Written by Monica Mollica
Fish oil is well known for its beneficial cardiovascular and cardiac health effects. In 2004 FDA approved a prescription fish oil preparation for treatment of high blood triglycerides (hypertriglyceridemia) 1. However, recently several studies have shown that fish oil also has other beneficial effects, which might appeal more to the younger population, and especially to fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts. One of these effects is fat loss.
To most people outside the gym, the word “muscles” brings to mind huge bulging muscle bellies and bodybuilders. The importance of muscle mass, strength, and metabolic function in the performance of exercise and sports, has never been questioned. However, muscles aren’t just for show. Here I will explain why.
Are you one of those old school gym rats who believe heavy and low 6-10 rep resistance training the best stimulus for muscle growth? If so, you’re not alone. Many of us (yours truly included, so I’m not pointing any fingers) believe that the best stimulus for muscle growth is heavy lifting in the 6-10 rep range. However, recent scientific findings show that the classical heavy and low 6-10 rep training might not be the best way to induce muscle anabolism…
Just read a free report called “The 6 Forgotten Factors Of Hypertrophy” by IFBB Pro Benjamin Pakulski and Vince Del Monte . I was immediately drawn to their honesty pointing out that there’s no magic programs. Programs are either based on proven scientific principles or bro science. Anyone follows my stuff knows how I feel about Bro-Science…
You can download the report from here:
==> The 6 Forgotten Factors of Hypertrophy Report < — Download here.
In a prior video, I discussed the importance of genetics in people’s success. In this vid, I continue that discussion using some “real world” examples of people I have known with great genetics and how it applies to the rest of us! 
This vid is a general commentary on the macro reasons people fail to make progress in the gym. Various articles here on the BrinkZone, such as The Mistake of Linear Program Design and Study Shows Best Way To Train? by yours truly – and other authors – go into more depth and detail on topics such as the importance of periodization, de-loading, etc. My ebooks also go into depth on how to optimize training to get the results you want by avoiding the major mistakes most people make in their program design, if they have any real design to begin with…
Folks, got a guest article from Vince Delmonte today and he just re-opened his ”Maximize Your Muscle program” – it’s solid stuff.
He provides a new advanced muscle building technique & strategy every month and the missing ingredient – motivation, via his private coaching forum, which you get access to free.
It’s available for the princely sum of $1 …
Yup folks, it’s a bribe, but it’s an ethical , no risk one, you pay $1, if you don’t like it, you still get to keep it and if you do like it, Vince hope’s you’ll buy next months, that’s the sum of it.
You can check it out from his website here: www.MaximizeYourMuscleNow.net
Meanwhile, here’s a short guest article from Vince with 3 quirky/advanced techniques.
3 Weird Ways To Ignite NEW Muscle, Skyrocket Your Metabolism & Incinerate Fat
By Vince Delmonte.
#1: Unstable Surface Training to Activate the Nervous System
The reason it works: unstable training can increase muscle activation due to increased demand on the neuromuscular system in order to stabilize the articulation of joints caused by an unstable surface used as the base of support.
How to make it work:
Unstable training (such as performing a pushup with your hands on a stability ball or 2 medicine balls) does result in a decrease in force production, which prevents maximum motor unit recruitment. However, unstable surfaces do “wake up” the nervous system and its best application is to perform these exercises prior to the real strength training exercises.
Alright, let’s get right into the good stuff- changes in body stats and strength gains. At the start of the program I weighed slightly over 111 lbs. Flashforward to now, I’m almost 118. I’ve gained 6 1/2 lbs, 6 of which is lean body mass. I’ve gained 0.4 lbs of body fat, but my body fat as a percentage of my total weight has actually gone DOWN. I’ve tracked my strength gains consistently over the past few weeks on this blog, but to pick a couple I’m proud of, at the start of Hybrid, I was benching 85 lbs for my 5X5 day; at the end of the program I’m at 115 for 5 reps. For semistiff leg deadlifts, I was pulling 135 lbs, and now, I can do 155 lbs. There are lots and lots of examples of the strength gains (during 6X6 days and Hypertrophy days) I’ve made over the 12 weeks on this blog, and those gains along with the 6 lbs of LBM are a fantastic accomplishment. I’ve worked HARD!
Although this is the final week of the Hybrid program, I’m by no means done with my bodybuilding project. After this, I’m cutting cals temporarily for a photo shoot, and am back on track. It wouldn’t be fair to the structure of a great bodybuilding program like Hybrid to operate on anything but a caloric surplus. I’m using the awesome guidance in Will’s other E-book, Fat Loss Revealed—there’s a chapter dedicated to advanced fat loss techniques for the already lean. My goal for 2010 is to keep packing on LBM, and though I recognize that’s a tall order for us gals, it’s by no means impossible, and I’m always down for a challenge. Plus it’s been good fun to share my experiences with friends, BBR moderators, and members.
This week is one of my favorite types of weeks- hypertrophy week! Hit a set of weight hard, rest a little bit, and hit ‘em hard again. In fact, I think the hypertrophy day is quickly becoming my favorite type of training day (I still love you 5X5!). On hypertrophy days, that minute of rest goes by all too fast for me, especially since I love writing notes in my training log in between sets. This day always requires a wrist watch! For the sake of objectivity, I’m going to compare this week’s (Week eight) results (just a sampling of the exercises) with a similar routine I performed on Week 3 of the program.
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