T-Nation and Biotest;Macho bottles of blueberry powder.

T-Nation is a bodybuilding,and strength training site that's run by a supplement company called Biotest.
To give the best example of the kind of supplements they sell,let's talk about indigo 3G.It contains a substance called Cyanidin 3-Glucoside.This substance is being looked at for it's possible effects on health,and body composition.Yes,it's interesting.
But what is it really? It's a dark pigment in fruit.Blueberries,raspberries,blackberries etc..
And you can buy a bottle of it for 65 bucks from Biotest.
If you're thinking that sounds like bullshit,I agree.They were even marketing it in their pretty little blue bottles in fancy plastic boxes for a time.
They always claim to be on the cutting edge of supplementation,and nutrition.They come off like a bunch of snake oil salesmen.
I don't think all supplements are crap.But some of them are.Over hyped,overpriced,and under supported by evidence.Biotest is a perfect case.Don't be fooled.
The best way to take supplements is to know about the actual substance you're taking.Not proprietary blends with hidden amounts of ingredients.There can be sensible combinations of ingredients.There can be issues of absorption.But you should always be able to tell exactly what you're taking,and how much.
You can take blueberry extract itself for a fraction of the cost of their bottles of cool blue.
Just run a search on Amazon and you can find a bottle of capsules from Life Extension for about fifteen dollars.

Now the issues with the site.It's bad ass jet black with yellow print.Eye stabbing annoyance.Simple lists of articles,and not in order of date.They rerun a lot of old material.Constant hawking of their products by placing links to the store in the articles themselves.How does that not bias articles? It has to.
And the bully swagger macho.Testosterone Magazine.He-Man Woman Haters.( Our Gang reference to little boys who rejected girls joining their club ).
Tuff Guys!
Gosh it's so impressive.
Here's a very manly article from Chris Shugart asking if you're tough enough,or just a big sissy?
That's right,the big strong man is disappointed in you for not being tough enough.And he'll call you a sissy,or say you're leading to the pussification of America.
Oh.Here we go again.It's the Chris and Dani Shugart show.Dumb runs in the family.
These kinds of people are NOT good for bodybuilding.They're off putting to the vast majority of people in society.They're like a bad stereotype of the obnoxious lunkhead.Why do that?
Do you think people will come to you for fitness advice when you act like that?

I think T-Nation works like this.Pander to the insecure boy,or boy man,who looks for muscle building advice.Tell him you've got the secrets of no nonsense manliness right here in a bottle for him.Tell him how to be a real tough guy.Sneer at the girls, sissies,and the fat people.
Sell him your shit.

The sad thing is they're driving smarter people away from some damn fine articles written by real experienced bodybuilders,and power lifters.First class strength coaches.
Those articles are worth wading through the childishness to read.They pay the real experts to provide some valuable content.You just have to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I can't attest to the value of every article by every coach.But worth consideration.Most of these guys have their own sites too.So once you find someone's information interesting you can check them out.TC Luoma's articles,often about nutrition,can be informative too.He smears on the vulgar jokes,but he's trying to keep up with the latest food news.
T-Nation also has a YouTube channel that runs lifting,and exercise demonstrations.Sound material.

The site is playing hard to the manly point of view.There goes much of the fitness audience.
But they clearly don't have the intention,or the ability to compete with the mainstream big leagues of the industry.
But on the other hand,the truly "dangerously hardcore' to use their tired slogan are probably mostly elsewhere.On some steroid board discussing stacks.
I've got to warn them this crap isn't going to play for long.Not in a world where a Texas college football coach might actually lose his job because his players go on rape sprees.Sweet Jesus where ever could they have gotten such unacceptable attitudes towards women?
It's seeping in from somewhere somehow.

I was following T-Nations twitter,But it's click bait and the stupid sissy,pussy references wore on me.It's not worth following.Too much ick.
I will look in on the site on occasion.But I'm finding better sources.
I've never bought anything from Biotest,and I never will.I don't know who owns it.But it wouldn't surprise me if it goes belly up.Unless of course they can keep their insecure boys blowing money on their magic manly potions.

Book Review:The Weider Book of Bodybuilding for Women by Betty and Joe Weider.

Cover with model Shelly Gruwell

The cover of 'The Weider Book of Bodybuilding for Women' from 1981 by Betty and Joe Weider.
This is one of the early books I got when I was a teen starting out in weight training.
Bodybuilding for women was just becoming popular,or even known,for that matter in the late seventies-early eighties period.This book was published by the Weider company that also put out a number of popular magazines like Muscle & Fitness.They were the company in bodybuilding and fitness at the time.Betty Brosmer Weider was the wife of the head of the company Joe Weider.
She was a pinup girl,and model.She was actually an early pioneer in the modern women's fitness movement.So she may have actually written some of the material.But I'll bet Joe,and some copy people wrote it too.
It's very basic.It's written for the new audience of young women who were just starting out in weight training.It's trying to be reassuring to the 'ladies' that weights won't make you masculine,or intimidating.
It features black and white pictures of women in leotards using a lot of Nautilus equipment.Nautilus made all kinds of exercise machines that just look unnecessarily complicated.Rube Goldberg contraptions for exercise that are basically huge expensive machines to do what you can easily do with barbells,and dumbbells.Fashionably constructed out of shiny chrome,and fake tan leather.They went out of business as a gym manufacturer years ago.But they still own a number of home brands like Bowflex,and Schwinn Fitness.
I think most things were made out of chrome in the seventies.

I think the first time I became aware of the existence of bodybuilding was probably seeing the movie 'Pumping Iron'.I must have seen it on HBO.Because I'm certain I didn't see it in a theater.
I was inherently intrigued by the act of humans forcing their muscles to grow.I was really amazed,and pleased to see that other girls,and women felt the same way.So I bought a number of the early women's bodybuilding books.
I would have to say this is one of the poorer books on the subject.There's no sense of the revolutionary spirit of women lifting weights,and becoming strong.It's very safe,and corporate.I doubt I got that much out of it.The fact is lifting weights is lifting weights.Form is form.So while I can appreciate the fact they were trying to give women something to relate to you don't need cutesy little fitness girls to learn how to lift.I read the articles in Muscle and Fitness and they had good picture spreads of male bodybuilders.They did start including real female bodybuilders too.
I did belong to a gym when I was teen(My mother joined and took me along ).But they didn't have that much equipment.Certainly not all those crazy Nautilus contraptions.But it was all a bunch of chrome!
So maybe this book was a little encouragement.But it's very dated and would only be of interest to a collector of early women's bodybuilding books.Or if you're a leotard fetishist.

Multi station weight machine

Women working out on a multi station weight machine.Running shorts,and running shoes.This looks like the kind of set up they'd have in a YWCA gym.
I hope somebody let that poor girl down.

Barbell lunge

Ladies in leotards doing lunges with light weights.

Nautilus glute machine

Goofy Nautilus back,and butt machine.Looks rather....questionable!
"Help! Let me out.I promise I'll be a good girl."
I wonder if one of these is gathering dust somewhere?

Wrist curls anyone?

Here we have a buxom model performing wrist curls.Enjoy.

There's also a chapter at the end of the book on competitive women's bodybuilding which was in it's infancy.Mainly pictures of the current star of the scene Rachel McLish.A very safe,and soft image indeed.

So this book is a minor note in the history of women's weight training.But an interesting glimpse into the mood of the time.
And so much chrome.

The value of Vitamin D and Creatine in surpressing Myostatin.

I came across a link to this article on Muscular Development about Clenbuterol.Which is a Beta2-adrenergic agonist used to treat asthma.It's also used in bodybuilding to spare muscle,and burn fat.
See the MD article for more details.Benefits of Clenbuterol.
You can learn more about the use of Clenbuterol in bodybuilding from this article on Anabolic.org
Clenbuterol is effective,but it also has risks.Personally,I wouldn't want to use it.

There's also some very interesting information about the regulation of Myostatin during exercise and how Clenbuterol affects it.Take Clenbuterol long enough and it raises myostatin.Not a good thing.
The Myostatin issue brings up a fascinating point.Myostatin works like a brake on gaining muscle.
One of the most amazing conditions that exists in the world of muscle is Myostatin-related Muscle Hypertrophy.The animals that have this gene knocking out myostatin are pretty damn freaky looking.

 

A Myostatin deficient Bull

So in the simplest terms;turn down the myostatin and turn up the muscle.This condition has happened to rare humans as well.It may very well be one of the reasons some humans have a major natural advantage in gaining muscle mass.Of course I'm sure that all gets very complicated,and speculative.But lowering the impact of myostatin on your muscles is an exciting idea as a bodybuilder.Now the question is can it be done? There are a number of products that have claimed they can lower myostatin dramatically.So far they look like a bunch of cow manure.You can't take a magic pill.
It has been done experimentally to lab mice by gene editing.That's not something you can put in a supplement.But you may be able to improve the situation by taking Creatine and Vitamin D.
From the MD article;

Certain nutritional supplements are known to inhibit myostatin. Therefore, consuming them should negate myostatin’s hold on muscle growth directly induced by clenbuterol. Creatine is a well-characterized compound that has been unmistakably shown to enhance muscle size and strength. In addition to creatine’s obvious function as a primary energy storage molecule used to regenerate muscle ATP, thus prolonging muscle function, creatine has also been shown to stimulate muscle growth.⁴ More recently, however, a study by Saremi et al.⁵ demonstrated that creatine consumption causes a decrease in myostatin levels in muscle cells, leading to significant muscle growth. In this study, two groups of men performed resistance training with or without creatine for a total of eight weeks. Both groups showed decreased levels of myostatin, but the group that performed resistance training and consumed creatine had a considerably larger decrease in myostatin levels along with greater gains in muscle mass and strength— clearly demonstrating the ability of creatine to reduce myostatin levels, improving muscle growth and strength.
Another potent myostatin inhibitor is vitamin D. As shown in a recent study by Garcia et al.⁶, vitamin D exposure decreased the amount of myostatin found in isolated muscle cells, generating greater muscle growth. In addition to the decrease in myostatin, this study also showed that vitamin D triggers an increase in the powerful inhibitor of myostatin known as follistatin, which increases muscle mass by inhibiting myostatin.⁷ Ultimately, this study indicates that the decrease in myostatin level and activity caused by vitamin D significantly increased muscle fiber size.

Creatine Monohydrate and Vitamin D are easy safe additions to any lifters supplements.I'm sure most amateur bodybuilders take creatine sometimes.But vitamin D levels may not be considered.That's a mistake because vitamin D is important for over all health.
Dr Rhonda Patrick has a great video about the target range for vitamin D and it's benefits.

Vitamin D 
is actually a secosteroid and usually taken as a supplement in the form of D3.
You can of course get it foods,and from sunlight as well.
If you are going to take it as a supplement it might be best to take it with a meal containing green vegetables rich in Vitamin K,and K2.That will help the vitamin D take calcium into your bones rather than depositing it in your soft tissues where it may damage your arteries.
But do please research this for yourself when making any decisions about what supplements to take.After all I'm just some nobody on the internet :)

Keeping your myostatin levels down could have a positive impact on muscle growth over time.If you're trying to build muscle without taking AAS,and other drugs,that could be a real plus.

I'll leave you with a talk from a real hardcore lifter, Stan Efferding, who does believe in the benefits of Vitamin D.

 

2016 Wings of Strength Rising Phoenix

I wish I had a lot to say about this.But it's like a shadow passing through the Bodybuilding world.
Did they even hold it?
Yes they did.Here are the results.
Margie Martin won it again for the second time.
The only video I've seen from the event was taken by a spectator in the audience during the prejudging.It was adequate.I could get some idea of the condition of the competitors.But it was also an amateurish failure on the part of the promoters.I would have watched a live steam if one had been available.Maybe their was one.I don't know?I do try to follow what's left of women's bodybuilding.I may not be doing a very good job of keeping up.But There's not much out there.
Why don't they try to get Amazon to stream it next year like they're doing with the Olympia competition.
And yes,it's disgusting that they basically decapitated Women's Bodybuilding out of the Olympia.They could easily have it before the rest of the contest.On the prior weekend,or on the Thursday before the weekend.But AMI is a business.They don't actually value bodybuilding for it's own sake.Honestly some of the women now on the Olympia stage look like they could be working in Las Vegas,and not as personal trainers.That's what sells to the masses.But the amount of respect I tend to have for common tastes might fill a thimble.I really don't think the object of bodybuilding is to be conventional,and unthreatening to ordinary people.It's for people to push their personal limits,and achieve something awesome.But that's a complicated subject which I may return to in the future.( If I can find time to sit down and klutz at the keyboard )

Now my feelings about the results.And this will be mostly about feelings.I've discovered I don't really watch bodybuilding like a usual sporting competition.It does seem more like a display,performance,or pageant.I don't want to see them run like beauty pageants because that wouldn't be the intent of the sport.It does have to keep the ideal of development.Actual muscle building.Though having different divisions,and weight classes is legitimate.
But I don't enjoy looking at people I don't find attractive.Who does? That's the problem.I try to be a good sport about it though,and not degenerate into cheap meanness.
I'll be honest.I never watched the years of the Ms Olympia that Iris Kyle ( or Kim Chizevsky ) won except for maybe 2013/14.I didn't pay very much attention to Kyle.I may have run a Google image search once,or twice.
Alina Popa is the one I like.I follow her media,and look for pictures of her.She is beautiful,and inspiring.
She came in second a few times to Kyle.Then she got injured in 2014.That was the year the contest was dropped so she couldn't have competed anyway.Terrible luck because she probably would have won.She deserved it.
So Margie Martin ( a woman I had never even heard of ) won in 2015.I thought Popa would have a good chance at it this year.She came in third behind Martin,and Sheila Bleck.
Well expletive deleted that,and the horse it rode in on.
I think they made the wrong decision.She has a polish,and beauty that women's bodybuilding is desperately in need of.I sometimes think women's bodybuilding is trying to commit suicide.Maybe it's just shortsightedness.They see a woman with bulk,and an X frame and give her the trophy.But she doesn't make you gasp,and say Wow!She isn't beautiful,or very interesting.But big.
That's were women's bodybuilding has gone off the track.Cory Everson,Lenda Murray.Anja Langer and others were amazing looking women.Larger than life,and heroic looking.But also truly beautiful to look at.Exciting.Inspiring.

You have to respect Margie Martin .She's a USMC vet,and the mother of four children.She does have the desired X frame.Wide shoulders,and well developed quads.She's not unattractive either.She seems like a nice lady.If you're a fan,fine.Good.She's impressive.

Margie Martin

Now here's why I can't put her in first place.Right to left symmetry is unacceptable.To be blunt,I hate breast implants.They never look better than real breasts.But hers are just wonky.The right goo bag is lower than the left one.I don't know what boob of a surgeon did this work,but he's a hack.But she's responsible for them.She paid for them.That should be a huge deduction.
I think the above picture(pink suit ) is from 2015,or earlier 2016.
I found a few from the contest.(there aren't many online ).So here she is this year.

Margie Martin Rising Phoenix 2016.

Margie Martin.

You can clearly see she still has the problem with the fouled up implants.If bodybuilding has any self respect left,you don't overlook something this glaring.
Now we move on to her lower abdomen.What is going on there? A tattoo? Scars?
It's a mess.
Scars are not someones fault,but...This is bodybuilding.A lot of flaws may not be somebodies fault but they don't get overlooked.I notice that in an instant.Again it should be a deduction.
If it's a tattoo, then 100% the fault of the contestant.And yes I think it matters.Tattoos are a distraction from the muscles,and skin.If they're large,or poorly placed it should count against the person.
We should have higher standards than this.Too many noticeable problems.

Sheila Bleck placed second.A very fine bodybuilder who has had a long career.Great muscle density,and nice symmetry.

Sheila Bleck at the 2016 Rising Phoenix.

She has the kind of high quality physique that should earn top placings in women's bodybuilding.
Some people may find the facial signs of Androgen usage,and low voice bothersome to their sensibilities.That's kind of par for the course in bodybuilding though.
I do think she's a worthy high level competitor.

Alina Popa.No apologies I think she's the best.She's the perfect package of muscle maturity,polished lines,and genuine beauty.She really does embody my ideal for a female bodybuilder.I've seen others I can put in that top tier.But she's the pinnacle.If I have to choose one female bodybuilder I would most want to have the physique of,it's her.

Alina Popa at the 2016 Rising Phoenix.

Alina Popa at the 2016 Rising Phoenix.

Her back was looking spectacular.Great shoulders.Great skin tone,and hair.Her conditioning is very good though the judges may have preferred a more ripped look.I personally feel that can go too far with women.I don't like the skinned chicken look.
The criticism I could make is the left calve.I may be seeing the effects of the left Achilles tendon tear ( And right bicep tendon tear she suffered when she fell on the stairs after her Achilles tear surgery.Painkillers and stairs are not a good combination. )
Her calves have never been her best body parts.They look adequate,but not extraordinary.But honestly it seems to be common to give great bodybuilders some mercy on the calves.I love deep diamond calves.It's a notoriously hard body part to force into growth.
Anyway;I do hope that women's bodybuilding isn't foolish enough to fail to award this amazing women the top trophy soon.

I am going to leave the review here at the top three.If I feel like it I might make a post on the lower finishers.

Book Review:Strong and Hard Women by Tanya Bunsell.

Rene Campbell on the cover of Strong and Hard Women

This book was written by an ethnographer about the female bodybuilding scene in the UK.
I've read a number of academic oriented history books.So I do know the approach to the content to expect.There has to be a consideration of weather or not a book is being written for an insider or general readership.This book is very much written for the ethnographic academia department.It has very little appeal to a general reader.
It's written in academicese.Insider language.It's the kind of book where you know you're going to find the word liminal.I hit it on page 133.I'm surprised she held out that long.
You could make a drinking game out of how many time she uses the word hegemonic,but I'm afraid you'd knock yourself out..The problem with this approach is that it's all in group communication on in group mutually agreed upon concepts.Which could be a bucket of self satisfied academic hogwash for all the average reader would know.I do suspect a certain amount of twaddle emerges from the ivory towers.I had a little groaning,and eye rolling workout trudging through some of it.And no,I'm not an inarticulate idiot who just doesn't 'get it'.I just take it with a grain of salt.
But we'll grant this writer,Tanya Bunsell, means well.

The first problem is she's not a good writer.It's very awkward.Does anyone actually use the word 'Whilst' anymore?It's pretentious,and slogging.Filled with constant references,and quotes from other ethnographers.Most of the beginning of the book is little more than a defense,and apologia of her attempt to study the subject.You could scan through the first 50 pages,and you wouldn't miss much.If you can't affirm it's valuable to study something,and get on with it why waste so much paper?
She doesn't seem to quite know how to position herself in the writing.She admits she has weight trained.And injured herself doing so.She's faced some negative comments from others.She became a personal trainer before she pursued her career in academics.Dated some guys who lift.She's laying out her gym rat cred.But it also feels like she sees herself above it.
Then it's on to the issue of how the ethnographer treats the  subjects.Yes it's a genuine ethical issue of how people should be treated during research,and journalism.Stay detached,or go native?
How do you understand people without becoming immersed?Can you?
And how do you treat them with concern,and protect their privacy.Make sure they don't experience negative consequences by participating in a study of their lives.I do think she's trying to be considerate.She does seem to be using pseudonyms in most cases.Though you may be able to figure out who the women are if you tried.

Bunsell is looking at Women's Bodybuilding from a Feminist philosophical,and political viewpoint.
Do I have to say it doesn't pass their sniff test.Quelle suprise as the French would say.
Of course many feminists have decided that it's a beauty contest  pandering to the male gaze,and compromised by commercial concerns.Many things are.
She also presents the question of whether bodybuilding is a deviant subculture.I don't think that's a fair way of describing it.I'm not saying the author thinks that.But the word subculture gets tiresome.
Bunsell does try to point out the way women are using bodybuilding to achieve a greater sense of self determination.To control,and create their own bodies.We all know the business of bodybuilding is hard on women.But that doesn't mean that most female weight trainers aren't committed lifters who genuinely enjoy the process.Including bodybuilders who have to go through all the difficulties of diet,and stage presentation.I do think that voice is allowed to get across.
There is the real strong point in the book.The voices of the female bodybuilders themselves.Yes,there are statements from the same old braying boys bashing female muscle.And some of the male fans too.But the women are speaking about standing up for themselves,and pursuing their ambitions to gain a muscular body.Their information is worth hearing.It's good material.There's just not enough of it.The two main informants are 'Sarah' and 'Michelle'.They,and others, talk about their attraction to bodybuilding,and the repercussions to their lives.The process and gym work,and the environment It follows 'Michelle' through a contest with the accompanying miseries.
She does go into the dreaded dark side,spooky steroids! And into the private wrestling sessions that some female bodybuilders make income from.(Which is spookier)
Of course she was going to cover these subjects.It's the usual.Maybe a little better informed than most.She was nervous when someone came into her flat,and deposited her growth hormone in her refrigerator.Luckily the fuzz didn't bust down the door.There is also discussion of the brutal labor of the gym.The risk of injury.The sacrifice of dieting.The general scene of macho body violence.
I don't think she's giving in to much sensationalism on these subjects to give her credit.
There's the issue of this being written in England.It feels much more insular,and behind the times in the bodybuilding world.I think that impression is accurate.It's sure not California.Maybe Brits are more shocked by these women.There aren't that many high level competitors from the UK.
Bodybuilding is more limited there.So is the whole fitness scene.Many of the basic life issues are the same of course,but I did notice the difference.

The book isn't very long.166 pages including the notes.Unlike bodybuilders,it doesn't have much meat on it's bones.There's it's main weakness.It's simply light in content.Not much that's fresh,unique,or especially insightful.It could be considered valuable to have an ethnographic study of women's bodybuilding.I'm sure it would be to ethnographers.So thanks for that.I don't happen to be one.But at least that angle has been covered now.
( Let me take a moment to compare it to the work done in the book "Caught in the Pulpit" by Daniel Dennett,and Linda LaScola. Dennett is a professor of Philosophy,and cognitive studies.LaScola is a qualitative researcher.That's not the same thing as an ethnographer.But they are approaching a similar set of issues of research into the life processes,thoughts,and feelings of their subjects.Which happen to be ministers leaving their vocation.There's not as much political analysis.But they do a fine job of bringing the voices of the people through to the reader.It's a more engaging human study.)
There aren't too many visuals.A striking photo of Rene Campbell is on the cover.But there are only a few black,and white photos inside.I have to admit one of the subjects is difficult to recognize as female.I think she's since gone into strongman/woman competitions.So there's the aesthetics conundrum again.

Recommendation:Don't bother buying it unless you're really intrigued by the ethnographic approach.
Most of this material has been better covered in other works.You could get it from a library,and read the sections quoting the women themselves to get the best out of it.
But I'm not saying it's without value.It's an addition to the limited number of serious works on women's bodybuilding.

Bodybuilding Book Reviews.

I'm going to write some reviews of Bodybuilding books.I don't really see that many reviews of books about bodybuilding online.Not too many long form well written ones anyway.
I hope I can do an interesting,and engaging job of it.

I am a good reader.I'm a life long serious lover of books.My reading comprehension was tested when I was a child,and found to be above average.I'm happy to have that gift.
Math would be another matter unfortunately.

I've read hundreds of books.I started out as a kid reading children's books of course.Then on to Sci-fi,horror,and a little fantasy.
I became fascinated with studying history as a teenager.
Native Americans,General American history,War history.I've been reading lately about the creation of religious literature.
I've also read a great deal of classic poetry,and fiction.Shakespeare,Proust,Mann,Melville,Twain etc..
I feel like everything you read has the power to enrich your understanding of humanity.

So I hope I can bring a bit of that to this little corner of the world in the gym.

The superiority of injectable to topical testosterone.

An article by Daniel Gwartney,M.D. on the safest way for men to use HRT Testosterone.It turns out that injections are best.The skin gels that are being promoted by pharmaceutical companies are higher risk,and not as effective.And of course all oral AAS can cause liver stress.
It's understandable why people don't want to inject drugs.It's painful,and anxiety provoking.Needles carry a significant stigma,and can transmit disease when used improperly.But under the administration of a competent physician it would be the best way to use AAS for therapy.
It's just sad to see the impact of the irrational criminalization of AAS making it harder for people to use these drugs more safely.

Injectable testosterone is safer than topical 

Jerry Brainum on the question; Are BCAAs overrated?

I asked a question for Jerry Brainum on the Generation Iron Fitness and Bodybuilding Network on YouTube.Happy to say he answered.
The fact is you do get enough BCAAs from animal protein sources in food.You don't need extra BCAAs as supplements during a workout.
That's what I thought from what I've heard.But it's good to get Jerry's expert insight on this.

The Weider magazines and American Media Inc.The dirty fight with Dr Phil.

It would be an exaggeration to say the National Enquirer owns FLEX magazine.But it's uncomfortably close to the truth.
The parent company of  the Weider magazines;Flex,Muscle & Fitness, and Men's Fitness is American Media Inc.AMI as it's also known is a media company that owns the tabloid publications the National Enquirer,Star,The Globe,OK! and Soap Opera Digest.
They also own the online gossip site RadarOnline.com.

Here is their site. http://www.americanmediainc.com/

Weider Publications which was founded by Joe and Ben Weider was sold to AMI in 2003.Joe Weider died in 2013.Ben Weider,who was head of the International Federation of Bodybuilders,died in 2008.
Eric Weider,Ben's son,now runs the Weider family business.
Dr Rafael Santonja is now head of the IFBB.

Bodybuilding as it now exists was largely the Weider brothers creation.
AMI is in the business of selling sleaze,and muscle.I think that's bad for Bodybuilding.Joe Weider made a terrible mistake.
The circumstances are understandable.He was an old man and was aware of his mortality.I'm sure AMI offered a lucrative payout.But why didn't he consider the reputation of the company he sold out to? It was shortsighted to say the least.
The gossip empire of AMI is built on the worst kind of mentality.It panders to the petty minded curiosity,and contempt of the jealous losers of the world.A bunch of uneducated drudges who want to stick their noses up other people's business.People who for some reason find the private lives of celebrities interesting.They've been trained to consume this silly noxious nonsense.
Do they ever notice the fact that the gossip rags lie? And if they're not outright lying they're exaggerating,and warping the truth.Always taking the most sensationalistic view of things.Which is in fact not an ethical way to cover information.It's toxic.
Who can even keep up with the stream of lurid drivel that passes by on the store racks.Does anyone even bother to take any of it seriously? I don't know.I hope not many.
I suppose it would be possible to have a form of  gossip that wasn't ruthless bile.But this isn't it.

So the latest mess involving this purveyor of crud is the feces throwing fest that is going on between AMI,and Dr Phil McGraw.
It seems they had some kind of agreement to lay off him,and it ran out.
He sued them.For quite a mint of money too.
So in retaliation AMI has blasted Dr Phil with a smear campaign across seemingly all of it's media outlets.
Including the bodybuilding websites.It's unwanted,and annoying.
It's not the muscle world's fight.But they are using everything they have to attack their enemy.
On the FLEX website for instance.

I don't know about,or particularly care about Dr Phil's case.I've never been a viewer of his show more than a few times.I have no idea how this will turn out.I have no idea if any of the allegations against him are true.
But it could be critical for AMI.No doubt they're concerned with the recent lawsuit against the gossip news site Gawker.They were sued by the pro wrestling performer Hulk Hogan for publishing a sex tape.
They lost. It might put them out of business.Of course they appealed.
I have no sympathy for them.They brought it on themselves.See the New York Times Gawker article of May 2016.

And here is one very pertinent quote from the article that AMI should keep in mind.

Several of the suits have found fault with Gawker’s tendency to link coverage across several websites, opening up the stories for reader discussion and, in some cases, online harassment.

So maybe not such a bright idea to run a smear job on all your websites?
I would honestly just laugh if this all blows up for AMI and guts them.That probably won't happen though.I don't have subscriptions to any of their fitness magazines.Most of the Bodybuilding scene is online now anyway.But still it's a shame for such a disreputable company to own these old muscle mags.
However this suit with Dr Phil turns out they should keep it off the Bodybuilding sites.

Monica Mollica on Hormone Therapy for Women

Monica Mollica has also written on hormone therapy for women.Which is great because there isn't much coverage of the issues involving women's hormone usage in the Bodybuilding media.There is some coverage of Women's use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids ( AAS ) for muscle building.But not comprehensive writing on the whole picture of Estrogen,Progesterone,and Testosterone in women,and HRT treatment in mature women.Mollica has made a point of addressing these issues.
She provided some links to articles she has written for a company "Ageless Forever" that specializes in Anti-Aging.It's a commercial site,and is clearly promoting the companies business.So I would take that into account on a site providing medical information.But it's still interesting.

Article; What are Bioidentical Hormones?

http://www.agelessforever.net/bioidentical-estrogen-progesterone-hrt/what-are-bioidentical-hormones

This is a really interesting article on the use of DHEA by Women.It may help provide relief from menopausal symptoms,and help mature women retain some vitality as they age.It discusses DHEA vs traditional HRT,and dosing considerations.

http://www.agelessforever.net/bioidentical-estrogen-progesterone-hrt/dhea-why-it-is-especially-important-for-menopausal-women

Monica Mollica on Testosterone deficiency and treatment in Men

Monica Mollica has posted an interesting article on Will Brink's site about a consensus conference held in late 2015 to address issues relating to treating men with testosterone deficiency.This is mostly about older men,and not those using testosterone for performance enhancement in athletics.
It supports the conclusion that testosterone can be used safely,and does have genuine health benefits
Mollica has been doing some really good work in bringing the scientific evidence about testosterone usage to the public.This is not Bro,or Sis science.

http://www.brinkzone.com/anti-aging-and-hrt/testosterone-deficiency-and-treatment-the-facts/

Earplugs equal peace and quiet

I'm sure everyone knows about earplugs.But have you ever actually tried them?
Trust me.They're effective,and comfortable.
I work out at home in my own gym area.I can listen to whatever I want,or nothing.But if you work out in a crowded public gym you're probably getting bombarded with auditory distraction.Crappy music,people talking, announcements over the speaker system.Some people tune things out better than others.
I find excessive noise a bother so I've been wearing earplugs for a long time.
I know you can listen to music on your own device.But that's active listening.Maybe some people really get charged up listening to music when they work out.Good if that works for you.But there are a number of situations when quiet is sweet relief.Maybe you have to take a bus to the gym.Pop in the plugs,and tune out the environment.And if you're at the gym and you don't want people talking to you,it can send a message that you're in serious mode.You won't even have to wear a rude t-shirt telling people to bug off anymore.
Of course they can also be a great help in reading/studying/focusing on work whatever the setting.   

The ones I included a picture of are from the top brand in the business,Mack's.They make a whole line of earplugs for different needs.Including for swimming,and shooting sports.
They do make very soft earplugs for sleeping.Now you can live with that snoring spouse a little easier.Maybe you won't have to throttle the neighbor for his yapping mutts.
They are actually soft enough to be comfortable.After awhile you hardly notice they're in.I find that once I'm asleep I don't tend to register much outside noise.The trash trucks can do their banging business without waking me up.But I can still hear the alarm clock when it goes off.( I use an interesting kind of alarm clock which I'll post about some time ).
If you're at all prone to anxiety,I think these could be helpful too.It does reduce the general stimulation.
They might be helpful to a kid with ADHD,or Autism to reduce distraction,or provide a calmer feeling.

A few notes on use.They do make some out of silicone that are like soft putty.They will conform to the ear,but are a little too gushy.They can squish too far into the ear canal.They also need to be cleaned,and reshaped after use.You'll wake up with your hair stuck to them.I did use them in the past.But I prefer the foam ones.
The foam earplugs will come in different levels of decibel reduction.That's the measure of environmental sound reduction.It will state the level on the package.Such as NRR 29 dB.That means the reduction will be 29 decibels if used properly.
I would advise you to clean your ears before putting in the plugs.You don't want greasy,waxy ears anyway.You can wash them with soap,and water and dry them well.You can also use a rag,or tissue and clean the outside with a little hand sanitizer like Purell..Of course Q-tips tells us never to put swabs in your ear canal.I'm sure we all carefully avoid doing this too.
The foam plugs are squeezed into a tighter shape,and inserted into the ear canal where they will expand to fit snugly.They can be reused a number of times.When they feel like they're getting dirty,throw them out.
They're not expensive.
The quiet is well worth the price.

I just want to live in peace and quiet. Agnetha Faltskog
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/peace_and_quiet.html

Sleepy time workout

Not having an adequate night's sleep is lousy for working out.You just feel sleepy,and slightly out of it.Maybe more than slightly.
It happens to people for different reasons.Some can't fall asleep,some can't stay asleep. Some fall asleep,wake up and thrash around for an hour then fall back asleep,and over sleep and feel like crap.
I almost always fall asleep fine.I wake up to pee,and can't fall back asleep sometimes.My brain just won't let me back down.Then my cat comes into the bedroom,and finishes the job by sitting on me.I don't blame my cat.I'm her servant.She needs things.Sigh.

That happened today.I was about two hours short of my usual eight hours.So I just got up,and got on with my day.
I was very sleepy,and was feeling the aches and pains.Two cups of coffee.
But I had a leg day scheduled,and was determined to do it.I watched a few videos on YouTube to put me in a better frame of mind.Warmed up my legs.Rubbed on a little Aspercreme,and hit the stationary bike.I did about five minutes of intense on and off sprints.Felt much better,and ready to go.
I did a strong leg workout.Deep squats.Good weights.Did some work on the hamstrings,and calves too.Not an overlong workout.About an hour and fifteen minutes.
I was sleepy when I started,and satisfied when I was through.

It's not about feeling like it.It's about doing it.

That's one of the great lessons of experience.

What makes a weightlifter?

Doing it of course.But that's not all.
This is a question of what you are to yourself,and what you appear to be to others.Do you look like a weightlifter?And what does a weightlifter look like? Do you have to look like you lift to be the authentic article?
I think the stereotype is the bulky,lumbering oaf.Which is mostly exaggerated.Many people lift weights and don't look that abnormal.I think some Olympic Weightlifters who are great at what they do could walk down the street in regular clothes,and not stand out too much.A Power Lifter may be very strong looking,but would some people know by looking at them what they could do?
Some lift and look extraordinary.I wish I looked more like I lift than I do.I've done a lot of hard work with not enough awesome looking to show for it.I do train like a Bodybuilder.But I haven't always eaten like a Bodybuilder.I admit I feel cheated by that.But we don't all have the self discipline,or genetics,or the good fortune to be equally rewarded for our workouts.
I don't talk much about my lifting with others.I'm not involved in the gym culture even though I've spent time in gyms.I talk about it a little with my Doctor,a few friends,a few relatives.But I just don't have it in me to brag.Maybe if people looked at me and really noticed.I wonder what it must feel like to wear your work for all to see? That has to be one of the major reasons people work out in the first place.But I've rarely gotten that payoff.I'm inherently modest anyway.It might make me uncomfortable to get more attention.So maybe I'm not missing much.
I think we're lifters because it suits us.We're human Dray Horses.Take the bit in our teeth and haul away.Work hard for the sake of it.Pull.Push.Struggle.Lift.
That's me.I recognized it when I saw it.I knew I should do that.Like a string vibrating in sympathy to another string.I saw my kind.
I don't need other people to give me credit for it.I know how much work I do.
I think that's the best attitude to have.Wear it on the inside,and be comfortable with it.The strength is always there.I don't need other people's eyes to affirm it.I'll keep lifting no matter what.
But yes,I'm trying to bring it all in line more now.That feels like being a proper weightlifter,and respecting the whole process.
So I lift weights,train,bodybuild for myself.I live it.

The Golden Weight Set

This is from the back of Muscle and Fitness magazine from the early 80's.
The big deluxe weight set from Weider.My parents ordered it for me when I was a teenager.
I think I had other weights before this.I'm sure I did.Some of those bulky maroon plastic concrete filled dumbbells second hand.Before that the metal bar from my closet.If you're a determined kid,you make due.
I'm not sure the set I got was precisely like this.I don't remember the head harness.Also I really don't think they sent that many plates.I think that was for the photo to show what could be done with it.Still that's it.The goofy metal barbell shoes which were hopelessly awkward to use.The stick,and string were for your forearms.I think the black handles were to make some kind of kettlebell.I did eventually get better collars.
Here's the crazy thing.I still have it,and use it.Most of it anyway.
There is very little 'Planned Obsolescence' in barbells.You have to appreciate that.I can't tell you much money I spent restringing my tennis rackets with expensive french gut.But the iron...it lasts.

I've been lifting a long time

There's an old joke; I just flew in from 'pick a city',and boy are my arms tired!
I keep remembering that when I think how long I've been lifting weights.I've been lifting weights since I was about 'a teenager',and boy are my arms tired.
They often are.I lifted for about 9hrs and 38min last week.I'm not young.This has been my on and off obsession for most of my life.I did take a lot of time off.I was also very interested in tennis,and played for a while.I really can't run around much on hard tennis courts anymore,so I'm seriously back to the gym.
My gym.People say 'Go hard,or go home'.I have a home gym.I can go home and go hard.
I'm also interested in Bodybuilding.I saw the movie 'Pumping Iron' on TV when I was probably twelve.It made a lasting impression on me.I also saw 'Pumping Iron 2 - The Women'.That made a bigger impression.
I always felt naturally fascinated by muscle,and strength.Seeing the male bodybuilders was exciting,and inspiring.But seeing the women was another matter.I'm female.I think I would have lifted anyway.But it was amazing to see that there were women interested in the devoted pursuit of muscularity.
I watched whatever I could on TV about bodybuilding.They actually had the major contests on TV back then.I also read the magazines,and bought books.It felt like the sport,and way of life,was really growing then.There was an explosion in interest.
The competitive sport has clearly faded.The open class Women's Bodybuilding is out of the IFBB.And the fact is,the men are not ever going to become mainstream.
Of course this is because of the extremity of the bodies on display.It's because of the high amount of drugs that the athletes are taking.
But that's a big issue.The fact is I still enjoy bodybuilding.I still get a lot of good out of it personally.
So I've been thinking about sharing a few ideas,and opinions about it.Probably because I work out at home,and feel separated from the big gym culture I feel like I can have a certain perspective.
A few points.I'm not an expert.I'm interested.It's not the same thing.
I will never be posting pictures of myself,or much personal information.It's easy for people to say "You're not impressive." I'm not.I know that too.To quote Jeff Everson "I've never done anything remotely impressive.".( he actually has )
But I'm smarter than the average gym denizen.I've been around longer anyway.I prefer a mature philosophical approach to over emotionalism.The world of Barbells could use a few more pounds of that.