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Maxx Charles Full Interview | Struggles With Eating, Challenges Of Contest Prep, & More

Our full length interviews are now also in podcast form! Subscribe to the Generation Iron Podcast for candid, full length interviews with the biggest names in bodybuilding, fitness, combat, and strength sports.When we first asked Maxx Charles about the today’s era of bodybuilders, he was against the notion that today’s athletes are worse than previous eras. He believes that rose tinted glasses put past athletes up on a higher pedestal. On top of that, the pandemic has greatly affected this year’s bodybuilding season. Charles thinks that perhaps fans are conflating these two things to negatively criticize today’s current pro bodybuilders.
That being said, he does have one exception to this thought. Maxx Charles believes that the 90s era of bodybuilding was far greater than most athletes competing today. He includes himself in that criticism as well. Specifically, he’s referring to the late 90s and early 2000s era of Ronnie Coleman, Flex Wheeler, Kevin Levrone, and Shaw Ray, to name a few.

“Now if I had to be honest, depending how far back you’re talking,” Maxx Charles stated in our interview. He continued:
“IF I’M TALKING ABOUT RONNIE’S ERA. BETWEEN RONNIE, FLEX, AND KEVIN – FUCK YEAH THEY WERE BETTER THAN US. THAT ERA RIGHT THERE IS, LIKE, UNTOUCHABLE.”
Vlad Yudin followed up asking exactly why this specific era is better than today. What makes that period of time different than his thoughts on other past eras? Charles continued to explain:
“BECAUSE YOU HAD GUYS LIKE THOSE GUYS. THEY HAD EVERYTHING. THEY HAD THE CRAZY GENETICS, THEY HAD THE WORK ETHIC, AND THEY HAD THE PHYSIQUE. THEY HAD THE CONDITION, THEY HAD THE SHAPE, THEY HAD THE FULLNESS. THEY HAD EVERYTHING.”
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive full interview with Maxx Charles above!
Charles Opens Up About His Struggle To Eat Enough Food To Build More Size
Maxx Charles faces a rare problem that you don’t hear about from many bodybuilders. Charles has a weak appetite and finds it hard to eat even more than one meal a day. This has created a struggle for him throughout his career to build enough mass necessary to be competitive against his peers. Over time, Maxx Charles has found a way to make it work for him – as we’ve all seen his mass monster size on stage.
Yet that doesn’t mean Maxx Charles’ struggles with food have ended. During our interview, he admits to having to eat solely liquid egg whites for every single meal in his final weeks of bodybuilding prep. The reason? He can’t bring himself to eat enough protein for his physique.
While Maxx Charles has been able to force his way into a massive physique, he also admits that he would most likely be able to grow even more impressively huge if he were able to eat more. He gleans at the possibility of an alternate version fo his physique – one that is leveled up due to consuming more meals.

As to why he’s unable to build up an appetite? Maxx Charles is not sure. He theorizes that perhaps it’s due to his background. Being born in Haiti, his heritage is used to surviving on little food. Perhaps genetically his body has adapted to not needing higher amounts of food.
Regardless, Maxx Charles is still dedicated to finding a way to improve his diet to grow even more and improve his physique further. Charles is already a promising athlete with some strong placings under his belt. While it’s interesting to hear a bodybuilder open up about his diet in this way – we hope to see him further succeed in the future.
Wrap Up
We spoke with Maxx Charles for just under an hour. So there are many other topics we covered than what we can break down in this article. We also discuss his performance at the New York Pro, his predictions for his performance at the Mr. Olympia 2020 (which we can now compare to the reality – having seen the results), and many more!
You can watch Maxx Charles’ full candid interview in our latest GI Exclusive above!

How Rope Hammer Curls Enhance Those Bulging Biceps

A great variation of traditional hammer curls to really boost size.
Those bulging biceps are exactly what we all aspire towards heading into the warmer months. Whether it be a tight tee, tank, or shirtless, nothing makes others more envious than a shredded upper body full of gains. While we are all familiar with the traditional hammer curls, it is important to realize that other variations exist to challenge us in different ways and work our muscles differently. At the end of the day, knowing the right exercises to perform and exactly how to do them can really boost our gains to new heights and our biceps, while they may look good, also serve as a pivotal muscle in functional movements, as well as more sport specific ones.
Having strong arms are important for a number of reasons that span more than just looking good. With stronger arms, we allow ourselves to work other areas like our shoulders, which can be more vulnerable, thus reducing our risk of injury and improving posture. With reduced injury and better posture, we can tackle more advanced and heavier lifts to boost strength, size, and athletic performance. Strong arms will also help protect bones and stabilize joints to allows us to focus on other important factors while not feeling vulnerable during big lifts.

Roper hammer curls are a great variation of the traditional hammer curl to allow us to see greater strength and size in our biceps. By doing so, we work to give ourselves the chance to really boost growth and we’ll discuss just what this exercise is all about. From what it is, to muscles worked, to the benefits and how to perform it, you’ll want to give this workout a try as a new way to see great gains.

What Are Rope Hammer Curls?
Rope hammer curls are a popular arm-focused exercise using a cable machine and a rope attachment as the main tools of choice. With a neutral grip, it works your biceps, but also other muscles in the arms to give you a well-rounded exercise. This allows you to safely and effectively develop you muscles to maximize efficiency. This is an important exercise given that it helps not only tone a major muscle group, but also build functional strength for everyday activities we perform in our daily lives.

Muscles Worked
When it comes to muscles worked with the rope hammer curls, the main ones are your biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis (1). On top of those, it helps stabilizer muscles to give us the best chance at maximizing support. Your forearms and delts will also get some work which is a nice bonus and your traps, although to a lesser extent, will get slight work done as well.

Benefits Of Rope Hammer Curls
What comes with this exercise are some great benefits to really give you the chance to have an effective arm workout. Benefits include:
Build serious arm strength: A great alternative to the traditional hammer curl, you can build real strength by performing a solid variation.
Enhance arm and upper body support: Working stabilizer muscles allows you to focus on supporting other muscles and joints, like your shoulders, which often times can be quite vulnerable.

Less pressure on the wrists: The neutral grip allows for less pressure on the wrists and elbows, thus limiting pain and the risk of injury (2).
Continuous tension: With continuous tension, you never give your muscles a true break, thus increasing resistance allowing for better gains to strength and size.
Great for toning: An effective exercise, this will work on toning those arms for all to envy as you pump up those bulging biceps.

How To Perform Them
Here are the steps for performing the rope hammer curls exercise:
Place the adjusting piece on the cable machine all the way to the last setting closest to the ground and hook up the rope attachment. Grab the rope using a neutral grip and stand with your feet at about shoulder width apart. Your palms will face inward as you engage your core to have a straight back with your elbows by your side.
Perform a curl, bringing your hands to around chest height, really giving a squeeze at the top. Pause for a brief second at the top and slowly bring your hands back to the starting position. Repeat for your desired number of reps.

Helpful Tips For Maximum Effectiveness
This exercise is fairly simple to perform but there are some helpful tips that can get us to where we want to be. It is important to do this exercise in a controlled way so you don’t rely on momentum alone to get the weight up. You want to really maximize the time under tension so don’t cheat yourself of a good workout by relying on momentum.
While your in the movement of this exercise, work to keep your elbows tucked as much as possible. This will require more out of your arms to get that weight up only benefiting you in terms of strength and size. Keeping your core engaged throughout the whole movement is important so as to not sacrifice form and prevent any unwanted injury from potentially taking place. This exercise has potential to be a great one for you by following the proper steps to maximize its effectiveness.
Wrap Up
The rope hammer curls exercise is one to really challenge you and give you a great variation from the traditional dumbbell hammer curl exercise. It is important for us to constantly target our muscles differently in order to keep seeing that vital growth we all want most. With the ability to increase strength and size, work those stabilizer muscles, and give us a nice tone, those bulging biceps are closer than you think. Take a look at your workout routine and see where you can slide this in for a nice challenge. You won’t be disappointed by the results of the rope hammer curls exercise.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 
*Images courtesy of Envato
References

Bharambe, Vaishaly K.; Arole, Vasanti; Kanaskar, Neelesh (2015). “A study of biceps brachii muscle: Anatomical considerations and clinical implications”. (source)
Ayhan, Egemen; Ayhan, Cigdem (2020). “Kinesiology of the elbow complex”. (source)

Ronnie Coleman Says Pain in Back is Gone Since Taking Stem Cell Shots

Ronnie Coleman reports that back pain is gone since taking stem cell treatment.
Being an athlete at the highest levels can prove to be taxing on the body. Eight-time Olympia champion Ronnie Coleman learned that lesson when he retired from competition. He took a lot of damage during his training, so much so that his body has broken down. But now since starting stem cell treatment, Coleman has reported that his back pain is disappearing.

On his visit to the Joe Rogan podcast, Ronnie Coleman spoke about the back pain he suffers. Rogan would go on to suggest that Coleman try stem cell therapy with his issues. Now it appears that the legendary bodybuilding champion has taken Rogan’s advice.
A Return to Form?
Recently Ronnie Coleman revealed that he had begun stem cell therapy. After just a few sessions it appears that Coleman is seeing positive results. In a recent video the legend spoke about receiving stem cell shots and how it’s had a positive impact on his life thus far.
“Every time I get one it gets better and better, so I just gotta keep getting it,” said Coleman. “I’ve got another one in May. Every time I get one, I feel improvements. I’ve had two so far.”
To think after only two shots Ronnie Coleman is being freed of the crippling pain that has tormented him in his post bodybuilding career. The legend had more to say about the effectiveness of the treatment.
“The pain is gone now. I’ve only got a little bit now, not a lot at all. So it’s getting better.”
Ronnie Coleman would go on to speak about the time he was on Joe Rogan’s podcast. He gives the comedian, podcast host, and UFC commentator a ton of credit for helping him through his current predicament.
“That was a lot of fun. He’s a real cool guy,” said Coleman. “I didn’t know what to expect from him, but once I got there and found out how cool he was, I was like ‘Okay this is going to be normal.’
“It ended up be just a normal thing that I had a lot of fun with. I enjoyed that pretty much a whole lot.”
This is just great news not only for Ronnie Coleman, but anyone facing terrible pain and/or injury. Stem Cell therapy is showing dividends and helping people live a fulfilling, pain free life. As Coleman continues to undergo the stem cell treatments we can only hope to see the legendary bodybuilder continue to recover.
What do you think of this great news from Ronnie Coleman?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

IIFYM: Do You Even Flexible Diet?

Do You Even Flexible Diet?
Eating healthy is often equated with eating 3 square meals a day with absolutely no junk food in between. Taking one bite of ice cream means you might as well throw your whole diet away cause I guess you’re a failure. Unfortunately, this notion of strict dieting for that dream body has distracted many people from learning about one of the best eating styles that has helped people lose weight while also indulging in their favorite foods.
Understanding IIFYM (if it fits your macros) and applying it correctly is the key to a balanced lifestyle that will help you achieve that dream body without skipping out on pizza night with friends or enjoying an ice cream with your kid.
What is IIFYM? 

Also called “flexible dieting”, this plan has been hailed as an extremely effective weight loss plan due to the lack of food restrictions and its direct focus on energy balance. In case you didn’t know, energy balance is the balance between calories consumed and calories burned.
IIFYM is an eating style that allows you to eat whatever you want as long as it stays within the total daily calorie count as well as the calorie count for each of the 3 main macronutrients: protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Nailing your calories is most important, but getting close with your macros is relevant depending on how specific your goals are.
Each macronutrient has the following caloric values:

1 gram of protein = 4 calories
1 gram of carbs = 4 calories
1 gram of fat = 9 calories

These macronutrients each have a specific function. Protein builds muscle and preserves it during weight loss, carbs give you energy and help with brain function, while fat regulates hormones and absorbs nutrients. Alcohol is also considered a macronutrient and has 7 calories for each gram, but for simplicity, you can focus on the primary 3 for now.
IIFYM does not split foods into a rigid dichotomy between good or bad, so your cravings don’t have to haunt you. Instead, it places the focus on hitting the target amount of calories for each category.
The ratios of each category and absolute amount are adjusted based on the goal. For someone trying to lose body fat, they would reduce their carb or fat intake to lower their caloric intake.
While Somebody trying to gain weight would increase their macros.
Flexible plans like this one have been shown to be more effective in helping people keep weight off over time compared to those who follow stricter plans. It is the opposite of those diet fads that help people lose weight when they’re on the diet and instantly gain it all back once they’re off of it because this plan is meant to be a long-term understanding of food’s caloric value.
Common Misconceptions
Before diving into the IIFYM lifestyle, it’s important to acknowledge what this plan is and what it isn’t.
Although there is the word “diet” in the name, it is more of a lifestyle that focuses on understanding how to eat in a way that achieves adequate nutritional intake while still enjoying the meals you eat. While you don’t have to track forever, thinking of IIFYM as a lifestyle rather than a strict diet means that there are no strict end dates and no specific food groups that are prohibited. If done correctly and consistently, it can be a lifelong habit that is seamlessly incorporated into your daily life.
IIFYM is also not a plan that says you can gorge on all the ice cream, cookies, and instant noodles your heart desires and expect results. The majority of your food should be whole nutritious foods to maintain health and to stay full.
Flexible dieting offers wiggle room for when you want to have occasional treats, but eating nothing but treats is not only impractical but will leave you feeling like a dumpster fire. While these foods may hit the target caloric intake for each macronutrient category, they are lacking in essential micronutrients. Micronutrients supply your body with the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals needed to function properly, and they also keep you feeling fuller with less calories.
So while dieting on donuts is cute in theory, be sure to eat plenty of fruits, veggies, and lean protein.
How do I start
Now that you know what this plan is all about, we can get started!
Start with your maintenance calories which will likely be your bodyweight x 14-17. If you want to lose weight, you’ll use a smaller multiplier like bodyweight x 10-12.
Prioritize protein because it’s crucial to maintaining and building muscle mass. Protein should be at least set to 0.7 grams per pound of bodyweight or 25% of your total calories. The remaining calories can come from carbs and fat. Choose whichever ratios you feel best on.
As for tracking, you have to track everything that contains calories. This may sound overwhelming if it is unfamiliar territory to you, but the more you track, the less difficult it will be. Getting results with IIFYM is largely dependent on tracking most things accurately so start out.
Implementing new habits into your life is not a simple task. But it will be well worth the effort when you know you can have that late night snack while still maintaining your lean, muscular body.
A food scale will be critical for meats, oats, and foods like that. Next be sure to use apps, like myfitnesspal or MyMacros+. When recording the food, keep in mind that the nutritional information on food labels are for one serving. This means that if an instant noodle package has two servings and you eat the whole bag, you have to multiply the numbers on the label by 2 to track the correct amount of calories and nutrients. The scale will serve as a great guide starting out, and you may find yourself not having to touch the scale at one point because you can track intuitively after only a couple months.
Remember, tracking is not the long term goal of IIFYM. The long term goal is understanding food and learning to be flexible with your behaviors.
By tracking meticulously at first, you will learn exactly what you’re putting in your body, which will lead to more informed decisions the longer you stick to it. For example, you’re eating out at a restaurant and are conflicted between choosing a side of french fries or mozzarella sticks.
Both will satisfy your cravings, but because the fries are lower in calories, you opt for those instead.
Key Takeaways
IIFYM is a highly effective plan that will get you your dream body without sacrificing your social life and your favorite foods. The core concept of this plan is to eat mostly nutrient dense foods like meat, fruits, vegetables, and grains. With most of your diet consisting of well-balanced meals, you can set aside some calories for a boba drink or ice cream. The balanced nature of this plan not only helps with you physically, but it helps mentally by creating a positive relationship with food. There is less stress in trying to control your cravings or restricting yourself completely from a food group.
Getting into the groove of tracking your calories and macros is a small price to pay when you have the freedom to eat all the types of foods you want while shredding fat and gaining muscle.

Eddie Hall Says He’d Fight Jake Paul for the Right Price

Eddie Hall expresses interest in fighting Jake Paul.
It seems that everyone is looking to get into a fist fight these days. Eddie Hall already has a fight on his schedule against rival Hafthor “Thor” Bjornsson, yet his mind has already drifted to the possibilities after their showdown. With Jake Paul being such a loved and hated figure in this flourishing celebrity boxing game, Hall spoke about fighting the young upstart. According to what the 2017 World’s Strongest Man said in a recent video, he’d be more than willing to throw down against Paul.

Eddie Hall is staying true to his nature as a businessman. While battling against Thor would likely net him a major payday, the notion of fighting Jake Paul seems to have peaked Hall’s interest. After all, earning a cool million to fight Paul isn’t something to scoff at. It’s why former UFC fighter Ben Askren took up the challenge in the first place.
But after spending so much time training for his fight with Thor, Eddie Hall seems to be intrigued from a competitive stand point. While others are thinking about the payday, it appears that Hall has taken time to contemplate a battle with Jake Paul.
Eddie Hall vs Jake Paul?
In a recent video, Eddie Hall breaks down the possibility of fighting Jake Paul in the future.
“I would (fight Jake Paul) actually,” said Hall. “He’s actually surprised a lot of people, a lot of people laughed at Jake Paul. But he came out of the woodwork, he’s obviously trained very hard and he’s smashed his first victims in the ring, and he’s lined up a few more.”
The size difference between the two men would likely be a concern, but Hall has an answer for that as well.
“Massive size difference, but there is between me and Thor, and Mike Tyson is living proof that size doesn’t really matter in the ring. It’s about what you do in there, how fast you are, how powerful and agile you are. That’s what matters.”
While his point is noted, the weight difference between Jake Paul and Hall is insane. It’s far greater than between Hall and Thor. That said, if it means more eyes would be on the match, there’s a possibility that Paul would take the bait.

“So if the money is right, I would 100% fight Jake Paul,” Eddie Hall continued. “Why not? Good exposure for me, good exposure for him, and earn a few quid in doing so.
“I would probably want five minimum, 5 million. So yeah, I’d fight Jake Paul for 5 million. So Jake Paul bro, let’s get it on after Thor, eh?”
5 million dollars?! That’s a pretty hefty purse to say the least. That said, if the interest is there then that much money wouldn’t be out of the question.
Do you think a Eddie Hall vs Jake Paul match is possible? Would you want to see it?
For more news and updates, follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Managing Editor at Generation Iron, Jonathan Salmon is a writer, martial arts instructor, and geek culture enthusiast. Check out his YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Sound Cloud for in-depth MMA analysis.

Best Fat Burners 2021: Top Rated Fat Burners For Rapid Fat Loss 

A good fat burner can be a game changer for your fitness goals.
Fat burners are among the most popular fitness supplements in the world. While fat burners began as specialist bodybuilding supplements, today they are used by a huge variety of people, from bodybuilders and powerlifters to MMA fighters and endurance athletes.
A growing number of fat burners are now also being made for your average person who struggles to lose body fat, especially stubborn fat like belly fat. Gone are the days when fat burning supplements were highly specialized products designed for experienced, high performance athletes!

Of course, this has led to an explosion in the number of fat burners on the market. Right now there are hundreds, potentially thousands of fat burning supplements on sale. All of them claim to help you lose weight fast, boost your metabolism, help get rid of stubborn stored fat, and retain muscle mass.
Obviously, just about every fat burner on the market today claims to be the best fat burner in the world. They all claim to offer superior ingredients, the best value for money, and no side effects at all.
Just as obviously, not every fat burner can really be the best. In reality, the majority of fat burners on sale today are of extremely low quality; they are full of untested, useless ingredients, they’re overpriced, and some are downright dangerous.
So how do you choose a fat burner?
In this article, we’re going to take you through the most effective fat burning supplements in the world today. We will explain what fat burners are, how they work, the side effect risks, and more. We will also give you our recommendation for the best fat burner to use for maximum fat loss and muscle retention.
What is the best fat burner today?
#1 Top Rated Fat Burner: Burn Lab Pro
The best fat burning supplement on sale right now is, hands down, Burn Lab Pro. This is a brand new supplement, but Burn Lab Pro is already listed as one of the best fat burners on many bodybuilding websites, and reviews from users are extremely positive.

Try Burn Lab Pro Here
The reason Burn Lab Pro is such a good fat burner is simple; the ingredients. No other fat burner or weight loss pill in the world right now comes close to offering the same kind of ingredient quality as Burn Lab Pro. Just check out the ingredients list:

Try Burn Lab Pro Here
Each serving of Burn Lab Pro delivers a high-spec, perfectly calibrated blend of proven, effective fat burning ingredients. Each ingredient is in its most potent, branded form, and the doses are right in line with those used in clinical trials. The formula is as pure and as powerful as you can get with a 100% natural, plant-based supplement.
Another thing that impressed us about Burn Lab Pro is that it is a full-spectrum fat burning supplement. The benefits you are likely to get from using Burn Lab Pro include:

Reduced appetite and food cravings
Increased fat oxidation
Accelerated metabolism
Better blood sugar stability
Enhanced muscle retention while dieting and training

This last point – muscle retention – is very important. Many low quality diet pills out there can help you lose weight. Lots of them can even specifically promote fat loss. But most of them do so by stuffing you full of stimulants, artificially suppressing your appetite and triggering muscle catabolism.
Burn Lab Pro utilizes highly-bioavailable HMB to prevent your body breaking down muscle mass when in a fasted state. This means you will retain the maximum amount of muscle mass while shedding body fat – the dream scenario for any athlete!
This fat burner is the cleanest we’ve ever seen. Vegan-friendly. Gluten, GMO and stimulant-free. Banned substance tested. None irradiated. No synthetic additives at all. You really can’t ask for much more from a fat burner. That is why Burn Lab Pro is our top fat burner for 2021, and our number 1 recommended weight loss supplement overall.
Check Out Burn Lab Pro Here

How do fat burners work?
There are lots of different ways that fat burners work. Most fat burners by speeding up metabolism, suppressing appetite, and increasing fat oxidation. A top fat burner will combine multiple ingredients to hit all of these ways of burning fat and more.
Let’s look at the main ways in which high quality fat burners work.
Fat oxidation
Some fat burners work by increasing the rate at which your body burns fat for fuel. There are a number of natural substances that can increase fat oxidation, and they all work in slightly different ways. For example, Forskolin (an extract from Coleus Forskholii) has been found to stimulate the production of lipase, which is the enzyme responsible for breaking down stored fat into fatty acids and making it available for use as fuel.
Numerous clinical trials have shown that Forskolin supplementation boosts fat loss and maximizes muscle retention relative to dieting alone; in one study, people using a high quality Forskolin extract lost an extra 2kg and kept an extra 2% muscle mass than people on placebo. This is an excellent natural fat burner.
Thermogenesis
Thermogenic fat burners are among the most popular weight loss supplements on the market. All of the top fat burners contain some kind of thermogenic agent. There is a simple reason for this – thermogenesis works!
Thermogenesis refers to the process of increasing caloric expenditure by raising your body temperature. In simple terms, you raise your body temperature, which makes your body work harder to stay cool. This means you burn more calories, which therefore puts you into a deeper caloric deficit. So enter a deeper caloric deficit without having to cut out yet more food.
The classic thermogenic fat burner is chili extract. As those of you who like spicy food will know, a substance like cayenne chili extract raises your body temperature very quickly, causing sweating, blood vessel dilation, and an elevated heart rate. All of this means you burn more calories – A LOT more.
Appetite suppression
All of the most effective fat burners on sale today contain some kind of appetite suppressing component. This is important as most people struggle far more with diet control and hunger during a cut than anything else. It isn’t unusual for someone to dial in their training and their diet for 8 straight weeks and then undo all their hard work with 3 days of binging.
Low quality fat burners rely on stimulants to suppress your appetite. This is not ideal from a health point of view. The best fat burner will use a natural appetite suppressant such as glucomannan; a substance which makes you feel full after smaller meals by bulking out your stomach with harmless fiber.
Muscle retention
This is typically the thing that separates your average fat burner from the best. Typically, only top quality fat burners – those designed for bodybuilders, boxers and other athletes – include ingredients which help protect and preserve muscle mass during a cut. These ingredients effectively let you drop body weight while keeping your lean muscle mass almost the same (there is always some loss while cutting). This is the holy grail of cutting; something many people actually thought impossible until recently.
A good example of a muscle-retaining substance is HMB, or ß-Hydroxyl ß-Methylbutyrate. This compound is naturally occurring in humans. Studies have shown that supplementing with HMB reduces muscle mass loss in athletes undergoing intensive conditioning and weight loss programs. Only the best fat burners will contain substances like HMB to help stop muscle catabolism during a weight loss program.
Energy levels
Finally, we come to energy levels. Generally speaking, we don’t recommend using a fat burner which is over reliant on stimulants. Cheap, low quality fat burners are normally stuffed full of stimulants like caffeine. These cause serious side effects and are not sustainable long-term.
A good natural fat burner will support energy levels in a deeper, more effective way. They will increase energy expenditure and metabolic efficiency at the level of your cells, not by pumping you full of stimulants.
The highest quality fat burning supplements on the market right now normally contain substances which help you better regulate your blood glucose levels, promote more efficient nutrient digestion and metabolism, and support healthy cell mitochondria. This is ultimately a more effective approach than taking cheap caffeine pills – you can get plenty of caffeine from coffee, and many of you will want to stack a fat burner with pre-workouts anyway!

Most effective fat burning ingredients
Let’s start looking into how fat burners work in a little more detail. We’ve already explained the main ways in which fat burners work; their main mechanisms of action. Now we’ll go through how fat burners do these things.
In other words, we’re going to go through the main ingredients fat burners use to deliver results.
Forskolin
Forskolin is probably the single most scientifically proven natural ingredient used in fat burners today. Forskolin is an extract taken from Coleus Forskohlii. Studies show that the consumption of forskolin promotes the synthesis of lipase; the enzyme responsible for breaking down stored fat and freeing it up for use as fuel[1].
Caffeine
We all know that caffeine is a potent stimulant. What many people don’t realize is that caffeine is also an extremely powerful fat burner in and of itself. Caffeine helps you lose fat in a number of different ways. It increases energy levels and motivation, meaning you can train harder and longer despite running low on calories. It also decreases appetite, preventing food cravings and binge eating. Finally, there is good evidence that caffeine increases your resting metabolic rate.
There is also some evidence that caffeine directly stimulates the release of fat from fat storage cells. It is thought that it does this by triggering the release of norepinephrine[2]. However, the evidence for this is relatively thin. Caffeine’s main benefits for fat loss come from its ability to fight fatigue, boost motivation, increase resting metabolic rate[3], and crush appetite.
Cayenne Chili Extract
Cayenne chili extract is the go-to ingredient for natural thermogenic fat burners. This is the standard thermogenic ingredient; it is used in cheap and high-spec fat burners alike because it is safe, effective, and backed by hard science.
Cayenne chili extract increases your internal body temperature as your body interprets capsaicin (the oil in chili that makes it spicy) as a burning sensation. This causes a heat response: your blood vessels dilate, your heart rate elevates, and you start sweating as your body fights to keep cool. This heat response costs a lot of calories. So by consuming cayenne chili and triggering this heat response, you put yourself into a greater caloric deficit without having to cut more calories.
Glucomannan
Glucomannan is probably the fastest-growing natural fat burner in terms of popularity in the world right now. Not only is glucomannan being added to more and more fat burners coming onto the market, but it is increasingly being used in specialist diet foods and other weight loss supplements.
Glucomannan is a root vegetable packed full of water soluble fiber (which we can’t digest, making it essentially calorie-free). When consumed in powder form, it quickly forms a thick, dense paste in the stomach. This paste expands, making you feel comfortably full. Consuming glucomannan before or with food will therefore make you feel fuller despite eating less food. Even better, glucomannan keeps you feeling full for a good few hours, meaning you won’t be struck with the same food cravings or desires to binge eat!
Green Coffee Bean Extract
Green coffee beans (i.e. raw, unroasted coffee bean) contain a substance called chlorogenic acid. You will often see Green coffee bean extract listed as an ingredient on modern fat burners – the usual target compound here is chlorogenic acid.
Studies show that chlorogenic acid potentiates insulin in the human body [4]. In simple terms, it seems that chlorogenic acid makes insulin better at doing its job; shuttling nutrients and glucose to your cells and keeping your blood sugar levels fairly constant. Potentiating insulin is a fantastic way to optimize a cut for both performance and muscle mass retention, as well as eliminating energy crashes, blood sugar lows, and food cravings.
HMB
Of all the ingredients on this list, HMB is arguably the most effective substance in existence for protecting muscle mass and preventing muscle tissue catabolism.
Several clinical trials have shown that consuming HMB leads to reduced muscle mass loss (compared to placebo) in people subjected to intensive training or calorie-restricted diets. In fact, there is evidence that HMB may be able to deliver the impossible: reduced fat mass with simultaneous increases in lean muscle mass. In one 12-week study, researchers found that subjects given HMB ended up with more muscle mass than they started with, as well as considerably reduced body fat[5].
Chromium
Chromium is a trace mineral found in small quantities in vegetables such as broccoli and green beans. Chromium is important for numerous bodily functions, not last for the proper functioning of insulin. Put in basic terms, chromium makes insulin better at doing its job. So in practice, chromium helps to stabilize energy levels, optimizes nutrient absorption an utilization, and enhances muscle growth during recovery (as it is largely insulin which triggers tissue growth). Clinical trials show beyond doubt that chromium helps improve insulin resistance[6].
EGCG
EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is a catechin found in large quantities in green tea (it is often the main component of green tea extract). This catechin has several properties beneficial to human health and performance. Of interest here is its apparent ability to stimulate fat loss.
Studies suggest that supplementing with large quantities of EGCG increases fat loss relative to placebo[7]. What is interesting is that, in many of these studies, participants have been relatively sedentary. It seems then that EGCG can promote fat loss independently of exercise; that is, it seems to directly promote fat loss. Be sure to only use a green tea extract that states the quantity of EGCG per serving. You don’t want to waste your money on pure green tea powder, or a green tea extract that is 1% EGCG.

Are fat burner supplements safe?
One of the most important things to consider before you use a fat burning supplement is safety.
Are fat burners safe to use?
The answer is “it depends”; different fat burners have vastly different safety profiles and side effect risks.
Many low quality fat burners are stuffed full of stimulants such as Synephrine, Dynamine and Caffeine. Large doses of caffeine can cause serious side effects, and even small doses of the synthetic stimulants like synephrine can pose significant health risks.
Common side effects people get from stimulant-laden fat burners include:

Jitters
Anxiety
Tremors
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Sweating
Hypertension
Elevated heart rate

These side effects are much more common, and much more severe, in fat burners which contain multiple different stimulants. This is because the likes of caffeine, theobromine, methylliberine, and synephrine all interact with on another, making each other more potent.
Other ingredients used in fat burners today are also likely to cause serious side effects.
One ingredient to look out for is Yohimbine. This natural extract from tree bark acts as a powerful fat burner in humans. Yohimbine blocks a receptor that increases sympathetic nervous system output, so you get more norepinephrine and, as a result, increased metabolism.
But as a powerful CNS stimulant and booster of norepinephrine, Yohimbine also comes with serious side effects. Some common side effects of Yohimbine use include sweating, dizziness, nausea, stomach cramps, tremors, insomnia, fainting, heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and chest pains.
In fact, Yohimbine is such a potent and potentially dangerous stimulant that it is a banned substance in the UK, Canada and Australia.
If you experience any side effects whatsoever while using any fat burners, stop using the supplement in question and seek medical attention right away.
It is important that you do your own research before using any fat burner. If you have any concerns about a particular ingredient or substance, then you need to talk to your doctor first! This is particularly important if you have pre-existing conditions. In general, we advise staying away from large doses of stimulants, synthetic ingredients, and unproven substances (especially when banned in some countries).

When to take fat burners for best weight loss results
When is the best time to take a fat burner?
Should you take fat burners before a workout? Or are they more effective when taken first thing in the morning/last thing at night?
These are very good questions worth answering in some detail.
When using a top fat burning supplement, it should not matter when you take it; be it first thing in the morning, pre-workout, or post-workout. As the best weight loss supplements are designed to promote fat loss and boost energy levels round-the-clock, when you take it matters less than taking it consistently.
If you’re using a fat burner containing caffeine, then it is best to take it 30-45 minutes before your workout. That way you’ll enjoy reduced fatigue and increased motivation (and potentially greater fat loss) in the gym.

How to diet to burn fat faster
Using supplements is just a small part of your weight loss journey. The pros will all tell you the same thing – diet is the key to getting shredded. This has been said by every great bodybuilder in history.
Not training. Not supplements. Not drugs.
Diet.
Your nutrition needs to be properly planned if you’re going to see the kind of weight loss results you really want. That means being intelligent and disciplined with what, and when, you eat. Nobody ever got truly lean and shredded eating pounds of sugar, processed junk food and heaps of fat.
As well as the quality of your nutrition, proper weight management relies on maintaining a calorie deficit. If you struggle with weight management, then what you really struggle with is probably maintaining a calorie deficit.
Fat metabolism doesn’t happen if you are eating more calories than you’re spending – that is a law of physics.
What does this mean in practice?
It means eating a diet relatively high in protein, low in saturated fat, and low in simple, fast-acting carbohydrates, all while maintaining a sensible caloric deficit (200 calories per day is ideal for minimizing muscle mass loss).
It also means eating more fiber. Fiber, especially water soluble fiber, helps keep you full and satisfied while dieting. Many people find fiber to be instrumental in getting the best results while dieting.

Training for fat loss
Diet is far and away the most important variable when getting diced.
But after nutrition comes your training. Just as nobody ever got shredded while eating a poor diet, nobody ever got ripped, lean and muscular without exercise.
How should you exercise to burn fat?
Simply put, the type of exercise you do shouldn’t change too much between bulking and cutting. Most bodybuilding routines are ideal for both fat loss and muscle gain; what separates a bulk from a cut is mainly just the quantity of food.
However, during a cut you are almost certainly going to have to train with lighter weight. When you lose weight, your strength will quickly decline, so attempting the same set of 3 on the bench press that you did when you were 20lbs heavier might end up giving you an injury.
For optimal weight loss results and to burn fat as fast as possible, we recommend introducing some high intensity cardio into your training.
High intensity interval training will burn fat much faster than steady state cardio. It will also increase your resting metabolic rate for hours after training, meaning even more weight loss.
Make your workouts as intense and as fast-paced as possible while cutting. You could do this by finishing with hill sprints, or by making your bodybuilding routine more explosive and higher volume. It doesn’t matter how you do it, all that matters is that your workouts elevate your heart rate and subject you to intense anaerobic and aerobic work.
It’s also important to keep your overall health in mind when cutting. In a deep caloric deficit, and when training intensively, your health can suffer as your immune system becomes suppressed and your strength declines.

Conclusion: Which fat burner is best right now?
The best fat burning supplement on sale right now is Burn Lab Pro. There is simply no weight loss supplement out there that even comes close to offering the same quality of ingredients, value for money, or end results as this product.
Using 100% natural ingredients, Burn Lab Pro directly boosts fat metabolism, increases energy levels, deepens a caloric deficit and stabilizes appetite while protecting muscle mass.
No side effects. No stimulants. No banned substances – 100% plant based ingredients proven to burn excess fat and preserve muscle mass.

You can learn more about our top rated fat burner from the merchant site: BurnLabPro.com.

FAQs
Do fat burners break a fast?
No, generally speaking fat burners do not break a fast. High quality fat burners are typically zero-calorie. Even fat burners which use things like glucomannan do not break a fast, as the body doesn’t digest those kinds of water soluble fibers.
Do fat burners cause diarrhea?
Some fat burners may cause diarrhea. In particular, fat burners which contain very high doses of caffeine and other stimulants are likely to cause bouts of diarrhea. That is why we recommend using stimulant-free weight loss supplements.
Do fat burners eat muscle?
Fat burners do not eat muscle, but a poorly planned cut can destroy muscle mass. During any cut, your body will eventually hit a plateau and fat loss will slow. If you’re dropping weight too quickly, on a fat burner or not, you could be losing lean muscle mass.
Do fat burners affect fertility?
Most good quality fat burners should not have any effect on fertility whatsoever. Natural fat burners are generally safe and side effect free. They do not work by changing your hormones, so they should not make you less (or more) fertile.
What is the best fat burner for belly fat?
The best fat burner for burning belly fat is the fat burner which most effectively burns fat, period. No fat burner is particularly good at burning belly fat. When you lose fat, your body takes from stores all over your body. You cannot target fat loss in one area. Some places, like the belly, are the body’s preferred fat storage sites, so these are the last fat stores to be exhausted.
What does a thermogenic fat burner do?
Thermogenic fat burners work by increasing the number of calories you burn while at rest. Thermogenics do this by triggering the body’s cooling systems; sweating, blood vessel dilation, etc. This costs calories, increasing your relative caloric deficit and speeding up fat loss.
How long do fat burners take to start working?
Fat burners start working right away, from as little as one hour after you take the first dose. However, you will not see results from even the best fat burners right away, as it takes time for the body to burn a significant amount of stored fat.
What fat burner is best for vegans?
The best fat burner for vegans on the market right now is Burn Lab Pro. It is 100% plant based and uses ingredients that are as close to nature as possible while still packing a serious fat burning punch. It is also GMO-free, soy-free and synthetic additive-free.
What fat burner is best for women?
Men and women do not need to use different fat burners; the best supplement for men is also going to be the best supplement for women in every case apart from bodybuilding supplements designed to boost testosterone. Women should just use the most effective natural fat burner on the market, using the best ingredients and offering the best value for money.
References

Litosch I, Hudson TH, Mills I, Li SY, Fain JN. Forskolin as an activator of cyclic AMP accumulation and lipolysis in rat adipocytes. Mol Pharmacol. 1982 Jul;22(1):109-15. PMID: 6289066.
Kim, TW., Shin, YO., Lee, JB. et al. Effect of caffeine on the metabolic responses of lipolysis and activated sweat gland density in human during physical activity. Food Sci Biotechnol19, 1077–1081 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-010-0151-6
Dulloo AG, Geissler CA, Horton T, Collins A, Miller DS. Normal caffeine consumption: influence on thermogenesis and daily energy expenditure in lean and postobese human volunteers. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Jan;49(1):44-50. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/49.1.44. PMID: 2912010.
Meng S, Cao J, Feng Q, Peng J, Hu Y. Roles of chlorogenic Acid on regulating glucose and lipids metabolism: a review. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:801457. doi:10.1155/2013/801457
Durkalec-Michalski K, Jeszka J, Podgórski T. The Effect of a 12-Week Beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation on Highly-Trained Combat Sports Athletes: A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Crossover Study. Nutrients. 2017;9(7):753. Published 2017 Jul 14. doi:10.3390/nu9070753
A scientific review: the role of chromium in insulin resistance. Diabetes Educ. 2004;Suppl:2-14. PMID: 15208835.
Hodgson AB, Randell RK, Jeukendrup AE. The effect of green tea extract on fat oxidation at rest and during exercise: evidence of efficacy and proposed mechanisms. Adv Nutr. 2013;4(2):129-140. Published 2013 Mar 1. doi:10.3945/an.112.003269

Jamie LeRoyce McTizic On Why Bodybuilders Should Smoke Weed

Jamie LeRoyce discusses being an advocate for marijuana in the world of bodybuilding.
If you’ve taken one look at Jamie LeRoyce McTizic’s social media pages, you’ve quickly realized that he is a huge advocate for marijuana. As the United States continues to become more lenient on the once taboo drug, conversations about weed’s usefulness in different arenas have grown. This also holds true for bodybuilding and marijuana. In our latest GI Exclusive interview, Jamie LeRoyce McTizic discusses the pros of smoking weed as a bodybuilder.
Even though many states have started to fully legalize marijuana, it is still a federally illegal drug. While many communities and businesses have become more lenient on their stance of the drug, there are still others that see it in a negative light. That’s why during our conversation with Jamie LeRoyce McTizic, we asked him about the logistics of being a pro bodybuilder who openly advocates for marijuana.

For Jamie, the positives far outweigh the negatives when it comes to consuming cannabis. It’s been a vital part of his life and his mental health. Which is why he promotes it and openly discusses it not only on his social media accounts – but also during interviews like this one. In this interview segment Jamie discusses the pros that marijuana brings to bodybuilding. But he also opens up about how smoking weed affects his life professionally as a bodybuilder.
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Check out our latest GI Exclusive segment with Jamie LeRoyce McTizic above!
Does advocating for marijuana ruin sponsorship opportunities?
We asked Jamie LeRoyce McTizic, is it harder to get sponsorships in bodybuilding while being so open about his marijuana use? Sponsorships can be a financial lifeline for professional bodybuilders. Prize money alone can’t pay the bills unless you’re one of the top 5 in the entire league. So does Jamie’s weed use lose him revenue opportunities?
It seems quite the opposite. Jamie admits that he might not get the traditional sponsorships that you see pro bodybuilders promote. What he does get are a slew of marijuana sponsorship deals. He’s promoted strains of weed, bongs and other smoking devices, and has a fitness apparel sponsorship.
Ultimately, his openness about marijuana has helped him get a different path for sponsorships. Allowing him to carve his own path financially as he continues to journey through his pro bodybuilding career.

The pros of marijuana in bodybuilding
We also asked Jamie LeRoyce McTizic, what are the pros of using marijuana as a bodybuilder? Jamie claims that “it makes the entire experience of bodybuilding enjoyable.” What he means by that is – the pain and the pressure of bodybuilding are alleviated by smoking weed.
Even bodybuilders who love to train understand that the pain that comes with it can be a mental block from getting to the next level. Marijuana, particularly the CBD found within it, have anti-inflammatory chemicals that help reduce pain.
For Jamie, that means he hits his max reps more often and is able to get past his own mental blocks that would otherwise lead to a less effective workout.

He also talks about how marijuana gives him the “muchies.” Some bodybuilders have claimed this is a bad thing as it can cause snacking on dirty foods. But Jamie LeRoyce McTizic sees this as a positive. Bodybuilding often requires overeating. Weed helps him build up more of an appitite. He doesn’t succumb to dirty foods and instead still eats clean. This allows him to help bulk more effeciently.
Lastly, it also helps him sleep. Jamie points out the the three most important factors in bodybuilding are to train, eat, and sleep. Weed helps him accomplish all three of those things more effectively. With a good night’s rest, his body can recover and build back stronger.
You can watch Jamie LeRoyce McTizic talk in full detail about weed and bodybuilding in our latest GI Exclusive interview segment above!

Supreme Hamstring Resistance Training

The Impact of Strength Training On Hamstring Health
Over the years, numerous scientific studies and journals have advocated the use of resistance training due to vast number of benefits associated with it. Regular training has been found to improve muscular strength, bone health, mobility and proprioceptive abilities. The impact of strength training is so profound that many health authorities now recommend performing resistance-based training multiple times per week.
While building strength across all muscle groups is important, it is often necessary to place a greater emphasis on training the muscles found at the rear of the body as they are often neglected and underutilized. In this article, we will review a key posterior muscle group – the hamstrings – and uncover a number of premium strength exercises that we can perform to build bulletproof hamstrings!
The Crucial Role Of The Hamstrings

The hamstring muscle group is located on the back side of the thigh and consist of three individual muscles – the semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris. These muscles originate from the pelvis, insert on the bones of the lower leg and cross over the knee and hip joint  All three muscles work together to generate movement around the hips and knees – namely, hip extension, knee flexion, and pelvic posterior tilt.
In addition to movement generation, the hamstrings also play a vital role in stabilization of the knee joint. Having weak hamstrings can increase the risk of experiencing a catastrophic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which is an injury prevalent across a number of sports.
In order to develop size, strength, and to reduce injury risk, a greater emphasis should be placed on the hamstrings and posterior muscles in general. More often than not, posterior muscles are neglected and anterior dominant exercises (such as squats and bench press) take precedent. Over-development of anterior muscles and simultaneous under-development of posterior muscles can create a muscular imbalance which can lead to injury. (1)

The Top Resistance Exercises For Hamstring Development
In order to efficiently develop the hamstring, it is important to assess which exercises place the greatest demand on the muscle group. The following exercises are all superb activators of the hamstrings and any quality strength program will more than likely incorporate a number of the following exercises.
The majority of the exercises that we are going to cover would fall into the intermediate to advanced level category. Therefore, if you are relatively new to resistance training, I would advise against immediately adopting these exercises.
In a similar vein, if you are an intermediate or advanced lifter yet a number of these exercises are new to you, avoid the temptation to load up the barbell and lift extremely heavy. Instead, I would recommend starting light, focussing on developing your technique first and gradually adding load as the weeks and months progress. By taking this sensible approach you will reduce the risk of injury and promote your own exercise safety.
Okay, so, let’s now have a look at the top resistance exercises for hamstring development…

The Clean Deadlift
Without a shadow of a doubt, the deadlift is the king of all posterior-chain development. Ripping a heavy barbell off the floor places a great demand on all the muscles of the rear of the body – from the bottom of the legs right up to the upper back.
To complete a deadlift and successfully bring the bar from the floor and up to the hips, there must be a very powerful contraction from the glutes and hamstrings to extend through the knees and hips. Additionally, during the lowering of the bar to the floor, more stress is placed on the hamstrings as they must eccentrically contract to stabilize and control the load as it descends.
One variation that we can use to increase the tension placed on the hamstrings is the clean deadlift. This variation is very similar to the conventional deadlift with just one small alteration. In the set up for the conventional deadlift, it is essential that the hips are high, however, for the clean deadlift the hips should be dropped slightly lower. Instead of focusing on extending at the hips and the knees, the focus during the initial drive should solely be on extending the knees. To initiate movement from the floor and extend at the knees, the hamstrings must fully contract. Only once the knees have been extended, should extension through the hips then occur.
The clean deadlift is one very simple and effective variation of the conventional deadlift that we can use to shift the focus onto the hamstrings. However, there are a number of other hamstring-dominant deadlift variations that we can take advantage of…

Romanian Deadlift
There are is an abundance of scientific studies which advocates the use of the Romanian Deadlift (RDL) for hamstring development – specifically in light of injury prevention. In terms of activation, there are few exercises that work the hamstring as much as the RDL (2).
The mechanics and movement pattern for the RDL is very similar to the conventional deadlift in terms of upper body and hips movement. The difference is that, for the RDL, the legs must remain straight throughout the movement with only a very slight bend held in the knees.
To perform the RDL, stand up tall with the barbell so that the bar is at the hips. From there, focus on pushing the hips backward and minimizing knee bend. As the bar drops towards the floor, brace the core and engage the lats to keep the bar close to the body. You should feel a deep stretch in the hamstrings as the bar drops down. Once you feel this maximal stretch, you must then drive the hips back through to the standing position, squeezing the glutes together at the top of the movement.
While the RDL is certainly an effectual hamstring exercise, you must be aware not to drop the bar too far. At a certain point, your hamstrings will reach their maximal stretch potential and they can lengthen no further. At that point, if you continue to lower the bar, the lumbar spine will compensate and begin to round which greatly increases the risk of spinal disc herniation (often referred to as a slipped disc) (3).
Deficit Deadlift
While this variation of the deadlift can be an effective way of increasing the intensity, difficulty, and load placed on the hamstrings, you must be certain that you actually have the mobility and movement required to safely perform this exercise. The variation involves placing weight plates or a bench under your feet in order to increase the distance that the barbell needs to travel to the floor. Because your feet are raised off the floor, you have to reach down further to grasp the barbell which immediately places a greater demand on the posterior chain. This variation is typically completed using the conventional style deadlift, however, if you have excellent mobility you may find that you can also perform an RDL deficit deadlift which will load the hamstrings to an even greater extent.
While this is a superb hamstring strengthening exercise, be aware that the risk of sustaining a spinal or lower back injury is increased with the deficit variation in comparison to a conventional deadlift. This is due to the increased range of motion which has the potential to “pull” the individual out of position and cause rounding of the lower back. This is why it is imperative to assess whether or not you have the ability to maintain a neutral back for the duration of the exercise. The first and last phase of this exercise, where the bar is nearest to the floor, is where you are most likely to see a rounding of the lower back.

Glute Ham Raises
As the name suggests, this exercise targets the glutes and hamstrings predominantly. An electromyography (EMG) analysis of the hamstrings during a Glute Ham Raise indicated a significant degree of activation. While the previous exercises that we’ve covered thus far predominantly focus on hip extension, the GHR solely concentrates on knee flexion.
The GHR is typically performed on a Glute Ham Developer (or GHD) – a piece of equipment found in many gyms that will allow the user to anchor their heels and “tip forward”. The exercise can also be performed on the floor providing you have a partner available to hold your feet down to allow you to hinge forward and backward.
To execute the GHR, start with the feet anchored, knees in contact with the floor and the body in an upright position. It’s important to squeeze the muscles in your core hard before you begin to fall forward. Keeping the hips, knees, and shoulders in line, descend forward until you are approximately parallel with the floor. From the bottom position, drive hard through the hamstrings and glutes to return to the upright, starting position – once again, remembering to keep the spine neutral and avoid any hinging from the hips (4).
The Power Snatch
The power snatch is simply one of the best exercises that can be performed to train and enhance one’s full body power output and explosiveness (5). The exercise involves bringing the bar up to the hips before powerfully extending through the hips, knees, and ankles while simultaneously pulling the bar upward and catching it in an overhead squat position. While learning the technique for the snatch may take time and effort, it is certainly worth doing so.
If you were to break down the movements of the snatch into phases, you would find that phase 1 and 2 accurately replicate the movement patterns of the deficit deadlift and the RDL – which we already know are terrific hamstring developers. In addition to this, the hamstrings play a vital role in triple extension (extension of the hips, knees, and ankles) which is required to drive the bar overhead. Prior to triple extension occurring, the hamstrings will be in a lengthened state; from there they must rapidly contract to drive the hips through powerfully. The more rapid and powerful this contraction is, the faster the bar will accelerate which will lead to a more efficient snatch.
The Hang Snatch
To isolate the hamstrings to an even greater extent, consider the hang snatch. The difference between two exercises is that the for the hang snatch you start with the bar at the hips rather than from the floor. Start by standing upright with the bar at the hips and initiate the movement by pushing your hips back while keeping the legs straight. You should feel a substantial stretch on the hamstrings – similar to the stretch felt during a RDL. Moreover, remember to maintain tightness in the core tight which will keep your spine in a neutral position. Once you have pushed back a significant distance, you then complete the snatch through a powerful triple extension, high pull, and overhead catch.
The Power Clean
The clean is a second Olympic lift that we can utilize to develop full body explosiveness and specifically build hamstring power and strength. As with the snatch, the rate at which the bar accelerates is determined by the amount of power generated through the hips – a movement initiated primarily by the glutes and hamstrings.
The movement patterns of the power clean and snatch are actually very similar as both involve a rapid triple extension in order to drive the bar up. The difference between the two exercises comes down to the catch. In the power snatch, the bar is caught in the overhead squat position, whereas in the power clean, the bar is caught in the front rack position which is simply when the bar sits on the front of the shoulders.
In the same way that the snatch is a very technical lift, there are many moving parts to a power clean. You may find that you need to keep the weight light for a period of time to facilitate the learning process. Once your technique feels solid, you gradually add load to the bar. If you are finding the technique of clean to extremely challenging or find that you don’t have the mobility required to get into the correct position, consider cleaning from the blocks. This simply involves elevating the bar of the floor by placing it on two lifting blocks. By doing this, you immediately reduce the mobility demands making it easier to get into the right position thus facilitating form and reducing the risk of injury.
The hang snatch was highlighted as an effective way to specifically isolate the hamstring. In exactly the same way, it is also possible to isolate the hamstring in the clean by adopting the hang position. As with the snatch, stand upright with the bar and focus on driving the hips back to drop the bar down towards the knees. From there, accelerate quickly through the hips and pull the bar high. Ensure to keep the elbows high as you then catch the bar on the shoulders.
Kettlebell Swings
Scientific studies have indicated that kettlebell swings are one of the best dynamic strengthening exercises that can be performed for the lower extremities (6). Unfortunately, however, this exercise is often performed incorrectly. Many individuals misinterpret the swing as a squat or a even shoulder exercise. In actuality, it is neither of these things. The kettlebell swing is an exercise which engages a vast number of posterior-chain muscles and is all about the drive of the hips. The constant swinging will place a high demand on the hamstrings as they are forced to lengthen and shorten rapidly in a continuous cycle to maintain swinging.
Although the kettlebell will rise up toward the shoulders, the shoulders should not engage or drive the kettlebell up to the end position. Instead, they should stay relaxed as it is the power from the hips that will drive the kettlebell – not the shoulders. Secondly, it is important to remember that the swing is not a squat and therefore we should not be dropping the hips back and down or excessively bend the knees. Instead, the focus must be on maintaining high hips throughout and continuously pushing the hips back in order to swing the kettlebell forward.
With all exercises that involve the hip hinging movement, it is important to maintain tightness in the core. Think about squeezing all your muscles in the trunk to retain a neutral spine alignment through the duration of the exercise. Additionally, at the top of each swing, concentrate on squeezing the glutes together to ensure you have driven the hips through to full extension.
Hamstring Curl
Seen as a staple bodybuilding exercise, the hamstring curl is a powerful isolation exercise. An isolation is simply an exercise which requires effort from a single muscle group across a single joint. In the case of the hamstring curl, the knee joint aligns with the pivot point of the machine and in order to drive the pad to the glutes, the hamstrings must maximally contract (7).
There are two main hamstring curl machines – the seated and lying curl machine. Both movements are practically identical yet place a slightly different stimulus on the hamstrings as a result of different hip angles. With the seated curl, the hips are flexed at an approximate 90° angle while the lying curl does not flex the hips at all. More often than not, personal preference will dictate which machine you use.
Final Word
Ultimately, if developing strength, figure or performance is high on your priority list, it would be wise to incorporate a number of the aforementioned exercises into your training.
In terms of training frequency, it is important that we are training this muscle group multiple times per week in order to allow for optimal adaptations. Training the hamstrings once per week will not provide a strong enough stimulus that will force the hamstrings to adapt. Instead, look to train the hamstrings 2-3 times per week, at a minimum.
Providing we put the correct training principles in place and make informed exercises choices, we can reasonably expect to see significant improvements in hamstring strength, appearance, and overall health.
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References:

Croisier, Jean-Louis; Ganteaume, Sebastien; Binet, Johnny; Genty, Marc; Ferret, Jean-Marcel (2008-08-01). “Strength Imbalances and Prevention of Hamstring Injury in Professional Soccer Players: A Prospective Study”. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 36 (8): 1469–1475. doi:10.1177/0363546508316764. ISSN 0363-5465.
McAllister, Matt J.; Hammond, Kelley G.; Schilling, Brian K.; Ferreria, Lucas C.; Reed, Jacob P.; Weiss, Lawrence W. (2014-6). “Muscle activation during various hamstring exercises”. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 28 (6): 1573–1580. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000000302. ISSN 1533-4287. PMID 24149748.
CrossFit Journal Article Reprint First Published in Crossfit Journal Issue 63- November 2017
Madden, Jeff; Roll, Fred; Kennedy, Dave (1990-4). “TEACHING TECHNIQUES #8: The glute-ham raise”. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 12 (2): 34. ISSN 1524-1602
DeWeese, Brad H.; Serrano, Ambrose J.; Scruggs, Steven K.; Sams, Matt L. (2012-12). “The Clean Pull and Snatch Pull: Proper Technique for Weightlifting Movement Derivatives”. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 34 (6): 82. doi:10.1519/SSC.0b013e31826f1023. ISSN 1524-1602.
Lake, Jason P.; Lauder, Mike A. (2012-8). “Kettlebell Swing Training Improves Maximal and Explosive Strength”. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research. 26 (8): 2228. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e31825c2c9b. ISSN 1064-8011.
Gym Smarts: Hamstring Curls

*Header image courtesy of Envato Elements

Aerobic Vs. Anaerobic: Which Is Better For Weight Loss And Performance?

You hear these two words all the time, but what do they actually mean?
When it comes to health and fitness, many of the terms involved can sail right over our heads. We’ve all heard terms like “aerobic capacity” and “anaerobic threshold” but knowing what they mean is what matters. As important forms of training that can work to your benefit in different ways, we should know what they are and how they work so we can maximize performance inside and out of the gym.
Aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise are forms of cardiovascular conditioning, or cardio, and the terms refer to the presence, or absence, of oxygen (1). Your fitness goals will come in handy when choosing between one or the other, or a mix of both. Aerobic exercise relies on increased breathing and heart rate for a longer, more sustained amount of time, like cycling or running. Anaerobic exercise centers around short bursts of energy and are performed at maximum effort for shorter intervals to include something like high-intensity interval training.

The benefits of each type of exercise are certainly dependent on your goals or sport specific needs if they exist. Knowing your body and how best to train will determine whether to focus more on aerobic or anaerobic work, but ultimately, a mixture of both would be more than beneficial. The benefits of both forms of exercise will work to enhance performance as well as other health and fitness needs but knowing these two terms will get you on a track towards whatever your goals may be.

Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise means “with oxygen” and consists of increased heart rate and a longer duration, thus requiring the presence of oxygen to create energy. During any kind of aerobic exercise, your body will use carbs and fats for fuel, which can only be done when oxygen is present (2). So while energy for this type of activity is produced slowly, over time your body builds up a great base to put away in storage. When the time comes, you can tap into that fuel storage and power whatever aerobic exercise you are performing. This energy powers activities or exercises where large muscle groups are used in rhythmic or repetitive motions.

The benefits of aerobic exercise allow for an overall positive outlook on your health and fitness. It can help with weight loss or control and can even lower blood pressure. Stimulating your immune system, it can work for you to keep you healthy and cognitively, it can help improve mood (3). Since this form of exercise requires a constant increased heart rate, it can increase stamina, strengthen your heart, and reduce overall levels fatigue.

Anaerobic Exercise
Counter to aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise works to create energy without the presence of oxygen. The body works to break down carbs from blood glucose or glucose stored in the muscles for energy, and while this is an effective way to do so, it only lasts for a short period of time (4). This makes anaerobic exercise great for short, intense physical activity that can be done without oxygen in the blood. The more intense the exercise, the faster your body is depleted of that energy supply and fatigue will settle in. While you may be fit, anaerobic exercise can work to push your limits for a couple of minutes to find just how well your body can handle these short, intense workouts.
The most common exercise that is an anaerobic one is high-intensity interval training. Pushing yourself for a set amount of time (example being 20-30 seconds) and giving ample rest time (example being 30-40 seconds), you can really work your anaerobic threshold to see overall growth. The benefits of anaerobic exercise are great for those looking to burn fat while also keeping on, and even building, muscle (5). It will push you past any plateau you may be hitting and allow you to reach for new goals when it comes to health and fitness.

Which Works Best?
Each of these exercises work best in their own respective ways. It would be a disservice to put one over the other because ultimately someone’s workout routine and the exercises involved may work for them and a million other people, or it may just work them and them alone. Aerobic exercise is great for those looking to stay healthy and stay active when it comes to hiking, running, swimming, or any other exercise you can do for a prolonged duration. Since it aids in immune health, cognitive function, and weight management, aerobic exercise should be your go to if you are looking to stay fit with continued exercise.
Anaerobic exercise is one of those to be used for those looking to see gains in strength and muscle growth without having to do an hour or more of cardio each day to stay fit. By performing these shorter intervals, you allow your body to work harder but for a shorter period of time to really get an elevated heart rate and your body relying on quick energy stores. HIIT is a great example of this (6) but also heavy weightlifting or sprints. Knowing your body and what works best is the end goal and seeing whatever your desired gains are come to fruition requires knowing the benefits of both forms of exercise.
Wrap Up
Both aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise can really work for your overall benefit if you know exactly how to place them in your workout routine. Having a mix of both will work to your benefit to provide not only the benefits of both but also ample time to rest and recover. Whether you do a longer form of exercise in aerobic, or shorter, more intense bursts in anaerobic, you can elevate your performance, strength, and weight management goals by knowing exactly how each one benefits you. As you continue to progress and build a better cardio foundation, you will see huge gains and a boost of confidence in knowing your fitness is growing strong.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 
*Images courtesy of Envato
References

Scott, Christopher (2005). “Misconceptions about Aerobic and Anaerobic Energy Expenditure”. (source)
Rapoport, Benjamin I. (2010). “Metabolic Factors Limiting Performance in Marathon Runners”. (source)
Perini, Renza; Bortoletto, Marta; Capogrosso, Michela; Fertonani, Anna; Miniussi, Carlo (2016). “Acute effects of aerobic exercise promote learning”. (source)
Perez-Guisado, Joaquin; Jakeman, Philip M. (2010). “Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness”. (source)
Carey, Daniel G. (2009). “Quantifying differences in the “fat burning” zone and the aerobic zone: implications for training”. (source)
Laursen, Paul B.; Jenkins, David G. (2002). “The scientific basis for high-intensity interval training: optimising training programmes and maximising performance in highly trained endurance athletes”. (source)

A Complete Guide To Testosterone Boosters

Check out everything you need to know about this supplement that helps boost and maintain healthy T levels.

Table of Contents

Either for our training or our health, testosterone boosters can offer that subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, boost to aid in our routine. These boosters work to increase performance and raise levels of low testosterone, both things vital to our overall progress as an athlete, or simply a fan of fitness. It should be made clear that testosterone boosters are not steroids, but performance aids used to increased testosterone levels. With the right one, you will see great results that will only better your life.

Testosterone is a vital sex hormone used to aid in muscle growth and development, as well as other important bodily functions. If decreased, it can lead to a number of negative effects on your body which you just don’t simply want or need. For some, natural testosterone boosters and common foods can work to boost testosterone, but a high-quality testosterone booster can work wonders for you and get those levels to where they need to be.
This complete guide to testosterone boosters is what you need to help understand more on what this supplement can do and the best way to progress in your fitness journey for increased gains and optimal health. We’ll cover all the bases when it comes to testosterone boosters so you leave here feeling more comfortable on what to look for and how effective they really are.

What Are Testosterone Boosters?
Testosterone boosters cover a wide range of supplements but what they all have in common is that they work to raise your levels of testosterone. By wide range, all that means is men and their levels are all different and for some, it requires a gentle push in the upward direction. For others, the need for a supplement is a bit more drastic thus requiring something a bit more powerful. All in all, testosterone boosters work to raise your testosterone levels to help with growth and development, performance and a number of bodily functions that keep us moving efficiently (1).

Benefits Of Testosterone Boosters
When it comes to the benefits of testosterone boosters, you won’t want to ignore them. With the ability to really work wonders on many areas of your body, a good T booster can:
Increase strength and muscle growth: Since testosterone improves protein synthesis, you will gain muscle faster, thus translating that into more strength (2).
Burn stored fat for a shredded aesthetic: Combined with exercise, increased testosterone can help shed away unwanted fat by balancing out the levels of testosterone and estrogen. By increasing muscle mass and burning fat, your body composition will change to show that shredded physique.
Boost sex drive: The more testosterone you have, the greater the sex drive as this will increase libido and boost overall sexual function (3).
Improve mood and other cognitive abilities: Since testosterone helps boost energy levels, you will feel less tired and more alert. By increasing oxygen around your body and brain, your mood will improve and you will be sharper with decisions (4).

Key Ingredients
Here are some key ingredients to look for in a testosterone booster. While many companies have their own formulas, these ingredients are vital for an effective formula.
D-Aspartic Acid: This contains two amino acids in aspartic acid and L-aspartate. It will work to release hormones in the brain that can result in testosterone production (5).
Fenugreek: An ancient herb, it is rich in vitamins and minerals and can work to lower bad cholesterol, increase libido, and boost performance.
L-Arginine: Since this becomes nitric oxide in the body, it works to widen blood vessels and with increased blood flow, more nutrients hit your muscles. A great muscle building ingredient, it also encourages fat metabolism (6).

Ginseng: Another well-known herb, ginseng can boost nitric oxide levels and with this increased blood flow, there is a greater chance for the testicles to produce more testosterone.
Vitamin D3: Also known as the sunshine vitamin, this can improve testosterone levels because it is considered to be a bioidentical hormone for testosterone since it is a cholesterol-derived steroid hormone. By combining to receptors easily, it can assist in raising T levels (7).

Safety & Effectiveness
On the whole, testosterone boosters are indeed safe. What matters most with these supplements is the quality and care of each individual company in producing a worthwhile, safe, and effective supplement. Too often do we read a label and see great ingredients only to get to the bottom and realize the whole thing is loaded with unnecessary ingredients. Or worse, those who try and throw in hidden formulas and agendas. You don’t need that and we know it. Always read the label to see further instructions from the company to optimize effectiveness and enjoy taking the next step in bettering yourself.
Featured Testosterone Booster
We wanted to share with you a great testosterone booster that can increase vitality and work to optimize those T levels. We know finding the best supplements can be challenging and we hope to make that choice for you just a bit easier.
Centrapeak

Centrapeak is a great testosterone booster to increase vitality for improved physical condition and mental strength. Designed to help testosterone and cognitive wellbeing, this product will increase T levels to boost energy levels, build strength, enhance libido, and increase your confidence. With researched backed and clinically dosed ingredients, Centrapeak offers a unique and effective formula. With 14 total ingredients, Centrapeak works to help you achieve your peak as the best testosterone booster for a blended formula to boost your testosterone levels naturally.
Price: $69.00
Try Centrapeak Here
Check out our individual review for Centrapeak here!

Check out our list of the Best Testosterone Boosters for more great T boosting supplements!

Wrap Up
When it comes down to it, testosterone boosters are great ways for those with low testosterone to get back on track and really see some great gains. While not all of us suffer from low T, as we age and our bodies start to change, you never know what can happen. Testosterone boosters are perfect for giving us the chance to increase strength, change our body composition, increase our sex drive, and work for better cognitive abilities, but more importantly, impact our overall health in a positive way. With this complete guide, we hope you have more clarity around these beneficial supplements and will look into one today to boost your gains.
Let us know what you think in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow Generation Iron on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 
*Images courtesy of Centrapeak and Envato
References

Wein, Harrison (2013). “Understanding How Testosterone Affects Men”. (source)
Storer, Thomas W.; Magliano, Lynne; Woodhouse, Linda; Lee, Martin L.; Dzekov, Connie; et al. (2003). “Testosterone dose-dependently increases maximal voluntary strength and leg power, but does not affect fatigability or specific tension”. (source)
Travison, Thomas G.; Morley, John E.; Araujo, Andre B.; O’Donnell, Amy B.; et al. (2006). “The Relationship between Libido and Testosterone Levels in Aging Men”. (source)
O’Connor, Daryl B.; Archer, John; Wu, Frederick C. W. (2004). “Effects of Testosterone on Mood, Aggression, and Sexual Behavior in Young Men: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Study”. (source)
Topo, Enza; Soricelli, Andrea; D’Aniello, Antimo; Ronsini, Salvatore; D’Aniello, Gemma (2009). “The role of molecular mechanism of D-aspartic acid in the release and synthesis of LH and testosterone in humans and rats”. (source)
Alvares, Thiago S.; Conte, Carlos A.; Paschoalin, Vania M. F.; Silva, Joab T.; et al. (2012). “Acute l-arginine supplementation increases muscle blood volume but not strength performance”. (source)
Pilz, S.; Frisch, S.; Kuhn, J.; Dreier J.; et al. (2011). “Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men”. (source)