O F F I C I A L . W E B L O G

Planet Muscle

Planet Muscle Magazine is a unique, interesting, historical, entertaining, jocular, cutting edge and up-to-date, with useful, practical and honest information. I hope you like my approach and will support me! After all, it's your planet and your muscle!

Archives

2006-02-05   2006-03-26   2006-04-30   2006-07-02   2006-08-20   2006-10-15   2006-12-17   2007-02-04   2007-03-25   2007-04-01   2007-05-13   2007-11-04   2007-12-16   2007-12-30   2009-06-14   2009-06-28   2009-07-12   2009-08-30   2009-09-20   2009-09-27   2009-10-04   2009-10-11  

Saturday, June 20, 2009

 

SETS & REPS: Star Light, Star Bright Who's Star Should We Follow Tonight?

Q: Jeff, the top supplement companies seem like they are working with a new bodybuilding star each issue. I know you are high on Phil Heath and Victor Martinez this year to take on Dexter, but do you see anybody really underrated as new pro?

A: Well, we featured Marcos Chacon on our cover last issue for a good reason - the guy is a house! We also feel that Troy Brown, who just signed with Canadian ALLMAX Nutrition, is underrated. Troy made pro by winning the overall British Championships. It seems that men and women who compete in heavy athletics when as youths seem to 'come up fast' and Troy played soccer which is lots of work for the quads and calves! Troy plans to be in the 2010 Olympia.

ALLMAX is an up-and-coming-company too. They won our Best of Best award for their creative, effective advertising. Troy has stated he is very high on their new All - Whey protein and their Quickmass, (the latter because he eats about 8 meals a day)! ALLMAX just released a great pre-workout supplement called Muscleprime too.
 

SETS & REPS: Let's Hear it for Mr. Baseslice!

Q: I find the stuff that George Baselice writes informative. Keep his stuff coming. The first S.M.A.R.T installment was very good. Is it possible to contact George? I think the book you guys are doing together will kick ass.

A: I think we’d both be satisfied if it just sells well! Contact him at: george@worldsbesttrainer.com. There is a reason George won the MET- Rx World’s Best Training contest a few years ago! The next installment of S.M.A.R.T. is coming soon (plus a bunch of other great stuff).

Friday, June 19, 2009

 

SETS & REPS: Microtears

Q: I was doing skull crushers and screwed up my right elbow. The MD said he thinks I have micro tears on the tendon, but he did not do an MRI. It's killing me, pain up my arm and shoulder. My rotators are not great either and hurt. Every morning I wake up and my elbow is in pain. What kind of workout can I do? (Plus, I am just getting over the flu and sinus infection).

A: That’s a double whammy! Listen to your Doc Bro. Elbow injuries are common. Take some time off and use ice and take aspirin with meals (if you can take aspirin, otherwise Motrin or Aleve) for 5 days and use moist heat frequently over the 5 days. Don’t work your triceps for 10-14 days and when you do come back, do only strict and slow triceps kickbacks with dumbbells at 15-20 reps. Here, there is less ‘pressure’ on the elbow joint (as it is a non-weight bearing exercise). Avoid dips, triceps pushdowns and all pullover or extension-type movements. Skull crushers are rough as one has to eccentrically slow the bone, and due to the outward elbow angle, there is more pressure on the triceps tendon, especially if tendonitis is brewing. If the pain persists past 14 days or so of rest and therapy, return for a reevaluation. The MD may do an MRI and/or prescribe a bout of stronger anti-inflammation agents or even try an anti - inflammation injection.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

 

SETS & REPS: Sudden Flaccid Muscle

Q: Jeff, I herniated a cervical disc causing immediate flaccid paralysis of my left triceps long head, left pectoralis major and left latissimus dorsi. I had a discectomy about 3 weeks after paralysis started setting in. My pec, triceps and lat have all undergone atrophy despite hours of hard work in my home gym. I know I had degeneration of the C 7 nerve root and need to wait at least 200 days for the nerve to regenerate back and hopefully re-fire. Any recommendations?

A: It is difficult to know the ultimate course as one does not know the extent of actual denervation and/or damage to the nerve roots. With some severe denervation, if too much time has past, little can return the muscle from recovering from subsequent atrophy. Axonal regeneration is slow and may not be complete. To rehab the long head, put your training partner to work. Have him give you resistance as you get in the skull crusher position with you arm way over your head (bent and straight), at your elbow. When you do manual and light DB triceps kickbacks, as you finish elbow joint extension, try to extend the humerus up and back. This will also work the lat in its extension function.

Also, standing, (in anatomical position), both with your arm flexed at the elbow (and straight); move your arm back as far as you can into extension while he applies resistance. He can apply resistance closer to the shoulder to start and then work down your arm over time, as you get stronger.

As well, move into an arm fully-extended position and try to hold this position, as he pushes your arm into flexion. You are stronger negatively so it may be wisest to start with this approach.

Try using ‘quick icing’, tapotement and vibration before trying any exercise. Your training partner can lightly tap (repetitively), or shake your upper triceps, or tap over the motor point which is a couple of inches superior to the elbow joint (avoid the ulna nerve). He can also do the same ‘light thudding’ into your lats for 20 seconds or so, before you try any exercise.

The “quick ice” is done by taking an ice cube and stroking it across that motor point in the direction of the line of your muscle fibers for 2-5 seconds. Rest 2-3 seconds, repeat, and do that 20 times before trying triceps exercise. Do this in addition to ultrasound, diathermy, varying other heat and electrical stimulation, all before exercise. Don't 'over push' the muscles either.
 

SETS & REPS: Protein or Toilet Paper?

Q: Jeff, a bunch of my buddies and I am wondering about the big suppliers who sell through some of the huge big box stores thatthey may be skimping on the proteins listed. I buy Beverly instead.

A: You can’t target any particular discount or big box store. While logic would suggest that to get into the big box stores at an ultra, super low price, something must suffer, but that's not axiomatic. All stores should periodically test all their supplements and food products or they’ll never know and indeed, it may become problematic.

History has shown that sometimes a company is not aware when a manufacturer has skimmed on more expensive ingredients– all to meet super low price points. Many food ingredients (and some supplement ingredients) are also coming in from China and there is less FDA oversight there (which they admit). It is economics too – you can’t continue to squeeze without something popping. Beverly does not care to try and meet demands for real low prices at big box stores, because they feel their quality would suffer. They believe that protein supplements should not be priced like toilet paper.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

 

SETS & REPS: Why Does Arnold Associate His Name With Drugs?

Q: Nobody has asked how ARNOLD can attach his name, endorsement and support as the Governor of California to a huge event (his event!) that is 100% full of drug users, drugs that are controlled substances, namely steroids. How does he get away with this? What does the media (and his wife and kids) think about the women in his bodybuilding event? He has stated before that the sport must get rid of steroids. Well, with all the Terminator millions earned, what is he doing about terminating drugs from his event?

A: Give the guy a break. He has enough to worry about trying to balance the Ca. budget which is way off historically. His Ohio event is now much bigger than bodybuilding and I don’t really think Arnie and Maria (or their progeny) thinks much about the bodybuilding part, perhaps about the same as the media thinks about it. They support it, of course.

But look, if the IFBB does not care, the media can’t make definitive judgments about which bodybuilders may or may not be on steroids, with certainty. Arnold is at the Jim Lorimer run event, to honor all the jocks without making moral or value judgments. Meanwhile, the mainstream media is fawning all over Manny Ramirez (and goofy HCG) and never pays any attention to bodybuilding's panoply of drugs. In reality, it does not appear anyone has the vested interest to spend the money and emotion to rid the sport of steroids. No one cares much about the issue, not Joe Weider, Arnold (or me)! Besides, promoters believe that if they test for steroids, the levels of physique will suddenly cascade way down and no one will be interested much if it is not a freak show anymore!

Archives

2006-02-05   2006-03-26   2006-04-30   2006-07-02   2006-08-20   2006-10-15   2006-12-17   2007-02-04   2007-03-25   2007-04-01   2007-05-13   2007-11-04   2007-12-16   2007-12-30   2009-06-14   2009-06-28   2009-07-12   2009-08-30   2009-09-20   2009-09-27   2009-10-04   2009-10-11  

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