Originally posted on:
http://www.t-mag.com/articles/faq.html
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your burning questions and
links to our most popular articles
by The Editors
Here at Testosterone, we get thousands of letters per month. Some of those e-mails simply contain the literary equivalent of a hearty pat on the back. Of course, we also get a few that contain a swift kick in the Levi's. Hey, that's okay, we welcome both (sort of).
Most of the letters we receive contain questions about training, diet, supplementation, or steroids. While we do our best to personally answer each and every letter sent our way, it's sometimes tough to get back to every reader, unless of course the reader is a 22-year old lingerie model asking us to evaluate her latest photo spread. (Think of it as a sort of Testosterone triage.)
So, to help you out with your burning questions and to lighten our load a little bit, we've put together this FAQ section. Actually, we've gone one further. Not only will you find answers to our most frequently asked questions, you'll find some handy-dandy links to our most popular articles by category. Wasn't that nice of us?
If we don't answer your question here, then we suggest you use our search engine. If that doesn't help, then fire us off an e-mail and we'll get back to as soon as we can (especially if you're a lingerie model.)
Q: What are those tempo numbers (like 412) in your training articles?
A: For those of you who aren't used to seeing "tempo" at the top of your workout sheets, it refers to how fast you should do the movement. The first number means how many seconds you should take to do the eccentric, or lowering, part of the movement. The second number refers to how long of a pause, if any, you should take before raising the weight. The third number refers to how many seconds it should take to raise the weight.
Sometimes, strength coaches throw in a fourth number, like 4121. This last number refers to the duration of the pause you should take before starting the next rep. You may even see an "X" in place of a number. The designation "X" means you should lift the weight as fast as possible. If you see XXX, then that means you're on the wrong damn website and you better get off before your mom catches you.
Q: You guys mentioned the paper version of Testosterone. What's up with that?
A: Where you been, bubba? Yes, we have a paper version of T-mag! Every issue contains articles and columns you won't see at the web site, plus a few "best of" articles from the web. You can subscribe by calling 800-525-1940 or by clicking here. We'll send you a free Testosterone T-shirt and a T-man poster when you subscribe.
Q: What ever happened over at Muscle Media 2000 anyway?
A: For those you that don't know, the Editor-in-Chief of Testosterone, TC Luoma, used to be editor over at MM2K; you know, back when it was a hardcore bodybuilding magazine. TC was responsible for the editorial content of the mag. Similarly, many of the contributing and featured writers here once worked for MM2K.
However, when Bill Phillips decided to change the focus of Muscle Media to a general fitness publication, TC and others decided to severe their relations with the mag. There were all kind of additional legal twists and turns, and those may someday come to light, should anyone really care.
Q: Every time I bench, I feel pain in my shoulder and end up being forced to take some time off. Any idea what could cause this?
A: Unfortunately, most of us around here aren't doctors and shouldn't be diagnosing injuries. In fact, even a doctor couldn't diagnose an injury properly through e-mail alone. We suggest you check out the following articles, which may help you diagnose your problem. Then you should seek out a good doctor who has some experience treating athletes.
The Real Miracle Worker — This interview with Dr. Mike Leahy covers the revolutionary treatment called Active Release Technique or ART. Many weight training and sports injuries can be cured non-surgically with this revolutionary technique.
Smart Training — Part I, Part II
Bench Press Blowouts
Oh, My Aching Back! Prevention, Diagnosis, and Rehab
Bodybuilder, Heal Thyself
Long Live Your Bench
Strong and Healthy Shoulders
No Need for Knee Pain
Q: What's the relationship between Testosterone and Biotest supplements?
A: T-mag and Biotest are owned by the same parent company. Executive editor Tim Patterson is also the CEO of Biotest Labs. The fact is, most muscle magazines are affiliated with supplement companies. Testosterone doesn't see this as a bad thing, as long as the magazines are honest about their affiliations (which many aren't). Sure, we sell supplements and do you know what? We're damned proud it! It keeps this web site free and allows us to manufacture what we feel is the most effective stuff out there. So there!
Q: What's the best diet to use to lose fat while keeping as much muscle as possible?
A: There's simply no "one best way" to lose fat or gain muscle, so we can't answer that question in a blanket fashion. However, we have many articles that cover diet and nutrition. Look over the following articles and pick the diet that best fits your needs and goals. Note that this is only a sampling of the diet info we've provided. For more details, use the search engine or look through the Previous Issues section.
The Don't Diet diet (This is the fat loss version of Massive Eating. You can find it at John Berardi's "Appetite for Construction" column.)
The T-Dawg Diet
The Fat Fast — Part I, Part II
Chanko - A Lesson from the Sumos
The ABCDE Diet: The Next Generation (This contains the Delta 1250 Diet, a modification of the ABCDE calorie cycling diet.)
Eat Like a Man — Part I, Part II (These articles cover the Anabolic Diet)
The MRP Diet
Steroid Dieting (Despite the name, this article also has a section for those not wanting to use steroids when dieting.)
Another article that should be helpful to you is Foods That Make You Look Good Nekid. The Appetite for Construction column should be helpful too. There are several of these so just use the search engine. Also checkout Recipes for Success Part I and Part II and Food on the Go.
Q: If my goal is to mainly lose fat, what training program should I use?
A: Choose any one of these and you'll be beach ready in no time flat:
Meltdown Training
Fat to Fire
German Body Comp
Q: How should I eat if I want to gain weight?
A: We have several diets to choose from if your goal is pure mass gains. Try one of the following to pack on the pounds:
Massive Eating — Part I, Part II
The Growth Surge Project — Part I, Part II, Part III
The POW Diet
The Skinny Bastard Diet
The Get-Big Diet for Bodybuilders
Q: With all the diets on your site, where the heck am I supposed to start?
A: A good place to start is our Diet Manifesto article, which sums up many of our more popular diets. Once you decide on your primary goal (fat loss or muscle gain), you can pick a diet and go from there. Also, be sure to read our Missing Ingredient article, which tells you how to keep a food diary and track your progress.
Q: Help! I'm totally confused about which supplements to use. Where do I start?
A: Our Supplement Round-up article should get you started. It's updated frequently as new products become available.
Q: My goal in training is to become a better athlete. Which programs should I look into.
A: The programs below will work for athletes in a variety of sports:
The Top Nine Exercises for Functional Strength
Renegade Training
The Next Big Three Program
Drag Your Butt Into Shape
Renegade Rope Training
Push-up Your Explosive Strength!
Forgotten Squats
Gun for Hire — Part I, Part II
The Other Kind of Snatch
Old School Grip Training
Combat Training
White Men Can Jump!
Q: I'm thinking of using steroids. Which ones would you guys recommend? How do I cycle these?
A: There are simply too many individual factors involved in steroid usage for us to suggest certain cycles based on the limited info we have on you.
Steroids for Dummies
Steroids For Health
Mr. Natural Visits the Dark Side
Constructing a Steroid Cycle — Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV
Cycling — It's Not Just for Steroids Anymore
Getting the Gear — Part I, Part II
Steroids, The New Rules
Confessions of a Steroid Bootlegger
The Two Faces of Juarez — Part I, Part II
Steroid Dieting
The Thyroid Handbook
The Steroid Cookbook — Part I, Part II
The Finasol Experience
Julia Child on the Juice — Part I, Part II
Second, go to our Previous Issues section and read the "S-Files," "Strasseroids" and "Chemical Solution" columns. These Q and A columns are filled with suggested stacks and cycles. You may also want to go to our forum and talk with other readers and experts.
Q: I'm a total beginner and much of the stuff on this site is over my head. Where can I go to get the basic information?
A: Just go to our search engine and type in "Dawg School". This ongoing series of articles is geared towards newbies. Also checkout the new series called "Refresher Course". You can find the first one here.
Q: Just what the hell was TC thinking when he wrote that?
A: We have no idea, but we apologize profusely.
Q: What organization offers the best personal training certification?
A: We admit we've been rather tough on these organizations in the past. While many do offer good programs, most are woefully inadequate and behind the times. Still, we understand that you may be required to have such a certification in your field. The key is to remain open minded and to continue your education in the ever evolving fields of exercise, diet, supplementation, and sports performance. If we had to choose a specific certification agency we'd probably go with NSCA or ISSA. For information on these types of organizations read So You Want to be a Personal Trainer and The Spy Who Fragged Me.
Q: Could you please provide me with more details on one of your supplements?
A: Sure, we'd be glad to. First, enter our online store and click on any one of the supplement icons. That'll take you to a screen that describe the benefits of that particular supplement. Then go back and read all the "Behind the Scenes" columns. This is where we put most of the supplement information. Additionally, you can read the following articles:
The MAG-10 FAQ
The Pro-Steroid Roundtable
The MAG-10 Plan for Success
The Supplement Round-up
Choose Your Weapon
5-HTP: The Best Carb "Suppressant" Around
Solving The Post-Workout Puzzle — Part I, Part II (These articles have a lot of info about Biotest Surge.)
Jack Yo Ass Up! — Testosterone's Guide to Pre-Workout Stimulants
The New Supplement Pyramid
The Next Big Fat Loss Supplement — A Testosterone Breaking Story
Methoxy-7 — The Real Deal?
The Skeptic's Power Drive Experience
Short Topic: Win that Race!
May the Forskolin be with you!
Q: I need a new workout. Got any suggestions?
A: Sure. Millions of 'em, but for starters, you can check out the following articles:
Pop 'Em Out Muscles
Fat to Fire
The Next "Big Three" Program
The Growth Surge Project — Part I, Part II, Part III
Forgotten Squats
Bring on the Pain - Advanced Upper Body, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
Reactive Strength
Bone Crackin' Bench
Meltdown Training
Short Topic: Ancillary Circuits
The Creation of a T-Man
German Volume Training 2000
Convergent Phase Training
Big Bad Bench
Explosive Movements
From Russia With Love
White Men Can Jump!
Combat Training
Squat 900 Pounds
Bench Press 600 Pounds — A 12 Step Program
Accommodating Resistance
X-Comp Training — Compensatory Acceleration and the Bodybuilder
The 50-Yard Dash
Training with Maximal Weights
The Oscillating Wave Program — Part I, Part II
The 1-6 Principle
Tsunami Training
Body Type and Training Strategy
For more info on new exercises and routines, read our ongoing "Short Topic" series, Ian King's "Heavy Metal" column and Don Alessi's "Iron Dog" column.
Q: Some of the stuff you guys talk about just blows me away. Is there anything I can read that will give me sort of a quick intro/synopsis of all these training theories so I have a better understanding of what you're talking about?
A: Sure, just check out A Simpleton's Guide to the Poliquin Principles, Parts 1 and 2. Oh, and ignore the unfortunate title; it's not just for simpletons.
Then read The Little Black Book of Training Methods, The Testosterone Training Codex, Ian King Cheat Sheets Part I and Part II, and Things We've Learned.
Q: How do I improve the size of my calves?
A: One of the most effective calf routines we've tried was devised by Charles Poliquin and it's called the Luke Souder calf routine. It's described in Question of Strength, Testosterone #1. Another killer calf routine can be found in the Questions of Power column here.
Also read Pop 'em Out Muscles, Short Topic: Ancillary Circuits, Time to Explode, and Poetry in Motion.
Q: How do I improve the size of my lats?
A: We've posted several related articles. If you're looking for a great program that simultaneously develops the chest and the back, we suggest you follow the routine described in Ian King's program, 12 Weeks to Upper Body Strength. It's a 4-part article, so you've got lots of reading to do:
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
You can also check out:
Lat's get Cookin' —
New Recipes to Barbecue those Wings
The Top 7 Upper-Back Exercises
No More Geek Back Training
Short Topic: The Modified Gymnast's Routine
Short Topic: The 100/100 Routine
A Closer Look at the Seated Row
Short Topic: 60 Seconds of Pain
Q: How do I improve the size of my chest?
A: Well, as we mentioned above, the best workout we've found for building up the back and the chest is Ian King's program, 12 Weeks to Upper Body Strength.
Here are the links:
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 4
Also check out:
Bring on the Pain-Upper Body, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
15 Secrets to a Bigger Bench Press
Big Bad Bench
Pressing Power
Push-up Your Explosive Strength!
Pop 'Em Out Muscles
Bone Crackin' Bench
Short Topic: The 100/100 Routine
Q: Got any good movements for abs?
A: Ab-solutely! Check these out:
The Lost Secret of Ab Training
The Evolution of Ab Training
The Thinking Man's Guide to Ab Training
Roll Your Way to Killer Abs
Poetry in Motion
Short Topic: The Hanging Circumduction
Q: How do I improve the size of my legs?
A: Our favorite lower body workout is Ian King's 12-week Limping Series.
Here are the links:
Limping into October — Part 1, Part 2
Limping into November — Part 1, Part 2
Limping into December — Part 1, Part 2
Limping into the New Millennium — Part 1, Part 2
Ian has written a sequel to this program:
Bring the Pain — Advanced Leg Training — Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V.
You can also check out:
8 Hamstring Movements to Make You Cry Momma!
Short Topic: Great Ass Lunges
Forgotten Squats
Giant Sets — Bigger Legs or just Bigger Pain?
Squat 900 Pounds
Short Topic: Plate Drags
White Men Can Jump!
Q: How do I get bigger arms?
A: We suggest you try some (or all!) of the techniques described in the following articles:
From Bonsai to Bamboo
Booming Biceps — Part I and Part II
Short Topic: The Texas Arm Wrestler's Curl
Great Guns in 12 Weeks — Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV
The Swiss Ball Arm Workout
The One-Day Arm Cure
Can't Add Size to your Biceps? Try Working the Forearms!
The Top 10 Triceps Exercises
Pop 'Em Out Muscles
Q: I want caps on my shoulders. Got any shoulder routines?
A: The following article, by Jerry Telle, should do wonders and even change the way you think about shoulder training:
Tellekinetics : A New Way to Train Shoulders
Also check out:
Strong and Healthy Shoulders
Shrug Science — Part I and Part II
Wide Up Top (found in the "Heavy Metal" column)
Q: I want women to gasp when I drop my pants. How do I make my penis bigger?
A: Don't ever ask us questions like that.
Additionally, there's tons of information every week in the Reader Mail and Behind the Scenes columns. This section will continue to evolve and be periodically updated, but in case we didn't answer your question, just use the search engine to track down what you're looking for. Hope this helps!
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