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There are powerlifting superstars, and there are powerlifting supernovas. Sherine Marcelle would fit the latter cosmic description. On Mar. 6, 2023, Marcelle shared an Instagram video of herself completing a raw 227.5-kilogram (501-pound) beltless deadlift for three reps. According to the caption of Marcelle’s post, the set was a 2.7-kilogram (six-pound) personal record (PR) with this kind of deadlift for the usual 90-kilogram athlete.

“So grateful for the people that showed up and continue to show up for me. This is the strongest I have felt and the most I’ve shown up for me.”

Marcelle had no other equipment adorned to assist with her strength milestone. She completed her pull from a sumo stance with a mixed grip.

In early June 2022, after competing in February’s Word Raw Powerlifting Federation (WRPF) Ghost Clash, Marcelle had stated she would be taking most of the rest of the competitive year off to recalibrate. The athlete maintained she previously “fought through injuries” and came through with flying colors but seemed to want to take a step back for the time being. The competitor still shared various training tidbits — especially two respective back squat PRs in late August 2022 and early September 2022 — but otherwise only featured in the 2022 United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) PWRBLD Winter War in mid-December.

Based on the recent tenor of Marcelle’s Instagram posts in 2023, the athlete is ready to make her competitive return sometime in late March and early April. However, it is unclear which specific contest Marcelle will participate in, as she has not offered those concrete details. All that might provide a hint is a February 2023 salute to C.T. Fletcher. The influencer is the organizer of the annual Iron Wars, but there doesn’t appear to be another contest listed on his event website for the time being.

Wherever Marcelle does compete, she’s likened to shine: as the athlete usually does.

In her last nine professional appearances, Marcelle has fallen short of first place just twice while competing raw and with wraps. According to Open Powerlifting, Marcelle possesses one of the all-time highest raw squats (244.9 kilograms/540.1 pounds) in the 90-kilogram division, just shy of two-time reigning International Powerlifting Federation (IPF) World Champion Amanda Lawrence. Should Marcelle compete raw with wraps at her next contest, she may potentially turn her early summer 2022 squat PR (297 kilograms/655 pounds) into an all-time World Record. Only Crystal Tate (290.3 kilograms/640 pounds) has ever squatted more, raw with wraps, as a 90-kilogram competitor.

Pound for pound, Marcelle is one of the strongest powerlifters ever, regardless of division. As the official start of her personal competitive 2023 season nears, it seems apparent that the athlete will live up to that elite billing again.

Featured image: @sincerelysherine on Instagram

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When it’s time to hit the gym, most people instinctively gravitate toward hitting the weights. That’s certainly an understandable course of action, since weight training plays a role in everything from muscle-building and strength gains to fat-burning and even heart health.

However, for maximum results toward any of those goals — physique, performance, or health — a comprehensive training plan which includes cardiovascular training has shown to be more effective than treating weight training and cardio as either/or. (1)(2)

That means making time to get outside or, for some weatherproofing, hopping on the old reliable treadmill. While treadmill workouts often bring the dread of slow, painful slogs while staring at the gym’s TV monitors, you can get a more effective workout done in less time when you crank up the intensity with interval training. Here are a few detailed workouts to make your next treadmill session a more productive and (relatively) more enjoyable experience.

HIIT Treadmill Workouts

• For Fat Loss
• For Conditioning
• For Beginners

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Fat Loss

For many people in the gym, once they make the decision to drop some body fat, hopping on the treadmill is often considered par for the course, along with cutting calories and skipping desserts. Rather than logging mile after foot-numbing mile, you can crank up the fat-burning by applying high-intensity intervals to your next treadmill session. Interval training has been shown to be more efficient and more effective than steady state cardio programming. (3)

Speed Intervals

This is one of the most common ways to perform an interval-based treadmill workout. Alternating periods of high-intensity, fast-paced running with low-intensity, slower paced walking allows you to effectively balance output with recovery for an efficient training session.

Because “fast pace” and “slow pace” are relative to your own ability, use your judgment when setting the treadmill speed. Aim for a strenuous run, not necessarily an all-out sprint, on the fast portion. Use a significantly slower pace, typically an easy jog or quick walk, for recovery periods.

With this approach to intervals, you have two potential avenues of progression. You can add more interval periods to increase the overall training time. This makes the workout progressively longer, but also increases the amount of work you’re doing in each session.

You can also keep the same number of intervals while gradually reducing the rest period in each “set.” By reducing the rest by 10 to 15 seconds per week, you’re asking your body to maintain high output with submaximal recovery. This increases the overall training intensity. Both methods can be effective, and they can be used sequentially — reduce rest periods each week for two or three weeks and then begin adding intervals once per week.

This workout can be performed two to four times per week, on non-consecutive days for better overall recovery. Don’t perform the workout immediately after training legs with weights due to potential cumulative fatigue in hip, knee, and ankle stabilizers.

Treadmill Interval

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a very low incline (between one and three percent). Steadily increase the speed up to your fast pace. Begin watching the clock as soon as you reach your ideal speed and maintain for the desired period. After you’ve reached the target time for the fast period, steadily decrease the speed and maintain the slow pace for the desired time.
• Sets and Reps: 10 “sets” of 30 seconds at a fast pace and 60 seconds at a slow pace. 15 minutes total training time.
• Rest time: No rest between intervals.

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Conditioning

Improved conditioning, sometimes synonymous with endurance or cardiovascular health, can be a welcomed side effect of most types of treadmill workouts. You can adjust the training for a more efficient and more specific conditioning benefit by taking a strategic approach to the interval treadmill session.

On/Off Treadmill Circuit

This circuit-based treadmill workout may appear unconventional, but it delivers total-body conditioning and a high intensity session which has shown to be more effective than moderate-paced cardio workouts. (4) Rather than alternating active periods of fast running with recovery walking periods, this approach alternates steady (submaximal) runs with more traditional exercises using bodyweight movements or dumbbells (for convenience). You’re essentially “supersetting” a treadmill run with a conventional exercise.

Rather than taking a stationary rest period or walking at a low intensity to recover, the exercise acts as a type of “active recovery” from the hard run. This allows you to continue training while you catch your breath as your cardiovascular system recovers.

This plan requires a bit of coordination, because you’ll be getting on and off the treadmill repeatedly (as the workout’s name implies). It also requires a little bit of planning and, ideally, some extra space near the treadmill itself to safely perform the non-treadmill exercise.

This workout can be adjusted to incorporate a variety of exercises to train a larger array of muscle groups. Choose one exercise for each muscle and perform them in an alternating fashion: treadmill, first body part, treadmill, second body part, treadmill, third body part, etc. 

This method can also be performed in a more basic manner focusing on a single body part for the entire session, using a different exercise in each interval. This method can work especially well with ab exercises, turning the session into a “two-for-one” cardio and ab workout.

For safety’s sake, avoid using lower body exercises such as squats or lunges because excessively fatiguing the leg muscles can increase the risk of running-related injuries. Regardless of the body part trained, avoid reaching absolute muscular failure. Doing so will create unnecessary systemic stress and impact recovery. Perform this workout two to three days per week.

Treadmill Run

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a very low incline (between one and three percent). Gradually increase the speed until you reach a moderately challenging pace — faster than an easy jog but less than a hard sprint. Maintain the pace for the duration of the set before decreasing the speed. If you can safely dismount the treadmill as it continues moving at a very slow speed, it may be easier to begin the next interval. Safety is paramount, so if you need to stop the treadmill completely between intervals, do so.
• Sets and Reps: 12-16 “sets” of one minute.
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise (alternate exercises with each interval).

Push–Up

• How to Do it: Drop into a classic push-up position with your hands and toes on the ground, and your hands just outside shoulder-width. Keep a straight line throughout your body. Don’t allow your hips to drop to the ground or spike up to the ceiling. Bend your arms to lower your body while aiming your elbows toward your feet rather than toward the walls to your sides. Move at a relatively slow pace with total control. Descend as low as possible before pressing to full lockout.
• Sets and Reps: 6-8 x 10-12
• Rest time: No rest before returning to the treadmill.

Two-Dumbbell Dumbbell Row

• How to Do it: Stand with a dumbbell in each hand hanging at your sides. Hinge forward at the waist while keeping your back straight and your knees slightly bent. Keep your hands facing each other throughout the movement. Drive your elbows up and back until the weights nearest your thumbs are close to your ribs. Pause briefly before lowering to a full stretch.
• Sets and Reps: 6-8 x 8-10
• Rest time: No rest before returning to the treadmill.

HIIT Treadmill Workout for Beginners

Whether you’re new to the gym or just new to cardio training, you can’t always dive right into an intense workout. However, you can still use HIIT to get familiar with the training method while building a base of conditioning and general fitness.

Incline Intervals

Rather than alternating fast-paced running with slower walking, this approach uses an underappreciated benefit of the treadmill — the incline feature. Most treadmills can reach a 12-15% incline. If you’re unfamiliar with your treadmill, take some time before the workout to test its capabilities.

The goal is to maintain a steady walking pace for the duration of the workout, using the incline to add (and reduce) the difficulty throughout the session. Aim for a near-maximum incline during the high-intensity interval — ideally within two or three points of the machine’s max setting. If it’s capable of 15%, try to use at least 12%; if 12% is the maximum, aim for nine or 10%.

For the low-intensity interval, reduce the incline to one percent. The speed should not change during any interval. Choose a speed that allows a comfortable walking pace during the low interval, and keep the setting the same as the incline increases. This workout can be performed three or four days per week.

One key to maximizing any incline treadmill workout is to resist the urge to hold onto the handrails. As much as possible, allow your arms to swing naturally. Needing the handrails briefly for safety or balance is one thing. Hanging onto them to support yourself during the high incline becomes counterproductive because it reduces your body’s workload.

Treadmill Walk

• How to Do it: Set the treadmill to a one-percent incline with a comfortable walking speed and begin the first interval and maintain your pace for the desired period. After the target time, steadily increase the incline to the target percentage. When you’ve reached the target, maintain the pace for the desired time before returning to the lower incline for the next interval.
• Sets and Reps: 10-12 “sets” of one minute low incline and one minute high incline, 20-24 minutes total training time.
• Rest time: No rest between intervals.

How to Warm-Up for HIIT Treadmill Workouts

Just because you’re using a treadmill doesn’t mean you can skip the warm-up. A thorough warm-up isn’t just beneficial for injury prevention. It’s been shown to improve performance during training. (5) That can help to make sure you’re actually putting “high intensity” into your high intensity intervals.

Be sure to factor time into your HIIT workout for a good warm-up. Don’t just plan on showing up, running for 10-15 minutes, and leaving. The time spent warming up will prepare your ankles, knees, hips, and back for the run, while also improving overall blood flow and ensuring an even more productive session.

HIIT Treadmill Workout Warm-Up

• Bodyweight Squat with Pause and Calf Raise: Stand with your feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Descend into a squat as low as possible. Pause in the bottom position for two seconds before standing upright. In the top position, rise onto your toes in a calf raise. Perform 10 repetitions.
• Lunge and Twist: Begin in a push-up position. Step your left foot forward into a lunge position. Raise your left arm and reach up to the ceiling. Aim to feel your hips, core, and upper back stretching. Replace your hand on the ground and step back with your foot. Repeat with the opposite side. Perform four reps per side.
• Treadmill Pyramid Run: Get on a treadmill and begin at a slow walking speed. Every 20 to 30 seconds, increase the speed several points until you reach a challenging running pace. Maintain this speed for three to five minutes before reversing the process and incrementally slowing down.

Better Results with the Ups and Downs of Intervals

Steady-state workouts can have a place in your overall workout program. Performing a reliably monotonous walk can help relaxation and general restoration. But when it’s time for a hard and productive workout, some high intensity interval training will pack more results into less time. Narrow down your goal, pick the right workout, and put that treadmill to good use.

Featured Image: Antoniodiaz / Shutterstock

References

1. Schroeder, E. C., Franke, W. D., Sharp, R. L., & Lee, D. C. (2019). Comparative effectiveness of aerobic, resistance, and combined training on cardiovascular disease risk factors: A randomized controlled trial. PloS one, 14(1), e0210292. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210292
2. Ho, S. S., Dhaliwal, S. S., Hills, A. P., & Pal, S. (2012). The effect of 12 weeks of aerobic, resistance or combination exercise training on cardiovascular risk factors in the overweight and obese in a randomized trial. BMC public health, 12, 704. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-704
3. Viana, R. B., Naves, J. P. A., Coswig, V. S., de Lira, C. A. B., Steele, J., Fisher, J. P., & Gentil, P. (2019). Is interval training the magic bullet for fat loss? A systematic review and meta-analysis comparing moderate-intensity continuous training with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). British journal of sports medicine, 53(10), 655–664. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2018-099928
4. Sultana, R. N., Sabag, A., Keating, S. E., & Johnson, N. A. (2019). The Effect of Low-Volume High-Intensity Interval Training on Body Composition and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 49(11), 1687–1721. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-019-01167-w
5. Fradkin, A. J., Zazryn, T. R., & Smoliga, J. M. (2010). Effects of warming-up on physical performance: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c643a0

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Andrew Burton is the winner of the 2023 World’s Strongest Firefighter (WSF) contest. The contest took place as a part of the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF) in Columbus, OH, on Mar. 3-4, 2023. The festival also featured the 2023 Arnold Classic and the 2023 Arnold Strongman and Arnold Strongwoman Classic contests.

Burton’s victory stood tall in a group of more than 120 athletes and three divisions in the Men’s Open, Men’s U105KG, and Women’s Open. Initial events during the competition whittled the field down to 18 athletes — defending champion Daniel Camacho, 12 Open Men, two U105KG Men, two women, and another competitor. By the contest’s end, Burton, who competed in the Open, emerged as the victor.

Here are the results from the 2023 World’s Strongest Firefighter competition:

2023 World’s Strongest Firefighter Results

1. Andrew Burton
2. Brooks Larkin
3. Nathan Warfel
4. Idelfonso Nieves
5. Cameron St. Amand
6. Peter Juhasz
7. Zack Hash
8. Casey Shoe
9. Olivier de Launiere
10. Harry Walker

Coefficient percentages were used to balance appropriate scoring and weights for the athletes in the different divisions. The now-former reigning champion in Camacho would take home 13th place. Laura Moran was the highest-finishing woman, while Julianne Durante had won the Women’s category in the pre-Finals round. Harry Walker came in first in the U105KG category. Both Durante and Walker received prizes for their efforts.

As for Burton, his victory should probably be no surprise considering his ledger at the competition. Of the four events — the Ambulance Tire Deadlift, Sandbag Carry, Axe Hold, and Fire Hydrant Load — Burton recorded at least a top-five finish in each instance. He was in the top three in three of four slated events. Burton would win the Fire Hydrant Load outright with a time of 17.17 seconds, helping to cement his overall WSF triumph.

Here is how Burton fared on each event. Note: The Women’s Open, U105, and Men’s Open divisions used varying weights throughout the contest. Burton competed under the mandates of the Men’s Open division accordingly:

Andrew Burton | 2023 World’s Strongest Firefighter Event Results

• Ambulance Tire Deadlift (272.1 kilograms/600 pounds, for maximum reps) — 16 reps (Tied for second)
• Sandbag Carry (136 kilograms/300 pounds, for time) —  43.33 seconds
• Axe Hold (11.3 kilograms/25 pounds, in each arm at shoulder-height for max time) — 59.7 seconds
• Fire Hydrant Load (79.3, 90.7, 102.5, 113.7 kilograms/175, 200, 225, 250 pounds, as quickly as possible) — 17.17 seconds

On his Instagram, Burton, a native of Texas, appreciated his moment while living an apparent dream. Part of said dream was getting to meet the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“Well … what a week,” Burton started. “I’ve spent the day recovering and reminiscing. My legs are bruised, my traps are sore, but my heart is full. I have always wanted to be identified as an athlete. It’s one of the reasons I joined the fire service. And here I am pictured with [Schwarzenegger] after winning the title of [2023] World’s Strongest Firefighter, living my wildest dreams to the fullest! 

Burton has previously competed in amateur strongman contests and is now the second WSF champion in the contest’s two-year history. Should he return to defend his title in 2024, he could potentially look forward to repeated success on the platform and renewed prestige for an already respected career.

Featured image: @aburton428 on Instagram

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Samson “The Nigerian Lion” Dauda’s win in the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC) probably wasn’t shocking per se. He just wasn’t the athlete some expected to stand on top of the podium. Now, the new title notch in Dauda’s belt is rightfully drawing the attention of prominent bodybuilding commentators and analysts. The overall message is clear: Dauda’s AC victory has put him on the map.

On Mar. 7, 2023, famed bodybuilding trainer Miloš Šarčev appeared on the Cutler Cast with Mr. Olympia icon Jay Cutler. The pair recapped the events of the AC which occurred just days earlier, and, naturally, they discussed Dauda’s standout performance. Šarčev and Cutler would eventually conclude that Dauda should be considered one of the top contenders for the 2023 Mr. Olympia title in early November.

Šarčev and Cutler could have chosen their words carefully. They could’ve treaded lightly around the potential Dauda presents. Instead, they gave the first-time AC winner a ringing Olympia endorsement. (Note: Dauda finished in sixth place at the 2022 iteration of the contest.)

Why? They view Dauda as a well-rounded, elite competitor who can topple anyone, including reigning Olympia champion Hadi Choopan and runner-up Derek Lunsford.

He’s [Dauda] the best combination of everything,” Šarčev said. “Can he beat Hadi [Choopan] and Derek [Lunsford]? Yes. Would his conditioning and size beat them at the [2023] Olympia? We’d have to see them lined up next to each other.“

Cutler would echo this sentiment from Šarčev, explaining that he thinks Dauda is starting to piece together how to prepare for an elite performance on stage. The four-time Mr. Olympia (2006-2007, 2009-2010) related it to his own career experience and put it plainly.

Dauda just has to refine small details moving forward.

“I think now you’ve figured the formula and it’s just working to get the skin a little thinner as you progress,” Cutler said. “It’s just routine now … you’re in that ‘click’ period and there’s a certain click period that people go through. I experienced this in my late 20s … I feel that his [Dauda] peak is a little delayed because of the experience and you’ve seen this crazy growth over the last year. But now, it’s just refinement of the skin thinning down a little bit better. Nothing else. Everything will improve. It’s all about just routine and training.”

After winning the 2023 AC, Dauda would write in an Instagram post that “it’s a dream come true.” There’s no telling what sorts of emotions would run through the competitor were he to win his first Olympia title in the same year. Though, if Cutler and Šarčev are correct in their evaluation, a second bigger dream might be fulfilled for Dauda on November 3-5, 2023, in Orlando, FL.

More Bodybuilding Content:

• Andrew Jacked Says He “Deserved” His Third-Place Finish at 2023 Arnold Classic
• Kamal Elgargni Keeps 2023 Masters Olympia In Play During Ambitious Year
• 7-Time Mr. Olympia Phil Heath Looks Jacked in New Training Video

Featured image: @samson__dauda on Instagram

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When most people think about whey protein, they think about building muscle. Protein shakes at the gym. Meal replacement drinks in lieu of real food.

The six-meal-and-three-snack-a-day bro who keeps a whey shake on his bedside table to maintain those 2 AM gains.

The up-at-dawn-to-beat-rush-hour woman who drinks a shake in the car in lieu of a pastry.

As most people see it, whey protein’s just for people who want more protein in their diets, people who don’t have the time to cook, or people who hate to cook and also need more protein. It’s for weight lifters and athletes. It’s a “poor replacement” for real food. It’s a compromise when life happens. If you can cook and eat real food regularly, the popular story goes, you don’t need whey protein. Just eat real food—right?

But there’s actually much more to whey than just building muscle.

What is Whey Protein?

Whey is a protein-packed byproduct of cheese production. It’s that pseudo-clear liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained. Cheese makers used to toss it aside as waste material, turn it into ricotta cheese, or feed it to livestock until food scientists started to understand its value as a protein supplement for humans.

Today, we know that whey protein is the single best supplementary source of complete essential amino acids. It contains all the essential amino acids we need to promote muscle protein synthesis and muscle growth. is far more than a byproduct of cheese-making. It’s also more than just a single protein. Instead, it houses an impressive array of components with a wide variety of biological effects: beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, lactoferrin, and immunoglobulins.

Beta-lactoglobulin:

• Promotes glutathione synthesis and reduces allergic disease incidence.
• Improves retinol/vitamin A absorption and uptake.¹
• Increases serotonin levels in plasma.²
• May have anti-tumor effects.³

Lactoferrin:

• Improves bone healing and prevents bone loss.⁴
• Chelates excessive iron, preventing it from fueling infections (many bacteria require iron), increasing inflammation, or becoming carcinogenic.
• Has anti-bacterial effects against food pathogens like E. coli and Listeria.

Immuno-globulins (A, M, G):

• Neutralize toxins from viruses and bacteria.
• Prevent adhesion of bacteria to tissues.
• Inhibit bacterial growth.

Those are just a few of the components found in that undigested whey powder sitting in your pantry. Once the whey hits your GI tract, it forms even more bioactive peptides with their own unique effects. Some improve blood lipids, lower blood pressure, or act as opioid receptor agonists (if you’ve ever seen a milk-drunk baby bliss out after nursing, his opioid receptors are likely being severely agonized by bioactive whey peptides). Others induce satiety and improve metabolic health biomarkers.

Is Whey Protein Good for You?

Yes. Whey protein can help you gain muscle and improve many health conditions, like obesity, diabetes, fatty liver, and more.

• Muscle: Regardless of your age, gender, or when you take it, combining whey protein with strength training consistently produces better results and larger muscles.⁵ It isn’t necessary to gain muscle and build strength if you’re eating enough protein through food, but whey protein certainly helps you add high-quality animal protein to your diet.
• Obesity: Whey tends to reduce fasting insulin levels in the obese and overweight (but not healthy prepubertal boys, who could use the growth promotion), increase satiety, reduce food intake, and improve resting energy expenditure.⁶⁷⁸⁹¹⁰ If you’re trying to lose weight or prevent obesity, increasing the amount of energy you burn at rest and decreasing the amount you consume—by manipulation of satiety and fat-burning hormones—are indispensable effects.
• Diabetes: Eaten before a meal, whey reduces the glucose spike from the subsequent meal in non-diabetics and type 2 diabetics alike. It achieves this by “spiking” insulin, but transiently; the insulin area under the curve improves even as the immediate insulin response increases.¹¹¹²¹³ Plus, as seen above, fasting insulin tends to lower in people consuming whey protein.
• Fatty liver: In obese women, a whey supplement reduces liver fat (and as a nice side effect increases lean mass a bit).¹⁴ Fatty liver patients also benefit from whey, enjoying improvements in glutathione status, liver steatosis, and antioxidant capacity.¹⁵ Rats who supplement with whey see reduced fat synthesis in the liver and increased fatty acid oxidation in the skeletal muscle.¹⁶
• Stress: In “high-stress” subjects, a whey protein shake improved cognitive function and performance by increasing serotonin levels.¹⁷ The same shake had no effect on “low-stress” subjects. And dietary whey also lowers oxidative brain stress, at least in mice.¹⁸
• Cancer: Both the lactoferrin found in whey and the glutathione synthesis whey promotes may have anti-cancer effects. Lactoferrin shows potential to prevent cancer that has yet to occur and induce cell death in existing cancer cells.¹⁹²⁰ In a recent human study, oral lactoferrin suppressed the formation of colonic polyps.²¹ And in animal cancer studies and human cancer case studies, whey protein has been shown to increase glutathione (“foremost among the cellular protective mechanisms”) and have anti-tumor effects.²² Whey protein can also help cancer patients stave off muscle loss and maintain strength.²³
• HIV: HIV is characterized by a drastic reduction in glutathione levels. And even if whey doesn’t always increase body weight in HIV patients, it does improve CD4 (a type of white blood cell) count, lower the number of co-infections, and persistently increase glutathione status.²⁴²⁵²⁶
• Heart disease: A review of the effect of whey on major cardiometabolic risk factors found that whey protein improves the lipid profile, reduces hypertension, improves vascular function, and increases insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance.²⁷ Whey peptides that form during digestion actually act as ACE-inhibitors, reducing blood pressure similarly to pharmaceuticals without the side effects.²⁸
• Sarcopenia: Muscle wasting, whether cancer-related or a product of age and inactivity, is a huge threat to one’s health and happiness. Studies show that whey protein is the most effective protein supplement for countering sarcopenia, especially compared to soy.²⁹³⁰ A buddy of mine can attest to this; a couple months back, his grandmother hadn’t eaten for a few days, was suffering from diarrhea, mental confusion, and basically appeared to be on her deathbed. He started making her whey protein-based milk shakes and the recovery was rapid. She grew alert, active, and regained her appetite and control of her bowels. She’s not out of the woods, but at least her remaining days will be much better than the direction they were heading.
• Gastrointestinal disorders: Contrary to concerns about dairy and gut health, whey can actually improve gut health and gut barrier function, even in patients with gastrointestinal disorders. In human Crohn’s disease patients, a whey protein supplement reduces leaky gut.³¹ In rodent models of inflammatory bowel disease, whey protein reduce gut inflammation and restore mucin (the stuff used to build up the gut barrier) synthesis.³²

Is whey protein dairy?

Whey comes from milk products, so yes, whey protein is dairy. it’s a major bioactive component of dairy. And, as with other forms of dairy, we have to consider the issue of dairy intolerances and allergies. Dairy just doesn’t work for everyone, whether it’s the lactose or the proteins.

Should dairy-intolerant people avoid whey?

Maybe. It depends on which component of dairy gives you trouble. You can be:

• Lactose intolerant. Lactose intolerance is a sensitivity to a form of sugar in dairy products.
• Casein sensitive. Casein sensitivity is an intolerance of one of the proteins in dairy products
• Whey sensitive.

Luckily, most people can tolerate whey without issue. You’re far more likely to be allergic, sensitive, or intolerant to lactose or casein than to whey. And whey may even be downright anti-allergenic, as whey-based formulas have shown efficacy in the prevention of allergic diseases like asthma and eczema in susceptible children and infants.³³³⁴

The exception to this may lie in geography and ethnicity: In East Asian countries like Taiwan, whey sensitivity appears to be more common than casein sensitivity. In western regions like the United States and Europe, casein intolerance is far more common than whey.³⁵ However, that’s just one study in people with atopic dermatitis. It might not apply to everyone.

I’ve found that most people with “dairy intolerance” can usually handle whey protein isolate, which has little to no lactose and almost zero casein.

Why eat whey protein when we could just eat yogurt, cheese, or drink milk?

In most mammalian milk, casein protein predominates and whey is a minor fraction of the total protein content. Cow, goat, horse, sheep—very high in casein, low in whey. But in human breastmilk, this ratio flips. As much as 80% of the total protein in human breastmilk is whey protein, where it plays important roles in immune system regulation and programming, cellular growth and differentiation, and overall physical and mental development. Infants raised on formula higher in casein end up with less lean mass and more fat mass than infants raised on formula higher in whey (and closer to the composition of breastmilk).³⁶

You could make the argument that whey protein is one of the most ancestrally consistent dairy foods a person can eat.

Overall, whey protein is much more than just a protein supplement. It builds muscle, improves glucose control, regulates immune function, lowers stress, and confers a ton of beneficial effects on people who consume it.  Real food is the foundation for a healthy diet. But whey protein is much more than a muscle-builder and meal replacer. I’d argue that it deserves a spot on the “supplemental foods” list alongside egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, and all the other foods that are powerful and vital in small doses.

I feel comfortable recommending its use for almost everyone, given that it’s one of the best-studied and oldest dietary supplements around.

Let’s hear from you guys. Do you take whey? If so, what kind and why? How have you benefited?

Thanks for reading, everyone!

The post Whey Protein: What It is and Why You Need It appeared first on Mark’s Daily Apple.

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After an eighth-place debut at the 2022 Mr. Olympia, some had surmised that Chinedu Andrew Obiekea, aka “Andrew Jacked,” would show out at the 2023 Arnold Classic (AC). To a degree, he did. The relative rookie, beginning his second year as an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) pro bodybuilder, took home a third-place podium finish. Like his contemporary Nick Walker, who was the runner-up to champion Samson Dauda, Jacked isn’t lamenting over what could’ve been. He’s got his vision aimed straight ahead.

On Mar. 5, 2023, Jacked shared a poignant and thoughtful Instagram post offering a personal reflection on his AC performance. Among the more notable tidbits was the rising star’s assessment of an earned result.

In some ways, Jacked seeming content with his AC result is appropriate. The athlete has already enjoyed a sterling rise to prominence. His respective wins at the 2022 Texas Pro and 2022 Arnold Classic UK contests demonstrate as much of someone with elite mass and a dynamite commitment to nutrition. At this pace, Jacked appears to only be improving.

That makes his heartfelt evaluation of the 2023 AC all too fitting. He only fell short of two other athletes while finishing ahead of established superstars like two-time Mr. Olympia (2020, 2021) Mamdouh “Big Ramy” Elssbiay (fourth place) and two-time 212 Olympia champion (2020, 2022) Shaun Clarida (fifth place), and two-time AC winner (2018, 2020) William Bonac (seventh place).

The best might truly be ahead for Jacked.

“Arnold Classic 2023 done and dusted, gameplan was executed,” Jacked wrote. “[I was] awesome and tighter in prejudging, slacked a bit in the Finals, and third place was so deserved! I’m so happy with the package presented on stage.”

As the athlete takes a break after an apparent “366 consecutive days” of contest-focused preparations, he thanked his two coaches, Chris “Psycho” Lewis and Chris Aceto, for their help. It might only be fair to assume they’ll continue to coax out the best in him.

“I’m sincerely grateful to Chris [Aceto] and Chris [Lewis] for an amazing six-week camp prep,” Jacked wrote. “Taking a break now after a long 366 days of actively prepping … and will come back fresher, stronger, prettier, classier & better.”

With names like the former two-time Mr. Olympia (2020-2021) champion Elssbiay losing their mantle, bodybuilding appears to be in a current state of flux. An established juggernaut might not be coming out victorious in every significant contest just yet. Based on his recent progress, that competitor could very well become Jacked in due time.

Featured image: @andrewjacked on Instagram

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In their respective strength sports spheres, strongman Hafthor Björnsson and powerlifter Daniel Bell possess some unique power. They demonstrated it once again at the 2023 Arnold Sports Festival (ASF) Expo.

On Mar. 4, 2023, Björnsson completed a 395-kilogram (870.8-pound) raw deadlift from a conventional stance with a mixed grip. Later on, in a friendly deadlift battle, Bell would match Björnsson, also pulling 395 kilograms (870.8 pounds) raw with a mixed grip from a narrow stance. Both athletes only utilized a lifting belt to assist with their feats.

Björnsson deadlifting this much weight this fast is impressive, considering his recent journey.

Over the last year or so, the former 2018 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) had been pursuing boxing, among different sports endeavors. He had lost much of his strongman-built body weight and seemed primed for the long-term athletic commitment. However, in October 2022, Björnsson changed gears and revealed he would soon be returning to both strongman and powerlifting. The athlete would notch a 970-kilogram (2,138.5-pound) total in the latter, appearing at the 2022 Thor’s Christmas Powerlifting Meet.

Now, it looks like the all-time deadlift World Record holder (501 kilograms/1,104.5 pounds) is returning to his strength roots.

Meanwhile, in Bell’s case, he’s fully in line with his own past remarkable precedent.

According to Open Powerlifting, Bell is the 120-plus-kilogram raw total World Record holder (1,127.5 kilograms/2,485.7 pounds). The athlete achieved that mark at the 2020 Revolution Powerlifting Syndicate (RPS) Sarasota Showdown. This relatively easy deadlift is also just 17.8 kilograms (39.4 pounds) off his all-time raw competition best from the 2022 American Powerlifting Federation (APF) Showdown at the Storm (412.5 kilograms/909.4 pounds).

As a powerlifting competitor, Bell has not lost a contest since August 2019 and has won on 13 consecutive occasions.

With his strongman return in full swing, Björnsson has publicly stated he’d like to deadlift at least 439.4 kilograms (970 pounds) by mid-April 2023. He’s well on his way toward that lofty ambition. From Bell’s perspective, with his name at the top of the record books, he could seek to extend his record achievements soon. Like the strongman icon, Bell’s goals seem to be going according to plan.

Featured image: @thorbjornsson on Instagram

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If anyone had doubts about Eddie Hall’s earnest commitment to trying bodybuilding, the strongman legend continues to show he’s dead serious. On Mar. 5, 2023, Hall posted a video to his YouTube channel where he worked through a back workout while guided by four-time Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler (2006-2007, 2009-2010). The routine appears to be a part of a series of sessions with established bodybuilders as Hall works toward a debut sometime in the year 2024.

Much like Hall’s previous bodybuilding-esque back routines in 2023 by himself and Jamie “The Giant” Christian, the athlete and Cutler featured a lot of pulldowns and rows.

Here’s a short overview of the complete workout, in order of movement. (Note: The pair did not disclose the exact number of sets and repetitions.) Cutler frequently emphasized the conditioning benefits of strict rest periods with 45 to 60 seconds between sets.

Eddie Hall | Back Workout With Jay Cutler, March 2023

• Machine Lat Pulldown
• Single-Arm Bent-Over Dumbbell Row
• Machine Reverse-Grip Lat Pulldown
• Close-Grip Seated Rows
• Machine Reverse-Grip Row

Among the more notable tips Cutler fed Hall about building mass and refining one’s back was during the lat pulldown. The bodybuilding icon had a lot to say about proper form as the 2017 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) worked through his set.

The idea, as it often is in bodybuilding, was about contracting the muscles enough to challenge them.

“I know this weight isn’t too heavy but we’re going to work on the contraction,” Cutler told Hall. “So, when you come down, I want you to kind of … this is kind of imitating the back double biceps, right? So, you’re going to squeeze, you know? Get that fire in the lats. So, make sure you get the contraction and don’t just pull the weight.”

Cutler appeared to really want to emphasize a quality lat pulldown for Hall. After all, it seemed to be one of the keys to his successful career on stage.

“I had a wider waist, so I had to offset. I had to build as big lats as possible,” Cutler explained to Hall. “So, because you always want to create that taper in bodybuilding, right? Because I was a little wider-waisted, the lats had to really flare out. So I really focused on the pulldown movements.”

As for how Cutler characterized Hall’s work ethic, he was very complimentary while the strongman/hopeful bodybuilder did his single-arm bent-over dumbbell rows.

“He’s [Hall] definitely the hardest worker in the room. That’s for sure.”

Hall’s workout with Cutler aside, he’s certainly not slowing down his bodybuilding ambitions. At least, according to his YouTube channel. Over the past few weeks, the athlete has posted videos of himself doing segments of bodybuilding training, working with Christian and Cutler, and even the powerful Larry Wheels.

At this rate, one fact seems abundantly clear — Hall will take extra bodybuilding knowledge wherever he can get it. And he’s getting it from some well-credentialed sources.

Featured image: @eddiehallwsm on Instagram

The post Eddie Hall Goes Through Olympia-Level Back Session With Jay Cutler appeared first on Breaking Muscle.

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No one wants to come down with a yucky sickness, and we all know that colds, the flu, and painful strep throat are all contagious. Most of us try to do all we can to protect ourselves from these germs, such as backing away when someone coughs or sneezes for fear that their germs will […]

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Sometimes folks who are interested in losing weight or getting healthier get so focused on the minutia of ”optimizing” their diet, supplements, exercise, and lifestyle that they gloss over the basics. This is a mistake. No matter your goal, you have to lay a good foundation before worrying about the finishing touches. When starting a keto diet, that means gradually reducing carbs to build a base of metabolic flexibility and get into ketosis.

To be clear, you can slam your body into ketosis by dropping from several hundred grams of carbs per day, typical in a modern diet, straight to the very low carb intake required for keto. I don’t recommend it, though. 

For one thing, jumping from a high-carb diet into keto sets you up for the world of hurt known as keto flu. When you suddenly deprive your body of glucose, you can expect to experience headaches, lethargy, brain fog, and an inability to perform your typical workouts. Gradually reducing carbs gives your body the opportunity to upregulate its ability to burn fat for fuel, a necessary prerequisite of ketosis. 

Not for nothing, a gradual transition also gives the people in your life time to get on board. You might be excited about your big lifestyle change, but I hear all the time from people who are struggling because their partners, kids, or roommates aren’t exactly supportive of them tossing all the junk food and refusing to go through the drive-thru on the way home. 

Even if you’re already following a moderate-carb Primal way of eating, I still recommend taking the time to make your transition as seamless as possible. No matter where you’re starting, the best way to reach ketosis is to gradually and systematically reduce your carb intake. This is the same approach that I describe in The Keto Reset Diet, and it’s worked for the thousands of people who have participated in our Keto Month challenges.  

What Is Ketosis?

Ketosis is a metabolic state in which your liver is making ketones, which are molecules that any mitochondria-containing cell can use for energy. Your brain and heart especially thrive on ketones. To get into ketosis, you must deplete liver glycogen (the glucose stored in your liver) and keep insulin levels low. Very-low-carb diets and fasting, or a combo of the two, will get you there. Glycogen-depleting exercise helps, too.

Ketogenic (“ketone making”) diets are popular for everything from losing weight to lowering insulin and blood sugar to augmenting traditional cancer treatments. Inflammation is at the root of every chronic illness, and ketones are anti-inflammatory. They are also an efficient fuel source, and athletes across the sport spectrum are experimenting with using low-carb diets to burn fat and ketones during exercise.

The Primal Blueprint qualifies as a low-carb eating style, especially in comparison to the high-carb Standard American Diet, simply by virtue of the fact that it eliminates the major sources of carbs in the typical modern diet: grains and sugar. The version of keto I recommend is an offshoot of the Primal diet you know and love, but with fewer carbs—below 50 grams or so per day. That’s orders of magnitude less than the average person eats, and maybe half or a third of what a typical Primal person consumes. So how do you get there?

How to Gradually Reduce Carbs and Get Into Ketosis

Step one: Start with the big offenders, grains and added sugars

That means no more sugary breakfast cereal, cupcakes, soda, or donuts, but it also means no “heart healthy” whole-grain bread or pasta. Instead, build your meals and snacks around Primal fare—meat, produce, eggs, nuts and seeds, optional full-fat dairy and “sensible indulgences” like very dark chocolate (not the super sugary stuff). For those of you accustomed to the Primal Blueprint, this should be familiar. In Keto Reset lingo, we call this the metabolic reset phase. It’s the first step toward becoming fat-adapted, meaning that your cells can efficiently burn fat for fuel in place of glucose. 

At this point you aren’t counting carbs, nor are you worried about the carbs that naturally come along with fruit, vegetables, dairy products, or any other Primal food sources. Depending on where you start, it can take a while to completely eliminate grains and added sugars and get comfortable eating Primally. Stay at this step for as long as it takes. There’s no rush here.  

Step two: Eat less fruit and higher-carbohydrate vegetables, tubers, and legumes

Next, take a look at the foods you’re currently eating and start to notice their carbohydrate content. Most people don’t have any idea how many carbs, or how much fat or protein, they’re taking in on an average day. A nutrition tracker like Cronometer is useful here. You don’t need to meticulously weigh and measure your food at this stage, but you want to pay attention to what’s on your plate.

Start limiting the portion size of your highest-carb foods or swapping them out for lower-carb alternatives. There aren’t any rules about how exactly to do this, but aim to be in the range of 75 to 100 grams of carbs, give or take, on a typical day. (If you were eating Primally to start, this might already be your norm.) If you’re eating two or three servings of fruit per day, maybe you decrease it to one and trade grapes (27 grams of carbs per cup) for strawberries (12 grams of carbs per cup). If you’re still eating a cup of black beans three times per week, try half a cup twice per week, then once. 

This is also a good time to take a look at your alcohol consumption. Besides the carb content, alcohol can interfere with ketosis. 

Step three: Go keto!

The final step is to tighten the reins and get your carb intake below 50 grams per day. I don’t worry about carbs that come from above-ground green vegetables and avocados, so you have some wiggle room there, but 50 grams per day is a good target to keep in mind. 

Whereas the first two steps were somewhat laid back, here you need to be strict. Ketosis only occurs when the metabolic conditions are right. There is a distinct on-off switch. Too many carbs, and you won’t be in ketosis. For that reason, it’s often necessary to track your food  carefully for at least a few days to see where you’re at. You may also want to measure your ketone levels to ensure you’re hitting your goal. That’s not mandatory.  

At this point, there won’t be much room in your carb allowance for fruit, below-ground vegetables, or legumes. Prioritizing the most keto-friendly fruits and vegetables will allow you to enjoy the biggest, most satisfying meals. 

What Else You Should Do To Encourage Ketosis

The transition to keto is all about developing new metabolic pathways. That’s largely about what you eat, but there are other things you can do to help the process along. 

1. Increase your electrolytes. When you drop into ketosis, your kidneys start flushing electrolytes. Mindfully increasing your sodium intake especially, but also potassium and magnesium, is key to staving off keto flu.
2. Adjust your exercise. During the transition, you’ll probably have a hard time accessing top-end speed and power. Dial back the intensity and/or duration, then gradually work back to your normal volume.
3. Mind your stress. Stress activates the fight-or-flight response, which will increase the body’s demand for glucose.   

Reversing the Process – Backing Out of Keto

Transitioning out of keto to a more moderate-carb approach is as simple as gradually increasing your intake of the fruit, higher-carb vegetables, and perhaps tubers and legumes you reduced in step two. Add maybe 25 grams of carbs per week until you find your personal carb tolerance sweet spot—the point at which you feel the best mentally and physically.  

Why would you want to stop eating keto? You don’t have to. I know people who have been happily and successfully keto for a couple of decades. But I don’t think constant ketosis is necessary. For optimal metabolic flexibility, I prefer to cycle in and out of keto. This also gives you the freedom to enjoy holidays, meals out with friends, and fresh summer fruit without concerning yourself about staying in ketosis 24/7. 

That’s it, pretty simple really. Comment below with any questions or topics you’d like me to cover next!

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