Here’s a question that’s always nagged at me. During a pushup, how much of your actual body weight resistance are you using?
The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research has come up with some estimations. These are approximately accurate plus or minus a few pounds.

A network of research teams in Switzerland has found a tiny growth inhibitor that could determine how strong our muscles grow. By manipulation of NCoR1, a gene regulator, the team was able to control the action of selected genes. The suppression of this muscle growth inhibitor produced a line of super-mice that have muscles 2 times as strong as the muscles of ordinary meeses!

The initial research was done on mice and worms, turning them into our super-mice and some really strong worms.

This is seen as potentially a new way to treating muscle deterioration in various disease cases including sedentary or morbidly obese people who find it difficult or impossible to exercise. And of course athletes are very interested in anything that can double muscle strength.

“There are now ways to develop drugs for people who are unable to exercise due to obesity or other health complications, such as diabetes, immobility and frailty,” says Ronald M. Evans, a professor in Salk’s Gene Expression Lab, who led the Salk team. “We can now engineer specific gene networks in muscle to give the benefits of exercise to sedentary mice.”

The molecule involved has been described as a brake being put on growth. Releasing the brake by mutation or with chemicals can reactivate gene circuits to provide more energy to muscle and enhance its activity.

The researchers published the results in an article in the Cell, a scientific journal. They reported that the experiments were done on worms and mice at the same time and that the mice grew to become genuine marathoners. The mice were reportedly capable of running for longer periods and at a faster clip before they exhibited any signs of tiring. What’s amazing is that these mice were able to traverse nearly twice the distance of the control mice that had not received this treatment.

Earlier experiments had targeted the acceleration of certain genes instead of blocking their growth inhibitors, the endrun on these growth inhibitors seems to result in much more desirable results.

Johan Auwerx one of the lead scientists said, “This could be used to combat muscle weakness in the elderly, which leads to falls and contributes to hospitalizations,” And. “In addition, we think that this could be used as a basis for developing a treatment for genetic muscular dystrophy.”

There was no word of when they will try this on humans but we will be watching this one closely.

While studying RGS9-2, a brain protein that’s involved in the involuntary movements that are a symptom of Parkinson’s disease, researchers found that the protein also can regulate weight loss in mice.

The scientist, Abraham Kovoor of the University of Rhode Island’s College of Pharmacy said,”We have identified a new gene that likely regulates weight gain through metabolism.”

It seems that the mice with less of the protein gained weight and vice versa with those that had more.

Exercise Is the Key to Cheating the Age Clock

New research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology’s K.G. Jebsen Center of Exercise in Medicine provides statistical evidence that the 50-year-old can be just as phisically fit as a 20 year old. But couch potatoes need not apply. Exercise — hard and often is essential to truly staying young. Say the researchers from Jebsen Center.

Middle-aged guys can take heart in research from the Center. They have determined that activity is far more important than age as far as fitness levels — and an active 50-year-old can be every bit as fit as a sedentary 20-year-old, says Ulrik Wisloff, Jebsen Center director and principle investigator of the study.

The study shows that by increasing the intensity of your exercise, you can avert the list of diseases that plaque today’s middle aged male.

“Physical condition is the most important factor in describing an individual’s overall health, almost like a report card,” says Stian Thoresen Aspenes of the center.

Training Intensity is Much More Important than Length

Interval training involves performing short periods of high intensity exercise followed by periods of  low intensity exercise of the same length. Such as: Sprint for 1 min. – walk for 1 min. that would be one interval. Depending on your level of fitness to do 3 to 10 intervals and structure them dozens of ways to fit your purposes. Look out for a special report on interval training coming up soon right here.

An interesting new study has surfaced from a couple of years ago that runs opposite of all common sense when it comes to diet and eating in general.

The experiment found that in meeses (mice) deactivating two main genes that are part of the “fat-burning” process, can actually improve energy output and assist in lowering diet-caused obesity. These unusual findings might lead to some new roads in weight-loss therapy. Warm-blooded animals like humans need to constantly “burn fat” to maintain stable body temperature and this is where you have to depart from all common sense.

It is presently thought that a person’s fat-burning ability, called thermogenic potential, is linked to risk of obesity; which means that people with extra thermogenic potential are less likely to get obese. As a matter of fact, bodybuilders and others seeking to burn more fat routinely use thermogenic dietary supplements like the caffeine and ephedra combo that helped so many a few years ago until an ignorant, hysterical press finally pushed an even more clueless Congress to ban it for fat loss.

Anyway, in theory, decreasing thermogenesis ought to increase the odds of being overweight or obese, but Leslie Kozak and fellow scientists at Pennington Biomedical Research Center discovered that this might not be totally accurate. The team knocked-out two thermogenic genes in several meeses (mice), called Gdm (glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase) and Ucp1 (mitochondrial uncoupling protein) then they fed the meeses a high-fat regime while raising them at a cool 20 °C (68 °F).

The mice were in fact very resilient to obesity, which was caused by each mouse’s body actually activating their own much less efficient backup heat generators. Missing the Ucp1 & Gdm, genes which were designed for the efficient creation of heat, mouse white fat cells activated alternative, and more inefficient, fat burning mechanisms. In this case the inefficiency was a benefit, as the mice had to burn extra fat than regular to keep warm like burning more wood on a fire.

Notably, after living for 10 weeks at 68°F, the meeses kept these alternate pathways intact even after being moved to 28 °C (82 °F), which suggests that their bodies had adapted to the adjustment. Accordingly, Kozak and fellow
scientists notice, fat burning will not necessarily require making thermogenesis easier; by making it difficult and forcing the body to employ inefficient pathways to keep warm, the identical targets can be achieved.

Just about everywhere you look, someone is dying to sell you the next underground secret to getting your very own 6pack of abdominals. Most of the methods have a degree of truth, and others, not that much if you get my meaning.

Decoding which are the top techniques to building abs of steel is critical to your success with this noble goal. The major action item you’ll want to target is going to be your diet. Like it or not, diet determines over 80% of how you look in beachwear or naked. If your diet isn’t in shape, your abs will show it. Or not lol.

Let’s make this perfectly clear once and for all time, Ab work will NOT cause your abs to show more or less than they do now. You have to “unveil” them with lower bodyfat. You can build some hellacious, reptilian abs by using various techniques we deal with in another article, but in order to SEE them the fat has to go. What kind of diet do you need to show off your abs?

First off be sure you’re eating sufficient protein. Not only is protein going to form the key building blocks you need to build and repair muscle tissue, but it’s will also keep you more full than carbohydrates alone. You may have figured out by now that protein is the most taxing of the macronutrients, the body will burn more calories breaking down protein for use than fats or carbs.

Second, don’t be scared of fats that come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats such as fish oils and olive oils, nuts etc. Although it’s true that consuming fat will multiply your daily calories quickly, as long as you keep it at or under 20-30% it can be advantageous. The main point here is that dietary fat helps you to keep your insulin level constant. Insulin of course, if high enough, will cause fat gain itself.

In addition, dietary fats keep you feeling full for the longest period of time; longer than both protein or carbohydrates. Some people advocate that diets high in fat can show your 6 pack abs quicker because your body will learn to metabolize fat for it’s energy instead of just sugars. You’ll be OK if you simply make sure you are getting some good (monounsaturated) fats in your diet.

A quick note here: Spanish researchers published a study in 2007 that stated that a diet rich in monounsaturated fats will keep the stomach from bloating.

Third, when it comes to carbohydrate consumption and 6 pack abs, you need to target the majority of your carbohydrate intake close to your post workout period.

Why you say?

This is the time the body is going to require those carbs the most, and your muscles will literally suck them in to replace the sugars it just used. This is the time they are least likely to turn into bodyfat. Ingesting carbs during the post workout period obviously helps aid with muscle recovery and repair, and that means quicker recovery so you can do it again in a few days.

If getting 6 pack abs quickly is important enough to you to suffer, at least 2 of your daily 5-6 meals should contain of 1-2 cups of raw vegetables. This will help control insulin levels, improve assimilation of your protein and flood your body with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.

That’s it, remember that diet is fully 80% or more of how you look and feel. Concentrate on your diet to thin your skin and show your abs in the best light. You can build a great set of abs but if the layer of fat over them is 2 inches thick they’ll never show.

One of the oldest truths in the exercise and fitness world is that you cannot lose fat in a certain area by working that area out more than other parts of the body, or just more intensely on it’s own .

For example, you can’t shed belly fat by doing hella jackknifes and crunches. These beliefs have been dependent on volumetric research that guessed changes in lean mass and fat in the abdominal area after weeks of specific exercises for that area.

Well people, that frustrating and forever dogmatic assumption turns out to be WRONG!

Recently, in exciting news for the bodybuilding , fitness world and really anyone who cares about how they look, scientists in Denmark shown that spot reducing is possible and effective after all. The Danish researchers were led by Dr. Bente Stallknecht headquartered at the Panum Institute in Copenhagen.

To resolve the question once and for all the scientists used radioactive tracers to gauge changes in fat mass during high-rep knee extensions, this is much more precise than measuring simple density variations in the arms and legs.

They also studied blood flow and fat breakdown within tissue adjacent to working muscles and in fat tissue around inactive muscles in the other leg.

Following 30 minutes of knee extensions using one leg, test subjects switched legs and did knee extensions for 120 minutes using extra weight. Guess what? Blood flow and fat breakdown were best around the latter, working muscles. The more work, the more fat loss in THAT AREA.

The scientists concluded that exercises could in fact cause “spot reducing of fat” since blood flow and fat utilization is higher in fat tissue adjacent to working muscles.

In other words they exercised one leg a little bit and then worked the other leg a lot, then measured which one, (if either did) had mobilized fat for use as energy, and the latter did so.

Spot reducing was most successful at higher intensities since intense exercise creates more heat in the muscles and triggers an elevated release of catecholamines, a certain hormone well known to health scientists.

This of course was an exciting conclusion for bodybuilders and others, as it has overturned decades old assumptions about the possibility of spot reduction in fatter areas of the body . The latest idea looks to be a loud YES that spot reducing is possible and actually does work in practice.

A small gift from your Prehistoric ancestors

The relationship between sun exposure and fat loss most likely dates back before we humans could walk upright. Way back, before the invention of video games and office cubicles, humans had to spend the majority of their time outside in the weather finding food. We hunted, we gathered, and we developed a natural adaptation to the seasons. As the days shortened, our bodies instinctually knew that winter was coming and our metabolism slowed to conserve calories. Then as warmer weather approached again, and food became more plentiful, we came out of our semi-hibernation to begin the cycle again (1).

This is where it gets fascinating. Apparently, when we are exposed to increasing amounts of UV rays, our bodies activate a protection mechanism to lessen the damage caused by the sun. Protection is created by increasing the amount of protective pigment, called eumelanin, in the skin. This increase in eumelanin is known as tanning. This is nothing big, the body responds to UV over exposure by tanning, but it doesn’t stop there (2).

Increased sun exposure causes more than just a healthy glow. An entire chain reaction is formed that activates the most powerful substances in the human body, hormones. One of these hormones, melanocortin, also decreases appetite and performs actions on fat cells, causing them to be broken down and used as fuel by the body and you to lose weight. So one of the same hormones produced by the skin when we tan, also suppresses the appetite center of our brains and makes it easier to burn fat for fuel, causing weight loss (2,3).

An Easy Explanation

It makes a lot of sense, our hunter gatherer bodies would sense winter by a shorter period of daylight. Fat serves us both as a source of energy during food shortage and as a thermal insulator protecting us against the cold. As the weather warmed and our skin was irritated by added sunlight, a little chain reaction was started; after all, we needed to shed our layers of fat to be more mobile and facilitate heat loss during summer. If we had not, we would have been at a disadvantage by being slow and prone to heat exhaustion during the hunt. Part of this sequence as well, melanocortin is also able to increase your body’s metabolism by causing increased output of thyroid hormone (3).

Here Comes Big Pharma

Melanocortin can effect fat storage and release, the metabolic rate, and the appetite. Its production is influenced by the amount of fat stored in the body and is also involved in maintaining your weight as well as getting a good tan. The power of this substance is why several major pharmaceutical companies have recently patented a number of new drugs that try to produce the same effects. The new drugs will treat obesity, get you a tan, and treat impotence as well, just in case(4).

For those who prefer the natural way, getting just enough sun to cause a slight tan can help you lose weight by: decreasing your appetite, helping increase your metabolism and making it easier to burn fat for energy. Indoor tanning could have its uses after all (4).

1. Healy E, Flannagan N, et al. Melanocortin-1 receptor gene and sun  sensitivity in individuals without red hair. Lancet 2000 Mar 25;355(9209):1072-3.

2. MacNeil DJ, Howard AD, et al. The role of melanocortins in body weight regulation: opportunities for the treatment of obesity. Eur J Pharmacol 2002 Apr 12;440(2-3):141-57.

3. Voisey J, van Daal A. Agouti: from mouse to man, from skin to fat.  Pigment Cell Res 2002 Feb;15(1):10-8.

4. Zemel MB. Agouti/melanocortin interactions with leptin pathways in obesity. Nutr Rev 1998 Sep; 56(9):271-4.

Inside strength training, the squat is a movement that primarily trains the quads of the thighs, the hips and buttocks and hamstrings. The squat also produces other benefits such as the strengthening the bones and ligaments plus the insertion of the tendons right through the lower body. for the women who constantly ask us about this, there is an excellent tutorial here: How to Do Squats for a Better Looking Butt

This “King of exercises” is considered a fundamental exercise for increasing the power and mass of the legs and buttocks. Though the squat has long been an essential ingredient of strength training, it has been the subject of significant and needless controversy in recent years.

Some trainers allege that squats are linked with injuries to the lumbar spine in addition to the knees. As a consequence, some trainers advise that the standard squat be adapted in a variety of ways, including the box squat along with the Zercher squat. This is unnecessary if the movement is taught and performed correctly. As with anything, if you do it wrong, you can hurt yourself.

Most serious trainers, however, continue to agree that the squat is one of the best exercises for building muscle and whole body strength. Most coaches we asked preserve that the ordinary “half-squat” (going to parallel) and “quarter-squat” (above parallel) are less useful and more likely to cause injury than a full squat (below parallel). Most serious old-school programs include the squat as a staple exercise as it can enhance strength in the entire body. That’s why it’s called the “king of exercises”.