Anabolic Steroids Side Effects

The side effects from steroids can be very serious. However, the truth is the media makes them out to be worse than they actually are, which makes athletes turn away from anabolic steroids. Below are some of the most common side effects associated with anabolic steroids. Taking steroid properly, you can minimize, if not eliminate, any side effects.

Water Retention:
This is most common from using steroids. It is a “puffiness” or swelling in the neck and facial areas. It is rather notable mainly if you know the person is on steroids. There are safe drugs which can be taken to minimize water retention. Water retention increases and decreases depending on one's diet.

Acne:
How many times have you heard this, "I want to take steroids, but I am afraid of getting acne."? It is a very common side effect, athletes who have never had acne can get it, and it can make it worse for those who already have it. It can also appear in new areas on the body, such as, the back and neck. On the other hand, there are numerous steroids users that do not get any acne. The truth is, it's not as bad as the media makes it to be, they like to make people think their whole body will break if they touch any steroids.

Gynecomastia:
People don't recognize the name gynecomastia, they recognize it's other, well known name, BITCH TITS.. It is the formation of breasts, or abnormally large glands. The first signs are lumps under the nipples, then will gradually grow to fatty tissue and increase in size. With the right anti-estrogens (which our suppliers carry), this side effect can be eliminated.

Aggression:
Anabolic steroids do cause aggression, but the word "ROID RAGE" is a myth. Certain anabolic steroids can make an athlete more irritable, or aggressive, but any "rage" or uncontrollable mood swings are all in the mind. If one cannot control their aggression, they should not be using anabolic steroids in the first place.

Hypertension:
High blood pressure is also a chance when taking steroids. Most athletes would not know if they had high blood pressure so it is suggested to get tests regularly. High blood pressure can lead to many more serious diseases.

Below are more side effects, which are less common and not seen very often.

Cardiovascular Disease:
Studies have shown that steroid use is a risk factor for heart disease, which is due to the fact that steroids affect cholesterol levels. Over a period of time the cholesterol builds up and clogs the arteries.

Palpitations:
Heart palpitations have been reported by a number of athletes on steroids. These may indicate an excited or elevated level of the central nervous system.

Impotence:
When steroids are first used sexual interest increases because of the heightened frequency and duration of the erections. But eventually the opposite happens and no erections can be produced. Once the steroid cycle is over, the testosterone levels will eventually return to normal; the process can be sped up by taking such drugs as clomiphene citrate, or HCG.

Jaundice:
A serious liver disease which is found by an enlarged painful liver, yellowing of the eyes and skin, and flu like symptoms. This happens when athletes use high dosages of steroids. (RARE)

Here are some more possible side effects from www.cancerbacup.org.uk:

Irritation of the stomach lining. Steroids can increase the production of stomach acid and lower the production of protective stomach mucus. This can irritate the lining of the stomach and may cause or aggravate a stomach ulcer. To reduce this side effect the tablets should be taken with meals or milk. Tell your doctor if you have indigestion, stomach pains or abdominal discomfort.

The levels of sugar in your blood may change temporarily. This may happen if you have high-dose or long-term treatment. While you are having your steroid therapy your blood sugar levels will be checked regularly by blood tests. You may be asked to test your urine for sugar. You will be shown how to do this. Tell your doctor if you get very thirsty or if you are passing more urine than usual.

Fluid retention due to changed salt and water balance. You may notice that your ankles and/or fingers swell. Some people have a bloated feeling in the abdomen. This is usually only a problem with long-term treatment. Increased appetite. You may notice that you feel hungrier than usual while taking steroids, and this can make you want to eat more than usual.

If you are concerned about weight gain speak to your doctor or contact CancerBACUPs information service.

Increased chance of infection and delayed healing of injuries. This happens mainly with high-dose or long-term treatment. Tell your doctor if you notice signs of infection (inflammation, redness, soreness or a temperature) or if cuts take longer than usual to heal. It is important to maintain good personal hygiene to prevent infection.

Menstrual changes. Women may find that their periods become irregular or stop.

Behavioral changes. You may notice mood swings, difficulty in sleeping and perhaps anxiety or irritability. These happen mainly with high-dose or long-term treatment and will stop when the steroid therapy ends. Tell your doctor about any behavioral changes which are worrying you. Difficulty in sleeping may be reduced by taking the steroids in the early part of the day, but discuss this with your doctor first.

Less common side effects

Cushings syndrome. This is usually caused only by long-term use of steroids. It can cause acne, puffiness of the face, dark marks on the skin and facial hair in women. Cushings syndrome can be partially reduced by taking the steroids early in the morning, by taking them on alternate days instead of every day, or by reducing the dose, but discuss this with your doctor first.

Muscle wasting. With very long-term use of steroids, wasting of leg muscles may occur. This can cause weakness. When the steroids are stopped some people experience muscle cramps for a short time.

Osteoporosis. With very long-term use of steroids, calcium may be lost from the bones. This can result in pain (especially in the lower back), an increased susceptibility to fractures and loss of height.

Other side effects include: enlarged prostate, premature hair loss, sterility, shortness, and head and stomach aches.

Side Effects of Steroids

Most of the time, when steroids are mentioned, they´re brought up as the reason a particular athlete can run so fast, hit so many home runs, or make so many tackles. They are also claimed to have extraordinarily harsh side effects and for causing severely unforgiving and permanent damage. Everybody´s seen movies like "The Program" where steroids ruin a young athlete´s life, or perhaps "The Aaron Henry Story" on HBO, where a young athlete suffers lifelong problems from his steroid abuse. Most recently, I saw the movie "Spiderman" where the villain, the Green Goblin, admits to having his superhuman strength and psychotic personality from using "performance enhancers"!

I´m here to assure you that those types of horror stories are few and far between, and after consulting with literally hundreds of athletes and bodybuilders, I´ve almost never heard of anything even remotely resembling the popular "horror stories" we see in the media almost daily. I´ve certainly never seen anyone become the Green Goblin from using them, either..

By reading this article, coaches, athletes, parents and teachers will know the truth about anabolic steroid side effects and will be able to make their own informed decisions as to how bad they are. But I suspect that after reading what I have to say, as well as what the scientific literature says, the question of how bad steroids are will be a different question entirely; the only question remaining will be "why didn´t anyone tell me this before?"

When I initially started research for this piece, I consulted not only real-life athletes who had vast experience with anabolic steroid use, but also scientific and medical journals. The picture that unfolded before me was very different than the one typically painted by the mass media, and certainly much different than the one I found on www.steroidabuse.org, www.dea.org, and www.drugabuse.gov. In my research on the governmental sites, I found very little of use, to be perfectly honest. There were tons unfounded claims and talk of money being put into "studies." In reality, the government "studies" on anabolic steroids were not medical studies at all. They were surveys given to various age groups, on steroid use, in order to generate statistics. There was nothing of medical value or scientific merit on those sites, despite the endless parade of doctors that seemed to be against their use. Here´s an example of one of the more absurd claims made on one of those sites:

"..[steroids] they are dangerous drugs, and when used inappropriately, they can cause a host of severe, long-lasting, and often irreversible negative health consequences. These drugs can stunt the height of growing adolescents, masculinize women, and alter sex characteristics of men. Anabolic steroids can lead to premature heart attacks, strokes, liver tumors, kidney failure and serious psychiatric problems. In addition, because steroids are often injected, users risk contracting or transmitting HIV or hepatitis.."

This is the information found on a government website, in a piece written by a doctor. I´m surprised she didn´t mention turning into the Green Goblin in her list of possible health side effects. As you read what I have to say, I want you to keep this in the back of your head. I want you to remember this claim, made by a medical doctor, as you read the rest of this piece. All of the information here is exactly what has been reported to me by athletes, as well as what is found in credible scientific journals; then decide for yourself what the truth about steroid side effects is.

Recovery is important because muscle tissue repair will nor occur otherwise. Sleep, post training nutrition and supplementation, and time away from the gym are obvious methods.

Vital to success in bodybuilding is recovery, of which the ways are many and varied. Recovery is important because muscle tissue repair will nor occur otherwise. Sleep, post training nutrition and supplementation, and time away from the gym are obvious methods.

However, what is often overlooked when recovery is discussed is the beneficial effect certain fats can have. Muscle recovery is dependant upon more than just protein synthesis and cellular repair. Indeed, recovery is also contingent upon hormonal restoration, oxygen regulation, immune system integrity, prostaglandin production and cardiovascular health.

In fact optimal recover will not occur if any of these processes fall short. Certain fats can beneficially assist each of these processes, and resultantly provide the environment for optimal muscular recovery.

Of course saturated and trans-fats (fats derived from animals and fats that have been chemically altered respectively) are to be avoided due to their deleterious effect on health and recovery. What the body needs are beneficial fats, called essential fatty acids (EFAs for short).

These are like the name suggests, essential, and particularly so for muscle recovery. The term essential fatty acids refers to two kinds of fatty acids that the body cannot manufacture on its own and must get from the diet. "Fatty acid" refers to the composition of the fatty acid molecule, which is a water-insoluble chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms, attached to an acid group, which is also composed of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

The two essential fatty acids are the Omega-3 (called alpha-linolenic acid), the most desired form for bodybuilders due to their tissue and joint re-building properties, and Omega-6 type (Called linoliec acid). Flaxseed oil, walnut oil and fish contain omega-3 while omega-6 are found in corn, soy, canola, safflower and sunflower oil.

Omega-3 and 6 are termed unsaturated fatty acids. Unsaturated fatty acids are used for many of the bodies metabolic and hormonal functions and they will not be stored until they have been used for these functions.

Saturated fats on the other hand are stored and used for energy. Saturated fats come from animals and are to be avoided. The worst type of fat from a bodybuilders point of view are trans-fats as they are nutritionally inert and have been shown to significantly raise low density lipoprotein levels thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.

Trans fats are made when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil (hydrogenation). This increases the shelf life and stability of foods like margarine. Good advice for one wanting to promote muscle gain, would be to stay away from these, and indeed the aforementioned saturated fats. Instead, concentrate on EFAs, particularly omega-3.

Functions Of EFAs:

EFAs form structural components of membranes and, as such, keep foreign molecules, viruses, yeasts, fungi, and bacteria outside of cells and the cell’s proteins, genetic material, enzymes and organelles (small organs), inside.

They also help regulate the traffic of substances in and out of our cells via protein channels, pumps, and other mechanisms. EFAs perform similar functions in membranes that surround organelles within our cells.

The following are some of the more important functions of EFAs:

• Regulate oxygen use, electron transport, and energy production-our cells’ most important moment-to-moment processes: oxygen is important for many of our bodies functions. The carrying of nutrients around the body and the metabolizing of foods are two of importance for bodybuilders.
• Assist electric charges that produce the bio-electric currents important for nerve, muscle, and cell membrane functions, and the transmission of messages along neural pathways: Muscular coordination and the firing of as many muscle fibres as possible (during a set) are important in the gym as is muscle relaxation out of the gym.
• Help form red blood pigment (haemoglobin) from simpler substances: Haemoglobin ensures that oxygen is carried around the body. Sufficient haemoglobin levels are important for bodybuilders as this will ensure that oxygen and nutrients reach the muscles, where they are needed. Also, waste products (including carbon dioxide and lactic acid), will be removed with greater efficiency if haemoglobin levels are sufficient.
• Keep juice-producing (exocrine) and hormone-producing (endocrine) glands active: Exocrine glands secrete chemicals into a duct which carries the chemical to the target tissue or organ (Gall bladder and sweat glands are two). The manufacturing of bile in the gall bladder is important as bile breaks down cholesterol, which is then taken to the liver for removal. Sweat gland function assists the expulsion of toxins from the body and ensures that the body does not overheat during training.

Endocrine glands secrete hormones into extra-cellular space which then diffuse into the bloodstream (ductless glands: pancreas, thyroid, pituitary and gonads are the main ones). The pancreas assists blood sugar stability. The thyroid helps to govern protein synthesis, fat metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, heart rate and ventilation rate and the actions of the nervous system. The pituitary gland controls many of the bodies hormonal processes and the gonads store and disperse testosterone.

• Help keep joints strong and lubricated: Together with calcium, Vitamin C, D, K, and boron, EFAs improve mineralization of the bones.
• Are precursors of prostaglandins (PGs): PGs are three families of short lived, hormone-like substances that regulate blood pressure, platelet stickiness, and kidney function. A delicate balance between PGs with opposing functions, in part determined by omega-6 and omega-3 intake, determines the health of our cardiovascular system. A healthy cardiovascular system clearly is of importance to bodybuilders.
• Help transport cholesterol.

Help generate electrical currents that make our heart beat in an orderly sequence.

• Enhance peroxide production thus helping to build the immune system: EFAs make hormone-like eicosanoids. These regulate immune and inflammatory responses. Omega-3s can slow auto-immune damage due to their anti-inflammatory properties.
• Protect genetic material. Omega-3 has been shown to inhibit tumor growth and EFAs regulate gene expression.
• Improve digestion. Poorly digested foods tie up the immune system and can cause gut inflammation, leaky gut, and allergies. EFAs improve gut integrity, and decrease
• Inflammation.

EFAs & Eicosanoids

Following an intense training session the muscles require the formation of eicosanoids (hormone like autacoids; auto=self, akos=healing) before the healing process can commence.

Ecosanoids, hormone like substances, are derived only from essential fatty acids (arachidonic acid in omega 3) in foods or supplements. There are many different types of ecosanoids, prostaglandins being the most common.

Sources Of EFAs

While EFAs are like vitamins in their essentiality, they differ in other respects. They are required every day in amounts many times larger than vitamins (grams as opposed to milligrams). Further, EFAs deteriorate rapidly when exposed to light, air and heat so should be stored away from these elements. Given that EFAs need to be taken in larger doses, a supplemental form is ideal. The best EFA sources are:

Fish (ideally cold water fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel and trout) provides the best source of omega-3. Omega-3, as mentioned, is the most important for bodybuilders as it counters muscular inflammation, thereby promoting recovery, and also helps with fat loss. Also omega 3 provides eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

These acids are responsible for the beneficial effects of omega 3 but sometimes are not produced in sufficient amounts due to a lack of alpha-linolenic acid in the diet (EPA and DHA are made from alpha-linolenic acid). If this is the case, fish can supply exogenous EPA and DHA. Often it is impractical to eat large amounts of fish. In this case, fish oils in supplement form will provide a concentrated dose of omega 3 with high bioavailability.

Evening primrose oil (EPO) will provide omega 6. EPO is converted into Gamma linolenic acid (GLA). GLA is then turned into diho-mogamma-linoleum acid which is turned into arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid manufactures prostaglandins (prostaglandins explained above).

Flax seed oil provides a concentrated dose of omega-3. Flax seed oil also provides a number of vitamins and minerals in addition to protein.

Conclusion

Essential fatty acids, as shown, are indeed essential for many of our bodies processes and they should not be overlooked as an important part of ones recovery plan.

The many functions of EFAs directly impact the bodies ability to recover as the body will only reach an optimal level of recovery if all of the building blocks are in place- meaning that cardiovascular, hormonal, immune, and muscle function are contingent, to a large degree, upon EFA status. Whether in food or supplemental form EFAs should be included in ones training regime if results are desired.

In this article, I am going to reveal two training protocols that you can cycle between indefinitely to keep the gains coming fast and furiously! They are known as EDT and PTP. Read through here to see if they are for you.

When I was in the sales world, I realized real fast that I do not get paid for simply showing up or pretending to work. Most people get paid for working eight hours a day. However, how much work is actually being done in those eight hours? From what I saw, not too much.

At least half of the day was wasted on gossip, doing tasks inefficiently, wasting time in unnecessary meetings, and talking about things instead of taking action. Just pretend for a minute that you are in sales and imagine what you would do if your boss makes you the following offer: do the required amount of sales for the day and you can go home anytime you want. Moreover, if you meet your monthly quota in two weeks, take the rest of the month off.

What would you do? Personally, I would find efficient means to get the job done efficiently so I do not have to waste time. After all, the more I achieve in less time the more money I make. If it takes 2 hours to make $500.00, I am making $250 an hour. If it takes eight hours to make $500.00, I am only making $62.50 an hour. If you have half a brain the former will sound more appealing than the latter.

The way that you approach bodybuilding should not be any different. You do not get bigger and stronger the longer you stay in the gym, you get bigger and stronger based on how efficient you are in the gym. I would rather spend one solid hour in the gym and maximize every minute to gains than mess around for several unfocused hours.

In this article, I am going to reveal two training protocols that you can cycle between indefinitely to keep the gains coming fast and furiously! The combination of these two workouts will allow you to condense time and maximize your time training. Thus, you will achieve more in less time. I like to call this combination: condensed training.

Escalating Density Training

The first super effective training protocol for maximizing your training time is called EDT (Escalating Density Training). EDT is the brainchild of top strength coach Charles Staley, author of The Ultimate Guide To Massive Arms: Escalating Density Training. A few years ago Charles realized that the key to getting bigger and stronger lies in doing more work in the same amount of time.

Things such as rep speed and feeling the muscle are really not that important. The key to packing on size is to progressively increase the intensity, volume, and density in each training session.

How EDT Works

Here is how EDT works. Take two exercises that work antagonistic muscles. For example, the bench press which works the chest and the bent over row which works the lats. Take your ten-rep max on each exercise and do as many reps of five of each exercise in a designated time period. Coach Staley refers to this time period as a "PR (Personal Record) Zone".

The Bench Press & Bent Over Row.
Working Antagonistic Exercises.

To illustrate, lets say that the PR Zone is twenty minutes. Set a stopwatch for twenty minutes and do as many reps as possible on the bench press and bent over row. Do the exercises back to back. In other words, do one set on the bench press, wait thirty seconds, do a set on the bent over row, wait thirty seconds and do another set on the bench press etc.

Once the twenty-minute period is up, the PR Zone is over. Record the total number of reps for each exercise. Lets say that you completed thirty-five reps with 225 lbs. on the bench press. Your goal at the next workout is to complete a minimum of thirty-six reps. As long as you are doing more reps in the same amount of time; you are increasing the intensity, volume, and density and will pack on some meat.

When you can increase the total number of reps by 20%, increase the training load by 5%. For example, lets say that you do twenty-five total reps on the bent over row with 200 lbs. at your first EDT workout. When you can complete thirty reps, increase the training load to 210 lbs. Make sure that you use solid form at all times. Do not cheat in order to get more reps.

My Personal Experience With EDT

I tried EDT around a year ago and was amazed with how well it worked. Before using EDT my previous best on the military press with two 70 lb. kettlebells, was six reps. After only two weeks of EDT, I nailed nine reps. I had been stuck at a plateau for months before that and was elated to say the least. Moreover, I got several comments from people that my shoulders were looking much bigger.

I liked EDT so much that I bought the company! Just kidding. However, I placed several of my online consulting clients on EDT programs. As the feedback started rolling in, there was no doubt in my mind that EDT was effective.

My Clients' Results

Here is what my client Patt Drawe stated about the EDT program that I designed for him, "I'm in my fourth week of EDT and I'm happy to report that in one month I have made more progress than in the previous three months! It works, and the feeling of accomplishment is a great motivational boost as well. I don't max out much, but my working weight on the bench has increased by about 20 lbs. in the four weeks."

Keep in mind that Patt is an experienced trainee. When was the last time that you saw an experienced natural trainee pack on 20 lbs. on his or her bench press in four weeks? That's more than most trainees pack on in a year.

Patt was definitely not the only client of mine that benefited from EDT. My client Mike Brown (interview) went from barely pressing two 70 lb. kettlebells for two reps, to twelve sets of three in just a few weeks. A few months later, Mike military pressed two 88lb kettlebells for ten reps!

Designing An EDT Program

Okay, lets get into how to design an EDT program for maximum increases in size and strength. Now if your number one goal is to increase the size of your arms, get Coach Staley's book (Get his book regardless of what your goals are as it is excellent) by going to www.edtsecrets.com. I am not going to cover any specialization programs in this article. Instead, I am going to go over a full body program that dozens of my clients have used successfully.

Workout 1: Upper Body (Monday and Friday)

PR Zone 1: Chest/Lats (20 minutes)

A-1: Bottom Position Bench Press
A-2: Bent over Barbell Row
Wait five minutes and then do:

PR Zone 2: Triceps/ Biceps

A-1: Standing Military Press from the nose
A-2: Weighted Chin-up

Workout 2: Lower Body (Wednesday and Saturday)

PR Zone 1: Hamstrings/Quads (20 minutes)

A-1: Bottom Position Barbell Squat
A-2: Stiff Legged Deadlift
Wait five minutes and then do:

PR Zone 2: Calves/abs (10 minutes)

A-1: Seated Calf Raises
A-2: Weighted Sit-ups

Exercise Selection

Lets go over some key points on the exercise selection here.

• One, why do bottom position bench presses and squats?
1. They are much harder than regular bench presses and squats. You have to generate a great deal of power to move a heavy weight from the bottom position and you will be amazed how much weaker you are when you try this drill.
2. It is safer. EDT is hard work and you move at a rapid pace. The bottom position bench press and squat in a power rack will allow you to bench press and squat safely. In addition, they provide the convenience of not relying on a spotter.

Barbell Squat.

Next, antagonist exercises are paired up in each PR Zone.

The barbell bent over row is an antagonistic exercise to the bench press. While you are working one, you are warming up the opposite muscles. This will provide the benefit of being much stronger on each exercise and will build balanced muscles.

Just as the barbell bent over row is antagonistic to the bench press, the stiff legged deadlift is an antagonist exercise to the barbell squat. The stiff legged deadlift will add mass to your hamstrings, while the Squat primarily focuses on the quads.

Both are proven mass makers that will provide a one two punch to your physique. Workout efficiently is another reason why antagonistic exercises are utilized. More can be done in less time with antagonistic exercises then by doing each exercise separately

• Next, instead of doing isolation exercises such as the triceps pushdown and the triceps extension, I am going to have you do the military presses from the nose.

This is a power move that will blast your triceps into the stratosphere. Again, use a power rack and set the pins at nose level.

The weighted chin-up is an excellent antagonist exercise for the nose-level Military Press. Unlike bicep curls, the chin-up forces you to work with your bodyweight, which will pay off with major dividends. If you are not strong enough to do weighted chin-ups, start off with your bodyweight.

• Finally, with calves, there really are not any antagonistic exercises.

No bid deal as this makes for a convenient area to add in some stomach work. The weighted sit-up will get the job done. Just hold a barbell plate on your chest and you are ready to go.

Breaks Between Sets

Regarding breaks between sets, start off by taking thirty- second breaks in between each exercise. Make sure to do the exercises in each PR Zone in super set fashion. In other words, do a set of bench presses, wait thirty seconds, do a set of bent over rows, wait thirty seconds, do another set of bench presses etc.

As fatigue kicks in, increase the breaks to one minute. Also, do not go to failure or compromise form to get five reps on each set. If you get to the point in which you can no longer complete five reps with solid form, decrease the reps.

The goal with EDT is total reps completed, not reps per set. Do what you have to, to keep the reps accumulating from workout to workout. In many of my EDT workouts, the final sets in each PR zone were reduced to doubles and singles.

Day's Off Between Sessions

Make sure to take a day off in between each EDT session. For example, do workout one on Monday and then take Tuesday off. Proceed to workout two on Wednesday and then take Thursday off.

EDT is super hard work so expect to be sore after the first few workouts. You will adapt though and in addition to building some major mass and size, will acquire killer conditioning as well.

Power To The People

As effective as EDT is, four to six weeks is pretty much the limit of what most trainees can tolerate before burnout kicks in. I recommend that trainees switch to a lower volume program for four weeks for every four weeks of EDT.

Top strength coach Pavel Tsatsouline's PTP (power to the people) program is just the ticket to transition to after four weeks of EDT work. Instead of jut going into maintenance mode for a month.

Pavel's PTP program will allow you to continue to get bigger and stronger. PTP is another example of condensing time and making workouts far more efficient.

Two Primary Exercises

With PTP, Pavel recommends two primary exercises. Number one is the deadlift. Pavel states that the deadlift is one of the best exercises for packing on strength and size as it works more muscles than any other drill.

Deadlift..

Next, Pavel recommends either the barbell side press or the floor press as the upper body exercises of choice.

Floor Press, Shown One Armed.

In addition to only concentrating on two exercises, Pavel recommends no more than two sets of five per day for strength training. The first set is a heavy one and the second set is completed with 90% of first set. Finally, you train five days a week on the PTP program.

Only Two?

Now at this point I know what you are saying. How can you possibly get bigger and stronger with only two sets of two exercises per workout? First, training has to do with quantity not quality. Remember the analogy that I used at the beginning of this article. It is not how long you are at work, but what you do at work.

A few sets done right are much better than a dozen sets done wrong. Also in Pavel's excellent book Power To The People, Pavel reveals several tips for recruiting as many muscles as possible in each exercise to maximize strength and make your muscles hard as a rock. For more info on Pavel, go to www.powerbypavel.com.

Second, due to the frequency of PTP training the weekly volume is hardly low. Each week you are doing a total of ten sets. Instead of doing ten sets on one day and taking seven days off, you are breaking the ten sets over five days. The frequency of Pavel's program will shock your body into new levels of growth. The more frequently that you can hit a muscle with adequate recovery, the faster it will grow.

Building On The Program

Now I like the program that Pavel outlines in his book for people that want to get strong without adding any weight. However, for bodybuilders I recommend a few more exercises to induce hypertrophy and for training variety. What are the exercises? Lets add the weighted chin-up, the dumbbell press, the bent over row, the squat, and the Military Press to the deadlift. Also, instead of doing the same exercises every day, lets do some alternating throughout the training week.

Here is an example of a five-day schedule:

Pavel recommends taking five minute breaks in between each set to maximize strength. Since we want to focus on building big muscles, I am going to have you take two-minute breaks between each set. Similar to EDT, the exercises will be done in antagonistic fashion.

Here is how the sets will breakdown. Do five reps on the first set. Even if you can do more, stop at five. On the second set, shoot for seven reps. When you can nail seven reps on the second set, increase the weight by 5% at the next workout. Otherwise, stay at the same weight until you complete seven reps on set number two.

Results Before Personal Desires

Do not worry if the prospect of only doing a few sets at each workout sounds unappealing. After a month of EDT, you will welcome the lower volume workouts. What you like does not really matter anyway. Serious trainees want results and the back-to-back combo of EDT-PTP will deliver just that! Stick with PTP for four to six weeks. At that point it will be time to ramp up the volume and intensity again and plug into another EDT workout.

By combing EDT and PTP into an 8-10 week training cycle, you are taking advantage of one of the most effective training concepts in the world known as periodization.

Periodization

The concept of periodization was popularized by top strength coach Tudor Bompa. Basically, with periodization you breakdown the entire year into training quarters. For example, an athlete might spend four months working on muscular endurance by working in the 12-15 rep range. Then spend another four months on hypertrophy, by working in the 6-8 rep range. Then finally spend the last four months of the year working on brute strength in the 1-3 rep range.

Drawbacks & How To Deal With Them

Looks great on paper. However, there are two major drawbacks.

1. Four months is a long time to spend on one area of training. For many trainees, four months of 12-15 reps per exercise will get old real fast.
2. Your body will adapt to what you subject it to. In four months of doing endurance work, you will become very good at endurance work. However, after four months of doing brute strength work, You will probably lose the benefits of the endurance work that you did earlier in the year.

Thus, instead of breaking training down over the course of several months, condense the periods and do much smaller cycles such as four weeks instead of four month. That is precisely what we are doing with the EDT-PTP.

You will not lose any of the results that you achieve with EDT, during the PTP cycle. In fact, the opposite will occur. You will be stronger, bigger, and refreshed for another EDT cycle. Vice versa as well. After each EDT cycle you will have more high quality muscle mass to maximize your strength for PTP. You will still get bigger with PTP, but that is not the emphasis.

In addition, studies show that your body generally adapts to a given workout regimen after three to four weeks. With the EDT/PTP combo you stay one step ahead of plateaus that may occur by constantly switching gears. In addition to keeping workouts fun and fresh, your hard work will be rewarded month after month. Now stop wasting time reading this article. You have work to do!

Tips For Successful EDT/PTP Training

• Clear EDT/PTP with your doctor before starting. Especially if you have any heart problems or high blood pressure.
• Make sure to drink a protein/carb drink immediately after each workout to enhance recovery.
• Get a cryocup (call 1-800-ICE-5722) and ice your legs down after each workout.
• Get a sports massage once a week or at least twice a month to enhance recovery.

About the Author

Mike Mahler is a strength coach and kettlebell instructor based in Santa Monica, Ca. For more strength and training tips, visit his website at www.mikemahler.com.