Mike Mentzer REVEALS Best way to Eat For Muscle Growth

Summary

The script addresses widespread misconceptions about bodybuilding nutrition and training. It emphasizes that proper training is paramount, with nutrition playing a secondary but crucial role in muscle growth. The speaker debunks myths like the idea that carbohydrates lead to obesity and that excessive calorie intake is necessary for muscle gains. Instead, he advocates for a balanced diet with a 60/25/15 ratio of carbohydrates, protein, and fats, respectively. The script also highlights the importance of high-intensity training and the role of micronutrients, urging bodybuilders to focus on fundamental principles rather than arbitrary assertions or fads.

Takeaways

• 😖 Confusion about nutrition is as prevalent as it is about training, often leading to misconceptions among bodybuilders.
• 📞 A real-life example of a young man's confusion highlights the common mistake of attributing lack of progress solely to nutrition.
• 💪 Training is crucial for muscle growth, and improper training methods can undermine even the best nutritional plans.
• 🔄 Overtraining can lead to muscle depletion and hinder growth, emphasizing the importance of balanced training regimens.
• 🌞 The analogy of seeking a suntan from the moonlight illustrates the futility of inadequate training methods despite nutritional efforts.
• 🍽️ Nutrition plays a secondary role in bodybuilding, becoming important only after proper training methods are in place.
• 🥗 A well-balanced diet is fundamental to a bodybuilder's nutritional program, providing the necessary nutrients for health and muscle growth.
• 📊 The recommended macronutrient ratio for bodybuilders is 60% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 15% fat, as agreed upon by top nutritional authorities.
• 🚫 Carbohydrates are often maligned, but they are essential as the primary fuel source for high-intensity workouts and the brain.
• 🚫 Protein is vital for muscle repair and growth, but excessive intake beyond maintenance and growth needs will not lead to faster muscle gains.
• 🥑 Fats are necessary for nerve health, enzyme synthesis, and digestion, and should not be avoided but consumed in moderation.

Q & A

What is the main source of confusion among bodybuilders according to the transcript?

The main source of confusion among bodybuilders, as mentioned in the transcript, is the subject of nutrition, which is almost as prevalent as the confusion surrounding training.

Why did the young man in the story call the author?

The young man called the author to ask a series of questions about various nutritional supplements, believing that his lack of bodybuilding progress was due to faulty nutrition.

What was the author's initial suggestion when the young man insisted his lack of progress was due to nutrition?

The author suggested that perhaps the young man's training might be the problem, but the young man countered that he was training properly.

What was the author's conclusion about the young man's training routine?

The author concluded that the young man was violating all the laws of nature with his training routine, as he was not training with the necessary intensity or to failure, and was overtraining by working out five to six days a week for 1.5 to 2 hours a day.

What analogy does the author use to explain the relationship between nutrition and bodybuilding?

The author uses the analogy of someone wanting a suntan but exposing themselves to the light of the moon and trying different suntan lotions, to illustrate that nutrition becomes important in bodybuilding only after proper training methodology has been employed.

What is the fundamental principle that should guide a bodybuilder's nutritional program according to the transcript?

The fundamental principle that should guide a bodybuilder's nutritional program is to make a reasonable effort on a daily basis to consume a well-balanced diet.

Why are carbohydrates emphasized as the primary source of calories in a bodybuilder's diet?

Carbohydrates are emphasized as the primary source of calories in a bodybuilder's diet because sugar is the preferred fuel source of the neuromuscular system for high-intensity muscular contractions, and the brain derives most of its nutrition from carbohydrates.

What is the recommended macronutrient ratio for bodybuilders according to reputable nutritional scientists and the transcript?

The recommended macronutrient ratio for bodybuilders is approximately 60% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 15% fat.

What misconception about carbohydrates does the author address in the script?

The author addresses the misconception that carbohydrates make you fat, clarifying that no nutrient makes you fat by itself and that fat deposition occurs when calories consumed exceed maintenance and growth needs.

What is the role of fats in a bodybuilder's diet as discussed in the transcript?

Fats play a crucial role in a bodybuilder's diet by sheathing the nerves, synthesizing many enzymes, and aiding in the digestive process. However, they should be consumed in moderation due to their high calorie content.

What is the common myth about protein that the author refutes in the script?

The common myth that the author refutes is that consuming massive excesses of protein beyond maintenance and growth needs will cause one to grow muscle faster, which is not true.

What does the author suggest about the relationship between muscle growth and water?

The author suggests that muscle is not comprised mostly of protein but water, specifically mentioning that muscle tissue is 72% water, and that glycogen, which helps retain water in muscle cells, is crucial for muscle fullness.

What is the author's opinion on the claim that a positive calorie balance is not necessary for muscle growth?

The author is skeptical about this claim, suggesting that while some truth may exist to the idea of the body stealing calories from fat for muscle growth, he believes that the use of steroids, which were likely involved in the cited experiment, also plays a significant role.

What is the author's stance on the idea that bodybuilding is 80% nutrition and only 20% training?

The author disagrees with this notion, emphasizing that training is the primary requirement and that nutrition becomes important only after proper training methodology has been satisfied.

What does the author believe about the relationship between strength and muscle size?

The author believes that there is a definite relationship between strength and muscle size, stating that one must grow stronger to grow larger and that increased strength is a prerequisite for increased muscle size.

How does the author describe the process of muscle growth in relation to nutrition and training?

The author describes muscle growth as a process that requires both proper high-intensity training to activate the growth mechanism and a nutritional intake above maintenance levels to provide the necessary calories and nutrients for actual muscle growth.

What advice does the author give regarding the consumption of 10,000 calories a day for muscle growth?

The author strongly advises against the idea of consuming 10,000 calories a day for muscle growth, calling it a 'ludicrous crack brain theory' and explaining that such a calorie intake is unnecessary and not supported by evidence.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Confusion in Nutrition and Training

The speaker addresses the widespread confusion surrounding nutrition and training, particularly among young individuals seeking advice on supplements. The narrative includes a story of a teenager who believes his lack of progress in bodybuilding is due to poor nutrition. The speaker emphasizes that proper training is crucial and that nutrition plays a secondary role. The importance of a well-balanced diet is highlighted, with the suggestion that a balanced diet should consist of 60% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 15% fat. The speaker also criticizes the overemphasis on supplements and the lack of understanding of basic nutritional principles.

05:01

🍚 The Role of Carbohydrates in Bodybuilding

This paragraph discusses the importance of carbohydrates in a bodybuilder's diet, dispelling myths about their role in obesity and other health issues. The speaker explains that carbohydrates are the primary fuel source for high-intensity workouts and for the brain, which relies on them for 99% of its nutrition. The paragraph also clarifies that muscle tissue is mostly water, not protein, and that carbohydrates help maintain water in muscles through glycogen storage. The speaker argues against the anti-carbohydrate narrative and stresses the need for a balanced intake of macronutrients.

10:05

🏋️‍♂️ Training vs. Nutrition: Prioritizing for Muscle Growth

The speaker shares personal anecdotes and experiences to illustrate the importance of training over nutrition for muscle growth. They discuss the common misconception that consuming excessive nutrients can lead to muscle growth without proper training. The paragraph also touches on the role of fats in a bodybuilder's diet, explaining that fats are not the enemy but should be consumed in moderation due to their high calorie content. The emphasis is on the need for a high-intensity training program to stimulate muscle growth, with nutrition supporting this process.

15:10

🚫 Debunking Bodybuilding Myths and Misconceptions

This paragraph focuses on debunking several myths and misconceptions in the bodybuilding community, including the idea that bodybuilding is 80% nutrition and 20% training, and the suggestion to consume 10,000 calories a day for optimal results. The speaker argues that these notions are baseless and not supported by evidence. They stress that muscle growth is a result of high-intensity training and that nutrition plays a supportive role. The paragraph also criticizes the lack of universal principles in bodybuilding and the arbitrary assertions made by some in the industry.

20:13

💪 The Relationship Between Strength and Muscle Size

The speaker explores the relationship between strength and muscle size, stating that growing stronger is a prerequisite for growing larger muscles. They refute the idea that one can grow larger without getting stronger, emphasizing that muscle growth is directly related to an increase in strength. The paragraph also discusses the importance of not comparing oneself to others and focusing on personal progress. The speaker concludes by stating that a properly conducted high-intensity training program will lead to consistent strength gains, which in turn will lead to muscle growth.

25:14

📈 The Necessity of a Positive Calorie Balance for Muscle Growth

In this paragraph, the speaker discusses the necessity of a positive calorie balance for muscle growth. They argue against the idea that the body can 'steal' calories from fat for muscle growth without a calorie surplus. The speaker explains that consuming a maintenance level of calories will only maintain existing muscle mass and will not support growth. They advocate for a methodical and intelligent approach to calorie intake that meets the body's needs for muscle growth without causing excessive fat deposition. The paragraph concludes with a skeptical view of the Colorado experiment and a cautionary note on the influence of steroids on muscle growth.

Keywords

💡Nutrition

Nutrition refers to the process by which the body obtains and utilizes the food we eat to maintain health and support growth. In the context of the video's theme, nutrition is a critical aspect of bodybuilding, as it provides the necessary calories and nutrients to support muscle growth and overall health. The script emphasizes the importance of a well-balanced diet and dispels myths about certain nutrients, such as carbohydrates, which are often maligned but are essential for energy during high-intensity workouts.

💡Bodybuilding

Bodybuilding is the sport of developing one's musculature and physique through weight training and specific diets. The video script discusses the common misconceptions about bodybuilding, particularly the belief that nutrition is 80% of the process and training only 20%. It stresses that proper training methodology is fundamental before nutrition becomes important for muscle growth.

💡Training

Training in the script refers to the act of engaging in regular physical exercise to improve strength, endurance, and muscle size. The video emphasizes that training is the primary requirement for muscle growth, and without proper training, no amount of nutritional supplementation can lead to significant progress in bodybuilding.

💡Calories

Calories are units of energy that food provides to the body. The script explains the importance of understanding caloric intake in relation to muscle growth and fat deposition. It clarifies that consuming more calories than the body needs for maintenance and growth will result in fat gain, regardless of the source of those calories (protein, carbohydrates, or fat).

💡Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are one of the three macronutrients and are the body's preferred source of energy, especially for high-intensity activities. The script challenges the anti-carbohydrate narrative, explaining that carbohydrates are vital for bodybuilders as they are the primary fuel for muscle contractions and are also the main source of energy for the brain.

💡Protein

Protein is essential for the growth and repair of tissues in the body, including muscles. The video script discusses the role of protein in muscle growth, noting that while it is important, consuming excessive amounts beyond maintenance and growth needs will not lead to faster muscle growth and could contribute to fat deposition.

💡Fats

Fats are another macronutrient that provides energy and is necessary for various bodily functions, including hormone production and nutrient absorption. The script addresses misconceptions about fats, stating that they do not inherently cause obesity and are an important part of a bodybuilder's diet, provided they are consumed in appropriate amounts.

💡Micronutrients

Micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, are nutrients needed by the body in small amounts. They are crucial for various physiological processes, including the formation of enzymes. The script points out that while micronutrients are important, they should be obtained in balance as part of a well-rounded diet.

💡Overtraining

Overtraining refers to excessive exercise that can lead to diminished performance and potential injury. The script warns against the belief that there is no such thing as overtraining and emphasizes the importance of balanced training and nutrition to allow the body to recover and grow.

💡Strength

Strength is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to exert force. The video script highlights the relationship between strength and muscle size, stating that growing stronger is a prerequisite for growing larger muscles. It explains that as muscles grow stronger over time, they undergo positive changes that can lead to increased muscle size, provided the bodybuilder is on a proper nutritional program.

💡Glycogen

Glycogen is a form of glucose storage in the body's muscle and liver cells. The script explains that glycogen, along with the water it binds to, plays a role in maintaining the water content within muscle cells. It also discusses how low carbohydrate diets can lead to a decrease in glycogen and water in the muscles, resulting in a flaccid or deflated appearance.

Highlights

Confusion about nutrition is as prevalent as that about training.

Story of a young man's misconception about nutritional supplements affecting his bodybuilding progress.

Training, not nutrition, was identified as the primary issue for the young man's lack of progress.

Importance of proper training methodology before focusing on nutrition in bodybuilding.

The analogy of trying to get a suntan from the moonlight to illustrate the importance of proper training over nutrition.

Nutrition becomes important within the context of proper training.

The principle of a well-balanced diet as the fundamental nutritional guide for bodybuilders.

Nutrients and calories are needed for maintaining health, existing physical mass, and muscle growth.

Recommended caloric intake ratio of 60% carbohydrates, 25% protein, and 15% fat.

Carbohydrates are the preferred fuel source for the neuromuscular system and the brain.

Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates do not make you fat.

Protein is essential for muscle growth, but excessive intake does not speed up the process.

Muscle growth is primarily composed of water, not protein.

Fats play a crucial role in nutrition and are not the primary cause of fat deposition.

Vitamins and minerals, as micronutrients, are essential for forming enzymes and various physiological processes.

Many bodybuilders are overnourished but still do not see satisfactory results due to improper training.

The false notion that bodybuilding is 80% nutrition and only 20% training.

The absurdity of the idea to consume 10,000 calories a day for muscle growth.

The relationship between strength and muscle size, and the necessity of growing stronger to grow larger.

The importance of a proper nutritional program to support muscle growth.

The need for a positive calorie balance to support muscle growth beyond maintenance levels.

Transcripts

as much confusion as does exist on the subject  of training and it's almost Omni prevalent there  

is just as much if not more on the subject of  nutrition I hear it all the time with those who  

call me for phone consultations one aspect of such  confusion about nutrition which is particularly  

widespread is perhaps best exemplified in the  story I'm about to relate some time ago I received  

a phone call from a young man probably in his  mid- teens who as soon as he reached me on the  

phone launched into what seemed like an endless  series of questions concerning certain nutritional  

supplements without even announcing his name he  immediately set in asking me about the merits of  

a host of popular supplements including metrics  vanal sulfate phosphagen creatin Hot Stuff Etc  

insisting his lack of bodybuilding progress  was due solely to his faulty nutrition when  

I suggested that maybe his training might be the  problem he countered with an emphatic know that he  

was training proper ly listening to him prattle  on a while longer about nutrition it finally  

occurred to me that since he was so very confused  about nutrition it was not likely he was clear  

and clean on the subject of how to best proceed  with his training and I turned out to be correct  

I discovered that he was violating all of the  laws of nature here he knew absolutely nothing  

about intensity or the necessity of training to  failure he wasn't stimulating much if anything  

in the way of meaningful growth and even if he  had been he was so grossly overtrained working  

out five to six days a week for 1 and a half  to two hours a day that his body would not have  

had the resources necessary to produce growth I  finally put a stop to the lengthy catechism and  

said to him rather firmly young man you remind me  of the individual who earnestly desires a suntan  

but continues to insist on making the mistake of  exposing himself to the light of the Moon then  

waste hundreds of dollars trying different suntan  lotions thinking the next one will solve his  

problem not that the issue of the suntan lotion is  completely without import I continued but it only  

assumes relevance within the context of having  satisfied Nature's First Fundamental requirement  

which is the presence of a high-intensity sunlight  stress do you see listener that the relationship  

of nutrition to bodybuilding is similar while  nutrition is clearly of objective importance in  

the lives of everyone it has a somewhat different  role in bodybuilding it is only within the context  

of having first employed the proper training  methodology that then becomes important and then  

it is rather simple in fact as much confusion  as exists on the subject of nutrition it is  

really rather simple at least as it applies to  us practically on a daily basis the one guiding  

operative principle here is make a reasonable  effort on a daily basis to consume a well balanced  

diet ours has been called an age of complexity  with intellectual confusion as its primary  

characteristic this is the result of people  not learning to think in terms of fundamentals  

and principles a system of thought based on  fundamental principles serves as an intellectual  

blueprint that enables one to answer specific  concrete questions without such a fundamental base  

questions continue to proliferate with no method  for answering them whether the subject is ethic  

politics training or nutrition the principle of a  well-balanced diet is the fundamental that should  

guide your nutritional program a well-balanced  diet by definition is one that satisfies all your  

nutritional needs once you've made a reasonable  effort to establish a balanced diet consider  

quality supplements as those offered by twin  lab the question that logically arises here is  

what do I need calories and nutrients for first  first of all you need nutrients and calories to  

maintain your health and existing physical Mass  second to provide for the production of muscle  

growth one pound of muscle contains approximately  600 calories and since muscle growth will rarely  

exceed 1 half pound a day you won't have to  increase your nutritional intake more than 3 to  

500 calories a day beyond your daily maintenance  level and I'll address the topic of weight loss  

later no matter what your daily calorie budget  might happen to be approximately 60% of the  

calorie should be in the form of carbohydrates 25%  protein and 15% fat this ratio is agreed upon by  

all of the top reputable nutritional scientists  along with the US Department of Agriculture and  

the Senate subcommittee on nutrition the reason  for the predominance of carbohydrates is that  

sugar is the preferred fuel source of the  neuromuscular system the most efficient fuel  

for high-intensity muscular contractions  also interestingly enough the brain lives  

almost entirely off of sugar deriving 99% of its  nutrition from carbohydrates or sugar in fact 80%  

of the brain is made up of something called glyos  cells whose primary function is to store Sugar  

the suffix hydrate in the word carbohydrate means  water and muscle tissue is not mostly protein but  

water 72% to be precise glucose is stored in the  muscle as a polymer or chain of glucose molecules  

called glycogen and it is primarily the glycogen  that keeps the water in the muscle cell with 3 G  

of water bonded to every gram of glycogen if  you've ever been on a low carbohydrate diet  

and found that your muscles became flaccid or  deflated after a few days it was because as the  

glycogen was used up the water that was attached  to it left the muscle while protein has been the  

most overemphasized nutrient carbohydrates have  been the most maligned the anti-carbohydrate  

litany began in Britain in the early 1950s and  reached its apex in the United States were diet  

books by so-called experts blame carbohydrates  for everything from obesity to schizophrenia  

many people still believe that carbohydrates make  you fat which simply isn't true no nutrient makes  

you fat in and of itself calories consumed  Beyond maintenance and growth needs result  

in fat deposition whether the calories are from  protein carbohydrates or fat as stated previously  

carbohydrates are vitally important in the diet of  everyone especially bodybuilders as they are the  

preferred fuel source of high-intensity anerobic  training and the Brain which derives most of its  

nutrition from sugar so I don't think eating  carbohydrates causes schizophrenia with regard  

to the issue of getting fat I used to believe  it was common knowledge that excess calories  

were responsible for fat buildup apparently I was  wrong in my many daily phone conversations with  

bodybuilders from all over the world I see  that many don't know much about the caloric  

dimension of nutrition most remarkable was a  client of mine and Dorian Yates who happens  

to travel a lot as he is an agent for some of  the top music groups last year while in England  

on business I set him up to meet Dorian and they  had breakfast together the conversation centered  

mostly around bodybuilding and the fact that my  client was having a very difficult time losing  

fat dorian's suggestion to my client was that  he was eating too little which was why he was  

fat and that he should boost his calories from  his maintenance level of around 2200 all the way  

up to 4500 this would somehow boost his metabolism  Dorian insisted and he'd soon be losing fat rather  

easily when my client informed me of this upon  his return home I said that dorian's advice was  

ludicrous and that if he followed it he'd be sorry  he insisted that no Dorian is Mr Olympia he knows  

what he is talking about and that he was going to  enthusiastically follow his advice and increase  

his food consumption up to over 4,000 calories a  day 2 weeks later or so I saw my client in the gym  

looking rather despondent when I asked him what  the problem was he said that rather than lose  

weight he put on six lbs of fat since trying the  higher calorie intake I did not say I told you so  

but explained it with the simple logic look I said  if one must increase his calories and eat large  

quantities of food to lose weight how does one  gain weight by eating small amounts of food while  

dramatically decreasing calorie intake I got the  point was his reply on to the subject of protein  

yeah yes protein is very important of course it  is a maintenance repair and growth substance that  

must be taken in sufficient quantities to ensure  optimal muscle growth indulging indiscriminately  

in massive excesses of protein Beyond maintenance  and growth needs however will not somehow cause  

you to grow any faster had you merely satisfied  need remember listener muscle is not comprised  

mostly of protein but water again 72% this does  not mean that you should begin drinking gallons  

of water a day to hasten the muscle growth process  you'll be very uncomfortable if you try it and the  

excess will merely be passed out of the body  don't be concerned with consuming hundreds of  

grams of protein a day or so many grams per kilo  of body weight thinking that so doing will somehow  

speed the muscle growth process Force feeding  yourself massive quantities of protein could  

result in fat deposition fats are not nearly the  bogey man some make them out to be they play a  

crucial role in proper nutrition in sheathing the  nerves synthesizing many enzymes and in helping  

the digestive process unless you are directed by a  physician don't take in less than the recommended  

15% make a reasonable effort each day to obtain a  60 25 15 ratio of carbohydrates to protein to fats  

this may be accomplished rather easily by getting  your daily complement from each of the four basic  

food groups namely cereals and Grains fruits and  vegetables meat fish and poultry milk and dairy  

products consuming fats does not make you fat  either recently a training client said to me that  

whenever he eats fats he gets fat and I told him  that such is not true that if I was to have him  

eat a small piece of butter or lard such would not  turn to fat unless he were consuming an excess of  

calories years ago I had a friend who went off to  Montana every few Winters or so to climb mountains  

every day for a month upon leaving for his trip my  friend was always rather pudgy and one month hence  

after climbing mountains every day he returned  very lean with almost no visible body fat while  

climbing mountains he lived predominantly on fats  such as bacon butter beef and animal fat obviously  

this individual was spending more calories through  his rigorous mountain climbing activity than he  

was consuming and as a result he lost body weight  in the form of fat the only problem with fats is  

that they contain nine calories a gram as opposed  to only four calories a gram for both protein and  

carbohydrates the point here is that if you're  not careful with regard to your intake of fats  

the number of calories from them can shoot  up very fast and before you know it there  

is fat deposition with regards to vitamins and  minerals they are referred to as micronutrients  

because they are needed in such small quantities  recommended daily allowances of the micronutrients  

are measured in micrograms as opposed to the grams  used to measure the macronutrients vitamins and  

minerals combined in the body to form the enzymes  that serve as Catalyst in countless important  

physiologic processes it is interesting to know  here that while most Americans are well-nourished  

many bodybuilders are grossly overnourished  yet they still don't see satisfactory results  

from their training effort this serves only to  underscore the point that training is the first  

primary requirement while nutrition is secondary  it is only within the context of having satisfied  

Nature's First Fundamental requirement the  imposition of a high-intensity training stress  

that nutrition then becomes important for the  bodybuilder in looking back to my own bodybuilding  

career I too wasted considerable time owing to  ignorance and confusion in fact when I reflect  

on how many training and dietary mistakes I made  through the years it is a wonder that I made it  

as far as I did I unwittingly allowed myself to  become deluded by uncritically reading certain  

muscle magazines especially their fraudulent  seductive advertising which promised that we  

could all be come bodybuilding Champions almost  overnight if only we would invest considerable  

money in a certain product a good example was the  one that promised a pound a day muscle gains if  

one were to drink crash formula number 7even  every day yes it actually promised a pound a  

day of muscle a very enthusiastic but ignorant  bodybuilder I felt for that one hooked Line and  

Sinker and gained from 180 lb to 250 lb pounds  most of the weight being fat in 7 months how  

clever I thought I was the only reason I didn't  go up to 280 lbs which was my goal was because  

my parents weren't willing to foot the milk Bill  anymore as I was drinking up to 2 gallons a day on  

top of that I was growing rather concerned about  the stretch marks which began populating a good  

portion of the surface of my body along with the  fact that I outgrew two or three wardrobes the  

next 6 months I spent trying to undo the damage  you see it was in Vogue back then to bulk up  

and then cut down which meant to gain as much  weight as possible despite its composition then  

lose the fat and be left with just the muscle  well by the time I finished getting rid of the  

fat more than 6 months later I ended up weighing  but 169 lbs less than my starting weight of 180  

and with less muscle the near starvation diet and  gross overtraining that led to such a weight loss  

caused me to lose muscle so much for bulking up  and cutting down despite that and other mistakes I  

never forsook my dream of becoming an accomplished  bodybuilder all through the years I read the  

muscle magazines voraciously never missing a trick  I knew every fat diet that came down the line and  

tried them all and everybody was supposed to train  differently and follow different diets because we  

were told everyone is different the bottom line  so they said was that because we were each unique  

and possessed different requirements in regard to  training and nutrition it was up to the individual  

to discover what was best for him no wonder I  and Untold others were confused about training  

and nutrition what a massive contradiction the  very people who were selling us the science of  

bodybuilding were now telling us that bodybuilding  is anything but exact that that there are no  

Universal principles or truths and they continue  with the same irrationality today bodybuilding  

cannot be a science under those conditions and as  much as bodybuilding has been touted as a science  

very few have brought critical attention to bear  on the subject as a result falsehoods abound  

severely hampering the thinking of the majority  there is a notion that has been floating around  

the bodybuilding subculture for years which has  it that bodybuilding is 80% nutrition and only  

20% training the implication here is that it  doesn't matter how you train or even that you  

train at all if you will only agree to consume  an excess of nutrients you'll grow muscle Beyond  

normal levels and such simply is not true as  the nature of the human physiology absolutely  

requires that certain specific training causes be  enacted to affect the buildup of of muscles Beyond  

normal levels or in other words consuming excess  nutrients will not undo the effects of an improper  

training program more recently another erroneous  idea has garnered considerable attention in the  

bodybuilding subculture is that one should consume  10,000 calories a day for best results and it is  

the single most ludicrous crack brain Theory  ever spawned in this sport or industry and it  

flows from the notion that there is no such thing  as overtraining only unding to help ensure that  

bodybuilders don't undereat some have suggested  that bodybuilders consume 10,000 calories a day  

a staggering number of calories more than any  bodybuilder on Earth I don't care how large he  

is requires to build larger muscles when one of  my phone consultation clients recently asked me  

if he should try consuming 10,000 calories a day  on I of course replied emphatically that he should  

not then proceeded to logically demonstrate  why such would be absurd after establishing  

that my client only required 3,000 calories a  day to maintain his existing body weight of 175  

lbs I asked him if he thought it was realistic to  assume he would need 7,000 additional calories to  

provide for daily muscle growth production needs  assuming he was stimulating growth in the first  

place when that this didn't seem logical rational  or realistic I explain that if he were training  

properly and stimulating 50 pounds of muscle  growth a year which is considerable more than  

most are likely to gain that this would average  out to but slightly over 2 ounces of muscle gain  

a day since my client required 3,000 calories a  day to maintain 175 lbs why would he need another  

whopping 7,000 calories more to provide for but  a mere 2 oun of muscle growth yes listener 3,000  

calories to maintain 175 lbs and 7,000 calories  to produce but 2 ounces of muscle such Notions  

are always presented out of context with neither a  theory nor an iota of evidence to support them in  

logic these are referred to as baseless arbitrary  assertions and as a Rand has stated there is no  

room for the arbitrary in the Affairs of man least  of all in the realm of cognition with a properly  

conducted high-intensity training program you will  grow stronger each and every workout and make no  

mistake listener developing stronger muscles is a  prerequisite of developing bigger muscles whenever  

someone starts to argue with me on that point I  say what is one supposed to do to grow larger get  

weaker yes if you want to grow larger you must  grow stronger there is definitely a relationship  

between strength and muscular size most obvious is  the fact that heavyweight weightlifters and power  

lifters are stronger than light weight lifters  and everyone listening to this who ever developed  

larger muscles observed and attended increase  in strength no one who ever lifted weights grew  

larger without growing stronger it just doesn't  happen it was discovered by exercise scientists  

long ago that the strength of a muscle is related  to the size of its crosssectional area many are  

still confused on this subject because they see  some who are smaller who possess less muscle mass  

that can lift more weight than other larger more  heavily muscled individuals the mistake here is in  

attempting to draw a meaningful comparison between  two different individuals the fact is that the man  

with smaller muscles will grow larger only as he  grows stronger and likewise the larger man will  

grow larger still only as he grows stronger  don't make the mistake of comparing yourself  

to others the only person you can accurately  compare yourself to is you and as long as you  

are increasing in strength as a result of each  workout you are heading in the right direction  

and you will grow but only so long as you are on a  proper nutritional program you will grow stronger  

each workout as a result of following the workout  suggested on the previous tape when a person grows  

stronger weak to week it is proof that there is a  positive change taking place inside of his muscles  

since muscles by definition lift weights a muscle  growing stronger can't be exactly the same muscle  

if it were exactly the same muscle it would  be limited to lifting exactly the same weight  

the main point here is that as a muscle grows  progressively stronger over a period of time it  

is changing somehow I'm not specifying what that  change is now I will for now just remember if a  

muscle is growing stronger it is in a process of  positive change if during this period of change  

the bodybuilder continues to consume nutritionally  a maintenance level of calories by definition here  

he will only maintain his existing physical Mass  he won't lose he won't gain he'll maintain it  

goes to the laws of physics or thermodynamics  you can't create something out of nothing you  

can't build bigger muscles out of thin air  certain nutritional and caloric values are  

absolutely required what the bodybuilder will be  doing by consuming a maintenance level of calories  

is in essence something less than desirable to  some extent at least he'll be frustrating the  

needs of the growth mechanism he he did train to  failure which is what nature requires one do to  

trigger the growth mechanism into motion also  he is growing stronger therefore the muscle is  

changing when the growth mechanism is activated  you might visualize it as a moving conveyor belt  

of sorts for lack of a better image with a number  of little men standing on top who are reaching up  

they're reaching out to grab the nutritional  caloric cement as I like to call it that it  

requires to to build the Second Story the new  Mass but remember consuming a maintenance level  

frustrates those little men they are reaching up  but nothing is there the body is only receiving  

enough nutritional and caloric values to maintain  the first story the existing physical mass in  

such a case the muscle change I was referring to  earlier where the bodybuilders growing stronger  

will remain primarily a qualitative strength  change it won't manifest much if at all as a  

quantitative muscle change I.E a muscle mass  body weight increase in order to avoid this  

the frustrating of the growth mechanism and to  do the opposite to serve the needs of the growth  

mechanism one must consume a number of nutrients  and calories above his daily maintenance level he  

must go into a positive calorie balance this can  be done in a methodical intelligent fashion such  

that growth production needs are precisely met  with little or no excess to cause any appreciable  

fat deposition before I explain how that may be  accomplished I'd like to make a few side comments  

it has been claimed by some that a positive  calorie balance is not necessary to build new  

lean mass while on a bodybuilding program they  say that the body can literally steal calories  

from fat and shunt them to the muscles for growth  in fact this is exactly what Arthur Jones alleged  

occurred when Casey Vater gained 62 lbs of  lean muscle mass during the one-month Colorado  

experiment described in my heavy duty book number  one he postulated that the number of calories  

Casey consumed that month weren't sufficient to  account for all of the weight gained Casey was not  

only a weight loss or maintenance diet according  to observers of the experiment Jones literally  

forc read Casey everything he could shove down  his throat including the kitchen sink it was  

calculated that Casey was fed only enough calories  to account for 45 lbs of lean muscle mass increase  

therefore that 17 lbs of casy's fat will sacrifice  somehow to build muscle as a parenthetic note here  

using a sophisticated radioisotope assay test the  researchers involved with the Colorado experiment  

ascertain that despite Casey's registering 45  lbs of weight gained on the scale he had also  

lost 17 lbs of fat that month therefore his Total  Lean Mass gain was 62 lbs while there may be some  

truth to this claim I am skeptical I suspect  that either Jones's calculations were skewed  

Andor he really believed Casey wasn't on steroids  at the time which he was steroids are extremely  

potent chemical which dramatically alter the  body's biochemistry in many ways two of them  

being that protein synthesis and glycogen water  storage inside the muscle are greatly enhanced so  

while stolen calories May account for some of the  lean muscle mass I believe that the steroids help

too this is the end of side one please turn over  the tape at this point to continue with side two