M&F Cheat Sheet: Core Construction

The term “core” has been a buzzword in the fitness industry for many years now. Most of us physique-minded folks still only think of our abs when the term is brought up but there is much more to the core than a six-pack. In order to develop a strong core, you need to understand its makeup, and how building it can translate into bigger muscles and heavier lifts.

WHAT IS IT?

There are many muscles that make up the core and each has its own important role and function. Some of the major muscles are the internal and external obliques, the deep transverse abdominus and more superficial rectus abdominus, and erector spinae and nearby multifidi on your back. But even the glutes – maximus, minimus and medius – play a huge role in what is typically regarded as “core” strength.

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

The collective purpose of these muscles is to stabilize the spine. They help keep your posture upright and basically prevent you from falling over while sitting or standing, something you’ll notice infants have a difficult time doing. Your anterior core muscles prevent your back from going into too much extension. In terms of exercises such as a deadlift or kettlebell swing, having a strong core can help prevent over extension that can cause back pain and can help maintain proper posture during standing or overhead movements. Without a decent amount of core strength, you’d basically collapse or suffer catastrophic injury on all but the most mundane of tasks.

HOW DO YOU MANAGE IT FOR GREATER GAINS?

Actively engaging the core during heavy lifts such as a squat or deadlift not only helps us lift more weight, it protects our spine from injury, and falling into a poor movement pattern. This means contracting your abdominal muscles while continuing to breathe, and maintaining a neutral spine. So simply lifting heavy weights with proper form will help you buld a stronger core.
But you may need more to help balance out your core muscles. Adding in 1-2 exercises each workout is a good start. In order to hit all the core muscles, you need to have a balanced routine. Pick 1-2 exercises from the following list and perform 2-3 sets of 10-20 reps, depending on your training load that day.

Exercise                    Core Target

AB wheel rollout               Anterior core, rectus abdominis
Hanging leg reise          Anterior core, rectus abdominis
Cable chop/cable twist    Obliques, rectus abdominis, multifidi
Cable pressout                 Obliques, rectus abdominis, multifidi
1 and 2-leg bridge           Glutes
Bird dog or
Back extension               Erector spinae

THE REST OF IT 

In order to lift heavy weights, you have to have a solid core. You need a tremendous amount of stability with overhead pressing. The stronger our center is, the more stability we have holding a weight overhead. A strong core helps maintain balance in movements such as the single leg deadlift. To stabilize a heavy bar on our back and maintain a neutral spine will call upon a ton of core muscle to be active.
Poor form is usually an indicator of a weak core, so make sure you address all the core muscles from different angles. Not only will you have a strong core, but you will have a shredded midsection to go along with it.

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Get More Out of Your Lateral Raises

There are some things in your training regimen you do because, well, everybody does them. Everyone benches for a big chest, and if you want big legs, you squat. But sometimes the masses seem more like lemmings --— they aren't sure what or why they'’re doing something. They just do it because they believe they should.
Which brings us to the dumbbell lateral raise. Just about anyone who does this exercise raises the weights to only shoulder level, arms about parallel to the floor, but no higher. Know why? Think it causes rotator-cuff impingement and is dangerous to go above that point? Uh-uh. Think the arms-parallel position is where the middle delt stops working?

Wrong again.

"“Going to arms parallel in the dumbbell lateral raise provides good deltoid recruitment and doesn'’t put the shoulder joint in a stressful situation,"” says Louie Brockhoeft, MES, a personal fitness coach at Mercy Hospital in Anderson, Ohio. "“But taking the move 45 degrees past parallel fully engages the middle delt; plus it recruits the upper traps, levator scapulae and all muscles around the scapula, including the rhomboids, the lower traps and serratus."”

While the concern over rotator-cuff impingement is real, Brockhoeft notes this fear can be minimized in two ways. First, slightly supinate your wrists (turn your palms up) on the way up if necessary. Second, instead of bringing the weights directly out to your sides, raise your arms in a wide V formation, about 10-–15 degrees in front of your torso.

Both modifications should improve the comfort of your lateral raises.
Brockhoeft argues that it'’s not necessary to go above 135 degrees (about halfway between the arms-parallel position and directly overhead) because the middle delt is strongest to that midway point, then quickly falls off. "“Once you pass that point, you'’re no longer working against gravity [when using dumbbells] and the weight becomes lighter, taking stimulus off the muscle. Going to 135 degrees not only maximizes your delts but also works the traps from an angle different than you'’re used to."

Individuals with pre-existing rotator-cuff injuries shouldn'’t take lateral-raise moves much higher than parallel, warns Brockhoeft. But for those who can, he offers several ways to include them in your workout (see below).

This makes sense, he says, because it develops better separation of traps and delts, creating the ideal V-shape that makes you look wider, and hits those trap fibers, making you appear thicker.

So don't be like the rest of the guys in your gym. Build up those delts by occasionally taking your lateral raises a little higher for greater gains.

In Your Workout

• Moving the weight all the way up to 135 degrees (halfway between the arms-parallel position and overhead) is harder than going to just arms-parallel, so you'’ll have to use lighter dumbbells.
• Start with your heavy presses for shoulders, then do your lighter-weight, high-volume isolation work.
• If you have heavy and light shoulder days, go to arms-parallel on the heavy days, and above parallel on the light days.
• Alternately, do lateral raises to arms-parallel first in your workout, then do a few sets above parallel with lighter weights.
• One tough variation: Start with the weights in the arms-parallel position (go lighter since you can'’t use any momentum) and use a range of motion from 90-–135 degrees.

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5 Things You Should Know About Walnuts

1) Even though there are 21 species of walnut trees, the nuts you’ll find in your grocery store are most likely Persian or common walnuts, but in America they’re often called English walnuts. Confusing matters further, the Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan has the largest walnut-tree forests in the world.
2) One ounce of walnuts, or about 14 halves, has 185 calories, 4 grams of protein and carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 18 grams of fat. Of those 18 fat grams, 2 grams are saturated, 3 grams are monounsaturated and the rest is polyunsaturated.
3) Walnuts are the only nut that contains large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. That means they’re good for not only cardiovascular health but also building muscle and losing fat.
4) Lightly toasted walnuts make an excellent addition to a number of dishes. Toss them in salads, add them to green beans sautéed in olive oil or sprinkle them on Greek yogurt. Alternatively, invest in some walnut oil. It’s expensive and not ideal for cooking (high temperatures degrade its flavor and nutrient profile), but it makes a great base for salad dressings.
5) Walnuts’ fat content makes them prone to rotting. Store shelled nuts in the freezer or fridge to improve their longevity.

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The Best Olympia Body Part Workout

When Mary Shelley first introduced her reanimated monster in the 1818 novel Frankenstein: or, The 
Modern Prometheus, it sparked an impassioned debate that extended beyond literary circles, a debate that’s carried forward for nearly two centuries: Is immortality within the reach of modern science?
The protagonist’s quest to abolish the limitations of basic human physiology—to overcome limits, create something new, breathe life into a lifeless body—is one that speaks to the soul of bodybuilders everywhere. But it’s especially applicable to the 13 winners of the Mr. Olympia title, for whom a modest bronze statue represents a form of immortality few will ever taste.
In true Shelley fashion, we’ve identified the best parts of several Sandow winners, spanning nearly five decades, and “surgically” adjoined them to produce the monster of a man you see here. Some may cry sacrilege, but once you’ve perused the notes we’ve included on how each body part was built, perhaps you’ll stop short of calling us heretics.
You see, the parts we sourced weren’t hastily created in some dank, dark laboratory. They were built in gyms, over years, through constant experimentation in which failure was the norm. What emerges is an intricate patchwork of exercises, sets, and reps—the proven formulas that produced the body parts for which each man has come to be known. Here, we’ve laid bare these programs for your own sinister aspirations.
Use our monster to start creating one of your own in the gym, and it won’t be long before you find yourself echoing Dr. Frankenstein’s exultant refrain: “It’s alive!”

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Back to the Bench Press

QUESTION: I injured my rotator cuff bench-pressing, but I love it. How can I get back to benching as quickly and as safely as possible? —Sean O., Mattituck, NY
ANSWER: Rotator cuff injuries can be devastating to anyone who enjoys benching. By understanding the function of the rotator cuff and learning to protect it, you can make rotator cuff injuries a nonissue. The tendons of the four rotator cuff muscles grip the head of your arm bone and dynamically hold it in the socket during shoulder movement. If this mechanism fails, the shoulder becomes unstable, resulting in weakness and injuries. Once your doctor and physical therapist clear you to return to bench-pressing, it’s important to take these steps to protect your protator cuff.

1. Continue Your Rotator Cuff Strengthening

Ask your physical therapist to teach you some rotator cuff–specific exercises that you can do at home. Although it’s smart to warm up shoulders before heavy lifting, it’s important not to do rotator cuff strengthening prior to that lifting. If you fatigue your cuff before heavy lifting, the cuff may fail and injury could occur.

2. Avoid Doing Too Much, Too Soon, Too Often

When you return to benching, the tendency is for your ego to write checks your body can’t cash. That’s why I call flat benching the “ego press.” all the injuries i see to the rotator cuff during bench-pressing are the result of these terrible “too’s.” Leave your ego at the door and give yourself time to recover between workouts.

3. Build Your Foundation All Over Again

Start with a stable, closed-chain exercise, like the push-up. Build confidence with this movement while you critically analyze your benching form. Keep your elbows at less than a 45-degree angle from your sides; use a shoulder-width grip (avoid a wide grip, as this puts undue strain on the rotator cuff); and line the bar up with your nipples or a spot just below. Also, avoid lowering your elbows below bench level until your range of motion improves.

4. Change Up Your Routine

One of the biggest problems I see with recreational lifters is that they focus too much on one movement, like the bench press. It’s understandable because people at bars don’t ask, “How much you pec flye?” They ask, “How much you bench?” However, to stimulate growth in the entire pec and maximize benching strength, it’s important to hit it from all angles. So do yourself a favor and try different chest exercises and bench angles.
THE DOCTOR IS IN: Victor Prisk, M.D., is a board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon, NCAA All-American gymnast, IFBB professional bodybuilder, GNC medical advisory board member, professional swing dancer, and avid CrossFitter.

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Late Night Carbs and Body Fat

Question: What’s your take on consuming carbs later in the day? Do you think it can increase body fat even if your total daily carb intake is not surpassed? --Hank M., via Facebook
Answer: No doubt the origin of this belief stems from the notion that carbohydrates simply turn into fat, especially carbohydrates that are not being used. However, the fact is the conversion of carbohydrates to fat, a process called de novo lipogenesis, does not occur to any significant degree in people (it does in rodents which is perhaps another origin of this myth). It would first take the glycogen stores in your body to be filled and then consuming 700-900 grams of carbs on top of this over the course of multiple days for de novo lipogenesis to occur at any significant degree as multiple studies have shown.
A final nail in the coffin of this myth came in a study comparing a group who consumed the majority of their carbohydrates in the evening against a group consuming the majority of their carbohydrates during the day with both groups on a caloric deficit diet. The group consuming their carbohydrates in the evening actually lost more body fat and maintained more overall lean body mass than the morning group. The proposed reasoning being the evening group maintained a higher level of leptins. Leptin is a hormone that is synthesized by carbohydrates and is known to signal the brain on the body's current energy status, thus impacting a host of other hormones of significance to the study at hand: thyroid hormones (responsible for metabolism), testosterone (a key factor to muscle growth/maintenance).

Calories Count More

In the end, the timing of macronutrients takes a backseat to overall calories when it comes to fat-burning. People mistakenly believe curtailing carbohydrates intake at night leads to weight loss. However, the reason for the weight loss is mostly likely because of the overall reduction in total calories as a result of eliminating carbohydrates at specific times rather than some special physiological response unproven by science. In other words, as long as your daily carbohydrate intake is not surpassed – aim for about 2 grams per pound of bodyweight – you have nothing to worry about.
Kelechi Opara is a lifetime natural athlete with over 15 years experience in the fitness field. He's the creator of the iPhone/Android app Nutritionist, the revolutionary app that's transforming lives around the world. He's also an Optimum Nutrition athlete where he helps in the formulation of their supplements. In addition, he's an internationally published cover model and a former United States Marine.

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Training Techniques For Greater Muscle Growth

I talk so much about the many common ways to add intensity to your body - techniques like drop sets, forced reps, rest-pauses and holding peak contractions - that I sometimes forget the not-so-obvious ones. Recently, I thought back to some of the innovative ways that my fellow bodybuilders and I achieved that extra bit of intensity in a workout, as we always pursued another 5-10 pounds of new muscle growth. Here are three of the more creative measures we took.

Partial Holds

This novel technique involves holding a relatively light weight steady at various points along the path of an exercise, which forces the muscle to maintain a constant contraction for extended periods.
Let’s use lateral raises as an example. After reaching failure on a straight set, I lifted the dumbbells out to my sides only 5 inches or so and held them there for 10 seconds. That may not sound like such a big deal, but believe me, it provides a painful end to a set. When I was seeking an even greater burn, I’d do this another time or two after resting for 15 seconds, almost like rest-pausing. Give it a try the next time you feel you’ve hit a plateau. This works similarly with pull-ups. At the end of a set, lift yourself only a few inches above the bottom of the rep and hold this position for as long as you can. What a way to force your lats to grow wider!

Multi-Exercise Sets

This one’s great, though you almost never see it done at the gym. Instead of performing, say, four sets of one exercise, do one set each of four different exercises for the same bodypart.
Using chest as an example, this might entail doing one set of barbell incline presses, resting a minute or so - this is not a superset, mind you - then doing a set of flat-bench dumbbell presses, resting, then a set of incline flyes, resting for another minute, and finishing with weighted (or bodyweight-only) dips. Think about it: By performing four different movements, you employ different angles and stresses on the same muscles each set. You can do this for your entire workout, which may require getting creative since you’ll do about 10 distinct exercises, or you can finish your routine the way you normally do, picking 2-3 more exercises for that muscle group and performing 3-4 sets of each.

“One-and-a-Half” Method

Finally, you have one-and-a-halves, which I think of as a less elaborate way of doing 21s (in which you perform the top half of a rep seven times, then the bottom half seven times, then finish with seven full reps).
With this method, you follow each full rep with a half rep. The goal, of course, is to experience a maximum burn in your target muscles. Let me explain how to do this for biceps. On a given set of standing barbell or dumbbell curls, follow every full rep with one in which you go only halfway up or halfway down. When I used this technique, I made sure that I performed every half rep very slowly and strictly. Toward the end of the set I often had to cheat the full reps up because my biceps were in such excruciating pain.

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