Muscle Media - Muscle Media Magazine January/February 2021

FITNESS LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021

Make Exercise

Exercise

a Habit

Athletic

SARMs

With a Buddy

Performance & 3 Popular Diets

DON’T

SKIP

LEG DAY

MUSCLE MEDIA MAGAZINE musclemediaonline.com

and Sport Performance

Interview With George

Peterson, IFBB Pro

L-CARNOSINE

Could Change Your Life

TRAINING, DIET, NUTRITION & MORE...

43 SLEEPING AND ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

By Ivan Espitia Duque

06 Don’t Skip Leg Day

By William S. Van Tuyle

47 Don’t Forget Magnesium

By Nephthalie Bonny

12 Exercise With a Buddy

By Alyssa Cook

53 Practicing Yoga

By Victoria Sioli

20 Color Your Personality and Exercise Prescription

By Luke Johns

56 SARMs and Sport Performance

By Jacob Spann

TABLE OF CONTENTS

musclemediaonline.com

J a n u a r y / Fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 1 EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Siamack Alavi EDITOR IN CHIEF Dr.Tom Fisher CREATIVE DIRECTOR Christian Garces BUSINESS DIRECTOR Danielle McVey GRAPHICS/LAYOUT Josué Toruño PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE Joseph Palumbo, IFBB Pro

CONTRIBUTORS Alyssa Cook Anne Fisher, CSW Daniel Fuentes Dr. Tom Fisher, PhD, LMHC, CSCS Gabby George Gregory Lizaire Ivan Espitia Duque Jacob Spann Joe Palumbo, IFBB Pro Julian Martin Luke Johns Nephthalie Bonny Victoria Sioli William S. Van Tuyle

24 Antioxidants and Recovery After Exercise

By Gabby George

60 From The Doctor’s Mailbag…

By Dr. Tom Fisher, PhD, LMHC, CSCS

28 Tendinopathy and Athletes

By Daniel Fuentes

63 Interview With George Peterson, IFBB Pro and 2020 Mr. Olympia Contender

By Joe Palumbo, IFBB Pro

34 Athletic Performance and 3 Popular Diets

By Gregory Lizaire

66 Comfortably “Yum”

By Anne Fisher, CSW

36 L-CARNOSINE Could Change Your Life

By Joe Palumbo, IFBB Pro 39 Make Exercise a Habit

By Julian Martin

George Peterson “DA BULL” Check out Joe Palumbo’s interview with George Peterson, 3rd place finisher in the 2020 Mr. Olympia 212 Division on brandonwarah page 63. Photo by Brandon Warah

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Muscle Media Magazine 3

2020 Hindsight…

What Did You Learn…?

By Dr. Tom Fisher, PhD, LMHC, CSCS, Editor-in-Chief

To my many patients, clients and students over the past 30+ years, I have always maintained that you should NEVER allow yourself to lose…You either win or you LEARN… Now, I realize that we have all been subjected to “disruptions” in our Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s). We have been masked, distanced, locked down, sanitized and herded since early March of last year. I must admit that this is the fourth or fifth revision of my Editorial Introduction, as I have some particularly strong views

and beliefs that I did not want to dominate this introduction. I’ll do my best to remain above-the-fray, and keep politics out of this…

Getting back to the “either win or learn” philosophy, I’ve always advocated an optimistic outlook, regardless of the circumstances.

Pessimism tends to have us all look down, while optimism tends to lift heads, and often spirits. Over the past year, I have encouraged by patients, clients, and students to study their

past years’ experience, and try to specifically identify what lessons, if any, they have learned. It is all too easy to get caught-up in the malaise and depressing atmosphere offered on social media, and by the media in general. Resist the temptation to join in the commiseration. I recommend that you direct your energies toward broadening your horizons, rather than limit them. Malaise may present itself, but there is hope. There are some things that you can do right now to help take back some of your

Life and help control the situation by taking something valuable with you from the “playing field”…

If you are (were) a student, patient, or client of mine, you’ll probably recognize where this is going. You may smile quietly to yourself and reflect upon the invaluable nature of my recommendation that you keep a daily Journal. (There, I see you smiling…!) As part of my class assignments at the University, I require course credit (usually 1/3 of the overall grade) for keeping an accurate, regular, daily Journal of thoughts, feelings, accomplishments, to-do’s, and anything else seen as being noteworthy. For my clients and patients, it is required. I cannot be totally responsible for a client/ patient who is unwilling to help themselves. (Yes, I have even “fired” some for non-compliance…) This is NOT just “busy work”. It is a vehicle to tangibly keep track of things each and every day. It is a sounding board from you to you. It is for your eyes only. It requires honesty, integrity, and courage. Basically, if you know where you started (documented in the Journal), and you know where you are right now, you can draw a line and see where you are going. Don’t rely on your memory, it’s a fickle friend at best (for example: what did you have for dinner on Monday?)

trends or themes. Make note of them. These are the keys to learning from your mistakes. Act upon what you have learned. A goal here is to emerge stronger and wiser than you entered. Don’t continue to make the same mistakes over and over. “Don’t ever lose, either win or learn!”

So, what does this first issue of the New Year have to offer? Well, it just wouldn’t be the same without insight from our resident IFBB Pro, Joe. He offers some information about the amino acid, Carnosine, as well as the first of several interviews with IFBB competitors. Our resident Entertainment Specialist, Anne, shows how to make some “comfort food” healthier. We have several new contributors offering an array of timely articles. Alyssa talks about the benefits of the Buddy System when working out. Ivan discusses the importance of quality sleep for athletes. William cautions us to not miss “Leg Day” that involve the largest muscles in the body.

Julian discusses the importance of making exercise a habit. Gregory discusses several popular diets and their relative advantages. Victoria provides us with an introduction to the practice of yoga. Daniel examines the problems associated with tendinopathy. Luke takes a fascinating look at how personality typing could help with exercise

Dr. Tom Fisher

Editor in Chief

Do you have a question?

Please just ask.

We may even publish it in our "Letters-To-The-Editor" section.

Send to: drtom@musclemediaonline.com prescription. For you “science-types” out there, Napthalie looks at the role Magnesium plays in the body.

Jacob introduces us to SARMS and their potential. Finally, Gabby explores antioxidants and their role in homeostasis.

Welcome to 2021…! Carpe Diem…!

-Dr. Tom

Now that I’ve given my suggestion for the Journal, I want to try to link this to the “win or learn” philosophy. We have all been “inconvenienced” for about a year. Many things have changed, and our “old ways of doing things” have been changed forever. Being a former military man, I am reminded of the attitude of the United States Marine Corps: “Improvise, adapt, and overcome” … This is much easier to do when you have an intimate, day-to-day narrative of your ordeal.

Without this narrative, days blend into weeks, memories fade, and feeling become like a roller-coaster ride.

Get your feet on the ground. Take a deep breath and look inside yourself.

Review your Journal. Look for any Muscle Media Magazine 4

Muscle Media Magazine 5

Don’t

Skip Leg

Day

By William S. Van Tuyle

Sadly, it’s one of the most common mistakes in the fitness community. You should never skip leg day! Too many male lifters out there only want to focus on their upper body, both for the sake of gym performance and appearance.

Some might not even care how they look with a dramatic contrast between their upper and lower body development. But even if you don’t care about neglecting legs, it might be affecting the rest of the muscles in your body. Science has a lot to say on the matter.

When you exercise a muscle, you’re breaking it down so that the body can repair it and rebuild it stronger than before. Over the years, numerous scientific studies have clearly demonstrated that resistance training induces growth hormone and testosterone release. The entire body benefits from this hormonal release, not just the muscles being worked.

Keep in mind that the quadriceps femoris muscle groups and glutei maximi are, by far, the largest muscles in the body by cubic volume.

This is certainly true if you count the Continued on page 8 Muscle Media Magazine 6

Continued from page 6

quads as each being a single muscle of four heads. The larger the muscle, the larger the hormonal demand.

Training any muscle in the body increases the body’s level of anabolic hormones. Thus, training every muscle helps every other muscle. This demonstrates how unproductive it is to ignore training the biggest muscles thereby skipping the greatest potential hormonal gains. If you’re a natural lifter, this is something that should not be disregarded.

Even so, benefiting other parts of the body through hormonal release is not the only reason you should exercise the lower half. For anyone concerned with looking athletic and muscular, any disparity between a powerful-looking upper body and a weak, underdeveloped lower body is not a good one. Attention will be immediately drawn to the legs. This is the kind of attention you probably don’t want. Appearance is one thing, but there is also the importance of functional strength and practicality.

The legs have a very important job: they support the rest of the body!

They regularly bring a person from point A to B without much gratitude.

The body works as a whole, and the legs are a critical component. Just think of how your leg training can affect something like your biceps.

For example, the deadlift movement utilizes the quads, the biceps brachii muscles and many others, for a powerful compound lift. That’s right!

The quads and the biceps can work together synergistically. Don’t deprive the biceps of a powerful ally!

After learning this information, there is no reason to still dread leg day. But the fact remains that leg day often falls prey to lack of discipline and understanding of the science. Training your legs involves using many large muscles at once.

Because this is much more fatiguing than training smaller amounts of muscle, the body requires more nutrients and energy to rebuild. But there’s also a bit of a psychological aspect comes into play.

Muscle Media Magazine 8

Humans have a natural aversion to putting themselves into dangerous or frightening situations. Loading up heavy weights and squatting may generate more fear and anxiety than other exercises. You may be afraid to fall and get hurt. This certainly produces more fear than doing other heavy compound lifts such as the bench press or deadlift. Other leg exercises such as lunges produce similar fears.

The squat is, perhaps, the most important exercise of every lifter’s leg day. When they decide that they don’t want to squat, it’s easy to justify tossing the rest of the workout along with it. Thus, the squat is one of the biggest culprits that can disrupt lifters seeking to skip leg day. But the squat shouldn’t be anyone’s enemy.

In fact, when done right it, should be one of their best friends.

Some lifters may be tempted to turn to the leg press to replace the squat. It does involve a similar movement, and it is safer and easier.

But according to a 2014 study, the leg press is not as effective for stimulating anabolic hormone production. Instead, a better solution for most lifters is to study and improve upon their squat technique.

Learn strategies to maximize safety in the event of a failed rep. Lifters should familiarize themselves with alternatives and supplements to the back squat. They could try the front squat and hack squat that utilize free weights and target the quads like the back squat.

Some lifters struggle to improve their squat and are stumped as to how. All they know is they hate holding weight up on their back and going up and down. A fear is that they might feel pain in their knees or back. Learning to squat properly requires proper training, research, and dedication. It cannot be rushed. If someone is squatting correctly, they should not be experiencing severe knee and lower back pain. They should work with a lower weight as much as necessary, and spend time correcting their form before they decide to ditch the squat.

Another reason that some lifters might hate squats has to do with the notion that a squat only “counts” if you go all the way to the ground.

This completely ignores the variance of individual skeletal structure that plays a significant role in your ability to squat. If you can’t comfortably achieve what you feel counts as a full rep, consider doing partial range-of-motion squats rather than abandoning the exercise all together.

Sure, some people might hate to do partial reps, but science supports their effectiveness. A 2014 study showed that not only are partial squats effective, they may even have their own advantages. You should also consider the aforementioned front squat. It’s a very similar movement to the back squat, but it’s much easier to achieve squat depth.

References Bazyler, C. D., Sato, K., Wassinger, C. A., Lamont, H. S., & Stone, M. H. (2014, November 28). The efficacy of incorporating partial squats in maximal strength training. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24662234/ Craig, B. W., Brown, R., & Everhart, J. (1989, August).

Effects of progressive resistance training on growth hormone and testosterone levels in young and elderly subjects. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2796409/ Gullett, J. C., Tillman, M. D., Gutierrez, G. M., & Chow, J. W. (2009, January 23). A biomechanical comparison of back and front squats in healthy trained individuals. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19002072/ Kraemer, W. J., & Ratamess, N. A. (2005). Hormonal responses and adaptations to resistance exercise and training.

Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/15831061/ Levin, N. (2019, October 26). 10 Largest Muscles in the Human Body. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://largest.org/people/

Finally, let’s examine what skipping leg day might say about your overall training attitude. It suggests that you are willing to sacrifice vast potential in the name of making things easier. But, that is not what training is all about. Training is about hard work and dedication to becoming your best version of yourself. You will never be the best version of yourself by taking the easy way out.

This also begs the question of what else you might be slacking off with. You may be taking unnecessary days off. You may be skipping the last set of every exercise. It’s dangerous getting into the mindset of taking the easy way out. Tell yourself that you’re serious about your training and willing to do what it takes. Then prove it and train your legs!

muscles-in-the-human-body/ Myer, G. D., Kushner, A. M., Brent, J. L., Schoenfeld, B. J., Hugentobler, J., Lloyd, R. S., . . . McGill, S. M. (2015, December 1).

The back squat: A proposed assessment of functional deficits and technical factors that limit performance. Retrieved October 20, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4262933/ Rønnestad, B. R., Nygaard, H., & Raastad, T. (2011, February 16). Physiological elevation of endogenous hormones results in superior strength training adaptation. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21327794/ Schellenberg, F., Taylor, W. R., & Lorenzetti, S. (2017, July 17). Towards evidence based strength training: A comparison of muscle forces during deadlifts, goodmornings and split squats.

Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ pmc/articles/PMC5513080/ Shaner, A. A., Vingren, J. L., Hatfield, D. L., Budnar, R. G., Jr., Duplanty, A. A., & Hill, D. W. (2014, April 28). The acute hormonal response to free weight and machine weight resistance exercise. Retrieved October 19, 2020, from https://pubmed.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/24276305/ Muscle Media Magazine 9

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Exercise With a

Buddy

By Alyssa Cook

People are social beings. Being around other people and communicating can bring a sense of comfort and belonging. So, it makes sense that there are numerous benefits to working out with a “buddy”. A 2012 study suggested that “A key barrier to achieving recommended intensity and duration of physical activity is motivation.”

Exercising with someone else can have a positive impact not only on motivation, but also retention, accountability, and encouragement.

Some gyms and facilities offer special incentives for signing up with someone. Some places have referral perks, or a discounted or combination rate. I have seen gyms that let you bring a friend for free, every time. If there is such a push encouraging you to “bring a friend,” there must be something to choosing your buddy.

The Trainer Some facilities assign a personal trainer upon joining. This trainer may be responsible for talking with the member about their fitness goals and what they hope to achieve. They could inquire about any injuries or conditions that may affect their exercise plan. They would be responsible for continuously checking on them to ensure they keep coming while tracking their progress towards their goals.

According to an article published by ACE in 2017, benefits of having a personal trainer include motivation, consistency, clarity, confidence, injury avoidance, individualized attention, sport-specific training, consideration of medical conditions, programs catered to age, and having fun. Motivation seems to be a consistent factor. A 2014 study, personal trainers claimed that “one of the main reasons that clients continue to hire a particular personal trainer is because they find motivation to exercise very difficult to achieve.” Not only is motivation a driving factor but having a trainer can offer another “ear.” You can work out while having someone there to converse with at the same time.

Muscle Media Magazine 12

The advantages extend beyond simply having a trainer or instructor present. A 2014 study suggested “The exercise leader can potentially influence each of the 4 sources of self-efficacy (mastery experiences, social modeling, social persuasion, and physiological or emotional states) and potentially increase exercise adherence.” Having a trainer present adds to overall accountability. It also adds to performance, as a client might want to impress their trainer and push themselves harder.

A personal trainer might be a great option for someone just starting at the gym or beginning their fitness routine. But, other types of buddies exist out there as well.

The Parent One common memory I have as a child is working out with my mom. I used to watch her until I was old enough to join her. I remember her friends coming to our house to do workout videos or go for evening walks.

I don’t necessarily remember what she told me about exercise, but I remember what she did and how she lived.

She set an example about health and fitness. She ate a healthy diet and maintained an active life. I saw how her workouts helped her when she was stressed. I saw her dedication and commitment, and how she “put working out into her schedule.” I saw her exercise with her friends and share recipes. Not only did I work out with her, I actually looked forward to it!

This is something I see at my current job, as well.

Mothers and daughters come in together. Maybe an entire family. One person may be considering cancelling their membership. But if they are coming with their family, they typically pause before going through with it. Many times, they end up staying. It might be that they think of it as quality time for their family. It may give them the opportunity to see family members that they otherwise not see as often. But you may not have grown up in a family that was as fitness inclined. Not to worry. There are other buddies to be found out there!

Continued on page 14 Muscle Media Magazine 13

would see each other. No more excuses or standing each other up. A big plus was that we got our exercise in. It eventually progressed to taking more classes with more friends. We would go to cycling and core classes, and then we started adding weights. Sometimes it felt so early, but I knew that if I didn’t get up and go, my friends would soon be banging on my door.

Accountability is not the only benefit of going with a friend. We also had some friendly competition going.

I looked forward to going each day because I knew that in between the socialization, I was working out. I learned how to use new equipment at the gym. When I started to feel fatigued, I had a friend to count reps with me and cheer me on. Going to the gym together gave a healthier alternative than simply eating out at restaurants like we used to.

Continued from page 13

The Romantic Partner Imagine an evening walk with your partner, discussing Life and the day’s events as the sun sets in front of you… Sound romantic? But this is also exercise!

Going for walks together is a great way to have quality time and exercise. If walks are not your thing, how about a run? Perhaps playing a sport like tennis or golf every week could be an option. You can exercise while building teamwork and rapport.

Going to the gym together also has other benefits.

A 2014 study showed that it may strengthen a couple’s relationship, as it can “help couples feel more satisfied in their relationships and more in love.” There is the added benefit of an improved sex life: “couples who work out together report that they have more frequent sex in surveys.” Building a healthy and active lifestyle together can help with stress, communication, and motivation.

Many facilities encourage couples. For example, the YMCA offers joint memberships for two people who live in the same household. Other programs allow you to “invite” someone to try a class with you. I have seen this at work—couples sign up together. Perhaps only one of them initially went in support of their partner, then ended up signing for themselves. I have seen some couples who have overlapping work schedules. They gym is one of the few chances they have to see each other in class or in between. Going with a partner provides the same benefits as those listed previously, including accountability and encouragement. Besides, you may be able to learn something new together.

The Friend When I lived in Cleveland, one of the few chances I had to see a friend of mine was in a fitness class. The winters there are cold and snowy, so we found a local Zumba class to attend together. While I enjoyed seeing my friend, putting this on our calendars ensured we Muscle Media Magazine 14

Recently, I signed up for a new gym without knowing many people. I was going by myself, and eventually cancelled. A year later, I joined again. This time it was with a friend. And guess what! I still go, I look forward to going, I go more often, and I’m loving it. I can even see friends who don’t live close to me more often when we find a class or running group located between us. But perhaps you can’t find anyone to go with, or you’re too scared to ask. Going to the gym and attending classes involves other people. Meeting new people can equate to meeting new friends, and potentially finding your “buddy.”

The New Friend Feeling a sense of belonging and community can bring a lot of comfort. Yes, there are some facilities that don’t have the warmest environment. Maybe the first facility you try might not feel like a good fit. The good news is that there are many places that do give members a more welcoming feel. While at work a few weeks ago, a lady said to me, “I haven’t been coming for a few months, but I knew it was time to come back. I didn’t feel as good and I missed everyone!”

Sometimes places have a questionnaire upon joining.

It might ask about why you want to join, with a listed option of “to meet new people.” Looking forward to going and seeing “new friends” can help with retention, as well as make your workouts more fun and enjoyable.

It can help build confidence by making the workout feel more rewarding when others are there offering you encouragement and support.

You might consider looking for a sports team or some kind of intramural group. See if you can find local “pick-up” games for basketball or soccer. Or, if you’re at the courts by yourself and see someone else by themselves, maybe you could ask to join them. You might find a running or biking group in the community or take part in a race-training program. A 2012 study suggested “The best documentation of such group motivation gains is the Köhler effect: compared to working individually, the weaker member of the group tends to be more Continued on page 16 Muscle Media Magazine 15

Continued from page 14

motivated when working together with a moderately more capable partner, especially when the group’s final level of performance depends primarily upon the weaker member.”

For those who are shy, there are groups and apps available to find people with similar goals. There are also apps that function as a virtual workout buddy. Some places even have apps that record your workout and give you the option to share your results with other people in the class or facility. Members can cheer each other on, have a little competition, and keep track of their own progress, all from the safety of their home.

Here’s another option: grab your dog! Go for a walk or a run, or volunteer to walk other peoples’ dogs. “People who regularly walk their dogs are more likely to be in better shape than those who stroll with other people,” according to research. “The guilt from puppy-dog eyes may be greater than the guilt of turning down a friend.”

Conclusion A 2019 study found “People who undertook a yearlong workout program as a pair had only a 6 percent dropout rate, compared with 43 percent for solo sweaters,” With motivation at the forefront, many studies have looked at the benefits of having a workout buddy.

A notable 2012 study found “A number of psychological factors have been proposed that influence motivation to exercise, including enjoyment, self-efficacy, and social influence.”

Some people prefer to exercise by themselves, and that’s OK. Everyone is different. I have witnessed how some people may go by themselves once or twice, but they usually don’t sign up or come back. Those who start with someone else, or, later, find someone else end up signing up and are more likely to join. Most people find comfort and a sense of belonging among the other members. Exercising does not have to be a lonely chore.

You can make it enjoyable! Find what gets you going and allow yourself to have a good time. So, grab a buddy, get out there, and have some fun!

References Canning, Kristin. (2019, Feb). 7 ways to find a workout buddy you’ll actually like. Women’s Health. Retrieved from womenshealthmag.com Irwin, B., Scorniaenchi, J., Kerr, N., Eisenmann, J., & Feltz, D. (2012). Aerobic exercise is promoted when individual performance affects the group: a test of the Kohler Motivation Gain Effect.

Annals of behavioral medicine: a publication of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, 44, 151-9. doi: 10.1007/s12160-012-9367-4.

Long, A. (2017, May). Top 10 benefits of personal training. ACE Healthy Living. Retrieved from https://www. acefitness.org/education-and-resources/lifestyle/blog/6394/ top-10-benefits-of-personal-training Melton, D.I., Katula, J.A., & Mustian, K.M. (2014). The current state of personal training: an industry perspective of personal trainers in a small southeast community. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 22(3), 883-889. doi: 10.1519/ JSC.0b013e3181660dab Muscle Media Magazine 16

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