Brad Murphy

About Brad Murphy

Brad Murphy is a dedicated bodybuilder and supplements geek.

Training Specifically for Muscle Size, Mass and Bulk

Updated on January 18, 2021 by Brad Murphy

Training specifically for muscle size. When you look at the world’s greatest bodybuilders, you would be forgiven for thinking they are also the world’s strongest men.

They do after all have the largest muscles of anybody. The idea that someone who weighs a hundred pounds less than Mr. Olympia can out-lift him, and out-lift him by a good margin, is surely counter-intuitive.

Of course, powerlifters, strongmen and pure weightlifters are the strongest people on the planet, despite their muscle measurements not stacking up to those of a professional bodybuilder.

So, what gives?

The theory that you can train differently, and specifically, for sheer size or likewise for raw strength, is long established.

There are a lot of intricacies to this, and it’s not even a subject the scientific, nor athletic, community has a complete understanding of yet.

However, it’s obviously possible. And to that end, I will discuss both strength specific training and size specific training throughout this website.

Read the strength primer, and the hypertrophy article to gain some insight into the basics.

For now, let’s talk about getting massive.

Training Specifically for Muscle Size – Training Volume

You will hear this again and again: to build bulk muscle mass, you need to train high volume.

“Training Volume” in basic terms refers to the number of reps and sets you are putting in to a muscle/muscle group per week, assuming the weight/load remains relative to effort.

In even simpler terms. 5 sets a week is better than 3 sets, and 10 sets is better than 5, when it comes to increasing muscle hypertrophy (Krieger study and Schoenfeld study)

Of course, there’s a point when overtraining within the session would become a problem but it is also it’s own limiting factor. Sometimes you just don’t have another set in you.

Success here is best measured by results, and finding the “sweet spot” volume wise for you as an individual is part of the fun.

Training Specifically for Muscle Size – Training Frequency

Frequency and volume are tied to one another, but can have independent effects depending on how you design your program.

Training a muscle or muscle group twice or more a week would be considered high-frequency, which by the way is associated with greater muscle growth over time (Schoenfeld and Krieger)

If you do the same routine as you would on a single session per week then you are also doubling your volume.

However, if you halve your intra-session set count because you’re now training twice per week then you are keeping your volume relatively equal.

There isn’t enough evidence to compare different frequencies and equivocal volume with different volumes and equivocal frequency.

If I was pushed I’d say higher frequency wins out because due to triggering anabolic pathways more often.

Training Specifically for Muscle Size – Going Anaerobic

If you’ve read the strength training article then note the discussion about the order of cardio and resistance training.

Cardio saps energy and energy is required to push/pull the heaviest loads possible to elicit the greatest strength gains.

The same doesn’t appear to be true for gains in muscle size. This could have something to do with the theory that sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, which is often the type of muscle fiber growth associated with size, is triggered by anaerobic processes.

What I mean is that working your muscles under load and going deep into anaerobic respiration appears to stimulate post-training muscle hypertrophy, regardless of the load.

Something bodybuilders often do is to focus on the bigger muscles after they have virtually exhausted themselves working on smaller groups. As such they use smaller loads.

They might say something like “the muscles don’t know what weight they are lifting”.

So if size gains are more associated with higher rep sets that go deeply anaerobic, rather than the actual weight, it shouldn’t matter what order cardio and resistance training are done in (Eddens study)

However, when comparing resistance training only sessions with cardio plus resistance training sessions, the RT only wins with respect to size gains (Wilson study)

The last point there suggests cardio exercise has some attenuating effect on anabolic processes, as is also the case for strength specific training.

Slow, Fast or Both?

I really enjoy playing with the speed of my reps, but does it pay to lift fast or slow?

Scientists call this “movement velocity” and they have measurements. A slow movement is between 2 to 3 seconds for the eccentric contraction and the same for the concentric.

A fast movement would be about a second for each of the eccentric and concentric portions.

What’s nice and weird is that quads tend to grow more from slow movement velocities while biceps grow bigger from fast movements (Hackett study)

The studies aren’t plentiful so you can’t go making sweeping statements like that really. However, let’s just do a quick thought experiment based on the above cited meta.

Let’s say quads do grow bigger from slow reps and biceps grow larger from fast reps.

Could it be that the more muscles there are in the main group – quads having four and biceps having two – account for the difference?

Or, perhaps it’s just mass – quads are much bigger than biceps. Perhaps it’s a bit of both.

Whatever it is, it’s worth exploring. Do a few weeks of going slow and compare with a few weeks of going fast.

Personally, I like mixing explosive reps with slow reps, especially for the bigger compound lifts like squats, for the potential that they activate different kinds of muscle fibers – slow-twitch (type I) and fast-twitch (type IIa and IIb).

Strength Training for Bodybuilders – Starting Out

Updated on November 12, 2020 by Brad Murphy

This article is for bodybuilders who want to gain strength. The muscle may look good but it may lack strength and power. Here is a guide for strength training for bodybuilders

If you’re starting out on the path of resistance training then this will be a valuable read.

With articles like this, I endeavour to be brief, while “priming” you with enough information to (a) help you understand the subject a little more; and (b) highlight some areas of interest you might want to pursue.

Resistance training with the specific goal of increasing strength is, I believe, the most important discipline within the overall bodybuilding and physique enhancement ethos.

I consider it the default training mode because it is an entirely functional platform from which additional performance, sport, physique and strength goals can be successfully realized.

High Load Resistance Training

Lifting heavy loads leads to significantly greater gains in dynamic strength than low load training. This is fairly unsurprising but it has still taken several studies and some meta analysis to prove scientifically.

High loads are defined here as weight equal or greater than 60% of your 1RM (one rep max).

The term “dynamic” here refers to the movement of the muscle, and thus the load, by either concentric contractions (where the muscle shortens) or eccentric contractions (where the muscle lengthens but muscle fibers still contracting under load).

An example of a concentric contraction is the shortening (and bulging) of the biceps during a bicep curl as the weight is moved upwards towards the shoulder.

Here, the contraction forces applied by the biceps are greater than the downward force of the weight.

As the weight is lowered to a straight arm position, still under load, an eccentric contraction is performed and the biceps lengthen. Here the contraction forces of the biceps are outweighed by the forces acting on the load.

Isometric strength, where the muscle does not move and the weight is held statically, is not significantly different with low-load versus high-load training.

Strength gains however tend to only be made in the specific position of the isometric hold.

1RM – One Rep Max

This is the maximum load you can lift for one repetition, i.e. a single concentric-eccentric contraction.

A 1RM should always be completed under the supervision of a spotter or multiple spotters for large compound movements where a failure could be dangerous.

Examples include squats, bench press and military press.

The 1RM is a benchmark for people looking to increase their dynamic strength but is also used by people who are more interested in maximum size gains.

Compound Movements

Compound movements are typically lifts where multiple muscle groups and joints are employed to execute them.

The Big Four compound lifts – which I will repeatedly refer to on this website – are the classic Deadlift, Squat, Shoulder Press, and Bench Press.

These, or variations of them, are the pillars of dynamic strength training, and cannot be ignored if brute strength is your goal.

Executed correctly, they activate many major muscle groups dynamically, and many secondary support muscles isometrically, including the entire core.

Lift First – Cardio Second

This is another aspect of strength training which seems obvious in hindsight but is obviously not from the beginning.

I see a lot of people doing a cardio session prior to their resistance training sequence, and much more than a light 5 minute warmup.

Performing any type of cardio, aerobic or anaerobic, before lifting weights is a bad idea, and the science is there to back me up.

Without going into depth about muscle glycogen and carbohydrate vs fat oxidation, just think of it in terms of energy.

Your strength training needs maximum energy for maximum gains, so that you can repeatedly push or pull heavy weight (> 60 % of 1RM).

Using a lot of your stored fuel reservoir during a cardio session, before even hitting the weights, will reduce much of the potential progress to be made in strength.

By contrast, your aerobic fitness is not dependent on the same sequencing, so in “getting the cardio out of the way” there is no benefit to speak of.

In this context, maximum strength gains would actually be made if cardio is not completed on the same days as strength training.

However, time constraints, in addition to the important health aspects of regular cardio cannot be ignored.

Variable Resistance, Negative Reps and Periodization

There is more to discuss about strength training…much, much more. This being a mere primer, I don’t want to write a thesis about it here.

It’s worth briefly mentioning some other interesting areas that have been studied in a clinical setting, and to the point that meta-analyses (studies of studies, if you will) have been conducted.

Variable resistance is an interesting training adaptation that leads to improved strength gains, even for experienced lifters [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25968227].

This involves the attachment of bands – which increase resistance as elastic potential loads – or chains – which increase in weight as more is lifted from the floor.

Periodization has been tested in a scientific setting, comparing linear periodization with undulating.

Undulating periodization, where set length and load is altered week by week, appears to be most effective for leg press strength, where squat and bench press weren’t really affected.

None of the results were statistically significant, but many people believe that “keeping the body guessing” in this way does lead to greater adaptations.

Negative Reps are a specific way of training that requires a spotter or spotters to help with the “positive” concentric rep while the lifter performs the “negative” eccentric rep.

This is generally done to allow large loads to be used, i.e. those greater than the lifter could actually push or pull through the concentric contraction.

It is said that this training method can elicit greater strength gains due to the neural and muscular adaptation required to perform controlled eccentric contractions under heavier and heavier loads.

Adipodex Review – Does it Work, Buyers Guide

Updated on June 9, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Adipodex is a super thermogenic fat burner that has been on the market for several years. It is made by Nutrex Research. There are rumours that it is discontinued. However it is still available to order online from some stockists.

PROS
Contains some powerful ingredients.
Reputable company.
Some positive customer reviews and feedback.

CONS
Very stimulant based.
Could cause side effects.
Rumours that is has been discontinued.

VERDICT – OTHERS PREFERRED
Product Name? – Adipodex
Who Makes It? – Nutrex Research
What Is It? – Thermogenic Fat-Burner, nootropic stimulant
Basic Function? – Increases core temp to burn fat
Recommended? – One ingredient in particular is cause for concern. We’d advise caution.
Alternatives? – We look for the most effective and best fat burners on the market.

Adipodex Overview

The current fashion amongst the big name makers is to release thermogenic fat-burning products in a one-pill-per-day form, and Adipodex follows the trend.

It sounds really convenient to only have to take one pill a day, however, remember a lot of pill ‘real-estate’ is sacrificed in doing this.

The included ingredients have to be extremely powerful to make up for the smaller dosage.

Some of the best fat-burners we know of have 4 pills (or even more) in their daily dose.

In our experience, it’s the only logical way to get the right quantity of efficacious ingredients.

Despite this, Nutrex claim this product combines thermogenic fat-burning with a very intense sense of ‘clean energy and laser focus.’ Okay, let’s see how it does this.

Who Makes Adipodex?

Nutrex Research is a supplement manufacturer based in Florida.

They have an online shop and a presence on the shelves of many high street supplement stores.

Their products now regularly appear in bodybuilding, muscle building and men’s health magazines.

Adipodex is what they currently describe as their ’Super Thermogenic’.

There are a few products in the Nutrex line aimed at weight loss, and we will no doubt cover them all at some point. A super thermogenic seemed like a good place to start.

Adipodex Formula – What’s in it?

Looking at the bottle label, Adipodex is aiming to deliver its super thermogenic behaviour with 720mg of a proprietary blend.

A Note On Proprietary Blends: Companies use a proprietary blend for different reasons. Whatever their purpose, a way to read them is that the list of ingredients still has to come in descending order of quantity. Keeping this in mind you can gauge how much weight of each component is in there. In Adipodex’s case Caffeine is the first on the list and Bioperine is the last, making them the largest and smallest respectively.

Caffeine: A must in any thermogenic supplement worth it’s weight. Caffeine is thermogenic (raises core temperature to use more fat as energy). It’s also an energy stimulant and helps you focus.
2-Amino-Methylpentane Citrate: Very powerful psychostimulatory Also known as AMP Citrate, this ingredient is causing some controversy at the moment. It follows closely on the heels of the recently banned DMAA (dimethylamylamine) which has been associated with some fairly dangerous side effects. AMP Citrate may go the way of DMAA and be banned also. Until then, companies will continue to manufacture it at light speed.

Caution: As part of a proprietary blend, the exact quantity of AMP Citrate’s inclusion is unknown. We would certainly advise caution if you are stepping into the unknown with powerful stimulants. It is too much of an unknown at the moment, but based on occurrences linked with it’s closest predecessor, DMAA, the risks might outweigh the reward.

N-Acetyl-L-Tyrosine: A regular in fat-burners, it’s also a nootropic which means it helps focus and cognitive abilities.
Theobromine: found in chocolate, it can act as a vasodilator (widening blood vessels for increased oxygen and nutrient transport to muscles) and can be viewed as synergistic with caffeine’s actions.
Yohimbine: can be a powerful stimulant which increases heart rate and is a known fat-burner, particularly targeting stubborn fat in areas like love-handles and the belly. There are some reports that it elevates anxiety levels in people as well.
Bioperine: black pepper essentially. Aids with the absorption and bioavailability of the other ingredients.

How to Use Adipodex

Nutrex advise you to take one capsule a day in the morning.

There is a big health warning on the bottle label as well. People under 21 should not use it. Pregnant or nursing mothers should not use it.

Never take more than the one pill a day. Don’t consume any of the ingredients in other forms etc. etc.

Perhaps read the label on the website before you make a decision.

Adipodex Pros and Cons

Positive: Adipodex contains some real heavy-hitters. Fat-burning, cognitive stimulation and energy are all in there.

It might actually be a false-positive in a way though because we don’t believe enough is known about how the ingredients will interact with each other.

This is in part due to the proprietary nature of the blend. The whole dose is reasonably small though, so Nutrex might be wisely erring on the side of caution themselves.

Negatives: One or two of the ingredients would be a health concern on their own let alone in combination with other powerful stimulants.

The exact inclusion weights (dosages) are unknown and it’s arguably a pricey risk to take at that.

It’s a difficult one to call, but we wouldn’t take it. Fair warning.

Where To Buy Adipodex

A bottle currently goes for $50 (or equivalent in £) on the Nutrex website. There are buy 2 get 1 free deals and the bodybuilding website and many high street stores are likely to have it.

Due to the ingredient profile, it might not be available for too much longer with the current recipe.

It’s also unlikely you’ll get hold of it in more conservative countries that have strict regulations on their ingredients.

Adipodex Side Effects

Again, we’d think really hard before taking something with the ingredients this has.

The large supplement manufacturers tend to do this; include cutting-edge ingredients that have limited information about their effects.

The counter argument to this is that this ingredient is found in a type of tea that people have been consuming for thousands of years. Take from that what you will.

Taken as part of a blend with even more stimulants, it’s even more of a concern, especially when it’s usually taken prior to intense exercise.

Adipodex Review Summary

I wouldn’t want to go into every workout wondering – ‘if I push it, am I going to wind up on the floor with heart complications?’ – I think DMAA was taken off the shelves for good reason, and the word is that AMP Citrate or DMBA (whatever you want to call it) isn’t all that different.

There are safer, better options than this.

Conclusions and Recommendations

At our HQ, we’re really into finding the best fat-burners and that means the best all-round fat-burners. We’ve found some of the most potent and effective products on the market, but they’re also safe.

Excuse us if we are wrong, but part of getting rid of unwanted fat is to be a specimen of health. So, don’t risk your health with edgy, un-vetted ingredients.

There are some excellent products for you to choose from. Take a look at the summary of the fat-burners we know are the business, just follow the link below.

Which is Better Creatine or Beta Alanine? Is it Fair to Compare?

Updated on June 6, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Creatine and Beta Alanine are often compared. Is it fair to analyze their differences though? Although similar they are responsible for different workout benefits.

Creatine or Beta Alanine?

Although similar, it is wise to note that creatine helps with short, intense bursts of power, while beta alanine can prevent lactic acid from getting into your muscles and making you fatigue more during your workouts.

Firstly I am going to give an overview of Creatine and what it does.

Creatine Monohydrate is the Granddaddy of strength supplements. If you ever meet anyone who tells you to avoid creatine, find a computer, google ‘moron’…and then smack them over the head with the keyboard.

I jest (but not really).

Creatine best supplement — Creatine – arguably the go to supplement for strength

Once upon a time, I was asked to review a product – for the sake of anonymity, let’s call it SuperCreatine.

SuperCreatine was a “nitric oxide booster” in capsule form, and one of the “benefits” they listed in the marketing hype was “Creatine Free!!”

Not only would SuperCreatine fail to raise the nitric oxide levels of a growth-stunted dung beetle, but the manufacturers thought its distinct lack of creatine was a selling point.

My review was honest. They didn’t send me any more free crap.

Creatine and Phosphocreatine for ATP Cycle

Creatine occurs naturally in your body. It’s synthesized in your liver and kidneys at a rough rate of 1 gram per day.

It’s also partially replenished via your dietary intake, which can provide another single gram per day.

Those 2 grams play a pivotal role in the recycling of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) from ADP (adenosine diphosphate).

It does this by being converted to phosphocreatine once it reaches the muscles or brain, and donating phosphate groups when ADP needs to be phosphorylated back to ATP.

It’s a phosphate donor.

Most of your creatine stores are in your skeletal muscle as phosphocreatine. Some is in your brain, floating around in your blood, or in other organs and tissues.

ATP is the principal energy molecule in your body, and for all life as we know it. It’s more like a broker though, acting as an intermediary between stored energy and processes that require it.

Creatine Monohydrate and Saturating Your Cells

Here’s the fun part about: you have room to store much more than you synthesize or obtain from your diet.

The two gram turnover that I talked about in the section above is satisfactory for people who don’t engage in anaerobic resistance training regularly.

However, if you lift, and your sets often go into the red, your creatine stores can be quickly depleted as phosphate groups are donated faster than they can be replenished.

So, if you take an appropriate dose on a daily basis, not only will it mitigate your energy deficit problem, it will eventually saturate your cells.

Saturation provides your muscles with a reservoir of phosphocreatine to recycle enough ATP for your daily gym shenanigans.

What Can Creatine Do For You?

Let’s put some numbers on this, shall we?

A meta-analysis of creatine studies found that creatine supplementation adds:
8% to the user’s Squat strength
3% to the user’s Leg Press strength
Another meta-analysis showed improvements in Bench strength and lean body mass.

The type of training it helps with is short bursts of force output that go into anaerobic respiration.

Anything less than 30 seconds is where creatine is at home, i.e. most mass/strength building sets.

Some efforts lasting between 30 seconds and 2.5 minutes can also benefit from creatine supplementation, like a volume set of squats for example.

Effects become unreliable for efforts lasting longer than two and a half minutes.

Creatine Monohydrate best supplement in the world

What About Different Forms of Creatine?

Creatine monohydrate (CM) is the cheapest form of creatine. Companies can no longer make oodles of profit from CM, so they had to shake up the business and make some fancy sounding creatines.

The thing is, CM provides the closest to 100% absorption out of any type of creatine.

Also, those creatine powders mixed with something for “ultra fast absorption” are missing the point. Creatine doesn’t need to be absorbed super fast.

All you have to do with CM is build it up to the point of cell saturation. When you work out, you use some of it, and the next time you take a dose, you just top up your creatine pool.

Absorption speed is irrelevant. And spending more money to get it is silly.

The only concession I have made is to buy “micronized” CM, because it mixes better with my protein shake.

Should I Cycle Creatine?

There’s no real point in cycling creatine. If you come off it, you’ll only have to re-saturate your cells again when you go back on it.

There’s no safety concern with using creatine long term at the doses recommended below.

How Much Should I Take and What About Loading Doses?

Between 3 and 6 grams per day appears work out for most people. Taking this amount will slowly saturate your cells but you should still have a surplus to requirements during the saturation phase.

Loading creatine by taking 20 to 25 grams per day (split into four or five separate doses to be easier on the stomach) for about five days will help you reach saturation quicker.

Loading can increase the water retention effect (creatine initially pulls water into the muscles), and high doses can cause mild stomach cramps…plus, there’s no real need to load.

Personally I throw 5 grams into my post-workout shake.

Job done.

Is Creatine Safe?

Remarkable so. Some old studies were super cautious about creatine so you might read that the long term effects are unknown or that it might tax the kidneys.

Long term use of high doses of creatine are still unknown because nobody is dumb enough to take large doses for years, because it’s not necessary. Five grams a day is fine.

Some people should avoid loading creatine just in case. They include (and might not be limited to) people with high blood pressure, people with reduced kidney function.

That’s Creatine covered in a very concise manner – let’s talk about Beta Alanine.

What is Beta Alanine?

Do you know what beta-alanine is doing inside your body when you take it? Is it necessary to take it before a workout? And what’s that weird tingly feeling all about? Is it safe?

beta alanine supplement — Beta Alanine is often compared to Creatine.

All the questions are valid, and a few might yield surprising answers for some of you.

Beta-Alanine is one of the most common ingredients in today’s pre-workout supplements.

It’s become so accepted in the sports supplement industry that if you don’t see around 3.2 grams of the patented standard beta-alanine extract CarnoSyn in your pre-workout, you’d have to wonder why.

Hopefully, most people using it are aware of its effects, and understand its capabilities and shortcomings. If not, this is the article for you because you should know what you’re putting in to your body.

Beta Alanine – A Lowly Non-Essential Amino Acid?

We tend to put more stock in the essential amino acids as supplements because we can’t synthesize them within our bodies.

Essential AAs are therefore obtained from out diet, and we can top them up or add to them with supplements.

There are 9 essential AAs but the ones you are most aware of are probably the branched chain amino acids (BCAAs), Leucine, Isoleucine and Valine. That’s because of their importance in muscle tissue, energy and recovery.

Beta-Alanine is a non-essential amino acid. The non-essential AAs are often thought of as less important but that’s a mistake.

In fact, non-essential AAs like beta-alanine are often the limiting factors in the bio-chemical processes that also involve essential amino acids.

This will make more sense if we talk about Carnosine.

Carnosine, Beta-Alanine and Histidine

Beta-Alanine is made in your liver and from there travels to, and enters, your muscle tissue. Once there it hooks up with the essential amino-acid, Histidine.

The two together form a dipeptide (two amino acids linked together) called Carnosine.

Carnosine cannot enter muscle tissue so it has to be made inside it. There it is stored for use as a buffer to lactic acid and protection against oxidative stress in general.

It can however be broken down to its constituent substrates (beta-alanine and histidine) in the liver, which can then travel to muscle tissue and reverse the process.

That said, it is accepted that beta-alanine supplementation is the most efficient and preferred route for increasing muscle carnosine levels.

Moreover, beta-alanine is the limiting step in carnosine production, unless there is a histidine deficiency, and so it only makes sense for athletes and bodybuilders to supplement with BA.

What Does Carnosine Do For My Workouts?

Most people associate beta-alanine with giving them the extra gas for one or two more reps in a set.

This effect comes from the additional muscle carnosine that supplementing BA provides. Carnosine acts as a buffer to acid – lactic acid included – and slowing the fatiguing effects of a drop in pH level.

Several studies have found that beta-alanine can improve physical performance, reduce fatigue and even increase the hypertrophic effect of training because of the lactic acid buffering effect.

It’s quite specific in doing this though. The exercise range where beta-alanine can help you squeeze some more energy out is between 60 seconds to 4 minute of high output training.

Imagine an 800 or 1500 meter race, or high volume sets of squats, and you’re in the right zone.

Are There Any Other Benefits of Beta-Alanine Supplementation?

Some interesting research shows that BA can attenuate the aging process of cells. This is once again due to carnosine’s protective actions, defending cells of oxidative damage.

There are two ways in which BA might help slow the aging process: by preserving DNA from the shortening effect of multiple replications, or by slowing the build-up of toxic altered protein by-products in cells.

Supplement Timing

I mentioned at the beginning of this article that beta-alanine had become almost ubiquitous in the context of pre-workout powder supplements.

The thing is, it’s something that you accumulate, in a similar way to creatine monohydrate.

Over several days of taking 2 to 5 grams of BA per day you will basically create a storage reservoir of carnosine within your muscle tissue.

This is all to say that you can actually supplement BA separately, and its efficacy is not dependant on timing.

Therefore, if you have a favourite pre-workout blend that doesn’t include BA, or you don’t enjoy the tingles (parasthesia – see below) during a workout, or after a large dose, then you can split the BA servings up and take them anytime you want.

Parasethesia – A Harmless Side Effect

Supplementing with beta-alanine can cause a harmless side effect known as parasthesia – a tingly skin sensation that is mostly felt in the face, neck and shoulders but that can spread the the extremities.

It tends to happen when larger doses (2 to 5 grams) are taken at once, which of course is the case where pre-workout supplements are concerned.

Again, though, it’s not a harmful effect. It’s simply a case of whether you mind it or not. Some people enjoy it, me included.

Creatine or Beta Alanine Which is Best – Conclusion

If you ask a hundreds personal trainers, bodybuilders or supplement to choose either creatine or Beta Alanine you will most likely get an equal split between Creatine and Beta Alanine advocates.

So that kind of answers the question. Why choose – use them both as they are complimentary.

Victory Fat Burner Review – Does it Work?

Updated on May 23, 2020 by Brad Murphy

A thermogenic fat burner that is made by a house hold name. Sounds like a sure fire winner. But when you look at little closer is Victory Fat Burner all that it is cracked up to be?

PROS
Respected company.
Contains green tea and capsicum.

CONS
Dosages are on the low side.
Some Unusual ingredients.
No money back guarantee.

VERDICT- NOT RECOMMENDED
Victory Fat Burner contains some good ingredients, like green tea and capsicum, but there are also ingredients that have more debatable value, such as mustard powder and cinnamon.

There are also questions about the quantity of some of the better ingredients (not enough in our opinion).

The lack money back guarantee is also an issue.

We recommend looking at other products – we have listed our preferred thermogenic fat burners here.

Victory Fat Burner Review

Victory Fat Burner is a fat burning diet pill developed by Weider Global Nutrition. That’s something that gives it extra credibility. Weider is a respected company. In many countries, it’s a household name.

The company was founded in 1936 by the family of the bodybuilding legend Joe Weider and is still going strong 80 years later, so there can be little doubt of its credibility as a dietary supplement manufacturer.

Victory Fat Burner appears to have been dropped from the official website, though, so it could be it was not one of their more successful products.

What is Victory Fat Burner and How Does it Work?

Victory Fat Burner is primarily designed to function as a thermogenic fat burner, but the formulation also improves lipolysis and helps inhibit the appetite.

Provides Thermogenic Fat Burning

Thermogenic fat burners are very popular. The term “thermogenic” refers to the ability to increase thermogenesis within the body.

Thermogenesis is an ongoing process. During life, it’s happening all of the time.

It’s the process that generates heat within the body. Its’ thanks to thermogenesis that your skin is warm to the touch. Unlike reptiles, humans are warm-blooded and it’s thermogenesis that makes us so.

Certain things increase thermogenesis. Exercise is one of them. That’s why a good work out makes us sweat.

Certain natural compounds increase thermogenesis too. The catechins (antioxidants) in green tea are a good example.

As are the capsaicinoids in red peppers. There is plenty of scientific evidence that proves both of them increase thermogenesis.

Capsimax — Capsaicinoids in red peppers are very effective thermogenic fat burners

Although such compounds do not increase thermogenesis as much as exercise does, the benefits last longer. A good thermogenic fat burner can help you to burn extra calories 24 hours a day.

You burn the extra calories because increasing thermogenesis affects metabolism. It makes it faster and any increase in metabolism entails a corresponding increase in energy usage.

Thermogenesis also causes you to lose energy into the atmosphere. It radiates from the body in the form of heat.

Increases Lipolysis

Lipolysis is the process the body uses to break down its stores of fat. Many fat burning supplements contain ingredients that aim to improve the process. Victory Fat Burner is one of them.

When lipolysis improves, glycerol and fatty acids are retrieved from body fat more quickly, mobilized, and delivered to the blood.

Let’s not forget, lipolysis is initiated when the body experiences an energy shortage. Diet pills that improve lipolysis, enhance this natural process and, in so doing, help to counteract feelings of fatigue.

Inhibits Appetite

If you are taking a fat-burning product you are doing so through a desire to burn away your excess fat.

This may be because you are overweight or because you are an athlete or sports person who wants to look their best during an upcoming competition.

You can’t burn fat without restricting your calorie intake, suppressing appetite. That means avoiding unhealthy food options and eating smaller portions at mealtimes. It’s also best to eat no more than three meals per day.

When you eat less your body responds by initiating feelings of hunger. It’s your body’s way of telling you it wants more food and it can be very persuasive.

What begins as a quiet whisper can quickly become a forceful nagging sensation if you continue to ignore your body’s request.

Hunger is unpleasant. It can also be very distracting when you are trying to work, work out, or concentrate on sports or study.

As the nagging gets louder, it gets increasingly easier to give in. If you do, you halt your fat-burning progress in its tracks.

Many people give in to their hunger. That’s why so many fat burners contain ingredients that turn down the volume of hunger and provide ongoing appetite control.

When the appetite is adequately suppressed, you can avoid hunger between meals and also feel satisfied by smaller portions at mealtimes.

What Is In Victory Fat Burner

Each (3 capsule dose) contains:

Green tea extract (570mg)

Green tea is a very popular ingredient in fat burning products. Its ability to accelerate fat-loss has been proven again and again.

Green tea is a source of caffeine. Apart from being good for boosting energy, caffeine also boosts metabolism and thermogenesis.

However, the caffeine content of green tea is not particularly high. Researchers say green tea’s fat-burning capabilities are mainly due to the unique combination of catechins and polyphenols it provides.

After one study, conducted in Europe, the scientists concluded: ” Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se.”

EGCG (90mg)

This is an interesting addition to the formulation. Research shows EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) is the main fat-burning compound in green tea.

EGCG is a powerful antioxidant. In addition to boosting fat-loss, it also helps rid the body of toxins that can negatively affect the health.

Cinnamon Powder (105mg)

Although it’s not a particularly popular ingredient, there is some evidence to suggest cinnamon might be good for regulating blood glucose levels and improving insulin sensitivity. This may enable it to ward off carb cravings and sugar urges.

After a meal, blood sugar levels can rise fast. Sensing the sudden elevation in blood sugar, the body responds by instructing the liver to create extra insulin.

As insulin levels increase, blood sugar levels go down. Unfortunately, sometimes blood sugar drops too low. This is known as a blood sugar crash.

When blood sugar crashes, it triggers urges for carbs and other high-calorie foods.

If cinnamon can intervene and prevent this from happening, it can only be beneficial. Unfortunately, study is still in its early stages. There is not enough proof to show this is something cinnamon can do.

Mustard Powder (105mg)

Mustard is a popular condiment that’s often served alongside meat. It’s also a heart-friendly spice that can help lower blood pressure levels and may help reduce the frequency of migraine attacks.

Mustard is known to benefit the health in a number of ways, but it is not normally associated with weight loss.

Grapefruit Powder (50mg)

Grapefruit contains a compound called naringin that is capable of amplifying the effects of caffeine.

Naringin may also improve the metabolism of lipid fats, but further study is warranted.

L-Carnitine (55mg)

L-Carnitine is an amino acid derivative. Your body can make it from lysine and methionine but there are arguments for taking it in supplement form.

One of the things L-Carnitine does is help with energy metabolism by helping carry fatty acids to the mitochondria in your cells.

The mitochondria have the job of burning the fat and putting the released energy to work.

Although there is evidence to suggest supplementation with L-Carnitine may help you to burn extra body fat, it appears to offer the maximum benefit to elderly people.

So, depending on your age, it’s disputable how much value it will offer in this particular fat-burning formulation.

Caienae (20mg)

We are unsure what this ingredient is, but Weider claims it is a form of capsicum annum fruit extract, so it may be a proprietary blend.

Capsicum is a good ingredient. Many of the best fat burning formulations provide it and the compounds it provides have proven fat-burning abilities.

Although it gets the most attention for its ability to help people to burn fat, research shows capsicum is an appetite suppressant as well.

Chromium (40ug)

A mineral that’s become a very popular diet pill ingredient.

Scientists originally thought chromium may directly influence fat burning. This is a theory that has now fallen by the wayside, but chromium still has value as an ingredient in a formulation such as this.

Research shows chromium regulates blood sugar and insulin. That’s the main reason supplement manufacturers favor it so much today.

The fact that, the Victory Fat Burner formulation contains chromium, makes the inclusion of cinnamon unnecessary.

When it comes to preventing cravings for sugar and carbs, chromium has a level of credibility cinnamon cannot match at the present time.

How to Use Victory Fat Burner

You need to take three capsules each day. Weider recommends taking them together, with your main meal of the day.

Needless to say, if you want to get the best from this product you will need to use it alongside an energy-restricted diet and try to get more exercise if you can.

Victory Fat Burner Customer Reviews and Feedback

Customer reviews are hard to tack down. However, we managed to do so and the number of good reviews outweigh the bad.

The people who leave bad reviews tend to offer little explanation of why they are doing so. They just leave brief statements such as “crap” and “doesn’t work.”

Positive reviews tend to be a little longer.

An average comment from a happy customer reads:

“Helps boost energy. Controls my appetite too. It’s not one of the best fat burners I’ve tried but, with diet and exercise, it does help you to lose weight and refine your physique.”

Side Effects & Health Issues of Victory Fat Burner

None of the ingredients have a reputation for causing side effects.

The formulation is unlikely to be suitable for women who are pregnant or nursing a child.

People who have health problems should always check with their GP before using any brand of diet supplement.

The same advice is offered to individuals who are taking medication or planning to use two or supplements alongside each other.

If you have any doubts about this product’s suitability for you, we suggest you check with your doctor too.

Where To Buy Victory Fat Burner

You can order it via its official website and also from diet and fitness related websites.

Guarantee

There does not appear to be a money-back guarantee.

Victory Fat Burner Review Summary

Victory Fat Burner contains some good ingredients, like green tea and capsicum, but there are also ingredients that have more debatable value, such as mustard powder and cinnamon.

Such additions are unlikely to contribute any useful weight loss benefits and may dilute the power of the better ingredients.

In a head to head competition with any of the top fat burning products, Victory Fat Burner may struggle to keep up.

The formulation of ingredients is not as good as the ones some of the better alternatives provide.

The dosing regimen also raises some questions. You only take this product once per day. That may not be often enough to deliver maximum fat-burning effects.

The lack of a money-back guarantee is also an issue. The manufacturers responsible for all the top fat-burners provide one. Why can’t Weider do the same?

What we appear to be looking at here is a fat burner that may be okay, but is not one of the best.

Training To Failure – Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure

Updated on April 28, 2020 by Brad Murphy

Is working out until you can’t work out anymore a good or bad thing? We look at the science of muscle soreness and muscle failure

Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure

This is part 2 (part 1 here) of Training to Failure – in layman terms… working out until you cannot workout anymore

Context has the final word once again.

Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure – What Does the Science Say?

Scientific studies have attempted to compare failure and non-failure training and some have done a reasonable job at it.

I won’t slam you with a thousand study references but up until now the picture has looked something like this:

Not everyone is great at judging how close they are to muscle failure, so training to failure is a guaranteed way to ensure you are working the muscles hard enough to elicit growth.

Chronic failure training – as in, going at it every time you hit the gym – however, can cause fatigue which can hinder your overall effort and possibly dull growth.

Failure training is no more dangerous than non-failure training provided any potential problems are mitigated. In other words, it’s not inherently dangerous to train a muscle to failure, but falling over while squatting to failure is (okay that last bit wasn’t sciency).

Some studies have even completely contradicted each other in the past, where one says failure training produces better results while another concludes that it hinders progress.

So, what are we to think from a scientific standpoint?

Recently, a comprehensive study was undertaken.

Over the course of 20 weeks, 10 different training protocols – each one a unique combination repetition design – were performed by the subjects.

Muscle damage and fatigue were measured before each training session and at intervals afterwards, ranging from 6 hours to 48 hours post-workout.

Subjects performed 3 sets of bench press followed by squats. The rep protocol included 5 failure and 5 non-failure designs of different rep counts. The non-failure protocols also ranged in RPE (rate of perceived exertion).

For example, in the failure group, one subject would do 12 reps where 12 were possible. That would be a failure set. This went all the way down to a failure set 4 reps where only 4 were possible.

In the non-failure group, one subject did 6 reps where 12 were possible, another did 5/10, and so on down to one subject doing 2 reps where 4 were possible.

Intensities (weight) was matched to the RPE and rep counts.

The results of the study were as expected, but it’s nice to have a quality investigation say as much.

High rep failure sets – particularly 10 to 12 reps – take longer to recover from than sets at 5 to 8 RPE.

Again, that sounds obvious but when you consider that the scientists measured actual physical performance as a follow-up at 6, 24 and 48 hours it bears significance that the higher-rep failure guys had reduced power compared to the non-failure subjects.

So, with that in mind, the longer recovery time could definitely impinge on volume, and therefore gains.

The study shouldn’t be interpreted as saying never do failure sets, but it was the first one to show the recovery over time following failure versus non-failure training and with different RPEs and rep counts to boot.

What would be great to see now is what recovery and progress can be made from 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9 RPE where repetitions are equal and resistance (weight) is the variable.

Training Experience and Muscle Failure

Something I’ve heard a lot is that over time, you have to train to failure more and more to continue seeing progress.

This is generally from people who have been lifting for years, perhaps 10 and over. They are talking about a widely held belief that adding muscle mass and/or making strength increases becomes that much more difficult as you become more and more experienced.

Of course it’s true. The most successful bodybuilders in the world cannot make the same gains as someone who is 6 months into regular lifting.

Training to failure appears to be synonymous with that “extra” that veteran bodybuilders are referring to.

We can’t really look at scientific data and make any meaningful conclusions in the context of lifetime lifters.

At least, I don’t know of any studies that have been able to get guys with a decade or more experience busting iron.

For one thing, the diminished returns from their training would make it very difficult to measure anything in a reasonable amount of time.

So does experience dictate how much you should train to failure? Probably, but I can’t put numbers on it.

A pro bodybuilder probably mixes it in with non-failure training in a way that’s optimal for them as an individual in terms of recovery.

These people are at the apex of their potential for muscle gains and so squeezing fractions of improvement out of their already sculpted muscles probably takes some extreme work.

For regular human beings, experience will matter but then so will individual responses to resistance training.

I know some people who can’t move the day after a gruelling leg workout and others who are back at the gym squatting.

This could be partly due to individual biochemical responses to training, but it can also be because of individual perceptions of effort.

Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure – Varied Perception of Effort

We’ve established what muscle failure is and it’s pretty easy to understand when you’re lifting weight.

What’s perhaps more difficult is an individual’s perception of how close they are to that muscle failure. Are they 2 reps away from failure? Or is it 3…4?

Some of us are better at it. Since it’s becoming fairly clear that we shouldn’t train to failure every time we train, due to the lengthy recovery process and the potential decrease in performance and volume, how close should we get?

It’s a good question, and one that’s often answered with: go with how you feel.

If you training program is of decent design then your overall volume – provided the intensity is adequate – is the most important factor for progress.

Once you are lifting considerable percentages of your 1RM (i.e. 60% and above), total volume is important.

Volume can be measured in total weight lifted as well as number of sets performed.

If your 1RM on benchpress is 275 lbs then if you take 70% of that and 90% of that you can still perform the same volume with 70% as you do with 90% but your likely to be much less fatigued.

That isn’t to say you should always stick to 70% of your 1RM, the point is more about related to being able to achieve your program’s volume by making the right decisions.

Perhaps later in the week, or on your last session of that exercise before you have a couple days off, you can do some failure sets.

Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure – Leaving No Doubt

I mentioned earlier in the article that this might be the best reason to train to failure.

Taking the muscle to failure leaves no doubt as to how close you have got to maximal motor unit output and muscle fiber recruitment.

In the very least, it reassures you that you couldn’t have done more even if you tried.

Once again, if you are approaching your total volume for that muscle or muscle group for the week then it won’t hurt to use it.

How Much is Too Much?

I would say if your first sets of a training session are difficult or painful to get through because of residual fatigue/soreness from the previous session, you are overdoing it.

Actually, if it occurs over a sustained period of time, it’s a good sign that you are overtraining in general, along with other indicators like declining performance, psychological distress, sleep disturbance, lack of motivation, deteriorating physique

I and many people have found that soreness level and the length of time it sticks around are great indicators of how suited a program design is to the individual using it.

In my opinion the larger compound lifts like squats and deadlifts shouldn’t be taken to failure often, if at all.

These movement rely on so many muscles and muscle groups that working them to that point is likely to result in your form slipping, and yes, possible injury.

What’s more, given the stress these lifts place on the central nervous system (CNS), particularly the closer you get to maximum single repetition loads, working to failure can have detrimental effects that go beyond the musculoskeletal system.

Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure – Single-Joint Movements

The single-joint movements, machine and cable exercises are more suited to putting in maximum effort. Once you’ve finished your free squats, for example, taking your legs to the pain cave on the leg press isn’t a bad thing – again, so long as the rest of your training doesn’t suffer.

By no means is it necessary or even advantageous to train to failure every time you go to the gym. Employed correctly it can be a useful addition to your program.

There are lots of options open to you as well. No-one is telling you (they shouldn’t be anyway) to do a specific number of sets to failure within a workout.

People often use it on their last set of a particular exercise. They might even combine it with a big drop set where they reduce the weight by about 30% after reaching failure and then go again, repeating the process once or twice more.

Going Beyond Failure

Muscle failure doesn’t even stop some people. They go beyond that point by performing spotter-assisted repetitions; forced and negative reps.

Forced reps are those which a spotter helps you complete after you have reached the point of muscle failure on your own. It’s a bit like reducing the weight but without even the pause it would take to do so.

Negative reps also require a spotter, and sometimes more than one.

These are traditionally done with weight that is heavier than the lifter can actually lift with the concentric – or positive – portion of the repetition.

It works after concentric failure as well because it’s more or less the same thing. The spotters help you lift the weight on the positive and then allow you to perform a controlled negative.

Either one of these options are ways by which you can go deeper into the pain cave. The value of them can be debated all day long, as can regular failure sets.

Main Takeaway Points

I think the moral of the muscle failure story can be summed up with the following points:

Training to failure is relatively safe, provided it does not lead to dangerous practices (like back squatting to failure away from the power rack).

It is not, however, essential to make muscle growth gains, neither is it fore strength improvements – at least not in the first few years of training.

Including some failure sets will help guarantee you are recruiting maximum motor units and muscle fibers, but this can probably also be achieved if you leave a couple reps in the tank provided you have an accurate perception of how many you have left.

Too much failure training will inhibit your ability to complete weekly volume, which is arguably more important for progress than failure sets anyway.

Strategic timing of failure sets – such as in the last few sets of your weekly volume, or before a couple days rest will help limit any negative impact they have on your overall volume and frequency

Closing Remarks on Training To Failure – Muscle Soreness and Muscle Failure

If you’re befuddled by the amount of information coming at you and you’re still not sure whether failure sets are good for your gains or not then join the club.

No-one can tell you for sure, but the science is getting better at zeroing in on the issue.

Research, bro-science, anecdotal evidence, observations, and whatever else has issued from the mouths of the wise and weird, has shown that muscle failure still has a place in a rounded training program.

Some scientists found that it enhances the production of growth hormone following a workout. Other studies show a benefit in terms of hypertrophy.

Bodybuilders have done it for years, and given the literal weight of their opinion, you’d be hard pressed to tell them they are wrong.

And if nothing else, sometimes smashing an exercise until the muscle is well and truly murdered…well, it just feels right.

Plus, the pump you get is outrageous.

Modern research is leaning more towards the opinion that it’s almost redundant, especially if it negatively affects your overall training volume…but they also say you might want to add some in just in case, you know, to make sure you’re pushing your muscles as much as you think you are.

Thankfully, there’s nothing specifically saying failure sets are useless or dangerous.

So have at it, but remember this: the deeper you go into that pain cave, the longer it takes to find your way out afterwards.

Don’t overdo it, otherwise you’re just wasting time and energy, and that’s something none of is can afford.