Ask the Exercise Scientist

[Pocketbattleship2B]

Oh yes 21's, We called them something else took my a bit to figure out what exactly you were asking me. Then I remembered reading about them in Muscle and Fitness years ago....LOL

21's I think are pretty good way to fully fatigue the muscle at the end of bicep workout. I like to do drop sets myself where you do ten or so reps drop weight and go down on and on, just because you get full range of motion. But I will sometimes do these just as something different and to keep me from getting bored.

Thanks, sorry for not being more specific.I'll give the drop sets a go at the end of the biceps workout then.

[MuscleScience]

Thanks, sorry for not being more specific.I'll give the drop sets a go at the end of the biceps workout then.

I am not saying not to do one or the other, simple to keep things from getting boring do 21's one week or two if you like then a drop set the next workout. they are equally as kick ass, and for me and my training partners keeps us stimulated mentally.

[Pocketbattleship2B]

I am not saying not to do one or the other, simple to keep things from getting boring do 21's one week or two if you like then a drop set the next workout. they are equally as kick ass, and for me and my training partners keeps us stimulated mentally.

Ok,got you.Thanks.

[MuscleScience]

Bumpidy bump bump

[eatrainrest]

if carb cycling, how many grams of carbs would you recommend daily on low days, wiht one high refeed day.

[MuscleScience]

if carb cycling, how many grams of carbs would you recommend daily on low days, wiht one high refeed day.

Thats a good question and is probably a matter of personal opinion. If I do a carb cycle vs a keto type diet (which I just started) I shoot for around 120 gr of carbs per day on my low days, maybe 250-300 on high days or re-feed I guess is what people call in it now. I actually have a program for the keto type diet I am on from a friend helping me out. As I have virtually no practical experience with this type of diet. As you can imagine training people for most types of athletics you do not restrict their carb intake. Practically speaking though anything under 200 grams of carbs is relatively low. I do not count veggies in my carb calcs because of the need for extra fiber content when on this type of diet.

[peachfuzz]

In your opinion are knee wraps harmful?

pulled this from another board...

cause faulty mechanics during leg presses or squats. you'll notice when flexing your knee- your patella will track caudally in between the femur and tibia. once you extend the knee- the patella tracks upward because of the isotonic contraction of the quads. these descriptions are required for daily activities. now consider the load during an exercises such as squats with forces that deter tracking of the patella. the quadriceps would no contract or shorten correctly during extension because there is a counter force. i.e., the damn straps!

feels like its bad if i dont use them so now im not sure what to do. must say they make lifting more comfortable but not sure if im only compounding the problem

[MuscleScience]

In your opinion are knee wraps harmful?

pulled this from another board...



feels like its bad if i dont use them so now im not sure what to do. must say they make lifting more comfortable but not sure if im only compounding the problem

There really has not been a lot of conclusive evidence really either way, whether wraps helps or not at preventing injury during exercise such as squat. I really see no reason for using them other than as a mental boost. I really dont like anything that compresses the patella or interferes with its normal tracking. Simple because over time there is increased potential for the development of over use injuries such as chondromalacia patella.

Having said that, a big part of any athletes performance is the mental component. If a person feels that it gives them a boost or and edge or confidence. Then I am not going to tell them not to do it. The last thing you want any athlete whether they are a recreational exerciser or a ranked powerlifter is for them to lose that mental edge.

[InsaneInTheMembrane]

Hey bro,
howz it goin'?
need ur input on something

just finished an 8wk winny/test e/NPP/EQ bulker - going straight to a 10wk EQ/tren /primo/prop cutter -- I do my cycles this way (4-5 months on / 5 months off) so this is not the issue

In the last 3 weeks I've been getting spasms everywhere; especially the forearms. They start about 2 hours after I finish workout on that particular muscle group. Also, during the day, if I move/stretch my forearms to do anything, they go into spasm - I have my suspicisions on what might be the cause BUT would like to see your take on why this would be happening!

cheers

[MuscleScience]

Hey bro,
howz it goin'?
need ur input on something

just finished an 8wk winny/test e/NPP/EQ bulker - going straight to a 10wk EQ/tren /primo/prop cutter -- I do my cycles this way (4-5 months on / 5 months off) so this is not the issue

In the last 3 weeks I've been getting spasms everywhere; especially the forearms. They start about 2 hours after I finish workout on that particular muscle group. Also, during the day, if I move/stretch my forearms to do anything, they go into spasm - I have my suspicisions on what might be the cause BUT would like to see your take on why this would be happening!

cheers

It just sounds like to me that you have some local spasms due to fatigue. Not uncommon for a muscle that is fatigued to spasm. You may want to make sure your getting enough electrolytes with your fluids. If you drink nothing but bottled water which is devoid of minerals and electrolytes (salts/ions) you can actually leach out some of your bodies own salts.

[KatsMeow]

Question:

Can you explain how being insulin resistant effects weight gain/ weight loss (fat) in particular?

[InsaneInTheMembrane]

It just sounds like to me that you have some local spasms due to fatigue. Not uncommon for a muscle that is fatigued to spasm. You may want to make sure your getting enough electrolytes with your fluids. If you drink nothing but bottled water which is devoid of minerals and electrolytes (salts/ions) you can actually leach out some of your bodies own salts.

thanx broda; will get on it!

[MuscleScience]

Question:

Can you explain how being insulin resistant effects weight gain/ weight loss (fat) in particular?

Sure,

Insulin Resistance Syndrome (IRS) is a complicated set of factors to were the body's cells do not respond to insulin as they normally should. IRS has a close association with genetics, obesity and in in-active persons that have a diet rich in carbohydrates. The theory as to why patients gain weight is somewhat perplexing in the fact that if the cells are not responding to insulin then they do not take up glucose for energy. However fat cells do not release their fat stores because of the increase in circulating insulin even though blood glucose is high. It has been theorized that Leptin Resistance can partly be to blame for the associated weight gain as well. Since Leptin and Insulin have a very similar receptor type in structure one theory says that there is a physical change in the cell membrane or the components of the receptors themselves that cause both to not function properly. Additionally elevated levels of Leptin as seen in Obese individuals cause a desensitization to leptin by its receptors. Leptin is partly responsible for controlling appetite and energy balance. Keep in mind this is a very general outline and I can not stress enough how complicated IRS is especially as it relates to metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

[KatsMeow]

Thanks for the response MS

I have another question

Would taking muscle relaxers such as Soma help muscles heal post workout I've noticed that after intense leg workouts, I can barely walk and If I take muscle relaxers it seems to get better the next day

[vpchill]

Hey MS, any secrets for regulating cramps? I stretch and sometimes still have terrible leg cramps. Ive added taurine and calcium as well as extra bananas for potassium. Anything else you may reccomend?

[MuscleScience]

Thanks for the response MS

I have another question

Would taking muscle relaxers such as Soma help muscles heal post workout I've noticed that after intense leg workouts, I can barely walk and If I take muscle relaxers it seems to get better the next day

You probably feel better because one of the protective mechanisms for a muscle that is undergoing growth and repair is to have and increase in neural input that cause an increase in muscle tone. The soreness and stiffness you feel is partly responsible from this but I think you would be better off taking and NSAID than a muscle relaxer as far as recovery goes.

[MuscleScience]

Hey MS, any secrets for regulating cramps? I stretch and sometimes still have terrible leg cramps. Ive added taurine and calcium as well as extra bananas for potassium. Anything else you may reccomend?

Well other than watch how much bottled water you drink in a day I would say make sure you have a good warmup before bouts of exercise. You may also try a ZMA supplement or a magnesium citrate supplement and see if that helps. Mg has hundreds of roles in the human body. Mg is freely filtered in the kidneys so there is a low risk of toxicity through supplementation unless one has impaired renal function.

[MuscleScience]

BTW KatsMeow,

I edited post number 853 this afternoon because I was sleepy when I posted last night and had a few typos and inaccuracies.

[vpchill]

Thanx MS

[Bojangles69]

Thanks for the response MS

I have another question

Would taking muscle relaxers such as Soma help muscles heal post workout I've noticed that after intense leg workouts, I can barely walk and If I take muscle relaxers it seems to get better the next day

You can walk better ON soma?

wtf, last time I took that crap I was stumbling like a drunk idiot.. even the next day my coordination seemed all over the place.

[Bojangles69]

Muscle I got a question about injections.

I've been noticing some weird things.
If I shoot in my ass sometimes, (it happens randomly) I'll wake up and have pain NOWHERE NEAR the injection site.

Last time, I literally had immense pain on the back of my legs where the leg meets the butt kinda, but I'm injecting like 5 or 6" above.
Its screwing with my cardio so I started shooting in my abs.

But the abs hurt like a mfkr! I sneezed today and wanted to cry from the contractions in my stomach. Does test prob EVER get better or is every injection this painful. I'm on week 2 1/2 and I thought my muscles my learn to tolerate it better, def not happening at all. Its not a refined question but any help I could get Id really appreciate.

[MuscleScience]

Muscle I got a question about injections.

I've been noticing some weird things.
If I shoot in my ass sometimes, (it happens randomly) I'll wake up and have pain NOWHERE NEAR the injection site.

Last time, I literally had immense pain on the back of my legs where the leg meets the butt kinda, but I'm injecting like 5 or 6" above.
Its screwing with my cardio so I started shooting in my abs.

But the abs hurt like a mfkr! I sneezed today and wanted to cry from the contractions in my stomach. Does test prob EVER get better or is every injection this painful. I'm on week 2 1/2 and I thought my muscles my learn to tolerate it better, def not happening at all. Its not a refined question but any help I could get Id really appreciate.

I would think that your body would eventually adapt to the injections. One reason that you may be getting soreness down the leg is that you either hit a vein and the oils traveled or you inflamed the sciatic nerve some. Make sure if your injecting glutes that you stay in the upper lateral quadrant and aspirate each time.

The reason that people get sore is that steroids are a crystal, they are dissolved in the oils and are deposited in the muscle when injected. The body basically absorbs the oil and deposits the steroid crystals in the muscle. This is called a depot, and when this happens it is said that the crystals fall out of solution and are absorbed by the capillary beds of the muscle in a slow controlled manner if you will. At least that is what I remember from the little Pharmokinetics I had, I could be way off though...LOL

[eatrainrest]

your the man...

[MuscleScience]

your the man...

For a few hundred thousand dollars in student loans you could be too.....

[eatrainrest]

For a few hundred thousand dollars in student loans you could be too.....

lol... im still sure you enjoy life.. from what i gather you dont sleep and bang asians day and night.. highlife right there

[MuscleScience]

lol... im still sure you enjoy life.. from what i gather you dont sleep and bang asians day and night.. highlife right there

I just dont sleep, I enjoy life when I can. I enjoy helping people I figure thats one way to use my education.

[Bojangles69]

I would think that your body would eventually adapt to the injections. One reason that you may be getting soreness down the leg is that you either hit a vein and the oils traveled or you inflamed the sciatic nerve some. Make sure if your injecting glutes that you stay in the upper lateral quadrant and aspirate each time.

The reason that people get sore is that steroids are a crystal, they are dissolved in the oils and are deposited in the muscle when injected. The body basically absorbs the oil and deposits the steroid crystals in the muscle. This is called a depot, and when this happens it is said that the crystals fall out of solution and are absorbed by the capillary beds of the muscle in a slow controlled manner if you will. At least that is what I remember from the little Pharmokinetics I had, I could be way off though...LOL

Awesome, thanks a lot.

I don't think I hit a vein though cause I didn't cough and fall down (which is what ppl say happens when you do) and I aspirated.

It feels like the oil might be dropping out of my glute after I inject it, I just hope I'm not wasting anything.
I think I have bad luck with injections cause even when I shot last night (abs) and woke up this morning to pee, I could feel the pee passing right by the "crystals" (just guessing) and it hurt incredibly. Like I injected into one of the pipes that the urine passes through. I've been holding in piss all day thats how bad it hurts to pee.

I looked at all the injection graphs and do it by the book, prob just hurts so bad cause its my first brew I guess. Thanks muscle, much appreciated!

[MuscleScience]

Awesome, thanks a lot.

I don't think I hit a vein though cause I didn't cough and fall down (which is what ppl say happens when you do) and I aspirated.

It feels like the oil might be dropping out of my glute after I inject it, I just hope I'm not wasting anything.
I think I have bad luck with injections cause even when I shot last night (abs) and woke up this morning to pee, I could feel the pee passing right by the "crystals" I guess and it hurt incredibly. Matter a fact every single time I've peed today it almost felt like a kidney stone or something.

I looked at all the injection graphs and do it by the book, prob just hurts so bad cause its my first brew I guess. Thanks muscle, much appreciated!

No problem, be safe...

[eatrainrest]

many people refer to the best times of cardio being performed in glycogen depleted states... well, how can you know if you are? and is it possible to be fully depleted (considering not running keto just low carb dieting)? to me it seems liek people think it works liek a perfect science (after depleting muscle glycogen during resistance trianing, "I am glycogen depleted so LI cardio will start brning just fat" -of course we know that you may use fat as a primary energy source but not entirely....

[energizer bunny]

Ive been doing cardio a.m and after weights for the past 4 weeks on my current routine...

ive just purchased a heart rate monitor... and realised that ive either been going to high or to low when doing the cardio... ive sorted the after weights cardio and the am. running cardio.. but i cant seem to get a steady heart rate on my bike days... its either way up or way down... i really enjoy going out on my bike it mixes up the cardio and i like being outside... to my question

Would going on the bike and my heart rate going up and down really effect my fat burning??

Should i just hit the gym in the a.m instead of bike? (id rather not do this as i will be doing this all winter... but will if there is a big diff in the end results)

Thanks..

[MuscleScience]

many people refer to the best times of cardio being performed in glycogen depleted states... well, how can you know if you are? and is it possible to be fully depleted (considering not running keto just low carb dieting)? to me it seems liek people think it works liek a perfect science (after depleting muscle glycogen during resistance trianing, "I am glycogen depleted so LI cardio will start brning just fat" -of course we know that you may use fat as a primary energy source but not entirely....

A glycogen depleted state really means that glycogen stores are lower than optimal. One could never really be totally glycogen depleted unless they were dead. The general definition is based on a fasting period, this varies from author to author really but most of the consensus is based off of the state that of glycogen stores after an 8 hour fast usually over night. There are some studies that extend this fast as far as 72 hours which is an extreme example in the literature. Even if a person is in a glycogen and a carb depleted state new glycogen can be formed from the use of fat. Fatty acid and glycerol are shuttled out of fat cells and are carried to tissues that need energy. The fatty acids go to the muscles and other areas were as the glycerol component of a triglyceride goes to the liver. In the liver the glycerol will be converted to glycogen via gluconeogenesis. The fatty acids will of course be oxidized in the muscles and used for ATP production. The body is never in one energy system purely. There will always be ATP being produced via the PC, anaerobic, aerobic pathways. It is the relative proportion of ATP that is being generated from a particular pathway that changes based on physiological conditions.

[MuscleScience]

Ive been doing cardio a.m and after weights for the past 4 weeks on my current routine...

ive just purchased a heart rate monitor... and realised that ive either been going to high or to low when doing the cardio... ive sorted the after weights cardio and the am. running cardio.. but i cant seem to get a steady heart rate on my bike days... its either way up or way down... i really enjoy going out on my bike it mixes up the cardio and i like being outside... to my question

Would going on the bike and my heart rate going up and down really effect my fat burning??

Should i just hit the gym in the a.m instead of bike? (id rather not do this as i will be doing this all winter... but will if there is a big diff in the end results)

Thanks..

I really see no reason why you shouldnt bike. Even if the relative proportion of energy production is not optimal for fat burning, your still burning a lot of calories and building up and O2 debt that has to be repaid after cessation of exercise. Mostly from fatty acid oxidation when you are at rest. I say go ahead and bike and dont worry if your relative amount of fat calories being burned is not as high during exercise. Its the absolute amount of fat calories burned throughout the day that counts most.

[energizer bunny]

Nice one muscle science...thanks for clearing that up for me..

[Jumbo18]

I have posted this in the general aas section, but i would like your input as well. This may sound odd, but will low testosterone levels for an extended period of time reduce your height. I have been living with low testosterone for a year now due to not recovering from a bad cycle. I have felt as if my bones have gotten weaker and smaller. I used to always wear size 10 or 10.5 for my shoes, and i measured my feet and they came out at 9 feet. It may be in my head but i would like clarification, however my bones have definitely gotten weaker. I wanted to somewhat confirm my suspicion, and came onto this link with some symptoms of low testosterone

http://healthwriter.eu/testosterone-...-and-symptoms/

and it says at the very bottom:

Lab Results in Low Testosterone (4)

* Decreased bone density by dexa scan
* Loss in height of more than 1 inch.

[Jumbo18]

I have posted this in the general aas section, but i would like your input as well. This may sound odd, but will low testosterone levels for an extended period of time reduce your height. I have been living with low testosterone for a year now due to not recovering from a bad cycle. I have felt as if my bones have gotten weaker and smaller. I used to always wear size 10 or 10.5 for my shoes, and i measured my feet and they came out at 9 feet. It may be in my head but i would like clarification, however my bones have definitely gotten weaker. I wanted to somewhat confirm my suspicion, and came onto this link with some symptoms of low testosterone

http://healthwriter.eu/testosterone-...-and-symptoms/

and it says at the very bottom:

Lab Results in Low Testosterone (4)

* Decreased bone density by dexa scan
* Loss in height of more than 1 inch.

[MuscleScience]

I have posted this in the general aas section, but i would like your input as well. This may sound odd, but will low testosterone levels for an extended period of time reduce your height. I have been living with low testosterone for a year now due to not recovering from a bad cycle. I have felt as if my bones have gotten weaker and smaller. I used to always wear size 10 or 10.5 for my shoes, and i measured my feet and they came out at 9 feet. It may be in my head but i would like clarification, however my bones have definitely gotten weaker. I wanted to somewhat confirm my suspicion, and came onto this link with some symptoms of low testosterone

http://healthwriter.eu/testosterone-...-and-symptoms/

and it says at the very bottom:

Lab Results in Low Testosterone (4)

* Decreased bone density by dexa scan
* Loss in height of more than 1 inch.

I am confused, were you confirmed to have low Testosterone levels by a doctor. Did you also have a DEXA scan as well?

There are certainly many negative health benefits to having a decrease in testosterone levels. Perception of loss of height can be a manifestation of several different things. First and foremost vertebral disc hydration can effect change in height throughout the day. In the morning a person can be as much as an inch taller than they are later in the after noon. After going to a lying to standing position in the morning compression of the disc will causes the water levels inside the disc to decrease thus causing a loss of disc height.

In later stages of osteoporosis a persons height can decrease too. Microfracturing of the vertebral bodies causes a forward flexion and decrease in physical vertebra body height.

A year of low testosterone levels probably would not cause a major decrease in bone density to were someone would be in a osteoporotic state. However I am not an MD, and I would URGE you to consult one if you feel the problem warrants it.

MS.

[eatrainrest]

this question regards carb loading and AM workouts.

if say somebody were to workout upon waking up or even a few hours after breakfast but needed that energy for intense exercise would carb loading be wise? what is about the time range from consuming carbs to upon waking up that you can utilize the carbs for energy and avoid fat storage? or would slamming quick carbs right before working out/intense exercise be better?

[MuscleScience]

this question regards carb loading and AM workouts.

if say somebody were to workout upon waking up or even a few hours after breakfast but needed that energy for intense exercise would carb loading be wise? what is about the time range from consuming carbs to upon waking up that you can utilize the carbs for energy and avoid fat storage? or would slamming quick carbs right before working out/intense exercise be better?

I would probably just take some carbs about 20-30 minutes before working out. The sugars will hit your system pretty rapidly and if your working out most if not all will be utilized for immediate energy demands.

[Immortal Soldier]

I don't know if this question has been asked, but does the body really "get use to" your exercise plan? I mean I see countless times people saying change your exercise plan, "keep your body guessing", etc. etc.

But my exercise plans (which I have followed for over a year and half with huge sucess) is simple, its intensity in high sets.

For example for Triceps I do 7-8 exercises for a total of 28-32 sets and I pump out that workout out in around 75-80 minutes. (I do one bodypart a day 5-6 days a week)

Now some body parts like back I do 36 sets and some bodyparts like chest I do only 20-24 sets. So it's not like I set x amount of sets to do for each bodypart, I go by how "I feel" and what I feel is "enough"

But my use of exercises for each bodypart is specialized to generate mass, I have alot of compound exercises and exercises I picked up from bodybuilders/grurs along with some isolation throw in to really target the bodypart that I am working on that day.


Now can my body truly get used to all these exercises?

I mean I get results from high intensity high amount of sets, some people can do 2-3 exercises for a body part and be good, but I absolutely try to kill that bodypart since I only do it once a week, over-training is not a concern.

Thanks

[MuscleScience]

I don't know if this question has been asked, but does the body really "get use to" your exercise plan? I mean I see countless times people saying change your exercise plan, "keep your body guessing", etc. etc.

But my exercise plans (which I have followed for over a year and half with huge sucess) is simple, its intensity in high sets.

For example for Triceps I do 7-8 exercises for a total of 28-32 sets and I pump out that workout out in around 75-80 minutes. (I do one bodypart a day 5-6 days a week)

Now some body parts like back I do 36 sets and some bodyparts like chest I do only 20-24 sets. So it's not like I set x amount of sets to do for each bodypart, I go by how "I feel" and what I feel is "enough"

But my use of exercises for each bodypart is specialized to generate mass, I have alot of compound exercises and exercises I picked up from bodybuilders/grurs along with some isolation throw in to really target the bodypart that I am working on that day.


Now can my body truly get used to all these exercises?

I mean I get results from high intensity high amount of sets, some people can do 2-3 exercises for a body part and be good, but I absolutely try to kill that bodypart since I only do it once a week, over-training is not a concern.

Thanks

It sure can, in-fact there is extensive scientific literature on this effect. That is why practically every single exercise based scientific study is based off a 12 week program. It is found that for the average person the body fully adapts to any new exercise program at about 12 weeks. There is also extensive real world and anecdotal evidence in bodybuilding, athletic and powerlifting circles. Now not everyone responds the same of course some people adapt in only 8 weeks some as much as 15 to even 20 weeks. The body is all about energy conservation. If it can adapt to any new stimulus in a way that eventually it has to expend less energy to build proteins, or repair connective tissues ect. It will only do the minimal amount it has to do to adapt. Once it has fully adapted it does not have to improve or expend more energy to maintain homeostatsis.