Barbell Pullovers
By The Doctor

In the days of yore (which is anything before the late fifties in
the bodybuilding world) doing heavy barbell pullovers was a rite of
passage into bodybuilding manhood. In fact, I read a quote from the
great George Turner that made me chuckle on reading it. He said that
if you were not able to use 250 pounds on the pullover then you were
nothing. Many lifters years ago said that this exercise would be all
that one needed to get a complete upper body workout. Although I do
not see people use this lift often, I must say that 250 pounds would
be rather heavy. Nevertheless, this exercise is on the verge of
becoming extinct. I tried it to see if it was worth bringing back to
the forefront of resistance-training exercises.

A Little Bit about the Pullover

As mentioned previously, this exercise is considered by many to be
the best upper body exercise.

Some people lie across a bench sideways and others lie on the bench
in a regular fashion and perform them. Usually the trainees will
have their preference of dumbbells or barbells. The variables of
body positioning and equipment to use is up to personal preference.

One advantage that is clear is that it removes the weak link of
back work - the biceps - and allows for more direct lat work. The
pullover is also great for those who are into pre-exhaustion
methods or those who want something to use immediately after
high-repetition squats.

What muscles does this exercise work?

Not only do pullovers work the latissimus dorsi but it also targets
the posterior deltoid, the long head of the triceps, rhomboids,
pectoralis major rather well. In addition, it works the following
muscles in a less direct manner: the anterior deltoid, triceps
brachii and wrist flexors.

I do know a few people who have used this exercise and stated that
their triceps were thouroughly worked on completion. What confused
them was that this was not their intended purpose.

How to do it...

Simply lay your back perpendicularly across a bench and grab a
barbell from behind you and bring it to your chest. Then proceed
to extend your arms to where the barbell is above your chest and
your arms are straightened. You have the option of bending your
elbows from there. Lower the barbell or dumbbell behind and past
your head so as your upper arms are parallel or slightly below
parallel to your torso.

Bring the bar back to your chest and repeat the motion until
muscular failure.

I have used this exercise recently and I must say that it is an
excellent addition to my back work when used as my main
latissimus dorsi exercise. I have not used it for pre-exhaustion
yet, but I plan to use it in combination with chins when I do.

This will remove the biceps as the weak link as my back has always
been my least-responsive muscle. It is an upper body exercise so
I would recommend a repetition range from 6 to 10. As with every
other exercise, if you respond better to other repetition ranges,
then by all means use them.

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Fox, Big Story w Doug Kennedy on NIU shooter/antidepressants

Daily Aerobic Activity is a Must

Regular aerobic activity should be included into everyone’s daily
routine to strengthen the heart and lungs and make them work more
efficiently. Aerobic activity can include running, walking, stair
climbing, dancing, swimming, or any number of other activities that
get the heart working harder for a continuous period of time. Many
people may feel that they need to have a regimented work out program,
and if they do not have at least thirty minutes to an hour to devote
that they can’t do it. This is simply not true, and in fact, this
type of mentality hinders their progress and keeps them from getting
into shape with regular exercise. Short bursts of aerobic activity
can be fit in throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the
elevator, take a brisk walk around the building at lunch time, ride
a bike or walk to work if within a reasonable distance, or park
further away to get a short walk in.

The benefits of aerobic activity are many, and everyone of all ages
should be encouraged to engage in regular exercise. Even if there
are chronic health conditions present, regular aerobic activity can
be tailored to fit the individual’s needs. A health care provider
should be consulted before beginning any type of exercise program,
and if excessive shortness of breath or chest pain is present,
then the activity should be stopped immediately. Starting out at
a slower pace is recommended for all beginners anyway until some
tolerance is built up, which will happen over time with regular
aerobic activity.

Regular aerobic activity should put the heart in the cardio
target zone, which is computed by subtracting age from 220. This
number of then multiplied by 85%, the result being the maximum
rate at which the heart should beating during aerobic activity.
Beginners should only work out at 70-75% their target heart
rate until their bodies become more accustomed to higher
aerobic activity levels. It’s good to start out slow and
gradually increase aerobic activity as tolerated, maybe with
just a walk around the block. Any amount of aerobic activity
is better than nothing, so get moving! No excuses!

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Use Dumbbells To Stretch Your Muscles To New Growth

In this high-tech, high-poundage day and age, dumbbells are often the
forgotten tools of mass training. I notice more and more individuals
at the gym using machines with limited ranges of motion or sticking
with the heavy poundage promise of good old barbell training.

For many, if they pick up a dumbbell at all, it’s to move it out of the
way. Oh, they may throw in a few seated curls or some side laterals every
now and then, but these usually come after their "heavy" sets.

If you’re only using dumbbells for biceps and/or shoulder work, you’re
missing out on a truly time-tested piece of equipment. In fact, I’ve
been making some great gains by taking two or three days a month and
using nothing but dumbbell movements. Here are four of my favorites.

FLYE: You can build fairly large pecs with barbell pressing movements,
and you can develop some decent shape with cables and machines; but if
you’re after full, clearly defined, muscular pecs, you’ll want to get
your dumbbell sets in.

I love training chest using dumbbells, and there’s nothing better for
stretching those pecs to some serious new growth than Dumbbell Flyes.
Flat Bench, Incline, Decline — I use them all (though not during the
same session).

The key to doing flyes successfully is control. Lower the weights with
only slightly bent elbows. Throw your chest up towards the ceiling to
really emphasize a full stretch at the bottom of the rep.

As you bring the weight up, concentrate on pulling your pecs together.
Use light weights at first until you’re used to doing the movement with
the emphasis entirely on your pecs. And never smash the weights together
at the top—pull them together and squeeze your pecs tight for a count
of two.

Pull-Over: Another great dumbbell movement for the pecs. I do this
exercise across a flat bench, and I keep my arms as straight as possible
throughout the entire range of motion. Again, getting a full stretch is
the key to stimulating muscle fibers for new growth and added definition.

With pull-overs I tend to like the 10-15 rep range. It’s important not
to turn this exercise into a lat workout or a lying triceps extension.
Keep your arms straight and focus on using the muscles in the chest to
pull the weight to the eye-level position.

Lying Triceps Extensions: Yes, with dumbbells! The exercise is done in
a similar way to the E-Z Curl or Straightbar French Press version.
Lying on a flat bench, you begin with your arms extended above you.
Slowly lower both dumbbells simultaneously by bending at the elbows.
Be sure to keep your upper arms perfectly straight and still.

Then simply push the dumbbells up and lockout at the top, squeezing
your triceps as you do. I find that using dumbbells with this exercise
from time to time, forces me to maintain perfect form and really
blasts my triceps. And the stretch I get is absolutely intense!

Be sure to give these movements a try and let me know what you think.
Above all, don’t forget about those dumbbells over on that rack in
the corner.

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Fox News Big Story with Doug Kennedy on Big Pharma's Lie

Ten Tips For Those Who Want To Build Muscle....
By Charles R. Taylor

1. Eat Enough
To gain weight and muscle mass is difficult because the body struggles
to keep its weight. To gain mass you need to eat more than your body
requires to maintain its normal functions. You must eat 500 to 1000
extra calories a day to persuade the body to gain more muscle mass.

2. Eat Every Third Hour
You can wait longer between meals, but do you constantly want to be in
an anabolic phase? Your blood sugar should not sink too low, but it will
if you do not eat every 3 to 4 hours. It does not have to be a proper
meal each time you eat. A quick meal or a protein-drink will be enough.

3. Accept a Certain Increase In Body Fat
You have to choose between building muscle or burning fat. You cannot (or
it is very hard to) do this at the same time.

4. Eat a Proper Breakfast
At night, when you are asleep, the body is subversive because you have
not been eating for several hours. This makes breakfast a very important
meal because it stops the cataclysm.

5. Vary the Food
The body can become accustomed to a certain diet. If you eat the same food
for several years you can count on it that your development will stagnate.
Do not let the body become accustomed to your diet.

6. Choose the Right Supplement
There is an unbelievable amount of supplements on the market today. Alot
of them are junk. Only use supplements that you know work. Highly
recommended supplements are creatine and extra protein. There are alot
more supplements from which to choose, but these are the best from which
to start.

7. Get Enough Rest
It has been said that you grow during sleep, and sure it is true.
Do not train more than three days in a row. Some who really want to gain
muscle will only train two or even one day at a time. The results are
often impressive.

8. Train Right
If you are not sure of how to do an exercise, ask someone that is
knowledgeable about the exercise. If you are training incorrectly you will
not grow and your chances of hurting yourself are quite great.

9. Change the Routine
Change your training program every two months. Do not let the muscles
adapt
to the same routine.

10. Make Goals and Achieve Them
To train without a goal is meaningless. Make a goal, for example, to gain
six pounds of muscle mass. Do not give up before you have gained those
extra six pounds. Use all your knowledge about nutrition and training. It
is not only more fun to train with a goal, your progress will also
increase faster. You will be more motivated and you will train and attend
to your diet perfectly.

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Antidepressants and School Shootings, Suicide, Addiction

The Truth About Antidepressants

88 per cent of clinical trials that showed antidepressant
drugs didn't work either weren't published in medical journals
or were presented as positive findings, says the study in the
New England Journal of Medicine.

Sadly, the $21 billion antidepressant industry is built more
on marketing hype than medical science.

Depressed About Results? Science May Explain It
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120131395200018827.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Study Says Patients, Doctors Get Distorted View of Antidepressants
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120051950205895415.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Anti-depressants may not work - report
http://money.cnn.com/2008/01/16/news/companies/antidepressants/?postversion=2008011618

Abdominal Exercises

Ab Crunches

Ab Crunches are easily performed by lying on your back and placing the
calves on a bench so that the legs are bent at a 90 degree angle to
the floor. Place the hands behind the head and then raise the head
and shoulder blades off of the ground towards the knees. The range
of motion is rather short. It is not necessary to touch the forehead
to the knees as this would require improper form. Perform the ab
crunches slowly and deliberately for the greatest benefit.

Lying Leg Raises

Lying leg raises are an excellent abdominal exercise for the lower
abdominal muscles but will not help you to loose weight. To perform
lying leg raises lye down on your back placing the hands face down
underneath the lower back and rear end for better leverage. Bring
the knees up (bent legged) towards the chin while contracting the
abdominal muscles. Then return the legs to an almost straight legged
position stretching the abdominal muscles. The legs should be just
a few inches off of the floor at the starting point.

V-ups

V-ups are an excellent abdominal exercise that strongly stresses the
lower abdominal muscles. Although V-Ups are an effective abdominal
exercise V-Ups are not for everyone. V-Ups are a more advanced
abdominal exercise.

To perform V-Ups sit at the end of a bench, place the hands face down
under the rear end for leverage, legs should be at 45-90 degree angles
from the floor and the upper body at about a 45-90 degree angle from
the bench. Now bring the knees up to the chest while simultaneously
bringing the chest towards the knees, repeat. The legs and torso
make a v-shape, thereby receiving the name V-Ups.

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The Truth About Psychiatry

"The re-interpretation and eventually eradication of the concept of right and wrong which has been the basis of child training, ...are the belated objectives of practically all effective psychotherapy."
(G. Brock Chisholm, past president, World Federation for Mental Health.)

"If the race is to be freed from its crippling burden of good and evil, it must be psychiatrists who take the original responsibility."
(G. Brock Chisholm, past president, World Federation for Mental Health)

"Even for their own good the blacks must be treated as what they are, an absolutely subordinate, inferior, lower type of men, incapable themselves of culture. That must once and for all be clearly stated."
(August Forel, psychiatrist, quoted in "Bernhardt Schreiber".)


"The mental health establishment has snowed the American people: it launches the most unimaginable brutal psychological and physical assault on human beings in distress, calls this 'medical treatment', and then blames the outcome on 'mental illness'."
(Seth Farber, PhD)

"...In numbers unmatched in any part of the world, U.S. school children are diagnosed and drugged in a quid pro quo association between education and for-profit psychiatry and psychology. Labeled "brain-diseased", the schools have an excuse for the rampant illiteracy and unpreparedness, cause enough for the mounting unhappiness and failure of the children, while psychiatry/psychology gains lifetime patients.
(Thomas Armstrong, Ph.D. educator and psychologist)

Pactical Pullups vs. Powerlifting Pullups
By Pavel Tsatsouline

Choose your pullup form to match your goals.

In the military and law enforcement the pullup sets one up for a
muscle-out over an obstacle. The operator needs to get maximally
close to the bar and as high above it as possible. This can only
be achieved when you look straight rather than up and 'hunch over'
on the top of the pullup. This engages powerful muscles in the
front of the rib cage and adds height to the pullup.

When powerlifter Ed Coan does pullups he looks up and arches his
back. This groove brings the body under the bar rather than over
it so is not appropriate for tactical applications. But a
powerlifter is not training to climb fences. He strengthens
his upper back muscles to assist in spine stabilization in
deadlifts and the arch is perfect for that. Besides, the lats
are emphasized in the modern bench press technique. The
'PL pullup' works the lats better then the tactical pullup as
the lats can fully contract only when the back is arched.

Pavel Tsatsouline is the author of "Power to the People!
Russian Strength Training Secrets for Every American"
for full infomation go to http://www.trulyhuge.com/russian.htm



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Healthy Eating Tips
By Dr. Kem Thompson

Everyone knows that we have to eat healthily in order to stay
healthy. Yet many people find it hard to do so. One useful
way to get you into the habit of eating healthily is by
applying a few principles to the way you eat. I've
outlined 7 of them below.

I. Eat small portions of food for each meal.

II. Eat frequently. Most adults get hungry about 4 hours after
their last meal.

Aim to eat at least 5 small sized meals each day. This keeps
your metabolic rate high.

III. Eat foods that you enjoy eating, making sure that each
meal contains all the essential nutrients (protein,
carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins).

IV. Eat only when you’re hungry.

V. Stop eating as soon as you feel full: practice pushing
away your plate with food still on it when you’ve had enough.

Don’t aim to wipe the plate clean, and don’t eat until you
feel stuffed. Eat until you’re comfortably satisfied.

VI. Drink a lot of water. Scientists recommend that we drink
roughly 8 (250mls) glasses of water each day.

Water helps you stay full, and if you’re eating only when
you’re hungry, it means you’ll eat less without feeling
like you’re depriving yourself. It also helps you flush
out toxins from your body which otherwise could interfere
with your body’s normal metabolism.

VII. Eating should be a pleasure, not a pain. For any
food plan to work, it has to be practical, enjoyable,
flexible and nutritious. Any plan that's based on
depriving you of some food or other is almost certainly
doomed to fail in the long term.

Try incorporating the above tips into the way you eat.
Start with one of them, practice it for a week (or
until you're used to it), then start on another one.

If you make changes in small steps, you won't be
overwhelmed and easily discouraged by your progress.

So make a small change each time; celebrate (or reward
yourself) for each success, no matter how small you
think it is.

Remember, every baby step is bringing you closer to
your desired goal of being a healthy eater.

With persistence, you will find that eating healthily
is not only possible, but it's fun.

So go for it!

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South Beach Diet Review

The South Beach Diet is not a traditional low-carb diet. Instead
it emphasizes the choice of good carbohydrates and good fats.

The South Beach is divided into three phases. In Phase One, most
carbohydrates are banned to give your body a complete rest from
fluctuating blood sugar and insulin levels. The theory is this
will help to resolve insulin resistance.

During Phase One, the banned foods list includes bread, rice,
potatoes, pasta, fruit, milk, sweets, cake, biscuits, ice cream,
sugar and alcohol. A few low GI veg such as broccoli and cabbage
are allowed, but the focus is on eating lean meat, chicken, fish,
eggs, low-fat cheese, some nuts and olive oil.

In Phase Two, low GI carbs including most fruits, Granary bread,
wholegrain cereals and pasta and low-fat milk are reintroduced.
The idea is to stay with this phase until you've reached your
target.

Finally, in Phase Three you introduce an even wider variety of
foods.

South Beach Diet Sample Recipe

Crab Cobb Salad

Phase 1
Serves 2

Ingredients:
6 cups romaine lettuce
6 oz crabmeat
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese
2 tbsp cholesterol-free bacon bits
1/4 cup olive oil vinaigrette

Directions:
Chill 2 Plates. Arrange the lettuce on a large serving platter.
Arrange the crabmeat, tomatoes, blue cheese, and bacon bits in rows
over the lettuce. Right before serving, drizzle some dressing
evenly over the salad and toss well. Transfer to the 2 chilled
plates.

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40-30-30 Nutrition Plan Review

The premise of the 40-30-30 Diet is simple: "Your genes have not
changed very much during the past 100,000 years".

Our body is a biochemical machine, and for hundreds of thousands
of years, our digestive system operated correctly when eating
just 2 food groups:

1. Lean Protein

2. Natural Carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables

Evolution works very slowly, and as far as our genes are concerned,
we are still build to eat those 2 food groups. By evolutionary
standards, agriculture is still relatively recent and therefore
our digestive system has not yet adapted to eating large quantities
of dense, highly processed carbohydrates like grains, pasta and bread.

Because we haven't evolved to a stage where we can properly digest
large amounts of high density carbohydrates, our body experiences
adverse biochemical effects like fat gain, diabetes, heart
disease, sluggish feeling, etc. The 40-30-30 Diet is designed to
feed our body according to its genetic makeup.

What you eat and how you eat has a powerful effect on your body
and health. This diet plan treats food as more than just a source
of calories that must be counted and restricted. It views food
as a powerful agent that has significant effects on our body.
For example, certain foods can cause severe surges in insulin
production. Significant swings in insulin levels can negatively
affect mood, endurance, mental focus, and fat. The 40-30-30
Diet Plan was designed to keep our body balanced and performing
at its peak. It does this by incorporating 4 key elements:

The 40-30-30 Nutrition Plan
The use of mono-unsaturated fats
Supplementation with Omega-3 oils
Exercise

40-30-30 Sample Meals and Snacks Diet Menu

Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs Florentine with cheese and grapes

Snack: Yogurt with raspberries and almonds

Lunch: Chicken Salad Pita Sandwich with asparagus salad

Snack: Turkey and Cheddar Lettuce Wrap

Dinner: Zesty Broiled Fish with couscous

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Zone Diet Review

The Zone is achieved when each meal is composed of 40% carbohydrates,
30% proteins and 30% fat. This might sound complicated but it is
actually pretty easy when you follow the Zone Food Block System.
With this system different foods are assigned a food block value.
For example a block of protein is equal to 7 grams, which is about
1 ounce of low-fat cheese. Your gender, activity level and current
percentage of body fat will determine your daily food block
requirements.

Examples of Zone Food Block System

1 Protein Food Block = 7 grams of Protein
1 oz of skinless white meat chicken
1 1/2 oz of salmon
1 oz of beef

1 Carbohydrate Food Block = 9 grams of Carbohydrate
1/2 apple
10 cups romaine lettuce
1 cup butternut squash

1 Fat Food Block = 1.5 grams of Fat
1/3 tsp of canola oil
3 olives
1/2 tsp peanut butter

Sample Free Zone Diet Recipe

Baked Fish and Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
4 1/2 oz flounder
Onions, sliced
2 cups yellow squash, sliced
2 cups zucchini, sliced
Lemon juice
Thyme and dill, chopped
1 plum

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat bottom of baking dish with oil.
Spread half the vegetables in the dish. Top with fish fillets.
Put the rest of the vegetables on top. Sprinkle lemon juice and
herbs over the mixture plus a couple of grinds of pepper, it
desired. Cover with foil and bake about 45 minutes or until fish
is done and vegetables are tender. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Antidepressants Cause Violence

What happens when I stop exercising?

So you have been working out for a while, seeing great results and
loving the difference you see and feel in your body. But what
happens if, for some reason — injury, holidays, burnout, or
something else — you have to stop for a while.

What happens?

Well first, let me tell you what doesn’t happen. Your muscle does
not turn to fat. That would be like saying if you stop driving
your car, your tires will turn to marshmallows. You may lose
muscle mass and gain some fat, but your muscle does not turn to
fat.

Here is what does happen:

Cardio: You begin to lose aerobic endurance in as little as two weeks.

Muscular Strength: Studies have shown that muscular strength will
return to pre-exercise levels after four to 12 weeks off.

Muscular Size: Muscles will shrink after 4-12 weeks off.

Metablism: As your muscles atrophy, your metabolism will slow. This
means that if you eat the same amount, you will gain weight.

The good news is once you start exercising again is all comes back
fairly fast.

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Muscle Building over 40
By Scott Miller

MYTH: A man over 40 years old can no longer build muscle.

Granted, at 40 years old, men usually have less testosterone
in their systems, but we can still build muscle. It just
takes a bit more persistence and hard work.

If you read all the muscle mags and try to follow what they
say, you might make some gains, but typically you will be
over-trained. So, let's throw all of that away and
concentrate on the things that really matter: training,
nutrition and rest.

Whatever your routine, make sure it's working for you and
you're making progress. After 3-4 weeks of your new
routine, if you're not lifting more or doing more reps,
you should re-think your routine. Remember, there is no
"cookie cutter" routine that works perfectly for everyone,
so if this one doesn't work, change it.

One of the biggest things to remember in your routines
for adding muscle mass is to LIFT HARD and HEAVY! I
can't stress this enough. I've talked to too many guys,
young and old, who proclaim that they can't add any size.
If you watch them, they never really push themselves.
You must always push yourself and strive for more reps
or more poundage or you will never make any quality gains.

Lifting hard and heavy leads us right into a few other
points – your joints and using straps and wraps. Being
over 40 and lifting can pose problems with your joints.
Aside from taking glucosamine and chondroitin (not a bad
idea), stretching frequently before, during and after a
training session is important. Even stretching
during your work day can help keep you limber and
actually relieve some of the soreness and help keep the
joints from getting stiff. If you've got a joint
problem that is persistent, don't try to "man through
it", but go see your doctor and have him make sure you're
OK.

Many exercises can be quite taxing on your grip and your
grip will give out before the muscle you're training will.
In those instances, use straps. You don't want to limit
your muscle growth because your grip gives out. BUT,
make sure you include grip/forearm exercises in your routine.

At our age, knee wraps are probably a good idea, just for
the added support they give. I use a wrap on my right
knee and will be starting on my left knee soon. Be smart.

I do not wear a lifting belt. I used to, but I discovered
that my lower back was just, plain weak. I started doing
good mornings, back extensions, dead lifts and rack dead
lifts. Within a few months, I had no need to wear a belt,
with the exception of near 1RM squats.

Whether younger or older, you need to track your progress.
Whether it's a log book or a piece of paper in your pocket
that you then enter into your computer at home, track your
progress. This will let you know where you're at and
where you've been. At the next workout, you won't be
guessing, you'll have the numbers in front of you.

Setting goals goes hand-in-hand with tracking your
progress. Setting both short-term and long-term goals
is very important and will help keep you focused on your
lifting.

If you're really serious about putting on muscle, then
nutrition is probably 70% of the entire package. You need
to be eating clean foods – not fast foods. At least 5
meals a day is necessary to keep your metabolism going.
6-8 meals a day is not unreasonable, if you have the time.
For us "older guys", building muscle isn't quite as easy
as it used to be, so we have to really concentrate on
what we eat and when. Protein, carbs and fats are all
essential, not only in proper nutrition, but for
building muscle.

Make sure you eat enough to support muscle gain. Most
people, older or younger, that call themselves "hard
gainers", just aren't eating enough. How do you know?
An easy way to figure it out is to write down everything
you eat every day for a week. Get a calorie counting
book and put the numbers to it. Then figure out your BMR.
If your BMR is 2200 calories, then you have to eat more
than that each day to gain, and that's not 2210
calories a day, but 2300+. Granted, there's a balance
between eating an excess and pigging out every day. You
can make muscle gains and keep the body fat at a minimum
if you don't over eat and eat clean food.

Last, but not least, REST.
That's right, rest. 7-8 hours of good, steady sleep is
critical. If you're always tired from not sleeping enough,
not only will your workouts suffer, but nearly everything
else can suffer, as well. A nap, if you have the time,
can be wonderful.

So, you're "Over the Hill", huh? Big deal. If you eat
right, train hard and get good sleep, you can still be
on the front side of the hill, instead of the back side.
I'm bigger and stronger now at 45 years old than I have
ever been.

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