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Get Big... Fast! - Part I
There are two common questions I find in my email.
The most common concern is “How can my son/daughter
become faster on the ice?”. The second most
common question is the topic of this 2-part series: “My
son needs to get bigger, how do we do this?”.
There are three factors that dictate how an athlete
gains lean body mass: genetics, type of exercise performed,
and diet. We do not have any control over genetics
but we can optimize exercise and diet to promote weight
gain.
The first thing my athletes do is fill out a food
questionnaire listing what they have eaten in the past
week. This gives us insight into what is being eaten
and what part of the day the eating is done. The usual
response I get is “This was a bad week for eating”.
At SST we find that 90% of athletes who want to gain
weight are simply not eating enough food. When an athlete
is eating plenty of food they tend to be consuming
foods that are low in nutritional quality. I see lots
of food choices such as cereals, pop, chips.. well
you get the point. Remember, athletes need to gain
lean body mass weight (muscle) not body fat because
any excess fat will actually decrease speed in hockey
players.
What does SST recommend to affect change in the choice
of food? We start by having all our athletes eat nutritious
foods at seven different feedings per day, making sure
that every meal contains a high quality source of protein.
This is just the start. Here are 10 precepts that SST
implements into an athletes diet and exercise regime:
- Post-workout shake
- Pre-workout shake
- 2 workouts per day
- NAPS!
- Multi-joint exercises
- Supplementation
- A snack before bed
- No cardio work
- Ingest good fats
- We add little bit of scare tactics by citing alternative
results!
Post-Workout Shake
Of all the factors that help an athlete gain weight, SST finds this to be the
most important. We instruct all players to have a shake consisting of carbohydrates
and protein following any activity, whether it is a practice, game, workout,
or any other physical activity where the hormone cortisol may be increased.
The post workout shake is needed to lower cortisol levels. Cortisol is a
catabolic hormone which in simple terms means “the breakdown” of
muscle tissue. Whey protein is recommended in your post workout shake since
it is absorbed the quickest. It is imperative to include carbohydrates that
are highly glycemic causing an insulin spike to transport the protein to
the cells. Good choices of carbohydrates are cereals, juices, powders and
fruits.
Pre-Workout Shake
Here is a trick I learned from my good friend Charles Poliquin. Before any
activity (game, practice or strength training session) consume a whey protein
shake made up of 25-40 grams of protein depending on your body weight. Proteins
are made of amino acids and ingesting protein pre workout adds to what is
called “free amino acid pool”. The amino acids can than be diverted
to the muscles for utilization.
2 Workouts per Day
2-a-day workouts are an excellent way to gain weight and increase strength
levels in a very short period of time. 2 a day workouts are the ideal, but
realistically, very hard for some individuals with a hectic work and school
schedule. No problem, just work out twice a day when your schedule permits.
Our most improved athletes tell us it’s difficult, but they find the
time. Be sure to incorporate 2 a day workouts during the summer months, Christmas
break and whenever your schedule is lighter, like weekends. The reason SST
likes to use this method is that it allows for testosterone and growth hormone
levels to increase twice per day. Research shows that increase in testosterone
is directly related to increased load. The morning workout can be designed
for this purpose: lift heavy = more testosterone. The second workout should
consist of increasing growth hormone levels, which in actual fact will lean
you up as well. Growth hormone levels increase when lactate levels increase.
This can be achieved by taking shorter rest intervals in your program. 1993
research indicates that 10 sets of 10 reps increases GH levels twenty fold.
Naps!
Can you believe I have to tell an athlete to do this! Sleep increases Growth
hormone levels. GH levels are very high after sleeping. We know that increased
growth hormone levels increase lean body mass and strength. So what are you
waiting for? Take a nap and stop staying up so late!
Stay tuned for part 2 next month. or email me for
info regarding other factors to consider when trying
to gain weight. Sign up for our free email newsletter
featuring tons of info on nutrition, strength and speed
development.
Larry Jusdanis, SST Director
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