Ask the Exercise Scientist

[Severe]

My pectoralis major is hurting. I think I caused it by close grip bench press. It's been a couple weeks and still has a slight pain to it. The area that hurts is the front of my right shoulder. Are there any exercises that will help make it stronger? I'm switching to DB presses tomorrow.

[MuscleScience]

My pectoralis major is hurting. I think I caused it by close grip bench press. It's been a couple weeks and still has a slight pain to it. The area that hurts is the front of my right shoulder. Are there any exercises that will help make it stronger? I'm switching to DB presses tomorrow.

You may be better off taking some time off from exercising that area.

[DSM4Life]

Whats the next best options other than a "release" for curing blue balls ?

[MuscleScience]

Whats the next best options other than a "release" for curing blue balls ?

Ice water

[DSM4Life]

Ice water

outch, ill stick to my first remedy.

[MuscleScience]

outch, ill stick to my first remedy.

Mad Matt???

[jbm]

My Chest workout is like this:
Bench press
Flat flys
Incline dumbell press
Peck deck
all are 4 sets 12/10/10/8 reps
I want to put mass. Is this over training?
Any opinions bro?

[MuscleScience]

My Chest workout is like this:
Bench press
Flat flys
Incline dumbell press
Peck deck
all are 4 sets 12/10/10/8 reps
I want to put mass. Is this over training?
Any opinions bro?

Well Pec Deck and flat flies are almost exactly the same. I really like Bosu ball push ups or or some other pushup type exercise. I think 4 exercise for chest is pretty close to the perfect number of exercises. The Pecs are not considered a large muscle group as I have said many times before. As such they do not need the same amount of sets and reps like the back or legs do.

I cant say if its over training, because I am sure for awhile your body can handle that much volume. Its basically a matter of how you feel and knowing the signs and symptoms of overtraining syndrome. Additionally a lot of people are afraid of taking a light day or even a day off for fear of not making gains. When in fact it can be the best thing for your overall routine if you look at the big picture instead of going week by week.

[jbm]

Well Pec Deck and flat flies are almost exactly the same. I really like Bosu ball push ups or or some other pushup type exercise. I think 4 exercise for chest is pretty close to the perfect number of exercises. The Pecs are not considered a large muscle group as I have said many times before. As such they do not need the same amount of sets and reps like the back or legs do.

I cant say if its over training, because I am sure for awhile your body can handle that much volume. Its basically a matter of how you feel and knowing the signs and symptoms of overtraining syndrome. Additionally a lot of people are afraid of taking a light day or even a day off for fear of not making gains. When in fact it can be the best thing for your overall routine if you look at the big picture instead of going week by week.

Ok! well which is better 3 exercises with 4 sets each or 4 exercises with 3 sets each? for my chest.

[MuscleScience]

Ok! well which is better 3 exercises with 4 sets each or 4 exercises with 3 sets each? for my chest.

Well thats a pretty difficult question to answer really, yet it isnt. What I mean is it really depends on what your training for. If your a BB you need to do different exercise that hit at different angles. Now the pecs will contract entirely no matter the chest exercise. It is the activation of the assisting muscles that will be differ.

If your training for athletics you want to do exercises that mimic those movement patterns one would expect in competition. That and unstable surfaces are great for enhancing neuromuscular proprioception. Typically to train for neuromuscular improvement, repetition is the key. Its building that neural network between your brain and muscles that takes time and training that only repeated exposure to the movement patterns can provide.

[QuieTSToRM33]

I posted on your blog.

Get back at me.

[MuscleScience]

I posted on your blog.

Get back at me.

Replied!!!

[peachfuzz]

hey brother. here is the deal. i have had the same as stagnant routine for long enough. what do you suggest doing different as this is what i have been doing for a while. i need a complete overhaul here. if you want i can post up what i think would be revised and you can critique if need be but here is my current.

(my first exercise of any body parts i do a few warmup sets before progressing to my working sets.)

CHEST
DB flat bench
3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Hammer strength incline
3 sets of 6-8 reps
Hammer decline
3 sets 8-12 reps
pec dec flys
3 sets of 10 (really trying to squeeze at peak contraction)
weighted dips
as many as i can do

BACK
pull ups or pull downs
3 sets 8-12 reps
bent over rows
3 sets 8-12 reps
hammer strength iso lateral lat pulldown
3 sets of 8-12 reps
seated rows or bent over dumbell rows
3 sets of 8-12
END or sometimes burnout w/behind the neck pulldowns

Shoulders
DB shoulder press
3 sets of 6-8
Lateral raises
3 sets of 8-12
clean and press
3 sets of 10-12
bent over lateral raises
3 sets of 8-12
sometimes finish with front raises as a burnout

this is all i need revised. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. also wante to ask your take on light weight for growth and rest-pause training. thanks MS.

[MuscleScience]

hey brother. here is the deal. i have had the same as stagnant routine for long enough. what do you suggest doing different as this is what i have been doing for a while. i need a complete overhaul here. if you want i can post up what i think would be revised and you can critique if need be but here is my current.

(my first exercise of any body parts i do a few warmup sets before progressing to my working sets.)

CHEST
DB flat bench
3 sets of 6-8 reps.
Hammer strength incline
3 sets of 6-8 reps
Hammer decline
3 sets 8-12 reps
pec dec flys
3 sets of 10 (really trying to squeeze at peak contraction)
weighted dips
as many as i can do

BACK
pull ups or pull downs
3 sets 8-12 reps
bent over rows
3 sets 8-12 reps
hammer strength iso lateral lat pulldown
3 sets of 8-12 reps
seated rows or bent over dumbell rows
3 sets of 8-12
END or sometimes burnout w/behind the neck pulldowns

Shoulders
DB shoulder press
3 sets of 6-8
Lateral raises
3 sets of 8-12
clean and press
3 sets of 10-12
bent over lateral raises
3 sets of 8-12
sometimes finish with front raises as a burnout

this is all i need revised. any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. also wante to ask your take on light weight for growth and rest-pause training. thanks MS.

Yeah post up your revised routine, I am not sure what types of exercises you like and what equipment you have access to at your gym. You mentioned Hammer Strength, which I absolutely love.

Just for a initial look, it looks like we are going to need to do something about the reps and weight ranges and maybe not so much changing the exercises themselves. Also I assume your doing Legs???

[jbm]

Muscle, Is it ok to have no abs, bodyfat around 18 to 20% when you do a bulking cycle?

[MuscleScience]

Muscle, Is it ok to have no abs, bodyfat around 18 to 20% when you do a bulking cycle?

Well I guess thats a matter of opinion, if your a powerlifter they usually could care less about BF. If your into bodybuilding then that high a BF kind of hides the muscle mass if you will.

I personally never try to get much higher than 15% if I can help it barring injury but thats just me. I will say that bulking and high BF can potentially have a negative effect on your BP.

[Nooomoto]

Is there any good reason to squat lower than parallel?

[MuscleScience]

Is there any good reason to squat lower than parallel?

Sure there is, ACL strains, meniscus tears, patella tendon tendonitis/osis, quad pulls, lower back strains, SI joint strains.

What I am saying is that the risk vs benefit by performing below parallel squats, is really not worth the risk. Regardless of what some huge ass bodybuilder says.

[Nooomoto]

Sure there is, ACL strains, meniscus tears, patella tendon tendonitis/osis, quad pulls, lower back strains, SI joint strains.

What I am saying is that the risk vs benefit by performing below parallel squats, is really not worth the risk. Regardless of what some huge ass bodybuilder says.

Thanks.

[jbm]

In bodybuilding point of view. When you bulk which is better free weights or machine?

[MuscleScience]

In bodybuilding point of view. When you bulk which is better free weights or machine?

Well I think a lot of the body builders I know both pro and amateur would say you build your base off of free weights. Machines are good at isolating particular muscle groups and all, but you do not get the full effect of activating the stabilization muscles that you get with free weights, thus less muscles get involved in the exercise.

But I would like some of the more experienced bodybuilders to chime in on this, because I do not prescribe to traditional bodybuilding practices all the time.

[IM708]

Are you familiar with Heat Shock Proteins? Any idea of why these companies are pumping out these products? Do they aid in any way with muscle recovery/growth?

[MuscleScience]

Are you familiar with Heat Shock Proteins? Any idea of why these companies are pumping out these products? Do they aid in any way with muscle recovery/growth?

Heat shock proteins are a large class of intracellular and extracellular chaperon proteins that help hold other proteins proper three dimensional structure under conditions of increased heat. They basically help the cell maintain its working physiology under times of high heat stress. If you recall, heating a protein is one way to denature or disrupt its normal three dimensional structure, thus affecting its function.

It has been recently found that some heat shock proteins are also intra and extra cellular messengers. I have not heard of why companies are marketing these products. In fact I seen no such thing at all.

If you have a link to some of the products out there maybe I could speculate on it some.....

[IM708]

http://www.1 fast 400 dot com/?products_id=7292 - myoshock hsp


http://www.gnc.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3469796 - hsp active


heres a couple

[peachfuzz]

Is nolvadex effective at preventing gyno being stimulated by progesterone? I know alot of parrots say it can exacurbate it but im not convinced. What are your thoughts?

[MuscleScience]

Is nolvadex effective at preventing gyno being stimulated by progesterone? I know alot of parrots say it can exacurbate it but im not convinced. What are your thoughts?

There maybe some truth to that. I do know that progesterones effects are amplified in the presense of estrogen. So mayb by blocking the estrogen receptors that progesterones effects would be minimized or lessened. I dont have and documentations on a SERM's specific effect on that. But that would be my guess as to were some would be lead to believe this. On the flip side of that, since nolvadex mimics estrogen to and extent that it binds to selected estrogen receptors that it may in someway act on this amplification effect.

The progesterone and estrogen relationship is a fairly complicated one that dont really think that the start of the art if you will fully explains. There are a plethora of papers on it. It seems to me that each and every paper seems to raise new questions on the two's relationships together. That is what the last speaker I heard talk about in later 07 seemed to imply.

[peachfuzz]

Serving Size 2 Capsules
Servings Per Container 15

Amount Per Serving % DV

TEX-OE® Prickly Pear Extract (Opuntia ficus-indicia) (fruit) 5000.00 IU **

** Daily Value (DV) not established



REALLY?

[IM708]

Serving Size 2 Capsules
Servings Per Container 15

Amount Per Serving % DV

TEX-OE® Prickly Pear Extract (Opuntia ficus-indicia) (fruit) 5000.00 IU **

** Daily Value (DV) not established



REALLY?

I'm going to assume anything about the product. I'm definitely not going to sell it or recommend it to people.

I did a quick google and that extract does enhance the formation of hsps but what does that translate into for a bodybuilder? Any siginificant effects???

[Pocketbattleship2B]

Hey MuscleScience.I recently posted a question in your bog, have you had a chance to look at it.Thanks for any help you can give me.

[MuscleScience]

Hey MuscleScience.I recently posted a question in your bog, have you had a chance to look at it.Thanks for any help you can give me.

Replied,

BTW you a historical fan of the Kriegsmarine???

[Pocketbattleship2B]

Replied,

BTW you a historical fan of the Kriegsmarine???

Thanks for replying.No im not realy,to be honest I just wanted a picture to go with my name and this one seemed appropriate.

[MuscleScience]

I'm going to assume anything about the product. I'm definitely not going to sell it or recommend it to people.

I did a quick google and that extract does enhance the formation of hsps but what does that translate into for a bodybuilder? Any siginificant effects???

I honestly couldnt see much relevance especially when you compare it to creatine or AAS. Having said that I am not well versed on the literature on HSP supplementation or modulation. It is not really something I have seen a lot of in the literature as far as relevance to BB. I actually worked with extremophilic archaea in undergrad so i am somewhat familiar with HSP.

[Swifto]

Volume vs. HIT?

Is it worth isolating the front head of the Delt, or does it get stimulated enough from incline chest press's and other incline chest exercises? I'm guessing it depends on the persons unique physiology...?

[MuscleScience]

Volume vs. HIT?

Is it worth isolating the front head of the Delt, or does it get stimulated enough from incline chest press's and other incline chest exercises? I'm guessing it depends on the persons unique physiology...?

I think both HIT and Volume training are beneficial, to say one vs the other is better would be pure dogma. At least at this point in time as far a the scientific literature is concerned. I personally will do HIT for 12 weeks and then switch to a more Volume type workout. Because in all reality the body adapts to whatever style or type of exercise program that one is on and will plateau in gains. If you switch the program up then the body has to start to adapt to a new and unique stimulus.

As far as training anterior delts, I do not think you really need to isolate them much. Any benching type exercise will hit the shoulders to a large extent. I personally do not even train shoulders on their own. Now everyone is different of course but based on my genetics my delts will grow if I even think about lifting.

[Phate]

could you go look at this thread and give your opinion


http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=380883

[higherdesire]

could you go look at this thread and give your opinion


http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=380883

Phate you beat me to it! BTW Musclescience I would appreciate your wieghing in on this one.

[MuscleScience]

could you go look at this thread and give your opinion


http://forums.steroid.com/showthread.php?t=380883

Phate you beat me to it! BTW Musclescience I would appreciate your wieghing in on this one.

Yeah I will check it out....

[Barium]

What are some of the negatives and positives of eating or drinking meals before bedtime? Like say 2 hours or less before you fall alseep. Thanks much.

[MuscleScience]

What are some of the negatives and positives of eating or drinking meals before bedtime? Like say 2 hours or less before you fall alseep. Thanks much.

It depends on what your goals are. For example if your trying to bulk up, eating before bed will decrease the fasting time that the body is in between the last meal of the day and breakfast.

If your cutting, then it may hinder to some extent the rapidness of weight loss that your trying to accomplish.

[AnimalGear]

Hey, MS, what's up with your body's recepters not responding to 'X' amount of test after a while? Does that apply to hrt? Can you tell me anything else about this?