Barbell Rows, when done correctly, can be one of the most effective exercises for building back strength & muscle size. When done incorrectly, they can lead to injuries which can last a lifetime. You won’t meet many bodybuilders with great physiques who haven’t used this movement a great deal – so you should be using it too! Let’s review a few of the most commonly asked questions regarding barbell rows.

How often should I be using barbell rows
Unless you have a nagging injury, this exercise should be used with every back workout, usually once per week for 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. There may be times each year when you want to spend 6 to 8 weeks away from the heavy compound movements and wish to give your joints a rest.

Are barbell rows dangerous?
When using extremely heavy weight, the lifter can be at risk for two injuries in particular. The bent over nature of the exercise lends to risk with AC and RC joints, and many lifters who use a sudden, jerking, explosive lifting motion have suffered from torn biceps.

What kind of form should be used with barbell rows?
There are two main variations of the movement which adhere to radically different forms. For the first, your body should be either at a 45 degree angle (for barbell or Yates rows) and you should pull the weight up to your waist while keeping the grip narrow. Alternatively, the Pendlay rows are completed at a 90 degree angle, with the rear end out and the back as straight as possible. Alternate versions of this movement to hit the muscle fibers from as many angles as possible.

What kind of grip should I be using?
Lifters will use both overhand and underhand grips for barbell rows. The overhand is the most popular grip to avoid a torn biceps, but the underhand grip will target the traps and lower lats a bit more.

How can I get better results from barbell rows?
This is a tough exercise which requires the use of many muscles of the back, shoulders, biceps and forearms, as well as the tendons and ligaments. You will want to make sure you have all your ducks in a row in terms of nutrition and rest. A diet rich in protein (steak, eggs, chicken, whey, and fish) along with carbohydrates (pasta, rice and potatoes) along with 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep each night will ensure you have the energy to train as well as the tools to recover.

Creatine is the #1 selling sports supplement of all time, and the most researched supplement as well. For decades, researchers have tried to punch holes in the creatine brand, and for decades we’ve seen over and over that it is a safe & highly effective supplement with no major side effects for most users. Still, there are many questions revolving around creatine. Let’s address some of the most commonly asked creatine questions.

What are the positive side effects of creatine?
Creatine helps the user to hold more water in their muscle cells, which leads to greater size or volumization of the muscle, and as a result greater strength in the gym. Users can expect a 5 to 15 pound water retention gain from the use of creatine, and they’ll be bigger and stronger too.

What negative side effects will I face?
If you don’t consume adequate water when using creatine (about .75 to 1.0 gallons per day), you will likely suffer from cramps or digestive discomfort. Some users also report some muscle cramping and dehydration, also a result of inadequate water consumption.

How much creatine should I take per day?
Five grams, or on teaspoon, is the normal daily dose, mixes with 8 ounces of fruit juice. Choose grape juice for best results, and avoid acidic choices such as orange juice.

What is the creatine load?
Many users choose to use 5 grams of protein, four times per day, for 4 to 5 days. This fully saturates the muscle cells with water and allows the creatine to immediately become effective in the body. The alternative is to wait 1-2 weeks for the cells to become fully hydrated from the single daily 5 gram dose.

Can I take creatine before a show?
Most users will want to cut the creatine out 4.5 days before a bodybuilding show in order to not hurt their bodies as they remove excess water in order to attain that very dry look that is desired in bodybuilding circles.

What creatine delivery system is best?
Plain ol’ creatine monohydrate powder works well for most users. There are also capsule versions, as well as pre-mixed dextrose or other sugar mixes. Their prices will vary, but the effectiveness will be about the same. Some people prefer the convenience of the pre-mixed, but it is a personal choice.

Will creatine bloat me?
There is some bloating to the face and body which may appear when using creatine. It’s a normal side effect and is nothing to be concerned with, unless of course you have a modeling shoot this week and fear your reduced sharpness of cheekbones is going to cost you a GQ cover.

Will creatine hurt my kidneys?
In rare cases, people with genetic predispositions to kidney damage will suffer from the use of creatine. If you feel pain in sides or lower back when using creatine, and you’re getting plenty of water, then it is time to see a doctor and get to the bottom of things. Halt creatine use in this case until you learn more.

Can I use a sauna with creatine?
Avoid saunas and other means of great heat exposure/dehydration when using creatine. This is an important notice that is often overlooked. Your body needs its water regulated and saunas force the body to shed water quickly.

Can I use creatine year-round?
Yes. Enjoy this effective and popular supplement year round for best results!

Bodybuilding message boards were abuzz in late 2011 as Phil Heath conquered Jay Cutler at the Mr. Olympia contest. Everyone watching the show on the webcast had a good feeling it was Heath’s turn, and his insane mixture of conditioning and hanging slabs of muscle had reached a level where no human being on the planet could touch him. But a Mr. Olympia is Mr. Olympia! A reigning champ has to be knocked out – he never loses his title if it’s close. Well, in 2011, it wasn’t close.

For the 2011 Olympia prejudging, Jay Cutler emerged onstage with a huge swelling to his left arm, a giant bulbous blob upon his bicep. The roots of it were unknown. Conspiracy theorists accused it of being oil, but Jay assured fans it was an injury from weeks before that had just began to show. Bruising and swelling was worse as the night of prejudging went on, and soon it was obvious in every pose as he painfully worked through the poses. The night show was clear to everyone – Jay wasn’t going to win it in 2011. And when Phil Heath took the stage, Jay knew as well, graciously handing over the reigns of the title to Heath.

Jay did a few more shows as was contractually required, and took some time off for the Holidays. February arrived and it was time to get down to dealing with his health. Biceps tendon surgery took place (although the extent of the surgery was kept secret) and Jay’s since spent March being photographed and videotaped wearing a sling. Recovery from such surgery usually takes 3 to 3.5 months, which means as soon as Jay can train again, it’s time to start ramping up for the 2012 Olympia. That’s cutting it awfully close!

Jay assures the fans he will be back for 2012, but many critics have their doubts. He’s down 20 or more pounds in recent pictures. However, that might be a normal thing, considering he had surgery and isn’t in the gym holding mass at the moment. A break is healthy for any bodybuilder. However, as we see athletes like Phil Heath and Kai Greene walking around near 300 pounds, seeing Jay flirt with 250 has to make the fan wonder if Jay can get ready in time.

If Jay Cutler misses the 2012 Olympia, will it be the end of an era? Will he hang up the posing trunks forever, or will he fully recover, and deliver his comeback at the 2013 Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic, where he win in 2002, 2003, and 2004? Will he wait a full 24 months between shows and bounce back for the fall 2013 Mr. Olympia show? Or will he take the Ronnie Coleman role, continually promising a comeback while slipping into retirement quietly?

Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: The fans miss Jay Cutler and await his return to the bodybuilding stage.

Everyone wants a job they love. We’d all enjoy working at a place where we WANT to spend time. The gym is no exception. Working at a gym can be a fun job, but unless you’re a top trainer, you may not be able to make a good living doing so. However, running your own gym might be a preferable option. Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages, and other thoughts to consider about such a job.

There would be plenty of advantages to owning your own gym. If you are a personal trainer, you could make $75 to $100 per hour by training 1-2 people at a time and stacking up the dollars in your own facility. If you sign up 5,000 members, you could be up for some insane profits each month. But if you only sign a few dozen each week, the bills may be bigger than your income very quickly.

How would you stock your gym? Second hand equipment isn’t that expensive if you want to go that route, and financing is usually available for gym owners with good credit. Gyms open and close every day, so you may be able to take over a struggling gym and give it your best shot to see if you can turn things around with your own management style. Leasing vs. owning are two options you will need to consider. Are you going through a phase, or has it always been your goal to own your very own gym?

Owning or running a gym also has its limitations and risks. First off, there are financial risks. Many gyms do fail. Being too hardcore means you alienate a large group of potential members who are more mainstream, and turned off by grunters and screaming powerlifters. However, at the same time, if you live in a large population center, then perhaps you will be able to locate enough hardcore bodybuilders to keep your bills paid.

Remember that owning a gym is much more than just throwing down on the weights with your friends for free and always having a squat rack open. Plenty of paperwork, taxes, certification and registration steps are in order. If you don’t like paperwork, you’d better hire someone to do it for you. If you love working out, spending time with people, and you don’t mind taking a few risks in life, then running a gym might just be right for you. Good luck in your new gym endeavors!

Q: With so many protein bar makers in the market, how can I tell which protein bar is the best?

A: It’s not hard to get overwhelmed by the glossy ads, the huge, ripped bodies and the over the top claims that are used to push a protein bar. What you need to do, however, is to screen out all of that stuff and focus squarely on the mandatory ingredients list that is somewhere on the protein bar wrapper. Here’s what a product that’s worth purchasing will contain:

Protein: Duh! Ok, then, lets dig a little deeper. Does your protein bar contain a 50/50 blend of whey and casein? Recent studies have shown that, contrary to popular opinion, a combination of whey and casein provides the best anabolic environment. The casein component of a protein bar should use micellar casein as it’s source. Micellar casein goes through a filtration process which allows it to retain its health promoting micro fractions along with a high amount of glutamine.

As far as the whey goes, look for an indication that whey protein isolate (WPI) has been used in the protein bar. WPI contains more protein, gram for gram than it’s counterpart, whey protein concentrate (WPC). It also contains more immunoglobins as well as heavier concentrates of certain amino acids.

Maltodextrin: You could eat your protein bar if it had nothing but protein in it, but you’d probably end up regurgitating it within a few seconds. It would taste horrible, to put it mildly. That’s why such things as maltodextrin are added. It not only adds sweetness and flavor to the protein bar, but beings a glucose polymer, causes a rapid rise in blood sugar. This makes a protein bar with this ingredient very advantageous post workout.

Whole Carbohydrates: As a population, Americans are woefully lacking in fiber, so a protein bar that contains a substantial amount of fiber has got to be good. Remember there are products that will push a protein bar with very minimal amounts of protein or fiber so you really have to know what you’re buying.

On the negative side, avoid a protein bar that contains hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oil. This is added to make the protein bar taste better but will do so at the expense of your heart health.
With the above considerations in mind, you’ll be well equipped to select a protein bar that will provide optimum anabolic benefits. Just don’t use it as the mainstay of your diet. Remember, whole foods are the cornerstone of a great physique. A protein bar should just be to supplement any additional need for protein.

Q: Can you take DHEA and BCAA’s for fat loss? I heard someone say the other day that they take both together, along with some other fat burning products and it works like a charm. But how can you tell?

A: Well, one way to “tell” as you say, is to just try DHEA and BCAA’s together, without adding a lot of other items to your dosing day. But yes, absolutely, these two together can be great. Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) is comprised of leucine, isoleucine and valine. Leucine, of course, represents the highest concentration of any amino acid in muscle tissue, so it’s a very valuable product for setting the stage for the addition of muscle, the retention of muscle and/or recovery. All of these are important to fat loss because the more muscle you have or can retain, creates a better fat burning metabolism and a better overall body composition. DHEA is a great addition to this because it increases beta-andrenergic fat loss. They can be a great combination for this reason. Just make sure that you are doing the most important thing: Keeping your diet and cardio consistent – they are the true cornerstones of fat loss.

Q: Ab boards… I see some guys using them and some guys not using them, and the ones who use them seem to have better abs. Are ab boards the best thing for building abs?

A: Not necessarily. Truth is, ab workouts should focus on isolation. However you are able to achieve that isolation is what you ought to go with. Some people can really bear down on their abs on an abdominal board that has a slight foot elevation. But remember, you can lose isolative focus on anything – the floor, a board, or in some other crunch position. It’s all dependent upon motion that is unnecessarily into the mix.

So ab boards, being narrow, often keep the mind visualizing staying balanced on the board while crunching, so crunching is often executed more carefully than it would be on the floor. There is less room for error, too, because the boards can rock from side to side. So keeping the core absolutely still, while isolating the abs, produces a much tighter effort; literally and figuratively.

Q:  Are dips on a roman chair better than dips done on machines or with a plate on your stomach between two benches?

A: It’s really personal preference and I recommend doing at least two of those because you hit different areas of the chest and shoulder and triceps. Dips with a plate on your belly, with hands on one bench and heels on another, really works the triceps alone, whereas Roman chair (depending upon whether you face the wall or face out) will work shoulders – at least – if not upper chest (facing inward) much more. Dips on a machine are certainly safest in terms of avoiding injuries.

Remember, you greatly compromise your shoulders doing dips both other ways so you must be careful. I recommend dips highly, however, I think you really need a lesson on proper form from someone who does them all the time and can provide tips. It’s the one exercise that I see done improperly all the time. Few people do it correctly to optimize results and minimize injury. In my book, I think Roman chair and machine dips are the best combination because the one between benches overarches the rotator cuff and it’s easy to fall between benches and tear super-spinaetus tendons in the rear delt.

Q: I seem to have hit a strength plateau on my bench press? Any suggestions on how I can break through it?

A: The first thing you need to do is to take a week off from training chest. This will allow you to be fully primed for an 8 week program that will not only get you past your sticking point but that is specifically designed to up your bench by a whopping 10% in that couple of months.

The program you’re going to utilize is sometimes called Wave Training. Developed by the Canadian weightlifting team, it is based upon the concept of potentiation and small forward progressions. Each workout will consist of 3 rounds or ‘waves’ of 3 sets. Between sets you will rest for 90 seconds, with a 4-minute break between waves. For the first set of the first wave, load the bar with 90 % of your one rep max and perform 3 reps. On the second set, up it to 95 % of your 1RM and go for 2 reps. Set 3 will consist of a single at your 1RM.

Your second wave begins at 91 % of your 1RM for 3 reps. If, for instance your 1RM for the bench is 250 pounds, then your first set on the previous wave would have been at 225, and this time you’ve upped to 227.5 pounds. For set two, perform 3 reps at 96 % and for your third set of this wave, you will actually perform a single with 101 % of your 1RM.

After a four-minute breather, you’re ready for your last fly through. This time you’re going to add an extra 1 % of weight to each exercise. So, you will be pushing 102 % of your 1RM on your final set.

Perform this routine just once per week. Calculate your weights before you arrive at the gym and make sure you’ve got a good spotter standing by. Above all, believe that you can push past your previous limits. Expect to hit those weight increments each and every work out and, before you realize it, you will have powered your way to an extra 10 % on your bench.

Q: Thanks for your newsletter. I read it religiously and it has made all the difference in the world for me! However, I am a little surprised that you haven’t written about Myostatin inhibitors. There is a lot of hype right now about them and you haven’t said much about it. Can you tell me about these Myostatin products? Is it true that they can alter your genetics?

A: The reason you haven’t read anything about them is because people haven’t been asking. You’re right too; there is a lot of hype surrounding myostatin blockers. The problem is, it’s mostly coming from the companies trying to sell them! Myostatin is a gene that is a primary regulator for muscle growth; it has a direct effect on muscle growth. Basically, research has shown that, in mice, when they block the myostatin gene the mice have more muscle, genetically. And I’m talking 200-300% more muscle!

The theory behind these products is a good one for sure – block the gene that limits our ability to grow muscle. Unfortunately there is one issue with these products that has yet to be proven; that they actually work in humans. All the research done on them has been on mice… and I hate to be the one to break it to you, but we’re not mice. I realize that this doesn’t mean it won’t work on humans, but it’s not like these mice were just given a couple of pills either. Their genes were manipulated before they were even born – in vitro!

Just think of the implications here though! If we can block the gene responsible for limiting our muscle growth, then we can manipulate genes to change anything we want about ourselves! Ever heard the saying, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”? Well, if you ask me, this sounds way too good to be true! I hate to rain on the Myostatin parade (and I hope I get proven wrong) but right now I think is this stuff is flat out useless!