. This is the fat that accumulates around the visceral organs and omentum. This becomes stressful for the heart system and can ultimately result in a heart attack.

I realize that many people like to drink alcoholic beverages and are convinced that it is a healthy thing to do. There is nothing good that comes from alcohol. The body has no need for alcohol. The ill effects caused by alcohol are damaging in the long run. I never could understand why people drink. Taking something to relax the central nervous system is strange. Why are so many people unable to relax without having to drink something or take a pill. What ever happened to just breathing and calming yourself down naturally. Why do we all have to take drugs to change our personality, physical appearance or behavior?

Though I don't agree with drinking alcohol. Here are my suggestions to people who do.

1. Drink only 3-4 oz. of really good (not the cheap stuff with nitrates) wine 2 times per week. To reap the "so called" benefits of red wine.

2. Drink 1 beer once a week if not drinking wine (#1).

3. Avoid the hard liquor altogether.

Are you Addicted? Try this method.

To see if you are addicted to alcohol. Stop drinking any alcohol for one week. If you have intense cravings, mood changes, have headaches, shakes, irritability, anxiety, can't stop thinking about drinking. Then you could be addicted to alcohol. If you can walk away from drinking with no problem and no cravings or ill effects then chances are you are just a social drinker and have no problem.

Tags: alcohol, protein, nutrition, health and fitness, addiction, brain damage and alcohol, strength and conditioning, bodybuilding, power training.