Layne Norton

[str8flexed]

first can I see a picture to asses whether you truly are ready right now? thanks

[petyo]

They are on Your mail, "peter from Hungary"
Thanks

[str8flexed]

Peter,
I think you are very lean right now, but I think you could still get leaner. For example, your outer quadraceps are not yet striated. I think if you lose another 2, maybe 3kg max you will be in great shape. I think you should aim to try and lose about 0.2-0.3kg per week from here on in. How many grams of protein/carbs/fats are you taking in per day right now?

-Layne

[petyo]

pro: 80-110, fat: 40-60, left ch till 2000 kcal but never fill full (after eating I have to wait usually ar. 1 hour and drink a coffee, light cola to satisfy a bit my hunger). Can that cause the lower bodyfat?

[str8flexed]

try increasing your protein by about 60g and lowering your carbs by 40g and see if that helps you stay more full. coffee and diet soda are fine so long as you aren't adding sugar to the coffee.

-Layne

[petyo]

thanks Layne everything, God bless

[str8flexed]

no problem peter, good luck!

[El_Spiko]

I do my cardio in the morning before I go to work. Would you recommend an amino acid supp like ON's Amino 2222 before hand or a protein shake beforehand to keep my body from tearing down muscle tissue for aminos?

[LOL]

Layne, what is your take on omitting protein shakes and bars from daily consumption? True enough, most all powders are pre-disgested, manufactured dietary supplements, but I think the value of them cannot be denied. After all, there is the convenience factor of them, plus proteins have come a long way from the 90's, as they had from the 80's, and so on. I think the biggest thing for me is wanting to include them for these two reasons:

1. I eat eight times a day. At the suggestion of someone else, I cut out protein supplements (at least for this first month to see how my body takes to it), and am looking entirely to whole foods to get my protein intake. The problem with that is that eating eight whole food meals a day is not really agreeing with my stomach, especially considering that I now have to eat more calorie dense meals. So, for me, it is a big help convenience-wise, because I can time everything much better, AND get my protein requirement. And for the record, I have set my protein ratio at 2g of protein per 1 lb. of bodyweight for a grand total of 360g daily. 45g spaced out over 8 meals does not sound so bad, but considering that I do not always meet this requisite, protein shakes help to fill in the remainder. My shakes normally ran 70g protein.

2. While I understand the importance of covering all bases by using whole food to make the best of varying amino acid profiles, do protein shakes (certain products, anyway... my regulars were these type) not have specifically engineered profiles that cannot be had through regular food, hence the importance of having them in the first place?

I ask you because you are a highly regarded natural here on MD.com, and from reading your posts, you have a very sizeable knowledge base, and I am always willing to learn more. My apologies for being long on words with my questioning, but that is just how I am.

On a final note... you do not care much for Muscle-Tech products, or more specifically, their outlandish claims. I know when I used Nitro-Tech and Cell-Tech several years ago, I put on nine pounds in about three weeks, no lie. Are the new formulations worth it??

[str8flexed]

Layne, what is your take on omitting protein shakes and bars from daily consumption? True enough, most all powders are pre-disgested, manufactured dietary supplements, but I think the value of them cannot be denied. After all, there is the convenience factor of them, plus proteins have come a long way from the 90's, as they had from the 80's, and so on. I think the biggest thing for me is wanting to include them for these two reasons:

1. I eat eight times a day. At the suggestion of someone else, I cut out protein supplements (at least for this first month to see how my body takes to it), and am looking entirely to whole foods to get my protein intake. The problem with that is that eating eight whole food meals a day is not really agreeing with my stomach, especially considering that I now have to eat more calorie dense meals. So, for me, it is a big help convenience-wise, because I can time everything much better, AND get my protein requirement. And for the record, I have set my protein ratio at 2g of protein per 1 lb. of bodyweight for a grand total of 360g daily. 45g spaced out over 8 meals does not sound so bad, but considering that I do not always meet this requisite, protein shakes help to fill in the remainder. My shakes normally ran 70g protein.

2. While I understand the importance of covering all bases by using whole food to make the best of varying amino acid profiles, do protein shakes (certain products, anyway... my regulars were these type) not have specifically engineered profiles that cannot be had through regular food, hence the importance of having them in the first place?

I ask you because you are a highly regarded natural here on MD.com, and from reading your posts, you have a very sizeable knowledge base, and I am always willing to learn more. My apologies for being long on words with my questioning, but that is just how I am.

no need to cut out protein shakes... unless one has a lactalbumin sensitivity and then they should be limited

1. I think your protein intake is too high. I have literally spent the last 8 years of my life studying protein and more recently my studies at the graduate school level have been spent studying protein synthesis and metabolism in depth. There is just no evidence that anything over 1g/lb is beneficial for anabolism and there is evidence that going too high can actually reduce the anabolic response. I would mitigate your intake to 1.5g/lb. The problem with many bodybuilders is that we have this "more is better" or "all or nothing" ideals. If increased protein is good, then a TON MUST BE GREAT! Another example is vitamins. If you are deficient in a vitamin it can limit growth, but taking a ton of vitamins isn't going to enhance growth and yet many bodybuilders take absurd amount of vitamins like vitamin C. What they don't realize is that by taking too much of certain vitamins and minerals you can actually get many negative effects and in the case of vitamin C, if you take too much it can actually act as a pro-oxidant instead of an anti-oxidant. More is not better, better is better.

2. Shakes are not 'needed' per say but there is also no reason to cut them out. As far as having profiles that are better than whole foods, whey has probably the best profile in terms of bioavailability and leucine content and there is strong evidence that leucine is the only amino acid that can independently stimulate protein synthesis.

[LOL]

Thank you for the response!

270g sounds much better than 360+.

This sounds good, because with three weeks of not drinking any shakes, it is about time to start rebuilding my muscles with more than I have been giving it. I may switch to Muscle Tech stuff the closer I get to my show, but for now, the Pro Complex and Universal Specialized Protein for Lean Mass will continue to do just nicely.

Thank you again

[El_Spiko]

Gaoshang, is that you in your avatar? And if so, what style and school are you?

[LOL]

Gaoshang, is that you in your avatar? And if so, what style and school are you?

El_Spiko, that is me in my avatar. I get asked this question quite a lot on MySpace, so I put something on my page to answer this question for anyone who would think to ask me, and here it is:

I am a Shaolin martial artist, training since 1985. My first experience in the martial arts was with Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu in the sixth grade. A few months later, I started the study of traditional Taekwondo (no ITF or ATF or any sport variation). Soon after, the ninjutsu instructor moved, and I stayed with Taekwondo for a few years. Eventually, my Quan Jah Nim returned to his home in Seoul for a year, and when he returned, he had revamped his curriculum, and made it more appealing for the American market. He went commercial, and the Taekwondo was from that point on a hybrid system based on Taekwondo, with strong influences of Shotokan in the early ranks and Shaolin wushu at the later ranks. Still, I stayed, but in the ninth grade, I started training with another classmate... two actually... in Praying Mantis and Wing Chun. With the other classmate, he let me into the world of Koga-ryu Ninjutsu. After that class year was over, I lost touch with both of them, but I stayed with the Chinese arts, as I gravitated toward them and showed a greater strength there.
So through the years, I have been able to have time to train in arts such as Shaolinquan, Baguazhang, Wu Style Taijiquan, Zuijiuquan, Xingyiquan, and Choy Li Fut, just to name a few. While attending Tennessee State University for a semester, I studied Muay Thai, and then upon returning home after that, I trained in Jun Fan Jeet Kune Do, along with Shootfighting in preparation for the UFC. I never went though, and do not regret that decision.As recently as 2004, I was again training in Muay Thai and Kali. Currently, I can be found revisiting past forms and styles... basically anything at any given moment. I am one to study anything, or at least anything that interests me, and dissect, reconstruct, and synthesize for my use as I see fit.

So, as you can see, I am everything, and I am nothing. But I do claim Shaolin as my foundation, despite starting in Taekwondo. In that picture, this is the pattern 'Mantis Catches the Cicada' from Seven Star Praying Mantis. Generally, this pattern is not executed so low, but it made for a better picture However, with the double palm strike that follows behind it in the set as the next movement, grasping my opponent and pulling them down much farther than normal would prove to be very beneficial in regards to the technique and the outcome.

Layne, you will forgive me for turning your thread into 'Little China' Just answering a question!! Perhaps I will get my own thread?? I actually bodybuild (with an eye toward functional performance as well as aesthetic appeal) for my martial art. I subscribe to the bodybuilding way of life, and as far as I am concerned, am also a bodybuilder, but first and foremost, I am a martial artist, and long after everything in my life has come and gone, I will still be a martial artist. This is just cause for that>>

[El_Spiko]

thanks for the in depth response. I trained in Longfist, Wushu and Pai Lum Tao until my master, Joshua Blakeslee, moved after getting his PhD. Also a little eagle Claw, but I have to say that the style that was being taught here was not good. I have heard many dubious things about the grandmaster of the Eagle Claw that was being taught here. My master's master in longfist and wushu is a man by the name of Qishi (sp) who I believe also lives in TN, coincidentally enough. Since you studied Tae Kwon Do, you've probably heard of the local 'Master' here. Here's a hint: he used to be an olympic judge, and he was banned for accepting bribes

[LOL]

No, I got away from the dojang at an early age, so I was not too deep into who did what and why. Even if I have heard the name, I have no idea what he may have done in the past.