Tips And Tidbits

Training Tip of the month:

Many bodybuilders avoid deadlifts because this exercise can thicken the waist. But often, you need to build your physique to a point beyond where you want to be. Then you can use isolation exercises to sculpt away thickness while still holding your size. So, for gaining that initial size and thickness, deadlifts are an excellent exercise.

As you begin the exercise, make sure your shoulders move up and back. Keep your back slightly arched. As you lift the barbell, drive your hips forward. As always, keep your muscles tight throughout the range of motion and use your opposing muscles to return to start. The same techniques apply to the sumo-style deadlifts, in which a very wide stance is used.

nutrition Tip of the month:

When following the Parrillo Nutrition Program, be sure to keep accurate records of everything you eat by using Diet Trac Sheets, found at the back of the Parrillo Nutrition Manual. Diet Trac sheets go hand-in-hand with the Food Composition Guide & Formulas for Success (both found in the Nutrition Manual), as well as your food scale, when planning your meals to meet the nutritional requirements of your fitness plan. Diet Trac sheets have eight columns: Time, Food and Quantity, Calories, Protein, Fat, Carbs, Sodium, and Potassium. As you plan your meals, you record the foods and their values in the appropriate columns. You can refer to the Nutrition Manual for sample Diet Trac sheets.

Breaking News Fitness & Nutrition

Secrets of Fish Oil Compound Probed

A compound found in oil-rich fish such as salmon reshaped the blood lipid profiles of volunteers in an Agricultural Research Service-led study. Research chemist Darshan S. Kelley of the ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center and federal and university co-investigators conducted the study of DHA, or docosahexaenoic acid, a polyunsaturated fatty acid thought to improve cardiovascular health. The research is likely the first to analyze—in high-triglyceride males—DHA’s effects on both fasting and post-meal triglycerides, and on quantities and sizes of HDL, LDL and VLDL cholesterol particles. High triglycerides, high cholesterol and a high number of small particles of LDL cholesterol in the blood increase risk of cardiovascular disease, the nation’s leading cause of death, according to Kelley.

Blood samples taken after fasting, and within eight hours after meals, showed that DHA reduced by 22% the number of small LDL (low-density lipoprotein) particles. LDL’s small particles are the size most harmful to the cardiovascular system. DHA increased the number of large LDL particles by 127%. Since large LDL particles are less harmful than small ones, some researchers believe large LDL particles do not harm the arteries. DHA also lowered triglycerides by 24% in both the fasting and post-meal samples. The after-meal effect, shown in only a few other studies, may be of particular interest to medical professionals looking for alternatives to conventional triglyceride-lowering therapies, according to Kelley. By Marcia Wood, Dec. 3, 2007, ARS – USDA

Question of the month:

Question: How do I add lean muscle mass without gaining a lot of bodyfat in the off-season?

Answer: Don’t become an off-season binger! Intelligent bodybuilders always maintain a good off-season diet. They utilize these months to add lean muscle mass and minimize bodyfat. They eat basically the same foods as they would on a pre-contest diet, but in larger quantities and slightly different protein/fat/carbohydrate ratios. When it is time to start a pre-contest diet they have less bodyfat and more muscle mass. For the first two to three weeks, put on one-and-a-half pounds per 100 pounds of body weight each week. During the remainder of the off-season, gain an average of one-half pound of muscle mass per 100 pounds of body weight each week. (As you gain weight, have your bodyfat tested about once a week to be sure you are gaining lean mass and not bodyfat.) Look to the Parrillo Training Manual for more information about off-season training and nutrition.

Quick Tip of the month:

When you make baked chicken or turkey, prepare enough for another meal and you can use the leftovers to make sandwiches or a quick casserole for dinner the next day.

Dominique’s Time Cruncher

Make a big bowl of salad for dinner and take the leftovers to work for lunch the next day. Just remember to take out the portion for tomorrow’s lunch before adding your salad dressing so everything will stay crisp!