February 23, 2010 in Articles, CLA, Supplementation by James Dawson Martin
The Benefits of CLA
CLA (conjugated Linoleic Acid) is a naturally occurring fatty acid. It is found in cheese meat and dairy products in low amounts.
CLA is one of the ‘good fats’, and at levels of 2-3 grams per day CLA can help achieve body fat loss – which studies have shown.
The one problem with CLA is that it is found in foods at very low levels that also contain a lot of saturated fat – this is the reason we supplement with a CLA product.
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STUDIES & Research:
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CLA has strong and scientific evidence to support weight loss. For many years, studies have been done on CLA to find out just how effective supplementing with it can be.
Extensive studies have shown that CLA reduces fat mass, while increasing lean body mass. A recent study showed that in 53 healthy individuals taking 4.2g of CLA a day led to a significant 3.8% decrease in body fat compared to individuals not taking CLA!
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Impact on Weight Training
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When combined with a weight training program, CLA can be of even more benefit.
A small trial study investigated CLA on muscle development in bodybuilders consuming 7.2 grams of CLA or placebo a day for 6 weeks while completing bodybuilding multi-joint exercises.
An increase in skin fold corrected arm girth, body mass and leg press strength was seen in the group taking CLA – this was not found in the group using the placebo!
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Summary
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With proper exercise, nutrition and dedication, CLA can undoubtedly lead to an increase in fat reduction and increased lean muscle.
Remember that in order to be successful, the dosage of CLA should be around 3.4 or higher – maybe as high as 6 grams for bodybuilders and weight training men.
I will be utilizing CLA for my new workout journal – so keep checking that out!
- James
November 25, 2009 in Articles, Supplements by James Dawson Martin
Ectomorphs: The Hard Gainers
Do you have light bone structure, small joints, and find it hard to gain weight/muscle?
You are probably an ectomorph/hard gainer – welcome to the club! It’s time to forget what anyone outside of the club has told you!
Do you watch your carbohydrate intake too much?
Do you just eat complex carbohydrates?
Do you go low carb/high protein?
Do you
Forget what you learned! You are a hard gainer. Your physique and dietary needs differ completely when compared to the big jointed mesomorph next to you!
He may be eating a salad and steak with a small serving of rice.. But that isn’t going to cut it for you! That’s not going to create the anabolic fueiling we need!
Calories – eat them up!
The majority of us hard gainers/ectomorphs needs to consume at least 4000 calories a day, sometimes as much as 5000-6000. Yes, that is a lot of calories!
With that amount, it is very hard to achieve your intake with just complex carbohydrates and protein… Plus, your energy requirements are much higher.
You also have a completely different anabolic situation than endo’s and even meso’s (people who gain fat easier and those that gain muscle easily).
We need to focus on being anabolic a lot more – focusing on extra rest, limiting cardio, heavy weight training, and high GI (glycemic index) foods that spike insulin levels/create an anabolic environment.
Mesomorphs can generally get away with limited calories, limited insulin spike/energy before training, and less sleep/rest and gain well, which is why you should never pay attention to people outside of our club..
What to do:
- Decrease the cardio and other calorie devouring activity – get just enough to be fit and healthy.
- Go heavy and intense in the weight room and decrease the volume – less sets and time in the gym.
- See that bagel – two bagels? Fill it up with that jam/jelly and have it with a protein shake before the gym. You need that insulin spike! After training? A protein shake with a couple of banana’s could do the trick.
- Taper your carbohydrates in the evening but never reduce them to zero. Eat carbohydrates even for your last meal. Eat the majority, especially high GI carbs in the morning and before/after training.. But still consume for your other meals.
- Take a good quality protein powder. I recommend some of the following:
These are just a few of our club guidelines. The ectomorph club is unique. While some people are plauged by gaining weight (fat) very easily, we are the polar opposite and cannot gain weight without effort.
Remember these guidelines and remember that you are eating for two regular weight lifters!
September 24, 2009 in Supplements by James Dawson Martin
How to be safe in the supplement world
Have you ever heard that old saying.. ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’, or ‘they don’t make them like the old days’. Both of these sayings apply to what I am about to write.. And what I am about to write applies to the fitness and supplement industry, whom are making money producing products with a lot of hype and a whole lot less results.
When it comes to what has really changed the fitness and bodybuilding world, steroids would have to come up as number 1 – Designer steroids, experiments with larger doses of steroids, combing steroids, etc.
All of which are now more widely available and are known to be used in the competitive bodybuilding industry.
Now, certain supplement companies like to promote bodybuilders and industry fitness competitors as figures and spokespersons to their supplement lines and products. By doing so, and by adding some scientific words to new ingredients and products without any real proof, reel in some unsuspecting people into purchasing these products.
Wrong, huh? It is extremely wrong. Not only do these companies get away with it – they make hundreds of thousands of dollars.. If not millions!
This is where the two sayings apply..
There are a simple few key supplements that have stood the test of time – protein supplements, creatine powders, essential fatty acid products, and multi-vitamins.. With certain additional fat burners, herbals, and Nitric oxide products added to the mix as of late.
You see, nitric oxide and most effective fat burners are still relatively new products.. But in an industry that is this competitive and this sly, they are ancient. Why? Because certain companies know they can get away with branding an ineffective product and market it without truth, and make a sale.
What does all this mean?
It means that you should stick to heavily researching products before you purchase them. Check out forums like bodybuilding.com or at jamesdawsonmartin.com (supplement reviews will be posted here in the near future) and look at reviews from other unbiased consumers.
It also means that your baseline supplements should be FOOD, whey protein, a good multi-vitamin, a creatine powder, and essential fatty acid capsules or flax seed oil if you do not get enough essential fats from your diet.
Remember, research all supplements you are thinking of taking before you buy.
Do not trust magazine supplement advertisments, as these mean very little in the ways of scientific truth. Most of the time, the spokesmodel is paid to advertise a product he or she does not even use.
Below I will list some effective products, personally used, to get you started.
Whey protein:
Creatine:
Nitric Oxide:
Multi-Vitamin:
Thanks for reading,
James
www.JamesDawsonMartin.com
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Workout Journal 2010
- ~ Coming next week
"Sorry everyone! I came down with sickness/flu & fever this past week. I have not been able to workout for a full week now, so my workout journal has been put on hold until next week.
I will be in Mexico until March 6th and then I will be ramping this workout journal up better than ever!
Week one will consist of supplement breakdowns, my goals and routines for the next" - Read all Journal Weeks »
