Doubt This & Want Proof

Fair enough, okay- think of something you really want or even need right now. I bet you had at least one hit you immediately. Now, what have you done today to make it happen? Okay, now how many things have you said or done to block it from happening today, yesterday or, the day before? If you said none, then you are on your way...but you likely had several blocks come to mind that YOU created but could end right this second.

Fear is a bitch and most people fear doing what it takes to get what they want. Sissies! Just tattoo medicocrity on your forehead and realize your life will always be like this. What did not work yesterday is not going to work today either. If you have not already done so, you can change that right this second. Will you? If "no" is the answer...please skip this article. It is only for those who, "live" life and go after dreams with all they have. Just another step forward...

If You Read On…

My name is Author L. Rea and I don't just talk about hard core training and living life to the fullest...I have done it my whole life and I am always looking for MORE. From competing at top levels in Kendo and Kick Boxing then on to power lifting and bodybuilding, my life has been that of an athlete that spent way too many years in academia seeking more knowledge and information. I live life and do business the same way and have way too much fun.

My need was for the knowledge and experience matrix that would give me an edge. By the way, I am the bald dude on the ALRI Industries logo and those are current pics. Not ego, just a fact... I love what we do for a living and live the life...not just sell the products. I always have and I always will. "Be an example of excellence," was something drilled into my head almost since birth....by me. Like you, I am never satisfied but I would not trade the quest for anything. I love my life and refuse to wait for anything or anyone that slows it down because that is accepting mediocrity! Never blink! Seek every advantage!

Can You Exceed Mediocrity?

ANYONE can exceed mediocrity. In regard to building muscle, the truth is that ANYONE can make some serious gains with proper diet, good supplementation and serious effective training. Oh, did I leave out the part that ANYONE (Insert Name Here) wanting to get beyond mediocrity also NEEDS to have the heart and consistency to make it all happen? This is not for sissies!

Yep, gains for most of us don't come because we just hit the gym all tough and full of attitude one day while armed with some magic pills. Gains that can keep you getting a little better every day. I mean that....every day! And the gains are a result of refusing to accept anything except way beyond mediocrity. Geez, who wants to be average anyway?

Instead of reading about another big nuts training system, lets get to a serious basic that makes ANY training efforts pay off...or not. Realize that the bottom line here is that your limit for intensity is your limit to growth potential (Yes, add correct diet, supplementation and rest). Remember INTENSITY?

Did you know that your body employs three different energy systems to execute training? Yep!

1. ATP-PC system: This energy system is the primary energy source during heavy lifting and for sets up into the 5-6 rep range.
2. Glycolytic system: This system is the go-to energy supply used roughly within the 7-15 rep range and up (if it is still anaerobic of course)
3. Oxidative /fat system: This sytem is primarily used in endurance training like cardio and watching the hard body on the treadmill in front of you do those long deep lunging steps.

Naturally, it would all be very simple if our bodies only used one energy system at a time so we could just feed that one. Unfortunately, our energy systems can be employed or called upon somewhat simultaneously but this is depending on the level of training intensity, duration of exercise and the physiological fitness levels of the individual. In short, certain energy systems will become more dominant in producing energy needed for that activity. That is controlled by your intensity and weight load. That we can feed!

When you hit the weights, you will primarily use the first two systems. Cool so far? Here comes the big growth restriction factor that is triggered as a result of your intensity limitations (for those with the nut-sack to train that hard, of course).

It does not matter if you train to failure in the 4-6 or 7-15 rep range. Failure is the key. The limit of how much weight you move per set is the build-up of hydrogen ions that will contribute to fatigue in both systems, especially glycolysis.

So What Do We Do?

Well, of course we can use training methods like Rest/Pause Sets, Drop Sets, Failure Plus Partials and Failure Plus Negative Forced Reps. However, what about the actual loss of muscular contractile capacity? You know, meaning like the ability to move the big weights to a point of increased damage and the resulting growth adaptation? Yes, we grow by way of adaptation. If we do not trigger a stimuli that results in a greater need for adaptation none will occur. (Duh!) What happens when we cannot lift more weight, train longer, do more sets or add other ways to increase intensity? Not much. Let me explain the hydrogen ion thing better so you can make this work rather easy....

To Be H+ or Not To Be…What Was The Question?

Okay, so when we train and more so when it's high intensity, our bodies accumulate an amazing amount of hydrogen ions (H+), causing our muscle pH to drop (be more acidic). Make sure that you realize the process is occurring whether you, "feel a burn" or not. It is or you would not fail in a set. As our muscle pH plummets, so does your muscular ability to contract forcibly and maintain a high level of performance. This means as your set, exercises and workout progresses you begin to suck in overall performance potential. Not being able to manifest and maintain forceful muscular contractions also limits your ability to maximize the overload process that you need to literally force new muscle gains.

*A note of interest here is that, it is my opinion (and others who do adequate research and test the realities in the real world) it is actually the released H+ from lactic acid that causes muscular performance declination, not the leftover lactate ions. True that lactic acid is the big dog source of released H+, but it is not the only source. When the breakdown of the cellular high energy ATP occurs, the release of H+ is a fact as well. As you can imagine, with the presence of many contributing sources during energy production releasing H+, our pH drops pretty quickly....as does your performance.

Kind of limits the value and intent of all of those Drop Sets and other high intensity training methods we have been tossing our cookies after, huh?

Of course training intensity limitation happens as the breakdown of ATP to ADP results in the subsequent rise in H+ concentrations (And yes, this occurs in all of our energy systems). However, H+ buildup is most excessive in an energy system called glycolysis, which also produces lactic acid. At physiological pH, lactic acid dissociates H+ and is the primary source of released H+ ions during exercise, causing pH to drop. So bottom line here is that the H+ environment causes your muscle pH to drop, that results in your strength to hit girl-status and causing you to fatigue out faster. These intensity limiting factors pretty much stop you from adequately overloading your muscles to a point of triggered adaptation and the desired muscle gains.

What’s To Do?

Most would assume creatine would be the answer. It is, in part. It does buffer PH to some degree and fuel the ATP-PC system in a positive manner but it is actually intramuscular carnosine that is the issue. Of course creatine will increase explosive strength for the 1-6 rep range, but we still have H+ issues in the ATP-PC system as well. Why only go part way...still? As I have pointed out many times in the past, anyone seeking the best physique must train in both the 3-6 and 7-15 rep range...but they NEED to get the most out of each. Savvy?

You Need Carnosine?

In about 1900, a Russian researcher named Gulewitsch found the naturally occurring amino acid peptide carnosine. It is a constituent of histidine and beta alanine. In 1938, the first research that sited the effects of carnosine upon muscle H+ buffering appeared. Since then many studies have validated that carnosine indeed does improve strength, performance and lean mass resulting from training. Carnosine is found in both type I and type II muscle fibers, but WAY more is present in type II (Get the hint it may be important? Yes, type II fibers are the ones that grow the most and give you the most strength). Obviously, there are several ways that carnosine improves performance, primarily as an intracellular buffer that stabilizes pH by simply soaking up excess hydrogen ions (H+) as they are released during training. As explained prior, optimal pH means optimal performance potential, which in turn means longer and increased overall performance?

Please forgive me for single point focus, but to note, yes, there are a few different buffering systems in our bodies...some that maintain intracellular fluids (ICF), some that work on extracellular fluids (ECF) and some that do both. For the point of this, "training" article, lets focus upon the ICF. Why? As said earlier, the main place for H+ release is in the cell so...which is carnosines big dog job...in the cell. The fact that it is a serious nitric oxide potentiator is cool too, of course. So, more intracellular carnosine means better training, better pumps and more muscle. So yes, we need more carnosine.

Can You Simply Eat Carnosine Orally To Boost Muscular Concentrations? Yes, it's in many foods, and yes you could eat enough daily to make a difference...if about 10k calories works for you in solid foods. So, yes, but as a supplement? Hmmm, interesting thing here. When you orally ingest pure carnosine (not as an ester or other...this is the common OTC amino acid carnosine we are talking about) most of it is degraded in the GI tract into the amino acids beta-alanine and histidine. Of course, some intact carnosine does make it beyond the GI tract and then is broken down in the blood stream by an enzyme called carnosinase.

By the way, the beta-alanine and histidine your body made from the carnosine you ingested is later made very inefficiency back into carnosine in the muscles with quite a loss. In short, you would need to ingest about twice the amount of carnosine compared to simple beta-alanine intake to get the same amount of intramuscular carnosine. Products like Primed Ultra' from ALR Industries that contain carnosine diethyl ester and anserine ethyl ester by-pass the GI tract issues.

Why Bother?

There is some very good research that has shown supplementing with beta-alanine for just 4-weeks can increase carnosine stores 42-65% and a 12-week study showed an increased carnosine concentration of up to 80% with no adverse side effects. The results should seem obvious but:

• Value of Beta-Alanine supplementation as supported by Scientific Studies
• Obvious increases in lean muscle mass.
• Significant increases in explosive muscular strength and power output.
• Increases aerobic endurance.
• Enhanced muscular anaerobic endurance.
• Enhanced training capacity (you can train harder and longer).
• It certainly is the dramatic in buffering capacity within muscular tissue that results in most of the increases in lean mass, strength, endurance and performance.

A Little Extra Energy?

I find it interesting that many feel a tingling affect, called paresthesia, upon use for the first week or two. This is a result of beta-alanine binding to nerve receptors thus casing firing or discharge. It hits in about 20-minutes and can last up to 90-minutes. Personally, I like the feeling as it results in an increase in overall energy and focus. Naturally, the intensity is based upon dosage and is similar to the effect of caffeine without the jitters.

Dosages?

Based upon research, the daily dosage for optimal results appears to be between 3.2g and 6.4g though more recent studies suggest that 4-5g daily for performance enhancement has the same result as 6 + grams. Personally, I take 2g beta-alanine first thing in the AM while draining a pint (toilet time), then 2g with a carb/ whey shake and WTF Pump  before training and 2g post training with another carb/whey shake. I drink Regeneration-XT  during my work-outs to increase post work-out nutrient up take as well. It works for me and most of the ALRI Team. We are testing a new analog of beta-alanine but not ready to say much on that one yet.

When?

Most studies on amino acids support that taking them prior to and after work-out increases oral bioavailability (How much makes it into the body and not the toilet?). It appears that insulin facilitates uptake as well so a carbohydrate and whey protein drink with beta-alanine appears to have greater benefit.

When Will The Good Stuff Start?

As said prior, the tingling and neuro-stimulation occurs from the first dose for most and the obvious increase in nitric oxide based upon vascularity and pumps ain't bad either. However, most studies and personal results suggest most will realize significant results beginning at about the 2-week point and progressing to the 12-week point. I could find no studies beyond this but my own blood work at 20-weeks shows no markers suggesting any negative side effects to note at that point. Naturally, more studies would need to be done on longer supplementation periods beyond 12-weeks to be certain.

Back To Another Training Article…

So, how do you get a better work-out and better results? By doing a better job of setting the mental and physiological environment for optimal performance and growth. Like I said, this is not for sissies or anyone who can accept mediocrity. It is what sets us apart from the rest of the planet! Pretty simple, huh? If you do not train to failure, seek higher intensity constantly or if you are happy as you are then move on to looking at the hard bodies in the ads. Now, back to those Drop Sets, Rest/Pause...Bet you rethink this as a training article in about 2-weeks.

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