I know form is most important, but I saw these guys doing curls in a rapid manner. I would think speed lifting, if you're careful, would improve your explosiveness. Agree?
Hey LeGrouper, Did you ever hear of something called the Wheeler plan? I was listening to some radio talk show last weekend on the road and they were talking about this program and some protein powder touting multiple types of protein. It has 26 grams protein and 1 carb gram in it. They called this protein the Gold Standard Protein or some shiyat...saying you could only phone order it as it's not sold in stores. This guy who made it is some successful guy who works in the NFL with pro athletes in conditioning I gathered. I'm not sure what his name was. But, they were saying this protein...since it was a combination of proteins...was better than a regular Whey or Soy protein powder. They said it is more filling than a regular protein shake and is beneficial in weight loss. They had some book to go with a monthly supply and the book gives you recommendations on what to eat for the meals in between the protein shakes. They said you will lose weight on their program. Anyway, this guy was talking about how Bret Favre was using it all through training camp. Bret turned his wife on to it and she is using it too so he was ordering it left and right. He also mentioned alot of other athletes were using it. I wrote down the phone number. I was just wondering if you had ever heard of any of that as far as this program and the protein powder? If so, then what do you know about it(aka what's your take) versus a regular Whey or Soy protein powder? I may go ahead and order a month supply just to see. I drink 25 grams of Soy protein shake a day for the protein and the cholesterol benefits. I also use Whey for when I lift but I'm not doing that currently(due to a shoulder injury)...just cardio like biking and running.
gr8-1 - Speed lifting is a technique that is really catching on recently and is being primarily touted by a trainer named Charles Poliquin who is definitely a cutting edge trainer. It is really not suggested for anyone who has not been consistently lifting for at least two years. I remember the article about David Boston here not long ago and his trainer is a protoge of Poliquin I believe. Poliquin is also Adam Archuleta's trainer. Sometimes I will incorporate fast lifts into my routine but only occasionally when I am feeling my oats. Form is important, but slow lifting is not. From my experience the most important thing is the amount of weight lifted and it must be in good form, mainly to prevent injury and also to ensure that you are actually working the correct muscle (as opposed to those guys you see in the gym doing curls by jumping up and down). But I would listen to Poliquin if you ever get the chance to read some of his stuff. I am trying to find more on him, I think he has a website. Surfguy - Flex Wheeler I imagine is who that plan is refering to. I havn't heard of it but I can tell you that the supplement market is absolutely flooded with products named after this or that bodybuilder. It is pathetic. I don't suggest any supplement that isn't sold in stores because it is trying to achieve a phony exclusivity and make it seem special when in reality it can't compete in stores. There are plenty of good proteins out there. Why not go with old reliable, the best, Designer Whey. Especially now that they made their new Glycerlean protein that is time released. This is a company that has been scientifically tested at numerous Unviersities so you know what you are getting. Here is something on those Fungi I was talking about. I got this from a Prof at the University of Cincinatti - J. Stein Carter "Candida albicans is normally a a single-celled, yeast-type fungus which lives in our large intestines. Normally, it is a small part of the intestinal flora and is kept in check by the good bacteria that live in our colons. If for some reason it becomes necessary for a person to take antibiotics, as we previously discussed, these antibiotics will kill the good bacteria, allowing Candida and other such invaders to multiply. Also, if the person eats too much sugar or other simple carbohydrates, these will serve as food for the Candida, helping it to multiply, grow, and/or travel to other parts of the body, where it is called “vaginal yeast infection” (both partners must be terated simultaneously or they’ll just pass it back and forth) or “thrush” (if it’s in someone’s mouth and/or throat). There is also some evidence that Candida can turn into a mycelium with hyphae invading body tissues. To help fight against a “yeast” infection, a number of people have suggested eating yogurt daily, especially if a person is on antibiotics, and I read, somewhere, that women who consume a cup of yogurt a day have less problems with “yeast” infections. If a person has a number of bacterial infections, and antibiotics are frequently prescribed and/or if a person is prone to “yeast” infections, that person should insist that his/her doctor prescribe a fungicide (nystatin, which goes by brand names like Mycostatin, or Nilstat, Nystex, etc.) along with any antibiotics that are prescribed. From what I’ve read, it is strongly suggested that such a person also avoid foods either naturally or artificially high in sugar and simple carbohydrates (grapes, bananas, pop, candy, cookies, etc. white flour, white rice) which just serve as food for the Candida, making things worse. Rather, this person should replace these with a high fiber, adequate protein diet. There is also evidence that taking garlic on a daily basis helps — garlic is a known fungicide. I have heard that some people put yogurt on an infected site and that some women use a yogurt douche, but it would probably be a good idea to discuss these options with your physician first. It is important to keep the infected area as dry as possible, and open to fresh air if possible. If the site is normally covered by clothing, wear cotton clothing because polyester holds in body moisture — women with vaginal yeast infections shouldn’t wear nylons."
I haven't read Colgan's book, The Power Program I believe it is named, but I did read an article by him in Muscle Media magazine a couple of months ago. It was a great article although I found that I was instinctivly using alot of his power techniques already to increase lifts. From what I gained from the article he is basically offering a type of meditation or concentration exercises for athletes to help them focus their body's energy. When I consciously applied his techniques I found that I needed practice to apply them and focus on innate aggression toward the weights. But I love cutting edge stuff like that, it is stuff like that which can get you addicted to working out. One thing that is definitely true is that the mind is the first thing to give out. The world's amazing athletes are different, they surpass their mind's limit and go to the body's limit. Sometimes the result can be disasterous such as ripping a quad during a squat or breaking your forearm on a fastball. That is why I usually listen to my mind, and why I am not Pedro Martinez.
I lost close to 60 pounds all together. I did it in the span of around 3 years though. It was a loose interpretation of the Atkins plan. I had carbs, but I made sure to have at least 40 protien grams per meal and I never over did it with the carbs. I also quit soft drinks cold turkey and drank about a gallon of water a day. I can't remember the last coke I had. It would have come off quicker if not for the beer....
