What’s your background, where are you from?

I’m a 22 year old law graduate from the East Midlands in the United Kingdom working towards becoming a school teacher.

Darren in 2012

Darren’s Measurements

Height – 6 foot (1.83m) Weight – 189lbs (86kg)

Body Fat % - 8-12% year round

Chest – 42’’ | Shoulders – 51’’ | Arms – 16.5’’ | Waist – 30’’
Hips – 33’’ | Quads – 24.5’’ | Calves – 16.5’’ 

How long have you been training, and what originally got you started?

I first took an interest in health and fitness in 2007, when I was 17. A new fitness suite had opened at my school. It was pretty basic, but I started training there a few days a week after school and this is where my passion for fitness first began to ignite. A few months later, the Gym Manager offered me a part time job there, and as they say, the rest is history! At the time, I had little idea that this hobby would become such an integral part of my lifestyle and wellbeing more than 4 years later.

Darren's impressive progress from September 2008 to August 2011.

My progress in the gym has not always been linear, and I have suffered a number of setbacks as a result of injuries and other circumstances, but my zeal for training and the incomparable feeling of constantly striving to improve my physique is something that has and will never leave me.

Tell us about your training. How often do you train? What routines have you tried and had success with?

I typically follow a traditional bodybuilding-style split. I train 6 days a week – my routine looks something like this:

Chest – 5 exercises – 4 sets per exercise
Back – 5 exercises – 4 sets per exercise
Arms – 3 biceps exercises, 3 triceps exercises – 4 sets per exercise

- REST -

Chest and Back – 3 chest exercises, 3 back exercises – 4 sets per exercise
Shoulders and Traps – 6 exercises – 4 sets per exercise
Legs – 5 exercises – 4 sets per exercises

I add in a 6^th workout to train my chest and back twice a week as I feel that they are particular weaknesses in my physique, and by overloading them a little more hopefully it will help to induce growth.

I also train my core twice a week, usually after training arms and legs respectively. My core training consists of 4 sets of 3 different exercises, 2 of which emphasise working directly on the abdominal muscles, whilst the other exercise trains the obliques.

I have not listed particular exercises that I perform, as they vary quite a lot – I merely ensure that each different part of the muscle group is being trained during the workout. However, for each body part, my workout is centred around one or two big compound exercises which I will perform at the start of the workout, and then these are supplemented by isolation exercises. For example, my back workout will consist of weighted wide grip chin ups and heavy deadlifts at the beginning, and will be accompanied by exercises such as seated rows and dumbbell rows afterwards.

For every exercise, I train in the 6-10 rep range, as I feel that this is the ideal hypertrophy range for me personally.

I am a big believer in MIND-MUSCLE CONNECTION (MMC) and the mantra: ‘work your muscles, don’t just lift the weight’. My main purpose for training is for hypertrophy and to improve my physique, and as such lifting big weights are not a priority of mine. To echo the words of IFBB Pro Kai Greene, ‘I’ll never be a weightlifter’. My primary focus is to contract my muscles effectively to stimulate hypertrophy.

Are you a fan of long, volume based sessions, or shorter more intense sessions?

I think it depends on your goals and priorities. My sessions tend to last 60-80 minutes, and I prefer to take shorter rest periods and train with quite a high level of intensity. However, if you’re training for strength, or shooting for a max squat (to give one of many examples), it would probably not be advisable to have 45-60 second rest periods!

Do you train alone, or with a workout partner? What do you think is best?

I usually train alone, but sometimes utilise a workout partner for certain sessions where possible. I think both have their advantages and disadvantages. Training alone is great if you have good discipline and are a self motivated person. However, it comes with the downsides of not having a spotter and thus being much less likely to take a lot of your working sets to failure. As such, when training on your own you do run the risk of ‘going through the motions’, something which really should be avoided if you are serious about constantly improving your physique.

This is where having a training partner is particularly beneficial. You have someone to spot you, and also a spectator to motivate you during your sets and push you to failure; something that cannot be achieved as effectively when training on your own. However, for it to work optimally you really need a training partner who is as committed as you, and shares similar training goals and ideologies to you.

What’s your typical diet like? Does it change around much?

For me, my diet is all about numbers. I don’t follow a strict ‘dieting protocol’ where I eat a certain meal at a certain time every day of my life. As somebody who isn’t a competitive bodybuilder or forges a career in health and fitness I don’t feel that this is necessary and would be quite restrictive to my social life.

Instead, I veer towards an approach which is commonly termed ‘If It Fits Your Macros’ (IIFYM). This is where you calculate how many calories and what macronutrients you need to be eating each day, and you can (theoretically) eat whatever you want as long as it satisfies your calorie and macronutrient targets.

To do this, I calculate my Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) using Katch-McArdle Formula. This approximates how many calories you burn in a day if you were to do absolutely nothing, based on your bodyweight and body fat %.

I then factor in an activity multiplier using Harris-Benedict Formula. This approximates how many more calories you burn in a day depending on how active you are, to calculate your maintenance. This is how many calories you need to eat each day to maintain your weight, based on your bodyweight, body fat %, and how much exercise you do. It is merely a guideline, and can vary depending on a multitude of factors, but it is a good place to start.

Once I know my maintenance, I can adjust my calories accordingly, depending on whether I want to bulk, cut, or simply maintain my weight. As I like to stay lean and in shape year round for a number of reasons, I tend not to stray too far from my maintenance. I will usually bulk at a 300-500 calorie surplus, and likewise, I usually cut at a 300-500 calorie deficit. This allows me to keep my weight under control and not risk gaining too much fat when bulking, or losing much muscle when cutting.

As for calculating my macronutrients, I usually use the typical ‘bodybuilding zone’, which is a 30/40/30 macro split. This means that 30% of my calories come from protein, 40% from carbohydrates (sugar and starch), and 30% from fats. If I want to cut a little or drop some fat I will adjust this by increasing my protein and lowering my carbs, but aside from that this stays relatively constant.

Of course, when you’re following a high-protein, moderate-carbohydrate and moderate-fats diet, despite the fact that I follow IIFYM, I will still be eating stereotypically ‘clean foods’ most of the time, and my diet almost always includes the following:

• Chicken Breast
• Lean Beef Mince
• Eggs
• Tuna
• Brown Rice
• Oats
• Skimmed Milk
• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Peanut Butter

I do however afford myself a ‘cheat day’once a week, where I eat way above my maintenance and enjoy stuffing my face with junk food! As well as the fact that the extra calories and carbohydrates will aid recovery and help to kick start my metabolism, it also allows me to let go and enjoy myself whilst reminding me that you shouldn’t obsess too much about the gym and your diet, and live your life based around your training, provided that you are eating well most of the time.

Supplements

I take a few supplements, but I try and stick to the basics and only take what I feel is necessary. I think that a lot of people fall into the trap of believing that you need to take a whole wealth of supplements in order to make progress. They are there to supplement what you get from eating, and not the other way round.

My current supplement stack involves:

• Whey Protein
• BCAAs
• Multi Vitamin
• Vitamin C 1000mg
• Fish Oil
• ZMA
• Caffeine (pre workout)

What keeps you motivated to improve yourself and your body moving forwards?

Results. And lack of results. As I hinted previously, my progress hasn’t always been linear, and I’ve suffered from a number of injuries and setbacks in the 4 years that I’ve been training. Getting injured can be de-motivating, but that feeling of letting things slip and seeing my progress wane is so demoralising that it spurs you to pick things back up and come back better than before. Seeing your physique transform and improve as time goes on is the biggest motivation you can get.

Left: Darren in February 2012, after months of a poor diet and lack of training due to injury. Right: May 2012 after beginning to train seriously again, and getting diet back on track.

I also have a number of role models in the fitness and bodybuilding industry who constantly motivate and inspire me. In my eyes, Ulisses Williams Jr has the most aesthetic physique on this planet and is something that I will be constantly working towards, and although I don’t intend to follow the path of IFBB Professional Bodybuilders in terms of their physique, Kai Greene is a huge source of inspiration to me. His success story and his work ethic is something that motivates me to invest all of my efforts into not only my training, but all facets of life.

Does bodybuilding have any effect on your social life?

When you take your training seriously, there are inevitable sacrifices that you have to make. However, since I follow an IIFYM-style approach to my diet, bodybuilding does not really get in the way of socialising. If I know that I am going to be eating out, or going to a social event, I can fit it into my macros and adjust what else I eat that day accordingly. I certainly won’t be the guy ordering a dry chicken breast and salad at a restaurant!

Also, at this moment in time I am just your typical gym rat – I’m not a competitive bodybuilder nor do I make a living out of my physique. As such, I feel that it is important to strike a balance between my training and socialising with people close to me. I enjoy drinking and going clubbing, and I won’t intentionally deprive myself of a good time merely for the purpose of a morning gym session or something similar. Whilst training is one of my main passions in life, I feel that a degree of moderation is desirable and I’ve certainly thrived in that environment, without it significantly hindering my progress.

What do you see for yourself in the future when it comes to bodybuilding?

My ultimate goal in fitness and bodybuilding would be to become a successful fitness model and sponsored athlete. Training is a passion and hobby of mine and it would be great if I could do it at a level where I was being funded to indulge in this passion. For now, I’m just enjoying training and trying to constantly improve myself, whilst aiming to stay injury-free!

If you could offer 5 tips to a beginner trying to build muscle, what would they be?

1. Set a goal: What exactly do you want to achieve? Whether you want to be the next Phil Heath, or you want a perfect beach body, or you just want to build a bit of muscle, set yourself clear and defined goals. Stick a poster of your goal physique on your wall, set a target weight you want to reach by a set date, take measurements of certain body parts and set yourself target measurements. Doing these sorts of things will keep you focussed on the bigger picture, and serve as a constant source of motivation and a reminder of why you do this in the first place.
   
2. Devise a solid gym routine based on your goals: Formulate a workout programme based on what you want to achieve, and stick to it! If you want to build muscle, lift heavy with correct form. Consistency will always yield good results, so make sure you’re going into the gym each day with a plan – know exactly what you’re going to be doing and have targets that you want to achieve each session.
   
3. Calculate your calorie and macronutrient intake based on your personal requirements and goals: There is no ‘ideal diet plan’. We are all different, and we all have different needs. Calculate your maintenance calories and macros and adjust them accordingly. If you want to bulk, eat at a calorie surplus. If you want to cut, eat at a calorie deficit. If you work out your macronutrient requirements and satisfy them every day, you’ll soon see results.
   
4. Constantly evaluate your goals: Your goals and needs might change over time, so make sure you are continually tracking them and re-adjust them accordingly. If you gain 10kg, your calorie requirements are going to increase. Don’t just go through the motions of ‘working out’; it will get boring after a while. Look at yourself in the mirror and actually find areas that you want to improve, be it a bigger chest, more quad separation, or just less overall fat. Pay attention to your body – treat going to the gym as an art session rather than just a place to exercise. Visualise something, then create it.
   
5. ENJOY YOURSELF! Keeping fit and improving your physique is a really rewarding hobby, so stick at it and have fun with it – It’s supposed to be enjoyable after all!

Want to get in touch with Darren and find out more?

YOUTUBE – dazzahoff
TWITTER – @dazhoff
BODYSPACE – dazzahoff

Photo credit: Istolethetv

The most attractive aspect of Casein as a protein supplement is that it forms a gel in your stomach – this means it is a highly efficient supply of nutrients. The gel is broken down much slower by the enzymes and acids in your stomach, resulting in a far slower release of amino acids into your stomach and subsequently your blood stream. A single serving of casein can take several hours to be fully digested by your body. The slow absorption means that a higher proportion of the protein is digested.

Casein’s slow absorption makes it ideal as a meal replacement, or as a shake to have between meals or before bed. Studies have in fact shown that a single casein shake can result in a steady release of amino acids for up to seven hours. This produces a strong anti-catabolic effect, which just isn’t present with the faster absorbing proteins such as whey, which are absorbed by your body very quickly, typically in less than an hour.

That’s all there is to know about casein really – if you want to minimise muscle catabolism during extended fasting periods, such as when you sleep or between meals, then Casein could be an ideal addition to your nutrition plan.

Myth #1 – You can train specific parts of a muscle

Quite often you hear people saying that they’re doing a certain exercise to hit a “certain part” of a muscle. This is rubbish. When you train a muscle, you train the whole muscle. A muscle either contracts or relaxes, you cannot train one specific part of it – no matter how hard you try. One of the biggest examples of this myth in action is people saying they’re going to train their upper chest by doing more incline benching, or lower chest by doing more decline benching. The chest is made up of two muscles, the pectoralis major, and pectoralis minor. The pectoralis minor virtually can’t be seen – so it’s the major that you’re looking to build up by training.

Photo credit: Chrizz

When you do any kind of chest movement you will be activating the whole of your pectoralis major muscle. The way in which the muscle grows is down to your genetics and your muscle insertion points. You cannot therefore for example, focus on your “upper chest” by doing incline benching. It’s all one muscle!

Myth #2 – There are two different types of exercises “shapers” and “muscle builders”

Well – unfortunately this could not be any more wrong. Whether you are doing a deadlift, bench press or wrist curls with a dumbbell, they’re all just using muscle contractions to move a weight. The only thing that changes are the muscles involved in moving that particular weight in the way you are trying to move it. You cannot tone or shape a muscle, what’s commonly known as toning is in fact the process of reducing your body’s bodyfat percentage, so that contours in the muscle become more visible. The muscle is not “reshaped” at all, the only way muscle can be changed is by adding to it, or losing it (well, without taking a knife to it).

Myth #3 – High exercise volume is needed to add muscle

You do not have to do loads and loads of repetitions to build muscle. For more information on ways to build muscles without high volume, read here. In fact, one of the most common reasons that people fail to make progress is through over training, and doing too many sets for each muscle in a single session.

Myth #4 – Training like a professional bodybuilder is the best way to train

Professional bodybuilders are pumped full of anabolic steroids and various other drugs. This has a massive impact on their ability to recover between weight training sessions. Trying to follow a professional bodybuilders routine for someone not taking all the drugs, is a sure fire way to burn out in no time at all.

Myth #5 – Stretching before weightlifting is a good way to reduce injury

Quite often you’ll be told by a personal trainer or otherwise ignorant person that you should be stretching before you lift weights.

Photo credit: Chad Riley

Unfortunately, they’re just plain wrong. David A. Lally, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist at the University of Hawaii-Manoa performed a study of 1543 individual people who took part in the Honolulu Marathon. Do you know what he found? Those that did static stretching before doing the marathon actually had a higher rate of injury. Not just by a small amount too, those that stretched had a 33% increased chance of injury. Not only that, but there’s been other studies that have proven that static stretching before you lift weights reduces the amount you can lift! Not a single study has been done that proves that static stretching can in fact reduce your chance of injury, or make you perform better.

Our advice is to warm up with some lighter weights properly, and to do a few minutes of low intensity cardio, to ensure that your joints are warm and your blood is flowing, before lifting heavy weights.

Myth #6 – Bodybuilding splits are the most efficient way to gain muscle

Outside of bodybuilding, no one does a bodybuilding split. Do you know the reason for this? It’s not as effective as full body work. Ask any elite lifter, and they will be doing some form of full body programme, or very close to it. Linear progression on the big compound exercises, is the best way to add muscle, whether you’re doing 3×8, 5×5, 3×5, whatever. The best way to add muscle is to focus on lifts, not body parts. The only time when a body part split is more effective is when you are trying to bring up a particular weakness in your physique. For example a lifter may choose to neglect the big compound exercises for a while, and just maintain them, in order to work on his rear delts, because he feels they are not progressing as fast as the rest of his muscle base.

Myth #7 – If you eat a diet low in fat, it doesn’t matter how many calories you eat

It sorta makes sense on the surface – eating fat will make you fat. Unfortunately it’s not true. It doesn’t matter where you get your calories from, if you eat more calories than you burn, you gain weight. Eat less calories than you burn, you lose weight. Fat, carbs, protein – none of it matters for this basic principle.

Myth #8 – More protein means more muscle mass

More protein does not mean you will gain more muscle. So long as your body is getting the minimum amount of protein needed to repair the muscle damage done during your workouts, and grow, you will get bigger and stronger. Studies show that there is little evidence available showing any benefits for eating more than 2g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day, the sweet spot seems to be 1.6-2g of protein per kg.

Myth #9 – Isolation work is the best way to grow an individual muscle

In almost all cases you will add more muscle mass to the muscles involved in an exercise doing compound exercises, rather than isolation work. Isolation work does not allow you to put as much stress on a muscle, due to less weight being moved. One such example is that chin ups are better for building your biceps than bicep curls. Compound exercises also tend to be more in line with how your body was designed to move weights, making the lifts more efficient.

Myth #10 – Squatting past parallel is bad for your knees

Squatting past parallel is actually good for your knees. One of the best ways to stop yourself from having knee pain later on in life is to build up the strength in your legs to take pressure off of your knees. Just read this testimonial for an example of this in action. Stopping at parallel as opposed to going deep is in fact worse for your knees, because you’re changing the weight direction in a weaker position, at a time when the most load is placed on your knees.

Myth #11 – If you’re in the gym for more than an hour, you start to burn muscle

Well this is just wrong. If you are eating enough food, you will not burn muscle while in the gym. Working out for extended periods of time whilst in a calorie deficit may result in some muscle mass loss, simply because your body needs energy – especially if you are doing extended bouts of cardio. Weight training, however is the best way to get your body to maintain as much muscle mass as possible whilst losing weight.

Myth #12 – You can only digest a certain amount of protein per meal

There seems to be a myth going around that there’s a certain amount of protein that you can absorb per meal. Some say 30g, other sources 20g, 40g, etc.. Well – the good news is this isn’t true, and we’re not sure exactly why this myth begun to circulate.

Clearly, there is a physical limit as to how much protein your body can absorb, but this will vary hugely person to person, and depend on a huge number of factors. So long as you are getting 1.6-2g of protein per kg of bodyweight each day, don’t worry too much about which meals the protein comes in.

Myth #13 – Dietary fat is bad when trying to cut

The only bad type of fat is trans fat, which has been proven to have a negative impact on muscle growth. It’s also bad for your health in general. Beyond this, other fat sources are all requirements of a healthy diet – and one of the most successful cutting diets, the ketogenic diet, involves eating a diet high in fats. Studies have even been done that show benefits to testosterone levels from eating at least 10g a day of saturated fat. So don’t cut the fat out!

Myth #14 – You can only add size by training to failure

Unless you’re taking steroids, frequently training to failure is a sure path to injury, muscle breakdown and overtraining. Training to true failure should not feature regularly in most any natural trainer’s routine. (Especially if you are training for strength). This does not mean you shouldn’t work hard, and go for that last rep. When we say failure we mean squatting until you virtually cannot walk, etc.

Myth #15 – You should never train if you have not fully recovered from DOMS

DOMS are not an indicator that you have not fully recovered, there can be residual soreness that lasts for up to 4-5 days even. Numerous studies have shown that there is no downside to training when you are still a bit sore, for example this one.

Myth #16 – You can get as big as a bodybuilder without taking steroids, steroids are just a shortcut

Testosterone is a vital aspect of gaining muscle. Without testosterone, your body will not grow, and the rate at which you add muscle is proportional to your body’s testosterone levels. The average man has testosterone levels between 260 and 1080 ng/dl. A typical bodybuilder on a steroid cycle will have testosterone levels at least 10x this. This gives a massive advantage, and allows your body to get much bigger than its limits based on normal testosterone levels.

You can still get big and strong without steroids, but you will never be the size of an IFBB pro without taking steroids and other drugs.

That’s it for now – but stay tuned – we have many more myths to bust in the coming weeks!

Well, firstly – creatine is a natural compound. It’s present in red meat, and helps to supply energy to all of your body’s amazing cells, in particular though, muscle cells. It does this by increasing the formation of ATP, via a number of different pathways which you probably aren’t particularly interested in (although if you are – click here - it’s a thrilling read, I promise). Simply put, higher creatine levels mean more energy available to your muscles, which increases their performance. There have been reports of some liver and kidney interactions, but it’s only worth worrying about if you have a known liver or kidney disease already. (Basically, if your kidney’s are failing – don’t take creatine… In fact, go to hospital. Now.) Reports of terrible things occurring by supplementing a diet with creatine have all been entirely disproven and wildly blown out of proportion, and if you don’t want to take my word for it, try this study, this study, this study or heck, there’s this one too (and the many tens of studies I couldn’t be bothered to list).

Whilst it’s been largely proven that there are no serious side effects to reasonable creatine supplementation (i.e. 3-20g per day), there have been plenty of studies, such as this and this which highlight the positive effects of creatine supplementation for weight trainers, which include an increased physiological response to weight training, and an increase in the maximum strength of the trainer. In fact, it’s one of the most well researched and proven supplements in the world – alongside whey protein.

So what’s the best form of creatine to take, and how should you take it?

Generally, the best form of creatine to take is Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE). Wait… what? This may surprise you, because many sources tend to recommend Creatine Monohydrate (CM), but hear me out. CM tends to be harder for your body to absorb, the crystals are quite large and for a typical monohydrate, only around 1-2% will in fact make it to your muscles. Some people also report stomach discomfort when taking Creatine Monohydrate, and some water bloating. At the very least I would recommend Micronized Creatine Monohydrate if you are going down the CM route, because whilst being only slightly more expensive – absorption is improved dramatically, and stomach discomfort is also reduced by micronization. Any form of CM however is still going to require a loading phase to increase your system levels when you first start. A typical loading phase would be 1-2 weeks of 20 grams a day, to maintain you would then typically take 4-5g of Creatine Monohydrate a day.

With Creatine Ethyl Ester, a loading phase is not required due to its faster and higher absorption rates, it also does not cause any of the CM affiliated stomach upsets or discomforts, or bloating. An effective dose for CEE is usually 2-3g a day, so due to not having a loading phase or as high of a dose, it may in fact work out cheaper than pure Creatine Monohydrate sources. The jury is still out on the various types of creatine, and we are waiting for more scientific studies on delivery mechanisms to be done for conclusive scientific evidence – but so far the general agreed advice is that CEE produces better performance increases with less potential for side effects than Creatine Monohydrate.

So what are your experiences with Creatine? Let us know in the comments!

Stay tuned for the next common weight lifting supplement we are re covering in this series, casein.

Nitric Oxide has numerous biological purposes, but primarily it signals your blood vessels to dilate, meaning an increase in blood flow to organs, and most importantly in the context of what we are trying to achieve – your muscles. An increased blood flow to your muscles means that they can take in nutrients faster and remove waste products such as lactic acid far more readily also. This has a number of net benefits to a trainer:

1. Reduced fatigue when doing higher rep work
   If you find that you are particularly fatigued when doing higher rep work, then nitric oxide could be a valuable addition to your supplementation. Increased Nitric Oxide levels result in your body being able to take in oxygen faster, and remove lactic acid from muscles quicker – this means that your muscles take longer to become fatigued.  Lactic acid begins to build up in your muscles as your body turns to anaerobic respiration for energy, rather than aerobic respiration. This is particularly relevant in high rep, high intensity workouts whereby your body cannot supply enough oxygen to the muscles for aerobic respiration to provide the energy needed.  Lactic acid build up is what results in the effect commonly referred to as “the burn”.
2. Increased glucose usage
   If you are looking to lose weight, then this is an effect of Nitric Oxide you should be interested in.  Studies have been done that show that Nitric Oxide supplementation increases the speed at which glucose is utilised by muscles. This in turn also resulted in a noticeable increase in fatty acids and glycerol within the blood stream, indicating that more fat was being burned in those taking a Nitric Oxide supplement than not.
3. Enhanced endurance when doing cardio work
   This stems out from the same effects as outlined above. Nitric Oxide supplementation increases the rate at which oxygen can be transported to your muscles, and the rate at which waste products are removed. Nitric Oxide is particularly useful for athletes who are aiming to train at higher altitudes than normal, as higher nitric oxide levels can offset the lessened availability of oxygen in the air.
4. Improved recovery rates between workouts
   When combined with a solid diet and adequate protein, Nitric Oxide supplementation can improve the speed of recovery between workouts, by ensuring that plenty of nutrients are reaching the muscles where needed. I must stress however that your diet needs to be in check for this to be effective, as without the nutrients in your blood in the first place, nitric oxide will be of no help!
5. An increase in pump while in the gym
   Now forgive me for saying this – but achieving a pump should never be primary motivation for taking a particular supplement, unless you are about to get up on stage in a bodybuilding contest. Nitric Oxide pumps are due to the increase in blood flow to muscles that the supplement provides. Your muscles expand more – resulting in the pumped look, which lets face it, is good for anyone’s ego (and hopefully your motivation to keep working out!)

So above are 5 good reasons to get started with a Nitric Oxide supplement – we’ve reviewed a couple of of such supplements already, and recommend reading the reviews if you are interested in getting started on one. In our next article in this series we talk about creatine supplementation, and the benefits available to strength athletes and bodybuilders from adding creatine to their diets.

Effectiveness - 9/10

As the name suggests, 90+ provides 90g of protein per 100g, with a single scoop providing 45g in one go. A tried-and-tested mixture of whey isolate (constituting about 2/3 of the total mass) and casein (the remaining 1/3)  mean that muscle recovery and growth are facilitated on an immediate timescale, but also in the hours following consumption, as casein is a slower digesting source of protein. Although not a protein for someone looking to lose weight (as each scoop provides about 200kcal), for anyone interested in gaining muscle mass 90+ is a no-brainer. Many of the more expensive brands offer less in the way of protein/100g, and Nutrisport really provide the biggest ‘bang’ possible for your buck.

Quality – 10/10

Having used 90+ for several years, I have tried most of the types, sizes and flavours they have to offer, and the standard has been universally high.  Well-packaged, in extremely durable containers, every shipment of protein I’ve received has been sealed excellently, to the extent that I often find myself reusing the 5kg containers to store other brands of whey. As to be expected from a respectable name such as Nutrisport, I’ve never had any complaints about the product itself either.

Ingredients – 9/10

As previously mentioned, the main ingredients (constituting 98% of the total mass) are whey isolate and casein – the only other ingredients are natural sweeteners and flavourings. There are none of the added extras you find in a lot of high-end whey products, but when you’re buying protein, you can’t criticise a company for providing you with solid, confusion free nutrition. The only negative would be if you were extremely discerning, and looking for pure isolate – for the majority of the weightlifting populace (90+, even…) though, this is perfect.

Taste – 3/10

So far, so good; 90+ punches far above its weight in terms of quality nutrition and price. As with all such bargains though, there is a negative somewhere in the equation, and this instance, it’s taste. As a repeat buyer and prolific user of 90+, I have tried every flavour I could get my hands on – not that it seems to make much difference. The prevailing taste is somewhat chalky, and the only flavour that manages to mask this with some success is the Chocolate flavour. For those of us willing to close our eyes and get the job done, this shouldn’t be off-putting – but for consumers more inclined to savour their shake, it’s worth considering other brands.

Mixability – 6/10

90+ isn’t the smoothest shake I’ve ever made, so unless you have an efficient shaker (something with a wire-ball or a decent quality sieve) you might find it has a tendency to end up a bit lumpy. You can however buy excellent shakers for a matter of a few £s or $s, so this isn’t a real issue.

Value – 11/10

It’s somewhat Spinal-Tap of me to suggest an 11/10 score for value, but in reality, you aren’t likely to find anything as competitive as this on the market. A quality product, provided for a quality price; I really admire Nutrisport for having the foresight to see how popular a product like this would be. On an equally thoughtful level is their decision to offer a wide-variety of sizes, all the way up to the behemoth 5kg tub that exists permanently in my arsenal. Budget aside, you’ll be able to find something.

Overall – 9/10

Regardless of your experience in the sport, we all need protein, and you’d be hard-pressed to find anything offering as much value-for-money as Nutrisport 90+ does. Critics could say that some corners have been cut, but Nutrisport have spent a lot of time considering which corners these would be – and the worst that could be said for 90+ is that it doesn’t taste great, something which can be overlooked or masked easily (assuming you aren’t on a calorific deficit – and if you are, you should consider other products before this). If you’re looking for a high-quality, versatile source of protein, then look no further – even if you are able to afford one of the more expensive, decadent protein brands, I suggest you at least consider this before shelling out your hard-earned cash. Cost isn’t always reflective of quality, and if there is one thing that can be said of Nutrisport 90+, it’s that its quality DEFINITELY exceeds its cost.

Whey Protein

Whey Protein consists of a number of different proteins removed from whey, a by-product in the production of cheese. Whey protein is usually a mixture of beta-lactoglobulin (approximately 65%), alpha-lactalbumin (approximately 25%) and serum albumin (approximately 8%). You will commonly see three different types of Whey Protein sold, namely Whey Protein Concentrate (also known as WPC), Whey Protein Isolate (also known as WPI) and Whey Protein Hydrolysate (known as, unsurprisingly – WPH). Whey protein is a fast absorbing protein, ideal for usage either first thing in the morning, or after working out. Whey Protein is typically bought in powder form, and can be mixed with either milk or water. Water is recommended for an overall lower calorie shake, but mixing whey with whole milk can be an ideal addition to a weight gaining diet.

Photo credit: Sandstein

Whey Protein Concentrate is the least pure form of whey protein available, containing a higher level of fat and carbohydrates. The flip side is that WPC is cheaper than other forms of whey protein. I tend to recommend WPC to people who are trying to bulk up or gain weight, you can get the desired amount of protein by simply taking a bit more, and the extra carbohydrate and fat don’t matter so much when you are attempting to gain weight. However, if you are trying to cut then keeping your calorie intake down is more important, in which case I tend to reccommend Whey Protein Isolate or Whey Protein Hydrolysate. WPC is typically 70-80% protein, by mass.

Whey Protein Isolate contains a higher percentage of protein than concentrate, this is achieved by further processing WPC to remove additional carbohydrates and fats. Typically WPI is 90%+ protein, so at least 10% higher than that of WPC. The calories contained in WPI can at times be significantly lower, depending on the brand and flavourings used.

Whey Protein Hydrolysate is processed even further beyond WPI. To turn WPI into WPH, the protein is partially digested using a variety of different enzymes, this makes WPH the most expensive form of whey protein available. The other benefit of WPH is that some studies have shown that it is less allergenic than other types of whey, so if you have problems with WPC or WPI, it may be worth giving WPH a shot.

I recommend Whey Protein to all people doing some form of weight training. It is an easy way to quickly increase your protein intake for the day, and is much cheaper than buying the equivalent amount of protein in meat or other sources. It is readily absorbed, low calorie if you go for WPI or WPH – and can noticeably increase the rate of recovery between your gym sessions. One of our favourites is PhD Pharma Whey HT+, which contains a fantastic mixture of WPH and WPI. If you have a preferred whey protein shake, let us know in the comments!

In part two, we cover nitric oxide pre workout supplements.

Taste – 6/10

In keeping with its ‘extreme’ moniker, the flavour of Shock Therapy also resides towards the ‘extreme’ end of the flavour spectrum. The main flavours readily available in the UK are Grape Storm and Fruit Punch, and subtlety is somewhat lacking in this area. I could most easily describe the taste of Grape Storm as wine, mixed with some form of rocket fuel – having said that, when I’m trying to motivate myself for a big session, being punched in the throat by a drink can only help. If you aren’t as willing as I to tolerate the flavour, it is easily diluted with more water, or simply mixed with a more enjoyable drink.

Energy – 9/10

Having tried a number of similar supplements, I have a fair idea of the efficacy and benefit you can expect to obtain from pre-workout boosters. The brand-leader NO-Xplode seems to favour an extremely caffeine-orientated approach, with the recommended dosage leaving me a jittery wreck, and ending the session with an almost unbearable comedown. I found White Flood to provide a more subtle, more defined source of energy, providing an energetic baseline for my session, but without ever giving me a real kick. Shock Therapy seems to sit in a well-balanced position between these two extremes, relying on a mixture of stimulants in its secretive ‘Proprietary Formula’ to deliver constant energy, with a definite boost within the first 10 minutes to throw you headlong in to your workout. Whilst Shock Therapy uses myriad different compounds to obtain this effect, be aware; the amount of caffeine isn’t mentioned anywhere on the packaging, and whilst not enough to prove unpleasant, it certainly leaves you with crash afterwards.

Pump – 5/10

Increased bloodflow and vascularity are common side-effects with any pre-workout sup, so Shock Therapy obviously provides the ‘pump’ in some form – when compared to NO-Xplode however, this effect isn’t pronounced as it could be. Admittedly, the ‘pump’ is a somewhat subjective element, dependant on the type of lifting you’re doing, and the type of body you have (a 30 stone powerlifter might not find anything in the way of a pump), but if it is something you look for in a supplement, you should probably look elsewhere.

Focus – 9/10

Whilst it is obviously facetious to think that motivation and drive can come entirely from a drink, Shock Therapy does its best to enhance what’s already there. The sense of alertness and readiness I feel after taking the drink, coupled with some sort of placebo effect from simply taking a pre-workout supplement, mean I repeatedly find myself rsprinting out of my door and down to the gym, without another care in the world. It is important to note however, that it is entirely possible to find yourself increasingly reliant on Shock Therapy to have a good session. I recently spilled my last serving onto my bedroom carpet, and found myself scraping it off the floor and into my shaker, in an ill-thought out attempt to ready myself for deadlift day. In order to avoid such dependency, I suggest only taking it on certain, key days, which will also help with maintaining the efficacy of the product, and not becoming too tolerant to caffeine.

Price – 8.5/10

There is unfortunately no such thing as a cheap pre-workout supplement, and even more tragically, you don’t always get what you pay for either. Shock Therapy is at least reasonably priced, sitting towards the lower-end of the cost spectrum; shop around, and you can probably find it even cheaper. Considering this, and the effects of the supplement, I would condone it as being one of the better value-for-money products out there.

Mixability – 10/10

Easy to mix, dissolves perfectly, no issues whatsoever. Try to avoid spilling onto carpet however, as adding grit and hair into the mixture does effect its solubility.

Overall – 8.5/10

Shock Therapy sells itself well, as more than just marketing hype. I have tried an assortment of similar products, with this standing out as my personal favourite. Taking this supplement has helped minimise the amount of ‘bad gym days’ I have, meaning that I can get a solid workout even if circumstances have conspired against me to leave me feeling tired, or simply unmotivated. Whilst this is certainly personal preference, objectively, Shock Therapy will not disappoint you. It provides affordable, effective pre-workout energy, and might just be that added boost you’re looking for. You might just want to invest in some additional fruit juice though – there are certainly tastier supplements out there.

The reason the front squat is harder than the back squat (and why you can lift less weight with it) is that when attempting to do a front squat your body is pulled forward, so much strength is required in your upper back to keep your chest up and not lose the bar altogether. How much you can front squat is therefore limited by your upper back strength, as opposed to leg strength.

So how do you front squat? Well, just as with the back squat, you want to support the bar with your body, rather than your arms. This means ensuring that the bar is resting on your shoulder, with your arms only being used to balance. Typically a clean style grip is recommended over the crossed arms grip, because it is easier to support the bar – meaning that losing the bar in front of you is less likely. It may take a bit of flexibility training however to become flexible enough to keep your elbows up.

Your feet should be a bit more than shoulder width apart, and your toes should be pointing out by about 30-40 degrees. Keep your chest up, to give a solid base for the bar to rest on. Keeping your chest up also means that your lower back cannot round. Rounding your lower back is one way to injure yourself when squatting heavy weights. Throughout the lift you do not want to lift your head back, but keep it facing forwards. You also want to focus on getting your upper arm if possible parallel with the floor, which involves getting your elbows up high. To minimise the load on your wrists, try to point your elbows inwards. You do not need to fully grip the bar when doing the exercise, just keep 3 fingers under each side of the bar. This might make you a bit uneasy at first, but if your chest and elbows are kept high, you won’t lose the bar. Start off light to get everything right.

When you come to doing the squat itself, try to keep your knees out – if they buckle inwards it can cause injury. There is no excuse for not going very much past parallel with this lift, as the upright position and front positioning of the weight means you can get lower, and it’s important to get the full benefits out of the lift.

So that’s all there is to it really – good luck! Remember that front squatting does not tend to improve your back squat, but that routinely doing back squats can vastly improve your front squat.

Weight lifting straps are generally quite cheap, but it is worth investing in a good pair – because you don’t want to end up in a situation where you are deadlifting a large amount of weight, and the strap breaks. It is therefore wise to research what you are buying, and not to sacrifice on quality for the lowest price.

When it comes to using weight lifting straps, I advise lifters only to use them for their very heaviest lifts, such as 1 rep max attempts. If you continually use weight lifting straps for all of your sets, your grip strength will never develop, resulting in weak forearms. If you need to deadlift for a particular weightlifting event, I recommend that you check if straps are permitted or not. If straps are not permitted in the event, then it’s recommended that you do not train with straps at all – because you will not be able to use them, and training without will result in a weak spot in your grip.