Nutrition, Training

How Fast Should You Gain Weight and Size – John C. Grimek (1976)

John Grimek was one of the greatest American weightlifters and bodybuilders of the 20th century. Nicknamed 'The Monarch of Muscledom', Grimek also competed for the US in the 1936 Olympics in Germany. It's fair to say he knew something about lifting weights. Today's article sees Grimek discuss one of the most pressing issues in bodybuilding.… Continue reading How Fast Should You Gain Weight and Size – John C. Grimek (1976)

Nutrition

Vince Gironda’s Lacto-Vegetarian Diet

The following extract comes from Vince Gironda’s 1984 Book: Unleashing the Wild Physique (available here). This book cannot be recommended highly enough, from VInce’s no nonsense take on steroids to his innovative training techniques. Today’s post comes from Vince’s advice on a lacto-vegetarian diet. The Lacto-Vegetarian Diet This is the easiest diet to follow because you can eat as much as… Continue reading Vince Gironda’s Lacto-Vegetarian Diet

Nutrition, Resources, Training

Jay Jacobsen, ‘Carbohydrates Are Not The Devil! All Aboard The Carbohydrate-Glycemic Train’, Planet Muscle (March – April 2003)

Carbohydrates... those omnipresent fruits, yams, grains and vegetables, are older than mankind. In recorded history, it appears that the Egyptian culture was the first to 'mill' their high-energy grain, removing fiber, as well as much of the nutrition. Bingo—mankind had its first refined carbohydrates. Sugar was first introduced into Europe around 700 AD when Arabian… Continue reading Jay Jacobsen, ‘Carbohydrates Are Not The Devil! All Aboard The Carbohydrate-Glycemic Train’, Planet Muscle (March – April 2003)

Biographies, Nutrition, Resources

Leroy Colbert’s Health Store

A health shop is admittedly, an odd thing to write about. In today's world of GNC's and stores with fanciful names like 'Vitality' or 'Mr. Pump', modern gym goers are blessed with a wealth of pill peddlers to call upon. This, shockingly, was not always the case. While health stores did exist in some guise… Continue reading Leroy Colbert’s Health Store

Protein Shake
Nutrition

When Did ‘Anabolic Windows’ Become a Thing?

Trainee One: "Drink a protein shake within 30 minutes of training or else" Trainee Two: "Why, what happens?" Trainee One: "You'll lose all your gains and the workout will be wasted." Yes, this was a conversation I encountered multiple times as a teenager training in the 2000s. Sometimes I was Trainee Two, asking good questions… Continue reading When Did ‘Anabolic Windows’ Become a Thing?

Food
Nutrition

Guest Post: Best Diet Plans and Programs for Professional Athletes

Maintaining a well-balanced and nutritious diet is essential for athletes to optimize their performance and achieve their goals. However, with an abundance of diet plans and programs available today, it can be challenging to determine the most effective approach. Here are some of the best diet plans and programs specifically designed for athletes. By examining… Continue reading Guest Post: Best Diet Plans and Programs for Professional Athletes

Basics, Nutrition, Resources

Guest Post: The History of Sports Nutrition

We have come a long way in terms of boosting our workout performance by fine-tuning all the habits that surround that single one, and in particular, by refining our menus to suit our goals. Athletes have always done their absolute best to find that perfect ratio when it comes to food intake in order to… Continue reading Guest Post: The History of Sports Nutrition

Nutrition, Resources, Training

The Controversial History of ZMA

One of the unquestioned staples of bodybuilding supplementation, ZMA is often up there with creatine and protein in terms of popularity. Rumoured to increase testosterone, muscle mass and your chance of bizarre dreams, ZMA is promoted as a cheap and effective supplement for the average gym goer. In my own brief training experience, it's something… Continue reading The Controversial History of ZMA

Nutrition

Thomas Inch’s Diet

One of the strongest men of the early twentieth-century, Thomas Inch was known in both Great Britain and the United States for his feats of strength. Unlike others however, Inch was hardly strict with his diet. In fact Inch was recorded as saying There is nothing so wearisome as having to be extremely particular about what one… Continue reading Thomas Inch’s Diet

Nutrition

Guest Post: What “dieting” meant to people in the 1900s

Dieting in the 1900s The concept of “dieting” has been around for a very, very long time. If historical data is to be believed, people have been convinced about the power of dieting for as long as 500 years now. Can people control their body weight and composition by controlling what they eat, when they… Continue reading Guest Post: What “dieting” meant to people in the 1900s