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June 9, 2013

This and That…

So much going on that I want to share. First, I just returned from my last semester of PhD coursework at Rocky Mountain University in beautiful Provo, Utah. The attainment of my doctoral degree is finally in sight! I am on schedule to begin data collection on my dissertation research later this summer and, if all goes according to plan, defend my dissertation in January. This has been an amazing–albeit grueling–educational journey. I’ve learned so much about critical thinking, met so many incredible people, and honed my skills as a researcher along the way these past two-and-a=half years. I’ll be blogging about my experience in the near future. Stay tuned…

My review article, Postexercise hypertrophic adaptations: a reexamination of the hormone hypothesis and its applicability to resistance training program design has been published in the current issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. The article exhaustively reviews the literature on whether acute hormonal elevations following resistance training play a role in muscle growth. For years, it was believed that spiking hormones after exercise was the key to maximizing hypertrophy. Entire workouts were planned around maximizing the anabolic hormonal response. Turns out, this belief was misguided. Studies are equivocal as to whether post-workout hormonal elevations are involved in the muscle-building process; some show a positive correlation, others do not. Bottom line is that if there is a hypertrophic effect from such elevations, it would be relatively modest. That said, even a modest effect on hypertrophy could be practically meaningful to someone seeking maximal muscle development, such as a bodybuilder or strength athlete. There are still many gaps in the literature that need to be sorted out before a definitive conclusion can me made on the topic–particularly with respect to the effects in experienced lifters. I will be carrying out research in the coming months that hopefully will help to fill in some of these gaps. Will keep you updated here when I have data to share.

I recently did two interviews of interest with Super Human Radio. The first, The Role of Metabolic Stress in Muscle Growth is an extensive discussion of various aspects of muscle hypertrophy. The second, Look Great Naked delves into women’s fitness as well as touching on post-workout nutrition. What I really like about these interviews is that the host, Carl Lanore, is a true science geek. As such, he let’s me expound on the science of these topics in depth. I go into a level of detail generally not afforded in other media outlets. Each interview lasts about an hour so there’s a lot of listening for your enjoyment 🙂

About a year or so ago I wrote an article on glute training that appeared in Fitness Rx for Women magazine. Well, lo and behold, they published the article online for free! The article is called, The Tight and Toned Butt Workout (yeah, I know the title is a bit cheesy, but hey, that’s apparently what sells magazines…). Although the article is geared toward women, it’s a routine that can be used effectively by men too. Check it out.

Book update: Rodale has acquired the mail order rights to my book, The M.A.X. Muscle Plan. In case you don’t know, Rodale is an industry leader in fitness media. They publish Men’s Health Magazine, as well as many other fitness publications. As I’ve mentioned previously, this book was the culmination of many years of of research and practice, and represents the most cutting-edge muscle building program ever developed (and I’m not blowing smoke when I say this!). It’s available at a discount on Amazon.com as well. I hope you’ll give it a read; I’d love to hear your feedback.

Finally and importantly, I have agreed to a consultant role with Reebok International. In my role, I will be providing educational content for fitness professionals as well as making select appearances at Reebok-sponsored events. There are other as-yet undefined areas that may be explored as well. I am honored to be affiliated with such a terrific brand and look forward to partnering with them to share my fitness expertise.

Stay Fit!

Brad