American Hypochondria

Written at the request of Alex "Mephysteaux" Reiff in response to the AMA's recent awarding of "disease" status to obesity.

Before I get into why obesity is not a disease, it should be known that the AMA itself admits that their reclassification is a pragmatic action aimed at altering the popular perception of the condition, as well as the methodology of its treatment by the medical community. This is a purely social/political/economic matter, which will undoubtedly be exploited from every angle by those institutions whose profit can be superficially linked to "health". There is no biological merit to naming it a disease, so if you take that position, please understand that you are wrong.

Obesity is the condition of exceeding the government dictated weight which corresponds to one's height, gender, and age. Proponents of both sides of the [disease/not] argument agree that the BMI is an archaic and inaccurate tool with little to no contemporary application. There is a great deal of support for rewriting the standards for obesity, often with the proviso that any such classification should be based on adiposity, rather than gravitational force. The idea that any such classification is arbitrary, however, seems to have escaped most people.  

Obesity is a co-morbid condition of many afflictions, and a risk factor of variable, but imprecise significance for others. The endocrine system works through cyclical biofeedback loops, not linear causality chains. The most often cited link to disease is that obesity [sometimes] increases the risk of insulin resistance, which can lead to Type II Diabetes. There is a rarely mentioned, but equally relevant counterpoint that insulin resistance can lead to Type II Diabetes, which predisposes one towards obesity. No one is ever concerned with the second scenario, probably because Diabetes is a disease, and obesity is a product of collective imagination.

The premise for labeling this state of being as a disease is based upon:

1. The false attribution of causality in circumstances of coincidence
2. The baseless emphasis given to one observation over all others
3. The equation of visibility with significance
4. The deliberate negligence of American medical schools

1. There is much media attention given to diseases which the obese seem to suffer at a much higher rate than the rest of the population. Adipose tissue is always the culprit. Heart attack? Your fat needed too much blood. Cancer? Your fat secretes pro-inflammatory cytokines! It never occurs to anyone that there is an underlying problem; the blame always rests with the fat, regardless of where its production came about in the biofeedback cycle. Very high stress environment, skyrocketing cortisol levels, insomnia, etc. may have contributed to both a person's adiposity and their infarction. Fuck investigation, though; he was fat, and that was the cause of everything that ever went wrong in his life. Case closed.

2. Single condition correlation statistics are less than useless; they're counterproductive, and their abuse is borderline criminal. The problem with scientifically relevant data and responsible research is that they rarely yield sensational values. If you're 60 times more likely to have a heart attack with a BMI over 38, it makes for good television. If you add in all those other pesky variables, like age, activity level, diet, stress, sleep patterns, geography, medical history, pre-existing conditions, genetic disposition, et cetera, you may discover that he's no more or less likely to have a heart attack than someone with a BMI of 25. Fuck that, change the channel. Be aware that breathing air and drinking water are habits often observed in people diagnosed with cancer. Better cut that shit out.

3. The importance of spectacle. The fundamental piece of social knowledge familiar to every Italian. Fat man on an operating table can only be there because he's fat. Just look at him! Magic Johnson has AIDS. Nah, he looks fine. We entrust our medical professionals to discover and treat our ailments. We trust that countless years of school and residency have imparted in them the ability to see what may not be readily discernible to the rest of us. It's awfully presumptive of me to make the claim that fat people don't go to the doctor to be told to lose weight, but I stand by it. "Losing weight" implies that weight loss will treat/cure/attenuate whatever ails the patient. This is wrong. Just like "obesity" is not a disease, "lean" is not an indicator of health.

4. Taken alone, weight loss/gain has very little to do with health. It's the means by which we achieve the ends that matters. Every sort of benefit and reduction of risk factors is attributed to "weight loss", while the diet and exercise employed in pursuit of weight loss is the actual mechanism by which hormones become regulated, and quality of life is improved. There is no incentive to teach basic nutrition and exercise science in medical schools, because these institutions function as little more than shill factories for the pharmaceutical industry. The physicians are not to blame; we should not hold someone accountable for knowing what was deliberately withheld from them. If medical schools taught nutrition, our current system of government-subsidized industrial agriculture might be called into question. Cut into the profits of Monsanto AND Pfizer AND McDonald's? Sounds like treason to me. Whose side are you on?

Despite my reputation for being an uncompromising tyrant with impossible expectations, I must declare that the obesity epidemic and subsequent controversy is not meditated by personal responsibility. I encourage everyone to learn and grow and live to their fullest potential, but I do not expect that all, or even most people will follow my advice. To be clear, I am a trainer, not a politician; my policies apply specifically to dedicated volunteers, not to the population at large. I can expect my trainees to learn the fundamentals of nutrition and fitness, because this knowledge is vital to the achievement of their goals. The American education system, however, doesn't place much emphasis on health. The media, even worse, obscures and manipulates the reality of health, and uses the allure of "fitness" to pair empty minds with empty wallets. We have no idea of what comprises the garbage we call "food", and no impetus to search for actual food, which is comparatively expensive, bland, and time consuming. No one blames a lab mouse for pressing the food lever and becoming obese. We've deluded ourselves into believing that social pressure can somehow replace our animal mechanisms of survival; that biology can be subordinated at will to our whimsical fabrications. Hubris indeed.    

The title of "disease" removes the trainer and dietitian from the picture, removes the incentive to improve oneself through natural means, and encourages a mentality of victimization and helplessness. Not to fear, however, as your government sanctioned drug dealer will come to your rescue with a magic pill. It won't be magic, however... there will be side effects, recalls, and profiteering. At least you can rest easy that the official autopsy will blame obesity for your demise.




       

The Segugio Squat Protocol

The Segugio Squat Protocol: Erection Training For Sport 

This program is designed to quickly restore strength, power, and work capacity to a detrained, offseason, or specialized athlete. Heavy compound lifts tend to take a secondary role during bodybuilding contest prep, in-season sports training, and periods of rehabilitation (or laziness).

This 14 week protocol is ideal for returning to peak performance before progressing to sport-specific refinement. I am currently using it with a comparable time allotted for pre-contest cutting. If you plan to compete (in anything) in the fall, this program may suit you. If you have less than five years of serious training history, it may not.

It's a 7-Day Split, which can be done on a 4x2-A-Day if absolutely necessary. It's loosely based on the Smolov Squat Cycle, which, until this article is published, remains the premier guide to the world of weighted sit and stands. I keep the frequency identical (MWFS), but with a much greater focus on power and workload, as opposed to raw strength. Smolov is specifically designed for powerlifters, and more specifically for competitors using gear (equipment, not anabolics). I believe this program to be at least equivalent for raw lifters, and possibly superior. If your goal is to produce maximal force, your training should be focused on acceleration (CNS), volume (hypertrophy), and frequency (form development). Size (accessible fiber count, not surface area) and efficiency (how many fibers you can meaningfully activate at once)  are paramount. Of course, if weight gain is a concern, there are other ways to develop strength.

Most programs begin with a 1RM test and incorporate weights based on percentages of that number. Those programs are universally applicable with variable results. This program is narrowly applicable with predictable results. Before I move on to the template, I need to unambiguously establish the prerequisites of this class:

1. You have five or more years of serious training experience

2. You are a cyclical athlete (your training varies during the course of a macrocycle)
3. You are in an early phase (>14 weeks remaining) of your offseason

Because you undoubtedly meet all of the above conditions, your starting weight will be 50% of your projected 1RM. How to project? Use a number +/- 10% of record 1RM based on resource (time constraints, changes in physical/professional status) assessment. If you had a 500 pound squat at 24, and you're now 57 with a replaced hip, you probably shouldn't use that number. If you're 22 with a 500 pound squat, and plan to move back into your mom's house after college, you might use 520. Not much useful data can be derived from the 1RM of a postseason football player, a post-contest bodybuilder, or a lapsed strength athlete. Instead of using 6-8 weeks of "recovery" time to gradually reincorporate heavy training, then arbitrarily testing 1RM (which is what most sports programs do), you can get right back to quality training. By your 8th week, you'll be focused on new progress and aspiring towards ever greater heights, while your peers are still recapturing lost ground, and telling anecdotes about "muscle memory" in the locker room.

Now that your imagination is properly aroused, I'm only too happy to deliver the pain.

Modus Operandi:

Initial Week:

Monday: 15x3@50%

Wednesday: 12x4@50%
Friday: 10x5@50%

Saturday: 6x6@50%

Each workout progresses incrementally with the latter 3 schemes (12x4, 10x5, 6x6). Increments will vary (you can't just add 10 pounds a week forever), but consistent growth at any rate will still achieve impressive results. Intensity increases only after the successful completion of all three schemes.

Correct: 12x4@250, 10x5@250, 6x6@250, 12x4@260, 10x5@260, 6x6@260

Stupid Idiot: 12x4@250, 10x5@260, 6x6@270

Strength athletes should test 1RM on the 7th and 14th week. The max can be performed on any squat training day, in lieu of that day's planned session. Progression is not in any way altered.

Correct: 12x4@320, 10x5@320, 1x1@435, 6x6@320, 12x4@330

Stupid Idiot: 12x4@320, 10x5@320, 1x1@435, 12x4@330

Tempo should indicate a controlled descent, brief pause, explosive ascent, and stability at full contraction. My personal preference is 2-1-X-2, but since this program operates on big boy rules, feel free to use any timing that matches the description. Interval is 45 seconds. As the weights get substantially heavier, 60 seconds may be acceptable to ensure the preservation of mechanics. This is a program for athletes. If you can't execute with brief rest intervals, stop reading, and work on your conditioning. It's not about fat/thin/slow/fast, it's about being able to sustain a high level of output.  

Assuming a projected max of 500, the first squat session would consist of 15 sets of 3 reps at a weight of 250. The timing of each set is N-N-X-N, with a non-zero value at every [N], and the [X] portion of the lift completed X-plosively. The consecutive number of seconds the bar is permitted to sit on the rack once you start your series is 45. The interval time (45 seconds, don't get lost now) is based on tension, not on when you step out of the rack, not on when you lock out, not on any other nonsensical measure. Any time spent supporting 100% of the weight counts as time under tension, and does not count against your allotted 45 seconds of reprieve. If you don't understand the contents of this paragraph, please refer to the works of Charles Poliquin.

Contingency Plans:

Failure of a rep, defined as the inability to independently complete the movement (the bar is on your shoulders and you can't stand up without assistance), results in immediate termination of the session. The failed series is reattempted on the next training (MWFS) day, and progress continues as normal.

Correct: 12x4@270, 10x5@270[F], 10x5@270, 6x6@270, 12x4@280

A consecutive failure results in immediate termination of the session. The program reverts back to the last properly executed weight in the failed rep/set scheme.

Correct: 12x4@270, 10x5@270[F], 10x5@270[F], 10x5@260, 6x6@260, 12x4@270, 10x5@270

Very important: If the failed weight is a known "plateau" (it's usually mental inhibition, but better to get your athlete over the obstacle than to give a psychology lesson), or readily identifiable factors (lack of sleep, missed meals, dehydration) can be attributed to have affected performance, series may be restarted at 1/2 unit decrement.

Correct: 6x6@260, 12x4@270, 10x5@270[F], 10x5@270[F], 10x5@265, 6x6@265

Degradation of form, defined as the inability to independently complete the movement to the outlined standards (your "explosive" contraction takes 8 seconds and has you constantly shifting and grinding), results in immediate reduction in intensity. Progression continues either as normal or at 1/2 increment. Below is an example of responding to form breakdown during the third set of the third series.

Correct: 12x4@270, 10x5@270, 3x6@270 + 3x6@260, 12x4@280 OR 12x4@275

Ancillary work is needs-based, but all athletes should target the major muscle groups and relevant motion patterns. Below is the plan as I use it:

Monday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Tuesday: Back, Biceps

Wednesday: Legs (non-squat exercises), weak point training

Thursday: Upper Back, Traps, Biceps

Friday: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

Saturday: Back, Arms

Sunday: Legs

If you prefer powerlifting:

Monday: Vertical Press

Tuesday: Vertical Pull

Wednesday: Leg assistance work

Thursday: Horizontal Pull

Friday: Horizontal Press

Saturday: Upper Body assistance work

Sunday: Leg assistance work

4x2-A-Day Split:

Monday: AM Press, PM Squat
Wednesday: AM Leg + Upper Body assistance work, PM Squat
Friday: AM Press, PM Squat
Saturday: AM Pull, PM Squat

Regardless of the template used, the squat session should be done after the day's other training (doesn't have to be dead last). The reasons for this are twofold:

1. Knowledge of an impending fast-paced squat session is likely to prevent overexertion in other exercises.
2. Engaging other body parts while fresh will facilitate high quality training for less frequently targeted groups. If the only time you worked a body part was after a punishing squat series, it would undoubtedly suffer.

Ideally, the framework will help you create brief and efficient training sessions that complement the SSP.  

Variance:

There are cases which would be better served by a modified approach. If a bench press specialist makes good progress by pressing 3x/week or 3x/month, then there is no reason to change that aspect of his/her training. In cases such as these, trainers should carefully track rate of gain, changes in form, or visible signs of fatigue/injury. They may be able to "complete" the assigned workload, but their physical improvement is much more pertinent than their ability to check the box. Due to the demands of the squat work, it is advisable for most athletes to moderate all other exercises. I recommend one foundational compound exercise (Military Press, Barbell Row) per day, performed at <85% intensity (unless you're a strength athlete), with assistance/isolation work comprising a sizeable portion of each session.

Nutrition:

The primary concerns in planning a diet are sport-specific and individual-specific considerations. A 100 pound increase in squat max doesn't matter to a wide receiver if the corresponding increase in body weight impairs speed. My recommendations (below) are based on what I find adequate to support this level of training.

1. Protein approximately 2g/lb bodyweight

2. Complex carbohydrate no less than 1.5g/lb bodyweight

3. Total calories ~BMR + 20% (3400 + 680 = 4080 for me)

4. Cardiovascular work compensated at 90% (consume 90 additional calories for every 100 expended through deliberate aerobic work)

Supplementation:

My suggestions are creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, citrulline malate, and taurine. Peri-workout blends such as Purple Intrain (discontinued) and Surge Workout Fuel are good options. BCAA mixtures like Xtend and Chain'd Out may be better options for the weight conscious. Stimulants should be used sparingly due to increased chance of vertigo and irregularities in blood pressure.

Other Thoughts:

I prefer a slightly narrower than shoulder-width stance on most of my sets, as it allows me greater depth and better acceleration. I've noticed no impairment in the posterior-chain dominant (wide, straight) stance I use for max attempts.   

Construction Project

Cement mixing for winners

Having finished his first physique show last month, a Team Segugio Athlete undergoes a diet and training overhaul for a productive offseason. This should provide some idea of how a proper regimen is created.

Training History: ~6 Months
Training Status: Novice
Height: 5'8
Weight: 180
Target Weight: 195
Calculated BMR: ~2400
Total Daily Energy Expenditure: ~3400 (training), ~3000 (active rest)
Target Calories: ~4000 (+/- 2.5%)

Training Overview 

Because of his novice status, he still has much to gain from a basic linear progression program which focuses on compound lifts of moderate (70-85%) intensity, moderate volume, standard tempo (2-0-1-0), and loosely enforced rest intervals. I won't go into the specifics of what I assigned him; that is confidential information. Personal Training and Nutrition Counseling sessions are available for purchase.

Because he is active duty Army, he does forty minutes of moderate intensity aerobic work on weekdays. Weight training is conducted on a weekly 5/2 split. If you guessed Monday-Friday, you are correct. The predicted combined expenditure for weekday training is +800. Non-exercise physical activity accounts for the remaining +200.

Weekends consist of active rest, the definition of which varies wildly among individuals. Segugio Brand active rest is programmed to reflect fitness level and stated goals. For this client, that entails 20-25 minutes of moderate intensity cardio, 40-50 minutes of low intensity cardio, or an hour of informal sport or labor. The target expenditure is +400, though this will vary depending on the choice of activity. Intake remains consistent to facilitate recovery.

Expected Gains

Despite what the uninformed would have you believe, the +5000 calorie differential is not equivalent to its calculated mass; that is, it does not imply the gain of 1.6 pounds. We can control intake with precision, but expenditure will always remain variable.

Considerations:

1. Thermic effect of food
2. Digestive efficiency
3. Fluctuating hormone levels (from stress, lack of sleep, etc)
4. Non-exercise physical activity
5. Daily variances in quality of training
6. BMR increases with lean mass
7. Work increases with mass  

We can assume about 80% efficiency in terms of calories available for construction, but those processes require their own calories to operate, and the scope and speed of any adaptation is largely individual. Add to all of these uncertainties electrolyte balance and water retention, and you have a good case for not using a scale.

We're looking for consistent increases in strength and muscle size. The training journal and mirror have far more functionality in this matter. Weight will be taken once every 2-3 weeks to re-calibrate diet in accordance with goals. For most athletes, I would allow very wide parameters for acceptable rate of gain, but because muscularity is secondary to conditioning in physique, we are keeping a very low ceiling. It would do no good to put more work on him when he starts his next cut, especially since his favorite activity is missing Saturday morning cardio.

Diet:

Meal 1: 5 egg whites, 3 slices whole milk cheese, 1/2 cup oatmeal

Meal 2: 50g whey (Isoflex), 12oz unsweetened coconut milk, 1/4 cup steel cut oats

Meal 3: 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken, 1 cup long grain brown rice, 1/2 Hass avocado, 2 TBSP sour cream, raw tomato

OR

1lb 95% ground beef, 1 cup long grain brown rice, leafy green vegetable of choice

Meal 4: Same as Meal 2

Meal 5: 20oz lean fish (Tilapia, Flounder, Swai, etc), 1/2 lb. pasta, 1 TBSP butter

OR

14oz lean fish, 6oz fatty fish (Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel, etc), 1/2 lb. pasta

Notes:

Approximately 3,975 calories, rough 40:40:20 macronutrient distribution.

Excellent protein diversity (3-4 sources)

Good incorporation of saturated fats, Medium Chain Triglycerides, and Omega-3s into diet.

No supplements other than Isoflex.


And that's all you need to do. Every day. For the rest of your life.






  

Appetite for Instruction

Appetite for Instruction - A Guide to Preparation of Foodstuffs for Persons Involved in Sport 

Because proper diets are utilitarian, rather than gustatory, they very seldom contain foods which people would eat by choice. Though we’re limited to painfully unappetizing foods, some kitchen skills can make most things palatable. I often see bodybuilders resign themselves to containers of chicken and rice with no trace of seasoning, or perhaps with some “Mrs. Dash” or equally repulsive garbage.

Below are some personal recipes for success. I strongly suggest learning and appreciating your herbs and spices, as they will prove invaluable.

Mother Hubert’s Chicken 

In a gallon size Ziploc bag:

4 Chicken Breasts, trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
1 TBSP Ground White Pepper
1 TBSP Ground Red (Thai) Pepper
2 TBSP Dry Basil
4 TBSP Dry Parsley
2 TBSP Minced Garlic
1 TBSP Greek Oregano
1 TBSP Thyme
½ TBSP Rosemary
2-3 Ounces Worcestershire Sauce

Remove air from bags, seal, distribute contents evenly.
Refrigerate 24 Hours.
Pre-heat Propane Grill to highest setting.
Grill 4-5 minutes on each side.
Turn off burners and tank.
Keep grill lid closed for 10-15 minutes.
Cover, let sit at room temperature for at least 90 minutes.

Segugio’s Lazy Man’s Chicken

In a giant mixing bowl:

12 Chicken Breasts, trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
Berbere Spice, some

Cover chicken evenly.
Let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Pre-heat Propane Grill to highest setting.
Grill 4-5 minutes on each side.
Turn off burners and tank.
Keep grill lid closed for 10-15 minutes.
Cover, let sit at room temperature for at least 90 minutes.

Protein Flipcakes, Breakfast Flavored

In a giant mixing bowl:

2 Cups Egg Whites
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Cup Water
1/2 tsp Aluminium Free Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Coarse Ground Kosher Salt
4 TBSP Cultured Buttermilk Powder
1 tsp Ceylon Cinnamon
4 Scoops Dymatize Elite Casein - Cinnabun
1 Scoop Unflavored Micellar Casein (or not. Using all flavored protein is too sweet for me.)
1 Scoop Unflavored Whey Isolate (Too much whey will create an unpleasant consistency)
1/2 Cup Flour of Choice*

Preheat nonstick pan to high heat (Segugio prefers Circulon)
Whisk contents of bowl.
Pour a selected quantity of mixture into pan.
Flip when appropriate.

*Out of the twelve or so different flours I've tried, Black Gram is by far the best, both in taste and texture. Buckwheat, Oat, Acorn, Rice, and Sorghum are good. Red Millet is distinct, but I find it neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Peanut (12%) and Teff are dry, but manageable. Potato requires an extra cup of water, and cooks poorly.

Protein Flipcakes, Dinner Flavored

In a giant mixing bowl:  

2 Cups Egg Whites
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Cup Water
1/2 tsp Aluminium Free Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Coarse Ground Kosher Salt
5 Scoops Unflavored Micellar Casein
1 Scoop Unflacored Whey Isolate
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Brown Rice Flour
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
2 TBSP Chervil (use Parsley if you have to)



In a separate bowl:

Diced pre-browned allium of choice (Scallions, Leeks, and Chives are all good)
Diced pre-cooked shrimp/chicken/beef/any other animal

Preheat nonstick pan to high heat (Segugio prefers Circulon)
Whisk contents of bowl.
Pour a selected quantity of mixture into pan.
Add toppings as desired.
Flip when appropriate.

Protein Mess

This is a good recipe for college students and/or the woeful lot that doesn't own any cookware. My friend created this concoction while we were students at BOLC. Becuase our days sometimes ran in excess of 18 hours, cooking was not really feasible. Class ran most of the day (and night), then there was a bit of gym time, then it was back to homework until class started. You will need a Wal-Mart to find this stuff, and since I haven't gone to one in years, I don't know if it's still available. If it's not, just experiment with substitutions.

In an inappropriate and cheaply made plastic bowl:

1 Family Size Chunk Light Tuna (pouch)
1 Marketside Black Beans and Corn
1 Marketside Diced Tomato Product
Balsamic Vinegar to taste

Old London Melba Toast for use as spoon

Muscle Sandwich

They are filled with absolutely terrible ingredients, but I sometimes ate them in BOLC because I needed some faint reminder of pleasure in my life. I would make it a point to use it as a pick-up line later in the day (pending the existence of 15 minutes of free time). "What's up girl? I had a muscle sandwich today."

The moral of the story is that if you really want to succeed, you will let nothing stop you. Most people quit at the slightest inconvenience, then they pick back up again to gain and lose the same parcel of progress year in and year out. If you search for excuses, you will find them. If you search for solutions, you will find them. If you happen upon solutions, but still can't manage, you will at least have learned something about yourself.  

Mass Spectrometry

Mass Spectrometry - A guide for sufficiently "in charge" people who lack a corresponding degree of large. 

Goal Setting and Controlled Termination

Before undertaking a weight gain protocol, it would be wise to critically assess your current routine. If you have trouble acknowledging reality (most people do), find an [educated] external source of criticism, preferably a perfectionist type who practices honesty with the utmost disregard for sentiment. “Friends” are generally very apprehensive about using factual statements, and this is doubly true for members of the fairer sex, who are better practiced in the craft of distorting reality. Your reassuring friend is your worst enemy, because they will facilitate your complacency, and support your eventual failure.

If you suffer no deficiencies, have a fair amount of experience, and have specific objectives that would not be achieved on your regular protocol, a bulk may be a good idea. In bodybuilding and powerlifting, cyclic diets are necessary for success.  In boxing, wrestling, and other weighted events, one would be at a marked disadvantage without a cyclic diet. For non-weighted sports, it’s less important, and generally used as a means to increase off-season size and/or strength. For casual lifters, it’s entirely optional; no one cares if it took you 2 months or 2 years to gain 30 pounds, and you’re not on anyone’s timeline except your own.
Goals should be clearly defined and progress should be meticulously tracked.

Remember:

A bulk is defined as a temporary increase in energy balance and a corresponding alteration of training designed to elicit size and/or strength gains in a condensed period of time.

Aside from bodybuilding and powerlifting, where it is modus operandi, bulking is a product of time constraints and competition. A boxer or wrestler who remained at contest weight year round would not experience the strength gains of one who is willing to put on and take off massive amounts of weight each year. Boxing announcers often place a great deal of emphasis on how much weight a fighter cut for any given bout. It’s reasonable to wager that the 200 pound man who cuts to 170 can generate more torque than the 170 pound man who remains at that weight year round. There are other variables which may determine ring success, such as genetics, skill, and training, but the odds of greater force production are skewed towards the heavier fighter.

The established goal should reflect progression towards a greater goal. It could be 10 years or 10 months, but it should have non-negotiable parameters.

Examples of Proper Goal Setting:

Gain 20 pounds of mass over 4-6 months. Slowly cut fat over next 4-6 months. Compete in physique event next year.

Increase bench press by 35 pounds. Allow enough time to cut back down to 198 weight class. Compete in PL meet.

Examples of Improper Goal Setting:

(Vague) I wanna get big, but not too big, then I wanna cut all the fat off and be totally ripped.

(Unrealistic) I wanna put 200 pounds on my bench.

Controlled Termination

Because gains are neither linear nor predictable, it is wise to set a trigger for termination of a bulk if it is over or underproductive and unresponsive to minor adjustments. The variables I suggest to monitor are weight limit, total gain, and rate of gain.

Scenario 1 – Weight Limit:

Powerlifter 20 weeks from competition, plans to add 50 pounds to total in 16 weeks, then use final 4 weeks to get back into the proper weight class. To ensure a successful weigh-in, athlete is limited to 15 pounds of weight gain. Athlete exceeds limit at week 13, after adding only 35 pounds to total. Bulk should be adjusted to prevent further weight gain. If adjustments result in diminished returns, bulk should be halted. It would be better to go into the target weight class at +35 than a higher weight class at +50.

Scenario 2 – Total Gain:

Football lineman plans to add 20 pounds of quality mass during the offseason without sacrificing acceleration, speed, or agility. Target weight is achieved six weeks before training camp. Goal can be adjusted to +25 pounds, given that performance surpassed expectations. If a certain methodology proves functional, there is no reason to abandon it upon achievement of the original goal.

Scenario 3 – Rate of Gain:

Bodybuilder plans to add as much mass as possible during the offseason while remaining below 18% bodyfat. Anticipated rate of gain is 1:2.5 (lean:fat), anticipated duration is 12 weeks. Actual rate of gain is 1:2, duration can be extended until 18% is surpassed (Limit), or until rate of gain falls below anticipated 1:2.5. Unless there is a career defining show coming up, the bodybuilder is better off continuing the bulk as long as rate of gain can be maintained. It is much more difficult to add a pound of lean mass than it is to lose two pounds of fat.

Methodology

The construction of a diet should reflect the goals of training. It sounds like common sense, but that very statement is one of the most routinely ignored. People believe that their arbitrary tastes and poor eating habits need somehow be respected. They are wrong. It is not uncommon to hear asinine statements such as “I don’t like _______”, “I can’t eat in the morning”, “I have no appetite”, “my wife won’t want to eat that”.  I already know you don’t want to eat correctly. If you did, we wouldn’t be having this discussion. There is little resistance when someone is instructed to do a difficult or painful exercise, but all the resistance in the world when that same person is instructed to eat 300g of protein. Even when people are given options, they take issue just for the sake of noncompliance.

Offer of Choice: “If you don’t like oats, you can use wheat, or barley, or quinoa, or teff, or any other low glycemic whole grain you like.”

Response: “No, I don’t like any of those. Can I use pizza?”

Parameters

There are, of course, degrees of restriction dependent on the sport of the athlete. The structure of the diet should ideally correspond to the demands of the sport, but any arrangement which facilitates progression is technically acceptable. Before you start selectively interpreting my writing, be aware that there is no validity to “as long as it fits my macros”, and I strongly discourage a “dirty bulk”. 5,000 clean calories is more effective, regardless of goal, than 8,000 junk calories. Some powerlifters notoriously eat “whatever they want” and break world records.

The ability to eat “whatever you want” is contingent on how closely that resembles “what you should”. Personally, I don’t particularly like most non-grain foods. If I ate by taste, I would have a 90% carbohydrate diet. For any athletic endeavor, there is obviously not much overlap with “want” and “should”. If, however, you enjoy prime rib and baked potato, that can be worked into a manageable meal plan.

The issue of concern is not excess adiposity, but incapacity to support training. Fat is easily gained and lost, but training and nutrition need to be calibrated to support lean mass gains. If you get fewer functional nutrients from a bulk than you would your normal diet, you are only doing yourself a disservice. Once you get over the idea that bulking is “easy”, you will be in a better state of mind to take it seriously.

Food Planning

The most difficult part of any diet is consistency. Skipping meals is unacceptable; it’s as thoughtless as accidentally adding a meal during a cut. Whereas a cut can be supported with a few simple foods, a proper bulk requires a creative approach, as the will to eat erodes rather quickly when all of your meals consist of skinless chicken and plain rice. The creative approach, however, can make bulking remarkably easy. People who claim that they can’t gain weight “no matter what” actually mean “I did not plan my meals and therefore have no idea what I’ve eaten, which means my testimony is worth exactly dick”. Diet templates and examples are available at the end of the article. If you still fail the test after I’ve given you the answer key, perhaps you should re-evaluate your interest in athletics.

Principles of Training

Training should always be tied to well defined goals. For strength and physique athletes, I suggest the focus be on increasing power (work/time) and total workload. Given adequate sleep and nutrition, more is better. Your goal is to create conditions for adaptation. Ample intake of carbohydrates will allow you to conduct all your training at full glycogen load, and ample intake of protein will easily repair whatever damage you think you can do to your muscles. The body is far more resilient than most people are willing to believe. Push yourself to new limits every week. In the last offseason, my workouts sometimes went past the 3 hour mark. Bring a cooler, or a few protein bars, and drive on.

Sabotage

Success is adherence, and adherence is contingent on the removal of doubt. This is the sole situation in life in which I recommend using faith, that is, belief in something without evidence. Unless you have access to a hydrostatic weighing machine, you must rely on incomplete data, most of which serves only to distort reality.

Scales: Avoid them entirely if possible. If you compete in a weight-dependent sport, use the scale at regular intervals (I suggest 10 days), and never at any other time. Most people use the scale with the intent to reduce anxiety, but the odds that it will do the opposite are overwhelming. Any unexpected fluctuation of weight or irregularity in rate of gain/loss is going to be perceived negatively. The only way to derive psychological satisfaction from the scale is if your progress is perfectly linear. This will never happen. This will NEVER happen. Don’t sabotage yourself.

Mirrors: The information derived from them is somewhat more useful than the arbitrary values on the scale. It's a bit more difficult to avoid mirrors, but it's important to resist the urge to react to every perceived change. The ever present thoughts of "I'm getting too fat" and, during a cut "I'm losing too much muscle" need to be controlled. Progress is not linear. Progress is NOT linear.

Friends: Lay people will always ask whether you've gained or lost weight. Which they choose is more a product of their faulty memory than any legitimate observation. People are far less observant than we like to believe. Unless someone is involved in your sport, they will generally be oblivious to your cyclic weight gain/loss. At 270 @ 15%, I'm considered "jacked". At 235 @ 9%, I'm also considered "jacked". Expecting someone to notice the difference is setting yourself up for failure. It's about as likely as unfashionable people identifying different species of cotton by touch. To them you're just "built" or "ripped" or "lean" or whatever vague classification suits you. Do not alter your diet or training for non-professional observations.

Food Fatigue

The mistake I've made in years past is to overestimate my willingness to eat. This led me to be somewhat careless with my diet planning, as I figured I would just eat whatever I put in front of myself. For a few weeks, I'll be able to get my protein by eating thirty-some slices of pizza, or several sandwiches consisting of two pounds of roast beef and one loaf of bread. After a few weeks of fun, a sickening perpetual encumberance lingers for as long as one maintains this unnatural diet. No energy, no hunger, just shortness of breath and desire to sleep. I'm sure I've fallen asleep a few times due to hypoxia. If you don't wish to conduct three hour training sessions while feeling like an obese man with sleep apnea, it would be wise to meticulously plan your bulking diet.

Guidelines

Keep your normal mealtimes. If you eat fewer than five meals a day, a schedule adjustment may be in order, otherwise, retaining the same meal timing allows easy transition in and out of a diet.

Don't overeat. Just like skipping a meal on a cut will cause rebound hunger, going to the buffet for breakfast and lunch will probably leave you not so eager to return for dinner.

Increase water intake. It's the building block of life, you know. I have a terrible thirst mechanism which has me drink about 3 gallons a day, regardless of what I'm eating or how I'm training. Most people are not quite as sensitive, which is one reason dehydration, cramps, and heat fatigue are so common. If in doubt, measure your intake.

Monitor sodium intake. Being heavier and working harder than normal, your blood pressure is already significantly higher in the offseason. Again, I get a nosebleed at the slightest prompt, so it's very easy to adjust, but plenty of people go from hypertension to stroke without the slightest indication from their bodies.

Don't needlessly spike insulin! Eating a meal that isn't protein-based is a bad idea at any time of year, but it's especially harmful when you're in caloric surplus. Any fat gained should be the inevitable consequence of training demands, not the easily avoidable consequence of poor planning.

Don't needlessly spike insulin! Eating in between meals is not okay. I don't care if it fits your macros. Insulin control is crucial for any and all changes in body composition.

Avoid fructose. Though it should be avoided at all times, it's especially toxic when you're in caloric surplus. It desensitizes you to insulin, and causes blood triglycerides (plentiful during a bulk) to be stored in the liver.

Dextrose is okay for the naturally lean. 1:1 ratio with whey for post-workout shake or breakfast.

Protein. You're not eating enough of it. 2.5-3.5 grams per pound of bodyweight for males, ~2 grams per pound of bodyweight for females.

Calories. You're not eating enough of them. Multiply your desired end weight by 25, that's your starting point. Adjust as necessary.

Fats. You eat too much of them. They're required for many anabolic processes in the body, but excess consumption is deposited into your own fat stores at +95% efficiency. I understand, I also want to eat the jar of peanut butter, but don't fall into the trap of "healthy fats". Nuts in any appreciable quantity are too energy dense for anyone except the hardest of gainers.

Examples   

My current diet (cutting) is a good bulking template for a smaller athlete:

Meal 1: 75g whey, 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 16oz almond milk
Meal 2: 1lb chicken breast, 1/2 cup rice
Meal 3: Same as Meal 1
Meal 4: Same as Meal 1
Meal 5: 1lb shrimp, 3oz fat free cheddar, 1/2 cup Chobani 0% yogurt, 2 servings Ezekiel bread
475g of protein, ~3400 calories

Adjusted for medium sized athlete:

Meal 1: 75g whey, 25g casein 1/2 cup steel cut oats, 16oz almond milk
Meal 2: 1lb chicken breast, 3 extra large eggs, 1/2 cup rice
Meal 3: Same as Meal 1
Meal 4: Same as Meal 1
Meal 5: 1lb 95% ground beef, 3oz fat free cheddar, 1/2 cup yogurt, 4 servings Ezekiel bread
600g protein, ~4700 calories

Speculation on my next bulk:

Meal 1: 75g whey, 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 16oz almond milk, 2 cups egg whites, 6oz fat free cheddar, 4 servings Ezekiel bread
Meal 2: 1lb shrimp, 8oz peas, 3 servings whole wheat pasta
Meal 3: 75g whey, 1/4 cup steel cut oats, 2 protein pancakes
Meal 4: Same as Meal 3
Meal 5: 1.5lb 95% ground beef, 3 oz fat free cheddar, 1/2 cup yogurt, 4 servings Ezekiel bread
700g protein, ~6000 calories

It's not difficult; just a matter of prioritizing protein. Getting 700g protein with a proper meal plan is easily accomplished by any 200 pound athlete. Trying to get 700g with chicken wings and fast food might sound like fun, but it's actually far more difficult, and far worse for your health.

Disclaimer: I've written this piecemeal over the course of several days, so there may be redundancies or missing information. For the sake of publishing this in reasonable time, I am posting it as-is. Feel free to ask questions if you feel I've missed something. If there are any major issues which I failed to cover, I will address them comprehensively in my next work.

Basic Human Competency

Basic Human Competency - A Guide for Prospective Trainers

New trainees are generally very eager to begin the organized pursuit of their goals; they are more than willing to purchase new equipment, supplements, journals, clothing, accessories, and so forth. Invariably, they want to do much more on their first day than would be beneficial; there is a sort of restlessness which consumes them until they are introduced to fatigue, hunger, soreness, and the other sobering realities of training.
The vast majority of casual trainees are impatiently obsessed with instant results, despite the fact that they’ve happily spent years in complacency. I pass no judgment on this group, because even 30 year veterans are receptive to the idea of instant results; they’re just experienced enough to know better. The fixation with “now” invariably leads to failure, not necessarily because of disappointment, but because of the unfounded assumption of competence.

People are more than willing to see themselves as weak, fat, slow, disgusting, etc. and will not hesitate to tell you. Very few, however, are willing to accept that they are novices. The scariest idea to a typical trainee is that he/she will have to begin their journey… at the beginning! Sure they weigh 500 pounds, and require a wheelchair and oxygen tank to get out of bed, but they are not beginners. No way. Maybe some other guy, but not them. Crossfit has capitalized unscrupulously on this demand for instant gratification. Fuck “know it all” trainers like me, with my progression tables and detailed plans, that guy just did 14 burpees. 14! And you said he wasn’t ready for the Olympics.

Even more damaging than a poorly conceived program, is a dissonant or closed mind. Some success is possible with consistency and dedication, regardless of the training system employed. The physical limitations of a given individual are far less predictive of success or failure than his/her self-imposed cognitive restrictions. The most effective tools in navigating obstacles are self-awareness and honesty.
The absolute worst part of program design for a new client is that they project an ideal, rather than an accurate picture of themselves. They’re always vague, and always lying, whether they intend to deceive or not.

Claim: “I worked out off and on for 10 years”.
Reality: You lifted a couple of times in high school and used the stairmaster at a hotel once.  
Claim: “I don’t eat that much.”
Reality: You eat precisely that much.
Claim: “I eat a lot!”
Reality: You eat the exact opposite of a lot. The louder and more defensive you are about it, the less you actually eat.

This last item is of particular concern to me, as it demonstrates the frightful incompetence of typical people. After so many years of involvement in fitness, certain things are so rudimentary that they are taken for granted. Though trainees would like to believe they are ready for “an advanced program”, they’re actually not even ready for a novice program, because they have no knowledge of basic human physiology or nutrition.

I was shocked to learn that there are still people who can’t read nutrition labels. Would figure that humans, naturally inquisitive, might have some passing interest in the contents of their sustenance, but then again, why go through the trouble of reading a label? Not like you’re getting graded. Despite the fact that very few people could tell you what a calorie is, or even how many calories were in the last thing they ate, everyone is convinced that they can accurately assess their level of consumption. This phenomena is not unique to the fitness world, where delusion is a product of the overwhelming desire to project knowledge and ability, it’s the unintentional condition of most people. Whereas the “off and on” trainee is lying to protect his/her ego, the nutritionally ignorant skinny/fat trainee, more often than not, is giving you an accurate summation of their perspective. Of course, their perspective has nothing to do with facts, but they are [sometimes] innocently oblivious of that.

I watched a very interesting documentary a few weeks ago. Take a break and watch it, if you like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPsKpnu0-X4

The results of the experiment were rather unremarkable, but the genuine ignorance and incompetence of the subjects deserves close scrutiny by anyone considering a career in fitness. They were given the laughably easy task of consuming [at most!] 5,000 calories/day for a month. They were all literate, free from any obvious mental impairment, and had access to a grocery store. I'm not going to say there's a right or wrong way to go about this, but I would:

1. Read labels of food products I enjoyed, preferably complementary ones. The peanut butter, jelly, and bread combination, for instance, might seem a fair choice.
2. Create roughly equivalent meal choices (1,700 calories).
3. Prepare and consume those meals.

Conversely, their strategy:

1. Find energy dense food items
2. Consume them irregularly and hope you meet the quota

Let me reiterate that I understand most people are unfamiliar with meal planning, nutrition labels, and diets, but this had all the complexity of a second grade math problem. It wasn't that they weren't smart enough to figure it out, it's that they didn't bother to try, because they falsely believed themselves competent.

Barring illness or injury, every fat and thin person who comes to your door suffers from mindlessness. The constant availability of food leads us to treat it as we would the air or the sun. It's something vital, but always expected, so we don't bother to regulate it. Different gene expressions, environmental factors, and adaptations to stress are then left to define our consumption. Random variations in size and shape (of untrained persons) have nothing to do with discipline or willpower; they're merely indicative of the different unconscious processes in similarly oblivious people.

Observations:

Overweight: Eating while distracted, eating as a reaction to stimulus, having primarily external satiety controls (whatever is being eaten will continue to get eaten until the bag/box is empty).

Underweight: Forgetting to eat, eating sloppily/incompletely, having strong internal satiety controls (hunger is not modified by the availability or convenience of food)

There is no way to plan a successful diet if your client can't track their daily candy bar intake, or if they leave 30% of the chicken on their plate because "they're done". The common idea that "I can't lose/gain weight, no matter what I do" is a completely rational statement, given the subjectivity with which most people analyze themselves.

An overweight person may truly not remember eating a snickers on the car ride home. Not that they have no memory of eating it, but that it didn't have a context worth remembering, so it may have been three days ago, it may have been last week, it may have been twice, it may have been five times.

An underweight person may be convinced that they ate two pounds of steak and two cups of rice, but what they actually did was stir the contents of the plate around into an unappetizing mess which was eaten by no one.  

Inaccurate information leads to poor diagnosis, which inevitably leads to failure. The results of the client will ultimately determine your credibility, and the single largest factor in determining their success is the accuracy of the information they give you. It's very difficult to get the truth out of anyone about anything, but it is in your interest to constantly inquire about the most minute details, and take absolutely nothing for granted.

It's really sad to see a talented athlete never reach the limits of their potential because no one ever told them to clean their plate. The initial consternation they feel at having their delusions refuted will give way to a lifetime of gratitude.       

Addendum: We Kept It Gray

Addendum: We Kept It Gray

Historiography

There is nothing intrinsically wrong about paleo dieting; short term adoption may, in fact, benefit certain populations. Its popularity is based on selective interpretation and an unfounded belief in applicability. This can be said that this is true of most any popular idea of any time, but paleo is different in that it is not a modern theory based on archaic research, but an archaic theory unchanged from its inception.

This is not to say that it has not been modified to appeal to a contemporary demographic, but rather, that its tenets are reasoned with all of the [lack of] scientific knowledge and bias of the early 20th century. The Stefansson and Price expeditions, which showed that 1) Humans can survive on a diet comprised exclusively of animal products 2) People in westernized nations had reduced markers of health (bad teeth, in particular) compared to indigenous populations. In the 1970s, Gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin decided that since we have the capacity to digest animal protein, and certain populations get by on little else, that we are all innately carnivores. Basically, he said “What applies to remote groups of Eskimos applies to all of humanity, except even more so.”
  
I do not intend to take any credit away from these individuals, as their contributions were of great value in the progression of nutrition science, but we should not forget the historical context in which these studies were conducted. Stefansson was an arctic explorer; he was much more concerned with survivability than optimal health. Price was a dentist; he was absolutely correct in positing that western diets were responsible for the prevalence of weak bones and rotten teeth, but he took his observations to logical fallacy. I do not believe it was intentional, merely reflective of the scientific limitations of the day.

The poor health of western populations was a product of the unregulated industrialization of food. Wheat was hulled, bleached, bromated (which is currently illegal in the rest of the civilized world. USA! USA!), stored in silos with no moisture control, and combined with sawdust. Dairy cows were fed distillery waste and produced tainted milk. “Formula” for babies was often a cheap sugar and rice water mixture, which led to a great many cases of malnutrition and death. Meat was often contaminated, rancid, and preserved with formaldehyde. It was not until we killed hundreds of our own Soldiers with tainted beef in the Spanish-American War that some regulation was imposed. Even later in the century, industrial solvents and lubricants, products of mass production in WWII, became staples in the food industry. The waste product of a popular lubricant actually led to the formation of the modern supplement industry, as defatted soy flour became a cheap source of protein that could be sold at a huge profit margin. It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that the population with the food-based diet is healthier.

Though regulations in America are still dangerously lax, the food industry has been responsive to a health-conscious market. The presence of any poison must be clearly indicated on the ingredients list. It is still the responsibility of the consumer to research the toxicity of any given compound, but, in all fairness, the presence of fire diamonds on packaging might dissuade consumers.

Because people undertaking a paleo diet are doing so in the present day, they should not equate the food of Weston Price’s era to that which is currently available. A modern young European, or a young non-alcoholic, non-obese American, would show very similar, if not superior markers of development and health. There would still be a discrepancy in cavities, but that is due to the pervasive availability of sugar, rather than the absence of essential nutrients. A regular diet of frozen pizza and ice cream sandwiches as a youth allowed me to grow to above average height, with not a single cavity or fracture. I certainly don’t come from hardy stock, as my parents were not so fortunate, spending their formative years in the abject poverty of postwar Italy. I do not in any way condone the typical American diet, but the plausible health advantages of paleo eating are far removed from what they would have been a hundred years ago.

Pragmatic Utility

A paleo-style diet has some applicability in the treatment of metabolic syndrome. A sedentary lifestyle requires very few carbohydrates, and the reduction/removal of dietary fructose will assist in normalizing liver function and insulin regulation. Low intensity activity would also be of benefit, as it would increase glucose transport efficiency to muscle tissue, increase glucagon production, and increase B-oxidation as a proportion of expenditure, all of which contribute to lower blood sugar levels. Because abnormal insulin activity is the perpetuating factor in populations with metabolic syndrome, I would actually suggest that a paleo approach would yield faster results than a similarly restricted isocaloric diet. Once stability is achieved, however, a different methodology would likely prove superior in eliciting further improvements in body composition, especially if anaerobic work (i.e. weight training) is simultaneously undertaken.

Standards, No Compromise

There is no argument that can be made about which diets “work”. Results will vary across every demographic, and very often, even within specific populations. The only way to calibrate a diet to your specific needs is through years of trial and error, ideally under the supervision of a good trainer/nutritionist. In the realm of theoretical work, we can only know the experiences of others, but from that data, we can determine plausible courses of action. There are traps to avoid in conducting diet research:

1. Deceptive Studies. These also feature notably in the absurd claims made by supplement manufacturers. It is impossible to judge the efficacy of any compound/routine/diet if all other variables are not controlled. When an advertisement claims that people have lost up to 40 pounds in two months, they are not saying anything quantifiable about their product. The 40 pounds was lost in tandem with a diet and exercise program (hence the asterisk). Even when variables are accounted for, the claimed efficacy of diets are generally based on comparison with a control group. Your form of caloric restriction works better than unrestricted consumption? Amazing.

2. Assumed Transference. There may exist a great deal of fair, unbiased research which favorably compares a product/diet/routine to many of its plausible options. The only problem is that the studies in question were done on rats/monkeys/horses/pregnant women/diabetics/the comatose/burn victims. There is some transference among all mammals, but life processes and responses to stimuli are extremely variable. It’s great that Boron increases muscle mass in some geriatric populations, and that intravenous Glutamine speeds recovery in burn victims. Perhaps there’s a certain fatty acid that slows the progress of Alzheimer’s, or reduces the risk of relapse following triple bypass surgery. Fantastic, all of it. That doesn’t mean it applies to you. If taking an aspirin relieves your headache, it does not follow that taking two aspirin would be more effective, or that taking aspirin in the absence of pain would cause euphoria. If panaceas were so common, we wouldn’t need fifty variations of a drug to treat the same disease.

3. Attribution Error. Sometimes success is achieved despite a poor diet/training regimen, sometimes failure is achieved despite a proper diet/training regimen. We’re much more likely to attribute success to the most convenient coincidental occurrence, rather than conduct a proper post-game analysis. We like to think about amazing throws and catches, because they give dramatic significance to an otherwise mundane outcome. One might feel sick or tired during a powerlifting meet, and say “I hit that lift through pure willpower”, but actually, they hit it because their months of preparation were sufficient to overcome minor unexpected obstacles. If you follow a diet during a particularly happy time in your life, you may insist it was extremely effective, give no acknowledgement to the context of your success, and be genuinely shocked when the same experiment yields different results.

There are very few circumstances in which inertia yields greater results than action. Insecurity causes an obsession with certainty, and hard doctrine leads to closed minds. There is no “answer”, and nothing “works”. Adherence to archaic convictions in the face of scientific evidence is self-destructive. Progress demands that we cease the tribal practice of tying our egos into a collective idea. You aren’t “faithful” to Westside, or Stronglifts, or Atkin’s, or Muscle Milk, you’re just denying yourself the knowledge of anything else because you’re afraid of realizing your own identity.