muscular development 2009-11

256 Blood & Guts By Dorian Yates

270 Muscle Form+Function By Stephen E. Alway, Ph.D., FACSM

290 The Bodybuilding Alchemist By Oscar Ardon NEW!

312 Extreme Muscle EnhancementBy Carlon M. Colker, M.D., FACN

326 Womens Bodybuilding By Cheri Owen NEW!

328 The Predator By Kai Greene

332 The True Victor By Victor Martinez

336 Raw Power! By Rodney Roller NEW!

340 Mass With Class By Branch Warren

344 Mark of a Champion By Mark Alvisi

350 Beast From the East By Evan Centopani

356 The Big Bad Wolf: The Peoples ChoiceBy Dennis Wolf

360 Erik The House Fankhouser By Erik Fankhouser

364 The Pro Creator By Hany Rambod

370 Trainer of Champions By Charles Glass

Volume 46, Number 11, November 2009

BUILD MUSCLE BURN FAT NO BULLSHIT!

82 Research: Training By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

106 Research: Supplements By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

114 Research: Nutrition By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

142 Nutrition Performance MSG: A Novel Way of IncreasingAppetite in Bodybuilders By Robbie Durand, M.A.

150 Supplement Performance Whey Protein HydrolysatesIncrease Blood Flow By Robbie Durand, M.A.

154 Sports Supplement Review MuscleTechs Hydroxycut

Hardcore X: Unleash The Power of Thermogenesis!

By Robbie Durand, M.A.

274 MuscleTech Research Report

286 Shred of Evidence By Anthony Almada

TRAINING

www.musculardevelopment.com November 2009

NUTRITION & PERFORMANCE

FAT LOSS

DRUGS

THE WORLDSBIGGESTBODYBUILDINGMAGAZINE!

120 Research: Drugs By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

262 Testosterone First Reported Case of Severe Liver Failure Due to Anabolic Steroid Cardiomyopathy By Dan Gwartney, M.D.

294 The Anabolic Doc Raw and UncensoredBy Thomas OConnor, M.D. NEW!

298 Anabolic Pharmacology Steroid of the Month: DianabolBy Seth Roberts

302 Anabolics Q&A By William Llewellyn

304 Anabolic Research Update By William Llewellyn

308 Anabolic Edge By Jose Antonio, Ph.D.

316 MD Walk-In Clinic By Dr. X

322 Busted! Legal Q&A By Rick Collins, J.D.

98 Research: Health & PerformanceBy Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

128 Research: Sex By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

146 Bodybuilding Science Thermal Therapy for Ultimate MuscleRecuperation By Robbie Durand, M.A.

152 Muscle Growth Update Casein Before Bedtime IncreasesMuscle Mass By Robbie Durand, M.A.

HEALTH & PERFORMANCE

90 Research: Fat Loss By Steve Blechman & Thomas Fahey, Ed.D.

134 Fat Attack EPO: A Surprising Fat-Loss HormoneBy Dan Gwartney, M.D.

MARK ALVISI

USA OVERALL

CHAMPION!

162

24 MD

November 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com

FEATURES

MDS INSIDE STACK

162 ALVISI MAKES HIS MARK Mark Alvisi Is the 2009Overall USA Champion! By Ron Harris

176 THE REDEMPTION OF B-RAY Branden Ray Is Down,But Far From Out By Flex Wheeler

188 GEE-FORCE! Middleweight USA Champ Daryl Gee IsAlready A 202 Power to Reckon With By Ron Harris

202 RELENTLESS PURSUIT! Grigori Atoyan ProvesPersistence Pays Off at the USA By Ron Harris

216 THE RAZORS EDGE! Tamer El Guindy Cuts HisCompetition to the Bone at the USA By Ron Harris

226 FEROCIOUS POTENTIAL! Seth Feroce Is Destined for

Greatness By Ron Harris

242 THE GIRLS OF METROFLEX Photography By Per Bernal

MD 25

28 Editors Letter By Steve Blechman

30 Mail Room Where Our Readers Rave & Rant

38 Industry Insider Buzz By Shawn Ray

46 MD People

56 The Gospel According To Lee By Lee Priest

70 musculardevelopment.com By Gregg Valentino

278 Ramblin Freak By Gregg Valentino

376 Hot Shoppe By Angela T. Frizalone

378 Web Directory

380 MD Marketplace By Angela T. Frizalone & Manda Machado

396 Last Writes By Lee Priest

GEE-FORCE

188

RELENTLESSPURSUIT! 202

THE REDEMPTION

OF B-RAY 176

FEROCIOUS

POTENTIAL! 226

THE GIRLS OF METROFLEX 242

THE RAZORS

EDGE 216

The new wave is here. Like Moses parting the Red

Sea, the time has come to make way for the new

generation of body-

builders. The bodybuilding universe

has become more diverse, and MD

is here to bring you the newest,

and most exciting new pros and

the most promising amateurs to hit

the stage this year.

We begin with the man on our

cover, with his symmetrical

physique and signature abdominal

vacuum pose, which is rarely seen

in the pro ranks today. They say the

journey of a thousand miles begins

with one step. MD has seen the

steady, determined steps of Mark

Alvisi we witnessed his narrow

miss at the Nationals last year; we

took pride in his resilience, work

ethic and powerful will, as he

stormed through countless leg-

blasting workouts; we watched as

he prepared for his Heavyweight

and Overall USA win. We were with

him on that last leg of the journey,

when the apex was reached, and

we stood proud as he accepted his

pro card.

We all knew Mark was a rising

star, destined for greatness, and in

Alvisi Makes His Mark, on page

162, Ron Harris gets him to open

up about what it felt like to win the absolute toughest

amateur bodybuilding contest in the world.

Grigori Atoyan has proven that persistence pays off,

and in Relentless Pursuit, see this years Super-heavy-

weight USA champion, on page 202. Ron Harris inter-

views the thickly-muscled Armenian about the journey

that led to achieving his pro card. The road has been a

long one for Atoyan 13 years

long and not until his 15th

attempt, did he achieve his goal.

Grigori began his lifelong passion

for the iron at the age of 17, when

he lived in the U.S.S.R.; his first

hero was Shawn Ray. Atoyan

moved to Sacramento in 1993 and

won his first NPC contest in 1996;

thus began his quest for the pro

ranks. His story is not to be

missed!

Daryl Gee is a power to be

reckoned with and in Gee-Force,

on page 188, Ron Harris tells us

his story. Gee began training with

a buddy in high school, but it was-

nt until college that he hooked up

with other lifters, who shared

their knowledge of nutrition and

supplementation. But Gee didnt

compete until 2003; when he did,

he discovered that Once I got up

there onstage, it just felt right.

This year, he placed as

Middleweight Champion at the

USA. How did he do it? Im a

small-boned guy, a real hard-gain-

er; the only way Ive been able to

add muscle mass is to shock the

muscles with higher intensity.

Forced reps have been the best way to achieve that.

Check out Gee-Forces story!

Striations on top of striations, with lines and details in

places most anatomy professors dont even know about.

Thats how Tamer Razor El Guindy, winner of this years

28 MD

By Steve Blechman Publisher & Editor-in-Chief


editorsletter

MADE IN THE USA

USA Light-heavyweight class, has been described. His physique

strengths also include an ideal structure with ultra-wide shoulders

and a tiny 27-inch waist. In The Razors Edge, on page 216, Ron

Harris gives us the keys to the razor-sharp conditioning that

brought El Guindy so close to winning his pro card.

Branden Ray is down, but far from out. In The Redemption of

Branden Ray, beginning on page 176, Flex Wheeler shares B-Rays

story. Despite having

some of the best pro-

portions seen on any

amateur in years, B-Ray

got edged out of attain-

ing his pro card, by the

ridiculous conditioning

of the aptly-nicknamed

Tamer Razor El

Guindy. Shortly after-

ward, he was fired from

his CNN job. Its been a

tough summer, but the

Brooklyn Knight is

staying positive. How

does he stay focused?

I have the gym. For an

hour and a half every

day, I dont think about

my problems. Is he

headed for the

Nationals and that

elusive pro card?

Thats the plan, says

B-Ray, without hesita-

tion.

Seth Feroce is des-

tined for greatness, and

in Ferocious Potential,

on page 226, Ron Harris

talks with this most complete, shredded-to-the-bone freak, who dis-

plays thick muscle from top to bottom, front to back. Seth has been

quietly building more and more mass and keeping it under wraps

until now. A heavyset kid growing up in Pittsburgh, he immersed

himself in the world of bodybuilding in his teens when his dad first

took him to Yorks Gym. My dad said once he saw the look in my

eyes when I first walked in there and saw the big guys training, he

knew hed lost me. Seths contest history is brief but we know its

just the beginning!

This month we debut Raw Power, on page 336 by Rodney

Roller, and Anabolic Doc, on page 294, by Thomas OConnor, M.D.

The rest of the issue is packed to the binder as usual with all the

latest cutting-edge research and information on bodybuilding by the

industry insiders who make it all happen. See you next month!

Publisher/Editor-In-Chief Steve Blechman

Senior Science Editor Robbie Durand, MA

Managing Editor Angela T. Frizalone

Creative Director Alan Dittrich, Jr.

Associate Editor Alan Golnick

Associate Art Director Stephen Kolbasuk

Assistant EditorLouise Powell

Contributing Editors Carlon Colker, M.D.,Thomas Fahey Ph.D.

Dan Gwartney, M.D.

Executive AssistantMichele Gampel

Photographers Chief Photographer: Per Bernal

Bill Comstock

IllustratorsBill Hamilton, Jerry Beck

Advertising Advertising DirectorAngela T. Frizalone

(239) 495-6899

Corporate Office 800-653-1151, 631-751-9696

Circulation ConsultantsIrwin Billman & Ralph Pericelli

To Order a Subscription: (888) 841-8007

Customer Service & Subscription Inquiries: (631) 751-9696; 1-800-653-1151

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MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT (ISSN 0047-8415) is publishedmonthly by Advanced Research Press, 690 Route 25A,Setauket, New York, 11733. Copyright 2008 by AdvancedResearch Press. All rights reserved. Copyright under theUniversal Copyright Convention and the InternationalCopyright Convention. Copyright reserved under the Pan AmCopyright. Rate: $49.97 per year (USA); $79.97 per two years(USA); foreign: $79.97 per year. Nothing appearing in MUS-CULAR DEVELOPMENT may be reprinted, either wholly or inpart, without the written consent of the publisher. Send edito-rial submissions to: MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT, 690 Route25A, Setauket, New York, 11733. Stamped, self-addressedenvelope must accompany all submissions, and no responsi-bility can be assumed for unsolicited submissions. All letters,photos, manuscripts, etc. sent to MUSCULAR DEVELOPMENTwill be considered as intended for publication, and MUSCU-LAR DEVELOPMENT reserves the right to edit and/or com-ment. Periodical postage paid at Setauket, N.Y. 11733, and atGlasgow, KY 42141. Postmaster: Send address changes toMUSCULAR DEVELOPMENT, Box 834, East Setauket, NY11733-9704. Advertising Office Phone: (239) 495-6899. PRINTED IN USACover photos are by Per Bernal

MD 29November 2009 www.musculardevelopment.com

www.musculardevelopment.com November 200930 MD

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Dorian Yates: A Classy GuyIts great to see Dorian Yates Blood and Guts col-

umn in MD each month. His column is one of the most

thoughtful and informative sections of the magazine.

Perhaps best of all, Dorian is a gentleman who has class.

Ive been training for 30 years and class seems to be a

dying concept in gyms. People used to be more polite,

more courteous, and would put their weights away. Now

you have guys who grunt and scream while they do

their set. Its like feeding time at the zoo. In fact, Ive

been to zoos where the animals were more polite than

some gym members, and they the animals smelled

better, too.

Allan, e-mail

mailroommailroom

Lets Hear It for Evan!Way to go, MD, for putting Evan

Centopani on the cover [September

2009]. What a triumph for Evan to win

his first pro show! He really is the

Beast from the East, as he slaughtered

the competition at the New York Po.

Evan was like a hurricane or a tornado

that came upon the contest. The sky

opened up and a deep voice laid it on

the competition: Move over,

chumps!

Wally, e-mail

Congratulations,Mark Alvisi

Mark Alvisi is a man of his

word. He said he would win

the USA, and he delivered.

Mark has one of the best looks

in bodybuilding today: huge,

symmetrical and pleasing to

the eye. Mark represents the

future of bodybuilding. He

doesnt look gross like some

other bodybuilders. And some

guys you see at bodybuilding

shows are walking around so

deprived of food and water,

they look like they would keel

over if a stiff wind came along.

Not Mark Alvisi. Hes pumped

and ready for action. His USA

win was a well-deserved victo-

ry. Congratulations, Mark!

Roger, e-mail

Basic TrainingI love to watch Kai [Greene] train. All the guys Ive seen in the old days did the same

basic, bust-ass training thats been the basis of every great physique over the years. And it

was the basis for my own very modest gains, too. Its the type of training that gives

results, and it aint fancy and it aint brain science and it aint complex you just have to

do it consistently.

Richard F. DiLorenzo, e-mail


IndustrynsiderBuzz

By Shawn Ray

SHAWN RAYS

IndustryInsiderBuzz

Welcome Home, Adela; But Wheres Jen?

Noticeably absent from this years Ms.

Olympia Fitness competition was 10-year

IFBB pro Jen Hendershott, who has not

had a year off in 13 years since she began

competing. Whats notable about her

absence is the fact that she was the

reigning and defending Ms. Fitness

Olympia champion from 2008, as well as

the current Ms. Fitness International

champion for 2009. Jen has been relative-

ly busy with her Phat Camps she pro-

motes, as well as taking a much-deserved

break from the competition stage.

We at MD know the lineup was weak-

ened by her not being there this year, but she will have something

to prove in 2010. Time will tell if she can regain her crown or if the

stork decides to pay her and her husband a visit. No, she is not

pregnant but with the extra time off, Ive seen stranger things

happen! Good luck, Jen!

On the flipside, one Olympia champ decides to sit and another

returns in the form or former Ms. Fitness Olympia winner,

Adela Garcia. Fresh off a year of recovering from knee surgery

and a torn ACL, Adela barnstormed the competition in Dallas at

the Europa Pro by taking the 1st

place and making a statement to

all those would-be Olympia fitness ladies with aspirations of tak-

ing what Adela feels is her vacated

title. Welcome home, Ms. Garcia!

Missing In ActionRichard Jones pulled another

disappearing act after his return to

the pro stage in Pittsburgh this past

May, where he found himself in the

unfamiliar placement of 9th

out of

12 competitors. He planned on

competing in the Dexter

Jackson/202 Pro in August, but the

show came and went while Richard

was MIA. Word on the street is that

both of his parents have been ail-

ing, and a few cross-country visits

from California to his hometown,

Boston, have taken a toll of his

focus and any type of serious

preparation for the contest stage

had to be put on hold. Stay tuned;

Richard said he is far from done as

a competitor. We wish a speedy

recovery for both parents.

Pros Muscle Their Way Into Mr. OThese players were added to the Mr. Olympia

lineup from three pro shows in August the

Jacksonville Pro, PBW Tampa and Europa:

In the 202-pound division, Stan McQuay,

John Hodgson, Lee Powell, Ricky Tricky

Jackson, David Henry, Daryl Gee, Kris Dim

and Charles Dixon all made it to the 2nd

Annual

Olympia Showdown in Sin City. This left the IFBB

Atlantic City Pro held a mere two weeks prior to

Olympia Weekend for the Welshman, James

Flex Lewis, to be added to this impressive list of

pros, along with two more spots up for grabs to

qualify to compete. Ive been wrong before, but Im

betting the house that Lewis will qualify in Atlantic

City, if not win the show to bring some additional

United Kingdom flava to the Olympia EXPO!

All of these bodybuilders were added to an

impressive lineup of pros already qualified to

compete in the Olympia Showdown at the Mr.

Olympia EXPO on Saturday, September 26th

in

Las Vegas, including Kevin English, Mark

Dugdale and Eduardo Correa. This could be

the highlight of the weekend no doubt the best

deal of the weekend, for the mere cost of an

EXPO ticket on center stage.

In the mens open division, we saw Canadians

Fouad Abiad and Ben Pakulski qualify for the

big show at the Orleans Arena, by way of top-three

finishes at the PBW Tampa Pro. The following

weekend at the Europa Pro, we witnessed the

return of Dennis James to the winners circle

from the PBW Tampa Pro repeat that feat in back-

to-back weekends in Dallas, by besting 2005 NPC

Nationals Champion Bill Wilmore and the Worlds

Biggest Pilot, Joel Stubbs from the Bahamas.

This years Mr. Olympia lineup was the deep-

est its been in years and the late additions

were interesting to watch. Go to

musculardevelopment.com for up-to-the-minute

coverage and check out next months MD for

more details!

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Should Ronnie Compete Again?Eight-time Mr. Olympia Ronnie Coleman has gone

on record as stating that he will possibly return to the

pro contest stage in 2010. After reviewing some of his

latest guest-posing appearances in Pittsburgh and

Jacksonville this past summer, many of

his hardcore fans are hoping he nixes the

idea.

Some Monday Morning Quarterbacks feel

his quad, triceps and back are suffering from mus-

cle tears and/or nerve damage. Upon closer obser-

vation, Id have to agree with them. The photos posted

online and Internet video clips clearly show one quad has

atrophied more than the other; the triceps tear on one of

his 24-inch arms is readily visible upon first blush. The

biggest, baddest back ever put on public display is but a

shell of itself. Clearly, there is something going on back

there either a lat tear or nerve damage is making his

once most dominating pose the talk of the town, and not

in a good way.

While I am no doctor, the naked eye can see something

is just not right and will no doubt hinder him in compari-

son poses, rather than favor him. In 2010, Big Ronnie will

be looking forward to his 47th

birthday. Heres wishing him

well, whether or not he competes.

Muscle Camp Under Construction Plans are full steam ahead for a Muscle Camp in

Boise, Idaho with co-title sponsors GENr8 Nutrition

and Bodybuilding.com slated for sometime in March

2010 during the weekend of the Bodybuilding.com BFE

(Boise Fitness Expo) Party. All the supplement company

affiliates will gather, along with some of the biggest names

in bodybuilding who are sponsored by these companies.

Kris Gethin, Bodybuilding.coms online editor and I will

be playing host to top pros who will show fans and ath-

letes the mechanics of training, nutrition, supplementation

and competition. We are hoping to have IFBB personalities

like Kevin Levrone, James Flex Lewis, Marika

Johansson, Flex Wheeler, Bob Cicherillo, Evan

Centaponi, Mark Alvisi, Victor Martinez and more.

Look for more breaking news online at

www.musculardevelopment.com.

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Rookies of the Year:Evan Centopani andDaryl Gee

As of this writing, I have two rook-

ies of the year: Evan Centopani and

Daryl Gee. Evan won the 2007 NPC

National Overall title, then took a year

off in 2008 only to return and beat a

tough field of IFBB veterans like

Dennis James and Markus Ruhl to

win the New York Pro his first pro

show taking home $15,000 in prize

money and qualifying for the Mr.

Olympia. While Evan opted to sit out

this years Mr. Olympia in favor of a

return at the Arnold Classic in March

2010, he joined some elite pros Phil

Heath, Kai Greene, Branch Warren,

Darrem Charles and Melvin

Anthony in what he accomplished

in his pro debut.


Daryl Gee was an amateur who took

four years off from competition, only to

return to the stage at the Los Angeles

Championships in July to win the mid-

dleweight class and Overall titles, on his

way to winning the middleweight class at

the NPC USAs and an IFBB pro card as the

1st

runner-up Overall in that show! His third

contest in as many weeks would land him

on an IFBB pro stage, weighing a paltry 174

pounds in the newly-created 202-pound

division in Jacksonville, Florida landing in

the number-two spot and nabbing an

Olympia Showdown qualification to boot.

Based on this placement ahead of veterans

Tricky Jackson, Charles Dixon and

Steve Namat, Daryl was onstage in the

premier event of the year for 202-pound

bodybuilders at the Olympia EXPO. What a

ride! Enjoy it, kid, and congratulations!

Shawn RaysIndustryInsiderBuzz

Posedown Award A Tricky CallThe winners of the GENr8 Nutrition Best Presentation Award at the Europa

Pro Show in Dallas came down to two of the best showmen in the game. Ricky

Tricky Jackson, winner of the 202-pound division posedown and Marcus

The Comet Haley from the open division both vied for the $1,000 prize

sponsored by Muscular Development, Gaspari Nutrition, Pro Bodybuilding

Weekly, Flexus Sports Products and Ed and Betty Pariso. The outcome was a TIE!

These guys, popped, rocked, shook and shimmied their way into winning the

prize, which Ed Pariso generously funded with an additional $1,000 based on the

entertainment value and creativity each of these professionals brought to the

show! Good job, guys, and congratulations!

Welcome, Wonderful WomenNew IFBB pros at Olympia Weekend included Tina Chandler, Isabelle

Turell, and Nicole Duncan. They were some of the most excited women that

weekend, as a portion of their dreams became reality. Time will tell if the waters

are too deep at this level, or if they have found themselves at home among the

worlds best. Good luck to all of them.

MD Supplement Store: Better Than EverBe sure to watch for the new MD Supplement Store, which is being improved

and upgraded at musculardevelopment.com to serve you better! A welcome

addition to help complete the best place for one-stop shopping at the #1 web-

site in the world for bodybuilding!

Sacramento ProA late addition to the mens pro contest season is the Sacramento Pro.

Longtime NPC/IFBB pro judges and contest promoters John Tuman and Ted

Williams have added an IFBB pro mens contest to their womens pro figure and

NPC contest weekend on November 7th

. John and Ted have a passion for helping

the sport grow, and now some of the worlds best have reason to diet a bit

longer with hopes of early Olympia qualifications for 2010, prior to next years

calendar kicking off with the Iron Man Pro in January, held in Los Angeles.

Stay Hungry! S. Ray !

For the latest breaking news and information, visit the musculardevelopmet.com forums,where updates are posted daily by top pros and rising stars of tomorrow. And dont miss theTeam MD Radio Show on Mondays at 4 p.m. PST, 7 p.m. EST with Shawn Ray and Flex Wheeler.

MDPeople


CHECK OUT

FOR COMPLETE

CONTEST COVERAGE!

MUSCULARDEVELOPMENT.COM

By TEAM MD

TEAM MD BRINGS YOU INDUSTRY SIGHTINGS FROM THE 2009 NPC USAS, JULY 26TH, THE TAMPA BAY PRO, AUGUST 7TH,

AND THE EUROPA SUPER SHOW, AUGUST 15TH.

NPC

USAs

MDPeople


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FOR COMPLETE

CONTEST COVERAGE!


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EUROPA SUPER SHOW

By Lee Priest

AccordingtoLEEAccordingtoLEE

Eight-Year-Old Gang-rapedandParents Blame Her!

One of the most sickening news

items I read this summer was about

an eight-year-old girl in Arizona who

was raped by four teenage boys

from her neighborhood. As if the

heinous act werent repulsive

enough, her parents blamed her for

hanging around the boys and were

so angry at how she had shamed

the family that they didnt even

want her anymore. All of the parties

involved were refugees from the

African nation of Liberia, where

and I am not making this up rape

was not even a crime punishable by

law until just three years ago. That

was not a misprint or typo, I said

three years.

This is absolutely insane, and I

dont give a flying fuck what you

want to say about cultural differ-

ences. How the hell can you blame a

little girl for being raped? Her par-

ents should be deported if thats

how they treat the child.

This reminds me of that story I

talked about a couple months ago

from Afghanistan. A married woman

was gang-raped and she was then

stoned to death for wait for it

Hes got an opinion actually a lot of opinions and hes not afraid to express them. Being politically correct is not how Lee Priest rolls, so if you are easily offended, you may want to flip a couple pages!

THE GOSPEL

56 MD www.musculardevelopment.com November 2009

Australian Men Make the WorldsWorst Husbands?

As an Aussie as well as a newlywed, this story caught

my eye. An Oxford University study published in the

Journal of Population Economics surveyed 13,500 men

and woman ages 20 to 45 and found that Australian men

helped the least with household chores and childcare, as

compared to the dream hubbies from, in order of most

helpful to least: Norway, Sweden, Great Britain, the USA,

Northern Ireland, the Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, New

Zealand, Japan, Germany, and Austria. Hmm the title

of the article was quite deceptive. By most accounts,

there are close to 200 countries in the

world and this study only seemed to

include 13 of them. Thats like saying a

Dodge Neon is the fastest car in the

world, compared to a few economy mod-

els from Hyundai, Kia, and Saturn.

You do see a lot of guys here who go

straight from work to the pub to meet

their mates and drink enough beer to

float a yacht. A normal weekend for an

Aussie man is to gather at a house with

their buddies and drink even more whilst

watching the footy (soccer to you) games

on TV. I certainly dont fit into this cate-

gory, as my current wife and any former

women I have known will attest to. I

happen to be a clean freak and do actu-

ally enjoy doing housework. So there!

My favorite quote from the article was when the

researcher, a woman, naturally, pronounced You might,

in principle, expect to see women preferring to remain

single, rather than face the prospect of spending more

time doing household chores. As if marriage is all about

housework! What if the guy loves the woman and is out

working his butt off 12 hours a day to support her and a

few kids? Does he have to come home to scrub the floors,

do the laundry, cook dinner, and bathe the rugrats as

well or else hes a miserable, selfish bastard?

I think there are both wonderful and shitty husbands

in every country. I think this study didnt include a lot of

countries in places like Asia, Africa and the Middle East,

where, if the women were allowed to speak under condi-

tions of anonymity and didnt have to worry about being

punished, they would tell you what a really terrible hus-

band is. It seems like the researchers took a very narrow

view of the world as being made up of only a few of the

wealthier, more civilized countries.

But you cant get all up in arms over one survey. Next

month, there will be another article

telling you that French men are the

worst husbands or something. The bot-

tom line is that you cant lump an entire

country into a stereotype. If a woman

wants to see whether or not a man will

be helpful with housework, live with him

for a bit, before getting married. If hes a

lazy slob who wont lift a finger around

the house then, chances are hes not

going to transform into Mr. Maid once

you get a ring on his finger.

As for men helping out with the

kids, one good yardstick for that is just

seeing how he is around kids. If a guy

cant stand kids and doesnt want any-

thing to do with them before he has

them, its doubtful hell be an adoring, doting daddy

once he has his own spawn. So ladies, regardless of

what country you live in or what country your prospec-

tive husband is from, judge each man on an individual

basis. Besides which nobody mentioned the fact that

these Swedish and Norwegian husbands who are so

helpful with housework and childrearing may also hap-

pen to be big pussies. If you want that, just be a les-

bian and do it right!

PHOTO

GRAPHY BY PER

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adultery! I thought we were living in

2009, but it seems like some of these

countries are still stuck in the Dark

Ages.

As for these Liberians, if they

wanted to live by their own barbaric

laws and customs, why didnt they

stay in their armpit of a country? I

get it they want to enjoy the

opportunities of the USA, and of

course the welfare and Medicaid,

but they dont want to adapt to U.S.

culture, where raping a child is a

very serious criminal offense and the

rapists are blamed, not the victims.

Parents like those should not be

allowed to have kids. What kind of

values and beliefs do they teach

them? Are daughters taught to sub-

mit to men, and sons told its accept-

able, even their God-given right, to

violate women on every possible

level? In Afghanistan, you can actu-

ally have your wife killed if you just

suspect shes cheating on you.

Doesnt that make you glad the USA

is spending billions of dollars and

has thousands of troops deployed

over there to keep them safe from

terrorists?

If I was the judge and jury in this

situation in Arizona, I would put the

father in jail, put the teenage boys in

juvenile detention at least until they

turn 18 and then possibly move

them to adult prison where they can

find out how much fun it is to be

gang-raped, and I would try to find a

good, loving home for the little girl,

along with plenty of counseling.

Teenage NationalsWinner Was Actually 20 Years Old

There was a bit of controversy after

this years NPC Teenage Nationals

when it came to light that the winner

was actually 20 years old at the time

he won. Im really not sure whos to

blame here, as I dont know for certain

whether or not the promoter was

aware of this fact or not. If he was

aware of it and still let him compete, I

have to shake my head. Whats the

point of having a teenage contest if

you dont really have to be a teen to

enter? Would you let a 39-year-old

compete in the over-40 category, too?

But for the sake of argument (and

so I can do my usual ranting thing) and

not necessarily speaking specifically

about this case, allow me to comment

on the scenario of a 20-year-old com-

peting in a teenage division. At that

stage of development, there is indeed

a big difference, as a young man ages

each progressive year, in many ways.

This is why you can drink at 21 and

not 20, for example. So indulge me as I

address a young guy, knowingly com-

peting at an unfair advantage.

Why would you do something like

this? Do you really want a trophy that

badly? Its like assholes taking drugs

and competing in natural shows, beat-

ing legitimately drug-free athletes (not

exactly a perfect analogy, but bear

with me). Then the secret drug-user

proudly gloats, Hey look, I won! Big

deal, fuckhead. You won while using

drugs against guys who werent!

I know there are plenty of guys

who do this. If everyone in natural

shows was actually taking drugs, I

suppose it would be fair and a level

playing field. But if you want to or feel

the need to use drugs, why are you

doing a natural show when there are

plenty of non-tested contests out

there? Is it because you take drugs

and still dont look very good? Is your

physique nothing that a hard-working

natural bodybuilder couldnt achieve,

so you are able to convincingly pass for

a natty? Fucking losers, I swear.

Now, in my humble opinion, com-

peting in the teens when youre 20

takes the cake. Did this kid forget his

birthday or something? From the pho-

tos I saw, he looked even older, but

thats nothing new these days. A lot of

these new young guys being promot-

ed as phenomenal mass monsters look

a good 10 years or more older than

what their birth certificates would indi-

cate. But thats not important the

important thing is that theyre HUGE!

So what if a kid is 21 or 22 and los-

ing his hair, as long as he has 22-inch

arms and 34-inch thighs! Not a very

healthy look, but the hardcore fans

could care less about that. Lets see if

these young freaks are still around in

10 or 15 years. If not, no matter,

because there will always be some

other new young freak to fawn over.

Entering a teen show as a 20-year-

old why stop there? Why not try your

hand next time at the Masters, or

throw a wig on and mix it up with the

ladies? All that matters is that you win!

THE GOSPELACCORDING TO LEE

NASA Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing But Was It a Hoax?

As a guy who doesnt like to simply accept what Im told as the

Gospel truth (get it?), I have my doubts as to whether or not there real-

ly was a lunar landing in 1969, or in the other two Apollo missions to

the moon that followed. Conspiracy theorists can be notoriously

wacky, but they have made some very compelling arguments that at

the very least cast shades of doubt on the alleged historic event.

For one thing, you see the U.S. flag moving in the footage, when

there is no atmosphere and thus no wind on the moon. Others have

pointed out where they insist you can see wires above the astronauts, used to

make them appear lighter and simulate the lower gravity up there. In some of the

footage you can see the shadow of the lunar lander going one way, while the shad-

ows of the astronauts at the bottom of the steps is facing in a different direction. If

we had two suns instead of one, you could explain that one away. There are just

too many strange facets to that footage for me to completely accept it as genuine.

At the time of the moon landing, the USA was bitterly engaged in the Cold

War with the Soviet Union, and the space race was a major battlefield, since


there was no actual war (thank God, or else the world may have been turned into a barren nuclear wasteland,

unable to sustain any life aside from cockroaches).

Would you really put it past the U.S. government to fake the whole thing, just to show their superiority over the

Godless Communist Russkies? And if we did actually go to the moon why is it we never went back after the three

Apollo missions? They said it was too expensive. Nice try, but Im not falling for it. Look at all the money NASA has

blown with the Space Shuttle program, going back and forth to that stupid space station, and sending remote-con-

trol robot rovers to Mars.

The U.S. government also somehow found the money to fund the Iraq war, bail out Wall Street and the automo-

tive industry. Why didnt they build some type of permanent space station on the moon? At least that one wouldnt

be doomed to eventually re-enter the Earths atmosphere like the one floating up there now is. Why didnt they cele-

brate the 40th

anniversary of the moon landing by pointing the Hubble or some other high-power telescope back up

there to show us the flag, the lunar lander, and all the other crap the astronauts supposedly left on the surface?

Dont tell me it couldnt be done; that Hubble gadget takes pictures of galaxies billions of miles away! It all

reminds me of an old 70s movie called Capricorn One, that tells the story of a hoaxed manned mission to Mars.

Check it out sometime on Netflix and it may just give you something to think about something your government

typically doesnt encourage.

Henry Louis Gates, Racial Drama, and the Beer Summit

On July 16, Harvard University

professor Henry Louis Gates had

returned home to Cambridge after a

long trip in China filming a documen-

tary. For some reason, he couldnt get

his front door open and he and a

friend decided to break in. A con-

cerned neighbor called the police to

report a possible burglary in

progress. When the cops showed up,

an outraged professor Gates made a

scene shouting about how it was typ-

ical treatment of a black man in

America. Sergeant James Crowley

arrested Gates for disorderly conduct

and took him into custody. President

Obama, apparently an acquaintance

of Mr. Gates, sided with him and pub-

licly criticized the Cambridge police

department. Of course, it quickly

turned into a big messy controversy

over racial profiling by law enforce-

ment. In the end, Obama invited

Gates and Crowley to the White

House to iron it all out over a beer,

which the press immediately dubbed

The Beer Summit. Oh, brother.

What the fuck? Again with the

race card. Shit, it gets old over there

in America. Pulling that race card

does nothing but set everyone back

and goes against the supposed racial

harmony were all working toward.

This Gates guy and his friend, both of

whom happened to be black, were in

fact breaking into his house though

the front door. A neighbor sees it and

does what all of us would want our

own neighbors to do, rings up the

police. Instead of calmly explaining

what was going on when they

showed up, Gates has a meltdown.

Anybody should be arrested if he

or she chooses to act in such an irra-

tional and hostile manner. I dont care

if youre black or an Eskimo, you

should know better than to yell and

act belligerently to the police see-

ing as they have guns, badges, and

the authority to cuff you and toss you

in the back of their car. Gates should

have been grateful he had a neighbor

who actually gave a shit, instead of

looking the other way and refusing to

get involved when she saw a poten-

tial crime being committed.

If I saw two guys breaking into a

house, I would call the police too,

regardless of their race, hairstyles,

or anything else related to their

appearance. All thats relevant in a

situation like that is what appears to

be taking place: a crime. I should

note that a couple weeks later,

Gates did have a bouquet of flowers

sent to the neighbor.

What I do find even more outra-

geous is that Obama, with the U.S.

economy in shambles and our soldiers

fighting in wars raging in two differ-

ent Middle Eastern nations, chose to

take the time to pay attention to this

incident and worse, to invite his old

buddy to the White House to discuss

it. What about all the other people

being racially profiled, mistreated,

harassed, and abused every day in the

USA? They dont get to go drink a

beer with the President.

The whole thing was such an obvi-

ous publicity stunt. Gates was out of

line when the cops showed up, so he

was arrested. They never should have

dropped the charges against him. If

Gates thinks its so terrible being a

black man in America, why not see

how he likes it in Africa, a continent

ravaged by poverty, famine, disease,

wars, and political corruption?

My wife is from South Africa, a

nation ruled for many years by the

bad white man. And yes, there was a

lot of overt racism and oppression of

the native people. They all thought

their hell would turn to heaven once

the black man got control back, but it

didnt quite work that way. The place

went to shit. The whole country is on

strike. The people get all kinds of free

entitlements, but all they do is clamor

for more, more, more! Blacks from

poorer parts of South Africa come to

the cities, willing to work for less

money, and the city folks murder them

to keep them from stealing their jobs.

Im so sick of all this crap. Look at

the past, learn from it, and move on!

Dont live in the past and dwell on

how unfair things were. I find it really

hypocritical that blacks spent so much

time fighting against segregation, and

nowadays you have all sorts of

pageants and awards shows specifi-

cally for blacks. If you had a White

Miss America or an awards show for

white musicians, that would immedi-

ately be reviled as racist.

Its wonderful for black people to

be proud of who they are and cele-

brate the achievements of their race,

but the only whites who do that are

neo-Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. Dont

get me wrong, I definitely dont




approve of what those people preach.

Im just trying to make a point. It just

seems really odd that its only OK to

be proud of who you are if youre a

minority. If youre not, that pride is

called being a white supremacist. On

a similar note, why is it acceptable

for a black comedian to ridicule white

people, mocking the way they walk,

talk, dress, dance, etc., but if a white

comedian ever did something similar

he would be pardon the pun

blacklisted?

I suppose the reason given most

often is the history of slavery. It is

true many slaves were kidnapped,

forced to work for free, treated bru-

tally, and even killed by white men.

So the white man is bad, right? I

dont have a clue what the numbers

would work out to for that in terms

of deaths and lives stolen by servi-

tude. But how many blacks have

been slaughtered by other blacks in

places like Rwanda, Uganda, Darfur,

Ethiopia and Somalia? How many

blacks have been murdered by each

other in the USA in inner cities over

the past 40 or 50 years in places like

Detroit, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and

Gary, Indiana? Yet many of the black

men and women in the USA who

grew up in these environments sur-

rounded by drugs, gangs, unemploy-

ment, and broken families somehow

managed to do great things and

change the world. Some of the great-

est athletes and entertainers of the

last few generations sprang from

those places.

So thats why I cant stand to

hear the race card being brought up

and hearing how awful it is to be a

black American and how the White

Devil continues to make their lives

miserable and prevent them from

achieving anything. Affirmative

action was a huge mistake in my

eyes. If you want to get a good job,

be the best man or woman for that

job. Study or do whatever it takes to

be more qualified than the others

who want that job. Plenty of white

people live in poverty, too dont

you watch Jerry Springer?

Your life is what you make of it,

and if you spend your life making

excuses and waiting for someone to

hand you what you want, youll

never know happiness or success. If

you believe the odds are stacked

against you and you cant succeed,

that becomes a self-fulfilling prophe-

cy. It sickens me when those types

of blacks see others who have suc-

ceeded and sneer at them as being

sellouts or Uncle Toms who arent

keeping it real. Yeah, real poor and

ignorant.

And before I get off this topic

completely, I have to mention some-

thing that irks me blacks who

were born in America referring to

themselves as African-American. If

you were born in the USA, youre an

American. Otherwise, everybody

would have to announce their eth-

nicity or nationality. Im an Irish-

American, an Italian-American, a

Vietnamese-American. No! Youre

an American, period! The only peo-

ple who can legitimately call them-

selves African-American are those

who have immigrated to the USA

from Africa.

OK, Im done. Please save all your

angry e-mails to MD, by the way. As

I have said, I am not a racist at all

I hate all human beings equally!

Stupid Question of the Month!I need some help dealing with a situation I have gotten myself into. I met this

new girl a couple weeks back and we have been having an awesome time, if you

know what I mean. She has her own place, and thats where we hang out. But now

she is insisting on seeing where I live. The problem with that is, I still live at home.

Its the only way I can afford to lease my new Mercedes-Benz E550 coupe.

She thinks I do something on the Internet and that I make 200 Gs a year, because

thats what I told her. But really, I am a personal trainer with only three to four

steady clients. I dont want more than that because it messes up my eating and

training, and I do plan on being a pro bodybuilder someday. Im only 25, so I have

plenty of time. Anyway, what should I tell this girl so she stops being so nosy? Help

a brother out!

Well, well, well! You got yourself into this situation by lying from the get-go. Did you

really think she wouldnt find out the truth sooner or later? Bloody hell living above your

means and buying a Mercedes to look cool while living at home you sound like a lot of

immature twerps I have known.

Get rid of the car, get your own place, and be a fucking man! Living at home with

mommy and daddy is pretty sad for a guy your age. I could understand if you had just lost

your job and were getting back on your feet or something, but thats not it. And to say that

you dont want more than three or four clients way to set the bar nice and high, you

underachieving twat! More clients would mess up your training and eating. Poor little you!

Theres this bitch called life and shes going to slap you in the face, followed up by an even

meaner bastard named reality.

You say you want to be a pro. How many times have I heard that before? Have you ever

even competed? I would sincerely ask you to send photos for an honest appraisal of your

potential, but I can already tell you a career as a pro bodybuilder aint in your future. Pro

douchebag definitely.

So to help you out with some advice, listen up. Come clean with your girlfriend and tell

her the truth. Be sure to apologize for being a big fat liar. If she loves you, it wont matter

what you do for a living, where you live, or what you drive. She could also be so angry and

disgusted at the lies that shes all done with you or its also possible that she was only

with you because she thought you had money. In that case, shes a user and you shouldnt

go for that type of woman anyway. They will take you for whatever they can get and then

move on to the next idiot take it from someone who knows from experience!

So be truthful from now on, not only to potential mates but also to yourself. Sit down

and honestly ask yourself what you want in life and if the path you are on today is going to

take you there or not. Right now it sounds to me like youre cruising down a dead-end

street time to make a U-turn, my friend.

Cant get enough of the outspoken Mr. Priest? Go to www.musculardevelopment.com

Forums, and check out The Lee Priest Zone, his very own section of the No Bull forum.

By Gregg Valentino

musculardevelopment.com


SPONSORED THIS MONTH BY:

Originally Posted by marka aka Mark Alvisi >>> I

believe that doing cardio even in the off-season helps you

grow, because it helps keep your metabolism elevated as

well as keeps your cardiovascular endurance strong so you

can train harder and recover faster. You need to feed the

muscles with good calories and burn the fat with intense

training and cardio. It is also better to not let your body fat

climb too high or you will have to work harder to burn it off

later, and may lose muscle doing it. Keep in mind this is

what works for my body. Some guys dont have to do car-

dio to stay pretty lean off-season. The bottom line is if you

want to lower your overall body fat regardless of where

you are holding it, you have to burn more calories than you

are taking in. That does not mean starve yourself, or your

metabolism will slow and you will

burn muscle. Your best bet is to do car-

dio first thing in the a.m before you

eat. Five times a week is a good start.

You should start with 45 minutes to

an hour, depending on what you are

doing now for length of time. I like

using the StepMill. You could also use

an elliptical machine or treadmill with the elevation at 10 or

more. Shoot for a heart rate of 65% to 70% of your max

heart rate. (220 minus your age) x 65% or 75% Good luck.

SWEET!!!GREAT ADVICE. THANKS MARK, YOU

FUCKING ROCK, BRO!!!!!...Forum members make a

mental note. oh shit, I see youre out of

paper!!!!.HERE IS A QUOTE FROM THE MD PRO

FORUM FROM ONE OF MY FAVORITE MD PROS, EVAN

CENTAPONI > I do cardio when I feel like I should.

There is no schedule. I use the treadmill when I do it.

I ate five precontest meals because 5 whole food

meals is a lot different than 3 whole food meals and

3 shakes..Evan Centopani.

HOW ABOUT A FORUM MEMBER ASKING EUGENE

MISHIN FOR AN ARM WORKOUT >> Eugene, I was won-

dering what kind of exercises are you using for during your

arm workouts?

Originally Posted by EUGENE MISHIN.I do a total of

4 exercises for arms, 2 for bis and 2 for tris.

Hammer curls for bis 4 sets of 8-10

Preacher bench for bis 4 sets of 8-10

Rope pushdown for tris 4 sets of 8-10

Dip machine for tris 4 sets pyramid 15 reps

to 6 reps

ANOTHER QUESTION FOR THE

HUMONGOUS RUSSIAN >>

Eugene, what do you think is the

most important thing to know about

calf training?

1. Start to train them first

when you come to the gym.

2. Change exercises every

workout.

3. Change amount of reps and sets every workout


70 MD

Somewhere, a village is miss-

ing its idiot and I know where to

find him..YUP, IM ON THE MD

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www.musculardevelopment.com is

your No Bull Bodybuilding

Headquarters for everything that is

hardcore Bodybuilding!!!!

YA KNOW, THEY

SAY PEOPLE CREATE THEIR

OWN DRAMA, AND I DEFINITELY

AGREE WITH THAT 99% OF THE

TIME Stupidity is not a crime

so on the MD NO BULL forum,

youre free to speak your mind!!!

HEY, WE JUST ADDED A BRAND

NEW MD STORE LOADED WITH MD-

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ING OUT FREE ADVICETO ALL THE

MD FORUM MEMBERS!!!!!...GEEZ,

Ive come across decomposed bod-

ies that are less offensive than

some of you are!!! NOW, FROM

ONE OF MY FAVORITE NEW PROS,

MARK ALVISI, I GIVE YOU ONE OF

HIS POSTS TAKEN FROM THE MD

FORUM:



(high reps, low weight.low reps,

heavy weight)

4. Do supersets

HERE IS A MD.COM QUOTE FROM

MD SUPER COVER STAR AND MY

PAL, EVAN CENTAPONII deadlift

almost every week. Maybe once

every 8 or so weeks I may skip them.

I think barbell rows are superior to

dumbbell rows, but if you were to do

one, I would most likely skip the

other....alternate them..Evan

Centaponi

AND AS ALWAYS, I LIKE TO GIVE YOU

5 QUICK Q&As FROM MY FRIEND

SHAWN RAY,TAKEN FROM HIS Q&A

THREAD ONLY ON THE MD FORUM:

Q. Do you think three days on

then a day off would be better than

just one day of rest a week?

A. When I competed I did 3 on 1 off. Now

I do Mon. to Fri.

Q. What do you think about all

these guys keeping their diets a

secret?

A. I never cared what other guys ate or

took, I only cared about what benefited

me. Some guys need a Guru/Trainer, no

hard no foul, I didnt.

Q. What was the heaviest you

weighed in the off-season when you

were competing?

A. I went up to 242lbs after the 97

Olympia for the 98 Olympia. I came in at

218lbs but lost a lot of sharp crispness I

usually displayed and came in 5th.

Q. Do you think doing cardio right

after a hard and heavy leg workout

would be overtraining?

A. I personally never had a problem

doing cadio after great leg workouts!

Actually, it helps loosen up the pump

sometimes. I walk or I ride the stationary

bike, its not like I run or anything. 4.0

incline at 4.0 speed.

Q. How did you eat your egg

whites, back in the day?

A. Scrambled. Sometimes I add chopped

chicken breast, canned tuna or ground

beef for extra protein.

IVE LEARNED ONE THING TRAINING

AS A MAN IN HIS LATE 40s >>> Middle

age is when you choose your cereal

for the fiber, not the toy.A BIG >

FUCK OFFSEE YA ON THE

FORUM!!!

Hi, Valarie, Im Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for

meHi. Can I domesticate you?.WOW, THIS MONTHS BABE OF THE

MONTH VALARIE BECK IS MY TYPE OF GIRL, WITH HER NATURAL GOOD

LOOKS, NOT TOO OVERLY MUSCLED AND SWEET SMILE.OOPS, SHE IS

TOO YOUNG FOR ME....SORRY ABOUT THAT, I GET CARRIED AWAY SOME-

TIMES, FORGIVE ME MS. HOTTIE GIRL VALARIEDamn girl, were you

arrested earlier? Its gotta be illegal to look that!!!

Name: Valarie Beck

Forum Name: lilfitgirl

Age: 21

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Hometown: Monroeville, Ohio

Height: 55

Measurements: 34, 27, 33

Eyes: Hazel

Off-season Weight: 122

Competition Weight: 115

Favorite Food: steak

Favorite Junk Food: ice cream

Favorite Quote: Obsession is

what lazy people call dedica-

tion. Unknown

Favorite Makeup: Cover Girl

mascara

Sports/Activities/Hobbies: huge football

fan, full-time student at the University of

Toledo, spending time with friends and

family, anything outdoorsy (hiking, bik-

ing, kayaking, swimming, etc.) and lifting

of course!

Favorite TV Show: Greys Anatomy

Favorite Music: everything! (metal, coun-

try, pop, rap, easy listening, etc.)

Biggest influence in your life: my family

Favorite Body Part to train: arms

Your Best Asset (body part): long, lean

legs

Future plans /

Goals: start

competing

spring of 2010

as a natural fig-

ure or bikini

(depending on

how my training comes along); become a

personal trainer.

My name is Valarie Beck; I am a 21-year-old

college student at the University of Toledo

majoring in early childhood education. I have

always been an athletic person and enjoyed

every aspect sports offers. In junior high I was

a four-season athlete with volleyball, basket-

ball, track and summer league softball. In high

school I was a member of the fall and winter

dance team and ran track in the spring. My first

year in college was quite the adjustment, not


musculardevelopment.combeing in so many activities, and my body suffered for it. I gained the dreaded freshman

15 lbs. I soon realized how unhappy I was with myself and started doing simple cardio

at the local rec center a few times a week. I saw some results, but wasnt meeting my

goal. One of my best guy friends talked me into lifting weights along with my cardio to

help burn more fat and tone up. After the first week of lifting weights, I was hooked!

Lifting and time at the gym has since become one of my top priorities in life. I absolute-

ly love watching my body grow and change.

After giving myself completely to this lifestyle, I thought

I should do something with it, so I applied to be a promo

model at the Arnold Classic. I have been a promo model at

the Arnold Classic the past two years (2008 & 2009) and will

be in 2010. Now I want to take this to the next level and step

onstage for the first time in spring of 2010. Another goal of

mine that I will be meeting soon is to become a personal

trainer. I already have many people asking me for advice on

training, and I want to be able to give them professional

advice. I will be taking a personal trainer course along with

my full class schedule this coming fall at the University of

Toledo. Many people question and judge the lifestyle I live,

but Im not doing this for them...Im in this for me.

YO VALARIE,YOU GOT ME ON MY KNEES RIGHT

NOW. Are your feet tired? They should be, youve

been running around in my mind all dayOOOPS,

THERE I GO AGAIN, I CANT HELP MYSELF, YOURE JUST

TOO DAMN HOT!!!!!

Name: Joe Pietaro

MD Forum Member Screen Name: Joe Pietaro (formerly MuscleSport Mag)

Hometown: Long Island, NY

Age: 42

Years Bodybuilding: 23 years

Goal for the Future: Turn back the clock

Favorite Bodybuilders: Rich Gaspari, Jay Cutler, Dan Lurie

I consider myself a lucky guy. A sports nut my entire life, Im actually earning a living writing about that exact sub-

ject. Covering the last three Super Bowls and multiple baseball playoff games has been everything that I could have

imagined and then some. Being a bit of a throwback, my favorite place to visit is Wrigley Field. They can build all the

new ballparks they like, but give me one of the historical originals any day. Even while I was interviewing the likes of

Derek Jeter and Eli Manning, I still had the itch for bodybuilding.

As a teenager, I got hooked on working out and reading the muscle magazines and that transcended into adult-

hood. I wanted to cover the big bodybuild-

ing shows just like the other main events.

Ive been to the last two Arnold Classics

and last years Mr. Olympia and enjoyed

them just as much if not more than

many of the other sporting events. I

immersed myself into the bodybuilding

scene as a journalist, and that made me

decide to launch my own online publica-

tion, MuscleSport Mag, which covers both

of my passions. Now that I find myself

working with MD, the skys the limit. I feel

as if my mainstream sports experience

gives me a different insight into this indus-

try and Im confident that will help me

establish myself even further and become a

better writer. The key to this profession is to

separate yourself from the pack, and Im

working toward that. Not bad for a kid from

Brooklyn.


This month we had a number of excellent entries to this contest; eight essays were competing for this months

prize and coming out on top with a third of the overall votes was Big Bris essay. It tells the story of his struggle

with diabetes and how a bodybuilding lifestyle helped him take back control of his symptoms. Enough said now,

lets give it up for Big Bri!

In August 1997, I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

I vividly remember the day that I was diagnosed. I was at

work and I did not have any balance. When I was walk-

ing, I was using the wall to hold me up. My supervisor

saw me and asked me if I was OK? I was very disoriented

and I said, I dont know?

I ended up being rushed to the hospi-

tal where I stayed for 3 days. I was put

on a few oral medications: prandin, glu-

cophage, and metformin. I had good and

bad days trying to control my sugars; it

was very hard for me to follow the

diet they gave me. But, in August

2002, I tried a diet called Sugar

Busters. This worked very well. My

sugar was under control and the diet

was manageable. I lost about 20 pounds

over a few months.

The doctor and I at the Clinic did not

get along. In August 2004, I moved to

another doctor and I have seen him since. In January

2005, some of my medicines were interacting with each

other and my blood sugar was dropping very low and my

energy level was nonexistent. I found out that I had gone

into lactic acidosis. It was shutting down my kidneys.

Again, I was hospitalized

One day, I woke up and I went to stand up, everything

spun around and I fell on to the floor. I could not stand up

as I had zero muscle coordination. After about 10 minutes

I was able to get up, I made it to my bathroom where I

keep Smarties in case I have a low blood sugar attack.

When I got to work I researched this and found that my

sugar was somewhere between 34 and 40. I was close to

passing out going into a diabetic coma. This terrified me.

I have not had a low sugar attack

since. I just went and saw my doctor the

other day, after almost a year because I

dont have insurance. He was so proud of

everything that I had done and how well

I could read my body signals now. I have

no circulation problems and or nerve

damage from the diabetes, which is

exceptional.

After seeing my doctor, I can now cut

my insulin dose in half and ELIMINATE

some other medication that I was taking.

Through my weight loss and exercise I

have made my body more receptive to

the insulin that my body produces. One day soon I hope to

be FREE of the medication and control it all through diet.

I owe a lot of the changes in my body due to the exercise

and the nutritional advice that I have gained since joining

MD. Since November 2008, I started dieting again. I was

as high as 290 pounds. Two weeks ago, around the 8th of

July, I was weighing 258 pounds. A total of 32 pounds lost

over roughly 8 months.

Word EssayWord Essay

Living, and Succeeding with Diabetes by Big Bri

By David Burton

Big Bri tells a great story, and getting this amount of info condensed into 500 words is no mean feat, but he

managed to do this and to get his story across, with great impact. Big Bri is managing to control an illness which

is blighting the western world, Diabetes is reaching almost epic proportions and costs millions in health care costs

every year, yet with a few changes to a persons lifestyle it can be kept under control and keep the need for med-

ication to a bare minimum.

Adhering to this lifestyle has helped Big Bri, and his dedication is to be commended. Hiding behind the scenes,

but still being a helpful part of his journey are the members of the Muscular Development forums. Big Bri has a

very long personal journal thread in the member journals section of the site; for anybody interested in reading

more about his progress, his thread can be accessed at http://forums.musculardevelop-

ment.com/showthread.php?t=48002.

Congratulations to Big Bri and as always, I look forward to more excellent article entries next month! !


By Steve Blechman andThomas Fahey, EdDRESEARCHRESEARCH

TrainingTraining

Improving YourBench Press forthe NFL CombineTest

Max reps to failure on the bench

press is a common measure of

strength and muscle endurance and is

included in the NFL combine test.

Zach Wagner and colleagues from

West Point showed that the prime

mover muscles are increasingly acti-

vated during the exercise with

increasing reps. Bench press

endurance was highly related to one-

rep maximum capacity, bodyweight,

and mass. During the test, muscle con-

traction velocity and power output

slowed with fatigue, but there were

no differences between muscle fiber

activation in any muscle groups as the

test progressed. The best way to

increase performance on a bench

press rep test is to get big and strong.

(Paper presented at American College

of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting,

May 28, 2009)

AbdominalCrunches ActivateCore MusclesBetter ThanPlanks

Core muscle development is central

to successful bodybuilding and serves

as the foundation for peak performance

in almost all sports. Many personal

trainers deemphasize traditional abdom-

inal exercises such as crunches, in favor

of Pilates exercises such as planks.

Anthony Caterisano and co-investi-

gators from Furman University in

Greenville, South Carolina found that

crunches activated the rectus abdominis

(six-pack muscle) and external obliques

(side ab muscles) 20 percent greater

than planks. They measured muscle

activation using electromyography.

Crunches build core muscle strength

better than planks. (Medicine Science

Sports Exercise, 41: 198-199, 2009)

Eccentric StrengthIncreases MoreThan ConcentricStrength DuringIntense WeightTraining

When muscles exert force, they

contract eccentrically when they

lengthen and concentrically when

they shorten. Muscles can exert more

force eccentrically than concentrically,

particularly at fast movement speeds.

During standard weight-training exer-

cises, muscles contract at higher per-

centages of maximum during the con-

centric phase of the lift because

eccentric muscle strength capacity is

greater.

However, Danish researchers led

by Emil Sundstrup found that gains

were greater in eccentric than con-

centric strength during a 12-week

weight-training program using stan-

dard lifts (squat, hack squat, knee

extensions, leg curls, and calf raises).

This study showed the importance of

including eccentric muscle contrac-

tions in strength-training programs.

(Paper presented at American College

of Sports Medicine annual meeting,

May 28, 2009)

The Glove SpeedsRecovery andIncreases TrainingVolume DuringWeight Training

The Glove is a thermal transfer

device developed by scientists from

Stanford University that literally sucks

heat from the body without constricting

the surface blood vessels. The device is

a negative pressure small chamber

with a water-cooled cone inside.

Athletes grasp the cylinder during rest

intervals between exercises (e.g.,

squats, intervals on the track), which

lowers muscle temperature.

A University of New Mexico study,

led by Young Sub Kwon, found that

using The Glove during rest intervals

between sets increased repetitions and

total exercise volumes during repeated

sets to exhaustion in the bench press.

College-age men did 4 sets of bench

presses to failure, with 3-minute rest

intervals, during which they cooled the

hand with The Glove, heated the hand

with The Glove, or rested normally.

Heat causes lost energy in the mus-

cles, which promotes fatigue. The

Glove works by tightening the link

between fuel breakdown and energy

available for muscle contraction by

reducing muscle temperature. (Paper

presented at American College of Sports

Medicine Annual Meeting, May 27,

2009)

84 MD

By Steve Blechman andThomas Fahey, EdDRESEARCHRESEARCH

TrainingTrainingElastic BandsIncrease BenchPress Strength

Most elite powerlifters use elastic

bands or chains to provide variable

resistance during the lifts. Athletes

attach them to the bar and the resist-

ance increases during the exercise as

the bands stretch or the chains come off

the floor. Limited research supports

their use.

Matthew Muller from Kent State

University and colleagues found that

elastic band training increased bench

press strength more than traditional

bench press training alone. During a six-

week training program, men did either

five sets of five repetitions in the bench

at 85 percent effort using bands, or at

100 percent effort without bands.

Strength gains were nearly 8 percent

greater when using bands. The study

showed that elastic band assist training

is an effective way to improve

weightlifting strength. (Paper presented

at American College of Sports Medicine

Annual Meeting, May 28, 2009)

Multiple Sets BestFor BeginningWeight Trainers

Most weight-training studies on

beginners or untrained people showed

that multiple sets produce no more ben-

efits than single-set workouts. Critics

say that these studies were poorly

supervised and that multiple sets would

be superior if people trained hard.

Brazilian researchers, using

untrained college-age men, found that

multiple sets produced greater strength

gains than single sets. The subjects per-

formed 8-12 repetitions of knee exten-

sions and elbow flexions on a resistance

machine (isokinetic dynamometer) for

one or three sets during a six-week

training period. Multiple-set programs

were best for beginning weight train-

ers. (Paper presented at American

College of Sports Medicine Annual

Meeting, May 28, 2009)

Anabolic HormoneResponse toWeight TrainingGreater in Menthan Women

Increased levels of anabolic hor-

mones, such as testosterone and IGF-1,

are critical for the training responses

that increase muscle mass and

strength. For example, studies by

Shalender Bhasin from Boston

University found that increases in mus-

cle hypertrophy were directly propor-

tional to blood testosterone levels. Men

have larger muscles than women, so

the response of anabolic hormones to

training might be significant in deter-

mining the training response.

A study from Springfield College in

Massachusetts, led by Jason Sawyer,

found marked gender differences in

testosterone and IGF-1 following a

weight-training workout. The authors

speculated that gender differences in

mechanical stress during the exercise

might have accounted for the differ-

ences in hormonal response. (Paper pre-

sented at American College of Sports

Medicine Annual Meeting, May 28,

2009)

No RacialDifferences InBlood PressureResponses ToWeight Training

African-American men have a higher

risk of hypertension (high blood pres-

sure) and type II diabetes. Compared to

Caucasian men, African-Americans tend

to have stiffer large central arteries,

impaired blood flow control in smaller

arteries, and higher blood pressure.

Weight training increases blood vessel

stiffness, so it is unclear whether racial

differences exist in response to resistive

exercise.

Kevin Heffernan and co-workers

from the University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign found no racial differences

in blood pressure in the aorta (large

artery leaving the heart), carotid artery

(supplies the brain), or whole-body

blood vessel resistance, following a six-

week weight-training program. Weight

training decreased blood pressure

equally in both racial groups. Weight

training is valuable for improving car-

diovascular function and reducing blood

pressure. (Paper presented at American

College of Sports Medicine Annual

Meeting, May 28, 2009)



By Steve Blechman andThomas Fahey, EdD

ObesitySuppressesTesticularFunction

Obesity is bad for your sex life.

Most women dont like fat guys, and

excess adipose tissue interferes with

metabolic health that controls erec-

tions and testosterone levels.

Australian researchers, in a review of

literature, concluded that obese men

tend to have lower testosterone and

the biologically-active free testos-

terone. To make matters worse, age-

linked declines in testosterone occur

faster in overweight and obese men.

Obesity increases risk factors

linked to low testosterone levels such

as obstructive sleep apnea, insulin

resistance, and type 2 diabetes. High

body fat levels, particularly in the

abdomen, interfere with hormones

that control the reproductive system

and decrease sperm quality. Weight

loss increases testosterone and free

testosterone and improves reproduc-

tive health. (Molecular and Cellular

Endocrinology, in press; published

online June 18, 2009)

The Thyroid Glandand Obesity

The thyroid is a large hormone-

secreting gland that lies just below

the Adams apple. It secretes thyrox-

ine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), that

help regulate metabolic rate. Thyroid-

stimulating hormone (TSH), released

by the pituitary gland in the brain,

controls the release of thyroid hor-

mones. T3 and T4 increase oxygen

consumption and caloric expenditure,

help regulate protein synthesis, pro-

mote sugar release from the cells, and

stimulate fat breakdown. Many

bodybuilders take thyroid hormone

supplements to help them lose

weight.

Thomas Reinehr, from the

University of Witten/Herdecke

in Germany, in a review of litera-

ture, concluded that TSH and T3

increase in obese people in an

attempt to normalize weight. Rapid

weight loss causes decreases in TSH

and T3, which at least partially

accounts for the difficulty in maintain-

ing lost weight. Changes in thyroid

hormones seem to be a consequence,

rather than a cause of obesity.

(Molecular Cellular Endocrinology, in

press; published online June 18, 2009)

FollistatinPromotes Fat Cell Growth

Follistatin is a chemical produced

by almost every cell in the body. It is

of great interest to bodybuilders

because it inhibits myostatin a

chemical that prevents muscle

growth. Researchers from the Ohio

State University found that mice

given a single dose of follistatin

increased body mass and strength.

The treatment increased skeletal

muscle size throughout the body but

did not affect heart muscle. A single

dose of follistatin continued to

increase strength for 60 days, and the

increased strength persisted during

the 560-day experiment.

This study showed that follistatin

inhibited myostatin and increased

strength and muscle mass in animals.

The research captured the imagina-

tion of bodybuilders and strength ath-

letes, and supplement companies

advertise follistatin or follistatin-

boosters on the Internet. Even if you

could buy the real stuff, taking follis-

tatin supplements might not be such

a good idea.

Swedish researchers from the

Karolinska Institute showed that fol-

listatin promoted fat cell growth and

could contribute to chronic obesity

and insulin resistance. In other

words, follistatin could make you

stronger, but it might also make you

look like a tank. (Journal Clinical

Endocrinology and Metabolism, 94:

3003-3009, 2009)

Portion SizeInfluences Food Intake

Would you consume more calories

if given a plate containing 10 large

cheeseburgers or a plate containing

20 mini cheeseburgers (the burgers

on both plates contained the same

number of calories)? According to a

study from Wageningen University

in the Netherlands, you would eat

more when faced with the larger por-

tion sizes.

People were given large (15 grams)

and small (5 grams) portions of choco-

late custard, but allowed to eat as

much as they wanted. Those who

received the larger portions ate 10

percent more calories. Cafeteria stud-

ies using college students found simi-

lar results. Students ate less food

when given smaller portions, even

though they could eat as much as

they wanted. Parents trying to help

kids lose weight should serve small

portions at dinner and let them take

seconds. They might eat less and lose

weight. (American Journal of Clinical

Nutrition, 90: 269-275, 2009)

Fat LossRESEARCH

Fat LossRESEARCH

Illustrated

by Je

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By Steve Blechman andThomas Fahey, EdD

Fat LossRESEARCH

Fat LossRESEARCH

Elevated IGF-1Does NotSuppress Growth Hormonein Obesity

Many bodybuilders take growth

hormone (GH) to build muscle and

lose fat. GH is a potent fat burner,

which makes it popular with the

total makeover set as well as ath-

letes. Increased GH levels stimulate

IGF-1 release mainly in the liver.

Many of the beneficial effects of GH

are actually caused by IGF-1.

However, GH levels decline in obesity

and IGF-1 levels stay the same.

Danish and American researchers

showed that IGF-1 and its binding

protein were not related to the

degree of obesity in women. The

study showed no feedback between

growth hormone and IGF-1 in obesity.

GH and IGF-1 are readily available on

the black market. Bodybuilders

should be careful when using these

drugs in combination to decrease

body fat, because we dont fully

understand how the two hormones

interact. (Journal Clinical

Endocrinology and Metabolism, 94:

3093-3097, 2009)

Mini-Fast Plus ExercisePromotes Fat Loss

Most people have a difficult time

trying to lose weight, and more than

90 percent of people who lose weight

gain it back again within 12 months.

Our genes are programmed to protect

us from starvation. The body per-

ceives low-calorie diets as an assault

on its well-being. Weight regulation

centers in the brain preserve energy

stores by slowing down metabolic

rate and increasing appetite.

Is it possible to fool Mother

Nature? Mexican researchers from

the Oasis of Hope Hospital in Tijuana

found that exercising after short fasts

(12-14 hours) promoted fat loss.

Exercise involved prolonged, moder-

ate-intensity aerobics. Participants

practiced this procedure 3-5 times per

week for 12 weeks. The average per-

son in the study lost 16 pounds. The

body uses available fuels and will

mobilize fat stores when carbohy-

drates are not readily available.

We need more research to deter-

mine if mini-fasts plus exercise is a

viable weight loss method. (Medical

Hypotheses, in press; published online

July 3, 2009)

Do Chemicals inthe EnvironmentMake You Fat?

Energy balance and the principle of

conservation of energy is one of the

first lessons you learn in a college

nutrition course. In a nutshell, you get

fat if you take in more energy than

you expend. Likewise, you lose

weight when energy expenditure

exceeds energy intake. If weight man-

agement were that simple, we would-

nt be in the midst of an obesity epi-

demic.

Researchers from the University of

California, Irvine, suggested that obe-

sogens environmental chemicals

that alter cellular sensors controlling

metabolic rate and food intake inter-

fere with energy balance and promote

fat storage. Exposure to these chemi-

cals during critical growth periods

might condemn people to a lifetime of

obesity. Understanding and managing

obesogens is a major public health

issue. (Molecular Endocrinology, 23:

1127-1134, 2009)

Low-CarbohydrateDiets MayPromote Blood Clots

High-fat, low-carbohydrate, keto-

genic diets, such as the Atkins diet,

are extremely popular for short-term

weight loss. Many medical experts

have criticized them because they

may have dangerous metabolic and

cardiovascular side effects. Japanese

researchers, in a study on mice,

showed that low-carbohydrate, keto-

genic diets increased chemicals in the

blood that trigger blood clots. Blood

clots are implicated in most heart

attacks and strokes.

Blood-clotting abnormalities are

usually included as part of the

Metabolic Syndrome, a group of med-

ical conditions such as abdominal

obesity, high cholesterol, insulin

resistance, and high blood pressure

that increase the risk of coronary

artery disease. While low-carbohy-

drate diets cause weight loss in the

short run, they are no more effective

than low-calorie mixed diets or low-

calorie, high-carbohydrate diets after

12 months.

We need more studies to deter-

mine the possible effects of low-carb

diets on blood clotting.

(Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis, and

Vascular Biology, in press; published

online July 23, 2009)


Obesity Rate HitsAll-time High

Last year, 26.1 percent of Americans

were obese, compared to 25.6 percent in

2007. A 2009 report issued by the Trust

for Americas Health and Robert Wood

Johnson Foundation showed that U.S. is

in the midst of a public health disaster

that is on par with the economic melt-

down. Adult and childhood obesity rates

increased 2-3 times during the past 30

years.

In 2008, obesity rates

increased in 23 states and

didnt decrease in even one

state. Mississippi and

Alabama are the fattest

states, with obesity

rates of 32.5 percent

and 31 percent,

while Colorado is

the skinniest at

18.9 percent.

Health care costs

expanded at an

alarming rate dur-

ing the past 10

years, in part due to

the obesity epidemic.

The economic down-

turn has in

muscular development 2009-11

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