U.L.T R.A. .

12 - M O N T H S Y S T E M

Ultimate Long-Term Resistance and Aerobic System

MONTH 8
A N N F L A P P R O A C H

By Christopher M. Lockwood, MS, CSCS, Staff Writer

odybuilder or not, the holidays bring a certain excitement and energy thats electrifying: for seasonal cookie lovers, surging insulin levels are boosting spirits; doomsayers are frantically stowing rations for the turn of the century; and, best of all, armchair quarterbacks are charging up their remote controls in preparation for a Super Bowl showdown. Although self-control and rational thinking may curb your appetite for the first two, like it or not, football fever can be contagious. Well even stoke your football furnace with this months ULTRA system installment John Mother Dunn, head strength and conditioning coach of the NFCs Eastern Division New York Giants, and Jackie Berning, PhD, RD, nutrition consultant with the AFCs Denver Broncos, have helped design a bodybuilding regimen geared toward building more lean muscle, strength and endurance.

144 MUSCLE & FITNESS February 2000

Robert Reiff

The ULTRA System Training Progression

pend even a few minutes discussing strength and conditioning with Dunn and youll soon realize that he isnt easily impressed by what some researcher in a lab may say is the best training regimen for his players. As he bluntly puts it, his training method is nothing magical; its just something that has evolved over my years of working with these guys [football players]. That evolution has developed into what some in the bodybuilding world deem a high-intensity training system, or HIT. In other words, Dunn and his assistant coaches emphasize one allout set (typically 1220 reps) to total muscle failure on each working set, generally doing just one such set per exercise. But Dunn is quick to point out that thats the only similarity his training system has with a one-set routine. When we say we do one set to failure, you arent really doing just one set [per bodypart]. Instead, youre doing 34 sets, but with different exercises. Then, if you consider that youll repeat each workout three times a week, youre actually doing 912 sets per bodypart. Since your usual bodybuilding routine is 24 sets of 24 exercises per week, the overall difference between systems now seems insignificant. And in maintaining the core purpose of periodization increasing intensity (as a measure of 1RM strength) Dunn suggests adding slightly more weight and pushing yourself a little harder than you did on your previous attempt. This months set of workouts depends heavily on your ability to mentally and physically take each set to total muscular failure,

Dont waste one more day meandering through your workouts! Whether youre a man or woman, novice or advanced bodybuilder, let the ULTRA system coach you toward the body youve always wanted now!

STOP

something not every athlete or bodybuilder enjoys. Dunn recognizes this and offers an alternative: With some of our guys, wed run em out of the gym if we made it mandatory. Well take them to failure, or just short of it, but wont give them the extra forced reps and negatives [at the end of each set]. If youre wondering why Dunn isnt recommending traditional one-rep training for developing strength or multiple sets for muscle growth, heres his answer: In his opinion, neither is specific to the sport of football. In other words, football is an all-out effort with very short rest periods; each play may last as little or as long as the equivalent of 1100 reps, followed by only a 40-second break before they go at it again. Typical strength training doesnt seem appropriate for that, he says. Ruling out straight multiple sets for increasing size is partially the result of the variability Dunns players encounter with each play. Another limiting factor is the considerable time constraints allotted to lifting, something to which both bodybuilders and football players can attest. Youll also notice that Dunn avoids such typical football lifts as squats and cleans. His reason? We dont do squatting because for 67 months out of the year, our guys are vertically compressing their spine when theyre hitting each other. Im not saying that its right or wrong, but we try to minimize the loading of the spine vertically [with excessively heavy weight]. The final piece to Dunns training puzzle is his recommendation to hit each bodypart three times per week (or every other day), doing running drills on midweek rest days and taking the weekend off from any rigorous exercise. That rationale stems, again, from trial and error. Such training is also whats typically recommended to induce the greatest strength and size improvements research states Jesse Armstead that 4872 hours of rest is optimal for strength gains of the NY Giants and recovery.

Brian Moss

February 2000 MUSCLE & FITNESS 145

NUTRITION
CARBS, PROTEIN & MEAL TIMING
By Chris Aceto
your glycogen stores, making sure you can get through your training with maximal intensity. Yet dont mistake a sugar-based snack like a fat-free blueberry muffin for an ideal carb snack. Berning suggests: Any carb intake before training is better than not having anything at all, but a carbohydrate with a lower glycemic rating [like oatmeal with a strawberry sliced on top] may stay with you longer, providing fuel all the way through your workout. . . . Certainly something with a higher glycemic rating, say cotton candy, is not a good choice. Besides lacking vitamins or minerals, a higherglycemic index carb could give you a peak and a valley in fuel supply, leaving you short on energy in the middle of your training session. The meal following your workout has been a topic of discussion for some time among nutritionists and bodybuilders alike. This appears to be a meal where your body can accommodate more total calories with little concern for fat storage; the food consumed here seems to be directed primarily toward muscle tissue. Berning recommends a 4:1 ratio of carbs to protein. A person eating 30 grams of protein should consume 120 grams of carbohydrates. Protein added to carbs in the posttraining meal increases the levels of circulating insulin higher than eating only carbs, Berning says. The benefits of higher insulin levels after training ouve probably heard that nutrition plays a bigger role in include a reduction in the levels of cortisol, a muscle-wasting building mass than training. Many experts may disagree, hormone thats released with prolonged training; the cessation but I feel theres a bit more to it than meets the eye. of protein breakdown associated with bodybuilding workouts; Jackie Berning, PhD, RD, says, Its the training, the lifting, and an increase in glycogen storage, the stored form of carbs. the intensity and the physical effort in the Berning stresses, If you keep your carb intake Any carb intake gym that stimulates the muscles to grow. higher than your protein intake after training, She should know. As assistant professor at the high carbs spare the protein in the diet before training is the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and the structural proteins (muscle). The better than not her office sits in the backyard of several pro benefit: Aside from accomplishing your goal of sports franchises to which she consults, having anything at all, replenishing your muscles fuel tank emptied including the NFLs Denver Broncos and the during training, a high carb intake allows probut a carbohydrate NBAs Denver Nuggets. tein to do its job namely, to help repair and To train intensely, you have to eat sufficient with a lower glycemic build muscle. total fuel from energy-yielding carbs and you Bernings final comment on meal timing: If rating [like oatmeal must give your body the protein it needs to you train later in the evening, come home and with a strawberry repair the damage created by training. replenish your muscles with the 4:1 ratio of sliced on top] may Additionally, what goes into your body before carbs to protein. If you skimp on that meal and after you train is critical. Berning offers stay with you longer. because you fear that late-night eating will her take on pre- and post-training nutrition: make you fat, you wont recover properly and If youre going to train at 4 p.m., it would be ideal to have a wont be able to hit it as hard in the gym the next day! lunch thats composed of carbs, protein and fat around noon Recall Bernings opening statement on the balance between and then a small carb snack about an hour before your workout. eating and training: Its the training that causes you to grow, and if The pretraining carbs, such as a cereal bar or bagel, can top off you dont eat properly, you cant take care of business in the gym.

Robert Reiff

Supplementation to Grow On

n Month 8, well stick to whats evolving into a core of three growth supplements. They include 37 grams of creatine taken with your post-training meal, 610 grams of glutamine and 3 grams of HMB, the latter two split in even doses before and after training. Dont overlook the need for a full-spectrum multivitamin/mineral and, if you have any tenderness in your joints, consider including fish oil geltabs and glucosamine. These two supplements

can fight inflammation and even improve the strength and integrity of your joints, which often withstand a beating from weeks of nonstop training. As noted last month, omega-3 fatty acids from fish oils also exert some anticatabolic properties that may be helpful in the growth stages. An adequate daily dose is 58 geltabs of fish oil (provides omega-3 fatty acids) and 1,500 mg of glucosamine, split evenly into three 500-mg doses.

146 MUSCLE & FITNESS February 2000

M U S C L E & F I T N E S S ULTRA S Y S T E M MONTH

ULTRA: MEAL PLANNING

hile I know of no magic formula in regard to an 15% exact ratio of carbs, protein and fat to build lean Fat body mass, I do know that you need a caloric surplus for tissue growth, and the preferred fuel source for 25% weight training is carbohydrates. Thats why carbs Protein form the bulk of this eating plan; adequate protein will support the rebuilding of muscle tissue. To sustain muscle growth, this months calorie ratio of carbs to protein to fat is approximately 60/25/15.

Ra

tio Goal

60% 60 % Carbs

Each of the 10 meals presented is roughly 600 calories, and each snack about 300. To support muscle growth, mix and match meals and snacks so that you consume about 150200 more calories per day than you burn. (Note: Refer back to your July 1999 issue, page 172, to determine your caloric needs.) If you dont notice an increase in lean body mass, increase your daily caloric intake.

MEALS

Cals

3 oz. flank steak, grilled 146 3 egg whites, scrambled w/ 44 1 slice fat-free cheese 28 21 2 oz. (dry wt.) hot Cream of Rice 275 1 banana 125 Totals 616 5 egg whites, scrambled w/ 1 whole egg 4 slices whole-wheat bread 4 tsp. no-sugar fruit spread 8 oz. orange juice Totals 5 oz. ground turkey, browned 10 oz. baked potato 11 2 Tbsp. sour cream 11 2 cups Italian-style frozen vegetables Totals 5 oz. canned chicken 4 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 1 2 onion, chopped 1 2 small tomato, chopped 2 9-inch tortillas 1 medium apple Totals 5 oz. round steak, cut thin, grilled 3 oz. cooked pasta 3 4 cup tomato sauce 3 4 cup frozen carrots, steamed Totals 5 oz. swordfish, broiled 10 oz. baked yam 3 4 cup canned peas w/ 1 Tbsp. Lite Italian dressing Totals 6 oz. canned tuna 2 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise Small green salad 2 Tbsp. Lite Italian dressing 2 dinner rolls 2 fat-free fig cookies Totals 5 oz. chicken breast, grilled 1 cup cooked brown rice 1 2 cup corn, steamed w/ 1 cup green vegetables 2 Tbsp. poppy-seed salad dressing Totals 70 74 300 37 109 590 182 313 75 108 678 174 48 30 20 262 90 624 159 288 106 45 598 155 295 84 25 559 186 24 50 50 240 96 646 152 209 90 104 52 607

Carb (g) 0 0 2 58 28 88 0 0 54 9 24 87 0 71 1 21 93 0 12 7 5 46 21 91 0 63 14 10 87 0 69 17 1 87 0 8 12 2 48 24 94 0 44 19 22 5 90

Pro (g) 18 11 5 7 1 38 18 6 12 0 1 37 33 6 0 6 45 30 0 1 0 6 0 37 30 9 2 1 42 28 5 5 0 38 39 0 1 0 6 0 46 33 5 2 3 0 43

Fat (g) 8 0 0 2 1 11 0 5 4 0 0 9 6 0 5 0 11 6 0 0 0 6 0 12 4 2 4 0 10 6 1 0 2 9 3 0 0 4 3 0 10 3 1 1 0 4 9

MEALS
16 oz. Campbells Healthy Request Hearty Tomato Ravioli Soup 3 oz. ground turkey, browned 1 onion bagel, toasted Totals 5 oz. turkey burger w/ 1 2 cup mushrooms 9 oz. baked potato 1 cup baked squash 1 tsp. butter Totals

Cals Carb Pro (g) (g) 285 52 8 109 226 620 182 9 282 94 35 602 0 46 98 0 2 64 24 0 90 20 8 36 33 tr 5 3 0 41

Fat (g) 5 4 1 10 6 tr 0 0 4 10 Fat (g) 4 1 0 5 4 1 0 5 3 1 0 0 4 3 1 4 3 0 0 2 0 5 0 1 0 3 1 5

SNACKS
cup (dry weight) oats, cooked 3 Tbsp. whey protein powder 2 tsp. no-sugar fruit spread Totals 12 oz. low-fat milk 2 Tbsp. whey protein powder 1 4 cup canned pineapple (no sugar added) Totals 3 oz. sliced turkey breast 1 pita pocket 2 slices each tomato & onion 1 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise Totals cup low-fat cottage cheese w/ pineapple 2 cinnamon rice cakes Totals can white-meat chicken w/ 2 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise 1 4 cup shredded lettuce 2 slices whole-wheat bread 1 pear Totals Mix: 4 Tbsp. fat-free cream cheese 2 Tbsp. whey protein powder 2 packets Equal 1 tsp. peanut butter Spread on: 3 rice cakes Totals
1 2 3 4 3 4

Cals Carb Pro (g) (g) 231 40 8 61 1 12 21 5 0 313 46 20 160 41 105 306 90 153 20 12 275 187 89 263 87 24 2 150 57 320 60 41 8 32 134 275 18 1 27 46 1 31 5 3 40 23 18 41 0 6 1 26 13 46 6 1 2 1 27 37 12 8 0 20 15 5 0 0 20 17 2 19 15 0 0 6 0 21 8 8 0 1 3 20

February 2000 MUSCLE & FITNESS 147

ULTRA: Made to Order

boundaries of gender, training experience and goals we knew we had to address one element: your immediate needs and wants. In a broad sense, here are some ways that you can customize this months workout and diet to better fit your most pressing goals: More Muscle: Even though this months workouts include elements of multiple sets, all in all they more closely resemble a one-set-to-failure routine. To gain more lean muscle, increase the number of sets per exercise to 34 and decrease all reps to 1012. Take each set to near-failure, giving yourself about 12 minutes of rest between sets.

W
1 2 3 4 5 6

hen the editorial brain-trust at M&F devised the concept behind ULTRA an effective bodybuilding program for anyone, reaching beyond the

Think ULTRA isnt for you? Think again! You can tailor it to meet your needs so youll see ULTRA results.

More Strength: Training specifically for 1RM strength is quite different from training for functional strength. For the former, youll want to really drop the reps (do 16), increase the weight (80% 1RM +) and number of sets per exercise (35), drop some of the redundant lifts (for example, do only one leg-press movement, not three) and take 25 minutes of rest between sets. Less Bodyfat / Lose Weight: High reps and frequency can be a great stimulus for improved muscle endurance (tone), but increasing the sets to 34 per exercise and using rest periods of less than 90 seconds between sets may help more. Also, follow the cardio prescription listed below, but keep your daily caloric intake to just under what your body expends each day (approximately 200500 calories fewer). Better Cardio: Youll definitely start seeing more of this in coming months, but to get a head start, stick with these guidelines:
Robert Reiff

Frequency Increase the number of days or times that you perform cardio. Duration Increase the actual time you exercise aerobically. Intensity Progressively increase your exercise intensity, as a measure of your maximal heart rate. Keep calories in mind, however, because the more cardio you do, the more calories youll burn. That means that unless you want to lose weight, you need to readjust your caloric intake to make up for energy lost during cardio. Greater Flexibility: Static stretching is great, but including some dynamic and contract/relax stretching into your routine can make a huge difference in your level of flexibility. As with weight training, make sure you know proper form before jumping into more advanced techniques. Stretching between sets and on off days can be a great help. Time and/or Equipment Setbacks: One statistic notes that the average American spends about 42 hours a week mindlessly camped out in front of a TV thats six hours a day! Im not likely to win any prizes for advanced psychology, but if lack of time is your excuse for not getting to the gym and youre spending even an hour a day watching the boob tube, I advise you to stop making excuses and prioritize your life. Not having the proper equipment is always an easy fix: Substitute exercises with ones of like quality. For example, do squats or lunges instead of leg presses, or bent-over rows instead of lat pull-downs.
148 MUSCLE & FITNESS February 2000

New to ULTRA: Anyone can jump into this program and get great results. Making the right adjustments, based upon your level of bodybuilding experience, will make a world of difference.

Rank beginners: Stick with just one exercise per bodypart and dont take any of your sets to, or near, muscle failure. Learn proper form and technique, progressively increasing the weight as you begin feeling more confident with each exercise. Continue progressing until you can safely build up to whats prescribed in this months ULTRA. Intermediate & advanced bodybuilders: Common sense should be your guiding light; if you feel like youre working far beyond your capabilities, back it down and build up to whats prescribed.

ULTRA Physiques to Appear in M&F

If youre looking for some external motivation to fuel your internal engine, take action and enter our ULTRA contest. For more information, check out Success Stories for MUSCLE & FITNESS on page 159 in the July 1999 issue. Good luck and train hard!

M U S C L E & F I T N E S S ULTRA S Y S T E M MONTH

Weekly Guidelines
Reps Intensity Rest Between Sets Training Guide

WEEK 1
1215 on assistive exercises 20 on core exercises 70%75% 1RM on assistive exercises 65%70% 1RM on core exercises Less than 90 seconds Take each set to positive failure (you can no longer lift the weight using proper form), but dont include any forced reps or negatives; thatll come soon enough!

WEEK 2
1215 on assistive exercises 20 on core exercises 70%75% 1RM on assistive exercises 65%70% 1RM on core exercises Less than 90 seconds After taking each positive rep to failure, have a spotter help you with 13 extra forced reps.

WEEK 3
1215 on assistive exercises 20 on core exercises 70%75% 1RM on assistive exercises 65%70% 1RM on core exercises Less than 90 seconds Get your spotter to start helping you with forced reps to failure. In other words, take each set to failure and then have a spotter help you with the positive reps until you cant do any more.

WEEK 4
1215 on assistive exercises 20 on core exercises 70%75% 1RM on assistive exercises 65%70% 1RM on core exercises Less than 90 seconds

This is the week youve been waiting for. Take each set to both concentric and eccentric failure pump out as many reps as you can on your own, then have a spotter help you with forced reps until all youre doing are the negatives. You arent done until you cant even do the negative without assistance.

This months set of workouts depends heavily on your ability to mentally and physically take each set to total muscular failure.

Rules This Month

1
Robert Reiff

Workout intensities are based on a percentage of your 1RM (the maximum amount of weight that you can properly lift for only one repetition). If you dont know your 1RM for a particular exercise, guesstimate. Also, if youre unable to complete the prescribed number of repetitions using proper form, adjust the weight accordingly.

Precede the first exercise of each bodypart with 12 warm-up sets do 15 reps with a light weight (about 30%40% 1RM) and, if need be, another 1215-rep warm-up set with a slightly heavier weight (50%55% 1RM).

February 2000 MUSCLE & FITNESS 149

HOW TO FILL IN: Write the weight used and reps completed. 255/20 is equal to 255 pounds for 20 reps. For example: Single-Leg Leg Press / = Take this set to failure = Dont do this set

255 20

DAY 1
EXERCISE

Warm-Up: 712 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (approximately 65% MHR). Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds.
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4

Single-Leg Leg Press Leg Extension Leg Press Lying Leg Curl Single-Leg Leg Press Leg-Press Calf Raise Dumbbell Flye Incline Dumbbell Press Dumbbell Pull-Over Lateral Raise Dumbbell Shoulder Press Front Lat Pull-Down Dumbbell Bench Press Dip Machine Crunch

20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20

/

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20

20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds. Warm-Up: 712 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (approximately 65% MHR). Stretch: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, hip adductors and abductors, and low back. Running Drills: Walk/Run: Walk for 90 seconds, getting your heart rate up to about 65% MHR, then run for 90 seconds, getting your heart rate up to about 85% MHR. Repeat cycle for 3040 minutes. Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds. Warm-Up: 712 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (approximately 65% MHR). Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds.
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4

DAY 2

DAY 3
EXERCISE

Leg Extension Single-Leg Leg Press Seated Leg Curl Leg Press Lying Leg Curl Single-Leg Leg Press Leg-Press Calf Raise Lateral Raise Standing Shoulder Press Dumbbell Pull-Over Dumbbell Flye

12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15

/

20

12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15

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12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15

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12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 /12-15

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150 MUSCLE & FITNESS February 2000

M U S C L E & F I T N E S S ULTRA S Y S T E M MONTH DAY 3

EXERCISE

contd
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4

Dumbbell Bench Press Front Lat Pull-Down Dumbbell Shoulder Press Dumbbell Front Raise Machine Crunch

20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20
/

20

20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20
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20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20
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20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20
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Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds. Warm-Up: 712 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (approximately 65% MHR). Stretch: Quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, hip adductors and abductors, and low back. Running Drills: Incline Sprint/Walk: On a slight incline (approximately 10 degrees), sprint at full speed for 20 seconds and walk for 40 seconds. Repeat cycle for 3040 minutes. Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds. Warm-Up: 712 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio (approximately 65% MHR). Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds.
WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4

DAY 4

DAY 5
EXERCISE

Single-Leg Leg Press Leg Extension Leg Press Lying Leg Curl Single-Leg Leg Press Leg-Press Calf Raise One-Arm Dumbbell Row Dumbbell Pull-Over Incline Dumbbell Press Lateral Raise Dumbbell Shoulder Press Dip Bent-Over Barbell Row Front Lat Pull-Down Machine Crunch

20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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20

20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 / 20 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20 /12-15 / 20

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20

Stretch: Full-body stretching; 24 sets, holding each stretch for 1530 seconds. Join us next month when pro fitness competitor Lisa Lowe and Janet Walberg Rankin, PhD, of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, offer their expertise in devising a transitional workout and nutritional program thatll start getting you ready for summer, looking leaner than ever! See ya then!

DAYS 6 7

OFF

Test for Success

or some of us, judging ourselves by how we look in the mirror or how our clothing fits isnt enough to know whether were improving our physique. Thats why weve set up certain fitness measurements designed to help you recognize what areas youve excelled at and which may be idle. This allows you to determine which portions of the program you may or may not be following according to spec. Beginners to ULTRA, take your measurements today before you begin even one day of your training. Existing followers, wait until the end of this month to take your readings. For details on fitness testing, check out page 166 of the July 1999 ULTRA system installment. M&F

February 2000 MUSCLE & FITNESS 151