Before we get started today I wanted to mention that Jim Smith has released another coolfree video demonstrating some of his training methods for his awesome Accelerated Muscular Development 2.0. It actually walks you through an AMD2.0 workout, so check it out!
Q. What are your thoughts on the latest study I saw on the news about too much vitamin D (i.e. over 600 IU) could be risky because of developing calcium deposits (or something like that)?
A. Well I will first say that it was not a study, though the article made it seem that way. It was a report based on studies, conducted by a very conservative agency.
I also did not like how the tone of the article made it seem that taking more than 600IU of vitamin D would be dangerous, it is most definitely not. Now taking more than 10,000IU per day might be, but I stress might, because there is research showing even that amount to be safe, and it would require really long supplementation at that dose to be problematic. In fact the research seems to indicate that to actually achieve vitamin D toxicity and its associated negative effects (such as calcium deposits, nausea, etc), it would require supplementation of 40,000IU per day. I still wouldn’t recommend taking 10,000IU per day though as it seems unnecessarily high, unless that dose is what it takes to get you into the normal range (you should be able to drop to a much lower dose to maintain that level).
The recent research that has shown problems with vitamin D supplementation has been widely refuted by other researchers for design and methodology flaws, so it can be difficult to know what is what. It is in the minority, a tiny minority at that.
The fact of the matter is that most people today do get very little sunlight and should supplement with some vitamin D, the key is to know the amount needed to achieve optimal blood levels for you. That number may vary by person and I think more research is needed to find out if that value is dependent on genetic or other factors (race, smoking, bodyweight, diabetes, season, etc). As of right now the ranges most often given are 30-80 ng/mL. Above and below those numbers is not a good idea, and it is probably best to aim for a moderate level of about 50 ng/mL.
Now having said all of that, there may be some people with certain genetic variants or other conditions who should definitely not take large doses of vitamin D. People are also trying to link other complications to vitamin D supplementation, and it should be noted that this might be a possibility. All essential nutrients are part of a much larger whole, and work synergistically together, modifying each other’s effects. Taking huge doses without getting tested is probably not a good idea. Find out what your starting blood levels are, supplement appropriately (take 1,000IU for every 10 ng/mL you need to increase) and then get retested.
While I do think that people shouldn’t go crazy with their vitamin D supplementation, the vast majority of the research supports the notion that taking 4,000-5,000IU per day is safe. Personally, I required about 5,000 IU to achieve a blood level of 55 ng/mL. I am going to play around with cutting my dose down to about 2,000-3,000 IU per day and retest. If I can maintain at that dose then that is what I will do. Again, getting your levels tested is key.
I am quite busy wrapping up most of my school work for the semester, but I do have a few random thoughts to throw at you guys today. I personally think they are quite stellar.
1. I love my new Jeep, but the gas mileage is killing me! I knew what I was getting into purchasing a Jeep. I know that they are not known for good gas mileage, but it is still a tough pill to swallow when you actually see it in person!
2. While eating lunch yesterday I happened to peruse through my wife’s SHAPE magazine, to see if they actually publish any good info or if it was the crap I was expecting. Yes I am aware that I probably shouldn’t admit this publicly.
Anyway, they had a little tidbit about good news for dairy lovers. Recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition a study suggested that women who consumed the most dairy had a 26% lower risk of heart attack compared to women who consumed the least.
The researchers believe that calcium, vitamin D and the type of fat in dairy (ie – saturated) may have played a role in protecting the heart, and they suggest aiming for three daily servings. Ok, that sounds great.
Then the stupidness ensues. The magazine goes on to recommend choosing skim milk over 2% to save 52 calories per cup. Um, hello McFly? The research pointed out that the fat in the milk may have been one of the protective elements and you are recommending nonfat milk? I just don’t get it. When are we going to get over this misplaced fear of total fat and saturated fat?
3. I had a new article published on T-nation this week. I think it is pretty sweet, check it outand let me know what you think.
Today is chock full of some sweet announcements, especially with the holidays coming up. EC just let me know that his newest product Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel and Move Better is now on sale for $30 off the normal price through Wednesday night at midnight. Pick up a copy for yourself right here and the discount will be automatically applied.
After seeing the results this program has given people, including some top-notch strength coaches, I think I too will put it to the test in the very near future. I am just not sure if I will do the 3x or 4x/week plan. Thoughts?
Beyond Show and Go, my good friend Jim Smith of the Diesel Crew has created a 16 minute FREE video showcasing technique work, injury reduction, Autoregulation and more. It is some topnotch stuff to help you maximize your training and get the most out of your sessions.
This video highlights his awesome Accelerated Muscular Development Program 2.0, so do yourself a favor and watch this FREE video.
I apologize for the lack of blogging this week, just been all over the place. My wife and I are currently looking for a used car as mine is on its last legs. We spent all day today shopping around to see what we could find.
With little time to write some content, and since it is currently 10:50pm and I need to be up at 5:00am, I figured I would toss out some recent blogs that I read that I thought were top-notch and deserved your attention.
3. The Twinkie Diet for Fat Loss – Stephan Guyenet. I recently got some emails about a nutrition professor losing weight eating a lot of junk food. Stephan breaks it all down, and some of the best info is actually in the comments section!
I only have time for a quick one today, got a bunch of school work to do and an article to finish. Plus I got wrapped up reading the absolutely fascinating A retrospective to the fructose alarmism debate and its 300 comments over on Alan Aragon’s blog.
I like to think that I had a firm grasp on the fructose literature, but that blog and its associated comments taught me a thing or two and really solidified my beliefs on the topic. Which I must say are right in line with Alan’s.
Anywho, I hadn’t been to his site in a while, but I do frequent Alan’s awesome Research Review, where he gives critical analysis on research relating to nutrition, training and supplementation. It is one of the best sources of information on those topics anywhere.
My one complaint was that it was so damn hard to find previous studies and topics you had read, because there was no way to quickly search for them. You had to check out each issue and do an individual search, which sucked.
Fortunately Alan has graciously created a Research Review Index which he will continually update with each monthly issue. This index will allow for much easier searching of topics, and location of desired study/analysis. This will be a lifesaver when trying to find a reference!
For those of you who already subscribe, this is sweet. For those of you don’t, and who go past the desire for casual knowledge and want to delve deep into actual science, do yourself a favor and check it out.
Here is a list of some highly recommended reading:
Quinoa 2.0 – This is a blog from March that highlights what I think is one of the most highly underrated grains, buckwheat. I go into great detail on the health benefits and tremendous nutrition of buckwheat, highlighted by the fact that it is gluten-free.
Blueberry Apple Crisp – This is one awesome recipe. It is incredibly versatile and can be used as either a healthy dessert, or as a high-quality carb source that is great for pre/post-training or at breakfast. Leigh Peele also used this recipe for her fantastic Body By Eats.
Lifting Heavy Stuff: Single Leg Style – Do you know why it is so important to include single leg training in your program? I lay it all out for you, plus there is a sweet video of me dominating some heavy single leg work, be sure to check it out.
Today I will wrap up my series on how I train. One thing I want you all to keep in mind is that this is merely one program. While I generally stick to the theme/template I laid out here, this is not how I always train.
This style of training fits in really well with my current goals and chaotic schedule. If I could train more I would, but right now this works well for me.
This last day is a Total Body/Upper Body day. I label as such because sometimes it is only an upper day, it really all depends on timing. Though I have stated that my Upper Body day is Monday and my Lower Body day is Wednesday, it certainly does not always work out as such.
There are many weeks when I have to fit my training in on a Tues, Fri, Sat schedule. Unfortunately I may not know this until Friday! So, I improvise.
If I am able to get in a rest day between my Lower Body session and my Total Body session, then I do Total Body. If not, then I do Upper Body. While this means that I will often only train my lower body once per week, for now I am ok with that. I hammered my lower half for years, and in all honesty I really don’t need it to get any bigger.
Friday – Total Body/Upper Body
Pre Work: Foam Roll at home, Dynamic Warm-up at gym
A1. Alternating DB Incline Bench Press – 3×5/side
A2. 1-Arm DB Chest Supported Row – 3×8/side
B1. DB Bulgarian Split Squats or 1-Arm Push Press – 3×8/side
B2. Facepulls – 3×12-15
C1. Tricep Rope Pulldowns – 3×12-15
C2. Split Stance Cable Lifts – 3×8/side
D. corrective work of choice, or some curls, depends on the mood
So that’s it. That is training, BSP style. Any questions?
Last Wednesday I wrote about what a normal Upper Body day my look like for me. I noted how I am not a fan of volume, or lots of extra conditioning.
My Lower Body days are much the same mindset. These days I bang out a few quality sets and call it a day. I will note that I do spend quite a while warming up when I squat or deadlift. I will do roughly 5-6 warm up sets before I even start counting them as work sets.
This allows me to groove my pattern, bar speed and continue to warm up my joints and CNS. It makes a world of difference for me.
Wedneday – Lower Body Day
Pre Work: Foam Roll at home, Dynamic Warm-up at gym
A1. Back Squat – 2×3, 1×5-6
A2. Various Mobility – Wall Hip Flexor Mobilizations, No Money Drill – 3×8 (/side) of each
B1. Walking DB Lunges – 3×6-8/side
B2. Usually catching my breath, some various corrective work – Side Lying External Rotations – 3×12/side
C1. KB Swings – 3×20 (I only have a 35lber, but I am asking for a bigger one for Christmas)
C2. Turkish Get-Ups – 3×5/side
To be totally honest I don’t even always do that much volume. On days when I am feeling a little beat up or run down, I may just do 2 sets of lunges and 2 sets of swings. It is really based on how I feel.
To me the take home point is that your training does not have to be overly complicated, with crazy half-cocked exercises. Train hard (and smart) and eat real food and that will take care of so many things.
I will wrap this up with my Total Body/Upper Body day that finishes off my training week. If anybody has any questions or wants to see any more reasoning behind any of the program, just let me know!
As I talked about on Tuesday, Mike Boyle is releasing an incredible new system called BodyByBoyle Online, and it is live right now!
BodyByBoyle Online has been in development for almost a year, and trust me, it will be well worth the wait.
What is BodyByBoyle Online?
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2. The Most Complete Exercise Video Library Ever Created: At launch BBB Online has over 280 exercise videos. EVERY movement and exercise that is used at Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning has been filmed in HD and professionally edited. By everything, I mean, all of the warm-ups, stretches, speed work, agility drills, plyometrics, ballistics (medball) exercises, olympic lifts, and strength training exercises. E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G.
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Those features are just the tip of the ice burg, the BBB Online membership also includes a revolutionary piece of software that will make training athletes and clients online as easy as a few clicks of the mouse.
The best part about BBB Online, is that you will be in heaven if you like to train hard using the most complete programs used by elite athletes, or if you are a trainer or a strength coach that wants the tools and the recipe that has made MBSC the #1 Gym in America. They are literally giving you the keys to Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, you can do whatever you wish with what is inside.
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I have had a few readers request to see what my training program looks like, so I have decided over the next few weeks to give you a glimpse of what it means to train BSP style.
There are a few things to keep in mind though when looking at my training. I have been training hard for about 10 years, and training well for about 5. I am pretty comfortable with my strength levels and aesthetics, so mainly I just train because I enjoy it and to be strong and healthy. I no longer plan my day around my gym sessions, nor do I spend an inordinate amount of time training. I get in, do my thing, and go home.
I also rotate exercises from month to month and sometimes week to week. I am not a fan of volume, as I find I respond best to relatively short and intense sessions, not 8 sets of 8 reps. Volume just makes me feel like crap.
You will also see I don’t do a ton of specific conditioning. I train at a fast enough pace to jack up my heart rate and sweat my butt off, as well as walking the dog several miles several days per week. I am also on my feet a ton at work.
Monday – Upper Body Day
Pre Work – Foam Roll at home, Dynamic Warm-up at gym
A1. Close Grip Bench Press – 2×3, 1×6-8
A2. Chinups – 2×3, 1×6-8
B1. Feet Elevated Band Resisted Pushups – 3×12
B2. Standing 1-Arm Cable Rows – 3×12/side
C1. BB Curls – 2×8
C2. Ab Wheel Iso Holds – 2x20s
D. 2 sets of corrective work of choice
Nothing too fancy on this day. I chose to do close grip bench this month because I haven’t done it in like a year, so it was a nice change of pace. I also threw in some bb curls because they are fun, and who doesn’t like doing a few sets of curls? Not an arms day mind you, just a few sets.
As you can see, not a ton of volume, and 6 exercises is usually my limit, with a little corrective stuff tossed in. Sometimes on days when I am really pressed for time, I will just do 4 compound exercises. I can bang out one of those days in 30 minutes even with the foam roll and warmup, so those are good to keep in your backpocket when pressed for time.
Later on this week or next week I will show what my Lower Body and Upper/Total Body training days look like. Please feel free to post any questions in the comments section!
Posted on December 2nd, 2010 by Brian St. Pierre
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