The Weekly Dose

The Weekly Dose – December 30th, 2018 THE WEEKLY DOSE [VIEW IN BROWSER]( [The Weekly Dose]( LATEST ARTICLES [Kill the Dumb Diets]( [Kill the Dumb Diets]( by Paul Carter What makes you fat? Insulin? The quality of food you eat? Or is it just calories in, calories out? Here's where most so-called diet gurus go wrong. [100 Reps Bigger Calves]( [Tip: 100 Reps to Bigger Calves]( by Paul Carter Crank up the reps and the training frequency to add some size to your stubborn calves. Bonus: You can do this anywhere, every day. [Important Than Weight]( [Tip: More Important Than the Weight You Lift]( by Eric Bach If your main goal is to build muscle, stop training with your ego. Try this instead. [Merry Christmas, Bob]( [Merry Christmas, Bob]( by Chris Shugart Time to spread some holiday cheer. Or, in this case, a little hardcore motivation. [Make Cinnamon Rolls]( [Tip: Make Cinnamon Rolls, Not Belly Rolls]( by Chelsie Lysenchuk Healthy eating doesn't have to suck. Enjoy this morning dessert with fewer carbs, less fat, and no food coma included. [Range of Motion]( [Tip: Range of Motion – Trickier Than You Think]( by Eric Bach Always use a full range of motion... except when you shouldn't. [Bodyweight Challenge]( [The Ultimate Bodyweight Challenge]( Travis Pollen Fire up your athleticism. Build your shoulders. Get a bulletproof core. And do it all while having some fun. [Hammer Curl]( [Tip: New Way to Hammer the Hammer Curl]( by Paul Carter Use the muscle round technique to light up your brachialis and add size to your arms. [Pause Reps]( [Tip: Pause Reps for Strength and Stability]( by Eric Bach Hit a sticking point on a major lift like the deadlift? Try this. [Functional Training]( [Bodybuilding is King of Functional Training]( by Calvin Huynh Some functional training zealots love to hate on bodybuilding-style lifting. But it's the MOST functional form of resistance training. Here's why. [Biceps Growth]( [Tip: Triple Down on Biceps Growth]( by Paul Carter Combine a loaded stretch, slow negatives, and a vicious mechanical drop set to trigger biceps growth multiple ways. Here's how. [Axial Loading]( [Tip: Axial Loading, What You Need to Know]( by Eric Bach You need it, but it can also wreck you as you accumulate more years under the bar. Here's how to manage it. [Lost Strength]( [Lost Strength: The Missing Exercises]( by Nick Tumminello You're already doing the big basics, right? Now add these. You'll get stronger, perform better athletically and get more jacked. [Training Mistakes]( [Tip: 3 Strength Training Mistakes to Avoid]( by TJ Kuster There are some people who need advanced drills and programming. You may not be one of them. Here's how to keep it simple and get strong. [Dips for Chest vs Triceps]( [Tip: Dips for Chest vs. Dips for Triceps]( by Christian Thibaudeau There is a difference. And both variations are safe if you do them right. Here's how. [Shrink Your Prostate]( [Tip: Shrink Your Prostate, Power Up Your Penis]( by TC Luoma A plant chemical proves to be as effective in shrinking the prostate as prescription drugs, but far safer. Bonus: It also treats erectile dysfunction. [Intensity vs Effort]( [Tip: Intensity vs. Effort – The Real Story]( by Chris Diamantakos People use those words interchangeably, but experienced lifters know better. Do you? Info here. [Pink Protein Cookies]( [Tip: Pink Protein Cookies for Gains]( by Dani Shugart Grab a bag of cranberries and make these before this seasonal fruit disappears. [Red Rooster Sauce a PED]( [Tip: Your Red Rooster Sauce is a PED]( by TC Luoma You know that spicy stuff every guy under 30 squeezes onto his food? It turns out it makes them stronger. Here's proof. [Serious Athletes]( FEATURE ARTICLE [Enjoy a Beer. Skip the Guilt.]( by TC Luoma [Enjoy a Beer. Skip the Guilt.]( Wine gets all the accolades for being healthy, but beer has its own healthful attributes, too. Just like wine, beer is full of [polyphenols (over 35 of them)]( that appear to have heart-protective effects, in addition to a broad spectrum of other benefits. And while wine contains nutrients like calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and manganese, beer brings niacin, B5, B12, folate, selenium, and silicon to the party. Beer also contains immuno-modulatory peptides and proteins. But now there's some really surprising new research that shows that beer also improves insulin sensitivity, suggesting that the stereotypical "beer-swilling slob" might just be another case of too much of a good thing. What They Did Researcher Luciana Nogueira recruited 15 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 57 for three 30-day studies. During the first 30-day period, the men followed their usual diet while refraining from drinking any alcoholic beverages. During the next 30-day period, the men consumed 330 mL of non-alcoholic beer every day. During the last 30-day period, the men drank 330 mL of good ol' alcohol-containing beer per day. What They Found Surprisingly, there was a big difference between alcohol-free beer and regular beer, the latter having more health benefits: • Regular beer reduced insulin levels and fasting glucose significantly. • Regular beer significantly reduced insulin resistance. The non-alcoholic beer didn't do either of these things. Both types of beer, however, did worsen the HDL/LDL ratio and raised triglyceride levels, which is in contrast to other studies that have shown beer to have beneficial effects on both cholesterol and triglycerides. (This increase in the HDL/LDL ratio wasn't statistically significant, though, and shouldn't even be a consideration unless your blood chemistry is horrendously out of whack in the first place.) How to Use This Info It appears that drinking regular, alcohol-containing beer for 30 days, in addition to providing an assortment of nutrients, can substantially increase glucose sensitivity and glucose management in healthy men. And that's a good thing, particularly in physique athletes who want to eat lots and have more of what they eat transformed into muscle instead of fat. Based on this study, at least, it looks like the beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity had more to do with the alcohol itself (since the non-alcoholic beer didn't convey the same benefits) instead of any combination of polyphenols. The beer used in this study was a pilsner, which tend to be lighter with a strong hop taste and "spicy floral" flavors. Popular beers brewed in this style include Coors and Budweiser. The amount used was 330 mL per day, which equates to slightly more than 11 ounces – the typical size for a Belgian or German bottle of beer. However, the beer they used appears to be a bit stronger, alcohol-wise, than most popular American beers. Each bottle contained 16 grams of alcohol, while a standard American serving of alcohol is about 14 grams (.6 fluid ounces). So that means your standard, 12-ounce American beer contains just about the same amount of alcohol used in Nogueira's study, so you can drink your beer with impunity and an air of nutritional superiority while your girlfriend sadly sips away at her pro-diabetic juice drink (loser!). TRENDING [5 Ways To Make Face Pulls Even Better]( [5 Ways To Make Face Pulls Even Better]( by Dr John Rusin Everyone needs to be doing face pulls. Period. Here are five new variations that'll boost shoulder health and muscle growth. [Return of German Volume Training]( [The Return of German Volume Training]( by Lee Boyce GVT works, if you can handle it. Here are the pros and cons. [New Year 20% Off]( POWERFUL WORDS A smart workout is an investment. A dumb workout is a bill. – [T Nation (Facebook)]( Most people think rest and work are opposites when they're actually synergists. The more you rest, the harder you're able to work, and the more you work, the more rest becomes essential. Rest equals quality work, and quality work leads to needed rest. – [Jade Teta]( People get too wrapped up in the goal and not the events that need to happen to reach that goal. – [Jim Wendler]( [Right Now]( [Look closely]( [Rack your weights]( [Go Squat]( Copyright © 2018 T Nation LLC, All rights reserved. 1850 Reliable Circle, Colorado Springs, CO 80906 [Unsubscribe From List](