Reps - What Are They?

The Rep Is The Most Important Loading Parameter.
It determines the amount of sets, rest, tempo and number of exercises.
It even influences exercise selection. For example reps between 1-5 are more for neural adaptions of the nervous system and typically involve Olympic lifts such as power cleans and pulls and major compound exercises. Doing singles or doubles with dumbbell kick backs is not very productive or demanding but the same can not be said for Front Squats or Snatch Grip Deadlifts!
When designing programs first the end goal must be determined such as neural adaptions for pure strength, fat loss, hypertrophy each will require a different rep bracket. Then the athletes genetics need to be taken into account.
Its the first variable when individualizing and periodising workouts for athletes, weekend warriors or physique athletes.
The Rep!

Think Twice Before Using A Suncreen

Don't use a sunscreen when tanning!
OK I can hear the anti-cancer council from here saying what a irresponsible comment.
Your body production of Vitamin D3 will be 95% blocked and they are loaded with estrogenic chemicals which may lead too cancer like Parabeans. Instead, build up your exposure to the sun slowy over time the fairer you are the slower you need to build up. Get your D3 levels checked and make sure they above 80nmol/L which is what most functional medicine experts recommend for optimal health! Use coconut oil if you have to stay in the sun a long time.
Don't believe parabeans linked to cancer? Go here : http://envirocancer.cornell.edu/Bibliography/Bibliography.cfm
Check all your cosmetics while your at it here : http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/

If you wait for the mainstream scientific community to catch up, then inform the government then rely on the government to inform you it most likely will be to late. In fact when it comes to your health its a good rule to follow to take responsibility and read the latest research!

Can't tolerate Whey In Your Post WorkOut Shake?

I have been training for 20 plus years bugger that went quick. Well the old whey protein just doesn't how do I say this? Well it goes straight through me faster than I would like so what to do?
Take 12 Amino Acid Supreme which is equivalent to 20 grams of whey with 15-30g of Primal Greens Post workout. This will stop cortisol in its tracks and put you into a anabolic/anticatabolic state faster. Then 20-30minutes later have a serving of Estrogenomics which contains rice protein and modulates estrogen very well especially in Australia.
That will give you 40g of protein post workout. If you need more just adjust the Amino Acids up or add some Organic rice or pea protein to the mix. Add your 20-30g glutamine or 0.3g-0.6g per kg and 1-20g of glycine (titrated up) if carb intolerant or Quadracarb or your favourite juice if carb tolerant.
Ahh that's better!

Adrenals Look After them! Managing Early Morning Fatigue

Unless a miracle happens I won't be able to compete this year, bugger!
Way too busy with training business which brings me to the topic of adrenals and stress. Whenever I make the decision to compete its always when I am in my most powerful state like jut after a break. But when you have high standards and you know there certain things you need to do to win but don't have the time what do you do?
If you suffer from early morning fatigue and trouble sleeping and night you could have whats called a reverse cortisol pattern. There are many variations of this but lets work on this for now as its so common.
The first step is Omega 3's high in 'DHA' content which assists brain function
The next step is Carnitine and preferably the acetylatyed form as it helps with energy production especially when combined with fish oils. The acetylated form crossess the blood brain more readily waking you up without draining adrena function.
Thirdly rotate licorice supreme weekly with holy basil.
Licorice increases cortisol the energy hormone when you need it most in the morning, while holy basil helps reset your neurotransmitters and address' mental fatigue.
Combine with Yin Builder 2-4 caps breakfast lunch and you will be able to handle more stress.
But in the end you need to manage your lifestyle. That is get 8 hours sleep a night with maybe just one late night a week instead of 5 nights yeah!
Stretching at night helps as well as more Yin activities i.e. yoga, massage. Don't laugh the most successful athletes in the world do these things to manage their high training loads your load maybe just different.
Adrenal fatigue comes in many stages it not a quick fix but can be managed. There are many other strategies I use with myself and my clients. In today's stressful world it needs to be manged constantly unless you have no stress.
Oh I'll still be at around 8.0% don't what too get fat lol!

Ultra Brain Experience

I've learnt the hard way about abusing stimulants! You drain your adrenal health then you can't do the things you once loved to do. For example with me I love training and when I don't put in the effort I required to make progress it pisses me off, excuse the french.
So what do I do I want a way that enables me to get the kick I need without the side effects in fact I want to repair the damage I did to myself. In my day way back in the 80's ephedrine was over the counter and legal to use and boy did I use it. Today its 'Jacked 3D' which I would never touch.
The answer is Ultra Brain Px what I do is mix 2 teaspoons in soda water have one to two Javastims, now Javastim contains two amino acids which protect your adrenals namely phenylalanine and tyrosine. One cup of organic coffee and its a clean energy which lasts for my two a day training sessions.
Give it a try especially if you are under stress or want to have a pick me up without the negative effects of other so called energy boosters. Its great for students business people or sports people to get into that zone and its legal
I find to I get more done and handle stress better.
Little tip is to add Grape fruit juice the nanagrin in the grapefruit amplifies the effects of Ultra Brain and extends the half life of the caffeine
May start with just one teaspoon first before 4pm otherwise may be hard to fall asleep. Remember its good for your adrenals and you can use it everyday

Best Training For Body Composition - Lactic Acid Training

After the Christmas and New Year Fare a lot of my clients sport lumps on their love handles and abdominals where their biceps should be. In all fairness I went from 7.5% to 9.3% during the time. I know I need to not be so slack but it was a gluten free Christmas. Yeah the days of loosening the belt and falling asleep half of Christmas day are overn and I can honestly say I don't feel deprived.
So OK lets get back in shape. In shape to me is for a male 8.0%or below otherwise your fat for women around 16% is nice for athletes the female figure can be as low as 12%.
Lactic Acid Training - What is it? And why is it the best?
Lactic Acid training can take many forms. It can be done via interval training i.e. sprints out doors or interval training indoors on various exercise equipment. Long slow traditional cardio for most people will not get you lean without compromising strength and muscle. Yes girls you need to preserve muscle that's what gives you shape and keeps your metabolism strong so you can eat more and still be lean.
But by far the best way to get lean is lactic acid training using weights, strongman equipment or variations of Olympic lifts. You can generate more lactic acid in a progressive manner as you become more adapted to this sort of training.
Its very simple not easy " hard training changes your body shape" don't let anyone con you into anything different.
It amazes me how some trainers or marketers try to sell you the idea that moderate exercise will produce great results. Its not true.
Then again you can't smash yourself every workout either it needs to be periodic i.e. allow for recovery by having reduced volume or even off weeks of active recovery.
Charles Poliquin has written books and articles exposing the benefits of Lactic Acid training namely that the GH (growth hormone) produced is an anticatabolic hormone which will naturally unlock the ability for you to burn fat while gaining muscle which is thought to be impossible to achieve by the average trainer but I routinely see it over and over again. A typical male who sees me on average will lose 8 lbs of fat while gaining 8 lbs of muscle within 6 weeks of BioSignature and Lactic Acid training. The more lactic acid you produce during a workout, the more acidic your pH becomes, the more GH you will produce and the better your progress for leanness will be.
Cross-fit operates on this principle and although what they do is effective doing Olympic lift variations for high repetitions or under fatigue can be dangerous and German Body Composition and variations can achieve the same or better results in a much safer manner.
All you need is 45minutes 4 days per week either straight weight training or a combination with intervals.
Try this for size very simple but not easy routine
A1 Squats rest, rest 10 secs
A2 Chin Ups, rest 10 secs
A3 Dips, rest 10 secs
A4 Deadlifts, rest 120 secs
12 reps each 3 sec negative, 1 sec positive
Do it again 3 more times work up to 5 cycles over 4 weeks
Puke vomit curse me.

Raging Lion Pre-Workout Ritual

I wake usually 4.30am take 5 yang r-ala along with some fiber 10 mins later.
4.45am eat my meat and nuts breakfast.
Red meat or eggs are high in tyrosine which increases two neurotransmitters in the brain responsible for motivation, namely acetylcholine and dopamine.
Grabing a banana or sugars for most people is a mistake you see bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, its what you want at night.
I literally feel myself wake up shower and then at about 5.15am take 1-2 Javastim, 1200mg alpha GPC, Fast Brain X 1 and Focused Response Px X 1 and 4 Glycocarn Px.
Then I rub on Xcellerate by Zanagen on the body part I am training then drink my organic coffee and the boy I'm busting to train at 6.00am!
Great thing about this stack it won't drain your adrenals nearly as much as most stimulants and actually works but I recommend only use it before workouts only in the AM otherwise you may be up all night
After the Christmas break I found it hard to wake up that early so I added licorice supreme 2 caps after breakfast. Licorice increases cortisol which is what we want in the morning as it gives us energy. Just doing this temporarily to reset my lifestyle to early mornings.

I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever give you a Diet!

I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever give you a diet!
I will teach you a lifestyle to lose fat and gain muscle.
That's the first thing I say to women. They have been brain washed into thinking from the mass media that counting calories is the be all and in all in optimal body composition. It plays a role but its not the whole story.
This myth perpetuates as it allows you to eat anything as long as its less than you daily caloric limit. But guess what if this was true then we wouldn't have such a epidemic obesity crisis like we do. Australia is the 3rd fattest country in the world!
Let me explain 100 calories from protein is going to be metabolised completely different from 100 calories from sugar. For one 100 calories of protein requires 30 calories from the body to just process the protein on average but only 4 calories on average from sugar.
The companies that sell sugar derived products - love the calorie model.
You see its not their fault your getting fat according to them its your because you are eating too many calories. You can eat sugary foods as long as you count calories.
But what they fail to tell you is that sugar is addictive and you crave more and more!
Of course sugar has other wonderful properties such as raising blood sugar, suppress your immune system and accelerates aging !
Our Paleolithic ancestors had it right emphasing protein, smart fats and caveman carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables. The caveman only had sugar when he/she came across some honey which was very very rare.
Guess what the average caveman was 6foot 2 inches 250lbs and muscular!
Having said that some people have adapted to the modern diet about 15-20% of us. Yet the mass media promotes that to all of us. Most of us have not adapted to the western diet and need to individualise our carbohydrate consumption in terms of type, timing and quantity which can be identified by biosignature and soon a genetic test to eliminate guess work, will post when available in Australia.
On a personal note I don't calories I watch the type and timing of my food. I'mnever hungry and freak out when my bodyfat goes above 10%. I'd say the only time to count calories or portions is if you find you can't eat enough or are competing in a physique contest but that's because the above factors are taken care of first.

The Heavy Metal Project, if only it was only about calories in calories out

After BioSignature consulting for over 3 years you really wish sometimes it was just a case of calories in and calories out, its not that simple for example,
I want to share with you over the next several posts a few examples and see if you can relate to them.
When I was in my late 30's I finally found the secret via BioSignature and Poliquin training methods to stay at around 8% year round but in my 40's a funny thing happen its been harder and harder and it perplexed me as to why?
Then in November 2010 after learning muscle testing from Bob Guiel he revealed that 50% of the BioSignature CE class that their my main concern was heavy metals.
I did the Dr Data test which is only about $170 and sure enough Lead and Mercury where the main issues.
So over the last 12 months I have been doing the heavy metal protocol involving Poliquin's Heavy Metal Detox formula.
This is the original Dr Data information regarding heavy metals



I have tested many clients and seen much worse. Mercury can wreak havoc on your body composition and it doesn't just effect the thyroid site (mid-auxiliary).
Unfortunately it can take 1 - 2 years or more to fix unless you see a specialist in the matter.
Guess what according to a GP doctor here in Australia I'm in perfect health. They would not consider this a issue or likely know it exists
My concern was elevated Lead, Mercury and Thallium.
The Dr Data Heavy Metals test is the gold standard according to Charles Poliquin and can end a person's frustration why things are not moving and thus a strategy can be worked out.
Of particular interest is lead as it competes with selenium in thyroid function. So I immediately did the heavy metal protocol 8 days on 8 days off for 12 months. Then I started taking a unique absorbable form of Selenium and my thyroid improved which made it easier to maintain and get to a lean body composition. What would normally take me months to get lean from say 11% to 5% now takes me half the time but I would have never known without Bob Guiel's muscle testing and subsequent Dr Data test.
Well next step is to retake my heavy metals to see how things have really improved. That's for a future blog.
Bob Gueils muscle testing together with the biosignature method gives clients another weapon to break through any plateaus they may have.